South Africa: SADC calls for urgent National Dialogue in Eswatini

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders have called on the Kingdom of Eswatini to urgently initiate a national dialogue as tensions continue to rise in that country.

This comes after the murder of a leading human rights lawyer and political activist in the Kingdom of Eswatini, Thulani Masek,o who was shot dead on 21 January 2023.

SADC leaders convened the Extra-Ordinary Organ Troika Summit of Heads of State and Government on Tuesday in Windhoek, Namibia.

The summit was officially opened and chaired by the Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation and President of the Republic of Namibia, Dr. Hage G. Geingob.

President Geingob urged all stakeholders in the Kingdom of Eswatini to remain calm and participate peacefully in a National Dialogue.

The summit condemns all killings and damage to property in the Kingdom of Eswatini. The summit urges the government of the Kingdom of Eswatini to urgently initiate the process of the National Dialogue and urges all stakeholders in the Kingdom of Eswatini to remain calm and participate peacefully in the National Dialogue, SADC Chair said.

He reiterated SADCs condemnation of the killing of Maseko, who at the time of his death was Chairperson of the Multi-Stakeholder Forum.

SADC further urged the government of the Kingdom of Eswatini to conduct a swift, transparent and comprehensive investigation into the killing of Maseko.

President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is the outgoing Chair of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, is attending the summit accompanied by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor; Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Thandi Modise and Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele.

Mozambique

The summit reiterated the call for Member States to urgently respond to requests for critical capabilities to enhance the operational capability of the SADC Mission in Mozambique.

The summit noted the ongoing investigations being undertaken by SAMIM leadership following a disturbing video clip circulating on social media depicting what appears to be SAMIM personnel burning deceased people and reiterated that the public will be informed once the investigations are completed, as communicated by the Chairperson of the Organ in his statement issued on 11 January 2023, SADC said in a communique.

Kingdom of Lesotho

The summit also commended the government and the people of the Kingdom of Lesotho for conducting peaceful and successful elections, and congratulated the Revolutionary for Prosperity Party and the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho, Ntsokoane Samuel Matekane.

The summit further welcomed the commitment made by Prime Minister Matekane to prioritise the implementation and completion of the comprehensive national reforms process and approved the Action Plan for the Lesotho Reform Oversight Committee to monitor the finalisation of the reforms process in the Kingdom of Lesotho.

Democratic Republic of Congo

The summit noted with deep concern the unstable security situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

SADC leaders strongly condemned the upsurge of conflicts and activities of armed groups, including M23 rebels and the support provided to the armed groups by foreign forces.

The summit resolved to initiate dialogue amongst the Member States of different Regional Economic Communities (RECs) that have deployed forces in the DRC, with a view to establish and implement mechanisms for the effective coordination of their interventions in the DRC.

The summit adopted the draft African Union Declaration on the USA proposed Countering Malign Russian Activities in Africa Act and urged Member States to communicate SADCs position, and reaffirmed the stance of non-alignment on conflicts outside the continent and the region at multilateral fora.

The summit commended President Geingob for his leadership to galvanise concerted efforts towards the attainment of lasting peace and stability in the region.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2023-02-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
China plays crucial role in global fight against COVID-19

08:16, February 01, 2023 By Zhang Zhihao ( Chinadaily.com.cn

Staff members unload vaccines donated by China at a Philippine Air Force base in Manila, the Philippines on Feb 28, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua]

COVID: No conditions attached when China helps others

For Li Jun, vice-president of the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, fighting COVID-19 was a war on two fronts.

In April 2020, after battling an epidemic in his home province, Li led a team of medical experts to Malaysia to share Chinese health workers' firsthand experience in tackling the novel coronavirus.

Scientists and health workers sharing their data and knowledge is one of China's key methods of contributing to the global efforts against COVID-19. China has dispatched 37 expert teams to 34 countries over the past three years, according to the National Health Commission.

"There is a Malaysian proverb that goes, 'Bukit sama didaki, lurah sama dituruni', which translates into, 'Climb the hill together, traverse the ravine together'," Li said.

"China and Malaysia share a traditional friendship. We felt a strong duty to share our knowledge and help our Malaysian peers control COVID-19 in their home country."

Li's team presented their insights into treatment and diagnosis plans, hygiene and healthcare for discharged patients and psychological counseling for those infected and their families. "We wanted to help the Malaysian people combat COVID-19 and help them return to normalcy as soon as possible," Li said.

Chinese experts were similarly offering assistance in Iran, Italy, Pakistan, Russia, the Philippines and Peru, as well as countries in Africa, a feat that embodied the vision of building a global community of health for all, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Wang Xiaotao, former director of China International Development Cooperation Agency, said that many countries had donated valuable supplies to China when it was hit hard, and it was heartwarming for China to return the favor.

"Even when facing a serious COVID-19 situation at home, China promptly launched an emergency humanitarian aid effort, the largest of its kind since the nation's founding," Wang wrote in an article in Foreign Affairs Journal, which is published by the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs.

"The COVID-19 pandemic recognizes no borders and ethnicities. It is a common enemy of humanity and can only be overcome with solidarity and collaboration," Wang wrote. "China will never stand aloof from a friend in need, nor will it attach conditions for selfish gains when extending a helping hand."

Mi Feng, spokesman for the National Health Commission, said in a news briefing in mid-January that China has promptly shared vital information with the world, and that served as the scientific basis for developing vaccines and diagnosis tools.

These vital pieces of information included confirming the pathogen was a novel coronavirus, sharing the genome sequence of the virus and publishing China's treatment and prevention plans, he said.

China has provided massive quantities of medical supplies for 153 countries and 15 international organizations, Mi said. It also held over 300 exchanges on COVID-19 control measures and medical treatment with over 180 countries and regions and over 10 international organizations.

Mi said that China was the first country to propose the COVID-19 vaccine as a global public good and the first to cooperate in vaccine production with developing countries. He added that China had provided over 2.2 billion vaccines for over 120 countries and international organizations.

"We are willing to continue to work with the international community to jointly tackle the pandemic and better safeguard the health and well-being of people in various countries," Mi said.

At the same news briefing, Wu Xi, director-general of the Department of Consular Affairs of the Foreign Ministry, said that China has maintained an open, transparent and responsible attitude when sharing its data with the international community, including holding over 60 technical exchanges with the World Health Organization, five of which were recently held.

On Jan 14, Ma Xiaowei, head of the National Health Commission, spoke with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus about the COVID-19 situation in China.

The WHO said in a statement that Chinese officials provided it information on the COVID-19 situation in the country and also made the information public through a news conference. The information shared covered a range of topics, including outpatient clinics, hospitalization, patients requiring emergency treatment and critical care, and deaths related to COVID-19 infection in hospitals.

"The WHO will continue to work with China, providing technical advice and support and engaging in analyzing the situation," the statement added.

Qian Yuming, an assistant researcher at the Department for International and Strategic Studies of the China Institute of International Studies, said that China has made an "irreplaceable and irrefutable" contribution to the global fight against COVID-19 by providing necessary aid and by building confidence and hope.

Last year, the BRICS nations  Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa  launched a new vaccine research and development center to enhance collaboration in the areas to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mikhail Murashko, Russia's health minister, said in a video address to the launch event that the center showcases the BRICS' commitment to assisting the global population and making vaccines more accessible and affordable for developing countries.

Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, acting director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, said that China's collaborations with countries such as Egypt, Algeria and Morocco offered alternative sources of COVID-19 vaccines to people on the African continent, especially at the height of the pandemic in the middle of 2021.

The partnership has enabled the continent to produce the vaccines locally, thus reducing the need for importing and transporting vaccines from outside the continent, he told Xinhua News Agency.

Sergio Held, a journalist based in Colombia, said that Chinese vaccines brought life in Latin America back to normal, as the Rio de Janeiro Carnival in Brazil made a comeback in April 2022 after being canceled the year before due to the pandemic.

Mehmood ul Hassan Khan, executive director of the Center for South Asia &International Studies in Islamabad, Pakistan, said that China's optimization of its COVID-19 control measures will unleash the vitality of its economy and bolster the international community's confidence in its development potential.

"China has proactively facilitated the optimization of the global public health governance," he wrote in an article published in People's Daily.

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Liang Jun)
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Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday hailed the Union Budget 2023-2024 for being growth-oriented and pro-development. While talking to ANI, Puri said, "It's a budget for growth and development. In the last two years, we faced many difficulties but thanks to the farsighted policies of PM, we are back to the pre-Covid level of economic activities in every sector. Capital expenditure increased by 33 per cent to Rs 10 lakh crore. "Money spent on urban infrastructure will benefit people. Expenditure incurred through economic activities especially infrastructure building and capital expenditure is productive. This budget will give benefits to all sections of society whether it is youth, women, SCs and STs," he added. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharamn in her budget speech said that government will create Urban Infrastructure Development Fund on the lines of the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund which will be managed by the National Housing Bank. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the "first budget of Amrit Kaal" and said it would lay a strong foundation for building a developed India. The Prime Minister said that the budget prioritises the deprived and will fulfil the dreams of the aspirational society, the farmers, and the middle class. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2023 today in Lok Sabha. This was the third time in a row that the government presented the budget in a paperless form. Highlights of the budget presented by the Union Finance Minister included significant incentives under the new income tax regime. The IT rebate limit in the new regime has been increased from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh and the new tax regime will be the default tax regime, the Finance Minister said. Capital expenditure outlay has been increased by 33 per cent to Rs 10 lakh crore, accounting for 3.3 per cent of the GDP. (ANI)
While talking to ANI, Chouhan said, "This budget is for the welfare of every sector and every state of the country. It's for benefit of the poor, women, and middle-class people along with empowering weaker sections and the youth."

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the "first budget of Amrit Kaal" and said that it would lay a strong foundation for building a developed India. The Prime Minister said that the budget gives priority to the deprived and will fulfill the dreams of the aspirational society, the farmers, and the middle class.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2023 today in Lok Sabha. This was the third time in a row that the government presented the budget in a paperless form.

Highlights of the budget presented by the Union Finance Minister included big incentives under the new income tax regime.

The IT rebate limit in the new regime has been increased from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh and the new tax regime will be the default tax regime, the Finance Minister said. Capital expenditure outlay has been increased by 33 per cent to Rs 10 lakh crore, accounting for 3.3 per cent of the GDP. (ANI)
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to three persons of a family who forged the lease deed and used it to create a title on the government land. The matter pertains to the Lajpat Nagar 3 area of South Delhi. The High Court also issued directions to the Land and Development Office (L&DO) and MCD to demolish the unauthorised construction and remove the encroachment on the government land in question. Justice Prathiba M Singh issued notice to three respondents and directed them to file a reply within two weeks. The court directed them to file their response on why not a proceeding for perjury should be initiated for forging a document and filing in court. While issuing the notice the High Court took note of the submissions made by the L&DO that the lease deed was verified and it was found to be forged and the respondents has no right on the land in question, the L&DO said. The court said that the documents were fabricated and forged to create a title on the government land. The three respondents moved an application for modification of the order of demolition passed by the court on January 18. They filed the lease deed along with the plea. The court rejected the submission of the counsel for the respondents that the lease deed was genuine and they are residing in the property since 1963. The land was allotted to the deceased father of the respondents. Justice Singh orally said, "the court knows how these things take place. The fact is that the sale deed is forged. Don't try to defend your clients. You are an officer of the court. Stop this kind of conduct, justice Singh orally remarked. The court directed that the L&DO and MCD officials shall take action in one week in terms of order passed on January 18. The officers of L&DO and MCD shall remain present at the time of taking possession after the demolition. The SHO of police station Lajpat Nagar shall provide all the cooperation in demolition. The said action of demolition and removal of encroachment shall take place on February 4 at 11 am. The court has directed the L&DO and MCD to file their further status report on the next date of the hearing. The matter has already been listed on February 27 for further hearing. The high court was hearing a petition moved by Lajpat Nagar 3 neighbourhood welfare Association. The petition moved through Advocate Ritika Khanagwal stated that there is an illegal occupation on vacant public land in block I, between I-9 and I-10. The respondents have constructed a house and have represented to the authorities that the same has been allotted to them by L&DO, the petition stated. It was also submitted that they were further trying to illegally construct and occupy the unallotted land. Thereafter, the association intervened and got the construction stopped. During the hearing on January 18, the Land and Development Office (L&DO) informed the court that the permanent construction has been carried out illegally on the government land and they have written a letter to the MCD to take necessary action for removal of encroachment. In view of the submissions, the court had directed the MCD and police to take action to remove encroachment within 2 weeks and file the compliance report. (ANI)
The thrust of the Union Budget 2023-24 is on inclusive growth and development, taking education to all sections of society, Professor Anil Kumar from Delhi University said on Wednesday. Talking to ANI, Department of Commerce, Delhi University, Professor Anil Kumar said, "As far as the education sector is concerned, the announcement has been made in the Union Budget for the opening of 157 new nursing colleges." "In our country, there is a scarcity of nurses and as new medical colleges are being open in almost every district, their nursing staff is also required along with doctors. I feel, with the opening of these colleges, the scarcity of nurses will go away," he added. He praised the budget for focusing on Artificial Intelligence with the AI Advance Centers. "Secondly, in today's context, our education has become multi-disciplinary and the focus is on technology. In today's budget, as a major boost to AI, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced building three advance centres for research in AI. In these centres, along with research, it will also be seen in how AI can help solve the problems in our country," he added. The DU Professor further said that with the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna 4.0, the government has moved a step ahead in focusing on the youth as it will lead to vocationalisation of education. He also praised the budget for laying focus on making education application-oriented. "In the last budget, the government made an announcement of the apprenticeship scheme. To boost that scheme, this time they have come up with a provision, that the education should be application-oriented and connected with practical life as it is important to give industry experience," he further added. He believes that the National Digital Library will prove to be a good step and help in taking education to remote villages. "Finance Minister has also announced to set up National Digital library. In the last budget, they mentioned Digital University and this is an extension of that. In National Digital Library, resources will be created, and digitized and will be taken to remote villages. I feel the digital library will be proven a good step," he said. Kumar also believes that the budget will help in providing more incentives for start-ups. "Along with this, there is the provision of boosting e-commerce and start-ups. In this tax holiday that was going on, they have extended it for another year. It means the youth who can open start-ups along with or after the education, in this budget more incentive will be given," he further said. Speaking in the context of the education sector, the DU Professor said that the budget will boost inclusive growth benefitting all social classes. "The best announcement that has been made in this is the recruitment of teachers and support staff in 'Eklavya Model Residential Schools'. This will help in these schools become operational and serve tribal students in order to give them quality education. Basically, this budget's thrust is on inclusive growth and development," he added. (ANI)
In the Union Budget 2023-24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has allocated Rs 1.96 lakh crore to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) with a substantial increase in sectors like women's safety, police modernisation as well as border infrastructure and management. The overall MHA budget (including support to Union Territories), is Rs 1,96,034.94 crore. The Budget 2022-23 had earmarked Rs 1,85,776.55 crore. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for 2023-24 in Lok Sabha on Wednesday. There has been a total of 60.5 per cent increase over Budget Estimates on the safety of women-- a maximum hike in any sector under the MHA--followed by modernization of police forces (36.15 per cent), modernization and upgradation of visa and immigration system (31 per cent), border infrastructure and management (29.17 per cent), National Disaster Response Force (19.87 per cent) and Delhi Police (15.22 per cent). Of the total Budget allocated to the MHA, helmed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Rs 41,539 crores have been marked to support Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Rs 11,932 crores have been allocated to the MHA for Delhi Police. A sum of Rs 1,100 crore has been allocated for women's safety schemes while Rs 3,636.66 crore has been given for the development of police infrastructure in comparison to Rs 2,188.38 crore allocated in 2022-23. For the modernisation of police forces in the country, the budget allocated Rs 3,750 crore in comparison to Rs 2,432.06 crore given in 2022-23. A sum of Rs 3,545.03 crore has been allocated for the development of border infrastructure like construction of roads and bridges in comparison to Rs 3,738.98 crore allocated in the current fiscal while Rs 2780.88 crore has been allocated for security-related expenditure in comparison to Rs 2,024.54 crore given in the current fiscal. The budget also allocated Rs 1,564.65 crore for census-related works, Rs 700 crore for the modernisation of forensic capacities, Rs 350.61 crore for maintenance of border check posts and Rs 202.27 crore for Modernisation Plan IV for Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). An amount of Rs 1,27,756.74 crore has been allocated to the CAPFs in comparison to Rs 1,19,070.36 crore in 2022-23. Among the CAPFs, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)-- which is deputed to provide internal security and fighting militancy in Jammu and Kashmir as well as Naxal-affected regions, has been allocated Rs 31,772.23 crore in comparison to Rs 31,495.88 crore given in 2022-23. The Border Security Force (BSF), which guards India's border with Pakistan and Bangladesh besides handling internal security assignments, has been given Rs 24,771.28 crore in comparison to Rs 23,557.51 crore given in the current fiscal. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which protects vital installations such as nuclear projects, airports and metro networks, has been given Rs 13,214.68 crore in comparison to Rs 12,293.23 crore allocated in 2022-23. The Shashastra Seema Bal (SSB), which guards India's borders with Nepal and Bhutan, has been allocated Rs 8,329.10 crore compared to Rs 8,019.78 crore given in 2022-23. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), which guards the Sino-Indian border, got Rs 8,096.89 crore in comparison to Rs 7,626.38 crore given in the current fiscal. The Assam Rifles, which is deployed along the India-Myanmar border and for anti-insurgency duties in the Northeast, has been allocated Rs 7,052.46 crore in comparison to Rs 6,561.33 crore given in the current fiscal. The National Security Guard (NSG), the elite commando force to tackle any emergency security situation, has been allocated Rs 1,286.54 crore in comparison to Rs 1,183.80 crore given in 2022-23. The Intelligence Bureau has been given Rs 3,418.32 crore compared to Rs 3,022.02 crore in the current fiscal year. The Special Protection Group (SPG), which protects the prime minister, has been allocated Rs 433.59 crore in comparison to Rs 411.88 crore given in 2022-23. (ANI)
In a Joint operation with City Task Force, Visakhapatnam Special Enforcement Bureau seized 380 ampoules of Pentazocine Lysine Lactate Injections and arrested two drug peddlers during a raid in Andhra Pradesh's Vizag, officials said on Wednesday. Four cell phones and a two-wheeler were also seized by the police. The accused has been identified as Boda Srinu of Allipuram, Andhra Pradesh, and Durga Prasad of Kharagpur, an official familiar with the matter said. Visakhapatnam Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) Joint Director Bammidi Srinivasa Rao said, "SEB officials will act more strictly on drug peddlers who are ruining the future of the youth". The crackdown on illegal drug injection racket was carried out under the directions of Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner Srikanth and SEB Joint Director Bammidi Srinivasa Rao, they said. "Police arrested a person selling narcotic injections in Visakhapatnam Maharani Peta Police Station limits," the official said. "SEB officials seized 380 ampoules of drugs from Boda Srinu of Allipuram without any permits. During the Probe, It was found that Durga Prasad of Kharagpur was supplying drug injections to him," the official said. "Visakhapatnam Special Enforcement Bureau and Task Force arrested them while supplying drugs at the Allipuram market area," they said. "In their investigation, the SEB officers also found that Srinu, who bought the drug injection for 70 rupees, was selling it to the youth for 200 rupees. The accused and the suppliers were also arrested at the same time," the official added. In December 2022, Officials of Visakhapatnam city Police arrested seven persons and seized 124 Kilos of contraband drugs. Visakhapatnam city Police said they have arrested over 70 persons in the last seven months in connection with the smuggling of cannabis. Earlier, Visakhapatnam city Police appealed to the parents to keep a close watch on the behaviour of children and if any abnormality and signs of depression are observed, parents shall immediately take the children to professional counselling. "Parents may also avail of the facility of the city Police counselling centre "MARPU", where several drug-addicted children were given counselling and efforts were made to bring change in their lives," an official said in December 2022. (ANI)
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought a response from the Centre through the Ministry of Labour and Employment and others on a plea filed by the Labour Law Association against the shifting of the Central Government Industrial Tribunal cum Labour Court from Rouse Avenue District Court Complex to a new building constructed by the Central Government in Dwarka. The Bench of Justice Satish Chander Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad on Wednesday sought a response from respondents and granted four weeks to the Union of India to file a status report. The Petitioner was represented by Rajiv Agarwal, Jawahar Raja, Meghna De, L Gangmei and Varsha Sharma. The plea stated that since May 2019, the Labour Courts and Industrial Tribunals including the CGITs have been functioning from the Rouse Avenue Courts Complex. The other stakeholders including litigants and representatives are satisfied with this centrally located facility. The plea also submitted that High Court did not grant any permission to the Respondent Ministry of Labour and Employment regarding the shifting of CGITs from Rouse Avenue Courts Complex. It further stated that the litigants and their representatives will suffer immensely because of the shifting of the CGITs to one end of the city. The trade union officials and the advocates practising before the Labour Courts will face difficulties as the practitioners appear before the state labour courts and industrial tribunals on the same day. (ANI)
Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday said that the Union Budget 2023-24 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reflects the mission envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India, which is entering the 'Amrit Kaal' to become a developed nation in next 25 years. Speaking to ANI, Goyal said, "The budget is a well-thought-out strategy to make India a developed country in the next 25 years as India enters 'Amrit Kaal' as envisioned by Prime Minister Modi. This budget is the first step towards becoming a developed nation. Nirmala ji presented this budget to create the foundation for this. The budget will strengthen the country for a long time and creating a foundation for the economy." He said that the whole world believes India will give a big push to a global economy. "In the years to come India will be the bright star, it is the bright star but will continue to be the bright star in the years to come," he added. He said that the entire budget is full of jobs and opportunities adding that the budget is a bonanza for 140 crore people. "This budget is a bonanza for the 140 crore people living in this country. This is a budget that thinks about people from all sectors and will be a source of employment. The world has appreciated PM Modi's role in handling the economy of the country," said Goyal. The Minister said that the way Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister have created this budget, its impact will be great on people from all sectors, adding that this is a record budget for Defence, Railways and Medical sectors. "This budget will touch 140 crore Indians and will impact their lives for a better future and prepare India to enter into Amrit Kaal with great confidence as a country which is working to a plan to make India a nation where everybody grows as the economy grows," said the Commerce Minister. On the Opposition election budget claim, Goyal said, "If you see there is a consistency in this budget. They are alleging that the budget has been made keeping the election in mind. Tell me when Rs 3.5 lakh crore was spent on infrastructure in the year 2019-20 as capital expenditure when it was increased from Rs 3.5 lakh crore to Rs 5.5 lakh crore, then what kind of elections were being held? When it was increased from Rs 5.5 lakh crore to Rs 7.5 lakh crore then also which elections were being held?" "The FM has shown his consistency in the budget and has shown the thinking of PM Modi, who cares for every class without any discrimination. Elections budgets are those where 'rewris' are distributed. This budget empowers 140 crore people and in this, an attempt has been made to empower everyone. This budget is preparing India for a brighter future," said Goyal He further said that the relief given from 43 per cent to 39 per cent is in a way a recognition of the contribution of each one and the biggest concern in this budget is the welfare of the middle class and the poor. When asked about the growth, the Union Minister said that the benefits that have come out of this budget have been widely recognised and hailed by every section of society. "Infrastructure experts, industry experts, importers and exporters, educationists, people associated with the health sector almost every sector has widely acclaimed this budget as a very balanced budget. It's a step in the right direction for fiscal consolidation also, therefore, economists are happy with this budget. Since the focus is on Infrastructure people recognise that this is preparing the nation for the long run and therefore growth will be the natural outcome of this budget. But the beauty of this budget is it will lead to inclusive growth not just growth. It will lead to sustainable growth giving the focus on green energy and therefore, I can say with full confidence the whole world today recognises India as the fastest-growing large economy. Further hitting out at the Opposition he said that they are making the same typical and standard comments. "Sadly, some of my friends and colleagues in the Opposition are unable to digest that and therefore, they are shooting in the dark. They are making typical and standard comments. Little realizing that the world and the people are smarter. It is the people who understand and know everything and that's why they have unwavering faith in PM Modi," said Goyal. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the "first budget of Amrit Kaal" and said that it would lay a strong foundation for building a developed India. The Prime Minister said that the budget gives priority to the deprived and will fulfill the dreams of the aspirational society, the farmers, and the middle class. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2023 today in Lok Sabha. This was the third time in a row that the government presented the budget in a paperless form. Highlights of the budget presented by the Union Finance Minister included big incentives under the new income tax regime. The IT rebate limit in the new regime has been increased from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh and the new tax regime will be the default tax regime, the Finance Minister said. Capital expenditure outlay has been increased by 33 per cent to Rs 10 lakh crore, accounting for 3.3 per cent of the GDP. (ANI)
CSL is building eight HS Eco freighter 7000 DWT Multi-Purpose Vessels for HS Service Group, Germany. The inauguration was held at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL).

The association with HS Schiffahrts group also marked CSL's entry into the European Shortsea shipping market, where similar Vessels form the backbone of the logistics network of the continent all the way from North Sea ports to the down south Mediterranean ports. These Vessels are the workhorses that transport goods of various types to the European continent, the statement added.

The Vessels with an overall length of 110 m and breadth of 16.5m will be arranged and equipped for the carriage of project cargo, heavy cargo, steel coils, containers, dry cargoes, timber, paper and bulk cargoes such as coal, grain and dangerous goods on worldwide service trade. She has a carrying capacity of 7000 tons, a statement said.

These Ice Class Vessels are designed by Groot Ship Design Netherlands, with detailed engineering being carried out by CSL. The vessels will be built under DNV Classification under the flag of Portugal, meeting all the latest rule requirements, it said.

Heino Schepers, Hans-Bernd Schepers (Both from HS Service group), and Jan de Looff from Briese Shipping as technical consultants of the Owner and members of Groot Ship Design, Netherlands attended the event online. (ANI)
Politicians of Rajasthan have given a mixed reaction to the 2.0 Modi government's Union Budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot launched an attack on the Union Budget and said that the budget is 'a great disappointment for Rajasthan.' Taking to social media, Gehlot wrote, "If we talk about the Union budget in the context of Rajasthan, then this budget has been a great disappointment for the state." Stating that people are in a distressed mood in the state, he said, "People of the state are disappointed because the central government did not accept our demands of giving national status to ERCP, an important project related to the development of Rajasthan state." In the Gehlot government, Cabinet Minister Pratap Singh Khachariawas termed the central budget as 'zero'. Cabinet Minister Khachariawas said, "This budget of the Central Government has dashed the people's expectations. Neither subsidy has been given on gas cylinders in the budget, nor did the public get freedom from the increased prices of petrol and diesel." Describing the budget as an illusion of figures, he said that the public would not get anything from this budget. While Rajasthan Bharatiya Janata Party state president Dr Satish Poonia has described the budget as an 'all-inclusive budget'. Poonia said that the expectations of the middle class and deprived sections would be fulfilled from this budget. "Every category has got something or the other in the budget," he added. Meanwhile, on the allegations levelled by Congress leader Pratap Singh Khachariawas, Poonia said that Congress only thinks of the state while the Prime Minister thinks of the whole country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also hailed the "first budget of Amrit Kaal" and said it would lay a strong foundation for building a developed India. The Prime Minister said that the budget gives priority to the deprived and will fulfil the dreams of the aspirational society, the farmers and the middle class. "The first budget of Amrit Kaal will build a strong foundation for building a developed India. It gives priority to the deprived. This budget will fulfil the dreams of an aspirational society including poor people, middle-class people, and farmers. I congratulate Nirmala Sitharaman and his team for this historic budget," PM Modi said in a televised address. Prime Minister Modi underlined the government's efforts to enhance the lives of women. "The government has taken several steps to make the lives of women, in rural and urban areas, easy. Women's self-help groups will further enhance them. Special savings scheme will be started empowering women in households," the PM said. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2023 today in Lok Sabha. This was the third time in a row that the government presented the budget in a paperless form. Highlights of the budget presented by the Union Finance Minister included big incentives under the new income tax regime. The IT rebate limit in the new regime has been increased fromRs 5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh and the new tax regime will be the default tax regime, the Finance Minister said. Capital expenditure outlay has been increased by 33 per cent to Rs 10 lakh crore, accounting for 3.3 per cent of the GDP. (ANI)
Major Gen Girish Kalia was commissioned on 14 December 1991 from IMA, Dehradun into the MADRAS Regiment, the spokesperson said.

An alumnus of the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, the General Officer has attended all-important career courses at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Army War College, Mhow and National Defence College, New Delhi, he said.

His higher qualification includes MSc & M Phil in Defence & Strategic Studies. The General Officer has vast operational experience having served in intense Counter Insurgency / Counter Terrorist operations in North East & Jammu and Kashmir.

For his distinguished service, he has been awarded GOC-in-C Northern Command Commendation Card in 2001, GOC-in-C Southern Command Commendation Card in 2009 and Vishisht Seva Medal in 2020 while commanding a challenging brigade on the Line of Control, the spokesperson said.

The General Officer brings with him a rich experience of various Command, Staff and Instructional appointments including the command of an Infantry battalion as part of an Infantry Brigade and Strike Corps on the Line of Control, Defence Attache in Egypt. He was tenanting an important appointment at Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff prior to assuming the Command of the prestigious Vajr Division, it added. (ANI)
A G20 delegation on Wednesday visited the Kaziranga National Park in Assam's Golaghat district, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The delegates on their arrival received a grand welcome from the district administration. The delegates enjoyed an adventurous jeep safari into the Bagori Range and Kohora Range of Kaziranga National Park. "We got a warm welcome yesterday in Guwahati and today we are in Kaziranga National Park. Tomorrow is the first Sustainable Finance Working Group meeting in Guwahati and we hope to work along with India to bring about a change in the climate and biodiversity," said a member of the G20 delegation. Prior to the Jeep Safari, the delegates visited the Kaziranga Convention Centre, Kohora where they were briefed about the various wildlife-friendly initiatives and activities undertaken for the conservation of wildlife by the Kaziranga National Park authorities. India assumed the G20 Presidency from Indonesia on December 1, 2022, and will convene the G20 Leaders' Summit for the first time in the country this year. The theme for G20 is 'One Earth. One Family. One Future' with the motto of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam". The G20 or Group of 20 is the one of world's leading platforms for international economic cooperation. The G20 was founded in 1999 after the Asian financial crisis as a forum for the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to discuss global economic and financial issues. The G20 or Group of is made up of 19 countries and the European Union. The 19 countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. This year's G20 summit is also attended by nine guest countries as well as the invited International Organisations. As part of the current G20 summit, five meetings will be held in Guwahati and Dibrugarh. According to officials, the first SFWG meeting will be held at Hotel Radisson Blu in Guwahati on February 2-3. The two-day meeting will be attended by 94 delegates from the member countries of G20, guest countries, different international organizations and also officials from the Government of India. The agenda of the first-day program includes a yoga Session and three SFWG sessions. The first-day program will end up with a River cruise and 'Ratri bhoj par samvaad' and a cultural event, officials said. The programme on the second day will also contain a yoga session, three side event sessions, the 4th SFWG session and conclude with dinner for delegates at Brahmaputra Heritage Centre, they said. Adil Khan, Nodal Officer of the G20 meeting in Assam said that it's a privilege for Assam that we have been chosen to host five prestigious G20 events. "The delegates have started arriving for the first meeting will be held on February 2-3. The first meeting is the Sustainable Financial Working Group. Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma has instructed all the departments that it should be a memorable event for all the foreign delegates visiting Assam and should provide them with all facilities," said Khan. Just after the first G20 meeting, there will be Youth 20 event which will be held in Guwahati on February 7-8, 2023. The Youth 20 Inception event will be attended by 250 delegates at Hotel Radisson Blu and IIT, Guwahati. Moreover, 400 students from various academic institutions in Assam will also participate in the Youth 20 Inception event. This is the first of the various events to be held on the five Y20 themes across India in a run-up to the final Y20 summit in August 2023. The Youth 20 event will focus on these themes- Peace Building and Reconciliation, the Future of the Work Industry, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction, Youth in Democracy and Governance, Health well-being and Sports.The State has completed its preparation to welcome the foreign delegates to Assam. Guwahati is adorned with digital wall paintings, thematic gates, flags of G20 countries, LED cut-outs, standees, hoarding etc. as part of branding and beautification. Assam Government has made elaborate arrangements for delegates to places of importance like Kaziranga National Park, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, Gorbhanga Reserve Forest, Brahmaputra's River Island and Brahmaputra Heritage Centre. This meticulously chalked-out tour program will help in promoting the rich bio-diversity and socio-cultural heritage in the international arena, said officials. (ANI)
Speaking in Lok Sabha, Sitharaman said, "Bharat Shared Repository of Inscriptions (Bharat SHRI) will be set up in a digital epigraphy museum, with digitization of one lakh ancient inscriptions in the first stage"

Finance Minister further spoke about National Digital Library for Children and Adolescents.

"A National Digital Library for children and adolescents will be set-up for facilitating the availability of quality books across geographies, languages, genres and levels, and device agnostic accessibility," she said.

The Finance Minister said States will be encouraged to set up physical libraries for them at panchayat and ward levels and provide infrastructure for accessing the National Digital Library resources.

Additionally, to build a culture of reading, and to make up for pandemic-time learning loss, Sitharaman said the National Book Trust, Children's Book Trust and other sources will be encouraged to provide and replenish noncurricular titles in regional languages and English to these physical libraries.

Collaboration with NGOs that work in literacy will also be a part of this initiative. To inculcate financial literacy, financial sector regulators and organizations will be encouraged to provide age-appropriate reading material to these libraries, added the Minister. (ANI)
Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Khanna welcomed the Union Budget, saying that it will benefit the common citizen and also create demand in the market. Talking to reporters, here on Wednesday, Khanna said, "I would like to thank the Modi government for the Union Budget. Every class has been kept in mind in the budget, the women, businessmen and service class, everyone has been taken care of in this budget. It will directly benefit the people." He said that through this budget, the country's economy will increase, employment will be created and the capital income of the people will also increase. "The common citizen will directly benefit from the budget. The farmers and traders will also be benefitted. Increasing the income tax slab will increase the purchasing power of the people. If you have more money, then you will naturally use it. The money will go into the market, which will increase demand, benefit industries and also provide employment," he said. Reacting to the allegations of the opposition, the BJP Minister asked them to read the budget before criticizing it. "The opposition stays ready to criticize the budget even before it is presented. They should first read the budget before making the allegations. This budget should be implemented for everyone and definitely, the common citizen will get benefit from it," he further said. Earlier today, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget, which happens to be the last full Budget of the Modi government in its second term. This is the fifth budget presentation by Sitharaman. This year's Budget holds much significance as the country is scheduled to have the next Lok Sabha election in April-May 2024. As per established tradition, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman along with ministers of state Pankaj Chaudhary and Bhagwat Karad and Finance Secretary T V Somanathan called on President Droupadi Murmu. The budget session of the Parliament began on Tuesday with President's address, subsequently tabling the Economic Survey for 2022-23. The formal exercise to prepare the annual Budget for the next financial year (2023-24) commenced on October 10. The Economic Survey, tabled in the Parliament on Tuesday, noted India's GDP is expected to grow in the range of 6 to 6.8 per cent in the coming financial year 2023-24. This is in comparison to the estimated 7 per cent this fiscal and 8.7 per cent in 2021-22. (ANI)
According to The Verge, an American technology news website, the cyberattack is believed to be in connection with a T-Mobile data breach earlier this month.

Google said in an email sent to Google Fi customers on Monday that the cell network's primary network provider had become aware of suspicious activity in a system containing Google Fi customer data.

The company doesn't specifically identify T-Mobile as its principal service provider in the email, despite the fact that Google Fi is an MVNO that primarily connects to the US Cellular and T-Mobile networks.

According to Google, hackers may have gained access to some user data through the compromised system, including phone numbers, SIM card serial numbers, account status, and information on mobile service plans.

Names, email addresses, credit card information, government IDs, passwords, or pin numbers were among the types of personal information that were not stored in the system.

Google reassured customers that there is no need for Fi users to take any further action, and that there was no unauthorized access to Google's own systems or any systems overseen directly by Google.

As per The Verge, both the timing of the announcement and Google Fi's relationship with T-Mobile suggest that this breach directly links to a cyber-attack earlier this month that impacted 37 million T-Mobile customers. It was the eighth T-Mobile hack since 2018. (ANI)
Several entrepreneurs have shown interest in investing in Andhra Pradesh after the meeting organized by the government, Andhra Pradesh minister Gudivada Amarnath said on Wednesday. Ahead of the Global Investors Conference, which is slated to be held in Visakhapatnam on March 3-4, a preparatory meeting was held in the national capital on Tuesday. Addressing a press conference, Andhra Pradesh Industries and IT Minister said, "The ambassadors of 49 countries, representatives of Assocham, FICCI, CII and Nasscom attended this meeting, and all of them showed interest in investing in Andhra Pradesh." "Several industrialists from the state explained to the delegates about the development in the industrial sector and the available resources in the state. This strengthened their confidence in the state and they expressed their willingness to invest in the 8th largest state in the country," he said. The AP Minister further said that CM Reddy at the meeting informed that the government's policy is to utilize the resources of all regions for industrial progress. "CM Jagan Mohan Reddy informed that the state is at the first place in Gross State Domestic Product (GSPD), has achieved exports of 19 billion dollars last year, and has been appreciated by institutions like NITI Aayog," he said. The Minister said that 49,000 acres of land have been prepared for the establishment of industries, and measures are being taken for the construction of ports and fishing harbours within a radius of 974 km. "CM explained that there is a good opportunity to invest in PCPIR, Pharma and Tourism sectors. Andhra Pradesh has been ranked number one in 'Ease of doing Business' for the past three years. Out of 11 industrial corridors in the country, three are in Andhra Pradesh," he further said. "There is a possibility of huge investments in renewable energy. The global summit on March 3 and 4 and the T20 conference on March 28 and 29, are going to change the future of Visakhapatnam and the state," he said. Responding to a question regarding the announcement of Visakhapatnam as the capital of the state, he said that the power to establish the capital rests with the state, and the capital would soon come to Visakhapatnam. (ANI)
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai attended a Gandhi Smaran-Gandhi Naman program on Wednesday where he said that Mahatma Gandhi was the only soul who represented India all over the world. Speaking at the inauguration of the "Gandhi Smaran-Gandhi Naman" program organized jointly by various organizations in the footsteps of Vidhana Soudha here on Wednesday, he said remembering Gandhi that a man's memory stores both good and bad things and the brain can find more space to store if it only remembers values which will help them to march forward. He said that God has given the ability to think and act only to man. "For the Mahatma, both the brain and heart were the same. What the heart said was his thinking and talking. These things were the life of Gandhiji. The Mahatma strongly propagated non-violence. Violence is an act of cowardice and at the same time, it is also difficult to follow non-violence. But he accepted everything equally and advised people," he added. The Chief Minister said that Gandhiji changed the world's opinion towards India. "Real worship is done for a person with values, a great humanitarian, and whose life is filled with truth and real patriotism," said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. The CM said the Mahatma was the only soul that truly represented India in the whole world and till then there were divergent views about the country. He said that it was Gandhiji who made the whole universe treat India with respect after democracy was established after World War II. His life had everything, reformation, committing mistakes, admitting them, correction, insulting, determination, and at last victory. Retired Justice of Supreme Court Dr Shivaraj Patil, Prajavani (a local daily in Karnataka) Executive Editor Ravindra Bhat and others were present at the event. (ANI)
Following a request from the state government, the High Court on Wednesday appointed retired judge Das to monitor the investigation of the Crime Branch, sources said.

Meanwhile, the state government on Wednesday suspended the minister's personal security officer Mitrabhanu Deo from service for alleged dereliction of duty.

The action came after it transferring Jharsuguda SP Rahul Jain, Brajarajnagar sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Gupteswar Bhoi, Brajarajnagar police station IIC Pradyumna Kumar Swain, and Gandhi Chowk police outpost's in-charge Sashi Bhusan Podha.

The government has already dismissed accused ASI Gopal Das from services.

The crime branch which is inquiring into the incident has taken Gopal on four-day remand and started interrogating him. Besides, the CID is also interrogating the family members of ASI Das.

On the other hand, opposition BJP and Congress continue their demand for CBI probe and court monitored SIT probe, respectively.

Police ASI Gopal Das killed the minister by firing a bullet near Gandhi Chhak of Brajarajnagar in Jharsuguda district on January 29 when the minister was on his way to attend a public function.

--IANS bbm/vd

( 213 Words)

2023-02-01-19:28:04 (IANS)
Rashtriya Loktantrik Party chief Hanuman Beniwal on Wednesday termed the Union Budget 2023-24 an illusion of figures and said that Rajasthan has been left disappointed. Beniwal, who is also the Nagaur MP, said that the expectations related to the state of Rajasthan have been ignored by the Centre. He said that the government is talking about promotion of millets, which is a good thing, but bajra, which is one of the highest quality grains among millet, is not even being procured at MSP! He said that nothing was mentioned in the budget about farmer loan waiver, making law on MSP and making a permanent road map for employment. Beniwal also said that Karnataka was given a special package for drought while no announcement was made for eastern Rajasthan, and no announcement was made in the budget on other issues including declaring the canal project as a national project. Demanding a caste census, Beniwal also said that the rebate on income tax which has been increased from Rs 5 to Rs 7 lakh, under the new tax regime, should be increased to Rs 10 lakh. --IANS arc/vd ( 196 Words) 2023-02-01-20:16:02 (IANS)
In an official release, the Coast Guard said, "The day is an opportune moment to reaffirm our resolute commitment and selfless service for safeguarding the maritime interests of our nation."

"The Indian Coast Guard over these four and half decades has matured into a resilient and professional force standing tall as the fourth largest Coast Guard in the world persistent in its commitment to serve the nation and its countrymen," it read.

The force patrolling the country's maritime borders has always been a sentinel of selfless service and is widely recognised by the International maritime fraternity, the release stated further.

"The spate of achievements during the preceding year underlines our commitment, mission readiness and prowess. The Eastern Seaboard alone has undertaken 130 SAR operations and 06 medical evacuations saving 296 precious lives, apprehension of 117 foreign fishermen along with 09 fishing boats for illegal fishing in Indian waters and seizing contraband worth 12.76 cr over the high seas," it read.

A ceremony was organised to celebrate the momentous occasion on January 31 and February 1 at Headquarters, Coast Guard Eastern Seaboard.

The event was attended by all CG Personnel, Veterans, senior officers from Indian Navy, CISF, CRPF and dignitaries from Central, State Governments and other agencies.

Further, according to the release, the Coast Guard continues to live up to its motto 'VAYAM RAKSHAMAH', meaning 'We Protect'. (ANI)
The Delhi government released funds worth nearly Rs 2,000 crores on Wednesday. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia approved the disbursement of funds at a high-level meeting with the senior officials of the Delhi government and the Municipal Commission of Delhi (MCD). The funds will be used to pay the salaries of MCD employees till the month of January. Speaking to reporters, Sisodia said, "During the MCD elections, CM Arvind Kejriwal had promised that MCD employees will get their salaries on time after the elections. The release of funds from the Delhi government today is a step in the diredction of fulfiling this promise. Several MCD employees have not received their salaries after September, last year, and are struggling to make ends meet." He added that the interest of employees was always neglected by the BJP-ruled MCD, as they did not get their salaries for months. "In the prevailing situation, funds needed to be released urgently to bring some relief to the MCD employees distressed over non-payment of wages. The funds we have released today is a step in that direction. The interests of employees were always neglected by the BJP-ruled MCD as they did not get their salaries for months. But we have kept our promise to the employees and released nearly Rs 2000 crores today for disbursement of their salaries," he said. Apart from the funds, taxes imposed by the MCD were also discussed at the meeting. The deputy chief minister asked MCD officials to ensure timely collection of taxes and fees from the people and work on strategies to utilise these funds effectively. (ANI)
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has directed the officials to stop the vicious cycle of religious conversion in the state. He has instructed them to take strict action against those who are found guilty. CM Chouhan directed the official during the concluding day of a two-day collector-commissioner conference being held at state secretariat in Bhopal on Wednesday. He also said, "At some places, people marry tribal daughters only so that they can grab tribal land. There is a need to keep a close eye on it. Besides, those who sell drugs and illicit liquor should be punished. We have to end the illegal trade of drugs. The campaign launched for de-addiction has given good results and we have to make it continue." "Usury is such a matter in which people's lives are made miserable. We have also made a law for this, it should be monitored. Cyber crime is an emerging challenge, we should launch a campaign against it. Our people (officials) should be technically proficient. Technology can reduce the distance between us and the public. We have also taken action against PFI, such organisations keep working to weaken the country. We have to keep an eye on them," Chouhan said. "Madhya Pradesh is an island of peace. There is not any big mafia here and do not let any dacoits flourish here. I congratulate the team fighting against Naxalism. Six Naxalites, who had a reward of Rs 1.14 crore on their head, have been finished. Only a few Naxalites are left in the Chhattisgarh border. This is the result of our commitment. This fight will continue against it," the chief minister said. He added that many good actions were also taken last year. Those who committed crime against women were sentenced to death and awarded life imprisonment. Respect for women is our topmost priority. "Many VIPs came to our Pravasi Bharatiya Sammelan, there were three Presidents, ministers from many countries who visited here. I would congratulate the Indore administration for making better arrangements as a result of which the credibility of Madhya Pradesh has been built. People from many countries will also come to the G-20 meeting. They will go around the world and talk about India. Their security and other things have to be done in such a way that they praise India," Chouhan added. Throwing light on the difficulties of the officials, he said, "The constable is as important as the SP for me. Things don't run like a machine, everyone has emotions. The right team is the one whose members feel that he is not alone, he is part of a family. If I have the right to make you (official) work, then it is also my duty to take care of you." "People have a lot of expectations from us. We are doing very well at many places, but there is a need for improvement at some places. Whenever there is a crisis, our administration set an example. Overall I am very satisfied. As the time passes, new challenges come, so we keep updating our system accordingly," Chouhan added. (ANI)
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national general secretary, Nara Lokesh on Wednesday accused the ruling YSRCP of not working for the development of the state and said that 'CM Reddy's policies are anti-farmer.' TDP leader who is currently on his Pada yatra 'Yuva Galam', met the sugarcane farmers at Sake Vuru of Baireddipalle Mandal on the sixth day of his foot march on Wednesday and assured the sugarcane farmers of all possible assistance once TDP is back to power. During his visit, the farmers narrated their problems including the heavy investment to him. With the increase in the labour charges, seed, fertilisers and pesticide prices, farmers said they are incurring heavy losses. Some farmers also complained that despite having two children each they are not getting Rythu Bharosa scheme benefits and the Amma Vodi scheme. The farmers urged the TDP leader that the problems of the sugarcane farmers be resolved after the party come back to power. Addressing the problems of the farmers, Lokesh said that the farmers are facing various difficulties as the Minimum Support Price (MSP) is not being paid to them. "This YSRCP Government is adopting anti-farmer policies. I promise to take all necessary measures to resolve the farmer's problems including supply of quality fertilisers and pesticides once the TDP is back in power," he said. Later, Lokesh also addressed the Valmiki community leaders at Belupalle of Baireddipalle Mandal, where he said that Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, has deceived the community by not fulfilling the promises that he had made. "There is no response from the Government on the demand of the Valmikis to include them into the Scheduled Tribes (STs) and the community members are suffering due to lack of employment opportunities following which they are migrating to the neighbouring States like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in search of jobs," Lokesh said. The TDP general secretary pointed out that during the TDP regime, the Satyapal committee was formed to study their problems. The Assembly passed a resolution in 2017 to include them in the STs list. A copy of the resolution was even forwarded to the Centre, he said and added that Mr Chandrababu Naidu, wrote to the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi recently to take measures to include Valmikis in STs. "During the TDP regime loans were sanctioned to the community members on subsidy but this Government did not sanction loans to even a single person in the Valmiki community," he stated. Though the YSRCP has so many MPs they are not even asking the Centre to include the community in STs, Lokesh observed. Promising the Valmiki community that separate companies will be set up in this area to provide employment to them, Lokesh said that he has personally written to CM Reddy to include the community in the list of STs. Lokesh also mentioned that not even a single investor has set up any unit in the State during the YSRCP rule. Of the six investors who addressed the recent Global Investors Summit at Davos, four companies were set up in the State during the Chandrababu Naidu regime while one each was established when the Late YS Rajasekhara Reddy and Kiran Kumar Reddy were the chief ministers, he stated. (ANI)
The Delhi Police's Crime Branch has arrested three people who were allegedly involved in conspiring in the high-profile murder case of former Jammu and Kashmir MLC Trilochan Singh Wazir in the national capital 15 months back. The accused were identified as Sardar Jagpal Singh, 51, Harjinder Singh Raina, 71 and Sudershan Singh Wazir, 67. Wazir is a cousin of the deceased J&K politician. The 68-year-old Wazir was found murdered in a flat in Delhi's Basai Darapur area in March, 2021. His decomposed body having a gunshot injury on head was found from the washroom of the said flat. Accordingly, the police registered a case under relevant sections and during investigation, three people were arrested in the case on the basis of CCTV footage, technical analysis, and statements. The prime accused Harpreet Singh Khalsa, who had taken the flat on rent, went absconding. "Khalsa had hosted the deceased in his house on the pretext of facilitating him in obtaining his visa and air tickets for Canada, where the family of deceased was living," Special Commissioner of Police, Crime, R.S. Yadav said. Initially, the motive for murder was disclosed as possible extortion from the family members of the deceased. However, no ransom call was made. Since prime accused Khalsa was absconding, the conspiracy behind the murder could not be established. Months after the murder, Khalsa was arrested and based on his examination and technical inputs, the three were arrested as they were found actively involved in the murder of Wazir. On the interrogation of the accused, it was revealed that the accused Sudershan Singh Wazir had rivalry with Trilochan Singh Wazir and Nagar Singh. "Nagar Singh is a businessman in Jammu. The son of Nagar Singh had murdered the nephew of accused Sudershan Singh Wazir. Both Trilochan Singh Wazir and Nagar Singh were also arrested in a sensational Chopra murder case in Jammu of 2006," the Special CP said. The interrogation further revealed that in 2018, Trilochan Singh Wazir and Nagar Singh were planning to murder Sudershan Singh Wazir in Delhi. "This came to the knowledge of accused Sudershan through Harmeet Singh and Harpreet Singh and in retaliation, accused Sudershan, Harjinder Singh Raina and Jagpal succeeded in killing T.S. Wazir in Delhi," the official added. --IANS ssh/vd ( 392 Words) 2023-02-01-21:36:02 (IANS)
Actor-politician Pawan Kalyan on Wednesday made a scathing attack on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, terming him the richest Chief Minister in the country facing graft charges. The Jana Sena Party (JSP) leader ridiculed the Chief Minister's recent remark that there is a class war going on in the state between the poor and the capitalists. In a series of tweets laced with sarcasm, Pawan hit out at Jagan Mohan Reddy. Pawan remarked that it is an irony that the richest CM in India with graft charges, who encourages bauxite mining in Araku, talks about 'Class War' like Comrades Charu Mazumdhar, omrade Tarimela NagiReddy, and Pucchalipalli Sundarayya. "Oxymoron (Noun) - Meaning - A Combination of Contradictory words. Ex - Andhra Pradesh is a State with Poor People run by the Richest CM of the Country Trivia - Our CM's wealth is more than those of all the other CMs combined; AP CM, A "CLASS" apart!" was how Pawan Kalyan began his series of tweets. "In Andhra Pradesh there are no Classes, All People have been made as Slaves to the Fiefdom of YCP. From Land to Sand, From Liquor to Mines, from Forests to Hills, From Paper to Red Sandalwood every penny generated from AP is in the hands of the Richest CM, Truly CLASSic!," he wrote. "YCP made the Poor in AP to remain content with mediocrity; their lives, dignity, hardwork are sold out for few hundreds of doles Middle Class is the most neglected in AP; YCP treats them as TAX Paying Mute Servants The Investors exit AP This is YCP's "Master - CLASS"!," went on the actor politician. "Who needs Davos when YCP can bring the galaxy of investments to Andhra; Our IT and Industries Minister has already inaugurated Noodles Centre and Chai Points, now only waiting for the IT Companies to be set up. Another CLASS Act!," the JSP leader taunted minister Gudivada Amarnath. The minister hit back at Pawan, making some personal attacks on him to cite some examples of oxymoron. "Hope you or someone around you with an elementary knowledge of economics will be able to explain: 1) How was Andhra Pradesh able to grow its GSDP at 11.43% in FY22 - faster than any other state in the country? 2) How did Andhra Pradesh jump nine positions in per capita income levels, from 18th all India in 2019 to 9th in 2021? 3) How did our state top the Ease Of Doing Business rankings for 3 years in a row?," tweeted the minister. "These are statistics that central government datasets cite, and a reality that all of Andhra Pradesh's people toiled to realise. Are you discrediting the truth and their hard work with your baseless allegations and questions?" he added. --IANS ms/vd ( 469 Words) 2023-02-01-21:56:02 (IANS)
The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought reply from Centre on a 2010 'Gajah Report' recommendation on conferring statutory status to a proposed body National Elephant Conservation Authority (NECA) for the preservation of elephant corridors. A bench headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said, "In the recommendations submitted in Gajah report, there was a recommendation to the effect that 'Project Elephant' be converted into a statutory agency." The top court was hearing a plea by activist Prerna Singh Bindra. According to the government, the elephant population has reached 29,964 (as per the census 2017) in India, the elephant habitats are being consolidated across India, and the Elephant Reserves area has been increased. The government emphasised that it is deeply committed to protect the safety of the elephants and continued to take various steps to prevent their death including electrocution. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati represented the central government in the apex court. The bench, also comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and J.B. Pardiwala, added that the task force has proposed that the new body may be termed as the 'National Elephant Conservation Authority' (NECA). It further suggested that amendments can be introduced to effectuate the conferment of a statutory status on the authority. "Since the proposal would envisage requisite legislative amendments, this is something of which would be appropriate for the Ministry of Environment and Forest and Climate Change to respond," it said. During the hearing in the matter, the bench also sought a status report on setting up of the central project elephant monitoring committee for the purpose of monitoring and implementation of relevant directions and guidelines in connection with the protection of elephants. In a written response, the Central government said: "Continuous efforts have been made to minimise the human elephant conflict and also to ensure the welfare of captive elephants in India." After hearing arguments, the apex court directed the Ministry and the Central Electricity Authority to facilitate an inspection of the protected areas to avoid electrocution of elephants. The bench gave Centre four weeks' time to file a response in a PIL filed by activist Bindra. The petitioner had contended that the electrocution is one of the major reasons for deaths of elephants and sought a direction for insulation of high voltage power transmission lines passing through protected areas, elephant reserves, identified elephant corridors and known areas of elephant movement. --IANS ss/vd ( 408 Words) 2023-02-01-22:10:03 (IANS)
US strategic interest is to support India's rise as a global power, a senior administration official said adding that America and India's partnership is essential. Talking about the US-India initiative on critical and emerging technologies (ICET), the official said that it is the result of President Biden and Prime Minister Modi's direction to their respective national security advisors to kind of spearhead this strategic initiative and expand the partnership. The official also said, "This partnership is essential... and Biden enduring efforts to address any of the major challenges that the world faces today, whether we're looking at food or energy or health security, the climate crisis, or upholding a free and open, prosperous, no Pacific, willing to work without a US India partnership at its heart. Prime Minister Modi described it in Tokyo as a partnership of trust and a force for good global peace and stability. And the US really views that this is in our strategic interest to support India's rise as a global power and we see that in the post-the quad and as India's presidency of the G20." "This describes a greater vision of this coherent US-Indo Pacific strategy that requires that both America and India pull closer to the and overcome long-standing obstacles to doing so. The US view is that our relationship with India is essential, not just because of the way the world looks today, but rather that this is the next logical milestone of our relationship. And we view that's what's going on here. It's really even larger than in 2006. You know, when we look at all these different initiatives that Tarun is going to outline. Even accomplishing one of them would be very huge and impactful, but we're working to step out on all fronts. In a lot of ways that are very, very exciting," the official said. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his US counterpart Jake Sullivan made the remarks at a high-level roundtable organised by the US India Business Council (USIBC) of the US Chambers of Commerce. Doval and India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu highlighted India's remarkable capacity for technology development and absorption and emphasised India's use of technology not only as an enabler of economic growth but as an instrument of social inclusion. They commended the launch of the iCET, given the natural complementary strengths of the Indian and American economies and the growing strategic convergence between both nations.Doval, who arrived in Washington on Monday, also met General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US where both of them held a "fruitful discussion." iCET was announced during bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden in Tokyo in 2022 on the sidelines of the Quad Leaders Summit. During the roundtable, Doval and Sandhu also emphasised on India's growing role as a trusted supply chain partner and contributor in the global technology value chain while underlining the importance of easing export control measures to facilitate technology access, co-production, and co-development between India and the US. The US National Security Advisor said in his remarks that iCET will "accelerate our strategic convergence" and policy alignment. "iCET is about much more than technology cooperation, it's a platform to accelerate our strategic convergence and policy alignment," he said. Highlighting the work ahead for both governments, Sullivan said that the United States and Indian governments "want to establish a list of "firsts". "Firsts in removing barriers on both sides to enable greater ambition by all of you," he said. (ANI)
Speaking on the deadly suicide bombing inside a mosque in Peshawar on Tuesday, Pakistan Defence Minister Khwaja Asif said worshippers were not killed during prayers even in India, the Dawn reported. The suicide attack left 100 people dead and scores more injured. Expressing his views on the attack at the National Assembly, Asif said, "Worshippers weren't killed during prayers even in India or Israel but it happened in Pakistan." The explosion took place in the central hall of the mosque on Monday around 1 pm. Calling for unity in the fight against terrorism, the minister said it was time for Pakistan to set its "house in order," according to Dawn. Recalling terrorism incidents from 2010- 2017, the minister said, "This war started from Swat during the PPP's tenure and it was concluded during the PML-N's previous tenure, and peace was established in the country from Karachi to Swat." "But if you remember, a year-and-a-half or two years ago [...] we were given a briefing two, three times in this same hall in which it was clearly stated that talks could be carried out against these people and they can be brought toward peace," he added. Asif said varying opinions had risen on the matter but despite that, no "conclusive decision" was taken. He further stated that thousands of people were left without jobs after the Afghans came and settled in Pakistan, the Dawn report stated, adding that Asif also said the first proof surfaced when the people of Swat protested against the resettled people. He noted that the people of Wana also protested and expressed similar emotions. "I am mentioning these incidents because of the tragedy that occurred yesterday [...] the terrorist was standing in the frontline during Zuhr prayers where he detonated himself," he said. Asif said the prime minister and the army chief visited Peshawar where they were given a briefing on the attack. "But this is a tragedy where we require the same resolve and unity which was expressed in 2011-2012," the minister said. "I will not talk for long but I will say briefly that at the start, we sowed the seeds for terrorism," the Defence minister said. He said that when Russia invaded Afghanistan, Pakistan offered its services to the United States 'on rent'. "General Zia was the ruler at the time [...] the agreement made with the US went on for eight to nine years after which the US went back to Washington celebrating the fact that Russia was defeated," he added. Meanwhile, India, on Tuesday, condoled the loss of lives in the deadly mosque attack. Taking to Twitter, MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi posted, "India extends its deep condolences to the families of the victims of the terror attack in Peshawar yesterday. We strongly condemn this attack, which has taken the lives of so many people." (ANI)
After the United States left Afghanistan and Taliban took over the country in 2021, China wanted to fill the power vacuum by heavily investing in the country, the Afghan Diaspora Network reported, adding that now the Taliban has realised China's real intent. During the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, China wanted to create a foothold in the country. But China's repression and genocidal action on Uyghur Muslims and Taliban's hard Islamic values are contrary to each other, according to the report. China was one of the few countries to have kept their Embassy in Kabul fully functional throughout the period after the regime change. A number of Chinese businessmen reportedly stayed back. Subsequently, to project its prominence on this front, China has engaged with, participated in, and hosted numerous regional formats on Afghanistan, the report said, adding that these were mainly to safeguard the security, economic and strategic interests of China in Afghanistan. In addition to this Beijing also sponsored limited bilateral trade and Chinese state-owned enterprises have started to talk about restarting their projects with Taliban authorities, the report said, adding that China believed that Afghanistan provided a safe haven to militants who were able to operate from camps along the Afghanistan border and move into China through the narrow passes along their border. And this is why China is still having second thoughts on making tangible investments in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, it said. Further, according to the report, the Taliban has started showing signs of understanding the real interests of China which is siphoning the resources of Afghanistan for the strategic interests of Beijing. There were serious actions taken against Chinese nationals that had been caught smuggling, the report stated further, adding that on January, 23, this year, five men, including two Chinese nationals, were arrested by the Taliban in Jalalabad for their involvement in the smuggling of an estimated 1,000 metric tons of lithium-containing rocks out of Afghanistan to China via Pakistan. The Afghan Diaspora Network report by SS Ahmad quoted a former commander, who was deployed as part of British forces in Afghanistan, as saying that after Taliban takeover, China and Pakistan will "enrich themselves by plundering" Afghanistan". (ANI)
After Pakistan's Finance Ministry refused to provide a sovereign guarantee, the fifth unit of the Chashma Nuclear Power Generating Station, C5, hit a snag, Dawn reported citing sources. The Chinese government has said that they have agreed to provide finance for up to 85 per cent of the USD 3.7 billion nuclear power plant project, subject to the sovereign guarantee. The sovereign guarantee is referred to assure the creditor that the government will satisfy the obligation if the primary obligor defaults on the loan payments and here Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) is one. The loan programme of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) seems to have tied the government's hands with regard to the sovereign guarantee. As part of the 2022-23 budget, the government has laid before the National Assembly a Statement of Contingent Liabilities, reported Dawn. The list contains all guarantees expected to be issued during the fiscal year. The government is treating it as a ceiling to contain fiscal risks and safeguard the public debt trajectory. The PAEC has been running four nuclear power units based on Chinese technology near Chashma, Punjab. With a nameplate capacity of 325MW each, C-1 and C-2 started operations in 2000 and 2011, respectively. C-3 and C-4 became operational in 2016 and 2017, respectively, and have a gross capacity of 340MW each. Separately, PAEC established Karachi Nuclear Power Plant Unit-2 and Unit-3 at Paradise Point, once a popular public beach on the outskirts of Karachi. The two units have a nameplate capacity of 1,100MW each. K-2 and K-3 started generating electricity in 2021 and 2022, respectively, according to Dawn. On Monday, the IMF team reached Pakistan for the ninth review under the USD 7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF), reported Geo News. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar received IMF mission chief Nathen Porter and both sides are holding the toughest ever parleys for making renewed efforts to accomplish the pending ninth review under the USD 7 billion EFF. The IMF visit to Pakistan scheduled for October has been delayed amidst differences between Pakistan's commitment to the IMF on fiscal consolidation. "Pakistan and the global lender continued talks virtually but differences still persisted over tax collection targets, and non-starter energy reforms including hiking of gas tariff, rising circular debt, and expenditure overrun, making consensus harder to strike on a staff-level agreement for completion of the review," according to the Financial Post report. The News International had reported that the government is expected to share its plan with the visiting review mission for taking additional taxation measures. The discussion will revolve around Pakistan's plan for taking additional taxation measures to fetch over Rs 200 billion through a presidential ordinance, rationalizing expenditure, and hiking both electricity and gas tariffs for erasing the monster of the circular debt. (ANI)
Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to India, Milinda Moragoda, called on External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday. They discussed how to take the relationship forward between the two countries, according to the statement released by Sri Lanka's High Commission. According to the statement, Moragoda and Jaishankar also reviewed the current status of the relations between Sri Lanka and India. On 20 January, Jaishankar concluded an official visit to Sri Lanka. During the visit, he had called on President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and had official discussions with Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry. "A good meeting with Foreign Minister Ali Sabry and other ministerial colleagues this evening in Colombo. Discussed India-Sri Lanka cooperation in infrastructure, connectivity, energy, industry and health," tweeted Jaishankar. He also conveyed India's commitment to increase investment flows to Sri Lanka to hasten its economic recovery. Jaishankar further stated that will be discussing the India-Sri Lanka partnership with Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, Minister of Ports, Shipping & Aviation of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Dr Bandula Gunawardhana, Minister of Transport, Highways and Mass Media, Kanchana Wijesekera, Minister of Power and Energy. "Conveyed our commitment to increasing investment flows to Sri Lanka to hasten its economic recovery. Look forward to my discussions with the leadership tomorrow morning.@alisabrypc, @DeSiripala, @banduladr, @kehelia_r, @kanchana_wij, @amanugama_dilum, @tharakabalasur1," tweeted Jaishankar. Regarding Sri Lanka's tour, the Ministry of External Affairs stated that Jaishankar's visit would follow his earlier trips to the bankrupt country in January 2021 and March 2022. Sri Lanka is a close friend and neighbour, and India has always stood with the people of Sri Lanka. "During the visit, EAM will call on President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and also hold discussions with Minister of Foreign Affairs MUM Ali Sabry on the entire gamut of close India-Sri Lanka partnership and steps to strengthen it in all spheres," the statement stated. India and Sri Lanka share a good relationship. Under the 'Neighbourhood First Policy', India had extended aid worth USD 3.9 billion to help Sri Lanka sustain itself in face of the acute economic and financial crisis and meet its immediate needs such as medicines, cooking gas, oil and food items, Sri Lanka based news publication News 19 reported. (ANI)
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his American counterpart Jake Sullivan formally launched the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET). Taking to Twitter, Indian Embassy in the US said, "Transforming vision into action! NSAs Ajit Doval & Jake Sullivan formally launched U.S.-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies(iCET). Announced by @narendramodi & @POTUS,iCET reflects conv.of strategic, commercial and scientific approaches in field of technology." The iCET was announced in May 2022 by US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to elevate and expand our strategic technology partnership and defence industrial cooperation between the governments, businesses, and academic institutions of our two countries, as per the statement. "The United States and India affirm that the ways in which technology is designed, developed, governed, and used should be shaped by our shared democratic values and respect for universal human rights. We are committed to fostering an open, accessible, and secure technology ecosystem, based on mutual trust and confidence, that will reinforce our democratic values and democratic institutions," according to the statement released by the White House. The statement further stated that the two sides discussed opportunities for greater cooperation in critical and emerging technologies, co-development and coproduction, and ways to deepen connectivity across our innovation ecosystems. They noted the value of establishing 'innovation bridges' in key sectors, including through expos, hackathons, and pitch sessions. They also identified the fields of biotechnology, advanced materials, and rare earth processing technology as areas for future cooperation. "The United States and India underlined their commitment to working to resolve issues related to regulatory barriers and business and talent mobility in both countries through a standing mechanism under iCET. This followed the January 30 roundtable hosted by the U.S.-India Business Council with US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, and Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and other senior U.S. and Indian officials and brought together more than 40 CEOs, university presidents, and thought leaders from both countries to accelerate opportunities for increased technology cooperation," the statement read. "To expand and deepen our technology partnership, the United States and India are launching new bilateral initiatives and welcoming new cooperation between our governments, industry and academia in the following domains," it added. They signed a new Implementation Arrangement for a Research Agency Partnership between the National Science Foundation and Indian science agencies to expand international collaboration in a range of areas -- including artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and advanced wireless -- to build a robust innovation ecosystem between our countries. Meanwhile, the Indian Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu said that he signed the Implementation Arrangement between India and US. "Deepening bilateral cooperation in S&T Delighted to sign the Implementation Arrangement between Dept of Science & Tech @IndiaDST and National Science Foundation @NSF, along with my good friend Panch @DrPanch and in the presence of NSAs Ajit Doval and @JakeSullivan46," the Indian envoy said in a tweet. (ANI)
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has welcomed his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval to the White House to "launch the next milestone" in the US-India strategic technology and defence partnership. "Honored to welcome Indian National Security Advisor Doval to the White House to launch the next milestone in the U.S.-India strategic technology and defense partnership. Together, we will deliver for our people and economies, and continue to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific," Sullivan stated in a tweet. Doval is on an official visit to Washington from January 30-February 1. He is accompanied by senior government officials and leaders of Indian industry. India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu hosted NSA Doval, US Senators Mark Warner, and John Cornyn at India House and held talks on advancing ties. "Pleasure to host NSA Ajit Doval, Senator @MarkWarner & Senator @JohnCornyn, Chair & Member of the Select Committee on Intelligence & co-chairs of the India Caucus, at India House. Important conversation on advancing ties," Sandhu tweeted. During his visit, both nations agreed to maintain sustained attention to achieve outcome-oriented deliverables within definitive timelines, the Ministry of External Affairs said in the press release. NSA interacted with US policymakers and stakeholders across government, Congress, business, academic and research communities on a range of bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest, it said. Apart from his meeting with US NSA Jake Sullivan, Doval held a meeting with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley, Acting Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, key Senators and industry leaders. He is scheduled to meet Secretary of State Anthony Blinken later during the visit, the press release said. Doval and Sullivan co-chaired the inaugural meeting of the initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) at the White House on January 31. The announcement regarding the initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies was made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden during their meeting in Tokyo in May 2022. Doval was joined at the iCET launch by the Ambassador of India to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Principal Scientific Advisor, Secretary, Department of Telecommunications, Chairman of ISRO, Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister, Director General, DRDO, and other senior officials from National Security Council Secretariat and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. From the US side, NASA Administrator, Director, National Science Foundation (NSF), Deputy National Security Advisor, amongst others participated. iCET aims to position the two countries as trusted technology partners by building technology value chains and supporting the co-development and co-production of items. It also aims to address regulatory restrictions, export controls and mobility barriers through a standing mechanism. The US side has assured support to ease export barriers to India in a few critical areas, including through efforts towards legislative changes. At the launch, emphasis was placed on strengthening linkages between the startup ecosystems and building innovation bridges in key sectors between the two countries, through expos, hackathons and pitching sessions, as per the press release. Considering the importance of quantum technologies, the two sides established a quantum coordination mechanism with participation from industry and academia, the Ministry of External Affairs said in the press release. In the field of semiconductors, the US supported the development of a fabrication ecosystem in India and encouraged joint ventures and partnerships for mature technology nodes and advanced packaging. It was agreed to constitute a task force involving India's Semiconductor Mission, India Electronics Semiconductor Association (IESA) and the US Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) to develop a "readiness assessment" to identify near-term opportunities and facilitate longer-term development of semiconductor ecosystems, according to the press release. In the defence manufacturing sector, India and US agreed to focus on joint production of key items of mutual interest. The US committed to an expeditious review of the license application submitted by M/s General Electric to produce jet engines in India for the indigenously manufactured Light Combat Aircraft. A new Innovation Bridge will be established to connect defence startups on both sides. In the field of space, there was an appreciation of the opportunities offered by the opening up of India's space sector and the contribution of India's space tech companies in the United States. Both sides agreed that ISRO will work with NASA on human space flight opportunities, NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) project and STEM talent exchanges. India and US agreed to launch a public-private dialogue covering 5G/6G and ORAN using trusted sources. During the iCET launch, a new Implementation Arrangement between the Department of Science and Technology of India and the National Science Foundation of the US was signed by the Ambassador and NSF Director in the presence of Doval and Sullivan. Taranjit Singh Sandhu tweeted, "Deepening bilateral cooperation in S&T Delighted to sign the Implementation Arrangement between Dept of Science & Tech @IndiaDST and National Science Foundation @NSF, along with my good friend Panch @DrPanch and in the presence of NSAs Ajit Doval and @JakeSullivan46." During the visit, an iCET Roundtable with the US and Indian industry at the US Chamber of Commerce was held. It provided an opportunity for sharing of ideas for bolstering high-technology partnerships between government, industry and academia, according to the press release. Ambassador Sandhu on January 31 also hosted a reception for NSA at India House. US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, Jake Sullivan, Acting Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, several high officials from the US Administration, and CEOs of advanced technology companies and funds, heads of leading US universities participated in the reception. (ANI)
As Chair of BRICS for the year 2023, South Africa will host the first meeting of its tenure - the BRICS Sherpas and Sous-Sherpas - in Bela Bela, Limpopo Province, from February 1-2, stated a press release of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, South Africa. Professor Anil Sooklal, Ambassador-at-Large for Asia and BRICS and South Africa's BRICS Sherpa will host his counterparts from the Brazil, Russia, India and China. BRICS is a grouping of five major emerging economies - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - which together represent about 41 per cent of the world's population, 26 per cent of the planet's landmass across four of the continents, 25 per cent of global GDP and 20 per cent of world trade. South Africa is Chairing BRICS under the theme: "BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism," added the release. The theme emphasizes the continued value of BRICS as a partnership of leading emerging markets and developing countries providing leadership and momentum towards global growth, sustainable development and inclusion of the global South in the world system. The theme informs South Africa's priorities for 2023, namely developing a partnership towards an equitable Just Transition; transforming education and skills development for the future; unlocking opportunities through the African Continental Free Trade Agreement; strengthening post-pandemic socio-economic recovery and the attainment of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and strengthening multilateralism, including working towards real reform of global governance institutions and strengthening the meaningful participation of women in peace processes, stated the release. Senior government officials from South Africa and the South African Chapters of the BRICS Business Council, BRICS Women's Business Alliance and the BRICS Think Tanks Council will use the First BRICS Sherpa and Sous-Sherpa meeting to introduce South Africa's priorities and expectations as Chair of BRICS for 2023 to the BRICS partners. The 15th BRICS summit is all set to take place in South Africa's Durban in late August this year. The foreign ministers of Brazil, Russia, India, and China met for the first time on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in 2006, kicking off BRIC cooperation. Later in April 2011, South Africa participated, for the first time, in the 3rd BRICS Summit held in Sanya, China. Since 2009, the BRICS leaders have convened 14 formal meetings and 9 informal meetings. Earlier in 2013, the fifth annual BRICS summit was held in Durban, South Africa. It was attended by the head of state or heads of government of the five member states Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. (ANI)
Hazara Committee in UK released a report that reveals the atrocities faced by the community in Pakistan. "Today, we launched the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Hazaras, the Hazara Inquiry Reports and the joint recommendation from the Hazara Inquiry," read Hazara Committee in UK Facebook post. The situation of the Hazara in Pakistan is dire and continues to be exacerbated by the critical situation in Afghanistan. The Hazara in Pakistan are subjected to discrimination, persecution and social exclusion that have a profound effect on the community and its future. "Today's session was chaired by Lord Alton and the speakers included: Baroness Kennedy, Brendan O'Hara, Paul Bristow, Lynne O'Donnell, Ewelina Ochab, Homira Rezai, Bismillah Alizada and James Ekin," read the Facebook post of Hazara Committee in UK. Some of the risk factors of atrocity crimes are clearly present, while further evidence is needed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the situation. "Thank you all for coming to support the Hazara cause and raise your voice to #StopHazaraGenocide," added the Facebook post. Despite the limited evidence available, it is clear that the community requires assistance, and assistance that addresses the source of the problems encountered, rather than excludes the community from society even more. The Hazara have suffered from extensive persecution and discrimination in Pakistan, which has been compounded by the August 2021 Taliban takeover in neighbouring Afghanistan, read The Hazara Inquiry report. The community is frequently targeted by militants with the most recent mass killing taking place in January 2021, when 11 coal miners belonging to the Hazara community were killed near Quetta. The persecution of the Hazara in Pakistan is believed to have intensified during General Zia-ul-Haq's tenure as president from the late 1970s to the 1980s, which was marked by a rise in violent sectarianism. Persecution of the Hazara in Pakistan occurs within the country and at its border. In describing their living conditions, one interviewed Hazara said, "We are living in two prisons. Our men and young can't go outside. If they go, they will be killed. Our graveyards are full of young men with barely any space left... We are tired of carrying their coffins. Every year we dig mass graves." Following the killings of the coal miners, and in protest of the killings and the ongoing persecution, the community staged a protest, refusing to bury the bodies until Prime Minister Imran Khan came to meet them in person. In response, he 'told them to refrain from "blackmailing the premier", even as he denounced the attack. The Hazara face persecution in Pakistan, ranging from, 'facing enormous difficulties in exercising their fundamental rights to having limited social opportunities due to fear of violence, read Hazara Inquiry report.' Human Rights Watch reports that the Hazara have ghettoization in the Hazara neighbourhoods of Quetta's Marriabad and Hazara Town. The situation of the Hazara in Pakistan only deteriorated as the Hazara from Afghanistan began to immense barriers and discrimination. Some paid and waited for days to cross safely. Those with official documentation were frequently turned away or assaulted. Many have been deported back to Afghanistan to face unknown fates upon their arrival, added the report. To escape the growing violence against the Hazara, especially in the Quetta region of Pakistan where the Hazara Democratic Party estimated that some 3,000 Hazara have been killed due to sectarian violence, some Hazara youth have taken the decision to attempt to flee to safety in Europe or Australia. This perilous journey leaves them particularly vulnerable. The Hazara are subjected to widespread attacks in there has been no independent inquiry into the situation that could help to identify the true nature and scale of the situation. Indeed, Fatema Atif, human in her oral testimony that the true numbers of those killed in Quetta, whether in bombings or those fleeing to other countries, are unknown, added the report. Furthermore, Fatima Atif raised the issue that mainstream media does not appropriately cover attacks against Hazara and their general situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan. However, the reported numbers run into hundreds and thousands. (ANI)
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held a meeting with US Deputy Secretary of Defence Kathleen Hicks and discussed priorities for the US-India bilateral defence partnership. The discussions between Doval and Hicks included strengthening policy and operational coordination in the Indo-Pacific region and increasing defence industrial cooperation between the two nations, the US Department of Defence said in a press release. During the meeting, Hicks reiterated that building alliances and partnerships is a top priority for the department and integral to the ongoing implementation of the US National Defence Strategy. "Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr Kathleen Hicks met with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in Washington, D.C., today to discuss priorities for the US-India bilateral defence partnership, to include strengthening policy and operational coordination in the Indo-Pacific region and increasing defence industrial cooperation between the two countries," the US Department of Defence said in the press release. Kathleen Hicks tweeted, "I met today with #India Nat'l Security Advisor #AjitDoval to discuss priorities for the US-India defense partnership, thank India for leadership in the Indo-Pacific region & discuss ways to deepen defense industrial cooperation." Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in US in a tweet stated, "Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks @DepSecDef called on NSA Ajit Doval. They discussed a range of topics including U.S.- India defence cooperation and regional security issues." During the meeting, Hicks thanked NSA Doval for India's leadership in the Indo-Pacific and discussed avenues to deepen coordination between the militaries of India and the US to address the region's increasingly contested strategic environment. "The deputy secretary thanked NSA Doval for India's leadership in the region and discussed avenues to deepen coordination between the U.S. and Indian militaries to address the region's increasingly contested strategic environment," the US Department of Defence said in the press release. Both sides discussed opportunities to increase bilateral defence industrial cooperation through innovative joint endeavours between US and Indian firms that support India's unique operational requirements. Hicks and Doval stated that they looked forward to making progress toward advancing the US-India defence partnership. Doval is on an official visit to Washington from January 30-February 1. Senior government officials and leaders of Indian industry have accompanied Doval during his visit to the US, the Ministry of External Affairs said in the press release. NSA Doval and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan co-chaired the inaugural meeting of the initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) at the White House on January 31. The announcement regarding the initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies was made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden during their meeting in Tokyo in May 2022, according to the press release. iCET aims to position the two countries as trusted technology partners by building technology value chains and supporting the co-development and co-production of items. It also aims to address regulatory restrictions, export controls and mobility barriers through a standing mechanism. The US side has assured support to ease export barriers to India in a few critical areas, including through efforts towards legislative changes. At the launch, emphasis was placed on strengthening linkages between the startup ecosystems and building innovation bridges in key sectors between the two countries, through expos, hackathons and pitching sessions, as per the press release. The two sides established a quantum coordination mechanism with participation from industry and academia, the Ministry of External Affairs said in the press release. In the field of semiconductors, the US supported the development of a fabrication ecosystem in India and encouraged joint ventures and partnerships for mature technology nodes and advanced packaging. On January 31, India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu also hosted a reception for NSA at India House. US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, Jake Sullivan, Acting Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, several high officials from the US Administration, and CEOs of advanced technology companies and funds, heads of leading US universities participated in the reception. (ANI)
India on Tuesday announced its help for the development of Bhutan's third international internet gateway. According to the Embassy of India in Bhutan, the government will facilitate a concessional rate to reduce the cost of the gateway's operations. "As part of the expanding India-Bhutan digital partnership, the Government of India is pleased to support the Royal Government of Bhutan for the establishment of the third international internet gateway for Bhutan. In this regard, the Government of India will be facilitating a concessional rate to bring down the cost of operations of the gateway. The gateway is expected to enhance redundancy, connect remote pockets of Bhutan, increase internet bandwidth, and reduce the cost of internet connectivity for users," read a press release by the Indian Embassy in Thimphu. India is collaborating with Bhutan on a number of technology initiatives. Under Bhutan's Flagship Program 'Digital Drukyul', an optical fibre backbone has been provided till the gewog (village) level across all 20 districts of Bhutan. Additionally, a peering arrangement has been established between India's National Knowledge Network (NKN) and Bhutan's Druk Research and Education Network (DrukREN), for the benefit of users in Bhutan in the fields of telemedicine services, research and education, added the release. India is collaborating with Bhutan on a number of technology initiatives including the third international internet gateway for Bhutan, harnessing space technology for societal benefits, 'Digital Drukyul', NKN-DrukREN education network, India-Bhutan e-Library project, cross-border fin-tech integration, mutual investments in the tech sector, and STEM education initiatives for Bhutanese youth. The Government of India is contributing Nu 1.98 billion (Rs 198 crore) during the 12th Five-Year Plan (2018-2023) to support Bhutan's digital transformation through several people-centric projects in education, e-governance, trade, service delivery. Earlier, the Indian Embassy organized a technology roundtable with leading innovators and technology experts in Bhutan for discussing ways to expand India-Bhutan cooperation in the sector of digital technology. Indian Ambassador Sudhakar Dalela emphasized that India is committed to further strengthening its close ties of friendship and cooperation with Bhutan across all sectors, including in the technology domain, in keeping with the priorities of the people and Bhutan. Participants at the roundtable included representatives from the Royal Society for STEM, De-suung Skilling Programme, the Royal Government of Bhutan, GovTech Agency, Thimphu TechPark Ltd, Druk Gyalpo's Institute, a number of civil society organizations, and various private sector tech companies in Bhutan, read the release. Participants shared useful suggestions to deepen India-Bhutan collaboration in areas such as the development of ICT infrastructure and skilling, enhanced engagement at the industry level, STEM education opportunities, and cross-border digital connectivity and digital payments. (ANI)
Abbasi who is among the top leaders of PML-N and was entrusted with the office of prime minister after Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the court in the Panama Papers scandal.

He sent his resignation today as the senior vice president of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz to the party's president.

When approached, Abbasi denied giving any statement to the media regarding his resignation, reported Geo News.

Sources privy to the matter said that Abbasi decided to step down after Maryam Nawaz was elevated as the party's chief organizer and senior vice president by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is also PML-N president, reported ARY News.

The appointment makes Maryam the third most powerful figure in the party after her father, Nawaz Sharif, and her uncle Shehbaz Sharif, who is the sitting prime minister.

Another party leader, who spoke to The News International on the condition of anonymity, bemoaned the decision saying: "Only the Sharif family or those close to them have the first right to hold every key party or government position".

"Shahid Khaqan had also serious differences with the party's policies since a long time," sources said.

Notably, Abbasi had opted not to accept a ministry or other office in the Shehbaz Sharif cabinet after Imran Khan's government was de-seated with a vote of no confidence by the PDM, reported ARY News.

According to sources, he was also disappointed over the PML-N's behaviour with former finance minister Miftah Ismail.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who also holds the PML-N President's office, has received Abbasi's resignation from the party's office but has not yet accepted it, according to PML-N sources, reported ARY News. (ANI)
Myanmar's military junta is selling Rakhine's natural gas to China and it has sold over USD 1.43 billion worth of it in 2022, reported Burma News International (BNI). Vast oil and gas profits continue flowing to and propping up Myanmar's military junta since its bloody crackdown on nationwide resistance to the February 2021 coup, opposition and rights groups say. Even though that Rakhine's natural resources are exported to China for billions every year by successive Myanmar governments, Rakhine state is the second poorest state in Myanmar and has one of the highest unemployment rates, reported BNI. The Junta exported and sold billions worth of natural gas from Rakhine to China in 2022. BETV Business News cited a statement from a Chinese customs department about the gas produced by the Shwe natural gas project in Rakhine offshore and sold to China through the Myanmar-China natural gas pipeline. The Myanmar-China natural gas pipeline is under the responsibility of South-East Asia Gas Pipeline Company Limited (SEAGP), while the crude oil pipeline is being managed by South-East Asia Crude Oil Pipeline Company (SEAOP). The gas pipeline, which was built at a cost of about USD 1 billion, was said to be able to distribute and transport 12 billion cubic meters of gas annually. The natural gas produced from Rakhine offshore is sent to China's Yunnan State through the gas pipeline across Magway, Mandalay and Shan State, reported BNI. In addition to the gas, there is also the 771-kilometer-long crude oil pipeline from Kyauk Phyu to Yunnan State built at a cost of more than USD 1.5 billion, and designed to transport 22 million tons of crude oil annually. In the China-Myanmar gas pipeline project, Myanmar Oil and Natural Gas Enterprise (MOGE) owns 7.36 per cent of the shares, and in the oil pipeline project, it owns up to 49.1 per cent of the shares, reported BNI. According to the report, Myanmar is among the countries that export the most gas to China and is the third largest exporter of natural gas after Turkmenistan and Russia. For the junta, "that access to foreign currency is vital," said Ben Hardman, Myanmar policy and legal adviser for EarthRights International, a US-based pressure group that studies the country's energy sector. "If you want to purchase weapons, aviation fuel, these essential items to continue waging war against the Myanmar people, it [the junta] needs access to US dollars or international currencies," he said. Since the coup, the United States and other Western countries have imposed repeated rounds of sanctions on Myanmar's top generals and arms brokers and some of the state-owned companies believed to be earning money for the military, reported Voice of America. To date, though, they have left the most lucrative of those companies, the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise, largely untouched. (ANI)
On Tuesday, Shakoor attended a seminar in Islamabad to discuss the issue of forced conversions in Pakistan.

According to the Associated Press of Pakistan, he addressed a one-day seminar titled "Religion Change, Issues, Discussions and Reality" at a local hotel.

Some newly converted Muslims (From Christianity to Islam) were invited to give speeches on the issue of change of religion in the ceremony, in a way to make them speak against their previous religion i.e. Christianity and Hinduism, and their bad practices.

To this, some Christians objected and boycotted the ceremony.

They further said that the event was organized just to create hatred against minorities and their religious practices.

Notably, Pakistan uses the blasphemy law to persecute Christians with the help of state and non-state actors to target minorities.

Blasphemy is pinned on them with the confidence that no judge would let them off the hook, with crowds demanding death outside his court.

Christians in Pakistan have been facing systematic persecution as not only their churches are being targeted but also girls who are being kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam.

Christians make up less than two per cent of the population in Pakistan. Their numbers are decreasing as many of them are migrating to other countries for their safety.

Christians continue to suffer targeted violence and other abuses, including land-grabbing in rural areas, abductions and forced conversion, and the vandalisation of homes and churches. (ANI)
Taiwan needs to defend itself against authoritarian threats from China and it must stand up for itself, according to Khedroob Thondup, a former member of the Tibetan parliament in exile. Writing in Taipei Times, he warned about the Chinese suppression of Tibet and Hong Kong, advising them to fend themselves from Chinese designs on the island nation, as Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway province and has vowed to retake the island, by force if necessary. "One country two systems, which was started in Tibet and failed in Hong Kong, has come and gone. What is now left for the PRC is the use of brute force: They have suppressed Tibet, then Hong Kong and are now using strong-arm tactics on Taiwan. I believe Taiwanese democracy will survive, but Taiwanese have to stand up for themselves first," said Thondup. The former member of the Tibetan parliament in exile said that he first visited Taiwan in 1985, deputed by Dalai Lama to start a dialogue with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). "I spent three days talking to officials, the end result being the signing of an agreement where the Republic of China (ROC) recognized the right to self-determination of Tibetans," he said. According to official KMT records in Nanking, Tibet never paid taxes to the ROC government. He also lauded Taiwan's determination saying that in 1997, Dalai Lama made his first-ever visit to Taiwan at the invitation of then-president Lee Teng-hui. "Lee took the bold step of opening Taiwan's doors to His Holiness. The visit was most successful and changed the attitude of His Holiness toward Taiwanese," said Thondup. After seeing Taiwan's robust democracy, Dalai Lama recognized the Taiwanese as a separate entity from the Chinese, reported Taipei Times. Thondup visited Taipei to start grassroots lobbying for Tibetan issues. "On one occasion I met then-Taipei mayor Chen Shui-bian, who was quite upset, as he had not been given an audience with His Holiness during his visit. As mayor, Chen issued an invitation to His Holiness, which His Holiness accepted when Chen was president," said Thondup. He also admired Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) but said that the party had no idea of China's brutal tactics and how to defend Taiwan. "One issue which I found disturbing was national identity. In the 1990s there were two distinct camps: Mainlanders and local residents. Today this has evolved as young people in Taiwan identify themselves as Taiwanese," said the Tibetan leader. He said that after Typhoon Morakot, which caused widespread death and destruction, Dalai Lama was invited to Taiwan and the KMT government issued him a visa on the condition he did not make any political statements. Notably, President Tsai Ing-wen in her first term became the only DPP president not to issue a visa to the Dalai Lama upon his request to visit Taiwan. "After 30 years in Taiwan I admire the way democracy has become vibrant, but I wonder whether the Taiwanese have the will to stand up to the People's Republic of China (PRC)," said Thondup. (ANI)
Concerned over the shortage of foodgrains that may lead to domestic unrest in China, the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) National Health & Medical Commission (NHMC) has recommended the development of rice bran industry to tackle the country's emerging food crisis. Recently, China witnessed unprecendented protests against the zero covid restrictions and demanded an end to the one-party rule of the Communist Party of China (CCP). People have raised slogans like "Step down, Xi Jinping! Step down, Communist Party!" and "We don't want lifelong rulers. We don't want emperors," as per the news report. China's domestic crop output has been declining due to various reasons including the loss of fertile land, floods and disruptions in the food supply chain caused by geopolitical tensions and COVID lockdown-induced food shortages. The NHMC has also announced to support the research aimed at tapping the nutritional value of rice bran and its by-products. The media recently reported that, under the leadership of Xi Jinping, China is going back to the days of Mao Zedong's extreme communism and bringing back memories of the famine in Mao's era. Writing for InsideOver, Federico Giuliani said Xi Jinping has made it his motto to make China the strongest superpower in the world but he is repeating the same mistakes that were made in the Mao Zedong era. During Mao's era, the main cause of the famine was an ill-conceived effort, executed with insufficient means, to catch up with Britain in industrialization. "The view among distinguished China observers is that Xi Jinping has reversed the economic policies followed by his predecessors, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao; policies which had made China prosperous," he said. Xi Jinping's attempts to follow in the footsteps of Mao in the 21st century would not work. Food imports in China increased from USD 14 billion to USD 104.7 billion between 2003 and 2017. Meanwhile, food export increased from USD 20.2 billion to USD 59.6 billion. But the Covid-induced disruption has aggravated an already serious situation on the food front.This predicament comes at a time when the race to industrialize in China has left it with a lop-sided development, with a shortage of arable land. "It is estimated that since 1959 at least 20 per cent of the arable land of China has been lost to industries. Only about 10 per cent of land in China is arable, as against 20 per cent for the USA," the report said. According to Giuliani, the reality of a food shortage in China is so serious that in August 2020 President Xi Jinping introduced "Operation Clean Plate" under which diners in restaurants must eat all they have ordered. There are even reports that China is trying to grab land in Latin American countries to produce food to send it back home. (ANI)
India on Wednesday issued an order to put into effect the listing of Abdul Rehman Makki as a UN-listed terrorist. The Ministry of External Affairs, in its order, stated that the associated individuals regarding ISIL (Da'esh), Al Qaida, and associated individuals, groups, undertakings, and entities enacted amendments on its ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List of individuals and entities subject to the asset freeze, travel ban, and arms embargo outlined in paragraph 1 of Security Council resolution 2610(2021), adopted under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter. The Ministry of External Affairs in its order, said, "The Central Government considers it necessary and expedient to revise the Schedule to the order issued under the United Nations (Security Council) Act, 1947 (43 of 1947) to give effect to the said amendments; Now, therefore, in the exercise of the powers conferred by section 2 of the United Nations (Security Council) Act, 1947 (43 of 1947), the Central Government hereby makes the following Order further to amend the Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism (Implementation of Security Council Resolutions) Order, 2007." Pakistan-based terrorist Abdul Rehman Makki, who was listed as a global terrorist under its ISIL (Daesh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), was more than just the brother-in-law of 26/11 attacks mastermind and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed. The second-in-command, as well as the head of political affairs of the terror outfit LeT and Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), Abdul Rehman Makki, was already listed by India and US as a terrorist under their domestic laws. The Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism (Implementation of Security Council Resolutions) Amendment Order, 2023, may be referred to as such. It will take effect the day after it is published in the Official Gazette, according to the order. Notably, India's relentless efforts to list Pakistan-based terrorists paid off as Makki was finally listed as a 'global terrorist'. India had made listings of Pakistan-based terrorists a top priority of its United Nations tenure during 2021-22, according to the sources. A total of five names were submitted by India for designation under 1267 in 2022: Abdul Rehman Makki (LeT), Abdul Rauf Asghar (Jaish-e-Mohammed, JeM), Sajid Mir (LeT), Shahid Mahmood (LeT), and Talha Saeed (LeT). Earlier, in January, China finally lifted its 'technical hold' on the designation of Makki as a global terrorist under the 1267 UN Sanctions Committee after the country was left isolated in the Security Council. This listing comes after China last year put a 'technical hold' on India's bid to name the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leader a global terrorist. In June 2022, India slammed China after it blocked the proposal to list terrorist Abdul Rehman Makki under the Sanctions Committee, also known as the UNSC 1267 Committee. India and the US have already listed Makki as a terrorist under their domestic laws. He has been involved in raising funds, recruiting and radicalizing youth to violence and planning attacks in India, especially in Jammu and Kashmir. Makki has performed various leadership roles within the LeT, a US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), while also playing a role in raising funds for LeT operations. In 2020, a Pakistani anti-terrorism court convicted Makki on one count of terrorism financing and sentenced him to prison, according to the US State Department. (ANI)
United States and Indian officials on Tuesday agreed to expand cooperation on advanced weaponry, supercomputing, semiconductors and other high-tech fields. This comes as the Biden administration looks towards strengthening its ties with its Asian allies to offset China's dominance of cutting-edge technologies, the New York Times reported. The agreements were arrived at after two days of high-level meetings in Washington, between government officials and executives from various companies. The agreements are first under a new dialogue about critical and emerging technologies that President Biden and India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, announced in Tokyo in May. U.S. national security adviser, Jake Sullivan on Tuesday said that the goal was for technological partnerships to be "the next big milestone" in the U.S.-Indian relationship after a 2016 agreement on nuclear power cooperation. He described the effort as a "big foundational piece of an overall strategy to put the entire democratic world in the Indo-Pacific in a position of strength." Sullivan said that the agreements will test whether the Biden administration can realize its proposal for "friend-shoring" by shifting the manufacturing of certain critical components to friendly countries. According to The New York Times, Biden officials have expressed concerns about the United States' continued reliance on China for semiconductors, telecommunications parts and other important goods. In recent months they have clamped down on the sale of advanced semiconductor technology to China, in an effort to inhibit an industry that the White House says could give China a military advantage. According to the New York Times report, many companies have found it challenging to obtain the factory space and skilled workers they would need to move their supply chains out of China. Though India has a highly skilled workforce and a government that wants to attract more international investment, multinational companies seeking to operate in India, complain of heavy government regulations. According to Sullivan, both Biden and Modi are working towards closer U.S.-Indian cooperation in efforts to build out the industrial and innovation bases of their countries. The partnerships announced on Tuesday include an agreement between the U.S. and Indian national science agencies to cooperate on artificial intelligence and advanced wireless technology, as well as in other areas, The New York Times reported. The two countries also vowed to speed up their efforts to jointly produce and develop certain defence technologies, including jet engines, artillery systems and armoured infantry vehicles. The US has said that it would review a proposal by General Electric to produce a jet engine with India. According to The New York Times, officials also said that they would work together to facilitate the build-out of an advanced mobile network in India and look for new cooperation in semiconductor production, including efforts to help India bolster chip research and production that would complement major investments in the industry in the United States. (ANI)
Hospitals in China are flooded with the sick and elderly during the Lunar New Year holiday. This comes despite the Chinese authorities reporting that the nation's COVID wave is coming to an end, NTD News reported. According to Chinese health officials, there was no infection "rebound" during last week's travel surge in the country. Hospitals in central Chinese provinces are, however, swarmed with patients, shows footage shared online. GeoPolitica.info recently reported that China is facing a significant challenge in the form of COVID-19, due to the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) "flawed and regressive containment policies and ineffective domestically produced vaccines." Many reports from China have suggested that hospitals in highly-populated cities, including Shanghai and Beijing are overflowing with patients despite officials claiming that the outbreak had peaked last month, as per the news report. Without any plan, the Chinese government ended its "zero-COVID policy" which in its initial phases imposed stringent measures. In order to contain the spread of virus, China imposed "draconian lockdowns, stringent contact tracing as well as inhumane behaviour by party officials." Although China's economy witnessed a significant downfall, caused by the restrictions imposed by the CCP, the measures announced by the Chinese government might have prevented deaths. They, however, left a huge percentage of its population without natural immunity from COVID-19, more so, as China's home-grown vaccines were ineffective as a deterrent against the virus and they even failed to protect the people, according to GeoPolitica.info report. China's COVID-19 containment strategy has affected Chinese people and has caused major discontent among people in the country, as per the GeoPolitica.info report. According to the policy, the entire city needs to be put under lockdown even if a few cases emerge in the region. The World Health Organization has stated that such measures do not help in reducing the number of cases and negatively affect people's livelihoods. Voices Against Autocracy (VAA) recently reported that to keep China's COVID death figures low, the Chinese government has besides censorship, implemented a change in rules and procedures to compel doctors to hide COVID-related mortalities or delay updating them on death certificates. Authorities in China have also stopped adding to the official count, COVID deaths that have occurred outside hospitals. China amid growing global pressure, revealed that around 60,000 COVID-related deaths were reported between early December and mid-December, 2022. The number is big considering that China maintained a death toll of around 5,000 since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. According to VAA, many felt the actual number was much higher and accused Beijing of underreporting. Even the World Health Organisation (WHO) urged China for "more detailed" data as it expressed concerns over the under-representing of the severity of the viral outbreaks in the country. (ANI)
Pakistan under Shehbaz Sharif and Imran Khan-led governments were found more corrupt than before, according to The News International citing a German-based, non-profit organisation. On Tuesday, Transparency International issued the 2022 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) report on global corruption and declared Pakistan among the 10 countries which recorded a significant decline in CPI score. The 2022 CPI score of Pakistan is 27 as compared to 28 in 2021. However, Pakistan's rank remained at 140 out of a total 180 countries assessed by the TI in its 2022 report. Surveys of different international bodies, which provide data to the TI for its report, show that the data evaluated in case of Pakistan covers both the governments of the PDM and PTI, according to The News International. Asia's Pacific report, a part of CPI 2022, dwelt extensively on the Imran Khan government saying, "Pakistan, too, has continued its statistically significant downward trend, this year hitting its lowest score since 2012 at just 27 points amidst ongoing political turmoil. Prime Minister Imran Khan came to power promising to tackle rampant corruption and promote social and economic reforms, but little has been accomplished on any of these fronts since he took the reins in 2018." The report added, "After he (Imran Khan) was ousted in a no-confidence vote this April (2022), the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified him from running for office for another five years and filed a plea in session court for criminal proceedings over allegations he failed to declare gifts and profits he made from selling them during his tenure. Khan has begun a separate court case against the ECP, challenging the ECP's jurisdiction over candidate qualification." "While awaiting the verdicts from these two cases, it's most important that the new government does not allow such political scandals to derail comprehensive anti-corruption efforts. It's time for concrete action with a holistic and effective anti-corruption plan that addresses illicit financial flows and introduces safeguards for civil space," it added. TI Pakistan chairman, in a press release, said Pakistan's score has declined to 27 in 2022 from 28 in 2021. Pakistan's rank in CPI 2022 has remained the same as in CPI 2021 at 140 out of 180 countries. Denmark (90) tops the index this year, with Finland and New Zealand following closely, both at 87. Strong democratic institutions and regard for human rights also make these countries some of the most peaceful in the world according to the Global Peace Index, The News International reported. (ANI)
A special operation conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation lead to the arrests of 11 people on charges of child sexual exploitation in metro Atlanta.

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The operation, nicknamed Happy New Year took months to plan and spanned across six metro Atlanta counties including Clayton, DeKalb, Newton, Spalding, Gwinnett and Fulton counties. Over the course of four days, 11 people were arrested and charged with child exploitation crimes.

The cases involved tips about people who sued computer file-sharing networks to collect and distribute child sexual abuse materials as well as people involved in sexually explicit or obscene internet contact with a child.

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More than 230 digital devices were investigated and several were seized. Once they are processed, they will likely lead to more arrests, according to the GBI.

The following people were arrested during Operation Happy New Year:

Sudesh Rajkooma (26) was arrested in Newton County for sexual exploitation of children (3 counts).

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Jeoffrey Jenkins (18) was arrested in Dekalb County for sexual exploitation of children (2 counts).

Miguel Castillo (45) was arrested in Clayton County for sexual exploitation of children (1 count).

Brent Felix (50) was arrested in Dekalb County for sexual exploitation of children (4 counts).

Joshua Casey, age 37, was arrested in Clayton County for sexual exploitation of children (1 count).

Timothy Smallwood (41) was arrested in Spalding County for obscene internet contact with a child (12 counts).

Louis Belgio (56) was arrested in Clayton County sexual exploitation of children (3 counts).

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Omalin Jahir Perez-Carrasco (24) was arrested in Newton County for sexual exploitation of children (3 counts).

LaQuantay Stevens (23) was arrested in Dekalb County for sexual exploitation of children (5 counts).

James Burns, Jr. (62) was arrested in Gwinnett County for sexual exploitation of children (8 counts).

Jesus Mireles-Aguila (25) was arrested in Fulton County for sexual exploitation of children (7 counts).
WASHINGTON  An estimated 18 million college students received financial aid from President Joe Biden's COVID-19 rescue package and other relief funds, helping millions stay enrolled during the pandemic, according to a new Department of Education report.

The report, released Wednesday, came as Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chairman of the Republican-led House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, vowed to investigate "waste, fraud and abuse" from $5 trillion in pandemic relief funds distributed by the Trump and Biden administrations.

The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, which Biden signed into law in March 2021, included $40 billion for colleges and universities through a historic infusion of money into the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, or HEERF.

President Joe Biden arrives to speak about student debt relief at Central New Mexico Community College Student Resource Center in Albuquerque in November.

How did Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds work?

About 90% of the additional HEERF funding awarded to 5,000 colleges and universities was exhausted by the end of 2022, according to the Education Department's data.

Funds could be used to support any expense related to a student's cost to attend college including food housing, mental health and child care.

More: Biden will end COVID-19 emergency declarations on May 11 after more than 3 years

More: Could Biden's student loan debt forgiveness plan be affected by the end of the COVID emergency?

In 2021 alone, college and universities passed on $19.5 billion in emergency financial grants to 12.7 million students, according to the report. About 80% of low-income Pell Grant recipients received grant money.

First lady Jill Biden and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona formally rolled out the data Wednesday in a conference call with reporters.

"The report released today offers the clearest picture yet of how universities get dollars to students," Cardona said. Many students wouldnt be able to stay in college without the financial aid to help pay for housing, tuition and other expenses, he said.

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Anthony Keenan, a student at the Community College of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, recalled his college career, including many when he couldn't complete class assignments on nights he was sleeping at a homeless shelter.

The financial boost made all the difference for him.

"Between the HEERF funds and other resources, I've made it to graduation," he said. "I have one more class this semester."

What happens now?: COVID funding helped historically Black colleges survive the pandemic.

Who received the emergency student aid?

Those who received emergency aid grant include:

6 million community college students

450,000 students at Historically Black College and Universities, known as HBCUs

8 million students at minority-serving Institutions

24,000 students at Tribal Colleges and Universities

Delaware State University President Tony Allen applauded the Biden administration for investing in Black student achievement on Wednesday's call.

"No other administration has done as much for HBCUs," he said.

The Biden administration said Monday it plans to end both the COVID-19 national emergency and public health emergency in May, restructuring how the federal government will respond to the pandemic that is entering its fourth year.

The Supreme Court will soon decide the future of separate Biden action, also tied to the pande that sought to forgive student loan debt for millions of college students.

Reach Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden emergency aid helped 18 million college students during pandemic
Currently, about 5,990 civilians, including 200 children, remain in Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, where fierce battles with the invaders continue.

Source: Main Directorate of the National Police of Ukraine in Donetsk Oblast

Residents of the city are counting on the help of law enforcement officers.

They are being supplied with food and hygiene kits, medicines and evacuation.

Photo: triocean2011/Depositphotos

Most of the population has already left, but there are still families with children.

"Despite the damaged police department, the duty station, investigative teams and White Angel evacuation team continue to work in the city on a 24/7 duty", the National Police states.

Recently, a resident of the city of Kostiantynivka, Donetsk Oblast, asked law enforcement officers to take her daughter out of the hotspot in Bakhmut.

Law enforcement officers found out that the girl lives with her father and a friend. They refuse to evacuate, so the 17-year-old girl does not want to leave her family.

The teenagers were convinced to leave, but the man decided to stay.

During the evacuation, shells started to hit the suburb of the neighbourhood where the family lives. In order not to endanger the children, law enforcement officers had to wait in the basement.

After the explosions ended, the girl and the guy were put in an armoured car and taken to Kostiantynivka, where their mother was waiting for them.

If people refuse to evacuate to other oblasts of Ukraine, they agree to take them at least to safer areas of Donetsk Oblast.

They can go to their family, friends, acquaintances, or just choose a more peaceful city in the oblast to live in.

"You can ask for help from the White Angel evacuation group, which works on the Bakhmut front, by calling 066-56-15-102," reports the National Police.

Previously: 7-year-old boy Stas was with his family in his native Bakhmut, when the fiercest battles took place there, and the military barely persuaded his parents to leave. A video of him fearlessly walking the streets of the city in a red fur coat was posted on social media.

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Senators expressed concerns about Mexicos plan to ban the import of genetically engineered corn during a Wednesday hearing on the 2023 farm bill, a piece of legislation that sets U.S. standards for agriculture and related policy.

In 2020, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced the country would prohibit genetically modified corn by 2024, prompting U.S. lawmakers to worry that the change would hurt American farmers and violate trade agreements.

Alexis Taylor, under secretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs for the Department of Agriculture (USDA), answered questions from lawmakers Wednesday about the response to Lopez Obradors decree.

As it is for many other genetically engineered products that have been studied for decades, the safety of these products are not in question, Taylor said.

Congress must pass legislation known as the farm bill every five years to set standards for agriculture, nutrition, forestry and conservation. The Senate Agriculture Committee began the process last year by holding field hearings in Michigan and Arkansas.

The Wednesday committee hearing focused on trade and horticulture, with Lopez Obradors announcement at the forefront of lawmakers minds.

Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) asked Taylor about the Biden administrations response to the GMO corn ban and if they would enforce trade agreements between the U.S. and Mexico in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

In the meantime, the administration has refused to trigger the USMCA to contest Mexicos planned exclusion of American corn, Marshall said. What are we waiting for? What are we waiting for to trigger this mechanism? I mean, Im tired of talking about it, forming committees and praying about it. We think its time for action.

Taylor said she visited Mexico two weeks ago to highlight concerns about the ban and that officials are still working to find a solution, given the USDA said the ban could disrupt billions of dollars in trade.

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We have been very clear that the USMCA gives us a process to go down if we cannot find resolution on this issue and that we reserve all of those rights, Taylor said. But at least today we are still productively engaging and hope to find a resolution that doesnt disrupt trade, impact our producers and ultimately impact negatively Mexican livestock producers who are dependent on this product as well.

Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) led a bipartisan group of 25 senators in writing a letter in December expressing concern about Mexicos proposed prohibition of genetically engineered corn.

I appreciate [Taylor] standing firm on that and making it clear that GMOs are safe, they are secure, they are healthy, they help to feed the world, Fischer said.

Senators also asked witnesses about international food aid programs, how to strengthen foreign and domestic markets and protecting science-based advancements in the agriculture industry.

Committee hearings to discuss commodity programs, crop insurance and credit, nutrition programs, conservation, and forestry will continue in coming weeks as part of drafting this years farm bill.

Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) emphasized the significance of prioritizing support for American farmers in the legislation.

Whether they are selling to their neighbors or exporting products globally  and whether they are growing traditional commodities, specialty crops, or organics  the farm bill helps farmers put food on tables here and around the world, Stabenow said. We all have a stake in continuing to make sure this happens. Thats what this farm bill is all about.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  A second man pleaded guilty Wednesday in the death of a 15-year-old outside a suburban Minneapolis school in a shooting that also seriously injured another teen.

Fernando Valdez-Alvarez, 19, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and first-degree assault. He made the plea two weeks before his trial was scheduled to begin.

Valdez-Alvarez was charged in the Feb. 1 shooting death of Jahmari Rice outside South Education Center in Richfield. According to court documents, Valdez-Alvarez admitted killing Rice and injuring a 17-year-old student.

In December, Alfredo Solis, 20, was found guilty of second-degree assault but acquitted of second-degree murder and other charges in the shootings. Solis was sentenced to three years in prison.

Valdez-Alvarez is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 23.

All of those involved were students at the school. The shooting stemmed from a confrontation between the four students and another teen.

South Education Center has about 200 students and offers special education programs and an alternative school, according to the school's website.
Three men currently standing trial as part of a sweeping gang indictment are now facing new charges.

Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat confirmed to Channel 2s Mark Winne that Christian Eppinger, Rodalius Ryan, and Damone Blaylock are now being accused of stabbing a fellow inmate inside the Fulton County Jail.

The victims condition has not been released. Authorities have not released details on when the attack happened or what prompted it.

Eppinger, Ryan, and Blaylock are three of 14 defendants currently standing trial as part of the indictment against hip-hop superstar Young Thugs alleged gang, YSL. Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, is also standing trial.

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In addition to the YSL gang charges, Eppinger has also been charged with shooting an Atlanta police officer six times in February 2022. Officer David Rodgers was trying to arrest Eppinger, a known gang member, on outstanding warrants of robbery and aggravated assault when he began firing shots at the officer.

Officer Rodgers survived his injuries.

Sheriff Labat previously told Channel 2 Action News that Ryan has been an ongoing problem and has refused to listen to deputies.

Ryans defense attorney, Angela DWilliams, filed a complaint against a deputy she says punched her client in the head and pulled him out of a van, leaving him with cuts and bruises. The sheriffs office said Ryan was spitting on the floor of a transport van and then spat in the deputys face.

A Channel 2 investigation found that the same deputy was fired from the South Fulton Police Department in 2020 for an unrelated use of excessive force.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico  Four key suspects in the killing of Haitian President Jovenel Moise were transferred to the United States for prosecution as the case stagnates in Haiti amid death threats that have spooked local judges, U.S. officials announced Tuesday.

The suspects now in custody of the U.S. government include James Solages, 37, and Joseph Vincent, 57, two Haitian-Americans who were among the first arrested after Moise was shot 12 times at his private home near the capital of Port-au-Prince on July, 7 2021.

Also charged is Christian Emmanuel Sanon, an elderly pastor, doctor and failed businessman that authorities have identified as a key player. His associates have suggested he was duped by the real  and still unidentified  masterminds behind the assassination that has plunged Haiti deep into political chaos and unleashed a level of gang violence not seen in decades.

The fourth suspect was identified as Colombian citizen German Rivera Garcia, 44, who is among nearly two dozen former Colombian soldiers charged in the case.

Rivera, along with Solages and Vincent, face charges including conspiring to commit murder or kidnapping outside the U.S. and providing material support and resources resulting in death, the U.S. Justice Department said.

Sanon is charged with conspiring to smuggle goods from the U.S. and providing unlawful export information. Court documents state that he allegedly shipped 20 ballistic vests to Haiti, but that the items shipped were described as medical X-ray vests and school supplies.

It was not immediately known if the four suspects had attorneys who could comment on the development. The men are scheduled to appear in federal court Wednesday in Miami.

A total of seven suspects in the case are now in U.S. custody. Dozens of others still languish in Haitis main penitentiary, which is severely overcrowded and often lacks food and water for inmates.

The case has reached a virtual standstill in Haiti, with local officials last year nominating a fifth judge to investigate the killing after four others were dismissed or resigned for personal reasons.

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One judge told The Associated Press that his family asked him not to take the case because they feared for his life. Another judge stepped down after one of his assistants died under murky circumstances.

Court documents state that exactly two months before Moise was killed, Vincent texted Solages a video of a cat reacting alertly to the sound of gunfire and that Solages laughed, prompting Vincent to respond: Thats the way Jovenel will be pretty much, but (sooner) if you guys really up to it!

The document states that Solages responded that (this) cat will never come back, and trust me brother, we definitely working our final decision.

Then in June, some 20 former Colombian soldiers were recruited to supposedly help arrest the president and protect Sanon, who envisioned himself as Haitis new leader. Rivera was in charge of that group, the documents state.

A day before the killing, Solages falsely told other suspects that it was a CIA operation and that the mission was to kill the president, according to the documents. Shortly before the killing, authorities said, Solages shouted that it was allegedly a DEA operation to ensure compliance from the presidents security detail.

About a year after the killing, U.S. authorities say they interviewed Solages, Vincent and Rivera while they were in Haitian custody and that they agreed to talk.

The other suspects already in U.S. custody are Rodolphe Jaar, a former U.S. government informant and a Haitian businessman who was extradited from the Dominican Republic, where he was detained in January 2022.

That same month, U.S. authorities arrested Mario Antonio Palacios Palacios, a former Colombian soldier who was deported by Jamaica after fleeing there from Haiti. While en route to Colombia, he was deained by U.S. officials in Panama during a layover.

Also in January 2022, authorities arrested former Haitian Sen. John Joel Joseph, who also had fled to Jamaica.

Alfredo Izaguirre, a Miami-based lawyer for Palacios, said Tuesdays arrival of the four other suspects will postpone the trial because they all have to be tried at the same time. He said Palacios had been prepared for the trial to begin in early March, but now it could be postponed for up to four months.

Haiti police say other high-profile suspects remain at large, including a former Supreme Court judge who authorities say was favored to seize power from Moise instead of Sanon as originally planned. Another fugitive is Joseph Badio, alleged leader of the plot who previously worked for Haitis Ministry of Justice and the governments anti-corruption unit until he was fired, police say.

Emmanuel Jeanty, an attorney for the presidents widow, Martine Moise, who was injured in the attack and flown to the U.S. for care, did not return a message for comment.

In December, Martine Moise tweeted that her husband  who also has been accused of corruption, which he denied  had fought against it, which resulted in his assassination. Despite the blockages, 17 months later, the people are demanding #Justice, she wrote.
This combo of booking images provided by the Shelby County Sheriff's Office shows, from left, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills, Jr. and Justin Smith. The five former Memphis police officers have been charged with second-degree murder and other crimes in the arrest and death of Tyre Nichols, a Black motorist who died three days after a confrontation with the officers during a traffic stop, records showed Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023. (Shelby County Sheriff's Office via AP) ORG XMIT: TNHO202

Four of the five former Memphis Police officers indicted for their role in the death of Tyre Nichols were suspended or received a written reprimand during their tenure with the department, with only one charged officer avoiding internal disciplined during his tenure.

In personnel files obtained through a public records request by The Commercial Appeal, four officers were either reprimanded or suspended for their failure to report when they used physicality, failing to report alleged domestic violence, or for damages sustained to their squad cruisers.

The four former officers indicted who had either a reprimand or a suspension were Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills, Jr., Justin Smith, and Emmitt Martin III. Tadarrius Bean, who was also fired and indicted, did not have any reprimands or suspensions in the records viewed by The Commercial Appeal.

AnalysisNashville police release footage quickly. Why can't Memphis?

Related:VP Kamala Harris to visit Memphis for Tyre Nichols' funeral

Reviews of records found that the officers faced little-to-no consequences as they made forceful arrests with no documentation and drove recklessly to scenes. In at least two cases, officers were praised, their actions described by MPD colleagues as one-off events for a good employee. It is unclear if the department required records to prove those assertions.

One summary from a hearing about a domestic violence call that went undocumented credited the police officer under review for being a "top producer."

This Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2023, booking mug shot released by Shelby County Sheriff's Office shows former Memphis Police officer Demetrius Haley in Memphis, Tenn. Five fired Memphis police officers including Haley have been charged with second-degree murder and other crimes in the arrest and death of Tyre Nichols, a Black motorist who died three days after a confrontation with the officers during a traffic stop. Each is charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression. (Shelby County Sheriff's Office via AP) ORG XMIT: ILKS101

Haley was given a written reprimand in November 2021 after he failed to file a response to resistance form. In February 2021, a woman complained after he "grabbed a complainant by the arm and turned her around to be handcuffed as she resisted arrest," the statement of charges said.

Memphis Police officers are required to complete a response to resistance form when "any part of the officer's body [is used] to compel compliance," according to department policies and procedures.

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"Officer Haley advised that he understood the policy but had simply mistaken, in this case, as to the amount of force necessary to require a blue team entry," the hearing summary read.

More:Three Memphis Fire Department personnel fired for not providing aid to Tyre Nichols

During the hearing, Memphis Police Lt. William Acred said Haley was "a hard-working officer [who] routinely makes good decisions" and that "he was sure that this was a limited event."

A few months later, Haley was driving his cruiser, speeding in emergency mode, meaning the lights and siren were on, and lost control of the car as he made a turn. He hit the curb and a stop sign.

Haley said he was responding to another officer's call for help as the other officer said he had a suspect at gunpoint.

The internal charge was dismissed after the hearing, with the hearing officer citing minimal damage to the car.

This Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2023, booking mug shot released by Shelby County Sheriff's Office shows former Memphis Police officer Desmond Mills, Jr., in Memphis, Tenn. Five fired Memphis police officers including Mills have been charged with second-degree murder and other crimes in the arrest and death of Tyre Nichols, a Black motorist who died three days after a confrontation with the officers during a traffic stop. Each is charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression. (Shelby County Sheriff's Office via AP) ORG XMIT: ILKS102

Mills, Jr. was also given a written reprimand for not filing a response to resistance form after a March 2019 arrest. In the statement of charges, Mills, Jr. was accused of taking a woman police were trying to arrest to the ground to assist in handcuffing her.

He did not file the form after the arrest.

"Officer Mills stated he was familiar with completing the response to resistance document in Blue Team, but he did not realize it applied to his actions in this cause," the hearing summary read.

Mills, Jr. was also reprimanded in another hearing for rough or careless handling of equipment after his personal digital assistant was dropped and run over by another vehicle.

This Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2023, booking mug shot released by Shelby County Sheriff's Office shows former Memphis Police officer Emmitt Martin III, in Memphis, Tenn. Five fired Memphis police officers including Martin have been charged with second-degree murder and other crimes in the arrest and death of Tyre Nichols, a Black motorist who died three days after a confrontation with the officers during a traffic stop. Each is charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression. (Shelby County Sheriff's Office via AP) ORG XMIT: ILKS103

Martin III was suspended for three days without pay for not checking the back seat of his cruiser after leaving a shift. A silver revolver was found in the back seat.

He was later suspended for a day without pay after he didn't take a report after responding to an alleged domestic violence call September 27, 2020. Officers are required to take a report of domestic violence calls per Memphis Police Department policy and state law.

In the hearing, Officer James Schmedes spoke on Martin III's behalf.

"[Schmedes] advised that Officer Martin was one of the shift's top producers," the hearing summary said.

This Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2023, booking mug shot released by Shelby County Sheriff's Office shows former Memphis Police officer Justin Smith in Memphis, Tenn. Five fired Memphis police officers including Smith have been charged with second-degree murder and other crimes in the arrest and death of Tyre Nichols, a Black motorist who died three days after a confrontation with the officers during a traffic stop. Each is charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression. (Shelby County Sheriff's Office via AP) ORG XMIT: ILKS104

Smith received a two-day suspension in July 2021 after hitting another vehicle, causing it to spin out, and hit a third vehicle.

According to the statement of charges, Smith was driving an unmarked cruiser that was not in emergency mode when he hit the back end of a Ford F-150. That vehicle then spun out and hit the driver's side of Chevrolet Malibu.

Smith and the driver of the first vehicle were taken to Regional One Hospital in non-critical condition. The statement of charges does not mention the third driver's condition.

The driver in the F-150 was cited for driving with a suspended license.

Blake Ballin, the attorney representing Mills, Jr., declined to comment in this story. William Massey, the attorney retained by Martin III, did not respond to a request for comment at the time of publication.

The Memphis Police Department also did not respond to a request for comment at the time of publication.

It is unknown if, or who, the other officers have retained for legal counsel.

Lucas Finton is a news reporter with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at Lucas.Finton@commercialappeal.com and followed on Twitter @LucasFinton.

Related:Video shows police kicking, pepper spraying, beating Tyre Nichols after traffic stop

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis officers indicted for Tyre Nichols death had prior reprimands
Jaden Rashada is going to Arizona State.

The former Florida commit announced Wednesday on National Signing Day that he would be signing with Arizona State. The four-star quarterback originally signed with Florida in the December early signing period but was released from his letter of intent with the Gators before enrolling at the school after a name, image and likeness deal with a Florida booster group reportedly fell through.

Just want to keep this short and let it be known Ill be attending Arizona State University, my childhood dream school, my fathers alma mater, a place where Im happy and a school where the head coach has always had my back, Rashada wrote. Glad to truly be home.

Rashada is the No. 10 pro-style quarterback in the class of 2023 and the No. 163 prospect in the country, according to Rivals. The California native asked for his scholarship release from Florida in January after he didnt enroll for the spring semester. According to multiple reports, Rashada had agreed to an endorsement deal that had a max value of eight figures in November but a dispute about the viability of the funding led to his departure from the Gators.

Rashada was committed to Miami before he signed with Florida and would have been a key piece of both the Gators and Hurricanes recruiting classes. Florida signed former Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz via the transfer portal after Anthony Richardson declared for the NFL draft and backup QB Jalen Kitna was dismissed from the team because of child pornography charges. Miami has QB Tyler Van Dyke still on the roster, but backup QB Jake Garcia transferred to Missouri.

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Instead, Rashada's future signing is a coup for Kenny Dillingham as the former Oregon offensive coordinator enters his first season as ASUs head coach. Rashada is the only four-star recruit in the ASU class so far as Dillingham has gotten commitments from 21 players.

At the moment, it looks like Rashada could spend the 2023 season as the No. 3 QB on the roster behind Notre Dame transfer Drew Pyne and Trenton Bourguet. Pyne started much of the season for the Irish after Tyler Buchners injury, and Bourguet took over as ASUs starter during the second half of the 2022 season after Herm Edwards firing. Bourguet completed over 70% of his passes for 1,490 yards and 11 TDs and five interceptions.

Dillingham, 32, is set to be the youngest coach in the Pac-12 in 2023 and is an Arizona State alum. He worked as an offensive analyst for the school in 2014 and 2015 before going to Memphis and working his way up the coaching ladder. He spent just one season with the Ducks as Oregon scored 39 points per game in 2022.
Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons held a press conference Wednesday morning to discuss five different shootings that occurred since Sunday.

Simmons asked the community to stay vigilant for suspicious people and activity.

"Let me give you this piece of of advice: If your friend, relative or neighbor are driving around in stolen cars ... carrying guns everywhere they go ... (or) have drugs on them or if they have people coming into your house with drugs on them then they're a suspect in something," Simmons said during the press conference. "If (someone you know) goes to a house party and part of the uniform is to wear guns, prop guns underneath your arms or in your pants, they're a suspect in something and perhaps you should evaluate conversations with those people."

Since Sunday, Simmons said their department has been busy and conducted "pretty dang good police work," after multiples shots fired calls throughout Escambia County.

House party turns deadly:ECSO investigating after fatal shooting during Bellview house party

Blue Angel fatal shooting:ECSO: Deputies investigating Blue Angel Parkway body found with gunshot wound as homicide

What were the shooting incidents?

The week's first fatal shooting occurred on Pin High Drive Sunday at approximately 1 a.m. when one man was injured and another died during a 100-person house party.

Simmons said during the press conference there were shots fired in the front yard of the home and at least one shot fire on the back porch.

"At this point what we know is we have at least four Black males showed up all in black and they are the ones that fired the shots," he said. "In looking at some of the footage, there were people that were coming and going, not the ones that ended up shooting, but a lot of people had guns."

The second investigation stems from the ECSO responding to a report someone had a fatal gunshot wound on Blue Angel Parkway. When deputies arrived to the area there was one deceased male with a gunshot wound.

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The man deputies found was driving a stolen vehicle, according to Simmons, which was burned out. The ECSO believes he is from Alabama and are working with that state's authorities to determine the cause of the incident.

Tuesday night the ECSO received a shots fired call from the Peachtree Commons apartments, but upon arrival they only found shell casings and blood. While on scene they received a report of two individuals who checked into Perdido ER with gunshot wounds that were not life threatening.

Simmons plan:Escambia sheriff has a plan to reduce gun violence. Here's what's in store:

"How this gets interesting is one of the victim's sisters ... she starts heading to the hospital where her brother is," Simmons said. "While en route, she gets attacked by a dark blue vehicle, and her vehicle is shot at."

After the woman gave deputies the description of the vehicle, an ECSO deputy saw a vehicle that fitting the woman's description near Fairfield Drive and began chasing the person.

"As Deputy Glass gets out, the suspect gets out of the dark blue vehicle that had been disabled and starts to run with a rifle in his hand," Simmons said. "He discards that rifle and then runs into the Mayfair area."

Simmons said "we didn't give up" as many units and K-9s were working the scene and looking for the suspect. Authorities then located the suspect around 8 a.m. Thursday morning.

The suspect, 19-year-old Tracy Lamar Posey, is currently awaiting charges, according to Simmons.

The final shooting happened Thursday morning on Dogwood Drive when a 14-year-old and 17-year-old sustained gunshot wounds but were not seriously wounded. Simmons says they currently have no information that indicates who fired the shots.

"We are looking for anyone that has information on who the suspects might be," Simmons said. "We do have one in custody, but we do think there are others."

Anyone with information regarding any of the cases is asked to call the ECSO 850-436-9620.

Even before the recent spate of gun violence, Simmons has been actively calling upon community members and leaders to start implementing solutions to gun violence. Following a pair of ECSO-hosted crime reduction roundtables, a dozen local and state officials have pledged to bring their resources to bear to reduce violent crime, starting with a focus in the Brownsville neighborhood.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Escambia deputies responded to 5 Pensacola-area shootings over 4 days
JERUSALEM (AP)  Chad will open an embassy in Israel, four years after the countries restored diplomatic relations, Israel's Prime Minister's Office said Wednesday.

Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the embassy would be inaugurated on Thursday as part of Chadian President Mahamat Debys state visit to Israel.

Netanyahu visited the central African state in January 2019 as part of Israel's push to establish diplomatic ties with Muslim states. The following year Israel signed normalization agreements with Morocco, Bahrain, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates as part of the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords.

These are relations we want to upgrade to new levels, to new heights, and your visit here to Israel and opening an embassy are an expression of that, Netanyahu said during a meeting with Deby.

Deby was declared head of state in 2021 after the military announced that his father had been killed by rebels after more than three decades in power.

Deby was greeted on the tarmac by Mossad intelligence agency chief David Barnea, the Prime Minister's Office said.

Debys father and predecessor in office, Idriss Deby, visited Jerusalem in 2018. Chad had relations with Israel until 1972, when it terminated diplomatic ties under pressure from other Arab countries.

The desert country is one of the worlds least developed states, according to the World Banks Human Development Index, and its government has been accused of widespread human rights abuses and rigged elections.
The Telegraph

The precise veracity of the large cache of intelligence documents that have apparently been leaked from the Pentagon might be open to question, but there can be little doubt about the negative impact that they are having on Ukraines war effort. Even if the release of the documents turns out to be part of a clever disinformation campaign by the Kremlins cyber-trolls, it could nevertheless prompt Ukraines high command to rethink its long-planned counteroffensive against Russian forces.
(Reuters) - Airlines canceled over 1,800 flights in the United States on Wednesday, after an ice storm hit states from Texas to West Virginia.

A total of 1,897 flights within, into or out of the United States were canceled, while 750 flights were delayed as of 8.41 a.m. ET, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware.

"This week's winter storm is having an impact on our operations, accounting for a significant number of cancelations," American Airlines Group Inc said in a statement, adding that it proactively canceled flights and notified passengers.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Tuesday warned in a tweet that travelers could expect to see some snowy conditions in certain areas including Dallas, Fort Worth and Memphis, which could delay certain flights.

U.S. weather https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/egpbyamykvq/USWEather.PNG

"The ongoing winter storm will continue to bring hazardous impacts to North and Central Texas through at least early Thursday morning," The U.S. National Weather Service said in its Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area forecast discussion.

Fort Worth, Texas-based American led the cancellations with nearly 800 flights, while low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines Co followed with cancelling 501 flights.

Southwest did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

The latest cancellations come nearly a month after Southwest faced U.S. government backlash for canceling 16,700 flights over the holidays, as bad weather overwhelmed its crew scheduling system.

(Reporting by Nathan Gomes and Arpan Varghese in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
Last month, Amazon failed to overturn a Staten Island warehouse's vote to unionize and now it has taken another loss. A National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) judge has ruled that the the company broke federal labor laws in an effort to push back a unionization drive at that facility and another that voted against the union, The New York Times has reported. Amazon can still appeal the ruling to the NLRB's Washington board.

Federal administrative judge Benjamin Green ruled that Amazon supervisors unlawfully threatened wage increases and benefits if workers formed a union. The company also violated the law by removing a worker's post on a digital message board inviting co-workers to sign an Amazon Labor Union petition to make Juneteenth a paid holiday, the judge said.

Several other complaints by the union were dismissed, however. Those include accusations that Amazon said take-home pay would fall in the case of unionization, and that it promised improvements in an educational subsidy program if workers voted against the union. The union also protested Amazon saying workers would be fired if they formed a union but failed to pay union dues. The latter was not illegal, the judge ruled, and the other complaints were overstated.

Amazon took all that as a positive. "Were glad that the judge dismissed 19  nearly all  of the allegations in this case," said spokesperson Mary Kate Paradis in a statement to the NYT. "The facts continue to show that the teams in our buildings work hard to do the right thing."

The judge set aside one decision brought by the labor board as to whether employers can force workers to attend anti-union meetings. That puts the ball in the court of the NLRB, which can overturn a 75-year old ruling. "I believe that the NLRB case precedent, which has tolerated such meetings, is at odds with fundamental labor-law principles," the labor board's lawyer Jennifer Abruzzo wrote in a memo last year.
American forward Matthew Hoppe was loaned to Hibernian of the Scottish Premier League for the rest of the season on Tuesday by Middlesbrough of England's first tier League Championship.

A 21-year-old from Yorba Linda, California, Hoppe joined Middlesbrough from Spain's Mallorca last summer but made just six league appearances, all as a second-half substitute.

Hoppe made his professional debut for Germany's Schalke in November 2020 and the following Jan. 9 against Hoffenheim became the first American to score a hat trick in the Bundesliga. He moved to Mallorca in August 2021 but made just five La Liga appearances, including one start, and also appeared in a pair of Copa del Rey games.

Hoppe has one goal in eight international appearances. He started for the U.S. in Saturday's friendly against Colombia at Carson, California. a 0-0 draw.

___

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Andriy Kobolev, former chairman of Naftogaz of Ukraine

Read also: Anti-graft court finds charges against former Naftogaz head unfounded

A SAPO prosecutor sent an appeal to the HACCs Appeals Chamber against the decision of the HACCs investigative judge on the refusal to impose a pre-trial restriction against former Chairman of the Board of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine, motivated, among other things, by the unfoundedness of the suspicion, reads the report.

The SAPO prosecutors added they consider such a decision illegal and unfounded. They also believe that the investigation has gathered enough evidence regarding the risk of the suspects obstructing the pre-trial investigation.

The HACCs Appeals Chamber will consider the prosecutors appeal on Feb. 8, 2023.

On Jan. 19, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the SAPO charged Kobolyev with the abuse of his official position to arrange for a payment of bonuses worth more than UAH 229 million ($6.2 million) back in 2018.

Read also: NABU suspects former Naftogaz head Kobolev of embezzling over $6 million

The prosecutor requested that Kobolyev be held in custody with an alternative bail of UAH 365 million ($9.9 million).

However, the court decided to leave him free.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP)  An Illinois appellate court on Tuesday upheld a temporary restraining order on enforcement of the state's three-week-old law banning semiautomatic weapons, enacted largely in response to the mass shooting at an Independence Day parade in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park.

A three-judge panel for the 5th District Appellate Court affirmed the restraining order issued Jan. 20 by a circuit judge in Effingham County.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, a Democrat, plans to appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court.

The Protect Illinois Communities Act prohibits the manufacture or possession of semiautomatic handguns and rifles. Those who owned them before the Jan. 10 effective date of the law must register them with the Illinois State Police by Jan. 1, 2024.

Hundreds of gun owners, merchants and advocates filed suit in Effingham, about 10 miles (160 kilometers) northeast of St. Louis, seeking the restraining order. They argued that the Legislature improperly enacted the law and that by exempting some classes of people  law enforcement, corrections officers, retired police officials  denied potentially millions of other gun owners equal protection under the law.

Plaintiffs' attorney Thomas DeVore, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully last fall for state attorney general, said the equal protection argument under the Constitution's 14th Amendment was persuasive in upholding the restraining order.

The law became a priority for Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Democrats who control the General Assembly after the Highland Park shooting, which left seven dead and injured 30.

Illinois is the eighth state, along with Washington, D.C., to restrict such guns.

The attorney general's office said it would seek an expedited schedule of proceedings from the state's high court.

The Protect Illinois Communities Act is an important tool in what must be a comprehensive approach to addressing gun violence throughout Illinois, and we remain committed to defending the statutes constitutionality, spokesperson Annie Thompson said in a statement.

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DeVore said the restraining order applies only to the plaintiffs, which include gun dealers that may continue selling the weapons, and that it must be followed by all circuit courts in the state, even outside the 5th District, unless an appellate court elsewhere holds differently.

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Follow Political Writer John OConnor at https://twitter.com/apoconnor
The leader of a violent, prolific drug trafficking ring was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Tuesday.

Cesar Valdez-Sanudo, 36 years old, pleaded guilty in June 2022 to distributing controlled substances, committing money laundering, and carrying guns in connection to drug trafficking.

Mr. Valdez-Sanudo led a violent ring of drug traffickers and buried kilos of meth, heroin, and fentanyl on his Arlington property, along with more than $300,000 cash  proceeds from the harm he spread across the community, said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. This is a long prison sentence, but given the harm these drugs are doing in our community, it is the appropriate sanction.

The drug ring was indicted in December 2020 after a lengthy wiretap investigation. Law enforcement seized around 143 pounds of methamphetamine, 15 pounds of heroin, 35,000 suspected fentanyl pills, 24 firearms, and nearly $778,000.

Valdez-Sanudo laundered more than $1 million through casinos. He also purchased property and cars to launder money.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amy Jaquette and C. Andrew Colasurdo.
The man who was fatally shot by police after entering a Target store in Omaha, Nebraska, armed with an AR-15-style rifle had obtained the weapon just four days earlier at a Cabelas sporting goods store, police said Wednesday. No one else was hurt.

Court records show that the man, identified by police as Joseph Jones, 32, of suburban Omaha, had no prior felony convictions in Douglas County, where Omaha is located. He also had no prior, documented contact with the city's police, records show.

He entered the store around noon Tuesday, where police said he fired several rounds, sending shoppers and workers scrambling for exits and cowering in bathroom stalls. Along with the rifle, he had 13 loaded rifle magazines of ammunition.

Jones uncle, Larry Derksen Jr., said his nephew had schizophrenia and that his mental illness left him isolated.

My nephew went into Target. I believe he had no intention of hurting anybody. He fired off a bunch of rounds, Derksen told KETV-TV. He had an AR-15 before law enforcement got there. If he had any intention of killing anybody, he would have. He would have had time to do so.

Mental health experts say that most people with mental illness are not violent. They are far more likely to be victims of violent crime than perpetrators, and access to firearms is a big part of the problem.

Derksen told KETV that this was predictable and that his nephew never should have had a gun.

Callers flooded 911 dispatchers with around 30 calls for help, and Omaha police officers and a Nebraska State Trooper rushed to the scene. They quickly encountered Jones and ordered him to drop the rifle.

Police said Officer Brian Vanderheiden, a 20-year veteran of the city's police force, then fired, striking and killing Jones. The release said Vanderheiden was placed on paid administrative leave per department policy.

Police havent yet released a timeline, showing how long Jones was in the store before officers responded, but Omaha police Lt. Neal Bonacci said they are working on one.

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After the shooting, officers searched the store three times before declaring the scene safe, according to police. Through the investigation, officers foud bullet casings inside the store.

Cabela's didn't immediately respond to emails from The Associated Press seeking comment.

Bonacci said police are talking to family as they look for a motive. But he added: I dont know that well ever necessarily know."

Several other shootings have taken place at stores across the country in recent months, at a time when mass shootings have commanded public attention on a disturbingly frequent basis.

In January, one woman was injured in a shooting at a Walmart store in Evansville, Indiana. Police said it could have been much worse if not for heroic actions by an employee and police. Officers arrived within minutes and fatally shot the gunman. A Walmart manager in Chesapeake, Virginia, killed six people in November when he began shooting wildly inside a break room. Six others were wounded. The gunman shot and killed himself before officers arrived.

In Buffalo, New York, an 18-year-old fatally shot 10 people and injured three others last May, after seeking out a grocery store in a predominately Black neighborhood. Authorities immediately called it a hate crime.

The Omaha shooting came just over 15 years after the deadly December 2007 shooting at an Omaha Von Maur department store, when a 19-year-old gunman killed eight people and himself.
Ashton Kutcher has spoken about the rape allegations against his friend Danny Masterson for the first time.

Masterson, who starred in That 70s Show and The Ranch with Kutcher, was charged in 2020 with raping three women. Facing 45 years to life in prison, Masterson pleaded not guilty in 2021. A judge declared a mistrial in November, and a new trial has been set for March.

In an interview with Esquire published Tuesday, Kutcher said he wants Masterson to be found innocent of the charges brought against him. Kutcher specified he doesnt want his friend to get away with a crime  but to be truthfully revealed as innocent.

Ultimately, I cant know, said Kutcher about what the verdict in Mastersons upcoming trial should be. Im not the judge. Im not the jury. Im not the DA. Im not the victim. And Im not the accused. And so, in that case, I dont have a space to comment. I just dont know.

Kutcher and Masterson share decades of history and have notably remained friends since the allegations.

Kutcher told Esquire that Masterson has served as a mentor ever since That 70s Show became a hit when it debuted in 1998. Kutcher recalled Masterson adamantly telling the young cast that such success doesnt come around often  and not to do anything stupid and fuck this up.

Ashton Kutcher (left) and Danny Masterson have continued to stay in touch after allegations against Masterson were made public in 2017.

Ashton Kutcher (left) and Danny Masterson have continued to stay in touch after allegations against Masterson were made public in 2017.

The two friends starred in Netflixs The Ranch together until Mastersons rape allegations were made public in 2017. While Netflix wrote Mastersons character off the show and fired him, Kutcher remained in touch  and has continued to do so to this day.

Someday, his kid is going to read about this, Kutcher told Esquire. I wholesale feel for anybody who feels like they were violated in any way.

Masterson was charged with rape by force or fear and could spend the rest of his life behind bars if found guilty on all three counts. The incidents in question occurred between 2001 and 2003 with former members of the Church of Scientology, which Masterson remains a part of. Masterson has denied the charges; his attorney has said the actor had consensual sex with the women.

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A Los Angeles Superior Court judge declared a mistrial in the case in November after jurors were unable to reach a united decision on any of the charges after seven rounds of voting.

A new trial for Masterson has been set for March 27.

Read the full interview in Esquire.

Need help? Visit RAINNs National Sexual Assault Online Hotline or the National Sexual Violence Resource Centers website.

Related...
Ashton Kutcher and Danny Masterson on Netflix's "The Ranch." Netflix

Ashton Kutcher hopes Danny Masterson is found innocent of the rape charges against him.

He added that Masterson was the leader of their cast on "That 70s Show."

After "That 70s Show," Masterson remained as a mentor to Kutcher and the pair is still in touch today.

Ashton Kutcher hopes his former "That 70s Show" and "The Ranch" co-star Danny Masterson is found innocent when he faces a jury for the second time in his rape trial.

Kutcher told Esquire he wants Masterson "to be found innocent of the charges brought against him." He explained that no, he does not want his friend to "get off the hook," rather, he genuinely hopes Masterson is innocent of the claims brought against him.

"I wholesale feel for anybody who feels like they were violated in any way," Kutcher said, seemingly responding to the three counts of rape Masterson has been accused of.

Kutcher added that Masterson was something of their leader on "That 70s Show," having been the only teen on the show that was in the industry for some time at that point. He said Masterson kept the cast in line and kept them from doing drugs and making bad decisions.

"He's like, 'One fucking rule: Don't do anything fucking stupid and fuck this up. Because if you fuck it up, you fuck it up for everybody,'" Kutcher recalled Masterson saying.

Even after the end of "That 70s Show," Masterson remained as a mentor to Kutcher, Esquire reported. Kutcher added that he still keeps in touch with Masterson.

In November 2022, a mistrial was declared in Masteron's trial on criminal rape charges after a jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict on any of the three charges against the actor.

During the trial, three victims who were the charging witnesses and another woman testified at length about traumatic experiences with Masterson at the height of his sitcom fame. Famous actors like Billy Baldwin showed up to support Masterson throughout the trial.

Masterson and his legal team had denied the allegations, and he pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges.

In January, Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Reinhold Mueller announced that prosecutors would opt for a re-trial against Masterson, and Judge Charlaine Olmedo set a March 29 date for jury selection.

Read the original article on Insider
Amid the horror of the mass shooting in Monterey Park, California, was an astounding act of courage. Brandon Tsay, who was working at a nearby dance studio in Alhambra, disarmed the man who had just taken the lives of 11 Asian Americans.

It was a selfless act that saved many lives the night of Jan. 21. But when told he had been called a hero, Tsay said, "A lot of people have been telling me how much courage I had. ... But you know what courage is? Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the ability to have adversity to fear when fearful events happen.

This idea, that courage isnt a lack of fear but the ability to act in spite of it, is representative of our larger Asian American and Pacific Islander community. It is indicative of the experience of so many who have shown bravery in the face of violence, injustice and hatred, from early AAPI civil rights pioneers to those fighting the latest wave of anti-Asian hate.

This moment calls for all of us  our community, our leaders and our elected officials  to bring that courage to conversations about ending gun violence in order to protect the AAPI community.

Mass shootings first in Monterey Park then Half Moon Bay

Today, were facing the aftermath of not one but two major mass shootings in which Asian Americans were murdered. While we may not know the motives of the perpetrators in Monterey Park or Half Moon Bay, we know the outcomes: tragic deaths, grieving families and two communities sense of safety stripped away.

A candlelight vigil in San Francisco on Jan. 26, 2023, includes a lantern with the names of shooting victims at Half Moon Bay, where a gunman killed seven people.

These shootings come at a time when the AAPI community feels targeted, physically and emotionally, from rising anti-Asian hatred. But just because the shooters in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay were Asian doesnt make the incidents any less harmful than those driven by racism. Violence in any form against our community causes trauma.

'But the shooter was Asian!': That doesn't negate the reality of anti-Asian violence.

Rep. Judy Chu: How we move forward after Lunar New Year massacre in my hometown

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Stop AAPI Hate was formed in 2020 to track and respond to hate against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. By March 2022, nearly 11,500 hate incidents had been reported through our system, and a nationwide survey suggests that is just the tip of the iceberg.

Many of us fighting on behalf of our community have demanded civil rights protections, education and community investments. Now, we must also come together to demand the prevention of gun violence.

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.

Asian Americans belong at the table on gun policies

Gun violence is an Asian American issue. It has devastated the AAPI community since before the current rise in anti-Asian attacks. From 2015 through 2019, more than 3,000 Asian Americans died from gun suicides, homicides and accidental shootings.

The recent killings are part of a long history of mass shootings in which AAPI people have been slain  from the 1989 elementary school shooting in Stockton, California, where a gunman killed five Asian American students, to the 2021 murder of eight in the Atlanta spa shootings, most of whom were of Asian descent.

As a whole, Asian Americans strongly support taking action to end gun violence, but we are not usually part of these policy conversations. We belong at the table.

Gun violence is a pandemic: We need to treat it like one

Newport News school shooting: The adults in charge failed, and a teacher was shot. By a 6-year-old.

AAPI organizations are coming together to advocate for action. The first national gathering of AAPI and gun violence prevention advocates took place last year. Last week, the AAPI Against Gun Violence steering committee  including representatives from AAPI Victory Alliance, Chinese for Affirmative Action, Moms Rising, the Newtown Action Alliance, and the Hope and Heal Fund  held a news conference to urge action and education on how gun violence impacts Asian Americans.

This is a start, but there is so much more to be done.

Tackling gun violence in the United States is certainly fraught with adversity. For AAPI communities and leaders, whose voices and needs have been ignored for so long, rallying around this issue might seem difficult. We would also have to address how fear of racism led to a rise in gun ownership in our own community, even though access to guns makes hate-motivated violence even deadlier.

Gabby Giffords: Why I'm optimistic about reducing gun violence in America

Want fewer shootings?: Pass tougher gun laws. Our research shows lax laws fuel violence.

Brandon Tsay said he decided to act when he realized that if he didnt take the gun away from the shooter, everyone else at his dance studio might be killed. In that moment, he realized the gravity of the situation, but also that he had the power to do something about it.

Cynthia Choi is a co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate and co-executive director of Chinese for Affirmative Action.

Like him, we must acknowledge the danger gun violence poses to the entire AAPI community, realize we have the power to address it  and find the courage to act.

All of us, from leaders and policymakers to community members, have a role to play in creating sane gun policies. In the same way that we've powerfully mobilized against anti-AAPI hate over the past three years, against enormous odds, we can mobilize around gun violence prevention.

Manjusha P. Kulkarni is a co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate and executive director of AAPI Equity Alliance.

We deserve to be protected. We deserve to feel safe. And we will not back down in the face of adversity.

Cynthia Choi is a co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate and co-executive director of Chinese for Affirmative Action. Manjusha P. Kulkarni is a co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate and executive director of AAPI Equity Alliance.

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: Stop AAPI Hate: After Monterey Park, Asian Americans must act on guns
With February being American Heart Month, the American Heart Association honored an Atlanta police officer who saved the life of a baby when the then-4-month-old had stopped breathing.

Channel 2 Action News told you about Special Police Officer Oden back in October.

The incident happened in May when Officer Robert Oden was patrolling the area along the Martin Luther King Jr. corridor when the childs mother flagged him down.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

The frantic mother holding her lifeless 4-month-old had run to Oden for help  her little boy wasnt breathing. Oden jumped into action.

Its just one of those days, you never know what could happen when youre out there patrolling, Oden said.

Oden gave the baby CPR and the child started breathing again. Medics arrived shortly after and the boy was rushed to the hospital.

I reach out and call them at least once a week, and when I try to meet up with them I can, hes doing great, Oden said.

TRENDING STORIES:

On Wednesday the American Heart Association gave Oden their Heartsaver Hero award.

Its definitely an honor, to receive an award from my department and this award from the American Heart Association, he told Channel 2 Action News.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
MANILA, Philippines (AP)  The United States and the Philippines on Thursday announced plans to expand America's military presence in the Southeast Asian nation, with access to four more bases as they seek to deter Chinas increasingly aggressive actions toward Taiwan and in the disputed South China Sea.

The agreement was reached as U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was in the country for talks about deploying U.S. forces and weapons in more Philippine military camps.

In a joint announcement by the Philippines and the U.S., the two said they had decided to accelerate the full implementation of their so-called Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, which aims to support combined training, exercises and interoperability.

As part of the agreement, the U.S. has allocated $82 million toward infrastructure improvements at five current EDCA sites, and expand its military presence to four new sites in strategic areas of the country, according to the statement.

Austin arrived in the Philippines on Tuesday from South Korea, where he said the U.S. would increase its deployment of advanced weapons such as fighter jets and bombers to the Korean Peninsula to bolster joint training with South Korean forces in response to North Koreas growing nuclear threat.

In the Philippines, Washington's oldest treaty ally in Asia and a key front in the U.S. battle against terrorism, Austin visited southern Zamboanga city and met Filipino generals and a small contingent of U.S. counterterrorism forces based in a local military camp, regional Philippine military commander Lt. Gen. Roy Galido said. The more than 100 U.S. military personnel have provided intelligence and combat advice for years to Filipino troops battling a decades-long Muslim insurgency, which has considerably eased but remains a key threat.

More recently, U.S. forces have intensified and broadened joint training focusing on combat readiness and disaster response with Filipino troops on the nations western coast, which faces the South China Sea, and in its northern Luzon region across the sea from the Taiwan Strait.

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American forces were granted access to five Philippine military camps, where they could rotate indefinitely under the 2014 EDCA defense pact.

In October, the U.S. sought access for a larger number of its forces and weapons in an additional five military camps, mostly in the north. That request would be high on the agenda in Austins meetings, according to Philippine officials.

The visit of Secretary Austin definitely, obviously will have to do with many of the ongoing discussions on the EDCA sites, Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Romualdez said at a news briefing.

Austin was scheduled to hold talks Thursday with his Philippine counterpart, Carlito Galvez Jr., and National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano, Romualdez said. Austin will separately call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who took office in June and has since taken steps to boost relations with Washington.

The U.S. defense chief is the latest senior official to visit the Philippines after Vice President Kamala Harris in November in a sign of warming ties after a strained period under Marcoss predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte.

Duterte had nurtured cozy ties with China and Russia and at one point threatened to sever ties with Washington, kick visiting American forces out and abrogate a major defense pact.

Romualdez said the Philippines needed to cooperate with Washington to deter any escalation of tensions between China and self-ruled Taiwan  not only because of the treaty alliance but to help prevent a major conflict.

Were in a Catch-22 situation. If China makes a move on Taiwan militarily, well be affected  and all ASEAN region, but mostly us, Japan and South Korea, Romualdez told The Associated Press, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the 10-nation regional bloc that includes the Philippines.

The Philippines and ASEAN members Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam, along with Taiwan, have been locked in increasingly tense territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea. The U.S. has been regarded as a crucial counterweight to China in the region and has pledged to come to the defense of the Philippines if Filipino forces, ships or aircraft come under attack in the contested waters.

The Philippines used to host two of the largest U.S. Navy and Air Force bases outside the American mainland. The bases were shut down in the early 1990s after the Philippine Senate rejected an extension, but American forces returned for large-scale combat exercises with Filipino troops under a 1999 Visiting Forces Agreement.

The Philippine Constitution prohibits the permanent basing of foreign troops and their involvement in local combat.
Ky'air Thomas, left, died Saturday after family reported to 911 that he was not breathing. He and his twin brother, Kason Thomas, right, abducted Dec. 19 when their mother's car was stolen. Ky'air was recovered the next day, found in his car seat wrapped in a blanket between vehicles at a Dayton International Airport parking lot. Kason was recovered Dec. 22 in his mother's car in a pizza store parking lot in Indianapolis hours after suspect Nalah Jackson, 24, was arrested by police there with the help of two women cousins.

The family of Ky'air Thomas, one of the twin Columbus boys abducted in December who died late Saturday evening, called 911 numerous times as they tried to get medical attention for their 6-month old infant who was not breathing.

Columbus police released the 911 calls to the media on Tuesday evening, but The Dispatch is not publishing the actual recordings due to their sensitive nature.

Around 10:50 p.m. on Saturday, Columbus police responded to a call of a baby not breathing at a residence in the 900 block of East Whittier Street on the South Side. When Columbus Fire medics and police arrived, they found 6-month-old Ky'air transported him to Nationwide Children's Hospital, where they pronounced him deceased.

Those with the baby called 911 seven times as they awaited a medical response. In the first call received, a female caller is asking for immediate medical attention while several people are screaming in the background.

"The baby's not breathing," the caller replied when asked by the 911 dispatcher what's going on.

Wilhelmina Barnett, Ky'air's mother, also called 911 and urgently pleaded with dispatchers to send medics.

"Come on baby, come on baby," Barnett can be heard saying to Ky'air as the dispatcher answers the phone. "The baby is trying to breathe, this is my baby."

Barnett told them that someone on scene was trying to perform CPR on Ky'air, but was not sure it was successful.

Ky'air's father, Lachez Thomas, also called 911 to request an ambulance to the Whittier Street home, and informed dispatchers that he was traveling to the house.

According to the police run sheets, Columbus fire medics responded within five minutes and had Ky'air en route to Nationwide Children's within ten minutes. A final autopsy report from the Franklin County Coroner's office is not expected for weeks as Columbus police continue their investigation into the death.

Lachez Thomas, left, stands in a gas station parking lot on Brandt Pike with Dion Green at right, as family members searched Dayton last month search for Thomas' five-month-old son Kason Thomas, who remained missing until Dec. 22.

Columbus police say Ky'air and his twin brother, Kason, were abducted by 24-year-old Nalah Jackson, who stole their mother's running 2010 Honda car moments after Barnett went inside a Donatos restaurant on North High Street around 9:45 p.m. Dec. 19 to pick up a DoorDash order for delivery.

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The grandmother of the twins, Fonda Thomas, released a statement Sunday asking the community for support and prayers for her family. Between the December kidnapping and now Ky'air's death, the grandmother said "none of this seems real."

"Tonight we are living a nightmare with the community for a second time in less than a month," she said in a prepared statement. "I'm questioning God, Lord why, Ky'air?"

Mecka Curry, one of the cousins who helped find baby Kason Thomas in Indianapolis, shared her condolences over Ky'air's death to his family on social media.

You will forever live in our hearts (Ky'air), she wrote. My heart is broken.

Jackson is currently facing two federal charges of kidnapping a minor. Kidnapping charges filed by Columbus police were expected to be dropped in deference to the federal case.

Jackson is scheduled to face a jury trial in federal court in Columbus on March 20. If convicted, she faces 20 years to life in prison on each of the two counts.

The abduction case, which unfolded over four days, transfixed Ohioans and people across the nation.

After Ky'air was found in Dayton, attention swelled on the case as friends, family and law enforcement searched for the still-missing Kason and pled for his safe return. A chance encounter between Jackson and two women outside of an Indianapolis gas station triggered a series of events that would lead to Jackson's arrest and the recovery of Kason hours later

Read More: A chance encounter and mother's intuition: How 2 Indy women helped find missing Ohio twin

@Colebehr_report

Cbehrens@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 911 calls show panic as family tries to save Ky'air Thomas
[Source]

An investigation found that seven Bangkok police officers allegedly extorted Taiwanese actor Charlene An while she visited Thailands capital in early January.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, national Police Chief Damrongsak Kittiprapas said officers found guilty in the case would face punishment.

There are still many good police. We must encourage the good ones and deal with the bad ones. I would like to stress that our city has lots of visitors coming. Immigration police, tourist police and local police must take the best care of tourists. And for the incident that happened, if there is wrongdoing, as the head of the organization, I apologize to the victims affected by what happened.

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha reiterated the police chiefs statement, saying, This problem is deep-rooted. We need to separate the good [police] from the bad [police], and true offenders must face punishment.

More from NextShark: Man allegedly killed by swarm of 8 teen girls in Toronto identified as Ken Lee

The incident occurred at a checkpoint in Bangkoks Huai Khwang district near the Chinese embassy at around 1 a.m. on Jan. 4, An reportedly wrote on her now-deleted Instagram Stories.

Recounting the incident, the 32-year-old actor said shewas traveling with friends in a Grab taxi when Bangkok police stopped them and searched their bodies, bags and vehicles for drugs and other illegal items. The officers also allegedly noted how much money they had at the time, An told Taiwanese media after returning from Thailand.

She also said that the officers did not accept her visa on arrival, which was issued to her at the airport, as credentials, allegedly insisting that it lacked certification.

More from NextShark: Japanese Politicians Are Pushing to Give Everyone 4-Day Work Weeks

In her statement, An said they were detained at 2:25 a.m. on Jan. 4. She wanted to "secretly record" the incident, but the officers made her delete the footage she managed to capture.

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An said she and her group were later taken to the police station, where they tried to speak to the officers for two to three hours.

They were discouraged from making a phone call for help unless they wanted their charges increased, An recounted.

More from NextShark: Asian Canadian Manager Gets Coffee Thrown at Her in Racially Motivated Attack

They demanded an apology from us. We did everything we could to apologise, even saying it in Thai  the only thing we didn't do was kneel down and beg. After I finished apologizing, I was still angry I really felt very helpless and aggrieved.

An and her group were allegedly taken to a dark alley, away from surveillance cameras, where they were instructed to pay 27,000 baht (approximately $820) for their freedom. The actor noted five other South Korean women were also being held at the station when they arrived.

New reports also said that An claimed the officers put a vaping device in her hand and charged her for it  even though she did not know what it was at the time. Possessing vaping devices or e-cigarettes is illegal in Thailand and can result in up to 10 years in jail.

More from NextShark: Parents of missing Vietnamese Canadian student whose last text was 'Bye' appeals for locals' help

An's social media post attracted criticism from Thai media and social media users, with police at the checkpoint denying all allegations.

After launching an investigation on Thursday, it was found that seven officers  two captains, two senior sergeant majors and three sergeants  stationed at the checkpoint had been accused of committing malfeasance or nonfeasance to cause damage against a particular person or committing dereliction of duty with dishonest intention.

Some of the officers involved also reportedly confessed to the bribery accusation, the Bangkok Post reported, citing a police source.

Chuvit Kamolvisit, a former politician-turned-massage parlor tycoon, also claimed that evidence against the officers had been deleted, such as surveillance footage from the checkpoint and the memory cards installed in their helmet cameras.

Kamolvisit also accused the officers of coercing the Grab taxi driver into telling the media that An was drunk at the time of the incident and that the duration of the incident was far shorter than it was.

The seven police officers have been charged with dereliction of duty and have been transferred to inactive positions while the investigation is ongoing.

Following the news on Monday, An thanked fans and Taiwanese media for their support in an Instagram post.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Charlene (@charlene_an517)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)  AL batting champion Luis Arraez went to a salary arbitration hearing Wednesday against the Miami Marlins, who acquired the infielder from the Minnesota Twins last month.

Arraez asked for a raise from $2.2 million to $6.1 million, and the Marlins argued for $5 million. The case was heard by John Stout, Mark Burstein and Scott Buchheit, who are expected to issue a decision Thursday.

Arraez hit .316 with eight homers, 49 RBIs and a .795 OPS, starting 61 games at first base, 34 at designated hitter and 31 at second. The 25-year-old was traded on Jan. 20 for starting pitcher Pablo Lopez and a pair of prosects: infielder Jose Salas and outfielder Byron Chourio.

Arraez is eligible for free agency after the 2026 season.

Seattle defeated Diego Castillo in the first salary arbitration decision this year on Wednesday, and the relief pitcher will get a raise to $2.95 million rather than his request of $3,225,000.

A decision is being held for Los Angeles Angels outfielder Hunter Renfroe, whose case was argued Monday.

Twenty-three players remain scheduled for hearings, to take place through Feb. 17.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sport
How Ukraines population will change by 2030

A characteristic feature of the latest civilizational development are the structural shifts in the creation of national wealth - from the last quarter of the twentieth century, according to the World Bank, 60-80% of the GDP of developed countries has been provided not by physical or financial capital, but by human capital  that is, the decisive role here is played by the population, its health, education, and qualifications.

Unfortunately, the demographic losses of Ukraine as a result of the war have been huge, as a result of an increase in mortality, a decrease in the birth rate, and travel abroad.

Read also: How many Ukrainians will return from abroad and what the population will look like in 2030

It is still impossible to accurately determine cause behind this increase in mortality - there is no information from the occupied territories and rather eclectic data coming from front-line cities, and information about losses of soldiers will be made public only later. The additional losses due to the war (not only from fighting, as mortality has increased for many reasons like constant stress, hypothermia, lack of adequate nutrition, and the inaccessibility of high-quality medical care) will become clear after a few years.

Thanks to an improvement in the socioeconomic determinants of health, which will come after the war, we can expect a decrease in premature mortality, primarily from eliminating its causes, as well as an increase in male life expectancy until 2030 from the current 66.4 to 72.6 years (Polands number in 2022), and for women from 76.2 to 80.8 years.

On average, a Ukrainian woman gives birth to 1.2-1.5 children during her lifetime. It is likely that this figure will decrease slightly for 2022, but not significantly. A more critical fall will occur in 2023 and, if the war does not end, in 2024. After that, although I do not believe in a post-war baby boom, there will supposedly be a gradual increase in the birth rate to 1.5-1.6 in 2030.

Story continues

Read also: More Ukrainians get married, fewer divorced during war, according to statistics

According to the State Border Service, from the end of February to the end of November 2022, 10.7 million people left Ukraine through its western borders, but 9.3 million also entered. Both the first and second groups include many of those whose border crossings were connected with, for example, business trips, and trips on personal matters under so-called small border movement of residents within 50 kilometers of the border.

Many refugees from the war, those with children, cross the Ukrainian border to meet with men who cannot come to them, and then, accordingly, return to their places of temporary residence. Many of those who had left before the war to work abroad have also returned to Ukraine. In the first two weeks, when 100-120 thousand people were leaving every day, almost 200,000 men aged 18 to 60 entered Ukraine to protect the Motherland and their loved ones.

So, the balance of movement across the western borders (including Moldova) during the war period is approximately 1.5 million people, mostly children and women. Based on the fact that before the war the number of Ukrainian labor migrants was estimated at about 3 million people, today the scale of emigration is 4.5 million. Of course, this does not take into account departures - voluntary or forced - to Russia, the scale of which is extremely difficult to estimate.

EU countries have spared no effort to support our compatriots. By helping Ukrainians find jobs and education for their children, European governments are well aware of the high likelihood that some of them will stay in a Europe that is rapidly aging and whose labor markets are in need of a young and skilled workforce.

Read also: 48,000 children born in Ukraine since beginning of Russian invasion, Ukrainian Health Ministry says

Estimates of the scale of demographic losses due to the relocation of Ukrainians as a result of the war to other countries range from 500-600 thousand to 5-6 million people, if, after the lifting of martial law, family reunification will take place not in Ukraine, but outside it.

Currently, the population of the territory of Ukraine within the borders of February 23, 2022 is estimated at 34-35 million people. What can we expect next? In fact, the prospects under any conditions are not very bright: both demographic aging and depopulation are inevitable due to the exhaustion of the demographic growth potential.

The population of Ukraine in 2030 will remain one of the oldest in Europe

The population of Ukraine in 2030 will remain one of the oldest in Europe and will amount to approximately 35 million people under the most optimistic scenario, and 30 million under the most pessimistic. The total supply of labor, given the high level of economic activity and the extension of this period (due to the rather difficult post-war economic situation) will vary between 19-22 million people. Could it be greater? Theoretically yes, subject to an influx of foreigners due to rapid economic growth. Only then will other and possibly more difficult problems await us.

The population and public sentiments, as well as their monitoring and accounting, should become the main component of the state policy. The state is not a bank, not a factory, and not just infrastructure. The state is patriotically active (economically, politically, and socially) people who value their citizenship, who have a high level of education, and who are ready, if necessary, to change their lifestyle, place of work, and residence.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Natascha McElhone: The Crown was really like doing an independent film  I would rock up in some muddy field and then go off again (Getty for Paramount Plus)

When Natascha McElhone got her big break as an actor, she very nearly blew it. She was fresh out of drama school and appearing in Richard III at the Open Air Theatre in Londons Regents Park. It was pouring with rain one evening and, though McElhone didnt know it, the writer and director James Ivory, of Merchant Ivory fame, had come to watch the show. She had briefly met him a few weeks earlier while reading for a part in his 1996 film Surviving Picasso, a biopic of the artist told from the perspective of the painter Francoise Gilot, who was his lover for a decade. I had gone in, read a page of the script and was immediately ushered out, so I didnt think anything of it, she recalls.

And so, on this rainy night, McElhone was having a post-show drink at the bar when this older man with a debonair American accent came up and said hi. I knew one of the casts dads was coming in, so I rather bossily told him to go sit at the table with everyone else while I got us some mulled wine. He looked surprised and said, Oh, well OK. I eventually sat down and James, who is very shy, said, You dont remember me, do you? McElhone pauses and clutches her face in horror. It all suddenly came back to me, I was mortified. But he was so sweet about it. He said, Look, I want you to [play Francoise].

A year later, McElhone made her big screen debut, aged just 24, opposite Anthony Hopkins as Picasso. From there, she was thrust into the Hollywood big league, landing major parts in Ronin (playing an IRA operative alongside Robert De Niro), The Truman Show (as Jim Carreys lost love) and the 2002 remake of Tarkovskys Solaris (as another lost love, this time George Clooneys). When I ask if she quailed in that first role in front of Hopkins, then best known for his terrifying turn as Hannibal Lecter, McElhone laughs and shakes her head. Its a strange thing but when youve wanted to do something your whole life, in your imaginative hinterland [acting with a huge star] is what the job looks like. There arent obstacles, and reality and practicality hasnt yet kicked in, so it made perfect sense. I just jumped on that boat and sailed away.

McElhone, who is now 51, is talking over Zoom from Budapest where she is currently filming the second season of Halo, a big-budget space opera based on the videogame franchise about a war between humans and a confederation of aliens, in which she plays an evil scientist. She is meant to be on set, though following a weather warning, she and the crew are back at their lodgings awaiting further instructions. McElhone is warm and full of smiles, though there is a hint of steeliness beneath the soft features, a quality that has doubtless kept her going through hard times, more of which later.

First, theres her new project, Hotel Portofino, a costume drama set in 1926 in which she plays Bella, a British expat in Italy who has married into a cash-strapped aristocratic family. Bella has spent three years renovating an Italian hotel which she hopes will bring some financial security. McElhone says the series is the polar opposite of Halo with its depictions of love, family and the early stirrings of fascism. Those references [to fascism] are oblique and necessarily so, because [executive producer] Walter [Iuzzolino], who was the creative force behind it, didnt want to make something too on-the-nose or hectoring. But there is a clear parallel between the rise of populism at the moment and that period of history, and well end up exploring those themes in greater detail in future seasons. But for now, the focus is on drawing in and seducing the audience.

That seduction comes via sun-dappled landscapes, gorgeous 1920s outfits and a young cast of dewy English roses and floppy-haired men frolicking in the sea. The vibe is Room with a View meets The Durrells, with a dash of The White Lotus. The series was filmed not in Portofino but in Croatia where the production took over a large villa: The house is beautiful and exactly as it is in the show, with Bellas bedroom and its little balcony looking out over the sea. We kept seeing dolphins cresting the waves. It was idyllic, a really special experience.

Natascha McElhone as Bella Ainsworth in Hotel Portofino (ITV)

For McElhone, the part of Bella comes hot on the heels of another aristocratic role, that of Penny Knatchbull, aka Countess Mountbatten of Burma, in the latest season of The Crown. As the series tells it, her friendship with the late Duke of Edinburgh  they shared a love of carriage driving  ruffled feathers within the royal family. Early on, McElhone and Jessica Hobbs, the director, discussed the relationship between Prince Philip and her character. First of all, she was very clear that its a fictionalised version of that story, but secondly, its all about how you create these narratives, McElhone says. And what interested me was putting on screen a relationship between a man and a woman where perhaps its a ferocious friendship, and there isnt a romantic element. In my life I have a handful of really close male friends who Ive never had a relationship with, but you never see that on screen unless its the gay best friend. McElhone was both delighted to be part of a landmark series and relieved that her role in it wasnt central, thus allowing her to avoid the ruckus that erupts with each season over its perceived artistic licence: It was really like doing an independent film  I would rock up in some muddy field and do some scenes with Jonathan [Pryce, who plays the Duke] and then go off again. It was brief but enormous fun.

McElhone doesnt recall deciding to become an actor; it was something she was born wanting to do. Journalism was the family business as she was growing up  both her late mother, Noreen Taylor, and father, Mike Taylor, were writers at the Daily Mirror, while her stepfather is Roy Greenslade, a journalist and media commentator. McElhones abiding memory of visiting her mother at work is of the blue cigarette smoke hanging in the air. Youd push open the door and there would be phones ringing and people screaming and yelling at one another. It was very intoxicating. Its with some pride that she recalls her mother interviewing luminaries from Nelson Mandela to Muhammad Ali. She once did a series on politicians wives where she flew east to west with Raisa Gorbacheva [wife of the Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev] on a plane, and then she did the same flying west to east with Nancy Reagan [wife of the US president, Ronald Reagan]. A truly extraordinary experience.

A royal carriage: Jonathan Pryce and Natascha McElhone in The Crown (Netflix)

If McElhone can pinpoint a time when her acting ambitions came into focus, it was while at a pantomime as a young child where Greenslade knew one of the actors. We went backstage and I was allowed to play with the props. I remember thinking that you could be an adult and still play with toys, so obviously I wanted to do that. Which, by the way, is pretty much true. Just yesterday I was playing with a medical kit and doing surgery with pretend tools made by props people.

In the decade following Surviving Picasso, McElhone was flying high professionally, bouncing from one film to the next and barely coming up for air. But her life took a tragic turn in 2008 when her husband, Mark Kelly, a plastic surgeon, died from an undiagnosed heart condition at the age of 43, after being found unconscious in the doorway of their home in London. McElhone was working in LA at the time and was pregnant with their third child. She wrote Kellys obituary in the Mail on Sunday in which she declared herself the luckiest woman alive, even though hes not here. She sent a draft to Greenslade for his approval, though he sent it straight on to the editor without reading it, telling her that if she was able to write it in such circumstances then it must be right.

There have been long stretches where a lot of my creativity and energy have gone into my children, and joyfully so

Natascha McElhone

Two years later, McElhone published After You, a heartbreaking and, on occasion, darkly humorous book detailing the year following her husbands death. Written in the form of journal entries addressed directly to Kelly, she reveals the crushing loneliness of life without him alongside the pressures of keeping the family financially afloat and navigating the hideous bureaucracy of death. McElhone tells me, firmly but not unkindly, that she wrote the book so I wouldnt have to talk about it, though she adds there were precious few books at the time for or about people in her position  which of course is hard to believe now when you look at bookshops full of stories of people who have survived the loss of loved ones. She read CS Lewiss A Grief Observed and found it brilliant, but it was by a religious man who was middle-aged and wasnt struggling with the things that I was struggling with on a very prosaic, day-to-day, to-do list level.

At the time of Kellys death, McElhone was a year into Californication, the TV comedy drama in which she played the ex-partner of David Duchovnys feckless novelist. She did it for seven years, turning her annual stay in Los Angeles into a summer holiday for her children. McElhone lights up when talking about her boys, who are now 14, 19 and 22 (her eldest has now left home), and says every job she has taken has had to work around them and their schedules.

Youre the frame, theyre the picture, and you keep your eyes on them, she says of being a solo parent. I havent actually worked that much [while raising them], which I know sounds strange. Over the years Ive done a couple of shows that luckily people have watched. But Ive also been at home for up to two years at a time. Im not going to say I was just a stay-at-home mother because we all know its never just  its all-consuming. But there have been long stretches where a lot of my creativity and energy have gone into my children, and joyfully so. Now that they are older, she says she has assumed the role of the wallpaper, [I am] the background noise. Im glad to be irrelevant. Which presumably leaves more time for her to concentrate on herself and her career, I suggest? Her face breaks out into a broad smile. Oh yes, Im definitely clamouring for work now. Bring it on.

Hotel Portofino starts on 3 February, 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX
Iskandars in Belarus

According to the monitors, the Belarusian military has begun full independent operation of the Iskander operational and tactical missile complex.

Read also: Ukraine's sports minister sports minister comments on proposal to let Russian, Belarusian athletes compete at Olympics

The soldiers have already undergone military training in Russia and carried out practical drills at a training ground in Belarus, Hajun said, referring to information from the Russian Defense Ministry.

The complex includes: a self-propelled launcher, a transport and loading vehicle, a command and staff vehicle, (and) a regulation and maintenance vehicle the monitors said.

Read also: Latvia wont participate in Olympics alongside athletes from Russia and Belarus

Judging by the published photos/footage, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus could receive one Iskander division.

Read also: Belarusian rail partisan sentenced to 13 years in prison

Spokesman of the State Border Service Andriy Demchenko said on Jan. 6 that the situation on the border with Belarus remains under observation, and that Ukrainian border guards have not detected the movement of enemy equipment or personnel near the border.

Later on Jan. 30, he said that there were only about 9,000 Russian troops in Belarus.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Feb. 1BEREA  The award-winning trio The Wailin' Jennys will perform at Berea College on Thursday, Feb. 2 as part of the 2023 Stephenson Memorial Concert series.

Comprised of artists Nicky Mehta, Ruth Moody and Heather Masse, the group entertains crowds with their harmony, musicianship and songwriting, blending original work with folk, blues and jazz elements.

"After last year's concert was cancelled because of the pandemic, I'm thrilled the Jennys are finally performing a live show at Berea," said Thomas Ahrens, director of the performance and distinguished speaker series at the College.

The Jennys began as what they call a "happy accident," getting together for a one-time only performance at a small guitar shop in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The group released its first full-length album, "40," in 2004, which won the 2005 Juno Award (the Canadian version of a Grammy) for Traditional Roots Album of the Year.

Subsequent albums "Firecracker," "Live at Mauch Chunk Opera House" and "Bright Morning Stars" have also been recognized with multiple Juno nominations and awards. In 2018, their latest album "Fifteen" was nominated for a Juno in the Traditional Roots Album of the Year category. Their current concert tour includes songs being road tested as tracks for an upcoming studio album.

Throughout their career, The Wailin' Jennys have partnered with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to raise money and awareness. Funds raised go toward providing nationwide education about mental illness and its treatment, as well as funding courses and programs designed to support those living with mental disorders.

The performance begins at 8 p.m. in Phelps Stokes Chapel and is free and open to the public.
Make your plans for August 9 -- Beyonce is coming to Charlotte as part of her Renaissance tour.

Whether youre a fan or not, Queen Beys stop at Bank of America Stadium is sure to make waves through the Queen City. Beyonce on Wednesday announced a big list of dates with the Renaissance Tour 2023, and shes coming to Charlotte in between concerts in Washington, D.C., and Atlanta.

ALSO READ: More Charlotte concerts you need to know about

Beyonce announced the tour in late October in support of her latest album. Itll start with a set of European and Canadian dates before she returns to the U.S.

Tickets arent up for sale just yet, but you can register to get tickets for the Charlotte show starting at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16. Register at this link.

You can see a full list of tour dates at this link.

(WATCH BELOW: Beyonce: What you need to know)








President Biden and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg via Getty Images, Arthur Menescal/Bloomberg via Getty Images

President Biden will host Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Feb. 10, the White House announced Tuesday.

In a statement, the White House said the two presidents "will discuss the United States' unwavering support of Brazil's democracy and how the two countries can continue to work together to promote inclusion and democratic values in the region and around the world." They will also talk about numerous other matters, including economic development and climate change, the White House said.

Lula's visit will come just one month after supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who Lula defeated in the presidential election last year, stormed the government buildings in the national capital, Brasilia.

Stemming from months of tension over Bolsonaro's disproven claims of voter fraud, the Brasilia siege echoed the events of Jan. 6, 2021, when supporters of former President Donald Trump, emboldened by his false claims of victory over Biden, stormed the U.S. Capitol.

While there were clear differences between the events, The New York Times notes, "The comparison is inevitable, and it's useful in some ways to make sense of what has happened in the Western Hemisphere's two most populous democracies."

Lula had replaced Bolsonaro as president two days before the storming, and Bolsonaro left had already Brazil for the United States, where he remains  and is currently seeking a six-month visa.

Biden condemned the violence in Brasilia, along with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. In a joint statement, the three leaders said they "condemn the Jan. 8 attacks on Brazil's democracy and on the peaceful transfer of power. We stand with Brazil as it safeguards its democratic institutions."

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US President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the US economy at Steamfitters Local 602 on January 26, 2023 in Springfield, Virginia. Alex Wong/Getty Images

Tyre Nichols' death has reignited talk about bolstering police accountability.

Police reforms flamed out in the last Congress after Senate lawmakers failed to reach consensus.

House Democrats hope that Biden making it a top priority helps break the current logjam.

Lawmakers horrified by the brutal killing of Tyre Nichols vow to keep working towards a legislative solution in the 118th Congress, but are counting on President Joe Biden to turn up the heat on comprehensive policing reform.

The lethal beating Nichols received from five police officers in Memphis, Tennessee earlier this month has sparked plenty of outrage on Capitol Hill. It has not, however, broken the political stalemate that led to a House-passed police accountability deal languishing in the other chamber, while bipartisan talks on a Senate alternative sputtered out after failing to attract enough support to overcome the 60-vote filibuster threshold.

Absent a sudden breakthrough on the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021  a bipartisan bill named for the 46-year-old Black man murdered by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in May 2020  Congressional Black Caucus chair Steven Horsford said hashing out a strategy with Biden for prioritizing policing reform is the best way to go.

"There are times when we come together, and that generally involves the president and all of us working to put partisanship aside," Horsford told Insider at the US Capitol, adding that the CBC's emergency meeting with Biden would focus on reaffirming his pro-policing reform stance in the upcoming State of the Union address.

"We will be meeting on Thursday to talk about the details of what we would like that message to include," Horsford said.

Biden said he was "outraged and deeply pained" when the bodycam footage of the Nichols encounter was released.

"We must do everything in our power to ensure our criminal justice system lives up to the promise of fair and impartial justice, equal treatment, and dignity for all," Biden said in an official statement. On Monday he said making the George Floyd Act the law of the land is long overdue.

Story continues

"I think we should do it right now. We should have done it before," Biden told reporters at the White House. Vice President Kamala Harris flew to Memphis on Wednesday to attend Nichols funeral, where she called on Congress to pass the George Floyd Act.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the funeral service for Tyre Nichols at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis, Tennessee. Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean via AP, Pool

Biden and Harris both spoke with Nichols' mother and stepfather to offer support and Biden pledged to continue pushing Congress pass the bill, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday.

Last year, Biden issued an executive order designed to bolster the accountability and transparency of law enforcement actions.

Asked whether he's considering additional executive action, White House Press Secretary Jean-Pierre noted that Biden's executive order resulted in "immediate change" at the federal level, mandating standards limiting the use of force, banning chokeholds, requiring body-worn cameras and restricting "no-knock" warrants.

Now he wants to see Congress act in a bipartisan way to "make transformational change," she said.

"We're going to talk to the CBC members, and talk through what their ideas are and what they're thinking," she said. "But again, we think that legislation, federal legislation, is the way to move forward here."

'Our nation is reeling'

Having moved the ball forward last term with the House-passed bill and Biden's executive orders, Horsford said lawmakers need to build on that momentum right now.

"It shouldn't be that hard for us to come together, to work together, and to find solutions to the issue of the culture of policing," Horsford said off the House floor, adding that "all of us should agree that bad policing has no place in American communities and America's cities."

House Democratic Caucus chair Pete Aguilar was much less optimistic about policing reform opponents suddenly rallying around the Floyd Act or any other substantive proposals.

"Senate Republicans wouldn't go along with that level of accountability. And it's too bad," Aguilar said of the wasted opportunities in the 117th Congress during a Tuesday press conference at the US Capitol.

Aguilar did not address questions about when or if the George Floyd Act would be reintroduced this session, stating only that he expects Horsford and former CBC chair Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio to continue spearheading those efforts.

Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, who in 2021 tried cobbling together a policing reform package with Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey until those negotiations fell apart, said Americans are rightly "reeling" from news of another senseless killing.

"I take the issue of policing in America seriously," Scott, who is a likely 2024 presidential contender, said on the Senate floor.

Scott urged his colleagues to quit pointing fingers and finally do whatever it takes to ward off future tragedies, arguing that fixes like the enhanced deescalation techniques and curbs against excessive force that he's been pushing "could have made a difference in Memphis."

Horsford couldn't agree more about seizing the moment.

"The thing is, it may have been Tyre Nichols yesterday. But who will it be next?" he said Tuesday night.

Flanked by the parents of Tyre Nichols and faith and community leaders, civil rights attorney Ben Crump speaks next to a photo of Nichols during a press conference on January 27, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee. Scott Olson/Getty Images







Read the original article on Business Insider
A bipartisan group of senators are introducing a bill aimed at limiting the sales of oil from the countrys emergency supply to entities controlled by China.

The bill was put forward Wednesday and spearheaded by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

Under the legislation, companies under the ownership or control of the Chinese government or its Communist Party will not be able to purchase oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, unless they sell the fuel outside of China.

The proposal was also backed by a wide bipartisan group of senators, including Sens. Angus King (I-Maine), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.).

This bill would ensure that we are not risking our energy security by selling our petroleum reserves to China, and the bipartisan support this legislation has received shows just how important it is for America to be energy secure and independent, Manchin said in a statement.

Similar legislation also passed the House last month with bipartisan support. The effort was one of two bills taken up by the Houses Republican majority aimed at restricting such drawdowns.

President Biden last year announced the largest-ever withdrawal from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as part of an effort to combat high gasoline prices.

However, as the oil market is global, analysts have said they were expected to have the same impact on the U.S. wherever in the world they ended up.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A state agent testifying Wednesday in Alex Murdaugh's double murder trial meticulously reconstructed activity from his iPhone and the cellphones of his son and wife the night they were killed to try to link the disgraced South Carolina attorney to the shooting deaths.

The key evidence for prosecutors is a video from the son's phone of a dog at the kennels near where Murdaugh's son Paul was killed with a shotgun and wife Maggie was shot several times with a rifle at the family's Colleton County hunting lodge on June 7, 2021.

The timeline from prosecutors said the video was taken about five minutes before the killings. Two friends of Paul Murdaugh testified later Wednesday that they were certain they heard Alex, Paul and Maggie Murdaugh's voices on it.

In interviews with police, Alex Murdaugh said he was never at the kennels that night.

Later Wednesday, Murdaugh's defense used that same data to suggest that Murdaugh's phone and his wife's phone were not together when her iPhone recorded a final change in orientation between portrait and landscape mode, indicating it may have been tossed on the side of the road about a half-mile (800 meters) from the family's property.

Murdaugh, 54, is standing trial on two counts of murder in the shootings of his 52-year-old wife and 22-year-old son. Murdaugh faces 30 years to life in prison if convicted.

Court ended Wednesday with a cliffhanger. Judge Clifton Newman said he would rule Thursday morning on whether evidence of Murdaugh possibly stealing from clients and his family law firm could be admitted.

Prosecutors opened the door by asking one of Paul Murdaugh's friends in the last question of the day if he knew anything about Alex Murdaugh being confronted on the morning of June 7, 2021, about $792,000 of missing fees from his law firm? The friend answered no.

Prosecutors said fear that this theft was about to be exposed led Murdaugh to kill his wife and son to get sympathy and buy time to cover up the crimes. The defense said it's absurd to think a lawyer would believe the brutal deaths of his family would not bring more scrutiny into his life.

Story continues

State Law Enforcement Division Lt. Britt Dove returned to the witness stand Wednesday on the fifth day of testimony. He specializes in retrieving and analyzing cellphone data.

Dove went over a trove of information from the cellphones of Alex Murdaugh, his wife and son. There were phone call logs and texts, steps recorded, apps asking for information, GPS locations, changes when the phone went from vertical portrait mode to horizontal landscape mode and back, and  key to the prosecution's case  when the camera was activated.

The last time the camera on Paul Murdaugh's cellphone came on was 8:44:49 p.m., when it took a video for under a minute, Dove said.

Someone appears in the video to be trying to get an image of a wagging dog's tail. Voices are heard trying to get the dog to stay still and figuring out if it had a chicken or a guinea in its mouth.

The video was meant for Rogan Gibson, who testified Wednesday he considered the Murdaughs a second family.

Can you think of any circumstances that you can envision, knowing them as you do, where Alex would brutally murder Paul and Maggie," defense lawyer Jim Griffin asked Gibson.

Not that I can think of," he responded.

Paul Murdaugh read the final text on his phone at 8:48:59 p.m. and 36 seconds later another text came in that he never read. Maggie Murdaugh's phone showed she last read a text 28 seconds later, Dove testified.

Alex Murdaugh told police the night of the killings and three days later that he was never at the kennels with his family, instead taking a short nap several hundred yards away before leaving to visit his ailing mother. Computer data from the SUV indicated he started the vehicle at about 9:06 p.m. and drove off.

At nearly the same time, Alex Murdaugh's phone called his wife's phone, which indicated its display came on and there was an orientation change. Defense attorney Phillip Barber suggested to Dove that the person who killed Maggie Murdaugh had her phone in their hand and was surprised at the call, throwing it out the window.

Dove said he didn't have enough information, such as how the phone could have been thrown, to agree or disagree.

There were no more significant changes to Maggie Murdaugh's phone until it was recovered from the side of the road the next day, Dove said.

But about five minutes after she read the final text, Maggie Murdaugh's data indicated her cellphone camera turned on for one second. Dove told prosecutors that can happen when an iPhone is trying to detect a face to see if it is the owner wanting to unlock the phone.

The defense suggested a different scenario  that in a panic, she tried to use her phone camera to take a photo of someone.

And if the perpetrator or perpetrators responded by shooting at her, would that explain why it went off in one second and there was a bunch of orientation changes very shorty thereafter?" Barber asked.

Theres a lot of possibilities could happen not knowing how a person reacts," Dove said.

Prosecutors also had Dove read where Maggie Murdaugh texted someone that she was worried about her husband's health, and after a doctor's appointment that day, she was heading back to the lodge in Colleton County instead of the family's house on Edisto Island.

"Alex wants me to come home," she texted.

Alex Murdaugh also faces about 100 charges related to accusations of money laundering, stealing millions from clients and the family law firm, tax evasion and trying to get a man to fatally shoot him so his surviving son could collect a $10 million life insurance policy. He was being held in jail without bail on those counts before he was charged with murder.

Since the killings, Murdaughs life has seen a stunningly fast downfall. His family dominated the legal system in tiny Hampton County for generations, both as prosecutors and private attorneys known for getting life-changing settlements for accidents and negligence cases.
From Colombia to Congo, braids communicated important messages for those who wore them. Here's why that history matters.

Adobe Stock/Kindred by Parents

Growing up, many Black women have fond memories of sitting between the legs of mothers and aunties, head tilted to one side as our hair was tightly braided. Its almost a rite of passagesitting for hours; a sore scalp; the soothing feeling of cool gel running between the neatly parted braids at the end.

Despite being framed as nappy and unruly, Black hair has always had a definitive magic about it. The texture, the versatility, the strengthit holds so much power and significance. From locs to cornrows, Black hair is rooted in identity, tribes, and culture, and within a specific part of history, some of those hairstyles also tell stories of courageousness and resistance in the face of unimaginable duress.

Related:

When enslaved African people were kidnapped and forcibly brought to South America in the early 1500s, their hair took on an unexpected role. Having been violently torn from their roots and condemned to a life of forced labor in deplorable conditions, instinctively many enslaved people tried to escape. In Colombia, they would use their hair to create intricate braids that would communicate codes to each other regarding their surroundings.

As maps were too risky to use, different hairstyles and braid patterns relayed different messages and routes for escaping captivity. For example, a particular braided style called departes (styled as thick, tight braids, braided closely to the scalp, and tied into buns on the top) would signal that the person wanted to escape. A river or trail was represented by a winding pattern. Bantu knots meant a mountain. Thick braids signified Spanish troops were nearby.

The braided escape routes were used in Colombia to help guide the enslaved people to a new free community called Palenque de San Basilio and the people within this community dedicated themselves to liberating others. A similar community existed in BrazilAfricans who escaped slavery established communities called Quilombo (also called Mocambo).

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Some braids were even plaited in a way that would enable seeds, grains, and rice to be woven into their hair for safekeeping after escaping. This type of braiding allowed the hair to hold enough seeds to be planted in their new destination to help their community survive.

We spoke to Professor Jasmine Cobb, author of New Growth: The Art and Texture of Black Hair, in carrying seeds or grains like rice in their hair, women of African descent also helped bring new foodways to the Americas via the Middle Passage.

While only oral accounts of these historical instances managed to survive the test of time and hardship, they serve as important tales of the human ingenuity of enslaved people. I think our willingness to believe the anecdotal speaks to our collective sense that Black hair can do many thingsprotect us, guide our freedom pursuits. We cant prove this idea but we still think its plausible (myself included), says Professor Cobb.

Of course, the creative styling and braiding of afro hair have been part of African identities and culture long before the slave trade began. Hair was more than just choosing a style that complemented your face or outfit. For instance, in countries such as Senegal and Namibia, hairstyles were dependent on your tribe, wealth, occupation, social position, and marital status.

In Congo, Edamburu was a popular hairstyle that consisted of braids woven into a crown. In Nigeria, Koroba, a basket-shaped cornrowed hairstyle that is braided downwards from the middle on all sides, was popular among Yoruba people. These styles were unique and protective, and well-maintained hair was seen as an essential part of also maintaining a womans headspace spiritually.

Unfortunately, it goes without saying that Black people, especially women, have faced an exceptional level of injustice and prejudice surrounding the "taboo" of their hair. Whether in its natural afro or creatively braided, it has always been policed and politicized. As mentioned by Dr. Elizabeth Johnson in her 2013 book, "no other group of women comes close to paying such stiff prices for the choices they make regarding their hair-care compared to the historically specific conditioning of Black women since slavery.

This has trickled down into a negative self-perception among Black children who are often judged, ridiculed, and criticized for their natural hairstyles. Despite being frequently condemned by mainstream media, its important to teach Black children to love their hair and not to feel forced to conform to western beauty ideals, especially at such a young age.

Relatedly, many Black women had their heads shaved as part of sexual violence during slavery. Such abusive practices might inform a commitment to long hair among older generations of people of African descent since long hair was a signal of freedom, highlights Professor Cobb.

Afro hair and its plethora of braided styles have a powerful history that is sadly full of violence, suffering, and loss of identity. Braids form an essential part of our ancestral past, and through understanding the context of its history, they should not be trivialized as trendy or exploited for fashion. Braided hair is a cultural and generational connection to the motherlandwhere ancestry has been broken with missing links in family trees, the sacred significance of braids remains.

Related:

Braids should be viewed as a form of self-expression for the Black community, a way to celebrate and take pride in the uniqueness of Black hair, its beauty, and its symbolism. This is the message that should be passed down to Black children when they find themselves questioning their hair and feeling insecure.

I think children should learn a history of Black hair just like they learn about Civil Rights activism for example, Professor Cobb concludes. I think the history can help hair become a point of pride and inspire earlier acceptance and appreciation of textured hair.
By Anthony Boadle

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil is preparing a task force of armed forces, police and government agencies to soon launch an operation to expel illegal gold miners who invaded the Yanomami indigenous reservation, officials said on Tuesday.

More than 20,000 wildcat miners are blamed for bringing disease, violence and hunger that have caused a humanitarian crisis for isolated Yanomami villages on Brazil's largest indigenous reservation, on the border with Venezuela.

Defense Minister Jose Mucio said the military is needed to drive out the miners, who are well armed and have helicopters.

"We will soon confront them. We need to root out this evil," Mucio said in an interview with Band TV about the operation that the government has called "Yanomami Shield."

With army troops on the ground, the navy will patrol rivers and confiscate miners' boats and dredges while the air force will control the airspace, intercept suspicious planes and force them to land, he said.

Joenia Wapichana, who in a few days will become the first indigenous person to head the government's indigenous affairs agency, Funai, said President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has pledged to end illegal mining on protected reservation lands.

Wapichana said she could not give details of the imminent operation in order to not alert the miners who have invaded the Yanomami territory.

"The message from President Lula is that it will happen soon and cannot delay long," she told journalists on the Amazon-based journalism platform Sumauma in a webinar co-hosted by environmental NGO Mighty Earth.

Wapichana said the task force, as in past offensives against illegal miners on indigenous lands, will involve the Federal Police, environmental protection agency Ibama, Funai and several ministries, as well as the military.

Half of the 100 tonnes of gold produced each year by Brazil, or about 52 tonnes, is illegally mined, and much of that is exported to Switzerland after it is laundered through Brazilian financial brokers, the mining industry lobby Ibram said.

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The miners have polluted waters with mercury used to separate metal from ore and earth. They fly supply planes to clandestine airstrips in the jungle and use the rivers to take heavier machinery and fuel to their prospects, which are muddy ponds where they dredge for gold in forest clearings.

Medical studies show that the mercury used by the miners has killed the fish and contaminated the water that the Yanomami rely on.

The miners are increasingly associated with well-armed gangs that have terrorized indigenous communities that for the first time cannot feed themselves, resulting in widespread malnutrition and deaths among the 28,000 Yanomami.

Lula last week declared a medical emergency in the Yanomami territory. On Monday, in a first step of operation Yanomami Shield, his government ordered a no-fly airspace over the reservation and steps to block river traffic heading to gold prospects.

Lula's right-wing predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, advocated mining on protected indigenous lands, and his government turned a blind eye to invasions of indigenous reservations by wildcat miners and illegal loggers.

"We are in a new era," Wapichana said. Those responsible for the humanitarian crisis the Yanomami are suffering will be punished for negligence, she said, and perhaps for committing genocide.

(Reporting by Anthony Boadle; editing by Jonathan Oatis, Leslie Adler and Chizu Nomiyama)
Recently, Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley stood before lawmakers in Baton Rouge and delivered some modest good news in hopes that the Legislature would continue to fund efforts to prime the educator supply pipeline. Though it had not caught up with pre-pandemic levels, the states teacher retention rate for the 2021-22 school year ticked up 2 percentage points over the year before, to 86%.

Also promising: The retention rate for first-year teachers, who typically leave the profession in high numbers, was up 5 points over the past year, to 83%. The diversity of the states teacher workforce also rose 2 points, to 29%.

By no means are the bumps cause to declare Louisianas teacher shortage  which long predates COVID-19  resolved, Brumley told The 74 in a follow-up interview. But they suggest that the states multi-pronged efforts to keep teachers in classrooms and increase the number of potential educators are beginning to bear fruit.

While some of the initiatives are several years old, others began as recently as last summer, which Brumley says makes him optimistic that growth will continue.

We cant view the teacher workforce in the same way that we viewed it 30 years ago  not even the same way we viewed it five years ago, he says. We have to appreciate that this is a much more dynamic environment.

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The notion that teachers are going to go through a college of education, buy a house by the school and teach there for 30 years, thats unrealistic, he adds. That may happen in some instances, and were all blessed if it does, but we need to be more creative in meeting the moment and thinking about the workforce in new ways.

Here are five strategies Brumley is especially excited about.

Therapy for teachers

During the pandemic, more than a third of educators met the threshold for a diagnosis of depression or anxiety, with 1 in 5 exhibiting significant symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. Not only do unmet mental health needs make it harder for teachers to respond to student stress, but feeling overwhelmed is among the top reasons cited for quitting the classroom.

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Louisiana used some of its federal COVID recovery funds to pay one of the states largest hospital systems to provide free teletherapy for every faculty and staff member in early childhood education and K-12 schools. Brumley sees the benefit as a long-term retention tool.

Mentor pay

Turnover among inexperienced teachers has long run high. By some estimates, as many as 44% of new educators quit within their first five years  with year one particularly brutal. Brumley attributes the number of brand-new teachers who returned for a second year last fall in part to an initiative that pairs every new educator with an experienced teacher. Starting this year, the mentors receive an annual $2,000 stipend.

A boost in compensation all around doesnt hurt, either. Last year, lawmakers voted for pay increases of $1,500 for teachers and $750 for support staff throughout the state, effective this year.

New licensure pathways

In most places, the smoothest  if not the only  route to a teaching license has traditionally been to earn a credential from a traditional college of education. This has inhibited career changers, people who want to move to a new state and low-income district staffers, such as classroom aides, from obtaining teaching licenses. It has disproportionately worked against people of color and nontraditional candidates.

Of the nearly 6,700 teachers hired in Louisiana schools in 2021-22, just 1,300 were recent graduates of teacher preparation or certification programs. Many were transplants or former teachers who were lured back.

A new law allows anyone with a masters degree in any field to teach in a classroom so long as they work with a mentor and participate in weekly teacher collaborations in their school. If they receive five years of positive evaluations, these degree holders will automatically receive teaching licenses.

Also new are procedures allowing retirees who held licenses in areas where teachers are in critically short supply to return to work at full pay and without losing their retiree benefits, as well as an easier path to a Louisiana license for a teacher trained or experienced in another state.

Priming the pipeline

From 2016 to 2021, the number of students enrolling annually in traditional teacher colleges in Louisiana fell from 13,400 to 12,000. Meanwhile, two of the largest districts alone, NOLA Public Schools and the Jefferson Parish district, need an estimated 900 new teachers a year each. Faced with this supply-and-demand conundrum, education officials examined a host of barriers keeping would-be educators from training.

Unique among higher ed programs, Louisiana colleges of education have required applicants to pass an entrance exam that demonstrates teaching knowledge  never mind that they have not yet received the instruction needed to take the test.

Related: Teacher Trauma: New Orleans Researchers Find Educator Mental Health Closely Tied to Pandemic Classroom Effectiveness

What we found is that sometimes college students would face the entry-level test to get in, pay the couple hundred dollars fee to take it and maybe not pass, says Brumley. And they would say, Well, Ill just go into a different field, because theyre not asking me to take a test and pass it before I even have an access to learn the field. 

Starting this year, entrance exams have been eliminated. Already, the states Historically Black Colleges and Universities are reporting increased student interest. Graduates must still pass exams in order to get their licenses.

Geaux big or geaux home

Some aspiring teachers are getting an early leg up. Students in 60 Louisiana high schools are now able to take entry-level teacher-training classes before they even get their diplomas. Last year, the legislature came up with $5 million for a scholarship, dubbed Geaux Teach. That, plus Louisianas other scholarships for residents who attend colleges in the state, comes close to a full ride for students who want to go into the field of education.
SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP)  The presidents of Bulgaria and Serbia on Wednesday launched the construction of the Bulgarian part of a gas link that is designed to diversify the energy supplies of a region that until recently was almost fully dependent on natural gas deliveries from Russia.

The 85.5 million-euro ($93.2 million) project is one of several planned gas interconnectors that would give eastern European Union members and countries hoping to join the 27-nation bloc access to the global gas market.

The 170-kilometer (106-mile) conduit, which the EU is mostly funding, will run from the Bulgarian city of Novi Iskar to Nis in southern Serbia. Plans call for an initial capacity of 1.8 billion cubic meters of gas a year with the possibility of reverse flow.

The pipeline extension is intended to bring gas from Azerbaijan through a new pipeline system that ends in Italy and to give Serbia access to ports in Greece that are importing liquefied natural gas, or LNG.

The interconnector is an example of the successful implementation of the European strategy for affordable energy, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said after the symbolic start of the construction.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic thanked the European Union for helping to finance the project, which faced multiple holdups and is set to be completed in October.

It is important not only for diversification, but also for securing the energy future of our countries and of the entire region, Vucic said

Bulgaria is a member of the EU, and Serbia is a candidate for membership.
The Bulgarian Peoples Assembly (the country's Parliament) has recognised the 1932-1933 Holodomor as genocide against the Ukrainian people and categorically blamed its perpetrators.

Source: Bulgarian National Radio; European Pravda

Details: Every last Saturday of November will be honoured as the Day of Commemoration and Remembrance of the Great Famine victims in Ukraine, the decision of parliament members says.

The Bulgarian parliament considers any denial, justification and trivialising of this genocide an act of dishonouring the memory of the millions of people who died in the Holodomor, reads the document.

The decision was taken by 134 votes in favour to 26 votes against, as members of the pro-Russian nationalist party (Revival) stood against the decision of the Bulgarian parliament; the Bulgarian Socialist Party did not participate in the vote.

Stoyan Mikhalev, the member of Democratic Bulgaria party and the initiator of the decision, reprimanded the socialists for not apologising for the condescending attitude towards Ukrainians during the years they were in power and for not condemning this crime against humanity. He told how small Ukrainian children went to the field to look for stalks of wheat, and the Soviet authorities shot them just because they were hungry.

"At least out of human wisdom, they should come out and say: 'I'm sorry,'" Mikhalev said in an address to the Bulgarian Socialist Party. He concluded that the comparison between Stalin's Russia and Hitler's Germany was quite appropriate.

"There was mass extermination," said Atanas Atanasov, leader of the Democratic Party. He criticised , which declared that they would "naturally" not support the declaration. "The only thing that comes to my mind is that you naturally justify those who carried out extermination," Atanasov said.

Background:

In November and early December, the parliaments of a number of European states adopted resolutions regarding the Holodomor, recognising it as genocide or a crime against the Ukrainian people. On 15 December, the European Parliament recognised the Holodomor as genocide.

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Activities held to celebrate upcoming Latern Festival across China

Xinhua) 08:28, February 01, 2023

People watch a gigantic rabbit-shaped lantern in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival at Taierzhuang ancient city of Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 30, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Sun Zhongzhe/Xinhua)

People perform the Taiping Drum dance in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival in Kazak Autonomous County of Aksay in northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 30, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Ma Xiaowei/Xinhua)

People enjoy light installations in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival at a scenic spot in the western coast economic zone in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 30, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Wang Peike/Xinhua)

Folk artists play "iron flowers", a performance of splashing molten iron to create fireworks, in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival at Goujiang Township of Bozhou District, Zunyi City of southwest China's Guizhou Province, Jan. 30, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Luo Xinghan/Xinhua)

Workers install lotus-shaped lanterns in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival in Dongjiuzhai Town of Zunhua, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 31, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Liu Mancang/Xinhua)

People enjoy "dragon lantern" in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival in Chengguan Township, Shibing County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Jan. 30, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Luo Hui/Xinhua)

People take part in a riddle-guessing activity in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival in Hengyang County of Hengyang City, central China's Hunan Province, Jan. 31, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Liu Xinrong/Xinhua)

People enjoy a traditional Chinese opera in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival in Zixing City, central China's Hunan Province, Jan. 30, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Li Ke/Xinhua)

People perform the donkey dance in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival at Taiji Township, Yongjing County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 30, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Shi Youdong/Xinhua)

People perform a lion dance in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival at Fengxiang Township, Anding District of Dingxi City in northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 31, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Wang Kexian/Xinhua)

Folk artists play "iron flowers", a performance of splashing molten iron to create fireworks, in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival at Liujiaxia Township of Yongjing County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 29, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Shi Youdong/Xinhua)

People perform a dragon dance in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival at Liulong ancient township in Dafang County of Bijie, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Jan. 30, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Luo Dafu/Xinhua)

Students in traditional Chinese costumes perform war drum in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival at Zhengding ancient town in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 31, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Liang Zidong/Xinhua)

Actors in traditional Chinese costumes perform war drum in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival at Zhengding ancient town in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 31, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Zhang Xiaofeng/Xinhua)

A boy enjoys a lion dance performance in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival at Liushahe Township, Fengrun District of Tangshan, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 30, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Zhu Dayong/Xinhua)

People perform a dragon dance in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival in Kazak Autonomous County of Aksay in northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 30, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Ma Xiaowei/Xinhua)

This aerial photo taken on Jan. 31, 2023 shows people of Miao ethnic group in traditional costumes participating in a parade to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival in Huangping County, southwest China's Guizhou Province. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. (Xinhua/Yang Ying)

A villager of Miao ethnic group in traditional costumes participates in a parade to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival in Huangping County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Jan. 31, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. (Photo by Liang Wen/Xinhua)

People of Miao ethnic group in traditional costumes participate in a parade to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival in Huangping County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Jan. 31, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. (Photo by Liang Wen/Xinhua)

This aerial photo taken on Jan. 31, 2023 shows people performing dragon dance in celebration of the upcoming Lantern Festival in Zhuhui District of Hengyang City, central China's Hunan Province. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. (Photo by Cao Zhengping/Xinhua)

People perform lion dance in celebration of the upcoming Lantern Festival in Taiji Town of Yongjing County, northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 30, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. (Photo by Shi Youdong/Xinhua)

This aerial photo taken on Jan. 30, 2023 shows people performing dragon dance in celebration of the upcoming Lantern Festival in Kazak Autonomous County of Aksay in northwest China's Gansu Province. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. (Photo by Ma Xiaowei/Xinhua)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks about the prevalence of gun violence before signing Senate Bill 1327, gun legislation modeled after Texas abortion ban, into law at Santa Monica College in July. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Five months after a high-profile gun-control bill died amid Democratic infighting in Sacramento, California lawmakers are trying to revive the legislation to strengthen the state's restrictions on who can carry loaded firearms in public.

The legislation was filed in response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down restrictive concealed-carry laws as unconstitutional. The 6-3 decision by the court's conservative majority in June sent New York, California and a handful of other blue states scrambling to rewrite their laws governing how people get licensed to carry concealed weapons.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and a coalition of top Democrats quickly got behind a bill last year that they said would comply with the Supreme Court decision barring states from making people show a "special need" for concealed-carry permits while still maintaining stringent protocol for issuing them.

But gun-rights advocates earned a rare and unexpected victory on the final night of the legislative session, when bickering among Assembly Democrats tanked the measure.

Newsom vowed to work with lawmakers on another proposal this year, Senate Bill 2, saying that it was one of his top priorities this year and that he was resolved to sign it.

"Gun safety saves lives. More guns, more lives lost," Newsom said during a Wednesday news conference in Sacramento. "We fell short last year... that's not going to happen this year. No question about that.

"I will be signing this legislation," he said.

Newsom joined state Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-La Canada Flintridge) and Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta at the news conference, where they detailed how they plan to get this year's version signed into law. To start, the new version of the legislation includes a procedural change from last year's bill that makes it easier to pass.

The Democratic trio are expected to argue that a recent wave of mass shootings in the state warrants bold action, and attempt to draw a distinction between California's gun laws to those in Republican-led states like Texas and Florida, the latter of which is considering legislation to allow residents to carry concealed firearms without a permit.

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But rather than changing the legislation to respond to criticism that it was too restrictive to meet the Supreme Court's newly defined constitutional standard, Democrats are plowing forward with essentially the same bill as before.

"Our goal is to make Californians safe," Portantino said. "Were hitting this from every level because it warrants it. And Californians demand that we do it."

Portantino's bill, like last year's, includes a lengthy list of so-called sensitive places where firearms would be prohibited, such as government buildings and schools, medical facilities, public transit, places of worship, parks, playgrounds and bars.

It also requires a robust licensing protocol for local officials  largely sheriffs' departments  to follow when issuing permits, including in-person interviews with applicants, obtaining three character references and reviewing social media and other publicly available statements to identify safety risks.

The bill also prohibits concealed-carry licenses to anyone under 21, the same age required to purchase a handgun in California, and adds new firearms training and storage regulations.

Proponents say these rules would thread the needle between honoring the court's decision and making sure guns don't fall into the hands of dangerous people. But it's a risky strategy.

The Supreme Court's decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn. vs. Bruen focused on whether "may-issue" laws were constitutional  laws that granted licensing authorities broad discretion over who can publicly carry a firearm. Most states have "shall-issue" laws on their books, meaning permits are granted once an applicant meets the licensing criteria.

Firearm owners had argued that New York's requirement for applicants to demonstrate "proper cause" for a permit  such as for self defense  had violated their 2nd Amendment rights. The Supreme Court's six conservative justices agreed, and struck down the law as an infringement on a person's right to self-defense outside the home, immediately rendering California's "good cause" standard as similarly impermissible.

Writing for the court, Justice Clarence Thomas argued that these laws inhibit "law-abiding citizens with ordinary self-defense needs from exercising their right to keep and bear arms."

States could still prohibit firearms in or near a limited few sensitive places that have historically been off limits and are therefore "settled," Thomas wrote, including schools, government buildings or polling places. In a concurring opinion, Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh and Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. argued that states were still generally allowed to require objective licensing criteria, such as firearms training, fingerprinting and background and mental health checks.

Portantino said SB 2 follows the court's guidance on sensitive places and licensing rules, and that the legislation falls within those outlined legal boundaries.

Sam Paredes, executive director of Gun Owners of California, disagreed.

Paredes said the bill's licensing regulations are unconstitutionally subjective, and that the extensive list of sensitive places would effectively designate the entire state as a gun-free zone, making a concealed-carry permit "useless in California."

He's one of several gun rights advocates who plan to sue the state over SB 2 should it be signed into law.

"We are prepared to challenge absolutely everything," he said. "They're going to have to change some directions. If they don't, then they are forcing us to go to court, to win yet again. And we are prepared to do that."

That's where things could get interesting.

California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta, from left, State Sen. Bob Hertzberg and State Sen. Anthony Portantino listen to Gov. Gavin Newsom before he signed gun legislation in July. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Courts are still trying to figure out how to interpret the Bruen decision with what little instruction the Supreme Court provided, said Andrew Willinger, executive director of the Duke Center for Firearms Law.

New York, for example, is once again facing significant legal challenges opposing a new concealed-carry law it passed after the Bruen decision, giving some idea for how things might go in California should SB 2 pass.

Bonta signed on to a legal letter last month with other attorneys general urging a federal court in New York to let the law stand, arguing that strong concealed-carry rules "keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals, and away from places where people gather to travel, live, and work."

Certain provisions of California's bill, which is very similar to New York's updated law, could more easily pass constitutional muster, Willinger said, including training requirements, some of the sensitive places and the character references requirement.

Ultimately, though, "Bruen just leaves a lot of these questions open," he said.

Adam Winkler, a UCLA professor and constitutional law specialist, said arguments against the number of places deemed sensitive by the California bill might raise a good point. Some places could be truly sensitive, he said, such as schools. But a judge might decide that "the cumulative effect of all of these restrictions is too much."

"I do think there is a valid concern that law-abiding people will end up violating the law unknowingly," Winkler said.

Republicans on Wednesday criticized SB 2 as a misguided attempt to end gun violence by demonizing not those who illegally possess guns, but lawful firearm owners who they said will be unfairly affected by the proposal.

Concealed carry holders are not the problem, criminals are," Assemblymember and Republican Leader James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) said in a statement. "Why is the governor demonizing people who lawfully carry firearms instead of cracking down on the gang members and other violent criminals who commit the overwhelming majority of gun crimes?

Bonta, who helped write the legislation, said the bill is starting off on solid footing, but acknowledged that changes could be added or some elements removed during the legislative process to ensure it survives a legal challenge.

"[2nd Amendment groups] think that Bruen outlawed every gun law in the state of California. And they're just wrong," Bonta said. "They can spend money on litigation and challenge laws. We will defend them. That's our job."

"How willing are we to defend the laws of the state of California? Very willing," he added.

Lawmakers likely won't vote on SB 2 until the spring, when committee hearings kick off in the Capitol. The biggest change to last year's bill is that Portantino removed an urgency clause, which allows bills to be fast-tracked into law before the end of the year if they receive a two-thirds vote in both houses of the Legislature.

The urgency clause led to the bill's demise last year in the Assembly when it fell two votes short of the required threshold, despite Bonta, Portantino and their allies spending hours in the back of the chamber lobbying a handful of Democrats for their vote.

Portantino said he's more optimistic about the bill's passage with a wave of new members recently sworn into the Legislature who campaigned on the promise to end gun violence and with the exit of several moderate Democrats who opposed the previous measure.

The urgency clause could always be added back in, he said.

"We know the need is great," Portantino said during the news conference. "We're going to make a difference. We're going to pass SB 2 through both houses, put it on the governor's desk, get his signature and make Californians and our children safer when they go out on Main Street."





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Tracy Glantz/The State/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Call me babe.

That was the last text Alex Murdaugh allegedly sent his 52-year-old wife Maggie after five unanswered calls and other messages. But prosecutors say that by the time the 54-year-old former lawyer sent that message on June 7, 2021, Maggie and her son Paul had been dead for almost an hour after Murdaugh allegedly shot them dead near the dog kennels of their South Carolina estate.

The text is among several steps that prosecutors say Murdaugh made after murdering his family around 8:50 p.m. that night. About 10 minutes after the grisly crime, Murdaugh began calling everyone close to himincluding his ailing father, several friends, and Maggie. The last text message, which was sent at 9:47 p.m., came about 20 minutes before Murdaugh called 911 to report he found 22-year-old Paul and Maggie by the kennels and not breathing.

Its up to you to decide whether or not he was trying to manufacture an alibi, state prosecutor Creighton Waters said last week at the start of Murdaughs highly anticipated murder trial.

Murdaugh, 54, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime in connection with the double homicide. Prosecutors allege that Murdaugh murdered Paul and Maggie in an attempt to turn the spotlight away from his financial crimes and garner sympathy in the community where his family once held legal power. His defense lawyers, however, have argued that Murdaugh had no motive to kill his wonderful wife and sonand that there is no tangible evidence linking him to the crime.

If convicted, he faces 30 years in prison.

How the Murdaugh Saga UnfoldedFrom a Boat Crash to Murder

Over the last week, a dozen witnesses have testified to explain several key pieces of evidence that prosecutors argue prove that Murdaugh murdered his family. Among them: Maggie and Pauls cell phone data, shell casings found at the scene which allegedly shows two guns were used, and a controversial police interview where prosecutors insist Murdaugh accidentally confessed to the crime.

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Lt. Britt Dove, who works in the computer crimes center of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, testified on Tuesday that he processed the cell phones that belonged to Murdaugh, Maggie, and Paul. He testified that Maggies phone data showed that the last text messages she read came before 8:49 p.m., which included a text from her brother-in-law, John Marvin Murdaugh, asking if anyone was going to see her father-in-law the following day.

After that, Maggie would miss several phone calls from Murdaugh, her elder son, Buster, and John Marvin. She also missed several text messages, including one 9:34 p.m. message from one of Paul Murdaughs friends who had been talking to him about a dog just before he was murdered.

1246706300 The call log on Maggie Murdaugh's cellphone is shown as evidence during Alex Murdaugh's trial for murder at the Colleton County Courthouse on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023, in Walterboro, South Carolina. Joshua Boucher/Pool/The State/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

The data also revealed that Maggies phone orientation changed from portrait to landscape minutes after her cell was locked for the rest of the night. Dove testified that the data suggests that someone other than Maggie picked up her phone and could not unlock it with their face. Seconds after Maggies phone changed orientation againsuggesting someone help it up in their handMurdaugh called.

Going to check on M. Be right back, Dove said Murdaugh texted his wife around 9:08 p.m. that night. Murdaugh told investigators that at the time of the murders, he had left the house to go visit his ailing mother and called his family several times on the way home.

Dove also testified Maggies phone also recorded 59 steps in two minutes after 8:53 p.m.just moments after prosecutors allege Murdaugh killed his family.

It tells me someone was holding this phone and took steps, and it recorded those steps, Dove said.

Murdaugh continued to call three more times before sending the last text message, Dove testified.

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Last months opening of the Gate of the Exonerated in Central Park marked a major milestone in recognizing wrongful convictions in New York. The event took place on the 20th anniversary of the day that we, along with our brothers Korey Wise, Antron McCray and Yusef Salaam, were officially exonerated of a horrific attack on a Central Park jogger in 1989.

As wrongfully convicted teenagers, the world seemed to turn against us. We never thought we would see this type of recognition of the injustices that we suffered. Yet in this moment of victory, we could not help but think of our innocent brothers and sisters who are still behind bars or are otherwise unable to clear their names.

Two decades after our exoneration, New York still has among the toughest laws in the nation for overturning wrongful convictions. The state legislature should ensure that innocent people get justice and public safety is protected by passing the Challenging Wrongful Convictions Act  Senate Bill 215  this session.

Despite the years that were taken from us for a crime we did not commit, we are fortunate to have been exonerated when the process is so needlessly difficult in New York. Our states actual innocence law is supposed to be a pathway to justice, but it is full of roadblocks.

First, there is a significant hurdle for innocent people who plead guilty. While we did not take pleas in our case, as 14 year olds who were subjected to hours of brutal police interrogations, we can certainly understand the pressure to do so. In the United States, 97% of criminal cases are resolved through guilty pleas. According to the National Registry of Exonerations, 1 in 4 wrongfully convicted Americans who were later exonerated pleaded guilty.

Sharonne Salaam, mother of Yusef Salaam who was one of five men exonerated after being wrongfully convicted as teenagers for the 1989 rape of a jogger in Central Park, stands at the park's northeast gateway which will be named "Gate of the Exonerated" to honor the five men in New York. "This moment represents a great deal, said Salaam. It talks about all of us who have been wrongfully convicted of crimes who have been exonerated."

Yet in 2018, the New York State Court of Appeals ruled that New Yorkers cannot claim actual innocence to have their convictions overturned if they took a plea, unless there is DNA evidence. This put New York out of step with other states that recently changed their actual innocence laws without barring guilty pleas, like Maryland, Nevada, Texas, Virginia, Utah and Wyoming.

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Second, we were fortunate to have lawyers who helped to fight against our wrongful conviction. New York is one of only five states in the country that does not provide post-conviction right to counsel, meaning that lawyers are available only to those who can afford one are fortunate enough to obtain limited pro-bono representation. That leaves wrongfully convicted people to navigate the complicated post-conviction legal system on their own.

Third, we were able to obtain access to the evidence used to convict us, which allowed a reinvestigation and identification of the person who actually committed the crime. In New York there is no right to post-conviction discovery and materials that can be used to reinvestigate the case might not be accessible.

Senate Bill 215, the Challenging Wrongful Convictions Act sponsored by state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, D-Brooklyn, would remove hurdles in the current law and provide resources for exoneration. The legislation would remove the guilty plea bar on actual innocence claims. It would also provide for a post-conviction right to counsel and discovery to provide important legal tools for overturning wrongful convictions.

The Gate of the Exonerated is just the start, and New York now needs a law that is a true gateway for proving innocence. Too many Black and brown people like us have suffered from injustice, and the Challenging Wrongful Convictions Act would help right the wrongs of the past.

Raymond Santana and Kevin Richardson are two of the Central Park Five and were exonerated of charges that they attacked a jogger in Central Park.

Raymond Santana, one of the "Central Park Five," was coerced into giving false confessions by prosecutors. Santana visits School 6 in Passaic.

Kevin Richardson, one of the "Central Park Five" who was wrongfully convicted for a 1989 rape, spoke to students at Lubbock's Dunbar College Preparatory Academy in February 2022.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Central Park Five: NY still needs wrongful conviction reforms
Before Tyre Nichols' funeral on Wednesday, a press conference with his family was held at the Mason Temple Church in Memphis  a historic site where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his final speech on the eve of his assassination.

Nichols, who died earlier this month following a violent arrest at the hands of several Memphis police officers, was remembered by family, friends and civil rights leaders, including Rev. Al Sharpton, on Tuesday night.

Mason Temple was focal point for civil rights activities during the 1950s and 1960s, according to the National Parks Service. King delivered his iconic "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech at the church on April 3, 1968. The next day, he was killed.

The church is the world headquarters for the Church of God in Christ, the second largest Black denomination, and holds 7,500 people.

The family of Tyre Nichols and Reverend Al Sharpton are speaking to the media to respond to the administrative action against two additional Memphis police officers, and the firing of three Memphis Fire Department employees. / Credit: SETH HERALD/AFP via Getty Images

During King's speech, the civil rights leader spoke about the difficult days ahead during the civil rights movement  but the "promised land" on the horizon.

"Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind," King said during the address. "Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land."

During his remarks on Tuesday night, Nichols' stepfather, Rodney Wells, also spoke about the "fight ahead of us" to achieve justice.

"Protect my wife because she's very fragile. Right now. We need that for her. Trust me. And I need it to," he said. "So, like I said, this will be short tonight because we got a long fight ahead of us. And we got to stay strong for it. Justice for Tyre. Justice for Tyre. Justice for Tyre. Justice for Tyre."

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Sharpton also spoke, calling what happened to Nichols a "disgrace to this country." Nichols was beaten by police at a traffic stop. Five officers involved were fired and are facing charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression. Disturbing video of the incident was released last week.

Two other officers have relieved of duty, three members of the Memphis Fire Department who responded to the scene were fired and two deputies with the Shelby County Sheriff's Department have also been relieved of duty.

"When you can beat a man, chase him down and beat him some more, and then let him lay there wounded for over 20 minutes and think nothing would happen. You thought that no one would respond. You thought no one would care," Sharpton said at Mason Temple. "Well, tomorrow the Vice President of the United States is coming to his funeral, and people are coming from all over the world. And we are coming because we're all Tyre now, and we are all going to stand up with this family."

A poster of Tyre Nichols holding his child is displayed during a news conference at Mason Temple: Church of God in Christ World Headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee, on January 31, 2023. / Credit: SETH HERALD/AFP via Getty Images

Sharpton will also deliver remarks at Nichols' funeral service, scheduled for 2 p.m. ET at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis, Tennessee, on Wednesday.

Vice President Kamala Harris will also attend, alongside other White House officials, including former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who is senior adviser to the president for public engagement; Mitch Landrieu, senior adviser and infrastructure implementation coordinator; and Tara Murray, deputy director of the Office of Public Engagement.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Nichos' family, is expected to also deliver remarks, as will members of Nichols' family. Crump was unable to attend the press conference at Mason Temple because his flight was delayed.

Nichols, 29, was the father of a 4-year-old boy. His friends and family describe him as joyful and spiritual, an avid skateboarder and photographer.

Animal shelter helps reunite a homeless mom with her beloved dog

Tyre Nichols mourned at funeral service in Memphis

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at Tyre Nichols' funeral: "We mourn with you"
The former executive assistant to a Clayton County chairman has been arrested.

The woman is accused of sending fake threatening letters to her boss. And now her boss, Clayton County chairman Jeff Turner is responding to allegations he also sent fake threatening letters to himself.

People who live in the county believe the drama sounds like something out of a soap opera.

Its too much going on, William Wright told Channel 2s Tom Jones.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Dr. Katrina Holloway, 52, faces false statements and false report of a crime after the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said she sent fake threatening letters to her boss, Chairman Jeff Turner.

It doesnt look good, Wright said.

But, according to a post on the online messaging site, Nixle, Clayton County Sheriff Levon Allens social media manager, Holloway said it was Turner who sent the threatening letters to implicate former Sheriff Victor Hill. The post said Holloway said Turner wrote the letters to convince the FBI to take Hill into custody during his trial last year.

Tim Jefferson told Channel 2 Action News this is all political propaganda.

I know the Chairman very well. And hes a man of integrity, he said.

Jones went to Chairman Turners office to get his side of the story. He was told Turner was in the meeting. Turner later sent a statement denying the allegations and said hed never doing anything to disgrace his name in the community he lives and works in. He also said he would file a civil action against Holloway and anyone else who accused him of sending the fake letters.

TRENDING STORIES:

His fellow Commissioner would be on that list. She told Jones she believes Turner sent himself the threatening letters. Franklin says if the GBI did its job Holloway wouldnt be the only one facing charges.

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If they really did a thorough investigation it would lead to Turner and his level of involvement, she said.

The GBI said Clayton County officials have made allegations that implicate others. But it said no evidence has been provided to the GBI. Franklin said the GBI needs to check county computers for that evidence.

Holloway was given a $3,000 bond.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
Alec Baldwin on the set of "Rust" after the October 21, 2021 fatal shooting. Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office

Prosecutors announced formal charges against Alec Baldwin for the 'Rust' shooting on Tuesday.

One of the charges is typically associated with reckless gun play like Russian roulette, an expert said.

Prosecutors disagreed that the gun misfired, casting doubt on Baldwin's claim from a 2021 ABC interview.

The charges announced Tuesday against actor Alec Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed mean New Mexico prosecutors saw an added layer of recklessness behind the fatal shooting on the set of "Rust" in August 2021, one trial expert told Insider.

Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed were formally charged on Tuesday with two charges of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the shooting, which resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. They each face a five-year sentence if convicted of the more serious charge: involuntary manslaughter with a firearms enhancement.

"That's the type of charge you typically see when someone is playing Russian roulette, for very reckless criminal behavior involving firearms," Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor and the president of West Coast Trial Lawyers, told Insider.

In their statements of probable cause, the prosecutors alleged that Baldwin ignored multiple safety trainings and that Gutierrez-Reed ran a "reckless" set, allowing unqualified crew members to handle guns and missing crucial safety checks. Their attorneys denied the allegations.

'Reckless disregard'

In an announcement for the formal charges Tuesday, Robert Shilling, a special investigator for New Mexico's First Judicial District Attorney's Office, said that Baldwin "acted with reckless disregard and/or more than mere negligence in this incident."

Shilling added that Baldwin did not follow protocol and "acted with willful disregard of the safety of others and in a manner that endangered other people and he clearly should have known the danger of his actions which led to the death of Hutchins."

Hutchins died after a bullet from Baldwin's gun struck her in August 2021, when the actor was practicing for a scene where he aimed a Colt.45 at the camera. Prosecutors also cut a plea deal with assistant director David Halls, who pleaded guilty to negligent use of a deadly weapon. The charges were first announced earlier this month.

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Rahmani said that a jury will be tasked with determining how negligent or liable Baldwin was in handling and firing the gun.

"Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun  or anywhere on the movie set," Luke Nikas, an attorney for Baldwin, told Insider earlier this month. "He relied on the professionals with whom he worked, who assured him the gun did not have live rounds. We will fight these charges, and we will win."

"Hannah is, and has always been, very emotional and sad about this tragic accident. But she did not commit involuntary manslaughter," lawyer Jason Bowles previously told Insider in a statement. "We intend to bring the full truth to light and believe Hannah will be exonerated of wrongdoing by a jury."

Prosecutors brush aside claims from Baldwin's ABC interview

The charging documents also explain why Baldwin's claims in the aftermath of the shooting don't hold up in the eyes of prosecutors.

In a December 2021 interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos, Baldwin claimed that he never pulled the gun's trigger, and that he only cocked the gun's hammer back and it misfired. But prosecutors on Tuesday cited an FBI ballistics report testing the firearm, which said that there was no malfunction with the weapon.

"This analysis clearly showed that the weapon could not 'accidentally fire;" for the weapon to fire, the trigger had to have been depressed/ pressed," prosecutors wrote in charging documents for Baldwin.

Giving a big interview with bold claims months after the shooting, with an investigation underway, might have harmed Baldwin in the long run, Rahmani added.

"Baldwin told George Stephanopoulos in that interview that he did not pull the trigger, but the FBI ballistics report suggests otherwise that he did actually pull it," Rahmani told Insider. "That's why you shouldn't do those types of interviews, that's where on the PR and legal side of things there is a disconnect."

Read the original article on Insider
[Source]

The Chinese province of Sichuan will legalize childbearing for unmarried couples beginning Feb. 15, with no limits on the number of kids they can have.

At present, Sichuan  known for its world-class cuisine  only allows married couples to have children, and they can only register up to two.

The policy shift aims to help boost Chinas declining population, which saw its first drop in six decades last year.

The countrys now-defunct one-child policy and high education costs are said to be significant reasons for the decline.

More from NextShark: Family of Woman Fatally Shot in Compton Demands Hate Crime Investigation

Restrictions arising from the governments actions to control COVID-19 are also being blamed for plummeting birth rates. Yi Fuxian, a prominent demographer, told Reuters that Chinas zero-COVID policy has led to a zero economy, zero marriages, zero fertility.

Birth registration is required for Chinese parents for access to benefits like maternity insurance, which covers paid maternity leave, prenatal healthcare and childhood medical expenses.

Additionally, it is required to secure a household registration document that grants children access to social welfare benefits, including education, as per CNN.

More from NextShark: 100-Year-Old Man Beats Coronavirus With Plasma Donation, China Claims

In a statement, the Sichuan provincial health commission said scrapping the marriage requirement shifts the focus from birth registration to the desire and results of childbearing.

One official said the new policy also seeks to protect the rights of single mothers as it gives single parents access to the aforementioned benefits enjoyed by married couples.

Ultimately, the new policy aims to promote long-term and balanced population development, the health commission said. With a population of over 83 million, Sichuan is currently the fifth most populous city in China.

More from NextShark: China denounces UNs decision to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council

The issue of population decline  often dubbed as a demographic time bomb  is not limited to China.

Neighboring countries such as Korea and Japan are also experiencing falling birth rates.

Japan is standing on the verge of whether we can continue to function as a society, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told lawmakers last month. Focusing attention on policies regarding children and child-rearing is an issue that cannot wait and cannot be postponed.

More from NextShark: Texas Pharmacist Buys Inhaler for Woman's Daughter After She Lost Her Debit Card
[Source]

A young Chinese American woman is suing her adoptive New Hampshire parents for treating her like a slave for years.

The suit, which was filed Monday in Merrimack County Superior Court, also names multiple co-defendants, including the states child protection system, the local school district, New Boston police and a Massachusetts adoption agency. The agencies allegedly ignored the plaintiffs situation, partly because she was a minority child.

Olivia Atkocaitis, now 19, was adopted from China at the age of 14 months in 2004.

The abuse allegedly began when she was 3, with her being tied to a metal column with a dog leash, as per WMUR.

More from NextShark: Toronto's ban on single-use plastics could cripple some Asian businesses, say restaurant owners

Olivia said her parents, Thomas and Denise Atkocaitis, built her an 8-by-8-foot room in their homes basement, which is described in the suit as a dungeon.

She would reportedly spend the next several years locked up.

More from NextShark: Police Officer Fatally Shot While Responding to Domestic Violence Call in Stockton

The Atkocaitis family had three biological children. They lived in a four-bedroom, 4,300-square-foot New Boston residence that sits on 27 acres of land next to a state forest, as per New Hampshire Union Leader.

Olivias dungeon allegedly had only one window, which was secured with chicken wire. She used a bucket for a toilet, causing their home to smell, according to her siblings.

Olivia was allegedly freed from her dungeon to do multiple chores, including tending to farm animals and massaging her mother.

More from NextShark: NYPD looking for man who punched, dragged elderly can collector in attempted robbery

The suit says she repeatedly attempted to escape as a child, but local police would always return her home.

When Olivia attempted to escape, as she did repeatedly as a child, local police hunted her down, reprimanded her for escaping, and returned her to servitude. During her last effort at escape, the police used dogs to track her.

Story continues

More from NextShark: Tommy Les Family Lawyer Wants 2017 Murder Case Included in Statewide Investigation

Olivia allegedly attended school only once, while her siblings studied in public schools. In 2011, one sibling reported to a school counselor that Olivia  then 8 years old  was starved, whipped and pushed down the stairs.

The school allegedly notified New Boston police and New Hampshires Division for Children, Youth and Families (DCYF). But the police only photographed Olivias dungeon, while DCYF only moved her sibling who reported the abuse out of their home.

As a result, Olivia allegedly suffered more years of abuse. However, it all ended in 2018 when she managed to escape.

Thomas and Denise were subsequently charged.

Denise pleaded guilty to misdemeanor child endangerment and received a minimal jail sentence, while Thomas pleaded guilty to felony criminal restraint and avoided jail altogether.

The suit also claims that Olivias adoption agency, nonprofit Wide Horizons for Children, learned during a pre-placement investigation that one of the Atkocaitis children was beaten with a belt by their father. The agency notified DCYF, but the latter never investigated, the suit said.

Wide Horizons last inspected the home in May 2005, according to the suit. In its report, it said Thomas and Denise were devoted to their children, and they are raising them in a loving, Christian home, where each child is thriving.

Michael Lewis, Olivias lawyer, believes the state permitted slavery to exist in its jurisdiction.

Her life was a nightmare, in that she was treated in the most vile fashion. And as the lawsuit indicates, the people who should have protected her didn't. And it's shocking, Lewis told WMUR.

The suit alleges Olivia was denied her rights under the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery and involuntary servitude.

It takes enormous courage to do something like what she's done here, Lewis added. And the big question is whether she's going to be punished for doing that or whether there's going to be an acceptance of some level of responsibility.
ChristianaCare has opened its first two primary care practices in Sussex County, helping to fill the growing need for accessible health care downstate as the population continues to rise.

The new practices, which are both in the same building on Coastal Highway near Tanger Outlets Surfside, are each geared toward unique demographics. One of the practices is for everyone over 18 to get services like annual checkups, vaccines and preventive screenings. The second practice, called ChristianaCare My65+, is specifically tailored toward people over the age of 65.

MORE:Women's health care is a 'dire need' in Sussex County. And pregnant women, doctors know it

The My65+ practice offers additional health services to help patients manage medication, nutrition and consultation with specialists. There is also an embedded pharmacist and behavioral health specialist, ChristianaCare said, with plans for a physical therapist in the works.

ChristianaCare at Rehoboth

Why target Sussex County for expanding health care?

Sussex County is federally designated as a Medically Underserved Area and a Health Professional Shortage Area.

When it comes to primary care, low-income residents eligible for Medicaid have the least access to services, and the pandemic has made already scarce resources even harder to come by.

RELATED:Sussex health care options are changing. Here's what's new and what's coming

The new ChristianaCare My65+ practice in Sussex County will soon offer physical therapy.

We recognize the growing need for primary care and other health care services in southern Delaware, and were growing to meet that need," said ChristianaCare President and CEO Dr. Janice E. Nevin in a written statement.

ChristianaCare is not the only system attempting to address these needs.

Bayhealth, Beebe and TidalHealth have also recently expanded their services and facilities to accommodate Sussex County's growing community.

Send story tips or ideas to Hannah Edelman at hedelman@delawareonline.com. For more reporting, follow them on Twitter at @h_edelman.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: ChristianaCare's new primary care office brings services to Sussex
Jan. 31Officials working Colorado high school sports will see a roughly 48% increase in pay, with the funds coming from a price increase of 40%-60% in prices per school.

The Colorado High School Activities Association enacted this change to combat an officials shortage, one of several pieces of legislation passed last week at the bi-annual CHSAA legislative council meeting.

The plan is a three-year gradual increase in rates that begins next school year. By its conclusion, the plan is set to make Colorado among the nation's leaders in competitive pay for officials.

A catalyst for the plan was an officiating shortage across all sports in recent years that has forced game dates and times to be altered.

Alongside the looming news of officiating pay increases, the council also approved a change to Sunday contact rules.

Previously, club coaches were unable to have contact with student-athletes on Sundays during the school year. Now, club coaches will be able to interact with their student-athletes on Sundays, as long as it's not in-season  volleyball coaches, for example, will now be able to coach players during club tournaments on Sundays in the off-season.

Soccer will also see a change in its overtime structure. Beginning in the fall, regular-season contests will no longer have overtime available. Instead, it will be counted as a tie.

The council also agreed to a player increase for the state baseball tournament. The roster of players eligible to play will rise from 18 to 23. Teams in six-man football will also be able to play 10 regular season games now.

The final big change will be in classifications.

A second classification will be added to boys' volleyball for the 2024-26 cycle. The same will be true for girls' wrestling, starting in the same cycle.

Additionally, a 2A classification has been added to boys' and girls' golf, where previously the state was divided into 5A, 4A and 3A.

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At the Coakley Middle School, they are addressing grief this week -- after the fatal shooting last weekend of 13-year-old Tyler Lawrence.

Lawrence, a sixth grader at the school, was gunned down in Mattapan while taking a walk near his grandmothers house.

I think were all struggling to wrap our heads around the idea of a middle school student dying in this way, said Ruth Zakarin, executive director of the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence. Its profoundly upsetting. And there are just so many layers of trauma to this incident.

It is, sadly, one of many violent incidents last month.

We ended January with over fifty mass shootings in this country, Zakarin said. Theres also gun violence thats happening in Massachusetts communities all the time. We had the shooting at the mall in Holyoke. We had a shooting yesterday also at a retail location, also in the afternoon, at a Dollar Store in Brockton. And those are not the only fatal shootings that have happened in Massachusetts in January.

Nationally, young people are killed and injured by violence every day.

Youth.gov estimated a dozen Americans between the ages of 10 and 24 are victims of homicide every day. Another 1,400 are injured through violence. Overall, homicide is now the third leading cause of death among U.S. youth.

Statistics only tell part of the story, Zakarin said. They dont really capture the level of trauma that the violence causes.

Zakarin said providing safe places for kids to go -- and trusted adults they can talk to, is part of the answer to reducing gun violence.

Its really about building a safety net for all young people, in every zip code, she said. So that they have a place to turn to when they are feeling threatened or unsafe.

Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox said the department cant tackle the issue of youth gun violence alone.

Were willing to work with schools... were willing to work with parents... were willing to work with anyone in the community to help address it, Cox said. Were looking to partner with all comers, anyone that might have an impact on how we might stem this. Not just about the crime but how it starts in the first place.

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Of course, there was youth gun violence before the pandemic. But some suggest Covid created conditions for it to thrive.

We know this is a very difficult time for many of our young people coming out of the pandemic, where their lives were uprooted in so many different ways, said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. And were still seeing the impacts very much. We hear across the country that, from a mental health perspective, everyone is still struggling and dealing with this -- particularly our young people.

Police have made no arrests in the killing of Lawrence. The department is hopeful those with information will come forward.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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Mike Pence

Joshua Roberts/Getty Images Mike Pence

Former Vice President Mike Pence is the latest current or former top U.S. official found to have classified documents at his home.

The documents were discovered at Pence's Indiana home and handed over to the FBI by one of the former vice president's attorneys, the Associated Press reports.

The AP reports that, in a letter sent to the National Archives, attorney Greg Jacob said what "appear to be a small number of documents bearing classified markings ... were inadvertently boxed and transported to the personal home of the former vice president at the end of the last administration."

Jacob added that Pence "engaged outside counsel, with experience in handling classified documents, to review records stored in his personal home after it became public that documents with classified markings were found in President Joe Biden's Wilmington residence."

RELATED: Biden 'Surprised to Learn' Classified Obama-Era Documents Were Found in Former D.C. Office

Elsewhere in the letter, Jacob said the documents were found in a locked safe at Pence's home, but that he "was unaware of the existence of sensitive or classified documents at his personal residence" and "understands the high importance of protecting sensitive and classified information and stands ready and willing to cooperate fully with the National Archives and any appropriate inquiry."

The discovery of documents at Pence's private residence comes as Republican lawmakers recently launched an investigation into President Biden's handling of classified documents after some were found at his own private residence.

Under the Presidential Records Act, presidential and vice-presidential records are the property of the federal government, with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) responsible for the "custody, control and preservation" of those materials once an administration ends.

RELATED: A Timeline of the DOJ's Investigation into How Donald Trump Has Handled Classified Documents

Classified documents were found at Biden's offices and at his Delaware home in recent weeks, leading Attorney General Merrick Garland to announce the appointment of a special counsel to investigate the storage of the documents.

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One day after Garland's announcement, Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee announced their own investigation into the discovery of the documents at Biden's home, with Rep. Jim Jordan telling the attorney general in a letter they were looking into the president's "mishandling of classified documents."

The discovery of documents at Pence's home makes the former vice president the second highest-ranking Republican official to have classified papers found at his personal residence.

In Aug. 2022, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Fla., in an explosive moment in the ongoing criminal investigation into whether the former president violated statutes related to national security by allegedly mishandling classified documents he removed from the White House at the end of his presidency.

Special counsel Jack Smith has been investigating Trump's handling of documents since November.

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Since leaving the White House in the shadow of the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection, Pence has made moves that suggest he might be planning a run for the presidency. That includes the release of his memoir, So Help Me God, as well as recent public appearances in which he says he is "thinking about the future."

Pence has previously said he had no knowledge of having any classified documents from his time in the White House.
Club Med touts the vessel as the largest sailing yacht in the world.

Courtesy of Club Med

Gazing out at the vibrantly blue water, noshing on French gorgonzola, a crusty baguette, and a crisp glass of sauvignon blanc, while staff in blue-and-white-striped shirts buzz around me, I couldn't help but think, am I in the south of France?

No, I was, in fact, in the middle of the Caribbean Sea aboard Club Med 2, which just got a $10,800,000 renovation by the all-inclusive beach and ski resort brand. The ship embarked on its inaugural Caribbean journey with 90 percent French clientele from St. Martin (I boarded later, from the British Virgin Islands Tortola for the final three nights of the cruise). And yet, I found myself in a mini France, because the 73-year-old brand is headquartered in Paris and French is the primary language spoken by Club Meds GOs (the acronym for gentile organisateur, which translates to nice organizer). All signs are in English and French, and when I flipped on my cabin TV, I was greeted by Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga singing in dubbed French.

After a transatlantic launch in October 2022, the 184-cabin, 368-passenger, five-masted yacht just completed its first Caribbean itinerary. Its the only Club Med yacht and, according to the hospitality brand, the largest sailing yacht in the world. On March 31, Club Med 2 relocates to the Mediterranean for sailings through early fall. (And no, you havent missed Club Med 1. Its been sailing as a Windstar ship since Windstar bought it in 1998.)

Club Meds North American and Caribbean CEO and president Carolyne Doyon, a Montreal native who works out of the brands Miami office, explains that Club Med 2 was put into service in 1992, and only refurbished once (in 2008). So, the 614-foot yacht was in desperate need of an update.

Courtesy of Club Med

We believe its the right time, Doyon says of relaunching the yacht. We were dining together at Le Monte Carlo, the fine-dining restaurant, on a sea day. Following COVID, people are more in touch with their surroundings. In an earlier brand presentation, she said it best: Luxury has evolved. Now luxury is much more experiential.

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Affluent travelers, she says, seek out well-beingfocused and eco-friendly travel opportunities; this yacht is powered through its sails, not an engine. One deck hosts 10 water activities, such as windsurfing and kayaking. Theres even a Hobie Eclipse mini sailboat. Eco-friendly promises include no plastics, reducing fuel consumption by 30 percent, cutting down on food waste, and choosing only natural or organic partners, such as French beauty brand Sothys for in-cabin toiletries and spa products.

In one of the spas four treatment rooms, the aroma of lemons (courtesy of Sothys) filled the space as I listened to faux birds chirping during a 50-minute massage. In one of those small-world moments, Id actually traveled to the therapists town in France, reminding me why we travel: to discover these connections. The spa also provides salon services such as haircuts and manicures.

Courtesy of Club Med

A partnership with Yoga by Hebersons Heberson Oliveira  who teaches yoga in Paris  provides each sailing with five yoga, meditation, or breathing classes daily. During a class on the sundeck, Oliveira encouraged us to be one with the sea and cup our hands like a seashell while in a meditative pose.

Club Med 2 aims to focus on doing what other ships cant. That we are smaller means we can go into ports they cannot, like Venice, Doyon says.

We want to internationalize the product. Its mainly European [now], Doyon continues. North Americans love the all-inclusive concept. Its a no-tip policy. Its all included. [Even] Champagne  real Champagne  not prosecco. Only shore excursions or premium alcohol carry an additional fee.

Courtesy of Club Med

There are no closet-like interior cabins. Every cabin features two porthole windows and more storage than Ive seen on other cruise ships. There are 10 suiteswith two baths eachand an owners suite. None of the cabins have balconies but with 29,000 square feet of brand-new teak decks you dont have to fight for a lounger.

Courtesy of Club Med

Four-hour excursions happen in the mornings and afternoons. Our guests want something exclusive, says shore excursions director Saida Dridi. Its a small group [including] a guide and an escort from the ship, helping them and trying to make them happy. When I ask about her favorite excursion, Dridis face lights up. Its to the San Blas Islands community in Panama where Indigenous community members welcome Club Med 2 guests.

We docked at Catalina Island in the Dominican Republic, where Club Med takes over the beach and serves empanadas, drinks, and grilled fish. Oliveira led a yoga session and designed poses to always face the sea. Sure, the beach is upside down while in a downward dog, but its still the beach and not a gym wall.

Refurbishing the ship took two months. Its a combination of little things (like USB ports by the bed or quieter machines at the gym so spa guests below arent subjected to noise) and a total makeover of Le Monte Carlo and Saint Tropez restaurants, and the Yacht Club Lounge. At Le Monte Carlo, shades of blue, yellow, and white are accented by nautical decor, plus mirrored walls reflecting the sun rays. Its what designer Sophie Jacqmin dubs chic but cozy.

Courtesy of Club Med

Courtesy of Club Med

Club Med 2 is not a cruise ship. Its a sailing ship, says cruise director Jean-Charles Thillays, who is (thankfully) not organizing cheesy talent contests or trivia nights. There are themed dress nights  all-white, bohemian-chic, etc.  but no formal evenings. On the all-white night, Portofino Bars aft-side deck felt magical, with white tablecloths, glowing white balls floating in one of the two saltwater pools, acrobats performing, and every guest wearing breezy white clothing.

Perusing the Saint Tropez restaurant with Normandy, France, native Amelie Brouhard, Club Meds vice president of marketing for North America and the United States, she shares that the chefs on board were recently trained in plant-based cuisine. And its not Impossible burgers or a salad bar; Trinidad aloo channa, a fragrant curry, is one example at Saint Tropez. One morning I drank an orange detox juice at Saint Tropez, although Im pretty sure my pain au chocolat canceled it out.

Food here is fresh, healthy, and inventive. Sometimes when we are at a port, the executive chef will go to the market and get some fish and vegetables, GO Luka Sanz said on a ship tour, about Le Monte Carlo. The idea is to work with fresh, local products, like food from Cuba. Also, you will find French cheese because of the French consumers [on board] and we like our French cheese.

As a veritable cheese expert with a cheese book to my name, I studied the cheese selection at Saint Tropez closely, when a GO walked over to help me out, proving the 1.5 GOs to every two passengers ratio the brand touts. Only he doesnt just plate the cheese for me, he tells me a story of growing up in the region where comte is made.

Thats the kind of service you get on Club Med 2.

Sailing costs aboard Club Med 2 start at $1,200 per person for a three-night voyage departing from Nice, France, in September, while seven-night Caribbean sailings start at $6,096 per person.

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Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.
The Doll House, located on Karl Court in Columbus' Northland area, has been the scene of two shootings in four months. Columbus police say the most recent, on Sunday, resulted in one dead and several injured.

Columbus police have charged a Canton man with murder in connection with a shooting early Sunday morning at a Northland strip club that killed one and injured several others.

The fatal shooting is one of three fatal bar/nightclub shootings in the Columbus area to start 2023, including a New Years Day shooting at a strip club in Mifflin Township that killed one and wounded four and a Northeast Side bar shooting that killed one.

Columbus police on Tuesday announced they have an arrest warrant and are seeking 21-year-old Travis Ingram, of Canton, on a charge of murder for fatally shooting Charles T. Smith, 37, early Sunday at The Doll House, a Northland strip club located in the 1600 block of Karl Court located near East Dublin-Granville Road (Route 161).

Around 2:15 a.m. Sunday, police responded to The Doll House on a report of gunfire. When police arrived, they discovered Smith suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Medics pronounced Smith dead at the scene around 2:27 a.m.

>>Read More: 'Our top priority': Feds partnering with Columbus in plan to combat regional gun violence

Medics transported two wounded female victims, a 23-year-old and 24-year-old, to a local hospital in stable condition for their injuries. A fourth victim, who sustained a graze wound, was treated at the scene and released after questioning from investigators.

As of early Wednesday afternoon, Ingram was still at large.

Fatal shooting is second recent incident at The Doll House

The fatal shooting at The Doll House is the second shooting at that location in about four months. On Sept. 27, police said at least five people were shot there in an apparent argument that turned into gunfire in the parking lot just outside the building.

Homicide database: Where fatal shootings have happened in Columbus

"One of the combatants produced a handgun and fired multiple times at several victims," police said in a news release. Three men, two age 22 and one 27, were struck in the feet and legs.

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Another victim not listed in the news release left the scene and did not go to a hospital, while a woman sustained what police are calling "an extremely minor injury."

In December, Columbus City Council voted to object to the continuation of The Doll House's liquor license with the Ohio Liquor Control Commission along with a dozen other establishments, citing objections to their licenses that largely focused around issues such as chronic violent crime, drug use (including overdoses) and liquor violations. While the council has reconsidered objections for some bars that have made arrangements for changes, The Doll House is not among them.

Fatal shooting at The Doll House is third at area bar in 2023

The shooting at The Doll House was the third fatal shooting at a bar in January in the Columbus area.

On New Year's Day, one man was killed and four others were injured in a shooting at a strip club in Mifflin Township. Earlier this month, Charles Foster, 24, of the Hilltop, was arrested earlier this month in connection with the death of Charles Westbrook, 28, who was fatally shot.

According to court records, Foster got into a fight around 2:30 a.m. Jan. 1 with a group of people inside Buck's Platinum, located at Johnstown and Stygler roads near John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Mifflin Township. Franklin County Sheriff's detectives have accused Foster of pulling out a firearm and shooting at the group, injuring five people.

Columbus police are also searching for a suspect in a bar shooting that claimed the life of 51-year-old Rudy Tirado-Gonzalez. Police say the suspect, Armando Flores, 25, of the Northeast Side, has been charged with murder after pulling out a gun and fatally shooting Tirado-Gonzalez during a fight between the two men.

@Colebehr_report

Cbehrens@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Police charge Canton man with murder in Doll House strip club shooting
Dan Hastings doesn't feel accepted among the gay men he encounters. Dan Hastings

When I came out as gay, I found the gay men I met were not as welcoming as I had thought.

The people I hooked up with wanted only sex, and I found few prospects on the dating scene.

I think many gay men won't accept me because I'm a fat, feminine, dark-skinned South Asian person.

As one of the many queer people who came out in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdowns, I'm still new to the world of dating and having sex with gay men.

But I quickly became familiar with gay hookup culture: using Grindr to connect with men near me and inviting them over without even knowing their names. I naively thought that since I had met a decent number of men who had found me sexually desirable, I could meet others who would consider me interesting enough to date. I was wrong.

Instead, I found that as a fat, feminine South Asian man with dark skin, I was largely ignored by my peers.

At first, I thought hooking up regularly with men meant they would want to date me

It took me some time to realize that most of the people I met on Grindr did not identify as gay. They are the ones who identify as "down low" or "discreet." They're the ones who are closeted and ended up in an arranged marriage due to family pressure, or they're the ones who are happily married to a woman but want some fun on the side. They're the ones who have a fat or South Asian fetish, or the dehumanizing ones who say they "just wanted to try with a Black."

The gay men I met in person were twice my age and not looking to date  certainly not some 20-year-old with no experience.

It seemed my body was deemed good enough for pleasure but not for love. In their book, "Belly of the Beast: The Politics of Anti-Fatness as Anti-Blackness," Da'Shaun L. Harrison writes: "Fuckability as desire-ability does not mean that all bodies deemed fuckable are humanized, nor does it mean that every person who has sex with the Black fat sees them as living beings deserving of care."

Yet I had hope.

After deleting Grindr for what seemed like the 100th time, I went to Tinder and Hinge to connect with people looking for dates rather than hookups

Two of my recent matches on Tinder were bots who tried to sell me cryptocurrency after asking for my WhatsApp info. The rest of my matches ignore or block me if I message them. In the short time I've had Hinge, I have matched with fewer than five people  even after paying for an embarrassing "profile boost."

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I fought against my anxiety and went to a gay bar several times to meet people. Even though I met some who were friendly and had great conversations with them, I will never forget how a guy ran away from me after I approached him. I'm still licking my wounds after organizing a dream date and getting ghosted by the suitor before we even met.

Rejection never feels good, but it hurts most when it feels so personal.

Data doesn't paint a great picture for my prospects

For me, being gay means dealing with a lot of self-hatred, to the extent that I sometimes feel incredibly hideous and not human-looking. As a joke, I like to say I'm the Bollywood version of Shrek. I started researching figures that could explain why I was not deemed good enough to date by my peers. I needed concrete answers.

As a South Asian man, I'm "at the bottom of the dating totem pole," research on romantic-dating markets published in 2018 by the American Sociological Association found. The OkCupid cofounder Christian Rudder published a now-deleted blog post in 2014 with user data showing that most women on the site rated Asian men as less attractive than men of other races and ethnicities. While the data focused on heterosexual relationships, my experience followed a similar pattern.

Plus, my large body  I'm 6 feet tall and weigh 240 pounds  puts me in the obese category, a condition surprisingly uncommon among gay men. That's according to statistics from the National Library of Medicine, which also says in the US, gay males have "significantly lower odds" of being obese when compared with straight adults.

I realize I'm now fighting to look like someone I never wanted to be

I have never felt more motivated to hit the gym than since I came out. In fact, in 2022, I managed to lose over 20 pounds, hoping that building muscle and losing fat would make me look more attractive.

I can't help but think of the younger version of myself who loved Barbie dolls and wore his older sisters' Cinderella nightgowns. That boy would be surprised to hear that I now dream of looking like "a real man." I don't remember ever wanting to look like the stereotypical idea of masculinity; those types of people have oppressed me my whole life. Yet here I am, heading to the gym frequently just to become a version of myself that I don't recognize to feel accepted.

I am still learning how to love myself

I try to practice self-love every day by giving myself compliments on my physique. Mirrors and pictures still make me uncomfortable, but I push myself out of my comfort zone by hanging mirrors on my walls. I even posed for a photo shoot a few months ago. After applying a double layer of powder to hide the anxiety-induced sweat on my face, I realized I had a friendly smile that's quite photogenic.

While I continue to work on my body and learn to accept the reflection I see in the mirror, I've decided to quit desperately looking for a stranger who will make me feel lovable.

The reality is that loving myself is much more important.

Read the original article on Insider
The former Concord police officer who was fired after the investigation into a deadly shooting in early 2022 is now suing the police chief and the city of Concord.

In February, Brandon Combs, 29, was fatally shot in February 2022 by Concord police officer Timothy Larson at the Nissan dealership along Concord Parkway, according to authorities. Investigators said Larson found Combs trying to steal a car at the dealership. Larson and Combs then got into a fight before the shooting, officials said.

After the State Bureau of Investigation finished its investigation, the case was handed over to the district attorney to decide if charges would be filed. No charges ended up being filed against Larson.

The Concord Police Department said in June 2022 that Larson was terminated for violation of company policies or procedures. According to Larsons notice of dismissal, Larson made untruthful statements during his interview with the SBI.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

Concord police released his disciplinary record. Prior to the shooting, the only blemish on Larsons record was a preventable crash in December of 2021. He was given a warning. But the discipline report dated Feb. 13 said that after the shooting, Larson declined to answer all 57 prepared questions given to him. Larson was warned that refusing to answer each question was a separate count of insubordination. Larson was fired in May.

Larson filed a lawsuit this week claiming wrongful termination, defamation, and several civil rights violations. He says in the lawsuit that he responded truthfully when he was questioned during the shooting investigation, but that angered Police Chief Gary Gacek. Larson claims that the chief harassed and tried to discredit him before wrongfully terminating him.

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According to the lawsuit, Larson says the police chiefs statements have made it impossible for him to find employment.

The city hasnt commented on the lawsuit.

In August, Combs family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Larson and the city of Concord.

(WATCH BELOW: Body Cam: Deadly shooting involving Concord police officer)




WASHINGTON  Members of Congress and the Department of Justice are facing a reckoning over how to handle access to sensitive material related to the investigations into the classified documents found in possession of President Joe Biden, former president Donald Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence.

Members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is controlled by Democrats, are increasingly frustrated with the DOJs unwillingness to tell the committee the content of the documents and what risk they may pose to national security.

Committee members are weighing all options to get that information  including subpoenas, which would be a marked escalation in their efforts to get DOJ to comply, one source connected to the committee's work said.

Senators are arguing that they can't begin to look for legislative fixes to the classification system or prevent future documents from being mislaid without knowing more.

From the Justice Department, the committee is not getting any additional guidance, said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee. (Its) not much different than what Ive been hearing over the ensuing, the preceding weeks.

Warners Republican counterpart Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., warned that their committee has a number of options to bring DOJ to the table.

The entire intelligence community, including the FBIs Counterintelligence Division, require us to authorize their spending, not just appropriate, but to authorize, Rubio said. But were not were not in threat mode yet.

Department of Justice officials, however, say there is only so much they can do to comply with congressional demands.

The agency has a long-standing policy of withholding materials from an active investigation. DOJ officials have sent letters to both the House and Senate citing precedent that dates to Franklin Roosevelt's administration.

This case, however, presents complications that could test the relationship between the two branches of government, both sides acknowledge.

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First, the case involves three officials at the highest level of the U.S. government: an incumbent president, and a former president and vice president.

Second, Biden and Trump are the front-runners for their party's 2024 presidential nominations. And Pence hasn't been shy about hinting he, too, could run. When overt politics are involved, DOJ tends to become more careful, especially as they face a barrage of criticism for being too political in recent years.

DOJ has got to be ever more mindful of the fact that whatever they give [Congress] will likely find its way into the public domain, said Michael Zeldin, a former federal prosecutor who served on an independent counsel that investigated then-President Bill Clinton.

Congress has a constitutional right to oversee the work of every federal agency  including the DOJ  and could try to use its power to insist that the agency complies. Senators, both Republican and Democrat, are already warning DOJ leadership that they will use whatever leverage they have to get what they want, arguing this breakdown in the care of classified documents presents an immediate national security risk that requires immediate reform.

The Department of Justice sent us a ridiculous letter over the weekend arguing precedents that dont apply and arguments that make no sense about why  were not even asking them for the documents, Rubio said. Were asking for the intelligence community to share with us the classified information that we have access to but cant identify that were improperly stored in the private homes and/or a think tank of at least two former government officials.

DOJ, for their part, believes there is a path to getting Congress what it wants without violating the integrity of its investigation. DOJ officials have signaled a willingness to discuss as much as they can with House and Senate leaders and to provide them with the information they need to craft a policy prescription that can solve this problem going forward.

DOJ officials are working with the teams investigating the documents to determine what can be shared, according to a source familiar with Justice interactions with Congress.

Finding a compromise may avoid a tricky legal bind. Should Congress issue a subpoena, DOJ could sue to try to block it, leading to a potentially lengthy court battle that would run counter to lawmakers' hopes of fixing the document problem quickly.

You essentially have the DOJ wanting to preserve the sanctity of its investigation and the Intelligence Committee wanting to preserve the sanctity of its mandate to protect national security, Zeldin said. But it doesnt have to be binary. It seems to me that each can give some to satisfy the respective needs of each side.

At this stage, though, both sides remain entrenched in a standoff that will require a definitive breakthrough before progress can be made, a breakthrough congressional leaders dont seem willing to wait for.

I dont think this is going to drag on forever, Rubio said.

Were not going to sit around here for weeks getting the Heisman from these guys," he added, using a slang expression for rejecting an overture.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.  The newly-installed conservative board of trustees at New College of Florida ousted its current president in favor of former state education commissioner Richard Corcoran Tuesday, launching the initial move in reshaping the campus under the vision of Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The decision came at the first board meeting since DeSantis appointed six new trustees with the idea of overhauling the liberal arts college in Sarasota into a more conservative-leaning institution. That track was accelerated Tuesday when the board paved the way for new leadership as students and parents protested the major changes that appear bound for New College.

Some have said these recent appointments amount to a partisan takeover of the college. This is not correct, said trustee Matthew Spalding, a constitutional government professor and vice president at Hillsdale Colleges D.C. campus who was appointed by DeSantis. Its not a takeover  its a renewal.

A leadership switch from President Patricia Okker to Corcoran as interim leader is one of several moves made Tuesday by the board, which also signaled its intent to abolish diversity, equity and inclusion programs on campus  all policies pushed by DeSantis. The changes are major developments at the school spurred by the new appointees, including Christopher Rufo, a conservative activist who has advised DeSantis on critical race theory, and Eddie Speir, the co-founder of Inspiration Academy, a Christian charter school in Bradenton, Fla.

Tuesdays meeting was met with apprehension from dozens of students and parents who protested what they called a hostile takeover at New College. They urged Okker to stay on as president and push back against the new mandates from the DeSantis administration to model the school as a Hillsdale of the South in reference to the private conservative religious classical college in Michigan.

Okker in an emotional address told the board  and the campus  that she couldnt continue to serve as president amid accusations that the students are being inundated with liberal indoctrination.

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The reality is, and its a hard reality and its a sad reality, but the vision that we created together is not the vision I have been given as a mandate here, Okker said.

In remaking the board at New College, the DeSantis administration said the school was completely captured by a political ideology that puts trendy, truth-relative concepts above learning and in need of change following downward enrollment trends. To move on from Okker, trustees agreed to a generous exit package that includes at least 12 months of paid professional development leave and benefits. Corcoran is unable to begin serving until March, leaving Okkers chief of staff Bradley Thiessen in charge until then.

New leadership is the expectation and I think it makes sense, Rufo said at the meeting. I dont think its a condemnation of Dr. Okker, scholarship or skills or character.

DeSantis changes at New College follow other efforts to reshape higher education in Florida. Earlier Tuesday, the GOP governor proposed several changes to Floridas university system, including pressing the GOP-led Legislature to cut all funding for diversity, equity and inclusion programs and to allow university leaders to launch tenure review of professors. Last year, DeSantis and state Republicans placed GOP allies in top university posts and pushed legislation that could limit how professors teach race.

New College is also now set to review its Office of Outreach & Inclusive Excellence at the request of Rufo as part of the states stance against diversity, equity and inclusion programs in schools. Rufo originally pushed to abolish the office outright, including four positions, and take other actions tied to diversity and equity, but decided to request further details on the program for a discussion in February.

New College trustees also want former Senate President Bill Galvano to serve as their general counsel and attorney. They asked the interim president on Tuesday to enter negotiations with the former Republican lawmaker who practices law in Sarasota.

Tuesdays meeting was tense at times, with audience members frequently shouting over and at the new trustees as they spoke. Several parents and students addressed the board before they huddled, often criticizing their plans to retool the university and asking them to leave the college alone.

Some faculty said students felt hopeless about what could happen at the school, which is a unique college of under 700 undergraduates where students craft personalized education plans and dont receive letter grades.

Many students came here to feel safe and access the education that is their right as Floridians, Diego Villada, Assistant Professor of Theater and Performance Studies, told the board. And the impulse to make this a place where race, intersectionality and DEI are banned indicates to them that you want everyone to be the same  to be like you.

Trustees, though, made it clear that the New College overhaul is fully underway, a message that came the same day DeSantis pledged to invest millions of dollars into recruiting faculty to the school.

The campus needs a deep culture change. You sat up here, you called us racists, sexists, bigots, outsiders, said trustee Mark Bauerlein, professor emeritus of English at Emory University who was appointed by DeSantis. We are now in a position of authority in the college. And the accusations are telling us that something is wrong here.
A construction worker found dead inside of a newly constructed house in southeast Texas was a victim of assault, according to police.

The womans body was discovered around 5 p.m. on Jan. 31 inside a home in a new housing development in La Marque, the police department said in a news release.

A property manager found the woman and called 911, The Daily News reported. The house, like most of the neighborhood, was otherwise empty.

The woman was assaulted, police said, and her death is being investigated as a homicide.

She worked in construction and was in the area for her job, police told TV station KTRK.

At this time, the investigation is active and developing. No suspect information is available for public release, police said.

Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact La Marque police at 409-938-9251.

La Marque is 38 miles southeast of downtown Houston.

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When the gunshots went off, Lisa Walker had just walked back into her room at Motel 6 in Bay St. Louis.

I am the last one that saw the cops alive, and that hurts, Walker said. I cant get that out of my head.

Walker and her fiance, John Hunter, were staying in a room two doors down from the room Coast veterinarian Amy Brogdon Anderson had checked into the same morning she would go on to shoot and kill Bay St. Louis police Sgt. Steven Robin, 34, and officer Branden Estorffe, 23.

Estorffe shot and killed Anderson before he fell to the ground with fatal injuries on the morning of Dec. 14.

The Sun Herald spent weeks interviewing witnesses and talking to authorities and relatives of the deceased to provide a detailed look at the crime, the failed attempts by Andersons family to get authorities to take action against her over her deteriorating mental health and the lasting impact the killings have had on those at the scene of the shooting.

An investigator photographs inside a Toyota that Amy Borgdon Anderson was driving parked outside the Motel 6 in Bay St. Louis on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022.

Robin and Estorffe had gone to the motel after Anderson called the front desk clerk, River Potter, to ask him to call the police because she thought someone was following her in a white pickup truck.

When Potter checked Anderson in around 2:30 a.m., he said she walked in with her little girl and one of her dogs and was joking around about nothing in particular. Anderson had stayed at the hotel  about an hour from her home in Ocean Springs  in the past.

She seemed normal, Potter said, but an hour later a frantic Anderson called him to ask that he check the cameras to see if someone in a white pickup truck was following her.

There was a white pickup truck that checked in after her, but they were from another state and it didnt seem related, he said. I checked the cameras and didnt see any trucks following her.

Anderson asked him to call the police, and he did.

I called the dispatch line, Potter said. I didnt call 911 because I didnt think we needed all the emergency services there. So, basically it was a wellness check.

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Soon, everything changed.

The couple and staff at the Highway 90 motel havent been the same since the deadly shooting.

The motels manager, Tiffany Scheid , went back to work for a week or so but then left the job because of the memories of what happened there.

The front desk clerk hasnt been able to sleep since the shooting.

Guilt is a big part of it, Potter said.

Walker and Hunter cant get the images out of their heads of the dead and dying, and the time they spent sheltering Andersons little blood-splattered child in their room after the shooting ended. The 8-year-old was in the passenger seat of Andersons SUV at the time of the shooting.

Tiffany Scheid, who was the manager at Motel 6 in Bay St. Louis on Dec. 14 when two police officers were shot and killed in the parking lot, stands in the doorway of the room the perpetrator  a veterinarian named Amy Brogdon Anderson  had rented the night of the shooting. Scheid said she has struggled with her mental health since the shooting, as she knew both of the officers  Sgt. Steven Robin and Branden Estorffe  and has since quit working at the motel.

You arent going to hurt me, are you?

For the couple, the nightmare started after Walker walked outside their room to smoke a cigarette. She saw the two police officers and Anderson in her SUV with the door open. Robin was standing nearby.

Anderson had just shoved a pet carrier she had with her in the back of her Toyota Highlander and was about to leave.

She just seemed like a normal person at the time, Walker said. I thought maybe she had just got evicted ... and she had just packed her car.

Walker went back into her room when she overheard the officer (Robin) tell her (Anderson) she couldnt leave until they finished their investigation.

I wasnt even in the door good, and thats when the shots went off, Walker said. There was no yelling. The cops had just been talking to each other and talking to her. They (the police officers) didnt raise their voices. They didnt get mad at nobody.

Anderson shot Robin in the jaw while he was standing next to the open door. He died instantly. Estorffe was a distance away on the phone with Child Protective Services to get them there over concerns for the childs safety in her mothers care, according to authorities. .

Estorffe grabbed his gun from his holster and started running toward the drivers side of the SUV, when Anderson fired another shot, hitting him in the upper left arm before he got off two rounds, fatally wounding Anderson as she fired one last round that hit Estorffe in his head, ultimately causing his death, authorities confirmed.

From left, Sgt. Steven Robin and officer Branden Estorffe were killed in the line of duty Wednesday morning when they responded to a call at Motel 6.

Two men from Louisiana staying in a room directly above the shooting scene said they were about to get up for work when they heard gunfire and a woman, believed to be Anderson scream, Get off me, get off me.

After the gunfire ended, the two men walked out on the balcony and looked downstairs. They saw the two police officers, and Anderson in the car along with at least two of her dogs inside.

Estorffe was bleeding, but still breathing.

Soon after the older couple saw Andersons little girl in her blood-soaked checkered flannel pajamas wandering around outside by their room near her mothers car.

The couple reached out to her to come to them.

You are not going to hurt me, are you? the little girl asked Walker.  Mamma said people are looking for us, that they are going to kill us.

The Sun Herald reached out to authorities to confirm the information the child shared prior to publication.

Amy Brogdon Anderson

Mamma told me to give her the gun

Once the couple got the child in the room, Hunter wiped some blood out of her eyes but left the rest because he thought police might need to do a forensic test as part of their investigation.

The girl kept asking if the couple and an adult daughter who was with them planned to hurt her.

They reassured the little girl that they had no intention of hurting her.

We didnt know what was going to happen next, Hunter said. We wanted to protect the little girl.

After a minute or so, the child started talking.

The couple asked her what had happened and recounted the conversation.

Mom told me to give her the gun, and I gave it to her, the little girl told the couple. My mamma shot the cops, and my mamma got shot, but shes still got her eyes open, and shes still breathing.

The child kept asking the couple if her mom was going to be OK.

We told her we didnt know, that wed have to wait until the police came, Walker said.

After police and firefighters started to swarm the scene, the couple walked outside their door to let authorities know they had Andersons little girl.

She was a little upset, but she wasnt crying, he said. She had a good grip about what was going on.

Hunter said his familys main goal was to comfort the girl until help arrived.

I put my arm around her, he said. I told her, Stay strong, stay strong baby girl. It hurt. I knew she was about to go through hell.

A paramedic soon came and gave the little girl a bottle of water and tried to comfort her.

A firefighter walked down shortly after that and started wiping the blood off the child.

Soon after, someone from Child Protective Services showed up and took the little girl away.

Ill never get over it, Walker said. My prayers go out to all the families.

Living with the loss

For Scheid and the others at the motel, the horror of what happened there is a memory that likely will never fade.

I just cant be here, she said. Its too hard. I just cant, I cant stop seeing what I saw.

Scheid knew Estorffes father, veteran law enforcement officer Ian Estorffe, long before the killings because she had gone to him 13 or 14 years earlier for help to overcome a bad situation.

Though Scheid wasnt there when the shooting occurred, she saw all the camera footage of what happened when she downloaded the motel footage for authorities.

For Potter, its hard knowing he made the call for police to come to the motel. He was also among the last to talk to Robin before the shooting.

My last conversation with Robin was in the office that morning,  he said. He was really concerned for them at the time. He asked me, What can we do to find out if she is being followed? He was trying to help.

Potter showed Robin all of their camera footage from the time Anderson arrived at the motel around 2:30 a.m. because Robin was determined to check out Andersons concerns instead of brushing them off.

He told me she (Anderson) seemed very distressed, and he wanted to help, Potter said. He was concerned about her well-being and that of the little girl. And then he walked out.

Robin and Branden Estorffe spent about 40 minutes talking to Anderson and the child in and outside their motel room before the fatal shooting.

That kinda stuff, you cant shake from your mind, Potter said. Everything just kinda pops up in my head. Mostly, I feel bad for that little girl because she had to witness all of that.

Some things have changed at the motel since the shooting.

The front office door remains locked at night.

And Potter, still overcome by what he describes as survivors guilt, said he isnt doing what he did for Anderson in the future.

I am apprehensive about calling the police, so when guests ask me to call now, I just tell them if they are able to call me at the front desk, they can call the cops themselves, Potter said.

Motel 6 manager Tiffany Scheid is reflected in a mirror in the motel room that was rented by Amy Brogdon Anderson the night Anderson shot and killed Bay St. Louis officers Sgt. Steven Robin and Branden Estorffe.

After the shootings, the motel staff locked up the door to the room where Anderson and the little girl had checked in before the shooting. When they finally returned to clean it, they said it looked as if it had not been used.

An empty candy wrapper sat on a table, and a small indention in the bedspread suggested someone might have sat on it for a time. Other than that, some pet carries Anderson left behind remained.

I dont think they ever used it, Scheid said.

Since the shootings, the staff has mostly kept quiet about what happened there, and they dont intend to discuss it more.

It seemed like we had no right to say anything, that it would be disrespectful, Scheid said.

For the family and friends of the police officers involved, the memories of that day will live on forever.

It has changed our lives forever, Ian Estorffe said. But there is one thing I will continue to lean on, and that is knowing that Brandens actions and his bravery saved lives. Branden was able to stop the threat, and she (Anderson) wasnt able to hurt anybody else because of him.
A Northern Kentucky man pardoned by former Gov. Matt Bevin in 2019 was sentenced to five years in prison Tuesday, according to the Kenton County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office.

In November, a Kenton County jury found Johiem Bandy, 20, of Covington, guilty of strangulation, domestic violence assault and criminal mischief.

The trial lasted two days. Kenton County Commonwealth's Attorney Rob Sanders said the jury deliberated for 45 minutes before finding him guilty and took another five minutes to recommend a five-year prison sentence.

A criminal complaint filed in Kenton County says Bandy choked and assaulted a woman, with whom he'd previously been in a relationship, in a dispute over money in April of last year.

Bandy went to the woman's home and threatened to "shoot this place up" if she didn't let him in, the complaint states, adding that once inside, Bandy choked her with both hands, slapped her in the face, threw punches and "grabbed her by the hair...and began striking her in the face and head" after he chased her outside.

A neighbor observed part of the incident and called the police. The woman told officers Bandy has a history of aggressive behavior and that he's known to carry a gun.

Bandy was pardoned and released in 2019

In 2017, Bandy was 15 years old when he was sentenced to 13 years for robbery and assault, according to court documents. Sanders said, in that case, Bandy shot a man in the chest. Bandy would have had to serve 11 years of that sentence before he was eligible for parole, but instead served roughly two years before he was pardoned and released in 2019.

Sanders has said if not for Bevin's pardon, Bandy would have still been behind bars for his 2017 conviction.

"Johiem Bandy made some unwise decisions as a young teenager. Since then, he has done all that has been asked of him and is turning his life around," the pardon reads. "I am confident that he will do great things with his life."

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Bandy's pardon was one of hundreds of pardons and commutations issued by Bevin during his final days in office.

Other beneficiaries included a convicted killer whose family hosted a campaign fundraiser for Bevin, an offender convicted of raping a child, another who hired a hit man to kill his business partner and a fourth who killed his parents, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.

Bandy still facing other charges

Bandy is facing strangulation and assault charges in two other cases, according to prosecutors. His next trial is scheduled for Feb. 28 and another case is still pending, Sanders said.

Another victim, identified in court documents as the mother of Bandy's child, told Covington police officers Bandy "pinned her against the wall, placing his hands around her neck, and restricting her ability to breathe," a criminal complaint reads.

Bandy is also accused of breaking into a woman's house, where he assaulted and strangled her before she shot him with his own gun, Sanders said. The prosecutor added the woman fired in self-defense.

"Obviously the former governor was very wrong," Sanders previously told The Enquirer. "Bandy hasnt turned his life around."

Cameron Knight contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: NKY man pardoned by Bevin gets five years for strangulation, assault
BOSTON (AP)  The founder of a cryptocurrency and virtual payment services company who authorities say cheated dozens of investors out of about $7.5 million, which he used to buy a house, cars, jewelry, and other luxuries, has been sentenced to more than eight years in prison.

Randall Crater, 52, founded Las Vegas-based My Big Coin Pay Inc. in 2013, offering virtual payment services through a fraudulent digital currency, My Big Coin, from 2014 to 2017, the U.S. attorney's office in Boston said in a statement on Tuesday.

Crater and associates he paid to promote the scheme through social media, email and text messages, said the coins were a fully functioning cryptocurrency backed by gold; that the company had a partnership with MasterCard; and that the currency could be exchanged for government-backed currency or other virtual currencies, none of which was true, prosecutors said.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission alleged that My Big Coin was a fraud in January 2018.

Crater's 55 victims had to delay retirement, lost tuition money, and suffered other financial hardships, Joseph Bonavolonta, head of the FBI's Boston office, said in a statement.

Spreading outright lies, Randall Crater defrauded dozens of victims out of more than $7.5 million, convincing them their cryptocurrency investments were backed by gold when in reality their hard-earned money went to funding his lavish lifestyle, he said.

A federal jury convicted Crater in July of wire fraud, unlawful monetary transactions, and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.

In addition to eight years and four months behind bars, Crater, of Lake Mary, Florida, was sentenced to three years of probation, ordered to forfeit more than $7.5 million, and pay restitution of an amount to be determined.
Crystal will relaunch with two of Crystal Cruises' former ships, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity.

Crystal Cruises is back with a new name and a new look.

After suspending operations last year, the cruise line is relaunching as Crystal and will set sail again on July 31, the brand said Wednesday.

The A&K Travel Group, which owns the luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent, acquired the Crystal Cruises brand last year along with its Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity ships, which have been refurbished with larger suites and revamped amenities.

"I am delighted to announce that Crystal is reborn, with Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony reimagined and enhancements made to every part of our guests' journey," Crystal president Jack Anderson said in a news release.

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Crystal Cruises reportedly shut down at least its U.S. operations last year after an arrest warrant had been issued for the Crystal Symphony because of unpaid fuel bills. The cruise line had previously suspended sailings for several months after its parent company, Genting Hong Kong, declared bankruptcy in January 2022.

Royal Caribbean Group also acquired another former Crystal Cruises ship, Crystal Endeavor, which joined the Silversea Cruises fleet as Silver Endeavour.

The relaunched line's ships have been refurbished.

Where will Crystal sail?

With the tagline, "Exceptional at Sea," Crystal will sail to destinations around the world, including the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Alaska, Canada and New England and more.

The relaunched line's first sailing on July 31 will be a 12-night voyage from Marseille, France, to Lisbon, Portugal, on Crystal Serenity.

What can guests expect from Crystal?

Travelers can expect larger accommodations and upgraded features on board.

"Palatial suites, spacious verandas and guest rooms have been rolled out on both ships, reducing overall guest capacity," Anderson said in the release. "Personalized service  long a Crystal signature  has been elevated further."

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Anderson said the line's eateries  there are nine on each ship  would serve "authentic food from around the globe," while Abercrombie & Kent's local experts would offer destination-specific experiences.

The ships will also have updated spas and gyms.

The revamped ships feature more spacious suites.

How much does a Crystal cruise cost?

A nine-night voyage from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Miami departing Nov. 23 starts at $3,800 per guest based on double occupancy, according to the line's website, but prices vary by cruise and room category, and include food and drinks on board.

Bookings open Wednesday for travel advisors and travelers who have made $500 open deposits. Other past passengers can book a cruise starting on Feb. 13, and bookings will open to the general public Feb. 22.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Crystal Cruises relaunches with new name, look
A New Haven man was sentenced Tuesday to 120 years in prison, more than three decades after he brutally murdered a father and son in their home in Hamden, officials said.

Willie McFarland, of New Haven, appeared in court in New Haven Tuesday and was sentenced to 120 years behind bars by Judge Elpedio N. Vitale, who described McFarlands crimes as having a demonic level of violence and terror, according to the Division of Criminal Justice.

McFarland was found guilty in November of the murders of Fred Harris, 59, and his son, Greg Harris, 23, who were found nearly decapitated inside their home in Hamden on Aug. 27, 1987, records show.

Vitale, who called McFarland, an unqualified menace to society sentenced the 55-year-old to 60 years in prison for each murder, to run consecutively, officials said.

McFarland confessed to the Harris murders more than 20 years ago while he was in prison for a sexual assault conviction, but investigators lacked enough crime scene evidence at the time to charge him in connection to the slayings.

Although investigators knew for years who was responsible for the father and sons slayings, his arrest didnt come until 2019 when new and more advanced DNA testing confirmed that McFarland was at the scene of the crime on the night of the killings, explaining why he knew intimate, never released details about the crimes, according to court records and police officials.

At the time of their deaths, both men had been bound with telephone wires and had their throats slit, a violent scene that investigators said stays with them to this day.

They were also both stabbed and Greg Harris had been violently sexually assaulted, records show. The killer, records show, wore yellow gloves and tried to clean some parts of the home and the knife he used.

McFarland has a criminal record, with charges including sexual assault, assault, having a weapon in an institution and escaping from custody, records show.

McFarland eventually told investigators that he had gone to Harris home under the guise of needing a knife to cut a rope off of his car, but he turned the knife on the father and son and forced himself inside their home. Then, he tied them up and interrogated them before killing them.

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Police records show that his goal was to rob them of cash or a gun he mistakenly believed were in their house.

Investigators for years tried applying for warrants to arrest McFarland for the murders, but lacked enough evidence. McFarland at one point needed to be physically restrained while in custody in order to obtain his DNA, records show.

States Attorney John P. Doyle, Jr. said in a statement after the verdict that a jury finding him guilty was the result of a 35-year quest by dedicated investigators and prosecutors who never gave up their search for justice for the victims of these horrendous crimes.

McFarland has been in custody since August 2020 and has been held at the Cheshire Correctional Institute, according to the Department of Correction.
PRAGUE (Reuters) -Czech lower house of parliament speaker Marketa Pekarova Adamova on Wednesday assured Taiwan of her country's support for partner states who respect human rights and liberal democracy, ahead of a visit to Taipei planned for March.

The Czechs have been intensifying relations with the self-ruled island, which giant neighbour China claims as its own, and President-elect Petr Pavel spoke with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen on Monday, drawing a sharp rebuke from Beijing.

Pekarova in turn spoke on Wednesday with Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu.

"I assured the minister that systematic support of partners who respect human rights and the principles of liberal democracy belongs among priorities of our parliamentary diplomacy," she said in a statement issued through her spokesman.

Pekarova plans to travel to Taiwan with a delegation of businessmen and representatives of educational and scientific institutions.

The pro-Taiwan stance by Pavel marks a turnaround from President Milos Zeman, who retires in March and who favoured building closer relations with Beijing.

The Czech Republic does not have diplomatic relations with the island, whose democratically elected government strongly disputes China's territorial claims over it, but the legislature and the centre-right government have been strengthening economic and cultural ties.

Most countries avoid high-level public interactions with Taiwan and its president, not wishing to provoke China, the world's second largest economy.

Wu said in the call he was happy to see Taiwan-Czech exchanges and cooperation in various fields continue to develop and deepen, Taiwan's foreign ministry said in a statement.

"The Czech Republic is not afraid of the coercion of authoritarian regimes, adheres to the values of freedom, democracy and respect for human rights, and continues to enhance our bilateral friendship, which is deeply admired and respected by the people of Taiwan," the statement paraphrased Wu as saying on the call.

(Reporting by Jan Lopatka and Robert Muller, additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei; editing by John Stonestreet and Nick Macfie)
(Bloomberg) -- The speaker of Czech parliament said she will visit Taiwan, a day after China lashed out at the nations president elect for saying he favored a stronger partnership with Taiwan.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Marketa Pekarova Adamova said she talked to Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu on Wednesday about her visit planned for March.

Just a day earlier, China called comments made by incoming President Petr Pavel, a serious interference in its affairs. The new president elect, a former top NATO military official, spoke with Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen earlier this week.

China Blasts Incoming Czech Leader for Seeking Taiwan Ties

China views Taiwan as part of its territory, and President Xi Jinping has pledged to bring the democratically run island under its control, by force if necessary.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Thursday at a regular press briefing in Beijing that Taiwan was Chinas internal affair, and that certain Czech politicians should reverse their decision.

Pekarova Adamova said she assured Taiwans foreign minister that a systematic support of partners, who respect human rights and the principles of liberal democracy, are among the priorities of our parliamentary democracy.

She will also visit South Korea as part of her tour of Asia, adding on Twitter that Taiwan is an important partner in the field of technology and the trip offers an opportunity for deeper economic cooperation.

Pavel will take over as president from Milos Zeman, one of the European Unions strongest advocates for closer economic ties with Beijing.

--With assistance from Krystof Chamonikolas and Colum Murphy.

(Updates with comment from Chinas Foreign Ministry.)

Story continues

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PRAGUE (AP)  The Czech Republic's government will end checks on the country's border with Slovakia that were renewed last year amid a new increase in migration, officials said Wednesday.

The measure has been in place since Sept. 29 at 27 border crossings between the two European Union countries, which belong to the visa-free Schengen zone. It was initially supposed to last for 10 days.

The authorities will stop carrying out the checks on Sunday after more than four months.

The Czech Interior Ministry argued at the time that the border controls were necessary after authorities detained nearly 12,000 migrants on Czech territory last year, most of them from Syria. That was more than during Europe's migration crisis of 2015.

Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said that about 400 migrants were detained on a daily basis in September.

The numbers have significantly dropped, Rakusan said Wednesday.

The ministry said that more than 3 million people have been checked, with 2,545 being denied entry. Around 10,000 migrants and 141 suspected human smugglers were detained.

The ministry said that the refugees have been using the Czech Republic as a transit country on their way to countries further west.

Schengen countries have adopted temporary border controls in the past for various reasons, including to curb illegal migration and to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

___

Follow all AP stories on migration at https://apnews.com/hub/migration
Mary Ma on Monday burns incense to honor her father, Ming Wei Ma, longtime manager of Star Ballroom Dance Studio, at a memorial for him and 10 other shooting victims. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Mary Ma holds three lighted incense sticks in front of the almost life-size photo of her father displayed outside Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park.

She has been in this parking lot, walked by this exact spot, dozens of times  but never like this.

Behind piles of flowers, cards and candles left for Ming Wei Ma, the beloved manager and longtime leader of the dance hall, Mary quietly talks to her dad, telling him he no longer has to worry. Then she pours some of his favorite Chinese liquor on the asphalt and lights him a cigarette  his preferred brand  as an offering before the makeshift altar memorializing the mass shooting victims.

She bows three times.

"I just want him to know that I'm in good hands," the 27-year-old said. "I do have the support system that I need to get through this, slowly."

Ming Wei Ma, 72, was one of 11 people killed Jan. 21 at the studio when a gunman opened fire during a Lunar New Year celebration. Until his last days, Ma lived selflessly, helping lift up those around him, Mary said.

He was always there for me, he was always there for my brother, he was always there for the family," she said. "He was always there for the community.

That's why she's determined to carry on his legacy, hoping to eventually reopen the dance hall that came to define his later years.

My dad always believed that theres always good in the world and this community. ... We can't let the bad take over, she said. Hes not the type of guy that would give up because one bad thing happened."

Ming Wei Ma had been a pillar at the community-driven dance hall on West Garvey Avenue, a lifelong performer, respected employee and, at one time, part owner. Patrons and fellow dancers said he was known affectionately as "Mr. Ma," often walking guests to their cars at night or cheering on new dancers.

But for Mary, who works in marketing, he was dad  or  (lou dau) in Cantonese. He helped her reach her goals, said "I love you" at night and always knew someone at any spot across the San Gabriel Valley where they went to eat or shop.

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"He's always going to be in my heart," she said. Ma is survived also by his son, Ray Ma, and grandson, Isaac Ma.

Since the shooting, the studio Ma helped run for more than 15 years has been closed. It once drew Chinese, Taiwanese, Vietnamese and Filipino dance fans from the Asian American enclave just east of downtown Los Angeles, as well as others from across the Southern California immigrant diaspora who were interested in classes or competitions.

Through the years, Mary said, she saw how Star Ballroom Dance Studio provided a place of reprieve and joy for many  in particular, for people like her father: older immigrants who didn't speak English, trying to find their place in America.

You cant just shut down a business like that, with so much hope, so much tradition," she said. "Thats going to be my goal in the future  to keep this place running.

Ming Wei Ma never learned English in his almost 20 years in Monterey Park, his daughter said, but he was able to build a rich and fulfilling social life, especially at the dance hall.

She's not sure how long it will take for her or the community to move forward, but she's steadfast in bringing back the studio her father helped foster.

"Once were ready, once Im ready  I want to be able to have that chance to keep that running, because I know thats what he would want to see," she said. "He felt like home at the studio, with a lot of people just like him.  Its a place where they found warmth and support from the community; its where they gathered together.

She said her father often planned cultural events at the studio, spotlighting Chinese traditions and musical groups, drawing diverse crowds and expanding people's worldviews. She remembers people driving up from Irvine and elsewhere, just to spend a few hours at the dance hall.

It brought people together  thats what he strived to do," she said.

And that's how she wants to remember her father  not by his final moments. She hasn't looked into reports that he tried to stop the shooter that tragic night, because she knows it won't change how he should be remembered.

In the end, hes still a hero," she said. Helping build and run the dance studio was a daily act of heroism, she added.

The place wasnt making a lot of money," she said. "Him and [current owner] Maria kept it going because they believe its a place of good."

Ming Wei Ma was originally from Wuhan, China, his daughter said, and moved to Guangzhou as a young man. He always loved to dance, performing on a popular team in China for some time but later becoming a businessman to provide for his family.

For a while, he went back and forth between the U.S. and China, but about 20 years ago, he settled permanently in Southern California to be with his daughter. He later became a U.S. citizen, she said.

It was in Monterey Park that Ma got back into dancing, helping to form the community that found a home at Star Ballroom Dance Studio.

"My dad always loved dancing," she said, adding that he also stayed active playing badminton, tennis and golf. "He just really enjoyed life.

Mary never got into dance but would attend karaoke nights at the studio with friends. When she got into marketing, her dad gave her business advice and even helped her get internships.

Mary Ma lights incense to honor her father. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

"My father was really supportive of what I wanted to do," she said. He never really forced me to do anything.  He just wanted me to be happy and healthy.

In the last few days, it has been hard for her to do much of anything without being reminded of her dad  passing certain restaurants, seeing spiffy dress shirts, even finding his Costco membership card.

But she knows he would want her to be strong, so she's keeping a favorite Chinese saying close to her heart:   which translates loosely to "Cherish the people in front of you."

Thats how I feel. I will cherish the memories and the stories I have with him in my heart," she said. "Hopefully, one day, when I meet him in the afterlife, hes able to tell me hes proud.

Staff writer Summer Lin contributed to this report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Russias refusal to engage with the U.S. on resuming nuclear arms inspections has taken another worrying turn, with the State Department telling Congress that Moscow is in noncompliance.

Weve got the breakdown of the State Department report and what Russia has said about the nuclear treaty.



Plus: The details on a strengthening alliance between the U.S. and South Korea and Ukraines top prosecutor pushing for the prosecution of Russian war crimes.

This is Defense & National Security, your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. For The Hill, Im Brad Dress.

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US: Russia in noncompliance with nuclear treaty

The State Department accused Russia of not complying with the New START Treaty obligations, including a failure to resume on-site inspections of nuclear arms and a refusal to meet and discuss the treaty.

The New START Treaty permits both the U.S. and Russia to conduct inspections of each others nuclear weapons, but those were paused during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A November meeting in Egypt called the Bilateral Consultative Commission to restart inspections was postponed by Russia and has yet to be resumed by Moscow.

Violations: The State Department has raised concerns before but is now officially accusing Russia of violating the treaty, making the accusation in a report to Congress.

But the State Department says Russia has a clear path for returning to full compliance.



All Russia needs to do is allow inspection activities on its territory, just as it did for years under the New START Treaty, and meet in a session of the Bilateral Consultative Commission, a spokesperson told The Hill. There is nothing preventing Russian inspectors from traveling to the United States and conducting inspections.

Nuclear threats: Russian President Vladimir Putin and his allies have repeatedly threatened the use of nuclear weapons amid numerous setbacks for his army in the war in Ukraine.

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Last fall, Putin even said the nuclear weapon threats were not a bluff.

The situation has grown so dire that the Doomsday clock has inched to just 90 seconds to midnight  for the first time ever.

Congressional blowback: After receiving the report, Republican lawmakers quickly condemned Russia for the violations.

GOP Sens. Roger Wicker (Miss.) and Deb Fischer (Neb.), as well as House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) and Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), said Russia must be held accountable for the violations.

We urge President Biden to direct the Department of Defense to prepare for a future where Russia may deploy large numbers of warheads, well in excess of New START Treaty limits, they said in a joint statement.

Read the full story here.

Ukraines top prosecutor rallying US on legal battle

Kyivs top law enforcement official, Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin, wants to punish Russia in the courtroom for war crimes.

The instruments of delivering justice should be as strong as weapons we receive in order to fight for our independence, Kostin told The Hill after Western allies announced tanks for Ukraine.

The push for a special tribunal: Ukraine is pushing to prosecute the tens of thousands of Russian war crimes through an international court.

Kyiv also wants to establish a special tribunal to hold Russian President Vladimir Putin to account for invading last February.

Kostin is in Washington this week to meet with Attorney General Merrick Garland and other administration officials to support legal accountability against Russia. Biden administration officials have said they are engaging in conversations with Ukraine.

An enormous challenge: The number of war crimes is expected to increase as the war drags on, and Ukraines Office of the Prosecutor General is already investigating at least 67,000 documented cases.

Among the crimes are 155 identified cases of sexual violence and the abduction of Ukrainian children, with an estimated 15,000 deported to Russia.



Some cases are already in court, Kostin said, even if in absentia.



If we are talking about for the sake of justice for the survivors, its important for them to know that this case goes to court, he said.

Read more here.

US to send more weapons, up drills in South Korea

The U.S. is bolstering its alliance with South Korea amid increasing tensions with North Korea in the Indo-Pacific region.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin forged an agreement with his South Korean counterpart, Lee Jong-sup, to increase the scope and size of live training drills to deter North Korean aggression.

At a Tuesday press conference, Austin said the announcements show our unwavering commitment to maintaining peace on the Korean Peninsula in the past 70 years.



As we look toward the next 70 years, well continue working toward our vision of a stable and secure Korean Peninsula, he said.

More planes and drills: The two countries have also pledged to deploy more U.S. strategic assets, with Austin saying to expect more fifth-generation aircraft like the F-35 in South Korea.

Expanded joint military drills are also expected, including for this year. The two nations agreed to bolster the exercises after finding they served as an effective deterrence against North Korea.



The military exercises were continued last year after a hiatus following the pandemic and former President Trumps negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

North Korean aggression: North Korea fired a record number of missile tests last year, including several intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Those have alarmed not only South Korea but also Japan, which is on pace to boost its defense budget and is now seeking offensive weapons and military equipment.

Kim has shown no signs of abating his aggression, pushing for an exponential increase of nuclear weapons at the beginning of this year.

Read that story here.

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Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin urged Attorney General Merrick Garland in a letter Tuesday to review Twitter's handling of child exploitation material, calling the Justice Department's failure to address the issue "unacceptable."

"Sadly, Twitter has provided little confidence that it is adequately policing its platform to prevent the online sexual exploitation of children," Durbin, D-Ill., wrote. "This puts children at serious risk."

The letter cites reporting from NBC News that found dozens of Twitter accounts and hundreds of tweets using numerous hashtags to promote the sale of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Some of the tweets were brazen in how they marketed the material, using common terms and abbreviations for CSAM. After the article was published, Twitter said that it was blocking access to several hashtags associated with the posts.

Durbin urged Garland to review public reports about child exploitation on Twitter and consider whether an investigation was warranted.

"I further urge you to consider whether an online platform can be held liable under federal criminal law for failing to take reasonable steps to prevent the foreseeable proliferation of CSAM on its platform, and, if not, to inform the Senate Judiciary Committee whether the Department needs any additional legislative authority to address such criminally negligent behavior," Durbin wrote.

In December, Durbin sent a letter to Twitter CEO Elon Musk raising concerns about child safety on the platform following layoffs and the dissolution of its Trust and Safety Council.

Neither Musk nor Twitter responded publicly to that letter.

Musk has said that he was prioritizing the elimination of child exploitation material from the platform, and criticized Twitter's previous leadership as not doing enough on the issue.

But some child advocates, in addition to Durbin, have raised concerns that Musk's actions at the company could make addressing CSAM on the platform more difficult.

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NBC News has reported that as of early January, around 20 people worked within Twitter's Trust & Safety organization. That is less than half of the group's previous workforce.

If you lay off most of the trust and safety staff, the humans that understand this stuff, and you trust entirely to algorithms and automated detection and reporting means, youre only going to be scratching the surface of the CSAM phenomenon on Twitter, Victoria Baines, an expert on child exploitation crimes who has worked with the U.K.s National Crime Agency, Europol, the European Cybercrime Centre and Facebook, previously told NBC News.

Twitter has pushed back on reporting that it isn't doing enough to promote child safety.

Ella Irwin, Twitters vice president of product overseeing trust and safety, told NBC News this month that the company has "roughly 25% more staffing on this issue/problem space now than the company had at its peak last January" and that it is "improving rapidly and detecting far more than Twitter has detected in a long time, but we are deploying a number of things to continue to improve.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Gov. Ron DeSantis is proposing a record $114.8 billion state budget for 2023-24 that includes a request to spend another $12 million to move migrants from around the country.

DeSantis also wants year-round tax cuts on everyday items, including baby cribs and strollers, pet food and medication and gas stoves, and is proposing pay raises for state workers and prosecutors.

Were doing really, really big things, DeSantis said Wednesday.

The governors budget is just a proposal. The Legislature, which meets in March for its annual 60-day session, ultimately crafts the budget, and the governor can veto parts of it.

And DeSantis budget is likely to change significantly over the next few months. For instance, it doesnt include funding for House Bill 1, a proposal by House GOP leaders that would offer every K-12 student thousands of dollars each year for their families to spend on education, which could amount to billions of dollars.

The governor has not taken a formal position on the idea. When asked about it on Wednesday, he hedged.

We didnt necessarily factor the entire thing, DeSantis said. Im supportive of school choice. ... It depends on how they do it.

The budget also doesnt account for potentially more than 900,000 Floridians leaving the states Medicaid rolls when the federal public health emergency expires.

During the pandemic emergency, the federal government paid states to keep people on Medicaid who may no longer be eligible; in April, the state will begin reviewing the eligibility of the 5.6 million recipients to see if they should be dropped.

A DeSantis staffer said it wasnt accounted for because they dont yet have estimates on how many could leave the rolls.

Tax breaks

The highlight of the budget includes $1.5 billion in sales tax exemptions on a variety of living expenses.

The state would adopt permanent tax exemptions on baby and toddler necessities, such as clothing, baby wipes, strollers and cribs.

Cosmetics and toiletries, such as soap, hairspray and deodorant, would be tax-exempt for one year. So would dental and oral hygiene products and everyday household items under $25, such as laundry detergent, trash bags and tissues.

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Childrens toys, books and athletic equipment would also be tax-exempt for a year. The state would also continue its regular sales tax holidays, such as for back-to-school supplies, disaster preparedness supplies and event tickets.

Its great to see more and more Republicans align with Democratic values of cutting taxes that consumers face, Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, said in a statement.

Gas stoves would also be permanently exempt from sales taxes, a response to a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission official saying a ban on gas stoves could be considered.

They want your gas stove, and were not going to let that happen, DeSantis said. (The commissions chairperson has said that he is not looking to ban gas stoves, and the commission has no proceeding to do so.)

Pet food would also be exempt from taxes for one year, and over-the-counter pet medications would be permanently exempt.

Theyre parts of our families, too, DeSantis said.

More money to move migrants

If lawmakers follow DeSantis budget, state spending will have grown by more than 26% since he took office in 2019.

Since then, state coffers have been boosted by billions of federal COVID relief dollars and better-than-expected sales tax collections, which provide the bulk of the states general revenue. Some of that boost in sales taxes is coming from inflation driving up the cost of everyday items.

DeSantis has also prioritized using millions in state money on hot-button initiatives that have generated national headlines.

Hes asking for another $12 million this year to relocate migrants around the country, continuing the program that spent at least $1.5 million to fly 49 migrants from Texas to Marthas Vineyard in August.

But unlike last years funding, which specified migrants had to be from this state, DeSantis is proposing the migrants be within the United States.

When asked why Floridians should pay to relocate migrants in other states, DeSantis said the program has had a deterrent effect on migration to Florida. His staff did not respond when asked what evidence DeSantis had for the claim.

DeSantis also wants to nearly triple the size of his Office of Election Crimes and Security, from 15 to 42 positions. The office made headlines last year when it arrested 20 people who were ineligible to vote in 2020; videos showed several of them were confused about why they were being arrested.

The governor also wants a big boost in funding for the newly reactivated State Guard, from a $10 million budget to nearly $100 million.

Raises for state workers and teachers

In a first for one of DeSantis budget announcements, about 100 state employees were in attendance in the Capitol. A DeSantis staffer in the room asked them to be high energy and clap when DeSantis made announcements; they obliged.

Under the governors plan, all state employees would see a 5% pay raise, after seeing a 5% bump last year. Statewide jobs that are considered hard to hire, such as accountants and auditors, would also receive an average 10% increase in pay.

Certain employees in the state court system would see additional raises, including prosecutors, court reporters and court interpreters.

DeSantis proposal would put forward $107.2 million to raise base salaries for correctional officers and probation officers from $20 to $23 an hour, in an attempt to combat a longstanding staffing problem in Floridas prison system. The proposal also includes retention pay increases of $1,000 for two years of service, $500 at five years and $1,000 at eight years for corrections and probation officers.

Tammy Marcus, president of the Correctional Probation Officers chapter of the Florida Police Benevolent Association, said shes grateful to see raises but said the plan doesnt account for longtime staff.

I get it, theyve got to raise the pay to attract good quality people, she said. But at the same time you cant forget about the veterans that have been working at the agency for all these years, keeping the agency afloat during all the staffing issues.

DeSantis is also proposing an additional $200 million to boost teacher pay. That would work out to about $20 per week, according to the Florida Education Association, which represents teachers.

An approximately $20 per week increase will do little for many teachers who are struggling, association President Andrew Spar said in a statement.

Tampa Bay Times staff writer Jeffrey S. Solochek contributed to this report.
Gov. Ron DeSantis is expecting there to be a special legislative session next week on the future of Walt Disney Worlds Reedy Creek Improvement District.

STORY: Brevard Fire Rescue show CPR training with Jaguars player who lost father to cardiac arrest

DeSantis Press Secretary released a statement Tuesday evening confirming the Governor anticipates a special session next week on Reedy Creek and other items.

The Governors Office did not say what the other items included.

.@GovRonDeSantiss press office confirms it anticipates a special session will be coming next week to address Reedy Creek among other items @WFTV  Chantelle Navarro (@CNavarroWFTV) February 1, 2023

In 1967, Florida Gov. Claude Kirk signed into law the legislation creating Disneys Reedy Creek Improvement District.

In early 2021, Disney got caught up in the fight over Floridas Parental Rights in Education law, commonly known as Dont Say Gay.

STORY: Police: Woman found dead next to car with her toddler inside sleeping in Florida

When then-CEO Bob Chapek finally spoke out against the legislation, DeSantis pushed lawmakers to end the existence of Reedy Creek, and in April of 2022, signed into law the legislation abolishing the Reedy Creek Improvement District. Now, the state must decide what to do next.

DeSantis has previously said he wants Disney to be responsible for their outstanding debt and pay their fair share of taxes.

Reedy Creek currently has about $1 billion in outstanding bonds. According to state law, if the district goes away in June of 2023 without a replacement, the obligation to service those bonds will fall on the taxpayers of Orange and Osceola counties.

STORY: Tom Brady: Im retiring for good

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So far, no Reedy Creek bill has been filed.

A public notice filed on the Osceola County website states that there is an intent to seek legislation before the Florida Legislature during a regular, extended, or special session related to the future of the eventual dissolution of Reedy Creek.

CLICK HERE for the original WFTV article.

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ATLANTA (AP)  In the wake of the shooting death of an environmental activist, Atlanta-area officials reiterated Tuesday that they are moving forward with plans to construct a huge police and firefighter training center that protesters derisively refer to as Cop City.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens held a news conference to announce that the city had signed a memorandum of understanding with DeKalb County to build the $90 million Atlanta Public Safety Training Center. He also said officials have pledged to enact certain environmental protections after consulting with a community advisory committee.

It was one of officials' most full-throated defenses of a plan that has faced consistent pushback from both locals and out-of-state leftist activists, some of whom moved into the South River Forest over a year ago and built platforms in surrounding trees. Self-described forest defenders say the project involves cutting down so many trees that it would be environmentally damaging. They also oppose investing so much money in a project which they say will be used to practice urban warfare.

Dickens emphasized that the facilities will be built on a site that was cleared decades ago for a former state prison farm. He said the tract is filled with rubble and overgrown with invasive species, not hardwood trees. The mayor also said that while the facility will be built on an 85-acre site, about 300 other acres would be preserved as a public greenspace.

"This is Atlanta, and we know forests. This facility would not be built over a forest, Dickens said.

Outside City Hall, a few dozen protesters gathered to oppose the project, chanting, We don't want your compromise! Stop Cop City!

The news conference came nearly two weeks after the death of an activist known as Tortuguita, who was killed by authorities after officials said the 26-year-old shot a state trooper. Authorities said they fired in self-defense, but protesters have said they do not believe the police narrative, noting the lack of body camera footage from the Jan. 18 shooting.

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The fatal shooting of Tortuguita, whose given name was Manuel Esteban Paez Teran, prompted a large Jan. 21 demonstration in downtown Atlanta that erupted into violence as a masked contingent lit a police cruiser on fire, threw rocks and launched fireworks at a skyscraper that houses the Atlanta Police Foundation, shattering windows. No injuries were reported, but six people were arrested that night and charged with domestic terrorism.

Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum and Fire Chief Roderick Smith argued in favor of the project Tuesday, saying it would replace substandard offerings and boost morale, especially as the police department has struggled with hiring and retention.

In addition to classrooms and administration buildings, the training center would include a shooting range, a driving course to practice chases and a burn building for firefighters to work on putting out fires. A mock village featuring a fake home, convenience store and nightclub would also be built for authorities to rehearse raids.

Officials on Tuesday did not say when they expect construction to begin, but Schierbaum said he does not believe there are currently any activists still camping out at the site.

The training center was approved by the City Council in 2021 after 17 hours of public comments  the majority of which were in opposition to the project. Some locals cited noise concerns, while others said the planned destruction of nature significantly undermines the citys efforts to preserve its famed tree canopy and would exacerbate local flooding risks.

Many activists also oppose spending so much money on a police facility that would be surrounded by poor, majority-Black neighborhoods in a city with one of the nations highest degrees of wealth inequality.

Immediately after the news conference was over, DeKalb County Commissioner Ted Terry began seeking out reporters to push back on local officials' claims that the planning process has been transparent and open to community engagement.

I learned about this press conference today, said Terry. I represent this area of DeKalb County and there's still a lot of outstanding questions that haven't been addressed. I think we're off to a bad start because transparency and accountability mean everyone should be at the table, and that's not taking place right now."
Dodgers pitcher Tony Gonsolin earned his first All-Star selection while going 16-1 with a 2.14 ERA. (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)

The Dodgers wont have any arbitration hearings this offseason after all.

On Tuesday, the team announced it had agreed to terms with pitcher Tony Gonsolin on a two-year contract worth $6.65 million plus significant escalators, thus avoiding an arbitration hearing.

Of the Dodgers' 10 arbitration-eligible players this winter, Gonsolin was the only one who failed to settle with the team on a salary for 2023 ahead of a mid-January deadline. Instead, Gonsolin filed at $3.4 million while the Dodgers filed at $3 million.

Typically, the Dodgers are a file and trial team, meaning they dont continue negotiations after the filing deadline while awaiting an arbitration hearing. They have, however, made exceptions for multi-year contracts. And this year, Gonsolin became the latest example.

Gonsolin had a breakout performance in 2022, earning his first All-Star selection while going 16-1 with a 2.14 ERA, by far the best season of his four-year career.

He helped anchor the rotation while Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler battled injuries. He spent much of the summer near the top of the major league ERA leaderboard. And he looked primed to play a key role in the teams postseason plans.

But the right-hander suffered a forearm strain in late August that limited him to just one more regular season start and hampering him during a brief outing in Game 3 of the National League Division Series.

Still, as they went through the arbitration process  Gonsolins first after he qualified as a Super Two player, giving him four years of arbitration eligibility instead of the customary three  the pitcher and the team werent far apart and ultimately settled in the middle for a 2023 salary of $3.25 million, according to people with knowledge of the situation unauthorized to speak publicly.

In 2024, Gonsolins base salary will be $3.4 million but includes escalators based off the number of starts he makes in 2023 that could increase his total earnings to more than $6 million, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.

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The Dodgers struck a similar deal with Buehler in 2021 after he had also reached arbitration a year early as a Super Two player.

With Buehler likely to miss 2023 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, the Dodgers are banking on Gonsolin to help fill the void.

After Tuesday, they now know how much theyll owe him the next couple of seasons, as well.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
I was home with my three daughters last Saturday afternoon when I saw two people walking toward our front door. In anticipation of a knock, I went to the door and waited. I could see the tops of their heads through the upper window but no knock came. For some reason, I opened the door anyway, my two-year-old in my arms, to find who appeared to be two young adults standing on my front porch. They did not introduce themselves, but began commenting on how beautiful my young children were, asked what we were up to, how we were doing, and then finally, if they could talk to us about Jesus Christ. Oh were good on that, thanks, I managed, politely. But they didnt budge. Do you go to church on the island? I said we did not. Do you need help with anything? I said we did not. After a few more awkward moments, they finally left, presumably assured of our reservations in Hell.

The encounter was unwelcome, definitely intrusive, and a little bit creepy  not to mention that it resulted in a line of questioning about churches and Jesus Christ from my supernaturally perceptive six-year-old that I wasnt mentally prepped for. In retrospect, I suppose I shouldnt answer the door to strangers but, then again, Id rather be someone who does.

The day before  the same day video of Tyre Nichols brutal, fatal beating by police was released for public consumption  I had received an alarming text. It was from a friend who lives nearby  someone I share parenting advice, woes, and joys with on the regular  letting me and a few other moms know that shed seen posts on our neighborhood facebook group about a strange man going door to door and frightening people. Thank you! I replied before shooting the warning off to my parents who were watching our girls that day. Maybe call Bainbridge pd another mom responded.

A couple hours later, my friend texted back that the man turned out to be a legitimate salesman and everything was fine. Case closed, I thought. But when I (against my better judgment, every single time) hopped onto Facebook a few moments later, a much uglier truth began to reveal itself. In between the gut-wrenching coverage and commentary on Mr. Nichols murder that filled my timeline, there were the original warning posts about this door-knocking man. Not only a trail of comments encouraging police reports on our neighborhood group, but also on the ever-prolific Bainbridge Islanders page (on a post since deleted) there were 60 comments and counting. Just two people said theyd spoken with the man and didnt think he was doing anything wrong. One of them had even, believe it or not, bought a magazine subscription from him. But the vast majority of commenters had either called the police themselves or recommended it. They breathlessly described the man as well-dressed, middle-aged, driving a sedan, rude, and a user of augmented language. Strangely, not one of these people described him as Black, though, I would soon learn, that would have been accurate. It would also likely have been his most defining characteristic here on Bainbridge, where the latest Census reports 0.1% of our population identifies as Black. Its almost as if they knew admitting that detail said a lot more about them than it did about him. The conspiracy of colorblindness.

A public records request turned up fourteen individual calls to Bainbridge police reporting this man going door to door last week. An officer I spoke with confirmed that while these fourteen callers felt threatened, police found the mans behavior perfectly legal with no criminal conduct. In fact, he was selling magazines for religious purposes, exempt even from restrictions on other kinds of door to door solicitation. Looking through the police records  each categorized as Suspicious (Activity Person Vehicle) or Unwanted Subject  callers report such horrors as the man said he was from Compton, wanted to talk about voting, second chances, has keys hanging from his pocket, was seen by other neighbors, wants to talk religion and knocked but they didnt answer. No one suspects he is intoxicated. No one is unable to get him to leave, though some decide that he is angry when they refuse to speak with him. Each report confirms nothing is missing from the callers cars or property.

What then, was so different about this man from the two people who lurked on my porch the very next afternoon, also uninvited, also persistent, also wanting to talk religion? Not even a neighborly Facebook warning followed as they made their way from door to door, let alone a police report. Could it be that one little detail, the one not even worth mentioning in nearly 100 Facebook comments, was the real reason fourteen islanders felt threatened enough to call the police?

Just five months ago  in the post-George Floyd, post-Rodney King, post-Civil Rights Era year of 2022  a Mississippi grand jury declined to charge Emmett Tills accuser with any crime, despite the discovery of her unserved arrest warrant hidden in the basement of a county courthouse like some kind of an illicit magazine. Despite her own admission that she lied about a threat to her safety and then a 14-year-old child was beaten to death. White people  and especially white women, like her and like me and like half of Bainbridge Island  have always been given the benefit of the doubt (lets call it the doubt though there are other things we could call it). We can simply feel threatened by Blackness and call upon the power of the state to assuage our feelings, whatever it takes. Even if what it takes is the life of an innocent man, or an innocent child. Even though it does, all the time.

More than 220 Black people were killed by police in 2022, a record year for police killings  most beginning with a traffic stop, a mental health check, or another non-violent offense where no other crime was alleged. We should be on our knees with collective relief that Bainbridge police officers were able to determine the man who visited our island last week had committed no crime, posed no threat, and required no intervention. If they had acted instead like so many officers before them, it wouldnt be so easy to pretend we are not Memphis. Not Minneapolis. Not Ferguson.

No, it seems we are Bainbridge. And we can either take this opportunity to look at how our choices last week fit into a long, violent history of white fear, or we can choose to look away. Meanwhile, my deepest apologies to the brave salesman who came to town. May you be safe. May you speak. May the next town open their doors to you, too, without dialing 9-1-1.

Caitlin Lombardi is a mother of three who lives on Bainbridge Island and works for Columbia Legal Services.

This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Opinion: What does the worry about a visitor really say?
As antigovernment protests spread across the Peruvian highlands last month, Remo Candia Guevara, a 42-year-old community leader in this rural farming town, grew increasingly anguished.

National police had repeatedly shot into crowds of unarmed protesters, killing dozens. Candia blamed President Dina Boluarte.

Shes an assassin, Candia said in a video interview with a local journalist on Jan. 10. Many young people have died, cut down by her bullets.

Police in Lima aim at protesters demanding the resignation of President Dina Boluarte on Jan. 24. (Klebher Vasquez / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

The next day, Candia and thousands of others marched through the streets of Cusco, a nearby city known for its Inca ruins and narrow, colonial-era streets. As they clashed with police, gunfire erupted and Candia fell to the ground, bleeding from his stomach. He died at a hospital that night.

His death and others have further fueled the protests, which in recent days have spilled from the impoverished, largely Indigenous Andes to the cosmopolitan, coastal capital, Lima. With South Americas fifth-largest economy paralyzed by highway roadblocks, the country finds itself at an agonizing political impasse.

The demonstrations began in December after the arrest of then-President Pedro Castillo, whose campesino roots had inspired many poor Peruvians. Facing allegations of graft and fighting for his political survival, he had managed to fend off two impeachment attempts by right-wing lawmakers. But when he announced plans to dissolve Congress and install an emergency government, a move widely condemned as an attempted coup, even many allies turned against him. He was taken into custody and removed from office.

Protesters demand that Boluarte, who was Castillos vice president, resign and that Congress schedule new elections this year.

She says she won't step down  and has compared the protesters to terrorists. Congress has repeatedly refused her proposal to hold elections in October, voting against that idea again on Wednesday.

A protester gestures in front of police in Lima on Tuesday. (Ernesto Benavides/ AFP via Getty Images)

But as the body count rises, with 58 dead and more than 1,000 injured, the movement has morphed into a mass rebellion clamoring not just for a new government but broader political, economic and social change.

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"This is the product of years and years of accumulated indignation," said Raul Pacheco, an anthropologist at the National University of St. Anthony the Abbot in Cusco. "It's about much more than an election."

The roots of the widespread discontent are self-evident: Gaping inequality, entrenched corruption and a tumultuous political system that has seen three Congresses and six presidents rotate through power over the last five years.

Polls show Peruvians have the lowest level of satisfaction with democracy in Latin America. Former President Alberto Fujimori, the strongman who ruled in the 1990s, is in prison for graft and human rights violations. Five more former leaders, including Castillo, are being investigated on suspicion of corruption.

But there is another grievance at play, one especially present in the Andes, where many feel that the Spanish conquest of the Inca empire was just the beginning of a long history of racist subjection of Indigenous people.

The deaths of Candia and other protesters from the region have only deepened that view.

They dont see us as humans, said his sister, Marilia Candia Guevara, 36. Our lives aren't worth as much as theirs."

"We've always been fighting for our rights," she added. "Of course we're exhausted."

"We cant permit these racists to continue governing."

Mario Turpo Orozco, a leader in the Andean town of Urcos

Long before dawn broke on a recent damp morning, villagers throughout the Cusco region began heaving boulders, branches and old car tires onto the highways that connect the towns nestled high in the Andes with the rest of Peru.

Men and women, many wearing brightly embroidered traditional hats and skirts, would stand guard at these homemade blockades all day, stopping vehicles from passing.

"There isnt any other strategy," said Mario Turpo Orozco, a leader in the town of Urcos, where he and others had blocked a road leading to Lima. "We cant permit these racists to continue governing."

The blockades, which authorities say are underway in nearly half of the country's provinces, have snarled trade and tourism.

The ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu, usually crowded with visitors, is closed indefinitely. The country's biggest mines warn they may have to halt operations. Officials say Peru's economy and infrastructure have taken a $1.3-billion hit and analysts warn that the country may be heading for recession.

Protesters say the economic distress makes their point.

Peru is highly dependent on the Andes region, with its rich mineral deposits, extensive agriculture and the archaeological jewels that draw 4 million tourists to the country annually. Yet the region and its people have long been neglected.

"We've been abandoned by the state," said Turpo, 60, who said there are villages near his community that lack water and electricity. Schools are scant and of poor quality, he said. A promised hospital in Urcos never arrived.

The pandemic only highlighted the failures of the government, he said. So many people died in Urcos, villagers had to build a new cemetery. Peru had one of the highest COVID death rates in the world, with vaccines, oxygen and hospital beds in short supply.

In 2021, a presidential candidate burst on the scene promising to change all of that.

A former teacher and union leader from a rural mountain town, Castillo campaigned in a farmers hat and promised "no more poor people in a rich country.

His victory over Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of Peru's imprisoned former autocrat, was heralded as a resounding rejection of the political establishment.

Pedro Castillo greets supporters in Lima in June 2021 after a runoff election. (Martin Mejia / Associated Press)

Castillo governed chaotically, filling posts with unqualified political allies and drawing allegations that his family members were profiting off official contracts. His supporters insist that he was the target of a witch hunt, with Congress launching a series of campaigns to remove him shortly after he was sworn in.

What angered them most were the insults lobbed at Castillo by the Lima elite. Rafael Lopez Aliaga, the conservative mayor of the capital, called him a donkey." On TikTok, people made fun of his country accent. Wealthy Peruvians smashed pinatas of his likeness at birthday parties and weddings.

Javier Torres Seoane, the director of Noticias Ser, a news site focused on coverage of the southern Andes, said many identified with the discrimination Castillo faced.

Despite the fact that it was a bad government for the people, people still consider him one of theirs, Torres said.

Remo Candia Guevara certainly did.

Like the former president, Candia was proud of his traditions. He wore capes sewn by his mother and participated in ritual dances that merged his family's Catholic and Quechua traditions. An accountant and leader of a campesino association by day, he spent evenings and weekends working on a hillside plot in Anta where corn, wheat and quinoa grew.

Candia and his family were not Castillo fanatics, his sister said. "But when they attacked him it felt like an attack on all of us."

So when police responded to protesters with bullets, Candia, a father of two who dreamed of bringing a playground to his community, joined the demonstrations.

After his funeral, which filled Anta's central square with hundreds of mourners, roadblocks in the area multiplied. Anger at the president spread, with the words "Dina Asesina" appearing on the side of a mountain, spelled out in white rocks.

And a group of hundreds of protesters made its way to Lima, joining a wider migration of people from across the Andes who had brought their fight to the capital in hopes of finally being heard.

"There was so much dust and bullets. It was the most tragic moment of my life."

Helard Sonco Villanueva, student and protester

Helard Sonco Villanueva stepped off a bus in Lima on Jan. 19, a knapsack slung across his back.

He'd come from Juliaca, a southern city on a high mountain plateau near Lake Titicaca. Sonco, a 30-year-old engineering student, had been at a protest there when thousands of demonstrators tried to take over the city's airport. Police opened fire, killing 18.

Sonco watched two of his university classmates die, as well as Marco Antonio Samillan Sanga, a medic who was shot while aiding a protester who had inhaled tear gas.

"There was so much dust and bullets," Sonco said. "It was the most tragic moment of my life."

He thought to himself: "If we don't rise up now, we never will."

In Lima, Sonco and protesters from other parts of the country sheltered for several days at the National University of Engineering. They moved elsewhere after police used a tank to break down the gate at a nearby public university and detained hundreds of protesters.

Human rights officials have roundly condemned the government's response to the demonstrations.

"We have never seen anything as brutal as what we're seeing now," said Mar Perez, a lawyer for the National Human Rights Coordinator, a nonprofit made up of 78 Peruvian rights groups. Security forces, she said, "are using weapons of war."

With thousands of protesters massed in Lima, a dangerous daily ritual has begun.

Demonstrators clash with riot police during a protest in Lima on Saturday. (Lucas Aguayo / AFP via Getty Images)

Every afternoon, protesters from the mountain provinces gather downtown, sharing stew cooked in giant pots and chanting antigovernment slogans.

Vendors sell flags (I love you Peru, thats why I defend you) and plastic glasses to protect against the tear gas that is to come.

Then the police arrive and the clashes begin.

Gladys Lucano, a 60-year-old farmer and grandmother, has been there for the last two weeks, facing off nightly with police.

They call us terrorists," Lucano said, noting that the word carries heavy connotations in a country that was menaced for years by the communist Shining Path guerrillas.

"But we are just citizens," she said. "We dont have anything to defend ourselves with. The real terrorist is the president."

Lucano never expected to be in the middle of the biggest protest in Peru's recent history. But after seeing so many men that looked like her sons killed by security forces, she felt compelled to join.

Let them kill me," she said as she walked into a scrum of protesters facing off with police. "Im here for my kids, for my grandchildren, for the future of Peru.

"How many more of us are going to die? Or will they eliminate all of us?"

Marilia Candia Guevara, whose brother was fatally shot during a protest

Some Peruvians, particularly those in the capital, share the contention of Boluarte and right-wing lawmakers that the protesters are to blame for the violence. New elections, they say, will only deepen the political chaos.

But a poll this week shows that most of the country now backs the protesters' demands.

The Institute of Peruvian Studies survey found that 74% of the country believes Boluarte should resign, 89% disapprove of Congress and 73% want new elections this year. Significantly, support for the government has dipped even in Lima.

There is a growing sense that Boluarte, whose only government experience before becoming vice president was at a regional office of an agency that issues identity documents, is in over her head.

And although few here believe that her resignation will solve everything, many agree that it is a needed first step. "Early elections won't end all of our problems," said Perez, the human rights lawyer. "But at least we could have a moment to breathe."

Back in the town of Anta, Candia's family has agonized over the political situation while also mourning their loss.

"How many more of us are going to die?" his sister asked. "Or will they eliminate all of us?"

She was sitting with her mother in the family's dimly lighted adobe home.

In the corner, flowers and candles decorated an altar that they had made to Candia featuring a photo of him posing proudly in traditional dress, his red vest decorated with images of birds and flowers.

Marilia said her only wish is that her brother's death ends up meaning something  that it is a part of a bigger story of change.

Despite everything, she said she felt something like hope.

Special correspondent Adriana Leon in Lima contributed to this report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Dr. Phil McGraw is ending the 21-season run of his syndicated talk show "Dr. Phil" to pursue other ventures. (Joe Cavaretta / Associated Press)

After 21 seasons, "Dr. Phil" is coming to an end so that the daytime TV host can expand his audience with another planned venture.

In a Wednesday statement, CBS Media Ventures and host Dr. Phil McGraw said that the daytime TV star wants to expand his audience in a new venture, as he has "grave concerns for the American family."

I have been blessed with over 25 wonderful years in daytime television, McGraw, 72, said in the statement. With this show, we have helped thousands of guests and millions of viewers through everything from addiction and marriage to mental wellness and raising children. This has been an incredible chapter of my life and career, but while Im moving on from daytime, there is so much more I wish to do.

The syndicated daytime show made its way into the cultural zeitgeist by inviting guests on the hourlong program to break down various concerns including addiction, relationship, health and behavioral issues. "Dr. Phil" will air original episodes through the current 2022-23 television season, with a final episode planned for the spring. McGraw plans to announce a strategic prime-time partnership, scheduled for an early 2024 launch. The partnership "will expand his reach and increase his impact on television and viewers."

I am compelled to enage [sic] with a broader audience because I have grave concerns for the American family, and I am determined to help restore a clarity of purpose as well as our core values," McGraw said.

Phil is a valued partner and member of the CBS/King World family, and while his show may be ending after 21 years, Im happy to say our relationship is not, said Steve LoCascio, president of CBS Media Ventures. Phil changed the daytime landscape as the force behind one of the most popular talk shows ever on daytime TV. We plan to be in the Dr. Phil business with the library for years to come and welcome opportunities to work together in the future.

CBS Media Ventures will offer TV stations library episodes of Dr. Phil for the 2023-24 season and beyond, the statement said. Classic library episodes will include new content such as wrap-arounds and intros by McGraw, as well as guest updates.

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CBS sources emphasized to Variety that the host made the call to end production on his series. He has been a producer of scripted prime-time programming in recent years, including the CBS crime drama "Bull," which is based on his life. He also hosts two podcasts.

The popular TV doctor, who has a doctoral degree in clinical psychology and is a licensed psychologist, began his TV career with a featured segment on The Oprah Winfrey Show in the late 1990s. McGraw, who also participated in a postdoctoral fellowship in forensic psychology, practiced in Texas until he moved to California to launch his show.

"Dr. Phil" debuted in 2002. Since then McGraw has sat down with scores of guests and aired many controversial interviews. According to CBS Media Ventures, the Emmy-nominated program maintained a top spot in its television genre for the 21 years it aired despite major declines in linear TV viewership. The show is the highest-rated daytime talk show behind Disneys Live With Kelly and Ryan," Variety said.

The cancellation comes on the heels of a legal battle fought by the host and parent company Viacom CBS. In October 2021, a woman who alleged she was sexually assaulted at a Utah ranch sued McGraw and ViacomCBS for negligence, claiming that the popular TV doctor recommended she be treated at the facility on the day she appeared on his show. The case was dismissed last August. Then in October, McGraw and CBS asked a judge to award them more than $400,000 in legal costs for defending the lawsuit.

Times staff writer Alexandra Del Rosario contributed to this report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
An Eagle man whose light sentence drew national attention after a felony vehicular manslaughter conviction in 2018 has been found guilty of the crime a second time.

Adam Paulson, 47, was convicted by a jury Tuesday after a five-day trial in 4th District Court, according to a news release from the Ada County Prosecutors Office. He was being retried after the Idaho Supreme Court overturned his first conviction last year because of improper jury instructions, with justices saying the panel was not informed of key details in the case.

Paulson was driving drunk in his Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck on Nov. 18, 2017, when he hit and killed Madeline Duskey, 24, at the intersection of Eagle Road and Riverside Drive in Eagle. His blood alcohol content, according to evidence presented during both trials, was .213%  nearly three times the legal limit  when he struck Duskey, who was in the crosswalk going across Eagle Road.

Paulson was found guilty at trial in November 2018, and in January 2019 a judge sentenced him to time served and 15 years of probation, drawing the ire of advocacy groups like MADD.

He will be sentenced on the new conviction on March 17 by District Judge Derrick ONeill.

Thank you to Ms. Duskeys family and friends who showed great patience and strength while trusting the system throughout the trial for a second time, Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts said in the release Wednesday. Thank you to the jurors for your time and attention during this trial. And finally, thank you to the Ada County Sheriffs Office and the Boise Police Department for their investigations on this case.

At the first trial, prosecutors had asked that Paulson serve at least five years in prison before being eligible for parole.

Instead, 4th District Court Judge Deborah Bail imposed a 15-year prison sentence, according to previous Statesman reporting, with five years fixed, but suspended that sentence and placed him on supervised probation for 15 years. She also ordered him to spend 14 months in jail, but gave him credit for the 14 months he had served since his arrest.

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Paulsons probation came with myriad stipulations, including that he pay child support for Duskeys two children; wear an alcohol monitor until further notice of court; reside in a sober living facility; perform 500 hours of community service; and not drive a vehicle for any reason whatsoever.

Paulson wound up in prison after he intentionally tampered with the alcohol-monitoring device. Bail imposed Paulsons underlying 15-year prison sentence, with five years fixed, but his successful appeal ended that and set up the second trial.

The maximum penalty for felony vehicular manslaughter is 15 years in prison and/or a $15,000 fine, according to Idaho law.
SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) - Authorities in El Salvador have opened one of Latin America's largest prisons, more than doubling the country's incarceration capacity, as a government crackdown on criminal gangs is causing the prison population to soar.

The 40,000-capacity Terrorism Confinement Center was inaugurated on Tuesday to help relieve some of the overpopulation in the country's prison system.

Since President Nayib Bukele asked the country's congress to approve a state of exception in March, the police and army have arrested more than 62,000 suspected gang members and their collaborators.

Under the measure some constitutional rights have been suspended, including allowing authorities to make arrests without a warrant and giving the government access to citizens' communication.

With nearly two percent of its adult population behind bars, El Salvador has the highest incarceration rate in the world.

The rising inmate population as a result of the anti-gang measures, which the vast majority of the population supports, has stretched the country's already overwhelmed prison system. El Salvador's largest prison, La Esperanza, currently holds 33,000 people despite having a capacity of 10,000.

El Salvador's Prisons Director Osiris Luna said the new prison will span over 166 hectares (410 acres), while 600 troops and 250 police officers will secure it.

"All those home boys, those terrorists in the organization that made our beloved Salvadoran people suffer, will be house and subjected to a severe regimen," Luna said on state television.

By 2021, El Salvador's prison system had 20 penal centers with a capacity for 30,000 holding 35,976 prisoners.

(Reporting by Nelson Renteria; Writing by Sarah Kinosian; Editing by Sandra Maler)
Stock photo/Getty Images

In 2017, the US government made electronic logging devices mandatory on all trucks.

The fatal work injury rate per 100,000 equivalent workers went from 23.6 in 2013 to 28.8 in 2021.

Experts say the safety technology might be making trucking less safe.

It's been five years since the US made electronic logging devices or ELDs  mandatory on all trucks.

The devices help ensure truckers don't drive longer than they should, a maximum of 11 hours per day, to avoid fatigue and keep roads safe. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration estimates that they'll result in "1,844 crashes avoided annually, 562 fewer injuries per year, and 26 lives saved each year."

It's hard to tell if that decline has manifested yet. Between 2017 and 2019, crashes involving large trucks increased by 11% before decreasing dramatically during the pandemic in 2020, according to FMCSA data. Data for 2021 is not yet available.

Concurrently, fatality rates among truckers have increased, from 23.6 per 100,000 workers in 2013 to 28.8 in 2021, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Injuries and deaths from crashes involving crashes with large trucks have also increased, according to NHTSA data.

The increase seems to confirm what truckers have been saying for years: widespread enforcement of ELDs is doing the opposite of what it should, making trucking less safe.

It's likely due to a lack of flexibility. While the regulations are reasonable, their electronic enforcement lacks wiggle room.

"If you're 30 minutes from home and you get to your 11 hours, you must shut down, or else you get an automatic hours-of-service violation," Brian Pape, a trucker who left the industry after 13 years, told Insider last year. Another driver, Brian Stauffer, pointed out that ELDs don't allow for adjustment, and that a driver that has reached the 11-hour limit shouldn't be forced to stop in a high-crime area, for example.

On top of that, most truckers are not paid by the hour, they're paid by mile driven.

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"There's a much less flexible window for truckers to get from point A to point B," said Karen Levy, a professor at Cornell University who has studied the effects of data-tracking on the trucking industry, told Insider. "They used to say, 'I'll get there in about 11 hours'. Now they really only have 11 hours. As a result, they tend to drive faster, they maybe don't stop when they feel like they should because they know they have to get from A to B."

If drivers do not abide by the rules and are caught by police, the Department of Transportation, or the carrier for which they work, they incur in fines that could jeopardize their trucking license. Before ELDs, hours of service were noted down on paper logbooks, which were easy to falsify.

While there have been some cases of carriers tampering with their drivers' ELDs to make them drive longer, the enforcement of the ELD mandate for all trucking companies  big ones have generally been using ELDs for decades  has indeed made drivers more compliant with hours of service regulations, according to studies.

Levy says the regulations don't address underlying issues affecting the industry.

"An ELD doesn't change the pay structure of trucking, which is just being paid by the mile," Levy said. "So we police truckers harder, but we don't change the root causes of fatigue or the reasons why they're overworking."

Todd Spencer, CEO of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association wrote an open letter to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in November 2022 stating that "there was never sufficient research indicating the mandate would improve highway safety and the agency still lacks data demonstrating any positive safety results since its full implementation."

Additionally, the strict enforcement of hours of service brought by ELDs can leave truckers feeling like they don't have autonomy over their own job, and they cannot be trusted to decide what's the safest condition to drive.

"If you talk to truckers about why they got into this line of work, much of what is appealing to them about this job is that it's very independent and autonomous," Levy told Insider. "It's not a job where you are compared to your coworkers or where there's someone looking over your shoulder, or at least that was the thinking. And nowadays that's changed a lot."

Read the original article on Business Insider
When Ryan Gordon didnt show up for work, his employer grew concerned and decided to check on him at an RV park, according to authorities in Oklahoma.

But when the employer arrived shortly before 9 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, they found Gordons girlfriend dead inside a trailer, officials said.

The Tulsa Police Department was called to the trailer and opened an investigation into the killing of Melissa Hunter, 45, according to a Feb. 1 news release shared on Facebook.

Authorities identified Gordon, 38, as a suspect in her death. He and Hunter had been together for several years, police said.

Detectives learned Gordon had fled the Tulsa area and was at Fort Gibson Lake in Wagoner County, according to the release.

Deputies in Wagoner County helped find the man at the lake near Snug Harbor, about 50 miles southeast of Tulsa.

As deputies approached him, Gordon got out of his truck and plunged a knife into his chest, authorities said. Deputies took Gordon into custody and started first aid measures. He was then taken by helicopter to a Tulsa hospital for recovery and treatment.

Gordon was charged with first-degree on Jan. 27, police said. On Tuesday, Jan. 31, he was released from the hospital and transferred to the Tulsa County Jail.

Man shoots girlfriend point-blank in head and drops her off at hospital, TX cops say

Ex-boyfriend breaks in, shoots woman who was with her new boyfriend, Texas sheriff says

Woman stabs boyfriend with knife for urinating in their bed, Louisiana police say
David Arakhamia

"I will inform the public about the announced spring firings," he wrote.

According to him, today law enforcers:searched the tax office;

charged high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Defense;

searched oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky's Ukrnafta;

conducted a whole series of covert investigative actions;

searched former Interior Minister Arsen Avakov's residence;

searched pro-Russian MP Vadym Stolar's residence;

dismissed the entire management team of the customs.

"The country will change during the war," Arakhamia said.

If someone is not ready for change, the state will come and help them change.

According to MP Oleksiy Honcharenko, the Cabinet of Ministers has already dismissed the acting head of the State Customs Service, Vyacheslav Demchenko, and his deputies, Oleksandr Shchutskyi and Ruslan Cherkasskyi.

MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak reported on Telegram that the remaining deputy head of the customs office, Serhiy Zvyahintsev, would be appointed acting head of the agency.

Read also: How Kyrylo Tymoshenko lost the war for survival in the Presidents Office, and how it involves Andriy Yermak

Earlier, the deputy head of the Presidents Office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, resigned on Jan. 24.

On Jan. 23, NVs sister outlet Ukrayinska Pravda also reported that reshuffles were possible in the Cabinet of Ministers.

Later, Deputy Minister of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure Vasyl Lozynskyi was dismissed from the Cabinet after he was detained while receiving a $400,000 bribe.

Oleksiy Symonenko was also dismissed from his post as Deputy Prosecutor General after a scandal involving his vacation in Spain.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced new personnel decisions in his video address on Jan. 23.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Kim Petras, Steve Lacy, Lizzo, Mary J. Blige, Sam Smith

Kim Petras, Steve Lacy, Lizzo, Mary J. Blige, Sam Smith Credit - Getty Images (5)

The 2023 Grammy Awards are set to take place this Sunday, Feb. 5 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The nominations, announced back in November, include some major face-offs at this years ceremony: Adele and Beyonce both released massive, record-breaking albums last year which now hold nominations in the many of the same categories including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year. Friends Lizzo and Harry Styles are also set to battle it out in the pop categories.

Last year, Jon Batiste surprised many as he took home the nights biggest prizewinning over the likes of Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, and Justin Bieberalong with four other awards, making him the most awarded artist of the night. Doja Cat and SZA received Best Pop Duo for their song Kiss Me More, and Silk Sonic (composed of Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak) walked away with four trophies. Olivia Rodrigo also took home three Grammys for Best New Artist, Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Pop Vocal Album.

This years award show is one to get excited for, with many highly anticipated performers announced, many stars confirmed to be attending, and some rumored appearances that may just break your TV set. Heres everything you need to know about this years Grammy Awards.

Read more: The Best Fashion Moments From the 2022 Grammys

Where can you stream the Grammys?

The Grammy Awards will air live at 8:00 PM EST (5:00 PM PST). The show will be available to stream on CBS and on-demand with the Paramount+ app. Streams will also be available on the Recording Academys social channels, including Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram.

Who is hosting the Grammy Awards?

The awards ceremony will be hosted by comedian Trevor Noah. He has been hosting musics biggest night since 2021and its probably because he does a great job. The former Daily Show host recently left his Comedy Central show in December. The first one was [during] COVID-19, and it was a completely different way to make the show, he told Billboard during an interview about hosting the ceremony. And then the next one was in Las Vegas because of the restrictions [in Los Angeles], and that was a different type of show. Now its exciting [because] itll be the first one for me back in LAthats hopefully not just normal, but different for the right reasons.

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Read more: Who Will Winand Who Shouldat the 2023 Grammy Awards

Who is attending and who is performing? Who isnt attending?

Harry Styles was the most recently announced performer for this years Grammy Awards. Other performers include Bad Bunny, Mary J. Blige, Sam Smith with Kim Petras, Luke Combs, Steve Lacy, Brandi Carlile, and Lizzo. There are some rumors swirling about whether or not some major stars will perform, as Variety reports: many are waiting with bated breath to see if Adele or Beyonce will perform; Jay-Z might get on stage with DJ Khaled to perform their nominated song GOD DID; and there is slated to be an all-star tribute to Loretta Lynn, who died in October.

Doja Cat, Zach Bryan, and Future are all confirmed to be attending, in addition to all of the Best New Artists nominees: Maneskin, Muni Long, DOMi & JD Beck, Samara Joy, Latto, Anitta, Omar Apollo, Molly Tuttle, and Wet Leg.

For those who will be skipping out on Sundays festivities, it seems unlikely that Lady Gaga will attend as she is in the middle of filming.

Read more: British Indie Rockers Wet Leg Are Bringing Catharsis to an Arena Near You

Who has the most nominations?

Beyonce has a total of nine nominations this year, making her the most nominated. She and her husband, Jay-Z, are the two most nominated artists in Grammy historytied with a total of 88 nominations each. Kendrick Lamar received eight nominations for his album, Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers, while Adele and Brandi Carlile are tied with seven nominations each.

What are the new categories at the Grammys?

The new categories at the 2023 Grammy Awards include: Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical; Best Alternative Music Performance; Best Americana Performance; Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media; and Best Spoken Word Poetry Album.
Anthony Lowe Jr. Police Shooting

Family and friends of Anthony Lowe Jr., a double amputee who was fatally shot by the police last week, hold a news conference to demand an investigation into his death outside of the Huntington Park Police Department on Jan. 30, 2023. Credit - Patrick T. FallonAFP/Getty Images

The Jan. 26 police shooting of a 36-year-old, double amputee in southeastern Los Angeles is the latest killing of a Black man to set off protests over excessive and lethal violence by U.S. law enforcement.

Activists and the family of Anthony Lowe Jr. took to the Huntington Park Police Department headquarters on Monday to condemn the killing. They murdered my son in a wheelchairwith no legs, Lowes mother Dorothy said.

Last week, five police officers were charged with second-degree murder for beating 29-year-old Tyre Nichols in Memphisleading to his death days after. Protests broke out across the U.S. following Nichols death.

What is the polices account of the Lowe shooting?

In a Jan. 30 statement, the Huntington Park Police Department said its officers were responding to a stabbing on the afternoon of Jan. 26.

The stabbing victim described his attacker as a man in a wheelchair. The attacker allegedly dismounted the wheelchair, ran to the victim without provocation, and stabbed him in the side of the chest with a 12-inch butcher knife, before fleeing the scene in the wheelchair.

In the search for the assailant, they located the alleged suspect, later identified as Lowe, a few blocks away, holding a knife. Huntington police said its officers attempted to detain the man, but authorities said he ignored verbal orders and threatened to advance or throw the knife at the officers. They also said they tasered the suspect twice.

The suspect continued to threaten officers with the butcher knife, resulting in an officer-involved shooting, the statement read.

The L.A. Sheriffs Department said on Friday the suspect was shot in the upper torso, and was treated on scene by Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics and pronounced dead.

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What has happened to the police officers involved?

The police officers involved were placed on paid administrative leave per protocol, according to the Huntington police.

The Huntington Park Police Department, Homicide Bureau of the L.A. County Sheriffs Department, and the L.A. County District Attorneys Office are investigating the shooting.

What do we know about Lowe?

Yatoya Toy, Lowes sister, told the Los Angeles Times that her brothers legs were amputated last year after an altercation with law enforcement in Texas. TIME could not verify the details of that incident.

Lowe had two teenage children, and he lived in South Los Angeles, according to the L.A. Times.

The mother of one of Lowes children, Ebonique Simon, described him to CNN as a loving, caring father. She also told CNN that Lowe was dealing with a lot of depression over the loss of his legs.

A spokesperson for the family told CBS News that Lowe was undergoing a mental health crisis when he was shot.

What has the reaction been so far?

A grainy video of the incident, which TIME could not independently verify, is circulating online, appearing to show Lowe, dismounted from his wheelchair, hobble away from two police officers as he carries what appears to be a large knife. A police car then blocks the view.

The L.A. Times reported Sunday that Lowes sister identified him in the video. It also said that the L.A. County Sheriffs Department collected video from a nearby establishment, though it does not intend to release the footage.

Cliff Smith, an organizer with the Coalition for Community Control Over the Police, called on L.A. County District Attorney George Gascon to prosecute the officers involved. We want specific justice, he said at the press conference outside local police headquarters Monday.

Lowes mother Dorothy said, This situation is worse than George Floyd. When these videos go out, its going to be all bad.

The family has not commented on Lowes alleged involvement in the stabbing incident.
Former ABC News journalist James Gordon Meek was arrested and accused of possessing child pornography, federal authorities said Wednesday.

Meek, a 53-year-old resident of Arlington, Virginia, was taken into custody Tuesday night and was charged with transportation of child pornography, officials said.

If convicted, Meek could face a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years behind bars, authorities said.

Meek abruptly resigned from ABC last year following a raid of his home in April.

The investigation began in March 2021 when Dropbox filed a tip with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, claiming a user uploaded videos with its service that "were later confirmed by law enforcement to contain child pornography," according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court.

Investigators traced the account, with the user name "James Meek," to the suspect's home in Arlington, the complaint alleged.

"Meeks devices allegedly contained images depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and multiple chat conversations with users engaged in sexually explicit conversations where the participants expressed enthusiasm for the sexual abuse of children," according to a Justice Department statement.

Meek allegedly used social media platforms to chat online with minors whom he successfully urged to send him explicit images of themselves, authorities said.

Investigators recovered an external hard drive of the suspect with "58 images and videos of child pornography" and an iPhone 6 in Meek's bedroom with "approximately 34 images and videos of suspected child pornography," according to the complaint.

Meek or a representative for him could not be immediately reached for comment Wednesday afternoon at several publicly listed phone numbers for him.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Senators Meet For Policy Luncheons On Capitol Hill

Sen.-elect John Fetterman (D-PA) heads to a lunch meeting with Senate Democrats at the U.S. Capitol on November 15, 2022 in Washington, DC. Credit - Drew AngererGetty Images

The 164-year-old Senate chamber was not designed for wires and screens. Senators arent even allowed to use their phones when theyre inside. But to help with freshman Senator John Fettermans stroke recovery, the chamber just got a digital upgrade.

As Fetterman learns how to do his new job while struggling with lingering auditory processing issues resulting from the stroke, hes relying on some extra tech. The new assistive technology installed in his workspaces requires some adjustment from colleagues in an institution known for its stagnancy. But in securing the devices that are helping him begin a new job during a very public recovery process, advocates say Fetterman is forging a path for people with disabilities and health challenges to make it in public office.

The auditory processing issues that sometimes make it difficult for Fetterman to communicate became a focus during his Senate campaign last fall. Opponents criticized the Pennsylvania Democrats October interview with NBC, during which he relied on closed-captioning technology to understand the reporters questions and sometimes mixed up words, and slammed his shaky debate performance. Though Fetterman provided some information from his doctor in the months leading up to the election, he would not release his full medical records, and critics questioned his ability to function in the Senate. Voters were less concerned: Fetterman handily beat Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz in one of the most competitive races in the country.

Soon after the election, the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services began talking with Fetterman about what accommodations he would need when he arrived. Primarily, he required the same sort of technology he used on the campaign trail, which allows him to read what people say in real time, much like the closed-captioning that TV viewers might use.

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According to information shared exclusively with TIME, the Sergeant at Arms (SAA) has installed a permanent live caption display monitor at Fettermans desk in the Senate chamber that can be raised or lowered depending on whether hes sitting or standing. Theres a similar monitor with a custom desk stand that can be placed on the dais when he takes shifts presiding over the Senate. Both wired screens will work without internet if needed, relying on the Senate Office of Captioning Services stenotype machines, caption encoding hardware, and staff in the Capitol itself. The SAA has further plans to improve the set-up at Fettermans desk with a monitor stand that blends better with the desks antique woodwork and can be electronically adjusted.

The SAA has also come up with a plan for Fettermans work during committee hearings and elsewhere around the Capitol. In those cases, Fetterman can read a live transcript of the proceedings that appears on his wireless tablet. All of the captions will be produced by professional broadcast captioners rather than artificial intelligence in order to improve accuracy. The work builds on a request from last Congress, when Senate leadership asked the SAA to move toward providing closed captioning for all Senate hearings. SAA plans to upgrade its capabilities to do so, starting with the committees Fetterman serves on. He will participate in his first committee hearings on Feb. 1.

The SAA worked with the office of the Secretary of the Senate, the Senate Rules Committee, and Senate leadership to get Fettermans assistive technology in place, although doing so did not require any rules changes, since the SAA has the authority to provide Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations to Senators and staff who need them.

I am proud of the work our team has done to support Senator Fetterman and am grateful to the many Sergeant at Arms professionals who worked quickly to develop and implement these innovative solutions, Senate Sergeant at Arms Karen Gibson tells TIME in a statement.

Fettermans office did not make the Senator available for an interview for this story. Since the election, Fetterman has not talked much to reporters in impromptu settings around the Capitol, and he did not respond to a question from TIME on his way to the floor this week. A member of Fettermans staff says they are working on accommodations for Fetterman to interact with reporters in the Senate halls.

I do think that John Fettermanhis example personally, and the example the Senate is settingwill be really helpful to a lot of people, says Maria Town, President and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities. Its going to take many, many people, both people with disabilities and non-disabled people, actually saying, Okay, we can make this happen in our workplace, in our church, in our community centers.'

New colleagues adjust

When Fetterman arrived in the Senate for orientation late last year, Pennsylvania Democrat Bob Casey noticed that some of the other lawmakers werent sure how to interact with his states newest Senator.

They were coming up to talk to him and, in a room where theres a lot of other competing voices and noise, I just think people didnt realize, Casey says, referring to the fact that closed-captioning technology can work less well in such settings. What I made sure that I did one day at a caucus meeting is to stand up and explain that to people, so that when they next saw John, they would be more aware that he has an accommodation. But it may not work in every instance.

Before desks got reshuffled, Senator Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat, sat next to Fetterman on the Senate floor. She found it easy to converse with him. Hes got his iPad and he just reads speech-to-text, she says. Hes been very engaged.

Duckworth, who lost her legs while serving in the Army in Iraq and uses a wheelchair, became the first disabled woman elected to the Senate in 2016. She says accessibility has improved since she first arrived, with the addition of a lift in the chamber that lets her preside over the Senate and a new ramp into the cloakroom.

Disabled senators have gotten other accommodations in the past, as well. Then-Senator Tim Johnson was able to use an electric scooter and have his desk moved when he returned to the Senate floor in 2007 following a brain hemorrhage. Reporters were sensitive to then-Senator Tom Harkins request to speak into his good ear by the end of his tenure in 2015. In an institution where the average age is nearly 64 and the oldest members are nearing 90, some lawmakers get subtle accommodations for their needs as they age, others point out.

We adjust, says Massachusetts Democrat Elizabeth Warren. This just means the Senate caucus looks a little more like the rest of American people who have different challenges, but who are out there doing their jobs every day.

Fettermans auditory processing difficulties are sometimes invisible. He can hold a Zoom meeting like any other Senator, says Warren. During a vote this week, he could be seen on the Senate floor exchanging a few words with another lawmaker without appearing to read from a device.

Though stroke victims recoveries tend to plateau as time goes on, Fettermans colleagues say his condition is still changing. My sense is he seems to be less reliant than he was maybe a month or two ago, Casey says about Fettermans assistive technology. Fettermans team last released information from his doctor in October.

Senator Ben Ray Lujan, a New Mexico Democrat, just marked the one-year anniversary of his own stroke, which he sustained in office and caused him to spend a month away from the Capitol. Over the past several months, he says he and Fetterman have discussed their recoveries. You always work to get better, Lujan says. Ive seen that with John Every time Ive spoken to him, hes been stronger and stronger.
A Georgia community is trying to raise money for an officer who died earlier this week in the line of duty.

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City of Cairo officer Clarence CJ Williams died after he suffered a medical emergency during a foot chase, according to the Officer Down Memorial web page, which tracks officer deaths nationwide.

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Williams, 24, was helping a Grady County Sheriffs Deputy during a traffic stop on Jan. 28 when the suspect ran from the car. He collapsed and could not be revived, according to the website.

Williams is the first line-of-duty death for a Georgia officer this year. He had been with the Cairo police department for two years.

According to a GoFundMe set up to help the family, Williams had his heart set on serving his community and knew that he wanted to make a difference from a young age.

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CJ talked about how law enforcement had a negative reputation, and he knew that it was time to step up and make a positive impact, his mother wrote. CJ sadly passed away in the line of duty on Saturday, January 28th, doing what he was born to do - MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

The family is hoping to raise $10,000 to cover Williams funeral expenses.
Troopers said a 37-year-old man from Australia died after trying to cross Universal Boulevard in Orlando Tuesday night.

The pedestrian was struck by a commuter bus shortly before 11 p.m., according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

READ: Rollover crash shuts down part of I-4 in Osceola County

FHP said that the collision happened after the man walked onto the southbound lanes of Universal Boulevard.

Investigators said the bus driver was traveling southbound on Universal Boulevard, through the intersection of Jamaican Court with a green light, when the man walked directly into the path of the bus.

Troopers determined that the front of the bus struck the man and said he died at the scene.

READ: Family seeks answers after woman hit multiple times on I-4

Approximately 50 passengers were on the bus at the time of the crash but none were hurt, FHP said.

The bus driver, 71, of Saint Cloud, Florida was also uninjured.

Troopers did not release his name or the name of the pedestrian and said the crash remained under investigation.

READ: Hell no: Florida bill would ban left-lane cruising

Monitor WFTV.com and watch Eyewitness News for updates on this story.

Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
WASHINGTON  A routine House committee meeting erupted into a heated, nearly hourlong debate Wednesday over the Pledge of Allegiance, with one Democratic lawmaker saying that "insurrectionists" who backed former President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election should be banned from leading it.

The fiery back-and-forth took place in a House Judiciary Committee meeting where members set rules for the current Congress. It began after Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., offered an amendment that would give the committee the opportunity to begin each of its meetings with the Pledge of Allegiance. He said the rule would give members the ability to invite inspirational constituents to be able to share and lead in the pledge.

Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., the committee's ranking member, immediately objected, arguing that House members already recite the pledge on the floor every day. "I dont know why we should pledge allegiance twice in the same day to show how patriotic we are," he said.

Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., noted that many Republicans on the committee voted against certifying the 2020 presidential election on Jan. 6, 2021. Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., then said he was introducing an amendment to Gaetz's amendment that clarified that the pledge cannot be led by anyone who has supported an insurrection against the United States in any way.

"This pledge is an affirmation of your defense of democracy and the Constitution," Cicilline. "Its hard to take that claim seriously if in fact, an individual in any way supported an insurrection against the government."

Gaetz began sparring with Cicilline, saying that he was concerned the Democrat's proposal would make many Democrats on the panel ineligible to lead the pledge, too, because of previous elections when some in their party objected to electors.

"Im concerned that you may be disqualifying too many of your own members," Gaetz said, as the two of them yelled over each other.

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"Im talking about elected officials who swear an oath to the Constitution of the United States, who in any way participated, supported, facilitated, encouraged the insurrection against the United States," Cicilline said. "Thats not too hard a standard."

Other members joined the debate, with many Republicans defending Gaetz's amendment and criticizing Cicilline's effort.

"I know its a real backbreaker," Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., sarcastically joked about how long it takes to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. "We can [go] that little extra mile, stand up, put our hand on our chest, say what we believe, and reaffirm this America that we love. Come on. This can't be real. I can't believe we're having this debate."

Freshman Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, said he recited the pledge in elementary school and argued that reciting it during committee meetings is necessary because it represents the deaths of thousands of Americans. "The least we can do is to pay homage," he said, to Americans who have made that sacrifice for the nation. "Democrat or Republican, we are in this together. That flag is the one thing that unites us."

Ultimately, Cicilline's amendment was defeated in a 24-13 vote in the GOP-led committee.

Gaetz's amendment, on the other hand, passed unanimously, 39-0.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Florida deputies arrested two suspects for allegedly stealing a semi-truck worth $280,000.

On Monday, a caller in Bunnell contacted authorities after witnessing two people spray-painting a Peterbilt semi-tractor at the back corner of a parking lot, according to a press release from the Flagler County Sheriffs Office.

When deputies arrived, Dayanly Cutino Gonzalez and Reinier Lazaro Perez began running southbound on I-95.

Officials caught Gonzalez without incident. Two hours later, they caught Perez hiding in the woods, according to the press release.

Investigators discovered they stole the tractor earlier from Columbia County. The initial color was pink before they were caught spray painting it red.

Thanks to another concerned citizen calling after See Something, Say Something, our deputies were able to catch two thieves and recover a stolen semi and return it to its rightful owner, said Sheriff Rick Staly. They also get selected as the dumb criminals of the week award for thinking they could spray paint a semi in a hotel parking lot and not be noticed!

Officials arrested Gonzalez for resisting without violence, grand theft of a motor vehicle and felony criminal mischief.

She was released after posting a $13,500 bond.

They arrested Perez for the same charges and included two more: possession of a removed vehicle identification number and possession of fentanyl.
Jens Stoltenberg

According to Stoltenberg, NATO sees no indication that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin wants peace, meaning the alliance has to be prepared to support Ukraine for a long time.

Read also: Putins window of opportunity on battlefield closing, says former NATO head Rasmussen

This support changes the situation on the battlefield very day, the official said.

Stoltenberg added that in order to ensure the war ends with Ukraine prevailing as an independent state, military aid to Kyiv must continue.

Read also: Putin prepares for another offensive to conquer Ukraine, NATOs Stoltenberg warns

Weapons supplied today could create conditions for a peace process tomorrow, he concluded.

Secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), Oleksiy Danilov, recently warned that Moscow is preparing for maximum escalation in the coming weeks.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
By Gram Slattery and Trevor Hunnicutt

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley will kick off her campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination this month, squaring off against her one-time boss, Donald Trump, two sources familiar with her plans said on Wednesday.

The move would make her just the second declared Republican candidate and could set the stage for a more combative phase of the campaign, potentially putting her in the sights of the pugnacious former U.S. president.

Haley's campaign sent an email to supporters on Wednesday inviting them to a Feb. 15 event in Charleston. There she will declare her candidacy, the sources said.

South Carolina is expected to host one of the first Republican nominating primaries in 2024 and will play an important role in picking the eventual candidate.

The daughter of two Indian immigrants who ran a successful clothing store in a rural part of the state, Haley has gained a reputation in the Republican Party as a solid conservative who has the ability to address issues of gender and race in a more credible fashion than many of her peers.

She has also pitched herself as a stalwart defender of American interests abroad, having served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under Trump from 2017 to 2018. During that time, the United States pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal, which was inked under Democratic President Barack Obama and was highly unpopular among Republicans.

One Haley associate said she chose to launch her campaign this early to try to grab voters' attention and shake up a race that had so far been dominated by Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has not yet declared whether he will run.

Many key Republican donors and elected officials in South Carolina have been looking for alternatives to Trump amid concerns about his electability, according to conversations in recent weeks with more than a dozen party officials and strategists.

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Several prominent Republicans, including Haley and U.S. Senator Tim Scott, opted to skip a Trump campaign appearance in Columbia on Saturday, which was intended to showcase his support in the state.

Scott, often considered a presidential contender himself, will kick off a "listening tour focused on Faith in America" in Charleston a day after Haley's event, according to a campaign advisory. He will then swing through Iowa, another key early voting state.

Trump told reporters on Saturday that Haley had called him to say she was considering a run and that he told her "go by your heart if you want to run," according to multiple media reports.

REMOVED CONFEDERATE FLAG

Haley received national attention in 2015 when, as governor, she signed a bill into law removing the Confederate battle flag from the grounds of the South Carolina state capitol, following the murder of nine black churchgoers by white supremacist Dylann Roof.

If she were to win the nomination, Haley would be the first woman at the top of the Republican presidential ticket in history, as well as the party's first non-white nominee.

Among her major challenges will be nailing down a consistent message. Even in a field where most candidates have changed their mind about key issues multiple times, Haley is particularly chameleonic.

She has distanced herself from Trump several times, only to later soften her rhetoric, saying he has an important role to play in the Republican Party.

While she has criticized Republicans for baselessly casting doubt on the results of the 2020 presidential election, she campaigned on behalf of multiple candidates who supported Trump's false election fraud claims during the 2022 midterms.

Even as she has at times adopted a conciliatory message on racial issues, she often opts for a less measured tone. In November, she said at a campaign rally that Democratic Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock, a Black man born in Savannah, should be "deported."

South Carolina is historically the third state to host the Republican nominating contest, and it often plays an outsized role in the race. Haley, who governed the state from 2011 to 2017, is popular there, polls show.

Trump and DeSantis have both been active in the state.

While Haley comes into the race as an underdog - most national polls show her support in the single digits - she is used to running from behind, having gained a reputation in political circles for coming out on top in tough-to-win races.

A spokesperson for Haley declined to comment on Wednesday.

A spokesperson for Scott did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Gram Slattery; Editing by Ross Colvin, Daniel Wallis and Andrew Heavens)
Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley during a news conference in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, October 26, 2022. Matt Rourke/AP Photo

Former SC Gov. Nikki Haley is running for president, per a report from a South Carolina paper.

The Post and Courier reported that Haley will formally announce a run on February 15 in Charleston.

If Haley announces, she will be running against former President Donald Trump for the 2024 nomination.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is running for president, according to a new report.

Haley is slated to announce her run on February 15 at the Charleston Visitor Center in downtown Charleston, reported The Post and Courier, a South Carolina-based newspaper.

Haley's communications director told Insider on Tuesday night that The Post and Courier's reporting is "accurate."

Haley announcing a run on February 15 will likely make her the second Republican to join the field of 2024 GOP candidates. She will be running against her ex-boss, former President Donald Trump, under whom she served as an ambassador to the United Nations.

Haley in January teased a run for president during an interview on Fox News.

When one is considering a run for president, Haley said, you would consider two things: "Does the current situation push for new leadership? The second question is: Am I that person that could be that new leader?"

"Yes, we need to go in a new direction," Haley said. "And can I be that leader? Yes. I think I can be that leader."

It is unclear where Haley's relationship with Trump stands right now. According to a book written by The New Yorker's Susan Glasser and The New York Times' Peter Baker, Trump mocked Haley's appearance and said he would not pick her for his running mate because she had a "complexion problem."

Trump in October also warned Haley, his former Vice President Mike Pence, and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, that running against him would be "disloyal."

"Many of them have said they would never run if I run, so we'll see whether that turns out to be true," Trump said during a Fox News Radio interview. "I think it would be very disloyal if they did, but that's OK, too."

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Trump in January also branded Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis  another of his would-be 2024 rivals  "very disloyal" for even considering a run against him in 2024.

Representatives for Trump did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Read the original article on Business Insider
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Three people were shot dead and another one died in a hospital after gunshots were fired in KwaMashu township, north of South Africa's Durban, police said on Wednesday.

Five more people with gunshot wounds were rushed to a clinic, said Robert Netshiunda, a police spokesperson in the coastal province of KwaZulu-Natal.

"It is reported that at least 20 armed suspects stormed into the hostel and opened fire to the victims," he said in a statement.

Police said they were investigating the murder cases.

South Africa has one of the world's highest murder rates, with around 20,000 people killed every year out of a population of 60 million.

On Sunday, gunmen killed eight people and wounded three others in a different mass shooting, police said.

(Reporting by Anait Miridzhanian; Editing by Josie Kao)
Four suspects believed to have been involved in the July 7, 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise have been transferred to the United States from Haiti, federal authorities said Tuesday. Two of the suspects were among the first to be arrested in connection with the slaying.

The defendants, James Solages, 37, Joseph Vincent, 57, Alejandro Riveria Garcia, 44, and Christian Sanon, 54, are currently being held in U.S. custody. Solages and Vincent, both U.S. citizens from Florida, were arrested in Haiti shortly after the assassination.

Solages, Vincent and Rivera are facing charges of conspiring to commit murder or kidnapping outside the U.S. and providing material support and resources resulting in death, according to the Department of Justice.

In April 2021, the criminal complaint alleges, Solages, Sanon and others met in South Florida to discuss regime change in Haiti and support for Sanon, an aspiring Haitian political candidate. During that meeting, a list of equipment and weapons that would be needed to change the regime in Haiti was shared, the complaint alleges. The list included rifles, tear gas, grenades, ammunition and other equipment, according to the complaint. Sanon then used the equipment to support his "private military" forces of about 20 Colombian nationals in Haiti, the complaint alleges, which was led by Riveria.

Suspects in the assassination of Haiti's President Jovenel Moise sit on the floor handcuffed after being detained, at the General Direction of the police in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Thursday, July 8, 2021. / Credit: Jean Marc HervA AbAlard / AP

Sanon shipped 20 ballistic vests in early June to Haiti, the complaint alleges. The group of four men met on July 6, 2021, at a house near the president's residence where firearms and equipment were distributed, the complaint alleges.

Sanon is charged with conspiring to smuggle goods from the U.S. and providing unlawful export information, the Justice Department said.

The next day, a squad of gunmen assassinated Moise and wounded his wife in an overnight raid on their home. Moise was shot 12 times and killed. His wife, Martine Moise, was also shot multiple times but survived. Police said they killed four suspects and arrested two others hours later.

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Approximately 20 other Colombian citizens and a group of Haiti-based dual Haitian-American citizens plotted to kidnap or kill the Haitian president, according to 2022 federal charging documents reviewed by CBS Miami.

The Colombian government has said that the majority of the ex-soldiers were duped and thought they were on a legitimate mission to provide protection and that only a few knew it was a criminal mission.

The four defendants were detained in Haiti until Tuesday's transfer to the United States, federal officials said. Seven individuals are now in U.S. custody for their roles in the assassination plot, authorities said.

Ice storm slams south and central U.S.

Whale deaths spark debate in New York, New Jersey over offshore wind farms

Rep. Katie Porter talks about her Senate bid
(Left) Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni and (right) Selma Police Chief Rudy Alcaraz provide an update on a shooting that left officer Gonzalo Carrasco dead.

A Selma police officer was shot and killed Tuesday by a man who local authorities say is a known Bulldog gang member and convicted felon.

It's the first time a Selma officer has been killed in the line of duty.

The soon-to-be father was just 24 years old when he was gunned down while on patrol Tuesday afternoon, according to Fresno County sheriff's department officials.

The Fresno County law enforcement community is now asking California elected officials to change their approach to the state's criminal justice system - limiting the release of violent convicted felons.

What we know

Officer Gonzalo Carrasco was patrolling in the small Fresno County city shortly before noon when someone flagged down his patrol car in the 2600 block of Pine Street in Selma. The woman told Carrasco there was a suspicious person in a yard, authorities reported.

As the officer left his car, he was shot several times. He was rushed to Fresno's Community Regional Medical Center, where he later died.

Carrasco had been with the department for two years.

Nathaniel Dixon, 23 of Selma, was later found and arrested and a gun believed to have been used in the slaying was found in the area. The motive for the shooting is under investigation but may have been gang-related, new Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni said.

Im absolutely outraged. I am horrified right now, Selma Police Chief Rudy Alcaraz said during a Tuesday press conference.

Carrasco was the son of farmworkers, and was part of the Reedley Police Department Explorer Program before he became a Selma police officer. He is survived by his parents, brother, sisters and girlfriend, who is currently pregnant with their child, according to authorities.

Dixon is expected in court Friday where he faces murder and gun charges. His bail was set at $1.2 million, but later denied because of probation violations.

Selma police officer Gonzalo Carrasco was shot and killed on Tuesday, January 31, 2023

'A warped system'

Dixon has a criminal record that included robbery, drug and gun possession charges. In March, Dixon was sentenced to five years in prison, but was released a few months later with time served in local jail.

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Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp attributed the deadly shooting, in part, to the state's criminal justice system.

"We have two families that are suffering loss. The family of the slain officer, and the family of the shooter who will now be facing murder charges," she said. "If the prison system did an effective job of 'corrections and rehabilitation' this would not be the case."

She was also critical of Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California legislature's criminal justice reform. The district attorney said they have created a "warped system that allows active and violent criminals to receive arbitrary 'time credits'."

"This madness is creating more victims and, furthermore, it is not serving the people who are committing the crimes," Smittcamp added.

Newsom did not mince words with Smittcamp.

"The Fresno DA chose not to charge this suspect to the full extent of the law, which would have ensured that he spent decades in prison," a spokesperson for the governor's office stated in an email to Visalia Times-Delta.

At the time of his arrest, Dixon had two illegal loaded guns in his car, according to authorities. He lunged at an officer and tried to grab the officers firearm, and resisted arrest. He was also under a domestic violence restraining order and had recently failed on probation for a prior strike conviction  an armed robbery with a deadly weapon the year before.

Dixon was initially charged with 10 offenses, but accepted a plea agreement to two charges, which carried a five-year sentence. His release date was set for Aug. 23, five months after his original sentence. He was released in September and placed on probation as part of California's AB 109 law (prison realignment), sheriff's officials said.

Jennifer and I join all the family, friends and colleagues mourning the tragic loss of Officer Carrasco, who devoted his life to protecting his community," Newsom stated on Wednesday. "His tremendous bravery, dedication and sacrifice will never be forgotten.

The Fresno Deputy Sheriffs Association is supporting the Selma Police Officers Association by establishing a memorial fund. Donations will be given to Carrascos family.

Contributions can be sent to:

Fresno Deputy Sheriffs Association, C/O Selma POA Memorial Fund, 1360 Van Ness Avenue, Fresno, CA 93721

Anyone with additional information about this case is asked to please contact Sheriffs Detective Richard Antunez at (559) 600-8221 or Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-7867, www.valleycrimestoppers.org You will remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Fresno County officer shot and killed
Delivering the eulogy at the funeral of Tyre Nichols, the 29-year-old Black man who died three days after being beaten by Memphis police during a traffic stop, the Rev. Al Sharpton called out the five Black officers who have been charged in Nicholss death for their conduct in the city where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968.

Video Transcript

AL SHARPTON: And the reason why, Mr. And Mrs. Wells, what happened to Tyre is so personal to me is that five Black men that wouldn't have had a job in the police department would not ever be thought of to be in an elite squad in the city that Dr. King lost his life. Not far away from that balcony, you beat a brother to death. There's nothing more insulting and offensive to those of us that fight to open doors that you walk through those doors and act like the folks we had to fight for to get you through them doors.

[APPLAUSE]

You didn't get on the police department by yourself. The police chief didn't get there by herself. People had to march and go to jail, and some lost their lives to open the doors for you. And how dare you?

[APPLAUSE]

Act like that sacrifice was for nothing. You ain't in no New England state. You're in Tennessee, where we had to fight for you. And you take that position?
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating after an officer shot a man in East Dublin. The officer was also injured.

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On Monday, an East Dublin police officer was called to the Ponderosa Trailer Park on Corbett Street in response to a shots fired call.

The officer arrived near Lot 18. According to the release, once the officer got out his car, he was immediately shot by David Jermaine Fountain, 35.

The officer reportedly fired back, hitting Fountain.

Officials say Fountain lives in Lot 18 and was allegedly shooting at mobile homes inside the trailer park before the officer got there.

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The officer was taken to a local hospital for medical treatment and released. Fountain was transported to Atrium Health Navicent in Macon for further medical treatment.

Fountain is facing charges of aggravated assault on a peace officer and aggravated assault with additional charges pending.

The case will be turned over to the Dublin Judicial Circuit District Attorneys Office once the GBI completes its investigation.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
Jan. 31Blue Zones Project Yuba-Sutter hosted its first Ellis Lake clean-up event in Marysville on Tuesday as part of its "Adopt a Park" series.

Tuesday's cleanup was the launch of that series with the next event scheduled from noon to 1 p.m. on Feb. 28 at Efuay Wood Park in Plumas Lake.

"As the weather is getting nicer, we're trying to hit all the different places in our area to beautify and start building those community connections," said Alex Mazerolle, an engagement lead with Blue Zones. "We're hoping that people will start partnering up with someone they don't know so that they can maybe start forming new friendships too."

Blue Zones Project Yuba-Sutter, sponsored by Adventist Health and Blue Zones, LLC, is best described as a multifaceted health and wellbeing initiative meant to increase longevity and enable community members to live longer, happier lives with lower rates of chronic diseases and a higher quality of life.

Mazerolle also stated that Blue Zones initiatives involve getting people out and moving, so the Ellis Lake cleanup doubled as a walking activity where participants could take advantage of its 1.2 mile loop.

Over 25 participants gathered at the Ellis Lake gazebo within the first 15 minutes of the event. Blue Zones members handed out cleaning gear, which included trash bags, gloves, and grabbers. Healthy snacks, water, souvenirs, and pamphlets about Blue Zones' various programs were also available to any and all volunteers.

"We're really excited to get this going," said Courtney Finstad, Blue Zones organizational lead. "We chose Ellis Lake because it's part of our blueprint as far as what we want to accomplish overall."

While the grounds looked relatively well kept upon arrival, the hosts pointed people toward the water's edge where some trash was visible just below the surface. This was a one-hour excursion planned to coincide with people's lunch breaks.

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"We invited all the organizations that we've worked with as well as the community at large," said Finstad. "We engage at different levels with different organizations, but so far we've partnered with probably 30-50 organizations just trying to instill community wellbeing across schools, worksites, restaurants, and grocery stores."

For Donna Kearns, who moved to Marysville just two years ago, this was her first Blue Zones meeting and she said she plans to return to more.

"This is my new home and I think Ellis Lake is a gem in the community," said Kearns. "It's beautiful and I'd like to help keep it clean."

For more information about the Blue Zones Project, visit yubasutter.bluezonesproject.com.
(Photo Courtesy of Max Wilbert)

RENO, Nev.  Today, General Motors (GM) Co. announced that it will invest $650 million in Lithium Americas Corporation, the company that is developing a lithium mine on Thacker Pass in northern Nevada. If completed, the mine will be the largest lithium mine in the United States.

GMs investment is conditional on whether the Thacker Pass project clears the final environmental and legal challenges its currently facing in a federal court in Reno where conservation organizations and Tribes have filed suit to stop the project.

GM said in a statement that its investment represents the largest-ever investment by an automaker to produce raw materials for lithium batteries.

GM has secured all the battery material we need to build more than 1 million EVs annually in North America in 2025 and our future production will increasingly draw from domestic resources like the site in Nevada were developing with Lithium Americas, GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra said in a statement. Direct sourcing critical EV raw materials and components from suppliers in North America and free-trade-agreement countries helps make our supply chain more secure, helps us manage cell costs, and creates jobs.

However, Native News Online reported in February 2022 that Tesla made an agreement worth $1.5 billion to purchase 75 tonnes of raw nickel over the next six years in northern Minnesota. Nickel is a key metal used to extend the range of lithium batteries, and demand for nickel is expected to increase over the next decade as the automobile industry supplies more electric vehicles.

Approvals for the mines permit were fast-tracked in the last days of the Trump Administration by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Tribes, including the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony (RSIC) and Burns Paiute Tribe (Oregon), conservation groups, and a rancher want to see the area preserved due to its significance to 22 tribes in the area.

Thacker Pass is called Peehee Muhuh, or Rotten Moon, in Paiute because, in 1865, federal cavalry killed men, women and children and then left their bodies to rot.

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The RSIC and Burns Paiute Tribe said that, The proximity of the Indian Lodgings in the project area, combined with the intervening plaintiffs oral histories describing how Paiute people, being hunted by the US Cavalry, hid in Thacker Pass, and especially the new accounts of the massacre make it very likely that the Sept. 12, 1865 massacre happened, at least partially, within the project area.

To the Tribes, the land is sacred, just like the Oglala Lakota deem the site of Wounded Knee sacred, where nearly 300 men, women, and children were killed while unarmed in December 1890.

Tribes also argued that the BLM did not consult with them on the project. BLM recently fined Protect Thacker Pass  a grassroots collective working to stop the mine project  $49,890 for putting up latrines for Native elders as they visited the camp that acted as a watchdog on the proposed open lithium mine.

In oral arguments on Jan. 5 in Reno, lawyers for Lithium Americas and the BLM insisted the Thacker Pass project complies with U.S. laws and regulations. BLM attorneys argued that the project followed procedures used in the past to determine what projects necessitate government-to-government consultation and outreach. They also added that Tribes had not alerted the BLM to the sacredness of the land in past projects. In their arguments, attorneys for BLM argue that supporting the transition to green energy is a key part of President Joe Bidens push to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

U.S. District Judge Miranda Du said that she will make a decision on the Thacker Pass project in the next couple of months. Du has refused twice in the past year to grant temporary injunctions sought by tribal leaders.

A spokesperson for the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony was unavailable for comment as of press time.

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
(Bloomberg) -- The Long Island village of Southampton has long served as a getaway for New Yorks ultra-wealthy, but in the summer of 2022, it welcomed a crop of newly minted magnates. George Santos, an underdog congressional candidate from the other end of the island, was there to greet them.

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Santos, in his early 30s, found common cause with the millennial millionaires.

Both had dubious sources of wealth  his from unexplained business deals and theirs from marketing cryptocurrencies to the masses. While they were looking to upend financial systems and write crypto-friendly regulations in Washington, Santos was hoping to use their new money to get elected to Congress.

Their plotlines merged for a few weeks last summer, when Santos attended at least two fundraisers with high-flying crypto execs in the Hamptons, according to donors who attended. But fall brought a sharp reversal of fortune for both.

Although he won his election, Santos is now under scrutiny for fabricating significant parts of his life story. He allegedly invented stints at top Wall Street firms, a Jewish heritage, a volleyball championship and his mothers death on 9/11. Meanwhile, the crypto donors have seen much of their riches wiped out after FTX Trading Ltd.  one of the largest exchanges that many of them worked for  collapsed just days after Santos got elected.

One event that drew them together was a fundraiser for Michelle Bond, a Republican candidate in Long Islands 1st Congressional District, at 75 Main, a restaurant so difficult to get into that billionaire businessman John Catsimatidis spent $75,000 last year just for the privilege of having a standing reservation.

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The other, at a private Southampton residence, was for Adam Laxalt, a Republican Senate candidate from Nevada, according to one attendee who spoke on condition of anonymity because his financial services firm doesnt want him to discuss political activity publicly.

Attending both events was Bonds ubiquitous boyfriend, FTX executive Ryan Salame.

Bond, who moved back to Long Island from Virginia to mount a campaign inspired by former President Donald Trump, was well connected to the crypto world.

Crypto Cash

Flush with cash, the crypto industry gave more than $80 million to federal campaigns and committees during 2021 and 2022, outpacing prodigious donor groups such as drugmakers and defense contractors.

Long Island was a particularly attractive spot for the crypto set, because of the proximity to New York City and the chance to flip some seats for Republicans, who benefited from a court-ordered redrawing of congressional districts to undo a Democratic gerrymander.

Novice crypto donors were willing to back political newcomers, in contrast to most corporate industries that prefer to give to incumbents who already have a track record and more senior positions on committees.

Santos, 34, was one such newcomer, presenting himself as a gay, Jewish Latino Republican who could read a billion-dollar balance sheet. As was Bond, who touted her connections to the Trump family, and her anti-abortion and pro-police stances. She lost her August primary.

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried gave mostly to Democrats, saying that he wanted to earn as much money as possible in order to address long-term problems such as pandemics and the role of artificial intelligence in society. Before FTX collapsed, he said he would also give as much as $1 billion in the 2024 presidential race.

Earlier this year, he pleaded not guilty to criminal charges, including conspiracy to violate campaign finance laws. He faces trial in October.

But at least 11 donors with direct ties to the crypto industry, including Salame, his parents and former FTX chief regulatory officer Daniel Friedberg, gave to both Bond and Santos.

Salame and his parents, who hadnt made a federal political contribution in this century until 2022, donated the maximum $5,800 to Santoss campaign. Tiffany Santos, Georges sister, gave $5,800 to Bonds campaign which, like Santoss, was partially self-financed.

Crypto donors made up only a small part of Santoss fundraising. He collected more money from contributors such as brokers, investors, real estate developers and insurance executives. He didnt return a request for comment for this story.

Newfound Wealth

Unlike the crypto money that came from a now-deflated asset bubble, the source of Santoss newfound wealth remains largely unexplained. In his 2020 campaign, Santos filed a financial disclosure form saying he had no assets. Two years later, he said he was worth as much as $10 million  drawing a $750,000 salary from a company he founded called the Devolder Organization, after his mothers maiden name.

Santos then loaned more than $700,000 to his congressional campaign.

Santos  who has admitted to lying about previous jobs at Goldman Sachs and Citigroup  said his firm was a capital introduction service, brokering business opportunities to investors.

The Department of Justice and the New York Attorney General are currently investigating Santos, and complaints have been filed with the House Office Committee.

Santos is also getting increased scrutiny from the Federal Elections Commission, which enforces campaign finance laws.

The Santos campaign may have had as many as three campaign treasurers in the past week, after one abruptly resigned. On Tuesday, Santoss year-end campaign finance report listed as its treasurer, Andrew Olson, who has never served as a campaign treasurer, FEC records show.

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The treasurer for Rep. George Santoss (R-N.Y.) campaign has resigned, according to a letter sent to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) Tuesday.

Nancy Marks, who served as treasurer for Santoss 2020 and 2022 campaigns, said in a letter to the FEC that she left her position Wednesday.

At the request of the FEC, I am submitting this Form 99 stating that I have resigned as treasurer for the Devolder-Santos For Congress Committee as of January 25, 2023, she said.

The campaign had begun preparing for Marks to leave her role last week, but an obstacle occurred when the expected replacement said he would not serve in the role.

Santoss campaign and other affiliated groups sent an update to the FEC on Wednesday that Thomas Datwyler, who has worked as a Republican operative, will replace Marks as treasurer. But Datwylers attorney said Datwyler told the campaign that he will not serve in the role.

On Monday we informed the Santos campaign that Mr. Datwyler would not be serving as treasurer, attorney Derek Ross said. It appears theres a disconnect between that conversation and the filings today, which we did not authorize.

Every political committee needs to have a treasurer to raise or spend money, according to federal law.

The treasurer is also responsible for overseeing a campaigns filings to the FEC. The filing deadline for the end of 2022 is Tuesday.

The Hill has reached out to Santoss office for comment and to clarify who is replacing Marks.

Markss resignation comes as Santos has faced questions and increased scrutiny over his campaign finances. Local and federal investigators have launched probes into Santoss finances, and multiple ethics complaints based on allegations of campaign finance violations have been filed against Santos.

He submitted an amended campaign filing to the FEC last week to indicate that a $500,000 loan and a $125,000 loan that he said came from his personal funds came from another source.

The New York Republican announced Tuesday that he will step down from two committee assignments temporarily while the controversies play out.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Should you be held criminally liable if someone takes a firearm out of your home or car and uses it in a crime?

One Democratic lawmaker thinks so and is taking that bill, along with a package of new gun safety legislation, to the state House of Representatives.

Channel 2s Richard Elliot was at the State Capitol where that package can expect tough opposition from Republicans.

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(I) think guns are taken out of cars and taken out of homes every day and used in crimes, Decatur Democrat Mary Margaret Oliver said.

Oliver is working on legislation that would allow police to charge a gun owner if their unsecured firearm is taken out of a house or car and then later used to commit a crime.

What is the personal responsibility for you as a gun owner to make sure your gun is not used by a child or by a criminal, Oliver asked.

That bill is part of a package of gun safety legislation including two bills by Johns Creek Democrat Michelle Au. One would create a three-day waiting period and the other universal background checks on all gun purchases, public and private, and transfers.

Even with the growing concern over gun violence, both Au and Oliver acknowledge passing them wont be easy.

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I think the culture around guns is staring to change, slowly, and I think that the legislature is starting to change slowly, Au said.

What we really need is to focus on legislation that protects Georgians, not legislation that attempts to get our names in the newspaper, Columbus Republican Randy Robertson said.

Robertson is a retired deputy sheriff.

He thinks there are already criminal charges on the books, such as reckless endangerment, that cover some of what Olivers bill would do.

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He agrees that with Republican control over both the house and Senate, these bills probably wont get much traction.

I really appreciate that, and I understand the emotion behind it. but we already have laws on the books that do that, Robertson said.

Oliver hopes there will be at least some debate on gun safety issues, though she concedes, that probably wont happen.

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Google employees have been testing several potential ChatGPT competitors as part of the tech giant's bid to launch a response to OpenAI's technology, according to CNBC. A previous New York Times report said that Google CEO Sundar Pichai declared "code red" and accelerated AI development to be able to unveil at least 20 AI-powered products this year. Now, CNBC has detailed several of the products the company is working on, including a chatbot called "Apprentice Bard" that uses Google's LaMDA conversation technology.

Apparently, Google management asked the LaMDA team to prioritize working on a ChatGPT competitor, telling them that it takes precedence over any other project and even warning them not to attend unrelated meetings. Apprentice Bard reportedly looks and functions like ChatGPT in that a user can type a question or a prompt in a text box and then get a written response.

CNBC says it saw samples proving the bot's answers include information from recent events  something ChatGPT isn't capable of, because it only has limited knowledge about anything that happened after 2021. In one example, Apprentice Bard was able to answer whether there will be another round of layoffs at Google. (Unlikely for this year, it said, seeing as the company is doing well financially.) If you'll recall, Google's LaMDA tech had gotten a former company engineer fired after he claimed that it had gained sentience.

Google is also reportedly testing a new search page that uses a question and answer format. The experimental home page features five potential question prompts replacing "I'm feeling lucky" under the search bar. After a user types in their query, the page generates human-like responses in gray bubbles. Underneath those responses are suggested follow-up questions, followed by the typical search results with links and headlines. In addition, Alphabet is working on a project called "Atlas" under its cloud unit. While CNBC didn't have details on what it is, it's still reportedly part of Google's "code red" efforts.

It's unclear at this point which of Google's projects are going to be released to the public. Google AI chief Jeff Dean told employees during an all-hands meeting to discuss the company's response to ChatGPT that it's moving "more conservatively than a small startup." Providing people wrong information will have a much bigger impact for a known company like Google, after all. Indeed, The Times previously said that the tech giant is prioritizing safety, accuracy and blocking out misinformation when it comes to the development of its search chatbot. If reports that Microsoft is incorporating ChatGPT's technology into Bing as soon as this March are true, however, we'll also likely see Google's search chatbot in the near future.
Google has notified customers of its Fi mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) service that hackers were able to access some of their information, according to TechCrunch. The tech giant said the bad actors infiltrated a third-party system used for customer support at Fi's primary network provider. While Google didn't name the provider outright, Fi relies on US Cellular and T-Mobile for connectivity. If you'll recall, the latter admitted in mid-January that hackers had been taking data from its systems since November last year.

T-Mobile said the attackers got away with the information of around 37 million postpaid and prepaid customers before it discovered and contained the issue. Back then, the carrier insisted that no passwords, payment information and social security numbers were stolen. Google Fi is saying the same thing, adding that no PINs or text message/call contents were taken, as well. The hackers only apparently had access to users' phone numbers, account status, SMS card serial numbers and some service plan information, like international roaming.

Google reportedly told most users that they didn't have to do anything and that it's still working with Fi's network provider to "identify and implement measures to secure the data on that third-party system and notify everyone potentially impacted." That said, at least one customer claimed having more serious issues than most because of the breach. They shared a part of Google's supposed email to them on Reddit, telling them that that their "mobile phone service was transferred from [their] SIM card to another SIM card" for almost two hours on January 1st.

The customer said they received password reset notifications from Outlook, their crypto wallet account and two-factor authenticator Authy that day. They sent logs to 9to5Google to prove that the attackers had used their number to receive text messages that allowed them to access those accounts. Based on their Fi text history, the bad actors started resetting passwords and requesting two-factor authentication codes via SMS within one minute of transferring their SIM card. The customer was reportedly only able regain control of their accounts after turning network access on their iPhone off and back on, though it's unclear if that's what solved the issue. We've reached out to Google for a statement regarding the customers' SIM swapping claim and will update this post when we hear back.
Washington  Nine Republican-controlled states asked a federal judge in Texas on Tuesday to shut down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in its entirety over two years, a move that would prevent nearly 600,000 immigrants known as "Dreamers" from renewing their deportation protections and work permits.

The request from the coalition of states led by Texas represents the most pressing legal threat facing the Obama-era DACA program, which has continued to this day, although in a limited way, despite the years-old lawsuit challenging its legality and former President Donald Trump's attempts to dismantle it.

For over a decade, DACA has allowed hundreds of thousands of immigrants lacking legal status who were brought to the U.S. as children to work and live in the country without fear of deportation. But the program does not provide them permanent residency, a status only Congress can grant. As of September 2022, 589,660 young adults were enrolled in DACA, federal statistics show.

At the center of the Republican state officials' request on Tuesday are rules the Biden administration issued to place DACA on firmer legal grounds by transforming the program into a federal regulation. In October, those regulations replaced the Obama administration memo that first created DACA in 2012.

At the request of the same group of states, U.S. District Court Andrew Hanen declared the 2012 DACA memo unlawful in the summer of 2021. Hanen's ruling, which was upheld by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals last year, has blocked the government from approving first-time DACA applications. But it also has allowed current DACA recipients to continue renewing their enrollment in the program.

However, the states challenging DACA's legality asked Hanen on Tuesday to find that the regulations issued last year are also unlawful and to block the government from approving renewal applications two years after a decision is made.

"The Final Ruleas the latest manifestation of the DACA programis substantively unlawful for the same reasons as the DACA Memorandum," the states said in their filing. "The Court should declare it unlawful and unconstitutional, vacate it in its entirety, and permanently enjoin its implementation (with a prudent transition for existing DACA recipients)."

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Pro-DACA protestors hold a march outside of the U.S. Capitol Building calling for a pathway to citizenship on November 17th, 2022 in Washington, DC. / Credit: Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

While the Biden administration regulations address one of the legal claims against DACA  that it should have been created through a regulation open to public comments  they will likely not change Hanen's view that the policy itself violates U.S. law, since the regulations are identical to the 2012 memo he declared illegal.

It's unclear, however, whether Hanen will agree to block DACA renewals in the future, since he has previously expressed concern about disrupting the lives of immigrants enrolled in the program. Hanen's ruling is expected to be issued after April 6, the deadline for parties in the case to submit filings.

"Although we can't predict what a ruling would look like, if Judge Hanen rules that DACA is unlawful, that decision is likely to be appealed to a higher court," said Nina Perales, the vice president for litigation at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, which is defending the program's legality alongside the Biden administration and New Jersey.

A ruling that shuts down DACA or declares the program illegal would likely be appealed to the 5th Circuit by the Biden administration, and the case could ultimately reach the Supreme Court.

The states that joined Texas' bid to terminate DACA were Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, South Carolina, West Virginia, Kansas and Mississippi. They have argued that DACA is an illegal overreach of executive power, and that only Congress has the authority to grant unauthorized immigrants federal benefits.

The prospect of DACA's demise could reignite discussions in Congress about legalizing those enrolled in the program, a proposal with broad bipartisan support among Americans. But efforts in Congress to pass such a proposal have collapsed repeatedly since 2001 amid broader partisan differences on U.S. immigration policy.

"Unfortunately, our Congress has been polarized and unable to pass any major immigration reform legislation  and I think that's unlikely to happen in 2023," said Steve Yale-Loehr, a Cornell University professor who studies the U.S. immigration system.

Yale-Loehr said the only way he sees the new Congress offering DACA beneficiaries permanent legal status is as part of a broader deal that includes measures limiting asylum along the U.S.-Mexico border to address concerns from Republican lawmakers, who hold a slim majority in the House.

Camila de Pierola, 25, who has been living in the U.S. since her family left Peru when she was a year old, said DACA's termination would derail her dreams of becoming a physician. The Bay Area resident said she plans to attend medical school this fall, after earning her masters degree from UC Berkeley in May.

"How will I be able to financially support myself? It would be one big question mark. I'm sure there would be a lot of outrage as well," said de Pierola, who's been enrolled in DACA her entire adult life.

De Pierola noted that while some medical schools accept applicants enrolled in DACA, many do not accept students who don't have legal immigration status. Residency programs also require students to show they are authorized to work in the U.S. legally.

Those enrolled in DACA had to pass background checks and satisfy several eligibility requirements, including proving that they arrived in the U.S. by age 16 and before June 2007, studied in a U.S. school or served in the military, and lacked any serious criminal record.

Two-thirds of the immigrants enrolled in DACA are between the ages of 21 and 30, and 81% were born in Mexico, according to government data. The other top countries of origin for DACA beneficiaries include El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru and South Korea.

The Trump administration moved to terminate DACA in the fall of 2017, arguing that the policy was unlawful. But it was kept alive by federal courts, including the Supreme Court, which in 2020 ruled that the Trump administration had not properly rescinded the program.

Still, DACA has, for the most part, been closed to new, first-time applicants over the past five years. It was opened to new enrollees for several months after a court ruling in late 2020, but Hanen, the judge in Texas, barred the approval of first-time DACA requests in July 2021, and the program has been closed ever since.

Saul Rascon Salazar, 21, a senior at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, managed to apply for DACA just before the Trump administration tried to revoke it. He grew up in Phoenix after leaving Mexico in 2006, when he was 5 years old. While they have similar stories, one of Rascon Salazar's younger brothers is not enrolled in DACA because it was closed to new applicants before he could satisfy the age eligibility.

"It has been exponentially more difficult for him," Rascon Salazar said, noting his brother has struggled to access financial aid for college.

Saul Rascon Salazar, a 21-year-old DACA beneficiary, was born in Mexico but has lived in the U.S. since he was 5 years old. / Credit: Saul Rascon Salazar

Rascon Salazar said DACA has allowed him to work and get financial assistance to pay for college. His enrollment in the program has also motivated him to advocate on behalf of other immigrants. A court ruling that shuts down DACA, he said, "would be devastating."

"It would be like a huge middle finger to everything that I've done," Rascon Salazar added.

Leon Rodriguez, who oversaw DACA as director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services during former President Barack Obama's second term, said any unilateral actions the Biden administration could take in response to a ruling that terminates the program would be limited.

The administration could enact a new policy instructing immigration agents to refrain from deporting DACA beneficiaries, without providing them work permits, but Rodriguez said that would be "almost worthless," since this population is not a priority for deportation anyhow, at least under President Biden.

"DACA was only ever meant to be a provisional solution," Rodriguez said, "so in some ways, it took the pressure off to do a real solution, which is a path to citizenship."

How criminal blunders led investigators to catch these killers

Organization helps pair formerly incarcerated with roommates

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At first thought, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreauxs call for the death penalty for the two suspects in the infamous Goshen massacre makes complete sense.

After all, the suspects killed six people, including a 16-year-old mother and her 10-month-old baby. The victims were shot in the head, execution style  yes, the infant too. That is taking cold-heartedness to a new level. Boudreaux has said the Jan. 16 crimes appear gang related, possibly by a gang cartel.

By the standards of the San Joaquin Valley, which witnesses harsh crimes with regularity, the life for a life morality of the death penalty seems entirely appropriate in this case. Clearly, whoever committed these slayings should never be able to live freely in California again, given the danger they represent to the rest of us.

But the death penalty is the wrong approach for several key reasons.

Broken system

Uppermost is the fact that the death penalty system in California is incapable of delivering the justice that those seeking it would want.

For one thing, the last time a person was put to death in California was 2006. That is hardly swift justice desired by victims. But the many appeals inherent in death-penalty cases make long delays inevitable.

Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux speaks Monday, Jan. 30, 2023, about new developments in the investigation of a mass shooting that occurred January 16, in Goshen, Calif. Two weeks after shooters brazenly killed a teen mother, her 10-month-old baby and four other members of her household, the suspects remain at-large. Authorities on Monday provided no motive for the attack in a central California farming community. (Ron Holman/The Times-Delta via AP)

In November 2021, a review of the states death penalty system was issued by the California Penal Code Committee. It was formed by the Legislature to review all of the states criminal laws.

The committee found that the death penalty punishment has become so complicated and costly that it takes decades for cases to be fully resolved and it is imposed so arbitrarily  and in such a discriminatory fashion  that it cannot be called rational, fair, or constitutional.

Part of the unfairness lies in racial disparities. At the time the report was released, nearly 70% of the defendants on death row were people of color.

Unfairly applied

Another aspect of the unfair treatment is the fact that the death penalty is not sought uniformly across California. According to the report, a handful of counties account for the majority of the recent death sentences imposed in the state. The report does not note which counties push for the penalty, but they are likely more conservative, inland ones, not liberal, coastal entities.

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Then there is the risk that an innocent person might wrongly be put to death. The committee found that five California inmates, all people of color, were wrongly convicted and sentenced to die. They were subsequently freed.

Since the death penalty was re-instituted in 1977, California taxpayers have spent more than $4 billion to administer it. Is it worth it? The committee gave a resounding no. Californias system for capital punishment is beyond repair. California should abolish the death penalty and death row should be dismantled.

Another significant person against the death penalty is Gov. Gavin Newsom. He essentially suspended it in 2019.

Best outcome

The New York Times noted in an analysis that during last years elections, in which Republicans made fear of crime a key issue, public support for the death penalty did not grow.

In fact, the public has lost confidence in capital punishment. In 1994, 80% of Americans backed the death penalty. By last year, that support had dropped to 55%, according to Gallup.

In the Goshen case is that Boudreaux is seeking the death penalty before anyone has been arrested. He explains that is because of the infant being slain. Everyone can see the sheer monstrosity of the shootings. But still, the sheriff is racing to sentencing before arrests have occurred and the case transferred to the district attorney.

Boudreaux is a lawman and wants the toughest punishment; that is to be expected. Tulare County has historically been a conservative part of the state, so most likely residents expect stiff punishments.

But if the sheriff and his constituents really want the harshest justice possible, the suspects should face life sentences without parole. They can spend the rest of their miserable lives thinking about shooting a 10-month-old baby to death.
A pair of federal grand juries indicted a prominent Southern California attorney and accused him of stealing millions of dollars from scores of sympathetic victims, court documents revealed Wednesday.

Thomas Girardi, 83, who is married to "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" cast member Erika Jayne, 51, was hit with a 12-count indictment in U.S. District Court in Chicago.

Girardi's law partner Christopher Kamon and David Lira, the head of the firm's accounting and finance department, were also charged with 12 criminal counts.

Nine counts allege wire fraud and three allege misconduct by court officers, stemming from allegations that the defendants failed to distribute money owed to their clients.

The charges in Chicago are connected to the firms dealings with five clients, who lost loved ones in the Lion Air crash that killed 189 people in 2018.

The firm had secured a $11 million settlement for four clients and a $1.55 million deal for a fifth, according to the indictment.

The defendants used much of the money to pay firm expenses, including payroll, charges on an American Express card and distributions to other clients whose own settlement funds previously had been misappropriated by the defendants, the indictment alleges.

A grand jury in the Central District of California charged Girardi and Kamon with five counts each of wire fraud, alleging they siphoned massive amounts of money from five highly sympathetic clients:

The defendants secured a $53 million settlement for a San Bruno, California, client, who was severely injured in a natural gas explosion. But Girardi is alleged to have told the client that the settlement was for only $7.25 million.

A Havasu City, Arizona, client's husband was killed in a boating accident, and Girardi is alleged to have used part of a $504,000 settlement "to make payments to two exclusive country clubs."

The defendants helped a Los Angeles resident and the client's son, who was paralyzed car crash, secure a $17.5 million settlement. But the defendants paid only part of that total to clients and falsely claimed that tax issues, nonexistent court proceedings and past medical bills were slowing distribution, according to the indictment.

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U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada, who runs federal prosecutions out of the Los Angeles-based Central District of California, said the defendants targeted vulnerable clients who invested great trust in their lawyers.

Mr. Girardi and Mr. Kamon stand accused of engaging in a widespread scheme to steal from their clients and lie to them to cover up the fraud, Estrada said in statement.

In doing so, they allegedly preyed on the very people who trusted and relied upon them the most  their clients. Actions like the ones alleged in the indictment bring disrepute upon the legal profession and will not be tolerated by my office.

The legal drama involving Girardi and his wife played out on the hit Bravo reality show.

One story line of the past season closely followed a pair of diamond earrings prized by Girardi's wife, which some of her fellow "Housewives" believed she should surrender to fraud victims.

Even before his tangential role on "Housewives," Girardi was one of the best-known and most respected attorneys in Southern California.

Thomas Vincent Girardi should have been a pillar to our community. Instead, he is accused of creating an elaborate scheme to mislead his clients, victimizing them for a second time, Tyler Hatcher, the special agent in charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation's Los Angeles field office, said in a statement.

Girardi is expected to surrender to authorities on Monday, two law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation said. Girardi's attorney could not be immediately reached for comment on Wednesday.

Court records did not indicate who Girardis co-defendants had tapped to represent them in these federal cases.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
A man shot and killed a transit worker and wounded two other people in Washington, D.C., near a Metro station during Wednesday morning's commute, police said. A suspect was taken into custody.

According to officials, transit riders helped subdue the suspect, who was identified by the Metropolitan Police Department as 31-year-old Isaiah Trotman. He was arrested on charges of first-degree murder while armed, kidnapping while armed and assault with a dangerous weapon, police said.

The incident unfolded around 9 a.m., Metropolitan Police Department Executive Assistant Chief Ashan Benedict said in a news conference. The suspect, who has not been named, was riding a Metro bus and "engaging" other passengers while "brandishing" a weapon, Benedict said. He eventually followed a passenger off the bus and shot at him, striking him in the legs.

That passenger, Benedict said, has been transported to an area hospital and is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Next, the suspect went down into the Potomac Avenue Metro station, where he engaged someone who Benedict said was attempting to buy a Metro card. Another "altercation" occurred and that person was shot in the leg. The suspect brought that person over to a turnstile. Benedict noted that the "intent" of the suspect remains unclear, but at some point, the injured man freed himself. He was also transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police respond to a shooting at a Metro station in Washington, D.C., Feb. 1, 2023. / Credit: CBS/Melissa Quinn

The suspect went down to the platform, where he engaged with a woman while brandishing his weapon still, Benedict said. It's not clear what happened next: He attempted to "rob, confront or otherwise have an altercation with her," Benedict said, drawing the attention of two transit employees.

One employee, identified by the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority on Wednesday afternoon as 64-year-old Robert Cunningham, attempted to "intervene to protect this young lady," Benedict said, but was immediately shot. Benedict said that Cunningham, a mechanic in the power department, was declared dead on the scene.

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"Our thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family and the heroic actions that took place here today," Benedict said.

The second employee then engaged the shooter and attempted to de-escalate the situation.

"I believe he successfully (did) so because no one is shot after this individual is shot," Benedict said. The second employee was injured on his hand and is also receiving treatment.

The suspect remained in the station. According to Benedict, he got on a train and was "walking around, brandishing a firearm and randomly engaging people in conversation."

"He's clearly agitated about something, we're just not sure at this point (what)," Benedict said, adding that the investigation will aim to "get to the bottom of that."

At some point, "other individuals" in the station tackled the suspect, Benedict said.

"I wish we could have been there faster. Our officers were there within minutes of getting the call for service, but due to the heroic actions of our citizens, our community, to disarm this shooter, I can't put a price on that," Benedict said. "I think they saved lives and that's to be commended, but the fact that our citizens have to intervene with armed gunmen is disturbing to me. We do the best we can each and every day, our officers are there within minutes, we got the shooter into custody, and now we'll just let the investigation go forward."

LIVE: Mayor Bowser Holds Media Availability https://t.co/xrpYh0PpGv  Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) February 1, 2023

Benedict said the suspect was still armed when police arrived on the scene, but later said that his weapon was on the train tracks. Benedict also said that officers found the shooter "on the platform, standing alone" and that "victims and witnesses (had) since moved on."

The suspect was taken into custody on the platform, Benedict said.

In a news release Wednesday night, police said that there were initial reports that a fourth person had been shot in the hand. However, investigators later learned that person instead "sustained a laceration" that "was not as a result of gunfire."

Police got a call about the incident on the bus around 9:20 a.m., but it's not clear when officers arrived at the Metro station, Benedict said.

Randy Clarke, the general manager and CEO of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, told reporters it was a "brutal day" for the agency's employees and added that the employee who was killed would be "known as a hero." When asked what words of reassurance he had for riders who rely on the Metro system, Clarke emphasized the increased security the agency has added in recent months.

"We are working very hard. We've increased police patrols 25, 30% in the last six months," Clarke said. "We've hired mental health crisis intervention counselors. We're installing more video and upgrading our video systems ... We have a gun violence problem in America, and sometimes unfortunately that comes into Metro, but this is not a Metro-specific safety issue, it's an American gun violence issue."

The WMATA said in a statement that Metro flags would be lowered to half-staff "during this time of grief."

Mayor Muriel Bowser said that the shooting emphasizes the need to "get guns out of" Washington, D.C.

"Whether it's the Metro, it's the street, it's individual homes, we know that we have guns that are creating tragedies in our city and our nation and we all have to be very focused on that," Bowser said. "I know that we will work hand in hand with Metro to make sure that our officers are working this investigation and being just as supportive as possible."

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In the iconic final scene of 1903's "The Great Train Robbery," an actor points and fires into the camera, directly at the audience. (John Springer Collection / Corbis via Getty Images)

In 1893, the historian Frederick Jackson Turner argued with bittersweet persuasiveness that the American frontier was now closed, that its day was done.

Maybe the actual frontier was over, but its mythmaking machinery was just beginning.

The very next year, Thomas Edison made a 90-second film of Little Miss Sure Shot, Annie Oakley, performing some of her marksmanship. It may very well have been the first time that a gun was fired in a motion picture film.

The frontier legend could not have lasted without gunplay in the movies, which wasted no time weaponizing the old West and the new. In the final scene of The Great Train Robbery, the outlaw-actor fires his revolver directly at the camera, at the audience  not just six times, but insolently pulling the trigger even after the cylinder is empty.

Now we have the matter of the film Rust. The cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, was killed when a supposedly cold gun in the hands of actor and producer Alec Baldwin went off. Baldwin and the films armorer face involuntary manslaughter charges. The films first assistant director, who handed the gun to Baldwin, arranged a plea deal for negligent use of a deadly weapon.

Movie-set gun accidents are aplenty, but the closest parallel of legal consequences for a film set death may be the 1982 Twilight Zone: The Movie, when a helicopter shooting a scene crashed and killed actor Vic Morrow and the two Vietnamese child performers who were working in violation of state laws. In the protracted civil and criminal proceedings, director John Landis and four other principals were acquitted of involuntary manslaughter, millions of dollars in settlements were made to the victims families, and Hollywood organizations laid down more rigid safety regulations.

Movie- and television-making have accumulated a veritable emergency rooms worth of gun accidents. The best-known ones are the ones that happen to the actors.

Brandon Lee, son of martial arts icon Bruce Lee, died after being shot as he was filming The Crow in 1993. In 1984, actor Jon-Erik Hexum was appearing in an episode of a TV series called Coverup. He was off-camera during a break in filming when he picked up a gun that was reportedly empty save for one blank; that blank was in the chamber when Hexum held the gun to his own head and pulled the trigger, killing him. The force of the blank fractured the bone at his right temple.

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In the decades when certain Hollywood forces and certain quarters of Los Angeles justice had uncommonly close relationships, the possibility tips into likelihood that some nasty incidents on and off set went overlooked or hushed up, papered over or paid off. And there must have been, certainly in the early years, a sense of caveat actor: Bad stuff can happen on a movie set, and thats just the way of it.

The then-deputy L.A. police chief and future chief James Davis  who gloried in the nickname Two-Gun Davis  recommended markswoman Marion Semmelmeyer as the crack shot for a newsreel scene in 1933. She was a member of the states womens pistol team.

Stuntman Hurd McClellan had strapped on a bulletproof vest and swung like a pendulum suspended from a tree bough as news accounts said Semmelmeyer shot him several times without mishap. McClellan had done this sort of exercise before, with police officers, and using the same vest.

The last time, though, he cried out, It went through! and collapsed.

He died in the hospital a few days later. Investigators concluded that the bullet made it past a weakened spot in the vest. It was a defect in the vest and not in my shooting, said Semmelmeyer, with an assurance that dared to be contradicted. An inquest agreed with her.

It turns out McClellan was being paid $5 to get shot, which The Times figured had worked out to about 12 cents per blast (the equivalent of about $2.75 today).

As director Cecil B. DeMille was making the 1915 film The Captive, an extra was shot dead because, DeMille wrote in his autobiography, One of the players had neglected to make the change I had ordered from live ammunition to blank. No one ever knew, officially, who had carelessly omitted to unload one of the rifles; but there was one of our soldiers who failed to appear for work at the studio again, whom no one ever saw again in Hollywood. The widow of the man who was killed was kept on the studio payroll for years.

Five movie extras were shot and wounded in the spring of 1923  not on the set of the 1923 Lon Chaney film The Hunchback of Notre Dame, where theyd been working, but outside a downtown casting office whose slick practices had already been investigated by The Times.

Hundreds of extras had been told theyd be paid $5 a day, but when they showed up to collect, they heard the pay was now $3, and if they didnt accept it, theyd be blackballed. When they made their feelings known, the management called police to report that a bunch of Wobblies  members of the activist IWW union  were making trouble. Well, even the head of the police Wobbly squad  yes, the LAPD had one  said the crowd was no such thing.

In any case, a security guard blasted off six shots and wounded five people. Luckily for him, the police hauled him off to safety as the short-changed and shot-up crowd began to pull at the man and holler, Lynch him!

The papers gave days of coverage to a February 1927 off-screen shootout at Universal between two movie cowboys who had been enemies since their days on the trail in Texas before World War I.

Early stories painted George Emerson and George Scotty Wonderly facing off like gunslingers settling a grudge on a studio street.

Some writer of purple prose delivered this account in The Times: The roar of two .45s crashed against the wooden [store]fronts and two jets of light cut the gloom of the storm. ... Emerson staggered, twisted slowly, and fell. Wonderly, his gun whirling into the mud and a bleeding gash in his right hand, reeled against a hitching rack in front of the Last Chance Saloon.

In fact, Emerson was a lion trainer at the studio zoo, and Wonderly worked with animals there too. He said he only fired after Emerson tried to shoot him. The preliminary hearing was held, dramatically, at Emersons bedside at Queen of Angels hospital. He testified that the two had argued over the mundane matter of who would put a mat under an elephant when Wonderly got a .45 from the trainers quarters and came running toward me. Then I felt a thump against my heart and I passed out. Wonderly pleaded guilty, and Emerson besought compensation under state law.

The passive voice was expertly employed in 1939, for an incident in the making of Hotel Imperial, a World War I-themed Paramount movie shot on the eve of World War II. Stuntman Jack Woody, the ex-husband of popular actress Helen Twelvetrees, got shot in the cheek by a blank in a scene where he wrestled with an actors double. A revolver was discharged, wrote The Times laconically. (The films star, Actor Ray Milland, was hospitalized for a fortnight after he was thrown from his horse.) Two years earlier, Woody had been hit in the neck by a ricochet while making Thank You, Mr. Moto. In both instances, he returned matter-of-factly to work.

And of course it was news in 1933 when Andy Devine, the comic-sidekick actor with the voice like an unoiled hinge, was off work for a few days after a gun accident: He dropped a .45 on his right foot while making a movie for Universal Studios and broke a toe.

The tourists and passersby who thronged the corner of Sunset and Gower on a February day in 1940 understandably thought they were watching a movie shootout scene on Gower Gulch near Columbia Pictures.

One movie cowboy chased down another whod been threatening him for years, and shot him to death in a parking lot. (Move that forward 75 years, and imagine the YouTube views.)

Jerome Blackjack Ward reenacted it all for the cops in the jailhouse. John Tyke had just gotten out of jail  again  and he was pesterin me and wantin to fight. Tyke swore to beat Ward to death or cut out his heart with his knife. Outside the drugstore at Sunset and Gower, Tyke followed Ward and called me yellow and other dirty names.

Ward went to his car and picked up his picture work gun and said he started to drive off to a gig at another studio. Tyke stepped in front of his car, and Ward shot him through the windshield. Tyke took off running, and Ward went after him, still shooting.

Tyke fell, and Ward poured bullets into his body. A fellow named Yukon Jake  who was of course a wrestler and character actor himself  heard the zing of bullets and realized, This is no picture. This is real. He threw a wristlock on Ward, who managed to wrench free and drive off before he was cornered by the cops not far away.

When no weapon turned up on Tyke, things looked bad for Ward, but what got him off on self-defense was another moment straight out of the movies.

As the Reno Gazette reported, Yukon Jake came into court with a pearl-handled knife that another witness said he recognized as Tykes. Yukon Jake had, the day after the shooting, taken his Doberman for a walk around the crime scene and the dog sniffed out the knife. I didnt think nothing of it at the time and stuck it in my pocket and tossed it in with my fishing tackle, recounted Yukon Jake, until the matter came to court.

There was solidarity among cowboy actors. A news photo showed a crowd of them showing up in their 10-gallon hats calling out, Were with ya, pard to Ward. The Waterloo, Iowa, Daily Courier wrote that the Gower Gulch cowboys put out a statement about how menacing Tyke had been for years. He was always working himself out of jobs because he was so mean. ... He has forced his way into our homes and forced us to feed him and made a practice of slapping us around on the street. Somebody had to do something about it, and it turned out to be Ward. ... Blackjack is a tough old cowboy, but we're all for him."

All those bystanders thought they were watching Ward and Tyke acting in a movie. But Erlina Ardoin didnt recognize a movie scene when she saw one.

In 1974 she was driving by a bank at the intersection of Washington Boulevard and 4th Street at the moment when actors staging a bank robbery for the movie Darktown Strutters came bursting out of the doors firing machine guns.

Ardoin, who had moved here from Texas not long before, thought she was seeing a real bank heist. She dived down below her dashboard and her car went out of control. It hit three other cars and nine people, most of them there to watch the movie shoot. Three years later, the case was settled with payouts by the film company.

In the spring of 1971, only about three dozen people were on hand for a dress rehearsal of an amateur production of Oliver! at Bakersfield Colleges desert campus. One of the stars was Wayne Carpenter. He was a physicist at the China Lake Naval Weapons Center, and was playing the villainous Bill Sikes.

In the climactic scene, the killer Sikes is trying to escape over Londons rooftops when a policeman shoots him twice. Carpenter fell to the stage floor and the rehearsal went on. Not until Carpenter moaned did everyone realize he had been shot in the chest. The Marine playing the police officer had been using his own gun with homemade blanks. Authorities said a fragment of bullet left behind in one of the blanks had been enough to kill Carpenter.

Heres an only-in-the-movies finale:

In Charles Dickens 1838 novel Oliver Twist, Sikes climbed onto a roof and looped a rope noose around his torso to lower himself to safety. When he imagines he sees the staring eyes of the lover he just murdered, he slips and hangs himself  a fine bit of Victorian crime and punishment.

Only in the movie script versions a hundred-plus years afterwards  including the musical Oliver!  is Sikes killed by another mans hand. By a gun.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Feb. 1The Hawaii Police Department is investigating an incident in Pahala in which an officer shot and killed a dog reportedly trying to attack him.

HPD said in a news release that police officers were in the 92-1100 block of Kaumahana Street at around 5 p.m. on Saturday to serve a restraining order on a 52-year-old man when one of the officers was attacked by a pack of dogs.

Police had arrived at the residence, knocked on the door to serve the restraining order and could hear dogs barking from inside, HPD said. After not receiving a response, officers reportedly began to leave the premises.

HPD said that an individual from inside the home then opened the door, and five "large" dogs exited and "immediately ran towards one of the officers."

The police department said that "within seconds the pack of dogs began jumping up on him and clawing at his legs."

One of the dogs jumped toward the officer's upper torso, HPD said, and it "snapped its jaw closed as if it was attempting to bite the officer."

The department said that the officer had feared for his life, so he drew his weapon and fired at the dog. The dog retreated and later died.

"Incidents in law enforcement can go from zero to 10 in a matter of seconds," said Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz said in a statement. "In this case, the officer was charged by several large aggressive animals and had less than three seconds to react and make a decision on how best to preserve his own life. That being said, any loss of life is tragic. We mourn the loss of the dog in this case, who ultimately, was a beloved family member."

HPD is asking anyone with information regarding this incident to call the its non-emergency line at 808-935-3311 or contact Area II Criminal Investigation Section Detective Donovan Kohara at 808-326-4646, extension 267, or via email at Donovan.Kohara@hawaiicounty.gov.
A heavily armed man with an AR-15-style rifle opened fire inside a Target store in Omaha, Nebraska, before he was fatally shot by police on Tuesday.

The man, later identified as Joseph Jones, 32, was armed with more than a dozen ammunition magazines when he barged inside the store and fired multiple rounds, although it wasn't clear if he fired at anyone, Omaha police officials said.

No injuries have been reported among the shoppers and employees so far, authorities said.

Law enforcement authorities responded to at least two dozen 911 calls of an active shooter at the west Omaha Target around noon local time. The first officers on the scene included Omaha police officers and a Nebraska State Trooper.

Joseph Jones, 32, pictured with a gun at an Omaha Target before being shot dead by police (Omaha Police Dept)

The first arriving officers went into the building, confronted the suspect and shot him dead, Omaha police chief Todd Schmaderer told reporters during a briefing.

Prior to shooting down the suspect, the man was issued numerous loud verbal commands ordering him to drop the rifle. An Omaha Police officer then fired their service handgun striking the suspect who was declared deceased by Omaha Fire Department personnel as a result of the incident, the police said in a statement.

Authorities thanked brave employees who underwent active shooter training and assisted in getting shoppers out.

Lauren Murphy, a 21-year-old employee, had just started her break when she heard the shots.

Jones inside the story (Omaha Police Dept)

She was in the stores front restroom when she received a message telling her to either run or stay put. She hid in a bathroom stall and began texting her family and friends that she loved them.

I was scared that this is how I might die at work, said Ms Murphy. I was just clutching onto the side of the toilet getting my feet off the ground, making sure I wasnt visible, she added.

Here are two Omaha Target employees who were working inside at the time a man armed with an AR-15 opened fire.



Samuel was finishing an online order and Lauren had just gone on break.



"I was scared that this is how I might die. At work. It's just terrifying." pic.twitter.com/v7r6ApTnOd  Bill Schammert (@BillSchammert) February 1, 2023

Employee Samuel Jacobsen, 21, was filling a personal shopping order when he heard the first gunshot. But he wasnt sure what the sound was and kept working. Then my coworker ran by and she said, Hes got a gun, get out! Mr Jacobsen said.

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I was like, Oh this is real. I have to get out, I have to get out, I have to get out. Mr Jacobsen hid behind the store and started texting coworkers to make sure they were safe.

Law enforcement officers are pictured at the scene of a reported shooting at a Target store in Omaha (AP)

Cathy Mahannah, a customer, said the scene inside was sheer panic.

Target said the store will remain temporarily closed during which employees will be provided full compensation and access to on-site counseling.

Following an incident earlier today at our Omaha West location, we are extremely grateful that all of our guests and team members were safely evacuated from the store without injury, the retailer said in a statement.

The state of Nebraska allows people to own and carry firearms, including assault-style rifles, in public view, provided the individual doesnt hold a criminal record.
Chinese premier stresses enhancing role of finance in stabilizing macroeconomy

Xinhua) 08:31, February 01, 2023

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang speaks with the staff at the investment center of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, Jan. 30, 2023. Li on Monday paid a visit to the People's Bank of China and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, where he chaired a symposium. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

BEIJING, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has stressed enhancing the role of finance in stabilizing the macroeconomy and improving financial services to keep the economy performing within a reasonable range.

Li made the remarks on Monday during a visit to the People's Bank of China and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), where he chaired a symposium.

Speaking with the staff at the investment center of SAFE, Li said that, faced with multiple external shocks in recent years, China has kept foreign exchange reserves above 3 trillion U.S. dollars, and the exchange rate of yuan has remained basically stable, providing strong support for foreign trade, the financial sector and the economy.

Recent reform in the financial sector has solidly supported China's economic development, Li noted. Only a good economy will produce a sound financial sector, and only when the financial sector is stable will the economy run steadily, he said.

Improvement and innovations in macro regulation, as well as sticking to the prudent monetary policy, have played a crucial role in ensuring economic stability and serving the real economy, Li said at the symposium, citing loan rate reductions for enterprises and the mild increases in consumer prices.

China has also prevented risks from unusual fluctuations in the financial markets, addressed risks in small and medium financial institutions and property developers, among others, and ensured that no systemic risks arise, he said, cautioning that ensuring financial stability and preventing risks is still an arduous, long-term task.

With a rebound in economic growth underway, the financial system should continue to improve services for the real economy, said the premier.

He called for enhancing financial support to strengthen consumption, investment and economic structure, improving the financial environment for the private sector, especially the small firms, fending off financial risks, and keeping the yuan's exchange rate at a reasonable and balanced level.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang speaks with the staff at the investment center of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, Jan. 30, 2023. Li on Monday paid a visit to the People's Bank of China and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, where he chaired a symposium. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang chairs a symposium during a visit to the People's Bank of China and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, Jan. 30, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang chairs a symposium during a visit to the People's Bank of China and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, Jan. 30, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Hilary Duff's son unintentionally reenacted a scene from "A Cinderella Story," giving the actor deja vu of her favorite moment of filming the 2004 film with Jennifer Coolidge.

Duff recalled when Coolidge rubbed salmon on her face, "talking about the omegas" during a scene in the movie while appearing on the Jan. 26 episode of "Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen."

"My son actually started eating sushi when he was, like, three and had a similar moment. I looked and I was like, 'You're just rubbing raw salmon on your face,'" Duff said. "And it was soft and he liked it and it reminded me of her."

"I'm sure you were like, 'This is happening to me twice in my life?'" Cohen replied.

The former "Lizzie McGuire" star shares her son, Luca, 10, with her ex-husband Mike Comrie, and has two daughters, Banks, 4, and Mae, 1, with husband Matthew Koma.

A CINDERELLA STORY (2004) JENNIFER COOLIDGE, HILARY DUFF CIND 001-CV (Alamy Stock Photo)

Duff went on to gush about how obsessed she is with Coolidge's cultural renaissance stemming from her stardom in "The White Lotus."

"I can't even begin to tell you how much I've just been obsessed with this past year for Jennifer Coolidge. It's been really cool to see," Duff said.

"She's always been a lovely human being, but I'm really proud to see her moment," she continued. "I think it just reminds me that being in this industry, I feel so lucky that anything can happen at any stage. It's so dope."

Coolidge also acknowledged this exciting new chapter for herself during her acceptance speech at the Golden Globes on Jan. 10. After winning best performance by an actress in a supporting role in a limited series, anthology series or motion picture made for television, she thanked Mike White, the creator of "The White Lotus," for giving her career a "new beginning."

"I just want you all to know that I had such big dreams and expectations as a younger person, but what happened was they get sort of fizzled by life or whatever, and I thought I was gonna be queen of Monaco, even though someone else did it, but I had these giant ideas and then you get older and its just not happening," she said. "And I just want to say, Mike White youve given me hope."

Coolidge has gone on to star in "Shotgun Wedding" with Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel, and even recruited J. Lo to help her make her debut on TikTok.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
PARK TWP.  A man arrested in Park Township on Monday, Jan. 30, and charged with assault is suspected in two other incidents.

Deputies from the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office responded to a disorderly subject call off Butternut Drive in Park Township just after 2 a.m. Monday. The call was related to a disturbance at a home and involved acquaintances of a male subject, OCSO said.

Upon arrival, deputies discovered a man armed with a handgun had fired several shots. No people or property were struck and no one was injured.

A suspect identified as 21-year-old Damion Norwood of Holland was arraigned Tuesday on charges of carrying a concealed weapon, felonious assault and firearms, aiming without malice.

More charges are pending. OCSO has linked Norwood to two other incidents in the area, including stealing items from a gas station in Holland shortly after midnight Monday and a felonious assault in Allendale Township. The former investigation is being handled by the Holland Department of Public Safety.

The felonious assault involving a handgun in Allendale Township took place Jan. 14. During that incident, which happened around 11:15 p.m. on Cottage Cove Drive, a male subject pointed a handgun at another male in the parking lot of the apartment complex.

No shots were fired and no one was injured, but the suspect fled the scene prior to deputies arriving. Charges are pending, OCSO said.

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Norwood remains in custody at the Ottawa County Jail with a $250,000 cash/surety bond.

Anyone with information should contact the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office at 616-738-4000 or Silent Observer at 877-887-4536.

 Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @SentinelMitch.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Holland man arrested for assault, suspected in two other incidents
Las Vegas, NV --News Direct-- All American Gold Corp.

McapMediaWire -- All American Gold Corp. (OTC: AAGC) is very pleased to announce that Hollywood Star Cuts, AAGCs Operating Company, has officially begun the Franchise Build-out segment of the Companys growth model.

On February 1st and February 15th, Hollywood Star Cuts Florida franchise partner will officially be taking possession of two retail locations in the Western Florida region.

The first location will be located in the rapidly expanding Port Charlotte market. Construction and renovations will begin immediately. This location is situated in an exceptional venue with a Major Grocery Chain and a Major Coffee Retailer ensuring constant foot traffic throughout all business hours. This location will primarily be Family Hair Focused but will also have a section for Nail Care. This 1,200 square foot location is newly rebuilt after the devastation of Hurricane Ian allowing the Franchisee a blank slate in which to create an award-winning venue.

The second location, starting February 15th, will be located in the bustling St. Petersburgh metro area. This locale is perfectly situated adjacent to an Upscale Fitness Center, a Big Box Superstore and many Eateries. It will be conducting business on one of St. Petersburghs busiest retail streets. This 1,150 square foot location was a successful operating hair salon previously, making the permitting and reconstruction process much more streamlined. This location will also be Family Hair Focused but due to the fact that there is an existing nail salon operating in the same plaza, the franchisee has opted for an Esthetician Room withing Hollywood Star Cuts to increase revenue.

Both locations require 45-60 days to allow for construction and permitting.

At the end of 2022, construction began in Central Texas. It is expected that Hollywood Star Cuts will be hosting a Texas sized grand opening in March once the permitting is complete and the franchisee has the Texas location staffed.

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Other franchise locations in Arizona and Nevada, as well as other markets, will be proceeding with construction as the year progresses.

Hollywood Star Cuts is in the process of developing a Blockbuster Mega Production Studio. This facility will have everything a customer and a potential franchisee could ask for. Not only does it have multiple hair styling stations, the venue will contain a dedicated area for nails. The massive facility will have a dedicated room within the venue that houses an area large enough to accommodate two separate esthetician rooms for face and skin care. To top it all off, another large room, located in the rear of the facility, will house two tanning stations. One station will house a stand-up tanning booth and the other will house a lay down tanning bed.

The purpose of such a comprehensive facility is to give the customer an all inclusive Movie Star experience while demonstrating to any potential franchisees all the wonderful features Hollywood Star cuts can offer them as business partners.

The Blockbuster Mega Production Facility is under construction now and is expected to be completed by March 1st with a grand opening celebration shortly after.

This facility is being constructed in the Westpark area of Boise Idaho. Hollywood Star Cuts invites everyone to visit all our locations in the Boise and Nampa Idaho area.

The growth model for Hollywood Star Cuts includes both Corporate owned stores as well as Franchise stores in specific markets. Once the Blockbuster mega Production Studio is completed, the construction of Corporate locations will cease for 2023. With the construction of Corporate locations on hiatus for the remainder of the year, Hollywood Star Cuts will be executing its business plan with an operating profit. The intent of concentrating on growing the business via franchise model is to accelerate growth while accumulating funds, allowing for future growth without the need for outside financing.

To ensure transparency and clarity, All American Gold Corp will be conducting a Shareholder Conference Call on Thursday, February 2nd at 7:00PM Eastern Time (4:00PM Western). This call will be open to the public. Among topics to be discussed will include Calendar Year-end financials, expansion plans, audit update, as well as other Company business. The dial-in number will be (267) 807-9601. The access code will be 526-855-601. Management invites all interested parties to participate in the call. There will be a question-and-answer period after the presentation. Updates and reminders will be posted on Twitter.

Hollywood Star Cuts is dedicated to offering the very best in service and experience and is committed to becoming a leader in the multi-billion-dollar and recession resilient Hair-Care industry. Hollywood Star Cuts would like to thank all their loyal customers, their loyal staff members and all who support the Company. Hollywood Star Cuts is committed to expand through organic growth with Company-owned stores as well as utilizing franchise partners nationally.

All American Gold Corp. invites the public to follow us on Twitter @HStarcuts as most updates, and communication will be conducted there.

The public is also invited to follow us on Facebook and online at www.hollywoodstarcuts.com.

Forward-Looking Statement Any statements made in this press release which are not historical facts contain certain forward-looking statements; as such term is defined in the Private Security Litigation Reform Act of 1995, concerning potential developments affecting the business, prospects, financial condition and other aspects of the company to which this release pertains. The actual results of the specific items described in this release, and the company's operations generally, may differ materially from what is projected in such forward-looking statements. The company disclaims any obligation to update information contained in any forward-looking statement. This press release shall not be deemed a general solicitation.

Twitter: @HStarcuts

www.hollywoodstarcuts.com

(760) 525-7411

Contact Details

Hollywood Star Cuts

Lawrence Twombly

+1 760-525-7411

Company Website

http://www.hollywoodstarcuts.com/

View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/hollywood-star-cuts-starts-franchise-expansion-564049761
Amansara, a 24-suite luxury hotel in Cambodia, also used to be the king's guesthouse.

Courtesy of Amansara

Its pitch dark out when my mom and I hurtle down a dirt road toward Angkor Wat. Moonlight flashes through the canopy of trees as we make our way deeper into the jungle that has concealed and preserved these temples for centuries. We roused ourselves at 4:30 a.m. to be here, huddled together in sleepy silence in the back of a moped-powered trishaw provided by our hotel, Amansara.

Theres no wrong way to visit Cambodias sprawling labyrinth of ninth-to-14th-century Khmer temples, but arriving via a clandestine back entrance to witness it entirely alone and in the silence of blue dawn is a spiritual experience befitting the worlds largest religious complex.

Sophie Dodd

Its a rare experience few are lucky enough to have  except for guests of Amansara. The resort, voted one of the best in Southeast Asia in Travel + Leisure's 2022 World's Best Awards, has offered unparalleled access to Siem Reap and the temples of Angkor since it opened 20 years ago. Previously the guest residence of King Sihanouk, the elegant property has welcomed the likes of Jacqueline Kennedy and former French President Charles de Gaulle over the decades, and it remains a sanctuary for guests after long days of exploring.

Upon arrival  after my mom and I were picked up at the airport in the hotels vintage Mercedes, previously owned by a member of the Cambodian royal family  we were warmly welcomed by the incredibly kind staff, who handed us chilled lemongrass towels before showing us around the property and to our room.

Courtesy of Amansara

Just a 10-minute drive from the temples threshold, the property is a spiritual oasis of its own: Tucked behind a modest gate, its constructed from natural materials  a gem of 1960s New Khmer architecture grounded in earth tones and dark wooden accents, and built from local stone.

Amansaras name, which means heavenly peace, feels ever more fitting as you move through the open-air property, which is organized around two central courtyards anchored by towering trees. Theres nothing flashy or fussy about it, but rather a laid-back luxury that focuses on thoughtfully curated details like pink bouquets of intricately folded lotus flowers and ever-changing cloches of freshly baked desserts on offer in the dining room. Understated elegance is the guiding design principle, with geometric structures like a circular dining room  formerly used by the king to screen films  a curvilinear pool, and a rectangular main courtyard.

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Courtesy of Amansara

Courtesy of Amansara

Soft chants played on the speaker in our room as we settled in, my mom and I both nearly in tears as we took in the simple beauty of the black-and-white open space, with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onto our spacious private patio and plunge pool. We roamed around the room touching everything, marveling over the glossy black writing desk and sandstone reliefs of the temples, and giddily trying on the colorful shawls and straw hats offered as gifts in our room. Moving from the raised bedroom and living area, we explored the high-ceilinged bathroom and vanity, where a free-standing tub and rain shower overlooking our pool beckoned to us each day after walking the temples for hours.

Courtesy of Amansara; Sophie Dodd

Our stay was exceedingly tranquil; the sole tension of our few days at Amansara was figuring out how to maximize our time at the hotel while still taking full advantage of their once-in-a-lifetime personalized experiences, which include meditative monk-led forest walks, templeside candlelit dinners, boat tours of Tonle Sap floating village, and informative guided visits of Angkor Wat.

Courtesy of Amansara; Sophie Dodd

But perhaps my favorite experience  besides wandering the moss-covered ruins of Ta Prohm with our wonderful guide  came on our last day, when we drove half an hour into the countryside to a local monastery, where we received a water blessing from a monk. What my mom and I had expected  a baptism of sorts, a bit of water dripping down our foreheads  was drowned out in a steady deluge of lotus-infused water and chanting. Im not a religious or particularly spiritual person, but I leaned into the sense of purification, allowing myself to focus on the lightness I felt after three days spent on the hallowed grounds of ancient temples and in the bright oasis of our room at Amansara.

Courtesy of Amansara

Courtesy of Amansara

On our drive back to the hotel, we pulled over just outside the monastery when we saw signs of a sunset. Freshly blessed, we were primed to feel moved by the everyday miracle of the sky streaking gold, then pink and purple. As we stood there  hair still wet and fragrant with lotus, and the sky doubled in the flooded rice field before us  chants began to ring out over the plain and I felt it  Amansaras namesake, a moment of something like heavenly peace.



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By Mica Rosenberg, Kristina Cooke and Jackie Botts

SAN PEDRO TAPANATEPEC, Mexico (Reuters) -Their journey starts with a humanitarian visa for Brazil: one of the few remaining exit routes for Afghans fleeing Taliban rule.

It ends, after a perilous trek overland through Latin America across at least 11 countries, with scaling the border wall and jumping onto U.S. soil.

More than a year after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Kabul, the number of Afghans crossing the U.S.-Mexico border to seek asylum in the United States has soared.

Hundreds of people each month are risking their lives to get there on a human smuggling route notorious for kidnapping, robbery and assault.

U.S. border agents apprehended 2,132 Afghans last year  a close to 30-fold increase over the prior year  with nearly half arriving in November and December, U.S. government data show.

Reuters spoke to a dozen Afghans who braved the journey. Eleven said they made it to the United States; Reuters has not been able to confirm the whereabouts of one person a reporter interviewed in Mexico. All said they were unable to start new lives in Brazil and instead headed north by land to the United States.

Several refugee advocates and former U.S. officials said the increasing number of Afghans attempting the route reflected a failure both to address the humanitarian crisis inside Afghanistan and to provide adequate support for those who leave.

The United States has been slow to process visas, they say, and together with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)should be doing more to help other countries to assist Afghan refugees.

Just getting out of the country is hard. And then if you do, it doesnt mean that youve reached safety, said Anne Richard, who served as the U.S. assistant secretary of state for population, refugees and migration from 2012 to 2017.

The State Department said in response to Reuters questions that it has tried to speed up visa processing for the brave Afghans who stood side-by-side with the United States over the past two decades and that it has offered support to governments to avoid irregular migration. It declined to comment on individual cases.

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UNHCR said the humanitarian Brazilian visa program, which offers two-years residency and the right to work, study and apply for refugee status, is an extremely important contribution but said shelters in the country are overwhelmed.

The Brazilian government did not respond to requests for comment.

About 4,000 Afghans have entered Brazil on humanitarian visas since the program began in Sept. 2021, the U.S. State Department said, with a significant uptick in the final months of 2022.

Last year, 2,200 Afghans crossed through the lawless jungle region between Colombia and Panama known as the Darien Gap  the only land route from South America toward the U.S. border  with nearly half crossing in November and December. In all of 2021, just 24 Afghans crossed, according to Panamanian government data.

The Taliban administrations spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment about the escalating exodus. In recent weeks, Taliban spokesmen have said that Afghanistan is the home of all Afghans and that those who have left can come back.

Reuters focused on four journeys by Afghan migrants who reached the United States, corroborating key details of their accounts with emails, official documents, interviews with relatives and co-workers as well as videos, photos and voice memos sent during their travels.

Here are their stories.

NINE DAYS IN SAO PAULO AIRPORT

When 25-year-old Ilyas Osmani landed in Sao Paulo on Oct. 2 after more than 30 hours in transit from Tehran, he said he told an official at passport control that he was a refugee and asked for assistance.

The official simply shrugged, Osmani said, and told him he was free to go.

An activist who had spoken about womens rights several times on Afghan television, Osmani said he feared he was at risk under the Taliban because of his advocacy and his work as a general manager for a logistics company that was a subcontractor for U.S. armed forces.

At baggage claim, he called an Afghan acquaintance who told him to head to Terminal 2, where he could find other Afghans.

Once there, he said, he put his name on a waiting list for shelter spots.

That first night on the cold tile floor of the airport, Osmani said he barely slept.

From a Tajik family in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, Osmani said he had felt lucky when he won a U.S. immigration lottery in 2020 allowing him to apply for a diversity visa, designed for nationals of countries with low rates of immigration to the United States.

But precautions during the COVID pandemic delayed visa processing, and the U.S. embassy in Kabul closed when the city fell to the Taliban in August 2021.

Next, Osmani contacted three additional U.S. embassies to request a visa interview.

The Islamabad embassy said it had reached processing capacity, acknowledging in a Nov. 2021 email to him that it is currently very difficult for Afghans to obtain a visa to a third country and that many at risk are facing significant challenges fleeing to safety.

The embassy in Doha said it was only conducting interviews for Qatari citizens and residents while the embassy in Tashkent said it was unable to process Osmanis case but provided no reason, according to emails reviewed by Reuters.

Around the same time, Osmani also applied for a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV), a category for foreign nationals who worked with the United States in Iraq and Afghanistan, based on his work with the U.S. contractor, according to documents he shared. The application is still pending.

About 90,000 Afghans are awaiting decisions on their SIVs, according to Congressional reports from fall 2022.

The State Department told Reuters it has surged resources to the SIV program and reviewed every stage of the cumbersome multiple step application process to streamline wherever possible.

Osmani fled. In Afghanistan, no one is safe who was fighting for gender equality, he said.

The Taliban says its administration respects womens rights in line with its interpretation of Islamic law and Afghan culture.

With no immediate path to the United States, Osmani applied for a humanitarian visa to Brazil at the end of 2021, he said, hoping to live in a big city where hed find a job that would allow him to support his parents back home.

After about a week at the airport, still without a shelter spot, Osmani and two other Afghan men went out to see Sao Paulo. On the way back, they were robbed at knifepoint, he said. Reuters was unable to independently confirm details of the attack.

Osmani called his father. I cant stay here, he said he told him.

Osmanis father put him in touch with his former boss at the Afghan Ministry of Transport, Murtaza Ziwari. Murtaza and his wife, Humaira, were preparing to head to the U.S. with their children.

The Ziwari family had arrived in Brazil on June 29 on humanitarian visas, passport stamps viewed by Reuters showed. On Oct 12, they set out for Rio Branco, a remote city on the border with Peru, where Osmani joined them.

OVERLAND ACROSS A CONTINENT

By the time she found herself trying to comfort three vomiting and exhausted young sons on a four-day bus journey across Peru, Humaira Ziwari had spent months struggling with the trauma of leaving home.

My mental state was not good, she said.

In Iran, where the family said they spent eight months waiting for their Brazilian visas, Humaira had been distraught, weeping over photos of weddings and family gatherings on her phone.

A 31-year-old homemaker, Humaira said she had never imagined a life outside Afghanistan. Murtaza, working in Herat province according to identification documents shared with Reuters, said he feared his job  which included overseeing civilian fuel distribution to gas stations and to U.S.-aligned military forces  would make him a target.

Armed men had shown up at Murtazas family home in Mazar-i-Sharif asking for him the day after the Taliban took the city in August 2021, according to home security camera footage shared with Reuters.

The Taliban did not respond to requests for comment on allegations of retaliation against former Afghan government officials. They announced a general amnesty shortly after taking over and have pledged to investigate individual cases.

The Ziwaris fled to Iran overland, carrying one change of clothes and some money from selling Humairas jewelry.

In Sao Paulo, they bounced from the airport floor to a church stockroom to a drafty NGO event space for months. Murtaza couldnt find work. The kids suffered constant colds.

So in mid-October, Murtaza said, they took a bus to Rio Branco, before making their way by foot, bus and taxi through Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.

At the Ecuador-Colombia border they said they paid $80 to a smuggler to be shepherded across, only to have him drop them off at the Colombian check point where officials wanted to send them back to Ecuador.

The police were pulling us in one direction. The kids were screaming, Humaira said. Somehow the family managed to break away from the border guards and run.

Colombias migration authority did not respond to questions about the incident or about the treatment of Afghan migrants crossing through Colombia.

Soon the Ziwaris would be on the brink of a more terrifying leg of the journey: the no-mans-land between Colombia and Panama.

TREKKING PREGNANT THROUGH A JUNGLE

Nahida Nabizada had heard about the Darien Gap, a dense, lawless jungle that can only be traversed by foot. She didnt want to go.

The 29-year-old was nearly two months pregnant, her second pregnancy after miscarrying at five months.

I didnt want to lose this child too, she said.

She thought: What will happen if I start bleeding? There are no doctors; my parents arent there; theres not enough food. If I am too slow, no one will wait for me.

A university graduate with a computer science degree, Nahida felt unsafe when the Taliban took over.

An economic crisis has spiraled in the country. More than half the population relies on humanitarian assistance.

Nahida and her husband Jamshid decided in late 2021 to leave.

While about 88,500 Afghans have been resettled in the United States since the U.S. troop withdrawal, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), thousands more have applied to leave the country.

From 51,000 applications to enter the United States on an emergency basis following the Taliban takeover, only around 600 Afghans have been approved, DHS said.

After reaching Brazil in mid-2022, Nahida realized she was pregnant again. Staying behind while her husband tried to reach the U.S. by himself could have meant years of separation.

So, in late 2022 they headed into the Darien where, Nahida said, every step was filled with danger. She fell multiple times as they walked from daybreak to dusk, slipping on steep muddy paths and once falling in a river.

The local guide they hired for $150 left them on the first day, midway through a 12-hour trek, Jamshid said.

On the third night, a river overflowed and washed away their food, flashlight, sleeping mats and other belongings. Nahida said they survived on biscuits and dates, drinking river water.

A few days later, thieves armed with knives stole $200 in cash from Jamshid, he said.

When they emerged from the jungle, they were met by Panamanian soldiers who took them to a migrant camp. Soldiers routinely escort migrants to encampments to give them food, water and clothes and collect identifying information.

In response to Reuters questions, the government said: Panama is the only country that provides care to all migrants who enter the country through Darien, so that they continue on their way to North America.

After a short stay in the camp, the Nabizadas took a bus to Costa Rica on their way north through Central America towards Mexico.

ON THE RUN FROM POLICE IN MEXICO

When Fazal Khalili, 25, climbed out of a smugglers boat on the Pacific coast of southern Mexico in October 2022, he had been at sea for more than 12 hours.

There was a lot of water inside our boat, said Khalili, who said he boarded the vessel near the border with Guatemala along with eight family members  including his 87-year-old grandmother and 9-year-old-cousin  and more than a dozen migrants from other countries.

From the boat, the migrants headed to a sprawling migrant camp in the southern state of Oaxaca, where they slept in tents amid heavy rains, waiting for Mexican government documents that would allow them to travel within the country, Khalili said.

Born in Kunar province in northeastern Afghanistan, Khalili said he did electrical work on a U.S. military base. In Oct. 2021, he applied for a SIV, but wasnt assigned a case number until August 2022, visa application documents show. By that time, hed flown to Brazil.

It was early December by the time Khalilis family bought tickets on a commercial bus from Mexico City to Tijuana, snaking through some of the regions of Mexico considered most dangerous by the U.S. State Department because of violent crime and kidnapping.

In Sinaloa state, he recounted, a man in a balaclava with a gun hooked to his belt boarded the bus and demanded money while another man in what appeared to be a police uniform looked on. Khalili said the men got off the bus after his family paid the masked man 34,000 pesos ($1,700).

Khalili recorded a video of the incident which he shared with Reuters soon after it occurred. Reuters couldnt confirm the payment.

In the border state of Sonora, immigration authorities stopped the bus, Khalili said, ordering the driver to take the migrants to an immigration office.

Fearing they would be deported, the migrants scattered, wandering for hours through dense desert brush.

Mexicos National Institute of Migration (INM) did not respond to questions about Khalilis experience in Mexico.

Around midnight about a week later, Khalili and his family huddled below the 18-foot slatted steel wall separating Tijuana from San Diego, preparing to scale a flimsy ladder and jump into the United States, he said.

He helped his grandmother descend by sliding down the steel slats with her feet on his shoulders, he said.

Border agents took the migrants to a detention center, Khalili said, and about 36 hours later, he was released into the United States with a notice to appear in immigration court in May.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not respond to questions about the border crossings and immigration cases of the Afghans profiled in this story.

Reflecting on the harrowing journey Khalili said he would counsel other Afghans not to risk it. They must not come this way.

(Reporting by Mica Rosenberg, Kristina Cooke and Jackie Botts; Additional reporting by Anthony Boadle in Brasilia, Elida Moreno in Panama City, Julia Symmes Cobb in Bogota and the Kabul newsroom; Editing by Daniel Flynn and Suzanne Goldenberg)
Indias finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman ignored requests from the cryptocurrency industry to lower taxes on cryptocurrency trading as she presented the Budget 2023-24 on Wednesday in Parliament and made no mention of the digital asset class.

On April 1 last year, India imposed a 30% flat tax on all crypto income and on July 1 set a 1% tax deducted at source, or TDS, on all crypto trades above 10,000 Indian rupees (US$122).

The South Asian nation also does not allow crypto traders to offset losses against gains in other investments for tax purposes.

The Indian Union Budget 2023 made no changes to existing crypto taxes, leaving Indian crypto companies on the Stairway to Heaven, said local executive Rajagopal Menon in a tongue-in-cheek comment on the government snub. Menon is the vice president of WazirX, Indias largest crypto exchange by trading volume.

High taxes and a lack of a solid regulatory framework are stifling progress in the industry, he said.

Trade volumes on Indian exchanges may remain flat at rock bottom. Last year was the worst year on record; any change will be for the better, Menon said.

The taxes caused trading volumes to plunge as much as 90% on Indias crypto exchanges, slashing revenues from trading fees. Research by Esya Centre, a technology policy think tank in India, estimates US$3.8 billion may have shifted to offshore crypto exchanges from India between February and October 2022, as investors sought to avoid the tax levies.

Backfiring?

Sumit Gupta, the chief executive of Indian crypto exchange CoinDCX, said in an interview last week that Indias punishing tax rates on crypto is backfiring as investors are going offshore, depriving the country of tax revenue that could be earned if the rates were more reasonable.

Indias Eonomic Survey, which looks at trends in the country and helps establish resource allocation in the budget, for the first time put forward an analysis of the cryptocurrency industry in the country for 2022/23.

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The recent collapse of the crypto exchange FTX and the ensuing sell-off in the crypto markets have placed a spotlight on the vulnerabilities in the crypto ecosystem, the report said.

Crypto assets are self-referential instruments and do not strictly pass the test of being a financial asset because [they have] no intrinsic cash flows attached to them, it said. The geographically pervasive nature of the crypto ecosystem necessitates a common approach to the regulation of these volatile instruments, it added.

The local cryptocurrency and blockchain industry had been hoping India would address the new asset class with clearer regulations, using the opportunity during its ongoing G20 Presidency to work with other countries.

Regulatory void and lack of accountability tend to enable bad actors, and leave everyday users and investors with little to no legal recourse, Ashish Singhal, co-founder and chief executive of Indian crypto exchange CoinSwitch, said on Twitter on Tuesday.

With Indias G20 presidency, we hope 2023 would finally be the year to establish a framework for crypto.

According to India Economic Affairs Secretary Ajay Seth, the discussion is very much on in the G20 platform.

In fact, in the coming ministers meeting in February in Bangalore, we are organizing a seminar where [cryptocurrency] is getting into the discussion, Seth told media organization CNBCTV18 on Wednesday after the budget announcement.

Seth said he expects to know what the policy approach should be by the end of 2023. He added that several countries, including India, believe cryptocurrencies as an asset class cannot be regulated by any one country or jurisdiction.

(Updates to add comments from the economic affairs secretary.)
GENEVA (Reuters) - Several Indonesian residents have submitted a legal complaint to a Swiss court against the world's top cement-maker Holcim, which they claim is doing "too little" to cut carbon emissions, a statement by civil society groups backing the complainants showed on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for the Zug-based company said that climate change was a "top priority for Holcim at the heart of our strategy".

"We do not believe that court cases focused on single companies are an effective mechanism to tackle the global complexity of climate action," he said.

The civil case was first initiated in July last year by four residents of the Indonesian island of Pari, which has been repeatedly flooded as global warming has driven up sea levels.

This was followed by informal negotiations in October which failed, according to Lorenz Kummer from Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER), prompting the formal submission of the complaint to the Zug court on Jan. 30.

The case is the first filing against a Swiss company and demands "proportional compensation" from Holcim, the statement says.

NGOs backing the complainants said they had singled out Holcim because the company was one of the major carbon dioxide emitters worldwide and the largest so-called "carbon major" in Switzerland.

Holcim's website says that it is committed to decarbonising building and updated its climate targets in 2022.

(Reporting by Emma Farge; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Neon/Getty

Brandon Cronenberg's worlds, with their squelchy, gooey special effects and terrifying societal constructs, tend to stick with you long after they end.

His first feature, 2012s Antiviral, introduces an obsessive pop culture landscape in which megafans are injected with copies of pathogens taken from celebrities so that they might feel a closer connection to them. Possessor, Cronenberg's 2020 follow-up, features a secretive network of body-snatchers who remotely transport their consciousnesses into people close to their targets in order to kill them. Infinity Pool, which is now playing in theaters, finds Alexander Skarsgard in a fictional Eastern European country whose tourist laws forbid law enforcement from corporally punishing anyone who is just visiting. Instead, the police have the technology to grow exact clones of the wrongdoers so that they can execute them in their stead.

I was having memories of this vacation I was on 20 years ago, Cronenberg explains in an interview with The Daily Beasts Obsessed. They bussed you into this resort compound in the middle of the night, and then you lived there for a week. There was a kind of weird fake town that you'd go to, but you couldn't actually leave the compound. And then at the end of the week, they would bus you back to the airport during the day, and you saw that the surrounding area was incredibly poverty stricken, there were people living in shacks. You realized you never actually visited the country. It was like being shipped to embassy grounds for some other tourist nation, or there was some alternate dimension that had popped up that was a weird Disneyland version of the country we're supposedly in.

While staying at the resort with his wealthy wife, semi-successful novelist (hes written one, barely read) James Foster (Skarsgard) falls in with a group of rich tourists who have learned how to exploit the strange country's prohibitive laws to their advantage. Breaking the rules and gleefully observing the consequences visited upon exact copies of themselves becomes something of a spectator sport, while James, prodded onward by the sociopathic Gabi (Mia Goth), sinks further into depravity.

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Courtesy of Neon

I really wanted to invent something that wasn't really rooted in any one particular real world culture, because it had to have this technology and this religion that was unique to that setting, Cronenberg explains. It ended up becoming a bit of an Eastern European fever dream that was shaped further when we actually went to Croatia and Hungary because of course, the histories in those countries of actual communism started to seep into the film. The police cars, for example, are Soviet-era Volgas, and the palatial resort itself, the Amadria Park hotel in Sibenik, Croatia, is an exemplar of the Brutalist architecture style of that era.

Believe it or not, the real place is even stranger than it looks on film. The resort itself was developed by this rich Croatian who wanted to turn it into a kind of Disneyland Resort where there are different areas of Croatia represented in different parts of the place, Cronenberg says. So there's this really elaborate fake Dalmatian villagethey call it an ethno-villagethat you can go to. Theres another weird swingers club and then there was a kids hotel with a giant octopus on it. Its just an incredible collage of ideas.

Infinity Pool Is a Nearly X-Rated, Disturbing Romp That Has Sundance Clutching Its Pearls

This overwhelming setting ended up being the perfect place for Cronenberg to shoot his film, which he explained was originally a short story about a character witnessing their own clone's death before he decided to expand it into a feature. The stark dystopian geometry of the fictional Latoka marries well with Infinity Pools lurid sequences of hallucinatory ultraviolence, where shots linger on body parts in contexts both bloody and sexual: drug-fueled orgies, crunchy face-stomping murders, and, yes, one much-publicized money shot.

This isnt unique to Infinity Poolin Possessor, Andrea Riseborough memorably pulls her own face off like a candy-extruder pulling taffy. Cronenberg has built a reputation for his near excessive scenes of blood and guts, yet he remains sanguine about the polarized response. Ive had some friends get very mad at me because they just hated it, he says, laughing. Theyll say things like, What is this doing to you, to sit there over a course of months editing this thing? Its not really doing anything to me because I'm used to these films. You can be a normal person and still enjoy horror films.

Courtesy of Neon

In Infinity Pool's case, the violence is essential. Its not an incredibly plot driven movie, but so much of what is there in the plot comes from this psychological metamorphosis that the characters are undertaking, he says. Theyre bland people in a bland context. But even bland people, or maybe especially bland people, can have this animal violence and carnality to them that's repressed because we are, in fact, animals. So much of the film is about the ways that that psychology is resurfacing and mutating in this consequence-free environment. Showing it means that the audience is going to have a visceral sense of that experience.

Wealthy people misusing their privilege seems to be in the air these days in both film and television, with shows like The White Lotus following casts of rich assholes as they make their own vacations miserable, and films like The Menu skewering the patrons and even the staff of fussy concept restaurants. Cronenberg admits its weird that it's coming out all at the same time, but doesn't necessarily see a pattern.

Infinity Pools Ultimate Cursed Image: Alex Skarsgard Sucking Mia Goths [REDACTED]

Its tempting to say people are frustrated and anxious because of an increasing economic divide, and everybody's worried about the future and everybody's enraged, he allows. Im sure thats true. And maybe that's fueling the success of these things. But film moves at such an incredibly glacial pace that you can't really decide to time it that way. I was doing the original writing for the story as far back as 2014, or maybe earlier. By the time youve written something, and then years have gone by, where youre developing it and casting it, the actual timing of the release is completely out of your hands. Its just sort of a weird coincidence that there's this wave of stuff coming out now.

Photo by Corey Nickols/Getty Images

So, theres no director groupchat secretly planning to drop these projects all at once?

I can neither confirm nor deny.

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Photo: The Canadian Press Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer briefs reporters outside a west Omaha Target store, Tuesday, Jan 31, 2023, in Omaha, Neb., where officers killed a man armed with an AR-15 style rifle. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)

A man with an AR-15-style rifle and plenty of ammunition opened fire inside a Target store in Omaha, sending panicked shoppers and employees scrambling for safety before he was fatally shot by police Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

Police said the white man in his 30s fired multiple rounds as he entered the store, but it wasnt immediately known if he fired at anyone. No other injuries were reported. Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said officers searched the store several times looking for victims because there were some people hiding in there.

Target employee Lauren Murphy had just started her break and was in the store's front restroom when she heard the shots. She got a text telling her to either stay put or run  so she hid in a bathroom stall, lifting her feet off the ground, and began texting her family and friends to say she loved them. A child next to her was crying.

I was scared that this is how I might die at work, said Murphy, 21.

I was just clutching onto the side of the toilet getting my feet off the ground, making sure I wasnt visible, she added.

Another 21-year-old employee, Samuel Jacobsen, was filling a personal shopping order when he heard the first gunshot. But he wasnt sure what the sound was, and kept working.

Then my coworker ran by and she said, Hes got a gun, get out! Jacobsen said. I was like, Oh this is real. I have to get out, I have to get out, I have to get out.

He hid behind the store, texting coworkers to make sure they were OK.

Cathy Mahannah, a customer, said the scene inside was sheer panic.

The 62-year-old grandmother was near the stores entrance picking out Valentines Day gifts for her family when she heard a banging sound. She thought something had fallen, then saw a mass of people running for the exit.

A shopper told her there was an active shooter, and she ran. She heard at least one more shot in the store and a few more when she was outside.

Mahannah was so rattled she initially couldnt find her car and jumped into a vehicle with a stranger.

The moments in that parking lot were terrifying when I heard the shots and thought, Where do I hide? I dont know what to do,' she said.

Schmaderer said there were several 911 calls shortly before noon and officers were at the store within minutes.

The first arriving officers went into the building, confronted the suspect and shot him dead, Schmaderer said. He had an AR-15 rifle with him and plenty of ammunition.

Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives happened to be nearby and helped get victims to safety, bureau spokesperson John Ham said.

The ATF is tracing the weapon to determine where it came from, whether it was acquired legally and whether it has been used in other crimes, Ham said.

Target spokesperson Brian Harper-Tibaldo said in a statement that all shoppers and employees were safely evacuated from the store, which will remain closed indefinitely.

Lt. Neal Bonacci, a police spokesperson, said officers are trained to enter such scenes quickly to prevent mass casualties.

Weve learned a lot from other jurisdictions, other areas, other cities that have unfortunately experienced this, he said. We enter right away. Were trained to do so. Whether its one officer or 10, we go inside and neutralize the threat.

Several other shootings have taken place at stores across the country in recent months, at a time when mass shootings have commanded public attention on a disturbingly frequent basis.

In January, one woman was injured in a shooting at a Walmart store in Evansville, Indiana. Police said it could have been much worse if not for heroic actions by an employee and police. Officers arrived within minutes and fatally shot the gunman. A Walmart manager in Chesapeake, Virginia, killed six people in November when he began shooting wildly inside a break room. Six others were wounded. The gunman shot and killed himself before officers arrived.

In Buffalo, New York, an 18-year-old fatally shot 10 people and injured three others last May, after seeking out a grocery store in a predominately Black neighborhood. Authorities immediately called it a hate crime.

The Omaha shooting came just over 15 years after the deadly December 2007 shooting at a Von Maur department store, when a 19-year-old gunman killed eight people and himself.

Nebraska allows gun owners to carry firearms  including assault-style rifles  in public view, as long as they dont have a criminal record that bars them from possessing one and arent in a place where guns are prohibited. To legally conceal a gun, Nebraskans must submit to a state patrol background check, get fingerprinted and take a gun safety course.

Republican state Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon is sponsoring a bill that would allow people to carry concealed handguns without a permit. The measure also would prohibit cities and counties from issuing local laws with more stringent controls than the state law. The proposal has 25 cosponsors.

Jacobsen, the store employee, said he wants stricter, not looser, gun laws.

As someone who grew up here, I always hear about this part of Omaha and west Omaha being so safe, he said. But Tuesday's shooting really drives it home that it could happen anywhere.
Spencer Platt/Getty

Prisoners recruited by Russias Wagner Group to fight in Ukraine seem to be increasingly realizing theyve been duped, and that no one ever counted on bringing them back alive.

One inmate recruited by the group back in November has absconded from his team in Ukraines Luhansk region and fled to Russia by bus and ride-sharing app, where he says he is now hiding out in fear of revenge.

We thought wed be equal with the hired fighters, that we wouldnt be any different, but in reality they just make assault teams out of the inmates, and thats the meat [in the meat grinder]. But theres already no going back there, if you refuse to do something they will immediately off you, Nikolai Troshkin told the independent outlet MediaZona on Wednesday.

Troshkin said he had a couple years left to serve at a penal colony in Siberia when Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin visited in the fall and colorfully told prisoners about their chance for a pardon.

He bought into Prigozhins promises, he said, and was soon transported out along with nearly 200 other inmates from his colony.

We signed a paper about who to notify in case of our death, and [stating] that I agree to take part in the military operation and fulfill the tasks of the Defense Ministry, despite the fact that I may die, he said.

After being sent to the occupied Luhansk region for training, Troshkin said, he learned of demonstrative executions at a childrens camp.

Rogue Wagner Commander Throws Prigozhin Under the Bus

Two guys who were standing at a checkpoint stole something and they were immediately offed. The instructor said that one got down on his knees and asked for forgiveness, but died with dignity, saying, Dont repeat my mistakes, he said, adding that they shoot their own there.

The way Troshkin tells it, Wagner leaders also sent freed prison inmates on suicide missions knowing full well theyd never come back alive.

Its just deep shit, to put it rudely, he said. They take thousands from [the penal colonies], tell them everything is good and youll return home, and 90 percent die.

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Troshkin told the outlet he had fled from the group after their training camp came under fire by Ukrainian forces. After ditching his military gear and donning civilian clothes, he said, he took a bus from Donetsk to Moscow and eventually used a ride-sharing service to get all the way back to Siberia.

He said he initially planned to return to prisonTheres no point messing with Wagnerbut then learned he wasnt even being sought by authorities.

Whats the point in returning to prison? Im already freed, Im pardoned. But because of Wagner Ill have to hide and change my phone, he said.

Troshkins account comes as a former Wagner commander has begun to testify to Norwegian war crimes investigators as he seeks political asylum in that country.

Andrei Medvedev, 26, spent four months with the group before deserting and making a run for it across Russias border with Norway last month.

He has echoed Troshkins claims and said Wagner fighters are treated like cattle sent to be slaughtered.

There was a time when they brought in two prisoners who refused to fight and shot them in front of others for refusing to follow orders, Medvedev told The Moscow Times. There were many such incidents.

While former fighters express disillusionment with the group, Wagner has also reportedly been snubbed by Russias own Defense Ministry when it comes to bringing the war dead home.

Theyre not friends with the Defense Ministry, they dont help them [Wagner] with coffins. They officially arent considered military, so they cant use the ministrys infrastructure, they have to run around themselves with corpses on the market, a source in Russias funeral industry told the independent outlet Verstka on Wednesday.

In several cases, another source said, families of dead Wagner fighters were given empty coffins to bury.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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DUBAI (Reuters) - An Iranian couple who appeared in a video dancing romantically have been jailed for 10-1/2 years each on charges of indecency and threatening national security, the activist HRANA news agency said, though a judiciary organ said they received shorter terms for a security offence only.

"By investigating their case..., it is clear that anti-revolutionary forces have falsely reported the charges by claiming each were sentenced to 10 years," the Islamic Republic judiciary's Mizan news agency said.

Mizan said the couple, bloggers Astiaj Haghighi and Amir Mohammad Ahmadi, received five-year terms each for "collusion against national security" by using their social media accounts, with one million followers, to stir protests in Iran.

It made no mention of an indecency charge.

HRANA said the couple had been charged with "spreading indecency" and with "collusion with the intention of disrupting national security".

Iranian authorities reported the sentencing of Haghighi and Ahmadi amid a wider crackdown on popular unrest touched off by the death of Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini after morality police arrested her for violating the country's Islamic dress code.

(Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Israel's Prime Minsiter designate Benjamin Netanyahu presents the new government to parliament at the Knesset in Jerusalem on December 29, 2022 in what analysts described as the most right-wing coalition in Israel's history. Amir Cohen/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CNN Tuesday that he would mediate the war in Ukraine if the US asked him.

Netanyahu said he was previously unofficially asked to mediate at the beginning of the war.

Israeli-Palestinian relations are currently at a boiling point as violence has escalated across the region.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CNN Tuesday that he would mediate the war in Ukraine if Russia, Ukraine, and specifically the US asked him.

In an interview with journalist Jake Tapper, Netanyahu said: "If I'm asked by both sides, and frankly, if I'm asked by the United States  because I think, you know, you can't have too many cooks in the kitchen."

Netanyahu also told Tapper that he was previously tapped to mediate "early on in the breakout"of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, clarifying that it was an "unofficial" request. He deferred to Israel's sitting prime minister at the time. Netanyahu also would not reveal who asked him.

Despite offering his help, Netanyahu added that his current focus in a surge in violence between Israelis and Palestinians, telling Tapper, "We have our own backyard to deal with."

The conversation comes as the tensions between Israel and Palestine reaches a boiling point. According to the BBC, more than 200 Palestinians and 30 Israelis were killed in conflict in 2022.

In January of this year, more than 30 Palestinians and seven Israelis have been killed in West Bank raids and other shootings.

On Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Israel, urging an end to the ongoing bloodshed.

Read the original article on Business Insider
(Reuters) - Jailed Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny said on Wednesday he had been moved to a harsher "cell-type" regime of solitary confinement for the next six months where he would be denied visits.

Navalny, 46, is the highest-profile of the few remaining opposition voices in Russia, having gained followers with repeated investigations purporting to show that the ruling class had enriched itself lavishly at the expense of the state.

"I haven't had any visits for 8 months and yesterday I was told that Id be transferred to a cell-type facility for the maximum possible term of 6 months," Navalny said via a Twitter feed maintained by his associates.

"No visits are allowed there. This means more than a year without a visit. Even maniacs and serial killers serving life sentences have the right to receive a visit, but I dont."

There was no immediate comment on his statement from the federal penitentiary service.

Navalny is being held at the maximum-security IK-6 penal colony at Melekhovo, about 250 km (115 miles) east of Moscow, and his supporters say his health has deteriorated dramatically after around a dozen spells in solitary confinement.

Almost 500 medics last month signed an open letter to President Vladimir Putin demanding he be given access to civilian doctors.

Navalny was arrested two years ago as he returned to Russia from Germany, where he had been treated for poisoning with a Soviet-era nerve toxin after what he and some Western nations said was a Russian state assassination attempt. The Kremlin denied involvement.

News outlet The Insider, which operates from outside Russia, quoted his lawyer Vadim Kobzev as saying that Navalny had lost 7 kg (15 lb) in jail and was experiencing stomach pains after being given "huge doses" of antibiotics.

"Putin tried to kill Navalny quickly," Navalny's spokesperson Kira Yarmysh tweeted. "Now he is killing him slowly and torturing him."

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A Russian prison supervisor said two weeks ago that Navalny's health was not in danger, while the Kremlin has rejected accusations of any state involvement in his poisoning and cast him as a dangerous extremist.

The lawyer-turned-activist has been sentenced to a combined 11-1/2 years in jail in two separate fraud cases, which he says were trumped up to silence him, and his anti-corruption organisation has been banned as extremist.

The documentary "Navalny" about his poisoning and recovery has been nominated for Best Documentary Film at this year's Oscars.

(Writing by Kevin Liffey; Editing by Andrew Osborn)
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP)  Jamaicas prime minister said his government is willing to send soldiers and police officers to Haiti as part of a proposed multinational security assistance deployment.

The announcement comes a week after U.N. special envoy for Haiti Helen La Lime said she hoped that the U.N. Security Council would deal positively with the pending request from Haitis government for international armed forces despite the U.S. and Canada showing no interest.

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness told the islands House of Representatives on Tuesday that he wants to help Haiti and support a return to a reasonable level of stability and peace, which would be necessary for any inclusive, democratic process to take root.

The announcement appears to mark the first time that a nation in the Western Hemisphere publicly offers boots on the ground after Haitis prime minister and other top officials requested the immediate deployment of foreign troops in early October amid a crippling fuel siege blamed on the countrys most powerful gang.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and La Lime have backed Haiti's plea to no avail.

The U.N. Security Council has mulled the request but taken no action, opting instead to issue sanctions on people including Jimmy Cherizier, a dominant gang leader and former police officer blamed for masterminding multiple massacres.

It is our impression that the international community has not yet taken stock of the urgency of the situation that the Haitian people are facing, Leon Charles, former chief of Haitis National Police, said Wednesday during an Organization of American States meeting.

My country is experiencing one of the most difficult moments in its history, said Charles, who is Haitis permanent representative to the OAS.

He likened the aid that Haiti has received so far from the international community to buckets of water to help put out a raging fire when what the country needs is firetrucks equipped with heavy-duty hoses.

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Meanwhile, Holness said Jamaica is ready to offer bilateral support if needed.

It is our real hope that Haiti will soon overcome her challenges and embark on a path toward restoration of stability, long-lasting peace and sustainable development for her land and people with the full backing of the international community, he said.

Vanessa Frazier, Malta's ambassador at the United Nations who is the current president of the Security Counil, said at a council meeting Tuesday that they welcomed Jamaica's declaration and added that it had yet to receive notifications from other countries.

Hopefully we will, because we understand that this  multinational security force is very important and is required on the ground in order to stabilize the situation in Haiti," she said.

Jamaica is a member of a regional trade bloc known as Caricom, which last week issued a statement urging all stakeholders to come together in their search for a consensus agreement to resolve what it called a protracted political stalemate in Haiti, adding that it was prepared to hold a meeting in the Caribbean to talk about the issue.

Haiti was stripped of all democratically elected institutions when the terms of the remaining 10 senators expired in early January. Prime Minister Ariel Henry has promised to hold general elections for more than a year, but a provisional electoral council has yet to be chosen, which some critics say has led to a de-facto dictatorship.

Haiti also has been struggling with levels of violence not seen in decades ever since the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise at his private home, w ith gangs now believed to control 60% of the capital of Port-au-Prince.

The number of reported kidnappings soared to 1,359 last year, double compared with the previous year, and reported killings have spike by a third to 2,183, according to the U.N.

These are truly chilling figures, Charles said. The situation in Haiti is extremely urgent.

Haitis National Police has fewer than 9,000 active police officers for a country of more than 11 million people who not only face a spike in violence but also deepening poverty, widespread hunger and a deadly cholera outbreak.

___

Associated Press reporter Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed.
KINGSTON (Reuters) -Jamaica would be willing to take part in an international military deployment to Haiti, Prime Minister Andrew Holness told lawmakers on Tuesday, saying the Caribbean island country could also support its neighbor on electoral reforms.

The United Nations in October suggested a "rapid action force" be sent to Haiti, where gangs have expanded their territory after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021 left a power vacuum.

That has led to routine gun battles between police officers and the gangs, with police last week blocking streets in protest at officer deaths. Bloody turf battles between rival gangs have left hundreds dead and thousands displaced.

Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry has pleaded for foreign military support. The U.N. envoy to Haiti, Helen La Lime, has called for more urgency, saying the police cannot win without outside support. But talks have stalled, with most countries appearing wary of sending in troops.

"Jamaica would be willing to participate in a multinational security assistance deployment to Haiti under the appropriate jurisdictional parameters to support a return to a reasonable level of stability and peace," Holness told lawmakers.

Both Jamaica's police and army had been informed, he said, and would begin preparations for "such eventualities."

Separately, El Salvador's Vice President Felix Ulloa has offered to send a "technical team" to Haiti to offer advice in fighting gangs, a presidential adviser told Reuters. The Central American country has been engaged in a bloody crackdown against armed gangs on its own territory, which has drawn criticism from human rights groups.

Last week, Caribbean bloc CARICOM issued a statement condemning both the recent gang killings of police officers in Haiti and the police protests.

"We continue to believe that any solution must be driven by the will of the Haitian people," Holness said. "The developments over the past week, however, demonstrate that progress on the path towards restoration of democratic institutions and the rule of law remains highly fragile."

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He pointed to "increasing reports" of children who have yet to restart their school year being recruited into gangs.

Holness added that while talks within CARICOM remain ongoing, Kingston would be prepared to host talks between Haiti's political leaders and civil representatives.

Mark Golding, Jamaica's opposition leader, said he would endorse Jamaica's participation within the parameters outlined by the prime minister, noting an "alarming prospect" for Haiti's neighbors of further deterioration.

Golding said reparations for Haiti should also be on the agenda for any talks. Following Haiti's independence, France imposed heavy debts on its former colony for lost "property," including slaves, that took over a century for Haiti to pay off and stymied its development.

(Reporting by Kate Chappell in Kingston, Nelson Renteria in San Salvador and Sarah Morland in Mexico City; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
James Gunn and Zachary Levi as Shazam. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images/Warner Bros. Pictures

DC Studios' James Gunn reacted to "Shazam" star Zachary Levi's controversial tweet about Pfizer.

He said actors will say things he doesn't agree with, but he can't change plans because of it.

Gunn also explained that the studio won't put up with "morally reprehensible" behavior.

The hierarchy of power in the DC Universe has finally changed now that James Gunn is in charge of DC Studios at Warner Bros. alongside co-CEO Peter Safran. The first slate of projects was announced on Tuesday, giving fans a glimpse of what's to come from the franchise.

But during a press event for the announcement, Gunn was asked about a controversial tweet posted by "Shazam" star Zachary Levi, which many people on social media interpreted as being an anti-vaccine statement.

The actor wrote "Hardcore agree" when quote-tweeting a statement that asked whether Pfizer is a "real danger" to the world. Levi followed up with another tweet, linking to a Department of Justice press release about Pfizer being fined $2.3 billion in 2009 for fraudulent marketing.

According to Deadline, Gunn responded by saying that he can't change huge studio plans because he doesn't agree with something an actor or filmmaker has said.

He explained: "Actors, filmmakers I work with are going to say things that I agree with and things that I don't agree with. That's going to happen. I don't have a list of things that somebody should say because of what I think."

Gunn added: "I can't be changing my plans all the time because an actor says something that I don't agree with."

But the "Guardians of the Galaxy" director was careful to point out that if someone's behavior is "morally reprehensible," then the studio will address the situation.

"By the same token, if someone is doing something morally reprehensible, that's a different story. We have to take that stuff into account. It's a balance, it's a modern world, it's a different place," he said.

Audiences will next see Levi on the big screen in "Shazam! Fury of the Gods," which is set to arrive in theaters on March 17, although there's no mention of plans for a third film in the newly-announced DC slate of projects.

Read the original article on Insider
James Gunn has responded to the controversy over Zachary Levis criticism of Pfizer.

Levi, who plays the lead role in the DC superhero film Shazam! and its forthcoming sequel, responded to a tweet this week asking if the pharmaceutical company was a real danger to the world.

Hardcore agree, he wrote.

This led some fans to interpret his comments as an anti-vaccination stance.

However, in a later follow-up post, Levi provided more context for his tweet, sharing a link to a 2009 US Justice Department release regarding the largest health care fraud settlement in its history.

Just one example of what Im referring to, he wrote.

Gunn, the Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker who was recently appointed head of DC Studios alongside producer Peter Safran, was asked about the controversy this week.

Zach Levi, a couple of days ago, tweeted something about vaccines, got some people upset. Dont know if you have a comment on that, asked a reporter.

Gunn replied: Actors [and] filmmakers I work with are going to say things that I agree with and things that I dont agree with. Thats going to happen. I dont have a list of things that somebody should say because of what I think. I cant be changing my plans all the time because an actor says something that I dont agree with.

By the same token, if someone is doing something morally reprehensible, thats a different story. We have to take that stuff into account. Its a balance. Its a modern world, Its a different place.

Speaking on Tuesday (31 January), Gunn also addressed the f***ed up history of DC, and promised that the company would offer a unified approach in future.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods is set to be released in cinemas on 17 March.
Photo: Glacier Media

A group of teens is behind a non-profit helping Vancouver residents in the Downtown Eastside.

Project Hastings is a student-run grassroots organization that donates meals and care packages to unhoused residents in hopes to alleviate hunger and poverty.

The non-profit started with a group of five Vancouver youth in September 2020.

"Seeing the depletion of social support during the pandemic, especially in marginalized communities such as the Downtown Eastside, we decided to launch the organization to not only assist our community but also to engage more high school students with volunteerism and advocacy," Project Hastings states.

Starting the group wasn't an easy task.

Through hiring campaigns and fundraising, Project Hastings began to take form. It wasn't until a year later that the organization incorporated as a B.C. non-profit society.

Nearly all of the group's volunteers are high school students. Occasionally, Project Hastings has hosted volunteers as young as five years old, with parental supervision, but currently accepts students as young as 13 years old or of the age equivalent of an eighth-grade student.

"We believe that its important to instill the sense of community and volunteerism in our future generation starting from a young age," the non-profit says.

Project Hastings volunteers deliver meals and care packages on a biweekly basis.

Meals are usually sandwiches but have recently included hot dogs and soup. Sometimes the group works with local businesses to distribute other meals such as rice bowls, bento boxes, and burgers. Care packages include various personal items such as socks, dental hygiene kits, blankets, and other essentials.

Since 2020, the non-profit has distributed over 20,000 meals to the Downtown Eastside community.

The organization plans to provide learning care-packages in the near future, which will include learning essentials such as backpacks, stationary, and books for youth.

This year, wed love to continue the work that weve been doing ever since Project Hastings was founded," says the non-profit, nodding to the group's mission to help those experiencing homelessness and food insecurity in the Downtown Eastside.

"Going forward [we want] to educate students throughout the Lower Mainland on the very real crises that are happening in our shared community."
The Japanese government will provide $170 million to Ukraine for emergency recovery projects, particularly for the reconstruction of critical infrastructure, the press service of the Ministry of Infrastructure reported.

The undoubted priority at this stage of reconstruction is the restoration of critical infrastructure necessary to ensure the basic needs of citizens, Ukrainian infrastructure minister Oleksandr Kubrakov commented on the aid pledge, adding that this is a necessary step for displaced Ukrainians to return home.

Last month, the CEO of energy supplier Yanso noted that Ukraine continues to face a major electricity production deficit following Russias mass attacks.

Once the support decision is finalized by concluding the grant agreement with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the assistance will involve the provision of goods and services necessary for recovery.

Previously, on Jan. 12, Ukraines Ministry of Infrastructure said that Japan is set to allocate $95 million to Ukraine.
Comedian and commentator Jon Stewart admonished CNN and other news organizations that have shown footage of Tyre Nichols being beaten by police in Memphis, Tenn., that has led to nationwide outrage.

Are they playing it like wallpaper, are they doing that thing where its in the box and the announcer is talking about something else and youre just seeing it over and over again, Stewart said during a recent episode of his podcast. Are you f serious? Theyre playing it like Fox plays spring break footage.

Stewart called the footage of officers repeatedly beating Nichols during a traffic stop numbing and mocked journalists who have warned the images are disturbing before playing them for their audiences.

And then f two hours later its just rolling like its a vine, he scoffed.

The Nichols beating, which led to the 29-year-olds death, led to the firing of five police officers from the local department last week. They were charged with second-degree murder and other offenses. A sixth Memphis officer has also been relieved of duty and another has been suspended as the investigation into Nicholss death continues.

Stewart, who has been critical of mainstream media coverage of a number of big stories in the past, is on the short list of comedians, satirists and other entertainment personalities new CNN President Chris Licht is reportedly eyeing to hire to host a show in prime time.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Fortunately for Jordan Spieth, he wouldnt be able to recreate his harrowing recovery shot even if he wanted this week at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

It was a year ago that Spieth attempted what was possibly the most dangerous shot in PGA Tour history, his tee ball on the famed eighth hole coming to rest precariously close to the edge of the cliff over Carmel Bay. Despite pleas from caddie Michael Greller, Spieth took on the shot and almost immediately retreated to safety after impact. His daring approach wound up left of the green, but in true Spieth fashion, he sank a 20-footer for a miraculous par. That spurred him to a third-round 63.

"This is downright terrifying right now."



This shot from Jordan Spieth was quite the situation.  pic.twitter.com/sq04R96GXQ  Golf on CBS  (@GolfonCBS) February 5, 2022

Afterward, Spieth seemed shaken by the decision, especially with his son, Sammy, just three months old at the time. I wish I hadnt done it, he said then. In fact, I regret doing it.

Spieth played Pebble Beach with his father and brother in November, and he said he couldnt help but walk near the spot to remember what hed encountered.

I think I saved a stroke, he told reporters Wednesday. Does the reward outweigh the risk? Not if you think the risk was dying. But I felt I could whack it over the water with a 7-iron and get it up near the green. And I thought near the green would be easier than hitting a 7-iron from 10 yards [farther back, after a drop].

Inside Spieth's shot from No. 8 at Pebble Beach

Now, knowing my son a lot better  he was really young at the time  I may not have hit that shot.

During a practice round Monday at Pebble, Spieth noticed that the rough ahead of the cliff had been lengthened significantly, a move that should keep balls from rolling too close to the edge  and prevent players like Spieth from taking on the risk.

Im glad I ended up making a 4, he said. Because if I made a 5, it would have been one of the worst decisions I ever made. Instead, it was just a bad decision.
A judge is considering whether to dismiss a voter fraud case against an Orange County man, one of 20 statewide brought by Gov. Ron DeSantis office overseeing election crimes.

Peter Washington, 59, is charged with illegally casting a ballot in the 2020 election despite being cleared to vote by officials in Tallahassee. The Office of Statewide Prosecution, which can only charge defendants accused of crimes committed in two or more judicial circuits, is pursuing the case, but attorney Roger Weeden said in court Tuesday they have no authority to do so.

Prosecutor Robert Finkbeiner argued the alleged crime happened in Orange and Leon counties, but Weeden countered that Washington has no ties to Leon other than having submitted a voter application later accepted by the Florida Secretary of State in Tallahassee.

It would be an absurd scenario, if their position is correct, that they can prosecute him in Leon County for casting a vote in Orange County, Weeden said.

Circuit Judge Jenifer Harris didnt rule on Weedens motion to dismiss the case, giving him and Finkbeiner until Friday to provide supplements to their arguments before deciding.

Washington, who was convicted in 1996 for attempted sexual battery, said he didnt know he wasnt allowed to vote, as he received his voter card from the Orange County Supervisor of Elections. He and his wife voted early in October 2020 and said he wasnt stopped from casting a ballot.

According to an affidavit, Washington told investigators a probation officer assured him his rights would automatically be restored once he was released from prison and he was surprised when he was arrested for voter fraud.

A 2018 amendment to the Florida constitution restored voting rights to formerly incarcerated people convicted of certain felonies, but that wouldnt have applied to Washington.

Its not like I went out and had an intent to violate the law, Washington told reporters after the hearing. If the state would have done their part and let us know that it was illegal, this wouldve never been going on.

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Washington is one of three Orange County residents facing voter fraud charges of the 20 announced by DeSantis in August. Michelle Stribling, who is also represented by Weeden, is scheduled to be in court Wednesday while Jerry Foster has a hearing next week.

In all three cases, the accused said they had their applications approved and believed they were legally allowed to vote.

Washington hopes his case will be dismissed on similar grounds as Robert Wood, whose case was tossed after a judge in Miami ruled the Office of Statewide Prosecution has no authority to charge him.

But Finkbeiner said in court that a judge in Tampa ruled against a similar motion, though a written order has not yet been filed. Its not clear which case he was referring to but it could be part of supplemental arguments filed in Orange by Friday.

Its a game, it aint fair, Washington said. The state is playing with peoples lives.

creyes-rios@orlandosentinel.com
A Florida judge has ordered the states Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) to produce documents related to its determination that gender-affirming health care cannot be covered under Medicaid because treatments are experimental and investigational.

Attorneys for the AHCA  the agency that controls most of the states Medicaid program  will have until Feb. 14 to hand over documents it has previously argued are protected under attorney-client privilege and work-product privilege.

Those include exchanges between agency officials and any person involved in the creation of a June AHCA report that determined available medical literature provides insufficient evidence that puberty blockers, hormones and gender-affirming surgeries are safe and effective treatments for gender dysphoria.

The report has been used to bar an estimated 9,000 transgender Floridians from using Medicaid to help pay for gender-affirming health care and was cited during a November meeting between the states medical boards that resulted in a vote to adopt a rule that prevents minors in Florida from accessing gender-affirming treatments.

Gender-affirming health care for youths and adults has been deemed safe and medically necessary by most professional medical organizations.

In a six-page order published Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle said the AHCA must produce, among other documents, its communications with experts that were used to inform the agencys June report on gender-affirming health care and the ensuing rule that excluded treatments from Medicaid.

Lawyers for the agency have said that while the desired documents were created for rulemaking purposes, they were also intended for use in litigation they knew would follow the adoption of the rule, making them protected documents by law.

Hinkle said he disagreed.

Even if this leaves room in an appropriate circumstance for protection of documents created for dual purposes  not just when the primary purpose was to aid in future litigation  the experts at issue here were an essential part of the mandated rulemaking process, he wrote in the order, which is part of an ongoing lawsuit challenging Floridas Medicaid exclusion.

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Hinkle continued, Either the experts were retained to assist in an honest evaluative processin which event their communications were not within work-product protection  or the rulemaking process was a sham and the real goal was to prevail in the anticipated litigation  a possibility the defendants could embrace to win the discovery battle only by acknowledging that the rulemaking process was fatally flawed, or nearly so.

Court documents filed earlier this month suggest the states rulemaking process was just that, with an AHCA employee alleging that the June report does not present an honest and accurate assessment of medical evidence and practice guidelines related to gender-affirming health care.

Attorneys for the AHCA must file a revised log of protected documents by Feb. 2, according to Hinkles order. The plaintiffs in the case  two transgender minors and two transgender adults in their 20s  may file an additional motion to compel if they believe the protected documents are being improperly withheld.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The judge in a case brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) against decentralized publishing platform LBRY Inc. ruled that the secondary sale of the LBRY Credits cryptocurrency, or LBC, does not qualify as the sale of a security. The ruling came in a Jan. 30 appeal filed by the SEC, reportedly to seek an injunction to prevent secondary sales.

See related article: A crypto regulatory storm front is coming in 2023. Are we ready for it?

The SEC filed a complaint against LBRY in March 2021, alleging it raised US$11 million through sale of the LBC token as an unregistered security. On Nov. 7 last year, the court issued a summary judgment in favor of the SEC and classified the initial sale of LBC tokens as investment contracts.

During Mondays hearing, the SEC asked the judge to clarify the first ruling, looking to prohibit all sales of LBC tokens.

The judge said the previous ruling only applied to the direct sale of the token, not to secondary sales, an argument made by attorney John Deaton, who served as an amicus curiae in the case for tech journalist Naomi Brockwell.

Deaton cited a paper by attorney Lewis Cohen that examined all the security lawsuits in the U.S. since the creation of the Howey Test. The paper showed that no court acknowledged an underlying asset as a security.

According to Deatons tweet, the judge said his order does not apply to secondary market sales and hes not going to issue the injunction sought by the SEC which arguably included secondary sales.
Vice President Kamala Harris will attend Tyre Nichols' funeral in Memphis on Wednesday, her office said Tuesday.

Ben Crump, a lawyer for Nichols family, said Nichols mother, RowVaughn Wells, and stepfather, Rodney Wells, invited Harris during a phone call Tuesday morning. Crump said he joined the parents in speaking with Harris for more than 30 minutes.

Vice President Harris and Ms. Wells spoke exclusively, and during this emotional time, the Vice President was able to console Ms. Wells and even help her smile, Crump said in a statement.

Nichols' family also confirmed that Tamika Taylor, the mother of Breonna Taylor, who was killed in her home by Louisville, Kentucky, police three years ago, and Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd, would also attend the funeral at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, who leads the National Action Network civil rights group, will deliver the eulogy, according to a news release about the funeral services. Sharpton is the host of MSNBCs "PoliticsNation."

Memphis officials on Friday released videos of the brutal police beating of Nichols, 29, during a traffic stop on Jan. 7.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks after paying tribute to the victims of the mass shooting in Monterey Park, Calif., Jan. 25, 2022. (Patrick T. Fallon / AFP - Getty Images)

In a statement following the release of the videos, Harris said the video and images will forever be seared in our memories, and they open wounds that will never full heal. She also said persistent police misconduct and excessive force in America must end now.

President Joe Biden last week extended his condolences to Nichols family in a phone call and called for protests to be peaceful.

The videos have renewed calls on Capitol Hill for police reform legislation, which Biden and Harris have backed.

A police reform bill emerged after Floyd's murder, but it did not make it through Congress after bipartisan talks fell apart. Although senators now seek to revisit talks on police reform, prospects for passage appear slim, and a new Republican-led House has shown less of an appetite to take up the issue.

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The Memphis Police Department has relieved seven officers tied to the violent encounter that led to Nichols' hospitalization and death three days later.

Three EMTs who responded at the scene were fired Monday after an internal investigation.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Rev. Al Sharpton listens as Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the funeral service for Tyre Nichols at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis, Tennessee, on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. Andrew Nelles/Pool via REUTERS

Vice President Kamala Harris demanded passage of police reform legislation at the funeral for Tyre Nichols.

As a senator, she co-authored a bill mirroring the House-passed George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021.

"We should not delay. And we will not be denied," she said. "It is non-negotiable."

At Tyre Nichols' funeral, Vice President Kamala Harris laid out her terms for passage of a languishing policing reform bundle that she collaborated on while still in the Senate: "It's non-negotiable."

Harris told mourners on Wednesday that "Tyre Nichols would be here with us today" if police had been in pursuit of public safety. Nichols died earlier this month after being beaten by five Black police officers in Memphis, Tennessee.

"Was he not also entitled to the right to be safe?"

During her time as a senator from California, Harris co-authored legislation with Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey that mirrored the House-passed George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021. The bill was named for the 46-year-old Black man murdered by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in May 2020

The sweeping package is designed to bolster accountability and transparency within the law enforcement community by relaxing the qualified immunity protections that typically shield police officers from prosecution, banning racial profiling, and creating a police misconduct registry, among other things.

"We demand that Congress pass the George Floyd Justice and Policing Act," she said as she wrapped up her remarks to all the mourners filed into the pews at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, adding emphatically that "Joe Biden will sign it."

"We should not delay. And we will not be denied," Harris said, to thunderous applause. "It is non-negotiable."

Mourners could be heard repeating, "non-negotiable."

Speaking directly to Nichols' mother and stepfather, she called them "extraordinary."

"We have a mother and a father who mourn the life of a young man who should be here today," she said.

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Biden and Harris both spoke with Nichols' mother and stepfather to offer support, and Biden pledged to continue pushing Congress to pass the bill, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday.

Biden will meet on Thursday with members of the Congressional Black Caucus to hash out a strategy for moving forward on police reform.

Last year, Biden issued an executive order designed to bolster the accountability and transparency of law enforcement actions. But Jean-Pierre said the White House sees legislative action as the next step.

Read the original article on Business Insider
M Night Shyamalan has always been at odds with his own legend. His 1999 breakout film, The Sixth Sense, revolved around a twist so sensational that it came to define him. Shyamalan is thought of now less as a director than a trickster; all that really matters to his audiences is how smoothly the rug is pulled out from under them. A relentless cycle of unmatchable hype builds and inevitable disappointment ensues.

With barely a twist to speak of (at least in the traditional sense), his latest film Knock at the Cabin feels like a repudiation of the past. Its a (largely) single-location, narratively straightforward horror that unspools the tricky moral conundrum at its centre with inventive, Hitchcockian flair. Hopefully, Knock at the Cabin will serve as a reminder that Shyamalan should be celebrated as much for his craftsmanship as he is for his shock tactics.

The film is adapted from Paul Tremblays 2018 novel The Cabin at the End of the World. It follows a couple, Eric (Jonathan Groff) and Andrew (Ben Aldridge), who are holidaying with their young daughter Wen (Kristen Cui) at a charming cabin, which Shyamalan has relocated from New Hampshire to the outskirts of his home city of Philadelphia. The family fun is interrupted when theyre taken hostage by four armed strangers. Their leader, Leonard (Dave Bautista), explains that they must make an unconscionable sacrifice in order to avert the apocalypse.

These invaders dont immediately read as fanatics. Redmond (Rupert Grint) may be a little on the aggressive side, but the rest  Leonard, Sabrina (Nikki Amuka-Bird), and Adrianne (Abby Quinn)  are mournful and apologetic in their demands. And so, follows the tortuous dilemma of Knock at the Cabin: do Eric and Andrew trust the frankly unbelievable word of strangers? And is that trust worth the very end of their family?

Writers Steve Desmond and Michael Shermans initial adaptation of the novel found its way onto the Blacklist, a platform for Hollywoods hottest unproduced screenplays, in 2019 before Shyamalan jumped on a redraft that drastically altered sections of Tremblays plot. Its purer now, whittled down to its ideological bones. Although theres nothing inherently spectacular about the cabin in question, Shyamalans camera careens through the space like the Angel of Death, vertiginous in its angles and unnervingly intimate. His lens crawls closer and closer toward Eric and Andrews faces as their horrifying new reality dawns on them.

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Knock at the Cabin is a chamber piece about love and belief. It explores how the human brain is driven by a compulsive need to find patterns and craft narrative out of chaos. Eric and Andrew have faced homophobia in every corner of their lives, and one of the many uncertainties of Knock at the Cabin is whether the couple are right to question their captors motives. Leonard and his crew arent so secure in their mission, either. Their belief in the impending apocalypse comes repeatedly under question, too.

As protective father Ben, Alridge explores love in its most desperate form while Groffs Eric possesses an almost beatific sense of emotional clarity. Bautista, best known as a Marvel star, recently expressed an interest in moving into more dramatic fare. With Knock at the Cabin, he has seemingly already fulfilled his wish. The role of Leonard is perfectly suited to the wrestler-turned-actor. As a fundamentally sympathetic antagonist, Bautista digs deeper into the timid sincerity and striking naivete already present in his Guardians of the Galaxy role. In this way, you can see him as a kindred spirit to Shyamalan. Released from the burden of expectation, both actor and director find their power. As a result, Knock at the Cabin does, too.

Dir: M Night Shyamalan. Starring: Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Kristen Cui, Abby Quinn, Rupert Grint. 15, 110 minutes.
Here are seven takeaways from an IndyStar investigation into violence at Indianapolis bars and nightclubs, and the authorities responsible for monitoring the businesses.

Violence is frequent at Indy bars and clubs

IndyStar identified more than 600 reports of violent acts tied to Indianapolis bars, clubs and event centers since 2016. That includes 202 incidents involving gunfire, 37 rapes and sexual assaults and 20 stabbings, according to police reports.

The violence has left a grim toll: at least 49 people dead and more than 150 others injured in shootings or stabbings.

49 killed, 154 shot or stabbed: How Indiana law protects bad bars

Police are powerless to shut down violent bars

Despite the violence, Indianapolis police are virtually powerless to shut down bars and clubs. Unlike neighboring states, Indiana prohibits cities and towns from regulating alcohol businesses.

Officers sit outside of a busy bar district Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023 on South Meridian Street in downtown Indianapolis.

The state's enforcement is lax

Only the Indiana Alcohol & Tobacco Commission has the authority to shut down bars that become magnets for violence. But IndyStar found the ATC rarely takes steps to do so.

The state agency's enforcement arm, the Indiana State Excise Police, has 73 excise officers to monitor 15,000 bars, restaurants and stores that sell alcohol. That's not even one officer for every county. Moreover, the number of violations the agency issues and the number of underage drinking checks it performs have fallen by about 80% since 2014.

ATC's nuisance bar program is largely toothless

In 2019, the agency set up a program intended to give more scrutiny to bars with a history of violence and other problems. IndyStar found it largely ineffective. Not a single bar in Marion County is in the program, despite the abundance of violence. Even when a bar is placed in the program, it sometimes receives no extra permit visits or underage drinking checks.

Bar goers walk down the sidewalk Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023 on South Meridian Street in downtown Indianapolis.

Political influence presents another barrier

Problematic bars' lawyers are often former ATC officials. Many are politically connected and also lobby at the Statehouse, where they help craft the very laws they use to defend their clients.

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On one occasion, an Indianapolis city-county councilor intervened to keep a bar open, rankling IMPD leaders.

'Her light will just keep shining': After fatal shooting, mom honors daughter's life

Almost one year later, the sting of the absence of Secoya Williams still lingers for family members. In honor of Williams life, Marilyn Johnson, mother of Williams, created a foundation to help those in need. Marilyn Johnson photographed on Monday, Oct. 31, 2022 at their home in Indianapolis.

Indianapolis police do what they can

IMPD says it is doing what it can to address the problem. The department has spent nearly $2.9 million on overtime the past four years for extra weekend patrols on a two-block area of South Meridian Street with many bars and clubs.

The department's commercial crimes branch has arrested several bar owners on allegations of tax evasion and corrupt business influence. Some of their businesses have remained open, though, demonstrating the limit of what police can do without the ATC.

Influential:Indianapolis bars with violent histories often stay open. Who helps make it happen?

Indiana lawmakers, governor reluctant to make changes

IMPD and city officials are pushing the state to give local authorities more autonomy or equip excise police with resources to tackle the problem. So far, they haven't received much interest.

IndyStar asked Gov. Eric Holcomb's office if he plans to advocate for any changes, but a statement did not answer the question.

After IndyStar published its investigation, Sen. Ron Alting, who leads the Senate committee responsible for alcohol legislation, expressed concern about the findings and said he may consider legislation to address the problems. But the General Assembly's top two leaders  House Speaker Todd Huston and Senate leader Rod Bray  dismissed concerns about ATC enforcement.

Contact IndyStar reporter Tony Cook at 317-444-6081 or tony.cook@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter: @IndyStarTony.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis bars are magnets for unchecked violence, IndyStar finds
Photo: The Canadian Press The NDP is calling on the government operations committee to expand its study of federal contracts awarded to McKinsey & Company to include other consulting firms that have received large contracts with the federal government. New Democrat MP Gord Johns is bringing forward a motion to the committee to expand the scope of the study. Johns speaks during a news conference, Wednesday, October 5, 2022 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

The NDP is calling on a House of Commons committee to expand its study of federal contracts awarded to McKinsey & Company and include other consulting firms that have received large contracts.

New Democrat MP Gord Johns is bringing forward a motion to expand the scope of the study to include other firms including Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Accenture, KPMG, and Ernst & Young.

McKinsey has received attention in recent weeks after media reports highlighted the rapid growth of the company's work for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government.

"Canadians are really upset to see that the Liberal government has given hundreds of millions of dollars to a private company instead of letting Canada's public service do the jobs we hired them to do," Johns said in a press release.

"We need to get to the bottom of how much money has been spent in contracting with private companies, outside of McKinsey, under both the Liberals and Conservatives."

The government operations committee will hold its next meeting on the McKinsey contracts later today and will hear from Dominic Barton, the firm's former global managing director.

The Liberal government's relationship with Barton has come under scrutiny amid questions about the extent of the firm's influence on public policy.

Barton was the chair of an advisory council on economic growth for former finance minister Bill Morneau and later served as Canada's ambassador to China.

A researcher testifying before the committee on Monday called the focus on McKinsey a distraction.

Amanda Clarke, an associate professor of public administration at Carleton University, said the study should focus on the public service's reliance on consulting firms overall.

"The focus on outsourcing and contracting in the federal government is the broad enough umbrella to get at these issues and any given firm," Clarke said Monday.
The man shot by Wyoming police officer earlier Monday has died, officials announced Wednesday.

The Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office is holding a press conference at 2 p.m. Friday about the police shooting of Joe Frasure.

The Wyoming Police Department said earlier in the week that body camera footage of the incident would be released Friday.

The shooting occurred Monday morning. Frasure died at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center on Tuesday. He was 28.

What police say happened

Wyoming police and the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office said Frasure tried to drive away when police responded to a report of a possible burglary on Durrell Avenue.

Officers said they encountered two people at the apartment when they arrived, but both of them tried to flee. Frasure made it to a vehicle and tried to drive away, the sheriff's office reported.

According to a press release, police said Frasure "almost struck an officer ... causing that officer and another officer on scene to fire their duty weapons." A neighbor who said he witnessed the shooting said Frasure was driving through some grass in a minivan in an attempt to leave the area using a different driveway.

The officers involved in the shooting have not yet been identified.

Where's the investigation

The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office initially investigated the shooting but said Tuesday the case "now belongs" to the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office.

Wyoming police told The Enquirer Wednesday that the body camera footage of the incident would be released on Friday. Police said a second person was at the scene with Frasure, but that person's name has not been released.

The Enquirer has requested the personnel files, incident reports and other documents related to the shooting.

911 call

On Wednesday, Hamilton County released the 911 that prompted police to come to the building. A neighbor, who said he could see the building from his house, attempted to call the non-emergency line for the Wyoming Police Department, but was routed to a general dispatcher.

He said he saw two or three people in the building which was supposed to be vacant.

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"I'm seeing people walking around it and doing maybe suspicious things at a late hour," he said. "Maybe someone could come check it out."

Property history

Neighbor Derrick Moore said he and other nearby residents have been concerned about the property for many months, but Moore said recently the city took some action and at least three of the four units were unoccupied.

Police went to the apartment frequently. Between Oct. 10 and Jan. 11, police received at least 33 calls about situations at the property, according to records obtained by The Enquirer. Most were about domestic disturbances and disputes between residents. Frasure was not named in any of the complaints.

Moore said the neighbors have spoken to the residents and knew that one of the apartments was being cleaned out after a woman died in early January.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What we know about the fatal police shooting of Joe Frasure
By Aluisio Alves

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazilian banks may start setting aside provisions for losses with retailer Americanas already in the fourth quarter of 2022, analysts say.

Banks such as BTG Pactual, Bradesco,Santander Brasil, Itau Unibanco Holding and Banco do Brasil have around 15 billion reais in loans with Americanas, according to analyst reports.

Analysts estimate the banks may provision around 30% of their loans in the fourth quarter, which would be equivalent to 4.5 billion reais ($890 million), even with bankruptcy protection taking place in January, as a precautionary measure allowed by the Brazilian central bank.

The first Brazilian bank to release fourth quarter earnings, on Thursday, is Banco Santander Brasil. Itau and Bradesco are expected to release earnings next week, on Feb. 7 and 9 respectively, and state-controlled Banco do Brasil and BTG Pactual will release their numbers on Feb. 13.

Renan Manda, XP's chief analyst for financial institutions, said some of the banks may decide to start booking the losses in the fourth quarter to ease the impact, and make new provisions in the first quarter of 2023.

Total loss values also hinge on court decisions in lawsuits where the banks seek to seize Americanas deposits or investments, excluding them from bankruptcy protection, to compensate for part of their loans. The banks declined to comment. Banco do Brasil and Itau said they could not discuss the losses before the release of earnings, and Bradesco, BTG Pactual and Santander did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

($1 = 5.0544 reais)

(Reporting by Aluisio Alves; Writing by Tatiana Bautzerd; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
I4PC found 10 out of 19 Canadian investment firms shot down the majority of climate-related proposals they voted on last year. (GETTY)

Several of Canada's largest asset managers voted against more climate-related shareholder resolutions than they supported in 2022, according to a new analysis by Investors for Paris Compliance (I4PC).

The advocacy group found 10 out of 19 Canadian investment firms included in a report released on Wednesday shot down the majority of climate-related proposals they voted on last year. The findings come amid a fierce debate over the role of institutional money in shaping corporate climate policies.

I4PC examined 23 North American climate-related shareholder resolutions from last year. According to its report, Beutel, Goodman & Company had the least climate-friendly voting record. The private Toronto-based investment firm with a reported $42 billion in assets under management was found to have voted against 91 per cent of resolutions included in the study.

It was a similar story for a number of other Canadian financial heavyweights. RBC Global Asset Management was found to have voted against with 89 per cent, followed by Guardian Capital (88 per cent), Manulife Investment Management (82 per cent), Alberta Investment Management Corporation (70 per cent), and Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (69 per cent).

Meanwhile, Batirente, a smaller Montreal-based group pension fund, voted in favour of 100 per cent of the 23 climate-related shareholder resolutions studied from last year. Vancouver-based Genus Capital Management and Vancity followed, voting in favour on 77 per cent and 62 per cent of climate resolutions, and abstaining on 23 per cent and 38 per cent, respectively.

All of the asset managers included in the report are signatories to Climate Action 100+ (CA100+), an investor-led decarbonization effort that claims to span 700 global investors responsible for more than US$68 trillion in assets under management across 33 markets.

"When an investor joins CA100+, we expect them to prioritize climate engagement, but this analysis questions some members' commitment," Kyra Bell-Pasht, I4PC's director of research and policy, stated in a news release on Wednesday.

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"Engagement is often held up as the alternative to divestment, but unless investors are willing to vote for climate proposals, engagement is likely to be toothless and ineffective."

I4PC notes the shareholder votes included in the report were "heavily influenced" by the advice of two major proxy voting services, ISS and Glass Lewis.

According to the group, climate-related resolutions also received less support at financial institutions, compared to energy companies. So-called "say-on-climate" resolutions, where shareholders cast non-binding votes on a company's climate strategy, were found to be "unpopular."

I4PC says both trends "were common in the Canadian resolutions examined and were not a feature of the American resolutions reviewed." The report adds that "this difference partly explains why several investors rarely supported Canadian resolutions, but generally supported American resolutions (e.g. TD Asset Management, Desjardins, CDPQ, Ontario Teachers' PP, and AIMCO)."

Jeff Lagerquist is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on Twitter @jefflagerquist.

Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android.
A woman is in critical condition after she was stabbed in Rockford by a Las Vegas, Nevada man.

Stillman Cunningham, 26, faces attempted murder and aggravated domestic battery charges.

Rockford police said officers responded to the 900 block of 22nd Avenue for reports of a woman being stabbed. Officers were told the victim was taken to the hospital while the suspect, Cunningham, ran away.

Police located Cunningham in the 300 block of Peoples Avenue.

Cunningham discarded a large knife before being arrested, according to police.

Police said the 25-year-old victim and Cunningham knew each other prior the incident.

Cunningham is being held in the Winnebago County Jail.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Las Vegas man charged with attempted murder after stabbing in Rockford
A local church is teaming up with Atlanta Police to build trust and get through to young people in our communities.

They held a meeting Tuesday where Atlanta Police officers met at Salem Bible Church for their daily roll calls, but this meeting was different. Channel 2s Larry Spruill was inside the church LIVE on WSB Tonight at 11 p.m.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

We got to have police. We got to have a community; we got to have them working together, said Pastor Emeritus Jasper Williams with Salem Bible Church.

Pastor Williams said its all about unity, especially between police and the people.

I see all of us sitting down at the table together, coming up with an approach where we can have it all, said Williams.

This meeting wasnt about their daily assignments but a call to restore trust within the Zone One community.

Zone 1 sits in the heart of Atlanta. It goes south to MLK Drive, east to Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard, and north in the Bolton and Chattahoochee neighborhoods.

We need to trust those individuals who are in positions of power to do exactly what they say, and that protects and serves. Without the trust, what do you have? You have nothing, said Williams.

Williams said he understands that people may not trust the police, especially with the recent death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis. But now its time to rebuild.

What we seen in Memphis is not representative of every police, said Williams.

TRENDING STORIES:

Thats why Williams wants to have a dialogue, between the people and the police.

For example, if Im pulled over, what should I do? What should be my action? What can I do to let that officer know that I mean him nor her no harm, said Williams.

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Atlanta Police Zone 1 Commander Reginald Moorman agrees its all about teamwork and trust.

We have issues here that we definitely, have to work through, here in the community, and so our partnership with the church is priceless. If we dont have trust from the community, we cant do our jobs, said Moorman.

They want to meet in every zone in Metro Atlanta every month. The next one will be in Zone 3. They have not scheduled the other ones yet, but we will let you know when they do.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

IN OTHER NEWS:
Russian flag

Read also: Peace Formula summit on invasion anniversary, events and changes upcoming in Ukraine

Payback for the invasion of Ukraine is not only a matter for the future, but is already happening right before our eyes: huge human losses, the undermining of the Russian economy, Western sanctions, frozen assets totaling $350-400 billion, the exodus of large international companies and related job losses, expulsion of the country from international organizations, termination of Russian contracts, cancellation of many flights, refusal to receive Russian tourists, and the mass exodus from the country. And there will be even more...Given the economic and military power of the West, Putin's policy, which is one way or another aimed at its depletion, cannot end in anything other than the gradual but radical depletion of Russia itself.

The West is not satisfied with Ukrainian troops reaching their own borders

Here we must bear in mind the policy of the West, which is playing a long game  that is, it is aimed not at the rapid defeat of the Russian Federation, but at its slow but catastrophic depletion. , NATO is in no hurry to go anywhere, and its policy is a protracted war that will put Russia in the state of Nazi Germany in May 1945  complete unconditional surrender, and a real one at that (and not fingernail-pulled denazification and demilitarization). Moreover, the more complete bleeding and military attrition, the better - it will easier to put an end to another world monster once and for all ... demilitarization as an accelerated process of Ukraine's transition to NATO standards.

In my view, this gradual attrition, exhaustion, and depletion of the Russian Federation is the best tactic for its destruction. Let it happen slowly, but irreversibly and, hopefully, forever. By dragging out the war, the crazed Russians are tightening the noose around their own necks with their own hands - military, economic and psychological, creating a national disgrace that will stretch for centuries.

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Read also: Ukraines state service verifies ties between Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox churches

I want to stress that the result of this moronic protracted war was not the "demilitarization" of Ukraine, but its powerful strengthening due to the most modern Western weapons deployed along its border with Russia, up to and including American PATRIOTs. Just compare: while the United States is handing over a PATRIOT battery to Ukraine, Prigozhin is asking North Korea for military support. What a comparison

The West and NATO, being multiple times stronger in their economies and armed forces, are not using these strengths, and thus not spending that which is most valuable in liberal democratic communities - the lives of thousands of their soldiers. The West instead has awaited the achievement of its long-standing goal - to starve out and exhaust its old adversary without worrying about it, and without wasting its human resources. Since the war was unleashed by the "empire of lies and evil" itself, the West is taking advantage of what happened, as they say, "to the fullest:" continuously increasing sanctions, severing trade and other ties, global isolation, numerous bans, the slow destruction of the Russian economy, the gradual tightening of the noose around the neck Putin himself, the complete military and economic exhaustion of the staunch and, in the end, an international tribunal (an exact repetition of the strangulation of the Nazis Thousand-Year Reich in a couple of years) In addition, in this case there is no need for a Second Front, nor for the death of the Wests soldiers, nor for the destruction of their own infrastructure - a downright gift of fate, presented not by fate, but by the enemy himself.

Read also: SBU explains reasons for raids on businesses of pro-Russian MP Stolar

You can understand this strategic plan by remembering the deepest symbolism of the ancient Chinese saying: If you sit on the river bank for a long time, you can see the corpse of your enemy floating down the river. Or, in the words of the Chinese sage Lao Tzu: If someone has done you a bad thing, do not rush into battle and do not rush to take revenge, just sit on the river bank and wait for the corpse of the offender to float past...

Read also: EU plans special prosecutors office to investigate Russian crimes

As early as March 10, 2022, the analytical center at the Kyiv School of Economics, together with the Office of the President and the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, created the Russia Will Pay project. Ukraine is already recording the stream of crimes of the "collective Putin, which is worse than the Nazi ones, because Putin's genocide, unlike Hitler's, is directed against a kindred people. In the future, Ukraine will use its data on the massive destruction of Ukrainian cities and the mass death of the civilian population against the Russian Federation in international courts. This project was created in order to collect information about the number of deaths, the number of objects destroyed in Ukraine, as well as the number of buildings that continue to be destroyed by the invading Russian occupiers.

A huge contribution to the destruction of the consciousness of the nation in this non-country has always been made by the carriers of the "Russian idea," and today Putin's propagandists and ideologists, the killers of the nation's brains, all the Russian corrupt Goebbelses  the Solovyovs, Kiselyovs, Skabeyevas, Popovs, Sheynins, Karaulovs, Tolstoys, Butinas, Prokhanovs, Dugins, Kurginyans, Okhlobystins, Krasovskys, Norkins, Pushkovs, Prilepins, Shafrans (the names of these scoundrels is legion). These are not just scoundrels and accomplices, but war criminals, and their place is solely on the defendants bench on trial for the highest of crimes for the destruction of Ukrainian cities and the mass spiritual genocide of their own foolish population.

Read also: Because of the war: How Ukraines population will change by 2030

Recall that in Nuremberg, it was not only Hitler's thug functionaries who were tried, but also those whom the Fuhrer had authorized to control the spiritual and ideological education of the NSDAP  Alfred Rosenberg, the head of the Internal Press Service Hans Fritsche, the head of the radio broadcasting department of the Ministry of Public Education and Propaganda Hans Fritsche, the Reichsjugendfuhrer of the Hitler Youth Baldur Benedict von Schirach, editor-in-chief of the Der Sturmer weekly Julius Streicher,, and others like them... They personally did not kill anyone, but called for genocide and were sentenced to be hanged. This is not a call for revenge, but the natural and legitimate result of the criminal, cannibalistic propaganda of the terrorist state destroying Ukrainian cities and many thousands of civilians. It is not surprising that after such calls, the entire civilized world declared that it would support Ukraine for as long as it takes. How long will it take to forever break the back of the Russian military machine and all its bullhorns.

(For reference: as of 2012, Russia ranked first in the world in financing propaganda, spending a total of $1.6 billion on it - more than China and other countries. Today, retribution has already affected many singers of Russian obscurantism, and people like Solovyov, Simonyan, and Skabayeva do not hesitate to cry on TV channels about the confiscation of property, which for some reason they acquired exclusively in the "decaying West," and not in their own country or the DPRK).

Read also: A new image of propaganda. Three aspects after Medvedev's statement about nuclear war

But the poisoning of the consciousness of the Russian nation, the real burning out of its brains, the monstrous stupidity of the nation - this is not only a result of the infecting power of propaganda or total lies, but a series of bloody wars, nightly explosions of houses in which their fellow citizens slept, forcing Russians to live in fear, an organic inability to separate good from evil, the killing of civilians in a fraternal country, and the calls of a patriarch to destroy his own recalcitrant flock. Furthermore - a stolen or trampled culture and lost morality, a miserable and flawed inner world of a person, the destruction of his ability to think independently. Russia is a country of hell, in which the slightest manifestation of free-thinking and the very ability to think with one's own brains have always been considered the most terrible of human sins...

Read also: Putin prepares for another offensive to conquer Ukraine, NATOs Stoltenberg warns

It is high time to think about how Putin's protracted reign will end for this non-country. The best thing that can be given to the people of Russia by another term of this demon-possessed madman is stagnation and the slow decay of the entire state, and ahead - decades of national humiliation. As long as Putin is in the Kremlin, Russia has no chance for civil peace or political stability. Russia cannot be given a chance to revive itself, simply because sooner or later we will get another war. That's why there are so many people in the world who want Russia not just to suffer defeat in the war with Ukraine, but irreversible collapse and breakdown.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
This February, we are highlighting a few bold and youthful trendsetters who have refused to conform to the implicit biases in the world, discover and listen to others stories and provide resources to elevate their communities.

The world is always rapidly changing, making wanting to make a long-lasting impact a more complex concept. However, many millennial and Generation Z leaders are not waiting for permission to shape the future and are pushing for equity and equality in all spaces  from diversifying the tech world to emphasizing the importance of mental health.

The post Making Black History Today: Top 5 Millennial And Gen Z Changemakers appeared first on Blavity.

Teflar Clemens

Fashion is one of the many tangible time capsules that can reflect and express the history and values of eras. Telfar Clemens founded the Teflar fashion brand, which focused on genderless designs decades before the terms non-binary and gender fluid were mainstream. Clemenss high school teacher in New York wrote monograms for all their students names, which sparked the design idea for the brands signature T- circled logo. Today, his vegan leather tote bags are always sold out and are a favorite among all of the it girlies we know. Clemens also has a track record of racking up awards, such as the 2017 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, the CFDA American Accessories 2019 and the CFDA American Accessories 2020, and he is set to accomplish even more! His iconic mission of fashion accessibility, its not for you, its for everyone, will never be forgotten.

Simone Biles

This generation is contributing to breaking the boundaries of stigma and empowering millions of people to value their health as their wealth. Being an athlete, student, working a job, pursuing your passions and so much more can all take a toll on an individuals physical and mental health if there is not enough time to decompress. Simone Biles gracefully led by example and was not afraid to be her authentic self when she voiced her decision to withdraw from the 2020 Olympics to focus on her overall wellness. Since then, she has openly used her platform and influence to discuss the importance of mental health and is now the chief impact officer of the online therapy app, Cerebral.

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Malcolm Kenyatta

Members of Gen Z are more racially and ethnically diverse than any previous generation and are on track to be the most well-educated generation yet. Therefore, we are progressive and pro-government; most see the countrys growing racial and ethnic diversity as a good thing, according to the Pew Research Center.

Malcolm Kenyatta is on everyones ballot radar as he has proven to be a shining star in the Democratic Party. Kenyatta is not new to but is true to politics! He has been involved locally since the age of eleven when he volunteered as the junior block captain of the Philadelphia Streets program. He has also been a Pennsylvania House of Representatives member since 2019, serving on commerce, finance, liquor control and state government committees. Kenyatta is revolutionizing the landscape of politics with his career as a young, openly gay politician.

JayAina Patton

One out of every 10 Black students is likely to have an incarcerated parent, and for JayAina Patton, this statistic hit very close to home. Maintaining communication with her father proved challenging. However, after his release, they combined her tech savviness with his coding expertise to develop the Photo Patch app that enables children and incarcerated parents to stay connected. Patton wishes to continue to be a role model and proof to other Black girls interested in STEM that they do not have to wait until they are a certain age to make a difference or be an entrepreneur and that anything is possible.

Jerome Foster

Environmental concerns are frequently in the news. Over the years, more and more young people have felt they have a calling to ask and push for a solution to sustainability as this world is our future, so we have to take better care of it. Climate activist, Jerome Foster, recognizes that climate inaction is unavoidable, so he is taking action and encouraging Gen Z to stand with him! He is the youngest member of the White Houses Environmental Justice Advisory Council, started The Climate Reporters website and is the executive director of OneMillionOfUs, a youth voter advocacy organization.

Happy Black History Month!
Grants Pass Police Department

A man accused of kidnapping and torturing a woman killed himself after a standoff with police, which lasted for hours.

Police in Grants Pass, Oregon, had been searching for Benjamin Obadiah Foster, 36, since Jan. 24, when they responded to a home and found a woman "bound and severely beaten into unconsciousness."

Foster fled the scene before officers arrived, police said. The woman, who police described as someone he had a "former domestic relationship" with was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

On Tuesday, police said Foster had been taken into custody after a "several hour long standoff."

Later that night, Foster died in the hospital from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, local Grants Pass Police Chief Warren Hensman said in press conference on Wednesday.

Oreagon State Police Capt. Kyle Kennedy said that police conducted a door to door welfare check on the residents of Sunny Valley, near where Foster was seen on Thursday, where they found the bodies of two men who they believed was killed by Foster on.

Officers described their deaths as a result of "brutal" double homicide caused by blunt force trauma, adding that Several items, including a dog, were missing from the home.

Kennedy said Foster had left the Sunny Valley area Tuesday morning in a cab and was dropped off in Grants Pass back to the home where he committed the crime on Jan 24, according to Hensman.

Police found Foster "burrowed deep underneath the home" armed anticipating a gunfight, however he shot himself in the head. Police dug through the homes floorboards to recover Foster's body but found he was still breath.

Police say Faster was pronounced dead almost immediatetly after being taken to the hospital.

Josephine County Sheriff David Daniel's said authorithies responded to a brutal double homicide located in the Sunny Valley area on Tuesday which matched a tip.

After a lengthy standoff and failed communication

Police said he was dug deep underneath the home.

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Tk said Foster was pronounced dead almost immediately after he was taken to the hospital.

In court records obtained by the Oregonian, Josephine County District Attorney Joshua Eastman said Foster tried to kill the woman police found on Jan. 24, intentionally torturing her and hiding her "in a place where she was not likely to be found."

Foster had been on the run for nearly a week prior to his arrest and was wanted on charges of kidnapping, attempted murder, and assault. Police warned the public that he was "extremely dangerous" and might be using dating apps while on the run.

"The investigation has revealed that the suspect is actively using online dating applications to contact unsuspecting individuals who may be lured into assisting with the suspects escape or potentially as additional victims," police said.

On Thursday, numerous law enforcement agencies served a search warrant to a home in Wolf Creek, about 20 miles from Grants Pass. After what police described as a "lengthy manhunt," Foster "evaded capture and likely received assistance in fleeing the area."

Police seized several pieces of evidence there, including Foster's car, and arrested a 68-year-old woman on suspicion of hindering prosecution.

"The Grants Pass Police Department wants the community to be extra safe while this predator is still at large and also advises that anyone assisting Ben Foster with his escape will face potential prosecution," they said.

In 2019, according to the Associated Press, Foster held his then-girlfriend captive for two weeks in her apartment in Las Vegas. Despite facing decades in prison, he was sentenced to only two and a half years in a Nevada state prison after reaching a deal with Clark County prosecutors.

During her captivity in the 2019 incident, Foster choked the woman until she lost consciousness and forced her to eat lye. Police reports reportedly revealed she had suffered seven broken ribs, two black eyes, as well as other injuries from having her wrists and ankles bound with zip ties. She managed to escape from Foster and found help at a nearby apartment complex, after which she was taken to a hospital.

More on this
Topeka police on Tuesday were investigating the city's seventh homicide of the month.

Topeka recorded its seventh homicide victim for January on Tuesday when a man was fatally shot in the southeast part of the city.

The victim was identified as Michael R. Comp, 40, of Topeka, by Topeka police Lt. Donna Eubanks.

Wesley Tyrone Rayton Sr., 47, of Topeka, was booked at 10:10 p.m. Tuesday into the Shawnee County Jail in connection with one count each of first-degree murder in the commission of a felony, aggravated assault and the criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied vehicle, Shawnee County Jail records said.

Rayton was being held Wednesday without bond, those records said. Formal charges hadn't been filed.

More:Half of Topeka's homicide victims were female in 2021, when seven women and girls were killed

Officers were called about 12:40 p.m. Tuesday to the shooting scene in the 900 block of S.E. 34th, near its intersection with S.E. Virginia Avenue, said Rosie Nichols, public safety communications specialist for Topeka's city government.

S.E. Virginia runs north and south and is located four blocks east of S.E. Adams Street.

The victim was found at the scene, where he was pronounced deceased soon afterward, Nichols said.

Rayton served prison time for aggravated battery committed in April 1995 in Shawnee County, according to Kansas Department of Corrections records.

More:These were Topeka's 2022 homicide victims. They ranged in age from 6 months to 81 years

City has seven homicide victims so far in 2023

The seven homicide victims recorded in January is Topeka's highest for one month since it saw seven in August 2016.

Topeka's first six homicide victims this month prior to Saturday had been the following:

 Shawn A. Carter, 45, found fatally shot the morning of Jan. 8 in the 1300 block of S.E. Madison. No arrests have been made.

 Jackson Tilton, 16 months, who died Jan. 8, four days after he was hospitalized with severe brain injuries. Dustin J. Kelley Sr., 40, faces charges that included first-degree murder in the commission of a felony. Kelley was the boyfriend of Tilton's mother.

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 Genny L. Fitzpatrick, 30, Peyton L. Tyler, 9, and Kourtney K. Tyler, 1, who died in a fire reported just before 5 a.m. Jan. 20 at 916 S.W. Warren Ave. Kyle J. Tyler, 32, faces charges that include three counts of first-degree murder in the commission of a felony. Kyle Tyler was the boyfriend of Fitzpatrick and the father of Peyton and Kourtney Tyler, said Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay.

 Jeremy Jason Neal, 48, fatally shot Saturday morning at 405 S.W. Tyler. Skyler J.M. Wilson, 33, was arrested in connection with crimes that included first-degree murder.

Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Shooting death of Michael Comp is city's seventh homicide in January
Photo: Toronto Police Service A suspect in the fatal assault

A longtime former CBC producer has died after a random daytime assault in Toronto's east end.

The broadcaster says Michael Finlay, who worked with the network for 31 years, died Monday, a week after the attack.

Toronto police say officers responded to a call about an assault on Jan. 24 at 3:35 p.m. in the Danforth Avenue and Jones Avenue area.

They say a man was allegedly assaulted and fell to the ground with serious injuries  a male suspect is still at large.

In a note sent to CBC staff and obtained by The Canadian Press, Cathy Perry, the network's executive director of newsgathering and operations, says Finlay died of medical complications after being injured in a random assault in the city last week.

She calls Finlay an "exceptional" journalist who travelled around the world to produce radio programs and knew "everything about every news story here at home and abroad."

Police say the investigation is underway and are asking anyone with information to contact them.
A motel in Gaston County is accused of turning away a man who is blind and was homeless, which prompted an investigation by the Department of Justice. Channel 9s Dan Matics spoke with the man who said he was trying to rent a room to get off the streets when he was discriminated against.

Joseph Flowers currently has a home to rent in Gaston County after trying to find a place to live in December.

ALSO READ: Judge sets steps for more NC disabled people to live at home

Cellphone video taken by Flowers friend shows him being turned away in December by the Express Inn and Suites in Gastonia.

She automatically started saying, Nope. Nope. Nope. We arent going to rent him no room, Flowers told Matics.

After being turned away, Flowers contacted his social worker with the state Division of Services for the Blind.

The social worker informed the motel they were breaking disability laws, but Flowers said the motel didnt care.

Thats like telling me youre not going to rent me a room because of my color or my sex or something, Flowers said. I cant help it because Im blind. My money is as green as anybody elses.

Justin Flowers says he was turned away from a Gastonia motel because he is blind.

The motels owner has not responded to Channel 9 but told the Gaston Gazette they were concerned about him renting upstairs and they had nothing else available.

Making assumptions like assuming a blind individual cant navigate independently or cant go up and down stairs, those types of assumptions are discriminatory, said Holly Stiles, who is Disability Rights North Carolinas assistant legal director of litigation.

Flowers social workers with the state filed a formal complaint against the motel with the U.S. Department of Justices Civil Rights Division.

VIDEO: Burke County students getting eye-opening experience during Disability Awareness Week
A Raytown man was sentenced on two separate, unrelated federal charges Wednesday  one for stealing the identities of Johnson County government employees and another for conspiracy to distribute $10 million of methamphetamine.

Michael B. Becher, 41, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for the drug-trafficking conspiracy and five years for the fraud scheme after pleading guilty to both charges, according to prosecutors with the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Missouri.

The sentences are set to run concurrently.

In May, Becher admitted that he and co-conspirator Rachel Jarman stole the identities of several victims, including Johnson County government employees, to create counterfeit drivers licenses and open fraudulent accounts in 2019.

Becher and Jarman committed theft after the Johnson County government experienced a data breach of its employees personal information in 2015, according to prosecutors.

Before creating the drivers licenses, Becher would perform a credit check on his victims to establish whether he could establish a credit account.

Over the course of several months, Becher made at least seven fraudulent purchases to Lowes and Home Depot, with charges ranging from over $1,600 to $8,000. Prosecutors say Becher kept some of the purchases for himself and gave others to Jarman.

Becher has numerous previous fraud convictions that stretch back for more than a decade, according to federal prosecutors, including one for forging a $500 check belonging to his mothers account.

Private planes, super bazookas and methamphetamine

Becher pleaded guilty in April to his involvement in a Kansas City drug organization led by Mirza Alihodzic, 37. He is one of twelve defendants in the $10 million conspiracy.

Becher was arrested in November 2019 after attempting to meet up with a co-conspirator. The other individual was planning to take a private plane to California that day to purchase methamphetamine.

Officers were outside the residence conducting surveillance when they thought they heard screaming and gunshots, prosecutors say. The officers entered and arrested Becher and several others.

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Becher admitted to police that hed purchased methamphetamine from Alihodzic. He also said he purchased around four to five pounds of methamphetamine daily from another source, and that hed once carried close to 80 pounds of drugs in his car.

A search of Bechers car and a storage unit thought to be owned by him produced a half-pound of methamphetamine, two M20 Super Bazooka rockets and a rifle. One of the rockets appeared to be live with a propellant and warhead.

Becher told police Alihodzic had given him the rockets.

Six co-defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing for separate indictments that resulted from this investigation, prosecutors say.

Alihodzic was previously sentenced to 35 years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to drug conspiracy in July.
PHOTO: Getty Images

SINGAPORE  A man is suing a woman in Singapore for $3 million, for causing "trauma, depression and impacts to his life when she rejected a romantic relationship with him.

The Straits Times reported on Tuesday (31 January) that K. Kawshigan filed the lawsuit against Nora Tan even after the legal action was kept at bay for almost one-and-a-half years as she agreed to attend his therapy.

When Ms Tan cut off contact with Mr Kawshigan after he still could not accept that she did not want to be in a relationship with him, Mr Kawshigan filed two lawsuits - the $3 million High Court claim for causing "damage to his stellar reputation" and "trauma, depression, and impacts" to his life, and a $22,000 claim for breaching an agreement to work on their ties.

The second suit was dismissed earlier last month, with State Courts deputy registrar Lewis Tan saying it amounted to an abuse of the court process as it was "manifestly groundless and without foundation."

"This court will not be an accessory to (Mr Kawshigan's) calculated attempt to compel engagement from the defendant who, after years of massaging the claimants unhappiness, has finally decided to stand up to his threats rather than cower and give in to his demands, Mr Tan said in the judgment published last Saturday (28 January).

The Straits Times reported that the $3 million lawsuit is scheduled for trial on 9 February.

Problems arose over how they viewed relationship

The duo's friendship began in 2016, but by September 2020, problems arose over how they viewed their relationship. While Ms Tan regarded Mr Kawshigan as only a friend, Mr Kawshigan considered her to be his "closest friend".

When Ms Tan requested for their interactions to be reduced, an upset Mr Kawshigan issued her a letter of demand in October 2020, threatening legal action for "monetary damages arising from negligent infliction of emotional distress and possible defamation".

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Even though Ms Tan told Mr Kawshigan in a text message that she was "genuinely uncomfortable.", he demanded that she either comply with his demands in order to deepen their relationship, or suffer "irrevocable" damage to her professional and personal life.

Ms Tan then agreed to participate in Mr Kawshigan's therapy sessions, as she thought it would help him cope with the fact that she was not interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with him. However, after one and a half years, she stopped the sessions as she felt they had become futile.

Showdown as legal claims intensify

The Straits Times reported that Ms Tan began harassment charges against Mr Kawshigan in April 2022. In response, he alluded that he may also sue her, in a text message that had the phrases "damage that has strong legal basis" and "make your liability worse".

Ms Tan stopped communicating with him on 14 May, as she could no longer handle his demands for more interaction and his inability to respect her boundaries.

Mr Kawshigan filed a lawsuit with the High Court on 7 July, alleging that her remarks and negligence caused him to lose his earning capacity and business partnerships, along with the expenses incurred in rehabilitation and therapy to overcome the trauma he experienced.

Following that, Ms Tan obtained an expedited protection order against him and engaged lawyers to file a defence and counterclaim in her favour.

Mr Kawshigan filed the magistrate's court claim on 27 August alleging that the agreement to better align their relationship had been breached.

According to him, the breach has adversely affected his earning capacity as a "high-capital trader at night and a CEO by day" and forced him to seek deeper psychological assistance. Ms Tan then applied to strike out this claim.

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.
Manchester United have signed Marcel Sabitzer on loan from Bayern Munich until the end of the season.

The Austria international adds to Uniteds midfield options after Christian Eriksen was ruled out for three months with an ankle injury.

United were quick to contact Bayern over a loan move for the versatile 28-year-old, with the German champion open to the deal.

Sabitzer has seen his game time limited since joining Bayern from RB Leipzig in 2021.

Chelsea had also approached Bayern over signing Sabitzer on a permanent deal, but the Blues then made a breakthrough as they looked to sign Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for a British transfer record.

United were also interested in a loan move for the Netherlands international Ryan Gravenberch, but Bayern were reluctant to allow the 20-year-old to leave the club.

The Independent also reported that United considered loan moves for Leicesters Youri Tielemans and free agent Isco.

Click here to subscribe to The Independents Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos.
The Manhattan district attorney offices failure to meet required deadlines allowed a disgraced NYPD detective to walk away a free man Tuesday  unlike many of the people he put behind bars.

Multiple charges were abruptly dropped against Joseph Franco, a 20-year NYPD veteran accused of perjury for his alleged lies and bogus testimony involving drug cases, after prosecutors acknowledged problems with evidence in the case.

The prosecutor handling the case  who was the deputy chief of the police accountability unit  has been demoted because discovery deadlines were blown at least once, law enforcement sources told the Daily News. The assistant district attorney reported directly to Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg.

Prosecutors had charged Franco, fired from his job in May 2020, lied in official paperwork and grand jury appearances against five suspects between February 2017 and April 2017, with three convicted and two left behind bars for more than a year.

After disclosing evidence that violated our discovery requirements, the people consented to the defense motion to dismiss the case against Joseph Franco, said a statement from the DAs office, adding that Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Minogue was reassigned.

A root-cause analysis to determine what went wrong was also in the works, the statement said, with the violation related to discovery not provided in a timely fashion as opposed to shoddy evidence. The office would not say if the deadlines were part of what was revised with criminal justice reforms, but a source indicated that was not the case.

The failed case marked a blow for Bragg, who was elected on a promise of accountability for corrupt cops. The judges dismissal means the prosecutors cannot bring a new case against Franco for the same alleged conduct, officials said.

Detective Franco is relieved at this outcome, said defense attorney Howard Tanner. But how does he get his reputation back? A decorated police officer who honorably served this city for 20 years, he never did anything wrong.

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He said Franco was considering all legal options regarding the prosecution.

Franco was indicted in 2019, with prosecutors reporting more than 400 cases were dismissed by city authorities after his behavior was exposed. More than 100 of the cases were in Manhattan, where Franco pleaded not guilty to six counts of perjury, five counts of officials misconduct and 15 counts of offering a false instrument.

The DA said the decision has no impact on the hundreds of people whose cases were vacated based on their connection to Franco.

The ex-cop had faced up to seven years behind bars if convicted in the trial that began Jan. 19

Prosecutors charged in opening statements that the former Manhattan South Narcotics detective was assigned to work in the shadows as police kept public housing developments under watch for potential drugs buys.

He was assigned to a plainclothes team working in Manhattan, and prosecutors said a review of surveillance video failed to corroborate the narcotics officers version of what actually happened.

His disdain for the truth led to the wrongful arrest, indictment and convictions of the very New Yorkers he was duty-bound to protect and serve, Assistant District Attorney Samantha Dworkin told the jury.

Francos lawyer argued his client possibly made some mistakes, but disputed they were criminal.

The paperwork is sometimes filled out hours later, Tanner said. Hes going to be held to the standard of a human tape recorder?
Story at a glance

State lawmakers in Maryland are pushing for a four-day workweek.

A new bill sponsored by Maryland State Delegate Vaughn Stewart would create a pilot program offing tax credits to businesses adopting a 32-hour workweek.

In order to receive the tax credit, businesses must reduce their work week without cutting pay or worker benefits.

Maryland lawmakers recently introduced a bill to test out a four-day workweek.

The bill proposed creating a pilot program within the states Department of Labor that would promote and incentivize the adoption of a four-day workweek.

As part of the pilot program, businesses with at least 30 employees who transition to a 32-hour work week without cutting worker pay or benefits will be eligible for a state tax credit.

America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news.

Participating businesses must stay in the pilot program for a minimum of one year to receive a tax credit and a maximum of two years, according to the bill.

Under the bill, the Maryland Department of Labor is barred from issuing more than $750,000 work of tax credit per year until 2028, when the pilot is set to end.

The bill still needs to pass the Maryland State Senate and then the governor before going into effect. But if the bill passes, the pilot program is scheduled to begin taking effect in July.

The idea of a four-day workweek has gained popularity in recent years.

Maryland lawmakers are not the first to push for a four-day workweek. Last year, California lawmakers introduced legislation aimed at creating a four-day workweek as well.

Under the California bill, lawmakers would change the definition of the workweek from a five, eight-hour-long day to four for companies with more than 500 employees.

Those employees that work more than 32 hours a week, or four days, would be eligible for overtime pay under the bill.

A recent study

 EditSign

from the nonprofit 4 Day Week Global in partnership with Boston College, University College Dublin, and Cambridge University found that many companies have a positive experience with a four-day workweek.

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The study  crafted by the nonprofit 4 Day Week Global as well as researchers from Boston College, the University College Dublin, and Cambridge University  looked at the impact of a six-month, four-day workweek trial run on 33 companies.

At the end of the trial period, about 97 percent of employees wanted to continue.



For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said his first meeting with President Joe Biden as the leader of the House of Representatives left him hopeful that he can find common ground that will lead to an agreement on raising the nations statutory debt limit before a catastrophic default this June.

We had an hour conversation about this that I thought was a very good discussion and we we walked out saying we would continue the discussion. And I think there is an opportunity here to come to an agreement on both sides, he said while addressing reporters outside the West Wing on Wednesday.

Mr McCarthy said he told Mr Biden that he would like to see if the two men can come to an agreement long before the June deadline laid out by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who said last month that the Treasury is now taking extraordinary measures to avoid defaulting on the nations sovereign debt.

Many Republicans, including former president Donald Trump, have demanded that the GOP use the possibility of a default on Americas soveriegn debt as leverage to extract concessions from the Democratic-controlled White House and Senate.

Prominent GOP figures frequently claim that raising the statutory debt limit to enable the US to continue meeting financial obligations  a practice that was once routine under presidents of both parties and met no objections when it was done under Mr Bidens predecessor  is akin to authorising new spending.

That claim, however, is not how the debt limit works. Raising the debt limit does not increase or decrease the amount of money that is spent on programs that have already been authorised by Congress and have had funds allocated to them in appropriations legislation.

But experts say a failure to raise the debt limit would force the government to default on its debt and precipitate a worldwide financial crisis. The last time the US flirted with that disastrous outcome was 2011, when Republicans controlled the House and Democrats controlled the Senate and the White House. Mr Biden, then the vice president under Barack Obama, led the negotiations with congressional leaders that headed off a default, but not before the US had its credit rating decreased for the first time in history.

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The White House released its own description of the meeting, which was described as a frank and straightforward dialogue between the president and the House speaker.

President Biden underscored that he is eager to continue working across the aisle in good faith, after passing historic bipartisan laws during his first two years in office, the White House said in the unsigned statement, which was released by the White House press office Wednesday evening.

The White House also said Mr Biden made clear that, as every other leader in both parties in Congress has affirmed, it is their shared duty not to allow an unprecedented and economically catastrophic default.

In the White Houses view, the need to raise the debt limit to allow the US to continue paying its debts is not negotiable or conditional.

The readout also noted that Mr Biden would welcome a separate discussion with Congress about controlling the debt while growing the economy.
Stock pickers are generally looking for stocks that will outperform the broader market. Buying under-rated businesses is one path to excess returns. To wit, the Mega First Corporation Berhad share price has climbed 99% in five years, easily topping the market decline of 17% (ignoring dividends). On the other hand, the more recent gains haven't been so impressive, with shareholders gaining just 2.9% , including dividends .

So let's investigate and see if the longer term performance of the company has been in line with the underlying business' progress.

See our latest analysis for Mega First Corporation Berhad

There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. 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, Mega First Corporation Berhad achieved compound earnings per share (EPS) growth of 40% per year. This EPS growth is higher than the 15% average annual increase in the share price. Therefore, it seems the market has become relatively pessimistic about the company. The reasonably low P/E ratio of 6.54 also suggests market apprehension.

The company's earnings per share (over time) is depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers).

We know that Mega First Corporation Berhad has improved its bottom line over the last three years, but what does the future have in store? You can see how its balance sheet has strengthened (or weakened) over time in this free interactive graphic.

What About Dividends?

It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. The TSR incorporates the value of any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings, along with any dividends, based on the assumption that the dividends are reinvested. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. In the case of Mega First Corporation Berhad, it has a TSR of 114% for the last 5 years. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. This is largely a result of its dividend payments!

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A Different Perspective

Mega First Corporation Berhad shareholders gained a total return of 2.9% during the year. But that was short of the market average. If we look back over five years, the returns are even better, coming in at 16% per year for five years. Maybe the share price is just taking a breather while the business executes on its growth strategy. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with Mega First Corporation Berhad (at least 1 which is concerning) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on MY 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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Re. A Mullins letter World not picking on Russia (Castanet, Jan. 30)

While it's true Russia invaded Ukraine, it's not true Ukrainians were living in peace until the spring of 2022.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2014. The situation is complex and people fail to realize that when the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, Russia was given assurances NATO would not move its forces further east.

However, that's exactly what NATO did. They poked the bear and it has had consequences.

Ukraine is hardly a stable democracy, that's why its initial application to join NATO was denied. It's corrupt in many ways. The current conflict, in my opinion, is in fact a proxy war being waged by the west.

Its a great place for testing weapons technology and the arms dealers of the world are loving it. NATO has the resources to defeat Russia, so why don't they and end the war? It's because that's not the goal.

The west is responsible for provoking Russia, period.

Further, all the sanctions have done is increase prices on almost everything we consume. It amazes me that western nations can find billions of dollars to fund the war in Ukraine, but can't find the funds to fix poverty and homelessness in our own backyards.

Jeff Watson
An Idaho inmate has pleaded guilty to the first-degree murder of his cellmate.

Colton J. Reagan, a 25-year-old Meridian man, was charged with beating 57-year-old Gerald B. Cummings Jr. to death in the cell that they shared at the Idaho State Correctional Institution near Kuna, south of Boise.

In exchange for pleading guilty late December, the state agreed not to seek the death penalty.

The plea change came more than a year after the murder. In the early morning hours of Dec. 11, 2021, prison officials responded to a fight in Reagans cell and found Cummings unresponsive with injuries that appeared consistent with a beating, the initial Idaho Department of Correction news release said.

The Ada County Sheriffs Office said Reagan and Cummings Jr. were the only two people in the cell at the time of the altercation. More than an hour after staff found him, Cummings was pronounced dead.

It took about 15 minutes for the Idaho Department of Correction to request an ambulance after Cummings was found unresponsive on the ground, and roughly 43 minutes before paramedics arrived on scene at the prison, the Idaho Statesman previously reported.

Reagan was incarcerated at the time of the murder for felony convictions of possession of a controlled substance and grand theft, according to Department of Correction records. Before his latest conviction, Reagan would have been released in 2027.

A sentencing hearing has been set for 10 a.m. on March 10 at the Ada County Courthouse.
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The Mexican government and some airlines have reached an agreement to move cargo operations to a new airport on the outskirts of Mexico City to ease congestion at its main hub, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday.

Lopez Obrador said earlier this month cargo flights would be moved due to lack of space at the Benito Juarez International Airport. Around 3% of flights at the airport last year were for cargo, according to flight data.

Lopez Obrador said cargo operations will be transferred to the new airport in about four months. He named DHL as one of the companies working on the transition.

The first cargo plane will arrive at the Felipe Angeles International Airport the third week of February, Lopez Obrador said.

(Reporting by Raul Cortes Fernandez and Valentine Hilaire; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
Michael Cohen, Donald Trumps former personal lawyer and fixer, has said that he has handed over his cell phones to the Manhattan District Attorneys office.

Cohen made the revelation on CNN on Wednesday morning.

He met with New York prosecutors last month as the DAs office is focusing on the Trump Organizations role in the hush-money payment made to adult actor Stormy Daniels in connection to the former presidents 2016 campaign for the White House.

A grand jury was recently convened in the case concerning Mr Trumps involvement in the payment made to Ms Daniels. Cohen was sentenced to three years in federal prison on campaign finance law violations after having orchestrated the settlement, which the former fixer claims Mr Trump told him to do.

Mr Trump has rejected the allegation that he had an affair with Ms Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford. The former president also denies the claim that he told Cohen to arrange the payment.

Ms Daniels claims that she had an affair with Mr Trump in 2006. He married former First Lady Melania Trump the previous year.

Most recently, they asked for my cell phones because they want to be able to extract from it the voice recordings that I had had with Keith Davidson, former attorney to Stormy Daniels before Michael Avenatti, as well as a bunch of emails, text messages and so on, Cohen told CNN on Wednesday morning.

While the cell phones were taken by federal investigators following the FBI raid on his home in 2018, Cohen said the devices are new to the district attorney.

Video footage was recently released showing Mr Trump in a deposition at the office of the New York attorney general in August, in which he used the Fifth Amendment to avoid answering questions more than 400 times, according to CNN.

Donald cannot keep track of the lies that he tells, and so, what better way to stop a fool from being deposed and hurting himself further than to tell him to plead the Fifth at least 400 times, Cohen told the network.

The former publisher of the National Enquirer, David Pecker, was scheduled to meet with the prosecution this week, according to CNN. The office of the DA has also contacted Mr Davidson, who represented Ms Daniels in the hush-money arrangement.

More follows...
Salvador is the capital of Brazils northeastern state of Bahia. Pixabay

Mondee is scooping up Brazilian online travel marketplace Orinter for $40 million, its first acquisition since going public last year, the company said Wednesday.

Mondee provides travel agents access to a marketplace for booking on behalf of their customers. Travel agents access that marketplace, as well as ancillary software products to manage their business, through a Mondee software platform. Orinter offers a similar marketplace service to travel agents for hotels and ground transport, but without the tech platform.

The acquisition gives Mondee access to Orinters network of contracts, which spans throughout Brazil and the rest of South America. And Orinters nearly 5,000 travel agents now have access to Mondees tech and network, enabling them to expand offerings to their customers. The $40 million deal is comprised of cash and Mondee common stock.

This is the beginning of an acquisition spree, according to Orestes Fintiklis, vice chairman for Mondee and the companys chief corporate strategy and business development officer.

This is what well be doing over the next two years, and you will be seeing a lot of M&A coming, Fintiklis said.

Mondees strategy is to expand offerings and market reach, and accelerate growth, by acquiring only companies that add specific capabilities beyond what Mondee already has, he said.

If you want to expand product and expand geography, you can do it on your own organically, but its going to take you another 20 years. Or, you can buy a company and then supercharge it by giving it your distribution and your technology, Fintiklis said.

Companies like Booking Holdings and Expedia have consolidated much of the fragmented business-to-consumer travel industry. Now, Mondees executives want to do the same with the business-to-business-to-consumer sector, he said.

Its very ripe for consolidation, especially in the geographical dimension, Fintiklis said. We aspire to be the biggest B2B2C player globally in travel.

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Continued Expansion Plans

About 80 percent the Mondees bookings are for flights, the rest now comprised of hotels and car rentals. The company plans to soon expand offerings to include cruises, theaters, theme parks, sporting events, and other ticketed events, Fintiklis said.

Another newer source of revenue for the company, clients can use Mondee fintech products for payments, fraud protection, and price freezes. The company also sells travel insurance and more.

In its continued geographical expansion, Mondee is focused first on Latin America  hence the Orinter acquisition  then India and Europe, in that order.

The company during the pandemic opened the use of its product beyond just traditional travel agents to include home-based agents and more, he said. The company is seeing an uptick in social media influencers downloading the tech and selling to followers. Businesses can also subscribe to Mondee as a service, giving employees access to discounted travel as a benefit.

Mondee earlier this week announced a new affiliate program through which agents agree to use the companys services exclusively in exchange for lower wholesale prices.

Mondee owns 6 percent of the flight market in North America through sales by 50,000 travel agents. The end goal is that the exclusively agreement will increase bookings of Mondees newer hotel and other offerings, which he said are much more lucrative. He said thousands of agents are in line for exclusivity with the company.

This is a game changer, Fintiklis said.

Mondee was founded in 2011 and acquired seven travel tech companies in the next year, focused solely on selling flights wholesale to travel agents. Mondee invested nearly $200 million between 2012 and 2015 to create a software platform for its segment of the market. The company grew 40 percent each year since 2015, and 70 percent last year, Fintiklis said.

It made no other acquisitions until the pandemic hit, and the company took advantage of low acquisition costs to begin expanding its offerings. All of the most recent acquisitions, along with all going forward, are meant to accelerate organic growth, Fintiklis said. Besides acquiring to add offerings and create value on both sides, he said the company only buys when the valuation is highly accretive.

Market Performance

The firm Tigress Financial Partners estimates that Mondee will grow bookings revenue by nearly 140.8 percent this year to $2.3 billion, driven by its advanced technology platform combined with expanding content and distribution, according to a report it issued in December.

The firm estimates that the companys share cost will rise to $16 by the end of the year, according to the report.

Mondee went public in July 2022 via special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, with a market capitalization of approximately $740 million. The stock debuted on market at $11.05 per share. Following a bumpy ride since then, the share price sits at around $10.75 today.

Of all the travel tech companies that went public via SPAC, however, Mondee is the only one trading above $10 a share. Some of the major travel SPACs have lost on average more than 65 percent of their value from market debut. Though Mondee operated at a loss before going public, the company is now cash flow positive.

Ivan Feinseth, chief investment officer and director of research at Tigress Financial Partners, said the companys business challenges going forward are the usual suspects: finding growth opportunities and dealing with their execution and competition.

But I think that they will manage through that, Feinseth said. Theres a lot of growth opportunities.

And the consumer demand for travel agents, along with software agents can use, is alive and well, especially with continued strength for travel demand that all companies in the industry are seeing.

Theres a significant growth in adoption for the assisted booking, or travel agent booking, Feinseth said. People have said the travel agents dead, killed by the internet  not true. More and more consumers  especially for more expensive, more complex travel, especially cruise travel  rely heavily on travel agents.

Get breaking travel news and exclusive hotel, airline, and tourism research and insights at Skift.com.
(Reuters) - A new bust of Soviet leader Josef Stalin has been unveiled in Volgograd ahead of Wednesday's 80th anniversary of the Red Army's defeat of Nazi invaders in the bloodiest battle of World War Two.

The bust is flanked by two others - Soviet commanders Georgy Zhukov and Alexander Vasilyevsky - beside the Museum of the Battle of Stalingrad - Volgograd's name from 1925 to 1961, the local news outlet V1.RU reported on Tuesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is due to visit Volgograd on Wednesday for anniversary celebrations at Mamayev Kurgan, the hilltop war memorial whose 85-metre (279-foot) statue of Mother Russia dominates the city.

The battle, fought between 1942 and 1943 and estimated to have claimed 2 million casualties, is widely seen as the moment when the Nazi German forces that had captured most of Europe were finally forced onto the defensive.

The industrial city of Tsaritsyn on the River Volga in southern Russia was renamed in honour of Stalin in 1925, but became Volgograd in 1961, eight years after his death, after his legacy fell out of favour.

Despite Stalin's record of presiding over a famine that killed millions in Ukraine and political repression that killed hundreds of thousands, Putin has sought to rehabilitate him as the leader who not only fought off Hitler's Nazis but also turned the Soviet Union into a significant world power.

(Writing by Kevin Liffey; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Badge of the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office rescued dozens of dogs at a Leicester home on Jan. 31, according to a Sheriff's Office news release.

At the end of Jan. 31, Sheriff's Office spokesperson Aaron Sarver said 41 dogs had been "seized" from the property in total.

"Additional animals were also found in the residence and suffering from neglect," the release said.

Lindsey Trevor Rue, 39, has been charged with felony kill animal by starvation; felony animal cruelty; child neglect and resist, delay or obstruct, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Buncombe County Sheriff's Office:1st-degree murder trial begins in Buncombe County for Candler woman charged in 2020

More:Former Black Mountain pastor pleads guilty to attempted child sex offense

The felony kill animal by starvation charge was for a horse, Sheriff's Office spokesperson Aaron Sarver said.

That charge did not date to Jan. 31, but the Sheriff's Office has been to the residence for similar complaints numerous times over the past "decade," Sarver said.

According to Sarver, the computer aided dispatch system says that there have been 68 calls for service at the home since Jan. 5, 2007. Of those, 35 were recorded as animal-related.

Among the recorded complaints, he said:

Barking and nuisance issues with multiple dogs.

Dogs running at large, chasing livestock and killing chickens.

Concerns about lack of shelter and food for dogs and horses at and around the residence.

"In the short-term, the ASPCA is working to care for and assess any medical needs that may exist," Sarver said. "They will work with local and national organizational partners to set up long-term care for the animals."

Update: Reward offered: Alexander farm owner says horse found shot to death over holidays

He said that information on the child neglect charge was protected.

Additional charges might be filed as the investigation continues, the release said.

In its own news statement, the ASPCA said it was "assisting with the rescue of more than 40 neglected dogs, primarily poodle mixes, from a property in Western North Carolina."

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"The dogs, including nine newborn puppies, along with a tortoise, a rabbit, a fish, and several birds, were found living in neglectful conditions in an overcrowded mobile home in Leicester," the release said.

The ASPCA is assisting with operational planning and animal removal, evidence collection and crime scene processing, investigative and legal assistance, veterinary and behavioral forensics exams, daily care and providing the dogs with medical and behavioral support, according to the release.

The ASPCA operates a Behavioral Rehabilitation Center in Weaverville.

Ryan Oehrli covers public safety, breaking news, courts and other beats for the Citizen Times. Comments? Questions? Tips? Send them to coehrli@citizentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Buncombe Sheriff: More than 25 dogs rescued from home
DENVER (AP)  Jamal Murray is locked in right now  with his shot, with his swagger and especially with his confidence in his team.

Its fun to play basketball," the Denver point guard said. But we still have room to improve. Were not satisfied with where were at.

Murray scored 32 points, Nikola Jokic got his 16th triple-double of the season and the Western Conference-leading Nuggets held off the reeling New Orleans Pelicans 122-113 on Tuesday night.

Murray made a season-high seven 3-pointers to give him 771 for his career and move him past J.R. Smith for second place on the franchise list. He's just 33 away from matching Will Barton for the top spot.

I'll get that in three games, cracked Murray.

See, swagger.

His smooth jumper was so in rhythm early in the game Tuesday that Nuggets coach Michael Malone didn't want to take him out. Malone didn't, either, until later than usual.

I dont want to be the guy that puts the fire out, said Malone, whose team trailed by 12 in the second quarter before closing the gap to 60-57 at halftime and taking control in the third. Jamal was really, really good in all areas of the game tonight.

Ditto for Jokic, who finished with 26 points, 18 rebounds and 15 assists as the Nuggets improved to 16-0 when he has a triple-double.

Im happy as long as we are winning games and the players are happy around me, Jokic said.

CJ McCollum and Herbert Jones both scored 21 points for the Pelicans, who have dropped nine straight games. They finished 3-13 in January.

Part of the reason for the slide has been the absence of standout Zion Williamson, who has missed 15 games in a row with a hamstring injury.

Weve got to keep our heads down and keep working, coach Willie Green said. Its hard to win in the NBA. Were seeing that. There was some beauty in what I saw tonight. ... Were right there, but we have to sustain it for 48 minutes.

The Nuggets led by 13 early in the fourth quarter only to see the Pelicans cut it to five on several occasions, including a layup by Jones with less than a minute remaining. Murray and Jokic each converted a pair of free throws down the stretch to help Denver fend off New Orleans and move to 23-4 at home.

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Jokic, whos been dealing with tightness in his left hamstring, had another efficient shooting performance in going 10 of 14 from the floor. It was the 92nd triple-double of his career.

He was pretty dominant across the board, Green said.

TIP-INS

Pelicans: Williamson is steadily progressing from a strained hamstring, according to Green. Its something we dont want to rush, but were definitely excited to see him on the floor," he said. ... Brandon Ingram finished with 16 points and nine assists. ... Larry Nance Jr. scored 11 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter.

Nuggets: Rookie guard Collin Gillespie (broken right leg) has been cleared for shooting and light running. Were not putting any pressure or a rush on him, Malone said. ... Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Aaron Gordon each had 15 points.

TRADE TALK

Nuggets guard Bones Hyland was limited to 4:43 and scored two points. His name has been mentioned in trade speculation.

Asked where he stands with Hyland, Malone responded: I stand with Bones. Bones is on our team.

RISING STARS

Hyland was selected to the NBAs Jordan Rising Stars Challenge. So were Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado and forward Trey Murphy III. The mini-tournament will take place on Feb. 17 in Salt Lake City as part of All-Star weekend.

UP NEXT

Pelicans: At Dallas on Thursday to finish a three-game trip.

Nuggets: Host Golden State on Thursday night.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Ameena Matthews yells with other activists on Jan. 30, 2023, in Chicago's Federal Plaza to protest the killing of Tyre Nichols. Nichols died after he was beaten by police officers in Memphis, Tennessee, on Jan. 7. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

Was anyone not shocked by the sickening video of Tyre Nichols fatal beating by Memphis police?

Yes, observed D.L. Hughley while guest-hosting The Daily Show: Black people.

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The only people who were shocked by that are people that havent been paying attention, the Black comedian said, sparking a mixture of laughter and applause in the racially diverse studio audience. But, for us, thats just like a flashback.

Comedy, often called a mixture of tragedy plus time, helps bring some sense of order to our conflicted emotions at moments like this.

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Bodycam video shows Nichols, a 29-year-old FedEx driver, beaten relentlessly by five Memphis police officers. Each of the five officers was fired and charged with second-degree murder, among other offenses  so swiftly compared with most brutality cases that it led to a subset of gallows humor. Would justice have moved this swiftly if the perpetrators were white?

Such dark humor reveals, among other headaches, how much we Americans have come to internalize the wrongheaded notion that police brutality is a white-on-Black crime.

Video released by Memphis police of Nichols encounter helps disabuse us of that notion, as if we needed to be. We see police slam Nichols to the ground, kick him in the head, punch him in the face, strike him with a baton, drench him with pepper spray, tase him and constantly curse at him, while he pleads for his mother and screams as best he can that he only wants to go home.

Instead, he was taken to a hospital in critical condition and died three days later.

Seeing the faces of the five Black officers, I could not help but ask myself: How much do we Black folks hate each other and ourselves?

James Baldwin captured the tragedy in an essay about Harlem in the 1950s. Negro policemen are feared more than whites, he wrote, for they have more to prove and fewer ways to prove it.

I heard similar sentiments from Black South Africans when I was reporting on the countrys apartheid regime in 1976. Black police resented their second-class status under the white-minority regime so much, I was advised by Black township residents near Johannesburg, that I would be better off, even as a Black American, if I were arrested by a white officer.

What went wrong in Memphis? Attention immediately turned to SCORPION  Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods  a specialized crime-fighting unit formed by Cerelyn Davis shortly after she became the citys first Black and female police chief in 2021.

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Although various cities scored some impressive records of arrests and gun confiscations with these units, which operate with more leeway and less oversight than regular officers, those statistics dont always correlate with a decrease in crime, Radley Balko writes in a guest essay for The New York Times. Balko is a former Washington Post columnist and author of Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of Americas Police Forces.

It is generally agreed that policing is more effective when there is mutual trust and respect between police and the communities they serve. But Balko and various independent academic studies have found a strong correlation between high rates of violent crime and high rates of reported police abuses, which tend to undermine trust and bring down rates of solving crimes and closing cases.

Still, New York Mayor Eric Adams, a retired police captain, cautioned in a CNN interview that units dont create abuse. Abusive behavior creates abuse.

He referred to his own citys revived anti-crime units, now called Neighborhood Safety Teams, which he reinstated less than two years after the units were disbanded because they were implicated in such notorious deaths as Eric Garner, Sean Bell and Kimani Gray. But he also noted that he is making improvements on the old version of the plainclothes anti-crime units, which he agreed had used overly aggressive tactics.

Indeed, according to a 2018 investigation by the nonprofit news outlet The Intercept, these units accounted for just 6% of the citys police officers but were involved in more than 30% of fatal shootings by police officers.

So I wish Adams and all other similarly situated city leaders good luck. No one has a one-size-fits-all solution to the complexities of big-city crime. But, put simply, it begins with trust between police and the communities they are sworn to protect and serve.

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Citizens shouldnt have to live in fear of crime or the police, no matter what color they may be.

cpage@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @cptime
Elon Musks unannounced, whirlwind tour of Capitol Hill last week had a number of high-profile stops: A happy birthday visit to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and a sit-down with GOP firebrand Rep. Jim Jordan, among others. He even met with White House officials to talk electric cars.

One thing it didnt include: Congressional Democrats.

In Congress, all his scheduled meetings were with Republicans. An encounter with Rep. Hakeem Jeffries  the House minority leader  that he touted in a tweet, was actually an unscheduled run-in, according to Jeffries office.

Twitter didnt reply when asked why Musk didnt schedule meetings with the minority party in the House.

Democrats, for their part, still want to hear from him, even as they dont put much faith in their Republican colleagues to hold him accountable.

When it comes to Musk primarily meeting with conservatives, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) said: I think it's seriously a mistake and I think it would be a good thing to have him come in and explain himself.

She said she wants Musk to testify before her House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Innovation, Data and Commerce  although as the newly appointed ranking member she doesnt set the agenda for that panel anymore.

Musks partisan trek through Congress stands in sharp contrast with many of his tech CEO brethren. Other D.C. regulars like Apple CEO Tim Cook purposely make their visits bipartisan, and while Musk is making inroads with the current party in power in the House, there are risks to taking sides so brazenly. For one, Democrats still control the Senate, and, of course, the political winds in Washington can turn on a dime, leaving allies on the outs and previously spurned lawmakers in positions of power.

But, at least this time around, the people who set the agenda in the House  members like Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), the House GOP no. 2, as well as Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), whos panel has substantial jurisdiction over Twitter  were the recipients of Musks attention.

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In that same meeting was Jordan (R-Ohio), who runs the Judiciary Committee and serves as a standard-bearer for Republicans in their ongoing war with the Biden administration, as well as Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.). Comer is bringing in former Twitter executives on Feb. 8 to testify about their handling of a news story about Hunter Bidens laptop. Notably absent from that hearing agenda is Musk, who bought the company in October, and has since won Republican accolades for his free-speech approach to content moderation.

In fact, during the meeting Musk waived attorney-client privileges for some information that Comer had requested for his upcoming hearing, Comer said in an interview. That was my only ask, Comer said. One of the expected witnesses is Twitters former chief legal counsel Vijaya Gadde who Comer requested to testify about her decision to remove the New York Posts reporting on Hunter Bidens laptop.

Accommodating the GOP is in keeping with Musk's current political outlook. He endorsed the GOP ahead of the midterm elections, welcomed former President Donald Trump back to Twitter and obligingly dumped a series of Twitter files to make the case that Democrats and previous company executives colluded to restrain speech on the platform, along with several other conservative-friendly moves. In all, Musk has in recent months aligned himself with Republicans in ways that are relatively unusual for a tech billionaire  but could prove beneficial when it comes to potential GOP oversight, or lack thereof.



It just shows the Elon approach to Washington. When you think of all these things that tech execs did to avoid the appearance of impropriety and then Musk blasts through this and is like, I don't care,said a former Twitter communications officer who also worked on the Hill and asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely.Thats the type of stuff that is just a complete change. It's just a huge departure from congressional norms.

In his meeting with Republicans, they discussed the importance of the First Amendment, alleged censorship of conservatives and potential reforms to techs coveted liability shield known as Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, Jordan said in an interview.

It appears that Musks goodwill tour is already reaping rewards, with the House Energy and Commerce Committee announcing Monday that its first tech CEO hearing is focused not on Musk  but on TikToks CEO Shou Zi Chew and the handling of U.S. data on the Chinese-owned app. And with Jordan passing over big-tech foe Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) to lead the Judiciary Committees antitrust panel, theres seemingly less GOP appetite for taking a shot at breaking up the big tech platforms this Congress.

I don't think there's any question that the Republican leadership has made it very clear that they are going to protect big tech from any regulation or any effort to restore competition in the digital marketplace, said Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), the antitrust subcommittee ranking member and the cosponsor of tech competition bills with Buck last Congress.

Its not clear what leverage the snubbed Democrats have to hold a powerful exec to account, even if he persists in tweaking them on his platform.

I am deeply concerned with how hes running that company into the ground, said Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) when asked about Musks leadership of Twitter and time on the Hill. It seems like a vanity project that is going wrong with an explosion of hate speech on that platform.

Schiff then stepped into his Tesla sedan after a Monday night vote and drove off.
Authorities arrested a longtime Mustang Public Schools teacher Wednesday who is accused of sex crimes against a former student.

Mustang police officers arrested Raymond Thomas Garner, 60, without incident at his residence.

Authorities said Garner is accused of first-degree rape, forcible sodomy and lewd or indecent proposal or acts to a child.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation assisted police with the investigation.

More:Two new voucher bills would let Oklahoma money go to private schools, home-schooling

On Jan. 27, a Mustang resource officer notified police of rumors that a former student had an inappropriate relationship with a Mustang High School teacher.

Authorities said the investigation revealed that a female student had sexual contact hundreds of times with Garner, who was her science teacher and National Honor Society advisor.

The sexual contact occurred from 2014 to 2017 at Mustang High School and at Garners home in Oklahoma City, authorities said.

Garner was suspended by Mustang Public Schools. Following his arrest, he was booked into the Mustang city jail.

In a statement, Superintendent Charles Bradley said the school community is shocked, saddened and outraged.

We will continue to cooperate fully with our law enforcement partners during their investigation and will work quickly on our internal investigation as well, Bradley said. We will have counselors available at Mustang High School for any staff or students who may need to speak to someone and we will support our Bronco Family as we unpack this situation together.

Mustang Police Chief Rob Groseclose said in a statement the alleged victim in the case was brave to come forward.

Oftentimes, rape is not reported because the victim fears she or he wont be believed, Groseclose said. When a teacher who has influence over a students future is violating her in a sexual manner, it can be even more difficult to come forward. Because of her courage, an alleged sexual predator is in custody and cant harm anyone else. I would like to thank the OSBI for their continued assistance, as well as Mustang Public schools for their transparency and unwavering partnership.

More:Feds tell OTA to keep ACCESS Oklahoma turnpike expansion away from Lake Thunderbird

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Mustang Public Schools teacher arrested, accused of raping student
Twenty years ago today, the space shuttle Columbia broke apart 16 minutes before it was scheduled to land at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The seven astronauts on board would never make it back home.

The anniversary is the culmination of a weeklong period of pain and remembrance for NASA as three of its most tragic incidents occur during the same week spanning from Jan. 27 to Feb. 1. As such, the space agency holds a national day of remembrance to celebrate the 17 astronauts who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the name of exploration.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the loss of the crew of Columbia during the reentry of STS-107. It shapes our culture, forms our decisions, and helps us to forge the way ahead, Janet Petro, Kennedy Space Center director, said during a ceremony at Kennedy Space Center.

As more and more people who were present in our workforce on that day of tragedy 20 years ago retire, it is imperative that our culture, our decision making processes remain focused on the lessons that we learn from Columbia, Challenger and Apollo 1.

The Columbia disaster was caused by a piece of foam insulation that fell off of the vehicles external fuel tank and struck its left wing. The space shuttle program was grounded for two years while an investigation board dug into what happened.

Columbia was the second space shuttle disaster after the Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff in 1986. The loss of Columbia directly led to the retirement of the space shuttle program, forcing NASA and its international partners to rely on Russia as the sole means of transporting astronauts into space.

Columbia was the first space shuttle to fly in space. The crew on board its fateful 28th mission were Americans Rick Husband, Michael Anderson, David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark and Willie McCool, and Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon. That final mission was devoted to science, with the crew working 24-hours a day in two shifts conducting various scientific investigations before strapping in for the return trip home.

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Why do we do this every year? Why do we have a Day of Remembrance? Bob Cabana, NASA associate administrator and a former astronaut, said during the ceremony. Obviously, it is to honor our fallen comrades on the mirror, those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in our quest to explore. But more importantly, its so we do not forget the hard lessons learned from Apollo, Challenger and Columbia.

NASA knew about the piece of foam that fell off during launch and knew it was a recurring problem. Officials at the agency also knew that the o-rings which led to the Challenger disaster were known to be brittle in very cold temperatures.

Yet in both cases NASA chose to divert from its own rules and fly anyway. And in each instance, lives were lost.

It is so important that we learn from these lessons so that they are not repeated again, Cabana said.

To that end, NASA turned over the development of its astronaut vehicles to two private companies: SpaceX and Boeing. Many were concerned that this would increase the risk of anomalies as private companies might not take the care that NASA does. But so far, SpaceX has proved otherwise.

Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceXs chief operating officer, said that every employee working on the crew program knew that any astronauts who flew on their vehicles would have a family, and were reminded daily that they were entrusted with astronauts lives.

Together with NASA, the company chose two astronauts  Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley  to help them design the Dragon space capsule and ensure that any people flying on it would be safe.

Behnken and Hurley spent years testing every possible flight scenario and perfecting the vehicles many systems. Additionally, SpaceX equipped its Dragon crew capsule with onboard thrusters that can push the capsule away from the rocket if an anomaly would occur in flight, as happened with Challenger.

SpaceXs Dragon mission manager, Sarah Wallace, recently told reporters that each Dragon spacecraft is periodically turned on and examined before crews fly back home. This enures that the craft is functioning as expected and that it hasnt been affected by any orbital debris or micrometeorite strikes while in orbit.

Thanks to the years of design development and training, SpaceX has successfully delivered 30 people to space so far, and are gearing up for the companys sixth long-duration crew mission for NASA next month.

As for the Columbia, the pieces of the orbiter are kept in NASAs vehicle assembly building and are used as a tool to share the lessons of the past to avoid the same mistakes in the future.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Feb. 1The Navy announced Tuesday that it has awarded a contract to Hawaii-based Nakupuna Cos. to develop a public outreach program to look for proposals on how to repurpose the underground Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility after the military removes the roughly 104 million gallons of fuel stored in the facility's aging World War II-era tanks.

The Navy announced Tuesday that it has awarded a contract to Hawaii-based Nakupuna Cos. to develop a public outreach program to look for proposals on how to repurpose the underground Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility after the military removes the roughly 104 million gallons of fuel stored in the facility's aging World War II-era tanks.

"Nakupuna and its team of sub-consultants will solicit and consider all ideas received from the community with an emphasis on citizens on Oahu, " the Navy said in a Tuesday news release. "Based on this input, the Navy will meet with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA ) and Hawaii Department of Health (DOH ) to select the top five ideas, from the public, with the most merit and benefit for further consideration. The top five ideas will be further evaluated on feasibility considering environmental, engineering, maintenance, safety, cost and benefit. The final analysis will be presented to the state, DOH and EPA for review and consideration."

In its news release, the Navy called Nakupuna "a Native Hawaiian-owned and local small business." Representatives of Nakupuna could not be reached for comment and did not respond to an email from the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, but according to the company's website it was "established to provide knowledge-based services to Department of Defense and government clients " and maintains offices in Hono lulu and Washington, D.C., as well as in Colorado, Virginia, Pennsylvania and South Carolina.

According to data from the Hawaii Defense Economy project, Nakupuna's subsidiaries have received at least $8, 842, 500 in military contracts since 2020.

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The Red Hill tanks sit just 100 feet above a critical aquifer that most of Honolulu relies on for clean drinking water. In November 2021, fuel from the facility leaked into the Red Hill water well, contaminating the Navy's Oahu water system, which serves 93, 000 peopleincluding both military families and civilians who live in former military housing areas. After initially resisting a state emergency order to defuel the tanks, the Pentagon in March announced it would defuel and permanently shut down the facility.

Military officials later surprised local officials and community members when they said they were already exploring ways to "re-purpose " the facility after it's defueled. Though military officials have touted the possibility of "beneficial reuse " of the Red Hill facility, reception has been lukewarm at best from local agencies and community organizations. The Honolulu Board of Water Supply and the Hawaii chapter of the Sierra Club have both raised safety concerns, and state Department of Health officials have said it's not clear Hawaii state law would permit reuse.

During a November news conference on Oahu, Meredith Berger, assistant secretary of the Navy for energy, installations and environment, told reporters, "We will continue to make sure we are protective of the environment, of the people and of the community, and we are notI want to make sure this is very clearwe are not going to pursue any beneficial reuse option that would contain potential contaminants, and none of the options that we have laid on the table would be a fuel reuse."

But during a November meeting of the state's Red Hill Fuel Tank Advisory Committee, BWS Manager and Chief Engineer Ernie Lau said, "If the tank liners are still there, the pipes that move fuel to and from Pearl Harbor, if everything is still there in place, we are only one degree of freedom from getting back to fuel storage over the aquifer."

Defense officials have been hesitant to discuss specific reuses of the Red Hill facility but have floated the idea of using it as a hydroelectric plant to provide an alternative energy source, an idea that has been floated in the past. During a November news release marking the anniversary of the water crisis, Navy Region Hawaii Rear Adm. Stephen Barnett said "there's a lot of good ideas and things that folks are recommending " but did not offer specifics.
RENO, Nev. (AP)  Jarod Lucas scored 26 points and Will Baker had 19 points and eight rebounds as Nevada beat No. 22 San Diego State 75-66 on Tuesday night.

Kenan Blackshear added 18 points and seven assists for the Wolf Pack (17-6, 7-3 Mountain West Conference), who won their second consecutive home game against a ranked opponent for the first time in program history. Nevada defeated then-No. 25 New Mexico 97-94 in double overtime last week.

Our guys are jacked. Theyre excited, Nevada coach Steve Alford said. If youve followed this team you know theyre fun to watch.

Matt Bradley scored 16 points to lead the Aztecs (17-5, 8-2).

Neither team had more than a three-point lead from the 9:27 mark of the second half until Blackshear made a layup to give Nevada a 67-62 advantage with 1:57 to play.

The Wolf Pack went 8 for 8 at the free throw line in the final 69 seconds to seal it and shot 65% from the field in the second half against one of the best defensive teams in the country.

Tre Coleman hit a trio of 3-pointers after halftime and finished with 11 points.

You cant let a team shoot 65% and expect to win, San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher said. But Baker hit some tough shots and we let Blackshear go downhill on us.  (Nevada has) a great rhythm about them.

Nevada's victory snapped SDSUs nine-game winning streak in the series.

Baker scored five points as Nevada opened the second half with a 14-5 spurt to take a 42-35 lead. But then Lamont Butler drained a 3-pointer and Aguek Arop made a layup as SDSU quickly answered and tied it at 42 with 12:52 to play.

SDSUs Darrion Trammell was assessed a technical foul in the opening minutes when Lucas was knocked down after a whistle in front of the Nevada bench. Some jawing ensued and San Diego State coaches had to restrain some Aztecs players from leaving their bench.

Lucas picked himself up off the floor at least a half-dozen times. He and Bradley each had 11 points at the 7:23 mark of the first half, more than half their teams total in a 20-20 game.

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Lucas, a senior guard who transferred from Oregon State after last season, scored seven points during a 10-1 Nevada run that erased the Aztecs 11-4 lead. But neither team had more than a four-point edge the rest of the half and SDSU took a 30-28 advantage into the break.

BIG PICTURE

Nevadas victory caused a traffic jam atop the Mountain West standings. San Diego State dropped into a tie for first place with Boise State, which defeated Air Force 59-52 on Tuesday. Nevada is one game back, with New Mexico and Utah State both 1 1/2 games behind.

Its always special when you get a big win, Lucas said. We kind of looked at it as a must-win to keep in the race for the Mountain West championship. Weve got a long ways to go, but it put us in a good position.

UP NEXT

San Diego State: Will host Boise State in a Mountain West showdown for first place Friday night.

Nevada: Will host Air Force on Friday night.

___

More AP college basketball: http://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
A photo the author took of Kavi Sharma in the American Girl store on Fifth Avenue in New York City.

A photo the author took of Kavi Sharma in the American Girl store on Fifth Avenue in New York City.

In early January, both of my sisters sent me an Instagram post of a dark-haired, brown-skinned doll named Kavi Sharma, the new Girl of the Year from the American Girl company. Not only was Kavi its first South Asian American doll, but her character was from Metuchen, New Jersey, the same 2.84-mile town where we grew up. The coincidence was so uncanny that I thought the post was fake and photoshopped by the Metuchen Facebook group. But after a quick Google search, I was excited to learn that Kavi Sharma was real.

As I read about her character, I was relieved that she wasnt cast as a nerd, as South Asians so often are. In her pink bucket hat and matching sneakers, printed mesh top and silver joggers, Kavi looked cool and outgoing, maybe even popular. She loved New York City and Broadway shows, and like my younger self, she was a performer who choreographed Bollywood dances with her friends. Her accessories included a fully outfitted dressing room, a songwriting set with a keyboard and drum pad, and a black-and-white dog named Scamper. In addition to her stylish Western clothes, she also had an elaborate Indian lehenga in red, royal blue and glittering gold.

Growing up, I had a best friend with a collection of American Girl dolls, and I remember their old-timey clothes and coordinated books. I knew that they were expensive and therefore valuable, but I never cared for one of my own  until now.

As I perused Kavis outfits and watched her music video on YouTube, I couldnt help but wish I could teleport myself back in time. Kavi Sharma was exactly the doll I needed  only 40 years too late.

The author in kindergarten.

The author in kindergarten.

When my family moved to Metuchen in the 1980s, the town was known not for spunky Indian girls, but for its well-ranked public school system, tree-lined Main Street, and train station 45 minutes from Manhattan. Back then, I was just one of two brown-skinned girls in my whole grade. I was short and chubby, and my family was from a South Asian diaspora in Guyana. The other girl was pale, thin and Pakistani. Despite our many differences, the teachers routinely mixed up our names from elementary through high school. I wouldnt say that I was ostracized specifically because of my race, but it definitely didnt help my social standing.

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While the South Asian population of Metuchen was sparse, the neighboring town of Edison already had an established Little India. Oak Tree Road was a warren of sari shops, restaurants and grocery stores offering an eclectic mix of all things from the motherland: dosas, pani puri, stainless steel tiffins, Bollywood soundtracks, statues of Hindu gods, jhumka earrings and silk saris in every hue.

This enclave was just 15 minutes from where we lived, but it felt like another world. In those narrow, musty stores, my mother asked questions in broken Hindi and bargained with the shopkeepers, much to my embarrassment. It was in one of those stores that my mother found an advertisement for a Bharatanatyam dance teacher who lived five minutes away. Weekly classes led me to a second life immersed in the Indian community, completely separate from my world at school.

By the time I graduated from college and returned to my mothers house in Metuchen, the demographic had begun to shift. I can still remember my shock as I realized that the entire train car to New York City was packed with Indians, the air clattering with different accents and dialects. Instead of standing out as I had as a child, I was indistinguishable in a crowd of brown faces. The population of Asians in New Jersey reached 1 million in 2021  a statistic that no doubt underscored the need for an Indian American doll.

The author as a teenager dressed in a sari to attend a wedding in Metuchen, New Jersey.

The author as a teenager dressed in a sari to attend a wedding in Metuchen, New Jersey.

The cynical side of me wanted to poke holes and find fault. A childs plaything wasnt going to erase generations of trauma, and at over $100, the price was prohibitive for many. And why did it take so long for a global toy company like Mattel to recognize the importance of my demographic? But even as I tried to be critical, I knew the launch of Kavi Sharma was a shift forward. As I surveyed friends and family, it was clear that we all felt a genuine connection to this doll. We were so hungry for representation, not just for our children, but for our younger selves. The feeling was universal: American Girl had gotten it right.

I love that there is a doll that I can relate to now, Bhavika, a childhood friend, shared over email. We teach our daughters to be proud of their culture and what it represents. But to also show them that our culture is widely accepted and appreciated is a great feeling because when I was younger it didnt always seem that way.

Not only is Kavi a signal of affirmation for Indian Americans, but she offers non-Indians a curated taste of South Asian culture. Her character was crafted by a team of advisers, including Arusha, a 12-year-old Indian American girl from New Jersey, and Rina Shah, a choreographer specializing in classical Indian and Bollywood dance. The dolls storyline was written by New York Times bestselling author Varsha Bajaj, who migrated to the U.S. from Mumbai in the 1980s. In an interview on the American Girl website, Bajaj explains: One story cannot possibly depict the complexity of India or the Indian diaspora. That said, I took immense delight in showcasing slivers of Indian culture, including dance, yoga traditions, food, clothing, and ... magical festivals like Diwali and Holi.

The author and her daughter in New York City.

The author and her daughter in New York City.

My cousin Prema, a nurse from New Jersey, talked about how Kavis connection to both Bollywood and Broadway rang true for her. I especially loved the part where Kavis grandmother takes her to a Broadway show, she told me. This is something near and dear to me because my mother took me to see Broadway plays, and I got to see how song and dance are represented in Western society. Growing up watching a lot of Bollywood movies, it was nice to see that musicals were not completely foreign, but could also be American.

While Kavi isnt the first or only Indian doll on the market, she represents a hyphenated experience so rarely captured in the mainstream. As first generation Indians and children of the diaspora like myself intermarry and have children with partners from other cultures and races, the nuances of identity become even more complex. In a conversation with my cousin Valini, she shared: Raising two half Indian girls, I have been careful of the words I use to help them frame their self identification. I love that Kavi is an American girl doll and not just representing an Indian girl that an American company made. As parents with hyphenated identities of our own, we are challenged to find creative ways to impart and integrate Indian culture into our childrens lives.

My own daughter is a mixed-race, curly haired 3-year-old who dances to Bollywood, Bob Marley and Disney hits alike. Technically speaking, she is Guyanese Indian Bahamian American, a four-pronged identity she shares with her older brother, and probably not too many others. While she is curious about South Asian and Caribbean culture, she has so far ignored the two brown-skinned dolls in her collection, preferring the company of her stuffed animals. Growing up in Harlem, she doesnt suffer from the cultural isolation that I did in New Jersey in the 1980s; she sees people from every part of the world on her subway commute to pre-K. Given the many threads of her heritage, I know she will have different baggage than I did. Im hoping she wont have to wait until shes middle-aged to find affirmation.

The author in front of a photo of Kavi Sharma in New York City.

The author in front of a photo of Kavi Sharma in New York City.

When I pass the American Girl store on Fifth Avenue on my way to dinner, I cant help but press my nose to the window. Kavi Sharma stands on a table, striking a pose. There she is! I think, as though Ive spotted a celebrity. Im too old for dolls, but this one is iconic. Shes not going to solve racism, but she could help. And regardless, shell always be the cool Indian American BFF I never had.

Sumitra Mattai is a writer and textile designer based in New York City. She holds a BFA in textile design from the Rhode Island School of Design and an MFA in creative writing from The New School. Her essays on family, food and culture have been published widely. For more information, please visit her website, sumitramattai.com, or find her on Instagram at @sumitramattai.

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Beyonce is taking her Renaissance global  the superstar will start a world tour in Sweden in May with stops throughout Europe and the United States.

The highly anticipated tour announcement she made on Instagram and her website Wednesday comes days before the Grammy Awards on Sunday, where the global superstar is the most nominated artist and could make Recording Academy history.

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Beyonce, the most decorated woman in Grammy history with 28 wins, could break the late Hungarian-British conductor Georg Soltis record for most awards won if she wins four awards.

Her 2022 album Renaissance is a celebration of dance music and is nominated for album of the year. Her tour will make stops in London, Paris, Barcelona and Toronto before ending Sept. 27 in New Orleans.

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There were hints that she might tour again after she performed an invite-only show in January in Dubai at the Atlantis The Royal Resort, her first show in four years. Her last solo tour was in 2016, but she went on tour with her husband Jay Z in 2018.

Ticketmaster said in a release that sales will begin Feb. 6 and fans will need to register through their Verified Fan system. Sale times will vary based on city.
This is an excerpt from Incoming, BuzzFeed News morning newsletter dedicated to making sense of this chaotic world we live in. Join the club.

They used to skate with Tyre Nichols as kids. Years later, they gathered to grieve him.

An avid skateboarder, Tyre Nichols was known for helping others learn tricks and welcoming newcomers into his circle. Mike Rafter

For years in Natomas, the suburban subdivision of Sacramento where Tyre Nichols grew up, the school bus dropped the neighborhood kids off at the corner, and every day around 20 of them would head straight for the skate park.

The after-school routine persisted through rain and freezing temperatures, all through middle school and high school. Nichols stood out for his easygoing nature: quick to welcome newcomers and adept at defusing the tensions of juvenile conflicts with jokes and a relentless warmth. Though he quickly became one of the more talented skaters at the park, Nichols was best known for his willingness to teach others, his childhood friends told BuzzFeed News.

Everybody who met him wanted to be his friend, John Dumalig said.

On Monday, more than 100 returned to the Regency Community Skatepark to honor Nichols , the 29-year-old killed by police officers in Memphis, where he had moved in 2020. Five officers face murder charges. A sixth has been suspended. The unit they were a part of has been disbanded. Video of the brutal beating has spread far and wide, but most of Nicholss old crew said theyve tried to avoid it.

Nichols joins a long list of hashtagged names that police violence has made famous, but to the friends whod known him a long time, his death is not a rallying cry but an acute and intimate pain.

I didnt believe it at first, said Anderson Williams, who had weekly phone calls with Nichols up until the end. Of all of the kids we hung out with around here, thats the last one youd expect something like this to happen to.

From left: Cody Davidek, Anderson Williams, Luke Danforth, and Alex Wilson see one another for the first time in years at the memorial for their friend Tyre Nichols. Mike Rafter

More than 100 people gathered at the memorial for Tyre Nichols at Regency Community Skate Park in Sacramento. Mike Rafter

Biden and McCarthy to address debt ceiling stalemate today

President Joe Biden and Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy will meet Wednesday to discuss the debt ceiling . Republicans refuse to raise the amount of money the US government can borrow unless Biden agrees to major federal spending cuts, according to the New York Times. Biden, on the other hand, has said he'd agree to reduce deficits by raising taxes on wealthy individuals and corporations, which Republicans are against.

Story continues

SNAPSHOTS

13-year-old Karon Blake cried "I am a kid" as he was fatally shot. Jason Lewis, a DC Parks and Recreation employee, faces one count of second-degree murder . His attorney said his client maintains he is innocent.

At least 11 people were injured in a drive-by shooting in Florida minutes after a school bus dropped kids off at home. "We have reason to believe that this was a targeted event, that this was not a random act," police said .

The number of US Twitter users has decreased by almost 9% since Elon Musk took over, according to a recent study. Trust in the platform has also dropped among Democrats and risen among Republicans since Musk became CEO.

The Oscars won't rescind Andrea Riseborough's nomination. The activity in question does not rise to the level that the films nomination should be rescinded, the Academy CEO wrote in the statement . However, we did discover social media and outreach campaigning tactics that caused concern. These tactics are being addressed with the responsible parties directly.

Why are AI-generated hands so messed up?

"Human hands" generated by Stable Diffusion (left), DALL-E 2 (upper right), and Midjourney (lower right)

Over the last few months, generative AI services like Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and DALL-E 2 have exploded in popularity. With simple text prompts, these apps let people create nearly any kind of image they want, sparking excitement and backlash in equal measure. Art created using AI trained on such datasets is now winning competitions and being used by creators to illustrate articles and newsletters, among other things.

But despite rapid advances, AI-powered image generators still suck royally at one thing in particular: generating realistic-looking human hands.

Why do these programs mess up hands (not to mention bare feet) so badly? Hands, in images, are quite nuanced, said Amelia Winger-Bearskin , an artist and associate professor of AI and the arts at the University of Florida. Theyre usually holding on to something. Or sometimes, theyre holding on to another person.

AI programs work because they are trained to recognize the relationships between billions of images scraped from across the internet and the text descriptions that accompany them, until eventually, the program understands that the word dog, for instance, relates to the picture of a canine. In the photographs, paintings, and screenshots that AI learns from, hands look different in every image, and are rarely fully visible in a way thats easy for AI to replicate .

For AI to become a useful tool for humanity, it has to understand what it is to be human, and the anatomical reality of being human, Winger-Bearskin said.

IMAGE OF THE DAY

People feed pigeons in Fatih Mosque in Istanbul on Jan. 31, 2023. Francisco Seco / AP

Being a Duggar defined Jinger Vuolos life. Now shes finding her own way.

Chloe Aftel for BuzzFeed News

Most of Jinger Vuolo's life has been documented on reality TV. First came the 2008 TLC show 19 Kids and Counting, which ran for eight years and 15 seasons and centered on her parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, and their strict Christian lifestyle. Then came a show focusing on Vuolo and her sisters, Counting On, which ran for six years.

According to her parents, the family hoped to share the Bible principles that govern their lives and become an example for others. Of course, that dream of proselytizing to the world through television has been irreparably destroyed due to the actions of Josh Duggar, Vuolo's oldest brother who was sentenced to prison last year for possessing child sexual abuse materials.

Now, with the release of her memoir Becoming Free Indeed, Vuolo is the first Duggar child to publicly speak out against her parents beliefs . But in skewering the faith both she and her family preached to millions for more than a dozen years on television, shes grappling with her own part in spreading messages that she now acknowledges were damaging and even dangerous for young girls.

I would not say Im the best person to do this, she told BuzzFeed News. I hate conflict. I think its very difficult. But at the same time, I wrote a book with my sisters in 2012 [Growing Up Duggar] that promoted some of these teachings  its so damaging.

If it helps one person to come out of this, its worth it, she said.

Still reading, eh? Seems like you might want to get this in your inbox. No pressure though. Just some food for thought.
By Shivam Patel, Aditi Shah and Aditya Kalra

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's Gautam Adani, the school dropout who rose to become one of the world's richest men, suffered a stunning defeat when his flagship firm withdrew a blockbuster share sale after an attack by a small U.S. investment firm over his business practices.

The move came after Adani's companies lost nearly $86 billion in the stock market as investors bailed out on the tycoon who built a conglomerate spanning ports, coal mines, food businesses, airports and lately media.

On Tuesday, the Adani group appeared to have fought back the attack by the New York-based short-seller Hindenburg and rallied investors behind the $2.5 billion share issue of flagship firm Adani Enterprises.

But Adani could not staunch the sell-off in the market with Adani Enterprises, the crown jewel, losing more than a quarter of its value, saddling the investors who took part in his issue with huge paper losses.

It was a rare defeat for a man who has seemed unstoppable in recent years.

Adani, from Gujarat in western India, built his empire from scratch after starting out as a commodities trader. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is from the same state and their relationship has long come under scrutiny by Modi's opponents.

Until last week, Adani was the world's third-richest person, according to Forbes, with a net worth of $127 billion, trailing only Bernard Arnault and Elon Musk. On Thursday, he had slipped to 16th rank as market losses in his companies hit $100 billion.

GRAPHIC: Gautam Adani slips to world's eighth richest person - https://www.reuters.com/graphics/ADANI-INDIA/HINDENBURG-NETWORTH/akpeqadbbpr/chart.png

Married to dentist Priti Adani, he has two sons, Karan and Jeet, both of whom are involved in the company businesses.

Despite his riches, the 60-year-old, who comes from a middle-class textile family, was far lesser known than other billionaires in a country where many inherit their wealth.

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His business style was described as "very hands on", according to one person with direct knowledge of his dealings.

As Adani's empire swelled, stocks of his seven listed companies surged - in some cases more than 1,500% in the last three years amid aggressive expansion. He denied allegations by Modi's opponents that he had benefited from their close ties.

In recent years, the $220 billion Adani Group empire has attracted foreign investment - France's TotalEnergies, for example, partnered with Adani last year to develop the world's biggest green hydrogen ecosystem.

More recently, Adani has taken a proactive approach to his public image, giving interviews to local and foreign media.

Appearing in a popular Hindi TV show last month called the 'People's Court', Adani sat in a mock witness box inside a courtroom setup and answered questions about his conglomerate - offering an unusual level of scrutiny.

He described himself as "a shy person" and credited the rise of his popularity in part to the political attacks he has faced.

Modi's government has denied allegations of favouring Adani.

FIGHT WITH SHORTSELLER

Faced with a scathing attack by Hindenburg over the use of offshore entities in tax havens and its debt levels - estimated at $23.34 billion by Jefferies - the Adani group mounted a stout defence in a 413-page response.

It said the report was a "calculated attack" on India and its institutions. A senior executive compared the rout of its stocks with a colonial-era massacre saying investors were behaving like the Indian soldiers who fired on fellow-citizens under orders from British rulers.

Many Indians later voiced their support for the beleaguered businessman on social media. "IndiaStandsWithAdani" was among the top trending hashtags on Twitter.

As the losses mounted in the market this week, Adani himself appeared unfazed. He landed in Israel to take formal control of Haifa port that he had bought earlier in partnership with a local firm. He promised further investments in Israel at the event also attended by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Adani is no stranger to controversy. The most recent was months of protest by fishermen against construction of a $900-million port in southern India's Kerala, in which he sued the state government and fishermen leaders. And in Australia, environmental activists for years protested against Adani's Carmichael coal mine project in Queensland on concerns of carbon emissions and damage to the Great Barrier Reef.

On Wednesday, Adani said his company felt it wasn't "morally correct" to proceed with the share sale following the volatility in the market. But he said in a statement to the exchange the company was financial stable and that the withdrawal of the share issue will not impact its future plan.

(Reporting by Shivam Patel, Aditi Shah and Aditya Kalra in New Delhi; Additional reporting by Nikunj Ohri in New Delhi and Chris Thomas in Bengaluru; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani, Nick Zieminski and Muralikumar Anantharaman)
WASHINGTON  Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley will formally launch her 2024 presidential run on Feb. 15, becoming the first Republican to jump into the field to challenge Donald Trump, according to multiple sources familiar with her plans.

Haley has teased her presidential run for weeks, including a tweeted video this week in which she said: "It's time for a new generation to lead."

Aides are putting together a Feb. 15 announcement event in Charleston, South Carolina, according to three sources familiar with her plans who spoke to USA TODAY on condition of anonymity.

Teasing her announcement on Twitter, Haley said: "My family and I have a big announcement to share with you on February 15th! And yes, its definitely going to be a Great Day in South Carolina!"

Who is Nikki Haley?

The daughter of Indian immigrants, Haley has described herself as the embodiment of the American Dream: college graduate, businesswoman and political leader who won long-shot races to the South Carolina Legislature and the governor's mansion.

If Haley prevails in the primaries, she would be the Republican Party's first female and first South Asian presidential nominee. She would also be the first woman of color to win the presidential nomination for a major party.

Live politics updates: Nikki Haley to take on Trump in 2024; FBI searches Biden beach house

In recent months, Haley has cast herself as a new kind of Republican who can take new approaches to the nation's challenges and to President Joe Biden and the Democrats.

"I think it's time that we bring in a new generation that can bring in more people to our party," Haley told Fox News in a recent interview.

What is her political background?

In one of her most publicized moments as governor, Haley signed a 2015 bill that removed the Confederate battle flag from the top of state Capitol following the murders of nine people at a historic Black church in Charleston.

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During Haley's second term in the statehouse, the newly elected President Trump picked her as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Since leaving her U.N. post, Haley has written books, given speeches, and created a political action committee known as "Stand for America."

Nikki Haley visits "Hannity" at FOX Studios on January 20, 2023 in New York City.

What has Haley said about Donald Trump?

Since Trump's defeat in the 2020 presidential race, Haley has sent mixed signals about her presidential ambitions. In April 2021, she told reporters that I would not run if President Trump ran, and I would talk to him about it."

In recent months, even after Trump announced his 2024 bid in mid-November, Haley has sounded out potential donors and staff members for a White House campaign of her own.

Haley criticized Trump's leadership right after the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021, but has softened her tone in the two years since.

"If I run, I'm running against Joe Biden," Haley told Fox. "That's what I'm focused on."

What has Trump said about Haley?

While campaigning Saturday in New Hampshire and South Carolina, Trump told reporters that Haley had called him about her prospective campaign. Trump said he had no problem with the idea, but noted that Haley once said she would not run if he did.

On his Truth Social account Wednesday, Trump posted video of Haley's past claim she would not run against him and headlined it with a barbed comment: "Nikki has to follow her heart, not her honor. She should definitely run!"

Trump allies are already sharpening their knives. Steve Cortes, a commentator who has been a television surrogate for Trump, tweeted that the "political weather vane" is not to be trusted: "Haley gushes over Trump, then betrays him, then gushes again, and then  betrays again. Shes the worst kind of political snake."

Haley hints: 'May the best woman win': Former S.C. Governor Nikki Haley hints at 2024 presidential bid:

Will DeSantis and Pence also enter the GOP field?

Haley is the first Republican to step up and challenge Trump but probably will not be the last. Other Republicans considering a 2024 presidential bid include Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence.

Trump remains a formidable candidate, analysts said, despite his loss to Biden in the 2020 presidential race and losses by several pro-Trump candidates in the 2022 congressional races.

Stay in the conversation on politics: Sign up for the OnPolitics newsletter

Trump also faces a slew of legal troubles, including investigations into the handling of classified documents and his conduct before the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.

Still, the former president has money, name identification, and a strong base of supporters, analysts said, while Haley is untested on the national campaign stage.

Haley as vice president?

Sarah Longwell, a political analyst who has conducted focus groups on Republican candidates, said Haley's chances are "not great," but she is an intriguing candidate and could also be a potential running mate.

"Old school GOP will like her, and donors," said Longwell, founder of an organization called the Republican Accountability Project. "But she might actually be running for VP."

.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nikki Haley to announce presidential run on Feb. 15, taking on Trump
Jan. 31BEMIDJI  The Northwest Minnesota Foundation will begin accepting applications to its scholarship funds starting Feb. 1. Scholarships housed at NMF in 2022 issued 240 awards, totaling $288,000.

Scholarship awards can range from $500 to $4,000. Scholarship funds have a variety of focuses, such as support for students from specific school districts, those involved in certain extracurriculars or those intending to pursue specific majors, a release said.

NMF encourages all high school seniors considering post-secondary education to take the time to research scholarship opportunities using its scholarship portal, which makes it easy for students to identify the specific scholarships they are eligible for through an eligibility quiz.

Students input their information (high school district, high school extracurriculars, intended field of study, etc.) and then see a filtered result list.

Applications are completed through the NMF website at

www.nwmf.org

by clicking on "scholarships" at the top of the homepage. Students will be required to create an online account and take the eligibility quiz to begin the application process.

The deadline to apply for most of the scholarships is April 15.

"NMF believes that the community members who will have the most impact in our communities are young learners who are prepared for success," said Kelly Martinka, who leads scholarship funds on the NMF philanthropy team. "We believe that students must take advantage of all educational opportunities presented to them."

NMF hosts more than 114 scholarship opportunities for students throughout northwest Minnesota. Most of the scholarships are for high school seniors living within the NMF's 12-county region, however, there also are opportunities for nontraditional students or college-enrolled students.

"Every year, we hear from numerous students who nearly didn't apply because they didn't think they'd be awarded," Martinka said. "We encourage all students to take the time to apply."

To learn about how to establish a scholarship fund at Northwest Minnesota Foundation or to support one of the scholarship funds at NMF, visit

www.nwmf.org.
A Macon man who on Tuesday was charged with murder and aggravated assault for his alleged role in the Jan. 20 slaying of a liquor store worker and the wounding of two members of the workers family was released from prison last fall.

The suspect, Terrell Ugean Mills, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter 20 years ago and has been in and out of prison three times since. He was last freed from prison in September after serving three years of a five-year term for shooting at his brother in an argument in early 2019.

In recent days, Mills, 40, was arrested in neighboring Jones County after investigators there said they linked him to an armed robbery at a convenience store on Shurling Drive in east Macon. Other suspects in both incidents were being sought.

The 49er mart convenience store stickup happened within hours of the late-night shooting death of Pinalkumar Patel, a manager at Shurlington Package Store. The package store sits less than a mile west of the 49er Mart that the authorities in Jones County say was robbed not long after Patel was slain.

Patel, 52, was killed in the driveway of his home on Thoroughbred Lane in south Bibb County by masked bandits, investigators said. Sources familiar with the investigation have said it was possible that whoever shot Patel had followed him some 15 miles from the liquor store with intentions to rob him.

In recent days, Mills became a suspect in Patels death after he was charged with robbing the 49er Mart.

On Facebook, Jones sheriffs officials posted a photograph of an unmasked suspect in that heist, a man investigators now say was Mills.

Mills, whose last known address was on Swan Drive near Henderson Stadium, was apprehended by U.S. Marshals on Friday. He was arrested in connection with the alleged 49er Mart robbery when he visited his probation officer on North Avenue in east Macon.

Twenty years ago this fall, Mills pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of Orreze Culler, a 20-year-old man who was found dead on Empire Lane in Macons Pleasant Hill neighborhood. Investigators at the time said the shooting may have been part of a retaliation attack in the wake of a deadly game of Russian roulette.

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Mills was released in prison in August of 2014 but was back in a year later after he was convicted of charges that included cruelty to children, battery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In that domestic-violence incident, he had been accused of pointing a pistol at the head of a woman he had lived with, but he pleaded guilty to lesser charges.

His prison term in that case ended in August 2018, but he was back behind bars six months later after shooting at his brother.
Figuring out what, exactly, China is up to is one of the intelligence communitys top priorities. Countering Beijing also happens to be a rare instance where theres bipartisan support in Congress.

But what new lawmakers will quickly discover  especially those joining the House and Senate Intelligence Committees  is that a glaring gap exists that will impact Congress efforts to do so. The U.S. cannot adequately address its national security challenges related to China, which are increasingly driven by technology, without the help of a potentially surprising partner: the Department of Commerce.

Unfortunately, the department itself lacks the critical support needed for these efforts. Most crucial: Commerce needs its own intelligence agency.

My last job in the U.S. government was overseeing the intelligence communitys role in the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), along with an interagency group formerly known as Team Telecom, and being responsible for the intelligence communitys engagement with our foreign allies own investment security efforts. The cases that come before CFIUS are privileged and not publicly disclosed. But I can say this: The most challenging ones usually revolved around issues of advanced or dual-use technology, an area in which the Department of Commerce plays a critical role given its international trade and export control responsibilities.

Today, the Department of Commerce is an agency unexpectedly on the frontlines of vital U.S. national and economic security challenges, most prominently demonstrated by its leading role on ensuring critical access to semiconductors, and as evidenced by the CHIPS Act and recent rules promulgated by the department to protect against even knowledge transfers between the United States and China.

But these efforts are certain to be a beginning for Commerce, not an end. And a dedicated in-house intel agency can better identify emerging threats and challenges from China that Commerce needs to tackle, including potential spyware and other intrusions embedded in foreign technology. For instance, in late November, the U.S. issued a ban on new Huawei and ZTE equipment  along with that of three other Chinese companies  for fear it would be used to spy on Americans. Last month, Congress proposed limiting U.S. exposure to Chinese 5G leaders, including Huawei, by restricting their access to U.S. banks, adding them to Treasurys Specifically Designated Nationals List.

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In fact, Commerces current position is not unlike that of the Treasury Departments in 2004.

That year  as part of the Intelligence Authorization Act  Congress established the current iteration of Treasurys intelligence agency, the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, and formally made it part of the broader intel community. Since then, OIA has played a critical role for almost two decades combating terrorist financing, helping support sanctions efforts and providing financial intelligence to Treasury policymakers.

OIAs successes would simply not have been possible without it being a full, integrated member of the intelligence community. Indeed, its assessments often find their way to the White House and to other senior policymakers across town, even as its primary focus is supporting the Treasury Department.

In the same way, the Commerce Department cannot be expected to play a more fulsome role in U.S. national security if its leaders are not fully informed of the strategic goals and illicit tactical efforts of U.S. adversaries. To meet that expectation, requires the launch of a new, 19th intel agency to be housed at the department.

Most Americans think of intelligence and by default conjure up images of the CIA. But there are 18 agencies that make up the U.S. intelligence community, most housed in various departments or military services, and dedicated to providing the kind of intelligence support to a secretary or commander, that CIA continues to lead the way in providing to the White House.

Members of Congress who for the first time are serving on the Intelligence, Foreign Affairs, Armed Services or other prominent national security-related committees and sub-committees, may be surprised to learn that despite what they may have gleaned from the media, the intel community does not actually make predictions; it makes judgments. The difference is critical.

Predictions are generally fleeting: right and wrong, winners and losers, black and white. Judgments are far more complicated. They address the likelihood of events and emergence of prospective capabilities; the potential follow-on implications and challenges from an event occurring  or not; and the associated risks and opportunities for U.S. national and economic security.

These conclusions are what the intelligence community informs policymakers of, to help them make the best decisions possible.

Not only would Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo benefit greatly from having her own intel agency providing these types of assessments directly to her, but so too would the rest of the department, including the Bureau of Industry and Security, which is responsible for export controls, and the International Trade Administration, which defends U.S. industry against unfair trade practices of foreign allies and adversaries.

In creating the new agency, the Director of National Intelligence and Congress must ensure it does not simply result from merging together overworked and under-supported disparate parts of the department that seem to fit. Less than two years ago, Commerces national security work was overshadowed by a rogue and illegal security operation at the department  and neither it nor the U.S. government can afford a repeat.

Rather, a new agency must be stood up and staffed by leaders and analysts who are intel community professionals that know how to blend complex analytic efforts with the priorities of the department. Having this type of experienced leadership will ensure the development of novel and Commerce-centric analysis, all while adhering to intelligence tradecraft and community standards.

A new intel agency at the Commerce Department wont end the national security challenges the U.S. faces from China; but it will help policymakers mitigate and overcome them.

The views expressed in this publication are the authors and do not imply endorsement by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the intelligence community, or any other U.S. government agency.
Former first lady Michelle Obama greets Ellen DeGeneres on stage as she launches her new book The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times at Warner Theater in Washington, Nov. 15, 2022. (Jose Luis Magana/AP)

Michelle Obamas recent celebrity-filled book tour is becoming a podcast.

Audible announced Wednesday that the former first lady will launch the Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast on March 7. Its based on Obamas tour promoting The Light We Carry, her recent bestselling book, which featured special guests like Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, Tyler Perry, David Letterman and more.

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Obama appeared at the Chicago Theatre in December to talk about the book with Letterman.

Though only a few thousand people were able to attend the events live, these remarkable conversations can now be heard by everyone, Audible said in a news release. The eight-episode podcast goes beyond the book as Michelle Obama and her friends share personal stories and insights listeners wont encounter anywhere else.

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Obama said in a statement that the book tour was a way to expand on the books reflections about dealing with stress and change and a chance to connect with real people once again. The podcast, she said, is a deeper examination of those fun and meaningful moments.

Obama released The Light We Carry book on Nov. 15, and kicked off her promotional tour the same night. She was joined in Washington for the first event by DeGeneres.

The podcast is the first original project in a multiyear deal between Audible and Higher Ground Productions, which was started by Barack and Michelle Obama after they left the White House. The company has produced several acclaimed documentaries, including the Oscar-winning film American Factory.

Episodes of The Light Podcast will be an Audible exclusive for two weeks, and will be widely available on other podcast platforms after that.
Andrea Riseborough Steve Granitz / FilmMagic

Andrea Riseborough will remain one of this years Best Actress nominees for her performance in the indie film To Leslie.

Bill Kramer, the CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, made the announcement Tuesday, saying that concerns surrounding the campaign last week did not warrant the possibility of Riseboroughs nomination being rescinded.

The Academy announced on Friday it would conduct a review of the campaign procedures for this years Oscar nominees. Riseboroughs nomination confused some people who wondered how she had landed a Best Actress spot without a traditionally heavily funded campaign.

The Academy has determined the activity in question does not rise to the level that the films nomination should be rescinded, Kramer wrote in the statement shared with BuzzFeed News. However, we did discover social media and outreach campaigning tactics that caused concern. These tactics are being addressed with the responsible parties directly.

On Jan. 26, Puck reported that Mary McCormack, the wife of To Leslie director Michael Morris, emailed and called tons of members of the Academys actors branch, begging them to see the little-watched alcoholic drama and post online about Riseboroughs searing performance.

BuzzFeed News has reached out to representatives for Riseborough and McCormack for comment on the Academys ruling. Riseborough has not publicly addressed the review.

In his statement, Kramer added that the changes regarding campaign rules will be made after this years Oscars season and will be shared with Academy members to help create a better framework for respectful, inclusive, and unbiased campaigning.

The Academy strives to create an environment where votes are based solely on the artistic and technical merits of the eligible films and achievements, he said.

Eduardo Cisneros, a producer for To Leslie, said that he hopes the new guidelines support smaller movies.

As a producer of indie films and as a queer Latino man, I hope these new guidelines are able to give [Academy] members an opportunity to champion lesser known films, while at the same time keeping their privacy and well-being safeguarded," Cisneros said in a statement to BuzzFeed News.

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Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Over the past few days, actors like Marc Maron and Yellowjackets star Christina Ricci defended Riseboroughs nomination. According to Deadline, Ricci, in a now-deleted Instagram post from Friday, criticized the idea that only actors and filmmakers who spend a lot of money campaigning should receive nominations.

Seems hilarious that the surprise nomination (meaning tons of money wasnt spent to position this actress) of a legitimately brilliant performance is being met with an investigation, Ricci wrote, per Deadline. So its only the films and actors that can afford the campaigns that deserve recognition? Feels elitist and exclusive and frankly very backward to me.

The Best Actress category also caused outrage this year after Viola Davis (The Woman King) and Danielle Deadwyler (Till) did not receive nominations. Both were nominated for Critics Choice Awards and Davis received a Golden Globes nod, though Riseborough did not receive nods at either awards show.

At the Oscars, which will air March 12 on ABC, Riseborough will compete for Best Actress against Ana de Armas (Blonde), Cate Blanchett (Tar), Michelle Williams (The Fabelmans), and Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once).

More on this
Pamela, A Love Story has proved a hit. (Netflix)

Pamela Anderson's new Netflix documentary has proved a hit with viewers  but has sparked a backlash against the recent drama series Pam & Tommy.

The Hulu series, starring Lily James and Sebastian Stan, aired in 2022 telling the story of Anderson's marriage to Tommy Lee and a sex tape that was stolen from their house and leaked to the world.

Read more: Pamela, A Love Story review: A cathartic insight into a wild life

But viewers of Pamela, A Love Story, which sees the former Baywatch star tell her story in her own words, have called the drama "exploitative" and "shady".

Anderson recently spoke to Variety about the drama, calling it "salt in the wound" and branding the makers "a**holes".

Pam & Tommy starred Lily James. (Hulu)

She added: "It just looked like another Halloween costume to me. Everyone dresses up as... there was a lot of Halloween costumes over the last decade."

Fans of her Netflix documentary appeared to agree, with one person tweeting: "Just watched, Pamela a love story. I instinctively knew not to watch that HULU series because it was clearly exploiting her trauma. And after watching the documentary, I just think that we, as a society, need to respect and care for women more."

Read more: Pamela Anderson 'could barely talk about' Pam & Tommy

Someone else agreed: "pamela, a love story is something i think everybody should watch. especially the people who watched the pam and tommy hulu show. and especially to everyone who thinks they know her because you read articles and interviews from the 90s."

Another fan added: "Im glad I never watched that Pam & Tommy movie."

Someone else added: "I binged The Watcher and Pamela, a love story on Netflix. Hulu is looking super shady with the Pam and Tommy, now."

Viewers loved seeing Pamela Anderson's relationship with her sons. (Netflix)

Other were even more damning in their criticism, with one person tweeting: "if i was involved w the pam and tommy series i literally wouldnt be able to sleep at night."

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Someone else slammed Pam & Tommy, saying: "i always felt gross about the pam and tommy hulu show but now after watching pamelas documentary and seeing just how triggering it was for her and her family, i sincerely hope that everyone involved in that show burns for eternity in hell."

Brandon Hilton added: "I never watched Hulus shady Pam & Tommy cash grab, but I did just watch @PamelaAndersons new @Netflix documentary #PamelaALoveStory and it was triumphant, beautiful and inspiring!!! and for once, in her own words, on her own terms!!! A MUST WATCH!!!"

The documentary gives a fresh take on Pamela Anderson's life. (Netflix)

Viewers heaped praise on the documentary, admitting they were surprised by the star.

One person tweeted: "Watched the Pamela Anderson documentary last night - highly recommend it. Im ashamed to confess my own pre-conceptions based on the OTT image, but she is smart, self-deprecating and hugely likeable. Horrifically exploited but still standing tall."

Someone else added: "I urge everybody watch Pamela Anderson documentary on Netflix. Regaining her power. What a women."

Another fan agreed: "Pamela Anderson deserves an apology from society. She is a queen."

Pamela, A Love Story is currently streaming on Netflix.
(Getty Images for Bauer Media)

Parklife festival have announced their line up for 2023, with acts including The 1975, Aitch and Little Simz topping the bill.

The Manchester festival will also host the likes of the Brit nominated Fred Again.., The Prodigy and Eliza Rose.

Parklife will take place on 10 -11 June at Manchesters Heaton Park, which will host 10 stages across the weekend.

Other standout acts on the bill include electronic artists such as Nia Archives, Peggy Gou, Skrillex and Eliza Rose.

The festival performance will mark Manchester rapper Aitchs first ever performance as a headliner.

"Buzzin to be headlining Parklife this year! said the rapper on his forthcoming performance in his hometown.

Its been one of my main goals since I started music so for it to be happening now at this point is unreal. I dont care what happens after this, Im happy."

According to the festival, 200,000 music fans have already registered for access to tickets, which go on sale this week.

Parklife 2023 line up (Parklife)

How to get tickets:

With a record breaking number of fans pre-registered, demand for Parklife tickets is expected to be high.

Presale tickets: A limited amount of presale tickets will go on sale at 10am on Thursday 2 February.

General sale tickets: Any final tickets open to the public will be available from 10am on Friday 3rd February.

Tickets will be available here.
T+L TOP TRAVEL ADVISOR | BELIZE SPECIALIST

Courtesy of Respective Travel Advisor

Among the immersive trips Johnson has planned: a six-night catamaran journey from Belize to Guatemalas Rio Dulce that incorporated visits to local homes, galleries, and creative co-ops around Lake Atitlan.

We work only with small tour operators that are locally owned, such as Belize Hiking Group or Taste Belize, Johnson says. One time, she arranged a journey led by a guide with a Ph.D in anthropology and food Studies. The first visit was to a Kekchi Maya village for preparing a traditional lunch, followed by a visit to a cacao farm where chocolate is using a heirloom stone tool that has been passed down from five generations.

Language(s) Spoken: English

Average Daily Spend: $500 per person

Trip Planning Fees: none

Contact Info

patricia@absolutebelize.com | 501 602 9609

absolutebelize.com

facebook.com/AbsoluteBelize

instagram.com/absolute_belize

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Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.
Peoria police.

Peoria police arrested a man on Saturday morning after authorities say he sexually abused a woman who was jogging.

Police say 27-year-old Steven Ryan Michael, a Phoenix resident, approached a woman who was jogging on Skunk Creek Trail near 75th Avenue and Paradise Lane. Michael grabbed her from behind and threw her to the ground, police said.

Authorities say Michael got on top of the woman and sexually abused her before the woman was able to break free and call 911. Officers found Michael near where the assault occurred and arrested him on multiple felony charges, including sexual abuse, attempted sexual assault, aggravated assault and kidnapping, police said.

Police urge anyone with additional information about the incident to contact the department at 623-773-8874.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Peoria police arrest man suspected of sexually abusing jogger
Long term investing works well, but it doesn't always work for each individual stock. It hits us in the gut when we see fellow investors suffer a loss. For example, we sympathize with anyone who was caught holding Pestech International Berhad (KLSE:PESTECH) during the five years that saw its share price drop a whopping 79%. And it's not just long term holders hurting, because the stock is down 58% in the last year.

With that in mind, it's worth seeing if the company's underlying fundamentals have been the driver of long term performance, or if there are some discrepancies.

Check out our latest analysis for Pestech International Berhad

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.

Over five years Pestech International Berhad's earnings per share dropped significantly, falling to a loss, with the share price also lower. This was, in part, due to extraordinary items impacting earnings. Since the company has fallen to a loss making position, it's hard to compare the change in EPS with the share price change. But we would generally expect a lower price, given the situation.

The graphic below depicts how EPS has changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

Dive deeper into Pestech International Berhad's key metrics by checking this interactive graph of Pestech International Berhad's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

A Different Perspective

While the broader market gained around 4.1% in the last year, Pestech International Berhad shareholders lost 58%. However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. Regrettably, last year's performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 12% 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. While it is well worth considering the different impacts that market conditions can have on the share price, there are other factors that are even more important. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 4 warning signs with Pestech International Berhad (at least 2 which are potentially serious) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

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If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of companies that have proven they can grow earnings.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on MY 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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Joshua Sills, a lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles, has been indicted on charges of rape and kidnapping in Guernsey County.

An offensive lineman for the Super Bowl-bound Philadelphia Eagles has been indicted in connection with a 2019 rape in Guernsey County.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced the indictment in a press release on Wednesday morning.

Joshua Sills, 25, has been charged with one count of rape and one count of kidnapping, according to the indictment. The charges stem from an incident that occurred in December 2019 in which a woman alleged she was forced to engage in non-consensual sexual activity with Sills.

The offensive guard is originally from Sarahsville in Guernsey County.

Yost said the incident was immediately reported to the Guernsey County Sheriff's office and a "detailed investigation" was conducted.

The prosecution of the case is being handled by the Ohio Attorney General office's special prosecutions section.

Sills was issued a summons and is due to have his first court appearance on Feb. 16, four days after the Super Bowl.

Sills was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2022 with the Eagles. He played college football at West Virginia University for four years before transferring for a fifth year at Oklahoma State University.

He has appeared in one game for the Eagles this season as a reserve.

In a statement, the Eagles said they were "aware of the legal matter."

"We have been in communication with the league office and are in the process of gathering more information," the team said. "We have no further comment at this time."

News: NFL said he's been placed on the Commissioner Exempt List and isn't allowed to participate in any practices, games, or team travel. No further update from the Eagles. https://t.co/Podq5NFDvw  Ellie Rushing (@EllieRushing) February 1, 2023

Assistant Dispatch Sports Editor Lori Schmidt contributed to this report.

bbruner@dispatch.com

@bethany_bruner

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Philadelphia Eagles player indicted in 2019 Guernsey County, Ohio rape
An Ohio grand jury indicted Philadelphia Eagles backup offensive lineman Joshua Sills on charges of rape and kidnapping, officials said Wednesday.

The 25-year-old will face one count of rape in the first degree and another count of kidnapping in the first degree, stemming from a Dec. 5, 2019, incident in Guernsey County, court documents showed.

He was ordered to appear in court Feb. 16, which would be four days after the Eagles play the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl.

Eagles guard Joshua Sills during training camp on Aug. 7, 2022. (Andy Lewis / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images file)

Sills played in just one game this season, getting into the Oct. 9 Eagles win against the Arizona Cardinals. He has not appeared in either of the Eagles' two playoff wins so far this postseason.

The Philadelphia Eagles said in a statement Wednesday they were monitoring the case.

The organization is aware of the legal matter involving Josh Sills. We have been in communication with the league office and are in the process of gathering more information. We have no further comment at this time," the organization said.

Sills, a native of Sarahsville, Ohio, played collegiately at West Virginia and Oklahoma State before joining the Eagles as an undrafted free agent.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Publisher Haki Madhubuti, left, and the author Patrick T. Reardon at Third World Press Foundation in Chicago on Jan. 26, 2023. Reardon has written a new book titled "Puddin': The Autobiography of a Baby  A Memoir in Prose Poems," published by Madhubuti and his Third World Press. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

During the more than 30 years that Patrick Reardon worked at the Tribune, he wrote thousands of stories about politics, crime, transportation, neighborhoods, people, and all the other joys and troubles that pepper and define our urban life.

He also wrote books, among them two poetry collections, Daily Meditations (with Scripture) for Busy Dads and 2020s The Loop: The L Tracks That Shaped and Saved Chicago.

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But nothing he has ever written can match the emotional impact of his latest, a remarkable book titled Puddin, which was the playful name given to him as an infant by his aunt. The books subtitle is intriguing and provocative: The Autobiography of a Baby  A Memoir in Prose Poems.

That baby is Reardon. The book covers 1950, as well as a few weeks into 1951 and the arrival of his younger brother, which he captures in this way: I wake. In the dark, in this room, in the new crib next to mine is the new child. His name is David.

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It is David, his life and his death by suicide 64 years later, that was the impetus for this book. His death was shocking but it wasnt, Reardon told me. He had a lot of pain in his life.

This book was born of that pain and the emotional confusion and questions that attended Davids 2015 suicide. It brought Pat back to psychotherapy, his first experience lasting most of the 1990s. He did so as part of, he writes, a journey of my own to understand my brother and me and our relationship and our parents and our common history and our disparate life trajectories.

The cover of the book Puddin by Patrick T. Reardon. (Third World Press)

He visited this tragedy in his 2017 Requiem For David, a gathering of poems that can be seen as laying the foundation for Puddin. It is filled with family photographs.

Those photos were so important. There were only 40 or so and most of them were so sad for me, Reardon says. In none of them am I smiling, neither is David. I need to commune with these photos, to try to find meaning beyond the images.

This is, make no mistake, a work of fiction, but as Reardon writes in a candid and enlightening Afterword, What I have sought to do here is to translate the inchoate thoughts and sensations of an infant  into a language that hints at the simplicity and complexity of a babys mind.

Toward that end, the baby calls a newspaper sheets of words and in his tiny life a radio becomes the brown box. Reardon succeeds in this challenging task and I am not the only one to think so.

Haki Madhubuti is a prolific author and poet, teacher, and founder of Third World Press, which has focused on issues and themes related to the African American experience since 1967. He writes in the publishers note at the beginning of this book that this is only the second time he has written such a note in the TWPs history. He tells us why: The mere thought of writing as ones infant self is not only a first in poetry, most probably a first in book form  It meets our curiosity head on  I have never come across a memoir of this power, attractiveness, creativity and formative intuition.

He also writes that Reardon is not of my culture but provides a great gift for me in understanding his culture.

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Reardon was the first of what would be the 14 children of parents Audrey and David, a Chicago police officer.

My parents were not what you would call the touchy-feely kind, says Reardon.

The book is diary-like, with 110 entries, none longer than a page and some as short as seven words, such as His stone face does not let me in.

In these words and entries, we discover a world. The language I created for the baby employs single-syllable words, Reardon says. There are only two exceptions: David and Puddin.

There is one entry about a doctors visit to the familys home, another about the babys first visit to a park (Aunt has me on the grass in the park  I like how the blades are cool to my touch  The trees step to the sky. The sky has no end). The baby visits a tavern and his aunt visits with him (Her voice smiles. My eyes go wide with joy  The weight of her arms feels good, like I am part of her.).

But mostly the book is about his parents and his tiny self.

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There are moments of sadness, confusion, worry and wonder. There are loud voices and tears. And there is love, as in, He comes in the door in his blue with the star on his chest  He takes a few steps to her, wraps her in his arms, bends her, leans her back and gives her a kiss on the lips  They leave the room.

Novelist Charles Dickinson, another Tribune alum, writes that the book will get into your heart  which will be broken and made whole again over and over.

Nora Brooks Blakely is a delightful woman, talented writer and the daughter of the great poet Gwendolyn Brooks. She too fell under the books spell, calling it a visit to the small and large rejections and his attempted connection with the world, adding, You will never look at a baby in the same way.

Reardon has looked at a lot of babies in his life. There have been all of those younger siblings and their families, nieces and nephews. There are his two children with his wife Cathy and three grandchildren, the latest arriving on Jan. 24. His name is Noah Joseph Reardon and his grandfather hopes that his life is filled with smiles.

rkogan@chicagotribune.com
The Monroeville police department is asking for the publics help to locate a wanted man, accused of shooting a 16-year-old girl last month.

Daronte Brown, 18, is wanted for criminal attempted homicide, aggravated assault and related criminal charges for allegedly shooting the teen in the leg at the Monroeville Red Roof Inn on Jan. 21 after she refused to have sex with him.

RELATED COVERAGE: Police searching for man accused of shooting teenage girl in Monroeville

Brown used a black handgun with a laser sight, according to police.

Anyone with information on Browns whereabouts is asked to contact the Monroeville police department at 412-856-1111 or anonymously contact the Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers at 1-800-4PA-TIPS (8477) or online at https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=107. All callers to Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers remain anonymous and could be eligible for a cash reward.

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By Philip Pullella and Estelle Shirbon

KINSHASA (Reuters) -Pope Francis heard harrowing accounts from victims of conflict in Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday, including rape, amputation, forced cannibalism and sexual slavery, and he condemned the atrocities as war crimes.

In a poignant encounter at the Vatican's embassy in the capital Kinshasa, victim after victim told their story to the pontiff before laying down objects symbolising their suffering, such as a machete or a dagger, before a large wooden crucifix.

They included Ladislas Kambale Kombi, 16, from a village in North Kivu province in the east, who saw his father beheaded and dismembered and his mother kidnapped by militia men, leaving him and two younger sisters alone.

"Holy Father, it's horrible to witness such a scene. It never leaves me. At night, I can't sleep. It's hard to understand such cruelty, such quasi-animal brutality," he told the pope, before laying down a machete at the crucifix.

After speaking and putting down their objects, Kombi and the other victims then knelt in front of the pope, who put his hand on their heads and held their hands, each in turn, and blessed them quietly.

Emelda M'karhungulu was among several women who recounted their experiences of sexual violence. She said that in 2005, then aged 16, she was kidnapped by rebels who attacked her village in South Kivu province, and took her to a forest camp where she was raped every day for three months by up to 10 men.

"We want a different future. We want to leave behind us this dark past and be in a position to build a beautiful future. We demand justice and peace," she told the pope, laying down paramilitary clothing like that worn by her kidnappers.

Eastern Congo has been plagued for decades by conflict driven in part by the struggle for control of vast mineral deposits between the government, rebels and foreign invaders, and in part by the fallout from the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

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Bijoux Makumbi Kamala, 17, recounted her abduction from her village in North Kivu in 2020 and her 19 months of detention in a rebel camp, during which she was raped every day by a commander until she escaped, pregnant with twins.

She told how her captors mixed human flesh from the victims they killed or maimed and forced captives to eat it.

Carrying her daughters, one on her front and one on her back, she laid down a small floor mat, a symbol of her past subjugation, before the crucifix. The pope held her hands and those of her daughters as he blessed them.

Two other young women held up what was left of their upper limbs. One was missing her hands and the left arm of the other was cut off at the elbow.

Francis, who was on the first full day of his visit to Congo and had earlier celebrated Mass in front of a million people, responded to these stories with an emotional speech calling for an end to violence and resignation.

"Your tears are my tears. Your pain is my pain. To every family that grieves or is displaced by the burning of villages and other war crimes, to the survivors of sexual violence and to every injured child and adult, I say: I am with you," he said.

'MONEY STAINED WITH BLOOD'

Appealing to all parties, internal and external, who orchestrate war in Congo in order to plunder the country, he said: "Enough! Stop getting rich at the cost of the poor, stop getting rich from resources and money stained with blood!"

Armed conflict has killed millions of people over the past decades, left 5.7 million people internally displaced and 26 million facing severe hunger in the coming months, according to the United Nations.

The pope spoke of "polarising struggles in which ethnic, territorial and group dynamics intertwine", acknowledging that conflicts over land and weak institutions played a part.

"Yet it is, above all, a war unleashed by an insatiable greed for raw materials and money that fuels a weaponized economy and requires instability and corruption," he said.

"What a scandal and what hypocrisy, as people are being raped and killed, while the commerce that causes this violence and death continues to flourish!" he said.

During his Mass at an airport in Kinshasa earlier, the pope urged the Congolese people to grant each other a "great amnesty of the heart" and called on any Christians engaged in battle to lay down their arms.

The people of Kinshasa have given the pope one of the most vibrant welcomes of his foreign trips. On his arrival on Tuesday, tens of thousands lined his motorcade route, and at his Mass on Wednesday hundreds of thousands sang and danced.

A papal stop in the eastern city of Goma, foreseen when the trip was originally scheduled for last July, was later scrapped because of a flare-up in violence in the region last year between the M23 rebel group and government troops.

Thursday will be the pope's last full day in Congo, before he departs on Friday for neighbouring South Sudan, another country grappling with conflict and hunger.

(Additional reporting by Paul Lorgerie and Sonia Rolley; Writing by Estelle Shirbon and Philip Pullella; Editing by Andrew Heavens, Philippa Fletcher, Alexandra Hudson and Jonathan Oatis)
By Benoit Nyemba and Sonia Rolley

KINSHASA (Reuters) - LGBT+ activists in Democratic Republic of Congo are celebrating the arrival of Pope Francis, whose recent push for the decriminalisation of same-sex relations has given them hope of greater acceptance of their community across Africa.

Same-sex relations are illegal or taboo in many socially conservative African countries, including in South Sudan which the pope will visit after Congo. Some influential African religious leaders preach against it as a corrupting force and LGBT+ people often face threats and exclusion.

The Catholic Church teaches that while same-sex attraction is not a sin, same sex acts are. However, activists like Scaly Kep'na in Kinshasa have taken heart from the pope speaking out against the criminalisation of same-sex relations in a recent interview.

"It is a beautiful message, which advocates inclusion and marks an evolution of the Church too," said Kep'na, who set up youth organisation Jeunialissime to fight discrimination.

In past years, Pope Francis has said he could not judge gay people, that they were "children of God" and the Catholic Church should apologise to gay people for the way they have been treated.

Africa accounts for half of the world's 64 countries that criminalise same-sex relations, according to the most recent data from the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association World (ILGA World).

"These declarations are a step forward for the future of Africa, the future of our country and especially the future of religious discourse in the world," Kep'na told Reuters as the pope's plane touched down in Kinshasa on Tuesday for the first papal visit since 1985.

Even in African countries like Congo that do not explicitly outlaw same-sex activity, LGBT+ people often still face legal discrimination under public decency laws and other broader legislation.

While it is unclear if the pope will speak on the topic during his visit to Congo and South Sudan that runs to Feb 5, his message will have been heard by the continent's many Catholic faithful, said Julia Mukuala, 38, Congolese activist and member of the Pan-Africa ILGA Board.

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"We think it will change the perception of all the religious people in our countries who think that when you are homosexual, you are to be slaughtered, to be dehumanised, you are devils," she said by phone.

On Tuesday, her organisation put up a large banner in Kinshasa on behalf of the Congolese LGBT+ community, decorated with a rainbow flag and a welcoming message to Pope Francis.

'SIGN OF MERCY'

Not everyone sees the pope as an LGBT+ ally.

"The Holy Father is far far from being a supporter of homosexuality," said Father Alain Difima, head of Kinshasa's Catholic abbots, who interpreted the pope's comments seeking decriminalisation as a sign of his mercy.

The pope "simply wanted to show that a person who practices homosexuality is still capable of remaining in society," he said by phone. "It's his way of giving a chance to a homosexual person whom the world sees as a criminal."

Other Catholic clergy take a sterner view. Father Samuel Abe, Administrator of the Catholic Archdiocese in South Sudan's capital Juba, said he hoped LGBT+ rights would not come up during the pope's visit.

In "our South Sudanese culture we don't even practice or do this kind of thing," Abe said by phone. "We don't need to be debating what doesn't affect us."

In Kinshasa on Wednesday as thousands queued for the pope's open air mass, many declined to answer when asked what they thought about his stance on decriminalisation.

For Bienvenue Lukokisa, who campaigns for the rights of military wives and children, the issue comes down to personal beliefs and culture. "People should do what they want, but for us we say we are rooted in and protectors ... of African values."

(Additional reporting by Waakhe Simon Wudu in Juba and by Alessandra Prentice, Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
A former Knoxville Post Office employee was arrested last week on charges he raped a teenager in the Knoxville Processing and Distribution Center on Weisgarber Road, federal court documents show.

John Dusty Best has been charged with attempted enticement of a child and aggravated statutory rape. Federal authorities say Best, 71, had a five-month sexual relationship in 2021 that began when the teenager was 16. The teen is only identified in the complaint by his initials.

Best worked as the supervisor for transportation operations at the distribution center. He began at the Post Office in 2006 and retired in August, according to a spokesperson for the Post Office.

Best's attorney could not be reached for comment.

Best has a preliminary hearing Thursday at the federal courthouse.

Court documents detail allegations

The investigation began in the fall of 2021 after police responded to a car crash in Blount County where the teen was driving Bests car. The teen did not have a license and Best was in the passenger seat, according to the complaint.

When a Maryville police officer asked the two about their relationship, Best told officers he was the boys godfather. But his story didnt match that of the teen, and they couldnt agree on why they were out together after 8:30 p.m.

Police separated the two and called the boys father, who did not know the man and had no knowledge of them being out together.

The United States Post Office located at the corner of Weisgarber Road and Middlebrook Pike in Knoxville.

Best then told the MPD officer he had never met (the boys) father and admitted that it raises a lot of questions for him to be out with a minor without authority and allowing him to drive his vehicle without a license, the complaint reads.

While they were separated, according to the complaint, the teen told police he and Best were in a sexual relationship that began when he was 16. Best had been tipping the teen for jobs done at his home and gave him a smart phone, jewelry and promised to buy him a sports car.

The two were released, separately, and police began investigating.

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Roughly 10 days later, the teen had an interview with police where he described personal physical characteristics of Best and detailed their sexual activity, including sex inside an empty office at the Post Office facility on Weisgarber Road on the day of the car crash. The teen gave police a detailed description of Bests office, including a poster on the wall and a cabinet full of keys.

In January 2022, the teen was given a forensic medical exam, the results of which were consistent with the reported sexual abuse.

Authorities including the FBI, the United States Postal Inspection Service and the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General obtained security camera footage of the building, which confirmed the two were inside wearing the same clothes they were seen in later that night.

In future interviews with investigators, the teen said Best told him to keep their relationship a secret, going as far as to purchase a secret phone for them to communicate. The phone was used to send sexually explicit text messages and arrange meetings, according to the complaint.

Last week, Best was notified that police had a warrant to search him. Instead of coming home, he turned off his cell phone and did not respond to officers. He was eventually found, pulled over and officers followed him home. Once there, they confirmed the physical description given by the teen. Best was arrested Friday after an initial appearance.

Tyler Whetstone is an investigative reporter focused on accountability journalism. Connect with Tyler by emailing him at tyler.whetstone@knoxnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @tyler_whetstone. Make our community, our society and our republic stronger by supporting robust local journalism. Subscribe online at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Post Office worker charged with rape inside Knoxville mail facility
We're flattered, truly.

Getty Images; Antonis Achilleos

When Prince Harrys book Spare hit store shelves on January 10, fans, royal followers and the ultra-curious among us tore through its pages to find some rather salacious details of royal life. While well leave most of that up to our friends at People, there was one particular passage that caught our attention. You know, the one on page 287 when Harry admits that he and Meghan are big-time Food & Wine fans, and that one of our recipes was the centerpiece of an early date.



...I grabbed a basket, walked casually up and down the aisles. Beside the fruit and veg I felt her stroll past me. Actually, it was more a saunter than a stroll. Very saucy. We slid our eyes towards each other, just an instant, then quickly away, Harry wrote of a secret trip to the grocery store.  Meg had cut out a roasted salmon recipe from Food & Wine and with that wed made a list and divided it in two. She was in charge of finding a baking sheet, while I was tasked with finding parchment paper.

And with that graph, our 15 minutes of royally adjacent fame was over. But it did get us thinking, which recipe did they make anyway?

We only have a few clues: Its got to include salmon, appeared in the print magazine, and it had to be roasted. Well never know for sure which recipe it was (though Harry, Meghan, if youre reading this, drop us a note, wed love to know), but we do have a few educated guesses.

Sheet Pan Salmon with Brussels Sprouts

Antonis Achilleos

In 2019, chef and cookbook author Klancy Miller shared her recipe for Sheet Pan Salmon with Brussels Sprouts. As Miller wrote, "This recipe combines three simple things that I enjoy and turn to again and again when Im cooking solo: seafood, an assortment of vegetables, and a mini sheet pan." It's all the things Harry writes about in his novel, which could indicate it as a potential winner. Its only downfall is the timing: By 2019, the two had already wed, and according to Harry, this grocery store dalliance happened in the early days of their relationship. But, it doesn't make the meal any less delicious.



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:GET THE RECIPE

Salmon, Broccolini and Fresh Red Chile Papillotes

 Eva Kolenko

Chef and recipe developer Justin Chapple has the best shot at being the owner to the recipe made by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Why? For starters, his recipe for Salmon, Broccolini and Fresh Red Chile Papillotes was published back in 2015, just prior to Harry and Meghan meeting and beginning their courtship. And, the recipe calls for salmon, vegetables, and "4 large sheets of parchment paper," a key tool, according to Harry.



:GET THE RECIPE

Quick-Brined Roast Salmon with Lemon-Garlic Oil

 John Kernick

One other potential, royal-approved salmon recipe is the Quick-Brined Roast Salmon with Lemon-Garlic Oil by Kay Chun. This recipe calls for "5-ounces skinless salmon" along with the key parchment paper. And, it was published on January 1, 2017, making it just the right timing for an early date for the two (at the time still secretive) lovebirds.

:GET THE RECIPE

Roasted Side of Salmon

Christopher Testani

Finally, we have the Roasted Side of Salmon by Robin Bashinsky, a James Beard Award-winning food journalist and recipe developer. The recipe is a simple one, calling for just six ingredients: water, fine salt, granulated sugar, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and salmon. It would be ideal for a clearly new-to-the-kitchen Harry (who revealed in his book that he needed to ask Meghan what parchment paper was). The only caveat with this one is it was published in November of 2018, several months after they married. Either way, we're sure they'd enjoy making this recipe together now.

:GET THE RECIPE
(Reuters) -Myanmar's junta extended the country's state of emergency by another six months, the acting president said at a leadership meeting broadcast on state TV on Wednesday, as protesters marked the anniversary of a 2021 military coup with a "silent protest".

Junta leader General Min Aung Hlaing, in a meeting on Tuesday with the army-backed National Defence and Security Council (NDSC), also said multi-party elections must be held "as the people desire".

He did not provide a timeline for the polls, which cannot be held during a state of emergency. Critics have said any elections are likely to be a sham aimed at allowing the military to retain power.

"Although according to the section 425 of the constitution, (a state of emergency) can only be granted two times, the current situation is under unusual circumstances and it is suitable to extend it one more time of six months," Acting President Myint Swe saying said at the meeting broadcast by MRTV.

The Southeast Asian country's top generals led a putsch in February 2021 after five years of tense power-sharing under a quasi-civilian political system created by the military.

Protesters and exiled civilian leaders on Wednesday vowed to end what they called the army's "illegal power grab". In major cities across Myanmar, streets emptied as people stayed home in protest, while hundreds of democracy supporters attended rallies in Thailand and the Philippines.

The overthrow of the elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi derailed a decade of reform, international engagement and economic growth, while leaving a trail of upended lives in its wake.

Myanmar has been in chaos since the coup, with a resistance movement fighting the military on multiple fronts after a bloody crackdown on opponents that saw Western sanctions re-imposed.

In the main commercial cities of Yangon and Mandalay, images on social media showed deserted streets in what coup opponents called a "silent protest" against the junta. Democracy activists had urged people not to go out between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

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There was also a rally in Yangon by about 100 supporters of the military, flanked by soldiers, photographs showed.

In Thailand, hundreds of anti-coup protesters held a rally outside Myanmar's embassy in Bangkok.

"This year is decisive for us to completely uproot the military regime," said Acchariya, a Buddhist monk attending the rally.

Others in the crowd chanted: "We are the people, we have the future" and "The revolution must prevail."

Activists also staged a protest in the Philippine capital, Manila.

Vowing continued U.S. support for Myanmar's pro-democracy movement and threatening further sanctions against the junta, State Department Counsellor Derek Chollet told reporters: "We saw yet another example of the resilience and the diversity of Burmese civil society with the silent strike."

ARMY-BACKED COUNCIL ISSUES STATEMENT

The NDSC met on Tuesday to discuss the situation in Myanmar including the actions of the National Unity Government (NUG), a shadow administration formed by opponents, and the so-called people's defence force fighting the army, state media reported.

"The unusual circumstances of the country whereby they are making attempts to seize state power in an insurgent and terror-like ways (was discussed)," the military-owned Myawaddy media said on Tuesday.

Telephone calls to a military spokesperson seeking comment went unanswered.

Myanmar's military took power after complaining of fraud in a November 2020 general election won by Suu Kyi's party. Election monitoring groups found no evidence of mass fraud.

It declared a state of emergency for a year when it took power and has since extended it twice for six months, with the latest phase expiring on Wednesday.

The constitution allows for two extensions, though some sections appear to give more flexibility on the issue.

The NUG issued a statement of defiance, saying that "together with ethnic allies, who have opposed the military for decades, we will end the military's illegal power grab."

The United States and allies including the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada imposed further sanctions on Myanmar on Tuesday, with curbs on energy officials and junta members, among others.

The junta has pledged to hold an election in August this year. State media recently announced tough requirements for parties to contest, a move that critics say could sideline the military's opponents and cement its grip on politics.

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party was decimated by the coup, with thousands of its members arrested or jailed, including Suu Kyi, and many more in hiding.

It has described this year's planned election as "phoney" and said it would not acknowledge it. The election has also been dismissed as a sham by Western governments.

In a telephone briefing, Chollet reiterated the Biden administration's position, saying "any election without the full participation of Myanmar's people would represent a naked attempt by the junta to cling to power."

Some 1.2 million people have been displaced and over 70,000 have left the country, according to the United Nations, which has accused the military of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

(Reporting by Reuters Staff; Writing by Ed Davies and Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Lincoln Feast, Simon Cameron-Moore, Nick Macfie and Daniel Wallis)
Russian state-owned media reported on Feb. 1 that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin had asked the Defense Ministry to focus on preventing the shelling of Belgorod Oblast, which is located on the border with Ukraine.

Russia has been shelling Ukraine's northeastern regions bordering Russia, and Russian regions along the border have been shelled as well. Ukraine has not commented on whether it was responsibe for the attacks.

Explosions are regularly reported in Russia's Belgorod Oblast, the latest taking place on Jan. 17, regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported via Telegram.

According to Gladkov, air defense had been activated. No damages or casualties were reported.

Belgorod is located on the Seversky Donets River, some 40 kilometers north of the border with Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that to stop shelling of Belgorod Oblast is a "priority task", and also pointed out that the Russian Defence Ministry is responsible for this task to be fulfilled.

Source: Russian state-owned news outlet RIA Novosti

Quote: "The priority task is to eliminate the very possibility of shelling [Belgorod Oblast  ed.], but this is already a matter for the military department."

Detail: In addition, the president of the aggressor country called for "bringing the energy, heating and water supply facilities back to normal operation mode", as well as for restoring or compensating for the loss of civilians' property "quickly and effectively".

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
China completes major tasks in three-year SOE reform

Xinhua) 08:35, February 01, 2023

Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, also head of the State Council leading group for state-owned enterprise (SOE) reform, attends and addresses a teleconference, which was presided over by State Councilor Wang Yong, deputy head of the group, in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 31, 2023. The conference on China's three-year project to reform its SOEs was held here Tuesday. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

BEIJING, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- The major tasks in China's three-year project to reform its state-owned enterprises (SOEs) have all been completed, according to a teleconference held here Tuesday.

Vice Premier Liu He, also head of the State Council leading group for SOE reform, attended and addressed the conference, which was presided over by State Councilor Wang Yong, deputy head of the group.

In the past three years, work has been done to integrate the leadership of the Communist Party of China with corporate governance in SOEs, highlight their role as market entities, and advance system reform, according to the conference.

The SOEs have become leaner and healthier, their system to encourage technological innovation has been improved, and supervision over state assets has become more professional, systematic and law-based, it said.

The conference pledged to plan and push for further reform in the SOEs to improve their core competitiveness and core functions.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Theres a thesaurus worth of terms I could use to describe the nearly 300 sculptures included in The Language of Beauty in African Art, the Art Institutes first exhibition of traditional African arts in over a decade. My choice of words, though, will be predicated on the ideas of beauty and ugliness that I have absorbed over the years as an adult female resident of the north side of Chicago, as a scholar of Western and Japanese art history, as a reader of Victorian novels, as an Ashkenazi Jewish kid growing up in the 1980s in an Anglophone suburb of Montreal, and so on.

Normally I feel just fine about that. Looking at art is about understanding what youre looking at, but its also about making connections with it, and some of the most meaningful can be totally idiosyncratic. But with African art, thats almost all thats ever been done, at least in terms of Western appreciation. The amassing of ethnographic collections by European nations during the colonial era, the craze for so-called Primitive Art among modernist artists and collectors in the early decades of the 20th century  none of that had much of anything to do with the uses and standards that the originating peoples had for the artworks in question. The Africa in African art basically got left out.

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The Language of Beauty in African Art has the ambitious goal of righting that wrong, in an elegantly installed showcase of art from over a dozen distinct sub-Saharan cultures. Crucial to this plan are the exhibitions didactic texts, so if you skip them, unfortunately, there will be little to distinguish this show from most other exhibitions of African art. Follow along and youll learn about local aesthetic concepts, including the Chokwe notion of utotombo, applicable to sculptures executed with skill and care, like a pair of naturalistic portrait masks of women, complete with elaborate fiber hairstyles and facial scarification; the Mende idea of foninge, exemplified by the healthy youthfulness stylized in sowei masks, with their smooth black surfaces and thick neck folds; and jeya, a Bamana word meaning clarity, of the kind visible in a pair of antelope-shaped headdresses worn during masquerades.

A face mask, probably Ubi; Cote dIvoire. From the exhibition "The Language of Beauty in African Art" at the Art Institute of Chicago. (Hughes Dubois )

Theres plenty else to discover, too, especially in terms of the function of so many of these objects, few of which were created simply to be admired. Nearly everything here had a purpose, be it practical, symbolic, moral, ritual, judicial, protective or some combination thereof. A riotously patterned leopard-shaped stool, covered in valuable imported glass beads and once belonging to a Bamileke king, would have been brought for prestige whenever he attended public events. A carved wooden veranda post that graced the palace of a Yoruba king represents his queen as the tallest figure, and thus most senior wife, in a composition of many. A Northern Nguni headrest, useful for protecting elaborate hairstyles during sleep, features simplified bovine forms because cattle were so highly prized. A Bamum crest mask, with bulging cheeks symbolizing wisdom and power, would have been danced in pairs to represent a deceased king and his wife.

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The small symmetrical wooden figures that the Kota covered in sheets of brass and copper, all with triangular bowed legs and oversize geometric heads, guarded baskets containing ancestral remains. An enormous Bobo mask with tall horns and a square mouth served as a portable altar for Dwo, the son of the creator god, and received fresh pigment applications before every acrobatic performance in which it acted as a mediator between the human and the divine. The Southern Dan face mask known as bugle accompanied and protected warriors in battle, thanks to its aggressive animalistic horns, eyes and mouth. Humped and vaguely water buffalo-shaped, the lumpy surface of a Bamana boli was built up by the addition of secret materials, and it functioned as a reservoir of energy for the community, which could further activate it when spiritual assistance was needed by pouring on libations.

For all the details on offer here, though, plenty are missing, either because theyre unknown or because they dont fit the exhibitions focus on aesthetics.

Who made these prized and potent objects? A few famed masters are listed, like Olowe of Ise, carver of that royal veranda post, but mostly we dont know, because the original collectors did not consider it worthwhile to record the names of the artists and artisans whose creations they coveted, a lapse that reveals much about the Western approach to Africa. The Art Institute elides this situation by simply leaving artist names off the wall labels, but a more proactive approach would be to write unrecorded artist, as some scholars now advocate.

Other kinds of information could be more forthrightly acknowledged here, too, so as to be better understood as evidence lost due to the problematic circumstances under which most of these artworks were acquired, or else as a testament to those conditions.

Pair of headdresses (Ciwara Kunw). Bamana; Baninko region, Mali. The Art Institute of Chicago, Ada Turnbull Hertle Endowment. From the exhibition "The Language of Beauty in African Art" at the Art Institute of Chicago. (Ada Turnbull Hertle Endowment)

What happens to the power of a mask like the deliberately terrifying komo kun, rarely seen outside of a Bamana secret society, when viewed and handled by the uninitiated? Why are there nails and spikes embedded into the bodies of so many of the Kongos power figures, and what happened to the magical materials that were originally placed inside their cavities? How did the benevolent, idealized male Hemba portrait look in the shrine that was its original home, amid up to 20 other sculptures, and what was its original coloring, and what happened to the community it was meant to safeguard?

Four hundred years of slave trading has to figure in here somewhere, as does the arrival of Christian and Islamic missionaries, the Scramble for Africa that began in the late 19th century and the subsequent dividing up and pillaging of the continent by European countries, and the political turmoil of the decolonization period. The consequent shrinking, conscripting, destabilizing and obliterating of cultures and communities no doubt left its mark on artworks and their subsequent availability to the international art market.

Its hardly coincident that every single item included in The Language of Beauty in African Art is owned by a public or private collection located in the United States or Western Europe. Whats disappointing is that the Art Institute has not followed the example set by smaller museums like the University of Illinois Krannert and Notre Dames Snite in drafting genuinely critical didactics to go along with its displays of African art, or making partnerships with African institutions, as the Yale University Art Gallery did with Nigerias National Commission for Museums and Monuments for its monographic show of the Yoruba sculptor Bamigboye.

Nor has the Art Institute taken the bold public position of the Metropolitan and Smithsonian Museums in announcing their intention to return to Nigeria artworks looted by British military forces from the Kingdom of Benin. The Art Institute owns three such works, not included in this show but still on display in its permanent collection gallery. Curator Constantine Petridis and director James Rondeau write in their introductory texts to the exhibition catalog that the Art Institute aims to decolonize art history and practice responsible museum stewardship, but they have only just barely begun.

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The Language of Beauty in African Art runs through Feb. 27 at the Art Institute, 111 S. Michigan Avenue, 312-443-3600, artic.edu
(Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia's military must stop the shelling of Russian regions from Ukrainian territory, which he said had left many people homeless or without power.

Putin was addressing a government meeting about restoring destroyed housing and infrastructure in regions of southwest Russia that border Ukraine.

"Of course, the priority task is to eliminate the very possibility of shelling. But this is the business of the military department," Putin said in remarks published on the Kremlin website.

Ukraine does not claim responsibility for strikes inside Russian territory but has described them as "karma" for Moscow's invasion, which has razed Ukrainian cities and systematically targeted the country's energy infrastructure, leaving people frequently without power and water in the depths of winter.

Putin cited the Russian regions of Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk, as well as Crimea, which Russia seized from Ukraine and annexed in 2014, as areas where housing had been damaged or destroyed.

People were facing "very acute" problems, and repairs and compensation were needed, he said.

"Many people found themselves in a difficult situation, lost their homes, were forced to move to relatives or to temporary places of residence, faced interruptions in the supply of water, heat, and electricity," he said.

His comments signalled Moscow's frustration at the frequency of attacks in southern Russia, which have included strikes on sites such as electricity sub-stations and depots for weapons and fuel.

(Reporting by Reuters, writing by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
Nearly a quarter of Austin, Texas, households were without power Wednesday afternoon as a winter storm brought down power lines.

Freezing rain from a winter storm spanning the southern U.S. knocked out power to 166,000 households in Travis County, where Austin is located, according to grid tracking site PowerOutage.us.

With up to half an inch of ice accumulating on state roads and power lines, about 23 percent of county residents were without power as of 3 p.m. Those numbers were declining through Wednesday afternoon.

While a winter storm caused the outages  and while the Texas grid has been a live topic in the Austin-based state legislature  the cause of Wednesdays outages wasnt connected to the notorious Winter Storm Uri, which killed hundreds in February 2021.

Those outages came because insufficiently winterized natural gas generators and pipelines froze, constricting state power supplies to Texass isolated grid amid soaring demand.

In Austins case, however, the point of failure was the power transmission system, not the generation of sufficient electricity.

Hanging ice pulled down power lines and tree limbs, cutting off power supplies as icy roads impaired the line crews struggling to get the power back on, Austin Energy said in a statement Wednesday afternoon.

The utility, which provides power to the vast majority of Austin households, said it could take up to 24 hours for power to be fully restored.

About 30 percent of its customers were without power as of Wednesday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.us.

But while the grids problems didnt cause Wednesdays outage, the power losses came against a broader backdrop of controversy and debate over the grid.

In January, the Public Utility Commission (PUC) of Texas approved a rule requiring state power plant operators to commit to producing extra power to meet peak demand.

That rule  which aims to fund the construction of more gas-fueled power plants  would increase state electricity costs by $460 million per year, the Utility Commission found.

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The Texas Association of Manufacturers criticized that plan as a poorly planned giveaway to the state utilities.

The plan is a novel proposal that is not well understood, and has not been modeled, but appears to be designed to ensure a certain profit level for existing generation, the Association wrote.

The new commission rule would also do little to prevent future blackouts, experts told Texas Public Radio.

The problem that I think some of these folks [at the PUC] are trying to solve is, how do we disadvantage renewables? Doug Lewin of consulting group Stoic Energy told Texas Public Radio.

The regulators, Lewin said, are trying to solve the wrong problem.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Handsomely lettered signs meant to exclude Black people from owning or occupying homes once hung at the city limits of Wauwatosa. One hung outside at the Wauwatosa Historical Society until an inquiry from the Journal Sentinel in 2019.

In some Wauwatosa property deeds, homeowners can still find restrictions that ban anyone who is not white from living there. The city's equity and inclusion commission is asking for statewide legislation to remove this racist language that, experts say, has had far-reaching detrimental effects.

The first racial restriction, or covenant, in Wauwatosa, placed on the Washington Highlands Subdivision in 1919, stated:

"At no time shall the land included in Washington Highlands or any part thereof, or any building thereon be purchased, owned, leased or occupied by any person other than of white race. This prohibition is not intended to include domestic servants while employed by the owner or occupied by and (sic) land included in the tract."

This isn't unique to Wauwatosa. By the 1940s, at least 16 of the 18 Milwaukee County suburbs used such covenants to exclude Black families from residential areas, according to records from the Metropolitan Integration Research Center.

More:How we measure segregation and what the numbers actually tell us

Although racial covenants became legally unenforceable in 1948, they weren't specifically made illegal until the Fair Housing Act in 1968. While many have expired, or have been directly removed, there's no law that says racial restrictions can't be in Wisconsin property deeds.

For years, the commission, formed in 2019, has discussed how to remove racist language from property deeds. This month, they've passed a resolution that asks for state laws that would remove, or make it easier for property owners to remove, racial covenants.

"Originally we had suggested just a volunteer effort in Wauwatosa to help people do this themselves, but it appears that a much more effective tool might be statewide legislation that would remove, or allow for the removal, of such covenants by law, since the issue of property title and deeds is an issue of state law," said City Attorney Alan Kesner.

Similar legislation has passed in Minnesota, California and Oregon.

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"They all do it in slightly different ways, so there is a lot of flexibility if the legislature wanted to create such a state law in Wisconsin," Kesner said.

More:The Wauwatosa council has passed an equity and inclusion statement to guide the city. Here's what it says.

The resolution must pass the city's Common Council before it is sent to state legislators.

Racially restrictive covenants leave lasting effects, experts say

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee professors Anne Bonds and Derek Handley are heading a crowdsourcing effort to document and map how restrictive covenants shaped the racial geography of Milwaukee County. Bonds, an associate professor of Geography and Urban Studies, and Handley, an assistant English professor, are seen near UWM.

The commission's resolution cites the Mapping Racism and Resistance project, directed by University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee professors Anne Bonds and Derek Handley, which aims to document and map restrictive covenants in Milwaukee County.

"The covenants themselves are illegal, but their impacts are with us," said Bonds, a professor of geography and urban studies.

Impacts include generational and racial wealth gaps, current homes' property values and varying access to "well-established education systems," she said.

Covenants also help establish a culture and "ways of thinking about who belongs and who does not belong," said Handley, an English professor.

"You can talk to some Black Milwaukee residents, and they can tell you how they may not feel welcome in certain communities," Handley said.

While racial covenants have been unenforceable since 1948, they were still abided by for decades until the Fair Housing Act. The residual effects caused by covenants help to establish a culture where segregation is normalized, Handley said.

"Sometimes, I ask my students, 'Do you ever stop and ask why there are Black neighborhoods?'" Handley said. "'What words do we use to describe ... or what do we conceptualize, when we ask whether a neighborhood is good or bad, whether a school is good or bad?'"

Conversations like the ones brought forth by Wauwatosa's equity and inclusion commission are a step in the right direction, Handley said.

"We've seen instances across the nation of where properties are not appraised at the same rate because the person who's selling a house is a person of color," Handley said. "So, some of these conversations are taking place and perhaps more of them need to take place."

While Bonds called the resolution "exciting," both researchers could agree that residents should receive education on covenants, whether they are removed from deeds or not.

"I think it's very powerful for people to see the language in the documents ... where people of color, Black people are being discussed in ways ... with refuse and junk on properties, or the permitting of land uses like animals and livestock on properties," Bonds said.

Bonds and Handley hope to hold educational workshops in Wauwatosa and across Milwaukee County in coming months, also giving residents an opportunity to participate in their ongoing project.

More:The home of the first black man to build in Wauwatosa is being considered for historic designation

More:A Brookfield alderman said low-income people should 'live in West Allis or Wauwatosa.' He's facing a possible censure.

Quinn Clark can be emailed at QClark@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Quinn_A_Clark.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wauwatosa proposes ban on racial covenants in Wisconsin property deeds
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A Rayville councilwoman is currently facing criminal charges following an investigation by Louisiana State Police.

Deborah James, 53 was charged with simple battery of persons with infirmities and public intimidation.

According to authorities, Rayville Police contacted the Monroe Field Office of the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations on Jan. 10 to investigate a complaint in reference to an alleged physical altercation involving James, and the threatening of police officers.

Upon officers' arrival at a private residence, James allegedly verbally threatened them with loss of employment if she was arrested.

Louisiana State Police is currently serving as the lead investigative agency. The investigation remains active and ongoing. There is no further information available at this time.

Follow Ian Robinson on Twitter @_irobinson and on Facebook at https://bit.ly/3vln0w1.

Support local journalism by subscribing at https://cm.thenewsstar.com/specialoffer.

This article originally appeared on Monroe News-Star: Rayville councilwoman faces criminal charges, LSP officials say
Investigators need the publics help tracking down the origin of a tank top that was found near the body of 10-year-old Massachusetts girl who was abducted and murdered in 1993, law enforcement officials announced Wednesday.

Holly Piirainen was abducted on a quiet road in Sturbridge on Aug. 5, 1993. Holly and her then 5-year-old brother had stopped on the corner of South Shore and Allen roads to look at newborn puppies when she suddenly vanished.

Holly was reported missing by her father when she never returned. The only thing found at the scene of Hollys disappearance where her sneakers.

She and her family had been staying in a family-owned lakefront cottage in Sturbridge just around the corner from where she was last seen.

Hunters found her body in the woods in Brimfield near Five Bridge Road more than two months later on Oct. 23, 1993.

Hollys killer has never been found.

A number of items located at or near the remains of Holly were documented, seized, and analyzed over the years, Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni said during a Wednesday news conference.

In Holly Piirainen case, DA is seeking information about this t-shirt found in Brimfield near location where Hollys body was recovered. TIPS: 413.426.3507 @boston25 @NEunsolved #truecrime pic.twitter.com/8R9RI25qRP  Bob Ward Boston 25 (@Bward3) February 1, 2023

In the last six months, new evidence identified for additional forensic testing included a white tank top with Boston scrawled across the front, according to Gulluni.

Gulluni described the font on the tank top as pink and purple with a black silhouette of the city behind it.

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Gulluni said his office needs help obtaining information regarding the tank top, its owner, its origin, place of sale, and association with the area. He noted that the shirt has no tags or size details.

Holly would have celebrated her 40th birthday last month.

Anyone with information on the tank top or Hollys murder is urged to contact 413-426-3507.

Previous reporting on this case:

Source: Body exhumed in Mass. in connection with unsolved disappearance, murder of Holly Piirainen

New England's Unsolved: Holly Piirainen 25 Years Later

Family remembers Holly Piirainen 25 years after her abduction & murder

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

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SACRAMENTO, Calif.  A boom in oil industry earnings has created an opening for Gov. Gavin Newsom as he pursues a first-in-the-nation cap on industry profits.

Newsom on Tuesday renewed his accusation that the industry is fleecing consumers after five of the countrys largest oil companies reported record or near-record quarterly earnings.

"While Californians were being ripped off at the pump last year, Big Oils bottom line ballooned to levels never seen before in history,  he said in a statement shortly after a fifth company in a row reported eye-popping results.

The timing is important. Oil companies are rolling out earnings announcements as lawmakers in California are poised to hold hearings on a Newsom proposal to cap profit margins  an idea he floated last year as pump prices in California rose to the highest in the nation even as the cost of a barrel of oil dropped around the world.

Meanwhile, the price of gas in California is inching up again  reaching an average $4.55 per gallon in the state this week, up 10 cents from a week ago, according to AAA figures.

Even though Democrats control both houses of the Legislature, the governors assault on oil profits faces an uncertain fate. The industry wields considerable influence and some lawmakers see it as a misguided approach in a state where gas consumption is already starting to fall with the transition to zero-emission vehicles.

Newsoms proposal, which state Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) is steering through the Legislature, would target California refineries. It still lacks the most critical detail: the amount of profit that would generate a penalty.

But Newsoms continued messaging, along with a recent surge in local advertising from both sides of the issue, suggest a battle is brewing  even if major players in the Legislature are keeping quiet so far.

We are continuing to review the proposal, and on anything this big, there will be a thorough vetting, state Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) said in an emailed statement. One thing thats already clear is that Californians are tired of paying high prices at the fuel pump. Gouging Californians will not be tolerated.

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Chevron, Marathon Petroleum, Phillips 66 and Valero  four of the five big companies with refineries in California  each released annual earnings in recent days, setting new records with a combined $74 billion in profits for 2022. The companies are projecting another strong performance this year. The fifth major refiner reports next month.

Oil industry executives are pleased with their results after a tumultuous period caused in large part by Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Its good that markets have calmed, Chevron CEO Mike Wirth said during a Friday earnings call. I mean the high prices really were creating a lot of stresses out there that are not good.

Executives also said they expect oil supplies to remain limited, a big factor in higher prices.

We believe that the current supply constraints and growing demand will support strong margins in 2023, Marathon Petroleum Corp. CEO Mike Hennigan said in a Tuesday earnings call.

Supply constraints also spotlight a concern oil industry lobbyists and executives have expressed regarding a profit margin cap: They say it could lead to supply shortages that caused long gas station lines, and deep political pain, for former presidents Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter.

Oil industry representatives have accused Newsom of being more interested in scoring political points than targeting the factors that increase prices at gas stations. They say he should look at other factors in higher prices, including retail competition and state taxes.

The governors tax is targeted at the industry as a punishment, not as a way to lower costs for consumers, said Western States Petroleum Association spokesperson Kevin Slagle.

Newsom has consistently rejected the industrys arguments as lies and promised to hold the companies accountable.

His proposal is welcome even among people in oil-producing Kern County, said Cesar Aguirre, director of the local branch of the Central California Environmental Justice Network.

Even though the industry provides jobs, people in Kern see the proposed penalty as a way to address not just gas prices but other concerns such as contamination from wells, Aguirre said.

We can hold them responsible, we can hold them accountable, he said.
WASHINGTON  Republicans started the process Wednesday to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) from the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

The House approved a procedural motion setting up a likely final vote to boot Omar on Thursday.

The move is retaliation for Democrats having removed Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) from their committees in 2021 for threatening behavior toward colleagues.

Republicans have called Omar an antisemite for the way shes criticized U.S. foreign policy toward Israel.

Weve all seen the quotes and things that shes said over and over again as a member of Congress that would create major problems if she were on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), the No. 2 House Republican, said this week.

Omar told HuffPost that Republicans are targeting her just because shes a Muslim, though her past statements have caused bipartisan backlash. She apologized in 2019 for having suggested support for Israel among her colleagues that had been prompted by campaign contributions.

Later, Omar drew another round of criticism for suggesting the Israel lobby pushes for dual loyalty toward Israel; the House subsequently passed a resolution condemning the perpetuation of antisemitic stereotypes in the United States and around the world, including the pernicious myth of dual loyalty and foreign allegiance.

That resolution also condemned anti-Muslim discrimination and bigotry against minorities, and the only lawmakers who didnt vote for it were 23 Republicans.

The text of the resolution up for a final vote this week says that Omar, by her own words, has disqualified herself from serving on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, a panel that is viewed by nations around the world as speaking for Congress on matters of international importance and national security.

The resolution recounts Omars past controversial statements, the outraged response from Democrats, as well as accusations that Omar trivialized the Sept. 11 attacks, and in 2021 suggested a false equivalency between the U.S., Israel, Hamas and the Taliban. It omits her apology.

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Republicans have made little effort to hide the fact that they were retaliating for the removals of Greene and Gosar from committees in 2021. (House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has already removed Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Eric Swalwell from the House intelligence committee.)

This is raw politics, Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) said Tuesday. Were not going to unilaterally disarm.

Despite the appearance of symmetry, Omars efforts to make amends for offensive remarks stand in stark contrast to Greenes and Gosars defiance in the face of bipartisan criticism. In a February 2021 floor speech, she admitted school shootings are absolutely real and 9/11 absolutely happened but did not apologize for having advocated physical violence against Democrats.

McCarthy restored Greene to committees this month, and her first statements from the House Oversight dais lionized a mob rioter shot by Capitol police for trying to break into an inner room of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Republicans advanced the anti-Omar resolution Wednesday despite some grumbling from members of their own party. Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) told HuffPost earlier this week Republicans shouldnt punish Omar just because Democrats punished Greene and Gosar.

Someone has to be an adult in the room, Spartz said. Republican leaders mollified Spartz by adding language to the Omar resolution saying she could appeal to the ethics committee, though doing so would not restore her committee role.

Related...
Composer, jazz musician and painter Roscoe Mitchell at the Corbett vs. Dempsey art gallery, 2156 W. Fulton Street in Chicago, with some of the paintings in his retrospective exhibit "Keeper of the Code: Paintings 1963-2022." (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

Roscoe Mitchell has a morning routine. He wakes up at 4 a.m., when the windows of his Fitchburg, Wisconsin, home are still sheets of black. After watching the news, he heads to the sunroom at the rear of the house to start painting. Gradually, light floods the room; the canvass colors buzz and vibrate, as if stretching awake. Then, once the sun is up, hes off for breakfast and a walk before returning to paint some more. The next morning, he does it all over again.

Mitchell, 82, is among the most influential living musicians in the free-jazz firmament, famed for his work with the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and the Art Ensemble of Chicago, an AACM outgrowth he cofounded. Mitchells first forays into painting coincided with his first footholds in Chicagos creative music scene in the early 1960s. Those artistic practices might have continued in tandem, had Mitchell not walked away from painting in the 1970s to focus on music.

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Keeper of the Code: Paintings 1963-2022, a retrospective showing at Corbett vs. Dempsey gallery until March 11, documents Mitchells triumphant return to the easel. Since picking up painting again in earnest a few years ago, he has become almost bafflingly prolific: The vast majority of works in Keeper of the Code were painted in 2022. (One 2023 work even sneaked in: Guardian of the Code, visible from the gallery entrance.)

Mitchell has been recognized as a visual artist before, both in other high-profile exhibitions, like MCA Chicagos The Freedom Principle in 2015, and through a handful of his own album covers, the oldest of which is the Art Ensembles 1985 album The Third Decade. But Keeper of the Code, remarkably, is Mitchells first solo painting show.

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The day before it opened to the public, Mitchell guided us through the exhibition, which begins with his most recent works and ends with his early canvases, dating from roughly 1963 to 1973. The following conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Q: You started painting in the 1960s, around the time you linked up with musicians who would go on to form the AACM. And now, some 60 years later, youre painting more prolifically than ever. Whats it been like returning to the medium?

A: My experience with painting came through my uncle, Charles Commodore Carter. He worked with crayon and pen and ink, then he took a metal protractor and scraped the colors to blend them. (In his illustrations) my sisters, myself and our friends were all people from outer space. Those books got away; I can still see them just as clearly as I did in my head, but no one else can.

When I first came back from Europe with the Art Ensemble (in 1971), I had decided that I would step down from painting for a while and concentrate on composition. It wasnt until (jazz critic and molecular biologist) Terry Martin, a longtime friend of mine, wanted to buy my painting Lady Moon (2019) that I got back into it.

I had the most fun painting whenever I had to just sit in front of the canvas and try to figure out how to continue. Now Im back to that  I came full circle. I think I came back with more on my brain, you know. Id had that experience of developing my musical compositions. It made it easier to combine the two.

Roscoe Mitchell performs at the Chicago Jazz Festival in Chicago's Millennium Park on Sept. 3, 2017. (Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune)

Q: In those early years, you also combined the two sometimes in concerts, right? Showing your art while you performed?

A: Those were early AACM concerts, yeah. A lot of people in the AACM were painters. We had our own space at Lincoln Center there on Oakwood Boulevard (in Bronzeville). We also had a place in Hyde Park. Different people, when their concerts were on, they would bring their paintings. As a matter of fact, the AACM is having an exhibition in New York at the Park Avenue Armory, curated by (pianist and composer) Jason Moran. Ive done some paintings for that exhibition, as well.

Q: I assume there will be works by (AACM cofounder) Muhal Richard Abrams, too. Hes in this painting, isnt he? (Gestures to The Quintet, 1963.)

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A: Yeah. Muhals the one that got me into painting. We always went to all these exhibitions  the Art Institute, anything. That continued throughout his whole life. Whenever I got together with Muhal, we would just kind of pick up from where we left off.

During that time, he encouraged me to get a sketchpad. When I joined up with his Experimental Band (a precursor to the AACM), he encouraged all the musicians there to write their own music. He would always say, Whenever you start something, finish it. Thats good advice, you know. Because if you dont, then youre always going to be troubled by the part you left unfinished.

Q: As I understand it, you also returned to a detail in The Quintet. What was going on in your life when you painted it?

(The Quintet) came from an angry period of my life. Mingus said that If Charlie Parker was a gunslinger, thered be a whole lot of dead imitators. So, that sign used to say, Anybody for old Bird licks? But I just backed off a bit. It wasnt 10 years later or anything like that. Thats just how it ended up finished. Everything, for me, has its own time.

Some of the paintings in exhibit "Keeper of the Code: Paintings 1963-2022," by Roscoe Mitchell. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

Q: Youve said before that Music is 50% sound and 50% silence  As musicians, when we make a sound we have to make sure that sound carries the same power as the silence around it. Do you find that you think in those terms as well when you paint?

A: Yes, I do. I mean, silence is perfect. If you dont believe it, just go somewhere where its completely silent. So, if you want to measure up (laughs) youve gotta try to do something when you interrupt that silence.

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I never try to do the same thing over and over, you know. I feel better if Im able to catch whats flying around at the moment that Im doing it.

Q: So, on a canvas, silence is 

A: Its just a blank space. Theres silence in that one, right down there. (Mitchell points to The Ticket Taker, 2021.) The white is silence. It gives me the eyes and the mind a rest. This  (he points to Circle Fines 4x4, 2022, a boisterous acrylic work composed of beadlike, pointillistic circles)  not so much, though, because Im a study of opposites. Thats the only way I can learn. If that type of painting exists, so does this one. Once Ive experienced both ends, that helps me figure out whats in the middle.

Keeper of the Code: Paintings 1963-2022 is on display through March 11 at Corbett vs. Dempsey gallery, 2156 W. Fulton St.; hours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; corbettvsdempsey.com

Hannah Edgar is a freelance writer.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Read also: US puts pressure on Turkey to end Boeing air connection with Russia

He said that Turkey has been in the vanguard of international efforts to resolve various crises produced by Russias war against Ukraine: mediating the Black Sea grain deal, POW exchanges, and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

At the same time, Erdogan suggested that providing heavy tanks to Ukraines Armed Forces is risky, and will not expedite dealing with war-related problems.

We expect the world and Europe to support the peace (effort), said Erdogan.

Negotiations continue; I wouldnt say that (sending tanks) is part of the solution. Its risky and beneficial to arms barons.

Read also: Ukraine starts electricity imports from Europe to reduce deficit  DTEK

On Jan. 25, Germany finally announced the decision to provide German-made Leopard-2 main battle tanks to Ukraine, and allowed third countries to do the same. The United States announced it will send 31 M1 Abrams tanks, as well.

Read also: Ukraine to receive 120-140 modern Western tanks in first wave, FM Kuleba says

In December, 2022, interview with The Economist, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, said Ukraine would need at least 300 modern tanks to restore its pre-invasion borders.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba earlier said Ukraine will initially receive 120-140 tanks from at least 12 of its international partners.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
By Tom Balmforth and Olena Harmash

KYIV (Reuters) -Security services searched the home of one of Ukraine's most prominent billionaires on Wednesday, moving against a figure once seen as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's sponsor in what the authorities called a wartime anti-corruption purge.

The action, days before a summit with the European Union, appears to reflect determination by Kyiv to demonstrate that it can be a steward of billions of dollars in Western aid and shed a reputation as one of the world's most corrupt states.

It came as Kyiv has secured huge pledges of weapons from the West in recent weeks offering new capabilities - the latest expected this week to include rockets from the United States that would nearly double the firing range of Ukrainian forces.

Underlining Ukraine's need for more advanced arms, the country's deputy defence minister said late on Wednesday that fierce fighting was continuing in the east, where she said Russia had superiority in numbers of troops and weapons.

Photos on social media appeared to show tycoon Ihor Kolomoiskiy dressed in a sweatsuit and looking on in the presence of an SBU security service officer at his home. Reuters could not immediately verify the images' authenticity.

In a statement that did not name Kolomoiskiy, the SBU published the same photos, but with the person's face blurred.

The SBU said it had uncovered the embezzlement of more than $1 billion at Ukraine's biggest oil company, Ukrnafta, and its biggest refiner, Ukrtatnafta. Kolomoiskiy, who has long denied wrongdoing, once held stakes in both firms, which Zelenskiy ordered seized by the state in November under martial law.

Kolomoiskiy could not immediately be reached for comment.

Separate raids were carried out at the tax office, and the home of Arsen Avakov, who led Ukraine's police force as interior minister from 2014-2021.

"Every criminal who has the audacity to harm Ukraine, especially in the conditions of war, must clearly understand that we will put handcuffs on his hands," Ukraine's security service chief Vasyl Malyuk was quoted as saying on the SBU Telegram channel.

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MILITARY AND FINANCIAL AID

The infusion of Western military and financial aid creates new pressure on Zelenskiy to demonstrate his government can clean up Ukraine.

Last week, he purged more than a dozen senior officials following a series of scandals and graft allegations in the biggest shakeup of Ukraine's leadership since the invasion.

Following Wednesday's raids, the parliamentary leader of Zelenskiy's Servant of the People party, David Arakhamia, wrote on Telegram: "The country will change during the war. If someone is not ready for change, then the state itself will come and help them change."

Zelenskiy, who first came to fame as the star of a sitcom on Kolomoiskiy's TV station, has long promised to rid Ukraine of so-called oligarchs, but had faced accusations that he was unable to move decisively against his former sponsor.

In an address overnight before the raids, he alluded to new anti-corruption measures in time for Friday's summit, which Kyiv sees as key to its hopes of one day joining the bloc - a more urgent goal since Russia's invasion almost a year ago.

Ukrainian forces who recaptured swathes of territory from Russian troops in the second half of 2022 have seen their advance stall since November. Kyiv says the key to regaining the initiative is securing advanced Western weaponry.

LONG-RANGE MISSILES

Two U.S. officials said a new $2 billion package of military aid to be announced as soon as this week would for the first time include Ground Launched Small Diameter Bombs (GLSDB), a new weapon designed by Boeing.

The cheap gliding missiles can strike targets more than 150 km (90 miles) away, a large increase over the 80 km range of the rockets fired by HIMARS systems which changed the face of the war when Washington sent them last summer.

That would put all of the Russian-occupied territory on Ukraine's mainland, as well as parts of the Crimea peninsula seized by Moscow in 2014, within range of Kyiv's forces.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the arrival of longer-range U.S. weapons would escalate the conflict.

Western countries pledged scores of advanced main battle tanks for the first time last week, a breakthrough in support aimed at giving Kyiv the capability to recapture occupied territory this year.

But the arrival of the new weapons is still months away, and in the meantime Russia has gained momentum on the battlefield, announcing advances north and south of the city of Bakhmut, its main target for months.

Kyiv disputes many of those claims and Reuters could not independently verify the full situation, but the locations of reported fighting clearly indicate incremental Russian advances.

Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said that Russian forces were trying to gain ground near the strategic town of Lyman and that, despite heavy losses, were also pressing ahead with an offensive near Bakhmut and Avdiivka.

South of Bakhmut, Russia has also launched a major new offensive this week on Vuhledar, a longstanding Ukrainian-held bastion at the junction of the southern and eastern front lines. Kyiv says its forces have so far held there.

($1 = 0.9163 euros)

(Reporting by Reuters bureauxWriting by Peter Graff and Alex Richardson; Editing by Philippa Fletcher and Andrew Cawthorne)
Moscow  A Russian court on Wednesday sentenced in absentia veteran journalist Alexander Nevzorov to eight years in prison for spreading "false information" about Moscow's war in Ukraine. The verdict is the latest in a series of high-profile rulings under new legislation that opponents of the Kremlin say was designed to criminalize criticism of the conflict.



Nevzorov, 64, came under pressure from authorities for alleging that Russian forces deliberately shelled a maternity hospital in Mariupol, a port city in southern Ukraine that was captured by Moscow after a long siege.

Veteran Russian journalist Alexander Nevzorov speaks in St. Petersburg, Russia, in a February 24, 2012 file photo. / Credit: Sergei Konkov/AP

"Journalist Alexander Glebovich Nevzorov was found guilty... and sentenced to imprisonment for a period of eight years," the press service for Moscow courts said in a statement on Telegram.

Prosecutors had requested a sentence of nine years in jail. Nevsorov said in response to the verdict: "I don't think Russia will exist in nine years' time."

According to the Reuters news agency, he told a Russian outlet that he didn't plan to return to his country and accused its president, Vladimir Putin, of leading "a dictatorship based on dirt, blood and denunciations."



Nevzorov left Russia almost a year ago and did not take part in the hearings. The court said Wednesday that if he was to come home, he'd be sent to one of Russia's notorious penal colonies. The court also formally banned him from managing online content for four years  a move unlikely to have much impact on his work in exile.

Investigators launched the probe in March last year, saying Nevzorov had intentionally published "misleading information" with "inaccurate photographs of civilians affected by the shelling," which prompted him to leave the country with his wife.

He was designated a "foreign agent" one month later, a branding that carries Soviet-era connotations and piles bureaucratic pressure on people hit with the label.



Nevzorov is a former member of parliament and his popular YouTube channel boasts nearly two million subscribers.



After the Kremlin ordered troops into Ukraine last February, Russia introduced new legislation criminalizing what authorities consider to be false or damaging information about the Russian army and the offensive.



Several politicians and public figures have faced jail terms under the new law, including opposition councilor Ilya Yashin, who was sentenced to eight and a half years behind bars.

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Russian opposition activist Ilya Yashin gestures as he stands inside a glass cubicle in a courtroom, prior to a hearing in Moscow, Russia, December 9, 2022. / Credit: Yury Kochetkov/AP

Separately, a court in Russia's Far East sentenced an activist to three years in jail for "discrediting" the military and being in contempt of court, Russian media reported on Monday.



Vladislav Nikitenko sent out requests to authorities asking to initiate criminal proceedings against members of Russia's Security Council, including President Vladimir Putin, for "acts of international terrorism."

FBI searches Biden's Rehoboth Beach home in connection with documents investigation

Up to half a million workers strike across U.K.

At least 2 people killed in southern ice storm
WASHINGTON (AP)  A Russian arms dealer, his son, a group of front companies across Asia, Europe and the Middle East and their leadership have been targeted for U.S. sanctions in an effort to quell Russia's access to weapons as it continues its invasion of Ukraine.

Russian arms dealer Igor Zimenkov, his son and companies connected to the Zimenkov network in Singapore, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Israel, among other countries, were identified by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control for financial penalties.

Roughly 22 people and organizations related to a sanctions evasion network supporting Russias military-industrial complex were named in Wednesday's news release.

The administration uses an April 2021 executive order as its authority to impose the financial penalties, and took the actions in concert with the Russian Elites, Proxies, and Oligarchs Task Force, a multi-agency group that works with other countries to investigate and prosecute oligarchs and others allied with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russias desperate attempts to utilize proxies to circumvent U.S. sanctions demonstrate that sanctions have made it much harder and costlier for Russias military-industrial complex to resupply Putins war machine, Treasury's Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo said in a Wednesday statement.

Treasury says over the last year, OFAC has sanctioned more than 100 people and entities engaging in activity to circumvent international sanctions and export controls imposed on Russia.

Targeting proxies is one of many steps that Treasury and our coalition of partners have taken, and continue to take, to tighten sanctions enforcement against Russias defense sector, its benefactors, and its supporters," Adeyemo said.

As the one-year anniversary of Moscow's invasion approaches, Russia is mustering its military might in the Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine, local officials say, in what Kyiv suspects is preparation for an offensive in coming weeks.

Ukraine is hoping to secure more Western military aid as it tries to fend off the much larger Russian forces. It already has won pledges of advanced battle tanks from the U.S., Germany, Britain and other European countries.
Russian attacks in Donetsk Oblast killed four civilians and wounded six others over the past day, Donetsk Oblast Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko reported on Jan. 31.

Two people were killed in Bakhmut, one in Paraskoviivka and another in Vuhledar, the governor wrote in a statement on Telegram. Six people were injured.

The number of victims in Russian-occupied Mariupol and Volnovakha was impossible to determine at this time, Kyrylenko said.

Russia has intensified attacks near Vuhledar as it seeks to fully occupy Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts.




The occupying forces of the Russian Federation continue to suffer heavy losses

According to Ukrainian military, the hospital provides treatment to about 100 Russian servicemen.

Read also: 300 wounded Wagner mercenaries brought to hospital in Luhansk Oblast, but doctors refuse to treat them

The severity of their injuries is usually downplayed and not accounted for in medical records, the report says.

After being rendered minimal medical care, theyre sent back to the frontline.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
(Reuters) -Prominent Russian journalist Alexander Nevzorov was sentenced in absentia to eight years in jail by a Moscow court on Wednesday on charges of spreading "fake news" about the Russian army.

The court found that Nevzorov, 64, had been "motivated by political hatred" when he accused Russia's armed forces in social media posts last March of deliberately shelling a maternity hospital in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, an assertion Moscow said was false.

The court said in a statement that he would be sent to a penal colony if he ever returned to Russia, and that he was banned from managing internet content for four years.

Nevzorov, who runs a YouTube channel with close to 2 million subscribers, called the investigation ridiculous and left Russia with his wife last March. Prosecutors had asked for a nine-year sentence.

Nevzorov responded to the verdict by saying "I don't think Russia will exist in nine years' time".

In comments to a Russian news outlet, "We can explain", he said he had no plans to return to the country and that President Vladimir Putin was heading "a dictatorship based on dirt, blood and denunciations".

Nevzorov, who made his name hosting the pioneering news programme "600 Seconds" as Soviet society opened up under Mikhail Gorbachev and also served in Russia's parliament, was granted Ukrainian citizenship after publicly denouncing Russia's invasion, calling the war a "crime" and Ukraine its victim.

The case against him was brought under a law passed eight days after the invasion that set jail terms of up to 15 years for intentionally spreading false information about the military.

Russia has since blocked access to news sites publishing content at odds with the official line on the conflict, while dozens of Russian and international news outlets have left the country.

In a separate development on Wednesday, the General Prosecutor's office declared the foreign-based opposition platform Free Russia Forum to be an "undesirable" organisation that posed "a threat to the constitutional order and security of the Russian Federation".

Story continues

The Forum, whose leading members include former world chess champion Garry Kasparov, has held several meetings in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, where it staged an anti-war conference late last year.

"Undesirable" organisations are banned from operating in Russia, and people risk prosecution for supporting or promoting their activities.

(Writing by Caleb Davis and Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
Russian conventional forces have entered the long, bloody battle for Bakhmut in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, either replacing or augmenting the Wagner private mercenaries that have been fighting to capture the now-ravaged town since July. "The enemy continues to suffer great losses," Ukraine's armed forces said Tuesday, reporting they killed 850 Russian soldiers in the previous 24 hours. But Ukrainian commanders also say they are struggling to hold Bakhmut amid the waves of charging foot soldiers.

More than 4,100 Wagner soldiers have been killed and another 10,000 wounded, a U.S. official estimated in early January, including than 1,000 dead near Bakhmut from late November to early December. Many of the Wagner frontline troops were recruited from Russian prisons.

"Previously, the assaults were carried out first by convicts, followed by more 'elite' Wagner units, but now airborne units have also joined the fight," Maksym Zhorin, a former co-commander of Ukraine's Azov regiment, wrote on Telegram. "Wagner's troops are forced to advance on foot, while Russian paratroopers have armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles," he added. "Another difference is that for some reason regular troops are less willing to die than Wagner's men. That is why they act a little more cautiously. But they are still dying, just not in such huge numbers."

Ukraine is suffering heavy losses in Bakhmut, too. "Manpower is less of a Russian problem and, in some ways, more of a Ukrainian problem, not only because the casualties are painful," Lawrence Freedman, a professor emeritus of war studies at King's College London, tells The Associated Press, but they're also often "Ukraine's best troops." He added that losing Bakhmut would give Russia a tactical boost, not a decisive victory.

Bakhmut isn't in imminent danger of falling to Russian forces, "although the Ukrainian command may choose to withdraw rather than risk unacceptable losses," ISW assessed Tuesday night. "It is extraordinarily unlikely that Russian forces will be able to conduct a surprise encirclement of Ukrainian forces in Bakhmut."

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And if Russia does take Bakhmut, they'll get a bombed-out ghost city, not the quaint town of 80,000 known for its sparkling wines produced in historic underground caves, AP reports. "It's hell on earth right now," said Ukrainian soldier Petro Voloschenko, who has been defending Bakhmut since August. "Bakhmut is the heart of Ukraine, and the future peace of those cities that are no longer under occupation depends on the rhythm with which it beats."

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Viktoria Vozna, 25, had always enjoyed her quiet life in native Borvary, a city just east of Kyiv, and dreamed of raising her own children there one day.

She never wanted to live abroad, but Russias brutal war forced her out of the country.

After saving up enough money for relocation by October, she traveled 4,000 kilometers away from home to Lisbon, Portugal.

"I have never dreamed of living abroad," she told the Kyiv Independent. "When fleeing, I planned to go back home once the war was over."

But with each violent missile strike on civilians, Voznas hopes for returning to normal life in post-war Ukraine grow fainter.

The Russian full-scale invasion, which has recently marked its 11th month, has brought massive destruction to Ukraine, ruining schools, hospitals, and homes, and contaminating land and coastal waters.

Moscows repeated large-scale attacks on Ukraine targeting critical infrastructure, which have caused dozens of casualties and severely damaged the energy system since October, have made life in the country all the grimmer, even in the areas far from the front line.

A high-rise residential building lies partially destroyed after a missile strike on Jan, 16, 2023 in Dnipro, Ukraine. (via Getty Images)

As the reality of a long, difficult, and costly recovery sets in, Vozna's doubts over returning home after the war continue to grow.

This sentiment is likely shared by some of the over 4.9 million Ukrainians who have been granted temporary protection or equivalent status in Europe since the beginning of Russias all-out war on Feb. 24. According to the United Nations refugee agency, in total, more than 7.9 million Ukrainians have fled their country since then.

As of late August, the majority of Ukrainian refugees said they were planning to return after hostilities end, according to a poll by the Razumkov Center.

But experts say that as time goes by and refugees build new lives abroad, Ukraine may not be able to expect most of them back home.

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Millions may not return

Europe has not seen a mass displacement as big as the Ukrainian one since World War II. The closest conflict by size and scope of damage that could be compared to the war in Ukraine is the 1990s Balkan Wars. According to the International Center for Transitional Justice, the conflict killed 140,000 people.

By the time the hostilities were over in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Kosovo, some 4 million people had fled their homes, according to the center.

The history lesson learned from it could serve as a sobering reminder that repatriation in the aftermath of war and ethnic cleansing is rarely a swift and voluntary process.

According to a report published by the Crisis Group non-profit, only 20% of refugees returned to Bosnia within 16 months of the signing of the Dayton peace agreement, which brought the three-and-a-half-year Bosnian War, part of the Balkan Wars, to a close.

International experience in migration movements prompted by military actions suggests that, on average, only about a third of those who flee will return.

Iryna Eihelson, a researcher specializing in identity-based conflicts who holds a PhD in psychology, explains that the trauma of ethnic cleansing and loss of sense of security makes it difficult for many to envision a future in their home countries.

According to the United Nations, Russias war has killed more than 7,000 civilians and injured over 11,500 since February. The UN notes that the actual number of casualties may be considerably higher as data is currently unavailable from occupied territories and areas with heavy hostilities.

Other factors, such as building new relationships or finding a job abroad, may also impact a person's decision on whether to stay.

"A person could initially be planning to spend just a few months abroad and return. But then, for instance, they find a partner and decide to stay to pursue the relationship," Eihelson told the Kyiv Independent.

"Or a child goes to school, adapts and makes new friends there, so then a mother delays returning home until the end of the school year, and so on," Eihelson continued.

Some of those who were ready to return home after the war as of August may now have a different perspective, as they get used to new countries and see a future for themselves there, the researcher explained.

A Ukrainian woman makes a phone call to her relatives while sitting inside the Migration and Refugee Center in Kosice, Slovakia, on Dec. 17, 2022. (via Getty Images)

Europe expects to brace itself for 2.5 to 3 million Ukrainians staying, regardless of the war's evolution, Margaritis Schinas, the European Commission's Vice President, said in an interview with the Washington Post.

He attributed this partly to a "very generous offer" of a temporary protection directive, under which Ukrainians got streamlined access to housing, healthcare, and the labor market, without having to deal with typical European bureaucracy red tape.

However, Schinas sees the prospect of several million Ukrainians staying in the EU as a "rather positive development." The official described many refugees as "highly educated and skilled people" who can "immediately be incorporated into our system."

The contribution of Ukrainians may be especially timely as Europe faces a demographic decline and a notable skills gap in specific critical sectors.

Making the most out of the crisis

Europe will likely be challenged with the integration of millions of Ukrainian refugees, while for Ukraine, the post-war recovery may become even more complicated.

However, instead of viewing the displacement solely in terms of whether refugees will stay or return, Hanne Beirens, the head of the Migration Policy Institute Europe, suggests both parties can benefit if they "dare to take a kind of intermediary approach" to the issue.

Beirens meant a "back-and-forth relationship" or "circular movement," similar to the one many Ukrainians had with countries like Poland and Germany prior to the full-scale invasion.

Before 2022, millions of Ukrainians worked in the EU countries, often taking seasonal jobs in construction, agriculture, and manufacturing.

Ukrainians were seeking higher wages than at home, while countries like Poland found in them a solution to the pervasive and persistent labor shortages caused by the migration of their own citizens within the EU or the UK.

In July 2021, Andrii Deshchytsia, then Ukrainian ambassador to Poland, said that as many as 1.5 million Ukrainians worked in the country at the time, and there was a tendency for an increase in labor migration.

For Ukraine, labor migrants have been a significant source of currency inflows, transferring as much as $15 billion to Ukraine in 2021. Labor migrants often send such payments to their relatives.

"Past experience may be a precursor or a good basis for the future," Beirens told Kyiv Independent.

It may be easier if families return to this kind of relationship, she said.

Demographic 'catastrophe'

Though it might somewhat benefit from having citizens abroad, Ukraine still needs as many of its people back home as possible due to the catastrophic impact of Russias invasion on the countrys demography.

Even before 2022, Ukraines population was among the fastest-shrinking in the world.

Fighting and missile strikes contribute to the populations decrease through excess mortality. Not only has the war directly caused casualties, but it has also increased the number of people dying from stress, poor nutrition, and insufficient medical care.

In December, Ella Libanova, director of the Ptoukha Institute for Demography and Social Studies, warned about Ukraines population's dramatic decrease.

"I dream that by 2030 there will be (at least) 35 million of us," she said, talking about a country that had more than 43 million people in 2021, as estimated by the World Bank.

"Unfortunately, even this may not be the case," Libanova said.

Ukraine needs its people to want to go home



Some refugees will go back to Ukraine after the war's end for patriotic reasons or because their families are there. But for others, the decision to return may be more complicated, with concerns about the challenges of the post-war recovery lingering in their minds.

First and foremost, to achieve Ukraine's goal of getting millions of its people back, refugees must have somewhere to come back to. Many have lost their homes due to Russia's ongoing attacks and will need new ones upon return.

The Infrastructure Ministry reported on Jan. 25 that as of the fall of 2022, more than 2.4 million Ukrainians had their homes damaged or destroyed. A total of over 170,000 residential buildings have been damaged or destroyed, according to the ministry.

Such scale (of destruction) requires systemic solutions to provide victims with housing, the ministry said.

The efficiency of the rebuilding and governmental policies on providing refugees with housing may influence their choice in favor of return.

Utility worker stands near the truck crane which lifts an old pipe on Sept. 9, 2022, in Kharkiv. The city authorities organized the replacement of heating pipes to reduce heat losses in the Saltivka district, despite daily shelling by Russian troops. (via Getty Images)

Among other efforts, which could include tax-free livelihood for a while, specific subsidies towards repopulating devastated areas, or launching exciting reconstruction projects like the creation of "smart cities," Irina Tsukerman, a New York-based geopolitical analyst told the Kyiv Independent via email.

Tsukerman suggests that "meaningful economic incentives and opportunities" may encourage those refugees to doubt whether to return or stay.

The decision will also be strongly influenced by the media, according to researcher and PhD in psychology Eihelson.

As Ukrainian refugees spend more time away from their home country, their perception of what life in Ukraine is like is shaped increasingly by what they see on the news. But the researcher says this picture may not be the most accurate one.

I can imagine life in Ukraine seeming much worse than it actually is, with endless reports of cities reduced to rubble, shattered glass and debris in Mariupol, Volnovakha, and other devastated areas, she said.

The researcher warns that if Ukrainian refugees are exposed to mostly reports of destruction and human suffering, they may perceive the country as a place of pain and suffering, and be less likely to return.

But there is another side to the story.

Eihelson believes that if refugees see more reports of progress and renewal in Ukraine, they may be more inclined to come back.

This includes democratic reforms, economic development, and an improvement of social programs and policies. These are the same reasons why many people left Ukraine long before 2022.

"Will they (refugees) see it (Ukraine) as a land of pain and suffering, grappling with the aftermath of war, or as a country on the rise, with a resurgence of prosperity and opportunities?" Eihelson asks.

For many Ukrainian refugees, the answer to this single question may determine their future: home or abroad.




Russian President Vladimir Putin (l) and Russian Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, January 31, 2023. Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP

Russia's prosecutor general told Putin more than 9,000 mobilized troops were called up illegally.

In a face-to-face meeting, he said their health was why many shouldn't have been sent to fight in Ukraine.

Reports last year said Russia had called up students, elderly people, and those with health issues.

In a sitdown meeting with Russia's president, the country's prosecutor general said that thousands of troops who were mobilized to fight in Ukraine last year were conscripted illegally.

Igor Krasnov told Russian President Vladimir Putin that almost 9,000 reservists were mobilized illegally, according to a transcript of their conversation released by the Kremlin on Tuesday. He said that many of them should not have been sent in the first place because of ill health, and were later returned to Russia.

Krasnov also said there had been issues with paying the troops.

In his conversation with Putin, Krasnov said that the mobilization "revealed a lot of significant problems."

In September, Russia announced a partial mobilization of 300,000 troops, which it said was completed in October. This came after major battlefield setbacks for Russian forces, which had expected a quick victory following the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Putin said in December that 150,000 of those troops had been sent to serve in Ukraine, with the rest still in training in Russia.

The military call up resulted in tens, if not hundreds of thousands of young Russians leaving the country by plane and over its land borders in the weeks that proceeded it.

Putin admitted last September that Russia had made "mistakes" in its mobilization, after reports that students, people without combat experience, the elderly, and those with health issues were among those who had been called up to fight, when only reservists were supposed to have been drafted.

Krasnov told Putin that Russia had been forced to "reconsider approaches to the organization of military registration," and had created databases of available military personnel.

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Widespread issues related to Russia's mass mobilization have long been reported, including a lack of training and equipment. Some soldiers were drafted, trained, sent to Ukraine, killed, and returned home in body bags within a month of the announcement  a rapid timeline that would be unheard of in a Western army.

Experts and defectors also say that Russian generals used the troops like cannon fodder.

In the transcript of the conversation released by the Kremlin, Putin praised Krasnov's work, and asked him to keep monitoring the "rights" of mobilized Russians.

This comes as Russia is expected to announce another round of mobilizations, though the numbers are unclear.

Ukraine and its allies say they expect a fresh Russian offensive in the spring, with Ukrainian intelligence warning earlier this month that Russia plans to mobilize 500,000 additional troops.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday that Russia is preparing to mobilize more than 200,000 troops, while the UK ministry of defense said in December that Putin had been presented with plans to expand Russia's military by around 30%, to 1.5 million active personnel.

The release of the transcript between Putin and Krasnov is likely an effort by the Kremlin to reduce concerns in Russia that any future mobilizations will be as ill-prepared as the last one.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Jane Fonda arrives at the Season 7 premiere of "Grace and Frankie" last spring in Los Angeles. She reunites with co-star Lily Tomlin in the film "80 for Brady." She talks about a worst moment in her career. (Richard Shotwell/Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Four longtime friends head to the Super Bowl and misadventures ensue in the comedy 80 for Brady, starring Jane Fonda alongside Lily Tomlin, Sally Field and Rita Moreno. Its one of several recent projects for Fonda that centers on meaningful friendships among women, from the long-running Netflix series Grace and Frankie to the upcoming sequel to Book Club, which comes out in May.

Its not intentional, Fonda said of this through-line, just a happy turn of events. Friendships are very important to me. In fact, friendships are very important to human beings. We are an animal that needs relationships. We need to be touched and hugged and loved and not feel alone. And fortunately, the women that Im working with, both in 80 for Brady and Book Club: The Next Chapter, they both have four women in them and all those women are friends of mine. I got really lucky.

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Rita Moreno, from left, Jane Fonda, Sally Field and Lily Tomlin in a scene from "80 For Brady." (Scott Garfield/AP)

Fondas career spans six decades, her winning two Oscars along the way for Klute in 1971 and Coming Home in 1978. Its a resume filled with iconic titles, from Barefoot in the Park to Barbarella to They Shoot Horses, Dont They? to The China Syndrome to 9 to 5.

When asked about a worst moment in her career, she recalled a memory from her early days as an actor.

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My worst moment 

I met a French director who will remain nameless  he is no longer alive and he was not someone I was married to. He was a famous French director and he had flown in from Paris to meet with me about a role in a film with Alain Delon. This might have been in 60 or 61.

And he said  he was kind of flirting with me  he said, You know, the character has to have an orgasm in the movie and I need to know what youre like when you have an orgasm.

He didnt speak English, though. He spoke French. So I pretended that I didnt understand what he was saying. I spoke French fluently, but I pretended I didnt understand what he was saying.

And he never had his way. I guess thats the most absurd, horrible thing.

How did the meeting culminate?

He hired me. Not that day, but I was hired. I dont remember the immediate aftermath of the conversation.

Fonda was young and this was early in her career  how did she have the wherewithal to decide: Im not going to play this game?

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I wasnt attracted to him. And Id rather lose a job than sleep with a guy.

I didnt (have experience with the Hollywood casting couch) because most of the heads of the studios at that time knew my father (Oscar winner and bonafide Hollywood legend Henry Fonda) and, you know, I think that had something to do with it. This guy was French. So, it was different. He didnt know my father (laughs).

Jane Fonda at a Washington, D.C. climate change rally in 2022. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

Afterward, I thought it was funny. We didnt think about it that much back in those days  at least, I didnt. I mean, I remembered it, so obviously it had an impact on me, right? Because it was 60 years ago. But I just thought it was weird  and stupid on his part.

Did it give Fonda a sense of confidence in herself  if she wasnt going to be pressured into doing this, did that allow her to make similar decisions going forward?

No. I wasnt that sophisticated. It didnt feel at all like confidence  I dont think confidence had anything to do with it. The stakes werent very high for me. I didnt particularly care one way or the other.

Listen, a lot of actresses have it much worse. I told this story a few weeks ago to somebody and she kept saying, Im horrified! She kept coming back to it and saying, Im horrified. And I said, listen, honey, thats nothing compared to what Ive heard that other girls and women have gone through. All he did was ask (laughs).

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The takeaway 

The guy was horny and he couldnt get a proper date.

Nina Metz is a Tribune critic

nmetz@chicagotribune.com
Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Rei Onishi, an attorney for the Governors Office for the past several years, to serve as a Sacramento Superior Court judge.

Onishi, 41, of Sacramento County, was among 10 new California superior court judges appointed by Newsom, the Governors Office announced Tuesday in a news release. Onishi is filling a vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Michael A. Savage.

He has been deputy legal affairs secretary in the Governors Office since 2017 under Newsom and former Gov. Jerry Brown. Onishi, a Democrat, argued on behalf of both administrations in defense of Browns pension overhaul law.

The California Supreme Court in July 2020 ruled against public employee unions challenging part of Browns Public Employees Pension Reform Act that barred pension spiking.

Before that, Onishi served as a senior policy advisor and White House fellow in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development from 2015 to 2017. He also served as a deputy attorney general in California from 2012 to 2015 and as a law clerk from 2011 to 2012 for former Judge Beverly Martin of the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

Onishi was a legislative aide and senate fellow for state Sen. Joe Simitian from 2004 to 2006. He earned his law degree from Harvard Law School and a masters degree in public policy degree from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Superior court judges serve six-year terms and are elected by county voters on a nonpartisan ballot at a general election. Vacancies are filled through appointment by the governor.

This weeks bench appointments from the Governors Office also included judges in Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Nevada, Riverside County, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo and Santa Cruz counties.

Newsoms office on Tuesday also announced his nomination of four Court of Appeal Justices: Justice Tracie L. Brown as Presiding Justice of the 1st District Court of Appeal, Division 4; Judge Tari Cody as an Associate Justice of the 2nd District Court of Appeal, Division 6; Judge Audra Mori as an Associate Justice of the 2nd District Court of Appeal, Division 4; and Judge Julia Kelety as an Associate Justice of the 4th District Court of Appeal, Division 1.
Jan. 31The Santa Fe County Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved additional pay increases and bonuses for some of the community's most essential union employees, from nurses at the county jail to sheriff's deputies.

The first of two updated collective bargaining agreements will increase deputies' temporary retention incentives  bonuses meant to keep them on the job longer  to 6.2% of their earned wages from 3% between Dec. 31 and June 30, the last day of fiscal year 2023. The second contract change will provide a 1.5% cost-of-living increase for jail medical staff represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees' New Mexico Council 18, Local 1413-M.

Sonya Quintana of the county's Human Resources and Risk Management Division said jail nurses and other medical workers received a 3% cost-of-iving adjustment in July, but noted their contract, in effect from August 2021 to August 2025, doesn't provide for any further pay increases.

"So this amendment would address that issue and ensure that we have good recruitment and retention opportunities," Quintana told the commission.

The agreement with the deputies union also would provide a $500 recruitment bonus for those who refer a new deputy to the sheriff's office who stays for 13 pay periods  and an additional $500 if the new deputy stays for another 13 pay periods.

Sheriff Adan Mendoza said the bonuses were made possible through state law enforcement recruitment funds.

"This does several things that allows us to use some of this money to retain one of our most valuable resources, and that's the deputies that work for Santa Fe County," Mendoza said. "They have been here and have weathered the storm through, you know, low numbers of officers on the streets while we have been recruiting through COVID. We want to reward them for all the hard work and their commitment."
The Chrisley family stars in "Chrisley Knows Best" and a spin-off of the show. Tommy Garcia/USA Network/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Todd and Julie Chrisley's son Grayson, 16, had a "breakdown" the week after they reported to prison.

Savannah Chrisley shared the update on her podcast. She also said Chloe, 10, is "missing her mom."

Savannah said she is "trying to stand strong" so "they feel comfortable enough to break down."

Todd and Julie Chrisley's 16-year-old son Grayson had a "breakdown" the week after they entered prison, and their adopted daughter, Chloe, 10, doesn't understand why they can't come home, according to their older sister  and now legal guardian  Savannah Chrisley.

Speaking on the latest episode of her podcast, "Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley," released Tuesday, the 25-year-old shared an update on how the family is doing two weeks after the reality TV couple started their prison sentences for bank fraud and tax evasion.

While Savannah admitted that she didn't feel she was doing an "adequate enough" job of caregiving for her younger siblings in her parents' absence, she said the two minors have been struggling too.

"Last night, Gray had a breakdown, and he's trying to process my parents and the situation that they're in and how that's not the image that he wants to have of them," she said.

She also said: "Grayson is 16 years old, there's so much growth going on with him right now, and it breaks my heart to know that my parents are missing out on that."

Savannah Chrisley, Chase Chrisley, Chloe Chrisley, Grayson Chrisley in an episode of "Chrisley Knows Best." USA Network/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

As for Chloe  Todd and Julie's biological granddaughter who they adopted in 2016  Savannah said she is "trying to process them being gone and missing her mom."

Savannah recounted a recent incident when she was driving with Chloe in the car and was faced with inquiring questions from the pre-teen about why her parents had been taken away from her.

"She just said, 'Why? They're not bad people, they don't belong there. Why?'" Savannah recalled.

After encouraging her to pray so that God might "take our anger away and help us deal with our sadness a little better," she said Chloe broke down crying.

Story continues

"She looked at me with tears just rolling down her face and said, 'Guess what? I pray all the time. I pray for mom and dad to get home, I pray all day and guess what, Sassy? Nothing happens, it doesn't work.'"

"And when a 10-year-old says that to you, how do you respond?" Savannah asked her listeners.

Reality TV personalities Julie and Todd Chrisley in 2018. Paul Archuleta/Getty Images

"There are times when I feel that way too," she admitted tearfully. "I feel that I pray, and pray, and pray, and I'm waiting for a miracle to happen that just doesn't happen."

She added: "I'm trying to stand strong and not break and be strong for them, so they feel comfortable enough to break down, and it's tough."

Todd and Julie Chrisley were convicted in June of defrauding banks out of more than $30 million by providing fake financial statements to make them appear wealthier than they were.

Their sentences were announced in November. Todd, 53, who prosecutors called the "mastermind" of the couple's years-long tax and bank fraud scheme, was sentenced to 12 years at Federal Prison Camp Pensacola.

Julie, 50, who prosecutors believed played a lesser role, was sentenced to seven and reported to the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Lexington in Lexington, Kentucky. They began their sentences on January 17.

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Kolomoisky's residence is being searched

NVs sister outlet Ukrainska Pravda reported on Feb. 1, citing its sources in law enforcement that a search of the residence of Kolomoisky, the former owner of PrivatBank, Ukraines biggest bank, now state-owned, was underway.

Read also: Ukraines anti-graft agencies charge MP Herasymov with failure to declare real estate in Spain

Unofficially, one of the law enforcement agencies confirmed to NV Business that the ESBU was indeed conducting investigative actions against Ihor Kolomoisky.

According to Ukrainska Pravda, the case concerns the alleged embezzlement of oil products worth UAH 40 billion ($1.09 billion) and customs duty evasion "of astronomical amounts."

Searches at Kolomoisky's residence Ukrainska Pravda

Ukrnafta and Ukrtatnafta, along with a number of other strategic enterprises, were nationalized on Nov. 7, 2022.

Kolomoiskyi is being searched by the SBU and ESB Ukrainska Pravda

The decision to nationalize the companies was carried out on the basis of an order issued by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy according to martial law.

The shares of the companies were placed at the disposal of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine for the period of martial law.

Read also: Ukrainian billionaire Zhevaho released from jail in France on bail of 1 million euros

On Nov. 11, Serhiy Koretskyi was appointed CEO of Ukranafta.

Prior to that, the company's operational management was carried out by the so-called Privat business group associated with Kolomoisky.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
ANDY BUCHANAN

Members of a small New York community are furious at their local school for sharing a painfully tone-deaf social media post in which a dirty snowman was praised for its diversity.

The Coxsackie-Athens Central School District posted an image on Tuesday of three elementary-aged students proudly standing behind a snowman they had built, local radio station WRRV reported. In the photo, the snowman has been constructed with three large mounds of snow with what appears to be quite a bit of dirt mixed in.

Todays CE Fourth Grade Playground Fun, Coxsackie-Athens Central School District posted on its Facebook page, seemingly referring to Coxsackie Elementary School. This snowman is just as diverse as our students!

Community members immediately questioned the caption the district paired with the photo.

Louisiana School Official Resigns Over Slur-Filled MLK Day Text

I would like for Coxsackie-Athens Central School Districts to explain the meaning of this post? a Facebook user from Hudson, New York, wrote.

I literally hate Coxsackie so so much. Lol embarrassing a** town, another Facebook user posted. Like its really so so simple to just not speak sometimes.

A Coxsackie residents post about the ordeal received over 150 comments and more than 150 shares by Wednesday afternoon.

According to WRRV, many people of color were upset that they were being compared to dirty snow, calling the post dehumanizing.

In a statement posted to the districts website Tuesday, Superintendent Randy Squier wrote, Today, a post was uploaded to our Facebook page that has since been deleted... The word diverse was used to describe how every kid can make a snowman differently and this variety of creativity should be celebrated. When it was commented that this post could be interpreted about race the post was taken down. We want to apologize and reiterate it was never intended to be hurtful.

Families of the students in the picture have already been contacted personally, Squier continued. We will use this as an opportunity to review our social media policies and procedures and continue our commitment to providing a learning environment where every person feels that they belong.

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Screenshots of the post continued to float around on social media even after it was deleted.

Gonna keep commenting on posts so you can keep deleting them, a Coxsackie-Athens alumnus wrote on the districts Facebook page along with the photo of the snowman.

Im going to leave this here since Coxsackie-Athens Central School District decided to delete this post after getting some backlash, a Facebook user posted on her page.

This is where language and white privilege collide smh, someone replied. Im sure it was said with innocent intentions from someone who lacks education on diversity, lacks socially acceptable humor and clearly needs a reality check.

Squier told The Daily Beast that the district employee wasnt intentionally making a comment about race.

Were very sorry that that was taken that way and, you know, it was never intended to be hurtful, Squier said. The person who initiated the post is, in all honesty, like mortified because that was not the intent.

The superintendent also said that the district would use the ordeal as a learning opportunity.

Were going to review our policies and how we post on social media and our procedures and, and just continue to work towards being a place...where every every kid and every adult feels that they belong, he said.

Squier also suggested that if anyone in the community still has concerns over the post, they should contact the district to discuss it.

We're going to learn from it and move forward and continue to be conscious of how things are said or posted in this regard.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Jan. 31WILLMAR  Miguel Garcia has been selected to the Minnesota Band Directors' Association State Jazz Honor Band.

Garcia, a sophomore at Willmar SEnior High School, was selected as lead alto saxophone. Students submit an audition consisting of scales, jazz etudes and improvisation.

The State Jazz Honor Band is an opportunity for talented young musicians from across Minnesota to join together in the performance of quality jazz ensemble literature. The ensemble will be directed by David Hagedorn, jazz professor at St. Olaf College.

Members will perform in concert at the Minnesota Music Educators' Association mid-winter clinic on Feb. 17 in the Minneapolis Convention Center.

WILLMAR  Willmar Public School had 12 band students in the Southwest Minnesota Band Directors' Association Regional Honor Band in Marshall on Jan. 21.

The students were nominated by their band directors based on their musicianship. The honor band festival featured three bands: a seventh- and eighth-grade band, a ninth- and 10th-grade band and a 11th- and 12th-grade ensemble.

The Willmar students who participated were Tristan Boehm, Stephany Corona, Leslie Jimenez, Ayven Malone, Luke McCleary, Ryan Newberg, Lisa Resendiz, Diana Siu Perez, Genesis Soto, Jaime Ulloa, Brynna Willis and Roslyn Willis.

The three bands were directed by Dr. John Ginnochio, Jim Baxter and Ronald Stary.

Named to the fall semester dean's list with a GPA of 3.5 or higher at the Brookings school were:

Appleton: Josie Munsterman

Atwater: Dana Hedberg, Rachel Wilner

Belview: Samantha Anderson, Hannah Schjenken

Benson: Alissa Maurer, Kiara Schilling

Bird Island: Jerson Kopka

Blomkest: Marisa Peterson

Buffalo Lake: Mitchell Kleeberger, April Medina

Clara City: Brynn Lozinski, Isabelle Plagge

Clarkfield: Hadleigh Olson

Cosmos: Addison Bernstein

Danube: Lauren Allex

Dawson: Braxton Hahn, Madison Hansen, Ryan Lund, Megan Mamer, Morgan Wente, Wylie Wiebe

Glenwood: Hannah Braaten, Peyton LeClair

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Granite Falls: Emily Johnson, Tiana Rupp

Grove City: Brenna Anderson, Ryan Peterson

Hancock: Jennifer Solvie

Kandiyohi: Savannah Lindstrand

Litchfield: Jaritza Cazares Cruz, Wilfrido Villela

Madison: Austin Bonn, Addyson Bonn, Kadyn Fernholz, Emily Kennedy, Kelsey Loterbauer, Chloe Ludvigson, Ashley McFarland, Jakob Peterson, Alexandra Sather, Ezekiel Sather, Aaliyah Schommer

Montevideo: Amery Arends, Kaden Boike, Noah Buseman, Cali Christianson, Kori Douglas, Seth Kuno, Cortney Pauling, Gabrielle Santaella, Dylan Spray

Morris: Jacqueline Boots, Alexander Daugherty, Maria Gallegos, Justus Moser, Sydney Solvie

New London: Hayden Christopherson, Olivia Gabrielson, Annika Spors

Olivia: Molly Hildreth, Lanie Mages, Jordan Sagedahl

Paynesville: Lana Elfering, Savannah Gruber

Redwood Falls: Adam Bommersbach, Jaydon Estebo, Andrew Fischer, Abby Gilk, Bryant Haas, Katherine Hawton, Alex Louwagie, Catherine Maddock, Logan Prouty, Alexa Steffl, Janessa Whitaker

Renville: Natalie Beckendorf, Makenna Bruns, Morgan Haen

Spicer: Landin Brink, Brody Lien, Tate Newman, Jacob Rosendahl

Starbuck: Kyerra Carter, Nathan Rankin

Villard: Laureen Walter

Watson: Sidney Gerdes

Willmar: Adeline Cruze, Aidan Donelan, Marin Enstad, Leah Hansen, Tyler Ludwig, Caitlin Ogdahl, Madyson Spencer, Brandt Sunder, Riley Zammert

Named to the fall semester dean's list with a GPA of 3.66 or higher at the University of Minnesota school in Rochester were:

Grove City: Abigail Holmberg, Lilly Rick

Redwood Falls: Cameran Sommers

Named to the fall semester dean's list with a GPA of 3.5 or higher at the Valley City, North Dakota, school were:

Benson: Madison Wrobleski

Dawson: Micah Olson

Willmar: Jett Salonek

Named to the fall semester dean's list with a GPA of 3.75 or higher at the Duluth school were:

Glenwood: Alicia Graham

Litchfield: Montana Linsmeier

New London: Allison Carlson

Olivia: Kendall Mack

Paynesville: Dawson Miller

Spicer: Arin Deal, McKenzie Iverson

Named to the fall semester dean's list with a GPA of 4.0 at the Watertown, South Dakota, school was:

Atwater: Wilson Gratz
Seattle police are searching for two suspects accused of stabbing a man in the University District on Tuesday evening.

Police initially responded to a report of rocks being thrown at a man near the intersection of Northeast 45th Street and University Way Northeast at about 6:30 p.m. But upon arriving at the scene, police found the 53-year-old male victim with a non-life-threatening stab wound to his chest.

According to police, the victim was in an alleyway when a man and a woman approached him.

Following a verbal altercation, the man and the woman reportedly threw rocks at the victim. Both suspects then grabbed and held the victim as the male suspect stabbed him.

The suspects fled the scene on foot and were last seen heading southbound on University Way Northeast, according to police.

Medics with the Seattle Fire Department responded to the scene and transported the victim to Harborview Medical Center, where he received treatment for his injuries.

Police describe the male suspect as an approximately 25- to 35-year-old white man with a skinny build. He was wearing a light-colored hoodie, dark pants, a white beanie with a pompom, sneakers with white soles and dark uppers and a backpack.

The female suspect is described as a 25- to 30-year-old white woman with bleached hair with dark roots. She was wearing white pants and hoop earrings and carrying multiple pieces of luggage, including a pink bag.
Flanked by Rev. Al Sharpton,left, and her husband Rodney Wells, RowVaughn Wells speaks during the funeral service for her son Tyre Nichols at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis, Tenn., on Feb. 1, 2023. (Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean)

MEMPHIS  Tyre Nichols family and friends gathered Wednesday for a funeral that blended a celebration of his life with outrage over the brutal beating he endured at the hands of Memphis police and heated calls for police reform.

The Rev. Al Sharpton and Vice President Kamala Harris both delivered impassioned speeches calling on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a broad package of police reforms that includes a national registry for police officers disciplined for misconduct, a ban on no-knock warrants and other measures.

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Harris said the beating of Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, by five Black police officers was a violent act that went against the stated mission of police to ensure public safety.

It was not in the interest of keeping the public safe, because one must ask, was not it in the interest of keeping the public safe that Tyre Nichols would be with us today? Was he not also entitled to the right to be safe? So when we talk about public safety, let us understand what it means in its truest form. Tyre Nichols should have been safe, she said.

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Sharpton said the officers who beat Nichols might have acted differently if there was real accountability for their actions. He also said he believes that if Nichols had been white, you wouldnt have beat him like that.

We understand that there are concerns about public safety. We understand that there are needs that deal with crime, Sharpton said.

But you dont fight crime by becoming criminals yourself. You dont stand up to thugs in the street becoming thugs yourself. You dont fight gangs by becoming five armed men against an unarmed man. That aint the police. Thats punks, he said, to rousing applause from the crowd.

The Rev. J. Lawrence Turner called Nichols a good person, a beautiful soul, a son, a father, a brother, a friend, a human being who was gone too soon and denied his rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, denied the dignity of his humanity, denied the right to see the sun set another day, to embrace his mother, hang out with his friends, hold his child, and the right to grow old.

As we celebrate Tyres life and comfort this family, we serve notice to this nation that the rerun of this episode that makes Black lives hashtags has been canceled and will not be renewed for another season, Turner said. We have come and we shall overcome.

Tiffany Rachal, the mother of Jalen Randle, who was fatally shot by a Houston police officer in 2022, sang a rendition of the classic gospel standard Total Praise to rousing applause from the congregation and Nichols family.

All of the mothers all over the world need to come together, need to come together to stop all of this, Rachal said.

Nichols mother, RowVaughn Wells, fought back tears as she spoke of her son.

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The only thing thats keeping me going is that I truly believe that my son was sent here on assignment from God. And I guess now his assignment is done. Hes gone home, she said.

In the three weeks since Nichols death, five police officers were fired and charged with murder. Their specialized unit was disbanded. Two more officers have been suspended. Two Memphis Fire Department emergency medical workers and a lieutenant were also fired. And more discipline could be coming.

But Wednesday was about Nichols, a skateboarder and amateur photographer who worked making boxes at FedEx, made friends during morning visits to Starbucks and always greeted his mother and stepfather when he returned home with a sunny, Hello, parents!

Nichols was the baby of their family, born 12 years after his closest siblings. He had a 4-year-old son and worked hard to better himself as a father, his family said.

Nichols grew up in Sacramento, California, and loved the San Francisco 49ers. He came to Memphis just before the coronavirus pandemic and got stuck. But he was fine with it because he was with his mother, RowVaughn Wells, and they were incredibly close, she said. He even had her name tattooed on his arm.

Friends at a memorial service last week described him as joyful and kind, quick with a smile, often silly.

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This man walked into a room, and everyone loved him, said Angelina Paxton, a friend who traveled to Memphis from California for the memorial service.

The beating of Nichols happened after police stopped him for an alleged traffic violation Jan. 7. Video released after pressure from Nichols family shows officers holding him down and repeatedly punching him, kicking him and striking with him batons as he screamed for his mother.

Nichols death was the latest in a string of early accounts by police about their use of force that were later shown to have minimized or omitted mention of violent encounters.

Family members of others who have been killed by police attended the funeral, including George Floyd, Botham Jean, Eric Garner and Breonna Taylor.

AP reporter Travis Loller reported contributed from Nashville, Tenn.
Justice For Tyre Nichols

Nows your chance to see the Memphis Tyre Nichols loved so much.

Tyre Nichols mother, RowVaughn Wells, said nobodys perfect, but he was damn near when describing her son. Loved ones say Nichols loved to skateboard and was an artist. The consensus from everyone who knew him says he taught them how to march to the beat of their drum.

Nichols was beaten to death by Memphis police officers for several minutes on Jan. 7 after they stopped him for alleged reckless driving. He went to the hospital in critical condition and eventually died on Jan. 10. He was just 29 years old.

As the world watched the horrific video of the officers physical assault on an unarmed Black man, his family and friends wanted to remember what they call a beautiful soul differently. Nichols was a photographer who took his pictures very seriously. He had a website dedicated strictly to his art form.

Photography helps me look at the world in a more creative way, he stated on his website. It expresses me in ways I cannot write down for people.

He loved action sports, rural photos and bodies of water, but his favorite was landscape.

My vision is to bring my viewers deep into what I am seeing through my eye and out through my lens, he added. People have a story to tell why not capture it instead of doing the norm and writing it down or speaking it.

We want to honor his wishes here at Travel Noire. If youre traveling to Memphis, here is how you can see the beautiful city through the eyes of Tyre Nichols.

Take In The Sunsets At Shelby Farms Park

According to his family, Nichols would frequent Shelby Farms Park. Its located on the citys eastern outskirts, where his mom said he would take in the sunset.

Its approximately 4,500 acres, making it one of the largest urban parks in the country.

The Park is both a vibrant community hub and a retreat from the hustle and bustle of urban life, a statement on the website reads.

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Unfortunately, this is where the BBC reports Nichols was driving from on the night he was beaten.

People Watch On Beale Street

Two photos on Nichols website pay homage to Beale Street. He called one shot Beale Street Magic.

The picture has A. Schwab is in the background, a store where you can find some old-school goodies, such as candy, art, books, clothing and more. Its a unique store, just like Tyre himself.

It reflects the delta, local music, local culture, and our own unique history, the website reads.

This is a good starting point before venturing out to the rest of the city.

According to Tyre Nichols, The Best Views of Memphis Come From Bridges

Theres the Beale Street Bridge if you want to be in the mix during your visit to Memphis, and then theres the stunning Big River Crossing Bridge.

At nearly a mile in length, the Big River Crossing is the longest public pedestrian bridge across the Mississippi.

Its worth a visit its also the countrys longest active rail, bicycle and pedestrian bridge. That means theres much to see and do on it.

According to city leaders, the bridge is the connection point of Main Street to Main Street, which means its a 10-mile, multi-modal corridor that takes you on a journey to various attractions throughout the Memphis, West Memphis, and delta region.

Tyre Loved To Skateboard. Visit This Skate Park In Memphis.

The Memphis Skate park offers a layout for all ages, regardless of skill set. If you want to skateboard, put on a pair of rollerblades, or use a scooter, its a great place for community and to remember the Black boy joy Tyre had when coasting.
A group of leading Senate Republicans is requesting information from cable provider DirecTV surrounding its recent decision to drop conservative network Newsmax from its channel lineup.

In a letter dated Feb. 1 and shared exclusively with The Hill, GOP Sens. Ted Cruz (Texas), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Mike Lee (Utah) and Tom Cotton (Ark.) wrote to the cable providers corporate leadership expressing that they are deeply disturbed by its decision to drop the network and alleged the episode may be the latest example of big business suppressing politically disfavored speech at the behest of liberal Democrats.

DirecTVs decision follows recent revelations of collusion between Big Tech companies and Democrat officials to label conservative speech as misinformation and censor it, the senators wrote. The silencing of conservative speech at the request of government officials is a direct assault on free speech and a threat to democracy.

DirecTV last week dropped Newsmax, a small conservative news network featuring content that is largely supportive of former President Trump and other conservatives, from its channel lineup following a dispute between the two parties over carrier fees.

Under its previous agreement with Newsmax, which has an audience that is fractional compared to the three leading cable news channels  Fox News, CNN and MSNBC  DirecTV paid Newsmax no carrier fees.

DirecTV representatives told The Hill last week that during negotiations with the network, it made it clear to Newsmax that we wanted to continue to offer the network, but ultimately the networks demands for rate increases would have led to significantly higher costs that we would have to pass on to our broad customer base.

In a statement to The Hill on Wednesday, DirecTV said it takes the concerns raised by these elected officials seriously, and in our response to the letter we plan to detail the facts behind our business decision being based on financial terms and not ideology.

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We continue to offer our customers a balanced mix of 24-hour news channels as part of a diversified programming lineup, a spokesperson for the cable provider said.

Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy and the networks defenders have countered that the decision is based in political bias against conservatives and pointed to DirecTVs move last year dropping One America News, another less watched pro-Trump cable channel.

A day after it dropped Newsmax from its lineup, DirecTV announced the addition of conservative opinion and commentary network The First to its lineup.

Experts and media observers have said the episode highlights Newsmaxs efforts to bolster its bargaining power at the negotiating table with cable providers and boost its credibility with conservative audiences.

Still, leading GOP figures like Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have rallied around Newsmax as they renew calls of bias against conservatives in the mainstream media and tech companies.

A group of several dozen House Republicans, led by Rep. Wesley Hunt (Texas), also sent a letter to DirecTV last week bemoaning the decision, arguing they will no longer be able to reach conservative voters on a platform that primarily serves conservative-leaning areas of the country.

In their letter, the senators asked the cable provider to disclose whether DirecTV, or its parent company, AT&T, communicated with any federal, state, or local government officials regarding the decisions to drop Newsmax or OANN and whether those government officials made any threats or promised any inducements to pressure DirecTV to drop the network.

 Updated 9:22 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Yangon  Streets emptied and shops closed in protest across Myanmar on Wednesday, the second anniversary of the coup that toppled Aung San Suu Kyi's government, with the junta extending a state of emergency and delaying new elections. Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military's power grab and bloody crackdown on dissent, which has sparked fighting across the country and tanked the economy.



Western powers launched a fresh broadside of sanctions against the generals on the anniversary but previous rounds have shown little sign of throwing the junta off course.

An almost empty street is pictured near Sule Pagoda during a

Streets in the commercial hub Yangon largely emptied from late morning, AFP correspondents said, after activists called for people across the Southeast Asian country to close businesses and stay indoors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time.

U.N. says opium production up 33% in Myanmar since coup

Roads leading to the famous Shwedagon pagoda  a Buddhist shrine that dominates Yangon's skyline and is usually thronged by worshippers  were largely deserted.

Most buses on roads elsewhere in the city were empty and there was a heavy security presence. It was similarly quiet in the second city of Mandalay, a resident told AFP.



"There are a few people walking here and there in neighborhoods but almost no activity on the main roads," the resident said, requesting anonymity.



Local media images also showed empty streets in the eastern city of Mawlamyine.



Around 200 supporters of the military marched through Yangon's historic downtown in the early afternoon, escorted part of the way by soldiers, correspondents said.

The U.S. embassy in the city warned of "increased anti-regime activity and violence" in the days around the anniversary.



Around 400 protesters gathered outside Myanmar's embassy in Bangkok, some chanting slogans against the military and holding portraits of Suu Kyi.



The military justified its February 1, 2021, power grab with unsubstantiated claims of widespread fraud in elections democracy figurehead Suu Kyi's party won in a landslide.

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Protesters hold up posters featuring Aung San Suu Kyi and make three-finger salutes, a gesture against the ruling military junta, on February 8, 2021 in Yangon, Myanmar. / Credit: Getty

A junta-imposed state of emergency was due to expire at the end of January, after which the constitution states that authorities must set in motion plans to hold fresh elections.

On Wednesday, state media quoted the head of the ruling junta as saying that Myanmar's military would "work to hold elections," but no timescale was given and authorities extended the state of emergency for another six months, making any vote unlikely until at least mid-summer.



"Our government will work to hold elections in every part of the country so as the people will not lose their democratic right," Min Aung Hlaing was quoted as saying by broadcaster MRTV.

In this photo released by the The Military True News Information Team, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the head of Myanmar's ruling junta, talks during the National Defense and Security Council meeting, January 31, 2023, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. / Credit: The Military True News Information Team via AP

On Tuesday, the junta-stacked National Defense and Security Council met to discuss the state of the nation and concluded it had "not returned to normalcy yet."

Junta opponents, including the anti-coup "People's Defense Forces" (PDFs) and a shadow government dominated by lawmakers from Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), had tried to seize "state power by means of unrest and violence," the council said.



The United States, Canada and Britain announced a new round of sanctions on the anniversary, targeting members of the junta and junta-backed entities.

Myanmar's former colonial ruler Britain targeted, among others, companies supplying aviation fuel to the military and enabling its "barbaric air raiding campaign in an attempt to maintain power."



Australia also announced its first sanctions, aimed at 16 members of the junta "responsible for egregious human rights abuses" and two sprawling, military-controlled conglomerates.



U.S. sanctions also targeted the junta-approved election commission, which last week gave political parties two months to re-register, in a sign the military might actually be planning new elections.



But with armed resistance raging across the country, analysts say people in many areas are unlikely to vote and that they run the risk of reprisals if they do.



A United Nations special envoy said Tuesday that military-run elections would "fuel greater violence, prolong the conflict and make the return to democracy and stability more difficult."



More than 2,900 people have been killed in the military's crackdown on dissent since it seized power and more than 18,000 have been arrested, according to a local monitoring group.



The junta recently wrapped up a series of closed-court trials of Suu Kyi, jailing its longtime enemy for a total of 33 years in a process rights groups have slammed as a sham.



"The main wish for 2023 is we want freedom and to go back home," Thet Naung, an activist in northern Sagaing region, where the military and anti-coup fighters have regularly clashed, told AFP.



"We have gone through many difficulties. We wanted to be happy and live freely but we lost everything. We have spent most of our time in jungles and stayed away from cities."

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MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Top leaders of Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya on Wednesday agreed to begin "search and destroy" operations to push al Shabaab militants out of neighbouring Somalia.

The move follows an intensified offensive by Somalia's federal government against the al Qaeda-affiliated group over the past few months.

It has taken back control of several towns and villages in central Somalia with the help of U.S. military, allied clan militias and forces belonging to Somali regional governments.

Kenya's President William Ruto, Djibouti's President Ismail Omer Guelleh and Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed met their Somali counterpart Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Mogadishu to review measures to weaken al Shabaab.

"The summit ... agreed to jointly plan and organise a robust operational campaign at the frontline states level, of search and destroy on multiple frontlines aiming at key al Shabaab strongholds across south and central Somalia," they said in a joint statement.

"The time sensitive campaign will prevent any future infiltrating elements in the region," the communique said, without providing any details about the operation.

The three countries also contribute troops to the African Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), an African-Union mandated peacekeeping force.

Al Shabaab did not respond to a request for comment. The outfit has been fighting since 2006 to topple Somalia's central government and establish its own rule based on its strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.

It has launched significant attacks against hotels, military bases and government establishments in Somalia despite a relatively successful government push back.

On Wednesday morning, mortars were fired in a district near President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's office, where the meeting was held. There were no reports of damage or casualties.

The militant group has also staged attacks in Kenya to pressure it into withdrawing its troops from ATMIS.

(Reporting by Abdi Sheikh; Writing by Bhargav Acharya and George Obulutsa; Editing by Sofia Christensen and Arun Koyyur)
Senator Tim Scott will begin a Faith in America tour later this month that will take him from his home state of South Caroline to Iowa, as he lays the ground work for what looks like a run at the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.

Scott, the only Black Senate Republican and a top party fundraiser, is expected to host a Black History Month event in Charleston, S.C., in mid February followed shortly thereafter by a speech at the Polk County Republican Partys Lincoln Dinner.

If youre going to have a message about restoring faith in America, what better place to go? Iowa represents the heartland of America. They understand the importance of these conversations and respect for the process to give tough, honest feedback, an advisor to Scott told Fox News.

This tour will be more than just speeches and policy events. We have this great chance to listen to people across the country and to share a vision of hope and opportunity, the official added.

Scotts opportune visit to two crucial Republican primary states comes on the heels of reports that former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, is poised to announce her candidacy to run as the Republican presidential nominee on February 15.

Haley, a former Trump appointee and ally, took a shot at her former boss recently while speaking on Fox.

When youre looking at the future of America, I think its time for new generational changeI dont think you need to be 80 years old to go be a leader in D.C.

However, Trump noted that Haley had checked with him first. Go by your heart if you want to run, former president Trump said he told Haley when she called seeking his advice.

Although Trump is the only candidate so far to formally enter the GOP primary race, many of the presidents former associates including Vice-President Mike Pence, National-Security Adviser John Bolton, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo may enter the race.

Scott was reelected to the Senate on Election Day in 2022 by a margin of 26 percentage points.

More from National Review
Without a statewide hate crime bill, Americas fastest growing city could be missing economic development opportunities, and could lessen punishments for people accused of committing acts of violence based on biases.

Myrtle Beach leaders say thats why theyre pressing state lawmakers and Gov. Henry McMaster to finally get a law on the books after multiple failed attempts.

And its likely Americas fastest growing city  along with every other Palmetto State community  is missing economic development and tourism opportunities without a prohibition on hateful acts, officials say.

In my opinion, Myrtle Beach needs to be on board with this for many reasons, Mayor Brenda Bethune said at a Jan. 31 city council workshop. Weve seen the horrible packets that have been delivered to the Jewish community, and that falls under this.

The city council next month is expected to adopt a resolution calling on legislators to enact one of five bills  filed by Republicans and Democrats  are awaiting deliberation in the General Assembly. All would do the same thing, if approved without any changes: Enhanced penalties for certain violent crimes committed against a person based on factors including perceived age, political opinion, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, national origin or physical or mental disability.

Anyone convicted under a state hate crime provision could see penalties increased by up to five years imprisonment and fines of up to $10,000.

Palmetto State prosecutors must rely on their federal counterparts to pursue hate crime charges. According to U.S. Department of Justice statistics from 2021  the most recent year available  South Carolina law enforcement agencies reported 106 suspected hate crimes, with assault and intimidation being the most common offenses.

South Carolina doesnt currently have its own hate crimes law. Instead, prosecutors must rely on their federal counterparts to pursue hate crime charges under the federal hate crimes law, but that rarely happens except in the case of high-profile crimes.

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South Carolina is home to roughly 8,160 Jewish people. The state saw at least 54 acts of antisemitism between Jan. 1, 2021 and Dec. 31, 2022 according to an Anti-Defamation League heat map.

In the past several months, both Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach councils have adopted resolutions condemning antisemitism.

The resolution supporting a hate crime bill is the top priority of Myrtle Beachs Human Rights Commission, which suggested the action last month.

Hate crime laws are an important tool in helping to prevent future acts of hate and discrimination as they demonstrate that such actions will not be tolerated, Kelvin Waites, the citys chief diversity officer, said at the Jan. 31 workshop.

South Carolina and Wyoming are the only states without hate crime laws on the books.

State Sen. Luke Rankin, R-Conway, declined to comment Jan. 31 when asked by The State about support for a hate crimes bill. His judiciary committee voted 13-11 last year to send a hate crime bill to the full Senate for a vote.

In December, the Human Rights Campaign ranked Myrtle Beach as South Carolinas third-best city for equality initiatives, scoring 59. Columbia and Charleston were ahead at 77 and 71 respectively.

According to the campaigns report, Myrtle Beach received points for its public stances on LGBTQ equality and support of LGTBQ inclusive policies and non-discrimination policies with contractors, among other areas.

Scott Slatton, director of advocacy for the 271-member Municipal Association of South Carolina, said enacting a hate crimes bill emerged as one of its top legislative priorities based on client input.

Cities are in the economic development business and things that are impediments to local economic development, we want to help them overcome, he said. This certainly should be eliminated as an obstacle.
By Hyonhee Shin

SEOUL (Reuters) - A South Korean court on Wednesday rejected a Buddhist temple's claim to a statue that it said Japanese pirates looted in the 14th century, clearing the way for Japan to press for its return.

The 20-inch gilt bronze statue of a Buddhist Bodhisattva was stolen from a Japanese temple in 2012 by South Korean thieves, who were caught trying to sell it after returning home.

The Buseoksa Temple in South Korea filed a legal case in 2016 claiming ownership of the statue, which has been in the custody of the government, saying Japanese pirates had plundered it in the 14th century.

But a South Korean high court on Wednesday overturned a 2017 decision in favour of the temple and rejected its claim to the statue, saying the government, the defendant in the case, now had to return it in the proper way.

"The defendant needs to deal with the issue of returning the statue in consideration of international law, norms and conventions concerning the protection and return of cultural properties," the court said in a statement.

It said that even if the Buseoksa temple had owned the statue in the early 1300s, there was a lack of evidence to determine that the temple had maintained its "identity and continuity" over the years.

An official at the temple told reporters it would appeal to the Supreme Court and try to find more evidence to support its claim.

The case has been closely watched in both countries, traditional rivals whose relations have for decades been frayed by historic feuds.

South Korea's foreign ministry referred media queries to the Cultural Heritage Administration. An official at the agency said it did not comment on court decisions.

Japan would take follow-up action in consultation with South Korea and the Japanese temple, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said in Tokyo.

"The Japanese government will encourage the Korean government to return the statue," he told a briefing.

The Japanese temple, Kannonji, was not a direct party to the suit but had argued at the trial that the artefact was not acquired illegally through pirates but through legitimate trade.

(Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Additional reporting by Satoshi Sugiyama in Tokyo; Editing by Robert Birsel)
The Ministry of Defence of Spain will send 20 M113 armoured personnel carriers to Ukraine next Monday, 6 February as part of its military aid for resisting Russian aggression.

Source: European Pravda, referring to Europa Press

Margarita Robles, the Minister of Defence of Spain, first announced Spain's intention to provide Ukraine with these armoured personnel carriers last week.

Reportedly, Spain will also supply Ukraine with a few Leopard 2A4 combat tanks, from four to six pieces. Despite Spain having a large quantity of these tanks in service (over 300), the majority of them are in storage and unusable.

The Santa Barbara company has started to urgently repair "half a dozen" of tanks to prepare them for shipment as quickly as possible.

Background: The possibility that Spain may provide Ukraine with M113 armoured personnel carriers was first announced last summer.

The Militarnyi military website reports that the M113 armoured personnel carrier is a main tracked armoured carrier used by the US army and many other armies of the world. This military equipment has been in service with the Portuguese army for 30 years.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
BARCELONA, Spain (AP)  Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez traveled to Rabat on Wednesday along with 11 ministers for a meeting with Moroccan government officials, as part of the European countrys strategy to improve historically complex relations with its neighbor across the Strait of Gibraltar.

The visit comes 10 months after Sanchez went to meet Moroccan King Mohammed VI and put an end to a diplomatic crisis that had erupted in 2021 regarding Morocco's disputed territory of Western Sahara. During that meeting, Sanchez declared a new phase of bilateral relations with Morocco, an important partner with the European Union in fighting extremism and aiding the bloc's irregular migration policies.

Sanchez flew south again on Wednesday, a day before he will sit down with Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, a billionaire businessman who won a 2021 election and is considered close to Mohammed VI.

Akhannouch greeted Sanchez at Rabat's airport before they attended a forum with businesses from both countries.

Sanchezs agenda doesn't include another meeting with the Moroccan king, with whom he shared the Iftar meal to break the days fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan last April in the highlight of their reconciliation.

Sanchezs office said that the prime minister instead had a phone conversation with the monarch in which they agreed that the meeting would contribute to consolidating this new era in the relations between Morocco and Spain. It added that Sanchez accepted the invitation by the king to make another official visit to Rabat at an unspecified date.

Moroccans make up the single largest foreign community with 800,000 residents in Spain, and important economic ties unite the neighbors which are separated by just 13 kilometers (8 miles) of water at the nearest point.

But relations between Spain and Morocco were severely damaged in May 2021 after Spain allowed the leader of the Polisario Front, which has waged a low-intensity armed rebellion seeking the Western Saharas independence from Morocco, to receive medical treatment for COVID-19 in Spain.

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Morocco responded by relaxing its border controls around Spains North African exclave of Ceuta and thousands of people crossed over into the city. Tensions remained high until Sanchez did an about-face on Spains long-standing position on Western Sahara by backing Rabats proposal to give it more autonomy as long as it remains unquestionably under Moroccan control. Madrid maintains that the people of Western Sahara must decide their future via a referendum.

Sanchez paid a high price for moving closer to Morocco.

His shift on Western Sahara angered Algeria, a backer of the Polisario Front and major natural gas supplier to Spain. It was also widely criticized in Spain, which held Western Sahara as a colony until 1975, and caused friction inside Spains governing left-wing coalition between Sanchezs Socialists and its junior partner. Politicians from across Spain's spectrum considered Sanchez to have betrayed the Sahrawi people of Western Sahara for very little tangible gains in return.

Now, Sanchez is aiming to reap some benefits after last years return to diplomatic normalcy.

This will be first meeting since 2015 with such a large delegation of ministries represented. Sanchez is taking along his ministers in charge of the economy, energy, foreign affairs, security and policing, agriculture, commerce, transport and migration, among others.

Thursday's meeting between the governments is expected to produce several agreements between ministries and to favor business growth, including the opening of customs offices at the border crossings for Ceuta and its sister exclave, Melilla, which Morocco has never officially recognized as Spanish territories. Melillas customs office was closed by Morocco in 2018, while Ceuta has never had one.

Spain is the largest foreign investor in Morocco, accounting for a significant chunk of all foreign investments, making economic cooperation a top priority for the Moroccan government. Morocco is Spains third most important non-EU commercial partner after the United States and Britain.

Morocco, in similar fashion to Turkey and other countries in north Africa, has reaped economic benefits from the EU in exchange for curbing irregular immigration to Spain. That, however, has not stopped thousands of migrants and refugees, including young Moroccans looking for a better future in Europe, from attempting a dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean, or a perilous Atlantic journey to the Canary Islands.

The frontier policing methods of both Spain and Morocco have fallen under intense scrutiny following the death of at least 23 African men, many reportedly refugees from Sudan, when they stormed a border fence at Melilla in June.

Rights group Amnesty International held a protest outside the seat of Spains government in Madrid on Wednesday, with cutout silhouettes of the victims of the Melilla tragedy. The rights group raises the number of deaths to 37 and says that 77 more people are still missing from the incident.

A summit today between Morocco and Spain pretends to ignore what happened just seven months ago, Esteban Beltran, head of Amnesty International in Spain, said. We want to remember that (the victims) are with us, and we want to remember the suffering of their families who have no information or a real investigation of what happened.

___

Alicia Leon contributed to this report from Madrid.
Close-up of Woman Holding Condom

Time to get busy for Valentines Day  but dont forget the condoms (unless you want a little being calling you Mommy in nine months)!

Love is in the air! And as Valentines Day approaches, couples from all over are planning how to celebrate the most romantic day of the year. Because whether you are single or in a relationship, this special day is an opportunity to show your loved ones just how much they mean to you.

How To Set the Mood for Valentines Day

When looking for creative ways to make the day extra special, there are plenty of activities that can help make your Valentines Day memorable. If you have a significant other, you can plan a romantic dinner for two at home. Try cooking something delicious together or order takeout from your favorite restaurant and dine al fresco because nothing beats a candlelit dinner under the stars!

You can also create an intimate atmosphere by incorporating candles, rose petals, and romantic music. Or, for the daring, why not add edible body paint or massage oil into the mix too?

The Importance of Wearing Protection

Setting the mood is fun. And if you are lucky, you might score big that night. But having too much fun without protecting yourself can carry great risk.

Using birth control is one of the most important things an individual can do to protect their health and the health of those they are intimate with. While it may not always be considered cool, prophylactics serve as a necessary barrier between partners to help reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Even better, condoms are made from a variety of materials and come in many sizes, shapes, and colors to fit and please everyone.

Spice Up Your Love Life with these 5 Best Condoms for Valentines Day

Wearing protection is a vital part of sexual health. Not only do they reduce the risk of transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, but they can also help to prevent unwanted pregnancies. By using rubbers every time you have sex, you are taking proactive steps to protect the health and well-being of you AND your partner. Here are five of the best ones to wear for Valentines Day:

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P.S. Condoms  The Best Condoms on Earth



Many latex condoms contain casein, a dairy byproduct that can often cause an unpleasant smell. But P.S. Condoms are vegan, made with natural ingredients so they are clear and odorless. Not only is this better for your experience but also much kinder for our furry friends.

P.S. Condoms are 40% thinner than popular brands, making for a more pleasurable experience. And because the company encourages customers to enjoy the moment without any worries, their prophylactics provide strength and reliability that surpasses FDA standards. Now you can enjoy sex with confidence knowing that you are wearing nothing other than the best!

Latex is the most common material used to make condoms, and while it can be great at preventing pregnancy and STDs, it can cause an allergic reaction in some people. For those women, the search for an alternative is on.

Fortunately, there are several latex-free condom options available. And the Unique Pull condoms are one of them.

If you are on the hunt for an uncomplicated, straightforward way to use condoms, look no further than the Unique Pull Condoms! All you have to do is take them straight out of the package and pull on the tabs. This allows the condom to effortlessly slide on for convenience.

Pull condoms boast three times more strength and thinness compared to their latex counterparts. Plus, most men with medium or large sizes can experience higher sensitivity during sex when using them!

Hello Cake  Cake Condoms

When it comes to safe sex, there is no denying that wearing a condom is an absolute must. But what many people fail to realize is that condoms can be more than just a method of protection  they can also add an extra layer of pleasure to your intimate encounters!

For example, the Cake Condoms from Hello Cake come in many different shapes, sizes, and textures. You can choose between snug, ultra-thin, large, ribbed, and dotted options to maximize your pleasure. So now you can be safe and sure in the bedroom!

Each box comes with 12 pieces, mailed in a discreet package.

The FC2 Female Condom is a revolutionary new product designed to provide women with greater control over their own sexual health and reproductive freedom. This simple but powerful condom has the potential to save lives, reduce unintended pregnancies, and empower women around the world.

Unlike traditional male prophylactics, the FC2 Female Condom does not require a partners cooperation or approval. It is a single-use, pre-lubricated device that can be inserted hours before intercourse. The condom acts as an internal barrier, blocking both sperm and STIs. Its also made of nitrile, which is thinner than the latex used in male rubbers, resulting in a more pleasurable experience for both partners.

Tired of being limited to one size and brand range? Look no further than the Ultimate-Fit-Finding-Genius-of-a Condom Sampler from Lucky Bloke! This sampler allows you to try various styles and brands without having to purchase loads of individual boxes  now thats smart shopping.

The company provides a wide selection of sizes to ensure that you can find the ideal condom fit for your partner. And this 12-pack assortment allows you to discover the most exclusive condoms available around the world. Try rubbers from popular brands such as SKYN, Billy Boy, Naked Luxury, Okamoto, GLYDA, One Condoms, and more. Not to mention, the condoms also range in style, from studded to pleasure-shaped.

The post Spice Up Your Love Life With These 5 Best Condoms For Valentines Day appeared first on 21Ninety.
UPDATE: According to state police, Adrienne Rand has been located and is safe.

___________

ORIGINAL STORY: State police are looking for a missing and endangered 1-year-old girl.

Adrienne Rand was last seen in the area of Sycamore Street, Punxsutawney Borough, Jefferson County, at around 3:50 p.m. on Jan. 31.

She has blond hair and blue eyes and was last seen wearing a black onesie.

She is believed to be with Tarra Rand, 27, who is 5 feet, 2 inches tall, weighs 150 pounds and has brown hair and blue eyes.

Anyone with information is asked to call 814-849-1617 or 911.

TRENDING NOW:

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Stormy Daniels offered a fierce blowback to Donald Trump whose attempt to ridicule the adult film star may have backfired as he seemingly appeared to acknowledge their alleged affair.

Ms Daniels thanked the former president for admitting to their alleged affair despite previously declaring that he never had an affair. She also mocked the one-time president for using wrong grammar in his Truth Social post.

The war of words between the two on social media came as New York City prosecutors began presenting evidence to a grand jury about the hush money scheme Mr Trump is accused of using to keep Ms Daniels from disclosing his extramarital affair with her before the 2016 election.

Mr Trump blamed his former lawyer Michael Cohen without taking his name and said there was no reason to not rely on him.

With respect to the Stormy nonsense, it is VERY OLD & happened a long time ago, long past the very publicly known & accepted deadline of the Statute of Limitations placed full Reliance on the JUDGEMENT & ADVICE OF COUNCIL, who I had every reason to believe had a license to practice law, was competent, & was able to appropriately provide solid legal services, he said in his post.

Responding to Mr Trumps attack on her, Ms Daniels referred to the former presidents insulting nickname for her.

Thanks for just admitting that I was telling the truth about EVERYTHING. Guess Ill take my horse face back to bed now, Mr former president. Btw, thats the correct way to use quotation marks, she said, sharing a screenshot of Mr Trumps Truth.

Her tweet sparked a number of sarcastic responses on Twitter.

Constitutional lawyer Mark S Zaid mocked Mr Trump further for using the word council. He said: I am always amazed that people do not understand difference between council and counsel. You would think with all the millions of dollars Trump spent on lawyers he would know how to properly spell the word. Oh, and Stormy is right that he just made a very important admission.

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I am always amazed that people do not understand difference between "council" and "counsel". You would think with all the millions of dollars Trump spent on lawyers he would know how to properly spell the word.



Oh, and Stormy is right that he just made a very important admission https://t.co/k013hVN5te  Mark S. Zaid (@MarkSZaidEsq) January 31, 2023

Another user, Denny Cherry, said Mr Trump admitted what he did was illegal but got away with it.

So based on this screenshot, Trump admits that what he did was illegial, but he got away for it for long enough that he can't be charged now.



Good to know that out running charges is his plan. https://t.co/4sJr517nVE  Denny Cherry - mrdenny@techhub.social (@mrdenny) January 31, 2023

Ms Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, accepted a $130,000 payment from Mr Trumps then-lawyer, Mr Cohen, in exchange for her signing an October 2016 non-disclosure agreement.

Mr Cohen, who spent a year in prison and several years more on supervised release after pleading guilty to eight criminal charges following investigations, admitted in court to making payments.

Business records later obtained from Mr Trumps company by New York prosecutors revealed that it reimbursed Mr Cohen for the payment under the guise of compensating him for legal services.

Mr Trump is expected to face charges for falsifying business records as the Manhattan DAs Office has summoned witnesses to testify about the payments.
A Washington High School student was arrested Wednesday in connection with a bomb threat received by the school, the Somerset County Sheriff's Office said.

Deputies responded to the high school in Princess Anne at about 7 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1, in connection with the bomb threat received by school officials via email.

School resource deputies assigned to the school, in cooperation with the school administration, immediately secured the scene and coordinated the evacuation of students, staff and faculty, the sheriff's office said in a release.

Additional Somerset County sheriffs personnel and K-9 units from the Maryland State Fire Marshals Office, the Maryland State Police and Salisbury City Police Department searched the school.

No explosive devices or suspicious materials were found and the scene was cleared at 11:40 a.m., the release said.

At about 8:48 a.m., sheriffs office detectives arrested a juvenile student at Washington High School in connection with the bomb threat, it said.

The student has been charged and referred to the Department of Juvenile Justice.

The Somerset incident follows similar threats at Wicomico County high schools last month.

A James M. Bennett High School student has been charged in connection with a school threat there. A student has also been charged in connection with threats at Parkside High School.

SCHOOL THREAT: Student charged in threat to James M. Bennett High School

SCHOOL THREAT: Student charged in connection with threat to Parkside High School

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Student charged in bomb threat at Washington High School
CAIRO (AP)  A Sudanese teen refugee has been released from a detention center in western Libya where he was held for five months after being kidnapped and tortured by gunmen demanding ransom, his family said Wednesday.

Mazen Adam, 15, from Sudans conflict-torn Darfur region, walked free on Monday from a juvenile detention center near the capital, Tripoli, according to his father, Mohamed Adam.

However, Libyan authorities have not dropped charges against the boy, claiming the kidnapping was fabricated, and only released him pending investigation, his father said.

Mazen is well but he still suffers from torture-related injuries, the father told The Associated Press.

The second of four siblings, Mazen will be checked by doctors from the U.N. refugee agency on Feb, 12 in the Libyan capital, the father also said. The family is registered with the UNHCR as Sudanese refugees in Libya.

Mazen's father and Libyan rights groups deny claims that the kidnapping was fabricated. A government spokesman did not answer calls seeking comment.

Mazen was kidnapped on Aug. 30 by unknown gunmen, demanding ransom in the western town of Warshafana, on the southwestern outskirts of Tripoli.

Shortly after his abduction, he appeared in a video on social media, begging for mercy as a man beat him and pointed a riffle at his face, apparently to scare him.

A day later, his father was taken by armed men in uniform after he spoke publicly about his son's kidnapping. The father was released three weeks later and launched a campaign for his sons freedom.

It's unclear how Mazen went from being in the hands of his kidnappers to being held in juvenile detention. His father blames the local police.

Police in Warshafana conspired with the kidnappers who tortured my son, he said, adding that the kidnappers have vanished and that the police did not pursue them.

Local rights groups joined Adam's efforts to free Mazen and called for authorities to take action.

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The National Commission for Human Rights in Libya, a rights group, said Mazen was a victim of human traffickers, and appealed on Libyan prosecutors to annul accusations against him.

Mazen's story and the video of his ordeal at the hands of his captors has underscored how abuse, torture, sexual violence, and killings of migrants are rampant in Libya.

The oil-rich North African country plunged into chaos following a NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed longtime autocrat Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. In recent years, it emerged as the dominant transit point for migrants from Africa and the Middle East trying to make it to Europe.
Nearly half of all adults in the U.S. are unsure whether medication abortion is legal where they live, according to a new survey released Wednesday by KFF, formerly the Kaiser Family Foundation.

At least 4 in 10 adults  including 41 percent of women of childbearing age  said they are not sure whether mifepristone, a medication abortion drug, is legal where they live.

The survey was conducted Jan. 17-24, more than six months after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wades constitutional right to an abortion.

The findings show the continued widespread confusion over access to medication abortion, the most common way for people to end pregnancies.

Mifepristone, a drug that blocks hormones necessary for pregnancy, was first approved by the FDA in 2000. It has been used by more than 3 million people in the United States since, and accounts for more than half of all abortions in the country.

But many states with strict abortion bans also limit the availability of mifepristone, either through restrictions on who can prescribe and dispense the pill or outright bans.

The Biden administration has taken steps to increase access to the drug, but only in states where it is legal or not otherwise restricted. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last month said it will allow U.S. retail pharmacies to offer abortion pills directly to patients with a prescription, and eliminated in-person dispensing requirements.

But the patchwork of state laws is leading to confusion, especially in instances where federal law and state law differ.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion rights group that tracks state restrictions, 18 states require the clinician providing the medication for abortion to be physically present when the medication is administered, essentially prohibiting the use of telemedicine to prescribe medication for abortion.

The KFF survey of 1,234 people found that in both states with abortion bans and those without, about half of adults are not sure about the legality of medication abortion.

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The margin of error for the survey was 4 percentage points.

In states where abortion is banned, about 13 percent of adults said they think that medication abortion is legal. And in states where abortion is legal, about 10 percent wrongly said they think it is banned.

The survey also asked about emergency contraceptives, known as Plan B or the morning after pill. The survey found 62 percent of people who have heard of it are aware that the pills are not the same as the abortion pill.

But 75 percent still incorrectly think that emergency contraceptive pills can end a pregnancy in its early stages. This includes two-thirds of women of childbearing age (18-49).

Emergency contraceptives like Plan B are legal in all 50 states, but a third of adults said that they were not sure if that was the case in their state.

The FDA in December changed its labeling and made clear that Plan B is not an abortion pill. It is an over-the-counter medication used to prevent the chance of pregnancy and does not work if someone is already pregnant.

Still, reproductive rights activists fear that some state legislatures may go after contraceptives, as Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas suggested in his concurring opinion in the decision to end Roe.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP)  Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.

The large-scale Chinese deployment came as Beijing increases preparations for a potential blockade or military action against Taiwan that have stirred increasing concern among military leaders, diplomats and elected officials in the U.S., Taiwan's key ally.

In a memo last month, U.S. Air Force Gen. Mike Minihan instructed officers to be prepared for a U.S. -China conflict over Taiwan in 2025. As head of the Air Mobility Command, Minihan has a keen understanding of the Chinese military and his personal remarks echo calls in the U.S. for heightened preparations.

Taiwan's Defense Ministry said 20 Chinese aircraft on Tuesday crossed the central line in the Taiwan Strait that has long been an unofficial buffer zone between the sides, which separated during a civil war in 1949.

China claims the island republic as its own territory, to be taken by force if necessary, while the vast majority of Taiwanese are opposed to coming under the control of Chinas authoritarian Communist Party.

Taiwans armed forces monitored the situation ... to respond to these activities, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday.

That announcement came as NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned that Chinas growing assertiveness and collaboration with Russia pose a threat not only to Asia but also to Europe.

On a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in arms control talks. Stoltenberg earlier criticized China for bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan and stressed the need for Japan and other democracies to work together with the alliance to defend the international order.

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NATO needs to make sure we have friends, he said, citing escalating Chinese attempts to coerce neighbors and threaten Taiwan. It is important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo Pacific.

Chinas Foreign Ministry responded by accusing NATO of exceeding its mandate and having played up Chinas threats.

China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability, ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.

I would like to stress that the Asia-Pacific is not a battlefield for the geopolitical contest and does not welcome the Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation, Mao said.

It wasn't clear what prompted the Chinese action in Taiwan, although it came just ahead of a visit to Beijing by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who would become the highest-ranking official to visit China since President Joe Biden's election in 2020.

Beijing frequently seeks to flag Taiwan as the most serious issue in U.S.-China relations ahead of top-level discussions, leading then to discussions of other economic, trade and political issues where there is more room for meaningful exchanges.

China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.

Chinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.

A string of visits in recent months by foreign politicians to Taiwan, including by then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and numerous politicians from the European Union, spurred displays of military might from both sides.

In response to Pelosi's visit in August, China staged war games surrounding the island and fired missiles over it into the Pacific Ocean.

China has repeatedly threatened retaliation against countries seeking closer ties with Taiwan, but its attempts at intimidation have sparked a backlash in popular sentiment in Europe, Japan, the U.S. and other nations.

Taiwan is set to hold presidential elections next year, in contrast to China's system of total control by President and party General Secretary Xi Jinping, who has removed term limits to effectively make him leader for life. China's efforts to reach out to Taiwan's pro-unification Nationalist Party have largely backfired.

Although the Nationalists performed well in local elections last year, the party's pro-Beijing policies have failed to find resonance among voters on a national level.

Taiwan has responded to China's threats by ordering more defensive weaponry from the U.S., leveraging its democracy and high-tech economy to strengthen foreign relations and revitalizing its domestic arms industry.

Compulsory military service for men is being extended from four months to one year and public opinion surveys show high levels of support for increased defense spending to counter China's threats.

In an interview last month, Taiwan's envoy to the U.S. said the island has learned important lessons from Russia's war in Ukraine that would help it deter any attack by China or defend itself if invaded.

Taiwan's de facto ambassador in Washington, Bi-khim Hsiao, said there is a new emphasis on preparing military reservists and civilians for the kind of all-of-society fight that Ukrainians are waging against Russia.

Everything were doing now is to prevent the pain and suffering of the tragedy of Ukraine from being repeated in our scenario in Taiwan, Hsiao told The Associated Press. So ultimately, we seek to deter the use of military force. But in a worst-case scenario, we understand that we have to be better prepared.
ISLAMABAD (AP)  Afghanistan's Taliban-appointed foreign minister Wednesday asked Pakistani authorities to look for the reasons behind militant violence in their country instead of blaming Afghanistan.

The comments from Amir Khan Muttaqi came two days after Pakistani officials said the attackers who orchestrated Monday's suicide bombing that killed 101 people in northwest Pakistan staged the attack on Afghan soil.

During a ceremony to inaugurate a drug addiction treatment center in the capital of Kabul on Wednesday, Muttaqi asked Pakistan's government to launch a serious investigation into Mondays mosque bombing in Peshawar.

He insisted that Afghanistan was not a center for terrorism, saying if that was the case then attacks would have also taken place in other countries.

If anyone says that Afghanistan is the center for terrorism, they also say that terrorism has no border," Muttaqi said. If terrorism had emanated from Afghanistan, it would have also impacted China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan or Iran."

We have to cooperate with each other, instead of blaming each other," he said. Both countries are brothers to each other and must work in a peaceful environment together.

Authorities in Pakistan said Wednesday the death toll from Monday's suicide bombing at a mosque in Peshawar increased by one to 101. It was not clear how the bomber was able to slip into the walled police compound in a high-security zone with other government buildings.

Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif on Tuesday accused the Pakistani Taliban, or Tahreek-e Taliban-Pakistani, or TTP, of carrying out the attack, saying they were operating from neighboring Afghan territory. He demanded the Afghan Taliban take action against them. A TTP commander earlier claimed responsibility, but a spokesperson for the group later distanced the TTP from the carnage, saying it was not its policy to attack mosques.

During the nearly 20-year U.S. war against the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan, militant groups blossomed in the tribal regions of Pakistan along the border and around Peshawar. Like the Taliban, they took root among the ethnic Pashtuns who make up a majority in the region and in the city.

Some groups were encouraged by the Pakistani intelligence agencies. But others turned their guns against the government, angered by heavy security crackdowns and by frequent U.S. airstrikes in the border region targeting al-Qaida and other militants.

Chief among the anti-government groups was the Pakistani Taliban. In the late 2000s and early 2010s, it waged a brutal campaign of violence around the country. Peshawar was the scene of one of the bloodiest TTP attacks in 2014, on an army-run public school that killed nearly 150 people, most of them schoolboys.
A teacher was forced to quit her job after she was reprimanded over anxiety and stress causing crying spells in a class with special education students, a lawsuit filed in New Jersey says.

Sarah Barlow, of West Orange, is suing the School District of South Orange and Maplewood, the former district she taught at after resigning in November 2022, arguing she was discriminated against.

When Barlow was transferred to a classroom including special education students after teaching kindergarten, the school never assigned her an aide despite her several complaints about not having one, the lawsuit says.

This was unlawful and exacerbated her anxiety, which she receives medical treatment for and is recognized as a disability under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, according to a complaint filed Dec. 22 in Essex County Superior Court.

The situation escalated when the districts principal sent her a letter admonishing her crying spells in class and notified her of an upcoming corrective plan for her behavior, the complaint says. It notes that Barlow previously faced resistance from the principal as a kindergarten teacher.

Unfortunately, due to the Districts failure to address her complaints of unlawful behavior and complete disregard for her disability and mental health, Ms. Barlow was forced to resign, the complaint says.

The districts Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ronald Taylor told McClatchy News that he cannot comment on matters involving school personnel or ongoing litigation.

What led up to the case?

When Barlow was a kindergarten teacher during the 2019-2020 school year, she was met with resistance twice from the district principal over how to handle two students separate needs, the complaint says.

In 2021, an anonymous letter sent to Taylor accused the principal of an inappropriate relationship with another teacher, according to the complaint, which says the principal believed Barlow sent the letter.

Afterward, Barlow was transferred to teach a new classroom with special education students for the 2022-2023 school year, the complaint says. This is when she said she wasnt assigned an aide and began experiencing heightened anxiety.

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In October 2022, the principal characterized Barlows crying spells in class as unprofessional in the letter he sent her, according to the complaint.

Following this, Barlows therapist ordered her to take a six-week medical leave because of the anxiety and stress before she ultimately quit on Nov. 1, the complaint says.

Barlow is suing on several counts, including violations of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination.

The lawsuit argues that she was discriminated against when the school district perceived she was unable to perform her job properly because of her anxiety.

She is seeking to recover damages and back pay, and demands a trial by jury.

The School District of South Orange and Maplewood is about 20 miles west from New York City.

Can your boss ban you from using TikTok? Yes, but heres what you should know

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(ES Composte)

African development is in the midst of a digital revolution which is exciting, different and disruptive, including in the critical area of education. March will see a much-anticipated event, hosted at the University of Rwanda. It is the First African Education Summit, the first, we hope, of many.

Schools and colleges comprise just one sector in which the telecommunications business is leading the way in unlocking the continents potential, which has been stifled for years by infrastructure that has been allowed to decay or was never there in the first place.

Advances in digital communications, such as the roll-out of 4G networks, are helping Africans to leapfrog intermediate stages of development and seize the advantages of the latest technology. In the words of Inside Telecom magazine: Telecommunications in Africa are already playing a fundamental role in African society. This sector has created a closed circuit of economic growth and innovation.

The continent abounds with challenges and opportunities and telecoms companies, such as Airtel Africa Plc listed here in London, are central to meeting them. Lets look at some examples.

Through their phones, small farmers can find out how much they should be charging for their crops, and with the sub Saharan post pandemic out-of-school rate at 31%, digital learning has a huge role to play.

Financial exclusion has been a major, long-standing issue in Africa, both for businesses and individuals. Moreover, its a problem which impacts gender equality, with women disproportionately excluded from the financial system. Our industrys money services are linking millions of people them to the essential financial services they need to realise their potential and aspirations.

Then there is the digital divide. In April 2022, the Carnegie Endowment estimated that just 33 per cent of Africas population was using the internet. Building on existing customer bases, the industry is helping to increase this figure, allowing more and more Africans to benefit from the capacity of digital technology, as the Endowment put it, to deliver goods and services in healthcare, education, finance, commerce, governance, and agriculture.

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An efficient, robust and expanding communications infrastructure is critical to bringing businesses and customers together, to their mutual benefit. And telecoms companies are enabling this  whilst also ensuring that the environmental impact of business is minimised (in alignment with our commitment to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions ahead of the 2050 deadline in the Paris Agreement).

All of this is very much in the interests of our shareholders in the United Kingdom and internationally, as well as across Africa: in the words of Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal: Sustainability and profitability are inextricably linked.

Traditionally, official development finance institutions have played a leading role in bringing capital to Africa. That is changing, with growing interest from private investors. But as the World Bank noted in January 2022, in global terms, the market for green investments in Africa remained small.

The World Bank qualified this assessment, observing that Attracting sustainable investment is a key challenge for the region for several reasons. First, while climate change and associated physical risks will be felt by all countries, some of the most severe temperatures are predicted in Sub-Saharan Africa. The region is also directly and indirectly exposed to the transition risks associated with climate change, which is amplified by the dependence of many economies, and jobs, on minerals, energy and mining.

Africa has received billions of dollars in aid over recent decades. Life expectancy and populations have both risen dramatically, and absolute poverty has fallen. Yet the rise in living standards has been relatively meagre, and few African countries have achieved the rapid economic growth witnessed in much of Asia.

But set against these factors is the compelling Africa buy story presented by the Continents breakneck population growth, coupled with the challenges and opportunities that this presents. At 2.7 per cent, annual population expansion dwarfs that of the next fastest-growing regions  with South Asia at 1.2 per cent, and Latin America at 0.9 per cent. By 2050, Africas population is expected to have doubled to 2.5 billion.

These people are increasingly likely to live in urban areas. Indeed, 43 per cent already do, drawn by the prospect of better economic possibilities, a figure expected to reach 50 per cent by 2040. Improvements in African political governance suggest this trend will usher in the emergence of a new middle class.

Key to the appearance of such a class is the telecommunications sector, with its ability to drive the adoption of transformative technologies and the services they offer.

Companies such as Airtel Africa are thus absolutely central to realising the potential of this vast and endlessly fascinating continent.

Segun Ogunsanya, Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Africa Plc
A Tesla car dealership in Maplewood, Minnesota. Michael Siluk/Getty Images

Tesla has confirmed that the US Department of Justice asked the company for documents.

The documents were related to the EV company's Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features, per a public filing.

The company is already under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Tesla has confirmed that the US Department of Justice (DOJ) asked for documents related to the EV company's Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features.

In a public filing released on Tuesday, the company said it had "received requests from the DOJ for documents related to Tesla's Autopilot and FSD features."

The company said in the filing: "To our knowledge, no government agency in any such ongoing investigation has concluded that any wrongdoing occurred."

Reuters reported in October that Tesla was facing a criminal probe from the DOJ over the company's claims the vehicles can drive themselves. The news outlet cited three people familiar with the matter.

Tesla is already under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The federal agency launched its investigation after it identified 11 cases of Tesla cars crashing into first-responder vehicles. The organization has since escalated the probe.

According to a report from the administration, 273 crashes between July 20, 2021, and May 21, 2022, involved Tesla's assisted driving software.

Tesla's Autopilot and FSD features require constant human supervision. In 2016, Tesla introduced a feature that detects when a driver had their hands on the steering wheel and could disable the driving assist if the driver kept their hands off for too long.

Representatives for Tesla did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Federal authorities assessed more than $34,000 in penalties to a Texas landscape supply company for allowing a 17-year-old to work in a hazardous job that left him seriously injured in June 2021.

The teen was injured in a forklift incident when he worked for Round Rock Landscape Supplies, which was operated by New Age Rocks Inc. in Austin.

Investigators with the U.S. Department of Labors Wage and Hour Division found New Age Rocks Inc., operating as Round Rock Landscape Supplies, permitted the minor to use a forklift and operate a skid steer loader in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Acts protections for young workers.

New Age Rocks Inc. disregarded the law and a 17-year-old employee suffered injuries needlessly while doing work the law forbids them from doing, said Wage and Hour Division District Director Nicole Sellers in Austin in a news release this week.

The division also recovered $1,950 for two employees denied overtime by the employer who paid straight time for all hours worked including hours over 40 in a workweek. The employer also failed to keep accurate time records and dates of birth for minor-aged employees. These actions also violated the FLSA.

As this case shows, the U.S. Department of Labor will take action to hold employers who jeopardize the safety of young workers and deprive workers of their full wages accountable, Sellers said.

The employer cooperated fully with investigators, changed its practices to comply with the law and paid the $34,355 in civil money penalties, according to federal officials.

New Age Rocks Inc. has been a landscape stone supplies retailer since 2012.
A jury found a 31-year-old Thurston County man guilty of murdering his elderly parents in 2021.

Josiah Sweeney, 31, has been convicted on two counts of first-degree aggravated murder, first-degree burglary with a deadly weapon and assault in violations of a protection order, according to Superior Court records.

The jury delivered their verdict last month at the conclusion of a three-week trial. Deputies arrested Sweeney on Oct. 31, 2021, after finding his parents, Patricia and Michael Sweeney, stabbed to death in their home near Maytown in south Thurston County.

Prosecuting Attorney Jon Tunheim announced the convictions on Tuesday. In a statement, he commended the Thurston County Sheriffs Office for their investigation and the jury for their service. He also addressed those close to the couple.

I hope the verdict will bring some closure to the family and friends of the couple, knowing that the defendant will be held accountable for these horrific crimes, Tunheim said.

The Sheriffs Office also shared a news release about the convictions. Like Tunheim, they thanked the jury and said they hoped this conviction would bring about closure.

We are grateful for the diligent efforts of our personnel who worked alongside Thurston County Prosecutor, Jon Tunheim and his staff to ensure that this case was investigated thoroughly and prosecuted effectively, the statement reads.

Darren Sweeney, Michael Sweeneys son from a previous marriage, asked deputies to check on the couple after a pastor noticed their absence during a Sunday morning service, The Olympian previously reported.

Deputies checked the address at the 13200 block of Taylor Street Southwest and learned Michael Sweeney had a protection order against his son, Josiah Sweeney.

They observed no signs of forced entry at the home, but they did see an unresponsive person lying face down in a bed.

After forcing their way into the home, deputies found the couple had been killed by multiple stab wounds. Josiah Sweeney was found sleeping in another bedroom and a car registered to him was parked outside.

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Court records indicate Sweeney told deputies he did not know of his parents condition. When he was informed they had died from stab wounds, he reportedly replied Oh.

Deputies later found two large kitchen knives in the kitchen sink. According to the records, the knives were covered in blood and hair.

It appeared that after placing the knives in the sink, Josiah had at least one meal and placed the dishes in the sink on top of the bloody knives, the court records read.

After a forensic analysis, investigators determined the couples blood was on the knives as well as the defendants fingerprints, according to the PAO.

Neighbors told investigators they saw Josiah Sweeney at the home multiple times, per court records. They believed he was violating his fathers protection order.

Deputies arrested Josiah Sweeney and he has remained in custody since that day, according to the Sheriffs Office.

Court records indicate Sweeney may be sentenced as soon late February or early March.
Crying that she wanted to go home, a 3-year-old girl was sent to live with a new family Tuesday afternoon, devastating the one she had lived with her whole life.

You could hear her crying down the hall, said Nicole DeHaven, tears falling down her cheeks as she talked about the little girl she and her husband, John, have raised since she was three days old. They had to hold her back. She kept saying, I want to go home. I want to go home.

Wyandotte County Judge Jane A. Wilson ordered the DeHavens to turn over the girl at the countys juvenile office by 4 p.m. Tuesday, the couple said. From there, the girl in the pink Aurora princess dress would be taken to a family in Manhattan, Kansas, that wants to adopt her.

In a decision Friday, Wilson ruled against the recommendation of the Kansas Department for Children and Families that the girl stay with the DeHavens, who have been her foster family since Oct. 31, 2019.

Wilson then consented to the girl being adopted by the Manhattan family, which has three of her biological siblings, although she has never lived with them.

DCF has appealed that court ruling.

The case has caught the attention of the public, child advocates and Kansas lawmakers. Many say that, while on paper reuniting siblings is often best, in cases such as this other factors should be taken into consideration.

The girl has never lived with her siblings and has spent just 10 hours with the Manhattan family. The DeHavens Gardner home is the only one she has ever known.

And, critics point out, if getting the siblings together was so important, why has it taken three years, all while the little girl has bonded with the DeHavens and their other child?

As Nicole DeHaven stood outside the juvenile center in the biting cold Tuesday afternoon, she sobbed as she thought about the little girl who has never spent a night away from home.

They dont know her routine, she said. Or what she likes to eat for breakfast, or that she likes a glass of milk before going to bed. Or that she likes the milk in her Minnie Mouse sippy cup.

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With their adoptive son Riah  who is one month younger than his foster sister  in his arms, John DeHaven said its going to be a rough night.

When she cries for Mommy and Daddy, thats whats going to keep me up tonight, he said, looking down and shaking his head.

Tiffany Reed hugs Nicole DeHaven, far right, after she and her husband, John DeHaven, turned over their 3-year-old foster child Tuesday afternoon at the Wyandotte County Juvenile Services Center in Kansas City, Kansas.

For many months, the DeHavens had been at the center of an emotional battle with the state after being told they would not be able to adopt their foster daughter. Instead, Cornerstones of Care, one of four contractors that handle foster care in Kansas, planned to place her in an adoptive home with a family that was willing to take all four siblings.

But three months ago, the story seemed to be headed toward a happy ending for the DeHavens. The couple learned on Halloween  the third anniversary of when they first brought the baby girl into their home  that Laura Howard, the secretary of DCF, had changed course and was recommending the girl stay with them.

The couple knew the case would still have to go through court and a judge would have to sign off before the adoption would be final. At that point, though, it appeared to be a formality because Howard had said the girl should stay in Gardner.

They didnt anticipate Fridays ruling.

Wilson said in her decision that Howard wasnt looking out for the best interest of the foster child when she recommended that she stay with the DeHavens.

Secretary Howards decision in this case, to overturn the decision made by agency workers, and, instead of allowing her to be adopted with her siblings, directly place (the little girl) in a home separate from her siblings and in a home that would, by all accounts, cut off all ties to (her) biological siblings, was not in (her) best interest, Wilson ruled.

The DeHavens  who stepped forward to adopt the little girl more than two years ago when the biological mothers parental rights were terminated  had said they were willing to keep up a relationship between the girl and her siblings.

The days since the Friday ruling have been miserable, Nicole said. Little sleep, panicky as cars drive by the house, wondering if its someone coming to take their little girl.

Its like knowing your child is going to be kidnapped, she said, but you dont know when.

John DeHaven is a licensed clinical social worker and in the past has worked in child welfare. From his training and experience, he said, he knows that removing a child from their home is always supposed to be the option of last resort, like having a leg amputated. You dont do it unless its absolutely necessary.

They traumatized her without any reason.

The Wyandotte County Juvenile Services Center

Nicole DeHaven received paperwork from a sheriffs deputy Tuesday afternoon alerting her that the child needed to be brought to the juvenile center. That paperwork, she said, also included an order that no involved party including her and her husband, was to contact the media or have others contact the media on their behalf to be present or involved in the delivery of the child.

Should anyone violate this order, each person will be subject to a fine of up to $1,000 by this court, the paperwork said.

Sen. Molly Baumgardner, a Louisburg Republican, has been a vocal advocate for the family for several months. She and other lawmakers have listened to the DeHavens tell their story on multiple occasions as the couple looked for help in Topeka.

I think its very interesting that were talking about a gag order, a private gag order in paperwork delivered by law enforcement, Baumgardner told The Star Tuesday. ... All of this has been shrouded and cloaked in secrecy and thats not how the judicial branch should operate.

Baumgardner said that officials and legislators have been working on this non stop for the last 24 hours.

Republicans and Democrats in both the House and Senate are dumbfounded by this decision of the courts and by absolutely ignoring the authority of the secretary of DCF, Baumgardner said.

Now the family said they fear that those moments inside the juvenile center Tuesday afternoon, with our daughter in a princess dress and a faint chocolate circle leftover from breakfast around her mouth, will be the last time they see her.

I feel like I planned my daughters funeral today, Nicole said. ... Were afraid that shes going to think that we didnt love her. And that she did something wrong. And thats why we gave her away.
Former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at Mar-a-Lago on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022, in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump will be joined by two of his highest-profile South Carolina supporters at the first public campaign event of his 2024 White House bid later this month in the early voting state.

Former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at Mar-a-Lago on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022, in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump will be joined by two of his highest-profile South Carolina supporters at the first public campaign event of his 2024 White House bid later this month in the early voting state.

WASHINGTON  The coup-attempting former president raised less than $5 million in the final month of 2022 for his 2024 campaign  barely more than what he cleared in a single day selling trading-card images of himself.

Trumps Save America Joint Fundraising Committee reported raising $4,951,463 in the final two days of November and all of December in its filing Wednesday night with the Federal Election Commission.

Possibly of more relevance for a dominant figure in his party, a HuffPost analysis of transfers to that committee from WinRed, the Republican small-dollar fundraising platform, shows that Trump collected just $2.4 million in the week following his Nov. 15 announcement.

The next week saw $2 million, and the take dwindled to $1.2 million in the week after that.

His timing was so poor, said a prominent Republican consultant familiar with Trumps operation who spoke on condition of anonymity. He announced at the exact time of the depression in fundraising for the entire party.

The $2.4 million figure is also less than the $2.8 million he raised in the week following the FBIs search of his Mar-a-Lago social club in Palm Beach, Florida, for classified documents he had withheld in defiance of a federal subpoena. He raised $3.2 million in the week after he announced the creation of his Save America leadership committee in a Florida speech just five weeks after his failed Jan. 6, 2021, coup to remain in power despite having lost the 2020 election.

In contrast, Trump sold $4.5 million worth of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) featuring his own face superimposed onto a race car driver, a cowboy, an astronaut and so on, in a single day in December. It is unclear how much Trump personally earned from the sales, but the fundraising scheme  teased by Trump as a major announcement  was roundly criticized by his own supporters.

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Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said Trump had raised over $20 million in the final three months of 2022, which proved he is an unstoppable force that continues to dominate politics.

The campaign built out a second-to-none operation both on the national level and in early states since announcing, he added. The president will wage an aggressive and fully funded campaign to take our country back from Joe Biden and Democrats who seek to destroy our country.

But the weak post-announcement showing by someone who believed he could win the GOP nomination in 2024 without any serious opposition would now, instead, encourage challenges, predicted Republicans from across the partys spectrum.

Its a bad sign, said Tyler Bowyer, a Republican National Committee member from Arizona who was among the leaders of a movement to push out chair Ronna McDaniel at last weeks RNC winter meeting. But fundraising is tough right now with lots of uncertainty.

David Jolly, a former Republican congressman from Florida, said Trumps number sends a message. He may be losing the big mo. Fundraising is a proven metric for whether theres a market for ones candidacy, he said.

David Kochel, a longtime Iowa consultant, agreed. Im not sure what might explain that except for a general lack of enthusiasm. When DeSantis gets in, he will make $5 million look like childs play.

Ron DeSantis, Floridas Republican governor who won reelection in a landslide and is expected to announce his presidential candidacy after the Florida legislative session ends in May, entered 2023 with $70 million in a political committee.

That figure is comparable to money Trump has available in his various committees. His campaign entered 2023 with $3 million in the bank and an additional $3.8 million available to it in the fundraising committee. A pro-Trump superPAC run by a former employee and his pollster had $54 million.

Save America, Trumps leadership PAC, had $18.3 million heading into 2023, although as a declared candidate, that money cannot be used for his own election activity, although it can pay for such things as his criminal defense lawyers. Indeed, Trump spent $2.9 million on legal fees through the committee last month, including $491,365 to a lawyer who, along with Trump, was recently fined $1 million for filing a frivolous lawsuit.

And through his own campaign committee, Trump is already showing that he is again willing to use donor dollars to enrich himself, as he did during his two previous campaigns. The Trump campaign paid Mar-a-Lago, where he held his announcement speech, $67,865 for catering and room rental, according to its FEC filing. Profits from the members-only club flow directly into his bank account.

Related...
Former President Donald Trump sits for August 10 deposition. Insider

Video footage obtained by Insider shows Trump being deposed in the NY AG's investigation into his business.

Trump repeatedly invoked the 5th Amendment and declined to answer questions.

Trump previously questioned why an innocent person would plead the 5th.

Former President Donald Trump repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment when he was deposed last summer as part of New York Attorney General Letitia James' investigation into his business practices, according to footage obtained by Insider on Tuesday.

"This is the greatest witch hunt in the history of our country," Trump began in his seven-minute opening statement on August 10. "There has never been another president, or perhaps even another politician, who has been persecuted, harassed, and in every other way, unfairly treated like President Donald J. Trump."

"Anyone in my position not taking the Fifth Amendment would be a fool, an absolute fool," he said.

"The United States Constitution exists for this very purpose," Trump said. "And I would utilize it to the fullest extent and defend myself against this malicious attack by this administration, this attorney general's office, and all other attacks on my family, my business and our country."

Trump concluded his remarks by saying he "respectfully" declined to answer questions as he sat under oath.

"For all other reasons provided in my answer, which is incorporated herein in its entirety, I decline to answer the question," the former president said as questioning began, a phrase he repeated twice more before transitioning to the shorter response: "Same answer."

Trump said "same answer" over and over again as he was pressed about the Trump Organization's business dealings, asked about its top executives, and presented with financial documents.

At times, Trump appeared tired of the deposition, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. He announced last year that he had invoked the 5th Amendment in James' investigation. The August statement was particularly noteworthy given Trump's previous suggestion that only guilty people invoke the constitutional right against self-incrimination.

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"You see the mob takes the Fifth," he said in April 2018. "If you're innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?"

Trump addressed his change of heart about invoking the 5th Amendment in his statement last August.

"I once asked, 'If you're innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?'" he said. "Now I know the answer to that question. When your family, your company, and all the people in your orbit have become the targets of an unfounded, politically motivated Witch Hunt supported by lawyers, prosecutors, and the Fake News Media, you have no choice."

James' investigation into the Trump Organization culminated in a massive fraud lawsuit in September against the former president, his three eldest children, and his business.

James is seeking to permanently bar the Trumps from conducting business in New York and pursuing $250 million in penalties. The state attorney general's office is also seeking the appointment of an independent monitor to "oversee compliance, financial reporting, valuations, and disclosures to lenders, insurers, and tax authorities at the Trump Organization" for at least five years.

James said Trump "falsely inflated his net worth by billions of dollars to further enrich himself and cheat the system" and "repeatedly and persistently manipulated the value of assets to induce banks to lend money to the Trump Organization."

"Claiming to have money that you do not have does not amount to the art of the deal," James said, referencing the title of Trump's 1987 memoir and business-advice book. "It's the art of the steal."

Read the original article on Business Insider
By Jason Lange

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump's bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024 got off to a modest fundraising start, with his campaign ending the year with about $7 million on hand while his Save America fund had about $18 million, according to financial disclosures released on Tuesday.

After launching his third consecutive run for the White House on Nov. 15, a week after a weaker-than-expected Republican performance in midterm congressional elections, the former U.S. President did little campaigning, not hitting the trail until this Saturday.

Tuesday's filings with the Federal Election Commission suggest that Trump's fundraising was also sluggish, leaving him with a far smaller war chest than the more than $100 million Save America had on hand through early 2022.

Trump remained a prodigious fundraiser after leaving office in January 2021, holding regular rallies in which he repeated his false claims that his loss to Democratic President Joe Biden was the result of widespread fraud.

But the Save America group that served as his main fundraising arm was registered to fund other campaigns, not Trump's own. That poses legal problems if Trump seeks to use Save America funds on his own campaign.

Last year Save America transferred some $60 million to a pro-Trump Super PAC group which is expected to support his presidential run. The Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan watchdog group, has asked election regulators to probe Save America's money transfers.

Save America's financial disclosure on Tuesday showed the group spent more than $3 million on lawyer fees in the final weeks of the 2022.

Trump remains the Republican party's most popular figure and is the only major candidate to have declared his intention to challenge Biden, who has not yet formally launched his own reelection campaign. But Trump could face challengers for the nomination, notably Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

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He also faces a series of legal risks, including a possible investigation into hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign.

Trump on Saturday visited two early-voting states and held notably muted events. In contrast to the raucous rallies in front of thousands of devotees that Trump has held in the past, he spoke to about 200 people in South Carolina's capitol building.

In its disclosure to election regulators, Trump's official campaign committee reported raising $3.8 million between Nov. 15 and Dec. 31, ending the year with $3 million in the bank.

Most of that money was raised through another Trump fundraising group called the Trump Save America Joint Fundraising Committee, which reported having an additional $3.8 million in the bank at the end of the year.

(Reporting by Jason Lange; Editing by Scott Malone and Christian Schmollinger)
Two Memphis officers charged with murder in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols have received reprimands in connection with forcible arrests in the past, according to a new report.

Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith were all fired and charged with a slew of felonies  including second-degree murder  following the Jan. 7 traffic stop that resulted in Nichols death. Theyre accused of beating, pepper spraying and tasing Nichols after they pulled him over on suspicion of reckless driving.

Nichols died at a hospital three days later. He was 29.

According to personnel records obtained by ABC News, its not the first time some of the officers have put their hands on a suspect.

Mills had previously received a written reprimand over his failure to fill out a Response to Resistance form after he helped another officer forcibly arrest a woman in 2019. According to the case summary, the woman was drunk and resisting arrest, so Mills grabbed [her] by the arms, taking her down to the ground. He then placed her arms behind her back and another officer put handcuffs on her, the case summary said.

Haley was similarly reprimanded in 2021, according to ABC News.

In that incident, Haley grabbed the suspect by the arm and turned her around to be handcuff (sic) as she resisted arrest, according to the case summary. He then helped another officer force her into the back seat of the squad car, documents said.

The woman later claimed officers dislocated her shoulder on the scene. Haley also later received a written reprimand for not filling out a Response to Resistance form.

Video of Nichols violent confrontation with police, made up of footage from the citys surveillance cameras and bodycams, was released on Friday. The graphic content sparked protests in Memphis and beyond, with thousands of people taking to the streets nationwide, calling for justice on behalf of Nichols.

Local, state and federal authorities continue to investigate the traffic stop and Nichols subsequent death.
(AP)

It wan an anonymous tip that sent the Dallas police to an abandoned house in Lancaster, Texas.

They entered and began their search on Tuesday afternoon, focusing  based on the tipsters information  on closets inside the empty home.

Before long, they peeled open a wooden closet door and were relieved to find the tipsters information was correct. Inside, they found a pair of emperor tamarin monkeys named Bella and Finn that had apparently been stolen from the Dallas Zoo, approximately 15 miles away.

The news of the monkeys disappearances  and a slew of other strange occurrences at the zoo over the last month  made national headlines on Monday. Photos of the little monkeys and their mustache-like white whiskers were shared on social media alongside a security image of a man in a blue hoodie holding a bag of Doritos that police wanted to question regarding the pilfered primates.

The drama kicked off on Monday when animal care specialists at the zoo discovered the monkeys had gone missing. They searched the zoo grounds and the surrounding area for the creatures, but were unsuccessful.

Zoo officials said at the time it would be unlike the monkeys to venture far from their home at the zoos enclosure, noting in a statement that "emperor tamarin monkeys would likely stay close to home."

Dallas Zoo president and CEO Gregg Hudson told the Dallas Morning News that it was immediately clear that "the habitat had been intentionally compromised," which police confirmed later, saying the enclosure had been cut open.

"We looked as much as we could out in the cold and we were hoping that maybe wed find them, but it became pretty apparent to us just by looking at what theyd done that this was motivated to try to steal the animals," Mr Hudson said.

An emperor tamarin monkey that was stolen from the Dallas Zoo sits on a portion of a chain-link fence inside an abandoned house in Lancaster, Texas (Dallas Police Department)

By early Tuesday morning, police had made public only one potential lead; a man in a blue hoodie with a bag of Doritos whose image was captured on security footage near the enclosure. The Dallas police department said they wanted the man for questioning, but did not say he was a suspect. Its unclear if he is still wanted for questioning in the wake of the monkeys discovery.

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After the monkeys were recovered from the abandoned house in Lancaster, police shared a photo of one of the primates perched atop what appears to be a section of chain-link fencing wedged inside a closet. The monkeys were returned to the zoo and are being checked by veterinarians before theyre returned to their enclosure.

Dallas Police, with the help of the Lancaster Police Department, located the two missing tamarin monkeys from the Dallas Zoo at an abandoned home in Lancaster.

Pictured is one of the animals still inside the closet of the house.

The monkeys have been returned to the zoo. pic.twitter.com/vfWj7aAt3T  Dallas Police Dept (@DallasPD) February 1, 2023

The incident prompted the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, which advocates for the advancement of zoos and aquariums in addition to offering sought-after accreditation for the organisations, to issue a statement condemning the alleged theft of the monkeys and assuring the public that the zoo was not at risk of losing its accreditation.

"Dallas Zoo and its animals are victims of acts, presumably intended to take animals for personal reasons, or worse, to be trafficked," Dan Ashe, the AZAs president, wrote. "AZA and its entire member community stand squarely with Dallas Zoo and condemn these acts of violence against the zoo, its animals, and the entire Dallas community."

The AZAs statement theorised on possible motives: personal desire to own the animals, or perhaps animal trafficking.

Though it is difficult to track exact numbers, a 2021 study published in the Public Library of Science journal roughly estimated that international wildlife trafficking made approximately $3.2bn in 2013, but noted that it used a conservative estimate and suggested the current estimates are far lower than their likely reality in 2023.

International wildlife trafficking was the fourth largest transnational illegal activity, just behind narcotics sales, human trafficking, and product counterfeits, according to the study.

But if it was simply a case of someone hoping to score an exotic new pet or to turn a profit on the animals, how does it explain the other strange incidents at the zoo over the past month?

We're so grateful for the support we've received as we comprehend the unexpected loss of our 35-year-old lappet-faced vulture, Pin. Losing him is devastating not only to our Zoo family but also to the conservation efforts of this species. Pin will be missed dearly by everyone. pic.twitter.com/TJEQnT0MG1  Dallas Zoo (@DallasZoo) January 24, 2023

The Dallas Zoo was not just the victim of monkey theft; a week before the incident, a 35-year-old lappet faced vulture  an endangered species  was found dead in its enclosure.

According to the zoos website, vultures are the "most endangered group of birds" in the world, with 16 of the 23 known vulture species "considered threatened, endangered, or critically endangered."

The bird, named Pin, had reportedly died from an unusual wound that zoo officials said would not have been the result of a natural incident. The zoo called the loss "devastating" and offered a $10,000 reward for information regarding its death.

The circumstances of the death are unusual, and the death does not appear to be from natural causes. Given the recent incidents at the Zoo, we alerted the Dallas Police Department. We cannot share many details until Dallas PD has had more time to look into this matter.  Dallas Zoo (@DallasZoo) January 22, 2023

Prior to that, zoo officials discovered that one of their two clouded leopards, Nova, had gone missing. Dallas police responded to the situation, using drones to search the grounds and surrounding trees for the cat.

Unlike poor Pin, Nova was found a few hours after the discovery no worse for wear. The 25 pound cat posed no threat to humans during her short time outside her enclosure and was quickly reintegrated to her habitat.

More worrying was the discovery that Nova was able to escape due to a cut that had been made in her enclosure, according to the Dallas Morning News. Later that day, zoo officials discovered that a similar cut had been made to the enclosure of a group of langur monkeys, much like the one that would later provide someone access to the tamarind monkeys that disappeared.

The incidents prompted the zoo to upgrade its security with more surveillance cameras and an expanded roster of overnight security guards.

Dallas Zoo Missing Leopard (Dallas Zoo)

However, even with the beefed up security presence, someone was still able to sneak in, compromise an enclosure, and steal a pair of monkeys without detection.

The situation has become so strange that the Fort Worth Zoo  approximately 36 miles west of the Dallas Zoo  has increased its own security presence to prevent any would-be animal thieves from trying the same tactic there, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

But the question remains; if theft was the sole intent behind the incidents at the zoo, why did the individual not take Nova, the leopard, and why did Pin the vulture end up dead?

Those answers may be forthcoming. The Dallas Zoo said Wednesday it was celebrating the safe return of Bella and Finn, and noted that any further information regarding the investigation would come from the Dallas police, if they come at all.

Emperor tamarin monkeys, Bella and Finn, were so happy to snuggle into their nest sack here at the Zoo last night! Our vet and animal care teams have said, beyond losing a bit of weight, they show no signs of injury. pic.twitter.com/Nf5DXvGxJX  Dallas Zoo (@DallasZoo) February 1, 2023

There may be no satisfying answer to the strange attacks on the zoos facilities, as was the case in 2018 when 11 animals were stolen from the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo in Gainsville, Florida.

The then-director of the facility, Johnathan Miot, spoke to Slate about his experiences in the aftermath of the thefts, and revealed that he never received a satisfactory answer regarding why the perpetrators stole the animals.

"We ask that all the time. Even with our case, we never got the answer," he told the outlet. "The individuals involved in our situation were found and prosecuted and held accountable, but what we never got was a why."
Correction: This story has been updated with accurate spelling of an attendee's name.

The funeral for Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man who was a father, skateboarder and photographer, is expected to draw thousands of attendees to Memphis Wednesday afternoon, including high-profile government and civil rights leaders.

Nichols died Jan. 10, three days after he was brutally beaten by Memphis police officers, video footage shows.

Follow along for updates from the service held inside the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church.

Says Nichols' eulogist the Rev. Al Sharpton: 'Im not a funeral director, Im an activist'

Speaking after Nichols' funeral, the Rev. Al Sharpton, who delivered the eulogy, said he and others "intend to be at the trials and arraignments" in Nichols' case.

"We are mountain climbers, Sharpton said, again invoking Martin Luther King Jr.

Sharpton, founder of the National Action Network civil rights nonprofit, said it was "imperative" for the country to move forward with legislation on police reform.

"Im not a funeral director," he said. "Im an activist.

"This is not the end of a funeral," he later continued, "but the beginning of a movement around legislation.

After funeral, Crump renew calls for legislation to prevent police killings of Black people

"How many videos do we have to show you, America?" Ben Crump, civil rights attorney for Nichols' family, said at a press conference after the funeral.

Video footage can be a "game-changer" in bringing justice for families of Black people killed by police he said, a repeated result of problems in the culture of policing in America.

"Its so significant to show America that these are not isolated incidents," he said. Further, he later described, "transparency plus accountability equals trust.

Crump called for Congress to pass a substantive George Floyd Justice in Policing Act that would include "duty to intervene" legislation in memory and honor of Tyre Nichols.

Speaking of potential future civil litigation, Crump said he believes there to be a "pattern and practice" of excessive use of force.

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"It is so clear that Tyre Nichols not just civil rights, but his human rights were violated," Crump said.

Says attendee Spike Lee: 'I have to look at whats being done to us'

Filmmaker Spike Lee attended Nichols' funeral and praised the Rev. Al Sharpton's eulogy explaining the significance of Memphis in civil rights history.

"I understand people saying, I cant take all this Black trauma," Lee said, describing response to viewing the video footage of Nichols' brutal beating by police.

"But I think about Mamie Till, when she allowed Jet magazine to show the horrific of her son Emmett," Lee said, a reference to the magazine's photo of Emmett Till's brutalized body in an open casket funeral. "And I understand its not for everybody. But me personally, I have to look at whats being done to us.'

'We will see Tyre again': Memphis clergy speak of Nichols' impact

The Rev. Earle Fisher, a familiar face in Memphis religion and politics told attendees: "I believe every time we raise our voice for love and justice and power, we will see Tyre again.

Said the Rev. Rodney Woodley, who presided over a memorial service for Nichols earlier in January: On that day of Jan. 7, Tyre got drafted unknowingly to serve as a secret agent. He was drafted as a secret agent, for a secret mission that he had no idea hed been drafted for.

"Just because it looks like he lost a battle, the war will be won," Woodley said.

Bishop Marvin Thomas, of the First Episcopal District, CME, spoke of poem "I, Too," by Langston Hughes.

"Even suffering has a point to it," said Bishop Brandon Porter of COGIC.

Nichols' assignment isn't over, church crowd says in support of his parents

RowVaughn Wells, Nichols' mother, told the church of her "unimaginable" pain as she dabbed away tears.

"I really truly believe that my son was sent here on an assignment from God. And I guess now his assignment is done and hes been taken home," she said.

Someone in the church shouted out: "It aint over momma! Hes gonna change the world.

Rodney Wells, Nichols' stepfather, told the church this is still the beginning.

"This is a continuous fight that we have to fight for. We have to fight for justice," he said. "We cannot continue to let these people brutalize our kids.

He criticized police for the "deceit" in the first response to his son's death: "But as they say, whats done in the dark will always come in the light."

Nichols' parents later praised Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn "CJ" Davis and Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy for swift action. They also thanked their attorneys and local activists.

Nichols' siblings remember peaceful, fun brother: 'He seen the world way different'

Nichols' siblings remembered a brother who was peaceful and his own person, even at a young age. His death has left them heartbroken.

"He never wanted anything but to watch cartoons and a big bowl of cereal," older sister Keyana Dixon remembered.

And even in the ending moments of his life, she said, "He was still polite. He asked them to please stop and they didnt. And thats why my family will never be the same."

Nichols' older brother, Jamal Dupree, grieved the loss of his brother, and the possibilities of their family's future.

He seen the world way different than I ever seen it before," Dupree said.

Nichols' legacy should be for 'equal justice,' civil rights attorney Ben Crump says

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents Nichols' family, implored the church to turn to their neighbor and ask them a question about the officers of the special police unit involved in Nichols' death: "Why couldnt they see the humanity in Tyre?"

To cheers, Crump announced plans for federal legislation to support a "Tyre Nichols duty to intervene."

I know we cant bring Tyre back but in this call to action, we establish his legacy," Crump said, addressing Nichols' parents, siblings, son and other family. "Lets never let them forget Memphis. Because his legacy will be one of equal justice. It will be the blueprint going forward.

The swift firing of and charges against the police officers should be the blueprint, no matter the race of the officer involved in alleged police brutality, Crump said.

Rev. Al Sharpton calls for end to qualified immunity

In the city that they slayed the dreamer, what has happened to the dream?" the Rev. Al Sharpton said, invoking the history of Martin Luther King Jr. who was shot and killed in Memphis in 1968.

Civil rights efforts in Memphis and elsewhere paved the way for more racial equality, Sharpton said. Those fights opened doors for Black people, including the five Black officers who have been fired and charged in Nichols' death, and Memphis' Black police chief.

You didnt get on the police department by yourself. Police chief didn't get there by herself," Sharpton said. "People had to march and go to jail and some lost their lives to open the doors for you and how dare you act like that sacrifice was for nothing.

Rodney Wells, Nichols' step-father who was known as his father, was among the first to stand up and applaud Sharpton.

"You dont fight crime by becoming criminals yourself," Sharpton said, addressing the Memphis police officers involved in Nichols' fatal beating.

Sharpton continued with calls to end qualified immunity. Civil rights attorney for the Nichols' family Ben Crump stood in the front row of the church and clapped.

All he wanted to do was get home," Sharpton said of Nichols as his mother, RowVaughn Wells, and older sister Keyana Dixon nodded and cried. "...Home is where you are at peace."

VP Harris calls on Congress to pass George Floyd Justice in Policing Act

Vice President Kamala Harris called on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act as Tyre Nichols' mother wept and applauded.

It is non-negotiable," Harris said.

This violent act was not in pursuit of public safety, Harris said of Nichols' fatal beating. Was it not in the interest of keeping the public safe that Tyre Nichols would be with us today? Was he not also entitled to the right to be safe? So when we talk about public safety, let us understand what it means in its truest form. Tyre Nichols should have been safe.

Addressing Nichols' parents RowVaughn and Rodney wells, Harris told them, "You have been extraordinary in terms of your strength, your courage and your grace, as attendants stood and applauded. And we mourn with you and the people of our country mourn with you.

RowVaughn Wells and her husband Rodney Wells attend the funeral service for her son Tyre Nichols at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis, Tenn., on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023.

Prior to introducing Harris, the Rev. Al Sharpton recognized local, state and federal officials, and family members of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Eric Garner, all killed by police.

"They know what it is to sit at a funeral like this," Sharpton said.

VP Harris, Nichols' mother embrace as mother of Jalen Randle, fatally shot by police, sings

Tiffany Rachal, the mother of Jalen Randle, who was fatally shot by Houston police in 2022, gave her condolences to RowVaughn Wells before singing.

During a song of praise, Vice President Kamala Harris entered the funeral. She and Wells embraced.

Yes Lord, amen, Wells said as the song concluded and ushered in another slideshow of photos of Nichols as attendants were invited to read Nichols' obituary.

Wells pointed out photos in the slideshow to Harris, and both shared a laugh in a bit of levity. Nichols' step-father, Rodney Wells, hasnt let his arm leave RowVaughn's shoulders since the pair sat down.

Rodney Wells, who has stood steady through many public appearances, began to wipe his eyes.

Vice President Kamala Harris sits with RowVaughn Wells and Rodney Wells during the funeral service for Wells' son Tyre Nichols at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis, Tenn., on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023.

'Only healed by the grace of God, transparency,' opens officiant the Rev. Dr. J. Lawrence Turner

Shortly after 1 p.m., officiant the Rev. Dr. J. Lawrence Turner, senior pastor of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, began the ceremony describing the rights Nichols was denied, the right "to see the sunset another day" and "to grow old."

Nichols' mother, RowVaughn Wells, dabbed a tissue to her eyes as Turner listed more characteristics of her son.

"We have come with heavy hearts that can only be healed by the grace of God, full transparency, accountability and comprehensive legislative reform," Turner said.

He called for an end to police violence to affirmative nods from Wells.

"So today as we celebrate Tyre's life, and comfort this family, we serve notice to this nation that the rerun of this episode that makes Black lives hashtags has been canceled and will not be renewed for another season," Turner said. "We have come and we shall overcome."

'We love you Tyre, your spirit is free,' church band sings before Rev. Al Sharpton, Ben Crump enter

A church band sang, "We love you Tyre, your spirit is free shortly before 1 p.m. as church pews filled to 80% with people standing and recording.

Eulogist the Rev. Al Sharpton and Nichols' family's attorney Ben Crump entered as the 70-person choir sang, "You Are My Strength."

Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy was among early attendees, as were Memphis City Councilmen Martavius Jones and JB Smiley, Jr., Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, and County Commissioners Mick Wright, Amber Mills and Charlie Caswell.

Also in attendance are White House Director for the Office of Public Engagement Keisha Lance Bottoms, a former mayor of Atlanta, alongside U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen.

Memphis activists, others arrive at the church

Despite icy roads and sub-freezing temperatures, activists from Memphis have started arriving at the church, where the chapel was about 30% full roughly an hour before the scheduled start of services.

Amber Sherman, Hunter Demster, and LJ Abraham  three activists who have been heavily involved in organizing protests along with advocating for the family and widespread police reforms  made their way to the church.

Mourners continue calls for justice, trickle into church

Two mourners at Nichols' funeral traveled from the Detroit metro area with a 65-pound, 10-foot-tall, cedar cross.

When I saw the video footage on Friday, I had dreams all weekend about the cross here, said Dan Beazley, who traveled with Tristan Strickland.

Others outside the church plead: "Our Black sons deserve to grow old.

As the doors opened at 11 a.m., two hours before the service, a flurry of Memphis community members entered the church.

Early attendees include local clergy and Van Turner, Memphis mayoral candidate and Memphis NAACP president, who has been a fixture at press conferences with the Nichols' family. He was joined by others with the Memphis NAACP.

Icy weather delays service start to 1 p.m.

A funeral service for Tyre Nichols, the father, skateboarder and photographer who died after he was brutally beaten by Memphis police, is delayed by several hours due to icy weather.

A second wave of ice and sleet dropped on Memphis Tuesday evening and overnight Wednesday, coating roadways and bringing additional disruptions. An ice storm warning originally scheduled to expire at noon Wednesday has been extended to 6 a.m. Thursday. The weather has delayed travel for expected guests to the services.

Held at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, also known as The BLVD, the service is expected to draw thousands.

The sanctuary at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church is seen before the start the funeral service for Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tenn., on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023

More:Rev. Al Sharpton: 'We will continue in Tyre's name to head up to Martin's Mountaintop'

More:4 officers indicted in Tyre Nichols death had previous reprimands, suspensions by MPD

The Rev. Al Sharpton will give a eulogy. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who along with attorney Antonio Romanucci, is representing the Nichols family, will deliver a call to action.

Vice President Kamala Harris is also attending the service. She will be joined by other officials, including White House Director for the Office of Public Engagement Keisha Lance Bottoms, a former mayor of Atlanta, and Senior Advisor to the President Mitch Landrieu, a former mayor of New Orleans.

Family members of George Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer pinned him to the ground with a knee on his neck, and Breonna Taylor, who was shot to death by Louisville officers who knocked down her door while executing a search warrant, are expected to attend. Floyd and Taylor's deaths in 2020 inspired a national movement toward police reform.

During a Tuesday evening address at the historic Mason Temple, Sharpton recognized family members of Eric Garner, who died after being put in a chokehold by New York Police in 2014, and Stephon Clark, who was killed by Sacramento, California, police in 2018.

On stage with him among local activists was Sonny Webber, the father of Brandon Webber, who was shot and killed in Memphis in 2019 by members of the United States Marshals Service.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Tyre Nichols' Memphis funeral: Live updates from the service
By Karen Freifeld and Mike Stone

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Tuesday put new trade restrictions on seven Iranian entities for producing drones that Russia has used to attack Ukraine, the U.S. Department of Commerce said.

The firms and other organizations were added to a U.S. export control list for those engaged in activities contrary to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.

The additions to the Commerce Department's "entities list" were posted in a preliminary filing in the U.S. Federal Register, the government's daily journal, and will be officially published on Wednesday.

Since Russia launched its war against Ukraine in February 2022, the United States and over 30 other countries have sought to degrade its military and defense industrial base by using export controls to restrict its access to technology.

The Iranian entities are Design and Manufacturing of Aircraft Engines, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Research and Self-Sufficiency Jihad Organization, Oje Parvaz Mado Nafar Company, Paravar Pars Company, Qods Aviation Industry, and Shahed Aviation Industries.

Any suppliers to the entities are required to have licenses to ship goods and technology, but these are expected to be denied, apart from those for food and medicine. The licenses will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York said: "Sanctions have no effect on Iran's drone production capacity because its drones are all produced domestically. This is a strong indication that the drones shot down in Ukraine and using parts made by Western countries don't belong to Iran."

In January, Canada announced it would buy a U.S.-made National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) for Ukraine. NASAMS is a short- to medium-range ground-based air defense system that protects against drone, missile and aircraft attack. The United States has provided two NASAMS to Ukraine and more are on the way.

Other ground-based air defense systems such as Raytheon Technology Corp's Patriot have been pledged by the United Kingdom, the United States and the Netherlands as allies hope to stave off further power disruptions.

(Reporting by Karen Freifeld in New York and Mike Stone in Washington; Additional reporting by Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Editing by Paul Simao and Howard Goller)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Washington is deeply concerned over the release this week of a Sudanese man facing the death penalty in connection with the killing of a U.S. diplomat in 2008, the State Department said on Wednesday.

Abdelraouf Abuzeid was found guilty, along with others, in the killing of American John Granville and a Sudanese colleague, who both worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development and were killed by gunmen in Khartoum.

"I was horrified," Granville's mother, Jane Granville, told Reuters about hearing of Abuzeid's release.

Abuzeid's brother told Reuters on Monday that his sibling was released by the country's high court based on a multi-million dollar 2020 settlement between Sudan and victims of attacks including the one that killed Granville.

The assertion that the United States had agreed to his release as part of the settlement was inaccurate, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.

The money received by Granville's family from the Sudanese government was interpreted by a majority of the court as a release of their right to retribution and the acceptance of blood money, said a Sudanese legal source related to the case.

"In no way did (the settlement) say that that money was going to release any of these men that killed John," Jane Granville said. "I never would've accepted it if that was part of it."

Abuzeid's brother said he did not know whether Granville's family had agreed or not.

Price said the U.S. government is deeply troubled by a lack of transparency in the legal process that resulted in his release.

"We will continue to seek clarity about this decision," Price said.

Since an October 2021 coup, Islamists have regained power in government institutions including the judiciary. Abuzeid's father is a prominent Islamist leader.

Abuzeid remains listed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the United States, and a reward was being offered for two others convicted of the killing that had previously escaped, Price said.

(Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis, Kanishka Singh, Nafisa Eltahir, and Khalid Abdelaziz; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Daniel Wallis)
By Kanishka Singh

(Reuters) - U.S. first lady Jill Biden will attend this year's Grammy Awards as a presenter, the White House said on Wednesday.

The Grammys separately announced the lineup of those presenting at the award show, a list that includes rapper Cardi B, pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo, actor Dwayne Johnson, actress Viola Davis, "When Harry Met Sally" star Billy Crystal, comedian James Corden and Canadian pop artist Shania Twain.

Biden is not the only first lady to appear at the Grammy Awards, the music industry's top honors.

Former first lady Michelle Obama made a surprise appearance at the Grammys for an opening segment in 2019 and won a Grammy a year later for best spoken word album for the audiobook version of her best-selling memoir, "Becoming."

Hillary Clinton won a Grammy in 1997 while she was first lady for best spoken word album for her book "It Takes a Village."

Nominations for the Grammy Awards, which take place on Sunday, were announced in November at the Grammy Museum.

Pop icon Beyonce received the most nominations this year with nine in total, putting her into a tie with her husband, rapper Jay-Z, as the most nominated artists of all time.

Beyonce and Jay-Z both have 88 nominations in total for the peer-voted music awards. Jay-Z received five 2023 nominations for contributions to Renaissance and DJ Khaled's song, "God Did."

Davis and Crystal are also nominees this year in addition to being presenters. Davis was nominated for best audiobook, narration and storytelling recording for her memoir, "Finding Me." Crystal was nominated for best musical theater album for "Mr. Saturday Night."

The Grammys will be hosted by comedian Trevor Noah.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington, editing by Deepa Babington)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States has opened an embassy in the Solomon Islands after a 30-year absence as it seeks to boost diplomatic relations in the Pacific as a counter to China.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced plans to open a diplomatic mission in the Pacific island nation during a visit to the region last year. The last U.S. embassy in the Solomons closed in 1993 amid post-Cold War budget cuts and the United States was represented there by an ambassador based in Papua New Guinea.

In a statement on Wednesday, Blinken said the State Department informed the Solomon Islands' government that the opening of the new embassy in the capital Honiara became official as of Jan. 27.

"The opening of the embassy builds on our efforts not only to place more diplomatic personnel throughout the region, but also to engage further with our Pacific neighbors, connect United States programs and resources with needs on the ground, and build people-to-people ties," he said.

The U.S. move comes amid concerns among Washington and its allies about Beijing's military ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region after it struck a security pact with the Solomon Islands last year.

In September, U.S. President Joe Biden hosted Pacific island leaders in a Washington summit at which he pledged to help stave off China's "economic coercion" and promised to work harder with allies and partners to address islanders' needs.

A joint declaration between Washington and 14 Pacific island states resolved to strengthen their partnership and said they shared a vision for a region where "democracy will be able to flourish."

Those endorsing the document included the Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, whose government had earlier indicated it would not sign, heightening concerns about his ties to China.

On Monday, the remote atoll nation of Kiribati said it would rejoin the Pacific Islands Forum, ending a split that had threatened unity at a time of increased superpower tensions in the strategically located region.

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Kiribati switched diplomatic recognition from self-ruled but Chinese-claimed Taiwan to Beijing in 2019, as did the Solomons.

The reopening of the embassy in the Solomons comes as Washington has been negotiating the renewal of cooperation agreements with three key Pacific island nations, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau.

Under Compacts of Free Association (COFA) first agreed in the 1980s, Washington retains responsibility for the islands' defense and exclusive access to huge swaths of the Pacific.

Washington said it signed memorandums of understanding last month with the Marshall Islands and Palau and had reached consensus with them on terms of U.S. future economic assistance, but has not provided details.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh, Rami Ayyub and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Sandra Maler)
By Nichola Groom

(Reuters) -President Joe Biden's administration said on Wednesday it would support a scaled-back version of ConocoPhillips' planned $6 billion Willow oil and gas drilling project in Alaska but has not yet made a final decision on the contentious proposal.

The Willow project's fate is being closely watched by both the oil and gas industry and environmental groups as Biden seeks to balance his goal of fighting climate change with calls to increase domestic fuel supplies to keep prices down.

The Willow project area holds an estimated 600 million barrels of oil, or more than the amount currently held in the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the country's emergency supply. The project is important to Alaska's elected officials, who are hoping it will help offset oil production declines in a state whose economy relies heavily on the drilling industry.

Meanwhile, extreme weather across the globe has intensified calls from activists to move rapidly away from burning fossil fuels because of their contribution to warming the planet. Biden vowed during his 2020 election campaign to end federal oil and gas drilling as part of a pledge to decarbonize the U.S. economy by 2050. But that plan faced lawsuits from drilling states and pressure to boost production as Russia's invasion of Ukraine caused a spike in energy prices.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published the project's final environmental review, selecting a "preferred alternative" that would include three drill sites and less surface infrastructure than originally proposed. ConocoPhillips had initially wanted to build up to five drill sites, dozens of miles (km) of roads, seven bridges and pipelines.

According to BLM's analysis, the design it endorsed would reduce the project's impact on habitats for species like polar bears and yellow-billed loons. Alaska officials and ConocoPhillips backed that option in letters submitted to the agency in recent months.

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In a statement, ConocoPhillips said the design represented "a viable path forward" for Willow and said it was ready to begin construction "immediately" upon approval. The company said the project would deliver up to $17 billion in revenue for federal and state governments and local Alaska communities.

The release of the document comes after a string of actions by the administration in recent weeks to protect wilderness areas from development, including Alaska's Tongass National Forest and Bristol Bay, and the Boundary Waters area in Minnesota.

Environmental groups criticized the analysis and called on Biden to reject the project.

"Our window to act is rapidly closing to avert catastrophic climate change, and this plan only takes us one giant step closer to the edge," Kristen Miller, executive director of Alaska Wilderness League, said in a statement.

BLM's parent agency, the Interior Department, said in a statement that the selection of the preferred alternative was not a final decision on approval of the project, adding that it had "substantial concerns" about Willow's impact on greenhouse gas emissions and wildlife.

A final decision will be made no sooner than 30 days after the review's publication, the department said.

Willow would be located inside the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, a 23 million-acre (93 million-hectare) area on the state's North Slope that is the largest tract of undisturbed public land in the United States.

It was initially approved by the Trump administration, but a federal judge in Alaska in 2021 reversed that decision, saying the environmental analysis was flawed.

(Reporting by Nichola Groom; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Will Dunham)
By Michael Martina and David Brunnstrom

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The speaker of Taiwan's parliament during a forum for international religious freedom in Washington on Wednesday stressed the importance of defending the island's democracy in the face of pressure from China.

In an address to the International Religious Freedom Summit, You Si-kun sharply criticized Beijing's suppression of religious minorities and described Taiwan as the only democracy in the Chinese-speaking world.

He also stressed the self-governed, but Chinese-claimed island's strategic importance at the center of key global sea lanes and as an important producer of semiconductors.

"So it's very important to safeguard Taiwan, especially its democracy," he said.

"If Taiwan falls into the sphere of influence of CCP, then the beacon of democracy will be destroyed. And China may invade the first island chain, and will cause a threat to the entire world," You said, referring to China's ruling Communist Party and its ambitions in the Pacific region.

Speaking through a translator, You said about 50% of global shipping used the Taiwan Strait between the island and China, "so it has very important economic significance for the global trade."

"And ... Taiwan has produced the best semiconductor chips and will be very important for global trade as well," he said. "So if Taiwan cannot be safeguarded very carefully, it will be very dangerous to global trade as well as global peace."

You, who belongs to Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party but does not speak for President Tsai Ing-wen, is in Washington amid speculation that Republican U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy could soon visit the island.

Speaking to reporters later, You declined to say whether he would meet with U.S. officials or McCarthy while in the United States. He said China had overreacted to such congressional visits, which he called "very normal."

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In August, then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, visited Taiwan and met Tsai, defying warnings from China, which launched military drills around the island in response, raising fears that Beijing may carry out its threat to reclaim the island by force if necessary.

Since then, Taiwan has welcomed a wave of U.S. lawmakers, and speculation has swirled around whether McCarthy would travel there this spring or summer. McCarthy last year expressed interest in visiting Taiwan if he became speaker, a role he assumed in January after Republicans took control of the House in November's midterm elections.

Like most countries, the United States has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but is bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself.

Washington has long stuck to a policy of "strategic ambiguity" and not making clear whether it would respond militarily to an attack on Taiwan. However, President Joe Biden said in September that U.S forces would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion, his most explicit statement on the issue.

(Reporting by Michael Martina and David Brunnstrom; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Bill Berkrot)
British submarine HMS Vanguard in 2009. LA(P) Ritchie Harvey/AFP via Getty Images

The British Navy launched a probe after finding a " defect" in a nuclear submarine, The Sun reported.

Broken bolts on HMS Vanguard's reactor chamber were glued on instead of replaced, the report said.

A Royal Navy source told The Sun that the discovery was a "disgrace."

The British Navy ordered an urgent investigation this week after finding that the broken bolts in a nuclear submarine were fixed with superglue, The Sun newspaper reported.

Inspectors said they found a "defect" on the HMS Vanguard during a recent maintenance check at Devonport Dockyard in Plymouth, England, according to The Sun.

At least seven broken bolts on the submarine's reactor chamber were glued on instead of replaced, the UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) told the newspaper. They originally broke due to overtightening, The Sun reported.

The bolts were found just as workers were set to fire up the reactor to full power for the first time, the newspaper said.

The MoD said the fault was "promptly reported and fixed," while contractor Babcock told The Sun there were no nuclear safety issues and the reactor would not have exploded had the damage not been found.

Former submarine captain Cdr. Ryan Ramsay told The Sun: "This is a massive trust issue for Babcock and the Royal Navy to resolve. It makes you wonder what else has been done poorly."

Another Navy source, who was not named, told the newspaper: "It's a disgrace. You can't cut corners with nuclear. Standards are standards. Nuclear standards are never compromised."

The submarine carries Trident ballistic missiles and is one of the country's four nuclear-powered nuclear submarines.

A spokesperson for both the Royal Navy and Babcock did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Ukraines Cabinet dismisses management team of customs service

According to the official, shown to the door were acting head of the State Customs Service, Vyacheslav Demchenko, and his deputies, Oleksandr Shchutskyi and Ruslan Cherkasskyi.

MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak reported on the Telegram messenger that the remaining deputy head of the customs office, Serhiy Zvyahintsev, would be appointed acting head of the agency.

Later, the Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers, Oleh Nemchinov, confirmed Zvyahintsevs appointment.

Read also: Former energy minister charged over contracts favoring exiled oligarch Firtash

The head of the Servant of the People faction, David Arakhamia, confirmed the dismissal of Demchenko and Shchutskyi. Cherkasskyi was removed from his duties, and disciplinary proceedings were initiated against him.

Earlier, Arakhamia announced the dismissal of the management team of the State Customs Service.

On Feb. 1, law enforcers searched oligarch Ihor Kolomoiskys house, former Interior Minister Arsen Avakovs residence, pro-Russian MP Vadym Stolars residence, as well as representatives of the State Tax Service.

The Prosecutor Generals Office also served three people involved in the Ukrainian armys food procurement, including two senior Defense Ministry officials, with charge papers.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
LIMOURS, France (AP)  Ukraine's defense minister said Wednesday that Ukrainian lives will be saved by a sophisticated air-defense radar that France is supplying and which is powerful enough to spot incoming missiles and exploding drones in the skies over all of Ukraine's capital and its surrounding region.

The minister, Oleksii Reznikov, was so enthusiastic about what he called Ukraine's new electronic eyes that he quickly coined a nickname for the Ground Master 200 radar  the Grand Master."

Speaking through an interpreter at a handover ceremony for the radar with his French counterpart, Reznikov described the French-made GM200 as a "very effective improvement for Ukraine's network of about 300 different types of air-defense radars.

Thales, the manufacturer, says the radar detects and tracks rockets, artillery and mortar shells, missiles, aircraft, drones and other threats.

Because of your support, Ukrainian lives will be saved, the minister said at the ceremony in Limours, where Thales makes the equipment.

This radar will be the cherry on the cake," he added. That's why it will be called Grand Master."

The French defense minister, Sebastien Lecornu, said the GM200's range of 250 kilometers (155 miles) would enable it to watch the skies over Kyiv and the Ukrainian capital's surrounding region, although it wasn't clear whether that's where Ukrainian forces intend to deploy it.

The radar is transportable on a truck. Thales says it can be deployed in 15 minutes and be moved to another location in 10 minutes, making it a harder target to hit.

The minister was gifted a small model of the radar at the ceremony and brandished it with a big grin above his head.

___

Follow APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Boris Johnson has attacked Britains decision not to send fighter jets to Ukraine, urging western leaders to give them what they need.

The former British prime minister suggested it would save time if the UK and allies gave Volodymyr Zelenskys forces the aircraft they had asked for now.

Britain and the US said they would not supply any warplanes, at odds with France and the Netherlands, which have signalled their openness to such a move.

Addressing reluctance in some corners of Nato, Mr Johnson said: We should have no fear of escalation when it comes to the provision of weaponry.

Earlier, the Kremlin said longer-range rockets reportedly included in an upcoming package of military aid from the United States to Ukraine would escalate the conflict but not change its course.

Key points

Boris Johnson condemns decision not to give Ukraine fighter jets

Netanyahu would consider Ukraine-Russia mediator role if asked

Russia faced with battle for every metre in eastern Ukraine

Ukraine responding to Russias revenge attempt, says Zelensky

Boris Johnson criticises Rishi Sunak decision not to give Ukraine fighter jets

09:29 , Sam Rkaina

Boris Johnson has condemned Rishi Sunaks decision not to send fighter jets to Ukraine, as he urged western leaders to give them what they need.

The former Tory prime minister suggested that it would save time if the UK and its allies gave Volodymyr Zelenskys forces the fighter jet aircraft they had asked for now.

This is not the moment to delay any support to Ukraine, this is the moment to double down on our support. Give them what they need, Mr Johnson told Fox News.

Click here for the full story.

Boris Johnson (Fox News)

Watch: Boris Johnson says warplanes needed in Fox News interview

10:56 , Liam James

Former British prime minister Boris Johnson criticised the decision of his successor Rishi Sunak and US president Joe Biden to deny Ukraine fighter jets.

Mr Johnson spoke to Fox News in the US earlier:

Kremlin says US rockets will escalate Ukraine war

10:24 , Liam James

Story continues

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that longer-range rockets reportedly included in an upcoming package of military aid from the United States to Ukraine would escalate the conflict but not change its course.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also told reporters that there were no plans for Russian president Vladimir Putin to hold talks with US president Joe Biden.

The US package of military aid, worth $2.2bn ($1.8bn), is expected to include longer-range rockets for the first time, two US officials briefed on the matter told Reuters.

Such rockets would allow Ukraine  which has said it plans to retake all of its territory by force, including annexed Crimea  to strike deeper into Russian-held territory.

Russian forces are encircling Ukrainian city of Bakhmut - Moscow-installed official

08:59 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russian forces are encircling Bakhmut and are battling to take control of the highway that connects the city to the nearby town of Chasiv Yar, a Russian-installed official in eastern Ukraine said on Wednesday.

Bakhmut is now operationally surrounded, our forces are closing the ring around the city, said Yan Gagin, an aide to senior Russian-installed official Denis Pushilin.

Fighting for control of the Chasiv Yar-Bakhmut highway is now underway, Gagin said on state television.

Reuters could not independently verify his assertions.

Russia claims to have taken control of several locations around Bakhmut, where its troops and mercenaries from the Wagner group have been locked in a battle of attrition with Ukrainian forces for months.

Russian journalist sentenced in absentia to eight years in jail for 'fake news'

08:35 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Prominent Russian journalist Alexander Nevzorov was sentenced in absentia to eight years in jail by a Moscow court on Wednesday after it found him guilty of spreading fake news about the Russian army, state media reported.

Investigators opened a case against Nevzorov last year for posts on social media in which he accused Russias armed forces of deliberately shelling a maternity hospital in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, an assertion Moscow said was false.

Nevzorovs wife wrote on Instagram in March that she and her husband were in Israel.

Spain to send up to six Leopard 2A4 tanks to Ukraine

08:01 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Spain plans to send between four and six German-built Leopard 2A4 tanks to Ukraine, newspaper El Pais reported on Wednesday, citing unidentified government sources.

The actual number will depend on the condition of the battle tanks in storage and how many other countries will eventually supply to Ukraine, the sources told El Pais.

A spokesperson for the Spanish Defence Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Kyiv secured pledges from the West this month to supply main battle tanks to help fend off Russias invasion with Moscow mounting huge efforts to make incremental advances in eastern Ukraine.

Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Tuesday his government expects to receive 120 to 140 Western tanks from a coalition of 12 countries in a first wave.

Kuleba said those tanks would include German Leopard 2, British Challenger 2 and U.S. M1 Abrams tanks, and that Ukraine was also really counting on supplies of French Leclerc tanks being agreed.

Are sanctions working? Why Russias economy continues to grow

06:59 , Andy Gregory

Sanctions on Russia might not be having the impact the West had hoped a financial expert has said after the International Monetary Fund predicted that Britain would see lower growth than Russia in the year ahead.

My colleague William Mata speaks to experts on why Russias economy is continuing to grow despite Western efforts:

Are sanctions working? Why Russias economy continues to grow

Kherson most consistently shelled city by Russia - MoD

06:43 , Arpan Rai

Ukraines Kherson remains the most consistently shelled city outside of the Donbas region, the British defence ministry said today.

Russias precise rationale for expending its strained ammunition stocks here is unclear, the MoD added.

Russian forces had to exit Kherson in October last year in a massive territorial loss after capturing the region for more than eight months of the war, but the occupying forces have continued to attempt multiple attacks to recapture the strategic city.

In recent days, some of the most intense shelling in the conflict has likely taken place along the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine.

This has included continued Russian shelling of Kherson city with artillery firing from the east of the river, the ministry pointed out.

It added that local authorities reported another three civilians killed in Kherson on Sunday, while two foreign-owned ships moored on the river were damaged, causing an oil spill.

However, commanders are likely partially aiming to degrade civilian morale and to deter any Ukrainian counter-attacks across the Dnipro River, according to the defence ministrys latest intelligence update.

Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 1 February 2023



Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/b85G1tkLax



 #StandWithUkraine  pic.twitter.com/IkFbNiLOIe  Ministry of Defence  (@DefenceHQ) February 1, 2023

US packs $2bn-plus military package with longer-range weapons

06:28 , Arpan Rai

The US is packing more than $2bn worth of military aid for Ukraine and is including longer-range rockets in a first for the war-hit country along with other munition and weapons, said two US officials aware of the matter.

This tranche of military aid, expected to amp up Ukraines counteroffensive against Russian attacks, will also include support equipment for Patriot air defence systems, precision guided-munitions and Javelin anti-tank weapons, the officials said.

They added that the announcement for this aid is expected as soon as this week.

US accuses Russia of failing to comply with nuclear weapons treaty

05:59 , Arpan Rai

Russias refusal to allow on-the-ground inspections to resume is endangering the New Start nuclear treaty and US-Russian arms control overall, the Biden administration said last night.

The finding was delivered to Congress and summarised in a statement by the State Department. It follows months of more hopeful US assessments that the two countries would be able to salvage cooperation on limiting strategic nuclear weapons despite high tensions over Russias war on Ukraine.

Read the full story here:

US accuses Russia of failing to comply with nuclear weapons treaty

Boxer Klitschko joins fight against Olympic path for Russia

05:56 , Andy Gregory

Olympic gold medalist Wladimir Klitschko  brother to the mayor of Kyiv  has joined Ukraines fight against the International Olympics Committees plans to let some Russians compete at the 2024 Paris Summer Games.

Graham Dunbar reports:

Boxer Klitschko joins fight against Olympic path for Russia

West should have no fear of escalation when providing weapons to Ukraine, claims Boris Johnson

04:54 , Andy Gregory

Boris Johnson has insisted that the West should have no fear of escalation when it comes to the provision of weaponry, as he met with Republicans in Washington on Tuesday to drum up further support for Ukraine.

Some hardline members among the Republicans, which took control of the House of Representatives at the start of the year, have called for an end to US military and other assistance to Ukraine.

In a statement, the former prime minister said: I am here primarily to recognise and pay tribute to the immense US contribution to the security of the Ukrainian people.

My mission is to demonstrate that Ukraine will win  and that there is no conceivable case for delay in further supporting the Ukrainians to win this year. We should have no fear of escalation when it comes to the provision of weaponry.

Ukraine responding to Russias revenge attempt, says Zelensky

04:07 , Arpan Rai

Volodymyr Zelensky has said that his administration, military officials and the intelligence team is already responding to Moscows plans to extract revenge from Ukraine.

Today, as in fact every day, I held several meetings with the military and the head of intelligence. We are studying the situation in detail in all major operational directions and in the long term. What the occupier is preparing for, and how we are already responding to Russias preparations for a revanche attempt, he said in his nightly address.

He added: Our defence and security forces, the Ukrainian government, our partners - all of us are making efforts to ensure that Russia not only fails in regaining ground on the battlefield, but also loses its last hope for aggression in its revanche attempts.

Russias defeat will prevent any alternatives to a lasting and reliable peace. I thank all our partners who support this position of Ukraine, Mr Zelensky said.

Boris Johnson meets with Republicans as part of campaign for Ukraine

03:50 , Andy Gregory

Boris Johnson met with Republican politicians in Washington yesterday, as he continued his personal international campaign in support of Ukraine.

The former prime minister spoke with House of Representatives speaker Kevin McCarthy and was scheduled to speak at a private Republican club on Tuesday evening, Reuters was told.

On Wednesday, the Tory MP and former London mayor will discuss the need for Western unity and support for Ukraine and what more can be done against the threat Russia poses at the Atlantic Council think-tank.

UK says not practical to give Ukraine British fighter jets

03:48 , Arpan Rai

Rishi Sunak has said that it is not practical to provide Ukraine with British fighter jets but he has pledged to accelerate support to enable decisive gains against Russian invaders.

Downing Street said training Volodymyr Zelenskys forces on extremely sophisticated Typhoons and F-35s would take too long, but it does not oppose allies sending their own jets.

After completing a review, the prime minister told his Cabinet that a prolonged stalemate in the war in Ukraine would only benefit Russia and its president Vladimir Putin, according to No 10.

UK says it is not practical to give Ukraine British fighter jets

Watch: A day in the life of a frontline medic in Donbas

02:42 , Andy Gregory

US slaps new trade curbs on Iranian entities over drones used in Ukraine

01:34 , Reuters

The United States has put new trade restrictions on seven Iranian entities for producing drones that Russia has used to attack Ukraine, the US Department of Commerce has said.

The firms and other organisations were added to a US export control list for those engaged in activities contrary to US national security and foreign policy interests.

The additions to the Commerce Departments entities list were posted in a preliminary filing in the US Federal Register, the governments daily journal, and will be officially published on Wednesday.

Belarus willing to help Russia with invasion, Lukashenko claims

00:29 , Andy Gregory

Alexander Lukashenko has said that Belarus is willing to offer more assistance to its close ally Russia in its war against Ukraine  but claimed that Moscow does not need any help right now.

However, if our Russian brothers need help, we are always ready to offer such assistance, the authoritarian leader told reporters during a state visit to Zimbabwe.

Despite allowing Russia to use its territory to launch its invasion on Kyiv last year, Belarus has not committed any of its troops to the war. Nonetheless, Ukraine says it has maintained forces along its border with Belarus to fend off any potential invasion.

Memorial held in Lviv for ex-US Navy Seal killed in Ukraine

Tuesday 31 January 2023 23:42 , Andy Gregory

The mayor of Lviv has attended a memorial service held in the western Ukrainian city for former US Navy Seal Daniel Swift, who was killed fighting for Kyiv.

Swift had fought for Ukraines International Legion, and earned an award during his service, said mayor Andriy Sadovyi, who wrote on Facebook: Sincere condolences to the family and eternal memory to the defender.

Dozens of people, including Swifts brother Thomas, attended the service at a Catholic church in central Lviv.

According to a statement by the US Navy, Swift deserted from the US military in 2019, and was killed while fighting in Ukraine on 18 January.

Ukrainians soldiers attend the farewell ceremony for US citizen Daniel W Swift (AP Photo/Mateusz Nowak)

Tuesday 31 January 2023 22:49 , Andy Gregory

Foreign companies holding property in the UK have until midnight to identify their beneficial owners in a new public register  announced after Russias invasion of Ukraine  aimed at cracking down on oligarchs and corrupt elites laundering dirty money in Britain.

But a Reuters analysis of government data has found that the people behind thousands of UK-property owning foreign companies remain veiled in secrecy, the news agency reports.

More than 19,000 overseas companies had disclosed ownership of UK property as of Tuesday morning in Britain, according to data from Companies House, which runs the new register. That represents about two thirds of all the property-owning foreign companies, based on official land-ownership records.

Furthermore, roughly a quarter of the companies that registered did not identify any individual owners, many of which disclosed entities in countries known for business secrecy, such as the British Virgin Islands or Panama. The guidance defines a beneficial owner as either an individual or an entity.

Ukraine hopes war will be over by time Eurovision takes place'

Tuesday 31 January 2023 22:12 , Andy Gregory

Ukraine is hoping that the war will be over in May so citizens can travel to see the Eurovision Song Contest, a manager at the countrys public broadcaster has said.

The Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine (UA:PBC) is also hoping to provide the BBC and authorities in Liverpool with as much expertise as possible to bring a Ukrainian vibe to the music event, said Oksana Skybinska.

Ms Skybinska said she really hopes no other country is put in a similar situation due to an invasion, adding: We all hope that the war will be over by May, and as many people as possible from different groups of [the] population will be able to come.

Ukraine hopes war will be over by time Eurovision 2023 takes place

US accuses Russia of violating key nuclear limitation treaty

Tuesday 31 January 2023 21:37 , Andy Gregory

Washington has accused Russia of violating the last major pillar of post-Cold War nuclear arms control between the two countries, by refusing to allow inspections on its territory.

The New START Treaty, which came into force in 2011 and was extended in 2021 for five more years, caps the number of strategic nuclear warheads that the United States and Russia can deploy, and the deployment of land- and submarine-based missiles and bombers to deliver them.

Russias refusal to facilitate inspection activities prevents the United States from exercising important rights under the treaty and threatens the viability of US-Russian nuclear arms control, a State Department spokesperson told Reuters.

Moscow suspended its cooperation with inspections under the treaty in August, blaming travel restrictions imposed by Washington and its allies after Russias invasion of Ukraine  but said it was still committed to complying with the provisions of the treaty.

The State Department spokesperson added that Russia had a clear path for returning to compliance by allowing inspection activities, and said Washington remains ready to work with Russia to fully implement the treaty.

Bel Trew | What were missing in the tragedy of the Ukrainian war volunteers

Tuesday 31 January 2023 20:55 , Andy Gregory

In a column for Independent Voices, our international correspondent Bel Trew, writes:

On Sunday, friends and fellow volunteers gathered at Kyivs St Sophias Cathedral to bid goodbye to British volunteers Andrew Bagshaw, 47, and Christopher Parry, 28, who were killed trying to rescue elderly residents from Soledar.

It is an east Ukrainian town in the claws of the fiercest frontline of the entire war. We embedded with medics manning field hospitals in this area. They were working 24 hours a day treating the wounded who were coming in thick and fast under this constant wall of Russian shelling.

When the pair went missing, their friends sent me the route they had planned to take in order to answer a call for help. Their destination was a north eastern corner of the salt-mining town and so close to Russian positions that at some point during that day when Moscows men made a push forward, they were swallowed up in the moving frontline. The family later informed the world that they had indeed been killed in the shelling.

Since then, there has been some criticism of the two British citizens, who had never dealt with conflict beforehand: Chris was a running coach, Andrew was a scientific researcher. Some people have said that their killing showed why people who have no experience in war should not engage in conflicts like the devastating invasion of Ukraine.

Firstly the truth is  no matter how battle hardened you are  there is no way for anyone to truly protect themselves against shelling, which is inherently indiscriminate and bloody. The only way to be safe is to simply not go there.

Secondly, there is an immense need right now for help evacuating civilians in Ukraine, and there are just not enough people  who are brave or crazy enough  to do the job.

What were missing in the tragedy of the Ukrainian war volunteers | Bel Trew

Iran and Russia move to link their banking systems, top bank official in Tehran says

Tuesday 31 January 2023 20:20 , AP

Iran and Russia have taken a key step toward linking their banking systems, in a move that further boosts their cooperation in the face of Western sanctions, an Iranian official has said.

At a signing ceremony on Sunday, Mohsen Karami, the deputy central bank governor, said banks in the two countries had connected their messaging networks following agreements reached over the past year, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

It was not clear whether those links would allow for the transfer of funds, and services were not yet available to bank customers. Karami said 100 banks in 13 other countries were connected to the network, without naming them.

Iran and Russia have strengthened ties following Russias invasion, with Iran supplying attack drones that have dive-bombed infrastructure and other civilian targets across Ukraine. After initially denying that it had armed Russia, in November Iran acknowledged the drones transfer, saying it took place before the war began.

US secretary of state to bring up Ukraine war in upcoming China trip, White House says

Tuesday 31 January 2023 19:48 , Andy Gregory

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will bring up the war in Ukraine during an upcoming trip to China, the White House has said.

Moscow has looked to Beijing for closer ties since invading its neighbour, and there is concern in Washington that a prolonged war could further cement ties between the two large nations.

Poland aiming to cut Leopard 2 training times in half'

Tuesday 31 January 2023 19:22 , Andy Gregory

Poland is aiming to reduce training time on Leopard 2 battle tanks from around 10 to five weeks, at a centre where Ukrainian soldiers are likely to be taught how to operate the vehicles.

The village of Swietoszow in western Poland, near the German border, hosts one of just three Leopard training centres in Europe  the others are in Germany and Switzerland, and military experts say this is the most likely location where Kyivs troops will be trained.

A coalition of Ukraines Western supporters formed in January to provide Kyiv with German-made Leopard tanks, and on Jan. 20 Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said Ukrainian troops would be trained on Leopards in Poland.

If we intensify training [by maximising the number of] instructors, our time and our weekends, we can train an entire crew in five weeks, Major Maciej Banaszynski, Polands Leopard training centre commander, told Reuters.

Rights group urges Ukraine to investigate reported use of rocket-fired landmines

Tuesday 31 January 2023 18:54 , Andy Gregory

Human Rights Watch has urged Ukraine to investigate accusations that its military used thousands of rocket-fired antipersonnel landmines in and around the eastern city of Izium when the Kharkiv region was occupied by Russia.

Ukrainian forces appear to have extensively scattered landmines around the Izium area, causing civilian casualties and posing an ongoing risk, said Steve Goose, Arms Division director at Human Rights Watch, noting the the organisation also issued three reports last year accusing Russia of using the weapons.

Russian forces have repeatedly used antipersonnel mines and committed atrocities across the country, but this doesnt justify Ukrainian use of these prohibited weapons, he said.

Human Rights Watch said Ukraines deputy defence minister Oleksandr Polishchuk responded in a letter in November, writing that Ukraine fully commits to all international obligations in the sphere of mine usage, including the non-use of anti-personnel mines in the war.

Mr Polishchuk told Human Rights Watch that Ukraines forces strictly adhere to international humanitarian law and the 1997 antipersonnel mine convention. Ukraines foreign ministry echoed those sentiments on Tuesday and said the report would be properly analysed by the relevant institutions.

Kyiv warns of irreparable consequences in relations with Hungary over Orbans anti-Ukrainian rhetoric

Tuesday 31 January 2023 18:27 , Andy Gregory

Ukraine has warned of irreparable consequences in its relations with Hungary unless Budapests leadership desists with what Kyiv said was anti-Ukrainian rhetoric.

Kyiv summoned Hungarys ambassador over disparaging comments made by Viktor Orban on Tuesday, delivering him with a strong protest in connection with the recent disparaging statements by Mr Orban, the foreign ministry said.

It was emphasised to the Hungarian diplomat that the anti-Ukrainian rhetoric, which has been heard from the Hungarian leadership for a long time, is absolutely unacceptable and causes serious damage to Ukrainian-Hungarian relations.

The ministry added: The Hungarian side was urged to stop this negative trend in order to avoid irreparable consequences for the relations between the two countries.

Hungary has criticised EU sanctions against Russia, saying they failed to weaken Moscow meaningfully and risked destroying the European economy, and opted last year not to send weapons to Ukraine.

Kyiv also complained to Hungary last year after Mr Orban went to a football match wearing a scarf that it said depicted some Ukrainian territory as part of Hungary.

No 10 rejects Verhofstadts Brexit-Ukraine claim as nonsense

Tuesday 31 January 2023 17:51 , Andy Gregory

Downing Street has rebuffed senior MEP Guy Verhofstadts suggestion that Russia may not have invaded Ukraine if Brexit had not happened (see post at 11:15am).

The prime ministers official spokesperson said: Putins illegal invasion has nothing to do with Brexit. In fact, the invasion has demonstrated the UKs commitment to European security.

We have from the start been working extremely closely with our European allies, which is a real tangible demonstration of the UKs continued commitment to the security of the continent.

That will not change and its nonsense to suggest otherwise.

Sunak rules out sending UK fighter jets to Ukraine as impractical

Tuesday 31 January 2023 17:27 , Andy Gregory

Rishi Sunak believes it is not practical to send British fighter jets to Ukraine, despite being keen to boost support to Kyiv to avoid a lengthy stalemate in the countrys war with Russian invaders.

Downing Street said training Volodymyr Zelensky forces on extremely sophisticated Typhoons and F-35s would take too long.

No 10 did not, however, oppose allies sending their own jets, as France makes noises to that effect today (see post below).

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest has more details in this report:

No taboo on supplying fighter jets to Ukraine, says French minister

Tuesday 31 January 2023 16:55 , Andy Gregory

There is no taboo on supplying fighter jets to Ukraine, Frances defence minister has suggested  as No 10 insisted it would not be practical for the UK to do so.

Speaking after a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Sebastien Lecornu also announced that Paris would send Kyiv 12 additional Caesar howitzers and dispatch 150 army staff to Poland to train up to 600 Ukrainian troops there each month.

Mr Lecornu set out Frances position when it came to supplying arms to Ukraine, saying it should not weaken France's own defence capacity, that it should be useful to help Ukraine in the conflict with Russia and that the weapons be used only by Ukraine to defend itself.

Ukraine to receive up to 140 tanks in first wave of deliveries, says Kyiv

Tuesday 31 January 2023 16:28 , Andy Gregory

Last weeks volte face from Washington and Berlin will see Ukraine receive between 120 and 140 tanks in a first wave deliveries from 12 countries, Kyivs foreign minister has announced.

While Kyiv has said that hundreds of tanks will be needed to make a significant difference on the battlefield, Dmytro Kuleba said that Ukrainian officials are working behind the scenes to persuade more countries to send tanks.

The tank coalition now has 12 members. I can note that in the first wave of contributions, the Ukrainian armed forces will receive between 120 and 140 Western-model tanks, Mr Kuleba told reporters.

We continue to work on both expanding the membership of the tank coalition and increasing the contributions of those already pledged, the foreign minister added.

Russia stepping up attacks with systematic shelling and redeployment of troops, claims Zelensky aide

Tuesday 31 January 2023 16:04 , Andy Gregory

A presidential aide to Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russia has intensified its attacks as he called for Ukraines allies to send more weapons.

Mykhailo Podolyak alleged that systematic shelling of frontline cities, accumulation of ordnance, redeployment of troops, additional forced mobilisation surely do not indicate Moscows readiness for peace.

These are direct signs of significant escalation. Therefore, weapons, weapons and more weapons for Ukraine, he wrote.

Since winning Western pledges last week to provide main battle tanks, Kyiv has requested more weapons  including fighter jets. France has indicated a willingness to potentially send jets, but Downing Street warned on Tuesday that it would not be practical for the UK to do so.

Ukraine stops Russia from seizing supply line to Bakhmut'

Tuesday 31 January 2023 15:41 , Andy Gregory

Ukraine has prevented Russia from gaining control of a crucial supply line leading to the frontline town of Bakhmut from Chasiv Yar, a Kyiv military spokesperson has said.

Speaking after Moscow said its forces had seized control of Blohodatne, a small village just north of Bakhmut, Serhiy Cherevaty said: Russian troops could not cut off the road which is used for supplying the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The Ukrainian army in Bakhmut is supplied with everything necessary.

KEY POST: Conflict will grind on throughout 2023, say officials

Tuesday 31 January 2023 15:22 , Andy Gregory

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest reports:

Western defence officials have said that Russia is unlikely to make significant breakthroughs beyond recent gains in the outskirts of the city of Bakhmut in south-east Ukraine.

The Russian capture of the salt-mining town of Soledar and creeping gains in villages near Bakhmut were described a sideshow.

The conflict is likely to grind on throughout 2023, officials said, even if both sides make territorial gains at different times.

Officials also said the pledges made by UK, US, Germany and others to send tanks now exceeds the 300 vehicles president Volodymyr Zelensky has asked for in recent weeks.

But tanks are unlikely to be sent to the battlefield until the end of March.

Russia may have lost more troops than Ukraine, says official

Tuesday 31 January 2023 15:13 , Andy Gregory

Russia and Ukraine are both thought to have suffered more than 100,000 casualties since Moscows invasion, Western officials have said.

However, one official suggested that, Russia has sustained a higher number of fatalities than Kyiv given that they have been on the offensive.

I would say the ratio is different on each side, the official told reporters. The Russians have been attacking and that means they have suffered more fatalities than the Ukrainians have, on balance.

Im a scoundrel to you: Ex-Wagner mercenary apologises to Ukrainians

Tuesday 31 January 2023 14:51 , Andy Gregory

A former member of the Wagner mercenary group now seeking asylum in Norway has apologised to Ukrainians also living in the Scandinavian country who object to his presence there.

Im a scoundrel to you, but I only ask you to take into account that I have come to realise that, albeit belatedly, and I spoke against all that, Andrey Medvedev told Norwegian broadcaster NRK. I ask you not to condemn me, and in any case I apologise.

Earlier this month, the former mercenary described leaving the group after his contract was extended without his extent, before fleeing across the Russian border into Norway.

He told Russian human rights group Gulagu.net hat he is ready to testify about potential war crimes. Norways National Criminal Investigation Service, which is taking part in the Ukraine war crimes probe, has said it is questioning Medvedev, who has the status of a witness.

Man convicted of attempting to burn down enlistment office in Siberia

Tuesday 31 January 2023 14:33 , Emily Atkinson

A man has been found guilty by Moscow of attempting to burn down a military enlistment office in Siberia, reports say.

He has been jailed for 12 years in a ruling that classified his crime as an act of terrorism.

Reuters adds:

According to the TASS state news agency, the decision by a military court in Yekaterinburg was the first time a Russian court had used the terrorism designation to punish someone for an arson attack on an enlistment office.

In Tuesdays ruling, Vladislav Borisenko, who was accused of trying to burn down such an office in the Siberian city of Nizhnevartovsk in May, was sentenced to 12 years -- to be spent first in prison, and then in a maximum security prison colony.

TASS said the fire had spread across an area of one square kilometre, but that nobody had been hurt.

Borisenko had carried out the attack with another man and they had both allegedly confessed their guilt, it said, saying they had purportedly acted on the promise of receiving a financial reward from a third party.

The court said in a statement that its ruling could be appealed.

ICYMI: Russia wouldnt have invaded Ukraine without Brexit, suggests top MEP

Tuesday 31 January 2023 14:15 , Emily Atkinson

Russia claims it has control of village near Bakhmut

Tuesday 31 January 2023 13:55 , Emily Atkinson

Russia said on Tuesday that its forces had taken control of Blahodatne, a village just north of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, where some of the heaviest fighting of the war has taken place in recent weeks.

Blahodatne, about 5 km (3 miles) north of Bakhmut, was captured with the help of aerial support, Moscows defence ministry said.

Sending UK fighter jets to Ukraine not practical, says No 10

Tuesday 31 January 2023 13:29 , Andy Gregory

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest reports:

Rishi Sunak believes it is not practical to provide Ukraine with British fighter jets but has pledged to accelerate support to enable decisive gains against Russian invaders.

Downing Street said training Volodymyr Zelenskys forces on extremely sophisticated Typhoons and F-35s would take too long but did not oppose allies sending their own jets.

After completing a review, the PM told his cabinet on Tuesday a prolonged stalemate in the war in Ukraine would only benefit Russia and its president Vladimir Putin, according to No 10.

He said they must seize an opportunity to accelerate UK support to give Ukraine the best chance of success and make the most of the window of opportunity where Russian forces were on the back foot.

Defence secretary Ben Wallace shared US estimates that 180,000 Russian troops have been killed or injured in the year-long invasion. That is compared to around 15,000 killed during the decade-long war in Afghanistan.

The Kremlin has also lost two-thirds of its tanks, Mr Wallace said, according to Downing Streets account of the cabinet meeting.

Boris Johnson 'to urge US to sustain aid for Ukraine

Tuesday 31 January 2023 12:55 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson will meet with Republican lawmakers this week as he presses the US to sustain aid to Ukraine as it fights off Russias assault.

The former prime minister is scheduled to speak at a private Republican club in Washington on Tuesday evening, said Representative Joe Wilson, a member of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.

(REUTERS)

He is also scheduled to meet with a group of Republican senators, said senator Todd Young on Monday, though he said he was unaware of the exact timing of the talks.

On Wednesday, Mr Johnson will discuss the need for Western unity and support for Ukraine and what more can be done against the threat Russia poses at the Atlantic Council think tank.
The Great Lavra Bell Tower, January 6, 2023

According to the conclusions, the UOC remains a structural unit of the ROC.

The agency conducted its probe under an order of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) dated Dec. 1, 2022.

The expert group included five professors, doctors of science, and one candidate of science  experts in the field of religion, church history, freedom of conscience, theology, and state-religious relations.

The UOC, relative to the ROC, has a church-canonical connection of part with the whole, experts said.

The relations of the UOC with the ROC are not the relations of one independent (autocephalous) church with another independent autocephalous church.

The conclusions stipulate that the UOC does not have the status of an autonomous church that other churches would recognize. It is also noted that the activity or inactivity of the highest bodies of the church authorities and management of the UOC indicates that the church is subordinate to the ROC and does not act independently.

Neither did the expert group find documents that would indicate the transformation of the UOC into an independent religious organization.

On May 27, 2022, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church declared its full independence from the Moscow church and expressed disagreement with the position of Russian Orthodox Church leader Patriarch Kirill, a henchman of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

On Jan. 19, 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers submitted to the Verkhovna Rada a bill banning the activity of religious organizations with centers of management in Russia.

Ukraines SBU security service continue to conduct searches at UOC dioceses throughout Ukraine. In many cases, the agents find anti-Ukrainian literature and symbols.

On Dec. 2, the NSDC imposed sanctions against 10 UOC persons, including Metropolitan Pavlo and former Ukrainian MP Vadym Novynskyi.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed the document imposing sanctions.

In late 2022, the lease of the UOC for the two largest churches of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery  the Assumption and Refectory Churches  expired.

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From Jan. 1, 2023, the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Reserve did not extend the contract for the use of both churches to the Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, and therefore the Assumption Cathedral and the Refectory Church were returned to the state.

On Jan. 7, on Eastern Orthodox Christmas Day, Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), Epiphanius, conducted a first service in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery.

Epiphanius held a second service in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery on Jan. 19.

It was the liturgy marking the occasion of the Baptism of Jesus Christ.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
KYIV (Reuters) -Ukrainian state security officials searched the home of billionaire businessman Ihor Kolomoiskiy on Wednesday, in what several media outlets said was an investigation into possible financial crimes.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) did not immediately reply to a request for comment about the reports, and Kolomoiskiy could not be reached for comment.

A senior governing party official confirmed Kolomoiskiy's home had been searched - as well as that of a former interior minister - but did not state the reason for the search.

Photographs circulating on social media appeared to show Kolomoiskiy, dressed in a sweatsuit, looking on in the presence of at least one SBU officer inside a large wooden home. Reuters could not immediately verify the authenticity of the images.

Kolomoiskiy is one of Ukraine's richest men and a one-time ally of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who launched a crackdown on wealthy businessmen known as "oligarchs" in late 2021 - before Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

Kolomoiskiy, who is from the central city of Dnipro and owns an array of assets including one of Ukraine's most influential television channels, backed Zelenskiy's election campaign in 2019.

Ukrainska Pravda said Wednesday's search related to an investigation into the alleged embezzlement of oil products and evasion of customs duties, and that it was carried out by the SBU and the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine.

Ukrainian anti-corruption officials are also investigating a case in which they suspect eight people of embezzling assets and funds from a state-controlled oil company formerly tied to Kolomoiskiy.

The United States sanctioned him in 2021 "due to his involvement in significant corruption". U.S. authorities have also alleged Kolomoiskiy and a business partner laundered stolen funds through the United States. Kolomoiskiy has denied any wrongdoing.

(Reporting by Olena Harmash and Dan Peleschuk, writing by Max Hunder and Dan Peleschuk, Editing by Tom Balmforth and Timothy Heritage)
By Ivan Lyubysh-Kirdey

BAKHMUT, Ukraine (Reuters) - Ukrainian police staged a risky rescue mission in the besieged eastern city of Bakhmut this week to evacuate a six-year-old girl who had become separated from her pregnant mother.

Young Arina was found living with her grandparents in a run-down apartment building in Bakhmut, which has been pummelled by Russian forces in heavy fighting.

After trudging through snow to reach Arina, with artillery fire echoing in the distance, policeman Pavlo Dyachenko and two colleagues in combat gear drove Arina to the nearby city of Sloviansk to be reunited with her mother, Halyna Danylchenko.

"A shell exploded in our yard!" Arina, clutching a large white teddy bear, told her mother after they hugged.

"I heard that a shell exploded in your yard, that's why I got so worried," said Danylchenko, who is 24 and eight months pregnant.

They are among millions of people who have been displaced since Russia's invasion on Feb. 24 last year.

Dyachenko said there were still about 200 children living in Bakhmut. The city was home to about 70,000 people before the war but officials say only a few thousand residents now remain.

"We're meeting the families that are still there and talk to them, trying to convince them to agree to be evacuated, either the whole family or the children. Because children must live in a peaceful environment," he told Reuters.

He had to gently coax Arina into leaving Bakhmut, calmly explaining the dangers of remaining.

"Are there any other children you can play with here?" Dyachenko asked the young girl after finder her in Bakhmut.

"No", she replied, and started to cry.

"You're supposed to be in a safe place. Do you understand?", another officer said. "Do they shoot and shell a lot here?"

Arina nodded in reply.

One of the officers then put a bright orange helmet on her head, explaining: "This is for when we go outside, so that nothing can hit your head."

They left the building to the sound of shelling, got into a waiting van and left for safety.

(Reporting by Ivan Lyubysh-Kirdey, Writing by David Ljunggren, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
Russian command has ordered the attacks on the liberated city of Kherson, most likely to undermine civilian morale and deter any Ukrainian counter-attacks across the Dnipro River.

Source: Latest UK Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine on 1 February, as European Pravda reports

Quote: "In recent days, some of the most intense shelling in the conflict has likely taken place along the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine. This has included continued Russian shelling of Kherson city with artillery firing from the east of the river," the review states.

Details: On 29 January, local authorities reported the deaths of three more civilians in the city of Kherson, and two foreign vessels moored on the river were damaged, leading to an oil spill.

Quote: "Kherson remains the most consistently shelled large Ukrainian city outside of the Donbas. Russias precise rationale for expanding its strained ammunition stocks here is unclear. However, commanders are likely partially aiming to degrade civilian morale and to deter any Ukrainian counter-attacks across the Dnipro River," British intelligence believes.

Background: In December, Italian correspondents came under fire near Kherson.

In late January, a fire broke out on a Turkish-flagged ship during an attack by Russian troops on the evening of 24 January on Kherson.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has fashioned himself a loyal ally to organized labor. Hes negotiated multiple contracts with major public employee unions and been showered with their political support.

But at Rutgers University, where faculty and staff have been without a contract for more than 200 days, the Democrat isnt the one leading discussions with labor leaders. Murphy and Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway have left that, mainly, to members of former Gov. Chris Christie's administration. Christie, a Republican, once said a national teachers union deserved a punch in the face.

Labor leaders are growing frustrated  and a strike is looming.

Ironically, a lot of what the unions are proposing aligns with a Murphy-Holloway vision, Rutgers AAUP-AFT union President Rebecca Givan said in an interview. So it should be this moment for a win-win negotiation and an opportunity for a collaborative approach. But instead, it's the Christie approach, which is to try to squash the unions.

A person familiar with the governor's thinking said Murphy himself has urged Holloway to resolve the labor concerns and has asked whether Holloway has the right people in the room when decisions are being made.

A strike at New Jersey's flagship university could call into question Murphy's labor union bona fides. Conversely, a strike at the hands of Christie's former staffers could work in Murphy's political favor if he's able to smooth the negotiation process the way New York Gov. Kathy Hochul did during the New York City nurses strike earlier this month.

Functionally, a strike would mean a work-stoppage for thousands of full-time faculty, graduate workers, postdoctoral associates and other staff across the schools campuses in New Brunswick, Newark and Camden.

These sorts of strikes are spreading at other major universities across the country. A nearly six-week walkout at the University of California last year was heralded as one of the largest higher education strikes in U.S. history. Similar efforts have also occurred at New York University, The New School and Philadelphias Temple University. According to data from Bloomberg Law, union work stoppages hit a 17-year high in 2023.

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The Rutgers union has been advocating for some of the same demands as higher education workers in other states: Salary increases, more job security and pay equity.

The big Christie players at the table are David Cohen, formerly head of employee relations under Christie who now leads Rutgers Office of University Labor Relations, and John Hoffman, former acting state attorney general under Christie who is now Rutgers senior vice president and general counsel.

In 2011, Cohen represented the state and the Christie administration in a tense negotiation with state workers. At the time, Christie declared publicly there would not be any pay increases for state workers and sought to cut employee benefits.

Hoffmans tenure in the Christie front office was marked by criticism for opting not to investigate the Bridgegate scandal and issuing an opinion that sided with the Republican governor on the issue of state officials reporting certain gifts on their ethics forms.

Givan said that with Cohen and Hoffman playing pivotal roles at the bargaining table, when union negotiators ask for things like parental leave, job security and equal pay for the most precarious instructors ... all of that is just completely dismissed [by] attorneys who appear to be calling the shots and doing them in just the same way they would for the Christie administration.

Neither Cohen nor Hoffman responded to requests for comment, but Rutgers spokesperson Dory Devlin said in a statement that Holloway has expressed full confidence in our negotiating teams, which faithfully represent the position of the university.

To suggest that the professionals who are representing us at the negotiating table have a point of view that is different than that of the university is an insult to their professionalism and is baseless, Devlin said.

Devlin also said Rutgers labor relations teams have held 100 sessions to discuss negotiable items and other issues," and will continue to meet with union representatives in hopes of reaching agreements that are fair, reasonable and realistic.

Christi Peace, a Murphy spokesperson, said in a statement that the governor is a staunch defender of organized labor," and "has continued to reiterate his support for Rutgers University employees and call for open dialogue between the labor union and university officials."

"The Governor firmly believes the hard-working educators and staff of Rutgers deserve a seat at the table when determining aspects of their employment," Peace said. "Top officials from Governor Murphys Administration remain in talks with both the university and union in an effort to bring both parties together to negotiate a fair and satisfactory agreement.

Unionrepresentatives say Murphy has remained fairly hands off publicly in his approach to Rutgers despite local and national labor leaders urging him to get involved in disputes at the school and lawmakers demanding investigations into the public universitys controversial spending decisions.

During his tenure, Murphy has also seemingly decided not to take advantage of political appointments in the same way his predecessor did, leaving Christie appointees in expired seats on the state Board of Education and vacancies at the Election Law Enforcement Commission, among other agencies.

Despite staying out of the Rutgers fray publicly, Murphy has waded into public sector contract negotiations before.

He was heavily and publicly involved in contract negotiations with Communications Workers of America, the largest state workers union, which ended in a deal in 2020. To be sure, CWA members were negotiating directly with the state in their process, whereas Rutgers' negotiations are primarily between the union and the school administration.

Givan said with the CWA contract process in the rear view mirror, shes not sure why Murphy and Holloway are trusting Christie loyalists to make labor decisions at the states biggest public university.

Why doesn't Holloway want his own vision to be carried out? Givan asked. Cohen and Hoffman work for Holloway now, she said, but appear to be pursuing anti-employee approaches rather than the beloved community Holloway has championed.

Murphy and his staffers have tapped into the political power of Rutgers appointments before  Murphy reappointed Bill Tambussi, Democratic powerbroker George Norcross personal lawyer, to the Rutgers board of governors in 2020. At the time, Tambussi was representing Norcross in his lawsuit against the Murphy administration to stop an investigation into the state Economic Development Authority.

Tambussi also served as a member of the search committee that appointed Holloway as the university's next president.

What comes next is uncertain. Givan and other union leaders have been clear they intend to increase pressure on Holloway and Murphy to become more publicly involved but it remains to be seen if a deal can be cut ahead of a possible strike.

Still, it seems Christies final warning words to Murphy may be haunting the progressive state leader more than he anticipated.

No matter what you do, unless it involves complete capitulation," Christie said on his way out in 2018, "you will be vilified by public union leaders.
Stanford University in California is investigating an interaction between university police and a Black man on campus after Tweets about the interaction went viral.

In a university statement, the Stanford Department of Public Safety said they were reviewing an incident from Jan. 28 in which an officer unholstered his gun and pointed it at a car, driven by a Black individual, that had been stopped due to an outstanding warrant for the owner of the car.

A Stanford Ph.D. candidate, Jessica Stovall, said she witnessed the traffic stop and posted a thread to Twitter describing the experience. The thread has garnered millions of views and thousands of reactions.

Last night, around 11 pm, I was taking a mind clearing walk around Stanfords campus and witnessed a white police officer draw a gun on a young Black man. 1/11  Jessica Stovall (@_jessicastovall) January 29, 2023

Last night, around 11 pm, I was taking a mind clearing walk around Stanfords campus and witnessed a white police officer draw a gun on a young Black man, the thread began.

Stovall described a scene in which she heard someone say put your hands up! and saw a white Stanford police officer pointing a gun toward a Black driver. Stovall said it was a busy roundabout and there were people on the street and on bikes.

The bikers exclaimed later that they were right in the line of fire, she said in a Tweet.

Stovall said a group of people stood around and watched the officer interact with the Black man for a little while, but then the officer holstered his gun, and many walked away.

The only people were left were a man across the street sitting at the bus stop bench, looking bored as he seemed to wait for the bus, and me, she said in another Tweet.

Stovall said the Black man was released, but not after a long list of profanities and angry words were shouted at the police officers. She said before he got back in his car he shouted And this is the land of the free for a Black man.

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The Black man then drove off before Stovall was able to check on him, she said.

The man at the bus stop got up, and put his phone back in his pocket. He gave me a knowing look. He wasnt waiting for a bus. He was waiting to see if he had to bear witness, Stovall said on Twitter.

Stovall noted the timing of the incident, in the middle of a national debate over policing and in the wake of the murder of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee.

Five former Memphis officers have been charged with murder in the death of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols who was beat during a traffic stop Jan. 7 and died three days later. Three emergency medical technicians have been fired and two more police officers have been disciplined.

(On Jan. 29), we got an email from Stanford, with the subject title Message of care and concern regarding Memphis offering a message of sadness, care, and hope. But what hope can we have if police are publicly drawing guns on Black people on our own campus in the night? a Tweet from Stovall read.

Stanford launches investigation

One day later, Stanford released its statement saying it was investigating the incident

Stanford police said that social media has carried accounts of a police interaction with an individual on the Stanford campus over the weekend, and the account led to their investigation.

According to Stanford, a deputy was making routine rounds on campus when he noticed a car parked in front of a residence hall with tinted windows. The deputy shined a light on the car and was able to see a man in the front seat, reclined back with delivery packages in the back seat. The deputy approached the driver and spoke with him.

The driver explained he was a delivery driver, the statement said. The deputy, prompted by recent concerns about package theft on campus, and not seeing any indication that the driver or the vehicle was associated with a delivery company, asked dispatchers to run the license plate number of the vehicle.

The check showed an outstanding arrest warrant for DUI for the registered owner of the vehicle and that the registered owner had a suspended license. With this information, Stanford said a second deputy stopped the vehicle some time later in another campus location where they were then joined by the original deputy who made the request and a third deputy.

When the driver did not comply with the directions to exit the vehicle, another deputy unholstered his gun and pointed it in the direction of the vehicle, the statement said. Further investigation then determined that the driver was not the registered owner of the car  and (he) was released from the scene.

Stanford said they will continue to investigate the interaction and will keep the university community informed.

Many shared their own experiences with police in comments on Stovalls Tweets.

Ive had guns drawn on me because of a supposed suspended license with my four young children in the car. All turned out to be untrue but the fear invoked on my kids was palpable to this day, one Tweet read. Enough is enough.

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Through trying to uncover the truth about her dead half-brothers, filmmaker Barri Cohen reveals the tragic, horrendous history of the Huronia Regional Centre in Orillia, Ont., in the documentary Unloved: Huronias Forgotten Children (on CBC Gem).

I knew when I was a kid that I had a half brother named Alfie, who my dad just said was really disabled and he was sent as a child to this hospital in Orillia, Cohen told Yahoo Canada.

Alfie died when he was 23 years old, in 1973.

Much later, Cohen's father revealed that he had another son too, Louis. Cohen's father said he was "sick and died at home when he was two."

Unloved: Huronia's Forgotten Children, director Barri Cohen sets out to uncover the story of Alfie and Louis, her two long-dead half-brothers whose lives were a microcosm of the larger tragedy of Canada's disastrous treatment of intellectually disabled children at the Huronia Regional Centre in Orillia, Ontario. (Photo Peter Bregg)

In 2013, Cohen learned about a class-action lawsuit brought forward by survivors of the Huronia Regional Centre and activists. They were seeking redress for physical, emotional and sexual abuse. The suit was eventually, contentiously, settled out of court for $35 million, but as Cohen began reading about the settlement and reading the statement of facts from survivors, she was "floored."

I couldn't believe what I read and I just knew in my heart that nobody in Ontario knew this, unless you were institutionalized, unless you were a survivor or a family member, Cohen said. I knew some media was covering the trial, and had interviewed [Patricia Seth] and Marie [Slark], and their litigation guardians, but I thought there was a deeper story here.

"Also, I wanted to know about what happened to my brothers and the only way to really understand that was through the memories, in terms of what it was like to live there, through the stories of survivors themselves."

Patricia Seth and Marie Slark in "Unloved: Huronias Forgotten Children"

'In his mind I was braindead and dangerous'

Patricia Seth and Marie Slark were class action litigants and are also featured in Unloved: Huronias Forgotten Children.

Seth was sent to the then-named the Ontario Hospital School at age seven.

My parents, my dad mostly, looked down at me because in his mind I was braindead and dangerous, Seth told Yahoo Canada.

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Slark went to the institution around age seven as well, in 1961, after the children's aid society got involved with her family because of "neglect."

We had a bunch of psychopaths taking care of us, like we werent people in their eyes," she says in the documentary. "We were just animals with no feelings.

What's chronicled in Cohen's film is the extensive history of abuse at Huronia Regional Centre, first opened as the "Orilia Lunatic Asylum for Chronic Patients" in 1861. Throughout its history, some parents could not afford to keep their children at home, particularly those with disabilities. As described by Katharine Viscardis, whose research is chronicled in "The History and Legacy of the 'Orillia Asylum for Idiots,'" the institution was a form of "immediate care."

Dr. Madeline Burghardt, author of "Broken: Institutions, Families and the Construction of Intellectual Disability," explains that oftentimes, families were "under pressure" to institutionalize their children because parents would be "too absorbed by the needs of the disabled child" to care for their other children.

Of the institutions in Ontario, Huronia was considered the worst of them all.

Unloved: Huronias Forgotten Children

A 1960s expose from reporter Pierre Berton for the Toronto Star documented issues of overcrowding, understaffing, an "appalling" stench and a series of "terrifying" problems, including a patient who suffocated to death.

Parents were rarely able to step foot beyond the main administration building but even with these published details, the provincial government seemingly did nothing, and kept the institution in operation. It officially closed in 2009.

After the class-action lawsuit was brought forward, the government invited survivors and family members to the property to help jog their memories of what they experienced. In footage that Cohen has in the film, as survivors walk through the building, many of them point out exact spots where they would be terrorized, abused, hit, sexual assaulted and put in straight jackets as children.

Unloved: Huronias Forgotten Children

'Out of sight, out of mind'

The concept of eugenics plays a large part in the story Cohen tells in Unloved: Huronias Forgotten Children and the realities of this part of Canada's history.

As Burghardt explains in the film, the strength of capitalism and the need for a strong workforce resulted in acts to ultimately eliminate those who were "not productive" and "undesirable" members of society.

"Out of sight, out of mind," Seth says in the film.

But unfortunately, a lot of those principles still impact recent history, long past the Huronia Regional Centre closure.

If we fast forward to the COVID-19 times, the pandemic exposed an extensive amount of neglect and harm done in seniors long-term care homes.

We've heard this with long-term care in the last few years because of the pandemic, Cohen stressed. Where's the oversight? Where's the accountability? There's a problem with the institutions themselves.

The filmmaker added that many of these survivors are now on disability pension, describing it as "a license to be in poverty for the rest of your life." Currently, the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) income support is up to $1,228.

"I'm very upset about that," Cohen said. "There is poverty, an enormous amount of poverty, and I think those are some of the conversations that need to follow, when we think about the lives of people living with disability."

For Seth and Slark they both hope that institutions like Huronia are never allowed to operate.

"[I hope] they include us in the community," Slark said. "It's not our fault that we were born the way we were. They could have had children like us."

Seth added that she wants "community," connections, friendships and empathy to come out of a story like this.

"I'm hoping a film like this ... raises awareness around our beautiful differences and how we can support each other in new ways, better ways," Cohen said.
CAIRO (AP)  The U.S. said Wednesday it is deeply concerned" by Sudan's release of a man convicted in the 2008 killing of a U.S. diplomat and embassy employee in a drive-by shooting in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.

State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement that Abdel-Raouf Abu Zaid, the Sudanese man who was found guilty of the murders, remains a specially designated global terrorist.

He was convicted of murdering John Granville, an official with the U.S. Agency for International Development, and his Sudanese driver, Abdel Rahman Abbas. They were shot while returing ome early in the morning on Jan. 1, 2008, from a New Year's Eve party.

Price said any insinuation that the release was agreed by the United States as part of a settlement between the U.S. and Sudan was false.

In 2020, Sudan agreed to pay $335 million to settle compensation lawsuits at U.S. courts related to the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, the 2000 attack of the USS Cole at Yemens southern port of Aden that killed 17 sailors and Granvilles killing.

The settlement was made by Sudans former transitional government with the Trump administration to stop any future compensation claims being filed against the African country in U.S. courts.

Abu Zaid was captured weeks after the shooting. He was convicted and sentenced to death for murder. Three other men also were sentenced to death in the case, while a fifth received a two-year sentence for providing the weapons used in the attack.

The four awaiting hanging broke out of prison in June 2010, killing a Sudanese police officer and wounding another in a shootout in Khartoums twin city of Omdurman, according to a Sudanese notice to the international police agency, Interpol.

Abu Zaid was re-arrested weeks later and returned to Kubar Prison. The three other men remained at large.

We are deeply troubled by the lack of transparency in the legal process that resulted in the release of the only individual remaining in custody, the State Department statement said, adding, that the U.S. will continue to seek clarity about this decision.

Earlier this month, Abu Zaids family apologized for the killing of Granville and his driver, saying in a video message: We, as a family, apologize and acknowledged Abdel-Raoufs mistake, and he already admitted his mistake and expressed his regret and remorse for what has happened.

Granville, 33, was working to implement a 2005 peace agreement between Sudans north and south that ended more than two decades of civil war. A vehicle intercepted his car and gunmen inside opened fire, killing Granville and the driver, who also was a USAID employee.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP)  The United States opened an embassy in the Solomon Islands on Thursday in its latest move to counter China's push into the Pacific.

The embassy in the capital, Honiara, is starting small, with a charge daffaires, a couple of State Department staff and a handful of local employees. The U.S. previously operated an embassy in the Solomon Islands for five years before closing it in 1993 as part of a global reduction in diplomatic posts after the end of the Cold War.

But China's bold moves in the region have the U.S. seeking to increase its engagement in a number of ways, such as by donating COVID-19 vaccines, bringing back Peace Corps volunteers to several island nations, and investing in forestry and tourism projects.

The opening of the embassy builds on our efforts not only to place more diplomatic personnel throughout the region, but also to engage further with our Pacific neighbors, connect United States programs and resources with needs on the ground, and build people-to-people ties, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement.

The opening comes as Fiji's new leader, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, appears to be reassessing some aspects of his nation's engagement with China. Rabuka told The Fiji Times last week he planned to end a police training and exchange agreement with China.

The U.S. State Department notified lawmakers early last year that Chinas growing influence in the region made reopening the Solomon Islands embassy a priority. Since then, the Solomons has signed a security pact with China, raising fears of a military buildup in the region, and the U.S. has countered by sending several high-level delegations.

The Solomon Islands switched allegiance from the self-ruled island of Taiwan to Beijing in 2019, threatening the close ties with the U.S. that date to World War II.

We are seeing this bond weaken as the Peoples Republic of China aggressively seeks to engage Solomon Islands political and business elites, utilizing a familiar pattern of extravagant promises, prospective costly infrastructure loans, and potentially dangerous debt levels, the department said in a December notice to Congress that was obtained by The Associated Press.

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A senior State Department official who insisted on anonymity to brief the media said the U.S. had been encouraged by the Solomon Islands' commitment to continue working with traditional security partners such as Australia and the U.S., but remained concerned about the secrecy surrounding the security agreement with China.

He said any type of militarization in the Pacific by China would be a great concern.

The official said the U.S. had yet to have deep conversations with the new Fijian leadership so it was too early to tell if the move on policing signaled a change in direction for Fiji on China.

The Fijian government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The U.S. partner naval forces last month seized more than 3,000 assault rifles and 23 advanced anti-tank guided missiles on the way from Iran to Yemen, the Pentagon revealed Wednesday.

The interaction  which took place on Jan. 15 in the Gulf of Oman along routes historically used to traffic weapons and other illicit cargo to the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen  also recovered 578,000 rounds of ammunition, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command.

Central Command said it supported the maritime interdiction, though it did not name the partner naval forces.

The weapons seizure is the fifth such operation in a little over two months involving the U.S. Navy, with the most recent being a Jan. 6 interception of a fishing boat smuggling more than 2,000 AK-47 assault rifles.

Before that, on Dec. 1, forces from the expeditionary sea base USS Lewis B. Puller seized more than 50 tons of ammunition rounds, fuses and propellants for rockets from one ship.

And on Nov. 8, Navy and Coast Guard ships intercepted more than 70 tons of ammonium perchlorate, a powerful oxidizer commonly used to make rocket and missile fuel, as well as 100 tons of urea fertilizer, the Navy said.

Iran backs Houthi rebels in Yemen with weapons and other resources as the group continues its years-long civil war with the Saudi Arabia-supported Yemeni government. The U.S. had supported Saudi-led offensive efforts in the region, but pulled its official support in 2021.

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China condemns mosque attack in Pakistan

Xinhua) 08:37, February 01, 2023

BEIJING, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- China is deeply shocked by and strongly condemns a deadly attack at a mosque in Pakistan's northwest Peshawar city, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said Tuesday.

"We express our deep condolences for the loss of life in the attack and extend sympathies to the injured and the bereaved families," Mao told a press briefing.

She said China firmly opposes terrorism in any form and firmly supports Pakistan's efforts in fighting terrorism, defending national stability, and protecting people's lives.

According to media reports, the Monday blast has killed at least 59 people and injured 157 others.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Eva Green has described the humiliating experience of having her WhatsApp messages read in court.

The Casino Royale star is currently in the middle of a High Court battle with a production company over the failed sci-fi film A Patriot.

Green, 42, was due to play the lead role in the project, but the production collapsed in October 2019. She is now suing production company White Lantern Film, claiming she is entitled to her $1m (810,000) fee for the abandoned project despite its cancellation.

White Lantern Film is bringing a counterclaim against the French actor  who was also an executive producer on the project  alleging she undermined the independent films production, made excessive creative and financial demands and had expectations incompatible with the movies budget.

Last week, court papers seen by The Guardian showed Green allegedly referring to one of the films executive producers, Jake Seal, as a devious sociopath, pure vomit and a liar and a mad man.

During the second day of evidence on Tuesday (31 January), Green was asked about a message in which she called Seal evil and said she had to get out of the film.

Green denied that she actually intended to withdraw from the project, explaining that she had a very direct way of saying things.

I was not expecting to have my WhatsApp messages exposed in court. Its very humiliating, she said.

Sometimes you say things you dont mean. You say you hate a person and you say, Im going to kill this person. Are you going to kill this person? No. Its a cry from the heart.

Green appearing in court on Monday (AFP via Getty Images)

Green also referenced comments made by her James Bond co-star Daniel Craig before he signed on to star in his final Bond film, No Time To Die.

Daniel Craig said, I would rather slash my wrists than do another Bond movie. He did honour his contract and did another Bond movie and didnt slash his wrists, she said.

Later in the day, she denied undermining the production, telling the court: I didnt have to do anything to make the film fail they made it fail on their own with their incompetence.

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Edmund Cullen KC, Greens barrister, previously told the High Court in London that the case is designed to paint my client as a diva to win headlines and damage her reputation.

A ruling on the case is expected at a later date.

Additional reporting by Press Association
Newsnight viewers  and Victoria Derbyshire  were unable to contain their laughter after Conservative peer Ken Bakers phone wouldnt stop ringing on TV.

During Tuesday (31 January) nights episode of the BBC political programme, presenter Derbyshire sat down to discuss the state of the Tory party with the 88-year-old politician.

However, Bakers phone began ranging during the conversation, with the Baron saying: My advice to him is not to listen to my telephone, never mind.

But while Baker thought hed put his phone away, it kept ringing, leading him to ask Derbyshire: Will you turn it off?

She put the phone on silent, joking: Youre in demand, you really are.

The phone began ringing againt as the conversation kept on the topic of prime minister Rishi Sunak, with Derbyshire laughing: Somebody is telling you to shush.

She handed Baker back his phone at the end of the conversation.

Will you turn it off? Baker asked the presenter (BBC)

Viewers at home joked that Ken Bakers irrepressible mobile phone will remain a comic moment of the year.

Who needs Spitting Image when youve got the real Ken Baker and his unstoppable mobile on Newsnight? The funniest thing Ive seen on telly in years! one tweet read.

Lets all phone Ken Baker! Lets all phone Ken Baker! La, la, la, la, joked one viewer.

Ken Baker's mobile on #Newsnight. .

I'm not technically skiled, but someone must make Victoria Derbyshire saying to him, sternly, "Give me your phone" into a Gif.  Eduardo Reyes (@edreyesjourno) January 31, 2023

It was one, two, three, four five - nil to Ken Bakers mystery caller on Newsnight. Didnt anyone on set know how to turn a phone off? another commenter wrote.

One viewer tweeted: Ken Bakers mobile on Newsnight. Im not technically skiled, but someone must make Victoria Derbyshire saying to him, sternly, Give me your phone into a Gif.

Victoria Derbyshire is getting pretty hacked off [with] Ken Baker. One, he wont stop talking, and his bloody phone keeps ringing! AND he has the naff Nokia ringtone, another wrote.
Artwork from members. of the Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County for USCellular's Black History Month Art Contest. Ten finalists were selected from the Boys and Girls Club. This artwork is of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

HENDERSONVILLE - To celebrate Black History Month, USCellular is holding its first-ever Black History Month Art Contest with Boys and Girls Clubs all across the country, and the Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County is one of nine clubs in North Carolina competing.

Artwork from members. of the Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County for USCellular's Black History Month Art Contest. Ten finalists were selected from the Boys and Girls Club. This artwork is of Black History leaders.

Artwork from members. of the Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County for USCellular's Black History Month Art Contest. Ten finalists were selected from the Boys and Girls Club. This artwork is of Dr. Tarika Barrett.

According to a news release, members of the Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County created original pieces of artwork representing influential Black STEM icons. These included historical figures, world leaders, scientists and educators who have made vital contributions to the world of science, technology, engineering and math.

USCellular associates worked with the Boys and Club members in January to begin their drawings. A representative from USCellular said the names of the children weren't posted with the artwork to keep the voting focused on creativity.

Artwork from members. of the Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County for USCellular's Black History Month Art Contest. Ten finalists were selected from the Boys and Girls Club. This artwork is of Dr. Dorothy Brown.

Artwork from members. of the Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County for USCellular's Black History Month Art Contest. Ten finalists were selected from the Boys and Girls Club. This artwork is of Zelda Wynn Valdes.

These are the 12 states that have clubs competing: North Carolina, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Artwork from members. of the Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County for USCellular's Black History Month Art Contest. Ten finalists were selected from the Boys and Girls Club. This artwork is of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Artwork from members. of the Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County for USCellular's Black History Month Art Contest. Ten finalists were selected from the Boys and Girls Club. This artwork is of Ruby Bridges.

Ten finalists were chosen from each Boys and Girls Club, and the top three from each club will be awarded prize money as follows: $250 for first place, $150 for second place and $100 for third place.

Voting is now open at this link: https://newsroom.uscellular.com/uscellular-2023-black-history-month-art-contest/. To vote for art submissions by the Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County, voters can scroll down to North Carolina and then to Hendersonville to vote.

Artwork from members. of the Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County for USCellular's Black History Month Art Contest. Ten finalists were selected from the Boys and Girls Club. This artwork is of the Black Movement.

Artwork from members. of the Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County for USCellular's Black History Month Art Contest. Ten finalists were selected from the Boys and Girls Club. This artwork is of Alan Emtage.

The 10 finalists from the Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County were chosen by club representatives based on creativity, quality, interpretation, clarity of theme and overall impression, the release said. Voting will remain open through Feb. 28, and anyone 18 or older can vote.

Artwork from members. of the Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County for USCellular's Black History Month Art Contest. Ten finalists were selected from the Boys and Girls Club.

Winners will be announced on March 8, and an award presentation will be held at 4 p.m. that day at the Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County located at 1304 Ashe Street in Hendersonville. The Henderson County finalists artwork is also currently digitally displayed at USCellulars Hendersonville location at 1900 Four Seasons Boulevard.

This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Vote now for favorites in USCellular's Black History Month Art Contest
A defaced mural of Russia's mercenary group Wagner reading "Wagner Group - Russian knights" on the side wall of an apartment bock in Belgrade on January 20, 2023. OLIVER BUNIC/AFP via Getty Images

A Ukrainian soldier compared fighting Russia's Wagner Group to something like a "zombie movie."

"They're climbing above the corpse of their friends, stepping on them," the soldier told CNN.

He detailed an "uninterrupted," 10-hour battle in which Russian mercenaries "didn't stop coming."

A Ukrainian soldier who recently had a run-in with a group of Wagner mercenaries said the fighters "didn't stop coming" during a battle in Bakhmut, Ukraine.

"We were fighting for about 10 hours in a row. And it wasn't like just waves  it was uninterrupted. So it was just like they didn't stop coming," the soldier, named Andriy, told CNN of fighting troops from the Wagner Group, a private military contractor linked to the Kremlin that consists of mercenaries and former prisoners.

He said the fight was between 20 Ukrainian soldiers and about 200 Wagner troops and described it as a "frightening and surreal experience."

Andriy detailed the ruthless nature of these fighters, comparing the battle to something out of a "zombie movie."

"They're climbing above the corpse of their friends, stepping on them," he told CNN. He even suggested that the Wagner troops might be "getting some drugs before the attack."

Andriy said their machine gunner was "almost going crazy" because he knew he was shooting at and hitting his targets, but none of the troops he hit were falling.

"He said, 'I know I shot him, but he doesn't fall,'" Andriy told CNN. "And then after some time, when he maybe bleeds out, so he just falls down."

The soldier said his group's AK-47 rifles became so hot from constantly firing at the Wagner troops that they had to keep switching out guns.

He described Wagner's attack method to CNN, saying that first, they send a group of attackers  mainly made up of recruits fresh from Russian prisons. At that point, they begin "digging into position," Andriy said.

A second group then advances to claim more land "step by step," moving forward and into position, Andriy recalled. As Wagner loses more troops and groups are exhausted, they send more as an attempt to hold their spot on the battlefield.

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Eventually, Andriy's group was surrounded. "We didn't expect them to come from there," he told CNN.

"We were shooting until the last bullet, so we threw all the grenades we had and left only me and a few guys. We were helpless in that situation," he told CNN.

At the end of the day, Andriy and comrades got a stroke of luck: Wagner retreated.

Tens of thousands of Wagner fighters have joined in Russia's war efforts to capture Bakhmut, where intense fighting has raged for months. Among the group's fighters are recruited prisoners who have been sent to the front lines  sometimes alongside newly mobilized Russian troops  and used to absorb heavy Ukrainian fire.

US military officials have said that these forces are taking the brunt of Ukrainian firepower.

Top US Gen. Mark Milley said last month that Russian casualties have climbed to "significantly well over 100,000 now." That assessment includes the regular military and Wagner.

Though Wagner is taking heavy losses, the group also appears to be the only Moscow-linked force that has found any sort of success on the battlefield, specifically the capture of the strategically insignificant Soledar, and its prominence has at times caused rifts between the mercenary group and Russia's regular military.

The US government announced a litany of new sanctions last week aimed at the Wagner Group, designating it a "significant transnational criminal organization" and targeting individuals and entities involved in supporting its global network.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The song will no longer feature on the playlist for choirs performing in Cardiff during the Six Nations (AFP via Getty Images)

Choirs at the Principality Stadium will no longer be able to sing Delilah, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has announced.

The Tom Jones song, which peaked at second spot in the British charts in 1968, is a popular crowd standard at Wales games but will not be played or sung when the Six Nations begins in Cardiff on Saturday.

The lyrics, penned by songwriter Barry Mason, describe the murder of a woman by her boyfriend after seeing her with another man.

The ban comes after allegations were made in a BBC documentary last week of a toxic culture at the WRU that included sexism, racism and homophobia.

Delilah will not feature on the playlist for choirs for rugby internationals at Principality Stadium, a Principality Stadium statement said.

The WRU removed the song from its half-time entertainment and music play list during international matches in 2015. Guest choirs have also more recently been requested not to feature the song during their pre-match performances and throughout games.

The WRU condemns domestic violence of any kind. We have previously sought advice from subject matter experts on the issue of censoring the song and we are respectfully aware that it is problematic and upsetting to some supporters because of its subject matter.

After announcing that the allegations would be investigated, Steve Phillips resigned as WRU chief executive on Sunday, with Nigel Walker named as acting CEO.

The allegations included the story of Charlotte Wathan, a former general manager of womens rugby for the union, who alleged that a male colleague had said that he wanted to rape her in the presence of other staff.

With Sport Wales guidance, an independent taskforce will be set up to tackle the allegations.

Speaking alongside WRU chair Ieuan Evans on Monday, Walker warned that the future of Welsh rugby is in danger if governance is not addressed.

If we are not prepared to change, the future of Welsh rugby and the Welsh Rugby Union is in danger, the former Welsh wing and Olympic hurdler said.

I cant put it any more bluntly than that. Weve accepted we need change and we want to get to that change programme as quickly as possible.

Warren Gatlands Wales will host Ireland in their opening Six Nations fixture on Saturday afternoon.
Jan. 31With National Signing Day bringing an end to the majority of the class of 2023 recruiting cycle Wednesday, members of the class of 2024 are starting to get a jump on their commitment opportunities.

Walton's Wendell Gregory did just that Friday.

The 6-foot-2, 217-pound junior linebacker announced he was committing to South Carolina.

It will be a homecoming of sorts for Gregory once he arrives in Columbia, as he is originally from Greenville.

"I would like to thank the man above, my coaches, teammates and family because none of this would be possible without them and with that being said I will me committing to the University of South Carolina," Gregory tweeted.

Gregory, a consensus four-star recruit, is coming off a season in which he had 38 tackles, three tackles for loss, four sacks, two interceptions and two pass breakups for Walton. He is expected to be the anchors of the Raiders' defense in 2023, along with fellow linebacker Ashton Woods.

Gregory is the nation's 130th-ranked player overall for the class of 2023, the 12th linebacker and the No. 23 player in Georgia.

Gregory told On3.com that he was ready to commit with still a full year to go before the second signing day for his class, and that he is happy with his decision.

"It feels great," Gregory said. "Recruiting is a mess. It takes a lot of effort. I'm glad it's over with. I'm going to go back home."

Gregory, who had 20 Division I offers, chose the Gamecocks over Georgia Tech, Arkansas, Auburn, Michigan, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Tennessee and Southern California, among others.

Gregory's commitment to South Carolina continues what has become a Cobb County pipeline over the last few recruiting classes. In Columbia, he could join former a pair of former Walton teammates  offensive lineman Cason Henry and defensive back B.J. Gibson  on the roster, as well as defensive back Emory Floyd (Hillgrove) and linebacker Akhnaton Shabazz (Harrison).
Wells Fargo & Co. is exiting two of its East Coast division towers in uptown Charlotte.

The bank plans to move all workers from its offices at the One Wells Fargo and Two Wells Fargo centers by the end of the year, according to a letter sent to its Charlotte-area employees. Staff members in those towers will move into Three Wells Fargo Center and 550 South Tryon, formerly known as the Duke Energy Center.

ALSO READ: Could real estate search lead to HQ move for Wells Fargo?

Wells Fargo expects to assume space being vacated by Duke Energy Corp. this year, occupying 95% of the 550 South Tryon building. That building and Three Wells Fargo Center will undergo major renovations to offer its uptown employees a more modernized workspace with upgraded amenities.

The bank plans to rename both buildings at a later date, a spokesman confirmed.

Click here to read more about this development.

VIDEO: Charlotte Strong: Wells Fargo supports Sustain Charlotte
The fire risk goes beyond rising temperatures and dry conditions. Samuel Corum / AFP via Getty Images

It can be tempting to think that the recent wildfire disasters in communities across the West were unlucky, one-off events, but evidence is accumulating that points to a trend.

In a new study, we found a 246% increase in the number of homes and structures destroyed by wildfires in the contiguous Western U.S. between the past two decades, 1999-2009 and 2010-2020.

This trend is strongly influenced by major fires in 2017, 2018 and 2020, including destructive fires in Paradise and Santa Rosa, California, and in Colorado, Oregon and Washington. In fact, in nearly every Western state, more homes and buildings were destroyed by wildfire over the past decade than the decade before, revealing increasing vulnerability to wildfire disasters.

What explains the increasing home and structure loss?

Surprisingly, its not just the trend of burning more area, or simply more homes being built where fires historically burned. While those trends play a role, increasing home and structure loss is outpacing both.

Entire neighborhoods were reduced to ash when a wildfire spread into Santa Rosa, California, in 2017. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

As fire scientists, we have spent decades studying the causes and impacts of wildfires, in both the recent and more distant past. Its clear that the current wildfire crisis in the Western U.S. has human fingerprints all over it. In our view, now more than ever, humanity needs to understand its role.

Wildfires are becoming more destructive

From 1999 to 2009, an average of 1.3 structures were destroyed for every 4 square miles burned (1,000 hectares, or 10 square kilometers). This average more than doubled to 3.4 during the following decade, 2010-2020.

Nearly every Western state lost more structures for every square mile burned, with the exception of New Mexico and Arizona.

Humans increasingly cause destructive wildfires

Given the damage from the wildfires you hear about on the news, you may be surprised to learn that 88% of wildfires in the West over the past two decades destroyed zero structures. This is, in part, because the majority of area burned (65%) is still due to lightning-ignited wildfires, often in remote areas.

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But among wildfires that do burn homes or other structures, humans play a disproportionate role  76% over the past two decades were started by unplanned human-related ignitions, including backyard burning, downed power lines and campfires. The area burned from human-related ignitions rose 51% between 1999-2009 and 2010-2020.

This is important because wildfires started by human activities or infrastructure have vastly different impacts and characteristics that can make them more destructive.

Unplanned human ignitions typically occur near buildings and tend to burn in grasses that dry out easily and burn quickly. And people have built more homes and buildings in areas surrounded by flammable vegetation, with the number of structures up by 40% over the past two decades across the West, with every state contributing to the trend.

Human-caused wildfires also expand the fire season beyond the summer months when lightning is most common, and they are particularly destructive during late summer and fall when they overlap with periods of high winds.

As a result, of all the wildfires that destroy structures in the West, human-caused events typically destroy over 10 times more structures for every square mile burned, compared to lighting-caused events.

The December 2021 Marshall Fire that destroyed more than 1,000 homes and buildings in the suburbs near Boulder, Colorado, fit this pattern to a T. Powerful winds sent the fire racing through neighborhoods and vegetation that was unusually dry for late December.

As human-caused climate change leaves vegetation more flammable later into each year, the consequences of accidental ignitions are magnified.

Putting out all fires isnt the answer

This might make it easy to think that if we just put out all fires, we would be safer. Yet a focus on stopping wildfires at all costs is, in part, what got the West into its current predicament. Fire risks just accumulate for the future.

The amount of flammable vegetation has increased in many regions because of an absence of burning due to emphasizing fire suppression, preventing Indigenous fire stewardship and a fear of fire in any context, well exemplified by Smokey Bear. Putting out every fire quickly removes the positive, beneficial effects of fires in Western ecosystems, including clearing away hazardous fuels so future fires burn less intensely.

How to reduce risk of destructive wildfires

The good news is that people have the ability to affect change, now. Preventing wildfire disasters necessarily means minimizing unplanned human-related ignitions. And it requires more than Smokey Bears message that only you can prevent forest fires. Infrastructure, like downed power lines, has caused some of the deadliest wildfires in recent years.

Reducing wildfire risks across communities, states and regions requires transformative changes beyond individual actions. We need innovative approaches and perspectives for how we build, provide power and manage lands, as well as mechanisms that ensure changes work across socioeconomic levels.

Actions to reduce risk will vary, since how people live and how wildfires burn vary widely across the West.

States with large tracts of land with little development, like Idaho and Nevada, can accommodate widespread burning, largely from lighting ignition, with little structure loss.

California and Colorado, for example, require different approaches and priorities. Growing communities can carefully plan if and how they build in flammable landscapes, support wildfire management for risks and benefits, and improve firefighting efforts when wildfires do threaten communities.

Climate change remains the elephant in the room. Left unaddressed, warmer, drier conditions will exacerbate challenges of living with wildfires. And yet we cant wait. Addressing climate change can be paired with reducing risks immediately to live more safely in an increasingly flammable West.

This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. The Conversation is trustworthy news from experts, from an independent nonprofit. Try our free newsletters.

It was written by: Philip Higuera, University of Montana; Jennifer Balch, University of Colorado Boulder; Maxwell Cook, University of Colorado Boulder, and Natasha Stavros, A case for retreat in the age of fireThe fastest population growth in the Wests wildland-urban interface is in areas most vulnerable to wildfires

Philip Higuera receives funding from the federally funded Joint Fire Sciences Program, United States Geological Survey, and National Science Foundation.

Jennifer Balch receives funding from NSF, Deloitte, JFSP, OPP, and USGS.

Maxwell Cook receives funding from the federally funded Joint Fire Sciences Program and the Earth Lab at University of Colorado Boulder, and is a student member of the Ecological Society of America and the American Geophysical Union.

Natasha Stavros receives funding from NSF, NASA, Southern California Edison, Deloitte, and AXA XL. She is affiliated with the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado Boulder, owns a company called WKID Solutions LLC and serves as a member on the Hazard Mitigation Enterprise Board for the Colorado State Emergency Response Program.
During one of Bethany Harts early examinations while pregnant, she underwent a routine Pap smear and learned the results were abnormal. At the time, the then-30-year-old was about 10 weeks along, and the nurse reassured Hart that she was probably OK.

When Bethany Hart was in her first trimester of pregnancy, she learned she had a rare, aggressive cervical cancer. She felt stunned because she never received any abnormal Pap smear results prior to the one she took as a routine pregnancy screening test. (Courtesy Bethany Hart )

I remember hanging up and having this nagging feeling, like, Well thats strange. Thats never happened to me before, Hart, now 36, of Noblesville, Indiana, recalls to TODAY.com. I called a couple of my girlfriends, and I think two of the first three I talked to all said, We had that before, too, and it was nothing."

When Hart was 16 weeks pregnant, her doctor preformed a colposcopy, a test that allows a closer look at the cervical cells. After that, her doctor recommended she see an oncologist. She soon learned she had a rare, aggressive cervical cancer.

The oncologist looked at me and said, Its cancer, Hart says. That is where our entire world got turned upside down out of nowhere.

Cervical cancer and pregnancy

Prior to her abnormal Pap smear, Hart had always had normal results from the test, which screens for changes in the cells of the cervix. At first, it seemed like she'd be able to carry the pregnancy, her first, to term, but when she learned her cervical cancer was small cell, a rare and aggressive type, everything became uncertain.

Hart experienced no symptoms or warning signs, like many patients with this type of cancer. Her doctor described the condition to her as "exploding tumors," which perfectly captures her own story, she says. Hart visited the OB-GYN regularly during the early weeks of her pregnancy, and "there was never any sign of trouble," she recalls. But by week 16, "they could see that tumor very clearly and know it was dangerous. It just came out of nowhere."

Harts cancer was stage 1. As doctors were trying to plan her treatment, which needed to be aggressive to beat the intensity of the cancer, Hart tragically lost her pregnancy at 19 weeks.

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There was just no ability to process what was happening, Hart says. Youre so entrenched in the fight for your life and dealing with the physical side effects from the treatment.

Bethany Hart's cervical cancer was aggressive, which meant treatment also needed to be aggressive. (Courtesy Bethany Hart )

Treatment was intense and included a radical hysterectomy, 28 rounds of external radiation concurrently with five rounds of chemotherapy, and three final rounds of internal radiation.

Hart recalls her doctor telling her that the treatment strategy was "throwing the kitchen sink" at her. I knew going into it that I was going to almost go to the brink of death to be saved from the cancer," she says.

Small or large cell cervical cancer

According to MD Anderson Cancer Center, small or large cell cervical cancer is rare, accounting for about 100 of the nearly 11,000 cases of cervical cancer a year  less than 1%. It is aggressive and has few, if any, symptoms.

Most cervical cancers dont have symptoms, Dr. Meera Ravindranathan, a medical director at OncoHealth, a group that supports people with cancer diagnoses, tells TODAY.com. Oftentimes when you have symptoms, its more advanced cancer.

Symptoms of cervical cancer can include:

Bleeding between periods

Bleeding after sex

An unusual discharge

People often experience these symptoms for other reasons, making it difficult to know when to talk to a doctor. But Ravindranathan says its important to tell your doctor about bleeding and discharge so that they can rule out cervical cancer.

Theres shame and embarrassment about talking about womens bodies, Ravindranathan says. It is very important that women have a relationship with their doctors where they feel comfortable and have the confidence to talk about their bodies, especially younger women.

After finishing treatment for cervical cancer, Bethany Hart had to grapple with the loss of her daughter, the loss of her ability to carry children and the trauma of her cancer battle. (Courtesy Bethany Hart )

Screening can lead to earlier diagnosis of cervical cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends cervical cancer screening from ages 25 to 65 with one of three options: a primary human papillomavirus (HPV) test every five years, a Pap by itself every 3 years or a test that combines HPV and a Pap every five years, TODAY.com previously reported.

HPV is a ubiquitous virus, causing most cases of cervical cancer, Ravindranathan says. Most people contract it through bodily fluids, Dr. Marshall Posner, co-leader of the Cancer Clinical Investigation Program at the Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai, previously told TODAY.com. For most people, the body is able to clear the HPV so the virus is no longer active in their system. But for a small portion of people, the virus gets reactivated and can cause cancer; it's not know why.

Some people get a persistent infection in those cells in the cervix, and then the virus sits there long enough to make those cells pre-cancerous, Ravindranathan says. If we dont detect those pre-cancerous cells or the HPV infection by a Pap smear, the pre-cancerous cells then develop into cancer. The one thing to remember, though, is that process takes about 10 to 15 years.

HPV causes more than 95% of cervical cancer, according to the World Health Organization, but the type of cancer that Hart had  small cell cervical cancer  has no definitive link to HPV. "The cause is not fully understood," MD Anderson noted.

These types of cancer have "a natural propensity to grow quickly and spread, and no matter how quickly we catch it, we always use chemotherapy and radiation because we know that its highly aggressive, Ravindranathan says, adding that surgery may also precede the chemo.

Bethany Hart's two sons, who are 3 and 1, are her

Creating a legacy

After treatment ended, Hart faced the grief of losing her daughter, Hallie. She and her husband had just purchased a house and fixed up a nursery, which became a constant memory of their loss.

Every time I walk past her room, it's just this reminder, she says. To lose your daughter, to have to face cancer, to have to face the fact that well never have a biological family all at once  those are three very big life events in and of themselves. But all three of them happening together were extraordinary.

In 2018, Hart started the Hallie Strong Foundation to honor the daughter she lost. She sends fun, comfortable socks to cancer patients.

Socks are just a very real need. Hospitals are awful. Theyre so sterile, and a lot of times when youre in the hospital, socks are the only thing of your own that you can wear, she says. We purposely do something to create this constant reminder that anytime theyre worn, that youre not alone, and theres this legacy of a little girl who lost her life because of a cancer diagnosis.

Hart has been cancer-free, but because of how aggressive this cancer can be, she still worries about recurrence.

Theres always this little (fear) forever in the back of my mind, she says. As a cancer survivor, its hard to know when its a cough because you have a sinus infection or its a cough because is that lung cancer? I think I forever will look at life through that lens.

Bethany Hart started the Hallie Strong Foundation to help people going through cancer and to create a lasting legacy for her daughter who died. (Courtesy of Meredith Loughmiller / ML Photography)

Thanks to adoption, she and her husband have two boys now, ages 3 and 1, who are her saving grace. She serves as a peer mentor with Iris by OncoHealth, an oncology-focused app, and shares her experiences to help others feel less alone.

No matter your diagnosis, no matter what type of cancer it is, it is impossibly hard, Hart says. Sharing your story just opens the door to somebody going through it now to say, Hey, what youre feeling  its totally normal. We all get it. And the more you open up and let people in, the better youre going to be able to survive.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Crystal Manuel before and after her treatment (Collect/PA Real Life)

A finance manager who lost her mother to uterus cancer in her mid-20s and was later diagnosed with cervical cancer herself has said she knew she had to be strong for the family as she feared her children were too young not to have a mother.

Crystal Manuel, who lives in Chandlers Ford, Hampshire, lost her mother, Dolores, to uterus cancer when she was 26, and she was diagnosed with cervical cancer at the age of 37 after experiencing abnormal vaginal bleeding for approximately one year.

The mother of two, now 39, explained that she was experiencing heavier and more painful periods, lower back pain, shooting pain down (her) legs, and bleeding after sex, but despite several GP visits, they didnt pick up anything and her symptoms continued.

After pushing for a diagnosis, approximately one year later Crystal was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma cervical cancer, which she said was very scary  particularly as her mother had died three months after being diagnosed with uterus cancer.

Now, as a cancer survivor, Crystal wants to stress the importance of (listening) to your body and getting checked if something (isnt) right.

(My mum) was 49 and she experienced the bleeding and doctors just thought she had fibroids, so she was going in for a hysterectomy and when she went in for her assessment before the operation, thats when they picked up that it wasnt just fibroids  it was cancer.

Unfortunately, it was late; she was diagnosed in November and she had passed away in February the next year, so three months later.

It was just caught too late.

She added: It was very scary (when I was diagnosed) because, with her, it was just three months and she was gone, and she always said to us, If you feel any ache and pain  because she probably also ignored it for quite a while  just go and get checked.

Cervical cancer is a cancer that is found anywhere in the cervix  the opening between the vagina and the womb  and, according to the charity Jos Cervical Cancer Trust, it currently kills two women in the UK every day.

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Symptoms include unusual vaginal bleeding, changes to vaginal discharge, pain during sex, or pain in your lower back.

(PA Real Life)

A cervical screening, known as a smear test, checks the health of the cervix and is a test to help prevent cancer  and although Crystals results came back as negative, the bleeding persisted and she knew something wasnt right.

Crystal said it was extremely difficult to book a GP appointment due to the coronavirus pandemic, but after pushing to be seen, she secured an appointment and was referred to Southampton General Hospital, where she had a cervical biopsy.

Weeks later, she received the devastating news that she had cervical cancer, and she then underwent an MRI and a CT scan.

Given Crystals mother had died three months after her diagnosis, Crystal said it was really scary.

I was very scared I lost my mum to uterus cancer, so it made it more scary, she said.

Youre more concerned as a mother; youre anxious and (you) get stressed because you dont know how bad it is and youre expecting the worst.

(PA Real Life)

However, despite Crystals fears, she knew she had to be strong for her husband, Clive, 39, a regional manager for British Gas, and her two children, Camron, 15, and Chaia, 12, as she did not want to worry (her) family.

She continued: Ive got two children and a husband, so it was very scary, but obviously, youve got to be strong for the family.

Whatevers going to happen is going to happen, but when youve got children, you just think to yourself, theyre too young not to have a mother.

Crystal explained that while she feared the worst at times, her diagnosis was not a death sentence and she tried to carry on as normal.

She feels her positive mindset was fundamental in helping her get through her treatment, which included a radical hysterectomy  a surgical procedure to remove the womb  five rounds of chemotherapy, five weeks of daily radiotherapy, followed by two weeks of brachytherapy.

Crystal said she recovered well after the hysterectomy and she did not lose her hair due to the type of chemotherapy she underwent, but she did experience some horrible side effects, including nausea, diarrhoea, fatigue, aching bones, and a loss of appetite, as well as going into menopause.

While she did her utmost to remain positive during treatment, Crystal explained that she did feel down some days.

(PA Real Life)

She even remembers crying in front of one of the nurses, saying: I cant do this anymore.

However, Crystal knew she had to go through it, and it is only now that she has started to process the impact of her diagnosis and treatment.

When I look back now, I actually feel sorry for myself; I think, oh my goodness, I actually went through so much, she said.

But at the time, I think, because youve just got to go through it, its just like youre in survival mode.

Youre in pain and a lot is going on  my blood pressure dropped and I was faint and I was sick  but when I look back, its like it never happened.

At the time, you know youve just got to put up with it, youve got no other option.

Three months after Crystals treatment had finished, she received the all clear and she now has check-ups every few months.

(PA Real Life)

While she felt a sense of relief and happiness at being in remission, and her physical health has since improved, Crystal explained that it has been difficult to process the last two years, adding: Everything happened so fast its surreal.

Youre happy (to be cancer free), obviously, but you dont feel super happy because I think youre still processing it mentally  everything youve been through.

Crystal explained that her diagnosis and treatment have taught (her) a lot about life and whats important in life, adding: In reality, were all not here forever, so for me now, Im living life differently; Im living life (to the fullest).

Now Crystal wants to encourage other women to have their smear tests and to push for a diagnosis if they feel something (isnt) right.

Just listen to your body because, luckily for me, thats how I detected it, she said.

I knew something wasnt right (but) I had to push to be seen.

Advocate for yourself, (and) if you have any symptoms, or anything you feel is not right, with anything in your body, go and get checked.

(My mums cancer) was caught too late, and she said, Any ache or pain, just go and get checked, and I agree.

Jos Cervical Cancer Trust is launching its biggest ever campaign: #WeCan End Cervical Cancer, to work towards a day where cervical cancer is a thing of the past. You can find out more by visiting: www.jostrust.org.uk/ccpw
Viktoria Nasyrova speaks to CBS's 48 Hours in 2018. CBS / Via cbsnews.com

A woman created a cold and calculated plan to kill her lookalike friend with a slice of poisoned cheesecake and then steal her identity in order to avoid a criminal investigation in her home country of Russia, prosecutors said.

The trial of Viktoria Nasyrova, 47, began with opening statements in New York on Monday. Prosecutors said she left evidence behind that would prove she tried to poison her friend Olga Tsvyk with a laced cheesecake in 2016. Nasyrova was arrested in 2017 and indicted on charges including attempted murder and grand larceny.

In 2016, youll learn that this woman concocted a cold and calculated plan to isolate Olga Tsvyk, to get her alone in a room, to poison her, to try to kill her, and to take her identity, along with other valuables as well, Assistant District Attorney Konstantinos Litourgis said.

Nasyrova has pleaded not guilty, and her defense attorney disputed prosecutors account of what happened.

Prosecutors said that Nasyrova went to Tsvyks home in Queens under the guise of urgently requesting her services as an eyelash technician. She arrived at Tsvyks home with slices of cheesecake and insisted that the woman eat it.

According to prosecutors, the cheesecake that Tsvyk ate was laced with a Russian tranquilizer called phenazepam. Litourgis told the jury that Tsvyk immediately became sick after eating the dessert and was violently vomiting.

This woman was floating in and out of consciousness, she was dizzy, she was disoriented, she didn't know where she was, and she was terrified that there was something seriously wrong with her, Litourgis said.

Prosecutors said that Tsvyk's friends found her the next day, weak on her bed with pills scattered around her  which Nasyrova is accused of staging to make it seem as if she attempted to kill herself.

According to Litourgis, Nasyrova was going after Tsvyks identity. Among valuables missing from the home after the poisoning were Tsvyks passport and employment authorization card, which showed proof of her legal status in the US.

Story continues

Litourgis said that Nasyrova had fled Russia between 2014 and 2015 in order to distance herself from a criminal investigation. She was motivated to steal Tsvyks identity in order to further evade officials and not return to Russia, he said.

Red Notice for Murder: The hunt for Russian fugitive Viktoria Nasyrova https://t.co/Pgu7XP0iiB 02:48 AM - 23 Oct 2017

According to CBSs 48 Hours , Nasyrova was being investigated by Russian police in connection with the murder of Alla Alekseenko.

I am not a killer.  I'm woman. Only woman, Nasyrova told CBS in a 2018 jailhouse interview.

At trial this week, Litourgis said Tsvyk shared many similarities with Nasyrova, including age, background, and accent, making her the perfect target.

Among the witnesses that prosecutors plan to call to testify is a man who was allegedly drugged and robbed by Nasyrova after they met on a dating site in 2016.

In his opening statement on Monday, Nasyrovas defense attorney Christopher Hoyt said that the case wasnt as open and shut as prosecutors described, calling their version of events a trailer for a disappointing movie.

Weve all had that experience where the movie did not live up to the hype, Hoyt said.

More on this
After investigating more than 330,000 cases of potential fraud in payment of unemployment claims, the Virginia Employment Commission has confirmed that it has paid out $1.6 billion to people who used someone elses identity to gain public benefits.

Virginia Employment Commissioner Carrie Roth had told legislators in August that potential fraud claims could reach that level, but she said Monday that the beleaguered agency had already paid out that amount in cases of identity theft under then-Gov. Ralph Northam, while blocking $1 billion in additional benefits to people using false identities. The state has worked to separate true and false claims in a flood of requests for unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ones we can prosecute, we will prosecute, Roth said in an interview.

As for the federal and state dollars already spent, she said, Some of it well be able to recover... a lot of it we wont get back.

The VECs struggles remain an urgent concern for state legislators, who have been flooded with calls and emails from frustrated and desperate people seeking unemployment benefits, as well for as employers that pay into the state unemployment trust fund. The VEC faces a backlog of nearly 95,000 appeals in unemployment insurance cases, both by the people who have lost their jobs and employers who say benefits are unwarranted in some cases.

The General Assembly has tabled two bills Gov. Glenn Youngkin sought to cut in half the time that claimants and employers have to appeal VEC decisions about eligibility for benefits that affect both. The Senate Commerce and Labor Committee voted unanimously on Monday to spike legislation at the request of its sponsor, Sen. John Bell, D-Loudoun, that would have cut the time to file an appeal from 30 to 15 days. The House Commerce and Energy Committee did the same thing last week at the request of Del. Wendell Walker, R-Lynchburg, who had introduced the same bill for the governor.

The legislation ran into concerns among some Republican members of the House committee who said the shorter appeals time was unfair given delays in notifying claimants and employers of their right to challenge VEC determinations in their cases.

Im very concerned about it from the standpoint of the employers, said Del. Chris Head, R-Botetourt. Thats a quick turnaround.

Del. Joe McNamara, R-Roanoke County, also expressed misgivings about the proposal and questioned whether reducing the time for appeal would help the VEC reduce its existing backlog of appeals.

Im certainly concerned about shortening that time frame, McNamara said in an interview. Im not sure its solving a problem.

The assembly is sending the legislation to the Commission on Unemployment Compensation, a legislative advisory panel, for study as the state continues to grapple with the effects of the pandemic on the unemployment system almost three years after the public health crisis began.

Were glad to have a study into how we can further expedite the appeals process at the VEC, said Flannery ORourke, an attorney at the Virginia Poverty Law Center.

Roth, whom Youngkin appointed as commissioner a year ago, has a different perspective on the proposal to shorten the appeals window, but she said she welcomes the study.

We firmly believe that this is the right proposal, but we also believe we need to work with everyone to move this forward, she said Monday.

When Roth took the job, the VEC was under a legislative and judicial microscope. It had just settled a federal lawsuit brought by advocates that required the state to hire more people to adjudicate disputed claims and answer calls from frustrated Virginians. The previous fall, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission had faulted it in a withering report over the backlog of cases.

Those backlogs included more than 246,000 late reports from employers to verify that claimants worked for them and had lost their jobs through no fault of their own, which would entitle the claimants to benefits. That backlog at the front door led to long waits for adjudicating claims and investigating potential fraud, including identity theft.

The VEC said it has eliminated the backlog of employer separation reports to zero, reduced the number of claims awaiting adjudication to about 10,000 and cut potential fraud cases to about 5,200. But now the backlog is at the other end of the process, with almost 95,000 in requested appeals awaiting initial action.

Roth said the VEC has investigated 98% of potentially fraudulent claims, about 70% o which had already paid.

The agency also has waived $226 million in overpayments made to claimants through no fault of their own, but successfully blocked a legislative proposal in this assembly session to revive the waiver program, which expired last year.

The problem of identity theft also affects legitimate claimants, who have had to endure delays and technical glitches in proving their identities to collect benefits, said ORourke at the poverty law center. It continues to be a stumbling block.

Roth said the VEC has worked hard to identify legitimate claimants from those flagged for potential fraud.

We did everything we could do, she said.

Interactive: 13 charts that show jobs, unemployment and workforce data for Virginia
Bank of America has named Vaughn Reynolds president of Bank of America Columbia. The company also announced that well-known South Carolina business and community leader Kim Wilkerson plans to retire in March after 42 years with the bank and nearly two decades as president of Columbia and South Carolina.

As president of Bank of America Columbia, Reynolds will assume the responsibilities for connecting the banking and investment resources offered through the banks eight lines of business to people and companies across the region. He will also lead the effort to deploy the companys resources to help advance economic mobility and build strong communities.

Reynolds joined Bank of America in 2011 and leads financial advisors and their teams in the delivery of comprehensive wealth management advice to individuals, companies and institutions. He has worked alongside Wilkerson as a central member of the Columbia market leadership team for the last three years, most recently serving in the role of market integration executive.

Prior to Bank of America, Reynolds was a corporate attorney specializing in structured finance and capital markets transactions. Reynolds demonstrates a strong commitment to employee engagement by serving as the executive sponsor of Hispanic/Latino Organization for Leadership and Advancement (HOLA) South Carolina and a mentor with Black Professional Group (BPG) South Carolina. He is also actively engaged in nonprofit organizations and currently serves on the board of Midlands Technical College Foundation and volunteers with Harvest Hope Food Bank. Reynolds lives in Columbia with his wife and two children.

During Wilkersons accomplished career, she has delivered Bank of America resources to clients and communities across South Carolina. She currently serves as chair of the Clemson University Board of Trustees, serves on the Palmetto Business Forum, and is immediate past chair of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. Wilkerson was recently named Business Leader of the Year by the South Carolina Chamber and received the Leader of Distinction Award from Leadership South Carolina. She will be inducted into the South Carolina Business Hall of Fame in March. Additionally, shes received numerous other awards and recognitions across the state for her leadership, generosity and significant contributions.

During Kims 42 distinguished years, she has made a lasting impact on communities across South Carolina, as well as across our company, said Brian Moynihan , chief executive officer, Bank of America. We thank her for her leadership and look forward to continued growth and success with Vaughn becoming the next Columbia president.

Wilkerson will continue to serve in her South Carolina role until her retirement in March. The bank plans to continue celebrating her and the impact shes made over the coming months. She lives in Columbia with her husband and looks forward to spending more time with her family, including her 2 children and 3 grandchildren.

It has been a privilege to serve and represent Bank of America for so many years and work on behalf our clients and communities across this great state, said Wilkerson, retiring South Carolina President of Bank of America. The bank has enabled me to make long-term, meaningful contributions to the community that will positively impact future generations. I am eager to continue the important work still to be done across our great state, and to work with Vaughn on a successful transition in Columbia.

I care deeply about the Columbia community and the opportunity to represent Bank of America at this level, said Reynolds, incoming President of Bank of America Columbia. The future of this community is bright, yet as in many places, we still have work to do. I look forward to partnering with many others in the region to help move us forward.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the worlds leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 68 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,900 retail financial centers, approximately 16,000 ATMs and award-winning digital banking with approximately 56 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and approximately 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
NONFICTION: The stories white people tell themselves, David Mura notes, prevent them from seeing American reality.

"The Stories Whiteness Tells Itself" by David Mura; University of Minnesota Press (304 pages, $24.95)



Japanese American writer David Mura was aware of race from an early age, and it gave him a perspective on whiteness that he uses to great effect in his brilliant new book, "The Stories Whiteness Tells Itself."

Mura's awareness of race in America grew from his own desire to be "white." "The internment camps criminalized my parents' race and ethnicity (nothing similar was done to German or Italian Americans)," he writes. "Growing up in a white, mainly Jewish, suburb of Chicago, I, like my father, diligently worked to blend in with the white majority, to erase my difference.  When I write here of whiteness, I am in part referencing my younger self and what America taught me about the practices and beliefs concerning white identity."

Mura co-edited last year's "We Are Meant to Rise," a collaborative effort among various writers to tell stories of the search for justice in Minneapolis and beyond. In his latest book, Mura argues that despite Minneapolis encompassing multiethnic neighborhoods, the killings of Philando Castile, Daunte Wright and George Floyd expose the deadly effects of whiteness.

One of the most pernicious ways that racism works is that it has created two separate realities. Mura demonstrates this in looking at reactions to scenes of police brutality. White Americans' insistence on interpretations that favor the police "stem from two very different epistemologies and ontologies, two very different ways of witnessing and interpreting not just what happened on Larpenteur Avenue on July 6, 2016, but our entire history and who we are as a nation."

Unpacking these separate ways of being and of "what we know," Mura offers a masterful class in American history, politics and culture, especially films and literature. In addition, he examines the emotional results of such interpretations. He addresses the psychic costs of these stories for people of color, especially for Black people, on whose enslaved labor a large portion of American wealth and power were built.

In multiple instances, "white" is a default assumption  whether in the reading of novels or in the telling of history  and it allows whites amnesia about America, Mura notes. White becomes the "neutral" race, allowing white people to see stories told by Black and other people of color as filtered through their race while refusing to acknowledge just how racially filtered white experience really is.

One of the triumphs of "The Stories Whiteness Tells Itself" is that it lays out the problem, but then offers solutions not only for individuals but for our nation going forward. For white people, change will require a new understanding of our own minds, a willingness to do the emotional work. Recognizing racism can create feelings of shame and anger, but just as integrating trauma and pain into our psychic life eventually leads to healing, the process of recognizing racism can create feelings of shame and anger that must be acknowledged and worked through.

On a larger scale, this type of truth and reconciliation will lead to a more just America for all of us.

Lorraine Berry is an Oregon-based writer.
Matt Vermeersch, owner-operator of Mud Ridge Ranch in rural Council Bluffs with his wife, Jocelyn, placed second out of three finalists for the Iowa Farm Bureau Federations Grow Your Future Award and received a $5,000 prize.

The final placings were decided after a pitch-off Saturday at the Iowa Farm Bureaus Young Farmer Conference at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines.

Each finalist had seven minutes to make a pitch to a panel of three judges, Vermeersch said. The finalists were judged on how well their business generates income, how unique it is, how big and/or numerous their customers are, the future of the market, how it supports the community, how well they use their strengths and presentation skills demonstrated during their pitch.

I really just emphasized how I got into it, falling in love with farming and raising livestock, he said. He also mentioned that he is charting his own path and not following the crowd.

First place and a $7,500 prize went to Tanner Sannes of Recommended Farms in Allamakee County, who annually grows 5,000 to 8,000 pounds of organic gourmet mushrooms and sells them at grocery stores, farmers markets and to local restaurants. Third place and $2,500 went to Annie Palmer of H8R Acres LLC in Warren County, who raises purebred Berkshire feeder pigs and Navajo Churro sheep, which she plans to market to local restaurants.

I thought they were all fantastic presentations, Vermeersch said. I thought I did pretty well. I was pretty lucky to get second. It was pretty cool to be included in it and pretty humbling, I guess, to be in that competition.

Vermeersch raises Scottish Highland cattle and goats and also has some laying hens. Scottish Highlands can thrive on grass and produce meat that is tender and low in fat and cholesterol, he said.

Their beef is very nutrient-dense, he said.

Vermeersch is interested in direct-marketing beef but, since not everyone wants or has storage space for half or a quarter of beef, he is thinking about selling packages that include beef, chicken, eggs and maybe some pork from another livestock farm on a subscription basis. He would sign up customers who would pay him to deliver a package of assorted cuts each week. He has a small egg business selling to neighbors and relatives and is looking to get more chickens.

He first bought goats to keep grass down on his familys acreage. This year, the couple started marketing them to target-graze problem vegetation for public and private entities. They own the local affiliate of Goats on the Go, which the City of Council Bluffs hired to clear vegetation along the riverfront, as well as at Big Lake Park.

Vermeersch plans to use the prize money from the contest to buy some Scottish Highland steers and materials to build a mobile chicken facility. The chicken enclosure would be a large pen mounted on a metal frame that could be lifted with a fork lift or loader and moved.

Every day, youre moving it the length of the pen, he said. Every day, theyre getting access to new ground, new plants and seeds. Youre not building up the waste  the manure. (Chicken) manure is high in nitrogen. Its a good nutrient to have.

The Scottish Highlands have been well received, he said.

The interest right now is very high, he said. Im also a buyer trying to expand; so while its fun to sell them, its not fun to buy.

Vermeersch has tried rotational grazing on a limited basis but needs more fencing and more infrastructure, he said.

The conference was great, Vermeersch said.

I hadnt been there before, he said. It was really cool seeing how much interest there is in agriculture.

He connected with some other southwest Iowa farmers and went on a tour of the Iowa State University feed mill.

I went to Iowa State to school, and my senior project was to design the grain storage complex; so it was cool to see it all come to fruition, he said.

Other activities included listening to guest speakers and participating in break-out sessions.

Vermeersch and his wife, Jocelyn, have two sons, Boone, age 1 ; and Cam, 4 months.
A Council Bluffs man was sentenced to five years in federal prison last week after pleading guilty to receiving child pornography.

Robert Kerber, 32, was indicted in 2021 on one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He accepted a plea deal last August and pleaded guilty the first count of receipt.

According to a press release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Iowa, a cybertip was sent in from a social media site to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in May 2020. The tip, which was referred to the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Council Bluffs Police Department, claimed that a user had uploaded an image depicting child pornography.

The tip was traced back to Kerber, and police obtained a warrant to search his home, according to the press release. A computer and hard drive found in the home contained multiple images and videos of child pornography, including some involving children under the age of 12.

There is no parole in the federal system. After serving his five-year sentence, Kerber will be required to register as a sex offender and will serve another five years of supervised release. During supervised release, he will not be able to own any device capable of connecting to the internet without prior approval.
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Several thousands of demonstrators rallied in Burkina Fasos capital on Saturday (28 January) in support of the ruling junta, a few days after the confirmation of the departure of France special forces from the country by February.

Packing Nation Square in central Ouagadougou, demonstrators held signs bearing slogans including Down with imperialism, Down with French policy in Africa and Forward for Burkinas sovereignty. With growing anti-French sentiment in the region, also the presence of French soldiers on Burkina Fasos soil has recently come under intense scrutiny. We do not want any more foreign military bases on our soil, Lazare Yameogo, spokesperson for the Inter-African Revolutionary Movement told the crowd. We want respect and a win-win cooperation.

With anti-France feelings running high in Burkina Faso and many of its former colonies in West Africa, Paris is being forced to retreat ever further from the increasingly unstable region and re-think its presence, experts say. Moreover, as the French influence in the wider region has shrunk, it faces growing competition from Russia. Hence, after the French troops were last year forced out of Mali by the ruling junta there, the army officers running neighboring Burkina Faso followed suit last week, asking Paris to withdraw its troops from the country next month. Anger within the military at the governments failure to stem the insurgency, which has raged since 2015, killing thousands and displacing 2 million people, fueled two coups in Burkina Faso last year.
Al-Shabab has been on a gradual retreat in Somalia since the announcement of a total war against the al-Qaida-affiliated militant group by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in August 2022, and, according to experts, this could be the beginning of al-Shababs end.

Mohamud announced the total war against the group days after it staged a deadly hotel siege in Mogadishu, killing at least 21 people and wounding more than 100 others. The decision to increase Somali government military operations in July came as local clans in central Somalia were revolting against the presence and the oppression of al-Shabab in their territories. Al-Shabab has since reportedly ceded territories and major towns in the central Somali regions, with government officials saying more than 2,000 al-Shabab fighters have been killed. The Somali government is now preparing to launch new battlefronts in southern parts of the country, Somalias defense minister said Friday (27 January).

Since the government offensive began with the support of local citizens, who are fed up with the groups oppressions, al-Shabab has been losing territories and former strongholds in central regions, says Ismail Dahir Osman, former deputy commander of Somalias National Intelligence and Security Agency. Thanks to Somali government military operations backed by local clan militias and foreign partners, including the United States, he said. But even if the jihadi group is now damaged by multiple defeats and its retreat continues, the Somali government acknowledges that the dangerous ideology is very much alive and expects warn of more terrorist attacks planned and commissioned by the group.
The U.S. Administration has praised the key role played by Morocco in promoting peace and security in the Middle-East & North Africa region.

The American tribute was made Tuesday by Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a phone talk with Moroccan foreign minister Nasser Bourita.

The two officials talked about shared priorities in the bilateral relationship and efforts to advance regional stability, said U.S. Department spokeman Ned Price in a statement.

The US secretary of state Antony Blinken held talks on Tuesday over the phone with Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita during which he commended in particular the commitment of Morocco to peace and security in the Middle East.

According to the statement, Blinken, who is visiting the Middle East, discussed with Bourita shared priorities in the bilateral relationship and efforts to advance regional stability.

The US Secretary of State also discussed with his Moroccan counterpart his recent travel and engagements with Egyptian, Israeli, and Palestinian leaders, during which he called for de-escalation and an end to the cycle of violence.

During this conversation, Blinken commended the Kingdom for its commitment to promoting peace and security in the region, including through Moroccos participation in the Negev Forum, the statement added.

The US Secretary of State also said, in a post on Twitter, to have discussed with Bourita the strong bilateral cooperation on regional security and defense between the United States and Morocco.

We also discussed my recent trip and meetings with Egyptian, Israeli, and Palestinian leaders, he noted after the telephone conversation.

The United States has recently commended the appreciated role of Morocco, under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, in supporting the Palestinian people and advancing the two-state solution and peace in the Middle East.

Morocco has a unique relationship with the Palestinians, of course HM King Mohammed VI is the chairman of the Al-Quds Committee of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and we appreciate Moroccos role in providing aid and assistance to the Palestinian people and supporting the two-state solution, the U.S. Department of State Spokesperson, Ned Price, had said during a press briefing at the Foreign Press Center in Washington.
The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and Afreximbank have announced the development of the African Trade Exchange Platform (ATEX), a digital business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-government (B2G) tool to help boost intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

A statement by the ECA on Friday (27 January) also noted that the ATEX platform was developed in partnership with the African Union (AU) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat. According to the ECA, the platform will enable the trade of the main agricultural commodities and inputs imported by the continent from Russia and Ukraine, including cereals, fertilizer and associated inputs, oils, oilseed, other products, and inputs that support agricultural value chains. In short, it provides a safe and secure digital marketplace for grouping together of resources in Africas trade demand, as well as a one- point transparent and competitive access to essential supplies.

Speaking earlier on the importance of trade within the Least Developed Countries (LDC) in Africa and Haiti, of which 33 are in Africa, Stephen Karingi, ECA Director for Regional Integration and Trade Division, said that mirroring Africa more broadly, the LDCs largely import manufactured products and export goods low along critical value chains like fuel products, ores and metals, and food items. According to ECA, over the past five years, about 80% of exports from African LDCs were intended to extra African countries, while about 79% of African LDCs imports were sourced from outside of the continent. The current trade patterns have exposed African LDCs to commodity price volatilities and global shocks, Karingi said and noted that the new ATEX platform developed digitally enabled the trade of the main agricultural commodities and inputs imported by the continent from Russia and Ukraine.
A 42-year-old man, wanted in the United Kingdom for a murder committed in Essex, has been arrested by Moroccan police. The announcement was made Wednesday by UK National Crime Agency (NCA).

Nana Oppong was among 13 fugitives named in a National Crime Agency most wanted campaign last year.

Nana Oppong was wanted by UK authorities for killing Robert Powell, 50, who was shot eight times in Water Lane, Roydon, Harlow, in 2020.

The nabbed fugitive was among 13 fugitives named in a National Crime Agency most wanted campaign last year. A worldwide alert was issued for Oppong and he was arrested using false identity documents as he tried to enter Morocco from Spain.

Steve Reynolds, NCA regional manager in Spain, said: Oppongs arrest came about after a sustained campaign to trace him and because of the vigilance of our Moroccan partners and support from Interpol.

The arrest of Oppong shows the key role Morocco plays in combating transnational crimes and the importance of its security services in preserving regional and international peace.
King Mohammed VI has welcomed the evolution and new phase marking Morocco-Spain partnership, since the meeting he held in Rabat on April 7, 2022 with the president of the Spanish Government Pedro Sanchez.

This came in a phone talk the Sovereign had this Wednesday with Pedro Sanchez, who is visiting Morocco to participate in the 12th session of the Moroccan-Spanish High Level Meeting convening in Rabat, the Royal Office said in a statement.

King Mohammed VI welcomed the evolution, in consultation, trust and mutual respect, of the new phase of the bilateral partnership since the meeting of April 7, 2022, the statement said, adding that the commitments contained in the joint statement adopted on that occasion have been substantially implemented.

The Sovereign welcomed the holding in Rabat of the 12th session of the Moroccan-Spanish High-Level Meeting, eight years after the last session of this institutional mechanism.

In order to strengthen this positive dynamic in the excellent bilateral strategic partnership, the King has invited the Head of the Spanish Government to pay an official visit to Morocco, very soon. This visit will be an opportunity to further strengthen bilateral relations, through concrete actions marked by efficiency, and tangible projects in strategic areas of common interest, the royal office statement added.
The Algeria-backed polisario group is at the heart of a money laundering scandal and shadowy terrorism financing network operated in Europe in connivance with Hezbollah, Iran-backed shiite militant group.

Citing financial investigators, reports from Spains Guardia Civil and terrorism experts, German daily Die Welt has revealed lately large-scale financial dealings and transactions between the Polisario militia and a Hezbollah network specializing in money laundering through the hawala system, which moves money via an informal compensation mechanism between currency-exchange nodes.

Once tainted money is injected into the formal financial system, Hezbollah transfers value back to its criminal clients by purchasing & selling goods, using classic money laundering techniques.

According to the German newspaper, investigators have discovered illicit money transfers between many European countries, including Germany, Belgium, France and Britain as well as Gulf States and the Polisario-controlled Tindouf camps in Southern Algeria.

Polisario hawala trading network, Tires, has been set up in Tindouf by two polisario operatives and brokers, Ahmed A. and his associate Azman. Ahmed A. boasts that he can transfer up to 50,000 euros anywhere and anytime.

He says that he will be able to make even higher transfers, underlined Die Welt, citing reports of Guardia Civils financial department. Ahmed A., who studied in Libya, is living in Spain since 2007. He specializes in illegal money transfers from Europe to West Africa and vice versa. He and his associate are based in Spain. They have good contacts with the Algerian generals.

To hide their illicit financial activities, the two Polisario hawala brokers have opened butcher shops and stores selling groceries and computers. They opened private accounts in several European banks which their clients can transfer money to.

These revelations confirm the Polisario-Hezbollah nexus, sounding the alarm bell for terrorism experts and international counter-terror agencies as Iran, a state sponsor of terrorism, is expanding its influence in West Africa.

Furthermore, the Mullah regime has provided the Polisario militias missiles and drones threatening regional stability, while Hezbollah has set up a training site in Tindouf camps for Polisario fighters with the blessing of the ruling Algerian junta.

The U.S. has already designated Hezbollah a terror organization. Time has come to include the Polisario armed militia and Algeria in its black list for their established connections with the Iranian regime!
President of the Spanish government, Pedro Sanchez, arrived Wednesday in Rabat to co-chair the 12th session of the Morocco-Spain high-level meeting.

Pedro Sanchez is leading a large delegation including the ministers of Foreign Affairs and of the Interior.

The 12th session of the high-level meeting, which is held eight years after the last session of this institutional mechanism, is part of the strategic partnership and the new dynamic that relations between the two kingdoms are experiencing following the visit of Sanchez to Morocco in April 2022, at the invitation of King Mohammed VI.

The April visit highlighted by the signing by the two countries of a new roadmap and this 12th session of the high-level meeting in Rabat will be an opportunity to assess the concrete results achieved since then.

Earlier on Wednesday, King Mohammed VI welcomed, in phone talks with Pedro Sanchez, the evolution and new phase marking Morocco-Spain partnership, since April 2022.

The Sovereign welcomed the evolution, in consultation, trust and mutual respect, of the new phase of the bilateral partnership since the meeting of April 7, 2022.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said in a statement to the media in Madrid, hours before flying to Rabat, that the 12th high level meeting between Morocco and Spain is a new reaffirmation of the excellent dynamics set in motion between the two countries since April 2022.

The holding of this High Level Meeting, which has not been held for eight years, demonstrates the importance and the excellent dynamics of our relations, said Albares, expressing confidence that the meeting will be a success.

He said the meeting will evolve around three essential axes: a strengthened political dialogue, a new economic partnership that will further boost the dynamism of economic relations, and a structure of agreements in the cultural and educational fields, which will be mutually beneficial so that the Spanish and Moroccan peoples know each other even better on more solid basis.

The Spanish Foreign Minister also underlined Moroccos strategic importance for the European Union, praising the Kingdoms key role for the stability of the Euro-Mediterranean area.

Morocco is a major partner for the European Union. The Kingdom is a fundamental country for the stability of the Euro-Mediterranean area that we share between Europe and Africa and Europe and the Maghreb, Albares stressed.
Nebraska Extension in Logan County will host a succession and transition planning workshop for farmers and ranchers in Stapleton from 1 to 3 p.m. Monday at the Logan County Fairgrounds, 24 Ave. 70.

The workshop is free to attend. Registration is required by calling 308-532-2683.

Allan Vyhnalek, an extension educator for farm and ranch transition and succession, will offer tools and strategies to effectively plan, start and complete estate plans, offer background on common mistakes during the process, and highlight essential considerations for creating and carrying out estate and succession plans.

The common mistake is that most know that they need an estate plan, but never get around to putting a plan into a legal document, Vyhnalek said. Over several years, at the end of the workshop, the most common comment is that the participants wished that they had started learning the steps to start and complete a plan sooner.
Each year for the past several years, Bishop Joseph G. Hanefeldt, Diocese of Grand Island, officiates a Mass at North Platte Catholic Schools.

The annual celebration of Catholic Schools Week brings to the forefront the importance placed on faith in the Catholic school system. On Tuesday morning, Hanefeldt encouraged students, teachers, parents, grandparents and friends to exercise their faith.

He said that faith is the capacity, the ability to believe in someone else and to trust them.

As children you believe your mom and dad love you, your family members love you, and you just trust that, Hanefeldt said. Faith is the ability to believe God created you and wants you in his kingdom of heaven one day and does all he can to get you there.

Hanefeldt pointed out that faith is like muscle and it takes activity to keep it strong.

You guys in sports, especially you who lift weights and all those things, Hanefeldt said, you know over time your strength, your capacity to lift increases because youre exercising that muscle.

Your faith is the same way. If you dont exercise it, if you dont keep believing and trusting in God, your faith atrophies and grows weaker.

Through Catholic schools, Hanefeldt said teaching of faith in God is at the forefront of their mission.

A weeklong schedule of activities will continue through Friday at McDaid Elementary and St. Patrick High School.
A proposed second set of tweaks to Nebraskas North Platte-born microTIF program promises to set loose its potential to revitalize older neighborhoods, state Sen. Mike Jacobson told a legislative committee Tuesday.

Urban Affairs Committee members heard public-hearing testimony on Jacobsons Legislative Bill 98, which would further refine the specialized tax-refund program authored by former North Platte Sen. Mike Groene in 2020.

The committee also took testimony on another Jacobson bill, LB 33, which would clarify when mayors in most first- and second-class cities can vote on matters before their city councils.

That bill was inspired in part by a Nov. 15 North Platte City Council meeting at which three council absences temporarily stalled adoption of the ordinance imposing a half-cent sales tax increase voters approved a week earlier.

No one testified against either bill Tuesday, which Jacobson said raises the odds that both LB 33 and LB 98 can win quick final approval this session.

Im assuming that Ill get a favorable vote, he told The Telegraph afterward.

Jacobson said bills unanimously advanced by committees can qualify for senators consent calendar, which allows votes on noncontroversial bills needing little to no work after 15 minutes of floor debate.

Were early enough in the session for senators to move quickly, he said. Once the sessions controversial bills reach the floor, heavy filibusters are all but certain to eat up time.

Following are details on both hearings:

LB 98 (microTIF)

MicroTIF, passed by the Legislature on a rare 49-0 vote in August 2020, enables property tax refunds tied to increases in taxable values when an owner renovates or replaces an individual home or commercial building at least 60 years old.

Revisions that senators approved 46-1 last April included extending microTIF to vacant lots that have been platted and inside city limits for at least 60 years. The law applies outside Douglas, Sarpy and Lancaster counties.

Jacobson, Groenes District 42 successor and a former 24-year North Platte Community Redevelopment Authority chairman, said LB 98 seeks to make microTIF function as intended without being overly burdensome on local officials.

Given statewide housing shortages of all types and the prevalence of aging homes in North Platte and rural Nebraska, microTIF can be vital in renewing older communities, he said.

If were going to get older homes rehabilitated, this is the program thats going to make that happen, Jacobson told the committee.

LB 98 would direct all of microTIFs property tax refunds to the property owner who renovates or builds anew on an older property  even if he or she sells it before the programs 15-year maximum time period runs out.

A subsequent buyer would get any unpaid refunds as microTIF now stands. But Jacobson and other testifiers said that doesnt let property owners use the promised refunds as collateral if they borrow money for the project, as larger developers can do with regular tax increment financing.

If you go in and do a major remodel and you apply for microTIF, you have no way to monetize that money to use it up front like you would probably do with (regular) TIF, because you dont have the repayment stream coming to you unless you hold the house or hold that property for 15 years, Jacobson said.

Another set of tweaks would let city councils or village boards rescind authorization of microTIF, limit the number of microTIF projects approved each year and reject an application if it doesnt meet the programs legal requirements or conflicts with its comprehensive development plan.

The 2020 law, which charges eligible owners only a $50 filing fee, now mandates approval by a city council or village board if an application meets microTIFs standards.

Jacobson said some interested towns want to be able to control how often microTIF is used and avoid having their limited staffs overwhelmed by a rush of applications.

Finally, LB 98 would further clarify that communities could study a broad area for regular TIF eligibility  a process requiring public hearings  but subsequently declare as little as a single lot substandard and blighted without repeated hearings on each TIF or microTIF application in that area.

The laws 2022 revision had that goal in mind for microTIF projects, but legal experts said it remained too vague, Jacobson said.

Christy Abraham, legal counsel for the League of Nebraska Municipalities, said Norfolk, North Platte, Tilden and Beatrice are the only cities to have authorized microTIF.

North Platte City Council members received and approved applications for three microTIF properties in 2022, the first since they authorized the Groene-authored program the previous year.

Gary Person, president and CEO of the North Platte Area Chamber & Development Corp., told the committee hes received microTIF inquiries from people wanting to redo upper-floor apartments in downtown business buildings in addition to those wanting to renovate older homes.

I can tell you Ive been personally contacted by well over 40 different people who are really excited about this, he said.

Person also represented North Plattes city government, Mayor Brandon Kelliher and the Nebraska Economic Development Associations legislative council at the hearing.

LB 33 (mayoral votes)

Jacobson told committee members that LB 33 clarifies that mayors in first- or second-class cities could vote:

To break a tie on most matters before the council when all members are present and voting. In North Platte, that typically would be when the eight-member council splits 4-4. Mayors could not vote when state law requires a supermajority for approval.

To provide a deciding vote when a matter requires a majority of all elected council members  five in North Plattes case  but one or more members are absent or abstain or seats are temporarily vacant due to resignation or death.

To provide a deciding vote if a council quorum for doing business is present but a vote falls short of a majority based on that quorum. North Plattes council needs at least five members for a quorum.

The latter situation occurred in North Platte Nov. 15 when one council member was traveling and two others were absent due to illness. That left five to do business.

Those five split 3-2  one short of a four-member majority needed that night  in favor of first-round approval of the mandated ordinance to implement the sales-tax increase voters approved Nov. 8. They agreed by nearly a 2-to-1 margin to expand the North Platte Recreation Complex, renovate Cody Pool and relocate the citys skate park.

Kelliher then voted yes based on advice from City Attorney Bill Troshynski. But after Troshynski reconsidered the issue, the council started over at an already scheduled Nov. 16 special meeting. The ordinance won final approval at another special session Nov. 17.

Abraham favored LB 33 on behalf of the League of Nebraska Municipalities, saying its staff regularly fields calls from member cities confused about when mayors can vote.

This is probably the No. 1 issue that we get calls about, she said.

The current laws vagueness regularly bedevils both South Sioux Citys eight-member council and the four-member council in smaller Dakota City, said John Hines, assistant city attorney for both northeast Nebraska cities.

In Dakota City, a second-class city, routine business can be delayed if a council member is absent, the others split 2-1 and the matter requires a three-member majority to settle, Hines said.

LB 33 wouldnt cover village boards or the cities of Omaha and Lincoln. It also wouldnt apply to cities with a council-manager form of government, in which voters elect five council members and members choose one of their number as president and de facto mayor.
YORK  A York man accused of shooting and killing his wife in the Nebraska town Monday night was previously convicted of murder in Arizona, according to prior court filings.

Police found Stacie Beutler unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds after authorities were called to 84 South Platte Ave. to investigate a shooting at 9:47 p.m. Monday, York Police Chief Ed Tjaden said in a news release.

The 46-year-old York woman was pronounced dead at the scene, Tjaden said in the release.

While investigators were still on scene at the house near Platte Avenue and Walnut Street, police received a tip about the whereabouts of a suspect in the shooting, Tjaden said.

The tip led police to 47-year-old Bart J. Beutler, who investigators found at another house in York about 30 minutes after the shooting was initially reported to authorities, according to the news release.

York Police arrested Beutler on suspicion of first-degree murder, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony and possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person. He was taken to the county jail.

Investigators believe Beutler acted alone in the alleged murder of his wife, Tjaden said.

It's unclear if police have recovered the gun thought to have been used in Stacie Beutler's shooting. Reached by phone, the department declined to provide additional information Tuesday.

Prosecutors had not charged Beutler as of Tuesday afternoon.

Beutler, who authorities identified as a York resident, was in prison in Arizona as recently as 2018 after he was convicted of second-degree murder in Maricopa County in 2007, according to state court filings and Arizona Department of Corrections records.

His conviction stemmed from charges filed in April 2007, when Beutler was accused of two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted armed robbery and two counts of kidnapping, according to the filings.

Beutler pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder and one count of attempted armed robbery and, in exchange, prosecutors dismissed the additional charges against him.

The former Arizona man was sentenced to 18 years in prison and was released in 2018.

Counties with the most emergency shelters in Nebraska Counties with the most emergency shelters in Nebraska #50. Otoe County #49. Kimball County #48. Colfax County #47. Hamilton County #46. Furnas County #45. Greeley County #44. Gage County #43. Cheyenne County #42. Scotts Bluff County #41. Platte County #40. Sherman County #39. Perkins County #38. Dundy County #37. Keya Paha County #36. Garfield County #35. Keith County #34. Hitchcock County #33. Logan County #32. Webster County #31. Thurston County #30. Thayer County #29. Red Willow County #28. Adams County #27. Dawson County #26. Fillmore County #25. Wayne County #24. Loup County #23. Custer County #22. Kearney County #21. Frontier County #20. Banner County #19. Gosper County #18. Boone County #17. Jefferson County #16. Nance County #15. Thomas County #14. Seward County #13. Sioux County #12. Polk County #11. McPherson County #10. Arthur County #9. Sheridan County #8. Boyd County #7. Rock County #6. Butler County #5. Franklin County #4. Garden County #3. Hayes County #2. Harlan County #1. Hooker County
Gov. Pillens initiatives related to public education funding aimed at easing the property tax burden are encouraging; some of his other fiscal proposals generate cause for concern.

The governor advocates for more state dollars for schools, including a $1,500 per student stipend that would result in additional funds being received by rural schools and increased state monetary support of special education state-wide  guaranteeing that state revenue to large, urban districts would go up too.

In all, the governors education proposals would add $260 million annually to the states obligation to K-12 public education funding, an increase of more than 20% of current levels of state aid.

On the bright side, Pillens plan finally says  outloud  that achieving property tax relief depends on more state revenue dollars being spent on public education. That is a truth that neither of our last two governors would admit, much less confront.

Nebraska is currently 49th in the percent of its public education dollars provided by state sources. Those state sources are primarily state sales and state income taxes.

Our recent past governors and, with few exceptions, state legislators have collectively dug in their heels on additional state dollars being dedicated to public education to, in part, maintain sales and income tax rates.

The effect has been increased reliance on local funding, principally property taxes, to pay the expense of educating our kids. A result has been dramatically increased property taxes.

For at least 15 years, any serious, thoughtful consideration of public education finances concluded that more state dollars would have to be dedicated to public K-12 funding to ease the property tax burden.

It is good that Pillen acknowledges that hard reality and confronts it dramatically with proposals to dedicate meaningful additional state dollars to public education.

But Pillens eagerness to significantly increase spending of state dollars on so many fronts while at the same time cutting the state income tax rate raises questions about the sincerity of the commitment to increased dollars for public education. When everything is a priority, nothing is a priority.

As governor-elect, Pillen agreed to a 22% pay raise for Nebraskas state troopers, the largest raise negotiated by that union in two decades. He also seeks to grant raises ranging from 10% to 27% for other state workers.

The governor advocates spending $574 million to build the Perkins County canal to retain rights to South Platte River water under a century-old compact with Colorado.

He wants to add $95 million to $250 million already tentatively earmarked, none of it yet spent, to build a new penitentiary.

Pillen seeks to devote $100 million in state matching funds to obtain $400 million in federal funds for highway projects.

At the same time, the governor urges reduction of the top income tax rate to 3.99%. Fully implemented, such a tax cut would reduce annual state revenues by $840 million by 2028 under Pillens own estimate and over $1.1 billion in 2027 according to an analysis by the Open-Sky Institute.

Granting overdue, well-deserved pay raises; spending huge sums on desired projects; and cutting income taxes are politically popular. And Nebraskas coffers are presently full to overflowing thanks to more than a billion dollars in federal pandemic relief funds and above-anticipated revenue generation from a couple of years of a strong agriculture economy. But spending money and cutting taxes in the wake of a unique revenue generation cycle is not responsible fiscal planning.

Nebraska depends upon agriculture; over 20% of our economy is ag-related, as are one in four jobs in the state. When commodity prices are solid, farmers and ranchers do well, and so do those who provide them products and services. But commodity prices go down too; when they do, our states economy suffers, and state revenues decline.

Responsible fiscal management requires planning for good times and bad, regardless of political considerations. That requires setting priorities.

A temporary cash-flush state government is not an endless source of money and tax cuts. Even Santa has only so many reindeer and must deal with limited sled space.

If our new governor is serious about the commitment to adequate state funding of K-12 public education on a sustainable basis, some other less important spending and his aggressive tax-cut proposals will need to be trimmed.

We will soon see if Pillen is serious about public education fiscal policy or is only interested in being the next-in-line sloganeer in chief for the Cornhusker State.
James Gunn Blasts Past DC Leadership in Candid Comments https://t.co/tWdbGzlprn  The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 1, 2023

-Now that Gunn has revealed the beginning of the new DC regime (whatever that is)...a soft reboot where we once again jump into the middle of our Superheroes lives...he is taking aim at the past.-He blasts the former DC regime stating "They were giving away IP like they were party favors at any creator who smiled at them.-He uses how before he took over there was so many different universes: The Arrowverse, the Snyderverse, the Jossverse, his own soft rebootverse w/TSS, Superman & Lois, the Reevesverse.-Isnt happy that Henry Cavill was tossed around by the old regime and how they placed release dates higher than quality of films.-Under the new Gunn/Safran-verse things will be tighter as majority of tv/movies/animation/games will be tied to the DC Universe and anything outside of that will be part of their Elseworlds title (The Batman, Joker, HQ, probably anything Amazon does, etc...)-In true DC comics fashion, we already had an Arrowverse Crisis on Infinite Earths that brought majority of the Arrowverse to 1 Earth only for them to branch out to other Earths again and now we are heading towards Flashpoint that will serve as an end for part of the DCU.
robyn's dumbass admitted that everything karen mentioned was true after they filmed the reunion (and lied about it there) but *before* the reunion aired????



you know some spiteful person on bravo's editing team is going to put that clip of her triffling ass from the podcast into the show as soon as they show her lying again. and demote her, she's tired, gizelle isn't enough to save robyn this time around if they're trying to PAYWALL this shit

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wait what?! juans mistress DOES look like karen?! or juan was hitting on karen?!

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robyn said the fact that juan was cheating at all and the other woman was blonde like karen is actually true (even though shes been denying the cheating until this podcast episode rme).



karen trying to say the woman looked like her was goofy but thats karen being karen lol

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robyn is so annoying and i can NOT stand charisse's tired ass

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I was listening to a podcast and someone said she is like Eeyore, and I can't disagree.

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no bigger sad sack then when she showed up to the bachelorette party in that awful, matronly dress and said "actually i should've planned this instead of mia and gizelle and i'm mad about it" girl nobody wants to see whatever boring, drab shit you'll plan

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#RHOP A friend shared this Reddit threat about the Patreon episode.

The highlighted part made my eyes roll to the back of my head. #robyndixon #JuanDixon pic.twitter.com/EpBZIDcTHh  LoveAndyC (@LoveAndyC) January 31, 2023





Juan paid for her room and then just left... I can't 





Happy for Candice, Karen, and Wendy, who were all enjoying themselves last night. Juan paid for her room and then just left... I can't Happy for Candice, Karen, and Wendy, who were all enjoying themselves last night.

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I don't know what would be worse - Robyn expecting us to believe this OBVIOUS lie OR if she herself believes it/is forcing herself to believe it for the sake of 'keeping (my) family together'. Like someone here is an idiot in this situation and it's not me sis!

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Robyn Dixon really remarrying this man who cheated on her and said this.



Hokay #RHOP pic.twitter.com/lEuyI4Jzfe  Solange Knowles right hook  (@Hazel_ieye) January 26, 2023 She's a clown

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okay firstly this is so embarrassing and secondly, i totally understand what candiace was saying on twitter. like, this is absolute bullshit. all season people have been asking robyn what the hold up with her wedding was and she played it off like it was nothing when the whole time she knew it was because of juan cheating. and then when people brought it up, outright called them liars when she knew it was true. then waited until every bit of filming for the season was over to say, well actually it was true (save for that ridiculous lie she thinks we'll believe) and i knew the whole time

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I also "lost my wallet" Robyn's roommate. Can you buy my hotel room too???

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Robyn is such a LOSER! And an idiot too because for all we've dragged her for not having any damn storyline if she was going to spill the beans ANYWAY then why not take some humble pie, admit his infidelity and produce 2 seasons of television vs. attacking Wendy's marriage and being wishy washy in support for Candiace.



LBR a LOT of people have raggedy relationships but if she made this a 'he is raggedy and I really should give it up but I still love him and don't know if I want to leave or not' storyline then she could've pushed through a makeup season and then a 'we're back in love' season and MAYBE gotten her wedding paid for by Bravo and a wedding special out of it. She just looks foolish and I'm glad that Candiace very eloquently got Bravo, Robyn and Giselle together in her twitter thread. I also think that Robyn and Giselle waited until after Candiace was on WWHL sunday just to make sure she couldn't bring this up on camera there and really go IN on them/Robyn.

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She could have set herself up to receive so much sympathy from the audience, yet she chose this.





Robyn filmed WWHL today, I hope that Andy gave it to her, but you just know it didn't happen.

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lol Robyn couldnt even email macys back about her hats, shes not doing all that work  (I love Robyn idc)

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this is some bullllllshit from robyn. sounds like robyn thinking candiace speaking on this issue is the real reason she was so mad about Candiace's instagram live... I cannot.

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This isnt hard, Bravo. Fire Robyn like yall should have done YEARS ago. Threaten to demote Gizelle unless she actually shares something (anything!) real about her own life instead of making every season about picking apart everyone elses lives. Lose Eyeores I mean, Charrisses number permanently. And give Candiace and Wendy a raise for putting up with all the lies and BS. Thanks for coming to my TEDTalk



Edited at 2023-02-01 03:02 am (UTC)

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Robyn is a clown.

How are you still on this show when the editors are putting in more work than you? They've done a phenomenal job this season!



Glad Sunday is the finale!



OP, your icon makes me laugh!

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The editors srsly deserve a raise and awards this year, I don't think I've ever laughed this hard at editing work. The episode last week with Kurn and the sketch 

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I'm not one of the folks who thinks Potomac is like Beverly Hills level ruined but it will be if things keep going this way. There is no reality in Potomac. Just everyone trying to fend off attacks from the GEBs.



I'm catching up on Miami and can see why people say that is actually the best franchise now.

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Omg this season of Miami is IN.SANE.



I was honestly half expecting Michael Darby to treat Ashley the way that Lenny is treating Lisa rn, I cannot believe the shit Lisa is going thru

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Miami works bc even the cast member(s) you don't like bring something to the cast.

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Its fuck Andy Cohen all day but even on WWHL, his hate for Robyn is palpable. I dont think shell be fired, shell be demoted which might be more embarrassing.

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andy LOVES gizelle though (for whatever reason) so that might be robyn's saving grace. we'll see if old first lady pulls a kyle and sees the writing on the wall wrt robyn and trades her in for a new sidekick

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Robyn needs to be fired for this

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Housewives deny things all the time. Just no one on Potomac besides Karen cared or bothered to try to bring it to light. I don't blame her, I blame the cast overall.

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it's one thing to deny it but to put the truth behind her own paywall? That's messing with the bravo bag and she was already on Andy's nerve as is. This is a MESS

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I must have watched one too many natural hair videos on YT because the algorithm has decided that as a negress, I MUST be interested in RHOP clips and commentaries.



Before clicking the "I'm not interested" option on them all, I did open a few vids in incognito out of curiosity and...I don't think I have never seen a more trifling collection of women in my life 



Y'all I went down the rabbit hole. That algorithm was on to something  Some of those RHOP women's lives are legitimate trainwrecks.



I can't see myself actually watching the show, but I will def be dipping back into incognito to check in on the mess every once in a while.

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this ENTIRE comment! 

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the one on the right looks like latto

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Robyn's been DRAGGED left and right and broke the rules of reality TV, so I'm interested in how the next season will pan out - especially with the lawsuit stuff.

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I mean, it isn't good anymore, but given her list of other bad opinions that's probably not why she's saying this.

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Came here to say this. The first couple of seasons were good. This last season specifically was painful to get through.

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The royal family friendly people who want it to end want to avoid the public at large talking about the current mess in the Royal Family so they can pretend it's not their and control the public image.

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it must be nice to live a life of such privilege that its only after your paycheck clears do you realize that your work might lead people to be slightly critical of institutions you adore.

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they're doing stuff that happened in the past. it's history.



get a dictionary.

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I know we all want to pretend the 90's wasn't thirty years ago... but it was thirty years ago. If they're ending in the early 2000's that's still twenty years ago.



The show needs to end because it's not good anymore, period.

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HDU the 90s was 15 years ago okaay

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mte, even if it's set in 2022, that is now technically history.

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"we have a moral responsibility"



To whom do we have this miss talks shit???



Don't the Family have a moral responsibility to send their pedophile member to jail. Not use 12 million of possible tax payer money to silence victims. .



Also look up what history means before you talk fool.



Can Mrs Weasley come and take care of her already.



Edited at 2023-02-01 05:30 pm (UTC)

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She drank the kool-aid didn't she. Idk why she's being so stupid recently

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bold statement to make about a show that has already announced it is, in fact, ending



i'm sure netflix would love to dramatize the current shitshow lifetime style but i don't think the crown was ever legit going to be like 15 seasons to get to the modern day

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the government manages to find the money to fund absolutely everything else that they want to. its just a matter of that they don't want to fund public services. totally their choice

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If only these striking teachers, ambulance drivers and doctors had managed to manufacturer some faulty PPE during the pandemic, the government would have handed them a blank cheque.



Bonus cash prizes for any of them who drank in the same pub as Matt Hancock.





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They're assholes. The strikes are around working conditions. Not just pay. But they will demonize everyone. Not that any pay rise will be wiped out by inflation caused by the horror show that was Liz Truss.

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Incredibly, it's not even so much the money they give to the Royals that's the problem. It's all the bogus contracts they tossed to their wealthy friends in industry and allowed them to renege on while simply writing off the money. It's all the tax loopholes they refuse to close and their rich pals they allow to negotiate with HMRC on their unpaid bills of millions while a regular citizen who owes maybe a grand gets the book thrown at them

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Oh, so now that she collected her money it's wrong to keep going.



What an hypocrite. And she was a terrible choice for Margaret, especially after Vanessa who was excellent.





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I wish Lesley Manville had taken her place tbh, despkte the age gap. She's a much better actress and the only redeeming part of season 4 for me (besides Sydney).

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i think her career should not carry on haha gottem

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The fact is that late 90s/early 2000s already count as history anyway, no matter how depressing that is. That was 20-30 years ago...

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Her talking about moral responsibility is rich. Fuck off, Helen.

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i actually don't even know why the royals would complain about it anymore. the most recent season was SO KIND to charles in a way that was really bewildering to me. they always sympathized with him to a degree but at least in the first season with diana, they showed him being an absolute monster to her. but this most recent season, all of his indiscretions were glossed over and they even did that insane end to the episode about the leaked phone calls with camilla that showed him dancing and talked about his charitable ventures? it felt more like propaganda for him than against him.

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Shes right but someone else should say it.

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Connecticut Contractor Faces Willful Violations After OSHA Finds Trenching Violations

OSHA also proposed $375K in penalties.

OSHA said that a contractors lack of safeguards played a part in a worker's death last year, and now the company is facing about $375K in proposed penalties.

According to a news release, in July 2022, a worker was in an eight-foot-deep trench when it caved in, ultimately resulting in the workers death, an event that OSHA Area Director Dale Varney in Hartford, Connecticut, said in a news release should never have happened.

OSHA alleged that the Connecticut contractor Botticello Inc. did not offer a protective system, did not have inspections performed by a competent person and lacked sufficient means of egress from the trench.

Because this was not the first time trench-related violations were pointed out to Botticello IncOSHA found four serious violations in 2015the contractor was issued citations for three willful violations and faces proposed penalties of $375,021.

"After a previous OSHA inspection, Botticello Inc. knew of the dangers of working in an unprotected trench and the need to inspect the trench and ensure required effective cave-in protection was in place before any employee entered the trench. The company, however, still chose to ignore these required safeguards and now a worker's family, friends and co-workers are left to grieve, Varney added.
For the first time in decades, Chinas oil and gas demand declined in 2022 as the strict Covid policies curtailed economic growth and mobility. This year, demand is set to rebound thanks to the reopening of the Chinese economy, pushing global oil demand higher and giving Europe a run for its money to stock up on LNG. The pace of recovery in Chinese oil and gas demand will be one of the most important trends influencing oil and gas markets and prices in 2023.

Rare 2022 Demand Decline

Last year, while the world saw overall oil demand grow following the reopening of economies and gas trade flows materially shifted after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Chinas demand was subdued and fell for both fossil fuelsfor the first time in decades. The Chinese economy continued to grow last year, but at a much smaller pace than in previous years.

Combined with the property crisis and the zero-Covid policy, all these dragged Chinese oil demand down by 3%  or by 390,000 barrels per day (bpd), according to estimates by the International Energy Agency (IEA). That was the first annual decline in oil consumption in China since 1990.

At the same time, global oil demand rose by 2.2 million bpd in 2022, per the IEA.

Related: Everybody Loves Oil Again

Natural gas consumption in China also fell last yearby 0.7 percent, for the first annual fall in demand in four decades, according to the energy agency. Chinas LNG imports also fell, much more than gas demand, and China handed back to Japan the top spot in LNG importers in the world.

In 2022, China saw a rare drop in gas consumption amid a slowdown in economic growth, while most of South and Southeast Asia simply couldnt afford the skyrocketing spot LNG prices after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Europes race to replace Russian pipeline gas. LNG buyers have returned to securing term deals, even buyers in Europe that were previously reluctant to lock in supply for the long term in view of the clash between the carbon footprint of LNG and the EUs climate ambitions.

Expected 2023 Rebound

Demand for oil and gas in China is expected to rebound this year, as Beijing ditched the zero-Covid policy, which should lead to a jump in mobility and economic activity, analysts say.

The IEA also expects a rebound in Chinese oil and gas consumption, with oil demand growth in China driving half of the currently projected global oil demand growth in 2023.

With the Chinese economy now recovering, it will have major implications for oil and gas market balances, Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the IEA, told the New York Times in an interview.

Global oil demand is set to rise by 1.9 million bpd in 2023, to a record 101.7 million bpd, with nearly half the gain coming from China following the lifting of its Covid restrictions, the IEA said in its Oil Market Report for January.

Two wild cards dominate the 2023 oil market outlook: Russia and China, the IEA said.

China will drive nearly half this global demand growth even as the shape and speed of its reopening remains uncertain, the agency noted.

In the interview with NYT, the IEAs Birol said that China is the key uncertainty when it comes to 2023 global energy markets, adding that how the countrys economy will perform will have massive implications for global energy markets.

OPEC also expressed more optimism about Chinese oil demand and the global economy this year in its Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR) in January.

Chinas reopening is set to push demand higher, and In addition, Chinas plans to expand fiscal spending to aid the economic recovery is likely to support oil demand in manufacturing, construction and mobility, OPEC said.

Globally, economies look more resilient than previously expected, the cartel said.

The global momentum in 4Q22 appears stronger than previously expected, potentially providing a sound base for the year 2023, especially in the OECD economies. The 2022 growth in both Euro-zone and US has surpassed previous forecasts, OPEC noted.

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Saudi oil giant Aramco expects the Chinese reopening and a pick-up in jet fuel demand to lead to a rebound in global oil demand this year, Amin Nasser, the CEO of the worlds biggest oil firm, told Bloomberg in an interview earlier this month.

As Chinas infection rate slows post-Chinese New Year, we see domestic oil demand rebounding. As the population hits the roads and the skies, our expectation is Chinese oil consumption in 2023 will increase by around 1.0 million b/d, an impressive performance considering Q1 demand is likely to contract by 190,000 b/d, Gavin Thompson, Vice Chairman, Energy  Asia Pacific, at Wood Mackenzie, said earlier this month.

Look for a particularly bullish Q2, with China adding 1.36 million b/d over the same quarter in 2022, the strongest growth in over a decade (excluding the post-Covid bounce) that will support higher prices, Thompson added.

China may be one of the two wild cards in oil markets this year, together with Russia, but one thing is certain in energy markets  the Chinese economy and oil and gas consumption trends will shape the markets this year.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Crude oil prices inched lower today, after the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported a crude oil inventory build of 4.1 million barrels for the week to January 27.

This compared with a modest inventory increase of half a million barrels for the previous week, which in turn followed two weeks of substantial inventory builds.

In gasoline, the EIA estimated an inventory increase of 2.6 million barrels for the reporting period. It compared with a build of 1.8 million barrels for the previous week. Gasoline inventories are currently at a ten-year low.

Gasoline production averaged 9.4 million bpd last week, compared with 8.8 million bpd for the previous week.

Bloomberg reported earlier this week that the East Coast and New York specifically face a risk of a gasoline shortage this summer because of the EU embargo on Russian oil and fuels. This, according to the report, will tighten European fuel exports to the U.S., on which the East Coast relies during peak driving season.

In middle distillates, the EIA estimated an inventory build of 2.3 million barrels for the week to January 27. This compared with an inventory draw of 500,000 barrels for the previous week.

Distillate stocks in the United States are also lower than usual but have been ramping up recently after dropping to close to critical levels late last year. A decline in consumption driven by lower industrial activity also helped.

Middle distillate production last week averaged 4.7 million bpd, which compared with 4.6 million bpd during the previous week.

Right now, both Europe and the United States are bracing for the upcoming EU embargo on Russian fuels, which comes into effect on February 5th. The embargo will probably feature a set of price caps for fuels that sell at a premium to crude and for those that normally trade at a discount to crude.

Expectations are that the embargo will tighten the sully of fuels even though European buyers stocked up n as much Russian diesel as they could get their hands on in the past few months.

Replacement supply could come from the Middle East, India, and China, but it will take a while for it to reach its destinations.

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The Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) of the OPEC+ group recommended that no changes be made to the current oil production quotas during a meeting on Wednesday, as widely expected.

The members of the JMMC reaffirmed their commitment to the DoC which extends to the end of 2023 as agreed in the 33rd OPEC and Non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting (ONOMM) on 5th of October 2022, OPEC said in a brief statement after the meeting.

The panel is meeting next on April 3, 2023.

The no-change in policy was widely expected by the market, considering the uncertainties in both supply and demand in the coming months. Analysts expected OPEC+ to adopt a wait-and-see approach amid significant uncertainties going forward.

Earlier this week, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed OPEC+ cooperation on a phone call, according to various sources, with the focus on maintaining the stability of oil prices ahead of the virtual OPEC+ panel meeting today. Russian oil production has held up in spite of new Western sanctions and price caps, and three OPEC+ delegates have told Reuters that the Wednesday meeting was likely to conclude without any output policy changes.

In view of the uncertainties about Chinese demand and Russian supply in February and March, OPEC+ was widely expected to keep the current production levels, which reduced target output by 2 million barrels per day (bpd) from November onwards. Yet, the actual cut is estimated to have been around 1 million bpd.

In December, OPEC-13s average December production rose by 91,000 bpd, according to the MOMR, to 28.971 million bpd, with nearly all of the gains coming from Nigeria. But Decembers OPEC-10 production  the members bound by the OPEC+ pact  was still substantially below the production quota, with the group underproducing by more than 800,000 barrels per day.

Going forward, OPEC, OPEC+, and market participants will look to China and Russia for the most immediate clues on global demand and supply.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Tajikistan is also trying to strengthen its ties with Turkmenistan and has invited President Berdymukhamedov to visit Dushanbe.

Russia is also trying to develop Turkmenistan as a transit hub for delivering goods to South Asia and establish itself as a cultural and educational touchstone for Turkmenistan.

Russia is increasing its efforts to build ties with Turkmenistan by sending various high-level delegations and signing agreements on various areas.

There is no keeping the Russians away from Turkmenistan at the moment.

On January 19, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin traveled to Ashgabat for a two-day visit that culminated in much effusive talk of future cooperation.

Ten days after that, it was the turn of the speaker of the Russian State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, to do the same.

Volodin was ostensibly in town on some intra-parliamentary business. Since the Turkmen legislature is an institution of no actual significance, though, this aspect of the agenda was for show.

And it wasnt much of a show either. Photo handouts of Volodin addressing the 125-member Mejlis revealed that the chamber was far from full. And many of the seat-warmers were people from the Russian delegation.

Moscows real intent with these insistent overtures is to assure Ashgabat of its seriousness in cultivating ties. Russia is reviled by the West, treated with transactional wariness by the likes of China and India, and relied upon as a potentially useful ally only by outcast nations, such as Syria, Iran and North Korea. Turkmenistan looks intent on gaining honorary membership in that last group.

In Ashgabat, Volodin spoke with President Serdar Berdymukhamedov about the prospects for building on a joint declaration committing to deepening Russia and Turkmenistans status as strategic partners that was signed during the latters visit to Moscow in June 2022. The strategic partnership arrangement was brought into being in October 2017.

There is a Turkmen proverb that states: The finest robe is a new one, the best friend is an old one. We have been through many trials together. And today, relations between Russia and Turkmenistan, which are strategic in nature, are founded on the principles of equality, good-neighborliness and respect," Volodin told reporters.

Beyond the flattery, Russia is counting on developing Turkmenistan as a transit hub for delivering goods to South Asia. Mishustin returned home to Moscow having overseen the signing of eight intergovernmental agreements covering such areas as migration control and the coordination of customs administration and phytosanitary standards. The blueprint for all that and more was laid out in the June 2022 declaration.

Russia is also intent on becoming a cultural-educational touchstone for Turkmenistan. Volodin impressed on the Turkmen lawmakers who bothered to turn up that around 30,000 Turkmen nationals are studying in Russia. He continued by remarking with approval that the teaching of Russian persists in more than 70 Turkmen schools.

In its feverish currying of favor, Moscow has to spread its blandishments more widely these days, now that Turkmenistan boasts an awkward tandem rule. Earlier this month, Berdymukhamedov found himself essentially demoted to co-president when his father, Gurbanguly, the former president, decided to have the Turkmen upper house of parliament scrapped and himself anointed with the bespoke title of National Leader.

On January 30, Valentina Matviyenko, the chairwoman of Russias upper house of parliament, wrote to Berdymukhamedov the elder to congratulate him on this coup. Being a wise politician and far-sighted statesman with invaluable experience, you deservedly won the true love and recognition of your people, she gushed. Mishustin wrote a note along similar lines.

Perhaps to compensate for Berdymukhamedov the youngers patent humiliation, the Mejlis on January 26 elected to assign him with the military rank of general. He has little legitimate claim to such a lofty post. According to the presidents reported biography, he performed his obligatory two-year military service at his fathers insistence in the early 2000s, but that may well, like much of what the Turkmen propaganda machine churns out, be a lie.

Russia isnt Turkmenistans only strategic partner, as Tajikistans president strived to remind everybody on January 27. In a note dispatched to Ashgabat to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between their nations, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon talked up the patterns of mutually beneficial cooperation and invited President Berdymukhamedov (the younger) to visit Dushanbe.

There is obviously great hope in these countries, which are now physically separated by some very tricky geography and politics, of one day being drawn closer. Dushanbe-based news outlet Asia-Plus reported on January 12, citing a press release from Tajikistans Transport Ministry, that the South Korean government may, for reasons very difficult to divine, be interested in investing money into financing the Tajik section of a planned Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan, or TAT, railway line. Preliminary estimates put cost of construction of this section at around $128 million, Asia-Plus cited officials as having said.

Claims that the Koreans are chomping at the bit to spend their money on this undertaking are almost certainly crude misrepresentations of reality by Tajik officials.

Turkmenistans Foreign Ministry announced in June that it had resumed work on installing a small segment of railroad linking their country to Afghanistan. No mention was made of Tajikistan, but that did not stop media in Dushanbe from framing this as the resumption of the TAT project.

Uzbekistan too is intent on leaning more heavily on Turkmenistan. This winter it has been relying on its neighbor to the south for gas and electricity supplies. On January 25, state-owned oil and gas company Uzbekneftegaz said it plans this year to buy oil from the Turkmen subsidiary of Malaysian energy company Petronas. No projections have yet been offered as to how much oil Uzbekistan might wish to source in this way.

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For all that it likes to talk up its commitment to green energy, Turkmenistan has earned itself an unfortunate reputation as a polluter on a colossal scale. Data published by NASA late last year revealed that the country chugs out plumes of more than 50 tons of harmful methane gas every single hour. Scientists at NASAs Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation team put that in alarming context.

The Turkmenistan sources together have a similar flow rate to the 2015 Aliso Canyon gas leak, which exceeded 110,000 pounds (50,000 kilograms) per hour at times. The Los Angeles-area disaster was among the largest methane releases in U.S. history, they said.

The United Nations Environment Program is hopefully trying to get Turkmenistan to clean up its act. In a training session carried out last week, UN experts pointed out that half of Turkmenistan's methane emissions could be reduced at no net cost. And the numbers are simply mind-boggling. The roughly 5 million metric tons of methane emitted by Turkmenistan in 2021 could have been converted into 77 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, the UN experts said. By comparison, over the entirety of 2021, neighboring Afghanistan used 5.5 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data.

The dream is for Turkmenistan to turn this around, but it is not like the Berdymukhamedovs to miss an opportunity.

By Eurasianet.org

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Space has been commercialized. Its now being militarized. Next could it be colonized? Some experts think were on track for an all-out space race between the United States and China to not only put boots on the moon but to set up camp there to extract rare minerals. There are international treaties that prevent governments from claiming territory in Space, but if history has taught us anything, its that a) treaties were made to be broken when the payout is high enough and b) human nature loves a loophole.

It is a fact: were in a space race. Those were the words of the leader of NASA himself, Bill Nelson said in a recent interview with Politico. The former Florida senator and astronaut went on to say: And it is true that we better watch out that they [China] dont get to a place on the moon under the guise of scientific research. And it is not beyond the realm of possibility that they say, Keep out, were here, this is our territory.

Nelson isnt the only NASA personnel who thinks that there is a major battle playing out between these two major Earth and space powers. On one level, it is a political competition to show whose system works better, said Terry Virts, a former commander of the International Space Station and Space Shuttle and a retired Air Force colonel. What they really want is respect as the worlds top country. They want to be the dominant power on Earth, so going to the moon is a way to show their system is working. If they beat us back to the moon it shows they are better than us.

As true as that may be of China, the same could easily be said for the United States. NASA is currently undergoing a program to send astronauts back to the moon as early as 2024. But its not just the U.S. government thats trying to make an atmospheric statement; the private sector wants in, too. As space has become more and more commercialized as a kind of amusement park for multi-billionaires, its become increasingly clear that with enough money and enough hubris, nearly anything is possible in the final frontier.

A recent opinion piece in Energy Intelligence arguing that a space race of colonialist proportions is already well underway points out that while the 1967 Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, better known as the Outer Space Treaty, strictly prohibits nations from making sovereign claims in outer space, the treaty didnt foresee the need to put the same rule into writing for private enterprises.

What exactly are all of these competing interests after on the moon? According to Energy Intelligence, the area of interest on the moon is the lunar south pole, where concentrations of valuable minerals, water and geographical features conducive to sustaining 24-hour solar power generation combine to create the ideal conditions for the creation of a moon colony. The existence of rare minerals in space is of crucial interest for global industry because it could potentially allow a workaround for both the rare and Earth parts of these minerals that are so essential to so many supply chains.

These minerals are particularly essential to many components in electric vehicle batteries and in renewable energy infrastructure, meaning that demand for metals like lithium and cobalt is already rising quickly and getting ready to go gangbusters. Already, a geopolitical battle is unfolding over these materials as different interests move to snap up proven reserves and shore up supply chains. It stands to reason that this battle could easily spill over into space if the demand outstrips the supply here on Earth.

This kind of interstellar exploitation is worrying, to say the least. Not only is it fertile ground for geopolitical conflict and colonialist posturing, it stands to violate basic principles of sovereignty. As the Energy Intelligence Group wrote last week, The interests of all mankind, it seems, is no longer the driving factor behind lunar exploration, instead replaced by the kind of national chauvinism space exploration was supposed to supersede. Although, if you look at the defense budgets already being spent on space militarization, and the agendas of companies touting space tourism such as Virgin Galactic, SpaceX and Blue Origin, those principles have already been slipping for quite some time now.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

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In a setback for environmentalists, the Biden Administration could be ready to approve an oil project in Alaska proposed by ConocoPhillips with a plan for limited drilling in the northwestern part of the state, sources with knowledge of an imminent decision of the Bureau of Land Management have told Bloomberg.

ConocoPhillips discovered the Willow prospect in the northeast portion of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) in 2016.

The project was announced in early 2017. ConocoPhillips said back then that Willow is estimated to produce 180,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) at its peak, and there are 600 million barrels of recoverable oil. The cost to develop was pegged at $8 billion, the largest project on the North Slope in more than 20 years.

In 2020, the Trump Administration approved an environmental review and the project to go forward. But the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska tossed out the federal permits for the Willow project a year later, saying that the review failed to fully consider the impact on the environment and wildlife and didnt consider options that would be less harmful and invasive.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) then initiated a revised draft environmental analysis in 2022. The conclusions of this review to comply with the court decision are expected to be published as early as this week.

According to Bloombergs sources, the BLM would go for approving a three-well development plan for the Willow project, down from a five-well development plan proposed by ConocoPhillips.

One of the alternatives the BLM has reviewed with three wells to be drilled is still a good path forward, Nick Olds, Executive Vice President, Lower 48 for ConocoPhillips, said on an earnings call in August 2022.

The final decision rests with Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, who could impose further restrictions on the project.

ConocoPhillips warned at the end of 2022 that anything less than a three-well development wouldnt be economically viable.

Anything less than a three-pad authorization would essentially be a project denial, ConocoPhillips Alaska President Erec Isaacson told Bloomberg in an interview in December. It just wouldnt be a viable project at that point, considering the high cost of operations in northern Alaska, Isaacson added.

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Bernard Looney, the chief executive of BP, has recently discussed plans with people close to the supermajor to potentially scale back the companys push into greener operations with less emphasis on ESG targets, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, quoting sources with knowledge of the discussions.

Looney took over as chief executive at BP in early 2020. Just days later, he pledged to make the company a net-zero emissions energy firm by 2050 or sooner.

BP, like most European majors, is now pitching itself as an integrated energy company looking to transform itself from an international oil major into a broader energy firm.

BP said in 2020 that it would cut its oil and gas production by 40 percent by 2030 through active portfolio management and no exploration in new countries. Back then, BP also said it would aim for a tenfold increase in low-carbon investment by 2030, with up to an eightfold increase by 2025.

After the price and demand crash in 2020, the rebound in oil and gas demand as major economies reopened in 2021, and the energy crisis that worsened in 2022 following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, BP has changed the rhetoric to target solving the worlds energy trilemma secure, affordable, and lower carbon energy.

In August 2022, BPs Looney said, commenting on solid Q2 earnings, Our people have continued to work hard throughout the quarter, helping to solve the energy trilemma  secure, affordable, and lower carbon energy. We do this by providing the oil and gas the world needs today  while, at the same time, investing to accelerate the energy transition.

Also last year, Looney said that As an integrated energy company, or IEC, bps role is to help solve this trilemma. That means developing much-needed hydrocarbons  with lower emissions from those operations AND  at the same time  investing to help accelerate the energy transition. It doesnt have to be a choice  or a trade-off. We need to do both.

A sharper focus on clean energy investments  expected to be just a short-term correction in the strategy  for BP could be the result of Looneys disappointment with the returns of some of the investments in renewables, according to the Journals sources.

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A top Iranian official announced this week that Iran and Russia had integrated their interbank communication and transfer systems to help enhance trade and financial operations in an effort to bypass strict economic sanctions on their financial infrastructure.

With the signing of the agreement, 52 Iranian and 106 Russian banks are connected through the Russian Financial Message Transfer System, which will facilitate economic relations between the two countries, said Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Iran Mohsen Karimi.

"This system is immune to sanctions as it is based on the infrastructures of both countries," Karimi said, according to Irans Mehr news agency.

The global consortium SWIFT, the world leader in secure financial messaging services, excluded Iranian banks from its system following the reimposition of economic sanctions by the United States on Iran in 2018.

As a result of that suspension of services, the Iranian banking system is disconnected from the international one, making banking transactions with other countries difficult. Russia was partially excluded from SWIFT last year due to its invasion of Ukraine.

While economic relations between the two countries have grown to 4 billion in recent years, Tehran has sold drones to Russia, which it has used in its invasion of Ukraine.

Official trips between the two countries have also multiplied in recent months, with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi visiting Russia in January 2022 and Iranian Foreign Minister Hosein Amir Abdolahian making two trips to the Russian capital in less than a year.

"In todays world, a countrys status is largely related to its economic power  We need economic growth to maintain our regional and global position," Irans top authority, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said in a televised speech.

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Additionally, deputy governor of Iran's Central Bank, Mohsen Karimi, announced: "Iranian banks no longer need to use SWIFT... with Russian banks, which can be for the opening of Letters of Credit and transfers or warranties."

By Zerohedge.com

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A pumping station on the Druzhba oil pipeline was shelled on Tuesday in a western Russian region bordering Ukraine and Belarus, but the pipeline carrying oil from Russia to Europe operated normally on Wednesday, Russias pipeline monopoly Transneft said.

There have been reports about the shelling of a section of the pipeline in the Bryansk region in Russia.

According to Russian media, the pumping station Novozybkovo on the Druzhba pipeline was targeted on January 31 by Ukraine.

Representatives for Transneft told Russian news agencies that as a result of a shell hit on the territory of the station, there were no victims, and the damage was being repaired.

The Druzhba oil pipeline is operating normally, a Transneft representative told the TASS news agency.

The Novozybkovo station is typically used at peak loads on a one-time basis, and the last time was last year for a few hours, the representative added.

Currently, there are no problems with the pumping of oil through the Druzhba pipeline, Russian Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov told Russian media.

The Druzhba pipeline is a key artery of oil supply from Russia to Europe, with two branches  a northern one via Belarus to Belarus, Poland, Germany, Latvia, and Lithuania, and a southern one passing through Ukraine and sending oil to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Croatia.

Flows through the Druzhba pipeline are exempted from the EU embargo on imports of Russian crude oil by sea that came into effect on December 5. The EU has exempted pipeline oil flows to landlocked EU member states from the ban.

Nevertheless, Germany and Poland have said they would halt imports of Russian crude via the Druzhba pipeline as of January 1. Germany did it on the first day of this year, following through on a previous pledge to stop buying Russian pipeline crude despite the fact that the EU embargo exempts pipeline flows from Russia to Europe.

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Export shipments of Russian crude have risen substantially this month, with most of these leaving on Western-insured tankers thanks to prices, which are lower than the G7 and EU price cap.

Per a Reuters report citing tanker tracking data and industry insiders, oil loadings from Primorsk, Ust-Luga, and Novorosiisk are set to top 9.5 million tons in total this month as Urals, Russias flagship blend drops below $50, when the price cap set by the G7 and the EU is $60 per barrel.

A quarter of all Urals shipments from Russia this month were handled by EU vessels, Reuters noted in its report.

However, per Oilprice data, the other two crude oil blends that Russia sells abroad, Sokol and ESPO, are trading well above the price cap, with Sokol changing hands at around $77 per barrel as of Tuesday and ESPO trading at over $72 per barrel.

Meanwhile, earlier this week, the Kremlin banned sellers of Russian oil in Russia itself from including price cap-related clauses in their contracts with buyers. The ban follows a decree issued by President Vladimir Putin in December that prohibited the sales of Russian oil and fuels to countries implementing a price cap on these commodities.

Per a resolution signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, oil producers will also be obliged to submit a declaration to Russian customs for each cargo sold, attesting to the fact that the price-cap mechanism hasnt been used. Russian customs, then, will review old and new crude oil export contractsand customs reserves the right to stop any cargo that violates Putins decree.

The European Union is currently discussing price caps for Russian fuels, after the EU embargo on these comes into effect on February 5th. Under consideration are proposals to set one cap for fuels that trade at as premium to crude oil, such as diesel, and another cap for oil products that trade at a discount to crude.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Russian Urals crude traded at $49.48 per barrel in January, with rising transportation costs compounding a discount that has seen the countrys flagship crude price drop by 42% year-on-year, according to Russian Finance Ministry figures cited by Turkeys Anadolu Agency.

Official figures released on Wednesday showed a drastic decline from $85.64 in January 2021 to this years price of under $49.5 per barrel, Anadolu Agency reported.



While slightly different from the Russian Finance Ministry figures, Platts (part of S&P Global Commodity Insights) on January 30th assessed Russian Urals at $45.86 per barrel, which at the time represented a discount to Dated Brent of $38.77.

S&P Global notes that prior to Putins invasion of Ukraine, Urals was trading at a ~$10 discount to Dated Brent.

Western sanctions, including an EU ban on Russian seaborne crude, which went into effect on December 5th, and a G7 price cap of $60 on Russian oil imports has resulted in a redirection of trade in Urals, mostly to India and China.

On Wednesday, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told Russian media that the countrys oil production and export situation remained stable despite Western attempts to derail oil revenues. Novak said the Urals price was acceptable,

Novak told Rossiya-24 TV that there are also expectations for demand recovery in China once COVID infections and deaths reach their peak and start to move in the opposite direction. Chinas demand recovery could boost prices for Urals.

The statement followed the virtual meeting of OPEC+ ministers earlier on Wednesday, during which time the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) recommended that no changes be made to oil production quotas due to uncertainties around Chinese demand and Russian supply over the coming months.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Western sanctions against Russia have been "very effective" in cutting off Russia's war machine, a U.S. official asserted, amid growing questions about Moscow's ability to circumvent the measures.

In an interview with RFE/RL, Robin Dunnigan, a deputy assistant U.S. secretary of state, said the economic sanctions imposed after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 were putting pressure on Moscow, and "we will see the results of that in the coming months and years."

Russia's economy has been squeezed by the Western sanctions, contracting around 2.7 percent in 2022, according to Western estimates, but not as badly as some Western governments had hoped. Russia continues to export oil and gas, despite Europe all but cutting itself off, and that's allowed Moscow to bring in sizable revenues.

The International Monetary Fund predicted Russia's economy will expand just 0.3 percent in 2023, which is an improvement from earlier forecasts of a contraction up to 2.3 percent.

The Russian economy has also held up surprisingly well due to long-standing conservative fiscal policies and revenues from natural-resource sales overseen by President Vladimir Putin that filled public coffers and its rainy-day funds, including ample reserves of both gold and Chinese yuan.

Some experts say Moscow has as least three more years of funding to continue the war at the current pace of operations.

Russia has also managed to circumvent many of the restrictions on dual-use technologies, such as semiconductors, through increased trade with countries like China. China, India, and other countries have also stepped in to replace supply chains for consumer goods like smartphones, appliances, and cars and trucks.

In the interview, Dunnigan also accused Belarus, which has provided logistical support for Russian troops, of being an "accomplice" in the war.

"I do not think that Belarusians want a war against Ukraine to be waged from their country. Therefore, I do not think that he represents the will of his own people," she said. "And I think that's tragic. I think that the consequences for the Belarusian people, who did not want to have anything to do with it, are truly terrible."

She said the United States continued to press Belarus for free and fair elections. Strongman leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka claimed reelection to the presidency in 2020, sparking months of unprecedented streets protests and further isolation from the West.

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Dunnigan was scheduled later to travel to Poland to meet with Polish officials about the situation in Belarus.

By RFE/RL

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Our newsroom here at The Times is shared with The Daily Nonpareil in Council Bluffs, which also oversees our companys weekly papers in western Iowa.

The reason for this has more to do with the history of newspaper ownership in the metro area than anything else, but its fun whenever we find a crossover between the Iowa and Nebraska operations, such as Light House expanding from Glenwood across the Missouri River into Olde Towne Bellevue.

Theres plenty that Council Bluffs and the cities of Sarpy County have in common, though, as there was plenty of common ground back when our newsroom also covered Ralston  or even in prior efforts to expand our territory past Chalco into Millard proper. Were all under the penumbra of Omaha, but each community has its own identity, history and traditions.

This week, were expanding our coverage area across the Platte River and welcoming readers from Cass County to The Times, which we hope will continue the legacy of the Plattsmouth Journal in the coming months and years.

Just as Im excited to explore more of what Sarpy County has to offer, adding Cass County into the mix  including getting outside of Plattsmouth, the only community there where I have spent any significant time thus far  is a welcome addition.

The geography makes sense, too. From my home in Bellevue, Plattsmouth is a closer drive than Gretna, and Louisville isnt much further than Springfield. Weeping Water and some of the more rural portions of Cass County are a little longer drive, but so too are some of my favorite spots in southwest Iowa.

Ive already had an opportunity to start learning more about the history of the area. I spent a portion of Friday afternoon at the Cass County Historical Society Museum in downtown Plattsmouth, a couple blocks from the now closed-to-the-public Journal office.

I made a brief visit to the Plattsmouth Public Library as well, and I was impressed at how good of use they put to the space available in the old Carnegie building. Im looking forward to the first program there that Im able to cover for The Times.

This past week also provided me a couple opportunities to grab a coffee in Sarpy County. I had a morning meeting at Stories Coffee in Gretna (where, I should admit, I actually drank an iced berry herbal tea), and I also checked out the new Coffee Society Cafe in La Vista.

Coffee has been a bit of an illusive beverage for me, although I find myself drawn to it a lot more lately than I have been. Mostly, Ive found that I like a medium to dark roast  no sugar, no creamer, although iced or cold brew is perfectly acceptable.

I confirmed this by ordering a raspberry rose latte at Coffee Society, despite warning by the manager that something else might have been more to my liking. The latte just sounded like it would make for a better video, and I stand by that judgment.

Unfortunately for me, I didnt much care for the result, although I continued drinking it for science. From what I can tell, it was a good example, and I would certainly encourage anyone who enjoys lattes to give it a try. I appreciated the background notes of rose. It was the milk that I found suspect in the concoction.

So, going forward, Ill stick with a simple black coffee, something that should be easy to come by wherever my travels take me. Perhaps the next time Im feeling more adventurous, Ill try to get past whatever it is I find intimidating about espresso.

Please send me an email at scott.stewart@sarpycountytimes.com with coffee suggestions, especially spots in Cass County worth visiting, along with any feedback and story ideas you might have for The Times going forward.

Looking ahead to this week, theres a cool two-for-one event happening at Papillion La Vista High School on Sunday.

The Papillion Area Lions Club is holding a spaghetti feed from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the cafeteria, and the Papillion Area Concert Band has a show featuring several guest conductors starting at 2 p.m. in the auditorium. Lunch is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $5 for kids age 6 to 12, but the concert is free. Both are open to the public.

The full moon hike planned at Fontenelle Forest on Friday evening also sounds like it would be an exciting  albeit freezing  experience, although Im contemplating checking out What the Constitution Means to Me at the Bluebarn Theatre in Omaha that evening.

Please let our staff know about other events coming up that we might want to recommend. The best place to send news releases and announcements is news@sarpycountytimes.com.
The gunman who was killed after firing shots with an AR-15 at a west Omaha Target Tuesday had purchased the rifle four days prior at a sporting goods store, officials said.

Omaha police identified the shooter as 32-year-old Joseph M. Jones of Omaha.

Jones walked into the superstore, located at 17810 West Center Road, about noon Tuesday  with the AR-15 rifle plus 13 loaded magazines of ammunition  and began shooting.

At least 29 people called 911, the first at 11:59 a.m., to report the shooter.

The initial responding officers  multiple Omaha police officers and a Nebraska State Patrol trooper  arrived at the store and confronted the gunman.

The officers yelled at him several times to drop the rifle.

Then, Omaha Police Officer Brian Vanderheiden fired at Jones, killing him.

Vanderheiden has been with Omaha police for 20 years, officials said. He was placed on paid administrative leave, following department policy.

Authorities have not yet specified how many shots Jones and Vanderheiden fired.

OPD released nine photos, most from Target surveillance cameras, showing Jones entering and walking around the store.

Jones, wearing a green ballcap, a brown sweatshirt and black pants, turns to face a video camera in the Target vestibule entrance, staring directly at it.

At one point, Jones turned his hat backward and appeared to pose in front of that camera, holding the AR-15 rifle with his finger on the trigger and pointing it upward.

Other surveillance photos show Jones walking inside the Target store while brandishing the rifle.

OPD shared one still from an officers body camera video that shows Jones walking in the womens section, facing the officer. No other people are seen in the photo.

That photo is the moment when the group of officers approached Jones, OPD said.

Another photo shows Jones dropping a black coat he entered with onto the floor of a main aisle near the cosmetics area. A photo taken later by crime scene technicians shows the coat on the ground and what appears to be three AR-15 magazines scattered near a makeup shelf.

Omaha police said Jones purchased the rifle four days prior at Cabelas, an outdoor recreation retailer.

Jones only public Nebraska criminal record is a DUI charge from 2017 in Sarpy County. He was initially charged with a second-offense DUI, a misdemeanor, which was amended to a first-offense DUI.

He pleaded no contest and was ordered to serve 18 months of probation starting in April 2017. Court records indicate that a judge approved Jones early release from probation in July 2018, because his probation officer said Jones had completed all of the requirements.

Jones was also convicted of several misdemeanors in Iowa including drug, trespassing, DUI and theft offenses from 2009 to 2014.

Jones family was unable to be reached Wednesday evening.

Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies rushed to the Target after reports of at least six shots fired and people who were fleeing the building.

After Jones was killed, authorities searched the store at least three times to look for injured people and found none.

Many shoppers and employees fled through various store exits and went to nearby businesses for refuge. Some hid in the fitting rooms or bathrooms.

Target released a statement Tuesday expressing gratitude that everyone escaped injury. The store was closed for the rest of Tuesday and all day Wednesday but reopened Thursday morning.

Drew Guenther, the store director of the west Omaha Target, said in a statement that counselors will be available at the store for employees during the next few days.

"While were looking forward to moving past the events of Tuesday afternoon, wed be remiss not to thank our guests and community for the kind outreach these past few days," he said. "Its a reminder of how much Omaha feels like family and why were grateful to be part of this community.

"Were also grateful to the Omaha Police Department, both in the initial response that likely saved lives, and in the ongoing support from Chief Schmaderer and his team."

Shoppers returned to the superstore Wednesday afternoon to collect their personal items they may have left in the store amid the shooting.

Authorities had opened the parking lot Tuesday night for people to retrieve their vehicles.

Photos: Shots fired at west Omaha Target midday Tuesday
A 24-year-old Council Bluffs man was sentenced Tuesday to three years and one month in federal prison for a firearms violation.

Christopher L. Meadows pleaded guilty in the U.S. Court for the Southern District of Iowa to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. After he is released from prison, Meadows must serve three years of supervised release.

In January 2022, law enforcement was called to Harrahs Casino and encountered Meadows, who ran from officers and threw something on the roof of a car wash. Officers later located a Glock .45-caliber handgun on the roof.

Meadows was prohibited from possessing firearms because he is a felon and was a drug user, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa. The Council Bluffs Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of January 2023
An Omaha man who barricaded himself in a construction excavator, leading to a nine-hour standoff with area law enforcement in 2021, was sentenced to more than eight years in prison Tuesday.

Ryan D. Linehan, 42, was sentenced to 100 months following his guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He will also serve three years of supervised release following his incarceration, according to a release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

On the morning of Feb. 5, 2021, Linehan, who was wanted on a warrant out of Sarpy County charging him with first-degree sexual assault of a child, was working on a construction site near the intersection of East Kanesville Boulevard and Baughn Street in Council Bluffs. When officers tried to approach him, he climbed inside an excavator and swung the bucket in their direction.

After three hours of the standoff, Linehan pulled a loaded handgun and threatened to shoot himself.

The standoff continued for another six hours, during which officers eventually launched a beanbag and pepper spray rounds into the excavator. Linehan then shot himself in the lower jaw. He was taken to Nebraska Medical Center, where he eventually recovered.

The Council Bluffs Police Department, United States Marshal Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of January 2023
A man wielding an AR-15 rifle and 13 loaded magazines of ammunition walked into a west Omaha Target store Tuesday and began shooting.

Shoppers rushed out emergency exits. Some employees went to hide inside fitting rooms. Many messaged family members, saying they loved them. Others called 911.

A group of Omaha police officers who were the first to respond went inside and confronted the gunman.

One officer fired at the gunman, killing him.

No one else was injured.

The police shooting was the second within 14 hours in Omaha this week. The first incident occurred late Monday night, when two Omaha police officers exchanged gunfire with an alleged burglar at Dinos Storage in the Aksarben area, killing a 38-year-old man. Both officers were shot in their legs and will survive.

Midday Tuesday, local, state and federal law enforcement agencies swarmed the Target superstore and quickly searched the store for any victims, finding none.

In brief comments after the scene was secure, Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer thanked his officers and other agencies for their swift actions.

This is what you want, he said. When you have an active shooter in your city, you want a massive response like this.

Several 911 calls alerted police at 11:59 a.m., saying there was a gunman who was shooting at the superstore, located at 17810 West Center Road. One caller had heard at least six shots.

Meg Mandy, 36, was in the grocery section picking out apple juice when she heard thunderous noise. She saw a wooden pallet on the ground and thought something had fallen over. Then she heard the noise again.

A Target employee ran by Mandy, and told her, Active shooter, active shooter, hide, run.

Others ran toward the back of the store. Mandy assisted a mother who had a baby strapped to her chest in a carrier and two more toddlers. The shoppers left through an emergency exit. A construction worker led them into a metal shipping container in order to provide warmth and protection. Douglas County 911 received 29 calls about the gunman and gunfire.

Mandy said she couldnt believe that a shooting occurred at her local grocery store.

Its just really surreal, she said. Im just thankful that no one else was hurt. It seems crazy to me that no one else was hurt.

Schmaderer said the gunman, who was White, in his 30s and had plenty of ammunition had fired shots, but it was unclear whether he was firing at anybody. His name was not being released Tuesday night pending next of kin notification.

Police havent said how many shots the gunman fired, though bullet casings were found inside the store. A statement from OPD said officers gave the gunman numerous verbal commands to drop the rifle before one officer fired their service weapon, killing the gunman.

Elianne Robinson, an 18-year-old Target employee, said she heard a voice say, Get on the ground! And then she heard at least one more shot. Later she said she thought that was the moment that police killed the gunman.

Authorities did a thorough search of the store at least three times and deemed the situation secure within an hour of the 911 calls.

Another shopper, who declined to give her name, was in the toy department when she heard gunshots.

I heard three shots, she said. Everyone was in a panic. We all ran out of the store.

She said she and about a dozen people  employees and other customers  ran out the back door.

A number of Target employees went to the nearby Sleep Number store to seek refuge after the shooting.

One Target employee told a World-Herald reporter that he heard multiple shots.

Mike Gergen, general manager of the Voodoo Taco, said an employee got a text from his sister indicating there was an active shooter at Target.

Not five seconds after that, a young woman pulled up and ran in here, he said. She was scared to death, upset and shook up.

The woman, in her mid-20s, had been in the store to do some banking when she heard the shots. She ran out and fled in her car.

Joe Garry, operations manager, said they immediately locked the door and then attempted to comfort her. She seemed more assured once the door was locked.

I was just trying to calm her down, Garry said.

After all the shootings around the country, Gergen said, it was sobering to learn of one next door.

Its getting pretty real when its right by you, he said.

OPD said any witnesses should call 402-444-4877 to talk to detectives. Investigators planned to be at Target well into Tuesday night and said once theyre finished, shoppers and employees can retrieve their personal items and vehicles.

Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert said the officers actions saved lives and prevented mass casualties.

Omaha police officers are highly trained to respond to and assess life-threatening situations, she said. Their bravery and high level of skill should be commended.

At 1 p.m., Kaley Schlueter was among several people waiting to pick up loved ones outside the store when police let them out.

Schlueter was calm at the moment, after what had been a terrifying 35 minutes when her sister, Elianne Robinson, was inside the store as a gunman was firing off rounds.

Robinson had texted Schlueter at 12:03 p.m.

She said, I love you. Theres a shooting in my Target. Im in the fitting room. He shot so much, I dont know if hes killed anyone, Schlueter said.

Schlueter and other relatives began racing to the store. Her sister sent a video message via Snapchat at 12:13 p.m.

She just was saying, I love you, Im sorry,  Schlueter said.

Robinson used the video to show where she was. Schlueter could hear gunshots in the background of the video. She feared the worst thing possible was happening, that her sister wanted her family to know she loved them if she did not survive.

But Robinson kept messaging. And then, after what seemed like forever, she let her sister know at 12:38 p.m. that she was OK.

Im with the cops, she messaged. They got it.

Waiting for her to come out, Schlueter said she was out of tears, relieved and happy that her sister and others had survived.

If only the shooter was killed, that was as it should be, she said.

But its wild that it happened at all, Schlueter said.

Kaitlyn Vu, who had been on her way to pick up medicine at Target when she heard about the shooting, talked with a mom of an employee outside the store, then sat in a parking lot nearby and tried to process what was happening.

Vu said there should be more mental health check requirements for gun ownership.

Its just tragic that this keeps happening, said Vu, a Second Amendment supporter who plans to get a concealed carry permit. You see the two mass shootings in California, and were still not over what happened to those children in Texas ... But theres going to be no legislative process; theres just going to be a lot of thoughts and prayers sent out on social media and then well wait for the next mass shooting.

World-Herald staff writers Henry J. Cordes, Jessica Wade, Anna Reed and Chris Machian contributed to this report.
It was just a typical Tuesday at the 180th and West Center SuperTarget, dozens of associates in those familiar red shirts assisting customers, scanning purchases or performing the myriad other tasks that make a store go.

Elianne Robinson was pricing underwear in the young girls aisle right around noon. Thats when the 18-year-old heard what she first thought was a bike tire popping.

But I saw everyone panicking, and I was like, Thats probably not a bike tire,  she said.

It was gunfire, which was soon affirmed when still more shots echoed through the store.

Then there was a voice over the employee walkie-talkies, urgently repeating: Shooter, shooter, shooter.

The nightmare scenario that plays out nationally today with numbing regularity seemed once again to visit Omaha. A man had entered the store carrying, according to police, an AR-15. The potential for mass loss of life was suddenly very real.

Both employees and customers scrambled. Many ran out the back door. Others took shelter anywhere they could.

One employee hid in a bathroom stall, climbing on top of the toilet so her feet would not be exposed.

Robinson bolted into a fitting room. She found herself with two other women, both customers. One of them had been in mid-change, pants unbuckled.

They grabbed boots and a metal stool, anything they could use to fight for their lives if the gunman entered their hiding place.

Lets make a run for it, one of the women said, panicking.

Lets stay where we are, Robinson said.

They prayed.

Robinson pulled out her cellphone and started frantically texting her sister, Kaley Schlueter.

I love you

and theres a shooting at target (right now)

im in the fitting room hiding

hes shot so much (I dont know) if hes killed anyone

Elianne I love you so much, Kaley texted back. Im coming to you

Robinson sent a Snapchat to her sister and others, showing her hiding place. At least one gunshot could be heard in the background as she whispered I love you ...

And then, suddenly, it was over.

Just minutes after it all had started, Robinson heard a voice call out, Get on the ground! And then at least one more shot.

She now believes that was the moment police officers responding to the store gunned down the man with the rifle.

But it wasnt immediately over. Robinson and the other women stayed sheltered, not knowing what had happened.

After about 15 minutes, she saw a pair of boots beneath the fitting room door.

Anyone in here, identify yourself.

It was an armed officer, part of the team now clearing the store. The women called out.

It was a relief for Robinson to see the uniform. They all knew they were safe now.

Did you get the guy? Robinson asked the officer.

Just stand here, he said, not answering.

The women were soon ushered out the door to a nearby Panera restaurant, where they and dozens of other witnesses were interviewed by detectives.

Robinson was surprised and grateful to learn that only one person had died: the shooter.

For whatever reason, despite all the gunfire they heard, none of her coworkers or the dozens of others in the store were physically harmed. She said she overheard while in interviews that all the shots had been fired into the ceiling.

Soon after, Robinson was outside in the bitter cold warmly reunited with her sister and her whole family. There was a big group hug.

This one didnt end like the shooting at the Westroads Von Maur store more than 15 years before, when eight innocent people were killed in what at the time was the nations worst-ever store shooting. That sobering toll has since been surpassed many times over.

But Elianne Robinson still had the same thought, expressed by so many, whenever a mass shooting comes home somewhere in America.

You never think its going to happen to you.

Photos: Shots fired at west Omaha Target midday Tuesday
Business growth, competing with other cities and recruiting, retaining and developing a talented workforce were key topics at the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerces annual meeting Tuesday.

About 700 people attended the event at the CHI Health Center Omaha. They heard speeches from Veta T. Jeffery, president and CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber; the organizations outgoing board chair, Mickey Anderson; and the new board chair, Carmen Tapio. Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen and Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert also spoke bullishly about business in Omaha and the state.

The attendees also heard a discussion from a panel of local leaders that was all women, except for the moderator, Lance Fritz, Union Pacifics chairman and CEO. The panels members were Jeffery; Joanne Li, chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Omaha; Omaha Public Schools Superintendent Cheryl Logan; Tapio, founder & CEO of North End Teleservices and other businesses; and Stothert.

All of the panelists but Stothert were women of color, in what may be perceived as a sign of Omahas growing diversity in leadership, or the chambers efforts to showcase it.

Generally, the speakers praised Omahas business climate and economic growth.

What a year 2022 was, from significant leadership transition to having an almost record year in economic development, Anderson said. It was truly a year to be proud of.

He cited the chambers 2022 Scorecard, which claimed that 61 projects landed last year created $112.4 million in new payroll, and that there was $2.15 billion in capital investment, and touted leadership and workforce development and diversity efforts.

Now, the largest issue we all face is a shortage of qualified workers, Anderson said.

He said the chamber is going to make recruiting talented individuals a top priority.

Moreover, were going to partner with our educators at every level to make sure young people are receiving the necessary education and skills they need to be productive members of our workforce, Anderson said.

During the panel discussion, Fritz asked about what he called a conundrum. He said Omahas growth rate needs to be juiced a bit by attracting more business, but the city has a tight workforce with a very low unemployment rate overall.

Logan and Tapio, whose fast-growing business added about 200 jobs this year, suggested making more efforts to grow talent locally.

Theres a disconnect between how we feel as more mature folks and business leaders, and how some of our young people are feeling, Logan said. And its a hard thing to hear that, you know, somebody doesnt feel welcome, or they dont know whether or not they fit. But its a good use of time to understand that and to not just hear it, but to listen and then act  act on it because that is the only way forward. . . . We need every profile of learner to stay in our community to contribute.

Tapio, citing the success her business is having by focusing on apprenticeships, said education is important but she also encouraged businesses to build our own bench by tapping into maybe underrecognized talent, starting young people earlier in their lives in exposure to businesses and careers.

Jeffery said Omaha has phenomenal assets, and is showing up and showing out in many ways.

I love the saying: Omaha, its a great place to live, to work, and do business, she said. But I like to add to it and say that its a great place to live, to work and do business, and call home.
An additional $19 million in emergency rental assistance was approved by the Omaha City Council Tuesday.

The city will again partner with the Metro Area Continuum of Care for the Homeless (MACCH) to distribute the emergency rental assistance (ERA) funds.

In March 2021, MAACH took on the responsibility of distributing $22 million in ERA funds on behalf of the City of Omaha. An additional $17 million was added to the emergency rental program in August 2021, and $50 million was allocated in February 2022.

MACCH Executive Director Jason Feldhaus told council members during a public hearing last week that the nonprofit is currently working with a much smaller pool of funds compared with recent years.

MAACH is dedicated to working with our community partners in looking at the long-term success of this program, Feldhaus said. We look at this as a real opportunity to use this as an investment long term, to find best practices and strategies to move forward.

The latest round of rental assistance funding comes mostly from federal funds that were passed over by the state, said Erin Feichtinger, an affordable housing advocate and policy director of Womens Fund of Omaha.

Last year, Nebraska lawmakers failed to overrule Gov. Pete Ricketts veto of a bill that would have forced him to apply for $120 million in federal pandemic rental assistance.

The U.S. Treasury Department announced that it would redistribute some of the money from programs that dont need it to those where demand is greater. In Nebraskas case, that means extra money for Omaha and Lincoln, which have separate programs.

The money allocated Tuesday is likely the last round of federal rental assistance funding Omaha will receive, Feichtinger said.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of January 2023
NEW YORK  President Joe Biden on Tuesday showcased a $292 million mega grant that will be used to help build a new rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River between New York and New Jersey, part of a broader effort to draw a contrast between his economic vision and that of Republicans.

The money is part of $1.2 billion in mega grants being awarded under the 2021 infrastructure law. The Democratic president's trip to New York City on Tuesday came on the heels of his stop Monday in Baltimore to highlight the replacement of an aging rail tunnel there, where he pledged that government spending on infrastructure will boost economic growth and create blue-collar jobs.

The New York stop also gave Biden a chance to highlight his administration jumpstarting a project that languished during President Donald Trump's time in office. The yearslong modernization of the Hudson project started in 2013 but stalled as Trump battled with Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer over funding for the project.

"This is one of the biggest, the most consequential projects in the country," Biden said. "But we finally have the money, and we're going to get it done. I promise we're going to get it done."

The New York and Baltimore trips amount to a form of counterprogramming to the new House Republican majority. GOP lawmakers seek deep spending cuts in exchange for lifting the government's legal borrowing limit, saying that federal expenditures are hurting growth and the budget should be balanced.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Biden are scheduled to meet Wednesday, with the Republican lawmaker intending to press his case for spending cuts even though White House officials say Biden won't negotiate over the need to increase the federal debt limit.

"I don't think there's anyone in America who doesn't agree that there's some wasteful Washington spending that we can eliminate," McCarthy told CBS News on Sunday.

Mitch Landrieu, the White House senior adviser responsible for coordinating implementation of the infrastructure law, told reporters Tuesday that if Republicans are looking to "take away money from projects, they ought to, I think, identify which projects they don't want."

"And then you can have that discussion with the American people," Landrieu added.

Speaking at a political fundraiser in Manhattan following his speech about the Hudson tunnel, Biden called McCarthy a "decent man" but said the Republican made "absolutely off-the-wall" commitments to seal the support of the most conservatives members of his party. The event, hosted by former hedge fund executive Jeffrey Weber, raised $1 million for the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Grassroots Victory Fund.

To some in the Biden administration, the Hudson Tunnel Project demonstrates what could be lost if spending cuts are put in place. The construction is projected to result in 72,000 jobs, according to the White House.

The project will renovate the 1910 tunnel already carrying about 200,000 weekday passengers beneath the Hudson between New Jersey and Manhattan, a long-delayed upgrade after decades in which the government underfunded infrastructure.

"We cannot lead the world in this century if we depend on infrastructure from early in the last one," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.

The grant would be used to help complete the concrete casing for an additional rail tunnel beneath the river, preserving a right of way for the eventual tunnel. In total, the project is expected to cost $16 billion and help ease a bottleneck for New Jersey commuters and Amtrak passengers going through New York City.

Biden made the case the project is critical far beyond greater New York. "If this line shuts down for just one day it would cost our economy $100 million," he said. "And the current Hudson River rail tunnel can be a major chokepoint."

Other projects to receive mega grants include the Brent Spence Bridge, which connects Kentucky and Ohio; the Calcasieu River Bridge replacement in Louisiana; a commuter rail in Illinois; the Alligator River Bridge in North Carolina; a transit and highway plan in California; and roadways in Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Mississippi.

Not everyone has been pleased by the mega grant program. Some Republican lawmakers in Arizona say it gave preference to mass transit and repair projects over expansion and new construction.

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., noted that the Northeast Corridor produces roughly 20% of the U.S. GDP and Biden was ushering in long-awaited modernization to an essential artery that moves countless people and goods through the heart of the U.S. economy. Booker called it poetic that Biden  who regularly commuted from his home in Delaware and Washington during his years in the Senate  was the one getting the project back on track.
WASHINGTON  The FBI searched President Joe Biden's vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on Wednesday without finding any classified documents, the president's attorney said. Agents did take some handwritten notes and other materials relating to Biden's time as vice president for review.

The search, disclosed by Biden's personal lawyer, was the latest discomfiting moment for a president who sought to contrast his sensitivity to rule-following with that of his predecessor Donald Trump, who faces a criminal investigation into his handling of classified documents.

Meanwhile, the new top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee called for more information Wednesday about the classified records discovered in the private possession Biden and Trump.

Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut was named the committees ranking member Wednesday by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Along with Ohio Rep. Mike Turner, the committee's new Republican chairman, Himes will lead a panel that has been split by highly political fights in a break from its traditionally quieter oversight of the U.S. spy agencies.

Turner and the leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee in recent weeks pushed the White House to share more in private about the classified material found. The U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment on its review of classified material.

Theres a strong bipartisan concern that Congress is not being briefed on even preliminary reviews of classified information that might have been exposed, Himes said Wednesday. Thats wrong. Thats wrong as a matter of law.

Wednesday's search, the third of a Biden home or office, was an extraordinary development for a sitting president, and made clear that an investigation that simmered quietly for weeks was continuing rather than fading away. Biden has said he was surprised by an earlier records discovery.

The attorney, Bob Bauer, said FBI agents spent 3 hours searching the home and that, "No documents with classified markings were found."

Biden's attorneys revealed last month they searched the home without turning up classified materials. The fact the FBI did its own search reflected the Justice Department's determination to retrieve any and all possible classified items rather than rely on assurances that such documents were located.

In a statement disclosing the search, Bauer sought to portray the president and his team as fully transparent and cooperative. He described the search as "planned" and "a further step in a thorough and timely DOJ process we will continue to fully support and facilitate."

He did not mention Trump by name, but the statement seemed aimed at juxtaposing the Biden investigation with the Trump case, where months of fruitless Justice Department efforts to recover all the classified records taken to the former president's Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, culminated in an August search warrant and the removal of almost three dozen boxes of documents and other items.

Searches of Biden's former office and Delaware homes, by contrast, have all been done voluntarily and without a warrant.

The latest search follows the FBI's 13-hour, top-to-bottom check of his Wilmington, Delaware, home, where agents located documents with classified markings from his time as a vice president and senator and also took possession of some of his handwritten notes.

One week earlier, Biden's personal lawyers revealed that they found a document bearing classified markings while searching the Wilmington property but said they did not find others during a separate inspection of the Rehoboth Beach home.

The White House did not disclose the Justice Department's investigation until last month, when it acknowledged the Nov. 2 discovery of a "small number" of classified documents by Biden lawyers as they closed an office at the Penn Biden Center, a think tank affiliated with the Ivy League school.

Though officials did not say so at the time, The Associated Press and other news organizations reported on Tuesday that the FBI conducted a voluntary search of that office later in November.

A spokesman for the White House Counsel's office, Ian Sams, on Wednesday again defended the administration's public response, which has been delayed and uneven.

"I think we've been pretty transparent from the very beginning," he said. "We want to be careful to be very respectful of the integrity of that ongoing investigation."

Biden's lawyers have described the retention of the records as a "mistake." The Justice Department has historically brought criminal charges related to mishandling of classified records only when it can establish, among other things, that a person acted knowingly in improperly removing or storing sensitive records.

The Biden documents probe is being handled by a special counsel, Robert Hur, a former senior Justice Department official during the Trump administration who served as the top federal prosecutor in Baltimore. He starts his work this week, inheriting a months-long investigation already undertaken by FBI agents and Justice Department prosecutors.

In a separate effort that preceded the Biden probe, special counsel Jack Smith is investigating Trump's retention of about 300 documents with classified markings that were taken from the White House to Mar-a-Lago.
Editor's note: This story is part of 'Broken Defense,' an investigative series from Lee Enterprises. More details about this project can be found at the bottom of this article.

Public defense across the West suffers deep-rooted, decades-old problems. States have two solutions to consider: dole out more cash or shrink the criminal justice system.

More cash would help states hire public defenders, increase pay and add support staff, all which lessens workloads and improves representation quality.

Not jailing people for non-violent crimes related to mental illness, homelessness, poverty and addictions would lessen the strain on public defenders. Treatment or community programs could handle those minor cases.

Those strategies combined would increase the supply of public defenders and ease current demands on them. People without attorneys in hundreds of felonies and more than 100,000 misdemeanors across the West could get public defenders who have time to represent them effectively.

Neither option seems particularly savory to many. A public defense system overhaul is expensive, particularly for smaller, resource-strapped counties. Some states controlled by conservative politicians want more people locked up, said University of Wyoming professor Daniel Fetsco, who has worked as both a prosecutor and public defender.

However, I believe you can try to persuade people through awareness and education that some of these issues are not conservative, theyre not liberal, Fetsco said. It goes beyond politics. I think its a matter of humanity.

Stephen Hanlon leads a national public defense reform effort and has half a century of legal experience. He says change is long overdue.

Judges, prosecutors and public defenders have for decades pushed millions through the criminal justice system without fully investigating their cases or ensuring an effective defense, Hanlon said.

We became the principal facilitators of mass incarceration  the whole profession, Hanlon said.

Black, brown and low-income people are disproportionately affected by public defense crises, said Jason Williamson, executive director of NYUs Center on Race, Inequality and the Law, which helped sue Oregon to dismiss cases without attorneys. Black people made up nearly 20% of people waiting for attorneys in Multnomah County on one day in October, according to the lawsuit. That countys population is less than 6% Black.

The legal profession is starting to come to terms with this problem, Hanlon said. We're gonna need the governors and state legislators  and Congress [to] step up and address this problem. This is a national embarrassment.

Hanlon advocates for federal legislation that could better fund state public defense. He and other national legal organizations soon will have a very powerful lever to push for improvements.

His law firm, Lawyer Hanlon, partnered with the American Bar Association, the National Center for State Courts and the public policy research RAND Corporation to develop new national public defender workload standards expected in February, Hanlon said.

Whats about to happen is a watershed moment in public defense, Hanlon said.

The standards will be the first in the nation to prove with reliable data the extent to which public defenders are overworked, Hanlon said. They will be based on public defender workload studies in 17 states. Two of those studies revealed Oregon and New Mexico have about a third of the public defenders needed to provide adequate representation to everyone accused of crimes.

Outdated standards

The National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals (NAC) adopted national standards 50 years ago that now overestimate how many cases attorneys can effectively handle.

Hanlon said those standards are based on nothing. A few lawyers scribbled them on a cocktail napkin in the 70s, he said.

I'm old enough that I know who was there, Hanlon said. About seven or eight guys in a bar at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego who sat around and came up with those numbers, but there was no methodology. There was no data.

It's truly astonishing that we relied on that for 50 years, and there's no excuse for having done that.

The lawyers Hanlon said were at that bar were National Legal and Defender Association committee members. The association in a statement acknowledged those standards are outdated and ignore modern-day case complexity and time-intensiveness. The association hopes updated standards will provide a wake-up call to states and localities on the need to properly invest in public defense.

Jessica Kampfe, Oregon Office of Public Defense Services executive director, said national caseload maximums would be hugely helpful for Oregons dire public defender shortage. The new standards will offer a reference tool to show lawmakers that public defender caseloads go far beyond the acceptable limit, she said.

Idaho has proven that caseload standards work to motivate local lawmakers to support public defense. The states 2019 caseload cap has helped public defenders secure more county resources when theyre stretched thin.

Idaho contract public defender Rick Cuddihy said his Nez Perce County office was way over the annual maximum of 210 felonies per attorney within eight months.

We went to the (county) commissioners and they gave us more money to hire more help, Cuddihy said. I think the system works very well.

The new standards could work the same on a national scale. Hanlon assembled his old law firm Holland & Knight, consulting firm Moss Adams, research organization the JFA Institute and civil rights organizations to implement and enforce the standards. The team plans to file lawsuits that demand minor case dismissals to help decrease public defender caseloads and that states fix public defense systems within five years.

We will be aggressively advocating for the changes that are so obviously needed, and if we cant get them, we are prepared to litigate to get them, he said.

Federal funding

Some federal lawmakers agree state public defense needs improvements.

Oregon Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici in November reintroduced a bill that would provide $250 million for public defense grants. The bill would set public defender workload limits, establish pay parity with prosecutors and improve training and data collection.

Right now, we have a dangerous shortage of public defenders, Bonamici said in a statement. Im leading the EQUAL Defense Act to finally secure the resources that our public defenders and people in the criminal justice system need and deserve.

The bill would require participating states to show measurable improvement over the next five years. States could model a five-year plan proposed for New Mexico, Hanlon said.

New Mexicos public defender office recently tapped Moss Adams and the JFA Institute to help close the states attorney shortage. New Mexico would have 600 of 720 needed attorneys by 2028 if it follows the plans suggestions, improving the current gap.

The state currently has one third of the 900 attorneys it needs to handle public defense cases effectively. More funding would double the states existing attorneys, meaning the state would have 600 of the 900 attorneys needed. A decriminalization effort would reduce the need to 720, further closing the gap.

The report calls on New Mexicos Legislature to more than double public defender office funding over five years to help hire 300 full-time public defenders and add support staff, such as paralegals and investigators. The offices budget would increase from $64 million to $157 million, but would make up less than 1% of the state budget.

The plan also suggests decriminalizing some charges, including half of traffic violations and non-violent misdemeanors, and most drug possession, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and probation violations. That would decrease cases by a third, reducing the public defenders needed from 900 to 720.

Decriminalization

Idahos ACLU backs a similar decriminalization effort for its state, legal director Aadika Singh said. Offenses that could be removed or made a lesser charge to lighten attorney workloads include alcohol age violations, drug possession, gambling, prostitution, disturbing the peace, trespassing, littering, graffiti and driving with a suspended license, Singh said.

These are people we are not scared of, we're just upset with them, Hanlon said. Theres no reason for that to be in the criminal justice system. None.

Many Arizona drug cases shouldnt be prosecuted, said Dean Brault, Pima County Public Services director. His staff is nearly maxed out on cases, but prosecutor's office leaders told him they wont change how they charge people.

Washington County District Attorney Kevin Barton said he would support more funding for Oregon public defenders, but that the claim by some that the solution is to stop prosecuting crimes is detached from reality and reckless. People must be held accountable, he said.

Lassen County District Attorney Susan Melyssah Rios said she cant overlook minor crimes in California. Property damage victims, for example, deserve restitution, she said.

What gives someone the right to damage, deface, destroy the hard earned property of someone else? Rios said. What about the people whose property is damaged? Why should they have to pay to fix that?

The New Mexico report emphasizes that only victimless crimes should be decriminalized.

23 cases, one man

Those cases can consume public defender resources.

Joel Trombley, a transient in Great Falls, Montana, was cited nearly two dozen times in two months for carrying alcohol in an open container or trespassing, sometimes both, always around the same location. Twice he was cited three times in one day.

Each of Trombleys citations were filed as separate cases. An open container violation equals about three hours of work, potentially creating a nearly 70-hour workload for his public defender.

So my caseload looks like I got 23 misdemeanors, and its one guy whos just existing, his court-appointed attorney Caitlin Boland Aarab said.

Great Falls city code has no defined open container violation penalty, so the violation faces a catch-all penalty of a possible 6 months in jail and a $500 fine.

State Sen. Ryan Lynch, D-Butte, has filed draft legislation that would make local governments shoulder public defense costs when the city violation penalty is undefined, like Trombleys case.

Lynch says a funding shift could help cities see how often they charge people for minor offenses and evaluate whether to slow that practice or provide public defenders more resources to handle the work.

If were going to put resources into prosecuting people, we should put similar resources into defending that, Lynch said.

State action

This year, all 50 states will have legislative sessions and the opportunity to pass new public defense laws. Idaho and Oregon, in particular, are poised for change.

Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed a bill into law last year to create a statewide public defense system by October 2024.

Lawmakers want to make right the ACLUs 2015 lawsuit that shows poor defendants got inadequate representation, said Rep. Jon Weber, R-Rexburg, a lead sponsor of that bill.

Weber and other Idaho lawmakers will develop a statewide model for public defense in the upcoming session.

Each Idaho county runs its public defense how they want. They funded their own systems before the state began helping in 2019.

County-by-county public defense models can lead to resource disparities. In Washington, for example, poor, rural Whitman County spent less than $8 per capita on public defense in 2019, according to Washington State Office of Public Defense data. Wealthier and urban King County spent nearly four times as much to defend people.

Last summer Idaho took over all funding responsibility.

Weber and Singh, the Idaho ACLU legal director, agree a uniform statewide system will address disparities between counties and work better for defendants.

Singh said the Legislatures annual $50 million for public defense keeps the current system running, but is way too low and keeps things static. She said more money is needed to hire attorneys, investigators and social workers who can help lighten workloads and improve representation quality. Singh worries the Republican-controlled Legislature wont approve enough funding.

The new systems cost is difficult to estimate because there is no chosen model yet, Weber said.

If it does cost more (than $50 million), we will address it at that time and see what that number is, Weber said. But this isnt an open checkbook, if you will, to see how much money we can spend on public defense.

Oregon lawmakers last spring gathered attorneys and judges to develop public defense crisis solutions.

Co-chair Sen. Floyd Prozanski, D-Eugene, said the group will consider how to restructure the system and recommend ideas to the Legislature. The group's recommendations so far are unclear.

The Legislature in emergency sessions last year approved more than $100 million to address the public defender shortage.

The Fair Shot of Oregon coalition includes nearly 30 racial justice groups, community organizations and labor unions, and supports two bills to reduce public defenders workloads, Oregon ACLU policy director Jessica Maravilla said. One bill gives public defense more money, including for state student loan forgiveness. The other suggests low-level, nonviolent crime incarceration alternatives.

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, a Republican, has proposed a 22% budget increase for the public defender office.

That could add 20 attorneys, but would still leave the agency shorthanded. Since 2019, the Montana public defenders office needed an additional 63 attorneys on average to handle the caseload assigned to the agency and still meet its workload management limits, according to the agency's December budget request to the state Legislature.

The proposed budget includes a $1.5 million rapid response cushion to contract private attorneys or raise wages when the agency cant fill vacant positions.

Its unclear whether Montanas majority Republican legislature will support public defense changes. Other agencies in severe disrepair, including the state prison and hospital, may need some of the $2 billion surplus more than the public defenders office.

Legislators have grown more responsive to the public defender offices appeals since the agency illustrated its issues in data presentations  its the difference between hearing the barn is on fire and seeing it for themselves.

Single greatest tool

Whether run by counties or the state, an office with full-time attorneys is the best way to provide effective public defense, experts in multiple states agree. Creating more offices is a reasonable solution for state or local governments.

More than 2,000 of the roughly 3,000 U.S. counties have no public defender office, said Jon Mosher, Sixth Amendment Center deputy director. The default for those counties is for judges to assign public defense cases to private attorneys.

Texas had five county public defender offices in 2001, said Geoff Burkhart, Texas Indigent Defense Commission executive director. Now it has offices that serve 70 counties.

More people who need public defenders get them when counties operate their own office, according to a June 2019 study of Texass system. The quality of representation also improves, Burkhart said.

It is probably the single greatest tool we have for improving Texas public defense, Burkhart said.

Locally-controlled offices are not a cure-all, Burkhart said, but benefits, salary and student loan forgiveness can attract public defenders to rural areas. A federal program allows forgiveness for government employees. Private attorneys contracted for public defense work are not eligible.

County office attorneys also can provide holistic defense that aims to support defendants and prevent them from reentering the criminal justice system, said Graciela Martinez, California Public Defender Association president.

Support staff, including case managers, social workers and mental health professionals, can help defendants find treatment. Immigration experts can help defendants who make plea agreements avoid deportation. Case investigators can strengthen a defense.

I dont think theres any substitute for having an institutionalized public defender system in any county, Martinez said.

The Texas Indigent Defense Commission is requesting from the Legislature another $50 million over the next two years to continue building public defender offices, including one taking shape in College Station.

We actually see change here as we build these public defender offices, Burkhart said. Thats hundreds, sometimes thousands of defendants with a lawyer by their side  and hopefully a really qualified lawyer by their side  who might not have had a lawyer otherwise. So it makes me feel really excited about this work. Weve done a lot, but we have a lot more work to do.

About Broken Defense: Across the West, public defense systems face crushing caseloads, historic underfunding, structural problems and severe staffing shortages, imperiling criminal defendants lives and in many cases denying them their constitutional right to counsel. Defendants have lost jobs and homes, been pressured to plead guilty and been denied the benefit of exonerating evidence. People accused in more than 100,000 misdemeanors each year go to jail without ever talking to a lawyer. Lee Enterprises West region Public Service Journalism team and local reporters attended more than a dozen court hearings and interviewed more than 25 defendants, 40 attorneys and 25 experts to reveal public defense in many western states is broken. Lee Enterprises Public Service Journalism Reporter Emily Hamer may be reached at emily.hamer@lee.net.
Nearly seven months after party officials reported a burglary at the Nebraska Republican Party headquarters, the Lincoln Police Department is seeking a special prosecutor to take a second look at its investigation into the break-in.

Lincoln Police Sgt. Chris Vollmer on Wednesday confirmed that LPD had made the request for a special prosecutor, which was first reported by the Nebraska Examiner.

Vollmer deferred questions on the potential appointment process to County Attorney Pat Condon, who did not return phone calls seeking comment Wednesday. The Police Departments request comes months after the Nebraska GOP reported that a computer, a camera system, paperwork and files were stolen from the partys downtown Lincoln headquarters in July.

The files and paperwork were later recovered, according to the public incident report stemming from the case.

In an email last week, Lincoln Police Capt. Todd Kocian said LPDs investigation into the incident had concluded.

No arrests were made as the investigation yielded no criminal offense that would support law enforcement action, he said.

The break-in at the 1610 N St. headquarters, reported to police July 11, occurred over the same weekend as the partys state convention in Kearney, where Eric Underwood was elected the partys new chairman after members ousted Dan Welch of Omaha, the longtime chairman, from the position.

The party hired Tom Nesbitt, the former superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol, to independently investigate the break-in.

At a quarterly party meeting in Omaha last month, Nesbitt raised concerns of what he described as LPDs refusal to release reports stemming from the agencys investigation, according to live tweets of the meeting from the pandemic-inspired PAC Nebraska Freedom Coalition.

Nebraskas public records statute allows law enforcement agencies to withhold records they deem investigatory in nature. The statute does not require an investigation to be active or ongoing for an agency to withhold records.

Paul Kratz, the Nebraska GOPs attorney, filed a document in October in Lancaster County Court seeking permission to subpoena the Police Departments case file stemming from the reported break-in.

In a motion to quash the partys request filed in December, Tonya Peters, an assistant city attorney and LPDs legal adviser, said the court clerk issued such a subpoena in response to Kratzs filing despite the fact that no court granted the party permission to seek the documents.

In her motion, Peters argued there is no legal basis for granting (the partys) request, in part because Kratz and the party havent actually filed a lawsuit against the city seeking the records.

A hearing on the citys motion to quash is set for Friday morning.
A Nebraska man charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of his wife was ordered held on $3 million bail Wednesday by a York County judge.

Bart J. Beutler, 47, is also charged with use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony and being a prohibited person in possession of a deadly weapon. Beutler would need to post 10% of the bail amount, $300,000, in order to be released from the York County Jail.

According to an affidavit filed by the York Police Department on Tuesday, Beutler was found guilty of a 2007 murder in Maricopa County, Arizona. He was convicted in 2010 and released in 2018.

At the request of the York County Attorney, the case will be prosecuted by the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office. York County will pay prosecution and investigation fees.

Officers from the York Police Department were called to a home at 84 S. Platte Ave. about 9:45 p.m. Monday to investigate a shooting. They located Stacie Beutler, 46, who had multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead, according to a statement from York Police Chief Ed Tjaden.

Bart Beutler, the victims husband, was arrested without incident at another York residence about 30 minutes later, Tjaden said. In the arrest affidavit filed Tuesday, a York police detective said that 911 dispatchers received a call from Beutler saying he had an emergency.

The caller told the dispatcher that his wife had a gunshot wound; Im doing CPR. He then allegedly told the dispatcher: I shot her. Im sorry.

Beutler was located at the home of his wifes brother. He was taken to the York County Sheriffs Office, where he waived his rights and agreed to speak with investigators.

He allegedly told police that he was in bed in the couples room and that his wife kept coming into the room, waking him up and talking (expletive). Beutler told police: I just lost it. I just pulled out the gun and started shooting.

Beutler said that he didnt know how many times he fired his handgun. I dont know, he allegedly told police. I just pulled until the clip was empty.

Police said there is no indication that anyone else was involved in the incident. York is a city of about 7,800 residents located approximately 50 miles west of Lincoln.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of January 2023
LINCOLN  Nebraskas top-paid school superintendents could see their pay and benefits cut back under a bill heard by the Education Committee Tuesday.

State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil, the chairman of the Education Committee, said he introduced Legislative Bill 800 after hearing concerns from people around the state that some public school superintendent compensation packages are too high, especially when compared with other school employees and other key public jobs.

He pointed to former Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent Steve Joel as an example. Joels base salary in the year before retirement was $334,515 annually. With benefits and other payments added in, the total package was worth $530,529 per year.

It just doesnt sound right to most Nebraskans, Murman said. Were trying to bring the outliers back in line with the rest of the state.

Under LB 800, superintendent compensation packages would be capped at five times the pay and benefits packages provided to beginning teachers in the same district. Murman argued that tying the two together would be an incentive for superintendents to prioritize teacher pay.

But Nebraska education organizations and the states two largest school districts panned the proposal, saying it conflicted with local control and the free market.

Spencer Head, Omaha Public Schools board president, said the proposal would limit the pool of candidates interested in leading the states largest school district.

The board recently embarked on a search for a new superintendent after Cheryl Logan announced plans to step down as of June. He said the number of students overall and the number in poverty or learning English means the superintendent search needs to be national in scope.

Logans current compensation package is worth about $516,000 annually, compared with about $78,000 to $79,000 for a beginning teacher, Head said. But he said her compensation accounts for only 0.07% of the districts budget, so limiting the salary would save little.

Don Mayhew, Lincoln Public Schools board president, said the proposed salary caps would have priced three of the four finalists out of the running when LPS hired a new superintendent, including the man ultimately hired for the job, Paul Gausman. Mayhew argued against taking a one-size-fits-all approach to superintendent pay.

Colby Coash, a lobbyist for the Nebraska Association of School Boards, compared school boards looking for superintendents to businesses looking for CEOs. He said they face a shrinking pool of candidates and competition in salaries.

Coash also said that, under Nebraska law, board discussions of superintendent salaries and contracts are done in public, giving district residents the chance to weigh in. He said the final contracts have to be posted online.

Photos: 2023 Nebraska legislative session
LINCOLN  Dozens of teachers and parents filled the halls of the Nebraska Capitol Tuesday to speak for and against a bill centered around the amount of control parents should have over what their children are taught in public schools.

Legislative Bill 374, introduced by State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil, would require schools to adopt a policy giving parents access to review all learning materials the school uses, and give parents an opportunity to object and withdraw their students from lessons or activities in which materials are used that conflict with the parents firmly held beliefs, values, or principles.

Above all else, this bill aims to make clear that every parent is the foremost decision-maker in every childs life, Murman said.

The bill was the subject of a public hearing Tuesday in the state Education Committee, which is chaired by Murman. The hearing stretched for more than four hours, with opinions pretty evenly split. In addition, more than 400 people submitted comments  194 in support, and 212 opposed, according to Vice Chair Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston.

The bill outlines the right of a parent, student or teacher to sue their school if they believe the school has violated the bills regulations. Parents would also have the ability to submit a complaint to the Nebraska Department of Education if their school refuses to remove library content deemed inappropriate.

LB 374 also prohibits what Murman described as data mining, which he said refers to surveys and questionnaires schools send out that ask personal questions, such as requesting students define their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Murman refuted claims that LB 374 is related to critical race theory, noting that the specific words critical race theory do not appear in the bill. Though that is true, the bill includes language frequently used by conservative advocates in debates on critical race theory.

One part of the bill prohibits instruction that promotes that members of a specific race are inherently inferior or superior, or bear collective guilt and are inherently responsible for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race.

At least four supporters, and many other opponents, brought up critical race theory in their testimony. One of these testifiers was State Board of Education member Kirk Penner, who supported LB 374, although he clarified he was not speaking on behalf of the board. He said Nebraska schools promote several ideas parents would object to, including critical race theory and gender ideology.

Most of the remaining supporters were parents, primarily mothers, along with several members of advocacy groups, school board members and teachers. Many shared their own anecdotes about material they considered inappropriate being taught in local schools, including material that was sexually explicit, racially prejudiced  primarily against White people  and inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community.

The general consensus among the supporters is that parents should have the right to excuse their students from material they find inappropriate. They also criticized what they described as the lack of transparency and flawed processes some school districts currently have for challenging such material.

Dont make my job as a grandmother any harder, said supporter Robbie Adams.

The opposing group also included a mix of parents, students and teachers, as well as officials from various advocacy groups and education organizations such as the Nebraska State Education Association, the Nebraska Association of School Boards, the Greater Nebraska Schools Association and the public school districts of Omaha and Lincoln.

The most common argument among the opposition was that the bill would decrease the quality of education for Nebraska students, and would be impractical for most schools to comply with. Tim Royers with the NSEA said the bill could increase Nebraskas growing teacher shortage as it implies teachers cannot be trusted.

Im giving LB 374 an F- and I recommend it being held back indefinitely, said retired teacher Mark Metcalf.

Multiple opponents also argued that the processes suggested in LB 374 are already in place in most public schools. Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, an Education Committee member, mentioned this, and asked Murman what the bill would do to improve the current state regulation. Murman said the bill would make it more clear to parents that they have the option to challenge their school district.

Conrad argued that the current system already strikes the right balance, and expressed concern that the bill would give individual parents veto power on material that could affect other students education. Although the bill would establish a review process that could remove material from schools, Murman said it would take multiple concerned parents to do that. The intent of the bill is to give parents more control over their specific childs education, he said.

A few opponents also objected to language in LB 374 that could give parents the right to opt their students out of any and all vaccinations. The bill asserts that each parent has the right to make healthcare and medical decisions for such child, including the right to make decisions regarding vaccinations and immunizations.

Several other opponents vouched for teaching all history, even if it is uncomfortable. Some accused LB 374 supporters of being privileged and not wanting their views challenged.

I cant help but think this bill is based in fear, said elementary teacher Rebecca Britt.

When pressed by Conrad, Murman argued that LB 374 doesnt discourage the teaching of accurate history, but argued that history education should be divorced from race and shouldnt degrade a particular race.

We can teach history in Nebraska without being racist, Murman said.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of January 2023
BLOOMINGTON  Epiphany Farms Restaurant, 220 E. Front St. in Bloomington, is this weeks pick for Eats of the Week.

The flagship restaurant for the Epiphany Farms Hospitality Group opened in 2014, taking the place of the high-end Station 220. The hospitality group also includes Harmony Korean Bar-B-Que, Bakery and Pickle and Anju Above, as well as the farming operation that supplies the restaurants with local produce and meat.

Ken Myszka, founder of the hospitality group, grew up in Central Illinois, attending Tri-Valley schools. His love for hospitality started early: At 8 years old, Myszka took a cake decorating class and developed a knack for throwing parties.

He wasnt great at school, he recalled, but he was great at cooking. Myszka followed that passion, attending culinary school at the Culinary Institute of America in New York and falling in love with high-level hospitality.

He later enrolled at University of Nevada in Las Vegas to study hospitality management and worked at a number of fine restaurants, including celebrity chef Thomas Kellers Bouchon at The Venetian. He also worked as a manager for his friend Hung Huynh, winner of the third season of Top Chef.

In 2007, Myszka read The Omnivores Dilemma by Michael Pollan, a book that had prompted national discussion about food chains and the value of locally sourced food. Myszka had an epiphany  hence the company name  and ultimately returned to Central Illinois in 2009 to begin establishing the foundation of his new farm-to-table venture on a farm in Downs.

Almost all of the food at the restaurant comes from the farm or is grown in the region, Myszka said. One piece of the farm is included in every dish.

Attention to detail and integrity keep diners coming back, he said.

The dinner table is a very sacred place and we use our tables as a means for social change, Myszka said. The community trusts us and gives us the benefit of the doubt; they help us stay relevant.

The restaurant is located in a 120-year-old building that had previously housed Bloomingtons Central Fire Station, as well as horse stalls and a shooting range.

Myszka, his wife Nanam Yoon Myszka and chef Stu Hummel formally became partners at Station 220 in 2011. In 2014, they closed the restaurant, completely renovated it and opened two weeks later as Epiphany Farms.

When you have the same place for 11 years, you have to keep things relevant, refined, improved. You have to evolve with the community to stay current and get better, Myszka said. We are constantly trying to bet better, but we never lose sight of our flagship, the big picture. Epiphany is a really, really good restaurant and it stays good because we want it to be great.

The restaurant offers vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian and gluten-free options. Popular menu items include pork features, roasted chicken, wings, salad, potato gratin and of course, the farm vegetables.

All of the food waste from the restaurant goes back to the farm for composting and is then used as fertilizer.

Epiphanys Chef Stu Hummel previously worked as an executive corporate chef at a restaurant with three Michelin stars. Myszka and Hummel serve as executive chefs for all of the hospitality groups restaurants, which each have their own sous chef.

How to measure the success of the Epiphany Farms empire? Here are some numbers to chew over:

The chefs go through roughly 100 hogs a year.

The farm raises about 5,000 chickens for the restaurant each year.

The restaurant seats approximately 140 inside, or 160 with the bar, and 100 more seats are available on the patio during the warmer months.

A strong weekend could see 500 guests, but there could be as many as 700 to 800 on a Saturday night.

People come from all the world to dine at Epiphany Farms Restaurant, including visitors from Europe and government officials like Gov. J.B. Pritzker, making it a regional destination, Myszka said.

But hes not stopping there. His goal is to work on refining all four of his restaurants over the next three to five years and ultimately expand the hospitality groups ideology worldwide. Another restaurant could also be in his future plans.

That hunger drives us being in this business. Epiphany is a good restaurant for Bloomington-Normal, but we want to be great globally, a representation of hospitality globally, Myszka said. I want to give farmers a bigger sense of purpose and make Front Street like the place to be, make it iconic.

He is not as focused on the fine dining aspect of Epiphany, but rather on creating good food thats affordable.

I always want to do something new and master it, inspire and teach someone else, Myszka said. I just like what I do. As long as you have a sense of purpose behind what youre doing, youll be confident to succeed.
BLOOMINGTON  A two-car garage became "well involved" in an early Wednesday morning blaze in Bloomington, fire officials said.

A press release from Bloomington Fire Department Public Information Officer Frank Friend said their crews were dispatched at 2:36 a.m. to 507 E. Walnut St. He said neighbors reported a garage was on fire and had notified the building's residents.

He said arriving personnel found the detached garage in flames and posing exposure issues to two nearby buildings. Firefighters unrolled large hose lines and worked to prevent that exposure and put the fire out, Friend said.

He added fire conditions called for a box alarm to be activated, which dispatched additional BFD crews, plus an engine from Normal Fire Department. They had to force open the garage door for access, the release said, and crews battled the fire in cold temperatures and icy conditions.

Friend said the fire was contained to the garage structure, and aggressive firefighter actions curbed it from spreading to adjacent buildings. He said a small amount of vinyl was melted on a nearby garage, and the house at 507 N. Walnut St. only sustained minor damage.

Residents of the house were not displaced, and no one was hurt. The garage was "significantly" damaged, Friend said. A valuation of damages was not immediately available, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Bloomington Police Department personnel assisted at the scene, as well as crews from Ameren Illinois and Nicor Gas.

Today in history: Feb. 1 1943: 442nd Regimental Combat Team 1960: Sit-In Protest 1979: Iran 1991: Plane Crash 2003: Space Shuttle Columbia 2011: Egypt 2012: Don Cornelius 2012: Facebook 2017: Rex Tillerson 2017: University of California, Berkeley 2021: John Sweeney 2021: Myanmar 2021: Winter Weather 2022: Tom Brady
BLOOMINGTON  A Bloomington man was sentenced to 14 years and 10 months in prison on criminal sexual assault and abuse charges.

Roberto A. Lima, 38, was accused of purchasing alcohol for an 18-year-old relative and allowing her to drink on Aug. 18, 2021. Prosecutors claimed Lima began rubbing the victim's feet and thigh before making sexual contact as she told him to stop.

Lima was charged with one county of criminal sexual assault and one count of criminal sexual abuse.

During a sentencing hearing Tuesday, Judge William Yoder said the defendant accepted responsibility by pleading guilty to his crimes without a negotiated agreement between the two parties.

Yoder sentenced Lima to 14 years and 10 months with five days counted as time served. Lima also must register as a sex offender and pay a $1,000 fine.

Once he is out of prison, Lima will be on parole between three years to life.

In court, Lima apologized for his actions, which he said were dictated by his drinking.

"If I wasn't drinking, I wouldn't be going through this right now," Lima said.

Q&A: Biden inaction, mixed signals on death penalty What about ongoing death penalty cases? What measures has Biden taken? What does the review during the moratorium entail? Have any Trump-era protocols been revoked? What do death penalty opponents want done?
BLOOMINGTON  A Bloomington District 87 school board member is planning to resign from the board, having been sentenced this week to a term of probation with the Veterans Treatment Court.

Fitzgerald Samedy, 36, was charged in May 2022 with aggravated driving under the influence, a felony for his third DUI offense; driving on a revoked license, aggravated driving on a revoked license; and obstructing justice, as well as two misdemeanors of DUI and driving on a revoked license.

He has pleaded guilty to two felonies in this case: aggravated DUI and driving on a revoked license. The remaining charges were dismissed.

Samedy, who has been a District 87 board member since his election in April 2021, declined to comment after his sentencing hearing Tuesday.

'The ends of justice'

During the hearing, Assistant States Attorney Emily Young asked Judge Charles Feeney to sentence Samedy to 30 months of standard probation, noting he previously completed the Veterans Court program successfully.

Even though he had those tools in his toolbox, Young said he still made the choice to drink and get behind the wheel.

Jennifer Patton, Samedys attorney, said Samedys problems stem from having post-traumatic stress disorder, which led him to turn to alcohol. She also noted when he was arrested on these charges, he had been at home before driving around the block to retrieve his dog from an altercation with a neighbor.

Samedy served in the U.S. Army for two years as a petroleum engineer with tours in Afghanistan and South Korea and has "shown he can be successful in Veterans Court," Patton said, asking the judge to give that sentence.

Veterans Treatment Court is designed for adults who have been convicted of nonviolent offenses and diagnosed with serious mental illness or substance abuse, with the goal of decreasing the number of recurrent arrests that result from mental health and substance abuse issues by sending offenders to treatment for their mental health and substance abuse issues rather than jail, according to the McLean County website.

Feeney, who is based in Woodford County but presides over Veterans Court for the entire 11th Circuit, also said Samedy did very very well in the structured environment of the program and called him an excellent candidate for the program again, noting Samedys history of criminality centers around his addiction to alcohol.

His PTSD is 70% service connected. Thats huge, Feeney said, adding that placing him in the Veterans Courts program is an avenue thats difficult to pass up.

That is the ends of justice, Feeney said. When someone has given of themselves and theyve suffered as a result of that giving and theyve given of themselves to all of us  we should be just as cognizant of the wounds that have occurred, albeit ones that we cant outwardly see, but we see in their behavior.

Samedy was sentenced to 30 months of probation in both charges to be served in the Veterans Treatment Court program.

Patton said she was pleased with Feeneys decision in Samedys case.

He struggles with alcohol and hes succeeded before with Veterans Court, so I think its appropriate, she said.

Filling school board vacancy

District 87 Board President Mark Wylie told The Pantagraph that Samedy had contacted him over the weekend to say he wanted to resign from the board.

We will finalize that process in the coming days and begin the process of filling his position, Wylie said. We wish him well.

Once his resignation goes into effect, the board has 60 days to fill the position. Wylie said the board will seek applications to fill the position.

That position will not be on the ballot in the April election, Wylie said.

According to state statute, a person convicted of a felony is ineligible to hold elected office, which includes school boards.

However, if Samedy is successful in the Veterans Treatment Court program, this case will be dismissed, a Veterans Court representative told The Pantagraph.

If a final order reverses the conviction, eligibility to hold the office, to the extent of the original term then remaining, is restored, according to the Illinois Officials Convicted of Infamous Crimes Act.
NORMAL  Eastern Illinois Foodbank will distribute food to area families facing food insecurity in both Normal and Farmer City.

The distribution in Normal will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. March 18 at Normal West High School, 501 N. Parkside Road, and is open to residents of McLean County.

The distribution in Farmer City will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. March 11 at Trinity Community Fellowship, 1300 W. Clinton Ave., and is open to residents of DeWitt, Piatt and McLean counties.

Those who plan to attend the distributions are asked to bring boxes or bags to transport food.

The distributions are part of the food bank's Foodmobile Program, a system of mobile food pantries designed to help bring nutritious food to rural or underserved areas.

Pre-registration should be completed at EIFclient.com; however, this does not guarantee a spot in line. Income guidelines will apply.

Watch now: Energy bars created for Central Illinois Foodbank
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

Feb. 1, 1923: Was George Whitham, who was found dead at his home on East Washington Street, murdered, or did he commit suicide? Investigators today are divided in their opinions. Those advancing the murder theory claim it would have been a physical impossibility for the dead man to fire all five shots indicated by the coroner. His wife was murdered in Columbus, Kansas, 36 hours before Mr. Whithams body was discovered. There is no theory as to a probable cause.

75 years ago

Feb. 1, 1948: Adlai E. Stevenson, Democratic candidate for governor of Illinois, will open his public campaign for that office at a Jackson Day meeting in Bloomington on Feb. 23, said Phil C. Auth, chairman of the McLean County Democratic Central Committee. Final arrangements for the appearance of the Chicago attorney and former Bloomington resident were made by phone. The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the Illinois hotel.

50 years agoFeb. 1, 1973: The filing of economic disclosure forms  or the failure to  extended to present officeholders when a Pantagraph reporter, with the backing of a judge, reported the backdating of one such form by the office of McLean County Clerk Paul D. Morris. The form was that of County Treasurer James E. Boylan. The reporter and Circuit Judge Keith E. Campbell saw Boylans disclosure form on file in the county clerks office with a date of July 6. The next day, however, the form showed a July 1 date. Boylan offered to take a lie detector test.

25 years ago

Feb. 1, 1998: Walk around Bloomingtons Old Town neighborhood and you cant help but notice the signs warning Beware of Dog and No Trespassing. In an area where police closed off a street to discourage gang violence and where drive-by shootings periodically shatter the peace, the prominence of these warnings make it clear that some neighbors remain afraid of their surroundings. The city has targeted Old Town for more than $331,500 in improvements this year using federal grant funding.

101 years ago: See vintage Pantagraph ads from 1922 Gerthart's Union Gas and Electric Co. Hoover Dr. J.A. Moore Dentists Moberly & Klenner W.P. Garretson W.H. Roland Pease's Candy Thor 32 Electric Washing Machine The Kaiser's Story of the War Ike Livingston & Sons Gossard Corsets Cat'n Fiddle 'Stolen Moments' Case Model X The Johnson Transfer & Fuel Co. The Pantagraph want ads Franklin Motor Car Co. 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' Calumet Baking Powder Mayer Livingston & Co. Newsmarket 'The Emperor Jones' 'California Fig Syrup'

Compiled by Pantagraph staff
The Public Relations Officer for the Ministry of Education, Kwesi Kwarteng, says the service is working with relevant institutions to stop future anomalies in the school placement system.



This statement is in line with an investigative documentary School Placement for Sale by The Fourth Estate which captures parents, guardians, and officials in charge of school placement, making deals to put wards in desired institutions.



The Fourth Estate established that The Minister of Education and the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) were the only ones given access and passwords to approve protocol placement into Category A senior high schools.



This was to curb fraud, but The Fourth Estate found evidence that placement into Category A schools happened through a network of intermediaries that included cleaners and security guards.



Meanwhile, eight suspects have been arrested for their roles in the school placement for sale documentary. They are Eric Aggrey, 36, cleaner; Rachel Aryeetey, a caterer; Isaac Mensah, and Gilbert Afriyie Nkrumah, 23.



The rest are Sebastian Appram, a staff of the Fisheries Commissions Tema Regional Office; Bernard Kusi Agyemang, an operations manager with a logistics company; Eugenia Abigail Ahiable, an administrator; and Daniel Opoku, a foreman.



Reacting to the documentary on Atinka FMs AM Drive with host Kaakyire Ofori Ayim, Kwesi Kwarteng, said the Ministry of Education is putting measures in place to curb the demand on some particular schools.



We are introducing measures to give access to a lot of people to get opportunities to school in their preferred choices. We are trying to curb the demand on particular schools.



"It has more to do with demand and supply; at the same time we are working with the relevant institutions to stop future anomalies in the school placement system, Kwesi Kwarteng added.





Source: ghanaweb.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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An estimated US$ 8.3 million in monthly revenue is lost through corrupt practices at the countrys seaports.



This sum amounts to almost US$50million every six months and US$100million each year, according to Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. The losses, he said, are due in part to deception by some importers who, with the aid of some rogue officials, deliberately and wrongly declare contents of imported containers.



In an attempt to lessen corruption at the various ports, the country initiated a port paperless system (PPS) in 2017 that allows for a transparent clearing system, he said.



He however said there remains a lot to be done to attain a fully corruption-free port.



There is therefore a compelling need for maritime sector stakeholders across the continent to formalise actions to combat bribery and corruption, by collaborating and encouraging all stakeholders in the ship/shore interface to ensure compliance with national and international laws prohibiting corruption, Dr. Bawumia advised.



Dr. Bawumia said this in a speech read on his behalf by the Minister of Public Enterprises, Joseph Cudjoe, at a Regional Maritime Stakeholders Workshop in Accra.



With Port Tema controlling 70 percent of the countrys seaborne trade and Takoradi Port handling the export of minerals mainly from mines situated in the Western part of the country, Dr. Bawumia maintains that challenges such as bureaucracy and delays in clearing goods have been minimised through the PPS



Meanwhile, maritime stakeholders have expressed concern that the inability to fully tackle corruption at the various ports could have far-reaching consequences which would be detrimental to shipping operations within the African Continental Free Trade Area.



Danish Ambassador to Ghana, Tom Norring, disclosed that Denmark has been assisting countries in the sub-region to build a robust, corruption-free shipping industry.



Denmark has always been a strong player in the maritime sector globally and in the West African region. We have always encouraged transparency in the sector, as Denmark is a country that frowns on corruption. The Danish maritime industry is known for its efficiency, and we have helped to replicate some of its technologies in the region, he said.



Ambassador Norring said the African Continental Free Trade Area presents a historic opportunity to boost intra-African trade through the maritime industry, and thus further reap the sectors benefits.



The Regional Maritime Stakeholder Workshop on Global Good Practice in Vessel Clearance was organised by the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network; Convention of Business Integrity-Nigeria; the Danish government and Ghana Maritime Authority

Source: B&FT









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Secretary-General of the National Tenants Union of Ghana, Frederick Opoku has commended government for fulfilling its manifesto promise of implementing the National Rental Assistance Scheme, adding that the intervention will be a great relief to its numerous members from the burdensome rent payment advance.



Delivering a solidarity message at the launch of the Scheme yesterday in Accra, Frederick Opoku said the introduction of the National Rental Assistance Scheme is an indication that the government has heeded to the plights of their members, many of whose residual income cannot afford the payment of rent advance.



Frederick Opoku however cautioned that the application processes to access the scheme should be transparent, fair and credible to ensure that eligible applicants would have equal opportunity to benefit.



The General Secretary of the Union therefore assured of their readiness to support the government make policies that will make housing humanly friendly and ensure that tenants are given the necessary protection.



The National Rental Scheme is a key government intervention to provide low-to-middle-income earners with a mechanism to pay low monthly rent. This effectively removes the need for rent advance payment and ultimately improve the quality of rental accommodation, especially in urban cities.



The initial implementation of the Scheme will cover Six (6) regions namely; Greater Accra, Ashanti, Eastern, Western, Bono East and Northern Regions.

What are the Requirements



To be eligible for the Scheme, the applicant must show proof of the following minimum requirements:



Be a Ghanaian

Possess a valid Ghana Card

Must be an adult of eighteen (18) years and above

Verifiable employment and earned income

Must have a verifiable bank statement or mobile money statement

Rent payable must not exceed 30 percent of the household income

The Application Process

The qualified person is expected to identify a property of their preference and notify the NRAS of same through a formal online application. (www.nras.gov.gh)



Applicant must show proof of employment (3 months pay slips) and proof of income (3 months bank statements), 2 forms of IDs, and pay GH100 application processing fee.



In just 5-10 business days, the Scheme will verify your application and supporting documents, determine your affordability and the ability to pay back.



After applicant has been approved, the Scheme will contact the chosen landlord, inspect the rental property, sign all tenancy documentation and pay the rent advance directly to the landlord.



Tenant takes possession of the rental property thereafter and rent payment is always due on the 1st of each month.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Staff of Empire Builders Limited have appealed to the government to intervene in ongoing instances of brutality being meted out to them on a land at Adjiringanor belonging to the company which is part of the Trasacco Group.



According to them, languards wearing camouflage uniforms of the Ghana Armed Forces attack them during their daily duties and also attack officers of the Ghana Police Service when they are called to the scene.



Addressing a press briefing today in Accra, the PR Consultant of Empire Builders, Kwame Owusu Danso said the activities of the landguards were threatening the jobs of over 4,000 staff of Empire Builders Limited.



"The landguards brutally attack the companys workers; demolished the companys property; cleared part of the companys land, and is preparing to sell the companys land to unsuspecting members of the public," Kwame Danso said.



"Every effort of Empire Builders Limited to protect its land has been met with brute force from languards dressed as soldiers," he added.



Appeal



The workers also want the National Security, Ministry of Interior, the CID Boss and the President to intervene in the enforcement of a Supreme Court ruling about the ownership of the land.



They have also threatened to embark on a demonstration if their appeal is not acted upon in two weeks.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Madam Akua Donkor, the founder of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), has confessed that she is the one behind the suffering of Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, the founder of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP).



The farmer cum politician disclosed that she invoked prayers against Dr Nduom because he took her for a fool and ridiculed her.



According to Madam Donkor, the reason why she did that was that Nduom breached his part of an agreement the two of them reached in 2013 and retrieved a Tundra he [Nhuom] had given her.



The Toyota Tundra was an issue of contention between Madam Akua Donkor and Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, the then flagbearer of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) after the December 7th Presidential and Parliamentary election.



According to the PPP, the truck was given to Madam Akua Donkor to help her campaign for the party during the 2012 elections.



Madam Akua Donkor, on the other hand, claimed that the car was given to her as her property in exchange for the votes of her supporters after the electoral commission disqualified her from running in the presidential election on December 7th.



She told Kwabena Agyapong on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fms Frontline that she prayed to God to help her deal with Dr Nduom, and she believes her prayers were answered.



She alleged that Dr Nduom asked her to peddle falsehoods about the outcome of the 2016 presidential election, and because she refused, he took them from me.



 Dr Nduom wanted me to peddle lies for him, and I refused. I refused because I had a covenant with God that I would never tell lies. He then instructed people to go and tow the car from my official residence.



Madam Donkor added that she had to withdraw the case at the Police station after she discovered it was Dr Nduom who had the car towed.



However, to her surprise, Dr Nduom dragged her to court, claiming she [Donkor] had refused to hand over the cars to the car to him.



Madam Donkor said she got infuriated because Dr Nduom was attacking her through her party, and so she prayed that God would deal with it.



I cursed Dr Nduom and said he would face trouble for what he did to me. He is now in darkness for what he did to me. My curse against Dr Nfuom is working. He is facing troubles because of what he did to me.





Source: rainbow radio









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 National Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed shock at the failure of the Attorney General to discuss the modalities for the payment of compensation to the victims, as recommended by the Emile Short Commission.



Today (January 31) marks four years after the country recorded brutalities in Aayawaso West Wugon during a by election.



Some supporters of the National Democratic Congress including the Member of Parliament for Prampram were assaulted.



Four years down the lane, nothing has been done about a report produced by the Emile Short Commission that investigated the issue. n



In a statement to mark four years after the incident, the NDC used the opportunity to remind government of the need for discussions on the modalities of compensation for victims of the brutality.



The political party is giving government a 30 day ultimatum to pay compensations or they will take the state on.



Read Their Statement Below



NDC SOLIDARIZES WITH VICTIMS OF AYAWASO WEST WUOGON VIOLENCE.



31st January 2023.



Today is exactly four (4) years since state-sponsored bandits clothe in National Security apparel and working under the instructions of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government brutalized, shot and maimed innocent citizens during the Ayawaso West Wuogon bye-election.



The leadership and the entire membership of the National Democratic Congress can never forget the shame and disgrace that this dastardly event occasioned our dear country.



On this sad day of memories, we remember all those who were attacked and injured on that fateful day. We particularly solidarize with those who still bear the scars of the attacks they suffered in the hands of those wicked state-sponsored goons.



The NDC is appalled by the blatant refusal of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government to implement the recommendations of the Emile Short Commission and its own white paper on this matter.



It is shameful to say the least, that till date, the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government has not deemed it necessary to prosecute the perpetrators of the Ayawaso by-election violence.



Even more bizarre and sad, is the blatant refusal of the Attorney-General, Mr. Godfred Dame to discuss the modalities for the payment of compensation to the victims, as recommended by the Emile Short Commission.



In the circumstances, we are giving the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government a 30-day ultimatum to pay fair and adequate compensation to all injured victims of the Ayawaso West Wuogon violence, failing which, the NDC will collaborate with the affected persons and take all necessary steps to seek appropriate compensation for them.



The NDC stands with all victims of the Ayawaso West Wuogon violence. We wish to assure them of our unflinching commitment to punish the perpetrators and seek true justice for them under the next NDC in the year 2025.



Signed.



Comrade Fifi Fiavi Kwetey



General Secretary





Source: ghanaweb.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
"I was brought up in a good home, attended a good school and I am my own man who would not allow myself to be corrupted," former deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho explains falling out with Asiedu Nketiah.



According to him, Asiedu Nketiah at the time wanted him to malign President Akufo-Addo and now Executive Director, Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah and his refusal to do so led to him (Asiedu Nketiah) coming after him (Koku Anyidoho).



Koku Anyidoho was arrested in March 2018 and held by the BNI after a press conference organized by the Inter-Party Coalition for National Sovereignty at the International Press Centre in Accra.



He is alleged to have made remarks that there would be a social revolution during the tenure of President Nana Akufo-Addo.



After he was released, Koku Anyidoho claims Asiedu Nketiah urged him to embark on a media tour to malign the President and CID boss at the time, Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah for maltreating him in custody when he was treated with all respect.



I was the assistant of Asiedu Nketiah at the time and he asked me to insult the President and Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah after I was released from BNI cells and I refused. That is how Asiedu Nketiah and I fell out.



"We fell out because I wasnt going to lie about how I was treated whilst in BNI cells. I was treated with respect and I wasnt going to lie about that because I dont do anyones bidding.



"I wasnt going to allow politics turn me into an idiot or a slave to another, he submitted in an interview with Happy 98.9 FMs Don Kwabena Prah on the Epa Hoa Daben political talk show.



The politician revealed Asiedu Nketiah also got some party faithful to spread rumors he (Koku Anyidoho) had taken money from President Akufo-Addo, hence his refusal to take them on for treating him badly when he was locked up in a BNI cell.



He described Asiedu Nketiah as a petty and wicked leader who has no good intentions for the NDC.





Source: ghanaweb.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has commissioned a 300-bed accommodation facility for young soldiers at the 37 Military Hospital.



The facility, christened Joseph Siaw Agyepong Young Soldiers Block was financed and built by the Jospong Group of Companies (JGC).



Commissioning the facility at a colorful ceremony on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, President Akufo-Addo reiterated his government's commitment to provide decent accommodation facilities for the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).



For that reason, he stated that the edifice is named the Joseph Siaw Agyepong Young Soldiers Block, after the Executive Chairman and Founder of the Jospong Group of Companies, Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong.



According to the President, the project formed part of the Phase 1 and 2 of the Barracks Regeneration and the Military Housing Projects in 2020 and 2021 respectively all of which are aimed at providing decent accommodation for the military.



The Defense Minister, Ambrose Dery, said one of the major challenges facing GAF wss accommodation, and therefore appealed for assistance.



"Mr. President, since you assumed office, you have paid much attention to our accommodation issues. You started with the cutting of a sod in May 2017, for the Barrack Regeneration Project which saw the construction of 112 units of 2-bedroom flats at the Daula Barracks and 6 Garrison in Tamale, " he stated.



"Furthermore, you initiated the Military Housing Project which saw a monumental increase to the accommodation stock," said Mr Dery.



Earlier, in a brief remark, the Executive Chairman of the JGC, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, expressed his profound gratitude to the Military High Command for the opportunity to support a worthy cause.



He indicated that the Group sees the gesture as an opportunity to contribute their quota through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to an institution as important as the Ghana Army.



The contribution of the military to the socio-economic development of Ghana cannot be overemphasised and so is any institution that is linked to their health and wellbeing. This is why any contribution to support the smooth running of their major health facility-- 37 Military Hospital will not be overlooked by the JOSPONG GROUP OF COMPANIES," he averred.



The JGC in a bid to give back to society, he explained, supports institutions whose mission resonates with the corporate mission of JGC as the company's corporate mission is contributing to saving lives in the society.



According to Dr Siaw Agyepong, his outfit has enjoyed a good collaboration with the Armed Forces as their drivers and Ecozoil staff members have benefitted from the rich expertise from various outlets of the GAF.



"This is indeed my personal admiration for the military for the mark of discipline, professionalism and excellence", he underscored.



"I am inspired by what I am witnessing here today and this has further reinforced the company's resolve to continue to contribute our widow's might to the 37 Military Hospital in other areas of interest which they wish to embark on," Dr Siaw Agyepong assured.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Eight persons are in the grips of the police for their roles in the school placement fraud uncovered by The Fourth Estate.



The suspects are said to be part of a syndicate that sold placement slots in Senior High Schools during the 2022 Computerised School Selection and Placement exercise.



They are Eric Aggrey, a cleaner; Rachel Aryeetey, a caterer; Isaac Mensah, and Gilbert Afriyie Nkrumah.



The rest are Sebastian Appram, a staff of the Fisheries Commissions Tema Regional Office; Bernard Kusi Agyemang, an operations manager with a logistics company; Eugenia Abigail Ahiable, an administrator; and Daniel Opoku, a foreman.



The Fourth Estate investigations revealed that the suspects worked with other intermediaries to effect placement into senior high schools after they demanded and took money ranging from GH8,000 to GH20,000.



Private citizens



Eric Aggrey, with the assistance of other intermediaries, changed placement from Apam Senior High School to Aggrey Memorial AME Zion School and from Presbyterian Senior High Technical School, Aburi, to Mfantsiman Girls in the Central Region.



Eric and his network demanded and took GH19,500 for placing two candidates at Aggrey Memorial and Mfantsiman Girls, both in the Central Region.



Cartel



Eric confessed to taking money from some people. He also admitted to receiving a list of vacancies of schools from Rachel, another member of the cartel.



Rachel also admitted and mentioned another person, a private security guard in a basic school opposite her house, as the facilitator for everyone she had assisted to get placement changed.



Rachel said the security guard, called Isaac Mensah, also gave the money he collected to his friend whom she (Rachel) had never met.



She said Isaacs brother owed her money for his inability to change placement for the last candidate she presented.



The police subsequently arrested Isaac who also mentioned Sebastian Appram as the person who assisted him.



Gilbert Afriyie Nkrumah was invited to the Accra Central Police station and was arrested on October 28, 2022.



Student placement



Three others were later arrested. Daniel Opoku, a foreman, mentioned the name of twin brothers, Atta Kuffuor senior, a lab technician; and Atta Kuffuor Junior, an IT expert, who finally helped to change the placement of a student from Aburi Presbyterian Senior High School to Mfantsiman Girls Senior High School.



The twins were already on the run for similar offences, Daniel Opoku told the Police in his statement.



Investigations later revealed that Rachel could not have placed a student into Mfantsiman Girls without the approval of the Minister of Education or the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, the only two individuals with passwords to Category A schools.



How the names of students got to the Education Minister or the GES Director-General for placement into category A schools is easy to find, according to the Education Minister, Dr Yaw Adutwum.



Dr Adutwum said only the Director-General of the Ghana Education Services office and the Ministry of Education had access to category A schools in the placement system. Our checks revealed that full access to such protocol placement was limited to only two individuals; the Minister for Education and the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service.



Meanwhile, the suspects have been granted bail by an Accra Circuit Court.

Source: graphic.com.gh









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The Ghana Police Service says it has commenced investigations into an alleged incident in which a police officer is said to have killed a man at West Hills Mall.



According to a January 31, 2023 statement, the policsaid its "Professional Standard Bureau (PPSB) has contacted the said woman in the viral video claiming to be a brother of the now deceased (Shadrack) to assist in investigations.



The attention of the Police Service has been drawn to a viral video in which a female who identifies herself as Perpetual Didier alleges that the action of a Police Officer has caused the death of her brother.



The Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSB) has commenced investigation into the allegation and has contacted Madam Perpetual Didier to assist the investigation, the statement said.



The statement added that the police assures the public of a thorough investigation into the matter.



Background:



Gospel musician, Perpetual Didier alleged in a viral video that her brother was killed by some police officers.



According to her, the incident happened at the West Hills Mall in Accra on January 30, 2022.



The musician explained that her brother, only named Shadrach, was brutally assaulted by the uniformed policemen, leading to his untimely death.



Someone should tag the IGP. I need justice for my brother. Tell him that this is a crime one of his men has done to my family by killing my brother. We are all Ghanaians with equal rights and freedom. Why will you use your position to take someones life? she said in her Facebook Live video, amidst tears.



How the incident came about:



In her narration, her brother (the deceased) had gone to the West Hills Mall to withdraw money in order to purchase some items intended to be sent to his sister in Germany.



She added that, from what an eyewitness told her, the police demanded that her brother hand over his bag to be searched, but he refused.



This then led to the police officer getting agitated and then hitting and pushing him to the ground.



Perpetual added that her brother fell to the ground and hit his head on the floor, breaking his neck in the process.



He is said to have lost consciousness, at which time the police officer tased the motionless man on the floor.



It is believed that this worsened the state the young man was already in, leading to his death.











Source: ghanaweb.com









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For the third consecutive year, Ghana failed to improve on the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) released by Transparency International (TI).

Results published today show that Ghana's score of 43 out of 100 in the 2022 CPI has remained the same since 2020. The country tied for 72nd (with Benin, Bulgaria, Senegal and South Africa) out of 180 countries.



The CPI uses impartial surveys from experts and business leaders to score and rank countries by the perceived level of corruption in their public sectors. It uses a scale of zero (perceived as highly corrupt) to 100 (perceived as very clean).



The Programmes Manager of the Ghana Integrity Initiative, Mrs. Mary Awelana Addah, said the development means that Ghana is not making any progress in its fight against corruption.



"This lack of progress is a worrying phenomenon, meaning that our fight against corruption is at a standstill and I believe worry is important because we all know and see the evidence of that in our policy space each and every day," Mrs Addah said in an interview on Accra-based Citi FM.



"Even though this is a perception index, remember the perception is captured of businessmen who deal with Ghana, we have expert opinions feeding into this".



Mrs Addah said Ghana's stagnation on the index could be attributed to bribery, perceptions about the diversion of public funds during the COVID-19 pandemic, state capture, nepotism and the use of public office for private gain.



Regional comparison



Ghana scored higher than the sub-Saharan Africa regional average of 32 out of 100 marks which TI says marks another year of stagnation for the continent on the CPI.



Seychelles continues to lead the region with a CPI score of 70, followed by Botswana and Cabo Verde, each with 60. Burundi (17), Equatorial Guinea (17), South Sudan (13) and Somalia (12) perform the lowest.



"Conflict and security challenges have further weakened institutions and undermined states capacity to decisively respond to corruption. This has also meant little to no action in preventing capital flight  estimated to be in tens of billions of dollars each year  from the region," TI said in a statement.



"Independent checks on power continued to take a hit too. Opposition figures or activists have been intimidated, smeared or arrested  at times under the pretence of anti-corruption crackdowns and enabled by heavily politicised judicial systems.



"The pandemic has affected the livelihoods of people, deepened inequalities and increased graft risks across the region. It is no surprise that corruption was a core issue in many of the elections in 2022. Integrity of the vote itself also remained a concern. In Kenya (32), the election highlighted the urgent need for public scrutiny of political financing. The same issue will be in the spotlight during 2023 elections in Nigeria (24) and Ghana (43) in 2024".



Source: graphiconline.com









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The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has given an ultimatum to the government to compensate victims of the Ayawaso West Wuogon violence.



Failure to do this, they have threatened to "collaborate with the affected persons and take all necessary steps to seek appropriate compensation for them.



A statement signed by the party's General Secretary, Fifi Kwetey said It is shameful to say the least, that till date, the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government has not deemed it necessary to prosecute the perpetrators of the Ayawaso by-election violence.



Even more bizarre and sad, is the blatant refusal of the Attorney-General, Mr. Godfred Dame to discuss the modalities for the payment of compensation to the victims, as recommended by the Emile Short Commission.



Read the full statement below









Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu has called for contenders to feel free to file nominations to contest him when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) holds parliamentary primaries in May.



Whiles giving hope to would-be aspirants, the Tamale South Member of Parliament assured that he would win re-election by a landslide touting his prowess and growing influence over the years.



The Tamale South seat is free, it is open. When nominations open, you can come in. The only thing I can assure you is that you won't get more than 5% of the votes or probably 2%. You won't make more than five percent, he told Evans Mensah on a Joy News programme.



Haruna has been in Parliament since 2008 when he joined the Fourth Parliament, he has since served in the 5th, 6th, 7th and in the current 8th Parliament.



He has also held a number of ministerial portfolios over the period, among others Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations and the Ministry of Communications.



Powerful Haruna Iddrisu may go unopposed in primaries  Asiedu Nketiah



NDC National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah all but endorsed Haruna Iddrisu to sail through upcoming primaries for the Tamale South seat.



Asiedu Nketiah said the MP, who is in his fifth term, had become so powerful in his constituency that it would even be surprising if he is contested at all when the primaries are held later this year.



The outgone Minority Leader, Honourable Haruna Iddrisu, he is so powerful in his constituency, he is almost always not contested at all. I have my doubts whether anybody will contest him, Asiedu Nketiah told party faithful during a meeting in London.



The one-time General Secretary was addressing concerns that the January 23 changes to the partys leadership in Parliament was going to affect some of the replaced leaders at the upcoming primaries.



The NDC will hold presidential and parliamentary primaries on May 13, 2023.



NDC rings changes in parliamentary leadership



The NDC, through its General Secretary Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, wrote to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, to announce the replacement of three members: the Minority Leader, the deputy Minority Leader, and the Minority Chief Whip.



The NDC picked Ato Forson to replace Haruna Iddrisu as leader of the Minority Caucus.



Other changes included Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP for Ellembele, who is the new deputy Minority Chief Whip.



While Kwame Governs Agbodza, MP for Adaklu, will replace Asawase MP Muntaka Mohammed as the Chief Whip.



Ahmed Ibrahim, MP for Banda, has been maintained as the First deputy Minority Chief Whip, while Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe-Ghansah, MP for Ada, is also retained as second deputy Minority Chief Whip.







Source: ghanaweb.com









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There is an uneasy calm within the New Patriotic Party as the party deliberates over when to elect representatives of the party to break the 8 in for the 2024 elections.



GhanaWeb checks show that there have been very strong submissions since the last National Council meeting, with setting a date for the primaries at the center of arguments for and against, especially parliamentary primaries.



The current standoff, per our checks, shows that there is a three-way street on the issue: the National Executives, the partys leadership in Parliament (Majority Caucus) and Jubilee House, the seat of the presidency.



NPP issues statement to debunk fake news



On Christmas Day in 2022, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) had reason to disclaim reports that the party had set dates for its presidential and parliamentary primaries ahead of the 2024 General Elections.



A statement signed by General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong and posted on the NPP website said the National Council of the party failed to agree on conclusive timelines for the primaries.



"The meeting could not conclude discussions on some proposed dates for the conduct of the primaries. Consequently, the National Council resolved to defer decision on the matter to allow for further stakeholder engagements in the interest of the party.



"It is thus expected that at its next meeting, the National Council may revisit this subject matter and hopefully take a definitive decision regarding the timelines for the conduct of the Partys presidential and parliamentary primaries," the statement read in part.



What GhanaWeb found from our sources



Our sources within the NPP and in the corridors of government indicate that there is currently a strong argument by early primaries advocates who are pushing for an early election in August.



A position that is strongly favoured by the national executives, however, Jubilee House, led by President Akufo-Addo, is strongly opposed to this.



"The Council of Elders have resolved in a letter that an early election would enhance the chances of the party breaking the 8," our source told us on condition of anonymity.



Move to curb parallel power centers: President vs. flagbearer



Jubilee House, it is widely believed, wants MPs to approve the 2024 budget later this year to afford the system to deal with the Ken Must Go MPs when primaries are eventually held.



The affirms the outburst of Eugene Boakye Antwi , Subin MP on December 20, 2022 when he told Joynews "Nobody made me an MP, Akufo-Addo did not make me an MP. God made me an MP, I was elected just as Akufo-Addo was elected so nobody should dare threaten anybody.



"When you veer into that realm you even muddy the waters moreI contested the primaries like Akufo-Addo contested the primaries to become President," he said.



Early primaries, according to the MPs, will allow for ample time to resolve internal differences between victors and losers at the poll and also to better plan for the 2024 elections.



"The MPs believe that as there will be a change of flagbearer, there is the need to conduct the internal elections early which is what is stated in the party constitution... citing Article 13 (1) and (3)," our source added.



It turns out that Jubilee House is somehow in sync with the disclaimed dates of presidential primaries in December 2023 and parliamentary primaries in February 2024.



At the last National Council meeting held in January, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo reportedly argued that an early presidential primary would create a parallel authority between him and the elected candidate.



Some political watchers, however, believe this is likely going to affect the party in the 2024 elections and should be reviewed if indeed the party wants to break the 8  win a third consecutive mandate, and break the two-mandate power rotation.



Meanwhile, the main opponents, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), have announced a May 13 date to conduct their presidential and parliamentary primaries simultaneously.



Meeting to resolve Caucus, Asylum Down vs Kanda rift



Meanwhile, GhanaWeb has it on authority that MPs are meeting National Executives today, February 1, 2023 with the meeting expected to affirm their support for an early primary before the upcoming National Council meeting on February 2.



With Majority Caucus and NPP headquarters (Asylum Down) in agreement on an early congress, the final player needed on board is Jubilee House.



The presidency (Kanda if you like) is against an early election because of the past and the future as relates to the conduct of the infamous rebel MPs who in the last quarter of 2022 mounted a dogged campaign against embattled Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.





Source: ghanaweb.com









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A member of the Communications Team of the governing New Patriotic Party(NPP), Solomon Owusu has described as fake a recent survey projecting Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia to lead the NPP.



According to the survey by Outcomes International Ghana and the Centre for Sustainable African Development Initiatives (C-SADI) UK, the most popular candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer position in all the 16 regions of Ghana, is the vice president.



In all, the survey got responses from around 197,000 NPP polling station executives (PSEs) in all the regions.



The most preferred candidate for the NPPs flagbearer position among PSEs is Dr Mahamudu Bawumia leading in all 16 regions as shown in figure 1 (below). The closest contenders to Dr Bawumia are Alan Kyerematen and Kennedy Agyapong respectively.



"It is worth noting that some PSEs (12.3%) indicated they have not yet decided on whom to vote for, but that does not significantly change the outcome, the researchers said in their final report.



Data was obtained mainly through computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) technology between 15th November 2022 and 15th December 2022. Based on 95% confidence level and 2% margin of error a sample size of 6000 PSEs was used. However, 5641 PSEs were successfully interviewed (response rate of 94%) from all 96 constituencies.



But reacting to the survey, Solomon Owusu stated that the result is not factual because it has been misreported.



According to him, Alan Kyerematen rather garnered 76%, whereas Vice President Bawumia secured16%, Kennedy Agyapong had 6% while the others shared 2%.



According to the survey, Alan was the one leading and did so by a landslide. In fact, he was leading in all the 16 regions and it comes as no surprise to many people who are really on the ground,  Solomon Owusu told Kasapafmonline.com.



A survey by Global InfoAnalytics in October 2022 revealed that the former Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, is the likeliest candidate to lead the New Patriotic Party (NPP) after the partys upcoming flagbearership contest.



In that report, NPP supporters deemed Alan as a more viable candidate than Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.



According to the report, Bawumias decline in rating during the survey coincides with the countrys worsening economic situation.



The study also showed that Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, is another force to reckon with in the NPPs flagbearership contest.



A new opinion poll conducted by Global InfoAnalytics for October 2022 shows the Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen (AKK) continues to expand his lead over his closest rival Dr Mahamudu Bawumia (DMB) in the race to lead the NPP as the countrys economic crisis deepens.



The poll shows AKK is the preferred candidate of general voters to lead the NPP in 2024. AKK now leads DMB, 44% to 31%. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, MP (KOA) came third with 14% of the votes, a summary of the report stated.



This revelation comes at a time when the Vice President is reportedly lacing his boots to lead the NPP in the partys quest to break the eight.





Source: kasapaonline









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Complete specimen of the Cambrian cage worm Iotuba from the Chengjiang fossil deposit. Credit: Zhang Zhifei

Ancient fossils have shed new light on a type of sea worm linking it to the time of an evolutionary explosion that gave rise to modern animal life.

Researchers at Durham University, UK, and Northwest University, Xi'an, China, examined 15 exceptionally preserved fossils of the annelid worm Iotuba chengjiangensis dating from the early Cambrian period 515 million years ago.

The fossilized remains included evidence of the worms' guts and kidneys and revealed they had an unexpectedly complex structure similar to that of other annelid worms.

The researchers say this means that annelidsor segmented wormsdiversified into different lineages some 200 million years earlier than previously thought and were part of the evolutionary leap known as the Cambrian explosion.

The Cambrian explosion saw a huge rise in organisms between 540 and 530 million years agoas shown by fossil recordsand saw the appearance of many of the major groups that make up animal life on Earth.

The findings are published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

Artist's reconstruction of Iotuba  complete organism. Credit: Zhang Zhifei

Study co-author Dr. Martin R. Smith, in the Department of Earth Sciences, Durham University, said, "We know that the main animal lines we see today emerged during the Cambrian explosion, but we always thought annelid worms were late to the party, and their major subgroups didn't begin to diversify until nearly 200 million years later.

"But the amazingly preserved fossils we have studied and the structure of these amazing little creatures challenge this picture, and show that annelid wormsincluding Iotuba chengjiangensisseemed to follow the pattern of events initiated by the Cambrian explosion.

Artist's reconstruction of Iotuba, showing front of body with everted head (with branchial filaments and mouth) surrounded by cage of spines (chaetae). Credit: Zhang Zhifei.

"Detailed fossils of this type of worm are extremely rare, so it was great to be able to study the fossilized record of this tiny animal in such detail.

"It turns out they weren't late to the party at all, they were just hiding in a side room."

The researchers say that Iotuba chengjiangensis was a cage worm able to move its head in and out of a cage made of bristly spines. This makes the worm a close relative of families of annelid sea worms such as Flabelligeridae and Acrocirridae.

Head-on reconstruction of Iotuba, showing cage of spines (chaetae) surrounding everted head, with branchial filaments and mouth. Credit: Zhang Zhifei

Dr. Smith added, "These families are like the top rungs on an evolutionary ladder. For these groups to have appeared so early in the day, there must have been a dramatic unseen origin of modern annelid diversity in the heat of the Cambrian explosion.

"It turns out that many of the annelids we know and love today may have begun to evolve much sooner than we think."

Research lead author Dr. Zhifei Zhang, Northwest University, Xi'an, China said, "Annelids are one of the largest and most successful phyla of animals that are flourishing in both terrestrial and marine ecosystems with the most diversified living lineage, Polychaeta, living in the sea.

Specimen of the Cambrian cage worm Iotuba from the Chengjiang fossil deposit. Credit: Martin R. Smith

"The most well-known are, for example, earth worms, leeches and clam worms. There are also at least 20,000 species and 80 families of Polychaete in the modern sea. However, their earliest geological records of fossils in Cambrian deposits, even in the well-known Konservat-Lagerstatten are quite rare.

"Is this because the delicate worms didn't exist, or simply didn't preserve? Our research gives the first insightful answer: biodiversification of the segmented worms occurs much earlier than thought before."
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Claude Monet. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Some 19th-century works by artists such as Turner and Monet hold a record of air pollution from the Industrial Revolution, according to a study.

Paintings have been known to mirror the atmospheric conditions in which artists painted. Anna Lea Albright and Peter Huybers developed a statistical model to determine whether the paintings of British artist J. M. W. Turner and French artist Claude Monet, whose works span the Industrial Revolution, reflect the heightened air pollution that clouded the skies over 19th-century London and Paris.

The authors created a measure of contrast and tested it on photographs taken in clear and polluted conditions. Next, they measured contrast in 60 paintings by Turner and 38 paintings by Monet, including multiple views of the Houses of Parliament, Waterloo Bridge, and Charing Cross Bridge, and examined links with an indicator of historical air pollution based on sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) emissions.

Increasing SO 2 emissions were linked with reduced contrast in the paintings, even after accounting for time trends and subject matter.

Schematic illustrating key processes by which aerosols influence an object's contrast, intensity, and visibility. A theoretical object (denoted by the gray disk) reflecting light (black arrows) is visible because of its contrast with the background light (pale blue arrow). Aerosols (navy dots) in the air column scatter background light into the line of vision ("in-scattering," highlighted in light yellow), scatter object light out of the line of vision ("out-scattering"), and absorb light. These optical effects from aerosols lead a viewer to perceive an object as having less-distinct edges (less contrast) and a whiter tint (increased intensity), as idealized by the images on the left- and right-hand side (Claude Monet's Houses of Parliament, Effect of Fog, 18991904) and described in Methods. Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2023). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2219118120

With increasing air pollution, Turner's work transformed from sharp to hazy contours, saturated to pastel-like colors, and a figurative to impressionistic style. Similar changes were seen in Monet's paintings. Additionally, the model predicted contrast in paintings by Gustave Caillebotte, Camille Pissarro, and Berthe Morisot based on pollution levels in Paris.

Because aerosols reflect light of all wavelengths into the line of sight, the authors also examined links between pollution levels and light intensity. The paintings revealed a link between increased SO 2 emissions and a whiter palette and increased intensity. According to the authors, the works of Turner and Monet carry quantifiable clues to air pollution levels during the Industrial Revolution.

The research is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

More information: Anna Lea Albright et al, Paintings by Turner and Monet depict trends in 19th century air pollution, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2023). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2219118120 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Provided by PNAS
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(a) Simulated spring migration trajectories. (b) Timing of spring migration departure and (c) arrival derived from simulated trajectories. (d) Migratory connectivity: square cells show breeding origins of individuals in the northwest (orange) and northeast (blue) parts of the breeding range. Filled density contours show the predicted wintering distributions of individuals breeding in those respective regions. Credit: Fuentes et al., 10.1111/2041-210X.14052

Computer scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, in collaboration with biologists at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, recently announced in the journal Methods in Ecology and Evolution a new, predictive model that is capable of accurately forecasting where a migratory bird will go nextone of the most difficult tasks in biology. The model is called BirdFlow, and while it is still being perfected, it should be available to scientists within the year and will eventually make its way to the general public.

"Humans have been trying to figure out bird migration for a really long time," says Dan Sheldon, professor of information and computer sciences at UMass Amherst, the paper's senior author and a passionate amateur birder. "But," adds Miguel Fuentes, the paper's lead author and graduate student in computer science at UMass Amherst, "it's incredibly difficult to get precise, real-time information on which birds are where, let alone where, exactly, they are going."

There have been many efforts, both previous and ongoing, to tag and track individual birds, which have yielded invaluable insights. But it's difficult to physically tag birds in large enough numbersnot to mention the expense of such an undertakingto form a complete enough picture to predict bird movements. "It's really hard to understand how an entire species moves across the continent with tracking approaches," says Sheldon, "because they tell you the routes that some birds caught in specific locations followed, but not how birds in completely different locations might move."

Observed movements of GPS-tracked woodcocks (single thick path) and simulated trajectories (thin paths) for 2500 simulated birds originating at the same starting location as observed birds. Credit: Fuentes et al., 10.1111/2041-210X.14052

In recent years, there's been an explosion in the number of citizen scientists who monitor and report sightings of migratory birds. Birders around the world contribute more than 200 million annual bird sightings through eBird, a project managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and international partners.

It's one of the largest biodiversity-related science projects in existence and has hundreds of thousands of users, facilitating state-of-the-art species distribution modeling through the Lab's eBird Status & Trends project. "eBird data is amazing because it shows where birds of a given species are every week across their entire range," says Sheldon, "but it doesn't track individuals, so we need to infer what routes individual birds follow to best explain the species-level patterns."

BirdFlow draws on eBird's Status & Trends database and its estimates of relative bird abundance and then runs that information through a probabilistic machine-learning model. This model is tuned with real-time GPS and satellite tracking data so that it can "learn" to predict where individual birds will move next as they migrate.

Each heatmap shows the predicted movement distribution of a GPS-tracked individual originating within the circle at the base of the arrow. Darker colors indicate a higher predicted likelihood of movement to that area. The point of the arrow shows the observed ending location. Shown are examples of 3-week (h), 6-week (i), and 12-week (j) conditional forecasts. Credit: Fuentes et al., 10.1111/2041-210X.14052

The researchers tested BirdFlow on 11 species of North American birdsincluding the American Woodcock, Wood Thrush and Swainson's Hawkand found that not only did BirdFlow outperform other models for tracking bird migration, it can accurately predict migration flows without the real-time GPS and satellite tracking data, which makes BirdFlow a valuable tool for tracking species that may literally fly under the radar.

"Birds today are experiencing rapid environmental change, and many species are declining," says Benjamin Van Doren, a postdoctoral fellow at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and a co-author of the study. "Using BirdFlow, we can unite different data sources and paint a more complete picture of bird movements," Van Doren adds, "with exciting applications for guiding conservation action."
Hit show educating public on rule of law

08:44, February 01, 2023 By YANG ZEKUN ( China Daily

A poster for the TV series The Knockout. [Photo provided to China Daily]

A police drama based on real organized crime cases is helping educate the public about the value of the rule of law and their rights, experts said.

A special campaign launched by the central government on fighting organized crime and legal departments' rectification measures are used as much of the background for The Knockout.

The drama tells the story of a police officer's fight against organized crime over 20 years, and shows the rise and demise of underworld figures and corrupt officials.

It has received a rating of 9.1 out of 10 on Douban, one of China's most-visited review platforms, and has become one of the most discussed topics on social media since mid-January. The drama began screening on China Central Television and streaming platform iQiyi on Jan 14, with a total of 39 episodes to be aired.

Many viewers have applauded the show's plotlines and the actors' performances, and also praised the efforts of police officers in battling organized crime.

In January 2018, the central authorities launched a three-year nationwide special campaign to fight organized crime.

According to the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, from 2018 to 2020, authorities busted 3,644 mafia-like gangs and 11,675 other criminal gangs, detained 237,000 suspects and investigated 89,700 cases of "protective umbrellas", a reference to officials who hide gangsters' crimes.

The crackdown on organized crime, which involved multiple departments including public security and discipline inspection, as well as banks, continued after the campaign officially ended.

In May 2022, the Anti-organized Crime Law took effect, giving greater legal clout to fight such crimes.

From July 2020 to December 2021, commissions for political and legal affairs at all levels also conducted educational rectification for officials in public security organs and procuratorates as well as lawyers and other related groups to strengthen internal supervision and root out those who undermine trust in the departments.

Wei Pengju, director of the Institute of Cultural Economics at the Central University of Finance and Economics in Beijing, said The Knockout resonated with viewers on an emotional level. Reactions to the program also reflected how the public perceived the work and achievements of the nation in combating organized crime and building a sound legal environment.

It educated viewers to have a positive attitude on seeking help through legal avenues, rather than violence or bullying, when encountering unfairness, Wei said. The program also deterred potential gangsters from pursuing criminal activities.

"Stories of fighting organized crime are often attractive to audiences, and this reflects people's expectations and trust in advancing rule of law. The hatred of gangsters and the pursuit of justice among viewers is the same, which is the simplest understanding of a law-based society," said Zhi Feina, a professor at the Film and Television Research Institute of the Chinese National Academy of Arts.

Zhi said that the positive sentiment created by the authorities' crackdown on organized crime is an important reason for the drama's success. This has also promoted the idea of the rule of law, she added.

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Liang Jun)
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Paths of Trajectories that Traveled Through China and Reached South Korea. This figure shows how often each city in China had a trajectory that passed the city and reached South Korea. For each city in South Korea, we use the HYSPLIT model to obtain backward trajectories for each day-hour during our sample period (January 2015 to December 2019). We then compute how often these backward trajectories passed each city in China. That is, the denominator is the total number of hours from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019. The numerator is the total number of hours in which a trajectory passed a city in China and reached cities in South Korea. The duration of the backward trajectories we use is 200 hours. For example, if this value is 5% for a city in China, it means that in 5% of the total hours in our sample period, a trajectory passed this city and reached a city in South Korea. Credit: International Spillover Effects of Air Pollution: Evidence from Mortality and Health Data.

While air pollution from China makes South Korean residents sicker, strong Chinese air policies have led to fewer deaths over timesaving South Korea $2.62 billion per year.

Leaders have long thought that air pollution crossing lines from neighboring countries posed a significant challenge. But how much of a challenge and what to do about it has remained an open question. A new study sheds some light by measuring the toll of transboundary air pollution on people's health, as well as the important role strong policies can play in improving health outcomes throughout the region.

"Using recent advances in atmospheric science that allowed us to measure the trajectory of fine particulate pollutionthe deadliest form of air pollutionwe discovered that countries are vastly impacted by the pollution caused by their neighbors," says Koichiro Ito, an associate professor at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy.

"The good news is the benefits of strong policies to reduce pollution also extend to neighboring states. This underscores the importance of treating air pollution as a regional and even global challenge that requires cooperation, and not just a problem to confront at a local level."

Ito and his co-authors Rao Kotamarthi from the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Lab, and Seonmin Will Heo, a Ph.D. student at UC Santa Barbara who began work with Ito in 2020 as a Harris Public Policy graduate student, study the case of South Korea. Northwest South Korea experiences strong westerly winds from China during the fall and winter. The researchers found that these winds lead to significantly higher levels of pollution compared to southeast South Korea. The northwest and southeast experience similar pollution levels during the spring and summerwhen there is far less westerly wind from China.

This pollution has a direct impact on people's health in South Korea, leading to a 0.6% increase in mortality for every one microgram per cubic meter increase in transboundary particulate matter pollution (PM 2.5 ). That translates to an additional 31.2 deaths for every million people annually. The youngest members of societybabies who are a year old or youngerare the most vulnerable, with the mortality rate increasing by 2.1% for every one microgram per cubic meter increase in transboundary particulate pollution from China.

Other health indicators also increased during the time studied, 2013 to 2017. The researchers found that a one microgram per cubic meter increase in particulate pollution from China leads to about 18 additional ER visits for every million people a year for asthma and 176 additional ER visits for every million people for rhinitis (nasal inflammation)a 0.5% and 3.4% increase, respectively.

"Pollution coming from China makes people in South Korea sicker and die at higher ratesthat much is clear," says Ito. "But China's immense success in reducing pollution in recent years provided the perfect case study to see that the benefits of pollution policies also travel across boundaries."

After China began its "war on pollution" in 2014, which came with a series of strong clean air rules, pollution significantly declined nationwide. Ito and his co-authors find that China had a 14.07 microgram per cubic meter drop in particulate pollution and South Korea had a 9.63 microgram per cubic meter drop in transboundary particulate pollution from China from 2015 to 2019. This drop led to fewer deaths from transboundary air pollutionabout 300 fewer deaths for every million people a yearwhich they calculate saved South Korea $2.62 billion per year.

Ito and his co-authors did find evidence that China may have strategically reduced more air pollution in Chinese cities where most air pollution stays inside the country borders and reduced less in cities where most air pollution blows outside of the country. This implies the spillover benefits of clean air rules could be larger for neighboring countries, and therefore, further regional or global cooperation can be valuable to address air pollution.

More information: International Spillover Effects of Air Pollution: Evidence from Mortality and Health Data. epic.uchicago.cn/working_paper  ity-and-health-data/

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Geographic location of the studied cities. The 189 Chinese cities are categorized into five groups: (1) 2 + 26 cities (24 cities) with >60% heating coverage, (2) northern cities (66 cities) with >60% heating coverage, (3) alternative cities (9 cities)southern cities with 60% heating coverage, (4) nonheating cities (39 cities)southern cities with no central heating, and (5) the other southern cities (51 cities)southern cities close to the heating cities. Note that the northern cities refer to the cities in northern China by excluding the 2 + 26 cities. Southern China/cities includes alternative cities, nonheating cities and the other southern cities. Credit: Environmental Science & Technology (2023). DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06800

China's stricter clean heating policies have improved air quality in northern China, particularly in Beijing and surrounding citiespotentially reducing premature deaths due to air pollution in 2021 by more than 23,000 compared to 2015, a new study reveals.

From 2015 to 2021, the impact of winter heating on China's capital and 27 other cities saw concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) from heating activities reduce by 41.3%compared with a drop of 12.9% in other northern Chinese cities which use lower levels of clean fuels than the '2+26' cities.

China's centralized winter heating strategy is one of the world's largest energy-consumption systemsproviding free or heavily subsidized heating to urban residents. The system is usually switched on from mid-November to March.

While coal has been the main heating energy source in northern Chinaaccounting for 83% of the total heating area in 2016new policies have encouraged the use of cleaner fuels such as gas and electricity, reducing the dependence of urban areas on coal and rural areas on biomass.

Researchers from the University of Birmingham and Nankai University, China, published their findings in Environmental Science & Technology today, noting clear air quality benefits from the stricter clean heating policies in the '2 + 26' citiesBeijing and Tianjin, plus 26 cities across Hebei, Shanxi, Shandong and Henan provinces.

Corresponding Professor Zongbo Shi, from the University of Birmingham, commented that "Using a novel approach combining machine learning with causal inference, we showed that heating in northern China was a major source of air pollution, increasing annual PM 2.5 concentrations by 8.9 g m-3 in 2015. However, clean heating policies have caused the annual PM 2.5 in mainland China to reduce significantly between 2015 and 2021, with significant public health benefits."

"Our research demonstrates the effectiveness of China's clean winter heating policies on reducing PM 2.5 with particular success for the stricter clean heating policies in '2 + 26' cities, which also led to a reduced impact of heating emissions on sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ). These results demonstrate clear air quality benefits from the stricter clean heating policies in '2 + 26' cities."

In addition to central heating, biomass burning was often used for heating in rural areascoal and biomass burning were often associated with severe haze episodes during the heating periods in northern China.

In 2013, China introduced the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan, which accelerated the use of centralized and district heatingencouraging the switch to cleaner fuels.

In 2017, the Chinese central government issued its Clean Winter Heating Plan for Northern China, which aimed to increase the region's share of clean heating to 50% by 2019 and 70% by 2021 compared to the base scenario in 2016.

Additionally, the share of clean heating in '2 + 26' cities was to exceed 90% in urban areas, reaching 100% by 2021. In 2018, a three-year action plan to fight air pollution was issued. All these plans led to substantial air pollutant emission from the residential sector.

Co-author Professor Robert Elliott noted, "Clean heating policies in northern China not only reduced air pollution but also greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to China's push for carbon neutrality. However, we found that heating remains an important source of air pollution in northern China, particularly in cities that are not part of the '2+26' cluster. Decarbonising heating should remain a key part of China's carbon neutrality strategy that not only reduces air pollution but also provide significant public health benefits."

More information: Congbo Song et al, Attribution of Air Quality Benefits to Clean Winter Heating Polices in China: Combining Machine Learning with Causal Inference, Environmental Science & Technology (2023). DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06800. pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.2c06800 Journal information: Environmental Science & Technology
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Credit: CLICCS/Universitat Hamburg

Limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is currently not plausible, claims a new, central study released by Universitat Hamburg's Cluster of Excellence Climate, Climatic Change, and Society (CLICCS).

The participating researchers systematically assessed to what extent social changes are already underwaywhile also analyzing certain physical processes frequently discussed as tipping points. Their conclusion: Social change is essential to meeting the temperature goals set in Paris. But what has been achieved to date is insufficient. Accordingly, climate adaptation will also have to be approached from a new angle.

The interdisciplinary team of researchers addressed ten important drivers of social change: "Actually, when it comes to climate protection, some things have now been set in motion. But if you look at the development of social processes in detail, keeping global warming under 1.5 degrees still isn't plausible," says CLICCS Speaker Prof. Anita Engels.

According to the Hamburg Climate Futures Outlook, especially consumption patterns and corporate responses are slowing urgently needed climate protection measures. Other key factors like UN climate policy, legislation, climate protests and divestment from the fossil fuels are supporting efforts to meet the climate goals. As the analysis shows, however, this positive dynamic alone won't suffice to stay within the 1.5-degree limit. "The deep decarbonization required is simply progressing too slowly," says Engels.

In addition, the team assesses certain physical processes that are frequently discussed as tipping points: The loss of the Arctic sea ice and melting ice sheets are serious developmentsas are regional climate changes. But they will have very little influence on the global temperature until 2050. In this regard, a thawing permafrost, weakened Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC), and the loss of the Amazon forest are more important factorsalbeit only moderately.

"The fact is, these feared tipping points could drastically change the conditions for life on Earthbut they're largely irrelevant for reaching the Paris Agreement temperature goals," explains CLICCS co-speaker Prof. Jochem Marotzke from the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology.

The study also covers COVID-19 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Economic reconstruction programs have reinforced dependence on fossil fuels, which means the necessary changes are now less plausible than previously assumed. In contrast, whether efforts to safeguard Europe's power supply and the international community's attempts to become independent of Russian gas will undermine or accelerate the phasing out of fossil fuels in the long run remains unclear.

The path toward climate goals. The plausibility assessments indicate where social drivers and physical processes position themselves on the path toward the climate future scenario in which global climate mitigation goals are attained. Drivers and processes situated in the gray area are ambivalent with regard to reaching deep decarbonization by 2050 (social drivers), or do not affect the plausibility of attaining the Paris Agreement temperature goals (PAtg) (physical processes). Several social drivers are positioned closer to the goals as they support decarbonization (light blue area). However, the path toward climate goals is obstructed by physical processes which moderately inhibit the plausibility of attaining the Paris Agreement temperature goals (light red hexagon), and even more by social drivers which inhibit decarbonization (red hexagon). Currently, no social driver positions itself on the path of supporting deep decarbonization. More information can be found in Tables 1 and 2 and in the assessments in Chapter 6. Credit: CLICCS/Universitat Hamburg

Importance of human agency, new approach to adaptation

The outlook is currently the only assessment that interlinks social sciences and natural sciences analysis in an integrated study to assess the plausibility of certain climate futures. More than 60 experts have contributed. According to the study, the best hope for shaping a positive climate future lies in the ability of society to make fundamental changes ("human agency"). In addition, the outlook reveals a range of conditions for doing so, for instance that transnational initiatives and non-government actors continue to support climate protection, and that protests keep up the pressure on politicians.

"The question of what is not just theoretically possible, but also plausible, that is, can realistically be expected, offers us new points of departure," says Anita Engels. "If we fail to meet the climate goals, adapting to the impacts will become all the more important."

In this regard, the Hamburg Climate Futures Outlook introduces a new tool for testing the long-term effects of various measures. They need to do more than provide support once the crisis strikes. Engels says, "In order to be equipped for a warmer world, we have to anticipate changes, get the affected parties on board, and take advantage of local knowledge. Instead of just reacting, we need to begin an active transformation here and now."

More information: Anita Engels et al, Hamburg Climate Futures Outlook: The plausibility of a 1.5C limit to global warmingsocial drivers and physical processes, Universitat Hamburg (2022). DOI: 10.25592/uhhfdm.11230
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A special issue of the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment highlights how a revolution in digital technology has created the need for a new research framework to assess the ecological role of structural diversity. Purdue University photo/Songlin Few. Credit: Purdue University / Songlin Fei

A special issue of the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment lays the foundation for pursuing structural diversity as a new research direction in ecology. The issue also describes the digital data collection methods that enable the new research direction, and the applications of the work in various ecosystems.

"Structural diversity is thinking about what elements occupy a space and how they have been arranged in the space," said the special issue's lead editor, Songlin Fei, a professor of forestry and natural resources and the Dean's Chair of Remote Sensing at Purdue. "The hope is that we're providing a framework that can be applied regardless of the system that you're working in, from terrestrial to aquatic."

As Fei and three co-editors wrote in their overview, the special issue's contributions "provide a new framework for structural diversity, new applications to ecological theory, and case studies."

The co-editors were Purdue's Brady Hardiman, associate professor of urban ecology in Purdue's Department of Forestry and Natural Resources; Elizabeth LaRue, assistant professor of biological sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso; and Kyla Dahlin, associate professor of geography, environment and spatial sciences at Michigan State University.

Six of the seven lead authors in the special issue are early-career scientists who are developing applications for the 3D technologies that could result in new ecological theories. These technologies include light detection and ranging (lidar), and data sensors mounted on drones and satellites.

"Adopting these emerging digital tools and technologies will enable the next generation of ecologists to gracefully operate a fleet of sensors to measure ecosystems and swim freely in the resulting ocean of data," the editors wrote.

Such methods form the basis of Purdue's new Center for Digital Forestry, which Fei directs. As one of the five strategic investments in Purdue's Next Moves, the center leverages digital technology and multidisciplinary expertise to measure, monitor and manage urban and rural forests to maximize social, economic and ecological benefits.

"In the past, as scientists we measured the Earth as a flat entity," said LaRue, a former postdoctoral researcher mentored by Fei and Hardiman. "That's in part because we didn't have good technology to measure 3D aspects of the planet."

Those aspects include elevation differences and fine-scale features such as the branching patterns of trees. Previously, researchers had to make such measurements by hand.

"The technology is rapidly advancing. We need to catch up on the science and the theory that are being enabled by these 3D technologies," she said.

The special issue notes that despite key work already started in forestry, more needs to be done in ecosystem types like wetlands, grasslands and marine ecosystems.

These images contain 3D data collected by drone-mounted sensors. The images compare structural diversity in a native grassland (top) with an area invaded by shrubs after cattle grazing (bottom) in the Jornada Experimental Range of southern New Mexico. The invaded area shows higher structural diversity. Credit: Elizabeth LaRue / University of Texas at El Paso

"Our knowledge is still quite limited about structural diversity in different ecosystem types," LaRue said.

Traditionally, scientists have sought to measure biodiversity by counting species and assessing their genetic diversity.

"These existing measures come back to this basic question: How much of the available ecological space has been occupied by different organisms?" Hardiman said. "The more ecological space that has been occupied by different species, the more stable the system might be, because missing one species would not cause the collapse of the system."

But with the new 3D digital technologies, researchers can now quickly determine the layered arrangement of species within an environment, along with their size and number. Such capabilities benefit land managers as well as researchers. Managers now can often collect higher-quality data much faster and at less expense to help their decision-making. Sometimes they can simply use a cellphone app to make measurements that previously required a tape measure.

The editors and authors of the special issue highlight four challenges that researchers need to address to realize the full potential of such digital advances in ecology.

The first challenge is for ecologists and environmental scientists to collaborate more extensively with colleagues in other specialties. The needed expertise ranges from aviation technology, engineering and computer science to graphic design, information science and the social sciences.

The second challenge is to apply supercomputers, cloud computing, machine learning and artificial intelligence to process the massive 3D data sets that digital technology now generates.

"A lot of the data we work with is publicly accessible and available," Fei said. But researchers sometimes lack the expertise to take advantage of it. "They don't have the computational capacity or the right tools to handle it," he said.

The third challenge is to adopt new approaches to better assess the hundreds of variables in ecosystem structure that 3D data sets now often present. Instead of depending on traditional hypothesis testing, the editorial team recommended that researchers should take data-driven approaches or combine the two.

Finally, the editors emphasized the critical importance of training the next generation of ecologists in digital technology.

"New data-oriented skills such as acquisition, visualization, analysis, and management of large datasets must become essential parts of ecological training," they wrote.
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The characteristics of lunar tidal wave in the plasmapause. Credit: Nature Physics (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41567-022-01882-8

An international team of space scientists reports that the moon exerts a tidal impact on the plasmasphere. For their paper published in the journal Nature Physics, the group used data from multiple spacecraft over a nearly 40-year period to measure tidal perturbations in the plasmapause. Balazs Heilig, with the Institute of Earth Physics and Space Science, in Hungary, has published a News & Views piece in the same journal issue, explaining the nature of the plasmasphere and outlining the work in this new effort.

Early scientists found a connection between the tides and the movement of the moon thousands of years ago. More recent evidence suggests the moon's pull acts on the ionosphere as well. In this new study, the researchers wondered if the moon might also have an impact on the plasmasphere.

The plasmasphere is a toroidal mass of plasma that surrounds the Earth. It lies beyond the ionosphere and is made up mostly of electrons and protons. Its particles are charged by the ionosphere, and its outer boundary is known as the plasmapause.

To find out if it is impacted by the moon's gravity, the researchers obtained data from approximately 36,000 crossings of the plasmasphere by spacecraft over the years 1977 to 2015. They also used data from the Van Allen Probes from the years 2012 to 2019 to gain a better perspective on possible plasmasphere modulations.

Ocean tides (blue) compared to plasmapause tides (orange). Credit: Chinese Academy of Sciences

The group found that they were able to isolate tidal variations in the shape of the plasmapause that could be associated with the position of the moon, clear evidence that the moon does exert an influence on the plasmasphere. They also found that they were able to see monthly periodicities in the changes in plasmapause.

The researchers propose that three basic elements are responsible for the tidal variations: the existence of a two-body systemnamely the Earth and moonalong with the existence of the plasma field and the existence of the magnetic field. They further suggest that similar tidal variations likely occur in other two-body systems throughout the universe.

More information: Chao Xiao et al, Evidence for lunar tide effects in Earth's plasmasphere, Nature Physics (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41567-022-01882-8 Balazs Heilig, Lunar modulations, Nature Physics (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41567-022-01913-4 Journal information: Nature Physics

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Nydia Ayala, left, and Andrew Smith in Psychology have developed a revised method for an eyewitness lineup. Credit: Christopher Gannon/Iowa State University

Iowa State researchers have developed a new procedure to capture more information from eyewitnesses during police investigations and better detect a suspect's guilt or innocence.

During a typical eyewitness lineup, police display a "six pack" of photos. One is the police suspect. The other five are "fillers;" they fit the description of the culprit, but the investigators know they are innocent. The witness selects the person who best matches their memory or rejects the whole lineup if they don't think the culprit is present. Investigators following best practices then ask the witness to rate how confident they are in their decision.

Previous studies have found a high confidence rating from eyewitnesses (i.e., 90% or more) implies greater accuracy. But when an eyewitness picks a filler or rejects the whole lineup, which happens in an estimated 24% and 35% of lineups, respectively, investigators miss out on potentially valuable evidence.

"The standard eyewitness line-up is a helpful tool for investigators, but it could be better and provide a lot more information," said Andrew Smith, a cognitive psychologist and assistant professor at Iowa State.

Smith and Nydia Ayala, a fourth-year Ph.D. student, are interested in memory and decision-making in the context of the criminal justice system. Over the last three years, they've developed and repeatedly tested what they call the "Simultaneous Lineup Plus Rule Out Procedure." Their latest study, published in Psychology, Public Policy and Law, adds to their findings that the procedure improves the accuracy of lineups and can help inform investigations.

Enhancing, not erasing

"One of the benefits of the rule out procedure is it's highly feasible," said Ayala. "We're not asking investigators to stop doing standard simultaneous lineups with six packs. We're just asking them to tack six confidence questions onto the end."

With the researchers' proposed change, eyewitnesses would still make an initial selection or rejection of the whole lineup and give a confidence rating for their decision. But then they'd look again at each of the photos they did not select from the first round and answer: how confident are you this is not the culprit?

"This ensures that even when a witness picks a filler or rejects a lineup, they still tell police something that speaks directly to the likelihood that the suspect is guilty or innocent. We're not getting that with the standard lineup," said Smith.

To show how this could be beneficial, Ayala gave the example of an eyewitness who selects the second face in a six pack with 60% confidence. If the second face was a filler, police following the standard lineup procedure would not receive any information about their suspect, the fourth face. With the new method, the eyewitness might look at the fourth face in the lineup and say the individual was not the culprit with 100% confidence. This could indicate that the police's suspect is innocent.

"If cops use this procedure, they're going to do much better at knowing if they're on the right track or need to go back to the drawing board," said Smith. "It might also make for compelling evidence in court cases when defense lawyers have a witness who is able to say, 'I'm 100% sure it is not that guy.'"

Results

In the researchers' latest study, 3,281 participants watched a 90-second simulated crime video. The culprit's face was in view for 45 seconds. After, the participants worked on word scrambles for four-five minutes to prevent them from rehearsing the image of the culprit. The researchers explained this was built into the experiment to mimic the natural passage of time real eyewitness experience between viewing a crime and completing a lineup.

The participants were randomly assigned to the standard lineup or rule out procedure and informed that they may or may not see the culprit from the video among the photographs.

With the standard lineup experiment, the researchers found that 11% of the participants who viewed a lineup that did not include the culprit were 100% confident in rejecting the whole lineup. They were accurate 81% of the time. But with the rule out procedure, nearly half (43%) of the participants said they were 100% confident that the innocent suspect was not the culprit, and their accuracy increased to 87%.

"That bump in accuracy from 81% to 87% was relatively small, but it's not the whole story because the rule out procedure also drastically kicked up the number of people who can give high confidence rejections, which are highest in accuracy," said Smith.

Essentially, the rule out procedure could mean more witnesses are able to indicate the likelihood that the suspect is guilty or innocent. Smith and Ayala say it's time for the criminal justice system to move beyond standard lineups and adopt the rule out procedure.

More information: Nydia T. Ayala et al, The rule-out procedure: Increasing the potential for police investigators to detect suspect innocence from eyewitness lineup procedures., Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition (2022). DOI: 10.1037/mac0000018 Journal information: Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition
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Two species of feather mites (both males) from the Laysan Albatross. A) Echinacarus petaliferus (Trouessart, 1898) and B) Diomedacarus gigas (Trouessart, 1895). Credit: Tsukasa Waki from Toho University, Japan.

Phoebastria immutabilis, commonly known as the Laysan albatross, is a large seabird native to the North Pacific Ocean. Owing to the decrease in their population size, this species has been listed as "Near Threatened" in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Laysan albatrosses, like other birds, have a symbiotic relationship with feather mites, a species of highly host-specific parasites that inhabit the feathers of the birds.

Now, with the threat of extinction looming over P. immutabilis, the feather mites could be in danger, too. Changes in the population dynamics of either host or their symbiont (the organism living in symbiosis with the host) can lead to an ecological imbalance. However, their current population and infection status remains ambiguous in Japan.

To bridge this gap, Professor Satoshi Shimano from Hosei University, along with Associate Professor Tsukasa Waki from Toho University and Professor Masaki Eda from Hokkaido University, all in Japan, investigated the current status of P. Immutabilis feather mites.

They studied bird specimens from in and around Japanese coastal waters. Their recent work was published in Systematic and Applied Acarology. Sharing the motivation behind their investigation, Prof. Shimano states, "The feather mite Compressalges nipponiae, which infects the Crested Ibis, is known to have become extinct with the disappearance of its host population in Japan. Therefore, information on the mite symbionts, thought to clean the host's feathers, could be helpful in conserving the Layasan Albatross."

Two species of feather mites (both males) from the Laysan Albatross. A) Echinacarus petaliferus (Trouessart, 1898) and B) Diomedacarus gigas (Trouessart, 1895). Credit: Tsukasa Waki from Toho University, Japan.

Feather mites from three preserved P. immutabilis wing feathers were studied using microscopy and molecular analyses. The team identified 603 members of Diomedacarus gigas, and two adult males of Echinacarus petaliferus. Remarkably, this is the first study to report on the occurrence of D. gigas in Japan in the last 50 years, and the first-ever on E. petaliferus. The team provided a detailed morphological redescription of the isolated mites. Twenty D. giga and one E. petraliferus mites were selected for analysis of haplotype networka method to determine genetic diversity and lineage.

Every organism has a unique set of genes that do not undergo much variation over time, which makes them a molecular fingerprint. Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I (COI) was used as the target gene for haplotype analysis of D. gigas. The COI parsimony network revealed seven different haplotypes, of which six were unique to their hosts. The large proportion of unique COI haplotypes pointed to a greater genetic diversity and stable population of D. gigas. On the other hand, genetic information could not be obtained for E. petaliferus and additional research is expected for this species. The team concluded that E. petaliferus was a rare species in Japan, with a high risk of extinction.

In summary, these findings highlight the strong correlation between the ecology of the mites and the population of P. immutabilis. Foreseeing possible future avenues for their work, Dr. Waki speculates, "We believe that the information on the Laysan albatross and the distribution of its symbionts will enable better conservation planning and extinction risk assessment for this species. This knowledge will ultimately lead to a better preservation of ecosystems for future generations."

More information: Tsukasa Waki et al, Two feather mite species (Alloptidae, Freyanidae) associated with the Laysan Albatross Phoebastria immutabilis (Rothschild, 1893) (Diomedeidae) from Japanese coastal waters, Systematic and Applied Acarology (2023). DOI: 10.11158/saa.28.1.7

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Credit: University of Cambridge

A new e-book discusses developments in liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) technology achieved with support from the APRA project. Authored by professor of polymer physics Eugene M. Terentjev of APRA project host University of Cambridge, the e-book sheds light on these smart plastics and specifically on how LCEs bring automation into materials.

What exactly are LCEs?

LCEs are a rubbery network of polymers that exhibit a reversible shape change under various stimuli. The e-book describes them as "a new class of materials with physical intelligence." It goes on to say, "These are plastics that feel and respond to their environment, making decisions, analyzing and diagnosing problems without human intervention. Liquid crystalline elastomers are truly the material of the future."

The multifunctional polymer materials developed under the APRA project are recyclable and re-processable. One unique LCE property described in the e-book is soft elasticity, "which combines the dissipation properties of a liquid with the mechanical strength of a thermoset to produce levels of vibration damping far above market-leading technologies based on polyurethane or silicone."

LCEs also have strong pressure-sensitive adhesion (PSA), being sticky to touch and bonding to most surfaces. Through APRA, the University of Cambridge is working with technology spin-off Cambridge Smart Plastics to develop a new concept using reversibly adhesive LCEs, described "as simple as a hand that grips and let's [sic] go on demand." They have created a naturally sticky rubber whose properties change by heating it, allowing easy detaching. When it cools, the rubber becomes sticky again, giving this "truly reusable adhesive" a second life.

Another amazing property is the ability of LCEs to reversibly contract and expand on heating and cooling. "If the material is programmed to a given shape when aligned, then this will become its natural shape. However, heating the material will cause up to 100200% contraction, which is fully reversible (the LCE extending back into its natural shape when cooled). This mechanical actuation allows us to design actuators, artificial muscles, or an LCE engine working on a difference in temperature between two containers."

A recent breakthrough made by the researchers enabled them to overcome the long-standing obstacles to using LCE actuation in practical devices. This breakthrough was the development of LCE vitrimers. "Vitrimers are much more stable than other transient elastomer networks, but still allow thermal re-molding (making the material fully renewable). This makes it possible to create complex shapes with intricate local alignment (which are impossible in traditional permanently elastomers)," according to the e-book.

These properties pave the way for a whole host of LCE applications: sound isolation pads, devices that dampen road vibration to improve light detection and ranging accuracy and passenger comfort, fully reversible adhesive tapes that "eliminate the 'single-use' nature of today's adhesives," heliotracking solar panels and engines converting waste heat into useful work. The 5-year APRA (Active Polymers for Renewable Functional Actuators) project ends in September 2023.

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Artist's interpretation of a remarkable 319-million-year-old fish that preserves the earliest fossilized brain of a backboned animal. CT images of the brain are helping to unravel the sequence of neural evolution in one of todays most diverse vertebrate lineages. The fish, Coccocephalus wildi, would have been 6 to 8 inches long and likely fed on small crustaceans and aquatic insects. Credit: Marcio L. Castro.

The CT-scanned skull of a 319-million-year-old fossilized fish, pulled from a coal mine in England more than a century ago, has revealed the oldest example of a well-preserved vertebrate brain.

The brain and its cranial nerves are roughly an inch long and belong to an extinct bluegill-size fish. The discovery opens a window into the neural anatomy and early evolution of the major group of fishes alive today, the ray-finned fishes, according to the authors of a University of Michigan-led study scheduled for publication Feb. 1 in Nature.

The serendipitous find also provides insights into the preservation of soft parts in fossils of backboned animals. Most of the animal fossils in museum collections were formed from hard body parts such as bones, teeth and shells.

The CT-scanned brain analyzed for the new study belongs to Coccocephalus wildi, an early ray-finned fish that swam in an estuary and likely dined on small crustaceans, aquatic insects and cephalopods, a group that today includes squid, octopuses and cuttlefish. Ray-finned fishes have backbones and fins supported by bony rods called rays.

When the fish died, the soft tissues of its brain and cranial nerves were replaced during the fossilization process with a dense mineral that preserved, in exquisite detail, their three-dimensional structure. Animation showing CT-scanned images of the Coccocephalus wildi fossilized skull (light yellow), followed by the fossilized fish brain and cranial nerves (pink) and otolith ear-stones (white) inside the skull. Credit: University of Michigan Museum of Paleontology.

"An important conclusion is that these kinds of soft parts can be preserved, and they may be preserved in fossils that we've had for a long timethis is a fossil that's been known for over 100 years," said U-M paleontologist Matt Friedman, a senior author of the new study and director of the Museum of Paleontology.

The lead author is U-M doctoral student Rodrigo Figueroa, who did the work as part of his dissertation, under Friedman, in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences.

"Not only does this superficially unimpressive and small fossil show us the oldest example of a fossilized vertebrate brain, but it also shows that much of what we thought about brain evolution from living species alone will need reworking," Figueroa said.

"With the widespread availability of modern imaging techniques, I would not be surprised if we find that fossil brains and other soft parts are much more common than we previously thought. From now on, our research group and others will look at fossil fish heads with a new and different perspective."

The skull fossil from England is the only known specimen of its species, so only nondestructive techniques could be used during the U-M-led study.

The work on Coccocephalus is part of a broader effort by Friedman, Figueroa and colleagues that uses computed tomography (CT) scanning to peer inside the skulls of early ray-finned fishes. The goal of the larger study is to obtain internal anatomical details that provide insights about evolutionary relationships.

In the case of C. wildi, Friedman was not looking for a brain when he fired up his micro-CT scanner and examined the skull fossil.

"I scanned it, then I loaded the data into the software we use to visualize these scans and noticed that there was an unusual, distinct object inside the skull," he said.

The unidentified blob was brighter on the CT imageand therefore likely denserthan the bones of the skull or the surrounding rock.

"It is common to see amorphous mineral growths in fossils, but this object had a clearly defined structure," Friedman said.

The mystery object displayed several features found in vertebrate brains: It was bilaterally symmetrical, it contained hollow spaces similar in appearance to ventricles, and it had multiple filaments extending toward openings in the braincase, similar in appearance to cranial nerves, which travel through such canals in living species.

The fossilized skull of Coccocephalus wildi, an early ray-finned fish that swam in an estuary 319 million years ago. The fish is facing to the right, with the jaws visible in the lower right portion of the fossil. The eye socket is the circular, bumpy feature above the jaws. This fish would have been 6 to 8 inches long, about the size of a bluegill. Credit: Jeremy Marble, University of Michigan News.

"It had all these features, and I said to myself, 'Is this really a brain that I'm looking at?'" Friedman said. "So I zoomed in on that region of the skull to make a second, higher-resolution scan, and it was very clear that that's exactly what it had to be. And it was only because this was such an unambiguous example that we decided to take it further."

Though preserved brain tissue has rarely been found in vertebrate fossils, scientists have had better success with invertebrates. For example, the intact brain of a 310-million-year-old horseshoe crab was reported in 2021, and scans of amber-encased insects have revealed brains and other organs. There is even evidence of brains and other parts of the nervous system recorded in flattened specimens more than 500 million years old.

The preserved brain of a 300-million-year-old shark relative was reported in 2009. But sharks, rays and skates are cartilaginous fishes, which today hold relatively few species compared to the ray-finned fish lineage containing Coccocephalus. Early ray-finned fishes like Coccocephalus can tell scientists about the initial evolutionary phases of today's most diverse fish group, which includes everything from trout to tuna, seahorses to flounder.

There are roughly 30,000 ray-finned fish species, and they account for about half of all backboned animal species. The other half is split between land vertebratesbirds, mammals, reptiles and amphibiansand less diverse fish groups like jawless fishes and cartilaginous fishes.

The Coccocephalus skull fossil is on loan to Friedman from England's Manchester Museum. It was recovered from the roof of the Mountain Fourfoot coal mine in Lancashire and was first scientifically described in 1925. The fossil was found in a layer of soapstone adjacent to a coal seam in the mine.

Though only its skull was recovered, scientists believe that C. wildi would have been 6 to 8 inches long. Judging from its jaw shape and its teeth, it was probably a carnivore, according to Figueroa.

When the fish died, scientists suspect it was quickly buried in sediments with little oxygen present. Such environments can slow the decomposition of soft body parts.

In addition, a chemical micro-environment inside the skull's braincase may have helped to preserve the delicate brain tissues and to replace them with a dense mineral, possibly pyrite, Figueroa said.

CT scan of the Coccocephalus wildi skull, showing the fossilized brain and associated structures. The brain and cranial nerves appear bright white in the center of the images. The fish is facing to the left. The eye sockets are the large, black oval areas surrounded by bone, and the jaws are below the eye sockets. Credit: Figueroa et al. in Nature, February 2023.

Evidence supporting this idea comes from the cranial nerves, which send electrical signals between the brain and the sensory organs. In the Coccocephalus fossil, the cranial nerves are intact inside the braincase but disappear as they exit the skull.

"There seems to be, inside this tightly enclosed void in the skull, a little micro-environment that is conducive to the replacement of those soft parts with some kind of mineral phase, capturing the shape of tissues that would otherwise simply decay away," Friedman said.

Detailed analysis of the fossil, along with comparisons to the brains of modern-fish specimens from the U-M Museum of Zoology collection, revealed that the brain of Coccocephalus has a raisin-size central body with three main regions that roughly correspond to the forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain in living fishes.

Cranial nerves project from both sides of the central body. Viewed as a single unit, the central body and the cranial nerves resemble a tiny crustacean, such as a lobster or a crab, with projecting arms, legs and claws.

Notably, the brain structure of Coccocephalus indicates a more complicated pattern of fish-brain evolution than is suggested by living species alone, according to the authors.

"These features give the fossil real value in understanding patterns of brain evolution, rather than simply being a curiosity of unexpected preservation," Figueroa said.

For example, all living ray-finned fishes have an everted brain, meaning that the brains of embryonic fish develop by folding tissues from the inside of the embryo outward, like a sock turned inside out.

All other vertebrates have evaginated brains, meaning that neural tissue in developing brains folds inward.

"Unlike all living ray-finned fishes, the brain of Coccocephalus folds inward," Friedman said. "So, this fossil is capturing a time before that signature feature of ray-finned fish brains evolved. This provides us with some constraints on when this trait evolvedsomething that we did not have a good handle on before the new data on Coccocephalus."

Comparisons to living fishes showed that the brain of Coccocephalus is most similar to the brains of sturgeons and paddlefish, which are often called "primitive" fishes because they diverged from all other living ray-finned fishes more than 300 million years ago.

Friedman and Figueroa are continuing to CT scan the skulls of ray-finned fish fossils, including several specimens that Figueroa brought to Ann Arbor on loan from institutions in his home country, Brazil. Figueroa said his doctoral dissertation was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic but is expected to be completed in summer 2024.

The Nature study includes data produced at U-M's Computed Tomography in Earth and Environmental Science facility, which is supported by the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts.

The other authors of the paper are Sam Giles of London's Natural History Museum and the University of Birmingham; Danielle Goodvin and Matthew Kolmann of the U-M Museum of Paleontology; and Michael Coates and Abigail Caron of the University of Chicago.

Friedman and Figueroa said the discovery highlights the importance of preserving specimens in paleontology and zoology museums.

"Here we've found remarkable preservation in a fossil examined several times before by multiple people over the past century," Friedman said. "But because we have these new tools for looking inside of fossils, it reveals another layer of information to us.

"That's why holding onto the physical specimens is so important. Because who knows, in 100 years, what people might be able to do with the fossils in our collections now."

More information: Matt Friedman, Exceptional fossil preservation and evolution of the ray-finned fish brain, Nature (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05666-1. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-05666-1 Hugo Dutel et al, Fish fossil unfolds clues to vertebrate brain evolution, Nature (2023). DOI: 10.1038/d41586-023-00243-6 , www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00243-6 Journal information: Nature
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The damselfly hasn't been seen in France for years.

When the damselfly reappeared in France in 2009 after a 133-year absence, it was considered a small miracle.

But the dragonfly's smaller cousin hasn't been seen in four years, sparking fresh fears it may be gone for gooda worrying indicator of the health of the world's precious wetlands in which it breeds.

Damselflies face menaces on multiple fronts. In Asia, the wetlands and jungles in which they live are often cleared for crops like palm oil. In Latin America their habitats are razed to build houses and offices.

In Europe and North America, pesticides, pollutants and climate change have posed the biggest threat.

So when the Nehalennia speciosa damselfly was spotted in wetlands in the Jura region of eastern France for the first time since 1876, scientists were overjoyedcalling the rediscovery an "ecological scoop".

But that comeback was probably only a "remission from the collapse that our biodiversity is suffering," said naturalist Francois Dehondt.

The last confirmed sighting was in 2019, when a severe drought gripped the Jura, and experts fear there might not be a second comeback.

"The water source that shelters the insect was reduced to nothing" by drought, Dehondt wrote in France's Le Monde newspaper in December.

In 2020, water levels remained low. The following year, some water returned to the bogs of the Jura where a dozen or so damselflies had been spotted in 2009.

And then last yearthe hottest on record in Francethe region was once again parched.

Damselflies were nowhere to be seen.

Wetlands store carbon, provide clean water and food and are home to one in 10 of the world's known species.

'Warning lights'

With a slender green-blue body that resembles bamboo and delicate translucent wings, the Nehalennia speciosa might look like a dragonfly to the untrained eye.

But at about 25 millimetres (less than an inch) long, Europe's smallest damselflies don't fly as well and often need to be shaken from bushes to be seen, making them very hard to detect.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said 16 percent of all 6,016 dragonfly and damselfly species globally risk extinction. In France, the damselfly is classified as "critically endangered".

France's Office for Insects and their Environment (OPIE), which is in charge of monitoring damselflies, suspects the subspecies has disappeared again.

"Given the state of environmental degradation and drought that we have seen for years, (the likelihood of seeing a damselfly in the Jura) is really very compromised," OPIE's Xavier Houard told AFP.

"The warning lights are red. But it's too soon to be completely certain," he added.

The agency will only confirm a "proven disappearance" of a species after 25 years of "non-observation" during which thorough searches are carried out.

And Houard has not lost hope just yet.

"The species has already demonstrated its ability to pass under the radar of observers" for over a century, he said.

The damselfly's very presence is 'a wonderful indicator of the health of wetlands'

World Wetlands Day

The demise of France's damselflies further underpins how vulnerable the country's wetlands area reality across Europe and indeed the world.

"Globally, these ecosystems are disappearing three times faster than forests," IUCN director general Bruno Oberle said in 2021 when the organisation updated its Red List of Threatened Species.

Since 1900 an estimated 64 percent of the world's wetlandswhich include lakes, rivers, marshes, lagoons and peat bogshave disappeared, according to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands treaty.

Wetlands are crucial for the planet's health. They store 25 percent of the world's carbon and provide clean water and food. Up to 40 percent of the world's species live and breed in wetlands, according to the United Nations.

Yet a quarter are in danger of extinction.

The UNwhich marks World Wetlands Day on Thursdaysaid there is an "urgent need" to restore 50 percent of destroyed wetlands by 2030.

In the meantime, France's scientists continue to scour for the elusive damselfly, whose very presence is "a wonderful indicator... of the health of wetlands", according to Houard.

Their disappearance would be nothing short of an "alarm bell", he added.

 2023 AFP
Magician Jeffrey Wang performs during a "China Week" magic show at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, Los Angeles, the United States, on Jan. 28, 2023. It was the first time the castle organized a "China Week" in celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year since its founding 60 years ago. (Taylor Wong/Magic Castle/Handout via Xinhua)

A full house of audience watched solid coins vanish under poker cards and reappear, and experienced mind reading as they were inspired by the narratives of a young Chinese magician at the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, Los Angeles.

The 23-year-old Jeffrey Wang performed his breathtaking card trick just inches from the audience, as he welcomed them into a unique world of infinite possibilities.

Wang is among the 14 Chinese magicians that presented a "China Week," a week-long magic show from Jan. 23 to 29 at the Magic Castle, home of the Academy of Magical Arts and a clubhouse for magicians and magic enthusiasts, in celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year.

The pointy-headed Gothic Renaissance mansion looms in the hills above Hollywood. Hidden doors, private rooms, live performances, and even a mystical owl that opens a secret door from the foyer to the interior of the castle -- visitors are thrilled at the secrets hidden inside the most magical and exclusive venue in Los Angeles.

It was the first time the castle organized a "China Week" in celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year since its founding 60 years ago.

"I have had this idea (organizing "China Week") for many years," Dale Salwak, producer of "China Week" and director of the world-renowned Chavez Studio of Magic, told Xinhua.

He had been discussing the plan with Hu Jinling, another Chinese magician who participated in the magic show, and finally worked out the plan of presenting week-long magic performances by Chinese magicians during the Chinese Spring Festival.

Hu, gold medal winner of the highest award of Chinese acrobatics -- the "Golden Chrysanthemum Award," said the "China Week" served as a great platform to strengthen exchanges between Chinese and Western magic communities.

Magicians from China and the United States spent half a year to make preparations for the "China Week," carefully selecting candidate performers and reviewing their performances, Hu told Xinhua.

"The 'China Week' is a window that shows the skills of Chinese magicians, and reveals the elegance of the Chinese culture. The Chinese magicians have integrated many elements of Chinese culture into their magic performances," said Hu, also deputy director of two associated organizations under the China Acrobats Association, a non-governmental organization of professional acrobats from across China.

"We have been talking about magics, a universal language. It's important that the Western world sees magicians from other parts of the world," Salwak said, adding that the Asia continent, particularly the Chinese mainland, has very rich and magical talent.

For many years, Salwak worked with his partners to bring representative Chinese performers to various conventions in the United States to broaden their opportunities overseas.

The Chinese Lunar New Year, also the Year of the Rabbit for 2023, is an appropriate occasion to bring together Chinese magicians, and let people in the Western world see their magical skills, Salwak told Xinhua.

For Wang, currently a senior at the University of Southern California (USC) majoring in math, performing at the Magic Castile offered him a great platform to show his talent and share experience with other magicians.

The young man showed great interest in magic in his childhood, and started learning magic performance at the age of six.

"I hope that through my performances, the Western audience could learn more about China and the profound Chinese culture," he told Xinhua.

Matt Felten, one of the audience sitting in a private theater at the castle for Wang's show, was cheered up by his performances.

"Wang was very brilliant, and he did a wonderful job in managing the audience," said Felten, who teaches courses on Acting Shakespeare as well as Magic and Performance at the USC.

Magicians of different countries have different styles and ways of presenting magic shows, said Felten, also a magician, adding it is a very good opportunity to experience the charm of Chinese culture through Chinese magicians' performances.

The "China Week" won cheers and applauses from the audience. The week-long show attracted more than 4,000 visitors.

"China has a long long history of circus, acrobatics and arts. The magic has involved and developed in China from those traditions," Salwak said.

"What I respect about the Chinese magicians is not only their self-discipline, their respect for the art, but also their incredible creativity, new ideas, and new expression of the old. You add that to the excitement of their personalities and the novelty of bringing their magic to the West," he told Xinhua.

"It's a winning combination all around," Salwak said.
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Credit: Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon University physicists in Pittsburgh are one step closer to building new particle detectors for the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

A team led by John Alison, an assistant professor in physics, and Manfred Paulini, a professor of physics and the Mellon College of Science associate dean for faculty and graduate affairs, has successfully built and tested prototypes for the High-Granularity Calorimeter (HGC), an upgrade to the current CMS detector. On the one hand, building functional prototypes is a major milestone several years in the making. On the other hand, the milestone is the first step in a manufacturing project that will take place over the next three years.

"CMS can be thought of as a large 3D camera that records the products of the proton-proton collisions provided by the LHC," Alison said. "For example, images collected from the detector were used to discover the Higgs boson in 2012."

Since the discovery of the Higgs boson, a major focus of the particle physics has been in studying the properties of the Higgs boson in detail and searching for new particles not predicted by the standard model of particle physics. Comparing measurements to predictions will allow new theories to be tested but more data is needed.

The LHC has a 15-year program to increase the total number of proton collisions by a factor of 20. This program requires collecting more data faster and comes at a significant cost: increased radiation. In addition to producing new exotic states of matterlike the Higgs bosonLHC proton collisions produce large amounts of ionizing radiation. This radiation is similar to that produced by a nuclear reactor and is damaging to people and the instrumentation that makes up the detector.

Built almost 20 years ago, the current CMS detector was not designed to handle the amount of radiation damage anticipated during future LHC runs. New, upgraded detectors are needed both to improve the quality of the recorded images and cope with the more challenging radiation environment. This is where the High-Granularity Calorimeter upgrade comes in.

Big Data gets bigger

The HGC will replace current CMS detectors in regions that face the most radiation. A next-generation imaging calorimeter, the HGC will significantly increase the precision with which the LHC collisions are imaged. The number of individual measurements per picture will increase from about 20,000 in current detectors to about 6 million in the HGC. The measurements of individual particles will go from the handful of numbers that the current detector provides to a high-resolution 3D movie of how the particles interact when traversing the detector.

The HGC will be built in the next five years, and Carnegie Mellon is playing a leading role in its construction. The HGC will be composed of 30,000 20-centimeter hexagonal modules. The modulesessentially radiation tolerant digital cameraswill be tiled to form wheels several meters in diameter. The wheels will then be stacked to form the full 3D detector. In total, the HGC will require 600 square meters of active silicon sensors.

Alison, Paulini and Valentina Dutta, a new assistant professor in physics, will build and test 5,000 of these modules in Wean Hall laboratory with the help of engineers, technicians and students. The remaining modules will be produced by CMS collaborators at UC Santa Barbara and Texas Tech University in the U.S., and by groups in China, India and Taiwan. Each module consists of a silicon sensor attached to a printed circuit board housing readout electronics and to a base plate, which provides overall stability.

Module construction will be performed with a series of automated robots that use pattern-recognition algorithms for assembly and then the required approximately 500 electrical connections per module are established. After a series of testing at CMU the modules are tiled onto wheels at Fermilaba particle physics lab outside of Chicagoand then sent to CERN in Switzerland for installation in the CMS detector.

The production of the first working modules this fall was part of a qualifying exercise in which the various assembly centers demonstrated that they are ready and able to build the high-quality modules needed by HGC.

The CMU group established a class 1,000 clean room on the eighth floor of Wean Hall, expanding an existing space used by the medium-energy physics group. They have installed and commissioned an 8,000-pound gantry robot to attach the different module layers and an automated wire bonder to make the electrical connections within the modules. The prototype modules allowed the group to test its automated assembly procedures and exercise the full production chain.

"It is great to see our group achieving this qualification milestone," Paulini said. "I had been working diligently for some years to bring this project to CMU since it also offers opportunities for graduate and especially undergraduate students to obtain hands-on instrumentation experience working in our lab during the semester or for summer research."

Producing a handful of modules to specification is just the beginning. During full-scale module productionstarting in 2024CMU will produce 12 modules per day until early 2026. A major challenge in ramping throughput will be recruiting and onboarding local talent.

"To meet production needs we have to grow the group with hiring four more full-time technicians and engineers who will work on the daily production line," said Jessica Parshook, the lead engineer for Carnegie Mellon's project team.

Developing and implementing reliable test procedures for quality control is another major challenge going forward. The production pipeline requires several days to build each module. Catching and fixing any flaws in production quickly will be critical. Postdoctoral fellows and graduate students will create most of the assembly and quality control procedures that will provide opportunities for a significant number of CMU undergraduates to get hands-on experience testing modern particle physics detectors.

"Our efforts here could lead to the next big discovery in physics and that excites me," said Sindhu Murthy, a doctoral student in physics. "In these early stages of setting up production, I get to see the different aspects of an engineering project of this scale. It's a great experience and a privilege to contribute to this upgrade. I'm always thinking about how we can optimize module assembly so that everything goes as planned."

Alison, Dutta and Paulini said that recent advances in image processing from machine learning will be crucial in assuring quality control during production.

"This work, a mix of computer science, machine learning and robotics, is a perfect fit for CMU and we plan to tap into resources throughout the university," Alison said.
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The 'suicidal reproduction' of Australia's northern quolls could be threatening their survival, research suggests.

For male northern quolls, sex is a death sentence.

The cute marsupials native to northern Australia are the world's largest semelparous mammal, which means that the males drop dead after their first breeding season.

But what exactly causes them to die has remained a mystery.

Research published on Wednesday suggests that the males are depriving themselves of rest in their relentless pursuit to mate with females, potentially threatening the survival of their already endangered species.

Hoping to shed light on this sex-driven death frenzy, a team of researchers strapped tiny backpacks carrying tracking devices to seven male and six female northern quolls on Groote Eylandt, an island off the coast of Australia's Northern Territory.

The data, collected over 42 days that included breeding season, was entered into a machine learning algorithm which analyzed different quoll behaviors.

The males were found to be far more active than females, who live for up to four breeding seasons.

And while females rested or laid around nearly 24 percent of the time, the proportion for males was just seven percent, according to a study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science.

The study's lead author, Joshua Gaschk of the University of the Sunshine Coast, told AFP that the "males didn't seem to be sleeping anywhere near as much as they should".

For the first time, "we might have a smoking gun" for what is causing the males to die after breeding, he said.

The researchers strapped tiny backpacks to the marsupials, which tracked their movements during mating season.

Smaller relatives of the northern quoll, such as the antechinus, are also semelparous.

But research has found that their males die from internal hemorrhaging and infection due to escalating stress hormones during mating seasonwhich is not what is killing the northern quolls.

'Mating frenzy'

Gaschk said the yearly male die-off could threaten the survival of the northern quoll, which has been badly affected by the introduction of non-native cane toads, cats and foxes to Australia.

But the carnivorous marsupials have been using this extreme breeding strategy, also known as suicidal reproduction, "for thousands of yearsthere's got to be a benefit to it," Gaschk said.

Indeed on Groote Eylandt, an island with no cane toads and few cats, the northern quolls are "not just surviving, but doing really well", he said.

Adrian Bradley of the University of Queensland, who was not involved in the study, called the new research "significant".

Bradley said he was quite certain that the "mating frenzy" of smaller semelparous marsupials like the antechinus is "stimulated as an irresistible response to the release of perfume-like pheromones from the cloacal glands of females."

The amount of weight lost during these frenzies likely explains why only smaller members of the dasyuridae family are semelparous, he said.

But for the larger northern quoll, Bradley warned it was not yet "possible to conclusively say" why some "males generally do not survive the breeding season," calling for further research.

More information: Joshua L. Gaschk et al, Resting disparity in quoll semelparity: examining the sex-linked behaviours of wild roaming northern quolls ( Dasyurus hallucatus ) during breeding season, Royal Society Open Science (2023). DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221180 Journal information: Royal Society Open Science

 2023 AFP
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UBCO researcher Haroon Mian has developed a framework that can help water distributors supply safe drinking water, while dealing with issues of climate change and sustainability. Credit: UBCO

While residents in California are still dealing with damage from last month's floodsafter years of devastating droughtsUBC Okanagan engineers are looking at better ways to manage the delivery of safe drinking water to homes.

Their research was conducted in the School of Engineering's Life Cycle Management Lab in collaboration with Universite Laval. It was published in the January edition of the Journal of Environmental Management.

Things to consider include a changing climate, costs and sustainability.

Dr. Haroon Mian, a Postdoctoral Research Associate with UBCO's School of Engineering, says municipalities and water utilities all have drinking water management strategies to ensure the water they provide is safe and plentiful. However, a natural disaster, a breach in the supply or contamination at the treatment plant can put water suppliesand human healthat risk.

"Freshwater is essential to sustain ecosystem health and our survival," says Dr. Mian. "But Earth's once plentiful freshwater resources are now under increasing pressure due to population growth, urbanization and climate change."

As water supplies become more threatened, not only is providing safe water a priority, but suppliers must also ensure that doing so will have low environmental and economic implications.

"The quality of drinking water is contingent on several important attributes such as water extraction, treatment, delivery, cost and the disposal of used water," says Dr. Mian, who conducts research in UBC's Life Cycle Management Lab. "Those factors can all be impacted by climate change. And they have a significant environmental influence in terms of natural resource depletion, waste generation and greenhouse gas emissions."

Dr. Mian and his fellow researchers have developed an integrated assessment framework that combines water quality with lifecycle assessment techniques. Working with data from small and medium-sized communities, they provided a way to assess the long-term applicability of water systems that can provide safe drinking water to people.

According to Dr. Mian, the framework provides a different lens into a more holistic view of drinking water management and its components.

"We measure factors such as water quality, changes to the environment and potential costs to determine performance data and benchmarking, thereby providing important tools to ensure these systems experience long-term effectiveness and sustainability," he adds.

Through assessment and management of these key factors, water can flow to a community at a reasonable cost while conserving natural resources and ensuring environmental protection.

The study evaluated the overall performance of several water distribution systems by combining the above-mentioned criteria. Water distributors can apply the framework to determine the best distribution management system that will provide safe drinking water to their consumers with minimal environmental and economic costs.

The framework continues to be tested to ensure it is flexible based on any setting, community or system.

"There are no perfect decision-making techniques. The results often vary based on the available data and assumptions," Dr. Mian adds. "But this framework can be useful for all water distributors."

More information: Haroon R. Mian et al, Drinking water management strategies for distribution networks: An integrated performance assessment framework, Journal of Environmental Management (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116537 Journal information: Journal of Environmental Management
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The new study analysed data gathered at the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia. Credit: Shutterstock

An international team of researchers looking for signs of intelligent life in space have used artificial intelligence (AI) to reveal eight promising radio signals in data collected at a U.S. observatory.

The results of their research, published in Nature Astronomy are remarkable. The team hasn't yet carried out an exhaustive analysis, but the paper suggests the signals have many of the characteristics we would expect if they were artificially generated. In other words, they are the kinds of signals we might pick up from an extraterrestrial civilisation broadcasting into space.

A cursory review of the new paper suggest these are indeed promising signals. They're much more compelling than what is perhaps the most famous SETI candidate, the "Wow!" signal, radio emission bearing the hallmarks of an extraterrestrial origin that was collected by an Ohio telescope in 1977.

Realistically, it's most likely that these eight new signals were generated by human technology. But the real story here is the effectiveness of AI and the techniques used by the team to dig out rare and interesting signals previously buried in the noise of human-generated radio frequency interference, such as mobile phones and GPS.

Astronomers working in the field of SETI (the search for extraterrestrial intelligence) must filter out interference produced by radio communications here on Earth.

In this case, Peter Ma from the University of Toronto and his colleagues unleashed a set of algorithms on a mountain of data collected by the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia, US. The data was gathered through a SETI initiative called Breakthrough Listen, established in 2015 by the investor Yuri Milner and his wife Julia.

Here are the characteristics astronomers look for in signals that could be artificially-generated: firstly they are narrow-band, which means that where the radio transmission is confined to only a few frequency channels. They also disappear as the telescope is moved to another direction in the sky, and they exhibit "Doppler drifting," where the frequency of the signal changes in a predictable way with time. We would expect Doppler drifting because both the transmitteron a distant planet, for exampleand the receiver, on Earth, are moving.

Buried in the noise

The Breakthrough Listen project's first candidate signal, called BLC1, was first announced in 2020. But it was later traced to transmissions associated with cheap electronic devices on this planet. The application of AI techniques to the Breakthrough Listen observing program, however, is a potential game changer for the field. Even seasoned SETI researchers are beginning to think that we might be on the cusp of a momentous scientific breakthrough.

This may explain renewed interest by groups around the world that are planning for SETI success. For example, a SETI post-detection hub has been set up at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. This will study how humans should react if we discover we are not alone in the Universe.

The International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) SETI permanent committee oversees the SETI post-detection protocols, which outline what steps scientists should take in the event of detecting a genuine signal. The IAA has opted to update the text of the protocols sometime later this year.

But the new study highlights a problem with previous signals of interest. When the team took another look at the stars associated with the eight narrow-band transmissions, they could no longer detect the signals.

It would not be surprising if many, and perhaps the vast majority of bona-fide SETI signals, were isolated events. After all, what are the chances that we point our telescopes in exactly the right direction, at the right time and with the right frequency on multiple occasions?

Missing ingredients

As I argued here a few years ago, SETI surveys would greatly benefit from employing multiple radio telescopes, operating in a manner that's known as a classical interferometer network.

These telescope arrays (groups of several antennas observing together) generate huge amounts of data. With AI onboard, the challenge is perhaps more manageable than previously thought.

Breakthrough Listen is already using telescope arrays such as MeerKAT in South Africa for SETI searches. In Europe, researchers have been experimenting with arrays that span the globe.

This European approach would help us isolate signals from human-made interference, give us multiple independent detections of individual events, and permit us to localize signals to individual stars and possibly orbiting planets.

Among the future projects is the Square Kilometer Array, an international project to build the two largest telescope arrays in the world, which will be based in Australia and South Africa. Another upcoming project is the next generation VLA (ngVLA), a series of linked telescope facilities that will be spread across the United States. These radio telescope arrays will be even more sensitive than current instruments.

It's my beliefand indeed hopethat somewhere out there intelligent beings are waiting to be discovered. The AI revolution might be the missing ingredient that previous endeavors have lacked. In particular, AI algorithms will eventually evolve into powerful tools that no longer suffer from human biases.

Lord Martin Rees, chairman of the Breakthrough Listen advisory board and the astronomer royal, has proposed that if we do find aliens they are likely to be intelligent machines operating in the depths of space, unconstrained by the biological limitations placed on humans.

If we ever do find a bona-fide signal, it could just be that it's mediated by machines on Earth and in space.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Fragment of a sampled cremated horse radius/ulna from burial mound 50 at Heath Wood. Credit: Jeff Veitch, Durham University.

Archaeologists have found what they say is the first solid scientific evidence suggesting that Vikings crossed the North Sea to Britain with dogs and horses.

Research led by Durham University, UK, and the Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Belgium, examined human and animal remains from Britain's only known Viking cremation cemetery at Heath Wood, in Derbyshire.

Scientists looked at strontium isotopes contained within the remains. Strontium is a natural element found in different ratios across the world and provides a geographical fingerprint for human and animal movements.

Their analysis showed that within the context of the archaeology, one human adult and several animals almost certainly came from the Baltic Shield area of Scandinavia, covering Norway and central and northern Sweden, and died soon after arrival in Britain.

The researchers say this suggests that Vikings were not only stealing animals when they arrived in Britain, as accounts from the time describe, but were also transporting animals from Scandinavia, too.

As the human and animal remains were found in the remnants of the same cremation pyre, the researchers believe the adult from the Baltic Shield region may have been someone important who was able to bring a horse and dog to Britain.

Viking burial mound at Heath Wood, Derbyshire, UK, being excavated. Credit: Julian Richards, University of York.

The analyzed remains are associated with the Viking Great Army, a combined force of Scandinavian warriors that invaded Britain in AD 865.

The findings are published in PLOS ONE.

Lead author Tessi Loffelmann, a doctoral researcher jointly working in the Department of Archaeology, Durham University, and the Department of Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussels, said, "This is the first solid scientific evidence that Scandinavians almost certainly crossed the North Sea with horses, dogs and possibly other animals as early as the ninth century AD and could deepen our knowledge of the Viking Great Army."

"Our most important primary source, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, states that the Vikings were taking horses from the locals in East Anglia when they first arrived, but this was clearly not the whole story, and they most likely transported animals alongside people on ships."

"This also raises questions about the importance of specific animals to the Vikings."

Cremated animal and human bone from the Heath Wood Viking cemetery. Credit: Julian Richards, University of York.

The researchers analyzed strontium ratios in the remains of two adults, one child and three animals from the Heath Wood site.

Strontium occurs naturally in the environment in rocks, soil and water before making its way into plants. When humans and animals eat those plants, strontium replaces calcium in their bones and teeth.

As strontium ratios vary in different parts of world the geographical fingerprint of the element found in human or animal remains can help show where they came from or settled.

Strontium ratios in one of the adults and the child showed that they could have been from the area local to the Heath Wood cremation site, southern or eastern England or from Europe, including Denmark and south-west Sweden which were outside of the Baltic Shield region.

But the remains of the other adult and all three animalsa horse, a dog and what the archaeologists say was possibly a pighad strontium ratios normally found in the Baltic Shield area.

Julian Richards, University of York. Credit: Decorated hilt guard from the Viking warriors sword. The sword was found in the same grave as the human and animal remains analyzed during the latest research.

While the researchers say their findings suggest the horse and dog were transported to Britain, it may be that the pig fragment was a piece from a game or another talisman or token brought from Scandinavia, rather than a live pig. The remains had also been cremated and buried under a mound, which the researchers say could be a link back to Scandinavian rituals at a time when cremation was absent in Britain.

Research co-author Professor Janet Montgomery, in the Department of Archaeology, Durham University, said, "Our study suggests that there are people and animals with different mobility histories buried at Heath Wood, and that, if they belonged to the Viking Great Army, it was made up of people from different parts of Scandinavia or the British Isles."

"This is also the first published strontium analysis on early medieval cremated remains from Britain and shows the potential that this scientific method has to shed further light on this period in history."

The research team also included archaeologists from the University of York, UK, who excavated the Heath Wood cemetery between 1998 and 2000, and the Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.

Clasp from the Viking warriors shield found during the original excavations in 1998-2000. The clasp was found in the same grave as the human and animal remains analyzed during the latest research. Credit: Julian Richards, University of York.

Professor Julian Richards, of the Department of Archaeology, University of York, who co-directed the excavations at the Heath Wood Viking cemetery, said, "The Bayeux Tapestry depicts Norman cavalry disembarking horses from their fleet before the Battle of Hastings, but this is the first scientific demonstration that Viking warriors were transporting horses to England two hundred years earlier."

"It shows how much Viking leaders valued their personal horses and hounds that they brought them from Scandinavia, and that the animals were sacrificed to be buried with their owners."

More information: Janet Montgomery et al, Sr analyses from only known Scandinavian cremation cemetery in Britain illuminate early Viking journey with horse and dog across the North Sea, PLoS ONE (2023). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280589 Journal information: PLoS ONE
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Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Before summer, 14 more humans could launch from U.S. soil as SpaceX has three missions set to lift off from Kennedy Space Center on Crew Dragons while Boeing looks to send its CST-100 Starliner up to the International Space Station for the first time with people on board.

"We're heading into, I would say one of the busiest increments in the history of station," said Kathryn Lueders, NASA's associate administrator for the Space Operations Mission Directorate at press conference last week. "We have a string of critical missions coming up."

That includes not only crewed flights from the Space Coast, but a replacement Soyuz capsule to be sent up from Russia to the station for one damaged by micrometeorites and resupply missions from SpaceX, Northrop Grumman and Russia in the next four months.

The first crewed flight, though, coming no earlier than Feb. 26 is the Crew-6 mission flying on SpaceX's Crew Dragon Endeavour taking up NASA astronaut and mission commander Stephen Bowen, flying for the fourth time, and first timers pilot Woody Hoburg of NASA, United Arab Emirates astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. Liftoff from KSC's Launch 39-A atop a Falcon 9 rocket is slated for 2:07 a.m.

This is the second SpaceX launch to bring up a Russian cosmonaut, part of the U.S.-Roscosmos exchange that sends up NASA astronauts on Soyuz crews as well. The presence of AlNeyadi, though, marks the first long-term stay of an astronaut from the United Arab Emirates, and his flight was part of a game of musical chairs among the U.S., Russia and Axiom Space, which had previously purchased a ride on board a Soyuz in 2020, but traded to NASA for a future seatthis seaton a SpaceX flight.

"It's exciting to have another country's astronaut onboard and it's exciting to expand human spaceflight across the globe," said NASA's Joel Montalbano, manager of the International Space Station Program.

The quartet have more than 250 scientific experiments on their plate for what's planned to be around a 180-day stay on board. They take over for Crew-5, who arrived to the ISS back in October and will fly home with a splashdown off Florida's coast in early March.

Crew-6 joins Expedition 68 on the station, which currently features NASA's Frank Rubio and two Russian cosmonauts who flew up to the ISS on board a Soyuz spacecraft last September, but that spacecraft suffered damage to its coolant system leading to Russia's decision to replace their ride on a launch planned for Feb. 20. The existing Soyuz will depart the station without anyone on board making way for the replacement vehicle. The trio is now scheduled to remain on board until the fall.

The ISS has been continuously occupied since November 2000, orbiting the Earth about every 90 minutes at around 250 miles altitude on average traveling about 17,500 mph.

The normal population of seven could get bumped twice before the summer with short-duration visits from both Boeing's Starliner on the Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission as early as mid-April and the second private Axiom Space mission on a SpaceX Crew Dragon that could come before the end of June.

CFT will bring NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams launching atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Stations Space Launch Complex 41 on a planned eight-day mission that if successful will pave the way for Starliner to join SpaceX Crew Dragons for normal ferry service from the U.S. on crew rotation missions to the ISS.

The Ax-2 mission will bring up former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, who last flew in 2017 setting an American record with 665 days in space. Now Axiom Space's Director of Human Space Flight, Whitson will command the crew of four that also features aviator John Shoffner as pilot and two mission specialist seats paid for by the Saudi Space Commission. The names of those two have not been released.

On the schedule for no earlier than March, and shoehorned between Crew-6 and Ax-2 but not headed for the ISS, is a third SpaceX Crew Dragon mission from KSCPolaris Dawn.

It's the first of three planned private missions dubbed the Polaris Program spearheaded by billionaire Jared Isaacman that will fly him and three others on board the same spacecraft that flew him on the three-day orbital flight Inspiration4 back in fall 2021the Crew Dragon Resilience. Also flying are Scott Poteet, given the title of mission pilot, specialist Sarah Gillis, and specialist and medical officer Anna Menon. Both Gillis and Menon are SpaceX employees.

The mission plans to let at least one of the four crew venture outside the spacecraft on a tethered spacewalk during a five-day mission orbiting the Earth at more than 853 miles altitude, which would break a mark set by Gemini 11 in 1966 for crewed low-Earth orbit.

SpaceX has surged ahead of Boeing with its crew capsule since 2020. Both had been running at similar paces in 2019, but Boeing's first attempt to rendezvous with the ISS in December of that year failed, causing more than a year and a half of delays before finally making a successful docking last May.

SpaceX, however, was able to complete its crewed test flight, Demo-2, back in May 2020, setting up its first operational mission later that year with Crew-1. Crew-6 marks SpaceX's sixth operational flight with Crew-7 planned this fall. With With private missions Ax-1 and Inspiration4 already under its belt, the four existing Crew Dragon spacecraftEndeavour, Resilience, Endurance and Freedomhave flown eight times with humans on board. That total could grow to 12 by the end of the year.

Crew Dragon Endeavour, which flew on Demo-2, Crew-2 and Ax-1, is making its fourth flight, the most of any of that spacecraft.

"We actually have one more Crew Dragon vehicle in early stages of production now," said SpaceX's Sarah Walker, director of Dragon Mission Management. "We expect it to come online and enter the flight rotation late next year, I believe. So that'll bring us to a total of three cargo vehicles and five crew vehicles."

She said while initially Crew Dragon is qualified for five flights, the company is "well underway through their qualification campaign to expand that much further. We expect 15 flights for most components. So I think that will carry us well through the manifest we see ahead of us."

SpaceX has NASA contracts for up to 14 crew flights to the ISS in addition to commercial flights.

Boeing has six operational flights on the books for Starliner beyond CFT, but unlike SpaceX, has no announced plans for its use on private missions such as Ax-2.

Axiom Space's initial visit to the ISS also brought a former NASA astronaut as well as three customers who paid $55 million each for what ended up being nearly 16 days on board the station. Ax-2s stay is slated for 10 days.

NASA is charging Axioms Space a base of $10 million for what it calls integration and basic service on top of ISS crew time. Daily costs for food and waste disposal are also part of NASA's published schedule of costs for commercial visits. While NASA approved the Ax-2 mission last September, it has yet to give approval to any future commercial visits to the station.

Despite the crowded slate to the ISS over the next few months, Lueders said teams around all of the missions are keeping their minds on task.

"This team here knows that they need to focus on us doing this right, and that's carefully working through each of these missions to ensure the safe operation of the International Space Station and our ongoing operations there," she said.

2023 Orlando Sentinel.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Illustration of POSS interaction. The exotic interaction between electrons and neutrons involving the exchange of Z bosons can be described by the Feynman diagrams. As a parity-odd interaction, the induced exotic pseudo-magnetic field changes sign under a parity transformation as shown in the mirror. Credit: Science Advances (2023). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade0353

In the search for new forces and interactions beyond the Standard Model, an international team of researchers involving the PRISMA Cluster of Excellence at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and the Helmholtz Institute Mainz has now taken a good step forward. The researchers, among them Prof. Dr. Dmitry Budker, are using an amplification technique based on nuclear magnetic resonance.

In their work recently published in Science Advances, they use their experimental setup to study a particular exotic interaction between spins: a parity-violating interaction mediated by a new hypothetical exchange particle, called a Z' boson, which exists in addition to the Z boson mediating the weak interaction in the standard Model.

In the current setup, they were unable to detect this particle, but they were able to increase the sensitivity by five orders of magnitude compared to previous measurements. This allows researchers to set constraints on the strength of the interaction of the new exchange particle with Standard Model particles that are complementary to astrophysical observations and open up a previously inaccessible region.

Numerous theories predict the existence of exotic interactions beyond the Standard Model. They differ from the four known interactions and are mediated by previously unknown exchange particles. In particular, parity-violating interactions, i.e., where mirror-symmetric is broken, are currently experiencing a special interest.

On the one hand, because this would immediately indicate the particular type of new physics we are dealing with, and on the other hand, because their effects are easier to separate from spurious systematic effects, that usually do not show mirror-symmetry breaking. "In the current article, we take a close look at such an interaction between the spins of electrons and the spins of neutrons, mediated by a hypothetical Z' boson. In a mirrored world, this interaction would lead to a different result; parity is violated here," explains Dmitry Budker.

This "result" looks like this: The electron spins within a source are all aligned in one direction, i.e. polarized, and the polarization is continuously modulated, thus creating an exotic field that is perceived as a magnetic field and can be measured using a sensor. In a mirrored world, the exotic field would not point in the same direction as would be expected in a "real" mirror image, but in the opposite direction: the parity of this interaction is violated.

SAPPHIREthe new gem in the search for new physics

"Spin Amplifier for Particle PHysIcs REsearch"SAPPHIRE for shortis what the researchers have named their setup, which is based on the two elements rubidium and xenon. They have already used this technique in a similar form to search for other exotic interactions and for dark matter fields.

Specifically, in the experimental search for exotic spin-spin interactions, two chambers filled with the vapor of one of the two elements are positioned in close proximity to each other: "In our experiment, we use polarized electron spins of rubidium-87 atoms as a spin source and polarized neutron spins of the noble gas xenon, or more precisely the isotope xenon-129, as a spin sensor," says Dmitry Budker.

The trick is that the special structure and the polarized xenon atoms in the spin sensor initially amplify the field generated in the rubidium source: thus, the effect triggered by a potential exotic field would be a factor of 200 larger. Now the principle of nuclear magnetic resonance comes into play, i.e. the fact that nuclear spins react to magnetic fields that oscillate at a certain resonance frequency. Rubidium-87 atoms are also present in a small proportion in the sensor cell for this purpose. They in turn act as an extremely sensitive magnetometer to determine the strength of the resonance signal.

The detection of such an exotic field in the right frequency range would then be the clue to the new interaction we are looking for. Other special experimental details ensure that the setup is particularly sensitive in the frequency range of interest and less sensitive to spurious effects from other magnetic fields that inevitably also arise in the experiment.

"All in all, this is a rather intricate setup that has required a careful design and calibration. It is highly rewarding to work on such challenging and interesting problems with our long-time collaborators from the University of Science and Technology (USTC) in Hefei, China who hosted the experiment," reports Dmitry Budker.

After successful proof-of-principle, the scientists started the first series of measurements to search for the exotic interaction. Although they have not yet been able to find a corresponding signal after 24 hours of measurements, the five orders of magnitude increase in sensitivity has enabled them to set constraints on the strength of the new exchange particle's interaction with Standard Model particles.

Further optimization could even improve the experimental sensitivity to the special exotic interaction by another eight orders of magnitude. This makes it seem possible to use the ultrasensitive SAPPHIRE setup to discover and study a new physics with potential Z' bosons.

More information: Yuanhong Wang et al, Search for exotic parity-violation interactions with quantum spin amplifiers, Science Advances (2023). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade0353 Journal information: Science Advances
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By studying the binary star system CPD-29 2176 (shown here), researchers are unraveling new clues to our earliest beginnings, as stardust. Scientists estimate that there are probably only about 10 such star systems in the Galaxy at present. Credit: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/J. da Silva/Spaceengine

After crunching a mountain of astronomy data, Clarissa Pavao, an undergraduate at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Prescott, Arizona campus, submitted her preliminary analysis. Her mentor's response was swift and in all-caps: "THERE'S AN ORBIT!" he wrote.

That was when Pavao, a senior space physics major, realized she was about to become a part of something biga paper in the journal Nature that describes a rare binary star system with uncommon features.

The paper, published on Feb. 1, 2023, and co-authored with Dr. Noel D. Richardson, assistant professor of Physics and Astronomy at Embry-Riddle, describes a twin-star system that is luminous with X-rays and high in mass. Featuring a weirdly circular orbitan oddity among binariesthe twin system seems to have formed when an exploding star or supernova fizzled out without the usual bang, similar to a dud firecracker.

The binary's round orbit was a key clue that helped researchers identify the second star in the binary system as a depleted or "ultra-stripped" supernova. Usually, after a star consumes all of its nuclear fuel, its core collapses before exploding into space as a supernova. In this case, Richardson said, "The star was so depleted that the explosion didn't even have enough energy to kick the orbit into the more typical elliptical shape seen in similar binaries."

We are stardust

The binary system's name sounds like a license plate: CPD-29 2176. Researchers estimate that there are probably only about 10 such star systems in the galaxy at present. By studying it, they are unraveling new clues to our earliest beginnings, as stardust.

This infographic illustrates the evolution of the star system CPD-29 2176, the first confirmed kilonova progenitor. Stage 1, two massive blue stars form in a binary star system. Stage 2, the larger of the two stars nears the end of its life. Stage 3, the smaller of the two stars siphons off material from its larger, more mature companion, stripping it of much of its outer atmosphere. Stage 4, the larger star forms an ultra-stripped supernova, the end-of-life explosion of a star with less of a kick than a more normal supernova. Stage 5, as currently observed by astronomers, the resulting neutron star from the earlier supernova begins to siphon off material from its companion, turning the tables on the binary pair. Stage 7, with the loss of much of its outer atmosphere, the companion star also undergoes an ultra-stripped supernova. This stage will happen in about one million years. Stage 7, a pair of neutron stars in close mutual orbit now remain where once there were two massive stars. Stage 8, the two neutron stars spiral into toward each other, giving up their orbital energy as faint gravitational radiation. Stage 9, the final stage of this system as both neutron stars collide, producing a powerful kilonova, the cosmic factory of heavy elements in our Universe. Credit: CTIO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/P. Marenfeld

"When we look at these objects, we're looking backward through time," explained Pavao. "We get to know more about the origins of the universe, which will tell us where our solar system is headed. As humans, we started out with the same elements as these stars."

Richardson added that, without binary systems like CPD-29 2176, life on Earth would be very different. "Systems like this are likely to evolve into binary neutron stars, which eventually merge and form heavy elements that get hurled into the universe," he noted. "Those heavy elements allow us to live the way that we do. For example, most gold was created by stars similar to the supernova relic or neutron star in the binary system that we studied. Astronomy deepens our understanding of the world and our place in it."

Persistence pays

The project started when Pavao stopped by Richardson's office in hopes of scoring a research experience. "I said, 'Please give me any research.'" He happened to have data, captured by the Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory's 1.5 meter telescope in Chile, from a bright star known as a Be-type star. The Be star was located at the same location on the sky as another one that had produced a large flash of X-rays. That flashpossibly something called a "soft gamma repeater"had gotten astronomers' attention, prompting Richardson and others to request telescope data.

Pavao plotted the spectra of the Be star, but first, she had to clean up the data so they were less noisy. "The telescope looks at a star and it takes in all the light so that you can see the elements that make up this star," she noted, "but Be stars tend to have disks of matter around them. It's hard to see directly through all that stuff."

Persistence paid off: Pavao managed to learn more about data processing and computer coding so that she could analyze the stellar spectra. She and Richardson found one simple line that came from the star and wasn't influenced by the disk around it. She thought her graph was a scatterplot. Richardson thought otherwise, prompting his all-caps email. After quickly fitting Pavao's data into a special computer program, he realized they had found an orbit for the star, but it was different than expected. Further data-crunching revealed that one star was indeed tracing a circle around the other one every 60 days or so.

Pavao recalls Richardson saying, "This is not just a simple binary system."

Collaboration counts

Enter Jan J. Eldridge of the University of Auckland, a co-author on the Nature paper and a foremost expert on understanding binary star systems and their evolution. At Richardson's request, Eldridge reviewed thousands of binary star models and found only two that were analogous to the one that he and Pavao were studying.

Eldridge and colleagues then diagramed the life cycle of the two binary system stars, explaining how the supernova relic had puffed up and dumped mass onto the Be star until it began to build up, too. Ultimately, the supernova became a low-mass helium star that exploded, leaving behind a neutron star, but it had already transferred so much of its mass to the Be star that the explosion was lackluster.

"Basically, we found out how the ultra-stripped supernova interacts with the Be star, and how it goes through these weird life-cycle phases," Pavao explained. "At some point in the future, that Be star will also be a supernova neutron star as the cycle continues. It will become a binary system with two neutron stars, millions of years from now."

More information: Noel Richardson, A high-mass X-ray binary descended from an ultra-stripped supernova, Nature (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05618-9. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-05618-9 Journal information: Nature

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The TESS and ground-based follow-up transits for HIP 33609 b. Credit: Vowell et al, 2023

Using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), an international team of astronomers has detected a new warm brown dwarf. The newfound object, designated HIP 33609 b, transits a bright and rapidly rotating star. The discovery was presented in a paper published January 23 on the arXiv pre-print repository.

Brown dwarfs (BDs) are intermediate objects between planets and stars, occupying the mass range between 13 and 80 Jupiter masses (0.012 and 0.076 solar masses). Although many brown dwarfs have been detected to date, such objects orbiting other stars are a rare find.

Recently, a group of astronomers led by Noah Vowell of the Michigan State University, has found a new object of this rare type. The report that a transit signal has been identified in the light curve of a B-star known as HIP 33609. Follow-up spectroscopic and photometric observations confirmed that the transiting object is a large, massive and warm brown dwarf.

"In this paper, we present the discovery of a benchmark transiting BD in the HIP 33609 system. We use a combination of spectroscopic and photometric observations from both ground- and space-based facilities in order to characterize the host star and transiting BD," the researchers explained.

The newly found brown dwarf is inflated as its radius is about 58% larger than Jupiter, while its mass is estimated to be some 68 Jupiter masses. The observations show that the orbit of HIP 33609 b is highly eccentric, with an eccentricity of 0.56, and the orbital period was measured to be 39.47 days. The brown dwarf's equilibrium temperature was found to be 1,237 K.

The star HIP 33609 has a radius of about 1.86 solar radii and is 2.38 times more massive than the sun. It is a fast rotator as its rotation period was measured to be approximately 55.6 km/s. The star's effective temperature is about 10,400 K.

The astronomers noted the unusual parameters of HIP 33609 b, especially its long orbital period, could help advance our knowledge of transiting companions around hot stars. Therefore, HIP 33609 b is perceived as a benchmark for substellar evolutionary models. They added that all previously discovered transiting companions around B- and A-type stars have orbital periods less than 10 days.

"The HIP 33609 system is an ideal candidate for testing substellar evolutionary models, as well as for a comparative analysis relative to the extensive population of highly irradiated, short period BDs and giant planets," the authors of the paper wrote.

Additionally, the observations conducted by Vowell's team resulted in a young stellar association (estimated to be about 150 million years old), which received designation MELANGE-6. It appears that HIP 33609 is a member of this association.

More information: Noah Vowell et al, HIP 33609 b: An Eccentric Brown Dwarf Transiting a V=7.3 Rapidly Rotating B-Star, arXiv (2023). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2301.09663 Journal information: arXiv

 2023 Science X Network
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Many of the details surrounding the recent fatal police beating of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tenn., are still unknown or disputed. The rest may seem confusing.

Yet in many ways, all you need to know is how the encounter started: With Nichols expressing confusion as to why he had been stopped, and one officer replying that he would "knock your ass the fuck out."

In approaching Nichols as someone hostilean enemy on a battlefield, rather than a member of the publicthe police in this case brought nearly 400 years of American history to what was allegedly a routine traffic stop.

The first English authorities in the Americas sometimes imposed martial law over the early colonists, while the Puritans of New England added a range of Biblical laws to everyday life. By the mid-1600s, however, most North American colonists enjoyed the unequal protections of English law, which gradually became more equal for their descendants.

Roots in Barbados

A different pattern emerged on Barbados, settled by the English in 1626 and by far the wealthiest of the colonies after its shift to sugar production in the 1640s. To plant, cut and boil the sugar canes, the settlers imported more than 10,000 West African slaves that decade.

For the first time, an English overseas community held a large population of presumably "brutish" and "pagan" peoples as permanent captives.

The English assumed that the African slaves could never become part of the lawful population of Barbados. And so, in 1655, the island's governor decreed that all Black defendants were to be tried in special courts of "oyer and terminer ("to hear and determine")," which were normally used only against the most extreme criminals, like witches or traitors.

The idea was formalized in a set of Barbados laws in 1661. Whereas every son and daughter "of the English nation" would henceforth enjoy due process of law, every Black slave was subject to new slave courts (akin to oyer and terminer) and slave patrols (groups of armed and mounted white people).

These laws spread word-for-word to the English colony of Jamaica in 1665, and from there to South Carolina in the 1690s and Virginia in 1705.

Racial slavery waxed and waned in North America over the next century and a half, shrinking during the revolutionary years of the 1770s and 1780s and then exploding with the rise of cotton in the early 1800s.

South of Pennsylvania, the core institutions of slave courts and slave patrols remained and indeed expanded in the early United States.

White authorities were very clear as to the rationale behind these courts and patrols: Black people were neither citizens (like white men) nor members of households (like white women and children). Rather, they were an "internal enemy," a hostile and alien element within the lawful community.

Slavery's violence endured

Conservatives often point out that American slavery ended 158 years ago. That's true. It's also true that the northern countryside of the 19th century was famous for not needing much of a police presence, because almost everyone in that democratic stronghold felt protected by and responsible to the law.

Yet it's equally true that slavery was a central feature of American life for more than 200 years. Some of its most violent practices endured long after the Civil War ended as white militiasreconstituted slave patrolsrepressed freed peoples' rights to vote, go to school and hold property throughout the late 1800s and well into the 1900s.

In other words, during an era of European imperialism across Africa and Asia, the U.S. continued to hold a subordinate group captive within its borders. It was a kind of internal empire that also expanded its reach over North America in a series of "Indian wars" in the 1870s and 1880s.

"Next to other western democracies," notes the legal scholar Mugambi Jouet, "America has historically had a far bigger proportion of racial and ethnic minorities." Few of those minorities have fit easily within the constitutionally recognized community of "the people."

The significance of this simple fact cannot be overstated. American democratic principles of equality before the law came earlier to the U.S. than to Europe or Canada. Nonetheless, those principles grew alongside the raw violence of slavery and colonialism, requiring citizensor the armed groups charged with protecting themto hold captive the alienated victims of slavery and colonialism who also lived inside the nation.

The result was a pattern of law enforcement that repeatedly adapted to the dizzying pace of change in America.

Even as modern police departments emerged in the late 1800s and early 1900s, for example, presumed criminals such as labor activists or "uppity" Blacks were regarded as existential threats to the lawful population. These sentiments fuelled violence by the U.S. National Guard, by hired thugs known as Pinkertons and by lynch mobs.

Broken windows, bloody landscapes

The most recent echo of the pattern is the so-called "broken windows" philosophy of policing that emerged in the 1980s and 1990s.

The basic idea here is that fear of violent crime is itself cause for police intervention, requiring pro-active investigation of suspicious places, such as buildings with broken windows or of suspicious persons, often Black men.

In 2013, a federal judge ruled that New York City's "stop-and-frisk" policy, one of the most aggressive outgrowths of the broken windows philosophy, violated the Fourth and 14th amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

But in the face of violent crime, both real and imagined, many communities continue to turn to new variations on the old theme, treating whole swaths of the population as internal enemies to be approached with guns drawnincluding, apparently, police officers who are themselves Black.

In Memphis, for example, the police launched the SCORPION (Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace In Our Neighborhoods) unit in 2021 to combat a surge in murders by flooding the streets with quasi-undercover agents in black hoodies who used traffic stops as opportunities to find drugs or guns.

It's important to understand the deep and broad appeal of this approach in an apparently fearful country where there are more guns than people and where mass killings are shockingly routine.

It's equally important to trace the approach itself to specific historical moments, so that clear alternatives can become imaginableperhaps even possible.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Beijing's Yuanmingyuan Park [Photo/VCG]

Beijing's Yuanmingyuan Park is determined to play a positive role in the passing down of traditional culture and to meet the growing need for public cultural offerings.



Spread over 350 hectares, the park, which is also known as the Old Summer Palace, is the former resort of the imperial family during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It was one of the first national archaeological parks on the list issued by the National Cultural Heritage Administration in 2010.

According to Wang Meng, deputy director of Yuanmingyuan's administration office, a great deal of work has been carried out at the site over the past decade, from the conservation of the ruins, archaeological excavations and the restoration of artifacts, to academic research and museum construction.

A month ago, an archaeological team announced the discovery of a structure known as the Danbo Ningjing. The foundation of the structure, which was used to conduct ceremonies before each farming season, is shaped like the Chinese character tian, which means farmland.

Zhang Zhonghua from the Beijing Archaeological Research Institute and lead archaeologist on the dig, said the structure suggests that the emperors also sought inner peace and a comfortable life for their people.

According to Zhang, archaeological work at Yuanmingyuan started in 1994. The team embarked on the third stage in 2013, using more advanced scientific methods to work on the Dagongmen Gate area.

"It was the main entrance to the Old Summer Palace, a ceremonial area that shows the protocols and order followed during ancient times," Zhang said. "We have made important archaeological achievements that provide a scientific basis for the conservation, display and use of the site. But there is still a lot of work to be done and plenty of things to discover in the ruins."

He said the team's goal is to show the public a relatively complete palace through a combination of archaeological work, technology and historical remains.

Since 2015, the team has conducted excavations in the open, so that visitors are able to observe them from up close.

Work at the Danbo Ningjing was broadcast live via short-video platform Kuaishou last month and attracted over 428,000 views. The audience was also able to interact with archaeologists during the broadcast.

"By broadcasting the dig, archaeologists got to practice turning the terminology they use into language most people were able to understand, which helped bring the cultural remains to life," Zhang said, adding that answering viewers' questions benefits both sides as it can also help to broaden the way archaeologists think.

Visitors are able to gain greater appreciation for the team's hard work and the importance of what they do by watching excavations, he said.

For the administrative team at Yuanmingyuan, restoration is a key task.

Since 2019, five lots of cultural artifacts including porcelains and colored glaze pottery have been restored successfully, and rubbings have been digitalized. Since 2016, a document outlining all the visible remains at Yuanmingyuan has been continually updated, with 86 locations recorded to date.

In addition, a research and study center was set up at the palace for children to take part in simulated archaeological activities and artifact restoration.

"We provide students with tools and teach them how to excavate following archaeological procedures," said Wang, the administrative deputy director. "The activity is quite popular among students, as is our volunteer program."

Souvenirs are also popular with young visitors. Since 2016, Yuanmingyuan has launched some 200 products through online shopping platforms and five brick-and-mortar stores.

"We have made a digital database of all the materials we have about Yuanmingyuan, which can be used by artists as inspiration to create new items," he said.

According to Wang, a museum at the Zhengjue Temple compound is set to open this year.

"We have visited many renowned museums for research purposes, including the National Museum of China, the Beijing Luxun Museum and the Capital Museum, and we already have an outline for the exhibition," Wang said.

He said that officials at Yuanmingyuan are preparing to implement plans for heritage conservation and a national archaeological park that should be complete by 2035, to contribute to long-term management of the ruins.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, a new group of "war tourists" has emergedthose who are fighting on a virtual front.

A new study from the University of Portsmouth has found that war tourism, which typically used to be people traveling to past or present war zones, is now also an online phenomenon.

Researchers analyzed data from the Subreddit forum "Volunteers for Ukraine," which was started on February 25, 2022, a day after Russia invaded Ukraine. Two weeks later, the forum had some 44,500 members.

Lead author Dr. Nigel Williams, from the University's Faculty of Business and Law, said, "War tourism has a long history, with travelers visiting battlefields, memorials, museums, prison camps or current war zones. In the past we've seen war tourists who want to go and fight in wars, those who want to volunteer as humanitarians and then those who are voyeuristic thrill seekers.

"But what we're seeing now is an emerging trend for war tourists to be involved virtually, by countering misinformation, providing funding and raising awareness from the comfort of their own homes. The presence of hybrid war activities, such as campaigning for sanctions' enforcement on social media, has lowered the barrier to observation and participation."

Dr. Williams obtained over 20,000 posts from the dedicated Volunteers for Ukraine Reddit forum from the first month of the conflict and found that participants in the forum were engaging in activities that could be seen as combating non-military hybrid warfare tactics, such as countering propaganda "fake news" and "Russian trolls and shills" to donating money and providing helpful information for Ukrainian refugees.

He said, "Social media, media activity, sanctions and fundraising are all part of modern warfare, which means wars are no longer about face-to-face contact or bound by geography. Our findings show that combating hybrid warfare has expanded to an online domain, where people can shape perceptions and mobilize resources."

The paper, published in The Journal of Travel Research, highlights the complicated relationship between war tourism, volunteering and voyeurism in a new form of "hybrid war tourism."

Dr. Williams added, "Public forums like Reddit can put people at risk of becoming radicalized. You don't know who you're really talking to onlinecould it be a Russian agent or a Ukrainian soldier? Future research should aim at a deeper understanding of these concepts and the complex links between them."

More information: Nigel L. Williams et al, Social Representations of War Tourism: A Case of Ukraine, Journal of Travel Research (2023). DOI: 10.1177/00472875221146797
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Snow under burned trees from the Caldor fire. The new study shows that snow melted more rapidly during midwinter drought conditions within the footprints of wildfires. Credit: Anne Heggli, DRI

The early pandemic years overlapped with some of California's worst wildfires on record, creating haunting, orange-tinted skies and wide swaths of burned landscape. Some of the impacts of these fires are well known, including drastic declines in air quality, and now a new study shows how these wildfires combined with midwinter drought conditions to accelerate snowmelt.

In a study published Jan. 20 in Geophysical Research Letters, a Desert Research Institute (DRI)-led research team examined what happens to mountain snowpacks when sunny, midwinter dry spells occur in forests impacted by severe wildfire.

The researchers found a substantial increase in wildfires burning in California's snowy landscapes throughout 2020 and 2021, when large blazes like the Dixie, Caldor, and Creek fires concentrated in snow zones. Using a 2013 midwinter dry spell as comparison, they found that similar weather in the winter of 2021-2022 led to 50% less snow cover. The compounding impacts of wildfire on snow melt include an increase in sun exposure due to loss of forest canopy, and a reduction in the snow's ability to reflect sunlight.

"It's already established that wildfires are accelerating spring snow melt, but we wanted to know what happens when you add a long winter dry spell on top of that," said Arielle Koshkin, a Ph.D. student now at the Colorado School of Mines who co-led the study as part of her master's research at DRI and the University of Nevada, Reno. "The Caldor fire burned in our backyard, it was so close to where we live and work. So, the following winter, we wanted to investigate what it looked like."

Satellite data showed that compared to the 2001-2019 average, 2020 and 2021 saw a nearly ten-fold increase in wildfires burning in California's seasonal snow zones. "What that implies is that there's this increasing overlap between the fire and snow and there's all these cascading and compounding impacts on the system and especially the hydrology," said Ben Hatchett, Ph.D., a climatologist at DRI who co-led the study with Koshkin. "This huge increase of fire activity in California snowy regions is exactly what we expect to see more of going forward."

A strong winter drought followed during the winter of 2021-2022, when Tahoe City experienced a 46-day long midwinter dry spell (the second-longest since reliable records began in 1917; the long-term median is 22 days without precipitation). A comparable midwinter drought following a wet start to the winter occurred in 2013, giving the researchers the ability to compare and contrast the impacts under more typical conditions with those that occurred in a severely burnt landscape.

"In 2013 and 2022, we had very similar weather patterns, but we didn't see notable melt in 2013. And in 2022, we also did not see melt in unburned areas," Hatchett said. "So that gives two lines of evidence suggesting that it's the fire and not the meteorology that's driving this."

Forests where severe wildfires have burnt the tree canopy have more exposed snowpacks, which enhances the melting caused by sunny days and warm nights (another recent DRI study examined the snowmelt impacts of spring heatwaves). Snowmelt is further exacerbated by the loss of the snowpack's albedo, or the natural power of white snow to reflect, rather than absorb, the sun's radiation. Particularly in the winters immediately following a wildfire, snow is dusted with the black carbon of burnt vegetation, which can accelerate snowmelt rates by up to 57%.

The enhanced snowmelt was so pronounced within the perimeter of the Caldor fire that the researchers found a total of 50 fewer days with snow cover in the winter of 2021-2022the lowest number of snow cover days on record.

Following a wildfire, "there are two timescales of interest: right after the fire, the loss in albedo really dominates," said Hatchett. "But impacts from the loss of canopy last for decades, maybe longer if the forest does not recover."

The enhanced snowmelt of midwinter creates challenges for forecasting water availability from the natural snowpack reservoir. During the winter months, water managers need to leave room in reservoirs to prevent flooding; this means that earlier snowmelt may not be captured for later use in the dry season. Studies like this provide water managers with the tools to make more accurate predictions of the timing and magnitude of snowmelt.

"The fires have made major landscape disturbance that we're not taking into account in our forecasting abilities," Koshkin said. "I think this study is showing that wildfire impacts are huge, and we need to implement this into our ability to understand how water runs off the landscape. It's part of our world and it's increasing and it's going to affect more snowy places. So, it's important to make sure that we understand the outcomes in our models and management plans."

Koshkin plans to expand on this research for her Ph.D. studies by examining regional variation of fire impacts on snow. She notes that how wildfire impacts snowmelt in the Sierra Nevada may look different in Colorado or Idaho, due to different weather and snowpack conditions.

The researchers emphasize that the wildfire impacts seen in this study are the result of high-severity wildfires, and not lower-severity burns like prescribed fires. "This study really highlights the importance of bringing fire back onto our landscape in the sense that we need firegood fire is the answer to our wildfire problem," Hatchett says. "Bringing a more natural regime of fire, through prescribed and cultural fire, back onto our landscape will help reduce the likelihood of future severe fire."

"We can recognize that this could be our new normal," Koshkin said, "but we also have the ability to adapt and manage and mitigate as much as possible."

More information: Benjamin J. Hatchett et al, Midwinter Dry Spells Amplify PostFire Snowpack Decline, Geophysical Research Letters (2023). DOI: 10.1029/2022GL101235 Journal information: Geophysical Research Letters
FORT EDWARD  The Washington County Planning Agency reviewed a proposal for a community solar project in Kingsbury on Tuesday at its monthly meeting and returned it to the towns Planning Board with comments.

Kruger Energy (USA) Inc. would like to develop a 5-megawatt ground-mounted solar energy facility on up to 30 acres of land it owns on county Route 41, according to an application submitted to the Kingsbury Planning Board.

A community solar project, similar to community supported agriculture, allows people who dont have solar panels on their property to benefit from solar energy. Customers sign up through their electrical utility and receive a discount on their electric bill.

The Kingsbury board held a public hearing on the project on Jan. 26. The project meets town setback requirements but is not an allowed use in its zone, which is residential. The town Planning Board was concerned about whether the project also meets county setback requirements from the county road, said Planning Agency Chairman Jim Griffith, the White Creek supervisor. Planning Agency Clerk Pamela Landi noted that under new state laws, renewable energy projects may be exempt from local land use laws.

The agency found that the project was a matter of local concern and returned it to the town Planning Board with two comments. First, the Planning Board should contact the state Office of Renewable Energy Siting for guidance on granting a use variance that overrides local zoning regulations. Second, access to and from the site on Route 41 would be allowed only while the facility is under construction. Access for maintenance and operations will limited to Jakeway Lane.

William Nikas presented a proposal to rehabilitate a vacant building at 119 Main St. in Hudson Falls, for retail space and a restaurant on the ground floor and a meeting room on the second floor. The project, to be called Griffin Hall, is a permitted use at that site.

The site is in a Brownfields Opportunity Area and qualifies for some state grant programs. The Hudson Falls Village Board has voted to apply for a Restore New York grant to fund the project.

The Planning Agency asked whether the project would have enough parking, given the size of the lot, and learned that there would be adequate parking behind the post office and on the street. The agency decided it was a matter of local concern.

Agency members had more questions about a proposal from Jerry Ross, owner of Tarmax in Fort Ann, to pave a 6,000-square-foot area near the Champlain Canal to park paving equipment and build a tool shed. Members were concerned about runoff from the paved area, proximity to the Champlain Canal trail and its trail, and impact on neighbors.

The agency approved the project with the condition that it receive a full State Environmental Quality Review, or SEQR. After the meeting adjourned, members questioned whether the planning agency can require a SEQR. The project may be returned to the committee at its February meeting, Griffith said.
LAKE GEORGE  The Lake George Park Commission announced that it will once again apply to use an aquatic herbicide to combat invasive species in the lake  the same chemical that is the subject of a lawsuit from lake advocacy groups.

Last spring, the commission received approval from the Adirondack Park Agency to use ProcellaCOR EC to target Eurasian milfoil, which is harmful to native species in the lake.

Every summer on the lake since the early 1990s, scuba divers hand-pluck the plant at the root from the lake bottom, and it is sucked up through a tube before being disposed of, to combat the spread of milfoil.

Executive Director Dave Wick said the Lake George Park Commission spends upward of $400,000 for milfoil treatment annually.

However, the Lake George Association filed a lawsuit last June to stop application of the herbicide and a state Supreme Court judge placed a temporary block on the proposed trials to allow for additional studies and research on the herbicide to be conducted. A hearing regarding the lawsuit is scheduled for Feb. 17.

The commission is again seeking approval from the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the APA to use ProcellaCOR on a trial basis in two areas of the lake, Blairs Bay and Sheep Meadow Bay, both with problem Eurasian milfoil areas, according to a notice mailed to residents in those areas.

The LGA has openly opposed the plan to use a chemical in the water for the first time in the lakes history, claiming that Lake George is unique and requires different treatment than other lakes.

The association released a statement on Tuesday after learning of the plans for new applications for ProcellaCOR use.

Despite the opposition of more than 4,500 concerned citizens last summer, and a pending Feb. 17 hearing in New York State Supreme Court in Warren County, the Lake George Park Commission is once again submitting an application to the APA and the NYSDEC to use the herbicide ProcellaCOR in the lake for the treatment of Eurasian watermilfoil, the LGAs statement reads.

When the APA went ahead and issued the use permits last summer, the LGA, Waterkeeper and our co-petitioners, the town of Hague and lakeside property owner Helena G. Rice, filed a lawsuit, alleging that the APA undertook a rushed process to approve the herbicide use despite the considerable technical and scientific concerns that were raised and acted in a way that marked a substantial departure from regulatory requirements, the association state read. Of note, our lawsuit charges, the APA should have held an adjudicatory hearing to gather expert scientific testimony before making its decision about the safety of the herbicide, particularly given the successful milfoil hand-harvesting program that has been in place on Lake George for years and the overwhelming public opposition to the ProcellaCOR plan.

The public concerns raised in 2022 were:

drinking water quality

degradation times of the product and its degradants

toxicity of the product and degradants

development of resistant weed populations

water currents

Oral arguments from LGA and New York state, representing the APA and the Lake George Park Commission, begin at 10 a.m. on Feb. 17 in state Supreme Court of Warren County.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The FBI searched President Joe Biden's vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on Wednesday without finding any classified documents, the president's attorney said. Agents did take some handwritten notes and other materials relating to Biden's time as vice president for review.

The search, disclosed by Biden's personal lawyer, was the latest discomfiting moment for a president who has sought to contrast his sensitivity to rule-following with that of his predecessor Donald Trump, who faces a criminal investigation into his handling of classified documents.

Keep scrolling for a timeline of key dates in the Biden docs case

Wednesday's search, the third for a Biden home or office, shows that an investigation that had simmered quietly for weeks was continuing rather than fading away as Biden, who has said he was surprised by an earlier records discovery, presumably hoped.

The attorney, Bob Bauer, said FBI agents spent three and a half hours searching the home and that, "No documents with classified markings were found."

Biden's attorneys revealed last month that they had undertaken their search of the home without turning up classified materials. The fact the FBI did its own search reflected the Justice Department's determination to retrieve any and all possible classified items rather than rely on assurances that such documents had been located.

Bauer, sought to portray the president and his team as fully transparent and cooperative. He described the search as "planned" and "a further step in a thorough and timely DOJ process we will continue to fully support and facilitate."

He did not mention Trump by name, but the statement seemed aimed at juxtaposing the Biden investigation with the Trump case, where months of fruitless Justice Department efforts to recover all the classified records taken to the former president's Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, culminated in an August search warrant and the removal of roughly three dozen boxes of documents and other items.

Searches of Biden's former office and Delaware homes, by contrast, have all been done voluntarily and without a warrant.

The latest search follows the FBI's 13-hour, top-to-bottom check of his Wilmington, Delaware, home, where agents located documents with classified markings from his time as a vice president and senator and also took possession of some of his handwritten notes.

One week earlier, Biden's personal lawyers revealed that they had found a document bearing classified markings while searching the Wilmington property but said they had not found others during a separate inspection of the Rehoboth Beach home.

The White House did not disclose the Justice Department's investigation until last month, when it acknowledged the Nov. 2 discovery of a "small number" of classified documents by Biden lawyers as they closed an office at the Penn Biden Center, a think tank affiliated with the Ivy League school.

Though officials did not say so at the time, The Associated Press and other news organizations reported on Tuesday that the FBI had conducted a voluntary search of that office later that month.

The Justice Department declined comment on the Wednesday search.

Biden's lawyers have described the retention of the records as a "mistake." The Justice Department has historically brought criminal charges related to mishandling of classified records only when it can establish, among other things, that a person acted knowingly in improperly removing or storing sensitive records.

The Biden documents probe is being handled by a special counsel, Robert Hur, a former senior Justice Department official during the Trump administration who served as the top federal prosecutor in Baltimore. He is starting his work this week, inheriting a months-long investigation already undertaken by FBI agents and Justice Department prosecutors.

Attorney General Merrick Garland had assigned the U.S. attorney in Chicago, John Lausch, to conduct an initial review before announcing Hur's appointment last month,

In a separate effort that preceded the Biden probe, special counsel Jack Smith is investigating the retention by Trump of roughly 300 documents with classified markings that were taken from the White House to Mar-a-Lago. Agents last August obtained a search warrant to recover classified documents following what the Justice Department said were months of resistance by Trump and his representatives to return the records to the government.

Investigators in the Biden case have already conducted interviews, including of Biden's former executive assistant who helped oversee the packing of boxes that went to the Penn Biden Center. It is not yet clear if and when the Justice Department might look to question Biden himself.

The Bidens purchased their Rehoboth Beach home, which overlooks a state park adjacent to the beach, in June 2017, months after he left the vice presidency.

Timeline: Key dates in discovery of classified records tied to Biden Jan. 20, 2017 Mid-2017-2019 Jan. 20, 2021 Nov. 2-4, 2022 Nov. 8, 2022 November-December 2022 Nov. 9, 2022 Nov. 14, 2022 Dec. 20, 2022 Dec. 20, 2022: Biden's personal counsel informs Lausch that a second batch of classified documents has been discovered in the garage at Biden's Wilmington home. The FBI goes to Biden's home in Wilmington and secures the documents. Jan. 5, 2023 Jan. 9, 2023 Jan. 10-11: 2023 Jan. 12-14, 2023 Jan. 19, 2023 Jan. 20-21, 2023 Feb. 1, 2023
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OCEAN CITY  No injuries were reported in an afternoon fire at 932 Simpson Ave. on Friday, but community members said the damage was heartbreaking just the same.

It broke everyones heart to see that one of the kids that escaped the fire was without shoes or socks the first night, reads a community message from the organization El Pueblo Unido of Atlantic City, one of the organizations working on behalf of the families.

The fire impacted 23 people, including three families living in the property and 10 people living in single rooms.

As of Wednesday, a GoFundMe page created on the familys behalf had pledges of donations totaling more than $10,000.

The money will be used to help them regain stability and start a new fresh chapter of their lives, reads an email from Christian Moreno-Rodriguez of El Pueblo Unido.

The email was released by the city of Ocean City after officials redacted the names of members of the families.

It brings us tears of joy to see how the entire Ocean City Community has come together during this time of need.

Moreno-Rodriguez said those who were displaced by the fire were deeply grateful.

The fire started a little after noon on Friday. Flames could be seen coming out the front windows of the second floor. Firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading to other properties. The cause remains under investigation as of this week, according to Ocean City spokesman Doug Bergen.

According to Moreno-Rodriguez, the city provided immediate shelter the night of the fire at Watsons Regency Hotel, covering the cost of three nights. Churches in the city covered additional nights, as did the Ocean City Police Union PBA #61, with city employees and the organization OCNJ CARES working on securing additional finding.

According to the details posted as part of the fundraising site, a family of four lived on the first floor.

One teen in that family is enrolled at Ocean City High School.

A family of five, including three young children, lived on the second floor, and a family of four lived in a rear cottage. The page says 10 more individuals also lived there, in single rooms on the third floor as well as the second, first and rear cottage.

The second floor sustained serious damage, from smoke, fire and water. That family lost tools, electronics, money and valuables. The first floor was completely flooded and uninhabitable, and the third floor also received damage.

The rear cottage escaped damage, but those residents still needed to evacuate because of a gas leak. They are now back in that unit, according to the email.

According to Moreno-Rodriguez, churches, community members and local organizations have helped provide the families with clothing and food, including dinners provided by the Ocean City PBA.

Eight people lost all of their documents in the fire, Moreno-Rodriguez said. The organization is working with the Mexican consulate in Philadelphia to get identification for those individuals. The residents of the property are all Spanish speakers, Moreno-Rodriguez said.

He described finding apartments for those who cannot return home as the most pressing issue.

Bergen said the organization OCNJ CARE is ready to assist with temporary housing. The organization is waiting to see how many rooms will be needed as of Feb. 5.

A lot of folks pitched in to help the displaced families, Bergen said.

Moreno-Rodriguez said some have moved in with family members for the time being, leaving the hotel.

The families with children hope to stay in Ocean City so that the children can remain in the citys school system. Part of the effort is to find long term housing for those still displaced by the fire.

The school system has helped in organizing efforts, as have local churches. The American Red Cross was on-site after the fire and has also provided assistance, Moreno-Rodriguez said.
MILLVILLE  New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin on Wednesday said the state Division of Civil Rights is investigating claims of racial bias against Latino defendants appearing in Millville Municipal Court.

Judge Jason Witcher alleged in court that Latinos, or anyone with a Latino-sounding surname, were not being permitted to appear before him virtually. Court officials have been investigating the claims but have welcomed a separate review from the division. State lawmakers from the Legislative Latino and Black caucuses have also called for an independent review of the matter.

Latino advocates demand probe of bias in Millville court PENNS GROVE  One of the states largest advocacy groups of Latinos on Thursday repeated the

Since the beginning of its investigation, the Judiciary has encouraged the Division on Civil Rights to conduct its own investigation into this issue and is fully cooperating in the effort to uncover the facts regarding allegations of discriminatory scheduling practices in Millville Municipal Court, spokesperson Peter McAleer said. Witchers claims prompted the Latino Action Network, one of New Jerseys largest advocacy groups for Latino citizens, to call for an independent investigation, a demand it repeated last week.

The investigation will also encompass whether any person or entity has engaged in unlawful retaliation in response to those allegations, state Attorney General Matthew Platkin said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Division is committed to conducting a full, fair and independent investigation, and will not comment further while the investigation remains ongoing.

Legislators back independent probe of Millville Municipal Court practices The state Legislative Latino and Black caucuses are calling for an independent investigation

State court officials began investigating Witchers claims after learning of them from an outside agency. A report based on their examination is expected to be released this month.
ATLANTIC CITY  Law enforcement, elected officials, and faith and community leaders gathered at Atlantic Cape Community Colleges city campus Tuesday to publicly condemn the recent killing of Tyre Nichols, 29, who died from injuries inflicted by police officers in Memphis, Tennessee.

The group also vowed that its anger over Nichols death would lead to efforts locally to improve policing policies and police-community relations, with a goal of preventing more deadly use-of-force incidents.

Atlantic County Prosecutor William Reynolds said incidents like what happened to Nichols are disgusting.

There was a person that was there in distress, and they failed as human beings, Reynolds said. Were going to strive to be better.

Nichols, a Black man, died three days after he was beaten by police in a residential area of Memphis. Police said Nichols was pulled over before the beating.

In video of the incident released by Memphis police Friday, officers can be seen yelling profanities at Nichols and hitting him. The FedEx worker can be seen on the ground while he called out for his mother before the officers propped him against a police car.

3 Atlantic City teens, 1 adult arrested on drug, gun charges ATLANTIC CITY  A surveillance operation Monday led to the arrest of three city teens and a 

Five officers  Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith  were fired and are charged with murder and other crimes. They face up to 60 years in prison if convicted of murder.

A sixth, Preston Hemphill, was relieved of his duty shortly after Nichols Jan. 7 arrest. The investigation is continuing.

They caused that gentleman to lose his life, Reynolds said. That was someones son, thats someones father. Thats a tragedy.

Following the release of the video, protests popped up across the country.

Gov. Phil Murphy and Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver on Friday said they were horrified by the video.

Locally, the community gathered Tuesday to show their commitment to change. City Councilman Kaleem Shabazz said Nichols case and others like it serve as a critical point highlighting the need for law enforcement reform. Shabazz said those improvements can come in the form of partnerships with the Atlantic County prosecutors Community Outreach Program, which helps strengthen bonds between the public and police.

Avalon police seek 2 in burglary AVALON  Police are looking for two men suspected in a burglary Monday evening.

Shabazz said he takes Nichols death personally, and thinks about the specter of his grandsons being stopped because of the color of their skin.

We shouldnt be in 2023 saying that if you are an African American male that you are in danger, that if you have a routine traffic stop, that it could escalate to a murder, Shabazz said. Thats unacceptable.

Law enforcement officials nationwide are now challenged to make sure what happened in Memphis doesnt happen in their departments.

It tarnishes our reputation forever, Atlantic City police Chief James Sarkos said. So we have to work very hard on repairing that.

Nichols death shouldnt reflect on police as a whole, Sarkos said.

I ask that everyone judge their law enforcement officers based on what they see, he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

GALLERY: Local authorities denounce Memphis police beating
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang speaks with the staff at the investment center of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, Jan. 30, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]



Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has stressed enhancing the role of finance in stabilizing the macroeconomy and improving financial services to keep the economy performing within a reasonable range.

Li made the remarks on Monday during a visit to the People's Bank of China and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), where he chaired a symposium.

Speaking with the staff at the investment center of SAFE, Li said that, faced with multiple external shocks in recent years, China has kept foreign exchange reserves above 3 trillion U.S. dollars, and the exchange rate of yuan has remained basically stable, providing strong support for foreign trade, the financial sector and the economy.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang chairs a symposium during a visit to the People's Bank of China and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, Jan. 30, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]



Recent reform in the financial sector has solidly supported China's economic development, Li noted. Only a good economy will produce a sound financial sector, and only when the financial sector is stable will the economy run steadily, he said.

Improvement and innovations in macro regulation, as well as sticking to the prudent monetary policy, have played a crucial role in ensuring economic stability and serving the real economy, Li said at the symposium, citing loan rate reductions for enterprises and the mild increases in consumer prices.

China has also prevented risks from unusual fluctuations in the financial markets, addressed risks in small and medium financial institutions and property developers, among others, and ensured that no systemic risks arise, he said, cautioning that ensuring financial stability and preventing risks is still an arduous, long-term task.

With a rebound in economic growth underway, the financial system should continue to improve services for the real economy, said the premier.

He called for enhancing financial support to strengthen consumption, investment and economic structure, improving the financial environment for the private sector, especially the small firms, fending off financial risks, and keeping the yuan's exchange rate at a reasonable and balanced level.
LOWER TOWNSHIP  Drones, laptops and nine new submachine guns will be brought to bear to fight crime in the township, according to the Police Departments annual report for 2022 released Friday.

The 67-page report outlines new initiatives for the department, describes the work officers have been doing and sets the priorities for 2023.

Among those goals are putting a new police drone to use, enhancing the bike and ATV patrols for the department and replacing aging stun guns with new, higher-tech models.

The department already has a bike-mounted unit but plans to expand its visibility. The report calls for bike patrols along the Delaware Bay, in neighborhoods and on the bike path, as well as in community parks, increasing the departments visibility for residents and business owners.

The report also calls for additional training and education of officers in marijuana, now legal in the state, and impaired driving, and increasing positive contacts between officers and juveniles.

In 2022, the department purchased a DJI Matrice 30T drone and trained officers in its use.

Sometimes called an unmanned aerial system, or UAS, the drones are operated by trained officers. According to township Administrator Michael Laffey, the drone cost $17,425.

New Jersey launches new unit focused on human trafficking New Jersey will have a new law enforcement unit focused on investigating and prosecuting hum

In 2023, we aim to take our UAS program a step farther, the report states. We will continue to train new officers in the safe operation of the UAS and insure they are FAA compliant.

Police Chief Kevin Lewis said the drone will be used in search-and-rescue operations. It is equipped with infrared cameras that will allow it to be used to find people at night.

Mayor Frank Sippel envisions a variety of uses, including in code enforcement. For instance, he said, officers have in the past walked along the Delaware Bay beach to find people who allow their dogs off leash, which is against city code. Sippel said that was time consuming. Using the drone would be much faster.

The use of technology, intelligence and the constant analyzing of data allows us to address problems often as they arise and before they become endemic, Lewis wrote in the report. Officer safety and the well-being of our community remain our highest priority.

What the report describes as submachine guns, put in the field in 2022, are MPX carbines that use pistol ammunition. According to Lewis, they have less penetrating power than the standard patrol rifle that officers use.

As Lewis described it, the new firearms could be used in instances where there may be concern for rounds penetrating walls and endangering others, in cases where an armed response is required. Officers who participate in the Cape May County SWAT program, and those who have had military training, will continue to use the higher-velocity rifles, Lewis said.

3 Atlantic City teens, 1 adult arrested on drug, gun charges ATLANTIC CITY  A surveillance operation Monday led to the arrest of three city teens and a 

The report also states the department bought seven new laptops for administration personnel, and discusses new software put into use, as well as updating the notification system to alert residents of emergencies.

Laffey said computers have become essential gear for officers.

The department also developed a wellness program and equipped a fitness center for police in the Public Safety Building. The equipment was donated by a private fitness center. Offices can use the facility before or after their shift, Lewis said.

Some officers are coming in on their days off rather than paying for a fitness membership elsewhere, Lewis said.

The chief recently completed his first anniversary in the job, being sworn in at the end of 2021. Sippel spoke highly of the new chief and his staff, saying the department is in good hands.

The department has 50 sworn officers, four class II special law enforcement officers and six civilian employees.

South Jersey authorities denounce fatal Memphis police beating ATLANTIC CITY  Law enforcement, elected officials, and faith and community leaders gathered

The annual report discusses the police accreditation program in which Lower Township participates, and outlines data for the year. Officers responded to 51,412 calls for service last year, up compared to the three previous years. The lowest number of calls took place in 2020, for which the report cites COVID-19.

Last year saw 327 adults arrested by township police, according to the report, and 37 juveniles.

There were 27 simple assaults reported for the year, 642 disorderly conduct incidents, 445 animal complaints, 141 fire calls, 36 death investigations, 68 missing persons or runaways and 32,274 residential and commercial property checks.

Police reported 18 bias incidents in 2022, with 16 each year reported in 2020 and 2021, and two reported in 2019. The report also details a change to a new reporting system, with the department moving to the more detailed National Incident-Based Reporting System, replacing the former Uniformed Crime Report.

Most incidents in the report were down in 2020, when much of the country was locked down, with a notable exception. That year included the most domestic violence incidents in the township.

Police report a total of 504 domestic violence incidents in 2020, compared with 449 in 2019, 484 in 2021 and 499 in 2022. The year 2020 also saw the most incidents involving criminal complaints.

Hit Hard by Opioid Crisis, Canadian Province Decriminalizes Small Amounts of Hard Drugs TUESDAY, Jan. 31, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- To fight an urgent opioid overdose crisis, a Canadian province took an unusual step on Tuesday.

The report shows 444 accidents in the township last year, including 130 in which there were injuries, and two fatalities. It shows 20 incidents in which officers used force, up from four the year before, and 19 cases of work-related injuries for the year.

Police deployed the emergency opioid overdose drug naloxone 44 times last year, down from 64 in 2021, and the prescription drug take-back program collected more than 315 pounds of drugs.

The report includes some notable cases, including one that thankfully turned out to be a hoax.

On Oct. 14, police received a call that a female was at Lower Cape May Regional High School with a gun and that 13 students had been shot. Officers responded to the school, while others set up a command post and officers from other jurisdictions responded. No injured students were found in the first search of the school, and a second search was conducted.

In the end, the call was determined to be a hoax, however all who responded that day believed they were responding to a real event and showed no hesitation in the performance of their duties, the report states.
WASHINGTON, D.C.  House Republicans on Wednesday launched the opening salvo in what is sure to be many hearings related to the southwest border this year, criticizing President Joe Bidens policies regarding the U.S.-Mexico border.

The committee, led by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan also leveled criticism at Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, in the first of its hearings focused on immigration since Republicans gained control of the House.

Ive had the opportunity to ask (Mayorkas) questions a number of times on the Homeland Security Committee, and the guy doesnt tell the truth, said U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd. Nobody wants to say that openly, but I will. The guys a liar. When he tells you hes going to look at something, he doesnt. When he says hes going to do something, he doesnt.

Van Drew, who was attending his first hearing as a judiciary committee member, defended Republicans desire for strong borders.

Mayorkas is in charge of carrying out the Biden administrations immigration policies, and the Judiciary Committee called the hearing The Biden Border Crisis: Part One to examine border security, national security, and how fentanyl has impacted American lives.

Republicans are eager to use their new majority to spotlight the border with hearings in several committees, including the panels devoted to the judiciary and to government oversight.

Republicans on the committee asked the witnesses questions about how increased numbers of people entering the country illegally make it harder for border patrol to do a good job stopping drug smuggling  particularly fentanyl from entering the country illegally.

Witnesses were Mark Dannels, Sheriff of Cochise County, Arizona; Judge Ricardo Samaniego, County Judge of El Paso County, Texas; and Brandon Dunn, founder of The Forever 15 Project and a father who lost his 15-year-old son to fentanyl poisoning.

Democrats stressed the asylum process is a legal one to help those who feel threatened in their home countries, such as Haiti, Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua, and said the drug problem should not be lumped in with immigration issues.

Democrats also accused Republicans of being anti-immigrant and racist for not wanting illegal immigrants to be sent throughout the country while awaiting resolution of asylum cases.

In order to determine how to effectively fix something you have to study it, learn about it and you have to hear about it. Thats what this hearing is all about, Van Drew said during his allotted time. Its not a show and its not anti-immigration. We are anti illegal immigration. There is a difference.

Van Drew said the world turned upside down regarding border security after the Biden Administration took office, and ended many of former President Donald Trump border policies. He said Bidens actions effectively invited illegal immigrants to come here.

The truth is we need borders that are effective and borders that are sealed, Van Drew said It is Bidens problem because in two years its radically changed.

No country can remain successful for a long period of time with wide open borders, Van Drew said.

According to Pew Research, monthly encounters between U.S. Border Patrol agents and migrants attempting to cross into the United States illegally over the U.S.-Mexico border remain at levels not seen in more than two decades.

There were 206,239 reported in November 2022, according to the latest available monthly data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the federal agency that encompasses the Border Patrol, Pew said.

Recent monthly totals are roughly on par with the previous peak reached in March 2000, according to Pew.

The Judiciary Committee opened with a one-hour debate over whether to its members should say the pledge of allegiance at each meeting. Republicans suggested it and Democrats objected, saying they said the pledge each day when the Congress opened.

I cant believe were having this debate, Van Drew said, adding members should not object to expressing love for the U.S. more than once a day.

(Staff Writer Michelle Brunetti-Post and the Associated Press contributed to this report.)
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Russias War Breathes New Life Into a Cold War Symbol: Read Matina Stevis-Gridneffs New York Times piece on how RFE/RL journalists are overcoming new obstacles to report uncensored news.

KYRGYZSTAN: Government Moves to Shutter RFE/RL

On January 23, RFE/RL learned that the Kyrgyz Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports, and Youth Policy asked a Bishkek court to shut down RFE/RLs Kyrgyz Service, known locally as Radio Azattyk. A hearing on the application is scheduled to take place on February 9.

According to the Ministry, the request was made due to Radio Azattyk's refusal to take down a video about clashes along a disputed segment of the Kyrgyz-Tajik border. In October, Kyrgyz authorities blocked Radio Azattyks website and froze the Services bank account. RFE/RL President and CEO Jamie Fly spoke to The Diplomat about the motives behind the crackdown.

"We will pursue all available legal means to preserve our operations in the country, Fly said in a statement condemning the Kyrgyz governments actions. Radio Azattyk has filed lawsuits against the Kyrgyz governments actions. A hearing on the website ban took place on January 26. The court granted RFE/RLs request for additional documentation from the Ministry.

The Kyrgyz governments latest move has been condemned by Kyrgyz media, as well as international watchdogs including Amnesty International, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Human Rights Watch, and Reporters Without Borders, and U.S. Senators Menendez (D-NJ) and Risch (R-ID). RFE/RL is grateful for their support.

Ahead of the February 9 hearing, we urge you to call on the Kyrgyz authorities to withdraw their application to close Radio Azattyk, lift the restrictions on the Service, and to work instead to foster a free media environment.

AFGHANISTAN: Azadi Defies Taliban Ban, Doubles Time on Air

Two months after the Taliban removed RFE/RLs award-winning programming from AM and FM radio transmission networks in Afghanistan, Azadi, as the Afghan Service is known locally, is doubling its time on air. The Service is now available 24 hours a day in the Dari and Pashto languages. This broadcasting milestone comes on Azadis 21st anniversary, and further solidifies RFE/RLs role as a true public broadcaster  the only non-governmental radio broadcaster available 24/7 in Afghanistan.

Azadi is a staple of everyday life in Afghanistan, commonly heard in public settings, from marketplaces to taxis. Afghans have again and again expressed their appreciation and gratitude to RFE/RL for providing a vital public service. In the face of Taliban restrictions, RFE/RL will continue to find new and innovative ways to reach audiences.

BELARUS: Darya Losik, Wife Of Jailed RFE/RL Journalist, Sentenced to Two Years In Prison

On January 17, a Belarusian court sentenced Darya Losik, the wife of jailed RFE/RL journalist Ihar Losik, to two years in prison for facilitating extremism. The charge stems from an interview Darya gave to the Poland-based Belsat television channel that has been designated as an extremist group by Minsk. The sentencing was condemned by U.S., EU, and Czech officials.

Daryas husband Ihar Losik has been imprisoned since June 2020. On January 27, Freedom Now and international law firm Dechert LLP filed a petition with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention alleging that Losiks detention infringes on his right to freedom of expression.

LATVIA/LITHUANIA: New RFE/RL Offices Serve as Havens for Displaced Journalists

In January, RFE/RL opened new offices in Riga, Latvia and Vilnius, Lithuania as part of its strategy to counter disinformation and reach new audiences in Belarus and Russia with trusted, independent news and information.

The Riga office will become one of RFE/RLs largest reporting hubs and host journalists who were forced out of Russia in March 2022. The office will produce uncensored Russian-language content for audiences within Russia, as well as those in the Baltics, wider Europe, and beyond.

The Vilnius office will welcome journalists exiled from Belarus in the aftermath of Alyaksandr Lukashenkas fraudulent 2020 re-election. They will produce content for Russian-speaking audiences in Belarus as an alternative to Kremlin and other state propaganda.

THANK YOU FOR READING

You can always reach us by writing to advocacy@rferl.org.
Its a public charitable trust as per the RTI Act, the office tells Delhi high court

The Prime Ministers Office (PMO) on Tuesday told the Delhi High Court that the Prime Ministers Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM CARES) Fund is not a public authority according to the Right to Information Act, 2005 and not a State under Article 12 of the Constitution of India, but a public charitable trust.

A division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad was dealing with a plea moved by Samyak Gangwal, seeking a declaration of PM CARES Fund as State under the Constitution as it would attract consequential directions for disclosing the Funds audit reports periodically, disclosing the Funds quarterly details of donations received, utilisation thereof and resolutions on expenditure of donations.

The affidavit stated that the plea is based on apprehensions and suppositions and that a constitutional question should not be decided in a vacuum. The affidavit filed by the Under Secretary of PMO to the court said: This Trust is neither intended to be, nor is in fact owned, controlled or substantially financed by any government nor any instrumentality of the government. There is no control of either the Central government or any state governments, either direct or indirect, in the functioning of the Trust in any manner whatsoever. IANS
Focus on job creation, other factors help Indian economy bounce back in FY23: Economic Survey

The Economic Survey for 2022-23, which was laid in Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday, has underlined that Indias growth has been inclusive as it has focused on job creation.

India is the third-largest economy in the world in public-private partnership (PPP) terms and the fifth-largest in market exchange rates. As expected of a nation of this size, the Indian economy in FY23 has nearly recouped what was lost, renewed what had paused, and re-energised what had slowed during the pandemic and since the conflict in Europe, the survey noted.

Both official and unofficial sources confirm that employment levels have risen in the current financial year, as the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) shows that the urban unemployment rate for people aged 15 years and above declined from 9.8 per cent in the quarter ending September 2021 to 7.2 per cent a year later (quarter ending September 2022). This is accompanied by an improvement in the labour force participation rate (LFPR) as well, confirming the emergence of the economy out of the pandemic-induced slowdown early in 2022-23, the survey noted in its chapter on Indias inclusive growth.

In 2020-21, the Government had announced the emergency credit line guarantee scheme (ECLGS), which succeeded in shielding micro, small and medium enterprises from financial distress, the document said. Citing a recent CIBIL report, the economic survey said that ECLGS has supported MSMEs in facing the Covid shock, with 83 per cent of the borrowers that availed of the ECLGS being micro-enterprises. Among these micro units, more than half had an overall exposure of less than Rs 10 lakh.

Furthermore, the CIBIL data also shows that ECLGS borrowers had lower non-performing asset rates than enterprises that were eligible for ECLGS but did not avail of it. IANS

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Droupadi Murmu

My govt giving priority to deprived classes: Prez

The Budget session of Parliament started with the maiden address of President Droupadi Murmu to a joint sitting of both Houses on Tuesday. Addressing the joint sitting, President Murmu said that the vision of holistic development can only be achieved by paying proper attention to the hopes and aspirations of the many classes and regions of the country. Now my government is giving priority to each such deprived class and deprived region, she said. IANS

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Narendra Modi

India first, citizen first: PM Modi on Budget 23

PM Narendra Modi on Tuesday said there is global attention on this years Budget which will take forward the thought of India first, citizen first.

PM Modi said, Taking the thought of India first, citizen first we will take this Budget session of Parliament forward. I am hopeful that the opposition leaders will present their views before the Parliament. He further said, The Budget Session begins today and at the beginning itself, credible voices from the world of economy have brought in a positive message, a ray of hope and a beginning of enthusiasm. IANS
The meeting of Pune Times Mirror on the sanitation of footpaths on February 11

Citizens Forum for Potholes/Roads Solution (CFPRS) organises the second neighborhood citizen meeting, which will be held between 3.30 am and 5.30 pm on Saturday, February 11. It will be hosted by Smaiirah. The venue will be announced soon near Vidyanagar, Vishrantwadi, Pune.

The initiative is to make Pune city a better place to live and to make the authorities work for the betterment of society.

Members and citizens from all neighborhoods, besides Vishrantwadi, are welcome for the event. You can come with your friends and give momentum to this publice movement for good roads in the city by the next monsoon.

For participation, register by emailing to vinita.deshmukh@ punemirror.com or WhatsApp to Ekta on 985093237. The registration is free but mandatory.
CHICAGO  OHare International Airports Terminal 5 now has more space to accommodate planes and passengers after 10 new gates opened for airlines use.

The new gates entering service mark the completion of a key piece of the revamp of the former international terminal, which has been under construction about four years. Additional work remains underway at the terminal and other major work is planned as part of a broader overhaul of the airport, including eventually tearing down Terminal 2 and replacing it with a new Global Terminal and two satellite concourses.

The $1.3 billion renovation of Terminal 5, designed by firms HOK and Muller & Muller Ltd., was set to expand the terminal by 350,000 square feet, add passenger amenities and security checkpoint lanes, reconfigure customs facilities and replace an aging baggage handling system.

The terminal now serves both domestic and international flights. And, in October, Delta Air Lines moved into 10 renovated gates and opened a new lounge in Terminal 5, vacating its former space in Terminal 2.

By providing jobs and contracting opportunities, as well as acting as a catalyst for roadway and other infrastructure improvements, our airports have become essential to the economic health of our region, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said during a Tuesday event celebrating the opening of the terminal extension. And further, our airports continue to serve as gateways to Chicago for domestic and international travelers.

The new gates are expected to handle about 120 arrivals or departures a day and up to 18,000 additional daily passengers, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation. That will bring the total number of flights at Terminal 5 to about 440 arrivals and departures each day.

Nine of the 10 new gates use a flexible system that can accommodate both large wide-body planes and smaller narrow-body aircraft, meaning the space needed to park two large planes can also be repurposed to fit three narrow-body planes, the city said.

The new gates opened in phases between June 2022 and January. They are not assigned to an individual airline, and could be used by any carrier that operates out of the terminal.

Terminal 5 opened to serve international flights in 1993 at a cost of $618 million, Department of Aviation Commissioner Jamie Rhee said during the Tuesday event. It replaced an interim international terminal created in the mid-1980s, known as Terminal 4.

It was initially designed to accommodate 61 million passengers flying to 30 international destinations, Rhee said. By 2019, the terminal was handling 83 million passengers traveling to 73 locations, she said.

The pandemic hit air travel hard in 2020, but it also allowed construction on Terminal 5 to progress quickly as airlines demand to use gates dropped, Rhee said.

Some work remains at the terminal. New concessions are expected to open in phases throughout 2023, and a six-story parking garage is to be finished in 2024.

The new baggage handling system is expected to be finished later this year, as are more upgrades to the customs and immigration area.

About $3.5 million worth of art from Chicago artists, commissioned by the citys Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, will be installed near baggage claim, the customs and immigrations arrival area, and the concourse level.

Other work will take place along the roads and curbside areas outside the terminal.

How online booking has changed the travel agent landscape How online booking has changed the travel agent landscape Travel agent jobs experience a drastic decline The 2000s further accelerated changes in the travel industry COVID-19's impact has been predictably significant
IOWA CITY  Just three years into the University of Iowa's landmark 50-year deal for the private operation of its utility system as a way to raise money for education, cracks are emerging in the $1.165 billion agreement, with the operator accusing the UI of "breaching its obligations."

In a federal lawsuit filed Thursday, the UI Energy Collaborative outlined four main ways the UI was reneging: refusing to pay money it owes; rescinding approval to repair the utility system; refusing to file casualty insurance claims; and demanding payment for "unplanned" utility outages "even though the university's representatives participated in the very meetings and discussions planning for those events."

UI spokesman Steve Schmadeke said the UI and its public-private partners "have a disagreement regarding some of the terms and conditions" of the deal.

"The university has been working with its utilities partner to resolve these differences," he said in a statement. "We are disappointed that our utilities partner has a different interpretation of the contract and felt the need to file a lawsuit against the university. We are eager for the court to provide us with a clear definition of the contract for both parties to adhere to."

The deal

The agreement dates back four years, when the UI in 2019 announced plans to pursue a public-private partnership for the operation and improvement of its massive utility system  generating enough energy to power a town of 30,000 homes.

Mirroring similar deals at other campuses, like at Ohio State University, the public-private partnership  or P3 for short  involved the UI, a contracted "concessionaire" to develop the system, an operator contracted by the concessionaire to run the system and a group of banks to finance the deal.

The UI launched its pursuit by requesting proposals from prospective private operators, and the winning bid came from a group of foreign- and U.S.-based businesses and individuals  including Meridiam Infrastructure North America Corporation; ENGIE North America Inc.; and Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure Capital Inc.

The UI in December 2019 announced plans to pick that group  the UI Energy Collaborative  and closed the deal in March 2020. The collaborative paid the UI an upfront $1.165 billion  of which the university pulled $158.4 million to pay off existing utility system debt; $12.1 million to pay consulting fees; and $8.6 million to cover other related expenses  according to a recent report from the State Auditor's Office.

The UI deposited the remaining $985.9 million into an endowment administered by a new UI Strategic Initiative Fund  a nonprofit the university created to manage the investment; grant money to the UI "to support concessionaire payments"; and distribute proceeds across campus to advance its strategic plans and purposes.

UI officials have said they expect to pay about $3.027 billion from the fund over the deal's duration to cover annual operating costs and to fund up to $15 million annually in strategic initiatives.

In the lawsuit, the collaborative said it "was enthused to partner with the university, and remains fully committed to helping the university meet its sustainability goals and bring its utility system into the 21st century." But, "for nearly three years now," UI has "refused to recognize or perform its contractual obligations," according to the lawsuit.

'Refused to pay'

Payment issues started, according to the suit, when both sides were calculating the utility fee the UI owed for the 2021 budget year. The university, "with its billion dollars now in hand," started looking for ways to "chip away" the collaborative's rights.

Specifically, the UI refused to pay certain expenses that were supposed to be included under the definition of "operations and maintenance" costs  a category that covers employee compensation, administrative expenses and maintenance of the collaborative's credit rating.

"UIEC has tried to help the university understand that its position is unsupportable, but after extensive discussions and exchanges of correspondence, the university has wrongfully refused to pay amounts clearly due," according to the lawsuit, pointing to a $1.5 million "operator fee." That's how much the collaborative owes the private operator  ENGIE Generation North America LLC  for the "day-to-day operation and maintenance of the utility system."

"The university knew about this operator fee before it accepted UIEC's winning bid for the P3 concession," the lawsuit asserts.

The lawsuit also accuses the UI of  among other things  refusing to include in its utility fee the collaborative's compensation packages for its chief executive and chief financial officers, totaling about $600,000 in 2020 and escalating annually.

'Reneged on its promises'

As stated in the State Auditor's investigative report, the university was to pay for operating and maintenance costs  but the collaborative alleged the UI refused to cover expenses related to two utility system components that needed immediate repair.

"The university at first agreed to the repairs and to finance them, but when the components broke before the repairs could be completed ... the university reneged on its promises," according to the lawsuit.

One of those involved "roofs of the main power plant and domestic water production utility system buildings due to age degradation and loss of water tight integrity."

The collaborative said the UI accepted a proposal and agreed to fund the repair, but before that happened the roofs were further damaged by the August 2020 derecho.

"In mid-December 2020, the university changed its position, and informed UIEC that it was not going to pay for any of the required repair/overhaul for either of the two casualty events or make an insurance claim for the damage," according to the lawsuit. "In other words, after approving a plan and costs to fix these issues, the university turned around and sought to reverse its approval."

Threatened with litigation

Countering the collaborative's demand the UI cover more of its costs, the university has "threatened UIEC with litigation," according to the lawsuit.

"The university alleges, without merit, that it is entitled to potential key performance indicator compensation under the concession agreement due to alleged unplanned utility outages." Those outages were actually planned, according to the collaborative, accusing the UI of sending it a notice in June 2021 that a chilled water outage was unplanned and entitled the university to $5 million in compensation.

"The chilled water outage, which occurred in March and April of 2021, was a planned outage," according to the lawsuit. "The parties discussed the outage repeatedly before it happened, beginning as far back to December 2020. UIEC put the university on actual notice, in writing, of the outage, and the parties actively coordinated and prepared for the outage for months."

In November 2021, the UI sent the collaborative another notice related to a performance standards another failure for an electrical outage at Spence Labs.

"Like the chilled water outage, the Spence Labs outage was planned," the lawsuit asserts. "The planning efforts involved multiple meetings between the operator and the university, and are well documented in the correspondence between them."

The collaborator is asking a judge to not only award it the money it argues the UI owes, but to set the record straight about what its payment should include going forward.

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A worker works on an assembly line at a farm machinery manufacturing company in east China's Shandong Province, Feb. 15, 2022. [Photo/Xinhua]



China's major industrial firms grew steadily in terms of revenue in 2022, but their profits dipped due to certain factors impacting beyond expectations and a high base of comparison, official data showed Tuesday.

The combined revenues of industrial firms with an annual main business revenue of at least 20 million yuan (about 2.96 million U.S. dollars) rose 5.9 percent year on year in 2022, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said.

Their total profits stood at 8.4 trillion yuan in this period, down 4 percent from a year earlier, the NBS data revealed.

Senior NBS statistician Zhu Hong highlighted the improvement in the profit structure of the industry's upstream and downstream links in 2022, despite contraction in profits.

If excluding sharp declines in a few industries, such as steel and oil processing, the overall profit growth rate in 2022 would be elevated to 5.6, Zhu said.

A total of 21 out of 41 major industries saw growth in profits in the period, up from 20 in the Jan.-Nov. period.

The oil and gas exploitation sector saw profits jump 1.1 times compared to a year earlier, while the electric and heat power production and supply sectors, and coal mining and washing sectors reported profit increases of 86.3 percent and 44.3 percent, respectively.

Equipment manufacturing and basic consumer goods served as bright spots for the industrial sector during the period, Zhu said.

With a sustained recovery, the combined profits of the equipment manufacturing industry rose 1.7 percent year on year, data showed. The sector contributed over a third of the country's total industrial profits in 2022, providing a strong impetus for the overall industry.

Meanwhile, the profits of basic consumer goods companies also logged steady expansion, as pro-growth policies spurred the market demand, according to Zhu. Thanks to the warming market, producers of alcoholic drinks, tea, and tobacco posted rapid growth in profits in 2022.

Despite the overall profit decline in 2022, signs showed that China's industrial firms were on the right track to profit recovery, as the country continued to emerge from its COVID shadow.

Tuesday's data showed that the purchasing managers' index for China's manufacturing sector rebounded to expansion territory in January 2023, after three consecutive months of contraction, with major sub-indices posting surges.

However, Zhu still warned against challenges, including relatively high costs for businesses and uncertainties in the domestic and external environments.

Looking ahead to the next stage, Zhu urged efforts to better coordinate the epidemic response and economic and social development, boost market confidence, proactively expand domestic effective demand, and consolidate the foundation of profit recovery for industrial firms, so as to push for an overall upturn in the industrial economy in 2023.
Even though we are in the middle of winter, fishermen across the Quad-Cities are champing at the bit to get out and go fishing.

But along with the urge to go fishing, anglers typically have a lot of questions this time of year about new rules and regulations, how our area fisheries are doing or sometimes they just need help looking for a place to take someone fishing for the first time in order to have immediate success.

The fish biologists from both the Iowa and Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are the people who have that information and will be available to the Quad-Cities public a few times over the next few weeks.

First, the Quad Cities In-fisherman group will be holding its monthly meeting at the QCCA Expo Center on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Rob Hilsabeck, long-time Illinois DNR fisheries biologist will be the speaker for the evening. He will likely be discussing the condition of our area rivers and fisheries and will be able to answer any questions people have about those resources. Hilsabeck has been a fisheries biologist for Illinois for the past 30 years and has extensive knowledge of most of the waters in the northern half of the state.

Second, David Wyffels, fisheries biologist for Illinois DNR, will be conducting his 2023 Pond Clinic on Saturday, Feb. 25, from 8 a.m. until noon. The event will occur about an hour east off interstate 80 at the Peru Community Center, which can be found at 1901 4th Street, Peru, Ill.

The event is free, but you must register to attend. Reservations are required by Feb. 17 to participate in the event. You can call the LaSalle County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) at 815-433-0551, ext. 3 or the Bureau County SWCD at 815-875-8732, ext. 3, to add your name to the list. During this workshop, Dave will review pond construction, fish management, pond vegetation, habitats, as well as the common problems most pond owners encounter.

If would like to learn more about pond management, but cannot attend this meeting, contact the Rock Island SWCD and see if they can answer those questions. Most likely they will be able to, but if not, they do have contacts and resources to get those questions answered.

Finally, the annual QC Fishing, Hunting & Outdoor Adventure Show begins on Thursday, Feb. 16 and runs through Sunday the 19th at the QCCA Expo Center. Biologists from Illinois DNR, law enforcement, as well as other outdoor agencies will be on hand to answer questions from the public. Typically, different people will be manning the booth each day, so a variety of outdoor specialists will be available all weekend to teach you a little about the outdoors.
South Dakota's high-tech science research hub needs more room to explore the dark side of the universe, and it wants the state to help it realize that goal.

The Sanford Underground Research Facility, which conducts experiments on dark matter, neutrino physics, biology, geology and engineering in Lead, is trying to secure $13 million in emergency funding from South Dakota lawmakers to increase the facility's size and capabilities.

That funding would come from Senate Bill 35, which has left committee and will face public hearings in the coming months.

SURF is the deepest underground research facility in the country at almost a mile below the Black Hills. The group has proposed a two-phase project to excavate two large caverns that would secure future scientific experiments worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Operated by the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority, SURF has run out of space to take on new experiments, according to SDSTA executive and laboratory director Mike Headley.

"Experiment groups have chosen to go to other countries because they already had available space. We didn't build this place to be second in the world. We want to be a leader and for us to do that we've got to build out more space," Headley said.

The first part of the two-phase project will provide infrastructure for ventilation and rock removal for the second part, which will add two caverns to the facility.

The two caverns, which could each hold two large experiments worth $500 million each, will cost at least $100 million to excavate. The primary donor for this phase is Denny Sanford. The exact amount for the donation has not been decided, Headley said.

Since its conception, SURF has received commendatory feedback from the science community. Operating in the old Homestake Mine, conditions are uniquely favorable for the types of research being done deep underground near Lead, according to Headley.

"The area is incredibly competent which allows us to develop large caverns and do it in a way that is stable and won't move over time. This provides a very safe environment for the science to be done."

These unique geological conditions make the Black Hills a potential world leader in underground research. If completed, the project would have immense educational and economic impacts on the area.

"Local contractors will be involved in developing the space, outfitting it with power, internet, HVAC, and all types of systems. Plus, experiment groups will be utilizing local contractors and technical support to install particle detectors," says Headley. "As for future impacts, pinpointing exactly what businesses will form is hard to say, but there will be involvement from local business in future experiments I can say for sure."

SURF education outreach reaches 20,000 kids annually. According to Headley, that number will increase dramatically.

"We're working on a science institute that is separate from the cavern build. We'll be working to grow our education program beyond the borders of South Dakota. We want to work with even more kids, but we also want to develop something that is more of a national and international presence."

Much still needs to be done before the potential expansion, though. With the help of Thyssen Mining Company, SDSTA is halfway done excavating three caverns for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment.

DUNE's mission is to better understand neutrinos, which scientists believe hold answers to the creation of the universe, dark matter, black holes, the death of stars, and more.

Neutrinos are one of the most abundant and least understood particles. With no charge and relatively no mass, they pass directly through matter. Part of the DUNE project is the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility which detected a beam of neutrinos 800 miles away from Fermilab in Batavia, Illinois.

After excavating DUNE and building the first two detectors, the first phase of the expansion would begin. Since Thyssen Mining, Inc. is already on the premises, proceeding directly to the expansion would save $15 million in mobilization cost, Headley said.

Mobilization is expensive because it involves a cumbersome process of taking mining machinery apart, lowering the parts thousands of feet below the surface, then reassembling the machinery underground.

If Senate Bill 35 is passed and all goes according to plan, phase one construction would begin 2027-28, Headley said. The bill was referred to the Joint Committee on Appropriations in January and will be heard in a public hearing which has not been scheduled.

The State of South Dakota has invested $62 million dollars in SURF over the past 15 years, Headley said. That investment has multiplied 15 times, generating $932 million in federal and private funds."
A South Dakota Senate committee voted unanimously Tuesday night to draft a report recommending censure of Sen. Julie Frye-Mueller, an immediate reinstatement from her suspension, and to limit her access to Legislative Research Council staff following an allegation of unprofessional behavior and harassment.

Frye-Mueller, a Rapid City Republican who represents District 30, is accused of allegedly having inappropriate conversations and harassing an LRC staff member about childhood vaccines and breastfeeding. She was removed from her committee assignments last week and then later suspended by the full Senate pending the investigation.

Earlier Tuesday evening, the Senate Select Committee on Discipline and Expulsion met behind closed doors to hear testimony from the LRC staff member. What was said in that session is unknown.

However, the Senate released a redacted written statement from her on Monday prior to Tuesday's hearing. The statement also included allegations against Frye-Mueller's husband, Mike Mueller, who was reportedly in the LRC staffer's office at the time.

After discussing a draft of a bill that Frye-Mueller was sponsoring, the conversation allegedly turned to her recently born infant. In the report, the staff member said Frye-Mueller asked about the infant's childhood vaccine status and then alleges Frye-Mueller "proceeded to point her finger at me and aggressively say that this will cause him issues."

She alleged that Frye-Mueller said vaccines will cause the baby to have Down's syndrome and autism. She also alleged that Frye-Mueller said the baby "will die from those vaccines."

The conversation allegedly turned to breastfeeding, the staff member claimed. In her report, it is alleged that Frye-Mueller told her their husband could "suck on my breasts" to get milk to come in. Frye-Mueller allegedly said "a good time for that is at night" and then made "hand gestures to her chest area and motion for her husband to see if he agreed. He (Mueller) smiled and nodded," the report states.

Frye-Mueller did not testify in the executive session, but the staff member was questioned by Frye-Mueller's attorney, former South Dakota Speaker of the House Steven Haugaard.

Following the closed-door testimony, the committee returned to an open session to hear arguments from Haugaard about the alleged incident. Haugaard said the Senate's actions to suspend Frye-Mueller were unconstitutional without due process.

Haugaard made several requests to allow additional witnesses to testify on the credibility of the staff member, but at first did not allow Frye-Mueller or her husband to testify.

Following several lines of questioning between Haugaard and the committee, Haugaard requested a brief recess to speak with Frye-Mueller and Mueller about testifying.

Both agreed.

Frye-Mueller testified she asked the LRC staffer how her baby was doing and then asked her a question about whether or not the hospital in Pierre was requiring immediate vaccination for measles, mumps and rubella.

Frye-Mueller testified she asked the question because she understood the hospital in Rapid City was requiring the vaccine and was wondering if the same policy applied in the Pierre hospital. Frye-Mueller denied under oath that she said vaccines would cause Down's syndrome, autism or the baby's death.

During testimony, Frye-Mueller said her own children had received childhood vaccines.

Frye-Mueller also testified she asked the LRC employee if she went home for lunch to be with her child. Frye-Mueller said she told her no because she was unable to breastfeed.

Frye-Mueller testified that she asked if she wanted advice that she learned as a new mother about breastfeeding. She said the woman agreed and Frye-Mueller shared a story from when she was a new mother about breastfeeding.

Under oath, Frye-Mueller denied ever saying the staff member's husband should initiate milk production and that a good time to do it was at night. Frye-Mueller testified she never made hand gestures to her chest area to see if her husband agreed.

Frye-Mueller said that was "disgusting" talk that she would never say. During testimony, Frye-Mueller became emotional several times when talking on the matter and denied that type of talk would never come from her. She said she was upset that people would ever think that she would talk in such a way.

Frye-Mueller said she saw the LRC employee as a friend and that it was a friendly conversation between two women. Frye-Mueller said after this incident, and the release of the staff member's report, she now realizes she was not a friend.

Mueller backed up his wife's statement in sworn testimony, and said he attempted to leave the office when the "girl talk" began, but it was a brief conversation and he thought nothing of it. He also denied the allegation of nodding his head and smiling when the discussion of breast milk production turned to a husband's participation.

Following closing arguments from Haugaard, Democratic Sen. Reynold Nesiba made a motion for Senate staff to write a report recommending Frye-Mueller's censure, an immediate reinstatement from her suspension, and to limit her interaction with LRC staff. The motion was approved unanimously.

The report is expected to be ready Wednesday afternoon. The committee will review the report and is expected to present it to the full Senate later in the day.

Judge denies Frye-Mueller motion

Earlier Tuesday, a federal judge denied Frye-Mueller's request to immediately intervene to reinstate her abilities in the Senate and to expedite a hearing on if her First Amendment rights were violated.

U.S. District Court Chief Judge Roberto Lange issued his order stating Frye-Mueller's claim for immediate action "cites to no authority but presumably is meant to be a motion for temporary restraining order."

Lange denied the temporary restraining order, in part, because Frye-Mueller failed to show notice to Senate President Pro Tempore Lee Schoenbeck that she was asking for immediate reinstatement and an expedited hearing.

"Frye-Mueller has failed to satisfy the requirements for a temporary restraining order because there was no written certification of 'any efforts to give notice and the reasons why [notice] should not be required,'" Lange wrote in his order.

Lange ordered Frye-Mueller and Schoenbeck to cooperate to set a hearing for preliminary injunction for Feb. 7 or Feb. 10.

Frye-Mueller filed the lawsuit Monday alleging Schoenbeck and the Senate violated her First Amendment rights when she was suspended and stripped of her voting rights in the current legislative session.
A federal judge has denied suspended state Sen. Julie Frye-Mueller's request to reinstate her abilities in the Senate and to expedite a hearing on if her First Amendement rights were violated.

U.S. District Court Chief Judge Roberto Lange issued his order Tuesday stating Frye-Mueller's claim for immediate action "cites to no authority but presumably is meant to be a motion for temporary restraining order."

Lange denied the temporary restraining order, in part, because Frye-Mueller failed to show notice to Senate President Pro Tempore Lee Schoenbeck that she was asking for immediate reinstatement and an expedited hearing.

"Frye-Mueller has failed to satisfy the requirements for a temporary restraining order because there was no written certification of 'any efforts to give notice and the reasons why [notice] should not be required,'" Lange wrote in his order.

Lange ordered Frye-Mueller and Schoenbeck to cooperate to set a hearing for preliminary injunction for Feb. 7 or Feb. 10.

Frye-Mueller filed the lawsuit Monday alleging Schoenbeck the Senate violated her First Amendment rights when she was suspended last week and stripped of her voting rights in the current legislative session.

The suspension occurred after a legislative staff member filed a report with Senate leadership claiming Frye-Mueller had an inappropriate and harassing conversation about childhood vaccinations and breastfeeding.

The staff member said the conversation was in front of Frye-Mueller's husband, Mike Mueller, and made her uncomfortable.

Frye-Mueller allegedly said the baby "could get down syndrome (sic), or autism," as well as allegedly saying that the baby "will die from those vaccines."

The report goes on to allege that Frye-Mueller continued to harass the staff member about unfounded and untrue claims that the World Health Organization is using vaccines on people because "we are guinea pigs for big pharma." The report states Frye-Mueller allegedly said the staff member was "taking away God's gift of immunity from" the staff member's baby.

The conversation then turned to breastfeeding, the report states, where Frye-Mueller allegedly told the staff member their husband could "suck on my breasts" to get milk to come in. Frye-Mueller allegedly said "a good time for that is at night" and then made "hand gestures to her chest area and motion for her husband to see if he agreed. He (Mueller) smiled and nodded," the report states.

The report states the conversation continued on vaccinations, alleging that Frye-Mueller "continued to point her finger at me with tears in her eyes saying repeatedly, 'you can't vaccinate your child anymore.'"

The Senate subcommittee investigating the allegations met Tuesday evening in a closed-door executive session with the staff member and Frye-Mueller. The subcommittee came back into an open session following the executive session.

During the open session late Tuesday evening, Frye-Mueller provided sworn testimony on her conduct. Her husband also provided sworn testimony.

The Journal will provide coverage of the open session testimony and questioning on Wednesday morning.

Committee members said a redacted transcript of the Tuesday closed-door meeting will be released.
In the latest attempt to give Wyoming clearer hate crimes protections, a new bill would establish penalties for acts of violence and vandalism motivated by prejudice toward another persons race, color, sex, creed or national origin.

Hate crimes, also called bias crimes, refer to crimes committed against people or groups for having specific characteristics. Someone who deliberately damages a mosque out of animus for Muslim people, for example, would fit that definition.

But Wyoming state statute doesnt directly address those kinds of crimes  at least, not as explicitly as federal law does.

Groups of lawmakers and activists in Wyoming have been trying for years to change that, without success.

So House Bill 280  sponsored by Rep. Dan Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne  is giving it another shot.

New penalties

The bill would amend Wyoming statute 6-9-102, which holds that no person shall be denied the right to life, liberty, pursuit of happiness or the necessities of life to the above protected classes.

Violating the law is currently a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum of six months in jail and a fine of up to $750.

House Bill 280 would add specific penalties for bias-motivated acts of violence and vandalism on top of that.

Causing bodily harm to another person because of their race, color, sex, creed or national origin would be considered a misdemeanor, the bill says.

Defacing, injuring or destroying the property of another person for the above reasons would also be a misdemeanor, so long as the damage amounted to less than $1,000.

Both would come with punishments of up to six months in jail and a fine of $750 max.

More severe hate crimes would face harsher punishment.

Anyone who inflicts, or attempts to inflict, serious bodily injury on the basis of someone elses race, color, sex, creed or national origin could face up to 10 years in prison. (Serious bodily injury refers to bodily injury that creates a substantial risk of death or which causes miscarriage, severe disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ.)

Bias-motivated acts of vandalism that cause more than $1,000 in property damage would likewise face up to 10 years and a maximum fine of $10,000.

Those penalties are the same as current punishments for bodily injury and vandalism, Zwonitzer said.

The district attorney or the county attorney would just be able to charge them under the hate crime statute or the regular property damage or assault and battery statutes, he said.

If passed into law, the amendments would take effect immediately.

Long odds

House Bill 280 takes after a bill drafted by a committee of lawmakers in 2021. The Joint Judiciary Committee spent that year considering potential hate crimes legislation for Wyoming, but ultimately voted not to sponsor any for the 2022 session.

Zwonitzer doesnt expect things to go differently this time.

Its probably not leaving the Speakers desk, he said.

While lawmakers from both sides of the aisle in Wyoming have supported the idea of hate crimes law, hard-line conservatives tend to oppose it.

And with the statehouse leaning farther right this year, the odds of House Bill 280 gaining traction are slim, Zwonitzer said.

Thats partly why the bill doesnt bother with expanding protected classes.

While there have been attempts to add sexual orientation, gender identity and religion into Wyomings anti-discrimination statute in the past, more and more lawmakers seem ideologically opposed to the idea of protected classes in general. Anti-discrimination and hate crimes laws are meant to protect everyone equally, but some view the phrase protected classes as implying the law will favor people with certain characteristics over others.

Zwonitzer said another bill hes sponsoring, which addresses assault against health care workers, caught criticism during a Friday committee meeting for trying to make nurses a protected class.

House Bill 280 comes as more and more Wyoming communities have taken an interest in adopting, or expanding, their own local hate crimes and non-discrimination laws.

Last year, Cheyenne and Casper both passed hate crimes ordinances. (Caspers also banned discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodation.)

Towns like Gillette and Riverton have both expressed interest in following suit, said Sara Burlingame, executive director of Wyoming Equality.
A rally to support the Montana Constitution packed the Capitol on Wednesday as attendees urged lawmakers to leave the document alone.

"We want all lawmakers to see the number of people across Montana who are here to support and protect our Constitution," said Kris Glenn, with Northern Plains Resource Council.

Former Republican Gov. Marc Racicot spoke Wednesday. In recent months Racicot has spoken out about concerns he has with the protection and future of the U.S. and state Constitutions, as well as the status of the republic.

Racicot called the Montana Constitution a "higher form of law than the statutory creations of the Legislative branch."

"They are uniformly steeped in virtue and optimism focused on the public good instead of ... party preference," Racicot said.

Racicot said when legislators weigh proposed referendums that would put amendments to the Constitution to voters, they needed to adopt a different position from when they vote on other bills, and to make decisions based not on politics or party affiliation but the public good.

Since 1972, Racicot said there have been 50 items put on the ballot over 27 legislative sessions, with no more than five proposed in any single previous session. This year there are 56 constitutional referendums requested, and two have been introduced so far. Racicot also encouraged lawmakers to preserve the separation of powers between separate branches of government when considering how to vote on what comes before them.

So far none of the referendums, which are all proposed by Republican legislators, have been scheduled for hearings. They range from things like adding the right to hunt to the Constitution to the powers of the Board of Regents that oversees the university system to changing the judiciary. Republicans hold a supermajority this session, meaning if the party votes together they have enough power to move referendums with no support from across the aisle.

Dorothy Bradley, who was a legislator before and after then 1972 convention that re-wrote Montana's Constitution, told the crowd the rewrite 50 years ago gave the state a modern document that moved away from one that came from the era of Copper Kings when women couldn't vote.

Bradley said attempts to change Montana's Constitution were alarming.

"It is so disheartening to see a stream of harmful proposals coming out of this Capitol every week," Bradley said. "But look around yourselves at this beautiful hall. This is our place too. We belong here too and there are so many of you."
Richmond police teamed up with VCU police and federal officers in the arrest of a suspect in connection with a double shooting last September.

Authorities said Anthony Ford Jr., 29, of Richmond, was arrested Wednesday morning in Richmond. Ford faces several charges including two counts of attempted murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony

We are proud to partner with outstanding agencies throughout our region in the pursuit of public safety, said Richmonds Interim Chief of Police Rick Edwards.

The arrest was made after Richmond officers worked with the VCU Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Police are still looking for the second suspect in connection with the shooting that took place Sept. 5, 2022 around the 1600 block of South Laurel Street in Oregon Hill.

At around 8 p.m. that day, officers responded to reports of a shooting in the neighborhood. At the scene, police found two men suffering from non-life threatening gunshot wounds. They were transported to the hospital, police said.

Witnesses reported that the then-unidentified Ford Jr. had allegedly assaulted a female at the scene before shooting the victims.

The shooting occurred within blocks of VCUs Monroe Park Campus, which caused a great deal of concern in our community, said VCUs Police Chief John Venuti.

We are relieved that this individual is now in custody and will continue to support the investigation in any way we can, he added.

As police continue their investigation, anyone with information or who can identify the second suspect is asked to call Richmond police at (804) 646-3929 or Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000.

29 photos from The Times-Dispatch archives
Mayor Levar Stoney kicked off his seventh year in office with a State of the City address Tuesday that touted population, economic and cultural growth.

Today, we thrive together. Today, we rise together, the mayor said. Our great city has come a long way these past six years. The state of our city is better than its ever been before. And I say the best is yet to come.

The event, held at Main Street Station in downtown Richmond, was Stoneys first in-person State of the City address since 2020. The other addresses were held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before introducing Stoney, Chief Administrative Officer Lincoln Saunders talked about Richmonds successes.

Our city is on the move  from internationally renowned artists to top-ranked universities to cultural diversity that is second to none, he said. The road to Richmond is paved with great expectations, change and the idea that we can be anything we set our minds to be while leading with compassion and fortitude.

The speech was attended by City Council members, department heads, municipal workers and elected officials.

Stoney said the city has made significant strides in economic progress in the past year by creating more than 2,000 jobs, pumping in $550 million in capital investments and issuing 536 business licenses and 670 commercial business permits, as well as lowering the poverty rate by 7%. The citys poverty rate is at 19.8%, according to the most recent U.S. census data.

Of public roads, 64% are considered in good condition  a 29% increase since 2019. That is due to a $70 million investment to repave more than 200 miles of roadways including Broad Street and Gilpin Court, Stoney said.

Look, I know that paving isnt sexy, Stoney said. But it damn sure makes a difference.

Investment in a housing diversion program also helped people avoid evictions, he said. The city allocated $4 million to assist those experiencing homelessness and has provided $18 million in tax rebates for qualifying homeowners. The mayor also announced a goal to create 2,000 new homeownership opportunities for low-income residents.

Stoney said a $750,000 grant from the state will help launch the first Real Time Crime Center, described as an air traffic control for officers in the field. The plan is to use cameras and other technology to further maximize the efficiency and speed of investigations.

While the city saw a 37% decrease in homicides and 17% decrease in robberies from 2021 to 2022, there was a 19% increase in overall major crime, with a jump in the number of reported rapes, aggravated assaults and commercial robberies.

We have a serious problem in this country. We have too many damn guns, he said.

Stoney also pointed to a $1.5 million allocation for community-based afterschool programs as well as a $1.5 million investment in a pilot program to help Richmond students go to community college.

In addition, the mayor announced the citys $250,000 investment in a YWCA Sprout School, which offers early childhood education, in Oregon Hill this summer. The school will serve an additional 60 children.

Stoney also spoke about the removal of symbols of the Confederacy and the citys continual push for a more equitable community for all.

Today, Richmond is free of Confederate monuments and our past is no longer leading our present. Now we are leading our future, he said. A future that includes all Richmonders, no matter the color of their skin, whom they pray to or whom they love.

Gallery: Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney delivers State of the City speech
Do not be alarmed, in the coming weeks, if you are driving through the Shenandoah Valley on Interstate 81 and you come upon a convoy of aging ambulances  close to two dozen  motoring north on the highway.

You would be right to wonder where they are going, and the unlikely answer is Ukraine  by way of Baltimore; then onto a cargo ship, which leaves port on March 8, then sails across the Atlantic, through the Mediterranean, into the Adriatic and to the port of Koper in Slovenia; then onto flatbed trucks bound probably through Hungary and Slovakia, where the ambulances will arrive at their new homes in Ukraine.

Its going to be a sight, said Brock D. Bierman, with characteristic enthusiasm. The Augusta County resident is the president and CEO of the nonprofit Worldwide Friends Foundation and the driving force behind the organizations Volunteer Ambulance Corps, which includes the acquisition, refurbishment and delivery of used ambulances to support the Ukrainian war effort.

It just happened, he said, still marveling about the day last fall when he saw the parking lot full of ambulances for sale along U.S. Route 11, just south of Harrisonburg. If I hadnt been driving ... 

In fact, there were 27 used ambulances sitting outside Route 11 Automotive that day and, when Bierman stopped in to ask whether they were for sale, the owner, Brandon Peavy, asked, Would you like to buy one?

Bierman replied, No, Id like to buy them all.

Peavy was taken aback, but Bierman explained his mission, and the two struck a deal. Now, 22 of the ambulancesfixed up with new tires, brakes and assorted other repairs to make them serviceablewill be headed to Ukraine in the coming weeks. The other five are still undergoing repairs and might also be included in the convoy, depending on the timing.

In a phone interview, Peavy explained that, besides Route 11 Automotive, he also operates an ambulance company in Charlottesville, Harrisonburg and Staunton and that he had acquired the used ambulances a few years ago from a Virginia Beach company that had gone out of business. In order to get the 10 he wanted for his company, Peavy had to buy the entire inventory  54, in all  despite not knowing what he would do with that many. Over the years, he had sold a few here and there, and it was only a few days before Bierman stopped in that he had decided he really needed to sell the last 27 because he was about to lose a chunk of his parking lot to a road-widening project.

Those ambulances needed to go and within a week Brock showed up, Peavy said. This is probably the most rewarding thing we could possibly do with them.

Bierman, 58, is a former three-term Republican representative in the Rhode Island General Assembly who held appointments in the U.S. Agency for International Development in its Bureau for Europe and Eurasia during two administrations (Bush and Trump). While at USAID, Bierman led an initiative that launched in 2019 to help Eastern European countries, including Ukraine, withstand the influence of Vladimir Putin and the Russian government. He also founded a program called European Democracy Youth Network, an alliance of young people advancing the cause of freedom in European countries with totalitarian histories.

Bierman lived in Northern Virginia for many years before moving southward with his wife, Lisa, in 2016 to the community of Lyndhurst, a place he calls paradise. He has a deep familiarity with Ukraine and that part of the world. His passion for the Volunteer Ambulance Corps and other projects aiding Ukraine is even more personal.

His grandfather came to the United States as a teen in 1906, having fled religious persecution in what is now Moldovaone of Ukraines next-door neighborsduring a pogrom against Jewish citizens. Within the next decade or so, he became an American citizen and learned to read and write. He then went to college, started his own company and joined the U.S. Army to fight in France during World War I.

Bierman was an adult before he learned the full details of his grandfathers story, and it has had a profound impact on the way he views both the world and, now, his role in helping the people of Ukraine.

Although my grandfather died when I was 1 year old, I learned a lot about being an American from my grandfather, Bierman said. I think about how he gave my family ... the gift of freedom, and I have a debt to pay. I feel like he paved the road for me, and I have to pave the road for not only my kids but other generations to come. Thats why this is so important.

Within weeks of Russias invasion of Ukraine last February, Bierman was on the ground in Ukraine to assess how he could help. He was struck, in particular, by the grassroots bravery and resolve of the Territorial Defence Forces, Ukraines military reserve component, which Bierman described as volunteers  men and women, young and old  who might never have previously held a gun in their lives, but who were handed weapons and told, essentially, If the Russians break through the line of the professional armed services, point the weapon and pull the trigger.

Despite being poorly trained and poorly equipped, Bierman said, They dont care. Theyre going to do whatever it takes to win this war. Theyre not going to give up. Russia has no ideaor maybe they do now.

Among Biermans findings on his tour of the country was a need for ambulances: Communities were lacking ambulances that had been taken to the front lines, leaving physicians to drive patients to hospitals. At the same time, ambulances at the front lines were being targeted and destroyed by Russian forces.

The revelation inspired Bierman to start the Volunteer Ambulance Corpsa nod to the Americans who volunteered as ambulance drivers in France before the United States entered World War Iand he immediately began looking for used ambulances that could be fixed and put into service, particularly those with four-wheel drive that could navigate the sometimes-less-than-optimal terrain in Ukraine and other European countries.

A longtime Rotarian, he partnered with Rotary International to kick-start the ambulance program, raising more than half a million dollars through Rotary. He also partnered with other organizations. At the moment, the program has delivered 90 ambulances to Ukraine, each of which has been packed with humanitarian supplies. He has personally driven several to the front lines.

Why are the ambulances so important?

I emailed Viktor Shevchenko, CEO of Zammler Ukraine, an international transport logistics company, who at the moment is also a lieutenant in the Territorial Defence Forces and well-acquainted with Biermans efforts.

The Ukrainian army is not designed to fight against such a large aggressor as Russia; therefore, under the given conditions ... there is a huge shortage of medical vehicles working at the front line, Shevchenko replied. Plus, during intense battles, there are large losses of equipment, but wounded fighters must be taken out.

Bierman has made 10 trips to Ukraine since the war started and he is hosting the mayor of Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv where Russian soldiers massacred civilians last spring, during the mayors visit to Washington and other U.S. cities this week. On one of Biermans recent trips to Ukraine, Shevchenko presented Bierman with the honorary Territorial Defence Shield, which, as part of the ceremony, was pinned onto his chest pins out, Bierman recalled. He didnt bleed too much, and he and Shevchenko have grown to be like brothers.

Besides ambulances, Ukraine Friends has provided individual first-aid kits, generators, solar-powered lamps (from a Virginia-based campaign launched by Stewart Gamage of Richmond) and other supplies. The organization also is trying to provide comfort to displaced children by delivering hygiene and travel kits for kids and their families, distributing toys and building playgrounds. The Playgrounds 4 Peace program has built about 15 playgrounds and hopes to build hundreds if not thousands more, Bierman said.

The high-energy Bierman is not simply a Type A personality, said Mike Quillen with a laugh, but an A-plus personality ... doing three things at once a lot of the time. Quillen, a retired attorney, belongs to the Rotary Club of Staunton, where he met Bierman last spring. On top of that, Bierman has put together a team of really dynamic young people fully committed to the Ukrainian cause.

But when people praise Bierman, he says, Im not a hero; Im just someone helping heroes.

The Rotary districts that include the Staunton and Richmond clubs provided a $50,000 disaster response grant that allowed Ukraine Friends to purchase several ambulances as well as supplies. Quillen accompanied Bierman last November on an ambulance delivery mission; he drove an ambulance across the Slovakian border, eventually reaching Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine.

It was an adventure, Quillen said.

Driving through the Ukrainian countryside, he said, it was easy to see why Ukraine is called by some the bread basket of the world.

You would drive... and its just fields, he said. Not a little farmhouse here and there, just miles and miles of fields, and they go miles and miles in either direction away from the road, as far as you can see.

As they drove eastward, there was increasing evidence of war: checkpoints, damage and stories of atrocities. When he was there, towns were beginning to suffer from power outages due to the shelling of infrastructure.

The biggest takeaway of all is that the Ukrainian people are so strong, so committed, he said. Its sort of a quiet determination. Theyre not shouting about the fact that theyre going to persist. They just have this quiet strength.

I dont know what victory is going to look like, but theyre not going to lose this way, I dont think. Theyre too determined.

Quillen plans to be among the Rotary volunteers driving the next wave of ambulances that travel between Harrisonburg and Baltimore.

Just waiting for a date, he said.

50 1950s photos from The Times-Dispatch archives POD_0428 POD_0907_Lester Banks R0225_POD_WOOLWORTH R0313_POD_MICKEY MANTLE R0503_POD_jamesbeard002 RD0315_POD_carburn 1958 Ted Williams 1124_POD_geneautry003 1212_POD_Eroosevelthudgins002 1215_POD_Pamunkey 20150330_FEA_POD_Tobacco_Bo Miller & Rhoads Ginter Park filtercenter008 shorts pools Goldwyn Girls Pratt's Castle Arnette's Ice Cream Co. jump rope newspapers WRVA Mailbox Square Dance ladies and lawnmowers March 2016_5 POD_0404 POD_0407 POD_0408 POD_0415 POD_0425 Acca Temple 0126_POD_mainststa002 0202_POD_Randolph 0505_POD_judyaustin002 0508_POD_broadst001 0529_POD_Byrd Park 0617_POD_thalhimers001 0625_POD_policewomen016 0707_POD_sugarray002 0710_POD_BroadSt 0727_POD_Richmond skyline 0821_POD_mill&rhoads003 0830_POD_ladywonder002 0911_POD_Dancing 0917_POD_MillerRhoads 0922_POD_WarMemorial 1014_POD_Red Cross 1109_POD_capitolsq002 1110_POD_MICKEY MANTLE
Petersburg won another round Tuesday in its bid for state permission to host a casino resort, while a second vote on a casino in Richmonds South Side was denied.

Two Democrats on the House panel voted against the Republican-backed bill, but Del. Schuyler VanValkenburg, D-Henrico, declined to vote after failing in an attempt to block either Petersburg or Richmond from hosting a casino resort. Under legislation adopted three years ago to allow casinos in five cities, Richmond was the only city included from central Virginia, but voters rejected a casino proposed in South Richmond in 2021.

I dont feel comfortable with either of these cities getting a casino... It would be a good time to take a pause, said VanValkenburg, a high school government teacher whose motion failed on a voice vote. The Family Foundation, a gambling opponent, also called for a timeout in approval of additional casinos.

But Petersburg supporters said Richmond had its chance and urged legislators to give their city a first opportunity to approve a casino proposed by The Cordish Companies, which promises a $1.4 billion investment in phases over 15 years.

Petersburg deserves a chance, Taylor told the subcommittee.

Richmond tried to hold a second referendum last year, but Morrissey persuaded the assembly to block it in the state budget until the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission could complete a study of whether Petersburg could support a casino resort. The study concluded in October that both Petersburg and Richmond could support casinos, although each operation would be smaller than it would have been had only one gaming facility been built in the region

Cordish has said that it would not proceed with the project in Petersburg if a rival casino were approved less than 25 miles away. Richmond would be happy if the General Assembly took no action because the city already is included in the casino statute and is not precluded from holding a second referendum.

Our core business is not gaming, Cordish Chief Operating Officer Zed Smith told the subcommittee. Our core business is developing transformational projects.

Taylor and other Petersburg supporters said their city also needs the investment and new jobs more than Richmond, despite rebounding from fiscal distress so severe that then-Gov. Terry McAuliffe sent his secretary of finance to help the city pay its bills and balance its books in 2015.

Last August, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced a sweeping partnership for Petersburg that brings together state and local officials, businesses and nonprofits to boost community development.

The time is now for the city to secure the financial stability that will enable our city to address the capital and social needs that have challenged Petersburg for decades, City Manager March Altman said.

But Richmond officials said the proposed $600 million ONE Casino + Resort would revitalize a part of South Richmond they said is underserved and desperate for economic development. They said the JLARC study showed a casino in Richmond would generate more jobs and gaming revenue for the state than one in Petersburg.

Unlike the Cordish proposal, the ONE casino is ready to go in a single phase, said the Richmond Economic Development Director, Leonard Sledge.

The House committee did not address a concern raised by Sen. Jeremy McPike, D-Prince William, chair of the Senate gaming subcommittee, about whether Petersburgs process for selecting a casino developer complied with state procurement law. Petersburg hired a consultant, Lisa Speller, who considered five to seven casino developers before the city council voted unanimously on Oct. 18 to partner with Cordish.

Speller no longer works for the city, which said it could not produce records of its solicitation process in response to a Freedom of Information Act request from the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

The process was an interview process, Smith told the House panel, where we had a chance to interview them and they had a chance to interview us.

Close 02-18-1949: Belvidere St. and Main St. 05-23-1947 (cutline): Traffic bottleneck on Belvidere--Belvidere Street between Cary and Broad is one of Richmond's worst bottlenecks. At Cary, the street narrows from 56 to 36 feet in width, as shown in the picture. 12-16-1958 (cutline): General view of Belvidere St. ceremonies as Charles G. McKimmie addresses crowd for a ceremony. 1957: Tied for second, Belvidere St. and Idlewood Ave., with 18 accidents. 04-26-1951 (cutline): Belvidere Bottleneck--Traffic conflicts along Belvidere Street and intersecting East-West arteries would be eliminated by the proposed expressway's central grad separation section from Broad to Idlewood, just west of Madison Street. The Madison and northern sections could be completed by 1956. This January 1953 image shows houses on Belvidere Street in Richmond, as seen near Rowe Street, which were to be taken by the city for a proposed war memorial. The row formed the western boundary of a block that city officials were preparing to acquire. The Virginia War Memorial was dedicated in February 1956. In February 1948, the intersection of Cary and Belvidere streets showed the effects of 20 days with snow on the ground. All around the city, streets had been damaged by the lingering snow and freezing temperatures, and a survey was finding that the cost of road repairs was likely to exceed the cost of snow removal. Intersection of Cary and Belvidere broken up by traffic and snow. From the Archives: Belvidere Street Scenes from Belvidere Street in Richmond. 02-18-1949: Belvidere St. and Main St. 05-23-1947 (cutline): Traffic bottleneck on Belvidere--Belvidere Street between Cary and Broad is one of Richmond's worst bottlenecks. At Cary, the street narrows from 56 to 36 feet in width, as shown in the picture. 12-16-1958 (cutline): General view of Belvidere St. ceremonies as Charles G. McKimmie addresses crowd for a ceremony. 1957: Tied for second, Belvidere St. and Idlewood Ave., with 18 accidents. 04-26-1951 (cutline): Belvidere Bottleneck--Traffic conflicts along Belvidere Street and intersecting East-West arteries would be eliminated by the proposed expressway's central grad separation section from Broad to Idlewood, just west of Madison Street. The Madison and northern sections could be completed by 1956. This January 1953 image shows houses on Belvidere Street in Richmond, as seen near Rowe Street, which were to be taken by the city for a proposed war memorial. The row formed the western boundary of a block that city officials were preparing to acquire. The Virginia War Memorial was dedicated in February 1956. In February 1948, the intersection of Cary and Belvidere streets showed the effects of 20 days with snow on the ground. All around the city, streets had been damaged by the lingering snow and freezing temperatures, and a survey was finding that the cost of road repairs was likely to exceed the cost of snow removal. Intersection of Cary and Belvidere broken up by traffic and snow.
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China's indigenously-developed AG600 large amphibious aircraft has entered the airworthiness flight-test phase, announced the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) on Wednesday.

Two AG600M airplanes, the firefighting model belonging to the AG600 aircraft family, have arrived at the flight-test center in Yanliang District in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, said the AVIC, the country's leading plane-maker.

It marked that the special-mission aircraft has officially entered the flight-test phase to obtain the type certificate, the AVIC added.

At the flight test center, the AG600M airplanes will firstly receive modifications to conduct the flight test subjects.

Various test works, including the static test and others, have also been initiated, said the AVIC.

Codenamed Kunlong, or "water dragon" in Chinese, the AG600 aircraft family is developed to serve emergency rescue missions. It can be used in forest firefighting, maritime search and rescue, and other critical emergency rescue missions.
A Virginia Senate committee on Tuesday moved to strike the name of Gov. Glenn Youngkins health commissioner from a list of appointees requiring General Assembly confirmation.

During the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee meeting, Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath, struck a portion of Senate Joint Resolution 273  sponsored by Sen. Lionell Spruill Sr., D-Chesapeake  that concerned the appointment of Colin Greene as the Commissioner of Health.

Greene came under fire last year after he reportedly said he believed there was no evidence that racism plays a role in maternal and infant mortality rates.

The Washington Post reported that Greene said, If you say racism, youre blaming white people.

Deeds said in an interview Tuesday night that revelation of Greenes comments created a significant amount of discomfort in [Senate Democratic Caucus].

There were a lot of people in the caucus, I was just the instrument, Deeds said of his action Tuesday. There is a lot of discussion with being on the caucus. Its not groupthink. There certainly are lots of different points of view. But when there is a majority point of view... certainly there was in our caucus.

Deed called Greenes remarks insensitive toward Black Virginians, and said the comments caused him to oppose the appointment.

Macaulay Porter, a spokesperson for Youngkin, declined to comment Tuesday night.

Following the Post story, Youngkin said he was disappointed that Greene had not effectively communicated the administrations mission to combat disparities in maternal health.

Youngkin also told reporters he believes the health commissioner is very capable, but he has got to prove he can do his job.

I believe he can and were going to support him to do that, Youngkin said at the time.

This is not Youngkins first clash with Democrats over appointments.

In February, Democrats who control the Senate rejected Youngkins nomination of Andrew Wheeler  former head of the Environmental Protection Agency under President Donald Trump  as Virginias secretary of natural resources. As head of the EPA, Wheeler oversaw environmental rollbacks. He was also the subject of criticism over his history as a coal lobbyist.

Last summer, Youngkin issued an executive order tasking Wheeler with another role  reducing Virginias regulations by 25%.

The matter of Greenes appointment is not yet settled. Senate Republicans could try to restore Greenes name when the resolution comes to the Senate floor.
Democrats pilloried Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Tuesday for his administrations mistake in estimating basic aid for local school divisions, but the governor sought to reassure legislators that he and the General Assembly will find a solution that protects localities budgets for both the current year and the next one.

The Department of Education acknowledged Monday it had made an error that resulted in an overestimation of basic aid for local school divisions by a total of $201 million after the adoption of the two-year budget last June.

The error in the departments computational tool for estimating distribution of state aid does not appear to create a hole in the state budget, but poses challenges for local school divisions that are already almost three-quarters through the current fiscal year and preparing their budgets for the next school year.

The administration is continuing to work with all stakeholders, including our school systems and the legislature, to address the VDOE estimation tool error, Youngkin spokesperson Macaulay Porter said Tuesday. The governor is confident that we will address localities concerns.

Democratic legislators are less hopeful or forgiving.

This administration dropped the ball, and it could not have come at a worse time... This has a real impact on students, Del. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Loudoun, said in a speech on the floor of the House of Delegates.

Our children are recovering from COVID-19 learning loss, our schools are crumbling, and we have staffing shortages across the commonwealth, Subramanyam said. Not only that, but theyve known this for a month, we didnt learn about it until just yesterday, and theres no plan to fix it.

The state appears to have unexpected sales tax revenues that it could use to make up the aid that localities expected but will not get. In a memorandum last month, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow said the state sales tax was expected to generate an additional $204.6 million this year and $175.3 million in the fiscal year that will begin on July 1. The higher revenues will be partly offset by reductions in the states share of school aid, resulting in a projected net gain of $90.5 million in this fiscal year and $77.5 million in the next one. The net gain would more than offset the estimated loss of $58 million for school divisions this year, but not the $143.5 million less in aid next year.

Other Democrats accused the governor of using public school divisions and school boards as tools in his pursuit of his national presidential ambitions and in the the cultivation of support from former President Donald Trumps Make America Great Again base of conservative voters. House Minority Leader Don Scott Jr., D-Portsmouth, and Del. Schuyler VanValkenburg, D-Henrico, a high school government teacher, held a news conference on Tuesday morning to denounce the mistake and blame it on Youngkins emphasis of what VanValkenburg called ideological MAGA-like policies that take us backwards, rather focusing on policies that take us forward.

We need solutions, not more culture wars and lost opportunity, said Scott, who cast the mistake as proof that public school education is not a priority for the governor.

Charles Pyle, spokesman for the Department of Education, confirmed that the state made the mistake last June when it issued the computational tool for estimating aid for each school division in the two-year budget the General Assembly had passed and Youngkin had signed. The department released a revised tool after the governor proposed revisions to the budget in mid-December, but said it did not know about the differences in estimated aid until late last week, when Balow informed school division superintendents in an email.

If we had known about this sooner, we would have notified them sooner, Pyle said on Tuesday.

The differences are significant, both for large and small divisions. Fairfax County, the largest school division in Virginia, would receive almost $18 million less over two years; Chesterfield County, about $10.8 million less; Henrico County, about $8.1 million less; Richmond, about $3.2 million less; and Hanover County, about $2.6 million less.

Small localities, both rural and urban, say the effect is disproportionate for them because they rely more on state aid than the larger localities, which have the ability to pay a more substantial share of the cost of K-12 education under the Standards of Quality. The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Policy estimated the mistake would reduce aid for small and rural divisions by 20% more per pupil than in urban and suburban schools, according to Bristol Superintendent Keith Perrigan.

I dont think theres a solution at this point, but I think the right people are working on it, said Perrigan, who also is an officer at the Virginia Association of School Superintendents and president of the Coalition of Small and Rural Schools in Virginia.

The error was not part of the budget itself, which properly reflected hold harmless payments to local school divisions that were geared to offset losses in basic aid from the repeal of the states share of the 2.5% sales tax on groceries last year  a move that was part of Youngkins $4 billion tax cut package and the budget that then-Gov. Ralph Northam had introduced at the end of 2021. Local school divisions received 1% of the grocery tax through state basic aid, and 0.5% went to the states transportation trust fund.

The assembly refused to eliminate the 1% portion of the tax that goes directly to local governments for their operating budgets, but repealed the state share, effective Jan. 1. The legislature offset the portion that schools received through basic aid with hold harmless payments, which Pyle said the departments computational tool did not reflect, resulting in inflated estimates of state money for local school budgets.

As for the sales tax revenues, Perrigan said: I do know the revenues are exceeding projections, but how they get divvied up, I have no idea.

Metros with the highest rates of home appreciation Metros with the highest rates of home appreciation #20. Miami #19. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina #18. Savannah, Georgia #17. Raleigh, North Carolina #16. Nashville, Tennessee #15. The Villages, Florida #14. Durham, North Carolina #13. Jacksonville, Florida #12. Naples, Florida #11. Lakeland, Florida #10. Deltona, Florida #9. Palm Bay, Florida #8. Port St. Lucie, Florida #7. Ocala, Florida #6. Fort Lauderdale, Florida #5. Tampa, Florida #4. West Palm Beach, Florida #3. Cape Coral, Florida #2. Punta Gorda, Florida #1. North Port, Florida
Canadian wanted for over two dozen sex crimes arrested by Mexican authorities

La Paz, Baja California Sur  A Canadian man wanted on more than two dozen charges has been returned to Canada. Blake C was returned to Canada after being arrested in the Mexican state of Baja California.

Blake C was captured by Mexican police on January 28th and immediately transferred to Canadian law enforcement from Toronto. He was wanted for more than 30 sexual offenses including pimping.

Blake C was transferred from Toronto to Quebec on Monday where he was wanted. According to a Surete du Quebec (SQ) press release, he is to face charges of sexual assault, sexual assault with a weapon, aggravated sexual assault, obtaining sexual services for a fee (including from minors), and aggravated sexual assault.

Blake C was arrested in Baja California Sur and returned to Canada to face more than two dozen sexual offense charges.

Blake C had been living in Mexico since May of 2021. He was finally located and captured with coordinated efforts between Mexican, Canadian and U.S. law enforcement after, in 2022, Canada amplified their Bolo program in a nationwide search for the fugitive.
Governor creates five year agreement with Florida and Caribbean Cruise Association

Riviera Maya, Q.R.  Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa met with directors of the Florida and Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) to create a state agreement. The agreement seeks to strengthen the cruise industry, improve the experience of the destination and continue to be the main recipient of cruises in Latin America.

Lezama said that during the meeting, issues related to the development of tourism, ports, security and other government efforts were discussed.

She pointed out the need to strengthen the new model of sustainable tourism and says she will continue to work with the association, which is made up of 23 cruise lines that operates more than 100 ships in Florida, the Caribbean and Latin America.

Our objective is clear, that during the next five years we achieve an unprecedented alliance between the public and private sectors to develop and diversify the tourism industry, but with justice and social welfare, she said.

According to data from the State Secretary of Tourism, in 2022, Quintana Roo received 62.4 percent of the total number of cruise passengers who visited Mexico. Cozumel received 1,117 cruise ships and 2,943,760 passengers, while in Mahahual, 462 cruise ships arrived with 1,229,864 passengers.

The Integral Port Administration of Quintana Roo (Apiqroo) announced that for this year, they anticipate the arrival of 1,152 cruise ships with 3,027,250 passengers for the island of Cozumel.

The main cruise lines that arrive in the state are Carnival, Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, FTI Cruises, Columbia Crises Services and TUI Cruises.
State Secretary holds first mobility meeting between unions and Uber

Cancun, Q.R.  A meeting between state authorities, unions and Uber was held Tuesday. The Secretary of the State Government, Cristina Torres Gomez, confirmed the meeting.

She detailed that those involved included state authorities, transport platforms, taxi driver unions, deputies of the Mobility Commission and lawyers for the various parties.

There is an issue of civility. There have been meetings, work groups and we had one with the participation of the Legislature, which comes in compliance with the agreement issued by the Chamber, she said.

The Secretary of the State Government, Cristina Torres Gomez.

Torres said that during the meeting, they outlined a plan that will benefit the state of Quintana Roo, adding that the objective is to build peace in the new framework that will regulate Uber.

She said that all those who attended the meeting left out private interests and focused on seeking the common interest of the state. Torres said that the meeting took place in Cancun and, although there were very different opinions, the entire meeting was very civil.

Some have presented draft bills, others have presented drafts of the regulatory framework which will be open until February 3, and then there will be work by the lawyers and the members of the Transportation Commission for the formation of the initiative, Torres explained.

The meeting was the first step to adjusting the states current mobility laws that will allow Uber to operate legally. The deadline for Congress to address the local regulatrory framework is February 26. Torres said that more meetings are expected before then.
BEDFORD  A member of the MS-13 gang who Bedford Countys chief prosecutor said was the architect in a Lynchburg teens brutal March 2017 murder was sentenced Tuesday to two life sentences plus 10 years.

Josue Moises Coreas-Ventura, 26, was the last of five co-defendants sentenced in connection with the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Raymond Wood. The gang abducted Wood from his Lynchburg home and killed him on a rural Bedford County road.

These individuals took turns butchering him on the side of the road, said Bedford Commonwealths Attorney Wes Nance.

A jury last February found Coreas-Ventura guilty of aggravated murder and abduction for financial benefit, and he also pleaded guilty to gang participation.

Nance said Coreas-Ventura provided the murder weapon, a knife, and was the one directing the planned attack on Wood, who was lured outside his home by a fake drug deal.

Were dealing with the leader of the death squad, Nance said of Coreas-Ventura. Theres no question he was the leader of the pack ... but today proves he will not get away with it.

Marjorie Stagno, Woods mother, testified Coreas-Ventura was the only one of the five for whom she wished the death penalty. She asked Judge James Updike Jr. to sentence him to the fullest extent he could get, which the defendant received.

In my eyes, you are the definition of pure evil, she told Coreas-Ventura in court.

Before sentencing, Coreas-Ventura said to Stagno he knows he is responsible for her suffering.

I could have prevented the murder but I did not do it, he said. I ask God to forgive me.

The other four defendants were sentenced as follows: Kevin Josue Soto Bonilla, life sentence; Lisandro Antonio Posada-Vasquez, 75 years; Cristian Jose Sanchez-Gomez, 60 years; and Victor Arnoldo Rodas, 55 years.

Stagno said her sons murder has been pure devastation and the multiple other defendants have been sentenced in connection with her sons murder in the prosecution of the MS-13 network in Virginia and Maryland.

Speaking to Coreas-Ventura, Stagno said he came to Lynchburg to hide from his involvement in another Maryland homicide and gathered other gang members to carry out Woods slaying.

It was your knife that you showed as a prized possession that was used to murder my son, Stagno said. You are part of an evil, evil organization and in my opinion you are inhumane and have no regard for life.

She said she hopes his years in prison are hard and he can no longer commit more heinous acts that destroy other families.

It has devastated my family, Stagno said of Woods murder. Its been hard because were broken ... That was my circle. They were my kids. I would do anything for them.

The three-and-a-half-hour sentencing hearing Tuesday included testimony from a range of medical professionals for the defense who spoke on Coreas-Venturas social history and upbringing in El Salvador that led to his involvement in the violent MS-13 gang.

A mitigation specialist and attorney who went to El Salvador to research Coreas-Venturas family history as part of assisting the defense testified Coreas-Ventura suffered head injuries as a child and was in second grade at age 12 because he was held back.

Coreas-Ventura was bullied, suffered from depression and had suicidal thoughts, the specialist testified.

When the defendant was about 15, he was attacked at knifepoint on his way to a festival and it led to his reputation as someone who didnt defend himself, giving way to the MS-13 taking him in for protection, the specialist said in court.

His uncle was stabbed to death in El Salvador and the defendant later came to theFlorida and eventually Maryland, according to testimony.

At one point, Coreas-Ventura was homeless and selling drugs, and he attempted to escape the gang, the specialist testified.

A doctor who examined Coreas-Ventura while in custody testified Coreas-Ventura suffered from brain damage, had an intellectual deficiency and showed signs of post-traumatic stress disorders and hallucinations.

Another doctor who performed a neuropsychological evaluation on Coreas-Ventura testified he was well outside the area of normal functioning and a significantly damaged person because of previous traumas.

During cross-examination, Nance said that in early 2016 Coreas-Venturas social media showed him glorifying his role in the gang by posting pictures of himself flashing MS-13 gang signs and holding weapons.

Chis Kawalczuk, Coreas-Venturas attorney, said there were conflicting accounts among the gang members of events that unfolded that night and Sanchez-Gomez minimized his role.

His client was reading at a sixth-grade level, had brain damage and suffered unimaginable trauma, Kawalczuk said.

I do not accept he was the architect of his crime, Kawalczuk told Updike. If this was a plan, judge, it wasnt a very good one.

Kawalczuk said the defenses focus during the trial was the element of abduction for financial gain, which he doesnt believe was met, though he respects the jurys verdicts.

I admire that jury, Kawalczuk said. This was a horrific case ... this was a terrible crime. And for what?

He argued Wood was murdered not for financial gain but because of perceived disrespect toward another one of the gang members.

After the hearing, he said his heart breaks for Woods mother and also for Coreas-Venturas mother, describing the case as a tragedy across the board.

He said Coreas-Ventura faced unimaginable horrors in his home country and was essentially forced into a life of crime at age 14.

Coreas-Ventura not getting the death penalty also was a positive outcome, he said, as that option was taken off the table for the trial phase because of Virginia has abolished the death penalty.

The way that MS-13 sort of co-opts these young men from El Salvador and Central America is really, really, its sad. Its just sad, Kawalczuk said.

In a statement after the sentencing, Stagno said Wood was full of life with many hopes and promises and in his 17 years was kind, loving and had the biggest smile.

He has made an imprint on many peoples lives, she said. He loved his family fiercely.

She said she has been his voice for the past 5 years and 10 months and will continue to do so. His last words to her were, I love you mama, she said.

Nance said Tuesdays sentencing marked a day to remember Wood.

This is the last opportunity I have to fight for Raymond Wood and its been an honor to do so, Nance said in arguing for the maximum punishment.

Nance said the sentencing sends a strong message that law enforcement will not stand for this type of terror in our backyards.

Stagno said justice was served for her son and thanked the law enforcement agencies for their hard work in delivering it.

On the stand, she told Coreas-Ventura the gang didnt murder a weak boy in a weak community.

You murdered a strong boy from one strong mama in a strong community, she told him.
Six years ago, when the Roanoke County Registered Student Apprenticeship Showcase was first held, Western Virginia Water Authority was the first business, and one of the few, to get involved.

On Tuesday, the 2023 event was held at the Salem Civic Center, with 19 businesses represented and more than 150 local students in attendance from Roanoke, Roanoke County and Salem.

As the number of apprenticeship opportunities has grown, so has the showcase itself.

Neil Norris, the director of human resources and risk management for the public utility, said that a slew of retirements, together with a general lack of knowledge about what goes into water authority work, prompted the water authority to jump at the opportunity.

Wastewater is not the most sexy or popular field that people generally think about getting into, Norris said. A lot of people dont know much about what goes into it.

That first year, the utility took on five apprentices, all of whom would go on to be hired by the company.

In the years since, the Western Virginia Water Authority has taken on 27 apprentices through the showcase, and hired 13 of those apprentices after they finished the program.

Chuck Lionberger, public information officer for Roanoke County Public Schools, said the event has steadily expanded. It returned in 2022 after the pandemic to being held in person and participation in Tuesdays event increased by 30 or 40 students, he said.

The apprenticeship program is different from a job fair, according to Diana Lyons, a representative of the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry and one of the events organizers. The apprenticeships are granted through the state agency with sponsorship from businesses, and are geared toward career training and certification, rather than hiring alone.

After the apprenticeships are successfully completed, the students receive an official certificate, as well as a journeymans card signifying their expertise and ability in the professional field.

Many businesses represented at the showcase brought along either current apprentices, or former apprentices that they currently employ.

One former apprentice, Cameron Priast, now works as an acting supervisor for a water treatment facility. A former student at Roanoke Countys Burton Center for Arts and Technology, he was among the first apprentices taken under Western Virginia Water Authoritys wing.

They came to Burton to recruit rising sophomores and rising juniors, Priast said. At the time, I didnt know anything about what they did.

While the event, according to Lionberger, is geared toward career and technical education, the apprenticeships can also be a doorway to acceptance at both two- and four-year colleges.

Camden Freeland, a current apprentice for Balzer and Associates, a local civil engineering firm, said he hopes to use the position as a stepping stone to get into a pre-engineering program at Virginia Western Community College and, later, a civil engineering program at a four-year college.

While the apprenticeship is specifically geared toward land surveying, Freeland said he expects it to help him considerably in getting accepted at a university.

What Im learning here is definitely a related field, so Im hoping it should make it easier, Freeland said.
The Roanoke man who stabbed a woman as she was shopping at the Valley View Walmart last spring was homeless and mentally ill when the attack occurred, attorneys and witnesses said Tuesday.

Josue Antonio Acosta, 20, was sentenced in Roanoke Circuit Court Tuesday to 15 years in prison, suspended after he serves five years.

On April 7, Acosta was charged with malicious wounding after a woman who was with her young son was assaulted. He pleaded guilty to the charge in October.

Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Andrew Stephens said Tuesday that surveillance camera footage from inside the store captured the attack.

The footage had been reviewed at a previous hearing, so it was not played in court Tuesday. Circuit Court Judge Christopher Clemens said, Its not a long video, but it leaves a mark.

I have become numb to young men shooting other young men in the city of Roanoke, Clemens said, and I have never seen a video like that one.

Stephens said the footage displays Acosta slipping in the womans blood as he attempts to chase her.

We see violence all the time in this courtroom, Stephens said. The problem today is that this is horrifying. [...] It is random and it is sudden.

Acostas attorney, public defender Charles Bullen, called Acostas mother to testify Tuesday. She said Acostas father was deported shortly after her son was born, and by the age of seven, Acosta was diagnosed with a mood disorder.

The mother said Acosta spent time in the foster care system between the ages of 10 and 15, sometimes staying in hospitals or residential treatment facilities.

A licensed counselor who worked with Acosta between 2011 and 2015 testified Tuesday that he was aggressive towards his mother, even during family counseling sessions.

Acostas mother said the family has a record of mental illness that includes schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety. But Acosta took medication, graduated from high school and got a job.

Hes actually a hard worker, the mother said. But Acosta stopped taking medication about a year after getting his diploma, and some of his coworkers introduced him to drugs.

In August 2021, Acostas mother testified he was committed to the Catawba Hospital after he physically attacked her father.

He thought my dad had evil spirits in him, the mother testified. We couldnt allow him at home after that.

So, Acosta became homeless. But Bullen said Tuesday that hospital records indicate Acosta went to an emergency room several times for help, including on April 3, 2022, when he was admitted for suicidal thoughts and lacerations, and again two days later.

I believe the last time he went, they refused him, his mother testified. They would not admit him.

He was doing what he knew for help, Acostas former counselor testified. Where were the follow-up services?

The counselor said agencies like hers, focused on serving the homeless and mentally ill, should have been contacted to help Acosta, as the services she provides fill loopholes in the health system.

Somebody could have provided support for him, the counselor said.

I just had a lot of stuff going on in my head, Acosta told the court Tuesday. Im sorry for what I did. [...] Ive been so ill.

He said he wants help, whether it comes through the jail or a hospital.

I dont like being alone, Acosta said. I just need someone thats there for me.

Acosta testified Tuesday that he was not using drugs on April 7. Stephens questioned his composure in the courtroom: Is it just women with shopping carts you get angry at?

The prosecutor asked Acosta if he was angry at Stephens, or if Acosta wanted to attack Stephens. Acosta said he was not, and he did not, and explained, I hear voices.

Stephens asked Acosta what the voices told him. Tell me what they want you to do, the prosecutor said.

Im not going to require him to answer that question, Clemens said.

The victim of the stabbing testified Tuesday that her youngest son was with her the day of the attack. She said the child, now five years old, watched her get stitches and staples, and now he is scared to let her shop alone.

I cant go to sleep without seeing his face, the woman said of Acosta. I cant wake up without seeing his face.

The woman, who Clemens lauded as a survivor and a hero, said she wants Acosta to get help if hes sick.

I want to just move on, she testified. But am I really going to be able to just move on?

Stephens said Acostas behavior on April 7 goes against the type of safe society that the court wants to create. He said people picking out almond milk at the store need to know that no ones going to stab them in the back.

The prosecutor said Acosta made criminal decisions to use illegal substances and live on the street while managing a cocktail of childhood trauma and mental illness.

This is as much a substance abuse case as it is a mental health case, a homelessness case and a childhood trauma case, Stephens said. I, definitely, and everyone in this room is worried about whats going to happen when he walks out of prison.

Once released from incarceration, Acosta will be placed on probation for five years. During all of that time, Clemens ordered Acosta to cooperate with any treatment that is prescribed and have no contact with the cases victim.

Youve got to let people help you, Clemens told Acosta. We want you to be somebody [...] that works and looks out for people.
CHRISTIANSBURG  Montgomery County is one of the few localities in Southwest Virginia to have gained population since the 2020 Census, according to the University of Virginias Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service.

Those localities are: Montgomery, Craig, Bland and Grayson countiesand the city of Galax.

Meanwhile, Weldon Cooper officials said the COVID-19 pandemic also impacted population. And that brings another interesting fact about Montgomery County: Even though its population grew based on the latest estimates, it experienced more deaths than births, the first time thats happened since the last great public health crisis, the 1918 flu pandemic, according to Hamilton Lombard, a Weldon Cooper demographer.

Montgomery Countys population grew from 101,323 at the time of the April 1, 2020 census to 102,061 in July of last year, according to the estimates unveiled this week by the Weldon Cooper Center, which compiles and analyzes population data annually.

The latest estimates show a number of notable points about Montgomery Countys population, which has been growing consistently.

The recent figures firmly position Montgomery County as the single-most populated locality in Southwest Virginia. Its population surpassed Roanokes 99,634, which fell from the just over 100,000 counted in 2020.

Montgomery Countys population also surpassed Roanoke Countys estimate of 96,605, which is just over 300 less than in 2020.

However, the Blacksburg metropolitan area, which covers Montgomery County and several other New River Valley localities, remains behind the total Roanoke metropolitan area in population despite the latter losing people between 2020 and 2022.

The Blacksburg metropolitan area had a population of 169,124 with the Roanoke areas being 313,734, according to the 2022 Weldon Cooper Center estimates.

Another point highlighted by the recent figures is how localities fared during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was one of the driving factors behind several population declines.

The estimates show Montgomery County continuing to grow in population, though neighboring counties all lost population, with the exception of Craig, Lombard wrote in an email.

Excess deaths, primarily from Covid, have been the main reason why most localities in the Blacksburg and Roanoke area have lost population, Lombard wrote.

With the exception of Craig County, as Lombard pointed out, each of the localities that immediately border Montgomery County saw various levels of population decline since 2020.

Giles, Pulaski, Floyd and Roanoke counties saw declines in ranges of up to 2.5%. The city of Radford saw a decline of over 2.5% during that period.

Radford lost population because of declining enrollment at Radford University, according to Lombard.

Growth may pick up in more localities across the region as the number of Covid deaths fall, he said.

Lombard added, however, that more people moved into than out of the large percentage of localities in the Roanoke and New River valleys since 2020, which he said is part of a trend many small metropolitan and rural counties have been experiencing as more people leave large metro areas. That ebb and flow is referred to as net migration.

Heres more on the deaths versus births data:

Montgomery County had 162 more deaths than births since the 2020, based on the Weldon Cooper estimates. That figure was offset by a net migration of 900 people during that same time period.

Roanoke had 444 more deaths than births and a net migration of 67, numbers that explain how the citys population declined by 377 people between 2020 and 2022.

Roanoke County had 907 more deaths than births and saw a net migration of 583, resulting in its overall population declining by 324 between 2020 and 2022.

In the New River Valley, Pulaski County had 533 more deaths than births and a net migration of 304 people. That locality saw its population decline by 229 during the 2020 to 2022 period.

While Montgomery County has dealt with other factors such as an aging population, the COVID-19 virus exacerbated the number of deaths, Lombard said.

Still, Montgomery County and its neighbors could be in position to later absorb some of the current migration out of heavily populated regions such as Northern Virginia, Lombard said. Factors such as the higher cost of living and continued rise of remote work are prompting residents of Northern Virginia to leave that part of the state, he said.

The New River Valley, Lombard said, is one of the places that has the right mix of factors to lure people away from Northern Virginia. The area is more affordable, has attractive amenities such as outdoor recreation and is still within hours of where their employers are actually based in Northern Virginia or other parts of the Northeast corridor, he said.

The New River Valley is definitely within striking distance, he said.
ROCKY MOUNT  The Franklin County School Board is seeking public input as it begins its search for the divisions new superintendent. A public hearing is set for Feb. 7 and a survey is now available for residents.

School board members held their first meeting last week with the Virginia School Board Association to discuss who will replace Bernice Cobbs when she steps down in June. The board selected the Virginia School Board Association in October to assist in the superintendent search. The decision came less than a month after Cobbs announced she would not seek a new contract after her current one ends June 30.

It was a great first meeting, said Franklin County School Board Chairman and Rocky Mount District representative Jeff Worley. I think it was a good start.

The VSBA will assist in the application process and vetting of any superintendent candidates later this year, Worley said. The VSBA assisted the county in 2020 when Cobbs was chosen to replace her predecessor, Mark Church.

Out of the meeting came the announcement of a survey to gauge the public on what it would like in a new superintendent. The survey is available to Franklin County residents until Feb. 6 and can be found on the front page of the Franklin County Public Schools website at www.frco.k12.va.us/. The 11-question survey allows respondents to answer what types of qualifications they would like to see in a superintendent. The results will be read at the public hearing set for 6 p.m. Feb. 7 in the lower level of the Franklin County School Board Office.

The public hearing on Feb. 7 will provide an opportunity for residents to voice their opinions on what they would like to see in a new superintendent directly to members of the school board.

We want public input, Worley said. They can tell us what they want to see.

Once the school board decides on what qualifications its members would like to see in a superintendent later this month, Worley said they will begin reviewing applications sometime in March. The goal is to have a new superintendent announced by this spring that can begin work on July 1.
For Ran Kangping, a doctor at the Puding County People's Hospital of Anshun City in southwestern China's Guizhou Province, the just-concluded Spring Festival holiday remained busy as usual.

Since China optimized its COVID-19 management measures in December last year, it has become a new working routine for Ran and his colleagues to provide door-to-door medical services in villages. Over the past weeks, Ran has helped village doctors treat COVID-19 patients and identify severe cases.

From Jan. 21, when the Spring Festival holiday began, to Jan. 28, a total of 132 visits were made by medical workers from county-level hospitals to 12 township clinics and community health centers, as well as 86 village clinics in Puding County, conducting health examinations and emergency treatment.

Efforts made in Puding serve as a good example of China's unceasing endeavors to enhance epidemic response capacity at the grassroots level, after the country's COVID-19 prevention and control work entered a new stage.

Downward trend in cases

China's National Health Commission (NHC) said at a press conference on Monday that the intensity of the epidemic situation is currently at a low level in the country. The number of COVID-19 cases nationwide has been trending downward, said NHC spokesperson Mi Feng.

In order to better grasp the epidemic situation, a monitoring and reporting mechanism for the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 cases at primary-level medical institutions across the country was set up, said NHC official Fu Wei.

According to official statistics, fever clinic patients, hospital outpatients, and emergency cases related to COVID-19 in township clinics and community health centers initially increased after Dec. 21, 2022, when monitoring began, but have since decreased.

During the week-long holiday, fever clinic visits dropped about 40 percent from before the Spring Festival and were down by 94 percent compared with the peak monitored on Dec. 23, 2022.

Steady operation of medical institutions

As the first line of defense against COVID-19, grassroots medical and healthcare institutions have been operating in a steady and orderly manner.

During the holiday, primary-level fever clinics across the country were on 24-hour duty to treat mild COVID-19 cases and identify and transfer severe cases.

Statistics showed that the provision of medical services at township clinics and community health centers nationwide have improved in January.

At present, over 94 percent of grassroots medical and healthcare institutions are stocked with Traditional Chinese Medicine, febrifuges, and antitussives sufficient for over a week.

As of Jan. 27, grassroots medical institutions across the country had 2.89 million finger-clip oximeters and 219,000 oxygen generators.

Fortified rural areas

The epidemic remained stable in the vast countryside during the Spring Festival holiday, which has seen the busiest travel rush in three years as the massive population returned to their hometowns for family reunions.

There was no rise in COVID-19 cases across the rural areas during the holiday season, said Mao Dezhi from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Special measures have been put in place targeting rural residents. They include delivering targeted services to vulnerable and high-risk groups, such as the elderly, children, pregnant women, and those with underlying health conditions.

Since December 2022, China has carried out health surveys and multi-level health risk classifications for key groups of population. During the Spring Festival holiday, primary-level healthcare facilities nationwide provided door-to-door services and follow-up visits for more than 9.8 million recipients aged 65 and over.

At a village medical clinic in the city of Jiaozhou, Shandong Province, Gong Hanshuai is treating patients. Gong and his colleagues have maintained regular contact with high-risk people in the village to keep abreast of their health conditions.

Gong said that the tiered diagnosis and treatment strategy has ensured the smooth operation of medical facilities in rural areas.

"Our village clinic serves as a frontline post. We will transfer those in critical condition to a higher-level hospital as quickly as possible," Gong said.
BEDFORD  A member of the MS-13 gang who Bedford Countys chief prosecutor said was the architect in a Lynchburg teens brutal March 2017 murder was sentenced Tuesday to two life sentences plus 10 years.

Josue Coreas-Ventura, 26, was the last of five co-defendants sentenced in connection with the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Raymond Wood. The gang abducted Wood from his Lynchburg home and killed him on a rural Bedford County road.

These individuals took turns butchering him on the side of the road, said Bedford Commonwealths Attorney Wes Nance.

A jury last February found Coreas-Ventura guilty of aggravated murder and abduction for financial benefit, and he also pleaded guilty to gang participation.

Nance said Coreas-Ventura provided the murder weapon, a knife, and was the one directing the planned attack on Wood, who was lured outside his home by a fake drug deal.

Were dealing with the leader of the death squad, Nance said of Coreas-Ventura. Theres no question he was the leader of the pack ... but today proves he will not get away with it.

Marjorie Stagno, Woods mother, testified Coreas-Ventura was the only one of the five for whom she wished the death penalty. She asked Judge James Updike Jr. to sentence him to the fullest extent of the law, which the defendant received.

In my eyes, you are the definition of pure evil, she told Coreas-Ventura in court.

Before sentencing, Coreas-Ventura said to Stagno he knows he is responsible for her suffering.

I could have prevented the murder but I did not do it, he said. I ask God to forgive me.

The other four defendants were sentenced as follows: Kevin Josue Soto Bonilla, life sentence; Lisandro Antonio Posada-Vasquez, 75 years; Cristian Jose Sanchez-Gomez, 60 years; and Victor Arnoldo Rodas, 55 years.
A political fundraising bill from Sen. David Suetterlein, R-Roanoke County, was on a third vote Wednesday when the Virginia Senate sent it back to committee for closer consideration.

Suetterleins Senate Bill 946 proposes to prohibit campaign fundraising  and potential monetary influence  on any day the Virginia General Assembly is in special session. Currently, campaign fundraising is prohibited only during regular lawmaking sessions.

Despite backing on the floor from Sen. Steve Newman, R-Lynchburg, other senators, including Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, said there were issues.

The bill has a lot of problems which have not been fully fleshed out or thought through by everyone, Surovell said, motioning to send the bill back to committee, so we can actually have a fuller, more robust debate on correcting the issues with the bill.

Suetterlein said because there are no more Senate Privileges and Elections meetings scheduled before legislative crossover, recommitting SB 946 back to committee would effectively kill the bill.

I think that it is an attempt to not have to vote on this bill, so that we can continue fundraising during special sessions, Suetterlein said. This motion, if its to recommit, is to kill the bill without voting on it.

Additionally, Suetterlein said he was frustrated by the motion from Surovell.

I was told that the request might be for the bill to go by for the day, thats what I was told about two minutes ago by the member that made the motion, so thats a bit of surprise, Suetterlein said. Its pretty frustrating to me that a bill comes out on a strong bipartisan vote, and Im told we might need a minute more to discuss this, then two minutes later, the motion is actually to recommit it to the committee.

Sen. Chap Petersen, D-Fairfax City, said there is merit to the idea of restricting campaign fundraising during special sessions.

But just doing this willy-nilly is going to set up a trap for all of us, Petersen said. Doesnt matter if youre Republican or Democrat.

After other senators supported recommitting the bill, including Sen. Richard Stuart, R-King George, a voice vote relegated SB 946 back to committee.

I dont understand it. The language is vague and broad. Its not specific, Stuart said. We need to fix it. The idea is a good one, and we should, but we need to send it back and get it fixed.
A controversial member of the board of visitors at the University of Virginia failed to gain approval from a Senate committee, which could lead to his removal.

The Democratic-led Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections voted Monday not to approve the appointment of Bert Ellis to the UVa board.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin appointed Ellis last summer, but the General Assembly gets final say on confirmation.

Ellis raised alarm on campus in 2020 when he tried to cut a sign containing a derogatory message off a student's door.

On Monday, the Senate committee approved a resolution that left Ellis' name off a long list of appointments to boards, agency leadership and state councils.

The move came roughly three weeks after a group of UVa students and faculty asked the General Assembly to reject Ellis' appointment. The campus leaders, called the student council executive board, termed his appointment as "reckless, ill-intentioned and threatening to the safety of marginalized students at this university."

Three incidents led to the group's unfavorable opinion of Ellis. In 2020, a UVa student living on the Lawn posted a vulgar message on the door of her room. Finding the message offensive, Ellis said he intended to cut it down with a razor blade. He was deterred by campus security.

The university's student newspaper, The Cavalier Daily, reported that when Ellis was a student at UVa in 1970s, he used public money to bring a well-known eugenicist to campus to engage in debate.

According to the student paper, in a separate instance, he denied the Gay Student Union from cosponsoring an event led by a gay rights activist. Homosexuality "is not an issue viewed highly in the university" and "would not help the University Union's position and prestige," he said a 1975 article.

Two other UVa groups opposed his appointment  the student council representative body and the faculty senate.

James A. Bacon, executive director of The Jefferson Council, wrote on the group's website that criticism against Ellis amounts to "character assassination." The right-wing Jefferson Council says it aims to preserve the Jefferson legacy and promote an academic environment based on open dialogue.

"The portrayal of him is so one-sided as to make him unrecognizable," Bacon said.

Bacon added that the profane door message violated the terms of the lease and that the eugenicist invited to UVa nearly 50 years ago came to the university for a debate and would have been disproved. In the case of the gay-rights group interested in hosting an event, Bacon said that Ellis did not seek to block the event  he simply thought the topic wouldn't generate enough interest necessary to involve the student union.

Ellis had the support of veteran politics analyst Larry Sabato, the Virginia Mercury reported.

Ellis lives in Hilton Head, S.C., and runs a consulting and investment firm called Ellis Capital. He is a board member and founding investor of WebMD and a partial owner of the popular Charlottesville restaurant the White Spot. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath, proposed the amendment striking Ellis' name from the list of appointments.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base into foggy skies Thursday morning at 7:43 a.m., marking the first launch of 2023 from the West Coast, according to base officials.
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The comments to this blog have been, as the kids like to say, "on fire" lately. And I suspect and hope lots of different folks will have lots of different opinions to share (respectfully) about a new bill introduced in The 193rd General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Specifically, as reported in this Insider article and detailed in the bill available at this link, some legislators in Massachusetts have introduced a proposal that provides a notable new way for incarcerated individual reduce a term of imprisonment. The headline of the press piece notes the essentials: "A proposed Massachusetts bill would give inmates up to a year off their sentence  if they donate their organs." Here are more of the particulars:

Forget sentence reductions for good behavior: With a proposed bill making its way through the Massachusetts legislature, inmates could receive up to a year off their jail sentence by donating their organs.

Bill HD.3822, called the "Act to establish the Massachusetts incarcerated individual bone marrow and organ donation program," would allow eligible incarcerated people to receive no fewer than 60 but no more than 365 days off their sentences for donating their marrow or organs. It has not passed through the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

The act, if passed, would create a five-person panel to oversee the implementation of the program, made up of two Department of Corrections officials, an organ donation specialist from a state hospital, and two advocates focusing on organ donation and prisoners' rights. The panel would determine eligibility standards and file reports of annual donations and "estimated life-savings associated with said donations." "There shall be no commissions or monetary payments to be made to the Department of Correction for bone marrow donated by incarcerated individuals," the proposed text reads....

State Rep. Judith Garcia, one of the co-sponsors, explained the proposal with an infographic on Twitter, saying the Massachusetts organ donation waiting list has nearly 5,000 people on it, disproportionately impacting Black and Hispanic residents, with no existing path to organ donation for incarcerated people, even if a relative were in need of a donation. The bill would "restore bodily autonomy to incarcerated folks by providing opportunity to donate organs and bone marrow," the graphic read.

"It seems like something out of a science fiction book or horror story," Kevin Ring, president of the nonprofit organization Families Against Mandatory Minimums, told Insider. "It's just this sort of idea that we have this class of subhumans whose body parts [we] will harvest because they're not like us or because they're so desperate for freedom that they'd be willing to do this."

Ring, a former lobbyist who served 20 months in federal prison on public corruption charges as part of the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal, said he would have considered doing anything to reduce his sentence while he was incarcerated, making the whole thing feel like a coercive idea that "preys on that desperation." "In most state systems, you earn good time credits from participating in programming that is intended to reduce your risk of reoffending, so those things make sense," Ring said, listing examples like drug treatment programs and job training to show initiative and work toward rehabilitation. "Those are things that are at least connected, relevant, to releasing them early. This one seems like it's not, though and it just begs the question, like, how about two years off for a limb, for an amputee? What's going on here? It's dark."

In an email sent to Families Against Mandatory Minimums and reviewed by Insider, a cosponsor of the bill, State Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, told Ring the legislation would "only establish support to those incarcerated and provide guidelines, clarity, and transparency for a potential life-saving voluntary deed."...

Prisoners' Legal Services of Massachusetts, a legal aid group, said in a statement to Insider that the intent behind the bill made sense to try to address issues of racial inequity and the need for organ donation, but didn't appear to be a comprehensive solution due to the risk of coercion....

Ring told Insider he doesn't think it's likely the bill will become law, given an especially negative response to it on social media. "We're in the criminal justice movement, we appreciate that people make mistakes," Ring told Insider. "I can't believe these people are some sort of Frankenstein monsters, I think they just goofed. They're probably well-intentioned, but it's just a disastrous idea."
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SIOUX CITY  The family of a Le Mars, Iowa, man has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a Sioux City hospital, alleging staff members gave him a lethal dosage of medication and were not paying attention to a heart monitor showing his heartbeat had been stopped for five minutes.

Mary Kay Dreckman and her three children say in the lawsuit that MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center staff members were negligent in the hours leading up to the Sept. 18, 2021, death of 65-year-old Michael Dreckman, who three days earlier had had successful quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery at the hospital.

"Mr. Dreckman was given a lethal injection," said Nick Rowley, a Decorah, Iowa, lawyer representing the Dreckmans. "When he flat-lined he was in the ICU (intensive care unit), but no healthcare providers were monitoring him. ... Nobody rushed to the rescue when loud monitors and flashing lights were going off. Mr. Dreckman's wife and kids are the ones who discovered that his heart had stopped."

Michaela Feldmann, MercyOne regional communications lead, released the following statement in response to the lawsuit:

"Safety of our patients, colleagues and communities is a top priority at MercyOne. We are saddened by the loss of Mr. Dreckman, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this time. As this is an active legal matter, we are unable to provide further comment."

According to the lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Woodbury County District Court, Dreckman was sitting up and walking in the ICU two days after his heart surgery. Early the next day, Sept. 18, his heart began to beat rapidly. During a period of three hours and 20 minutes, nurses administered three doses of amiodarone, a medication used to treat certain types of serious irregular heartbeat, and also started Dreckman on an IV drip of the same drug.

"Combined, this amounted to a toxic dose of amiodarone," Rowley said.

Dreckman was last seen at 8 a.m., sitting up in a reclining chair, the lawsuit said. Ten minutes later, telemetry readings showed his heart rate slowing, and by 8:18 a.m. his heart rate went into long pauses followed by slow intermittent beats. Monitor readings showed Dreckman's heartbeat flat-lined for five minutes without any response from staff.

Nurses were alerted to his condition at 8:25 a.m., when Dreckman's wife and a daughter entered his room and found him unresponsive, his monitor flashing and beeping. Medical staff members began life-saving measures, but Dreckman remained in cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead approximately 40 minutes later.

The lawsuit alleges MercyOne and its staff were negligent in giving Dreckman a toxic dose of amiodarone, failing to properly monitor his vital signs and his heart monitor and in the administration of medication to control his heart rate.

Dreckman's family is seeking a judgment to compensate them for an unspecified amount of damages.

Rowley said another cardiac patient died at MercyOne in 2018 after not being properly monitored. Rowley filed two lawsuits in that case, and both were settled prior to trial.
John Lee, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), said on Tuesday that the HKSAR government has two main goals, namely preparing for the full resumption to normalcy while focusing on economic development and promoting Hong Kong to overseas and Chinese mainland visitors.

Lee told a press briefing before an executive council meeting that as COVID-19 prevention and control work enters a new stage, the HKSAR government has set two main goals for its future work.

Lee pointed out that since the first phase of border reopening between Hong Kong and the mainland began on Jan. 8, all control points have been operating well, achieving the goal of a safe, orderly and smooth reopening.

With Hong Kong's rapid return to normalcy, Lee said the HKSAR government is deploying a massive tourism campaign both overseas and in the mainland, including "Hello Hong Kong," a global campaign to attract visitors.

Lee also announced that he will pay a duty visit to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates this Saturday to tell the good stories of Hong Kong and the opportunities here.
Jo'Mario Smith, 35, pleaded guilty in September in U.S. District Court in Sioux City to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Smith was found in possession of weapons and drugs during a March 11 traffic stop. After officers smelled marijuana coming from inside the vehicle, in which Smith was the lone occupant, they conducted a search in which they found a loaded semiautomatic rifle that had been spray painted to look like a toy, a handgun-style BB gun, a shotgun shell, four baggies containing methamphetamine and a plastic bag containing marijuana.
DES MOINES  While LGBTQ children pleaded Tuesday with state lawmakers to be treated with decency and respect, supporters of a Republican-led proposal to bar Iowas public schools from teaching lesbian, gay and transgender-themed issues mocked trans youth, claimed that schools should follow Christian teachings and blamed LGBTQ advocates for suicides and school shootings.

It all came out of two legislative hearings at the Iowa Capitol on bills related to public education and LGBTQ-related issues. Statehouse Republicans advanced three bills:

Senate File 83, which would prohibit K-8 public schools from teaching gender identity;

House File 9, which would require a parents permission before public school staff could refer to a student by a different gender identity;

House File 7, which would require public universities to report to state lawmakers their definitions of dozens of terms, including many that are related to LGBTQ people or issues of race and diversity.

At a legislative hearing on the proposal to prohibit K-8 schools from teaching about gender identity, some young LGBTQ Iowans told lawmakers how such bills impact them.

When my mom told me about this bill, I felt angry, said Berry Stevens, a middle school student from West Des Moines. I deserve to be valued and protected. But this bill does the opposite of that.

Stevens said a year ago when they started sixth grade, they changed their pronouns. They said at school they were picked on and called homophobic slurs, but their teachers and administration were supportive and took steps to protect them.

That would be impossible under this bill, Stevens said. I need you to protect me and others like me.

Sarah SmallCarter and her transgender daughter, Odin, from Fort Dodge, both spoke at the hearing. Sarah SmallCarter described Odin coming out just before the start of second grade, and how adamant and excited she was.

Thats all were asking for, is that you treat our kids in schools with basic human decency and respect. Thats it, Sarah said. This (proposed law) would deny that. It would target our children.

Odin also spoke, saying she gets bullied at school for being transgender.

I get bullied at school a lot because they say Im a boy, she said. Im trying my best to make them understand.

The Trevor Project, an LGBTQ+ youth suicide and crisis prevention organization, said such measures add to existing stigma and discrimination of LGBTQ youth, who already face higher health and suicide risks than their peers. When given access to spaces that affirm their gender identity, they report fewer suicide attempts, the Trevor Project says.

Supporters of the bill argued that the topic of gender identity should be exclusive to parents and their children  and not discussed in public schools.

Nicole Hasso, who ran in the Republican primary for Congress in 2022, offered her thoughts on who is to blame for those elevated suicide rates among LGBTQ youth.

Because of (LGBTQ advocates) actions, their blood is on your hands. Every suicide, every school shooting, every school bullying, Hasso said. She said students should be sent to school to be educated, not to be groomed.

Another woman who spoke at the hearing used mocking air quotes when referring to a transgender boy, and multiple speakers insisted public schools should be following Christian values while educating students.

Ryan Benn, a lobbyist for the Christian conservative advocacy organization The Family Leader, called the discussion of gender identity theology, and a religion of its own that is anti-Christian.

At a separate hearing on the bill that would prohibit schools from affirming or recognizing a students preferred gender identity in school without written consent from parents, supporters argued the bill keeps parents informed and ensures that school employees cant hide information about a students requested gender transition or identity from the childs parents.

Children are the sole responsibility of the parents, said Patty Alexander, a retired teacher from Indianola. A teacher is not the parent. The teacher works for the parents and the school he or she is employed with. We need educators, schools and administrators to stay in their lane.

Critics said the measure undermines LGBTQ support in schools and endangers the safety, welfare and autonomy of transgender and gender-fluid youth, and places educators in an impossible position: risk legal and career ending consequences or forcibly out LGBTQ students grappling with their personal identity to potentially unsupportive or abusive family members.

We encourage them to come out to their parents on their own time. They are the best judges of their own safety, not bureaucrats in Des Moines, said Damian Thompson, director of public policy and communication for the advocacy group Iowa Safe Schools. This bill is a form of government overreach that will ultimately put students in direct danger.

Thompson said transgender youth face a real risk of rejection by adults. Iowa Safe Schools offers services to LGBTQ and allied youth and students who have been bullied.

Many of the students who we work with one-on-one have been kicked out of their homes due to abusive and non-affirming environments, he said.

Organizations representing Iowa school boards, school administrators and teachers note the bill forces them to violate both state and federal law, including Title IX, that prohibits sex-based discrimination and harassment in any school or education program.

The Iowa Department of Education also states the preference for the use of pronouns should be the choice of the student, and that school leaders work collaboratively with students and families while honoring the choice of students.

Republicans advanced Senate File 83, making it eligible for consideration by the full Senate education committee.

Later Tuesday, Republicans advanced both House File 7 and House File 9 out of the House education committee, making both eligible for debate by the full House. Both passed on party-line votes with Democrats opposed.

The committee discussion on House File 7 included testy exchanges between Rep. Art Staed, D-Cedar Rapids, and bill sponsor Rep. Skyler Wheeler, R-Hull.

Staed questioned the need for the legislation and accused Republicans of a witch hunt. Wheeler and fellow bill sponsor Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, took umbrage at his remarks.
A car with dark tinted windows circles the block a few times before swerving onto the sidewalk. A handful of armed plainclothes police officers jump out and order everyone out of a double-parked car so they can search it, striking terror in the seconds before red and blue lights flash or an officer yells police.

A similar scene plays out in dozens of cities across the country every day.

The beating and death of Tyre Nichols by five former Memphis police officers who were members of an anti-crime task force has renewed scrutiny on such squads, which frequently wear street clothes and often are involved in a disproportionate number of violent incidents and civilian complaints. Memphis police officials  after initially defending the SCORPION unit  permanently disbanded the team Saturday just hours after the release of video that showed immediate and prolonged aggression from its officers.

Police department leaders across the country bill the specialty squads as elite units of officers sent into neighborhoods as a direct response to an increase in specific crimes, often arguing they are a tool to dedicate additional resources.

But policing reform advocates and people who live in the Black and brown neighborhoods that these units usually patrol often say the officers employ aggressive tactics sometimes bordering on brutality, have little oversight and use pretextual stops of cars and pedestrians alike to search for larger crimes.

Obviously it's a complicated issue, and they are responding to a tangible problem being whatever crime of the day they are formed to address  guns, gang violence, narcotics. But Memphis is not an outlier here, said Hans Menos, vice president of the Triage Response Team at the Center for Policing Equity. I don't see any other option we have as a country but to say this is not working. This is leading to pain, injury and death.

Menos, who led Philadelphia's Police Advisory Commission, the former civilian oversight arm of the police department, said the units often are judged only on results without questions about how those were gained.

Less than a year before Nichols was killed, four officers from a similar plainclothes unit in Philadelphia tasked with getting illegal guns off the street initiated a stop in an unmarked car of two juveniles on bikes.

Department leaders have said the officers turned on their flashing lights before 12-year-old Thomas T.J. Siderio, allegedly fired a shot at the car. One of the officers chased down Siderio, fatally shooting him in the back as he fled. Prosecutors who charged that officer with murder said the boy was unarmed when he was shot.

But there were warning signs in Philadelphia that task force officers were acting aggressively or recklessly for months before the shooting  including car wrecks and citizen complaints.

Police leaders in several departments have argued that the high number of complaints and violent incidents in these squads are due to the exact work they are asked to do  interrupt patterns of dangerous crime often involving guns or drugs.

In Memphis, police Director Cerelyn CJ Davis started the Street Crimes Operations to Restore Peace In Our Neighborhoods unit when she took over the department in 2021. The team of about 40 officers was designed to focus on repeat violent offenders after three years of rising violence in the city, including a record number of homicides in 2021.

Before she agreed to disband the SCORPION unit in an effort to speed the city's healing process, Davis had defended its work, saying it had taken 800 illegal guns off the street and made more than 2,000 felony arrests last year. She added that she would not shut down a unit if a few officers committed some egregious act.

Menos scoffed at what he called a frequent defense used by police leaders who say a few bad apples commit those acts.

The narrative that if this team was a problem, it was unique. Well, its not. ... Its not bad apples, he said. The reliance of departments on these young specialized units is one of the biggest structural problems in policing that could exist. They are operating with impunity in largely Black communities that are historically overpoliced. And we are compounding that problem by putting these overly aggressive, results-only oriented officers in those neighborhoods.

Terence Jones, a former Philadelphia police officer who served on multiple plainclothes units, investigated Siderio's shooting in March of 2022 as part of his work for the police accountability nonprofit Total Justice, which he founded. Jones called the shooting a murder after talking with neighbors and uncovering cellphone and security videos that showed the aftermath.

Even so, Jones was unwilling to say the units should be disbanded. He advocated for reforming them to include better supervision, ban traffic stops for unmarked cars and screen out any officers with a history of excessive force from the application process.

These jump-out boys are a slap in the face to real police officers that did the job the right way without having to abuse authority, plant evidence or use excessive force, he said. But that lack of accountability starts at the top.

Here is the timeline of events in the arrest and death of Tyre Nichols  and what's followed Jan. 7, 2023 Jan. 8 Jan. 15 Jan. 16 Jan. 18 Jan. 20 Jan. 23 Jan. 24 Jan. 25 Jan. 26 Jan. 27 Jan. 28
A fire that broke out Sunday afternoon destroyed an acreage near Eagle, causing $700,000 in damage and rekindling twice in the hours after rescue crews first put out the flames, according to the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office.

Crews from Eagle, Waverly, Greenwood, Elmwood, Ashland, Bennet and Southwest Fire and Rescue all responded to the blaze, near 176th and O streets, at around 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Chief Deputy Ben Houchin said.

Responders found the acreage, 6 miles east of Lincoln, completely engulfed in flames after a passerby reported the fire Sunday afternoon, Houchin said.

Houchin said residents of 334 N. 176th St. had evacuated by the time crews arrived, but the family's dog, Frosty, perished in the fire.

The blaze burned for more than four hours Sunday and rekindled shortly after midnight Monday and again seven hours later, according to emergency scanner traffic.

State Fire Marshal inspectors determined the fire's causes was electrical and accidental in nature, said Adam Matzner, the agency's chief investigator.

Photos: Firefighters in action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action
A 27-year-old Omaha man received a life sentence Monday for shooting and killing a Lincoln man in February 2021 in a failed attempt to rob him of 4 pounds of marijuana.

Deontae Rush, who was found guilty at trial of the first-degree murder of James Shekie, is expected to appeal.

Attorneys on both sides said little at first.

Rush's attorney, Jeff Pickens of the Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy, said the judge didn't have any discretion on the murder charge. The only option was a life sentence. Which made his sentence on count two, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, seem moot.

District Judge Kevin McManaman ultimately gave Rush life, plus 25 to 35 years in prison.

"You have not to date taken responsibility for the crimes, and I'm taking into consideration the safety of the community," the judge said.

First, Rush read a statement he wrote about facing challenges and one day reaching a summit.

"I'll beat this out, and I'll rule. This won't rule me," he said.

At trial in November, Rush took the stand and said he "had nothing to do with this," referring to the early morning shooting in Lincoln on Feb. 23, 2021.

His co-defendants, Anna Feilen and her brother, Marques Moten, testified against him, telling jurors that they waited in the van as Rush kicked in the door at Shekies mobile home at Mark IV Estates near North 20th and Superior streets.

They heard three gunshots soon after, then Shekie's screams, and drove off, picking up Rush soon after emptyhanded at a nearby FedEx when he called Moten.

Police found Shekie's body March 1, 2021, after a neighbor called because Shekies door had been left open for three days.

He'd been dead for nearly a week.

On March 4, 2021, investigators arrested Moten and Feilen, who are set to enter pleas next month, for conspiracy to commit robbery after a search of her phone showed a Facebook Messenger conversation between them about a plan to rob Shekie.

Four days later, Rush was arrested in Chicago, where he'd fled.

In November, the jury rejected Rush's defense that the pair were framing him for the murder.

Surveillance footage taken shortly before the shooting showed Feilen, Moten and a third person in a hoodie with the same build as Rush at a Lincoln apartment complex.

And records put Rush's cellphone in Lincoln.

At trial, Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Eric Miller hypothesized that Rush had been scared by Shekie after going in the trailer, fired a wild shot, then a second at a doorway before walking in and shooting Shekie on his bed with his back to the wall.

Three months earlier, Rush's first trial for Shekie's murder ended prematurely when a spate of COVID-19 infections led to a mistrial.
SIOUX CITY -- The Siouxland District Health Department is trying to increase healthcare accessibility for patients with a variety of disabilities.

By adding a wheelchair weight scale, sensory-friendly rooms, grab bars, transfer boards, and Pocketalker hearing amplifiers and magnifiers, the district health department is increasing access for patients with disabilities.

Angela Drent, a health planner at Siouxland District Health Department, said their goal was to make changes that would help patients with disabilities and could be implemented by other clinics.

One of the major changes district health made was adding sensory-friendly rooms. Drent said she spoke with the nurses and other staffers throughout the building, and having more equipment and tools to help individuals with sensory issues was a suggestion.

Getting an immunization is not extremely fun for most individuals, let alone kids, so having some [sensory] items in rooms helps provide a better experience for not only individuals with disabilities but any of our families that come in, Drent said.

The items are intended to provide comfort and distraction. Many are inexpensive and are visual, tactile or vestibular (certain balance boards or swings would qualify). There are weighted objects, stress balls, stuffed animals, light-up items and more.

The rooms now have dimmer switches to help calm individuals down and two rooms have fabrics covering the fluorescent bulbs to dissipate the light.

Theyre changes that make a difference to people who need them, said Siouxland District Health's Matthew Robertson.

The district health department was one of two local public health agencies in the nation selected for the Strengthening Disability Inclusion Effort within Local Health Departments grant. The grant was aimed at helping people with disabilities by implementing new policies, systems, or environmental changes to reduce barriers, increase accessibility or provide inclusive recreation opportunities.

Robertson said the changes have been well received by both people who have sensory issues and those who dont. He said it changes the clinic environment to be a little more friendly and comforting.

Siouxland District Health also purchased a tent which provides an enclosed, comforting space for those who may need it, and can be moved to any room or space in the area.

The changes are not just physical items. Drent said district health has been working to put in place different processes, policies and training to increase awareness and accessibility.

The department has started propping open the door to the laboratory area during business hours to allow for easy entry. They have also updated their contract for interpretation services and created a process so other departments can request services.

One idea Drent and Robertson have is to make it so those who have sensory issues do not have to wait in the waiting room and instead, are taken directly to their immunization room.

Clients and families can provide information on disabilities before their appointments so district health can be better prepared. If someone wants or needs the sensory-friendly rooms, they can request it before their appointment.

Another large change district health made with the grant was purchasing a wheelchair weight scale, something many clinics do not have.

Robertson said they had a client in a wheelchair that had not been weighed in years and had no idea how much she weighed.

District health also purchased an exam table that raises and lowers to make it easier for those in wheelchairs to get on the exam table.

Everybody deserves to have a good quality appointment, or the same types of services everybody else is getting, Drent said.

Drent hopes to help other clinics and businesses in the area implement these types of changes. She said the Sioux City ambulance crew has expressed interest in getting handheld items for the trucks.

Anything we can do to impact or get other businesses to think about inclusion and accessibility is a win in our book, she said.

Siouxland District Health, with Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Organization (SIMPCO), completed on-site community health inclusion index assessments at district health, the Warming Shelter and Plaza Bowl, according to a news release.

Each business was then provided a report with recommendations for inclusive policy, system or environmental changes they could make to improve accessibility.

The Warming Shelter installed an ADA front load washing machine, a wheelchair charging station and a ramp at the emergency exit for mobility devices.

Plaza Bowl purchased ramps, bowling ball pushers and a retractable handle bowling ball. They are also working on a bathroom renovation to improve accessibility.
Netflixs latest docuseries, Gunthers Millions, delves into the mind-twisting backstory of the richest dog in the worldand, more importantly, the people in charge of maintaining his wealth. The four-part series guides audiences through the answer to the most obvious question: How exactly can a canine amass such a grandiose amount of wealth? And can even a very good dog hold on to that much money without getting involved in a few sordid affairs? However, as the docuseries runs its course, we realize that its not the smaller scandals Netflix wants us to gawk at, but, rather more boringly, the existence of the story itself.

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Gunthers Millions begins with the story that the humans of the Gunther Group (the governing body of the Gunther Trust) have been spinning for over a decade. A German countess named Karlotta Liebenstein married a Hungarian refugee who had amassed a fortune through his pharmaceutical company. Liebenstein became close pals with Gabriella Gentili, the president of her own familial pharmaceutical company, Gentili Institute. This story is told to us by Maurizio Mian, Gentilis only son, who reveals that Countess Liebenstein also had a son, named Gunther, who suffered from depression and died by suicide when he was 26. By the time Countess Liebenstein was nearing the end of her life, with her only son and her husband having passed and no other close relatives, she decided to leave the money to her beloved sons dog, also named Gunther (the Third). She named her close friend Gentili the caretaker of the dog and manager of the Gunther Trust, who then passed it on to her own son, Maurizio. Mian then became the human face of the Gunther Trust and the sole handler of Gunthers fortune. [Spoilers for Gunthers Millions follow.]

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Gunthers Millions prioritizes an experience it doesnt deliver onthe crown jewel of true crime media: the ultimate gotcha! momentinstead of focusing on the ones it does.

Gunthers Millions takes care to make it clear that everything that follows the first 20 minutes of the series is a project of Mians questionable integrity and fanciful imagination. Mian claims that the trust was created with the intention of honoring Liebensteins late son by greenlighting explorations of his favorite activities: pop music, boat riding, and, of course, seeking out the happiness he could not find himself. Taking on this mission, and in order to honor Liebenstein and her son, Mian goes on to develop some rather dubious projects. There was the album the Gunther Group made, Wild Dog, a wholly unsuccessful and gratingly squawking venture into electronic music. Then, Mian started The Burgundians, a five-person pop group who thought they were cast as multi-hyphenate entertainers but instead were subjects of scientific experiments, conducted by people with zero scientific background. These experiments involved encouraging the members to have sex with each other in any manner or orientation, while being allegedly monitored with cameras throughout the house (a Miami mansion that once belonged to Madonna) and then subjected to post-coital questioning. Then, there was Mians second attempt at formulating a group, The Magnificent 5, with the express purpose of monitoring the members planned mating with each other while they simultaneously attempted to grow in other areas of life that Mians team believed most attributed to happiness. (Part of the project involved gaudy medallions that would light up when a member increased their standing in any of five categories: physicality, popularity, spectacularity, wealth, and sexuality.) Mian was attempting, through The Magnificent 5 and the project, to breed a new superhuman race that would be ideally suited to achieve happiness.

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Everything that Maurizio Mian set out to do was in the name of his fight to find a scientifically proven key to happiness in honor of his late friend, Liebensteins son, Gunther. But then, Gunthers Millions pulls back the curtain on the bigger secret at play: It was all a lie. The ethically questionable man maintaining a mass of wealth under the guise of a wealthy line of German Shepherds was lying?! Say it aint so!

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The Countess and her son Gunther never existed. They were fictions allegedly created by Mian as a way to avoid paying taxes on his familys own money. The Gentili Institute had developed alendronate, a molecule that proved effective in treating bone diseases like osteoporosis. This huge discovery made the company profitable enough that Mians mother sold Gentili Institute to Merck for a sizable fortune. To avoid taxes, Mian claims it was his idea to give the money to a dog via trustthe only way you could bequeath money to a dog. They then created the countess as the owner of the dog, under a foreign name for added protection, but named Gentili the caretaker of the dog in order to leave her and her family in control of their fortune. The countess was the cover, but the depressed son, Gunther, was inspired by Mians own struggles with mental health.

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Gunthers Millions is funat one point, Italys more salacious version of Perez Hilton comes into the series claiming that he is GodI will certainly give it that. But, of all the lies Gunthers Millions tells, the biggest one is that we wont know from the beginning how it all ends. To traipse through all of the sex-cult allegations, Vatican baby-theft worries, and more sex-cult allegations just to end up where we first started is annoying to say the least. This isnt to say that Gunthers Millions is a waste of time, more that it prioritizes an experience it doesnt deliver onthe crown jewel of true crime media: the ultimate gotcha! momentinstead of focusing on the ones it does.

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And what it does offer ought to be plenty! I mean, the series spends barely half of an episode detailing the ways in which a random Italian pharmaceutical heir attempted to create a perfect human race that is impervious to woe and misery. It spends even less time on the offhand mention that Mians former partner, and mother of his daughter, was afraid the Vatican would take their child because they said the human baby was born unto Gunther the dog. And we dont get nearly enough of a sense of what the hell all of these people are doing now. There are mentions: a former Burgundian opened up a dog-sitting business; the Italian Perez Hilton is under house arrest (but still manages to have sex from sunup to sundown). Amidst the scandals the Gunther Group has faced, Im far more interested in the daily life of Gunthers 27 employees than in the obvious lie being revealed as a lie.

Gunthers Millions works best when it gets into the culture that this hoarding of wealth through wacky, convoluted methods cultivatesrather than dwelling on the methods themselves. Its hard to surprise viewers anymore now that the weirdest corners of humanity are regularly made into easily digestible TV episodes for maximum profit. But that doesnt mean theres nothing left to entertain us. Its about time for true crime creators to realize that people themselves are just as interesting as the lies they telland so are their dogs.
On Tuesday, police entered an abandoned house in a Dallas suburb and found two missing emperor tamarin monkeys that had disappeared from the Dallas Zoo. The theft of the monkeys on Monday was only the latest in a string of puzzling and alarming incidents at the zoo: A clouded leopard escaped and roamed the grounds; a fence was cut in a monkey enclosure; a lappet-faced vulture died under suspicious circumstances. What on earth is going on? And how can zoos protect themselves from humans with nefarious designs on the animals? I spoke to Jonathan Miot, director of the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo in Gainesville, Floridawhich was the victim of a thief who stole 11 animals in 2018about how zoos protect their animals and why a perpetrator might want to steal a monkey. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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Dan Kois: When these stories about escaped and injured animals at the Dallas Zoo started appearing, to me it seemed like the Dallas Zoo was undergoing some kind of managerial breakdown. Like, what is going on there!

Jonathan Miot: The first stories, animals missingescapes happen. Theyre very rare, but they do happen. When there was discussion about damage to habitats, damage to enclosures and barriersagain, damage can happen. These are man-made structures that degrade.

But it would be unusual for all these things to happen at once, right?

At a facility like the Dallas Zoo, these things usually dont all happen at once. So for me, personally, it brought back a lot of feelings. I absolutely felt for them, because I knew what they were going through. Our responsibility is to the animals. And when you feel like that faltered somehow, you feel personally responsible. But Ill tell you something law enforcement here told me when this happened to us: You cant blame yourself. You cant stop people from doing abnormal things.

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Why on earth would someone try to steal a monkey or a clouded leopard? Did they watch too much Tiger King?

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We ask that all the time. Even with our case, we never got the answer. The individuals involved in our situation were found and prosecuted and held accountable, but what we never got was a why. We can speculate up and down the river. For our case, these were college-age individuals, and there was probably a showing-off situation, potentially a perceived monetary gain. And you know, sometimes people just say, Oh, I would also like these animals in my own care, and they should be here. I didnt get an answer, and I wish I had.

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I tend to think of the security problem at zoos as breakouts, like when a gorilla at the Dallas Zoo leaped out of its enclosure in 2004 and injured three visitors. But are break-ins a common problem that a lot of zoos face? Do you plan and prepare for that as much as for a breakout?

Well, we should have done better. We assumed break-ins would be very rare. But we do a better job now, with hard-won experience. Were a teaching zoo, so we train the next generation of animal-conservation professionals. Part of that is interacting with visitors and keeping an eye on them. Youre the eyes and the ears of the animals, in a way.

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How can a zoo harden its security when theres a threat like this? When you have a sense that someone is targeting animals over days or weeks?

Its the same thing we dealt with. We also had multiple issues. And there are things you can do, but if someones motivated enough, they can probably work through it.

You can bring the animals into the buildings at night, but if someones highly motivated 

They can break into the buildings, yes.

Where I live in D.C., there was a recent enclosure breach, but the culprit was a fox, who killed 25 flamingos. Im sure that was horrible for the zookeepers and the flamingos, but from a nature standpoint, I sort of gotta hand it to that fox. Is this a problem that zookeepers see regularly, and that you prepare for?

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Absolutely. We have a perimeter barrier. Whats the point of the perimeter barrier? Its to keep people out, to keep our animals in, just in case one gets out of its enclosurebut also to keep wild animals out. But animals are quite creative! Foxes are doing what foxes do. Raccoons climb right over barriers. Its our job to plan for those things and protect against those things. The National Zoothats a beautiful facility in a beautiful area, a wild area. Its not through some fault of theirs that this happened. Animals are creative. A predator is exceptionally creative.

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Im sad for the keepers, the animals, the institution. But are you mad at the fox? Its hard to be mad at the fox.

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What animals were stolen from your zoo in 2018?

We had tortoises, turtles, a skinkthats a large lizardand a squirrel monkey that were taken.

Were all the animals recovered?

We didnt get one box turtle and one gopher tortoise back. The police retrieved the rest, and they were fine. The two that we didnt retrieve, we assumewe didnt get an answerthat they were released, they were let go.

That must have been difficult for the students and the staff at the zoo.

It felt like a personal violation. We felt as if we were personally attacked. The keepers and the students were very upset. Luckily, were at a college, so there was support staffcounselors came over to talk to the students. And people said, Oh no! The squirrel monkey. But were impacted by all of those animals.

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Not just the cute, furry ones.

Our keepers are just as bonded to the turtles and tortoises and the skink. And I think some people thought, Oh, theyre native to Florida, theyre gonna be fine. But they were on medication. We were rehabbing them. They had daily issues that they needed daily medication for. Look, we all do this job because we love the animals. We love the animals, and we want you to love the animals.

But keep your hands off the animals.

We have the animals so you can care about thembut were the ones who care for them. If you want to get your hands on an animal, I would encourage you to go to your local shelter and adopt a pet. Those animals need you.

Or you could enroll in the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo!

Yes, you could live the dream! But just remember, our students, conservation professionals, theyre not snuggling up with the squirrel monkeys. We keep our hands off too.
In 1968, then-Chief Justice Earl Warren went to the White House to let President Lyndon B. Johnson know that he was planning to retire. He explained that he wanted to be replaced by a liberal. Johnson, who was also on his way out of office, wanted to secure the chief justices seat before his term ended. He tapped Justice Abe Fortas for the job. Fortas, who had once represented Clarence Gideon in Gideon v. Wainwright, a landmark lawsuit finding a Sixth Amendment right to counsel for indigent criminal defendants, had been a stalwart of the Warren Courts progressive wing since he was seated in 1965. Republicans in the Senate immediately launched a campaign to discredit Fortas as a potential chief, partly because he was a close adviser to Johnson, even after being confirmed at the court, and partly because he sided with integrationists and criminal defendants from the bench, and was on the wrong (right?) side in hotly contested dirty movie cases. All this was accompanied by a heaping side of antisemitism at the prospect of seating the first Jewish chief justice.

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Its not that there were no issues with Fortas. Eventually it surfaced that he had some sketchy financial arrangements that included a lucrative lectureship at American University, funded by contributions raised by wealthy former law clients. And so, his nomination stalled in a Senate filibuster, Fortas remained on the court as an associate justice.

In Adam Cohens superb 2021 book, Supreme Inequality, he describes what happened when Richard Nixon took office after the 1968 election. Nixon, determined to remake the court, immediately went on offense. His first target? Securing Fortas resignation. Nixon cleared his desk of other work to focus on getting Fortas off the Court, according to his chief domestic policy advisor, John Ehrlichman. John Dean, who would later become White House counsel, described a Nixon Justice Department hard at work spreading rumors and leaking  information to a reporter at Life magazine. One of the things the DOJ began digging into was Fortas relationship with Louis Wolfson, a wealthy financier and supporter of progressive causes. Fortas was serving on Wolfsons family foundation while he sat on the court, and accepted a $20,000 annual stipend to do so. But other justices, writes Cohen, had similar arrangements, and this violated no rule or law. Plus, when Wolfson was indicted by the SEC, Fortas quit the foundation and returned the money. Again, no ethics rules at the court meant no ethics violations.

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That didnt matterJohn Mitchell, Nixons attorney general, truly smelled blood in the water. His DOJ falsely told the Life magazine reporter that the department had opened a criminal investigation into Fortas. When the question of whether the DOJ even had the authority to investigate a sitting justice arose, a young William Rehnquist, then assistant attorney general, produced a memo for Mitchell finding that Fortas could be prosecuted as a sitting associate justice.

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Mitchell threatened to reopen a closed case against Fortas wife, for which she had already been cleared. Republicans in Congress wanted to consider impeachment. But Nixon wanted something faster.

Nixon hosted a black-tie dinner at the White House to honor Warren as he was stepping down as chief justice. It was a party Warren later described as the most thrilling social event of my half century of public life. A few weeks after the event, the DOJ was pressing Wolfson to testify that Fortas had done something improper for him. Wolfson refused. No matter. As John Dean would later write:

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On May 7, Mitchells long black limousine pulled quietly into the basement garage of the Supreme Court Building, and the attorney general was whisked through the building for a confidential session with the chief justice. Mitchell had not met Earl Warren before the White House dinner a few weeks earlier, but the glow of good feeling still radiated from that evening.

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Mitchells visit to Earl Warren at the high court featured confidential documents, including Fortas contract with the Wolfson Foundation. According to Cohen, Nixon and Mitchell knew that Warren was fiercely protective of the Court and of his own legacy. He would not want to end his tenure with a major ethics scandal, and he certainly would not want one of his justices charged with a federal crime. When Warren saw the documents, he reportedly told his secretary, referring to Fortas: He cant stay.

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On May 12, the DOJ delivered more documents to Chief Justice Warren, signaling that it was still investigating Fortas. The New York Times criticized Mitchell for an ugly squeeze play by the administration to force Fortas off the bench, but it did nothing to deter his efforts. On May 13, Warren convened a meeting of the justices to go over the DOJs evidence against Fortas. Fortas resigned the next day. As Dean would later write:

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By the time Fortas presented his plight to his brethren, he had made the decision to retire. More remarkably, he got no sympathy from his colleagues. They treated him as a condemned man. Not one protested that he had broken no law. Not one acknowledged that other justices at the conference table had accepted fees from charitable foundations. Not one suggested that Fortas should stay and fight. Richard Nixon and John Mitchell had intimidated them all.

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Historians largely agree that Fortas might have brazened it out. But as he told his former law partner Paul Porter, he had had it. As Cohen describes it, many factors led Fortas to step down, although the evidence against him was both thin and indirect. Its reasonable to think that it was the turning of Warren, his former ally, and his brethren that may have been decisive.

Warren had done the job well, according to Nixons policy advisor, Ehrlichman. Indeed, Ehrlichman wrote in his memoir that Warren had persuaded Abe Fortas to resign, and suddenly we had two vacant seats on the court. A spontaneous drinks party broke out in Attorney General Mitchells office when they learned of Fortas resignation. Nixon even called in to congratulate them.

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We may never know if Fortas ethical issues rose to the level of demanding a resignation (though Cohen and Penn States Bruce Allen Murphy both suggest, after significant research, that they did not). But we do know two things in hindsight: Fortas departure was a factor in the eventual collapse of the progressive Warren Court. And so succumbing to Nixon and Mitchells pressure campaign to oust him may have been the single biggest mistake of Earl Warrens career.

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I rehearse this story in part because its the answer to the question that hangs in the ether today as news continues to pile up about purported ethics violations at the Supreme Court. Those violations include, but are not limited to: money from interested parties in cases securing access to the justices by way of the Supreme Court Historical Society; the generalized grossness of learning that former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoffpaid by the court for securitysigned off as an independent expert on the generalized grossness of the Dobbs leak investigation; the continued conviction at One First Street that the Thomases marriage is somehow less problematic ethically than, say, the fact that Fortas wife had once been cleared of a crime. The legitimacy of the institution is once more a topic of heated national debate, with stories coming out every daytodays actually focuses on the possibly unethical activities of the chief justices own wife. But this time the court opts not to weigh in.

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I was reminded of the Cohen account in part because it offers an answer to the question of whether the chief justice is indeed wholly powerless to probe ethics questions among his colleagues, and also to the ancillary question of whether the chief justice is somehow honor-bound to pretend ethics issues dont exist. Its not at all clear that Justice Warren did the right thing in meeting secretly with Mitchell, or swanning around the East Room of the White House in a tux, or convening his brethren to form an impromptu Star Chamber at which Fortas, unable to defend himself any longer, felt forced to resign. Indeed one lesson of this story could be interpreted to mean that when a justice violates the courts imaginary ethics rules, that justice should be left alone altogetherafter all, what the Warren Court allegedly did to Abe Fortas was both excessive and improper.

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But there is a second lesson from this story, one that holds that it is a black eye to everyone in the building when a justice behaves unethically, or even, as was the case with Fortas, appears to behave somewhat unethically in the eyes of the public. This lesson suggests that its incumbent on the chief justice and the associate justices to insert themselves into those conversations because the legitimacy of the whole entire court is on the line. More urgently, in that telling, once the chief justice and the associate justices insert themselves into those conversations, the behavior will stop. It can stop. It is certainly eminently stoppable. That, too, is the lesson of Justice Fortas.

In other words, its not at all clear that the muted cry that nothing can be done about whatever it is that is happening inside the Supreme Court these days is even true. The sorry tale of how Warren helped push out fellow liberal Abe Fortas suggests that the justices can indeed use their informal powers to check their colleagues if they are sufficiently worried about public disapprobation and condemnation. More than half a century later, the Fortas story is certainly interesting as a roadmap to soft power and the internal policing of judicial misconduct. It is even more powerfully a lesson in how and why, 50 years later, in the face of far more consequential and public ethical crises, the choice to do nothing is held out as the only viable play.
Staff members unload vaccines donated by China at a Philippine Air Force base in Manila, the Philippines on Feb 28, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua]

For Li Jun, vice-president of the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, fighting COVID-19 was a war on two fronts.

In April 2020, after battling an epidemic in his home province, Li led a team of medical experts to Malaysia to share Chinese health workers' firsthand experience in tackling the novel coronavirus.

Scientists and health workers sharing their data and knowledge is one of China's key methods of contributing to the global efforts against COVID-19. China has dispatched 37 expert teams to 34 countries over the past three years, according to the National Health Commission.

"There is a Malaysian proverb that goes, 'Bukit sama didaki, lurah sama dituruni', which translates into, 'Climb the hill together, traverse the ravine together'," Li said.

"China and Malaysia share a traditional friendship. We felt a strong duty to share our knowledge and help our Malaysian peers control COVID-19 in their home country."

Li's team presented their insights into treatment and diagnosis plans, hygiene and healthcare for discharged patients and psychological counseling for those infected and their families. "We wanted to help the Malaysian people combat COVID-19 and help them return to normalcy as soon as possible," Li said.

Chinese experts were similarly offering assistance in Iran, Italy, Pakistan, Russia, the Philippines and Peru, as well as countries in Africa, a feat that embodied the vision of building a global community of health for all, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Wang Xiaotao, former director of China International Development Cooperation Agency, said that many countries had donated valuable supplies to China when it was hit hard, and it was heartwarming for China to return the favor.

"Even when facing a serious COVID-19 situation at home, China promptly launched an emergency humanitarian aid effort, the largest of its kind since the nation's founding," Wang wrote in an article in Foreign Affairs Journal, which is published by the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs.

"The COVID-19 pandemic recognizes no borders and ethnicities. It is a common enemy of humanity and can only be overcome with solidarity and collaboration," Wang wrote. "China will never stand aloof from a friend in need, nor will it attach conditions for selfish gains when extending a helping hand."

Mi Feng, spokesman for the National Health Commission, said in a news briefing in mid-January that China has promptly shared vital information with the world, and that served as the scientific basis for developing vaccines and diagnosis tools.

These vital pieces of information included confirming the pathogen was a novel coronavirus, sharing the genome sequence of the virus and publishing China's treatment and prevention plans, he said.

China has provided massive quantities of medical supplies for 153 countries and 15 international organizations, Mi said. It also held over 300 exchanges on COVID-19 control measures and medical treatment with over 180 countries and regions and over 10 international organizations.

Mi said that China was the first country to propose the COVID-19 vaccine as a global public good and the first to cooperate in vaccine production with developing countries. He added that China had provided over 2.2 billion vaccines for over 120 countries and international organizations.

"We are willing to continue to work with the international community to jointly tackle the pandemic and better safeguard the health and well-being of people in various countries," Mi said.

At the same news briefing, Wu Xi, director-general of the Department of Consular Affairs of the Foreign Ministry, said that China has maintained an open, transparent and responsible attitude when sharing its data with the international community, including holding over 60 technical exchanges with the World Health Organization, five of which were recently held.

On Jan 14, Ma Xiaowei, head of the National Health Commission, spoke with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus about the COVID-19 situation in China.

The WHO said in a statement that Chinese officials provided it information on the COVID-19 situation in the country and also made the information public through a news conference. The information shared covered a range of topics, including outpatient clinics, hospitalization, patients requiring emergency treatment and critical care, and deaths related to COVID-19 infection in hospitals.

"The WHO will continue to work with China, providing technical advice and support and engaging in analyzing the situation," the statement added.

Qian Yuming, an assistant researcher at the Department for International and Strategic Studies of the China Institute of International Studies, said that China has made an "irreplaceable and irrefutable" contribution to the global fight against COVID-19 by providing necessary aid and by building confidence and hope.

Last year, the BRICS nations  Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa  launched a new vaccine research and development center to enhance collaboration in the areas to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mikhail Murashko, Russia's health minister, said in a video address to the launch event that the center showcases the BRICS' commitment to assisting the global population and making vaccines more accessible and affordable for developing countries.

Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, acting director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, said that China's collaborations with countries such as Egypt, Algeria and Morocco offered alternative sources of COVID-19 vaccines to people on the African continent, especially at the height of the pandemic in the middle of 2021.

The partnership has enabled the continent to produce the vaccines locally, thus reducing the need for importing and transporting vaccines from outside the continent, he told Xinhua News Agency.

Sergio Held, a journalist based in Colombia, said that Chinese vaccines brought life in Latin America back to normal, as the Rio de Janeiro Carnival in Brazil made a comeback in April 2022 after being canceled the year before due to the pandemic.

Mehmood ul Hassan Khan, executive director of the Center for South Asia & International Studies in Islamabad, Pakistan, said that China's optimization of its COVID-19 control measures will unleash the vitality of its economy and bolster the international community's confidence in its development potential.

"China has proactively facilitated the optimization of the global public health governance," he wrote in an article published in People's Daily.
On Monday, Gov. Kathy Hochul vetoed the Grieving Families Act, a proposed expansion of New Yorks wrongful death statute. Hochuls veto is a victory for corporate lobbyists and a defeat for the plaintiffs bar, locking many grieving family members out of court. But it also creates yet another conflict between the governor and state Democrats, who prioritized this reform and urged the governor to approve it. Why Hochul chose to further poison her offices relationship with lawmakers in her own partyupon whom she will rely to pass her agendais yet another head scratcher from a governor whose very short tenure has been full of them.

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Wrongful death suits let survivors collect damages when an individual or corporation causes the death of a family member through negligence or recklessness. But New Yorks statute, enacted in 1847, is a relic of an era when many civil justice systems measured a persons worth on the basis of their earnings alone: The law allows survivors to collect damages primarily for pecuniary injuries, meaning lost financial support. This focus on the victims monetary worth was rooted in concern for those who lost their family breadwinner (almost always the husband and father). But it diminishes the value of everyone else: Does the life of a child, grandparent, or disabled person have no value because they are not employed?

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Today, every state except New York and Alabama has updated its wrongful death policies to reflect the idea that survivors deserve compensation even if they cant quantify what theyve lost in dollars and cents. Most states allow family members to collect emotional damages for the grief, anguish, and loss of companionship. These reforms acknowledge that a deceased individual is worth more than a lost paycheck. But they have not yet come to New York. The Grieving Families Act would have changed that, amending state law to let plaintiffs collect emotional damages in wrongful death suits. It also would have let more family members recover damages, including grandparents, step-parents, siblings, children, and unmarried domestic partners. And it would have extended the statute of limitations from two years to three and a half.

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Hochuls move on Monday was the highest profile in a flurry of vetoes, ending the 2022 legislative cycle on a sour and controversial note. The bill enjoys bipartisan support and has been roughly 30 years in the making, with its first version introduced in 1994. It passed the legislature in June; Hochul, until the end, said she needed more time to improve it.

The governors approach to negotiating the package was, to put it mildly, vexing. For months, she refused to indicate her position. Then, one day before the January 31 deadline, Hochul took to the op-ed pages of the New York Daily News in an attempt to deliver an ultimatum to the states lawmakers. I have suggested to the Legislature that we amend the legislation, she wrote, and sign into a law a version that would give parents of children who have tragically died in accidents the opportunity to seek meaningful accountability for their heart-wrenching loss while, for the time being, exempting far more costly medical malpractice claims.

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To the surprise of no one, that negotiation tactic landed with a thud. State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblymember Helene Weinstein issued a blistering statement in response. Despite the staggering inadequacy of her proposal, they wrote, we offered to negotiate to find common ground, only to be turned away by the Governor, who presented her proposal as take it or leave it. Hoylman-Sigal, as chairman of the judiciary committee, crossed swords with Hochul earlier this month over her doomed Court of Appeals nominee Hector LaSalle, whose candidacy was shot down by the committee in a 10-9 vote earlier this year. Weinstein, meanwhile, has been in the legislature for forty years, and has rarely been known to make such scathing remarks about fellow Dems.

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Hochuls veto message included more antagonizing language: The Grieving Families Act, she said, passed without a serious evaluation of the impact of these massive changes on the economy, small businesses, individuals, and the States complex health care system.

The bill enjoyed overwhelming support from her fellow party members. Everyone from state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins to state Attorney General Letitia James had vocally backed it; Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus Chair Assembly Member Michaelle Solages wrote the governor in November urging her to sign it into law.

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Its telling that one of the only constituencies celebrating the governors decision was the Partnership for New York City, a pro-business influence group. The insurance industry and hospitals also lobbied against the billgiving some insight into who has the governors ear and who might be advising her.

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Its a troubling tone-setter ahead of the states budget negotiations, which begin on Wednesday. The governor enters those deliberations with a very weak hand, and desperately short of goodwill after she threatened to sue the Senate Democratic caucusher own party!after they refused to confirm her Court of Appeals nominee.

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What comes next may prove decisive for the remaining years of Hochuls governorship, even at this early stage. She may seek out a detente with members of her own party, and look to ease the tension between the legislature and the executive. She might also resolve to antagonize those Democratic representatives further. Her office is still getting their sea legs; well learn more about her as we bring more bills to her desk for signature, Sen. Hoylman-Sigal told me. Other Democratic insiders in Albany were less gracious, saying that Hochuls op-ed deliberately misrepresents the legislation in question, calling her strategy unnecessarily provocative, as Rebecca C. Lewis reported in City and State New York.

These issues wont go away quietly. Already, the Grieving Families Act has been reintroduced. And Hochul has already produced plenty of evidence that the newly-empowered legislature is undeterred by her tactics. Rarely has a veto been overridden in Albany, but state Democrats do enjoy the ability, with super-majorities in both chambers, to override the governor on these issues if they find the governor to be a continued impediment to the Democratic agenda. For now, the biggest losers in that fight are New Yorks families with victims of wrongful deaths.
Slates Joel Anderson feels like its so common to hear about Black people being killed by the police that hes not actually sure when he first heard the name Tyre Nichols. Tyre Nichols was beaten by the cops in Memphis, Tennessee, on Jan. 7. He died three days later. The five officers who attacked him? They were firedand then indicted, last week.

Them firing those officers was the incident that made me look and say, Huh. It doesnt usually happen like that, Anderson said. Hes covered a lot of deaths by police. There was Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Freddie Gray in Baltimore. And he hosted a whole season of the Slow Burn podcast about Rodney King and the riots that followed his assault back in 1991, which is why I wanted to talk to him now.

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About a week ago, Tyres family got their first glimpse of the video of the brutality that led to his death. And afterward, they had this press conference with their lawyer, Ben Crump, to describe what theyd seen. Regrettably, it reminded us of the Rodney King video, Crump said, and unlike Rodney King, Tyre didnt survive.

Anderson says its hard not to take that comparison seriously coming from Crump, who has represented the families of almost every notable Black death at the hands of police. For that guy, whos seen it all, to say that this looks like the most notorious incident of police brutality in American history, that has to mean something.

On Tuesdays episode of What Next, I spoke with Anderson about the story of Tyre Nicholsand what it shows about how far weve come since Rodney King. Maybe not very far at all. Our conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

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Mary Harris: Im wondering if you can introduce me to Tyre. Who was he? Ive seen all these very charming skateboarding videos of him. But what do we know about him?

Joel Anderson: Thats really the lovely thing: All over social media, people are sharing that short video of him skateboarding, something that he clearly had a knack for. Tyre was a 29-year-old Black man who worked the second shift at the local FedEx facility, someone who was clearly close to his mother. His family said that every evening about 7 oclock, hed go to his moms house for his lunch break. He even tattooed his mothers name on his arm. And his mother took a lot of pride in that. He was also a parent himself. He was a father to a 4-year-old son. So, he just seemed to be an everyman, a blue-collar worker in Memphis who was raising his child and was close to his family and apparently stopped at the same Starbucks for coffee every morning. Just a regular guy.

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We dont seem to know a lot about the traffic stop that led to his death. And the video doesnt tell very much about that either. It just starts right away with police charging at the car. But what do we know?

It all starts that night in January when the officers claim they were pursuing his vehicle for suspected reckless driving. At this point, we have no way to sustain whether or not thats true. But, a lot of people whove seen that body camera surveillance video say they show that first initial stop when the officers confront Tyre, they drag him out of the car and start yelling these conflicting and contradictory orders at himShow us your hands, and theyre holding his hands, or Get on the ground, and hes already on the ground.

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And he says that, too. Hes like, Im on the ground.

He said, Im on the ground. I didnt do anything. I defy anyone to explain to me how he could have done anything to deescalate it. They pulled him out of his car. Hes trying to comply, but they wont allow him to comply with some of their commands.

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Its funny, a few years ago, I talked with the Houston police chief at the time, Art Acevedo. He ended up going to Miami and didnt last in that position long. He was talking about how he had a teenage son. And I said, What would you do? Youre Latino. If your son gets pulled over by the police, what do you tell them? He says, Well, I would just say make sure you dont make any sudden movements and be respectful and be cautious. And Im like, thats the sort of thing you say if you encounter a mountain lion in the wild. And thats not really helpful. It really all depends on how good a mood, and does that cop respect you enough to treat you like youre somebody that pays his tax dollars?

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And you look at that stop and obviously those police officers didnt think of themselves as public servants. They thought of themselves as public warriors. And theres nothing that Tyre Nichols could have done to prevent them from treating him in the way that they did that night.

Part of what this video shows is that people didnt treat himthe paramedics who eventually arrived didnt seem to intervene. Eventually he was taken to the hospital, and he died three days later. Something that stands out to me about this case is how quickly local authorities publicly admitted something had gone wrong.

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Because, if I look back at Minneapolis, when George Floyd was murdered, the initial reaction from the police was Man dies after medical incident during police interaction. With Tyre, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced he died due to injuries sustained in a use of force incident with officers. And to me, that was the beginning of something seeming slightly different about this case. Do you think thats where it starts for you as well? Or was it a few days later?

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Definitely the local government response, to admit that Tyre had been injured in this incident and to fire them, obviously it lets you knowwhoasomething horrible has gone on here, and they dont really see any way around it. Sometimes Im sort of cynical because this is not the first time that a local police department, when some of their police officers have been involved in brutality or abuse, has thrown that cop in front of the bus. Its not uncommon, especially with Black officers, for them to not necessarily get the sort of defense that white officers get in these incidents. But everybody in local government lined up so quickly to not only fire but then arrest and charge these officers. It was a clue that something really, really horrible had happened.

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And then it seemed like everyone was tensing and waiting for Friday night, because the police had said they were going to release the video after 6 p.m. Central time on Friday. And so it was all everyone could talk about, like they created this anticipation. And I really didnt know what to make of it at the time. Like, is this a strategy to get out front? Is that the right strategy? Because essentially the chief of police was saying, You have a right to be angry about this video. She went on CNN in the morning before they released it and said, Youre going to see a lack of humanity. Ive never seen it happen in that order.

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You can be very cynical here and say that theyre throwing themselves at the mercy of the public squarethat they wanted to head off any potential protests, to at least keep the temperature down in the city. Maybe that move was successful, maybe it wasnt. Theres still a long way to go. But yeah, absolutely, I think they wanted to give themselves some time to get into position and come up with an emergency plan to deal with the fallout. I would like to think that they thought this is so horrible that people are rightly going to be outraged and we want to give them some chance to prepare to deal with it. But I also think that it was a way to protect themselves and to give themselves a chance to get into order, so to speak.

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What police are trying to protect themselves from anytime an incident like this happens is a replay of what happened in Los Angeles 30 years ago. Thats when Rodney King was beaten by four LAPD officers while, unbeknownst to them, a neighbor recorded the whole thing using his brand-new video camera. King was trying to flee a traffic stop, just like Tyre. And the tape was immediately shocking. A year later, when a jury acquitted the officers of any wrongdoing in the King case, Los Angeles erupted.

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Anderson says part of what makes Tyre Nichols story different is that this time, the damning footage was captured by the police themselves. But all these years later, even though technology like officer-worn cameras is changing what we see, they arent necessarily changing how police behave.

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Bodycams can be useful, but it also depends on the officer. Theyd had an incident in Memphis before where a police officer had killed a young Black man, and he turned off his camera. If they have the presence of mind to cut off the camera or shed that camera, then were not going to see everything. And, yeah, in the last 30 years, the ubiquity of the camerawe all have a camera now. Back in 1991, when the Rodney King incident happened, that was the reason it explodedbecause we had never seen brutality like that captured on camera in quite that way before. But also, nobody had seen a video like that. It was just very unusual for somebody to have something like that.

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Weve talked about how the reaction from people in power was notable this time, and it was also different from how people in power responded with Rodney King. When I went back and looked, it seemed to me like after the Rodney King video was released, it created a lot of tension in Los Angeles leadership between the police chief and the mayor, as opposed to what weve seen here, which is people moving more in lockstep. We saw on Saturday that this SCORPION Unit, which the police chief had created, disbanded.

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But youve raised this kind of cynical thing about this, and I want to get into that because one thing that happened with Rodney King is that the tension caused there to be the Christopher Commission, an investigation of whats wrong with the police force. And I wonder if getting out in front of things like this means that theres not going to be a Christopher Commission in Memphis, someone coming in and saying, OK, lets get all the dirty laundry out there. Does that worry you a little bit?

What I always worry about in these instances is that theres this initial outrage and shock, and then the officers get charged, and then people get a chance to retreat into their corners. And then the police get more defensive because the public is rightly outraged at them and is asking them to investigate themselves, to reform themselves, to show more public contrition. And they eventually get really upset, and they close their ranks. And thats actually what happened in the Rodney King case initially, which is amazing because LAs mayor at the time, Tom Bradley, and LAPD Chief Daryl Gates, they did not get along. They hated each other. Theyd been longtime political rivals. And in the immediate aftermath of the release of the tape, they were roughly on the same page. They were like, This is horrible. This does not represent LAPDwhich, OK, sure. But they were all on the same page. And then the idea for the commission came up, and as the case wound its way through the legal system, then people had a chance to go back to their original entrenched positions.

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And so thats the thing that Ill be looking for here. Memphis leadership all seems to be on the same page. The police chief, the mayor, the local prosecutor, theyre all there together now. But will they be there in a year, year and a half when this case goes to trialor if the case goes to trial? And will all of these same people still be in place then? And will they all feel the same way that they do about what happened?

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Something I want to make sure we talk about is that the police officers involved, theyre all Black. Memphis also has a Black police chief. I wonder what you make of that and whether in some ways it shows a fundamental misunderstanding that may exist about whos trustworthy on the police force, whether police are trustworthy at all.

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Id note that most of the major cities in this country at this point have had Black police chiefsNew York, LA, Chicago, Houston, Philly, Phoenix, Dallas, so on and so forth. The idea that the officers look different because theyre all five Black officers, this is not really that new. Seven years or so ago, I covered the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore. And at that time, Baltimore had a Black mayor and a majority-Black police force, and it had had several Black police chiefs over the years. And I spoke with community leaders, activists, and former Black police officers in Baltimore, and truthfully, they never had the trust or support of the people they patrolled. Maybe a few individual officers did, but on the whole, its not like people were sitting around making distinctions between Black officers and police chiefs and the white ones. Ive seen other people say this, so I cant credit it to anyone specifically, but they said basically, The race of a cop is cop.

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And again, over the weekend, theres been a million retweets of James Baldwin about Black police that have been meaningful and salient. But the one that really struck me was that he once said, in Notes of a Native Son, Negro policemen are feared more than whites, for they have more to prove and fewer ways to prove it. So anybody that has ever had a run-in with a Black cop, you know that you are not necessarily going to get treated any better by virtue of the fact that theyre Black. And in fact, it may go even worse.

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Which is interesting because I feel like so often the diversity of a police force is brought up as a really important goal of how to make policing better. And what you see here is its just not an endpoint in and of itself. Its not meaningful without other things happening at the same time.

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Its tough because if were going to have police and were going to devote all of this money to policeany local governments largest expenditure is the money that it devotes to public safety. If were going to spend all that money, then they probably should be diverse. We dont want to turn it all over to the people that have not been around Black people, may have animus toward Black people. But I think weve seen in every police department in this country that any well-meaning attempt to diversify does not necessarily produce different outcomes. You can go to any corner of this countryfrom Seattle to Key West to Maine to San Diegoand Black people, regardless of who is in charge, who makes up the majority of the force, they have a legitimate gripe about the way theyre being treated by the law enforcement community. If youre hoping for police reform, diversity, fine, sure. But it cant end there. Youre going to have to go much further.

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I want to go back to the comparison between Tyre Nichols and Rodney King just for a moment to underline something that you brought up earlier. Over the weekend, there was a sigh of relief because there had been so much buildup for this release of the video, and then the protests were largely peaceful. And a lot of people, myself included, felt like, OK, great, things seem to be happening, moving in the right direction. But when you look back at Rodney King, the LA riots, they didnt happen right after the video came out. They happened when those officers were acquitted. And it reminded me that this is such a long path were on.

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Yeah, we have a long way to go. And I would like to remind people of the circumstance with the LAPD officers. So they get acquitted, and theres the riots. And this is all happening in the backdrop of a mayoral reelection between the hand-chosen successor to the Democratic incumbent and another guy who was sort of a Republican. And he ran on a plank of being tough on crime. So, not even barely a full year after we are looking at that incident with Rodney King and he says, Its time to clean up the crime in this town, and he gets elected.

And I also go back to what has happened since the George Floyd incident. There were a few months where people took it very seriouslycriminal justice reformand it looked like we were going to get things done. And its just hard to argue that there hasnt been a negative reaction against that to the idea of defund police or even a modicum of police reform. So, we seem to be in a good place today, but we have an awful long way to go.

After our conversation ended, a sixth Memphis police officer was suspended from duty. The Memphis Fire Department also suspended two paramedics who had been at the scene. Tyre Nichols family has asked that those EMTs be criminally charged.
Welcome to State of Mind, a new section from Slate and Arizona State University dedicated to exploring mental health. Follow us on Twitter.

Orange County, California, is densely developed, home to nearly 3.2 million peoplewhich makes it more populous than almost one-third of U.S. states. It is also home to a significant number of intravenous drug users. There is strong evidence that one of the best interventions for treating intravenous drug use is providing free needles and related services (such as education on overdose prevention and testing for diseases like HIV) through needle exchanges or syringe services programs, also known as SSPs.

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But unfortunately, following a phenomenon thats been replicated throughout the country, SSPs have been subject to constant legal threats. In 2019, the major cities of Orange County successfully sued to block a mobile SSP funded by the state, citing the litter of used syringes as a primary concern. The last needle exchange in Orange County was shut down in early 2022 after its permit was revoked on the grounds of a zoning violation. As a result, in Orange County there is currently not a single SSP.

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Cases like these constitute a crisis in addiction treatment, and they demand a new approach to defending the rights of addicted people. A number of scholars, attorneys, and activists have proposed responding to this crisis with an idea already established in American law: that addiction is a disability.

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Drug addiction is ubiquitousin 2021, 24 million people met the criteria for a drug use disorderyet it is also deeply stigmatized. A 2014 article by researchers from Johns Hopkins found that 54 percent of people believe landlords should be allowed to deny housing to people with drug addiction, while 64 percent believe employers should be allowed to deny employment and 90 percent would be unwilling to have a member of that group marry into their family.

These attitudes are a barrier to interventions that assist people with drug addictions, especially harm reduction measures, which aim to limit the harms associated with drug use. Consider again syringe services programs like the ones shuttered in Orange County: The CDC estimates that they reduce the incidence of HIV and hepatitis C by 50 percent, in addition to promoting overdose prevention through education and distribution of naloxone, an overdose reversal medication.

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Harm reduction measures are often motivated by the idea that addiction is fundamentally a medical concern, one that can be understood as a kind of disease. The disease model of addiction, once a controversial academic proposal, is now somewhat orthodox, taken as definitional by the American Society of Addiction Medicine and adopted by many recovery communities. If we think of addiction as a disease, then disputes about syringe services programs and other interventions are fundamentally disputes about how to weigh the recommendations of physicians and public health experts (who tend to advocate for these programs) against the preferences of local residents and politicians (who often resist SSPs).

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But there is another way of thinking about addiction: recognizing it as a disability. Indeed, alcohol and drug addiction are legally recognized as disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act passed in 1990. Disability recognition under the ADA comes with a number of protections, which are fundamentally protections against discrimination: A person with a disability is entitled to equal opportunity in employment and cannot be discriminated against by either government entities or private facilities. If addiction is a disability, then the terms of the debates over SSPs shift. In prohibiting SSPs, government officials are not merely prioritizing resident complaints over medical recommendations. They are actively discriminating against a protected class. Such discrimination is both morally objectionable and prohibited under federal law.

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There is, however, opposition to the idea that addiction is a disability, even among those who are working to combat discrimination and stigma against addiction. Some are concerned that understanding addiction as a disability is pathologizing. This is a real concern, and indeed, as Rebecca Bunn, writing in the journal Contemporary Drug Problems, points out, some of the very legal decisions that treat addiction as a disability also represent addiction to illicit drugs as fundamentally risky, dangerous, and disordered. The proper response to these legitimate concerns about stigma, though, is not to reject the idea that addiction is a disability but rather to adopt a more robust, expansive, and accurate understanding of disability itself.

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One way to approach the idea that addiction is a disability is by considering the discrimination to which people with addictions are subject. One of the major themes of disability scholarship in recent decades has been that disability is deeply connected to a persons environment. The one thing that unites most people within disability studies, said Joseph Stramondo, associate professor of philosophy at San Diego State University and president of the Society for Disability Studies, is the simple notion that at least some of the disadvantages that disability presents are not biological or physiological, but rather social or political.

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These forms of social and political disadvantage are part of what make addiction a disability. Understanding addiction this way requires a certain broadening of our idea of what counts as a disability. But it is an expansion that at least some disability advocates and people with addictions will welcome. The most important element, Stramondo said, is individuals accepting or rejecting the identity for themselves.

Recently, a number of attorneys and legal scholars have begun to explore the legal ramifications of the proposition that addiction is a disability. A 2022 article in the Yale Journal of Health Policy, Law, and Ethics, for example, argues that ordinances imposing zoning restrictions on SSPs, such as prohibiting them near residential neighborhoods, are discriminatory on their face.

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It is rare these days to find a statute that is facially discriminatory. We saw those, of course, back in the Civil Rights era, where you would have laws that clearly discriminated against a particular race, for example, said Corey Davis, director of the Harm Reduction Legal Project at the Network for Public Health Law. (Davis is familiar with the article but not one of its authors.) But if you have a statute  that imposes very stringent zoning restrictions on methadone clinics, and nothing else, thats a facially discriminatory statute, like that statute was clearly saying: We dont want the methadone clinic and the people who would use it anywhere except over here. A facially discriminatory law that targets a protected classsuch as race, or, under the ADA, drug addictionwill almost always be invalid, regardless of its intent or its application.

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The ADA is therefore a potentially transformative instrument for protecting the rights of people with addictionsbut there are also plenty of obstacles. One is the so-called current use exception. Under the ADA, people who use drugs (other than alcohol) count as disabled only if they are not currently using drugs. (What counts as current? This is a question on which the law is not entirely clear, although courts have tended to require that a person go some reasonable length of timemore than a few hours or dayswithout using.) This exception is sometimes invoked to deny protections to people who are actively using substances.

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Jails and prisons see that and say, Oh, if youre currently using drugs, were not required to provide this treatment. And thats what happens a lot, unfortunately, said David Howard Sinkman, a senior fellow at the Northeastern University School of Law and former assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana. However, Sinkman said, this exception does not apply in cases where a person needs medical care. Thus, the ADA does in fact protect a range of treatment programs for people who are currently using drugscontrary to the way the current use exception is often understood.

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When he served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Louisiana, Sinkman conducted outreach to local law enforcement about the requirement to provide prescribed medications for opioid use disorder under the ADA. The vast majority of the nations jails and prisons ban the provision of lifesaving, FDA-approved, and doctor-prescribed drug treatment to those struggling with opioid use disorder, Sinkman wrote in a 2022 article co-authored with Gregory Dorchak, assistant U.S. attorney for Massachusetts. Such [medication] restrictions violate the ADA and prevent hundreds and thousands of inmates each year from receiving medical treatment they are entitled to. This approach is now reflected in federal guidance: In April 2022, the Department of Justice explicitly instructed that denial of medications for opioid use disorder constitutes prohibited discrimination under the ADA.

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The protections afforded by the ADA do not apply only to SSPs, medication, and other medical services. Consider housing. People with a history of drug or alcohol use often face discrimination in securing a place to live. Yet, under the ADA, this is illegal discrimination against a protected class, whether it comes from a state agency or a private landlord. Protections for people with addictions extend into the workplace as well, not only forbidding discrimination but also requiring that people with alcohol addiction, or a history of drug addiction, be provided with reasonable accommodations.

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While the protections promised by the ADA are transformative in theory, theyre not always enforced in practice. Further complicating matters, the ADA is not the only law that governs substance use, and it sometimes conflicts with other federal laws. Consider safe injection sites, where individuals can use intravenous drugs with resources (including medical treatment) ready on site. Such sites have proven to be crucial supports for drug users, but they also may fall afoul of the federal crack house statute, which prohibits the establishment of facilities for drug use. In 2021, in the case of United States v. Safehouse, the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a safe consumption site in Philadelphia was in fact in violation of the statute. In the courts decision, said Sinkman, You wont see the word disability, you wont see the word ADA.  There may be a conflict between the ADA and the Controlled Substances Act in regard to safe consumption sites.

As a result, protections for some interventions may depend on how the federal government decides to prioritize the ADA relative to other potentially conflicting laws. For a lot of harm reduction services to operate effectively, enforcement discretion is often going to be a part of it, said Alex Kreit, director of the Center of Addiction Law and Policy at the Chase College of Law. You might need the federal government to expressly say: Were just not enforcing the law here.

The ultimate resolution of United States v. Safehouse, as well as the scope of the ADAs protections for addiction, remain undecided in the courts. In the meantime, we need to understand addiction as a legal issue as well as a medical one. From this perspective, the crucial fact about addiction is that it is a protected disability, and we should be concerned not only with providing appropriate treatment to people with addictions but also with ensuring that their rights as fellow citizens are adequately protected.

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.
Breanna Stewart announced she'll sign with the New York Liberty, where she'll play with All-Star guard Sabrina Ionescu. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Breanna Stewart is signing with the New York Liberty, the two-time WNBA champion and 2018 league MVP announced on Wednesday. The signing vaults the Liberty into immediate title contention after their trade for 2021 MVP Jonquel Jones last month to play alongside All-Star guard Sabrina Ionescu.

Stewart's move is one of the biggest in WNBA free agency history. She spent the negotiating period sharing cryptic tweets and reportedly narrowed down her choices to the Seattle Storm, the franchise that drafted her in 2016, and the Liberty, the team of her home state. The Storm won titles in 2018 and 2020 and Stewart, a Syracuse native, was named Finals MVP in each.

To announce the much-anticipated news that should create dominoes elsewhere in the league, the superstar shared a tweet of the Empire State Building and a video of her shedding a warmup jersey to show a Liberty shirt. Text on the jersey read, "I want to do my part to make this world a better place." Stewart reportedly made charter flights a major factor in her free agency and her signing will shake up the WNBA both on and off the court.

"I decided to go to New York because I want to continue to be great and I want to go to the place where I can help this league become better. To continue to raise the standard," Stewart told ESPN Wednesday. "And I feel like, why not go to the biggest market in all of sports? And I'm really excited to go after their first championship."

Stewie joins @SportsCenter with more on her decision to sign with the NY Liberty pic.twitter.com/v2MKI2BxZF  Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) February 1, 2023

The Liberty join the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces as two super-teams gunning for the title. New York is one of the league's original franchises, but has never won a championship. The Aces, which had all five of their starters signed to return, traded Dearica Hamby in January to sign two-time WNBA champion and two-time MVP Candace Parker. Now that Stewart has announced her decision, more moves from top free agents are expected to follow.

Story continues

All-Star point guard Courtney Vandersloot announced on Tuesday night she would not return to the Chicago Sky, the franchise that drafted her 12 years ago and she won a title with in 2021. Stewart was reportedly factoring Vandersloot in her free agency decision. An announcement from Vandersloot is expected this week, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN reported on Wednesday. The two play together on an overseas club in Turkey beginning this month.

Stewart's free agency raised issues of charter flights

Stewart's free agency decision will likely go down as one of the most pivotal moments in WNBA history. She was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 Draft after winning four NCAA championships in four years with UConn, raising her marketing profile before she ever signed a sponsorship deal. Ahead of the 2021 season, she upped that prominence with a rare signature shoe deal with Puma. The Stewie 1s were released late last year.

She has averaged 20.3 points and 8.6 rebounds over her WNBA career and put up one of the most impressive stretches of any basketball player following Achilles surgery in 2019. Stewart was in line for another MVP in 2022 in a tight race with A'ja Wilson. Her career scoring average is the fourth most over a player's first six seasons, following Cynthia Cooper, Elena Delle Donne and Diana Taurasi, per ESPN Stats and Information.

The talent and marketability allowed her to use her power and bring charter flights to the forefront of the free agency conversation. Teams are not allowed to fly charter in the collective bargaining agreement because it would create a competitive advantage for those that did.

But players want it for their health and safety, and Stewart reportedly discussed it with the Liberty, Storm, Minnesota Lynx and Washington Mystics in negotiations. ESPN reported, "Stewart believes she has raised the issue to a level of importance that meaningful conversations will continue in the immediate future."

The Liberty and team owner Joseph Tsai are proponents of charter flights and were fined $500,000 after using them without league approval in the 2022 season. The Aces and team owner Mark Davis, who also owns the Las Vegas Raiders, are also in favor of allowing charter flights. Two of the biggest free agents in the current period have already signed with those two franchises while no others can say the same.

WNBA team owners would have to hold a board of governors meeting and vote to change the rule. The players' association would also have to agree since it's written in the CBA. Stewart had pledged to give her name, image and likeness to a potential league-wide charter deal and many other players raised their digital hands that they'd do the same. Another option is allowing it to be used if a team owner so chooses, a move that would impact competitive fairness.

Liberty a favorite to win 2023 WNBA championship

New York slid into the playoffs in 2021, breaking a three-year drought, and nearly upset the stacked Phoenix Mercury in the first round. The franchise took the next step by hiring Sandy Brondello, who led that Mercury squad for eight years until they mutually parted ways, and courting Stewart in her first free agency period. Brondello won the 2014 WNBA title with the Mercury.

Stewart, 28, instead stayed with the Storm on a one-year deal and celebrated point guard Sue Bird's final season before retirement. The Liberty again sneaked into the playoffs and took the reigning champion Sky to a full three-game series in the first round of the newly structured playoff format. But offensively, they needed more.

Stewart and Jones, 29, will provide much-needed frontcourt scoring the Liberty didn't have and pair with Ionescu, the 2020 No. 1 draft pick who was fully healthy for the first time in 2022. The trio are all top-11 in win shares, via Basketball Reference. Stewart (7.4) ranks first, Jones (4.9) ranks seventh and Ionescu (4.3) is 11th. They're also all top-20 in scoring, led by Stewart's league-leading 21.8 ppg. Ionescu averaged 16.4 (eighth) and Jones averaged 14.6 (19th). Ionescu ranked third in assists (6.3).

The Liberty, who also have All-Star guard Betnijah Laney rostered, can still make moves in free agency. They came into the period with $426,799 in cap room of an approximate $1.4M max, per Her Hoop Stats. Much of that will go to Stewart, who would likely make the player maximum of $202,154. ESPN reported Stewart and the Liberty are still working on the specifics of the deal. They will have, at minimum, two more roster spots to fill.

As for the Storm, they have a lot of moves to make after losing two of their three top players in Stewart and Bird. They only have Jewell Loyd and Mercedes Russell rostered. It will be a full rebuild in Seattle around Loyd.

WNBA reacts to Stewie's signing

The Liberty roster's excitement couldn't be contained to lower case letters.

Hellllllllllll Yeahhhhhhhhhhhh Letsssssss Gooooooooooooooo   Jonquel Jones (@jus242) February 1, 2023

OMFGGGGG LETS GOOOOO   Sabrina Ionescu (@sabrina_i20) February 1, 2023

Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant wanted Stewart to come to New York in a segment on his podcast earlier in the week and will not be giving out any more tickets. Tsai owns both the Nets and Liberty teams, and both play at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/beijing-hopes-nato-japan-will-stop-inflating-chinese-threat-issue-1106880104.html

Beijing Hopes NATO, Japan Will Stop Inflating 'Chinese Threat' Issue

Beijing Hopes NATO, Japan Will Stop Inflating 'Chinese Threat' Issue

Beijing hopes that NATO and Japan will avoid inflating alleged Chinese threat and provoking regional confrontation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Wednesday.

2023-02-01T10:20+0000

2023-02-01T10:20+0000

2023-04-06T12:15+0000

asia

china

nato

jens stoltenberg

japan

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On Tuesday, during a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that China's behavior is "a matter of serious concern" for both Japan and the alliance, adding that China is significantly increasing its military forces, including nuclear weapons, "bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan." She added that Japan must firmly adhere to the path of peaceful development and refrain from actions that undermine mutual trust between countries and harm regional peace and stability. Besides, the diplomat said that NATO should reflect on what role it played in maintaining European security and keep in mind that the Asia-Pacific region is not a field for geopolitical struggle. In June 2022, NATO adopted a new strategic concept at its summit in Madrid. The concept is the organization's key document, which confirms the alliance's values and goals, and presents the collective estimate of the security situation. The 2022 concept says that China's "stated ambitions and coercive policies challenge" NATOs interests, security and values.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230119/japan-reverts-to-militarism-as-us-prepares-to-use-tokyo-against-china-scholars-say-1106485309.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/beijing-says-aukus-fuels-arms-race-in-asia-pacific-undermines-nuclear-non-proliferation-1106883565.html

Beijing Says AUKUS Fuels Arms Race in Asia-Pacific, Undermines Nuclear Non-Proliferation

Beijing Says AUKUS Fuels Arms Race in Asia-Pacific, Undermines Nuclear Non-Proliferation

he AUKUS trilateral security alliance between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States fuels the arms race in the Asia-Pacific, undermines the nuclear non-proliferation regime and threatens regional stability

2023-02-01T12:16+0000

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2023-02-01T12:22+0000

asia

aukus

china

australia

united kingdom

us

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China believe that any regional cooperation should only be based on aspirations to peace and development, and not be targeted at deterrence of third countries, the spokeswoman added. Australia, the US and the UK announced a new trilateral defense partnership called AUKUS in September 2021. The first initiative announced under the AUKUS defense pact was the development of nuclear-powered submarine technology for the Royal Australian Navy, so the Australian government decided to abandon its agreement, estimated at $66 billion at that time, with France's Naval Group company for the construction of diesel-electric submarines.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230109/canberras-ex-pm-turnbull-blasts-aukus-sub-deal-as-abdication-of-australian-sovereignty-1106179642.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/clash-of-the-titans-biden-mccarthy-to-discuss-us-debt-ceiling-on-wednesday-1106870081.html

Clash of the Titans: Biden, McCarthy to Discuss US Debt Ceiling on Wednesday

Clash of the Titans: Biden, McCarthy to Discuss US Debt Ceiling on Wednesday

President Joe Biden and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will discuss the debt ceiling and potential government budgets during a meeting on Wednesday, as the two leaders square off on how to balance spending with revenue.

2023-02-01T01:21+0000

2023-02-01T01:21+0000

2023-02-01T01:15+0000

economy

us

joe biden

kevin mccarthy

debt ceiling

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On Sunday, McCarthy said he plans to discuss a "responsible" debt ceiling and the "runaway" spending with Biden. The US national debt stands at approximately $31.46 trillion, according to Treasury Department data. Earlier this month, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned the United States would soon reach its outstanding debt limit and pointed out that she implemented extraordinary measures to avoid a government default. Defaulting on the national debt could lead to a "spiraling recession," Yellen said. The United States can continue to meet its financial obligations until at least June 5. On Tuesday, the White House issued a memorandum announcing the Biden administrations intent to release a draft budget on March 9. The memorandum also warned about the risks of default and said raising the debt ceiling is "not a negotiation." During their upcoming meeting on Wednesday, Biden will ask McCarthy on whether he is committed to never defaulting on US financial obligations as well as when he plans on releasing the House Republicans proposed budget, the memorandum said. McCarthy responded by saying he is not interested in playing "political games" with Biden and that he is meeting with the president to "negotiate for the American people." Republican lawmakers have proposed reining in government spending in order to move towards a balanced budget, as well as a federal sales tax to replace the Internal Revenue Service. Biden said he would veto any such measure passed by Republicans. McCarthy has warned that Bidens refusal to negotiate on the debt ceiling is "irresponsible" and that a delay could increase the United States financial risks. A drawn-out struggle to raise the US debt ceiling in 2011 resulted in the credit agency Standard & Poors stripping the country of its top triple-A credit status.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230125/us-mccarthy-calls-bidens-refusal-to-negotiate-state-debt-ceiling-irresponsible-1106676540.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/deal-of-the-century-us-firm-offers-ukraine-two-combat-drones-for-one-dollar-1106875280.html

Deal of the Century? US Firm Offers Ukraine Two Combat Drones For... One Dollar

Deal of the Century? US Firm Offers Ukraine Two Combat Drones For... One Dollar

Last year, Washington supplied scores of tactical drones to Kiev as part of the US military aid package worth tens of millions of dollars

2023-02-01T09:16+0000

2023-02-01T09:16+0000

2023-02-01T16:31+0000

us

ukraine

russia

drone

special operation

military

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The American weapons maker General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) is offering Ukrainian authorities two MQ-9 Reaper US combat drones for $1, a US newspaper has reported.The alleged goal is to help Kiev defend itself as it prepares for an expected Russian offensive amid Moscows ongoing special military operation in Ukraine.The newspaper also recalled that the US has provided Ukraine with over 700 smaller drones, including Switchblade unmanned aerial vehicles, in the past twelve months, adding that the MQ-9 Reaper is a much more sophisticated drone with significantly longer ranges, speeds and capabilities.Neither the White House nor the Ukrainian government has commented on the matter yet.The US had committed more than $26.7 billion worth of security and military assistance to Kiev since the beginning of Russia's ongoing special military operation in Ukraine. Moscow has repeatedly warned the US and its allies that by sending military aid to Kiev, they are prolonging the conflict. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that NATO countries play with fire" by supplying weapons to Kiev, and that any convoy of arms for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russian forces.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20221210/pentagon-reportedly-in-stalemate-over-sending-reaper-drones-to-ukraine-1105291029.html

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us combate drone mq-9 reaper, us weapons maker general atomics, us weapons maker's offer of selling two combat drones to ukraine for one dollar
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/drone-attack-on-isfahan-wont-go-unanswered-iranian-lawmaker-says-1106871872.html

Drone Attack on Isfahan Won't Go Unanswered, Iranian Lawmaker Says

Drone Attack on Isfahan Won't Go Unanswered, Iranian Lawmaker Says

Iran will not let the attack on the Defense Ministry's facility in Isfahan go unanswered, Mahmoud Abbaszadeh Meshkini, the spokesman for the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Iranian parliament, told Sputnik.

2023-02-01T05:40+0000

2023-02-01T05:40+0000

2023-02-01T05:41+0000

world

iran

drone attack

us

ukraine

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On Saturday night, an explosion occurred in Isfahan's northern neighborhood. Authorities said that three mini-drones attacked one of the military enterprises of the Iranian Defense Ministry in the city, and one of them was successfully shot down by the air defense systems. No casualties were reported. The same night, an explosion and subsequent fire occurred at an industrial oil production plant in the city of Azarshahr in northwestern Iran. A US media reported, citing US officials, that Israel was behind the drone attack. Later, Ukrainian Presidential Adviser Mykhailo Podolyak hinted in a tweet that the recent attack on the Iranian defense facility in Isfahan and the explosion at the Azarshahr factory complex may be consequences of Tehran's support for Russia, writing: "[Ukraine] did warn you." "The attack on Isfahan will not go unanswered," Meshkini said when asked whether Iran will respond to Podolyak's statement about Kiev's alleged involvement in the attack. The lawmaker added that Kiev now does not allow itself to make more blatant actions against Iran as it knows what kind of response it will get from Tehran. "They are very afraid. Because we do not joke with anyone," Meshkini said. "In our opinion, they have said nothing unexpected. It is no surprise to us that the Ukrainian government is taking such a position because it simply has to take a position that is consonant with the hegemony of the West," the lawmaker said. When asked whose side Tehran could take in a possible conflict with Kiev, Meshkini said that "the era of Western domination is over;" therefore, Tehran "will definitely not side with the Western world." Western countries claim that Iran supplies military drones to Russia for its military operation in Ukraine. Moscow and Tehran have repeatdly rejected such allegations.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230130/preliminary-data-point-to-israeli-involvement-in-isfahan-attack-iranian-official-says-1106819009.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/eu-parliaments-largest-faction-proposes-building-walls-on-external-borders-1106895442.html

EU Parliament's Largest Faction Proposes Building Walls on External Borders

EU Parliament's Largest Faction Proposes Building Walls on External Borders

The European People's Party, the largest group in the European Parliament, proposed on Wednesday building walls on the bloc's external borders to ease the burden of unregulated immigration.

2023-02-01T18:06+0000

2023-02-01T18:06+0000

2023-02-09T12:21+0000

world

border wall

migration

european union (eu)

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"The European Commission should not refuse to finance such measures. Fences are always the last resort, but we need them wherever smuggling gangs successfully try to circumvent European law," Manfred Weber, the group's chairman, said. The People's Party suggested that the EU should also allow asylum seekers to apply outside the EU's territory. The EPP published its position paper ahead of a parliamentary session on migration. It was called after Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson admitted last week that many member states were under growing pressure to deal with migrants from Ukraine and beyond. Some 330,000 people crossed into the European Union illegally in 2022. Simultaneously, the number of asylum applicants spiked to 924,000. Johansson said about 60% of those asylum bids were from people who did not need international protection.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20211123/kurdish-groups-engaged-in-transporting-migrants-to-europe-russian-security-council-says-1090954022.html

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Tourists from a Xiamen Airlines flight are greeted by a Thai government official as they arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok on Jan 9, after China removed COVID-19 travel restrictions. [Photo/China Daily]

China's outbound tourism showed a surprisingly good performance over the recent Spring Festival holiday, after the nation eased its COVID-19 control and entry policies in early January, and industry insiders expect a strong recovery of the tourism market this year.

Travel agencies said that bookings for overseas trips surged for the seven-day break from Jan 21 to 27, with destinations featuring tropical landscapes and friendly entry policies preferred.

According to travel platform Trip.com, overseas bookings jumped by 640 percent year-on-year over the holiday. The group said destinations in Southeast Asia including Bangkok, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur were the most popular choices.

Travel portal LY.com said bookings for outbound flights increased by 258 percent year-on-year during the holiday, and the flights into the mainland also saw a surge of 632 percent. Bookings for overseas hotels increased by 177 percent.

"It was my family's tradition to take an overseas trip once a year, but it's been hampered by the epidemic in the past three years," said Lu Yao, a 35-year-old from Beijing who spent the holiday with her family in Thailand this year.

"Thailand is always our first choice, though we've been there five times. The people there are friendly to us Chinese people and things are cheap," she said. "We spent six days there. Now we are planning our next family trip to Singapore, maybe for the May Day holiday."

Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy, said that thanks to the optimized COVID-19 control policies and eased travel restrictions, the tourism industry can return to normal.

"Before the holiday, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced travel agencies could resume operating group tours to overseas destinations from Feb 6. The friendly signal and warm welcome from destinations including Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines to Chinese travelers also attracted an active response from the world," he said.

Shen Jiani, a senior researcher at Trip.com, expects a robust recovery of the tourism market this year considering the jump in travel during the holiday. "With the increasing number of international flights resuming in the future, we expect a tourism boom during the May Day holiday," she said.

According to the latest figures from the National Immigration Administration, both inbound and outbound visits increased during the holiday.

Lin Yongsheng, an official from the administration, said at a conference on Monday there were over 1.44 million outbound passengers from the mainland from Jan 21 to 27, up 117 percent from the previous Spring Festival holiday. Inbound visits also rose, reaching about 1.43 million, up 123.2 percent.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/eurasian-economic-commission--south-africa-to-consider-creation-of-industrial-zone-1106873141.html

Eurasian Economic Commission & South Africa to Consider Creation of Industrial Zone

Eurasian Economic Commission & South Africa to Consider Creation of Industrial Zone

The Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) and South Africa will consider creating a Eurasian industrial zone in South Africa, the secretariat of the EEC industry minister said in a statement.

2023-02-01T06:44+0000

2023-02-01T06:44+0000

2023-02-01T06:44+0000

africa

southern africa

south africa

eaeu

eurasian economic commission (eec)

eurasian economic union

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trade

economy

cooperation

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"The EEC and South Africa will discuss the creation of a Eurasian industrial zone in the Republic of South Africa and intensify cooperation in agriculture. Such an agreement was reached during the meeting of EEC Minister for Industry and Agro-Industrial Complex Artak Kamalyan with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of South Africa to the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus Mzuvukile Jeff Maqetuka," according to the statement.The sides discussed a number of issues related to establishing interaction and expanding areas of cooperation, increasing trade volumes, organizing and holding mutual business missions between the states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and South Africa, and joint participation in international events.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/former-french-president-criticizes-macrons-brutal-draft-pension-reform-1106877464.html

Former French President Criticizes Macron's 'Brutal' Draft Pension Reform

Former French President Criticizes Macron's 'Brutal' Draft Pension Reform

Former French President Francois Hollande has criticized the draft pension reform proposed by the government of current President Emmanuel Macron, calling it "unfair and brutal"

2023-02-01T09:21+0000

2023-02-01T09:21+0000

2023-02-01T09:21+0000

world

france

pension reform

industrial action

strike

francois hollande

emmanuel macron

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Earlier in January, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne unveiled a draft of the controversial pension reform that the government plans to adopt in 2023. According to the draft, the French authorities will gradually raise the retirement age in the country by three months a year from September 1, 2023. By 2030, the retirement age will reach 64 years. The first nationwide strike against pension reform took place across France on January 19, during which eight of the country's largest trade unions held more than 200 demonstrations. An estimated 1 million people took part in the protests, the French Interior Ministry said. On Tuesday, more than 87,000 people reportedly took part in the second demonstration against pension reform held in Paris.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230119/1106488751.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/german-chancellor-in-latin-america-just-a-visit-or-attempt-to-seduce-against-china-russia-1106863695.html

German Chancellor in Latin America: Just a Visit or Attempt to Seduce Against China, Russia?

German Chancellor in Latin America: Just a Visit or Attempt to Seduce Against China, Russia?

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's trip to Argentina, Chile, and Brazil between January 28 and 31 was obviously aimed at deterring China's advance in the lithium race and uniting these countries against Russia, experts told Sputnik.

2023-02-01T04:15+0000

2023-02-01T04:15+0000

2023-02-01T04:15+0000

world

germany

latin america

olaf scholz

china

russia

resources

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In particular, the visit is an attempt by the German authorities to involve the countries of the Southern Cone in the conflict in Ukraine and to create a counterweight in the region to China's growing influence.According to Argentine political scientist Juan Martin Gonzalez, "these seduction maneuvers will become more common."The expert believes that Scholz's trip can be interpreted as "an action that restores balance and responds to the recent steps taken by the region as an autonomous pole or as a project to become one."According to the analyst, it is no coincidence that the German chancellor visited the region just a few days after the summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), where countries sought to strengthen regional integration. Western powers are not interested in Latin American countries strengthening ties with Russia and China. Gonzalez believes that Germany can present a different strategy from the US in this regard. "Germany tends to be a more subtle and softer interlocutor compared to the US, which tends to use hard diplomacy," he said.Argentine political scientist Alberto Hutschenreuter, for his part, stressed that behind Scholz's visit is the fact that "China has become very close to Latin America, especially in the last 12 years," so there is an aspect of "interstate competition in terms of geoeconomics" in the German government. And the largest lithium reserves in Latin America play an important role here.Chilean political scientist Rodrigo Karmy told Sputnik that Scholz's visit was a sort of attempt by the United States and Europe "to make the Chilean economy work for them, as it has historically done."To that end, Karmy noted that both Washington and Berlin, on behalf of Europe, are eager for countries like Chile to ratify their trade, diplomatic, and political relations with the West "in the face of the Chinese threat."However, Germany is now also under pressure to find energy solutions in light of the sanctions it has imposed on Russia.Hutschenreuter noted that in this context, Latin America "seems to be an interesting player, not only in terms of gas, which Germany needs, but also in terms of other resources that are also strategic and abundant in some countries in the region."However, Germany may not get the response it hoped for from Latin American leaders. According to Gonzalez, the position of the leaders of Argentina and Chile reflects the fact that they are governments that "know how to distinguish between economic cooperation and political subjugation."According to Hutschenreuter, "the involvement of Latin America in the conflict in Ukraine is a rather distant scenario," especially because the region has different positions on the situation. In the same vein, he recalled that Latin America is not a relevant area at the international level in terms of arms.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20220607/no-longer-us-backyard-latin-america-sends-united-message-1096083214.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230130/scholz-claims-special-interest-in-chilean-lithium-1106805998.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/iran-alleges-kurds-role-in-drone-strike-at-defense-ministry-site-media-reports-1106886593.html

Iran Alleges Kurds' Role in Drone Strike at Defense Ministry Site, Media Reports

Iran Alleges Kurds' Role in Drone Strike at Defense Ministry Site, Media Reports

Tehran has evidence that Kurds helped smuggle drone parts and explosives into Iran from Iraq in preparation for last week's attack on a facility of the country's defense ministry, an Iranian news agency reported on Wednesday.

2023-02-01T13:43+0000

2023-02-01T13:43+0000

2023-02-01T14:10+0000

asia

iran

kurds

drone attack

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On Saturday night, several bomb-laden drones targeted what the media outlet described as a defense ministry "workshop complex" in the central Iranian city of Isfahan but were repelled, causing only minor damage to the site. The Nour News agency reported it had exclusive information that pointed to the role of the Iranian Kurdish opposition based in the autonomous Iraqi region of Kurdistan in the failed drone strike. Kurds used hard-to-reach routes in Iran's mountainous northwest to bring drone components to a border city "on the order of a foreign security service," the news agency reported. The drones were assembled in a workshop by trained workers. No one has claimed responsibility for the strike, although Iran has long accused Israel of being behind attacks on its infrastructure. The botched attack also strained ties between Iran and Ukraine after a Ukrainian presidential adviser suggested that it was payback for Iranian support for Russia.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/kievs-persecution-of-orthodox-church-may-cause-major-sectarian-conflict-in-europe--moscow-1106870966.html

Moscow: Kiev's Persecution of Orthodox Church May Cause Major Sectarian Conflict in Europe

Moscow: Kiev's Persecution of Orthodox Church May Cause Major Sectarian Conflict in Europe

Kiev's persecution of the canonical Orthodox Church could result in the biggest intra-confessional conflict in Europe's modern history, Gennady Askaldovich, the special representative of the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry on cooperation in the field of observance of the right to freedom of religion, has told Sputnik.

2023-02-01T03:58+0000

2023-02-01T03:58+0000

2023-02-01T04:56+0000

world

ukraine

orthodox church

europe

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In January, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia told a UN Security Council meeting that Russia had information about a number of initiatives in Ukraine aimed at the complete liquidation of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Anthony (Sevryuk) of Volokolamsk, told the meeting that criminal cases against bishops and priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church have been launched for far-fetched reasons. Askaldovich added that the West has launched a major attack on everything that is Russian, including representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church. "Since the beginning of the special military operation, we have witnessed a frontal attack on everything that is Russian abroad," Askaldovich said."This negative process did not bypass the Russian Orthodox Church either. Its representatives in a number of unfriendly countries, as well as clergymen of autocephalous churches, have been subjected to severe moral and psychological pressure."He noted that Orthodox priests are forced to unequivocally condemn Moscow's military operation in Ukraine and the policy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, to sever relations with the Russian Orthodox Church, and to support Ukraine's schismatic church. In 2022, the Ukrainian authorities unleashed the largest persecution against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the country's modern history. Citing its connection to Russia, authorities in several regions of Ukraine banned the activities of the church. A bill stipulating the de facto ban of the church in Ukraine has been submitted to the country's parliament.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/kremlin-on-us-aid-to-kiev-direct-way-for-escalation-that-will-not-change-events-course-1106881789.html

Kremlin on US Aid to Kiev: Direct Way for Escalation That Will Not Change Events Course

Kremlin on US Aid to Kiev: Direct Way for Escalation That Will Not Change Events Course

The latest US aid package is a direct path to escalating tensions, but it will not change the course of events in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

2023-02-01T11:13+0000

2023-02-01T11:13+0000

2023-02-01T11:13+0000

russia's special operation in ukraine

russia

ukraine

ukrainian crisis

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Earlier in the week, British news agency reported, citing two US officials, that the US was preparing to provide Ukraine with a new $2.2 billion weapons package, including longer-range rockets for the first time. Last week, Ukraine's allies decided to supply Kiev with more weapons, including battle tanks, armored infantry vehicles and artillery systems. After that, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on NATO countries to unlock the supply of long-range missiles and military aircraft to Kiev.Since Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24, Western countries have been providing Kiev with humanitarian, military and financial aid. Moscow has denounced the flow of weapons to Ukraine from its Western allies, saying it adds fuel to the fire.Moscow has repeatedly warned the West against further involvement in the conflict, while the European Union, the US and NATO have maintained that they are not party to the hostilities despite training Ukrainian soldiers and sending their instructors to Ukraine.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230131/should-f-16-supplies-to-ukraine-ever-be-considered-by-any-country-1106849684.html

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russia's special military operation, russia, ukraine, ukrainian crisis, conflict in ukraine, war in ukraine, russian special operation, russian military operation, weapons supplies, kiev wants fighter jets
German Vice Chancellor Opposes Deliveries of Fighter Jets to Ukraine

German Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck said Wednesday that it would be wrong to provide Ukraine with fighter jets as Berlin seeks to avoid being "dragged into the war."

"I will say that I do not think it is right to supply fighter jets now," Habeck said on the air of the ZDF broadcaster.

When asked by a journalist to clarify whether such a move would be wrong only now or in general, the vice chancellor clarified that he did not think it was right to supply fighter jets "in general."

The vice chancellor noted that throughout the conflict, Germany has tried to find a balance, in other words "to give Ukraine as much support as possible, avoiding that Germany itself, or Europe, or the whole world be dragged into the war."

"Of course, it is not entirely clear where the red line is drawn. Many people say - and I also respect those concerns - that even the decision to supply battle tanks is too far-reaching. I do not think so. But there is some difference between battle tanks and fighters or naval equipment. And from my point of view, that difference should be preserved," Habeck added.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/moscow-remains-committed-to-new-start-russian-ambassador-to-us-says--1106871487.html

Moscow Remains Committed to New START, Russian Ambassador to US Says

Moscow Remains Committed to New START, Russian Ambassador to US Says

Russia remains committed to New START and plans to keep complying with the treaty, Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said.

2023-02-01T05:06+0000

2023-02-01T05:06+0000

2023-02-21T13:20+0000

russia

us

military

new start treaty

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The US State Department said on Tuesday in a report to Congress that the United States remains ready to work constructively with Russia to fully implement the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. The report said Russia has a "clear path" for returning to full compliance with New START after it allegedly violated the accord by blocking on-site inspections and refusing to meet with US officials to discuss the US concerns on compliance. "At the same time, Russia remains committed to the goals of New START and continues to consider it a useful tool in the field of strategic stability and ensuring predictability in relations between the major nuclear powers. We intend to continue to comply with the central restrictions of the Treaty, to continue the exchange of notifications and relevant data. The responsibility for the escalation of the situation around New START lies entirely with Washington," he said. Antonov said that without a revision by the United States of the policy to defeat Russia in strategic terms, no progress in arms control is possible.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/nearly-four-times-as-many-americans-now-say-us-gives-too-much-to-ukraine--poll-1106869626.html

Nearly Four Times as Many Americans Now Say US Gives Too Much to Ukraine  Poll

Nearly Four Times as Many Americans Now Say US Gives Too Much to Ukraine  Poll

The number of Americans who think the US is giving too much to Ukraine has nearly quadrupled in less than a year, according to a new poll conducted by Pew Research.

2023-02-01T01:02+0000

2023-02-01T01:02+0000

2023-02-01T00:56+0000

americas

poll

ukraine crisis

us military aid

americans

republicans

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us

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The number of Americans who think the US is giving too much to Ukraine has nearly quadrupled in less than a year, according to a new poll conducted by Pew Research.Americans who believe the US is supplying too much cash and weapons to the Zelensky regime now outnumber those who believe it is providing too little, per the results.Cumulatively, the percentage of Americans growing disillusioned with Washingtons latest military gambit has increased from 7% to 26% in the last 10 months.Undoubtedly, the most significant increase was seen among those who lean Republican. Since March 2022, the share of Republicans who see the US as doing too much to prop up the Kiev regime has risen by over four times  from just 9% to a full 40%.Just 24% of those surveyed responded that what the US government is giving is about right, while only 17% said it should send more.There was a clear partisan divide among respondents. Just 29% of Republicans said that Russias invasion of Ukraine is a direct threat to US interests (down from 51% last March) whereas 43% of Democrats felt that way (down from 50%).But dissatisfaction with the US proxy war against Russia is no longer limited to the right. Across the board, Americans are now far more likely to oppose further moves by Washington to pump Ukraine full of weapons.Even Democrats are now three times as likely to agree as they were in March, with the share saying the Biden administration is giving Kiev too much having grown from 5% to 15%.But its unclear whether the results will translate into a meaningful shift in policy. Democrats who published a letter in October calling on Biden to support a negotiated settlement and ceasefire and engage in direct talks with Russia lasted less than 24 hours before retracting their statement under intense pressure from their superiors in Washington.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20220927/more-americans-oppose-sending-military-aid-to-ukraine-without-diplomatic-efforts---poll-1101290478.html

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poll, ukraine conflict, americans, us military aid
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/pentagon-claims-proposed-chinese-owned-mill-by-north-dakota-air-base-poses-significant-threat-1106898148.html

Pentagon Claims Proposed Chinese-Owned Mill by North Dakota Air Base Poses Significant Threat

Pentagon Claims Proposed Chinese-Owned Mill by North Dakota Air Base Poses Significant Threat

In a letter to North Dakotas two US Senators, Assistant Air Force Secretary Andrew P. Hunter warned that the proximity of the proposed mill to Grand Forks Air Force Base presents a significant threat to national security.

2023-02-01T21:24+0000

2023-02-01T21:24+0000

2023-02-01T21:17+0000

americas

north dakota

chinese

air base

national security

us

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In a letter to North Dakotas two US Senators, Assistant Air Force Secretary Andrew P. Hunter warned the proximity of the proposed mill to Grand Forks Air Force Base presents a significant threat to national security.The proposed plant would be built on 300 acres of land about 12 miles from the air base by Fufeng Group, a Shandong-based producer of food additives and other food products. Fufeng acquired the land in 2021 for $2.7 million, and the project would cost $700 million to construct.Grand Forks Mayor Brandon Bochenski welcomed the decision at first, since the plant will bring hundreds of jobs to the small city. However, after a senior office at the nearby air base raised alarm last April, claiming the mill could secretly be used to spy on signals passing through the base.Grand Forks was once a major nuclear weapons base during the Cold War, housing both B-52 bombers and nuclear-tipped anti-ballistic missile interceptors. Today, it has morphed into an ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) hub, flying RQ-4 Global Hawk drones, and a new Space Networking Center was recently approved, which would become the backbone for all global US military communications.Eric Chutorash, chief operating officer of Fufeng USA, the US subsidiary of Fufeng, told US media the site would absolutely not be used for espionage.The project is just the latest to be blocked by the US government over national security concerns. In 2019, the Commerce Department banned Americans from buying products from Shenzhen-based tech giant Huawei unless they had a special license - a loophole that was discarded this past autumn. Numerous other Chinese companies ranging from tech firms to various manufacturers have similarly been blacklisted.The Australian government faced pressure in 2019 to revoke an iron mining concession given to a firm owned by Chinese steel giant JiuJiang that happened to be located inside the Royal Australian Air Forces Woomera Range Complex, over similar concerns about signal security.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230131/really-silly-actions-us-efforts-to-isolate-chinas-tech-sector-will-backfire-expert-says-1106863446.html

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French tourism sector awaits return of Chinese visitors

Xinhua) 08:59, February 01, 2023

PARIS, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- France's tourism sector has welcomed China's recent relaxation of cross-border travel restrictions, fueling expectations of a return to pre-COVID-19 tourist numbers.

In 2019, France hosted nearly 90 million international tourists, which made it the top tourist destination in the world in terms of tourist arrivals. In the same year, more than 50 million tourists visited the Paris region, and Chinese tourists made up the second-largest cluster. They generated over one billion euros (1.08 billion U.S. dollars) in tourism revenues, the Paris Ile-de-France Regional Tourism Committee said.

Air connectivity between France and China has been gradually improving since China's decision to optimize its COVID-19 response. Air France now operates two flights per week to Shanghai and one to Beijing. Three weekly direct flights have been operating to Hong Kong since Jan. 9, and a third to Shanghai will be added in February. Passenger transport capacities are expected to be strengthened by next summer, according to the French Embassy in China.

"Chinese tourists are mainly welcomed by operators specializing in Chinese or Asian customers. Of course, due to the absence of the Chinese, they remained in apnea for three years, which is extremely long, extremely hard," Jean-Pierre Mas said. He is president of Les Entreprises du Voyage, an association that brings together 1,674 companies representing 85 percent of the travel agency market in France.

"They benefited from the support of the state, but the support, there is no longer any today, and they, therefore, count on the return of the Chinese," he explained.

For the past three years, Li Xiaotong, who runs Mandarin Voyages, a France-China tourism operator based in Paris, has refocused her business on online content and city tours for Chinese people living abroad.

For her, the return of Chinese tourists is already noticeable, but for the moment, this recovery mainly concerns those Chinese living in other countries, business delegations or family reunions.

For Caroline Paul, founder of Talents Travel and a consultancy strategy specialist specializing in tourism marketing for the Chinese market, the world of travel is experiencing what is called "revenge travel," which means people having not been able to travel for a while, and therefore needing to travel at all costs to be no longer constrained.

"It's the same for the Chinese," she said, adding that "the return of Chinese tourists is going to be quite significant."

Chinese art lovers are also eagerly awaited in the museums of Paris. Before the pandemic, the Louvre Museum was a favorite site for Chinese tourists in Paris, who represented 8.2 percent of the museum's total visitors in 2019.

Before the pandemic, more than two million Chinese tourists visited France each year. "If this year we have a million Chinese, it will already be a very, very good result," Jean-Pierre Mas said.

For Caroline Paul, however, there will be a "before" and an "after" COVID-19 in the way Chinese people travel. "They're going to start to travel again. Their trips are going to be longer. They're going to stay longer. It's going to be much more individual, much more upscale travel," she said.

According to her, France's tourism professionals will need to adapt to the new ways that the Chinese travel.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/russian-mod-has-us-biowarfare-docs-tehran-warns-of-retaliation-russia-gate-hoax-revealed-1106869477.html

Russian MoD Has US Biowarfare Docs; Tehran Warns of Retaliation; Russia Gate Hoax Revealed

Russian MoD Has US Biowarfare Docs; Tehran Warns of Retaliation; Russia Gate Hoax Revealed

Iran has warned the US that direct attacks on the Islamic Republic will be interpreted as a declaration of war. 01.02.2023, Sputnik International

2023-02-01T04:27+0000

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Russia MOD Has US Biowarfare Docs; Tehran Warns of Retaliation; Russia Gate Hoax Revealed Iran has warned the US that direct attacks on the Islamic Republic will be interpreted as a declaration of war

Mark Sleboda, Moscow-based international relations security analyst, joins us to discuss Ukraine. The Russian Ministry of Defense claims to have a massive tranche of US biowarfare documents. Also, Poland says that it is ready to send fighter jets to Ukraine.Joe Lauria, editor-in-chief at Consortium News, joins us to discuss the Twitter files. The recent Twitter files release shows that the Russia Gate hoax was a disinformation operation by the US government.KJ Noh, peace activist and writer, joins us to discuss Asia. Pakistan reels after a massive terrorist attack. Also, Japan plans to remilitarize and the US moves for a new base in the Philippines.Diane Sare, political organizer and 2024 candidate for the New York US Senate, joins us to discuss the Ukraine war opposition. Political groups of various ideologies are working together to oppose US foreign policy. Also, Ukraine is the latest and greatest neocon con job.Laith Marouf, broadcaster and journalist based in Beirut, Lebanon, joins us to discuss the Middle East. Iran has warned the US that direct attacks on the Islamic Republic will be interpreted as a declaration of war. Also, Secretary Blinken is arriving in Israel.Dr. Margaret Flowers, activist and editor of "PopularResistance.org," joins us to discuss Latin America. House Dems push to cut off aid to Peru. Also, Latin America refuses to send weapons to Ukraine.Dr. Gerald Horne, Professor of History at the University of Houston, TX, author, historian, and researcher, joins us to discuss Africa. Burkina Faso is rejecting French colonialism. Also, racism against Black Africans in Israel is a significant issue.Dr. Yolandra Hancock, Board-certified pediatrician and Obesity Medicine Specialist, joins us to discuss covid. President Biden looks to end the covid national emergency in May.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://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/spain-plans-to-send-up-to-6-leopard-2a4-tanks-to-ukraine-media-reports-1106874381.html

Spain Plans to Send Up to 6 Leopard 2A4 Tanks to Ukraine, Media Reports

Spain Plans to Send Up to 6 Leopard 2A4 Tanks to Ukraine, Media Reports

The Spanish government is going to send from four to six Leopard 2A4 tanks to Ukraine and is discussing the plans with the country's military industry, Spanish media reported on Wednesday

2023-02-01T07:10+0000

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The ultimate decision on the number of tanks to be shipped to Ukraine will depend on the condition of 53 tanks stationed in reserve at the Zaragoza base for decades, the media stated. Commissioning costs for each tank could exceed 500,000 euros ($544,000), and a training course for this type of tanks will take up to two and a half months, with as many as 10 crews from the Ukrainian military expected to be trained, according to Spanish media.Last week, Germany committed to sending 14 Leopard 2A6 tanks to Ukraine, after being repeatedly pushed to do so by some of its EU and NATO allies. The United States said it would send Ukraine 31 Abrams tanks and eight M88 recovery vehicles, noting that that delivery would take considerable time. On January 15, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the country would send 14 of its Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine. Western countries ramped up their military support for Ukraine after Russia launched a special military operation there on February 24, 2022, responding to calls for help from the republics of Donetsk and Luhansk. In April, Moscow sent a note to NATO member states condemning their military assistance to Kiev after Russia started its military operation in Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that any arms shipments on Ukrainian territory would be "legitimate targets" for Russian forces.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230131/supply-of-leopards-to-kiev-spanish-govt-humbly-follows-washingtons--natos-orders-1106850100.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/sweden-took-no-concrete-steps-towards-fulfilling-obligations-on-nato-accession-ankara-says--1106884550.html

Sweden Took No Concrete Steps Towards Fulfilling Obligations on NATO Accession, Ankara Says

Sweden Took No Concrete Steps Towards Fulfilling Obligations on NATO Accession, Ankara Says

Turkey does not see concrete steps from Sweden with regards to fulfilling its obligations to Ankara on the country's accession to NATO, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday.

2023-02-01T12:40+0000

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The Sweden-Turkey relations deteriorated due to the recent controversial demonstration by the leader of Danish far-right party Stram Kurs, Rasmus Paludan, who burnt the Quran in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm after receiving permission from the Swedish authorities. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sweden should not count on Turkish support for the application to join NATO. Last week, a source told Sputnik that trilateral talks between Turkey, Sweden and Finland on NATO membership were postponed at Ankara's request. The minister added that Turkey does not impose the idea of separate NATO bids on Finland and Sweden, but Ankara is ready to reconsider Helsinki's application if there is such a decision. On Tuesday, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said that the country could consider an accession procedure separate from Sweden after Stockholm hit a roadblock on its NATO path over tensions with Ankara. However, later in the day he denied that Helsinki was considering such a possibility and said that Finland and Sweden continued to act jointly.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230127/paludan-pledges-to-burn-qurans-every-friday-until-sweden-gets-admitted-to-nato-1106747243.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/truth-too-big-to-hide-how-washington-fails-to-sweep-ukraines-biolab-revelation-under-rug-1106893548.html

Truth Too Big to Hide: How Washington Fails to Sweep Ukraine's Biolab Revelation Under Rug

Truth Too Big to Hide: How Washington Fails to Sweep Ukraine's Biolab Revelation Under Rug

National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby admitted on Tuesday that the US worked with Ukrainians on "some pandemic prevention research" prior to Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, adding that research facilities had been "safely deactivated."

2023-02-01T16:46+0000

2023-02-01T16:46+0000

2023-04-13T12:45+0000

us

biowarfare

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john kirby

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Earlier this week, the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) released a new batch of information pertaining to the Pentagon's biological programs in Ukraine. The information was obtained in the course of Moscow's special military operation that was launched on February 24, 2022.Russia's Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defense (RCB) Troops revealed on Monday that in 2022 the US evacuated Ukrainian specialists working on bioweapons to western countries, including the US, Canada and throughout the European Union. The relocation was undertaken in part to prevent Russia from obtaining more information about activities by Ukrainian and US specialists that may be in contravention of international obligations and treaty norms. RCB troops began exposing the extent of the US bioweapons program in Ukraine last spring.Responding to the latest findings by the Russian MoD, National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby claimed: "There are no bioweapons labs, there is no bio weapons work being done by or with the United States with Ukraine in Ukraine."At the same time, however, Kirby noted that the US "had been working with the Ukrainians on some pandemic prevention research," adding that "all those research facilities were vacated and safely deactivated before" the beginning of the Russian special military operation to demilitarize and de-Nazify the country.Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov immediately drew attention to a clear contradiction in Kirby's statement: "If such a program was purely peaceful, then why were the works so promptly curtailed? Why are these issues handled by the military, but not the civilian specialists?" the Russian diplomat asked.Antonov presumed that the US projects were closed, and the laboratories were deactivated strictly before the special military operation started, because Washington did not want the results of its research to fall into the hands of the Russian military.Nuland's Bizarre Admission About Ukraine's 'Biological Research Facilities'Antonov's assumption appears to be not without merit. On March 8, Russia's Foreign Ministry stated that Moscow "obtained documents proving that Ukrainian biological laboratories located near Russian borders worked on the development of components of biological weapons."On March 10, the Russian Ministry of Defence released documents related to the suspected military biological activities of the United States in Ukraine. Judging from the files presented by the MoD, the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency played the leading role in financing and developing components for biological weapons. Over 30 biological laboratories belonging to the US in Ukraine had been found, according to the MoD.The US dismissed the accusations as "laughable." However, on March 8, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland testified before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Ukraine and admitted that "Ukraine has biological research facilities." She hastily added: "We are now in fact quite concerned that Russian troops, Russian forces, may be seeking to, uh, gain control of [those labs], so we are working with the Ukrainians on how they can prevent any of those research materials from falling into the hands of Russian forces should they approach."Some prominent American journalists raised inconvenient questions about Ukraine's biological program which appeared to be dangerous enough, given the US government's grave concerns that some of the "research materials" could end up in Russia's hands.They quoted, in particular, Robert Pope, the head of the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program at the Pentagon, who claimed in his February 25 interview that some Ukrainian biolabs may hold pathogen strains left over from the Soviet bioweapons program preserved in freezers for research purposes.Moreover, a conservative British outlet recovered a deleted article titled "Biolab Opens in Ukraine," dating back to June 18, 2010. The article said that the US had built a level-3 biosafety lab in the Ukrainian city of Odessa to study dangerous pathogens, including anthrax, tularemia, and Q fever, "used by bioterrorists".A 2011 report from the US National Academy of Sciences Committee on Anticipating Biosecurity Challenges of the Global Expansion of High-Containment Biological Laboratories, also quoted by the British media outlet, further revealed that the Odessa lab was reconstructed through "a cooperative agreement" between the Pentagon and the Ministry of Health of Ukraine that started in 2005.To complicate matters further, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian raised the red flag on March 13, stating on his Twitter account that "the US Embassy in Ukraine has deleted from its website all documents about Pentagon-funded biolabs in Ukraine recently."US Senior Officials Involved in Ukrainian Biolab ProjectsOn 24 March, the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) revealed, citing documents obtained during the Russian special operation in Ukraine, that Rosemont Seneca maintained "close ties" with the US defense contractors, including Metabiota and Black & Veatch (B&V). It also showed that the firm  which was co-founded by US President Joe Biden's son, Hunter  participated in the financing of the Pentagon's biological program in Ukraine.The Daily Mail reported on 25 March that Hunter "helped secure millions of dollars of funding" for Metabiota, a Department of Defense contractor, which worked in Ukraine, specializing in research on pandemic-causing diseases "that could be used as bioweapons."The exposure of US longstanding bio-research in Ukraine continued to unfold in the following months with the White House continuing to deny any cooperation with Kiev in the field. Meanwhile, Russia's MoD detailed in May 2022 that senior Democratic Party politicians were the chief "ideologists" of Washington's bio-research in Ukraine.According to the MoD, former US President Barack Obama "in 2005 entered into partnership agreements with Ukraine to launch military biological programs in the country," while former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton "initiated the adoption of the American strategy to counter biological threats and contributed to the legalization of dual-use research". Then-Vice President Joe Biden "coordinated the activities of the military biological program and was involved in financial machinations in Ukraine," according to the Russian military.Pentagon Admitted It 'Collaborated' With 46 Ukrainian BiolabsOn June 9, the Pentagon released a fact sheet, claiming that "the United States worked collaboratively to improve Ukraines biological safety, security, and disease surveillance for both human and animal health, providing support to 46 peaceful Ukrainian laboratories, health facilities, and disease diagnostic sites over the last two decades." According to the DoD, the collaborative programs "have focused on improving public health and agricultural safety measures at the nexus of nonproliferation."The fact sheet further claimed that Ukraine "has no nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons programs."However, evidence presented by Russia's MoD described quite a different picture. Not only did the US-funded labs research dangerous pathogens and potential ways of their spreading, but also used Ukrainian military, prisoners and people with mental disorders as guinea pigs.Russia's Investigation Received Huge Public InterestAccording to the Russian military, its publications on the Pentagon's military biological programs in Ukraine have received significant public interest.Previously, the Chinese government had repeatedly raised concerns with regard to Washington's secretive biolabs scattered around the world. According to Beijing, the US operates roughly 360 overseas bioresearch facilities.In November 2022, the UN Security Council held a vote on Russia's proposal to kick off an independent international investigation into Ukraine's apparent biowarfare programs. China supported Russias resolution, while the US, Britain, and France voted against it.Contradictory statements by Nuland and Kirby as well as the Pentagon's admission that it did provide support to 40+ bioresearch facilities in Ukraine indicate that the truth is too big to sweep under the rug. The Russian military has made it clear that they will continue to expose the extent of the involvement of the Pentagon and US top political figures in Ukraine's questionable and potentially criminal bio-research activities.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230130/russian-military-gets-its-hands-on-over-20000-documents-on-us-biowarfare-program-in-ukraine-mod-1106822600.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20220312/whats-behind-washingtons-denial-of-biowarfare-weapons-programme-in-ukraine-1093810839.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20220513/bigwigs-bucks--biolabs-us-establishment-has-a-lot-of-skeletons-in-ukraines-closet-analyst-says-1095484299.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230123/russian-biolab-commission-to-invite-us-representatives-to-meeting-senior-lawmaker-1106610799.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20220731/us-publisher-what-if-covid-outbreak-is-part-of-the-pentagons-biowarfare-plan-1097973485.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/turkey-opposes-entry-of-military-vessels-into-black-sea-1106874099.html

Turkey Opposes Entry of Military Vessels Into Black Sea

Turkey Opposes Entry of Military Vessels Into Black Sea

Turkey opposes the entry of new military vessels into the Black Sea and the proliferation of armed conflicts in the region, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday.

2023-02-01T07:01+0000

2023-02-01T07:01+0000

2023-02-01T07:01+0000

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"Ankara opposes the proliferation of wars in the region and against the entry of new military vessels into the Black Sea," Cavusoglu was quoted by Turkish news agency as saying. Turkey strictly complies with the Montreux Convention, the Turkish foreign minister added. The top diplomat also said that Ankara had called and continued to call on parties to the Ukrainian conflict to establish contacts. The Montreux Convention Regarding the Regime of the Straits of 1936 ensures the freedom of passage through Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits for merchant ships both in times of peace and war. The document limits the period of stay in the Black Sea of warships of non-Black Sea states to three weeks. In emergency situations, Turkey has the right to prohibit or restrict the passage of military ships through the straits.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/turkish-hackers-threaten-to-release-swedes-sensitive-data-after-quran-burning-1106871563.html

Turkish Hackers Threaten to Release Swedes' 'Sensitive Data' After Quran-Burning

Turkish Hackers Threaten to Release Swedes' 'Sensitive Data' After Quran-Burning

Turk Hack Team claimed responsibility for downing several major Swedish websites and said it had gained access to a trove of sensitive personal data.

2023-02-01T06:14+0000

2023-02-01T06:14+0000

2023-02-01T06:14+0000

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A Turkish hacker team has claimed responsibility for the recent spate of attacks against several major Swedish websites, which had been downed temporarily using data overloads, and threatened further revenge if the Nordic country proceeds to burn copies of the Quran."If you desecrate the Quran one more time, then we will start spreading Swedes' sensitive personal data," Turk Hack Team told Swedish media, claiming to have gained access to "large amounts of data" complemented by data provided by "other hacker groups."Earlier, it issued a yet another grave threat to Twitter.A spokesperson for Turk Hack Team described them as nationalists, but at the same time rejected any connection to Turkish President Erdogan, who on several occasions said that Sweden cannot expect any support from Ankara after the Quran-burning.Last week, Turkish hacker forums were reported to be teeming with calls for cyber attacks against Swedish authorities and banks as an act of revenge against Danish-Swedish politician Rasmus Paludan of the fringe party Hard Line for torching the Quran outside of Turkeys embassy in Stockholm. Sveriges Riksbank, the countrys central bank, said it was aware of the threat, but declined to admit being targeted.Swedish pundits, including professor Pontus Johnson of the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm (KTH), questioned the Turkish hackers technical competence, dismissing them as "ideologically driven amateurs."Bilateral Swedish-Turkish relations deteriorated following a string of high-profile provocations, including one where an image of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was hanged in Stockholm, a cartoon contest held by a Swedish newspaper to taunt the Turkish leader and, most notably, the Quran-burnings by Rasmus Paludan. The latter stirred outrage across the Muslim world and sparked calls for a trade boycott of Sweden.Combined, these events even put a damper on Swedens NATO ambitions, as Turkey stressed that ratifying the protocol on NATO membership of Finland and Sweden "under current conditions" was impossible. In May 2022, Sweden filed a joint NATO bid together with its eastern neighbor, bringing an end to two centuries of non-alignment.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230127/paludan-pledges-to-burn-qurans-every-friday-until-sweden-gets-admitted-to-nato-1106747243.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/turkish-president-says-ankara-positive-about-finlands-nato-membership-bid-1106886009.html

Turkish President Says Ankara 'Positive' About Finland's NATO Membership Bid

Turkish President Says Ankara 'Positive' About Finland's NATO Membership Bid

Turkey is positive about Finland's membership in NATO but cannot approve Sweden's bid as long as the Swedish authorities allow protesters to desecrate the Quran under police protection, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said

2023-02-01T13:31+0000

2023-02-01T13:31+0000

2023-02-01T13:32+0000

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Sweden and Finland abandoned neutrality and applied for NATO membership in May after Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine. Their accession protocols have already been ratified by all NATO members except Hungary and Turkey. The process came to a standstill in January after Rasmus Paludan, the leader of the far-right Danish political party Stram Kurs, burned a copy of the Quran in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm with permission from the Swedish authorities. Erdogan then condemned the demonstration and said Sweden should not count on Ankara's support for its NATO bid. Last week, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said that the country could consider an accession procedure that would run separately from Sweden's after Stockholm hit a roadblock on its NATO path over tensions with Ankara. However, he later denied that Helsinki was considering such a possibility and said that Finland and Sweden continued to act jointly. On January 24, a source told Sputnik that trilateral talks between Turkey, Sweden and Finland on NATO membership were postponed at Ankara's request.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/uk-making-huge-strides-in-using-trade-freedoms-unlocked-by-brexit-expert-says-1106888440.html

UK 'Making Huge Strides' in Using Trade Freedoms Unlocked by Brexit, Expert Says

UK 'Making Huge Strides' in Using Trade Freedoms Unlocked by Brexit, Expert Says

The UK "has made huge strides" with business freedoms opened up by the country's withdrawal from the EU, with agricultural sector gaining the most, Francis John Cole, a former EC civil servant, told Sputnik.

2023-02-01T14:46+0000

2023-02-01T14:46+0000

2023-04-12T17:05+0000

world

uk

post-brexit

economy

european union (eu)

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"Rishi Sunak, the prime minister, rightly stresses that Britain has made huge strides in harnessing the freedoms unlocked by Brexit ... The European red tape for business has disappeared, the farming system is free from the European handouts of the costly and inefficient European agricultural policy," Cole, who was a close adviser to Nigel Farage, the leader of the Reform UK right-wing party advocating a no-deal Brexit, said.Following its exit from the European Union, the UK has finally embarked on the path towards recovery of its agricultural policy, which was most efficient before the country joined the bloc in 1973, Cole said, though he added that it would take some time to achieve the goal of full restoration.In this regard, the British expert specifically noted the benefits that Brexit has brought to aquaculture and the fishing industry.At the same time, the expert admitted that London had encountered certain difficulties when adapting to new trade rules with the EU. In total, as many as seven freeports, a kind of special economic zone with special tax and customs regulations, have been created after Brexit."It takes time to re-organize Britain, but it works. Britain is an independent nation again, and the economy grows again," Cole said.In June 2016, 51.8% of UK citizens voted in favor of terminating the country's membership of the EU, against 48.1% of those who voted for London to stay in the union. On January 31, 2020, the country finally left the bloc after 47 years of membership. A transition period continued until December 31, 2021, during which the UK was no longer a member of the union but still a member of the EU single market and customs union. London and Brussels managed to negotiate an agreement on trade and cooperation during that period.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230131/three-years-on-from-brexit-what-has-changed-in-the-uk-1106849995.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/us-actor-alec-baldwin-charged-with-involuntary-manslaughter-over-fatal-rust-shooting-1106869815.html

US Actor Alec Baldwin Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter Over Fatal 'Rust' Shooting

US Actor Alec Baldwin Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter Over Fatal 'Rust' Shooting

US actor Alec Baldwin and lead film armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will each be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the fatal 2021 shooting on the set of the movie Rust.

2023-02-01T01:35+0000

2023-02-01T01:35+0000

2023-02-01T01:29+0000

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film

rust

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American actor Alec Baldwin, 64, and lead film armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will each be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the fatal 2021 shooting on the set of the movie Rust, in which the films 42-year-old cinematographer was accidentally shot and killed by Baldwin while filming. The district attorneys office in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, confirmed the news to CNN on Tuesday.Today we have taken another important step in securing justice for Halyna Hutchins, said District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies. In New Mexico, no one is above the law and justice will be served.Baldwin has maintained several times that he did not pull the trigger of the gun. However, prosecutors are saying that is not true.The photos and videos clearly show Baldwin, multiple times, with his finger inside of the trigger guard and on the trigger, while manipulating the hammer and while drawing, pointing, and holstering the revolver, said prosecutors.On January 19, Baldwins attorney labeled the decision a miscarriage of justice.He relied on the professionals with whom he worked, who assured him the gun did not have live rounds. We will fight these charges, and we will win.The gun which killed Hutchins was supposed to contain only dummy rounds, however, a live round made its way on the film set. It has not been revealed how that occurred. Gutierrez-Reed had loaded the gun, which according to affidavits was one of three she loaded and left on a cart. The movies assistant director Dave Halls then took the gun to Baldwin for the scene and said cold gun before the accident, which is a term meaning the gun was not loaded with any live rounds. The gun was then fired, killing Hutchins and injuring the films director Joel Souza.Halls has signed an agreement with prosecutors to plead guilty to the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon.At one point she even handed a loaded gun to a child actor without properly checking the weapon. It was only when crew members intervened and demanded she check the firearm that she did so."I think loading blanks was the scariest thing to me because I was like, 'oh, I don't know anything about it,'" she said in a podcast a month before the shooting.Gutierrez-Reed is the daughter of Thell Reed, a professional armorer in Hollywood who has worked on films including Miami Vice and Django Unchained.We were expecting the charges but theyre absolutely wrong as to Hannah---we expect that she will be found not guilty by a jury and she did not commit manslaughter, Jason Bowles, an attorney, said in early January.She has been emotional about the tragedy but has committed no crime.Gutierrez-Reed was reckless in her responsibility to ensure set safety with the firearm. She failed to correct Baldwin from committing the dangerous and reckless safety violations by pointing the weapon at/towards people and by having his finger on the trigger, wrote prosecutors."It's a very aggressive charging decision, and the defense has a strong case," said Neama Rahmani, a personal injury attorney and former prosecutor who was not involved in the Rust case. "Accidents like this are not enough for criminal liability."The actors union SAG-AFTRA instructs actors to treat guns as though they are loaded with blanks, and to rely on weapons handlers to instruct them on how to use them. The union said in a statement: An actors job is not to be a firearms or weapons expert, before calling the DAs charging decision of Baldwin uninformed."Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun - or anywhere on the movie set. He relied on the professionals with whom he worked, who assured him the gun did not have live rounds. We will fight these charges, and we will win," his attorney Nikas said.But prosecutors say Baldwin had the option of gun-training before filming, but that he was distracted and talking on his cellphone during that training, which is said to have been scheduled for at least an hour but lasted about 30 minutes. Some reports have been made that the gun had been used with live-ammo for target practice by crew members the morning before the fatal accident. One outlet reported several crew members were taking prop guns from the set for their own personal use to shoot beer cans with live ammunition. It's believed the lax atmosphere on set was likely a result of producers choosing to hire non-union crew members to replace those who had walked out after being underpaid and mistreated. Producers for Rust include: Baldwin, Matt DelPiano, Ryan Smith, Anjul Nigam, Nathan Klingher, and Ryan Winterstern. Executive producers include Matthew Helderman, Tyler Gould, Luke Taylor, and Hutchins' widower Matthew Hutchins.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20220420/baldwin-fatal-shooting-report-finds-rust-management-showed-plain-indifference-to-employee-safety-1094919306.html

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alec baldwin, involuntary manslaughter, rust, fatal shooting
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/us-may-announce-expanded-access-to-military-bases-in-philippines-this-week-media-reports-1106873237.html

US May Announce Expanded Access to Military Bases in Philippines This Week, Media Reports

US May Announce Expanded Access to Military Bases in Philippines This Week, Media Reports

The United States may announce this week that it will expand its access to military bases in the Philippines as part of US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's visit to Manila, American media reported on Wednesday

2023-02-01T06:36+0000

2023-02-01T06:36+0000

2023-02-01T06:36+0000

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On January 29, Austin headed to South Korea and the Philippines to meet with senior officials for talks on Indo-Pacific security. Washington is looking to expand its access to the country's bases in the Philippines with a focus on China due to the changing balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region, according to the media. In January, media reported that more than 16,000 Philippine and US troops would participate in the annual Balikatan joint military exercises scheduled to take place from April 24-27 in the Philippine city of Laoag.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/watch-russian-railway-troops-operating-special-armored-train-1106880667.html

Video: Russian Railway Troops Operating Special Armored Train

Video: Russian Railway Troops Operating Special Armored Train

When in a special military operation zone, a special train is capable of being transformed into a safe cover for trains carrying civilians

2023-02-01T10:53+0000

2023-02-01T10:53+0000

2023-02-02T16:50+0000

military

russia

russian defense ministry

video

armored train

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Russias Ministry of Defense (MoD) has released a video of Russian Railway Troops of the countrys Western Military District operating a special armored train.The clip shows a group of Russian servicemen stepping on board the train and starting to take up their duties.One soldier is seen taking position near a large-caliber machine gun, while another stands by what looks like an anti-aircraft system, part of the weapons the train is fitted with.It is not only military trains that are secured in the special military operation zone by military personnel. If needed, this special train can become a safe cover for trains carrying civilians, the Ministry stressed.The video comes as Russia continues its special military operation in Ukraine, which was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, 2022, with a stated goal to "demilitarize" and "de-Nazify" Ukraine.The operation began a couple of days after Russia recognized the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics as independent and sovereign nations and received their request for military assistance, following weeks of escalated shelling, sabotage, and sniper attacks by Ukrainian forces against the two republics, as well as concerns that Kiev would launch an all-out offensive. In March 2022, the Russian MoD released documents exposing Kievs imminent plans to launch an offensive against Donbass.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/western-price-cap-on-russian-oil-will-hurt-europe-but-benefit-china-india-industry-experts-say-1106894351.html

Western Price Cap on Russian Oil Will Hurt Europe But Benefit China and India, Industry Experts Say

Western Price Cap on Russian Oil Will Hurt Europe But Benefit China and India, Industry Experts Say

Moscows response to the western-imposed price cap on Russian oil exports took effect on Wednesday, banning sales to nations that require buyers to abide by... 01.02.2023, Sputnik International

2023-02-01T17:22+0000

2023-02-01T17:22+0000

2023-02-01T17:36+0000

analysis

oil exports

russia

price cap

2022 russian oil price cap

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The price cap limits the price of Russian crude oil to no greater than $60 per barrel. It was originated by the United States and imposed on the European Union, Group of Seven, and Australia.Russian state-owned gas firm Gazprom has said that such caps are breaches of contract, and President Vladimir Putin has condemned them as anti-market interventions.The cap is the latest effort to undermine the Russian economy and compel Moscow to end its special military operation in Ukraine, which began in February 2022. The operation is aimed at turning Ukraine into a neutral state and preventing the stationing of NATO weapons on Ukrainian soil, which Moscow has called a security red line. NATO states have rushed to support Kiev, funneling them billions of dollars and weapons in an effort to reverse Russian progress in the conflict.Thierry Bros, a professor at the Paris Institute of Political Studies and contributor to independent specialized website Natural Gas World, told Sputnik on Wednesday that it was part of the balance of sanctions that the two sides would try to hurt the other side.Bros predicted that the loss of Russian diesel fuel would hurt Europe the most.The expert noted that while the impact on European industry has perhaps not been as great so far as Moscow might have hoped, thanks in particular to a mild winter thus far, the energy shortage will become more severe over the longer-term. Europe is not going to reindustrialize, he said.Earlier this week, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted that Russian exports would not be significantly affected by the price cap, since it can simply sell to other nations not abiding by the cap. Bros said he agreed with that conclusion, but pointed out that its the Chinese and the Indians that are going to benefit from this.Dr. Mamdouh G. Salameh, an international oil economist and a global energy expert, told Sputnik that he also agreed with the IMFs assessment, noting in particular that Russias sizable fleet of oil tankers would allow it to pick its customers.Salameh said that western attempts to hurt Russian energy exports had failed miserably so far, since the global market has effectively rejected the cap.President Putin's decree that Russia wont export crude oil to countries complying with the cap with effect from today is a retaliation against the cap and could lead to shortages in the oil market. This will be followed later by another ban on the sale of Russian petroleum products to countries applying the cap. Countries complying with the cap will have to look for alternatives to Russian crude but in so doing they will have to pay far higher prices to get them, Salameh predicted.Salameh said that as a result of this position, Moscow holds the stronger hand in the brewing fight over energy between Russia and the West.The economies of western countries applying the price cap and banning Russian crude oil cant do without oil and gas and will therefore be forced to pay higher oil and gas prices thus inflicting extra financial burden on their economies. Their sanctions, bans and price cap have failed to undermine Russias economy. The proof is that Russias current account surplus in 2022 hit 228 billion dollars while Russias trade balance surplus reached a record of $290 billion, according to data from Russias Central Bank. Moreover, Russias trade with China in 2022 rose from $13 billion in 2013 to $190 billion in 2022.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230201/putins-decree-on-russias-retaliatory-steps-over-eus-oil-price-cap-enters-into-force-1106873501.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230131/imf-revises-global-economic-growth-forecast--1106862998.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20220906/gazprom-cnpc-sign-agreements-to-switch-payments-for-gas-supplies-to-china-to-rubles-yuan-1100443223.html

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Fantine Gardinier

Fantine Gardinier

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Fantine Gardinier

oil exports, russia, price cap, 2022 russian oil price cap
On O'Brien Awards night one year ago, Millar Farms was buzzing with partygoers donning boots and bling amid celebratory cheers and toasts to Canada's 2021 harness racing champions. When the 2022 O'Brien Awards winners are announced this weekend, it will be a quiet evening at the Stouffville, Ont. farm.



George Millar will be hoping for the same result at the O'Brien Awards this Saturday, Feb. 4 while enjoying a different type of celebration. Canada's defending Armstrong Breeder of the Year will celebrate a night among stars as Standardbred Canada's distinguished Black Tie Gala in Mississauga, Ont. returns after virtual celebrations took its place during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I really appreciate being nominated," Millar told Trot Insider. "I know everybody at the farm really appreciated being nominated. Its going to be nice actually being at the OBrien Awards this year to participate in it all because we havent had the chance the last couple years. So thats going to be nice and Ill be there, for sure."

The 72-year-old horseman landed the nomination after another successful season in which he was the leading breeder in the Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) for earnings, with his starters banking $885,893 in the provincial program. In total, horses bred by Millar Farms earned more than $2.1 million through the O'Brien eligibility period, with 34 starters and average earnings per starter of $62,747.

An O'Brien runner-up to her award-winning stablemate Prohibition Legal in 2021, Silver Label stole the spotlight in her three-year-old season and the OSS Super Final champion is in the running for divisional honours again.

"You know, I always knew Silver Label was going to be a good horse, but we were all kind of looking at Prohibition Legal from the two-year-old season she had [the past] year," said Millar. "We thought she would just be dominant and 'Label' would be chasing at her heels all summer, but she had some health issues. She had some stomach issues that [trainer] Nick [Gallucci] had to give her a couple months off in the summer, which broke my heart because, just a nice mare like that, you don't want to see her missing good stakes races. But he did the right thing, you have to put the horse first and look after her health."

Despite missing a lucrative portion of the stakes season, Prohibition Legal still made nearly a quarter-million dollars contributing to the success of Millar Farms in 2022.

And there were more.

"To see Silver Label step up the way she stepped up was great. Actually this was such a super year for our three-year-old fillies, and our two-year-old filly, Savethelastdance. To have Silver Label do so well and Velvet Stinger step up and win a couple of Golds and win the Simcoe and then Raptors Won, she did extremely well and made over $100,000. It just seemed like the fillies... it was never ending, they just kept coming and coming. And they are all homebreds."

Another highlight for Millar was seeing three-year-old pacing gelding Acapulco Sunburn make it to the races.

"He was a colt that wasnt even supposed to race, period," said Millar, noting the horse had a hock injury when he was younger. "They gave him a 50/50 chance he would even be a racehorse, and he came out and had a great year."

Millar noted that success story -- and the rest of his stable's achievements -- are a result of the great team working behind the scenes at his farm, including trainer Nick Gallucci and yearling farm manager Steve Samis.

"It says a lot [about] Nick and how he brings these horses along. Hes very patient, he is so meticulous. He sees the slightest little blemish, he just deals with it right away... I think you have to have that thoroughness to be a good trainer.

"I just see the amount of time he puts into it. Its a real team effort. Hes got a good crew up there now. It always takes a while coming into a farm and building a whole new team, but it seems to be a really good crew up there and theyre all working well.

"And my farm manager, Steve Samis, hes been working at the farm since he was about 13 so hes just been great. I dont know when he sleeps. He just seems to be working all the time. But hes done a good job raising these young horses and hes very diligent in their care and their blacksmith work and getting their vaccinations and what he feeds them and just grows a nice horse."

Like his fellow O'Brien Award candidate Bob McIntosh, Millar's hands-on operation focuses more on breeding and racing his own horses. Millar said he's had most of his success breeding with a focus on Ontario stallions and good crosses rather than looking at commercial popularity.

"We got 20 mares in foal and I think 22 mares we're breeding this year so this is going to be our largest crop on the ground this year. So thats pretty exciting, but I dont think were going to go any bigger than that, thats for sure. Thats more than enough."

Looking ahead to the 2023 season, Silver Label, Prohibition Legal and Velvet Stinger are slated to return to the races as four-year-olds for Millar. And he is hoping the stable's momentum will continue with positive early reports on his yearlings training down, most notably siblings to Silver Label, Prohibition Legal, Powertrain and 2021 O'Brien winner Betterhavemymoney.

You know as well as I do, everybody can have a good year here and there. To repeat it, you gotta be pretty lucky and have good people all around you and, fortunately, we did and we still have some good horses. Its funny how it works out sometimes.

"You hope to get another good year, but can you do it three years in a row? Who knows."
Woodbine Mohawk Park would like to inform all horsepeople that this weeks qualifying session, originally scheduled for Friday, Feb. 3, has been moved to Monday, Feb. 7.

The entry box will still close on Thursday morning at 10:30 a.m.

Qualifiers on Monday will begin at 10 a.m.

(Woodbine)


Culpeper community members said goodbye in January to two local giants in the field of volunteer firefighting.

Jeremiah Dickie Peyton Atkins III was laid to rest Tuesday at Culpeper National Cemetery following a service at his home station, Salem Volunteer Fire Department.

Atkins co-founded the station, located on Sperryville Pike in western Culpeper County, in 1979. He served as fire chief for several years and was an active member of the board of directors. Atkins died Jan. 24 at his home. He was 85.

A contemporary who was also dedicated to community service as a first responder, James Benjamin J.B. Hurlock, of Richardsville in eastern Culpeper County, was laid to rest on Jan. 16 at Oakland Baptist Church.

He was a founding member of the Richardsville Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad in 1970 and former fire chief. Hurlock died Jan. 12 at his home. He was 87.

On different ends of the county, both men were icons for younger firefighters coming up at a time when structured firefighting for volunteers was not very popular, said Junior Perryman, president of the Culpeper County Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association, in a phone call.

Back then it was throw on your gear, hop on a truck and go fight fires.

When he met Atkins in 1983, the Salem chief set him straight, Perryman said.

Dickie really pushed training, which to me I feel got me off on a very good foot. He recalled having to leave Culpeper to get the training.

Both Atkins and Hurlock saw the need for fire stations and rescue squads where they lived. Salem and Richardsville evolved the process, Perryman said, though it was not easy.

These guys built these fire departments by blood, sweat and tears and Im not trying to over-glorify it. The founders were masons, bricklayers and carpenters who literally raised the first station houses around the county, he continued.

Akins also knew how to fundraise.

It was stated Dickie could take two nickels, rub them together and have 50 cents in his pocket, Perryman said. He was very imaginative on how to fund-raise.

Hurlock and Atkins, as younger men, fought fires and were line officer chiefs, and as they aged both found other ways to continue to contribute, Perryman said.

They never went away. They were always there.

Both cared about their neighbors, he added. I know that to be true  were never looking for any recognition. They were behind the scenes  they just took care of people, they took care of their members. The members looked up to them for their knowledge, foresight and ability to pool the right resources.

Members from all eight of Culpeper Countys volunteer fire and rescue stations, along with members from surrounding areas, turned out for former Salem Chief Atkins funeral. The fire hall filled with mourners remembering a man dedicated to putting out fires, passionate about playing poker and devoted to family.

Outside the firehouse, two tower trucks extended ladders to meet at the top, with an American flag hanging down. Emergency vehicles and the veterans suicide awareness Tribute Truck passed under the arch on the way to the national burial site along U.S. Avenue in town.

Atkins was a U.S. Army veteran who served after the Korean War and was a life member with American Legion Post 330 in Culpeper. He was also a charter member of Reva Volunteer Fire Department, active with Virginia State Firefighters Association and a past secretary.

His daughter, Kim Atkins, continues the firefighting tradition as a member and volunteer at Salem.

When asked why her father was so dedicated, she answered, His heart to always help and serve the community.

Tones sounded over the Culpeper County public safety radio last month in a symbolic last call for Richardsville Chief Hurlock, as his family and friends observed funeral rites.

Culpeper to former Chief JB Hurlock  Culpeper to former Chief JB Hurlock, was met with silence. Having heard no response from former Chief JB Hurlock we know that he has answered his last call, stated the E911 dispatcher.

Former Chief JB Hurlock served the citizens of Culpeper County through the Richardsville Fire & Rescue Department for 52 years and was a founding member. We appreciate his dedication and service as a first responder  Former Chief JB Hurlock has completed his duty as a first responder.

Hurlocks son, Jim, recently celebrated 50 years at the station in Richardsville, on the countys rural forested eastern edge between the Rappahannock and Rapidan rivers. Jim Hurlock grew up watching his parents give back and now continues the tradition.
Would you drive three hours for a cinnamon roll? If youd tasted the rolls from Mark Ferrari Coffee in Oshkosh, Nebraska, you would. Light, pillowy, sticky and delicious, these pastries are definitely worth the drive.

Situated on the corner of First Street and Avenue C, just one block off Main Street, this unassuming white building holds the secret to premium Kona coffee and, if you get there in time, Sweet Macs.

A Sweet Mac is a macadamia nut cinnamon roll with a delightful frosting and chopped nuts on top made from Mark Ferraris grandmothers recipe. Ferraris family lives at cloud line on one of the mountains of Kona Island, Hawaii. The climate there provides the perfect environment for their coffee farm. Surrounding the guardians of Kona coffee the macadamia trees provide shade for the coffee plants as well as one of the secret ingredients for the well protected secret recipe.

Over 20,000 Sweet Macs have been sold since they were first introduced about three years ago and they sell out daily. In fact, they have a bit of a cult following. Mike Piva, a partner in the business and the hands-on baker, shared that they have a Colorado travel group who will fly up to the Oshkosh airport and come get coffee and a pan of rolls and then fly back down south.

We recommend people order them online so theyre available when you need them. Theyre open to receive orders until 2 p.m. for the next day pickup at markferraricoffee.com.

While the rolls are delicious, they are only a tiny portion of the business. We are a coffee roaster first. Mark started roasting coffee thirty-five years ago in Kona. I had a sensei that taught me and imparted a passion for coffee.

He grins with a far away look in his eyes and starts to tell the story of Marian, the coffee roasting widow that lived down the street from his familys farm. She was known as the number one coffee roaster in the Kona coffee co-op.

Marian was a woman of few words who, when she hired him, simply said, Be here at 6. She employed the old-school method of coffee roasting focusing on smell, sound, and the roast profile. Strict with her rules, Marian corrected Mark sternly if he ever stepped on a coffee bean because it was disrespectful to everyone involved, the farmer, the harvesters, everyone. One time, Mark was late to work and Marian locked him out. I was never late again. She eventually warmed up and became Marks honorary grandmother and was part of his family until she passed at 97 years old.

Hawaii produces about 5 million pounds of green coffee per year and contributes about $44 million to the Hawaiian economy, according to the Kona Coffee Farmers Association. Ferrari Coffee has roasted about 800,000 pounds of coffee in their nearly 20-year history.

Initially, the business was located in Phoenix, Arizona. It was quickly successful and was carried in high-end grocery stores like AJs Fine Foods. They built up their wholesale and retail customers and life in Phoenix was going well but Mike was missing his hometown. He presented the idea of moving their roasting business to Oshkosh to Mark, he worked through all of the potential objections, the town was too small, delivering to/from would be cumbersome, etc. Marks initial response was not one of support for this plan but eventually they headed up and opened their Oshkosh location.

Mike said, I really would have liked to be on Main Street but were just a block off. Raised in Oshkosh, Mike Piva wasnt sure hed ever come back home. Like many Nebraskans, he left his hometown for college. Kearney wasnt too far but it was a totally different world than a town of around 800. After graduation he left for Phoenix and had a variety of jobs in finance and IT before partnering with Mark and now, I just do whatever needs to be done. You can often find him greeting you at the door with a smile. He and Mark seemingly know everyone thats stopping in and if theyre working the cafe, you will get some conversation with your coffee.

Behind the cozy walk-up cafe is a spacious warehouse with a small commercial kitchen, a conference area, a shiny red industrial coffee roaster, and a bagging area. That roaster, the Ferrari of roasters can handle 400 pounds of green coffee per hour and, though its more modern than the one Mark learned on in Hawaii, he still relies on old school methods and knows that 122 pounds of green coffee will result in a 100-pound yield when he factors in moisture levels and pays close attention to that smell, sound, and desired roast. For the size of their operation their four-person crew is small but well taken care of and they have some very reliable contractors that will come in to help unload and load large deliveries as needed.

Coffee wasnt the only thing they were focused on when they initially moved to Oshkosh. They had a restaurant, they talked about expanding their cafe, and then they realized coffee roasting is their focus. They simplified it to four types of coffee: 100% Kona, espresso blend, gold blend, breakfast blend, and a selection of flavored coffee. They turned the cafe into a calm place with the goal of having people feel Aloha when they arrive. They display their retail bags of coffee alongside a few hats and t-shirts, a couple of books, and, recently, jewelry from their Hawaiian friend Ted Dailey.

Ted and Mark had been friends for years and Mark had admired his silver work. One late spring evening they were talking, Mark on his back porch, and Ted asked what the weird noises he was hearing were. It was during sandhill crane migration and when that distinctive sound crossed the wires it inspired a beautiful piece of silver, shell, and stone that became one of several very popular pieces of jewelry carried in the store. Mark shared, Its like nothing people have seen. Weve sold hundreds of pieces. Also, for some reason the manta rays are very popular.

You wont see Ferrari coffee in grocery stores or restaurants within 100 miles of Oshkosh. Why? Because its such a high-end, exclusive, coffee they want locals to make their shop a destination so they can taste it exactly as it should be prepared. You can purchase it on their website, various retailers online, or when youre in Lincoln, you can enjoy it at Casa Bovina or shop The Mercato.

Mark and Mike truly feel like theyve settled into Oshkosh. The business is nearly 20 years old, and theyve been in Nebraska longer than they were ever in Phoenix. Weve watched kids grow up and head off to college and they come back and say that they cant find coffee as good as ours, Mike said. Its also unlikely that theyve found a cinnamon roll as divine as the Sweet Mac. Its unlikely that many people have found a roll worth of a three hour round trip.
After the U.S. Census Bureau released its first round of official 2020 population corrections in January, many states and cities still await action on the bulk of their counting issues and the funding shortfalls those mishaps can cause.
The Fallen Heroes Ministry honored a deceased U.S. Army major on Monday with a Bumgarner Oil Co. truck tanker. The tanker, featuring Maj. Larry Bauguess Jr., was revealed to his family in the Sandy Ridge Baptist Church parking lot.

Bauguess was stationed in Afghanistan on Operation Enduring Freedom, said his father, Larry John Bauguess Sr.

His mother, Martha Bauguess, said Bauguess was killed in 2007 during a peace meeting in a schoolhouse in Pakistan. He died defending others and was the only fatality, she said.

Bauguess was in the 82nd Airborne Division, and was a U.S. Army jumpmaster, his mother said. She added that he was a graduate of Appalachian State University.

His parents live in Wilkesboro and remember him as a loving father of two daughters.

Fallen Heroes collaborates with Bumgarner Oil Co. in Hickory to honor soldiers from North Carolina who died in battle. The trucks tanker is covered with an image of the service member who died and a Bible verse.

The verse on Bauguess tanker is John 15:13: Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
A 44-year-old Kelso man was detained Monday by the Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office after allegedly firing a shotgun inside a home.

Larry Duane Howard made his first appearance before a Cowlitz County Superior Court judge Tuesday afternoon. He faces malicious mischief, reckless endangerment and resisting arrest charges. Bail is set at $10,000.

Authorities apprehended Howard after the Lower Columbia SWAT team entered the Kelso house and took him into custody. Howard knew the owners of the home.

The Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office reports the department responded to a home on Pare Road at about 5:24 p.m. Monday. When deputies arrived at the scene, they came upon residents of the home exiting the house.

Authorities report Howard barricaded himself in a room, was "using drugs," and was described as "highly paranoid."

Deputies set up a containment around the residence but allegedly could not get Howard to leave the house.

Chief Criminal Deputy Troy Brightbill said the SWAT team entered the home after obtaining a warrant.
The Ministry of Communications and Digital (KKD) has revealed that Malaysia and Singapore may hold a round table on cyber security every year. Its Minister, Fahmi Fadzil said that both countries are currently discussing the need for the round table in order to boost cyber security.

According to Bernama, Fahmi said that the matter will be discussed with his Singapore counterpart Josephine Teo during the latters visit to Malaysia this Saturday (4 February 2023). Moreover, the bilateral meeting would also cover matters in the memorandum of understanding (MoUs) signed between Malaysia and Singapore on Monday (30 January 2023).

Among the matters that will be discussed include cyber security, personal data protection and digital economy. Besides that, closer cooperation between agencies of both nations to jointly overcome cyber security problems will also be explored. Speaking of cyber security, Fahmi also previously announced that the government is in the midst of setting up the Malaysian Cyber Security Commission.

So, what do you guys think of KKDs efforts to strengthen cyber security in our country? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for the latest tech news from Malaysia and beyond.
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Elon Musk departs the Phillip Burton Federal Building and United States Court House in San Francisco, on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023. Credit: AP Photo/ Benjamin Fanjoy

A top European Union official told Elon Musk that Twitter needs to make progress in preparing for a new law aimed at curbing hate speech, misinformation and other harmful content, adding pressure on the company to ensure it complies.

EU Commissioner Thierry Breton and Musk held a video call on Tuesday to assess Twitter's readiness for Europe's new rules, known as the Digital Services Act, that are set to take effect later this year.

Breton, who oversees the EU's digital policy, told Musk that he's "vigilant" about the resources and tools that Twitter is devoting to tackle trust and safety issues across the 27-nation bloc, including in all its languages, according to a readout of the meeting.

Breton noted that Twitter has committed to complying with the new EU regulations, which will start applying to the biggest online platforms by September.

"The next few months will be crucial to transform commitments into reality," Breton said. "We need to see progress towards full compliance with the DSA. My team will follow closely the work by Twitter and by all other online platforms."

Musk tweeted that he had a "good meeting" with Breton. "The goals of transparency, accountability & accuracy of information are aligned with ours," he wrote.

Breton had warned Musk in a previous call in November that the company needs to comply with Europe's new rules.

The Digital Services Act is part of the EU's overhaul of digital rules aimed at reining in the power of online platforms and social media companies and cleaning up toxic content. Violations could result in fines worth up to 6% of a company's annual global revenueamounting to billionsor even a ban on operating in the EU.

 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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Zoubin Ghahramani, vice president of research at Google, speaks at the Google AI@ event on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022, in New York. Google has been cautious about who gets to play with its AI advancements despite growing pressure for the internet giant to compete more aggressively with rival Microsoft. Credit: AP Photo/John Minchillo, File

Before the artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT was unleashed into the world, the novelist Robin Sloan was testing a similar AI writing assistant built by researchers at Google.

It didn't take long for Sloan, author of the bestseller "Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore," to realize that the technology was of little use to him.

"A lot of the state-of-the-art AI right now is impressive enough to really raise your expectations and make you think, 'Wow, I'm dealing with something really, really capable,'" Sloan said. "But then in a thousand little ways, a million little ways, it ends up kind of disappointing you and betraying the fact that it really has no idea what's going on."

Another company might have released the experiment into the wild anyway, as the startup OpenAI did with its ChatGPT tool late last year. But Google has been more cautious about who gets to play with its AI advancements despite growing pressure for the internet giant to compete more aggressively with rival Microsoft, which is pouring billions of dollars into OpenAI and fusing its technology into Microsoft products.

That pressure is starting to take a toll, as Google has asked one of its AI teams to "prioritize working on a response to ChatGPT," according to an internal memo reported this week by CNBC. Google declined to confirm if there was a public chatbot in the works but spokesperson Lily Lin said it continues "to test our AI technology internally to make sure it's helpful and safe, and we look forward to sharing more experiences externally soon."

Some of the technological breakthroughs driving the red-hot field of generative AIwhich can churn out paragraphs of readable text and new images as well as music and videohave been pioneered in Google's vast research arm.

"So we have an important stake in this area, but we also have an important stake in not just leading in being able to generate things, but also in dealing with information quality," said Zoubin Ghahramani, vice president of research at Google, in a November interview with The Associated Press.

Ghahramani said the company wants to also be measured about what it releases, and how: "Do we want to make it accessible in a way that people can produce stuff en masse without any controls? The answer to that is no, not at this stage. I don't think it would be responsible for us to be the people driving that."

Zoubin Ghahramani, vice president of research at Google, speaks at the Google AI@ event at their offices on Manhattan's west side, Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022, in New York. Google has been cautious about who gets to play with its AI advancements despite growing pressure for the internet giant to compete more aggressively with rival Microsoft. Credit: AP Photo/John Minchillo, File

And they weren't. Four weeks after the AP interview, OpenAI released its ChatGPT for free to anyone with an internet connection. Millions of people around the world have now tried it, sparking searing discussions at schools and corporate offices about the future of education and work.

OpenAI declined to comment on comparisons with Google. But in announcing their extended partnership in January, Microsoft and OpenAI said they are committed to building "AI systems and products that are trustworthy and safe."

As a literary assistant, neither ChatGPT nor Google's creative writing version comes close to what a human can do, Sloan said.

A fictionalized Google was central to the plot of Sloan's popular 2012 novel about a mysterious San Francisco bookstore. That's likely one reason the company invited him along with several other authors to test its experimental Wordcraft Writers Workshop, derived from a powerful AI system known as LaMDA.

Like other language-learning models, including the GPT line built by OpenAI, Google's LaMDA can generate convincing passages of text and converse with humans based on what it's processed from a trove of online writings and digitized books. Facebook parent Meta and Amazon have also built their own big models, which can improve voice assistants like Alexa, predict the next sentence of an email or translate languages in real time.

When it first announced its LaMDA model in 2021, Google emphasized its versatility but also raised the risks of harmful misuse and the possibility it could mimic and amplify biased, hateful or misleading information.

Some of the Wordcraft writers found it useful as a research toollike a faster and more decisive version of a Google searchas they asked for a list of "rabbit breeds and their magical qualities" or "a verb for the thing fireflies do" or to "Tell me about Venice in 1700, according to Google's paper on the project. But it was less effective as a writer or rewriter, turning out boring sentences riddled with cliches and showing some gender bias.

"I believe themthat they're being thoughtful and cautious," Sloan said of Google. "It's just not the model of a reckless technologist who is in a hurry to get this out into the world no matter what."

Zoubin Ghahramani, vice president of research at Google, appears at the Google AI@ event on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022, in New York. Google has been cautious about who gets to play with its AI advancements despite growing pressure for the internet giant to compete more aggressively with rival Microsoft. Credit: AP Photo/John Minchillo, File

Google's development of these models hasn't been without internal acrimony. First, it ousted some prominent researchers who were examining the risks of the technology. And last year, it fired an engineer who publicly posted a conversation with LaMDA in which the model falsely claimed it had human-like consciousness, with a "range of both feelings and emotions."

While ChatGPT and its competitors might never produce acclaimed works of literature, the expectation is they will soon begin to transform other professional tasksfrom helping to debug computer code to composing marketing pitches and speeding up the production of a slide presentation.

That's key to why Microsoft, as a seller of workplace software, is eager to enhance its suite of products with the latest OpenAI tools. The benefits are less clear to Google, which largely depends on the advertising dollars it gets when people search for information online.

"If you ask the question and get the wrong answer, it's not great for a search engine," said Dexter Thillien, a technology analyst for the London-based Economist Intelligence Unit.

Microsoft also has a search engineBingbut ChatGPT's answers are too inaccurate and outdated, and the cost to run its queries too expensive, for the technology to pose a serious risk to Google's dominant search business, Thillien said.

Google has said that its earlier large language model, named BERT, is already playing a role in answering online searches. Such models can help generate the fact boxes that increasingly appear next to Google's ranked list of web links.

Asked in November about the hype around AI applications such as OpenAI's image-generator DALL-E, Ghahramani acknowledged, in a playful tone, that "it's a little bit annoying sometimes because we know that we have developed a lot of these technologies."

"We're not in this to get the 'likes' and the clicks, right?" he said, noting that Google has been a leader in publishing AI research that others can build upon.

 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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Domestic theme park operator Overseas Chinese Town welcomed 6.4 million traveler visits during the Spring Festival holiday, up 77 percent as compared with the same period of last year, the operator reports.



The figure also represents a two-digit growth over the 2019 holiday. It shows the strong resilience of the country's tourism market, experts say.

OCT's Happy Valley theme parks in nine cities, including Beijing, Shenzhen of Guangdong province and Wuhan of Hubei province, altogether welcomed 600,000 travelers, 136 percent of the numbers in 2019.

Travelers enjoyed distinctive folk culture and performance related to the holiday, as well as regular programs at the parks.

"From this year's Spring Festival travel market, we can see that travelers are placing more importance on cultural connotations and scene experiences," says Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy.

"People experience the beauty of culture and enhance cultural self-confidence in their travels." he adds.

China has measured about 308 million domestic tourist visits during the seven-day Spring Festival holiday, up 23.1 percent year-on-year, recovered to 88.6 percent for the same period in 2019, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism on Friday.

Domestic tourism revenue reached 375.8 billion yuan ($55 billion), up 30 percent year-on-year, recovering to 73.1 percent of the same period in 2019.




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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Hugo and Erica Briones, like thousands of other homebuyers in North Texas, are waiting patiently for their new home to be builtbut their home is different.

Unlike most of the 48,000-plus new homes that began construction in Dallas-Fort Worth last year, the Briones' 1,700-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bathroom house is one of only a few in the region built using a new method of construction, concrete 3D printing.

A handful of builders across Texas, large and small, are using giant automated machines to "print" homes, layer by layer, within weeks if not days. The "3D printers" control nozzles spouting concrete mix based on programmed coordinates, similar to a desktop 3D printer but at a much larger scale. They only require a small crew to operate.

"We decided to look around and compare prices, and we figured out that a conventional house is way more expensive than doing it this way," Erica said.

Builders and other experts in the local housing market say the technology could help avert labor shortages and supply issues and provide more affordable homes than traditionally built homes.

"In the race to satisfy the demand [for affordable housing], the quality of construction is going down," said Sebin Joseph, chief technology officer and co-founder of Dallas startup Von Perry, which is printing a home for the Brioneses. "The only way you can remedy that situation is by implementing automatic construction, which is far faster and superior than conventional construction."

Phil Crone, executive director of the Dallas Builders Association, said he could see 3D-printed homes become a much more substantial part of the market in 15 to 20 years as technology advances and labor issues continue.

"There's every market incentive in the world for the built environment to find less labor-intensive options that don't involve just a traditional stick-frame, lumber-centric framing process that we've done for hundreds of years," Crone said. "It's not surprising to see 3D printing jump into that arena."

The space is rapidly evolving. In Houston, Germany-based Peri 3D Construction and Houston-based engineering firm Cive are building what is believed to be the country's first 3D-printed home with two floors, NPR reported.

Still, 3D home printing is far from ready to be deployed at a scale that would rival lumber-built homes. Very few printers are available for builders to use and the process itself has not yet been perfected.

"It's certainly got a ways to go before it can build at the intricacy needed for most of today's modern home plans," Crone said. "I don't foresee it being the majority of homes anytime soon, but it is definitely a technology to watch."

Cutting costs

The Brioneses sold their house in Plano about two years ago hoping to build a new home for the first time. They already had a spot in mind next to Erica's parents' home in the small town of Nevada in Collin County, which they saw as a quieter, calmer place to raise their family.

The family looked around for traditional builders to compare costs, but they found them to be too expensive. Then, about a year ago, Erica's brother Gerardo Alvarez, an architectural student at the University of Texas at Arlington, introduced them to a young entrepreneur he works as a designer who had a solution.

Treyvon Perry, 22, had dropped out of UT Arlington at the end of 2021 to focus on Von Perry, a company he started when he was just 17 years old. The company originally centered around designing homes using different types of sustainable materials, but later realized the cost to actually build those homes would be too high.

In 2020, Perry started researching 3D printing and decided to fully adopt the technology to build homes while also exploring the use of sustainable materials in the process.

"When people think of Von Perry, they think of us just as a 3D-printing company," Perry said. "Well, no, that's not really our mission. Our goal is to produce sustainable infrastructure and bring it to the mass market at an affordable price."

The Briones family started talking to Perry about how much more affordable, efficient and resistant to the Texas weather the home would be. For the Brioneses, the 3D-printed home cost about $200,000, while a smaller traditionally built home would have cost more than $300,000. The family also looked at mobile homes, but decided the concrete-printed home would be a much better deal.

Printing kicked off in November. Hugo, a machine operator in McKinney, said he has been telling his coworkers about the home, and that they are already interested in visiting the house and even wanting to submit an application to build their own. The Brioneses' home will be fully complete in March.

"All the people that I talk to about the home, they like the idea and the price and everything," he said.

Von Perry has two other projects in the design phase as it continues to experiment with the technology. The company is looking into using recycled plastic for interior walls and printing using different materials than simple cement in the future.

Perry was originally looking into manufacturing the machines, but decided that would be too costly and time-intensive and chose to focus on buying printers made by others and act essentially as a project manager. The company is currently using a printer made by Minnesota firm Total Kustom.

But relying on third parties for the printers presents another challenge, the extraordinarily small number of them available in the country, which Joseph says is "probably less than 10." That, in addition to weather, led to delays in printing their first house for the Brioneses.

"We got a lot of rainy days and very cold days when the mix wasn't working very well on, because that the printing should be in an optimal temperature," Joseph said. "So we had to figure out all those things."

Out by the lake

In Mabank, a small town along Cedar Creek Lake southeast of Dallas that has seen an influx of builders looking to build affordable homes, another small business called MRB Robotics has already completed two 3D-printed homes.

The company's founder, Craig Pettit, previously worked in data processing and has been fixing and flipping homes as a side gig for more than a decade. While looking into building new homes in late 2020, a friend sent him an email about the concept of 3D concrete printing.

"I felt like with my computer science and construction background, I'd be in a unique position to get a head start on the new technology," he said.

Pettit's printer is a prototype he bought from another manufacturer and has since modified. Even with it being new technology, he said he expected the printer to work right out of the box like a paper printer but found that many different factors from structural to mechanical to weather can get in the way. It takes practice to perfect the process, he says.

"The trick is that the speed of the printer has to match the speed of the pump," Pettit said. "If the printer is moving faster than the pump, the wall will be too thin. If the printer is moving slower than the pump, the wall will be too thick."

Pettit started printing his first three-bedroom house in Mabank in November 2021 and got to work on another home the following month. The first home took 10 days to print, and the second took just six days, followed by four to five months for a general contractor to finish them with a roof, utilities, windows and doors.

A resident started leasing the second house about two to three months ago, and the first is on the market for $1,500 per month, said Pettit.

Now, Pettit is finishing a 14-unit self-storage facility just outside of Mabank in Payne Springs, which he started working on in August 2022. While factors such as rain and stopping to make some engineering changes created some delay, he said that in ideal conditions he could have printed the facility in a week.

Pettit plans to continue printing houses and self-storage facilities and is looking into a project to build a "retail village" in Highland Village that could start as soon as the third quarter of this year.

He also plans to start another home in Mabank in February, and by the end of 2023, he expects to begin selling his own machines to small- to mid-sized homebuilders that he says "will be as easy as opening a box and printing a house."

Pettit said that because 3D printers can form houses in any shape, designs are possible that would be very costly using traditional construction methodslike a 25-foot wave wall with vase-like contours he printed as part of the storage project. He says his homes are also more resistant to floods, wind, termites, mold, fire, noise and heat.

Thinking big

One of the earliest and biggest players in the 3D building-printing space was Austin-based Icon that has raised $451 million since its inception in 2017.

The company has printed 3D homes and structures across the U.S. and Mexico, from market-rate homes to disaster-relief housing, military barracks and homes for the homeless. Icon even has contracts with NASA to build research and develop construction systems for infrastructure on the moon.

"We've really got to fundamentally be reimagining what is possible in a future with machines that can work around the clock," said Dmitri Julius, Icon's chief of special projects. "Yes, we've got a consumer housing problem, but we also have this broader global housing crisis that's impacting humanity, and I don't think any of us are comfortable with the current solutions."

In November, Icon and publicly traded homebuilder Lennar said they had begun construction of a community of 100 3D-printed homes within the Wolf Ranch master-planned community in Georgetown, a suburb of Austin, using a fleet of their Vulcan 3D printers.

"For us, this represents the beginning," Julius said. "Houses by the thousands and tens of thousands is what we believe these printers will be able to deliver in the future."

Lennar developed the land and handled the foundation for the homes. Icon's 3D printers, using a proprietary concrete mix called Lavacrete and controlled by an iPhone or iPad app, will deliver all the home's walls. Lennar's traditional trade partners will then install a roof, finish out the interiors, deliver appliances, install electrical systems and do the landscaping.

Each is co-designed by the Bjarke Ingels Group, which is based out of Denmark and New York City. The three- and four-bedroom homes range from about 1,600 to 2,100 square feet of living space and will start in the mid-$400,000saround the same price as nearby traditionally built homes. Reservations begin this year.

"The fit, finish and fixtures in these homes are going to be equal to if not better than the houses that you're used to seeing in your normal, everyday master-planned community," Julius said. "These are ready for primetime."

Charlie Coleman, Austin division president for Lennar, said he first met Icon founders Evan and Jason Ballard just over two years ago after seeing them present 3D-printed tiny homes at the South by Southwest conference in Austin.

Coleman said the technology could help the company build high-quality homes more affordably and more efficiently with fewer workers on site.

"I think this could really help by introducing some technology to help fill in a gap where we just don't have enough of our trade partners and our labor to build, certainly in our market," he said.

Balda, who has led Dallas-based Hillwood Communities for more than 30 years, said he was quick to jump on board when Lennar approached his company with the idea of working with Icon in their Wolf Ranch neighborhood, seeing it as a solution to the supply chain and labor challenges that have ravaged the industry.

"The last couple of years and homebuilding has been horrendous for many reasons," he said. "We thought this technology might help address some of those issues that we're all seeing."

Balda said the concept of concrete homes made by a giant printer wasn't too far off from homes already built on concrete cinder blocks in Florida to withstand hurricanes, making it easy for him to digest the idea. The development veteran said he hopes to bring 3D-printed homes to other communities in North Texas, but is not in talks to do so quite yet.

"We need all these different ideas to come to the marketplace to help address the supply issue that we're currently dealing with."

2023 The Dallas Morning News.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Eight humanoid robots will be the star attractions when the United Nations hosts its first summit since the start of the pandemic on the benefits of artificial intelligence, it said Wednesday.

The AI for Good Global Summit, first held in 2017, will return to Geneva on July 6 and 7 after a three-year COVID-imposed break, the UN's International Telecommunication Union (ITU) said.

The event will aim to showcase how artificial intelligence and other new technologies can help reach the UN's so-called sustainable development goals (SDGs), including on fighting climate change and boosting humanitarian action.

"It's in our collective interest that we can shape AI faster than it is shaping us," the ITU's new chief Doreen Bogdan-Martin said in a statement.

"This summit, as the UN's primary platform for AI, will bring to the table leading voices representing a diversity of interests to ensure that AI can be a powerful catalyst for progress in our race to rescue the SDGs," she added.

UN member states adopted the 17 SDGs in 2015. Their aims include achieving food security, eliminating poverty, and providing access to clean and affordable energy by 2030.

During the July event, eight humanoid social robots and more than 20 specialized robots will be brought together under the same roof for the first time, the ITU said.

The humanoid robotsBeonmi, Nadine, Sophia, Geminoid, 4NE-1, Ai-Da Robot, Grace and Desdemonawill showcase capabilities ranging from fighting fires and delivering aid to providing healthcare and farming sustainably, it said.

At the event, government officials, industry executives, academics and UN agency heads are due to discuss the policies, regulations and standards needed for AI to help advance sustainable development.

There will also be an "innovation factory", where start-ups from around the world can pitch their AI solutions for advancing the SDGs.

 2023 AFP
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, poses for the media holding a pouch containing a digital tablet as she leaves her office along with her colleagues for President's house before presenting the federal budget for the financial year 2023-24 in the Parliament in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Feb. 1 2023. Credit: AP Photo/Manish Swarup

Indian finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced several new clean energy initiatives in the government's annual federal budget speech on Wednesday, saying "green growth" is a top priority for the country.

More than $8 billion dollars were announced for projects like mangrove restoration which help suck carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, converting waste into biogas and speeding up renewable energy initiatives. But details of how the funds will be spent are yet to be disclosed.

The minister said the injection of 35,000 crore rupees ($4.3 billion) into India's energy transition will be channeled through the ministry of petroleum and natural gas to help India reach its goal of net zero emissions by 2070. India is currently the world's third highest-emitting nation.

The new funds form part of the government's $550 billion budget aimed at ramping up spending to spur economic growth and create jobs ahead of the general election next year. Sitharaman mentioned the scaling up of clean energy for the economy and jobs within the first few minutes of her speech.

Sitharaman also proposed government incentives for energy storage systems in India that would aid round-the-clock renewable energy use and announced a new framework for pumped storage systems for hydropower.

She set out an additional 20,700 crore rupees ($ 2.5 billion) to facilitate new clean energy production in the Himalayan region of Ladakh, where electricity grid infrastructure remains a key sticking point.

Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in red, leaves her office for President's house before presenting the federal budget for the financial year 2023-24 in the Parliament in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Feb. 1 2023. Credit: AP Photo/Manish Swarup

Other programs to incentivize the use of alternative, less-polluting fertilizers and to cut down on chemical fertilizers were also announced, but details of how much will be spent were unclear.

Import taxes for components required to produce lithium-ion batteries, a key component in many electric vehicles, will be slashed, Sitharaman said. But no exemption was provided for protective taxes in the solar power sector.

The budget will now be debated by both houses of parliament before it can be enacted, which is likely to happen as Modi's party holds a strong majority.

The move toward clean energy and away from fossil fuels has increasingly become a priority for India and nations around the world as countries try and limit global warming.

India's government recently announced a green hydrogen initiative for clean fuel and a climate action program to encourage more sustainable lifestyles. But the country is still heavily dependent on planet-warming coal burning for its energy needs.

 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

To make sure ventilators could be quickly manufactured and administered to those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic, a team of engineers at JPL created the Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally (VITAL) device, made of off-the-shelf parts. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

JPL-developed technologies, including VITAL, FINDER, 3D-printing methods, and Voyager spacecraft communications, are featured in the agency's technology publication.

When it comes to NASA, most people look to the skies as rockets, rovers, and astronauts push the boundaries of space exploration. But the benefits of going above and beyond can be found here on Earth through products and services born from NASA innovation.

The latest edition of NASA's Spinoff publication features dozens of new commercialized technologies that use the agency's technology, research, and/or expertise to benefit people around the globe. It also includes a section highlighting technologies of tomorrow.

"From the heavens to hospitals around the world, NASA spinoffs are improving life for all of humanity," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "The work NASA does in research and technology gives businesses a competitive edge, driving an economy that allows America to compete globally and creating good-paying jobs for this generationand the next."

NASA's Spinoff 2023 features more than 40 companies using NASA technology, research, and funding to create better batteries to store green energy, improve airport ground traffic to save passengers and airlines time while cutting fuel costs, distribute ventilators around the world, and even heal wounds faster on humans and animals alike.

"Before it launched and gave us a new view of the universe, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope was already improving one of the most common eye surgeries on Earth," said Jim Reuter, associate administrator of the agency's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD). "This is just one example of how the technology we develop for space exploration is improving the quality of life for people here on Earth."

This year in Spinoff, readers will learn more about:

How companies are using satellite data to boost human resiliency to climate change and protect homeowners against disasters such as wildfires and floods

A new, sustainable, meat-free protein alternative born from NASA-funded research at Yellowstone National Park

A robotic astronaut's deep-diving successor that's ready to work in offshore operations like oil wells, wind turbines, and fish farms

The publication also features a new cancer diagnostic tool informed by research on astronauts exposed to space radiation while aboard the International Space Station, a NASA-designed technology that helps find trapped people in the wake of disaster, and a new 3D-printing modeling program that uses "digital cloning" to cut costs and speed up development of complex industrial parts.

"It isn't just the commercial space industry that can leverage our innovations," said Daniel Lockney, executive of NASA's Technology Transfer program. "Practically any industry area can find a NASA technology as a solution to its business needs. Our scientists, researchers, and engineers are constantly creating new materials, software, tools, and more. If it isn't here now, it soon will be."

Spinoff is part of the agency's Technology Transfer program within STMD. The program is charged with finding the widest possible applications for NASA technology through partnerships and licensing agreements with industry, ensuring that NASA's investments in its missions and research find additional applications that benefit the nation and the world.

Readers also can check out Spinoffs of Tomorrow, a section that highlights 20 NASA technologies available for licensing and commercialization. Some examples include a wind warning system that uses Doppler lidar alerts to protect wind turbine blades, sensors that can boost cameras to see through waves and explore ocean environments like endangered coral reefs, and a robotic exoskeleton that can help rehabilitate arm and shoulder injuries.

Those interested in licensing NASA technology are encouraged to begin their search by browsing the agency's patent portfolio.

More information: To read or download the digital version of the latest issue of Spinoff, visit spinoff.nasa.gov/
 Flash

A Palestinian man holds a flag during a protest against U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to the West Bank, in Gaza City, on Jan. 31, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to the West Bank prompted outrage among many Palestinians, who demonstrated on Tuesday to express their opposition to the U.S. top diplomat's presence in the Palestinian territory.

The protesters, both in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, raised the Palestinian flags and chanted anti-U.S. slogans, accusing it of being biased toward Israel and all its violations of Palestinian rights.

"The matter is very simple. Blinken came here to pressure the Palestinian leadership to not adopt any decision against the security cooperation with Israel," said Nael Salama, who took part in a protest in the West Bank city of Ramallah carrying a banner of "The U.S. is criminal as long as it supports Israel."

"We came here to deliver our message to Blinken that he is not welcome in our country as his administration's full bias towards Israel and its practices against the Palestinian people," Issam Baker, the coordinator of the national and Islamic forces in Ramallah, told Xinhua.

He emphasized that the U.S. administration used "double standards" in dealing with the Palestinian issue, adding that it will "only lead to further continuation of the cycle of violence."

Since the start of 2023, Israeli forces have killed at least 35 Palestinians, making January one of the most deadly months in the West Bank in recent years. Most casualties occurred during Israeli military raids, which Israel says aimed to detain Palestinian militants.

In retaliation, a shooting attack launched by a Palestinian gunman outside a synagogue in an Israeli settlement in East Jerusalem claimed the lives of seven people on Friday night.

Ahmed Abu Dalfa, a protester in the Gaza Strip, told Xinhua that Blinken's visit will not bring benefits to the Palestinian people because Washington is "abandoning" its promises to Palestine.

Earlier in the day, Blinken held a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Palestinian presidential headquarters in Ramallah after his meetings with Israelis leaders on Monday.

Blinken urged both the Palestinians and Israelis to calm tensions, while reiterating Washington's "ironclad" commitment to Israel's security.

Following his meeting with Blinken, Abbas said that the Israeli government "is fully responsible for the current tension and violence in the Palestinian territories" because it has undermined the two-state solution and violated the signed agreements.

Abbas also accused the international community of failing to end Israel's military occupation of the Palestinian territories and its settlement policy in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Editors note: This story is part of Broken Defense, an investigative series from Lee Enterprises. More details about this project can be found at the bottom of this article.

Montana resident Joseph Jefferson-Dust often found himself staring into space sitting in jail four years ago, fantasizing about the day he might prove his innocence.

As he served his sentence partially on probation in 2021, Jefferson-Dust had no idea a memo that could clear his name was sitting in an overwhelmed public defenders office, delaying his exoneration fight for more than a year.

He was accused of sexual assault by a 9-year-old girl, prompted by her father, who detested Native Americans. Jefferson-Dust, a 38-year-old member of the Crow Tribe, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, criminal endangerment, and was sentenced in 2017 to probation. Hes since been in and out of jail for probation violations.

His accuser recanted three years later at the public defenders office. It changed nothing for more than a year.

The appointed public defender was 10 days from retirement with a workload more than 25% beyond the agencys case management standard. The internal memo explaining the recantation went unseen for 13 months.

I dont even understand how that can work like that, Jefferson-Dust said of the delays in raising the recantation. Dont people feel an obligation to do the right thing?

Jefferson-Dust discovered the girls recantation in December 2021, yet again was jailed twice for probation violations: Two months for an unplanned detour to get gas on the way to work and four months after he and his probation officer failed to connect in person. He visited the probation office to check in on the day he was told, but his probation officer wasnt there, he said.

He remained on probation as of early January.

Across the West, public defense systems face crushing caseloads, historic underfunding, structural problems, and severe staffing shortages, imperiling criminal defendants lives and in many cases denying them their constitutional right to counsel. Defendants have lost jobs and homes while in jail waiting for attorneys to argue for a lower bail or for their release. Theyve had public defenders who were too busy to investigate their cases and felt pressured by their own attorneys to plead guilty when they said they were innocent, according to more than 15 people accused of crimes.

Public defenders have so many cases they struggle to provide effective representation, according to a Lee Enterprises investigation. Some regions have no attorneys at all. Failing public defense systems across the West routinely violate the Sixth Amendment right to effective counsel.

The system is completely broken at this point, said Jared Hawkins of Oregon. People like me are finding out how badly broken it is (while) sitting in jail with no lawyer.

Stephen Hanlon has practiced law for 55 years and leads a national public defense reform effort. The nations public defense systems are systemically unconstitutional and unethical, he said. Judges and attorneys push defendants through the system as quickly as possible instead of investigating cases and seeking justice, Hanlon says, calling it a criminal processing system.

This is a national disaster and has been for 50 years, Hanlon said. The pandemic has exacerbated the problem somewhat, but the pandemic will be over and this problem will be here regardless.

Variety of problems

Hundreds in Oregon currently are defenseless as the state faces a public defender shortage. Wyoming didnt have enough public defenders in 2019 to represent people charged with misdemeanors. Arizona attorneys might be unable to keep up with filed cases.

Were hitting a crisis point, Arizona public defender Megan Page said of Pima County. My concern is that if we continue to pursue low-level felony cases, we wont be able to have an attorney for everyone.

The American Civil Liberties Union has sued Nevada and California for failing to provide attorneys, and Idaho for having so many cases that attorneys cant effectively represent defendants.

Montanas public defenders office has historically been underfunded, but the pandemic sparked whats become known as the Great Resignation. Public defenders left the office to double their salaries in the private sector or move laterally in state government for a $13,000 pay hike. A recent analysis by the office shows it needed another 63 attorneys on average since 2019 to handle the caseload assigned to the agency and still meet its workload management limits.

A Montana judge in 2021 held the states public defender office in contempt when more than 650 Yellowstone County area defendants were unrepresented during historic turnover and vacancies.

The Yellowstone County regional office, which handled Jefferson-Dusts case, had double the cases it could handle when his accuser walked in to recant.

At the time, the office had developed a practice that masked the severity of the staff-caseload imbalance.

As cases were filed, regional deputy public defender Kris Copenhaver assigned herself incoming cases, then sought delays. A placeholder attorney would be on hand for the defendants initial appearance, but neither that attorney nor Copenhaver would follow the case. Clients were then unrepresented until workloads lightened, and a dedicated public defender could take it.

We had no idea how understaffed we were, said Brian Smith, division administrator at the state public defenders office.

Calls to Copenhaver seeking comment were not returned. She no longer works at the office.

Yellowstone Countys problems left cases in limbo with repeated delays waiting for counsel and let a potentially exonerating recantation fall through the cracks.

Brett Schandelson, Montanas public defender office director, said his agency had a moral obligation to alert Jefferson-Dust that his accuser admitted she lied.

There is no dispute that what happened to (Jefferson-Dust) is unfortunate and should not have happened, Schandelson said. Unfortunately, the information about the recantation came to OPD at a time when the office was understaffed and overburdened. ... And while we did ensure that information was documented in a memo, its not quite clear what happened with that memo.

Stuck in jail

Oregons ongoing public defense crisis shows how having no attorney can devastate lives.

More than 750 people daily from mid-August through December needed an attorney but couldnt get one, according to the Oregon Judicial Department. About 6 percent of them were in jail.

Richard Smith waited more than 40 days for an attorney last summer in the Coos County Jail, accused of burglary and unauthorized use of a vehicle. He lost his job, home and 10 pounds while in jail eating cereal with cockroaches in it.

He was released within two weeks once a public defender was appointed.

Jared Hawkins, also of Oregon, for more than six months had no attorney for non-violent offenses, including theft, possessing a stolen vehicle, identity theft, computer crimes and meth possession.

He lost his job and apartment waiting for a lawyer more than three months in the Douglas County Jail. His wife became homeless when she could no longer afford rent alone.

Hawkins also permanently lost feeling in his cheek after a jail dentist botched a tooth removal, slicing him about an inch.

Im losing more things every day in my life while Im sitting in here, Hawkins said from jail in August.

Hawkins got himself out of jail by filing bail reduction motions on his own. He began rehabilitation from opioid addiction. A day after completing the program in early November, he was arrested in Lane County for a probation violation from last January.

He was appointed a public defender for that, but not his other cases, keeping those stuck.

Right now Im just kind of in limbo, Hawkins said in early December while incarcerated in the Lane County Jail. I want to get my life back on track. I want to start working again.

His public defender was able to take over his ongoing Douglas County cases by mid-December. For the probation violation, he was sentenced Dec. 19 to another two years of probation and 30 days in jail. He was released the next day for time served.

Busy attorneys

Public defenders are stretched so thin, some barely provide representation  a violation of peoples right to effective counsel.

Nona Wiley, 55, met her public defender for the first time after her court hearing began in Matagorda County, Texas last October. Hes late, she said.

I called him, and he wont even answer the phone, Wiley said.

Her lawyer had her felony drug possession case for a month before reading it the day of Wileys court appearance, she said.

Wiley sobbed in court, devastated at the possibility of losing time with her grandchildren. Her case was delayed to give her attorney more time to prepare, she said.

Theresa Dugas, 63, estimates she spent a total of 30 minutes talking with her Oregon public defender throughout her case last year.

She said her public defender arrived about 10 minutes before a court date and told her to sign papers. Dugas had no idea it was a guilty plea agreement for probation.

She admitted to drunken driving, but wanted to fight allegations that she also hit her 72-year-old boyfriend with her car. Dugas is her boyfriends caregiver and didnt want to be labeled as an abuser.

I would never have plead guilty to that, Dugas said of the domestic violence assault charge. I didnt know what I was signing for.  Theyre supposed to be the ones telling me what its for. And she didnt.

Im sick

Idaho resident Chris Ellison was in the Twin Falls County Jail for most of 2022 pressing his lawyer to fight for his innocence or to get a new public defender.

Ellison was arrested Feb. 6 after police found $10 worth of meth and a pipe in his truck. Ellison has maintained the meth  possession of which resulted in a felony charge  was not his. He said friends had stayed at his house and left bags containing the drugs in his vehicle.

Public defenders have an ethical obligation to complete case investigations before recommending a plea, said Hanlon, the national public defense expert. Ellison said his first public defender, Douglas Emery, never questioned the friends, nor talked with witnesses who could have explained the bags werent his.

In August before court, Emery and Ellison discussed the prosecutors offer for Ellison to plead guilty and spend four to seven years in prison, Ellison said.

I dont want to take a deal and plead to a guilty charge for a crime that I didnt commit, Ellison remembers telling Emery that Friday. And (Emery) was like, Come on man, Im sick. I dont want to spend all weekend preparing for a trial that youre gonna lose.

Ellison wouldnt budge. Emery visited him in jail on Sunday, the eve of trial, Ellison said. Prosecutors could charge Ellison as a persistent violator and pursue a life sentence because he has prior felony convictions.

(Emery) was like, You have until I walk out of this building to take this deal otherwise its going to get really bad for you, Ellison said. He said, I have an email right here from the prosecutor saying  theyre going to go for 24 years in prison. So life in prison, if I dont plead guilty. I have three minutes to decide.

So I had no choice but to plead guilty to a charge that I didnt even commit.

Emery declined to comment on Ellisons claims because of attorney-client confidentiality, but in a written statement explained he handled well in excess of 200 Twin Falls felony cases in the last year. Thats 50 cases more than the recommended maximum, according to national standards that experts say are already too high. Emery said he averages 42 to 65 work hours a week.

Ellison requested that Emery get kicked off his case, and a judge approved in October. Ellison and his new attorney had planned to withdraw his guilty plea in November, but by December the thought of more prison time changed his mind. He was sentenced Dec. 16 to three to seven years in prison.







Not justice

Six other men in the Twin Falls County Jail had similar complaints about their public defenders. They said they felt pressured to delay their cases, saw delays in getting discovery documents and couldnt reach their lawyers after dozens of calls. Scott Jaynes said his public defender, Emery, wouldnt order a retest of a powdery residue police said was drugs unless Jaynes paid for it.

Emery said theres no constitutional right per se to have evidence retested at the countys expense. The defense must demonstrate a good reason why existing test results are questionable before the county would foot the bill, he said.

The six men believe their public defenders were more interested in plea deals than defending them.

They want us to take these deals so they can get us moving through the system already, Victor Salazar, one of the men, said. Im not going to plead guilty to something that I didnt do. And then because of that, theyre going to punish me more by giving me a life sentence. Thats not justice.

Twin Falls County head public defender Ben Andersen declined to comment on the complaints. Twin Falls District Attorney Grant Loebs said his office and the public defenders office struggle with staffing shortages, despite pay increases. Staff attorneys in each office earn the same salaries.

We put ads out, and nobody applies, Loebs said.

Structural problems

The ACLU of Idaho in 2015 filed a class action lawsuit alleging the states public defense system is unconstitutional and structurally flawed.

Defendants each in Bonner, Shoshone, Ada and Payette counties say their public defenders didnt investigate their cases or argue for lower bails and spent a total of 20 or 45 minutes with them.

Aadika Singh, ACLU of Idahos legal director, said the states public defense has improved, but widespread, persistent structural problems remain.

The Idaho Supreme Court is reviewing the class action lawsuit. The ACLU demands that the state develop a concrete plan for a new constitutionally acceptable system. Idaho plans to create a new, state-funded public defense system by October 2024, but the Legislature hasnt detailed what the new model will look like.

A recent ACLU filing states the annual $50 million planned so far will not even come close to adequately funding a constitutional public defense system. Rep. Jon Weber, R-Rexburg, said its difficult to estimate the new systems cost since a model hasnt been chosen, but he welcomes discussion.

Over the summer, the ACLU added a fifth person to the lawsuit. The man, Billy Chappell, had to investigate his own case in 2021 because his public defender didnt have time. It took two months for Chappell to talk with his attorney initially, a delay that may have caused exonerating evidence to be lost, the lawsuit says.

That attorney is unnamed in the lawsuit. Singh said the ACLUs goal is to show public defenders lack resources.

Our case is not about individual public defenders, Singh said. Our case is about an underfunded and overloaded system that makes it impossible for public defenders to do the kind of job theyd want to do for their clients. Theres too many clients. Too little time. Too few resources.

<&rule>

<&rdpEm><&rdpStrong>About Broken Defense: </&rdpStrong></&rdpEm><&rdpEm>Across the West, public defense systems face crushing caseloads, historic underfunding, structural problems and severe staffing shortages, imperiling criminal defendants lives and in many cases denying them their constitutional right to counsel. Defendants have lost jobs and homes, been pressured to plead guilty and been denied the benefit of exonerating evidence. People accused in more than 100,000 misdemeanors each year go to jail without ever talking to a lawyer.</&rdpEm>

<&rdpEm>Lee Enterprises West region Public Service Journalism team and local reporters attended more than a dozen court hearings and interviewed more than 25 defendants, 40 attorneys and 25 experts to reveal public defense in many western states is broken.</&rdpEm>

<&rdpEm>Lee Enterprises Public Service Journalism Reporter Emily Hamer may be reached at emily.hamer@lee.net.</&rdpEm>
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YORK  Ashley Alspaugh, 32, of York, has pleaded not guilty in a case where she is accused of dealing methamphetamine near a school in York, as well as resisting arrest.

According to court documents, an officer with the York Police Department was requested and authorized by a District 5 probation officer to conduct a search of Alspaughs residence, as part of her probation.

The officer said in his affidavit that when he knocked on the door, he saw Alspaugh get off the couch, look out the window and then place an unknown item out of sight from the door.

When the officer told Alspaugh he was there to conduct a search, per the authorization of her probation officer, she allegedly told the officer it was not her residence and she wouldnt allow the officer in.

The officer further alleges she gave him a residential address where he knew she didnt live.

The probation officer said the address was the one Alspaugh provided for her probation order.

In the affidavit, the officer said Alspaugh continued to argue against a search, until she suddenly grabbed an unknown item from the living room and ran to the back of the residence. The officer pursued her as she entered a bathroom where she stood hiding her hands and the object behind her back. The officer said she refused his commands to show her hands. Eventually, she produced a bag and the officer found methamphetamine inside it.

It is alleged she refused to cooperate when she was being taken into custody.

The weight of the methamphetamine was 13 grams, which is a substantial amount.

It was noted that her residence was less than 1,000 feet from the Emmanuel Faith Lutheran School.

She has been formally charged with delivery of methamphetamine near a school and having no drug tax stamp, both felonies; and resisting arrest, a Class 1 misdemeanor.

This week, during arraignment proceedings, she pleaded not guilty to all charges and a jury trial has been scheduled for early summer.
MARION  The third company to bid on Essential Air Service for Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois presented its proposal on Tuesday afternoon.

Cape Air, the current provider of Essential Air Service to the airport, explained its bid to a small in-person group and others in a virtual audience.

Cape Air officials, Andrew Bonney, senior vice president of planning, Matt Reinhardt, regional director of the Midwest and Montana Region, and Stacie Schuchardt, Midwest marketing manager, were responsible for presenting the proposal.

Cape Air is offering two choices for air service. The first is 36 flights per week to Lambert International Airport in St. Louis. The second matches their current offering of 24 flights to St. Louis and 12 flights to Nashville.

Cape Air became the provider of EAS in 2009. They began offering flights to St. Louis. After the previous bidding cycle, they added the option of flights to Nashville.

Bonney spoke on some of the advantages of passenger service from Cape Air.

Cape Air has partnerships with major carriers. Some of those include United, Delta, American, Alaskan, Hawaiian and Jet Blue. Bonney said Cape Air shows up on their websites.

Cape Air offers an electronic Travel Pass for frequent customers.

Their fleet of planes are Tecnum Travelers. Cape Air worked with the company from 2011 to 2019 to build small planes for commuter flights.

Each plane has nine passenger seats and two seats for pilots. They are equipped with Garmin G1000 avionics. The plane has a comfortable interior with USB ports for charging phones and other devices at each passenger seat.

Cape Air gives away a lot of tickets through donations to local organizations and businesses. Schuchardt said they work with SIU, Walkers Bluff and area Chambers of Commerce.

Cape Air likes to connect to the community and be partners with them, she said.

Their proposal includes a budget of $65,000 for marketing.

Bonney said having smaller planes allows Cape Air to make more flights each week. Airlines with larger plans are only allowed to have 12 flights per week. That schedule does not connect as well to other flights.

If you cant get out and back, youre going to drive, Bonney said.

He explained that Cape Air has gone into airports to replace carriers with larger planes and have increased their enplanements.

Cape Air is proposing a 92% completion rate for flights. Bonney said 2% or 3% of that is controllable.

You have a right to expect reliable service, Bonney said.

Part of their recent issues have been because of the pilot shortage. Bonney said the shortage at Cape Air is really a shortage of captains. They have first officers, but they dont have enough hours to be in charge of their planes.

Cape Air is working with a regional group that will allow them to take their first officers who have enough hours to be captains in the smaller planes. They can come to work for Cape Air as captains and build their flight hours.

Reinhardt talked about the dual hubs and said they are growing the number of travelers to Nashville. The dual hubs both connect to Southwest. In Nashville, they also have smaller airlines of Frontier and Spirit, which travel to Florida.

The hubs also have international fights. St. Louis just expanded its flights to Germany and Nashville offers flights to London on British Airways.

The split service gives Cape Air the ability to reroute passengers from St. Louis to Nashville when the weather is bad. They did that for passengers this week.

Airport Director Doug Kimmel said all three proposals and a short survey will be on the Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois website through Feb. 8. Kimmel hopes everyone will read the proposals and take the two question survey to give the airport lots of input from the public.

The airport board meets Feb. 9 and will make a decision about which proposal to recommend to U.S. DOT.
MARION  War is ugly, and those who fight are forced to cope with its aftereffects. For some, creating art is one way to overcome the traumatic experience of military service.

Army Veteran Joe Stanfill is one such person who has found psychological healing and health through art. Through digital art and creative writing, Stanfill has been able to put into artistic form his painful memories of military life, while channeling his creative and emotional energies into creation instead of self-destruction.

Expressing yourself through the arts is a great way to relate the lived military experience. One of the problems veterans face is returning to a civilian population that has a hard time understanding. Art is a way to bridge that gap and inform, while simultaneously releasing pent up emotions, Stanfill said.

The arts community within the Veteran Affairs has taken notice of Stanfill's artistic endeavors. This past summer, Joe represented Marion and took home two gold medals in the categories of creative writing and art at the National Veterans Creative Arts Competition.

"It's an honor to have been able to compete with my fellow veterans. I honestly did not think that I would win, or even place for that matter. You put yourself out there in an intimate and vulnerable way, and to have that end product be recognized is an amazing feeling, Joe said.

The Veterans Arts Festival has had a venerable history going back to 1981, fashioned by the leader at the time of recreation therapy. Since then it has taken different forms, and is now open to those who are enrolled in a VA Healthcare facility. The festival exhibits the artistic achievements of Veterans from all over the country in each of the five artistic divisions.

This April marks the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival's 42nd year. From April 10 to 17, gold-medal artwork from over fifty categories will be on view, including Joe's digital art.

The most rewarding thing in terms of my art is watching someone else look at the finished product and seeing the light go on in their eyes. The need to tell the military story is what keeps me creating, said Stanfill.

Stanfill creates his highly dramatic digital art works from a photograph, then applies subtle manipulations with computer programs and AI technology. From these processes, an expressive and meaningful work of art emerges.

Veteran-Artist is perhaps a confusing if not contradictory term, since Veterans are supposed to be hard as stone, disciplined and regimented killing machines. But there is life after war, and many great artists were also warriors once, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and Bob Ross to name just a few.

I do think that there are misconceptions among the civilian populace about who veterans are," Joe said. "The unique thing about art in all forms is that it is a very human form of communicating ideas to others. I dont know that I think about righting these misconceptions when creating art, rather it is a natural byproduct of doing so.

Though Stanfill's digital artwork is somewhat devoid of "happy little clouds" and "happy little trees," there is some truth in saying that his creative process is a byproduct of making many "happy accidents."
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Rescuers and security personnel inspect the blast site in northwest Pakistan's Peshawar on Jan. 31, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

Death toll of Monday's suicide blast in a mosque in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has risen to 100 on Tuesday with over 200 others injured, hospital sources said.

In talks with Xinhua, Muhammad Asim, spokesperson of Lady Reading Hospital, where most of the injured people were shifted, said that 53 wounded victims are being treated at the hospital while the rest were discharged after treatment.

He added that seven of the injured, who are in critical condition, are being treated in the intensive care unit of the hospital.

The incident happened at about 1:13 p.m. local time when about 300 policemen were chanting afternoon prayers at the mosque located in the Police Lines area, a highly profiled vicinity housing offices and residences of police, and other departments of the law enforcement agencies.

Almost all of the victims were either policemen, non-uniformed staff of the police department, or their visitors or family members, police sources told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The roof of the mosque was razed to the ground, following the attack, trapping scores of victims inside and it took rescue teams over 24 hours to complete the operation and recover all injured and the bodies from the debris.

"It was one of the most challenging operations in our career as there were several people whom we treating and helping to pull out at the same time because half of their bodies were out and the other half was in the debris," Salman Safi, in-charge of rescue operations at Edhi Foundation Peshawar, told Xinhua.

Calling the incident a security breach, Inspector General of Police in the province Moazzam Ansari said that an investigation is underway to determine how the terrorist carrying 10-12 kg of explosives succeeded in penetrating the heavily guarded area to reach the mosque.

Briefing media after the conclusion of the operation on Tuesday afternoon, Ansari said that the police are reviewing CCTV footage of the last 30 days to identify the facilitators of the suicide attacker in order to bring him to books.

According to local media reports, the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack after the blast. However, later, a statement circulating in the local social media allegedly from the TTP denied their involvement in the attack.

Further investigation into the matter is underway.
The Miss Southern Illinois and Miss Heartland scholarship pageant set for this weekend will not only crown new title holders, but will give local women an opportunity to compete for Miss Illinois  and perhaps Miss America.

For most of five decades, Miss Southern Illinois has represented the region at fairs, business openings and special events across the region, explained Janna Harner, a two-time holder of the title and co-director of this years pageant. Harner said Saturdays scholarship competition is actually two competitions in one as contestants also will be vying for the title of Miss Heartland.

Miss Southern Illinois is considered a closed title, which means women must be from the 618 or 217 area code to compete, Harner, of Anna, explained. Miss Heartland can be anyone from the state of Illinois.

To be eligible to compete for the title of Miss Heartland, Harner said women must live, work or attend school in Illinois.

Harner is also a previous Miss Heartland title holder. Pageant co-director Annika Kronenwetter is a former Miss Heartland as well, now living in the Chicagoland area.

Contestants, ranging in age from 18-26, will go through a full day of interviews and preliminary judging, culminating in the pageant finals. Harner said the competition will be many of the young womens first experience.

This is a first step for many of the girls who are competing at this pageant; they have never competed in a pageant before, Harner explained. They may be professionals in their field or they may be in college pursing a career, but in terms of pageant street cred, theyve never done this before and that is great.

Additionally, teens ages 13-18 are competing for Miss Southern Illinois Outstanding Teen and Miss Heartland Outstanding Teen through four areas of judging. Like the older candidates, winners will advance to Junes Miss Illinois Outstanding Teen pageant competition.

They will have a private interview and then they will compete in talent, they will compete in lifestyle and fitness and then they will compete in evening gown and on-stage question, which is one area of competition, Harner explained.

Winners will receive a scholarship package including a full semester of tuition from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, in-kind gifts as well as the opportunity to compete next summer for the title of Miss America. Harner said she and Kronenwetter will serve as mentors for the local winners leading up to the summer competition.

The event also includes a non-competitive princess component for girls where each will receive a crown, gift and have a lesson on being a queen from reigning Miss Illinois Outstanding Teen Mia Fritsch-Anderson. Day-of registration for the princess program will begin at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Marion High School.

The Miss Southern Illinois/Miss Heartland pageant is set for 3 p.m. at Marion High School. The finals is open to the public. Admission is $15 per person.
A few years back I bought a bow, because I felt like every man should be able to defend his home and country, and because I was afraid of firearms and thought bows more safe and less frighteningand because I wanted to be like Robin Hood. But I was quickly cured of that misconception after I fired my first volley, the sound of which scared the heck out of me. Though my name was Robin, I was no Robin Hood. I sold the bow to the pawn shop and bought a less physically demanding but more effective weapon: an AR-15.

It is with tragic irony that the reasons given for banning assault weapons today by our political princes are the same reasons given by princes of old to command owning them. Take for instance, the English longbow. Because of its rapid rate of fire10 arrows a minuteand effective rangeabout 300 yardsthe longbow was the most lethal weapon during the Middle Ages. The law of the day even required every able-bodied man to train with one. The longbow laws made England powerful and instilled fear in her enemies. Now, I ask, is it not reasonable to assume that if we ban assault weapons, which are modern-day longbows, America will become weak? I think the gun debate revolves around a general failure to grasp the essentials of the controversy, which should not only be about self-defense but about the defense of ones country.

The Founding Father George Mason once said, To disarm the people[is] the most effectual way to enslave them. Bans on assault weapons will not make America safer, because it is by Americans owning such weapons that makes America safe.

Another Founding Father, James Madison, said, The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the best and most natural defense of a free country. The reverse is also true: A poorly equipped militia, with no training in contemporary weapons of war, is the worst way to defend a country.

I would like to ask Gov. J.B. Pritzker, and those who support this assault weapons ban, what are the weapons the unorganized militia of Illinois are supposed to wield if not assault weapons? When the Red Storm rises like a Tom Clancy novel, and Illinois is drowned in a wave of war, what weapons will weather it? What does the law say? The Government Information website states concerning United States v. Miller:

After reciting the original provisions of the Constitution dealing with the militia, the Court observed that [w]ith obvious purpose to assure the continuation and render possible the effectiveness of such forces the declaration and guarantee of the Second Amendment were made. It must be interpreted with that end in view. The significance of the militia, the Court continued, was that it was composed of civilians primarily, soldiers on occasion. It was upon this force that the states could rely for defense and securing of the laws, on a force that comprised all males physically capable of acting in concert for the common defense, who, when called for service, were expected to appear bearing arms supplied by themselves and of the kind in common use at the time.

Further, The Court stated, Miller holds that the Second Amendment guarantees no right to keep and bear a firearm that does not have some reasonable relationship to the preservation or efficiency of a well regulated militia. I think the law would agree with that assault weapons are a means by which to properly equip a militia for war.

If America is invaded in 20 years, and the unorganized militiaall able-bodied men 17-45 not in the National Guard or the Naval Militiais called forth to defend the state of Illinois, what arms will they bear? If this assault weapons ban lasts, and our sons have no modern weapons of war like assault weapons, how will they be able to defend this land?

Since purchasing my AR-15, I have fired it precisely onceI thought a bow was scary and loud! But the political climate today is cold to put it mildly. War is not a bygone bogeyman of a more barbaric agethe last century should put us in no doubt about that. Just as in Robin Hoods time, when England suffered a century of war and was saved by the longbow, so America may suffer the same tomorrow.

In that dark hour when heroes are needed to defend democracy and freedom, who will be strong enough to stand and fight and save America? Come to think of it, perhaps its time to take my sons back out to the range.
A 15-year-old male from Denmark allegedly admitted to committing multiple crimes during a three-day period, according to Denmark Police Chief Leroy Grimes.

The string of crimes took place from Jan. 25 until Jan. 27, Grimes said Wednesday.

The teen is facing charges of second-degree burglary, attempted burglary and two counts of grand larceny.

Additional charges are pending, Grimes said.

Grimes said the crimes were captured on video surveillance cameras, which helped officers identify the suspect.

The teen is accused of the following:

 Breaking into the Ampm gas station, located at 17729 Heritage Hwy.

 Breaking into the Rainbow gas station, located at 18076 Heritage Hwy.

 Taking an unsecured vehicle that was left with the engine running. It was recovered in Bamberg.

The teen was taken into custody on Saturday after he allegedly led law enforcement on a chase while driving a vehicle stolen from the Family Dollar parking lot, located at 18038 Heritage Highway in Denmark.

The chase went from Bamberg County to Orangeburg County, where the driver crashed.

The vehicle then caught fire, Grimes said.

Grimes said the teen allegedly admitted to the crimes and additional charges are pending.

Parents need to pay more attention to their kids and their whereabouts, Grimes said.

He also said vehicle owners need to turn off the engines and lock the doors when parking, whether shopping, at home or anywhere else.

Please dont leave your vehicle unattended, he said.
Ashley Jordan will host the second grant-writing workshop of her series from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Denmark Public Library.

Orangeburg resident Jan McCollom will be the lead facilitator for the session. McCollom has written grant proposals for many private entities as well as for public businesses and corporations, including Denmark Technical College, OCAB Community Action Agency, South Carolina State University and Claflin University.

She will address specific language and information to assist in topical searches, research and writing.

Health and the arts grants will be explored by Tri-County Health Networks Dr. LaShandra Morgan and hostess Ashley Jordan.

To participate, register at Eventbrite: www.eventbrite.com/e/jordan-hosts-mccolloms-grant-writing-workshop-tickets-527711257577

Note-taking devices and snacks will maximize the experience. All are to bring ideas, RFPs and support materials. COVID protocol is suggested.

For more information, contact ashleyjordan29042@gmail.com.
The Regional Medical Center is negotiating with health insurance providers to receive advance payments of monies owed to the hospital for services rendered to indigent patients.

"We have about $35 million in collectable accounts receivable," RMC Chief Financial Officer Dennis Pettigrew said. "If we can drive that down, it will improve our cash position."

Pettigrew said the hospital did receive a $3.9 million advance payment of Medicaid Disproportionate share money (DSH) from the state's Department of Health and Human Services. DSH is given to hospitals for serving indigent patients.

"They did advance another $4 million to us," Pettigrew said. "They have said that if we run short, we may talk to them again about potential another advance. These are advances tied to existing Medicaid accounts receivable that we have."

Pettigrew said the hospital is continuing the same discussions with BlueCross BlueShield.

"I think there is still an opportunity for them to support us with an advance also," Pettigrew said. "That would ease the cash flow in the short run. Advances are all geared toward what would be paid early vs. accounts receivable."

Pettigrew said the hospital is also negotiating with Affordable Healthcare and is trying to negotiate with United Healthcare.

Pettigrew noted United is "our largest outstanding payer right now."

RMC Finance Committee Chairman Steve Tyson said some accounts receivable with United Healthcare are about two months old.

Tyson said the DHS advancements have "helped cash flow tremendously."

Tyson said in addition to reducing non-essential expenses, the hospital needs to look at reducing denial rates, improving collections, coding and billing.

"We have talked about this a lot and that is something that we will continue to discuss going forward," Tyson said. We feel like these are being addressed as we speak."

"We are looking at 18% denial rates on claims' the industry average is under 5%."

Medicare, Medicaid and insurers such as Blue Cross, Aetna and United have rules and regulations on what costs theyll cover. For example, the insurer could say a patient required a two-day hospital stay and not a five-day stay.

The hospital is responsible for paying the cost of those three extra days.

"These things need to be addressed and I feel like they are being addressed," he said.

Tyson said the hospital is also currently looking to hire a vice president of revenue cycle.

"We feel like we have some strong candidates that will certainly help with the billing and denial rates," he said.

Tyson also said the hospital continues to pay the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services back the $26.8 million it received in Accelerated Medicare Payments in September 2021 to deal with COVID.

Tyson said at the end of December, the balance was $10.9 million. By the end of February, it will be $7.6 million.

He said the hospital has been paying about $1.6 million monthly.

"It is coming down as we speak per month," Tyson said. "That is something that will need to be addressed."

In other matters, RMC Strategic Planning Committee Chair Jeannine Kees said the panel is trying to gather information on the strategic plan that was in place prior to the current board.

Kees said the committee is worried that the hospital's dashboard had not been updated. The dashboard serves as a map to determine if the hospital is on schedule with the strategic plan.

"We are sort of in limbo with the strategic plan with our movement forward with MUSC, but we still think we can't just wait," Kees said. "Things need to be updated on that dashboard."

Kees also said the hospital has received six request for proposals (RFP) to construct the new Santee medical clinic. The hospital extended the response window for the RFPs in order to try to attract more interest. Previously, two companies responded.

In other business:

RMC Constituency Advisory Board (CAB) secretary Stefanie Gadson-Brown passed along questions and comments submitted by the public to the newly established CAB email address.

The board took the information and is to follow up on the concerns.

The board approved the medical staff recommendations previously approved by the hospital's credentialing committee and medical executive committee.

The board's approval included three appointments to the hospital's medical staff, one to teleneurology, and one to teleradiology.

The recommendations also approved included three resignations, one termination and a request for additional privileges by a nurse practitioner in the hospital's cardiology department to conduct stress testing.

A media marketing expo is scheduled at the hospital for Feb. 1. The expo will be designed to inform the public through the media about the technological capabilities RMC has to offer.

Trustees were informed of the hospital's 12th annual Red Dress luncheon Sunday, Feb. 5. Trustee William Johnson sponsored a table for the board's women to attend.

The annual RMC Foundation Gala is scheduled for March 25 at the Orangeburg Country Club.

Trustees were informed the Edisto Regional Health Services (ERHS), which is over the hospital's primary care practices, has formed its own board. The board held its first meeting Jan. 19.

The ERHS previously had been a part of the RMC Board.

The board consists of Dr. William Baly, board chair; Dr. William O'Quinn, Stacy Weaver and Dr. Kelenne Tuitt. Echo McAlhany, RMC senior director of physician services, will serve as the liaison between the RMC board and the ERHS board.

RMC President and Chief Executive Officer David Southerland was absent due to a family medical issue. Craig said the board will be praying for Southerland and his family.

Trustees went into closed session to discuss employment, appointment, compensation, promotion, demotion, discipline, or termination of an employee or independent contractor. There was no vote on the matter when trustees returned to open session.

The next RMC Board meeting is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 24, at the Medical Arts Center building, 1175 Cook Road, Suite 325.
COLUMBIA -- Nursing education programs at South Carolinas institutions of higher education contributed to South Carolina claiming the fifth-highest state pass rate in the nation for 2022 on the National Council Licensure Examination, a test required for nursing graduates to be licensed to practice in the United States.

According to data released by the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, 2,734 registered nurse exams were administered to first-time takers across the state in 2022, with a pass rate of 87.13%. The national pass rate was 79.91%. Applications were also up 8.2% from last year.

Right now, our state and the entire nation are struggling with a shortage of qualified nurses, said Dr. Rusty Monhollon, South Carolina Commission on Higher Education president and executive director. South Carolinas exceptional NCLEX pass rate indicates not only instructional excellence on the part of our institutions, but a strong dedication to the profession on behalf of our future nurses.

Nurses are the foundation for delivering care at the bedside and ensuring that the needs of each patient are met, said Lara Hewitt, vice president of workforce and member engagement for the South Carolina Hospital Association.

As the states hospitals continue to experience a severe workforce shortage, we are encouraged by the amazing work South Carolinas higher education community is doing to get more nurses into the field. We look forward to working with state leaders to continue to invest in nurse training and retention.

The following institutions distinguished themselves with a 100% pass rate, specific programs are listed in parentheses:

South University, Columbia (Baccalaureate in Registered Nursing)

Midlands Technical College (Practical Nursing)

Technical College of the Low Country (Practical Nursing)

Trident Technical College (Practical Nursing)

In addition to the four institutions with 100% pass rates, and additional 13 institutions achieved a pass rate of 90% or higher in one or more program. The complete breakdown of rates by institution is available at: https://llr.sc.gov/nurse/stats.aspx

The CHE is actively involved in initiatives to address the nursing shortage in South Carolina. During the 2022 legislative session, the South Carolina General Assembly allocated a total of $10 million to the CHE for a Nursing Initiative to enhance the recruitment and retention of nursing faculty at colleges and universities.

The CHE is working with partners across higher education, healthcare and the finance sector to effectively disburse the Nursing Initiative funding in two areas:

To create more interest in nursing faculty positions and effectively broaden the states capacity to instruct more nursing students, $5M of the funding is being disbursed to the states public colleges and universities, including technical colleges, with accredited nursing programs to supplement the salaries of existing full-time faculty and the hourly rates of part time faculty, or the salaries of clinical nursing faculty.

Allocation of $5M to provide tuition reimbursement or scholarships for students enrolled in graduate-level nurse educator programs, Doctor of Nursing Practice, or Ph.D. programs. This measure is intended to attract additional interest in the nursing education profession.

The work group will continue to formulate additional higher education-related strategies to help combat the nursing shortage.
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(TBTCO) - "Co rat nhieu cach e doanh nghiep tu bao ve minh khoi cac hanh vi gian lan ve hoa on. Nhung e chat che, doanh nghiep nen thong bao, chu ong e nghi co quan thue ho tro kiem tra thong tin ve hoa on, khi phat hien cac oi tuong co dau hieu vi pham phap luat ve hoa on, e bao ve quyen loi va uy tin cua minh - PGS.TS Le Xuan Truong - Truong Khoa Thue - Hai quan, Hoc vien Tai chinh nhan manh nhu vay khi tra loi phong van TBTCVN xung quanh cac bien phap ngan chan gian lan trong viec su dung hoa on.
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An Auxerre fan poses with a performer dressed up as god of fortune outside the Abbe Deschamps Stadium of Auxerre club before a French Ligue 1 match between Auxerre and Montpellier as part of the Day of China activites to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year in Auxerre, France, Jan. 29, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

France's tourism sector has welcomed China's recent relaxation of cross-border travel restrictions, fueling expectations of a return to pre-COVID-19 tourist numbers.

In 2019, France hosted nearly 90 million international tourists, which made it the top tourist destination in the world in terms of tourist arrivals. In the same year, more than 50 million tourists visited the Paris region, and Chinese tourists made up the second-largest cluster. They generated over one billion euros (1.08 billion U.S. dollars) in tourism revenues, the Paris Ile-de-France Regional Tourism Committee said.

Air connectivity between France and China has been gradually improving since China's decision to optimize its COVID-19 response. Air France now operates two flights per week to Shanghai and one to Beijing. Three weekly direct flights have been operating to Hong Kong since Jan. 9, and a third to Shanghai will be added in February. Passenger transport capacities are expected to be strengthened by next summer, according to the French Embassy in China.

"Chinese tourists are mainly welcomed by operators specializing in Chinese or Asian customers. Of course, due to the absence of the Chinese, they remained in apnea for three years, which is extremely long, extremely hard," Jean-Pierre Mas said. He is president of Les Entreprises du Voyage, an association that brings together 1,674 companies representing 85 percent of the travel agency market in France.

"They benefited from the support of the state, but the support, there is no longer any today, and they, therefore, count on the return of the Chinese," he explained.

For the past three years, Li Xiaotong, who runs Mandarin Voyages, a France-China tourism operator based in Paris, has refocused her business on online content and city tours for Chinese people living abroad.

For her, the return of Chinese tourists is already noticeable, but for the moment, this recovery mainly concerns those Chinese living in other countries, business delegations or family reunions.

For Caroline Paul, founder of Talents Travel and a consultancy strategy specialist specializing in tourism marketing for the Chinese market, the world of travel is experiencing what is called "revenge travel," which means people having not been able to travel for a while, and therefore needing to travel at all costs to be no longer constrained.

"It's the same for the Chinese," she said, adding that "the return of Chinese tourists is going to be quite significant."

Chinese art lovers are also eagerly awaited in the museums of Paris. Before the pandemic, the Louvre Museum was a favorite site for Chinese tourists in Paris, who represented 8.2 percent of the museum's total visitors in 2019.

Before the pandemic, more than two million Chinese tourists visited France each year. "If this year we have a million Chinese, it will already be a very, very good result," Jean-Pierre Mas said.

For Caroline Paul, however, there will be a "before" and an "after" COVID-19 in the way Chinese people travel. "They're going to start to travel again. Their trips are going to be longer. They're going to stay longer. It's going to be much more individual, much more upscale travel," she said.

According to her, France's tourism professionals will need to adapt to the new ways that the Chinese travel.
Braving the bitter cold, Lebanese villagers have been patrolling a mountainside in the country's north, trying to protect trees from loggers who roll in under the cover of darkness.

Near his village of Ainata, "nearly 150 centuries-old oak trees have been felled" in the past year, said Ghandi Rahme, pointing at the tree stumps in the rocky ground around him.

The municipal police officer, 44, is among around a dozen locals who make the rounds on a volunteer basis, seeking to deter loggers who arrive in off-road vehicles and take to the trees with chainsaws.

Lebanon, whose flag bears a cedar tree, is known for its greenery, with forests covering 13 percent of the Middle Eastern country's territory, according to official data.

But since late 2019, an economic meltdown has plunged much of the population into poverty, and the local currency has lost more than 95 percent of its value.

Electricity outages can last up to 23 hours a day, and fuel costs have skyrocketed as the state has gradually lifted subsidies.

The crisis has left many people without incomes or winter heating, while public services  including forest rangers  are severely underfunded.

'Environment Masacres'

Residents and officials whom AFP spoke to in Ainata and other mountain villages blamed "organized" gangs for felling centuries-old oak and juniper trees.

Rahme said residents of "surrounding areas" were responsible, adding that he had scared off a group in September.

The Ainata volunteers said they have financial support  mainly from worried expatriate villagers who send money from abroad  to pay for fuel and vehicle maintenance.

Rahme's cousin Samir, who is also a volunteer, called the tree fellings "terrible" but said the patrols were effective. "We haven't seen a single case of illegal felling" since they began, said the farmer, 58.

In nearby Barqa, mayor Ghassan Geagea told AFP loggers acting with impunity had cut down scores of trees, including junipers believed to be thousands of years old.

"The state now allocates us a measly budget," leaving the municipality with few means to tackle the problem, Geagea said. But he expressed doubt that the existing volunteer patrol would be able to prevent felling in his district's harder-to-reach areas.

Paul Abi Rached, who heads the activist group Terre Liban, has decried rising numbers of "environmental massacres" in Lebanon and sounded the alarm over the felling of juniper trees in particular.

Lebanon has the largest juniper woods in the Middle East, according to the environment ministry, and is also home to pine, oak, cedar and fir forests.

'Organized'

Junipers are among "the few trees that can grow at high altitudes," and they play an important role in replenishing groundwater reserves, Abi Rached said.

"If we don't stop juniper felling, we will be headed for water shortages and drought," he warned.

In Bsharre, west of Ainata, doctor and activist Youssef Tawk said "it takes 500 years for juniper to grow into a tree" in the wild.

"Cutting down this tree is a crime. For me it's like killing a man," said the 68-year-old, who has long fought to protect Lebanon's environmental heritage.

Near Ainata, activist Dany Geagea  not related to the Barqa mayor  has taken matters into his own hands by helping set up a juniper reserve.

He said around 30,000 trees had been planted in the past two decades but that since September, logging had become a regular occurrence.

Those responsible were rarely arrested and "quickly released, without being investigated," he lamented.

"Illegal logging is not a new problem, but now it's become an organized" trade, Geagea said. "This is Lebanon... even justice is politicized."
This evening, Memphis authorities released video depicting the violence leading to the death of Tyre Nichols.

Once again, we as a society and as a University community must grapple with the tragic loss of a Black man who, according to authorities, died following a brutal beating at the hands of police officers during a traffic stop.

Five Memphis police officers have been fired and charged with second-degree murder in the death of the 29-year-old.

The release of the graphic video is certain to cause emotional and mental distress for many, including within the Rowan community.

The pain, heartbreak, anger, disgust, anguish, helplessness and other emotions many of us feel may bring us back to the aftermath of George Floyds murder, which thrust our country into what many have called a racial reckoning. Its a reminder that, even now, we all have much work to do to achieve a just and safe society for everyone.

Were here for you

Please know that we are here for you. From the Wellness Center to Public Safety to Student Life to the Division of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, we have resources in place to help you work through this difficult time.

Additionally, we remain diligent as we continue to work together to strengthen our relationships with local law enforcement agencies through our Law Enforcement and Community Collaborative and through the ongoing efforts of our Multicultural Student Group leaders and Rowan Public Safety.

The loss of another human life in such a senseless way affects us all. In the coming days, as the country learns more details about this tragedy, we urge our University community to be sensitive, to listen, and to care for each other and ourselves. For some, that may require learning more about this incident, thinking deeply and gathering information from a wide variety of reliable news sources. Others may need to take a break from the news or social media to protect their well-being.

Protests and gatherings, large and small, will likely be held nationally and locally. We stand ready to help our communityindividuals and groupsheal and help others.



Tony Lowman, Ph.D.

Provost

Monika Williams Shealey, Ph.D.

Senior Vice President, Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Kevin S. Koett, Ed.D.

Vice President of Student Life/Dean of Students

Michael Kantner

Assistant Vice President, Public Safety
Treacherous road conditions that contributed to the deaths of at least two people in Texas are expected to continue across states in the South and central US on Wednesday as the areas brace for more ice and sleet.

A miserable combination of freezing rain, sleet and accumulating ice likely will persist in parts of Texas, Arkansas and Tennessee through at least Wednesday as a winter storm makes driving conditions life-threatening for thousands in the region.

"Dangerous travel conditions (especially during the evening and morning commutes), tree damage, and power outages are likely across the Mid-South. Please proceed with extreme caution especially on overpasses and bridges if you must travel," the National Weather Service in Memphis said Tuesday evening.

As layers of ice and sleet glazed Texas roads Tuesday, the state reported at least two deaths related to car crashes. In south Austin, one person died Tuesday morning in a 10-car pileup, the city's fire department said. Another person died when their car rolled over in the Dallas-area city of Arlington, police said.

The deadly storm's impacts have led to school closures in western Tennessee and northwestern Mississippi, major road closures as well as hundreds of flight cancellations, most at Texas airports.

In Texas -- where the heaviest ice accumulation is forecast -- some school districts have shuttered their doors and the Parkland Health system in Dallas has closed its clinics Wednesday.

"Icing concerns are increasing through the overnight into Wednesday morning with precipitation rates along with areal coverage increasing. Travel will become increasingly treacherous, especially on the elevated bridges and overpasses," the National Weather Service in Austin and San Antonio said.

As officials and forecasters implore drivers to stay off the roads, here's what else is expected Wednesday:

 Texas: The heaviest round of sleet and freezing rain is expected Wednesday. The Austin and San Antonio region as well as parts of the Dallas-Fort Worth area are bracing for what could be the worst of ice accumulations from the storm. Most areas in the impacted region are expected to see around or below freezing temperatures.

 Southern Oklahoma is expecting another round of wintry rain Wednesday, with ice accumulations of up to an inch expected.

 South-central Arkansas and Tennessee's Memphis area could see an additional tenth to quarter of an inch of ice.

 Ice overview: Widespread total ice accumulation of at least a quarter of an inch is likely from West Texas to western Tennessee through Thursday morning. Up to a half- inch could accumulate in parts of central and north-central Texas and southern Arkansas, according to the National Weather Service.

 Power outages: Ice and sleet building up on tree limbs can cause them to break and knock down power lines. Texas reported the most outages early Wednesday, with more than 100,000 homes and businesses in the dark.

Roads to remain dangerous as icing continues

More than 8 million people across much of central and eastern Arkansas, western Tennessee and northwestern Mississippi and parts of Texas are under ice storm warnings.

The National Weather Service issues ice storm warnings when ice accumulations of more than a quarter of an inch are possible. On Wednesday, the warning areas are expected to see up to or more than a half of an inch of freezing rain.

"Prepare for tree limb breakage and localized power outages in this region, in addition to hazardous or impossible travel conditions," that National Weather Service in Dallas warned.

Unsafe travel conditions on Tuesday led to hundreds of car crashes across Texas, officials said. Additionally, first responders provided aid to some who suffered hypothermia and others injured after slipping on ice.

The storm impacted about 1,600 roads across Texas, according to Gov. Greg Abbott, who urged residents to stay home and said driving conditions will remain dangerous for the next day or two.

The Texas National Guard is prepared across the state to assist stranded motorists, clear roadways and provide welfare checks, Abbott added, and Texas Parks and Wildlife has at least 30 responders ready for search and rescue operations.

As for air travel, more than 1,400 US flights were canceled Wednesday, according to the tracking website FlightAware.

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CHEYENNE  Tensions were high among lawmakers late Monday night before the Senate Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Committee voted unanimously to reject a Defend the Guard bill.

Senate File 119 stated that the U.S. Constitution vests in the Congress the exclusive power to declare war. By abdicating the power to the executive branch, the United States Congress has failed to follow the United States Constitution and the intent of the founders.

The Defend the Guard Act aligns the governors authority to protect Wyomings National Guard and citizen soldiers from participating in undeclared wars with a purpose and clear language of the U.S. Constitution, said Sen. Bob Ide, R-Casper, the sponsor of the bill. Absent a congressional declaration of war, the governor shall withhold the National Guard troops in Wyoming from being released into federal service for the purposes of waging undeclared war.

He told lawmakers if there is some national interest in a foreign land that is worthy of sending uniformed men and women to go to defend, then it is worth our elected leaders putting their name on it with a declaration of war, and then to provide the full backing and support of the United States of America to ensure that we fight and win with a clearly defined victory.

Ide was joined by co-sponsors Sen. Lynn Hutchings, R-Cheyenne, and Rep. Ocean Andrew, R-Laramie. They were all questioned by veteran Sen. Brian Boner, R-Douglas, on the difference between an Authorization for Use of Military Force and a declaration of war, as the legal standing of troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria were brought into light.

We had fought a 20-year war that had become multigenerational. I believe many of us dont appreciate the gravity of the situation, and how endless war is not just on our national finances, but on our national soul, Andrew said. Senate File 119 would ensure that the Wyoming National Guard does not participate in open-ended and extra-legal conflicts like these.

Andrew debated with Boner on the substantive difference between declaring war on a country and sending military forces. Boner asked him if the Authorization for Use of Force in Iraq and Afghanistan wasnt legal, and as the conversation continued, Andrew said that it seemed self-explanatory to him, but maybe not to you.

Wyoming Military Department attorney Chris Smith represented the Guard, and said he was against the bill both as a retired member of the military and as a current representative of the Military Department. He said every action since Vietnam was under the law of the land, following the passage of the War Powers Act to create a methodology for Congress to authorize the use of military force. He noted there were other legal ways for the Guard to be mobilized.

Smith also recognized nearly all of the major weapons and equipment the Wyoming Guard are federally owned. He said the latest inventory revealed approximately $880 million worth of equipment is loaned out, spanning from Blackhawk helicopters to rocket systems.

He said the president can take it all away under the Uniformed Services Code, and $110 million annually comes into the state for the Wyoming Guard. Close to $35 million of that funding is for salaries.

Thirty-one states considered the Defend the Guard Act last year in 2022. None of those states passed it, Smith said. In my opinion, the reason for that this is not the kind of thing you want to be the first state to pass.

This is the third time a Defend the Guard bill has come before the Wyoming Legislature, and it has never been passed. But it didnt stop supporters from trying to push the bill through the committee.

Americans for Prosperity State Director Tyler Lindholm said the military was going to threaten to withhold money, and it was done the first time the bill was run in 2020. He asked committee members how much they were willing to trade Wyoming lives for money.

Lindholm brought the American founders history and the Constitution into his testimony, and also asked about the oath legislators swore to the state and the U.S. Constitution. He said it was the law of the land, and if they agreed, then they would stand with its stance on a declaration of war.

The lobbyist was followed by veterans who were in support of the bill, including Cody resident Tom Rullman.

For our elected officials to take office, they must swear to support and defend our nations constitution. They may say the words, but especially today, our elected officials in Washington knowingly violate our Constitution, he said. As our history shows, our elected officials in Washington have not only disregarded their constitutional responsibility to declare war when deploying our soldiers into combat, (they) have also disregarded many other elements of our Constitution, as well.

While committee members remained respectful as they heard testimony, all of them disagreed with the legislation in the end. Many said the fight was with the federal government, fear was being used as a tactic, and reputations were being impugned to argue that lawmakers didnt care about Guard members.

Sen. Stephan Pappas, R-Cheyenne, said as a former commander of the Wyoming Guard, he saw their action as an offense to the troops who served under him. He said they understood the sacrifice they would have to make, and that the Constitution does authorize a declaration of war, but it is not the only way to go into an armed conflict.

Boner said he could even get behind amending the War Powers Act of 1973, and may not necessarily support an Authorization for Use of Military Force that was as open-ended after 9/11  but he said the Defend the Guard effort was just a little too dishonest for him to get behind.

I support the military, my sons, my family, said Sen. John Kolb, R-Rock Springs, before he voted no. So, please, I will not stand by and have anything tarnished by what I do and why I do it. And I just want people to know that.
CHEYENNE  Rep. Art Washut, R-Casper, was the tie-breaking vote on Wednesday that pushed forward a sweeping abortion bill aimed at nixing rape and incest exemptions currently on the books and bullet-proofing an abortion ban against legal scrutiny.

But just before the roll call, Washut expressed some reservations about his aye vote, given some of the legal risks that passing the bill could possibly result in no abortion ban at all in the end.

I do have to worry that at some point in the future we may look back and say, I wish we hadnt done that, he said.

House Bill 152, Life is a Human Right Act, passed its first step to becoming law in a 5-4 vote on Wednesday.

Much of the trepidation that Washut and others who support banning abortion expressed about the bill comes from the risk that it may unravel any abortion ban in Wyoming.

The bill would repeal the abortion trigger ban thats already on the books in Wyoming. That abortion ban is currently being challenged in court for its constitutionality.

It appears clear that the Life is a Human Right Act was drafted in response to the arguments that have come up over the course of that litigation. The language of the bill attempts to bullet proof the legislation from potential future court challenges if it becomes law.

But some lawmakers still see major weaknesses in the bills constitutionality, perhaps even more than last years abortion ban. And that presents a major risk for those who want abortion to be illegal in Wyoming, since the Life is a Human Right Act would repeal the trigger ban thats already on the books.

I believe a yes vote on this is going to cost way more lives than a no vote, Buffalo Republican Rep. Barry Crago, who voted to pass the trigger abortion ban last year, said.

Were never going to sidestep the courts. Its not going to happen, said Crago, who is a lawyer himself. All were doing is pushing this down the road. There will be another injunction the second this passes, and were pushing that argument another year, maybe two, down the road, instead of just getting it decided.

And if anti-abortion advocates lose that argument, Crago said, then a constitutional amendment requiring a two-thirds vote from the Legislature would likely be needed to put in place an abortion ban.

Crago voted no on House Bill 152.

Rep. Ember Oakley, R-Riverton, another lawmaker on the committee who voted in favor of last years abortion trigger ban but who ended up voting against House Bill 152, raised much the same concern.

So were going to abandon this vehicle that works, that we already have, for one that I submit to you doesnt run as well? said Oakley, who is also a lawyer.

Literally thats what were doing. Get rid of the first one. Were going to take the ball and then go over here and play a different game. Were gonna lose that game.

The bills sponsor, Cody Republican Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, pushed back on concerns over the bills constitutionality.

Ive heard the word unconstitutional thrown around so frequently this session, it baffles me, she said, shaking her head. And honestly, I think it is being thrown around to fear monger. And the people of Wyoming are tired of being fear mongered.

The bill

The Life is a Human Right Act, has a long list of co-sponsors on both the House and Senate sides. (Rodriguez-Williams was also the sponsor of the abortion trigger ban that is currently being challenged in court for its constitutionality.) Its the most extensive and complex abortion bill up for consideration this session.

The 19-page bill aims to go even further than Wyomings trigger ban, preventing abortion in cases of incest or rape and allowing district attorneys and the Wyoming attorney general to sue abortion providers. It also seeks to skirt the authority of the judicial system by declaring that the Legislature can interpret the Wyoming Constitution alongside the courts.

The bill, if it makes it into law, would take effect in July.

The bill folds in a lot of what lawmakers have learned over the course of the ongoing lawsuit challenging Wyomings abortion trigger ban, which went into effect very briefly before a Teton County judge suspended its enforcement. For now, abortions remain legal in Wyoming.

The bill tries to answer questions from the court that have come up during that litigation. It clarifies exceptions and definitions that plaintiffs have argued were too ambiguous in the abortion trigger bill. The first section reads like a resolution, confirming the bringers interpretations of the Wyoming Constitution as it relates to abortion and explicitly laying out the intent of the bill, additions which could provide additional clout in a potential court case challenging the bills constitutionality. It also states that lawmakers have the right to intervene in court cases challenging any part of the bill, something which Rodriguez-Williams, as well as House Majority Floor Leader Chip Neiman, have unsuccessfully attempted to do in the current litigation over Wyomings abortion trigger ban.

The bill also creates a new definition of abortion, one thats modeled off of North Dakotas state statutes, said Fred Harrison, an attorney who represents Wyoming Right to Life, one of the attempted intervenors in the trigger abortion ban lawsuit and who helped lawmakers review House Bill 152.

It defines abortion as the act of using or prescribing any instrument, medicine, drug or any other substance, device or means with the intent to terminate the clinically diagnosable pregnancy of a woman. That includes the elimination of one or more fetuses in a multifetal pregnancy when termination by those means will likely cause the death of the unborn baby. Abortion wouldnt include using any medication or device to save a fetus, remove a fetus after spontaneous abortion or intrauterine fetal demise or treat an ectopic pregnancy.

Harrison said that some of the other language in the bill also comes from the Alliance Defending Freedom and the National Pro-Life Alliance, some of the nations biggest anti-abortion organizations. Rodriguez-Williams noted that other Wyoming attorneys, as well as boots on the ground pro-life advocates, were also involved in crafting the bill.







Separation of powers

Lawmakers, as part of the legislative branch of government, can voice their opinion on whether or not laws are constitutional when they vote for or against bills. Governors weigh in on that too with their veto power in the executive branch. But the judicial branch ultimately has final say over the constitutionality of laws.

Some were concerned that allowing lawmakers to intervene in court challenges against the bill might overstep that separation of powers between the different branches of government. Oakley said that provision of the bill sounds a heck of a lot like infringing on the judiciary.

Are we pushing legislatures and individual legislators role in a way thats a violation of separation of powers? she asked.

Rodriguez-Williams said, however, that the separation of powers isnt a concern to her as the bill is written, since the legislation wouldnt prevent the judicial branch from having the final say on constitutionality.

Pushing the bill is somewhat of a risk, since it repeals the abortion trigger ban thats already on the books. Crago said he had doubts about the legal fortitude of the proposed legislation and expressed worry that lawmakers would be setting themselves up for a legal failure right off the bat.

Ive been asking all these questions about the constitutionality of this particular bill not because I am pro-choice. Its the exact opposite. I want to make sure we have a law on the books that prohibits abortions, Crago said to Wyoming Family Alliance President Nathan Winters, a former legislator who spoke on Monday in support of the bill.

Winters assured Crago that those who drafted the bill consulted various anti-abortion organizations such as Americans United for Life and Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America to review the legislations legality.

This is an attempt really to take the arguments that have been lined out in that court case and try to answer them, he said of the bill.

Some lawmakers questioned why Rodriguez-Williams and the cosponsors of the bill were attempting to establish interpretations of the Wyoming Constitution through statute rather than directly trying to amend the constitution. Rodriguez-Williams said she didnt think it would be in the best interest of the majority of lawmakers within the body to sit on their hands when they could be in the business of saving lives.

Laramie Democrat Rep. Ken Chestek warned that the Constitution isnt something that the Legislature can overturn lightly.

We have no ability to overturn it through legislative action. This bill does that, Chestek said, adding that its obviously targeted at meddling with pending litigation.

Chestek voted against the bill.

Laramie Democrat Rep. Karlee Provenza, who adamantly argued against passing last years abortion trigger ban, said she was conflicted on the new abortion bill because she believes the bill to be so unconstitutional that the only parts that would survive legal scrutiny would be the ones that repeal the current abortion trigger ban.

Part of me wants to say, Vote for this so that you can ensure that women have the right to choose, Provenza said. (She voted no on the bill.)

Religious freedom

Some critics said the proposed legislation imposes one religious view on people at the detriment of others, the same argument that people have brought up in regards to the trigger ban.

The idea that I do not have bodily autonomy as a fundamental constitutional right is a religious belief again, proving that the bringers do not understand why their god is not in the Constitution, Greg Hunter, a Laramie resident and 2018 Democratic congressional candidate, said.

Your god is not in the Constitution because the founders had watched civilized societies tear themselves apart prior to our founding over whose religious authority is correct.

Nikki Kaufman, a Jewish woman, explained that Judaism doesnt share the belief that abortion begins at conception. The Talmud indicates that ancient rabbis saw the fetus as a part of, and fully dependent on, the mother through her pregnancy, and that life only begins once the fetus is born. Its the same point that one woman  Kathleen Dow, a practicing Jew  has argued as one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit challenging Wyomings abortion trigger ban.

I love and respect my Christian friends, my family members and even the people in this room, Kaufman said. I completely support your viewpoints. I would never tell them that their viewpoints on abortion are wrong when deciding what to do with their own pregnancy, with their own lives, and I hope that you would have the same respect to me.

But Winters, the Wyoming Family Alliance president, argued against the idea the right to life is really a religious perspective.

The right to life is so foundational that its deemed a truth that is self evident, he said, referencing the Declaration of Independence.

Going back again to the constitutionality of the bill, Crago, the Buffalo Republican, said the bills explicit reference to sections of the Wyoming Constitution that safeguard religious freedom could be grounds for it being deemed unconstitutional.

Although many of us up here are voting for this issue because of our religious beliefs, (that) cannot be tied to a particular bill, Crago said. And thats what were doing. Were tying religious beliefs to a bill, in the language of the bill explicitly.

Medical concerns

Though the bill is much more specific than the one that passed last year, some argued that it still has ambiguities that could make physicians hesitant to take action in situations where an abortion might be necessary to save the life of a mother.

In particular, Christine Lichtenfels, a director of Chelseas Fund, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit challenging the abortion ban thats already on the books, pointed out that allowing a physician to perform an abortion if their reasonable medical judgement tells them its necessary to save the life of the mother raises the same concerns of being less than clear, especially when there is a criminal penalty associated with it, as Wyomings current abortion trigger ban.

Yet others, like Dr. Rene Hinkle, a Cheyenne OB-GYN and plaintiff in the lawsuit challenging the abortion ban, questioned the Legislatures authority to declare that life begins at fertilization  which the bill does in its definitions section  when different religions and legal points of view disagree on that definition.

Youre making these statements from a Christian point of view, but not every person in this state is Christian, she argued. (Rep. Jeremy Haroldson, R-Wheatland, explicitly referenced scripture to argue that life begins in the womb.) Another plaintiff in the lawsuit challenging Wyomings abortion trigger ban, Dr. Giovannina Anthony, a Jackson OB-GYN, argued the same point, saying that people will never all agree on when life begins.

I think this is very clear from the back and forth occurring today. And in my view, it should not be legislated, she said.

The Legislature, in general this session, is trying to criminalize physicians, Hinkle, the Cheyenne OB-GYN, continued.

Doctors are gonna be afraid to treat pregnant patients who have complications. Weve seen it already, even though the ban is not in effect. We have transferred patients to Colorado because physicians are are afraid to get involved in a questionable situation where theyre using their best judgment, but theyre afraid somebodys going to question that.

It could also compromise the legality of at least one other medical procedure in Wyoming. Anthony explained that the bill would essentially make in-vitro fertilization services illegal in Wyoming, since the process requires embryos of genetic concern to be discarded.

This happens constantly and all the time in embryology labs, and no IVF provider would come to the state to practice with this law in place, she said.

Regardless of the arguments on either side, abortion will continue even with a ban in Wyoming. Those seeking the service can still travel to other states where it is legal if they have the resources to do so.

Women will continue to be going to places like Colorado, where they will take matters into their own hands, which is what we do not want to see. That was the dark times of 1973 and before, Wendy Volk, a Cheyenne resident who opposes the bill, said.

Social impacts

Volk also stressed other social impacts of putting in place House Bill 152, saying that banning abortion could discourage women from staying in Wyoming. She added that neither one of her two daughters want to come back to Wyoming.

This is a war on women. We should be encouraging our young women to make decisions. If they want to have a family, embrace that. If theyre not ready for a family, embrace that, she said.

I know my body. I know whats best for me. I dont think any of you can stand at my place and know exactly what that is.

Antonio Serrano, ACLU of Wyoming advocacy director, said that restricting abortion access impacts different demographics disproportionately, with potential consequences falling hardest on those who have low income, live in rural areas like most of the Wyoming and for people of color.

Others shared the negative consequences that abortion has had on their lives.

Cheyenne resident Gary Brown said that when he was in his 30s, his second wife got pregnant twice and got an abortion both times against his wishes.

I had two of my children deprived from me, he said near tears, adding that the fathers are always left out of this.

Lilia Olejnik, a Cheyenne resident, said her sisters experience of having an abortion destroyed her life.

Shes now in her 50s, and she continues to grieve the loss of what she did with her baby. And it didnt help her like a lot of people claim to say helps women. It didnt help her at all. It destroyed her soul.

Olejnik specifically addressed the deletion of the exemption for cases of rape, saying that its not okay to punish a child for the sins of the father.

I certainly would not want to be held accountable for the sins of my father, she said.

House Bill 152 still needs to go through several votes in the House and Senate before it can become law.

PHOTOS: Abortion in Wyoming Pro-choice protest Abortions rights protest Abortion-rights protesters The Women's Health Center and Family Care Clinic of Jackson Pro-life Protest Pro-life Protest Abortion-rights protest Abortion-rights protest Abortion-rights protest Abortion clinic fire Abortion-rights protest Abortion-rights protest Pro-life Protest Pro-life Protest Pro-life Protest Pro-life Protest Pro-life Protest
CHEYENNE  Wyoming voters have said theyre worried about election integrity. The Legislature has responded with a slew of bills aimed to address those concerns.

Three bills aimed to address election regulation and security passed their first reading Tuesday in the Legislature, with more to come and more having already cleared that first hurdle.

Voter identification limitations

House Bill 156, sponsored by freshman lawmaker Rep. Tony Locke, R-Casper, would bar Wyomingites from using identification thats expired when they go to the polls to vote. It would also strike from current state statute student identification as an acceptable type of identification for voting. It has six cosponsors.

The bill passed the House Transportation Committee on Tuesday in a 8-1 vote, with chairman Rep. Landen Brown, R-Cheyenne, voting no.

In 2021, the Legislature passed a voter identification law that upped identification requirements and specified what kind of identification is acceptable for use at a polling place. Locke said this new bill is meant to clean up loose ends and close reasonable and meaningful gaps that current laws dont cover.

But Platte County Clerk Malcom Ervin said that changing voter identification requirements doesnt really get at the roots of those concerns, since identification is only used to verify that the voter is who they say they are, not to check if theyre even qualified to vote in Wyoming in the first place. That, he said, should be addressed through voter registration rather than voter identification.

He also said he was concerned the bill would result in voter identification requirements being stricter than registration requirements, a situation that he said will inevitably lead to voter confusion and frustration.

Marguerite Herman, a lobbyist for the League of Women Voters of Wyoming, said the league opposes the bill because it seems to impose an additional restriction without a benefit.

If youre going to restrict access to the ballot box in any way, there should be a concomitant benefit addressing a problem, easing something, and there doesnt seem to be anything here, she said.

Lawmakers ended up amending out pretty substantial chunks of the bill as it was originally written.

Before they changed it, the bill would have also made Medicare and Medicaid identification cards unacceptable forms of identification for the purpose of voting, and required identification to have a photograph of the voter. But lawmakers struck that part of the bill since these types of identification were originally included as an outlet for seniors who dont carry a drivers license anymore. The photograph requirement was then moot because Medicare and Medicaid identification doesnt include a photograph.

They also amended out the section of the bill that would have required voters to provide documents showing their residence if their identification didnt include their current Wyoming address; some people, for example seniors who maybe live with family members, might not have mail or other documents that include their current Wyoming address.

But in terms of expired identification, Jenn Lowe, Equality State Policy Center executive director, pointed out that notaries, who are certified through the Secretary of States Office, are allowed to accept identification thats expired up to three years, a situation that Brown brought up later as Secretary of State Chuck Gray explained his support of Lockes bill.

I think wed want to look at improving that other situation, Gray said regarding notaries ability to use expired identification. I think with the heightened scrutiny on elections, probably that came to the forefront, so thats why were talking about it here. But I appreciate you bringing that up. I think we should really lean against expired IDs.

There are also bills moving through the Legislature that would make conceal carry permits acceptable forms of identification for voting.

Election security

Senate File 153, sponsored by Sen. Brian Boner, R-Douglas, a member of the Senate Corporations Committee, would codify election security measures that Wyoming already practices and mandate ballot audits for statewide races. The bill has nine cosponsors. It passed its first reading in the Senate Corporations Committee on Tuesday in a unanimous vote.

Though he has no doubts that Wyomings elections are secure and accurate, Boner said during the Senate Corporations Committee meeting on Tuesday that hes bringing the bill because there are a lot of perceptions out there that maybe theres some improvements that can be made to Wyoming elections.

Boner said the bill has been closely worked with county clerks. Mary Lankford, a lobbyist for the County Clerks Association of Wyoming, said the association supports the bill.

The biggest change outlined in the bill would shorten Wyomings early voting period from 45 days to 28 days. (Voter with rights under the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act would still have a 45-day early voting period.)

I know that many of my constituents, especially in the ranching community, depend upon absentee voting to vote, so I dont want to make it too stringent, but I think that will go a long way in addressing some of the concerns as well, Boner said.

No one spoke in opposition to that change at the meeting. Lankford said the average period for early voting across the country is actually 23 days. So 28 is something that seems to make sense, she said.

It would also put in place routine post-election ballot audits.

The whole goal of this ballot audit is to identify any potential issues and fix them before the canvassing board, Boner said. (The canvassing board certifies the results of elections.)

The audit wouldnt account for every ballot. Rather, it would review just a certain percentage of ballots to see if there are any problems before the unofficial election results are certified by the canvassing board. That number of ballots that are audited would be based on how close the race is, Boner said: the closer the race, the more you audit.

Boner said he decided not to take the route of requiring all ballots to be audited because of time considerations.

Theres a balance between doing the audit and getting it done in a time frame that is meaningful, Boner said.

The bill would also codify the mandatory use of an air gap for every electronic voting system used in Wyoming.

An air gap, as defined in the bill, is a security measure where electronic voting systems are physically isolated from any network and disconnected from the internet or any other system, network or device that is connected to the internet.

Boner said use of an air gap is already current practice. The bill just seeks to codify the practice into state statute.

It would also require that ballots be transported in a locked container by an election judge or law enforcement officer and sets aside $100,000 from Wyomings general fund to pay for ongoing professional development for county clerks on election administration and security through December 2024.

(The county clerks) take their job seriously, and so lets go ahead and give them some extra funds to continue that professional development, Boner said.

Another bill, sponsored by Sen. Lynn Hutchings, R-Cheyenne, would restrict people from sending voters absentee ballot request forms under the guise that theyre from an official source, like the county clerk or the Secretary of States Office. Senate File 131, which has six cosponsors, also passed the Senate Corporations Committee on Tuesday.

If we send out a document, gentleman, that gives the appearance of being official, no matter whos sending it out, theres a little deception in there, Hutchings explained before the committee on Tuesday. In this era of people wondering about voter integrity, this is where this bill comes into play.

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PHOTOS: Casper voters head to the polls Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes Casper votes
Telecoms provider Flow will increase prices next month.

In a notice to its customers on Wednesday, Flow said the 3.5-per cent increase in its Internet and cable packages will come into effect on May 1.

Another notice was sent to customers with multiple cable boxes via e-mail on Wednesday.
 Flash

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Wednesday once again urged Japan to respond to the legitimate concerns of all relevant parties and dispose of its nuclear-contaminated water in a scientific, open, transparent and safe manner.

According to media reports, the technical task force of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) visited Japan from Jan. 16 to 20 to review the country's plan to pipe nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station into the Pacific Ocean, and a report will be published within three months. However, the Japanese government unilaterally announced on Jan. 13 that it would discharge the nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean in the spring or summer this year.

In response to a related query, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a daily news briefing that China is paying close attention to Japan's disposal of the nuclear-contaminated water, and supports the IAEA and its technical task force in conducting the review and evaluation of this issue.

"We hope that the technical task force will uphold the principles of objectivity, fairness and science, implement the agency's nuclear safety standards strictly, and ensure the absolute safety of the disposal of the nuclear-contaminated water. We look forward to the review report from the technical task force and will study it carefully," she said.

There is no precedent for Japan's discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean, and this discharge process will continue for as long as 30 years. To date, the Japanese side has not provided sufficient scientific or factual basis for this, and has not resolved the international community's concerns about the legitimacy of its nuclear-contaminated water discharge plan, the reliability of its data, the effectiveness of its purification devices, and the uncertainty of the potential environmental impact, Mao stressed.

China has noted with concern that the Japanese side officially approved the plan to discharge the nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean last July, when the IAEA technical task force was still reviewing and evaluating it. Not long ago, on the eve of the IAEA's visit to Japan, Japan unilaterally announced that it would discharge the nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean during the spring or summer this year, Mao said.

Such reckless behavior raises questions about whether Japan values the authority of the IAEA and its technical task force. Is Japan determined to proceed with its unilateral discharge plan regardless of the outcome of the assessment? It is necessary for Japan to give responsible answers to these questions, she said.

China once again urges Japan to respond to the legitimate concerns of all relevant parties, dispose of the nuclear-contaminated water in a scientific, open, transparent and safe manner, consent to strict supervision, and earnestly protect the marine environment, health rights and interests of people of all countries, Mao said.

"Without full consultation with neighboring countries and other stakeholders, as well as with relevant international institutions, Japan should not start the discharge process arbitrarily," she added.
NATIONAL Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds said the Government has no intention of calling a state of emergency in response to the escalation of crime, especially murders in Trinidad and Tobago.

And he also put to rest calls for him to devise a crime plan, saying it is not his job.
The Government needs to promote discussion and engage the public more on initiatives that have major implications for the people and society of Trinidad and Tobago.

One example is the current push towards a cashless society in a world touted as one of financial inclusion. This initiative is being led by the Trinidad and Tobago International Financial Centre (TTIFC), which heads the Governments digitalisation initiatives in the financial services sector, and Visa, one of the worlds biggest names in digital payments.
Border agents probably didnt expect the human-smuggling suspect to jump on his horses back when they asked him to take the animal out of a trailer so they could search it.

Agents at a Border Patrol checkpoint around Three Points, about 25 miles southwest of Tucson, pulled over Gustavo Martinez-Sanchez, a 35-year-old U.S. citizen, after a canine alerted agents on Saturday, Jan. 28, according to a court document.

Agents had already been notified about the 2012 Dodge Ram containing bundles of hay and towing a horse trailer. Surveillance technology had seen the truck loaded with hay turn onto La Osa Ranch Road in Sasabe and come out 40 minutes later with the hay bales still intact, says the document, filed in federal court in Tucson on Monday.

The following account of the incident is alleged in the court record:

Martinez, who said he lives in Willcox, told the agents he was coming from a ranch in Sasabe but didnt know the ranchs name.

The trailer he was pulling had hay bundles filling the front half and a horse in the back half. Agents asked Martinez to take the horse out so they could inspect the bundles. He agreed and while unloading the horse, he jumped on its back and began to flee. There was a short pursuit, and agents caught up to Martinez and apprehended him.

Agents took the hay out of the trailer and found four people hidden in a compartment underneath. They found three more people in a concealed compartment under hay bales in the back of the truck. The seven people were all undocumented.

Martinez told officials he had successfully smuggled people before, the court record says. In this case, he said someone was paying him $2,700 per person to pick up seven undocumented people in Sasabe.

He was in contact through WhatsApp with someone who gave him directions where to go, he said. He had picked up the seven people at Rancho de la Osa and hid them in the vehicle before going through the checkpoint. He had instructions to take three people to Tucson and four to Phoenix.

Officials arrested Martinez on suspicion of transporting undocumented people for profit.

After the incident, at least two of the migrants were charged with the crime of re-entry into the U.S. after being removed at least once before, the court record says.

A majority of cases filed in Tucsons federal court are on human smuggling charges and re-entry charges. The day the complaint against Martinez was filed there were at about five cases related to human smuggling and 23 re-entry cases filed.
Tucson-based Raytheon Missiles & Defense is moving into new office space at the University of Arizonas Tech Park at the Bridges on the citys south side.

Raytheon plans to move this fall into 14,000 square feet of office space at The Refinery, a four-story building at the 65-acre tech park at The Bridges, a 350-acre, multi-use development near East 36th Street and South Kino Parkway.

The company  a major provider of front-line missiles and other defense systems for the U.S. and allied nations  is Tucsons biggest employer with more than 13,000 workers at its main manufacturing campus at Tucson International Airport, a major facility at the UA Tech Park on South Rita Road and some smaller local offices.

Opened in early 2022 with 120,000 square feet of Class A office space, The Refinery already houses UA agencies including Tech Launch Arizona and the UA Applied Research Corp., a nonprofit set up to handle defense and security projects.

Raytheon will be the first corporate tenant at The Refinery, which was designed as a collaborative space with half devoted to the UA and the other half earmarked for industry tenants.

Raytheon is a major employer of UA graduates and also is one of the largest tenants at the UA Tech Park at Rita Road since establishing operations there in 1993.

The Refinery provides us the much-needed space where we can continue to collaborate with our university partners and government agencies to develop next-generation technology, Wes Kremer, president of Raytheon Missiles & Defense, said in prepared remarks.

It will also help us continue to develop the local workforce for future careers in aerospace and enable us to expand our research due to the proximity to the University of Arizonas engineering facilities, Kremer said.

A leader in optical sciences, in recent years the UA has upped its game in aerospace engineering with a major expansion of its wind-tunnel labs to meet a growing demand from Raytheon and government researchers to develop hypersonic weapons to meet emerging global threats from Russia and China.

Raytheon hires a record number of UA graduates at all skill levels, with an emphasis on engineering and other higher-wage, technical positions, and has a strong internship program with the UA, the school said.

Raytheons commitment to The Refinery is an extension of the robust relationship with the University of Arizona, said Carol Stewart, vice president for Tech Parks Arizona. We purposefully built the UA Tech Park to facilitate university-industry interaction and create a sandbox for new technology advancement and economic prosperity.
A Pima County Sheriffs Department sergeant accused of sexually assaulting a co-worker during a house party in December was officially fired from the department on Tuesday.

Earlier this month, Ricardo Garcia was arrested on suspicion of one count of sexual assault. His arrest stemmed from an alleged incident that happened at a house party Garcia held in December for members of the school resource unit he led, Sheriff Chris Nanos told the Star in a previous interview.

The department launched its criminal investigation on Dec. 18 and Garcia was placed on administrative leave with pay.

Since then, lab reports were received and adding further evidence to the case. As a result, the Sheriffs Department moved to terminate Garcia.

The case is being handled by the Santa Cruz County Attorneys Office.
 Flash

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message of condolences to his Pakistani counterpart, Arif Alvi, on Wednesday over the severe terrorist attack in the country's northwestern city of Peshawar.

In his message, Xi said that upon learning of the severe terrorist attack, which has caused heavy casualties, in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, he would like to express deep condolences over the fatalities and offer sincere sympathies to the injured and the bereaved families on behalf of the Chinese government and people.

Rescuers and security personnel inspect the blast site in northwest Pakistan's Peshawar on Jan. 31, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

China opposes any kind of terrorism and strongly condemns the incident, Xi stressed, adding that China will continue to firmly support Pakistan's efforts in pushing forward its national counter terrorism action plan, safeguarding social stability and protecting people's safety.

Xi said China stands ready to advance anti-terrorism cooperation with Pakistan, and work together to maintain peace and security in the region as well as the world at large.

Also on Wednesday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang sent a message of condolences to Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
Tucson Unified School District officials continued investigating Tuesday but refused to disclose information about a cybersecurity incident that caused an outage of the districts internet and network services Monday morning.

But Margaret Chaney, president of the Tucson Education Association, said teachers were notified Monday evening that internet and network access would likely not be restored on Tuesday.

She said she believes some of the employee information stored in the districts network includes phone numbers, addresses, Social Security numbers, and certification and disciplinary records. She added that more sensitive material, like student medical records, are likely stored in different servers.

Im not so concerned about that because I know that the district is well aware of the issues that are ongoing with that ... and theyre doing whatever they can to keep that safe, Im sure, Chaney said.

TUSD administrators declined to respond to questions about the nature of the incident and whether student or employee data was breached. The district also declined to answer a question about the kind of data stored in its network services.

District leaders sent parents an email Monday evening stating classes would continue on regular schedules Tuesday, but administrators would not confirm whether the services were still down on Tuesday.

At this time there are no new updates, Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo told the Arizona Daily Star in an emailed statement Tuesday. For the moment under the direction of legal counsel, we are unable to comment further.

We hope to have a more detailed update for the public and the media, inclusive of the information your questions seek, very soon, Trujillo said in his emailed statement.

The Tucson Police Department confirmed it was assisting in the investigation but referred all questions to TUSD.

Lower student attendance

Chaney said the lack of internet and network access resulted in lower student attendance in some sites and some teachers adjusting their Tuesday lesson plans to manage without certain resources and programs.

Unfortunately, I do believe that a lot of the resources are now all online and so that creates some barriers here and there, I think, for certain subjects, she said, noting that substitute teachers would likely have a more difficult time delivering lesson plans without the access to the online resources that teachers leave for them.

But, she said teachers are resourceful and creative, and would be able to adjust their classroom activities as the district works on resolving the issue.

Royal ransomware image, demand

On Monday, some TUSD students were circulating a photo on social media of a message that schools throughout the district allegedly received through school printers. The message in the photo stated the districts systems were hit by Royal ransomware.

Royal, according to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), is a ransomware variant that is being used by cybercriminals to conduct ransomware attacks against multiple sectors and organizations worldwide.

Once the attackers hack into the victims network, ACSC states, they encrypt the victims data, lock the network in an unusable format, and demand a ransom to return access to the sensitive files.

ACSC says Royal ransomware was first detected in September 2022 and is likely associated with Russian-speaking criminals. It adds that Royal has targeted critical Australian infrastructures, including an educational institution in 2022.

Royal, according to ACSC, communicates with its victims by sending a ransom note to printers in the victims network and storing a file in place of all files that have been encrypted in that network. This note then informs the victims how to communicate with Royal to deliver ransom.

The message in the photo circulating on social media after the TUSD incident stated network data had been encrypted and copied and could be published online for anyone to see.

To prevent that from happening, the note states, the victim can pay a modest royalty to have Royal decrypt the files, restore the data and keep the information confidential.
Tucson Unified School District administration said it is taking essential steps to secure our network and ensure confidential information remains safe.

The written statement, issued Tuesday night, was the districts first substantial comment about a data security incident since reporting it Monday morning. The statement did not directly answer questions posed to TUSD on whether any personal information about the districts more than 42,000 students and 7,000-plus employees was compromised.

TUSD officials have declined to answer any questions about the incident, including the kind of data stored in the districts network services. Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo cited direction from lawyers as the reason for not commenting further as the investigation continues.

Here is the Tuesday night statement, unsigned by any administrator in particular, in its entirety:

Protecting the security and privacy of personal information is of the utmost importance to Tucson Unified School District.

Early Monday morning we experienced a data security incident, which impacted some of our systems. Upon learning of the issue, we immediately commenced an investigation and began working with national external cybersecurity experts who regularly analyze these types of incidents. The forensic investigation is in its early stages and is ongoing. We appreciate the patience of our community as we take essential steps to secure our network and ensure confidential information remains safe.

TUSD schools are fully functioning and students have access to the tools they need to continue their learning and stay on track. We greatly appreciate our staff working with us to develop alternative learning plans and using hotspots, as needed until the systems are fully restored.

Tucson Unified School District is taking this matter very seriously and continues to take significant measures to protect the information that we maintain. We apologize for the inconvenience; we will provide updates as the investigation and restoration process continues. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to get all systems back to normal.

Thank you. TUSD Leadership

Margaret Chaney, president of the Tucson Education Association, said earlier Tuesday she believes some of the employee information stored in the districts network includes phone numbers, addresses, Social Security numbers, and certification and disciplinary records. She added that more sensitive material, like student medical records, is likely stored in different servers.

Im not so concerned about that because I know that the district is well aware of the issues that are ongoing with that ... and theyre doing whatever they can to keep that safe, Im sure, Chaney said.

Some TUSD students were circulating a photo on social media of a message that schools throughout the district allegedly received Monday through school printers. The message in the photo stated the districts systems were hit by Royal ransomware.

Royal, according to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), is a ransomware variant that is being used by cybercriminals to conduct ransomware attacks against multiple sectors and organizations worldwide.

Once the attackers hack into the victims network, ACSC states, they encrypt the victims data, lock the network in an unusable format, and demand a ransom to return access to the sensitive files.
PHOENIX  Arizona lawmakers voted Wednesday to make it a lot harder to find out where they live.

They said threats they face made that necessary.

Without dissent, the Senate Government Committee approved a measure that would allow, but not require, all state and federal lawmakers and all statewide elected officials to ask a court to prohibit the general public from accessing their home address, home phone number, personal photograph or photos of their home or vehicle.

Once the request was made and approved, a judge would direct that all this information be excised from publicly available documents, ranging from voter files to records maintained by the county recorder, assessor and treasurer, as well as anything maintained by the state Department of Transportation.

Sen. T.J. Shope, R-Coolidge, who wrote the measure, SB 1061, said its one thing for those who seek public office to make themselves accessible to constituents. But Shope got married and said that changes everything.

Your family didnt sign up for this, he said.

Shope said he has been the target of the Patriot Movement, with members of the right-wing group showing up, armed, outside his home.

One of these days, somebody is going to be injured and somebodys going to be hurt in one of these incidents, especially as volatile as these incidents seem to be, he said.

Huge upheaval in our lives

He was not alone.

I had a gentleman come to my house, knock on my door, and then threaten me with all kinds of racist words, said Sen. Justine Wadsack, a Tucson Republican.

Ive had my home surrounded at one in the morning by people in black outfits, goggles, helmets and hoodies lighting off professional fireworks around my house, she said. And the police just dont show up fast enough.

Sen. David Farnsworth, R-Mesa, said there was a detailed, threatening letter left at his house.

He told colleagues that if he had found it, it would not have been a big deal. However, my wife found it, Farnsworth said. And it caused a huge upheaval in our lives for a couple of weeks.

Sen. Juan Mendez, D-Tempe, agreed to support the measure. I definitely dont want to see anybody getting hurt, he said.

I definitely get these threats all the time, too, Mendez continued, saying he and his wife, state Rep. Athena Salman, have had to install a security system and cameras. Its a little peace of mind but it still doesnt make things any easier.

People act on our words

But Mendez said lawmakers and elected officials need to look inward to determine how things got this bad in the first place. And that includes considering the rhetoric that sometimes comes out of the Capitol.

We have to make sure we are doing our responsibility to make sure we are not lathering up our constituents into a frenzy, he said. We have to remember that people act on our words. And this is not happening in a bubble.

Nothing in SB 1061 would prevent someone from using other sources to find  and even publish  the personal information.

I know that with the internet everything is routinely available, Shope said. But should it just be so available that all you have to do is a cursory Google search and, boom, there it is? he asked colleagues. I think we would all agree it should be a little bit more difficult than that.

Bill to be amended

There are some flaws in the current version of the bill.

One goes to the fact that legislative candidates must live in the district they seek to represent.

Under current law, a candidates claim of residency is accepted as fact by the Secretary of States Office. It is up to political foes or others to mount any legal challenge.

Shope conceded that becomes difficult, if not impossible, if the candidates claimed address is not public.

He proposes to amend the measure when it goes to the full Senate to require employees at the Secretary of States Office to verify a candidates purported address. Shope acknowledged that will come at a cost.

He also said the law does not take into consideration ranchers whose business address  which the legislation does not shield  also is a home address. He said he is unsure how to deal with that.

And then theres the problem caused by the fact Shope is piggy-backing his protections for elected officials on an existing law about confidential addresses for judges, police officers, prosecutors, child protective services workers and others as the model.

That law predates  and makes no mention of  cell phones. In fact, it lists pager numbers among the items that can be kept confidential.

Also, SB 1061 does not extend to local elected officials, even as there have been threats against some county supervisors and others following the 2022 election. Shope said he is weighing whether to alter the measure to extend the same protections to them.
All Colorado River Basin states but California are proposing new cuts of nearly 2 million acre-feet of water use annually in an effort to prop up the declining river and its reservoirs.

The proposal faces opposition from California, which controls the largest share of the rivers water among the seven basin states. Because of that, its fate is highly uncertain.

The bureau will ultimately decide how much river water use is cut, although federal courts could overturn that decision in the event of litigation.

The six states including Arizona released their proposal Monday, which calls for saving 3.368 million acre-feet a year. About 40% of that represents savings the states already agreed to accomplish under two past agreements. One was a 2007 set of operating guidelines for the rivers reservoirs. The other was a 2019 drought contingency plan.

The proposal would reduce Arizonas share of total Colorado River supplies by about 55%, from its 2.8 million acre-foot allocation. How much the reduction would fall upon the 336-mile-long Central Arizona Project canal serving drinking water to Tucson and Phoenix isnt spelled out.

This comes after months of fruitless efforts among all seven basin states to reach a consensus proposal  efforts carried out in countless meetings as recent as Thursday and Friday.

On Tuesday, Chairman J.B. Hamby of the Colorado River Board of California released a statement saying California-based water agencies will submit their own proposed modeling effort involving water use reductions based on what is practical, voluntary and achievable through 2026 in a way that works within the existing body of laws, compacts, decrees and agreements known collectively as the Law of the River.

At this time, the modeling proposal submitted by the six other basin states is inconsistent with the Law of the River and does not form a seven-state consensus approach, he said.

Some cuts tied to lake levels

Like past measures, the six-state proposal ties some water cuts to levels at Lake Mead, with cuts increasing as the reservoir declines. The new proposal also speeds up the timing of cuts, having some kick in at higher elevations of the lakes water level than before.

Most savings would be felt across the board, at Lake Mead levels from as high as 1,090 feet to as low as 1,000 feet. Mead stood at 1,046 feet Tuesday morning.

Those savings would result partially from the federal government accounting for, for the first time, how much water is lost to evaporation and other forces, and splitting the losses among the Lower River Basin states of Arizona, California and Nevada, plus Mexico.

The bureau, which is under the Interior Department, will consider this proposal as it prepares a draft supplementary environmental impact statement for the river by April and makes a final decision and releases a final impact statement by August.

The proposal advocates keeping Lake Mead at least at 1,000 feet high and Lake Powell at least at 3,500 feet. Those elevations are 50 feet and 10 feet, respectively, above the levels below which Hoover and Glen Canyon dams cant generate electricity -- 950 and 3,490 feet respectively.

At dead pool levels of 895 feet at Mead and 3,370 feet at Powell, the reservoirs couldnt release any of the water stored in the reservoirs, thereby shutting off supplies to Arizona and Southern California cities and huge farming operations in Yuma and the Southern California desert.

Lake Powell and Lake Mead cannot be further diminished without unacceptable impacts to the Colorado River system ... any preferred alternative must be sufficiently certain that system storage is maintained without reliance on remote or speculative action by third parties, the proposal said.

Excellent proposal or not enough

The new savings would total 1.993 million acre-feet a year. Thats just below the low end of the 2 million to 4 million acre-feet of new reductions Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton testified last June in Congress that she wants from the states.

Still, John Fleck, a University of New Mexico-based water researcher, said, I think this is an excellent proposal; it goes a long way toward dealing with the near term crisis. These are big cuts.

The fact that you have broad support across much of the basin is a big step forward, said Fleck. But without California, the biggest and most populous state, on board, you face the risk of litigation.

The Upper River Basin states are Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

Comments by David Wegner, a retired Reclamation engineer, and Kyle Roerink, a Nevada environmentalist, were less favorable.

The six states have circled the wagons. Theyve given Interior a path in respect to an alternative theyd like to see considered, said Wegner, a National Academy of Sciences board member. What they dont give, in my estimation, is what Interior wanted: a plan to reduce use by (up to) 4 million acre-feet.

Now the ball is in Interiors court. Theyll ask, Is this enough to move forward for us? Or do we need more concrete actions to be taken today to reduce demand and put more water in the reservoirs? I think they are going to come back and say its not enough, Wegner said.

The proposal leaves uncertainty about what happens next, said Kyle Roerink, of the Nevada- and Utah-based Great Basin Water Network. This is the bare minimum. This does not put us in the clear for the long run.

This is a set of proposals from the very people who have helped contribute to the systems crash over the years. Its like the doctor convicted of malpractice saying Ive got the cure, Roerink said.

But Colorado State University water researcher Brad Udall said hes pleased that a proposal was even made, because I didnt expect them to have a proposal.

Udall said hed like to see a proposal with bigger savings, however, achieved at higher lake levels than called for by the six states.

People still want to run the system as close to the edge as they can, Udall said. I think you need to do those cutbacks sooner rather than later.

Sharing evaporation losses

The biggest disagreement likely to occur between the other states and California involves the proposals allocation of most new cuts to evaporation and other losses  and sticking California with by far the largest share.

The Southern Nevada Water Authority estimates the river sheds about 1.5 million acre-feet a year to evaporation and other system losses such as seepage in irrigation canals in the Lower Basin.

The proposal would require California to forfeit 810,000 acre-feet a year of that  more than Arizona and Mexico combined.

California officials say evaporation losses should be divided among states by priority of use. That would slash or end all deliveries to CAP. California has a far higher legal priority to river water than does CAP. CAP serves water to the Tucson and Phoenix areas, including all of Tucsons drinking water.

The overarching issue is that the other basin states are trying to suggest the river be operated outside of the bounds of the Law of the River and the priority system that is within the Law of the River, said Bart Fisher, a Colorado River Board of California member. There are a lot of people who have painted a target on California because were the biggest user of water.

Arizona officials say Californias proposed cuts are unfair because the priorities to river water were devised more than five decades ago, long before the climate crisis slashed river flows dramatically.
HARRISBURG, Pa.  Republican lawmakers who have spread election conspiracy theories and falsely claimed that the 2020 presidential outcome was rigged are overseeing legislative committees charged with setting election policy in two major political battleground states.

Divided government in Pennsylvania and Arizona means that any voting restrictions those GOP legislators propose is likely to fail. Even so, the high-profile appointments give the lawmakers a platform to cast further doubt on the integrity of elections in states that will be pivotal in selecting the next president in 2024.

Awarding such plum positions to lawmakers who have repeated conspiracies and spread misinformation cuts against more than two years of evidence showing there were no widespread problems or fraud in the last presidential election. It also would appear to run counter to the message delivered in the November midterm elections, when voters rejected election-denying candidates running for top offices in presidential battleground states.

At the same time, many mainstream Republicans are trying to move past the lies told by former President Donald Trump and his allies about his loss to President Joe Biden.

It is an issue that many Americans and many Pennsylvanians are tired of seeing litigated and relitigated over and over," said Pennsylvania state Sen. Amanda Cappalletti, the ranking Democrat on the Senate committee that handles election legislation. "I think were all ready to move on, and we see from audit after audit that our elections are secure, they are fair and that peoples votes are being counted.

Multiple reviews and audits in the six battleground states where Trump disputed his loss, as well as dozens of court rejections and repeated admonishments from officials in his own administration, have underscored that the 2020 presidential results were accurate. There was no widespread fraud or manipulation of voting machines that would have altered the result.

The legislative appointments in Pennsylvania and Arizona highlight the divide between the two major parties over election law. Already this year, Democratic-controlled legislatures are moving to expand access to voting and heighten penalties for intimidating voters and election workers, while many Republican-led states are aiming to pass further restrictions, a trend that accelerated after Trump's false claims about the 2020 election.

Democratic governors and legislative victories last fall will blunt the influence of Republicans who took steps or pushed rhetoric seeking to overturn the 2020 election.

But in Arizona and Pennsylvania, two lawmakers who dismiss the validity of that election  not to mention other elections since then  will have key positions of influence as the majority chairs of legislative committees that oversee election legislation.

In Arizona, Republican Sen. Wendy Rogers takes over the Senate Elections Committee after being appointed by an ally, Senate President Warren Petersen. He was one of two lawmakers who signed subpoenas that led to Senate Republicans widely derided audit of the 2020 election.

Rogers, who has gained a national following for spreading conspiracy theories and questioning elections, has faced repeated ethics charges for her inflammatory rhetoric, support for white supremacists and conspiracy-filled social media posts.

She now will be a main gatekeeper for election and voting bills in Arizona, where election changes are a top priority for some Republican lawmakers. Some want to eliminate voting by mail and early voting options that are used by more than 80% of the states voters.

She has scheduled a committee meeting for Monday to consider bills that would ban unmonitored drop boxes, prohibit drive-through voting or ballot pickup and impose what voting-rights advocates say are additional burdens on early voting.

In Pennsylvania, Republican Sen. Cris Dush takes over as chair of the Senate State Government Committee after pushing to block the state's electoral votes from going to Biden in 2020. Dush also mounted an election investigation that he hoped would use the Arizona-style audit as a model.

He was appointed by the Senate's ranking Republican, President Pro Tem Kim Ward, whose office explained Dush's appointment only by saying that seniority plays a role and that members have priority requests.

In the first weeks of this year's session, Dush has moved along measures to expand voter identification requirements and add a layer of post-election audits. Both are proposed constitutional amendments designed to bypass a governor's veto by going to voters for approval.

Dush said he also plans to develop legislation to require more security measures for drop boxes and ballots.

Im going to make a promise to the people of Pennsylvania: The things that Im doing here as chair of State Government, its going to be things that will be conducted in a fair, impartial manner, Dush said in an interview. You know, weve just got to make sure that we can ensure the integrity of the vote and people arent disenfranchised.

Arizona and Pennsylvania have newly elected Democratic governors who presumably would veto hard-line GOP bills opposed by Democrats.

Still, Democrats, county election officials and voting-rights advocates in both states want changes to election laws that, with Dush and Rogers in place, may never see the light of day.

Alex Gulotta, the Arizona director for the voting rights group All Voting is Local, said he anticipates the Legislature there will pass a lot of bad elections bills. He said moderate Republican lawmakers who might have voted down problematic measures under a Republican governor now might let them pass because they know Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs will likely veto them.

This is performative, Gulotta said. This isnt substantive.

The question, he said, is whether Rogers and other Arizona lawmakers can cooperate on small fixes where there is consensus. That, he said, will take real statesmanship.
SANTA FE, N.M.  Actor Alec Baldwin and a weapons specialist have been formally charged with involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on a New Mexico movie set, according to court documents filed by prosecutors Tuesday.

Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies filed the charging documents naming Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who supervised weapons on the set of the Western "Rust."

The filing comes nearly two weeks after she first announced that Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed would be prosecuted for what authorities described as a pattern of criminal disregard for safety. In recent weeks, Carmack-Altwies outlined two sets of involuntary manslaughter charges in the shooting.

Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed maintain their innocence and vowed to fight the charges.

Baldwin's attorney Luke Nikas declined comment Tuesday and referred to his previous statement on the case, in which he called the charges a "terrible miscarriage of justice" that he and his client would fight and win.

"Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun  or anywhere on the movie set," the statement said. "He relied on the professionals with whom he worked."

Gutierrez-Reed's attorney said they would release a statement later.

Halyna Hutchins died shortly after being wounded during rehearsals at a ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe on Oct. 21, 2021. Baldwin was pointing a pistol at Hutchins when the gun went off, killing her and wounding the director, Joel Souza.

Prosecutors have said that Baldwin's involvement as a producer and as the person who fired the gun weighed in the decision to file charges.

The manslaughter charge against Baldwin includes alternative standards and sanctions. One would apply a charge of manslaughter for reckless disregard of safety "without due caution and circumspection."

Hutchins' death led to new safety precautions in the film industry.

Carmack-Altwies told The Associated Press in a Jan. 19 interview that the set was "really being run pretty fast and loose" and Baldwin should have known there had been previous misfires on the set and that multiple people had brought up safety concerns.

She added that Baldwin was the one who pointed the gun and pulled the trigger.

Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed will be issued a summons to appear in court. Prosecutors will forgo a grand jury and rely on a judge to determine if there is sufficient evidence to move toward trial. It could take up to 60 days for decision.

Involuntary manslaughter can involve a killing that happens while a defendant is doing something lawful but dangerous and is acting negligently or without caution. Special prosecutor Andrea Reeb cited a pattern of "criminal disregard for safety" on the set of "Rust."

Prosecutors also said they will release the terms of a signed plea agreement with assistant director David Halls, who oversaw safety on the set. Participants in the unfilmed rehearsal gave conflicting accounts of who handed the gun to Baldwin.

Halls agreed to plead guilty in the negligent use of a deadly weapon, they said.

Heather Brewer, a spokeswoman for the district attorney's office, said in a statement Monday that prosecutors are "fully focused on securing justice for Halyna Hutchins" and "the evidence and the facts speak for themselves."

Baldwin, also a co-producer on "Rust," described the killing as a tragic accident. The 64-year-old actor said he was told the gun was safe and he sought to clear his name by suing people involved in handling and supplying the loaded .45-caliber revolver.

In his lawsuit, Baldwin said that while working on camera angles with Hutchins, he pointed the gun in her direction and pulled back and released the hammer of the weapon, which discharged.

Defense attorney Jason Bowles, who represents Gutierrez-Reed, said the charges are the result of a "flawed investigation" and an "inaccurate understanding of the full facts."

Defendants can participate remotely in many initial court proceedings or seek to have their first appearance waived.
The integrity of our democracy is under threat due to the influence of big money in politics, barriers to voting, and gerrymandered congressional districts. Despite broad support for pro-voter measures, Senate Republicans have repeatedly blocked legislation to address these issues. As a result, faith in our election system is plummeting and billionaires are using their money to drown out the voices of everyday Americans.
A Tulsa metal manufacturing company has been purchased by a company from Reading, Pennsylvania.

Summit Steel Fabricating Group, a maker of metal fabricated products, has obtained Laser Specialties Inc., which has more than 55 employees at its 6611 Oklahoma 66 location.

ClearRidge Capital of Tulsa advised the owners of LSI. Terms of the transaction werent disclosed.

Summit is backed by Lorraine Capital LLC, a private equity firm from Buffalo, New York, in partnership with Ironwood Capital, a subordinated debt provider out of Avon, Connecticut.

We are excited to be joining the Summit team, and I see a bright future for our customers and people with Summit and Lorraine as strategic partners, Jim Clark, CEO of LSI and a Summit shareholder, said in a statement. LSI has a loyal, diverse and expanding client base and looks forward to providing them with a broader service offering.

Summit was the ideal partner for us because, with their support, well be accelerating investments in new equipment, manufacturing automation and adding new team members. It will also provide expanded opportunities for our existing LSI team members as their careers progress given the larger Summit platform.

Founded in 1993, LSI operates on a 131,000-square-foot campus.

We have a strategic vision at Summit to increase not only our capacity but our capabilities to serve our expanding group of regional and national clients, Gary Romig, CEO of Summit, said in a statement. Welcoming LSI into our growing company positions us very well to support the increasing demand for our services, given the team, capabilities and geographic diversity they provide. Jims ongoing leadership, expertise and integrity, having now joined us as a new partner in our combined enterprise along with his team, makes us an even stronger, more scalable company.

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Actor and music artist Tommy Howell will be in Tulsa when his debut album is released, which seems just about right.

Howell and Tulsa are forever connected in a stay gold kind of way because his first starring role came when he played Ponyboy Curtis in Francis Ford Coppolas shot-in-Tulsa 1983 film The Outsiders.

The 40th anniversary of the movies release is next month. Howell is returning to greaser turf to celebrate not only the release of his first album, but also an opportunity to open for country music royalty.

On Saturday, Feb. 4, Howell and his band will be a support act for Tanya Tucker at the Cove, River Spirit Casinos concert venue.

On Friday, Feb. 3, Howell will host an album listening party at the Outsiders House Museum. The museum was his movie home during the making of The Outsiders.

Thats going to be a lot of fun, Howell said. Ive got my album coming out that Friday, and then we are opening up the doors to the museum over there and inviting people to hang out with us. We are just going to listen to some music and tell some stories and share some thoughts about (The Outsiders) locations and hanging around the house.

The River Spirit Casino event is a benefit concert for Muscogee Creek Nation veterans.

A friend of mine works with the Muscogee Creek Nation there, and they are trying to do a good thing and raise awareness and focus on trying to make a better life for those people, Howell said.

Its just a real pleasure to roll up my sleeves and do a little double-dipping. I get to help out these cats, as well as open for Tanya Tucker.

Proceeds from the show will help veterans combat homelessness and provide hunger relief in addition to assisting with physical and mental wellness for veterans. Want to go to the show or send a veteran to the show? Tickets are available at riverspirittulsa.com.

Howell, asked if he had an appreciation for Tucker, said comparisons can be drawn between Tucker and S.E. Hinton, whose book was the source material for the Coppola film. Hinton wrote The Outsiders when she was a teen at Will Rogers High School. Tucker charted her first hit, Delta Dawn, when she was 13. They were successful at a young age in a mans world.

I think, to some degree, there is something I can relate to in those people and understand what they have gone through, and also from a business standpoint, said Howell, who was in his early teens when he starred in The Outsiders. But it is pretty remarkable to be able to go and work with Tanya Tucker. Just being such a fan my whole life, I dont really have the words for it, to be honest with you. Im really looking forward to just meeting her and telling her how I feel and hanging out for a few minutes, you know?

The rival groups in The Outsiders are the greasers and the socs. Proof that they can get along? Darren Dalton played soc Randy Anderson in the film. They shared a heart-to-heart chat in a car parked outside a Tastee Freez in the film, and they have remained friends for decades. Dalton described Howell as more than a brother to me.

I love that he is out there just having fun, doing his stuff and playing his music, Dalton said.

Daltons brother, Eric, is a guitarist in Howells band, the Pony Express.

He is a fantastic musician, Howell said. He lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I guess about seven or eight months ago I went to Albuquerque to go shoot my own series, and my guitarist and I had split up. And I started working with Darrens brother in Albuquerque, and he is like a full-time member of the band now. ... I look at him on stage and Im like, Damn, man, you look like Darren Dalton.

Howell said he has a great band. Asked if there was always a music artist in him trying to get out, he told a story about how he took up music after COVID arrived.

I have always wanted to do it, but I came from sort of a music-less home, he said. Mom and Dad didnt usually listen to music. There werent a lot of people around me that were involved in music, but I was always a fan, and I always drifted close to the musicians.

Continuing, Howell said, I finally had an idea where I wanted to make a movie about a country and western artist that is sort of the J.D. Salinger of music. He writes one album. It is a big success, and he ends up walking away from the business (to become a cowboy). It was something I wanted to do, and I could do the rodeo stuff, but the guitar playing was something I hadnt done. When COVID hit, it kind of slowed everything down and gave me a chance to get in front of this idea to start working with a guitar. I didnt know it was going to lead to this passion that I developed writing songs, but I found that the two-hour storytelling format was pretty transferrable to the two-minute storytelling format for me. I had basically trained my whole life for this time.

Howell graduated from self-taught musician to Nashville-based performer and recording artist.

To be able to get it done was remarkable, he said. What I mean by that is to be 55 and to get a guitar and to be starting a new career, most people would think you are pretty dumb, and they would be right, but it has just been the best thing for me ever. It has really been fantastic and I get to go up on stage and I am not playing a character. I am playing music from myself and I am connecting to the people and sharing some stories and not hiding behind makeup and a role, and thats also new and kind of fun.

Howell said his second career is the first time I have ever done anything for me.

I spent a lifetime trying to please everybody else, he explained. When you are in movies, you have to try to please a lot of other people. When I received my album in full the other day for the first time, it was a moving moment for me. It was such a sense of accomplishment, but, at the same time, Im the one responsible for it, and there is something really cool about that, as well.

The album title is American Storyteller. Three songs can be sampled on tommyhowellmusic.com, including Rose Hill, Whiskey Demon and Ponygirl.

The Ponygirl song was based on a song written in 1908, he said. Basically it was sort of a frolicking barroom song about a girl looking for her Ponyboy. She wanted a cowboy. Springsteen covered it. I have heard about four or five different versions of that lullaby, and of course Ponygirl is totally different, but there are some similarities. I just fell in love with the idea. Ponyboy has got to be looking for his Ponygirl, so it made a little sense.

Howell will be seen and his music will be heard in Ride, an upcoming modern-day cowboy crime film that stars Howell alongside Annabeth Gish and Forrie J. Smith.

Were going to put a song or two in Ride, Howell said. Thats a big part of why I wanted to do that thing. People are really opening up to that side of me. Of course, so many people still dont know I do music, but we have been pretty lucky. The people that hear our stuff have been really kind.
OWASSO  Ascension St. John Owasso nursing manager Christina Miller is embracing the opportunity to better serve incoming patients thanks to a new addition to the facility.

Hospital staff, along with city and community officials, gathered Monday to celebrate the opening of Ascensions newest progressive care and intensive care unit.

The $8 million wing, located on the Owasso hospitals third floor, consists of four ICU beds and 14 progressive care beds  an overhaul that offers Miller and her team an expanded space to work and house admitted residents.

Miller said she appreciates being able to take care of more patients and give (them) more of what they need instead of sending them to a different community theyre not familiar with  just keeping them here at home where their families can visit them easier.

Ascension started construction on the project last spring and recently put the finishing touches on the facility. It had been used as an unfinished storage unit for the past 15 years until it was transformed into the newly renovated floor now ready for patient care.

The new wing, the first medical ICU in Owasso, is estimated to serve 1,500 patients annually and bring about 50 new jobs.

We decided we needed to do something with it (the storage unit) for the community, Ascension St. John Owasso President Wyatt Hockmeyer said. For many years, weve been discussing the need for higher acuity care.  Now we have the right level of health care in Owasso.

Ascension President and CEO Jeff Nowlin added: It is about the investment  that we continue to make in our communities that are growing that will allow our patients to stay here and be closer to family and be in a high-quality, safe setting.

Completion of the new floor comes a few months before construction is projected to finish on Ascension St. John and Encompass Healths $25 million, 40-bed rehabilitation hospital across from Owasso High School  contributing to the city becoming a major hub for health care, Owasso Chamber President Chelsea Levo Feary said.

Health care is the top target industry in Owasso, Feary said in a March 2022 news conference. We want to nurture and continue to help those industries grow in Owasso today and into the future.

The grand opening of the new wing at Ascension St. John Owasso included a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Owasso Chamber of Commerce, a tour for guests and a walk-through blessing with local ministers.

Video: OUs NCAA record holder meets her hero Steph Curry
A former Tulsan who fled the U.S. after he was indicted for financial crimes pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court.

In a plea agreement with prosecutors, Paul Bowker, 60, admitted to one count of bank fraud and one count of failing to pay over $3.6 million in income and FICA tax withholdings while he worked as a chief financial officer at the nonprofit agency CREOKS.

Bowker also admitted to embezzling about $130,000 while he worked at the nonprofit health organization.

The personal expenditures that I charged on the corporate credit card included, among other things, purchases at drug stores, department stores, online retailers, furniture stores, gas stations and liquor stores, Bowker wrote in his plea agreement.

A grand jury named Bowker in a 107-count indictment filed Sept. 5, 2019, in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma that included 100 counts of bank fraud.

Bowker, a British national, was a permanent resident alien of the United States at the time of the alleged crimes, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office.

In 2019, after he was interviewed by federal agents and made aware of the criminal investigation, he fled to Great Britain, according to the release.

Bowker was later arrested as he was preparing to board a flight at an airport in Great Britain, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Bowker waived his right Dec. 14 to a detention hearing and since has been held in custody.

In support of the plea, which still requires judicial approval, the agreement notes that Bowker did not embezzle the tax monies that he failed to pay so the Internal Revenue Service was able to recover the monies owed.

The agreement also calls for Bowker to receive credit on his federal sentence for the approximately eight months that he spent in United Kingdom custody.

Bowker will be permitted to withdraw his plea if the judge opts to reject the agreement.

A bank fraud conviction carries a statutory maximum 30 years in prison, while the tax-related charge carries a statutory maximum five years imprisonment.

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A 38-year-old man has been charged with first-degree murder after his longtime girlfriend was found slain at an RV park in east Tulsa.

According to police, Ryan David Gordon has been taken into custody in connection with the death of 45-year-old Melissa Hunter.

Officers had responded early last Thursday to Mingo RV park near Interstate 244 and U.S. 169 after Hunter was found dead inside a trailer by her employer after she failed to show up for work.

Detectives said they learned that Gordon, who was in a romantic relationship with Hunter for several years, had fled to Fort Gibson Lake in Wagoner County.

As Wagoner County deputies tried to approach Gordon near Snug Harbor boat ramp at the lake, he reportedly exited his vehicle and stabbed himself in the chest, police said. He was hospitalized and then taken into custody Tuesday, according to Tulsa police.

He remains held at Tulsa County jail on $1 million bond.

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China's industrial firms see revenue growth in 2022, profits dip

Xinhua) 09:24, February 01, 2023

BEIJING, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- China's major industrial firms grew steadily in terms of revenue in 2022, but their profits dipped due to certain factors impacting beyond expectations and a high base of comparison, official data showed Tuesday.

The combined revenues of industrial firms with an annual main business revenue of at least 20 million yuan (about 2.96 million U.S. dollars) rose 5.9 percent year on year in 2022, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said.

Their total profits stood at 8.4 trillion yuan in this period, down 4 percent from a year earlier, the NBS data revealed.

Senior NBS statistician Zhu Hong highlighted the improvement in the profit structure of the industry's upstream and downstream links in 2022, despite contraction in profits.

If excluding sharp declines in a few industries, such as steel and oil processing, the overall profit growth rate in 2022 would be elevated to 5.6, Zhu said.

A total of 21 out of 41 major industries saw growth in profits in the period, up from 20 in the Jan.-Nov. period.

The oil and gas exploitation sector saw profits jump 1.1 times compared to a year earlier, while the electric and heat power production and supply sectors, and coal mining and washing sectors reported profit increases of 86.3 percent and 44.3 percent, respectively.

Equipment manufacturing and basic consumer goods served as bright spots for the industrial sector during the period, Zhu said.

With a sustained recovery, the combined profits of the equipment manufacturing industry rose 1.7 percent year on year, data showed. The sector contributed over a third of the country's total industrial profits in 2022, providing a strong impetus for the overall industry.

Meanwhile, the profits of basic consumer goods companies also logged steady expansion, as pro-growth policies spurred the market demand, according to Zhu. Thanks to the warming market, producers of alcoholic drinks, tea, and tobacco posted rapid growth in profits in 2022.

Despite the overall profit decline in 2022, signs showed that China's industrial firms were on the right track to profit recovery, as the country continued to emerge from its COVID shadow.

Tuesday's data showed that the purchasing managers' index for China's manufacturing sector rebounded to expansion territory in January 2023, after three consecutive months of contraction, with major sub-indices posting surges.

However, Zhu still warned against challenges, including relatively high costs for businesses and uncertainties in the domestic and external environments.

Looking ahead to the next stage, Zhu urged efforts to better coordinate the epidemic response and economic and social development, boost market confidence, proactively expand domestic effective demand, and consolidate the foundation of profit recovery for industrial firms, so as to push for an overall upturn in the industrial economy in 2023.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Vietnams EdTech (Education Technology) has grown fast, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. The sector is expected to develop further this year if it can overcome the challenges in the post-pandemic period. In Vietnam, Galaxy Education is one of the largest and most well-known EdTech firms. Offering online learning courses on the HOCMAI (Study Forever) for 15 years, Galaxy Education has pioneered courses for learners at all ages. The firm currently has over seven million trainees and 600,000 online lectures under many forms, such as asynchonorous learning, synchonorous learning, and hybrid learning. Pham Giang Linh, CEO of Galaxy Education, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the EdTech market in Vietnam was formed in 2006-07, or the first stage of the Internet economy in the Southeast Asian country. However, since 2016, especially in 2020-21, online teaching and learning demands have increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the local EdTech sector has been thriving. Linh added that the prospect of Vietnams EdTech is bright. In 2022, Vietnam had more than 100 new EdTech firms and attracted a huge foreign investment in the sector. Some EdTech companies, such as Topica, ELSA, CoderSchool, Edmicro, Vuihoc, and Educa, have mobilized investments totaling millions to tens of millions of U.S. dollars. Domestic groups, including Viettel, FPT, and VNPT, have also invested in and expanded their online education ecosystems. At EDUtech Asia, Asia's largest conference and exhibition for educators and EdTech providers held in Singapore in November last year, experts assessed that Vietnams EdTech market, besides its potential, benefited from external factors in 2021 and 2022. In particular, in July 2021, China issued regulations hindering foreign investment in education, forcing many EdTech firms to withdraw from this market. Meanwhile, EdTech companies in India have been stagnant so they have found it hard to seek new capital resources, according to data from Fintrackr, a media platform for entrepreneurs, startups, and technology enthusiasts. In 2022, only five Indian EdTech firms successfully called for large investments. In this context, international experts at EDUtech Asia said large EdTech firms are seeking a new environment in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam. The trend will go on in the coming time. The Vietnamese EdTech market will likely generate revenue of some US$3 billion this year. The countrys EdTech annual growth has reached 20.2 percent in 2019-23. Ho Chi Minh City: A bright spot Huynh Kim Tuoc, director of the Saigon Innovation Hub under the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, said technological startups have paid a lot of attention to data on the digital market. In Vietnam, the number of residents owning mobile devices and using the Internet is always high compared with that in other Southeast Asian countries. In Ho Chi Minh City, some 80-85 percent of residents accessed the Internet in 2021. In addition, the proportion of adults using smartphones in the city reached 75.7 percent, among the leading localities in Vietnam. According to Truong Le Quynh Tuong, director of Southeast Asia at ClassIn, an EdTech company, the EdTech market in Ho Chi Minh has been attractive to investors over the past few years as local residents are willing to spend on education. The number of parents with wide knowledge of technology in the city is higher than that in other parts of the country. They are open to new technologies and spend big on their childrens education. Tuong said in 2023, the EdTech market in Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam as a whole will continue thriving as EdTech giants have regarded it as a potential market. Many EdTech firms from Singapore, Thailand, China, India, and the U.S. have worked out plans to invest in Vietnam. A positive signal is that technology has become indispensable to teaching and learning activities in Vietnam after the COVID-19 pandemic. Many teachers have still prepared e-lectures and given assignments to students online. In Ho Chi Minh City, the municipal Department of Education and Training has set a target that digital learning activities must account for 35 percent, thus maintaining the habit of applying technology to education, Tuong added. The 2021 Vietnam EdTech report revealed that Vietnam achieved an EdTech growth rate of 44.3 percent, ranking among the top 10 countries with the fastest expansion in the world. Meanwhile, a report by Ken Research, a market research and consulting firm, showed that Vietnams EdTech market scale will reach $3 billion this year. Director of the Saigon Innovation Hub Tuoc said the future of the EdTech sector will be driven by the state. Education management agencies should seek and apply effective EdTech products, considering it the digital transformation in education. Moreover, EdTech firms should cooperate to come up with multi-functional projects and products, Tuoc added. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!

Vietnams EdTech (Education Technology) has grown fast, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. The sector is expected to develop further this year if it can overcome the challenges in the post-pandemic period.

In Vietnam, Galaxy Education is one of the largest and most well-known EdTech firms.

Offering online learning courses on the HOCMAI (Study Forever) for 15 years, Galaxy Education has pioneered courses for learners at all ages.

The firm currently has over seven million trainees and 600,000 online lectures under many forms, such as asynchonorous learning, synchonorous learning, and hybrid learning.

Pham Giang Linh, CEO of Galaxy Education, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the EdTech market in Vietnam was formed in 2006-07, or the first stage of the Internet economy in the Southeast Asian country.

However, since 2016, especially in 2020-21, online teaching and learning demands have increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the local EdTech sector has been thriving.

Linh added that the prospect of Vietnams EdTech is bright. In 2022, Vietnam had more than 100 new EdTech firms and attracted a huge foreign investment in the sector.

Some EdTech companies, such as Topica, ELSA, CoderSchool, Edmicro, Vuihoc, and Educa, have mobilized investments totaling millions to tens of millions of U.S. dollars.

Domestic groups, including Viettel, FPT, and VNPT, have also invested in and expanded their online education ecosystems.

At EDUtech Asia, Asia's largest conference and exhibition for educators and EdTech providers held in Singapore in November last year, experts assessed that Vietnams EdTech market, besides its potential, benefited from external factors in 2021 and 2022.

In particular, in July 2021, China issued regulations hindering foreign investment in education, forcing many EdTech firms to withdraw from this market.

Meanwhile, EdTech companies in India have been stagnant so they have found it hard to seek new capital resources, according to data from Fintrackr, a media platform for entrepreneurs, startups, and technology enthusiasts.

In 2022, only five Indian EdTech firms successfully called for large investments.

In this context, international experts at EDUtech Asia said large EdTech firms are seeking a new environment in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam. The trend will go on in the coming time.

The Vietnamese EdTech market will likely generate revenue of some US$3 billion this year.

The countrys EdTech annual growth has reached 20.2 percent in 2019-23.

Ho Chi Minh City: A bright spot

Huynh Kim Tuoc, director of the Saigon Innovation Hub under the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, said technological startups have paid a lot of attention to data on the digital market.

In Vietnam, the number of residents owning mobile devices and using the Internet is always high compared with that in other Southeast Asian countries.

In Ho Chi Minh City, some 80-85 percent of residents accessed the Internet in 2021. In addition, the proportion of adults using smartphones in the city reached 75.7 percent, among the leading localities in Vietnam.

According to Truong Le Quynh Tuong, director of Southeast Asia at ClassIn, an EdTech company, the EdTech market in Ho Chi Minh has been attractive to investors over the past few years as local residents are willing to spend on education.

The number of parents with wide knowledge of technology in the city is higher than that in other parts of the country. They are open to new technologies and spend big on their childrens education.

Tuong said in 2023, the EdTech market in Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam as a whole will continue thriving as EdTech giants have regarded it as a potential market.

Many EdTech firms from Singapore, Thailand, China, India, and the U.S. have worked out plans to invest in Vietnam.

A positive signal is that technology has become indispensable to teaching and learning activities in Vietnam after the COVID-19 pandemic. Many teachers have still prepared e-lectures and given assignments to students online.

In Ho Chi Minh City, the municipal Department of Education and Training has set a target that digital learning activities must account for 35 percent, thus maintaining the habit of applying technology to education, Tuong added.

The 2021 Vietnam EdTech report revealed that Vietnam achieved an EdTech growth rate of 44.3 percent, ranking among the top 10 countries with the fastest expansion in the world.

Meanwhile, a report by Ken Research, a market research and consulting firm, showed that Vietnams EdTech market scale will reach $3 billion this year.

Director of the Saigon Innovation Hub Tuoc said the future of the EdTech sector will be driven by the state.

Education management agencies should seek and apply effective EdTech products, considering it the digital transformation in education.

Moreover, EdTech firms should cooperate to come up with multi-functional projects and products, Tuoc added.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Pope Francis denounced the "poison of greed" driving conflicts in Africa as he began a visit to Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday, saying the rich world had to realise that people were more precious than the minerals in the earth beneath them. Many tens of thousands of people cheered as he travelled from the airport into the capital Kinshasa in his popemobile, with some breaking away to chase it while others chanted and waved flags. But the joyous mood, one of the most vibrant welcomes of his foreign trips, turned sombre when the 86-year-old pope spoke to dignitaries at the presidential palace. He condemned "terrible forms of exploitation, unworthy of humanity" in Congo, where vast mineral wealth has fuelled war, displacement and hunger. "Hands off the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Hands off Africa. Stop choking Africa: it is not a mine to be stripped or a terrain to be plundered," Francis said. Congo has some of the world's richest deposits of diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, tin, tantalum and lithium, but those have stoked conflict between militias, government troops and foreign invaders. Mining has also been linked to inhumane exploitation of workers, including children, and environmental degradation. "It is a tragedy that these lands, and more generally the whole African continent, continue to endure various forms of exploitation," the pope said, reading his speech in Italian while seated. People listening to a French translation applauded repeatedly. "The poison of greed has smeared its diamonds with blood," he said, referring to Congo specifically. Compounding the country's problems, eastern Congo has been plagued by violence connected to the long and complex fallout from the 1994 genocide in neighbouring Rwanda. Congo accuses Rwanda of backing the M23 rebel group fighting government troops in the east. Rwanda denies this. "As well as armed militias, foreign powers hungry for the minerals in our soil commit, with the direct and cowardly support of our neighbour Rwanda, cruel atrocities," Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi said, speaking just before the pope on the same stage on a hot, muggy afternoon. The pope did not name Rwanda in his address or take sides in the dispute. Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo rebuffed Tshisekedi's comments. "Its obvious that this ridiculous obsession with scapegoating Rwanda is President Tshisekedis electoral strategy - a distraction from the poor performance of his government, and failure to deliver to their citizens," she told Reuters. Pope Francis waves as he is welcomed by residents of Kinshasa (not pictured) he starts his apostolic journey, in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, January 31, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Luc Gnago 'Devoured by violence' An estimated 5.7 million people are internally displaced in Congo and 26 million face severe hunger, largely because of the impact of armed conflict, according to the United Nations. About half of Congo's population of 90 million are Roman Catholics and the Church plays a crucial role in running schools and health facilities in the sprawling central African country, as well as promoting democracy. The pope criticised rich countries for ignoring the tragedies unfolding in Congo and elsewhere in Africa. "One has the impression that the international community has practically resigned itself to the violence devouring it (Congo). We cannot grow accustomed to the bloodshed that has marked this country for decades, causing millions of deaths," he said. Tshisekedi made a similar point: "While the international community has remained passive and silent, more than 10 million people have been horribly killed." First scheduled for last July, the pope's trip was postponed because of a flare-up of a chronic knee ailment. Francis had originally planned to travel to Goma, in eastern Congo, but that stop was scrapped because of a resurgence in fighting between M23 rebels and government troops. In an apparent reference to the M23 and other militias active in Congo's eastern regions, the pope said the Congolese people were fighting to preserve their territorial integrity "against deplorable attempts to fragment the country". On Wednesday, Francis will celebrate Mass at a Kinshasa airport that is expected to draw more than a million people. He also will meet victims of violence from the east. Francis will stay in Kinshasa until Friday morning, when he will fly to South Sudan, another African country grappling with conflict and poverty. In a first, he will be accompanied for that leg of his journey by the Archbishop of Canterbury, leader of the global Anglican Communion, and by the Church of Scotland Moderator. The religious leaders have described their joint visit as a "pilgrimage of peace" to the world's youngest nation. South Sudan gained independence in 2011 from predominantly Muslim Sudan after decades of conflict. Two years later inter-ethnic conflict spiralled into a civil war that killed 400,000 people. A 2018 deal stopped the worst of the fighting.

Pope Francis denounced the "poison of greed" driving conflicts in Africa as he began a visit to Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday, saying the rich world had to realise that people were more precious than the minerals in the earth beneath them.

Many tens of thousands of people cheered as he travelled from the airport into the capital Kinshasa in his popemobile, with some breaking away to chase it while others chanted and waved flags.

But the joyous mood, one of the most vibrant welcomes of his foreign trips, turned sombre when the 86-year-old pope spoke to dignitaries at the presidential palace. He condemned "terrible forms of exploitation, unworthy of humanity" in Congo, where vast mineral wealth has fuelled war, displacement and hunger.

"Hands off the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Hands off Africa. Stop choking Africa: it is not a mine to be stripped or a terrain to be plundered," Francis said.

Congo has some of the world's richest deposits of diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, tin, tantalum and lithium, but those have stoked conflict between militias, government troops and foreign invaders. Mining has also been linked to inhumane exploitation of workers, including children, and environmental degradation.

"It is a tragedy that these lands, and more generally the whole African continent, continue to endure various forms of exploitation," the pope said, reading his speech in Italian while seated. People listening to a French translation applauded repeatedly.

"The poison of greed has smeared its diamonds with blood," he said, referring to Congo specifically.

Compounding the country's problems, eastern Congo has been plagued by violence connected to the long and complex fallout from the 1994 genocide in neighbouring Rwanda.

Congo accuses Rwanda of backing the M23 rebel group fighting government troops in the east. Rwanda denies this.

"As well as armed militias, foreign powers hungry for the minerals in our soil commit, with the direct and cowardly support of our neighbour Rwanda, cruel atrocities," Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi said, speaking just before the pope on the same stage on a hot, muggy afternoon.

The pope did not name Rwanda in his address or take sides in the dispute.

Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo rebuffed Tshisekedi's comments. "Its obvious that this ridiculous obsession with scapegoating Rwanda is President Tshisekedis electoral strategy - a distraction from the poor performance of his government, and failure to deliver to their citizens," she told Reuters.

Pope Francis waves as he is welcomed by residents of Kinshasa (not pictured) he starts his apostolic journey, in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, January 31, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Luc Gnago

'Devoured by violence'

An estimated 5.7 million people are internally displaced in Congo and 26 million face severe hunger, largely because of the impact of armed conflict, according to the United Nations.

About half of Congo's population of 90 million are Roman Catholics and the Church plays a crucial role in running schools and health facilities in the sprawling central African country, as well as promoting democracy.

The pope criticised rich countries for ignoring the tragedies unfolding in Congo and elsewhere in Africa.

"One has the impression that the international community has practically resigned itself to the violence devouring it (Congo). We cannot grow accustomed to the bloodshed that has marked this country for decades, causing millions of deaths," he said.

Tshisekedi made a similar point: "While the international community has remained passive and silent, more than 10 million people have been horribly killed."

First scheduled for last July, the pope's trip was postponed because of a flare-up of a chronic knee ailment. Francis had originally planned to travel to Goma, in eastern Congo, but that stop was scrapped because of a resurgence in fighting between M23 rebels and government troops.

In an apparent reference to the M23 and other militias active in Congo's eastern regions, the pope said the Congolese people were fighting to preserve their territorial integrity "against deplorable attempts to fragment the country".

On Wednesday, Francis will celebrate Mass at a Kinshasa airport that is expected to draw more than a million people. He also will meet victims of violence from the east.

Francis will stay in Kinshasa until Friday morning, when he will fly to South Sudan, another African country grappling with conflict and poverty.

In a first, he will be accompanied for that leg of his journey by the Archbishop of Canterbury, leader of the global Anglican Communion, and by the Church of Scotland Moderator. The religious leaders have described their joint visit as a "pilgrimage of peace" to the world's youngest nation.

South Sudan gained independence in 2011 from predominantly Muslim Sudan after decades of conflict. Two years later inter-ethnic conflict spiralled into a civil war that killed 400,000 people. A 2018 deal stopped the worst of the fighting.
South Korea is the country accounting for the highest number of international visitors to Vietnam in the first month of this year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO). The number of international tourist arrivals in Vietnam in January 2023 amounted to more than 871,000, making an increase of 23.2 percent compared to December last year, the GSO reported recently. Among the total, some 259,000 travelers were from South Korea, placing the Northeastern Asian country in the first position on the list of international arrivals to Vietnam last month. Ranking second was the U.S. with nearly 77,900 tourists and the third place went to Thailand with some 55,000 travelers. The fourth and fifth positions belonged to Australia and Japan with about 44,000 and 34,000 visitors, respectively. This image shows a member of a group of 120 South Korean tourists getting flowers when they arrived in Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam, January 1, 2023. Photo: Minh Chien / Tuoi Tre International travelers to Vietnam by air occupied the largest portion, at 91.9 percent, while those by road and by sea represented 7.5 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively, the GSO said. The figure of foreign arrivals to Vietnam in January 2023 rose 44.2 percent from a year earlier, but it fell 42 percent compared to the same period of 2019, when the COVID-19 pandemic had yet to hit the Southeast Asian country. Last month saw numbers of visitors to Vietnam from China and Russia, two of Vietnams major sources of tourists, reach nearly 47,000 and 12,000, respectively, far lower than over 660,000 and 36,000 in the same period in 2019, said the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. Total tourism revenue in January neared VND46 trillion (US$1.96 billion), lower than the expected monthly average of VND54 trillion ($2.3 billion) for 2023. The tourism sector has set a goal of welcoming about eight million international visitors in 2023, equal to 45 percent of the 2019 target, the VNAT said. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!

South Korea is the country accounting for the highest number of international visitors to Vietnam in the first month of this year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

The number of international tourist arrivals in Vietnam in January 2023 amounted to more than 871,000, making an increase of 23.2 percent compared to December last year, the GSO reported recently.

Among the total, some 259,000 travelers were from South Korea, placing the Northeastern Asian country in the first position on the list of international arrivals to Vietnam last month.

Ranking second was the U.S. with nearly 77,900 tourists and the third place went to Thailand with some 55,000 travelers.

The fourth and fifth positions belonged to Australia and Japan with about 44,000 and 34,000 visitors, respectively.

This image shows a member of a group of 120 South Korean tourists getting flowers when they arrived in Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam, January 1, 2023. Photo: Minh Chien / Tuoi Tre

International travelers to Vietnam by air occupied the largest portion, at 91.9 percent, while those by road and by sea represented 7.5 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively, the GSO said.

The figure of foreign arrivals to Vietnam in January 2023 rose 44.2 percent from a year earlier, but it fell 42 percent compared to the same period of 2019, when the COVID-19 pandemic had yet to hit the Southeast Asian country.

Last month saw numbers of visitors to Vietnam from China and Russia, two of Vietnams major sources of tourists, reach nearly 47,000 and 12,000, respectively, far lower than over 660,000 and 36,000 in the same period in 2019, said the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

Total tourism revenue in January neared VND46 trillion (US$1.96 billion), lower than the expected monthly average of VND54 trillion ($2.3 billion) for 2023.

The tourism sector has set a goal of welcoming about eight million international visitors in 2023, equal to 45 percent of the 2019 target, the VNAT said.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
The groundbreaking for the operation and management building of Ho Chi Minh Citys first metro line was held on Tuesday. Upon completion, the operation and management (O&M) building will be the headquarters for Ho Chi Minh City No.1 Urban Railway Company with the primary function of operating the entirety of metro line No. 1. The facility is located at Long Binh depot in Thu Duc City under Ho Chi Minh City. The construction of the citys first metro line is about 94 percent complete, Nguyen Quoc Hien, an official from the municipal Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR), the project developer, said at the ceremony. The developer, contractor, and consulting team are working hard to complete the remaining categories and prepare for technical test operation of the metro route in 2023, Hien continued. The groundbreaking of the operation and management building of Ho Chi Minh Citys first metro line, January 31, 2023. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre The O&M building covers an area of more than 1,500 square meters, has two stories, and has a lifespan of 100 years. The construction is expected to last for nine months. This year marks an important phase of the project as it will be the transition from the construction of the metro line to the official operation of the route in 2024, according to Hien. Vice-chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Bui Xuan Cuong stated that 2022 marked many memorable milestones of metro line No. 1, especially the trial operation of the elevated section from Suoi Tien Terminal to Binh Thai Station. Vice-chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Bui Xuan Cuong greets workers at the construction site, January 31, 2023. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre The O&M building is a very important piece for the whole project, Cuong stressed. The official requested that relevant units ensure the progress of the project and put it into operation in 2024. The citys first metro line is 19.7 kilometers long, including 2.6 kilometers of underground railway and 17.1 kilometers of elevated track. It runs from Ben Thanh Market in District 1 to Suoi Tien Theme Park in Thu Duc City through three underground stations and 11 stops above the ground. The project broke ground in August 2012 at a cost of VND43,700 billion (US$1.86 billion), most of which comes from Japans official development assistance loans. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!

The groundbreaking for the operation and management building of Ho Chi Minh Citys first metro line was held on Tuesday.

Upon completion, the operation and management (O&M) building will be the headquarters for Ho Chi Minh City No.1 Urban Railway Company with the primary function of operating the entirety of metro line No. 1.

The facility is located at Long Binh depot in Thu Duc City under Ho Chi Minh City.

The construction of the citys first metro line is about 94 percent complete, Nguyen Quoc Hien, an official from the municipal Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR), the project developer, said at the ceremony.

The developer, contractor, and consulting team are working hard to complete the remaining categories and prepare for technical test operation of the metro route in 2023, Hien continued.

The groundbreaking of the operation and management building of Ho Chi Minh Citys first metro line, January 31, 2023. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre

The O&M building covers an area of more than 1,500 square meters, has two stories, and has a lifespan of 100 years.

The construction is expected to last for nine months.

This year marks an important phase of the project as it will be the transition from the construction of the metro line to the official operation of the route in 2024, according to Hien.

Vice-chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Bui Xuan Cuong stated that 2022 marked many memorable milestones of metro line No. 1, especially the trial operation of the elevated section from Suoi Tien Terminal to Binh Thai Station.

Vice-chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Bui Xuan Cuong greets workers at the construction site, January 31, 2023. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre

The O&M building is a very important piece for the whole project, Cuong stressed.

The official requested that relevant units ensure the progress of the project and put it into operation in 2024.

The citys first metro line is 19.7 kilometers long, including 2.6 kilometers of underground railway and 17.1 kilometers of elevated track.

It runs from Ben Thanh Market in District 1 to Suoi Tien Theme Park in Thu Duc City through three underground stations and 11 stops above the ground.

The project broke ground in August 2012 at a cost of VND43,700 billion (US$1.86 billion), most of which comes from Japans official development assistance loans.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Late Vietnamese poet and writer Suong Nguyet Anh is being featured by Google Doodles on Wednesday to mark the first publication of Nu Gioi Chung (Womens Bell), Vietnams first womens newspaper where Anh was the chief editor. The doodle, a temporary alteration of the logo on Googles homepages, was rolled out only in Vietnam, incorporating apricot blossoms and an apricot color palette in honor of one of Anhs most well-known poems centered around apricot blossoms. It was illustrated by Hanoi-based guest artist Camelia Pham, according to the search engines archives. Anh was born on March 8, 1864 in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre. Her father is Nguyen Dinh Chieu, a patriotic teacher, physician, and poet of southern Vietnam in the second half of the 19th century, who was recognized as a UNESCO World Cultural Celebrity in November 2021. Chieus 'Luc Van Tien,' written in the 1850s, is one of the two most celebrated Vietnamese epic poems, along with Nguyen Dus 'Truyen Kieu' in the early 19th century. Anh became the first female editor-in-chief in Vietnam when she started writing for the Nu Gioi Chung newspaper in Saigon, the old name of Ho Chi Minh City, under the pen name Suong Nguyet Anh, meaning Widowed Nguyet Anh. The first publication of Nu Gioi Chung was published on this day in 1918. Many of the newspapers issues spoke about womens roles in Vietnamese culture and society. Anh was a pioneer for women writers and editors in Vietnam and paved the way for generations to come. There are several streets named after her in cities like Ho Chi Minh, Da Lat in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, and Vung Tau in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!

Late Vietnamese poet and writer Suong Nguyet Anh is being featured by Google Doodles on Wednesday to mark the first publication of Nu Gioi Chung (Womens Bell), Vietnams first womens newspaper where Anh was the chief editor.

The doodle, a temporary alteration of the logo on Googles homepages, was rolled out only in Vietnam, incorporating apricot blossoms and an apricot color palette in honor of one of Anhs most well-known poems centered around apricot blossoms.

It was illustrated by Hanoi-based guest artist Camelia Pham, according to the search engines archives.

Anh was born on March 8, 1864 in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre.

Her father is Nguyen Dinh Chieu, a patriotic teacher, physician, and poet of southern Vietnam in the second half of the 19th century, who was recognized as a UNESCO World Cultural Celebrity in November 2021.

Chieus 'Luc Van Tien,' written in the 1850s, is one of the two most celebrated Vietnamese epic poems, along with Nguyen Dus 'Truyen Kieu' in the early 19th century.

Anh became the first female editor-in-chief in Vietnam when she started writing for the Nu Gioi Chung newspaper in Saigon, the old name of Ho Chi Minh City, under the pen name Suong Nguyet Anh, meaning Widowed Nguyet Anh.

The first publication of Nu Gioi Chung was published on this day in 1918.

Many of the newspapers issues spoke about womens roles in Vietnamese culture and society.

Anh was a pioneer for women writers and editors in Vietnam and paved the way for generations to come.

There are several streets named after her in cities like Ho Chi Minh, Da Lat in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, and Vung Tau in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Gogglebox is returning to screens later this month but the Silbery Family have had to make the difficult decision that Emmie Milligan, aged 94, will be stepping down from the show. .

Kerry and Izzy will continue with the show.

Daughter Kerry said, The beauty of Gogglebox is that its real and brings families together and with that, comes the reality of changes in a family. Weve had to make an array of difficult decisions that are best for Emmie since her recent diagnosis with dementia. Emmie has now happily settled into an aged care facility right around the corner from both Isabelle and me.

Granddaughter Izzy said: Its been a tough few months for us all, but we want everyone to know that Emmie is in the best care and between Mum and I, we visit her almost every day. Whether its for happy hour on Fridays or taking her dog Pelle in for cuddles, she still lights up the room, and us, with her cheeky smile. We hope by being transparent with this news, that it helps to open up the conversation about dementia and the challenges that many families sadly have to face.

Mum will no doubt be watching this season and despite missing her on the couch, we hope to continue to entertain our loving audience, Kerry added.

Returning cast include the Delpechitra Family / Lee and Keith / Anastasia and Fay / The Dalton famil / Adam and Symon / Sarah Marie, Matty, Malik and Uncle Jad / Tim and Leanne, / Milo and Nic / Kevin, Bob, Jared and Mia.

Gogglebox Australia is an Endemol Shine Australia production.

7:30om Wednesday February 22 on Lifestyle.

8.30pm Thursdays February 23 on 10.

dementia.org.au
US sci-fi fantasy series La Brea has been renewed for a third season by NBC.

Production is returning to Australia in March, but moves from Victoria where the first two seasons were shot to Queensland.

But while previous seasons enjoyed 10 (S1) and 14 (S2) episodes, the third season order is for 6 episodes only.

With reports the cast will be released at the end of filming, there is speculation this may be the final instalment.

However there is also speculation that when Writers Guild of America and Directors Guild of America contacts expire with studios mid year that it may trigger a strike -hence the shorter order.

New episodes of Season 2 resumed in the US this week. It screens in Australia on 9Now.

Source: Yahoo

Updated.
Canadian crime drama A Criminal Affair and Swedish comedy Sick both debut this Thursday at SBS On Demand.

A Criminal Affair

All eight episodes available to stream. French Canadian and English with English subtitles.

A Criminal Affair tells the tragic story of a mother who has spent 15 years trying to exonerate her son who was incarcerated for a murder he didnt commit. Its also the story of a Major Crimes Unit detective who always suspected that someone close to him was involved in the killing but had remained silent. Stars Celine Bonnier, Louis Philippe Dandenault and Maxime-Olivier Potvin. A Criminal Affair will air at a later date on SBS.

Sick

All eight episodes available to stream). In Swedish with English subtitles.

When 26-year-old Alice (Carla Sehn) survives cervical cancer, she is eager to resume her life afresh in London just to realise it has all fallen apart during her treatment. Broke, and recently dumped by her boyfriend (who fell in love with a receptionist at the hospital) she is forced to move back to Sweden and in with her family. Stars Maria Nohra, Dejmis Rustom and Anna Blomberg.
The first solid scientific evidence that Vikings brought dogs and horses to Britain has been discovered by archaeologists.

Research led by Durham University, and the Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Belgium, looked at human and animal remains from Britains only known Viking cremation cemetery at Heath Wood in Derbyshire.

Scientists found that within the context of the archaeology, one human adult and several animals almost certainly came from the Baltic Shield area of Scandinavia, covering Norway and central and northern Sweden, and died soon after arrival in Britain.

This indicates Vikings were not only stealing animals when they arrived in Britain  as some accounts from the time suggest  but were also transporting animals from Scandinavia.

The human and animal remains were found in the remnants of the same cremation pyre, therefore the researchers believe the adult from the Baltic Shield region may have been someone important who was able to bring a horse and dog to Britain.

Lead author Tessi Loffelmann, a doctoral researcher working jointly in the department of archaeology, Durham University, and the department of chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussels, said: This is the first solid scientific evidence that Scandinavians almost certainly crossed the North Sea with horses, dogs and possibly other animals as early as the ninth century AD and could deepen our knowledge of the Viking Great Army.

Our most important primary source, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (a collection of annals in Old English, chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons), states that the Vikings were taking horses from the locals in East Anglia when they first arrived, but this was clearly not the whole story, and they most likely transported animals alongside people on ships.

This also raises questions about the importance of specific animals to the Vikings.

Researchers analysed strontium ratios in the remains of two adults, one child and three animals from the Heath Wood site.

Story continues

Strontium occurs naturally in the environment in rocks, soil and water before making its way into plants.

When humans and animals eat those plants, strontium replaces calcium in their bones and teeth.

As ratios of the element vary in different parts of world the geographical fingerprint of the element found in human or animal remains can help determine where they came from or settled.

The study found that one of the adults and a child could have been from the area local to the Heath Wood cremation site, southern or eastern England or from Europe, including Denmark and south-west Sweden which were outside of the Baltic Shield region.

But the remains of the other adult and all three animals  a horse, a dog and what the archaeologists say was possibly a pig  had strontium ratios normally found in the Baltic Shield area.

However, the researchers suggest it may be that the pig fragment was a piece from a game or another talisman or token brought from Scandinavia, rather than a live pig.

Research co-author Professor Janet Montgomery, in the Department of Archaeology, Durham University, said: Our study suggests that there are people and animals with different mobility histories buried at Heath Wood, and that, if they belonged to the Viking Great Army, it was made up of people from different parts of Scandinavia or the British Isles.

This is also the first published strontium analysis on early medieval cremated remains from Britain and shows the potential that this scientific method has to shed further light on this period in history.

The research team also included archaeologists from the University of York, who excavated the Heath Wood cemetery between 1998 and 2000, and the Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.

Professor Julian Richards, of the Department of Archaeology, University of York, said: The Bayeux Tapestry depicts Norman cavalry disembarking horses from their fleet before the Battle of Hastings, but this is the first scientific demonstration that Viking warriors were transporting horses to England 200 years earlier.

It shows how much Viking leaders valued their personal horses and hounds that they brought them from Scandinavia, and that the animals were sacrificed to be buried with their owners.

The findings are published in the PLOS One journal.
HA NOI - Thai Thi Lien, one of the founders of Viet Nam's National Academy of Music, passed away on Tuesday peacefully at her home at the age of 106, her son Tran Thanh Binh said.

She was one of the seven founding members of the country's Conservatory of Music in 1956 and Dean of the Piano Department for 20 years. She trained many talented pianists, with the most internationally successful concert pianist being her youngest son, ang Thai Son.

Her last public performance came in 2017, commemorating her 100 years of age and after she had suffered a minor stroke. She performed Chopin's Mazurka and a YouTube video of the piece was posted by a fan, receiving nearly seven million views.

After the milestone concert celebrating her centenary, she withdrew from public performances but still played at home for her former students, the most recent visit coming during the Lunar New Year festival last week.

At 106 years of age, she left behind an immense void in music and of struggling to overcome life adversities. She always exuded a positive, resilient and loving ambience to everyone who got to meet or know her.

Last year, she fought COVID-19 and won, though she was hospitalised in an intensive care unit.

Born in 1918 in what was then Sai Gon of French Indochina to a wealthy Catholic family, her father was one of the few Vietnamese French-trained engineers. She studied music from four years of age with French Catholic sisters in Sai Gon for 11 years and put on her first performance at the City Hall.

While in Sai Gon, she studied with French pianist Armande Caron, who was quoted in the Malaya Tribune on September 30, 1931, as an "eloquent interpreter of Chopin, Schubert and Schumann".

She trained in Sai Gon, first under the tutelage of the French pianistic tradition of Catholic nuns, then Caron, who was Isidor Philipp's student. Philipp won the first piano prize at Paris Conservatoire in 1883. Philipps teacher was Georges Mathias  a student of Chopin.

While pursuing a professional career as a pianist, the political turmoil of the then-French Indochina drove the Thai sisters to different paths. While the elder sister Louise Nguyen Van Ty (born Thai Thi Lang), found her career in French music halls with her compositions played, recorded and printed, the younger sister Thai Thi Lien followed the call of the underground revolutionary movement in Sai Gon, following her brother, who fought against the French rule and occupation of the country.

She was a messenger for the revolutionary forces and her Sai Gon music salon was a rendezvous for patriotic elite congressmen and medical doctors, lawyers and artists.

She followed her husband to represent the Viet Minh (Viet Nam League for Independence) at the Fontainebleau Agreements in 1946 and later moved to Prague, the then capital of Czechoslovakia, where she graduated from the Prague Music Conservatory in 1951.

She then joined the Central Music and Arts troupes in the Viet Bac revolutionary base. When Ha Noi was liberated in 1954, she moved to the city and later joined six other prominent composers and musicians to establish the then Viet Nam Music School.

During the war against American involvement in Viet Nam, she evacuated the music school to the countryside, where the teachers taught and students studied in air-raid shelters, often under American air bombardment.

In 1970, she was invited as a guest to the 8th International Chopin Competition in Warsaw and brought home with her books, discs and stories about the competition that opened a whole new world of music to the young Son in the evacuated school in the countryside.

With the cooperation with the then Socialist Eastern European countries, Vietnamese music students got to study with Russian piano teachers, having masterclasses with Polish pianists, who detected the early talent of ang Thai Son. She retired in 1977 after 20 years of leading the piano department and producing leading pianists of the time.

In 1980, she once again became known across the country when her son Son won the 10th International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, which shocked the piano world. Newspapers lauded the up-and-coming young pianist from war-torn Viet Nam becoming the winner of the world's oldest and most prestigious piano competition. The young man didn't come from anywhere - in fact, his professional lineage can be traced all the way back to Chopin.

In 2021, Son made history again when he became the first Chopin competition winner who trained his student Bruce Liu to become the 18th Competition winner, which Madame Lien closely followed via the YouTube posts of the Chopin Institute in Warsaw.

For her contribution to the country's struggle to win independence, she was bestowed with the Labour Order, First Class. She was also awarded a series of accolades including People's Teacher for laying the foundations of piano training in the country.

Her daughter Tran Thu Bach Ha followed the footsteps of her mother to become a respected pianist and pedagogue, who was Director of the Ha Noi Conservartory of Music, today Viet Nam's National Academy of Music, for 10 years.

Madame Lien is survived by three children, four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Her memorial service will take place at the National Funeral Hall on Saturday. VNS
HA NOI  Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai, head of the steering committee on building the national anti-corruption strategy by 2030, has signed a decision on the issuance of the committees action plan.

The strategy is intended to perfect institutions and policies on socio-economic development and anti-corruption, popularise relevant guidelines, policies and laws, avert corruption in both State and non-State sectors, recover corrupt assets, promote the societys responsibility in the combat, and materialise the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.

The Deputy PM will direct the committees operations, chair its meetings, and propose the Government issue the strategy.

Inspector General oan Hong Phong will help the Deputy PM with the implementation of the committees tasks, and prepare the dossier for the strategy.

The steering committee is scheduled to look into the draft strategy and its dossier during its meeting on March 15, and complete the dossier before March 31, 2023.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai has also signed a decision to establish a working group assisting the steering committee in building the national anti-corruption strategy. The group is led by Deputy Government Inspector General Bui Ngoc Lam.

The intersectoral team has 37 members who are leaders of the Governments units including the Government Inspector, State Bank of Vietnam, Ministry of Science and Technology, National Assembly Office, Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, Party Central Committee's Inspection Committee; Supreme People's Procuracy of Vietnam, Supreme People's Court, and Ministry of Public Security.

The team is in charge of supporting the steering committee in building the action plan and a draft resolution on the issuance of the strategy, among others.  VNS
HCM CITY  As she finishes cooking, Nguyen Thi Thanh Binh messages the volunteer doctors to come to her house and have lunch as usual.

Binh, 51, lives next to the Thanh An Medical Station in Thanh An Commune, Can Gio District in HCM City.

Every day, Binh looks forward to the volunteer doctors eating with her family.

Thanh An Commune is the only island commune in HCM City. It used to be the poorest in the city.

We're too lucky that the doctors volunteered to come here. So we are willing to invite them to have meals with us, said Binh.

Living on the Can Gio Sea, the thing that people on the island commune are most worried about is not hunger or hard work but getting seriously ill. They must wait for the ferry for a very long time to come to the mainland for emergency aid.

Before, to transfer patients from the island commune to the mainland, the only means of transport was a boat. It would take about 45 minutes.

One more worrying thing is emergency at night. It is easy to be hit by thunderstorms or whirlpools.

Later, a health station was built, equipped with a canoe. But it was only used when a serious patient needed to be transferred to an upper-level hospital.

Therefore, residents were delighted when young doctors from central HCM City volunteered to come to the island with much more modern equipment.

Local people are diagnosed with a digital X-ray machine integrated with artificial intelligence (AI) for the first time.

Investment

Not only special for the people on the island commune, bringing a digital X-ray machine with AI to Thanh Anh Commune is considered a "historic event" of HCM City.

The system also helps connect doctors on the island with leading experts in HCM City, providing timely health care to local people.

The modern X-ray machine will help the medical team in Thanh An Commune to diagnose the patients condition quickly and not have to move them to upper-level hospitals.

The work is under a programme to improve health care for people in Thanh An island commune in 2022-25, chaired by the HCM City Department of Health.

In the programme, initially, 36 doctors from 18 hospitals in HCM City volunteered at the island commune.

Luan Thanh Truong, head of the Thanh An Medical Station, said that after only one month of bringing the X-ray machine to the commune, the rate of people coming to the station for health checks tripled compared with before.

Three patients received timely emergency aid on the spot.

It is scheduled that a new medical station will be built next year with a surgery room for urgent needs.

I am very happy to be informed by leaders of the HCM City Department of Health that in urgent cases or difficulties caused by weather, a helicopter will be assigned to the island commune", said Truong.

All volunteer doctors on the island have at least two years of working experience in big hospitals in HCM City.

They not only give health examinations at the medical station but also go to houses to examine the elderly, disabled people and people with great contributions to the nation.

Hoang Thi Phuong, a doctor from the Nhan Ai Hospital, said that it was the second Lunar New Year holiday she spent on the island.

I felt homesick, but living and enjoying the holiday with people here is also joyful, she said.

Vietnamese engineers programmed the X-ray machine integrated with AI. It can accurately read 95 different pathological lesions.

Its modern image storage and transmission system will help doctors on the island easily connect and consult with upper-level experts to diagnose and provide the best treatment for patients accurately.  VNS
In a summer voluntary youth campaign (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will hold a dialogue with young people in Hanoi on March 26, the Government Office has announced.

Ministries, agencies and units concerned were assigned to perform tasks in the event organising plan issued by the Minister of Home Affairs.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) was asked to work with the Government Office and the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU) to publicise the plan and conclusions of the event on the portals of the Government, MoHA and HCYU Central Committee.

According to Decree No. 13/2021/ND-CP, the PM and Chairpersons of the People's Committees at all levels are responsible for holding dialogues with young people at least once a year.

Dialogue discussions include mechanisms, policies and laws for young people, activities of agencies and organisations involved in legitimate rights and interests of the youth, the role and responsibility of young people in study and labour as well as their participation in socio-economic development and national defence, and other suggestions.

PM directs intensifying efforts to prevent COVID-19 during Tet Festival Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has signed a dispatch directing ministers, heads of ministerial-level and State agencies, and chairmen of Peoples Committees of centrally-run cities and provinces to strengthen measures to prevent the spreading of COVID-19 during the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet) Festival and the festive season of 2023.
That is the vision Unilever is pursuing: Proving that a sustainable business model drives superior performance.

We do not believe that there is a trade-off. Sometimes there are short-term trade-offs where you incur a cost as an investment. But over the long term, there are many reasons sustainable business results in a stronger, more durable business, said Alan Jope, Unilever CEO, on his visit to Vietnam.

In Vietnam, Unilevers business shows good alignment on this issue. Its purposeful brands are impressively growing, aiming at creating a positive impact on people, the environment, and society without compromising product quality and value.

This all has a positive impact on Vietnamese people. Unilever Vietnams Personal Care business leads its peers while improving hygiene standards.

Take Lifebuoy, for example; it delivers handwashing education to 35 million people. P/S provides oral care education to 25 million children. This means that more people are washing their hands and brushing their teeth for personal hygiene, which drives the market for handwashing soap and toothpaste.

Lifebuoy helps improve peoples health with handwashing habits

The Home Care business at Unilever Vietnam is showing strong growth while rolling out the Clean Future programme, which aims to give consumers high-performing products that are also better for the planet.

Brands like Sunlight, OMO, and Comfort now have more eco-friendly formulations that are gentler on the skin and use more sustainable packaging.

As the beauty and well-being business expands, Unilever Vietnams brands give people the dignity and confidence to express themselves and conquer their dreams.

As the beauty and well-being business expands, Unilever Vietnams brands give people the dignity and confidence to express themselves and conquer their dreams.

Sunsilks Dream too good to hold back campaign helps girls overcome gender stereotypes in the world of work, and Doves My hair, my say campaign encourages women to embrace their style and not be dictated to by society.

Additionally, Unilevers brands in Vietnam are taking a stand and acting on social and environmental issues.

Sunlight is popular with Vietnamese women, and the brand supports 100,000 women to do business for economic gains and a more stable, happier life through the Women Do Business programme.

OMO is driving Dirt is Good, which inspires 500,000 young consumers to plant trees to protect forests and regenerate nature through 380,000 trees planted in 19 provinces and cities.

The Unilever CEO said, We've got very hard evidence that brands that consumers see as having a positive impact on the society of the planet grow faster than the rest of the portfolio.

Unilever CEO Alan Jope discusses the sustainable living brands of Unilever

The Vietnamese market delivers a range of achievements on its long-term sustainability agenda and has ambitious targets on the horizon.

These commitments aim to tackle key challenges of our time, such as packaging and waste, gender equality, human rights, fair value, climate change, and social inclusion.

The company commits that all packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable and aims to reduce 90 per cent of virgin plastic reduction through absolute reduction and PCR inclusion by 2025.

Unilever is also striving to achieve the target to collect and process more plastic waste than the plastic they use for their packaging by 2030.

The companys commitments are also driven by the ambition of planting one million trees by 2025 for positive carbon and achieving a net-zero value chain by 2039.

For peoples benefit and an inclusive society, the company takes a pledge to support 10 million people to improve their health and well-being by 2030 and empower one million Vietnamese women to achieve more in life with training and funding support by 2027.

It is not just about Unilever driving the sustainability commitments alone but creating a more significant impact through inspiring think-alike businesses and organisations.

Because of that, we enjoy tremendous partnerships with the government, NGOs, and other like-minded companies. We are for sure a stronger company for the partnerships that our sustainability commitments have made. Overall, we think macro and micro risks are reduced by attempting to do our business on a sustainable platform, Jope said.

Sustainability reports still underutilised Besides annual reports, sustainability reports are increasingly creating competitive advantages and attracting investor attention. However, only a few listed companies in Vietnam have issues such a report, with most only at acceptable quality.

The proactive pursuit of sustainability The Vietnamese business community is pursuing sustainable development. Patrick Haverman, deputy resident representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam, talked to VIRs Thanh Tung about how this will help it improve competitiveness and expand performance.
City opens warming center

Dewey Community Center, 925 N. Ninth St., is open as warming center due to the winter storm. It will remain open through 8 a.m. Thursday. Hours may be extended based on weather conditions.

Cots, blankets, snacks and bottled water will be available. Support workers and security will be on-site for the operations of the center. Pets are accepted as long as they are in a crate.

Dog training class

Cen-tex Kennel Club is accepting registrations for its next dog training class, which will start at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Quail Creek Training Center, 703 S. Robinson Drive.

The class focuses on teaching manners and control for everyday living. For more information, call Jeanie Davis at 254-717-5325.

Hearts in the Arts Gala

Reservations are open for the 21st annual Hearts in the Arts Gala, sponsored by the McLennan Community College Foundation. This years gala will feature a McLennan Theatre performance of The Addams Family: A New Musical at the MCC Ball Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $100 each and include drinks and dining at 6 p.m. and the theater performance at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 23. Dessert will be served at intermission.

The MCC production is directed by Kelly Parker and choreographed by Joe Taylor. Honorary Hearts in the Arts Chair Nell Hawkins will host the evening as Morticia Addams.

Reservations are due by Feb. 16. Contact the MCC Foundation at 254-299-8604 or reservations@mclennan.edu.

Couples painting class

The Bledsoe-Miller Community Center, 300 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., will host a Paint Talk event from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 11.

It will include a couples painting class and dinner for two. Cost is $60 per couple, which includes painting supplies, step-by-step instructions and a dinner of steak, loaded baked potato, salad and iced tea.

To register, call 254-750-8684.

Adopt a local park

Waco Parks and Recreation, in collaboration with Keep Waco Beautiful, is sponsoring a program to adopt a local park.

The Adopt-A-Park program allows groups, businesses, neighborhood associations, individuals and families to become stewards of the citys parks.

To sign up or for more information, call Keep Waco Beautiful at 254-339-1077.
LINCOLN  Nearly two years after a frozen pipe broke at the AltEn ethanol plant and contaminated Saunders County waterways, a Nebraska lawmaker reintroduced a bill to give victims more time to sue.

State Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue introduced the bill (LB7), which would extend Nebraskas statute of limitations for hazardous or toxic chemical exposures from four years to 10 years. She said the change is necessary because many victims of toxic chemicals dont start experiencing symptoms until after four years.

This is the key to the courthouse for people, said attorney Vince Powers, who testified in support of the bill at a Judiciary Committee meeting Wednesday.

The bill was drafted in response to the AltEn leak in 2021, which released wastewater into the groundwater near Mead from a 4 million-gallon tank. Even before the leak and the plants shutdown, nearby residents complained of foul odors and negative health impacts resulting from the plant.

Blood brought similar legislation (LB694) last year, which stalled in the Judiciary Committee. She said the Legislature failed to do what was needed and this years bill now comes a year too late.

The Legislature needs to take a hold of its responsibility, and protect Nebraskans from parties that knowingly, not accidentally, expose their constituents to hazardous chemicals, Blood said.

Eleanor Rogan, professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, said LB7 was a reasonable extension to the statute of limitations. She said she has spent years studying latency periods, which refers to the period of time between the exposure of toxic chemicals and when the first symptoms occur. Rogan said latency periods can last anywhere from a year to 35 years, depending on the disease and age of the victim.

Trevor Towey, president of the Omaha Professional Firefighters, said the bill would also benefit local firefighters, who are often exposed to dangerous toxins as part of their job. He said sometimes their exposure to toxins is long-term, as some chemicals sink into their gear.

All workers should have the basic expectations that if they develop any health deficits as a result of an exposure at work that they should qualify for the protections that they deserve, Towey said.

Attorney Emily Motto opposed LB7, arguing that Nebraskas current four-year statute of limitations is long enough because it is measured from when the death, injury or damage occurs, rather than when the victim is first exposed.

Bloods bill would amend state law to start the measurement from when the cause of action occurs that results in the injury or death.

Motto argued that the bill may make it more difficult for victims to successfully sue. The longer plaintiffs wait from the incident in question to introduce a lawsuit, the more difficult it is to pull their case together, she said.

Powers actually echoed this point, although he used it to make a point in support of LB7, arguing it would give victims a larger window of time.

Blood refuted Mottos point, arguing that 10 years was not excessive, and would not encourage ambulance chasers in Nebraska.

What its going to do is show that we are aware of whats going on right now in Nebraska, Blood said.
WAHOO  A former Raymond Central Public Schools teacher will serve two years probation and be listed on the Sex Offender Registry for 15 years after sentencing for crimes involving possession of child pornography.

Jeffrey Nelson of Valparaiso was sentenced in Saunders County District Court on Monday, Jan. 30.

Judge Christina Marroquin found Nelson guilty of one count of attempted possession of sexually explicit conduct, a Class IIIA felony, on Aug. 29, 2022.

After a presentence report was conducted, the sentencing was scheduled for Nov. 14, 2022, but was continued until Jan. 30.

Nelson was arrested at his rural Valparaiso home on Feb. 8, 2021 on nine counts of possession of child pornography and one count of intent to distribute child pornography. He was released the same day after posting 10% of the $250,000 bail.

Nelson pleaded not guilty March 22, 2021. In a plea agreement made with prosecutors last August, Nelson plead no contest to one count of attempted possession of sexually explicit conduct. All other charges were dismissed.

Nelson was previously employed by Raymond Central Public Schools as a speech and drama teacher. In a statement released on Feb. 8, 2021 by the school district, officials reported Nelson was permanently removed as a teacher several weeks earlier. The statement also said the school district worked with law enforcement to assist the investigation and ensure student safety.

Then-Saunders County Attorney Joe Dobesh said in 2021 that no Raymond Central students were depicted in the images and videos found in Nelsons home during a search warrant executed by the Nebraska Attorney General investigators on Jan. 7, 2021.

Nelsons Internet Protocol (IP) address was flagged by Attorney General Investigator Edward Sexton because it had participated in the sharing of files that depict children under the age of 18 engaging in sexually explicit conduct, according to an affidavit of probable cause. This occurred between Nov. 29, 2020 and Jan. 2, 2021.

Investigators obtained explicit images and videos of children ranging in age from 3 to 14 years old performing sexual acts with or for adults during search warrants executed at Nelsons home in rural Valparaiso. Items seized included a laptop, digital camera, digital video camera and a Go Pro camera from Nelsons home.

The sentencing order states that Nelson must register under the Nebraska Sex Offender Registration act for a period of 15 years. The probation comes with multiple conditions Nelson must meet that include staying away from alcohol and pornographic materials; completing intensive outpatient substance abuse treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy and Sex Offender Crime Victim Empathy program; participating in Sex Offender Moral Reconation Therapy program; submitting to random chemical testing and complying with multiple requirements for use of electronic devices, including time limits, utilizing a web filter and monitoring of social media.

Nelson must also provide a DNA sample pursuant to the DNA Identification Information Act.
OMAHA  A Topeka man told a former platoon mate that he killed his Omaha ex-girlfriend after they got into an argument, a Douglas County sheriff's deputy testified Monday.

"I killed her," Deputy Neal Klein said Aldrick Scott told a former U.S. military comrade while he was in a hotel in Cancun, Mexico, just a day after he allegedly buried Cari Allen's body near an abandoned barn in Kansas.

Data from Scott's cellphone, his Snapchat location and the OnStar account from his Chevy Equinox as well as video surveillance helped investigators piece together his journey from Topeka to Omaha and back again after fatally shooting 43-year-old Allen in the chest at her northwest Omaha home on Nov. 20.

Scott will stand trial on charges of first-degree murder, use of a firearm to commit a felony and tampering with evidence, a judge ruled Monday.

Investigators had first sought a warrant for the arrest of Scott on suspicion of kidnapping before Allen's frozen body was found in a shallow grave at an abandoned farm property on Dec. 21.

Authorities were able to figure out the location of Allen's body because that day they received OnStar data from Scott's SUV, mapping his previous locations.

Klein said that on Saturday, Nov. 19, Scott left Topeka about 7:30 p.m., about the same time Allen went to The Good Life Bar near 180th and Pacific streets with a date she had just had dinner with. Scott had called Allen repeatedly, up to four times within one hour, which prompted Allen to turn off her phone, Klein said.

Scott and Allen dated for about one year but had ended the relationship two weeks before, her friend told police.

Scott then arrived at The Good Life Bar about 10:15 p.m., but Klein said investigators weren't sure if he went inside the business. Scott left after roughly 10 minutes and headed toward Allen's house near 168th and Blondo streets.

Klein said he believes Scott entered Allen's house through her garage because he knew the code and that Scott waited for Allen to return home at about 11:30 p.m.

When investigators went to Allen's home the next day, because her ex-husband and son reported her missing, they found a single bullet hole that went through Allen's bedroom door, two walls and penetrated her son's bedroom door, Klein said. The holes had been freshly spackled, Klein said.

An autopsy determined that Allen was shot once in the chest and the bullet exited out of her back. Scott then wrapped a "combat bandage"  an elastic bandage with a big cotton pad to stem blood loss  around Allen's wounds and put her body in trash bags, Klein said.

Investigators believe Scott used Allen's sedan to transport her body from her home to where Scott's SUV was parked in a nearby neighborhood under construction. The trunk liner from Allen's car was missing and Scott's SUV trunk showed evidence of apparent traces of blood, Klein said. The vehicle has not yet been tested for DNA.

Scott then drove his SUV back to his Topeka home, arriving at 6:30 a.m. on Nov. 20. About four hours later, he spent roughly 70 minutes at the abandoned farm property, according to the OnStar data.

Scott purchased plane tickets that day to leave the next day from the Kansas City International Airport, flying to Houston and then Cancun, Klein said. Officials found his SUV in an airport parking garage and found a loaded Sig Sauer P320 9 mm semiautomatic handgun in a handgun case in the spare tire compartment.

Klein testified that on Nov. 22, despite having just flown to Cancun, Scott bought tickets to Fiji via Los Angeles the following day, so Klein and another detective went to Los Angeles to try to intercept Scott. But Scott never got on that plane, Klein said.

Scott eventually turned up in Belize, where he was taken into custody Dec. 6.

Authorities confiscated one of Scott's three phones and believe the two others were ditched in Houston and Cancun.

On that phone, Scott searched the internet asking whether he could be arrested or whether police could confront him in Belize, Klein said. Scott also Googled his name and Allen's name.

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Gov. Jim Pillen delivered a conservative message Monday to participants and listeners in his first monthly statewide call-in radio show while centering on the need for workforce development and retention of young Nebraskans.

Pillen, who is approaching his first month in office, said he is committed to "transformative tax policy" and less government.

"We need to shrink government," he said. "Get government out of our hair."

At the same time, the governor said, he is determined to "improve services with less people" holding government jobs.

"As we shrink government," Pillen said, "don't fill empty seats" when people retire.

"We need to focus on essential, critical services," Pillen said, and that includes making "a significant investment to fill positions" now vacant in the Nebraska State Patrol.

Pillen said the state needs to proceed with construction of a new prison to replace the aging penitentiary in Lincoln, locate the new facility in a populous location and improve programming for inmates so they can be prepared to "join the workforce and live productive lives" once they have completed their sentences.

Although Pillen did not suggest where a new prison should be built, Omaha is considered to be the most likely site.

Answering questions phoned in during the hourlong show aired on KFOR in Lincoln, the governor said the opportunity for legislative enactment of Sen. Tom Brewer's "constitutional-carry" gun rights bill "looks pretty good" and responded to criticism about his appointment of former Gov. Pete Ricketts to the Senate.

Brewer's bill (LB77) would allow Nebraskans to carry concealed weapons without a permit or required gun safety training. Twenty-five senators have signed on as co-sponsors of the bill.

Critics of the appointment of Ricketts to succeed Ben Sasse, who resigned from the Senate to become president of the University of Florida, have pointed to the former governor's strong financial support for Pillen's gubernatorial candidacy.

Noting that he had 4,500 contributors to his campaign, Pillen said: "No one asked for anything in return."

"I chose the best person," the governor said.

"And everybody will have an opportunity to make a decision" whether Ricketts should continue to hold that Senate seat two years from now when Ricketts seeks election to serve the final two years of Sasse's six-year term, Pillen said.

Photos: The business of governing in Nebraska in 2023
The Experimental Aircraft Associations Ford 4-AT-E Tri-Motor is one of just a handful of airworthy examples remaining of this iconic, 1920s aircraft. Affectionately known as the Tin Goose the type was one of Americas first mass-produced airliners.

The EAAs website offers a detailed history of this extraordinary aircraft. All told, the Ford Motor Company built a total of 199 Tri-Motors; this may seem like a small number in comparison to most modern airliners, but it was significant for the period, when many still noteworthy breeds had production runs in single digits. The EAAs Ford Tri-Motor was 76th model 4-AT-E variant and 146th production example overall to roll off Fords innovative assembly line; it first flew on August 21st, 1929, registered as NC8407. Days later, it joined Pitcairn Aviation, which itself was soon absorbed into a larger air carrier, Eastern Air Transport, belonging to a man named Clement Keys (who also owned North American Aviation at the time). NC8407 became the first aircraft to wear the Eastern Air Transport livery, a paint scheme replicated on the EAAs Tri-Motor in the present day. (As many will know, Eastern Air Transport later became Eastern Airlines, one of the most important domestic air carriers in North America until deregulation precipitated its demise in the late 1980s.)

In 1930, Eastern Air Transport leased the Tri-Motor to Clement Keys newly-formed Compania Nacional Cubana de Aviacion Curtiss (now known simply as Cubana), where it inaugurated air service between Havana and Santiago de Cuba on the island of Cuba. The Dominican Republics government later flew the airplane.

EAAs Ford Tri-Motor returned to the United States in 1949, ostensibly to take part in barnstorming operations. However, a year later, the aircraft moved from Miami, Florida to Phoenix, Arizona where it received more powerful engines for a new role in crop dusting. With a 450-hp engine in each wing and a 550-hp motor in the nose, the aircraft became the most powerful Model 4-AT-E ever flown! In 1955, the aircraft moved to Idaho, where it underwent further conversion to become an air tanker. This included mounting two 275-gallon borate tanks (complete with bomb doors) in the fuselage. Then, in 1958, further modifications allowed the aircraft to deliver smoke jumpers.

In 1964, after working for a variety of air spraying businesses, EAAs Tri-Motor moved to Lawrence, Kansas where its new owner flew barnstorming operations. The aircraft took on a number of roles during this period, including a part in the 1965 Jerry Lewis comedy film, The Family Jewels.

In 1973, the aircraft was still performing air show rides around the country. While attending an EAA chapter fly-in in Burlington, Wisconsin during 1973, a severe thunderstorm ripped the plane from its tie-downs, lofted it 20 feet skywards and then crashed it back down onto its back. The EAA subsequently purchased the wreckage.

After an arduous, twelve-year effort by EAA staff, volunteers, and Ford Tri-Motor operators nationwide, the old Tri-Motor took to the skies under its own power once again, having its official post-restoration debut at Oshkosh during the 1985 EAA Fly-In Convention. The aircraft then went on display within the EAA AirVenture Museum until 1991 when it again returned to its former role of delighting passengers on its annual barnstorming tour across the U.S.

In November 2018, the EAA launched Project Tin Goose to raise funding for replacing the Tri-Motors now-aged wings. The Tri-Motors wing center section is currently being replaced.

Presently, the airplane sits in a hangar at Oshkosh. The restoration team has dismounted the Tri-Motors engines, propellors, landing gear, and outer wing panels to allow access to the wing center section, which they removed and sent to Hov-Aire, Inc., which has a lot of experience restoring Ford Tri-Motors at their facility in Three Rivers, Michigan. Hov-Aire is rebuilding the aircrafts wing centre section and is presently re-installing brackets, pulleys, and mounts into the largely new-build structure before returning it to Oshkosh for installation. While this takes place, the EAA team is repairing and repainting the engine mounts for reinstallation.

The EAAs hopes to have the aircraft reassembled for flight by March 31, 2023. Once the Tri-Motor flies again, EAA personnel will then address any remaining discrepancies and perform crew training; they hope to have the aircraft out on tour again by June, 2023.

Donations to the EAA Aviation Foundation help make developments like this to our aircraft. To support the EAAs Tri-Motor visit FlyTheFord.org or send a check to EAA and specify Ford Tri-Motor.


The Lockheed 10 Electra airliner was an important type in aviation history, and the first aircraft the renowned designer Kelly Johnson worked on for the company where he was to make his name. Of the 149 Electras built, only a few Model 10s survive, and even fewer are, or close to, airworthy.

The Electra-fying team managed to locate a rare, available Lockheed Electra 10A in the United States in late 2021. Project leader of the Electra-fying team, Evan Cluff said: This is a dream in the making. Electra-fying is a project of Experience History Foundation, itself a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The group is on a mission to get it restored and made airworthy. We chose to make this our first project as a way to share our dream with the world. added Evan, and notes that As of right now this is the only Lockheed Electra 10 in the United States that is not in a museum, and therefore can be made airworthy.



This aircraft, construction number, 1026, was delivered brand new to Braniff Air Lines in 1935 and was registered NC14937. Powered by two 450 hp Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior radial engines, it was given the 10A designation. The new, fast, all metal, Electra was critical to the development of the young airline, but their success meant Braniff soon moved onto larger types, so the Lockheed was sold to Boston-Maine Airways.

It later passed through a number of owners. Registered as N4826V, serving Capitol Air Service in Manhattan, KS, then in 1964, the Electra was sold to Skyway Aviation and the following year to Provincetown-Boston Airlines (PBA, which eventually became Naples Airlines & Provincetown-Boston Airlines) where it was registered first as N14262 and eventually N38BB, and which colors it still wears. In service, it was also modified with additional rear windows and a downwards-opening airstair replacing the passenger door. For many years, the Lockheed 10A was on static display at the Oakland Aviation Museum, CA, but was more recently stored off-site, in private hands. It is currently stored, still in California, with an additional hangar or so full of brand-new spare parts.

The Electra-Fying team is working on an educational program that will be used in connection with the aircraft. The program will aim to teach students/public about the Lockheed Electra and its place in history including its effect on air travel, the airline/aviation industry, and the 1930s (also known as the golden age of aviation.

Furthermore, the group plans to focus its educational efforts on the history of Amelia Earhart and her connection with the Electra. Spread Amelias message is one of Electra-Fying main goals, the famous aviatrix was known for two particular visions of life which the group plans to promote:



You dont have to live the life society expects you to live Through hard work and determination, you can achieve your dreams



Electra-Fying has established a connection with AirCorps Aviation in Bemidji, MN, who have agreed to carry out the restoration, and Landstar (a hauling company) has agreed to transport the aircraft from California to Minnesota.
Beech 18, N13JC, is currently under a return-to-flight program at the Vintage Flying Museum (VFM) of Fort Worth, Texas. The Twin Beech, a 1954 Beechcraft E18S-9700, construction number BA-31, was gifted to VFM several years previously by the Tarrant County College and had been using the aircraft for several decades as a maintenance trainer. During its tenure at the college, it was discovered to have been previously owned by Jacqueline Jackie Cochran, the accomplished record setting aviatrix and founder of the WWII Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) organization. With this heritage, it was decided by the VFM is to use the airplane to honor and promote women in aviation past, present  and future. With that in mind, it was re-registered as N13JC in Cochrans memory.

The aircraft was originally purchased by the Williams Brothers Company of Tulsa, Oklahoma, to support their oil exploration activities, including a short stint flying in Venezuela, and being registered by them as N80008, N108WB, YV-P-EPC and N107WB. In 1962 the aircraft was sold to Arkansas Best Freight System Inc. and based in Fort Smith, Arkansas as N475AB.

According to the National Air & Space Museum, this was the last aircraft personally owned and flown by Cochran, registered as N13JC. After her ownership the aircraft became the transportation tool of 1970s television personality Merv Griffin, as N333MG, and used to fly numerous stars around southern California  because of this, the aircraft the restoration team has given the aircraft the moniker of the Hollywood Bomber!

In August of 2022 VFM Founder Chuckie Hospers, and Director of Operations Bill Gorin, made the decision to prioritize the return to flight of this iconic 1954 Beechcraft. They asked Bill Goebel of Vintage Aircraft Services, Rhome TX to consider undertaking the oversight and management of the project. Bill eagerly agreed to become the Hollywood Bomber Crew Chief and support the project on a pure volunteer basis. A kickoff meeting was held mid-August and work on the aircraft commenced immediately.

The aircraft is currently based at the VFM facility located on Meacham airport. The volunteer team include the then-current maintenance team, volunteers that had worked on the aircraft when it was at the college, and many new volunteers; new to both to the project and the VFM.

Again, the projects first goal is an airworthy return to flight. Therefore it was decided early on that if this aircraft is to be reliable and service the museums needs, concessions from originality would be taken in the interest of safety, equipment simplification, and aircraft reliability. The restoration and refinishing of the aircrafts period interior and exterior with be accomplished in subsequent phases.

Since August 2022, the team has removed all the legacy avionics and autopilot, their wiring and their associated structure. A new instrument panel has been hand fabricated to replace the modified instrument panel.

The aircraft will be equipped with Garmin GTN750/GNC255 avionics and GI175 displays. Genesys Aerosystems has stepped up to replace the 70-year-old Lear autopilot with an STEC 55X system. Hartzell is donating Jasco alternators and regulators for both engines eliminating the generators, carbon pile regulators, and reverse current relays. The aircraft main power bus will be rewired with new materials.

Richardson Aviation of Fort Worth offered to fabricate new floors for the cabin to replace the sketchy, unairworthy cabin floors. The crew has removed the vacuum system, repaired the lower fuselage structure, removed the tail feathers, then inspected and reconditioned them to airworthy standard, and refitted them. Because the Twin Beech had been used as a maintenance trainer by students for decades, it is vital the aircraft is thoroughly checked over in every detail. The team keep finding Easter eggs requiring special attention and correction.

The pilot and copilot seats have been disassembled and weld repaired in preparation for reupholstering. The propellers have also been removed to aid engine work. The number one engine has been temporarily removed from the aircraft to install the alternator, replace magnetos, starter, carburetor, and the myriad hoses and hardware. The engines will also receive oil filters and pre-oiling kits prior to flight. These new systems will take additional time to integrate. While this restoration may seem to be a Herculean task, nevertheless the team is planning on a first flight in early July 2023, with an airworthy, safe flying aircraft, but not a concours restoration!

The Hollywood Bomber teams work can be in weekly videos on the HangaRatz YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/c/HangaRatz. The team will endeavor to provide monthly update to readers. You may also contact the team direct at hollywoodbomber@gmail.com.
PRESS RELEASE

Generous donors helped Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Airbase Georgia exceed its holiday campaign for its newest project, a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter aircraft. The goal was $15,000 for an engine mount, but donations exceeded $25,000 so far. The extra money allowed the purchase of a rare set of brakes unique to this aircraft.

This response shows the tremendous interest out there for a historic plane like the Thunderbolt, said Airbase Leader Joel Perkins. Much more will be needed to get this restoration project to completion over the next few years, but we are grateful for this overwhelming start. The CAF holiday campaign runs through the end of January, so we welcome any additional donations to cover essential components necessary to return this P-47 to the air. (To make a contribution, go to P-47 Thunderbolt.)

More than 15,000 Thunderbolts were built during World War II, but only about 13 remain airworthy in the U.S. today. This P-47 is one of the original aircraft acquired by CAF founder Lloyd P. Nolen in 1963. The restoration ahead for the Thunderbolt is extensive, requiring thousands of hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of work and materials.

Airbase Georgia already is working to complete the wings and reassemble one of the flaps. To expedite the project, Airbase Georgia has engaged a respected warbird restoration company to repair or replace belly skins, cowlings, and cowl flaps. Other fittings and parts will be made by volunteers in Airbase Georgias well-equipped machine shop.

The P-47 is one of the iconic airplanes of the Second World War, a highly acclaimed fighter known for its combat effectiveness, said Perkins. With strong financial support, our skilled mechanics can return this amazing warbird to the air for all to enjoy. This is an opportunity for any person or organization to play a role in preserving this important piece of American history and to honor the contributions of all veterans who defended our freedom during World War II.

To support this restoration, visit airbasegeorgia.org

To support this restoration, click HERE.
Royal Air Force Museum London is offering opportunities for an up-close view of two classic Cold War aircraft in their collection, an Avro Vulcan and a McDonnell Douglas Phantom II. These ticketed events, priced at 50, take place twice each month for most of 2023. Participants will be allowed to walk all around these iconic aircraft and then climb aboard for a closer look from the pilots seat  gaining a personal perspective for what it might have been like to fly and fight from such a historic platform. To learn more, please read the RAF Museums description below

The Vulcan and Cold War Experience

Ticket holders will have the exclusive chance to explore two of the Cold Wars most iconic aircraft  the Avro Vulcan B.2 and McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.2  which, between them, tell a story of uncertainty and tension that loomed over the world for decades. You will gain special access to both of these mighty warriors, which also allows you to climb aboard and sit in the Vulcans cockpit and the pilots seat of the Phantom. This is a rare opportunity to experience what it was like to fly these great aircraft.

Ticket holders for the experience will also be given a full behind the barriers ground tour, with the chance to get up and close to other significant Cold War aircraft, including the BAC Lightning F.6, the Handley Page Victor K.2, and the English Electric Canberra PR.3. You will hear fascinating, real-life stories of the people who flew these aircraft types.

The Vulcan and Cold War Experience runs on selected dates throughout the year on the middle Wednesday and last Tuesday of every month at the RAF Museum in London. Time slots are available from 10.30am to 2.00pm; one person per session.

Ticket information:

Please arrive at the Museum 15 minutes before your chosen time; this will give you time to make your way to the Vulcan located in the far corner of Hangar 5. Our team of Aircraft Access Volunteers will then take you through your experience. Each session will last around one hour and fifteen minutes. Please ensure that you have read our access terms and conditions further below before booking.

The dates for this experience in 2023 are:

31 January

8 and 28 February

8 and 28 March

12 and 25 April

10 and 30 May

14 and 27 June

5 and 25 July

9 and 29 August

13 and 26 September

11 and 31 October

8 and 28 November

Gift Voucher:

New for the Vulcan and Cold War Challenge, you can also get the opportunity of purchasing a ticket as a gift voucher. The perfect present for a loved one, family member or friend. Just click on the book now button below and fill out the information to have an e-voucher code sent to your email.

Access Terms & Conditions for The Vulcan and Cold War Experience:
by Adam Estes

After a multi-year effort, Planes of Fame Air Museum recently announced plans to expand their presence into Californias Central Coast region, selecting a site for a new facility which they will construct at Santa Maria Airport, roughly 200 miles northwest of their longtime home in Chino.

The reasons governing this decision are manifold, but the primary consideration centers around the significant increase in real estate development around Chino Airport. As anyone familiar with Chinos connection to the warbird community will know, the airport was once surrounded by dairy farms and other agricultural concerns. However, with many of these farms now sold off and their land repurposed for warehousing and the bustle of suburban sprawl, it has become much harder for a flying museum to operate safely, especially when considering the issues involved with post-maintenance test flights. Furthermore, an increase in local air traffic (primarily from nearby Ontario International Airport) has further complicated the situation. Ultimately, the museum decided that it made sense to move at least some of their airworthy fleet, along with the bulk of their maintenance operations, to calmer skies further afield. However, finding an appropriate location for such a facility was no easy task. The new site would need a runway of at least 8,000 feet to accommodate museum jets (such as their F-86 Sabre and MiG-15), favorable weather conditions, adequate emergency services, and a significant population base to provide sufficient regular visitors. These conditions shortened the list of viable locations in the western United States considerably, but after considerable effort, the museum settled upon Santa Maria, signing an agreement with local authorities (in December, 2021) to develop 23.89 acres of land at the airport.

While this news may be a surprise to some, readers should not infer that these plans indicate the museum is leaving Chino, but rather that they are establishing a robust support facility to complement present operations. Museum aircraft will fly regularly between the two locations and participate in events at Chino, Santa Maria and other venues throughout southern and central California. This new site will also provide a safer, primary location for aircraft maintenance and test flights. Planes of Fame personnel are already familiar with Santa Maria Airport, as several museum aircraft participated in the Central Coast AirFest, held at the field last October. The airport has a military pedigree; the Army Corps of Engineers constructed its runways and much of the infrastructure as Santa Maria Army Air Field during early 1942; it has remained active ever since. Interestingly, two aircraft in the Planes of Fame collection (P-38J 44-23314 and YP-59A 42-108777) called the base home during WWII.

In developing their Santa Maria facility, Planes of Fame will join another aviation museum already on site, this being the Santa Maria Museum of Flight, a small but delightful organization which both covers Santa Marias local aviation history and plays home to several significant items from aviation-related movies. The latter includes a replica Hughes H-1 Racer from Martin Scorseses film The Aviator (2004) and a hangar built for Joe Johnstons The Rocketeer (1991). There are a number of genuine aircraft in their collection too, including a 1929 Fleet Model 2 and military types such as Folland Gnat T.1 XP541, Douglas A-4C BuNo.147825 and McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom II BuNo.153868.

Planes of Fame intends to build their new facility in three phases, with the initial step being the construction of a 56,000 square foot, three-bay hangar. The central hangar space will serve as a display area (likely to include memorabilia, uniforms, and documents currently in storage at Chino). One of the outer bays will house maintenance and restoration operations, while the other will provide additional storage. The latter space will also function as an events venue and host an educational auditorium too. The building will also feature a lobby, gift shop, and offices. As of writing, an engineering team is already working on the design for this new hangar, with construction to begin (hopefully) sometime this year. The museum has, so far, remained tightlipped about their plans for Phases Two and Three, but we will endeavor to relay them as soon as we learn more.

If everything runs smoothly, Phase One will open during 2025. Even so, Planes of Fame will continue to host many events at their Chino facility, such as the Hangar Talk and Flying Demonstrations held on the first Saturday of each month, the Kilroy Coffee Klatch held on the first Tuesday of each month, and annual events such as Wheels, Tracks, and Wings and the Taste of Flight Gala.

If you are interested in contributing funds to Planes of Fames Santa Maria project or receiving the latest progress

reports, please click HERE.
Arthur Scarf was the recipient of the only Victoria Cross awarded to the Royal Air Force for services in the Far East during the Second World War. This incredibly rare medal, and Arthurs Story, is a national treasure that represents an extraordinary and highly poignant story of great personal courage, and the RAF Museum is determined for it to remain within the UK.

The Museum is a registered charity and has just a few months to raise 660,000 to match the auction bid placed by an overseas buyer. If successful in the mission to acquire this one-of-a-kind medal, the VC will be preserved in the RAF Museums national collection on public display in London, for future generations to see.

The Museum is hoping to raise 250,000 of the required funds through public donations. Money raised will be added to a contribution being made from the Museums own funds, and a potential grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund. Donate to #SaveTheScarfVC on the Museums dedicated Save the Scarf VC GoFundMe page.

RAF Museum Historian and Head of Collections, Dr. Harry Raffal said: Not only does Sqn Ldr Scarfs Victoria Cross represent his outstanding devotion to duty and supreme act of bravery, it is also a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by all the British and Commonwealth service personnel fighting in the Far East, and the role of the RAF within this context. This unique medal is part of our nations heritage, and a significant element of a decisive moment in British history. There is an imminent risk of it leaving the UK, but were hopeful that with public support we can prevent this from happening, and for the medal to remain on our shores. If were successful, the medal will be displayed at the Museum, in the heart of our collection, helping us to share the stories of all those RAF personnel who fought, lived and died in the conflict.

The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest decoration for valor in the British armed forces, awarded for an act of extreme bravery in the face of the enemy. Such is the medals legendary status, recipients are often revered as heroes. Only 22 Victoria Crosses were awarded to RAF personnel during the Second World War, and just one, for their service in the Far East  the VC that was awarded to Arthur Scarf.

Scarf joined the RAF in 1936 aged 23, and three years later was sent to Singapore with No. 62 Squadron to join the forces in the Far East. On December 9, 1941, he led a formation of Bristol Blenheim aircraft in a daylight attack on Japanese forces occupying airfields in Burma, what is today Thailand. As Scarf became airborne, a formation of Japanese bombers swept over the airfield destroying every British aircraft on the ground. Realizing that none of his squadrons aircraft had survived the Japanese bombing, Scarf was determined to complete his squadrons allotted task. Flying low for some 30 miles into the enemy-occupied territory, Scarf skilfully evaded several attacks by Japanese fighters and released the bombs whilst his crew manned the machine guns. With the task complete and now heading home, more Japanese fighters arrived attacking at close range. Greatly outnumbered, hopelessly outgunned and in aircraft slower than the enemies, Scarf flew at tree-top height, desperately seeking whatever protection he could find. Despite evading the worst of the Japanese attacks, machine gun fire riddled the Blenheim. Scarf was mortally wounded but continued to fly the aircraft while being held upright by his crew mates and managed to make a controlled crash landing at a nearby British-controlled airfield without injury to his crew, but Scarf died from his wounds shortly afterward.

The Victoria Cross was awarded posthumously in 1946 and was presented to his widow, Elizabeth, by King George VI at Buckingham Palace.

Arthurs heroic story can inspire future generations for many years to come. To support the RAF Museums mission to raise the money needed to save Scarfs VC medal from leaving the UK, visit the Save the Scarf VC GoFundMe page.
Without the Goose making an appearance, Christmas on Canada British Columbias wild coast is incomplete Even Scrooge acknowledges the significance of having a Goose at Christmas. And it also applies to the hardy Central Coast residents and workers of British Columbia, who rely on a Goose for holiday cheer.

Three historic Grumman Goose aircraft are still used for commercial flights by Wilderness Seaplanes out of Port Hardy, serving 50+ villages, resorts, and work camps along the West Coast. Their flock of red and white Grumman Goose aircraft that mimic Santas sleigh fly through snow, slush, and rain to carry people and gifts to their houses.

The last commercial flight of the iconic twin-engine seaplane is flown by Wilderness Seaplanes out of Port Hardy on northern Vancouver Island. These throughout the year fliers provide a connection for 50+ West Coast communities, resorts, and work encampments.

The Grumman Goose, sometimes known as an amphibious flying boat, was made between 1937 and 1944. Only 345 of what were initially intended to be flying yachts for affluent businessmen on the east coast of the United States were ever built. But the military and aviation businesses have long made substantial use of reliable aircraft in British Columbia. The Goose has been providing service to coastal towns in British Columbia for more than 50 years under several corporate names.

They were designed specifically for this task. They are adaptable and the ideal size. It has survived because they genuinely havent produced an airplane thats better for it. The Goose can easily land at a civilian airfield, on the water, or on a mud airstrip and is equipped to handle a limited number of passengers and their belongings. It might even land on the sea and roll up a boat ramp if a dock is not accessible.

Three Grumman Goose are kept by the business; the oldest is 83 years old. The central coast, however, has developed into a hub of competence in flying and repairing aircraft as a result of its prolonged use in the area. In the weeks before Christmas, they essentially have to quadruple the number of flights, and these extra trips are primarily for cargo rather than people. As you would guess, Wilderness Seaplanes move plenty of boxes at this time of year, particularly in recent years, given that everyone now shops online.

With the more unpredictable winter weather, those traveling within and outside of the villages dont have many alternative options for getting home. The BC Ferries service is rare, has little room, and is sometimes booked months in advance, and it can be dangerous to travel by boat for any distance in the cold weather. Many visitors visiting far-flung First Nations villages like Klemtu, Bella Bella, or Knight Inlet are frequently returning home after an extended absence. Many young people leave the villages, so its always entertaining to witness large reunions on the docks. Furthermore, half of the boxes that are unloaded from the airline frequently have festive Christmas wrapping on them.

Wilderness Seaplanes began operations as a separate entity in May 2016; prior to that, the company was the seaplane division of Pacific Coastal Airlines which has a long and respected history providing air service here on the west coast. Pacific Coastal started out back in the 80s as a small local airline connecting Port Hardy and Powell River to Vancouver. After having grown into a regional airline serving all of BC, Pacific Coastal realized that they were unable to be competitive in both the airline and seaplane markets simultaneously. For this reason, it was decided to separate the Seaplane service from the larger airline. Pacific Coastal still retains ownership of the seaplane service and Wilderness continues to operate to the high standards expected by its customers.

At present Wilderness Seaplanes provides service from Port Hardy and Bella Bella to the BC Central Coast. They operate six seaplanes, 4 of which are amphibious. The company is especially proud of its Grumman Goose fleet, Wilderness Seaplanes is the last commercial operator worldwide of famous amphibious aircraft, the classic boats from a glorious era of travel. They meticulously maintain the Gooses, as well as their DeHavilland Beavers and Cessna 185, all from our maintenance base in Port Hardy.

There are normally about a dozen people waiting when the Goose shows up, and you can tell that theyre quite pleased to receive all their packages and gifts. You could describe Bella Bella town of 1,200 inhabitants, as being somewhat tiny. However, it continues to serve as a bigger center for travelers who use the Goose to go to even smaller nearby First Nations settlements. On the Central Coast, flying on the Goose is such a common occurrence that it isnt truly seen as a unique occasion. For people living there, its similar to taking a bus to get to the next stop. It is an instrument you must use to reach wherever you wish to go.

The Grumman Goose, a truly special airplane, brings together people, locations, and individual memories in the coastal villages, especially throughout the holidays. For more information visit www.wildernessseaplanes.com
Story by Daniel Garas

Naval History and Heritage Command

On the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, the destroyer USS Ward (DD 139) was conducting a patrol off the entrance to Pearl Harbor when at 3:57 a.m., she was informed of a periscope sighting by the coastal minesweeper USS Condor (AMC 14). The submarine was Japanese and Ward sprang into action as her No. 1 gun crew fired a shot that passed over the submarines conning tower. The crew of Wards No. 3 starboard side gun fired next and landed a direct hit that caused the submarine to heel over and sink.

The saga of Ward was unique in two ways. First, and most glaring, was that her fight with the Japanese happened several hours before the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor. The second was that the crew of the No. 3 gun on Ward was made up entirely of Navy Reservists. The fact that the crew was made up of Reservists would not be a surprise to anyone serving in the Navy at the time. At the outbreak of World War II, the U.S. Navy Reserve was ready to fight as they had begun mobilizing months prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor.

A Society of Citizen Warriors

America has been a society of citizen warriors since its inception. Volunteers have always been used to swell the ranks in time of crisisfrom colonial militias, to the Reserves and National Guard of today. While the concept is often presented as a romantic embodiment of democratic ideals and citizenship, the real reasons for militias were often far more about economicsmilitias were cheap. Unfortunately, maintaining a large and well-trained Army is expensive. Navies cost even more. Prior to Americas entry into the conflicts of the late 19th and early 20th century, a standing Navy Reserve wasnt deemed essential to the nations defense, or seen as fiscally responsible.

It wasnt until May 17, 1888, that the first naval militia was established by Massachusetts. Manpower was provided by the state, while subsidies, equipment, and obsolete ships for training were provided by the federal government. Even then, state naval militias had limitations. Enlistment standards were lax; rules and agreements to mobilize were unclear, and unit capabilities were limited by equipment.

Furthermore, the men attracted to state naval militias didnt fit the fleets notion of ideal recruits. Officers in militias were also elected by the men in their unit, which caused issues of legitimacy and respect for the regular fleet. Perhaps the biggest factor that drove the need for a federal naval reserve was the U.S. Navys transition from iron to steel ships in the late 1880s. Steel warships outfitted with new technology like internal-combustion engines, electricity, and radio, required a force of skilled tradesmen to operate them.

Over There

When World War I began, some saw Americas entry into the conflict as only a matter of time. To prepare, a federal naval reserve was officially established on March 3, 1915. Initially only enlisted Navy veterans were eligible to join, but with growing manpower issues and the threat of war looming, there was an obvious need for restructuring. Founded on Aug. 29, 1916, the U.S. Naval Reserve Force (USNRF) opened up enlistment requirements and organized Reservist into six classes based on experience, trade, and area of operability.

Mobilized USNRF Sailors bolstered the size of the fleet. Flush with manpower, the U.S. Navy, with considerable help from Great Britain, France, and Italy, was able to put over 2 million men on the continent of Europe in a year, with minuscule lossesa logistical triumph that is still impressive to this day. At the time, there was nothing on paper that made mention of prohibiting women from joining, and many took advantage of the opportunity. Suddenly, women who could quickly transcribe intelligence documents, found themselves just as essential as men manning a gun on a warship. By the wars end, 11,275 women served honorably in the Naval Reserve in a variety of roles, including translators, draftsmen, fingerprint experts, camouflage designers, and recruiting agents. By the end of World War I, more than half of naval personnel were Reservists. Figures show that by Jan. 1, 1919, there were 245,789 personnel serving in the USNRF, out of a total naval force of 456,154.

The groundwork for the Modern Reserves

Despite its outstanding success, after World War I, the Navy went through a major drawdown. Economic realities and an American policy of isolationism would drastically reduce funding. Exacerbated by the Great Depression, the USNRF was forced to cut even more funds and prioritize its capabilities.

In an effort to do this, the Navy recognized the USNRF and made provisions to lay out the foundation for the modern Reserves. In 1925, the Naval Reserve Force was reorganized into the U.S. Naval Reserve and was made up of three classes: Fleet Naval Reserve, Merchant Marine Reserve, and the Volunteer Reserve.

Naval armories were constructed across the United States for Reservists to perform drills at, and policies, regulations, and efforts to recruit, train and retain them were developed.

Also around this time, during the fall of 1926, the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) was established at six universities: Harvard, Yale, Northwestern University, Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Washington, and the University of California Berkeley. The program eventually spread to schools around the country.

In return for several years of service to Uncle Sam, qualified candidates earned advanced training, received generous pay, and had a unique opportunity to serve in an exciting field of naval warfare. In return, the Navy would get access to a large, qualified pool of candidates for their officer corps. The pool of well-educated and trained officers, provided by the Reserves, proved instrumental in World War II. One other important areas of growth during the interwar period was naval aviation. Forward-thinking minds saw the need for more aviators, and the Naval Academy could not keep pace with providing newly commissioned officers for an expanding Fleet that now included an air arm.

To meet the demand, programs like the Aviation Cadet Program were enacted by Congress in April 1935. The program allowed qualified candidateswho had, or were working towards a college degreethe opportunity to enlist in the U.S. Naval Reserve, receive flight training, and go on to serve three years of active duty in the Fleet. The program successfully produced a large number of pilots in short order, for a relatively low cost. Applicants who successfully completed the program would receive their commission and become naval aviators in the Reserves. Those who did not simply went on to fulfill their regular enlistment contracts.

By the beginning of 1941, war with Japan seemed imminent, and by Spring all Fleet Reservists had been recalled to active duty. When USS Ward saw action on Dec. 7, the Reserves were already ready to fight. Throughout World War II, there were actually more Navy Reservists than active duty Sailors serving in the U.S. Navy. Records show that by the time the war finished, over three million Naval Reserve Sailors were serving on active duty, comprising 84 percent of the Navy. Among them were 86,000 women.

New Challenges in a New Era

After witnessing the success of the Navy Reserve in World War II, and with an understanding of the growing threat from the Soviet Union, the Navy vigorously sought to retain trained and qualified Reservists. By 1948, over one million Sailors were enrolled in the Reserves. To support the influx of Reserve personnel, the Navy constructed 300 modern Naval Reserve Training Centers. In the decades since the end of World War II, Reservists have continued to play an important role in augmenting active duty whenever called upon:

At the outbreak of the Korean War on June 26, 1950, over 100,000 Navy Reserve Sailors returned to active duty for service in the Fleet. At the end of fighting in 1953, there were 140,000 Reservists serving on active duty.

Throughout the various flashpoints of the Cold War, the Navy Reserve maintained its readiness and supported the Fleet when necessary. Forty training ships and three Naval Reserve squadrons were activated in response to the Berlin Crisis of 1961. In Vietnam, two Reserve Seabee battalions and three Reserve squadrons were mobilized.

In 1990, the invasion of Kuwait resulted in the mobilization of 20,000 Reservists. Reservists contributed in Bosnia, Kosovo, and the Balkans.

More than 70,000 Reservists have mobilized to serve in support of the Global War on Terror, and in 2005 the U.S. Naval Reserve was re-designated as the U.S. Navy Reserve (USNR).

Over the years, the USNR has undergone so many changes, both in title and organization. As old challenges are met, new ones arise, and one thing remains: the devotion, ingenuity and flexibility Reservists bring to the fight dramatically increase the effectiveness of our Navy.

Ready then. Ready now. Ready always.
Story by Airman 1st Class Mackenzie Mendez

92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

It began in 1935 when a congressional party set out to determine the most logical location for the next Army Air Corps supply and maintenance depot. The list was short and the competition was tough; however, on Sept. 10, 1941, in his memorandum to the Secretary of War, Brig. Gen. Carl Spaatz, Air Corps Chief of the Air Staff, recommended the Northwest Air Depot be located near Spokane, Wash.

According to Spaatz, the Spokane site was preferred due to a copious amount of reasons including better strategic location-350 miles from the Pacific Ocean and a mountain range as a natural barrier to the possible Japanese attack, less interference from poor flying weather, an improved flying route to Alaska, better flow of raw materials from the east side of the country and presented no obstacles to an early and expeditious construction.

On Sept. 11, 1941, the War Department approved the Spokane site for the Northwest Air Depot, later named the Spokane Air Depot. Construction began on Jan. 19, 1942, after the citizens of Spokane raised approximately $125,000 to purchase 2,400 acres for the depot. The construction took more than a year to complete and cost nearly $25 million. 262 buildings were built, the largest being the 12-acre repair hangar.

Building 2050 is four birchwood hangars on steroids, built with steel girders and concrete, rather than entire birchwood framing and siding, said Duane R. Wolfe, 92nd Memorial Association president and previous 92nd Air Refueling Wing senior enlisted advisor. During World War II, the hangar and the work performed, aided every Army, Navy, and Marine serving in the Pacific Theatre.

The repair hangar saw an impressive line-up of aircraft during its time as the Spokane Air Depot including B-17s, B-24s, B-25s, C-47s, P-38s, P-47s and P51s. The maintenance divisions primary mission was to repair B-17 engines and in June 1945, three women completed work on the 10,000th B-17 engine to roll off the line at the depot. Having overhauled an estimated 11,000 engines and saving the government nearly $87 million, the Air Service Command became inactive in March 1947, closing the Spokane Air Depot.

With the closing of the Spokane Air Depot in 1947, came a new name, a new mission and the arrival of the 92nd and 98th Bomb Groups. The depot became known as the Spokane Army Air Field and became one of Strategic Air Commands most valuable assets and SACs largest B-29 organization. The following year, the base received yet another official name: the Spokane Air Force Base.

In November 1950, the base took its current name in memory of Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, General Muir S. Fairchild, and became known as Fairchild Air Force Base. In 1956, the wing began a conversion that brought the B-52 Stratofortress, followed by the KC-135 Stratotanker in 1958.

As military operations in Vietnam escalated in the mid-60s, the demand for air refueling increased. Fairchild tanker crews became actively involved in Operation YOUNG TIGER, refueling combat aircraft in Southeast Asia. The wings B-52s were deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam, and became actively involved in the bombing campaign against enemies in Vietnam.

Strategic Air Command finished 46 years of service to the nation in June 1992. Fairchild then became part of the Air Combat Command and was re-designated the 92nd Bomb Wing.

December of 1993, brought significant change to the mission at Fairchild. In the first steps of converting to a primary refueling wing, B-52s began transferring to other bases. The departure of B-52s continued until the last bomber left Fairchild on May 25, 1994. The bomber mission had officially ended after 52 years of duty.

On July 1, 1994, the 92nd BW was re-designated the 92nd ARW, and Fairchild was transferred from ACC to Air Mobility Command in a ceremony marking the creation of the largest air refueling wing in the Air Force.

The building is historical and important; however, it means nothing without the hard work and dedication of those individuals who have served their country throughout the history of the building, concluded Wolfe.
In the age of modern war, military aviation has been increasingly used as a strategic tool in psychological operations (PSYOPS) and propaganda campaigns. With its ability to strike fear through airpower and quickly deliver massive amounts of information, military aviation has become an essential tool for modern militaries to achieve their objectives. This article will explore the use of military aviation in PSYOPS and propaganda campaigns and analyze the effectiveness of such tactics.

Definition of Psychological Operations (PSYOP)

Psychological operations (PSYOP) is a type of strategic communication that seeks to influence the behavior of a target audience. It involves using persuasive messages, symbols, and visuals to change attitudes, values, and beliefs. PSYOP is commonly used in conflict situations and by military organizations but can also be employed in any number of cases in which the desired behavior change is sought. PSYOP has become an integral and cost-effective element of modern propaganda by using personalized cards, including scattered valentines day templates during thematic dates to plunge the enemys spirit.

History of Military Aviation in PSYOP and Propaganda

Early Examples of Military Aviation in PSYOP and Propaganda

One of the earliest forms of military aviation used for propaganda was the aerial distribution of leaflets. During World War I, balloons were used to carry messages over enemy lines to induce panic or undermine morale. During World War II, the Germans employed this method to target Allied forces.

Development of Specialized Aircraft for PSYOP and Propaganda Missions

Specialized aircraft have been developed for psychological operations and propaganda campaigns. One example is the U.S. Air Forces EC-130 Commando Solo, a modified transport plane capable of broadcasting radio and television signals to vast areas.

Types of Military Aviation Assets Used in PSYOP and Propaganda

Fixed-Wing Aircraft

Fixed-wing aircraft are one of the most common types of aircraft used in PSYOP and propaganda missions. Bombers, such as the B-52 Stratofortress, have been used to spread messages from the air, often in leaflets. Transport planes, such as the C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster, are standard for this purpose.

Rotary-Wing Aircraft

Rotary-wing aircraft, such as helicopters, have also been used for PSYOP campaigns. Helicopters are particularly well suited to this role due to their versatility and ability to reach areas inaccessible to fixed-wing aircraft. Besides, they can drop leaflets or broadcast messages on loudspeakers.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, have become increasingly popular in psychological operations. UAVs offer several advantages over traditional forms of aerial communication, such as flying lower and going further than crewed aircraft.

Techniques Used in Military Aviation PSYOP and Propaganda

Leaflet Drops and Loudspeaker Broadcasts

Leaflet drops and loudspeaker broadcasts are typical techniques in military aviation psychological operations and propaganda campaigns.

Radio and Television Broadcasts

Radio and television broadcasts can influence public opinion and shape behavior. Specialized aircraft (including UAVs) comprises radio and television transmitters to broadcast signals from the air.

Internet and Social Media Campaigns

Internet and social media campaigns are becoming increasingly popular as a form of PSYOP and propaganda. Aircraft broadcast signals that computers and mobile devices can receive. Additionally, UAVs can deliver wireless internet access to remote locations.

Examples of Military Aviation in PSYOP and Propaganda Campaigns

Vietnam War: Operation Rolling Thunder and Operation Ranch Hand

During the Vietnam War, the United States employed psychological operations and propaganda campaigns utilizing military aircraft. Operation Rolling Thunder was a series of airstrikes against North Vietnamese military targets to undermine their morale. Meanwhile, Operation Ranch Hand used helicopters to drop millions of leaflets carrying propaganda messages across South Vietnam.

Gulf War: Operation Desert Storm and Operation Desert Shield

Operation Desert Storm was a massive airstrike campaign against Iraqi forces designed to alter their behavior and reduce their capability for activities threatening coalition forces. Operation Desert Shield, on the other hand, involved using C-130 aircraft fitted with loudspeakers to broadcast radio and television messages over Iraqi territory to demoralize enemy forces.

Iraq War: Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn

Operation Iraqi Freedom was an extensive airstrikes campaign aimed at crippling Saddam Husseins regime. In turn, Operation New Dawn used helicopters to drop leaflets containing messages encouraging Iraqi citizens to cooperate with coalition forces and participate in rebuilding the country.

Other Examples from Around the World

Military aviation has utilized psychological operations and propaganda campaigns in many other conflicts. During the Bosnian War, U.S. Special Operations forces used AC-130 gunships to broadcast messages over enemy lines to demoralize and weaken Bosnian Serb forces. In recent years, UAVs have also been used to spread messages over areas such as Yemen and Pakistan.

Conclusion

Using military aviation in psychological operations and propaganda campaigns have been a powerful yet often overlooked tool for achieving strategic objectives. Military aviation can create psychological effects within targeted populations, particularly when appropriately coordinated with other military and diplomatic activities. By recognizing the potential power of psychological operations and propaganda campaigns and utilizing military aviation to amplify these effects, nations can maximize their chances for success in achieving their geopolitical goals.
by Moreno Aguiari

I have a passion for aviation history, much like most of you reading this article I suspect. When traveling, I do my best to search for any locations nearby my intended destination which might hold a place in aviation lore; luckily, the United States still offers plenty of such sites. During a recent trip to Akron, Ohio, I took the opportunity to visit the former Goodyear Aircraft Corporation (GAC) factory located within the premises of Akron-Fulton Airport. This was the birthplace of Americas brief flirtation with dirigibles, built and launched from the gargantuan Airdock, which is still standing and a protected structure.

The industrial buildings surrounding the Airdock also housed a substantive manufacturing facility, which produced many subassemblies for American aircraft during WWII but perhaps more importantly, it was also here where GAC produced under license more than four thousand examples of Chance-Voughts legendary F4U Corsair, arguably the most effective American naval fighter of WWII. While Goodyear eventually sold the site on, most of the factory buildings still survive, occupied by a plethora of present-day companies ranging from Waste Management to LTA Research, an organization which is designing the next generation of airships, rather appropriately, within the Airdock.

Before we get to my video walk-around of the former Goodyear Aircraft factory in Akron, it might be worth providing a brief recap of the companys history in aviation. As with most American businesses soon after the onset of World War II, Goodyear shifted its focus in support of the war effort. The site in Akron, Ohio featured two Goodyear entities: the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and the Goodyear Aircraft Corporation. Goodyear Tire and Rubber, as the name suggests, produced numerous products involving the use of rubber. These ranged from aircraft wheels, brakes, barrage balloons, half-track tracks, combat tire rims, road wheels, gun carriage tracks, synthetic rubber softeners, self sealing fuel tanks, rubberized fabrics, plastic containers, reclaimed rubber, tires and tubes, bullet seal hose, hydraulic brake hose, aircraft fuel oil and coolant hose, gas masks, agricultural V-belts, steel cable V-belts, earthmover tires, large rubber landing craft, electric power transmission, plus many other related items.

While there was an obvious need for Goodyear to continue their core business manufacturing tires and other vital rubber products, they also began making components for fixed-wing airplanes. This began in earnest during 1939 when the newly-renamed Goodyear Aircraft Company received a contract from the Glenn L. Martin Company to build empennages for a then brand new medium bomber design, the Martin B-26 Marauder.

Goodyear, with abundant available manufacturing space and the requisite skills in its workforce, was an ideal choice for this task. Their success in fulfilling this contract led the company to receive orders for numerous other aviation-related subassemblies such as outer wings for the B-26 Marauder, B-29 fuselage and empennage assemblies, P-61 outer wings and empennage assemblies, aircraft wheels and brakes, assemblies for the TBF Avenger, not to mention control surfaces for the P-38 Lightning and F6F Hellcat. As already noted, perhaps their most important and well-known task involved the production of Corsairs. At its peak, there were some 35,000 factory workers involved in this effort. During the last three years of World War II Goodyear Aircraft constructed more than 4,000 Corsairs in three distinct variants, the FG-1, FG-1A and FG-1D (roughly equivalent to Chance Voughts F4U-1, F4U-1A and F4U-1D). Had the war continued, the company would also have built F4U-4s under license as the FG-4. Of additional note, Goodyears reputation was such that they received a contract to develop Voughts so-called Super Corsair, a variant of the F4U-1 modified to accept the massive R-4360 powerplant. GAC produced several prototypes as the XF2G-1 and XF2G-2 and a handful of pre-production examples before the war ended; that event, of course, precipitated contract cancellation. The images below show aircraft production scenes at the GAC plant in Akron, Ohio during WWII, all but one of which involves Corsair manufacture.

With their part in Corsair production concluded, Goodyear handed over its Akron plant to the U.S. Navy in January 1948; it became the basis for Naval Air Station Akron. For a look at the old factory buildings as they stand now please see my new video below.

Many thanks to Jim Harley for the use of his Then and Now images. For those who dont know, Jims father worked on Corsair production at Goodyear Aircraft during WWII, so has a special place in his heart for the old factory in Akron. Jim Harley also flew regularly for the Collings Foundation.
As most of our readers will know, Avro Lancaster B.VII NX611 Just Jane is under restoration to airworthy condition with the Lincoln Aviation Heritage Center at former RAF East Kirkby in Lincolnshire, England. The group continues to made magnificent progress, and we thought that our readers might like to see a recent (edited) report, reproduced here with permission

The Rivet Club  Newsletter 185

by Andrew Panton

This week has included excellent visual progress!

Dave started by mopping up some of the remaining structural work which NX611 required, firing some pop rivets in to the top skins on the port wing where the original rivets had failed. Such work is a regular occurrence demonstrating why winter inspections are so important.

Once Dave had finished this work, he moved on to lifting the floor in NX611s rear fuselage in preparation for fitting it within the jig. There are obvious areas requiring repair in this section, such as the intercostals and lower portions of the fuselage formers. We are all looking forwards to beginning the airworthy restoration of this fuselage section!

Norm has been continuing completion of small tasks on KB976s rear fuselage, preparing it for fitting to NX611. One of these final details included the fabrication and fitting of a skin section which closes the rear turret ring to the tail end former. The steel turret support ring has also been bolted down into position, ready for refitting the rear turret.

NX611 had its H2S radar antenna assembly removed from the fuselage and past on to engineering so that Spen can start inspecting, then restoring it into displayable condition. This is a very rare item, one of only a handful of such units extant. While it is a shame to hide it away inside NX611, it is also a shame not to have it fitted as well!

Keith has been riveting up the last three wing ribs into NX664s port wing so that work can then progress to riveting the top wing skins back into position. Keith also made progress, fitting new stringers to NX664s wing leading edge. I expect well see some more skin work on NX664s wing next week.

Ade Harris, our turret restorer, has returned the now fully-restored Frazer Nash FN82 rear turret to East Kirkby; it will be refitted to NX611 this spring  ready for the 2023 taxying season. Ade made a thorough and comprehensive job of this restoration; it will be a pleasure to have it back in the airframe. If you want to catch up on the turret restoration, take a look HERE.

The end of the week saw Bush Tyres with us to fit a new inner tube to the newly-arrived B-25s starboard wheel so we could then move KB976s rear fuselage! NX611s rear fuselage was wheeled down to the structures area of the main hangar and while the now freshly-restored corresponding section from KB976 was wheeled up to NX611s mid-fuselage to take its place. We plan to marry up KB976s rear fuselage to NX611 on Monday  hopefully the bolt holes will line up!

We have a winter restoration tour on the 4th February and you can book tickets HERE.

In other great news, our Gofundme wings campaign now exceeds 46,200 of the 500,000 required! Thank you to everyone who has contributed  you have helped us pay for the jigs and aluminium we need. If you would like to contribute (and receive your special Wings Fund badge!) then please do click on the button HERE (badges are sent for donations above the 50).

Stay safe and thanks for your support.

Andrew Panton

The latest restoration video

Thats all for this particular update. We hope that you have enjoyed reading it. As can be seen, a lot of work remains to be done, but the aircraft is well on the way back to flying condition. It is being done in a methodical and careful manner in order to keep the aircraft available for ground-running operations during the summer months. For those interested in helping support this important project, please click HERE

Be sure to check out their store HERE as well There are many cool items to buy which will help get Just Jane back in the air!
Back in early 2021, we reported that the Military Aviation Museum (MAM) had just acquired Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless Bu.36175 from the National Naval Aviation Museum, along with a significant cache of relevant parts from collector/restorer Kevin R. Smith. MAM contracted out the aircrafts restoration, splitting the work between Aero Trader in Chino, California (which would rebuild the outer wing panels) and Pioneer Aero Ltd in Ardmore, New Zealand (which would do the rest). Since that time, not a lot of news has filtered through regarding progress, but MAM recently published an update and we thought readers would enjoy learning more

It has been a while since our last Dauntless Update, and the eagle eyed among you have likely noticed that the fuselage is still awaiting transport here at the Museum (much to the frustration of the whole team!). The shipping challenges we have encountered have slowed the project down, preventing the fuselage from arriving in New Zealand on our anticipated schedule, but there is still exciting news coming in on the project.

The wings from a donor aircraft have been under restoration at Aero Trader in California. Kermit Weeks was kind enough to lend his support with his wings (which are in better condition than ours). His wings are being used where patterns are needed, and to prepare the jigs, greatly accelerating the completion our wings. Both sets of wings are coming along and the Aerotrader team are currently working on finishing up the wingtips. They will also be completing the stabilizers in short order as well.

Similarly, the team at Pioneer Aero in New Zealand has received the first shipment of parts for the Dauntless, and they have begun work on the items that they are able to, including control surfaces for the airplane  but remain eager to receive the fuselage. They have also sorted the parts in the container into accessible storage after removing a few of the larger parts that were shipped over. The pictures above show the container being unloaded first at a bio containment facility where imports to New Zealand must be inspected, and then at the Pioneer Aero shop.
Over the past several years, aviation historian Chuck Cravens has brought us regular updates regarding ongoing restoration projects at AirCorps Aviation in Bemidji, Minnesota. Many of the aircraft involved have been for the fabulous Dakota Territory Air Museum, and such is the case for this particular story about the resurrection of a long-lost, legendary racing Mustang which dates to the post-war Cleveland National Air Races. The original constructors of this race plane built the airframe up from the components of three different Mustangs, but did not record their serial numbers. They listed it as a P-51C with the FAA, with the registration being N5528N. During her racing career, the Mustang bore the names Thunderbird, and later, Mr.Alex, so with the lack of a definitive airframe serial number, we will refer to it henceforth simply as Thunderbird/Mr.Alex. For more details on the airframes history, please see Chuck Cravens fascinating first piece on the aircraft HERE. This current episode is Cravens fourth installment of that aircrafts remarkable story and its journey back to flight

Thunderbird Owner, Jimmy Stewarts Distinguished Military Career

Thunderbirds first civilian owner, James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908  July 2, 1997) is, of course, most famous for his career as an Oscar-winning Hollywood film star, who featured  often in leading roles  in some 80 motion pictures between 1934 and 1991. Bart Barnes, a staff writer at the Washington Post, perhaps best characterized Jimmy Stewart in an obituary following Stewarts death, noting that Stewart was the cinematic epitome of common sense and decency.1

In addition to his acting success, James Jimmy Stewart also had a distinguished military career, serving in Americas armed forces for 27 years.

As a young man, Stewart had dreamed of attending the United States Naval Academy to become a naval aviator, but his fathers wishes prevailed, seeing him enroll at Princeton University instead. While at Princeton, Stewarts interest in acting rekindled after making a new friend, the future film star, Henry Fonda; both men participated in an intercollegiate drama team.2 Although Fonda wasnt a Princeton student, both men shared an interest in the theater as budding actors, and they also happened to share an interest in model aircraft.

1 Bart Barnes Film Hero Jimmy Stewart Dies at 89, Washington Post, Thursday, July 3, 1997; Page A01

2 McGowan, Sam, War Hero, Jimmy Stewart, WWII History July 2012, https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/jimmy-stewarts-rise-from-private-to-colonel/

After college, Jimmy and Henry headed to Hollywood, California where they shared an apartment as they sought to make their mark in cinema. Theirs was a lifelong friendship despite having significantly different political views. Jimmy was always a strong supporter of the Republican party, while Fonda was a Democrat. Stewart once said: There were certain subjects we just didnt talk about.

Shortly after his arrival in California, Jimmy began taking flying lessons; by early 1941, he owned a Stinson 105, had recorded 300 flying hours, and held a commercial pilot rating in addition to his private pilots license.

As it became clearer that the United States would likely become involved in World War II, Stewart joined other stars such as Hoagy Carmichael, Cary Grant, Henry Fonda, Robert Taylor, and Margaret Sullivan in publicly supporting the construction of a pilot training airfield. Hollywood agent and producer, Leland Hayward, former Air Service pilot John H. Jack Connelly, and Life magazine photographer, John Swop, helped initiate this project. Leland, Jack, and John were convinced that a pilot training facility would be critical to Americas interests should the nation become actively involved in WWII.

The new training field was constructed about 25 miles from Phoenix, Arizona. The buildings, landscaping, and runways were arranged to approximate a mythical Anasazi Thunderbird when seen from the air, with the control tower forming the birds head. The project began in 1939, with the construction of the pilot training facility beginning on January 2, 1941. It tooka remarkably short period of 3 months to complete the training facility! The new facilitys name, Thunderbird Field, undoubtedly influenced Stewart and DeBonas choice of name for their P-51 racer after the war.

Eventually, the U.S. Army Air Forces absorbed Thunderbird Field into their network of training establishments; the site helped produce more than 10,000 pilots during World War II.3

Interestingly, much of the film work for the 1942 motion picture Thunder Birds: Soldiers of the Air took place at Thunderbird Field. This was a typical, wartime film to motivate enlistment; it was full of cliches and schmaltz, not to mention inaccuracies and inconsistencies  for instance, one shot shows a Stearman biplane taking, but once it is in the air, it has somehow magically transitioned into a Boeing P-12! Even so, this color film does at least give viewers an idea for what Thunderbird Field looked like during its heyday.

Prior to Americas entry into WWII, Stewart found work in numerous films between 1934 and 1941. These include his role as the lead in Frank Capras marvelous film, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), which earned him an Academy Award nomination, and George Cukors hilarious Philadelphia Story (1940), for which Stewart actually won the Oscar.4 His firmly established fame as an actor later became a point of contention when the Army initially assigned him to non-combat duties.

Just before the United States entered World War II, Stewart became the first major American movie star to enlist in the United States Army. However, being 32, he was too old to qualify for aviation cadet training, his desired first choice.5

In 1941, after winning the Academy Award for Best Actor with his performance in The Philadelphia Story, Stewarts reported income from his movie roles was a then-substantial $12,000 a month. The running joke in Hollywood at the time, however, was that his salary as an Army private was just $21 a month  effectively a (huge) pay cut of $11,979!6 While some in the movie industry may have scoffed at this change in pay, Jimmy Stewarts willingness to forgo his movie star income for that of a private demonstrates the significant sense of duty he felt towards his country.

That Stewart enlisted was no great surprise to his family, however; their military ties dated back to Fergus Moorhead, Jimmys 3x great grandfather, who served in the Revolutionary War. Furthermore, his maternal grandfather was a general in the Union Army during the U.S. Civil War, while his father, Alex, served in both the Spanish-American War and World War I.

Oddly enough, when Stewart first tried to enlist in November, 1940, the board rejected him because, at just 138 pounds, his weight fell 5 pounds below the minimum requirement for his 63 frame. Three months later, however, Jimmy enlisted successfully and reported for his induction on March 22, 1941. Accounts attribute Stewarts success in passing the weight requirement to various schemes ranging from having a friend man the scales, to loading up on bananas before the weigh-in; regardless James Maitland Stewart was now a private in the U.S. Army Air Corps.

3 Bart Barnes Film Hero Jimmy Stewart Dies at 89, Washington Post, Thursday, July 3, 1997; Page A01

4 Together We Served website, https://blog.togetherweserved.com/2021/12/01/jimmy-stewart/ accessed 11-23-2022

5 TResch, John Phillips (2005). Americans at war: Society, culture, and the homefront. Detroit: Macmillan Reference. ISBN 002865806X. Retrieved July 15, 2019.

6 Emmanuel Levy, Oscar Actors: Stewart, JimmyMaking of a Star; Pay Before and After Military Service,https://emanuellevy.com/profile/stewart-jimmy-how-much-he-got-paid-before-and-after-military-service/ accessed 11-29-2022

Moffett Field, near San Francisco, California, became Stewarts first station. As a college graduate, he was eligible to apply for a commission as an officer. During his 9-months at Moffett Field, now-Corporal Stewart completed courses with the goal of obtaining a pilots commission, which required 400 logged flying hours. When he arrived at Moffett, Jimmy was 40 hours short in the 200+ hp aircraft required for a second lieutenants commission. To rectify that deficiency, he logged flight time in high-performance aircraft at his own expense during weekends.

As Corporal Stewart awaited news of his commission, the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor took place. A month later he received his commission, and because he had logged over 400 hours as a civilian, he was permitted to take basic flight training at Moffett and received his pilot wings. During the next nine months, he instructed in AT-6, AT-9, and B-17 aircraft, and flew bombardiers in the training school at Albuquerque, N.M.7

Although Stewarts first flying assignment was as a flight instructor, the Army was determined to use him as a recruitment tool; there was little doubt that a star of his stature, wearing a USAAF uniform and pilots wings, would be an effective inducement to prospective enlistees. While he did participate in some early war publicity tours in Washington D.C., Jimmy wanted to contribute to the war effort as a combat pilot rather than as a foil for recruitment purposes. With that goal in mind, Lieutenant Stewart enrolled in multi-engine and instrument training upon his return to Moffett Field.

When he completed his multi-engine rating, Stewart moved to Mather Field for multi-engine instructor pilot training. Now a qualified multi-engine instructor, Stewart then went to Kirkland Field near Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he flew Beechcraft AT-11s on bombardier cadet training flights. Later, at Mather Field again, he served as a four-engine instructor in both B-17 and B-24 heavy bombers. Much to his dismay, Stewart remained Stateside for almost two years, working as a flight instructor.

In the fall of 1943, Stewart  now a captain  finally received a combat assignment; he was the new Operations Officer for the 703rd Bombardment Squadron, 445th Bombardment Group, then-destined for Britain.

7 National Museum of the United States Air Force, https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/196679/brig-gen-james-m-stewart/ accessed 11-23/2022



Stewart soon began flying combat missions. On March 31, 1944, he became Operations Officer for the 453rd BG and, subsequently, Chief of Staff for the 2nd Combat Wing, 2nd Air Division of the 8th Air Force.8

8 National Museum of the United States Air Force, https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/196679/brig-gen-james-m-stewart/ accessed 11-23/2022

Stewart ended WWII as a colonel in the U.S. Army Air Forces, fully decorated as the result of the 20 combat missions he flew over enemy territory as leader of a B-24 squadron. Among the medals he received were two Distinguished Flying Crosses and a French Croix de Guerre.

In February 1944, Stewart had perhaps his closest call of the war when, on a nine-hour, round trip bombing mission to Furth in Germany, Jimmys B-24 encountered very accurate, radar-directed enemy antiaircraft fire. After the bombers hit their target, a flak shell smashed into the belly of Stewarts Liberator, directly behind the nose wheel. Despite this significant damage, the Stewart and his crew managed to nurse their bomber home safely, although the fuselage cracked open in front of the wing and buckled upon landing. Commenting on his crews luck escape, Stewart mused to a bystander while looking at the wreck, Sergeant, somebody sure could get hurt in one of those damned things.9

9 Richard Hayes, Mr. Stewart Goes to War, https://www.historynet.com/mr-stewart-goes-to-war/accessed 12/1/2022

Stewart continued his military career after WWII in the USAF Reserve, achieving the rank of Brigadier General on July 23, 1959.

On February 20, 1966, Brigadier General James M. Stewart, United States Air Force Reserve, flew the last combat mission of his military career, a 12 hour, 50 minutes Arc Light bombing mission over Vietnam, aboard Boeing B-52F-65-BW Stratofortress 57-0149 (call sign GREEN TWO) of the 736th Bombardment Squadron, 454th Bombardment Wing. It was the number two aircraft in a 30-airplane bomber stream.10

10 This Day in Aviation website https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/736th-bombardment-squadron-heavy/

Thunderbird: Restoration Work

Fuselage

The rudder, elevator, and dorsal fin were fitted or installed in December, 2022. The windshield assembly and cowl formers and stringer were also fitted. Electrical System Much of the wiring was completed in December. Wings Hydraulic plumbing, wiring, and installation of the fuel tank bladders were the major focus of work on the wings in December.

And thats all for this exciting news about the resurrection of Thunderbird. We will present further updates as this famous racing aircraft returns to her former glory. Many thanks to Chuck Cravens and everyone at AirCorps Aviation and the Dakota Territory Air Museum for their help in making this article possible.
While the fuselage underwent assembly, parallel work took place for the ailerons and elevators. Robertshaw Actuator

Tail Cone

The P-51Bs tail cone was the first of three major fuselage sections to undergo assembly. While much of this structure is newly fabricated, all of its castings are of original wartime manufacture.

Mustang History

The Mustangs story is well documented. For a comprehensive account of the B models development, I highly recommend a fine book by James Marshall and Lowell Ford: P-51B Mustang, North Americans Bastard Stepchild that Saved the Eight Air Force.

To summarize the Mustangs origins, however, the type owes the impetus behind its design and manufacture to the British Purchasing Commission (BPC). Established in New York City during 1938, the BPC sought US aircraft manufacturing capacity to supplement what was available in the UK, since domestic factories were struggling to keep up with the needed production rates and also under constant threat of destruction from German bombing raids. Britains Royal Air Force (RAF) were impressed with North American Aviations rugged AT-6 Texan (the Harvard in UK parlance) so, in late 1939, the BPC approached the company, hoping to arrange a contract to build Curtiss P-40s under license, since that design was the only available American fighter type then capable of competing with British adversaries in the skies over Europe.

However, the engineers at North American Aviation (NAA) felt that they could build a better fighter, and in less time than it would take to set up a P-40 production line of their own. By April of 1940, after much discussions back and forth with the British regarding the aircrafts specifications, North American Aviations chief designer, J.H. Dutch Kindelberger, presented its design proposal for the new fighter, the NA-73. The BPC quickly reached a verbal agreement to purchase some 300 examples of the new fighter. Soon after, the Anglo-French Purchasing Board (as the British Purchasing Commission became known for a time) formally approved a purchase agreement with NAA for 300 fighters to be delivered to the British by January 1, 1941. The French agreed to purchase an additional 40 examples for their own air force. The prototype NA-73 first flew on October 26th, 1940. Named as the Mustang by the British, this new fighter began combat operations with the RAF in April, 1942.

The Mustang Mk.I, the RAFs first variant, used an Allison V-1710 (typically a V-1710-39 or -81) as its powerplant. Unfortunately, these engines only had a single-stage supercharger, which limited their performance (significantly) above 15,000 feet. Even so, the often maligned Allison-powered Mustangs (Mustangs Mk.I and Mk.II, P-51, A-36, and P-51A) were actually effective fighters lower down  one must remember that the design was not primarily intended for bomber escort missions. Indeed, the British found them to be excellent ground support and long-range reconnaissance platforms.

Interestly, when flying below 15,000 feet, Allison-powered Mustangs were faster than the early mark Spitfires then in use and, perhaps more importantly, Mustang Mk.Is could carry twice as much fuel. This capacity, combined with the Mustangs aerodynamically efficient airframe, offered the type far greater range than British fighters then in service. Britain used Allison-powered Mustangs in European combat throughout WWII, which proves that the variant made a significant contribution.

Even so, since the V-1710s single-stage supercharger severely limited performance above 15,000 feet, any Allison-powered Mustang was clearly unfit to escort most heavy bomber escort missions, since those sorties typically took place at much higher altitudes. Pre-war thinking surmised that bombers could defend themselves without any need for escort fighters on daylight raids, but the staggering losses which both the RAF and USAAF incurred on many such missions during their early experiences in WWII clearly revealed the fallacy of such a philosophy.

War planners came to recognize the need for a long-range fighter which could protect bombers over an entire mission. In mid-1942, a senior test pilot with Rolls-Royce named Ronald Harker postulated that a Mustang re-engined with a Rolls-Royce Merlin 61, with its two-stage supercharger, might enable the fighter to fulfill the need for a long-range bomber escort. Harker came to this conclusion after flying an Allison-powered Mustang I on April 30, 1942. His report to Rolls-Royce management closed with the following comment: The point which strikes me is that with a powerful and good engine like the Merlin 61, its performance should be outstanding as it is approximately 35 mph faster than the Spitfire V with roughly the same power.1

As a result, the RAF worked with Rolls-Royce to modify a Mustang Mk.I with a Merlin 65 powerplant in place of the V-1710; this hybrid airframe received the designation Mustang Mk.X.

1 James Marshall and Lowell Ford: P-51B Mustang, North Americans Bastard Stepchild that Saved the Eight Air Force, Osprey Publishing, New York City, NY, 2020, p.134.

The Mustang X first flew on October 13, 1942; the re-engined fighters performance, especially at high altitude, was spectacular. Its extraordinary high altitude performance, combined with its enormous range range, should have pushed the U.S. Army Air Forces to rapidly ramp up its development and introduction as an escort fighter capable of escorting daylight bombing missions all of the way to and from even the most distant targets. For some reason, however, Merlin-powered Mustangs were not available for this task until December, 1943!

Perhaps this lack of interest by the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) may have been prejudiced by their original opinion of the Allison-powered Mustangs. Its hard to say, but USAAF senior staff did at least begin warming to the type following positive reports from the RAF about its performance in low-altitude combat. As a result, they requisitioned several Mustang Mk.Ia airframes from the production line for use in attack and reconnaissance roles. These Mustangs came equipped with four 20mm cannon in the wings. At about the same time, the USAAF and North American sought priority for the very first V1650-3, a Packard-built variant of Rolls-Royces Merlin 61, for test purposes.

In early July of 1942, USAAF Material Command and North American Aviation reached an agreement to modify two P-51 (NA-91) airframes, 41-37352 and 41-37421, to accept V-1650-3 powerplants. Interestingly, the Army initially designated their first Merlin-powered Mustang variants as XP-78s, however this changed to XP-51B by the time of the variants first flight on November 30, 1942 (about 6 weeks after the Mustang X). The performance gains at higher altitude were remarkable; the XP-51B flew 100 mph faster than its Allison-powered brethren at 30,000 feet!

The first production P-51B rolled off the assembly line and flew in May, 1943. The USAAF initially ordered 400 examples while Britain requested more than 1,000.

Demand was so strong that North American Aviation chose to open a second production line at its factory in Dallas, Texas. These Dallas-built variants were designated as P-51Cs, although they were essentially identical to the P-51Bs from North Americans factory in Inglewood, California.

In the next update, we will examine the early combat introduction for the Merlin-powered Mustangs.

And that is all for the third edition of Chuck Cravens coverage describing the restoration of Wings of the North Air Museums P-51B Mustang Shillelagh at AirCorps Aviation. We will publish the next installment as soon as it becomes available! Many thanks to Chuck Cravens and especially to AirCorps Aviation for their continued, long-standing support!
by Adam Estes

Most readers will know that, for the past half century, the legendary Planes of Fame Air Museum has based the majority of their collection at Chino Airport in San Bernardino County, California. Less well known, perhaps, is their facility in Arizona, which they opened in 1995 at Valle Airport, just south of the Grand Canyon. The museum maintains some three dozen or so airframes here, and one of these, Douglas A-26C Invader 44-35323, is presently under restoration to fly having sat on static display for more than two decades.

This Invader rolled off the Douglas Aircraft Companys factory line in Tulsa, Oklahoma during 1945, with the United States Army Air Forces taking delivery of the airframe on March 30th. By that April, the A-26 had arrived in Britain following a series of ferry flights which included stops in Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia and West Palm Beach Army Airfield near West Palm Beach, Florida. But with Victory in Europe declared on May 8th, 1945, the Invader never had the chance to see combat during WWII, flying home to the United States in July. Now stateside, the Invader went into storage with the 4255th AAF Base Unit of the Air Technical Service Command at Grenada Army Airfield in Mississippi. In February, 1946 moved to the 4160th AAF Base Unit of the Air Materiel Command at Hobbs Army Airfield in Hobbs, New Mexico. In September of the following year, the Invader moved yet again, this time to join the 4135th AF Base Unit (AMC) at Hill Air Force Base in Utah (later Ogden Air Materiel Area, Hill AFB, storage). Soon after the US Air Force became an independent branch of the US Military in September, 1947, the Douglas Invader underwent redesignation, with the remaining A-26s in their fleet becoming B-26s (the Martin B-26 Marauder having already retired); 44-35323 becoming a B-26C.

In June 1951, following conversion into an RB-26C reconnaissance variant (which included stripping the aircraft of its armament and installing cameras in her nose and waist) 44-35323 deployed to the Far East, first with the 3rd Bombardment Wing at Iwakuni Air Base in Japan, and then with the 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (TRS) of the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Taegu Air Base in South Korea.

These Invaders, painted all-over gloss black, flew mostly at night. During the Korean War, their missions primarily involved bomb damage assessment, gathering intelligence on enemy troop movements, and dropping flares on enemy positions during nighttime bombing operations. They also helped test the accuracy of SHORAN (SHOrt RAnge Navigation), an electronic navigation system which employed radar beacons to locate targets; this technology proved especially useful for B-29 Superfortress bombing missions at night.

For nighttime photography, an RB-26 would drop an AN-M46 photoflash bomb over the designated area. Developed during WWII, these roughly four foot long, 52lb devices would detonate after a specific elapsed drop time. The intense flash of light they produced (up to 500,000,000 candle power at peak intensity) would illuminate a large area of land for roughly a fifth of a second, allowing the Invader to capture a single, high resolution photograph of the target at an altitude sufficient to limit the aircrafts vulnerability to anti-air defenses.

Planes of Fames Invader spent part of the Korean War stationed at Kimpo Air Base, at the western edge of Seoul in present-day South Korea. The aircraft also spent time at Itami and Miho Air Bases in Japan during and shortly after the war. In November 1956, 44-35323 returned stateside, joining the 183rd TSR of the Mississippi Air National Guard then based at Hawkins Field, near Jackson, Mississippi. This would be 44-35323s last operational assignment within the military; the aircraft retired to the boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona during December 1957. While most of her sister ships ended up at the smelters, 44-35323 received a reprieve when the L.B. Smith Aircraft Corp. of Miami, Florida purchased her in July, 1958.

The company registered the Invader as N8026E and then set about converting this former reconnaissance aircraft into an air tanker. Flying as Tanker 55 or C55, this Invader fought forest fires with a variety of owners throughout the Western US (and a brief stint in Canada with Conair as CF-CDD in 1970). Her final days in commercial service took place during the late 1970s, with the aircraft dropping sand and crushed coral on frozen rivers in Alaska in an attempt to break up the ice. By July 1980, the Invader was ready for retirement. She flew to Chino, California where her owner, Dr. Don Rogers, donated the old fire bomber to the Planes of Fame Air Museum.

The museum converted the Invader back to its former military guise, with the aircraft becoming a favorite at local air shows, first under the name Ginny Sue and later as Ahaulin (Ass). Following the opening of Planes of Fames Arizona location at Valle Airport, 44-35323 moved to that facility for display and occasional air show use, although it has been about twenty years since the aircrafts last flight. But recently, perhaps inspired by the future opening of a new location in Santa Maria, California, the museum has decided to resurrect the Invader and put her back into the air, complete with a new name, Miss Victory. A small team of pilots and mechanics is already hard at work on this endeavor. Hopefully Miss Victory will be back in the air sometime very soon!

Many thanks indeed to Adam Estes for this article. For more information about this project, please visit https://planesoffame.org.

For anyone wishing to contribute to Miss Victorys restoration, please click HERE.
PRESS RELEASE

In 2026, Lufthansa will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its founding: On January 6, 1926, Deutsche Luft Hansa AG was launched in Berlin through the merger of Deutscher Aero Lloyd and Junkers Luftverkehr. The first flight of the new airline followed on April 6, 1926.

Todays Deutsche Lufthansa AG is not the legal successor to the company founded in 1926, but to the Aktiengesellschaft fur Luftverkehrsbedarf, which was newly founded in 1953. Since 1954, the company has borne the name Deutsche Lufthansa AG, and flight operations began on April 1, 1955.

Nevertheless, the 100th anniversary of Lufthansas initial founding is to be duly celebrated in 2026.

The historic Lockheed L-1694A Super Star and JU 52 D-AQUI aircraft have a very special place in Lufthansas history and in the hearts of all aviation fans.

At an employee event, Lufthansa Chairman and CEO Carsten Spohr said that both aircraft will be given a new home to mark Lufthansas 100th anniversary and will be put on permanent display in either Frankfurt or Munich. Preparations for this will begin this year.

The Lockheed L-1694A Superstar and the JU 52 D-AQUI are currently in storage at Paderborn-Lippstadt Airport. The Superstar has been dismantled into individual parts, while the JU 52 is almost completely assembled. The aircraft was built in 1936 at the Junkers factory in Dessau, while the Super Star had its maiden flight in 1956. The propeller-driven old-timers are among the most distinctive and historically significant aircraft in aviation history.

On Monday, October 17, the newest aircraft in the Lufthansa fleet paid a brief visit to its famous predecessors. The first Boeing B787 in Lufthansa colors with the registration D-ABPA will make a stopover at Paderborn-Lippstadt Airport in the afternoon as part of the landing training required for cockpit crews.
While we rarely cover serving military aircraft here at Vintage Aviation News, there are occasional exceptions to this rule. Indeed, how could we resist featuring one of NASAs most fascinating aircraft, the Lockheed ER-2 Dragon Lady, when one of them just happened to visit our home field near Atlanta, Georgia? NASA employs two examples of the ER-2, a variant of the legendary U-2 spy plane, in upper atmosphere research programs. Last week, ER-2 NASA 806 (formerly TR-1A 80-1063 of the US Air Force) landed at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia. This visit inspired us to look into the aircrafts mission and, of course, to capture a few images of this magnificent beast in flight!

The ER-2 serves as a flying laboratory in the Airborne Science Program, part of NASAs Science Mission Directorate. The aircraft stage out of NASA Armstrong Flight Research Centers Building 703 in Palmdale, California. Being able to fly for long periods at altitudes well above 60,000 in level flight, the ER-2 is uniquely able to collect certain kinds of detailed information about Earth resources, atmospheric chemistry and dynamics, and oceanic processes. They can also make celestial observations with minimal distortion and an absence of light pollution. Furthermore, the ER-2 is an effective platform for electronic sensor research and development, satellite calibration, and satellite data validation.

NASA has a long association with the Dragon Lady, acquiring their first two examples (U-2s) on loan from the USAF in 1971. The first ER-2 (ER standing for Earth Resources) arrived in 1981, with a second airframe joining NASA in 1989. The ER-2s eventually replaced the earlier U-2s. NASAs Dragon Lady fleet was initially based with the Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, in Mountain View, California before moving to its present facility in Palmdale during 1997.

The subject aircraft for this article, ER-2 NASA 806 (registered with the FAA as N806NA) is expected to remain at Marietta through March 5th, 2023. She launched from Dobbins Reserve Base for the first time last Thursday evening to study a dynamic weather system then projected to move through Georgia. We took the opportunity to position ourselves outside Dobbins, capturing the video and images below

The ER-2s Scientific Role:

The ER-2 is a versatile aircraft, well-suited for a diverse array mission tasks. They typically operate at altitudes varying from 20,000 feet to 70,000 feet, with the latter being above 99 percent of the Earths atmosphere. The ER-2 can carry a maximum payload of 2,600lb, distributed between the fuselage equipment bay, nose area, and wing pods. Depending upon the aircrafts take off weight, an ER-2 can reach an initial cruise altitude of 65,000 feet within 20 minutes of take off, where it can maintain a cruise speed of 410 knots. Over the course of a normal, eight-hour mission, an ER-2 can fly up to 3,000 nautical miles, producing seven hours of data collection at altitude. That being said, in the right configuration, the aircraft can fly missions exceeding 10 hours over distances beyond 6,000 nautical miles.

The aircraft has four large, pressurized experiment compartments and a high-capacity AC/DC electrical system, permitting it to carry a variety of payloads on a single mission. The aircrafts modular design permits rapid payload installation/removal, which allows the platform to adapt efficiently to any changes in mission requirements.

The ER-2 often partners with a NASA P-3 Orion when studying weather systems. During such operations, the ER-2 will operate its advanced radar, lidar, and microwave radiometer remote sensing instruments, while the P-3 collects data from its sensors to measure the water content and particle size in clouds, icing and the airflow around a precipitation event. The P-3 can also deploy radiosondes similar to those used to study hurricanes.

At an operating altitude approaching 70,000 feet, the ER-2 can look down on about 95% of the Earths, while the P-3 Orion flies through the cloud layer at about a third of that altitude. These aircraft, working with ground observations and weather satellites such as the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) and GOES spacecraft, study the atmosphere from top to bottom in conditions which can deliver snow, for instance, which is a particularly useful tool for developing stronger predictions for how, where and when specific weather conditions may arrive and how such situations may affect life on our planet.

We have covered a number of aircraft which the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and its forebear, the NACA, have operated over the years. To see some of these articles, please click HERE.




DES MOINES  The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is asking for more state money to prepare for and respond to foreign animal illnesses.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig asked a budget subcommittee Monday to double the state appropriations going to that cause from $750,000 to $1.5 million.

The boost would allow the department to better respond to threats like bird flu and African swine fever, Naig said. With the new money, the department would hire more employees and buy equipment for responding to African swine fever, he said.

The department also is asking for increased funding for meat and poultry inspection, weights and measures, pesticide investigations and the soil and land conservation cost share.

Gov. Kim Reynolds proposed budget would keep the general fund appropriations to the agriculture department the same but would add $500,000 from a separate fund to cover the equipment costs for foreign animal illness response.

ALZHEIMERS ASSOCIATION SEEKS MORE SPECIALISTS: The Iowa Alzheimers Association is asking lawmakers to strengthen resources for Iowans with Alzheimers disease and dementia.

Around 50 advocates were at the Iowa Capitol on Monday to lobby legislators on two specific provisions:

Placing a dementia service specialist at each of Iowas six area agencies on aging.

Reviewing and updating the recently completed Alzheimers State Plan every three to five years.

More specialists would provide resources both for people with Alzheimers and for caregivers and their families, the group said.

There are 66,000 people ages 65 and older with Alzheimers in Iowa and 73,000 caregivers, according to the national Alzheimers Association. The need for specialists is high, Iowa Alzheimers Association executive director Doug Bickford said, especially as the number of Iowans living with Alzheimers is expected to rise.

We need a 446% increase in geriatricians to meet the expected demand by 2050 if treatments dont advance further than they are right now, he said. This is dire stuff.

REYNOLDS OPPOSES WATER RULE: Gov. Kim Reynolds joined two dozen other Republican governors in opposition to a federal rule regarding the regulation of certain waterways.

The Republican governors in a joint letter to Democratic President Joe Biden wrote that they believe the administration should delay implementation of the rule, which is under the federal Clean Water Act, until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on a related case.

That opinion could significantly impact the final rule and its implementation, the governors wrote in the joint letter. To change the rule multiple times in six months is an inefficient and wasteful use of State and federal resources and will impose an unnecessary strain on farmers, builders, and every other impacted sector of the American economy.

AUDITOR URGES OVERSIGHT OF SCHOOL ACTIVITY FUNDS: State Auditor Rob Sand issued a recommendation that school districts conduct oversight of student activity funds.

Sand said he decided to make the recommendation after his office discovered a substantial amount of misuse of student activity funds.

Sands office said it identified more than $268,000 in misused student activity funds over the past decade, the largest shares of which were attributed to undeposited collections, improper disbursements, uncollected facility usage fees and improper deposits.

This serves to remind school district boards of directors, faculty and staff that student activity funds are public funds, are the property of the school district, and must be used to benefit the public, Sand said in his statement.
Anyone who has ever seen a medical show knows what a code blue is. For those not in the know, its a medical facilitys emergency code that a patient needs to be resuscitated. That isnt the only color code, but its one of only a few health care workers know off the top of their heads, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Georgia.

Health care facilities have traditionally relied upon code-based notifications to quickly and efficiently alert employees to ongoing emergencies within or affecting the facility, co-author Morgan Taylor, a doctoral student in the College of Public Health, told UGA Today.

Because there is no universal standard for these codes, they can differ from one facility to another. For their study, the UGA team surveyed 304 clinical and nonclinical employees at five Georgia health care facilities on 14 emergency codes at their respective workplaces.

The researchers found, on average, participants correctly identified their codes 44% of the time. The best known codes were for fire, infant abduction and cardiac arrest (usually a code blue).

The respondents said they received little training on the codes beyond being introduced to them during orientation. Not knowing what each means can result in a slower response time during an emergency.

Codes are often confusing because we do not use or practice them regularly. It is unreasonable to assume that staff will retain the knowledge they receive during orientation, disaster simulations, or once-a-year in-service reminders, Curt Harris, director of the Institute for Disaster Management and lead investigator of the study, told UGA Today. It is also unreasonable to assume that just because the meaning of the color code is on the back of their badges, an appropriate and prompt response will ensue.

The study points to research suggesting a switch from color codes to plain language could reduce confusion and cut down on training. Piedmont Healthcares hospitals switched to plain language emergency announcements in 2019.

We know plain language communications reduce bystander panic and confusion. Our study highlights the continued need for effective training and education that helps translate this research into practice, Taylor said.

Best and worst states for health care Best and worst states for health care The 10 states with the best health care The 10 states with the lowest rank for health care Additional findings: Outcome, cost and access data rankings Depending on state, Americans' cost for care can vary significantly Methodology
WAVERLY  A Bremer County Jail inmate has been arrested for sexually abusing another inmate, according to sheriffs investigators.

Bremer deputies charged Vincent Fonie Mack, 57, formerly of Athens, Georgia, with four counts of third-degree sexual abuse.

Mack was being held at the Bremer County Jail at the time of the alleged assaults, the sheriffs office said in a prepared statement. Mack was at the jail awaiting transfer to a federal facility for unrelated charges.

Authorities allege Mack sexually abused another male inmate at the jail on four different occasions.

Further details werent available.

According to court records, Mack has prior sex crime convictions out of Georgia and he had been recently living in Iowa, allegedly ducking sex offender registration requirements.

Mack was convicted of child molestation charges in Georgia in August 2013, records state. He was also convicted of failing to register in Georgia in 2018.

In late 2021, while on supervision, he snipped off the GPS ankle monitor and left Georgia to move to Iowa with an acquaintance.

In December 2021, he was found living in Clarence, a town of about 1,000 people in eastern Iowa. He was arrested on state charges for failing to register his new address and his employment at a bar and grill with the Cedar County Sheriffs Office.

The state charges were dropped a short time later when federal prosecutors took an interest in him, and a grand jury indicted him under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

Mack pleaded guilty but he disputed recommendation for GPS monitoring following his prison time, calling it a depravation of liberty.

He was sentenced in November to two years behind bars, at the low end of sentencing guideline recommendations, to be followed by five years of supervised release with GPS monitoring.

With the newly lodged sex abuse charges, Mack will remain under the supervision of the Bremer County Sheriffs Office until the conclusion. When the case is over, he will be placed in federal custody.

Photos: Missing children in Iowa Jade Colvin Fredrick Workman Benjamin Roseland Erin Pospisil Marc Allen Eugene Martin John Gosch Kimberly Doss Colleen Simpson Fatima Conteh Daquan Nelson Diomarix Crespo
WATERLOO  A former Davenport man who allegedly robbed a Waterloo convenience store in 2020 while a mask dangled from his chin had a 14-year-old girl for a getaway driver, according to police.

Diontay Marcus Cobbs, 27, is charged with first-degree robbery and using a minor to commit an offense. Testimony in his trial began Wednesday in Black Hawk County District Court.

Prosecutors said he picked up three teenagers in Davenport on Sept. 29, 2020, and they drove to Waterloo for the robbery. His defense attorney, John Bishop, said authorities cant meet their burden of proof to get a conviction on the charges.

Clerk Edward Devrouax said Alis Corner, on East Fourth Street, was busy so he didnt notice when Cobbs entered the store and stood in line. Cobbs waited for the woman ahead of him before flashing a handgun.

It was kind of casual, almost lazy in a sense, Devrouax said of Cobbs demeanor while making demands.

Give me the money and you wont die, he said Cobb told him.

A security camera only a few feet from the counter captured the holdup. It showed the robber in a blue LA Dodgers Cap, a black with gold trim Golden State Warriors jacket and a red COVID-era face mask lowered to obscure his chin and neck.

The defendant has his mask down, as hes at the counter, so you can see the face, prosecutors Brad Walz noted.

The employee handed over about $500 in cash, a $45 bottle of Hennessy, a second bottle of liquor, and an $8 pack of cigars.

Walz said Cobbs left and he and the teens made another stop in Waterloo before heading back to the Quad Cities.

On their drive, an Iowa State Patrol trooper pulled over their vehicle. But the trooper wasnt aware of the robbery or suspect information and let them continue on their way after getting Cobbs to take the place of the 14 year old, who wasnt old enough to legally drive, Walz said.

The video was posted on social media and the Cedar Valley Crime Stoppers page, and Cobbs was identified as a suspect. He remained at large, apparently living in Arizona before returning to Iowa where he was detained following a chase in Fayette in July 2021.

Photos: Missing children in Iowa Jade Colvin Fredrick Workman Benjamin Roseland Erin Pospisil Marc Allen Eugene Martin John Gosch Kimberly Doss Colleen Simpson Fatima Conteh Daquan Nelson Diomarix Crespo
WATERLOO  Hawkeye Community College had a $444.5 million impact on the Cedar Valley regions economy, including the support of 6,343 jobs, according to a recent study by EMSI Burning Glass during the fiscal year of 2019-2020.

Hawkeye generates a return on investment to its students and taxpayers. According to the report, every $1 students invest in their education at Hawkeye produces a return of $4.70 in future earnings, an average rate of return of 23.9%. Individuals who complete an associates degree also earn on average, $9,100 more per year compared to those with a high school diploma alone.

Hawkeye generates more in tax revenues than it receives. For every dollar of public money invested in Hawkeye, taxpayers receive $1.70 in return, for an annual rate of return of 4%.

Iowans benefit from Hawkeye through the higher wages earned by graduates resulting in a larger economic base and a higher quality of life with a reduced need for social services. For every dollar invested in Hawkeye, Iowans receive a $7.10 return.

The vast majority (92%) of Hawkeyes students come from the colleges 10-county service area, an HCC news release said. That includes all or parts of Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Grundy, Tama, Fayette, Chickasaw, Floyd, and Benton counties.

Hawkeye graduates add to the regional workforce and economy with 92% of graduates staying in Iowa to work and live. Spending by Hawkeye, its students and its graduates generates enough revenue in the economy to support one in 19 jobs in the region.

This report demonstrates the significant value Hawkeye Community College brings to the communities it serves, Todd Holcomb, president of Hawkeye Community College said in the release. Hawkeye is an economic engine in our region and plays a key role in our workforce needs. Hawkeye is committed to providing individuals with the education, training, and new skills they need to have fulfilling and prosperous careers.

The report was created by EMSI Burning Glass and used data from Hawkeyes fiscal year 2019-20 reports, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census Bureau, Burning Glass Multi-Regional Social Accounting Matrix, and a variety of education studies and reports. The report can be found online at www.hawkeyecollege.edu/about/economic-impact.

Photos: The 35th annual Iowa Boat, RV and Vacation Show at the UNI-Dome Boat Show 1 Boat Show 2 Boat Show 3 Boat Show 4 Boat Show 5 Boat Show 6 Boat Show 7 Boat Show 8 Boat Show 9 Boat Show 10
DELHI  A Delhi church has started up a fund to assist relatives of two Amish families who lost four members in a crash on icy roads near Wellsburg last week.

Ervin J. Borntreger, 22, Emma Borntreger, 4, Rebecca Borntreger, 2, and Marlin Borntreger, 1, all of Delhi, died when a van they were traveling in entered the median and rolled on U.S. Highway 20 on Friday morning. Several others were injured.

The group was headed to Missouri to visit relatives.

Over the weekend, the Delhi United Methodist Church established a GoFundMe.com fundraising account to assist with medical expenses and other needs, setting the initial goal at $2,000.

That was reached within a matter of hours, so the church decided to raise goal, said the Rev. Keith Pitts.

We are truly thankful for the outpouring of love and prayers, he said. Its kind of taken on a life of its own.

He said the initial fundraiser was intended to draw support from church members but, once it started, people from all over Iowa and the nation began chipping in. To find the online fundraiser, search the churchs name on the website.

The Amish are always helping others in times of need, said online donor James Lynch.

Donations also can be sent to Delhi United Methodist or deposited at Heritage Bank in Delhi, Pitt said. The church will continue the fundraiser for about a week.

The town of Delhi has about 500 people with another 1,500 in the surrounding area.

Sometimes the Amish are seen as a separate community, but thats not the case in Delhi, where everyone knows each other.

The Amish here are a part of our community, so this loss is impacting our entire community, said Pitts, who was friends with Ervin Borntreger, the father.

To honor the Amish traditions and ways, the church will give the funds to leaders of the Amish community for distribution, Pitts said.

According to the Iowa State Patrol, Sara Werner, 33, of Hopkinton, was driving the Chevrolet Express west on Highway 20 around 6:35 a.m. when the vehicle lost control on snow and ice covered roads and entered the median. The vehicle rolled, ejecting four passengers and came to a rest on the eastbound lanes.

Injured in the accident were Mahlon Borntreger, 27, Fannie Borntreger, 25, Edna Borntreger, 21, Jacob Borntreger, 1, and Joseph Borntreger, 1, Mary Herschberger, 29, and Jacob Jake Herschberger, 26, Ervin Borntreger, 3, all of Delhi; and Almer Yoder, 30, of Hopkinton.

None of the vehicles occupants were wearing seatbelts or usinig child restraints, according to the preliminary Iowa State Patrol crash report.
WATERLOO  The city of Waterloo is offering assistance to people who own unsightly structures they wish to demolish.

The city announced Community Development Block Grants can be used to help pay for the demolition and removal of nuisance buildings on a homeowners property.

Angie Fordyce, community development coordinator, said the intent is to help clean up neighborhoods for better living conditions.

If there are blighted garages or structures showing the physical decay, its an eyesore but it can be detrimental to public health and safety, Fordyce said.

To be eligible for the CDBG funds, people must meet Housing and Urban Development income guidelines based on the number of people residing in the home. This equates to being below 80% income.

For example, a four person household must make $66,300 or less per year to qualify. For other household sizes, those interested can go to cityofwaterlooiowa.com/departments/community_development and click on Neighborhood Services and then Garage Demolition.

This is a great opportunity for homeowners who are facing financial burdens to take pride in their homes by removing dilapidated garages or buildings on their property, Mayor Quentin Hart said in a news release. This funding will also encourage other residents and future residents and business owners to invest in Waterloo.

The demolition and clearance process begins by homeowners contacting the community development department. Staff will then inspect the site and determine the need, as well as verify information and income of the household. After this, the staff will do an environmental review of the site and project estimates are completed.

The project will then go out to bid and a contractor will be selected. After paperwork is issued, demolition will begin. Fordyce said the bidding process generally takes a couple weeks and the environmental review takes about a month.

If you remove slum and blight from areas it gives areas a positive outlook, Fordyce said. People get motivated and then they take it on themselves to start improving and cleaning up yards and doing home improvements.
ALBANY, Ga.  Jessie Blanchard started small nearly five years ago, just trying to get enough of the rescue drug naloxone that reverses opioid overdoses to keep her daughter from dying from an overdose.

She pleaded with colleagues at the college where she's an adjunct teacher in Albany, Georgia, to use their prescription benefits to get two doses every six months.

Now she loads her Jeep every week and heads out with a few other volunteers to bring the antidote  commonly known by its brand name Narcan  to hundreds of others in the town of 70,000.

At parking lots and intersections she also supplies clean needles, fentanyl test strips and a nonjudgmental sounding board  an effort now partly funded by a state government grant. At least nine times in December alone, Blanchard said, rescue drugs she provided were used to reverse overdoses.

"I've got story-after-story, story-after-story of people coming up to me," said Blanchard, a nurse whose organization is called 229 Safer Living Access, a reference to the Albany area code the group's work covers. "They say, 'Miss Jessie, they had to Narcan me the other day and I'd have died if it wasn't for you.'"

Naloxone, available as a nasal spray and in an injectable form, is a key tool in the battle against a nationwide overdose crisis linked to the deaths of more than 100,000 people annually in the U.S. State and federal policy changes have removed some major obstacles to getting it into the hands of police, firefighters, people who use drugs and their loved ones. But it's still often frustratingly inaccessible in the moments when overdoses happen.

Stephen Murray, an overdose survivor and former paramedic who researches overdoses at Boston Medical Center, is so committed to naloxone access that he proclaims it on his personalized license plate: NARCAN.

"My vision for it is to be in every 24-hour gas station in the state, free or 25 cents a dose," he said. "It'll be between the Tylenol and the condoms.  It has to be just as easy as buying heroin, basically."

There's more naloxone than ever thanks to federal and state policies, and groups like Blanchard's that distribute it in their communities. It's available free in old newspaper vending boxes in Michigan, which now hold naloxone kits, and in a vending machine in Philadelphia. One group, NEXT Distro, mails it nationwide for free. But Murray's vision is not close to being realized in most places.

An influx of money is on the way, intended to help deal with the national overdose crisis that killed 107,000 people in 2021  the highest tally ever  most involving fentanyl and other powerful illicit synthetic opioids.

Drug makers, distribution companies and pharmacies have settled lawsuits with state and local governments, and the first funding totaling more than $50 billion is going out. Most of it must be used to address the opioid epidemic, though exactly how will be up to governments receiving the money. Some settlements are being delivered partly in doses of naloxone.

In a 2021 report, public health experts convened by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health listed expanding naloxone access as the first strategy for using settlement funds, noting that 40% of overdose deaths happen when someone else is present and possibly able to administer the life-saving drug.

As with other harm-reduction strategies, there's been pushback from those who believe making naloxone available enables drug use. But Jeff Breedlove, policy chief for the Georgia Council for Recovery, said he no longer sees that as much of an issue.

Instead, he said, funding and distribution programs remain spotty because they don't have enough support from government and private groups such as chambers of commerce. "Until they treat it like an epidemic," Breedlove said, "we will continue to have more and more funerals."

Since 2016, the federal government has allowed and encouraged federal funds to be used to buy naloxone.

Officials in every state have given standing orders to pharmacies allowing people to buy it, even without prescriptions.

That's a major factor for the massive increase in how much has been distributed through retail pharmacies. A report by the American Medical Association and IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science found there were just over 1,000 orders filled in 2012. By 2021, it was nearly 1.2 million.

But not all pharmacies carry it. And it comes at a cost: For those without insurance coverage, it can be around $50 for two doses.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is considering allowing some forms of naloxone to be sold over-the-counter without a prescription, a move that could lower the cost.

Randy Anderson, who is in recovery himself and works as a recovery consultant, said he's handed out some 100,000 doses of naloxone in Minnesota. He believes from his time using drugs that pharmacy availability doesn't do much to help people who need it most.

"There was no way I would spend $10 for something to save my life when I needed that money to buy drugs," he said.

Aside from cost, there are other barriers to getting naloxone to drug users.

In Alabama, for instance, a pharmacist, physician or public health nurse must be involved in the distribution. But the state does have a program to mail the antidote to anyone who requests it.

Maya Doe-Simkins, a co-director of Remedy Alliance/For The People, which helps provide naloxone to groups working to prevent overdose deaths, said programs don't always prioritize getting the antidote to people who use drugs.

"If they're not matched up and directed where they should be, we're going to see more and more naloxone sitting on the shelves of church basements, expiring," she said.

In Albany, Blanchard gets naloxone through Georgia Opioid Prevention, which receives a state grant.

In 2022, she handed out more than 1,800 doses  far more than the public health district for Southwest Georgia, which gave out 280 doses to people who showed up at health department offices in an isolated corner of Albany and to community organizations.

One of her clients, who asked to be identified only by his first name, Jomo, because he uses illegal drugs, said he's glad for the supplies. "Because this is something we're going to do anyway," he said.

Photos: Advocates boost opioid rescue drug access to save lives
DES MOINES, Iowa  By this time four years ago, at least a dozen Democratic presidential hopefuls eager to make their case against Donald Trump had either visited Iowa or announced plans to soon visit the leadoff voting state ahead of the 2020 election.

Iowas campaign landscape is markedly different this year, with a Republican field seemingly frozen by Trumps early announcement of a 2024 campaign. So far, only former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson has visited this year, and U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina is making plans to stop by in the next few weeks.

Even Trump, the only declared candidate in the 2024 race right now, has been absent from Iowa, choosing instead to kickstart his campaign last weekend in New Hampshire and South Carolina, two other early voting states.

With Iowas first-in-the-nation GOP caucuses just a year off, the field of would-be White House candidates has largely been content to steer clear of bone-chilling Iowa  and, perhaps more importantly, avoid being the first candidate to announce a bid against the former president.

No one wants to be on a limb by themselves against Trump, said Alan Ostergren, a Republican lawyer in Des Moines who is involved in GOP politics. Theyll all break at some point. But no one wants to go first.

For now, the quiet in Iowa gives other contenders weighing campaigns  among them former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, all of whom campaigned in Iowa last year for GOP candidates  time to talk to potential donors, promote their new books and summon the mettle to take on Trump.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a leading GOP presidential prospect coming off a blowout reelection victory, is not expected to make any 2024 moves until the spring, after the Florida Legislature adjourns and he completes a national book tour.

As a warning to other potential competitors, Trump and his team have been lashing out at would-be rivals. The former president has dubbed DeSantis Ron DeSanctimonious" and said that a DeSantis challenge for the 2024 GOP nomination would be a great act of disloyalty."

Trumps universal name recognition gives him space to stay away from Iowa for now, GOP operatives say, as his team charts a strategy thats expected to be more organized than his freewheeling 2016 campaign, which resulted in a second-place finish in the states caucuses.

Although he remains deeply popular within a core of the Republican Party, Trump is facing a number of investigations that could complicate his third bid for the White House. Among them are a criminal investigation over top-secret documents found at his Florida estate, a probe in Washington into his efforts to undo the results of the 2020 presidential election, an investigation in Georgia into his efforts to remain in the presidency after losing reelection, and more probes in New York.

Hes not looked at as someone who should automatically get the nomination. Hes no longer in office, and two years have gone by, said Steve Scheffler, Iowas Republican National committeeman, who has pledged to remain publicly neutral. Even though the base loves him and his policies, he may have to do more of what others have to do. I definitely think hes more vulnerable.

So far, Trump is the lone 2024 Republican with a paid presence in Iowa. Alex Latcham, the former regional political director for the Iowa Republican Party, now works for Trumps national team but still lives in Iowa. He is helping recruit an Iowa campaign director for Trump.

Unlike four years ago, around the time then-California Sen. Kamala Harris, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and then-South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, among others, were visiting Iowa, Democrats this year are standing to the side with the expectation that President Joe Biden will seek a second term. In any case, the Democratic National Committee is expected to strip Iowa of its leadoff voting status for the 2024 presidential nominating calendar, though Republicans plan to keep Iowa as its first-voting state.

Despite the relative quiet in Iowa so far this year, potential Republican candidates are still finding ways to make inroads with GOP activists in the state without setting foot there.

At the GOP legislative breakfast on Jan. 9, legislators and party officials flipped through a printed program that included full-page ads from Trump, Pompeo and Scott.

Thats in addition to the tens of thousands of dollars that they and others, including Haley and Pence, contributed to Iowa Republican candidates from their political fundraising organizations for their 2022 midterm election campaigns.

Without setting foot in Iowa, DeSantis, too, worked to sow goodwill last year with Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds by inviting her to meet in Florida.

Gloria Mazza, chair of the Polk County Republican Party, said it's only a matter of time before the behind-the-scenes maneuvering by potential GOP Trump rivals spills out into the open.

Its going to pop, but its hard to tell when. Its like a game of chess," Mazza said. "Who is going to make the first move on him?

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Mellerio looks to rejuvenate brand, names dancer Hugo Marchand as first ambassador By



Triana Alonso Translated by

Roberta HERRERA Published

Feb 1, 2023

The iconic French jewellery house, which traces its history back to more than 400 years and has had 15 generations of the same family committed to preserving its craft, is looking to rejuvenate. Known as the favourite jewellery brand of European royals, Mellerio is now aiming to introduce its luxurious products to a younger clientele and to tell its story, unknown to many, to the general public. In line with this new communication strategy, the maison has signed a partnership with one of France's most famous dancers: Hugo Marchand.







Hugo Marchand and Laure-Isabelle Mellerio - Mellerio



"The grace and lightness of dance, like the purity of a diamond, have this natural quality that astonishes both men and women. This feeling experienced when art is brought to its climax is not intended for one gender only. Therefore, it was almost a given that the paths of the world's oldest jeweller would cross with the 'etoile' dancer Hugo Marchand", said the Mellerio brand at the official presentation of its new ambassador, during the last Paris Haute Couture Week.



An intimate cocktail party received the guests in one of the rooms of the Mellerio boutique just a stone's throw away from the Opera , located at 9, rue de la Paix, in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris. The maison has been established in the French capital since 1613.

Its proximity to the Opera Garnier has made this collaboration inevitable.



"I often walk past the Mellerio boutique on my way to work. The alliance came very naturally, as we share many values", said the dancer, confessing his love for fashion, which has already led him to regularly attend fashion shows such as those of Italian designer . Moreover, the artist has continued to gain worldwide recognition since 2017, when he received his coveted "etoile" at Tokyo's Bunka Kaiken. For its part, Mellerio boasts a long-standing presence in Japan stretching back more than 30 years and is the Imperial Court's brand of choice.







The dancer Hugo Marchand - Mellerio



In celebration of this collaboration, Mellerio and Marchand drew inspiration from dance to create the iconic 'Mellerio Cut' diamond, a jewel that pays tribute to the famous Beau Sancy diamond and to the history that has associated the brand with Queen Marie de Medicis since 1613.



"2023 will be a year filled with exciting moments and will showcase the combined talents of these two passionate individuals," said the maison, led by its president and artistic director, Laure-Isabelle Mellerio.



A member of the 14th generation of the Mellerio family, the brand's president, originally from Craveggia in Italy, has a background in interior design, art history and gemmology. Her goal as head of France's oldest family-owned jewellery house is to "nurture the authentic and contemporary image" of the brand through modern and elegant pieces inspired by Italy, characterised by contrasting shapes and colours, as well as luxurious materials.


This Tuesday, we're tracking six legislative special elections, including two runoffs. Four of these are in Georgia, with one each in Mississippi and Pennsylvania.

Georgia

Polls close at 7:00 PM Eastern Time.

State Senate District 11

Republicans hold a 32-23 majority over Democrats in the Georgia State Senate. Members serve two-year terms, with the next regular elections in 2024.

There is one vacancy, in District 11, located in the southwest corner of the state. Republican Dean Burke resigned in December, weeks after winning a 6th term in office. He had never faced a general election opponent.

Three candidates qualified for the special election, representing the Democratic, Republican, and Libertarian parties. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, the top two finishers will meet in a February 28 runoff.

State House (Multiple)

Republicans hold a 98-78 edge over Democrats in the Georgia State House. There are four vacancies, three of which will be contested Tuesday. A fourth seat opened up last week, when District 75 state Rep. Mike Glanton (D) resigned. A special election for that seat will be held on March 21.

District 7 (Runoff): This is a top-two runoff from the January 3 special election to fill the seat previously held by long-time House Speaker, David Ralston (R), who died in November. Advancing were Ralston's widow, Sheree (45% of the vote) and businessman Johnny Chastain (39%).

District 119: Six Republicans and one Democrat are on the ballot to fill the vacancy created when Republican Danny Rampey resigned shortly after being sworn in earlier this month. Rampey had just been elected in November, but was subsequently arrested on charges of stealing prescription narcotics.

If no candidate gets a majority of the vote, a top-two runoff will be held on February 28.

District 172: Republican Sam Watson resigned in December to seek the vacancy in State Senate District 11. That election is also Tuesday; scroll up for results.

Watson has been unopposed for each election since he first ran in 2012. Continuing that trend, Colquitt County Administrator Charles Cannon (R) is the only candidate on the ballot to succeed him.

Mississippi

Polls close at 8:00 PM Eastern Time.

State House District 23 (runoff)

This runoff will fill the only vacancy in the Republican-dominated Mississippi State House. The party holds 76 seats, Democrats control 42, and there are three independents. Members serve four-year terms, with all seats up this November.

None of the three candidates in the January 10 special election received a majority of the vote, necessitating the runoff. Andrew Stepp (48% of the vote) and Perry Van Bailey (38% advanced).

Special elections in Mississippi are nonpartisan.

Pennsylvania

Polls close at 8:00 PM Eastern Time.

State Senate District 27

Republicans hold a 27-22 edge over Democrats in the Pennsylvania State Senate. Members serve four-year terms, with the next regular elections in 2024.

District 27 is in the east central part of the state. Republican John Gordner resigned at the end of November, 2022. He had served in the State Senate since 2003. Gordner won his final term by a 72% to 28% margin over a Democratic challenger in 2020.

The nominees are Republican Lynda Schlegel Culver and Democrat Patricia Lawson.

For those interested in Pennsylvania politics, next Tuesday will bring three special elections in the State House. These are notable because Democrats gained ten seats in the 2022 elections, giving the party a narrow 102-101 partisan edge. However, all three Pittsburgh-area seats were previously held by Democrats, so the vacancies gave the GOP a temporary 101-99 margin, complicating the organizational efforts in the Chamber earlier this month.

Upcoming Special Elections

February 7 Pennsylvania State House Districts 32, 34, 35

February 18 Louisiana State House District 93 (Primary)

February 21 Virginia U.S. House District 4 Kentucky State Senate District 19 New Hampshire State House District Strafford 8 Wisconsin State Senate District 8 (Primary)

February 28 Connecticut State House Districts 6, 100, 148

March 7 Florida State House District 24 (Primary)



Upcoming Mayoral Elections

February 21 Madison, Wisconsin (Primary)

February 28 Chicago, Illinois April 4 runoff if no candidate gets a majority

March 7 Tampa, Florida April 25 runoff if no candidate gets a majority



We'll also have results for the Wisconsin Supreme Court nonpartisan primary on February 21.
Weather Alert

.Warming temperatures this weekend will bring renewed snowmelt and streamflow rises, especially for snow covered terrain below about 7000 feet. Creeks that brought impacts this past week are likely to be problematic again and potentially reach higher levels, especially by late Sunday. ...FLOOD WATCH FOR SNOWMELT IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY MORNING... * WHAT...Flooding caused by snowmelt is possible. * WHERE...Portions of California and western Nevada, including the following areas, in California, Greater Lake Tahoe Area, Lassen-Eastern Plumas-Eastern Sierra Counties and Surprise Valley California. In western Nevada, Greater Lake Tahoe Area, Greater Reno-Carson City-Minden Area and Mineral and Southern Lyon Counties. * WHEN...From Saturday afternoon through Monday morning. * IMPACTS...Creeks and streams will be running high and fast. Low-water crossings may be flooded. Minor mainstem flooding along the Susan River, Forks of the Carson River, and the East Walker River below Bridgeport Reservoir cannot be ruled out. Anyone participating in outdoor recreation this weekend should use caution as water will be running high, fast, and potentially out of banks for some creeks and streams. The water will be extremely cold as well, quickly causing shock. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop. &&


Assay Results Confirm Regional Multi-Target Copper District

Sydney, Feb 1, 2023 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Cobre Limited ( ASX:CBE ) is pleased to provide an exploration update on the Ngami Copper Project (NCP) and KITW projects following a recent technical review of results.



At NCP, several new targets are emerging in close proximity to the 4km strike-length Comet target which has already returned several significant downhole copper intersections including 12.2m @ 2.7% Cueq in drill hole NCP20A and 10.7m @ 1.5% Cueq in NCP08.



Commenting on current results, Chief Executive Officer, Adam Wooldridge, said:



"The Ngami Copper Project (NCP) continues to produce significant results with several compelling new targets joining the fold. Being able to rapidly identify, assess and progress these targets is key to unlocking the potential in this emerging new district on the northern margin of the KCB.



We have initiated a comprehensive drilling program in Botswana with the goal of fully assessing the district scale copper potential. The next round of drilling at NCP will focus on further developing these targets in order to identify anticipated high-grade zones. In addition, our exploration plans for Kitlanya West include AC drilling of initial soil sampling targets which is expected to commence at the end of March. We look forward to providing further exploration updates as they become available."



A total of nine targets have now been identified from the recently completed soil sampling dataset including Comet. Recent drill results, combined with historical holes, have returned positive intersections in several of the newly tested targets highlighting the success of the exploration methodology. To date, the exploration drill results have demonstrated that three of the five drill tested targets have anomalous copper-silver mineralisation- typical of halos surrounding KCB deposits, providing a significant boost to the regional potential of this emerging district.



Importantly, these are early-stage results into large new developing targets with ongoing drilling expected to discover further high-grade zones.



Results are detailed by target in the following subsections and summarised in Figure 1*.



The next phase of work will include a ~5,000m diamond drill program designed to:



1. Continue targeting high-grade copper-silver zones within drill tested targets with proven copper-silver mineralisation; and



2. Identify anomalous copper-silver mineralisation related to deposit halos in the three untested targets.



At KITW, interpretation of recently completed assay data for over 8,500 samples is ongoing in preparation for a 10,000m AC programme scheduled to commence towards the end of March.



Significant Regional Exploration Potential



The drill program at NCP has been designed to intersect sedimentary-hosted, structurally controlled, coppersilver (Cu-Ag) mineralisation associated with the redox contact between oxidised Ngwako Pan Formation red beds and overlying reduced marine sedimentary rocks of the D'Kar Formation on the moderate to steeply dipping limbs of a large anticlinal structure which extends across the southern portion of the project area under 50 to 80m of Kalahari Group cover. To date, 33 drill holes, targeted off partial digest low detection limit soil sampling, have intersected the mineralised contact along both limbs of the anticline with almost all of the holes returning anomalous copperintersections forthe KCB, demonstrating the prospectivity of the ~80 km of contact associated with the anticline. Results to date are analogous to other portions of the KCB where economic deposits are surrounded by halos of moderate grade copper-silver mineralisation which may extend several kilometers along strike.



Drill-tested Targets:



Comet: The most advanced target in the district with copper-silver mineralisation occurring over a strike length of more than 4km directly above the steep to vertical contact of the Ngwako-Pan and D'Kar Formations.



Importantly, high-grade zones of mineralisation have been identified in fold-structures above flexures in the contact demonstrating the potential for economic grades of mineralisation. Further diamond drilling will focus on identifying and delineating further zones of high-grade mineralisation expected to occur both laterally and vertically along the target length.



Helios: A recently tested fold target located on the moderately dipping portion of the southern limb of the regional anticline. The first drill hole into the target, NCP29, has intersected 19.2m @ 0.34% Cu and 8 g/t Ag from 187m to 206.15m downhole including 2.3m @ 1.1% Cu & 13 g/t Ag. Follow-up drilling consisting of an initial three diamond holes will target the extension of mineralisation into the hinge zones of the fold target where mineralisation is expected to be upgraded.



Interstellar: Located on a steeply dipping portion of the southern limb of the regional anticline, this target shares several characteristics with Comet. Historical drill hole TRDH14-07 proved the copper potential of this target, intersecting an extensive 25.5m @ 0.37% Cu and 1 g/t Ag from 62m to 87.5m downhole. Drill hole NCP34 (assays pending) intersected further mineralisation including a higher-grade zone of chalcocite mineralisation, demonstrating that mineralisation extends over a large strike extent. Five further diamond holes are planned to test the strike length of this developing target.



Luna: This target is located on a jog on the southern limb of the regional anticlinal structure. Anomalous copper mineralisation was intersected in historical hole TRD14-11, including 12.7m @ 0.44% Cu & 2 g/t Ag, as well as follow-up hole NCP27 which includes 3.8m @ 0.54% Cu & 6 g/t Ag from 152.4 to 156.2m downhole.



Nova: The target is located on a prominent structural intersection along a moderately dipping portion of the northern limb of the regional anticline. The target is also notable for its distinct associated demagnetisation zone. Drill testing identified elevated copper-silver mineralisation in both NCP21 (11m @ 0.23% Cu & 4 g/t Ag from 118m to 129m downhole) and NCP22 (5.6m @ 0.31% Cu & 15 g/t Ag from 144m to 149.6m downhole) Satellite: Discrete target located 4km to the northeast of Comet on the steeply dipping portion of the northern limb of the regional anticline. Drill testing identified a zone of elevated copper (11.3m @ 0.21% Cu and 3 g/t Ag from 180 to 191,3m downhole) above the Ngwako Pan - D'Kar formation contact.



Priority untested Targets for Future Drill-testing



Three additional priority targets have been identified for drill testing based on soil assay results:



Asteroid: Focused target with high Cu and subtle associated Ag anomaly. Based on interpretations of the detailed magnetic data, the target is located near a structural disruption and on the southwestern hinge of a subtle folded feature in the underlying Ngwako Pan Formation which appears to change the orientation of the mineralised contact and may provide a focus for fluid flow.



Meta: Small target with high Cu and Ag response located on the northeastern side of the folded feature in the Ngwako Pan Formation.



Cosmos: Discrete target with high Cu, Ag, Mo and Pb with a distinct associated Zn anomaly in a similar setting to Comet. A single diamond hole is planned to assess each of the three new targets.



*To view tables and figures, please visit:

https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/1PY38580





About Cobre Limited





Cobre Limited (ASX:CBE) is a copper and base-metals explorer with projects in Western Australia and Botswana. The Company recently discovered a new high-grade VMS deposit enriched in Copper, Gold, Zinc and Silver in Western Australia, and is currently exploring approximately 8,100 km2 of tenements within the Kalahari Copper Belt (KCB) in Botswana.


Quarterly Activities Report

Brisbane, Feb 1, 2023 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Tombola Gold Ltd ( ASX:TBA ), a company focussed on near-term gold production in Cloncurry, Queensland, is pleased to provide an overview of the Company's activities for the period ending 31 December 2022 ("Quarter", "Reporting Period").



OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS



- Tombola remains confident in its overall strategy, and on track to become a significant Australian gold producer, despite the recent disruption to production at the GAM plant.



- Mining activities continued at the Company's two operating mines, Comstock and Shamrock, with the first material being delivered from the Mt Freda Run of Mine pad plant for crushing and processing.



- Gold processing commenced during the quarter, following the refurbishment of the GAM plant. However just prior to Christmas, a problem was encountered within the crushing circuit at the GAM Plant.



- Advanced to 100% ownership of the Golden Mile Project, substantially increasing Tombola's share of the planned production of Golden Mile material.



- Agreement with Ilwella Pty Ltd, and $500,000 received, for the pre-sale of the first 200 ounces of gold to be produced, a key milestone in the pursuit to become a gold producer.



- Further significant gold intercepts delivered at the Mt Scheelite Gold Project, indicating the potential to increase gold production across the Company's portfolio.



CORPORATE HIGHLIGHTS



- Appointment of Mr Trevor Coombe as an Executive Director, fulfilling the duties of a Chief Operating Officer.



- Successful capital raisings via a private placement to raise $3.45m, and a Share Purchase Plan (SPP) raising $1.12m.



Commenting on the Quarter, Tombola Chairman and CEO, Byron Miles, commented:



"The December 2022 Quarter was a key period for the Company, with Tombola laying a solid foundation for 2023, as we remain confident in our overall strategy, and on track to become a significant Australian gold producer.



Following the refurbishment of the GAM Plant, Tombola commenced gold processing in December 2022, however the Company experienced a fault with the original crushing circuit, as announced. Arrangements are in place for a new crusher to be mobilised to site to recommence crushing, which will enable the GAM plant to recommence operations. Importantly, the project fundamentals remain unchanged.



Unfortunately, the fault with the crusher was out of the Company's control, with the Tombola management team working tirelessly over the holiday period to find a solution to facilitate the recommencement of processing. Our efforts were hindered by a number of convergent factors, however we are very pleased to have found a solution and look forward to recommencing operations shortly.



During the Quarter, mining continued at both Comstock and Shamrock, and the Company achieved a major milestone with first material from Comstock and Shamrock being delivered from the Mt Freda Run of Mine pad plant for crushing and processing.



The Company also advanced to 100% ownership of the Golden Mile, significantly increasing its planned future revenue share of Golden Mile materials.



Tombola continued to achieve exploration success during the December Quarter, with significant gold intercepts delivered at the Mt Scheelite Gold Project, and we look forward to further advancing our exploration projects over the coming year."



*To view the full quarterly report, please visit:

https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/7N9F90KA





About Tombola Gold Ltd





Tombola Gold Ltd (ASX:TBA) is a company assembled by experienced, exceedingly well-qualified and all very well rounded team members that have previously floated exploration companies which achieved major resource discoveries and success. Between the Tombola team members, Tombola as a company have well over 100 years of accumulated experience in the mining, exploration and resource sector. Tombola principal objective is to acquire assets to explore for and develop a large IOGC or porphyry deposit funded by low-risk gold production resources. To that end, Tombola has a license covering 970 sq km prospective for gold/copper in the Mount Bryan-Red Banks-World's End area near Burra in South Australia; with strategic agreements with Queensland Mining Corporation.
Katrina Parks is no stranger to telling stories. She realizes its key to pay attention at all times because the next story to be told is right there.

I was working on a documentary about the Harvey Girls, Parks says. While I was doing the production, I realized that the railroads began to decline and jobs along Route 66 began to pick up. The women that left the Harvey Girls went on to jobs along this route and they made change for themselves.

It was at this moment, the idea for the three-part documentary series, Route 66: The Untold Story of Women on the Mother Road was born.

After years of work on the project, Parks has been taking the film along Route 66  Chicago to Los Angeles.

She will participate in film screenings in Gallup and Albuquerque. The Gallup panel will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, at El Morro Theatre. Meanwhile, the panel and screening will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, at the Guild Cinema in Albuquerque. The documentary is also available to stream for free on tubitv.com.

Parks says as the car emerged as the primary form of personal transportation in the last century, Americas roads became central to connecting people and places.

Among the most famous of these is Route 66, which served as the pathway to the west for many explorers and travelers and became a memorable and influential part of automotive and American history.

The series explores how women overcame segregation and gender discrimination to build fulfilling lives for themselves and generations to come on Americas most beloved road.

Parks says there were interviews with women like Katherine Augustine that captivated her.

Augustine grew up at Laguna Pueblo and shared her recollections of how Route 66 ran through the pueblo.

She spoke about how traumatic it was to be sent to boarding school in Albuquerque, which was common practice in those days, Parks says. Even though she was punished for speaking her Native language at the boarding school, Katherine maintained fluency despite the pressure not to. She also continues to practice the religious customs she was taught as a child by her grandparents on a daily basis. The positive side of her boarding school experience was that Katherine excelled in her studies.

Parks says during her summer vacations, Augustine worked as a Harvey Girl serving the troop trains in Gallup, where she was reunited with her family. After high school graduation, she was offered a job as a full-time Harvey Girl, but decided instead to continue her education and become a nurse.

She became the head nurse at an Albuquerque hospital and supported all three of her children because she was a single mother, Parks says. Katherine received many honors over her career, traveled internationally and in later years became a journalist for the Albuquerque paper.

Producing on the series is Rochelle Vallese and Michelle Kantor.

Joining Parks on the panels are retired director of the Center for Southwest Research Tomas Jaehn, historian and author Virginia Scharff, author Sharon Niederman and other special guests.

Funding support for these programs is provided by the New Mexico Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Its like Im coming full circle with this project, Parks says. I got my degree in fine art from UNM and Keif (Henley) from the Guild was one of my instructors at Field and Frame when I took film classes there. Albuquerque has always been a great place for me and held this significant importance. I started to get into filmmaking there and returning there for a screening is special.

SEND ME YOUR TIPS: If you know of a movie filming in the state, or are curious about one, email film@ABQjournal.com. Follow me on Twitter @agomezART.
Bernalillo Countys ethics board has another two cases on its docket.

County Commissioner Steven Michael Quezada last week filed a pair of complaints against his colleagues, current County Commissioner Adriann Barboa and former County Commissioner Debbie OMalley.

Both somehow relate to the commissions recent appointments to the New Mexico Legislature. That includes a November vote to send Antonio Moe Maestas to the state Senate, filling a vacancy created by Jacob Candelarias resignation; and a January vote to fill Maestas former House of Representatives seat with Yanira Gurrola.

Quezada contends that Barboa violated the countys code of conduct by not disclosing that shes a registered lobbyist in New Mexico and recusing herself from the decision to appoint Gurrola.

The complaint alleges Barboa had a substantial financial interest in making an appointment to the State Legislature that will benefit her clients interests, and thus her own personal financial interests.

Barboa voted with the 3-2 majority to pick Gurrola over several other candidates, while Quezada was in the opposition.

In his complaint against OMalley, Quezada references OMalley calling then-Commissioner Charlene Pyskoty a bitch during the aftermath of a tense Oct. 24 commission meeting. The two had disagreed during the meeting about the timeline for picking Candelarias replacement.

This conduct is abusive and makes the County Commission an unsafe space for women, Quezadas complaint says, citing a county code of conduct provision requiring that public servants treat the public and each other with respect.

The countys Code of Conduct Review Board will hold preliminary hearings on both complaints on Feb. 13.
What were you doing your senior year of high school?

Albuquerque Academy seniors Noor Ali, Sophia Liem and Mireya Macias are pushing their first piece of legislation in the Roundhouse.

Their bill, which they researched, lobbied and helped draft, would require that free tampons and other feminine hygiene products be provided in New Mexico public school bathrooms.

They say the measure, House Bill 134, is a critical component of achieving equity in education, because it is often the students struggling with poverty who cant get tampons, meaning in some cases that they dont show up for class.

(In) the end, what were fighting for is equity in health and education, and in gender, Ali said. When you have access to menstrual products, you can maximize your education, you can maximize your health outcomes and then therefore have a better quality of life down the line.

The seniors bill started small.

First, they got free feminine hygiene products in bathrooms at Albuquerque Academy, a project that went relatively smoothly. Head of School Julianne Puente told the Journal the school implemented the changes almost immediately, and that shes proud that we do this.

But the trio were intimidated by the Roundhouse and werent sure, as high schoolers, theyd be able to take what theyd done on the homefront further.

Once everything was in place at their school, they decided to check in on the bathrooms to see how everything was going.

Blue, yellow and green sticky notes, pasted on the walls around the new plastic bins filled with tampons and menstrual pads in the sixth-grade bathrooms greeted them, expressing heartfelt Thank yous scrawled with pink, purple and blue markers.

To whoever made these baskets, thank you for your kind act in all the bathrooms. It is very helpful, read one of the Post-its.

You are my SAVIOR, read another.

That moment, Ali said, was the tipping point  they knew there was something more to be done.

Cue the young women putting some 500 hours into researching, lobbying and helping to draft the bill  sending hundreds of emails back and forth with lawmakers  all while juggling school, homework, extracurriculars and pushing their agenda in other arenas.

That includes community outreach projects, educating peers at school about the stigma against menstruation, and about how periods work, and creating a website that includes guides for getting through the legislative process for other students.

Were trying to get as many students as possible (involved), Liem said.

Eventually, two of the legislators responded  Democratic Reps. Christine Trujillo of Albuquerque and Kristina Ortez of Taos  and met with the students via Zoom.

The trio presented their research to the lawmakers, and Trujillo and Ortez heard them out. Ultimately, Trujillo helped put them in touch with a bill drafter and went on to sponsor the bill, along with Ortez and several others.

They have been amazing with their work in terms of digging up information and (figuring out) the process it involves and who they have to speak to, said Trujillo, who on Monday introduced the seniors to lawmakers as the brain trust of the bill. I am extremely proud to work with them.

Over two dozen people  many of them high school students just like Ali, Liem and Macias  showed up in support of the bill, which made its first committee stop Monday. Some supporters hit a couple of the same notes as the three seniors.

As a low-income student at a Title I school, I have witnessed firsthand the tangibility of period poverty and how difficult it can be not to have concrete access to period products, Albuquerque High School junior Lorena Madrid Larranaga said. Wondering  where your next pad or tampon will come from should not be a students main concern at school, but it often is  and it can detract from education and even cause lower attendance rates.

After casting the second-to-last yes vote in what would be a unanimous recommendation to pass the bill through the House Education Committee on Monday, Rep. Joy Garratt, an Albuquerque Democrat and the committees vice chairwoman, pointedly reminded the trio that the age to run for the House is 21.

Under the bill, menstrual products would be provided in each gender-neutral and womens bathrooms in public middle and high schools, as well as in at least one mens bathroom. In elementary schools, they would be added in at least one of each bathroom.

Three million dollars has been set aside for the bill in both the governors executive budget recommendation and the Legislative Finance Committees. Trujillo said she doubts it will be enough, but added that it will be a good start. That money, Ali said, would be split between products and dispensers.

And while its still very early in the process, Trujillo expects few obstacles for the bill, which has also garnered the support of some of New Mexicos top education officials.

Its something we ought to do. Its the right thing to do, now-former New Mexico Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus, who retired Friday, told the Journal. Plus, it improves student (achievement), and it just makes the kids feel more welcome and more willing to come to school.

All told, Ali says the bill could impact as many as 90,000 students  about 28% of New Mexico public school students.

Social change truly does start within our community, Macias said. So were very grateful for our school community, our greater Albuquerque and the New Mexican communities for just really pouring their hearts and souls into this and helping us along.
An innocent bystander lost one of her eyes after being struck in the face by a stray bullet last week while driving on East Central.

Police say Cesar Contreras-Diaz, 19, Christopher Rivera, 20, Kylie Crooke, 19, and Elora Manuelito, 18, fired at a separate vehicle that had cut them off when the woman was shot.

Deputies arrested the group hours later when they were found with multiple guns after an alleged drive-by shooting at a mobile home park on the West Side, according to court records.

All four are charged with several felonies, including shooting at a dwelling or occupied building, aggravated battery resulting in great bodily harm and unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon.

The group is behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center. It is unclear if any of them have attorneys.

Rivera is the only one with a prior criminal history, having been arrested in August 2022 for allegedly shooting up a relatives home, according to court records. At the time a relative told deputies Rivera had become more aggressive and angry since his mothers death.

That case was dismissed when the officer and/or prosecutor failed to show up to court.

According to the criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court in the recent incident:

On Wednesday, Jan. 25, Bernalillo County deputies responded around 11 p.m. to reports of a group in a blue pickup truck firing guns outside a mobile home park on Atrisco Vista, just south of Central. A deputy tried to pull over the truck and it fled.

The driver, Crooke, dropped off Contreras-Diaz, Rivera and Manuelito, one by one and they were all detained by deputies. A handgun was found near Contreras-Diaz and a rifle-like gun was found near Rivera.

One of the girls told deputies the group had carried out a drive-by shooting on a mobile home that belonged to Riveras sisters baby daddy. The girl said they had also been involved in a separate shooting as well, but gave no more details at the time.

Hours earlier, around 5 p.m., a woman called 911 to report she had been shot in the face while driving near San Pedro and Central. Doctors found the bullet was lodged in the womans brain and she would need surgery. In the end, she lost her left eye.

The woman told police she didnt see anyone shooting or driving erratically before she felt pain in her face and noticed her broken windshield. Surveillance video showed a passenger in a blue truck firing at a van that had cut them off but police say the bullets struck the woman, who happened to be driving past.

Deputies told police the case may be connected to the group arrested on the West Side and detectives compared the surveillance video to the impounded blue truck, believing them to be the same.

Police interviewed the group separately at MDC and one girl said she recently met the other three on social media. The girl told police Rivera and Contreras-Diaz were both armed when the trio picked her up in the blue truck.

She said a white van cut them off and Rivera and Contreras-Diaz both fired at the van. The girl told police that, afterward, the three told her they had to go to another house and shoot at it.

She said she then realized how dangerous the three were and she was afraid to object or call 911. During his interview, Rivera said he was blacked out drunk on the day of the shooting.

He initially tried to distance himself from the shooting and the truck they were in. Rivera also told police his life had been difficult since his brother, 22-year-old Brian Romero, was fatally shot in 2018.

The detective asked Rivera to remember his brother and how difficult it was to cope with his death. The detective told Rivera now a familys life is forever changed.

Rivera reportedly then asked if the case was a homicide and requested a lawyer before asking if the woman was going to be OK. The detective told him he didnt know and Rivera reportedly said, I shot, I shot. Write that down, before he began crying.

Rivera told police he would give a full statement once he had an attorney and, after being given a minute to compose himself, was taken back to his cell.
Detectives have released the names of three men and one woman killed in separate incidents in January around Albuquerque.

Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said the deaths of Jason Fuentes, 31, Nathaniel Stein, 36, Sadie Hill, 24, and Bryan English, 44, are being investigated as homicides.

No arrests have been made in any of the cases.

The first incident was on Jan. 7 when police responded around 10:30 p.m. to a stabbing outside the Distillery in Downtown Albuquerque. Officers found Fuentes fatally stabbed and he died at the scene.

A GoFundMe for Fuentes funeral costs described him as such a kind hearted human whose life was taken in a senseless act.

On Jan. 21, officers were called around 4 a.m. to a shooting near Dallas and Bell SE, south of Zuni. Police found Hill shot to death at the scene.

An obituary online said Hill was raised in New Hampshire but had spent the last few years in Albuquerque.

She loved horses, writing, drawing, gymnastics and was drawn to helping children with disabilities Sadie will never be forgotten, always missed and forever loved, the obituary read.

Then, hours after Hill was found dead, officers were called to reports of a body in a field northwest of the Flying J Travel Center on 98th Street, south of Interstate 40. Police found Steins body in the field.

On Jan. 25 police were called around 2 p.m. to a shooting near Mesilla and Central. Arriving officers found English dead at the scene.

Tips: Anyone with information regarding these homicides is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 843-STOP or visit their website at crimestoppersnm.com.
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The actress, who portrays Amira Mohammed in the Kenya Barris-directed film 'You People', reveals on 'The Drew Barrymore Show' about how she gets the courage to get back to work.

Feb 1, 2023

AceShowbiz - Lauren London might have gotten back to work, but she's still in the grieving process following the death of Nipsey Hussle. The "You People" actress made the revelation when appearing on "The Drew Barrymore Show".

The actress, who portrays Amira Mohammed in the Kenya Barris-directed film, told host Drew Barrymore, "I'm very apprehensive with just working right now." She added, "Just grieving still and just, you know, building a new life."

"So, I'm very intentional on who I work with," the 38-year-old continued. "And Kenya just created a really safe space. And so did [Jonah Hill]."

Of how she found the courage to return to the big screen, London explained, "Every day is different. So, some days you don't want to. You just want to lay there." She then elaborated, "My big reason is my children because they do deserve a really happy mom, and they deserve joy, and they deserve a house that has music playing and incense going and light coming in the windows. They deserve that."

"You know, when you lose someone, they're on the other side wanting you to continue life, as well," London, who shares 6-year-old son Kross Ermias Asghedom with the late emcee, further stated. "So, I just always think about what I know Nip would want me to do and what I know my children deserve. And what I deserve, too!"

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The 'Westworld' actor has landed a lead role in an upcoming action feature film with the script penned by 'The Fast and Furious' scribe Gary Scott Thompson.

Feb 1, 2023

AceShowbiz - Luke Hemsworth is tapped for new action film "Gunner". The "Westworld" actor will take on the role of Special Forces veteran Lee Gunner in the upcoming movie from "Kickboxer: Retaliation" director Dimitri Logothetis, who will be working on a script penned by "The Fast and Furious" writer Gary Scott Thompson.

The film revolves around Lee as he sets out to get his sons back safely after they are kidnapped by drug runners when they stumble across a fentanyl lab on a camping trip and sees him go up against the FBI and local police as well as the criminal gang as he vows to stop at nothing to rescue his boys.

Joel Shapiro will produce alongside Logothetis, magiCity Studios, and Acme Rocket Fuel.

Luke has had a busy few months as in September, he joined his younger brother Liam Hemsworth as well as Russell Crowe and Milo Ventimiglia in shooting "Land of Bad" in his native Australia, and recently wrapped production on thriller "Bad Hombres" with Thomas Jane and Tyrese Gibson.

Last summer, the "Crypto" actor returned for a cameo in "Thor: Love and Thunder" alongside his brother Chris Hemsworth in the lead role, having first played Actor Thor in 2017's "Thor: Ragnarok".

But the 42-year-old star has admitted he would love to follow Hugh Jackman in playing Wolverine. He said of the possibility of joining DC, "I would love to. I grew up with them. I learned to draw through comic books, copying comic books since I was about 10 years old."

"Spawn was a big one. I really loved Todd McFarlane's Spawn. And then Batman - I would have fought Robert Pattinson for those gauntlets. And Wolverine! I'm like, 'Come on, just pass them on, mate. Let's give it to another Aussie.' I'll have to grow some chest hair, but I'm ready for Wolverine."

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have given away a total of $3 million to various causes since the couple founded their non-profit organization following royal exit.

Feb 1, 2023

AceShowbiz - The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have made $3 million donations in their Archewell Foundation's first year of operation. Raising $13 million through their charity in 2021-22, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle have given away various grants for initiatives including the creation of a resource guide to embrace "positive masculinity" and help procuring 12.6 million COVID-19 vaccinations.

The couple's future focus includes building a better online world, uplifting communities and restoring trust information, while noting the charity has raised and invested "millions of dollars across the non-profit space for sustainable programs and campaigns" since its creation in 2020, according to the first impact report for the organisation.

The report doesn't contain full account details but, according to the Daily Telegraph newspaper, it is understood the charity donated around 23 per cent of its income, with millions more in reserve expected to be given away in the future.

Other initiatives to benefit from the foundation include the rescue of more than 7,400 people from Afghanistan thanks to a partnership with Human First Coalition and the provision of 50,000 meals through World Central Kitchen.

In addition, the Archewell Foundation helped build a playground for the children of Uvalde, Texas following the death of 19 students and two staff members in a school shooting last year, and provided funding for 13 academic fellows at Harvard to "address society's most urgent concerns surrounding social media."

A letter from the co-executive directors of the organisation included in the report stated, "The results of [the Sussexes'] work are undeniable, both through metrics that can be seen and an emotional impact that can be felt. Baked into all that we do is the core belief that our collective wellbeing and mental health are paramount."

And one of the charity's partners praised the work of their "dear friends" Harry and Meghan for having "brought hope to each and every community they touch."

Jose Andres, chef and founder of World Central Kitchen, one of AWF's partners, added, "Meghan and Harry turn compassion into boots through their Archewell Foundation. In a world where everyone has an opinion about people they don't know, the Duke and Duchess have compassion for the people they don't know. They don't just opine. They run toward the struggle."

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Grayson Chrisley reportedly has a hard time coping with his father and mother's incarceration after the couple were convicted of tax evasion, bank and wire fraud.

Feb 1, 2023

AceShowbiz - Grayson Chrisley broke down when his parents were sent to prison. According to his 25-year-old sister Savannah, the 16-year-old reality star - who is famous for starring alongside his parents Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley on the real estate reality show "Chrisley Knows Best" - reportedly has been struggling to process things after his mother and father were sentenced to a combined 19 years in jail after being found guilty of 12 counts of tax evasion, bank and wire fraud.

"Grayson is 16 years old, [and] there's so much growth going on with him right now, and it breaks my heart to know that my parents are missing out on that. Last night, Gray had a breakdown, and he's trying to process my parents and the situation that they're in and how that's not the image that he wants to have of them," she said on her "Unlocked" podcast.

Savannah - who assumed custody of Grayson and their granddaughter Chloe after her parents went to prison - went on to add that she herself is trying to "stand strong" amid the drama of the situation and explained that even Chloe had a certain "anger" towards the circumstances.

She said, "I'm trying to stand strong and not break and be strong for them, so they feel comfortable enough to break down, and it's tough. Chloe at ten years old is trying to process them being gone and missing her mom. We were driving down the road the other day, and Chloe had so much anger towards the situation, and she just said, 'Why? They're not bad people, they don't belong there."

At the beginning of January, Todd - who was sentenced to 12 years in prison - reported to the minimum security Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Pensacola in Florida while Julie went to Federal Medical Center Lexington in Lexington, Kentucky to begin her seven-year sentence despite initial plans for her to be detained two hours away from her husband at FCI Marianna in Jackson County, Florida.

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Fans have been currently asking for the 21-year-old actor's removal from the second season of the hit Netflix series after he's exposed for alleged sexual abuse, pedophilia and racism.

Feb 1, 2023

AceShowbiz - Percy Hynes White's career appears to be in jeopardy following sexual assault allegations. If a new report is to be believed, the actor portraying Xavier Thorpe on "Wednesday" won't be in the series' second season.

On Tuesday, January 31, Pop Factions reported that multiple sources claimed, "Percy Hynes White will not be in the 2nd season of Netflix's 'Wednesday'." The news came less than a month after the 21-year-old actor was hit with sexual assault allegations.

Twitter user @milkievich exposed Percy on Twitter on January 19 and accused him of pedophilia, racism and sexual abuse. The alleged victim posted a thread in which she claimed that Percy and his friends would often throw parties with the explicit goal of taking advantage of women. She claimed that they would "invite women they thought were hot so they could get them drunk and high enough to have sex with them."

@milkievich went on claiming that Percy had "assaulted" her when she was "too drunk" at one of these parties. She also alleged that he had done this to other women in the past. She later encouraged other users to take these stories seriously, noting that he was a "serial" assaulter.

Another alleged victim, who goes by the username @desireeecameron, weighed in, "It hurts to see this man in the public eye and admired by hundreds of thousands of young girls." The said person continued, "He let me get raped in his basement, and when he called me about it, he was most worried about the police and not if I was OK. Then he continued to let a rapist live at his mother's."

Shortly after Percy was exposed for the alleged sexual abuse, a short video of him being "touchy" with his "Wednesday" co-star Jenna Ortega while attending the Golden Globes afterparty emerged on Twitter. In the footage, Jenna could be seen disturbed when Percy placed his arm on her shoulder while the latter was talking to reporters and fans in front of them. At one point, Percy appeared to put his hand on her chest area.

After Jenna appeared to try to move Percy's hands from her body, Percy tried to hug her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders, while she was giving a goofy pose for the camera. Jenna quickly moved away from him once the shot was taken.

Fans were convinced that Jenna was clearly uncomfortable when Percy got too handsy. "Rewatching this vid made me realize jenna clearly wasn't having it when Percy hugged her," one person wrote, adding hashtag #cancelpercy. Another tweeted, "1. He's being way too touchy, 2. She's clearly uncomfortable and then 3. She pushes his arm away from her sternum and he has the AUDACITY to continue touching her. Then she walks backwards so he can't touch her."

Percy has not released any statement in response to the allegations but he already deactivated his Twitter account and limited the comments on his Instagram posts.

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Earlier this month, the 'Love and Hip Hop: New York' star's daughter Ashley Trowers was arrested in Memphis for allegedly shooting her ex Demiah Tatum, with whom she shares a baby together.

Feb 1, 2023

AceShowbiz - Rich Dollaz has further defended his daughter Ashley Trowers, who was previously arrested for shooting her ex Demiah Tatum. Speaking with TMZ, the rapper believed that her daughter did that in self-defense as she had a restraining order against Demiah.

"There was a domestic incident recently, and my daughter was forced to go to the authorities and file for a restraining order," Rich revealed. "Obviously, anyone who knows anything about a restraining order, you're not allowed to be in the presence of the other person."

The "Love & Hip Hop: New York" star went on to say, "So, with that being said, he had no business pulling up to her job, number one. Number two, he had no business getting out of his car and approaching her car."

During the interview, Rich was also asked what Ashley was so scared about that she fired her weapon at Demiah. "Well, because he was approaching her vehicle. They have already been-this isn't just a one-time incident. This is things that have led up to this," the VH1 star explained.

"Him sending text messages, him sending things to her, him showing his gun, him doing things that would put her in fear," he added.

Rich also shared that he and her daughter still don't know how Demiah found out about her new job as the incident happened on her first day working at a Kroger. While some suggested that Demiah "just happened to pull up," Rich didn't think it was that simple.

Prior to this, Rich admitted that he was "baffled as anyone else." He also said that he's "not with Ashley every day" because he lives in Dallas, while her daughter resides in Memphis.

"I don't condone shooting, I don't condone violence, I don't condone any of that," he continued. "But at the end of the day, I'm never going to be okay with a man putting his hand on my kid, either."

Ashley, who shares a child with Demiah, was arrested in Memphis for allegedly shooting him. In the arrest docs, Ashley claimed that Demiah and another man named Mykel Yates approached her in a Cadillac ATS around midnight on Tuesday, January 24, her first day working at the gas station.

Ashley said that she ran away after seeing someone in the car trying to get a gun. When they managed to catch up to her, she fired two shots that struck Demiah. Mykel, meanwhile, told police that they were trying to give her some money.

Ashley was taken to Shelby County Jail where she was arrested for aggravated assault before she was released.

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Indias premier Digital Experience Platform (DXP) services provider Tekno Point has joined DEPT, one of the fastest-growing digital agencies in the world. Tekno Point is the consecutive winner of the APAC Adobe Digital Experience Emerging Partner of the Year for 2021 and 2022, and its 500-strong team of Adobe specialists will accelerate DEPTs DXP service offering for its global client base.

Founded in 2000 by brothers Himanshu and Yash Mody, Tekno Point has had a singular focus on Adobe DXP, offering an in-depth understanding of the technology across several industries for clients including IDFC Bank ,Tata Capital, Bajaj Allianz, Asian Paints, Rosewood Hotels, and Tata AIA.

Tekno Points proven Experience Engineering approach combined with deep Adobe DX expertise empowers enterprise customers to realise faster time-to-market and deliver hyper-personalised experiences across channels, said Himanshu Mody, Founder and CEO Tekno Point. Were

thrilled to join forces and continue the growth globally with DEPT, to support our combined mission to pioneer the worlds best digital experiences.

Philip Cronin, Senior Director, Adobe Partner Sales, APAC, welcomes the addition: We are very much looking forward to working very closely with Himanshu, Tekno Point the team from DEPT to drive even more success in the region.



Founded in Amsterdam in 2015, DEPT has quickly grown across the globe, from 150 people in The Netherlands to over 4,000 people in seventeen countries across five continents, hitting approximately $500 million in revenue in 2022. The Certified B Corporation is known for delivering pioneering work for brands like Google, Philips, Patagonia, eBay and Twitch, and became the most awarded agency at the Webby Awards and Lovie Awards last year.



India holds enormous potential as a domestic market and is host to a truly world-class talent pool. Our culture is big enough to cope, small enough to care, and we felt that same connection with Tekno Point when working together on several European and US clients, said Dimi Albers, CEO of DEPT. With growing global demand for Adobe DX capabilities, Tekno Point is ideally placed to help us pioneer with Adobe technology, and were excited to grow their business into a global service offering.

DEPT expanded to Asia Pacific a year ago, headed by former Havas Group regional CEO Vishnu Mohan. Tekno Point marks the second team to join DEPT in APAC after Australian digital product studio Two Bulls joined forces with DEPT in September 2022, making the APAC team over 700 people strong.



Tekno Point is just the beginning of our journey in India. DEPT brings an unrivalled depth of experience in the global creative tech industries to the Indian subcontinent, which we can not wait to share with partners here, said Mohan.



Now part of DEPT, Tekno Point will be rebranded as Tekno Point/DEPT and continue to operate under the leadership of Himanshu Mody, Founder and CEO, and Yash Mody as CTO.
Nidhi Razdan has left NDTV as the Executive Editor, just three days after the announcement of Sreenivasan Jain ending his three-decade journey with the channel.

Razdan has been serving the channel for more than two decades. For a brief period of time in 2021, she had resigned from the channel, and again came back in February of 2022, in order to be an anchor of the primetime show No Spin.

She wrote on Twitter After more than 22 years, it is time to move on from NDTV. It has been a wonderful, roller coaster ride but you have to know when to get off. The next couple of weeks are my last. Thank you for the love and support all these years.

She is also the author of Left, Right and Centre: The Idea of India, which was published in the year 2017. She had also won the International Press Institute India award for excellence in journalism, for her reportage of the Kathua rape and murder case in Jammu and Kashmir.

In 2021, she said that she fell for a phishing attack in which she was offered a teaching position at Harvard University.

Among other people who have quit the channel after the Adani take-over are journalist Ravish Kumar and Suparna Singh, NDTV Group President.

NDTV founders Radhika Roy and Prannoy Roy also resigned from the companys board in December of 2022.
Platoon Distribution, the distribution wing of boutique film studio Platoon One Films has ventured into Kannada film distribution with US-based filmmaker Ajay Sarpeshkars sci-fi thriller Mandala: The UFO Incident.



The film follows an Indian American on a quirky adventure as his rocket scientist girlfriend gets abducted by a UFO. With all fingers pointed at him and without evidence, all he has is the support of an eccentric retired investigative journalist.



With a background in engineering and technology, Ajay Sarpeshkar will debut as a director with Mandala, the first film of a planned multi-film series.



The film stars veteran Indian actors Anant Nag and Prakash Belawadi as well as rising stars Sharmiela Mandre, Samyukta Hornad and Kiran Srinivas. After last years Hindi mythological superhero blockbuster Brahamastra, Mandala is another ambitious film riding the local superhero wave within the Indian cinema industry. The films extensive special effects have been post-produced in world-class facilities in Singapore, France and USA.



Ajay said "With this film, I wanted to kick start the under-explored sci-fi genre in the Indian film industry. I'm grateful to have great actors come together to create this start to the franchise. I hope this and subsequent films will inspire the younger minds to space exploration, science and technology; while also making them curious about their heritage and culture. He adds, I'm excited to have Platoon-One recognize the potential of this film and come onboard to release it world-wide. Shiladitya Bora and his team have a keen eye for indie gems and I'm glad to have them as partners in this exploration."



Platoon Distributions earlier successes include Rohena Geras Cannes award-winner SIR:Is Love Enough and Anamika Haksars Sundance selection Ghode Ko Jalebi Khilane Le Ja Riya Hoon. Shiladitya Bora, producer and founder of Platoon One Films, who will be in Berlinale next month representing his upcoming production Ghaath, a Marathi feature screening in the Panorama section, said Were thrilled to come on board to distribute Mandala, the first Kannada film on our roster, and looking forward to bringing Ajay Sarpakshars exciting and unique vision to the big screen in India and North America.



Mandala will be releasing in cinemas in India and USA on March 10.
one of leading producers and manufacturers of primary TMT Bars launched its new digital campaign featuring Sonu Sood. The new film is the extension of Shyam Steels "Maksad Toh India Ko Banana Hai" campaign. The campaign reinforces the brand philosophy which reiterates that Shyam Steel will assist people in achieving their dream as steel is just an offering, but the bigger goal is to build the nation. The campaign has been directed by Piyash Ghosh from Bang On Content.

Through the campaign, Shyam Steel, represents strength, flexibility, and faith of the masses with the thought that steel is just an offering but building the nation is the larger goal. Achieving ones dream epitomises perseverance, strength, and determination, which are also affiliated with Shyam Steels core brand philosophy and reflects the thought of building a progressive and developing nation. The balance of strength and flexibility keeps the foundation of the relationship strong which is also affiliated with Shyam Steel TMT bars.

The digital film showcases Sonu Sood as the protagonist architect and takes us through a journey of an Indian household where people across different ages, cultures, castes, tastes, ethnicities, and aspirations dreams to stay together in the house to form one big and successful family. The campaign showcases the brand as the harbinger of a growing and developing India. When ones dreams are built upon strong foundation, like steel, they sustain for a long-long time. Similarly, when houses are built with Shyam Steel flexi-strong TMT rebars, such houses are more sustainable

Speaking on the TVC campaign launch, Mr Lalit Beriwala, Director, Shyam Steel said We at Shyam Steel aim to build the nation by assisting people in building their dreams. The digital film reflects the brand's thought in connection with Sonu's exemplary work in assisting people achieve their dreams and pave way towards a progressive and unified nation. The campaign will help the brand to build a stronger connection with its target audience in the national market."

Speaking on the ideation of the campaign Mr Piyash Ghosh from Bang on Content said This film is very close to our hearts because it is made not just for Shyam Steel but also for our nation. As one of Indias leading steel brands, the idea was to communicate that the brand is not just about TMT rebars but considering its legacy, it was about taking a much larger platform of the brand contributing towards a developing India. Using a metaphor of a modern home, the film visualizes India where diversity, culture, science and technology, hopes and dreams are built and achieved - brought to life by a perfect performance of actor, humanitarian and change maker Sonu Sood.

Sonu Sood has become the heartthrob and role model of the nation through his humanitarian effort to help out the people in dire straits throughout the nationwide lockdown. The association between Sonu Sood and the brand reflects upon the same core value, i.e., helping people realize their dreams and build long-term relationships. The film will be promoted heavily across all digital platforms targeting the key market areas for Shyam Steel.

Shyam Steel with an annual turnover of Rs 4,500 crores is now on a steady expansion mode. The Company, an integral partner of building new India, is committed to meaningfully contribute to the realization of the target of 300 million tonnes steel production by 2030-31. The brand is associated with Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma as the face of the company in addition to having Sonu Sood as its Build India Brand Ambassadors. The company has also recently launched the Shyam Steel Apna Ghar app to provide consumers with hassle-free purchase of TMT bars and to boost the sales of their dealer distributor network.
Military vehicles maneuver in real-combat training

China Military Online) 09:26, February 01, 2023

Military vehicles attached to a regiment under the PLA Xinjiang Military Command maneuver quickly en route to the designated area at the elevation of 5300 meters in the real-combat training in middle January, 2023. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Chen Ming)

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Liang Jun)
Mia Cathell of Townhall has been doing yeoman's work documenting a disturbing case out of Atlanta, Georgia. Her four-part series can be found here, here, here, and here. I recommend reading it in its entirety  but not too soon after eating. The case concerns a gay couple, calling themselves married, who were arrested for abusing the two boys they adopted.

I confess that I've been avoiding this story because I find it so disturbing. My sister and I are both adopted. I get emotional just thinking about the horrors suffered by these boys who were less fortunate than us. But what the story says about our culture and society is too important to ignore.

The arrested men are Zachary Jacoby Zulock and his putative spouse, William Dale Zulock, Jr. The men are in their 30s, live in a large suburban house, and are active in the Pride and BLM movements. I'll give you one guess which political party they support.

They are accused of unspeakable acts against their two adopted boys  ages 6 and 8 at the time of the offenses. The charges include child pornography, child rape, and pimping the boys out to other pedophiles in the greater Atlanta area. I won't go into details about the abuse, because it's not necessary for the point I want to make.

According to Cathell's report, officials in Georgia expedited the Zulock adoption  even to the point of minimizing the candidates' background check. We now know that one of the men, Zachary Jacoby Zulock, had been accused of raping a child in Oxford, Georgia in 2011. Apparently, the investigation was less than rigorous. According to the sheriff's department:

The 2011 case was handled in a manner that is inconsistent with today's current investigatory standards but the law enforcement officers in the Criminal Investigations Division at that time have since retired.

In other words, we screwed up, but the officers have quit, so we're taking a Mulligan. But why'd they screw up? What if it wasn't a mistake "inconsistent with current investigatory standards" at all? What if it was intentional avoidance of a rainbow flagcarrying, "No H8" tee-shirtclad mob and their Antifa enforcers?

Here's something else to make your blood boil. The state even pays a monthly stipend to the Zulocks for adopting and caring for two special-needs children. Perhaps the state should have been more specific about what "care" was expected in exchange for its subsidy of the Zulock lifestyle.

Unfortunately, the MSM are avoiding the story entirely  for obvious reasons. The LGBT community claims that the Zulock story is an anomaly and shouldn't be an indictment of gay adoption in general. The Democrats are condemning Republicans for "pouncing" on the story. To them, anything that undermines the narrative is a greater sin than the molestation of children. Think about that.

Few are talking about what the story says about the radical ideology that's being pushed on America. Call it leftism, wokism, liberalism, socialism, or just plain foolishness.

The ideology that all men are not equal is corrupt and dangerous, and it victimizes our most innocent. It's the ideology that asserts that some people are entitled to benefits from society simply because of their genetics, social status, or lifestyle choices. It's the ideology that people who check certain intersectionality boxes are presumed of higher moral character and are deserving of special considerations:

Preferential hiring

Preferential academic admission

Preferential criminal sentencing

Financial reparations

Expedited adoption

That brings me to a disturbing conclusion about where woke ideology leads. It leads to a broken society with no moral compass.

I'm not making an argument that gays should not be allowed to adopt. I'm pointing out that woke ideology has driven us to grant benefits to certain classes of people (and gays are one of those classes) because of what they are, not who they are. Hard work, honesty, and integrity are irrelevant  if one belongs to an approved race, sex, or lifestyle preference. The presumption that to be gay is to also be of good character is as wrong as it would be for heterosexuals. Unfortunately, wokeness asserts that it is unacceptable to questions the desires or motives of a protected class. Therefore, for certain people, the government makes allowances  as it did in the Zulock case. The case is a frightening illustration of how dangerous it is to bend the rules to fit a narrative.

When we bend the rules, the innocent suffer. When a job or college admission is given to someone because of his race, it's denied to someone else who may have worked harder or longer. When "me too" demands that women be presumed honest, the truth may remain undiscovered. When we refuse to incarcerate a criminal because too many of their intersectionality group are disparately impacted, they in turn prey on the defenseless. When we expedite an adoption to support a narrative that an LGBT lifestyle is wholesome and loving, children become commodities for exploitation.

The atrocity of the Zulock case is not an indictment of a gay lifestyle. It's an indictment of woke politics  the politics that enabled the sexual enslavement of two young children. It's the ideology that declared it politically incorrect to question the motives, character, or competence of protected class members.

Woke ideology is a perversion because it does not promote equal treatment under the law. It demands preferential treatment for certain designated categories of people. A mob that loots a department store are not criminals  if they're doing it in the name of Black Lives Matter. Religious observance in the public square is perfectly acceptable  as long as the religion is not Christianity. Public nudity is wrong  unless it's in support of the pride movement. We must allow gay couples to adopt children without the normal rigorous checks  because they are brave examples for us all to aspire to.

The Left embarked on woke politics with the claim that they would correct the sins of the past  reparations for the wronged and leveling the playing field, if you will. But the past is still the past, and sins of the past still happened. The best we humans can do is strive to not repeat those sins in the future. The past cannot be erased or "fixed."

Unfortunately, our ill advised attempt to change the past has put us on a path of irrationality in which racism is corrected with racism and intolerance is countered with blind acceptance  even where acceptance is not warranted. This has brought us to the place where the welfare of children is secondary to virtue-signaling. Welcome to the world of woke.

John Green is a political refugee from Minnesota, now residing in Idaho. He has written for American Thinker and American Free News Network. He can be followed on Facebook or reached at greenjeg@gmail.com.

Image via Pixnio.
If anyone thought that the culture of the black victim was reaching its sell-by date -- after Rodney King, after Trayvon Martin, after Michael Brown, after Philando Castile, after George Floyd -- well, obviously we were wrong.

Because in the beating death of Tyre Nichols -- in which five black policemen are accused of murder  we can see that the cult of the dead black victim is not going to go away. Not yet. It doesn't matter that, this time, it wasn't a racist white policeman that did it. The weeping dead man's family, the mostly peaceful protests, the helpful intervention of attorney Benjamin Crump: it doesn't need to be choreographed, because everyone knows their part in Victim Theater. For all the world's a stage/And all the men and women merely players

And then, enter stage left, the regime media, right on cue. WaPo: "Black Memphis police spark dialogue on systemic racism in the US."

Earth to liberals. If there is systemic racism in the U.S., you did it. Know why? Because nobody but a union liberal is allowed to teach in the nation's schools; nobody but a liberal is allowed to teach in the nation's universities. Nobody but a liberal is allowed to work in the "regime media." Yet everything that's wrong with America is because of systemic racism. Even though you liberals have ruled us for over a century.

But you liberals -- and only you -- are fighting for the Victims. Against the Oppressors. Under your regime, Victim Narratives are the most important thing in the world, and you -- only you -- are fighting for the Victims.

Don't doubt me on this, as St. Rush used to say. And the proof is that there are three victim museums on the National Mall in Washington D.C. There's the National Museum of the American Indian, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

But not all Victim Narratives are equal in these United States. Oh no.

For there is something missing on the Mall, and it is an omission that speaks of a systemic bigotry that runs like a sewer through the American ruling class. Because not all Victims are equal.

There is no World Museum of White Trash History and Culture. And right now would be a good time to build one, what with the white working class dying of despair and homelessness and fentanyl.

You know what I think? I think that the murder of Tyre Nichols was a consequence of ruling class systemic racism against White Trash. Prove me wrong, geniuses.

Did you know that the first shipful of White Trash arrived off Virginia in 1584? You didn't? I wonder why. Of course, they didn't call them White Trash in those days: merely "waste population," Marx's "useless retainers," people no longer needed for working the farms of England, what with "improvement" and all. And then 400 years of pejoratives, from Waste People to Lubberland, to Rubbish and Crackers and Squatters. Then you had Northern Mudsills and Southern Trash in the Civil War, Hillbillies and Bastard Stock at the turn of the 20th century, and the Okies of the Great Depression. All this from Nancy Isenberg's White Trash. Today we sneer at Rednecks and Bitter Clingers. And nobody gives a damn.

Of course, the Jews are the world champs in this Culture of Victimhood: the Flight from Egypt, the Babylon Captivity, the Maccabean rebellion, Masada, the expulsions from Rome, from England, from Spain after the reconquista, the Pale, the pogroms in Kiev, Warsaw and Odessa; Kristallnacht, the Holocaust.

Obviously, the memory of these horrors has maintained Jewish cultural cohesion and identity down the centuries.

It works both ways, of course. Keeping the memory of sufferings alive holds together what Taleb calls "an intransigent small minority." But an identifiable small minority is also vulnerable to the political needs of aspiring politicians, because the easiest way to unite a nation is to make some small minority into the enemy. (Word to the wise, Adolf: Don't Invade Russia).

But does the Victim Narrative work for anyone but the Jews? Back in the day the Victim Narrative featured the working class: satanic mills and all that. Then the Victim Narrative featured women against the patriarchy. Hey TERFs! How yer doin', girls? Then the Victim Narrative featured blacks. And now the Victim Narrative features transgenders.

Do you know what all the Victim Narratives have in common, except the Jews-as-Victims Narrative? They are all gussied up by our rulers, the white Educated Class, as a power play. If blacks-as-victims suits the ruling class, then go for it, Benjamin Crump. But, one fine day, the ruling class will move on, for reasons of state. And any objection will be censored on social media as disinformation by Russian bots.

Don't doubt me on this.

Christopher Chantrill @chrischantrill runs the go-to site on US government finances, usgovernmentspending.com. Also get his American Manifesto and his Road to the Middle Class.

Image: Tim Pierce
I am responding to "Ukraine and the Unlearned Lesson of History," by Jacob Fraden. published in AT 1/31/23.

Ill start with the authors contention that Russias war against Napoleonic France was one of its wars of aggression. On June 24, 1812, Napoleon invaded Russia with an army of 650,000, approximately the 12th European county to receive the French tyrants military attention. Who was the aggressor here? Tsar Alexander I was a hero at the Congress of Vienna, for crushing that invasion and breaking the French chronic aggressors back once and for all.

And most of Christian Europe had the sense to be grateful to Russia for driving the hated Turkish muslim conqueror and oppressor out of the Balkans and other parts of Europe. As to Russias wars with the Swedes, Lithuanians, Poles and Germans (13th through early 17th centuries), for much of that time those four, not Russia, were the aggressors. In fact, the Poles and Lithuanians burned Moscow in the early 17th century. And yes, in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries Russia expanded eastward through Siberia and Asia, absorbing territory thinly populated by backward peoples. Who, of all people, are we Americans to fault Russia for THAT? Go to the blackboard, and write MANIFEST DESTINY 100 times.

Its not merely this writers logic about the present thats flawed - hes terminally confused about the past.

More pertinently to the ongoing tragedy in Ukraine, after the Soviet collapse in 1991, Russia wanted peaceful integration into the European economic, political and security system. No knowledgeable person at the time doubted the sincerity of this wish; and no one in the 1990s saw prostrate Russia as a threat to anyone. It was we, rather, the US military industrial complex (MIC) and neocon hegemonists, who rejected this desire, fervently and repeatedly expressed by both Gorbachev and Yeltsin.

The promises of no eastward expansion of NATO by Secretary of State James Baker (and no doubt other Western leaders) were promptly ignored by Clinton and his gang. NATO expanded successively in two major tranches -1999 and 2004 - and thereafter the well of the Wests relations with Russia was poisoned. But that poisoning, no doubt, was the neocon object of the NATO expansions.

The eastward expansion of NATO was condemned at the time of its first occurrence by no less an authority, and American patriot, than George Kennan, former ambassador to Russia and arguably the author of Americas Cold War policy of containing Soviet expansion.

In the 90s Russia could do nothing about this massive breach of faith by the West. But object it did, and repeatedly. By Vladimir Putins assumption of power in 2000, no significant Russian leader could have been found who saw the Wests expansion of NATO as anything but threatening, or Gorbachevs failure to prevent that expansion by formal treaty as anything but naive and incompetent.

Without firing a shot, in the period 1989-1991 the Soviet Union gave up an empire, more accurately, a cordon sanitaire, in Eastern Europe; and by 1994 it had withdrawn all of its troops from the region. At the same time, believing the Wests assurances that there would be no NATO eastward expansion and that Russia would be economically and politically integrated into Europe, Russia disbanded the Warsaw pact.

For all of these historically unique concessions Russia got no thanks, no integration into Europe, and successive gratuitous and - from its standpoint, threatening - eastward expansions of NATO.

By 2004 the US neocons had Ukraine in their sights as the next Western military base to be constructed on Russias doorstep - Ukraine, the eastern half of whose population was ethnically Russian, Russian speaking or pro Russian (or all three), and which for about 300 out of the last 350 years had been part of either Russia or the Soviet Union.

In 2007, in Vladimir Putins Munich speech, the Russian government made it plain that Ukraine was the reddest of red lines. Russia would never tolerate a Ukraine militarily aligned with NATO, stuffed with sophisticated American weaponry, on its front porch. In fact, that reality had been clear since Americas open and obvious support for the 2004 so-called color revolution.

This plainly and repeatedly communicated position was nothing more than Russias iteration of the same policy that President Kennedy announced in 1962 - that no great power would be permitted to establish a threatening military presence in Americas part of the world. Does America have a better right to a militarily nonthreatening Cuba than Russia has to a similarly benign Ukraine?

But nothing changed the attitude if the US neocons and MIC. In 2008 that deep thinker, George W. Bush, successfully twisted NATOs arm (over German and French objections) into promising that Ukraine and Georgia would eventually be offered NATO membership. Russia was further enraged. And the clueless President of Georgia took the promise as a signal that he could, with impunity, move militarily against Russian ethnics living in the northern part of Georgia. In the event, Russian protective military action put a quick stop to that.

The final straw was US support for the violent, anti-democratic riots in Ukraine in 2014, which resulted in the the deposing of freely elected, pro-Russian Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovic. The pro-West, democratically illegitimate regime that replaced Yanukovic threatened to ban the use of Russian as an official language, and to take other steps perceived as highly adverse to the overwhelmingly pro-Russian Donbas population; in consequence, demands came from the Donbas for some form of guaranteed autonomy within Ukraine. The new Kiev governments response was to wage a war against its own Donbas population, which, by 2022, had cost the lives of 15-20,000 Donbas residents.

Also shortly after its installation in 2014, the newly, non-democratically installed Kiev regime hinted that Russias long term Sevastopol naval lease would not be renewed. Russia responded by reincorporating Crimea - to the relief of the vast majority of Crimeas population. With the exception of Nikita Khrushchevs purely internal administrative change, Crimea had been part of Russia since 1793 when Catherine the Great had defeated the Turks.

When the Biden administration took power in 2021 it immediately began treating Ukraine as a defacto member of NATO. NATO troops paraded with Ukrainian in Kiev, the supply of Western weaponry to Ukraine dramatically increased, and, generally, there was every indication of an impending move by Kiev, assisted by US weaponry, to crush the pro Russian Donbas population once and for all.

Throughout 2021 Russia repeatedly requested talks with the Biden administration the object of which would be to assure Ukrainian neutrality and non-NATO membership and some form of protective guarantees for the the Donbas population. These pleas were ignored.

And the war came.

This is a brief, hurriedly written summary of Russias wholly unprovoked war in Ukraine.

Much more could be written about every topic touched on.

But that this tragic, needless war was in fact provoked by the Wests low-grade war against Russia over the last 30 years is indisputably clear simply by reciting the pertinent history. This does not excuse or justify the Russian invasion. But it shows that it was the West, led by American neocon hegemonists, that created Russias accumulating perception of threat, which in turn made the war all but inevitable.

We, successive governments of the United States of America, bear a large share of the responsibility for creating the conditions in which the Ukraine war occurred. If our self image of America as a uniquely humane and benign force in the world has any merit, it is we who have a moral duty to assist in bringing this ruinous, and highly dangerous, conflict to an end.

The flow of ever more destructive Western weaponry to Ukraine should stop. The mindless, anti-historical demonization of Russia should stop. Negotiations to bring about a conclusion to the war should begin.

Map credit: Basque Mapping CC BY-SA 4.0 license
Is it wise public policy to appoint someone like this to an ultra-sensitive intelligence advisory board? The apparent motives behind this move are as questionable as the appointment itself.

Joe Biden's handlers are attempting to sell the public on the absurd notion that, as he reportedly said yesterday, global warming "is the single most existential threat to humanity we have ever faced, including nuclear weapons." There is no scientific proof at all that CO2 controls the climate, only flawed models of the admittedly far more complex climate that do not work to predict what actually happened when retroactively applied to data from the past.

Meanwhile, the U.S. is escalating the conflict in Ukraine by supplying more sophisticated weapons, risking nuclear retaliation by Russia, followed by escalation into nuclear Armageddon. Even the lefty Union of Concerned Scientists is alarmed to the point of advancing its doomsday clock closer to midnight than it ever has been.

The desire to sell climate hysteria and distract from reckless warmongering may have something to do with the appointment of a woman to his Intelligence Advisory Board who, in my opinion, already is hysterical on the subject of climate  so much so that she has been unable to handle ordinary life functions by her own confession, something that is part of the definition of mental illness, colloquially known as being a head case.

Collin Anderson reports for the Free Beacon:

Biden on Thursday tapped Brown University climate scientist Kim Cobb to serve on the President's Intelligence Advisory Board, the White House announced in a press release. While past presidents have used the board to probe high-profile national security threats and intelligence failures, it's unclear whether Cobb will be able to stomach such sensitive and unsettling information. That's because the mere news of Trump's upset win in 2016 sent Cobb into "an acute mental health crisis" that for weeks saw her unable to "get out of bed, despite having four children to tend to," the climate scientist told Mother Jones in 2019. "I could not see a way forward," Cobb recalled at the time. "My most resounding thought was, how could my country do this? I had to face the fact that there was a veritable tidal wave of people who don't care about climate change and who put personal interest above the body of scientific information I had contributed to."



Professor Cobb (Twitter via the Free Beacon).

I am not a psychiatrist, but being unable to care for her four children sounds like a severe mental breakdown, one that had serious potential risks to the welfare of the children. That this was occasioned by election news that she didn't like raises grave questions about her ability to handle information that she finds stressful. I suspect that members of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board see highly disturbing information. What if Professor Cobb learns of a threat greater than the presidency of Donald Trump? Will she be able to function? Will she be able to protect classified information?

Given the unfolding scandal of Biden's mishandling of classified material, appointing someone with self-reported mental issues seems an unwise risk.

Hat tip: Ed Lasky.
First Sen. Marco Rubio and now a handful of Michigan state legislators have penned letters to Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla asking the company to "hold itself accountable" for the explosive Project Veritas revelations concerning gain-of-function and directed-evolution research occurring within the walls of the pharmaceutical giant.

The phrasing "hold itself accountable" is what gives me the same sinking feeling the now thoroughly discredited phrase "safe and effective" once did.

Why would a corporate entity with total legal immunity, thanks to the PREP Act, earning close to $25 billion in quarterly revenue, hold itself accountable for anything, much less the profoundly profitable work of intentionally infecting everyone with man-made viruses for which it owns the sole patent on the cures?

It makes no sense and stinks of yet another conspicuous display of GOP weakness at best. Assuming the worst, it's a euphemism for "donate more to us to make this go away."

In a proper democracy, Bourla and others would already be under arrest, facing Nuremberg-style charges pending federal and international investigation. But since we're not a democracy so much as an oligopoly of big business, big media, and big government, it's foolish to assume that Pfizer is going to hold itself accountable.

Could the House GOP do something about this? Sure. And they probably will do something, for appearance's sake.

Given their track record faux-investigating things like Waco, Ruby Ridge, Fast and Furious, Benghazi, Hillary's emails, the Russia hoax, Burisma, Hunter's laptop, 2020 election fraud, Big Techgovernment censorship collusion, and so many other things, don't expect much to come of it apart from fundraising-off-your-outrage tweets, emails, and memes.

I'm not in the business of dispensing black pills, but until Americans have an actual opposition party that is willing to speak truth to power, represent the people of this country, and enforce basic ethics, we're all at an exponentially increasing risk of irreparable evil happening in our lifetimes.

Image: Screen shot from The Hill video via YouTube.
In Washington, the fight over the debt limit tops the list of bipartisan messes. So let's blame both sides and finally get to work.

According to news reports, there are 24 GOP senators who want to do something. This is the story:

Nearly half of the Senate Republican Conference has signed on to a letter to President Biden warning they will not vote for any bill to raise the nation's debt limit unless it's connected to spending cuts to address the nation's $31 trillion debt. The letter, led by conservative Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Ted Budd (R-N.C.), says it is the policy of the Republican conference that any increase in the debt ceiling must be accompanied by cuts in federal spending or "meaningful structural reform in spending." "We, the undersigned members of the Senate Republican Conference, write to express our outright opposition to a debt-ceiling hike without real structural spending reform that reduces deficit spending and brings fiscal sanity back to Washington," the senators wrote. They cited the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act, which would automatically provide continuing appropriations to fund government if Congress fails to pass spending legislation by the end-of-year deadline, and the Full Faith and Credit Act, which would prioritize federal payments in case Congress doesn't raise the debt limit, as "meaningful structural reform." "We do not intend to vote for a debt-ceiling increase without structural reforms to address current and future fiscal realities, actually enforce the budget and spending rules on the books, and manage out-of-control government policies," they wrote.

Since 24 is not 49, the minority leader did not sign it. However, 24 can stop legislation. Furthermore, Senator Joe Manchin is in trouble back home, and voting with the Democrats will not help him this time around. He may rebuild his image in West Virginia by standing tall. Maybe Senator Jon Tester of Montana is in the same boat. I don't know about Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, but she may surprise us. Also, I think most of the voters are concerned with the direction of the country.

The Democrats will play the "default" card and try to scare some voters. The GOP can offset that by taking Medicare and Social Security off the table. In the meantime, it's important for the GOP to lay down some markers and understand that this may be the best time to make significant reforms to spending.

PS: Check out my blog for posts, podcasts, and videos.

Image: Congressional Budget Office.
As the Chicago mayoral primary election approaches in April, the candidates are looking to defeat incumbent mayor Lori Lightfoot. They have apparently found her Achilles heel: crime.

Chicago Police statistics aren't something Lightfoot can trumpet as a success. During her time in office, crime is up 19 percent in the city. Murders have increased 20 percent since 2018, and shootings are up 19 percent. Motor vehicle thefts saw the largest increase of 114 percent.

While some categories decreased, such as criminal sexual assaults (down 4 percent), it's not enough to improve the city's violent image, especially among its residents.

With eight candidates running to unseat Lightfoot, they have all noticed that public safety is not something Lightfoot can tout, while it is of great concern to citizens.

Lightfoot is aware of her problem. In January, she broke ground on a $170-million public safety center on the city's west side. She said she wanted to make Chicago one of the safest cities in the nation.

"All of us here in city government and beyond are working together every day to make sure that the city of Chicago is the safest big city in the nation," Lightfoot said.

A public safety center won't do much good if her administration continues hampering police efforts. This is a problem that all the candidates (eight Democrats and one independent) share.

Their records and history show that they are more likely to either not act on the crime problem or make it worse by hindering police and supporting policies that will make it easier for criminals to escape prosecution.

However, at least they aren't blaming the victims. During a recent debate, Lightfoot said that one of the reasons for the crime problem in the city is that street vendors accept cash, and their customers use it.

She said, "I heard a lot of rhetoric here, a lot of sound bites, but not a lot of concrete solutions on how we get the job done and make our residents and our workers safe. We're doing it every single day. We have been in Little Village working with those street vendors, understanding what the nature of the crime is, making sure that we're doing things in concert with them to help them, to make sure that their money is secure. Not use money, if at all possible, using other forms of transactions to carry themselves."

So, in her mind, it's not criminals who will rob and assault street vendors who are the problem. It's the small businesspeople and innocent citizens who are using legal tender and harming no one who are the problem.

Although the citizens have plenty of reasons to vote Lightfoot out of office, that comment alone should be enough. It shows that she doesn't realize how to deal with the city's crime problem because she doesn't recognize who the real criminals are.

Even if voters make a choice of someone else to lead the city, will it make a difference? Probably not. It is asking a lot for a city that hasn't had a Republican mayor since 1931. While a Republican mayor wouldn't necessarily turn things around, it does show how tied to the Democrat party the city is. The party policies have been permeating the city government, its operations, and its employees for nearly a century.

Unless the Democrat party were to suddenly become the Tough-on-Crime Party, things aren't likely to change in the city, and the likelihood of that happening is the likelihood of a Republican being elected mayor.

Michael A. Letts is the CEO and founder of In-VestUSA, a national grassroots non-profit organization helping hundreds of communities provide thousands of bulletproof vests for their police forces through educational, public relations, sponsorship, and fundraising programs.

Image: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
There is a hue and cry going out from politicians today for some sort of police reform after Tyre Nicholss death. Every single politician is condemning the police. There is not a single politician defending the police. And there is not a single politician with the guts to say the truth; namely, that Nichols would be alive if he had not resisted arrest.

The videos of the events preceding Nicholss death show a single rogue cop who used excessive force. Everything else in the videos, hard to watch though they may be, shows four of the five officers doing nothing more than attempting to arrest a man who was resisting arrest throughout. There was only one officer who used excessive force when he kicked and punched Nicholss head. And the simple truth is that Nichols is partly responsible for his own death. It must be acknowledged that if he didnt resist arrest, he would be alive today.

The duty of the police is to arrest those who break the law and/or who threaten public safety. In Tennessee, all police have a right to use reasonable force to effect an arrest (T.C.A.  39-11-620). No person, Black or White, has a right to violate the law and be free of consequence. No person, Black or White, has a right to refuse to be arrested (T.C.A.  39-16-102). On the contrary, every person in Tennessee has a legal duty to submit to police orders during an arrest (T.C.A.  39-16-103)

Outrageously, the Memphis Chief of Police Cerelyn Davis has completely abandoned her officers, describing their collective actions as beyond George Floyd. Davis is a person with a history of failure who should never have been put in a leadership role.

The Shelby County DA has outrageously charged all five officers with a series of crimes: Second-degree Murder, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Kidnapping, Official Misconduct, and Official Oppression. This is not justice, its mob justiceits a reverse lynching with no legal basis.

Image: Tyre Nicholss last moments. YouTube screen grab.

The last three of those charges would only be appropriate if all the officers knew that they had no lawful justification to arrest Nichols. We have yet to see the arrest report from the first officer who had contact with Nichols, but he is the only possible person who could be charged with the last three offenses assuming for the sake of argument that he knew for a fact that he had no basis to arrest Nichols.

When that first officer on the scene called for backup, all other officers were legally justified to rely on the first officers claim that Nichols had violated the law. To hold otherwise means we now have a new legal doctrine that applies to all policeno police officer can provide backup unless he had observed the initial criminal conduct themself.

Once Nichols ran from the first attempted arrest, every other officer involved in trying to apprehend him had a right and duty to arrest Nichols for the crime of resisting arrest. To hold otherwise is to hold that Black Americans may now break our nations laws with impunity. It quite literally invites more people to resist arrestand thus, more real violence.

Ultimately, there is no legal theory to hold all five officers liable for Nicholss murder. As noted, only one officer used excessive force when he struck Nichols in the head, once with a kick and several times with a punch. Holding the other four liable for that officers excessive force would only be appropriate if the five officers were engaged in a felony from the start (T.C.A.  39-11-403), not a lawful attempt at arrest.

If this is to be the basis for police reform and to become the law of the land, our police forces can close shop. Blacks will have the privilege not to be arrested. All police officers will face criminal liability every time they answer a call for backup. And any attempt to take part in an arrest will lead to liability for all police officers if any single one does something wrong.

To appease the BLM mobs, progressives in Minnesota started us down the path of this wholesale war on policing when they judicially lynched Derek Chauvin and his fellow officers for the self-inflicted overdose death of the repeat felon, George Floyd. We have seen a degradation in policing and an explosion of crime in this nation ever since.

The reform that our nation desperately needs is a breed of politicians who will stand up in support of those police who did nothing more or less than their job. The police must be supported, or this nation will continue its descent into a criminal hellscape. We need our politicians to speak out against affirmative action hires like Chief Cerelyn Davis and against the utterly outrageous charges brought against four innocent officers by the Shelby County DA. And we particularly need these politicians to show their true backbone by speaking the hard truth: What young men need, and particularly young black men need, is to be told to comply with police. They can always contest charges later but must never do so at the point of arrest, especially because an untimely death ends all protests.
In response to pressure from Ron DeSantis, the College Board has removed Critical Race Theory from its proposed AP African American Studies curriculum. This move has meant deleting Amiri Baraka, a virulent anti-White and antisemitic racist, from the curriculumbut hes still popular in colleges and universities.

For roughly a century, the core purpose of American education was to uplift people. The 1883 The Fifth Reader, part of a series by Appletons School Readers, provides some insight into this approach.

The reader offers Shakespearean orations, poems (including Tennysons Charge of the Light Brigade, celebrating a doomed battle), science, Psalms, and history. It also includes essays entitled How to render Noble Ideas, How to render Joyous Ideas, along with George Washingtons Rules of Behavior, Benjamin Franklins The Necessity of Government and The Way to Wealth, and Patrick Henrys Liberty or Death speech. Everything in the book is designed to improve young minds by exposing them to noble ideas and the principles of republican government and liberty.

Likewise, David McCulloughs biography of Harry Truman reveals that one of the most important gifts Truman, who was born in 1884, received as a child was a book about the lives of Great Men. Each was included as an example of a person who made a positive change in the world, with many having risen from humble beginnings.

In the early days of the Black history movement (1960s/70s), American children learned about Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Phyllis Wheatley, Louis Armstrong, and a host of other Black Americans who overcame tremendous adversity to succeed within or change for the better the American system. The message was that we are all one American family and that people of all races, colors, and creeds contributed to Americas greatness.

Image: Baraka reading the marginally intelligible but obviously anti-American Somebody Blew Up America, written after 9/11. YouTube screen grab.

American education has changed, and nothing more clearly illustrates that than the continued focus on the poetry of Leroy Jones, who rechristened himself Amiri Baraka. Jones was born in 1934 in New Jersey, not the Jim Crow south, and came from a middle-class home. He won a scholarship to Rutgers but went, instead, to Howard University, studying philosophy and religion. He was a sergeant in the US Air Force, where he was subject to crude racism and accusations (probably true) that he was a communist.

By the 1960s, Barakas affinity was openly supporting Fidel Castro. He embraced Black nationalism and espoused crude racism against White people and Jews. When Black nationalism failed to sustain him, he went for full Marxism. In honor of Islam, he named his publishing business Jihad Press.

Daniel Greenfield has compiled just a small sample of Barakas vile anti-White rants: We are all beautiful (except white people, they are full of, and made of s**t). Rape the white girls. Rape their fathers. Cut the mothers throats. He wrote about the original White person as a beast who is white with a red, lizard-devil mask. Theres much more, but the bottom line is that Barakas racial hatred is indistinguishable from what the Nazis offered. Since he shares Nazi antisemitism, the only difference is that he hates Whites too.

Whats galling is that, as Greenfield explains, the same institutions that would never dream of incorporating Nazi writings in their instruction are fine with elevating Barakas writingand that includes the people behind the first draft of the AP African American Studies curriculum:

Amiri Baraka, arguably the countrys most racist poet, who frequently fantasized about the mass murder of white people and Jews, is widely taught in colleges across America. And hes at the center of the controversy over Floridas rejection of an AP Black Studies course. The AP course had included BLM, domestic terrorist Angela Davis, and Amiri Baraka. The Biden administration called Floridas decision to reject this vile hatred incomprehensible. Racemonger lawyer Ben Crump, who made his bones extracting millions from the deaths of violent criminals like George Floyd and Michael Brown, has announced that hes ready to sue. Karen Attiah of the Washington Post falsely claimed that it was an advanced lesson in anti-blackness and tweeted, Florida and DeSantis are showing us what was under their *ahem* hoods this entire time. [snip] The AP course includes any number of materials banned by Floridas Stop WOKE Act, but the most remarkable of them all may be Topic 4.10 which recommends an examination of an example of the writings of Amiri Baraka. Topic 4.27 also recommends reading Baraka.

Fortunately, Governor DeSantiss rejected the Critical Race Theory within the program. The College Board has revised the curriculum, which has included removing Barakas hate-filled screeds. Greenfield details, however, how Baraka remains popular across American college and University campuses.

In other words, the College Board beat a strategic retreat. The war against breaking America apart through Black-centered anti-White racism continues unabated. Conservatives must resist the temptation to which they inevitably yield, which is to view leftists strategic retreat as a full rout, allowing conservatives to retire from the field of battle. The battle is still on, and one of its objectives must be to remove Baraka from all classrooms, just as any other racist would be.
Is the Biden money-making machine gig up?

Sure looks like it, given the situation with artistic genius Hunter Biden.

According to the Washington Free Beacon's Alana Goodman:

Hunter Biden is in financial turmoil after his paintings sold for less than the six-figure price tags estimated by his gallerist ... The underwhelming sales have led Biden to consider launching a legal defense fund to help pay his mounting attorney bills stemming from a federal tax crime investigation and congressional inquiries into his foreign business dealings, the Washington Post reported. Biden has sold around a dozen paintings "for a fraction of the $500,000 price tag once estimated" by his Manhattan gallerist Georges Berges, according to the Post. The congressional investigations into Biden have also spooked some prospective buyers, a source told the newspaper.

Leaving aside the issue of a legal defense fund and taking one step back, it appears that the art world wasn't exactly fooled by the hype and publicity about Hunter Biden's amazing and newly discovered art talent, with newbie paintings supposedly being ready to sell for $500,000 a pop, and he never did become the hottest thing around at the galleries.

After all, that was the plan, wasn't it? The celebs showed up at his gallery opening, and the $500,000 sales estimates for his blow-pipe paintings suggested on paper at least that Hunter had some extraordinary talent, and collectors were just itching to get their hands on his glorious oeuvres. For a new artist to start selling paintings at $500,000, it would have to be someone from whom the demand was extraordinarily strong.

But that was the line fed to the public, and oh, how certain art "experts" praised the hot new talent.

Here is what the New York Post reported in 2021:

Scandal-tarnished first son Hunter Biden's newfound career as a painter may actually prove to be a success  as experts say his artwork is impressive and will fetch big bucks. "I think it's pretty strong  I like it,'' Mark Tribe, chairman of the MFA Fine Arts Department at New York City's School of Visual Arts, told The Post. "The colors and compelling organic forms  it's the kind of organic abstraction that I find easy on the eyes and provokes your curiosity,'' Tribe said of the mixed-media paintings and drawings by President Biden's son.

...and...

"I've been in the art business since 1956,'' Alex Acevedo, 75, who owns the Alexander Gallery in Midtown Manhattan, told The Post. "I'm not impressed with modern art at all. But I was floored by that guy,'' he said of Hunter's artwork. "The palette was wonderful. The space was well-organized. I would buy a couple of them. "And anybody who buys it would be guaranteed instant profit," Acevedo added. "He's the president's son. Everybody would want a piece of that. The provenance is impeccable.''

He also drew gushing profiles in the press about all his "talent" from formidable sources, such as ArtNetNews and 60 Minutes, where he talked about all his "deep" thoughts.

And as for the gallery owner who's promoting this gig, Georges Berges, the New York Times had a doozy from him:

Mr. Biden's art carries value because he is, by Mr. Berges's accounting, someone whose art will be remembered for a long, long time. He refers to a Biden painting as a "totem of reflection," and with no hint of irony, he said: "Hunter will go down as a great artist for this century. If anything, his father will be known as the father of a great artist."

Sounds legit.

Oh, how he fooled them. Except that they weren't fooled. Nobody's giving him $500,000 for his paintings because they aren't worth $500,000, and not just that, but if they did, everyone would know that paying that kind of cash to a guy whose entire career is based on influence-peddling and is now well known to the public would probably leave them exposed to congressional investigations or maybe even lawmen for bribery, which is what this entire operation looks like.

It also would diminish their prestige in the art world, telling everyone else in tout le monde of arts that they don't know much about how to find value in art after all. Those remarks cited by those supposed arts experts, quoted by the Post, are running liabilities now, given that the art world wasn't fooled by their toutings. They knew what was going on.

Here's the reaction of one heavyweight art critic who wasn't fooled, even before he heard any of the hype about Hunter or even knew anything about him, the estimable Jerry Saltz of New York magazine:

1. A few years ago I was asked to comment on the work of Hunter Biden. At the time all I knew was that he was the son of now-President Biden. I did not know he was a former addict or anything else about him. I was simply shown the work.... pic.twitter.com/QtvpJKLxlW  Jerry Saltz (@jerrysaltz) December 17, 2020

Saltz knows what art is and understands the art market as well.

Knowing what he is talking about, he read the scam correctly from the very beginning, as did actual artists, such as Rod Webber, whom I wrote about here.

Now with the sales flop, Hunter and his flatterers stand exposed for everyone else, the naked emperor with no clothes on in his court, which is kind of Hunter's taste anyway.

Image: Screen shot from Fox News video via YouTube.
Michigan State University (MSU) is now offering an "Unconditional Love Fund" to its young scholarson one condition: a student must be a member of the LGBT community in order to apply for the money. The fund's purported purpose is to "provide LGBTQIA2S+ Michigan State University students with flexible assistance in a timely manner to address extraordinary and unexpected financial hardships associated with their sexual and/or gender identity." Selected students will be given up to $500.

"Extraordinary and unexpected financial hardships associated with their sexual and/or gender identity"? Like what  paying for hormone "therapy" or genital reconstruction surgery? Multi-colored hair dye? Outrageous outfits? Piercings on every part of the body?

The fund is offered through Michigan State's Gender and Sexuality Campus Center, and LGBTQIA2S+ students can apply for assistance twice each academic year.

The rapidly diminishing ranks of heterosexual students need not apply, of course. Apparently, they are incapable  or undeserving  of "unconditional love."

Non-heterosexual students can also apply for financial aid through Michigan State's "Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, and Transgendered (LBGT) Resource Center Endowment Fund," and via its "Queering Racial Justice Summit Fund." Heterosexual students can pound sand. Unity! Pass it on!

MSU's Gender and Sexuality Campus Center also houses "Transcend," described on the school's Gender and Sexuality Campus Center website as "[a] campus-wide caucus which seeks to build a sense of community among MSU students who are transgender, nonbinary, and/or gender non-conforming, as well as to defend their rights and advocate for their specific social, educational, and cultural needs." The site is intended to "help combat the transphobia, cissexism, transmisogyny, and isolation that these students frequently experience."

(Transmisogyny? I had to look it up. Turns out it's "dislike of or prejudice against transgender women.")

The site links to seven others, six of which are dedicated to transgender support. Toward the bottom of the site, the following message is displayed in bold: "Are we missing something?"

Yes. "Transgender women" aren't women. Else there would be no need for "trans-gender."

Transcend means "to rise above, to triumph, to be above or beyond (even the universe or material existence)." Clearly, many in the LGBTQIA2S+ community, and particularly in the trans movement, are not just fighting for equal justice or battling "transmisogyny." They believe they are special, more equal than others. And are demanding that everyone else recognize this, too.

Hat tip: campusreform.org.

Image via Max Pixel.
As part of its efforts to further cripple Huaweis business, the Biden administration has reportedly ceased granting licenses that allow American companies to export to Huawei, according to The Financial Times.

In 2019, the Trump administration added Huawei to the entity list, making it ineligible to receive exports from the US without a license. Nevertheless, the US Department of Commerce granted licenses to companies such as Qualcomm to supply Huawei with technology unrelated to 5G networks, such as 4G chips for smartphones and tablets.

Now the US government is reportedly looking to ban exports altogether, which would significantly affect the supply of a wide range of products, including 4G, Wi-Fi 6 and 7, AI, cloud, and high-performance computing. However, the US commerce department has not confirmed this report, saying only that it continues to assess its policies and regulations.

The Biden administrations tougher stance on China

It is not clear why the Biden administration is taking a more stringent approach towards Huawei. However, the report from The Times suggests that the ban on the company is the result of Huawei backing projects that aim to build a semiconductor supply chain in China that doesnt rely on imports and to prevent the Chinese military from using US technology to develop weapons.

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A former CIA agent told the publication that the tougher stance on Huawei is because the company is different now compared to when it was added to the entity list in 2021. Back then, the companys focus was 5G technology. But since the restrictions, Huawei has relied on enterprise and government businesses in China to survive.

However, it is important to note that a complete ban on Huawei would have a major impact on the revenues of its US suppliers. Huawei is one of the largest tech companies in the world, and its suppliers rely heavily on its business. If the ban takes effect, many of these suppliers could lose a significant portion of their revenue.
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(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 1 - Italy has mooted EU-funded migrant corridors in a 'non-paper' ahead of next week's extraordinary EU summit on migration, according to a draft ANSA has seen, which also calls for swift guidelines on NGO-run migrant rescue ships.

"We call for the development of European humanitarian corridors, coordinated and financed by the European Commission, as a way to ensure safe and legal access to Europe for vulnerable people, while combating human trafficking", the document says.

"We are also convinced that specific national schemes for the well-monitored granting of work permits or study visas could be extraordinarily effective in stimulating cooperation from third countries," it further reads.

The special summit on migration is on February 9-10.

The EU Council should call for a "rapid implementation" of the European Commission's initiative on the promotion of "closer cooperation" between states, even when it comes to operations "conducted by private vessels, such as merchant ships and NGOs, flying the flags of member states and associated countries", said the 'non-paper' circulated by Italy ahead of the extraordinary European Council.

"Since most of these activities involve cross-border cooperation with countries other than the flag states of the ships, a general framework of agreed guidelines would facilitate cooperation," it reads. (ANSA).


Ukraine: Italian, Slovak Minister met in Rome Talks on Kiev, borders and integrations of the Balkans

(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 1 - The Italian Minister for EU Affairs Raffaele Fitto met today in Rome with Slovak Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Ratislav Kacer. "In Rome, on the occasion of the celebrations for the 30th anniversary of the beginning of relations between Italy and the Republic of Slovakia, I met with Foreign Minister Ratislav Kacer. It was an opportunity to reaffirm our relationship based on friendship and cooperation," Fitto said on Twitter.



The two ministers have agreed, Fitto added in another tweet, that " the extraordinary summit of the European Council should reaffirm support for Ukraine, ensure more efficient control of the EU's external borders and plan the entry into Europe of the Western Balkan Countries." (ANSA).





 Copyright ANSA - All rights reserved
TEL AVIV - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CNN on Wednesday he was considering military aid to Ukraine including the Iron Dome anti-missile system.



Netanyahu noted that the US had recently shifted a little-known stockpile of artillery it had stationed in Israel to Ukraine.



"The US just took a huge chunk of Israel's munitions and passed it on to Ukraine. Israel also, frankly, acts in ways that I will not itemize here against Iran's weapons productions which are used against Ukraine," he said.



Netanyahu said he was willing to mediate if asked by the parties and the United States.



"I've been around long enough to know that there has to be a right time and the right circumstances. If they arise, I'll certainly consider it," he said.



He added that he had been asked to mediate in an unofficial role after Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year but did not agree as he was then in opposition.

The spokesman for the Russian foreign ministry, Maria Zakharova, in replying to statements made by Israeli prime minister Benyamin Netanyahu, said Wednesday that, "on the topic of arms supplies [to Ukraine], we do not classify countries on a geographical basis. Let's say that all countries that deliver weapons should understand that we will consider [these arms] as legitimate targets for the Russian armed forces."
CAIRO - The Italian photographer Giorgia Fiorio, following similar projects in other museum contexts, is attracting attention with her Humanum project in the Egyptian capital.



The exhibition will be at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square until April 30 after being inaugurated a week ago.



The show consists of three masterpieces of the museum's collection accompanied by photos taken by Fiorio with the intention, as she wrote in the presentation, to "reveal the perception of a unique figure that is different for every observer that contemplates the statue", a "metamorphosis of how the sculpture appears amid light variations" and was created through a total of 36 different photos, as the photographer told ANSA.



"Present in your Presence" is the title given to the exhibition. The pieces of the collection exhibited depict heads: one unfinished one of Nefertiti and another of another Egyptian queen that dates back to between 3,300 and over 4,000 years ago.



In the presentation, Fiorio stressed that her photos "bring to light the presence of what 'is' that our vision contains".



The Humanum project was started in 2010. Fiorio noted that she had previously collaborated with the University Ca' Foscari of Venice, the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna Pisa, the Acropolis Museum of Athens, the Louvre of Paris, the Iraq Museum of Baghdad, the Kunsthistorisches of Vienna, and others in Royadh, Amman and Paris.



"The photographic work of Giorgia Fiorio, hours and hours between cameras and lights, is 'archaeology' that reveals surfaces sculpted into becoming by light and encourages revived presence of the subject, meaning the sculpture, manifesting unknown modulations and unexpected looks," commented Giuseppina Capriotti Vittozzi, from the Istituto di Scienze del Patrimonio Culturale - Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (Ispc-Cnr).



"Minimal shifts of perspective and light give value to unexpected variations of the surfaces, restoring to the image a renewed capacity to 'speak', " Capriotti, added.



She was previously the head of the archaeological center of the Italian Institute of Culture of Cairo.




LISBON - Portuguese literary salons go aflutter any time news arises of previously unpublished papers related to the writer Fernando Pessoa and his life.



This has been the case once again after a letter was published in the latest issue of Pessoa Plural, a magazine focusing on Pessoa Studies of Brown University.



However, this letter - found by Professor Jose Barreto - was not written by the Portuguese author, who it was instead addressed to.



The author was Margaret "Madge" Anderson, Scottish sister-in-law of Pessoa's younger brother. She was a highly educated woman who during WWII had worked in the UK secret services, decoding German messages.



Some of Pessoa's biographers had long suspected a secret love and Barreto himself had in 2017 discovered three letters exchanged between the two in which the tone was not explicit but hinted at similar language used by Pessoa in love poems he wrote in the same period.



However, as Barreto noted in a recent interview with Observador, no one will probably ever be able to provide proof of this love.



The letter of Madge just published is the second of their epistolary exchange, which was interrupted by the writer's 1935 death and was found in a batch of about one hundred documents acquired in 2020 by the National Library of Portugal from Pessoa's heirs.



In the letter, Madge accepted the apologies of her friend for not having met with her during days when she was in Lisbon.



However, she reprimanded him for his overly depressive tone, writing: "Old foolish man of drama...and yet you are not lacking a sense of humor."




26 Italian oil and gas companies visit Kuwait Ambassador notes country is 'among EU's top trade partners'

(ANSAmed) - ROME, FEB 1 - Some 26 Italian companies operating in the oil and gas sector visited Kuwait Jan 30-31 as part of a trip organised by the Italian embassy in close collaboration with the Italian Export Credit Agency (SACE), Confindustria, the main association representing manufacturing and service companies in Italy, and the Italian Trade Agency.



During the visit, meetings were held including ones at the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) and the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW), as well as in-depth sessions discusing "doing business in Kuwait" curated by KPMG and major Kuwaiti law studios.



One morning was set aside for B-to-B meetings with about 50 Kuwaiti companies in the sector.



In his opening remarks, the Italian ambassador to Kuwait, Carlo Baldocci, highlighted significant opportunities for Italian companies in Kuwait, noting that exports from Italy - which had grown during the pandemic years as well - saw a massive rise of over 100% in 2022 compared with the level seen the previous year, putting Italy in the top place among EU trade partners with Kuwait and seventh at the overall level.(ANSAmed).




ROME - Some 26 Italian companies operating in the oil and gas sector visited Kuwait Jan 30-31 as part of a trip organised by the Italian embassy in close collaboration with the Italian Export Credit Agency (SACE), Confindustria, the main association representing manufacturing and service companies in Italy, and the Italian Trade Agency.



During the visit, meetings were held including ones at the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) and the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW), as well as in-depth sessions discusing "doing business in Kuwait" curated by KPMG and major Kuwaiti law studios.



One morning was set aside for B-to-B meetings with about 50 Kuwaiti companies in the sector.



In his opening remarks, the Italian ambassador to Kuwait, Carlo Baldocci, highlighted significant opportunities for Italian companies in Kuwait, noting that exports from Italy - which had grown during the pandemic years as well - saw a massive rise of over 100% in 2022 compared with the level seen the previous year, putting Italy in the top place among EU trade partners with Kuwait and seventh at the overall level.




Macron moves forward with pension reform despite protest France 'respects the streets but reform is necessary'

(ANSAmed) - PARIS, 01 FEB - After a massive protest that on Tuesday filled France's streets, the government has said that it intends to "discuss" and "listen to" the protestors but that it will nonetheless go forward with the pension reform as pledged by Emmanuel Macron.



On France 2, Labor Minister Olivier Dussopt said that the protest was "very important and this must induce us to try to always discuss, to convince, and to do it with a sense of humbleness", but noted that the reform was "necessary, since today the system is no longer holding", starting with the the hotly debated raise in the retirement age to 64.



On France Inter, Public Accounts Minister Gabriel Attal expressed "respect" for the "French who took the time, a day, to stand up for their convictions".



"Obviously," he added, "there is the need not only to listen but also to understand the message of these protests." "Yesterday was the largest protest [in 30 years, Ed] including that of 1995," CFDT chief secretary general Laurent Berger said on RTL.



Some 1.27 million people took to the streets, according to the government, 2.5 million according to trade union estimates.



CGT chief Philippe Martinez on France Inter accused the government of wanting to engage in a "strong-arm contest", and warning it not to minimise the discontent among the population. More protests have been announced by trade unions for Feb 7 and Feb 11. (ANSAmed).




Netanyahu to 'weigh military aid to Ukraine' Israeli PM 'is willing to mediate between Kiev and Moscow'

(ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, 01 FEB - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CNN on Wednesday he was considering military aid to Ukraine including the Iron Dome anti-missile system.



Netanyahu noted that the US had recently shifted a little-known stockpile of artillery it had stationed in Israel to Ukraine.



"The US just took a huge chunk of Israel's munitions and passed it on to Ukraine. Israel also, frankly, acts in ways that I will not itemize here against Iran's weapons productions which are used against Ukraine," he said.



Netanyahu said he was willing to mediate if asked by the parties and the United States.



"I've been around long enough to know that there has to be a right time and the right circumstances. If they arise, I'll certainly consider it," he said.



He added that he had been asked to mediate in an unofficial role after Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year but did not agree as he was then in opposition. (ANSAmed).




Russia warns Israel against sending arms to Ukraine Anyone who does so is 'a legitimate target'

(ANSAmed) - ROME, FEB 1 - The spokesman for the Russian foreign ministry, Maria Zakharova, in replying to statements made by Israeli prime minister Benyamin Netanyahu, said Wednesday that, "on the topic of arms supplies [to Ukraine], we do not classify countries on a geographical basis. Let's say that all countries that deliver weapons should understand that we will consider [these arms] as legitimate targets for the Russian armed forces."(ANSAmed).




Alec Baldwins reckless deviation from known standards and practice and protocol directly caused the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, the Santa Fe District Attorneys Office has alleged.

In a report, the DA alleged the actor had shown wilful disregard for the safety of others in the days leading up to the incident on the Rust movie set in New Mexico.

Baldwin was not present for mandatory firearms training, instead undergoing a 30-minute on-set session, during which he was distracted by a phone call to his family, the DA said.

It comes as both Baldwin and the films armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed were formally charged with two charges of involuntary manslaughter stemming from the incident in October 2021.

Alec Baldwin and the films armourer face two charges of involuntary manslaughter stemming from the incident in Santa Fe, New Mexico (Santa Fe County Sheriffs Office/PA)

The charges were formally filed on Tuesday by the Santa Fe District Attorneys Office, along with a statement of probable cause.

The statement said that on the day of the shooting, there were no less than a dozen acts, or omissions of recklessness on the set in the period prior to the incident.

The evidence and statements documented in this affidavit confirm many instances of extremely reckless acts or reckless failures to act by Baldwin in a 10-day period, the statement read.

Evidence clearly shows that none of the incidents or issues were addressed by Baldwin, in his position as actor or producer, to mitigate future occurrences of recklessness, correct reckless behaviour, or correct training deficiencies.

Baldwins deviation from known standards, practice and protocol directly caused the fatal death of Hutchins.

Referring to the moments leading up to the shooting itself, the statement added that Baldwin had pointed the weapon at Ms Hutchins which was another deviation from protocol.

Whether guided by (Hutchins) directions or not, Baldwin knew the first rule of gun safety is never point a gun at someone you dont intend on shooting, it read.

In addition, always assume a gun is loaded. Had Baldwin performed the required safety checks with the armorer, Reed, this tragedy would not have occurred.

The DA also said that Gutierrez-Reed was inexperienced and unqualified for the practice of lead armourer and possessed no certification or certifiable training.

The report noted that she had only been an armourer on one production prior to her work on the film.

As the producer of a firearm intense film, evidence shows that Baldwin allowed, through acts or omissions, the hiring of inexperienced and unqualified Reed for this production, failed to mitigate or establish more precautions to protect against Reeds inexperience, or failed to demand the minimum safety standards, protocols, and requirements on set, the statement read.

The district attorney alleged the actor had shown wilful disregard for the safety of others in the days leading up to the incident on the movie set (Santa Fe County Sheriffs office/PA)

In a separate statement, district attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said: Today we have taken another important step in securing justice for Halyna Hutchins.

In New Mexico, no-one is above the law and justice will be served.

Both Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed will be charged in the alternative with the two counts of manslaughter, meaning that a jury would decide not simply if they were guilty, but under which definition of involuntary manslaughter they were guilty, the DAs office said previously.

The first charge can be referred to as involuntary manslaughter and requires proof of underlying negligence.

This charge also includes the misdemeanour charge of negligent use of a firearm, which would likely merge as a matter of law.

The second charge is involuntary manslaughter in the commission of a lawful act, which requires proof that there was more than simple negligence involved in a death.

Under New Mexico law, both charges are a fourth-degree felony and are punishable by up to 18 months in jail and a 5,000 dollar (4,000) fine.

The second charge includes a firearm enhancement, or added mandatory penalty, which makes the crime punishable by a mandatory five years in jail.

Negligent use of a deadly weapon charges were also filed against Rusts assistant director David Halls, who has pleaded no contest and has entered into a plea agreement that is pending approval.

The pair will now be issued a summons with the charging information and will be required to make a first appearance at court shortly after  though this can be done virtually.

The next step after first appearance will be a preliminary hearing, where the District Attorney and the special prosecutor will present their case to the judge, who will rule whether there is probable cause to move forward with a trial.

The state has requested that the first appearance be made within 30 days, and that the preliminary hearing take place with 60 days  though exact dates have yet to be set.
The Foreign Secretary has described the UK and Australia as the best of mates in the lead-up to talks focused on trade and defence.

James Cleverly and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace will meet with their Australian counterparts as part of discussions held in London, Salisbury and Portsmouth this week.

Australian foreign minister Penny Wong and defence minister Richard Marles, who is also the deputy prime minister, are in Britain for the annual meeting between ministers, which is dubbed Aukmin.

Mr Cleverly said: The UK and Australia are the best of mates and for over a century we have been hard-headed champions of freedom and democracy.

In an increasingly volatile world, we are pursuing a forward-looking agenda with Australia as a trusted partner and friend.

Together we are promoting prosperity and security in the Indo-Pacific, boosting trade, and pursuing our vital climate targets.

Following bilateral talks on Wednesday, the group will visit Salisbury Plain to see Australian and UK troops training Ukrainian soldiers, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said.

The joint training programme, which also involves forces from Canada, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, New Zealand, Lithuania, and the Netherlands, is part of an acceleration of efforts by the UK and allies to aid Ukraine in defeating the invading Russian force, according to officials.

On Thursday, the FCDO said ministers will gather for meetings at the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth to discuss long-term co-operation in the Indo-Pacific, as well as broader collaboration on climate, security and trade.

UK and Australian ministers will watch army personnel from their respective countries train members of the Ukrainian armed forces on Salisbury Plain (Tim Merry/Daily Express)

Mr Wallace said: Australia is our close and valued defence partner, with historic ties spanning the decades.

The Australian armed forces are providing vital training for the brave Ukrainian men and women here in the UK, learning the skills they will need to return and defend their country.

We are also progressing our collaboration over the Aukus programme, promoting security and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific.

The Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, published in 2021, announced a UK tilt towards the Indo-Pacific.

As well as looking to protect security interests in the face of Chinas growing influence in the region, London also wants to capitalise economically.

It has applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a 9 trillion free trade bloc, with the Foreign Office stating that the region is set to account for half of global growth by 2050.

London and Canberra are working closely together on defence, with a three-way Aukus pact between the UK, Australia and the US signed in September 2021 set to deliver nuclear-powered submarine capability to the Commonwealth country.

Officials said ministers would take stock of progress on Aukus as well as reviewing work towards ratifying the UKs bilateral free trade agreement with Australia, which is expected to come into force in spring.

Former environment secretary George Eustice has become one of the most vocal critics of the deal, arguing British negotiations gave away far too much to secure the post-Brexit agreement.

The Aukmin summit comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the G20 in Bali and Indo-Pacific minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan visited Australia in November.
The father of a six-year-old boy who is waiting for a heart transplant has said the family will consider legal action over delays to the implementation of organ donation laws in Northern Ireland.

Mairtin MacGabhann said he was disappointed and angry after meeting with the Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris to discuss delays implementing the new laws in the region.

The opt-out donation system was passed by MLAs last year but the secondary legislation required to implement it cannot be approved at Stormont due to the political stalemate.

The legislation was due to be named Daithis Law, after six-year-old Daithi MacGabhann from Belfast, who is on the organ transplant waiting list.

Daithi, his father Mairtin and mother Seph met with Northern Ireland Secretary at Hillsborough Castle, Co Down, on Wednesday.

Afterwards, Mairtin MacGabhann said Mr Heaton-Harris had told the family it would take too long for the Government to intervene and pass the laws at Westminster.

Daithis Law deserves to have a go-live date in spring as planned but after the meeting today it looks like were not getting that, he said.

He expressed concern that the family was being punished for the Stormont impasse and being used in a political game of football.

He said time was not on the familys side as he stressed the seriousness of Daithis heart condition.

We were at the funeral of a young boy last week who died of the same condition as Daithi, time is not on our side, we dont have the time.

That is what basically the Secretary of State said to us, that it will take too much time if it was to go through him.

Mairtin MacGabhann and his six-year-old son Daithi MacGabhann meets former Northern Ireland First Minister Paul Givan (right) outside Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland (Liam McBurney/PA)

He added: He did speak to us not just as a politician, he spoke to us as a family man as well.

He shared our frustrations with our politicians, but we already know that, were already frustrated with our politicians, the whole place is frustrated with our politicians.

But our point was that there is no assembly and, without the assembly, this secondary legislation cant go through.

Were bitterly disappointed and, to be honest, Im just so angry at the whole situation.

We told the Secretary of State that this is much bigger than Daithis Law, this is a beacon of hope for the organ donation and transplantation community here.

Meanwhile, Mr Heaton-Harris told Stormont leaders he has asked officials to explore possible avenues to implement organ donation laws in the region in the absence of the powersharing institutions.

Last month, the five largest parties wrote to Chris Heaton-Harris urging him to intervene to implement the new organ donation law at Westminster.

The Northern Ireland Secretary said he shared the familys deep disappointment and frustration that the legislation may not be fully implemented by the spring as planned.

Six-year-old Daithi MacGabhann outside Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland (Liam McBurney/PA)

While he said he would ask officials to assess how the law could be implemented by the Government, he also urged Northern Ireland MPs to consider tabling a Private Members Bill to proceed the issue by that legislative route.

The change to Northern Irelands organ donation law has been a long time coming and the MacGabhann familys campaign was instrumental in generating momentum for the change to the law, he wrote in a letter seen by the PA news agency.

I am extremely frustrated that the inability of MLAs to elect a new speaker could cause delays to the introduction of life-saving legislation.

That is why I want fully functioning devolved institutions to resume as soon as possible, so MLAs can get back to work and swiftly implement the law that Daithi and his family have campaigned so tirelessly for.

I am asking my officials to explore possible avenues for the UK Government to progress this issue, should the Assembly fail to do so.

In a statement released after his meeting with Daithis family, Mr Heaton-Harris said: We all hope to see this law implemented by the spring as planned and I share their frustration that the political impasse in Northern Ireland is causing unnecessary delays to life-saving legislation.

The quickest and simplest way to resolve the issue is if the Northern Ireland parties urgently get back to the Executive and govern in the interests of the people of Northern Ireland.

Paul Givan (left) meets with Mairtin MacGabhann (right) and his six-year-old son Daithi MacGabhann (Liam McBurney/PA)

Former DUP first minister Paul Givan, whose resignation last February triggered the collapse of the executive, met with Daithi and his family after the meeting.

He insisted Chris Heaton-Harris could move rapidly to implement the law at Westminster.

The Secretary of State has this within his power to take through legislation rapidly at Westminster and the Government really do need to act because this is an issue that all of the parties in Northern Ireland have given support to, he said.

Mr Givan added: There is no excuse for the Secretary of State not to be moving this forward and it can be taken forward rapidly. The legislation is there.
A jealous boyfriend who slit the throats of his partner and an associate with a Stanley knife is likely to die in prison after being jailed for life with a minimum term of 39 years.

Lee Peacock, 50, killed his girlfriend of 10 years Sharon Pickles, 46, and Clinton Ashmore, 59, during a two-day violence spree through Westminster in August 2021 within weeks of being released from jail.

The self-confessed burglar, who had been freed from prison on June 4 2021, refused to attend his sentencing at the Old Bailey on Wednesday.

Mr Justice Murray said no good reason had been given for his absence, and read the remarks he had addressed to Peacock, who will receive them in written form.

The judge described the dramatic and brutal way in which Peacock slaughtered his victims, and said he is likely to die in prison.

The minimum term I must impose in this case means that even if you live a long life, there is a strong possibility that you will die in prison even before you are eligible for consideration for release by the Parole Board, he said.

Relatives of the two victims gasped with relief and embraced each other as Peacock was handed a life sentence with a 39-year minimum term.

The Judge recounted how Peacock had slashed the throat of Sharon Pickles with a Stanley knife in the bedroom of her Marylebone flat at around 6am on August 18 2021.

This led to substantial blood loss, blood in her airways and lungs, a rapid collapse, unconsciousness, and ultimately death, he said.

We will never know why you did this. There was no eye witness.

You and Sharon were alone in her bedroom when you killed her it appears that you lashed out at Sharon in a fit of rage, jealous of her sexual relationship with another man.

The attack happened while Ms Pickles flatmate, Stephen Coggin, who she cared for and who was was bedridden with multiple sclerosis slept in another room, oblivious to the murder until police arrived some 38 hours later.

Mr Justice Murray said Peacock killed Ms Pickles suddenly and she was taken by surprise after supporting him through his ups and downs with drug abuse and crime for 10 years.

Sharon Pickles was found dead at her flat in Marylebone in August 2021 (Metropolitan Police/PA)

The following day, Peacock began to hunt for a woman who claimed he believed was part of a group of drug dealers, and a man known as Skrilla who he suspected of having a sexual relationship with Ms Pickles.

Peacock tracked her down at Mr Ashmores flat, where the woman had been visiting with her child, and which was less than half a mile away from Ms Pickles home.

The court heard that Peacock told police he intended to kill her but could not do that in front of her child, but when the woman and child left, he used the same blade he had used to kill Ms Pickles on Mr Ashmore instead.

Peacock inflicted nine wounds to Mr Ashmores face, neck and left arm, and friends later found his body collapsed next to his bed and described seeing blood everywhere amid a horrifying scene.

Mr Justice Murray said: The jury saw photos taken by the police, which showed a great deal of blood in various rooms of the flat, most notably in the hallway and Mr Ashmores bedroom, including blood dripped, sprayed, and transferred by contact on to the floor, walls, doors, and other surfaces.

Peacock then visited his parents home in Wembley with Ms Pickles kitten in a rucksack, and confessed to his father, describing the killing of his girlfriend as like (something) you see on TV.

Clinton Ashmore was also killed by Lee Peacock (Metropolitan Police/PA)

His father informed the police, who tracked him down on August 25 inside a boathouse on the Grand Union Canal in Westminster, which Mr Justice Murray said had the appearance of a floating shed and had formerly been used as a crack house.

The aggravating factors in Peacocks case were that he was on licence at the time, that he had killed his victims in their own homes, and that Mr Ashmores death was part of a planned campaign to kill a number of others.

Mr Justice Murray said there was little or no mitigation since Peacock is blessed with some intelligence and came from a good home with parents and a sister who loved him.

The many troubles you have suffered since you were a teenager are down to the choices that you have made, particularly your decision to use illegal drugs, in particular, crack cocaine, he said.

Mr Justice Murray concluded that while the killing of Ms Pickles was not planned, there was a significant level of premeditation and planning in the murder of Mr Ashmore.

In a statement, Ms Pickles family said: As a family its been an incredibly difficult time for us losing our loved one in this way, but we finally have justice for our beloved daughter, sister and mother Sharon.

Our hearts are broken and she will be missed dearly.

We would like to say thank you to the police, prosecution and witness services for supporting us during this time and the dignity and respect they have shown Sharon.

Mr Ashmores family described him as a pure and beautiful soul.

They said in a statement: His kindness, wit, humour and gentleness were what stood out most about him, but more than anything, he was loved.

Clint touched so many lives in so many ways.

He shone brightly in this world but his light was cruelly put out by someone who gave no thought or care to the impact of his actions.

The world has lost one of the good ones but our family and his loved ones have lost the best.

At the time of the murders, Peacock was under supervision by probation services after being released from prison at the automatic halfway point of a 40-month sentence for aggravated burglary.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said in a statement: This was a horrific crime and our sympathies are with the families of Sharon Pickles and Clinton Ashmore.

Serious further offences are rare but we are investing 155 million more every year into the Probation Service and recruited thousands of extra staff to improve the supervision of offenders and, keep the public safe.
Animal lovers are to be given the chance to feed Edinburgh Zoos giant pandas before they return to China this year.

Yang Guang and Tian Tian have been a big draw at the zoo since they arrived in December 2011 as part of a 10-year deal with Chinese wildlife authorities.

The return of the pair, whose names mean Sunshine and Sweetie, was delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Now, to celebrate their time at the zoo, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) is launching a series of prize draws to win the chance to feed the pandas.

People will have the chance to feed Yang Guang (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Every month from February until June, the RZSS will randomly select one winner to enjoy a magic moment for two with the endangered species.

A competition for a panda-themed grand prize will be announced over the summer.

The money raised from the prize draws is intended to help the RZSS reverse the decline of 50 other species by 2030.

Yang Guang and Tian Tian remained the property of China during their time in Scotland and are expected to leave in October.

The pandas were popular with visitors at the zoo (Jane Barlow/PA)

Hopes were high that the pair might breed while they were in Scotland but no offspring were produced.

David Field, RZSS chief executive, said: We are delighted to give people a chance to win these unique experiences and raise vital funds for wildlife conservation in Scotland and around the world with our new monthly prize draws.

Yang Guang and Tian Tian have helped to inspire millions of visitors to protect, value and love nature and we want to provide as many opportunities as possible for people to say goodbye and celebrate the incredible impact they have had.

The support of RZSS members, patrons and adopters has been vital, especially in recent years, and we want to thank everyone who already booked an experience and is helping to protect wildlife across the globe.

We are only able to offer an incredibly limited number of giant panda experiences before the pair return to China, so this really is a rare opportunity.
The owners of four flats overlooked by the Tate Modern in London have won a Supreme Court privacy bid over the use of the gallerys viewing platform.

Residents of the Neo Bankside development on the capitals South Bank took legal action against the gallerys board of trustees in a bid to stop hundreds of thousands of visitors looking into their homes from the Tates viewing platform.

They applied for an injunction requiring the gallery to prevent members of the public observing their flats by cordoning off parts of the platform or erecting screening, to stop what they said was a relentless invasion of their privacy.

The five residents  Giles Fearn, Gerald Kraftman, Lindsay Urqygart, and Ian and Helen McFadyen  lost their case in the High Court and Court of Appeal, taking their case to the UKs highest court in December 2021.

However, in a ruling on Wednesday, the Supreme Court ruled by a three-to-two majority in the residents favour.

Giving the courts majority ruling, Lord Leggatt said the lower courts had found that the living areas of the flats  which have floor-to-ceiling windows  were under constant observation from the Tates viewing gallery for much of the day, every day of the week.

He continued: It is not difficult to imagine how oppressive living in such circumstances would feel for any ordinary person  much like being on display in a zoo.

Lord Leggatt found that the Tate Moderns viewing gallery is not a normal use of the museums land and is a legal nuisance to the flat owners.

He said: It is beyond doubt that the viewing and photography which take place from the Tates building cause a substantial interference with the ordinary use and enjoyment of the claimants properties.

Inviting members of the public to look out from a viewing gallery is manifestly a very particular and exceptional use of land. It cannot even be said to be a necessary or ordinary incident of operating an art museum.

The Supreme Court heard that the residents flats, on the 13th, 18th, 19th and 21st floors of one of the Neo Bankside blocks, are approximately 112ft (34m) away from the Tate Modern and that those on the 18th and 19th floors are at around the same height as the viewing gallery.

The residential flats are around 112ft (34m) away from the Tate Modern (Victoria Jones/PA)

Other flats in the four-block development are on sale for between 750,000 and 2.5 million, according to current listings on Rightmove.

Lord Leggatt said the five residents had bought their flats in 2013 and 2014, and the Tate Moderns Blavatnik Building  which houses the viewing gallery  opened in 2016.

Dismissing the High Court claim in 2019, Mr Justice Mann found that the developers of the flats were aware a viewing gallery was going to be built, but did not foresee the consequences.

However, Lord Leggatt said that what the Tate and the developers of the Neo Bankside flats knew of each others intended uses of their land was not relevant to the appeal.

In his ruling, with which Lord Reed and Lord Lloyd-Jones agreed, the Supreme Court justice said that a normal use of the Tates building would not allow the flat owners to bring a claim.

However, he added: The nature and extent of the viewing of the claimants flats goes far beyond anything that could reasonably be regarded as a necessary or natural consequence of the common and ordinary use and occupation of the Tates land.

Lord Leggatt said the case will now be returned to the High Court to determine a solution for the flat owners.

Solicitor for the successful residents, Natasha Rees, of law firm Forsters, said: Our clients are both pleased and relieved that, nearly six years after they began their claim, the Supreme Court has now found in their favour.

Lord Leggatt, giving the majority judgment, recognised how oppressive it can be to live under constant observation from the Tates viewing gallery for much of the day, every day of the week much like being on display in a zoo.

Our clients now look forward to working with the Tate as valued neighbours to find a practical solution which protects all of their interests.

The justice said that, at the time of the original trial, around half-a-million people visited the viewing gallery  which allows 360-degree views of London  each year.

Mr Justice Mann had suggested the owners could lower their solar blinds or could install privacy film (or) net curtains.

But Lord Leggatt said in Wednesdays ruling: The claimants cannot be obliged to live behind net curtains or with their blinds drawn all day, every day to protect themselves from the consequences of intrusion caused by the abnormal use which the Tate makes of its land.

People take pictures from the viewing platform at the centre of the Supreme Court case (Victoria Jones/PA)

Lord Leggatt said judges at the Court of Appeal had also made legal errors in their decision to dismiss the flat owners bid for an injunction or damages.

He later said: I suspect what lies behind the rejection of the courts below is a reluctance to decide that the private rights of a few wealthy property owners should prevent the general public from enjoying an unrestricted view of London and a major national museum from providing public access to such a view.

But Lord Sales, who would have dismissed the flat owners appeal, said in a dissenting judgment that the High Court judge was correct.

The justice, with whom Lord Kitchin agreed, said: Property owners in this part of London have to expect to be overlooked to a significant degree and the risk of people being able to look through their windows from neighbouring properties is an inevitable part of community life in the area.

It is normal to expect people to use curtains, blinds and other screening measures to limit the annoyance which that might cause.

Following the ruling, a Tate spokesman said: We thank the Supreme Court for their careful consideration of this matter. The Supreme Court has referred the case back to the High Court and, as the case is ongoing, we cannot comment further.
Giant machines digging HS2s longest tunnel have passed the halfway point, according to the firm building the high-speed railway.

HS2 Ltd said the pair of tunnel-boring machines (TBMs) have each made five miles of progress on their 10-mile journeys under the Chiltern Hills.

Once completed, the twin-bore tunnel will be used by high-speed trains travelling to and from London.

A crew member on tunnelling machine Florence (Steve Parsons/PA)

The 170-metre-long machines, named Florence and Cecilia, are working continuously, operating as self-contained factories.

More than 1.3 million cubic metres of chalk and flint, enough to fill 500 Olympic-sized swimming pools, has been excavated.

It will be used as part of a chalk grassland restoration project at the south portal of the tunnel near Denham, Buckinghamshire alongside the M25 motorway.

Florence was launched there in May.

She was named by local schoolchildren after Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing who spent many years in the county.

Cecilia, named after Buckinghamshire-born astronomer and astrophysicist Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, began digging two months later.

HS2 Ltds head of tunnel engineering Martyn Noak said: Its great to be able to celebrate the halfway point of this 10-mile long tunnel.

The whole team has put in a fantastic effort over the last year and a half, and Id like to congratulate the crews of both Florence and Cecilia for passing this important tunnelling milestone and thank them for all their hard work

This tunnel will take HS2 underneath the Chiltern Hills, safeguarding the woodlands and wildlife habits above ground as well as significantly reducing disruption to communities during construction and operation.

Once complete, HS2 will offer low carbon journey options linking London with the major cities of the North and releasing capacity for more freight and local trains on our existing mainlines.

A total of 10 TBMs will be deployed between London and the West Midlands for Phase One of the high-speed railway.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said last week he did not see any conceivable circumstances in which HS2 would not run to its planned central London terminus at Euston, amid reports that section of the route could be axed because of rising costs.
A policeman who was stabbed in the neck in Belfast was millimetres from death, a senior commander has said.

A 22-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after two police officers sustained knife wounds in the incident at an address in the south of the city in the early hours of Wednesday.

Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said it was an unprovoked knife attack on both officers.

He added: Two of our officers attended an address in the Ormeau Road area, providing assistance to a vulnerable member of the public.

The officer who was stabbed in the neck underwent surgery and on Wednesday afternoon was said to be in a stable condition in hospital.

The other officer sustained slash wounds to his face.

Mr Singleton said: One of our officers was stabbed in the throat, were very clear had that knife entered a millimetre at either side, we would be dealing with a fatality here potentially.

The second officer received what I would describe as defensive injuries from the knife attack as well.

As weve been reflecting on this incident, its very sobering and chilling for us that there could have been a very different outcome here as a result of what happened last night, we could have been dealing with the loss of our officers lives.

Its probably a timely reminder to us just about the risks and the threats that our officers face when they go about their duties.

The knife attack on two colleagues in Belfast overnight and the serious injury sustained evidences that Taser needs to be issued to our front line officers to enable them to protect their health and safety https://t.co/foPmwfMShw  Police Federation for Northern Ireland (@PoliceFedforNI) February 1, 2023

All this is happening while they are seeking to protect the public and working incredibly hard to keep our communities safe.

Officers regularly step forward into the unknown, placing the publics safety ahead of their own. Thats not something that any of us should take for granted.

Assaults on our officers are never acceptable and should be condemned.

The suspect was still in custody on Wednesday afternoon.

Policing Board chair Deirdre Toner condemned what she said was a shocking incident which shows the risk and danger that officers can face in their service to the community.

She added: These officers were providing help and assistance and ended up being viciously attacked. We wish them both a full and speedy recovery.

These attacks are completely unacceptable, are condemned by the board and must be condemned right across the community.

Liam Kelly, chair of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, said it was a terrible incident that could have had a very different outcome.

He paid tribute to both the officers for displaying remarkable professionalism when confronted by this knife-wielding individual who was clearly intent on causing great harm.

He added: In this case, the officers could have used their firearms to protect themselves, but they didnt.

They sustained injuries, with one colleague requiring urgent hospital treatment for his neck wound. A millimetre either side of the wound could have had a very different outcome.

Mr Kelly said the availability of a Taser would have given the officers an effective tactical option against their attacker and potentially avoided the inflicting of the injuries on them.

He added: We say again that Tasers are effective, protective devices and should be issued as standard to our officers.

They are infinitely preferable to a firearm and anyone who thinks otherwise should look at this incident and ask the obvious question.

My thoughts are with my two colleagues, and I hope both are able to return to duty as quickly as possible.

They are to be commended for the care they showed this violent attacker in the first instance and their subsequent handling of a very dangerous situation.

This is both alarming and disappointing. My thoughts are with those injured and I commend all PSNI officers for the work they do on a daily basis to keep the people of Northern Ireland safe. I hope those responsible are brought to justice. https://t.co/9ajlht3P4G  Chris Heaton-Harris MP (@chhcalling) January 30, 2023

All assaults and attacks on our officers are never acceptable and must be condemned.

Earlier this week, Chief Constable Simon Byrne spoke out against attacks on officers.

On Monday, he said 43 officers had been attacked in 30 separate incidents in the past seven days.

He said injuries included broken fingers and a dislocated knee, while several officers had also been spat on.

At the weekend, two officers were hurt when a car rammed into their police vehicle in Strabane, Co Tyrone.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris described the attack figures as alarming and disappointing.
Workers on the picket lines have told of the struggles that have led to them joining the biggest strike in a decade, with one saying she is one paycheque away from being homeless.

Members of seven trade unions are taking industrial action, affecting schools, universities, trains and buses in the biggest strike in a decade.

Teachers on the picket lines have said they have been left with no other real option but to take part in the walkout, while university workers said their pay had been eroded very substantially over the past 10 years.

A cabinet office civil servant told the PA news agency she is terrified every day following a decade of real-terms cuts to civil service wages.

Ellie Clarke, 31, who spoke as a union representative at the PCS picket line outside the cabinet office, said: It is really, really hard. I am terrified every day. I am always worried I am one crisis away from homelessness.

I am just one paycheque away from being homeless. We shouldnt be in this situation we are working for the Government.

We are just living in poverty. There is absolutely no chance we could go to the theatre or even just have some dinner with friends.

Sydney Heighington, 33, who teaches at a school in east London, told PA no teacher actually wants to strike.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union on the picket line outside the Department for Education (Aaron Chown/PA)

Giving his reasons for joining the walkout, he said: Ive been a teacher for over a decade, Im an assistant headteacher now.

There are so many reasons, and it goes beyond pay.

The reality is, I dont think youll find a teacher that actually wants to strike.

This is our last resort, this is something that has taken a long time for us to gather the strength to do because we dont ever want to take anything away from the children, because they are the most important thing to us  thats why we do what we do.

But we are left with no other real option.

Its almost like the Governments saying each year we give our lives to the profession and everything that we do for the kids, were worth less.

The job gets harder, more stress and strain is put on teachers and we barely get by on what we see for it.

Teachers are tired, Im tired, and were doing this because we need to have our system fixed and we need to have it funded.

(PA Graphics)

James Hibbard, head of Year 10, and a geography and food technology teacher at Myton School, Warwick, said he was striking because he felt getting proper funding was a real struggle.

Speaking from the picket line outside the school, he told PA: For my role as head of year, were always looking for funding to allow students to meet their full potential and it just doesnt seem to be available at the moment.

Were struggling to get them the funding that they need really.

Trying to get students with special educational needs, trying to get them education, health and care (EHC) plans, everything is being cut, funding just isnt available.

He added: I think well be back on the 28th.

Id like to think it will show to people theres a little bit of disruption.

Members of the National Education Union (NEU) on the picket line outside Myton School in Warwick (Jacob King/PA)

Thats going to help people realise the struggle that were in but dont necessarily think the Government will listen to that straight away.

But I think they need to start thinking about the way funding streams work and how we can get a fully-funded education system.

Howard Stevenson, a professor in education at the University of Nottingham and a UCU Officer, said staff were really, really dissatisfied with a number of issues but said employers had only engaged on the most minor details.

He said: Alongside the pension issue, we also have concerns about pay because pay has been eroded very substantially, over the last 10 years in particular.

Workloads are very high, pay gaps are a concern, across the sector they are very high and at the University of Nottingham and we have something like a 20% gender pay gap.

This campaign is about tackling those issues, and in the higher education sector generally there is systemic misuse of precarious contracts, so many of our colleagues are on hourly paid contracts or fixed-term contracts, so there are very high levels of job insecurity.

It makes life really difficult in terms of just planning basic things, but also has a really negative impact on quality of education, because those colleagues never know, from one moment to the next, what theyre going to be teaching.
One of Britains most senior judges has announced his retirement.

Supreme Court Justice Lord David Kitchin, 67, a cox in the University Boat Race nearly 50 years ago, will step down later this year.

A Supreme Court spokeswoman said Lord Kitchin intends to retire at the end of the legal year in September.

She said Lord Kitchin, who became a Supreme Court Justice in October 2018, had made an enormous and valued contribution to the courts work.

A biography on the Supreme Court website says Lord Kitchin studied natural sciences and law at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge.

He was cox in the winning Cambridge Boat Race team in 1975.

Lord Kitchin became a barrister in 1977 and a Queens Counsel in 1994.

He specialised in intellectual property litigation, including patents, trademarks, copyright, designs and trade secrets.

Lord Kitchin was a High Court judge and Court of Appeal judge before becoming a Supreme Court Justice.

In 2019, he was one of 11 Supreme Court Justices who considered legal challenges to then prime minister Boris Johnsons decision to suspend Parliament.

In a statement as his retirement was announced, he said: It has been an enormous privilege and pleasure to serve as a full-time justice of the court.

This is the right time for me to step down and it will give me an opportunity to spend more time with my family and to pursue other interests.
Channel 4 was congratulated by viewers for showing a Simpsons episode centred around workers rights on a day of widespread industrial action in the UK, but the broadcaster said it was a coincidence.

The channels 6pm showing of the US cartoon on Wednesday was Last Exit to Springfield, a season four episode widely regarded as one of the shows best.

The story sees Homer Simpson go up against Mr Burns to fight for the employees dental plan, culminating in a strike at the power plant.

The Simpsons creator Matt Groening (left) and voice of Homer Dan Castellaneta (Ian West/PA)

Mr Burns turns off the power to the city in retaliation but the solidarity of the workers eventually forces his hand, and Homer wins back the dental plan.

Meanwhile, Wednesday was described as the countrys biggest day of strike action in a decade, with workers walking out in increasingly bitter disputes over pay, jobs and conditions.

Walkout Wednesday saw thousands of schools closed for the day because of action by the National Education Union (NEU) and picket lines were mounted outside railway stations, schools, government departments and universities across the country.

Striking members and supporters of the National Education Union (NEU) in Trafalgar Square, London (James Manning/PA)

It did not take long for Channel 4 viewers to spot a link between the days industrial action and the themes present in Wednesdays Simpsons showing.

The Simpsons. Channel 4. Very apt episode considering the amount of strikes taking place, tweeted Alex Ramsden.

Channel 4 playing the strike ep of the Simpsons. Solidarity, wrote Twitter user Hannah Fretwell.

Well done Channel 4 for putting on The Simpsons episode where all the power plant workers go on strike! tweeted a Twitter user simply known as Jim.

However, the broadcaster confirmed to the PA news agency the timing was simply a coincidence.
FILE - Actor Alec Baldwin attends a news conference at United Nations headquarters, on Sept. 21, 2015. A Santa Fe district attorney is prepared to announce whether to press charges in the fatal 2021 film-set shooting of a cinematographer by actor Baldwin during a rehearsal on the set of the Western movie "Rust." Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said a decision will be announced Thursday morning, Jan. 19, 2022, in a statement and on social media platforms. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  Actor Alec Baldwin and a weapons specialist have been formally charged with involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on a New Mexico movie set, according to court documents filed by prosecutors Tuesday.

Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies filed the charging documents naming Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who supervised weapons on the set of the Western Rust.

The filing comes nearly two weeks after she first announced that Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed would be prosecuted for what authorities have described as a pattern of criminal disregard for safety. In recent weeks, Carmack-Altwies has outlined two sets of involuntary manslaughter charges in connection with the shooting.

Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed maintain their innocence and have vowed to fight the charges.

Baldwins attorney Luke Nikas declined comment Tuesday and referred to his previous statement on the case, in which he called the charges a terrible miscarriage of justice that he and his client would fight and win.

Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun  or anywhere on the movie set, the statement said. He relied on the professionals with whom he worked.

Gutierrez-Reeds attorney said they would release a statement later.

Halyna Hutchins died shortly after being wounded during rehearsals at a ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe on Oct. 21, 2021. Baldwin was pointing a pistol at Hutchins when the gun went off, killing her and wounding the director, Joel Souza.

Prosecutors have said that Baldwins involvement as a producer and as the person who fired the gun weighed in the decision to file charges.

The manslaughter charge against Baldwin includes alternative standards and sanctions. One would apply a charge of manslaughter for reckless disregard of safety without due caution and circumspection.

Hutchins death already has led to new safety precautions in the film industry.

Carmack-Altwies told The Associated Press in a Jan. 19 interview that the set was really being run pretty fast and loose and that Baldwin should have known there had been previous misfires on the set and that multiple people had brought up safety concerns.

She added that Baldwin was the one who pointed the gun and pulled the trigger.

Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed will be issued a summons to appear in court. Prosecutors will forgo a grand jury and rely on a judge to determine if there is sufficient evidence to move toward trial. It could take up to 60 days for decision.

Involuntary manslaughter can involve a killing that happens while a defendant is doing something lawful but dangerous and is acting negligently or without caution. Special prosecutor Andrea Reeb has cited a pattern of criminal disregard for safety on the set of Rust.

Prosecutors also said they will release the terms of a signed plea agreement with assistant director David Halls, who oversaw safety on the set. Participants in the un-filmed rehearsal have given conflicting accounts of who handed the gun to Baldwin.

Halls has agreed to plead guilty in the negligent use of a deadly weapon, they said.

Heather Brewer, a spokeswoman for the district attorney's office, said in a statement Monday that prosecutors are fully focused on securing justice for Halyna Hutchins and "the evidence and the facts speak for themselves.

Baldwin, also a co-producer on Rust, has described the killing as a tragic accident. The 64-year-old actor said he was told the gun was safe and has sought to clear his name by suing people involved in handling and supplying the loaded .45-caliber revolver.

In his lawsuit, Baldwin said that while working on camera angles with Hutchins, he pointed the gun in her direction and pulled back and released the hammer of the weapon, which discharged.

Defense attorney Jason Bowles, who represents Gutierrez-Reed, said the charges are the result of a flawed investigation and an inaccurate understanding of the full facts.

Defendants can participate remotely in many initial court proceedings or seek to have their first appearance waived.

The decision to charge Baldwin marks a stunning turn of events for an A-list actor whose 40-year career included the early blockbuster The Hunt for Red October and a starring role in the sitcom 30 Rock, as well as iconic appearances in Martin Scorseses The Departed and a film adaptation of David Mamets Glengary Glen Ross. In recent years, Baldwin was known for his impression of former President Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live.
Lisa Linke

Lisa Linke

This is about something very American. In the United States (and Canada and Mexico), pickup trucks arent mere tools, but aspirations. The boss drives a pickup here, and the bosss boss does too. Pickups in North America are status symbols, family heirlooms, and beloved companions. And the all-electric F-150 Lightning adds environmental virtue beyond that. Plus, its about the quickest brick Ford has ever thrown.

Were investing in [internal-combustion engine] segments where were dominant and where we think, as competitors leave the segments, we can actually grow, Ford CEO Jim Farley told Fox Business in September. I find it intriguing that were portraying the future of our industry as monolithic. Thats not how it goes. Thats not how its going to manifest itself.

Lisa Linke

The new Lightning is appreciated within a line of personal-use, occasionally high-performance pickups: from the cushy 1955 Chevrolet Cameo to Dodges rowdy 1978 Lil Red Express and on to the insane turbocharged 1991 GMC Syclone, the 2004 V-10-powered Ram SRT-10, and the two Fords that previously wore the Lightning namewhere some utility is forsaken for looks, luxury, acceleration, and audacity.

Deceptively, the new Lightning wears F-150 skin. The aluminum cab and body pieces port from Fords best-selling F-series more or less intact. This isnt Teslas someday Cybertruck doorstop moon buggy or the ludicrously large Hummer EV bent on domination. If an observer doesnt know the Lightnings discreet styling cues, it swims anonymously amid the traffic stream.

Under that mild-mannered costume, however, is a Kryptonian thing. It uses a conventional-style steel ladder frame, but instead of the rear leaf springs and solid axle used on full-size Ford trucks since 1917, there are independent control arms and coil springs at each corner (the current F-150 Raptor also uses coils). Between the frame rails, where conventional F-150s put engine, transmission, driveshaft, exhaust system, and fuel tank, theres a tray of batteries and electric motors between both the front and rear pairs of wheels.

Lisa Linke

Combine the Lightnings two three-phase fixed-magnet motors, and monster torque is available to push (and pull) the more than 6800 pounds of unladen truck. The majority of Lightnings (like the one tested here) come equipped with the 131-kWh extended-range battery. Thats up from the standard battery packs 98-kWh load of zap.

Electric motors make the same torque from the moment their rotor starts moving within their stator. So, no matter the battery pack, theres a massive 775 lb-ft available in the Lightning. Thats 55 percent more than the 500 lb-ft available from the 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6, the torquiest non-Raptor version of the F-150 with solely an internal-combustion engine. The F-150 Hybrid, which pairs that turbo V-6 with a supplementary electric motor and battery pack, runs at a stated 570 lb-ft of peak torque.

Because the extended-range batteries discharge more efficiently than the standard pack, the base Lightning is rated at 452 hp, while the higher-capacity model gets 580 hp. Ford claims a range of 230 miles for the standard Lightning and 320 miles for the extended-range in XLT and Lariat trims. Go for the high-zooty Platinum model, and that figure drops to 300. Ford claims it takes eight hours to recharge the battery from 15 to 100 percent using the 80-amp home charge station that comes with extended-range trucks. That drops to a claimed 41 minutes (to charge from 15 to 80 percent) on a 150-kW Level 3 charger.

Dear God and ghost of Henry Ford, this thing is quick. Our testing saw an extended range, 6855-pound F-150 Lightning Platinum absolutely blitz to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds flat. Consider this: The 450-hp 2021 Raptor needs 5.2 seconds to reach 60 mph. The only quicker trucks are the mighty Ram TRX with its supercharged Hemi V-8, which reached 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds, and the 835-hp, 7135-pound Rivian R1T, which spat in the eye of physics with a 3.3-second 060-mph rip.

Lisa Linke

Ford Special Vehicle Teams head engineer noted in 2009 that the Lightning hot-rod pickup had to die because there was no sustainable market for a high-performance, on-road pickup truck. And anyway, he said, theyd need 600 or more horsepower to deliver meaningful performance, given the weight of a full-size truck. So Ford took a hard left off-road with the Raptor, exiling the V-8-powered Lightnings to the Island of Misfit Toys. Its an irony lost on no one that the Lightning has returned with almost 600 hp and absurd acceleration figures while wearing the cloak of environmental virtue, not performance.

As impressive as the Lightnings initial acceleration is, its passing power is even more thrilling. At freeway speeds, the Lightning loafs along almost noiselessly. Slam the not-loud pedal, and the thing squats down and squirts forward as if it were auditioning to star as a fighter jet in the next Top Gun sequel. Its not the astonishing vertebrae destruction that comes with the Tesla Model S Plaid, but it is leagues more dazzling than any other F-series.

Foundation Stock

The second-gen 2003 Lightning delivers things the new one cant.

Nostalgia is a gooey thing. It presents a past more imagined than reala vision through the Vaseline-covered corneas of youth. But seat time in Jesus Martinezs 2003 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning merits some bygone myopia. The all-electric F-150 Lightning is quicker but not always better.

At 31, Martinez isnt old enough to have driven his truck when it was new. Unencumbered by memories, he appreciates the pickups sensations as fresh things. Its all mechanical, he explains. Thats whats so great about it.

Jose Mandojana





Running 100-plus-octane E85, the black Lightning ignites with a vivid whine from the M112 Roots-style supercharger. Approaching its 20th birthday, Martinezs truck has, well, evolved a bit over the decades. The blower has overdriven pulleys, the intake is freer flowing, and theres an aftermarket exhaust that sounds like its singing La Traviata in the exact key of a 5.4-liter 16-valve overhead-cam V-8.

The 2003 Lightning was the next-to-last year for this second generation, so it benefitted from an update for 2001, when it sprouted a new 90-mm mass air flow sensor and the final-drive ratio shortened to 3.73:1. That upped the engines output from 360 hp during 1999 and 2000 to 380 for models built between 2001 and 2004. The 060-mph romp took 5.2 seconds back then. Thats 1.2 seconds less rapid than its electric son, but its a fun 1.2 seconds.

Now a novelty, the old Lightning is what was once known as a regular-cab truck. I like the cab, Martinez shares. It means I can tell people theres no room for them to come along.

Jose Mandojana





When Fords SVT was a thing, all its vehicles wore white-face gauges that reverse-glowed at night. They are here in all their analog glory behind a steering wheel with a thin rim and an airbag the size of a large fanny pack. Theres even a column-mounted wand controlling the four-speed automatic transmission. Its a burnout machine, Martinez says about his rear-drive, stepside beast.

Wearing Nitto tires on stock 18-inch wheels, the aged Lightning has presence and attitude. Some of the decoration is old schoollike two-tone upholsterybut its not archaic. Theres badassery here, both intimidating and charming.

The suspension is stiff, and the hydraulically assisted steering is almost soulful in its communion with the front tires. Turn-in isnt quick, but it is satisfying. The comfort comes from the sensations the truck generates, not those things from which it isolates the driver.

Roaring along the streets of Maywood, Californiagateway to Vernon, the City of Commerce, and parts of Los Angelesgood things that have passed away from current trucks become obvious. This F-150s cowl is low, and the hood drops away for better visibility. The dashboard doesnt glow with massive screens but trusts the driver to interpret its info and read a map. It offers things no new truck maker is selling now.

Some mist in the eyes is okay.



More subtle is how differently the Lightning handles from other F-150s. Because the Lightning long, meaning things like four-wheelers or motorcycles will hang out onto the tailgate. Longer lumber loads will take a supply of red flags to mark the overhang.

With that in mind, the greater deficit is that as load increases, range takes a hit. Thats particularly true when towing. While extended-range Lightnings are rated at 1952 pounds of cargo capacity and 7700 pounds of towing ability (and up to 10,000 pounds with the Max Trailer Tow package), trips will have to be planned carefully. Car and Driver, our sister publication, hooked up a 6100-pound trailer and saw the Lightnings range drop by more than half. Even more daunting, the indicated range calculated by the trucks algorithm dropped from a predicted 288 miles to a mere 96. For cross-country towing adventures, the Lightning makes little sense.

Lisa Linke

As a machine for bouncing around town, taking the dogs along, or moving some stuff a short distance, the Lightning is fine. And with its large front trunk, its a great personal companion if it often runs unladen. It says all the right things about the boss who is driving it.



Still, at this point, before the last gas station closes and while there are things worth towing, more conventional F-150s will be a better choice for many buyers. The F-150 Hybrid looks like a solid compromise, considering its easy to refuel and carries a 25-mpg EPA fuel economy rating on both the highway and in the city.

Also, the Lightning isnt cheap. From a base price of $54,769, including a $1795 destination charge, the 2022 XLT rose to $76,384 as driven. The Platinum track-test example cost a whopping $93,609. And with all the production already committed, dealers are getting a lot more. Theres something very American about that too.

Clint Ford

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FILE PHOTO: The logo of the Adani Group is seen on the facade of one of its buildings on the outskirts of Ahmedabad

By Aditya Kalra, Jayshree P Upadhyay and Aditi Shah

NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Gautam Adani's flagship firm called off its $2.5 billion share sale in a dramatic reversal on Wednesday as a rout sparked by a U.S. short-seller's criticisms wiped billions more off the value of the Indian tycoon's stocks.

The withdrawal of the Adani Enterprises share offering marks a stunning setback for Adani, the school dropout-turned-billionaire whose fortunes rose rapidly in recent years in line with the stock values of his businesses.

"Today the market has been unprecedented, and our stock price has fluctuated over the course of the day. Given these extraordinary circumstances, the companys board felt that going ahead with the issue will not be morally correct," Adani said.

"Our balance sheet is very healthy with strong cashflows and secure assets, and we have an impeccable track record of servicing our debt. This decision will not have any impact on our existing operations and future plans," the billionaire added in a statement to Indian exchanges.

Adani, whose global business interests span ports, airports, mining, cement and power, is battling to stabilise his companies and defend his reputation.

"Once the market stabilizes, we will review our capital market strategy," he added.

The Jan. 24 report has triggered an $86 billion erosion in market capitalisation of seven listed Adani Group companies. On Wednesday, a day after Adani's share sale closed, his group company stocks plummeted, with shares in Adani Enterprises plunging 28% and others also seeing sharp cuts.

A report by Hindenburg Research last week alleged improper use by the of offshore tax havens and stock manipulation by the Adani Group. It also raised concerns about high debt and the valuations of seven listed Adani companies.

Adani Group has denied the allegations, saying the short-seller's allegation of stock manipulation has "no basis" and stems from an ignorance of Indian law. The group has always made the necessary regulatory disclosures, it added.

"The pain hitting Adani companies was crippling, so the news that share sale is called off is troubling, as this was supposed to show the company is still believed in by its high net-worth investors," said Edward Moya, a New York-based senior market analyst at brokerage OANDA.

"To go through this exercise of a share sale and to call it off raises more questions."

Reuters reported earlier on Wednesday, citing a person with direct knowledge, that India's market regulator is examining the rout in the shares of Adani Group, looking into several of the allegations made by Hindenburg Research, and into any potential irregularities in a share sale by Adani Enterprises.

Hindenburg had disclosed that it holds short positions in Adani companies through U.S.-traded bonds and non-Indian-traded derivative instruments.

After the share sale was pulled, yields of dollar-denominated bonds issued by Adani companies rose on Wednesday. Bond yields move inversely to prices. Yields of Adani Green Energy's $500 million bonds due in 2024 rose to 15.45% on Wednesday from 12.1%.

CRITICAL FUNDRAISING

The fundraising was critical for Adani, not just because it would have helped cut his group's debt, but also because it was being seen by some as a gauge of confidence as he faced the biggest business and reputational challenge of his career.

Adani Group was working with its bankers to refund the proceeds received by in the secondary share sale of Adani Enterprises. Anchor investors who had supported the issue included Maybank Securities and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.

The company aims to protect the interests of its investing community by returning the proceeds, it said.

Adani Group had on Tuesday mustered enough support from investors for the share sale to proceed, in what some saw as a stamp of investor confidence amid the storm.

Wednesday's stock losses saw Adani slip to 15th on the Forbes rich list with an estimated net worth of $75.1 billion, below rival Mukesh Ambani, the chairman of Reliance Industries, who ranks ninth with a net worth of $83.7 billion.

The share sale had succeeded on Tuesday even when the Adani Enterprises stock price in Mumbai markets traded below the offer price of the share sale.

While concerns had mounted the share sale may not succeed, and bankers even considered price cuts and timeline changes, Adani issued statements saying it was confident about its prospects and that all of its investors were standing by its side.

"I do not know how the markets will behave in short term. But this is a measure to enhance (Adani's) reputation since the investors were staring at a 30% loss even before the shares were allotted," said Rajesh Baheti, chief executive, Crossseas Capital Services, an algo trading firm.

(Reporting by Aditya Kalra and Jahnavi Nidumolu in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva, Kirsten Donovan and Alexander Smith)
From delicious tapas to boozy sangria, there's a long list of reasons why Spice Road Table is one of the best restaurants at EPCOT. (Photos: Carly Caramanna/Terri Peters)

Walt Disney World's EPCOT is known for its World Showcase, where guests can visit pavilions themed around countries like Mexico, Japan and Norway while tasting foods and sipping drinks from each locale. But with 11 countries represented, the options for sit-down dining can feel a bit overwhelming, leaving many wondering which EPCOT restaurant is the best place to make a coveted dinner reservation.

As someone who writes about theme parks, holds an annual pass at Walt Disney World (WDW) and has been visiting the popular tourist destination for years, there's always a clear winner if I'm looking for a simple-but-delicious dinner at EPCOT. Located in the theme park's Morocco pavilion, Spice Road Table is a respite from the crowds, nestled along the waters of the World Showcase Lagoon (the body of water at the center of the World Showcase).

Red sangria and iced mint tea, both made with gin, at Spice Road Table. (Photo: Terri Peters)

Recently, I ended an evening at EPCOT with friends in my absolute favorite way: a dinner reservation at Spice Road Table. Reservations are the way to go for any sit-down dining experience at WDW, since it's hard to snag a walk-up table, and this Mediterranean restaurant is no exception. In the time surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, Spice Road Table stopped taking reservations, but as of Dec. 2022, it's now easy to reserve a spot through the My Disney Experience app, online or by phone. With the ability to guarantee a seat at one of our favorite spots back on the table (pun intended) we knew closing an evening of drinking margaritas in "Mexico" and riding Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind out with a relaxing sit-down dinner would be perfect.

And we were right. We walked into Spice Road Table and asked to be seated outside near the lagoon  the airy patio is perfect on those rare Florida nights when the weather is cool. (Even on hot days at EPCOT, it's worth sitting outside for the shade and the breeze.) We were quick to order sangria because Spice Road Table makes some of the best sangria on WDW property. The secret? Each variety contains not only wine, but a spirit, making each drink, which cost $14 for a glass or $39 for a pitcher, a bit boozier than some drinks found at EPCOT. The restaurant's red sangria is made with gin, while the rose variety contains pamplemousse (grapefruit) liqueur. There's fig-flavored vodka in the white sangria and the sparkling kind contains both pamplemousse liqueur and vermouth. If sangria isn't your thing, try an iced mint tea, which, like the red sangria, is made with gin. It's all delicious, and sitting by the water on a beautiful evening while relaxing with friends is the perfect respite from the throngs of park goers walking the World Showcase.

Spice Road Table's hummus fries and spiced chicken. (Photo: Terri Peters)

There are no huge, food coma-inducing entrees at this WDW restaurant: Spice Road Table serves up a wide variety of tapas instead, which is best enjoyed family-style. We feasted on hummus fries, tiropitakia (cheese-filled phyllo dough pockets), spicy shrimp, crispy pomegranate-chili cauliflower, chicken and naan bread, complete with dipping sauces and marinated olives.

At just over $10 for most dishes, ordering a beautiful spread of tapas for our table and sharing it made for a perfect dinner. We were especially impressed with the high amount of plant-based dishes on Spice Road Table's menu, part of WDW's initiative to make vegan-friendly dishes more mainstream inside its parks and resorts.

From the patio at Spice Road Table, Spaceship Earth and the World Showcase Lagoon are on full display. (Photo: Terri Peters)

One of the best parts about Spice Road Table is the staff, who are always supremely kind and excited to welcome you into the restaurant. From the bartenders who make that delicious sangria to the hosts and hostesses who check you in for your reservation, stepping inside this waterfront dining experience is always feels like a vacation within a vacation, a vibe that keeps us coming back.

Spice Road Table is also among the sit-down restaurants at EPCOT that offer pre-fixe menus during the park's many annual festivals. Currently, during EPCOT International Festival of the Arts, festival goers can reserve seating for a meal at this and other restaurants, followed by reserved seating for the festival's Disney on Broadway concert series. Prices for these dining packages range from $35 to $95 depending on the restaurant, with Spice Road Table's offering landing at $47. As a Disney festival pro, this is my favorite way to make sure I get a good seat at in-park concerts that are a priority to me. In fact, I still reminisce about the time I had amazing seats to watch NSync member Joey Fatone perform at the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival after a delicious dinner at Spice Road Table. Worth it.

From crispy cauliflower to buttery naan, every tapas dish we ordered at Spice Road Table was perfect. (Photo: Terri Peters)

Another Spice Road Table tip? If you're anxious to try that boozy sangria, you don't need a dining reservation to do it. Simply walk up to the bar inside of the restaurant and order your drink of choice: There's no seating at this particular WDW bar, but every variety of the restaurant's sangria pairs perfectly with sipping and strolling around the countries of the World Showcase.

While Spice Road Table is not a high-end Disney dining experience, like the illustrious rooftop California Grill or the AAA Five Diamond Award-winning Victoria and Albert's, it's a more affordable way to enjoy the flavors offered WDW and give your feet a rest while you take in beautiful water views. For that reason, the experience was well worth the $150 price tag to my party of three.

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Amazons big fulfillment center in Nampa is among six of the companys warehouses across the country under investigation by federal authorities over worker safety concerns.

The warehouse opened at 5295 E. Franklin Road in late 2020, when Amazon said it would hire up to 2,000 workers to staff it. The site was inspected by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in early August, according to an Amazon spokesperson.

Citations have already been issued for the companys warehouses in Deltona, Florida; Waukegan, Illinois; and New Windsor, New York, and are expected to be issued this week for three additional warehouses that were previously inspected, including the one in Nampa, and ones in Aurora, Colorado, and Castleton-on-Hudson, New York, according to Jane Chung, a spokesperson for the Athena Coalition, an organization that advocates for workers rights.

Amazons 2.7 million-square-foot, four-story fulfillment center in Nampa.

Several of the allegations outlined in OSHA documents stem from the Castleton-on-Hudson center, where Amazon was accused of not filling out forms nearly a dozen times after workers were hurt, according to reporting by McClatchy News.

OSHA issued Amazon citations for 14 record-keeping violations, including failing to record injuries and illnesses, misclassifying injuries and illnesses, not recording injuries and illnesses within the required time, and not providing OSHA with timely injury and illness records, the U.S. Department of Labor wrote in a Dec. 16 news release. The department includes OSHA.

The Miami Herald reported Jan. 21 that OSHA proposed a fine of $60,269 for Amazon after discovering injury lists at three warehouses put workers at high risk for lower back injuries and musculoskelatal disorders.

In a statement emailed to the Statesman on Tuesday, Amazon said the federal government doesnt have any specific ergonomics guidance for employers to follow, but the company is taking action to address workplace injuries, which it notes are common among all industries.

We take the safety and health of our employees very seriously, and we strongly disagree with these allegations and intend to appeal, Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokesperson, said in the statement. Weve cooperated fully, and the governments allegations dont reflect the reality of safety at our sites.

Debbie Berkowitz, former chief of staff and senior policy adviser at OSHA, spoke at a press briefing hosted by the Athena Coalition on Tuesday about the alleged violations against the company.

She said Amazons high injury rates stand out in the already dangerous warehouse industry. She said the citations issued against the company are unprecedented.

Whats most significant and historic about the citations is the amount of resources and expertise that OSHA devoted to these three inspections so far and three more that will be coming out in the future, Berkowitz said. OSHA is a small agency, and so its very rare for them to do this.

Sheheryar Kaoosji, the executive director of the Warehouse Worker Resource Center, said employees at Amazon warehouses across the country have been sounding the alarm about health and safety hazards for years. He called for the government to place increased scrutiny on the companys operations.

What really matters is that workers are organizing, Kaoosji said. Those workers understand that these hazards that they deal with, these injuries that they and their colleagues face every day, are not acceptable.

Calls to OSHAs Idaho state director, David Kearns, were not returned.

Amazon pledged to help pay for roads near its big Nampa warehouse. Heres the latest

Boises water company wants to raise rates 24%. This is why, and what you can do about it
This photo made from security camera footage provided by the Omaha, Neb., Police Department shows a man identified by police as Joseph Jones armed with an AR-15-style rifle inside a Target store in Omaha on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023, before police fatally shot him. On Wednesday, Feb. 1, police said that Jones obtained the weapon just four day earlier at a Cabelas sporting goods store. (Omaha Police Department via AP)

The man who was fatally shot by police after entering a Target store in Omaha, Nebraska, armed with an AR-15-style rifle had obtained the weapon just four days earlier at a Cabelas sporting goods store, police said Wednesday. No one else was hurt.

Court records show that the man, identified by police as Joseph Jones, 32, of suburban Omaha, had no prior felony convictions in Douglas County, where Omaha is located.

He entered the store around noon Tuesday, where police said he fired several rounds, sending shoppers and workers scrambling for exits and cowering in bathroom stalls. Along with the rifle, he had 13 loaded rifle magazines of ammunition.

Jones uncle, Larry Derksen Jr., said his nephew had schizophrenia and that his mental illness left him isolated.

My nephew went into Target. I believe he had no intention of hurting anybody. He fired off a bunch of rounds, Derksen told KETV-TV. He had an AR-15 before law enforcement got there. If he had any intention of killing anybody he would have. He would have had time to do so.

Callers flooded 911 dispatchers with around 30 calls for help, and Omaha police officers and a Nebraska State Trooper rushed to the scene. They quickly encountered Jones and ordered him to drop the rifle.

Police said Officer Brian Vanderheiden, a 20-year veteran of the city's police force, then fired, striking and killing Jones. The release said Vanderheiden was placed on paid administrative leave per department policy.

Officers searched the store three times before declaring the scene safe, according to police. Through the investigation, officers located bullet casings inside the store.

Cabela's didn't immediately respond to emails from The Associated Press seeking comment.

Several other shootings have taken place at stores across the country in recent months, at a time when mass shootings have commanded public attention on a disturbingly frequent basis.

In January, one woman was injured in a shooting at a Walmart store in Evansville, Indiana. Police said it could have been much worse if not for heroic actions by an employee and police. Officers arrived within minutes and fatally shot the gunman. A Walmart manager in Chesapeake, Virginia, killed six people in November when he began shooting wildly inside a break room. Six others were wounded. The gunman shot and killed himself before officers arrived.

In Buffalo, New York, an 18-year-old fatally shot 10 people and injured three others last May, after seeking out a grocery store in a predominately Black neighborhood. Authorities immediately called it a hate crime.

The Omaha shooting came just over 15 years after the deadly December 2007 shooting at an Omaha Von Maur department store, when a 19-year-old gunman killed eight people and himself.




CAIRO, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded his visit to Jerusalem and the West Bank on Tuesday.

Blinken's trip, during which he met with leaders of Israel's new right-wing government and the Palestinian Authority (PA), came amid escalating violence between Israelis and the Palestinians.

However, an Egyptian expert points out, the visit has made little progress in de-escalating the tensions.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service
This Sunday, June 30, 2019, aerial photo released by Earthjustice shows the Alaska's North Slope in the Western Arctic on the edge of Teshekpuk Lake, Alaska. The Biden administration issued a long-awaited study on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023, that recommends allowing a major oil development on Alaska's North Slope, and the move  while not final  drew immediate anger from environmentalists who saw it as a betrayal of the president's pledges to reduce carbon emissions and promote clean energy sources. (Kiliii Yuyan for Earthjustice via AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  The Biden administration issued a long-awaited study Wednesday that recommends allowing a major oil development on Alaska's North Slope, and the move  while not final  drew immediate anger from environmentalists who saw it as a betrayal of the president's pledges to reduce carbon emissions and promote clean energy sources.

ConocoPhillips Alaska had proposed five drilling sites, and the alternative proposed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management calls for up to three drill sites initially. Even as the land agency released its report, the U.S. Interior Department said in its own press release that it has substantial concerns about the Willow project.

The Bureau of Land Management, which falls under Interior, in the report also said that identifying a preferred alternative does not constitute a commitment or decision and notes it could select a different alternative in the final decision.

Opponents have raised concerns about the impacts of development on wildlife, such as birds and caribou, and efforts to address climate change.

The Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, an Alaska Native corporation, and the Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope joined the North Slope Borough in praising the proposed alternative and calling on the administration to move ahead on the project. ConocoPhillips has estimated the project would create as many as 2,000 jobs during construction and 300 permanent jobs and generate between $8 billion and $17 billion in federal, state and local revenue in an area more than 600 miles (965 kilometers) from Anchorage.

The decision on the Willow project  which some environmentalists have dubbed a "carbon bomb  is politically perilous for President Joe Biden, who campaigned on pledges to end new drilling on public lands.

The project is in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, a vast region roughly the size of Indiana on Alaska's resource-rich North Slope. ConocoPhillips Alaska says the project, at its peak, could produce an estimated 180,000 barrels of oil a day.

Erec Isaacson, the president of ConocoPhillips Alaska, said in a statement the company believes the project will benefit local communities and enhance American energy security while producing oil in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. He said the review process should be concluded without delay.

The Native Village of Nuiqsut and city of Nuiqsut have expressed concerns with the project and said they do not feel like the Bureau of Land Management is listening. The community is near the proposed development, which is in Alaska's far north near the Beaufort Sea.

The project would bring miles of roads and hundreds of miles of pipeline to the area, disrupt animal migration patterns and erode habitat if it goes forward, said Earthjustice, an environmental group.

Jeremy Lieb, an attorney for the group, said Willow is currently the largest proposed oil project in the U.S. He said it is drastically out of step with the Biden administrations goals to slash climate pollution and transition to clean energy.

The Interior Department will make a final decision on whether to allow development no sooner than early March.

___

AP writer Matthew Daly in Washington contributed to this report.
Emmitt Glynn teaches AP African American studies to a group of Baton Rouge Magnet High School students on Monday, Jan. 30, 2023 in Baton Rouge, La. Baton Rouge Magnet High School in Louisiana is one of 60 schools around the country testing the new course, which has gained national attention since it was banned in Florida. (AP Photo/Stephen Smith)

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  Compared with her other classes, high school senior Kahlila Bandele said a lesson this week spanning topics from Afro-Caribbean migration to jazz offered a welcome shift in perspective.

The discussion in her Advanced Placement course on African American studies touched on figures from Marcus Garvey and Malcolm X to Jimi Hendrix and Rihanna. In her AP European History course, she said, were not discussing Black people at all  even though they were colonized by Europeans.

Baton Rouge Magnet High School in Louisiana is one of 60 schools around the country testing the new course, which has gained national attention since it was banned in Florida. The rejection by Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration has stirred new political debate over how schools teach about race.

On Wednesday the College Board, which oversees AP classes, released curriculum materials for the course's expansion to hundreds of additional high schools in the next academic year. College Board officials said developers consulted with professors from more than 200 colleges, including several historically Black institutions.

The students in Baton Rouge were aware of the political controversy over the course. But the class on Monday was filled with discussion of the Negritude and Negrismo movements that celebrated Black culture and a painting by the Afro-Asian-Latino artist Wifredo Lam.

Afterward, Bandele, 18, said she doesnt understand arguments that the course would indoctrinate children.

I dont feel particularly indoctrinated, she said.

DeSantis, a possible Republican presidential candidate in 2024, said he was blocking the course in Florida because it pushes a political agenda.

In the state of Florida, our education standards not only dont prevent, but they require teaching Black history, all the important things. Thats part of our core curriculum," DeSantis said at a news conference last week. "We want education and not indoctrination.

In a written statement Wednesday, College Board CEO David Coleman said the course is "an unflinching encounter with the facts and evidence of African American history and culture.

No one is excluded from this course: the Black artists and inventors whose achievements have come to light; the Black women and men, including gay Americans, who played pivotal roles in the Civil Rights movements; and people of faith from all backgrounds who contributed to the antislavery and Civil Rights causes. Everyone is seen," he said.

So many students were interested in the course at the Baton Rouge high school, Emmitt Glynn is teaching it to two classes, instead of just the one he was originally planning.

Earlier this week, his students read selections of The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon, which deals with the violence inherent in colonial societies. In a lively discussion, students connected the text to what they had learned about the conflict between colonizers and Native Americans, to the war in Ukraine and to police violence in Memphis, Tennessee.

Weve been covering the gamut from the shores of Africa to where we are now in the 1930s, and we will continue on through history, Glynn said. He said he was proud to see the connections his students were making between the past and now.

For Malina Ouyang, 17, taking the class helped fill gaps in what she has been taught. Taking this class," she said, "I realized how much is not said in other classes.

Matthew Evans, 16, said the class has educated him on a multitude of perspectives on Black history. He said the political controversy is just a distraction.

Any time you want to try to silence something, you will only make someone want to learn about it even more, he said.

The College Board offers AP courses across the academic spectrum, including math, science, social studies, foreign languages and fine arts. The courses are optional. Taught at a college level, students who score high enough on the final exam usually earn course credit at their university.

The African American studies course is divided into four units: origins of the African diaspora; freedom, enslavement and resistance; the practice of freedom; and movements and debates.

In Malcolm Reed's classroom at St. Amant High School in Louisiana, where he teaches the AP class, he tries to be mindful of how the material and discussions can affect students.

I give them the information and I've seen light bulbs go off. I ask them, How does it affect you? How do you feel about learning this?  he said. It's also new for me, and I'm just taking it in stride. We're not just learning history, but we're making history.

___

Mumphrey reported from Phoenix. AP journalist Stephen Smith contributed to this report.

___

The Associated Press education team receives support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Russias refusal to engage with the U.S. on resuming nuclear arms inspections has taken another worrying turn, with the State Department telling Congress that Moscow is in noncompliance.

Weve got the breakdown of the State Department report and what Russia has said about the nuclear treaty.



Plus: The details on a strengthening alliance between the U.S. and South Korea and Ukraines top prosecutor pushing for the prosecution of Russian war crimes.

This is Defense & National Security, your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. For The Hill, Im Brad Dress.

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US: Russia in noncompliance with nuclear treaty

The State Department accused Russia of not complying with the New START Treaty obligations, including a failure to resume on-site inspections of nuclear arms and a refusal to meet and discuss the treaty.

The New START Treaty permits both the U.S. and Russia to conduct inspections of each others nuclear weapons, but those were paused during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A November meeting in Egypt called the Bilateral Consultative Commission to restart inspections was postponed by Russia and has yet to be resumed by Moscow.

Violations: The State Department has raised concerns before but is now officially accusing Russia of violating the treaty, making the accusation in a report to Congress.

But the State Department says Russia has a clear path for returning to full compliance.



All Russia needs to do is allow inspection activities on its territory, just as it did for years under the New START Treaty, and meet in a session of the Bilateral Consultative Commission, a spokesperson told The Hill. There is nothing preventing Russian inspectors from traveling to the United States and conducting inspections.

Nuclear threats: Russian President Vladimir Putin and his allies have repeatedly threatened the use of nuclear weapons amid numerous setbacks for his army in the war in Ukraine.

Last fall, Putin even said the nuclear weapon threats were not a bluff.

The situation has grown so dire that the Doomsday clock has inched to just 90 seconds to midnight  for the first time ever.

Congressional blowback: After receiving the report, Republican lawmakers quickly condemned Russia for the violations.

GOP Sens. Roger Wicker (Miss.) and Deb Fischer (Neb.), as well as House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) and Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), said Russia must be held accountable for the violations.

We urge President Biden to direct the Department of Defense to prepare for a future where Russia may deploy large numbers of warheads, well in excess of New START Treaty limits, they said in a joint statement.

Read the full story here.

Ukraines top prosecutor rallying US on legal battle

Kyivs top law enforcement official, Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin, wants to punish Russia in the courtroom for war crimes.

The instruments of delivering justice should be as strong as weapons we receive in order to fight for our independence, Kostin told The Hill after Western allies announced tanks for Ukraine.

The push for a special tribunal: Ukraine is pushing to prosecute the tens of thousands of Russian war crimes through an international court.

Kyiv also wants to establish a special tribunal to hold Russian President Vladimir Putin to account for invading last February.

Kostin is in Washington this week to meet with Attorney General Merrick Garland and other administration officials to support legal accountability against Russia. Biden administration officials have said they are engaging in conversations with Ukraine.

An enormous challenge: The number of war crimes is expected to increase as the war drags on, and Ukraines Office of the Prosecutor General is already investigating at least 67,000 documented cases.

Among the crimes are 155 identified cases of sexual violence and the abduction of Ukrainian children, with an estimated 15,000 deported to Russia.



Some cases are already in court, Kostin said, even if in absentia.



If we are talking about for the sake of justice for the survivors, its important for them to know that this case goes to court, he said.

Read more here.

US to send more weapons, up drills in South Korea

The U.S. is bolstering its alliance with South Korea amid increasing tensions with North Korea in the Indo-Pacific region.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin forged an agreement with his South Korean counterpart, Lee Jong-sup, to increase the scope and size of live training drills to deter North Korean aggression.

At a Tuesday press conference, Austin said the announcements show our unwavering commitment to maintaining peace on the Korean Peninsula in the past 70 years.



As we look toward the next 70 years, well continue working toward our vision of a stable and secure Korean Peninsula, he said.

More planes and drills: The two countries have also pledged to deploy more U.S. strategic assets, with Austin saying to expect more fifth-generation aircraft like the F-35 in South Korea.

Expanded joint military drills are also expected, including for this year. The two nations agreed to bolster the exercises after finding they served as an effective deterrence against North Korea.



The military exercises were continued last year after a hiatus following the pandemic and former President Trumps negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

North Korean aggression: North Korea fired a record number of missile tests last year, including several intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Those have alarmed not only South Korea but also Japan, which is on pace to boost its defense budget and is now seeking offensive weapons and military equipment.

Kim has shown no signs of abating his aggression, pushing for an exponential increase of nuclear weapons at the beginning of this year.

Read that story here.

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The governor is also pushing for education administrators to realign courses to provide historically accurate information and to not include identity politics

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday announced plans to block state colleges from having programs on diversity, equity and inclusion, and critical race theory.

The Republican governor debuted the proposal as part of a larger, higher education legislative package that is expected to be taken up by the GOP-controlled statehouse when its regular session begins in March.

DeSantis, a potential 2024 Republican presidential candidate, has heavily criticized critical race theory, which examines systemic racism  as well as diversity, equity and inclusion programs, commonly known as DEI.

LAKELAND, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES  2021/05/28: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a press conference at LifeScience Logistics to urge the Biden administration to approve Floridas plan to import prescription drugs from Canada, thereby saving Floridians an estimated $100 million annually on drug costs. (Photo by Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Critical race theory is a way of thinking about Americas history through the lens of racism. Scholars developed it during the 1970s and 1980s in response to what scholars viewed as a lack of racial progress following the civil rights legislation of the 1960s. It centers on the idea that racism is systemic in the nations institutions, which function to maintain the dominance of white people in society.

I think people want to see true academics and they want to get rid of some of the political window dressing that seems to accompany all this, DeSantis said at a news conference in Bradenton, adding that DEI and CRT programs would get No funding, and that will wither on the vine.

In a statement, the governors office said the proposal raises the standards of learning and civil discourse of public higher education in Florida by prohibiting higher education institutions from using any funding, regardless of source, to support DEI, CRT, and other discriminatory initiatives.

The proposal was expected after the DeSantis administration requested in late December that state colleges submit spending data and other information on programs related to diversity, equity and inclusion, and critical race theory.

The governor is also pushing for education administrators to realign courses to provide historically accurate information and to not include identity politics. DeSantis proposals have not yet been introduced as formal legislation but the GOP-controlled statehouse is often eager to carry out his initiatives.

DeSantis and other conservatives have long argued that critical race theory, and diversity, equity and inclusion programs are racially divisive and discriminatory  and are often cited in criticism of what they often call woke ideology in education.

Last year the governor signed legislation dubbed the Stop WOKE Act that restricts certain race-based conversations and analysis, in schools and businesses. The law bars instruction that says members of one race are inherently racist or should feel guilt for past actions committed by others of the same race, among other things.

This month the DeSantis administration blocked a new Advanced Placement course on African American studies from being taught in high schools, saying it violates state law and is historically inaccurate.

So far, at least 25 states have considered legislation or other steps to limit how race and racism can be taught, according to an analysis from Education Week. Eight states, all Republican-led, have banned or limited the teaching of critical race theory or similar concepts through laws or administrative actions. The bans largely address what can be taught inside the classroom.

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In the iconic final scene of 1903's "The Great Train Robbery," an actor points and fires into the camera, directly at the audience. (John Springer Collection / Corbis via Getty Images)

In 1893, the historian Frederick Jackson Turner argued with bittersweet persuasiveness that the American frontier was now closed, that its day was done.

Maybe the actual frontier was over, but its mythmaking machinery was just beginning.

The very next year, Thomas Edison made a 90-second film of Little Miss Sure Shot, Annie Oakley, performing some of her marksmanship. It may very well have been the first time that a gun was fired in a motion picture film.

The frontier legend could not have lasted without gunplay in the movies, which wasted no time weaponizing the old West and the new. In the final scene of The Great Train Robbery, the outlaw-actor fires his revolver directly at the camera, at the audience  not just six times, but insolently pulling the trigger even after the cylinder is empty.

Now we have the matter of the film Rust. The cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, was killed when a supposedly cold gun in the hands of actor and producer Alec Baldwin went off. Baldwin and the films armorer face involuntary manslaughter charges. The films first assistant director, who handed the gun to Baldwin, arranged a plea deal for negligent use of a deadly weapon.

Movie-set gun accidents are aplenty, but the closest parallel of legal consequences for a film set death may be the 1982 Twilight Zone: The Movie, when a helicopter shooting a scene crashed and killed actor Vic Morrow and the two Vietnamese child performers who were working in violation of state laws. In the protracted civil and criminal proceedings, director John Landis and four other principals were acquitted of involuntary manslaughter, millions of dollars in settlements were made to the victims families, and Hollywood organizations laid down more rigid safety regulations.

Movie- and television-making have accumulated a veritable emergency rooms worth of gun accidents. The best-known ones are the ones that happen to the actors.

Brandon Lee, son of martial arts icon Bruce Lee, died after being shot as he was filming The Crow in 1993. In 1984, actor Jon-Erik Hexum was appearing in an episode of a TV series called Coverup. He was off-camera during a break in filming when he picked up a gun that was reportedly empty save for one blank; that blank was in the chamber when Hexum held the gun to his own head and pulled the trigger, killing him. The force of the blank fractured the bone at his right temple.

In the decades when certain Hollywood forces and certain quarters of Los Angeles justice had uncommonly close relationships, the possibility tips into likelihood that some nasty incidents on and off set went overlooked or hushed up, papered over or paid off. And there must have been, certainly in the early years, a sense of caveat actor: Bad stuff can happen on a movie set, and thats just the way of it.

The then-deputy L.A. police chief and future chief James Davis  who gloried in the nickname Two-Gun Davis  recommended markswoman Marion Semmelmeyer as the crack shot for a newsreel scene in 1933. She was a member of the states womens pistol team.

Stuntman Hurd McClellan had strapped on a bulletproof vest and swung like a pendulum suspended from a tree bough as news accounts said Semmelmeyer shot him several times without mishap. McClellan had done this sort of exercise before, with police officers, and using the same vest.

The last time, though, he cried out, It went through! and collapsed.

He died in the hospital a few days later. Investigators concluded that the bullet made it past a weakened spot in the vest. It was a defect in the vest and not in my shooting, said Semmelmeyer, with an assurance that dared to be contradicted. An inquest agreed with her.

It turns out McClellan was being paid $5 to get shot, which The Times figured had worked out to about 12 cents per blast (the equivalent of about $2.75 today).

As director Cecil B. DeMille was making the 1915 film The Captive, an extra was shot dead because, DeMille wrote in his autobiography, One of the players had neglected to make the change I had ordered from live ammunition to blank. No one ever knew, officially, who had carelessly omitted to unload one of the rifles; but there was one of our soldiers who failed to appear for work at the studio again, whom no one ever saw again in Hollywood. The widow of the man who was killed was kept on the studio payroll for years.

Five movie extras were shot and wounded in the spring of 1923  not on the set of the 1923 Lon Chaney film The Hunchback of Notre Dame, where theyd been working, but outside a downtown casting office whose slick practices had already been investigated by The Times.

Hundreds of extras had been told theyd be paid $5 a day, but when they showed up to collect, they heard the pay was now $3, and if they didnt accept it, theyd be blackballed. When they made their feelings known, the management called police to report that a bunch of Wobblies  members of the activist IWW union  were making trouble. Well, even the head of the police Wobbly squad  yes, the LAPD had one  said the crowd was no such thing.

In any case, a security guard blasted off six shots and wounded five people. Luckily for him, the police hauled him off to safety as the short-changed and shot-up crowd began to pull at the man and holler, Lynch him!

The papers gave days of coverage to a February 1927 off-screen shootout at Universal between two movie cowboys who had been enemies since their days on the trail in Texas before World War I.

Early stories painted George Emerson and George Scotty Wonderly facing off like gunslingers settling a grudge on a studio street.

Some writer of purple prose delivered this account in The Times: The roar of two .45s crashed against the wooden [store]fronts and two jets of light cut the gloom of the storm. ... Emerson staggered, twisted slowly, and fell. Wonderly, his gun whirling into the mud and a bleeding gash in his right hand, reeled against a hitching rack in front of the Last Chance Saloon.

In fact, Emerson was a lion trainer at the studio zoo, and Wonderly worked with animals there too. He said he only fired after Emerson tried to shoot him. The preliminary hearing was held, dramatically, at Emersons bedside at Queen of Angels hospital. He testified that the two had argued over the mundane matter of who would put a mat under an elephant when Wonderly got a .45 from the trainers quarters and came running toward me. Then I felt a thump against my heart and I passed out. Wonderly pleaded guilty, and Emerson besought compensation under state law.

The passive voice was expertly employed in 1939, for an incident in the making of Hotel Imperial, a World War I-themed Paramount movie shot on the eve of World War II. Stuntman Jack Woody, the ex-husband of popular actress Helen Twelvetrees, got shot in the cheek by a blank in a scene where he wrestled with an actors double. A revolver was discharged, wrote The Times laconically. (The films star, Actor Ray Milland, was hospitalized for a fortnight after he was thrown from his horse.) Two years earlier, Woody had been hit in the neck by a ricochet while making Thank You, Mr. Moto. In both instances, he returned matter-of-factly to work.

And of course it was news in 1933 when Andy Devine, the comic-sidekick actor with the voice like an unoiled hinge, was off work for a few days after a gun accident: He dropped a .45 on his right foot while making a movie for Universal Studios and broke a toe.

The tourists and passersby who thronged the corner of Sunset and Gower on a February day in 1940 understandably thought they were watching a movie shootout scene on Gower Gulch near Columbia Pictures.

One movie cowboy chased down another whod been threatening him for years, and shot him to death in a parking lot. (Move that forward 75 years, and imagine the YouTube views.)

Jerome Blackjack Ward reenacted it all for the cops in the jailhouse. John Tyke had just gotten out of jail  again  and he was pesterin me and wantin to fight. Tyke swore to beat Ward to death or cut out his heart with his knife. Outside the drugstore at Sunset and Gower, Tyke followed Ward and called me yellow and other dirty names.

Ward went to his car and picked up his picture work gun and said he started to drive off to a gig at another studio. Tyke stepped in front of his car, and Ward shot him through the windshield. Tyke took off running, and Ward went after him, still shooting.

Tyke fell, and Ward poured bullets into his body. A fellow named Yukon Jake  who was of course a wrestler and character actor himself  heard the zing of bullets and realized, This is no picture. This is real. He threw a wristlock on Ward, who managed to wrench free and drive off before he was cornered by the cops not far away.

When no weapon turned up on Tyke, things looked bad for Ward, but what got him off on self-defense was another moment straight out of the movies.

As the Reno Gazette reported, Yukon Jake came into court with a pearl-handled knife that another witness said he recognized as Tykes. Yukon Jake had, the day after the shooting, taken his Doberman for a walk around the crime scene and the dog sniffed out the knife. I didnt think nothing of it at the time and stuck it in my pocket and tossed it in with my fishing tackle, recounted Yukon Jake, until the matter came to court.

There was solidarity among cowboy actors. A news photo showed a crowd of them showing up in their 10-gallon hats calling out, Were with ya, pard to Ward. The Waterloo, Iowa, Daily Courier wrote that the Gower Gulch cowboys put out a statement about how menacing Tyke had been for years. He was always working himself out of jobs because he was so mean. ... He has forced his way into our homes and forced us to feed him and made a practice of slapping us around on the street. Somebody had to do something about it, and it turned out to be Ward. ... Blackjack is a tough old cowboy, but we're all for him."

All those bystanders thought they were watching Ward and Tyke acting in a movie. But Erlina Ardoin didnt recognize a movie scene when she saw one.

In 1974 she was driving by a bank at the intersection of Washington Boulevard and 4th Street at the moment when actors staging a bank robbery for the movie Darktown Strutters came bursting out of the doors firing machine guns.

Ardoin, who had moved here from Texas not long before, thought she was seeing a real bank heist. She dived down below her dashboard and her car went out of control. It hit three other cars and nine people, most of them there to watch the movie shoot. Three years later, the case was settled with payouts by the film company.

In the spring of 1971, only about three dozen people were on hand for a dress rehearsal of an amateur production of Oliver! at Bakersfield Colleges desert campus. One of the stars was Wayne Carpenter. He was a physicist at the China Lake Naval Weapons Center, and was playing the villainous Bill Sikes.

In the climactic scene, the killer Sikes is trying to escape over Londons rooftops when a policeman shoots him twice. Carpenter fell to the stage floor and the rehearsal went on. Not until Carpenter moaned did everyone realize he had been shot in the chest. The Marine playing the police officer had been using his own gun with homemade blanks. Authorities said a fragment of bullet left behind in one of the blanks had been enough to kill Carpenter.

Heres an only-in-the-movies finale:

In Charles Dickens 1838 novel Oliver Twist, Sikes climbed onto a roof and looped a rope noose around his torso to lower himself to safety. When he imagines he sees the staring eyes of the lover he just murdered, he slips and hangs himself  a fine bit of Victorian crime and punishment.

Only in the movie script versions a hundred-plus years afterwards  including the musical Oliver!  is Sikes killed by another mans hand. By a gun.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Benjamin Obadiah Foster. (Grants Pass Police Department via AP)

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP)  A suspect in a violent kidnapping in Oregon died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound Tuesday night after being taken into custody following a standoff with law enforcement, a police spokesman said.

Grants Pass Police Department Lt. Jeff Hattersley told KTVL-TV that Benjamin Obadiah Foster, 36, died at a hospital hours after he was taken into custody in Grants Pass, Oregon.

Foster barricaded himself under a house as officers from four agencies concentrated in the area, set up a command post and assembled a SWAT team while attempting to secure his surrender beginning Tuesday afternoon.

Just before 8 p.m., Hattersley said the situation had been resolved but did not immediately confirm whether Foster had been arrested. Police later confirmed Foster was in custody, but a little more than an hour later said he had succumbed to his injuries.

Hattersley said authorities received credible information that Foster had entered the home where a woman was found unconscious, bound and near death on Jan. 24, The Daily Courier reported. She was hospitalized in critical condition.

Spotted Tuesday morning walking a dog

As police gathered at the home where Foster was located, some area residents received a notification to shelter in place, the Daily Courier reported.

Foster was spotted Tuesday morning walking a dog in the Grants Pass area, according to a Grants Pass Police Department Facebook post.

Last Thursday, law enforcement raided a property in the unincorporated community of Wolf Creek, but Foster, who had been staying on family property there, slipped away. Forested mountains surround the community, but investigators believe that instead of disappearing solo into the wilderness, Foster had help getting out of the area.

Grants Pass is a town of some 40,000 in southwest Oregon next to Interstate 5.

In 2019, before moving to Oregon, Foster held his then-girlfriend captive inside her Las Vegas apartment for two weeks. He initially was charged with five felonies, including assault and battery, and faced decades in prison upon conviction.

Foster reached a deal with Clark County prosecutors in August 2021 that allowed him to plead guilty to one felony count of battery and a misdemeanor count of battery constituting domestic violence.

A judge sentenced him to up to 2 1/2 years in a Nevada prison. But after the 729 days he had spent in jail awaiting trial were factored into his punishment, Foster was left to serve less than 200 additional days in state custody.
Donald Trump pleaded the fifth more than 400 times while sitting for a deposition in New York Attorney General Letitia James civil fraud case, it has been revealed.

On Tuesday, AG James office released a video of Mr Trumps deposition from 10 August last year where he was questioned about an alleged sprawling financial fraud scheme where he and some of his adult children manipulated their worth to benefit from loans, tax breaks, and other benefits.

Mr Trump claimed that anyone in my position not taking the fifth amendment would be a fool, an absolute fool.

A Manhattan grand jury prepares to review evidence about the former presidents alleged hush payment to Stormy Daniels.

She offered a fierce blowback to Mr Trump whose attempt to ridicule the adult film star may have backfired as he seemingly appeared to acknowledge their alleged affair.

Ms Daniels thanked the former president for admitting to their alleged affair despite previously declaring that he never had an affair. She also mocked the one-time president for using wrong grammar in his Truth Social post.

Key Points

Trump pleaded the fifth more than 400 times in fraud case deposition

Donald Trump sues Bob Woodward and book publisher over interview tapes

Manhattan DA opens grand jury probe into Stormy Daniels payment

Ron DeSantis hits back at Trumps recent attacks

This Republican single mom wants the GOP to stop being a**holes to women. What will she do about it?

Trump claims war in Ukraine would have never started had I been president in upcoming interview

11:00 , Gustaf Kilander

BREAKING: New trailer for President Donald J. Trump's first one-on-one interview of 2023 



The full interview premieres on RSBN Thursday, Feb. 2, at 8:00 p.m. EST https://t.co/W9MyRoEpyA pic.twitter.com/Cf8XE3UTbP  RSBN  (@RSBNetwork) February 1, 2023

VIDEO: JD Vance calls Trump foreign policy most cautious and careful in a generation

10:00 , Gustaf Kilander

.@JDVance1: President Trump led the most cautious and the most careful foreign policy weve had in this country in a generation.



This is why the D.C. establishment hates the guy, because they make a lot of money from broke American foreign policy.pic.twitter.com/KyCPnrlz7n  Liz Harrington (@realLizUSA) February 1, 2023

Top Dem on House intel seeks briefings on classified records

09:00 , The Associated Press

The new top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee on Wednesday called for more information about the classified records discovered in the private possession of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.

Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut was named the committees ranking member Wednesday by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Along with Ohio Rep. Mike Turner, the committees new Republican chairman, Himes will lead a panel that has been split by highly political fights in a break from its traditionally quieter oversight of the U.S. spy agencies.

Turner and the leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee have in recent weeks pushed the White House to share more in private about the classified material found. The U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence has declined to comment on its review of classified material, which is also the subject of multiple Justice Department investigations.

Theres a strong bipartisan concern that Congress is not being briefed on even preliminary reviews of classified information that might have been exposed, Himes said in an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press. Thats wrong. Thats wrong as a matter of law.

The intelligence committees already face several major tests this year, from multiple discoveries of top leaders keeping classified documents to the fight over whether to renew foreign surveillance powers used by the FBI, National Security Agency and other spy agencies.

Read more:

Top Dem on House intel seeks briefings on classified records

Republican-led panel targets COVID relief dollars for review

08:00 , The Associated Press

House Republicans on Wednesday began their promised aggressive oversight of the Biden administration, focusing on what watchdogs described as indications of widespread fraud in federal coronavirus aid programs initiated under President Donald Trump.

GOP lawmakers complained that too little attention was paid to the problems when Democrats controlled Congress. Democrats blamed the Trump administration for much of the mess.

More than 1,000 people have pleaded guilty or have been convicted on federal charges of defrauding the myriad COVID-19 relief programs that Congress established in the early days of the pandemic. More than 600 other people and entities face federal fraud charges.

But thats just the start, according to investigators who testified as the House Oversight and Accountability Committee held its first hearing in the new Congress on fraud and waste in federal pandemic spending. Congress approved about $4.6 trillion in spending from six coronavirus relief laws, beginning in March 2020, when Trump was in the White House and including the $1.9 trillion package that Democrats passed in the first months of the Biden presidency.

We owe it to the American people to get to the bottom of the greatest theft of American taxpayer dollars in history, said Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., the committee chairman.

Read more:

Republican-led panel targets COVID relief dollars for review

Trump starts 3rd White House bid lagging in campaign cash

07:00 , The Associated Press

Former President Donald Trumps political operation started the year with about $25 million socked away for his recently launched 2024 presidential campaign, a sum that is substantially less than what he had on hand just one year ago, new campaign finance reports show.

The diminished sum, which is spread out across four campaign committees, is far less than the $105 million that Trump reported at the start of 2022. It speaks to the potential challenges for Trump as he mounts his third bid for the presidency facing what is likely to be a crowded field of GOP candidates who will also be vying for campaign cash from the partys donors.

Across his political committees, including his main campaign account, Trump raised $9.5 million since launching his bid on Nov. 15, according to his campaign, a far cry from the gargantuan sums his campaign boasted of raising in a matter of days  or even hours  back when he was still president.

Read more:

Trump starts 3rd White House bid lagging in campaign cash

Former Obama speechwriter blasts Trump for promoting rants from other old men promising violence

06:15 , Gustaf Kilander

The GOP primary has just begun and Trump is already promoting rants from other old men promising violence if hes not installed as president. https://t.co/vXSVwWs9hS  Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) February 1, 2023

Trump calls for all parties involved to pursue a peaceful end to the war in Ukraine'

05:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Now Biden is doing what he said 10 months ago would lead to World War III, he is sending in American tanks.



It is far past the time for all parties involved to pursue a peaceful end to the war in Ukraine. - President Donald J. Trumppic.twitter.com/7JUDQQsQ4K  Liz Harrington (@realLizUSA) February 1, 2023

Trump goes after DeSantis in Truth Social rant: The real Ron is a RINO GLOBALIST'

04:45 , Gustaf Kilander

Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday that the real Ron DeSantis is a RINO GLOBALIST, who closed quickly down Florida and even its beaches. Loved the Vaccines and wasted big money on Testing. How quickly people forget!

Mr Trump has previously told his supporters to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

Mr Trump was responding to a user on the platform who wrote, President Trump will destroy DeSantis in the primary.

Conservative judge and Jan 6 panel witness believes Trump will be indicted

04:00 , Gustaf Kilander

The conservative judge and January 6 panel witness Michael Lutting told The Washington Post in a piece published Tuesday that he believes Mr Trump will be indicted, saying that he sees ample evidence of crimes.

What Nixon did was just an ordinary crime, the judge told the paper, referring to the Watergate scandal. What Trump has done is quite arguably the worst crime against the United States that a president could commit.

Trump calls US-Mexico border Southern Border Death Machine'

03:15 , Gustaf Kilander

Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday morning that our Southern Border Death Machine is 20 times worse today than at any time in the history of our Country, and it is only getting worse. Just two years ago, we were GOLD, the best in U.S. History. SAD!

Trump says only thing that can save cable news is him in the White House again

02:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Mr Trump took to Truth Social to argue that the only thing that can save cable news is him being in the White House again.

Its an incredible and very beautiful thing to watch. After all these years, the purveyors of Fake News are being CRUSHED in the Ratings, he wrote on Wednesday morning. Be careful FoxNews, your numbers are WAY down also  heading in the wrong direction. You dont want to be another Fake News CNN or MSDNC. Their FINISHED! Sorry to say, but the only thing that can save them is the Trump Presidency. I told them that a long time ago, but they just wouldnt listen!

Top House Democrat slams Trump for relationship with Kim Jong-Un

01:45 , Gustaf Kilander

Jim McGovern on GOP bill denouncing socialism: "'We denounce Kim Jong Un.' Well, not all of us actually. Because in fact, if I remember correctly, it was the leader of the Republican Party, Donald Trump, who said he fell in love with him ... why is Putin left out?" pic.twitter.com/APaJkreVJG  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 1, 2023

McGovern: "You know what's funny is that the same Republicans who decry anything that government does as socialism never seem to have a problem when it comes to huge handouts for billionaire corporations. They want socialism for the rich but capitalism for the poor." pic.twitter.com/cE4whxLtop  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 1, 2023

Former Rep Adam Kinzinger goes after Trump for taking the fifth 400 times

01:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Former Illinois Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger went after Donald Trump after a video was leaked revealing that the former president repeatedly used the Fifth Amendment to avoid answering questions during a deposition in August.

The mob takes the Fifth. If youre innocent, why would you take the Fifth Amendment? -- Donald J. Trump



NOW:

Trump takes the Fifth Amendment 400 times. pic.twitter.com/DDqYRcG53B  Adam Kinzinger #fella (@AdamKinzinger) February 1, 2023

Trump goes after Morning Joe as he claims ratings have gone down the drain'

00:15 , Gustaf Kilander

Mr Trump went after Morning Joe on Wednesday morning, claiming that the MSNBC shows ratings have gone down the drain.

Wow! Ratings on my former friends show, Morning Joe, with his calm, steady, and lovely wife, Mike, have really gone down the drain. I know them both very well. Theyll probably be back, its only a question of is it too late? Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social, referring to hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski.

GOP congressman compares TV provider dropping Newsmax to Holocaust

Wednesday 1 February 2023 23:45 , Andrew Feinberg

When Republican members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday took to the floor of their chamber for an hour-long airing of grievances in support of a GOP-friendly cable news channel, one of them decided it would be appropriate to compare the satellite television carriage dispute to the murder of six million Jews during the Holocaust.

Eric Burlison, a freshman representative who was sworn in as the House member for Missouris 7th District less than a month ago, first compared DirecTVs decision to cease carrying the right-wing Newsmax channel to an aborted Department of Homeland Security effort to combat disinformation, and suggested the satellite television provider was abusing special privileges the government has granted it.

Late last month, DirecTV ceased carrying the signal of the pro-Trump outlet after the carriage agreement between Newsmax and the satellite provider expired. Newsmax, which previously granted DirecTV the right to carry the channel free of charge, had demanded a new agreement under which the company would be charged for the right to beam the channel into subscribers homes.

Read more:

GOP congressman compares TV provider dropping Newsmax to Holocaust

New York attorney general seeks sanctions after Trump caught lying in court documents

Wednesday 1 February 2023 23:15 , Andrew Feinberg

New York Attorney General Letitia James has asked the judge overseeing her $250m fraud lawsuit against Donald Trump, his three eldest children, and their eponymous real estate company to sanction the Trumps and their attorneys for demonstrably false statements made in a verified response to her complaint.

Ms James office cited denials of basic facts and statements that contradicted what the Trumps had said in other court filings and appearances in a letter to New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron seeking sanctions against the defendants and their attorney, Alina Habba.

Defendants falsely deny facts they have admitted in other proceedings, they deny knowledge sufficient to respond to factual allegations that are plainly within their knowledge, and they propound affirmative defenses that have been repeatedly rejected by this Court as frivolous and without merit, she said.

Read more:

New York attorney general seeks sanctions after Trump caught lying in court documents

Trump mentions George Soros as he blasts Manhattan DA amid hush-money probe

Wednesday 1 February 2023 22:15 , Gustaf Kilander

Mr Trump mentioned financier George Soros as he criticized Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg amid the probe into the hush-money payment to adult actor Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign.

Ms Daniels alleged that she had had an affair with Mr Trump in 2006, the year after he married former First Lady Melania Trump.

When Soros backed Alvin Bragg attained the office of Manhattan District Attorney, he received great praise from large circles of people for dropping some of the most ridiculous Witch Hunt type cases ever looked at by that office, Mr Trump claimed on Wednesday morning shortly before 7am.

Now some Radical Left crazies, coupled with ratings crushed and failing Fake News, are trying to get him to go the Prosecutorial Misconduct route, and take on certain very weak cases which are dead anyway based on the Statute of Limitations. FIGHT VIOLENT CRIME! he wrote on Truth Social.

VIDEO: Trump pleads the 5th Amendment in fraud deposition

Wednesday 1 February 2023 21:45 , Gustaf Kilander

Trump endorses Jim Banks in Indiana Senate race

Wednesday 1 February 2023 21:15 , Gustaf Kilander

Donald Trump endorsed Jim Banks in the Indiana Senate race on Wednesday morning.

Jim Banks is running for the United States Senate from the Great State of Indiana. I know Jim well, have seen him tested at the highest and most difficult levels, and WIN! he wrote on Truth Social shortly after 6am. Strong on the Border, Crime, our Military and our Vets, Jim will fight for low taxes and regulations, Sanity in Government, and our under siege 2nd Amendment. Jim Banks is respected by all, will never let you down, and has my Complete & Total Endorsement!

Trump blasts Biden: Wrong, and not even close. Nuclear War is the biggest threat!

Wednesday 1 February 2023 20:45 , Gustaf Kilander

Donald Trump went after President Joe Biden on Tuesday night after the president said the climate crisis is the biggest threat facing humanity, including nuclear war.

At a Democratic National Committee fundraiser in New York City on Tuesday, Mr Biden said in a speech that if we dont stay under 1.5 degrees Celsius, were going to have a real problem. Its the single-most existential threat to humanity weve ever faced, including nuclear weapons.

And so we have a real big problem, he added, arguing that he inherited an America First foreign policy from Mr Trump which in actuality had placed America last.

Wrong, and not even close. Nuclear War is the biggest threat! Mr Trump responded on Truth Social.

Trump says he got 1.2 Million Votes MORE than Ron DeSanctimonious in Florida

Wednesday 1 February 2023 20:15 , Gustaf Kilander

Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Tuesday evening to blast Florida Governor Ron DeSantis amid their ongoing feud.

Remember, I was 233-20 in the Midterms, and got 1.2 Million Votes MORE than Ron DeSanctimonious in the Great State of Florida. Also, 12 Million MORE Votes in 2020 than in 2016, and Won! the former president said, repeating his false claim that he won the 2020 election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.

VIDEO: Michael Cohen says he handed over cell phones to manhattan DA in Trump hush-money probe

Wednesday 1 February 2023 19:45 , Gustaf Kilander

JD Vance endorses Trump for 2024 nomination

Wednesday 1 February 2023 19:15 , Gustaf Kilander

Freshman Ohio Republican Senator JD Vance endorsed Mr Trumps 2024 campaign in an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday.

Mr. Trump did more than simply keep the peace. He brokered the Abraham Accords, a historic agreement between Israel and Sunni Arab states providing the best hope of a long-term counterbalance to Iran, he wrote in the piece.

He began the long, slow process of decoupling the U.S. from its economic reliance on China. He opened diplomatic talks with North Korea after a half century of stagnation, Mr Vance added.

Anybody can run: GOP senators downplay possibility of Trump coronation in 2024

Wednesday 1 February 2023 18:45 , Gustaf Kilander

Republican Senators are arguing that there should be a wide range of options in the 2024 primary and not a coronation of the former president to run for a third time.

Anybody can run, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, a possible 2024 candidate, said, according to The Hill.

South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds said would be healthy to have lots of folks considering the race.

His fellow South Dakota senator, the Republican Whip John Thune, said the feud between Mr Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is going to be between the two of them.

But he also said that if people feel compelled or called to run for the White House, thats their prerogative, its a free country.

Mr Trump has argued that it would be disloyal of Mr DeSantis to mount a campaign against him.

There are no Trump policies without Donald Trump: Lindsey Graham defends record of former president

Wednesday 1 February 2023 18:15 , Gustaf Kilander

South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham came to the defence of Mr Trump over the weekend, arguing during a campaign event for the former president that he deserves more credit for what he did in office.

How many times have you heard: We like Trump policies, but we want somebody new? Mr Graham said, according to The Hill.

There are no Trump policies without Donald Trump, he added.

Trump fuels DeSantis feud by posting video of Florida governor saying he wants to be like Paul Ryan: Wow

Wednesday 1 February 2023 17:45 , Gustaf Kilander

Donald Trump has escalated his feud with Ron DeSantis by posting a video of the Florida governor in which he says wants to be like former House Speaker Paul Ryan, whose now a Trump critic.

Mr Trumps only comment on the footage, which was posted on his Truth Social page on Tuesday, was wow!

I would be somebody who would be different, I think you see that Ive been recognized nationally as being somebody who would be different, who would be a leader, who could be somebody like a Paul Ryan very quickly, Mr DeSantis says in the footage.

Following Mr Trumps criticism of his handling of the pandemic, Mr DeSantis responded to the former president on Tuesday by noting that he was reelected while Mr Trump wasnt.

I roll out of bed, I have people attacking me from all angles, its been happening for many, many years, Mr DeSantis said during a press briefing in Bradenton, south of Tampa. The good thing is, is that the people are able to render a judgment on that whether they reelect you or not. And Im happy to say, you know in my case, not only did we win reelection, we won with the highest percentage of the vote that any Republican governor candidate has had in the history of the state of Florida ... That verdict has been rendered by the people of the state of Florida.

Read more:

Trump posts video of DeSantis saying he wants to be like Paul Ryan

VIDEO: Former South Carolina Governor and Ambassador Under Trump, Nikki Haley, Set to Announce 2024 GOP Candidacy

Wednesday 1 February 2023 17:15 , Gustaf Kilander

Its not a matter of disloyalty: GOP Senator pushes back on Trumps 2024 primary argument

Wednesday 1 February 2023 16:45 , Gustaf Kilander

Wyoming Republican Senator Cynthia Lummis defended Ron DeSantis and argued that it wouldnt be disloyal for him to run for president in 2024, despite recent comments from Mr Trump arguing that it would be.

I expect to see a number of Republican candidates for president and a number of them had President Trumps endorsement so I dont see it as an act of disloyalty to run for president, even people on the presidents cabinet may get in this race, she told The Hill, referring to Mr Trumps 2018 endorsement of Mr DeSantis when he ran for the Florida governorship.

So, its not a matter of disloyalty, she added. The person who best articulates a future agenda for the country will emerge from [the] Republican primary and its not a foregone conclusion who that will be.

GOP Senator barely stifles laugh when asked if 2024 DeSantis campaign would be disloyal to Trump

Wednesday 1 February 2023 16:15 , Gustaf Kilander

On his plane this weekend while making campaign trips to New Hampshire and South Carolina, Mr Trump argued that he got Florida Governor Ron DeSantis into the governors mansion by supporting him in 2018. Mr DeSantis previously served in the US House from 2013 until 2018.

So then when I hear he might run, I consider that very disloyal. But its not about loyalty, but to me it is, its always about loyalty, but for a lot of people its not about loyalty, he told reporters.

Following the criticism from Mr Trump, GOP Senators defended Mr DeSantis and his possible 2024 campaign.

Texas Senator John Cornyn commented on a possible DeSantis campaign, telling The Hill that he ran an impressive reelection campaign for governor from an important state. It looks to me like hes polling well. I think we need some new blood and I think hed probably qualify.

The outlet noted that Mr Cornyn barely stifled a laugh when asked if it would be disloyal for Mr DeSantis to run.

No, no, I dont think so, he said.

Donald cannot keep track of the lies that he tells, Michael Cohen says

Wednesday 1 February 2023 15:45 , Gustaf Kilander

Video footage was recently released showing Mr Trump in a deposition at the office of the New York attorney general in August, in which he used the Fifth Amendment to avoid answering questions more than 400 times, according to CNN.

Donald cannot keep track of the lies that he tells, and so, what better way to stop a fool from being deposed and hurting himself further than to tell him to plead the Fifth at least 400 times, his former fixer Michael Cohen told the network on Wednesday.

VIDEO: Michael Cohen says he handed over his phones to Manhattan DA in hush-money investigation

Wednesday 1 February 2023 15:15 , Gustaf Kilander

Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen tells @donlemon he handed over his cell phones to Manhattan prosecutors zeroing in on Trump Org's involvement in hush-money payments to Stormy Daniels.



Their full interview: pic.twitter.com/N5Jb7DLZZE  CNN This Morning (@CNNThisMorning) February 1, 2023

Michael Cohen says he handed over cell phones to Manhattan DA in Trump hush-money probe

Wednesday 1 February 2023 14:45 , Gustaf Kilander

Michael Cohen, Donald Trumps former personal lawyer and fixer, has said that he has handed over his cell phones to the Manhattan District Attorneys office.

Cohen made the revelation on CNN on Wednesday morning.

He met with New York prosecutors last month as the DAs office is focusing on the Trump Organizations role in the hush-money payment made to adult actor Stormy Daniels in connection to the former presidents 2016 campaign for the White House.

Most recently, they asked for my cell phones because they want to be able to extract from it the voice recordings that I had had with Keith Davidson, former attorney to Stormy Daniels before Michael Avenatti, as well as a bunch of emails, text messages and so on, Cohen told CNN on Wednesday morning.

Read more:

Michael Cohen says he handed over cell phones to Manhattan DA in hush-money probe
FILE - Ships are docked offshore in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, Nov. 24, 2018. The United States opened an embassy in the Solomon Islands on Thursday in its latest move to counter China's push into the Pacific. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP)  The United States opened an embassy in the Solomon Islands on Thursday in its latest move to counter China's push into the Pacific.

The embassy is starting small, with a charge daffaires, a couple of State Department staff and a handful of local employees. The U.S. previously operated an embassy in the Solomon Islands for five years before closing it in 1993 as part of a global reduction in diplomatic posts after the end of the Cold War.

But China's bold moves in the region have the U.S. seeking to increase its engagement in a number of ways, such as by donating COVID-19 vaccines, bringing back Peace Corps volunteers to several island nations, and investing in forestry and tourism projects.

The opening of the embassy in the Solomon Islands comes as Fiji's new leader, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, appears to be reassessing some aspects of his nation's engagement with China. Rabuka told The Fiji Times last week he planned to end a police training and exchange agreement with China.

The U.S. State Department notified lawmakers early last year that Chinas growing influence in the region made reopening the Solomon Islands embassy a priority. Since then, the Solomons has signed a security pact with China, raising fears of a military buildup in the region, and the U.S. has countered by sending several high-level delegations.

The Solomon Islands switched allegiance from the self-ruled island of Taiwan to Beijing in 2019, threatening the close ties with the U.S. that date back to World War II.

We are seeing this bond weaken as the Peoples Republic of China aggressively seeks to engage Solomon Islands political and business elites, utilizing a familiar pattern of extravagant promises, prospective costly infrastructure loans, and potentially dangerous debt levels, the department said in a December notice to Congress that was obtained by The Associated Press.

A senior State Department official who insisted on anonymity to brief the media said the U.S. had been encouraged by the Solomon Islands' commitment to continue working with traditional security partners such as Australia and the U.S., but remained concerned about the secrecy surrounding the security agreement with China.

He said any type of militarization in the Pacific by China would be a great concern.

The official said the U.S. had yet to have deep conversations with the new Fijian leadership so it was too early to tell if the move on policing signaled a change in direction for Fiji on China.

The Fijian government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


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A man speaks on the phone besides farming equipment during a launch ceremony in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Jan. 31, 2023. (Photo by Shaun Jusa/Xinhua)

HARARE, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Belarus has offered Zimbabwe more agricultural machinery including tractors and combine harvesters after the two countries signed several memorandums during a state visit to Zimbabwe by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.

Lukashenko arrived in Zimbabwe on Monday for his first visit to Sub-Saharan Africa at the invitation of Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The two leaders presided on Tuesday over the signing of eight Memorandums of Understanding regarding cooperation on agricultural machinery supply and others to further deepen bilateral relations.

Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe seeks to benefit from Belarus' developed agricultural and manufacturing sectors.

"We have already begun benefiting from the mechanization from Belarus. We now wish to further this cooperation to extend to other aspects of the economy like our mining sector, and our tourism," he said.

Lukashenko said Belarus is keen to work with Zimbabwe for the benefit of the local people.

Belarus has provided Zimbabwe with agricultural equipment such as tractors and combine harvesters following Mnangagwa's visit in 2019.

The mechanization of Zimbabwe's agricultural sector has brought the country a record wheat harvest, making Zimbabwe wheat sufficient after decades of imports. 
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, ARMENPRESS The prestigious Canadian periodical The Hill Times published an extensive article about the reasons behind the blockade of Artsakh by Azerbaijan and the situation created in Artsakh as a result.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the office of the Minister of State of Artsakh, presenting the inhumane conditions created in Artsakh as a result of the blockade, the periodical writes that on January 25, the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations and International Development of the Canadian House of Commons convened two sessions to consider the topic of the blockade of the Lachin Corridor, in the framework of which professor at the University of Windsor Christopher Waters characterized the blocking of humanitarian aid to Artsakh as "de facto ethnic cleansing". The article also quotes committee members Heather McPherson and Jean-Pierre Godbout as saying that Canada should use its diplomatic channels at the UN to pressure Azerbaijan to open the Lachine Corridor.

According to the source, in the conversation with the periodical, Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan also called on Canada and the international community to put pressure on Azerbaijan and impose sanctions on the Azerbaijani government to open the Lachin Corridor. Ruben Vardanyan called for a "humanitarian air corridor" to provide supplies to Artsakh.

The Minister of State of Artsakh denied the data presented by Azerbaijan about traffic through the Lachin Corridor, noting that since December 12, only a few hundred trucks belonging to Russian peacekeepers and the International Committee of the Red Cross have passed through the Lachin Corridor. "For comparison, I should note that before the blockade, 800 to 1,000 trucks entered Artsakh per day," said Vardanyan, emphasizing that regular supplies of medicine, food, fuel and electricity ware suspended as a result of the blockade.

Our entire economy is shut down because we cannot bring any commercial vehicles, we cannot bring any resources or any materials for production or export any commodities that are produced here, Vardanyan explained, adding that due to the shortages of fuel and electricity, schools have also been forced to close.

Vardanyan is calling on Canada and the international community to pressure Azerbaijan to reopen the corridor. In the meantime, he called for the creation of an air corridor to fly in supplies to the region, and for sanctions on the government of Azerbaijan.

It is unacceptable in a winter to put 30,000 kids in a situation where they have no food, no education, and no electricity or gas, Vardanyan added. [Azerbaijan] needs to accept that there needs to be dialogue  this cannot be solved with a military solution or by squeezing 120,000 people from their own homeland in an ethnic cleansing.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, ARMENPRESS The recent attacks against Armenians and the Armenian Patriarchate were carried out by a handful of extremists who in no way represent the pluralistic and diverse Israeli society, ARMENPRESS reports Ambassador of Israel to Armenia Joel Lion wrote in Twitter.

These unfortunate events were carried out by a handful of extremists who in no way represent the pluralistic and diverse Israeli society. As showed by the immediate arrests of the suspects. The State of Israel is committed to freedom of religion and worship for all religions, the Ambassador wrote.

On January 28, the Armenian Taboon Wine Bar restaurant in Jerusalem was attacked by extremists.

On January 29, local Armenian priest, Father Aghan Gogchian, reported that in Jerusalem some people tried to climb the roof of the Armenian Patriarchate and remove the Crusader and Armenian state flags, as well as carried out two attacks on Armenians.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, ARMENPRESS US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has appointed Louis L. Bono Senior Advisor on the Caucasus Negotiations, ARMENPRESS reports, citing the statement of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

 In this capacity, Mr. Bono will work with regional leaders to advance the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan and to address Russias ongoing occupation of sovereign Georgian territory. Mr. Bono brings a wealth of multilateral and bilateral experience to the position, having served as Acting Representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency and the United Nations Offices in Vienna and Charge dAffaires, ad interim to the Holy See. He has also served as Director of the Basrah Regional Office, on the National Security Council, and as an advisor to the Deputy Secretary of State and to the Under Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs. He is retired from the Army Reserves, where he was an instructor at West Point and the Army War College.

The United States is committed to helping Armenia and Azerbaijan negotiate a comprehensive peace agreement, including a long-term political settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Mr. Bono will engage bilaterally, with likeminded partners, including the European Union, and with international organizations, such as the OSCE, to facilitate direct dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan. His appointment also reaffirms the importance the United States places on Georgias sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the role of the Geneva International Discussions on Georgia, the only international format addressing Russias ongoing occupation of 20 percent of Georgias territory, reads the statement.
Iran will not let the attack on the Defense Ministry's facility in Isfahan go unanswered, Mahmoud Abbaszadeh Meshkini, the spokesman for the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Iranian parliament, told Sputnik.

February 1, 2023, 11:59 Iran vows retaliation over drone attack on Isfahan

STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 1, ARTSAKHPRESS: On Saturday night, an explosion occurred in Isfahan's northern neighborhood. Authorities said that three mini-drones attacked one of the military enterprises of the Iranian Defense Ministry in the city, and one of them was successfully shot down by the air defense systems. No casualties were reported.

The same night, an explosion and subsequent fire occurred at an industrial oil production plant in the city of Azarshahr in northwestern Iran. A US media reported, citing US officials, that Israel was behind the drone attack.

Later, Ukrainian Presidential Adviser Mykhailo Podolyak hinted in a tweet that the recent attack on the Iranian defense facility in Isfahan and the explosion at the Azarshahr factory complex may be consequences of Tehran's support for Russia, writing: "[Ukraine] did warn you."

"The attack on Isfahan will not go unanswered," Meshkini said when asked whether Iran will respond to Podolyak's statement about Kiev's alleged involvement in the attack.

The lawmaker added that Kiev now does not allow itself to make more blatant actions against Iran as it knows what kind of response it will get from Tehran.

"They are very afraid. Because we do not joke with anyone," Meshkini said.

"In our opinion, they have said nothing unexpected. It is no surprise to us that the Ukrainian government is taking such a position because it simply has to take a position that is consonant with the hegemony of the West," the lawmaker said.

When asked whose side Tehran could take in a possible conflict with Kiev, Meshkini said that "the era of Western domination is over;" therefore, Tehran "will definitely not side with the Western world."

Western countries claim that Iran supplies military drones to Russia for its military operation in Ukraine. Moscow and Tehran have repeatdly rejected such allegations.
TOKYO, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Japan's benchmark Nikkei stock index reversed early gains to close flat Wednesday, as investors locked in gains and took a wait-and-see approach ahead of the outcome of the U.S. Federal Reserve's meeting later in the day.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average edged up 19.77 points, or 0.07 percent, from Tuesday to close the day at 27,346.88.

The broader Topix index, meanwhile, shed 3.04 points, or 0.15 percent, to finish at 1,972.23.

Local brokers said that stocks here rallied in early trade, on the back of Wall Street's overnight gains, following U.S. data showing a drop in the pace of labor costs contributed to the view that the Fed may slow the pace of its aggressive rate hikes.

"For the moment, the market's focus is on the outlook for monetary policy, and if the U.S. economy will have a soft or hard landing," Maki Sawada, a strategist at Nomura Securities, was quoted as saying.

As the Fed meeting outcome drew closer, however, with mixed views as to the future course of the central bank's monetary policy, investors, as with the previous session, opted to lock in gains rather than chase the market's upside higher, dealers here said.

"Investors are divided over the Fed's course of action after this meeting, as some say rate hikes will continue while others expect a pause in the next meeting and rate cuts later this year," Makoto Sengoku, senior equity market analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Institute, was quoted as saying.

Domestic firms' earnings reports and outlooks swayed investors one way or the another, market strategists said, regarding individual stocks.

Among these, semiconductor-testing device maker Advantest was a notable gainer, jumping 4.0 percent, after announcing a 60 percent rise in its net profit in the nine months ending December.

Chip-making equipment maker Screen Holdings, was another winner, climbing 5.1 percent, as was electronic component maker Alps Alpine, who finished 5.1 percent higher. The firms both reported solid earnings.

Tokyo Gas was the Nikkei's biggest winner, leaping 5.5 percent, after reporting robust financial results.

Conversely, housing materials maker TOTO was the market's biggest loser, tumbling 8.4 percent, after announcing disappointing earnings results, with Seiko Epson, an office equipment manufacturer, falling 5.8 percent, after reporting subpar earnings.

East Japan Railway's earnings results for the nine months ending December also disappointed investors, with the railway operator closing 3.0 percent lower.

By the close of play, marine transportation, mining, and insurance issues comprised those that gained the most.

Land transportation, glass and ceramics product, and construction issues, meanwhile, led notable decliners.

The turnover on the third trading day of the week came to 2,857.01 billion yen (21.97 billion U.S. dollars). 
Mr Anand was initially handed out a death sentence by a local court, but it was later commuted to life imprisonment by the high court

Many IAS officers are upset with the Bihar IAS Officers Associations silence at the state governments proposal to release former MP Anand Mohan from jail. Mr Mohan is serving a life term for the murder of the former district magistrate of Gopalganj G. Krishnaiah.

Sources say that the Nitish Kumar-led government has recently been dropping several hints that it is trying to seek the release of Anand Mohan, a prominent Rajput leader, due to political compulsions (read alliance partner RJD). Mr Anand was initially handed out a death sentence by a local court, but it was later commuted to life imprisonment by the high court. Although no member of the IAS association has come forward to speak on the issue, their silence has not gone down well among the babus.

The secretary of the association, Dipak Kumar Singh, however, has said that this is a government decision, and the association has no comment on it. But a former IPS officer Amitabh Kumar Das has strongly criticised the state IAS association for keeping mum on this sensitive matter and even called for it to be dissolved if it does not take up the issues of its members. Mr Anands release from jail would be an insult to the murdered IAS officer, he said. For now, it seems, that politics may end up trumping propriety in Bihar.

Punjab police becomes top heavy

The top tier of Punjabs police establishment is becoming increasingly crowded. The state may have the most officers in the rank of directors general of police (DGPs) in the country, after the Bhagwant Mann government promoted seven ADGPS to the rank of DGP, bringing the total to 13.

The state has also got its first women officers elevated to DGP rank. Gurpreet Deo, a 1993-batch IPS officer and the first woman IPS officer in Punjab Police, is also the senior-most among those promoted. Another woman IPS officer Shashi Prabha Dwivedi has also been promoted to DGP rank. Ms Deo was earlier holding the charge of additional director general of police, community affairs division and women affairs while Ms Dwivedi was posted as additional DGP, Railway.

Others who have been promoted to the rank of DGPs are chief director, vigilance bureau, Varinder Kumar, ADGP, human resource development, Ishwar Singh, ADGP, Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd, Jitendra Kumar Jain, ADGP, Police and Rules, S.K. Asthana and ADGP, internal security, R.N. Dhoke.

IPS officers have a vertical tenure-based promotion system in accordance with IPS cadre rules. Cadre management, however, varies from state to state. Anyone who has served 30, 25 and 18 years in service is eligible to become a DGP, ADGP and IG, respectively. Further, in Punjab, promotions are done promptly after a batch becomes eligible for a higher rank, whereas some states with stricter cadre management promote officers only when a vacancy arises in the cadre posts.

Sources have informed DKB that while adding more DGPs to the police, the state government has yet to recruit adequate personnel in the lower ranks, creating a top-heavy force and a peculiar imbalance affecting its functioning.

Yogis babus woo UK investors

Uttar Pradeshs senior bureaucrats led by the states finance minister and minister for parliamentary affairs, Suresh Kumar Khanna, visited the United Kingdom recently to woo global investors for the states Global Investors Summit to be held shortly.

Sources have informed DKB that Mr Khanna and his core team along with Indias consul general in Birmingham, Dr Shashank Vikram, have identified a roadmap and strategies to be followed to enhance trade and economic ties between the UK and UP.

Mr Khanna is ambitious with his plans as UPs vision is to become a $1 trillion economy. Towards this objective, the state government has provided a single window clearance for 25 sectors it has opened up for global investors. With the Yogi Adityanath government enjoying its second term in UP, there is political stability. But the moot point is will these roadshows in the UK following the US earlier, encourage global entrepreneurs to UP?

The answer to this holds the key to the Yogis political ambitions. The audacious goal of a trillion-dollar economy is seen as the blueprint for how Yogi can turn around UP's fortunes, and all ministers and babus are working hard to achieve it.
by Giorgio Bernardelli

Two years after the military coup, Ashin Mandalarlankara, a Theravada Buddhist monk, speaks about his experience. Currently enrolled in Romes Angelicum university, he is studying interfaith dialogue and exchange with people from other religious traditions at the John Paul II Center. In his country, people are suffering and want the religious not to stop at words but translate all this into concrete actions for peace.

Roma (AsiaNews)  Two years have passed since Myanmars military ousted the government of Aung San Su Kyi, brutally cracking down on protests in Yangon and the rest of the country, which AsiaNews has extensively covered.

Very quickly, early clashes have turned into a bloody all-out war, with almost 3,000 civilians killed, not to mention widespread destruction and a million and a half displaced people in regions ravaged by fighting between the military and local ethnic militias.

Ashin Mandalarlankara, a young Theravada monk, knows this all too well. A few months ago, he left Mandalay and moved to Rome with a special task: further study interfaith dialogue.

"In Myanmar, we have lived far too long without understanding each other, everyone in their own community. This, too, made conflict possible. And the military fanned the flames of these divisions."

Ashin is the first Buddhist selected by the John Paul II Center for Interreligious Dialogue, a partnership between the Russell Berrie Foundation (a Jewish institution) and the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (PUST), also known as the Angelicum, administered by the Dominican Order.

The Centers aim is to train leaders to work in their own countries for interreligious dialogue and peacebuilding. Each year, a dozen fellows are selected from all over the world to attend a special programme at the Angelicum.

Since the latter was established in 2008, about 130 young leaders from 40 countries have participated in its activities. This year, one of the chosen is a monk from Myanmar.

"For me it is not an easy challenge, Ashin said. The linguistic and cultural distance in studying monotheistic religions is tangible. I try to understand differences and similarities with Buddhism, without mixing things up. But, above all, this experience is helping me understand more about the other communities who live next to us Buddhists in Myanmar.

Dialogue is not a new experience for the young monk. Born in a small village, already he had the opportunity in Mandalay to nurture the desire to meet other religious traditions.

In 2015 he took part in another programme, in Vienna, promoted by the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID), an organisation supported by Saudi Arabia.

Once he returned to his country, he started outreach activities involving young Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, Hindus and Bahais.

Today, the fighting caused by the coup two years ago has made this issue even more sensitive.

"We had democracy, but the military held onto economic power," he explained. They also sought to manipulate religious leaders, Buddhist and others. The result is that secularisation advances  religions are less attractive among people and with this also goes their ability to unite people. This complicates the conflict even more.

For this reason, dialogue between communities is so important, to which he is particularly committed once he returns to Mandalay at the end of the academic year.

For Ashin, All religions speak of peace and compassion, and have a humanitarian perspective at the core of their teaching, but the point is not to stop at words but translate all this into concrete actions.

Islamophobia is one of the issues that must be addressed in his country; so do the close ties between those with power  whether the military or the many ethnic militias  and business groups interested in exploiting its resources.

People are angry and have a lot of questions about religion. Some wonder: What do religious leaders do? If our leaders stop only at understanding the sacred texts, the distance will only grow.

While, war victims have seen the doors of Buddhist monasteries open for them, the past two terrible years are inflicting a heavy legacy and psychological traumas on the country.

He expects that "there will be so much need to heal and it will take a lot of dialogue; this is a tall order waiting for him once his months in Rome are over.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

Extended 1,000 subsidy plan per disadvantaged family. Recipients can use the sum to start a business and become self-employed. The model is China's. However, waste is feared: many Kyrgyz only want the money without participating in work activities.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - Kyrgyzstan has decided to take strong measures to combat poverty at a time of severe economic crisis, also looking to the example of Chinese policies.

A subsidy of 100 thousand som (about 1,000 euros) will be distributed to 10 thousand needy families in 2023: the goal is to create an independent source of income. Last year a similar policy reached 2,800 families, and according to the authorities it proved very effective.

Kyrgyz economists and businessmen warn, however, that in order to truly give continuity to these projects, it is necessary to elevate the financial knowledge of citizens to prevent these funds from being wasted.

Various uplifting examples are cited in the local press, such as that of Almaz, a citizen of Biskek who managed to open a small business last year thanks to a grant called the "Social Contract."

As Almaz tells it, "We were already receiving a little monthly aid, but they told us that we could have 100 thousand som at once, without having the subsidy anymore, so I started buying fruits and vegetables and selling them in the markets, and I did quite well."

The money is tied to the business initiative: a business plan must be submitted, with the help of a special office, and if it works out you can get a new loan after three years, even doubling it to 200 thousand som with benefits in credit installments and opening a dedicated bank account.

Another inhabitant of the capital, Stalbek Isakov, with the money he received bought himself a Honda Civic in installments and started working as a taxi driver, greatly raising his standard of living: "After my wife's death I was left with two minor children and unemployed; I went through the whole rigmarole through 4-5 commissions, now I manage to pay the installments and have enough left to feed the whole family."

The Social Contract is offered to those already receiving survival benefits, which are suspended to stimulate work activities.

The pilot project was activated in 2021, with UN support, helping 50 families in the poor regions of Dzumgal and Kadamzaj, and then became a stable government measure last July 15.

According to data from the Ministry of Labor, 58 percent of the subsidy recipients engaged in agriculture, 24 percent in industry, 10 percent in services, and 7 percent threw themselves into small business.

The director of the department, NargizaTurkebekova, explained that "we pay great attention to the implementation of initiatives, down to the preparation of feed and veterinary visits for those who bought productive livestock."

Prime Minister Akylbek Zaparov announced that these programs will go ahead and be expanded, committing more than a billion of the state budget, with adjustments borrowed from the example of China, which carefully digitizes all data of the assisted and monitors poverty conditions with more detailed and personalized parameters.

"In China, much attention is paid to orphans, lonely people and pensioners, offering renovations and heating in homes, technologies for daily life. The authorities link these measures to the granting of the productive subsidy to one of the family members, which many are able to enjoy," the premier explained.

One group of beneficiaries of state support is women from the Nurluu kayrjmduu kyzdar association of young women entrepreneurs, which since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic has begun to help destitute people unable to defend themselves against the disease.

Chairwoman Inaat Nimatova warns that to make state aid truly effective, efforts must be made to train citizens: "In an orphanage in the Cujsky region, we placed 10 sewing machines and recommended that those in charge supervise the orphans around the clock. We stimulated them to learn a trade for life, but it did not work, most people just want to get free aid and do not want to make any effort to participate in social and work activities."

Yet women entrepreneurs assure that there are jobs: at least 5 thousand in the textile sector, if only "we could avoid throwing money invested to the wind."
by Melani Manel Perera

The Catholic Church rejects the former head of state's claims. He stated that he did not commit any mistakes that later led to the 2019 attacks. In recent weeks, the Supreme Court had ordered him to pay compensation to victims.

Colombo (AsiaNews) - Yesterday morning, former Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, apologizing to the country's Catholic community after being ordered by the Supreme Court to pay compensation to the victims of the 2019 Easter attacks, made it clear that the court ruling does not state that he during his tenure as head of state made a mistake that led to the attacks.

He notes that the judges found him guilty because of the negligence of the officials he appointed. "That is why the court imposed a fine of 100 million rupees [about 250,000 euros] on me," the former president said. "I accepted it respectfully and am trying to pay it as I can, with the help of my loved ones," he added.

In the terrorist raid, during which 269 people were killed and more than 500 injured, the bombers targeted several churches and some hotels with suicide attacks.

Today came the response from the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka: "Forgiveness is not a problem as Christians. But the problem is that we want to know the exact truth behind the Easter attacks. What was the purpose of these attacks and who exactly carried out this massacre to kill hundreds of innocent people," said Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando during a press conference at the Bishop's House in the capital.

"We reject and oppose the statements of the former president," the priest continued. "We believe there is a conspiracy behind the attacks, as stated by the attorney general. For the sake of the security of the people and the country, we must find out the truth."

On Sirisena's part, "to say that he was charged for the deeds done by his officials is misleading and are statements that distort the verdict of the Supreme Court, which is why we oppose his statements," stressed Fr. Gamini.

The spokesman went on to explain that "if the truth does not come out, we can expect more crimes like these from the authorities, who will try to gain and maintain power. Therefore, we must know the truth. That is our one and only main goal."
Today's headlines: U.S. sanctions Myanmar junta but invites generals to military exercises; Criticism of Malaysia premier for choosing his daughter as economic adviser; In India, protests continue over sexual harassment within the wrestling federation; Red Cross allowed passage of some wounded in Nagorno Karabakh.

LAOS

Three ministers were removed from their posts by the Lao National Assembly and replaced with officials closely associated with new Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, including some sons of former presidents. The removed ministers were instead demoted to the role of provincial governors. The reshuffle comes a month after Siphandone was appointed premier, replacing Phankham Viphavanh.

MYANMAR

The United States imposed new sanctions on Myanmar on the second anniversary of the Burmese military junta's coup, targeting mining and energy companies and the Election Commission under the generals. At the same time, however, Washington has invited the Burmese Defense Ministry to participate in military exercises on maritime security to be held later this month in conjunction with the Thai Navy.

MALAYSIA

After coming under widespread criticism for his daughter's appointment as Economic and Financial Adviser, Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has let it be known that her role will be limited. Nurul Izzah Anwar will not have the opportunity to enrich herself because she will not be paid and "will not have the power to directly take on or manage any project or procurement on her own," said the premier, who chose his daughter to "ensure the transparency of his administration."

INDIA

January saw unprecedented protests in India against Brij Bhushan Singh, president of the national wrestling federation and also a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentarian, who was accused of sexual harassment by several female athletes. In recent days, some of the country's most celebrated wrestlers have gathered near the Wrestling Federation of India's office in the capital Delhi, and despite the creation of a special commission of inquiry, the issue continues to have media prominence and is unlikely to be concluded quickly, experts say.

US - CHINA

According to the U.S. Trade Representative's office, China is a world leader in counterfeit and pirated goods, and the well-known WeChat app is said to be "one of the largest platforms for counterfeit goods." According to a report released yesterday The U.S. government identified 39 online and 33 physical marketplaces that reportedly engage in or facilitate substantial trademark counterfeiting or copyright piracy.

UK - SAUDI ARABIA

The U.K. High Court yesterday began considering a case brought by the Campaign Against Arms Trade over the export of arms to Saudi Arabia then used in Yemen. The group had already won a similar legal battle in 2019, when Court of Appeal judges ruled that continuing to license certain military equipment was illegal because the weapons could have been used to commit war crimes.

RUSSIA

Leaders of a College of Medical Studies in Novocerkassk, in Russia's Rostov province, expelled five native Caucasian female students who refused to remove the hijab with which they cover their heads, who plan to sue the school. Chechen President Kadyrov called such impositions "forms of Ukrainian fascism."

NAGORNO - KARABAKH

Thanks to the mediation of the International Red Cross, 19 people were transported through the Lacin corridor from Karabakh to Armenia to receive necessary treatment and reunite with their families, as communicated by the head of the Cri in Nagorno Karabakh, Eteri Musaelyan, 15 of whom are children, victims of a car accident.
Francis' appeal at Mass celebrated at Kinshasa airport before more than a million faithful in a country deeply wounded by conflict. "In a world discouraged by violence and war we repeat with Jesus: Peace be with you."

Kinshasa (AsiaNews) - An immense crowd, well over a million people from all over the Democratic Republic of Congo, attended Mass presided by Pope Francis this morning at the Ndolo airport area in Kinshasa in the highlight of the second day of his trip to Africa.

Before them - in this country deeply scarred by war, which in recent weeks has returned to sow blood and destruction in the east of the country - the pontiff resonated the Gospel passage of the Risen Lord's greeting to the disciples, "Peace be with you."

"Jesus," he commented in the homily of the liturgy, punctuated by the songs and rich colors of Africa, "proclaims peace while there is rubble in the hearts of the disciples, announces life while they feel death inside. Jesus' peace comes at the moment when everything for them seemed over, at the most unexpected and unexpected moment, when there were no glimmers of peace."

It is a moment that the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has been grappling with war for 30 years now, knows all too well like so many other wounded areas of the world today.

"We cannot allow sadness to prevail in us," the pope told the faithful, "we cannot allow resignation and fatalism to creep in. If there is this climate around us, let it not be so for us: in a world discouraged by violence and war, Christians do as Jesus did. He, almost insisting, repeated to the disciples: peace be with you; and we are called to make our own and tell the world this unhoped-for and prophetic proclamation of peace."

From Kinshasa Francis pointed to three "sources" from which to nurture peace: forgiveness, community and mission.

First of all, forgiveness: "It is not a matter of leaving everything behind as if nothing happened," he explains, "but of opening one's heart to others with love. This is what Jesus does: before the misery of those who have denied and abandoned him, he shows the wounds and opens the fountain of mercy. He does not use many words, but opens wide His wounded heart to tell us that He is always wounded with love for us."

Jesus knows your wounds, "continually infected by hatred and violence, while the medicine of justice and the balm of hope never seem to come." But He desires "to anoint us with His forgiveness to give us peace and the courage to forgive in turn, the courage to perform a great amnesty of the heart."

"May today be a time of grace to welcome and live Jesus' forgiveness," Pope Francis invited the Congolese. "May it be a propitious time for you, who carry a heavy burden on your heart and need it to be taken off to breathe again. And let this be a good time for you, who in this country call yourself a Christian but commit violence; to you the Lord says, 'Lay down your arms, embrace mercy.'"

He asked the faithful to remove the Crucifix from their necks and pockets, take it in their hands and bring it close to their hearts "to share your wounds with those of Jesus." "Let us give Christ the chance to heal our hearts, let us cast in Him the past, all fear and distress."

Along with forgiveness, the second source of peace is community: "The risen Jesus does not address individual disciples, but meets them together: he speaks to them in the plural. There is no Christianity without community, just as there is no peace without fraternity." He warned against the risk of "being together but going it alone, seeking in society, but also in the Church, power, career, ambitions."

He spoke of how "not to fall into the pitfalls of power and money, not to give in to divisions, to the enticements of careerism that corrode the community, to the false illusions of pleasure and witchcraft that lock one up in oneself."

The antidote, he explained, is "to have the courage to look at the poor and listen to them, because they are members of our community and not strangers to be erased from sight and conscience. To open one's heart to others, instead of closing it on one's own problems or vanities."

Finally, mission, because peace must also be proclaimed: "Christians, sent by Christ, are called by definition to be consciences of peace in the world," he concluded.

"Not only critical consciences, but above all witnesses of love; not pretenders of their own rights, but of those of the Gospel, which are fraternity, love and forgiveness; not seekers of their own interests, but missionaries of the foolish love that God has for every human being."
The interior of the Pitkin County Regional Emergency Dispatch Center is shown in this 2020 file photo. The center issued a PitkinAlert to its subscribers on Tuesday appealing to owners of certain smart-phone devices to update to the latest operating system.
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PHNOM PENH, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn will attend the 32nd ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) meeting and ASEAN Foreign Ministers' (AMM) retreat in Jakarta, a foreign ministry's statement said on Wednesday.

His attendance will be made at the invitation of Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, the statement said.

The ACC meeting, to be held on Feb. 3-4, will focus on the follow-up to the "ASEAN leaders' statement on the application of Timor-Leste for ASEAN membership" and the "Declaration on the Blue Economy," the statement said, adding that the ministers will also discuss the priorities in 2023.

At the AMM meeting, the ministers will deliberate the "recommendations on strengthening ASEAN's capacity and institutional effectiveness by the high-level task force on ASEAN Community's Post-2025 Vision," it said.

They will also exchange views on external relations, and regional and international issues of common interest and concern, it added.

Indonesia will lead the ASEAN process this year under the theme "ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth" to ensure ASEAN becomes a barometer of cooperation that contributes to peace, stability and prosperity of the region and the world.

ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. 
PA Woman Rejects Auto Companies' Attempts to Dismiss Claims

By Nicholas Malfitano, Pennsylvania Record

Published Feb. 1, 2023

Counsel for a Western Pennsylvania woman who suffered third-degree burns over 70% of her body in a motor vehicle crash more than two years ago has refuted denials of liability from two of the defendants named in the subsequent litigation.

Payton Renee Balogh of Homer City, PA, first filed suit in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas on Sept. 20 versus Mazda Motor Corporation of Hiroshima, Japan, Mazda Motor of America, Inc. in Irvine, CA, Starter Cars in Altoona, PA, and Sutliff Auto Group of Harrisburg, PA.

The suit said Balogh was injured Oct. 20, 2020, when she was driving a 2010 Mazda 3 on Airport Road in White Township, PA, and lost control. The car left the road, struck a partly buried concrete stanchion and rolled over onto its passenger side. A fire erupted, spreading smoke and fire into the car, where Balogh was trapped.

Before anyone could come to her rescue, Balogh was catastrophically burned over most of her body, the suit said.

The suit blamed the unsafe, carelessly-designed and defective design of the Mazda and its failure to be crashworthy, which allowed flammable liquids to leak and catch fire, and also trapped Balogh inside the burning car.

According to the suit, the defendants collective liability for the design and marketing of the vehicle directly caused Baloghs severe burn injuries.

The suit said Balogh suffered second- and third-degree burns on her head, face, chest, arms, legs and back in the accident, and has since suffered respiratory failure, sepsis, tachycardia and the amputation of all the fingers on her right hand, along with other physical, emotional and functional complications, requiring ongoing hospitalizations and rehabilitation.

On Nov. 18, counsel for both parties agreed to dismiss the claims for punitive damages without prejudice.

Balogh agreed to dismiss her claims on the condition that after the completion of discovery, her counsel may file a motion to reassert claims of punitive damages, and defendants may file preliminary objections with respect to the amended complaint.

Counsel for Starter Cars filed an answer in the case Jan. 6. While the company admitted it sold a Mazda that Balogh was a co-signer on, it denied the remaining allegations. Starter Cars further explained a number of the allegations were directed to other defendants, and thus would not respond to them.

Sutliff Auto Group followed up with its own answer Jan. 11. It denied it sold the Mazda to Balogh and/or her mother, but rather, Sutliff argued it received the vehicle as a trade-in at its now-closed Buick-GMC-Cadillac dealership, and then sold the vehicle to Starter Cars.

On Jan. 24, Baloghs counsel filed replies to both defendants answers.

These paragraphs state conclusions of law to which no response is required, the response said.

The response said Baloghs counsel demanded proof at trial of the allegations in the defendants answers.

For counts of strict products liability, negligence, gross negligence, wanton disregard and punitive damages, Balogh is seeking damages in excess of $50,000, plus interest and legal fees.

The plaintiff is represented by Larry Coben and Jo Ann Nieim of Anapol Weiss, in Scottsdale, AZ.

The defendants are represented by Gerard Cedrone and Jo E. Peifer of Lavin Cedrone Graver Boyd & DiSipio in Philadelphia, Philip J. Sbrolla and Christopher D. Gee of Post & Schell in Pittsburgh, plus Michael E. Lang of Margolis Edelstein, in Beaver, PA.

We thank Pennsylvania Record for reprint permission.
Chinese national killed in gunmen attack in Ethiopia

Xinhua) 09:37, February 01, 2023

ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- One Chinese national has been shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Ethiopia's Oromia region, the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia confirmed on Tuesday.

The incident happened on Monday evening when nine Chinese nationals were attacked in the Gebre Guracha town in the northern part of the Oromia region, about 160 km from Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. One of them was shot dead eventually, the embassy said in a statement.

Even though large-scale military conflicts have stopped in Ethiopia, ethnic and religious conflicts remain acute in some parts of the country. In the border areas between Oromia and other regions, in particular, armed attacks, kidnappings, robberies and other vicious cases have occurred frequently, causing a large number of casualties and posing high security risks.

The Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia called on Chinese citizens and institutions in the East African country to be vigilant, avoid negligence, build a strong security awareness, stay away from high-risk areas, and not travel to or pass through high-risk areas.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
MANILA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines is implementing measures to ensure the production of safe and high-quality durians and other tropical fruits for export to China, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said on Wednesday.

In a statement, the office said the Department of Agriculture, which Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos heads, is spearheading efforts to produce Grade-A durian for the Chinese market after the Philippines clinched a deal to export durians to China.

The agency oversees the ongoing registration of exporters, packing facility operators, and durian growers, with five licensed exporters, six licensed packing facility operators, and 65 registered durian growers registered in the southern Philippine Davao Region to date.

The government provides financial assistance and support to durian growers and farmer cooperatives.

As part of the strategy, the government will soon launch training sessions for quarantine officers, inspectors, and other stakeholders on durian pests and diseases. The training will include topics on cultural management to improve technical knowledge, further ensuring the quality of fresh durian for export to the Chinese market.

Marcos secured the deal during his visit to China in January.

After returning home, Marcos noted that agricultural cooperation between the two countries opens the door to greater trade opportunities.

The demand for durian is estimated to be higher than the 150 million U.S. dollars worth of exports during the first year of the implementation of the deal.

Some Chinese firms have already made purchase commitments for 2023.

The Department of Agriculture will continue to work closely with the General Administration of Customs of China to facilitate the virtual audit of additional packing facilities and farms.

The Philippines will export durian from an initial list of registered farms in major durian production areas of Davao City, Davao del Sur, and North Cotabato. The department will identify potential areas for expansion to sustain the durian export.

The deal is seen to generate at least 10,000 direct and indirect jobs. 
Photo: Ryse Aerotech

ATV

Photo: Ryse Aerotech

Photo: Ryse Aerotech

Make that this year: the Ryse Recon is eyeing a delivery timeline for later this year and, as of mid-January, is taking pre-orders from potential customers. We can all agree that eVTOLs are not flying cars, at least not in the sense imagined by the phrase, but theyre probably the second-best thing.Designed more like oversized drones with a capacity for one or two passengers, eVTOLs are at the crossroads between development and mass production, and will cross into the latter only once all legislative hurdles are cleared. Or if theyre cleared, to be more precise.Ryse Aerotech is a relatively new startup in this already-crowded segment of the market, but its already clocked several impressive achievements, the most recent being a successful appearance at the 2023 edition of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The Ryse Recon eVTOL was on site for display purposes and was also taken out for test flights to prove that the technology works as its intended to.On the occasion, a promotional video was shot, which you will see in full below. Featuring an Elvis Presley impersonator pilot, it flew over a short distance before landing in front of the CES convention hall. The King has landed pops up on the screen at the end of the video, to announce that competing eVTOLs are in for a good run.Shortly after the appearance, Ryse Aerotech opened up the reservations books for the aircraft, planning to offer the first units to clients in agriculture and sports. The Ryse Recon is described as anthat flies, in that its both highly versatile and customizable, and easy to operate. The latter is due to the fact that its lightweight, flies under a certain speed, and has plenty of redundancy and safety features, which means it can be operated by anyone of driving age, without the need for a pilots license.Put it differently, the Ryse Recon falls in FAAs ultralight category, so it can be flown by anyone with minimal training, which, in turn, makes it suitable for a large variety of activities, in different fields.The company plans to start by offering it to agriculture workers, as a vehicle for land survey and monitoring, but in time, it could be used as a search and rescue vehicle, for leisure, or even in urban environments as an alternative for the daily commute. For that to happen, though, it would have to be cleared to fly in public spaces , which brings us back to the legal hurdles mentioned above.For the time being, the Ryse Recon is, like the majority of other eVTOLs, a proposed toy for the rich  and that doesnt diminish its potential applicability in all the fields mentioned above. Specs listed on the official website mention that it can fly as high as 10,000 feet (3,048 meters), but that it will go no higher than 125 feet (38.1 meters) on the regular, given its limited range. Top speed is restricted at 63 mph (101 kph), while the estimated range is estimated at 25 miles (40 km), at a cruising speed of 35 knots (40.2 mph / 64.8 kph).Built with an aluminum open frame, the aircraft offers seating for just one person in a carbon fiber, kevlar breakaway safety seat: the aircraft weighs 286 lb (129.7 kg), while the operator must not be heavier than 250 lb (113.3 kg). It relies on six motors and propellers operated independently (for redundancy), coupled to removable batteries. The patent-pending system of batteries aims to compensate for the restrictive range, cutting short charging times to only the few minutes needed to swap the batteries for fresh ones. Operation is done by means of computer assistance and a pair of joysticks, and is guaranteed to be a smooth and easy one even in winds as strong as 22 knots (24.3 mph/40.7 kph). Safety features integrate GNSS/GPS and AHRS with degradation redundancy. For landing on land, the Ryse Recon relies on six fixed legs, with six outrigger floats for landing on water. Fixed wings will be added at a later point, to enhance range and usefulness of the aircraft.Ryse Aerotech plans to build 100 units this year at its production facility in Ohio, with the goal of ramping up production to 1,000 units in 2024. CEO Mick Kovitz recently told the media that the reservation system is a way to gauge interest in the aircraft and ensure a position in line to anyone interested in it, while keeping them in the loop with all the developments. So far, despite the amount of details shared, theres no mention of pricing, or as much as a close estimate.Ryse Recon will be on display at various shows in the U.S. in the summer of 2023.
Tesla is looking to expand its manufacturing footprint, and many countries are competing for the next gigafactory location . But besides wishful thinking, there is no concrete information about Teslas plans. If we were to believe the Mexican authorities, Tesla might setup up not one but two production facilities in the country. A gigafactory in Mexico makes a lot of sense, considering the local car manufacturing prowess and favorable labor costs. Nevertheless, the information coming from Mexicos official channels is often more confusing than revealing.Last December, Mexican authorities confirmed that Tesla was looking for a site to build a new production facility. This is our only reliable information, considering that Elon Musk met with Nuevo Leon Governor Samuel Garcia and U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar in October. After that, the official Mexican channels went gaga about the potential Tesla gigafactory. Things went so far as to announce that Tesla will break ground in the northern state of Nuevo Leon and invest $1 billion to produce a new affordable model.Nevertheless, an official announcement was never made, and Tesla filed its Form 10-K document with the SEC without mentioning further gigafactory plans. The document notes that Tesla intends to increase cost-competitiveness in our significant markets by strategically adding local manufacturing. The Nuevo Leon factory rumors were later dismissed, and Mexican officials admitted there was no deal signed or planned for the foreseeable future.Now, Mexican presidential spokesman Jesus Ramirez is telling the Mexican and international media that Tesla all but confirmed a production facility near New Mexicos newly opened Felipe Angeles airport (AIFA). Not only that, but Tesla would use the location to export directly by air, a statement that doesnt make much sense . Tesla usually uses sea and land routes to ship its vehicles and receive supplies.Tesla is looking at investing in that area to take advantage of AIFA, Ramirez told Reuters late on Monday. Recently, Ramirez also spoke to El Heraldo de Mexico newspaper, saying, Tesla will invest there in an assembly plant to export directly by air.According to Reuters, another Mexican official confirmed that Tesla has been shown the site but has not decided yet . We can say that establishing a production hub close to an airport with the idea of shipping by air is highly unlikely. Air transport is notoriously expensive, and electric vehicles are heavy, so no, it doesnt add up. If anything, the Nuevo Leon location has more chances to host a Tesla gigafactory, considering its proximity to the U.S. border and Giga Texas.
Photo: Bundnerbike

It doesnt happen very often for us to stumble across custom Harley-Davidsons that can cause instant yawning. Sure, gray custom Harleys have been known to happen, but such a faded hue is almost always accompanied by some kind of flashy and contrasting element or color that can save face.Thats not what happens with a Harley-Davidson conversion nicknamed Secret Star. Originally a Breakout model from a previous year (meaning not the fresh one presented earlier in January by the Milwaukee company), the bike was handed over to Swiss garage Bundnerbike for the transformation.If youve been following us these past few years, then you know Bundnerbike is very talented at the job, and doesnt shy away from using colors and color combinations in the most creative ways.For some of you now looking at the Secret Star, the gray and black used on it might seem like the right choice, but for others (myself included), it makes the entire ride look dull. Hell, even Bundnerbike admits the silver-grey special paintwork may seem a bit reserved, almost shy but you do have to keep in mind a custom bike is not only the result of its builders talent, but also of customers' ideas.Dont get me wrong, it doesnt look bad, at all, but given the hype a Breakout usually creates when coming into the spotlight in modified form, this one kind of makes you feel something is still missing.Its not, mechanically speaking, at least. As usual, the Swiss put their entire weight behind the project, and all the custom trade secrets seem to have been thrown into it.The slightly modified frame wraps around the bikes stock Milwaukee-Eight. The engine itself was not altered in any way, except for the fact its now tied to an exhaust system supplied by KessTech.The frame was mostly altered to allow for the lowering of the saddle further down into the bike, now sitting just 665 mm off the ground when not occupied by the rider. At the opposite end, where the riders hands and feet go (read handlebar and footpegs), aftermarket equipment made by Harley-Davidson was used.The wheels are custom too, made in-house by Bundnerbike, but were not given any indication as to how large they are. Both are shielded by custom fenders, with the one at the rear complete with lights and indicators.Tipping the scales at 305 kg (672 pounds) in this configuration, the Harley-Davidson Breakout Secret Star was finished not long ago by the Swiss crew. Even so, its current place of residence, just as the price tag, is not known.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

At the beginning of December 2022, the Zuffenhausen-based automaker was informed of a worrying problem stemming from the coolant pump for the climate control system. Following a field analysis, Porsche discovered a number of thermal events. In laymans terms, something caught fire.Humidity ingress into the electric coolant pump may lead to a short circuit. In rare cases, the thermal damage may progress, increasing the possibility of a vehicle fire. Panamera owners may identify this problem if a short circuit occurs because said condition leads to the malfunction of the climate control system. However, that is only half the story, thoughSubject luxury sedans and shooting brakes are equipped with an engine residual heat function. The auto-rest system is active for up to 20 minutes with the vehicle parked and the engine turned off. In this particular scenario, owners may not be aware of a potential circuit and subsequent thermal damage to the climate control systems electric coolant pump.The pump in question  part number 5810631300  is manufactured by German supplier Buhler. The remedy comes in the guise of a different pump from a different supplier, one with better sealing to eliminate any chances of humidity ingress. That said, Porsche dealers will also inspect the harness for damage. If necessary, the harness will also be replaced.Affected owners can expect to be mailed in regard to recall 23V-033 no later than March 27th. It may be frustrating to leave ones Porsche at the dealer for repairs, but being Porsche, chances are that loaners are in the offing for said owners. According to a report published by the, more than 24,000 vehicles are called back in the United States alone. 2017 to 2021 models are recalled, as in the pre-facelift Panamera. The number of variants affected simply boggles the mind, ranging from the base spec to the Turbo S Executive.Speaking of which, the Panamera Sedan is the most affordable specification currently available stateside. It starts at $92,400 sans destination charge, and even though its a six-pot affair, the plebeian specification shoots to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) in 5.3 seconds thanks to 325 ponies and 332 pound-feet (450 Nm) of torque.Executive is Porsches way of saying long wheelbase. The most expensive Panamera of the bunch is the $206,800 Turbo S E-Hybrid Executive. No hybrids are called back, though, only combustion-engined Panameras.In related news, Porsche is currently testing heavily-camouflaged prototypes of the 2024 Panamera . While not a ground-up redesign, the newcomer is expected to be the final Panamera to feature internal combustion mills. Look forward to a reveal in the second half of 2023.
By 2025, every flight departing from EU airports, even those that arent operated by European airlines, will need to be powered by 2% SAF. At the end of this decade, that requirement will grow to 5%. Through the European Climate Law and the Fit for 55 packages, the EU is reinforcing the use of SAF. Basically, all future flights will be required to carry even a minimal amount of this alternative fuel.It probably wont be long until similar standards are set in other parts of the world as well. In the meantime, SAF producers are trying to increase their production capacity, as global demand is growing slowly, but surely.When it comes to airlines, United took the boldest step back in 2021, when it signed what it claimed to be the biggest purchase agreement for SAF in the entire aviation history. Based on the agreement, Alder Fuels will deliver green jet fuel to United for no less than 20 years  an incredibly long period of time, amounting to 1.5 billion gallons of SAF.Compared to that truly historic purchase, the latest one signed by the South Korean operator Asiana Airlines is much more modest, setting a period of five years for preferential SAF deliveries. The airliners partner in this case is the fuel and energy giant Shell, which will be supplying the airline with green jet fuel through its network in the Middle East and the Asia Pacific region.Its important to note that both this recent MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) and the United one will become effective somewhere in the future. In the case of Asiana, 2026 was set as the starting point for the SAF deliveries that will then continue over a period of five years.As for United, things are vaguer, and no official starting point was established. According to the initial announcement, the deliveries would only start once Alder Fuels begins to produce SAF on a large scale, complying with specific standards set by United.This isnt the first SAF-related deal for Shell. The energy giant has signed a similar MoU with Lufthansa, agreeing to deliver sustainable fuel over a seven-year period, this time starting as soon as 2024. Lufthansa even claims to be the biggest SAF customer in Europe. Shell also intends to gradually sell more SAF than conventional jet fuel, hoping to reach 10% out of its total aviation fuel sales, by the end of this decade.
EV

Full Self-Driving

I was just reviewing the production beta Cybertruck. It is incredible.  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 1, 2023

Following a headline-grabbing 2022 earnings call in January, everyone is optimistic about Teslas plans for 2023. There are many things to be excited about, from the new Li-Ion battery manufacturing line at the Giga Texas to the details of a new, mass-marketplatform Tesla is expected to unveil during the Investor Day on March 1. Nevertheless, one Tesla product is now driving anyone nuts, and thats not thesoftware. Were talking about the Cybertruck.Teslas pickup truck seemed as elusive as the horizon line, getting further away the more Tesla tried to reach it. Thats because the EV maker made repeated changes to the project, although the design remained mostly unchanged. Then other carmakers introduced electric pickups in the market, with innovative features that sent the Cybertruck back to the drawing board. And it wasnt only Elon Musks whims that delayed the production, but the market and economy too.With Tesla barely quenching demand for the Model Y and the other models in production, there wasnt enough capacity to enter a new model into production. However, the situation changed at the end of 2022, and slowing demand prompted Musk to reconsider the strategy. Suddenly, the affordable EV that Tesla promised years ago and abandoned because it had enough on its plate got back on the menu. And, of course, Tesla started to think seriously about the Cybertruck production.Tesla moved the Cybertruck development into the tooling phase in Q3 2022. Only then Tesla started erecting the production line to build the truck. IDRAs Giga Presses were first, and around Christmas, Tesla installed the 66 Kuka robots needed to assemble the Cybertruck at Giga Texas. In January, the molds for the Giga Presses were brought in, and recently weve found out about the machines that would help Tesla produce the 4680 cells for the Cybertrucks battery packs.We still dont know what the final version of the Cybertruck might look like. Teslas chief designer Frank von Holzhausen said it would look exactly like previous prototypes, only a tad smaller. But other than that, radio silence. The prototype body spotted at Giga Texas was analyzed by the teardown veteran Sandy Munro, who said it was just an early prototype with little resemblance to the final version. We dont know yet if the gigantic wiper is still coming to the final product or did Tesla found a more elegant solution.Nevertheless, Elon Musk jumped on Twitter to announce that he reviewed the production version of the Cybertruck and seemed very excited about it. I was just reviewing the production beta Cybertruck. It is incredible, wrote Musk.We thought he had reviewed the final version of the Tesla Cybertruck much earlier, but, alas, it is what it is. The timing suggests that Tesla will finally unveil the production version during the Investor Day on March 1. The event would be streamed live from the Gigafactory Texas, and investors would likely get a factory tour and a glimpse of the Cybertruck production line.
HP

Dubai has the reputation of being one of the top playgrounds for millionaire yacht owners, many of them being celebrities.When the international hunt for Russian oligarch-owned assets began, following the invasion of Ukraine, Dubai became infamous for being one of the preferred destinations for the ultra-rich Russian oligarchs who were trying to hide their superyachts in various so-called safe-havens.One things for sure  Dubai and luxury yachts are a match made in heaven. Therefore, the local yachting industry keeps expanding, including new projects launched by well-established builders like the UAE-based Gulf Craft. Gulf Craft has opened a brand-new Experience Center here, last year, and is now celebrating its first anniversary with another milestone, the sale of its Majesty 140 yacht.The Majesty Yacht range is as impressive as it sounds, offering beautiful pleasure craft from 100 feet (30.4 meters) to 175 foot long (53 meters). The largest model in the range, Majesty 175, claims to be the biggest production composite yacht in the world.An imposing four-decker designed by big names in the industry, the Majesty 175 is built with seven staterooms, including a sumptuous master suite with access to a private swimming pool and outdoor lounge area.The Majesty 140, which was recently sold, is perhaps the most balanced model in the range  not as imposing as the Majesty 175, but certainly large enough to offer an ultra-comfortable experience on board.Like the other models in the Majesty line, it was created by the brands in-house Design Studio, while the interiors were styled by the acclaimed Cristiano Gatto.The three-decker was designed with a five-stateroom configuration, but the layout is flexible enough to add a sixth cabin, if needed. It stands out thanks to the two aft balconies on the main deck, which can be dropped down with the touch of a button. It also features a spectacular waterfall dropping down from the hardtop into the jacuzzi thats located below, on the sun deck.According to the builder, the new owner of the Majesty 140 plans to take it to the Mediterranean during the summer season, and head over to the Caribbean when the winter comes. This luxurious floating home is certainly ready for the task, powered by two 2,600engines, and boasting 11,770-gallon (44,555 liters) fuel capacity.Located right in Dubais home port, Port Rashid, the new Experience Center is perfectly fitted for a luxury brand, but also acts as a wider platform for connecting with the entire industry, as well as an education hub for future yacht designers.
Placards are seen outside the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church during the funeral of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee, the United States, Feb. 1, 2023. A funeral service for Tyre Nichols, who died last month after being beaten by police officers, was held in Memphis on Wednesday afternoon. (Photo by Meka/Xinhua)

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- A funeral service for Tyre Nichols, who died last month after being beaten by police officers, was held in Memphis, in the southeastern U.S. state of Tennessee, on Wednesday afternoon.

Nichols, a 29-year-old African American man, was pronounced dead in hospital on Jan. 10, three days after a traffic stop by Memphis police.

Footage released by Memphis authorities last week showed officers brutally punching and kicking Nichols even when he was subdued.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris told Nichols' family at the funeral service on Wednesday that Americans "mourn with you" while calling for police reform.

American civil rights figure Al Sharpton delivered the eulogy for Nichols, saying that they will continue to fight for justice and "won't stop until we hold you accountable and change the system."

Five Memphis police officers involved in the death of Nichols were fired after an internal investigation and are facing criminal charges, including second-degree murder.

The Memphis Police Department's so-called SCORPION unit, to which the fired officers belonged, has been permanently deactivated. The fallout has also reached other agencies, including the Memphis Fire Department, which fired three emergency medical technicians. Two additional Memphis police officers have recently been relieved of duty.

"My brother was robbed of his life, his passions, and his talents, but not his light," Keyana Dixon, a sister of Nichols, said on Wednesday.

"I see the world showing him love and fighting for his justice," Dixon said through tears. "But all I want is my baby brother back."

The death of Nichols came nearly three years after the police murder of African American man George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Floyd, 46, died on May 25, 2020, after an encounter with Minneapolis police, during which white officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes while making an arrest with other colleagues.

The police killing of Floyd sparked outrage and protests across the United States in the summer of 2020 against police brutality and systemic racism.

Police killed 1,186 people in the United States last year, according to Mapping Police Violence. African Americans were 26 percent of those killed by police in 2022 despite accounting for only 13 percent of the population. 

A hearse is seen outside the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church during the funeral of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee, the United States, Feb. 1, 2023. A funeral service for Tyre Nichols, who died last month after being beaten by police officers, was held in Memphis on Wednesday afternoon. (Photo by Meka/Xinhua)

People show Tyre Nichols' images during the funeral of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee, the United States, Feb. 1, 2023. A funeral service for Tyre Nichols, who died last month after being beaten by police officers, was held in Memphis on Wednesday afternoon. (Photo by Meka/Xinhua)

Civil rights activist Al Sharpton speaks during a news conference after the funeral of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee, the United States, Feb. 1, 2023. A funeral service for Tyre Nichols, who died last month after being beaten by police officers, was held in Memphis on Wednesday afternoon. (Photo by Meka/Xinhua)
We had intelligence that larger attacks were being prepared by Azerbaijan when it attacked Armenia last September, Al-Monitor.com quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanian as saying in an article published on Tuesday.

Iranian actions and statements helped to stop a further deterioration of that situation, Kostanian told the publication. He did not elaborate.

Azerbaijani forces attacked and seized on September 13-14 Armenian army positions at various sections of the border between the two countries. At least 300 soldiers from both sides were killed in what was the heaviest fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan since the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Syunik, Armenias sole region bordering Iran, was one of the scenes of those clashes. Baku has been demanding that Yerevan open an exterritorial corridor connecting Azerbaijan to its Nakhichevan exclave through Syunik. The Armenian side has ruled out such a possibility, saying that it can only agree to conventional transport links between the two South Caucasus states.

Iran is also strongly opposed to the corridor. It has repeatedly warned Baku against attempting to strip the Islamic Republic of the common border and transport links with Armenia.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian reiterated that red line when he visited Armenia and inaugurated the Iranian consulate in Syuniks capital Kapan in late October.

In mid-October, Irans elite military force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), held large-scale exercises near Syunik, Nakhichevan and districts south of Karabakh recaptured by the Azerbaijani army during the 2020 war. The Iranian army afterwards held separate war games near that area.

In an apparent response to those drills, Turkish and Azerbaijani troops held joint exercises along Azerbaijans border with Iran in December.

Iran is an important partner. The border with Iran is of utmost importance to us, Kostanian told Al-Monitor.

Despite the shared security interests, Armenia and Iran have announced no plans for closer military cooperation. Kostanian said in this regard that Yerevan does not intend to acquire Iranian weapons.
The EU as well as the United States and Russia have repeatedly called for the reopening of Karabakhs land link with Armenia since it was blocked by Azerbaijani government-backed protesters on December 12. Borrell stressed the need to avoid a humanitarian crisis in Karabakh after meeting with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan last week.

The Azerbaijani government has dismissed such calls, saying that the protesters are right to demand that it be allowed to inspect illegal mining in Karabakh. This stance has led some members of the European Parliament to call for EU sanctions against Baku.

Sanctions are only one of the EUs tools to promote the objectives of the Common Foreign and Security Policy and are not being considered in this case, Borrells office said in a written response to one of those parliamentarians, Assita Kanko.

The EUs efforts with Armenia and Azerbaijan are focused on achieving solutions through dialogue, to which the leaders of both countries have expressed their commitment, added the letter cited by Armenian news agencies.

Last July, the EUs executive body, the European Commission, signed a deal with Azerbaijan to double imports of Azerbaijani natural gas to Europe by 2027. Speaking during the signing ceremony in Baku, the commissions president, Ursula von der Leyen, described Azerbaijan as a key partner in our efforts to move away from Russian fossil fuels.

The EU has been looking for alternative suppliers of gas and oil since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Letter to the editor: Thieves know they can get away with it
Optimism is in short supply for many Northern Ireland businesses these days as they battle rising costs and some  the repercussions of a lack of an Executive.
Kneecapping scene shows what NI is really like, says Blue Lights co-creator
Homeowners and businesses have been warned to be vigilant as disgraceful criminals are stealing oil in the wake of the 600 energy payout  including a theft at St Patricks Church in Ballinderry.

SDLP Mid Ulster MLA Patsy McGlone has learned of a number of thefts at homes and community organisations in the Ballinderry area.

Police in Magherafelt have now urged members of the public to take extra steps to prevent heating oil being stolen following several reports of theft in the Ballinderry area over the past week.

It was reported that a quantity of oil had been stolen from a church hall at Ballinderry Bridge Road sometime between Friday, January 27 and Monday, January 30.

Further reports were also received on Monday of heating oil thefts from two other premises in the same area, believed to have taken place overnight.

A further report was also made today, Wednesday February 1, of the theft of oil from a house at Drumenny Road, Cookstown.

Inspector Lucas continued: "For thieves, oil tanks can be seen as rich and easy pickings, so it's worth looking at some preventative measures to avoid being targeted and left without oil.

"Measures such as securing your oil tank, keeping gates closed and locked can prevent a theft.

"We know that thieves operate at different times of the day, so if you see something that doesn't seem right, or is out of the ordinary, report it.

"Note down any important details such as a description or vehicle registration. That detail could make a difference.

"If you have any concerns about this issue, or if you would like some crime prevention advice call us on 101 and we can arrange for our Crime Prevention Officer to speak with you."

Mr McGlone expressed concern that people could be targeted in the wake of the issuing of the 600 energy support vouchers.

Mid Ulster MLA Mr McGlone said: After being contacted by a number of local residents and community organisations who have had their oil stolen in recent days, I am concerned that we could see a spike in premises being targeted following the issuing of the 600 energy support voucher.

While these thefts have been reported within the Ballinderry area, it's unlikely those responsible will confine their activities to one community.

Those behind these thefts will be aware that people across the North are receiving this much needed energy support and many are using it to purchase oil.

He added: Its utterly disgraceful that criminals are taking advantage of this situation and stealing this oil which many people are relying on it to heat their homes over the next few months, and at a time when families are really struggling.

Its deeply regrettable that it has come to this, but I would urge people, particularly those who have recently topped up their oil tanks, to remain vigilant around potential thefts.

I would urge anyone who notices anything suspicious in their area to contact the police so that the people behind these thefts can be apprehended before anyone else falls victim to them.

Inspector Lucas is appealing to anyone who was in the area in recent days, and may have witnessed any suspicious activity, including vehicles in the area or individuals acting suspiciously, to get in touch by calling 101.
Johnny Adair, who got to know Peeples in the Maze, said: Fair play to Clifford. Hes standing up for his Christian beliefs by supporting the people of the Ukraine

Clifford Peeples handing out much-needed supplies to the people of Ukraine. Credit: Sunday World

Peeples at a rally before he burned the Good Friday Agreement. Credit: Sunday World

A convicted loyalist terror chief is facing down the Russian army in Ukraine, the Sunday World has reported.

Once dubbed the Pipe Bomb Pastor, Clifford Peeples was sent down for 10 years in 2001 when he was caught red-handed in possession of two grenades and a lethal pipe bomb.

But Sunday World has revealed the former Protestant paramilitary boss has lined up alongside the Ukrainian people in their fight against Russian supremo Vladimir Putin.

And, in an exclusive interview from the front line yesterday, he told the Sunday World: Im merely out here helping the people of Ukraine in their hour of need.

It is still unclear which role 53-year-old Peeples has in the Ukraine.

But we have learned he is a member of a Close Range Reconnaissance unit supplying real-time intelligence to the Ukraine defence forces.

And we have also been told the Shankill preacher sailed through a tough training course before heading off to the former Soviet satellite country four weeks ago.

In photographs obtained by the Sunday World, military experts have told us he is wearing ex-British Army battle fatigues. And he is nursing a Russian-made Byzen sub-machine-gun fitted with a muzzle flash eliminator.

Peeples at a rally before he burned the Good Friday Agreement

On his left upper arm, Peeples displays the internationally acknowledged mercenary emblem Molan Labe. The insignia is strategically positioned below an embroidered Union flag which appears on all British Army operational uniforms.

Our army source says the Molan Labe slogan is Greek and translates as Come and take it!

Yesterday, the Sunday World managed to briefly make contact with Pastor Peeples as he tracked his way back from the bomb-devastated east Ukraine region to the capital Kyiv, for a period of rest and recuperation.

Speaking on a crackly mobile phone line which dropped off repeatedly, Peeples told us: Im merely out here helping the people of Ukraine in their hour of need.

But Peeples point-blank refused to reveal details of his role as close quarter collector of military intelligence.

Amongst other things, Im distributing aid to needy Ukrainians devastated by the war, he said.

And when pushed further, he declined to answer any questions about how a convicted loyalist terrorist came to be aiding the Ukraine defence forces or even how he came to be in possession of a high-powered sub-machine-gun.

Peeples also refused to say if he had flown to Eastern Europe or had travelled overland on a British or Irish passport.

Thats none of your business, he said.

Clifford Peeples handing out much-needed supplies to the people of Ukraine

What I will say though is the poor people of Ukraine are suffering badly. Its freezing cold out here and they have little or no shelter or even food.

But they really appreciate everything we are doing for them. They are great people.

Back home in Northern Ireland people should get down on their knees and thank God for their comfortable lives, he said.

Just before the line dropped off, Peeples said he hoped to return to Belfast in a few days.

Peeples also posted a picture of his accommodation in Kyiv, where he will be resting before heading back to Belfast.

Fellow loyalist kingpin Johnny Mad Dog Adair voiced his support for Peeples.

Adair  who got to know Peeples in the paramilitary wings of the Maze Prison  said: Fair play to Clifford. Hes standing up for his Christian beliefs by supporting the people of the Ukraine.

He added: Youd never have seen Jimmy Craig or any of these other so-called loyalists doing that.

A one-time fundamentalist Christian pastor who ran his own gospel hall, Peeples hit the headlines in October 1989 when a car he was driving was stopped by anti-terror cops on the M1 motorway near Dungannon.

The Bible-thumping clergyman was arrested along with the well-known loyalist terrorist James McGookin Fisher.

And just six months before, cops found pipe bombs in a Gospel Hall connected to Peeples, but they failed to bring charges against him.

Sentencing Pastor Peeples to 10 years in prison, Mr Justic Gillan told him he was a grave danger to the community.

In the past, Peeples has been linked to a plethora of loyalist terror groups, including the UVF, the LVF and two fringe paramilitary groups, the Orange Volunteers  which the police suspected he led  and the shadowy Red Hand Defenders.

Pastor Peebles married a former RUC officer and after settling in Portadown, police suspected him of having close connections to LVF leader Billy Wright who was later murdered inside the Maze Prison.

And it is believed that at one point the RUC was so keen to get Peeples off the streets, police top brass considered bringing a charge of directing terrorism against him.

The same charge was used to jail the notorious Ulster Freedom Fighters boss Mad Dog Adair.

After a series of close encounters with the law, Peeples was eventually sent down for 10 years when he and James Fisher were convicted of possessing explosives with intent.

It was after his conviction, the press dubbed Peeples The Pipe Bomb Pastor.

After being released from prison, he went back to education and just before Christmas graduated from Queens University Belfast with a Masters in Law.

And he has been to the fore in a number of recent high-profile legal actions against the Northern Ireland Protocol, including one at the Supreme Court in London alongside TUV leader Jim Allister.

Clifford Peeples has been associated with hardline loyalism since leaving school.

And hes been to the fore in numerous campaigns in support of the Union.

However, his one foray into the world of electoral politics failed miserably. In 1996, Peeples received just 43 votes out of a possible 42,000 when he stood for the Northern Ireland Forum.

And the following year he was in the news again when he refused to pay loyalist paramilitaries protection money in connection with a florists business he owned on the Crumlin Road. UVF thugs wrecked his shop.

Peeples also vehemently opposed the Good Friday Agreement, famously setting fire to a copy of the document at a rally in Antrim.

And when it became clear the DUP had altered its position and was moving in favour of sharing-power with nationalists at Stormont, Peeples hurled 30 pieces of silver at DUP leader the Rev Ian Paisley at a rally in Loughgall, Co Armagh.

Controversy even followed Peeples into prison. When a well-known dissident prisoner chided him about his weight, he hit him with a hot steam iron.

But following his release from prison in the mid-1990s, his political activities have been entirely peaceful.
SDLP councillor calls for reform after bid supported by most residents fails

A bid for an Irish language street sign in a Newtownabbey street has been defeated  despite a majority of the residents who responded in favour of the move.

In a canvas of 67 residents of Cashelton Manor, Glengormley, just under half responded.

And 25 of the 34 who replied were in favour of a dual language sign.

But the bid still failed due to insufficient support in the community.

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Councils Dual Language Street Sign Policy states that two thirds or more of all those canvassed must be in favour of the sign before the application can be brought before the council for a decision.

The result of the canvas will not allow any further applications to be considered by the council until February 2026.

However, the SDLP sought an amendment at a meeting of the local authority on Monday evening.

Dunsilly councillor Ryan Wilson pointed out the majority of residents who responded supported dual signage.

A lot more people are indifferent and do not care either way. As the policy is now, those who are indifferent are preventing the majority of residents who did respond from getting that, he said.

We in the SDLP believe this policy needs significant reform.

He proposed the application progresses to the next stage for approval. The proposed amendment was defeated in the chamber by 27 votes against and seven in favour.

Alliance councillor Billy Webb MBE asked: When it becomes a council policy, can we go against the policy or formally rescind policy before it takes action?

Chief executive Jacqui Dixon replied: To go against policy would leave council open to challenge. This is the first time the policy has been tested.

If a decision is approved by the authority to erect a street sign in a second language, a translation will have to be carried out by an independent body.

The second language sign is placed below the English in lettering the same size.

The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (NI) Order 1995 gives councils the power to erect dual language street signs or secondary nameplates in a language other than English.

In a statement after the meeting, Mr Wilson said: It is clear that the councils new Irish language signage policy will not deliver for local residents who want to see this signage erected in their area.

The SDLP opposed this signage policy when it was brought before council and put on record our concerns that it would create a barrier to those seeking Irish language signs, but other parties backed it without concern for the negative impact it would have.

In Cashelton Manor a majority of those responding to the council canvas indicated their preference to see Irish language signage erected, but this has been denied due to the new council policy which effectively counts those who dont respond to the canvas as a no vote, making it extremely difficult to get the required majority.

The SDLP believes we need to reform this policy so that a majority of respondents in favour can secure signage for their area.

A majority of those interested enough to engage with the issue should be sufficient and I cannot understand why we have set the bar so much higher than other councils when it comes to these signs.

If these rules do not change we will see residents disappointed time after time and I dont think its right that council should be standing in the way of those who want to see these signs put in place.

The issue first arose in February 2018 when the council received a request from Abbeyville Residents Association for five Irish language street signs which was turned down after councillors voted in favour of a policy retaining street signs in English only.

However, in September 2018, the council was forced to do a U-turn after being challenged in the High Court by a resident who sought a judicial review over a deeply held concern that the policy adopted by the borough council was unlawful.

According to the 2021 census, 6.52% of Antrim and Newtownabbey residents have some knowledge of Irish; 2.9% can speak, read, write and understand Irish and 1,164 residents can speak Irish.
Visitors will get the chance to feed Tian Tian (Edinburgh Zoo/PA)

Animal lovers are to be given the chance to feed Edinburgh Zoos giant pandas before they return to China this year.

Yang Guang and Tian Tian have been a big draw at the zoo since they arrived in December 2011 as part of a 10-year deal with Chinese wildlife authorities.

The return of the pair, whose names mean Sunshine and Sweetie, was delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Now, to celebrate their time at the zoo, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) is launching a series of prize draws to win the chance to feed the pandas.

People will have the chance to feed Yang Guang (Andrew Milligan/PA)   Andrew Milligan

Every month from February until June, the RZSS will randomly select one winner to enjoy a magic moment for two with the endangered species.

A competition for a panda-themed grand prize will be announced over the summer.

The money raised from the prize draws is intended to help the RZSS reverse the decline of 50 other species by 2030.

Yang Guang and Tian Tian remained the property of China during their time in Scotland and are expected to leave in October.

The pandas were popular with visitors at the zoo (Jane Barlow/PA)   Jane Barlow

Hopes were high that the pair might breed while they were in Scotland but no offspring were produced.

David Field, RZSS chief executive, said: We are delighted to give people a chance to win these unique experiences and raise vital funds for wildlife conservation in Scotland and around the world with our new monthly prize draws.

Yang Guang and Tian Tian have helped to inspire millions of visitors to protect, value and love nature and we want to provide as many opportunities as possible for people to say goodbye and celebrate the incredible impact they have had.

The support of RZSS members, patrons and adopters has been vital, especially in recent years, and we want to thank everyone who already booked an experience and is helping to protect wildlife across the globe.

We are only able to offer an incredibly limited number of giant panda experiences before the pair return to China, so this really is a rare opportunity.
Hundreds of thousands of workers will go on strike on Wednesday in separate disputes over pay, jobs and conditions in what will be the biggest day of industrial action in more than a decade.

Teachers, university lecturers, train drivers, civil servants, bus drivers and security guards in seven trade unions will stop work on the same day.

These are the sectors affected by the strikes:

 Education

Teachers in England and Wales, who are members of the National Education Union (NEU), will strike, with more than 23,000 schools expected to be affected.

The Department for Education has offered a 5% pay rise to most teachers for the current school year, but the NEU is demanding a fully funded above-inflation pay rise for teachers.

Support staff in Wales, who are members of the NEU, will also take part in the action.

Teacher members of the NEU in sixth form colleges in England, who have already been balloted and taken strike action in recent months, will join the walkouts in a separate but linked dispute.

School leaders in the NAHT Cymru union will also hold industrial action short of a strike  which includes abstaining from arranging cover for those taking part in any industrial action  from February 1.

On Wednesday, teacher members of the EIS union  Scotlands biggest teaching union  will take action in Clackmannanshire and Aberdeen as part of an ongoing dispute over pay.

 Transport

Train drivers in Aslef and the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) are embroiled in a long-running dispute over pay and conditions.

A recent offer of a 4% pay rise for last year and another 4% this year was rejected, with the unions arguing that conditions attached to the proposed deal, such as compulsory Sunday working, were never going to be accepted.

Train services will be severely affected on Wednesday (Jacob King/PA)   Jacob King

Aslef argues that more train drivers should be employed, but claims rail operators find it cheaper to pay staff overtime to work on Sundays.

Services will be severely affected on Wednesday, and again on Friday during a second strike, with some areas having no trains at all and those that do run will start later and finish earlier than usual.

No talks are planned with the drivers unions despite hopes of progress in other disputes involving rail unions.

Around 1,900 members of Unite employed as bus drivers by Abellio in London will walk out on February 1, 2 and 3.

Unite said the decision to go ahead with the strikes follows the rejection of two pay offers.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: Abellio is an incredibly wealthy company, whose success is based on the hard graft of its workers.

It can fully afford to make a fair pay offer which meets our members expectations, but it has failed to do so.

Bus services in the south and west of London will be affected by the industrial action.

 Universities

Up to 70,000 members of the University and College Union will strike over the next two months (Andrew Milligan/PA)   Andrew Milligan

Unprecedented strike action will hit 150 UK universities throughout February and March because of strikes by up to 70,000 members of the University and College Union (UCU).

The long-running dispute is over pay, working conditions and pensions.

The Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), representing 144 employers, said it has made a full and final pay offer of between 8% and 5%, which the union described as a marginal improvement.

The employers said the offer prioritises the disproportionate effect of high inflation falling on the lower paid, with a minimum of 5% for all other members of staff.

This offer was described as the highest uplift in nearly 20 years.

The intention is for between 3.2% and 2% to be paid from February 1, with the remaining amount from August, as is the usual timetable.

 Civil Service

Up to 100,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) will strike in another long-running dispute, over pay, jobs and conditions.

Border Force and other government department staff are also taking part in industrial action (Steve Parsons/PA)   Steve Parsons

Those taking part work for government departments, the Border Force, museums and other government agencies.

The PCS is seeking a pay rise of 10% after the government paid 2%, which the union complained was well below the soaring rate of inflation.

The union also fears huge job losses and cuts to redundancy terms for those affected.

 Security Guards

Outsourced security guards at UCL, represented by the IWGB, will also be on strike, demanding a pay rate of 15 an hour, union recognition and an end to outsourcing of services.

Wednesday will see the the biggest day of action since 2011 when well over one million public sector workers staged a one-day strike in a dispute over pensions.

As well as more strikes on Friday by train drivers, London Underground Bakerloo Line workers will walk out on Saturday, while ambulance workers and nurses will launch a fresh wave of industrial action across England and Wales from February 6.
Taiwanese Mirage 2000 fighter jets taxi along a runway during a drill at an airbase in Hsinchu (AP)   Johnson Lai

Taiwan has scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations of 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships.

The Chinese deployment is part of Beijings strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.

The large-scale manoeuvres come as Beijing increases preparations for a potential blockade or outright attack on Taiwan that has stirred major concerns among military leaders in the US, Taiwans key ally.

In a memo last month, US air force general Mike Minihan instructed officers to be prepared for a US-China conflict over Taiwan in 2025. As head of air mobility command, Gen Minihan has a keen understanding of the Chinese military and his personal remarks echo calls in America for heightened preparations.

Taiwans defence ministry said 20 Chinese aircraft crossed the central line in the Taiwan Strait that has long been an unofficial buffer zone between the sides, which divided amid civil war in 1949.

China claims the self-governing island republic as its own territory to be taken by force, while the vast majority of Taiwanese are opposed to coming under the control of Chinas authoritarian Communist Party.

Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP)   Uncredited

Taiwans armed forces monitored the situation  to respond to these activities, the defence ministry said.

China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near daily basis, hoping to wear down the islands limited defence resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.

Chinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the US and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening manoeuvres.

A string of visits in recent months by foreign politicians to Taiwan, including by then-US house speaker Nancy Pelosi and numerous politicians from the European Union, spurred displays of military might from both sides.

In response to Ms Pelosis visit in August, China staged war games surrounding the island and fired missiles over it into the Pacific Ocean.

China has repeatedly threatened retaliation against countries seeking closer ties with Taiwan, but its attempts at intimidation have sparked a backlash in popular sentiment in Europe, Japan, the US and other nations.

Taiwan is set to hold presidential elections next year, in contrast to Chinas system of total control by president and party General Secretary Xi Jinping, who has removed term limits to effectively make him leader for life.

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Chinas efforts to reach out to Taiwans pro-unification Nationalist Party have largely backfired.

Although the Nationalists performed well in local elections last year, the partys pro-Beijing policies have failed to find resonance among voters on a national level.

Taiwan has responded to Chinas threats by ordering more defensive weaponry from the US, leveraging its democracy and high-tech economy to strengthen foreign relations and revitalizing its domestic arms industry.

Taiwans de-facto ambassador in Washington, Bi-khim Hsiao, said there is a new emphasis on preparing military reservists and civilians for the kind of all-of-society fight that Ukrainians are waging against Russia.

Everything were doing now is to prevent the pain and suffering of the tragedy of Ukraine from being repeated in our scenario in Taiwan, Ms Hsiao told The Associated Press.

So ultimately, we seek to deter the use of military force. But in a worst-case scenario, we understand that we have to be better prepared.
The family of Tyre Nichols planned to lay him to rest on Wednesday, three weeks after he was beaten to death by Memphis police after a traffic stop (Matthew Hinton/AP)   Matthew Hinton

The family of Tyre Nichols planned to lay him to rest on Wednesday, three weeks after he was beaten to death by Memphis police after a traffic stop.

In those three weeks, five police officers have been fired and charged with murder, and their specialised unit was disbanded.

Two more officers have been suspended. Also fired: two Memphis Fire Department emergency medical workers and a lieutenant. And more discipline could be coming.

People hold signs during a news conference discussing the death of Tyre Nichols on Tuesday (Jeff Roberson/AP)   Jeff Roberson

But Wednesday will be about Nichols, a 29-year-old skateboarder and amateur photographer who worked making boxes at FedEx, made friends during morning visits to Starbucks, and always greeted his mother and step-father when he returned home with a sunny, Hello, parents!.

Nichols was the baby of their family, born 12 years after his closest siblings. He had a four-year-old son and worked hard to better himself as a father, his family said.

Nichols grew up in Sacramento, California, and loved the San Francisco 49ers. He came to Memphis just before the coronavirus pandemic and got stuck. But he was fine with it because he was with his mother, RowVaughn Wells, and they were incredibly close, she said. He even had her name tattooed on his arm.

Friends at a memorial service last week described him as joyful and kind, quick with a smile, often silly.

This man walked into a room, and everyone loved him, said Angelina Paxton, a friend who travelled to Memphis from California for the memorial service.

Nichols funeral will be held at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, beginning at 10.30am local time.

The Rev Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network, will deliver the eulogy.

RowVaughn Wells, the mother of Tyre Nichols, during a news conference about the death of her son on Tuesday (Jeff Roberson/AP)   Jeff Roberson

Ben Crump, a national civil rights attorney who represents the Nichols family, will deliver a call to action.

Rev Sharpton said the family intended to have a dignified funeral service, not a marathon.

This is not about politics, its about justice, the reverend said. People are coming from all over the world, and we are coming because were all Tyre, now.

Those expected to be in attendance include US Vice President Kamala Harris; Tamika Palmer, the mother of Breonna Taylor; and Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd.

The deaths of Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, and Floyd in Minneapolis, at the hands of police sparked protests across the nation about racial injustice.
NI Secretary held legacy bill talks with ex-Noraid director who was once banned from UK

The IRA sympathiser, who was once banned from the UK for six years, met with the NI Secretary of State in Washington last week

Chris Heaton-Harris (third from left) with Martin Galvin (circled)

Suzanne Breen Belfast Telegraph Wed 1 Feb 2023 at 07:20
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One of the biggest misconceptions about prophecy is the difference between the Second Coming and the Rapture. The two events are often confused, but they are two different events on Gods prophecy timeline. Lets break down the two events, then discuss the difference between the two.

What is the rapture?

The term rapture doesnt appear in the appear. The word derives from a Latin phrase meaning a transport, carrying off, or a snatching away. The idea of the rapture of the church is discussed in scripture. The churchs rapture is when God takes believers from the earth, so His judgment can be poured over the world during the tribulation period. Its description comes in 1 Corinthians 15:50-54 and 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18.

God will revive His dead believers, give them heavenly bodies and remove them from the earth. Hell also take His living believers, who will also receive glorified bodies. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 says that the Lord will ascend from heaven with a loud command, the trumpet call of God, and the archangels voice. The dead will rise first, then the living, and everyone left will come together in the clouds to meet the Lord and be with Him forever. The rapture will instantly transform our bodies to fit us for eternity. 1 John 3:2 reminds us that when Jesus appears, we will be like Him, seeing Him as He is.

The Old Testament doesnt teach the rapture doctrine, so Paul describes it as a mystery now revealed in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52. He says that we wont sleep but be changed in the twinkling of an eye. The trumpet will sound, the dead will rise, and well be changed. The rapture is Gods way of protecting His people from the tribulation, the seven years of judgment that will pour over the earth. Some argue that the tribulation period will start before the rapture. However, the Bible says that those who believe in Jesus wont face condemnation. At the end of the seven years, Jesus returns for His second coming.

What is the second coming?

The second coming of Jesus is the believers hope that God is in control and faithful to the prophecies and promises in the Bible. Christ came to earth as a baby in Bethlehem in His first coming, as was prophesied. He fulfilled numerous prophecies of the Messiah during His birth, ministry, life, death, and resurrection. However, there are some prophecies that He hasnt fulfilled yet, but His second coming will fulfill the remaining prophecies. Jesus was a suffering servant in His first coming, arriving in the humblest of circumstances. However, in His second coming, Jesus will appear as the conquering king, arriving with the armies of heaven on His side.

Prophets in the Old Testament didnt clearly distinguish between the first and second comings, as seen in Zechariah 14:4 and Isaiah 7:14. Because the prophecies seem to discuss two different people, some Jewish scholars thought thee would be a conquering and suffering Messiah. However, what they dont realize is theres only one Messiah who would fulfill both roles. Isaiah 53 describes Jesus fulfilling the role of suffering servant, while Revelation 1:7 and Zechariah 12:10 describe the second coming. Israel and the world will mourn that they didnt accept the Messiah during His first coming.

After Jesus ascended into heaven, the angels told the apostles that the same Jesus who was taken into heaven would come back in the same way. Zechariah 14:4 says the site of the second coming will be the Mount of Olives. Matthew 24:30 says at the time of the second coming, Jesus will appear in the sky, and the world will mourn. They will see Jesus coming on the skys clouds with great glory and power. Titus 2:13 says the second coming will be a glorious appearing. Revelation 19:11-16 describes the second coming in excellent detail.

Whats the difference between the two?

The second coming and the rapture are often mistaken. Its challenging to determine whether a scripture discusses the second coming or the rapture. However, its essential to differentiate the two, especially in studying end-times Bible prophecy. The rapture is when Jesus returns to take all His believers from the earth. Dead believers will be resurrected alongside living believers, and the groups will meet the Lord in the sky. As Paul described, this event will occur in a flash or twinkling of an eye.

On the other hand, the second coming is when Jesus returns to earth to conquer the Antichrist, destroy evil, and establish His kingdom. The key differences between the two events are believers will meet the Lord in the air during the rapture, while believers come back to earth with the Lord during the second coming. While the rapture happens before the tribulation, the second coming occurs after the great tribulation. The second coming involves removing unbelievers as an act of judgment, while the rapture removes believers from the earth to deliver them. Everyone will be able to see the second coming, but the rapture will be instant and a secret. The rapture can happen at any moment, but Jesus second coming wont happen until after other end-time events happen.

Why is it important to differentiate the two?

If the second coming and the rapture are the same events, believers will go through the tribulation. It would also mean that Jesus return isnt imminent and that many things must happen before He returns. While describing the tribulation period, Revelation chapters six through 19 dont mention the church. During the tribulation, God will turn His immediate attention to Israel.

The second coming and the rapture are similar but separate events. Both are end-times events and involve Jesus return. However, its essential to understand the differences. The second coming is when Christ returns to the earth to end tribulation and conquer the Antichrist. The rapture is when Jesus removes all of His believers from the world before the time of Gods wrath. Both events involve Jesus return, but one describes Jesus taking His believers to heaven with Him.
Netflixs Viking Wolf is a Classic Werewolf Tale with a Nordic Twist

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Viking Wolf is Norways first werewolf film  a classic take on the monster tale with ties to old Nordic legend comes to Netflix this Friday.

Its a simple enough story that starts with a new girl in a new town who witnesses a grizzly murder. Soon shes stalked by strange cravings, and a small town is alight with death and mayhem. Netflixs newest film Viking Wolf looks about as straightforward as its name, but theres a lot to be said for a masterful production. And its possible thats what viewers will get.

Viking Wolf Details

Stig Svendsen directs the film based on a script by himself and Espen Aukan. Viking Wolf stars Liv Mjones (Midsommar), Elli Rhiannon Muller Osborne, Arthur Hakalahti, Sjur Vatne Brean, and Vidar Magnussen. The film has already been released theatrically in Norway and has been well-received by audiences. The trailer shows a good amount of blood, and likely a few jump scares, but it also appears to be emotionally character driven and well-performed.

17-year-old Thale must move with her parents to a small town when her mother gets a job at the local police department. After a student is brutally murdered at a party that Thale attends, she suddenly becomes a key witness. Who, or rather what was the killer?

Netflixs Norwegian Genre Library Grows

Netflix has invested in a series of genre films from Norway, and productions are starting to hit the streaming service. Viking Wolf may remind some viewers of another creature feature that pleased fans and critics with its well-executed by-the-numbers story. Troll, which came out in December, was lauded for its production, story, and performances. And both films also tell these classic tales with a Scandinavian twist. Troll writer Espen Aukan also penned Viking Wolf.

Viking Wolf arrives on Netflix on February 3rd (this Friday).

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Author: Danni Danger Danni is a staff writer and editor whose expertise lies in comic books, superhero movies, science fiction/fantasy, horror, and cheesy dad jokes. They spent 8 glorious years working at Austin Books & Comics, and created content for almost 15 years. They've written for the Daily Dot and made YouTube content with the Weirdlings. Danni currently does all the things for BoLS, Screen Fanatic, and TheStreet.

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Philippine Lt. Gen. Roy Galido (left) greets U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III at the Western Mindanao Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Zamboanga, southern Philippines, Feb. 1, 2023.

United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III visited a military base Wednesday in the southern Philippines, where about 100 American troops are helping their Filipino counterparts in operations against the remnants of militant groups linked to Islamic State extremists.

Austin , who arrived in the Philippines late Tuesday, landed at the Edwin Andrews Air Base in Zamboanga before noon and immediately went to the Western Mindanao Command where he met with Philippine military chief Gen. Andres Centino.

He visited the U.S. troops that are here and made sure that they are OK, Philippine regional military chief Lt. Gen. Roy Galido told reporters, referring to an American joint special operations team posted in Zamboanga.

Galido sidestepped questions about whether Austin promised new military assistance.

They (American troops) are here to help us in our mission, especially in counter-terrorism and HADR (humanitarian and disaster relief operations).

Austin is expected to meet on Thursday with his Philippine counterpart, Carlito Galvez Jr., to discuss strengthening bilateral defense cooperation in the face of Chinas territorial challenges in the South China Sea.

A senior U.S. defense official said this alliance would help the Philippines defend its sovereignty and prevent Chinese coercion which the Southeast Asian nation is facing on a day-to-day basis, according to information published on the U.S. Department of Defense website.

The official, who was not named, noted that China is acting up in the region despite losing the 2016 international court ruling favoring Philippine territorial claims in the strategic waterway.

What the Philippines is trying to do is uphold its rights, the official said. And were trying to help them do that in the same way we are with other partners around the region. Thats what this is really about, not about simply countering China.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III meets with U.S. troops assigned to Camp Navarro in Zamboanga, Philippines, Feb. 1, 2023. [Chad McNeeley/Department of Defense]

Marawi

In 2017, a small team of U.S. troops assisted Philippine forces in defeating pro-Islamic State (IS) militants who had seized the city of Marawi , a predominantly Muslim city in the southern Philippines.

While the American troops were restricted from combat operations, they helped their Filipino counterparts gather intelligence that led to victory in the five-month battle where at least 1,200 militants, government forces and civilians were killed.

After the battle, then-Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana blamed a significant drawdown of American forces in troubled areas of the south as a factor that allowed IS extremists to infiltrate local Muslim militant groups ahead of the siege.

While the longtime allies have carried on with joint military exercises, only about 100 American troops remain on a rotational basis in the south, where they serve in advisory roles.

Austins visit to the Philippines is intended to accelerate the implementation of Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), according to Rommel Banlaoi, a counter-terrorism analyst at the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research.

Signed in Manila on April 28, 2014, the agreement allows the U.S. to rotate troops into the Philippines for extended stays and allows Washington to build and operate facilities on Philippine bases.

The U.S. is working on expanding its access in Philippine territories to support the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy where the alliance with Manila is essential in countering Chinas growing influence in the region, Banlaoi said.

Austin is the second highest American official to visit the Philippines since November, when Vice President Kamala Harris traveled trip to Palawan, an island on the frontline of the territorial dispute with China over the South China Sea. Harris pledged then that Washington would come to Manilas aid if China attacked the Philippines.

Jeoffrey Maitem in Davao, Philippines, contributed to this report.
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While Town Hall is closed, possibly until Friday, Town Offices are functioning across the street. Two new heat pumps were installed at Town Hall prior to Thanksgiving, but a new propane furnace and backup generator, which can function in colder weather, have not yet been installed.
News Reporter

Matt Martinez is a news reporter at The Berkshire Eagle. He worked at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, graduated Marquette University. He is a former Report for America corps member.
NORTH ADAMS  Every Tuesday for years, Janice Pugliese has walked from her house to the North Adams Movieplex 8 to see a movie with friends.

Per usual, she was there Tuesday, but it would be the last visit. The theater recently announced it was closing at the end of January.

I hate to see it go, Pugliese said while waiting for a friend in the lobby. Theres not enough to do in North Adams.

The theater opened in the Steeple City Plaza in 2007 and with its closure, it leaves the city without a movie theater. Its not clear why it is closing. First Hartford Realty Corp. owns the plaza property and the movie theater business. Last week John Toic, president of the company, declined to say why the theater was closing and what the plans were for the space. Many flocked to the movies over the weekend and on Tuesday, the business last day, and they, like Pugliese, mourned the theaters loss.

The movieplex sold 300 tickets a day over the weekend, quadruple what patronage on a good day was, said the manager, Amy Smith. It was so busy Saturday, employees were delivering popcorn to people in their seats as employees worked through a backlog of popcorn tickets spread on the counter.

We couldnt pop fast enough, Smith said on Tuesday while standing behind the checkout counter. A slushy machine whirred behind her and an array of movie theater-size candy sat in the display case in front of her.

At the register, a wine glass-turned-tip jar was stuffed full of cash. A large stash of to-go popcorn bags sat on the counter for sale. Smith said she and employees spent hours on Monday, a day the theater is closed, making popcorn in advance.

Before becoming the manager in December, Smith was the assistant manager for four years. Shes gotten to know some customers, and one regular recently brought her a card. Ive had a lot of tears, she said.

She didnt have any insight into why the business was closing. I can honestly say I have zero information, she said.

There have been some challenges, she said. COVID and streaming took a huge hit to the theater.

Still, some prefer seeing movies in person.

It makes me sad theyre closing. Weve always had a theater in North Adams, said Marie Kelly-Whitney, a regular. This will be the first time in the 62 years Ive been alive.

On Tuesday afternoon, Kelly-Whitney was in the lobby after seeing Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody. She browsed a few boxes of old movie posters the theater was giving away, settling on two picturing animals that she plans to use as prizes for her students in the library at Stamford Elementary School where she works.

A self-described popcorn enthusiast, she feels like their popcorn is particularly good and praised the service.

If youre a regular they know what you want before you get there, she said.

Like Pugliese, she worries residents are losing an amenity  some businesses target tourists and are not accessible to residents like a $7 movie, she said. This is for everybody.

There are not a lot of places for young people to hangout in the area, and the movie theater was one of them, said Jamie Golin, who was the lobby Tuesday with her mom, Marie Russell.

Its just so sad, Russell said. Theres nowhere else around here for a movie, she said. The movie theater in Williamstown, Images Cinema, shows one movie at a time, and other options are a drive away in Bennington or Pittsfield. The North Adams theater seemed homier, he said.

Ryan Pause, a 26-year-old city resident, was so devastated about the closure that he sent a message to Phoenix Theaters, a company that owns a number of movie theaters across the country, including the Beacon in Pittsfield, asking them to consider taking over the North Adams theater.

The closing leaves a huge gap for movie goers in Northern Berkshire County, he wrote in his letter posted on social media. As much as well always love the Beacon for what it offers, wed love to see something similar in North Adams. Perhaps you can consider reviving the North Adams Movieplex.

So far, he said he has not heard back.

The company didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Like Pause, Pugliese hopes a new theater moves into the movieplex space.

This theater, we need it, she said. The people here need this.

This story has been updated to include the correct ticket sales figures.
Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 56F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight

A few passing clouds. Low 36F. Winds light and variable.

Tomorrow

A mix of clouds and sun early, then becoming cloudy later in the day. High 67F. Winds light and variable.
Tonight's rundown:

 Talking Points Memo: Joe Biden continues to decline with the world watching and remains out of the press reach

 Presidential Historian Larry Cook weighs in on how Bidens relationship with the press compares to past presidents

 US Special Forces have been confirmed to be in Ukraine

 OReilly describes Democrats hosting the DNC in Chicago as Crazy Arrogant

 The trial of Fox News gets underway

 58% of Americans are now living paycheck to paycheck even as inflation begins to cool off

 Smart Life: Utilizing Kelly Blue Book when searching for a new car

 This Day in History: FDR dies in office

 Final Thought: what to do when someone is disrespectful to you

In Case You Missed It:

 Read Bill's latest column, "Reason to Believe"

 Join 'Team Normal!' Order your gear now at BillOReilly.com!

 Pre-order Bills next bestseller Killing the Witches NOW

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Following a global search for a new chief executive officer, consumer goods giant Unilever has appointed Hein Schumacher to the top job. He succeeds Alan Jope, who announced in September 2022 his intention to retire from the company.

Hein Schumacher, Unilever's newly-appointed CEO. Source: Supplied

Schumacher is currently CEO of the global dairy and nutrition business Royal FrieslandCampina and became a non-executive director of Unilever in October last year. He will begin as Unilever CEO on 1 July 2023, after a one-month handover period.

Schumacher has a track record across multiple prominent companies in the consumer goods industry. As CEO of Royal FrieslandCampina, an 11bn turnover business operating in over 40 countries, he has delivered significant portfolio and organisation change as part of transforming it into a more focused, growth-driven and sustainable business, Unilever said in a release.

Prior to joining Royal FrieslandCampina as CFO in 2014, Schumacher worked for H.J. Heinz for over a decade  during a time of significant change at the company  across the US, Europe and Asia. In his last four years at Heinz he was based in China, where he led a turnaround of the Asia Pacific zone. He began his career in finance at Unilever, before joining Royal Ahold NV.

Schumacher commented: I am delighted to have been appointed to lead Unilever. It is a business with an impressive global footprint, a strong brand portfolio, a talented team and an enviable reputation as a leader in sustainability. In my time serving on the board, I have only become more convinced by the strength of Unilevers fundamentals and its clear growth potential. I will be very focused on working with the Unilever team to deliver a step-up in business performance, as we serve the billions of people around the world who use its products every day.

Unilever chairman Nils Andersen said: We are delighted to welcome Hein as our new chief executive, after an extensive, global search process. Hein is a dynamic, values-driven business leader who has a diverse background of experiences and an excellent track record of delivery in the global consumer goods industry.

He has exceptional strategic capabilities, proven operational effectiveness, and strong experience in both developed and developing markets. The board looks forward to Hein realising the full potential of Unilever as a winning business which delivers long-term growth and value for all its stakeholders.

Andersen added, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Alan for his leadership of Unilever. The changes he has made to the companys strategy, structure and organisation leave Unilever far better positioned for success. Alan will continue to lead Unilever until the end of June. He will be retiring after a tremendous 37-year career with our business.
The year has just bagged its first month and South Africa's brand advertising community has taken up arms against a BMW billboard at Cape Town International Airport.

Moreover, many of the consumers for whom this billboard was intended did not resonate with its sentiments.

The integrated campaign comprised a 90 showcase on YouTube, TVC spots (60 and 30), digital and social (15 and 6 clips), radio and out-of-home. (Note that this video has been removed from YouTube.)

Generation Joy - #Nextgenjoy

The BMW Generation Joy campaign launched in September 2022, its concept is premised on the idea that 'joy' for the next generation is a choice, not just a feeling.

This was expressed through its integrated campaign which conveyed bold and meaningful joyous movements that the brand believes represent its Millennial and GenZ target market.

According to BMW, it challenges the world to see an expanded definition of joy and encourages its consumers to live in the now, owning their agency and autonomy to build a destiny that they are ultimately in charge of.

The bone of contention

The campaign is aspirational and draws on themes that Millennials and GenZ are indeed grappling with, such as the design and crafting of futures they will be proud of and celebrating with those who are pivotal to their success.

The friction arose when audiences started paying close attention to some of the campaign assets created to support the campaign and land its narrative.

Drawing most of the attention is a billboard that shows a Black woman assuming a bold stance, backdropped by a landscape featuring the BMW vehicle, the campaign tagline (We are our Ancestors wildest dreams), the campaign hashtag (#generationjoy) and the BMW logo.

Upon closer analysis, the striking of the word Ancestors in the copy is prominent. This is what sparked, and then fuelled, the debate online across social media platforms. Many South Africans suggested this approach erased a belief and cultural identity that forms part of an integral component of their journey towards the actualisation their dreams.

Key questions that have been raised include: How did this go unnoticed and who could have possibly signed off on this? and Would the same approach have been adopted had words, themes and tropes relating to Christianity been involved?

Semiotics: signified & signifier

Semiotics is an interdisciplinary paradigm that studies signs and symbols insofar as the meanings associated to them. In other words, a sign is anything that can convey meaning. So, words can be signs, drawings can be signs, photographs can be signs, and even street signs can be signs.

Signs and sign systems can be looked at in three ways namely:

Semantics  refers to the how of semiotics and is concerned with the relationship between a signified and signifier  the sign and what it stands in for.

Syntactics  refers to structural relations in semiotics. It does this by referring to the formal relationship between signs that lets them build into sign systems.

Pragmatics  refers to the relationship of signs to the person reading or understanding that sign.



If semantics is concerned with the relationship with the signifier (in this case the billboard advertisement and the contents thereof) and the signified (which is the meaning that can be denoted from it) we can arrive at two sets of meaning:

That of individualism, agency and autonomy which may be what BMW was advocating for.

That ancestors are not necessarily an integral element of or contributor to Black People in actualising their dreams.



If syntactics refers to the relationship between the signs and the sign systems then the syntax meaning of this billboard advertisement can be read as Women and Black people do not need anyone else to achieve their dreams, especially their Ancestors. All they need is themselves.

Lastly, if pragmatics is concerned with how a person reads and understands a sign, we can agree that for Black People, this advertisement erases an integral part of their individual and cultural identity that forms part of their history.

A history that breathes life into their dreams and aspirations; hence the saying I am my Ancestors wildest dreams.

Highlighting the importance of diversity and inclusion

The importance of diversity and inclusion in agency and marketing teams is highlighted in instances such as the one BMW South Africa and its ad agency now find themselves in.

Because when its need is identified and practical solutions are applied meaningfully to achieve its highest manifestation, many of the intersectional issues relating to marginalised groups in advertising would be prevented from surfacing and making it to the public domain.

It is no lie that advertisements are created to influence the bottom line and reflect society by challenging the ways in which we do things and have come to accept certain truths in and of society.

However, this cannot be done outside of the context of the people being targeted through acknowledging their history and what matters to them, which is what this brand advertisement failed to do.

Strength-testing our advertisements

A major learning that we must take from this case study is the importance of strength-testing our advertisements with different types of people outside of the boardrooms we occupy. We should not try to speak on behalf of peoples histories and cultural identities we do not fully understand (be it intentionally or unintentionally so).

Whilst the future of advertising is exciting and vibrant, we as advertisers should not forget to check our blind spots to prevent us from repeating history.
Lace Up for Cancer is back - and with it, your opportunity to get involved and make a difference! After a pause during the pandemic, the NGO Hospice Palliative Care Association (HPCA) in collaboration with the Cancer Alliance and the Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa) , are delighted to announce our leading sponsor, Life Healthcare , whose support is making the revival of this popular event possible.

Taking place on Saturday, 4 February 2023 at the Anura Wine Estate in Klapmuts, Stellenbosch, the event is a family-friendly affair with something for everyone. It includes a 3km and 5km walk and a 10km run.

Whilst raising funds to support the three partner organisations, the event also provides an important platform to raise awareness across South Africa around this disease and the access to the vital care needed.

Says Salome Meyer, project manager of Cancer Alliance: The Cancer Alliance banner brings together all the cancer non-profit organisations as a united voice to commemorate World Cancer Day. Cancer is an important non-communicable disease that needs dedicated planning and management. In South Africa the disparities between the access to care for the medically insured and uninsured are a stark reality and many cancer patients do not receive timeous diagnosis and care. The Lace Up for Cancer event is an opportunity for us to bring together cancer survivors, their families, caregivers and cancer advocates, whilst raising funds to help cancer NPOs continue to provide their vital services.

Leigh Meinert, advocacy and operations manager at HPCA adds: This event is a cause close to our heart as our hospice members care for thousands of cancer patients per year. From our member hospices that submit patient statistics to us, the numbers reached over 4,000 for cancer patients supported by hospices. This does not take into consideration the many thousands that are assisted and not recorded on central databases. However, despite the importance of palliative care being available from diagnosis to any individual diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, we find that this care is often misunderstood and considered to be end-of-life care. Every opportunity that we get to communicate to people that palliative care is holistic care provided to anyone from the point of diagnosis, is an opportunity that we gratefully seize. The more people who know that they can contact hospice from their initial diagnosis and be supported throughout the course of their treatment, the more people who can be supported on their cancer journey  be it curative or terminal.

The last update to the South African National Cancer Registry was in 2019. At that time, the total number of cancer cases reported across the population was 85,373  an increase of 3,728 from the previous registry update in 2017*. Says Meyer: Cancer in South Africa is increasing drastically. It is only with dedicated and collaborative effort that we will be able to ensure sustainable cancer care for all moving forward. We need to Stand Up and Speak Up so that our collective voices are heard by policy makers.

Lans Pepler, organiser of this years race on behalf of the three partners, often undertakes events to raise funds for charities. He says: An event of this nature promotes community and a sense of shared purpose by bringing people together in a physical and social setting while contributing funds to the charity with their entry fees.

Lace Up for Cancer brings families and communities together to be educated on early detection programmes while also doing something practical to help lower the cancer risk (physical movement), says Elize Joubert, CEO of Cansa. Early detection is key to overcoming a cancer diagnosis.

However, people who live in remote areas dont always have access to information on how to lower their cancer risk or cancer screening. An event such as Lace Up for Cancer raises funds to assist us in our focus on closing the gap in cancer care by partnering with organisations and civic groups to make cancer information and screening accessible. Cansa Care Homes provide a home-away-from-home, including meals and transport to patients who live far away from treatment centres. This makes it possible for patients, who would otherwise not be able to, to receive treatment. We also offer free counselling through our Tele Counselling service, in seven languages, as well as Tele Stoma support making counselling and this level of support accessible to all. The Cansa website also provides free online resources and links to support groups for cancer patients, caregivers and loved ones. All fundraising efforts go a long way.

Testicular cancer survivor, Torsten Koehler adds: When I was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1995 it was a dark and lonely journey. I couldnt find any other testicular cancer survivor to talk to about my thoughts, feelings and fears (internet support groups like today didnt exist). Typically, men dont talk and we suffer in silence. Something like a run makes it easy for someone like me to join and make other men aware of testicular cancer, to encourage them to look after their health and to show that it is not embarrassing to talk about testicular cancer, your feelings and your fears. Its 2023  nobody should walk this journey alone!

Leading Lace Up for Cancer sponsor, Life Healthcare, is an organisation that understands well the importance of cancer prevention, early diagnosis and access to treatment through its dedicated oncology and radiotherapy services. We are proud to be supporting the event this year to help such worthy organisations in their mission to improve cancer care. This aligns with our purpose of Making Life Better and our commitment to providing quality patient care and clinical excellence to our patients across our private facilities in South Africa, says Dr Louis Kathan, Life Healthcare chief medical officer, South Africa.

Entry fees range from R100 to R200 and children under 12 participate for free.

To register, visit https://entries.onsite-events.co.za/events/78554-lace-up-for-cancer-runwalk.

* National Cancer Registry stats provided by Cansa




South Africa's construction sector is facing strong headwinds, not least of which is the load shedding currently causing havoc in South Africa. As construction contract specialists, we are seeing that the initial optimism for recovery on the back of the promised massive public infrastructure projects is being overtaken by uncertainty and a shortage in projects available for tender.

Ian Massey, director, MDA Consulting

In addition to the issue of work shortage, there are further factors contributing to increased risk, stunted growth and decline in the industry. One of the more common issues of concern is the Treasury requirement applicable to public sector contracts which imposes contract participation goals (CPG) whereby a significant percentage of the main contractors work must be awarded to SMME subcontractors. A second, sometimes related issue is community unrest in the form of now-infamous local business forums which have earned an unflattering reputation as the construction mafia.

Both of these complex risks can be mitigated, but to do so requires industry players to take a step back. Without the influence of an adversarial outlook, there are some solutions available to employers (the parties commissioning the work) and contractors alike.

Contract participation goals

Contract participation goals have been put in place to ensure that small, emerging contractor organisations are able to participate in projects. In this way, they gain valuable experience, can be mentored and can build sustainable businesses.

Generally, there is support in the industry for the principle of developing emerging businesses in the sector. But qualifying CPG contractors who meet the minimum CIDB-regulated level are not always available, particularly in more remote parts of the country. In addition, there are serious risks for contractors such as progress, quality and the cost involved in working with CPG subcontractors.

Statutory requirements of parties

The requirement for CPG subcontracting is driven by National Treasury and set out in the CIDB Best Practice document gazetted in November 2017. The employer (referred to as the Organ of State) is bound by statutory requirements.

It is the responsibility of the employer to interact with the local community in the area, set up community liaison committees, and agree dispute resolution processes.

Further, a feasibility study must be carried out to ensure that the CPG targets are attainable. The employer must compile a database of target enterprises available to carry out the CPG-allocated work as well as available labour resources. All this information must be included in the tender enquiry document to enable prospective tenderers to assess the inherent risk and compile bids.

In our experience, these requirements are generally not complied with. The risks are being absorbed by the contractors  an unsustainable predicament.

Community unrest / local business forums

In its role as the employer in public contracts, the state generally places community unrest risk squarely on the shoulders of contractors and they are obligated to absorb the risks of any disruptions due to local business forums.

Way forward

Successful contract outcomes are difficult to achieve in adversarial relationships and a collaborative approach requires a mental reset. However, risks related to the many complex issues in South Africas construction sector can be mitigated when all parties in contracts live up to their reciprocal rights and obligations.

Awareness is key. Engineers who usually draw up construction contracts must be made aware of the requirement for CPG contractors and community engagement, as must CPG contractors and local communities.
Nick Balkin has been appointed chief investment officer (CIO) at Foord Asset Management South Africa. He takes the CIO baton from Dave Foord, who has been in the role since Foord's founding in 1981.

Source: Supplied. Nick Balkin, new chief investment officer at Foord Asset Management South Africa.

This is a leadership position which falls naturally to Balkin after 18 years' tenure with the firm.

Balkin joined Foord as an equity analyst in 2005. He was made a portfolio manager in 2010, when he was appointed as a multiple-counsellor manager on the Foord equity fund unit trust and other SA equity strategies.

Over the years, Balkin has also managed private client portfolios, South African multi-asset funds (low, medium and high-equity balanced funds), long-short SA equity hedge funds, as well as managed a slice of the Foord global equity fund for a time. He has covered the full market from a research perspective and has also been head of research.

Dave Foord continues in the role of global CIO, offering valuable investment counsel to the broader investment team as needed. He remains a multiple-counsellor portfolio manager on Foords multi-asset portfolios in South Africa and globally.
Mama Money - a rapidly growing fintech that offers cross-border money transfer and banking services - has partnered with AFC Commercial Bank, a market leader in Zimbabwe with a reliable and robust payout network.

Source: Supplied. Matthieu Coquillon and Raphael Grojnowski, co-founders of Mama Money.

This partnership allows Mama Money customers to easily send money to any AFC Commercial Bank branch for cash collection at 45 locations across Zimbabwe.

Its estimated that the monthly remittance flows from South Africa to Zimbabwe range between $30 to $60m through both formal and informal channels and accounts for over 10% of the countrys GDP, according to the World Bank.

But the cost of sending money to Zimbabwe can significantly reduce the impact that remittances have as these funds are predominantly used for critical needs such as school fees, healthcare, and housing.

Tackling high money transfer costs

In 2015 the average cost of sending money from South Africa was 14%. This is the same year that Mama Money launched with a fee of just 5%. Today, the average cost of sending money from South Africa is 7%, which is much closer to the worldwide average of 6%.

Mama Money played a leading role in reducing the cost of money transfers from South Africa as the companys founders, Raphael Grojnowski and Matthieu Coquillon, started the business to make a positive impact on the lives of under-served migrant communities in South Africa.

Mama Money facilitates money transfers to over 50 countries across Africa, Asia and Europe. The fintechs key markets for money transfers include Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Ghana, Uganda, Nigeria, India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. It also offers banking services and money transfers to South Africa from Europe and other regions.

Nicolas Vonthron, chief executive officer at Mama Money said: We have made a lot of progress in bringing down the cost of money transfers, but there is still more we can do to support the Zimbabwean community in South Africa.

"We want to reduce the cost even further and offer a super reliable service. Our partnership with AFC Commercial Bank will help us achieve this and were extremely excited to see the impact this will have for people who need an easier way to send money to Zimbabwe.

Global expansion goals

Our goal when the company started, was to bring down the cost of money transfers. We feel that we have achieved this, and now want to reduce the cost even more as we expand and launch our services in more countries around the world.

We feel we have made a lot of progress in bringing the price down. Theres a lot more we want to do to support the Zimbabwe community in South Africa."

Ken Chitando, managing director at AFC Commercial Bank added: With our extensive network in Zimbabwe, it is very easy and convenient for recipients to collect their cash no matter where they are in the country, and we are continuously expanding our network.

"We are confident that this relationship will add convenience to all our customers as we expand our financial services countrywide."

Together, Mama Money and AFC Commercial Bank are improving access to critical financial services in under-served communities in both South Africa and Zimbabwe by making it easier, faster, and more affordable to send and receive money.
Lulalend, the South Africa-based digital lender catering to under-served small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), has finalised a transformational $35m (R600m) Series B funding round.

Source: Supplied. Lulalend founders Neil Welman, co-founder and chief technology officer and Trevor Gosling, co-founder and chief executive officer.

Lulalend will use the capital to scale its business and address South Africas enduring SME credit gap, which is estimated to be more than $20bn per year, according to the International Finance Corporation.

Lulalends $35m Series B funding round was led by Lightrock, the global impact investor, with participation from new investors the German development finance institution DEG, Triodos Investment Management, and Women's World Banking Asset Management, as well as existing investors The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Quona Capital.

The companys digital-first approach, alongside its proprietary credit-scoring algorithm has enabled it to offer a faster, simpler, and more transparent service for SMEs to access business funding.

By leveraging data from a diverse set of alternative sources, which support quicker and more accurate assessments of business health, Lulalend can review applications and distribute funds in hours as opposed to the weeks or months it takes traditional lenders. To date, Lulalend has disbursed billions of rand to SMEs across South Africa.

Founded in 2014 as South Africas first online provider of funding for SMEs, Lulalends customer offering has recently grown to encompass a neo-banking proposition named Lula, built in partnership with Access Bank.

Offering a bank account specifically tailored for SMEs, an AI-driven cash-flow management tool, and real-time access to funding by means of the existing Lulalend funding solutions, Lula promises to simplify money management for the more than 2 million formal and informal SMEs that exist in South Africa.

The platforms current waitlist is made up of 20,000 businesses, highlighting the demand for this new approach to business banking.

The capital raised will enable Lulalend to increase the size of its loan book, bring new solutions to market, and invest in the technology and talent that will accelerate the rollout of Lulalends new digital business banking proposition.

Meeting the needs of women-owned SMEs

In addition, in partnership with new investor Womens World Banking Asset Management, the company will work to scale its product to women-owned SMEs in the region.

Trevor Gosling, co-founder and chief executive officer of Lulalend, says: "We are excited to utilise these funds to grow and evolve our products so we can better serve the needs of South Africa's SMEs.

"We hope that our impact on this vital sector of the economy, which accounts for almost 40% of GDP and 60% of private-sector employment, is nothing short of transformative. Our vision is to drive financial inclusion, and act as a catalyst for growth and prosperity across the SME sector."

Customer Willem Haarhoff, founder of DoughGetters! Accounting, says: The biggest challenge SMEs face is access to cash. What Lulalend has enabled me to do is take that worry about cash flow away. That has changed my life and really made my business run smoothly.

Traditional lenders have historically under-served the SME market, unfairly hindering the growth of companies that make up the backbone of South Africas economy, says Arul Thomas, principal at Lightrock.

We are delighted to be partnering with Trevor and his dedicated team, who are levelling the playing field for SMEs with their simple, fast, and transparent approach to business finance.
Many litigants often find that getting recourse at Court only partially resolves all issues between them. It usually calls for referring the matter back even after it was concluded and is typically where a contempt of court application would follow.

Nicolene Schoeman-Louw is a Dispute Resolution and Commercial Specialist at SchoemanLaw Inc.

"Contempt of court is any behavior or wrongdoing that conflicts with or challenges the authority, integrity, and superiority of the Court. These acts might include failure to comply with requests, witness tampering, withholding evidence, interruption of proceedings, or defying a court order. These wrongful acts may be committed by attorneys, officers of the Court, court personnel, jurors, witnesses, protestors, or any party involved in a court proceeding."

How does it work?

In a recent Supreme Court of Appeal case, that of Samancor Chrome Limited v Bila Civil Contractors (Pty) Ltd and Others [2022] (7 November 2022), the mechanism was explored.

The appellant, Samancor Chrome Limited (Samancor), is the co-owner of specific properties.

Accordingly, it has the sole and exclusive right to mine. In terms of these rights, it is obliged to take all necessary steps to safeguard and protect the environment and the mining area from any possible damage. It also has to protect any persons using or entitled to use the surface mining area from injury associated with any activities in the mining area.

On 12 June 2019, Samancor lodged an urgent application before the Gauteng Division of the High Court, Pretoria (High Court), seeking an order interdicting Bila, its employees and contractors from conducting unlawful mining operations. The High Court dismissed the application.

Requirements for contempt application

the existence of the order; service or notice of that order to the respondent; non-compliance with the order by the respondent; and willfulness and mala fides.

The onus is on the applicant to prove all these requirements beyond a reasonable doubt. However, once the applicant has established the existence of the order, service or notice and non-compliance, the respondent bears the evidential burden concerning willfulness and mala fides.

Damages

The next issue to determine is the penalty imposed against the respondents. Samancor sought an order directing each of the respondents to pay a fine of R100,000 or any other sum the Court would deem appropriate. The Court ordered the first respondent to pay a fine of R100,000, while the second to fifth respondents were to pay a fine of R50,000 each. There was no order on imprisonment.

Conclusion

If the requirements are met, the contempt of court application will succeed, and the Court may be approached to impose a fine or compensation as a penalty. However, imprisonment is not always the result.
Lightstone Property's latest analysis shows that since 2017, the Western Cape's residential property development market has outperformed that of Gauteng. It also shows that the top 10 suburbs in each province have affordable or entry-level housing.

Hayley Ivins-Downes, head of Digital at Lightstone

Hayley Ivins-Downes, head of Digital at Lightstone, said the exceptions in both provinces were estates  Midstream in Gauteng and Burgundy Estate in the Western Cape.

This suggests that the bulk of new residential property is taking place in the affordable housing category, where it is most needed  and the transfer volumes reported further on tend to confirm declining appetite in Gauteng and rising demand in the Western Cape, she said.

Semigration, fuelled by Covid, accelerating a trend to work from home, and the movement of people to better functioning municipalities, could be part of the explanation behind the shift.

Ivins-Downes said residential property development fell in 2009 (see graph below) as the financial market crash hurt economies around the globe.

In 2008, Gauteng recorded 3,358 properties developed, and this fell to 2,098 in 2009 and then to a pre-Covid low of 1,680 in 2010, before development recovered to 2,157 units in 2016. It has, however, been in decline since, touching just short of 1,700 in 2021.

The WC high of 2,768 in 2008 fell to 1,529 in 2011 before recovering to 2,157 in 2018 and then falling to 1,373 as Covid took its toll  but development recovered to 2,078 in 2021.

The transfer volumes follow a similar pattern. Volumes in Gauteng peaked at 135,072 in 2008 before the market crash, and had climbed back to 123,405 in 2015 before declining year on year until the 2021 post-Covid bounce back. The 2022 numbers will demonstrate whether the recovery has longevity, or whether the gentle decline will continue. The trendline in the WC is positive, with 66,942 transfers in 2021 the highest recorded in the province since 2008 (see graph below), she said.

In both Gauteng and WC, nine out of the top suburbs in which development has taken place since 2008 are suburbs with affordable housing, in some cases transitioning from informal housing to the formal market.

Ivins-Downes said most residential development since 2008 has taken place in Olievenhoutbosch, a township adjacent to Centurion, south of Pretoria. It was previously an informal settlement and is reportedly one of the fastest growing residential nodes in the province.

Riverside View is adjacent to Steyn City in Fourways and offers both new and resale affordable housing, and third-placed Soshanguve East is located north of Rosslyns industrial area. Windmill Park on the East Rand, Soshanguve South outside Pretoria and Savanna City, south of Johannesburg all come before Midstream in Midrand, the only higher-income suburb in the top ten. The last three are Nellmapius, east of Silverton, Pretoria, Fleurhof Ext 3-30, south-west of Johannesburg, and Lufhereng, to the west of Soweto.

As with Gauteng, nine of the Cape Towns top ten in terms of development are townships or areas transitioning from informal to formal housing.

Ivins-Downes said more than 8,400 properties have been developed in Delft, situated next to the Cape Town International Airport, well ahead of Bloekombos with 5,121 properties developed. Bloekombos is situated on Cape Towns eastern border, near Kraaifontein. Khayelitsha Site C is third, followed by Browns Farm, within Philippi, and Pelikan Park, which is bounded by Muizenberg, Grassy Park and Strandfontein.

Burgundy Estate is sixth, with nearly 3,000 properties developed during this period. Burgundy Estate is 10 minutes from Century City and borders the De Grendel wine farm, and is the only mid-to-upper-income suburb in the top ten.

Asanda, situated near the Asla Industrial Park, is next, followed by Fairdale, next to Eerste Rivier, Wallacedene, on the eastern edge of Cape Town, and finally Sunset Glen, which is just across the M54 from Fairdale.

The graphs below demonstrate that transfers in the WC are at higher values than in Gauteng. The top three bands in Gauteng are R500k-R1m, R1m-R2m and R250k-R500k, while in the WC, the top transfer band, since 2016, has been R1m-R2m, followed by R500k-R1m and R2m-R3m, she said.
Imagine you could expose your brand to millions of consumers, where captive audiences close to points of purchase in key commuter hubs have exhibited higher brain response to advertising campaigns and a vast increase in spontaneous advertising recall, delivering proven sales uplift.

Introducing Transit XL from Transit AdsTM  large-format digital out-of-home advertising that connects with targeted audiences in key commuter hubs daily. With many top South African brands signing up, the numbers reveal high levels of engagement and positive results.

What is Transit XL?

Transit XL is a network of 11 large screens across the country with a total combined monthly audience of more than 10 million. An additional 10 locations will also be rolled out in the coming year. The screens are strategically located within key commuter nodes across South Africa.

The Transit XL screens are currently available in six provinces and have a growing footprint. The current provinces are Gauteng, KZN, the Western Cape, the Free State, the North West Province and the Eastern Cape. The screens are strategically placed at major train stations and taxi ranks. Stations include Park Station, Pretoria Station, Berea Station in Durban and Cape Town station. And taxi ranks include the Power Street rank in Bloemfontein, Randburg, Umlazi Mega City, Rustenburg and Mdantsane taxi rank.

These high-traffic areas draw a monthly audience of between 500,000 and 1,8 million. In addition, Transit Ads recently launched two new digital screens at the Cape Town and Berea stations, extending the networks reach even further.

Why big brands are choosing Transit XL

Unlike most OOH placements, transit environments present the opportunity to engage with audiences across a large geographic area, extending from primary metro routes on public transportation to city hot spots. The disruptive nature of OOH advertising makes memorable connections with consumers, breaking through the clutter and resonating with audiences throughout their daily journey.

Research shows that 73% of those who recall OOH advertising recall transit advertising. On their daily journeys, 63% of commuters who have seen advertising within the transit environment have researched a product they saw advertised, and 61% have purchased the product they saw at a later stage. Additionally, 45% of commuters have scanned a QR code on transit formats (BrandMapp, 2022; TGISA 20C).

South African commuter journeys are ever-evolving and dynamic, with each stage producing a different mindset that smart advertising can take advantage of. With Transit XL screens positioned at the entrances of train stations and taxi ranks, brands can organically reach commuters during their daily journey.

The first stage of a commuters journey is a crucial touchpoint for Transit XL. Commuters spend up to 30 minutes at taxi ranks between entry and departure. During this time, brands are presented with opportunities to create initial brand awareness, reinforced by brand messaging to prime commuters for more complex advertising messages to follow.

Thus far, Transit XL has demonstrated an overall average campaign effectiveness improvement of 17% for the brands that have chosen to take advantage of the network, with 32% higher brain response to campaigns, 17% increase in spontaneous advertising recall and up to 16% increase in sales (Neuroscience  Neuro-Insights (Ad Recall I Sales Effect).

According to Thulani Dumakude, Transit Ads general manager, The size and strategic positioning of each of our Transit XL sites are not only selected for the high audience numbers they engage with. They are also close to shopping environments, making the purchase decision a more logical and likely next step. Additionally, each Transit XL sites size and strategic positioning is designed to align with the regular flow of foot traffic between the transport nodes and retail outlets.

Dumakude adds, We have conducted a comprehensive research study which gives us an in-depth understanding of how and where consumers commute daily. We can use this to reach a targeted audience of economically active commuters in key commuter nodes across South Africa and accurately audit placement to ensure correct and timely flighting of material.

The transit network is a complex but effective system that dictates the rhythm of life in the city and is a vital part of urban mobility. And Transit Ads believes that commuters have developed a complex set of emotional, cognitive, and behavioral mechanisms to make their way through this system expertly.

With transit serving as the holding system for daily urban life, being that it is so vital to urban mobility, Transit XL is set to weave a new narrative in the lives of South African commuters.

To learn more about Transit XL and other advertising innovations in the transit environment, visit www.transitads.co.za.
Tongaat Hulett CEO Gavin Hudson has resigned with effect from 28 February 2023. The group also announced that its business rescue plan has been delayed. The extension was requested to allow further time to progress the complex work streams.

Source: 955169 via Pixabay

Hudson spearheaded efforts to recover the group four years ago following the discovery of accounting irregularities in 2019. This involved reducing the groups debt burden by R6.5bn and turning around governance and operational processes. Unfortunately, these turnaround efforts were hampered by Covid-19, civil unrest and floods in KwaZulu-Natal and the Company commenced business rescue proceedings in October 2022.

The group's core team of executives will continue to work with the business rescue practitioners (BRPs).

During the last few months, the BRPs have been engaged in securing post-commencement finance for the company, meeting with affected persons and other stakeholders and investigating the affairs of the company, which are very complex.

The BRPs confirmed in December 2022 that the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (IDC) has advanced post-commencement finance to fund the working capital requirements and off-crop maintenance.
Whether you're a young professional who is actively looking for a new job or simply curious to know what opportunities are out there, you are probably keen to grow in your career. It can be hard, however, to find a job that allows you to grow professionally and personally - especially when recruiters and job boards make you feel like you're just another number.

The unemployment rate in South Africa in the first quarter of 2022 was 63.9% in the 15-24 age bracket, and 42.1% for those aged 25-34 years. There is some good news for Mzansis Youth, however. The unemployment rate among graduates aged 15-24 years has declined from 40.3% to 32.6% in the first quarter of 2022 versus the same period in 2021. So, while the competition is fierce, there are still opportunities out there.

When you apply for a job, one of the main aims is to differentiate yourself from other candidates. Getting noticed by recruiters and employers using online recruitment platforms is crucial when youre applying for roles in a crowded job market. Thankfully, there are some simple steps you can take to get the attention you deserve and make yourself stand out from the pack.

1. Register on a specialist online recruitment platform

Recruiters and employers spend a huge amount of time on specialist recruitment platforms searching for quality candidates, and theyre constantly looking at online profiles. By registering on the platform, you make your details visible to them and put yourself in the running for opportunities.

The more complete your profile is  with honest and accurate information - the better chance you have of being shortlisted and matched to suitable roles, says Wiebka Cooper, head of sales and operations at CareerJunction. Our system is designed to allow recruiters to filter candidates based on their online profile and to search for keywords in their uploaded CV.

Although having to break your CV into individual fields when creating your profile and then being asked to upload your CV too can be irritating, doing this enables the smart matching technology of a specialist recruitment platform to match your skills and experience to the right roles and help recruiters find the right person for the right job. You must complete all the required fields AND upload your CV so that the system can search your CV for keywords that might not be in your online profile and increase your chances of being shortlisted for the right role.

2. Make your profile memorable

Investing the time in creating a great profile is well worth the effort, as it allows technology to do what it does best  match you to a suitable job vacancy and/or allow recruiters to find you online. You can also select the type of job youd be interested in applying for to receive Job Alerts by email. This way, youll be the first to know when opportunities in your preferred job sector become available.

Make your profile stand out above others by listing your soft skills as well as your hard skills  fill out as much information as possible in detail. Dont be shy to share your unique selling point  what you know you could confidently bring to the role and what makes you the best person for the position. Did you achieve distinctions in your tertiary education? Have you overseen and led a massively successful project? Have you been involved in any community-upliftment initiatives? Reflecting on your skills and work experience as well as your personality traits and passions can help you identify your unique selling point.

Its a good idea for candidates to share examples of their soft skills, such as accountability, communication skills, leadership, and teamwork because this gives recruiters a good idea of whether they would fit into the companys culture. The CareerJunction online recruitment platform allows recruiters to work through a list of skills  including soft skills if these have been included in the skills list or CV by the candidate. This helps them to identify and filter the most relevant and appropriate for the vacancy, and view the CVs of candidates who match them, says Cooper.

3. Avoid wasting time  only apply for the jobs you really want

There are two common mistakes that jobseekers make in the quest to secure a new position. One is to apply for dozens of jobs simultaneously, and the other is to apply for several different jobs at one organisation.

Applying for too many jobs may give the impression that youre either not focused or not particularly interested in a specific role. This will put recruiters off, especially when they see that youve applied for multiple jobs which may require varying skill sets. Theres also the risk that the recruitment platforms matching technology might not identify you as being a suitable candidate for a particular role as your profile hasnt been tailored to a specific job ad. This is why candidates who apply for several jobs at once seldom hear back from recruiters.

It is not advisable to apply for several jobs at the same organisation, as recruiters may think you are desperate and will settle for any job  and possibly leave as soon as the right one does become available. This could also lead to you eventually being offered a package that is less than you deserve. In the worst-case scenario, it could result in the recruiter simply deciding not to shortlist you for an interview. Recruiters want candidates who demonstrate enthusiasm for a particular job because this is a good sign that they wont leave the company as soon as another opportunity arises.

Market yourself as a high performer through the words you use to express your experience and accomplishments. You should also upload your CV in a good layout that tells a logical story of the value you have added in your roles and how you have grown in your career over time because online systems use the information in your profile as well as crawl for keywords in your uploaded CV.

4. Make sure your profile, CV and cover letter meet the specific requirements of the job

If youre applying for multiple jobs at the same time, chances are you are not taking the time to tailor your cover letter to the specific requirements of each job. Your chances of successfully landing a new job will be much higher if you take the time to research the company and make sure that your initial introduction meets the criteria identified in the job advert.

Be sure to include details about who you are, why youre ideal for the vacant position, what you can bring to the role that the others perhaps couldnt and what youre aiming for in your career right now. Mention specific experience relevant to the role youre applying for and include as many relevant facts as possible in your CV. How many colleagues in your team were positively affected by your work? By what percentage did you exceed your goals? Quantifying your achievements will impress the recruiter as it will give them a clearer idea of the value you have to offer. Read our blog on how to write a good cover letter.

5. If you get an interview, prepare for it

During the interview, there are several common things that recruiters look for in a candidate: confidence and a positive attitude; good communication skills; the ability to recount real-life examples to demonstrate answers; enthusiasm about the advertised position; asking the interviewer thoughtful questions about the role and the company; showing a solid understanding of the job requirements and being an active listener.

Whether you have a face-to-face interview or a virtual one, dress to impress. Do your research beforehand to get some idea of the company dress code and cultural vibe. When you meet the interviewer, introduce yourself by making eye contact, smiling, and stating your first and last name.

Mirroring certain gestures and attitudes of your interviewer can help to create a stronger connection between you and the person interviewing you. For example, if they are lively and expressive when they speak, try to demonstrate the same level of enthusiasm. If they are quiet and serious, on the other hand, tone your own energy down a little. At the end of the day, recruiters are most impressed by candidates who seem genuinely interested in the company and role they are applying for  candidates who have done their research and can sell themselves based on that information.

Are you ready to embrace your true potential?

At CareerJunction, we arent just focused on today and tomorrow. We are there for the long-term. We understand that as a Gen Y or Gen Z candidate you may be finding the job market hard now. We value individuals with valuable skills and were passionate about helping job seekers find roles where theyre valued.

We take the challenge of matching people and jobs very seriously. Using our years of experience, an understanding of the business and jobseeker, and personalised and insightful data, we can make a match that simply works. Heres to finding the right fit. Where beliefs and values align. Where skills enhance businesses, and businesses value skills. Visit www.careerjunction.co.za to create your profile or search and apply for available jobs. You can also download the free CareerJunction mobile app to search and apply for roles 24/7, wherever you are.
South Africa is coming off its safest year on record in mining, with accident-related deaths falling to 49 from 74 the previous year, a government report showed on Tuesday, 31 January.

Minister of mineral resources and energy Gwede Mantashe speaking at the Africa Energy Week conference in Cape Town. 2022. Source: Reuters/Esa Alexander

A total of 1,946 serious injuries were reported in 2022, down from 2,123 a year earlier, the report showed, prompting mines minister Gwede Mantashe to say more needed to be done to improve safety.

"We are improving in fatalities, we are improving in injuries, but the numbers remain high. An incident is a pointer that there was a potential fatality," Mantashe said during the report's release in Pretoria.

Mine fatalities have declined since 309 lives were lost in 1999, though 2020 and 2021 saw deaths rise again, industry data shows.

"The industry will build on the momentum we achieved during 2022 when we halted and significantly reversed the regression in safety during the previous two years in which 74 and 60 of our colleagues died in 2021 and 2020, respectively," said Lerato Tsele, acting head of safety and sustainable development at the Minerals Council of South Africa.

In a statement, the Minerals Council said industry-wide safety initiatives were helping, including a push to eliminate accidents involving falling rocks.

These, which once accounted for about half of all deaths in the sector, fell to six last year from 20 in 2021, the report showed.
The US on Thursday announced a new massive $2.5 billion arms package for Ukraine that includes Stryker armored combat vehicles for the first time.

The tranche of weapons includes 90 Strykers and 55 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, which the US first pledged to send to Ukraine as part of an over $3 billion arms package that was announced earlier this month.

The package also includes munitions for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs), and other equipment.

The Strykers are made by General Dynamics and are designed to transport troops with extra protection, similar to the Bradleys. The Stryker is lighter and faster than the Bradleys and is on wheels as opposed to tracks.

Both vehicles can be used to go on the offense, and thats what US officials have in mind for the new transfer. Germany and France have also pledged to send similar armored vehicles.

The UK said it would send 14 of its main battle tanks, the Challenger 2, but its not clear if Kyiv will get more Western-made heavy tanks. Berlin is hesitant to sign off on deliveries of its Leopard 2, and US officials signaled this week that they wouldnt be sending the M1 Abrams.

While Ukraine is receiving a significant amount of new armor, Valery Zaluchny, the commander of the Ukrainian armed forces, said in December that he needs at least 300 heavy tanks and 600-700 fighting vehicles if he is to stand a chance to drive Russia out of the territory its captured.

According to the Pentagon, the full $2.5 billion arms package includes the following:

Additional munitions for NASAMS

Eight Avenger air defense systems

59 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) with 590 TOW anti-tank missiles and 295,000 rounds of 25mm ammunition

90 Stryker Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) with 20 mine rollers

53 MRAPS

350 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs)

20,000 155mm artillery rounds

Approximately 600 precision-guided 155mm artillery rounds

95,000 105mm artillery rounds

Approximately 11,800 120mm mortar rounds

Additional ammunition for HIMARS

12 ammunition support vehicles

6 command post vehicles

22 tactical vehicles to tow weapons

High-speed Anti-radiation missiles (HARMs)

Approximately 2,000 anti-armor rockets

Over 3,000,000 rounds of small arms ammunition

Demolition equipment for obstacle clearing

Claymore anti-personnel munitions

Night vision devices

Spare parts and other field equipment

US military aid for Ukraine is being pulled from funds that have already been authorized by Congress and signed into law by President Biden, which at this point amounts to about $113 billion.
South Africa: Policeman among six arrest for hijacking

A 43-year-old police sergeant was amongst six suspects who were arrested on Monday for possession of a suspected stolen vehicle and two hijacked truck trailers in Clewer, Emalahleni.

The South African Police Service (SAPS said Middleburg Flying Squad members received information about the truck, which was hijacked in Elsburg, Gauteng, in January.

Provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, said police officers followed the tracking signal, which led them to a certain plot in Clewer.

Upon arrival, members noticed a White Toyota Dakar next to two trailers. Upon seeing the police, six people started running in different directions. Police managed to apprehend them and out of the six people, there was a police sergeant stationed at Vosman SAPS, as well as two Zimbabwean nationals.

Police further discovered that the trailers were still loaded with cooking oil estimated at about R1.3 million and they were positively identified as the ones belonging to the reportedly hijacked truck. It was also established that the Toyota Dakar was reported stolen in Garsfontein (in Gauteng province) in September 2017, said Mohlala.

He said the truck was also found abandoned a few kilometres from the plot. Police are currently continuing with the investigation to establish if the suspects are not involved in other similar criminal activities.

Police will further engage the Department of Home Affairs to establish the status of the two foreign nationals in the country," he said.

The suspects are today expected to appear at the Emalahleni Magistrate's Court tomorrow on charges of hijacking and possession of suspected stolen properties.

Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, strongly condemned the involvement of SAPS members in criminal activities and commended dedicated members, as well as other stakeholders, for the bust.

The General said an internal investigation will also be conducted against the member who tarnished the image of the organisation.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2023-02-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Importance of education promoted in Xinjiang

By ZHAO RUIXUE (China Daily) 09:47, February 01, 2023

Rahman Awut (center), a teacher from No 23 Senior Middle School of Yining city in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, talks with students. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The education-related content contained in the report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China demonstrates that the CPC Central Committee attaches great importance to education and has charted the course for the development of education, said Rahman Awut, a teacher from No 23 Senior Middle School of Yining city in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

"The report says we will continue to give high priority to the development of education and develop education that meets the people's expectations," said the 44-year-old, who was also a delegate to the 20th CPC National Congress.

"Great progress and achievements on education have been made in Xinjiang," she said, adding she is one of the many people in Xinjiang to benefit from the country's fair education policies.

Rahman has seven younger brothers and sisters, and her father passed away when she was 15. Life had been difficult for her family.

With the help of the local Party committee and government, Rahman and her seven siblings completed their nine-year compulsory education. She and her three sisters graduated from colleges and now work as teachers.

"It is the fair education policies that created a happy life for us," said Rahman.

To provide children in Xinjiang with better education conditions, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council have been setting up classes in big cities in other provinces for Xinjiang students since 2000.

Teachers in Xinjiang are also sent to the cities to work in the classes for Xinjiang students to ensure their study and life away from home go well.

Rahman has been working with two classes of Xinjiang students in a senior middle school in Changqing district of Jinan, Shandong province since 2020.

"Children here have free accommodation and meals. In addition, they have subsidies for medical care and a student grant of 50 yuan ($7.50) every month," said Rahman.

Almost all of these children are able to be admitted by colleges and most of them return to Xinjiang after graduation, becoming an important strength in the development of Xinjiang, she said.

Rahman is now taking care of 65 girl students from Xinjiang. For these students, she is not only a teacher but a relative.

To better get to know the students and give them timely guidance in study and life, as well as psychological counseling, Rahman lives in the same dormitory building.

She is also in contact with the students' parents.

"The first thing that I need to do with the students is to change their attitudes on studying, as well as their parents' attitudes on education to let them understand that only knowledge can upgrade their lives," said Rahman.

"To care for the students is not to educate them with empty talk but with every detail and specific event in our daily life," she said.

What kind of people we should cultivate, how and for whom  these are the fundamental issues that education must address, Rahman quoted from the report.

As the report states, we will carry out the basic task of fostering virtue through education and nurture a new generation of capable young people with sound moral grounding, intellectual ability, physical vigor, aesthetic sensibility and work skills who will fully develop socialism and carry forward the socialist cause, she said.

Over the past two months, Rahman has given more than 50 speeches on the spirit of the Congress, especially on the part of education, human resources, core socialist values and national security and unity.

"Many students told me they cherish the rare education opportunities and will study hard to contribute to the development of our country," said Rahman.

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Liang Jun)
Objectivity has no place in a modern-day newsroom because it's "a distortion of reality" that was "dictated over decades by male editors in predominantly White newsrooms and reinforced their own view of the world," so says our new media elites.



From The Daily Caller News Foundation, "Major News Outlets Say They're Ditching Objectivity In The Name Of 'Diversity' ":

Leaders of prominent news organizations are eschewing journalistic objectivity, claiming it is antithetical to a diversity of views in their newsrooms, according to a series of interviews conducted by two journalism scholars.



Former executive editor for The Washington Post Leonard Downie Jr. and former CBS News President Andrew Heyward interviewed over 75 media leaders to gauge how the industry views the concept of "objectivity." The media figures argued that journalists should include their own beliefs, biases, and experiences to convey truth, and that journalistic objectivity was either unrealistic or undesirable.



"Objectivity has got to go," said Emilio Garcia-Ruiz, editor-in-chief at the San Francisco Chronicle.



"[I]ncreasingly, reporters, editors and media critics argue that the concept of journalistic objectivity is a distortion of reality. They point out that the standard was dictated over decades by male editors in predominantly White newsrooms and reinforced their own view of the world," Downie Jr. wrote. "They believe that pursuing objectivity can lead to false balance or misleading "bothsidesism" in covering stories about race, the treatment of women, LGBTQ+ rights, income inequality, climate change and many other subjects. And, in today's diversifying newsrooms, they feel it negates many of their own identities, life experiences and cultural contexts, keeping them from pursuing truth in their work."



"Journalists of color" and LGBTQ journalists said that reporting objectively "negates their own identity, life experiences and cultural contexts, keeping them from pursuing truth in their work," according to Downie Jr.



Journalists believe objectivity prevents them from accurate reporting, as it bars them from channeling their background and beliefs, the survey found.



"It's objective by whose standard? ... That standard seems to be White, educated, and fairly wealthy," said Kathleen Carroll, former executive editor at the Associated Press.



The media shouldn't simply use "neutral language" by default, New York Times executive editor Joseph Kahn said. For instance, if there is undisputed evidence of racism or falsehoods, journalists should be direct with readers.

The Los Angeles Times allows their staff to write personal essays so they can share more of their identities, said editor Kevin Merida. Such essays appear on the first page, including a gay reporter's story about marriage and the legalities of gay marriage.



USA Today has no problem allowing their reporters to write about their own experiences, so long as the stories aren't too biased, said editor-in-chief Nicole Carroll. She also welcomes a diverse group of journalists to express their experiences when discussing newsworthy stories.



"What we found has convinced us that truth-seeking news media must move beyond whatever 'objectivity' once meant to produce more trustworthy news," said Downie Jr.



Many of the interviewees seemed to be in support of such a change.



"This appears to be the beginning of another generational shift in American journalism," Downie Jr. said.

It sounds more like the end of American journalism rather than a new beginning.



That said, I actually applaud them for coming out and stating this all for the record.











Their statements are all objectively idiotic but they don't even realize it because they've abandoned all objectivity!



RELATED: Poynter: Media Should End Local Crime Beat to Avoid Connecting 'Black and Brown Communities' to Crime



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The Mossad's strike on an alleged Iranian defense facility was carried out purely to advance Israel's own interests and had nothing to do with Ukraine, senior intelligence officials told the New York Times on Sunday.



Neocon David Frum and Ukrainian war lobbyists on Saturday tried to market Israel's strikes to their libtard followers on Twitter as a "world coalition" acting together to stick it to Putin and the Ayatollah and avenge the "genocide" in Ukraine as well as the Holocaust.















Israel has been criticized for not lifting a finger to help the US -- "their Greatest Ally" -- with their proxy war against Russia in Ukraine so as to avoid jeopardizing Israel-Russia relations.



(Our Greatest Ally also chose not to send a single troop to Iraq after lobbying Congress to start a war over Saddam Hussein's non-existent WMDs.)



From The Times of Israel, "Mossad carried out Iran defense facility strike for Israel's own interests  report":

The drone attack on a defense facility in the Iranian city of Isfahan was carried out by Israel to protect its own security interests, and not to prevent weapons exports to Russia, according to a New York Times report on Sunday.



The Saturday strike was carried out by the Mossad intelligence agency, according to the newspaper, which cited senior United States intelligence officials.



[...] A Wall Street Journal report which also pointed the finger at Israel for the Isfahan strike noted the timing of the attack came at the same time that talks between Jerusalem and Washington are aimed at finding new ways to counter Tehrans nuclear program. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to arrive in Israel on Monday.

"Weeks ago, American officials publicly identified Iran as the primary supplier of drones to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine, and they said they believed Russia was also trying to obtain Iranian missiles to use in the conflict," the NY Times reported. "But U.S. officials said they believed this strike was prompted by Israel's concerns about its own security, not the potential for missile exports to Russia."



Looking over Frum's Twitter, I can see he never shared the Times' report with his followers and never corrected the record.



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Way back in 2017, I wrote about tech companies working together to create 360- degree police surveillance vehicles complete with facial recognition. This has now become a reality.

As the above video shows, the Wausau Police Department is already using Fords 360-degree police surveillance vehicles to quietly surveil everyone.

According to Yahoo News the New York City Police Department (NYPD), which employees more people than the FBI, has announced it is turning all their police vehicles into 360-degree surveillance vehicles.

The department is in the process of redesigning its fleet of patrol vehicles, which will now have 360-degree cameras installed in them for constant monitoring of the streets, Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said Wednesday.

To put the publics mind at ease of having 11,000 spying police vehicles monitor everyone, the NYPD has decided to put QR codes on their new patrol cars.

Each car will also have a QR code printed on the outside of the vehicle that the public can scan and connect to the NYPDs websites. Sewell said the new design will ensure the safety of our officers, have a QR code to improve customer service and a revamped interior for more efficient and comfortable work environment for our officers.

If and when the public finally cares about losing their privacy, all they have to do is scan a police vehicles QR code. This will bring them to a carefully worded law enforcement website that will reassure them that the government really cares about their privacy and that 360-degree surveillance cameras are for the publics safety.

When a concerned citizen approaches a 360-degree police surveillance vehicle, they may be surprised to find out what is really happening inside.

Fords Police Interceptors come with a factory-installed version of Surveillance Mode or a built-in Police Perimeter Alert that automatically analyzes people for officer perceived threats. Because nothing says public safety like an AI that automatically analyzes people for so-called threatening behavior.

Police Perimeter Alert is a much-improved, factory-installed version of Surveillance Mode. It uses BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) sensors for approximately 270-degree monitoring outside of the vehicle and analyzes the motion to determine if a behavior is a potential threat. It features a visual display in the instrument panel cluster that shows moving objects, the motion trail and potential threat level. When potentially threatening behavior is detected, it also will sound a chime, activate the Rear View Camera, and automatically roll up the windows and lock the doors.

How does Fords Police Perimeter Alert determine someone is a threat? Fords Police Interceptor owners manual is purposefully vague about how their Police Perimeter Alert determines someone or something is a threat to a police officer.

Page 63 of the owners manual says the Police Perimeter Alert System is primarily intended to monitor moving pedestrians but also detects objects like vehicles and bikes. Fast vehicles, stationary objects and small objects like birds may also be ignored.

The owners manual says Fords Police Perimeter Alert System has three settings low, medium and high without explaining what the differences are.

The owners manual also warns that sensor reflections from stationary objects may cause false objects to briefly appear on the Police Perimeter Alert System display.

Things like dirt, mud, snow and rain could automatically roll up a police officers windows and lock their doors sending them into panic mode thinking they are being targeted by an unassuming citizen. This could be deadly for anyone on a bike or standing near a Ford Police Interceptor.

Fords Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with Cross-Traffic Alert is also cause for concern. Police vehicles using Fords BLIS can pick up a vehicle moving at least 5 mph within a 45-foot range  or five parking spaces  from either the left or right side of the vehicle.

Combine Fords BLIS with police 360-degree surveillance cameras and license plate readers and you are only scratching the surface of what Fords new public surveillance vehicles are capable of.

Will the NYPD use facial recognition to turn their police cars into Orweillan nightmare cars?

Sewell claimed that the NYPD has no current plans to equip their new 360-degree surveillance vehicles with facial recognition.

As recently as 2020 the NYPD openly used facial recognition to ID suspects, so I wouldnt put too much faith in their promise not to install it in their new surveillance vehicles.

The privacy ramifications of turning police cars into 360-degree surveillance vehicles means that everyone becomes a suspect in the governments eyes. Moms with baby strollers, dog walkers, bike riders, pedestrians, motorists and their passengers and public transit passengers all become suspects in the eyes of Americas unchecked police surveillance state.

Soon, a Police Interceptor will be driving around your neighborhood recording families playing with their children or secretly recording them getting ice cream at a local store.

Police in America are not as obvious as their European counterparts when it comes to putting surveillance cameras on their vehicles as this picture illustrates.

And that is what makes Fords new Police Interceptor so insidious. Ford was smart enough to conceal its 360-degree cameras to make police vehicles look like any other SUV driving down Americas streets.

Do you think the public would accept it if Ford attached four CCTV cameras to the roof of their new police vehicles? No. Not a chance.

And that is why this is so dangerous. Having 11,000 police surveillance vehicles quietly monitoring the public should raise alarms everywhere.

Police departments like Little Rock, Spokane, Maryland County, Washington DC and Waco cant seem to get enough Ford Police Interceptors. As the Ford Media Center put it, police agencies are lining up to purchase Police Interceptors.

From New England to Southern California, orders for the Ford Police Interceptor Utility Hybrid are piling up. Agencies in cities such as San Diego, Columbus, Ohio, and Madison, Wisconsin, have committed to adding hybrids to their law enforcement fleets.

Below is a list of seven things that should worry everyone about Police Interceptors:

Who is watching what police vehicles are recording (Fusion Centers)? How long do police store each vehicles videos for? How will police officers react to Police Perimeter Alerts? What is the difference between low, medium and high Police Perimeter Alert settings? How does Fords AI determine if someone or something is a threat to a police officer? Why are police officers recording who is behind them? 360-degree police surveillance vehicles will erode everyones privacy.

Fords Police Interceptors appear to be designed for one singular purpose: public surveillance. And that should worry everyone.

Image credit: Agent Tyler Durden (PSNI)
As you can see below, Gates just so happened to time the market perfectly, selling the shares during BioNtechs best performing quarter.

In September of 2019, just months before Covid hysteria made its way through the world, The Gates Foundation secured its shares in the Pfizer vaccine partner through a pre-IPO equity deal with an agreed upon purchase price of $18.10 per share. With an average sale price of around $300 per share in Q3 of 2021, this means that the Gates Foundation banked roughly $260 million in cash from the sale, with $242 million being untaxed profit, given that the money was invested through the foundation. And that doesnt account for the additional 2 million shares that the Gates Foundation sold prior to that from its original pre-IPO equity investment. In the Q3 2021 sale, the Gates Foundation secured a return of over 15 times more than its initial investment.

Over the next quarter, Gates unloaded 1.4 million shares of Curevac, another Germany-based mRNA company that has partnered with several mRNA shot manufacturers, banking an estimated $50 million.

After selling his mRNA company shares, Gates changed his tune on the tech behind the miracle cure. Gates, who once claimed that vaccination with mRNA shots had a preventive effect and helps your heart, began to criticize the experimental injections.

In November of 2021, Gates, after dumping 86 percent of his BioNTech bag, shockingly declared that we need a new way of doing the vaccines.

"We didn't have vaccines that block transmission," Gates said, contradicting all of his previous interviews in which he continuously claimed the shots were safe and significantly block transmission. "We got vaccines that help you with your health, but they only slightly reduce the transmission, he added.

And last week, Gates amped up his doubtful rhetoric about mRNA, continuing to distance himself from the once hyped technology that he used to secure hundreds of millions of dollars in pandemic profits.

We also need to fix the three problems of [mRNA] vaccines, Gates said in an interview with an Australian think tank. The current vaccines are not infection blocking. Theyre not broad, so when new variants come up you lose protection, and they have very short duration, particularly in the people who matter, which are old people.

Bill Gates has never publicly commented, as far as The Dossier is aware, on his BioNTech cash out.
How Czech Journalists Fabricate Reports  The case of Karel Vrana and USTR

1. 2. 2023 / Muriel Blaive

cas cteni 11 minut



Journalist Karel Vrana contacted me by email to tell me that he was shooting a report for Reporteri CT on What is happening around USTR, and to ask me for an interview. Upon my request, he sent me five questions in writing on 29 November 2022: Do you consider your forced departure from USTR as a political matter? If yes, why? Will you take the Institute to court? How do you feel about the petition in your support? The management of the Institute claims that due to the shortcomings of your work it had to return about 2 million crowns to the Grant Agency. How would you respond to this claim? Do you see USTR as an ideologized institution?

I reproduce underneath not only his questions, but my answers, which I sent him back in writing also on 29 November. As the reader will see, these questions and answers have absolutely nothing in common with the final report as it was broadcast.

We then recorded an interview by Zoom on 1 December 2022. Vrana apparently decided not to use my interview in his lurid report, The Horror House of Zizkov, which was broadcast by Ceska televize on 23 January 2023. Fair enough. Instead, however, the report is an attempt to present the reconstruction of the former seat of the institute in Siwiecova as a dramatic coverup of incompetence and waste of taxpayers money, while the fact that the police stopped all investigations after two years because it failed to find any evidence of wrongdoing remains somehow unexplained. The report also never wonders who demanded an investigation to the police in the first place and whether it was not, by any chance, a political attempt to discredit the leadership of the institute. The staging of the report is also utterly ridiculous. Its tone can be summarized by the appearance of Monika MacDonagh-Pajerova at the beginning of the film, who says she never goes around that part of town, because whenever she does, she has to cry.

But the methods of Karel Vrana are best illustrated by the fact that he eventually also asked me during our Zoom interview about the reconstruction of the building, yet failed to use my answer when it did not bring him what he wanted to hear. So, it is not unhelpful to remind here what I told him (I recorded the interview on my side, too), when he asked me Where did the mistake happen in the reconstruction of the institute:

I think it's a complete coincidence. I was still part of the management when it started, and I think they asked different companies how much it would cost, and they took the cheapest. Then the company started tearing the building down and found out it was much worse than they had imagined, so suddenly it cost a lot more. I don't know the details anymore, but I just remember this is how it was. Suddenly it cost an awful lot of money, and the institute started looking for more money, and I think it couldnt put together the whole amount, so the reconstruction had to stop. Something like that. ... So, there was nothing here. It was yet another affair, like all the other affairs which are completely out of it. They just create scandals for nothing at all, and it's all over the news, all over the media, and people feel like, oh my god, all these terrible things happen there, and then two years later, or just later, it turns out that it was nothing at all, but it's not all over the news or all over the media anymore, right? People are left with the impression that it was terrible, but it's not addressed anymore.

Had Vrana wanted to present a balanced account of this issue, to present my point of view would have been an excellent opportunity. Instead, he chose to make a report that is only an indictment of the former management of the institute, with absolutely no space left for the defense. In my experience, this is unfortunately how a lot of the Czech media work on the issue of dealing with the communist past. The irony of my then explaining to Vrana in our interview that Czech media are for a large part incompetent and misuse information to fabricate fake allegations was apparently lost on him, because this is exactly what he did with me.

Below are the answers I sent him to his questions on 29 November 2022. I am left to speculate that these questions, which turned out to be senseless in view of the theme of the report, were a trap to get me to speak of the building. I suppose Mr Vrana was hoping I would slander the former management of the institute. Needless to say, this is anything but quality journalism.

Do you consider your forced departure from USTR as a political matter? If yes, why?

I do. From an academic point of view, it was in USTRs best interest to keep me  I would have cost very little to the institute, but I would have brought to its credit all my publications, notwithstanding that it would have been an ideal opportunity to establish a partnership with the university of Graz. Graz already has a strong research center on the former Yugoslavia and is a magnet in Austria for research on Central and Eastern Europe thanks to Professor Libora Oates-Indruchova (who used to sit on the Scientific Advisory Board of USTR.)

I am also, as I showed in an article, the researcher with the highest, or one of the highest, international ranking in the institute as seen from the point of view of the golden standard, the H-Index on Web of Science. Director Kudrna is not even mentioned there, notwithstanding that he was designated by the former Scientific Advisory Board as a plagiarizer.

On the other hand, after he was elected director but before he even stepped into office, director Kudrna gave an interesting interview to journalist Barbora Tacheci on CRo plus. In a rather confused narrative, he claimed that:

so-called academic revisionists like Michal Pullmann and Muriel Blaive are supporters of Vladimir Putin in the current war against Ukraine and are helping Putin convince a lot of people that he is doing the right thing.

It is of course completely false. I believe that Putin is a war criminal who belongs in jail, and I am very much hoping that an international tribunal for the crimes committed in Ukraine will be established in the Hague.

But Kudrna doesnt stop there. Additionally I am supposed to have claimed that under communism:

"basically it wasn't that bad, most people identified with the regime, etc. ... These are notorious statements about the social contract, about the meaninglessness of dissent, about how people didn't actually want to travel, freedom didn't interest them, etc. etc."

The fact that I try to deconstruct the social basis of support for the communist regime only means that I am trying to understand how it managed to work for so long, not that I support communist crimes. I absolutely never claimed that dissent was meaningless, quite on the contrary, or that freedom didnt interest people under communism  of course it did, what an idiocy. But this led Kudrna to conclude that my alleged revisionism "has become a regular part of the hybrid war", by which he meant Putins hybrid war:

"And when you wage a hybrid war, it takes many forms. ... We see the result when that kind of downplaying of recent history ... leads to what we're seeing today. Nothing happens by accident. Everything is linked to everything."

I would say the only things that are really linked here are Kudrnas twisted understanding of what a critical assessment of history is supposed to be and his decision to fire me.

Will you take the Institute to court?

Indeed I am planning on suing the institute with my lawyer Pavel Uhl.

NB from 31 January 2023: In the meantime we did file the lawsuit.

How do you feel about the petition in your support?

I was amused to see the consternation of the anticommunists concerning the fact that the great American historian Timothy Snyder (who can be suspected neither of supporting Putin, nor of supporting communism) signed the petition put together by the wonderful artist and activist Pavel Karous. It was also interesting to see the difference between the foreign historians who signed the petition on principle, understanding that it is unacceptable in a democracy that a historian should be fired for her alleged political views (that are not even true), and many Czech colleagues, who were very finicky about this or that formulation, or who claimed they couldnt take sides in a labor dispute. I joked on Facebook that I wonder how many people refused to sign Charter 77 just because they thought one sentence or another was badly written. For the rest, I am incredibly moved by the ordinary Czech citizens who signed, clearly on behalf on democracy because they do not know me personally or the details of the case. But what courage! I am impressed and deeply grateful. I am also very grateful to my colleagues at USTR who signed. My former boss Ondrej Vojtechovsky was dismissed as editor-in-chief of the institute's journal Securitas Imperii just a few days after he signed, which is a disturbing coincidence to say the least.

4. The management of the Institute claims that due to the shortcomings of your work it had to return about 2 million crowns to the Grant Agency. How would you respond to this claim?

As far as I know, its a blatant lie. My grant was forcefully interrupted by GACR in the course of the third year, but the institute did not have to give back a single crown. The institute just did not get the chance to spend the remaining money. In fact, I am considering suing director Kudrna for this statement as well. To claim that I cost the institute two million when in fact I brought money to the institute is quite an insult.

NB from 31 January 2023: After this interview, I sent to USTR a request under Law 106/1999 to get confirmation that these alleged two million crowns were a lie. Deputy Director Kamil Nedvedicky replied to me the following: According to the Final Report sent to the Grant Agency on May 3, 2018, the underspent amount was CZK 599,000. In other words, the Institute did not reimburse GACR a single crown, it was only prevented from drawing money for the rest of the year 2018. Not only did the institute *not* return two million crowns because of me but on the contrary, thanks to me it received a substantial amount of money: half of my salary from GACR and the overhead costs for the first two years. In other words, Director Kudrna publicly lied and slandered me. To this day, the institute continues lying to the public, since it still displays the following on its website: The grant which Dr Muriel Blaive received within the Institute, to which she herself refers in the media, had to be returned to the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic, and the Institute had to pay what was used from it from its own budget. The grant exceeded CZK 2 million."

To waste Czech taxpayers money to display slanderous allegations on its website is in my opinion quite outrageous.

5. Do you see USTR as an ideologized institution?

Sadly, very much so. It was created in this way because it is linked to political representation. It was fundamentally bad in its conception. When the team around director Hazdra took over, we tried to depoliticize it and to turn it into a respectable academic institution, which succeeded to a large extent. However, since the Board is dependent on the result of political elections, it is impossible to keep a long-turn, stable, dedicated team in place. I think it is sad because this country badly needs a functioning institute of national memory. It is high time to turn the page and promote some form of reconciliation about the past so as to build a more serene future. Unfortunately, the men who are at the helm right now dream only about creating more division in the hope to gain some political credit. It is pathetic. I cant resign myself to call for the institutes dissolution, as many people do  why spend the taxpayers money on what is essentially a political tool for ODS? But again, this country needs such an institute  only it needs a working institution, not this joke of an institute.

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Kelly, who did not respond to a request for comment, told his followers on Monday that Eventbrite removed their service and tried to disrupt our efforts. Clive Palmer and the UAP will not be deterred from bringing these important events to the Australian public. Eventbrite did not respond to our inquiries either, but a UAP spokesman told us it wasnt quite as dramatic as Kelly was hinting at. They simply withdrew from the ticketing arrangement, the man from the Palmer party said. They have been replaced, and all tickets are nearly sold out. HOURS OF POWER The politico-media bubble is enthralled at the workplace dispute that has become public this week between teal independent MP Monique Ryan and her chief of staff  of six months standing  marriage equality campaigner and social media powerhouse Sally Rugg.

To recap: Rugg is taking Ryan and the Commonwealth to the Federal Court, alleging the Kooyong MP tried to sack her after she refused to work unreasonable hours, leaving many with experience in such roles perplexed to say the least  outrageous hours are kind of a KPI in political offices. So, what exquisite timing for one of the big cheeses of Victorias union movement, Trades Hall secretary Luke Hilakari, to give his comrades working in Labor government ministerial offices a pep talk in which the eight-hour day got an honourable mention. Luke Hilakari: Eight-hour day advocate. Credit: Simon Schluter But Hilakari hosed down any suggestion that he was fomenting industrial strife in the corridors of power, just reminding the political adviser class what their partys forebears had stood for. It was about grounding people in the labour movements history, the Trades Hall secretary told CBD.

We were the first place in the world to have the eight-hour day, the first place in the British Empire to have a Labour member elected to parliament, so you can take some inspiration from what our forbears achieved. The gathering at Zinc in Federation Square was also addressed by Victoria Chamber of Commerce and Industry boss Paul Guerra, no mate of the union movement, who reminded the government types of the importance of keeping business onside. OUT OF OFFICE The Greens used to say, back in Richard Di Natales day, that they do politics differently. The slogan  along with Di Natale  has long since been retired, but the partys new state MP for Richmond, Gabrielle di Vietri, is keeping the dream alive. Consternated inner-east locals have noticed that di Vietri has broken with the long-standing practice of her predecessor Richard Wynne and opened her electorate office on Gertrude Street in Fitzroy just four days a week  Monday to Thursday.

Not only is the former mayor of Yarra doing this aspect of politics differently to the vast majority of the states lower house MPs, shes standing out from the crowd of her fellow Greens MPs Ellen Sandell, Sam Hibbins, Tim Read and Samantha Ratnam, who all open their offices to constituents five days a week. But, you know, broad church and all that. A spokesman for di Vietri told CBD: The work of an MP is of course not confined to sitting behind a desk in the office. Gabrielle de Vietri will not be office-bound on Fridays. Credit: Jason South Gabrielles team has set aside Friday as their dedicated day to be out in the community, to make sure theyre as accessible to the people of Cremorne, Burnley, Abbotsford and Richmond, as they are to the people of Collingwood, Fitzroy and Clifton Hill. REGAL REGRETS

Australias monarchists have a problem. Nobody is particularly excited about King Charles III. In a stinging email sent to members last month, the Australian Monarchist Leagues chairman, Philip Benwell, likened getting people to come to the organisations events to pulling teeth. The lack of positive response ... has been very off-putting for organisers and many are not willing to spend their time when faced with such lack of interest by members, Benwell wrote. Crown slips: Philip Benwell has found it difficult to drum up interest in Australian Monarchist League events. Credit: Steven Siewert Perhaps the appointment of Liberal warhorse Eric Abetz as campaign chairman hasnt quite revved up the base, and not everybodys too happy with the rightward politics of the movement. As this column reported last year, Benwell had to issue an apology over a conference that platformed Pauline Hanson and Katherine Deves. The movements chairman added that the forces arrayed against us are formidable. Its just that some of those seem to be on the inside.
Visitors to the new Singapore Art Fair were greeted by a large Robert Indiana sculpture spelling out the word LOVE. It was an invitation to locals and visitors to share a love of contemporary art that has struggled to take root in this prosperous island state. This time around, there was no room for hesitation.

Ever since Singapore signalled its intentions to become a culture hub with the establishment of a National Arts Council in 1991, it has worked tirelessly to promote an interest in the visual arts. The Singapore Art Museum was opened in 1996, and the National Gallery in 2015. There have been seven Singapore Biennales since 2006, the most recent  named Natasha - runs until March 19. The year 2011 saw the first iteration of Art Stage, an Asian contemporary art fair devised by Lorenzo Rudolf, a Swiss entrepreneur who was one of the founders of the successful Art Basel franchise.

Rudolf raised the idea in 1992 and would spend nine years convincing the government that Art Stage was a viable proposition. The fair would get through eight editions before it was cancelled one week before the ninth Art Stage was due to open in January 2019, leading to a colossal meltdown in relations between Rudolf and his Singaporean hosts.

The first big achievement of Art SG was to secure 164 exhibitors, by far the largest group of galleries to be assembled in Singapore.

This month saw Singapore re-enter the contemporary art fair circuit, big time, with the inaugural edition of Art SG. One of the major motivations for trying again has been the problems that have befallen Singapores great rival, Hong Kong. During the past decade, as Hong Kongs Art Basel fair has grown in global importance, Singapore has struggled to compete. This is partly because of Hong Kongs liberal approach to taxes and duties, but also because of a fundamental difference in the level of popular support. Despite the governments sustained focus on the arts, it has proven difficult for Singapore to build audiences.
The tiny radioactive capsule which went missing in the WA outback is currently about 450 kilometres from Perth, being escorted to the city in a radiation-proof lead container by 14 state emergency personnel, along with Australian Defence Force officers and the Australian Nuclear and Science Technology Organisation.

The tiny radioactive capsule. Credit: DFES

Authorities believe the capsule fell out of a bolthole in a mining gauge sometime between January 12 and January 16 while in transit to Perth from Rio Tintos Gudai-Darri iron ore mine.

However, it wasnt found by luck, Department of Fire and Emergency Services incident controller Darryl Ray said.

It took a dedicated team of specialists from different agencies, both state and federal, working in temperatures of around 40 degrees.

WA Chief Health Officer Andy Robertson said he could not reveal where the capsule would be kept once it arrived in Perth, due to safety and security concerns.

Theres planning involved, obviously to make sure that we minimise the risks to the staff who are involved in that transfer, Robertson said.

It would remain in secure storage until a decision was made as to how we handle the potent radiation source.

The investigation into how the capsule went missing, and whether the companies involved complied with the Radiation Safety Act and the transport regulations, was continuing.

The cost of the search for the radioactive capsule will be paid by Rio Tinto, the miners chief executive, iron ore said yesterday, but the final amount is yet to be determined.
Former prime ministers Tony Abbott and John Howard are expected to join mourners at a funeral for Catholic Cardinal George Pell at St Marys Cathedral on Thursday, to farewell Australias most senior and controversial cleric.

But many of the countrys most senior politicians and dignitaries will not attend, including the governor-general, the NSW governor, the prime minister, the NSW premier, the NSW opposition leader and the Sydney lord mayor.

Cardinal George Pells coffin arrives at St Marys Cathedral. Credit: Louise Kennerley

Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton will be among the mourners, his office said, alongside senior NSW minister Damien Tudehope, representing the state government, and Senator Don Farrell, representing the Commonwealth.

Pells close friend, conservative former radio broadcaster Alan Jones, is expected to attend, but Sydneys Anglican Archbishop, Kanishka Raffel, will not.
Bullet holes in the walls. Silence in the unkempt rooms. The charred remains of a burnt-out police vehicle.

This is the property of the family who gunned down two police officers and a neighbour in rural south-east Queensland.

Madelyn Train has returned to the house where her parents, Nathaniel and Stacey Train, and Nathaniels older brother Gareth fatally shot constables Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold, and neighbour Alan Dare.

In an interview with Nines A Current Affair, Madelyn says: I have a lot of trust in God and that Im on this planet to do more than just be the daughter of someone that shot police officers.
Warning to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers: This story contains references to a deceased person.

Public satisfaction with Victoria Police has reached a five-year low and the number of people who believe the force does not treat people equally is the highest in 10 years, the Productivity Commission has revealed in its 2021-22 report of government services.

About 640  or 7.9 per cent  of the 8104 people surveyed in the report, released on Tuesday, expressed total dissatisfaction with services provided by Victoria Police.

This is nearly 2 per more than the previous year and the highest level of discontent recorded since 2017.
A man captured on a police drone camera riding an e-scooter while allegedly trafficking about 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine was released on bail Wednesday.

Hoang Nguyen, 34, was charged by police on Tuesday after he was caught on a drone camera riding an e-scooter through the northern Perth suburb of Darch.

He was later picked up by another man driving a white ute, and police allegedly uncovered the stash of drugs in a backpack after the car was pulled over.

On Wednesday, the magistrate said the police case against Nguyen was so far circumstantial.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged to respond as soon as possible to the alcohol-fuelled social emergency in Alice Springs, as he awaits the findings of a snap report that will consider whether liquor bans should be reimposed on Indigenous communities.

Albanese made an urgent visit to Alice Springs last week amid a spiralling crime crisis and appointed a Central Australian Regional Controller, Dorrelle Anderson, to report to the federal and territory governments by Wednesday about best options for addressing the situation and on whether alcohol bans with opt-out provisions should be reinstated.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese committed to swift action in response to the social crisis unfolding in Alice Springs. Credit: James Brickwood

But his commitment to quick action contrasted with the response by NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles, who urged against knee-jerk announcements in response to Andersons report.

By Wednesday afternoon Albanese said he was still awaiting delivery of the report, but was prepared to act immediately in line with its findings.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has made an urgent personal bid to salvage support for the Indigenous Voice by asking Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to set out any changes he wants to the proposal, after weeks of dispute and fears of a rupture that could destroy the Voice.

In a personal letter to Dutton late on Wednesday, the prime minister held out the prospect of a constructive deal to recognise First Australians in the Constitution as long as those with concerns were willing to put forward their changes to the proposal.

Anthony Albanese has written to Peter Dutton on the eve of the Opposition Leaders meeting with the Voice working group. Credit: Sydney Morning Herald

But the letter included a firm response to Duttons demands for detail by emphasising the power of parliament to decide the structure of the Voice if and when Australians approve the change at a referendum later this year.

As I have said to you in our meetings, if you have any practical suggestions or amendments on the wording I would welcome your contribution, Albanese wrote ahead of Duttons meeting with Indigenous leaders on Thursday to discuss the Voice.
Childcare workers want the federal government to give them a 25 per cent pay rise in the upcoming budget to stem the flow of workers leaving early childhood education just as cheaper childcare subsidies are introduced.

In its budget submission, the United Workers Union said action on better pay for early childhood educators was long-overdue amid fears an understaffed sector will not be able to cope with increased demand come July 1 when subsidies expand.

Debbie Zerbst added 20 families to her centres waiting list in the past two days alone. Credit: Nick Moir

Disability care workers received a 9 per cent bump to their minimum award wages last July, and in November aged care workers were awarded a 15 per cent pay rise by the Fair Work Commission.

The United Workers Union early education director, Helen Gibbons, said workers were continuing to leave the sector due to low pay and high stress, and the government needed to commit to a 25 per cent pay increase to give staff a reason to stay.
Singapore/Jakarta: Indonesian presidential contender Anies Baswedan is headed to Australia to burnish his international standing before voters elect a successor to Joko Widodo.

Until recently the governor of Jakarta and a former education minister, the 53-year-old is one of three likely candidates for the presidency along with Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo and Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto.

Anies Baswedan led Jakartas response to the pandemic as governor of the city until last October. Credit: AFP

Baswedan trails the populist Pranowo in opinion polls but as political parties decide whom to put on their tickets for the February 2024 election, he is hitting the road early to press his claims.

The governorship of the capital is seen as a launchpad to the presidency in the worlds third-largest democracy  Widodo himself held that position before winning the 2014 election  and having toured Indonesia since his five-year term ended in October, Baswedan is now looking abroad.
It can help predict cancer or fight crime. It can personalise our shopping or assist us in getting from one place to another. It can create art. It can even tackle global challenges. Last week, for instance, the US and the European Union signed an administrative arrangement to bring together experts from across both regions to drive advancements in five key areas: extreme weather and climate forecasting; emergency response management; health and medicine; electric grids; and agriculture optimisation. Unsupervised: Artist Refik Anadol describes his work in Davos, Switzerland last month. The AI-generated installation at the Museum of Modern Art in New York is meant to be a thought-provoking interpretation of the museums prestigious collection. Credit: AP But with the rise of AI comes inevitable risks. Deepfake software  which allows people to swap faces, voices and other characteristics  has been used to create everything from phoney pornographic films involving real-life celebrities to fake speeches by important politicians. Elon Musks Tesla vehicles which use AI for self-driving were involved in 273 known crashes in the 12 months to June of last year, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

And then theres ChatGPT, which has polarised consumers ever since it was launched by San Francisco company OpenAI in late November. Two months since taking the world by storm, numerous schools and colleges have already banned the speedy text generator amid concerns that students will use it to cheat or plagiarise. In Australia, award-winning musician Nick Cave has lamented the technology after someone used it to write a song in his style, resulting in Cave dismissing it as bullshit and describing it as a grotesque mockery of what it is to be human. Nick Cave performing at the Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House in December. Credit: James Brickwood And across the globe, many workers now face serious disruption as machine learning promises to do their work - faster and cheaper.

Indeed, in an ominous sign for journalists, digital media outlet BuzzFeed  which is currently in the process of trimming its workforce by 12 per cent as part of a cost-cutting strategy  last week announced it would use ChatGPTs creator OpenAI to generate content for its website. Shares more than doubled as its AI-centric plans were reported. Loading I think all of us are looking at our jobs and saying: hmm, this is interesting, Cox said, of the potential for job displacement. Its unlikely that AI is wholesale going to take over jobs but what it will do is start picking off some of the skills. This isnt new  but its changing the balance. The MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab is an industry-academic collaboration between IBM and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which focuses on research in artificial intelligence.

It began in 2017 with a 10-year, $US240 million investment, six years after IBMs supercomputer Watson, named after tech giant founder Thomas Watson, made its debut on the quiz show Jeopardy, beating two of its most successful players. Loading Among its many projects, the lab is now working on making AI fairer and advancing what are known as foundation models, which are trained on a broad set of unlabelled data that can be used for different tasks. In a collaboration announced this week, IBM will pair up with NASA and use its AI technology to draw more information from large NASA datasets. The aim is to find an easier way for researchers to advance their scientific understanding of Earth and respond to climate change. Yet, despite the advances, challenges remain, particularly as AI technologies evolve. Cox cites the example of Galactica AI, the language model Facebook was forced to take down within days because it was generating very authoritative sounding but inaccurate literature. Another concern is the potential for scientific misinformation, as seen during the COVID pandemic.

People are putting out articles that arent peer-reviewed yet, that have inflammatory and anti-vaccine claims. Now, potentially, we have a tool that can generate those automatically, or you can have an interactive conversation with someone where you try to convince them something that isnt true, Cox says. Loading In some way thats a failing of the technology, which isnt perfect and doesnt always produce correct answers, but I would say the bigger problem is more on human conceptualisation and the use of technology. The US Congress has been slow to react when it comes to AI, and politicians acknowledge that it would be nearly impossible to regulate each specific use of the technology. However, in a sign that some things may be shifting, Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy told reporters last week that all members of the House Intelligence Committee would take courses in AI and Quantum  the same training military generals receive.
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Housing affordability is a major battleground in the upcoming NSW election, but one potential solution is being ignored, according to a strata property development specialist.

Warren Livesey (pictured above), is the founder of Buy Airspace, a company that creates rooftop residences and strata uplifts by helping owners fund building repairs and sustainability upgrades.

He said to tackle Sydneys housing crisis, housing stock would have to increase significantly. This could be done through airspace development, which involves building new housing on top of existing apartment blocks.

Sydney is in the grips of a housing supply crunch, with the NSW Governments Intergenerational Report predicting the city needs an additional 1.7 million homes by 2060-2061 to meet demand based on current population projections, Livesey said.

This means over 40,000 new homes need to be built every year.

Livesey said every suburb needed to pull its weight given the fact that Sydneys housing supply cannot be increased.

Thats because there is limited new land where homes can be built even if you ignore all the infrastructure and zoning constraints, he said. Airspace development is helping address Londons housing crisis and it has the potential to transform Sydney as well.

Livesey said while you could go some way by hitting the target and replacing houses with apartment blocks in established suburbs, it would change the character of many areas forever and has the potential of receiving significant pushback from local communities.

Both of those problems would be solved with airspace development or building new properties in the unused roof space in strata complexes, he said.

Airspace development wouldnt just increase Sydneys housing supply and put downward pressure on prices  it would also make it easier for owners to fund repairs and maintenance of their buildings.

Strata owners who unlock the unused space in their buildings can generate up to $2 million in additional funds and this can either be put towards repairs and maintenance or paid out as profit for owners to spend as they like.

Livesey said council approval was required for airspace development, with at least 75% of all strata owners agreeing before such a project could go ahead.

I think both major parties need to talk about airspace development during this election as a potential solution to the housing affordability crisis, he said.

Right now, a lot of owners dont know airspace development is an option and some councils are still coming to terms with the concept. Once the major parties put airspace development on the agenda, it will become front of mind for more owners and councils. That should stimulate more development activity and increase Sydneys housing supply, which is the key to putting downward pressure on prices.

Airspace developments are on the rise

Apartment developments on Australias east coast have been rising at record rates, leading to a gradual decline in wider building and construction worries.

In the Sydney suburb of Gladesville, a 1,650sqm site has been approved for 47 units, 533sqm of ground floor retail/commercial space and 85 car spaces.

CBRE property advisor Toby Silk said he expected the property would attract strong interest from industrial occupiers and developers alike.

Gladesville is in Sydneys heart and with a median house price of $2,480,000, the development presents a great opportunity to capture buyers whose budget doesnt stretch this far, Silk said.

The site has been granted development approval for a brand-new residential project, meaning the project can proceed to construction once a construction certificate has been issued by the local council.

Sydney soldiers on

In December, Sydney brokerage Shore Financial identified the suburbs with property markets most likely to experience price growth over the next six months.

The Shore Financial State of Sydney Report found there are suburbs performing well, despite the wider citys property market being still in a downturn. Find out if your suburb made the list in the link above.

What do you think of airspace development? Share your comments below.
The Reserve Bank of Australia has announced the appointment of David Jacobs as head of domestic markets, effective Feb. 6.

The appointment follows the resignation of Jonathan Kearns late last year.

In his new role, Jacobs will oversee RBAs analysis of conditions in domestic financial markets and the banks open market operations, reporting directly to Christopher Kent, assistant governor of financial markets.

Prior to the appointment, Jacobs was deputy secretary at RBA, and before that was deputy head of the international department. He also previously worked on secondment at the Bank of England and held various roles in RBAs domestic markets department, economic analysis department, and risk and compliance department.

Jacobs holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) from the University of New South Wales and a Masters of Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He is also a CFA charterholder.

Have a thought about the appointment? Include it in the comments below.
United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley greets Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya before the United Nations Security Council meeting on Syria at the U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., April 13, 2018.

(Photo: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters/File Photo)

According to a source cited by The Washington Post, Nikki Haley plans to announce her candidacy for president in the weeks ahead. The former governor of South Carolina might publicly announce the announcement with a video in the days to come.

She might decide to make a different announcement because the specifics of the potential video are still being worked out, the source said. Charleston, South Carolina, is anticipated to host any event that kicks off a campaign.

Haley would be the first Republican to enter the 2024 presidential race this year, with only former President Donald Trump, who announced his campaign last year, as her immediate opponent.

Earlier this year, she provided her clearest hint yet that she intends to run for the Republican presidential nomination.

"When you're looking at a run for president, you look at two things: You first look at, does the current situation push for new leadership? The second question is, am I that person that could be that new leader?" she told Fox News.

"Yes, we need to go in a new direction," Haley said. "And can I be that leader? Yes, I think I can be that leader."

According to the source, Haley's decision to get into the race contrasts with the more cautious approach taken by the majority of other potential candidates, who have determined there is no need to rush their preparations.

There is caution about becoming an early target of former president Trump, according to advisers to these Republicans, all of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to reveal private conversations.

The Post said some of the advisers expressed the wish that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has made preliminary movements toward a run, gets early scrutiny due to his high national polling, which might be to their benefit.

They also stated that there is a general consensus among their contacts that there is enough time to learn more about how the contest will unfold while still attracting funders, getting on ballots, and building campaign infrastructure.

Haley, who served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during Trump's presidency, also called Trump lately to tell him she was thinking about running, the former president told reporters over the weekend.

"She called me and said she'd like to consider it, and I said, 'You should do it,'" Trump said.
Trump struggles to fundraise in early weeks of 2024 campaign (Photo: Marvin Gentry/Reuters)

Former President Donald Trump's political operation raised $9.5 million, which was less than the approximately $11.8 million raised by Trump entities in the six weeks preceding the Republican's November 15 announcement.

Trump's team has engaged marketing firm Campaign Inbox to boost its digital fundraising strategy, according to a report from CNN.

Trump's team stated that the former president would be able to compete.

New reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday night reveal that Trump's main campaign committee began the year with a little bit more than $3 million in cash on hand.

His political operation, though, is well-armed and well-funded.

The political effort raised $21.3 million in total during the final three months of last year, according to campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung. That proves the former president is "an unstoppable force that continues to dominate politics." he says.

Cheung anticipated that Trump will run "an aggressive and fully-funded campaign."

A total of five committees supporting Trump reported having a cash reserve of more than $81 million.

More than $54 million is in the coffers of MAGA Inc., a super PAC founded last year by former Trump campaign aide Taylor Budowich and that must operate independently of the campaign. It can, however, spend heavily to support the former president and attack his opponents.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a potential 2024 candidate who has endured early Trump attacks, has also amassed sizable funding.

According to the most recent state reports, DeSantis' political operation, split between two Florida-based committees, has more than $75 million left in its coffers after the 2022 midterm elections.

On his route to gaining a second term in office, the Florida Republican broke fundraising records, raising more than $163 million for his state political organization, Friends of Ron DeSantis, and an additional $50 million for his campaign.

DeSantis has not yet declared his decision to run for president, but his political team was looking into ways to move money from a state political organization to a federal group that would fund a campaign.

Trump slammed DeSantis during his first significant campaign swing, which included weekend trips to the early-voting states of South Carolina and New Hampshire. He called the governor "disloyal" for considering a bid for president and criticized his response to the pandemic.

Meanwhile, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, who is set to announce her presidential candidacy on Feb. 15, has approximately $2 million in funds on hand in her PAC, Stand for America.
The relationship between China and some western countries has deteriorated in recent years due to disagreements over Taiwan. (Photo: Dado Ruvic/Reuters/Illustration)

General Mike Minihan of the U.S. Air Force issued a note to his officers last month advising them to be ready for a US-China battle over Taiwan in 2025.

In response to 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships operating close as part of Beijing's campaign to unnerve and frighten the island, Taiwan is now scrambling for fighter jets, putting its navy on notice, and activating missile systems.

Minihan, who is in charge of Air Mobility Command, has extensive knowledge of the Chinese military, and his personal comments reaffirm U.S. recommendations for more thorough preparations.

Chinese military leaders in the U.S., Taiwan's main ally, are extremely concerned about Beijing's increased preparations for a possible blockade or outright war on Taiwan. Beijing's large-scale deployment aligns with this concern.

Taiwan's Defense Ministry reported that 20 Chinese aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait's central line on Tuesday (Jan. 31), which has historically served as an unofficial buffer zone between the two sides, which split during the civil war in 1949.

The vast majority of Taiwanese are opposed to being under the control of China's totalitarian Communist Party, while China claims Taiwan as its own territory to be taken by force.

Taiwan's military "monitored the situation ... to respond to these activities," the Defence Ministry announced on Wednesday.

China has dispatched warships, bombers, fighter jets, and support aircraft into Taiwanese airspace almost daily, intending to deplete the island's limited defense resources and erode support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.

In what Beijing has characterized as risky and provocative actions, Chinese fighter jets have also engaged military aircraft from the US and its allies across international airspace in the South China and East China seas.

Recent trips to Taiwan by a number of international politicians, notably former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other EU representatives, sparked shows of military prowess on both sides.

China conducted war maneuvers around the island and launched missiles over it into the Pacific Ocean in reaction to Pelosi's visit in August.

China has regularly threatened to take action against states that support Taiwan's independence, but its intimidation tactics have caused a backlash in public opinion in the U.S., Japan, Europe, and other countries.

Men's compulsory military service is also being prolonged from four months to one year, and public opinion polls show strong support for higher defense spending to meet China's threats.

Taiwan will have presidential elections next year, in contrast to China's system of complete rule by president and party General Secretary Xi Jinping, who has removed term limits to effectively make him leader for life.
Former Unitech promoters Sanjay Chandra and Ajay Chandra on Wednesday urged the Supreme Court that either their bail pleas be heard by it or they be allowed to move the trial court for securing relief in a financial fraud case in which they are in custody for over five years.

During the hearing, the top court asked the Noida authority to process the layout and building plans of Unitech Group, without asking for the upfront payment of dues.

A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice M R Shah was told by senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for Chandra brothers, that both of them are lodged in jail for over five years and six months in the case lodged by Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police for financial fraud for which maximum sentence is seven years imprisonment.

The bench asked what happened to the precondition of deposition of Rs 750 crore in the court for securing bail.

Dave said that the condition was imposed in a plea for interim bail but now the charge sheet has been filed and they are seeking regular bail.

"We want either this court to hear our regular bail plea or allow us to move the court concerned for bail plea," he said, adding that there are other cases also pending against them including of Enforcement Directorate (ED) in which a charge sheet has been filed.

Also Read Rs 395-cr bank fraud: CBI files new case against Unitech, former directors HC seeks ED reply on co-accused bail pleas in Satyender Jain PMLA case Same-sex marriage: SC seeks Centre's reply on transferring pleas to itself Gujarat riots: Supreme Court grants activist Teesta Setalvad interim bail Sanjay Raut's bail hearing to continue on Oct 21 in money laundering case Eye on growth: Pain points & what's on offer in Union Budget 2023 Adani Enterprises decides not to go-ahead with FPO, money to be returned BSNL to use Rs 53,000 cr for 4G, 5G roll out, revamping landlines: Vaishnaw TVS Motor Company's vehicle sales rise 3% to 275,115 units in January WhatsApp bans 3.6 million accounts in India in November, shows report

The bench then asked Dave to file all the relevant orders passed in the matter and observed that it gives no pleasure to the court to keep a person behind bars.

"We will see what can be done," the bench said and posted the matter for further hearing on February 8.

During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General N Venkataraman, appearing for the board of Unitech Group, said that they have got approval of homebuyers for construction of housing society in sectors 96, 97, 98, 113 and 117 of Noida.

"We want that our building plans, layouts and other approvals be granted by the authority without asking for the upfront payment of dues," Venkataraman said, adding that they will be paying the current charges.

Senior advocate Ravindra Kumar, appearing for Noida authority and Greater Noida authority, said that there are no homebuyers and Unitech Group wants to construct buildings without paying the dues.

"This court has to decide on the payment of dues to the authority. In Haryana the situation is different as Unitech has purchased land over there but in Noida and Greater Noida, we have allotted them the land," he said.

The bench noted that since homebuyers have expressed confidence for construction of projects in sectors 96, 97, 98, 113 and 117, the Noida authority may process the layout, building plans and grant other approvals without asking for upfront payment of dues.

It said that this court would hear arguments on payment of dues to Noida authority and Greater Noida authority later.

The top court also allowed release of around Rs 15 crore deposited by 548 fixed deposit holders due to medical emergencies, whose names have been cleared by Justice (retired) A M Sapre-led committee.

On August 17 last year, the top court had asked the board of management of Unitech Group to upload on its website the timeline for completion of its stalled projects for the benefit of the hassled homebuyers.

It also asked the board to upload within 48 hours the newly revised payment plan under which the homebuyers are required to make payments and asked the flat buyers to give their suggestions or feedback, if any, to the board of management, which would facilitate the court in passing the orders in this regard.

The top court had said that the funds receivable from the homebuyers or unsold inventories shall be used only for the construction purpose and would not be allowed to be diverted for any other purposes.

It had also approved the plan of the committee headed by former apex court judge A M Sapre in making the refund to the homebuyers especially those who are in urgent medical need after consulting with them for 15 days starting from September 15 till September 30, 2022.

The bench said that the Sapre committee will submit its report by the first week of October to the court, which if approved, would direct the release of funds to the homebuyers.

The Noida authority and Greater Noida authority have raised serious objections on aspects related to the payment to them and said that huge stretches of land have been given to Unitech, which had failed all kinds of deadlines including for starting the construction at the site.

Kumar had pointed out that despite being statutory bodies, Noida authority and Greater Noida authority have been left out of the funds to be payable to them and the dues from Unitech could be estimated to be around Rs 10,000 crore.

The top court had appointed Sapre to look into the policy and finalization of standard operating procedure for monetization of project land assets and non-project land assets of Unitech.

The ED had filed a fresh charge sheet before a court here in connection with its money laundering probe against realty group Unitech, its ex-promoter brothers Sanjay Chandra and Ajay Chandra, and others.

The ED had made a claim in November, 2021 that it had unearthed a "secret underground office" here which was being operated by Unitech founder Ramesh Chandra and visited by his sons Sanjay and Ajay when on parole or bail.

Both Sanjay and Ajay, in jail since August 2017, are accused of allegedly siphoning off homebuyers' money.
SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australia's corporate regulator is reviewing a short-seller report that accused India's Adani Group of improper use of offshore tax havens to determine whether regulatory action is required, according to a spokesperson.

Hindenburg Research last week flagged concerns about the conglomerate, that included its high debt levels, triggering a $65 billion rout in the group's stocks.

"ASIC will review the allegations against Adani and determine whether further inquiries are warranted," a spokesperson for the regulator told Reuters on Wednesday.

The Adani Group said in a statement that the Hindenburg report "presents transactions related to Adani's Australian businesses in a misleading way to purposefully undermine the reputation of the Adani Group, in order to pursue their own profit by short-selling shares in Adani Group companies."

"All our businesses are Australian companies that comply with Australian corporations and securities legislation," the statement said.

In Australia, the conglomerate operates the Carmichael coal mine and the Abbot Point port, which was renamed North Queensland Export Terminal.

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On Tuesday, a crucial $2.5 billion share sale for the Adani Group was fully subscribed with foreign institutional investors and corporate funds taking part, although participation by retail investors was low.

The Sydney Morning Herald first reported that the ASIC was looking into the allegations against Adani.

(Reporting by Lewis Jackson and Melanie Burton; Additional reporting by Renju Jose; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Edwina Gibbs)
More than 107 lakh metric tonnes of paddy has been procured from farmers under the support price scheme during the current kharif season in Chhattisgarh, which is higher than the previous record of 98 LMT in 2021-22, state government officials said on Wednesday.

With this procurement, Chhattisgarh, popularly known as the 'rice bowl of central India', has become the first state in the country to procure paddy from 23.42 lakh farmers, they claimed.

The three month long paddy procurement drive at minimum support price (MSP) concluded in the state on Tuesday. An all time high record was created with the purchase of more than 107.52 LMT of paddy, a state public relations department official said.

Farmers have so far been paid Rs 22,037 crore against paddy procurement, he said.

In the kharif marketing season 2021-22, 98 LMT of paddy was procured at MSP in the state, he said.

Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh on November 1, 2000.

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Procurement of paddy is done in the state through cooperative societies.

As many as 23.42 lakh farmers have sold their paddy at MSP in the ongoing season, while this figure stood at 21.77 lakh in the last season, the official said.

Chhattisgarh holds second position in the country after Punjab in terms of overall paddy procurement while it is at the top place in terms of the number of farmers selling paddy at the support price in any state, he said.

As a result of pro-farmer policies of the government led by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, there has been a significant rise in the number of paddy producing farmers and production in the state in the last four years, the official said.

An input subsidy of Rs 9,000 per acre is being given to paddy cultivators under the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana, he said.

Last year, 249 new rice mills were set up in the state, due to which the number of registered millers has increased from 2,035 to 2,284 for custom milling of paddy, the official said.

So far, 90 LMT of the total procured paddy in the current season has been transported for custom milling, he added.
Indian and US space officials have discussed human space exploration at a two-day meeting in Washington, according to the US State Department.

At the eighth meeting of the US-India Civil Space Joint Working Group (CSJWG) meeting on Monday and Tuesday, discussions also covered collaboration in earth and space science as well as global navigation satellite systems, spaceflight safety and space situational awareness, and policies for commercial space activities, the Department said.

The meeting was co-chaired by Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Jennifer R. Littlejohn and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Associate Administrator Karen Feldstein on the US side and by Shantanu Bhatawdekar, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Scientific Secretary on the Indian side.

A highlight of the NASA-ISRO cooperation is the Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission, planned for next year.

It is expected to systematically map earth, using two different radar frequencies to monitor resources such as water, forests and agriculture.

It will provide information about ecosystems, the earth's surface, natural hazards, sea level rise and the cryosphere, the frozen parts of the earth, with applications in forestry, agriculture and ecology.

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According to NASA, it will also help with providing prompt responses to natural and human-created disasters.

NASA Head Bill Nelson and Executive Secretary of the National Space Council, Chirag Parikh gave the welcoming remarks for the meeting and ISRO Chairman S. Somanath and Taranjit Singh Sandhu spoke at the meeting.

Details of the discussion on cooperation on human space exploration were not released.

While astronauts from several countries, including Saudi Arabia, have flown on NASA space missions, but none from India, which has plans for a manned space expedition to be launched as early as next year on board the Gaganyaan spacecraft.

Four Air Force fighter pilots have been trained in Russia under an agreement with Glavkosmos for the mission.

The only Indian citizen to have been in outer space is Rakesh Sharma, a former Air Force officer who flew on a Soviet Soyuz mission in 1984.

But four Indian-Americans have been on space missions.

Those who flew on NASA missions are Kalpana Chawla, who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003, Sunita Williams and Raja Chari.

Sirisha Bandla flew on a very brief private sector Virgin Galactic test flight in 2021.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @arulouis)

--IANS

arul/khz/
Two students are facing criminal charges after a school resource officer seized a stun gun following a fight at Hamden High School on Tuesday, police said.

The two girls, both juveniles, were charged on Tuesday after a school resource officer found a stun gun that resembled a cell phone while investigating a verbal fight between two students at the high school at about 11 a.m., according to the Hamden Police Department.

No one was injured in the incident and there was no threat to students or staff, but extra patrol units were on the scene at the high school at 2040 Dixwell Avenue on Tuesday, police said.

Both girls were charged with possession of a weapon on school grounds, and one faces an additional charge of breach of peace, police said.

They are both scheduled to appear in juvenile court in February, according to police.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for announcing Rs 5,300 crore funds for the Upper Bhadra project of the state in the Union Budget 2023.

CM Bommai said that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has given priority for the drought prone regions of the state in the 2023-24 Budget. "The Central government has announced Rs 5,300 crore for one of the major projects of the state," he said.

"I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Niramala Sitharaman and the Central government for granting funds for the project on behalf of the state," CM Bommai stated.

CM Bommai-led BJP government in Karnataka has been putting pressure on the Central leadership to announce the Upper Bhadra project as the national project. The implementation of the project will change the fate of the central Karnataka districts in the state.

The project would irrigate 2.25 lakh hectares of land in Chikkamagalur, Chitradurga, Davangere and Tumakuru districts. It would provide 19 TMC of water for irrigation. The project aims to increase the capacity of Vani Vilasa reservoir and fill more than 350 tanks.

CM Bommai further said, "When compared to other countries, India's economic growth is expected to reach 6.4 per cent. In this background, this is going to be a Budget which will provide impetus to the Indian economy.

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He further stated that it is a Budget that would cater to different sectors of India. If the economy of the country gets a boost, every citizen would get the benefit.

--IANS

mka/dpb
The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday directed that unauthorised and illegal fake websites running in temple names should be banned across Tamil Nadu.

The direction came on a petition seeking to block websites operating in the names of major temples in Tamil Nadu and action against the operators of those websites.

The petition, filed by Subramanian and Markandan, read, "Many people start fake websites in the name of important temples including Chennai Kapaleeswarar Temple, Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple, Thanjai Periya Temple, Palani Murugan Temple, Srirangam Aranganathar Temple. Devottess give money thinking that the website belongs to the temple and therefore such websites should be blocked."

"Cybercrime should find out how much money has been collected through those websites and confiscate the amount. The authorized website address of the temples should be made known to the public through the IT department," said the bench of justices Mahadevan and Sathya Narayana Prasad.

The bench said steps should be taken to perform pujas, and donations through authorised websites. Devotees should be advised to deposit money in the temples or pay through authorised websites.

"If a complaint is received about fake websites, it should be investigated immediately and legal and criminal action should be taken against the operators of fake websites," the bench said.

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The judges stated further that Tamil Nadu temples, like Tirupati and Sabarimala shrines, should be run in a transparent manner.
A large number of community health officials posted in rural areas of Maharashtra assembled at the Azad Maidan in Mumbai on Wednesday for a one-day strike to press for their various demands including a permanent government job.

Their other demands include reduction in workload, allotment of wages on time and insurance by the state government.

Community health officers (CHOs) work in rural areas at primary health centres.

They are currently working on a contract. Although their contracts get renewed, the CHOs have now demanded to make them permanent employees of the state government, sources said.

The one-day strike will affect the basic check-up of patients for cold, cough, fever and routine maternal visits that are scheduled for Wednesday, claimed a government doctor from Latur, who has come to Mumbai to be a part of the strike.

"The state government used to give a five per cent increase in monthly wages every year to CHOs, but it is not implemented since 2017. The government should clear those dues," he said.

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The doctor further said they want to be inducted as permanent employees of the government and given a 'B' grade pay scale.
US Deputy Defense Secretary Dr Kathleen Hicks met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval here and discussed priorities for the US-India bilateral defence partnership, the Pentagon said.

It said the discussions also included strengthening policy and operational coordination in the Indo-Pacific region and increasing defence industrial cooperation between the two countries.

They discussed a range of topics including US-India defence cooperation and regional security issues, the Indian Embassy said in a tweet Tuesday.

Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon, in a readout of the meeting, said Hicks reiterated that building alliances and partnerships is a top priority for the department, and integral to the ongoing implementation of the US National Defense Strategy.

She thanked Doval for India's leadership in the region and discussed avenues to deepen coordination between the US and Indian militaries to address the region's increasingly contested strategic environment, Pahon said.

The two also discussed opportunities to increase bilateral defense industrial cooperation through innovative joint endeavors between US and Indian firms that support India's unique operational requirements, he said.

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Hicks and Doval said they look forward to making progress towards advancing the US-India defense partnership, said the readout of the meeting.
More than half a century since the original jumbo jet ushered in a new jet age, Boeing has bid farewell to its 747 jumbo jets or the 'Queen of the Skies'.

After 53 years since its first delivery, thousands of the company's current and former employees and guests attended a ceremony on Tuesday in Everett, Washington, to say goodbye to the 1,574th and last Boeing 747 ever built, reports Xinhua news agency.

After the ceremony, the final 747 freighter built for cargo carrier Atlas Air departed from outside the grand assembly plant purpose-built for the 747 in the late 1960s.

The building housed more jet programs and grew to be the largest by volume in the world.

Boeing Everett at a recent peak in 2012 provided more than 40,000 jobs, according to a report by The Seattle Times.

The late Joe Sutter, the chief engineer on the original program, was given the task to design a new jet in August 1965.

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The first test plane rolled out of the newly built factory in September 1968 and had its first flight in February 1969.

The first production plane was delivered on January 22, 1970.

The final 747-8 passenger version can carry nearly 470 people on trans-Pacific and other longer-haul routes.

Over the past two decades, airlines switched to the more fuel-efficient, two-engined planes, which leads 747 models out of production.

As of December 2022, there are only 44 passenger versions of the 747 still in service, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.

The figure is down from more than 130 in service as passenger jets at the end of 2019, just before the Covid-19 pandemic crippled demand for air travel, especially on international routes on which the 747 and other widebody jets were primarily used.

Lufthansa remains the largest operator of the passenger version of the B747-8, with 19 in its current fleet.

--IANS

ksk/
The Winchester Police Department identified the two people killed and two injured in a serious head-on collision on Route 44 in Winchester on Tuesday night.

Around 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Winchester police responded to a two-car crash in an area of Route 44 referred to as the rock cuts. Investigations into the crash determined that a white Lexus NX300, driven by 23-year-old Glen Ragin Jr. of Torrington, was traveling east on Route 44. The Lexus passed a box truck and veered into the westbound lane, hitting a Chevy Equinox, driven by 84-year-old William OLeary of Plymouth, head-on.

OLeary was airlifted to Hartford Hospital and later pronounced dead, Winchester Interim Chief Sgt. Kevin Kinahan said Wednesday. His grandson, a 16-year-old from New Hartford, was a passenger in the Chevy. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police did not release his name due to his age and at the request of the family.

The Lexus front-seat passenger, 18-year-old Emanuell Caban of Waterbury, sustained numerous injuries, including a fractured femur, and was airlifted to Hartford Hospital. Ragin sustained minor injuries and was transported to Waterbury Hospital, Kinahan said.

This is a horrible, tragic and avoidable incident, and our hearts go out to the family and friends of those individuals who needlessly lost their lives, Kinahan said in a statement.

The Winchester Police Department and the Connecticut State Police CARS Unit are investigating the crash. Anyone with information regarding this collision is asked to contact the Winchester Police Department at 860-379-2721.
Nikki Haley is moving closer to making her presidential campaign official.

On Wednesday, supporters of the former South Carolina governor will get an email invitation to a February 15 launch event in Charleston, at which she plans to announce her campaign, according to a person familiar with the plans but not authorised to speak publicly about them.

News of Haley's plans was first reported by The Post and Courier of Charleston.

Haley, 51, served as South Carolina's governor for six years before serving as President Donald Trump's ambassador to the United Nations. When she enters the race, Haley will be the first contender to join the contest against her former boss, who is currently the sole Republican seeking his party's 2024 nomination.

Trump was in South Carolina Saturday for the initial campaign swing of his 2024 campaign, standing alongside Gov. Henry McMaster who served as Haley's lieutenant governor and several GOP members of the state's delegation, part of his leadership team in the early-voting state.

During the Trump administration, Haley feuded at times with other White House officials while bolstering her own public persona. Her 2018 departure fuelled speculation that she would challenge Trump in 2020, or replace Vice President Mike Pence on the ticket, but Haley did neither.

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After the January 6 Capitol siege, Haley initially cast doubts on Trump's political future but said she wouldn't challenge him in 2024.

In 2021, Haley told The Associated Press that she "would not run if President Trump ran," but she has since shifted course, ramping up activity through her Stand for America nonprofit and political action committee, and endorsing dozens of candidates in the 2022 midterm elections.

Late last year, during a visit to her alma mater, Haley told an audience at Clemson University that she would be "taking the holidays" to consider a run.

Asked recently why she is now considering a run in spite of her 2021 comments, Haley told Fox News "a lot has changed," referencing, among other things, US economic troubles.

She went on to say she felt she could be part of "new generational change," an indirect reference to Trump's advanced age.
Pakistan's defence minister on Tuesday urged all political forces of the country to unite against terrorists who are targeting not a sect or particular segment of society but the entire nation.

The statement came a day after the death toll in the terrible suicide bombing in a Peshawar mosque rose to 100, while the attack is being compared with the school bombing of 2014 which had killed around 150 people, mostly students.

Khawaja Asif was asked by journalists outside the parliament building about the possibility of any fresh operation against the militants.

He said that the high-level National Security Committee (NSC) would decide about launching a military operation to eliminate militancy.

"This is a decision that the National Security Committee will take. Such things can be decided at a forum (like the NSC) which is able to take such major decisions," he said.

Later addressing the parliament, he urged all political forces to unite against terrorists who are targeting not a sect or particular segment of society but the entire nation.

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"There is a need to create a consensus like (at the time of) the Zarb-e-Azb operation against this kind of terrorism. It is being hoped that the prime minister would take a step in this direction," the defence minister said.

Zarb-e-Azb was launched after the school bombing and it killed and expelled militants Asif said that the latest bombing in Peshawar was no less a tragedy than the 2014 Army Public School massacre and a similar consensus was needed by politicians from all parties.

He also said that Pakistan had suffered over USD 126 billion in economic losses and 83,000 deaths including, armed forces personnel, police officials and others but the world had not acknowledged it.

He accused the previous government of Imran Khan of holding talks with the Taliban.

"Two years ago, we were briefed that we can talk to these people (the terrorists). Later, they were allowed to settle in the country," he said.

He questioned who should be held responsible for the bloodshed in Peshawar where 100 people were killed.

He also said over 450,000 Afghans had been settled in Pakistan as they did not return to their country and had now occupied transport business in Pakistan.

Separately, interior minister Rana Sanaullah addressing the parliament said that a policy would be prepared by the parliament to address the menace of terrorism.

He said the Army chief and the ISI chief would brief the lawmakers.

He also said that past policies were responsible for terrorism plaguing the nation. We created mujahideen but they have become terrorists, he said referring to the Afghan jihad against the former USSR.

Giving detail of the Peshawar terrorist attack, Sanaullah said a suicide bomber exploded himself in the mosque, killing 100 people, including 97 police officials and three civilians.

He expressed fear that the death toll can rise as 27 of 216 injured were in critical condition. He said the rescue operation has been completed.

The minister said that the Taliban's Khurasani group claimed responsibility for the incident. He also made it clear that these terrorist incidents are against Pakistan and not against any region or province of the country.
The US has strongly condemned the deadly suicide bombing at a mosque in Pakistan's Peshawar city on Monday, saying "terrorism is indefensible," and to "target worshippers is unconscionable."



The death toll from the suicide attack rose to 100 on Tuesday after rescue workers retrieved more bodies from the debris of the devastated mosque inside a major police facility in Peshawar, capital of the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

According to Pakistani security officials, the suicide bomber who was present in the front row during the Zuhr (afternoon) prayers on Monday blew himself up, causing the roof to collapse on the worshippers -- one of Pakistan's deadliest attacks in recent years.

The United States strongly condemns the terrorist attack on a mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan with reports today that the death toll has now risen to 100 people, Andrienne Watson, spokesperson of the National Security Council, White House said on Tuesday.

This is tragic and heartbreaking news, and we extend our deep condolences to the loved ones of those who have lost their lives. Terrorism is indefensible, and to target worshippers is unconscionable, Watson said.

Washington stands ready to provide support to Pakistan in its efforts to recover, he added.

"Devastating news in Pakistan, where over 100 were killed by a suicide bomb at a mosque and another 40 people died in a bus crash," tweeted Senator Bob Casey.

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My condolences are with the Pakistani people as they mourn the loss of life, he added.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), known as the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the suicide attack, saying it was part of a revenge attack for slain TTP commander Umar Khalid Khurasani who was killed in Afghanistan in August last year.

The TTP, set up as an umbrella group of several militant outfits in 2007, called off a ceasefire with the federal government and ordered its militants to stage terrorist attacks across the country.

The group, which is believed to be close to al-Qaeda, has been blamed for several deadly attacks across Pakistan, including an attack on army headquarters in 2009, assaults on military bases, and the 2008 bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad.

In 2014, the Pakistani Taliban stormed the Army Public School (APS) in the northwestern city of Peshawar, killing at least 150 people, including 131 students.

The attack has sent shockwaves across the world and was widely condemned.
NII category recorded the maximum subscription followed by QIBs, employees and retail investors.

The follow-on public offer (FPO) of Adani Enterprises received bids for 5,08,68,352 equity shares against the issue size of 4,55,06,791 equity shares. The issue was subscribed 1.12 times.

The portion reserved for retail individual investors (RIIs) was subscribed by 0.12 times with bids of 27,45,960 equity shares as against 2,29,08,464 equity shares reserved for them.

Meanwhile, the portion reserved for qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) received bids for 1,61,03,776 shares as against 1,28,21,336 equity shares reserved for them. It was subscribed 1.26 times.

International Holding Company (IHC), the diversified Abu Dhabi-based conglomerate, announced on Monday (Jan 31) that it would be investing AED 1.4 billion (USD 400 million) into the Adani Enterprises Further Public Offering (FPO), the Indian multinational publicly listed holding company and a part of Adani Group, through its subsidiary Green Transmission Investment Holding RSC Limited.

This is the second investment deal International Holding Company has completed with India's Adani Group after last year's Dh7.3 billion (USD 2bn) investment in three green-focused companies of the Adani Group, including Adani Green Energy, Adani Transmission, and Adani Enterprises, which are all listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange of India.

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Meanwhile, the non-institutional investors (NII) category was subscribed by 3.32 times, receiving bids for 3,19,30,848 shares as against 96,16,323 shares reserved for them.

The issue also included a reservation of upto 1,60,668 equity shares for eligible employees. The employees category was subscribed 0.55 times against the reserved portion.

The FPO consists of fresh issuance of equity shares for an amount aggregating to Rs 20,000 crore. The price band for the offer was fixed at Rs 3112-3276 per share and the minimum bid quantity is 4 shares. The issue opened for public participation on 27 January 2023 and it will close on 31 January 2023.

Qualified institutional buyers were allotted 50% of the offer. A minimum of 15% of the FPO was reserved for non-institutional bidders and a minimum 35% was allocated to retail individual bidders.

The company proposes to utilise the net proceeds to fund capital expenditure requirements for projects under its subsidiaries and repayment of borrowings. Out of the total proceeds, Rs 10,869 crore will be utilised for funding capital expenditure requirements of some subsidiaries. These include certain projects of the green hydrogen ecosystem, improvement works of existing airport facilities; and construction of greenfield expressway.

Further, Rs 4,165 crore will go for repayment, in full or part, of certain borrowings of our company and three of our subsidiaries, namely, Adani Airport Holdings, Adani Road Transport, and Mundra Solar. The remaining sum would be used for general corporate purposes.

Before the FPO, the Promoter and Promoter Group held 72.63% stake in the company while the remaining 27.37% stake was held by the Public shareholders. Post-FPO, the Promoter holding would be 68.94% and that of the Public would be 31.06%.

Ahead of the FPO, the company on 25 January 2022 raised Rs 5,985 crore from 33 institutional investors by finalising the allocation of 1.83 crore shares under anchor portion at a price of Rs 3,276 a share.

Major foreign institutional investors such as Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), Maybank Asia, Goldman Sachs, Nomura, Societe Generale, Jupiter, BNP Paribas, Al Mehwar, Citi Group, Morgan Stanley picked up stake.

Adani Enterprises is the flagship company of Adani Group, one of India's largest business conglomerates. The company's business investments are centered on the fields of airport management, technology parks, roads, data centre and water infrastructure.

On consolidated basis, the company's net profit surged 117% to Rs 460.94 crore on 188% jump in net sales to Rs 38,175.23 crore in Q2 FY23 over Q2 FY22.

Meanwhile, shares of Adani Enterprises slumped 28.45% to end at Rs 2128.70 on the BSE today.

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After months of speculation, New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart announced Wednesday morning that shes running for a nearly unprecedented sixth term.

Im not done just yet. Ill see you in November, Stewart said in a 15-second Facebook video posted around 6:30 a.m.

Stewart told the Courant that she wants another term to complete a series of downtown development projects and municipal initiatives that launched in recent years, and also intends to promote revitalization along the East Street, Arch Street and John Downey Drive corridors.

I love what I do and after a lot of careful consideration, Ive decided to run again, Stewart said. People are actually seeing where their tax dollars are going, theyre seeing progress block by block.

Ive broken ground on a lot of projects, and now there are so many that we can be proud of. I want to be around to keep this going and to cut some of those ribbons, she said.

If she wins, Stewart, 35, would become only the second mayor in New Britain history to win six terms, and the first Republican in the heavily Democratic city.

Despite encountering heavy turbulence when she tried to break into statewide politics five years ago, Stewart has been a political star in her hometown since voters first elected her in 2013. She was just 26 then with a short political resume, but handily defeated Democratic incumbent Tim OBrien to become the youngest mayor in New Britain.

Democrats hold a massive advantage on the voter registration rolls, and New Britain historically elects an all-blue or mostly blue delegation to the General Assembly. But Stewart has won all of her four reelection campaigns by wide margins, and polled more than 60% of the vote in both 2019 and 2021.

Her popularity locally has extended beyond just the standard GOP base of white middle-class residents, extending to minority voters and the poorer sections of Connecticuts eighth-largest city.

Stewarts supporters contend shes a likeable political moderate who could make a solid run for governor in a state where the GOP has been going down in defeat behind a string of older male candidates with hard-right views.

But so far, shes made little progress against the heavily conservative state Republican leadership. It gave her 2018 bid for governor no support at all, and her primary for the lieutenant governors spot on the ballot failed. Still, she has developed a following beyond New Britain by forecasting  correctly  that the statewide GOP ticket would fail if it didnt build appeal beyond the partys right wing.

So far, she is not ruling out the possibility of a new race for governor in 2024 or beyond.

New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart preparing to tape a Facebook message announcing her re-election plan.

Ive made no secret that being governor would be a dream job for me. I tried in 18 and it didnt work out, I took a pass this last time (2022) because I didnt think the time was right, she said. It will all depend on if the time is right and if my personal situation will allow me to go in that direction.

Stewart and her husband, Dominic Mutone, had a daughter, Lina, two years ago, and Stewart acknowledged that theyd like a second child. She also said a run for the governors job would hinge on how New Britain is doing.

For me to do that, Id need to feel fulfilled about the work Ive completed here, she said. I dont look at this job as being done yet. I want to be here to finish Complete Streets, the new public works yard, The Brit, the High Railer, 102 West Main, the Strand  there are so many thing happening now.

The citys downtown has undergone a dramatic renaissance under her administration, with large-scale complexes of market-rate apartments going up at a remarkable pace. But critics have said too much attention has been focused on downtown, and Democratic leaders in the city condemn her record of holding education spending largely in check while boosting the citys own budget.

If Stewart wins, shes certain to face a more heavily Democratic council in her next term. Currently Republicans dominate it by 12-3 supermajority, but a charter revision now ensures Democrats will get five seats at the very least.

Stewart said that will benefit the city, even though it means more work for mayors.

I dont think its fair that a mayor  including me  doesnt even need to have a conversation with the minority party because we dont need their votes, she said. Does it mean theres potential for more work for whoever is in the mayors seat? Yes. Is it for a good reason? Yes.
The 2-wheeler maker's total sales rose by 3% in January 2023 with sales of 275,115 units as against 266,788 units in January 2022.

Total two-wheelers sales grew 4% to 264,710 units in January 2023 as compared with 254,139 units sold in January 2022. Domestic two-wheeler sales stood at 216,471 units in January 2023, registering a growth of 29% from 167,795 units sold in the same period last year.

Motorcycle registered sales of 121,042 units in January 2023, declining 12.05% as against 137,630 units sold in January 2022. Scooter sales of the company reported 106,537 units in January 2023 as compared to the sale of 80,580 units in January 2022, recording a growth of 32%.

The company's total exports dropped 41.73% to 57,024 units in January 2023 as against 97,858 units in January 2022. Two-wheeler exports slumped 44.13% to 48,239 units in January 2023 from 86,344 units sold in the same period a year ago.

Given the macro-economic uncertainties in a few international markets, the company has reduced stock to enable the channel partners. Customer retails continue to be well ahead of the despatches. With reduced distributor stocks and improved retails, the company is optimistic of improving despatches in the forthcoming months, TVS Motor stated in the press release.

In the three-wheeler segment, the sales of the company declined 17.74% to 10,405 units in January 2023 from 12,649 units in January 2022.

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In the electric vehicle segment, the company sold 12,169 units of TVS iQube Electric in January 2023 as against sales of 1,529 units in January 2022. The electric scooter recorded its highest ever sales in January 2023.

TVS Motor Company is a reputed two and three-wheeler manufacturer globally. The company has four manufacturing facilities in Hosur, Mysuru and Nalagarh in India and Karawang in Indonesia.

The company reported 22% rise in standalone net profit to Rs 353 crore on a 15% increase in revenue to Rs 6,545 crore in Q3 FY23 over Q3 FY22.

Shares of TVS Motor Company declined 1.87% to Rs 1,017.90 on the BSE.

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V I P Industries announced that on 31 January 2023 at around 3 pm IST, fire occurred at VIP Industries Bangladesh (Subsidiary of the Company) Plant located at Plot No. 74-83, Epz Mongla, Bangladesh. The Plant manufactures bags and supplies to VIP Industries in India and contributes ~9.9% of the consolidated revenue of the Company.

The fire was controlled, but production operation of the said plant is temporarily disrupted. There are no human injuries or casualties reported. Adequate steps are being undertaken to restore the operation of the plant. The Company is in the process of ascertaining the cause of the fire and the actual loss caused by it.

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US President Joe Biden is understood to have invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a state visit this summer, PTI has learnt.

The invitation has been accepted in principle and officials on both sides are now working on mutually convenient dates, according to multiple sources, who noted that it is currently in the early stages of logistical planning.

Given that India is hosting a series of events this year related to G-20 leading to a summit in September, which among others would be attended by Biden, it is reliably learnt that officials from the two sides are looking for appropriate dates in June and July when not only both the US House of Representatives and the Senate are in session but Modi has a couple of days at his disposal when he does not have a predetermined domestic commitment or international engagements.

At least a couple of days are required for the state visit, which among other things includes an address to the joint session of the US Congress and a state dinner at the White House. In addition to G-20, Modi has packed domestic and international commitments till the fall, before he hits the campaign trail for a series of crucial state assembly elections later this year.

Sources, who requested anonymity as they are not allowed to talk on this sensitive issue at this point of time, however, did not reveal when this invitation was delivered and who delivered this personal invitation from Biden to the Prime Minister's Office.

Biden hosted French President Emanual Macron for his first state dinner last December.

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Meanwhile, a senior administration official told reporters that Biden believes the partnership between India and the United States, which are the world's leading knowledge economies, is essential to address major global challenges.

President Biden views that as two of the world's leading knowledge economies, this partnership is essential. He believes that no successful and enduring effort to address any of the major challenges that the world faces today, whether we're looking at food or energy or health security, the climate crisis, or upholding a free and open Indo-Pacific, going to work without a US-India partnership at its heart, a senior administration official told a group of Indian reporters here.

Prime Minister Modi had in Tokyo last year described the US-India relationship as a partnership of trust and a force for good global peace and stability.

The US really views that this is in our strategic interest to support India's rise as a global power. We see that in both the Quad and as India's Presidency of the G-20. This describes a greater vision of this coherent US-Indo Pacific strategy that requires that both the US and India pull closer together and overcome long-standing obstacles to doing so, said the senior administration official, requesting anonymity to reporters.

On Tuesday, India's National Security Advisor Ajit K Doval along with his American counterpart Jake Sullivan launched the India-US initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies or iCET, which officials on both sides described as a Next Big Thing in the bilateral relationship of the two countries.

While geopolitics is one dimension of what's happening here, this is sort of more important, bigger than that. The US view is that our relationship with India is essential not just because of the way the world looks today, but rather that this is the next logical milestone of our relationship, the official said.

We view that what's going on here it's really even larger than 2006 (the year of the India-US civil nuclear deal), he said.


The government has also slashed its projection for the current year to Rs 50,000 crore from the earlier target of Rs 65,000 crore. The Centre aims to raise Rs 51,000 crore through disinvestment of its stake in several state-run firms in financial year 2023-24 (FY24). This is 21 per cent lower than what it expected to earn in the current fiscal year.



So far this fiscal year, the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) has raised Rs 31,106 crore as disinvestment receipts and over Rs 36,000 crore as dividend. The government has so far achieved just 48 per cent of the current years disinvestment target, and it has just two months to raise the remaining Rs 20,000 crore of the Revised Estimates (RE).



Some other important transactions that have spilled over into next year include the disinvestment in Shipping Corporation of India, NMDC Steel, BEML, HLL Lifecare, Container Corporation of India, and Vizag Steel. The Budget did not mention new asset sales for FY24  indicating that the Centres disinvestment target will depend on the completion of some big transactions, including the stake sale in IDBI Bank.

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Explaining the rationale behind a lower target, DIPAM Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey said at a post-Budget briefing that these deals were dependent on market conditions. Of the proceeds collected so far this year, a majority came from the initial public offering of LIC, through which the government raised Rs 21,000 crore by divesting a 3.5 per cent stake.



The government has budgeted for a 15.2 per cent increase in non-tax revenue at Rs 3 trillion in FY24, after a 28.3 per cent decline in FY23 compared to the preceding year. Besides, to facilitate certain strategic disinvestments, the Budget proposed allowing accumulated losses and unabsorbed depreciation allowance to be carried forward in the case of merger of one or more banking companies with any other banking institution or a company subsequent to a strategic disinvestment, if such amalgamation takes place within five years of strategic disinvestment.



After a steep decline in dividends from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in FY23 at Rs 40,953 crore, against a Budget Estimate of Rs 73,948 crore, the government expects it to rise to Rs 48,000 crore in FY24. Higher collections under non-tax revenue are expected to be led by other non-tax revenues, which are estimated to grow 22.3 per cent to Rs 1.8 trillion. The main components of this are receipts from petroleum (Rs 24,185 crore) and telecom (Rs 89,469 crore) sectors, which are budgeted to grow 37.3 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively, in FY24.

Revising asset sale target

The Centre expects to exceed the dividends target from public sector enterprises in FY23 by Rs 3,000 crore against a BE of Rs 40,000 crore. For FY24, the Budget has estimated such dividends at the same level as the RE for FY23 at Rs 43,000 crore.

FY24 (BE): Rs 51,000 crore



FY23 BE: Rs 65,000 cr



FY23 RE: Rs 50,000 cr



Disinvestment receipts so far: Rs 31, 106 cr



Govt to raise remaining Rs 20,000 cr in two months



Govt's priority continues to be speeding up ongoing big-ticket deals



These include stake sale of IDBI Bank, Concor, Shipping Corporation, BEML, and NMDC Steel


The Civil Aviation Ministry witnessed a significant decline in its allocation in Budget 2023-24 presented on Wednesday.

The Budget allocated Rs 3,113.36 crore to the ministry, against Rs 10,667 crore in 2022-23, which was later revised to Rs 9,363.70 crore.

The Budget documents showed that the major reduction is mainly due to lower money allocation for AI Asset Holding Ltd (AIAHL), a special purpose vehicle formed by the government and that holds various assets of national carrier Air India.

The Budget announced on Wednesday has allocated Rs 1,114.49 crore for AIAHL under the public sector undertakings segment. In the Budget for 2022-23, AIAHL was initially allocated Rs 9,259.91 crore, which was later revised to Rs 7,200 crore and the provision is kept for servicing of loan transferred to SPV as a result of financial restructuring of Air India.

On the other hand, the latest budget has hiked the amount for regional air connectivity to Rs 1,244.07 crore for the next financial year starting April 1. The proposal is for revival of 22 airports and for commencement of 100 RCS routes, and viability gap funding for northeast connectivity. To improve connectivity in the NE Region, a new scheme has also been formulated for providing air connectivity and aviation infrastructure.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget speech announced that 50 additional airports, heliports, water aerodromes and advance landing grounds will be revived for improving regional air connectivity.

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Aviation regulator DGCA has got Rs 309 crore in this Budget and the provision is for meeting the establishment expenditure of the Director General of Civil Aviation and its regional and field offices. It provides for Training Projects, eGCA Project, construction of DGCA Bhawan. It also includes provision for India's contribution to the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

--IANS

kvm/vd


Rationalisation and simplification of taxes are expected to boost exports. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday tweaked the basic Customs duty of 32 items, with the aim to increase domestic manufacturing and enhance value addition.



On the other hand, duties have been hiked to encourage local production and value addition in case of mid-range-to-premium automobiles, including electric vehicles (EVs). As many as 14 items have seen a jump in import duty to tackle the issue of cheap imports of items such as toys.



National Calamity Contingent Duty (NCCD) on specified cigarettes was last revised three years ago and has now been revised upwards by about 16 per cent. Demerit goods such as cigarettes are also expected to become costly.

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I propose to reduce the number of basic Customs duty rates on goods, other than textiles and agriculture, from 21 to 13. A simplified tax structure with fewer tax rates helps in reducing compliance burden and improving tax administration.



The changes in the duty will come into effect from Thursday. As a result, there are minor changes in the basic Customs duties, cesses and surcharges on some items, including toys, bicycles, automobiles and naphtha, Sitharaman said during the Budget.



To provide impetus to green mobility, Customs duty exemption has been extended to import of capital goods and machinery required to manufacture lithium-ion cells for batteries used in EVs. According to the Budget document, the revised estimate of revenue from Customs duty is Rs 2.1 trillion. FY24 will see an 11 per cent jump in revenue at Rs 2.33 trillion.



The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) warned that continuing concessional import duty will delay investments in local cell manufacturing.





Firms will happily import cells and add less than 10 per cent value to make batteries for use in EVs. Our EV dreams should not increase imports or strengthen China, it said.



This will boost domestic manufacturing in the sector and result in import substitution. Customs duty on articles of precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum has been increased from 20 per cent to 25 per cent, thereby increasing the duty differential to 10 per cent over gold, silver, platinum bars.



A reduction of duty on lab-grown diamond (LGD) seeds from 5 per cent to nil will result in reducing the cost of production. Customs duty on imitation jewellery has been enhanced from 20 per cent to 25 per cent, to discourage cheap imports from China.



The reduction in import duty of fish meal from 15 per cent to 5 per cent will boost exports. It will make LGD exports globally competitive, the department of commerce said in a statement.


The finance minister on Wednesday proposed to limit deductions from capital gains on investment in residential houses under Sections 54 and 54F to Rs 10 crore. The capping of capital gains at Rs 10 crore for house property is expected to hit sales of ultra-luxury homes, according to industry experts.



The capping of the capital gains benefit at a maximum of Rs 10 crore for house property will have a negative impact for the demand for ultra-luxury homes, said Atul Goyal, CFO, Brigade Enterprises. Since ultra-luxury homes are mostly in metros and tier-I cities, the proposal was likely to impact the market for such properties, experts said.



Kunal Savani, partner at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, said that the capping of long-term capital gains tax exemption was a major speed bump for luxury projects. Goyal pointed out that earlier, all capital gains could be invested in new houses or government-specified securities to save on capital gain tax. Now capital gains, which can be reinvested, are restricted to Rs 10 crore. Capital gains above Rs 10 crore will be taxable, he said.

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Quite a few unicorn promoters and key management members holding stock options have taken advantage of these provisions and invested in luxury residential properties. Accordingly, in order to curb these practices, the government has now proposed to curtail the benefits available under the provisions to the extent of Rs 10 crore, he said. Contrary to their intention, that is to mitigate housing shortage, provisions exempting capital gains on acquisition of residential houses were frequently used by high net worth individuals (HNIs) and ultra-high net worth individuals to offset their gains on the sale of prime residential properties or on the sale of other eligible capital assets (mainly equity shares), Savani said.



Anuj Puri, chairman at Anarock Property Consultants, said, This (the proposal to cap) seems to be a negative for the HNIs, as previously there was no such cap. It means that if one sells a house and gains are more than Rs 10 crore, then the maximum benefit is till Rs 10 crore when invested into another property. Amit Goyal, CEO, India, Sothebys International Realty, said the proposed cap to Rs 10 crore could be a big deterrent for the housing industry. We sincerely appeal to the government to reconsider this limit, he said.



Niranjan Hiranandani, managing director at Hiranandani Group, said the proposal could create issues for individual buyers but would not impact the macro market. Puri, however, said that it would have no direct impact on primary luxury housing sales, but the resale luxury market may be affected to an extent.



However, Vikas Oberoi, chairman and managing director at Oberoi Realty, felt otherwise. Hardly close to 10 per cent of the buyers have capital gain issues, he said. Families are liable to pay capital gain tax, which will disincentivise them to buy multiple properties as a security provision for their children, he said.

Amit Bhagat, managing director and CEO at ASK Property Fund, also did not anticipate any impact of the proposal. Buyers in that segment are not dependent on savings in tax outflow of capital gains. It is an upgrade demand and their decision is not based on savings from that.
Once again, Playhouse on Park has taken a difficult drama, one with deep Jewish themes (including the Holocaust), a play thats not widely enough known partly because it can be so tricky to do, and given it a strong, fresh production that challenges this scrappy, community-conscious company in all the right ways.

Indecent by Paula Vogel is a play about a play that changed lives. The God of Vengeance by Sholem Asch was a deliberately provocative drama that touched a mainstream social nerve in New York in 1922. Its depictions of lesbianism and prostitution were not unheard of in world theater at the time, and The God of Vengeance had been around for 15 years by the time it got in real trouble. An international hit before it triumphed at a Yiddish theater in New York, when The God of Vengeance transferred uptown to Broadway, the producer and the actors were arrested for having presented an indecent, immoral, and impure theatrical performance.

Indecent tells the history of The God of Vengeance, humanizing and enhancing the story by showing how the play affected the people who wrote, performed and saw it. Vogels play makes clear that Aschs play would have been more of a touchstone for us today had the playwright not disallowed revivals of it for most of his lifetime.

Besides the actors in The God of Vengeance, who it is suggested would be much better known if this show hadnt been pulled out from under them, Indecent brings in some much better-known real-life characters. Some of these are especially esteemed in Connecticut like Eugene ONeill, who grew up in New London. and Morris Carnovsky, the legendary Yiddish theater star who taught at Connecticut College and Waterfords National Theater Institute.

A lot of theatergoers in Connecticut have been hoping for a chance to see a decent Indecent again. The play had its world premiere in the fall of 2015 at the Yale Repertory Theatre when Vogel was a resident playwright after a five-year stint running the playwriting program at the Yale School of Drama. Indecent was inspired by a previous show at Yale, Rebecca Taichmans student thesis production The People vs. the God of Vengeance, which was more strictly about the plays courtroom woes. Working with Taichman, who directed its original production, Vogel crafted a more expansive drama that accentuates the anti-Semitism, bigotry and sexism.

Indecent played at a couple of other theaters between its New Haven and Broadway runs. The script kept its basic structure but was extensively revised over time. Indecent became more sharply focused. One of the transformative scenes, where Aschs play and the backstage drama fully integrate with impressive special effects, now end the play, a wise move that lets the audience leave in a more hopeful mood.

A scene from Sholem Aschs The God of Vengeance, the play that Paula Vogels Indecent is about.

Paula Vogel plays can be bursting with wildly different elements. She can shift from intimate relationship moments to grand historical themes or from poetic speeches to deliberately corny jokes. Her work isnt easy to stage. At Playhouse on Park, Kelly ODonnell maneuvers the switching tones, paces and languages beautifully.

Scenic designer Johann Fitzpatrick rises to the occasion with a deep brown platform set that fills the floor-level playing area. It resembles several other playhouse sets from recent years but goes further. Its richer and sharper and conceals some game-changing special effects that come at just the right moments to knock Indecent into a weird netherworld realm just as the characters are starting to lose control of their destinies.

Indecent is an ensemble play and a multi-generational drama with eight actors and three onstage musicians. Playhouse on Park, which is often taxed by the demands of a show this size, has assembled a uniformly talented group. The musicians are sometimes called upon to take on rather important characters, and they all turn out to be skilled actors. Clarinetist/saxophonist Jack Theiling plays a hotheaded actor, violinist Alexander Sovronsky (also the shows music director) preaches a rousing sermon as a misguided rabbi and accordionist Michelle Lemon plays a Broadway producer, with her instrument still strapped to her chest under a big trenchcoat. Yes, there are plenty of fun moments amid the oppression and despair of Indecent, not to mention some uplifting musical interludes of not just bouncy klezmer tunes but peppy vaudeville songs.

The main actors are all solid, led by Dan Zimberg as Lemml the stage manager (one of the rare characters not based on a real person) who believes in Aschs play from its first reading through all its wild (and true) twists and turns. Bart Shatto (a show biz veteran whos not just sung on Broadway but with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra) plays a range of stately yet spry older gentlemen, including Yiddish theater star Joseph Schildkraut, matched by the shows other designated Elder, Noa Graham as women of wisdom and vulnerability.

The main romance of Indecent: Helen Laser (left) as Reina/Rifkele and Kristen Peacock as Dine/Manke.

Though there are many nice scenes between Asch (a boyish- yet-intimidating Dan Krackhardt) and his wife Madje (Helen Laser), the scripts main romance is between Reine and Dine, the actresses who play the lesbian couple in the play-within-the-play. Kristen Peacock and Helen Laser are an appealing couple, and they also work to establish independent and complementary identities. Numerous communities are quickly and credibly formed onstage, depending on the immediate needs of the script. There are the theater companies, the Jewish communities in Europe and America, the families and more. It could all become impossibly confusing if the performers werent on their game. Projected title cards help a lot, too.

The cast has body mics, which gives a nice even sound to the dialogue and means the music can be integrated without losing the clarity of the speeches. Theres some crisp choreography by Katie Stevinson-Nollet that fits smoothly amid all the drama and kick-up-your-heels klezmer riffs. Indecent is assuredly not a musical, but it is as multi-layered and carefully put together as one. Spirited speeches lead to spirited songs and spirited dances, then soften again for some meditative musings on injustice and human suffering.

Indecent is an important story about freedom of expression, religious identity, cultural change, oppression, defiance, war, intellectual conflict and, above all, love and trust and hope. My soul is in these pages, Asch says of his controversial play. You see a lot of other exposed souls throughout this powerful work.

Indecent runs through Feb. 26 at Playhouse on Park, 244 Park Road, West Hartford. Performances are Tuesdays at 2 p.m., Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. $45-$55; $42.50-$52.50 for students, seniors and military. playhouseonpark.org.


The Budget provided acquisition financing by units of foreign banks set up at the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC)  a move that will bring down the cost of financing for outbound mergers and acquisitions (M&A). In a bid to give a fresh fillip to the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT), Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Union Budget 2023-24 permitted acquisition financing, recognised offshore derivative instruments, and set up a single-window registration for approvals.



The Budget proposes to relax this restriction for offshore units of foreign banks, thereby making Gift City competitive and comparable to other international finance centres where no such restriction exists. However, clearly it appears that units of Indian banks in Gift City may still not get this leeway resulting in a loss of this opportunity for them at this point, said Siddharth Shah, partner, Khaitan & Co. Under the current regulations, Indian banks and branches of foreign banks in India are restricted from providing financing for acquisition of shares.



Experts said the move will enable foreign banks issue P-note contracts via the Gift City for foreign investors willing to take exposure to onshore market. Currently, such contracts are issued largely out of tax-friendly jurisdictions, such as Mauritius and Luxembourg. Sitharaman also announced that offshore derivative instruments  also known as participatory notes (P-notes)  will be recognised as valid contracts.

Also Read Budget 2023-24: Manufacturing sector eyes revised taxations, new PLIs Union Budget 2023: Experts don't expect surprises in social sector outlay What are participatory notes? Budget 2023: A look back at some major announcements in previous Budget TMS Ep317: EV batteries, WhatsApp UPI, Markets, Participatory notes Devolution to states: Centre sidesteps Finance Commission advice, again Budget 2023: Capex push to safeguard growth from global headwinds Nothing in Union Budget to solve economic disparities in country: Kerala CM Budget ends tax advantage in MLDs, move to impact wealthy investors Budget 2023-24: Relief to middle class set to spur private consumption



The change proposed on P-notes is a clarification that distribution of income by offshore banking units to investors will not be subject to tax, thereby avoiding double taxation. The regulations around ODI investment through the gift city have not been expanded or modified, said Rajesh Gandhi, Partner, Deloitte. Some experts said P-notes were already permitted via Gift City, however, the Budget had removed a critical irritant.



The Budget move could open up a huge opportunity for banks, who can re-issue these contracts by the Gift City. As of December 2022, P-note holders had an exposure of nearly Rs 96,000 crore in domestic equity, debt, and other hybrid instruments. This is less than 2 per cent of FPIs' exposure to Indian assets.



Sitharaman also announced the establishment of a subsidiary of Export-Import (EXIM) Bank at GIFT IFSC for trade refinancing. This would encourage emerging sectors such as aircraft and ship financing activities in GIFT City, said Tapan Ray, MD & Group CEO, GIFT City. In other measures aimed at boosting the IFSC, the FM announced a single-window IT system for registration and approval from several financial regulators, including IFSCA, SEZ authorities, Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN), Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), and Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (Irdai).



Among other decisions, tax benefits for funds relocating to the GIFT City have been extended till March 2025. Furthermore, the FM also announced that the IFSCA Act will be amended for statutory provisions for arbitration, ancillary services, and avoiding dual regulations under the SEZ Act. IFSCA will also be delegated powers under the SEZ Act.


One of the government's main priorities in achieving that has been building a "Digital India", which will stand on two pillars: ease of doing business and ease of living. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her fifth Union Budget on Wednesday. She outlined seven priorities for the government during the "Amrit Kaal", a term first used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to describe the next 25-year period when the government will work to modernise India. "This is the first Budget in Amrit Kaal," the finance minister said at the beginning of her Budget speech.



-- FM Sitharaman said a digital public infrastructure for agriculture would be built as open source, open standard, and interoperable public good. The government will set up an agriculture accelerator fund to encourage agriculture-related startups in rural areas. Here are some key highlights of the Budget 2023 towards building a Digital India:



-- A national digital library for children and adolescents will be set up to facilitate quality reading. This will help in building a culture of learning. Services of NGOs will be sought to provide age-appropriate reading material. With the setting up of digital libraries, people across the country should be able to access books and other reading materials without having to buy them in physical form. -- She said a national cooperative database is being created to map cooperative societies across the country.

Also Read Budget 2023-24: Manufacturing sector eyes revised taxations, new PLIs Union Budget 2023: Experts don't expect surprises in social sector outlay Budget 2023: A look back at some major announcements in previous Budget Budget 2023 live streaming: When and where to watch FM Sitharaman's speech Union Budget 2023: Railways capital outlay at all-time high of Rs 2.4 trn Union Budget to be pro-people, will boost economic growth: Basavaraj Bommai Union Budget 2023: Centre bets big on Artificial Intelligence, IoT Budget focus on medical research, aims to eliminate sickle cell anaemia Union Budget 2023: Free food grain scheme for the poor extended by a year Union Budget 2023: Railways capital outlay at all-time high of Rs 2.4 trn



-- FM Sitharaman said the government would formulate a National Data Governance policy, which will enable anonymised data, and besides KYC process will be simplified by adopting a risk-based system. -- The government also proposes to set up three centres of excellence for artificial intelligence in top educational institutions.



-- 100 labs for developing applications for 5G services will be set up in engineering institutions. -- PAN will be used as a common identifier for all digital systems of specified government agencies.


No tax will have to be paid for income up to Rs 3 lakh. For income between Rs 3 to Rs 6 lakh, a tax of 5 per cent will be applicable. The highest tax rate of 30 per cent will be levied on income above Rs 15 lakh, under new income tax regime.



Abhishek Soni, Co-Founder & CEO, Tax2win said, "The introduction of new slabs with fewer tax rates under the new tax regime as well as the announcement of introducing a single simplified common income tax return form in the future, clearly shows the government's objective to simplify the income tax for the common people. Further, no tax is levied up to 7 Lakh of income, a big relief for millions of salaried individuals." Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the new income tax slabs under the new income tax regime in her Budget speech on Wednesday. The tax rebate has been raised from Rs 5 to 7 lakh under the new regime. Moreover, the new tax regime will be default unless the taxpayer choses to adopt the old regime.





ALSO READ: Compute your income tax liability after Budget 2023 changes here The highest surcharge rate down has been slashed from 37 per cent to 25 per cent. The Centre also proposed to cap deductions from capital gains on investments in residential houses to Rs 10 crore.



According to Sitharaman, an individual with annual income of Rs 9 lakh will have to pay only Rs 45,000 in tax. And an individual with income of Rs 15 lakh will have to pay Rs 1.5 lakh tax down from Rs 1.87 lakh under new tax structure. "I propose to reduce the highest surcharge rate from 37 per cent to 25 per cent in the new tax regime," Sitharaman said.

Also Read Budget 2023-24: Manufacturing sector eyes revised taxations, new PLIs Budget 2023: A look back at some major announcements in previous Budget Union Budget 2023: Experts don't expect surprises in social sector outlay Experts raise several red flags around section 194R of the Income Tax Act Your tax-saving investments must match your financial planning targets Union Budget 2023: Revamped MSME credit guarantee scheme to start on Apr 1 Budget pushes for developing transport, urban infrastructure, housing Union Budget 2023: What did FM Nirmala Sitharaman announce for agriculture? L&T, Siemens surge up to 5% as govt proposes 33% jump in capex outlay Budget 2023: Here is what FM Sitharaman said about Digital India campaign



On Tax Exemptions, Saraswathi Kasturirangan, Partner, Deloitte India said, "The government is actively promoting the new tax regime, which will now be the default tax regime. The basic exemption under this regime has increased to 3 lakhs from 2.5 lakhs. Individual tax payers earning up to Rs 7 lakhs will not have to pay taxes as compared to current limit of Rs 5 lakhs. Tax rates have been reduced under the new tax regime and the maximum marginal rate drops from 42.74 per cent to 39 per cent." Alok Agrawal, Partner, Deloitte India, "The new tax regime has got a great boost by the Budget announcements made by the FM. Taxpayers at both ends of the spectrum will be encouraged under the new regime, as there will be no liability upto annual income of 7 lacs on one hand and surcharge on annual income above 5 crores has been reduced from 37 per cent to 25 per cent at the high income end."



Also, under the senior citizen savings scheme, the maximum investment limit has been increased from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 30 lakh. FM Sitharaman said that the net tax revenue foregone because of changes in direct and indirect taxes is Rs 35,000 crore.
> A move to the stricter expected credit loss model in accounting for bad loans is on the cards for banks. This is not expected to affect large private players. But many smaller ones may have to make additional provisions.

> The economic survey pointed out that new bankruptcy law in the form of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code changed the debtor-creditor relationship. This helped in disposing of over Rs 7 trillion of corporate defaults. But recovery rates are coming down, of late.

> Changes are proposed to the Banking Regulation Act, the Banking Companies Act and the Reserve Bank of India Act. These are expected to help with bank governance as well as improve investor protection.

> It is proposed to allow carry forward of accumulated losses and unabsorbed depreciation allowance when a banking company is being amalgamated with any other banking institution or company, in the event of a strategic disinvestment. This has to take place within five years of the disinvestment.
Senate Democrats laid out a plan Tuesday to increase transparency in education funding and expand college affordability as students from kindergarten to graduate school continue to feel the impact of COVID-19 in the classroom and their wallets.

Several state senators joined Senate President Martin Looney and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff in Hartford to discuss their strategies to bolster Connecticuts education system.

Top priorities for the Democrats will include the passage of S.B. 1, An Act Concerning Transparency in Education, and S.B. 8, An Act Concerning Higher Education Affordability, Graduate Retention and Student Health, both of which passed a vote to draft in their respective committees this month.

Duff called S.B. 1 the Senates flagship bill this year that aims to tackle what Democrats believe we need to do in our public education system.

Democrats said that the bill would increase government oversight and uniformity in education spending, shore up educator recruitment, retention and evaluation with a focus on diversifying the workforce, increase support for students and prepare them for the 21st-century workforce.

Excluding state-funded school construction costs, Senate Democrats said Connecticut cities and towns spent $9.3 billion on education in fiscal year 2021. The Connecticut Department of Education collects data on district expenditures, but districts report in nine spending categories that the lawmakers described as overly broad and vague.

We want to know where our dollars are being spent, said Education Committee Chair Sen. Doug McCrory. Besides teachers salaries, theres a lot more resources that our children need to be successful. We are going to do a deeper dive and look at how we are spending that $9 billion across the state of Connecticut.

Democrats said the legislation would ensure that funds benefit students in the classroom.

Thats a lot of money were putting out there and [if] were finding that the school districts are not good stewards of their dollars, then we need to have a conversation about that, McCrory added.

McCrory said that potential consequences for ill-spent funds might include a loss of state funding in future years, a requirement that districts return a portion of their funds back to the state, or a mandate that districts use funds in another sector to increase funding for higher salaries, special education, afterschool programs or school-based health clinics.

McCrory also proposed to streamline funding for the states Education Cost Sharing program. McCrory said the current grant formula, which distributes $2.14 billion annually for the states equalization aid program, is unnecessarily complicated.

Whether you go to a tech school, a magnet school, a traditional public school, a charter school  there should be one funding mechanism coming from the state of Connecticut and thats how we should move forward.  We dont need all these multiple different grants going around doing pretty much the same thing, McCrory said. Lets find out what it really costs to educate a child, and lets see how much a community can pay. And then we come in and divide the support from the state level.

McCrory said that he hopes these funding changes will improve the imbalance that leaves graduates of some districts better-prepared for adulthood than others.

It starts in education and continues all the way to higher education and then it goes into employment.  In the state of Connecticut, almost 40% of the kids are children of color. And right now, currently, were not properly educating them right, McCrory said. Those kids are not winning. So we need to make sure those kids [are] winning [if] were going to have a stronger Connecticut. We got to make sure everyone can contribute.

On the higher education front, Senate Democrats said S.B. 8 would contribute more money into state scholarship programs, expand Connecticuts debt-free community college (PACT) program and increase funds for non-tuition expenses.

What we really want to avoid is declining enrollment and increased tuition, because that can create a death spiral for our public schools and universities, Chair of the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee Sen. Derek Slap said. Thats what were trying to prevent.

Chair of the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee Sen. Derek Slap speaks at press conference hosted by Senate Democrats in Hartford on Tuesday. Slap discussed a number of proposals to increase college affordability for Connecticut students.

Slap said legislators are negotiating an increase in PACTs $250 contribution for non-tuition and an expansion of the debt-free program to returning community college students and students who choose to finish their degrees at Connecticut State Colleges and Universities.

Slap also proposed an expansion of student loan relief programs for in-demand careers identified by the Office of Workforce Strategy.

Slap said that it is time for Connecticut to invest more in higher ed students.

If you look at the percent of our budget that we spend on higher education, we spend a paltry 2% on supporting our students with grants and with scholarships. That puts us 45th in the country, Slap said. Only five states spend less, as a percentage of their higher education budget, on supporting students with grants and scholarships than Connecticut. So thats the problem, and thats the problem that we want to fix with S.B. 8.

Alison Cross can be reached at across@courant.com.


Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the District Institutes of Education and Training will be developed to facilitate a re-formulation of teachers training through innovative pedagogy, curriculum transaction, continuous professional development, dipstick surveys, and implementation of information and communication technology (ICT). The Union Budget 2023 sent out positive signals towards bridging the gap between the skill-development ecosystem and traditional degree education.

Within this focus on reinvigorating the skill-development ecosystem, the FM promised to provide stipend support to 4.7 million youth in the next three years. This will be accomplished through a direct benefit transfer initiated under the pan-India National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme. Sitharaman announced the establishment of 30 Skill India International Centres across different states and the launch of a unified Skill India Digital platform for enabling demand-driven formal skilling.



Under PMKVY 4.0, on-job training, industry partnership, and alignment of courses with needs of industry will be emphasised, Sitharaman said. The scheme will also cover new-age courses for Industry 4.0 like coding, AI, robotics, mechatronics, IOT, 3D printing, drones, and soft skills. The focus on skill development followed complaints from the industry that the training course and curriculum as well as the practical skill imparted under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) did not align with its requirements. A recent report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour, Textiles and Skill Development had also acknowledged this.

Also Read Budget 2023-24: Manufacturing sector eyes revised taxations, new PLIs Union Budget 2023: Experts don't expect surprises in social sector outlay Budget 2023: A look back at some major announcements in previous Budget Union Budget 2023: Centre bets big on Artificial Intelligence, IoT House panel flags poor placements, under-utilisation of funds in PMKVY 3.0 Budget: Energy transition gets fund boost, green growth key economic driver Gems and jewellery industry disappointed with Union Budget for 2023-24 Budget: Domestic tourism gets a fillip, overseas travel set to get costlier Budget 2023: GIFT City gets a big boost as govt announces several sops Devolution to states: Centre sidesteps Finance Commission advice, again

As part of other education-facing initiatives announced today, the Centre will recruit 38,800 teachers and support staff for the 740 Eklavya Model Residential Schools, serving 350,000 tribal students, over the next three years. The plan to boost Eklavya schools is also in sync with the government's aim to improve the socio-economic conditions of the particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs).



The Finance Minister also highlighted that tourism and lab grown diamonds are emerging fields that have immense opportunities for youth employment. Sitharaman proposed a reduction in basic customs duty on artificial diamond seeds to promote job creation. The PVTG Development Mission will allocate Rs 15,000 crore to help the development of facilities such as safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition, road and telecom connectivity, and sustainable livelihood opportunities.



The components of the scheme will include financial support, access to advanced skill training, knowledge of modern digital techniques, brand promotion, linkage with local and global markets, digital payments, and social security. PM-VIKAS is aimed at benefiting the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs, women, and people belonging to the weaker sections. She also announced the PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman (PM-VIKAS), a package of assistance for artisans and craft workers that will enable them to improve the quality, scale and reach of their products, integrating them with the MSME value chain.

Manpower, R&D boost to health

The Finance Minister gave a push to skilling in the health sector, with 157 new nursing colleges and dedicated multidisciplinary courses for medical devices in existing institutions. This is aimed at ensuring the availability of skilled manpower for futuristic medical technologies, as well as high-end manufacturing and research.



Sitharaman announced that a mission to eliminate sickle cell anaemia by 2047 will also be launched. It will entail awareness creation, universal screening of 7 crore (70 million) people in the age group 0 to 40 years in affected tribal areas and counselling through collaborative efforts, she said. The allocation for the health ministry is up by 12 per cent for 2023-24 compared to the revised estimates last year.



Sitharaman also said that select Indian Council of Medical Research labs will be made available for research by public and private medical college faculty, and private sector research and development teams for encouraging collaborative research and innovations. A new programme to promote research and innovation in pharmaceuticals will be taken up through centres of excellence. We shall also encourage industry to invest in research and development in specific priority areas, the FM said.



Meanwhile, in a big push to the Jal Jeevan Mission, or the national rural drinking water mission, the total allocation has been increased by 27 per cent.

Tackling manual scavenging

In a step towards eradicating manual scavenging in India, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in her Budget speech that all cities and towns will be enabled for 100 per cent mechanical desludging of septic tanks and sewers to transition from manhole to machine-hole mode. Enhanced focus will be provided for scientific management of dry and wet waste, she said.
By Siddhi Nayak

MUMBAI (Reuters) - India's outlined fiscal deficit target of 4.5% of GDP for 2025-26 will be challenging to achieve, an analyst at Fitch Ratings said on Wednesday, adding that the country's sovereign rating continues to remain stable.

"Essentially, it (the fiscal glidepath) implies further consolidation of about 0.7% of GDP for each of the following two fiscal years," Jeremy Zook, director - Asia Sovereign Ratings at the global rating agency, told Reuters.

"If we look at the recent deficit reduction trend, it seems like it would be a bit more difficult and absurd to achieve that level of deficit reduction."

The government's budget gap, which hit a high of 9.5% of GDP in 2020/21 as the spread of COVID-19 infections brought the economy to a halt, has narrowed since but remains well above the medium-term goal of 4.5% of GDP by 2025/26.

The government is targeting a budget deficit of 5.9% of GDP for 2023/24, while the deficit was 6.4% in 2022/23, according to revised estimates.

Also Read India's April-August fiscal deficit recorded at 32.6% of FY23 target Budget 2023-24: Centre to target higher capex but lower fiscal deficit Centre's fiscal deficit touches 45.6% of Budget target till October Indian states' fiscal deficit rose nearly 79 per cent after lockdown: RBI Fiscal deficit touches 32.6% of annual target till August this fiscal Budget 2023-24: India Inc to gain from Rs 10-trillion infra push Budget 2023 a roadmap for resurgent India; aims to get fiscal house in order Union Home Minister Amit Shah welcomes 'all-inclusive and visionary' budget Bond yield hits 6-week low as Budget sticks to path of fiscal consolidation Life insurance stocks tumble as govt proposes to tax high premium policies

Earlier today, an official at Moody's Investors Service had also said that the government's aim to achieve its fiscal deficit target for 2025/26 could see some risks.

(Reporting by Siddhi Nayak; Editing by Savio D'Souza)
HOUSING

Presidents address



Budget In the last few years, the government has provided pucca houses to more than 35 million poor families. With the house comes a new self-confidence



FREE FOODgrain The outlay for PM Awas Yojana is being enhanced by 66 per cent to over Rs 79,000 crore.

Also Read Union Budget 2023: Experts don't expect surprises in social sector outlay Budget 2023-24: Manufacturing sector eyes revised taxations, new PLIs Budget 2023: A look back at some major announcements in previous Budget Budget 2023 a balancing act with focus on prosperity and inclusiveness Tax sops, Capex push, Adani rout: Why Sensex swayed 2,000pts on Budget day? Life insurance firms' shares fall on taxation proposal related to policies The Budget as a new credibility asset Union Budget 2023: Big boost for affordable housing under PM Awas Yojana Election on mind: Amid OPS push, bid to keep govt staff in good humour Budget 2023: Govt pegs FY24 disinvestment revenue target at Rs 51,000 crore

Presidents address

The government has spent about Rs 3.5 trillion for free foodgrain to the poor under the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY).

Budget

The entire expenditure of about Rs 2 trillion (on PMGKAY for one year) will be borne by the central government.

BACKWARD DISTRICTS AND BACKWARD BLOCKS

President's address



Budget More than 100 districts in the country were lagging on many parameters of development. The government paid attention to their development by declaring these districts as aspirational districts.





MILLET AND ORGANIC FARMING Building on the success of the Aspirational Districts Programme, the government has recently launched the Aspirational Blocks Programme covering 500 blocks for the saturation of essential government services across multiple domains.

President's address

While India is encouraging natural farming and its traditional millet crops, we have developed modern technology like Nano Urea.

Budget

To make India a global hub for 'Shree Anna', the Indian Institute of Millet Research, Hyderabad will be supported as the Centre of Excellence for sharing best practices, research and technologies at the international level.

RAILWAYS

President's address



Budget Major railway stations are being modernised. The Indian Railways is fast moving towards becoming the worlds largest electric railway network.

A capital outlay of Rs 2.40 trillion, the highest ever, has been provided for the Railways.


Sovereign Green Bonds were the green highlight of the last Budget. In order to tap investor interest in the growing green energy space, the finance minister last year had announced the first ever issuance of sovereign Green Bonds, mobilising resources for green infrastructure. Solar, wind, green irrigation pumps and metro rail projects worth Rs 19,858 crore would be beneficiaries of Indias maiden Sovereign Green Fund. The fund is expected to be built on the proceeds of Indias maiden sovereign green bonds, which was announced in the last Budget.



The Centre is looking to raise Rs 16,000 crore this fiscal through the green bonds. The Budget, however, has not issued any clarity on whether the bond issuance will be the only contributor to the green fund or if the Centre will seek more sources. And now, a year later, the RBI has issued an auction of two green bonds with tenures of 5 and 10 years, worth Rs 4,000 crore each. The proceeds from the issuance were expected to be deployed in public sector projects that help reduce the carbon intensity of the economy, The FM had said in last year's Budget speech. Another tranche of a similar amount is likely to be launched this month.







Green push Total: 19,858 Ministry/Project/ Amount (Rs crore)

The Ministry of new and renewable energy has received Rs 5,214 crore for grid connected solar and wind power projects. It has also been granted Rs 1,996 crore for the Centres flagship scheme on green irrigation KUSUM. Green India Mission of the environment ministry has received Rs 169 crore. The Ministry of Railways, interestingly, has received the highest disbursement under the green fund, totalling Rs 12,479 crore, for two crucial metro train projects in Kolkata, West Bengal.

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4,000

New & Renewable Energy/Grid-connected wind power 1,214

New & Renewable Energy /Grid -connected solar power4,000



Environment, Forest and Climate Change/ Green India Mission/ 169

New & Renewable Energy/ KUSUM/ 1,996

1) Energy efficient locos and Railways

2) Metro rail projects 12,479


These are the different sets of measures as over time, things have changed and the banking regulation act has to be aligned with the present day needs about the qualification of the directors and their tenure, said economic affairs secretary Ajay Seth at a post-Budget press conference. The Budgets proposed banking amendments will improve governance and protect investors and they must not be seen as efforts for the privatisation of public sector lenders, said a senior civil servant on Wednesday.



She also announced that to simplify, ease and reduce cost of compliance, financial sector regulators will review existing regulations. For this, they will consider suggestions from public and regulated entities. Time limits to decide the applications under various regulations will also be laid down, she said. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman speech said in her Budget speech: To improve bank governance and enhance investors protection, certain amendments to the Banking Regulation Act, the Banking Companies Act and the Reserve Bank of India Act are proposed.



Sitharaman also proposed setting up of a national financial information registry to serve as the central repository of financial and ancillary information. This will facilitate efficient flow of credit, promote financial inclusion, and foster financial stability. A new legislative framework will govern this credit public infrastructure, and it will be designed in consultation with the RBI, she said. Seth said the regulators consider the review the part of a regular exercise. Regulations are what the economy needs today and whatever tweaking is required, the regulators will take their own steps, he said.


Sitharaman was herself in scarlet and black -- a sari with the distinctive stamp of North Karnataka (Ilkal sari with Kasuti embroidery, especially created in 10 days for her by a local weaver who is part of an NGO, Artikrafts). But green was everywhere: From the vibrant green of the pagdi and muffler of Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri to the dark bottle green worn by Shatrughan Sinha as he sauntered into the House well after the Budget speech had started. There was the emerald of the sari worn by NCP MP Supriya Sule, the apple green of MP Darshana Jardosh and brilliant pops of the colour ranging from parrot to asparagus, dotted all over the House. Rarely, if ever, has green dominated saffron in the past nine years. However, green was the principle colour theme, in both Lok Sabha and in the 2023-24 Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday.



The Opposition was also present in (almost) full strength. MPs trooped in exactly two minutes into the speech shouting Bharat Jodo and briefly interrupting the Budget speech. As MP Rahul Gandhi read the Budget speech on his laptop, Leader of the House, Adhir Ranjan Choudhary interrupted the finance minister to ask irately why she was constantly referring to 2014 (when the Congress government bowed out) and not 2009 (when it was re-elected for a second term). If the Treasury cries of Modi! Modi! filled the House periodically, the Opposition chortled Adani as the finance minister mentioned expansion plans for the airport and port sectors. But on the whole, it was a disciplined Opposition that did not seek to interrupt or disrupt the Budget speech. The rejigging of income tax bands evoked prolonged applause and later, even Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said the Budget should be hailed for that one step. The word green was used by the finance minister 23 times in her 60-plus-minute speech, reinforcing the jungle theme as she moved from thicket to thicket, stumbling occasionally  who would not, faced with tongue twisters like agriculture accelerator. Another slip of the tongue was replacing polluting vehicles with political vehicles, for which she sought the pardon of the House (sotto voce, she added though it is applicable there. Not everyone heard that). As she ploughed through the various names by which millet is known in India (jowar, ragi, bajra, kuttu, ramdana, kangni, kutki, kodo, cheena, and sama), her daughter Vangmayee, who was present in the visitors gallery to hear her mother deliver the Budget speech, permitted herself a small fond smile, and then quickly looked around to see if anyone had noticed.



As the finance minister ended her speech, as per past practice, the first to greet her was Prime Minister Narendra Modi, followed by Home Minister Amit Shah. Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the recipient of huge budgetary largesse, also came around to thank her. The galleries emptied quickly (the last to leave the visitors gallery was Vangmayee with family and friends; the diplomats' gallery had no guests). But the finance minister lingered on for several minutes later as she was surrounded by women MPs offering special congratulations. There was a touch of poignancy to the ceremony: This was the last Budget speech any finance Minister in this Parliament building. She took one look, eyes committing to memory, every detail of the place that launched her career, and then prepared to depart. However, there were many on both sides whom the Budget speech failed to shake or stir. Trinamool Congress MP, the venerable Saugata Roy, took a short cat nap, head resting against the post of the bench. He woke up guiltily a few minutes later, checking to see if anyone had noticed. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari was probably in deep thought as he shut his eyes for a few minutes.
The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) on Wednesday said the Union Budget 2023-24 is a roadmap of nation building with continued focus on massive public expenditure on infrastructure, sustainable economic growth, encouraging consumption demand while staying on course of strict fiscal prudence.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman earlier on Wednesday presented the Budget in the Parliament.

According to Sumant Sinha, the president of ASSOCHAM, 30 per cent jump in the capital expenditure to Rs 10 lakh crore clearly demonstrates the government resolve to help India remain the fastest growing economy in the world, despite global headwinds

"The Centre is also incentivising the states to increase their capital spend as well on public infrastructure, taking the effective Centre's capital investment to Rs 13.7 lakh crore or 4.5 per cent of the GDP," he said.

Deepak Sood, the Secretary General of ASSOCHAM described the Budget for 2023-24 a growth-oriented as it navigates the global storm with a bold, focussed and people-centric approach incentivising the middle class to spend more through income tax relief, private sector to crowd in investment along with the government's large spend and ease of doing business.

"The Budget delivers a perfect 10 upon 10 when it comes to maintaining prudence, keeping the path of fiscal prudence with a fiscal deficit of 5.9 per cent of the GDP in a trying global economic environment," said Sood.

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He said the Budget continues with a thrust on 'Make in India' encouraging value addition through customs rationalisation while remaining committed to further improving Ease of Doing Business.

The chamber which has been seeking relief to the MSMEs expressed gratitude to the government for giving several incentives to the small businesses and the start-ups.

"The extension of the credit guarantee scheme for the MSMEs without collaterals, with a Budget provision of Rs 9,000 crore would give additional strength to the MSMEs to be at par with the large corporates. It would enable collateral-free guaranteed credit of Rs 2 lakh crore with a reduced cost of credit of one per cent. This is a big relief to the MSMEs," said the ASSOCHAM.

"The boost to the housing sector through PM Awas Yojna would have a positive spin off while the farm sector has committed public investment to the Agriculture Accelerator Fund and specific programmes for the animal husbandry, and fisheries," it said.

"This budget reinforces the growth vision set by the government last year and will help the country continue its journey on the growth path," the ASSOCHAM added.

--IANS

ssh/pgh


The higher allocation to the scheme will help the affordable housing segment, say real estate experts. However, they were also disappointed as many of their other expectations remained unfulfilled. Aiming to boosting the Housing for All mission, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a proposal to ramp up the PM Awas Yojana Fund by as much as 68 per cent to Rs 79,000 crore, in her Budget speech for financial year 2023-24 on Wedbesday.



Moreover, the proposed increase in the income tax exemption limit to Rs 7 lakh will help boost real estate investment. This tax break will encourage homebuyers to invest more while simultaneously increasing revenue, said Nirav Dalal, Executive Vice President-business development & chief investment officer, Shapoorji Pallonji Real Estate. Measures such as an increased outlay for affordable housing, enhanced focus on tourism and development of unity malls in key cities across the country would give a fillip to the real estate sector, said Anshuman Magazine, Chairman & CEO-India, South-East Asia, Middle East & Africa, CBRE.



Avneesh Sood, Director, Eros Group, said the extension of the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) will give homebuyers the financial flexibility to make their purchases, and help achieve the government's goal of completing eight million houses under PMAY. The Pradhan Mantri Awas YojanaUrban (PMAY-U), a flagship mission of government of India, was launched in 2015 to provide housing for all. Last year, the government proposed an allocation of Rs 48,000 crore to complete eight million houses for eligible beneficiaries.

Also Read Budget 2023-24: Manufacturing sector eyes revised taxations, new PLIs Union Budget 2023: Experts don't expect surprises in social sector outlay Budget 2023: A look back at some major announcements in previous Budget Budget 2023 a balancing act with focus on prosperity and inclusiveness Tax sops, Capex push, Adani rout: Why Sensex swayed 2,000pts on Budget day? Election on mind: Amid OPS push, bid to keep govt staff in good humour Budget 2023: Govt pegs FY24 disinvestment revenue target at Rs 51,000 crore Budget 2023-24: Customs duty rejig to boost domestic manufacturing Union Budget 2023-24: Building blocks of a future-ready India From capex outlay to tax slab rejig, seven big wins from the Budget



The higher allocation will speed up project deliveries and help poorer communities to own their houses. While commending The Centres urbanisation initiatives, Sudhir Pai, CEO, Magicbricks, said, The outlay of Rs 10,000 crore per annum for an Urban Infrastructure Development Fund (UIDF) for tier-2 and tier-3 cities would certainly give the required boost to the real-estate markets in these cities, which have emerged as real estate growth engines in the past few years.



Pradeep Aggarwal, Founder & Chairman, Signature Global said the proposal will lead to more housing projects being taken up, in rural and urban, and will assist the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and Low Income Groups (LIG) of society in owning a home. This allocated amount is expected to address more than 55 per cent of the estimated deficit in funds for projects under the scheme, and will provide a huge impetus in providing housing to those in need. It will bridge the gap between those without access to proper dwellings and those who do (own such dwellings), said Sandeep Runwal, president, NAREDCO Maharashtra.



Magazine added that sustained attention on manufacturing and improvement of urban infrastructure is likely to boost the I&L sector while spurring economic activity and job creation at the same time. Setting up of the Urban Infrastructure Development Fund managed by National Housing Banks (NHB) will ensure governance, speed in execution and timely delivery under PPP ties, experts say. The budget will boost not just the affordable housing segment but the industrial and logistics (I&L) sector as well.



Samantak Das, chief economist, and head of research and REIS, India, JLL said the budget is a balanced one for the economy, but missed out on key real estate sector demands. However, some demands of the real estate sector, such as industry status, single-window clearance and rationalisation of GST for raw materials remained unfulfilled.



Unwavering focus on infrastructure will indirectly drive real estate growth over the next one year, he added. Anuj Puri, chairman of Anarock, said, From a real estate point of view, there were no major direct announcements that could be seen as immediate booster shots."



The capital gain tax benefit on the sale of property worth over Rs 10 crore is sought to be withdrawn. This will deter families to buy multiple properties as a security provision for their children, said Naredco vice chairperson Niranjan Hiranandani. However, the new tax regime offers no benefits that taxpayers can avail of under any sections, including Section 80C, Puri said.



One of the major changes is the introduction of a new tax regime, which offers lower tax rates for individuals who forgo exemptions and deductions. However, this regime also foregoes the previous deductions on housing loans, which cannot be seen as positive for homebuyers, Pharande said. Akash Pharande, managing director, Pharande Space feels that the Budget 2023 was not as beneficial for the residential real estate sector as the industry had hoped.

All in all, it is a cautious budget which has not provided any of the boosts that the real estate industry had hoped for, he added.
Every reason for China to take reciprocal measures - FM comments on discriminatory move by S.Korea

By Xu Keyue (Global Times) 10:09, February 01, 2023

China firmly opposes discriminatory restrictions by certain countries against travelers from China, and has every reason to take necessary reciprocal measures, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in response to rumors that China could conduct nucleic acid tests on travelers from South Korea.

Mao Ning, spokesperson for the ministry, has made the comments over the discriminatory entry restrictions by South Korea for two consecutive days on Monday and Tuesday.

She noted at a regular press briefing on Tuesday that a few countries have imposed unscientific entry restrictions on travelers from China since China downgraded the management of COVID-19 from Class A to Class B on January 8.

With utmost sincerity and in a fact-based attitude, China has fully communicated with relevant countries and elaborated on the scientific and rational nature of China's measures to optimize and adjust COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control, as well as the current epidemic situation in China, the spokesperson stressed.

However, regrettably, certain countries still insist on discriminatory entry restrictions against China. China firmly opposes this and has every reason to take necessary reciprocal measures, Mao stated.

She said that China always firmly opposes politicizing epidemic prevention and control and believes that discriminatory restrictions against China should be lifted.

China is ready to work with other countries to create more convenience for the normal exchanges of Chinese and foreign personnel, Mao noted.

Mao's remarks came in response to a reporter from South Korean media outlet Yonhap News Agency who cited allegations saying that the "Chinese government would conduct nucleic acid tests on all travelers from South Korea."

Media reported on Friday that South Korea said it will continue to restrict the entry of short-term travelers from China through the end of February over concerns that the spread of COVID-19 in China may worsen following the Chinese New Year holidays. South Korea in early January stopped issuing most short-term visas at its consulates in China.

In response to South Korea's extension of the entry restrictions, Mao remarked at Monday's press conferencethat this move is not conducive to personnel exchanges and cooperation between the two countries. We hope that South Korea will end the unreasonable moves as soon as possible, Mao said.

Insiders warned that, as China is ready to resume outbound group tours in February, the extended restrictions of South Korea are likely to make it miss the tourism dividend brought by massive pent-up demand for international travel from Chinese travelers, when many countries are yearning for economic growth with the contribution of Chinese tourists in the post-epidemic era.

South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo suggested on Tuesday that Seoul could consider lifting the restriction on short-term visas for travelers from China before the end of February if the number of COVID infections in China is manageable, as the travel and tourism sectors hope for a rebound in visitors, Yonhap reported.

"China used to account for 20 to 25 percent of Korean Air's passenger and cargo businesses before COVID," Korean Air Deputy General Manager Kim Ah-hyun was cited by Reuters as saying. "We hope travel restrictions between the two countries are eased soon to allow more routes and flights."

Facts prove that China witnessed warm and joyful Spring Festival holidays with its airports, bus terminals and train stations crowded and migrants reuniting with their family members, unlike Western media speculation that the country would experience an "epidemic tsunami" following the Spring Festival travel rush.

A Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention report released on Saturday said the number of positive tests reached a peak on December 22, 2022 at 6.94 million, and dropped to a low of 15,000 on January 23, citing nucleic acid test results reported by nationwide provincial authorities.

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Liang Jun)
WASHINGTON (AP)  The new top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee on Wednesday called for more information about the classified records discovered in the private possession of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.

Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut was named the committees ranking member Wednesday by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Along with Ohio Rep. Mike Turner, the committees new Republican chairman, Himes will lead a panel that has been split by highly political fights in a break from its traditionally quieter oversight of the U.S. spy agencies.

Turner and the leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee have in recent weeks pushed the White House to share more in private about the classified material found. The U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence has declined to comment on its review of classified material, which is also the subject of multiple Justice Department investigations.

Theres a strong bipartisan concern that Congress is not being briefed on even preliminary reviews of classified information that might have been exposed, Himes said in an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press. Thats wrong. Thats wrong as a matter of law.

The intelligence committees already face several major tests this year, from multiple discoveries of top leaders keeping classified documents to the fight over whether to renew foreign surveillance powers used by the FBI, National Security Agency and other spy agencies.

Himes succeeds Rep. Adam Schiff, who was Jeffries original pick to lead the Democrats but along with Rep. Eric Swalwell was denied a spot on the panel by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

McCarthy accused Schiff of lying to Americans when he led the Intelligence Committee during the first impeachment of Trump, who was accused of withholding military aid to Ukraine unless President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced an investigation of Biden and his son.

And McCarthy alleged Swalwell was compromised based on his contact with a suspected Chinese spy. Both Schiff and Swalwell denied McCarthys allegations and accused him of taking political retribution.

Himes said Republicans had wrongly accused Swalwell of being a security risk and said Schiff had been a strong leader of the panel.

Its not that hypocrisy is a new thing to me, but in this case, it obviously removed some real institutional knowledge from the committee, so I was disappointed, Himes said.

But Himes said he and Turner have a really good working relationship and noted that they traveled to Ukraine together last year to meet Zelenskyy.

When you spend 12 hours on an overnight train together, you get to know each other a little bit, Himes said. Hes extremely knowledgeable on a lot of topics, so Im really looking forward to working with him.

In the interview, Himes outlined his priorities for the committee as well as his views on Russia and China.

He called on the Biden administration to supply Ukraine with the longer-range missiles it has long sought to fend off Russia, saying the U.S. must prevent the war from becoming a stalemate.

Himes and others say the U.S. should grant Ukrainian requests for the Army Tactical Missile System, known as ATACMS, which use the same launchers as the HIMARS rockets that Kyiv has successfully used but have a range as much as three times greater. U.S. officials have been concerned that Ukraine could use longer-range missiles to strike targets inside Russia and possibly provoke a direct war between Washington and Moscow.

Weve done a great job, but that we havent pressed the accelerator quite as much as we should have, he said. A stalemate is a Russian victory, and that cant be the ending. So we need to give the Ukrainians the tools they need to continue to push the Russians backwards.

Himes also called for greater discussion of how a war between Beijing and Taiwan would damage American interests and particularly the U.S. economy, given Chinas ownership of U.S. sovereign debt and the business relationships between the two countries. He criticized a recent reported statement by Air Force Gen. Michael Minihan, who predicted in a memo that China and the U.S. could be at war in two years.

Everybodys starting to listen to the drums of war and how do we arm and how do we fight, Himes said. Its time to really sober up and think harder about how we avoid a military conflict with China.

___

Associated Press writer Tara Copp contributed to this report.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the "all-inclusive and visionary" Budget 2023-24 will give further impetus to the Modi government's resolve for building a self-reliant India, taking every section along.

In a series of tweets in Hindi with the hashtag '#AmritKaalBudget', Shah said the target of increasing capital expenditure by 33 per cent to Rs 10 lakh crore for infrastructure development and keeping the fiscal deficit at 5.9 per cent is commendable.

This reflects the foresight of the Modi government to build a new India with strong infrastructure and a strong economy, he said.

"The budget-2023 brought by the Modi government is a budget that lays a strong foundation of Amritkal.

"I am sure that this all-inclusive and visionary budget will give further impetus to the resolve of the Modi government for a self-reliant India, taking every section along. Congratulations to @narendramodi and (union finance minister) @nsitharaman for this," he said.

Shah thanked Prime Minister Modi for giving huge tax relief to the middle and salaried class as the budget proposed to increase tax rebate limit from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh.

Also Read Budget 2023-24: Centre to target higher capex but lower fiscal deficit India's April-August fiscal deficit recorded at 32.6% of FY23 target Centre's fiscal deficit touches 45.6% of Budget target till October Indian states' fiscal deficit rose nearly 79 per cent after lockdown: RBI Fiscal deficit touches 32.6% of annual target till August this fiscal Bond yield hits 6-week low as Budget sticks to path of fiscal consolidation Life insurance stocks tumble as govt proposes to tax high premium policies Women in Budget: Marginal rise in allocation; new savings scheme announced Union Budget 2023-24: Marching ahead on a sustainable growth path India earmarks $3.7 billion for state oil companies' energy transition

"The unprecedented changes in tax slabs will greatly benefit the middle class. Along with this, I also welcome the relief given to government employees," he said.

Welcoming the decision to set up a National Digital Library to make books available to youngsters, the home minister said the foundation of the bright future of any country is its educated and skilled young generation.

He said the allocation for agriculture loans has been increased to Rs 20 lakh crore. The Agriculture Accelerator Fund will be created to encourage agri-startups by young entrepreneurs. Along with this, for the next three years, one crore farmers will be helped to do natural farming and 10,000 Bio Input Resource Centers will be set up.

Shah said a budget provision of Rs 2.4 lakh crore has been made for railways, which will connect remote areas with railways.

Along with this, the decision to revive 50 airports, heliports and advanced landing grounds in the country will increase regional air connectivity, which will give a boost to tourism.

In this budget, he said, it has been decided to start the PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman Yojana to make the country's traditional artisans and craftsmen self-reliant.

This decision will make a big difference in the lives of 'Vishwakarmas' by enabling them to enhance the quality and market reach of their products.

The Modi government is working with a determined spirit to raise the standard of living of crores of people through cooperatives, following the mantra of 'prosperity from cooperation', he said.

"Today, the unprecedented decisions taken in the budget to strengthen the cooperative sector are a symbol of this resolution," he said.

With the plan to set up the world's largest decentralised storage capacity in the budget, he said, the farmers associated with cooperative societies will be able to store their produce and sell the produce at the right time and get a fair price.

This will play an important role in Modi's resolve to increase the income of farmers, he said.

Also, in the next 5 years, the home minister said, the government will facilitate the establishment of new multipurpose cooperative societies, primary fisheries societies and dairy cooperative societies in every panchayat.

With this, the cooperative movement will get new direction and momentum, due to which this sector will be more empowered, he said.

"Thanks to Prime Minister Modi for keeping the cooperative societies in the manufacturing sector formed till March 31, 2024 only in the 15 per cent tax net," he said.

In another important decision for the cooperative sector, sugar cooperatives have been given the facility to reflect the payments made to farmers before 2016-17 in their expenses.

The cooperative sugar mills will get Rs 10,000 crore relief from this proposal. "I welcome this," he said.
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Tenth bullet point in release should read: MGC Legal (Turkey) (instead of MCG Legal (Turkey)).

Additionally, remove Bangladesh from the list of countries in the Africa section.

The updated release reads:

ANDERSEN GLOBAL CAPS ANOTHER YEAR OF STRONG GROWTH WITH THE ADDITION OF 11 NEW MEMBER FIRMS WORLDWIDE

Growing Global Footprint Provides Multinational Clients with Independent, Best-In-Class, Multidisciplinary Services

Andersen Global, the worldwide leader in tax and legal services, welcomes 11 member firms to its platform, increasing its ability to provide independent, multidisciplinary, borderless service to its global clients. Through its member and collaborating firms, Andersen Global has over 13,000 professionals and a presence in over 390 locations in more than 170 countries on six continents, giving it one of the largest global footprints among multinational, multidisciplinary professional services firms.

New member firms of the organization include:

A&A Tax (Australia)

Law Firm SAJIC (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

CN Law (Burundi)

Nimba Conseil (Guinea)

Saint Lawrence Tax Consultancy (Jordan)

Unicase (Kazakhstan)

Halim Hong & Quek (Malaysia)

Tax & Legal Advisers LLC (Tajikistan)

ECC Denetim (Turkey)

MGC Legal (Turkey)

Intuit Management Consultancy (United Arab Emirates, Singapore, India)



As a firm, weve taken tremendous strides in the last year to deepen our capabilities across key markets and specialties, including mergers and acquisitions, valuation and global mobility, to become a true one-stop-shop for our multinational clients, said Andersen Global Chairman and Andersen CEO Mark Vorsatz. These member firms reinforce our global approach, further unify the Andersen brand, and enable us to deliver seamless global service, positioning us well for continued growth.

Andersen Global has grown rapidly since its establishment in 2013. Over the past five years alone, the global organization has expanded into more than 150 countries, averaging more than a deal per week during that time. In 2022 alone, Andersen Global added a new presence or expanded its current footprint in more than 50 new locations and increased its ranks by over 2,000 professionals.

Countries in which Andersen announced an expanded presence in 2022 include:

Africa

Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Rwanda, and Tanzania

Americas and the Caribbean

Brazil, the British Virgin Islands, Canada, Guadalupe, Montserrat

Asia and Asia Pacific

Australia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, New Zealand, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Thailand

Europe

Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom

Middle East

Pakistan

Andersen Global is an international association of legally separate, independent member firms comprised of tax and legal professionals around the world. Established in 2013 by U.S. member firm Andersen Tax LLC, Andersen Global now has more than 13,000 professionals worldwide and a presence in over 390 locations through its member firms and collaborating firms.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230131005355/en/
Hyosung America today announced Hyosung Innovue, a new brand identity. The change is the culmination of a year-long effort to reframe the companys story of value as a human experience maker.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230131005393/en/

Hyosung Innovue -- improving life's day-to-day interactions for everyone. (Graphic: Business Wire)

Our company has a long history of harnessing its unique combination of a manufacturers soul with an innovators mindset to build a platform of ATM and cash-management solutions, said Sanghwan Kweon, CEO of Hyosung America. We are opening the aperture to extend our value creation deeper into financial services and retail while we bring our platform of integrated solutions to new verticals including hospitality and travel.

Its all about improving lifes day-to-day interactions for everyone, said Brad Nolan, CMO of Hyosung America. We elevate experience by bridging the physical and virtual worlds. This shift is reigniting the passion of our employees, putting our company direction on a brand-new trajectory.

Since entering the North American market in 1998, Hyosung America has grown from the largest provider of ATMs in the United States, to offering best-in-class, innovative and transformative technology solutions across the cash management and payments spectrum.

Innovue  a statement rooted in both innovation and vision  reinforces the companys commitment to making great human experiences. In support of this commitment, Hyosung America will be unveiling several new game-changing products and solutions at the ATMIA conference next month in New Orleans.

To explore the new brand and learn more about Hyosung Americas products and solutions, please visit www.hyosunginnovue.com.

About Hyosung America

Hyosung America, the worlds leading cash management and payments platform service provider, is the North American subsidiary of South Korea-based Hyosung TNS, Inc. Since entering the North American market in 1998, Hyosung America has grown from the largest provider of ATMs in the United States, to offering best-in-class, innovative and transformative technology solutions across the cash management and payments spectrum. Hyosung America is headquartered in Irving, Texas, and provides research and development support in its Global Software Center in Dayton, Ohio.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230131005393/en/
Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) (NYSE: PM) today announced that it has been included in the 2023 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI) for the third year running. With an overall score of 80.6%, surpassing the index average score of 73%, PMI joins an A-list of global companies committed to transparency in gender reporting and advancing equality in the workplace.

Achieving gender balance at all levels of the company is one of our top priorities, and I am delighted that our efforts are recognized again in this years index, commented Silke Muenster, Chief Diversity Officer at PMI. While we are making significant progress, we know we need to keep our foot on the acceleration pedal. An inclusive workplace that leverages the full talents of both women and men is crucial to our smoke-free vision, making our organization more innovative, resourceful, and engaged.

In 2022, PMI achieved its target of ensuring at least 40% female representation in managerial roles and announced a new target to achieve 35% of women in senior roles by the end of 2025. Other initiatives to further gender equality at PMI include the following.

Becoming the first EQUAL-SALARY globally certified company (March 2019) and the first company to be re-certified (April 2022), confirming equal pay for equal work for women and men everywhere PMI operates (90+ countries).

Addressing gender bias in talent assessmentsincluding in recruitment, performance management, and opportunities for promotion.

Evolving how businesses measure inclusion. PMI sponsored pioneering research by the IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland, published in 2022, on how inclusion is measured and how this should evolve to drive impact. We are now piloting a new way to measure inclusion within PMI.

Introduction of global inclusive parental leave guidelines (2021).

Launching an employee resource group for women, to provide a supportive place to inspire and empower women to advance their skills, expand their network, and unlock their full potential.

Celebrating the talents of women by launching a women-in-leadership program to support females in leadership positions.



The 2023 Bloomberg GEI comprises 485 companies from 45 countries and regions. GEI is a modified market capitalization-weighted index that aims to track the performance of public companies committed to transparency in gender-data reporting. It measures gender equality across five pillars: female leadership and talent pipeline, equal pay and gender pay parity, inclusive culture, anti-sexual harassment policies, and pro-women brand. Companies included on this years index scored at or above a global threshold established by Bloomberg to reflect disclosure and the achievement or adoption of best-in-class statistics and policies.

Congratulations to the companies that are included in the 2023 GEI, said Peter T. Grauer, chairman of Bloomberg and founding chairman of the U.S. 30% Club. We continue to see an increase in both interest and membership globally, reflecting a shared goal of transparency in gender-related metrics.

PMI submitted a social survey created by Bloomberg, in collaboration with subject matter experts globally.

# # #

About the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI)

Companies submitted a social survey created by Bloomberg, in collaboration with subject matter experts globally. Those included on this years index scored at or above a global threshold established by Bloomberg to reflect disclosure and the achievement or adoption of best-in-class statistics and policies.

Both the survey and the GEI are voluntary and have no associated costs. Bloomberg collected this data for reference purposes only. The index is not ranked. While all public companies are encouraged to disclose supplemental gender data for their companys investment profile on the Bloomberg Terminal, those that have a market capitalization of USD 1 billion are eligible for inclusion in the index. For more information on the GEI and how to submit information for next years index, visit: https://www.bloomberg.com/gei. Bloomberg clients can access the GEI at {BGEI Index DES <GO>}.

For more information on Bloombergs sustainable finance solutions, including the GEI, please visit: https://www.bloomberg.com/professional/sustainable-finance/.

Bloomberg media contact: [email protected]

Philip Morris International: Delivering a Smoke-Free Future

Philip Morris International (PMI) is a leading international tobacco company working to deliver a smoke-free future and evolving its portfolio for the long term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The companys current product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products, which are sold in markets outside the U.S. Since 2008, PMI has invested more than USD 9 billion to develop, scientifically substantiate, and commercialize innovative smoke-free products for adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, with the goal of completely ending the sale of cigarettes. This includes the building of world-class scientific assessment capabilities, notably in the areas of pre-clinical systems toxicology, clinical and behavioral research, as well as post-market studies. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the marketing of versions of PMIs IQOS Platform 1 devices and consumables as modified risk tobacco products (MRTPs), finding that exposure modification orders for these products are appropriate to promote the public health. As of September 30, 2022, excluding Russia and Ukraine, PMIs smoke-free products are available for sale in 70 markets, and PMI estimates that approximately 13.5 million adults around the world had already switched to IQOS and stopped smoking. With a strong foundation and significant expertise in life sciences, in February 2021, PMI announced its ambition to expand into wellness and healthcare areas and deliver innovative products and solutions that aim to address unmet consumer and patient needs. For more information, please visit www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com.

About Bloomberg

For more information on Bloombergs sustainable finance solutions, including the GEI, please visit: https://www.bloomberg.com/professional/sustainable-finance/.

Bloomberg, the global business and financial information and news leader, gives influential decision- makers a critical edge by connecting them to a dynamic network of information, people, and ideas. The companys strengthdelivering data, news, and analytics through innovative technology, quickly and accuratelyis the core of Bloomberg Professional Services. For more information, visit www.bloomberg.com or request a demo.

###

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230131005849/en/
A workshop on robotic donor hepatectomy was held on 29th January, wherein two robotic living donor operations were demonstrated to the participants. For the Hepatologists. Anesthetists, Critical Care Clinicians, and Pediatric Hepatologists there were parallel break-out sessions and workshops. The faculty for the meeting included a galaxy of world-renowned experts from India and abroad.
Passengers whose flights were canceled or delayed could band together in a class-action suit and airlines would no longer be able to charge high fees for checked bags and seat changes under the Airline Passengers Bill of Rights, introduced by U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Ed Markey, D-Mass.

Included in the bill is Markeys reintroduction of the Forbidding Airlines from Imposing Ridiculous Fees Act, known as FAIR, which forbids high fees for checked baggage, seating changes and other charges. During a press conference, Markey said airlines took in $109 billion in non-ticket revenue in 2019, up from $22 billion in 2010.

Both bills aim to be included in the Federal Aviation Administrations reauthorization later this year.

FILE  Travelers wade through the line to drop off bags at the Southwest Airlines check-in counter at Denver International Airport, Dec. 27, 2022, in Denver. Senators who want to impose tougher penalties when U.S. airlines strand or delay passengers say they finally might be able to turn their ideas into law because of outrage over debacles like the one at Southwest Airlines in December 2022. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

From my standpoint, the enforcement provisions are as important as the specific rights because now consumers  cannot sue the airlines, Blumenthal said. Under this provision, they could sue them and they could come together in class actions.

The bill of rights would include compensation of at least $1,350 to passengers who are bumped off an oversold flight and immediate refunds for damaged or lost luggage. It would also remove a $25,000 cap on penalties the U.S. Department of Transportation could place on airlines.

During a cold-weather wave in December, Southwest Airlines canceled more than 16,700 flights, according to CNN. Outdated computer systems were blamed as well as the weather, which did not affect other airlines to a great extent. The incident, which Blumenthal called a debacle, is being investigated by the DOT.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., right, and Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., speaks during a news conference in 2022 Also pictured is Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.

More than $400 million in ticket revenue was refunded to customers, CNN reported.

Southwest, in response to a request for comment on the senators proposal, said We empower Southwest Employees to lean in and take care of our Customers guided by a simple philosophy of doing the right thing, which has served us well throughout our long and proud 51-year history of offering world-class Customer Service.

During the press conference, Christine Pastore of Stratford told of her Dec. 26 Southwest flight to Denver being canceled. She and her husband were on their way to see their daughter, who is hospitalized, on her birthday.

Shes been in Denver since the end of August, Pastore said. Shes fighting a terrible illness. Shes in a hospital. We had to do a lot of setup to get to see her and get to have her be able to leave the hospital for a few hours a day to spend time with us. A lot was put into this trip.

Arriving at the airport for a 7 a.m. flight, the Pastores received a text canceling their flight at 4:58 a.m., she said. She was told they wouldnt be able to book another flight on Southwest until Thursday, three days away, and that Southwest doesnt have relationships with other airlines so they couldnt be put on one of their flights.

Other airlines were charging as much as $3,000 for flights that day. The Pastores looked at flights from other cities, to no avail. Meanwhile, her husband was on hold for 51/2 hours waiting for an agent.

Blumenthal told Pastore he sensed the emotional impact of these disruptions, which are needless; theyre reckless.

Passengers check in at Southwest Airlines in Phoenix, Ariz. on Wednesday, Jan.11, 2023. The Federal Aviation Administration said it had lifted a pause on all domestic departures, but thousands of flights were still delayed.

And the other point thats highlighted for me is that Southwest had no relationship with other airlines to put you on other flights, he said. Thats a conscious policy on their part.  Passing the bill of rights would bar that kind of non-operability, would require that there be relationships between Southwest or any airline to put you on an alternative flight without the price-gouging fees that were going to be charged to you.

Blumenthal also said Southwest agents, grounds crews and other employees are as much victims of the airlines bad management.  What Southwest did was airline malpractice that inflicted harms on its own employees as well as on consumers.

He said airlines have monopolistic dominance over certain routes. If you had more competition, they wouldnt be able to.

The present charges for airlines are so chaotic and seemingly arbitrary, Blumenthal said. You can go on a site one day and see a fare and then the next day it can be double. So yes, unfortunately, the present system can be devastatingly unfair in the amounts that are charged for airline travel.

While the FAIR Act and most provisions of the Airline Passengers Bill of Rights failed to pass in the last FAA reauthorization, Markey said he thought Southwests problems and increased pricing gave them new momentum.

Ed Stannard can be reached at estannard@courant.com.
Carmen Quiroga was sad at first to see that the name of her small breakfast eatery Woke was being politicized and as a result, creating controversy on a local Facebook page.

But after two weeks in business her sunny side is up because customers are pouring into the Coventry breakfast/brunch spot she owns with her husband at 1201 Main St.

Im very happy they know about my business because of all this controversy, Quiroga said, adding she wished it hadnt happened in that manner. Everybody knows my name now. They say we love your food and everyones going to support us.

A few negative comments in the weeks before she opened took the name to be political, reflecting attentiveness to societal issues relating to social and racial injustice. It is a word used often by activists and is sometimes used as a weapon by the far right.

But Quiroga, who emigrated from Mexico several years ago, said she had no idea about the political connotation. Rather, she meant it in the most breakfast-y way  as in you wake up in the morning, have coffee and breakfast.

The nine-table restaurant opened Jan. 19 and it is so busy that they had to shut down for a day to train additional staff after their first, jam-packed weekend.

Quiroga, her husband and son, 9, moved to Coventry Dec. 23 and thats when she heard through a community Facebook page that a few folks were taking the name as a political statement. Those statements have since been shut down by a page administrator.

Quiroga said she started to cry when it occurred because they had done so much work on the place.

She said they considered changing the name, but they had already spent a lot of time and money to put the logo on signs, menu and custom to go coffee cups.

The logo features a sunny side up egg in the letter o in Woke,

I thought if I dont have customers Ill be very sad, she said.

It turns out Coventry residents are indeed woke for breakfast and theyre scrambling to the new place, the towns only breakfast spot.

Coventry breakfast spot Woke draws controversy from around the country due to its name.

Great place, very busy

Lisa Thomas, a Democrat and chairwoman of the Coventry Town Council, said she believes the broad media attention the issue has received is a product of click bait headlines, but shes happy to have local media covering it now because they understand Connecticuts small towns. The story regarding the brief Facebook controversy gained national attention.

There has been an overwhelming outpouring of support for Carmen from our community, but just as important is that she chose our town for her business and to move her family to, Thomas said.

This story should never have been about comments in social media. Its about Carmen choosing our town for her new business and the communitys excitement over finally having a breakfast place with good food and coffee back in town, Thomas said. This type of small business is a critical asset for our community. It also creates a vital space for social interactions. That can, in turn, help us attract additional investments to Coventry. This is especially important as our rural towns continue to move forward from the fiscal and social impacts of the COVID pandemic.

Council member Robyn Gallagher said shes also excited Woke Breakfast made Coventry its home.

My family ate there this weekend and the food was absolutely delicious, Gallagher said.

I really appreciate the outpouring of support we have seen from our community and surrounding communities after the apparent misunderstanding regarding the intention behind the name Woke, she said. One of the things I love about Coventry is that we are a very supportive community and I know many community members who have turned out to support Woke.

Coventry Town Council Vice Chairman Marty Milkovic said he ate breakfast there Monday.

Great place, very busy. The communitys response to this shows that Coventry supports its small businesses, he said.

Coventry breakfast spot Woke draws controversy from around the country due to its name.

Coventry Town Manager John Elsesser had breakfast at Woke Sunday with his family.

It was busy and the food was good, he said. We are very glad to have another small business in our Main Street village area.

Alexander Tiva Taubes, a Connecticut civil rights attorney who is active in the organization Black Lives Matter, often associated with the expression, woke, said, Im pretty sure that place just likes to sell eggs.

Taubes said the controversy and success of the eatery so far may be an example of the old saying, All publicity is good publicity, believed to have been first said publicly in the 19th century by showman and circus owner Phineas T. Barnum, who also made Connecticut home.

A lot of times we react to other peoples overreactions, Taubes said.

In terms of the political definition of woke, Taubes said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis lawyers recently were asked to define it in relation to a lawsuit involving DeSantis, and did so as, The belief there are systemic injustices in American society and the need to address them.

Taubes said its scary that someone would find that offensive.

Coventry breakfast spot Woke draws controversy from around the country due to its name.

Quiroga said she and her husband formerly owned a pizzeria and Italian restaurant in another town, but they had to work too many hours. They sold the business.

Her husband knew someone with the space for rent in Coventry, so they took it and spent months fixing it up. in late December they moved to Coventry, in part because its nice and quiet and their son does best in that environment.

The people here are so nice, Quiroga said.

She said they decided to open a breakfast/brunch place because the hours are shorter and he had experience as a breakfast chef.

One aspect of Woke there is no debate about is the quality of its food and coffee.

They have waffles, pancakes and omelets with their own signature twists, and crepes that are proving popular, but they also have a Mexican breakfast section that customers cant get enough of, Quiroga said.
Community organizers and elected officials are making another push for a state law that would expand language assistance for voters with limited English proficiency, establish protections against voter intimidation and make it more difficult for local officials to discriminate against people at the ballot box.

Members of the ACLU Connecticut, the LatinoJustice PRLDEF and the Hispanic Federation joined Democratic lawmakers and Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas in Hartford this week to reaffirm their support for the legislation, which proponents have dubbed the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of Connecticut.

A previous effort to pass the legislation stalled during the 2022 legislative session.

Building on protections established in the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act, advocates said the bill  which lawmakers plan to file in the current legislative session  would require municipalities to provide language-related assistance to voters if their population comprises a certain percentage of people who speak English less than very well.

It would also prohibit acts of intimidation that might prevent a voter from casting a ballot and create a program to require localities with a record of discrimination to gain the states approval before changing election-related policies.

Additionally, the legislation would allow people to sue against acts of voter intimidation, deception and obstruction. And it would produce a statewide database with elections and demographic information to aid in oversight of the voting process.

If passed, Connecticut would join New York and a handful of other states that have implemented a state-level voting rights act.

If theres anything weve learned, its that when we see policy proposals around the country happening that conflict with our values here in Connecticut, we should not think that we are immune to those same forces, said Thomas, the states top elections official, during a press conference. Every eligible voter deserves an equal opportunity to have their vote counted, no matter their zip code, what their first language is, physical ability and so on.

Sen. Matt Lesser, D-Middletown, was credited at the gathering with introducing the concept of the state voting rights act to the legislature, an idea he said sprung from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. He called voting access an important issue in Connecticut and told attendees that providing equal access to the ballot box for all state residents makes sense.

There should be one system for the application of the laws, Lesser said. Then we have rules of the road for local redistricting and other critical issues. And were able to resolve issues locally so that every single resident of this state, every citizen of the state, has the right to vote.

No Republican legislators spoke at the event, though the GOP raised objections to similar efforts in years past  particularly as they pertain to the legislations references to race.

Aligned horizontally behind the lawmakers were voting rights advocates from various parts of the state, who also had the opportunity to address the dozens crammed into the first-floor room in the Legislative Office Building.

One of those people was Fulvia Vargas-de Leon, an attorney who works with the LatinoJustice Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund. She said its important for the state to ensure that historically disenfranchised communities  namely low-income people and people of color  receive protection from the law when exercising their Fifteenth Amendment right.

The attorney also highlighted how nearly a quarter of Connecticut residents reported speaking a language other than English  and how those people are disregarded by current elections policy.

The bill is already late when we consider how many elections in the state have been encumbered by voting practices that severely limit who can truly participate in our democracy, Vargas-de Leon said. Democracy cannot work if we continue to allow these discriminatory practices to stand in the way of voters seeking to exercise their constitutional right.

The reintroduction of the state-level voting rights act comes on the heels of Connecticut residents voting overwhelmingly in favor of in-person early voting, which set the stage for lawmakers to soon amend the state constitution and implement the popular voting practice.

Passage of voting rights protections would build on the momentum community organizers have gained while attempting to modernize the state election system  which boasts a reputation as one of the most restrictive in the country.

Speakers at the gathering Tuesday highlighted Connecticuts shameful history of voter disenfranchisement mainly affecting Black and Puerto Rican voters. For instance, they spoke about how Connecticut was the first state in the Union to require literacy tests, a practice it maintained until the federal Voting Rights Act outlawed the practice.

Currently, the state is one of only four without in-person early voting. The state also has yet to codify no-excuse absentee voting into law.

But in light of the U.S. Supreme Court gutting federal protections against voter disenfranchisement and dozens of states enacting restrictions that have made voting more difficult, people in attendance this week expressed optimism that Connecticut can move in the opposite direction.

The Connecticut election system deserves to be one of the best in this country, said Hubert Delany, D-Stamford. Our voters deserve to know that our elections are fair, well run, efficient and accurate. It is common sense to say that disenfranchising a single voter or a single district should be as difficult as possible to accomplish as we can possibly make it.

Yanidsi Velez, the New England Regional director of Hispanic Federation, a nonprofit organization working on the frontlines to register Latino voters and provide them resources for the ballot box, said organizers cannot do the work of protecting democracy alone.

To truly chip away at the systemic barriers, we need legislation that will protect our right to vote by combating discrimination and expanding cultural competent outreach, Velez said. We urge, today, legislators to strengthen our democracy and empower the communities across Connecticut.

Jaden Edison is a reporter for The Connecticut Mirror (https://ctmirror.org/ ). Copyright 2023 (c) The Connecticut Mirror.
We were late  very late.

In October 2017, I was serving my first term as the House Majority Leader and the General Assembly still had not adopted a new biennial state budget. It was supposed to have been accomplished by no later than June 30, 2017.

The State Senate was tied 18-18 among Republicans and Democrats, and the House of Representatives had 79 Democrats and 72 Republicans. There was no partisan way out. It was a frustrating and, frankly, an embarrassing situation because we hadnt done our job.

Beginning around Labor Day a group of eight legislative leaders (four Democrats, House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz, Senate President Martin Looney, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, and myself; and four Republicans, House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, Republican Senate President Len Fasano, House Deputy Minority Leader Vincent Candelora and Senate Republican Appropriations co-chair Paul Formica) had begun meeting to try to find a bipartisan solution to the budget fiasco.

As the meetings turned more serious, I was tasked as the clerk or young scribe of the group (This was likely due to my age  I was definitely the youngest person in the room  but also out of necessity because we had kicked everyone out of the room, including the staff).

Outside the room my Hartford colleague, state Sen. John Fonfara, briefed me on an idea he was working on to address the states long-term fiscal health. He called it the Volatility Cap. It was a game changer. I instantly liked the idea and promised Sen. Fonfara that I would bring it to the group.

In short, the Volatility Cap sets a threshold for certain volatile revenue streams (like the income tax that can swing up and down from year to year). Any excess of these revenues must be deposited into the rainy day fund or into the states underfunded pensions for teachers and state employees.

In addition, the goal was to pledge this volatility cap to holders of the states general obligation bonds in the form of bond covenants so that it would be more difficult for the legislature to change or alter the program. When the state issues bonds to borrow for large capital projects we pledge to bond holders that we will abide by budget control measures like the volatility Ccap. These bond covenants are what lower the cost of borrowing.

Ultimately, a budget deal was reached in late October and the Volatility Cap was included.

And then the states financial fortunes changed.

The volatility cap clearly exceeded our wildest dreams.

Last year the state cut over $500 million in taxes, paid off billions of dollars of unfunded pension liabilities, poured over $200 million into pre-school education and childrens mental health programs, sent child tax credits to tens of thousands of Connecticut families and still has a record $3.3 billion rainy day fund.

However, as Taylor Swift would say, I remember 2017 All Too Well (Its a song reference for all of the non-Swifteys).

The bond covenants expire on June 30, 2023, and there are some who would prefer not to keep this and other important financial guardrails in place.

We must stand firm.

Before we start spending any money this year, let us honor the remarkable bipartisan accomplishments of 2017 and reaffirm these financial practices.

We may need to make a tweak or two (for example, the rainy day fund may need to be a bit larger to get us through any recession), but we can continue our path of simultaneously helping Connecticut families today and stabilizing our future state finances.

We owe it to our children and grandchildren to continue the legacy of the 2017 bipartisan budget and be a shining example of what a state or country can do when we come together, compromise and do the right thing.

Speaker of the House Matt Ritter represents the 1st Assembly District of Hartford in the Connecticut House of Representatives.
PARIS  Why dont we yet have full disclosure on COVID jabs and mandates? Evidence is trickling out that those in charge have clearly been less than forthcoming.

What efforts is Pfizer currently, or planning to, engage in to mutate the SARS-CoV-2 virus? wrote Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) to the drug companys CEO Albert Bourla, in the wake of an undercover Project Veritas investigative sting operation that emerged online last week, alleging deliberate tinkering with the virus. Working with collaborators, we have conducted research where the original SARS-CoV-2 virus has been used to express the spike protein from new variants of concern, the company said in a press statement in the wake of the controversy, acknowledging the activitys vaccine update context.

Excuse me? What threat does this activity pose to the return to a world of pre-COVID normality where the jabs are no longer pushed and its just treated like any other virus? And why is everything so murky around Big Pharma and its cozy relationship with Western governments  a rapport qualified by the pharma executive targeted by Project Veritas as a revolving door thats bad for America.

NGOs from the UK and France also recently called out Big Pharma for a lack of transparency around COVID jab contracts whose terms the public has yet to see.

Earlier this month, the European Parliaments COVID-19 Committee sought to revoke Pfizers lobbying access due to Bourlas refusal to answer to the committee as they seek transparency on its contract to supply the entire bloc.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has miraculously lost the text messages she claimed to have exchanged directly with Bourla about the Pfizer contract, and doesnt seem to be in any rush to explain herself or elucidate the investigative committee.

As questions continue to swirl around jab side effects previously downplayed by government officials in order to get shots into arms, those whose lives have been adversely affected have a right to accountability. If Big Pharma was given contractual immunity, then the buck stops with the officials who signed off on it.

Public inquiries are also needed to determine the extent to which heavy-handed measures taken by public officials were guided by actual science, or whether science was used as a pretext to advance discreet special interests. But nearly three years after governments around the world forced their citizens into lockdown, trampled basic civil rights and freedoms, and destroyed careers and families, theres a growing sense that the COVID panic is disappearing in the rearview mirror, and theres a temptation to move on as though none of it ever happened.

Here in France, it has just been announced that, as of Feb. 1, automatic medical certificates for time off work due to a COVID diagnosis will no longer be valid. In other words, the virus is now to be treated like any other illness. Its hard to believe that, not long ago, people here were ordered to stay at home for 23 hours a day for weeks, then risked being tackled by fellow citizens if they didnt have a valid mask on their face in public, and were prohibited from traveling, assembling, participating in leisure activities, and even visiting family in hospital if they didnt have a digital QR code as proof that they were keeping up with the requisite number of anti-COVID jabs mandated by the government regardless of ones personal medical situation or doctors advice.

But as tempting as it may be to simply move on, its not over  at least not for anyone traveling to the U.S. who still requires proof of anti-COVID injection, or for French health care workers who lost their jobs because they declined the jabs. The French health care system is routinely facing shortages, and these workers are desperately needed. But French President Emmanuel Macron has steadfastly refused to entertain the thought, describing them last year as caregivers who have a relationship to care and ethics that is very marginal compared to the rest of their colleagues.

The stigma of being unjabbed also persists through the remaining restrictions, perpetuating the notion that such people are selfish, despite the fact that its now common knowledge that the jab doesnt stop transmission or acquisition of the virus, and its effectiveness is increasingly being called into question.

Almost exactly a year ago, the Freedom Convoy of Canadian truckers and their supporters protested the divisive and discriminatory mandates, demanding that they be scrapped, and rejecting Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus vilification of unjabbed Canadians. Some supporters had their bank accounts blocked by government order. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland conflated the move with terrorist financing as Trudeau invoked martial law. Meanwhile the European Union introduced a digital COVID certificate linked to citizens jab status, which was also recognized by 49 non-EU countries.

All these measures plunged the democratic Western world into a previously unthinkable authoritarianism.

But is the dystopian horror show really over? Or is this merely an interlude? Well never know without demanding the full and uncompromised truth of all those involved.

Rachel Marsden is a columnist, political strategist and host of independently produced talk shows in French and English. Her website can be found at http://www.rachelmarsden.com. (C)2023 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
Thats a departure from the way DC has typically handled the two mediums in the past when the company usually separated its animated and live-action universes completely. Its also different from how things are done over at Disney, where Marvel animated productions have often referenced their live-action counterparts, but where live-action films and series were mostly unaffected by what happened in animation.

Gunn did indicate, in a video shared on Twitter on Tuesday, that some non-DCU continent will continue to be produced  he name-dropped Teen Titans Go!  but that it will be clearly labeled as DC Elsewhere, to keep audiences from getting confused.

In another departure from the current superhero production status quo, Gunn indicated that a renewed emphasis would be placed on writing and that the days of films being rushed out to hit manufactured deadlines are over at DC.

People have become beholden to dates, to getting movies made no matter what, he criticized. Im a writer at my heart, and were not going to be making movies before the screenplay is finished.

The degradation of the writer in Hollywood has been a terrible story, he elaborated. Its gotten much worse since I first moved here 23 years ago. Writers have been completely left out of the loop in favor of actors and directors and making the writer more prominent and more important in this process is really important to us.

Gunns philosophy on deadlines and release dates, if similarly applied to animation and vfx, would certainly be a welcome change to the current industry status quo, which many professionals have said is unsustainable.

Along with the broader announcements about long-term plans, specific upcoming titles were also unveiled, including the new animated series Creature Commandos. The seven-episode series was the first greenlit under the new co-heads, has already been written in its entirety  by Gunn, and is currently in production.

The Creature Commando characters were first published in 1980. In the original comics, Frankensteins monster teamed up with a werewolf, a vampire, and a gorgon to fight Nazis during World War II. From the few details currently available, the new series looks quite a bit different from its namesake and will feature at least one familiar DCU character, Weasel from Gunns 2021 film The Suicide Squad.

Other characters set to feature in the series include Rick Flag Sr., Nina Mazursky, Dr. Phosphorus, Eric Frankenstein, and G.I. Robot, with the Bride of Frankenstein starring as the shows protagonist. The cast of characters can be seen above in the first artwork shared from the new series.

Emphasizing DCs commitment to an animation-live-action continuum, Gunn explained that the actors cast to voice the characters on the show will also, usually, play the same roles in live-action appearances of those characters in the future.

Where, exactly, audiences will be able to see the new DC content is still up in the air and looks likely to change from project to project.

We have the ability to sell outside of HBO Max if that makes sense, Safran said during the presentation. So well figure out if there are certain shows coming up that would be better served elsewhere, or [if] theres not real estate on HBO Max for us. But we like the idea of having shows on Amazon and Hulu and Netflix. It just broadens the DC audience.

That statement echoed a sentiment shared in December of last year when WBD Television Group chairman Channing Dungey revealed that the company was close to finalizing a deal with Amazon for DC animated content, meaning it looks like Creature Commandos will likely end up on Prime Video.

With animation, we used to be about staying in-house but now we are doing it on different platforms, Dungey explained while speaking at Content London at the time. HBO Max is the first stop but we are in the process of closing a big deal with Amazon featuring DC-branded content in animation.
WCA appoints new directors

01 February 2023

The World Cement Association (WCA) has appointed three new Directors: Fabien Charbonnel, CEO of CemInEu, Xu Gang, chairman of the Board of Maweni Limestone, VP and head of Overseas Area of Huaxin Cement Co Ltd, parent company of Maweni Limestone, and Kevin Lunney, COO of Mannok Holdings DAC. The appointments were agreed in a unanimous vote at the WCA General Assembly Meeting, which took place virtually this month.

In addition, both Mohammed Ali Al-Garni, CEO of Saudi Cement, and Roland van Wijnen, CEO of PPC Ltd, were re-elected to the Board of Directors.

The WCA also announced the resignation of two longstanding directors, Vincent Lefebvre, founder and executive chairman of CemInEu, and Mahendra Singhi, managing director and CEO of Dalmia Cement, who joined the WCA Board of Directors in 2019 and 2020, respectively.





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Coolbrook appoints SVP of Communications

01 February 2023

Technology and engineering company Coolbrook Oy has announced the appointment of Jenni Schumacher to the position of SVP of Communications.

Ms Schumacher has most recently led external communications at international renewable fuels company Neste and prior to that held communications roles at global stainless steel producer Outokumpu and Microsoft.

At Coolbrook Ms Schumachers experience across the energy, manufacturing, and technology industries will help to shape Coolbrooks internal and external company vision, while also establishing strategies for stakeholder communications and media relations.

Coolbrook Oy is a Finnish company on a mission to decarbonise major industrial sectors such as petrochemicals and chemicals, iron and steel, and cement.

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Rebel Wilson threw her girlfriend Ramona Agruma a surprise birthday party on Saturday night (28.01.23).

The 42-year-old actress made sure she spoiled her partner to mark her special day and she hosted an intimate celebration with no expense spared on balloons, a pink flower bouquet and a matching pink cake decorated with macarons.

Entrepreneur Ramona shared a selection of birthday photos on her Instagram account on Monday (30.01.23) along with the caption: "Thank you for all my beautiful birthday wishes! Thank you my love @rebelwilson for the most thoughtful birthday surprise and thanks to my friends who always put a smile on my face. Feeling loved."

Rebel and Ramona went public on social media as a couple in June 2022, with the comic star posting on Instagram: "I thought I was searching for a Disney Prince but maybe what I really needed all this time was a Disney Princess."

In November 2022, the couple announced the birth of her first child, daughter Royce Lillian, via surrogate.

The 'Senior Year' star recently shared how she "overhauled" her life in a bid to try and carry a baby, but her efforts were ultimately unsuccessful.

Rebel - who lost around 60 pounds in 2020 - said: "Id had my eggs frozen and done three surgeries for it, which is quite a lot.

"Then, I had found a donor and we made a plan for the embryos and I think, at that point, I had 18 good-quality eggs so you think theres going to be some success there. But then each day, I got a new update from the lab about how it was going and it got down to seven eggs and they had no viable embryos."

Rebel recalled feeling devastated when her efforts proved to be unsuccessful.

She added to The Hollywood Reporter: "I had been through so much, lost all this weight and froze my eggs and overhauled my whole life to do this, and to not be able to create life in the way that I had hoped, it was really devastating.

"A lot of women face this when they go through IVF or similar journeys and its a difficult situation and you have to ask yourself if you keep going."
TUESDAY, Jan. 31, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Stung by recent food safety scandals -- most notably last year's infant formula shortage, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday that it is creating a new unit devoted to food safety.

The newly dubbed Human Foods Program will wield wide-ranging powers.

"Were proposing the creation of a unified, newly envisioned organization, called the Human Foods Program, that elevates key focus areas, removes redundancies and consolidates activities under a single leader, a deputy commissioner for human foods," FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf said during a media briefing announcing the change.

The deputy commissioner will have clear decision-making authority and oversight of priorities to ensure a safe and nutritious U.S. food supply, Califf added.

Not only that, the new program will elevate the importance of nutrition, given declining life expectancy in the U.S. due in large part to chronic diseases with a basis in nutrition, he noted.

The sweeping move comes after a scathing report in early December from the Reagan-Udall Foundation found that the FDA's food program is in a state of "constant turmoil" and requires stronger leadership. That report was commissioned by Califf once the agency conducted its own review after facing serious criticism for its handling of the infant formula shortage. That shortage, which dragged on for months, was prompted in part by a recall of potentially contaminated infant formula at Abbott Labs' Michigan-based infant formula production facility.

One of the Reagan-Udall panel's big recommendations was to create a separate food agency with wide-ranging powers within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The new Human Foods Program should function in that way, assuming under one umbrella the functions of some existing programs within HHS -- the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), the Office of Food Policy and Response (OFPR), as well as certain functions of the Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA), the FDA's field-based operations unit.

ORA itself is poised for an overhaul: According to the FDA, ORA will sharpen its focus on its "core mission" -- food inspections, lab testing, imports oversight and investigations. The goal is to spot threats to public health in the food supply early, and prevent outbreaks before they start.

Besides improving the safety of the foods Americans consume, the FDA also plans to keep consumers better informed about the nutrition of everyday food products with the creation of a new Center for Excellence in Nutrition.

The agency will also create an Office of Critical Foods within this center. The entire restructuring underway at the FDA is also meant to foster and reinforce cooperation between the FDA and food safety organizations within various states. A new Office of Integrated Food Safety System Partnerships will help direct that effort, the FDA said.

That will promote partnerships that are essential to regulate the over 600,000 individual entities involved in our complex food system and embrace innovative food and agricultural technologies that will allow us to supply the nation and the globe with ample, safe and nutritious food in the decades ahead, Califf noted.

Finally, to help keep the agency on an evidence-based path to better food safety, the FDA plans to appoint experts to its new Human Foods Advisory Committee. Their advice to the agency should help guide the activities of the Human Foods Program going forward.

Some food safety advocates were pleased with the reorganization.

"I think it does a good job of identifying the essential problems and addressing them head-on, Dr. Peter Lurie told the Associated Press. He heads the Center for Science in the Public Interest, which focuses on consumer nutrition, food safety and health.

But Mike Taylor, who once served as FDA deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine, said the new deputy commissioner doesnt appear to have full authority over the office responsible for inspecting company plants, laboratory testing, imports and investigations.

If thats the case, the human foods program at the FDA will remain fragmented and the deputy commissioner will not be empowered to make the change that is necessary, Taylor told the AP.

More information

Find out more about food safety at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SOURCES: Media briefing with: Robert Califf, MD, FDA Commissioner, Jan. 31, 2023; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, news release, Jan. 31, 2023; Associated Press
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Facts about Russia-Ukraine conflict: Ukraine exports 19 mln tons of foodstuffs under grain deal

Xinhua) 10:25, February 01, 2023

KIEV/MOSCOW/WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments in the Ukraine crisis:

Ukraine's Black Sea ports have shipped 19 million tons of foodstuffs since August under a key deal on grain and fertilizer exports, the government-run Ukrinform news agency reported Tuesday, citing a senior official.

Ukraine exports about 3 million tons of grain and other agricultural products per month from its three Black Sea ports, said the country's Deputy Agriculture Minister Markiyan Dmytrasevych.

Ukraine's ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Pivdenny have the capacity to supply abroad about 6 million tons of foodstuffs monthly, Dmytrasevych added.

- - - -

The Russian defense ministry said Tuesday that the country's forces continued to advance in the Kupyansk, Krasny Liman, Kherson, Donetsk, and South Donetsk directions.

Over 195 Ukrainian soldiers were killed as a result of the offensives, and certain number of Ukrainian tanks, armored combat vehicles, ammunition depots, howitzers and artillery systems have been destroyed.

Russian forces also shot down a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter and destroyed five drones, it added.

- - - -

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Monday that he won't approve sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.

"No," Biden said in response to a question about the possibility of such a decision.

The president's remarks came as debate picked up steam over whether to arm Ukraine, which has been in conflict with Russia for nearly a year, with Western-made fighter jets.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
The Sheriff's Office said Bryan Alex Stone has been taken into custody in connection with the shooting of two people on Monday near the 6400 block of Ooltewah-Georgetown Road.

On Monday at approximately 7 p.m., the suspect wanted in connection to this shooting was arrested by the Marion County Sheriffs Office. Stone and an accomplice left Hamilton County and proceeded to Marion County where he perpetrated additional crimes, the Sheriff's Office said.



Marion County Sheriffs Office pursued the suspects and their vehicle wrecked in the area of the I-24 and U.S. 27 split. Marion County deputies were able to take both into custody.

Stone now faces charges for crimes committed in Marion County.

Stone has four outstanding warrants in Hamilton County for attempted first-degree murder stemming from the shooting on Monday.

The two victims involved in the shooting are now listed to be in stable condition at a local medical facility.

Authorities said Stone and another youth carjacked a Department of Children's Services at a Chevron convenience store near Martin Springs in Marion County. The van was taking a sentenced juvenile to West Tennessee.

Officials said Stone went into the gas station and held a corrections officer and the sentenced juvenile at gunpoint, while his associate, Richard James Gerald, commandeered the DCS van.

They then drove at speeds up to 100 mph toward Chattanooga with law enforcement in pursuit.
Police received multiple calls, within minutes, reporting a white male carrying what appeared to be a rifle/AK-47 style firearm on E. 23rd Street. An officer saw a man matching the description given, walking in the parking lot at 1700 E 23rd St. He was carrying a paint ball gun. The officer spoke to the man who said he was taking the paint ball gun to a pawn shop.

* * *

While on patrol, police saw a multi-colored older F150 with a TN tag that was showing as stolen. The officer tried to stop the truck at 1910 Market St. The vehicle fled and was later located in the 1300 block of Poplar Street. The driver had fled before police arrived. The tag was taken out of NCIC and the truck was towed to A-1 towing.

* * *

A woman on Amnicola Highway told police she received a phone call from Midland Credit Management asking for her ex-husband about a business matter. When the woman said it wasnt his number and asked how the number was provided to them, they refused to answer. Midland Credit refused to state when the account was opened but were aware the woman was the mans wife. Once the woman said she was separated from the man, Midland Credit did not provide any information besides an officer had called them and asked for a manager.

* * *

A woman on S. Choctaw Drive told police her 2020 black Hyundai Elantra was stolen. She has no idea who could have taken the vehicle. She was housesitting at the time. Police entered the vehicle into NCIC.

* * *

A woman on Churchill Road told police when she woke up at 8:30 a.m. she noticed the gate to her driveway was open. She returned home from work the previous night at approximately 11 p.m. and closed it after she parked her car in the driveway. The woman said there have been vehicle break-ins within the past few days. Her address was added to the watch list.

* * *

Police reported to the Howard Johnson Hotel room #224 at 3109 Parker Lane on a reported disorder between two roommates. The men had a disagreement over the use of the TV, and the opening and closing of the window blinds. Covenant Transport Trucking Company, for whom both men work, paid for the room for the next couple of weeks, but since they cant get along, they would like to swap roommates or get their own room. One of the men had told the police that he already made arrangements to leave and stay in a different room and didn't want to be bothered by the other man anymore.

* * *

An officer noticed a homeless woman with a fire that was built against the Homeless Health Care Center at E. 11th Street and Peeples Street. While attempting to issue a citation for the burning, the officer was unable to get the printer to print. The woman had a fire within 100 feet of an occupied building (literally right next to it). The weather conditions were very windy and smoke/ash was blowing away from the flames and into the street and polluting the airways in the immediate area. She had no means to extinguish the fire if needed. The fire was built entirely out of trash that she admitted to gathering in the immediate area. The officer explained to the woman the consequences of her actions and the safety concerns of what she did. She apologized and said she was not thinking about it when she built the fire.

* * *

A woman told police she was running to the bus stop on Lee Highway when her phone fell out of her jacket. She said she turned around to find an older man, wearing all black, bending down to pick it up. She began running towards the man to tell him that that was her phone but the man began running away and the woman didnt feel comfortable chasing him. She was able to show police the Find My iPhone location which showed the phone to be around the town of Alexandria, Ala. She had called her phone company and had the service cut off. She would try and reach out to the police department where the cell phone showed its location for further information. It is a white iPhone 13 with a dark blue case on it. There is also slight damage to the screen.

* * *

A woman on 10th Avenue told police she went outside, started her car and went back inside. When she went back out the car was gone. NCIC was notified and the car was entered in as stolen.

* * *

Police detained a man who had climbed through another mans apartment window on N. Germantown Road. According to the first man, the second mans roommate had allowed him to stay there and take showers. However, the roommate was not there and the second man wanted him to leave. Police told the first man to gather his belongings and vacate the apartment, which he did.
The Soddy-Daisy Community Library and the KELCURT Foundation, along with cosponsor ArtsBuild, will begin the SDCL 2023 Mythical Bookmark Art Contest and Art Program on Monday, Feb. 13. The purpose of this contest and program is to make arts and culture more accessible to everyone, officials said.The contest is open to anyone residing in Hamilton County, and participants are not required to be members of the Soddy-Daisy Community Library."Mythology has inspired artists throughout time and from around the world - and we want to see the myths that inspire you," officials said."It could be unicorns, Egyptian gods, the chupacabra, Paul Bunyan - let your art tell a mythic story."Participants are invited to submit an original work in any two-dimensional medium (paint, crayon, pencil, computer graphic) showing their mythically inspired work. All work must be original pieces of art, and cannot depict any copyrighted material. Clip art elements will not be accepted.Entries must be 8.5 x 2.5. Entries must be accompanied by an entry form, available on Feb. 13 at https://kelcurtfoundation.org/ , on the Soddy-Daisy Community Librarys Facebook page, and available to pick up at the SDCL.Three winners will be selected in each of the following age groups:- kindergarten through fifth grade;- sixth - eighth grade;- ninth - 12th grade; and- adult (18+).First place winners in each age category will receive a $50 Visa gift card; second place in each age category will receive a $35 Visa gift card; and third place in each age category will receive a $20 Visa gift card.First place winning entries will be printed as bookmarks and will be given out at the SDCL. Additional copies will be given to area schools and organizations to share with students and patrons.Entries must be dropped off at the Soddy-Daisy Community Library by 4 p.m. on Friday, March 10. Winners will be notified by Friday, March 17. A winner reception and unveiling will be held at the Soddy-Daisy Community Library on Thursday, April 6. All winning pieces will be on display at the SDCL through July 2023. Originals and image rights become the property of the KELCURT Foundation upon submission. Originals will be returned to the artist upon request and may be picked up from the library.We are so excited to be partnering with Artsbuild again this year to help expand our mutual mission of more arts in more places for more people, said Kelly Flemings, education and outreach coordinator for the Soddy-Daisy Community Library.In addition to the contest, there will be a series of free art classes in a variety of mediums available at the SDCL during the program dates. These include a floral watercolor class by renowned artist Alan Shuptrine; two classes entitled How to Draw Your Dragon by artist and Sale Creek High School art teacher Tim Smith; and a Nature Journaling hike, incorporating art instruction by artist Jules Jackson. Details and dates for classes are to be announced.To participate in the art classes, you must be a patron in good standing at the Soddy-Daisy Community Library. Membership in the SDCL is free and open to everyone. Library card applications are available online at https://kelcurtfoundation.org/sdcl-a-library-for-all. To complete the application process, patrons must bring their drivers license to the SDCL.The SDCL will also be partnering with Charlie Newton and Splash Youth Arts (https://splashyouthartsworkshop.org/) to offer a hybrid class. Mr. Flemings will be visiting Mr. Newtons art class and reading a variety of myths to the students, and Mr. Newton will be working with the students to bring the myths to life through the students artwork.This is the second year that the bookmark art contest is being offered and is an annual event to mark the beginning of their summer reading program. Details for the 2023 SDCL Mythical Summer of Reading Program will be released by May 1.The SDCL 2023 Mythical Bookmark Art Contest and Art Program is funded by the Artsbuild Community Cultural Connections grant program. The KELCURT Foundation/Soddy-Daisy Community Library is an ArtsBuild Community Arts Partner.KELCURT Foundation is an IRS recognized 501(c) (3) non-profit organization and relies solely on the support of our patrons and our community, receiving no tax monies.For additional information regarding the Mythical Bookmark Art Contest, the Soddy-Daisy Community Library, or the KELCURT Foundation, contact Kelly Flemings at 423-800-2367 or founders@KELCURTFoundation.org.For additional information regarding Artsbuild, visit their website at https://artsbuild.com/.
The East Tennessee Symphony Orchestra announces the return of its Sweet 'N Salty Valentine's Concert on Monday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. at Silverdale Center at Silverdale Baptist Academy, 7236 Bonny Oaks Dr., in Chattanooga.



The Collegedale-based symphony orchestra will open with a "sweet" session featuring guest pianist Yilin Li, performing Joseph Suk's Scherzo Fantastic, op. 25 and Robert Schumann's Piano Concerto, op. 54. The "salty" session features a selection of Swing and Big Band favorites.



Refreshments will be provided by Honey & Hive Baking and Catering Company.



This family-friendly event is free and open to the public. RSVP on Facebook at https://fb.me/e/2g1bMKPWd.
Middle school and high school students of the all-boys Chattanooga Preparatory School are honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as part of their Black History Month Celebration with their Speak Like a King event. The annual performance started in 2019, celebrates Dr. King and how his dreams live on at Chattanooga Preparatory School.



The young men who participate share their hopes and dreams for themselves and their

community through a series of speeches, statements, art and musical performances, which will

be recorded and edited for access online. The release date is today and can be

viewed here: https://www.chattanoogaprep.com/.



Our school serves boys predominately from minority communities in the Chattanooga area.

Honoring the legacy of Dr. King and his message of acceptance and equality strikes home for a

lot of these young men, said Michael Dexter Howard, the director of theatre at Chattanooga

Prep. Each of their performances inspire me and I am sure it will inspire others. I am also excited that this is entirely a student product. Not just the performances, but also the recording, editing and posting online.

Speak Like a King became an online offering as a result of COVID. Rather than one day or evening of a live event, parents, students and the public can enjoy Speak Like a King throughout the month of February and beyond.



The production team for Speak Like a King consists of three ninth graders; Edwin Tomas, videographer, Nathan Strickland, photographer, and Matthew Gomez, photographer.
Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga will present Doubt: A Parable, which will run Feb. 17-19 and 23-25. All performances will be at Rivermont Presbyterian, 3319 Hixson Pike, at 7:30 p.m., the exception being Sunday, Feb. 19, when the show will be at 2:30 p.m.

"Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga's 2023 season is structured around the theme of commitment: commitment to our community; commitment to our craft; commitment to the creators; and the commitment to our local cultural landscape, said Executive Artistic Director Garry Lee Posey.

With an ambitious season focused on scheduled programming at three different venues, partnerships planned with multiple local organizations and a growing dedication to premiering new works and new voices, the Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga will prove their commitment to the creative arts scene in Chattanooga.

Partnering with the creative renaissance happening at Rivermont Presbyterian Church, the Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga will assist with various theatre programming and the creation of a new black box theatre performance space.

Its an exciting time at Rivermont and we cannot be happier to partner with ETC, said John Thomas McCecil, who is the head of music and arts at the church.

In addition to working with Rivermont on their arts programming, ETC has committed to produce two to three shows in the 2023 in the new black box we are helping to create, said Mr. Posey. The shows we present at Rivermont Presbyterian under the auspices of ETC will all be shows that look at how theatre and faith interlace, with the desire that we want to create conversations."

Mr. McCecil has been a member of ETC since 2009.

"With Doubt: A Parable, John Patrick Shanley forces his four characters to confront their commitment in their faith. He engages the audience in the experience of the performance through dialogue that creates impressions, uncovers questions and fosters doubt. Conversely the dialogue creates a challenge for the actors in that no matter what choice they make, they will inevitably be presented with a moment of sheer vulnerability that they did not see coming. Truly ephemeral is the play whose story has just as much breath and life as the actors telling it and the director crafting it, said Matheson Wynnemer, ETCs production coordinator.

The play is directed by Kashun Parks, an ETC veteran who helmed last years Daughter of the Moon by Reginald Edmund. Playing the hard-edged principal Sister Aloysius is Brenda Schwab, her younger teacher Sister James is being played by Alyssa Watts, the questionable priest, Father Flynn, is being played by Garry Lee Posey. Rounding out the cast is newcomer to ETC, Shawanna Kendrick, in the role of Mrs. Muller.



Doubt: A Parable won John Patrick Shanley the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, The Tony Award for Best Play and the Drama Desk Award for Best Play all in 2005. Performers Cherry Jones and Adrienne Lenox both won Tony Awards for their performances in addition to winning Drama Desk Awards along with cast mates Bryan F. OByrne and Heather Goldenhersh.



For more information, call 423-987-5141 or visit the ticketing site https://our.show/ensemble-theatre-of-chattanooga/84888.



We invite the audience to engage in discussion and debate over what they see on our stages: with us; with your fellow patrons; and, more importantly, with yourself, said Mr. Posey.
Emma Parson, of Chattanooga, has been selected to be part of Tennessee Tech Universitys Trailblazers class, bringing together top students at Tech to take campus visits and student recruitment to a personal level.

Ms. Parson, a business management and marketing major from Chattanooga, is among the new class of Trailblazers.

Ms. Parson will be offering personal, one-on-one campus tours to prospective students and their families while also fostering connections between current Trailblazer students and future Golden Eagles.

Trailblazers are special. They are bold thinkers, fearless students, confident leaders, and kind classmates. Being a Tennessee Tech Trailblazer means using your skills and knowledge to lead other students to connect with their journey to campus, said Karen Lykins, vice president for enrollment and communication.

At Tennessee Tech, we put students first and what better way to foster personal connections than by pairing prospective students with some of our top current students who have experiences and insight to share about what the college experience at Tech is really like, said Ms. Lykins.
Ginny & Georgia is a Netflix series that is rapidly gaining popularity with fans of all ages. Featuring a talented ensemble cast and lots of sweet moments, Ginny & Georgia is at once funny, heartfelt, and entertaining. The cast of the series had as much fun filming the show as fans have had watching it  and in a recent interview with Marie Claire, the two leads of Ginny & Georgia opened up about how they spent time between takes, admitting that there was a lot of singing going on.

The stars of Ginny & Georgia sang Hannah Montana songs in between takes

Ginny & Georgia tells the story of young Ginny Miller, a fifteen-year-old girl who lives with her mother, Georgia, and her younger brother Austin. Ginny and Georgia have a close bond  but Georgias ebullient nature and giddy attitude towards life sometimes place her at odds with her very mature daughter. Starring Brianne Howey as Georgia, Antonia Gentry as Ginny, and Diesel La Torraca as Austin, Ginny & Georgia is a nostalgic program that for many fans, calls to mind shows like Gilmore Girls.

The cast had a lot of fun making the second season of the show. In a recent interview with Marie Claire, Gentry and Howey engaged in a game of how well do I know my co-star? with Gentry asking Howey the question, what song did Diesel, Sara (Waisglass) and I sing a lot during scene changes that you ended up singing along with us? Howey responded right away, saying it was so ridiculous, um, Hannah Montana! The actor noted that they would sing the transitional music from the series while they waited for new scenes to start.

What are Brianne Howey and Antonia Gentrys ages in real life?

(L-R) Brianne Howey, Diesel La Torraca and Antonia Gentry attend Netflixs Ginny & Georgia S2 Meet & Greet I Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Netflix

While Howey and Gentry play mother and daughter in Ginny & Georgia, theres no doubt that Howey could easily pass for a teenager herself. Her character, Georgia, is depicted as being 30 in the show, but in real life, according to IMDb, Howey is 33. As for Gentry, her character, Ginny, is 15 in the series  but Gentry is a full decade older than her character. According to IMDb, Gentry is actually 25. That closeness in age certainly explains why the two actors seem to be so close, as evidenced in the recent Marie Claire interview.

Fans are loving the new season of Ginny & Georgia

Ginny & Georgia will probably get a Season 3 from Netflix https://t.co/Yrxc4Xc1EC  BGR (@BGR) January 22, 2023

The second season of Ginny & Georgia dropped on Netflix on January 5, and fans were quick to praise the series. Fan reactions have been very positive overall, with user Brialoreee taking to Twitter to write I need a new season of Ginny & Georgia like tomorrow. Fan kahuuuks praised the emotional moments in the series, writing on Twitter Not Ginny & Georgia making me cry my eyes out.

With the second season ending on a major cliffhanger, many fans are clamoring for news of a potential third season. Unfortunately, while it is expected that Netflix will renew Ginny & Georgia for a third season, nothing has been announced. To date, Ginny & Georgia remains one of Netflixs most popular shows  so fans should stay tuned to the Netflix social media pages over the coming weeks to see when the highly-anticipated third season is confirmed. Until then, fans can watch the first and second seasons of Ginny & Georgia, available now on Netflix.
Nicole Snooki Polizzi spilled the tea about what fans can look forward to regarding the romantic tension between Vinny Guadagnino and Angelina Pivarnick on Jersey Shore: Family Vacation. The sixth season debuted on Jan. 26, and the installment promises many fun locales, drama, and more drama. Nicole revealed what viewers could expect, including twists in the dramatic relationship between Angelina and Vinny.

The cast of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation season 6 | MTV

Even though the cast travels cross-country for season 6, Nicole Polizzi would love to return to season 4s locale

The cast visits many exciting places this season when they travel cross-country, including New Orleans, North Carolina, Wine Country in California, and the Dancing with the Stars studio in Hollywood to support Vinny. However, theres one place Nicole would love to return to, an unforgettable season 4 locale.

In an interview with Today, Nicole admitted she would love the opportunity to return to the spot she and her castmates visited in season 4. In 2011, she, Vinny, Paul Pauly D DelVecchio, Jenni Farley, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, Mike Sorrentino, Sammi Giancola, and Deena Cortese lived in Florence, Italy.

The group got a job at a local pizza place and found clubs to party at to keep themselves entertained throughout the tense season. Of course, there was the infamous scene of Mike ramming his head into a cement wall and Nicoles fender bender with police that led to her being held at the police station. However, Italy allowed the cast to work through longstanding problems as a group.

Nicole admits the cast would love to return to Italy. She says, I feel like we didnt appreciate it. But then I think of my kids, and Im like, Yeah, Im not going.'

The mom of three reveals that currently, the cast likes kid-friendly places so that if we bring the kids, theyll still have a good time, and theyre not stuck in a room. However, season 6s cross-country trip wont only deliver on a host of different locales. It promises to flesh out the relationship viewers have looked for between the Keto Guido and his Staten Island adversary, Angelina.

Nicole Polizzi teases the dramatic relationship twist between Vinny and Angelina

For years, Jersey Shore: Family Vacation fans have watched the romantic tension build between Vinny and Angelina. However, as Angelinas marriage became irrevocably broken, she and Vinnys flirtation grew. Although Vinny said he would never date Angelina, now that shes single, does he change his mind in season 6? Nicole spills the tea.

Nicole admits to Today, This season is the most dramatic when it comes to them liking each other or trying to give it a chance. I think this season, fans are going to get a lot more than theyve been getting. We were all shocked too. Its going to be good.

In a teaser for the new season, the duo appears to take their flirtation to a new level in New Orleans. This leads Nicole to say to Angelina, You like him; just say it. You like Vinny.

Nicole shares why Jersey Shore is still relevant 14 years after its debut

The cast of Jersey Shore season 3 included Nicole Polizzi, Mike Sorrentino, Jenni Farley, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, Paul DelVecchio, Sammi Giancola, Vinny Guadagnino, and Deena Cortese | MTV

Since 2009, fans have watched the cast of the MTV series grow up from hard-partying 20-somethings into adults with families of their own. Theyve watched the group weather some brutal personal storms and triumph in the face of adversity. This is why, Nicole admits, the show remains a fan favorite.

I think its because we were such a huge show, and everybody grew up with us. They still want to see whats going on in our lives, she says.

Nicole continued, Also, our show isnt fake. We dont have scripted scenes. We dont do any of that, which a lot of reality shows do, so I feel like our fans appreciate that. Then we still do like crazy s*** together, so I guess were still entertaining.

Jersey Shore: Family Vacation airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. EST on MTV.


MIT physicists have found a new way to switch superconductivity on and off in magic-angle graphene. This figure shows a device with two graphene layers in the middle (in dark gray and in inset). The graphene layers are sandwiched in between boron nitride layers (in blue and purple). The angle and alignment of each layer enables the researchers to turn superconductivity on and off in graphene with a short electric pulse.

With some careful twisting and stacking, MIT physicists have revealed a new and exotic property in magic-angle graphene: superconductivity that can be turned on and off with an electric pulse, much like a light switch.

The discovery could lead to ultrafast, energy-efficient superconducting transistors for neuromorphic devices  electronics designed to operate in a way similar to the rapid on/off firing of neurons in the human brain.

Magic-angle graphene refers to a very particular stacking of graphene  an atom-thin material made from carbon atoms that are linked in a hexagonal pattern resembling chicken wire. When one sheet of graphene is stacked atop a second sheet at a precise magic angle, the twisted structure creates a slightly offset moire pattern, or superlattice, that is able to support a host of surprising electronic behaviors.

In 2018, Pablo Jarillo-Herrero and his group at MIT were the first to demonstrate magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene. They showed that the new bilayer structure could behave as an insulator, much like wood, when they applied a certain continuous electric field. When they upped the field, the insulator suddenly morphed into a superconductor, allowing electrons to flow, friction-free.

That discovery gave rise to twistronics, a field that explores how certain electronic properties emerge from the twisting and layering of two-dimensional materials. Researchers including Jarillo-Herrero have continued to reveal surprising properties in magic-angle graphene, including various ways to switch the material between different electronic states. So far, such switches have acted more like dimmers, in that researchers must continuously apply an electric or magnetic field to turn on superconductivity, and keep it on.

Now Jarillo-Herrero and his team have shown that superconductivity in magic-angle graphene can be switched on, and kept on, with just a short pulse rather than a continuous electric field. The key, they found was a combination of twisting and stacking.

In a paper appearing today in Nature Nanotechnology, the team reports that, by stacking magic-angle graphene between two offset layers of boron nitride  a two-dimensional insulating material  the unique alignment of the sandwich structure enabled the researchers to turn graphenes superconductivity on and off with a short electric pulse.

For the vast majority of materials, if you remove the electric field, zzzzip, the electric state is gone, says Jarillo-Herrero, who is the Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics at MIT. This is the first time that a superconducting material has been made that can be electrically switched on and off, abruptly. This could pave the way for a new generation of twisted, graphene-based superconducting electronics.

His MIT co-authors are lead author Dahlia Klein, Li-Qiao Xia, and David MacNeill, along with Kenji Watanabe and Takashi Taniguchi of the National Institute for Materials Science in Japan.

Flipping the switch

In 2019, a team at Stanford University discovered that magic-angle graphene could be coerced into a ferromagnetic state. Ferromagnets are materials that retain their magnetic properties, even in the absence of an externally applied magnetic field.

The researchers found that magic-angle graphene could exhibit ferromagnetic properties in a way that could be tuned on and off. This happened when the graphene sheets were layered between two sheets of boron nitride such that the crystal structure of the graphene was aligned to one of the boron nitride layers. The arrangement resembled a cheese sandwich in which the top slice of bread and the cheese orientations are aligned, but the bottom slice of bread is rotated at a random angle with respect to the top slice. The result intrigued the MIT group.

We were trying to get a stronger magnet by aligning both slices, Jarillo-Herrero says. Instead, we found something completely different.

In their current study, the team fabricated a sandwich of carefully angled and stacked materials. The cheese of the sandwich consisted of magic-angle graphene  two graphene sheets, the top rotated slightly at the magic angle of 1.1 degrees with respect to the bottom sheet. Above this structure, they placed a layer of boron nitride, exactly aligned with the top graphene sheet. Finally, they placed a second layer of boron nitride below the entire structure and offset it by 30 degrees with respect to the top layer of boron nitride.

The team then measured the electrical resistance of the graphene layers as they applied a gate voltage. They found, as others have, that the twisted bilayer graphene switched electronic states, changing between insulating, conducting, and superconducting states at certain known voltages.

What the group did not expect was that each electronic state persisted rather than immediately disappearing once the voltage was removed  a property known as bistability. They found that, at a particular voltage, the graphene layers turned into a superconductor, and remained superconducting, even as the researchers removed this voltage.

This bistable effect suggests that superconductivity can be turned on and off with short electric pulses rather than a continuous electric field, similar to flicking a light switch. It isnt clear what enables this switchable superconductivity, though the researchers suspect it has something to do with the special alignment of the twisted graphene to both boron nitride layers, which enables a ferroelectric-like response of the system. (Ferroelectric materials display bistability in their electric properties.)

By paying attention to the stacking, you could add another tuning knob to the growing complexity of magic-angle, superconducting devices, Klein says.

For now, the team sees the new superconducting switch as another tool researchers can consider as they develop materials for faster, smaller, more energy-efficient electronics.

People are trying to build electronic devices that do calculations in a way thats inspired by the brain, Jarillo-Herrero says. In the brain, we have neurons that, beyond a certain threshold, they fire. Similarly, we now have found a way for magic-angle graphene to switch superconductivity abruptly, beyond a certain threshold. This is a key property in realizing neuromorphic computing.

This research was supported in part by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the Army Research Office, and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
The most important electrochemical reaction in an intercalation electrode such as in a Li-ion battery is the intercalation reaction. The diffusion coefficients of the intercalated species are the key parameters that determine the properties of the battery cell. The larger the value of the diffusion coefficient, the faster or easier the insertion/desinsertion of the inserted species, and finally, the better the battery performance.

Chronoamperometry and chronopotentiometry are traditional techniques for measuring the diffusion coefficient in the case of semi-infinite linear diffusion. For the case of finite diffusion, several techniques and analyses are available, such as Levich analysis and EIS fitting with the Winf element. Impedance analysis can also be performed on commercial Li-ion batteries to derive information about the diffusion coefficient of the introduced species.

In this paper, the three methods, EIS, GITT, and PITT are presented, results and analysis are performed, and limitations of the methods are explained.
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U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona shares a light moment with Native American parents from the Oklahoma City area on Jan. 25.
Like many rural estates in this community and around the state of Connecticut, Cheshires Old Bishop Farm has dwindled in size.

While the property comprised approximately 300 acres a century ago, the farm now consists of 15 acres. Bishops current owner, John Torello, says he wants to keep it a working farm and has been trying to find ways to make it profitable. To that end, he is seeking a change to Cheshires zoning laws.

The rules currently prohibit money-making endeavors  such as hosting weddings  on a farm less than 25 acres in size. Two public hearings to address possibly changing those size requirements have featured spirited discussion about the possible impacts of changing the regulation. After the Jan. 23 meeting, Cheshire Town Planner Michael Glidden and the Planning and Zoning Commission may have arrived at a compromise solution. No vote was taken, but the PZC is expected to make a final decision in two weeks, after a full review of Torellos and Gliddens proposed changes.

One key to addressing the issue, Glidden advised, would be to use a special permitting process that would limit events at properties that abuse the freedom to hold events, changing the permits duration from two years to one. Rather than have a farm incur the $750 application fee each year to renew the special permit, it was proposed that a farm could apply administratively instead, at a cost of $50. A change in property owners would require a new special permit application, per the discussion.

Torello was emotional as he addressed the PZC. Reading from a prepared statement, Torello recounted first purchasing the Old Bishop Farm property back in 2015, when it produced more poison ivy than apples. He explained that the force behind the idea of owning the farm was his late son Michael, whose severe physical challenges meant finding a full-time job would be impossible.

It is important to every human being to have meaningful work and purpose, said Torello. One of our main motivations for taking on this project was for him to have a place where he could go to work and be a part of something.

After Michaels death in 2021, Torello said the desire for continuing with the farm was harder to sustain. Faced with his loss and an uncertain financial situation, the Torello family would like to build a sunshine barn on their property as a way of honoring Michaels nickname and his memory. The structure would also serve several practical purposes, including making money from hosting events, which could involve noise from music and guests.

Torello says he cannot invest in building the barn, with all the attendant costs, without assurance that such events might be allowed.

The impact of amplified music outdoors during events was the subject of much of the back-and-forth between Torello and members of the PZC. Torello assured Commissioners that Were not looking to host Woodstock. Yet with Cheshires lack of an enforceable noise ordinance, as well as the experience of a wedding held in June of 2014 at Hickory Hill Farm that generated considerable blowback from neighbors, granting the change is not a given.

One Cheshire resident, Joe Farrell of Richmond Hill Court, came to the meeting to speak out against the proposed change, arguing that the police and the Town had no control over events that were excessively noisy. He drew a distinction between farm noise that often went unnoticed, even early in the morning, and somebody playing YMCA at 10 p.m. at night. Responding to an earlier comment that the farms were in the area prior to residential developments, Farrell pointed out that the farms were there first but to do farming, not as a wedding venue.

PZC Chair Earl Kurtz III argued that the PZC does have control, limiting the people, limiting the times, limiting it if it gets out of control. They have (the permit) for two years and then we can pull their permits.

I dont think anyone (who) is going to put the time and effort into doing something like this is going to want to make the neighbors upset, he added.

Commissioner Louis Todisco commented that, I suppose if there were 30 very loud weddings in a row, the next year people will be complaining about it and this is something that gets renewed and you can take a look at it at that point.

For his part, Torello was hopeful, but wary, about the possibility of having the new regulation formalized, saying, We built a business, we didnt build a charity. We want our business to be charitable, but at the end of the day we need to make money from it, or the business wont continue.
Years ago, a friend told me about an awkward conversation with a female coworker. In between meetings, he had mentioned a Wall Street Journal article about declining college enrollment for men across America, a trend so advanced that men now trail women by record levels and colleges are ramping up their efforts to recruit men. Expecting a sympathetic response, he was caught off guard when she declared, in a nonplussed tone, And now whose fault is that?

At this point, he remembered that his coworker was a strong advocate for womens rights. He guessed her harsh response was pinned to a belief that sympathy for men would detract from womens longstanding struggle for gender equity. Yet he didnt want to picture these causes as locked in a zero-sum contest. As he put the question to me one afternoon, Cant we care both about womens rights and vulnerable men and boys at the same time?

Its a good question.

Richard Reevess groundbreaking book Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It makes a convincing case that men across the modern world are indeed struggling and need our attention.

Losing ground

Reeves, a Brookings Institution scholar, marshals an array of eye-opening statistics to make his point. For instance, did you know that girls regularly outperform boys in education? Girls are 14 percentage points more likely than boys to be school ready at age five, and by high school, girls now account for two-thirds of students ranked in the top 10 percent, according to GPA. The gender gap widens even further in higher education: In the US, 57 percent of bachelors degrees are awarded to women, and women receive the majority of law degrees. In contrast, men are significantly more likely to stop out (pause their studies) or drop out of college.

Men are also losing ground in the labor market. Labor force participation among prime-age men (2554) has dropped by 7 percent in the past half century, due at least in part to automation and a shift away from well-paying manual-labor jobs to a service economy. The median real hourly wage for working-class men peaked in the 1970s and has been dropping since. And while it is true that men tend to make more than women, Reeves shows that the gender pay gap is largely a parenting gap, in that it has all but disappeared for childless young adults. We primarily have women, not men, to thank for rising middle-class incomes since the 1970s.

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And dads are increasingly in short supply. Traditionally, the male role was culturally defined as a provider for the family. But with greater economic independence for women (a good thing), men are increasingly unable to fill the traditional breadwinner role. The economic reliance of women on men held women down, but it also propped men up, Reeves writes. Now the props have gone, and many men are falling. If men arent necessary as providers anymore, many men question whether theyre really necessary to families at all.

Whats puzzling scholars is that interventions to help men seem to not be helping. Take, for example, Kalamazoo, Michigan. Thanks to a group of benefactors, students in its K12 education system can get their tuition covered for almost any college in the state. Women in the program experience large gains, including a 45-percent increase in their college completion rates, but men, as Reeves observes, seem to experience zero benefit.

Researchers have found similar results elsewhere. A student-mentoring program in Fort Worth; a school-choice program in Charlotte, North Carolina; a program to help low-income wage earners in New Yorkeach shows significant gains for women and girls but not for boys and men. When asked why this is, researchers simply say, We dont really know.

Something is wrong with men. And its a phenomenon Christiansboth men and womenneed to seriously consider.

Male malaise

Of Boys and Men has garnered widespread praise, and for good reason.

Reeves isnt content to simply point out a dispiriting social problem and be on his merry way. He offers solutions. He argues eloquently that we should adopt policies that start boys a year later in the classroom to give their brains time to develop. He makes the case that we need to get men into HEAL occupations, meaning jobs in health, education, administration, and literacyboth because these jobs track with forecasts about the future of the workforce and because they help remove the stigma against men in traditionally female jobs, like nursing or elementary education.

Beyond this, Reeves argues, we need to make a major investment into fatherhood. Engaged fatherhood, he writes, has been linked to a whole range of outcomes, from mental health, high school graduation, social skills, and literacy to lower risks of teen pregnancy, delinquency, and drug use. Its time to think about paid leave for dads, equal child-custody rights for dads after a divorce, and father-friendly, flexible job structures.

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Reeves has written a tremendously thought-provoking, well-researched, and convincing book on the plight of the modern man. As a policy wonk, he proposes policy solutions. And yet, as a Christian, I couldnt help thinking past the question of what to do, essential though it is, and wondering more about the question of why. What kind of male malaise is spreading in our culture?

In a piece for the journal National Affairs, Reeves offers a succinct answer: The problem, he writes, is not that men have fewer opportunities; its that theyre not seizing them. The challenge seems to be a general decline in agency, ambition, and motivation. Though this problem appears particularly bad for working-class men, professional men too are experiencing a broad, global slump in desire.

Since Reeves himself argues that policy interventions are rarely helping men, I couldnt help but wonder: Have shifting economic and cultural norms around male roles have caused not just a social crisis but a spiritual one?

Humility and compassion

What does it mean to be a man? Its a hard question for evangelicals to answer. Many Christian men know what they shouldnt be. They shouldnt conflate Jesus and John Wayne, say, or join the ranks of Christian nationalists. Despite their biological wiring to be more aggressive, risk-taking, and sexually driven than women (there really is science behind this), they know they shouldnt be domineering or unfaithful. In short, they shouldnt live down to the stereotypes of what we often call toxic masculinity.

Its easy to mock chest-beating mens ministries or criticize the good old boys club in a local chamber of commerce. Its much harder, though, to come up with a pro-social definition of masculinity. Yet many men whove lost their sense of direction and purpose long for exactly this: a vision of manhood that both women and men can celebrate.

Of course, there are wonderful examples. Peter Ostapkos beautiful Kinsmen Journal, a magazine heralding faith, fatherhood, and work, comes to mind. As does Arthur Brookss call to faith, work, family, and friendship. I think even an appreciation of the art of manliness can help. Yet these calls to healthy masculinity are too rare.

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Christians can get to work here. We can normalize conversations among men about both work and fatherhood. We canand shouldinvest more time in friendships. We can support lower-income neighbors and coworkers, we can embrace sexuality as a gift of God within marriage, and we can redefine mens work to better include a wider array of occupations.

But can we graciously have a theological conversation about Gods design for both men and women? Can you imagine if womens ministries discussed Of Boys and Men and mens ministries discussed Beth Allison Barrs The Making of Biblical Womanhood? Humility, after all, is a core virtue of the Son of Man.

Im not sure this will happen any time soon. But after reading Reevess balanced, thoughtful book, I can confidently say that if youre a woman and you know a man, hes probably having a hard time. Show him compassion.

And if you are a man, well, lets at least find a way to struggle together.

Jeff Haanenis a writer and entrepreneur. Hes the founder of Denver Institute for Faith and Work and the author of An Uncommon Guide to Retirement: Finding Gods Purpose for the Next Season of Lifeas well as the forthcoming books Working from the Inside Out and God of the Second Shift.

[ This article is also available in Portugues. ]
Are events like the National Prayer Breakfast merely displays of civil religion? What does it look like for Christian political leaders to unite during such a divided time in American life? And what is the role of the government when it comes to managing the influence of social media?



These are just some of the many questions that Delaware Senator Chris Coons and Russell Moore address during todays episode. In light of the upcoming National Prayer Breakfast on February 2, Coons, who has co-organized the event in prior years, talks about what it looks like for such events to have an honest, humble spiritual core.



Coonss interest in authentic faith serves as a throughline for this episode. He and Moore wade into topics such as caring for the unborn, privacy regulations, and disinformation. And the senator talks about welcoming the refugee, praying for your enemies, and making political decisions according to a Christian ethic.



Learn more about Coons and the National Prayer Breakfast:

Click here for a trial membership at Christianity Today.

The Russell Moore Show is a production of Christianity Today

Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper

Host: Russell Moore

Producer: Ashley Hales

Associate Producers: Abby Perry and Azurae Phelps

CT Administration: Christine Kolb

Social Media: Kate Lucky

Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens

Production Assistance: coreMEDIA

Audio Engineer: Kevin Duthu

Coordinator: Beth Grabenkort

Video Producer: John Roland

Theme Song: Dusty Delta Day by Lennon Hutton
Christian school fires staff accused of potential 'multi-million dollar embezzlement scheme'

A Utah-based Christian K-12 academy fired four top administrators for their alleged involvement in what is potentially a multi-million dollar embezzlement scheme involving tuition funds.

The Layton Christian Academy has filed a lawsuit in an effort to recoup some of the losses and prevent the accused individuals from accessing the financial records. On Tuesday, the academy held an open discussion with parents at the Children's Center Auditorium to discuss concerns about a lack of transparency and communication.

As KSL-TV reported Monday, the four terminated individuals are Greg Miller, head of the school; Karen Miller, an administrator; Jared Miller, secondary education principal; and Lexie Miller, a student life advisor. The fired administrators are all members of the same family.

In a Monday letter to the academy's community, Rev. Myke Crowder, founder of Layton Christian Academy and senior pastor at the Christian Life Center in Layton, stated that he "had no choice but to terminate" the four administrators.

"They are immediately terminated from all employment and representation of Christian Life Center Church or Layton Christian Academy, Eagle Elite Sports, or any other programs related to CLC or LCA," Crowder wrote.

Due to pending legal proceedings, the academy founder stated in the same letter that the school could not release further details related to the administrators' termination.

In a separate letter, Crowder promised to address parents' concerns about a lack of communication from school administrators and vowed that new administrative staff would be "open and transparent."

"We recognize the lack of communication that has been happening over the past months has been difficult for many of you. It has been difficult for me to watch as the founder of Layton Christian Academy and the pastor of CLC for over 35 years," Crowder stated.

The Layton Christian Academy did not immediately respond to The Christian Post's request for comment.

In a separate Monday KSL-TV report, the outlet analyzed court documents related to the lawsuit filed by the Christian Life Center, which owns and operates the academy. The church was founded as the First Assembly of God in 1952. Crowder was elected pastor in 1986, and the academy opened in 1993.

The lawsuit alleges that the school administrators were behind a "massive fraud and potentially multi-million dollar embezzlement scheme."

"If the Millers are not stopped, they could financially destroy Christian Life Center as a whole," the document claims.

The legal filings allege the Millers diverted tuition money to support their business ventures. An internal investigation into the scandal began after Myke Crowder's son, Chris Crowder, became suspicious late last year after an $88,000 invoice was discovered.

"We did an internal investigation, and that investigation got to the point where we felt like we needed to turn it over to proper authorities," Crowder said. "Regardless of how many controls you have on transactions, seems like there is always something you can get around."

Last February, a Catholic nun was sentenced to a year in jail after she was convicted of stealing over $825,000 from a California Catholic school where she served as principal.

Court documents allege that Mary Margaret Kreuper diverted funds from St. James Catholic School in the Los Angeles suburb of Torrance "to pay for expenses that the order would not have approved, much less paid for, including large gambling expenses incurred at casinos and certain credit card charges."
Retired Marine recalls divine miracle' in Afghanistan evacuation effort that saved 17,000

Aziz served as an interpreter for retired Force Recon Marine Chad Robichaux during his eight deployments to Afghanistan, saving the veteran's life many times. After President Joe Biden announced the United States would withdraw from Afghanistan in 2021, Robichaux was determined to repay the debt and rescue the man he considered family.

Robichaux's new book, Saving Aziz: How the Mission to Help One Became a Calling to Rescue Thousands from the Taliban, recounts the operation to rescue Aziz. The mission to save his interpreter eventually led to the evacuation of 17,000 vulnerable American citizens, Afghan allies, orphans and persecuted Christians left stranded in the central Asian after the U.S. withdrawal.

In an interview with The Christian Post, Robichaux said he had several concerns as a military strategist after Biden announced a complete withdrawal from Afghanistan in April 2021, which was completed in August 2021.

The veteran said that he thought it was a "mistake" to take the U.S. presence out of "the most strategic place in the globe between Iraq, Iran, Russia and China." He noted that the U.S. keeps troops stationed in Japan, Germany and South Korea, far more than the troops still stationed in Afghanistan, to "keep the world safe and keep us out of wars."

One of Robichaux's greatest concerns was that Aziz and his family would be left behind and targeted by the Taliban.

Before the withdrawal, Aziz had already tried for six years to leave Afghanistan through the special immigrant process. But according to Robichaux, the system is "broken," and Aziz's efforts were unsuccessful.

The retired Marine felt called to get Aziz out. He assembled a team of 12 experienced special operations men who didnt need many resources to operate.

Called the "Saving Our Allies" campaign, the rescue mission was launched through Robichaux's Mighty Oaks Foundation, an organization he founded to help combat veterans struggling with trauma. The team consisted of recon Marines, Navy SEALs, Green Berets and members of the CIA's paramilitary unit.

"And one of the guys said, 'Hey, it's great that you're going to save Aziz and his family,'" Robichaux recalled. "'But what about these other kids? What about other Americans and interpreters and their families?'"

The team felt God calling them to something bigger, to do something for "people who could not help themselves." After obeying God's call, Robichaux said that what he witnessed afterward is something he could only describe as a "divine miracle."

"Not only did we get Aziz and his wife and kids, we got 17,000 people," Robichaux continued.

The U.S. abandoned the Bagram Air Force Base in the withdrawal process and removed the military before evacuating civilians, American allies and billions of dollars worth of equipment.

In August 2021, following the withdrawal of the remaining U.S. troops, the Taliban retook Afghanistan, creating a major evacuation crisis.

"If you would have been on the ground and seen the chaos there, people are being trampled to death because 100,000 people are trying to swarm the airport and get out," Robichaux said.

Some people were so desperate that they resorted to throwing their babies over a wall that was 6 feet high in an attempt to toss them to safety, not knowing at the top of the wall was 20 feet of concertina wire. One of Robichaux's friends, whose name is Joe, counted six babies hung up in the wire on the wall who bled to death.

If Robichaux and his team were to enter that environment, they knew they would need to go outside the military-controlled airport to rescue people.

Something that helped with the rescue effort is that the joint chiefs allowed the team, an NGO civilian operation, to land an aircraft and conduct evacuations.

Within the same time period, the United Arab Emirates allowed Robichaux and the team to bring people without visas that couldn't leave the country to a humanitarian center in Abu Dhabi.

The United Arab Emirates also gave the group a C-17 plane to fly people out. And then, conservative commentator Glenn Beck, a friend of Robichaux's, raised $21 million on the radio to help the Afghan veteran charter planes.

All of these events happened within the span of three days, according to Robichaux, and are the reason for the operation's success.

With only three people in the 12-man team going outside of the airport at a time to evacuate people, the group saved 12,000 people within the first 10 days of the operation, moving them to the humanitarian center in Abu Dhabi.

Despite the terror attack outside of the Kabul Airport, which resulted in the deaths of 13 American servicemembers, Robichaux and his team remained on the ground for another two months to rescue people. Operating out of a place called Mazar-i-Sharif, the group managed to fly another 5,000 people out.

The team also stayed to help people stuck in the Panjshir Valley who needed to get to Tajikistan but could not travel there due to the mountainous terrain and dangerous river rapids.

Another obstacle was the Russian and Chinese military securing that border in addition to the Taliban.

"The best way we could continue to serve was to help provide vital information from the other side of the border," Robichaux said. "We drove about 12 hours to the border, and we spent 10 days on the river, and we did about 90 miles of border reconnaissance."

Any information the group gained from doing reconnaissance they passed on to NGOs attempting to evacuate people and commandos helping to move civilians across.

Years after the Afghanistan withdrawal, with the Taliban banning women from universities and reinstating laws requiring them to wear full face coverings, Robichaux thinks it's important to share the "truth" about what happened and what his team did to recover people.

"God calls us to be obedient," he said. "And I think it's a great story of challenging people to just do the right thing when the right thing needs to be done."

"So this is super important that we get this message out, share the book with people because, from a global security perspective, we can never allow this kind of thing to happen again."
Man arrested for holding God bless the homeless vets sign sues city

A U.S. Army veteran and former truck driver has filed a lawsuit against a city in Georgia after he was arrested for holding a sign that read God bless the homeless Vets.

Jeff Gray filed two lawsuits on Tuesday over being reportedly harassed for carrying the sign, with one suit being against the city of Alpharetta while the other was against Blackshear Police Chief Chris Wright.

The suit against Alpharetta was filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division, and named as defendants Arick Furr and Harold Shoffeitt, both of the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety.

At issue was an incident in which Gray was detained, arrested and charged with allegedly violating the citys anti-panhandling policy, with Gray being banned from the area.

Grays speech about the plight of homeless veterans  whether panhandling or not  and his subsequent questioning of Lt. Furrs actions, was clearly established as protected political expression, stated the complaint. Even if Gray was panhandling, it is clearly established that the First Amendment protects speakers asking others for help.

The suit against Wright was filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, Waycross Division, with Gray being cited for allegedly violating an ordinance against holding a parade, procession, or demonstration without the Blackshear City Councils permission.

But the First Amendment is Grays permission slip. Indeed, a half century ago, the United States Supreme Court made this clear by striking down an almost-identical ordinance in Birmingham, Alabama, read the suit, in part.

The Supreme Court ruled that the ordinance violated the First Amendment by giving local officials unbridled discretion to deny permits to hold a parade, procession or other public demonstration.

For his litigation, Gray is being represented by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a civil liberties group that originally focused solely on First Amendment issues in education.

Jeff Gray doesnt need a government-issued permission slip to speak  the First Amendment is his permission slip, said FIRE attorney Harrison Rosenthal, in a statement released Wednesday.

Speaking out in public areas is a core First Amendment right, whether government officials recognize it or not. If our cities wont teach officers to do their job properly, FIRE will.

Gray operates the YouTube channel HonorYourOath Civil Rights Investigations in which he describes himself as a civil rights investigator, First Amendment auditor, Second Amendment auditor.

In 2021, Gray filed a complaint against officials with the city of Moultrie, Georgia, after he was charged with disorderly conduct in 2019 when he walked around city hall with a sign that read F City Hall, according to the Moultrie Observer.
Missionary parents didnt want to live without suicidal daughter so they decided to die together

Correction Appended

A missionary couple from York County, Pennsylvania, were found dead at their home along with their 26-year-old daughter in what local police say is the result of a tragic suicide pact triggered by their daughters struggle with mental illness.

Investigators said mental illness also likely played a role in the parents decision to die with their daughter.

The couple, James A. Daub, 62, Deborah A. Daub, 59, and their daughter, Morgan E. Daub, 26, were found dead around 11:15 a.m. in their backyard in West Manchester Township, police told PennLive. A neighbor reportedly called 911 after discovering their bodies.

The lead detective in the case, Timothy Fink, told York Dispatch in a statement that each member of the family left behind notes in their own handwriting explaining why they chose to die.

Documents "detailed that Morgan had told her mother that she was having auditory hallucinations which were not getting any better."

After hearing about her daughters desire to die, Deborah and her husband decided they could not live without her.

"Deborah wrote that she didnt want her daughter to pass on alone, so she had decided to end her life with her," Fink said. "The letter written by James indicated that they had told him their plan, and he decided that he didnt want to live without them."

Fink further explained that Morgan assisted her parents in pulling the trigger of the guns used in their deaths before taking her own life. Investigators said they all died of gunshot to the head.

"The note from James Daub indicated that he wished to commit suicide but there were only two guns and he was too shaky to pull the trigger, so Deborah pulled the trigger for him," Fink said. "The note from Deborah stated that she was unable to pull the trigger, so her daughter pulled the trigger  but it should still be considered a suicide."

In a separate PennLive report, one neighbor, who did not want to be identified, said the family had grown isolated over the years and withdrew altogether from the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The saddest thing is something tragic happened and nobody knows them, the neighbor said.

Others, like Mike Landis, say the family who have lived in the quiet middle-class neighborhood since 2000, were once much more outgoing and even hosted three Halloween parties for the neighborhood.

Landis, who lives across the avenue from the Daub familys home, said the traveling missionaries helped him and his son with spiritual counseling as their family weathered a health crisis years ago.

We might have been in their house once or twice over the years, Landis told PennLive. We were doing a lot of praying with them.

Neighbors said Morgan was homeschooled for much of her life, learned to drive late and never had a boyfriend.

Morgan also had a YouTube channel and managed to post three videos that indicated a possible disconnect from reality.

On Tuesday, the day before the killings, she posted a 6-second video featuring a single frame with the statement: FOLLOW ME AS I FOLLOW CHRIST!!!

In November, after the Queen of England died, she uploaded an 8-minute video in which she spoke to viewers directly, telling them she was formally abdicating the throne of England.

Two months before that in September, she uploaded a 29-minute video in which she claimed she and her family were suffering human rights abuses at the hands of a shadow administration being run by former President Donald Trump with the backing of his new spiritual advisory board.

There is more TRUTH in my 30 minutes of unscripted rambling than most of you have heard in the last 30 days. As of yet, I cannot fill in any more details or release any evidence of my truthful claims or explain what started all of this. I stated that my situation is like being forced/conscripted into the U.S. military. Its actually more like slavery, Morgan said.

My family and I are law-abiding American citizens, yet we are being denied fundamental HUMAN RIGHTS. Multiple basic constitutional rights and freedoms have been and are currently being infringed. We are daily enduring all manner of harassment and illegal, unconstitutional surveillance. The majority of this is, shall we say, most likely being executed by Donald Trumps military and intel agencies, she alleged.

Since Trump is behind the scenes running a shadow administration as our lawful, rightful president, we have absolutely NO RECOURSE to fight these heinous actions. It would be an exercise in futility to address this with any government entity, she added. I am hoping that shedding a little light on the subject will make them back off somewhat. If not, at least I have finally broken radio silence on this.

Morgan also claimed the nation was also under massive assault from a shadow administration being run by former President Barack Obama as well.

I am a patriot, and I am an indescribable threat to the entire establishment, which happens to now include Donald Trump, she said. You will find out why I am such a threat soon enough. For now, lets just say that all of these people, shall we say, apparently have a lot of evil crimes to hide, and I am the news now.

--

On Feb. 1, 2023, this article originally reported that Morgan E. Daub attended Messiah College (now Messiah University) in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. However, while Daub applied to the institution in 2015 and was accepted, she never enrolled at the university.
Prayers pour out for Rickey Smiley after son's death: God hold them

Christian comedian and nationally syndicated radio host Rickey Smiley announced the death of his eldest son, Brandon Smiley, in an emotional social media video.

The 54-year-old radio host told his 3.8 million Instagram followers Sunday that he was on his way to Birmingham, Alabama, because his 32-year-old son died.

"I hate to announce this, but I just want to give it to you before you hear it in the streets," Smiley shared. "My son Brandon Smiley has passed away this morning."

Noticeably shaken, Smiley recorded the video while he was waiting for a car to drive him to the airport. He did not share his son's cause of death. While pleading for Jesus to "have mercy," he asked people to pray for him and his family.

"I just want all my cousins and different family members to pray, be strong, and I'm OK," Smiley continued. "Pray for my son's mother and my son's siblings, everybody that was raised with Brandon."

In the video clip, the Sirius XM host revealed that his grandparents also buried their son, his father.

"Life comes with a whole bunch of twist and turns," he added. "Now I see what my granddaddy went through and why he felt the way he felt. My granddaddy went through this **** with my dad, and somehow, here I am going through the same thing my grandparents went through. So just pray for our family."

According to WVTM13, the Jefferson County Coroner's Office in Alabama reported that Brandon Smiley "was found unresponsive at his home Sunday morning shortly after 10 a.m." He was taken to the University of Alamaba at Birmingham Hospital, where he died.

No evidence of foul play or trauma has been reported. The family awaits the cause of death to be determined by laboratory tests.

Upon his announcement, Smiley's celebrity friends shared their prayers in online comments.

"I'm devastated to hear that my friend @RickeySmiley has lost his son Brandon," Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin tweeted. "Rickey has given so much to our city; this is the time when we need to give back to him. Join me in wrapping our arms around him & his family during this difficult time. We're praying for you, Rickey."

Grammy Award-winning Gospel artist Jonathan McReynolds wrote under the Instagram video: "Oh no! I love u man. Praying! May these bad days prove that God is still good."

"Jesus!!!! I am so sorry," Gloden Globe-winning actress Taraji P Henson added.

Reality TV star Yandy Smith wrote her prayer in the comments.

"My God. I pray over this man, this family. Please comfort them the only way you and your angels can. I pray for peace over their spirits. God hold them all at this time," she shared.

Fellow comedians and actors Mike Epps and Bill Bellamy indicated that they are praying.

"My brother we are praying for you and your family what is going on in this world.. so many of these heartbreaking moments. My condolences to you and your family," Bellamy penned.

Brandon Smiley was an actor and comedian as his father was.

He was seen his the reality series "Rickey Smiley For Real," which highlighted how Smiley juggled his career, fatherhood and personal life from his hometown of Birmingham to where he works in Atlanta, Georgia.

Following the video announcement, the grieving father shared a clip from one of his son's past stand-up performances.

Smiley also revealed in another video that the reality of his loss was setting in. He thanked everyone for holding him up in prayer and said his son was supposed to meet his grandmother for church the day he was found dead.



Smiley glorified God and thanked the Lord for the time he had with his son.
Celebration Church founder Stovall Weems launches website to clear family name

Intent on clearing his family's name from "salacious lies that cost us everything," embattled Celebration Church founder Stovall Weems has launched a new website to counter the narrative from current leaders of the Jacksonville, Florida, megachurch where he and his wife, Kerri, were ousted from leadership in 2022 due to allegations of abuse, including financial fraud.

"In 2022, we were accused with salacious lies that cost us everything  our life's work, the ministry we built for God's Kingdom, our jobs, our finances, our reputations, and even many of our dearest friends," Weems wrote on the website called ClearingOurName.com. "The problem is, the accusations that were made and the actions taken against us were lies  not to mention illegal."

Last April, an internal report released by the 12,000-member Celebration Church presented Weems and his wife as abusive, mentally troubled divas who constantly exploited church staff and finances until they were forced to resign from all their positions in the church earlier that month.

They are fighting a push from current Celebration Church leaders to evict them from a Black Hammock Island home purchased as a parsonage. Celebration Church is demanding in a lawsuit that the Weemses vacate the million-dollar waterfront parsonage because they completely resigned from all work with the church in April 2022.

In court documents, it is alleged that Celebration Church trustees analyzed the church's financial position in December 2021 and discovered that the Weemses made "several large financial transactions earlier in 2021 without notice to or authorization from the board."

These transactions included "multiple large transfers to new for-profit entities that the Weemses intended to manage going forward." The motion claims that the church purchased a parsonage for $1.2 million that a company owned by Stovall Weems had purchased four months earlier for $855,000.

The couple was also accused of improper use of $1 million worth of Paycheck Protection Program loan funds to purchase a speculative digital currency known as TurnCoin.

In their own lawsuit against the church, the Weemses allege that they were defamed by the 22-page internal report produced by the Nelson Mullins law firm.

"We all want to move forward and leave the painful emotions we've suffered behind us, but we can't heal without truth; we can't reconcile without truth. The truth must come out and everything must come to the light. Only then can we heal and reconcile," Weems wrote on the website. "Above all, as a man of God, a husband, and a father, I must clear my name and restore the dignity of my wife and kids, so they will no longer walk around this city under a cloud of shame."

On the website, Weems, who is still on a period of prayer and fasting with his family, includes copies of his lawsuits against the church and a review of Celebration Church's internal report by former FBI Special Agent Tom Simon. Simon now works as a licensed private investigator in Florida.

Simon, who said he had no prior relationship with Weems before he was asked to review the Mullins report, said he was paid $4,000 for his services as of the date of the report, Aug. 12, 2022.

"I have never been to Celebration Church, nor did I have any relationship or knowledge of Pastor and Mrs. Weems before this engagement. However, as someone who has written hundreds of investigative reports, it is clear that the first 12 pages of the Nelson Mullins Report were written to embarrass Pastor and Mrs. Weems by cherry-picking stories curated to present the couple in the worst possible light imaginable," Simon wrote in his review that focused mainly on six "improper financial transactions" that Weems is accused of making during his time at the helm of Celebration Church.

While Weems "made decisions that I believe were unwise" in some cases concerning his dealings at the church, Simon said Weems' actions were mainly within his legal authority, and church leaders were given notice of his actions as he carried out these deals. Simon further argued that the Nelson Mullins report did not give readers sufficient context to arrive at a fair conclusion.

"It is almost as if the authors of the Nelson Mullins Report deliberately set out to ignore all the relevant factors surrounding their six 'Improper Financial Transactions.' This appears to be an attempt to make Pastor Weems look as bad as possible in managing the church he founded with the Board he established. This is why it is instructive in any internal investigation to understand the motives of the subject," Simon argued.

"A subject interview is valuable to understanding the decisions made in real-time without the benefit of hindsight. Pastor and Mrs. Weems made repeated requests to be interviewed by the 15 authors of the Nelson Mullins Report, but the authors declined or neglected to schedule a meeting with the Pastor and his wife," he continued.

Highlighting Weems' decisions that were "unwise," Simon said he is "highly-skeptical of TurnCoin as an investment vehicle."

"Time will tell if it was a good investment or not, but I believe that he acted in good faith and in the best interest of Celebration Church (and related entities) in each of the 'Improper Financial Transactions' detailed in the Nelson Mullins Report," he added.

"In conclusion, I do not believe the evidence supports the assertion that Pastor Weems breached his fiduciary duties to Celebration Church, committed fraud, unjustly enriched himself at the expense of the Church, or failed to meet the fiduciary duties and standards of care required by the office."
Time to hold Hezbollah accountable: Christians under fire in Lebanon

The Lebanese Christian strong political impact has always been part of Lebanon's unique character and identity. Still, Hezbollah's militia is trying to change this reality with a series of threats to Christian leaders.

The armed militia that enjoys tremendous dominance in Lebanon is trying to subordinate the Christians of Lebanon and turn them into another weak minority in the Middle East that does not have a role in the political scene in their historic homeland.

The latest aggression by Hezbollah manifested itself against the prominent Christian leader Ibrahim Murad, the President of the Syriac Union Party in Lebanon, now skulking from Hezbollah's militants after he called on the Lebanese people to protest the militia's hegemony that's dragging Lebanon into an economic and political collapse.

Murad's calls during a media interview were misinterpreted by Shia media networks close to Hezbollah as sectarian anti-Muslim rhetoric.

Murad was summoned and questioned by a criminal detective close to Hezbollah and released a few hours later due to a medical issue, but he was again summoned for further investigation.

Besides investigating Murad, Hezbollah's media is portraying him as an enemy of Muslims and Islam, which caused Murad to go into hiding until today as extremists close to Hezbollah are calling for his death.

From his unknown location, Murad clarified that he did not target the Muslims in Lebanon in his previous interview, where he was asking the Lebanese people to protest Hezbollah's corruption.

In his statement, Murad insisted that Hezbollah's threats and fabricated rhetoric won't stop him from speaking up against the Iran-linked Lebanese militia.

Murad as a Christian leader may resist the threats. Still, many Christians are giving up and choosing to leave Lebanon. Its increasingly becoming a place where Christians cant thrive and express themselves freely.

Many similar incidents have happened in the last few years where Hezbollah tried to terrorize Christian leaders, whether directly through government branches close to the militia, or armed men close to the party.

A few months ago, the Lebanese Maronite Archbishop Moussa El-Hage was detained and summoned to court after coming back to Lebanon from a trip to the Maronite churches in Israel.

In October 2021, Hezbollah militants terrorized the Christian neighborhood of Tayoneh by dispatching the Shia fighters into the area, armed with anti-tank missiles and heavy weapons, chanting sectarian anti-Christian slogans. This incident happened while Hezbollah was trying to protest the decisions of the Lebanese Christian judge Tarq Bitar who is investigating the 2020 Beirut port explosion that led to the destruction of many Christian neighborhoods.

While the world was busy trying to defeat the Islamic State, another Islamic Shia state has risen in the Levant and Iraq. It's time to understand that Iran-backed militia, especially the one that has de facto control over Lebanon, is causing endless suffering and damage to the stability of the entire Levant.

Seeing Lebanon turning from a free community and a safe haven for Christians in the region is killing the last hope for the indigenous Christian community in the Middle East.

The time to hold Hezbollah accountable is long overdue. The US and its regional partners can take more severe steps to loosen Hezbollah's control over Lebanon. It's never too late to save Lebanon from Iran's clutches. With determined leaders like Ibraheem Murad, Samir Geagea, and many more Christian, Sunni, Druz, and even Shia figures, it's still possible to form a strong front that can lead the struggle against Hezbollah. All it takes is a firm American decision to support the Lebanese people in their battle to take Lebanon back.
Jinger Duggar Vuolo on 'disentangling' truth of the Gospel from problematic upbringing

To the millions of TV viewers who watched her grow up, Jinger Duggar Vuolos life seemed almost utopian in nature.

She, her 18 siblings and their parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, appeared on the long-running TLC series 19 Kids and Counting in a counter-cultural way that both intrigued and inspired millions of viewers: They dressed modestly, actively participated in the church, didnt dance, drink or smoke, and, instead of dating, courted their future spouses.

But beneath the veneer, Vuolo was struggling with deep-seated feelings of inadequacy and shame, tortured by the belief that should she misstep, she would be removed from Gods favor.

The former star of Counting On and her siblings were taught to adhere to the strict teachings promoted by the Institute in Basic Life Principles, an organization established by disgraced minister Bill Gothard in 1961.

With guidance on everything from avoiding music with a worldly beat and band T-shirts to the finances and the family structure, Gothards teaching offered the same promises the health and wealth gospel promotes: "Follow these rules, and your life will be richly blessed by God."

In the teachings I grew up with, everything's black and white: If you live a certain way, you'll be blessed by God, Himself, the 29-year-old recalled in an interview with The Christian Post. In one of [Gothards] seminars, I remember him saying, Life is a very delicate cause and effect sequence. So if you live by my principles  which he would say were biblical principles  your life will be a success, and God will make you prosper in everything that you do. And if you don't, your life will be one disaster after another.

But that's how I lived my life. I thought how God operated was based on these principles.

In her 20s, Vuolo began to question the ideologies she was raised with, largely due to the influence of her brother-in-law, Ben Seewald, and her now-husband, Jeremy Vuolo. That first step of questioning her childhood beliefs and realizing that Gothards teachings were not only warped but entirely unbiblical, she said, was scary.

That first step of like realizing, Oh, this is not true  it's scary because you're told not to question it. You're told not to think for yourself, you're told what to think. And so once you stop and say, Is this really what the Word of God says? And you realize it's not, it feels like your whole foundation is shaken.

As a believer, as somebody who really wants to glorify God and know what God thinks, know what pleases Him, I'm going to go back to the Word of God for my answers, even if that takes me years of working through what I've been taught and saying, OK, well, I remember what this verse said, according to this teacher, but what does it actually say? What was the actual context? What is the theme of the Word of God? And what does this look like in my life? How should I live my life accordingly?

Faced with the realization that Gothard was a false teacher, Vuolo ultimately walked away from IBLP altogether. Now a mother of two young girls, Vuolo said she began contemplating sharing her story in 2017 after realizing just how many other people were following his principles; principles she said in no way reflect the true Gospel.

I've heard stories about people who left the faith entirely because they were so confused about who Jesus was, and they were really sold a false view of God in the Bible, she said. And so that really got me thinking, I want to say something eventually, but at that point, I wasn't ready. I definitely was not ready to speak or to say much on it because I was still working through a lot myself.

And after six years of studying Scripture and committing to truly understanding what the Bible  and not Gothard  said about living a holy life, Vuolo is sharing her story in her book, Becoming Free Indeed: My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear.

She described writing the book as the most difficult thing Ive ever done.

The community I was raised in is so tight-knit, and I had a lot of fear surrounding that, that it may not be accepted or I may lose friends over it. And so that was probably one of the things that kept me from writing it for so long, was just being ready to emotionally go through all of this, she said.

Unlike others raised with some of the strict ideologies prevalent in the late '90s and early 2000s, Vuolo stressed she is not deconstructing her faith. Rather, shes disentangling the truth of the Gospel from some of the problematic doctrines she was raised to believe.

Deconstructing is pulling apart everything and tearing it all down to the studs, never to build it up again. And that's just not what I'm doing, and that's not my story, she said.

Mine has been one of disentangling, which is pulling apart. It's a slow process, pulling out the error, and examining everything according to the Word of God. It's much harder to do, I'm sure, than deconstructing, because people who deconstruct just throw it all out there, like, 'I'm done. Im going to live my life how I want to. But that's not true freedom. True freedom is not found in throwing off all the strings, all rules. It is found in knowing the person Jesus Christ, and coming to the Word of God.

When she first left IBLP and began wearing pants, Vuolo said she spoke to her parents  who previously spoke at IBLP seminars across the country  to share her beliefs and newfound perspective. She also shared she was going to write a book about her experience.

I wanted them to know that I am committed to loving God and walking in a way that pleases Him, she said.



Gothard, now 88, led the controversial church until 2014 when more than 30 women accused him of harassment and molestation. In her book, Vuolo details how Gothard would surround himself with young girls, some of whom were still minors, in the name of service to God.

She writes: I dont want to describe all the awful things they accused him of  But even if half of what these ladies say is true, Gothard should be permanently disqualified from ministry.

Vuolo compares her brother, Josh, to Gothard. The Duggars TLC show was canceled in 2015 in the wake of reports that Josh Duggar had molested girls as a teen, including two of his sisters, Jessa Seewald and Jill Dillard.

In December 2021, Duggar, who had resigned six years earlier from his position as executive director of the pro-family group Family Research Council Action, was convicted on two counts of receiving and possessing child pornography following his arrest eight months earlier. The former TLC personality and father of seven was sentenced to 12.5 years in prison in May 2022.

Environments focused on external behaviors and outward appearance and not the condition of the heart, Vuolo said, fuel the kind of destructive behavior Josh engaged in for years.

Ive seen so many families where there's destruction inside, and it fueled that, that because whatever you're focused on the outward stuff, what you're supposed to say, where you're supposed to go, not go, it can produce so much of this outward, I'm OK, and inside who knows what's happening. It fuels a lot of that because there's such a focus on this purity culture of being so pure, but then you're missing the element that will keep you pure, which is out of love for God.

You can put up whatever face you want on the front, but it all goes back to having a relationship with Jesus, she continued. That's where it all begins and ends, and so if that's not there, then you're just putting up a front for everyone to see until that's exposed as who you really are.

Vuolo said that though the situation surrounding her brother is difficult to talk about and heartbreaking, she is grateful for justice being served in this situation.

I'm grateful for the Lord exposing that, she said. My heart just breaks for the victims and families now they've walked through.

Though she has a clear understanding of just how problematic her religious upbringing was, Vuolo believes her parents, like many others, came from a place of simply wanting to protect their children from the world.

You can do your best as a parent but at the end of the day, you have to trust God, she said. I think that's where a lot of parents got tied up in it, wanting the best for their kids. And ultimately, it ends up bringing harm because that type of man-made religion can build up your kids to perform well, and they can have the fear that grips them and cripples them into obedience, because you think, If I step outside of this box, if I listen to rock music, I might be killed in a car accident, OK, thats scary. So youre motivated by fear and not out of the love for God.

Today, Vuolo and her family attend John MacArthurs church, Grace Community Church, in Sun Valley, California. She also appreciates the teachings of Evangelical pastors like Alistair Begg, John Piper and Tim Keller.

Now, Vuolo said she wants to model for her daughters what it means to truly be a child of God: Deeply flawed and deeply loved. Being performative and people-pleasing, she said, doesn't reflect the grace He freely offers.

I want my kids to see  me having a relationship with Jesus. It's not that I'm going be this perfect person, she said. But whenever I fail, the grace of God is there to carry me through. And hopefully just to exemplify that to my kids, because no one's perfect, and people let you down, I will let my kids down, but hopefully, point them to the One who will never let them down. That's where I want to point my kids. And also that's who I want to be is before God, the same person in public as I am in private.

Through sharing her story, Vuolo said she prays others can know the joy found in Jesus alone and set aside limiting roles and the worlds perspective. And to others who might be struggling with their faith due to a difficult upbringing or have been hurt by the Church, she offered a word of encouragement:

Run to God. Run to Him alone, and quiet your heart before Him and say, I'm confused. I don't understand, and go to the Word of God and read it in its context.  Go into a church that's teaching the Word of God carefully.  It's so helpful because you start to see the beauty of who Jesus really is. And amidst all that pain and stuff you're working through, Jesus is our only hope.

We can turn to the world for answers, we can turn to wherever for answers, but it's never going to last. It's never going to satisfy. Only Jesus Himself, having a relationship with God through Jesus is our only hope."
Pastor Glenn Daman renews focus on attributes of God in 'Lighthouse'

What are you supposed to do when your church is forced to shut its doors? Magnify the attributes of God, of course.

At least thats what Glenn Daman, a longtime pastor in Washington state, decided to do after COVID-19 hit his church and sent his congregation scattering in a matter of days.

I felt, OK, what do people need to know? They need to know how great God is and who He is, and then how do I connect with people when we cant meet? Daman told The Christian Post. Thats kind of the basis of the book, how do we get a handle on God in the context of COVID to give us that perspective?

It was from those early days of the pandemic that the idea for Damans new book, The Lighthouse: Discovering Security in the Radiance of God's Character, was born.

Daman said as Christians contemplate a new year and seemingly infinite possibilities and challenges, a study on the attributes of God can ground us theologically to weather whatever the coming months might bring.

Our country is facing not a moral crisis, but a theological crisis, he said. The one thing we need to do is develop a more holistic understanding of the character of God so that were looking at Him in terms of the totality of His nature, not just in certain aspects of His character that we find more appealing than others.

In Lighthouse, Daman uses his over 35 years of experience in ministry along with his theological background  with master's degrees in both Old Testament and New Testament Studies from Western Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Trinity Evangelical School  to call Christians back to a biblical understanding of God and His character.

We have a deficient view of God and we need to delve into Scripture to gain a full understanding of Him as hes revealed Himself through the whole pages of Scripture, he said.

Not only is the Bible a story about redemption and salvation, its also about God revealing Himself and wanting a relationship with us, and to do that we need to understand Him in His character and not just what we want Him to be.

In exploring a number of Gods characteristics, from His knowledge and wisdom to His goodness and holiness, and even a look at The God Who Is Present in those times and seasons when we might not quite believe that He is, Daman hopes to offer a fresh vision of Jesus through a daily devotional format that not only better understands Him, but connects His character to our own lives.

One of those attributes is the Fatherhood of God, which Daman says is an aspect with which many can easily identify.

When we think of a father who loves his children and is willing to do anything for his kids, I think thats why God uses that analogy, is because its something we can connect with on a personal level, he said.

One of the great mysteries of the Gospel, Daman added, is that through Christ Jesus, the Father elevates those who belong to Him as co-heirs with His Son.

That is a unique thing with all of creation, that Hes given us that privilege to enter into that relationship where were not just a worshiper of God, but were actually His children, that he regards us in terms of that relationship and that access, the same way he views Christ, that we have that access into his presence, he said.

Now more than ever, Christians tend to distort and even minimize the character of God both in the Church and in church culture, said Daman.

Oftentimes that comes through evangelism and the contemporary focus on Gods love, he explained.

This whole movement that God loves everybody and therefore, it doesnt matter who they are or what sin they embrace, God will just love them ... Well, its true that God does love us, but we also have to put His love in the context of His holiness and His righteousness and His justice."

Perhaps the biggest problem in the Church today, Daman added, is that Christians have turned Jesus into a smorgasbord God.

He said Christians often go through it like a smorgasbord and say, I go to the dessert table first because thats the best, and ya know, skip the brussel sprouts. And we kind of do that with God, we say we like His love so well heap on that. We dont wanna talk about His justice, or His wrath, or His anger and hatred of sin, so we ignore that.

Well then, that creates a different god.

Daman said the challenge for Christians in todays cultural context is to see all aspects of Gods character, not just one part.

If you have a loving god thats not a just god, you have a loving god who tolerates and maybe even condones sin, or hes powerless to do anything about sin, ... when we dissect God and we just zero in on one of His attributes to the exclusion of others, it will inevitably distort His character and it will minimize Him, rather than see Him in His total grandeur.
The Chief Minister had made many requests to the PM and finance minister regarding Polavaram but these did not help. (Photo: Twitter)

VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh failed to get several of its proposals included in the Union Budget 2023. No fund has been earmarked for the Polavaram irrigation project as also for fulfilling the pending bifurcation assurances. The Budget also had no mention of the railway corridor.

Notably, however, the Central Budget earmarked Rs 47 crore for AP Central University, Rs 168 crore for the Petroleum University, Rs 683 crore for Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, Rs 37 crore for the Tribal Universities of AP and TS, Rs 6,835 crore for 22 AIIMS hospitals of India including the AIIMS Mangalagiri.

YSR Congress MPs Mithun Reddy, Margani Bharat and Mopidevi Venkataramana expressed dissatisfaction over the way the Budget did not consider the states plea. "We will fight for Special Category Status, fulfillment of the bifurcation assurances, Polavaram etc in the ongoing Parliament Session," they said.

A sum of Rs 41,338 crore was shown as APs share in central taxes and Rs 21,479 as TSs share.

Mithun Reddy said there was no mention of the bifurcation assurances despite the passing of nine years since 2014. Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had raised the issue of non-fulfillment of the bifurcation promises in a recent meeting he had with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Visakhapatnam.

The MP lamented that there were no special allocations to the backward districts. The Chief Minister had made many requests to the PM and finance minister regarding Polavaram but these did not help.

Rajya Sabha member Mopidevi Venkataramana said that the Centre has prioritised the promotion of agriculture, small and medium scale industries, housing for the poor, fisheries, PMMS Y (Pradhana Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana) etc in the Budget. He affirmed, "Achieving Special Category Status is our main agenda for which we will fight till the end."

MP Margani Bharat expressed disappointment that AP has nothing special in the Budget 2023. "CM Jagan is setting up 18 new medical colleges in the state. Of these, the Centre is giving funds to only three and we are seeking funds for the other MCs too."

He said a third line should be given to Visakhapatnam-Vijayawada. "The Kovvuru-Bhadrachalam railway line has been pending for many years. Laying of this line will cover a distance of 70 km from Hyderabad/Secunderabad."

He sought funds for Visakhapatnam-Chennai industrial corridor.
Cruel, unjust, evil: Christian leaders react to the police killing of Tyre Nichols

Many prominent Christian leaders from across theological backgrounds have weighed in on the police killing of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols earlier this month, denouncing the incident as inhumane.

Last week, security footage was released showing Nichols being brutally beaten by five police officers, all of whom were black, in Memphis, Tennessee, during a routine traffic stop on Jan. 7. He succumbed to his injuries in the hospital three days later on Jan. 10.

Memphis officials recently released multiple videos of the incident. It took 26 minutes for Nichols to begin receiving medical treatment after being assaulted by officers. There was no indication that Nichols fought back. The officers were charged with second-degree murder, official misconduct and aggravated kidnapping.

In response to the killing, protesters gathered in cities across the United States last Friday, with many calling for changes to the system in response to this latest incident of police brutality.

The following pages highlight the responses from five Christian leaders to Nichols' killing.

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Pro-life church 'heartbroken' after young child found alive in dumpster

Members of a small pro-life church in Ardmore, Oklahoma, were left heartbroken Saturday after local police discovered a baby in their dumpster.

While Ardmore police did not identify the church where they found the child in the dumpster, Associate Pastor Ed Skidmore of House of Prayer on Harris Street told The Christian Post in an interview Tuesday that the baby was found at their church.

Of course we were absolutely heartbroken, Skidmore said. Were pro-life from the moment of conception. We support babies in the womb. We support our local pregnancy center. We support mothers. Our hearts have gone out to the dad, the mom, the baby. We are absolutely heartbroken.

The parents and baby have no known affiliation with the church where the child was left.

Ardmore police told WLBT 3 that the young child was found around 3 p.m. and was in stable condition as of Saturday night but did not reveal much else about the discovery. Investigators did not immediately respond to requests from CP for more information.

Skidmore told CP that investigators on the scene told him that it was the mother who alerted them that the baby was left in the dumpster and that no one was at the church at the time the baby was left there.

I did talk to the police officers that were here and they did say that it was the mother that gave them the information to where the baby was and she was at another location. Thats all they would tell me, Skidmore said.

He explained that while the baby was not a newborn, the child was several weeks old based on what he was told.

Skidmore further noted that even though his small congregation of approximately 60 members does not offer support for mothers in crisis, the town has many resources to help.

I do know that we have a wonderful pregnancy center here in town that works with lots of women and provides many avenues of help for women that are pregnant that want to keep their baby, he said.

I dont know any of the circumstances behind the situation  [but] I know this  in this world without Christ, the enemy will try to tell us that there are permanent solutions to temporary problems, he said. And when we are not surrounded by people that really care for us it can spin out of control really fast. But we were heartbroken [by the dumping of the baby].

Skidmore said he doesnt know why the mother chose to dump her child but said he told his church, which has never experienced anything like this in the eight years he has served in leadership, it should be taken as a divine message to pray more.

This is what I told my congregation. I dont know if this was an area of town that she lived in, I dont know. But I know that that baby was here so that we could be as a body praying specifically, he said. We just need to bind our hearts together to pray for the mom and dad and the child. We have a wonderful congregation. Were just heartbroken that somebody was put in a position of hopelessness like that.
DeSantis proposes ban on critical race theory, diversity curriculum at Florida universities No more degrees in 'zombie studies,' governor tells reporters

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled a new series of proposed reforms Tuesday to the state's higher education system, including eliminating all diversity, equity and inclusion and critical race theory curriculum.

During a media briefing at the State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota, DeSantis, a potential 2024 Republican presidential nominee, laid out a sweeping package of changes he said would help "to ensure higher education is rooted in the values of liberty and Western tradition."

Among those proposals is establishing tighter controls on faculty tenure, which in addition to the scheduled reviews that are currently administered, would allow Florida university boards and presidents to review tenured faculty "at any time."

With State University System of Florida Chancellor Ray Rodrigues on hand, DeSantis said he wants to return "authority over the hiring process" back to university presidents.

Alongside an effort to create "civics institutes" at three state campuses, DeSantis is also seeking to completely eliminate what he called the "bureaucracies" behind DEI and CRT curriculum.

"We are also going to eliminate all DEI and CRT bureaucracies in the state of Florida," he said at the briefing. "No funding, and that will wither on the vine. And I think that's very important because it really serves as an ideological filter, a political filter."

The critical race theory framework dates back to the 1970s. It is defined as a "movement" of "activists and scholars interested in studying and transforming the relationship among race, racism, and power."

Encyclopedia Britannica defines critical race theory as "an intellectual movement and loosely organized framework of legal analysis based on the premise that race is not a natural, biologically grounded feature of physically distinct subgroups of human beings but a socially constructed (culturally invented) category that is used to oppress and exploit people of colour."

"[C]ritical race theorists hold that the law and legal institutions in the United States are inherently racist insofar as they function to create and maintain social, economic, and political inequalities between whites and nonwhites, especially African Americans," the reference resource states.

Conservatives have argued that critical race theory is divisive and wrongfully vilifies members of certain races.

At the event Tuesday, the governor's staff handed out fliers with the heading "Education not indoctrination" to members of the media who attended the briefing.

In the flier, DeSantis advocates for changes to university standards and course content, which includes requiring Florida schools to "prioritize graduating students with degrees that lead to high-wage jobs, not degrees designed to further a political agenda."

As part of the budget, the governor proposed $100 million for "recruitment and retention of highly qualified faculty at state universities," along with "world-class civics institutes" at Florida State University, the University of Florida and Florida International University.

The proposals were announced as both DeSantis and state lawmakers unveiled their budget and legislative agendas ahead of the session in March.

They also come just weeks after a report requested by DeSantis found Florida academic institutions spent more than $34 million on DEI and CRT curricula.

According to data from the Florida Department of Education, 12 State University System universities spent $34.5 million.

Earlier this month, The College Board, a nonprofit organization that works to offer greater access to higher education, agreed to DeSantis' demand to revise its national Advanced Placement course in African American studies after it was found to contain CRT elements.

The Florida Department of Education's Office of Articulation wrote a Jan. 12 letter to the College Board informing the oversight body that the course doesn't comply with state law.

"The content of this course is inexplicably contrary to Florida law and lacks educational value," the letter reads.

The relevant state law, known as the Stop WOKE Act, outlines a list of concepts that schools must not teach because they constitute discrimination based on "race, color, national origin, or sex."

In response, Pastor Andy Oliver of Allendale United Methodist Church in St. Petersburg offered his church as a space to teach the subject.

In an interview with The Christian Post, Oliver said he sees teaching the content of the course as essential to his congregation's mission.

"We have an important job as Christians to know our history, to know the history of harm specifically that African Americans have experienced in this country," he said. "I lead a congregation that sees it as a central part of our faith to stand with those who are marginalized and oppressed because that's where Jesus always located himself."
Homeschool network accused of teaching kids to be 'wonderful Nazis' under investigation in Ohio

A homeschooling group accused of teaching children white supremacist ideologies with the goal of instructing them on how to "become wonderful Nazis" is under investigation by Ohio's Department of Education.

"I am outraged and saddened," Stephanie K. Siddens, interim superintendent of public instruction for the Ohio Department of Education, wrote in a statement to The Christian Post.

"There is absolutely no place for hate-filled, divisive and hurtful instruction in Ohio's schools, including our state's home-schooling community," she continued. "I emphatically and categorically denounce the racist, antisemitic and fascist ideology and materials being circulated as reported in recent media stories."

The Dissident Homeschool group, which has over 2,500 members on the communication application Telegram, is operated by Logan and Katja Lawrence, a couple from Upper Sandusky, Ohio.

A majority of the homework assignments and lesson plan materials shared with other parents in the group contain references to Nazi ideology and admiration for Adolf Hitler, as VICE reported Monday, citing research from the anti-fascist Anonymous Comrades Collective.

Katja Lawrence, a 37-year-old mother, also shared that her family bakes a Fuhrer cake for Hitler's birthday, sharing a recording of her children shouting "sieg heil" as an example of how they all embrace Nazi ideology.

A spokesperson for the department provided background on the process for homeschooling in Ohio, noting that the department is actively reviewing the Dissident Homeschool group's compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.

"Each day, educators, school leaders and family members work to make Ohio's school communities, including our home-school settings, places where students are encouraged, motivated and inspired through positive, inclusive and caring behavior," Siddens said.

Citing the state's laws regarding homeschooling, a state spokesperson highlighted how parents who opt out of traditional school must provide 900 hours of instruction every year and complete an assessment report of the student's work.

"Per Ohio law, the Ohio Department of Education does not review or approve home school curriculum," the spokesperson wrote.

"Families that choose to home school must notify the student's district of residence of their intent to home school the student and meet the requirements outlined in Ohio Administrative Code 3301-34-03 so the student can be released from required compulsory school attendance."

As The Christian Post reported, recent reports suggest that incidents of anti-Semitism against Jewish people have reached record levels in the United States.

The Anti-Defamation League, a leading Jewish civil rights organization, published an audit of anti-Semitic incidents in April 2022, recording over 2,717 acts of assault, vandalism and harassment nationwide in 2021, the most since ADL began tracking the statistic in 1979.

"Attacks against Jewish institutions, including Jewish community centers (JCCs) and synagogues, were up by 61 percent, incidents at K-12 schools increased 106 percent, and incidents on college campuses rose 21 percent," the report states.

"Assaults  considered the most serious incident type because it involves person-on-person physical violence triggered by antisemitic animus  increased 167 percent, jumping to a total of 88 reports in 2021 from 33 in 2020. Incidents of harassment were up 43 percent, and acts of antisemitic vandalism rose 14 percent."

According to the ADL's annual Campus Report, published in November 2022, more than 350 anti-Israel incidents occurred on college campuses during the 2021-2022 school year. Some of the incidents included 143 anti-Israel events, 165 protests and actions and 20 Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) resolutions and referenda.

The Jewish advocacy organization also reported 11 instances of vandalism, 19 instances of targeted verbal and written harassment, and one case involving a physical assault.
Scotland pauses housing of violent male trans inmates in female prisons amid outcry over rapist

Scotland's government has paused the housing of trans-identified inmates with violent histories in all-female prisons following the controversy surrounding a biological male convicted of rape who identifies as a woman being remanded to a female prison.

Justice Secretary Keith Brown announced Sunday that the government is reviewing its policies on housing trans-identified inmates and that newly convicted trans inmates will not be placed in female prisons if they have a history of violence against women. Additionally, no trans-identified inmates with violent histories already in custody will be transferred from male prisons to all-female prisons.

The move comes after inmate Isla Bryson, who was twice convicted of rape before identifying as a woman, was initially remanded to Cornton Vale women's prison pending a sentence. Bryson was transferred to HMP Edinburgh due to concerns about the female inmates' safety.

Over the weekend, another trans-identifying inmate, Tiffany Scott, who was convicted of stalking a 13-year-old girl and had a history of violence before transitioning, was due to be transferred to the Cornton Vale women's prison.

First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon believes that the country's ministers are dealing with the situation in an "appropriate way."

"These are difficult issues  again issues not associated to changes to recent legislation  these are issues many countries are dealing with and we are dealing with them responsibly to give public satisfaction and reassurance and acting in a way that's challenging the notion that trans people generally pose threats to women or anyone else," Sturgeon told the BBC Tuesday.

A review of the Bryson case is underway, and the Scottish Prison Service is conducting a review of its policies, according to the BBC.

The first minister said that the point is not to override the prison service's authority but to bring "absolute clarity" amid public concern. She denied knowledge of the government intervention with Bryson's transfer.

"Let's allow the review to take its course, but I think what we have set out on a temporary basis is likely to give an indication of the direction of travel," Sturgeon said. "From my point of view, it's not so important what gender they are; it's the crimes that they have committed.

"In the case of the one that was in the media last week, this is an individual who has committed very serious crimes and committed acts of rape," she continued.

Brown stated that trans-identified women don't pose an "inherent threat" to women. Instead, "predatory men" are the "risk to women."

"[A]s with any group in society, a small number of trans women will offend and be sent to prison," Brown said in a statement.

As The Christian Post reported, many female inmates or formerly incarcerated women in the United States have expressed concern about placing biological men in women's jails.

In a bonus episode of CP's podcast series, "Generation Indoctrination: Inside The Transgender Battle," former inmate Amie Ichikawa recalled telling her disbelieving family that she had been locked up at the Central California Women's Facility along with men.

"It's the most helpless feeling I've had to date," Ichikawa said.

"Just to know that you have absolutely no control of your environment, your own physical wellbeing, your mental health, nothing. And there's really no one you can talk to about it. It's so unbelievable that I would call home every day crying for weeks, trying to explain to my family that there was a serial rapist housed here. And that this is legal, that the state really did it," she continued.

"[My family] thought I was delusional," Ichikawa added. "And that just adds to the helplessness, the feeling of utter vulnerability. It's just like you're emotionally naked. And it creates this cloud of hopelessness that sits over the entire prison. The whole population is on pins and needles and it creates more tension."
UMC agency gives grant to LGBT advocacy group despite ban on funding gay caucuses

An official body of The United Methodist Church recently announced plans to give a grant to an LGBT advocacy group, even though the denominations rules prohibit the funding of groups that promote homosexuality.

In December, The General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church announced that it was bestowing more than $98,000 in grant funding to various organizations to promote justice initiatives this year.

One of the organizations given a grant was Reconciling Ministries Network, a group that is not officially part of the UMC, but has lobbied for the denomination to be more accepting of homosexuality and same-sex marriage.

According to the announcement, RMN was given a grant as part of a project on intersectionality, specifically to create materials for a Curriculum, or multimedia resource in a Vacation Bible School format serving whole congregations, small groups, and Childrens Sunday School classes from a variety of theological perspectives.

The purpose is to invite faith communities into a deeper understanding of intersectional justice as a means for creating more peace-filled, holistic communities, explained GBCS in its announcement.

The decision to give a grant to RMN might run afoul of the UMC Book of Discipline, however, namely the section on the UMC General Council on Finance and Administration.

According to paragraph 613, responsibilities of the UMC GCFA include ensuring that no annual conference board, agency, committee, commission, or council shall give United Methodist funds to any gay caucus or group, or otherwise use such funds to promote the acceptance of homosexuality or violate the expressed commitment of The UMC not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay members and friends.

This restriction shall not limit the Churchs ministry in response to the HIV epidemic, nor shall it preclude funding for dialogs or educational events where the Churchs official position is fairly and equally represented, the section continued.

The Christian Post reached out to The General Board of Church and Society for clarification on this situation, with a spokesperson confirming that $2,000 had been set aside for the RMN grant.

Regarding the Book of Disciplines prohibition on UMC bodies funding groups that promote the acceptance of homosexuality, the spokesperson emailed a comment on Tuesday explaining that the board did not believe the grant violated denominational rules.

The Church and Society Board of Directors evaluated the Intersectional Justice initiative from Reconciling Ministries Network for the Peace with Justice Grant and believe the program is in line with the GBCS grant policy and not in conflict with the United Methodist Book of Discipline, stated the comment.

The GBCS has been known for taking progressive stances on political issues, having previously been a member of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice before the UMC General Conference voted in 2016 to cut ties to the abortion advocacy group.

In 2013, as the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments on whether California could ban gay marriage, the GBCS-owned United Methodist Building in Washington, D.C., allowed same-sex marriage protestors to use their facilities for organizing their rally.

Mark Tooley, president of the theologically conservative Institute on Religion & Democracy, told CP in an interview back in 2013 that GBCS had a history of being very liberal politically and theologically.

[GBCS] largely ignores the church's stance on homosexuality, routinely lobbying for its overthrow at the denomination's governing General Conference every four years, said Tooley at the time.
Church, school reflect on faith of 5 young adults killed in car crash: 'We praised God, said our last goodbyes'

The tremendous faith of the five young adults killed in a car accident on their way home from a Bible college was highlighted by their classmates and peers at vigils held at their church and school last week.

According to KARK, students and teachers at Sylvan Hills High School in Sherwood, Arkansas, joined together on Thursday for a balloon release to honor the lives of the young adults who lost their lives in a fatal car crash in Wyoming on their way back from visiting Jackson Hole Bible College.

The deceased included Sylvan Hills High School seniors Susana "Suzy" Prime and Ava Luplow, Salomon Correa, 21, Maggie Franco, 20, and 23-year-old Andrea Prime, Suzy's sister.

Juan Silva, a student at Jackson Hole Bible College in Wyoming, revealed the students were visiting him and died on their way home. He described his friends as good representatives of Christ and living like Christ.

We went to go eat and we were talking about the Lord  how good and wonderful His plans are, he said. We praised God and said our last goodbyes, but I didnt know it was going to be our last goodbyes.

Whats comforted me a lot is Psalm 46:1 and it says that God is our refuge and strength  very present help in trouble, Silva added.

Isaac Riley, who was close friends with the students, said his hope is in God in the midst of the heartbreak.

Although Im mourning, Im also rejoicing, he said.

At a Monday night memorial service held at Faith Bible Fellowship in Little Rock, the church the young adults attended, Elizabeth Conway, an admissions officer at Central Baptist College, revealed that Luplow had just sent her a testimony for a scholarship to attend the college and Suzy Prime was working on hers as well.

"They both just had those leader personalities, that's just how they were, every single one of them," she said, according to Arkansas Online. "It's just a blessing  we've all been talking about how they all had some unsaved family members and they were always, each and every one of them, were praying for someone that was unsaved in their family consistently at church."

The five young adults were driving on Interstate 80 two Sundays ago when a Dodge Ram was reported heading east in the westbound lanes.

The pickup truck collided with a passenger car and commercial truck, forcing another truck to swerve into the other side of the road where the driver collided head-on with the students' Ford F-150. The truck and the students' vehicle were engulfed in flames, killing the five young adults and leaving others with critical injuries.



According to the Wyoming Highway Patrol, 57-year-old Arthur Nelson was arrested on suspicion of driving while impaired. He was charged with 11 crimes, five of which are for aggravated homicide by vehicle.

Conway said the grieving community is clinging to their faith and taking comfort in the fact that the young people knew the Lord.

"There's a different kind of peace that comes from ... we know for sure that every single one of them knew the Lord and that's just a blessing to know that they are probably dancing on streets of gold right now. It's definitely hard. We grieve with one another that they're not here, on Earth, they're not here for us to hug their necks and tell them how much they mean to us, she said.

"Every single one of them just radiated the love of Christ so well," she said. "They were all examples to people wherever they went, people were looking up to them. They were an example of what it looks like to follow Christ faithfully."

Elizabeth Dilts, a member of the church for two years, revealed her daughter was in Andrea Prime's Sunday school class. She said that despite her grief, she knows that the Prime sisters, Luplow, Correa and Franco, are all where they need to be, "with the Lord."

"We're very thankful for people giving because it helps, I know to be able to do something helps yourself, like you feel like you can take part in the grief if you can help the family," she said.

"Prayer is definitely the thing we want the most though. I know people will say that, but it really is true because you get to the end of yourself where you're like, I can't even pray anymore, I hope somebody's praying for me. That's kind of how a lot of us feel is like, you just get so tired and you need someone to take that burden."

In a statement, the Bible college revealed the young adults had spent the week before the accident sitting in on classes and getting to know this year's student body, as well as catching up with staff who were previous classmates to three of them.

All five attended Faith Bible Fellowship, a church of beloved brothers and sisters in Christ who we have come to love beyond words, the statement said. It is with inexpressible joy that we tell you that our friends had placed their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. As a result, we know they are currently with Him, a reality we are quite envious of.

Faith Bible Fellowship has set up a Cash App account for donations to the families of the deceased.
Christian scientists viewed as less intelligent than their peers, study suggests

A new study conducted by researchers at Ohio University finds that nonreligious individuals tend to stereotype and hold a bias against Christians working in scientific fields because they believe religion and science are in conflict.

The research, published in the Public Understanding of Science journal, analyzed two separate studies to examine the perceptions of incompatibility between Christianity and science in the United States and how it influences nonreligious individuals' stereotypes of Christians in the field.

The first study, with a sample size of 365, found that the 214 nonreligious participants were more likely than the 151 Christian participants to perceive Christianity and science as incompatible. The second study featured 799 respondents  520 Christians and 279 nonreligious participants.

"[M]anipulating perceived Christianity-science compatibility reduced negative perceptions of Christians' scientific ability and general intellect among nonreligious participants," the abstract states.

While nonreligious respondents perceived Christians as less intelligent, Christian respondents were more likely to perceive Christians as more intelligent and scientific than nonreligious participants.

In comments to PsyPost, study author Cameron Mackey, a doctoral candidate at Ohio University, noted that there has been "countless debates over the teaching of evolution in schools and whether Intelligent Design has a place in the classroom."

"Our research demonstrates that perceiving conflict between religion and science can have detrimental effects not only on Christians' performance and interest in science (as prior research has shown), but also on nonreligious people's stereotypes about Christians," Mackey said. "That is, because nonreligious individuals are more likely to believe that Christianity and science can't work together, they are more likely to stereotype Christians as uninterested in or incompetent at science."

Mackey added that many prominent atheists like Sam Harris and Steven Prinker opposed Francis Collins, an Evangelical Christian who served as the head of the National Institutes of Health until his retirement last year.

"We were interested in the consequences of this belief in religion-science conflict for nonreligious people's attitudes toward religious people (in this case, Christians)," Mackey stated. "That is, we wanted to know whether the belief that Christianity and science conflict with each other explains why nonreligious people stereotype Christians as incompetent in science."

Perry Enever, the founder of Canterbury Christianity and Science Interactive, told Premier Christian News that stereotypes are set up to be disproven.

"I think if you can relate to someone and get to know them, they can get to know you," he was quoted as saying. "There are all kinds of questions and stereotypes and wrong ideas that people have, and Christians can do the same things as well, sometimes."

"The Christians in this were presuming that actually the atheists were less intelligent and less into science. So I think there's a lesson for us as well, to avoid that stereotyping and getting to know the people that are asking the questions."

Earlier this month, the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., opened the new exhibit "Scripture and Science: Our Universe, Ourselves, Our Place." The exhibition highlights the dynamic relationship between science and religion throughout history.

Attending the exhibit's grand opening, retired NASA astronaut Jeff Williams told The Christian Post that science doesn't "contradict" Christianity. The Christian astronaut said that because of the perception that science and the Bible conflict, he dedicated much time to studying the religious beliefs of early scientists.

"Many of the scientists in the age of science  who we all read about in our textbooks about the laws of physics and chemistry  were believers first," Williams said. "They were theologians first. People like Kepler and Newton and Faraday and Maxwell, and many others. They were driven by their faith and their understanding of their calling before God to fulfill that calling."

He contends that the "Bible supports and informs science with the elements of the mathematical order of God's Creation" and "God has equipped us to explore and extract that order and utilize it for the glory of God and the good of mankind."
Mark Houck found not guilty of federal FACE Act charges after altercation near abortion clinic

A jury on Monday found Mark Houck, the Catholic pro-life advocate and father of seven who faced 11 years in prison, not guilty of a federal violation related to an encounter with a Planned Parenthood clinic escort in Philadelphia.

Houck was charged with two counts of violating the FACE Act in two incidents that occurred at a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic on Oct. 13, 2021. The federal indictment accused Houck of shoving abortion clinic escort Bruce Love in two separate incidents on the same day.

The pro-life advocate was declared not guilty on all counts in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

"We are, of course, thrilled with the outcome," stated Peter Breen, executive vice president and head of litigation for the Thomas More Society, a nonprofit law firm that defended Houck.

"Mark and his family are now free of the cloud that the Biden administration threw upon them. We took on Goliath  the full might of the United States government  and won," Breen continued.

"The jury saw through and rejected the prosecution's discriminatory case, which was harassment from day one. This is a win for Mark and the entire pro-life movement. The Biden Department of Justice's intimidation against pro-life people and people of faith has been put in its place."

As The Christian Post reported, in one incident, Houck was across the street from the facility and attempting to counsel two women when Love verbally confronted the pro-life advocate.

Houck claimed that in the second incident, he was defending his son, who was 12 years old at the time, after Love became aggressive. Security footage of the confrontation showed the escort falling to the ground, injuring his elbow.

The father and his son, Mark Houck Jr., testified Friday, the third day of the trial. On Thursday, defense attorneys requested a motion to dismiss the federal indictment.

Brian McMonagle of the law firm McMonagle, Perri, McHugh, Mischak & Davis, alongside Breen, argued before Judge Gerald Pappert that the federal government had not made a strong enough case to prosecute Houck.

This information was provided to CP via Pastor Bill Devlin, a friend of Houck's for over 20 years who had been present throughout the court proceedings.

"We are deep brothers in the faith, and I've come alongside to undergird and support him because it's the presumption of innocent until the government can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Mark Houck violated the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act," Devlin told CP.

During every court recess, Devlin told CP that he would take people outside and lead them in prayer. Many also fasted in addition to praying that God would bring "victory" for Houck.

According to Devlin, McMonagle said Houck's actions were not a violation of the FACE Act, which prohibits "violent, threatening, damaging, and obstructive conduct intended to injure, intimidate, or interfere with the right to seek, obtain, or provide reproductive health services."

After hearing the arguments for dismissing the case, the pastor said that the judge stated, "It appears to me that the U.S. government is stretching the statute of the FACE Act."

Federal prosecutors argued that Houck committed two violations of the FACE Act by preventing someone from entering the clinic and causing injury to Love by pushing him to the ground.

McMonagle argued that Love initiated the confrontation that resulted in his injury and that the escort was in violation of the non-engagement policy described in Planned Parenthood's volunteer escort manual, which instructs them not to engage with the pro-life sidewalk counselors.

The defense attorney argued that the case "never should have been brought to federal court" and the fact that it was brought to federal court is a "disgrace."
School where first grader shot teacher reopens with tighter security, principal replaced

Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia, reopened Monday under the watchful eyes of local police with a new safety protocol and principal weeks after a troubled 6-year-old boy shot his teacher in the chest as she taught his class.

"We had a lot of officers here. I didn't want it to be overwhelming, but I wanted those kids to know we support them, as well as the faculty and staff," Newport News Police Chief Steve R. Drew told CNN about the reason for their presence on the campus. "There was a lot of smiles, a lot of high-fives, some fist bumps going on."

School district officials told the network that two metal detectors were installed at the school. New administrator, Karen Lynch, told parents in an announcement that officers were on campus Monday to "assist with the transition." Each student, she said, would also receive clear backpacks.

"If your child brings a lunch to school or other items, please be aware that these items will go through metal detection and will be subject to search. All students and visitors must enter and exit the school building from the front main doors," Lynch said.

While parents are anxious about returning to school, some praised the new efforts to improve safety.

"It's sad that we have to go in and see all the officers there at an elementary school with these babies," DeDe Williams, the grandmother of a Richneck Elementary third grader, told CNN. "[B]ut it made my heart feel better that they were there, taking it serious."

Another parent, Suzanne Turner, explained how anxious she was about the process.

"All day, I think I've just been pacing. Every parent has. So just to hear how he was doing, once he said that he was happy. I was just like, 'OK, you're good,'" Turner told WAVY.

Since the shooting of Abigail Zwerner, the 25-year-old teacher, on Jan. 6, it was revealed that she repeatedly begged school administrators for help with the boy, but her complaints fell on deaf ears.

Children younger than 7 are presumed unable to form the intent to carry out an illegal act under Virginia law, but someone could be charged for failing to secure the gun used in the shooting, Drew previously explained.

It was unclear how the boy gained access to the gun secured with a trigger lock and kept on the top shelf of his mother's bedroom closet. In a statement through attorney James Ellenson, the boy's family said they were praying for Zwerner, who was recently released from a local hospital. The family also noted that the boy has an "acute disability."

"Our son suffers from an acute disability and was under a care plan at the school that included his mother or father attending school with him and accompanying him to class every day. Additionally, our son has benefitted from an extensive community of care that also includes his grandparents working alongside us and other caregivers to ensure his needs and accommodations are met," the statement said. "The week of the shooting was the first week when we were not in class with him. We will regret our absence on this day for the rest of our lives."
Telangana BJP MLA T. Raja Singh (PTI)

HYDERABAD: Mangalhat police of Hyderabad city issued a show cause notice to Goshamahal T MLA Raja Singh in connection with his speech in a recent event in Mumbai. Terming the speech as violation of the high court guidelines, police sought explanation from him.

The notice said that Raja Singhs speech during a rally at Dadar, Mumbai on Sunday, January 29 and his comments on demand for law on Love Jihad, Cow slaughter, conversions, are very much provocative.

This speech with provocative comments is potential to provoke one particular religion and it is a violation of the conditions imposed by the high court, police said in the notice dated January 30.

They directed him to give a reply stating why action should not be initiated against him for violating the conditions imposed by the high court.
The end of the world is coming, just not yet

Did you hear the announcement last week? The Doomsday Clock moves closest ever to midnight. It appears the end is very near!

As the article explains, Top scientists and security experts moved the Doomsday Clock forward on Tuesday to just 90 seconds to midnight  signaling an increased risk to humanity's survival from the nuclear shadow over the Ukraine conflict and the growing climate crisis.

The new timing of the clock set by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists is closer to midnight than ever before.

More specifically, The hands of the clock, which the Bulletin describes as a metaphor for how close humanity is to self-annihilation, had been at 100 seconds to midnight since January 2020  the closest to midnight it had been in its history.

Have we truly come to the end of our rope? Is an Armageddon-type event at hand?

To be clear, I do not want to minimize for a second the chaotic situation in which we find ourselves today, worldwide. Even more, I do not want to minimize the acute suffering that is experienced by millions of people, moment by moment, every single day.

The chaos is real and the suffering is real. But does this mean that we are reaching the last seconds of human existence? Can we expect the final conflagration very soon? Is global warming about to kill us? Will there be a nuclear war? Will the earth be struck by a devastating meteor? Will the final events of the Book of Revelation unfold in the next few years?

Anything is possible, and mass destruction could occur at any moment. Things may accelerate more rapidly than many of us have expected. But from my perspective, that final cataclysm is not yet.

I have often stated that when I came to faith in late 1971, I learned quickly that the end was near and that all the biblical prophecies were about to be fulfilled.

I was 16-years-old then, which is now the age of our youngest grandchild, and Im about to turn 68. Still, the end has not come.

But this is not the first time we have speculated and been wrong. As I have studied church history, I have been struck by how many times the end was predicted. Yet the expected end never came.

Even from a secular perspective, we have to consider these end-time warnings carefully.

This was illustrated in a November 12, 2021, op-ed in the New York Post, written by the Post Editorial Board and entitled, 50 Years of Predictions that the Climate Apocalypse Is Nigh.

Similarly, a March 19, 2019 article on Fox by Maxim Lott listed, 10 Times Experts Predicted the World Would End by Now. The article was responding to a comment by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who said, Millennials and people, you know, Gen Z ... were like: The world is gonna end in 12 years if we dont address climate change.

Personally, as one who is neither a climate alarmist nor a global warming denier (Ive not studied the issues sufficiently to offer a strong opinion), my issue is not so much with the science as with the warnings. Perhaps these voices are a bit too shrill?

Yet my own perspective is not based on science. It is based on Scripture and on my relationship with God.

Scripturally, I see that much work still needs to be done before the Lord returns, most obviously when it comes to the Great Commission. After all, if there will be a multitude of believers that no one can number from from every nation, tribe, people and language (Revelation 7:9), then it would follow that the Gospel must go to every nation, tribe, people and language.

At present, there are still over 5,000 languages that do not have a full copy of the Bible while about half of all languages do not have not any portion of the Scriptures at all. And while it is true that these existing translations can potentially reach more than 95% of the worlds population, there is still much more work to do to get to the rest.

More urgently, the Joshua Project asks, So how many of the approximately 17,400 ethnic people groups are considered unreached i.e. less than 2% Christ-follower and less than 5% Professing Christian?

The answer is that, The latest estimates suggest that approximately 7,400 people groups are considered unreached. That means over 40% of the worlds people groups have no indigenous community of believing Christians able to evangelize the rest of their people group. Over 42% of the worlds population live in these over 7,400 people groups.

And there are these sobering facts about just the 50 largest unreached people groups.

All 50 of these people groups have less than 2% Christ-followers.

Individuals in these groups may have very limited, if any, access to the Gospel.

These 50 unreached people groups are comprised of 1.48 billion souls.

One in five people on earth live in these 50 unreached peoples.

Every group is larger than 10,000,000 in population.

None have an indigenous church capable of taking the Gospel to the entire group.

Primary religion: 26 are Muslim, 17 Hindu, 5 Buddhist, 1 Ethnic Religions, 1 non-Religious.

All of these 50 largest unreached people groups are in the 10/40 Window, 47 are in sensitive countries.

Again, things could explode overnight exponentially, and hundreds of millions of unreached people could suddenly have access to the Gospel. But for sure, that has not happened so far  and this is just one indication that, while the end may be near, it is not yet.

Speaking from the perspective of my relationship with God, I do not sense that the time of final upheaval is at hand. Again, things could change on a dime, and I live in readiness before the Lord. But I firmly believe that as that season draws nearer, the biblical warnings will become clearer and the prophetic voices will shout more loudly (and accurately!).

In this regard, I remember something that Rush Limbaugh used to say, Ill tell you when its time to panic.

That time is not yet. And for people of faith, the time when the world panics is the time when we lift up our eyes, knowing our redemption is near (Luke 21:25-28).

That being said, lets roll up our sleeves afresh. Theres a lot of work to be done and the world harvest has never been more ripe.
Trans-ing children is repeating the medical scandal history of lobotomies

During my career as an ICU nurse, when we were treating patients, the medical team always had a detailed debate on the risks and benefits of every intervention when developing a patient's plan of care.

All medical interventions, from complex surgical care to common pharmacological prescriptions, carry risk. Medicine is practiced under that guiding principle of providing the patient with the least invasive interventions possible, so as to minimize risk of additional complications and potential harm.

This principle is utilized broadly in health care with one glaring exception: the treatment of gender dysphoria in minors.

Gender Dysphoria is defined by the DSM-5 as, a marked incongruence between ones experienced/expressed gender and their assigned gender (Patients cannot receive insurance reimbursements for medical interventions without this diagnosis).

While there are non-invasive, successful options to treat Gender Dysphoria, highly invasive interventions that can lead to permanent fertility loss, among other things, are being pushed onto families as the first-line standard of care through the gender-affirming model of care.

For example, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Childrens Hospital Association are all strong advocates for pediatric gender-affirming care.

While the medical community is all in on pediatric gender-affirming care, state legislators across the country are now debating the ethics and necessity of these treatments.

In 2020, the Pennsylvania House Subcommittee on Health Care held two hearings, in March and September, discussing treatment standards for minors experiencing Gender Dysphoria.

At the March hearing Dr. Stephen Levine, a clinical professor of psychiatry, gave an impactful testimony describing three different models of care for the treatment of gender dysphoria in children.

Dr. Levine describes the first approach as watchful waiting saying,

A watchful waiting approach cooperates with this fluid, changeable nature of gender identity in children, the fluid changeable nature of gender identity, and seeks to allow time, safety, and support for the process to happen. In the meantime, the professional will often seek to treat any associated mental illness in the child or symptoms in the child but without focusing on gender at all, separation anxiety, compulsivity, compulsions, and so forth.

He further noted that multiple studies show that the large majority of young children who present with gender dysphoria, if left untreated, uninvolved with will evolve to a gender identity continent with their biological sex by the end of adolescence.

The second approach he discussed is the psychotherapy model that focuses on working with patients to identify causes of psychological distress and applying standard psychotherapeutic approaches to resolve it.

The third model of care he identified is known as gender-affirmation care, which includes a range of interventions from social affirmation, such as name and pronoun changes, to the administration of puberty blockers, sterilizing cross-sex hormones, and irreversible surgical interventions, like double mastectomies.

The hearing in September 2020 was focused entirely on the gendering-affirming model of care.

Public records from February 2020 show Dr. Rachel Levine, as Pennsylvanias Secretary Health, reaching out to Nadia Dowshen and Linda Hawkins, the co-founders and co-directors of the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphias (CHOP) Gender and Sexuality Clinic, asking if theyd testify at the hearing writing,

I would very much like you both to join me if you are able I am mindful that the committee might also invite other individuals to testify who do not have the level of knowledge and experience that you and your team bring from CHOP. I am also mindful that other testifiers might have a quite divergent opinion than ours on the efficacy of transgender confirmation health care.

Dowshen responded, I am pleased to do anything I can to stand with you...

At the September hearing, Dowshen testified in favor of gender-affirming care for over an hour.

In her testimony, Dowshen supported giving puberty blockers to prepubescent children and cross-sex hormones to minors.

When asked how young she referred children for sex reassignment surgery, sometimes called bottom surgery, Dowshen did not provide a clear answer. However, in a 2017 email written to Rachel Levine, Dowshen states one of her patients received bottom surgery at age 17. In her testimony, she admitted to referring girls as young as 14 to receive double mastectomies.

Giving these invasive and experimental medical treatments to children is a new phenomenon. We dont know the long-term physical and psychological impacts of these treatments nor the depths of regret transitioned children will face.

For example, regularly-prescribed puberty blockers such as Supprelin LA and Lupron Depot have not been approved as a gender dysphoria treatment and are being prescribed off-label by many pediatric gender clinics.

In December 2022, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that he was investigating the makers of these drugs under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. Saying in a press release,

The manufacture, sale, prescription, and use of puberty blockers on young teens and minors is dangerous and reckless These drugs were approved for very different purposes and can have detrimental and even irreversible side effects. I will not allow pharmaceutical companies to take advantage of Texas children.

Not only are these interventions experimental, but theyre also expensive. In a 2018 NIH presentation, Nadia Dowshen stated that cross-sex hormone treatments can cost as much as $40,000 a year; and taxpayers are often footing the bill. A public records request by the Pennsylvania Family Council found that since 2015, Pennsylvania taxpayers spent more than $16.7 million on, sex reassignment and transition related services and drugs for service.

As the first generation of pediatric gender-affirmation patients is moving into adulthood, we are seeing a wave of detransitioners, such as Chloe Cole, who are speaking out against pediatric gender-affirming care.

The high-risk stakes of gender-affirming care beg a simple question: Why is American mainstream medicine almost exclusively recommending the most invasive treatment pathway to children struggling with Gender Dysphoria, when there are successful, less invasive options? Have they not abandoned their duty to First, do no harm?

Meanwhile, several European nations are recognizing these risks and halting their pediatric gender-affirmation programs whereas American institutions are moving full-steam ahead, continuing to push on families the false choice of having a dead daughter or a living son, delivering care under that incorrect notion that invasive medical treatments are the only solution to a complex psychiatric condition.

We must take note that history repeats for those who dont learn from it.

In 1935, neurosurgeon Dr. Egas Moniz discovered a psychiatric illness cure-all, the lobotomy (hed go on to win a Nobel Prize for this advancement). Over two decades, thousands of patients received these barbaric surgeries under the guise of psychiatric healing, until the madness and danger of this surgery were widely recognized and the procedure was eventually stopped.

In one of the most poignant lines of his testimony, Dr. Levine, who is presently the federal Assistant Secretary for Health and Human Services, said,

And since doctors gave up performing lobotomies to treat psychiatric disorders many decades ago, gender dysphoria is the only psychiatric diagnosis which doctors are attempting to treat by surgery.

Those who fail to recognize history are doomed to repeat it.

Meg is a photographer, former nurse, and a grassroots parental rights activist living in the Philadelphia suburbs with her husband and two kids. She is passionate about protecting the well-being of children.
2 things that should be stable in a turbulent world (part 3)

There are two houses where a world in turbulence should be able to find security and stability  the house of the church, and the house of the home.

These are potentially the two greatest stabilizing institutions in society, but, sadly, they too are often in turmoil. This is because they are the biggest of threats to the chaos-stirring satanic powers of darkness, and hence the biggest of targets.

However, unsteady churches and homes cannot steady societies in upheaval.

But where does a church find the bedrock stability that can bless a nation and the families within it?

An event on July 11, 1926, gives the clue. On that day a Los Angeles pastor spoke to a gathering of young people. The minister, James Allan Francis, pastor of First Baptist Church, Los Angeles, was deeply concerned about the world in which those youth were coming of age. Writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald characterized the period as hedonistic, an age of excess and opulence, a season with a dazzling sense of wildness. [1]

The slaughter of the First World War still haunted the nightmares of a rising generation. The beasts that had stoked that conflict was already planning for the next. In America, an overheated economy was about to collapse into the Great Depression, which would hurl people into poverty and some of the richest literally off ledges. The misery would affect the world. Still, many saw the 20s as a time to cast off restraint and plunge into the whirlpools spinning across the nation.

Labor and management were in increasing conflict. The battle between races intensified. Deep southern forests were haunted by white-robed racists who were hanging human beings and going to prejudicial extremes to keep the wrong race in their place.

Meanwhile, many white southern churches were sanctioning such behaviors.

But also, influential voices in the 20s announced that the Church was outmoded, irrelevant for such a liberated era.

Pastor Francis own city of Los Angeles would play a major role in the bending and twisting of the culture that would someday bring destructive force against personal morality, the stability of homes, and the worldview that had produced the freest, most prosperous nation in history.

All this could have been in Pastor Francis heart and mind as he scanned that room full of eager young people in 1926. The caring pastor spoke of the One Solitary Life that could be the anchor for church, home, governance, education, economy  everything.

So, Pastor Francis began by speaking of a baby born in an obscure village and raised in another obscure village, who labored as a carpenter for more than 30 years, and then spent three as an itinerate preacher

He never writes a book  never holds an office  never raises an army  never has a family of His own  never goes to college  never travels 200 miles from where He was born  He gathers a little group of friends about Him and teaches them the way of life  While He was a young man, the tide of popular feeling turns against Him  One denies Him, another betrays Him  He is turned over to His enemies  He goes through the mockery of a trial  He is nailed to a cross between two thieves  laid in a borrowed grave  He rises from the grave.

Pastor Francis moved to his conclusion: All the armies that have marched, and all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned have not affected the life of man on this earth as much as that one, solitary life.

Almost a century later, Pastor James Allan Francis statement still rings with truth  perhaps even more. And the words ring back through the New Testaments preeminent church planter, the Apostle Paul, who declared that no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11).

Jesus is the rock upon which the church can be stable and steadied. As never before we must make the confession of Simon Peter: You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God! (Matthew 16:16).

The tribulations of the 1920s are minor compared to the present and looming turmoil ahead. Only the radically Jesus-centered Church has staying power and will be able to minister effectively in such a situation.

I have tried in previous columns (see here and here) in this series to go into detail about the nature of the Jesus church, based on the New Testament Church, but recognize that I have only scratched the surface  if that.

Many churches and denominations now are woefully unstable. They settle on one strategy and style. And then when hoped-for increases dont come, gravitate over to another. Imbalances develop between form and frenzy, intellectualism, and emotionalism. Too many of us in the efforts to establish some level of accommodation with the present passions of the secular society are tossed to and fro by destructive winds of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14)

Practically, this means being Jesus-centered in worship, proclamation, discipleship, strategy, and ministry.

It was indeed that one solitary life that transformed the world more than armies, navies, parliaments, and all the other mighty institutions that can have a stabilizing impact on the present and coming turmoil.
Evangelical revivalist churches drawing more Catholics in DRC: Miraculous healing

Congo is home to the largest Roman Catholic community in Africa, representing around 40% of the country's 96 million inhabitants. But many Catholics are reportedly attending Evangelical churches, which, they say, are more relevant to their needs, including "miraculous healing."

Ahead of Pope Francis' four-day visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo, which begins Tuesday, Reuters took a look at the country's religious landscape.

There are at least 30,000 revivalist churches in Congo, also known as "churches of awakening," the newswire stated, citing an association representing these churches.

Deo Malela, a Catholic who regularly attends an Evangelical church in the eastern city of Beni, said some illnesses cannot be cured in hospitals, but instead require divine and miraculous healing that is unexplainable.

"It does me good to have the base of the Catholic church and add these miracle solutions of the revival church," he said.

Pastor Davis Alimasi, an Evangelical from Beni, told Reuters that people are drawn to the church because they discover "truth, healing and faith." The Holy Spirit communicates with them in various ways, he added.

"There are illnesses where you can go to hospitals (and) you don't find solutions, but here you have a divine and miraculous healing that you can't explain," 28-year-old Malele told Reuters after attending an Evangelical service in Beni.

The Evangelical movement in Congo grew in the 1980s when Mobutu Sese Seko was the country's president. At the time, he sought to counter criticism from Catholic citizens.

Malela said the Catholic Church still provides him with a stronger sense of community and "political protection," so he has not departed from the church he was raised in.

Evangelical churches continue to grow as the eastern DRC has been plagued by armed conflict and violence for decades.

The pope's visit to DRC, the first by a pontiff since 1985, seeks to raise awareness about the decades-long conflict inflicting the country. Francis lamented the world's growing inability to weep in the face of injustice, AFP reports.

Militia groups and rebel groups have long operated in the region. Among its major sources of violence and terror are the various ethnic-based militia groups, which have targeted civilians and government forces.

These militia groups often fight for control of resources such as gold, tin and tungsten and have been accused of committing human rights abuses, including rape and murder.

Earlier this month, at least 17 Christians were killed and dozens injured in a bombing that targeted an Evangelical church in Kasindi town in North Kivu province.

The Allied Democratic Forces, a militant group that pledged its alliance to the Islamic State, claimed responsibility for the bombing, AFP reported at the time.

The ADF is considered one of the most dangerous armed groups in the DRC, responsible for thousands of civilian deaths and bomb attacks. The group is also active in Uganda.

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the DRC has been deployed in the region since 1999 to protect civilians. However, it has faced challenges in effectively stemming the violence.
Christian group rebukes former minister, Labour MP who claims Jesus never addressed sexual sins

A U.K. Christian group has strongly condemned Member of Parliament Chris Bryant, a former Church of England minister and homosexual, for his statement in the House of Commons that there is no Biblical teaching against same-sex relationships or marriage.

Bryant, who is married to his partner, made the statement during a House of Commons discussion about the Church of Englands recent decision to offer prayers of blessing for same-sex relationships.

Is there any biblical teaching that says this is wrong? Any? Really? Did Jesus say a single word about same-sex relationships or marriage? I dont think he did. He said a great deal about love. The God of Love and St. Paul said in Christ there was neither male or female, nor Jew or Greek, and I think he probably would have also said neither gay or straight, Bryant, a member of the Labour Party, said.

Ben John, who is affiliated with Wilberforce Academy, a one-week Christian program for young professionals run by Christian Concern, wrote an opinion piece disagreeing with Bryants statement in Parliament.

John asserted in his op-ed piece that both Jesus and Paul addressed homosexuality as a sin that requires repentance and the offer of grace.

When Jesus was asked a question about divorce, as mentioned in Matthew 19:4-6, He referred to Genesis saying that marriage is between a man and a woman, as they become one flesh.

Jesus also affirmed the complementarity of the male and female gender in marriage and that it was rooted in creation, the author wrote.

While speaking to Peter, Jesus said, as per Matthew 15:18-19, But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.

In this passage, the author explained, sexual immorality is translated from the Greek word porneia, which is also referenced by Jesus in Matthew 5:32, 19:9 and Mark 7:21. The term is the origin of the word pornography, he wrote, adding that while it might seem unclear to modern listeners, those who heard Jesus speak would have understood the reference to Leviticus 18, which lists various sinful sexual acts, including incest, adultery, bestiality and homosexual acts.

Even liberal scholars who disagree with their message acknowledge that the Bible does condemn homosexuality, John said in the article, quoiting Diarmaid MacCulloch: Despite much well-intentioned theological fancy footwork to the contrary, it is difficult to see the Bible as expressing anything else but disapproval of homosexual activity.

John also quoted Revelation 2:20-23: I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead.

Therefore, those who continue in unrepentant sexual immorality do not truly love Jesus, the author wrote, adding that Bryant should be encouraged to repent and receive God's love and grace through forgiveness.

Referring to Paul saying in the Bible that in Christ there is neither male or female, nor Jew or Greek, the author noted that Paul emphasized the unity and oneness in Christ, as shown in Galatians 3:27-29 where he says those baptized into Christ are one, regardless of their background.

In contrast, the author added, Paul views homosexual relations as dishonorable, unnatural and shameful, as stated in Romans 1:26-27.

Therefore we can say categorically: Jesus and Paul spoke about homosexuality. Homosexual practice is a sin that should be met with the call to repentance and the offer of grace, John wrote in the op-ed. Perhaps it is because the Church of England has been ordaining people like Bryant, who appear to know nothing of the teaching of Jesus, that we are in the state that we are in.

For his part, Bryant defended his comments and responded to those who oppose his views on Jesus, the Bible and homosexuality in a Twitter thread on Thursday, writing:

Starting with the obvious, the Bible was not written in English and theologians have haggled over what books shd be included for centuries. Each book was written in a specific time and cultural context. To fully grasp its meaning you have to read each book against its context. This includes the injunctions and prohibitions in the Torah such as in Exodus and Leviticus. Many things are considered abominations including breaking the Sabbath, eating pork or touching the skin of a dead pig. Some practices are not condemned but sanctioned, including selling your daughter into slavery and stoning. Even the most ardent born again fundamentalist would agree that we need to read these in the light of the teaching of Jesus and modern understandings of justice and science.

Earlier this month, CofE bishops apologized to the LGBT community for their rejection and exclusion within the denomination, saying they were now welcome and valued within the church.

The CofE also announced its support for a proposal allowing same-sex couples to receive Gods blessings and full inclusion in the denomination. However, it would not be officiating same-sex marriage ceremonies.

We want to apologize for the ways in which the Church of England has treated LGBTQI+ people  both those who worship in our churches and those who do not, the bishops said in a statement. "For the times we have rejected or excluded you, and those you love, we are deeply sorry. The occasions on which you have received a hostile and homophobic response in our churches are shameful, and for this we repent."

"As we have listened, we have been told time and time again how we have failed LGBTQI+ people," the statement continues. "We have not loved you as God loves you, and that is profoundly wrong. We affirm, publicly and unequivocally, that LGBTQI+ people are welcome and valued: we are all children of God."

Andrea Williams, Christian Concern's chief executive who was also a member of the general synod for 10 years, said in a statement the apology could prove to be a "turning point" and signal the decline of the denomination.

"Christianity teaches that sexual expression is reserved for marriage between one man and one woman. Any other form of sexual relationships are sexually immoral," Williams said.
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Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at the International Diplomatic Alliance meet in New Delhi. (ANI)

VIJAYAWADA: CEOs and top functionaries of various global companies have appreciated the industrial-friendly atmosphere in Andhra Pradesh ahead of the International Diplomatic Alliance Meet in New Delhi on Tuesday.

The diplomatic alliance is meeting to prepare for the Global Investors Summit on March 3rd and March 4th in Visakhapatnam.

KIA Motors (Korea) MD & CEO Tae Jin Park praised AP government for taking the crucial step in setting up the automotive belt and supporting it with resources for setting up operations in Andhra Pradesh. He specifically pointed to help that KIA received in setting up its world-class car facility in Penukonda. Tae Jin explained that ease of connectivity with major ports like Krishnapatnam and Chennai has enabled them to sell their cars not just across India but in 95 countries of the world.

Toray Industries (Japan) MD & CEO Yamaguchi said, "We have been receiving huge support from AP since April 2019. We invested 1,000 crore in AP and started two business units. But then Covid happened. Yet, with support from AP government, we started production quickly in June 2020. Our business plan is to more than double our present investment by 2030."

Cadbury India (USA) president Deepak Dharmarajan Iyer pointed out: "AP has been very proactive and supportive from the time we started our business units in Sri City. We have invested more than 2,500 crore, creating more than 6,000 direct and several thousand indirect jobs in transportation and distribution. 50 percent of our machinery operators are women recruited from small villages across Andhra Pradesh and skilled by us. They are successfully running the most advanced factory in the Asia Pacific. Apart from manufacturing, we have helped 3,0004,000 farmers grow coco."

Apache and Hilltop Group (Taiwan) director Sergio Lee said, "We came to AP in 2006 to manufacture shoes for 100 percent export. Our company would not have succeeded without AP's support. We signed our agreement with then CM and current Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddys father. We are now working together with AP on our Apache India 2 project. Latest green technology will be used to set up the facility. We are looking forward to contributing to economic development of Andhra Pradesh."

Saint-Gobain Industries India (France) CMD Phani Kumar said, "We have invested over 12,000 crore over two decades in India. Over the last few years, we have been investing in AP, from the times of Covid. Extraordinary support from authorities is why our AP unit is the most prosperous. AP is good with an abundance of talent and extraordinary administration."

Everton Tea India (Italy) Roshan Gunawardhana said, "Though AP is not a tea producing state, we have put our faith in AP, which has been justified over and over. Ease of doing business is one factor in AP. 99 percent of our staff are local."
Youre rating them and theyre rating you, so its important to have a win-win, Edmunds says. Those ratings are a key tool for prospective customers as they comb through the talent available. Like references for prospective employees, positive evaluations give users a feeling of confidence in what theyre signing up for.

Thats the good thing about Fiverr. They do have a lot of quality talent. People arent lingering on Fiverr without reviews booting them off, Janelle points out.

Before enlisting a freelance platform, Gartners Poitevin recommends that organizations look for talent within. Companies should look first at internal capabilities, then to freelancers, independent contractors, and partners with whom they already have relationships, she says. If needs are still unmet, then its time to look outside to a freelance marketplace, she advises.

Getting the most out of an internal marketplace has its own challenges, however. Keys are cultural acceptance and commitment, says the analyst. The biggest thing to watch out for is managers hoarding talent. Employees have to be allowed to work on other projects. Will that be encouraged from a cultural perspective? asks Poitevin.

While dynamic labor models are enticing, there are hidden costs in ramping up and down people and there is value in organizational knowledge and relationships, counsels Mark of Forrester. She stresses the need for governance to ensure not only the quality of work, but expectations about scope and knowledge transfer upon completion of a project. Ensure that your organization has control over the most valuable, differentiating work, she says.

Dealing with the feelings of internal employees is important to ensure they dont feel slighted by the use of outside help, Mark says.

Echoing Poitevins advice, Edmunds says the best way to avoid resentment is to maintain both internal and external gig environments. If people dont feel vested and invested, youre in a very difficult position, says the startup exec.

Looking ahead

Because the industry forces that have spurred adoption of talent platforms  economic uncertainty and skills scarcity  arent dissipating, it seems likely that use of the platforms will continue to grow, particularly as companies become adept at dealing with them and workers come to enjoy the flexibility in time commitment and location.

There are some really gifted individuals. You will see the workforce transformed to become an Uber-like experience in which workers might work for a quarter, then take a quarter off, says Witricitys Edmunds. Kids wont work for a single company [for their entire careers]. They want to be on and then off. Also, the team can be anywhere in the world, he adds.

With many forces arrayed in their favor, could talent marketplaces become the dominant employment model? Probably not, says Forresters Mark. We will likely see growth in the coming years. However, the relative governance and overall switching costs of ramping up and down will likely create a ceiling on this becoming the dominant model across all organizations, the analyst predicts.

Even so, Edmunds is a believer. Speed is paramount in every industry. If you are searching for talent, youll search for months and even quarters. It amounts to a boat anchor, he says. And when it comes to management consulting, he sees a significant momentum shift. There are many retired execs that can do it at a fraction of the cost. Strategists and consultants are taking business left and right from the big three.
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While there is a relatively small and generally long-established group of law firms prominent in charity law issues, the fact that charities of all sizes, in common with all businesses, require legal advice on a range of areas means there is a vast array of practitioners across the UK advising charities in various ways, either on a one-off or ad hoc basis, or through an ongoing relationship. For example, extracting the names of firms cited in the annual reports of the Charity Finance 100 and 250 Index charities alone identified over 160 different ones.

These firms, both regional and national, have a clear view of the sector as a whole and the pressures currently facing charities, most notably the cost-of-living crisis, soaring energy bills, and cuts to funding. Some sectors are especially vulnerable, such as social care, with several providers likely to face existential difficulties in 2023 while attending to the needs of societys most needy. As a result, law firms report doing a lot of work on unrestricting restricted funds, but worry that this is a one-off benefit, similar to utilising reserves.
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Charities left 2022 facing uncertainty with soaring energy bills. They, like many other organisations, were promised a review of the Energy Bills Relief Scheme (EBRS) by 31 December. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, the government later postponed the publication of its decision to January 2023.

On 9 January, the Treasury announced that the EBRS will be replaced by the Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS) from the start of April until 31 March 2024. Like its predecessor, the new scheme will automatically discount charities energy bills.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to young voters on TV and said that Finland could complete its NATO bid, but Sweden won't. Such comments from Ankara came in the wake of events during the accession talks with the two Nordic countries.

Erdogan Decides on Nordic Nations' NATO Bids

The two Nordic nations pushed their bid to become a NATO member after the Donbas saw Russian forces roll in at the start of the conflict, according to Express UK.

All the members of the military bloc must approve the aspirant to be part of it. Turkey and Hungary are the two left as holdouts that have yet to approve it in their parliaments. Despite the stalling tactics played out, we will still see Hungary allowing these two nations. Ankara has not committed despite the pressure on it.

Ankara has not seen Stockholm comply with the agreement that it does something about its troublesome association with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), called a terrorist organization by Ankara, the US, and European Union, BBC reported.

The Turkish government expressed dissatisfaction that Stockholm is not willing to fulfill the memoranda of an agreement to send suspects who are part of Kurdish militants and all its critics. Turkey stressed that Sweden could not join NATO if the terrorists were not extradited to Ankara.

Sweden Shocked with Finland

Last Sunday, the Turkish leader said that he considers Finland more favorable, which will shock Sweden, as they were expected to be accepted together.

Read Also: Pakistan Bombing 2023 Update

The Nordic country was given a list of 120 people to be extradited as the agreement dictates. Turkey stressed that no extradition means no acceptance to NATO.

The recent protests in Stockholm have aggravated Ankara, where the burning of the Quran was seen, leading to a postponed discussion with the two nations, per Arab News.

Turkey's Foreign Affairs considered it a serious insult in a statement it issued. Remarked it is against Islam that attacks Muslims and values, done via freedom of expression as unacceptable. Even if the Swedish government had not condoned it, their laws still upheld the rights of free speech.

One of the groups showing their support for the Kurds and even hung an upside-down effigy of the Turkish leader on a lamppost close to Stockholm City Hall. It angered Turkish authorities for doing nothing. Although one concession Stockholm allows is the inclusion of a constitutional amendment that permits the Government to make more anti-terrorism laws that Ankara wants.

Furthermore, the two Nordic nations were able to lift the bans on the embargo on the sale of military hardware to Ankara when Turkey went into Syria in 2019.

A supposed agreement with Helsinki and Stockholm at odds with each other leads to another end. Both might continue their bids independently, which will only get one accepted.

On Thursday, the Finnish Foreign Minister, Pekka Haavisto, mentioned that the instances should be assessed. He referred to the problem of Stockholm getting accepted. He added that having co bid partner join was initially optional.

Erdogan expressed disappointment that Sweden and its NATO bid will not get supported, but Finland could be the exception.

Related Article: Sweden Can Join NATO if Signed Agreement Is Followed, Turkey Says

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The Money Advice Trust has hired more than 50 staff to service 12m worth of contracts to deliver debt services, which begin today.

Last year, the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) announced it had awarded three three-year contracts to the Money Advice Trust, fellow charity Citizens Advice and Gregory Pennington Limited (GPL) to provide debt advice services.

From today, the Money Advice Trust will receive around 9.8m per year from MaPS to deliver national debt advice services contract alongside the other two organisations.

It will also receive around 2.4m per year until 2026 from MaPS to deliver free debt advice to small business owners.

To service the two contracts, the Money Advice Trust is scaling up its services and has already hired more than 50 additional debt advisers.

Citizens Advice also said it was recruiting more advisers to service the contracts it has been awarded  the national debt advice service as well and a debt relief order (DRO) administration service alongside GPL.

Civil Society News recently reported that StepChange would no longer receiving around 12m in statutory grant funding for its debt advice services.

Contracts come at time of increasing need

Last year, the Money Advice Trust received 8m, around half of its total income, through a MaPS grant.

In November MaPS, an arms-length body funded by the Department for Work and Pensions, said that its new contracts would replace a previous funding system of 12-month grant agreements.

The Money Advice Trust estimates that its national debtline and business debtline services will offer advice to around 440,000 people in England over the next three years through the new contracts, which will enable significant investment in both services.

Its recent research found that two in three national debtline callers have had to forego buying essential items in the last six months  up from 49% a year ago  with 62% being concerned they will be unable to pay their energy bills in the next six months, up from 47% last year.

Joanna Elson, chief executive of the Money Advice Trust, said: We are thrilled to be rolling out major enhancements to our national debtline and business debtline services in the years ahead.

We are particularly pleased to be working in partnership with Citizens Advice and Mental Health UK to offer casework to those national debtline clients who need it  and developing improved digital tools that will improve the way that both national debtline and business debtline helps people in financial difficulty.

These enhancements and the vital services that national debtline and business debtline provide would not be possible without the support of our many long-standing funders and partner organisations.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Citizens Advice said: Our debt advice has a huge impact on peoples lives, especially as the cost-of-living crisis deepens.

Were pleased to be able to continue providing vital debt advice through this funding which, over the next three years, will enable us to support hundreds of thousands of people and ultimately, help them find a way forward.

MaPS: More people expected to need debt advice

The three MaPS contracts beginning today are worth a combined 45.7m a year, with the body investing another 30m annually in debt services through grants.

Caroline Siarkiewicz, chief executive of the MaPS, said: Debt advice transforms lives and were delighted to be working with the Money Advice Trust to reach those who so desperately need help.

This move will give people the support they need to look at their options, make informed decisions and regain control of their finances, meaning thousands more can escape the distress that debt can cause.

With more and more people expected to need debt advice in the coming months and years, vital partnerships like this will make a massive difference during the difficult times ahead.

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Feature: Magicians present "China Week" at Hollywood Magic Castle to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year

Xinhua) 10:40, February 01, 2023

Magician Jeffrey Wang performs during a "China Week" magic show at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, Los Angeles, the United States, on Jan. 28, 2023. It was the first time the castle organized a "China Week" in celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year since its founding 60 years ago. (Taylor Wong/Magic Castle/Handout via Xinhua)

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- A full house of audience watched solid coins vanish under poker cards and reappear, and experienced mind reading as they were inspired by the narratives of a young Chinese magician at the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, Los Angeles.

The 23-year-old Jeffrey Wang performed his breathtaking card trick just inches from the audience, as he welcomed them into a unique world of infinite possibilities.

Wang is among the 14 Chinese magicians that presented a "China Week," a week-long magic show from Jan. 23 to 29 at the Magic Castle, home of the Academy of Magical Arts and a clubhouse for magicians and magic enthusiasts, in celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year.

The pointy-headed Gothic Renaissance mansion looms in the hills above Hollywood. Hidden doors, private rooms, live performances, and even a mystical owl that opens a secret door from the foyer to the interior of the castle -- visitors are thrilled at the secrets hidden inside the most magical and exclusive venue in Los Angeles.

It was the first time the castle organized a "China Week" in celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year since its founding 60 years ago.

"I have had this idea (organizing "China Week") for many years," Dale Salwak, producer of "China Week" and director of the world-renowned Chavez Studio of Magic, told Xinhua.

He had been discussing the plan with Hu Jinling, another Chinese magician who participated in the magic show, and finally worked out the plan of presenting week-long magic performances by Chinese magicians during the Chinese Spring Festival.

Hu, gold medal winner of the highest award of Chinese acrobatics -- the "Golden Chrysanthemum Award," said the "China Week" served as a great platform to strengthen exchanges between Chinese and Western magic communities.

Magicians from China and the United States spent half a year to make preparations for the "China Week," carefully selecting candidate performers and reviewing their performances, Hu told Xinhua.

"The 'China Week' is a window that shows the skills of Chinese magicians, and reveals the elegance of the Chinese culture. The Chinese magicians have integrated many elements of Chinese culture into their magic performances," said Hu, also deputy director of two associated organizations under the China Acrobats Association, a non-governmental organization of professional acrobats from across China.

"We have been talking about magics, a universal language. It's important that the Western world sees magicians from other parts of the world," Salwak said, adding that the Asia continent, particularly the Chinese mainland, has very rich and magical talent.

For many years, Salwak worked with his partners to bring representative Chinese performers to various conventions in the United States to broaden their opportunities overseas.

The Chinese Lunar New Year, also the Year of the Rabbit for 2023, is an appropriate occasion to bring together Chinese magicians, and let people in the Western world see their magical skills, Salwak told Xinhua.

For Wang, currently a senior at the University of Southern California (USC) majoring in math, performing at the Magic Castile offered him a great platform to show his talent and share experience with other magicians.

The young man showed great interest in magic in his childhood, and started learning magic performance at the age of six.

"I hope that through my performances, the Western audience could learn more about China and the profound Chinese culture," he told Xinhua.

Matt Felten, one of the audience sitting in a private theater at the castle for Wang's show, was cheered up by his performances.

"Wang was very brilliant, and he did a wonderful job in managing the audience," said Felten, who teaches courses on Acting Shakespeare as well as Magic and Performance at the USC.

Magicians of different countries have different styles and ways of presenting magic shows, said Felten, also a magician, adding it is a very good opportunity to experience the charm of Chinese culture through Chinese magicians' performances.

The "China Week" won cheers and applauses from the audience. The week-long show attracted more than 4,000 visitors.

"China has a long long history of circus, acrobatics and arts. The magic has involved and developed in China from those traditions," Salwak said.

"What I respect about the Chinese magicians is not only their self-discipline, their respect for the art, but also their incredible creativity, new ideas, and new expression of the old. You add that to the excitement of their personalities and the novelty of bringing their magic to the West," he told Xinhua.

"It's a winning combination all around," Salwak said.

Magicians of Chinese descent, Dale Salwak (2nd R), producer of "China Week" and director of the Chavez Studio of Magic, and others pose for a group photo at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, Los Angeles, the United States, on Jan. 28, 2023. It was the first time the castle organized a "China Week" in celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year since its founding 60 years ago. (Taylor Wong/Magic Castle/Handout via Xinhua)

Magicians of Chinese descent and Dale Salwak (5th R), producer of "China Week" and director of the Chavez Studio of Magic, pose for a group photo in front of the Magic Castle in Hollywood, Los Angeles, the United States, on Jan. 27, 2023. It was the first time the castle organized a "China Week" in celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year since its founding 60 years ago. (Taylor Wong/Magic Castle/Handout via Xinhua)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
In Washington Pullman, a WSU freshman died from a hazing incident about two months after the Idaho murder case, and the victim lived close to the suspect, Bryan Kohberger. The body was discovered at a Washington University Perham dorm on the Pullman campus last January 22.

WSU Freshman Discovered Dead in Dorm

One shocking aspect is that the death is close to a mile from where the Idaho murder suspect lives. Kohberger is suspected of slaying all four students in the off-site campus housing, according to Daily Mail.

Luke Tyler, 22, was found lifeless by an unknown person who reported the death to the cops. A petition began on Change.org asking for justice for the Theta Chi frat house and the suspected culprits who harmed the victim. The petition mentioned that the hazing and the brutal pledgee treatment caused the victim's death, describing the inhumane and hazing practices by the Greek lettermen.

The dorm where Tyler died is about 10 miles from where the four Idaho students were slashed and stabbed to death. Many ask that an investigation on Theta Chi be initiated to get to the bottom of the case, especially how they killed Tyler.

Death Near Bryan Kohberger Could Be Coincidence

Many who knew the hazing victim had praised and said he deserved justice and asked to help in the cause to call WSUs to the issue. Its goal is to charge the perpetrators and stop more deaths.

The family of the deceased had a GoFundMe started and asked those who knew him to donate. Calling him a sincere and kind person, they did not want him to be forgotten. The fund will be used for the victim's funeral costs.

Read Also: Idaho Murders: Police Find Items in Suspect's Home

Many people have given their condolences to the family, and one of them said their son was a friend of the victim. Also, the loss of the family is felt by others.

One comment is how the deceased died too early and too soon, expressing condolences to family and friends. Another who knew the student remarked as a parent of one WSU student expressing support, calling Luke who misses his chance to do something in the world, love, and light to the family in a time of great tragedy. Lastly, saying his memory will bring comfort.

The cops looking at the college freshman's death have issued a statement but not verified activity that could be considered criminal. Authorities have asked the public not to spread any info that could compound the cause and make it more complicated.

Chief investigator Gary Lee Jenkins indicated how speculation on the situation and circumstances of the death of the WSU freshman. Knowing how he died is important and will not help resolve the case. Any unfound rumors will only make the work of investigators harder, and he mentioned the Whitman County coroner involved, per Mirror.

Attention was brought to the actual information to document what happened, with no rumors or speculations. Warn that a coroner will not conclude the cause of death in weeks, not a short time. Getting to the bottom of the case fast is needed. The recent WSU freshman found in the dormitory near where Bryan Kohberger lives discovered dead.

Related Article: Idaho Murder Victim Died Awake

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President Joe Biden announced Monday that the US will not provide Ukraine F16 fighter jets to defend against Russian aggression.

US clearance last week to transfer M1 Abrams fighting tanks has given Kyiv fresh confidence that it could soon get fighter planes like the F16 fighter jets it has long desired.

Ukraine's defense ministry advisor Yuriy Sak told CNBC, Ukraine "will get F-16s." On Monday, though, President Biden discredited such speculation, as reported by CBS News.

Biden said "No" when asked if the United States would provide Ukraine F-16 fighter planes on the South Lawn of the White House.

US authorities have previously looked receptive to the notion.

Read Also: Boris Johnson Blasts Vladimir Putin

The Soviet-era fighter planes of Ukraine, principally MiGs, were produced before Ukraine proclaimed independence from the USSR in 1991. Hence, Kyiv's purchase of US-made F-16 fighter jets would be a considerable improvement and help in the Russia Ukraine war, per BBC.

Despite Ukraine's repeated requests, President Joe Biden has instead prioritized other forms of military aid.

NATO Nations Still Willing To Send Fighter Planes to Ukraine

Even though Joe Biden declared that the United States will not deploy F-16s to Ukraine, most NATO nations in Europe have left the option open.

Polish officials have indicated readiness to send some of their F-16s to Ukraine.

Hellenic Aerospace Industry engineer Konstantinos Zikidis, who has a comprehensive background with the F16 fighter jets, believes that the US-made fighter jets will face the Russian Sukhoi-35, which is "larger, faster," and has superior radar, per Al Jazeera.

Zikidis noted that if the F16 fighter jets was equipped with Western-made, potent missiles and tracked by airborne radar, it would be able to defeat the Sukhoi-35 if they go head-to-head in the Russia Ukraine war.

Related Article: Pakistan Bombing Update

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 1)  National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon is confident the 75-billion initial capital of the controversial Maharlika fund could balloon and unburden the Philippines from its mounting debt.

During a hearing on Wednesday, De Leon said that the Indonesia Investment Authority, the country's sovereign wealth fund, secured $20 billion in commitments and pledges from global investors and other sovereign wealth funds after injecting $5 billion in capital.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian then asked the official if it would be possible for the Philippines' proposed investment trust to also "quadruple" its capital if it could entice others to co-invest.

"Yes, sir...in commitments," De Leon said.

The Maharlika Investment Corp., which will manage the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF), will get its initial capital from LandBank (50 billion) and the Development Bank of the Philippines (25 billion).

De Leon also said the MIF received "a good reception" abroad.

"But they'd like to know more. They want to see how they, as investors, could participate in the fund," she added.

"We already have that interest that we were able to stimulate," De Leon said.

However, Sen. Risa Hontiveros noted that, unlike Indonesia, the Philippines does not have a portfolio of infrastructure and mining investment projects that could attract foreign investors.

Hontiveros also questioned the Maharlika fund's potential to reduce the country's debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio, which rose to 63.7% as of end-September 2022.

De Leon said they do not have a firm projection yet, but stressed the establishment of the Maharlika fund would allow the government to do away with borrowing activities when financing infrastructure projects.

"Some of these infrastructure projects, development projects that we have can be already funded by these co-investments by the fund, and global investors who will be participating in the MIF," she said.

"We have these contributions, kahit 75 billion siya [even though it's just 75 billion], then we can co-invest with other investors in these kinds of projects. We will also benefit from the transfer of technologies and knowledge," De Leon said.
I first heard Telepono as a teen at an all-boys private school, as I was just learning how to talk to girls. Our house had a landline, but I was more of an unlitext and Yahoo! Messenger type of person and I couldnt relate to its rituals and customs. I did, however, latch on tightly to the songs depiction of the agony of sporadic conversation and the overthinking that fills the silence. So while I was talking to Ebe Dancel before the Sa Wakas: 20th Anniversary Celebration! gig, it floored me to hear that Sugarfrees former vocalist and songwriter didnt know that over the years, he had been performing the song that was missing a verse from its original.

Dancel only noticed the difference because for Saturdays all-Sugarfree set, they were going to try to play the songs as close to the record versions as possible. It was going to be a special performance too, because he would be joined by his dear friend and original Sugarfree drummer, Mitch Singson. After rehearsing all the songs in Sa Wakas, especially Telepono, sabi ko kay Mitch, oh, so thats what the album version sounds like! he laughed. The years of tinkering and refining his songs have led to skipping four extra bars between the first chorus and the second sung verse. That songs so sappy! I used to be really sappy, but its fun because its [with] Mitch, he said. Its no secret naman that hes one of my favorite drummers.

Autotelic performing at the Sa Wakas: 20th Anniversary Celebration! gig at 123 Block. Photo by KRIS ROCHA/Courtesy of GABI NA NAMAN PRODUCTIONS

Cheats performing with Johnoy Danao. Photo by KRIS ROCHA/Courtesy of GABI NA NAMAN PRODUCTIONS

Ebe Dancel performed Photo by KRIS ROCHA/Courtesy of GABI NA NAMAN PRODUCTIONS

Back to the past

The event, co-produced by Gabi Na Naman Productions and Backspacer Records, was set up as a campus-themed fair laden with sorbetes, isaw, merch booths, and carnival games. This one though was not quite like the UP Fair (Ive never missed a UP Fair since I started performing) or other school events where Sugarfree used to perform (Sometimes for free, just to get the music out there).

Instead of students, there were medical residents, accountants, insurance agents, and small business owners clutching newly purchased vinyl records and books, and downing cups of buttered sweet corn and taho, together with grilled meats, pares, beer, and coffee. Some of Sugarfrees old party of traveling fans, who in their youth followed them from the usual Manila spots to as far away as Isabela province, pulled up with families in tow. In some pockets of 123 Block, lawn chairs and stools materialized instead of banigs and blankets, and occasionally, you could see a few people apply a menthol-scented pain reliever of choice.

The crowd was treated to performances from Brass Pas Pas Pas Pas, Autotelic, Cheats, Johnoy Danao, and The Itchyworms. They shone the spotlight on the music of Sugarfree  Cheats especially, who played a few riffs from Burnout during their setup and folded into their set a spirited cover of the coda from Mariposa.

Mariposa, together with Telepono, found traction on NU 107.5 FM in the early aughts (Dancel was handing out demos to anyone who would take them including, fortunately, station jocks Francis Brew and Myrene Academia), but music labels were skeptical taking them on. One afternoon, Dancel glanced at his pet turtle shuffling along and thought that it captured all the bands troubles at the time. Two years worth of time and resources to record the album led to christening it as Sa Wakas, whose cover has artist Nix Punos depiction of three bored people waiting for said turtle to cross the finish line. The title was a sigh of exasperation and triumph for a band that, according to Dancel, was perfectly happy to just continue playing at all those old bars that have gone the way of Yahoo! Messenger.

Dancel performed together with Rigil Borromeo (guitar), Paolo Manuel (drums), John Apura (guitar), and Roger Alcantara (bass) and original drummer Mitch Singson in a couple of songs. Photo by KRIS ROCHA/Courtesy of GABI NA NAMAN PRODUCTIONS

Singson took a turn on the drums for the run of Unang Araw, Telepono, Mariposa, Ciuda, and Insomnya. Photo by KRIS ROCHA/Courtesy of GABI NA NAMAN PRODUCTIONS

Jazz Nicolas of The Itchyworms. Photo by KRIS ROCHA/Courtesy of GABI NA NAMAN PRODUCTIONS

An occasion for thanks

Dancel is grateful to still be making music 20 years on, having no inkling then of how many people would come to cherish his songs. We had no idea that the album would make a mark, he said. We had no idea that it would have the impact that people say it has.

My favorite Sugarfree songs are those which dance between the lines of love (or yearning for it), regret, fantasy, and promise. As one friend put it, sometimes that dynamism is a function of age, where you grow into music you didnt fully understand in your youth. Credit also goes to the maddening simplicity of Dancels style, writing mainly for a guitar and using unpretentious language. Those songs connect with you like a musical Rorschach test, guiding you to what your heart needs to hear within its melodies. In the words of another friend, listening to Sugarfree is like sharing a beer with an emotionally attentive, poetic friend, but a friend nonetheless.

And so, I hear (and try to belt out) a different song each time I return to Sugarfree, tracks like Kwarto (Nagpapaalam na sayo ang aking kwarto), Burnout (Oh, kay tagal kitang mamahalin), Dear Kuya (Tawag ka lang sa amin / at parang nandito ka na rin), and so on, all of which the band played that night. The only constant has been Dancel lending me his voice to lift my feelings off my chest.

The main event opened with Prom, the first of 16 songs from Sugarfrees four albums he sang during that night. Dancel performed together with Rigil Borromeo (guitar), Paolo Manuel (drums), John Apura (guitar), and Roger Alcantara (bass). Singson took a turn on the drums for the run of Unang Araw, Telepono, Mariposa, Ciuda, and Insomnya.

Ciuda (Kung akin lang ang mundo / Ibibigay ko siya sa yo) was dedicated to Gab Kee Chee, one of Dancels closest friends and Parokya ni Edgar guitarist, who is currently hospitalized for pneumonia. QR codes and other information on how to assist with his expenses were posted around the area.

While I know he is capable of taking care of himself, the bravest people I know are capable of asking for help, Dancel told the audience.

For an album about pain, 20 years later "Sa Wakas" signals an emergence from the depths of despair, a freedom from debilitating thoughts and a sense for better days to come. Photo by KRIS ROCHA/Courtesy of GABI NA NAMAN PRODUCTIONS

Looking to the future

Towards the end of the evening, Dancel snuck in a rendition of Bawat Daan, a song he wrote in 2015 as the theme for the Sa Wakas musical, and which found new meaning last year as a campaign anthem for then-Vice President Leni Robredo. It was telling of the songs influence that a smattering of fans attended the concert in pink merchandise, or wore shirts quoting lines from the song. It didnt escape the audience either that Alcantara quickly flashed double L signs with his hands, and dozens more shot up in solidarity.

Right in the middle of the song, one fan in attendance, Ginno, proposed to his long-time girlfriend, Rachel. The band, by the time they figured out what was happening, paused the song after the line, Nahanap kita (kay tagal kong naghintay). Rachel said yes. Dancel invited the couple onstage, where they hugged it out and finished the rest of the song. Mitch then returned to play Burnout and sent everyone off into the night.

Perhaps then, the most triumphant thing about Sa Wakas is its title. For an album about pain, 20 years later it signals an emergence from the depths of despair, a freedom from debilitating thoughts and a sense for better days to come. But this isnt the end, whether for us, the music, or Ebe himself. True enough, if you look at Punos gig poster with an updated turtle, it isnt plodding along anymore. Hes on an ATV, his eyes are wide open, and that little guy is absolutely flying.
Pope Francis arrived in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo and delivered a speech about political strangleholds and urged the world to "stop choking Africa."

The religious leader's remarks included stinging condemnation of the centuries-long exploitation of the country and the entire continent. The pope also called on other nations to acknowledge the catastrophic things done in the country and fully respect the people who live there.

Pope Francis Visits DR Congo

Speaking to a crowd, Pope Francis said that Africa is not a mine to be stripped of or terrain to be plundered by other countries. His statement was a reference to rich resources that were the cause of so much conflict and death in the country.

However, the speech did not specifically address the role played by Catholic colonizers, which was backed by historic edicts from the Vatican, and the atrocities they conducted in the region.

On the other hand, the pope addressed the greed that has more recently taken hold of DR Congo. He said, "smeared its diamonds with blood." According to BBC, this was a reference to 7 million people that were estimated to have died amid conflict in the region in the last three decades.

Pope Francis' trip to the region was supposed to be last year and was planned to include a visit to the east, where the worst of violence continues to rage, and millions of citizens have been displaced.

However, it was postponed due to the religious leader's health problems that centered around his mobility, and now, due to various security concerns, he will not be able to make a trip to the east.

While on the plane to Kinshasa, the pope informed journalists that he regretted not being able to walk through the aisle to greet the people of the region. Instead, he asked that they go forward to meet him.

Read Also: Pakistan Mosque Bombing Attack Death Toll

Apostolic Journey

The first part of Pope Francis' trip will be from Jan. 31, 2023, to Feb. 3, 2023, and will have him follow the footsteps of Pope St. John Paul II, who traveled to the country in 1980 and 1985. The latest trip marks the religious leader's 40th Apostolic Journey abroad and his fifth one in Africa, according to Vatican News.

After a welcoming ceremony, the pope will pay a courtesy visit to President Felix Tshisekedi and address the country's authorities, civil society, and diplomatic corps. On Sunday, which marks the completion of the Apostolic Journey, Pope Francis will have visited 60 countries since the beginning of his pontificate.

In 2015, Pope Francis traveled to Kenya, Uganda, and the Central African Republic and visited Egypt two years later. In March 2019, he conducted an Apostolic Journey to Morocco, and in September 2019, he did the same in Mozambique, Madagascar, and Mauritius.

The religious leader's trip to DR Congo is meant to remind the world not to ignore decades-long conflicts worldwide, said the Vatican. It comes as for years, despite vast mineral wealth, the Central African country continues to struggle with instability and poverty of its people, said Aljazeera.

Related Article: Finland, Sweden NATO Applications Update

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 1)  Subway Philippines on Thursday apologized for its controversial commercial video following netizens backlash for its supposed objectifying undertone.

In a statement shared by its public relations company, the local leg of the American fast-food joint said the advertisement did not reflect our values of dignity and respect for all.

It shouldnt have been produced and has since been removed. Were sorry for this error, it wrote.

Subway Philippines came under fire for its video promoting its different sandwich options  but using women as a representation.

It first issued a statement on the matter on Wednesday but did not specifically address remarks that the ad was misogynistic.

We are overwhelmed with the response to the video we have released on this page, Subway Philippines said in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

The video is intended to connect the variety one gets from Subways three crave-worthy B.M.T. options, all made equally delicious, it added.

The advertisement featured social media personality Kimpoy Feliciano, saying he prefers being called a lover boy rather than a playboy as he is currently madly in love with not one, but three.

The video then cuts to a split-screen of three different women with the letters B, M, and T, which in the end were revealed to mean biggest, meatiest, and tastiest referring to its sandwich options.

This Subway ad reeks machismo. Why use women to compare different sandwich options? Ganito pa din ba ang tingin ng ibang lalaki sa mga babae? [Do other men still look at women this way?] I like Subway but this isnt clicking for me, one netizen said.

Hindi ako babae at hindi rin naman ako sandwich but bakit feeling ko ang lakas ng women as pieces of meat undertone nitong video? [I'm not a woman and I'm not a sandwich either, but why do I feel the strength of the 'women as pieces of meat' undertone in this video] said another. "[It's] not about Kimpoy. it's about how this campaign's messaging seems to celebrate male machismo and objectify women."

"There is nothing good about this ad. It fails at all levels. It looks at women as sandwiches and glorifies multiple partners, women being the objects," a netizen's tweet read.

Gabriela Women's Party also expressed concern over the advertisement, saying that Filipinos have a long way to go in terms of portraying women in the media.

We would like to remind Subway that women are not pieces of meat. The advertisement reeks of sexism and misogyny. It is deeply offensive, triggering, and insensitive, especially when many Filipino women continue to experience various forms of sexual violence and abuse, Rep. Arlene Brosas said.

The video has since been taken down from Subway Philippines social media pages, while Feliciano has yet to address the issue.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 1)  The Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has given the agency a year to complete its review of the K to 12 curriculum as it aims to revise the program amid issues facing the countrys education sector.

The President gave us a timeline of around a year to finish the review, DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa told CNN Philippines The Source.

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte earlier said her department will revise the K to 12 curriculum to make it more responsive and develop lifelong learners.

She noted in a speech that the ongoing review of the curriculum revealed its "content is congested, that some prerequisites of identified essential learning competencies are missing or misplaced, and that a significant number of learning competencies cater to high cognitive demands.

So far, the review for the curriculum for kinder to grade 10 has been concluded and is undergoing consultations with experts. The review for senior high school just started, Poa noted.

We are trying to decongest our curriculum to focus on definitely the essential subjects and the basics, like math, reading, science, he said. We want to really look at literacy in a way that well be able to inculcate not just foundational literacy and also functional literacy.

Poa said the department does not want to rush the review, but it also hopes to implement the improved curriculum as soon as possible.

Along with reviewing the curriculum, Poa said there is also a need to upskill and re-skill teachers, as well as look after the mental health and nutrition of learners.

This holistic approach is seen to help in addressing the learning poverty in the Philippines reported by the World Bank, he noted.

In 2022, the World Bank said nine out of 10 Filipino children aged 10 are still struggling to read even simple texts. This makes the Philippines one of the countries with the highest learning poverty rates in the East Asia and Pacific region.

Recently, a video of children on TikTok doing the so-called past tense challenge caught the attention of netizens after they failed to answer correctly.

Poa said it was "very concerning" surmising that this may be due to the two-year lockdown which prevented children from physically attending school. While online learning was implemented, not all students had internet access, he noted.

Following the return of in-person classes last year, DepEd said it conducted an assessment to check if the learners were within their expected capacity depending on their age bracket.

Remediation measures were done, but the review of the K to 12 curriculum would be vital in addressing the issue, Poa said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 1)  President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will be in Japan from Feb. 8 to 12, his third foreign trip this year after his state visit to China and his participation at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland in January.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it considers Marcos visit to Japan consequential, with seven bilateral key agreements expected to be signed on top of business deals.

The chief executive will be joined by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, former president and current House Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, as well as Cabinet secretaries, among other government officials.

A large business delegation will also come with Marcos, the DFA said, but there was no given number of participants yet.

Schedule, meetings

Marcos will depart Manila in the afternoon of Feb. 8 and will arrive in Tokyo in the early evening, DFA Assistant Secretary Neal Imperial said in a media briefing on Feb. 1.

The presidents official activities will begin on Feb. 9. Among his appointments is with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who invited him to visit the East Asian country during their first meeting in September 2022 at the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

Both leaders will discuss a broad range of bilateral and regional issues to further strengthen the two countries cooperation in the second decade of their strategic partnership, Imperial said.

The DFA added Marcos and the first lady will be given an imperial audience with Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako at an unspecified date and time.

Roundtable and business meetings, business calls on the president, and a business seminar will be held on Feb. 9 and 10.

The president will also be meeting with CEOs of Japanese shipping companies and associations to advance partnerships with Philippine stakeholders in maritime education and welfare programs for our seafarers, Imperial said.

On the morning of Feb. 12, his flight back to the Philippines, Marcos is expected to meet with over a thousand members of the Filipino community in Tokyo.

The chief executive is scheduled to arrive in Manila in the evening.

Deals seen to be inked

The DFA said it anticipates the signing of seven key bilateral documents or agreements, covering cooperation in areas that are part of Marcos priority agenda. Imperial noted these include the areas of infrastructure development, defense, agriculture, and information and communications technology.

He said the Marcos administration expects the defense departments of both countries to ink an umbrella terms of reference on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief cooperation.

The official added that Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo will sign an exchange of notes on loan agreements on infrastructure, particularly on the North-South Commuter Railway project from Malolos, Bulacan to Clark International Airport, and from Tutuban to Calamba, Laguna.

This will involve around $3-billion worth of loans that will be later signed also by the Department of Finance, Imperial said.

According to the DFA, Japan is the first country with which the Philippines has forged a strategic partnership.

Japan is also one of only two strategic partners of the Philippines, the other one being Vietnam, and the only nation with which Manila has a bilateral free trade agreement.

The DFA added that Japan has been the country's biggest bilateral source of active official development assistance, providing concessional loans to finance "high-impact" programs, such as on infrastructure, social safety nets, education, agriculture, and science and technology support.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 1) President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has asked authorities to ensure the continued release of COVID-19 allowances for health workers despite the non-extension of the pandemic state of calamity in the country, Malacanang said Wednesday.

Tuloy-tuloy yan, Marcos, as quoted by the Presidential Communications Office, said in a meeting with health officials in the Palace.

Yung mga health workers, yung allowance nila ay pinag-aralan namin nang mabuti, kahit hindi itinutuloy ang state of calamity ay hindi maapektuhan ang pagbayad doon sa ating mga health workers ng kanilang mga benefits, he added.

[Translation: That will continue. We thoroughly studied the allowances of health workers, that even if the state of calamity wont continue, their pay and benefits will not be affected.]

The Department of Health (DOH) previously urged Marcos to extend the state of calamity in the country, which was slated to end on Dec. 31, 2022.

As of publishing, Malacanang has yet to release a formal announcement on the matter. DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire also said in a media forum last week that the agency has not yet received an official response to its proposal.

RELATED: Marcos 'very, very hesitant' to extend COVID-19 state of calamity

The chief executive, during the meeting, pointed out the improvement in COVID-19 metrics in the country  particularly the declining number of cases and lower hospitalization rates.

So dapat naman eh mag-adjust din tayo doon sa kung ano ba talaga ang scientific na assessment doon sa sitwasyon ng COVID, Marcos said.

[Translation: So we need to adjust based on the scientific assessment on the COVID situation.]

Over 4,000,000 coronavirus infections have been reported nationwide as of latest DOH data.

READ: WHO: COVID-19 still a public health emergency of international concern
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 1)  The issue of Filipino "comfort women"  or those forced into sex slavery during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines  won't likely be tackled during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s state visit to Japan next week, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday.

"We don't expect it to be raised, but the position of the Philippines on this issue is that compensation claims by former 'comfort women' are considered to be already settled as far as the government is concerned," DFA Assistant Secretary Neal Imperial told reporters in a briefing.

Imperial cited the reparations agreement signed by the two countries in 1956.

Under the deal, Japan provided the Philippines with $550-million worth of goods and services as its reparation and settlement of claims for the damage it caused during World War II.

However, Imperial stressed that the Philippine government will not prevent private claims should victims pursue such actions.

"We will not stop, of course, the victims because this is an atrocious violence against women during the war," the official said.

On Tuesday, Lila Pilipina  an organization of "comfort women"  held a demonstration in front of the Japanese Embassy in Manila, as it reiterated its long-standing call for the East Asian nation to take steps "toward a fair and long overdue resolution" of the issue and "to finally acknowledge its war crimes."

The group's action came amid the fourth cycle of the United Nations' (UN) Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights in Japan.

"We are outraged that Japan has chosen to once again ignore the issue of its wartime military sex slavery of thousands of Asian women in the fourth human rights report it submitted to the UN Human Rights Council," its statement read.

In 1993, Tokyo issued an apology recognizing its military's involvement in the brothel system but refused to admit the government's role in it.

Apart from stressing its demand for Japan to come to a dialogue with Filipina victims, Lila Pilipina made an appeal to the Marcos administration.

"We call on the Philippine government to stand up for its citizens by raising the issue of Filipino 'comfort women' during the Universal Periodic Review of Japan, and for the cessation of agreements allowing for military exercises in the country," it said.

Women's rights group Gabriela also expressed support for the war victims on Tuesday, saying, "It is heartbreaking that many of our lolas, in their twilight years, have now passed away without ever seeing justice."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 1)  The Metro Manila Council (MMC) on Wednesday approved the implementation of a single ticketing system for traffic violations committed in the capital region.

MMC president and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora said the system will now allow payment of fines via digital platforms and licenses will no longer be confiscated.

"Less violators on the ground means less traffic also because oftentimes once someone's apprehended, it actually disrupts the traffic. So what we are trying to do here is instill discipline in people," Zamora told CNN Philippines' The Final Word.

"Once we are able to implement the system, people will not be confused anymore with regard to how much they will have to pay," he added.

The system's approval also means there is now a standard penalty for more than 20 traffic violations, including the violation of special laws, in all parts of Metro Manila:

- Disregarding traffic signs

- Illegal parking (attended and unattended)

- Number coding UVVRP

- Truck ban

- Light truck ban

- Reckless driving

- Unregistered motor vehicle

- Driving without license

- Tricycle ban

- Obstruction

- Dress code for motorcycle

- Overloading

- Defective motorcycle accessories

- Unauthorized modification

- Arrogance/Discourteous conduct (driver)

- Loading and unloading in prohibited zones

- Illegal counterflow

- Overspeeding

Special laws

- Seat Belts Use Act of 1999

- Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act

- Mandatory Use of Motorcycle Helmet Act

- Children's Safety on Motorcycle Act

- Anti-Distracted Driving Act

- Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act

"The single ticketing system would help avoid confusion among our driving public, as well as option to pay electronically for their violations," said Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) acting chairperson Don Artes in a statement.

"Driver's license will also not be confiscated during apprehension," he added.

The MMDA will shoulder the funding for the hardware and technology information needed by the local government units in implementing the single ticketing system.

"The main issue really prior to today's approval was the funding because not all LGUs have completed the needed equipment. So, some will have to procure, some will have to spend and because the MMDA shouldered it, one major issue was cleared immediately," Zamora said.

The council will now work on amending existing ordinances to harmonize with the approved Metro Manila traffic code, the mayor added.

"All the groundwork such as integration with the LTO data, the setting up of the back offices for the IT systems, these are things that we will do in the next few months," he said.

According to the MMC, all local government units must issue ordinances on or before March 15. The implementation is expected to start in April.

With reports from CNN Philippines' senior correspondent Gerg Cahiles
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 1)  The Philippines ranked 116th in Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index (CPI) for 2022, which assesses the perceived levels of public sector corruption in 180 countries and territories globally.

The latest rank is just a notch higher than the Philippines' 2021 standing, with Transparency International still listing the country as among the "significant decliners" in the Asia-Pacific region.

The country's latest CPI score was 33, unchanged from the previous year and its lowest score in the index. It dropped from the 2014 score of 38, the country's highest.

Transparency International defined the scale as zero meaning "highly corrupt" and 100 as "very clean."

In its 2021 index, the Berlin-based watchdog reported that the Philippines saw "a sharp decline in freedom of association and freedom of expression, making it harder to speak up about corruption" since the election of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Other "significant decliners" in the region were Malaysia, Pakistan, Australia, Mongolia, and Sri Lanka.

"In recent years, democracy has been declining in the region, including in some of the most populous countries in the world, such as India (43), the Philippines (33) and Bangladesh (25)," its Asia-Pacific report read.

It also said corruption thrives in the region as politicians make empty promises to combat it and regimes consolidate power by curtailing space for dissent with more draconian laws.

Denmark topped the index with a CPI score of 90, followed by Finland and New Zealand with 87, and Norway with 84.

The top 10 countries have reported score declines this year, except for Denmark and Ireland (ranked 10th).

At the bottom of the list: Somalia with a score of 12, South Sudan and Syria with 13, Venezuela with 14, and Yemen with 16.

Meanwhile, the country shared the 116th rank with six countries: Algeria, Angola, El Salvador, Mongolia, Ukraine, and Zambia.

Transparency International said the 2022 index showed that most countries are failing to stop corruption as the global average score of 43 remains unchanged for over a decade. The Asia-Pacific region's average was 45 for the fourth year in a row.

It also said more than two-thirds of countries scored below 50, while 26 countries have fallen to their lowest scores yet.

"Despite concerted efforts and hard-won gains by some, 155 countries have made no significant progress against corruption or have declined since 2012," the watchdog said.

It also attributed corruption as a key cause and result of the deterioration of global peace.

Daniel Eriksson, chief executive officer of Transparency International, urged governments to open up space and include activists, business owners, marginalized communities, and the youth in decision-making.

"In democratic societies, the people can raise their voices to help root out corruption and demand a safer world for us all," he added.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 1)  President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. greenlit the creation of the Water Resource Management Office (WRMO) to manage supply and respond to environmental issues, Malacanang said Wednesday.

The president said topping the WRMOs agenda are reducing dependence on groundwater and deep wells, as well as managing surface water supply.

Thats as far as I could tell. We have sufficient... Theres enough water in the Philippines, hindi lang natin ginagamit, tinatapon natin [but we are just wasting it], Marcos said during a multisectoral meeting in Malacanan Palace.

The WRMO will be under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for now, pending the creation of the Department of Water Resources, which is among the president's priority bills as mentioned during the State of the Nation Address in July 2022.

RELATED: Marcos raises need for water department

The office's main functions include formulating and ensuring the implementation of the Integrated Water Management Plan (IWMP), which will integrate various plans of different agencies.

Malacanang said an executive order will be crafted to enable the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), Local Water Utilities Administration, and other water-related agencies of the DENR to have a collaborative mechanism under the WRMO for water management programs.

"It has to be cohesive in the sense that kailangan yung recommendation ng management office sinusundan [we need to follow the recommendation of the management office]," Marcos said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 2)  An employee of the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman is in critical condition after she was robbed and shot along Quezon Avenue on Wednesday, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) reported.

The victim, identified as 37-year-old Dianne Jane Paguirigan, was shot at 8:20 a.m. in front of a bank while waiting for a ride to get to work.

The QCPD reported that an unidentified male suspect shot Paguirigan at her right chest after he grabbed her bag. The suspect then fled towards Quezon City Circle.

Paguirigan, who works at the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices, was rushed to Capitol Medical Center for treatment. She is still in critical condition.

The QCPD said the agency is hunting for the suspect and conducting an investigation to establish his identity.
(CNN)  Several suspects have been arrested in connection with the suicide bomb blast in a mosque in Pakistan's northern city of Peshawar that killed more than 100 people.

More arrests will take place following a major police investigation into the attack that injured another 217 people, Peshawar Police Chief Mohammad Aijaz Khan said.

Authorities are also investigating how the attacker entered the mosque, Khan added. Families that live in the police compound where the mosque is located are being interrogated as police cannot rule out that the attacker may have been helped by someone internally.

Police suspect that 12 kilograms (26.5 pounds) of explosives were used by a suicide bomber, Inspector General of Peshawar Police Moazim Jah Ansari said earlier.

Footage emerged of the destroyed walls of the mosque, with glass windows and paneling pummeled in the powerful explosion.

Emergency workers searched through the rubble to locate survivors in the aftermath of the explosion, but authorities said "mostly dead bodies" were being found.

The blast Monday is indicative of the deteriorating security situation in Peshawar, capital of the restive Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan and the site of frequent attacks by the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP).

There were conflicting claims of who was responsible for the attack, with TTP officials Sarbakaf Mohmand and Omar Mukaram Khurasani initially saying the blast was "revenge" for the death of TTP militant Khalid Khorasani last year.

But the TTP's main spokesperson, Muhammad Khorasani, later denied the group was involved in the attack.

Pakistan authorities have not confirmed either claim.

Rights groups denounced the attack, which came at a rocky period for Pakistan amid a grueling cost of living crisis and a faltering economy worsened by devastating floods last year.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Suspects arrested in fatal Pakistan mosque suicide attack that left over 100 dead."
New York City Rep. George Santos, facing a slew of investigations after acknowledging that he faked parts of his resume, conceded to calls from other lawmakers and has decided to recuse himself from committee assignments.

The announcement on Tuesday marks the embattled lawmaker's first crack in his continued defiant stance amid controversies. Santos was elected in November and has since admitted to faking several parts of his resume. He is now facing criticism for what many believe is a yearslong pattern of deception.

George Santos Steps Down From Committees

He was named in the new Congress to serve on small business, science, space, and technology committees. Republican lawmakers, however, have made no move to penalize the representative despite a litany of revelations regarding his conduct that he refused to address.

The New York City lawmaker decided to step down from the committee on Monday night after he privately met with Speaker Kevin McCarthy. The latter said on Tuesday that Santos raised the idea, calling it an "appropriate decision" until he can clear everything up, as per the New York Times.

In a statement, Santos said he requested to temporarily recuse himself from committee assignments due to the ongoing attention surrounding his personal and campaign finance investigations. On Tuesday, he added that the decision was to give him time to properly clear his name before returning to his duties.

The move comes as McCarthy tried to urge other Republicans to vote to oust Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, from the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. It also came a week after the House Speaker unilaterally blocked Reps. Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell from serving on the House committee overseeing intelligence matters.

The Democratic Party has largely criticized McCarthy for allowing someone like Santos, who is currently under federal and local investigation in his home country and faces fraud charges in Brazil, to serve on the committee but chose to remove members of the left who are not accused of any crimes.

Read Also: Joe Biden Unveils Massive NYC Rail Tunnel Project

Fabricating Education and Work Histories

Santos said that his decision was taken seriously and added that the business of the 118th Congress needs to continue without media fanfare. According to CBS News, he needed to focus on serving the constituents of New York's Third Congressional District and assisting in providing federal-level representation without being distracted by other issues.

In an interview, the New York City representative said he was quite confident that he would be able to clear his name because he has "nothing to hide." The two vacant seats that will be freed on the committees with Santos stepping down would be filled temporarily, and he can reclaim them if and when he is cleared, said McCarthy.

The entire controversy surrounding Santos began after reports revealed that he fabricated major parts of his background, such as his education and work history, connections to an alleged Ponzi scheme, the death of his mother, and his Jewish heritage, said Fox News.

Related Article: Trump's Stormy Daniels Hush-Money Payment Case Update

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(CNN)  More than one million people attended Pope Francis Mass in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Wednesday, the Vatican Press Office said, citing figures estimated by local authorities.

Francis trip to the DRC  the first papal visit since 1985  comes at a time the African nation is beset by armed fighting and a worsening refugee crisis.

It is part of a six-day trip in the DRC and South Sudan  two countries where Catholics comprise about half of the population and the Church is a key stakeholder in health and education systems as well as in democracy-building efforts. Both countries have abundant natural resources, but are grappling with poverty and strife.

A CNN team on the ground witnessed crowds singing and dancing at NDolo Airport from the early hours of the morning, waiting for their first glimpse of the Pope, who toured the air field in an open Popemobile.

Francis spoke to attendees in his homily about peace and directly challenged those who wield weapons.

May it be the right time for you, who in this country call yourself a Christian but commit violence, Francis said. To you the Lord says, Put down your arms and embrace mercy.

We Christians are called to cooperate with everyone, to break the cycle of violence, to dismantle the machinations of hatred, the Pope said.

Francis said the population was suffering from wounds that ache, continually infected by hatred and violence, while the medicine of justice and the balm of hope never seem to arrive, according to Reuters.

Decades of militia violence have taken grip of the DRC, as state forces struggle to curb rebel groups. Conflict between government troops and the M23 rebel group, which seeks control of the country from its stronghold in eastern DRC, has left many dead and displaced thousands.

According to the UN World Food Programme, 26 million people in the DRC face severe hunger.

Francis met with victims of violence from the east during his visit, and said he was left without words after hearing their harrowing stories.

We can only weep in silence, the Pope said, as he thanked the victims for their courageous testimony.

He is scheduled to leave Kinshasa Friday for South Sudans capital, Juba, where he will be joined by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Iain Greenshields.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Pope Francis attracts more than one million worshippers to DRC Mass"
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On Monday, the trial of a woman accused of poisoning her friend with cheesecake began in the New York City borough of Queens.

According to prosecutors, the suspect intended to murder the victim and assume her identity. When Olga Svyk was asked if the individual who attempted to poison her with cheesecake was in the courtroom, there was a moment of tense silence and the two locked eyes for the first time in years.

Woman Killed Instagram Lookalike

According to the prosecution, Viktoria Nasyrova of Brooklyn wanted Syvk dead. Assistant District Attorney Konstantinos Litourgis stated that in August 2016, Nasyrova contacted Svyk, a skin beautification technician who specializes in eyelashes, regarding an eyelash emergency.

The district attorney claimed Nasyrova invited Syvk to her Queens residence for a quick fix. Allegedly, Nasyrova brought cheesecake laced with a potentially lethal substance found only in Russia.

A friend testified that paramedics discovered Svyk passed out and surrounded by pills. The district attorney stated that Nasyrova chose a victim who resembled her at the time; both had dark hair, the same skin tone, and the ability to speak Russian.

The prosecution asserts that Nasyrova was arrested with the victim's passport. Litourgis asserts that Nasyrova is a Russian fugitive wanted for the 2014 murder of a woman. According to prosecutors, Nasyrova was on police radar before allegedly targeting Svyk, who was suspected of drugging and robbing men she met on dating websites in Brooklyn.

Tsvyk testified that Nasyrova consumed two slices of cheesecake and offered her a third slice, which prosecutors claim was laced with the potent Russian tranquilizer phenazepam. Prosecutors assert that the Russian national then stole her lookalike friend's passport, cash, and other property, scattering pills over the victim's body to make it appear as if she had attempted suicide.

Litourgis argued that one of her few blunders was leaving her DNA on the cheesecake container, and that there was additional proof that she attempted to murder Tsvyk. A Queens man who claims he was drugged by Nasyrova after they met on a Russian dating site in 2016 is one of the star witnesses the prosecution plans to call throughout the trial.

The man ate fish and vegetables prepared by Nasyrova, according to Litourgis, and awoke three days later at Columbia Presbyterian hospital.

Read Also: Alabama Airport Crew Killed by Plane Engine

Suspect's Prior Crimes

When Nasyrova was accused of drugging and robbing men she met on dating apps in 2019, she pleaded guilty to attempted petit larceny in Brooklyn Supreme Court. Meanwhile, Christopher Hoyt, Nasyrova's defense attorney, told jurors on Monday that the current case against the Russian national was not as clear-cut as prosecutors wanted them to believe.

From Rikers Island, Nasyrova previously stated that the cheesecake incident was merely a misunderstanding. The poisoning case in Queens is the most recent in a series of alleged crimes linked to Nasyrova. She is also accused of drugging and murdering her Russian neighbor, torching the body, and fleeing to New York City. In the Queens case, Nasyrova faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of attempted murder, burglary, and other charges.

Due to their complexion and straight black hair, as well as the heavy makeup found on the victim's body, the police determined that the victim and Sharaban K were strikingly similar in appearance.

Sharaban K and Sheqir K, a friend alleged of aiding in the scheme, were arrested by police on August 19, but the full scope of the case and their alleged motivations were not made public until Monday. It is believed that a family dispute prompted Sharaban K to look for a way to fake her death.

Grieser added that investigations uncovered numerous attempts by Sharaban K to contact women who resembled her on social media in the week preceding the alleged attack. She ultimately succeeded in arranging a meeting with Khadidja O by offering cosmetics, despite the fact that many of her previous attempts had been unsuccessful.

Sheqir K and Sharaban K are accused of abducting the victim, transporting her to a wooded area between Heilbronn and Ingolstadt, and stabbing her to death. Both women were issued arrest warrants on Thursday and Friday, If convicted they each face life in prison.

Related Article: Machete Attacks in Spain Church Left 1 Dead

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The attorney for a Missouri man facing lethal injection next week says he will ask the state Supreme Court to postpone the execution by three or four months to allow more time to investigate his innocence claim
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis hit back at former United States President Donald Trump's criticisms, touting that he got reelected as governor while the Republican businessman failed to win a successive term.

On Saturday, the former president took his latest jab at the Florida lawmaker, claiming that the governor who he previously nicknamed "Ron DeSanctimonious," was misguided in his COVID-19 policies. Trump noted that there were many Republican governors that did not choose to close their states in contrast to Florida which closed for a long time.

DeSantis vs. Trump

During the former president's campaign events in New Hampshire and South Carolina, Trump also claimed that DeSantis owes his political success to the Republican businessman's administration, adding that a potential presidential run by the Florida governor would be considered insulting.

Trump said that without him, DeSantis would not have become the governor of Florida, adding that the thoughts of the latter running as president showed him being disloyal. On the other hand, the Florida governor, speaking at a press conference, fired back at the former president when asked about the continuous criticisms he has received, as per Fox News.

One reporter cited that the former president has repeatedly criticized DeSantis in the past few days on several issues, one of which was about the COVID-19 situation in Florida. In response, the governor reiterated the fact that he won with the highest percentage of the vote than any Republican gubernatorial candidate in the state's history.

Trump has, until recently, been seen as the clear and overwhelming front-runner in the early 2024 GOP presidential nomination polls. But a handful of national surveys that were released last month showed that the former president trailed the Florida governor, who has raised his standing in the last three years among conservatives.

In November, DeSantis overwhelmingly won reelection for a second term to lead the state of Florida. The governor cited the fact that he won by the largest raw vote margin of more than 1.5 million votes compared to any other candidate.

Read Also: Joe Biden Unveils Massive NYC Rail Tunnel Project

Infighting Among Republicans

On top of his criticisms of DeSantis, Trump also opened up a new and largely unexpected line of attack on the Florida governor. He accused his ascendant rival of attempting to "rewrite" his management of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the New York Post.

However, observers have questioned the former president's tack, arguing that the Florida governor's less stringent coronavirus policies helped him build up support. DeSantis, along with Florida Surgeon General. Joseph Ladopo made a point to offer people skeptical of the vaccine a wider platform in the last few months.

In December, the Republican lawmaker hosted a roundtable discussion of vaccine-related concerns and emphasized that the state never considered vaccine mandates for employees working in the region.

DeSantis' comments on Tuesday suggest that he is now more willing to engage and defend against continuous attacks from Trump. The Florida governor is seen as one of the biggest challenges that the former president has to overcome if he wishes to secure the GOP nomination for the 2024 presidential elections, said Politico.

Related Article: George Santos Recuse Himself From Committee Assignments

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The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form
Everybodys talking about ChatGPT, the OpenAI tool that writes poetry, prose, and even software code like a human.

The chatter mostly gravitates toward amazement, fear, and warning  amazement at what it can do, fear of cheating and replacement by robots, and warnings about the perils to humanity of outsourcing creativity to machines.

All that chatter misses the moment. In fact, ChatGPT (The GPT bit stands for Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is less amazing, less scary, and needs fewer warnings than claimed by most of the media coverage. ChatGPT is an AI language model from San Francisco-based OpenAI. It can converse with a person via text and generate a wide range of content upon request.

Generative AI is by far the biggest trend in technology of this decade so far. So, lets understand it better by taking a look at six ChatGPT facts you probably havent heard.

1. ChatGPT isnt uniquely capable

ChatGPT is special only because its public. There are other AI projects just as capable, or even more capable, that youve never tried.

Major tech companies, especially Google, Meta, and others  plus myriad startups and university departments  have developed generative AI tools at least as capable as ChatGPT. In some cases, competitors released limited versions of their AI; in others, they didnt release their technology for public use.

Meta did release a chatbot called Blenderbot even before ChatGPT. But the bot was so cautious in how it was moderated that users found it boring to use.

All that caution stems from real-world misadventures. Microsoft released a chatbot called Tay years ago. It was trained on social media posts. The AI hoovered up content from online haters and trolls and spewed racism and vitriol to Microsofts embarrassment.

Google fired an engineer last year for publicly (and falsely) proclaiming that Googles LaMDA (Language Model for Dialogue Applications) was sentient.

ChatGPT is techs current flavor of the month because of OpenAIs boldness in releasing the tool to the public and some boldness in allowing the bot to address some, but not all, controversial subjects. Other companies are too cautious. But now that ChatGPT is getting so much attention, theyre scrambling to prepare their wares for everyone to use.

Google reportedly issued an internal code red to rush its AI offerings to public availability. The company plans to release some 20 new AI tools this year. Even Chinas Baidu is set to release a ChatGPT competitor in March.

Meanwhile, a site called Futurepedia lists hundreds of AI tools you can try; many are based on ChatGPT, but others that are powerful competitors.

ChatGPT isnt uniquely powerful. Its just unique among the powerful AI systems for its boldness and availability.

2. Microsoft controls OpenAI

The for-profit OpenAI LP company that makes ChatGPT is a subsidiary of the non-profit company OpenAI Incorporated. But OpenAI Incorporated does not own OpenAI LP.

Microsoft is the biggest investor, and the company is working on throwing another $10 billion at OpenAI LP, giving Microsoft a 49% stake. Only 2% of the company will be owned by its nonprofit parent company; all other investors will share the remaining 49%.

Microsoft is also actively working on building ChatGPT capability in Bing, Azure, PowerPoint, Outlook, and other products.

The bottom line is that Microsoft controls OpenAI.

3. Most ChatGPT criticism isnt really about ChatGPT

The three biggest concerns about ChatGPT are that it 1) enables students to cheat; 2) will be used for unethical purposes, such as plagiarism and social engineering; and 3) sometimes gives false information.

We can dismiss the first two. Every new generation of generative AI that works like ChatGPT will be attended by tools that can detect AI-generated content. AI chatbots like ChatGPT are perfectly inevitable and will only get better. We were always going to have to deal with their unethical use.

In any event, the moral failings of humans arent the fault of AI tools.

The third criticism is misguided. When ChatGPT or other chatbots say false things, its only because the training datasets contained that false information haven't been caught yet by an extensive vetting process, which includes the current public beta. Slamming ChatGPT for bad data is like slamming movies as a medium because you saw a bad movie. And it misses the point.

In the future, companies will use generative AI either with their own data, or with thoroughly vetted data. In other words, the technology is one piece and the data is another.

Imagine an organization like the CIA pouring all its intelligence reports, political analysis and the transcript of millions of phone calls into something like ChatGPT. The power to quickly gain insights will be unimaginably high. The technology has breathtaking potential. But todays ChatGPT training data is irrelevant.

4. ChatGPT is made of people

Its tempting to perceive the use of text-based AI as interacting with a computers thoughts instead of a humans. In fact, projects like ChatGPT use human programming to harvest human-made content, which is then vetted and prioritized by humans. It therefore contains human errors, human biases and human conclusions.

5. ChatGPT takes user skill to realize its full potential

In fact, all text-input generative AI tools need skillful inputs for maximum effect. The newish skill of prompt engineering  the art and science of knowing how to talk to each AI tool, will be akin to SEO  a cottage industry of tools and consultants will emerge for developing and using knowledge about which words products what result.

Prompt engineering is a new speciality. But its also something most of us will dabble in. You can get started by checking out this so-called cheat sheet.

6. Some industries already depend on ChatGPT

Some types of professional writing is robotic, automatic, and formulaic  whether AI does it or not. Some professionals have already discovered that AI does this dull chore faster and cheaper.

One profession already addicted to ChatGPT is the real estate industry. When listing a property, there are only so many parameters one can use to describe a home for sale. The fundamentals include numerical data (square footage, total acreage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, price, etc.) and descriptive and factual terms, such as renovated, open concept, formal dining room, etc.

Real estate agents now just plug all that data into ChatGPT and let the AI write the overview for the listing websites.

Real estate professionals arent unique, theyre just ahead of the curve. Many professionals will become totally dependent on AI tools.

ChatGPT is getting everyones attention. But the reality is that were in the earliest of the early days of generative AI. And understanding the reality of whats happening with this technology is everybodys business.
New findings from the Penn Wharton Budget Model estimate that President Joe Biden's plan to reduce monthly payments for certain borrowers with student loan debt could cost as much as $361 billion over the next decade.

One of the income-driven repayment plans, REPAYE, would be significantly revised under the proposed rule from the Education Department, with payments for borrowers set at a smaller fraction of their discretionary income, according to Fox Business.

New Student Loan Forgiveness Plan

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona issued a statement saying, "We cannot return to the same broken system we had before the pandemic, in which a million borrowers defaulted on their loans every year and snowballing interest left millions owing more than they initially borrowed."

According to the White House, the plan could save a typical graduate of a four-year university as much as $2,000 per year on their student loan payments. However, this comfort does not come cheap: The non-partisan Penn Wharton Budget Model at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School estimated that the proposal could cost $333-361 billion.

This is more than twice the Department of Education's net contribution of $137.9 billion to the federal budget. The disparity is due to the government's assumption that enrollment in the income-based plans would remain constant, whereas Penn Wharton predicted that the more generous plan would cause the participation rate to increase from 33% to 75% of the eligible loan volume.

The analysis noted that the Education Department's estimate did not account for potential borrowers switching from non-IDR plans to IDR plans due to the new IDR plan's more generous features. Moreover, the Education Department disagreed with the analysis, citing the administration's proposal to reform IDR plans in a responsible manner.

The Penn-Wharton analysis is based on projections of borrower behavior, which student loan holders may or may not adhere to. The estimates for the IDR reform plan would be in addition to the cost of the government directly forgiving federal student loans, for which the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a challenge later this year. In a previous analysis, Penn-Wharton estimated that the latter project could cost at least $469 billion over a decade.

Presently, there are four IDR programs, each with its own rules and criteria, making it difficult for borrowers to navigate, as per CBS News. One study found that some borrowers' student loan debt doubled or tripled despite their participation in a repayment plan, as a result of negative amortization.

Negative amortization occurs when a loan's interest is not covered by the monthly payment, resulting in the unpaid interest being added to the loan's principal. Under the Biden reform, the administration would focus on one program that it intends to simplify and make more generous, while phasing out three IDR plans. The remaining plan is known as the REPAYE (Revised Pay As You Earn) program.

The Penn-Wharton analysis stated, "With the new feature of eliminating interest accumulation, the adoption rate for the IDR plan would increase substantially." In addition, a simplified application process would likely increase enrollment.

The economists added that there are still many other questions that need to be answered. Given the theory that universities raise tuition costs in response to government subsidies, it is unclear how the IDR reform plan would affect tuition costs. The plan could also encourage students to borrow more money, given that they would be eligible for subsidized loans.

Read Also: Who's Getting SNAP Benefits in March?

Will You Have $0 Payments?

Borrowers enrolled in the existing IBR, ICR, and PAYE plans will be required to enroll in the new plan through their loan servicer or the Federal Student Aid website once the new plan is enacted into law. The new proposed regulations do not include modifications to accommodate those with Parent PLUS loans, which cannot be repaid under an IDR plan.

According to an ED press release, to qualify for $0 monthly payments, borrowers must earn less than approximately $30,600 annually, while individuals in families of four must earn less than approximately $62,400.

The new plan will reduce the required discretionary income payment for undergraduates from 10% to 5%, halving their financial responsibility. Those with graduate loans will continue to pay 10%, and those with existing loans will pay 10%.

The current REPAYE plan defines discretionary income as any earnings in excess of 150 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, which are used to determine eligibility for specific programs and benefits. Under the new rules, borrowers will not be required to make payments based on incomes exceeding 225 percent of the federal poverty level.

The Biden administration is attempting to rectify what it deems to be a flawed IDR plan system and a broader issue with unending debt payments. The new REPAYE legislation, if enacted, would allow many borrowers with original federal student loans of $12,000 to repay them after 10 years. As per the current REPAYE plan rules, any remaining debt after 20 years of payments will be forgiven.

Related Article: IRS May Owe You Money from 2020 Taxes

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James Gunn, co-CEO of DC Studios, clarified that the actor of 'Man of Steel,' Henry Cavill, was not fired but simply not hired for future Superman projects.

Yesterday, at a press event that revealed the first chapter of the revamped DCU, 'Gods and Monsters,' Gunn was asked which actors from the old DCEU, which began with 'Man of Steel' and still have a handful of films to go in the new continuity.

Henry Cavill Was Not Fired as Superman

"It's not true that Henry was fired," according to the Hollywood Reporter, Gunn told reporters during a presentation that he had never cast Henry in any of the upcoming five DCU films or five DCU television series. Despite stating that some decisions have been made, Gunn did not elaborate on what those decisions were or whether they had made any decisions for certain actors.

However, Gunn was certain about the status of the DCEU's original two leading actors: Henry Cavill as Superman and Ben Affleck as Batman. Speculation surrounding Henry Cavill's return as Superman began around the premiere of 'Black Adam,' when the actor reprised his role for the first time since 'Justice League' (2017) in a brief cameo.

Dwayne Johnson, who portrays 'Black Adam, frequently spoke about his film resetting the DCEU, with his and Henry Cavill's characters destined to fight on-screen one day. This was exacerbated by Cavill's assertion that he was officially back and that the Black Adam cameo was a taste of what's to come, as per IGN.

Six weeks after announcing his return, Henry Cavill posted on Twitter that he would not be reprising his role as the 'Man of Steel.' Gunn and co-CEO Peter Safran soon took control of DC Studios, after which Gunn posted on Twitter that he would not be returning as the 'Man of Steel.'

'uperman: Legacy,' a story about Superman balancing his Kryptonian and human heritages, will premiere on July 11, 2025, with a new actor donning the costume. It will be followed by four films and five television series that, collectively, constitute the first chapter of the DC Universe, including 'Batman and Robin,' 'The Brave and the Bold', 'Supergirl', and 'Swamp Thing.'

Read Also: Report: Prince Harry Threatens King Charles III

DC Studios' Incoming Movies

The 'Brave and the Bold,' starring an unknown cast, will follow the 2025 Superman film at an unspecified time. It is billed as a 'Batman and Robin' story inspired by Grant Morrison's comic book series, with Damian Wayne, Batman's son, and Talia al-Ghul, the supervillain Robin.

The 'Authority' is a planned film about a group of superheroes who use extreme measures to protect the planet. Also forthcoming are Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, based on the comics by Tom King, and a 'Swamp Thing' standalone film for the big screen.

The eight-hour detective series 'Lanterns' is scheduled to stream on HBO Max. Waller features Viola Davis reprising her role as Amanda Waller from 'Suicide Squad,' and 'Paradise Lost' is the origin story of Themyscira, the island where Wonder Woman was born.

In the animated television series Creature Commandos, which is currently in production, Waller forms a black ops team out of monstrous prisoners. Simultaneously, the studio will release DC Elseworlds stories that deviate from the central DC Universe narrative, similar to the comic books. Joker: Folie a Deux, the sequel to the 2019 Oscar-nominated drama, is one example.

In addition, Robert Pattinson's 'Batman' will return in Matt Reeves' 'The Batman Part II,' which will be released on October 3, 2025 - another Elseworlds film outside of the primary continuity. As a DC Elseworlds project, Ta-Nehisi Coates is also working on a script for a Superman project in which a black actor portrays the man of steel.

David Zaslav, chief executive officer of Warner Bros. Discovery, hopes to reap the financial benefits of a revitalized DC franchise. The shares of the media company have decreased by 43 percent over the past year, as the company aims to save $3 billion by combining Warner Media and Discovery Communications.

Related Article: Annie Wersching Cause of Death Revealed

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov indicated that Chinese President Xi Jinping is anticipated to visit Moscow before the upcoming first anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war.

The Ministry has reportedly stated that Jinping's travel to Moscow will be a "major event" on the "bilateral agenda" of the two nations. However, Beijing has yet to announce the highly anticipated visit.

Russia-China Ties

On February 24, the Russia-Ukraine conflict will last one year. The war that began with Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year has significantly escalated.

Russian President Vladimir Putin extended an invitation to Xi Jinping in a year-ending video conversation. During a video conference in December of last year, the two chiefs of state reiterated their commitment to strengthening bilateral connections and collaboration in numerous areas, including commerce and energy.

Per Republic World, the visit would be the first by Xi Jinping after 2019. The leader of the Communist Party attended a three-day economic symposium in St. Petersburg in the year 2019.

In light of the Russia-Ukraine war, bilateral discussions between the two countries have escalated. In September of last year, the two global leaders met in person on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in Uzbekistan.

Regarding the economic side of China-Russia ties, Beijing has been one of Moscow's most important trade partners. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, China has been Russia's greatest commercial partner for more than a decade.

China's rising aggressiveness and partnership with Russia represent a threat not just to Asia but also to Europe, said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday, as he called for closer cooperation and more "friends" for NATO in the Indo-Pacific area.

Stoltenberg stated that China is increasing its investment in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in meaningful dialogue on arms control for nuclear weapons while increasing coercion of its neighbors and threats against Taiwan, which it claims as its territory.

He stated that China and Russia are increasingly cooperating and leading an "authoritarian pushback" against the rules-based, open, and democratic international order, The Independent reported.

Stoltenberg stated that NATO does not view China as an opponent and does not desire conflict and that the alliance would continue cooperating with China in areas of shared interest, like climate change. Stoltenberg and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met on Tuesday and agreed to strengthen their security relationship in cyberspace, space, and other areas.

In addition to Japan, NATO is enhancing its "practical collaboration" with Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea in marine cybersecurity and other areas, as well as increasing the presence of their leaders and ministers at NATO meetings, he added.

Read Also: German Woman Tries To Poison Lookalike

US Intensifies Ties With India

Meanwhile, the United States and India are expanding their alliance to exchange advanced defense and computer technologies as the Biden administration strives to distance New Delhi from Russia and intensifies its efforts to confront China.

Details disclosed on Tuesday of the initiative, dubbed the US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies and initially announced in May 2022, are consistent with Washington's overall strategy to deepen military, technology, and supply chain ties with partner nations.

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan stated on Tuesday that the framework would not be driven solely by the geopolitical threat posed by China but noted that Beijing's aggressive military moves and economic practices have had "a profound impact on the thinking in Delhi" and other global capitals.

Sullivan saw his Indian counterpart, Ajit Doval, on Tuesday, and both men attended an event on Monday with CEOs from American and Indian technology companies and university presidents.

In September, Biden is anticipated to travel to India for the Group of 20 leaders' meeting and to Australia for a summit of the so-called Quad security allies, which includes Japan. India might be interested in building its own General Electric Co. jet engines, which are used in its combat aircraft.

Per SCMP, General Electric has submitted a petition to the US government to permit the combined manufacture of jet engines in the defense technology sector, according to Sullivan. He would not comment on when an announcement may be made, but he did say that the nations are seeking "rapid and ambitious progress."

Related Article: Ukraine Urges Faster Weapons Delivery

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The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has taken a carrot-and-stick approach to its corporate enforcement policy in regard to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in an effort to entice companies to self-report when in violation of the FCPA. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., shared the 2022 success of the Criminal Division of the DOJ in its pursuit of corrupt and criminal activities within corporations that threaten the public safety and national security, [and] wrongfully divert money into the pockets of criminal actors at a mid-January event at Georgetown Universitys Law Center.

Polite described how in 2022 the divisions fraud section secured convictions of more than 250 individuals, of which 50 were convicted via trial. In addition, seven corporations entered criminal resolutions with the DOJ and there were two declinations (decisions by prosecutors not to prosecute). While the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section convicted more than 24 individuals and had two corporations enter guilty pleas, including a financial institution which agreed to forfeit $2 billion (Danske Bank A/S pleaded guilty in December 2022).

CISOs and CSOs are well-positioned to spot anomalies

This is of import to CISOs and CSOs, as their teams are often in a position to observe signs of anomalous behavior within their own infrastructure and the changes within the Enforcement Policy clearly reward those who self-report and cooperate. Indeed, Polite emphasized that the DOJs job is not just the prosecution of crime, but also to deter and prevent crime. The DOJ needs corporations to be our allies in the fight against crime, Polite said.

Two examples were shared of companies whose cooperation resulted in a declination of prosecution or a deferred prosecution agreement. The first example involved French aerospace company Safran, which uncovered FCPA violations post-acquisition due diligence. Safran uncovered years of bribes having been paid to a Chinese consultant which had occurred from 1999 to 2015. Safran made a full disclosure, put in place remediation steps, and agreed to disgorge the ill-gotten gains of its US subsidiary.

The second example involved Swiss tech company ABB. Polite notes that ABB, who had prior FCPA resolutions from 2004 and 2010, had discovered corrupt business practices in South Africa. ABB scheduled a meeting with the DOJ to self-disclose. Though the media broke a story that highlighted the fraud occurring within ABB. Polite emphasized that the company helped itself when it could demonstrate intent and efforts to self-disclose prior to and without any knowledge of the media report and the DOJ entered into a deferred prosecution agreement, with two subsidiaries pleading guilty and paying a fine of more than $315 million.

Incentives to cooperate with the DOJ

The CEP program adjustments announced by Polite noted, prosecutors may nonetheless determine that a declination is the appropriate outcome if the company can demonstrate that it has met each of the following three factors:

The voluntary self-disclosure was made immediately upon the company becoming aware of the allegation of misconduct;

At the time of the misconduct and the disclosure, the company had an effective compliance program and system of internal accounting controls that enabled the identification of the misconduct and led to the companys voluntary self-disclosure; and

The company provided extraordinary cooperation with the Departments investigation and undertook extraordinary remediation.

When companies dont cooperate with the DOJ

The emphasis on the outcome corporations and individuals may expect when they decline to self-disclose or cooperate fully with a DOJ investigation was clear. Polite shared the case of the Belfour Beatty Communities military housing fraud plea, noting that there was no voluntary self-disclosure, cooperation was lackluster, and their efforts were at the bare minimum, so they did not earn any reduction in fines.

He then shared another instance where the Toronto-based Bank of Nova Scotia received little reduction as the companys compliance function contributed to the misconduct. The bank was fined more than $127 million in 2020. His third and final example was that of Swiss mining firm Glencore, which in fact did receive a slight reduction as they failed to fully cooperate, take timely actions with respect to the individuals involved, and were fully aware of the criminal activity, which was pervasive. Glencore pleaded guilty and was fined more than $1.1 billion in May 2022.

The bottom line: self-reporting misconduct under FCPA is key

The bottom line, directly from Polite: When a company has uncovered criminal misconduct in its operations, the clearest path to avoiding a guilty plea or indictment is voluntary self-disclosure. It is also the clearest path to the greatest incentives that we offer, such as declination with disgorgement of profits. He continued that the DOJ is forthright about the potential incentives to self-report and cooperate to hammer home the point that corporations that fall short of the departments expectations do so at their own risk. Make no mistakefailing to self-report, failing to fully cooperate, failing to remediate, can lead to dire consequences.
To illuminate the evolving digital threat landscape and help the cyber community understand todays most pressing threats, we released our annual Microsoft Digital Defense Report. This years report focuses on five key topics: cybercrime, nation-state threats, devices and infrastructure, cyber-influence operations, and cyber resiliency. With intelligence from 43 trillion daily security signals, organizations can leverage the findings presented in this report to strengthen their cyber defenses.

Today, were breaking down the report with an overview of the top three trends covered in section three on nation-state threats. Keep reading to learn more about this topic and for more information, download the full Microsoft Digital Defense Report.

Trend 1: Increased focus on IT supply chains

There has been a shift among nation-state cyber threat groups from exploiting the software supply chain to exploiting the IT services supply chain. Often, these actors will target cloud solutions and managed services providers to reach downstream customers in government, policy, and critical infrastructure sectors. In total, 53% of nation-state attacks targeted the IT sector, NGOs, think tanks, and the education sector.

The most notable example of this trend is the NOBELIUM attacks, in which Russia-aligned groups attempted to compromise and leverage privileged accounts at cloud solutions and other managed services providers to access U.S. and European government and policy customers. Between July 2021 and June 2022, 90% of notifications about Russian threat activity went to customers based in NATO member states. These attacks primarily targeted IT, think tanks and NGOs, and government sectors, suggesting a strategy of pursuing multiple means of initial access to these targets.

Weve seen other groups use similar tactics. POLONIUM, a Lebanon-based actor, collaborated with Iranian state groups on IT supply chain techniques to compromise and steal access to Israeli defense and legal organizations. This trend highlights how important it is for organizations to harden their digital estate borders and entry points. It also underscores the importance of rigorously monitoring of IT service provider cybersecurity health to guard against these types of downstream attacks.

Trend 2: Emergence of zero-day exploits

Nation-state actors are pursuing new and unique tactics to deliver attacks and evade detection in response to strengthening cybersecurity postures. Identifying and exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities is a key tactic in this effort.

Simply put, zero-day vulnerabilities are a security weakness that, for whatever reason, has gone undiscovered. While zero-day vulnerability attacks tend to target a limited set of organizations initially, they are often quickly adopted into the larger threat actor ecosystem. This kicks off a race for threat actors to exploit the vulnerability as widely as possible before their potential targets install patches. On average, it only takes 14 days for an exploit to be available in the wild after a vulnerability is publicly disclosed.

Many organizations assume that they are less likely to be victims of zero-day exploit attacks if vulnerability management is integral to their network security. However, the commoditization of exploits is leading them to come at a much faster rate. Zero-day exploits are often discovered by other actors and reused broadly in a short time period, leaving unpatched systems at risk. Even organizations that are not a target of nation-state threat actors have a limited period to patch zero-day vulnerabilities before theyre potentially exploited.

Trend 3: Rise of cyber mercenaries

Finally, we have seen a growing industry of private sector offensive actors. Also known as cyber mercenaries, these entities develop and sell tools, techniques, and services to clientsoften governmentsto break into networks and internet-connected devices.

While often an asset for nation-state actors, cyber mercenaries endanger dissidents, human rights defenders, journalists, civil society advocates, and other private citizens by providing advanced surveillance as a service capabilities. These offensive surveillance capabilities are offered as commercial products for companies and individuals to use rather than highly classified capabilities created by defense and intelligence agencies. This creates a potentially devastating impact.

When a cyber mercenary exploits a vulnerability, they put the entire computing ecosystem at risk. When vulnerabilities are identified publicly, companies are in a race against time to release protections before broad-based attacks ensue. On average, it only takes 120 days before a zero-day vulnerability is uploaded to automated vulnerability scanning and exploitation tools like Metasploitopening impacted companies up for mass exploitation. This is a dangerous and difficult cycle for both software suppliers (who must expediently develop patches) and consumers of products (who must implement the patches immediately).

These trends may be alarming, but companies have a number of tools at their disposal. When dealing with IT supply chain attacks, for example, organizations should review and audit their upstream and downstream service provider relationships and delegated privilege accesses to minimize unnecessary permissions. We recommend removing access for any partner relationships that look unfamiliar or have not yet been audited. To counter the threat of cyber mercenaries, however, we recommend implementing transparency and oversight requirements for surveillance as a service, particularly in procurement. In general, go back to the basics. Simple foundational security practices like multifactor authentication (MFA) or not opening digital attachments from unknown individuals can protect against 98% of attacks.

Download the full Microsoft Digital Defense Report for a closer look at todays cyber threat landscape and for even more details, check out our recent webinar, Build cyber resilience by leveraging Microsoft experts' digital defense learnings.

Explore more threat intelligence insights on Microsoft Security Insider.
On Tuesday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced that the United States will increase its deployment of advanced weapons such as fighter jets and bombers to the Korean Peninsula while strengthening joint training and operational planning with South Korea in response to a growing nuclear threat from North Korea.

Austin made the remarks in Seoul after he and South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-Sup agreed to expand their combined military exercises, including the resumption of live-fire demonstrations, and continue a "timely and coordinated" deployment of US strategic assets to the region, according to the offices of both men.

US, South Korea To Intensify Military Drills

Austin and Lee also addressed plans for a mock exercise between the allies in February designed to hone their reaction in the event that North Korea employs nuclear weapons.

South Korea desires firmer assurances that the United States will use its nuclear capabilities rapidly and forcefully to defend its ally in the event of a North Korean nuclear assault.

Since North Korea tested dozens of missiles in 2022, including possibly nuclear-capable ones aimed to attack South Korea and the US mainland, South Korean security concerns have increased.

In recent months, South Korea, the United States, and Japan have strengthened their security cooperation, which has included trilateral missile defense and anti-submarine warfare drills in response to North Korea's provocative nuclear tests.

Austin and Lee stated at a joint press conference following their meeting that their nations' resumption of large-scale military drills last year, including a November aerial exercise involving US strategic bombers, highlighted their united ability to prevent North Korean aggression.

In recent years, the allies reduced their training to make way for dialogue with North Korea under the Trump administration and the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Business Mirror.

The escalation of North Korea's missile launches has been accompanied by threats to deploy nuclear weapons preemptively in a variety of scenarios in which it views its leadership to be threatened, including conventional conflicts and non-military crises.

As a result of Kim Jong Un's escalation of his nuclear goals, tensions are likely to increase in the coming months.

During a December political conference, Kim called for an "exponential rise" in nuclear warheads, the mass manufacturing of battlefield tactical nuclear weapons aimed against South Korea, and the development of more powerful long-range missiles aiming to reach the United States' continental interior.

Read Also: US Abrams Tanks Don't Have Secret Armor

North Korea Nuclear Assaults

Lee cited last year's drills that combined flight training with the deployment of strategic bombers as "the embodiment of extended deterrence" by demonstrating different defensive capabilities.

Pyongyang has criticized the intensified joint exercises as evidence that the United States and its allies are contemplating hostilities against North Korea, as per Fox News. Lee stated that the United States and South Korea will conduct tabletop exercises next month to develop a scenario and reaction plan for a North Korean nuclear assault.

Austin stated that South Korea may anticipate the deployment of additional US defense assets to the area, citing the recent deployment of F-22 and F-35 fighter fighters as well as the USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group. Since the end of the Korean War in 1953, around 28,500 US troops stationed in South Korea have acted as a military deterrent to North Korea.

Lee stated that the two nations will conduct nuclear tabletop exercises in February, simulating a North Korean nuclear assault, in an effort to better nuclear planning and implementation and increase intelligence exchange.

Per The Strait Times, Austin stated that the tabletop drills will guarantee that the allies have a unified approach to North Korea. He noted that the drills are consistent with the allies' discussions about the expansion of extended deterrence activities and mechanisms on the peninsula and in the region.

South Korea is under increasing pressure to join US-led efforts to curb China's expanding influence and aid Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Monday, while visiting Seoul, the secretary-general of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, encouraged South Korea to strengthen its military assistance to Ukraine.

As a result of Russia's invasion, he highlighted other states that had altered their stance of not giving arms to countries in war. When asked about Stoltenberg's remarks, Lee stated that he is following the situation but declined to clarify Ukraine's military backing.

Related Article: Australia Buys 'Powerful' Explosive Sea Mines

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Blinken wraps up visit to Jerusalem, West Bank, with little progress in ending Israeli-Palestinian violence

Xinhua) 10:47, February 01, 2023

JERUSALEM/GAZA, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded his visit to Jerusalem and the West Bank on Tuesday, with little progress made in de-escalating the Israeli-Palestinian tensions, experts said.

Blinken's trip, during which he met with leaders of Israel's new right-wing government and the Palestinian Authority (PA), came amid escalating violence between Israelis and the Palestinians.

Since the start of 2023, Israeli forces have killed at least 35 Palestinians, making January one of the most deadly months in the West Bank in recent years. Most casualties occurred during Israeli military raids, which Israel says aimed to detain Palestinian militants.

In retaliation, a shooting attack launched by a Palestinian gunman outside a synagogue in an Israeli settlement in East Jerusalem claimed the lives of seven people on Friday night.

On Monday, Blinken held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem and other senior officials before traveling on Tuesday to the West Bank city of Ramallah to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

In both places, Blinken urged de-escalating the tensions and renewed the call for a two-state solution to the conflict. "The rising tide of violence has resulted in the loss of many innocent lives on both sides," he told reporters in Jerusalem. "All sides must take steps to prevent further escalation of violence."

LITTLE PROGRESS ACHIEVED

The top U.S. diplomat's trip failed to offer any new initiative to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Michael Milshtein, an expert from the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at the Tel Aviv University, told Xinhua.

Milshtein said the Israeli government was hopeful that Blinken will exert pressure on Abbas to renew the security coordination between the PA and Israel. The PA decided on Jan. 26 to end security coordination with Israel in response to an Israeli military raid in the West Bank city of Jenin, in which Israeli forces killed ten Palestinians.

The security coordination, which is criticized by many Palestinians, has led to the arrests of some Palestinians who were allegedly planning attacks against Israelis.

In a statement issued after meeting with Blinken, Abbas made no indication he was going to resume the coordination. He accused Israel of violating Palestinians' rights, promoting annexation of the West Bank, and demolishing Palestinian homes -- moves that pose further hurdles to achieving a peace deal.

"We have found that the Israeli government is responsible for what's happening these days," Abbas said.

Assaf Meydani, a professor at the Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy and Strategy of the Reichman University in Herzliya, told Xinhua that "negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the current situation is impossible, even the United States knows it."

On the other hand, Blinken's visit also had limited impact on the Israeli side, which has a new hawkish government that is unlikely to dial down its position against the Palestinians.

"The situation inside Israel makes the current government go to more 'extreme' to ensure its survival for the longest possible period, and therefore it will continue to escalate, and in return, there will be a Palestinian reaction," said Ghassan al-Khatib, a political science professor at the Birzeit University in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

The visit, which marked the first meeting between Blinken and Netanyahu since the latter returned to office in December as the leader of a new right-wing government, was seen as part of Washington's efforts to navigate through the differences between the Biden administration and the new Israeli government.

His trip followed the visits to Jerusalem by Biden's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and CIA Director William Burns earlier in January.

U.S. ATTENTION OCCUPIED ELSEWHERE

Al-Khatib also noted that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is not a priority for the U.S. as its attention is occupied by "other internal and external issues."

The Palestinians have repeatedly called on Washington, as Blinken promised in 2021, to reopen the U.S. consulate for Palestinians in Jerusalem and the PLO office in Washington. They also urged the U.S. to pressure Israel to preserve the status quo in Jerusalem and stop Israeli unilateral measures or withholding Palestinian tax revenue dues.

But the U.S. administration led by President Joe Biden has remained largely acquiescent regarding the escalation of Israeli violence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, while failing to fulfill any of its promises made either during the election campaign or in bilateral meetings with Palestinian officials, analysts noted.

Milshtein said that the U.S. does not prioritize the Palestinian issues anymore, adding the attention of Washington is occupied elsewhere, mainly its internal issues as well as the Ukrainian crisis.

Ziyad Abu Ziyad, a think-tanker and former Palestinian minister, said that the U.S. is not interested in ending the Israeli occupation or the conflicts in the region despite its talk of a two-state solution and positive steps to solve the Palestinian issue.

He added that it's time for anyone who bets on a U.S. solution to the Palestinian issue to "realize that this was nothing but a mirage."

The last round of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks ended without progress due to deep differences on several key issues in March 2014, since which Washington has made no real push to renew the stalled peace process despite the recurrent violence and conflicts between the Israelis and Palestinians.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Massachusetts Democrats have introduced a law that would decrease inmates' sentences in exchange for organ and bone marrow donations.

The measure, sponsored by State Representatives Carlos Gonzalez and Judith Garcia, would establish The Bone Marrow and Organ Donation Program inside the state's Department of Correction, which would reduce the sentences of offenders by sixty to twelve months.

The 'Bone Marrow and Organ Donation Program' For Inmates

However, the law has prompted ethical issues among the more than 6,000 Massachusetts prisoners. The proposed legislation requires the formation of a five-member "Bone Marrow and Organ Donation Committee" with just one position earmarked for a prisoner's rights advocate.

Other members would include Department of Correction personnel, a donation specialist, and an advocate for bone marrow and organ donation. Gonzales told WHYN that the law might expand the donor pool in the state in order to save lives, adding that he was motivated to draft the legislation after seeing a friend with a failing kidney.

Garcia stated on Twitter that the initiative would restore bodily sovereignty to detained individuals by offering possibilities to give organs and bone marrow, stressing that there is now no way for incarcerated individuals to donate, not even for family members.

Along with Gonzales and Garcia, Democratic Representatives Shirley Arriaga, Bud Williams, and Russell Holmes are co-sponsors of the bill.

Read Also: German Woman Tries To Poison Lookalike

Concerns Spark Over Massachusetts' Proposed Bill

However, many are concerned that the scheme may exploit vulnerable prisoners who would donate organs in return for a lighter term, according to Daily Mail. Advocates at the Massachusetts Prisoners' Legal Services told The Lever that while the measure might potentially save lives in the state, the program is fraught with ethical problems.

Many on social media mocked the bill's writers and condemned the apparent incentive system for organ donations. Many also recalled The Jigsaw Man by Larry Niven, which depicts a future in which convicts' organs are taken.

Jesse White, policy director for Prisoners' Legal Services of Massachusetts, said in a statement that PLS is in contact with the bill sponsors and is aware of the significant problem they have identified: racial inequity in our health system, which has left BIPOC communities disproportionately affected by organ and marrow shortages.

In addition to having questionable ethics, the measure may also violate federal law, as per Kansas City. The National Organ Transplant Act, which was enacted in 1984, makes it illegal to give or receive human organs for "consideration."

South Carolina state legislators debated a similar plan in 2007, but a discussion on lower penalties was postponed owing to worries about potential violations of federal law. Gonzalez stated that the scheme may be implemented without the punishment element.

No state permits the donation of organs from executed prisoners, even if they are registered as organ donors. According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), there are now 104,413 individuals awaiting an organ transplant in the United States, of which 58,970 are on an active waiting list.

Related Article: Tyre Nichols Death: Suspects Indicted with Murder Charges

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Teaching is in my blood. My grandmother taught in primary schools and my father in secondary schools all his life. For 15 years I worked as a maths teacher  at my first school, I was even a union rep  then as a headteacher.

Most of my friends still work in the profession, and Im the father of four school-aged daughters.

And its because I know the world of teaching so well, and how transformative it can prove for so many children, that I oppose the teaching strikes this week.

The industrial action will have a terrible impact on countless children and their families  and worsen problems that have been brewing for years.

MARK LEHAIN: The industrial action will have a terrible impact on countless children and their families. Pictured: A general view of a classroom at Oasis Academy South Bank, ahead of expected teacher strikes on January 27

Up to 12,000 schools in England and Wales are closed today, in the first of seven crippling strikes by teachers over the coming weeks. After the chaos and disruption of pandemic lockdowns, hundreds of thousands of children, many of them in the most under-privileged areas in Britain, are again being denied their right to an education.

It is a tragedy  and it will hurt these children most. Dont get me wrong: I understand many of the teachers frustrations. Theyre right: pay has fallen in recent years. The behaviour of some pupils is exhausting and pressure in the classroom is intense. Burn-out is common.

But unreasonable workloads, an over-emphasis on marking and other paperwork and poor classroom behaviour do not come out of nowhere. They are the result of poor leadership  not a lack of money.

Strikes wont address any of these longstanding problems. Nor will they help the growing number of four-year-olds starting reception class lacking basic language skills and even toilet training.

Enabling these children to develop and catch up after the misery of lockdown is crucial for their future life chances. And it can only be done if schools offer stability. Pupils need consistent routines  not unpredictable closures.

Across Britain, attendance has collapsed post-Covid, with persistent truancy at the highest level in decades.

More or less every state school in the country is struggling to get a significant number of its pupils back into the habit of coming in every day. Over the long term, this will result in poor grades, and with that reduced employment opportunities and earning power.

But how can teachers credibly combat these problems, when the children and their families know schools are being closed by their own teachers refusing to attend? Strikes send a clear message: its one rule for Sir and Miss, another for the pupils. All teachers will see their authority undermined as a result. With the average pay and pension bundle for teachers already worth more than 50,000 per year, a salary increase of up to 8.9 percent was rejected by union bosses, who are demanding at least 12 per cent.

I fear that the goodwill earned by teachers during the pandemic is being squandered. Teaching has long been one of the most respected professions, but that trusted status is now at risk.

Up to 12,000 schools in England and Wales are closed today. Pictured: Teachers on a picket line outside Falkirk High School in Stirlingshire, Scotland, on January 27

The risk is that people could start to see teachers as over-entitled.

Just look at pay levels for new recruits: on average, 1,000 more than a newly qualified nurse and 1,500 more than a police officer straight out of training college.

Pensions are especially generous. In the private sector, employers contributions total an average of 6 per cent of salary.

In the Teachers Pension Scheme, however, contribution from employers is four times higher  a whopping 23.7 per cent.

And though unions claim that many teachers simply cannot afford to stay in the profession because they dont earn enough, the truth is that on average teachers who quit go on to earn 10 per cent less in other jobs.

Unrealistic comparisons are sometimes made with sectors like finance or medicine. There will probably never be pay parity between teachers and stockbrokers, its true  and stockbrokers also get far fewer holidays. But no amount of protests can change that.

And its not as if our schools are themselves poorly funded. Last November, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt found an extra 2.3 billion a year for education, which will take school spending to its highest-ever level in real terms.

I dont doubt the strike is largely driven by a desire for better pay and conditions. But Im also convinced that the general secretaries of the teaching unions see this as an opportunity to join nurses, civil servants, railway workers and others in piling pressure on the Government  as a means of kicking the hated Tories.

They want to see Labour back in power, and Keir Starmer holding forth in Downing Street. How disgraceful that they are willing to sacrifice the wellbeing of so many children on the altar of their political beliefs.

Mark Lehain is head of education at the Centre for Policy Studies.
Read more: Can YOU solve the riddle that has left the internet stumped

There is trick you can use to stop the optical illusion from 'moving' in front of you

There is one simple trick you can use to stop this mind-bending optical illusion in its tracks - but do you hold the key to shut it down?

The illustration, created by UK-based company Rainbow Riches Casino, features dozens of green hearts which appear as though they're moving in waves.

But according to the designers, there is actually a very simple way to make the movement stop.

At first glance, it appears that waves are sweeping across the image from one corner to the next.

The tricky image, provided by UK-based company Rainbow Riches Casino, appears like it's moving in waves. Can you use your brain to make it stop?

There are several reasons as to why the image looks like it's moving - from the white lines which create a contrast to the spacing in between the rows of hearts.

The optical illusion relies on a pattern which merges it into one moving image when you move your eyes around it.

However, if you focus your gaze on a fixed point on the image, you will find that it'll stop moving completely.

Fancy more brainteasers? This next one will put your observation skills to the test by challenging you to find the set of hidden keys.

Do you think you have what it takes to find the answer to this brainteaser from British business comparison site iCompario, in less than 36 seconds to break the record?

The fiendishly tricky test, provided by British business comparison site iCompario, hides a set of keys within several cars of different colours.

Do you think you have what it takes to find the answer to this test in less than 36 seconds to break the record?

Try it out below and let us known how you fared in the comments! And no cheating!

Did you get it right? The set of keys was attached to this semi-truck to make the brainteaser even trickier

Figure it out yet? A set of keys is cleverly hidden in this drawing showing different types of vehicles.

You'll need to pay attention to the finer details of this picture in order to find the keys.

Struggling and in need of a hint? Focus on the left side of the snap of find your answer?

Giving up or think you got it? Check out the asnwer below, and other fun brainteaser to sink your teeth into.

A vibrant new brainteaser from one of the internet's most popular illustrators has challenged players to find the three empty glasses in a festive party.

The Hungarian artist Gergely Dudas, better known as Dudolf, released a typically playful seek-and-find puzzle, showing a New Year's Eve celebration with adorable animals.

The tricky puzzle is set at a party full of various characters dressed in paper hats enjoying a chaotic time.

But while each animal holds a glass of fizz, only three of the glasses are empty. Will you be able to seek them out in the fun?

A vibrant new brainteaser from one of the internet's most popular illustrators has challenged players to find the three empty glasses in a festive party

The cartoonist has added character and charm to the puzzle by adding little hats to the various types of animals at the celebration.

He has made the glasses tricky to find by colouring the entire background of the scene blue, which is the same shade as the items players need to find.

You'll need to have your eagle-eyes trained on the details of the drawing to pick out the glasses from the festivities.

Still having no luck? Scroll down to see the solution.

The cartoonist has added character and charm to the puzzle by adding little hats to the various types of animals at the celebration. Above, the empty glasses are revealed

For another challenge, try this Christmas one from Protectivity Insurance.

This one for the eagle-eyed is set at an office Christmas party.

Somewhere in the hectic festive scene is a sprig of mistletoe, but will you be able to seek it out of the chaos and frivolities? The time to beat is 14 seconds.

Scroll down to see if you can find it among the dancing workers and desks.

Insurance company Protectivity has created a trick seek-and-find festive puzzle. Will you be able to find the mistletoe within the office Christmas party scene?

From loud festive jumpers and jumping people, to presents and even potted plants, this festive scene is bound to get your Christmas off to a swinging start.

But can you find the mistletoe, hiding somewhere is the party scene?

If you are struggling, try casting your eyes over the large Christmas tree and looking around the red and white candy canes.

If you are struggling, try casting your eyes over the large Christmas tree and looking around the red and white candy canes

If you fancy another challenge, Online Mortgage Advisor has created a festive brainteaser to put your observation skills to the test.

Just in time for the big day, they have released a special nutcracker edition puzzle, with all your festive favourites.

The online advisor has hidden the Christmas nutcracker within a hectic festive living room.

Scroll down to see if you can find him, by searching the fireplaces and Christmas sacks and letters in this new design.

Online Mortgage Advisor has created festive brainteaser for Christmas/ Seek-and-find puzzle challenges you to find a nutcracker in a festive living room

From roaring cozy flames under the mantlepiece to snow globes and woolly hats, this festive imagery features everything you need for a classic Christmas.

But, can you spot the cheeky nutcracker hidden within the picturesque scene?

If you are struggling, try searching Santa's sacks of gifts.

Can you spot the cheeky nutcracker hidden within the picturesque scene? If you are struggling, try searching Santa's sacks of gifts.

Try these Yuletide brainteasers from DFS, featuring beloved Christmas items with an interior twist.

Just in time for December, DFS has released a series of Yuletide brainteasers, featuring beloved Christmas items with an interior twist.

The furniture retailer has hidden some of its most iconic sofas and armchairs within Christmas jumper and wrapping paper patterns.

Can you bust these brainteasers by spotting the sofas in the stunning festive designs.

Just in time for December, DFS has released a series of Yuletide brainteasers, featuring beloved Christmas items with an interior twist

From candy canes to delicious mugs of hot chocolate, this adorable wrapping paper features the very best of Christmas time!

But can you spot the three two-seater sofas within the image?

If you're still struggling then here is a hint, all three sofas are positioned near branches of holly.

If you're still struggling then here is a hint, all three sofas are positioned near branches of holly (pictured)

Whether you go for loud and proud or an understated sparkle, everyone loves a Christmas jumper!

But can you find the three cosy armchairs hidden in this special design from DFS?

One of the armchairs can be found in an ornament youd typically hang on a Christmas tree.

Whether you go for loud and proud or an understated sparkle, everyone loves a Christmas jumper! But can you find the three cosy armchairs hidden in this special design from DFS?

Are you still struggling? Try looking at the second bubble from the left theres also two smaller sofa's to find!

If you still haven't fund them try looking at the top left of the design for another one.

Scroll down for the answer!

Are you still struggling? Try looking at the second bubble from the left theres also two smaller sofa's to find!

Christmas markets are a staple for the holidays, from sweet treats to stocking filler gifts, they are filled with friends, families and couples enjoying the holiday festivities.

As the festive season is here, Christmas Tree World has created some fun brainteasers to get you into the festive spirit this year!

This seek-and-find puzzle asks you to find the robin in the Christmas market.

But spotting the little bird amongst the busy market scene, filled with shoppers and Christmas trees, is not as easy as it sounds. How long will it take you?

Scroll down for the answer, but no cheating!

As the festive season is here, Christmas Tree World has created some fun festive brain teasers to get you and your family and friends into the Christmas spirit this year

The snow covered illustration shows plenty of busy people doing their Christmas shopping.

To make it more challenging the robin is hidden within a multitude of colourful trees, houses and people.

If you are struggling, it may be worth noting that the robin is sitting on one man's presents.

To make it more challenging the robin is hidden within a multitude of colourful trees, houses and people

The Christmas fun is always accompanied by the touch of cold frost in the air.

Christmas Tree World have also created this adorable polar bear scene and asked if you can spot the hidden dog amongst the polar bears.

All of the polar bears are huddled together to keep warm, and it looks like there is someone that wants to join in on the fun

Scroll down for the answer...

Christmas Tree World have also created this adorable polar bear scene and asked if you can spot the hidden dog amongst the polar bears

The white bears are all looking the same direction but to make it more challenging some are wearing bunny ears.

To make it even more challenging the polar bears are all white and the dog is also.

If you are struggling, it may be worth checking the ears on the animals as the polar bears have rounded ears while the dogs are pointed.

If you still can't find the pooch try looking to the left centre of the illustration.

If you are struggling, it may be worth checking the ears on the animals as the polar bears have rounded ears while the dogs are pointed

Another festive illustration by Christmas Tree World could be mistaken for a Christmas card as it is such a pretty scene.

The scene is filled with endless Christmas trees that have been decorated with lights and tree toppers.

For one of the trees, there is a star that sits on top. Can you spot the star on the Christmas tree?

Scroll down for the answer...

Another festive illustration by Christmas Tree World could be mistaken for a Christmas card as it is such a pretty scene

You can spot many people among the the trees and even a Santa Clause on a scooter.

To make it more challenging the star is hidden within a multitude of colourful tree decorations.

If you are struggling, it may be worth noting that the star is not on the top of a tree like you would expect.

Still struggling? Look to the bottom left side of the illustration you might spot it on the bottom of a tree.

If you are struggling, it may be worth noting that the star is not on the top of a tree like you would expect

It comes after online casino Casumo created this spot-the-sparkler brainteaser for Bonfire Night.

Catherine wheels, rockets and roman candles create a magical, thrilling display on Bonfire Night.

Also known as Fireworks Night or Guy Fawkes Night, Bonfire Night originated from the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when Guy Fawkes failed to blow up the houses of parliament and assassinate the King.

This seek-and-find puzzle asks you to find the three hidden sparklers within the firework display.

The smaller handheld fireworks are discoverable within the bright, electric night sky, ready to make you jump.

Scroll down for the answer, but no cheating!

Online casino Casumo has created a thrilling brainteaser for Bonfire Night. Seek-and-find puzzle challenges you to find 3 sparklers in the firework display

To make it more challenging the sparklers are hidden within a multiude of vibrant fireworks.

It takes the average person two minutes to find the three sparklers, how long will it take you?

If you are struggling, it may be worth noting that the sparklers are their more common orange colour.

If you are struggling, it may be worth noting that the sparklers are their more common orange colour. It takes the average person two minutes to find them

For Halloween, Online Mortgage Advisor created a spooky pumpkin puzzle to celebrate the eerie time of year.

This brainteaser challenges you to find the hidden pumpkin within the haunted bedroom.

The teeny pumpkin is hiding somewhere in the ghost-filled room, waiting to jump out of spook anyone who dares to enter.

Can you find the hidden pumpkin in this haunted bedroom? Online Mortgage Advisor has created a spooky seek-and-find challenge in time for Halloween

To make it extra tricky the company has cluttered the room with boxes, lanterns ad chest of drawers.

Scattered between an array of not-so-scary ghosts and moonlit windows is the devilish pumpkin.

But it's not that easy to spot the grinning decoration amongst the cobwebs and candles.

If you are struggling to spot evil pumpkin face, try looking at the cabinets and chest of drawers.

The pumpkin is hidden within this ghost-filled bedroom. Try looking at cabinets and chest of drawers if you are struggling to spot him

Online Mortgage Advisor has also shared a second puzzle to help you to delve further into its haunted house.

This time, the organisation has tasked puzzlers with searching for another sneaky pumpkin hiding in the kitchen.

Avoiding being made into a spiced pie, he is lost somewhere in the chaos as ghosts create their favourite Halloween treats.

Delving further into the house, there is another pumpkin hiding in this busy haunted kitchen, but can you find him?

Not as spooky as the haunted bedroom, the kitchen is bustling with breads, pies and cupcakes as ghosts and rats prepare for a Halloween party.

The company has illustrated a bright design complete with mops, chopping boards and ovens.

If you cannot see the pumpkin after one minute, try focusing your attention on the loaves of bread.
He's held $115 dining experiences that include dishes like duck heart kebab, and chocolate tahini and blood cake

A Philadelphia doctor wants you to rethink the animal parts you're willing to eat

Ever thought of trying kidney fried rice or beef marrow ice-cream with jowl toffee?

Well Jonathan Reisman, a Philadelphia-based physician, wants you to rethink how you eat food and what parts of an animal you're willing to consume.

It's not a stretch considering the French have been eating goose and duck liver, also known as foie gras, for centuries, and chicken hearts are consumed widely at yakitori joints in Japan.

Reisman, 41, initially started Anatomy Eats with chef Ari Miller and then the doctor went on to hold dining experiences with other chefs, mostly recently at Washington DC's Mess Hall with chef Marcelle Afram for Bone Appetit, which was described as 'a Halloween-themed night of macabre gastronomy.'

Offered up on the night was crackling served two ways, awarma (beef cheek confit) and whipped duck liver mousse, duck heart kebab, and chocolate tahini and blood cake.

Jonathan Reisman, a Philadelphia-based physician, wants you to rethink how you eat food and what parts of an animal you're willing to consume. Pictured is chocolate tahini and blood cake

Crackling served two ways was served during Reisman's Washington DC dining experience with chef Marcelle Afram

The October event was held at Washington DC's Mess Hall and was named Bone Appetit, which was described as 'a Halloween-themed night of macabre gastronomy'

Reisman (left), 41, initially started Anatomy Eats with chef Ari Miller (right), but has expanded the concept to work with other chefs

Reisman also hosted another anatomy dinner at Snackbar in Oxford, Mississippi, with chefs Halima Salazar and Dria Price, and featured dishes that reflected the Nigerian theme.

Courses included beef tongue stew with pounded yam, bone marrow ice-cream with jowl toffee, blended liver soup, head cheese charcuterie plate, kidney fried rice and pepper soup with calf foot.

Tickets for one of these events can cost between $115 to $120, and can have anywhere from four to six courses, accommodating 20 to 40 people, depending on the space.

But it's not just the food you're getting, Reisman said they often provide drink pairings for each dish and he also plays host, adding: 'It's a bit of a dinner and show.'

During the meal, he told DailyMail.com he usually spoke to diners about the practice of medicine and tried to get 'people to connect with what they're eating and how [the body part] served the animal before it came to their plate.'

For example during the DC event, a projector screen beamed Reisman dissecting a cow's heart to diners who then went on to devour their duck heart kebabs, Yahoo Life reported.

The item that excited Afram the most on the menu that night was the chocolate tahini and blood cake.

'When making the ganache base, I incorporated pig's blood, which gave the cake an added earthiness in addition to retaining a beautiful amount of moisture,' the chef said.

The partially plated up duck heart kebabs, which was diner Megan Mileusnic's favorite dish

Whipped duck liver mousse was also served up at Bone Appetit

Chef Marcelle Afram pictured with Mess Hall owner Al Goldberg and Reisman

But what did the diners think of their meals?

Megan Mileusnic told Yahoo Life she decided to make a reservation after spotting the ad event online.

'[I was] instantly intrigued by the night's MO: learn about the anatomy of body parts while eating those animal body parts,' she said.

'It weirded me just the right way.'

Before the dinner, Mileusnic said she 'was nervous about what would be served and felt a little out of [her] comfort zone,' but she walked away thinking it was 'incredible,' adding 'nothing was too gross.'

Her favorite course was the duck heart kebab, which was plated up with smoked gourd mutabal, braised fennel, caramelized pearl onions and pomegranate.

'I was so surprised by every dish and the accompanying discussion, and I wasn't expecting to experience a shift in mindset related to food,' she said.

'I got to know parts of my own body and things I eat in new ways, and I suddenly appreciated them in new ways too.'

Mess Hall owner Al Goldberg said the dinner was so popular that they added a second seating, with a majority of diners sending 'their plates back clean.'

The head cheese charcuterie plate that was on the menu for The Anatomy Of Fine Dining in Oxford, Mississippi

The bone marrow ice-cream with jowl toffee created by chef Dria Price in Mississippi

Along with the charcuterie board (left), beef tongue stew with pounded yam (right) was also on the menu

Pictured is the kidney fried rice (left) and the blended liver soup (right) from the Oxford dining experience

Reisman's interest in less commonly consumed parts of meat such as liver, heart, brains and offal began in medical school.

'I grew up knowing very little about food and no experience basically cooking,' he said.

'I got interested in food when I dissected a human cadaver on the first day of medical school.'

The doctor said the professor who taught his class would explain how more well-known cuts of beef such as filet mignon, shell steak, and the top and bottom rounds corresponded with those in the human body.

'I'd never thought about butchering... and ended visiting a slaughterhouse,' Reisman told DailyMail.com.

'From there I got interested in meat and found the knowledge I was learning in class was very applicable to butchering and cooking.'

He said he also became more interested in trying and revisiting 'every organ and body part in cooking,' including the chopped liver that was very present on his 'holiday table since [he] was a kid.'

While he understands some people may have some reservations about these sorts of dishes, Reisman said he eventually 'got used to it.'

One of Anatomy Eats's first events was 'The Digestive System Dinner' held at the Philadelphia Free Public Library

The Circulatory System Dinner, also held at the library, was about blood and had 'an explanation of how it flows to every nook and cranny of our bodies to keep the lights on, along with a taste of blood sausage served with smashed potatoes'

'A big part of what foods people find appealing and what foods people find gross has to do with what they are used to,' he told DailyMail.com.

'Before I became used to eating these foods I also thought they were "gross."

'Many modern people are fortunate that they don't have to eat these parts, as the large majority of humanity did throughout history. And not being used to eating them makes them seem unusual, strange, and often very unappealing. I completely understand that.

'For me, learning about the anatomy and physiology of these body parts and understanding how they work on a deep level, and seeing how complex and fascinating their biology is, was an extra impetus to help me get over this feeling of revulsion. And once I started eating them I got used to it.

'People who grow up eating these foods... find them quite normal and everyday and often love them.'

The doctor also thinks 'nose to tail eating' was 'a more sustainable and ethical way to approach eating meat.'

'I believe if we are going to kill animals for food, we should try as much as possible to eat every part. This is the ethical thing to do, but avoiding waste is also very wise,' he said.

'But I like to emphasize that I am not suggesting people force themselves to eating something simply to be ethical and sustainable. Those are side benefits. The real reason to eat these parts is that they are fascinating and delicious.'

Reisman hopes to hold more anatomy dinners, partnering with different chefs, in Philadelphia, Austin and Seattle as well as taking the concept overseas to New Zealand.

He's written a book, The Unseen Body: A Doctor's Journey Through the Hidden Wonders of Human Anatomy, where he 'brings readers on an odyssey navigating our insides like an explorer discovering a new world.'

Reisman is also petitioning to overturn the 1971 USDA lung ban. He calls for it to be amended to 'allow livestock lungs to be saved and sold as human food.'
A woman who swapped her New York City apartment with a friend who lives in the UK in what was a real-life version of Cameron Diaz's The Holiday has described the highs and lows of the experience - including not being able to figure out how to turn on the heat and an exploding toilet.

The 2006 flick - which also starred Jude Law, Kate Winslet, and Jack Black - followed two strangers, one from a quiet English village and the other from star-studded Hollywood, who decided to trade homes in an attempt to spice up their lives.

Talia Lakritz, a journalist from New York, experienced a real apartment switch recently - spending weeks living in her friend Rho Chung's two-bedroom home in Edinburgh, Scotland, with her partner, Coren, while Rho, who is non-binary, and their beau, Martin, lived in Talia's one-bedroom abode - but it wasn't as easy as it seemed in the movie.

While Talia said it was an 'incredible' experience, she admitted that she faced numerous struggles along the way, including trouble adjusting to her new home and some major plumbing problems back in New York.

A woman (left) who swapped her New York City apartment with a friend who lives in the UK (right) has described the highs and lows of the experience

Talia Lakritz (seen), a journalist from New York, stept weeks living in Rho Chung's two-bedroom home in Edinburgh, Scotland, while Rho, who is non-binary, lived in Talia's one-bedroom abode

She described the experience as a real-life version of the 2006 flick The Holiday - which followed two strangers, one from England and the other from Hollywood, who traded homes

She opened up about the adventure to Insider recently, explaining that the idea came about after Rho posted an ad on their Instagram and Twitter asking if anyone wanted to change homes with them.

'NYC! I am looking for a housing swap. Please hit me up if you want to spend the holiday season in sunny Edinburgh,' she wrote. 'Edinburgh is not very sunny, but it is magical nonetheless.'

She opened up about the adventure to Insider recently, explaining that the idea came about after Rho posted an ad online asking if anyone wanted to change homes with them (seen)

She said she 'immediately reached out' because she 'loved the idea of swapping homes with a trusted friend as a way of traveling to a new country.'

The two 'exchanged photos of their living spaces' and 'confirmed dates that would work for both of them.'

They then wrote detailed 'guides' to their apartments and neighborhoods, before jetting off to their new homes around the globe.

'Similar to an Airbnb guest book, we included basics like Wi-Fi logins, trash disposal, and laundry-machine use, as well as locations of the closest grocery stores and guides to local transportation,' she explained.

Upon arriving in Scotland, Talia said she was instantly reminded of The Holiday.

'Dragging my luggage through the cobblestone streets of Edinburgh, I definitely felt a bit like Cameron Diaz's character in The Holiday,' she wrote.

'In the film, Amanda's cab driver drops her off as close as he can get to the rural cottage. She ends up trudging through the snow with her cumbersome suitcases while slipping around in her high heels.

'The 10-minute walk to my accommodations wasn't as dramatic, but it did make me nostalgic thinking of the movie.'

However, Talia soon faced her first problem when she had trouble turning on the heat in the apartment.

She said she 'immediately reached out' because she 'loved the idea of swapping homes with a trusted friend as a way of traveling to a new country.' Rho's Tweet with the ad is pictured above

While Talia (seen in Scotland) said it was an 'incredible' experience, she admitted that she faced numerous struggles along the way

Talia (seen in Scotland) said she had trouble figuring out how to turn on the heat in her new home. There were some other 'unexpected issues' during the swap, like blown fuses

'I don't control the heat or hot water in my New York apartment, so it took some time to learn my way around the boiler in Rho's,' she explained, adding that the guide book Rho had written 'proved useful' in helping her finally figure it out.

There were some other 'unexpected issues' during the swap, like blown fuses and burst water pipes.

In addition, Rho (seen with their partner, Martin) had trouble when a pipe in Talia's apartment burst and her toilet exploded

'In Edinburgh, a flickering light fixture blew a fuse that required calling an electrician to repair,' she explained.

'I was worried I had done something wrong, but Rho assured me that those lights have always been "cantankerous," which made me feel a bit better.

'The electrician they recommended came the next day and fixed the problem in about 15 minutes.

'A little while later, I noticed my New York City building's group chat talking about plumbing issues in various apartments.

'I let Rho know that there might be a problem with water in the building  in the past, cold weather has caused pipes to burst.

'All seemed fine until two days before I was scheduled to fly home, when Rho messaged me to let me know that my toilet had, in fact, exploded.

'My superintendent was able to provide an immediate short-term fix until a plumber arrived the day after I got home. I still feel bad that they had to deal with that.'

In the end, Talia said it was a successful endeavor. She explained that living in an apartment helped her feel more like a local and saved her money. Rho, whom she switched with, is seen

Talia (seen with her partner, Coren) said she would do it again with a friend, but she wouldn't 'feel comfortable swapping apartments with a complete stranger' like in The Holiday

In the end, despite the mishaps, Talia said it was a successful endeavor. She explained that living in an apartment - rather than staying in a hotel - helped her feel more like a local and less like a tourist, giving her the full Scotland experience.

It also saved both of them a hefty amount of money that they would have had to pay for lodging.

'I would absolutely swap apartments with a friend again,' she concluded. 'Overall, the arrangement worked out perfectly for both of us.

'We each had free places to stay in countries we wanted to visit, and it was lovely to reconnect with a friend I hadn't seen in years.

'I asked Rho for their thoughts, as well. They told me that it was "extremely grounding" to stay in someone's home while traveling, and helped them feel less anxious about being in a new place.'

Talia added that she would definitely do it again with another friend, however, she 'doesn't think she would feel comfortable swapping apartments with a complete stranger' like in The Holiday.

And next time, she said she would make 'extra effort to ensure that she is as prepared as possible for any potential complications' and that they both 'know who to contact if something needs to be fixed.'
One woman who became fed-up with being 'ghosted' has plucked up the courage to ask her former flames where it all went wrong.

Stephanie D'Agostino, from New York, has devised a cunning survey to gather feedback from the men who have disappeared from her life without a word.

The comedian, 27, initially shared her creation with her 34,000 followers on TikTok where she was quickly flooded with praise.

But not everyone thought they would have the confidence to hit send.

Stephanie D'Agostino, from New York, has devised a cunning survey to gather feedback from the men who have disappeared from her life without a word

The comedian, 27, shared her creation with her 34,000 followers on TikTok where she was quickly flooded with praise

Poll Would YOU dare to send the 'ghosting survey' to an ex? Yes No Would YOU dare to send the 'ghosting survey' to an ex? Yes 61 votes

No 144 votes Now share your opinion





In the clip, which has so far been viewed more than 438,000 times, Stephanie shares screenshots of the survey as she explains the motivation behind it.

She starts: 'So I recently got ghosted by a guy who I didn't even like, which was obviously devastating, and I emailed him this ghosting exit survey to fill out.

'And feel free to use this at your leisure.'

Stephanie then proceeds to run through the contents of the questionnaire.

In the survey she asks the men to provide her with various feedback, including their thoughts about her appearance, their feelings on her personality - and she even includes a section in which she requests that the man 'provide the names, emails, and phone numbers of at least two of your exes', as well as their 'birth mother'.

In the clip, which has so far been viewed more than 438,000 times, Stephanie shares screenshots of the survey as she explains the motivation behind it

Stephanie concluded her video by sharing a screenshot of a sent email which included the survey before stating: 'And we are off to the races'

Are YOU ready to send your own ghosting survey? Here are all the questions you need... 1. Please provide a 1-2 sentence example of why you did it. (Ex: You were intimidated by my beauty, you hate yourself, you're broken, I'm too good for you.) 2. Please circle if I am more cute, hot, sexy or pretty (can and must circle all four). 3. Please explain why you did not write in 'SMART' for the last question, you misogynist. 4. Please provide the names, emails, and phone numbers of at least two of your exes and your birth mother. 5. Please select one form of compensation: Passwords for your Hulu, Netflix, Disney+, Paramount+, and your Social Security number

Buying my mom a condo in Florida (with a pool)

Making me your muse and dedicating your life to winning me back (Ex: Using my voicemails in a rap song, cutting off your ear and sending it to me, publicly referring to me as 'the one that got away' and describing me as 'thin' in a novel you write about me Advertisement

'That's just so I can start a group chat,' she jokes.

Stephanie's final section of the questionnaire includes a list of compensation options that she asks the man to select from, which include material and financial selections, such as sharing their Netflix password or buying her mother a condo with a pool, as well as gestures, like 'making me your muse'.

The comedian concluded her video by sharing a screenshot of a sent email which included the survey before stating: 'And we are off to the races.'

She uploaded the clip alongside a caption that read '[Let me know] if you want the pdf #ghosting #situationships #datingapps,' and social media users were quick to flood the comment section with praise for the idea.

Stephanie also revealed the reason she was inspired to create the survey: 'So I recently got ghosted by a guy who I didn't even like, which was obviously devastating, and I emailed him this ghosting exit survey to fill out'

Social media users were quick to flood the comment section with praise for the idea, describing it as 'iconic' and requesting a version for themselves

One user wrote: 'I absolutely need to start doing this.'

Another said: 'This is the most fabulous response to being ghosted that I have ever seen. Kudos!'

Others commented that it was 'iconic' and requested a version for themselves.

Not everyone was quite so keen on the idea, however, with one TikTok user simply commenting: 'But I don't want to know WHY.'

Someone keen for an update on the situation wrote: 'Oh my God this is possibly the most incredible thing I've ever seen, did you get a reply?'

But Stephanie sadly responded: 'Randomly not yet can't imagine why.'
We all know a pair of Levis by that little red tab on the back pocket. Brand recognition was the very point of it when the Tab Device, as its known legally, was first patented in 1936.

But did you know the colour of  and lettering on  a Levis tab is a clue to how much your vintage jeans could be worth?

Actor Brad Pitt poses in a pair of Levis 501 for a UK advert in the 1990s

'Did you know the colour of  and lettering on  a Levis tab is a clue to how much your vintage jeans could be worth?'

Tabs with a capital E. If youve got a pair of 501s with capped up Levis on the tab, youve got a collectors item. In 1971, the red tabs were changed to include a lower case e and the capped up version was stopped, meaning lovers of 1950s and 60s jeans can see when theyve got a gem. These are the priciest, worth from 250 to several thousand depending on condition.

Got a tab on your 501s with no lettering, but a single trademark symbol? Its not a fake, but one of a small percentage of pairs issued to prove ownership of the positioning of the tab and the Levis trademark.

An orange tab. Introduced in the 1960s to signify fashion denim rather than work-wear. If youre looking for an older piece, check whether the jeans have a care label. They werent legally enforced on U.S.-made garments until 1971.

A white tab. White tabs were found in the 1960 and 70s on Levis corduroy jeans.

A silver tab. Introduced in 1988 at the vanguard of grunge and hip hop, and affixed to Levis baggy streetwear styles. Silver tabs are in high demand.

Were I to list the men whove had a lasting impression on my life, top of the roll of honour would be my dad, then my brothers, followed by a husband and two of my five fiances. And right up there alongside them would be a man who has always made me feel sexy and young and desirable, but who died more than 50 years before I was born  Mr Levi Strauss.

'Aged 65, Im still wearing his legendary Levis 501s,' says the Daily Mail's Amanda Platell

Movie star Marilyn Monroe on the set of The Misfits in 1962, sporting a classic pair of Levis

HOW LEVIS BECAME THE JEANS WE KNOW AND LOVE TODAY 1873: Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis are granted a patent for the process of riveting trousers so they dont tear with vigorous movement, and the blue jean is born. Called the waist overall, it is designed for miners. 1937: The rivets on the back pockets are removed because they scratch furniture. 1950s: The 501 enters popular culture as an It item of casualwear. 1960: The word overalls is replaced by jeans in advertising and packaging. 1966: The first TV advert for Levis jeans is aired on TV and in cinemas. 1981: 501 jeans cut especially for women are finally introduced. 1984: Levi Strauss & Co. becomes official outfitter of the US Olympic team for the Los Angeles Olympics. 1985: Viewers were transfixed as heartthrob Nick Kamen walked into a laundromat, stripped down to his boxers and tossed his 501s into the washing machine. 1990: An unknown  and baby-faced  Brad Pitt appears in the 501 campaign Camera. 1997: Levis buys back a pair of c.1890 501s for a whopping $25,000. 2012: In November 2012, Stephanie Seymour, Daria Werbowy and Lauren Hutton all wear the denim on the cover of Vogue Paris. 2016: Levis introduces its skinny shrink-to-fit stretch jeans. 2018: Supermodel Lily Aldridge becomes the face of Levis Made & Crafted campaign. 2021: Manchester Uniteds Marcus Rashford stars in 501s new campaign. Advertisement

Aged 65, Im still wearing his legendary Levis 501s. Their sky-blue denim has been woven through the tapestry of my entire life. And as they celebrate their 150th anniversary, these sturdy jeans remain, unequivocally, the coolest item of clothing Ive ever owned.

My love affair with Levis 501s began in the early 1970s when I was 15. That was after the word overalls had been dropped from the brands advertising and replaced with jeans (the name apparently comes from the French word for Genoa  Genes  which was where the fabric was first woven; 501 itself came from the original material), but before they created a womans cut in 1981.

Those jeans were so hot, everyone coveted them. I was desperate for a pair, but my dad said I had to work to save up for them  apt, given their origins as a working mans waist overalls  and hed match me pound for pound.

Lying about my age, I got an after-school job in a supermarket in Perth, Western Australia, where I grew up. A couple of months later, I parted with 15 Aussie dollars, roughly seven euro, and acquired my first pair. Finally, I was not the geeky girl at school but the cool chick.

Fastening those buttons  no zips then  I felt like a cross between a movie star, a rock star and a fully-fledged teenager. I wore them with a white T-shirt on my first date with my surfer boyfriend Derek, who, of course, wore a matching pair.

Oh, what fun Ive had over the years pulling Levis 501s on (and having them pulled off). They have been my jeans of choice and have never let me down.

We had a trick back then to make them look worn in, which was, and still is, definitely cooler than looking newly bought. Wed leave them pegged on the washing line in the blinding 100F Aussie heat so the sun could bleach them.

Nowadays, they are deliberately faded by the manufacturer, but we just improvised, instinctively understanding that Levis look their authentic best when slightly battered and lived-in.

By the time I discovered them, Levis had been the thing for 20 years. It was Marlon Brando who immortalised the sexiness of Levis in the 1951 movie A Streetcar Named Desire, described then as immoral, decadent, vulgar and sinful.

It wasnt just the plot that caused a scandal  younger man ravishes older woman  it was the fact that every female with a beating heart longed to rip off Brandos sexy 501s. His version  dirty, sweaty and toil-scuffed  set the style for an entire generation.

A glamorous duo are pictured sporting a pair of Levis 501s in 1947

Stephanie Seymour, Daria Werbowy and Lauren Hutton sport Levis on the cover of Vogue Paris in 2012

A decade later, along came Marilyn Monroe in The Misfits, looking more sensational and sexy in turned-up Levis and white shirt than she did in an hourglass, sequinned dress. As she fought off the advances of Clark Gable, we were given a masterclass in the co-opting of rough-hewn male clothing for the softer female form, and we swooned all over again.

But maybe Levis 501s greatest association for the past half century has been with rock music. A symbol of rebellion against conformity, they have always represented freedom from the stuffiness of the previous generation.

Bob Dylan wore them on the cover of his second album in 1963. Elvis rocked in them  though, of course, he was as famous for his Levis jacket as the jeans  and so did John Lennon, Bob Marley, and even an early Madonna, to name but a few.

A pair Bruce Springsteen wore on his Born In The USA tour in 1984 later sold at auction for almost 1,000, and at 73 he still looks as though he was born wearing them. Such is the revival in vintage 501s, Levis dating back to the 1890s can fetch 20,000.

For us mere mortals, they have simply been an essential part of life. In the 1970s we wore them with handkerchief halter-neck tops made out of our mums old scarves. By the 1980s, it was T-shirts and bodies, then bodies and loafers, like the supermodels on the cover of Vogue in 1990.

I still have a pair I bought back then, and can only dream of fitting into them now. The leather patch on the back of the band is so faded, I cant read the size, but I think theyre a tiny 26in waist. The washing instructions  wash em HOT inside out  are still visible, with the guarantee, the more you wash em, the better they look and fit, and the little red Levis tag on the back pocket to prove authenticity is still attached.

If those jeans could talk . . . Falling in love with a handsome guy who had his own battered Levis. The first blissful few years of my marriage, arriving in London and wearing them around our attic flat or stomping through the park, the 501s tucked into boots. I was still wearing them after the marriage ended, but baggier now as Id lost so much weight through stress.

Then came the Levis revival in 1985 with the infamous laundrette TV ad starring Nick Kamen. He must have been melted into them they were so tight.

(Actually that was another trick we Levis lovers used. Buy them a size too small; wash them in hot water and put them on wet; then wear them as they dry so theyd mould to your body.) They were perfect for weekends away during my next great love affair. Striding across the Yorkshire moors near his cottage in the 501s and a huge moss-green Hucklecote overcoat, or cuddling by an open fire at the local pub with a pair of Timberland boots and polo neck jumper.

Alas, like my waistline, that affair went the way of all good things. But I shall never throw away that pair of Levis. Just holding that beloved faded fabric reminds me of good times.

Over the years I had become rather promiscuous with my choice of jeans, especially as brands such as Citizens of Humanity, Goldsign and Paige have more elasticity and are more body hugging in skinny styles. But in my experience they dont stand the test of time, nor the washing machine, and Ive always gone back to my 501s.

As my dad, who also owned a couple of pairs of battered 20-year-old Levis, always said when Mum implored him to throw them out: Like most good things in life, theyre made to last. He was living proof, still pulling them on when he was 90.

In an uncertain world, my Levis are that rarest of things, dependable and enduring. As I know my size, I can order them online and they always fit perfectly. Unlike me, they are both classic and classy. Also, unlike me, they dont age and go all saggy.

We wear their wrinkles and worn-in creases as badges of honour and, in an age when there are countless new denim fashion brands out there, they are a sure sign you are not some flighty follower of fashion.

Levis has had lots of slogans over the years. Amid the noise of fast fashion, the brand has always quietly insisted that quality never goes out of style, or words to that effect. Yet across the span of their 150 years, theres one tagline that I like the most. Its my favourite because I know, and have known since the age of 15, that its true: You wear other jeans, but you live in Levis.
A content creator revealed he flew to Italy and had pizza for less than the same meal would have cost him if he had ordered from Domino's.

Callum Ryan, from London, revealed in a TikTok video that he set himself the challenge of getting the meal and a plane ticket to Italy for less than 19,99, which is the average price for a medium pizza sold by the restaurant chain.

After coming across a last-minute ticket to Milan for 8 and catching the flight, Cal revealed he got a pizza for 11.50 (9.72) at a local grub hub, taking the price to an overall 17.72.

While Cal was delighted to have met the challenge, people on TikTok noted the that he seems to have left aside a lot of details, including the cost of his return flight, and transfer to and from the airports.

Callum Ryan, from London, revealed in a TikTok video that he set himself the challenge of getting a meal and a plane ticket to Italy for less than 19,99, which is the average price for a medium pizza sold by Domino's. He ended up paying 17.72

The TikTok user revealed he found a last minute flight to Milan for 8, and hopped on the plane, using recommendations from the social media platform to find the best pizza place he could.

He revealed he was greeted with a complimentary glass of prosecco and a pesto antipasti upon arrival, which didn't cost a thing.

Callum then ordered a margarita pizza, which ended up costing him 11.50euros (9.72) inclusive of service charge.

This means that the pizza alone cost about half the price of a Domino's pizza.

The TikToker said he found a last minute flight to Milan from London for 8, and travelled to a pizza restaurant in the city

Callum shared snippets of his one-way flight to Milan, but didn't say how much he paid to go to the airport in the UK and from the airport in Milan

The influencer was treated to a complimentary glass of prosecco and a free antipasti at the Milan restaurant

Callum also got a drink for 5, however, he did not include this in the overall price tally, because drinks are optional on Domino's.

He concluded that the trip and the pizza both cost him 17.72, which is 2.27 less than a medium pizza from the chain.

While he was pleased to have completed the challenge, some of his followers were left skeptical and had a lot of questions.

Some pointed out the content creator only booked a one-way flight and would need to spend more to return to the UK.

Others said Callum didn't tell his viewers how much he paid to travel from his home in London to the airport in the UK, or from the airport to the Milan city centre.

Domino's also offer smaller pizza from 7.99 and have deals to cut prices.

Skeptical viewers pointed out how Callum only booked a one-way ticket, and would need to fork out for a return

One asked: 'How'd you get to and from both airports?' One said.

'Wait... Why is your flight so cheap?' another asked.

'This shows how ridiculous are prices in the UK,' one said.

'What was the return flight's cost?' one asked as well.
Australian officials recovered the missing radioactive capsule in the Outback on Wednesday, after almost a week of searching along a 1,400 km. (870-mile) highway.

At a press conference on Thursday, Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said the military was authenticating the Australia radioactive capsule and that it will be transported to a secure location in the city of Perth.

Dawson remarked that searching for the Australia radioactive capsule within a vast area "was a monumental challenge," and the search teams recovered "the needle in the haystack," Reuters reported.

The Australia radioactive capsule missing, measuring only 6mm (0.24 inches) in diameter and 8mm in length, has enough cesium-137 to cause health hazards like skin damage, burns, or even radiation poisoning, per a pervious HNGN report.

The search was conducted using specialized equipment, such as radioactivity detectors.

Read Also: US, South Korea Intensify Forces v. North Korea

The state's emergency services credited "inter-agency" coordination amid apparently unfathomable difficulties when they announced the recovery on Wednesday.

According to authorities, the Australia radioactive capsule was discovered by a vehicle traveling at 70 km/h that was equipped with special technology that detected radiation, per BBC.

No Charges Will Be Filed

The capsule was eventually recovered around 2 meters from the roadside using portable detecting equipment, they said.

Two days after receiving word from Rio Tinto Iron Ore, Western Australia's Department of Fire and Emergency Services declared the capsule's disappearance public on Friday.

Simon Trott, CEO of Rio Tinto Iron Ore, said that the contractor was authorized to transfer the Australia radioactive capsule and that a Geiger counter verified its presence on the vehicle before it left the mine.

Trott apologized to the public for any distress they may have caused, per AP News.

The incident was ruled an accident by the police, thus no charges will be filed.

Related Article: Joe Biden To Showcase $292 Million Mega Grant

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Queen Maxima of the Netherlands wowed crowds in Aruba with her dance moves last night as she and her family took part in a Caribbean carnival.

The Argentinian born royal, 51, who hails from Buenos Aires, was beaming with joy as she shook her hips and boogied along in time to the music at the Bon Bini Festival last night.

The mother-of-three was on the fourth day of her visit to the Caribbean alongside her husband King Willem-Alexander and their daughter Princess Catharina-Amalia, who were also quick to join in the dancing.

In an Instagram post shared by their official social media team after the visit, the caption read: 'The visit to Aruba will be closed in the evening with a visit to the Bon Bini Festival at Fort Zoutman in Oranjestad.

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, 51, wowed crowds in Aruba with her dance moves last night as she and her family took part in a Caribbean carnival

'At Plaza Padu, the King, Queen Maxima and the Princess of Orange get acquainted with local products and watch musical performances.

'Next, they attend a folklore performance with Caribbean music and dance showcasing the culture and history of Aruba in the fort.

'After completion, the Royal company leaves the fort accompanied by a carnival and brass band.'

Queen Maxima was in high spirits during the event, swaying her hips in time to the music and holding hands with one of the dancers.

The mother-of-three was on the fourth day of her visit to the Caribbean alongside her husband King Willem-Alexander and their daughter Princess Catharina-Amalia, who were also quick to join in the dancing

King Willem-Alexander appeared in equally high spirits as he held the hand of a dancer during the parade

She opted for a dark dress for the occasion which was covered in white flowers, and featured a hip belt with fringe detailing, which swung in time to the music as she danced.

Meanwhile her teenage daughter Catharina also opted for a fringe ensemble, donning a colourful poncho and white trousers for the joyful outing.

King Willem-Alexander also got into the spirit of the occasion, waving his hands in the air in time to the music enthusiastically.

Earlier in the day, Queen Maxima and Princess Amalia looked effortlessly chic as they cut leaves from an aloe plant during their Caribbean tour.

The trio of royals were quick to get into the swing of things and danced along in the parade enthusiastically (left and right)

Queen Maxima, who was born in Argentina, appeared particularly enthusiastic about the Caribbean carnival

Princess Catharina-Amalia donned a colourful poncho style top with purple fringing, which she wore with a pair of white trousers

The family, who were on their second day in Aruba, appeared in high spirits during the event last night

During the Dutch royals' second day in Aruba, Amalia was seen cutting the plant while wearing thick yellow rubber gloves.

The Princess of Orange was neatly dressed in a voluminous green blouse and loose fitting white trousers.

More snaps were taken of Maxima and Amalia together, where they were pictured walking while holding a bouquet of flowers.

The Dutch queen looked elegant in her cream coloured top and a salmon knee length skirt.

Later, Queen Maxima, King Willem-Alexander and Princess Catharina-Amalia watched a show at the venue

Queen Maxima was elegant in a black midi dress for the occasion, which was covered in white flowers

Queen Maxima and Princess Catharina were both given a posey of colourful flowers during the visit last night

Princess Catharina-Amalia, who is currently taking part in her first ever royal tour, was in good spirits as she joined her parents at the event last night in Aruba

The 51-year-old royal spruced up her look with a pink headpiece, stylist sunglasses and understated silver jewellery.

The news comes after the two royals and King Willem-Alexander were spotted during their visit to Arikok National Park earlier yesterday.

The Dutch royals explored the Aruba site as part of their two week tour of the Caribbean islands.

The three have also penciled in visits to Bonaire, Curacao and St Maarten before travelling to St Eustatius and Saba.

The royal family went on to visit a local market where they spoke to vendors about their products

Princess Catharina-Amalia shook hands with a local vendor who was selling beaded jewellery during the outing

In the snaps, Maxima was dressed for the occasion, donning a green jumpsuit, large orange belt and stylish sunglasses.

The Argentinean Royal had her thick blonde hair tied up while showcasing her long and ornate earrings.

The 51-year-old queen was also carrying a small beige coloured bag in her right hand, which was adorned with a large animal and palm trees.

Meanwhile King Willem was practically dressed in his light green chinos and blue short sleeved shirt.

Catharina-Amalia is the eldest of the King and his Argentine wife's three daughters, and therefore his future heir.

The royal couple were beaming as they waved to locals at the end of their evening out in Aruba (pictured)

Although the Netherlands is the largest and wealthiest part, the Kingdom of the Netherlands is actually comprised of four constituent countries - all of which have equal status.

Along with the Netherlands itself, the members are Aruba, Curacao and St Maarten, each of which is a constitutional monarchy with King Willem-Alexander as its head of state and its own parliament.

Three further Caribbean islands, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, are administered as municipalities of the Netherlands and as such, inhabitants are Dutch citizens with the same rights and responsibilities.

Until 2010, all the Caribbean islands, with the exception of Aruba, were part of the Dutch Antilles - an entity that was dissolved and its residents given the choice of independence or integration.

The arrangement is similar to that between the Commonwealth Realms, all of which have Britain's monarch as head of state but have separate directly elected parliaments.
Prince Edward looked particularly smart when attending the Radio Times annual Covers party on Tuesday.

The Earl of Wessex, 58, was the guest of honour at the party, held at Claridge's Ballroom in London, which celebrates those who have featured on the magazine's front cover in the previous 12 months.

Dressed in a smart grey suit, Queen Elizabeth II's youngest son appeared in great spirits.

Prince Edward looked particularly smart when attending the Radio Times annual Covers party on Tuesday at Claridge's Ballroom in London

The royal donned a bright green polka dot tie and a matching pocket square with a white shirt for the star-studded event.

Inside the venue he was joined by famous faces including Sir Lenny Henry, Sir Michael Palin, and Sue Barker.

This September marks the Radio Times' 100th anniversary, with the event also welcoming cover stars from across the decades including Sir Tony Robinson, and newsreader Angela Rippon.

At the event Edward received two commemorative Radio Times covers featuring the the Queen; the first ever to feature the then Princess Elizabeth in October 1940 and Radio Times' Platinum Jubilee cover from May 2022.

The Earl of Wessex, 58, was the guest of honour at the party which celebrates those who have featured on the magazine's front cover in the previous 12 months

Prince Edward with Dame Denise Lewis (left) and Sue Barker during the Radio Times' Annual Covers Party

The late monarch featured on the cover of Radio Times 53 times, more than any other person in Radio Times' 100-year history, including 10 as Princess Elizabeth and 43 times during her 70-year reign.

The earl was presented with the special covers by Scottish TV presenter Kirsty Young.

Kirsty said: 'This year marks the 100th anniversary of Radio Times and throughout that century Britain and the world has changed, in some ways beyond recognition, but for the majority of that time one thing remained constant.'

'Elizabeth II was the first sovereign of the television age. A medium she mastered so completely, that by the last year of her life she was as comfortable performing a two-hander with Paddington Bear as she was delivering her annual Christmas message.'

The Radio Times' Platinum Jubilee cover from May 2022, with an image of Queen Elizabeth II by David Bailey

The royal received two commemorative Radio Times covers featuring Queen Elizabeth II, from Kirsty Young and Tom Loxley

Prince Edward with actor Lenny Henry CBE (right) during the Radio Times' Annual Covers Party

Dressed in a smart grey suit, Queen Elizabeth II's youngest son appeared in great spirits as he was greeted at the venue

Tom Loxley, Radio Times' joint-editor, added: 'It was an honour to welcome The Earl of Wessex to Radio Times' annual celebration of our cover stars, and fitting that it's in our centenary year.

'Queen Elizabeth, and the Royal Family, graced our front cover regularly throughout her reign and she holds a special place in our history and with our readers.'

Cover stars from 2022 included Dame Denise Lewis, Professor Brian Cox, Louis Theroux, Jenny Agutter, as well as the cast of the BBC's Call The Midwife.

It comes after Princess Eugenie has announced she and her husband Jack Brooksbank are expecting their second child this summer, the line of succession has once again been shifted.

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September last year, the royal family's line of succession moved around as King Charles ascended the throne and the Prince and Princess of Wales assumed their new roles, giving up the titles they previously held as Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Princess Eugenie is pregnant with her second child and due to give birth in the summer, it has been announced (pictured, with her son August)

Now Eugenie, 32, who is currently 11th in line to the throne, will see her second child added into the line of succession, meaning several people behind him or her will be pushed back a step.

With August Brooksbank, who is just about to turn two years old, 12th in line to the throne, the new arrival this summer will take 13th place - bumping their great uncle Prince Edward to 14th in line to the throne.

Princess Eugenie is the youngest daughter of Prince Andrew (who is eighth in line) and Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York.

The 32-year-old's older sister Beatrice, 34, is ninth in line while Beatrice's daughter, Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi, takes 10th place.
The couple spared no expense on the tots nursery spending approx 9,500

Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury expanded their family last week when they welcomed a baby girl.

The couple, both 23, announced to the world on Tuesday that they had named their baby daughter Bambi in a sweet Instagram post.

The new mum shared the moniker with her seven million followers with a snap of her baby girl's name in illuminated letters overlooking a modern 5,278 acrylic crib.

And it seems the Love Island stars spared no expense when it came to welcoming their daughter, reportedly splashing out around 9,500 on chic furnishing for her modern nursery.

Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury spared no expense when it came to welcoming their daughter, reportedly splashing out 400 on interior design service Neo Home to design the chic nursery

The pair splashed out 400 on interior design service Neo Home to design the aesthetically stunning nursery.

The new parents decided on stunning contemporary cloud chandelier lighting for 463.82 from Beautiful Halo which hung above the Modern Nursery vetro acrylic crib.

A personalised neon sign with baby Bambi's name hung on the wall in a white light hue which can be found on Not on The High Street for 160.

An Ottie and the Bea Mr Maria Miffy Lamp, which costs 160, added more soft light to the room.

The couple, both 23, expanded their family last week when they welcomed a baby girl named Bambi

Molly-Mae and Tommy are said to have splashed out on a room at The Portland Hospital where birth packages can cost up to 30,000

While the adorable setting was brought to life with cosy furnishing such as pom pom cushions for 60 each and ball cushion's which can be found on Etsy for 30.39 each.

A comfortable light beige two seater sofa was places next to the crib and a similar one can be found on Dusk Sloane for just 369.

A designer Hermes Avalon throw blanket, which costs 1,430, was draped over the couch while a modern Wayfair concrete accent table, for 132.99. displayed some books.

Bambi's Nursery Neo Home interior design service 400 Beautiful Halo Contemporary Cloud Chandelier Lighting 463.82 x 2 Not on The Highstreet Personalised Neon Sign 160 Modern Nursery Vetro Acrylic Crib 5,278 Ottie and the Bea Mr Maria Miffy Lamp 160 Dusk Sloane 2 Seater Sofa - Light Beige was 599 now 369.00 Wayfair Chenai Concrete Accent Table 132.99 Nordic Nest Sasine cushion 60 x 6 Etsy Nordic Ball Cushion 30.39 x 2 Hermes Avalon throw blanket 1,430 Total: 9,519 Advertisement

It comes after it was reported that the pair splashed out on a room at The Portland Hospital in London where birth packages start from 15,000 and can cost up to 30,000.

The Duchess Of Sussex welcomed son Archie at The Portland in 2019, while other famous mothers who have had their babies there include Victoria Beckham, Liz Hurley and Jools Oliver.

Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York also gave birth to Princess Eugenie and Beatrice there.

Now Molly-Mae can add herself to the list, with a source telling The Sun: 'Money was no object for Molly and Tommy when it came to deciding where to give birth.

'The couple wanted the very best for their daughter and they definitely got that.

'Tommy has already been back to work, so Molly has turned to her own mum for support. They haven't headed back to Manchester yet and have set up round the clock security to protect their 3.5 million home while they are away.'

At The Portland staff offer 24-hour room service in their lavish labour suites, which come complete with Molton Brown toiletries and four-poster cots.

New parents are offered a meal to celebrate the safe delivery of their child, with a menu that boasts lobster, oysters, foie gras, champagne and afternoon tea options - all served on silver platters.

New mothers are also reported to be handed luxury 'goodie bags' when they leave The Portland.

These include an invitation to a professional mother and baby photoshoot, more champagne and luxury toys, according to The Sun.

There are reported to be 50 full-time midwives and nursery nurses on duty at all times, happy to change nappies and 'check in' on newborns while their exhausted parents try to get some sleep.

Babies are treated to 3,500 Moses baskets designed by luxury furniture brand Dragons of Walton Street, as well as 14,000 four-poster Little Duchess cot.

Representatives for Molly-Mae told MailOnline: 'Molly and Tommy feel so blessed to have welcomed a healthy baby girl in to their family on the 23rd of January 2023.

The new parents also shared a collection of sweet monochrome snaps to their respective social media page

Sharing one picture of herself cuddling into the newborn, Molly-Mae explained her excitement at being a new mum

'They are enjoying every moment. Molly and baby are both doing well.'

The new parents also shared a collection of sweet monochrome snaps to their respective social media pages, with the blonde beauty penning: 'I can't believe we get to keep you forever'.

Sharing one picture of herself cuddling into the newborn, Molly-Mae wrote: 'One week old today I can't believe we get to keep you forever.

'Becoming your mum has been one of the best things to ever happen to me... it doesn't seem possible but my love for you grows with each passing moment.

'There is no feeling like holding you in my arms little one, my heart literally explodes. Thank you for entering this world safely for us and blessing us with the gift of being your parents.

She concluded: 'We promise to love and care for you unconditionally forever.'

While Tommy also took to Instagram Stories to share a snap with his 4.3M followers, as he vowed: 'I'll protect you forever my little girl'.
The Queen of Spain gave another great example of sustainable fashion today as she hosted audiences in Madrid with her husband.

Letizia, 50, opted to rewear a green midi-scarf dress from Sandro she has sported several times over the years to welcome representatives from the Spanish Red Cross to Zarzuela Palace.

Keeping the look simple, she was the picture of elegance in the number, which has become one of her most beloved wardrobe staples.

It's been a busy week for Letizia so far, who travelled to Alicante yesterday to attend a meeting with the Spanish Federation of Rare Diseases.

Queen Letizia of Spain, 50, opted to rewear a green midi-scarf dress from Sandro she has worn several times over the years to welcome representatives from the Spanish Red Cross to Zarzuela Palace today

The stylish royal looked effortlessly elegant in the loose number from Sandro, which she debuted in 2018.

While the dress is in its fifth year, it still looks impeccable, with its dropped waist adding a touch of flapper chic.

Letizia, known for her stripped down approach to fashion, let the dress speak for itself and wore very little accessories.

She paired the number with discreet black leather stilettos, a pair of stud diamond earrings, and her favourite ring from Karen Hallam.

Keeping the look simple, she was the picture of elegance in the number, pictured, which has become one of her most beloved wardrobe staples

The mother-of-two styled her hair in a neat, straight blow-dry parted in the middle.

She wore a natural day makeup, with just a dash of bronzer and mascara to highlight her green-blue gaze.

She was also sporting her regulation smokey eye, a signature look she's worn for years.

A touch of nude lipstick brought her smile to life as she warmly greeted the Red Cross representative with her husband.

Felipe looked smart in a pin-striped grey suit, which he wore with crisp white shirt and a teal tie that matched his wife's elegant outfit.

The mother-of-two kept the look simple with a pair of stud diamond earrings and a ring on her index finger

King Felipe VI looked dapper for the audience and wore a teal tie that matched his wife's elegant outfit

It's been a busy week for Letizia so far. The Spanish queen travelled to Alicante for a meeting with the Spanish Federation of Rare Diseases yesterday.

She donned a stylish black and white over-the-knee dress which was tied with a belt at the waist to add shape to her look for the occasion.

To guard against the cold on the bright but chilly day in Alicante, the monarch chose a stylish black overcoat.

She teamed the outfit with a glamorous pair of tall black suede boots to add an extra layer of warmth.

Letizia's hair was styled straight into a neat blow-dry, and she wore a natural makeup with her regulation smoky eye, pictured

Letizia opted for simple jewellery, wearing a delicate pair of diamond drop earrings and a chunky gold ring on her index finger.

Her brunette locks were styled in a sleek blowdry, managing to keep their hold against the wind.

Keeping her make-up understated, the royal sported a subtle bronzed look with a rosy blush and clear lip gloss.

The copper eyeshadow look complemented her eyes and her sculpted brows added extra definition.

Queen Letizia had a meeting at the Spanish Federation for Rare Diseases in Madrid earlier this month.

As honorary president of the organisation, she chaired the meeting of the Network of Direct Care Centres and Specialised Services of the Spanish Federation for Rare Diseases at the Sense Barreres centre today.

Letizia is particularly active in the healthcare field and regularly visits hospitals to meet medical professionals and see the work being done.
A historian who appeared in Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's bombshell Netflix series received an honour from King Charles at Windsor Castle yesterday.

The monarch, 74, presented an OBE to TV historian and author David Olusoga for his services to history and community integration.

David, who was awarded the honour in 2019 by the Queen but collected it yesterday from Charles, appeared in episode two of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's docu-series, discussing how the couple's 'fairytale' was 'embedding itself in a nation' divided by Brexit.

Professor Olusoga is a historian at the University of Manchester and the author of Black and British - a bestselling account of the role black people have played in Britain's history.

David Olusoga, who appeared in Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's bombshell Netflix series, received an honour from King Charles at Windsor Castle yesterday

Despite the honour, no photographs of the ceremony have been released publicly.

Royal reporter Richard Palmer tweeted the news, saying: 'Charles III, who has put diversity at the heart of his reign, also presented an OBE to Professor David Olusoga, a historian who appeared in Harry and Meghans Netflix series.

'Professor Olusoga, honoured for services to history and community integration, requested no publicity.'

While it is not known why there was a delay in David's collection of the honour, he has previously spoken about having conflicted feelings about the award.

He told Radio Times: 'I dont believe we should have this ledger book, this balancing-scales view of the empire.

Professor Olusoga is a historian at the University of Manchester - and appeared in Harry and Meghan's Netflix series in December

'Was it good? Was it bad? Should we feel pride? Should we feel shame?

'I think we should look at the empire for what it was, this complicated, more-than-400-year story with terrible, terrible episodes.

'Using that word empire does make it a difficult award to accept. But if you decline, then you should shut up about it and I had to ask myself the question  would I?'

He went on to appear a number of times in Harry and Meghan's explosive Netflix series, including for a debate around Brexit.

Mr Olusoga said that the 'fairy tale' of Harry and Meghan was 'embedding itself in a nation that is having a pretty toxic debate about the European Union.'

He appeared in episode two of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's docu-series, discussing how the couple's 'fairytale' was 'embedding itself in a nation' divided by Brexit

He argued that 'immigration was at the absolute centre' of that debate, and that 'immigration is very often in this country a cipher for race'.

He also criticised 'racism' in the process and said that the fact that slave owners were compensated 'for their human property' is often 'left out' of history lessons. This was an example of slavery being 'airbrushed' out of Britain's past, he said.

David also appeared in lengthy segments elsewhere alongside academic Afua Hirsch who said British tradition is 'filled with racist imagery' while discussing the country's colonial legacy.

Many honours are decided by the British government, not the royal family, meaning Charles doesn't have jurisdiction over who is presented with an OBE.

David was honoured yesterday alongside a 99-year-old Holocaust survivor with 2million TikTok followers.

Lily Ebert was recognised for her services to Holocaust education at Windsor Castle on Tuesday after being included in the New Year Honours list - the first overseen by King Charles since his ascension to the throne.

David was honoured yesterday alongside a 99-year-old Holocaust survivor Lily Ebert, who has 2million TikTok followers

With the great-grandmother while she accepted the award was her great-grandson, 19-year-old Dov Forman.

Ms Ebert, who became a founding member of the UK's Holocaust Survivor Centre, and her grandson have accrued billions of views on TikTok in an effort to educate the younger generation on the Holocaust.

Not so long ago, there were people who wanted to kill me for my religion, and today I received this honour', Ms Ebert said from the Castle, in a room which celebrates the life of the Jewish Queen Esther. 'Words cannot explain how much this means to me.

'I promised myself that if I survived, then I would tell the whole world what had happened to us in Auschwitz - that there were people killed for no other reason than their beliefs, because we were believed not to be worthy of life.'

She said that she has always tried to be a positive force in the world and encourage others to 'appreciate our differences and learn from each other, and be kind to everyone.

'Something terrible like that should never, ever happen again. As long as I am alive I will teach the world to be tolerant', she added.
With Valentine's Day just a few days away, lovebirds will likely flock to the shops to buy a sweet card for their significant other.

And Paperchase is determined to bank on the romantic holiday, by offering sales on their own selection of missives. However, the initiative backfired after it was mocked online.

A shopper from Portsmouth pointed out on Twitter that the brand is having a a 'three for two' offer on, joking that the market of people sending more than one Valentine's could be a bit 'niche.'

The quip comes as the stationary giant revealed yesterday that it had collapsed into administration.

But many replied they'd love to buy several cards to 'hedge their bets' or big up their children.

The shopper snapped a picture of the shelves at her local Paperchase store, where a multitudes of Valentine's Day Cards were waiting to be picked up.

'I know Paperchase is in dire financial straights but 3 for 2 on Valentines cards is tapping into a very niche market,' the woman said.

Man found her remark, which was alluding to one person entertaining more than one relationship at once, to be funny.

Some said the deal was great for people who want to 'hedge their bets' and are 'not too fussy.'

People said the deal was a great idea for singletons trying to hedge their bets or people who are not 'too fussy'

'Valentine's Day only comes once a year and small print runs are expensive so retailers can be excused. Someone who has hope and is not very fussy may consider that sending multiple card is a great idea,' one said.

'I dunno. I definitely hedged my bets in my early teens,' one joked.

''Perhaps it is for single people who are keeping their options open,' one said.

'Used to work in our local shop. On Valentine's Day bloke came in, asked if we had the new "Best Love Album" compilation... Me: "Yes, here it is", bloke: "Great. Have you got 22?" Me: "Nooooo" I mean, yes, we have... but noooo",' one recounted.

One person in a polyamourous relationship - where they have several consenting partners at once - said the deal was very handy for them.

'I'm polyamourous and this is actually a really handy deal,' they said.

'The romantic in me likes to think that people are just so committed and in love that they are buying valentines cards 2 years in advance,' another wrote.

'That niche market is me! I always buy them for my three sons. Keep it quiet tho' - they think they've got admirers. (They're all in their twenties btw),' one revealed.

For some, the joke brought back some memories, with one saying: 'I'll let my ex-boyfriend known as he could definitely use that deal.'

One mother admitted buying several cards to big up her three sons, while one person in a polyamourous relationship found the deal great as well

This comes as Paperchase has gone into administration, putting the future of its 106 stores at risk.

In another blow to Britain's ailing High Streets, the stationery giant which employs hundreds of workers, appointed administrators from Begbies Traynor to oversee the insolvency process.

The beleaguered chain had failed to secure a rescue buyer after being placed on the market by retail veteran owner Steve Curtis.

Tesco has announced a deal to buy the brand and intellectual property from the insolvency specialists - but the move means Paperchase's stores are expected to shut, with hundreds of staff likely to face redundancy.

Paperchase became the latest retailer to collapse in the wake of Covid lockdowns and trading restrictions - following the likes of Joules, Debenhams, Monsoon and the Arcadia Group.

The administrators said: 'On January 31, Mark Fry, Kirstie Provan and Gary Shankland, of Begbies Traynor, were appointed as joint administrators of Aspen Phoenix Newco Limited, which trades as Paperchase.

'Unfortunately, despite a comprehensive sales process, no viable offers were received for the company, or its business and assets, on a going concern basis.

'However, there has been significant interest in the Paperchase brand and attendant intellectual property.

'The joint administrators will continue trading the company's operations in the short term, with all stores remaining open and trading as normal.'

Supermarket giant Tesco has bought the Paperchase brand and intellectual property after the stationery chain entered administration.

However, the supermarket chain's deal for the business will not include any of the retailer's 106 stores and is therefore expected to impact hundreds of jobs.

Jan Marchant, managing director of home and clothing at Tesco, said: 'Paperchase is a well-loved brand by so many, and we're proud to bring it to Tesco stores across the UK.

'We have been building out plans to bring more brands and inspiration to the ranges we currently offer, and this will help us to take those plans further.

'We look forward to sharing more with our customers in due course.'

Paperchase, which was founded in 1968, went through a form of insolvency proceedings four years ago to cut stores and reduce costs.

In January 2021 the company went into administration with PwC and was sold weeks later in a pre-pack deal, saving around 1,000 jobs when newly formed company Aspen Phoenix Newco took control of the firm.

But Paperchase was then sold again in August last year to a private investment firm led by the retail investor Steve Curtis.

Begbies said that it would continue to 'monitor trading' in Paperchase's stores and provide further updates on the business's future soon.
The criminologist explained how people are initially attracted to their 'seduction'

A criminologist has revealed the key traits displayed by psychopaths - and why some people might be attracted to them - ahead of the finale of crime thriller Happy Valley this weekend.

Birmingham City University Professor David Wilson explained that it is likely that everyone knows someone who could be classed as a psychopath, with roughly one in every hundred people.

He said that actor James Norton's portrayal of killer Tommy Lee Royce in the BBC drama is 'incredibly convincing', but, avoiding spoilers, added that 'he has gone out of character in terms of psychopathy' in the last couple of episodes.

Presenter Phillip Schofield then asked the expert to explain what it means to be a psychopath.

'Firstly, psychopathy is a personally disorder, it's not a mental illness,' the professor said.

He explains that the disorder is usually characterised 'by three different clusters of behaviours or traits', which can often draw people to them.

Firstly, he says, they have 'risk-taking personalities' which he said means they 'say things you and I would never say, do things you and I would never do.'

'He wants to be the centre of attention by behaving in that way and that's why initially we're so attracted to them.'

Secondly, he describes them as having 'shallow affect', meaning they struggle to feel emotions as most people would.

Professor Wilson said that actor James Norton's portrayal of killer Tommy Lee Royce (pictured) in BBC drama Happy Valley is 'incredibly convincing'

'They don't really have emotion. They might know the word sadness, they might know the word love, but they don't feel sad, they don't feel love.'

Finally, he said, they would be 'very glib, very grandiose. They would say things that place them in the top one per cent, the top hundred people in the country.'

'Those three things,' he explains, 'are initially why we're attracted to them, but then the difficulties we have are once we get close to them.

'Once you are close to a psychopath thats when they use you.'

He said that the vast majority, around 9 out of 10, are male and while around one per cent of the world's general population are psychopaths, that figure jumps to about 20 to 25 per cent of the prison population.

Speaking on This Morning on ITV today, Professor David Wilson explained what three traits can be detected in psychopaths

The former prison guard said crime is one example of risk-taking typical of psychopaths, but that the most serious crimes like murder are not always a result of psychopathy, and can just be the result of 'five minutes of madness'.

He also explained that people can be functional psychopaths, working high up in the corporate world for example.

'If you have shallow affect and you don't feel you can make people redundant on Christmas,' he said.

The crime expert also explained why some people, in particular women, might be attracted to people with the personality disorder.

Norton's character has been labelled the 'sexiest ever psychopath' by some online, largely owing to the handsome actor who others felt was 'miscast' as the evil murderer.

But host Holly Willoughby pointed out that Tommy Lee Royce is not the only psychopath people, in particular women, have been attracted to, referencing cases of people marrying killers with psychopathic traits.

The professor said he tells his female and male pupils alike, 'The psychopath is very good at seducing you.

'It would be easy if they horns on their head and a long, pointed tail, but that's not how a psychopath operates. A psychopath operates by being seducing.

'I say to my female students, "You know that bloke in the club that's just too good to be true, when he's chatting you up", that's a psychopath!

'The female students understand that but the male students rarely do because they're less regularly chatted up.

'Initially these are really shiny, exciting characters to be around, it's only once you're in their company you begin to go "hang on a minute this person is hollow, this person is shallow, this person doesn't really love, this person is using me", but by then it's too late.'
Her sentiments of disbelief were echoed by dozens of other social media users

Tamika, who has more than 31,000 followers, described it as 'unacceptable'

Apple has been fiercely criticized over its Black History Month fitness challenge that rewards people with a 'Unity Award' if they work out more.

The issue was highlighted by TikTok user Tamika, from New York, after she received the notification to her Apple Watch.

In it, the tech giant tried encouraging users to be more active 'to honor Black history' as part of Black History Month, which runs throughout February.

Tamika, 30, branded the stunt as 'unbelievable and unacceptable' with other social media users quick to agree.

Tamika's video focused on a still image of the Apple Watch notification that had been sent to users.

The bizarre fitness challenge was highlighted by TikTok user Tamika, from New York, after she received the notification to her Apple watch

The tech giant tried encouraging users to be more active 'to honor Black history' as part of Black History Month, which runs throughout February

It read: 'Unity Challenge: Let's come together to honor Black history. Earn this Unity award by closing your Move ring for seven days in a row during February.'

Tamika, who has more than 31,000 followers, then shared her own thoughts. She began: 'Good morning to everyone except Apple, which pushed me this notification this morning.'

The TikToker read out its contents, before adding: 'I just think it is unbelievable and unacceptable that especially in the wake of Tyre Nichols's murder the one thing that Apple has to say about honoring Black people and Black history is "use our product, maybe lose a little weight." I mean come on.'

Tamika had been referencing the death of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, who was beaten by five officers following a traffic stop in Memphis, Tennessee, on January 7.

Nichols was hospitalized and died just three days later.

FEMAIL has reached out to the tech giant for further comment.

The clip, which has so far been viewed more than 19,000 times, was uploaded alongside a caption that simply read: 'wtf apple?'

And Tamika's sentiments of disbelief were echoed by dozens of other social media users in the comments.

Tamika's sentiments of disbelief were echoed by dozens of other social media users in the comments

One user wrote: 'There's so many other things they could've [done] with their platform to support the black community and black creators.'

Another added: 'Oh. my. god. who and how many people did this get past?????'

Someone else said: 'Lose weight to end racism was not an approach I thought I'd ever hear.'

But it was not just on TikTok where the bizarre notification was spotted, with many also turning to Twitter to share their own thoughts.

Carissa Marchetti wrote: 'Not my Apple Watch sending me a [notification about] black history month and asking us to do our part in unity by closing our activity ring for only 7 days a month...

Tamika, 30, branded the stunt as 'unbelievable and unacceptable' and other social media users were quick to agree

But it was not just on TikTok where the bizarre notification was spotted, with many also turning to Twitter to share their own thoughts

In its official press release, Apple said: 'Throughout February, Apple Watch users can participate in the Unity Challenge and earn a limited-edition award by closing their Move ring seven days in a row' (stock image)

'Is this really what you think will unify us? 7 days of people moving? This is your idea of showing unity?'

She continued: '@Apple I'd love to be a fly on the wall during the board meeting regarding creative ways to contribute to black history month and hearing this suggestion. Honestly pretty gross.'

Jason Cox also tweeted a picture of the notification alongside a sarcastic caption which read: 'RIP Martin Luther King Jr. You would have loved the watch activity goal challenge for unity.'

And another user called Orezi simply wrote: 'lol @Apple this unity challenge.'

In its official press release, Apple said: 'Throughout February, Apple Watch users can participate in the Unity Challenge and earn a limited-edition award by closing their Move ring seven days in a row.'
A new Netflix documentary is set to detail the shocking case of a scorned ex-boyfriend who stabbed a hairdresser to death in front of her horrified customers, just moments before sending a chilling text.

Asher Maslin, 25, walked into the Fringe Benefits & La Bella Beauty Salon in Gloucester and knifed Hollie Gazzard, 20, 14 times in February 2014 after she dumped him on Valentine's Day.

Minutes earlier he'd texted the partner of Ms Gazzard's sister Chloe, saying: 'I warned you all.'

Ms Gazzard ended her year-long relationship with Maslin four days before her death after suffering repeated violence at his hands.

The horrific murder case will feature in the second series of My Lover My Killer, set to air on Netflix, reported The Mirror. The docuseries will investigate a further five cases in which the victims met tragic ends after relationships that went very wrong.

Asher Maslin, 25, walked into the Fringe Benefits & La Bella Beauty Salon in Gloucester and knifed Hollie Gazzard (pictured), 20, 14 times in February 2014 after she dumped him on Valentine's Day

After being dumped, Maslin then bombarded the hairdresser with abusive texts, including one that said: 'I don't want to get f****** violent as I'll take it too far.'

Ms Gazzard reported him to the police on February 15 after he stole her bank card and withdrew 300 from her account - but officers couldn't find him.

Chilling CCTV aired in 2019 on Channel 5's Stalked: Murder In Slow Motion documentary series showed Maslin trading in his DVD player to raise funds to buy the 12-inch kitchen knife he used to kill his ex.

In the six years before Ms Gazzard's death, Maslin was arrested 23 times for a variety of offences, including domestic violence, criminal damage, possession of Class A drugs and theft.

He was also involved in 24 violent incidents - three involving Ms Gazzard, 12 involving one former partner, two involving another ex, three involving his mother and four against other unconnected people.

Former security guard Maslin, of Cheltenham, was sentenced to life imprisonment and ordered to serve a minimum of 24 years behind bars.

In 2015, police apologised after a homicide review revealed that numerous agencies knew about his violent history but didn't share information.

Detective Superintendent Simon Atkinson, head of public protection, said Gloucestershire Police had acknowledged the failings and is making changes.

'I think it is right that we acknowledge that we didn't give a good service and for that we are very sorry,' he said. 'It is 18 months ago and we have done a lot in that time to make sure that we do our best to ensure it does not happen again.'

Minutes earlier he'd texted the partner of Ms Gazzard's sister Chloe, saying: 'I warned you all.'

Police were made aware of two incidents involving Ms Gazzard and Maslin, with the first in July 2013 when CCTV captured him grabbing her by the throat.

On February 15, she called police to report that Maslin had stolen her bank card and taken 300 from her account.

Officers attempted to arrest Maslin that evening but were unable to locate him as he was on a drink, cocaine and crack cocaine binge in London.

He returned to Gloucester and traded in his DVD player for 5 on the afternoon of February 18, using the money to purchase a 3 carving knife from Wilko.

Hours later he went to the salon, demanded to speak to Ms Gazzard and then brutally attacked her.

Maslin's violence against women and contact with several different agencies in Gloucestershire was detailed in an independent domestic homicide review, which was commissioned by Tewkesbury Borough Community Safety Partnership.

Many of his victims routinely refused to support action against him and this may have masked the number and the seriousness of his harassment, threats and violence towards them.

Ms Gazzard ended her year-long relationship with Maslin four days before her death after suffering repeated violence at his hands

The report concluded that if all of the evidence had been known to any one agency, it would have been predictable that Maslin would at some stage critically injure or kill someone.

However, it was not predictable that it would be Ms Gazzard that he killed.

In addition, the report concluded that her death could not, at that time, have been prevented. However, it set out a number of recommendations for the individual agencies involved.

Following Ms Gazzard's death, her family set up the Hollie Gazzard Trust, which funds future hairdressers and charities to tackle domestic abuse and crime.

Speaking about why they agreed to take part in the new docuseries, her father Nick told Gloucester Live: "We decided to take part in the documentary as it is a golden opportunity to keep raising awareness.

'With the episode being available on Netflix, it will reach a much bigger audience and will help to educate people about unhealthy relationships and learn from Hollies story.'

In the documentary Stalking: Murder in Slow Motion, Nick recalled one moment when Maslin 'humiliated her (Ms Gazzard) in front of everyone else'.

'He spoke to her like a piece of dirt. He was demanding, he was clicking his fingers and saying things about her. The way he treated her was like a child. He had no respect,' he added.
After several days fun-filled day in Aruba, Queen Maxima and her eldest daughter departed for Curacao this afternoon.

The mother-daughter duo put on a relaxed display, with Maxima, 51, looking business-class ready with a pair of loose fitting brown trousers and a white shirt, her blonde locks pinned to her head in a neat updo.

Meanwhile, Princess Catharina-Amalia, 19, embraced a demure look with a baby blue floral top and flared jeans with trainers.

The Dutch royal family are on the fifth day of her visit to the Caribbean, where they stopped in Aruba and Bonaire.

For her boat trip, sun-kissed Maxima opted for a natural makeup, and sported a large pair of sunglasses.

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, 51, and her daughter Princess Catharina-Amalia, 19, looked relaxed as they prepared to board the trip taking them away from Aruba

She wore her trendy large trousers with a pair of Gucci loafers and a matching clutch bag.

The mother-of-three accessorised with a long necklace beaded with pearls and a pair of stud diamond earrings, with her blonde locks styled in a low ponytail.

Meanwhile, her daughter looked darling in her own travel look.

Catharina-Amalia opted to wear a white, blue and green floral top with large sleeves with a pair of flared jeans and white trainers.

Having inherited her mother's love for statement pieces, she accessorised with a large pair of earrings and a circular raffia bag.

The princess donned a natural makeup that complimented her health glow.

Her long blonde locks were styled in an elegant updo.

Meanwhile, King Willem-Alexander looked dapper in a tan suit he wore with a blue shirt and blue tie.

The family looked delighted with their stay in Aruba as they prepared for the next leg of their Caribbean visit.

The Dutch Royal family looked delighted with their time in Aruba as they prepared to head to Curacao

Maxima looked stylish in a pair of loose fitting trousers and a white shirt, which she wore with Gucci loafers

Heir-to-the-throne Catharina-Amalia politely greeted the crew of the ship before boarding this afternoon

The Queen of the Netherlands wore her hair in a stylish low-pony and accessorised with a beaded necklace

Dynamic Duo! The princess and her mother posed with the police officers who had escorted them to the harbour

Maxima has been getting her fun during the tour, wowing everyone with her expert dance moves last night.

The Argentinian born royal, 51, who hails from Buenos Aires, was beaming with joy as she shook her hips and boogied along in time to the music at the Bon Bini Festival last night.

The mother-of-three was on the fourth day of her visit to the Caribbean alongside her husband King Willem-Alexander and their daughter Princess Catharina-Amalia, who were also quick to join in the dancing.

In an Instagram post shared by their official social media team after the visit, the caption read: 'The visit to Aruba will be closed in the evening with a visit to the Bon Bini Festival at Fort Zoutman in Oranjestad.

The sensible Queen and the princess opted for relaxed outfits they could comfortably travel in today

Crew members prepared the Navy ship Zr.Ms. Holland ahead of the royal family's departure from Aruba

Queen Maxima was in high spirits during the event, swaying her hips in time to the music and holding hands with one of the dancers.

She opted for a dark dress for the occasion which was covered in white flowers, and featured a hip belt with fringe detailing, which swung in time to the music as she danced.

Meanwhile her teenage daughter Catharina also opted for a fringe ensemble, donning a colourful poncho and white trousers for the joyful outing.

King Willem-Alexander also got into the spirit of the occasion, waving his hands in the air in time to the music enthusiastically.

Earlier in the day, Queen Maxima and Princess Amalia looked effortlessly chic as they cut leaves from an aloe plant during their Caribbean tour.

Maxima led the way as Catharine-Amelia followed her into the ship. They will travel to Sint Maarten, Sint Eustatius and Saba in the next leg of their tour
Tyre Nichols' funeral is set for Wednesday, three weeks after Memphis police brutally assaulted him during a traffic stop.

Nichols passed away on January 10, three days after he was brutally assaulted by police during a traffic check. Five cops were dismissed and charged with second-degree murder, disbanding their specialist squad. Two additional police officers have been removed from duty. There were three dismissals in total: a lieutenant, an emergency medical technician, and a firefighter in Memphis.

The White House announced on Tuesday that Vice President Kamala Harris and other government officials would attend Tyre Nichols funeral.

The Tyre Nichols funeral program states that civil rights attorney Ben Crump will address the demand "for justice," and Rev. Al Sharpton will offer the eulogy. Tyre Nichols family members are also expected to give speeches, according to CBS News.

Read Also: Australia Missing Radioactive Capsule Update

Family, Friends Remember Tyre Nichols

Nichols, 29, was described as a skateboarder and amateur photographer who manufactured boxes for a living at FedEx and bonded with his coworkers over their shared love of Starbucks.

Nichols was the youngest child in his family by 12 years. His family stated he had a kid, now 4, and that he had been trying to become a better parent, per Tyre Nichols family.

Tyre Nichols was a huge fan of the San Francisco 49ers as a kid growing up in Sacramento. He arrived in Memphis during the start of the coronavirus epidemic and was unable to leave. But it didn't bother him as he shared a strong bond with his mother, RowVaughn Wells, per AP News.

On Friday night, the videotape of the Tyre Nichols assault was released publicly, shocking a country that has become used to seeing images of police brutality, particularly against persons of color. All five of the policemen being held accountable for Nichols' death are people of color, CNN reported.

The vicious assault prompted peaceful demonstrations from California to New York and spurred demands for police reform and the examination of specialized police groups that target weapons in high-crime neighborhoods.

Related Article: WSU Freshman Death Update

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Parents in particular will have been shocked and deeply worried by the details of childrens exposure to online pornography, revealed this week in a new report by the Childrens Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza.

One in ten have viewed porn by the age of nine; more than a quarter by the age of 11. Nearly half of 13-year-olds have seen it. More than four in ten 16 to 21-year-olds believe girls enjoy being slapped and strangled during sex.

Parents like the idea of their children having a mobile phone so they are able to contact them to check they are safe. How ironic, then, that its through their mobiles that most children access porn. Simply type sex or porn into the browser and you are bombarded by unimaginably horrific videos of men doing vile things to women, with little or no control over the age of the viewer and no demand for any payment.

Its two years since research carried out at Durham Universitys Department of Sociology and Law School (and published in the British Journal of Criminology) revealed the extent to which popular porn sites show depictions of sex acts which are criminal.

A new report has revealed one in ten children have viewed porn by age nine. UK-based writer Jenni Murray argues that all pornography is harmful

Its analysis of the home pages of these sites found one in eight showed what was billed as nonconsensual or incestuous acts, including videos where the subjects were described as drugged, unconscious or very young.

Whats the point of teaching children about the importance of consensual sex in RSE (Relationships and Sex Education) lessons in school, and parents trying to explain what a healthy relationship is at home, when children have easy access to portrayals of rape, with titles such as Again and again forced or boyfriend forced gf for sex?

When boys and young men are seeing physical aggression, coercion, exploitation and women weeping, is it any wonder they believe, wrongly, that women like all that?

In her report, Dame Rachel said: I will never forget the girl who told me about her first kiss with her boyfriend, aged 12, who strangled her. He had seen it in pornography and thought it normal.

In all my years talking to women as a journalist for both regional TV in Southampton and Womens Hour, I have never encountered a single sex worker who said she enjoyed selling her body, either as a prostitute or as a porn star.

Not one was doing her job because it was pleasurable. In every case they felt used, abused and harmed. They had not chosen such a career path.

Jenni Murray (pictured) says: 'How can harmful pornography be legal? It violates the women coerced into performance. It violates women in relationships where men think strangulation is great sex'

Some had been coerced by a man theyd thought was a boyfriend, but who later turned out to be a pimp making his fortune from her. Others were lone parents, who had to find a way to earn a living to raise their children.

Perhaps the best-known example of a woman assumed to be taking pleasure from her role in a hardcore pornographic film was Linda Lovelace.

Deep Throat was a huge international success in the early 1970s. It was in 1980 that Linda revealed in her book, Ordeal, how much she had suffered during the making of that film. Shed been bullied and beaten by her then husband, Chuck Traynor. He had forced her into prostitution, she wrote, with a gun at her head.

It was around that time that I began to believe pornography should be banned.

A complete ban would not only prevent women in the porn industry from being violated (with little or no recourse to justice), it would also reduce the belief by some in society that sexual violence against women is acceptable.

At the time of Deep Throat, some of Americas best known feminists including Gloria Steinem and the poet Robin Morgan were rallying behind the Women Against Pornography movement. It was Morgan who, in an essay penned in 1974, wrote: Pornography is the theory and rape is the practice.

But no attempt to make pornography illegal has ever been successful. The industry is powerful and rich  worth an estimated 12billion globally. And until now, the argument that a ban would threaten freedom of speech always took precedence over the simple facts that pornography damages women and puts them at risk.

But were not talking speech here. Were talking recorded evidence of sexual violence.

And its everywhere. It is not limited to porn sites. Dame Rachels report found Twitter was the site where the highest proportion of young people  41 per cent  accessed sexual content.

Which is why the much discussed, long-delayed Online Safety Bill, should it ever be introduced, will not make a blind bit of difference. Lord Bethell of Romford has warned the Bill is too weak in its definition of age verification and leaves too much to codes of practice and guidance being drafted later.

But surely its increasingly pointless creating regulation after the videos violating women have been made. It is time for the Government to be tough enough to make pornography illegal  with long prison sentences to control those who continue to distribute it. Fines are not frightening enough. Age verification thats easy for punters and promoters alike to evade, is near pointless.

How can harmful pornography be legal? It violates the women coerced into performance. It violates women in relationships where men think strangulation is great sex. Its time to take on the pornographers and ban them. Surely our children are worth the fight.

Nominate BOTH blazing talents

Andrea Riseborough (pictured) plays an alcoholic mother who leaves her son behind to go and have fun in In To Leslie

Such a pity that a race row has engulfed the Oscars. Danielle Deadwylers performance, as the mother of a son who was lynched, in the film Till was stunning. In To Leslie, Andrea Riseborough plays an alcoholic mother who leaves her son behind to go and have fun. She is brilliantly moving. Its not a question of one or the other  they both deserved to be nominated.

Helen Whately, the social care minister, says patients are very comfortable engaging with remote appointments and that 50,000 of us each month will be happy to be monitored at home, thus freeing up hospital beds. Sick, vulnerable people, all alone, depending on technology such as finger sensors? I dont think so.

Welcome to the real world, Ms Kondo

Marie Kondo, the queen of clean (pictured with her family) has revealed that her ideal life was messed up by the arrival of a third child

Marie Kondo, the queen of clean, made me so ashamed of the tip that is my underwear drawer, the pile of papers I laughingly call my filing system and the floor which is home to more shoes than anyone could ever need.

So I couldnt conceal my glee that her ideal life was messed up by the arrival of a third child. Marie, welcome to the real world.

Dont dare bump Catherine off!

Sarah Lancashire as Catherine Cawood in Happy Valley. Jenni Murray says that she will never forgive the creator and writer Sally Wainwright if she bumps off Lancashire's character

Like so many, Im totally caught up in a rare, modern-day, water cooler moment  were all talking about Happy Valley and being forced to wait for the final episode.

Will Tommy die? Will Richard die? Will Tommys son Ryan save the day? Ill never forgive the creator and writer Sally Wainwright if she bumps off Catherine (played by Sarah Lancashire), who deserves the perfect retirement and making up with her sister Clare.
For a decade, lips have been getting bigger. Reality stars, influencers and even Apprentice wannabes, if rumours are to be believed, have used injected fillers to inflate theirs.

But it seems we may finally have reached peak pout  and, thank goodness, the only way is down.

The biggest trend in tweakments is for women to have their fillers dissolved to undo the swollen, bumpy look of over-filled lips and give back a more natural smile.

What used to be a hush-hush procedure  because it meant youd had too much filler or it had been put in badly  has even become a common boast among celebrities.

The biggest trend in tweakments is for women to have their fillers dissolved to undo the swollen, bumpy look of over-filled lips and achieve a more natural smile. Pictured Lucy Prescott

Love Islands Molly-Mae Hague, a runner-up in 2019, caused a sensation when she talked openly about reducing her lips the next year.

Geordie Shores Holly Hagan has since done the same, as have Gemma Collins and Megan McKenna from The Only Way Is Essex. And just before Christmas, Charlotte Crosby, also of Geordie Shore fame, sported a bruised but noticeably thinner smile too.

Out in the real world, practitioners tell me theyre seeing more and more women asking to have lip filler dissolved.

Samira Kaur is one young woman rejecting the pneumatic look after five years of using fillers. In pictures, I looked OK, says the 27-year-old eyelash artist from North-West London. But when I saw videos of myself talking, my lips were sticking out with that duck-like look. A lot of people think thats what filler is supposed to look like, but I know its not.

Samira first had filler when she was 22, from a practitioner she found on Instagram who had no medical qualifications.

Lucy Prescott, 36, (pictured without fillers) has just started work as a receptionist at the clinic of aesthetic practitioner Dr Yusra Al-Mukhtar in Liverpool  who pointed out that her use of fillers was not doing her any favours

I wasnt insecure about my lips when growing up, she says. But the more time I spent on social media, the more it felt like everyone was getting something done. Suddenly, I was convinced my lips were too small and that having filler would make me more attractive, so I caved.

Yet five years on, Samira was left feeling unhappy with her lips, which had become lopsided. Her injector simply suggested adding more filler to even them out. Samira decided she couldnt keep injecting more in her quest for the perfect pout.

She contacted Steven Harris, an aesthetic doctor who speaks out against overuse of fillers. The problem with lips is that theyre often looked at in isolation, he says. People want the treatment, but it may not match their other features, so it stands out in a bad way, especially if it is botched.

For several years, Dr Harris has run a weekly dissolving clinic at his practice in Crouch End, North London  but now he finds himself devoting 25 per cent of his time every day to normalising messed-up lips. He says: The tide is turning and people are looking for more subtle and more natural-looking results.

Samira Kaur (pictured with fillers) is one young woman rejecting the pneumatic look after five years of using fillers

He dissolved Samiras filler by injecting her lips with a substance called hyaluronidase. This powerful enzyme dissolves filler gels made from hyaluronic acid almost instantly. At Dr Harriss clinic, the treatment costs 300.

Hyaluronidase is only available on prescription, which means under-skilled, non-medical injectors, who dont hold a prescribing qualification, cant get hold of it. Initially, Samira wanted Dr Harris to re-inject filler in a way that would look more natural. But he talked her out of it, saying her lips were lovely as they were. Shes now relieved she took his advice: I can see now that having lip filler didnt make me look better. Natural lips are definitely coming back.

Dr Catherine Fairris, President of the British College of Aesthetic Medicine (BCAM), says the overinflated look is out of control.

We have all seen unflattering and grossly abnormal-looking lip filler, she says. Achieving natural-looking, subtle results takes skill and expertise, which many practitioners out there dont have, as well as an understanding of the way dermal fillers behave in the skin.

Dr Harris dissolved Samiras (pictured without filler) filler by injecting her lips with a substance called hyaluronidase. This powerful enzyme dissolves filler gels made from hyaluronic acid almost instantly. At Dr Harriss clinic, the treatment costs 300

Its a complicated process, yet Britain is one of the few countries in the developed world that doesnt regulate its aesthetic industry. This means anyone can order needles and filler gel, and set themselves up in business, perfectly legally, without any training.

Since fillers are classed as medical devices in the UK  unlike in many countries where theyre prescription drugs  anyone can buy them. Still, its not simple to undo years of botched filler. Dr Fairris warns that using hyaluronidase to dissolve gels carries its own risk: Anaphylaxis  a potentially fatal allergic reaction  is a side-effect of hyaluronidase treatment. So, seeking the input of a medically qualified and experienced aesthetic practitioner is important.

An added complication is that few patients ask their injector exactly what is being put into their lips  and there are around 200 brands of filler available in the UK. A handful of these have immaculate pedigrees and years of rigorous testing behind them, but the rest dont. So they may or may not dissolve in the way they should.

A further problem is that filler very often doesnt stay where it is put. Most people think it breaks down and disappears after six months, at which point they have more injected. But often, dermal fillers last a lot longer. Indeed, sometimes when people think their filler has gone, it has actually migrated  drifted into the skin around the lip border.

Aysha Patrick, 32, who lives near Manchester, had her lips enhanced twice by a nurse two years ago, but was left with an over-plumped pout and lumps

Dr Ayah Siddiqi, an advanced aesthetic practitioner with clinics in Halifax and London, sighs when I ask her about lip filler dissolving. I now spend 90 per cent of my time dissolving lip fillers. The real problem is with product migration. Because of the way the muscles around the mouth move, filler migrates almost 100 per cent of the time. As she points out, the lips are like two tubes and filler placed there is constantly squeezed by movements of the mouth.

A lot of people try to give lips a different shape, which works at first, but with time and repetitive movement, the filler will move.

Aysha Patrick, 32, who lives near Manchester, had her lips enhanced twice by a nurse two years ago, but was left with an over-plumped pout and lumps. It took her a year to make up her mind to approach Dr Siddiqi to dissolve her fillers.

I was worried as I thought my lips might go really small, says Aysha, a former beautician. She decided to have her fillers dissolved then have subtle, more naturallooking fillers reinjected.

I was very self-conscious for the two weeks after having all my fillers dissolved. I felt as though my lips went much smaller, losing their plumpness. But I love my more natural look now.

Ayesha pictured without the filler, now says that she is loving the natural look despite being nervous about having it dissolved

Sadly, its often the case that women whove been having filler for years find it hard to step back and see what they really look like.

Lucy Prescott, 36, has just started work as a receptionist at the clinic of aesthetic practitioner Dr Yusra Al-Mukhtar in Liverpool  who pointed out that her use of fillers was not doing her any favours.

Lucy had been having her lips injected for ten years: I was only having 0.5ml or 1ml each time, but I was adding to them every six months. I didnt realise my lips didnt look natural until Dr Yusra pointed it out.

He said I had lip migration, where the filler moves up above your lip. You could feel it under my skin. By then I was really unhappy  and confused because the practitioner whod been treating me before said there was no migration and the best remedy would be more filler.

Thankfully, Lucy instead had her fillers dissolved with hyaluronidase but was left facing an unpleasant consequence of her filler habit. Constantly plumping her pout had stretched Lucys skin, so when the filler was dissolved her lips appeared really, really deflated.

She says: I was left with really thin, wrinkled lips. And where all the filler had been taken out after it migrated, I had sort of smokers lines between my nose and mouth. It looked awful and I hated it. She felt she was left with little choice but to have a small amount of filler reinjected, to cover the damage.

She says: Dr Yusra is going to build my lips up slowly, so they arent over-filled. Im much happier with this less plumped look and everyone says I look younger.

For anyone who doesnt fancy this sort of injectable lip-dissolving, a brand new product called Topilase has just launched in the UK. This doesnt need to be injected; it just needs to be massaged, firmly, into the affected area for about ten minutes to dissolve filler.

The main difference is that Topilase will only affect filler that is in the skin or just under it, explains Dr Emily Mehta, medical director of Story clinics in London, and one of the first practitioners to be trialling this new treatment.

That means its good for the lips, but you couldnt use it for dissolving filler that has been placed more deeply, for example in the cheeks.

The product contains much less of the dissolving enzyme than the injectable treatment so its classed as a cosmetic rather than a drug. Patients will need follow-up treatments, which need to be done by their practitioner, says Dr Mehta.

Katie Bennett, 30, who works in marketing, is one of the first people to have tried Topilase. She has been having her lips injected since she was 19 and found that some of her filler was migrating above the border of her upper lip. It only showed when I smiled but my partner, who hates me having aesthetic procedures, kept saying, Your lips are too big.

I didnt want to have all my lip filler melted. I just wanted something to sharpen the edges of the lip. I was blown away by how easy it was.

She had a first treatment in Dr Mehtas clinic, and returned for follow up treatments. When I looked in the mirror, I could see that the ledge above my top lip, which had been so obvious, had gone and it looked normal.

My partner thinks my lips look better, too. Theyre still big, because they still have filler in them, but now theyre only big in the right places.

Additional reporting: Georgia Seago
At the peak of her fame, actress Noele Gordon was one of the most recognisable faces on British television.

For nearly two decades, the star of the ITV soap Crossroads delighted millions of viewers with her portrayal of matriarchal businesswoman and motel owner Meg Richardson (later Meg Mortimer). As indomitable off set as she was on it, Noele used to drive around Birmingham, where the series was filmed, in a silver Rolls-Royce with personalised plates, opening new supermarkets and attending meet-and-greet sessions with her army of fans.

At its peak, the show drew an astonishing 22 million viewers.

Not for nothing, then, was Noele  nicknamed Nolly  known as the Queen of the Midlands. Even today, it would be hard to find someone with her incredible range  equally at home on the stage, the chat-show sofa or filming commercials, she even had behind-the-camera experience.

Helena Bonham Carter (pictured) stars as Nolly - Noele Gordon - in a new three-part ITV drama about the star's life

An exacting role indeed, then, for actress Helena Bonham Carter, who will star in Nolly, a new three-part ITV drama about Noeles extraordinary life, which starts tonight.

Bonham Carter has already been seen filming in character: sporting a curly, flame-haired wig and fur coat and striding down a 1970s street set, the 56-year-old had the late television icons look down to a tee.

But the real challenge  as one of Noeles former Crossroads co-stars and closest friends told me this week  will be portraying the depth of her despair after her dramatic fall from grace while at the height of her popularity.

In 1981, to national outrage and after 17 years on the show, Noele was suddenly and brutally sacked. She took the news very badly. So bereft was she, that her co-star Tony Adams, who played womanising accountant Adam Chance on the soap, believes the stress contributed to Noeles death in 1985 from stomach cancer, aged 65, just four years after her character was axed.

Im sure the shock of being sacked was a factor, Adams says. She started to get ill so suddenly after that.

She was mobbed by Crossroads fans wherever she went

Certainly, its one of television historys enduring mysteries: even Noele herself never truly understood why she had been treated in such a cold and humiliating manner.

Now 82, Adams was once so close to Noele  who was 21 years his senior  that the pair lived opposite each other in Birmingham.

Nolly was extraordinary  a remarkable lady in so many ways and was quite simply unique, he says.

The pair, he says, were never lovers, just friends. But they saw each other daily and shared a running joke in which he addressed her as Miss Gordon, while she called him Adams and pretended he was her butler.

She once said that she wouldnt want things between us to become sexual because she didnt want to lose our friendship, he says. We loved each other as friends.

For nearly two decades actor Noele Gordon (pictured) delighted millions with her portrayal of matriarchal businesswoman and motel owner Meg Richardson in Crossroads

Nevertheless, the pair were close enough to enjoy several adventures together. Adams recalls how, while staying at a hotel in his native Anglesey in the late 1970s, Noele asked him to get her some sparkling water from the bar and bring it to her room.

I went to the bar and saw a bottle of champagne. I took it to her room and said: Your sparkling water, Miss Gordon. She was standing there in her nightdress and dressing gown, and she said: Adams! Get the Rolls!

In the middle of the night, he drove Noele to Penmon Point, a local beauty spot.

It was blowing a gale and p***ing down with rain, he recalls, but she put on the stereo, opened all the doors and we danced and drank the champagne. That was Nolly.

While she never married or had children, choosing instead to throw herself into a career which ultimately spanned six decades, ITVs new drama  penned by the Bafta-winning scriptwriter Russell T. Davies, who created Torchwood and the 2021 hit series Its A Sin  is likely to feature the two love affairs that shattered Noeles heart.

The actress was emotionally complex, and led a life away from the cameras as dramatic as any of the storylines she filmed in front of them.

For years, Crossroads was one of the most-watched series in television history. Set in the fictional Birmingham suburb of Kings Oak and filmed live  often at breakneck speed  the soap opera was often mocked for its creaky sets and outlandish storylines.

Best of friends: Noele Gordon (near right) in Venice with co-stars Jane Rossington and Tony Adams

But fans were gripped by Noeles character, motel owner Meg Richardson: this was a woman whod faced the explosion of a wartime bomb and an attempted poisoning by a dastardly husband determined to get his hands on a life insurance policy.

Meg went to prison after swerving in her car to avoid a cat and hitting a postman. She also suffered nearconstant romantic heartache.

Off-stage, as well, Noele was let down by the men in her life. Famously liberated for a woman of her generation, her heart was broken twice.

Her first love was an Oxfordeducated young Army officer, Captain John Robertson Dunn Crichton, who proposed to her in 1941. He broke off their engagement six weeks before their wedding because his family objected to him marrying an actress. He went on to become a High Court judge.

Her second love was the married TV impresario Val Parnell, with whom she had a 20-year affair before he left his wife  and Noele  for his secretary.

After Val, who was the love of her life, I think she shut down romantically, says Tony.

HELENA BONHAM CARTER AS Noele Gordon (Nolly) and AUGUSTUS PREW as Tony Adams in the new ITV drama

Having given up on love, work meant everything. So did Noele fall foul of powerful men in the television industry simply because she, herself, was too strong  and too unconventional  a woman?

Certainly, by the time Crossroads was launched by ATV in 1964, with Noele cast in the lead role, she was already a household name.

Joan Noele Gordon was the daughter of Scottish merchant navy engineer James Gordon and his wife, Johanna. She got her festive middle name due to her birth in East London on Christmas Day 1919. Johanna was a frustrated actress, and she was determined that Noele would have the career she had missed out on. Sent for dance lessons aged two, Noele attended RADA and became a successful stage and musical actress.

Convinced TV was the future, Noele went to New York to study production techniques. Her return to the UK coincided with the launch of ITV, and she joined one of its franchises, ATV, as a trainee director.

When the channel launched in 1956, she appeared as a presenter on a chat-show style programme called Tea With Noele Gordon. Similar shows followed, including Lunch Box and Hi T, programmes which saw her learning to fly and to dive, riding an elephant and entering a cage of lions.

Bonham Carter has already been seen filming in character: sporting a curly, flame-haired wig and fur coat and striding down a 1970s street set, the 56-year-old had the late television icons look down to a tee

Her experiences in front of a live camera made her an obvious choice when ATV decided to launch Crossroads  the first ever daily serial on British screens. Soon, Noele was receiving sackfuls of fan mail and was mobbed in the streets wherever she went.

Royal Family members, including Prince Philip, the Queen Mother and Princess Alexandra all visited the Crossroads set.

One of Noeles biggest fans was Mary Wilson, the wife of Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson, who contributed a foreword to the actresss 1975 autobiography.

Im sure many women see Noele Gordon in the character of Meg Richardson as the type of woman they themselves would like to be, she wrote. Understanding, sensible, able to cope with any situation.

But by 1980 there were signs that all was not well. Behind the scenes, it was said that Crossroads was disliked by the Independent Broadcasting Authority because they thought it was poor quality.

IBA chairman Dame Bridget Plowden described the series as disturbingly popular.

Noeles character, Meg, was also seen by some as being too middleclass and out-of-date. Her storylines were gradually reduced.

I never expected to be fired in such a cold manner'

In the summer of 1980, the series was pruned back from five to three days a week.

Hot-headed Noele responded by going to the newspapers, telling them she was bloody furious and insisting: The high-flying people who run television have no idea how the fans really feel about Crossroads.

She started a Help Noele Save Crossroads campaign. The ATV bosses think they can do what they like with us. Well they cant, she stormed.

With Noele standing in the way of the changes TV chiefs wanted to make, it was only a matter of time before the axe fell on her character. The top brass didnt like Crossroads, says Tony Adams. They wanted to get it off the screens, but Noele was the show. I think they thought that if she went, that would be it.

Announcing her sacking in June 1981, ATV director of programmes Charles Denton said that he wanted to push the serial into new waters, and in those new waters theres no place for Meg. He added that it was time for Noele to gracefully bow out.

Producer Jack Barton said that Noeles character had become too dominant. No one person is bigger than the programme, he explained. There are also another 12 actors on the series, and they all have their own following, too.

Noele was devastated by the decision to force her out, later blaming it on a new broom, sweeping clean.

I never expected to be fired in such a cold and humiliating manner, she said. Its no understatement when I say Im heartbroken to be leaving.

Nolly's best friend Tony Adams was on hand earlier this year to give Bonham Carter some advice about playing Noele via a Zoom call

It was the way it was done which made me so upset and angry. After all those years with ATV, nobody would even talk to me about it. I was depressed. There were days when I didnt want to get out of bed in the morning.

In true indomitable fashion, she picked herself up and returned to the theatre: I was brought up to believe that you have to fight your own battles, she said.

However, her departure saw Crossroads ratings plummet. Noele had the last laugh in 1983 when, two years after her departure, she was asked to return to the soap for three episodes, popping up in her on-screen daughters Venice honeymoon.

Crossroads came to an end in 1988, and was briefly and unsuccessfully revived in 2001 before it was axed for good in 2003.

Noele was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 1984 and underwent several operations, returning to the stage to appear in The Boy Friend until she was physically unable to stand.

Tony Adams, who visited the actress in her final weeks, says that even though she was scared, she kept her feelings about dying to herself.

t wasnt her style to show emotion, he says. She just got the job done. She was the most emotional, unemotional person Ive ever known. I was full of admiration for her. She was the most extraordinary woman.

Adams also features in ITVs new series Nolly, and is portrayed by Kick-Ass 2 star Augustus Prew. The 35-year-old actor has been seen on set with Helena Bonham Carter, kneeling down and kissing her hand.

Adams was on hand earlier this year to give Bonham Carter some advice about playing Noele via a Zoom call.

He recalls how he watched and listened as the actress spoke: I said: Youve got her. I can see it  youve got her.

Helena is a great actress and I could see a real likeness to Nolly in her manner. Its wonderful to see Nolly resurrected after so many years.
They were joined by Princess Anne and Prince Edward at the event

King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla hosted a Buckingham Palace reception to celebrate British East and South-East Asian communities this evening.

The royal couple were joined at the lavish occasion in London by Princess Anne, 72, and Prince Edward, 58, as well as famous faces such as model Alexa Chung, 39.

They also spoke with guests including fashion designer John Rocha, the Crown Prince of Selangor, Malaysia, and the 'Korean Englishman' YouTubers.

There were more than 300 people at the reception from across various sectors, including the arts, media, fashion, business, and healthcare - with champagne and canapes served throughout the evening.

For the occasion, Camilla, 75, looked effortlessly elegant in a black frock featuring green detailing, which she teamed with an eye-catching gold necklace.

King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla hosted a Buckingham Palace reception to celebrate British East and South-East Asian communities this evening

The royal couple were joined at the lavish occasion in London by famous faces such as model Alexa Chung (pictured right), 39

King Charles III meets with representatives from British East and South-East Asian communities during a reception

Princess Anne and her youngest brother Prince Edward also attended the event at the Palace

She opted for glamorous makeup, with a touch of blush and her platinum locks were styled in an impeccable blow-dry.

Alexa, meanwhile, commanded attention in a gold dress, embellished with gems and paired with a sophisticated black blazer.

The model, who attended alongside her brother Dominic Chung, let her stunning outfit do most the talking - adding only a simple silver hair clip to her ensemble.

Alexa, whose father is three-quarters Chinese, was all smiles when shaking hands with the Queen Consort at the event.

Elsewhere, a beaming Charles, wearing a royal blue suit and matching check tie with a crisp white shirt, greeted his guests.

Princess Anne and her youngest brother Prince Edward also attended the event.

Other members of the Royal Family also joined the event such as the Duke of Kent, the Duchess of Gloucester and Princess Alexandra.

Guests gathered in the White Drawing Room, Blue Drawing Room and Picture Gallery to greet their royal hosts.

Camilla poses with a guest during the reception hosted by The King and The Queen Consort to celebrate British East and South-East Asian communities at Buckingham Palace

Camilla, 75, looked effortlessly elegant in a black frock featuring green detailing, which she teamed with an eye-catching gold necklace

Queen Consort Camilla along with her husband King Charles III hosted the event

King Charles III meets with representatives from British East and South-East Asian at Buckingham Palace

The Queen Consort looked chic as she smiled and posed with guests at the glitzy reception

Ms Chung told reporters she had 'a lovely time', while John Rocha, a Chinese-Irish designer born in Hong Kong, said he felt 'very proud' to be at the reception.

He said it was amazing that he had been born 'in a colony' and is now 'here talking to the King'.

He called the Palace 'a wonderful place' and recalled speaking with the King about fishing when he came to collect his CBE in 2002.

YouTubers Joshua Carrott and Oliver Kendal, who host the Korean Englishman channel centred around sharing South Korean culture and food, said they were 'amazed' the King had heard of them.

The channel has more than 5million subscribers on YouTube. Mr Carrott asked the King whether he had ever tried Korean food.

The YouTuber told PA: 'He said he was a big fan of the food. He liked everything unless it was a bit too spicy.'

The reception took place shortly after Lunar New Year - celebrated by Chinese, South Korean, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Singaporean, Lao, Thai, Mongolian, Bruneian, Indonesian, Japanese, Cambodian, Filipino and East Timorese communities around the world.

In February 2022, the King and Queen Consort, when they were The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, visited Chinatown in London to mark Lunar New Year.

Several members of the Royal Family were in attendance, including Princess Anne and her youngest brother Prince Edward

King Charles speaks to internet personalities Josh Carrott and Oliver Kendal, from the Korean Englishman YouTube channel

The Queen Consort poses with representatives from British East and South-East Asian communities during the reception in London

Elsewhere, a beaming Charles, wearing a royal blue suit and matching check tie with a crisp white shirt, greeted his guests
Once hailed as the most beautiful member of the Royal Family by Tatler magazine, Lady Amelia Windsor is now staking a claim for being the thriftiest.

The Duke of Kents granddaughter, 27, was spotted visiting an Oxfam branch near the West London flat she shares with her 30-year-old sister, Lady Marina.

You dont expect to bump into a member of the Royal Family at Oxfam, remarks one fellow shopper, seemingly unaware that thrift shops are now the height of fashion.

Lady Amelia appears to be happy to splash the cash, too. The Ash Addict trainers she was wearing cost 235, her Hunter puffer jacket was 200, and her personalised Burberry rucksack, complete with her initials, would have cost around 1,000.

She completed her low-key ensemble with a pair of light blue jeans and combated the cold with a set of matching fingerless gloves.

Lady Amelia Windsor was spotted visiting an Oxfam branch (pictured) near the West London flat she shares with her 30-year-old sister, Lady Marina

Lady Amelia appears to be happy to splash the cash, too. The Ash Addict trainers she was wearing cost 235 and her Hunter puffer jacket was 200

Looking casually chic, Lady Amelia donned a pair of headphones while leaving her blonde locks down.

Last month, Lady Amelia channelled the 1990s in a grunge-style outfit as she graced the red carpet at the premiere of Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio with a live orchestra at Abbey Road.

The socialite layered a black vest on top of a long-sleeved, striped shirt, paired with brown jeans and chunky trainers with rainbow laces as she posed for photos.

Amelia wore her blonde locks down and straight, accessorising her trousers with a leopard print belt and opting for a gold chain necklace complete with a padlock pendant.

She completed her low-key ensemble with a pair of light blue jeans and combated the cold with a set of matching fingerless gloves

Her personalised Burberry rucksack, complete with her initials (pictured), would have cost around 1,000

Looking casually chic for her outing, Lady Amelia donned a pair of headphones while leaving her blonde locks down

The fresh-faced socialite appeared to be wearing minimal make up, showing off her natural beauty.

Amelia, who is 44th in line to the throne, looked relaxed in the casual look as she made her way to the event.

Mexican director Guillermo del Toro was pictured speaking at the event with an orchestra in front of him as the film was about to start.

The movie, which is a Netflix production, stars Stranger Things' Finn Wolfhard and Scot actor Ewan McGregor.

Lady Amelia has been signed to Storm Models agency for several years and during her modelling career she has been the cover star of Tatler and walked the runway for Dolce & Gabbana in 2017 at Milan Fashion Week.
Kmart customers have shared their frustration after they noticed the beauty section at many stores across the country are almost completely bare.

Sydney shopper, Meaghan, posted a video to TikTok complaining about the aisles of near-empty shelves where makeup, toiletries and personal hygiene products are usually displayed.

Beauty lovers across Australia and New Zealand replied saying they had noticed the same at their local Kmart's forcing the retailer to respond to the concerns.

Scroll down for video

Kmart shoppers have been left baffled as many have noticing the beauty sections at their local stores have hardly any products in stock

Sydney shopper Meaghan shared a video to TikTok of one store's near empty beauty shelves and displays. Many in the comments said the same thing was true of Kmarts they had visited

'Is all the Kmart beauty stock being sent to like a different state or something?' Meaghan, known as Organised M online, asked in the clip.

'I've been to a couple of stores in Sydney recently and they all looked like this,' she said as she showed the barren shelves and displays.

The professional organiser said the store she was in was the 'worst' she had seen with next to nothing in the beauty section available.

'There's heaps of this Monday shampoo but where is everything else? What's the hold-up?' she said.

'This is ELF - I always want it but it's never here,' she added as she showed the display with only a handful of items hanging.

Meaghan's clip has been viewed more than 133,400 times and had many viewers scratching their heads over the strange stock issue.

'It's not hiding over here in WA, we got nothing either,' one woman said.

'Same in Melbourne, I don't know where the TikTok girlies are getting everything but my Kmarts are empty,' a second wrote.

Poll Have you noticed empty beauty shelves at your local Kmart? Yes No Have you noticed empty beauty shelves at your local Kmart? Yes 125 votes

No 31 votes Now share your opinion





'I've been to about six different Kmarts lately and the shelves are empty,' said a third.

Commenters from Brisbane, Christchurch, Newcastle, Canberra, the Gold Coast, Darwin, Townsville and Hobart also reported the same issue in the beauty aisles.

Some employees said it's because stores are getting ready to do their annual stock-take but a Kmart spokesperson told FEMAIL many beauty products sold out over Christmas and they are working to replenish the shelves shortly.

'Our affordable beauty range has been widely popular with customers, particularly over the last few months as we saw lots of popular products sell out quickly over the Christmas period,' they said.

'The team have been working hard to keep shelves full and we are expecting more stock in-stores shortly.'
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The brand behind the most 'comfortable mattress in the world' has just released a sofa bed and is offering customers a 100-night sleep trial and 55 per cent off the original price.

Emma Sleep's Comfort Mattress was named the number one top scoring mattress by CHOICE in 2021 and 2022.

The mattress - which ranges in price depending on the size you go for - is different from many mattresses, insofar as it is sold in a box and arrives rolled-up and vacuum-packed at your door.

The Emma Sofa Bed has been constructed with similar ingenuity for all-night comfort and is sleep-ready in under two minutes, no tools necessary.

The Emma Sofa Bed is engineered for all-night comfort and is sleep-ready in under two minutes, no tools necessary

The two-sided cushion design makes sitting and sleeping equally as comfortable.

With two extra waist pillows, the Emma Sofa Bed gives maximum comfort and support so you can unwind on your nights off.

Each armrest comes with a built-in compartment for an easily accessible storage solution to help keep your room tidy and your belongings handy.

Each armrest comes with a built-in compartment for an easily accessible storage solution to help keep your room tidy and your belongings handy

It's originally $3,999 but is currently on sale for a record low $1,799.55.

Since the German mattress first launched in 2015 in Europe, it has sold over 40 million mattresses globally.

The award in Australia is just the latest in a string of accolades, including the Which? consumers' association test in Britain.

'At Emma, we are so delighted to not only be a Choice Recommended product, but to also have come out with a top score,' co-founder Benjamin Quiroga-Rivera told FEMAIL.

'Since launching in Australia in 2020, this has been our first big move into the Australian market and this recognition is truly a testament to our brand and product.'

'At Emma, we are so delighted to not only be a Choice Recommended product, but to also have come out with a top score,' co-founder Benjamin Quiroga-Rivera told FEMAIL

Reviews online highlight some of the best features of the mattress, which include the warranty.

Each mattress is made and manufactured in Germany, includes a 10 year warranty and 100 night risk free trial including free delivery and returns.

'I truly enjoy lying on my mattress and feel as though my sleep has drastically improved so far,' one reviewer posted.

'I was a little disappointed with the mattress at first as it seemed a little too firm,' another added.

'But after a few weeks, the mattress started to shape into us. It's extremely comfortable and once it's broken in, it feels great.'
An Australian makeup artist has developed a makeup brush cleaner and mist that doesn't require any water to remove stubborn marks - and it's quickly becoming a best-seller.

Beth Wilson, 30, who lives in Melbourne, used the first lengthy Covid lockdown in 2020 - and the gap from seeing her usual clients - to conjure up her brand Saint Jack.

'As a professional makeup artist, I wasn't able to work with clients so it was the perfect time to think critically about the products I was using in my kit and the gaps I personally experienced,' she said.

Beth Wilson, 30, who lives in Melbourne, used the first lengthy Covid lockdown in 2020 - and the gap from seeing her usual clients - to conjure up her brand Saint Jack

'It was then I realised that there were no cleaning products on the market that I truly loved using. All the brush cleaners I'd used were either ineffective, had an awful smell or were imported from overseas, so they were often out of stock and hard to come by.

'I knew there was space for an Australian made brand that took the most tedious part of makeup - the cleaning - and made it a little easier and luxurious for professionals and makeup lovers alike.

'The brand's name is a nod to my grandfather Jack, who died before I was born. Even though we never met, we shared a lot of the same interests in music and the arts, so I feel very connected to him.

'My parents nicknamed him Saint Jack. I am very sentimental and wanted a piece of myself in my brand's name, so this was perfect to me.'

It took more than a year to develop the company's signature product - the $68 Bang For Your Brush cleaner - because Ms Wilson didn't want the formula to be water activated.

It took more than a year to develop the company's signature product - the $68 Bang For Your Brush cleaner - because Ms Wilson didn't want the formula to be water activated

The formula works as the liquid absorbs into the brush fibres and the alcohol disintegrates even the most stubborn product build-up.

It kills bacteria and removes stains from the brush bristles when you work the formula into an old cloth or towel, leaving you with a sparkling brush that is dry and ready to use again in minutes.

No more waiting a full day for your brushes to dry, and very little wrist action to get the results you're after.

Saint Jack also sells a cleaning tin for those who want to dispense the liquid into something else before cleaning, with the original 800ml bottle lasting months for the average makeup connoisseur.

'I've had some of Australia's most respected makeup artists tell me that "nothing has ever got my brushes so clean" and multiple customers have called it "magic,"' Ms Wilson said.

'I've had some of Australia's most respected makeup artists tell me that "nothing has ever got my brushes so clean" and multiple customers have called it "magic,"' Ms Wilson said

'My favourite piece of feedback came through in an Instagram comment the other day, from a customer who said that she hadn't cleaned her makeup brushes in years - until she tried Bang For Your Brush - she now cleans her brushes weekly and is reformed.

'More than anything, I wanted my brush cleaner to be easy to use so that it could become part of a routine, so this feedback is incredible.'

The Makeup Cleaning Mist ($36) can be used to spritz your makeup brushes between uses when you're not ready for a deep clean, and even your makeup itself.

'I don't think many people understand that when you use a bronzer, for example, bacteria builds up on your product with every use,' Ms Wilson said.

'My favourite piece of feedback came through in an Instagram comment the other day, from a customer who said that she hadn't cleaned her makeup brushes in years - until she tried Bang For Your Brush - she now cleans her brushes weekly and is reformed,' she said

'People know they should be cleaning their brushes, but few know they should clean their makeup as well.

'You simply spray the lightweight mist over your palettes, powders and creams and the bacteria is gone - helping to prevent acne and skin irritations.'

Ms Wilson was averaging 50 sales a week before Christmas but a viral TikTok video last week saw that number increase by over 300 per cent.

'I actually sold out! In an incredible twist of fate, after such an amazing response to the product launch, I was already in production for more units and these were luckily delivered in time for me to fulfil all those orders,' she said.

The brand is currently formulating its third 'top secret' product, due to be released before the end of the year.
The offending summer range includes an activewear line which has crop tops

Furious mums have slammed Cotton On for 'sexualising children' with their new summer range which includes crop tops, but others claim there's nothing wrong with the outfits.

The short tops, which are part of the active range, were featured in a post where people were asked if they would pick pink or purple for their kids.

Within hours the post had been hijacked by the angry parents demanding longer, 'more age-appropriate' tops for young girls.

Furious mums have slammed Cotton On for 'sexualising children' with their new summer range which includes crop tops but others claim there's nothing wrong with the latest outfits

'Sexualising children again Cotton On??? Why do little girls need to wear crops??' one mum asked.

While others labelled the outfits 'completely inappropriate' and said big brands need to be held accountable for 'normalising' the 'sexualisation of kids'.

'Why are we putting children in crop tops? This is absurd,' one mum wrote.

Another said she would not be dressing her kids in the range.

But some argued crop tops allow active kids to move freely and comfortably - and have nothing to do with 'sexualisation'.

And other mums agreed: 'If you think a belly is sexual then theres something wrong with how you view little kids,' said another.

Poll Do you think children should wear crop tops? Yes, if they want to! No, it is never appropriate! Only under clothes or for exercise! Do you think children should wear crop tops? Yes, if they want to! 84 votes

No, it is never appropriate! 34 votes

Only under clothes or for exercise! 31 votes Now share your opinion





'My six-year-old daughter is a gymnast and chooses to wear crops and bike shorts for training. She also wears crops most days throughout summer because she is comfy and feels good in them. If I tried to control everything she wears wed never get out of the house,' said another.

'What is sexual about a crop top? Its not a push up bramy girls love wearing crops to acro, gym and dance classes because it gives them freedom of movement,' Australian designer Ally Mahoney, who owns kids' brand Sunny Active argued.

In fact the business owner and mum felt so strongly about the appropriate nature of crop tops for children that she took the argument back to her own Instagram page.

'Whats with the hate on showing kids bellies? I just saw a post from cotton on showing their new kids activewear.so many negative comments about crop tops.

'Are bellies sexual? Id understand if the poses were provocativebut its kids and baby bellies,' she wrote.

Australian designer Ally Mahoney, who owns kids' brand Sunny Active argued there is nothing sexual about crop tops

Cotton On said the style is extremely popular with parents - and can be seen at other retailers like Kmart, Target and Rebel Sport.

Australia's Cotton On Kids global girlswear buying manager, Loretta Davis explained the popularity stems from the 'mini-me' trend, that kids love to dress like their parents.

Kidspot spoke to Anna Cohen, a psychologist with Kids and Co, who said there is a time and place for crop tops.

The important thing is talking to your children about their boundaries and fostering healthy body habits.

'Before any conversations in families about crop tops, we need to teach children to love and appreciate their body, and to keep themselves protected,' she said.

Daily Mail Australia has approached Cotton On for comment.
Some Australians are choosing to celebrate Valentine's Day very differently this year by gifting their friends or partner a Breakup Box.

The savage $75 present comes complete with a bottle of Grenache Gin, a fake black rose, curated breakup playlist and bespoke drink recipes with names like Tainted Love and The Player.

South Australian gin company Never Never Distilling Co. came up with the idea - and it is quickly becoming a popular way for people to dump their partner 'in style'.

Many Australians are choosing to celebrate Valentine's Day very differently this year by gifting their friends and partners a Breakup Box (pictured)

The savage $75 present idea comes complete with a bottle of Grenache Gin, a fake black rose, curated breakup playlist and bespoke drink recipes with names like Tainted Love and The Player

The gift box can be purchased from February 1st on Never Nevers's website.

Poll Would you gift someone a 'breakup box'? Definitely! No way! Would you gift someone a 'breakup box'? Definitely! 21 votes

No way! 51 votes Now share your opinion





The alcohol brand said it's the perfect gift to remind a friend not to get back with that ex or a peace offering left on the doorstep of a partner alongside the basket of returned hoodies, toothbrushes and phone chargers.

The Breakup Box has been described as a tongue-in-cheek way of saying we are Never Never getting back together this Valentine's Day.

'Valentine's Day is a conspiracy created by card manufacturers and florists to make money off people's misguided interpretation of what romance is or needs to be,' Never Never Co-Founder and Brand Director Sean Baxter said.

The alcohol brand said it's the perfect gift to remind a friend not to get back with that ex or a peace offering left on the doorstep alongside the basket of returned hoodies, toothbrushes and phone chargers

'So here at Never Never, we thought we may as well do the same when it comes to the way people decide to part ways. Theres nothing wrong with celebrating the moment in time you stop speaking to someone.'

Even if the gift doesn't hit the mark, the recipient can enjoy the Grenache Gin, which was named Australia's Best Flavoured Gin in 2022.

The rose red gin has a berry flavour and is made with triple juniper gin and grenache grapes from South Australia's McLaren Vale.
The backup sample storage for NASA's Perseverance Mars rover is now fully constructed, according to a report by NASA, less than six weeks after it began collecting samples.

Around 5 PM PST on January 24, confirmation that the 10th and last tube intended for the depot had been successfully dropped by NASA's Perseverance Mars rover was received.

The Mission Is Another Success For Perseverance

On Sunday, NASA posted on its Twitter account that the last tube has been deposited on the surface of the Red planet, as confirmed by officials at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California.

To ensure that the tubes might be safely recovered in the future by the NASA-ESA (European Space Agency) Mars Sample Return effort.

This seeks to transfer samples from Mars to Earth for closer examination, precise planning and navigation were required for this significant milestone.

Perseverance touched down in February 2021 on the bottom of the 45-kilometer-wide (28-mile-wide) Jezero Crater, which once housed a large lake and a river delta.

The six-wheeled robot is gathering numerous samples while looking for evidence of ancient Mars life, Space writes.

If everything goes as planned, it might be brought back to Earth by a combined NASA-ESA mission as early as 2033.

The rover has consistently collected two samples from rocks that the mission team considers to be important for science.

As part of the campaign, the depot samples will act as a backup set while the other half stay inside Perseverance, which will be the main vehicle used to deliver samples to a Sample Retrieval Lander.

The igneous and sedimentary rock cores, in the opinion of mission scientists, offer a superb cross section of the geologic events that occurred in Jezero soon after the crater's formation roughly 4 billion years ago.

Additionally, the rover left behind an atmosphere sample and a device known as a "witness" tube, which is intended to check whether samples are potentially contaminated by substances that traveled with the rover from Earth.

Read More: NASA's Perseverance Rover Finds Volcanic Rocks in What Used to be a Martian Lake

What Is Next For Perseverance

Perseverance will move up the old delta after finishing its depot work while looking at the amazing rocks along the way, Space details.

The rover will be in a position to start a new phase of its science mission called the Delta Top Campaign once it passes an outcrop the team refers to as Rocky Top.

Due to the geologic shift that occurs at that level, passing the Rocky Top outcrop signifies the end of the rover's Delta Front Campaign and the start of its Delta Top Campaign.

"We found that from the base of the delta up to the level where Rocky Top is located, the rocks appear to have been deposited in a lake environment," Perseverance Project Scientist Ken Farley says.

The "Curvilinear Unit" is the name of one of the first locations the rover will visit during the upcoming science mission, NASA notes.

The structure, which resembles a Martian sandbar, is composed of sediment that was accumulated in a bend in one of Jezero's flowing river channels millions of years ago.

The team thinks the Curvilinear Unit will be a great place to look for interesting sandstone and possibly mudstone outcrops and to obtain a peek of the geological processes occurring outside of Jezero Crater.

Related Article: NASA's Persevarance Turns One for Its Martian Birthday
Spread is due to global warming, meaning more hot areas for the fungus to grow

A deadly fungal infection is spreading across the US  and scientists believe it is due to climate change.

Cases of 'Valley Fever' - which is 10 times more deadly than flu - have risen 20-fold since the turn of the century.

It is caused by the fungus Coccidioides, which releases spores in the air when soil is disturbed. The spores are then inhaled by people, most commonly construction workers.

The fungus thrives in warm, dry environments and was dubbed Valley Fever because 97 percent of cases are found in Arizona and California. But infections have begun to crop up in other parts of the country, and experts fear that by 2100 it could be endemic in 17 states.

It comes amid heightened fears about fungal outbreaks, following the hit apocalyptic HBO show 'The Last of Us,' which depicts a fungus that turns victims into zombies.

The fungus spore is whipped up into the air when the soil is disturbed by the wind or digging. When humans or animals breathe in the spores, they travel through the respiratory tract and into the lungs where they reproduce

The infection was dubbed Valley Fever because 97 percent of cases are found in Arizona and California

While Valley Fever cannot turn the host into a zombie, it can cause serious harm to some sufferers, and kills one in 100 who contract the infection.

Coccidioidomycosis or cocci originates from a fungus that grows in the soil in some areas of California and southwestern US.

The fungus spore is whipped up into the air when the soil is disturbed by the wind or digging.

When humans or animals breathe in the spores, they travel through the respiratory tract and into the lungs, where they reproduce, causing further disease.

Most infections are mild and clear up on their own within a few days or weeks, and the infection cannot be passed between people or animals.

Most people who have the mild form of infection will not realize because its symptoms  fatigue, cough, fever, aching muscles and breathlessness  mimic those of a respiratory virus infection.

Other symptoms include night sweats, joint aches and a red rash, usually on the legs but occasionally on the chest, arms and back.

But up to ten percent of cases become severe and take months to recover from.

In these cases, known as disseminated coccidioidomycosis, the disease can spread through the bloodstream to other parts of the body, including the brain, skin and liver. If it infects the membranes and fluid around the brain, it can cause meningitis.

'The Last of Us' follows smuggler Joel (right) as he escorts teenager Ellie (left) through Boston, Massachusetts, while a fungus spreads across the world

'The Last of Us' is set in a world where a fungus is spreading that turns victims into zombies called 'Clickers' (pictured)

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 20,000 cases of Valley Fever were reported in 2019.

It said this is probably an underestimate, as Valley Fever has been frequently misdiagnosed because doctors do not know enough about it, so patients are not even tested for it.

The fungus is endemic to the desert-like parts of the Southwest, and 97 percent of all American cases are found in Arizona and California.

But a study in the journal GeoHealth predicted that, due to climate change, the endemic region of the fungus will spread north to include dry western states such as Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota.

In a high-warming scenario, this would mean that by 2100 the number of affected states could rise from 12 to 17, while the number of cases could increase by 50 percent.

In October last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) released the first ever list of fungal pathogens that pose a risk to human health.

Dr Hanan Balkhy, assistant director-general for antimicrobial resistance at WHO, said: 'Emerging from the shadows of the bacterial antimicrobial resistance pandemic, fungal infections are growing, and are ever more resistant to treatments, becoming a public health concern worldwide.'

Valley fever is already tricky to treat, and there is no vaccine for it. Patients might have to take antifungal medication for months and endure unpleasant side effects such as hair loss and scaly skin.

Scientists have been trying to formulate a Valley Fever vaccine for decades, but a shot tested in humans in the 1980s did not perform well.

In the past few years, scientists from the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson have created a vaccine that works in dogs, who are also at risk of the infection.

The US Department of Agriculture could approve the shot for canines by early 2024, which would be the first one to protect against a fungal infection in humans or animals in America.
More than 50,000 pounds of deli meat is being recalled nationwide over potential listeria contamination.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a recall of eight products on Sunday, including popular brands such as Boar's Head and Meijer.

The goods were sold in stores across the US between December 23, 2022 and January 17, 2023.

No adverse events have yet been linked to the contaminated meats, but customers who bought the products with a USDA EST.54 inspection label are being advised to return them or throw them away.

The USDA has recalled more than 50,000 pounds of deli meat over concerns it was contaminated with listeria. No cases have yet been linked to the contamination (file photo)

Listeria is a bacterial infection often associated with dairy products - like ice cream - and deli meats. It can be deadly to pregnant women, newborns and the elderly.

Potentially contaminated products were manufactured between May 23 and November 25 of last year, the USDA says in a release.

In total, 52,914lbs of the meat were affected, the equivalent of around 26 tons.

During a routine inspection, the USDA's food safety division discovered the presence of listeria on surfaces in Daniele International facilities in Rhode Island.

There have been no cases of listeria - or any other illnesses - yet linked to the contamination.

A DailyMail.com request for comment from three affected brands - Meijer, Boar's Head and Del Duca - was not immediately replied to.

Listeria can occur after a person eats food contaminated by the bacteria.

Cases are most common in foods such as raw vegetables, meat and unpasteurized milk.

In rare cases, a person can even be infected after coming in contact with a contaminated animal.

Patients who have Listeria in their intestines can suffer diarrhea and vomiting, with symptoms beginning within 24 hours of catching it.

But in cases where the bacteria spreads to the rest of the body it can trigger fever, muscle aches, fatigue and headaches.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that up to a third of people infected will die of the disease in any given year, with older people and those with a weakened immune system at higher risk.

About 1,600 Americans are diagnosed with the disease annually. It is responsible for 260 deaths.

Recalls caused by listeria contamination are not rare, with the USDA, CDC and Food and Drug Administration reporting multiple outbreaks yearly.

While a majority of cases can be treated at home with limited medical intervention, a patient will be treated with antibiotics in more severe cases.

The infection can cause the development of meningitis, where the tissue around the spinal cord begins to swell. This is usually how the bacteria causes death.
Thousands of cancer diagnoses could be missed each year under Labour's plans for self-referrals on the NHS, new figures suggest.

Sir Keir Starmer wants patients suffering back pain to bypass their GP and go straight to a physiotherapist.

But new analysis suggests more than 5,000 cancer diagnoses could be missed each year under the proposal.

Just over 1 per cent of cancer cases have back pain as the only symptom, according to a study published in the journal Lancet Oncology.

Sir Keir Starmer wants patients suffering back pain to bypass their GP and go straight to a physiotherapist

Some 391,000 people were diagnosed with cancer in the UK in 2019 and the Lancet findings suggest 5,083 of those would have experienced only back pain.

Shockingly, 58 per cent of those who reported back pain as their only symptom for the disease were diagnosed with stage four cancer, the most serious, according to the study.

Sir Keir last month announced his plan for many patients to refer themselves for medical care without having to see a GP first.

He said self-referrals would cut down on 'bureaucratic nonsense' within the health service but doctors have warned it would result in medical specialists being 'inundated' by the worried well.

Sir Keir argued it 'ought to be possible' for someone with back pain who wants to see a physio to self-refer.

But the new analysis, by the Conservative Research Department, suggests his plan could have deadly consequences.

Tory party vice-chairman Paul Holmes said Sir Keir's 'DIY doctor' approach was 'highly dangerous'.

The MP for Eastleigh added: 'This supposed 'plan for patients' is irresponsibly dishing out medical advice off the cuff and would shift the burden of understanding and diagnosing from trained medical professionals to unwitting and vulnerable patients.

'He should withdraw his comments immediately and apologise.'

A Labour source said Sir Keir cited the example of patients referring themselves to physiotherapists because it already happens in some areas of the country  and dismissed the Tory analysis as 'scaremongering'.

Dr Kieran Sharrock, acting chairman of the GP committee of the British Medical Association (BMA) in England, said GPs were key to diagnosing cancers and self-referrals would add to pressure on already overwhelmed hospitals.

He added: 'Thousands of cancer diagnoses a year are the result of GPs noticing problems that would have otherwise have been totally missed.

'NHS hospitals are already overwhelmed and mass self-referral would only make the problem worse.

'This essential service of general practice is under threat because of Government failure to invest and plan for its future, with England down almost 2,000 full-time GPs since 2015, so the Government needs to act now if patients are going to continue to receive these life-saving early diagnoses.'

Some 391,000 people were diagnosed with cancer in the UK in 2019 and the Lancet findings suggest 5,083 of those would have experienced only back pain

READ MORE: Patients face battle to see GPs as one in four cannot even get an appointment, new data shows Advertisement

Some 42 per cent of people believe patients should not be able to refer themselves directly to specialists, compared with 39 per cent who back the plan, a Redfield and Wilton poll for Politico found.

Announcing Labour's plans, Sir Keir told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show last month: 'One of the proposals we've put forward is, would it not be possible to consider self-referral so that individuals don't have to go to a doctor, and use up a doctor's time, in order to get referred to specialist help?

'If you've got back pain and you want to see a physio, it ought to be possible, I think, to self-refer.

'If you've got internal bleeding and you just need a test, there ought to be a way that doesn't involve going to see a GP.'

Labour said that under its proposals, self-referrals would not be used for those with suspected cancer or those needing to see a consultant.

But doctors were quick to criticise the plans, with Dr David Wrigley, of the BMA, warning that self-referrals would likely add to pressure on the health service.

He said: 'Patients could refer themselves unnecessarily or to the wrong specialty, creating higher demand on hospitals and longer waiting times for those who really need specialised care.'

Tory party vice-chairman Paul Holmes (pictured with Boris Johnson in May) said last night Sir Keir's 'DIY doctor' approach was 'highly dangerous'

The study published in the Lancet Oncology journal in 2020 analysed data for 7,997 patients in England who were 25 years and older with one of 12 types of solid tumours.

It found that 107 in the sample had back pain as the only symptom of the disease  totalling 1.33 per cent.

Some 391,000 people in the UK were diagnosed with cancer in 2019, according to a Macmillan Cancer Support fact sheet published last year.

Therefore, an estimated 5,083 cancer diagnoses could be missed each year in the UK, according to analysis by the Conservative Research Department.

A Labour source said: 'Keir used the example of self-referral to physiotherapists because it is already happening in some parts of the country.

'If the Conservatives believe that is bad for patients, why is it happening on their watch?

'This desperate scaremongering from the Conservatives shows the choice at the next election is Labour reform versus Conservative defence of a broken status quo.'
CBD has been criminalized by Hong Kong officials, placing the substance on a par with heroin and cocaine.

The government justified its decision by saying the health benefits associated with CBD - the non-psychoactive compound in marijuana - lack scientific proof.

Officials added that CBD products could be used to make THC, the intoxicating substance in cannabis, which makes users feel 'high'.

The change makes consuming CBD-containing products, including tea, skincare and chocolate, a criminal offense punishable by up to seven years in prison, and a fine of one million Hong Kong dollars (equivalent to around $127,500).

The decision comes amid a wave of marijuana legalizations across the US, with 37 states and DC now allowing cannabis to be used medically or recreationally.

A store in Texas selling a range of products containing CBD. Thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia allow cannabis to be used medically or recreationally in the US

People selling or eating CBD-containing products, including oils and chocolate, could be subject to up to seven years in prison and a fine of one million Hong Kong dollars, which is equivalent to around $127, 500 (stock picture)

CBD is a chemical found in marijuana, which does not contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient which produces a high.

Advocates have made a wide range of health claims about CBD, saying it can treat everything from pain and inflammation to stress and anxiety.

But Hong Kong authorities said these claims are 'not authoritatively proven by science.'

In 2016, researchers at the University of Nottingham, in the UK, analyzed rodent studies on the drug's ability to relieve anxiety symptoms.

They found that, overall, CBD was not a valuable tool to stop anxiety.

Some experts have even called CBD products marketed to solve these mental health issues 'pointless'.

In a 2015 report, a Harvard expert wrote: 'Medical marijuana is used to treat a host of indications, a few of which have evidence to support treatment with marijuana and many that do not.'

From February 1, 2023, CBD will be listed as a dangerous drug, meaning people importing or exporting the substance could land a lifetime in prison and a fine of five million Hong Kong dollars (roughly $637,600).

And the sale or consumption of any skincare, oils, gummies, chocolate, beverages including coffee powder or tea, or health supplements containing CBD will be subject to up to seven years in prison and a fine of one million Hong Kong dollars (equivalent to around $127,500).

The government argued that CBD could be used to produce the intoxicating compound THC, which is already illegal in the region.

It is hard to isolate pure CBD from cannabis, the government said.

'Most likely, CBD products contain trace amounts of THC, which can be harmful.'

It added that CBD can naturally decompose into THC in typical storage conditions, and can be used to make it.

CBD will join more than 200 other 'dangerous drugs' which are criminalized in Hong Kong.

The ban aligns the city with China, which prohibited CBD cosmetics last year.

Last week in the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that CBD did not meet safety standards and asked Congress to step in and pass laws regulating it.

The FDA noted various safety concerns with CBD use - including links to liver damage and male infertility after longtime use.

This was a major setback for the budding industry in the US, and raised fears the federal government would crack down on its sales in the coming years.
When it comes to waking up in the morning, most of us rely on a cup of coffee to give us the kickstart we need.

But your flat white, Americano or latte won't actually give you extra energy  but instead borrows it, according to an expert.

Dr Emma Beckett, a molecular nutritionist from the University of Newcastle, said this 'loan' of feeling awake will eventually need to be repaid with sleep.

She explained caffeine staves off drowsiness by temporarily blocking a chemical called adenosine.

This chemical is part of the system that regulates our sleep and wake cycle, with levels rising throughout the day as it is released as a by-product when energy is used by our cells.

Caffeine staves off drowsiness by temporarily blocking a chemical called adenosine, Dr Emma Beckett, a molecular nutritionist from the University of Newcastle, wrote on The Conversation website

Eventually adenosine binds to its receptor  part of the cells that receive signals  which tells the cells to slow down, making us feel drowsy and sleepy.

Caffeine can help us feel awake by binding to the adenosine receptor and preventing the chemical from triggering the sleepy feeling.

Read more: Why you should drink coffee with milk, according to scientists Advertisement

'But there is a catch,' Dr Beckett wrote on The Conversation website. 'While it feels energising, this little caffeine intervention is more a loan of the awake feeling, rather than a creation of any new energy.

'This is because the caffeine won't bind forever, and the adenosine that it blocks doesn't go away.

'So eventually the caffeine breaks down, lets go of the receptors and all that adenosine that has been waiting and building up latches on and the drowsy feeling comes back  sometimes all at once.

'So, the debt you ow the caffeine always eventually needs to be repaid, and the only real way to repay it is to sleep.'

Dr Beckett explained that while we are sleeping, adenosine levels drop as we are using less energy, meaning we wake up in the morning feeling refreshed.

Drinking coffee later in the day, when there is more adenosine in the body, may feel more powerful than a morning cup, she said.

And if you like your coffee with sugar this could add to the eventual 'crash' feeling following a spike in blood sugar, she added.

'Caffeine can be useful, but it isn't magic,' Dr Beckett said. 'To create energy and re-energise our bodies we need enough food, water and sleep.'

The caffeine found in tea, energy drinks and other beverages would impact the body in a similar way, she wrote.

A recent study found that drinking two to three cups of coffee a day could be linked to a longer lifespan.

Researchers discovered two to three cups a day was linked with up to a 27 per cent lower likelihood of death compared to those who drank none at all.

The findings, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, applied to ground, instant and decaffeinated varieties, with researchers saying coffee consumption should be considered part of a healthy lifestyle.
CAUSE CHILDREN TO HAVE A LOW IQ: Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, found in May 2019 that children born to mothers who live in polluted areas have an IQ that is up to seven points lower than those living in places with cleaner air.

CAUSE CHILDREN TO HAVE POORER MEMORY: Researchers at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health found boys exposed to greater levels of PM2.5 in the womb performed worse on memory tests by the time they are 10.

DELAY THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN: Youngsters who live less than one-third of a mile away from busy roads are twice as likely to score lower on tests of communication skills in infancy, found researchers at Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health in April. They were also more likely to have poorer hand-eye coordination.

MAKE CHILDREN MORE ANXIOUS: University of Cincinnati scientists claimed pollution may alter the structure of children's brains to make them more anxious. Their study of 14 youngsters found rates of anxiety was higher among those exposed to greater levels of pollution.

CUT YOUR CHILD'S LIFE SHORT: Children born today will lose nearly two years of their lives because of air pollution, according to a report by the US-based Health Effects Institute and the University of British Columbia in April 2019. UNICEF called for action on the back of the study.

RAISE A CHILD'S RISK OF AUTISM: Researchers at Monash University in Australia discovered youngsters living in highly polluted parts of Shanghai have a 86 per cent greater chance of developing ASD. Lead author Dr Yuming Guo said: 'The developing brains of young children are more vulnerable to toxic exposures in the environment.'

CAUSE ASTHMA IN CHILDREN: Four million children around the world develop asthma each year because of road traffic pollution, a major study by academics at George Washington University estimated. Experts are divided as to what causes asthma - but exposure to pollution in childhood increases the risk by damaging the lungs.

MAKE CHILDREN FAT: University of Southern California experts found last November that 10 year olds who lived in polluted areas when they were babies are, on average, 2.2lbs (1kg), heavier than those who grew up around cleaner air. Nitrogen dioxide pollution could disrupt how well children burn fat, the scientists said.

LEAVE WOMEN INFERTILE EARLIER: Scientists at the University of Modena, Italy, claimed in May 2019 that they believe pollution speeds up ageing in women, just like smoking, meaning they run out of eggs faster. This was based on them finding almost two-thirds of women who have a low 'reserve' of eggs regularly inhaled toxic air.

RAISE THE RISK OF A MISCARRIAGE: University of Utah scientists found in January that pregnant women are 16 per cent more likely to suffer the heartbreak of a miscarriage if they live in areas of high pollution.

RAISE THE RISK OF BREAST CANCER: Scientists at the University of Stirling found six women working at the same bridge next to a busy road in the US got breast cancer within three years of each other. There was a one in 10,000 chance the cases were a coincidence, the study said. It suggested chemicals in the traffic fumes caused the cancer by shutting down the BRCA genes, which try to stop tumours growing.

DAMAGE A MAN'S SPERM: Brazilian scientists at the University of Sao Paulo found in March that mice exposed to toxic air had lower counts and worse quality sperm compared to those who had inhaled clean air since birth.

MAKE MEN LESS LIKELY TO GET SEXUALLY AROUSED: Scientists at Guangzhou Medical University in China found rats exposed to air pollution struggled to get sexually aroused. Scientists believe it may also affect men, as inhaling poisonous particles may trigger inflammation in blood vessels and starve the genitals of oxygen  affecting men's ability to become sexually aroused.

MAKE MEN MORE LIKELY TO HAVE ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION: Men who live on main roads are more likely to have difficulty getting an erection due to exposure to pollution, a Guangzhou University in China study suggested in February. Toxic fumes reduced blood flow to the genitals, tests on rats showed, putting them at risk of developing erectile dysfunction.

RAISE THE RISK OF PSYCHOSIS: In March, King's College London scientists linked toxic air to intense paranoia and hearing voices in young people for the first time. They said uncovering exactly how pollution may lead to psychosis should be an 'urgent health priority'.

MAKE YOU DEPRESSED: Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers found in January that that the more polluted the air, the sadder we are. Their study was based on analysing social media users in China alongside the average daily PM2.5 concentration and weather data where they lived.

CAUSE DEMENTIA: Air pollution could be responsible for 60,000 cases of dementia in the UK, researchers from King's College London and St George's, University of London, calculated last September. Tiny pollutants breathed deep into the lungs and enter the blood stream, where they may travel into the brain and cause inflammation  a problem which may trigger dementia.
Pictured: A young girl in Mexico talks about using clonazepam in a video she posted on TikTok

More than a dozen children have been hospitalized in Mexico after copying a dangerous internet trend that involves taking tranquilizers and fighting sleep.

Fifteen fifth and sixth in Guanajuanto, central Mexico, were hospitalized in recent days - while students in other parts of the country also reported illnesses.

The 'tranq challenge' - which went viral in Mexico - typically sees people take the sedative clonazepam, a seizure and anxiety drug.

It comes weeks after a report of eight students in the capital Mexico City falling ill from clonazepam abuse, and three more cases in the northern city of Monterrey.

Students would use the drug - a controlled benzodiazepine similar to Xanax - and see who could stay awake the longest despite its the drowsiness it causes as a side effect.

The trend emerged on social media, and has officials asking parents to monitor their young children's use of these websites. It comes as the US Surgeon General asked parents to pull children under 16 off of these platforms altogether.

Mexican officials warn that dozens of children have fallen ill after using the anti-anxiety medication Rivotril for a challenge they saw on social media. On mayor is saying kids should not be on these platforms altogether (file photo)

Alejandro Navarro, mayor of Guanajuanto, wrote on his Facebook page urging parents to crackdown on their children's social media use.

'As a rule, girls and boys shouldn't have social media accounts, it's bad to start with,' he said on Facebook.

Mexican officials first warned of the challenge on January 25, one week after the students fell ill in Mexico City.

All of the sick children are believed to be in fifth or sixth grade. This means they are all likely between ages ten and 12.

There is no available information on these students' current condition.

A prescription is required to obtain clonazepam, marketed under Rivotril south of the border, in Mexico.

Poll Should children under 13 be banned from social media? Yes No Should children under 13 be banned from social media? Yes 1318 votes

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But officials fear the children could have bought the drugs over-the-counter - and have warned stores against illegally selling the controlled substance.

Clonazepam works by slowing down a person's central nervous system - allowing them to relax.

Its strongest common side effect is intense drowsiness, but if someone uses too much it can lead to an irregular heartbeat, chest pain, low blood pressure, seizures and trouble breathing.

The most serious cases could lead to a coma or death, as a person's breathing slows down so much it causes damage to the brain.

Like other benzos, clonazepam is highly addictive. A person can become dependent on it after only a few weeks use.

It is currently unclear how much of the drugs the children hospitalized took. Dosages of clonazepam are calculated by weight, and it is possible the young children suffered an overdose if they took adult-sized amounts of it.

Fears over these types of challenges, and the other harms of social media to youth around the world, have some leading officials calling for a crackdown.

Over the weekend, Dr Vivek Murthy, America's surgeon general, told CNN that children under the age of 16 should not be allowed on social media.

'I believe 13 is too early,' he said.

'And I think that it's a time, early adolescence, where kids are developing their identity, their sense of self...And the skewed and distorted environment of social media does a disservice to many children.'

On top of the risk of spurring children to take part in dangerous activities like the 'tranq challenge' - studies also have linked social media use to poor mental health.

A 2020 report by researchers from Johns Hopkins University linked the surge in teen mental health issues in the 2000s to the advent of social media.

Another Johns Hopkins team found in 2019 that students who spend more than three hours per day on social media platforms show more significant risks of severe mental health problems.

Researchers found a strong link between time spent on social media and the likelihood of developing depression when looking at more than two-dozen studies.
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The UK government has unveiled plans to 'robustly regulate' cryptocurrency market activities like trading and lending.

Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin are sparsely regulated globally, but policymakers are scrutinising the sector after the downfall of exchange group FTX last year, which left millions of investors nursing losses totalling billions of dollars, some of them in Britain.

The Treasury wants to bring the regulation of crypto assets closer to that of traditional finance, where, for instance, companies seeking admission to trade via the London Stock Exchange or sell their shares via an initial public offering have an array of rules and disclosure requirements to follow.

The sweeping proposed new rules unveiled by the Treasury today would cover crypto-related admission to a trading platform, making a public offer, executing payment transactions or remittances, arranging deals, operating a platform, custody, and mining transactions or operating a node on blockchain.

Tightening: The UK government has unveiled its plans to 'robustly regulate' crypto activities

Currently, crypto firms need only show they can comply with anti-money-laundering safeguards.

'Our view is that this reinforces the case for clear, effective, timely regulation and proactive engagement with industry,' Financial Services Minister Andrew Griffith said in the proposals put out to public consultation.

He added: 'This includes a proposal to bring centralised crypto asset exchanges into financial services regulation for the first time, as well as other core activities like custody and lending.'

'Our robust approach to regulation mitigates the most significant risks, while harnessing the advantages of crypto technologies', the Treasury said,

The consultation is seeking views on improving market integrity and consumer protection by setting out a proposed crypto-market abuse regime.

Some prudential requirements are likely to be necessary for issuers to ensure they are able to absorb losses arising from liability, either through adequate financial resources or professional indemnity arrangements, the Treasury added.

Collapse: Sam Bankman-Fried was in charge of crypto group FTX before its collapse

The Treasury said its proposals would ensure customer assets are returned to them if a crypto business collapses.

It plans to develop rules on crypto asset promotions to ensure they are fair, clear and not misleading.

The Treasury also plans to implement new regulations to prevent so-called 'pump and dumps', where an individual, group or company artificially inflates the value of a an asset before selling it.

It said: 'There is significant evidence in crypto asset markets of pump and dump and trash and cash schemes which resemble price manipulation strategies carried out on equity instruments.

'Other market manipulation behaviours which have been reported include wash trading and spoofing, among other trading techniques which seek to give false market signals or distort pricing to the advantage of the orchestrator.'

Crypto businesses, including trading platforms, will also have to report their data to regulators much more frequently and transparently.

In 2021 the UK launched a consultation on regulating stablecoins, a subset of crypto assets which are backed by currencies or other assets, but decided to broaden out to include all of the crypto sector.

After the three-month consultation unveiled today, there will be secondary legislation later this year along with detailed rule proposals for public consultation from the Financial Conduct Authority.

The consultation published today will close on 30 April, after which, the government will consider feedback and work to set out its consultation response.

Once legislation is laid out, the Financial Conduct Authority will consult on its detailed rules for the sector.

In July, findings from HM Revenue & Customs revealed that as many as one-in-ten adults in Britain had snapped up crypto assets such as bitcoin, far more than was previously thought. The research found that about 6.7million adults owned or had bought crypto assets.

Participation by institutional investors is also on the up.

What's the reaction to the proposals been like?

Binance, a crypto exchange, said it welcomed the public consultation as it has 'vocally supported the need for effective and appropriate regulation to help with the mainstream adoption of digital assets'.

Laith Khalaf, head of investment analysis at AJ Bell, said: 'The proposed regulations are not a silver bullet that will guarantee absolutely no consumer harm stems from the crypto industry, but they do provide a more robust regulatory framework that is several steps closer to that applied to more mainstream financial activities.

'Its notable that the government is not by any means shutting the door to crypto, and is keen to encourage technological innovation, but within prescribed regulatory boundaries. This makes sense, as there is no telling where crypto technologies may lead, even though the jury is out on the value of the main products so far created by the industry, namely cryptocurrencies and NFTs.'

He added: 'Most importantly, greater regulation isnt going to make a dent in the price risk assumed by crypto holders, and the golden rule of buying cryptocurrency remains to only do so with money you are willing to lose in its entirety.'

Labour called for immediate action rather than more consultations.

Shadow city minister Tulip Siddiq said: 'Labour has been calling for a crackdown on the crypto wild-west for months. All the Conservatives are promising is further consultations  we need action now.

'Under this incompetent Government, millions of British consumers savings have been put at risk by the collapse of cryptocurrencies while crypto-related scams have hit record levels. Despite this, the Conservatives continue to promote cryptocurrency gimmicks.'

How are crypto prices faring now?

Rising borrowing costs roiled crypto markets in 2022. The price of bitcoin plunged by 64 per cent and around $1.3trillion was wiped off the global cryptocurrency market.

The collapse of various dominant crypto companies, most notably FTX, left investors shouldering large losses and prompted calls for more regulation.

January brought a fresh wave of job cuts as firms braced for the so-called 'crypto winter', while the lending unit of Genesis recently filed for bankruptcy protection in the US, owing creditors at least $3.4billion.

But, the price of bitcoin ended up rising by around 38 per cent last month and is hovering at around the $23,044.97 mark today, having been at around the $16,000 sum towards the beginning of January. Ethereum is close to the $1,583.78 mark today, while Ripple is at $0.40330796.

In five of the six years that bitcoin has rallied in January, the cryptocurrency has ended the year with positive returns, according to findings from Matrixport.

On average, the gain the rest of the year has been more than 245 per cent, Markus Thielen, head of research at Matrixport, said.

As ever, anyone thinking about taking the plunge and entering the sphere of crypto should do careful research beforehand and be aware that they could end losing all of the money they put in.
Investors also won't have to pay any share dealing fees for US stocks

Charles Schwab has cut its minimum investment to $0 for UK investors

Amid the growing demand for 'democratising' investment, retail investors are spoilt for choice when it comes to the platforms on offer.

With platforms battling it out to offer the lowest price possible, top US broker Charles Schwab now wants a piece of the pie.

Investors can now use Charles Schwab's platform to invest in US listed stocks with $0 commission for online trades and no sign-up fee, This Is Money can reveal.

Previously, investors were required to make a $25,000 minimum investment to use the platform.

Charles Schwab is looking to take advantage of the growing pool of DIY investors with the launch of its zero fee platform

Investors will not pay any fees for any online trades in listed US stocks or treasuries. Those looking to trade corporate and municipal bonds will pay $1 per bond while options trading will cost $0.65 per contract.

'In the last five years, we've seen a really significant growth in UK investors using Schwab's platform to trade the US part of that growth has allowed us to reduce the minimum investment from $25,000 down to zero,' Richard Flynn, UK managing director at Charles Schwab told This Is Money.

'We have a number of US expat clients who find the service to be of immense value because all of Schwab's trading and custody takes place in the US and so for them, it's very attractive that their assets are not held outside of the US, which is useful for tax reporting purposes.'

How does the Charles Schwab platform work?

Unlike other investing platforms based in the UK, Charles Schwab's platform trades only in US dollars.

'For people who would have been using UK brokerages to trade US stocks and paying those FX rates, we feel there's potentially significant advantages to trading US stocks through a US dollar platform,' said Flynn.

Richard Flynn, UK managing director of Charles Schwab

'And we hope that reducing this minimum would attract people to use Schwab for their US trading, whilst maybe using they're continuing to use UK traders for their Sterling investments.'

You still need to convert your sterling before opening an account, but this does not have to be done exclusively with Charles Schwab.

As a UK taxpayer, you need to fill out a W-8 BEN form which confirms you're not a US taxpayer.

Any dividends received on US stocks that you might hold in the account you pay a 15 per cent withholding tax against the dividend which can then be offset in your UK tax return.

You can open an account online by submitting some supporting documents, which includes your ID and a copy of a utility bill.

Once the account is open, you can fund your account and start investing.

How does Charles Schwab compare to other investing apps?

The market for low-cost investment platforms has become increasingly crowded in recent months.

Upstarts like Freetrade* and eToro* don't charge any share dealing fees on shares, ETFs and investment trusts, although there are currency fees for buying US stocks.

While Charles Schwab's platform trades in dollars, investors will still need to convert their cash and will incur any FX fees as a result.

This year Freetrade surpassed 1million subscribers due to its generous referral scheme and low cost plans.

Its basic plan offers a GIA, commission-free trades and US fractional shares for free but just 1,500 stocks are on offer.

Its standard plan costs 4.99 a month and customers can open a GIA and stocks and shares Isa, although this is a standard Isa and not the flexible one offered by CMC.

Freetrade also offers a Sipp for Plus customers, which costs 9.99 a month.

As share trading and investing has surged in popularity since the pandemic, a new generation of investors have been increasingly attracted to big name US shares.

An attractive part of the new DIY investing platforms like Freetrade is the chance for investors to snap up fractional shares: a way to back stock market juggernauts for a fraction of the cost of one share.

Fractional share investing lets investors own a piece of a share rather than one or more whole individual stocks.

The advantage is that these may otherwise be out of the reach of smaller investors, or require too big a chunk of an individual's portfolio for it to remain diversified.

Flynn told This Is Money Charles Schwab was not currently offering fractional shares but would roll this out to investors later this year.

The platform is hoping to gain advantage by rolling out a range of educational resources over the course of 2023 and 2024 at no additional cost.

Flynn said: 'With the retail investing boom, we think there's a large market for people wanting help. They don't necessarily want guidance or advice or recommendations.

'They want help to make their own investment decisions and to get the most out of a platform such as the one that Schwab can provide.'
TikTok's CEO, Shou Zi Chew, will come before a legislative committee for the first time and seek to ease lawmakers' concerns on March 23 in a hearing where he is a sole witness.

He is anticipated to provide testimony regarding TikTok's data security and privacy policies, the app's effects on teenage users, and its ties to the Chinese Communist Party.

This Follows The Company's Negotiation With The US Government

The public hearing highlights TikTok's increasing political danger as talks with the US government on a national security accord drag on, CNN Business reports.

Legislators will probably question Chew about TikTok and ByteDance's connection to China and the Chinese government once she appears before the commerce committee.

"TikTok has knowingly allowed the ability for the Chinese Communist Party to access American user data," Congressional Rep. and committee chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers argues.

She adds that Americans want to know how these acts affect their privacy and data security, as well as what steps TikTok is taking to protect our children from risks both online and offline.

According to a report by Gizmodo, ByteDance was established in China, has offices all around the world, including Beijing, and is incorporated in the Cayman Islands.

In addition to national security fears that the Chinese Communist Party is using TikTok to monitor citizens, US politicians have been raising concerns about Beijing-based employees' access to US users' data.

Moreover, many Republican lawmakers in particular have taken vehement, frequently unjustified positions against the plan.

Read More: Students, Professors Demand TikTok Ban Lifted in State Schools

TikTok Has Been Under Scrutiny In The US For A Long Time

It can be remembered that Vanessa Pappas, the chief operating officer of TikTok, appeared before the Senate Homeland Security Committee in September 2022 along with representatives from Meta, YouTube, and Twitter.

During the session, Pappas was grilled on a variety of topics, including who owned TikTok and ByteDance, where their offices were located, and how their data was handled.

After President Biden signed the move as a part of a massive budget bill in December 2022, the app is already prohibited from being used on federal devices.

The US House of Representatives then adopted a similar prohibition on TikTok on government devices, Gizmodo notes.

Additionally, TikTok has been banned from networks and devices in at least 28 states, as well as on numerous college campuses.

Undoubtedly, TikTok is gathering a ton of user data, much of which is likely reaching Beijing-based workers.

However, when it comes to social media sites, that is more often the norm than the exception as US-based companies have also collected a large amount of user information.

Furthermore, even with American businesses, part of this information winds up on Chinese computers, making the emphasis on TikTok alone somewhat nonsensical.

TikTok and ByteDance are currently negotiating with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CIFUS) to try to come to an arrangement that relieves the plethora of data privacy and national security concerns.

However, despite conversations lasting for more than two years, no agreement has yet been achieved between TikTok, ByteDance, and the US government.

Related Article: Sen. Josh Hawley Files A New Legislation Proposing Nationwide TikTok Ban
GSK boss Dame Emma Walmsley received a shot in the arm after record sales of its shingles vaccine pushed up profits.

The pharma giant also predicted strong growth for 2023 despite declining sales of its Covid treatments.

For 2022, GSK reported profits of 8.2billion, up 26 per cent year-on-year, and sales rose 19 per cent to 29.3billion.

The figures were boosted by sales of shingles vaccine Shingrix, up 72 per cent in the year to a record 3billion due to strong demand in the US and Europe.

Double-digit growth was recorded in sales of medicines for diseases such as HIV.

Healthy trade: For 2022, GSK, led by Dame boss Emma Walmsley (pictured) reported profits of 8.2bn, up 26% year-on-year, while sales rose 19% to 29.3bn

GSK forecast 2023 profit growth of 10 to 12 per cent with sales rises of 6 per cent to 8 per cent.

2022 was a landmark year for GSK delivering the step change in performance we committed to... We enter 2023 with good momentum, underpinning confidence in our ambitious sales and profit outlooks, Walmsley said.

Shares fell 0.3 per cent, or 3.8p, to 1419.6p. It is GSKs first annual figures since it split consumer healthcare business Haleon, maker of Sensodyne toothpaste, into a separate firm last year to focus on vaccines and new drugs.

Some activist investors said it should have been sold and questioned Walmsleys ability.

GSK has snapped up several drug developers and is racing to get regulatory approval for a vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus, a cold-like illness that can cause severe symptoms in infants and older adults.

It is battling US rivals Pfizer and Moderna to be the first with a jab, with the market estimated to be worth billions.

Walmsley said UK life sciences were at a tipping point and the right decisions had to be made urgently to ensure they continued driving growth, adding: Getting it right is whats going to make sure there is continued investment in the UK and not just from GSK, which remains committed to this country, but also from other multinationals.'
The Government is set to scrap a 300million support package for British Steel if its Chinese owners axe jobs.

Whitehall sources said the funding, expected to be announced within days, was dependent on Jingye promising to invest 1billion into Britains second-biggest steel maker and protect jobs until 2030.

But the company is preparing to launch a consultation on around 800 redundancies, focusing mainly on the plant in Scunthorpe, which employs 3,500 of its 4,500 staff.

British Steel has struggled over the past decade.

Jingye became its third owner in four years when it bought it out of insolvency in 2020.

Job cuts: British Steel's Chinese owner Jingye is preparing to launch a consultation on around 800 redundancies, focusing mainly on the plant in Scunthorpe

But it now thinks it needs taxpayer funding to keep the doors open.

Last month Chancellor Jeremy Hunt was said to be close to signing off a support package of 300million.

Asked if that would be jeopardised by cuts, a Whitehall source said: It would, yes. British Steel said last month it would shut one of the sites two blast furnaces within weeks without support.

Hunt was expected to tell it that the Government will pay the support package over the next few years.
Severn Trent will make boardroom history by becoming the first FTSE 100 company to have women occupying the three key roles of chief executive, chair and chief financial officer.

The watershed moment comes as finance boss James Bowling retires in July to be replaced by Helen Miles, who is the capital and commercial services director.

She is to be appointed as chief financial officer designate in April, before taking full responsibility for the role from July 6 following a handover process.

Miles joins boss Liv Garfield, who has led Severn Trent since 2014, and Christine Hodgson, who has chaired it since April 2020.

Female first: Severn Trent boss Liv Garfield, who has led the company since 2014, is now working with a female finance boss and a female chairman

I am truly sorry to see James retire. I want to thank him for everything hes done for Severn Trent and all the support he has given to me personally, Garfield said.

She added: I am absolutely delighted that Helen will be his successor. Helen is a highly experienced and commercial CFO with a detailed understanding of the water sector and a proven track record of exceptional delivery.

Severn Trent shares dipped 1 per cent, or 28p, to 2788p. Miles has previously served as chief financial officer of Openreach, the broadband arm of BT, and home repairs group Homeserve.

Her appointment will bolster female representation in the boardrooms of Britains top firms, which were accused last year of an appalling lack of progress in promoting women to executive roles.

In the FTSE 100, only eight companies have a female chief executive, while of the roughly 400 women on the boards of blue-chip firms, around 90 per cent are non-executive directors.

The most notable among the female bosses include Alison Rose of NatWest, Dame Emma Walmsley of drugs giant GSK and Admiral chief executive Milena Mondini de Focatiis.

Also on the list are Avivas Amanda Blanc, Taylor Wimpeys Jennie Daly and Jette Nygaard-Andersen, boss of Ladbrokes owner Entain.

Meanwhile, Vodafone boss Margherita Della Valle is currently holding the position on an interim basis.

Reshuffle: Helen Miles, left, who joined the group in 2014, is to become Severn Trent's new finance boss, while Christine Hodgson, right, has chaired the business since April 2020

At Severn Trent, Miles will have to grapple with how the company adjusts to the cost of living squeeze as it balances increases in bills with support for struggling customers.

In November, the company extended its discounts to more customers on low incomes as it reported a 2.4 per cent rise in profits to 262million in the six months to the end of September.

The industry is also coming under increased scrutiny from regulators amid growing anger about sewage discharges.

Last year, Severn Trent was one of the few companies in the sector not to be punished by the regulator Ofwat for polluting rivers, with 11 suppliers being slapped with fines.
MailOnline readers have the chance to win a 100 Amazon voucher every day this month - if they can locate the hidden treasure chest on our website.

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A 'model student' died in hospital after Googling how to take his own life, an inquest has heard.

Hassan Hussain, 17, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, was discovered lying unconscious by his brother on September 7 and despite efforts to save him, he died in hospital the next day from 'asphyxiation'.

An investigation launched by West Yorkshire Police found Hassan had been conducting internet searches on ways to commit suicide.

From August 24, 'there were searches that were concerning', said PC Abigail Griffiths.

Hassan Hussain, 17, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, was discovered lying unconscious by his brother on September 7

Hassan, 17, was described as a 'model student'

'It appears Hassan was searching ways to harm himself.'

The inquest heard the teenager had no history of self-harm or documented mental health problems.

Speaking at the inquest, Hassan's brother described how he discovered his brother lying unresponsive on the floor of the family's front room.

After hearing a noise downstairs, he went to check on his brother who he found lying on the floor.

After phoning the ambulance service, he gave his brother CPR until paramedics arrived on scene at Maidstone Street, Bradford, and took over.

His brother described Hassan as a 'generally quiet person', YorkshireLive reported.

His brother also said he couldn't see his brother committing suicide, adding: 'there were no signs that Hassan would do something to harm himself.'

His brother described Hassan (pictured) as a 'generally quiet person' who would not have meant to harm himself

Senior coroner Martin Fleming said Hassan had been described as a 'model student' who had an 'excellent attitude to learning with a brilliant work ethic.'

Mr Fleming said there was evidence that Hassan was an 'A* student.'

The youngster was described as a much-loved son, brother and friend whose death had devastated his family.

He added that there was evidence Hassan had been researching 'aspects of taking a life but not necessarily his life'.

Despite suggestions that he may have viewed a 'toxic' online video that had been circulating, the coroner said there was no evidence to support this.

Mr Fleming said there was 'no suggestion' that the teenager had told anyone that he was experiencing 'dark thoughts', adding: 'It may have been a cry for help or attention seeking.'

In a narrative conclusion, Mr Fleming said Hassan's intention 'remains unclear'.

He told the family: 'He did have so much promise ahead of him. It is a desperately sad inquest.'

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised by this article, for confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details.
An American who spent five months living in Australia has blasted Aussies for being 'super racist'.

Jessie Wang, from San Francisco, shared the six best and worst parts of her time in Brisbane and Sydney in a series of videos last week.

Ms Wang described Australia as 'super racist' and said it was the most 'major con' when it comes it living Down Under.

'I have never been humbled so hard in my life because I have been warned Australia is extremely racist for years,' she said.

American expat Jessie Wang (above) shared her six 'pros and cons' of living in Australia after spending five months in Brisbane and Sydney

'Keep in mind I was pretty much in Brisbane and Sydney the whole time, in major cities.

'I'm not saying all Australians are racist, most white Australians I met were really nice people, but this does not deflect from the fact that out of the 31 countries I've been to I have never dealt with as much racist disrespect as I have in Australia.

'I never thought about how easy I had it growing up Asian in California, until I went to Australia. I remember my first day of university our chancellor was giving a speech and two white boys were laughing because of his accent.

'You simply do not see people of colour represented in positions of prominence and power in Australia at all, and this is incredibly harmful to the way people of colour are viewed in society.

'The worst part is that anti-racism is pretty much non-existent. People really want to be like "oh, it's not that bad in Australia". It's not "that bad" because you're white!'

She highlighted statistics showing 76 per cent of Australians from non-European ancestry had faced some kind of discrimination, while over 80 per cent of Asian people faced racism during Covid.

'It was literally illegal to go to Australia as a person of colour before 1966. Please stop saying that was a long time ago,' she said.

She said she struggled to find regular work to get her hours up for her working holiday visa.

Ms Wang (above) compared living in Australia to her home in San Francisco and said Australia is safer but more racist

'Jobs and opportunities in Australia aren't great,' she said.

Ms Wang added she was shocked by the state of Australia's economy and employment situation because she'd grown up hearing Australia is 'recession-proof'.

'This idea that Australia has this superb economy is really dated information,' she said.

'Ultimately this the number one reason I had to leave Australia early, there wasn't really any opportunities for me.

'Even with the typical working holiday visa jobs it was very hard to find 40 hours of stable and consistent work.

'When it comes to skilled occupations, most places aren't hiring anyone who does not have permanent residency or citizenship. Even the huge names aren't sponsoring right now.'

She then said the lack of jobs meant there was no reason for her to stay in Australia longer than five months.

'Yes the minimum wage is high and you can easily find a job that pays you $30 an hour however, keep in mind 30 Australian Dollars is 20 US Dollars,' she said.

'Cost of living in Australian cities is high so it's really hard to save any money.

'Why I left is because it did not make sense for me to stay in Australia and do these jobs that I'm completely not interested in, not beneficial for my career.'

She also called out Australia's location at the bottom of the world, that made it hard to travel overseas.

'Australia is just so far from everywhere and back when I was in Australia I would always joke that we're on this floating rock in the middle of nowhere,' she said.

'Travelling from Australia to anywhere is so incredibly expensive and inconvenient.

Ms Wang (above) also called out Australia's location, which made it hard to travel elsewhere internationally

'Back when I lived in New York City I would travel four times a year internationally, I would travel multiple times back to California.

'I would not have been able to do that if I lived in Australia.'

She said the biggest pitfalls of Australia's location is the cost and time it takes to takes to even reach neighbouring countries.

'Even flights within Australia are incredibly expensive. The closest country is New Zealand and that is neither super close or super cheap,' she said.

'When I lived in New York I could just hop on an overnight bus and wake up in Montreal for like, $60.

'Before the pandemic it was pretty common to find round trip flights to Europe for less than $300.

'Flying from Australia to anywhere is such a long journey.'

However, she declared her love for Australia's wildlife and scenery.

'If you don't get excited about wildlife and nature, I think you can cross Australia off your list,' she said.

'Culturally Australia is so not up there but in terms of natural beauty, it is definitely one of the most beautiful places on earth.

'There was so many times when I was living in Aus that I'd be so frustrated with all the bulls*** I was dealing with and then I'd see a koala and it would make up for it.'

She added he felt very safe while travelling in Australia.

'Wildlife in Australia will probably kill you but in general, crime is low,' she said.

'Coming back to San Francisco, I totally forgot how unsafe this place is in comparison.'

Ms Wang (above) highlighted Australia's wildlife and good lifestyle but said lack of job opportunities and expensive travel sent her home early

Her last high point for living in Australia was the quality of life.

'This encompasses so many things, for example food quality. You can go to pretty much any supermarket and buy good quality food and that is not true in California,' she said.

'In California, if you don't know where to shop a lot of the food can poison your body.

'A lot of the fast food is actually edible. I don't eat fast food when I'm in California, not because I'm super healthy but because I don't want an IBS attack for a week.'

She then explained the other aspects that better Australian lifestyle.

'Another thing is when you compare Australia to other countries that have good quality of life, Australia has way better weather,' she said.

'When you compare Australia to northern European countries that also have great quality of life, those countries don't have sun for the entire winter.

'Another thing is because of the Asian population in Australia you can find really good Asian food, which you can't really find in Europe.

'Obviously no country is perfect and I was surprised to see that poverty is an issue in Australian cities as well.'
Australia's most wanted man has been marched through Sydney Airport in handcuffs after he was arrested while allegedly trying to flee the country in the hull of a yacht.

Mark Horne, 32, had been on the run for months when he was allegedly found hiding among fuel tanks and pipes on the Sy Lady Azzura at Darwin's Cullen Bay Marina last Wednesday as the boat set sail for a destination in Asia.

It's understood Horne was wearing the same shirt he was arrested in when he was escorted through Sydney Airport by NSW police officers about 6pm on Tuesday, after an expedition hearing in Darwin last week.

The bikie associate, from NSW, was on bail when police claim he cut off his electronic monitoring bracelet in October.

He is then believed to have fled Sydney on a private jet from Bankstown Airport.

Police believe he flew to a regional airport before making his way to Queensland.

Mark Horne, who was one of Australia's most wanted fugitives, is pictured being escorted through Sydney Airport by NSW police officers

Horne, pictured being escorted by NSW police, had been the subject of a massive manhunt after he allegedly fled while on bail over shooting and robbery charges

Horne, pictured with police, had been awaiting trial for the alleged non-fatal shooting of truck driver and the theft of $550,000 during a robbery in the NSW town of Lithgow in 2020

Horne had been awaiting trial for the alleged non-fatal shooting of truck driver and the theft of $550,000 during a robbery in the NSW town of Lithgow in 2020.

His bail conditions included being required to report to police daily, not associate with any Rebels bikies, observe a 9pm curfew, offer a $50,000 surety and wear an ankle monitor.

Horne had allegedly left his home at Arncliffe, in southern Sydney, in an Uber about 6.15am on October 21 and cut off his ankle bracelet in the back seat before chartering the plane from Bankstown.

Horne was allegedly found trying to flee the country in the hull of a yacht leaving Darwin

His disappearance led to a nationwide manhunt with NSW police coordinating with counterparts in other states and at the federal level.

Horne will face court in Sydney on Wednesday.

NT Police Commander Matt Hollamby said the arrest last Wednesday signified 'excellent work' by a joint organised crime taskforce, which included the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, Australian Border Force, and Federal Police.

Australian Border Force Commander Budhy Tanddo said it showed how well different agencies work together to combat organised crime.
A Northern Territory minister has come under the spotlight after a photo of her reading a document about potential budget cuts to police and emergency services surfaced amid a crime major crime wave.

Police Minister Kate Worden was pictured from over her shoulder reading the document titled 'Frontline staff reductions to meet NTG (NT Government) savings targets'.

A snippet from the document appears to show potential budget cuts of $16million to NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services (PFES) over the next two years. Another $31million cut to funding was proposed for the services over 2027 and 2028.

The photo has since circulated on social media and is believed to have been taken in crime-riddled Alice Springs - sparking concern from community members who have been begging for government intervention.

The Northern Territory's Police Minister Kate Worden has been put under the spotlight after a photo of her reading a document about potential budget cuts to emergency services surfaced amid a major crime wave in the state

But Ms Worden has since clarified the confidential document she was reading 'was not approved' for action.

'As a government we consistently review our budget position and review how we can better serve the Territory,' she said in a statement to Daily Mail Australia.

'A normal part of the budget process is to look at savings measures. When doing so, we need to look at every aspect to see how our budgets can deliver more funding for our frontline services.

'Departments provide Minister's with advice and correspondence frequently, however these are not always approved or accepted. The document in question was not approved.

'Our message to the community, but especially to victims of crime, is that we hear you and we are taking action  immediate action to stop this anti-social behaviour, and long-term action with the community to break the cycle of crime.

'No single solution will solve these issues, it takes hard work and tough decisions  but we will continue to work at it every single day.'

NT Police Association president Paul McCue said while he did not know the full extent of the content in the document, the prospect of staff reductions had caused 'significant concern' among members.

Alice Springs has descended into violent chaos in recent months as community members demand government intervention (pictured a brawl in the outback town)

'Any consideration or discussion regarding cutting critical frontline staffing would be an absolute disaster for the NT government and the NT community, let alone the police themselves,' he told the NT News.

'There is nothing that can be cut from the Police, Fire and Emergency Services budget that won't have a direct impact on the frontline, and the response capability of our members.'

The photo sparked outrage in those living in the Territory.

'The last thing the Territory needs right now,' one person wrote.

'How disgusting is this?' said another.

It comes as those living in Alice Springs demand governments take action to tackle the violence in the outback town, and the hundreds of children that roam the streets aimlessly at night.

Mayor Matt Paterson on Wednesday told The Today Show that many locals were too afraid to go to sleep, due to fears their home would be broken into.

'There is so much anti-social behaviour and domestic violence going on in our community that it really needs to be on a national stage,' he said.

Ms Worden said the document had not been approved for government action

As many as 3,000 locals - about 10 per cent of the town's population - attended a community meeting earlier this week to discuss the escalating crime wave.

In recent days footage has emerged of brawls breaking out at shopping centres, while a 16-year-old boy was recently attacked with an axe.

Disturbing video of the assault obtained by Daily Mail Australia shows three young males  one wielding an axe or hatchet  laying into the teenager, hitting and kicking him as he cowers in a park.

NT Police confirmed a teenage boy has been arrested over the incident, while the victim has been discharged from hospital.

Despite violence and crime being part of Alice Springs life, the situation has worsened in the 10 months since the Northern Territory Government lifted alcohol restrictions.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the town last week and committed $48million to go towards funding to help tackle the crime issue.

Alcohol restrictions have also been set in place, with takeaway alcohol-free days on Monday and Tuesday.

Other days alcohol can only be bought take-away between 3pm to 7pm.
Hundreds of New Zealanders convicted of serious crimes in Australia may avoid being booted from the country under sweeping changes to the federal government's deportation policies.

A government spokesperson on Wednesday said Australia would take a 'common sense approach' to deportations, having flagged a shift shortly after Labor took power in 2022.

Under the existing policy, New Zealanders can be deported on 'character grounds' - or if they have been jailed for 12 months or longer.

Officials will now consider how long they have been in the country before a decision is made to boot them out.

About 2,000 New Zealanders were deported between 2014 and 2020. One is pictured above in September 2020

They will also consider the impact deportation would have on dependent children who are Australian citizens or permanent residents.

The changes by the Albanese government have been welcomed across the Tasman, where leaders have long complained about the issue of deportations.

'Under these changes, the Department of Home Affairs must now consider the length of time someone has lived in the Australian community as one of the primary considerations when determining whether to cancel someone's visa,' the spokesperson said.

'Where individuals pose a risk to the community, the Australian government will continue to cancel their visas and remove them.'

The new policy will not be applied retrospectively.

Australia deports hundreds of people to New Zealand annually using a power under the Migration Act, which allows the immigration minister to evict on the basis of character rather than criminal convictions.

New Zealand sees it as an abrogation of the trans-Tasman friendship, as many of the people deported have little to no connection to Australia's near-neighbour.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured right with his partner Jodie Haydon) is about to restrict the deportation of Kiwi criminals to New Zealand

About 2,000 Kiwis were deported between 2014 and 2020.

New Zealand's former prime minister Jacinda Ardern clashed with the previous prime minister Scott Morrison over the issue, but declared a 'reset' in relations with Anthony Albanese as leader and Clare O'Neil as Home Affairs Minister.

At the time of Ms Ardern's visit last June, the Shadow Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said 'the Government must resist pressure to go soft on removing criminals who are citizens of New Zealand.'

Most of the Kiwi visa holders who were deported to New Zealand under the 501 policy had live in Australia since they were children.

Some of them were sent back even if they had no ties to the country other than their NZ passport.

Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil (pictured) and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese were urged by New Zealand to make changes to Australia's deportation policy

Criminals deported from Australia committed 8,000 offences since 2015 including 57 sex crimes and 861 drug and antisocial behaviour crimes.

Ms Ardern previously said the policy 'unquestionably' increased gang violence in New Zealand.

She said she did not want to stop all deportations from Australia, just cases where the criminal is 'essentially Australian'.

'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.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Andrews for comment.
A former New York University professor was slammed by Gov. Ron DeSantis' aide after telling parents to send their kids to public school despite sending her own to private.

Diane Ravitch, a former education professor, advocates for public school education. But a recent tweet led Republican political aide Christina Pushaw to dig into Ravitch's past and reveal she sent both of her sons to private school.

Ravitch was called out on Twitter after pausing her usual bash of school choice tweets to discuss how public schools bring people together.

'The best choice is your local public school,' Ravitch wrote.' It welcomes everyone. It unifies community. It is the glue of democracy.'

Diane Ravitch was slammed for telling parents to send their kids to public school. She was called out after it was revealed she sent her kids to private school

Ravitch has advocated for public education and against school choice

Pushaw, who worked on Governor DeSantis' reelection campaign responded to Ravitch's tweet by attaching a grab of the education writer's biography on her blog that showed her sons went to private school in The Big Apple.

'Why didn't you send your sons to your local public school,' Pushaw questioned. 'You didn't want the best for them? So you paid for private school n NYC? Make it make sense.'

To which Ravitch responded: 'I paid for it. I didn't ask taxpayers to pay for my private choice.'

Pushaw then questioned the writer's logic about parents making the 'best choice' in determining where to send their kids to school.

'So what about parents who can't afford to pay for private school but want to make the best choice for their kids? They don't deserve the same opportunities as your sons?'

Ravitch didn't immediately respond to Pushaw - but the Florida aide further commented: 'Behold, the logic of a liberal. "I paid for my sons to go to private school because it's the worst choice. It excludes the poors. It un-glues democracy."'

Pushaw, who worked on Governor DeSantis' reelection campaign responded to Ravitch's tweet by attaching a grab of the education writer's biography on her blog. The grab showed that Ravitch's kids went to private school

Ravitch didn't immediately respond to Pushaw - but the Florida aide further commented on the matter

Ravitch also wrote a series of educational books, including her latest 'Slaying Goliath'

Ravitch's blog shows she used to support 'conservative ideas' about education, including charter schools, during the 1980s and 1990s when she worked under George H.W. Bush administration as the assistant secretary of education.

Decades later at around 2006, Ravitch's beliefs shifted when she 'realized that these policies were not working,' her blog reads.

Aside from teaching at New York University from 1995 to 2000, she also taught at Colombia University between 1976 and 1981.

Ravitch also wrote a series of educational books, including her latest 'Slaying Goliath: The Passionate Resistance to Privatization and the Fight to Save Americas Public Schools.'
Mummies are remnants of the old world and it lets us peek into the culture that ancient Egyptians had. Archeological digs have unearthed many stories in various sites. Just recently, a team led by Zahi Hawass found the oldest mummy yet to date.

Beneath Saqqara

The mummy was discovered south of Cairo at the end of a 15-meter hole that's next to the Step Pyramid. The mummified corpse was said to belong to a man named Hekashepes, who was lying in a limestone sarcophagus sealed with mortar, according to Interesting Engineering.

The tombs went back as far as the Fifth and Sixth dynasties of Egypt's Old Kingdom. 12 "beautifully carved statues" were also found in the Gisr Al-Mudir area of Saqqara, align with two burial shafts, one of which held the 4,300-year-old mummy.

Although, it was mentioned that the most important tomb belonged to Khnumdjedef. He was an inspector of the officials, a supervisor of the nobles, and a priest in the pyramid complex of Unas, who was the last king of the Fifth Dynasty, as mentioned in ABC News.

The tomb of Khnumdjedef was decorated with daily scenes of life, says Hawass. There was even another tomb discovered that also held statues of unidentified individuals. In the same place, a mummy of two couples was also discovered.

The second largest tomb held Meri, who was said to be the keeper of secrets and the assistant of the leader of the palace. In another shaft, ten meters deep, wooden and stone statues were also unearthed, along with a sarcophagus that had the inscription "Fetek."

Read Also: Egyptian Mummy: Mystery Of Tiny Mummy Shocks Scientists

Oldest Mummy, but Not the Oldest Tomb

Hekashepes' mummy may have been the oldest mummy to be found, but an even older tomb has previously been discovered in Saqqara. The tomb dates back to the third king of the Fifth dynasty of ancient Egypt, to which the king was named Neferirkare Kakai.

The tomb remains untouched and was regarded to be one of a kind in the last decade due to its "near-perfect condition," according to the Secretary General of Egypt's supreme council of antiquities Mostafa Maziri.

The tomb is about nine feet tall and 32 feet wide. The excavation is still ongoing, which started in November 2022. The walls had carvings of hieroglyphs and statues all in color. There were also sculptures of the priest and his family, which is only part of the overall 45 statues found.

Five more shafts will be excavated, one of which is holding the sarcophagus of the priest, according to The New York Times. With the age of the tomb, the discovery of the priest's mummy will likely be older than that of Hekashepes by a hundred years.

There is more to discover in the necropolis Saqqara, which was the cemetery for the capital of the Old Kingdom Memphis. Before the latest find, archeological digs also led to the tomb of a prominent priestess, and the resting place of a royal goldsmith.

Related: Archaeologists Identify Mummified Knees As Egyptian Queen Nefertari's
Several dating app companies have confirmed they do not have profiles that match the 'horrific' Oregon man, who police said was using the apps to lure new victims to 'torture.'

Benjamin Obadiah Foster, 36, of Wolf Creek - located 60 miles north of the California border - is still on the run after he allegedly bound and nearly beat Justine Siemens, of Grants Pass, to death on January 24 in her home.

Siemens remains in the ICU in critical condition.

Match Group - which owns Tinder, Hinge, OKCupid, Match, and Plenty of Fish - has confirmed it does not have a profile that matches Foster's identity on their platforms, NPR reported.

Bumble has also confirmed it has not found any profile matching Foster's name, but is 'working around the clock to identify any members based on the information that is available to us at this time,' it told NPR.

'Any time we become aware of a report in the media, we proactively work to identify if the member is within our community and take swift action against their account,' Bumble added.

Benjamin Obadiah Foster, 36, of Wolf Creek - located 60 miles north of the California border - is still on the run after he allegedly bound and nearly beat Justine Siemens, of Grants Pass, to death on January 24 in her home

Police also warn Foster might 'attempt to change his appearance by shaving his beard and hair or by changing his hair color' and said that he is 'extremely dangerous.' The Grants Pass Police Department is asking the public to 'pay particular attention to Fosters facial structure and eyes since those features are very difficult to change'

Most dating apps do not allow users to run background checks on other users, but Tinder, Match, Plenty of Fish, and Stir have begun to rollout a program allowing singletons to use the platform Garbo to run one using their match's first name and phone number.

Match Group said it would continue to roll out the feature on other platforms, as well.

The Grants Pass Police Department said Foster was 'using online dating applications to contact unsuspecting individuals who may be lured into assisting with the suspect's escape or potentially as additional victims.'

Police also told CNN the incident 'was not a random attack' and that Foster and Siemens had a 'prior relationship,' but did not elaborate further.

Police also warn Foster might 'attempt to change his appearance by shaving his beard and hair or by changing his hair color' and said he is 'extremely dangerous.'

The Grants Pass Police Department is asking the public to 'pay particular attention to Fosters facial structure and eyes since those features are very difficult to change.'

Siemens (pictured) is still in the ICU after the attack and is in critical condition

Authorities were alerted about the attack after her friend showed up to her home on January 24 after he couldn't get in contact with her and 'interrupted' the torture. Police said the scene was 'absolutely disgusting scene' and 'horrific'

He is wanted for attempted murder, kidnapping and assault, and police said 'nothing is off the table with an individual like him.'

'Hes definitely a threat to others,' Police Chief Warren Hensman told CNN. 'I think he would be a threat to somebody who might befriend him.'

Foster allegedly 'bound and severely beat' Siemens until she was unconscious inside her home on Shane Way on January 24. Police believe she was kidnapped between Monday and Tuesday evening.

That day, a male friend arrived at Siemen's home after he was unable to contact her and 'interrupted' the torture, according to The New York Times.

Lieutenant Jeff Hattersley told the Times that Foster then fled in his 2008 Nissan Sentra and later 'escaped into the wilderness' on foot.

Foster's car was found at Tina Marie Jones' house on Sunny Valley Loop in Wolf Creek, which is surrounded by a wooded area. The 68-year-old was arrested on Thursday on two counts of hindering prosecution for allegedly hiding Foster and is currently in the Josephine County Jail.

Investigators told CNN what they found inside Siemens' home was an 'absolutely disgusting scene' that was 'horrific.'

Police have accused him of 'intentionally torturing' Siemens for a 'protracted amount of time.'

After being interrupted, Foster reportedly fled the scene in his Nissan to Tina Marie Jones' home in Wolf Creek, where his car was found and evidence that he was using dating apps to lure victims was found

After serving a search warrant, Grants Pass Police, sheriff's deputies, Oregon State Police SWAT team, and federal agents found Foster's car at Jones' residence and evidence that he was using dating apps to commit his crimes.

Police dogs had searched the heavily wooded area behind the home but were unable to find him on Friday. Police believe the assailant befriended the 68-year-old because they lived in a similar area, Hattersley told the Times.

'We suspect that just from him living in the area, he had somehow gained a friendship with [Jones],' he said.

Hattersley also believed that if Siemen's friend had not shown up to her residence on Tuesday, 'we'd have a completely different investigation.'

'It's clear that his intent was to kill her,' he told The New York Times. 'I've been in law enforcement for 32 years, and this is one of the most heinous, terrible cases I've ever seen.'

Siemen's friend Jacqueline Frankel said she saw the pair at the Corvette's Bar and Grill in Grants Pass a few weeks before the alleged attack, although they were not hanging out. Siemens appeared to work at the restaurant, according to her Facebook page.

Jones was arrested for allegedly helping him to hide and is in the Josephine County Jail

Foster is also a bartender in Grants Pass. It is unclear if he worked at Corvette's, but police said he did know Siemen's prior to the attack. DailyMail.com has contacted the restaurant for comment.

Frankel said Foster 'just looked like a normal guy' at the time but didn't see him 'hanging out' with Siemens.

This is not the first time Foster has faced similar allegations, as he was convicted in 2019 of holding his girlfriend captive in Las Vegas, where he was attending university.

He reportedly held his girlfriend captive inside her own apartment for two weeks, and brutally tortured her.

That victim, whose name was redacted from court records, received a shaved head, seven broken ribs, two black eyes, and chemical burns from lye, which Foster also allegedly forced her to eat, over the course of 16 days.

He initially was charged with five felonies, including assault and battery, and faced decades in prison upon conviction. But, in August 2021, Foster reached a deal with Clark County prosecutors that allowed him to plead guilty to one felony count of battery and a misdemeanor count of battery constituting domestic violence.

Foster has been accused of holding his girlfriend hostage in her Las Vegas apartment in 2019. He reportedly held his girlfriend captive for two weeks, and brutally tortured her.

A judge sentenced him to up to 2.5 years in a Nevada prison. The 729 days he had spent in jail awaiting trial were factored into his punishment, leaving Foster with fewer than 200 days to serve in state custody

He fled the scene earlier this month in his Nissan Sentra (pictured)

A judge sentenced him to up to 2.5 years in a Nevada prison. The 729 days he had spent in jail awaiting trial were factored into his punishment, leaving Foster with fewer than 200 days to serve in state custody.

The woman also told police she was choked to the point of unconsciousness.

She escaped when Foster let her out of his sight during a trip together to a grocery store and gas station.

After spending several months in prison, Foster returned to Oregon, where 'unfortunately, he found another woman to victimize in a very similar way,' Hattersley told The New York Times.

Court records show, Foster was out of custody at the time on a suspended jail sentence for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit. He also was awaiting trial in another 2018 case involving domestic violence. But Foster's plea deal with prosecutors in 2021 settled the domestic violence case, a copy of the agreement shows, and he was 'sentenced to credit for time served.'

A friend said she saw the two at Corvette's Bar and Grill weeks before the attack and that he 'just looked like a normal guy,' but said the pair were not 'hanging out'

Grants Pass Police Chief Warren Hensman told AP on Thursday that it is 'extremely troubling' that Foster was out and able to prey on other women instead of still being behind bars for the Nevada crimes.

Grants Pass Police are now warning the town of 40,000 that Foster is believed to be armed and 'extremely dangerous.' Foster is 'trained in mixed martial arts,' according to Siemen's friend Ashley, who started the GoFundMe, which has raised more than $700 of its $100,000 goal.

'We are using every piece of technology available to locate this man,' Hensman said.

Police are offering a $2,500 reward for anyone with information regarding the case and have set up a tip-line at 541-237-5607.
The ABC's flagship radio show AM has been accused of biased coverage of the Alice Springs youth crime wave after claiming a packed town crisis meeting was filled with 'white supremacists'.

Thousands of fed-up locals attended the Save Alice Springs meeting on Monday night as the town grapples with a crime crisis, with residents threatening to sue the Northern Territory government for $1.5billion in compensation.

The audience at the town hall meeting was comprised of terrified families, business owners and Indigenous leaders.

Despite the wide range of perspectives, the ABC's radio segment featured only people who slammed the meeting as 'racist', including one who said it was a 'scary' 'white supremacist fest'.

Thousands of locals gathered at a crisis meeting in Alice Springs on Monday night to discuss the town's youth crime wave

'It was really a disgusting show of white supremacy... It was really, really disappointing,' one woman told reporter Carly Williams.

'It was scary to be in that room.'

Another told the program: 'Tension and violence and anger in the room was palpable and it was clearly all around white supremacy and the safety of white people in this town - and that is all that was being considered.'

Yet another described the meeting as 'bizarre' and 'dangerous'.

'I am far more concerned about the dangers posed by those people in there - those white people have a choice to live here - then those vulnerable Aboriginal children whose connection to this country cannot be broken,' she said.

'If they don't like living here, if they have a problem with it, then leave.'

ABC reporter Carly Williams (pictured) gave a live cross for the broadcaster's TV program and submitted a radio segment

Another woman, an Indigenous midwife and youth worker, told Williams the community needed to acknowledge there was a 'lot of racism put onto First Nations mob'.

She said locals in Alice Springs want to 'blame' someone because they 'don't see the wider picture of what First Nations people have been through historically'.

Meanwhile, during a live cross on ABC TV, Williams said 'emotional' people were 'leaving early and streaming out of the convention centre'.

Just one interview was aired during the report.

The woman said: 'They could be putting that $1.5 billion into dealing with the causes of the crimes.. Instead they want to take punitive approaches... It's a total white supremacist fest in there - and I can tell you - it was scary.'

Other locals offered different portrayals of the meeting.

'I am so proud to see the number of locals giving their time and support to help bring change,' local business owner and lifelong resident Garth Thompson posted on Facebook after the event.

'Im proud to be a local here in Alice Springs, the community coming together tonight was a showing of what is possible in our amazing town!'

Alice Springs Mayor Matt Paterson has called for the ABC report to be retracted

Biggest gathering Ive ever seen of #AliceSprings locals at the Convention Centre. People from all walks of life with diverse ideas about the town. pic.twitter.com/fb4MDxltsk  Alex Barwick (@_AlexBarwick) January 30, 2023

Meanwhile, 2GB host Ben Fordham blasted the national broadcaster on air on Wednesday.

'Out of the thousands of people who attended the meeting, we only heard from one person in that report - a woman who had left early,' he said.

'We didn't hear from the terrified locals or the worried mums and dads - we only heard of claims of racism from a woman who walked out [of the meeting] - someone who did not represent the whole mood in the room.

'And there were no examples given of the so-called ''white supremacy" - no quotes, no footage, no audio.

'We didn't hear from any of the concerned locals, they didn't play any of the comments from inside the hall - I'm not sure if [she] was inside - that was not clear from her story.'

Fordham said the AM segment was 'even worse' than the TV report.

'Their coverage of the meeting was reckless and ruthlessly one-sided,' Fordham said.

'They ignored the issuesAnd just turned into a fight between black and white. And IF racist comments were made what were they? And where's the proof?'

Alice Springs Mayor Matt Paterson called for the broadcaster to retract the story, saying the report 'couldn't be further from the truth'.

'It's a kick in the teeth to residents who have put up with this for far too long,' he told reporters.

'Its adding unnecessary anxiety when we are all trying to come together to address the issue and here youve got the ABC lighting the fuse to have a race war.'

Alice Springs in the Northern Territory has recently descended into chaos with locals now afraid to go to sleep in fear of home intruders

The Prime Minister recently made a short visit to the town where he announced new alcohol restrictions

In response to the outcry, an ABC spokewoman rejected the accusations of bias, saying the broadcaster's coverage of the issue has reflected diverse perspectives.

'The ABC's long-running reporting on the issues facing Alice Springs has included a range of perspectives and will continue to canvass peoples views and experiences as coverage continues,' they said.

'Many strong and conflicting views and opinions are expressed within the community, including some confronting views, and the news coverage reflects that and doesnt shy away from it.'

Williams, a First Nations Quandamooka woman, is a journalist with the ABC's audio and current affairs team.

Federal and territory governments have designated cash to extra policing as they consider reintroducing alcohol bans in Indigenous communities.

The calls for action come as videos have emerged of youth violence within the town's streets, with a clip surfacing on Tuesday of a boy being attacked by other teens with an axe.
The US is readying more than $2 billion worth of military aid for Ukraine that is expected to include longer-range rockets for the first time as well as other munitions and weapons, two U.S. officials briefed on the matter have said.

The aid is expected to be announced as soon as this week, the officials told Reuters news agency. It is also expected to include support equipment for Patriot air defense systems, precision-guided munitions, and Javelin anti-tank weapons, they added.

One of the officials said a portion of the package, expected to be $1.725 billion, would come from a fund known as the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), which allows President Joe Biden's administration to get weapons from industry rather than from U.S. weapons stocks.

The USAI funds would go toward the purchase of a new weapon - the Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), made by Boeing Co - which has a range of 94 miles and which are highly mobile.

The US has rebuffed Ukraine's requests for the 185-mile range ATACMS missile and for F-16 fighter jets, but recently joined other western allies - including Germany and the UK - in agreeing to supply Kyiv with heavy tanks.

The United States is readying more than $2 billion worth of military aid for Ukraine that is expected to include longer-range rockets for the first time. The Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) would allow President Biden's administration to get weapons from industry rather than from U.S. weapons stocks, and will go towards the purchase of GLSDBs

The longer range of the GLSDB glide bomb could allow Ukraine to hit targets that have been out of reach and help it continue pressing its counterattacks by disrupting Russia further behind its lines.

Reuters first reported on Boeing's proposal to field GLSDB for Ukraine in November. At the time it was expected GLSDB could be in Ukraine by spring.

GLSDB is made jointly by SAAB AB and Boeing. It combines the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) with the M26 rocket motor, both of which are common in U.S. inventories, and thus can help expand Ukraine's arsenal.

GLSDB is GPS-guided, can defeat some electronic jamming, is usable in all weather conditions, and can be used against armored vehicles, according to SAAB's website.

The GBU-39 - which would function as the GLSDB's warhead - has small, folding wings that allow it to glide more than 100km if dropped from an aircraft and hit targets as small as 3 feet in diameter.

The missiles have the capability to fly around obstacles - such as mountains - and thus offer another angle of attack.

The longer range of the GLSDB glide bomb could allow Ukraine to hit targets that have been out of reach and help it continue pressing its counterattacks by disrupting Russia further behind its lines. Pictured: A GLSDB is seen in use (file image)

Speaking to DailyMail.com in November when it was first reported the US could supply Ukraine with the missile system, Justin Crump - a former British Army officer and now CEO of Sibylline, a strategic risk consultancy company - said that the GLSDB system would bring more high-value Russian targets into Kyiv's range.

He explained that the GLSDB concept would be a relatively simple and cost-effective modification that would increase the range of Ukrainian MLRS and HIMARS.

The systems could also be produced at the same time as 'normal' rockets, Mr Crump said, and thus help 'overcome the bottlenecks in ammunition supply that are currently hindering support for Ukraine'.

'One other advantage of the system is that the munitions can hit moving targets, depending on exactly what bomb is used as the basis,' he said.

'This means it can be used against mobile land and maritime assets, rather than just fired at fixed coordinates.

'The glide capability also means that the weapon can hit targets that might otherwise be sheltered by terrain, for example on the back of a steep slope that would prevent ballistic weapons from impact in the target.'

Ukraine has been asking its Western allies for more military aid - including heavy tanks, fighter jets and long-range missiles - to help it repel Vladimir Putin's on-going invasion. Pictured: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky takes part in a ceremony in Kyiv, January 29

Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) system The Pentagon is set to provide Ukraine with Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), that could strike 100 miles into Russian-controlled territory. The system combines the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) with a M26 rocket motor. The GBU-39 is a 250lb precision-guided explosive, that was built with the intention of providing aircraft with the ability to carry a high number of accurate weapons. But the GLSDB combines this with a M26 rocket motor, which enables the weapon to be launched from ground-based missile systems - such as the M270 MLRS or the HIMARS system - which Ukraine has in its arsenal. Once the motor has been launched to a high-enough altitude and speed, it deploys wings that guide the bomb to its target - which it can strike from 360-degree angles. It can fly around terrain and hit targets from almost any direction - such as on the other side of the mountain. Boeing and Saab Group believes it can fill a gap for long-range precision missiles - and allow Ukraine to save its larger and more expensive rocket systems for strategic targets. Advertisement

The USAI funds would also be used to pay for more components of HAWK air defenses, counter drone systems, counter artillery and air surveillance radars, communications equipment, PUMA drones, and spare parts for major systems like Patriot and Bradley, one of the officials said.

There was also a significant amount of medical equipment - enough to equip three field hospitals being donated by another ally, the official added.

The White House declined to comment. The contents and size of aid packages can shift until they are signed by the president.

In addition to the USAI funds, more than $400 million worth of aid was expected to come from Presidential Drawdown Authority funds, which allows the president to take from current U.S. stocks in an emergency.

That aid was expected to include mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles (MRAPs), guided multiple launch rocket systems (GMLRS) and ammunition.

The U.S. has sent approximately $27.2 billion worth of security assistance to Ukraine since Russia's February 2022 invasion. Russia calls the invasion a 'special operation'.

News that the US is set to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles came after Kyiv's allies agreed to send main battle tanks into the conflict.

Speaking on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said 120 to 140 modern battle tanks would be made up of three different Western models: the German-made Leopard 2, the British Challenger 2, and the American M1 Abrams.

However, the West has been torn on whether to also supply Ukraine with fighter jets, amid fears that doing so could lead to Russian dramatically escalating the conflict.

Speaking on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said 120 to 140 modern battle tanks would be made up of three different Western models: the German-made Leopard 2, the British Challenger 2, and the American M1 Abrams (pictured, file photo)

Britain said on Tuesday that it would not supply Ukraine with its RAF Typhoon and F-35 fighters because it would take too long to train the country's pilots, while Biden has ruled out sending F-16 fighters.

But France said on Tuesday that it had discussed training Ukrainian fighter pilots to fly French fighter jets - although no decision had been taken yet. Poland also refused to rule out the possibility of sending F-16s to its embattled neighbour.

In response to the West ramping up its military aid, Sergei Naryshkin, who heads up Russia's SVR Foreign Intelligence Service and is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, accused NATO of upping the ante in the conflict.

'NATO is raising the stakes because they still have dreams of a strategic defeat over Russia,' Naryshkin said in a televised interview with the state-run RIA news agency released on Wednesday. 'But this will not happen'.

Naryshkin criticised Washington's latest promises of military aid, saying Moscow had 'taken note of the expansion in both the volume and the range of military equipment being supplied'. He said the United States and its allies were 'determined to wage war with Russia to the last Ukrainian'.

Following promises by the United States, Germany and several other European countries to deliver dozens of tanks to Ukraine, Russian officials such as Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov have accused NATO countries of taking a more active role in the war.

Kyiv and the West say military supplies are vital to help Ukraine defend itself against what they say is an illegal war of aggression being waged by Russia which sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February last year.

Reports in the West, in Ukraine and in Russia have pointed to Putin planning a new major offensive on Kyiv in an effort to win the war, which could coincide with February 24 - which will mark the first anniversary since the invasion began.
President Joe Biden answered a question on ending the three-year COVID emergencies by grabbing a reporter's hand and squeezing himself underneath her umbrella on Tuesday.

Before boarding a flight to New York, the 80-year-old walked over to NBC News' Chief White House Correspondent Kristen Welker when she asked: 'What's behind your decision to end the COVID emergency?'

She was referring to the move announced Monday night to draw down two COVID national emergencies by May 11, more than three years after they were first announced under Donald Trump.

In the bizarre encounter, a smiling Biden moved underneath the umbrella and told her: 'The COVID emergency ends when the Supreme Court ends it'.

It was a gesture once unthinkable during the height of the pandemic at the White House when social distancing and mask-wearing were strictly enforced.

Two policies enacted under COVID emergencies are in limbo as they are considered by the Supreme Court.

Title 42, which lets border officials turn migrants away, will be considered in the coming months and the Biden's massive student loan forgiveness plan is also in flux.

President Joe Biden answered a question on ending the three-year COVID emergencies by grabbing a reporter's hand and squeezing himself underneath her umbrella on Tuesday

Before boarding his flight to New York, the 80-year-old walked over to NBC News' Chief White House Correspondent Kristen Walker when she asked: 'What's behind your decision to end the COVID emergency?'

The smiling Biden moved underneath the umbrella and told her: 'The COVID emergency ends when the Supreme Court ends it'

Republicans are calling for an end to the restrictions now, but the White House wants the emergencies to wind down so plans can be put in place.

After the encounter with the press, Biden flew to the Big Apple to tout a $292 million mega grant that will be used to help build a new rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River between New York and New Jersey, but didn't find the time to drive-by or acknowledge NYC's burgeoning migrant housing crisis in midtown Manhattan - a mere 10-minute car ride away.

With temperatures near freezing, scores of migrants have set up pop-up tents on the sidewalk outside the Watson Hotel in midtown Manhattan to protest being relocated to a Brooklyn shelter - a symptom of a much bigger problem facing NYC as the flow of migrants overwhelms city resources.

Biden was joined by the state's Democratic political powerhouse consortium: Sen. Chuck Schumer, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Gov. Kathy Hochul, NYC Mayor Eric Adams, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, amongst others,

The money is part of $1.2 billion in mega grants being awarded under the 2021 infrastructure law. The yearslong modernization of the Hudson project started in 2013 but stalled as Trump all but blocked Schumer over funding for the project in exchange for his support for his wall at the southern border - something that Schumer refused to do.

President Joe Biden speaks about how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will provide funding for the Hudson River Tunnel project, at the West Side Rail Yard in New York City on January 31, 2023.

Only a 10-minute car ride away from Hudson Yards, President Biden did not take the opportunity to drive past the Watson Hotel in midtown Manhattan where a migrant crisis is unfolding

Biden is greeted by Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of N.Y., as he arrives to speak at the construction site of the Hudson Tunnel Project in New York, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023

The current Hudson Tunnel Project is to repair 113-year old infrastructure which goes under the Hudson River was completed in 1910. In addition to age, the tunnels were damaged by saltwater during Hurricane Sandy in 2012

The Senate Majority Leader took aim at Trump for 'sabotaging' the long-running Gateway Program. 'The former president was shoveling you know what,' said Schumer with a wry smile.

Biden's recent trips along the East Coast corridor amount to a form of counterprogramming to the new House Republican majority as GOP lawmakers seek deep spending cuts in exchange for lifting the government's legal borrowing limit, saying that federal expenditures are hurting growth and that the budget should be balanced.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Biden are scheduled to officially meet at the White House on Wednesday to talk about the looming debt ceiling. The freshly minted Republican Speaker will press his case for spending cuts even though White House officials say Biden won't negotiate over the need to increase the federal debt limit.

'I don't think there's anyone in America who doesn't agree that there's some wasteful Washington spending that we can eliminate,' McCarthy told CBS News on Sunday.

Mitch Landrieu, the White House senior adviser responsible for coordinating implementation of the infrastructure law, told reporters on Tuesday that if Republicans are looking to 'take away money from projects, they ought to, I think, identify which projects they don't want.'

'And then you can have that discussion with the American people,' Landrieu added.

President Biden (middle) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (right) arrive at Wall St Heliport in New York City flanked by NYPD and Secret Service.

The immigrants, mostly from Venezuela and other Latin American countries, had been living in the Watson Hotel in midtown Manhattan until recently, when they were told to leave the temporary shelter.

NYC is trying to move some of them from the Watson Hotel in Manhattan to a new shelter at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, but many of the men gathered outside the hotel said they wouldn't leave. The city sent MTA buses, but many of the people said they wouldn't board them, adding they were concerned about the conditions at the new shelter.

To some in the Biden administration, the Hudson Tunnel Project demonstrates what could be lost if spending cuts are put into place. In total, the construction is projected to result in 72,000 jobs, according to the White House.

The project will renovate the 1910 tunnel already carrying about 200,000 weekday passengers beneath the Hudson between New Jersey and Manhattan, a long-delayed upgrade after decades in which the government underfunded infrastructure.

'We cannot lead the world in this century if we depend on infrastructure from early in the last one,' Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.

The grant would be used to help complete the concrete casing for an additional rail tunnel beneath the river, preserving a right of way for the eventual tunnel. In total, the project is expected to cost $16 billion and help ease a bottleneck for New Jersey commuters and Amtrak passengers going through New York City.

Biden made the case the project is critical far beyond greater New York.

'If this line shuts down for just one day it would cost our economy $100 million,' Biden said. 'And the current Hudson River rail tunnel can be a major chokepoint.'

Other projects to receive mega grants include the Brent Spence Bridge, which connects Kentucky and Ohio; the Calcasieu River Bridge replacement in Louisiana; a commuter rail in Illinois; the Alligator River Bridge in North Carolina; a transit and highway plan in California; and roadways in Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Mississippi.

Not everyone has been pleased by the mega grant program. Some Republican lawmakers in Arizona say it gave preference to mass transit and repair projects over expansion and new construction.

Schumer criticized Trump for slowing the project during his term as he feuded with the Democrats.

'Get on the Joe Biden Express now because we are not stopping,' Schumer said. 'For four years, the former president was shoveling you know what and now we're going to put real shovels in the ground, wielded by real American workers.'
Parents urged to be vigilant and seek medical attention immediately

Experts warn the nasty bacteria infection can kill within hours

Health authorities have issued an urgent warning to parents about a life-threatening infection running rampant across Australia.

Cases of the killer bug Strep A have doubled in Western Australia in the past three months in the state's first major surge of the infection in two decades.

On the other side of the country, Queensland, NSW and Victorian authorities have also all reported recent spikes in Strep A cases among children.

Also known as group A Streptococcus, the bacterial infection is found in the throat and skin but can lead to other invasive infections.

It's the same infection that led to the death of Perth girl Aishwarya Aswath in 2021 and claimed the lives of at least two other children in Victoria last year.

Doctors have warned of the life-threatening dangers of Strep A, which can kill within hours

Parents have been urged to be vigilant and seek medical attention immediately if symptoms emerge.

They include a sore throat, fevers or chills, dizziness, shortness of breath, headache, nausea, skin infection and abdominal pain.

Strep A kills more than 600,000 people worldwide each year, according to Telethon Kids Institute executive director Jonathan Carapetis.

He warned the infection could kill within hours.

'I'd describe it as the nastiest bug you've probably never heard of... it's the sort of bug that can kill you in hours,' Professor Carapetis told The West Australian.

'If a kid is getting sick very quickly, that's a potential emergency and you don't wait until tomorrow to see the GP, you take them straight to the emergency department. Literally, children can go to bed and never wake up.'

He believes the easing of Covid-19 restrictions has contributed to the global rise in Strep A infections.

He added that the capacity to treat the bug was being impacted by shortages in penicillin and amoxicillin.

Health experts in Western Australia, Queensland, NSW and Victoria have raised concern about a recent spike in Strep A cases (stock image)

School-aged children, the elderly and pregnant women are among the most vulnerable.

In April 2021, Aishwarya Aswath died of sepsis after contracting an infection in group A streptococcus after staff at Perth Children's Hospital failed to identify the seriousness of her condition.

A recent spike across Victoria prompted the state's chief health officer professor Brett Sutton to issue a warning after 60 children with Strep A were hospitalised in 2022.

Safer Care Victoria recommends children showing signs of a serious bacterial infection should be treated promptly with antibiotics.

Queensland also recorded a 20 per cent of Strep A infections in 2022 which claimed nine lives .

Experts warn the nasty bacteria infection (stock image) can kill within hours if symptoms are missed

NSW recorded 137 cases of invasive group A streptococcus in the final four months of 2022.

'Rapid intervention and effective treatment for invasive bacterial infections are available and can be lifesaving,' Health Protection NSW executive director Dr Richard Broome said.

'We urge people to pay close attention to symptoms, trust their instincts, and seek urgent medical care if symptoms worsen or if they or the people they care for appear very unwell.'

There are currently no preventative treatment for the infection.

Teams of researchers across the country, including Professor Carapetis are now working on vaccine trials which could be up and running within three years.

Strep A tragically claimed the life of Perth girl Aishwarya Aswath, 7, in 2021
A council worker has demolished a sovereign citizen's attempt to get out of a $110 parking fine where they refused to pay in Australian currency.

The sovereign citizen - a movement of people who refuse to recognise governments and many pieces of legislation - had lodged an internal review of a fine they received for parking in a loading zone last October with Melbourne's Monash Council.

The citizen wrote to the council that they 'have committed no criminal offence, offended/broken no law' - prompting a sassy four-page response from council legal officer Juan Dominguez.

A Monash Council legal officer has dismantled a sovereign citizen's attempt to get out of a $110 parking fine for parking in a loading zone by claiming that they 'have committed no crime'

The legal officer, Juan Dominguez, had to inform the citizen on how laws are formed and certified by the Victorian government under the Australian Constitution

Mr Dominguez said: 'I note that you are using a proforma letter from an internet site,' he wrote.

He goes on to say that the person's argument was 'an exercise of reductio ad absurdum' - Latin for reduction to absurdity - by claiming that it was impossible to value Australian currency.

'While Australian currency is made of plastic, the Australian dollar has value ascribed to it by virtue of the Currency Act 1965,' Mr Dominguez wrote.

'Please note it appears you are suggesting that you are unable to legally pay the penalty notice and that claim would have no basis in the law.'

Mr Dominguez stated that the citizen's argument that it is 'impossible to value the Australian dollar' was an exercise of reductio ad absurdum - Latin for reduction to absurdity - and had to give them a crash course in how currency is given value

Mr Dominguez also hit back on the person's attempts to put the council in a bind by forcing them to provide a proof of claim within 28 days.

'It also appears you are under the mistaken belief that Council is somehow legally obligated to provide you with "proof of claim" within 28 days or you will consider Council to be bound by certain contractual obligations.

'As I indicated before, you appear to hold grave misconceptions of a variety of legal principles and in this case, I must state in the strongest possible terms, you cannot legally bind Council using such an ultimatum.'

Mr Dominguez concluded by saying that the citizen's claim was unfounded and the fine lawfully issued but gave the sovereign citizen an extension of time to pay the penalty.

The legal officer concluded that the citizen's attempt at binding the council to provide a proof of claim within 28 days was a 'mistaken belief', later stating that they 'appear to hold grave misconceptions of a variety of legal principles'

Social media users praised the legal officer for the four-page breakdown.

'My favourite part is the sign off 'faithfully yours'. There's so much implied sass in that', one user wrote.

'A simple enough matter to swat away, but still written with beautiful legal understanding and respect,' another user wrote.

The sovereign citizen movement has recently gained traction across Australia in retaliation to Covid lockdowns, mask mandates and vaccine requirements.
A cleaning van with a decal design that looks identical to the chequered pattern on police vehicles has been startling other drivers.

An image of the Renault Trafic plastered with a distinctive blue and white pattern running along the sides and back was posted to social media on Tuesday.

The van has surprised drivers in Williamstown in Melbourne's bayside area who have mistaken the commercial vehicle for a police van.

One motorist said it 'grabbed attention but not for the right reasons'.

An image of the Renault Trafic plastered with the distinctive blue and white police pattern running along the sides and back (pictured) was posted to social media on Tuesday

Social media commenters took issue with the use of the familiar markings (pictured)

'Surely this can't be legal, right? How is this tradie vehicle not imitating a police vehicle?' their post's caption read.

'Should have been charged and changed a long time ago,' they added.

'I've passed [this vehicle] on the freeway a couple times and had a mini heart attack each time,' another driver grumbled.

'[This van] made me slow down to 60,' a motorist said.

Other commenters thought it was a good way to keep road users in check.

'If it makes even one muppet stop speeding and actually keep left unless overtaking, good,' one said.

Williamstown police said the van's design (pictured) was a 'nice deterrent' to drivers

Other motorists said the design was legit claiming authorities had no problem with the driver sporting the blue and white colours (pictured, a police vehicle in Victoria)

'Great for exposure/advertising [but] also great for slowing other cars down,' another commenter wrote.

The person who posted the photo later did an about turn realising the design was 'legit', after following up with authorities.

'[Police] were aware of the vehicle and actually had to consult lawmakers to determine the legality of the decals,' the driver wrote.

'Officers at the station didn't know how far the law actually went.

'It is legal, but it was questionable enough that even members of VICPOL weren't sure and needed to seek clarification.

'But it's legal, so fair play, carry on!'

'It's fine, police car checks are blue and white, this one's white and blue,' one online commenter joked (pictured, a police car in Melbourne)

Local authorities told Yahoo News Australia the van was 'completely compliant' and was not in breach of the Victorian Police Act.

Williamstown police said the van's design was a 'nice deterrent' to drivers.

The van's owner Jason Thurley runs his JT Services business with the vehicle in Melbourne's Williamstown area.

He received a lot of calls since changing the design a year ago and chose the pattern because he wanted his company to stand out.

'I thought to myself, "What sparks people's attention?"' Mr Thurley said.

'So it really has paid for itself quite a few times over to tell you the truth.'

But Mr Thurley, who worked for Victoria Police between 2010 to 2014, didn't expect the new look to cause drivers to slow down.

'If I can kill two birds with one stone and get a bit of business out of it, and slow people down at the same time, well that's even better.'

Meanwhile, online commenters continued to joke over the viral post.

'It's fine, police car checks are blue and white, this one's white and blue,' one said.

'I wonder if his chequered past caught up with him?' wrote another.

'Both he and his former employer have a very chequered history,' one more joked.
Nearly all single-use plastics - including straws, cutlery and food packaging - have been banned in Victoria.

All single-use plastic drinking straws, cutlery, plates, drink stirrers, cotton bud sticks and expanded polystyrene food and drink containers have been banned in Victoria starting Wednesday, February 1.

It follows a similar ban from NSW that came into force on November 1, with other jurisdictions to follow suit at their own pace. Queensland already has a ban on single-use plastic straws and cups.

Queensland already has a ban on single-use plastic straws and cups.

The ban includes items made from conventional, degradable and compostable plastics - including bioplastics.

The government recommended businesses use alternative materials like bamboo, wood, or paper for their essential single-use goods.

States across Australia have all moved to introduce their own rules to cut down on plastic use

All single-use plastic drinking straws, cutlery, plates, drink stirrers, cotton bud sticks and expanded polystyrene food and drink containers have been banned in Victoria to reduce waste

Businesses caught using those items can be fined $1849 and individuals face a fine of $370, but only those who repeatedly break the rules will be penalised, the government says.

Only five exemptions from the ban exist for:

Single-use plastic drinking straws for people who need them due to a disability or for medical reasons.

Single-use plastic cotton bud sticks for testing carried out for scientific, medical, forensic or law enforcement purposes.

Single-use plastic cutlery where required in correctional and mental health facilities to prevent physical harm or injury.

Until 1 November 2024 paper or cardboard plates lined with plastic.

Until 1 January 2026 any single-use plastic item that is integrated into food or drink packaging (e.g., a single-use plastic spoon included in a yogurt tub).

The Victorian ban includes items made from conventional, degradable and compostable plastics

Premier Dan Andrews claims his government's $515million plan to cut out plastic will create thousands of jobs and divert 80 per cent of waste from landfill by 2030

The ban is part of Labor's staggered plan to reduce plastic waste and follows its ban on plastic shopping bags in 2019.

Premier Dan Andrews claims the $515million plan will create thousands of jobs and divert 80 per cent of waste from landfill by 2030.

'We are taking action to protect Victoria's environment and reduce pollution by banning single-use plastic items and supporting businesses to switch to reusables instead,' Environment Minister Ingrid Stitt said.

'Plastic pollution has significant impacts on our health, wildlife, and the environment.

'This single-use plastics ban is a crucial step to protect Victoria's rivers, waterways and oceans from plastic pollution.'
Rishi Sunak scrambled to soothe DUP and Tory MP nerves over Northern Ireland protocol concessions today as No10 played down hopes a deal is nearly done.

The UK and EU are said to be 'inching' towards a settlement that could end years of wrangling over post-Brexit rules.

Brussels is believed to have agreed a package that includes scrapping routine checks on products destined for the province.

The bloc also appears to have accepted that the European Court of Justice would only be able to intervene if the domestic courts refer issues.

However, Downing Street said there were still 'significant gaps' and it is far from clear that the terms will be acceptable to unionists in Northern Ireland, or Tory Brexiteers.

Goods vehicles are checked as they arrive at the port of Larne harbour last month

The EU's Maros Sefcovic (left) has been leading talks, but the DUP (leader Jeffrey Donaldson pictured right) has set a series of tests for approving any deal

Rishi Sunak scrambled to soothe DUP and Tory MP nerves over Northern Ireland protocol concessions today as No10 played down hopes a deal is nearly done

Mr Sunak was challenged to guarantee there will be no erosion of 'sovereignty' by former Northern Ireland secretary Shailesh Vara at PMQs this afternoon.

He replied that he could offer that assurance. 'The implementation of the protocol is having an impact on the communities in Northern Ireland. That is why it needs to be addressed and that is what we are trying to do through constructive dialogue,' the premier said.

'But the goal in that must be to ensure Northern Ireland's place in our precious union.'

Both sides are anxious about the potential for any deal to unravel, with the PM desperate to provoking a fresh civil war in his party.

Former Brexit Secretary Lord Frost fired a warning shot saying the UK had undermined its own leverage by failing to follow through the mooted law unilaterally scrapping the protocol.

Ex-Cabinet minister John Redwood said that while getting rid of EU checks is important the 'bigger issue that stops agreement is their wish to control the laws and taxes in Northern Ireland'.

One senior Tory Brexiteer told MailOnline there was a lot of 'shadow boxing' going on. 'I think they are now inching towards a deal - but if it doesn't address EU law, the DUP are very unlikely to back it.'

Powersharing in Northern Ireland has collapsed amid the tussle over the post-Brexit rules, with the DUP refusing to participate at Stormont.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris has extended the deadline for holding elections in the province, raising hopes that a deal is getting close.

The sides are keen to finalise an agreement in time for the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement in April.

But the PM's spokesman said there was 'lots of work to do' in all areas of the talks around the Northern Ireland Protocol.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said there were 'constructive' talks with the UK but 'everything is only negotiated at the very end'.

Negotiating teams are continuing to hammer out specific details of a veterinary checks deal, according to The Times, and an announcement does not seem imminent..

Three years after Britain formally left the EU, both sides have been discussing how to implement post-Brexit arrangements on the open border between Northern Ireland and EU member state Ireland.

Part of the solution will see red and green lanes for goods coming from mainland Britain.

Products concluding their journey in Northern Ireland will be filled through without routine checks, while those destined for the Republic will undergo a customs process.

The EU is said to have made a key concession on the role of the European Courts of Justice.

A source told The Times: 'This is a critical issue of sovereignty and that will remain with the UK.'

Another said: 'The EU has moved a lot from its original position. This deal won't delight anyone but the hope is it satisfies everyone enough.'

A senior British government source said the parameters of an overall deal were in place and it was up to Mr Sunak to decide whether to sign it off.

They said: 'The mood music has completely changed in that both sides have been looking to go as far as they can to compromise to make this work, That hasn't been the old point scoring seen in the past.'

Writing in the Policy Exchange report, Lord Frost insisted: 'It is not clear precisely what objectives UK negotiators are pursuing . certainly the UK has entered negotiations with a weaker hand than it needed to because of the effective abandonment of the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill in the Lords and the dropping of any prospect of using Article 16 of the Protocol to safeguard the situation.

'The Government is therefore much more dependent than it needed to be on the EU's good will and good sense on Northern Ireland  commodities which have been in short supply in recent years.

'If there is to be an outcome which can re-establish stability, the EU has to recognise that its own interests necessitate fundamental change...

'If EU negotiators can see clearly that the crucial need is to put in place arrangements which support the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, and that their own mandate is entirely consistent with that, indeed requires it, then it is still possible that a way out may be found.'
Boris Johnson was walking the halls of the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, meeting with Republicans to urge them to continue the American support for Ukraine.

It was a marked change from his last time on Capitol Hill when he was British Prime Minister and received the honors a visiting head of state is given  a massive security presence, closed off hallways, and lines of aides trailing him.

This time, Johnson hoofed it between the House and Senate office buildings that make up the Capitol complex  a stretch of six buildings over four acres where it can take up to 20 minutes to walk from point A to point B.

The former PM even had to make like a lawmaker and walk through one of the underground tunnels to avoid the rainy Washington weather as he marched from meeting to meeting.

'What is this place?' he asked as he walked through the Cannon Tunnel, where student art work from congressional districts across the country hang on its walls.

Boris Johnson met with Republicans on Capitol Hill, including Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell

Johnson met with Republicans after he visited President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on earlier this month.

And his visit comes as some Republicans have expressed concern about the amount of money the U.S. is sending to the Ukraine, arguing it could be better spent in America.

Johnson met with an array of Republicans, including Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Senator Lindsey Graham, and Rep. Jim Banks. He even ran into Newt Gingrich when he was in McCarthy's office.

He told Fox News' Bret Baier he was at the Capitol to lobby for Kyiv.

'This is not the moment to delay any support for Ukraine. This is the moment to double down on our support. Give them what they need, whether it's the tanks or the long-range artillery fire,' he said.

'They need to kick Putin out of the whole of the territory. And I know how people in America have done incredible job. The faster Putin gets out of Ukraine, the quicker we return to stability and the more powerful the message we send to people like China.'

Boris Johnson also sat down with Speaker Kevin McCarthy

Johnson ran into former Speaker Newt Gingrich while he was in McCarthy's office

Johnson express awe as he walked through the Cannon Tunnel, where student art work from congressional districts across the country hang on its walls

The former PM was one of President Joe Biden's staunchest allies when it came to supporting Ukraine in its quest to expel Russian President Vladimir Putin's forces.

When he was in Kyiv earlier this month he was offered the opportunity to demonstrate his solidarity by signing an Nlaw anti-tank weapon.

During that visit, he called on the world to 'double down' in its support for the battered nation.

Johnson was last on Capitol Hill in September of last year where he met with then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

When Johnson arrived for their meeting, Pelosi showed him a photo from Winston Churchill's 1941 speech to Congress.

Pelosi's father Thomas D'Alesandro was a member of Congress at the time, representing Maryland, and was present at the speech.

The speaker showed Johnson where her dad was in the photo.

'You're kidding me,' Johnson said, leaning in to look at the photo closer as he grasped Pelosi's hand. 'That's incredible.'

Boris Johnson was pictured signing his name on an anti-tank weapon in Ukraine to demonstrate his solidarity for the country when he visited Kyiv earlier this month

Then Speaker Nancy Pelosi showed Boris Johnson a photo of Winston Churchill's 1941 address to Congress when then then-PM visited the Capitol on September 22

Zelensky made his own address to Congress and visit to Washington D.C. on December 21.

'The Russian tyranny has lost control over us,' he said at the time.

Zelensky was treated to repeated cheers from Republicans and Democrats who filled the chamber  including a group of lawmakers who unfurled a Ukrainian flag on the House floor.
Artificial Intelligence has been around for a while, but it's only recently that it has become more advanced to the point that it can create finished work identical to that of a human. Sadly, there have been reports of misuse, so a detection tool had to be developed.

Academic Dishonesty with AI

Gone are the days when you can sit back and let AI do your work. OpenAI has developed and launched the AI Text Classifier, which is able to detect whether the written content is generated by artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT.

OpenAI describes the tool as a fine-tuned GPT model that predicts how likely a text was generated by AI using different sources. The tool was inspired by the instances where students used AI to do their homework, reports, essays, and even programming assignments.

This has been a common occurrence that several universities and K12 school districts already banned the ChatGPT AI chatbot in their systems. It is already in effect in New York City, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Baltimore K12 public school districts, according to Bleeping Computer.

We tested out the classifier to see its effectiveness by submitting an article that is human-written. Upon the submission of the text, the classifier immediately considered the text to be "very unlikely AI-generated."

To see how it fares for AI-Written text, we asked the ChatGPTchatbot to create an article about black holes. Upon submission, the classifier considered it as "unlikely AI-generated," showing that the classifier is still not as reliable for AI-written text detection, for now.

Read Also: Elon Musk AI Warning: Death of Jobs, Best Degree, Artificial Intelligence Robot

AI Text Classifier

Although it's a step in the right direction to prevent students from circumventing academic responsibilities, the classifier is still not a fool-proof tool. OpenAI conducted its own evaluations, wherein the tool only managed to detect 26% of AI-written text as "likely AI-written."

Around nine percent were classified as AI-written despite it being human-written text. According to OpenAI, the reliability of the tool increases when there's more input text to go through. The tool is publicly available so the developers can receive feedback and improve on it.

The company did admit that it is still not to be used as a primary decision-making tool. OpenAI stated that there are instances when the classifier would incorrectly yet confidently label human-written texts as AI-written.

The tool also has limitations language-wise. The company's website also advised that the classifier should be used only for English texts, as it does worse in other languages. It says that the classifier is also unreliable in terms of code.

AI-written text can also be edited to appear as a person wrote it, which can effectively trick the classified. It also doesn't work reliably on predictable text. For instance, a list of prime numbers will be the same whether it was written by AI or humans.

Classifiers based on neural networks are known to be poorly calibrated outside of their training data, according to OpenAI's list of limitations. The classifier can make wrong predictions with texts that are different from the text in the tool's training set.

Related: 5 Risks of AI-Generated Content
New Yorkers are outraged after asylum seekers refused to move from a Manhattan hotel to a housing facility in Brooklyn.

The NYPD was called to The Watson Hotel on Monday to get migrants to take the next step of the asylum process, but many refused to go and set up tents outside the Hell's Kitchen residence.

A nurse who lives down the block from the hotel told DailyMail.com the city needed to kick out the migrants, some of whom he said were smoking cigarettes and marijuana while lying in blankets and sleeping bags on the street.

'I am paying $2,000 a month to witness this,' said the man, who identified himself as Steven. 'I have kids in school. This is ridiculous.'

Migrants have been camping outside The Watson Hotel in Hell's Kitchen after refusing to relocate to a NYC housing shelter in Brooklyn

Local residents expressed outrage at the sight and slammed the city and federal government for failing to curb the number of asylum seekers reaching the Big Apple

The city is pushing the migrants to board buses bound for Brooklyn (above), but the migrants and advocates say the facility is ill-equipped to accommodate them

More than 43,000 asylum seekers have flooded the Big Apple since last spring, leading the city to set up emergency shelters at hotels while constructing mass housing for the migrants.

While many migrants have since been moved out of the hotels, a significant number at The Watson have refused to take up the city's offer to ship them to the Red Hook housing facility in Brooklyn, causing headaches for longtime residents in Hell's Kitchen.

Allan Robert, who lives in an apartment with his wife next to the Watson, slammed the city for moving the migrants to the hotel in the first place, and said the crowded streets have become safety concerns for residents.

'No information was given to the neighborhood prior to this happening,' Robert said. 'They were just dropped here.

'I don't mind helping migrants but I do mind helping migrants that are undocumented - which we are paying for per night, per room. Really, how much is it?'

Adams has also been bullish on asking for federal help, which included a rally outside City Hall Sunday.

Washington has approved $800million in spending to aid the crisis but it will go to various cities across the country.

Even if it were all going to New York, the city will still spend more money on its own to help the migrants, according to ABC7.

Both Robert and Steven condemned New York City Mayor Eric Adams for failing to properly relocate the migrants, with Steven laying additional blame on President Joe Biden's border failures.

'They are taking the migrants out to Brooklyn to put a whole new set of people here,' he said. 'Our tax dollars are paying for this.

'They are making a mockery of what we worked so hard for decades to fix. It's ridiculous. It's a puppet show.'

Residents said they are frustrated by the sight of migrants smoking cigarettes and marijuana on the streets outside The Watson Hotel

Although police moved in on Monday to remove tents, many are still their in sleeping bags

Pictured: Paramedics tending to a migrant who needed help on Tuesday. Some residents feared for the migrants camping out in the streets in the winter

A 61-year-old woman who has lived near the hotel since 1979 described the scene as 'chaos.'

'This should not be happening,' she said. 'The rules don't apply and they should - that is what keeps things in order.'

She also chastised the city for diverting resources and taxpayer money to assist undocumented migrants despite her own son, who has a disability, needing help to pay for his feeding tube.

'The migrants are taking away from us. It's a pie and now you are giving outsiders what my son deserves as a disabled person,' she added. 'That is not acceptable. '

Jay Boni, an employee at the nearby Gotham City Barber Shop, said he was sympathetic to the outraged residents, but also feared for the health and well being of the migrants camping outside the hotel in the winter.

'I think it's better for them to go to the Brooklyn facility,' he said. 'I don't like to see people in the streets.'

He added: 'I understand some people are upset and don't want the migrants outside their front door. The residents pay crazy money for rent and want it to be peaceful and to feel safe.'

Pictured: A surge of migrants setting up camp outside The Watson Hotel

Migrants are opting to stay at The Watson as earlier reports indicated they enjoyed free food and other amenities throughout the citys emergency hotel shelters

Pictured: A sign set up by the hotel that reads: No to the discrimination of immigrants

But migrants and advocates have slammed the city for trying to move residents to the Brooklyn facility, which they claimed cannot properly accommodate the asylum seekers.

Migrant Oscar Veliz told ABC 7 the 1,000-bed facility is ill-equipped, and that food isn't always readily available.

'We do not want to go to Brooklyn Terminal. I was there yesterday, there was no heat; it's cold,' said migrant Oscar Veliz.

One of the migrants who was shuttled to the Red Hook facility told DailyMail.com those being sent away are leaving their belongings behind at The Watson Hotel because they plan on returning.

Adams' office denied allegations that the facilities could not properly meet the needs of the migrants, reiterating it will 'provide asylum seekers with shelter, food, health care, education, and a host of other services.'

The city has declared a state of emergency over the surge of migrants arriving everyday

Pictured: Food and coffee being served to the migrants outside the hotel

Some migrants have said they have boarded the buses to the Brooklyn facilities, but have plans to immediately come back to The Watson later

City Hall spokesman Fabien Levy said in a statement: 'The facilities at Brooklyn Cruise Terminal will provide the same services as every other humanitarian relief center in the city.'

Buses of migrants have been arriving in NYC since fall when Republican governors, primarily Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, began sending asylum seekers from the border to largely Democratic-leaning cities.
Firemen were last night accused of photographing women who had died in car accidents.

The men are said to have swapped the harrowing images on a WhatsApp group as well as making degrading comments about female victims after being called to the scene to retrieve their bodies from wreckage.

A female whistleblower told ITV News that those responsible even joked about the underwear the victims were wearing at the time of accidents.

Several female firefighters have also complained of persistent sexual harassment within their stations, with one male firefighter said to have demanded sexual favours at the scene of a fire.

The men are said to have swapped the harrowing images on a WhatsApp group as well as making degrading comments about female victims (stock image)

Chief fire officer for Dorset and Wiltshire Ben Ansell said: 'We have immediately alerted the police so the appropriate action can be taken'

Another rookie officer with Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service described being propositioned by her boss who told her it was her 'duty' to have sex with him.

One female firefighter claimed that male colleagues had photographed dead women, saying: 'I've seen people make comments about the type of underwear the women are wearing in the car crash.

'Retrieving the body of someone dead should tear you apart not make you want to take photos of it  just to joke about it later. Because that's someone's loved one.'

Several female firefighters claim they have been sexually harassed and bombarded by explicit photographs and messages from male colleagues, including demands for sex while at work.

One female firefighter, known as Jess, claimed a male colleague tried to kiss her while they were attending the scene of a fire. She says she was told that in order to get ahead in her career, she would have to provide sex in return.

Dorset Police has launched an investigation into the claims, while Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has launched its own review.

Chief fire officer for Dorset and Wiltshire Ben Ansell said: 'We have immediately alerted the police so the appropriate action can be taken.

'I am also commissioning an independent investigation.'
The legendary monarch was better known for losing wives than jewellery.

But a cafe owner has made one of the most important Renaissance finds in Britain in decades  by uncovering a gold pendant linked to Henry VIII.

Amateur treasure hunter Charlie Clarke found the 24-carat heart-shaped piece that was at first thought by curators to be 'too good to be true'.

It is marked on one side with the letters 'H' and 'K' in reference to Henry and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon.

Henry tied the knot with Katherine in 1509 and the couple were married for 24 years, before the king had the union annulled so he could marry Anne Boleyn.

It is marked on one side with the letters 'H' and 'K' in reference to Henry and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon. The other side is decorated with an entwined Tudor rose and a pomegranate bush, which was the badge of the former Queen of England. It sits on a chain made up of 75 links

The legendary monarch Henry VIII was better known for losing wives than jewellery. But a cafe owner has made one of the most important Renaissance finds in Britain in decades  by uncovering a gold pendant linked to Henry VIII

The other side of the pendant is decorated with an entwined Tudor rose and a pomegranate bush, which was the badge of the former Queen of England. It sits on a chain made up of 75 links.

The piece, described as 'blingy' by Rachel King, a curator of Renaissance Europe at the British Museum, was discovered by metal detectorist Mr Clarke in a field in Warwickshire in December 2021.

'I had found a few coins before, nothing special,' the 35-year-old father of one told The Guardian. 'But I knew it was gold.

'When you see that colour then that is what you are there for as a metal detectorist.'

His 'once in 30 lifetimes' find caused him, he said, to shriek 'like a little schoolgirl'.

'The majority of people who saw this at the museum felt it was almost too good to be true,' Ms King said yesterday.

And after determining it wasn't fake, curators said that nothing of its size and importance from the Renaissance period had been found in Britain for more than 25 years.

Henry's union with Katherine came after she had previously been married to his elder brother, Arthur, Prince of Wales, who died aged just 15 in 1502.

The pair had only been married for six months when he passed away, possibly from sweating sickness.

Katherine of Aragon was Henry VIII's first wife and the 'K' on the gold pendant is in reference to her

The finder of the chain and pendant associated with Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon, Charlie Clarke (left) and Arts and Heritage Minister, Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (right) look at the pendant on display at the British Museum in London as archaeological discoveries made by members of the public are revealed via the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS)

The piece, described as 'blingy' by Rachel King, a curator of Renaissance Europe at the British Museum, was discovered by metal detectorist Mr Clarke in a field in Warwickshire in December 2021

And after determining it wasn't fake, curators said that nothing of its size and importance from the Renaissance period had been found in Britain for more than 25 years

Because Katharine, the daughter of Queen Isabella I of Castile, had insisted the marriage had not been consumated, she was able to go on to marry Henry.

The couple had a passionate union, with historians believing that she was the only woman he ever truly loved - despite the fact that he went on to marry five more times.

However, she fell out of favour with Henry through her inability to produce a male heir. Out of six children that she gave birth to, only one - daughter Mary - survived.

The King then focused on Anne Boleyn - a lady-in-waiting to Katherine - in 1525.

His desire to marry her instead and have his union with Katharine annulled ultimately led to a split with the Catholic Church in Rome.

'The majority of people who saw this at the museum felt it was almost too good to be true,' Ms King said yesterday

Pope Clement VII refused to annul the marriage, prompting Henry to pass the Act of Supremacy, declaring him the head of the Church of England.

Henry was then free to have his marriage to Katharine declared void so he could marry Anne.

Katharine spent the rest of her life insisting that she remained Henry's lawful wedded wife and was still England's rightful Queen.

She went to live at The More Castle in Hertfordshire from 1531 and was moved four further times before being transferred to Kimbolton Castle.

Katharine was forbidden from seeing her daughter Mary because they both refused to acknowledge Anne as the new queen. Katharine died in January 1536 aged 50.

Henry and Anne were only married for three years - during which time daughter Elizabeth was born - before Henry accused Anne of treason and had her executed.

Anne's three miscarriages and inability to produce Henry's desired male heir helped to seal her fate.

No value has yet been put on the pendant but it is likely to be significant.

When it is sold  probably to a museum  Mr Clarke will split the proceeds with the landowner.

The pendant was among more than 1,000 treasures unearthed by the 'everyday people' of Britain  mostly detectorists  in 2021, and outlined in the British Museum's Treasure and Portable Antiques Scheme (PAS) annual reports.
More frightening scenes have emerged from troubled Alice Springs as youths and a woman were filmed hurling chairs at each other during a running brawl in the town's main shopping centre.

In the video recorded late on Tuesday afternoon at the central Northern Territory town's Yeperenye Shopping Centre, a woman is shown being hit in the leg by a plastic chair thrown by a group of youths milling about a dining area.

As one store quickly brings down its shutters, the woman runs back into the group of youths with the chair held above her head as security tries in vain to stop the chaos.

A woman carries the chair she was previously struck with to use as a weapon in a running brawl inside an Alice Springs shopping centre

Others youths join the fray and chairs are thrown back and forth as the running battle moves out of view of the camera.

The mayhem erupted during an alcohol sales ban and despite hopes that bringing back partial booze restrictions would help curb the town's rampant crime wave.

The mayhem erupted during an alcohol sales ban and despite hopes that bringing back partial booze restrictions would help curb the town's rampant crime wave

Action for Alice, the Facebook page set up by local baker Darren Clarke to show residents and businesses being preyed on by marauding youths, posted the video with the comment, 'No Grog today but... this aint going away'.

'Ive run the page for three years,' Mr Clarke told Daily Mail Australia.

'The things Ive seen cant be forgotten.'

Other locals said they were now too terrified to visit the mall.

The running brawl between the chair-throwing combatants continued throughout the centre

Sorry store owners of Yeperenye - no-go zone for me until things improve - just not worth the trauma - so sad for everyone, one person wrote on the Facebook page.

'This is what we're used to here in Alice Springs budda, unfortunately this is normal,' another said.

Two weeks ago a machete-wielding youth terrified shoppers as he loitered outside the centre's Woolworths store before being arrested.

New revelations of the chaos gripping the remote Outback town have been emerging every day despite the hasty visit of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday last week and promises to confront the problem.

Street brawls broke out in front an Alice Springs Hotel as terrified nurse Rachel Hale filmed the chaos while barricaded in her room

On Tuesday, a video emerged showing a shocking attack on a 16-year-old boy by axe-wielding youths in broad daylight

That came on the same day another video, taken at the Diplomat Hotel by nurse Rachel Hale, showed frightening scenes of hotel patrons being besieged by a mob of youths as fights broke out in the street.

Also on Tuesday, police charged two males who allegedly threatened a 75-year-old woman with a blunt weapon during a home invasion.

Alice Springs Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Rob Kent said it was 'absolutely disgusting that vulnerable members of our community have been preyed upon in this manner'.

A child care centre was also smashed up, forcing it to close down while forensic police attended the crime scene and tradespeople repaired the damage.

Violence and crime has long been part of Alice Springs life but locals say the situation has deteriorated in the 10 months since the Northern Territory Government lifted alcohol restrictions.

Mr Albanese and the Northern Territory government have faced a chorus of criticism with the prime minister's fleeting visit being unfavourably compared with the time he spent over three nights watching the final matches of the Australian Open.
A probe has been launched into the death of a four-month-old baby in a New York City NICU during the nurses' strike after staff did not notice the baby's low blood count for hours.

An unidentified infant died in a Mount Sinai hospital on January 11 while staff was trying to insert an IV, the day before the nurse strike would end after more than 7,000 went on strike over understaffing.

Sources told Gothamist the infant's tragic passing took place after untrained fill-in nurses and overwhelmed doctors failed to prepare for the walk-out, leading to the baby's low blood count to not be noticed for hours.

The probe - which is mandatory for any infant death - was launched last week. The child suffered from a heart problem and sources said the lab results would have been escalated immediately by seasoned nurses.

'These babies can get very sick very quicklyThats why subtle things you see are important to report, and highly trained NICU nurses do that,' one of the nurses who worked in the NICU during the strike told Gothamist.

An unidentified infant (stock image) died in a Mount Sinai hospital on January 11 while staff was trying to insert an IV, the day before the nurse strike would end after more than 7,000 went on strike over understaffing. An investigation into the baby's death has been launched

The baby's death came as unionized nurses took to the streets to protest lack of staff, leaving healthcare workers to care for too many patients at a time.

'Nurses don't want to strike. Bosses have pushed us to strike by refusing to seriously consider our proposals to address the desperate crisis of unsafe staffing that harms our patients,' the union said earlier this month.

Mount Sinai reportedly hired hundreds of travel nurses prior to the strike and staffed the NICU with them and other non-unionized staff. A source told Gothamist one of the travel nurses fell asleep in the NICU while on duty and was asked not to return.

'They put nurses in there who had zero NICU experience,' another source told the outlet. 'Parents felt like they couldnt leave their childs bedside during the strike.'

Infants in the NICU reportedly received their medicines hours late on multiple occasions, according to the source, and that doctors were feeding babies, taking vitals, and administering medication, which is normally performed by nurses.

Mount Sinai runs a 'level four' NICU, meaning they care for critically ill and complex infants, including those who have had open-heart surgery, and require highly-trained nurses.

The baby's death came as unionized nurses took to the streets to protest lack of staff, leaving healthcare workers to care for too many patients at a time

Mount Sinai reportedly hired hundreds of travel nurses prior to the strike and staffed the NICU with them and other non-unionized staff. Infants in the NICU reportedly received their medicines hours late on multiple occasions, according to the source, and that doctors were feeding babies, taking vitals, and administering medication, which is normally performed by nurses

'[These babies] are not mini-adults. In fact, theyre not even mini-children,' Scott Lorch, associate chief of Neonatology at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, told Gothamist. 'As babies get smaller or sicker, the skills that a nurse needs to care for them gets more specific.'

One NYC nurse described the unit during the strike as 'traumatizing.'

'I've seen and done a lot of difficult things in my career. I've held children when they died, but this was especially traumatizing,' a source told Gothamist. 'I've been having nightmares every night.'

Mount Sinai said the NICU was fully staffed with 17 nurses during the staff, but those inside said it was not about the number, but the qualifications of those nurses.

Mount Sinai also moved some of the NICU babies to other hospitals during the strike, according to Gothamist.

However, Judy Gonzalez, president of the New York State Nurses Association, said neither Mount Sinai nor Montefiore Medical Center - which also went on strike - were 'prepared adequately.'

NYC nurses ended the strike on January 12 after the four-day strike

'There are many negative outcomes that occur as a result of understaffing, under-resourcing and inadequate training,' she told Gothamist.

An MIT and Carnegie Mellon University study found in 2010 that between 1984 and 2004 in-patient mortality rates rose 20 percent during strikes in New York.

On average, according to the NYC Department of Health, four babies die for every 1,000 lives births in the Big Apple.

NYC nurses ended the strike on January 12 after the four-day strike.

The New York Nurses Association reached an agreement with Mount Sinai Hospital and Montefiore Medical Center, both of which announced the news at around 4am this morning.

The agreements will result in a 19.1 percent wage increase, the creation of around 170 nursing positions and improved healthcare benefits, among other perks.
Sir Keir Starmer was last night accused of giving militant union barons priority over workers as analysis showed that they make up a quarter of Labours governing body.

A dozen union bosses sit on the partys ruling National Executive Committee, including the general secretary of the train drivers union Aslef, Mick Whelan.

The unions make up a quarter of the NEC, which regularly meets Sir Keir and provides strategic direction to the party and oversees the policy-making process.

Many other NEC members receive donations from union coffers.

Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer addressing delegates at the London Labour Party Conference at Leonardo Royal Hotel on January 28

Last night the Tories claimed Labours governing body was dominated by union barons and accused Sir Keir of taking orders from his trade unionist bosses.

Mr Whelan is leading a walkout of train drivers today and on Friday in a bitter pay dispute.

The drivers were offered a pay rise of 8 per cent over two years, but Aslef rejected the offer, saying it would be a real-terms pay cut which had too many conditions attached.

A Whitehall source last night said: Mick Whelans Aslef have chosen to continue damaging strike action despite being given a fair pay offer that the Government helped facilitate.

This would have taken the average wage of his members to 65,000. Whelans position at the heart of the Labour Party shows that Starmers team prioritise militant union barons over hard-working passengers.

Mick Whelan, the general secretary of the train drivers union Aslef, is leading a walkout of train drivers today and on Friday in a bitter pay dispute

Sir Keir and his shadow ministers on the NEC have received tens of thousands of pounds from unions. Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner has been given more than 100,000 over the last three years.

Conservative vice-chairman Paul Holmes claimed last night: Its clear whos pulling Labours strings.

With their executive committee dominated by union barons and their MPs pocketing millions in union donations, it is no surprise that all Labour stands for is being the party of protest.

Its about time Keir Starmer grows a backbone and stops taking orders from his trade unionist bosses.

But Labour hit back, with a spokesman saying: Unlike the Government, Labours focus is firmly on the public and preventing these strikes. The Tories are in charge, and they failed to find a solution to the industrial action disrupting everyday lives. Its Rishi Sunaks weak leadership that has caused this chaos.

Two officials from the Unite union, which represents striking ambulance staff, are NEC members along with representatives of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association, Unison, the Communication Workers Union, Fire Brigades Union and GMB.

The TSSA is in the process of re-balloting members across 13 train companies for further industrial action. Unison yesterday announced that thousands of ambulance workers across five services in England will strike on February 10.

CWU members in Royal Mail staged 18 days of strikes during the second half of last year, firefighters in the FBU voted for industrial action earlier this week, and GMB members at eight NHS ambulance trusts will walk out next week.

The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers and the Musicians Union also have representatives on the NEC.
The US House of Representatives voted to terminate COVID-19 health emergency immediately and halt the vaccine requirement for health care workers with the help of democrats.

Republican lawmakers on Tuesday pushed for the bill the Pandemic is Over Act that passed in a party line vote, 220 to 210. A second bill, the Freedom for Health Care Workers Act, was also passed with the votes of seven democrats.

The bill will now be heard in the Senate and if passed would eliminate the health emergency that has been in tact since 2020.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden announced on Monday that the national emergency will end on May 11 after extending it on January 11.

Republican lawmakers passed a bill to terminate the COVID health emergency despite Joe Biden declaring it will end in May

Republican lawmakers on Tuesday pushed for the bill the Pandemic is Over Act that passed in a party line vote, 220 to 210

Lawmakers against the terminating the pandemic health emergency argued that it would be irresponsible to 'end the COVID-19 public health emergency virtually overnight.'

Representatives Frank Pallone stood behind the opposition argument with other democratic lawmakers sharing the same perspective, according to Fox News.

It is unclear what democratic leaders supported the Freedom for Health Care Workers Act.

Despite the push to end the vaccine requirement for health care workers, it is likely it will never come to fruition as of now - with the White House previously threatening to veto the bill if it passed.

'While COVID-19 is no longer the disruptive threat that it once was, it makes no sense for Congress to reverse this protection for vulnerable patients, as well as our health care workers who have given so much to protect us,' a spokesperson for the White House said, according to Fox News.

The White House further added that ending the pandemic health emergency can also lead to millions losing their health insurance and states losing billions in funding.

A second bill, the Freedom for Health Care Workers Act, was also passed with the votes of seven democrats

Earlier this month, The Biden administration extended the Covid-19 public health emergency declaration, despite the President claiming the pandemic was 'over.'

A lengthy statement made by Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra makes it clear that the federal government believes the need for the emergency still 'exists.'

Contentiously, Biden told CBS News' 60 Minutes in September: 'The pandemic is over.'

'We still have a problem with Covid. Were still doing a lot of work on it,' the president said at the time.

'But the pandemic is over. If you notice, no ones wearing masks. Everybody seems to be in pretty good shape. And so I think its changing.'

Earlier this month, The Biden administration extended the Covid-19 public health emergency declaration, despite the President claiming the pandemic was 'over'

Earlier this month, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the military would no longer require Covid-19 vaccinations for troops, despite the fact that more than 6,000 service members had already been discharged for refusing the shot on religious or other grounds.

He added that he still recommends service members get vaccinated, and pointed out that it was up to commanding officers whether they deploy troops based on vaccination status.

Austin's decision was pursuant to a provision written into this year's annual defense budget bill.
The UK Deputy Prime Minister, Dominic Raab, is under investigation over eight formal complaints of bullying made by at least 24 civil servants.

Staff were reportedly left feeling 'suicidal' and accused Mr Raab of behaving like a 'controlling and abusive' partner.

Some officials say that Mr Raab set impossible rules then belittled and humiliated them when they failed to deliver.

While other civil servants report having suffered breakdowns and losing weight due to the working environment.

Justice Secretary Dominic Raab is accused of leaving staff feeling 'suicidal' and behaving like a 'controlling and abusive' partner

A senior Tory has warned Rishi Sunak not to take a 'snowflakey' approach to bullying claims today as Dominic Raab faces fresh pressure

A source told The Mirror: 'He changes his behaviour depending on whether you are a civil servant he has control over or another government minister.'

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is facing renewed questions about handing Mr Raab a senior government role after the bullying claims were made last March.

Downing Street sources told the Times that the prime minister was not 'directly told' and that officials never advised against appointing Raab.

Adam Tolley KC is leading an investigation into complaints over Mr Raab's conduct, it is thought it could take weeks or months to complete.

The Guardian reported that former Foreign Office permanent secretary Simon McDonald gave evidence after admitting that the deputy prime minister could plausibly be characterised as a bully.

Reports say that Antonia Romeo, the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Justice, and Sir Philip Rycroft, who ran the Department for Exiting the European Union when Mr Raab was Brexit Secretary, have both now also been witnesses in the investigation.

Mr Raab served as foreign secretary, justice secretary and deputy Prime Minister under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

One civil servant claimed he was 'very rude and abrasive, sometimes totally randomly' and for 'arbitrary' reasons.

Mr Raab has repeatedly denied the bullying charges and promised to fully rebut the claims.

He has insisted he welcomes the probe and believes he behaved properly at all times.

But it is understood that a senior civil servant has given evidence in the inquiry.

Meanwhile Jacob Rees-Mogg insisted ministers must be able to make 'reasonable' demands of civil servants and ask whether they are providing 'good service'.

Mr Rees-Mogg told Sky News: 'I think we've got to be slightly careful about the bullying allegations.

'We mustn't be too snowflakey about it. People need to be able to say this job has not been done well enough and needs to be done better.

'It's a very difficult line to judge. It's not a straightforward issue in most cases. It's how did somebody react, what did somebody say, is it reasonable to demand from senior and well-paid professionals a level of good service? And then you have to judge whether that line has been overstepped. But I do worry we're getting a bit snowflakey about this.'

He said it is 'completely sensible' for Mr Raab to remain in place while under investigation.
$4.8billion expected to be spent is double the 2002 figure

Chinese buyers are rapidly returning to the Australian property market after an end to Covid restrictions and improved relations between the countries make it a better investment.

China's economy grew by just 3 percent in 2022, its slowest rate in nearly 40 years, making many of its citizens look abroad for investment opportunities.

Chinese investment in Australia's property market is expected to reach $4.8billion in 2023, double the 2022 figure, according to Asian real estate technology group Juwai IQI.

This will mean more competition for local investors, but the increased pool of buyers may help to shore up falling property prices.

Chinese investment in Australia's property market is expected to reach $4.8billion in 2023. Pictured is a Chinese couple viewing a property

Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and the Gold Coast will get most of the investment from both mainland China and Hong Kong.

After years of frosty relations - including enormous tariffs on Australian exports and a diplomatic dispute over the origins of Covid-19 - there has been a thaw since the election of the Labor Government last May.

China recently resumed allowing travel visas and international flights, and ordered 50,000 Chinese students of Australian universities to return to in-person learning in Australia - primarily in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

'This will be the first opportunity for most Chinese to visit overseas real estate markets in three years,' Juwai's chief executive Kashif Ansari told Domain.

The company also said Australia remains the preferred location for Chinese buyers, over the US and Canada.

Peter Li, of the Sydney and Shanghai based Plus Agency, said they have bookings to take five or six groups of Chinese buyers around properties every day.

One agency said it has bookings to take five or six groups of Chinese buyers around Australian properties every day

He said many are looking to occupy the homes, and others are looking for investments.

'Buying apartments off the plan is particularly popular as they can put down a deposit and then have time to move their money over,' said Mr Li.

While most of the 50,000 arriving in Australia will be renting, many will have an apartment bought for them by their wealthy families.

'We find that Chinese students, coming from one-child only families, like to often have their own apartment,' said Phil Honeywood, of the International Education Association of Australia.

The sudden influx of 50,000 Chinese students is expected to see rents in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne CBDs rise by around 5 per cent in the coming weeks

Another major reason Australia has become more attractive to Chinese investors is China's population fell by 850,000 last year, while Australia's increased by 291,000.

A falling population means less demand for property, while a growing population means more demand for both existing and new properties.

There is no end in sight for China's population decline - at 1.15 children per woman, it has one of the lowest birthrates in the world - but Australia's population is predicted to keep growing for decades into the future.

This makes property investment in China less attractive to the younger generation, with more Chinese turning to the Australian market as a secure place to buy.

How does property ownership and leasing in China work? In China, property is not owned outright, it is leased from the government for 70 years. After this time, the lease is usually renewed. But the Ministry of Housing and Construction can theoretically end your lease at any time if your property is needed for development. Source: internations.org Advertisement

China's falling population will have 'increasingly significant repercussions' on its property market, as well as on other aspects of its economy and society.

Those repercussions will have an impact abroad too, said Joseph Chamie, a demographer and former director of the United Nations' Population Division.

'As has been the case in many other countries worldwide, the combination of demographic ageing and population decline typically translate into serious negative consequences for the property market,' Mr Chamie told the South China Morning Post.

Another reason Australian property is looking good to Chinese investors is the way sales are structured in China, with most property held on a 70-year lease from the communist government.

In Hong Kong, most of the leases expire in 2047.

Those leases may, or may not, be renewed by the government, but that layer of insecurity makes Australia's freehold property rights look attractive to Chinese investors.

The sudden influx of 50,000 Chinese students is expected to see rents in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne CBDs rise by around 5 per cent in the coming weeks.

It remains to be seen if the return of Chinese property investors will have a similar impact on house and unit sale prices.
Hundreds of former officers with misconduct records have been invited to re-apply for jobs at the Met Police in order to boost numbers, it has been revealed.

The force has written to over 250 officers who were previously disciplined in misconduct hearings while appealing for their 'valuable skills and experience'.

A further 99 officers who retired while under investigation have also been invited back, The Times reports, just days after it emerged two to three Scotland Yard officers are expected to appear in court every week on charged in coming months.

In total, the Met wrote to over 3,200 retired officers and encouraged them to apply to the scheme, which awards them full pay alongside their pension.

Hundreds of former officers with misconduct records have been invited to re-apply for jobs at the Met Police in order to boost numbers, it has been revealed.

A source close to Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: 'This is worrying and the Met police should be making sure any officers coming into the force are of the highest quality'

Only six former officers have been rehired so far, and none had any recent misconduct warnings on their record.

A source close to Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: 'This is worrying and the Met police should be making sure any officers coming into the force are of the highest quality.'

Although the Met insists all candidates will be fully vetted, the scheme is already raising concerns about background at the force, which has been hit by repeated scandals involving officers in recent years.

In March 2021, serving PC Wayne Couzens carried out the rape and murder of Sarah Everard and was subsequently jailed for life; while officers Deniz Jaffer and Jamie Lewis were each sentenced to two years and nine months after sharing pictures on WhatsApp of murdered sisters Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry.

This month, PC David Carrick is due to be sentenced after pleading guilty to 49 offences, including 24 counts of rape. Carrick served with the Met for 20 years and was kept on staff despite a string of complaints about his behaviour

Carrick's case has led to every police staff member in the country being checked against national databases to weed out anyone who may have escaped detection up to now.

Although the Met insists all candidates will be fully vetted, the scheme is already raising concerns about background at the force, which has been hit by repeated scandals involving officers in recent years

Last week, Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley told the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee that more 'painful stories' will emerge as moves progress to remove hundreds of corrupt officers who have dodged vetting processes

Last week, Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley told the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee that more 'painful stories' will emerge as moves progress to remove hundreds of corrupt officers who have dodged vetting processes.

The police watchdog HMIC (His Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary) criticised the Met and other forces' employment of officers with criminal convictions in a report last November.

The Met is under pressure to attain 4,000 new recruits by March as part of the government's drive for an extra 20,000 police officers across England and Wales.

A Met spokeswoman said: 'Six people have returned to the Met under the enhanced return scheme. None of these officers had a live warning or were subject to misconduct proceedings at the time of being accepted back into the Met on this scheme.

'The enhanced return scheme aims to retain experienced police officers in the Met to ensure we maintain the right workforce balance as we continue to grow at pace.

'All eligible officers must complete an application form for the scheme and should their application be successful, are invited to attend an interview and are subject to full vetting, including unsatisfactory police performance checks, medical clearance, and reference checks from previous line/senior managers.'
Netflix now knows how it will prevent you and all its users from sharing their account passwords with someone.

The streaming company recently updated its FAQ page, informing users of how it intends to prevent people from sharing the password to their accounts with others and gain more revenue.

Netflix previously mentioned it plans to implement its new policy of charging people for sharing their passwords with other people.

Netflix Password Sharing Prevention Measures

Netflix mentioned in its new FAQ page it now uses information such as IP addresses, device IDs, and account activity from devices signed into the Netflix account, preventing you from sharing your account with someone not living in the same household or "Netflix household" as you.

Ghacks mentioned in its report that a Netflix household refers to devices used to sign in and watch Netflix content using the official Netflix apps or website while connected to the Wi-fi network at the primary location at least once every 31 days.

If you share your account password with someone not in your household, that person will need to create and use their own account to access the streaming platform. However, Netflix will require you to verify the device with a temporary code if you did share your account password with someone outside of your household and they log into your account in a different location, per 9to5Mac.

Read More: Microsoft Alleges Sony Lied to European Commission About Call of Duty Parity

Unfortunately, verifying a device doesn't mean that the person you shared your account password with gets to enjoy watching Netflix forever. The code only lets that person access your account for seven consecutive days.

You won't have to worry about device verification if you are traveling or living between different homes if you are the primary account owner or are living with them. However, if you are away from your primary location for an extended period, Netflix may occasionally ask you to verify your device.

The streaming company explained in its FAQ that it asks you to verify your device to determine if it is using the account authorized to access its streaming platform.

These new policies don't affect the number of people allowed to use your account to watch Netflix's content at the same time as long as the devices connected to it belong to the people n the same household.

A Business In Decline

Netflix is not a company doing well for itself in recent times. It lost around 700,000 subscribers after pulling out of Russia during the first few days of its conflict with Ukraine. As a result of this significant loss, the company decided to increase its subscription prices, chasing away many of its long-term subscribers in doing so.

Netflix eventually rolled out ad-supported subscription tiers in Oct. 2022 to make their streaming platform more affordable, which may have bought the company some breathing space to get its act together, per Tech Crunch.

Recently, the company was considering charging users for sharing their passwords with other people outside the US to create another source of revenue for itself.

Related Article: Netflix Announces Paid Password Sharing to be Rolled Out 'More Broadly'
Bosses of major British businesses, including The Ritz hotel and Harrods, have urged Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to restore VAT-free shopping for tourists.

The policy, which allowed foreign visitors to recover the tax paid on purchases, ended at the close of the Brexit transition period in December 2020.

Former prime minister Liz Truss was in favour of reintroducing it, but Mr Hunt said the scheme was 'unaffordable'.

Political and business leaders are calling for its immediate reinstatement, together with airside tax-free shopping, to revive the ailing high street.

London mayor Sadiq Khan said it would help UK firms thrive 'in a highly competitive international market' and lines up with the Prime Minister's 'ambition to grow the economy this year'

Plea: Luxury stores like Burberry want the scheme to be revived

Former prime minister Liz Truss was in favour of reintroducing it, but Mr Hunt said the scheme was 'unaffordable'

In a letter sent to the Treasury last night backed by executives from Heathrow Airport, Burberry and Selfridges, London mayor Sadiq Khan said it would help UK firms thrive 'in a highly competitive international market' and lines up with the Prime Minister's 'ambition to grow the economy this year'.

Firms say London is a 'gateway' for many tourists, with 20 per cent of tax-free sales made elsewhere in the UK.

Mr Khan wrote: 'Our rich ecosystem of shops, hospitality venues, and cultural attractions, is heavily dependent on both domestic and international tourists.

'That is why together, London's business groups and I have repeatedly called on the Government to support the return of international tourists back to London, in what is a highly competitive international market, by reinstating tax-free shopping for overseas visitors and also extending this to EU visitors.

'The return of VAT-free shopping would provide a much-needed boost to London's retail and hospitality sectors at a time they need it most.

'The Prime Minister has stated that his ambition is to grow the economy this year, and the Government should be looking for ways to secure the capital's status and reputation as a global city that is open to visitors and investment - not providing reasons for tourists and businesses to look elsewhere.'

Mr Hunt's predecessor, Kwasi Kwarteng, said tax-free shopping for visitors would help British businesses feel the full economic benefit of tourism.

However, the Chancellor said in October that 'not proceeding with this scheme is worth around 2 billion a year'.

In March 2021 a cross-party group of over 60 MPs and peers called for the policy to be reinstated, citing independent research from York Aviation that suggested the move could increase passenger spend by between 20 and 30 per cent.
Restrictions rubbished as farcical as no one drinks that much in a day

You can buy two 30-can slabs of beer, six bottles of wine, 750ml of spirits

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Problem drinkers can still buy 60 beers, six bottles of wine, and a bottle of spirits a day in Alice Springs even after limits were imposed to kerb violence.

The remote Northern Territory town has been gripped by a crime crisis over the past few months where gangs of youths roam the streets looking for trouble.

Much of the blame for the violence has fallen on alcohol bans in Aboriginal communities outside of Alice Springs being lifted in July.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese brokered temporary severe restrictions on opening times during a whirlwind four-hour visit last week.

Problem drinkers can still buy 60 beers, six bottles of wine, and a bottle of liquor a day in Alice Springs even after limits were imposed to kerb violence

Customers can only buy two slabs of beer, cider, or pre-mixed spirits, six bottles of wine, and 750ml of liquor at once, with 1L spirits bottles removed from sale

Outlets can only open 3pm to 7pm Wednesday to Saturday and customers are limited to one purchase a day.

Major bottle shops imposed their own additional restrictions to head off further government intervention, but drinkers can still buy more than they would ever need.

The one Liquorland and BWS in the Alice Springs CBD, along with three Cellarbrations scattered around the suburbs, put on the same limits.

Customers can only buy two slabs of beer, cider, or pre-mixed spirits, six bottles of wine, and 750ml of liquor at once, with 1L spirits bottles removed from sale.

However, this is still a massive quantity of booze that even a serious alcoholic would take days to get through, and would easily see them through the three-day ban.

Alice Springs also has at least three independent bottle shops in addition to the five owned by major chains, but they are believed to be following the same rules.

One resident described the retailers' self-imposed limits as 'farcical' as they would do nothing to prevent alcohol abuse in the troubled town.

Much of the blame for the violence has fallen on alcohol bans in Aboriginal communities outside of Alice Springs being lifted in July

The one Liquorland and BWS in the Alice Springs CBD, along with three Cellarbrations scattered around the suburbs put on the same limits

Alcohol was for many years entirely banned in the mostly Aboriginal camps and villages outside Alice Springs, but not the town itself.

Alice Springs and Tennant Creek have about 25 of the Territory's 43 town camps in their vicinity.

The ban was allowed to lapse in July by the NT Government, which locals argue led to the spike in violent crime.

But others argue the youths who cause most of the problems are not mostly intoxicated and the main cause is them being out on the streets at night to avoid deplorable conditions at home.

Rachel Hale, a nurse who filmed shocking scenes outside a pub on Saturday night, said children as young as two were regularly raped and lived in squalid, overcrowded houses.

'Some of these houses have 10-15 people sleeping on the floor of a three-bedroom house. There's no personal hygiene, there's lice, scabies, fungal rashes, maggots in wounds, perforated ear drums - the level of care is shocking,' she said.

'That's why the kids are not at home, along with the vicious sexual assaults. The parents, the uncles, the cousins are all drinking and the kids are being preyed upon.'

Namfon Fon's son, 16, was set upon by three youths armed with an axe who struck him on his 'face, stomach, leg and other parts of his body'

In just the past week, a teenager was attacked with an axe, a brawl broke out at a shopping centre, and pub patrons were besieged by violent youths.

Dozens of teenagers hurled abuse at patrons at the Diplomat Hotel, calling them 'white c**ts' and even spitting on them.

Others brawled with a young man who tried to stand up to them, and another tried to hit drinkers behind the pub fence with a tree branch.

Then on Monday, the 16-year-old son of hospital worker Namfon Fon was attacked with an axe in the middle of the afternoon.

Disturbing video of the assault obtained by Daily Mail Australia showed three young males  one wielding an axe or hatchet  laying into the teenager, hitting and kicking him as he cowered in a park.

Other footage recorded at Yeperenye Shopping Centre on Tuesday showed a group of young people throwing chairs and chasing after each other to exchange blows.

The violence sent staff and shoppers scurrying for cover as it spread through the busy mall.

Locals reported seeing people so desperate for alcohol they mix hand sanitiser with water or orange juice and drink it in front of children.

However, this is still a massive quantity of booze that even a serious alcoholic would take days to get through, and would easily see them through the three-day ban

A map of recent properties up for sale shows that locals are fed up and fearing for their safety as alcohol-fuelled violence increases and even the mayor says he 'can't blame them'.

About 200 properties are up for sale in the outback town which has a population of 26,000 as some residents express fears the region will become a fly-in fly-out town for workers.

During his brief visit to the town last week, Mr Albanese announced new alcohol restrictions and promised $48.8 million over two years for programs to address the crime problem.

But hundreds of Alice Springs residents were unimpressed and held a town meeting on Monday night to discuss what to do about the crime wave.

Local businessman Garth Thompson said he was planning a $1.5 billion class action lawsuit against the NT Government for allegedly allowing the crisis to happen.
The mother of NRL star Nicho Hynes was in a sexual relationship with a pensioner who was in her home when a man inhaled so much heroin he died, a jury has heard.

Julie Hynes, 50, and Michael William Selvage, were both in her granny flat on the NSW Central Coast when 29-year-old Luke Murphy accidentally suffered a fatal overdose.

Mr Murphy had allegedly been using a hydraulic press to produce bricks of heroin and Hynes and Selvage have pleaded not guilty to knowingly taking part in drug supply.

The two co-accused are jointly facing trial in the District Court at Gosford where video footage of Selvage's arrest was shown to a jury of seven women and five men on Wednesday.

Julie Hynes, 50, and Michael William Selvage, were both at her home on the NSW Central Coast when 29-year-old Luke Murphy accidentally inhaled heroin and died. A court heard on Wednesday that Hynes (above) was in a sexual relationship with Selvage

Hynes's 26-year-old son Nicho (above) is the reigning Dally M medal winner and plays halfback for the Cronulla Sharks, having debuted in 2019 for Melbourne Storm

Senior Constable Brett Spencer activated his body-worn camera when he arrested Selvage at his mother's Umina Beach home on May 27, 2021, two days after Mr Murphy died.

When Senior Constable Spencer told Selvage he was being charged with supplying heroin he said: 'I didn't supply anything'.

'Did that other guy die?' the jury heard Selvage ask. 'I've been thinking what if they tried to kill me too?'

Selvage, who usually lived with his partner at Ettalong Beach, later volunteered: 'I've been r**ting Julie'.

He said he had never used heroin and was not involved in the drug trade.

'I only smoke pot,' Selvage told Senior Constable Spencer. 'I'd use speed if it was still around.'

As he was taken from his mother's house Selvage said: 'See ya mum. I'll be all right.'

When Michael Selvage (above) was arrested at his mother's home he was recorded telling police, 'I've been r**ting Julie'. He usually lived with his partner, who was not Hynes, at the time

Hynes's 26-year-old son Nicho is the reigning Dally M medal winner and plays halfback for the Cronulla Sharks, having debuted in 2019 for Melbourne Storm.

Crime scene photographs show NRL memorabilia include a Storm poster and a picture of the Nicho on the walls of his mother's home.

The court previously heard Julie Hynes had panicked when she found Mr Murphy unconscious in the lounge room of her two-bedroom house at Blackwall on the afternoon of May 25.

The court heard that Hynes, a mother-of-two, had known Mr Murphy for about 20 years, since he was in primary school.

Hynes had called Triple Zero after finding Mr Murphy unresponsive on a couch but he was pronounced dead after paramedics arrived.

The Crown alleges Mr Murphy had earlier been pressing blocks of heroin in Hynes's bathroom before inadvertently inhaling the drug through his nostrils and mouth.

Neither Hynes nor Selvage is accused of any offence in relation to the death of Mr Murphy.

The court heard Julie Hynes had panicked when she found Mr Murphy (above) unconscious in the lounge room of her two-bedroom house at Blackwall on the afternoon of May 25

Crime scene photo shows a 250kg hydraulic press allegedly used to package heroin in Hynes's bathroom at Blackwall

Crown Prosecutor Peter Lowe has told the jury that Hynes called Selvage at 2.26am on May 25 asking him to help Mr Murphy press heroin in the bathroom of her home.

He said phone records would show Mr Murphy had also contacted Selvage requesting he pick up mechanical parts for a hydraulic press he was using to package the heroin.

The Crown case is that Selvage and Hynes were involved in preparing the heroin for sale and that fingerprints from both were found on the 250kg press in her bathroom.

Before being pressed, the heroin was allegedly blended with glucose to half the purity and double its weight.

Mr Lowe said Mr Murphy manually operated the machine to compact the heroin after it was cut and had been covered in 'dust', which was also found on the floor.

As a result of that process, Mr Murphy had inhaled heroin and some of the drug might have been absorbed through his skin, Mr Lowe told jurors.

Mr Lowe said phone records would show Hynes made a series of calls from about 12.30pm, including to her oldest son Wade and another man who came to her home.

When the other man arrived Mr Murphy was slumped on a couch with his head tilted forward and was unconscious, the court heard.

Hynes allegedly told the man: 'I don't know what he's had, he was on a bender.'

This crime scene photo shown to the court on Tuesday shows NRL memorabilia and photos of Julie Hynes's NRL star son next to part of a hydraulic press allegedly used to package heroin

Mr Lowe said Hynes and the man rolled Mr Murphy off the couch and the man performed CPR while Hynes called Triple Zero at 1.19pm.

Paramedics arrived at 1.34pm and attempted to revive Mr Murphy but he was pronounced dead at 1.55pm.

Mr Murphy was not wearing a shirt and had white powder on his denim shorts.

When Selvage was being arrested he told Constable Spencer he had heard Mr Murphy 'gurgling' on the couch about 9am but was passed out when he died.

Constable Zachary Jones told the court he spoke to Hynes outside her home and she said Mr Murphy had arrived in a 'dazed' state between 7am and 7.30am.

Body-worn camera footage was played to the jury in which Hynes said, 'I think he said, "I've been on a bender".'

'He was a little bit dazed,' Hynes told Constable Jones. 'He'd just been depressed lately too.'

'He wanted to come in to stay. I said, "Absolutely".'

Hynes said she bought Mr Murphy a 'big breakfast' from a local cafe then went back to bed about 9am or 10am while Mr Murphy was on the couch.

She woke about 12.50pm to find Mr Murphy still on the couch with his eyes part-closed. She called out, 'Lukey, Lukey' but got no response.

Police allegedly found 173.4 grams of heroin in a purple dustpan in a spare room, shown here in a crime scene photo. An extra 7.4g of the drug was allegedly located on the bathroom floor

Mr Murphy had dribble coming from his mouth and sounded as if he was snoring.

'I woke up and seen him like that,' Hynes told Constable Jones. 'I just started panicking.'

Constable Jones said Hynes looked 'tired and distressed' during their discussion. While they spoke, a passing paramedic stopped and told her: 'Sorry for your loss'.

The Crown alleges Hynes had been up all night while Mr Murphy packaged the drugs.

Police who attended the scene allegedly found the hydraulic press, as well as 180.8 grams of heroin: 173.4g in a purple dustpan in a spare room and 7.4g on the bathroom floor.

Mr Lowe said the Crown case was that Hynes's residence was being used by Hynes, Selvage and Mr Murphy to cut and package bricks of heroin for sale.

'The circumstances speak for themselves,' he told the jury.

Other alleged drug paraphernalia including heat-seal bags and gaffer tape for wrapping bricks were also allegedly located at the house.

Julie Hynes, who has pleaded not guilty to one charge of knowingly taking part in the supply of a prohibited drug, is pictured with her son Nicho at last year's Dally M Awards ceremony

Police found Selvage asleep in the main bedroom at 2.44pm, almost an hour after Mr Murphy was pronounced dead. Senior Constable Paul Corbett told the court he had to yell at Selvage to wake him up.

When Detective Sergeant Andrew Jeffrey told Selvage a crime scene had been established he allegedly replied, 'A crime scene? Why? Is Luke all right?'

Detective Sergeant Jeffrey: 'It appears as though Luke has passed away in the lounge room.'

Selvage, who allegedly had powder on his pants, told police he had arrived at the premises about 3am and had never met Mr Murphy before.

He allegedly said he initially did not know what Mr Murphy was doing with the press, which exerted 50 tonnes of pressure, but later learnt it related to heroin.

The jury has heard Savage tell a detective Mr Murphy had 11 'bricks' of the drug, each weighing about 360 grams. No such bricks have ever been found.

'I'm talking about bricks about that big,' Selvage told Constable Spencer in the video played to the jury, holding his hands about 25cm apart.

Selvage told Constable Spencer he had no involvement in pressing or packaging the drug and had only gone to Hynes's house to help her.

'I help people,' he said. 'It' doesn't matter what time it is.'

His barrister, Jacob Tate, said it would be disputed that Selvage had known the purpose of the mechanical parts for the press he had supplied to Mr Murphy.

The dead man's grey Holden Captiva was found at Ettalong Beach on June 6. It was unlocked and the keys were in the ignition.

The trial before Judge David Wilson continues.
Ribbons tied to a cathedral by sexual abuse survivors and their supporters have been cut down as the body of Cardinal George Pell lies in state inside.

The controversial former archbishop of Melbourne and Sydney died aged 81 in a Rome hospital last month from heart complications which followed hip surgery.

His body has been returned to Sydney's St Mary's Cathedral ahead of a requiem mass and private funeral service to be held on Thursday.

In recent days, a support group for clergy abuse survivors, Loud Fence, has been tying colourful ribbons to the cathedral's fence as a symbol of solidarity.

But church security has repeatedly been seen cutting them down.

The ribbons tied to St Mary's Cathedral by sexual abuse survivors have been cut down as the body of Cardinal George Pell is laid to rest inside

A security officer was seen taking down ribbons that had been tied around the Saint Mary of the Cross statue on Wednesday

One security officer was photographed using a small pair of scissors to remove ribbons tied to the fence on Wednesday, while those supporting the Loud Fence initiative watched on.

The security officer was then seen taking down ribbons that had been tied around the Saint Mary of the Cross statue.

Sexual abuse survivor Paul Auchettl had organised the ribbon-tying protest. His brother was also a victim of clerical abuse, by a priest under the leadership of Cardinal Pell in Ballarat during the 1970s.

Mr Auchettl's brother ended his life some 25 years ago.

The 81-year-old former archbishop of Melbourne and Sydney died in a Rome hospital last month from heart complications following a hip surgery

'I don't want to be disrespectful at George's funeral, I want him to have a peaceful service. But I want to alert people that there is this unfinished business that he was still yet to do and that, in a sense, he has failed,' he said.

'I want the church to recognise that clergy abuse and related suicides have created secondary victims  usually family members.

'We can't even talk about this, it's taboo, it's too difficult, people are so angry. Yet this is what happens in this sorry story, we're shut down.

'The ribbons become a way of saying, "we need to know about these stories".'

Political satirist Simon Hunt, known as Pauline Pantsdown, is actively involved in the protest and has since claimed that Loud Fence and the cathedral have come to an agreement to leave a 'significant section' of ribbons on the fence for the Pell funeral.

In recent days a support group for clergy abuse survivors, Loud Fence, has been tying colourful ribbons around the cathedral's fence as a symbol of solidarity

'There will be further negotiations,' he tweeted.

Two masses will be held for the Cardinal in the cathedral on Wednesday, with mourners able to enter from 9.30am.

Cardinal Pell was the Vatican's top finance minister before leaving Rome in 2017 to stand trial in Melbourne for child sexual abuse offences.

The following year, he was convicted of molesting two teenage choirboys in the sacristy of Melbourne's St Patrick's Cathedral while archbishop in 1996.

He maintained his innocence and in 2020 his convictions were quashed by the High Court.

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The legislative package will likely be taken up by the majority Republican Florida legislature during the upcoming March session

The popular Republican governor made the announcement Tuesday at a press conference about higher education reform in Florida

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is pushing a ban on diversity, equity and inclusion programs at state colleges.

The GOP governor, who is considered a top potential contender for the party's 2024 presidential nomination, announced the proposal as part of a larger legislative effort focused on education in Florida.

DeSantis, among other leading Republicans, has taken an aggressive stance against so-called 'woke-ism' in American colleges and universities, including programs that push DEI and the much maligned Critical Race Theory.

DeSantis' proposal will likely be taken up in March by the state's conservative majority house

Governor DeSantis Announces Reforms for Floridas Higher Education https://t.co/4sLMh6PfUK  Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) January 31, 2023

The governor said his proposal, which will be taken up by the majority Republican legislature in March, aims to entirely defund DEI and CRT programs at state universities.

'These bureaucracies are hostile to academic freedom, and really they constitute a drain on resources and end up contributing to higher costs,' he said Tuesday during a press conference.

The immensely popular governor also announced that all students at state colleges and universities will be required to take some number of core classes in the history and philosophy of western civilization.

'We dont want students to go through at taxpayer expense and graduate with a degree in Zombie studies,' he said.

If the legislative package is passed, it will also become the case that tenured faculty will undergo a review every five years and may be fired if it is determined they are not performing to standards.

Trustees of a given institution or the president of the college can call for a post-tenure review of a faculty member at any time, added DeSantis.

At the press conference, University of Florida sophomore Emily Sturge recounted her experiences at the state school where she has, in her estimation, been instructed by many a liberal professor with an agenda to push.

She described her classes as 'how to be a leftist 101,' and said that despite the alleged attempts at indoctrination, she is 'proud to say that after two years of being on my college campus, Im still a conservative, I still have faith in God.'

'Ive survived the woke-ism at least for two years,' and that despite being labeled a racist, xenophobe and misogynist, she is 'going to wear those names as a badge of honor, because they sound an awful like what the fake news media calls Gov. DeSantis.'

The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a 2,000-acre campus in Gainesville, Florida

Under DeSantis' new plan, UF and other Florida state schools will be forced to eliminate DEI programs and provide mandatory western civilization courses to their students

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is pushing a ban on diversity, equity and inclusion programs at state colleges

Later in the day, the now-conservative majority board at the New College of Florida - most of whom the governor appointed - cast votes to oust the college's current president, Patricia Okker.

The group also voted to begin debate on whether or not to scrap the office of diversity, equity and inclusion, and any related programs.

The group currently aims to turn the small liberal arts school in Sarasota into what the new group of trustees are calling a 'classical' liberal arts school.

The new president that the board selected for hire is Richard Corcocran, the former Republican state House speaker and education commissioner, who is also a close ally of Governor DeSantis.
A young couple have been charged after allegedly allowing their daughter to die from a 'totally survivable' illness.

Breannon, 24, and Jack Campbell, 25, are accused of failing to provide the necessities of life to their daughter Penelope, three, after she died at Townsville University Hospital on July 7 last year.

According to posts online, the toddler lived with inherited disorder known as Medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency - or MCADD - a diabetes-like condition where sufferers struggle to break down fats and have low blood sugar.

Days before the couple was arrested, Ms Campbell penned a heartfelt post thanking her supporters for 'staying with her during the most difficult year of her life'.

Police will allege Penelope's condition was completely treatable and her death was the result of neglect.

Penelope Campbell, three, (pictured) died in Townsville University Hospital on 7 July, 2022

'This was a totally survivable medical condition,' Detective Senior Sergeant David Miles claimed to reporters.

'Our case is that this child should not have died from this condition [and] this is a case of negligence on behalf of the family.'

Senior Sergeant Miles said the young girl had a 'very detailed treatment plan' that needed to be followed in certain circumstances.

'There was a whole range of medical professionals for the family to access,' he said.

'This happened on a number of occasions and the parents responded appropriately, on this occasion, however, they haven't done so and the child deteriorated over a period of 24 hours and that resulted in the child's death,' he claimed.

Her parents Breannon and Jack (pictured together) have been charged with alleged negligence

In November, Ms Campbell wrote online that Penelope lost her battle to MCADD

On 9 January, Ms Campbell, who runs a photography business, announced she would start taking bookings for the year in coming weeks and thanked followers for their support.

'MCAD was the reason I started this business. My daughter was diagnosed at five days old,' she said.

'Would just like to thank everyone for staying with me during the most difficult year of my life.'

The announcement came two months after she told her Instagram followers she would be returning to work in 2023 and starting a new foundation in her daughter's honour.

'My husband and I are taking it day by day but thankful for our other two children,' she wrote in November.

A post written by Ms Campbell on her photography business' social media account in November

Last month, she reiterated that bookings made through her business would go towards a foundation being launched in her daughter's honour

'Every photoshoot I do next year, half my earnings still go towards The MCADD foundation. This foundation will be new, the ribbon is in honour of my daughter Penelope.

'Penelope lost her battle to MCADD at only 3 years of age but thanks to the support of my family, friends and community we have been getting through it okay. This foundation will help others families like mine.'

Mrs Campbell also has a baking business and is employed as a part time special needs teacher's aide, while her husband of five years is a yard worker.

The couple, who are charged with manslaughter, will face Townsville Magistrates Court in February.
For students at University of Greenwich, there are concerns it 'stereotypes'

Northanger Abbey is a satirical novel on coming of age in Regency Britain

Students at the University of Greenwich have been given a trigger warning over Jane Austen's classic novel Northanger Abbey.

The warning for the novel - which was published in 1817 - is for 'gender stereotyping', with students taking English literature classes told the satire contains 'toxic relationships and friendships'.

The book is taught in a Gothic literature module, which has a broader warning that students 'may find elements [of the coursework] disturbing,' The Telegraph reports.

Jane Austen is widely considered an early feminist for her body of work, actively rebuking the gender stereotypes so often perpetuated by male authors in her time.

Prof Dennis Hayes, from the University of Derby and campaign group Academics For Academic Freedom, told the publication: 'Through her great wit, expressed through her characters, Jane Austen offends everyone in her novels. She is the mistress of offence. That's why we love her work.

Students at the University of Greenwich have been given a trigger warning over Jane Austen's classic novel Northanger Abbey

Northanger Abbey is the story of a young woman coming of age in Regency Britain, and the trials and tribulations attached to that

'Students love her too. But some academics still seem to think their students are snowflakes and need coddling.

'How often do we have to remind them, and university management, that students are adults. They must stop infantilising them.'

A University of Greenwich spokesperson confirmed content warnings had been introduced last year 'so that students would be able to take them into account before encountering each text'.

Northanger Abbey is the story of a young woman coming of age in Regency Britain, and the trials and tribulations attached to that.

It's primarily considered a satirical examination of the time period and the Gothic genre more broadly.

There was a growing trend last year of universities slapping trigger warnings on historical texts across the board.

The Open University, which has the greatest number of students of UK institutions, issued 'trigger' warnings for all but one of the texts studied in its 'English Literature from Shakespeare to Austen' module.

Undergraduates are now informed reading William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, and Jane Austen's Persuasion may trigger feelings of 'distress' and 'trauma'.

An Open University spokesman said at the time: 'We want our students to enjoy studying these classic novels, which is why we teach them. Most students won't have any concerns.

'A small number, however, may have suffered from trauma in the past and may benefit from a prior warning.

'With those students in mind, we think it is sensible to flag some course content and work with them so they, too, can have the opportunity to access these classic texts.'

Earlier, Salford University attributed warnings to Charlotte Bronte's classic Jane Eyre and Charles Dickens's Great Expectations, warning students they both contain passages which could be found 'distressing'.

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen at the time said it was ridiculous that adults 'have to be protected from the stories that generations of children have been able to cope with without being damaged'.

Published in 1861, Great Expectations describes orphan Pip's adventures with characters including the fugitive Abel Magwitch, the eccentric Miss Havisham and the beautiful but cruel Estella  and includes vivid imagery of poverty, prison ships and fights to the death.

Meanwhile Jane Eyre, written in 1847, charts the romance between Bronte's titular heroine and the troubled Mr Rochester, but also describes her unhappy childhood as an abandoned orphan.

A University of Greenwich spokesperson said: 'Content warnings were first used in July 2021, in response to student requests relayed to the teaching team via their student representatives during the 2020/21 academic year.

'It was agreed that Content Warnings should be included in reading lists so that students would be able to take them into account before encountering each text.'
Teacher strikes are banned or restricted in many EU countries  yet the TUC will today hold a 'day of action' to protest the Government's decision to legislate for 'minimum service levels' in key sectors.

But a government source last night said laws in many European countries were 'much more restrictive'.

In Germany, most teachers are classed as civil servants and are banned from going on strike.

In Italy, teachers can strike, but unions must ensure at least 90 per cent of tuition hours are delivered each year.

Teacher strikes are banned or restricted in many EU countries  yet the TUC will today hold a 'day of action' to protest the Government's decision to legislate for 'minimum service levels' in key sectors (pictured: striking teachers in Edinburgh in January)

Schools are also required to provide basic services, such as examinations and canteens.

In France, primary schools must stay open if fewer than 25 per cent of teachers are on strike.

Teachers must give schools 48 hours' notice of walkouts, meaning unions cannot cause the kind of disruption that they are trying to impose in Britain.

A government source said the 'minimum service levels' legislation, opposed by Labour, was 'reasonable and moderate'.

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: 'Nobody should lose their job if they take lawful action to win a better deal at work.

'It's undemocratic, unworkable and very likely illegal.'
Massachusetts Democrats have proposed a bill that would see inmates offered reduced sentences if they donate their organs and bone marrow.

The legislation, helmed by State Reps. Carlos Gonzalez and Judith Garcia, would create The Bone Marrow and Organ Donation Program within the state's Department of Correction that would see prisoners lose between 60 days to a year off their sentence.

The bill, however, has raised ethical concerns for the more than 6,000 men and women incarcerated in the Bay State.

Matthew Cunnigham-Cook, of investigative news outlet The Lever, wrote: 'In essence, the bill would ask prisoners which is more important to them: their freedom, or their organs and bone marrow.'

Massachusetts State Reps. Carlos Gonzalez (left) and Judith Garcia (right) proposed a bill that would see inmates offered reduced sentences if they donate their organs and bone marrow

Fellow Democrats (L-R) Russell Holmes, Bud Williams and Shirley Arriaga have co-sponsored the bill that would see the formation of The Bone Marrow and Organ Donation Program

The proposed legislation calls on the state to form a five-member 'Bone Marrow and Organ Donation Committee,' with only one seat reserved for a prisoner's rights advocate.

Other members would include representatives from the Department of Correction, a donation specialist and a member of an organization advocating for bone marrow and organ donations.

Gonzales told WHYN that the bill could broaden the pool of donors in the state to save lives, adding that he was fueled to introduce the legislation after visiting a friend who suffers from a failing kidney.

'I've put more effort into this bill after visiting a friend, who I consider a brother, in the hospital who is required to have dialysis 3 to 4 times a week while he awaits a kidney transplant.

'He's a father of three children, and he's in his stage 4 of kidney failure. Unless he can obtain a kidney at 40 years old, life expectancy is about 10.4 years for men and 9.1 years for women. I love my friend and I'm praying through this legislation we can extend the chances of life,' he added.

Garcia said on Twitter that the program would 'restore bodily autonomy to incarcerated folks by providing opportunities to donate organs and bone marrow,' noting that there is no current path for prisoners to donate even for family.

Along with Gonzales and Garcia, the bill is co-sponsored by Democratic Reps. Shirley Arriaga, Bud Williams and Russell Holmes.

Garcia tweeted that there is no current path for prisoners to donate organs and bone marrow, even for family, claiming that the bill would restore their 'bodily autonomy'

The bill would reduce sentences by 60 days to one year and raises ethical concerns for the more than 6,000 inmates in Massachusetts. Pictured: the Souza Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley

Many, however, fear that the program could prey upon the vulnerable in prison who would give up their organs in exchange for a shorter sentence.

Advocates at the Prisoners' Legal Services of Massachusetts told The Lever that while the bill could help save lives in the state, there are many ethical dilemmas surrounding the program.

'We are concerned regarding the potential for coercion and impact of inadequate medical care in carceral settings,' the group said.

The bill also received a slew of criticism on social media, with many mocking the authors and condemning the apparent reward system for organ donations.

Twitter user Rohan Chatterjee wrote: 'Can someone donate the author of the bill a heart?'

Many on social media were quick to criticize the bill and its implications

Drew Karle, another Twitter user, tweeted that while the bill seemed reasonable on paper, there were clear ethical issues.

'I support organ donation 100%. But the part about reduced sentencing is not right at all. People are in JAIL for a reason.'

A Twitter user with the handle, Seagh, wrote: 'This is so incredibly unethical, it's a bit mind blowing.'

Many also referenced Larry Niven's sci-fi novel The Jigsaw Man, which features a future where prisoners see their organs harvested.

One Twitter user wrote: 'Pretty sure Larry Niven wrote a story about thisit does not end well.'
George Santos claims he's learned his lesson and has vowed, going forward, 'everything is always going to above board' as he faces calls for his resignation from Congress and multiple legal investigations.

'I've learned my lesson. I can guarantee you that from now on anything and everything is always going to be above board. It's largely always been above board. I'm just gonna go the extra step now to double check,' he told One American News network's Caitlin Sinclair.

In the extraordinary new interview, Santos, 34, veered between defensive and combative as he was asked about the lies he's told about his professional and personal life. He also played the victim, blaming the media for putting him through a 'trial by fire.'

'People should be judged on their actions, and not by trial by fire through the media, which is what I've experienced for the last couple of weeks,' he said.

George Santos claims he's learned his lesson and has vowed, going forward, 'everything is always going to above board'

The Republican congressman from New York, who stepped down from his committee assignments on Tuesday, argued he has already apologized for his lying, which he claims was only about his educational background.

He also talked the humiliation he has suffered since the falsehoods were revealed, saying he didn't think 'lying is excusable ever, period.'

'I've made my sincere apology multiple times. I earlier said that I thoroughly apologize for lying about my education and embellishing the resume made that very, very clear. I don't know what more can be said others in a meeting. Is there anything more humbling and humiliating than admitting that on national television?,' he asked.

But he got defensive when the interviewer asked him about not appearing to be sorry, snapping at her: 'I don't know what looking sorry looks like to you.'

'I said I was sorry many times. I behaved as if I'm sorry. If you want to compare emotions, people show emotions differently,' he said. 'I am sorry. I'm deeply sorry.'

'I don't know what is asked of me right now when you ask: "Oh, you have not shown remorse and you don't seem to look sorry." I don't know what looking sorry looks like to you Caitlin,' he told OAN's Sinclair.

Santos has been in the middle of a firestorm since the New York Times reported on his falsified resume and biography claims, which could not be verified by the newspaper.

He is facing multiple investigations by prosecutors over his personal and campaign finances.

He has been trailed by members of the press where ever he goes on Capitol Hill. He has at times been combative, firing back when it was claimed he stole money intended to pay for lifesaving surgery for a disabled veterans service dog, which died from not getting treatment. Other times he has been cheerful, such as when he left coffee and donuts outside his office for the hoards of journalists who follow him.

In the interview with OAN, he claimed to be a victim of growing up a poor member of the minority who wasn't 'supposed to do big things in life' because 'it disrupts the system.

'I come from a humble beginning. I've always said that I grew up in abject poverty in Jackson Heights in Queens, New York City. People like me, aren't supposed to do big things in life. And when we do it disrupts the system,' he said.

'And I know that a lot of people want to create this narrative that I I faked my way to Congress, which is absolutely categorically false. I've worked hard, like built ground up a career, through experience and through knowledge and through self education,' he noted.

He went on to add: 'And, you know, I think it's amazing that I have to sit here and be spoken down to on a regular basis, yet again, by the media. I mean, I look DC's theatrical. There's a lot of theatrics going on in this place: 24/7 all year round.'

He specifically cited the vote for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in early January where it took 15 ballots to seal the deal.

'That was made for television,' he said. 'It's all sad because it's all at the expense of the American taxpayer.'

George Santos claimed to be a victim of trail by fire by the media - above reporters trail him on Capitol Hill

He argued he's only lied about his education and that he did that to get elected to Congress.

'I never presented anything other than what my means allow me to. So I've never had to establish or present falsehoods pertaining to my own finances. I'm the first one to say not doing that can't afford it,' he said.

He said he lied about having a college degree because 'I felt the need to do it because I thought that without a diploma, I'd be looked down on.'

He appeared irked when pushed about whether he was sorry but said: 'I'm not angry at all.'

Asked what he would change, he said: 'I wouldn't have lied about the education. I would have just fought like hell to get that nomination.'

Among the lies Santos told:

He said graduated with a degree in economics and finance from Baruch College in 2010 but a Baruch representative told the New York Times there was no record of Santos being in the class of 2010.

He said he worked at Goldman Sachs and Citigroup but the companies had no records of his employment.

It's unclear where he earned his money. He worked at an investment firm called Harbor City Capital that the SEC said was a ponzi scheme (Santos was not charged with any wrong doing). When he lived in Brazil he was charged with stealing the checkbook of a man his mother was caring for.

the checkbook of a man his mother was caring for. He said his mom was working in the South Tower of the World Trade Center on 9/11 but records indicate she was not in New York at that time.

He said his grandparents survived the Holocaust but genealogy records indicate his family is from Brazil and Catholic.

There were reports he was a drag queen in Brazil due to pictures of him dressed in drag but he said he was just having fun at a festival.

A watchdog group claimed he's made multiple campaign finance violations and filed a complaint with the FEC, particularly citing questions about loaning his campaign more than $700,000 despite having only $55,000 in earned income.

Santos announced in a GOP conference meeting on Thursday morning that he would be stepping down from his assignments on the Science and Small Business committees, reportedly telling his colleagues that he felt he was a 'distraction.'

Polling from Newsday and Siena College showed that 78 percent of Santos' New York constituents now believe he should resign.

He is being investigated by the district attorneys office in Nassau County, N.Y., which is where his congressional district issue. And authorities in Brazil are also seeking to revive a fraud case against him dating from 2008.
Dharmesh Patel, a 41-year-old Southern California radiologist, was charged by California authorities with three counts of attempted murder.

This follows the incident where the man allegedly drove his Tesla off a 250-foot cliff earlier this month while his family was inside the vehicle, Gizmodo reports.

Authorities Believe The Man Had Intent To Kill

Patel is accused of intentionally killing a 41-year-old passenger, a 7-year-old passenger, and a 4-year-old passenger by driving his car off Highway 1.

The other three passengers, whose identities have not been disclosed by the prosecution, were identified by California Highway Patrol (CHP) as Patel's wife, daughter, and son, respectively.

Steve Wagstaffe, the district attorney for San Mateo County, stated on Monday that after reviewing statements from Patel's wife, who was in the car and is still in the hospital.

The drivers who were following him were probed as well, and videos taken in the area of the incident on January 2 were also reviewed, which led to Patel's attempted murder charge.

According to court documents submitted by Dominique Davis, the deputy district attorney for San Mateo County, Patel, 41, was charged with three counts of attempted murder.

It is important to note that special allegations of domestic violence and the desire to commit grievous bodily harm are included in two of the counts, NBC News writes.

"We do believe the evidence establishes the necessary intent to kill," Wagstaffe said, even citing Patel's wife's testimony that he tried to kill his family.

At his appearance on Monday in the late afternoon before Judge Jeffrey Finigan of the San Mateo County Superior Court, Patel was denied bail for posing "potential danger to family members."

The encounter left the radiologist with "serious lower body injuries," but he was still brought to the San Mateo County Jail.

Read More: Tesla's New Fatal Crashes Face US Safety Regulators' Investigation

Authorities Clarify Tesla's Involvement In The Incident

The California Highway Patrol stated earlier this month that the car did not appear to be the perpetrator of the crash.

This is despite early concerns on whether the Tesla's self-driving mode was engaged given the company's risky history of accidents using its autopilot features.

The district attorney, Wagstaffe, stated on Monday that the Tesla was not operating in self-driving mode at the time of the collision and that thus far, no issues with the vehicle have been discovered.

Witnesses claimed Patel's Tesla had no brake lights on when it abruptly veered sharply to the right and plunged 250 feet down Devil's Slide.

The Tesla came to rest on its wheels upright, and the family's four members were all saved, according to Gizmodo.

Firefighters had to free the family from the debris, hoisting the parents by helicopter while using a rope system to pull the kids up the cliff in a rescue basket.

Since it was extremely unusual for anyone to survive an accident of this magnitude in this location, experts were shocked the family survived.

Wagstaffe stated that his agency was still looking into the specific reasons Patel chose to drive the Tesla off the cliff.

Related Article: Man May Have Intentionally Driven His Tesla Off a Cliff to Kill His Family
Jim Chalmers has been forced to defend taking inspiration from a left-wing economist who wants governments around the world to remake capitalism.

The Treasurer quoted Italian-born economics professor Mariana Mazzucato in his 6,000-word essay in The Monthly magazine, titled Capitalism After The Crises.

'As the influential economist Mariana Mazzucato has explored in her work, markets built in partnership through the efforts of business, labour and government, are still the best mechanism we have to efficiently and effectively direct resources,' Dr Chalmers wrote.

The federal treasurer defended drawing inspiration from a former adviser to the UK Labour Party's previous hard left leader Jeremy Corbyn during an interview with 7.30 host Sarah Ferguson on Tuesday night.

'I read her work in the same way that I take inspiration and advice from a whole range of sources,' he said.

Scroll down for video

Treasurer Jim Chalmers (pictured with wife Laura) has been forced to defend taking inspiration from a left-wing economist who wants governments around the world to remake capitalism

'There are a lot of people writing on these sorts of topics right now.'

Pressed on why he liked Dr Mazzucato's views, Dr Chalmers said the idea of the government intervening in the economy appealed to him.

The Treasurer quoted Italian economics professor Mariana Mazzucato (pictured) in his 6,000-word essay in The Monthly magazine, titled Capitalism After The Crises

'I think that there's something in this idea of co-investment,' he said.

'I think that there is an opportunity for us to work out if we want cleaner and cheaper energy, and we want to use technology more effectively, we want a more modern industrial base, is to work out what positive role can the public sector play in that, and what positive role can the private sector play in that.'

Government intervention would be a repudiation of former Labor prime ministers Bob Hawke and Paul Keating, who privatised the Commonwealth Bank and Qantas - a suggestion Dr Chalmers denied.

'I mean, of course, that's complete rubbish. It is absolute rubbish,' he said.

Dr Chalmers claimed his ideas were in keeping with the free market reforms undertaken by previous Labor governments during the 1980s and 1990s, including by Mr Keating when he was the treasurer who deregulated the banks.

'I'm here because of the example set by the Hawke/Keating period,' he said.

'It's one of the main reasons why I got involved in politics in the first place and I see what I'm trying to do as in concert with the motivating spirit of the Hawke/Keating period, not in conflict with it.'

Dr Mazzucato, an economics professor at University College London, has written several books calling for more government intervention in the economy, including Mission Economy: A moonshot guide to changing capitalism and The Entrepreneurial State: Debunking Public vs. Private Sector Myths.
Private letters from Princess Diana reveal she wouldn't have agreed to separate if she knew it was going to be so 'desperate and ugly'.

The series of honest letters and cards that talk about her regret around her divorce from Prince Charles and throw jabs at the Royal family are set to fetch 90,000 at auction.

The Princess of Wales wrote about topics such as being isolated and about fears her phone was being bugged.

There are 32 letters and cards up for sale, written from late 1995 and throughout 1996 to her friends Susie and Tarek Kassem.

Letters from the Princess of Wales featuring such topics as being isolated by the Royal Family and fears her phone was being bugged are going to .32auction

The private letters from Princess Diana reveal she wouldn't have agreed to separate if she knew it was going to be so 'desperate and ugly'

In one revealing letter from April 28, 1996, Diana cancelled a trip to the opera due to the strain of her separation

The couple are selling the letters because 'owning the documents is a great responsibility' that they did not wish to pass on to their children.

The Kassems have kept some of their more personal and confidential letters.

The letters will be sold individually and the proceeds will be donated to charities Diana supported.

In one revealing letter from April 28, 1996, Diana cancelled a trip to the opera due to the strain of her separation.

She wrote: 'I am having a very difficult time and pressure is serious and coming from all sides.

'It's too difficult sometimes to keep one's head up and today I am on my knees and just longing for this divorce to go through as the possible cost is tremendous.'

Her handwriting, normally open and flowing, deteriorates towards the end of the letter, apparently from where she was struggling as she wrote.

On May 20, 1996, she told Mrs Kassem the phones at Kensington Palace were bugged.

She wrote: 'If I'd known a year ago what I'd experience going through this divorce I never would have consented. It's desperate and ugly'

Prince Charles and Princess Diana on their last official trip together - a visit to South Korea in 1992

In some letters Princess Diana took veiled digs at the Royal Family for isolating her and told of how she believed her phone at Kensington Palace had been bugged

In many of them she gushingly thanks the couple - whom she met for the first time in August 1995 during her regular visits to the Royal Brompton Hospital - for showering her with gifts and emotional support.

On December 2, 1995 - the day after the Queen advised Charles and Diana to divorce, she wrote: 'I may have been described as a butterfly but I don't want to fly away from this lovely family.' She was referring to the Kassem family.

She repeatedly thanked them for being there for her and for 'listening to all my chat'. She wrote 'nice to be a threesome!'.

In another swipe at the Royal Family she wrote: 'I'm immensely touched by how protective you both are of me... I'm not used to that!'

The Kassems, who live in London, are selling the letters at Lay's auctioneers in Penzance, Cornwall on February 16.

On its website, Lay's said: 'Susie and Tarek Kassem, as very close friends of Diana, Princess of Wales, have treasured these letters for over 25 years.

'They reflect the special and loving relationship they had.

'The ownership of these poignant documents is a responsibility that the Kassems do not wish to pass on to their children or grandchildren. They have decided to sell the letters and use proceeds of the sale to support some of the charities that were close to Susie and Diana's hearts.

'Susie and Tarek feel extremely privileged that they had the opportunity to get to know the Princess so closely. Throughout their friendship the Kassems were always amazed at the incredible effect Diana had on anyone who came into contact with her.

'Her electrifying presence transcends time. Peoples fascination with Princess Diana has hardly waned since her tragic death. At Lays we have seen how thrilled people are by the opportunity to own something of hers - they liken it to owning the treasured relic of a saint.

'With this in mind, the Kassems would like to give other people the opportunity of acquiring a memento of the Princess,and in doing so, support causes that were important to her.

'Some letters do touch on the enormous stress she was experiencing during periods of very public heartbreak, yet her strength of character and her generous and witty disposition shine through.

'It is an extraordinarily poignant collection of correspondence, written by one of the most important and influential women of the 20th century, and documents one of her most valued and significant friendships during the last 2 years of her life.'
A Sydney deputy principal seeking 'sexy play' from teenagers claims he was drunk while chatting with an undercover officer he believed to be a 14-year-old girl.

But prosecutors have rejected Damian Scott Wanstall's claims because of the time the online chats occurred.

The 49-year-old has pleaded guilty to one count of using a carriage service to procure a child under 16 for sexual activity.

The Faulconbridge man was sprung by undercover police after posting an online classified advertisement on Locanto under the heading 'Any legal Indian or Filo teens want fun'.

Engaging with an undercover officer claiming to be a 14-year-old girl, Wanstall offered to pay for a 'few hours of fun' and was arrested with $200 at a meet-up in Westmead in December 2020.

Damian Scott Wanstall, 49, (pictured) has pleaded guilty to one count of using a carriage service to procure a child under 16 for sexual activity after engaging online with an undercover officer claiming to be a 14-year-old girl

Wanstall had been chatting to a person he thought was a 14-year-old girl on online classified site Locanto - which is regularly used by sex workers - and told her the sex acts he had planned

Wanstall posted an advertisement (pictured) on the website which read: 'Any legal Indian of Filo teens want fun'

In Parramatta District Court on Wednesday, crown prosecutor Sheridan Goodwin revealed the Kellyville High School deputy principal had told his psychiatrist he was 'intoxicated' when he made some of the chats.

However, prosecutors will dispute any claim that Wanstall was drunk.

Given the time-stamps of the chats were between 9am and 3pm, this explanation was 'unlikely', Ms Goodwin told the court.

Because the psychologist and the police officer in charge of the investigation need to be called to give evidence, the matter was adjourned on Wednesday.

Parramatta District Court heard that Wanstall (pictured) had told his psychiatrist he was 'intoxicated' when he made some of the chats with the undercover officer

Wanstall made the guilty plea in September last year after an additional charge of using a carriage service to procure child abuse material was dropped.

His online ad read, 'Aussie daddy seeking sexy play this weekend. Will reward. Can host discreetly Rouse Hill.'

Wanstall was the deputy principal at Kellyville High School (pictured) for more than a decade

While initially responding 'maybe a bit too young' when the undercover officer said he was 14, Wanstall allegedly continued to engage, offering money and arranging the meet-up where he was eventually arrested.

A sentence hearing will now take place on April 5.
Porn star Stormy Daniels hits back at Donald Trump after he went on a tirade on Truth Social over alleged hush money payments.

Daniels claims to have slept with Trump in 2006, but the ex-president denied the allegations on his Truth Social app on Monday and derided Daniels as 'Horseface'.

A grand jury is set to hear testimony this week about the former president's role in the payment made to keep Daniels quiet during his 2016 campaign, the New York Times reported.

The porn star responded to Trump's tirade on Twitter, claiming: 'He opens his mouth more than I do my legs.'

'Thanks for just admitting that I was telling the truth about EVERYTHING,' Daniels wrote. Guess I'll take my "horse face" back to bed now, Mr. former "president".'

Stormy Daniels hit back at Donald Trump over alleged hush money payments. She claimed the former president paid her $130,000 to keep quiet about an affair in 2006

Trump denied the allegations on his Truth Social app on Monday and derided Daniels as 'Horseface'. Meanwhile, Daniels responded to Trump on Twitter

Daniels claims she slept with Trump while he was married to former First Lady Melania Trump, who had given birth to their son Barron less than six months before their brief fling.

She said the president paid her $130,000 to keep quiet.

Trump lambasted Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg as a 'radical' prosecutor.

He also accused Bragg of spending more time investigating him than going after crime in New York City, and claims the Democrat leaked the grand jury report to the press himself.

'With murders and violent crime surging like never before in New York City, the Radical Left Manhattan D.A., Alvin Bragg, just leaked to the Fake News Media that they are still going after the Stormy Horseface Daniels,' Trump wrote on Monday afternoon.

'Working closely with the Weaponized Justice Department, this is a continuation of the Greatest Witch Hunt of all time. They long ago missed the Statute of Limitations, & I recently won big money against Stormy in the 9th Circuit - NEVER HAD AN AFFAIR. This is old news!'

His 'big money' line is likely in reference to a judge recently ordering Daniels to pay nearly $300,000 in Trump's legal feels after her lawsuit against him failed. She had sued him for defamation over his denials of their alleged fling.

Daniels added on Tuesday: 'I like sex. He likes to lie. Seems like a perfect analogy to me.'

The case could lead to criminal charges.

Trump lambasted Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg as a 'radical' prosecutor. He continues to deny Daniels' allegations

Trump lashed out following reports that a grand jury has started hearing from witnesses over alleged 'hush money' payments

Daniels further added that Trump 'opens his mouth more than I do my legs'

Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen previously admitted to paying Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, to keep her silent about the alleged affair.

Cohen pleaded guilty to violating campaign finance law in 2018 and was sentenced to three years in prison for arranging the payment and a non-disclosure agreement.

He told a judge at the time that they were made 'in co-ordination with and at the direction of a candidate for federal office'.

Now, with Trump several years out of office and running another campaign, witnesses are set to begin speaking before the New York City grand jury as prosecutors make their case for why the former president should be charged.

Daniels described Trump's anatomy and the circumstances of their tryst in graphic detail in her own memoir

On Monday, among the witnesses seen arriving at the Manhattan judicial proceedings was reportedly David Pecker, former publisher of the National Enquirer.

He previously admitted to prosecutors that he worked 'in concert' with the Trump 2016 campaign to arrange hush money payments for Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal.

A statement from the Manhattan DA's office at the time said he helped facilitate the payments so the women would 'not publicize damaging allegations' about Trump.

Other expected witnesses include former National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard and two Trump Organization employees, according to The Times.

It was revealed late last week that federal prosecutors had discussed charging Trump with campaign finance violations over the payments to Daniels and McDougal after he'd left office.

While Justice Department guidance cautioned against charging a sitting president, there were conversations on whether to use the evidence compiled from prosecuting Cohen in 2018 to go after Trump when his term was over, according to the book Untouchable by CNN analyst Elie Honig.

But that was apparently derailed by the chaos of that month, including the riot at the US Capitol on January 6 and Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

Honig wrote that such national crises made alleged campaign financial fouls 'seem somehow trivial and outdated by comparison'.
The probe will also look into the roles of police and prosecutors

Trial was held in October, but aborted due to jury misconduct

Ms Higgins alleged she was raped by Bruce Lehrmann in 2019

An Australian of the Year candidate who stood by Brittany Higgins throughout her rape trial is at the centre of a major probe into how the investigation unfolded.

The ACT government announced in December it would hold a board of inquiry, the equivalent of a royal commission, into the roles played by police and prosecutors in the 12-day trial against Bruce Lehrmann.

Heidi Yates, the ACT victims of crime commissioner, was a permanent fixture by Ms Higgins' side throughout the Supreme Court hearing in October - appearing heavily in news coverage of the case the nation was transfixed upon.

The inquiry will determine whether it was appropriate for Ms Yates to align herself so closely with the complainant.

On Wednesday, former judge Walter Sofronoff KC was appointed to lead the probe, which will report to Chief Minister Andrew Barr by June 30.

Heidi Yates (right) could be seen standing next to Brittany Higgins (left) each day she appeared in court throughout the trial

Ms Higgins had alleged her former colleague raped her inside Parliament House after a night out in Canberra in 2019. Mr Lehrmann had pleaded not guilty and maintains his innocence.

The case collapsed in early November when a juror brought prohibited academic research papers into the jury room.

The ACT's Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold dropped the matter altogether a month later due to concerns over Ms Higgins' mental health.

He later accused police of siding with the defendant and 'bullying' Ms Higgins, in an explosive letter that was released under freedom of information laws.

He will investigate the conduct of police, the DPP and Ms Yates - who was also the territory's Australian of the Year nominee for 2023.

Specifically, the inquiry will examine the 'appropriateness of the ACT Victims of Crime Commissioner Heidi Yates aligning herself with the complainant', according to a government statement.

It will also assess 'whether the Victims of Crime Commissioner acted in accordance with the relevant statutory framework in terms of support provided to the complainant'.

Heidi Yates was also one of four nominees in the ACT for Australian of the Year (pictured)

The inquiry will examine the 'appropriateness of the ACT Victims of Crime Commissioner Heidi Yates (pictured outside court with Ms Higgins) aligning herself with the complainant', according to a government statement

A spokesperson for the ACT Human Rights Commission said in a statement to Daily Mail Australia: 'The ACT Human Rights Commission welcomes the announcement of Mr Walter Sofronoff as Chair of the Board of Inquiry.

'The commission also welcomes the confirmation of the inquiry's terms of reference.

'Victims of Crime Commissioner Heidi Yates has the full support of the commission.

'The Commission values highly the Victims of Crime Commissioner's essential work providing support, advocacy and assistance to victims of crime in the ACT.'

Ms Yates sat with Ms Higgins during her two evidence in chief interviews with Australian Federal Police in early 2021, which were recorded and played to the court during the trial in October.

The commissioner also personally accompanied the alleged victim each day she appeared in the Supreme Court during the trial.

Furthermore, Ms Yates stood alongside Ms Higgins as she delivered an emotional speech to the media after the case was aborted.

The speech was quickly referred to the Australian Federal Police by Mr Lehrmann's lawyers over fears it could bias a jury in a retrial.

The trial against Bruce Lehrmann (pictured) was derailed by misconduct from jurors

Daily Mail Australia previously asked the Victims of Crime Commission whether it was standard practice for the commissioner to personally accompany complainants to court, and to interviews with police.

A spokeswoman for the commission declined to answer the question.

Ms Yates did not win the title of ACT Australian of the Year. She was beaten by climate activist and maggot farmer Olympia Yarger. However, she was one of four nominees.

According to her online profile, she is a human rights lawyer and activist 'whose work has improved the lives of vulnerable people across the community'.

'Her wins have inspired other communities to demand similar positive change.'

When the probe was announced last year, the ACT government stressed it was not to recontest Ms Higgins' rape claims - only the conduct of the criminal justice system.

The inquiry has the power to issue search warrants, compel witnesses to give evidence, and subpoena documents.
An actor who starred alongside Kevin Costner in Dances With Wolves has been arrested for allegedly running a cult which sexually abused young indigenous girls.

Nathan Chasing Horse, 46, who played Smiles a Lot in the 1990 Oscar-winning film, was taken into custody on Tuesday afternoon near the North Las Vegas home he is said to share with his five wives.

Known for his role as the young Sioux tribe member in the movie, Chasing Horse gained a reputation among tribes across the United States and in Canada as a so-called medicine man who performed healing ceremonies and spiritual gatherings.

'Nathan Chasing Horse used spiritual traditions and their belief system as a tool to sexually assault young girls on numerous occasions,' an arrest warrant reads, adding that his followers believed he could communicate with higher beings and referred to him as 'Medicine Man' or 'Holy Person.'

Police allege he also used his position to abuse young Native American girls, some as young as 13.

Known for his role as the young Sioux tribe member Smiles a Lot in the Oscar-winning 'Dances With Wolves', Nathan Chasing Horse (pictured) gained a reputation among tribes across the US and in Canada as a so-called medicine man. Police said he used his title to gain trust. He was arrested for allegedly running a cult which sexually abused young indigenous girls

Las Vegas police work near the home of former actor Nathan Chasing Horse on Tuesday evening. The former actor was arrested on sex trafficking and abuse charges

SWAT officers were seen outside the two-story home in the evening as detectives searched the property.

Chasing Horse's arrest is the culmination of a months-long investigation that began after police received a tip in October 2022, AP reported.

According to a 50-page search warrant obtained by AP, Chasing Horse is believed to be the leader of a cult known as The Circle.

Las Vegas police have identified at least six alleged victims and uncovered sexual allegations against Chasing Horse dating to the early 2000s in multiple states, including Montana, South Dakota and Nevada - where he has lived for about a decade.

The actor was born on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, which is home to the Sicangu Sioux, one of the seven tribes of the Lakota nation.

Dances With Wolves was his first film: he went on to star in four subsequent TV movies, including Into the West, and Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.

Chasing Horse's arrest is the culmination of a months-long investigation that began after police received a tip in October 2022. Pictured: Chasing Horse in Dances With Wolves (left). Right: The actor is seen in 2011

Police allege he also used his position to abuse young Native American girls, some as young as 13. Pictured: Chasing Horse in the movie Dances With Wolves

Kevin Costner is seen with his co-stars in the 1990 Oscar-winning film

The 1990 film won seven Oscars, with Kevin Costner winning best director

Kevin Costner and Jim Wilson are pictured with their Oscars for Best Picture for Dances with Wolves', with Barbra Streisand, who presented the award

Chasing Horse (right) is seen in 1999 taking part in a symbolic journey, carrying a sacred bundle from Rapid City, South Dakota, to Yellowstone National Park to raise awareness of the importance of bison

In 2018, according to the warrant, he was banished from the Fort Peck Reservation in Poplar, Montana, amid allegations of human trafficking.

His followers believed he could communicate with higher beings, and referred to him as 'Medicine Man' or 'Holy Person.'

Although the warrant includes details of crimes reported elsewhere, the arrest stems from crimes allegedly committed in Nevada's Clark County.

They include sex trafficking, sexual assault of a child younger than 16 and child abuse.

Some of the alleged victims were as young as 13, according to the warrant.

One of Chasing Horse's wives was allegedly offered to him as a 'gift' when she was 15, while another became a wife after turning 16.

Chasing Horse also is accused of recording sexual assaults and arranging sex with the victims for other men who allegedly paid him.
A prison boss told staff not to take the death of an Indigenous inmate 'personally' and said her family were looking for 'someone to blame', according to a leaked email.

The email from Dame Phyllis Frost prison manager Tracy Jones was sent in April, 2020 following the release of harrowing footage and audio revealing Veronica Nelson's agonised pleas for help while suffering heroin withdrawal.

Despite her repeated cries of anguish in the early hours of January 1, 2020, including a heart-wrenching wail of 'Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy', Nelson was given only one visit through the night by a nurse and was found dead in her cell at 8am.

Veronica Nelson (pictured) died in her cell at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre in January, 2020 after making more than a dozen calls for help over the intercom system

In the email sent by Ms Jones, she tells staff of the Melbourne jail that the footage was part of 'a very negative picture' being 'painted by media', which had 'sensationalised' the interactions Nelson had with staff on the night she died.

Ms Jones notes the 'disturbing and distressing' footage shows Nelson 'vomiting and screaming in her cell and it's pretty horrendous!'

She informs staff that the prison lost a legal challenge to blur the faces of prison employees interacting with Nelson and this was 'very unfortunate for staff and their families'.

In releasing his findings the Coroner said Nelson's treatment had been 'cruel and degrading' and her death had been preventable.

Harrowing footage and audio shows Nelson, who weighed only 33kg when she died, pleading for help

After a night of vomiting Nelson was found to weigh only 33kg when she died.

She was on remand after being denied bail on charges of shoplifting and other outstanding warrants, offences that the Coroner said would have been unlikely to see her jailed when the case went to court.

In evidence given to the Coroner some weeks after the leaked email was sent, Ms Jones agreed that staff had lacked compassion for Nelson.

'The fact that she died in our care means we failed her,' Ms Jones told the inquest.

Lawyers representing Nelson's mother, Aunty Donna Nelson, said the leaked email betrayed the callousness of the jail.

Despite her desperate begging for help and anguished cry of 'Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy', staff only attended Nelson's cell once through the night where a nurse passed medicine through the door

'Coroner McGregor commenced his landmark finding wondering how Veronica's heart-wrenching pleas were ignored,' Robinson Gill lawyer Ali Besiroglu told.

'This cruel email by the Governor of DPFC provides insight into the insensitive culture that existed from the top down.

'This wasn't the media being sensational  the only thing sensational about the evidence was the lack of empathy and humanity afforded by the Governor and her employees.'

Veronica Nelson's family have been demanding justice after a coroner gave a damning verdict on how her last hours in prison were 'cruel and degrading

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the email was very concerning and vowed his government would take action.

'That's not acceptable to me in any way, this is a terribly tragedy,' he said.

'Again I offer my full apology and again state that I and the government will take full responsibility to make profound reform as a result of what occurred to Veronica Nelson.'

Read the full leaked email from prison boss Tracy Jones Hi all, Some of you may have heard me speaking about this on the morning parades this morning and last week but today the coronial inquest into the death of Veronica Nelson commenced. I have just had the unfortunate task of looking at all the media reports and we were unaware that the Coroners court would release the actual prison footage and intercom calls to the media. The viewing is particularly disturbing and distressing. The media have painted a very negative picture of the death and staff interactions with Ms Nelson. We sought to get a suppression order to blur staff faces but we lost and therefore the news stories are viewing all staff interacting with Ms Nelson (not only witnesses of this hearing but others too). This is out of our control and whilst we have sought legal advice on the airing of this footage by media channels, it's very unfortunate for staff and their families. It will also distress the women in our care I suspect, as it's really sensationalised media and none of it positive. The actual intercom calls from Ms Nelson to staff, were played on all major news channels, as was the reception of Ms Nelson, her vomiting and screaming in her cell and it's pretty horrendous! I want you all to prepare yourselves for seeing this footage, hearing how the prison has been highlighted and do not take it personally. The family are angry and grieving and they want someone to blame for the death of their daughter/partner/sister/niece. Please take care, look after each other and get support if you need it. Cheers Tracy Jones Advertisement

On the night Nelson died prison guards called nurse Atheana George but she had told them the she didn't believe the Indigenous woman seemed that unwell.

Ms George only went to see Nelson once through the night, passing her medication, including Panadol, through a panel in the cell door.

The nurse said she didn't go in to assess Nelson as the prison guard in attendance had treated her so badly she was 'scared to ask her to open the door that day'.

The nurse also denied guards told her how unwell Nelson looked.

It was also revealed she put on movies during the night and although she said they were only 'background noise', monitors showed her intently watching the screen for hours while Nelson was screaming for help.
A Florida megachurch has asked its congregation to sign a pledge to adhere to 'biblical sexuality' - and warned they will be kicked out if they refuse.

First Baptist Church in Jacksonville decided in October to ask everyone in its 3,500-strong congregation to sign a statement denouncing homosexuality and accepting that male and female genders are 'a biological reality' by March 19. If they decline, they 'will be considered by the church to have resigned their membership'.

The pledge states: 'As a member of First Baptist Church, I believe that God creates people in his image as either male or female, and that this creation is a fixed matter of human biology, not individual choice.

'I believe marriage is instituted by God, not government, is between one man and one woman, and is the only context for sexual desire and expression.'

Heath Lambert, senior pastor at First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida, defended the controversial pledge

All members of the Jacksonville church (pictured) must sign the declaration before March 19

Critics slammed the declaration as homophobic, but Heath Lambert, senior pastor at the church, insisted it was not singling out gay people.

'It does rule out the LGBTQ array of sins,' he told Rolling Stone. But, he added: 'Rape, incest, polygamy  all sorts of things are ruled out just as much as homosexuality.'

The church, on its website, stated that the declaration was 'an exercise in faithfulness to Jesus Christ whom we trust and serve'.

The website added: 'It is an exercise in clarity so that our members might understand our most fundamental commitments in a sexually confused world.

'It is also an exercise in love toward a lost world that desperately needs to know God's standard for human sexuality.'

Members and supporters of the LGBTQ community attend the 'Say Gay Anyway' rally in Miami Beach, Florida on March 13

Lambert said the church wanted to make its views crystal clear.

'We wanted to be on record,' he told the website. 'We want to be able to say, 'Hey, everybody in our church believes that male is a biological reality; female is a biological reality.'

Lambert said a 2017 'bathroom ordinance', which gave trans people the right to use any bathroom they chose, was a factor driving the declaration.

'And that has to do with decisions we make about who uses the bathrooms, and who gets fired, and who can serve as a pastor,' he said.

'We want to function as an authentically Christian organization.'
A Tesla has captured a horror smash from multiple camera angles after a Toyota Camry slammed into it after crossing a median strip on a busy road.

The electric car was cruising along Victoria Road in Sydney's north-west when the Toyota on the other side of the road was clipped by a grey Hyundai i30.

Footage of the smash taken from the Tesla's high-tech cams was uploaded to social media last Sunday.

The Tesla's front camera captured the Hyundai coming up beside the white Toyota before it veered into it (pictured, right) in the 70km/h zone

It showed the Camry smashing into the Tesla's side, sending the high-end vehicle into a spin before it almost hit a power pole.

The Tesla's cameras from the front, back and both sides of the vehicle revealed how the smash unfolded.

The camera at the front recorded the Hyundai coming up beside the Toyota before it veered into it in the 70km/h zone.

Once clipped the Toyota careered across the road crashing into the Tesla, spinning the high-powered car around as it hurtled towards a power pole.

The mangled mess of the Toyota can be seen in the footage halting traffic.

Vision from the right side of the Tesla showed the Camry smashing into its side (pictured) hurtling the high-end vehicle into a spin, where it almost hit a power pole

The right-side camera captured more of the carnage up close, showing the grey i30 sweeping past before the white sedan rammed into the Tesla.

The video showed the dramatic moment of impact where the Toyota is lifted into the air along with debris from the vehicle.

Smoke was seen coming up from the Tesla's tyres as it spun and slides to a halt next to a pathway.

The electric car was seen moving to avoid the collision but it was too late.

The social media post went viral attracting a range of responses with some praising and poking fun at the Tesla design.

The Tesla narrowly missed a power pole, coming to a stop beside it, while the mangled mess of the Toyota and its debris was seen in the middle of the road (pictured) halting traffic

'I'm kinda disappointed that there was no aerial view, saw every other angle,' one commenter said.

'Thought these Tesla's are supposed to have all these accident avoidance systems? Pretty useless when it comes to flying cars though I see,' said another.

'How good are those Tesla in built cameras,' one admirer wrote.

'When the GPS tells you to turn right, NOW. You do it,' one said, mocking the grey Hyundai driver.

'When Camrys Attack,' another said, while one person admired how the Tesla was pushed back before coming to a halt.

'Definitely one of the best reverse parks Ive ever seen.'
The ABC will have to defend articles and television reports including the name and image of an ex-army commando after a court ruled they may have defamed him by implying he was under investigation for war crimes.

The November 2021 stories claimed an Australian platoon was under investigation over its operations in Afghanistan and included allegations from a US marine he indirectly witnessed Australian soldiers execute a hogtied prisoner.

Ex-special forces major Heston Russell was named in the reports, which also included images of him.

Former special forces veteran and founder of veterans support organisation Voice of a Veteran Heston Russell is suing the ABC for defamation

In the Federal Court on Wednesday, Justice Michael Lee ruled the ABC stories conveyed defamatory meanings.

The court ordered in November it would separately determine some claims before proceeding.

Articles and television reports implied Mr Russell was the subject of an active criminal investigation by the Office of the Special Investigator and was reasonably suspected of involvement in war crimes, habitually and knowingly crossed the line of ethical conduct and behaved so immorally that American forces refused to work with him, Justice Lee said.

He found some other claimed imputations were not carried.

Russell's barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC indicated those imputations would still be pressed even if the court had ruled they did not arise.

Justice Lee said Ms Chrysanthou's concerns would be assuaged once she had read and considered his judgment.

A trial between Mr Russell and the ABC will go ahead

'Knowing my personality Your Honour, I don't think that's likely,' the high-profile defamation lawyer said.

The ABC's barrister Lyndelle Barnett also planned to consider the judgment before deciding whether to press contextual implications in an amended defence.

'If that truth defence stays I can tell Your Honour we will be pushing that interlocutory application,' Ms Chrysanthou said.

'We'll cross that bridge if we come to it,' Justice Lee said.

The court will consider a defence from the ABC on substantial truth, contextual truth and public interest, Justice Lee said.

The lawyers agreed for an amended defence filed by March 1 to be responded to by March 15, with a case management hearing scheduled for March 24.
Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan's tongue-in-cheek ephemeral sculpture entitled "Comedian" (2019), which made headlines at Art Basel Miami Beach three years ago, is on view at the Leeum Museum of Art in central Seoul as part of "WE," his first solo exhibition in the country. Yonhap



By Park Han-sol



A ripe banana with a price tag of $120,000 duct-taped to a wall. That was enough to make the art world go bananas in December 2019, when the "ephemeral sculpture" proudly made its appearance at Art Basel Miami Beach.



Sure, there's quite an obvious difference between the cost of the two ingredients and their final purchase price. But, what's more, Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan's "Comedian," when sold, does not include either of those things.



What one buys is the "idea" of the taped banana, Galerie Perrotin, the gallery responsible for bringing Cattelan's work to the prestigious art fair, noted. To be more precise, what the buyer gets is a "certificate of authenticity" from the artist along with a detailed 14-page set of instructions on how the sculpture should be installed.



That's why the gallery officials simply replaced the store-bought fruit with another one without batting an eye when a random performance artist came up to the piece during the fair and devoured it within seconds. The slowly rotting physical object is gone, but the idea lives on.





Italian artist and provocateur Maurizio Cattelan / Courtesy of Leeum Museum of Art

Considering the track record of notorious provocateur Cattelan, "Comedian" can be seen as a self-conscious prank played on the present-day art market, which thrives on hype and shock value to drive up art prices. Who gets to determine what is art and its worth?



Viewers in Korea can make up their own minds about the piece, now on view at the Leeum Museum of Art in central Seoul as part of the artist's first solo exhibition in the country.



"WE" is a comprehensive survey of the art world's prankster's 38 sculptures, installations and murals that have garnered both praise and scorn over his three-decade career.



It's the largest show ever held since his 2011 retrospective at the Guggenheim in New York, where all 128 of his works were dangled in midair like a surrealist Christmas tree in the museum's iconic rotunda.





Maurizio Cattelan's "La Nona Ora" (1999) / Korea Times photo by Park Han-sol



Having received no formal training in art, Cattelan "intruded" into the contemporary art scene and rose to global stardom in the 1990s as one of the most controversial creators of the time. The 62-year-old's unsettlingly realistic, satirical sculptures take a jab at socially ingrained norms and notions of authority in politics and religion.



His "La Nona Ora" brings an absurd scenario to life, where a life-size wax figure of Pope John Paul II in white robes gets struck by a meteorite. At the museum, the destabilizing sculpture is placed facing the wooden replica of the Vatican City's Sistine Chapel.



"Him" takes it a step further by turning Adolf Hitler into a sheepish schoolboy on his knees seemingly asking for forgiveness. And what about "Frank and Jamie," a pair of uniformed New York City police officers doing a headstand along a wall?





Maurizio Cattelan's "Him" (2001) / Yonhap



The Italian artist doesn't shy away from dethroning symbols of power and pretense in the art world, which he says is an intimate part of either.



He parodies Argentine-Italian painter Lucio Fontana's signature slashed canvas by making the cuts in the famous sign of the letter Z for vigilante Zorro. A photograph of his 1999 performance "A Perfect Day" is also on view, where he duct-taped his art dealer Massimo De Carlo to the gallery's white wall in Milan for hours for the exhibition's opening day. Remind you of anything? And at the entrance and lobby of Leeum lie two wax effigies of homeless men  "Donghoon and Junho," who fooled this reporter for a good minute into thinking they were real  as a wry commentary on the privileged status of museums.





Installation view of Maurizio Cattelan's solo exhibition "WE" at the Leeum Museum of Art / Courtesy of Leeum Museum of Art





Installation view of Maurizio Cattelan's solo exhibition "WE" at the Leeum Museum of Art / Courtesy of Leeum Museum of Art



Cattelan's playful yet subversive provocation is placed alongside his more somber pieces musing on the idea of death.



More than 100 taxidermied horses, pigeons, dogs and donkeys  including his renowned "Novecento," with a horse's sagging body suspended from the ceiling  are strewn across the museum's three floors, locking eyes with anyone who dares to go closer.



"All" consists of nine sculptures carved from white marble, a haunting depiction of human bodies lying on the floor, shrouded under white sheets. Produced more than a decade ago in 2007, the image it evokes strikes viewers in Korea in a tragic way, as the memory of the Itaewon disaster is still too fresh. The Oct. 29 tragedy, which took place just a 15-minute walk away from the museum, killed at least 158 people in a fatal crowd crush last year.



"Cattelan has been called the terrible child of Marcel Duchamp, the bad friend of Andy Warhol and the creator with an aura of Joseph Beuys," the museum's deputy director Kim Sung-won said during the Monday press preview. "This curated selection of his masterpieces will help the audience in Korea better understand who he is and what artistic philosophy has guided his oeuvre for three decades beyond his recent label as a 'banana artist.'"



"WE" runs through July 16 at the Leeum Museum of Art. Admission is free.




The State University of New York will now require all new students to take a course focused on 'Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice' (DEISJ) to graduate.

Members of the SUNY Board of Trustees called for the new DEISJ course for all freshmen in the 64-campus college system starting in the fall of 2023.

While the course is touted by the college as a means to promote diversity and equity, some SUNY professors have slammed it as pandering to woke ideology.

'This is nuts,' Nicholas Giordano, a political science professor at SUNY Suffolk Community College told The New York Post. 'DEISJ is a cultural movement, not based on academics.

'Unfortunately, SUNY responded to the mob.'

SUNY Suffolk Community College professor Nicholas Giordano (above) slammed the board's decision to require all new students to take a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice

The requirement will launch at SUNY's 64 college campuses starting in the fall of 2023

According to SUNY documents regarding the DEISJ course, the class would focus on the history and societal factors that have impacted racial, class and gender groups.

Students would also study the 'creation and perpetuation of the dynamics of power, privilege, oppression and opportunity,' in the US.

SUNY's latest guidance for the DEISJ implementation states that the lessons should be housed in a single course, but that other classes should 'make significant changes' to their curriculum to fulfill similar requirements.

Giordano, a member of the Campus Reform conservative watchdog group, claimed the DEISJ course would portray the US as 'inherently racist' and have students 'defined by the color of their skin.'

Jerry Kassar, chairman of the State Conservative Party, likened the new course to a critical race theory class, which has become a heated issue across the country.

'This is a woke, left wing agenda,' Kassar told the Post. 'It's disturbing. It's dangerous.

'They're treating everybody as having prejudice. It's like a socialist, communist state,' he added. 'It's unbelievable. These ideas are best addressed at home.'

SUNY Chancellor John King touted the course as a means to promote diversity and equity

SUNY Chancellor John King defended the new curriculum as a means of ensuring equity in the school system and promoting tolerance.

'Exposure to, and understanding of, diversity is essential to success in our modern society and economy,' Kind said in a statement. 'As a leader in preparing the future workforce and citizenry, SUNY is committed to embedding diversity into the foundation of all it does  from academics to campus life and everything in between.

'By recognizing and celebrating our diversity and fostering respectful dialogue and debate, SUNY provides students with the world-class education they deserve.'

The DEISJ course was approved back in 2021 as part of a sweeping 25-point plan to close racial equity gaps in New York's public college system.

Each SUNY campus will determine how to implement the new course to fulfill the state's equity goals.
Three of the people accused of murdering Perth teenager Cassius Turvey are alleged to have kidnapped and assaulted another boy days earlier.

Cassius, a 15-year-old Noongar Yamatji boy, was allegedly chased and bashed with a metal pole as he walked home from school with friends on October 13. He suffered serious head injuries and died in hospital 10 days later.

Four people have since been charged with his murder. They are yet to enter pleas.

Cassius Turvey, 15, was walking home from school in Middle Swan, Perth on October 13 with three friends when he was allegedly violently assaulted by a group of men

Jack Steven James Brearley (pictured), 21, is one of four people charged over Cassius' death

Cassius (pictured) suffered serious head injuries and spent five days in hospital before being discharged. However, just hours after leaving he suffered a seizure and two strokes and was rushed back. He then died.

Police on Wednesday said three of the accused were facing fresh charges relating to a separate attack on another 15-year-old boy.

The boy was allegedly chased through the Swan View area on October 9 before being caught and punched, kicked and stabbed.

"It will be further alleged the boy was placed into a vehicle and taken to a house where he was detained for a period of time before being released," WA Police said in a statement.

Jack Steven James Brearley, 21, Mitchell Colin Forth, 24, and Aleesha Louise Gilmore, 20, will face court on later dates in relation to the incident.

All three have been charged with detaining another with intent to compel the doing of an act.

Brearley and Forth are also charged with aggravated unlawful wounding.

An 18-year-old Bellevue man is facing both charges and was refused bail to face Midland Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

He has not been charged in relation to Cassius's death.
On Monday a Good Samaritan rescued a pink-colored pigeon from Manhattan's Madison Square Park.

The bird lover transported the king pigeon - a domestic breed - to the Wild Bird fund, a nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation and education center, on the Upper West Side.

The pigeon, which was subsequently named Flamingo, was described as being in poor condition upon arrival.

The animal rescue group determined that the brightly colored bird had been deliberately dyed, and possibly used as part of a gender reveal, an experiment, or wedding party, prompting employees to release a statement:

'Please never release domestic birds to the wild. Not for weddings, funerals, celebrations, art projects, anything. (We'd hope that 'don't dye them' goes without saying, but...) They will starve or be preyed on,' they wrote.

The Wild Bird Fund of Manhattan put out a statement after Flamingo the pigeon was found and brought uptown to the organization

The Wild Bird Fund added that it seemed the bird had never flown before and was likely purchased at a poultry market. The bird also showed signs of long-term malnutrition.

Flamingo, the group said, would be unable to survive in the wild because it cannot find food, fly well or escape predators.

'I don't think we've ever really had a pink pigeon come into the clinic, so we were all pretty surprised,' said Antonio Sanchez of the Wild Bird Fund. 'We were honestly disgusted that someone would do this.'

As a PSA, the fund put out a general statement about bird treatment:

'Please never release domestic birds to the wild. Not for weddings, funerals, celebrations, art projects, anything. (We'd hope that 'don't dye them' goes without saying, but...) They will starve or be preyed on.

'If you see an all-white pigeon in the wild, or any tame bird standing around looking lost, it needs your help. Please catch the bird and bring it to a pigeon rescue or animal sanctuary near you,' they wrote.

Madison Square Park, where Flamingo the pigeon was found and saved

The organization said it was shocked that the bird had been dyed pink and then released

Pigeons come in many different colors, but pink isn't one of them. This king pigeon was deliberately dyed and released. As a domestic bird unable to find food in the wild, fly well or escape predators, this poor kid had it bad enough before being dyed.



: Phyllis Tseng pic.twitter.com/SnhdIOJsHU  Wild Bird Fund (@wildbirdfund) January 31, 2023

In a statement the Wild Bird Fund condemned the behavior of those who released the bird into the wild dyed pink.

'This poor bird has it bad enough as a domestic bird unable to find food in the wild, fly well or escape predators, but being a bright, unusual color makes him every more of a target,' it said.

Many Facebook followers of the fund's page were thankful the pink pigeon had been helped, though as disheartened as the employees were that the naturally white pigeon would have been dyed to begin with.

'It has to be more widely advertised that weddings, etc, are no place to release this poor birds. Many people just don't realize the harm they are doing. There should be a campaign to make people more aware,' wrote Jill Koos.

Stephanie Schick wrote that as a fellow 'rehabber' herself, she's 'seen such an uptick in dyeing birds for gender reveal parties and other such ridiculous events.

'Makes me sick to my stomach. These birds have it hard enough without being dyed. Where there is one there are certainly going to be more, as they usually release these dyed birds in flocks SMH,' she wrote.
An Oregon man who used dating apps to lure women and 'tortured and attempted to kill' his latest victim has died after been taken into custody following a police stand-off at his victim's home.

Benjamin Obadiah Foster, 36, of Wolf Creek - located 60 miles north of the California border - succumbed to a self-inflicted gunshot wound at a hospital hours after he was taken into custody in Grants Pass, Oregon.

Foster had led police on an hours-long stand-off where he reportedly barricaded himself under victim Justine Siemens' home on Shane Way, where he 'bound and severely beat' her until she was unconscious. She remains in the ICU in critical condition.

Officers from four agencies concentrated in the area set up a command post and assembled a SWAT team while attempting to secure his surrender beginning Tuesday afternoon. He was eventually arrested but was then hospitalized from his gunshot wound and died hours later.

The alleged abuser had fled Siemens' home on January 24 after her friend stopped over to check on her after he was unable to get in contact with her. He reportedly 'interrupted' the torture and after police arrived, they described the scene as 'absolutely disgusting' and 'horrific.'

Benjamin Obadiah Foster, 36, of Wolf Creek, has died after being taken into custody by the Grants Pass Police Department at his victim Justine Siemens' home on Shane Way

He barricaded himself under the victims home and led police on an hours long stand-off

Police accused him of 'intentionally torturing' Siemens for a 'protracted amount of time.' Police also told CNN the incident 'was not a random attack' and that Foster and Siemens had a 'prior relationship,' but did not elaborate further.

Police said Foster used dating apps to lure his victims, but Match Group - which owns Tinder, OkCupid, and Hinge - and Bumble said they could not find profiles that matched his description, but are still looking.

He was last spotted by police on Tuesday morning, while he was walking a small dog in an orange jacket, jeans, and a hat before leading police in a stand-off.

Lieutenant Jeff Hattersley said on Tuesday afternoon that authorities received 'credible information' that Foster had entered the home. Just before 8pm, Hattersley said the situation was resolved.

Officers from four agencies concentrated in the area, set up a command post and assembled a SWAT team. Some area residents received a notification to shelter in place.

Last Thursday, law enforcement raided a property in the unincorporated community of Wolf Creek, but Foster, who had been staying on family property there, slipped away.

Foster allegedly bound and severely beat Siemens (pictured) in her home on January 24. Siemens is still in the ICU after the attack and is in critical condition

Authorities were alerted about the attack after her friend showed up to her home on January 24 after he couldn't get in contact with her and 'interrupted' the torture. Police said the scene was 'absolutely disgusting scene' and 'horrific'

After being interrupted, Foster reportedly fled the scene in his Nissan to Tina Marie Jones' home in Wolf Creek, where his car was found and evidence that he was using dating apps to lure victims was found

Forested mountains surround the community, but investigators believe that instead of disappearing solo into the wilderness, Foster had help getting out of the area.

Homeowner, Tina Marie Jones, 68, was arrested for allegedly attempting to hide Foster and is currently in the Josephine County Jail.

Hattersley also believed that if Siemens' friend had not shown up to her residence on Tuesday, 'we'd have a completely different investigation.'

'It's clear that his intent was to kill her,' he told The New York Times. 'I've been in law enforcement for 32 years, and this is one of the most heinous, terrible cases I've ever seen.'

Siemens' friend Jacqueline Frankel said she saw the pair at the Corvette's Bar and Grill in Grants Pass a few weeks before the alleged attack, although they were not hanging out. Siemens appeared to work at the restaurant, according to her Facebook page.

Foster was also a bartender in Grants Pass. It is unclear if he worked at Corvette's, but police said he did know Siemens' prior to the attack. DailyMail.com has contacted the restaurant for comment.

He was last seen on Tuesday morning with a dog (pictured)

Foster was accused of holding his girlfriend hostage in her Las Vegas apartment in 2019. He reportedly held his girlfriend captive for two weeks, and brutally tortured her.

Frankel said Foster 'just looked like a normal guy' at the time but didn't see him 'hanging out' with Siemens.

Foster was previously convicted in 2019 of holding his girlfriend captive in Las Vegas, where he was attending university.

He reportedly held his girlfriend captive inside her own apartment for two weeks, and brutally tortured her.

That victim, whose name was redacted from court records, received a shaved head, seven broken ribs, two black eyes, and chemical burns from lye, which Foster also allegedly forced her to eat, over the course of 16 days.

He initially was charged with five felonies, including assault and battery, and faced decades in prison upon conviction. But, in August 2021, Foster reached a deal with Clark County prosecutors that allowed him to plead guilty to one felony count of battery and a misdemeanor count of battery constituting domestic violence.

Tina Marie Jones was arrested for allegedly helping him to hide in her home in Wolf Creek and is in the Josephine County Jail. His car and evidence that he was using dating apps to lure victims were found at her home

A judge sentenced him to up to 2.5 years in a Nevada prison. The 729 days he had spent in jail awaiting trial were factored into his punishment, leaving Foster with fewer than 200 days to serve in state custody.

The woman also told police she was choked to the point of unconsciousness.

She escaped when Foster let her out of his sight during a trip together to a grocery store and gas station.

After spending several months in prison, Foster returned to Oregon, where 'unfortunately, he found another woman to victimize in a very similar way,' Hattersley told The New York Times.

Court records show, Foster was out of custody at the time on a suspended jail sentence for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit. He also was awaiting trial in another 2018 case involving domestic violence. But Foster's plea deal with prosecutors in 2021 settled the domestic violence case, a copy of the agreement shows, and he was 'sentenced to credit for time served.'

Grants Pass Police Chief Warren Hensman told AP on Thursday that it was 'extremely troubling' that Foster was out and able to prey on other women instead of still being behind bars for the Nevada crimes.
A popular Sydney weekend market is set to close suddenly because of 'personal reasons'.

The Glebe Markets, in Sydney's inner-west, have been open since 1992 but will now be closing on February 25.

Stallholders were informed about the shut down from the managers of the much-loved markets in an email.

They were told the markets, which are based on the grounds of Glebe Public School, are closing but the exact reason was not disclosed, merely that the decision was triggered by 'personal reasons'.

Stallholders were informed about the closure from the managers of the markets in an email

They were told the markets, which are based on the grounds of Glebe Public School, are closing because of 'personal reasons

Irate stallholders say they were blindsided by the move.

'It's put myself and a lot of people into a bit of a panic,' long-time Joseph Stellino told ABC Radio Sydney.

'A lot of the businesses will be severely affected due to the influx of people that come into the area on that particular day.'

Mr Stellino claimed the markets bring at least 10,000 people to the area on Saturday.

He believes the closure will also damage neighbouring businesses in the area.

The stallholder is hoping someone else picks up the markets and maintains its spirit.

A Department of Education spokesperson said the he department had no plans to close the markets

Another stallholder, Jacky Pateman, said: 'I think at the moment, it is the most vibrant and energetic it's ever been.

A Department of Education spokesperson said the he department had no plans to close the markets.

'The markets have been a mainstay at Glebe Public School for more than 30 years and play an important role in bringing the school and wider Glebe community together,' the spokesperson said.
Pharmacies in Alice Springs have pulled hand sanitizer from shelves amid fears desperate drinkers will turn to it with emergency restrictions on the sale of alcohol.

Priceline stores in the troubled outback town took the radical step, anticipating the high-alcohol hand cleaner could be targeted and other chemists have followed.

New restrictions imposed by the Northern Territory government mean the town's bottle shops are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and can only sell booze for four hours on other days.

The emergency measures were taken as authorities try to tackle the causes of a violent crime wave which has engulfed Alice Springs in recent months.

Peter Hatswell, who co-owns three Priceline stores in Alice Springs, told Daily Mail Australia the decision to stop selling sanitizer was made knowing that local people were already abusing it.

Pharmacies in Alice Springs (pictured) have pulled hand sanitizer from shelves amid fears desperate drinkers will turn to it with emergency restrictions on the sale of alcohol

The consumption of alcohol in Alice Springs has been widely linked with escalating local crime

'That drive to get alcohol at any cost needed to be controlled,' he said.

'When you have desperate people needing to find alcohol it's a recipe for disaster.'

Mr Hatswell said the three stores he co-owns pulled sanitizer from shelves and that he expects all the town's chemists to do the same by Wednesday night.

Pictured: Priceline store co-owner Peter Hatswell

'All the pharmacies in town talk to each other and by tonight they will all be doing the same thing,' he said.

The remote pharmacist who has visited Aboriginal communities in the NT for 16 years, said hand sanitizer is popular with problem drinkers because of its 70 per cent alcohol content.

'Because it's so strong it gives a very good bang for buck for those that are alcohol abusers, at least double strength of a spirit, such as whisky or brandy,' he said.

'Drinking it could do permanent harm to the esophagus, stomach or intestines.

'For now, while Alice is seeing such an uptick in alcohol abuse it's the best thing for public safety.'

Mr Hatswell, who personally ran pharmacies in Alice Springs for 25 years, said that hand sanitizers were abused as a form of alcoholic drink as soon as they became widely available at the start of the pandemic.

Hand sanitizer was popular with local problem drinkers as soon as it hit the shelves during the pandemic because of its 70 per cent alcohol content

People in Alice Springs can no longer buy hand sanitizer in chemists. Pictured Alice Plaza

'When Covid first came along we started to sell huge quantities, there was probably a bit too much of it being sold and stolen,' he said.

'Then we had reports of a lot of empty bottles found in campsites along the Todd River where First Nations people stayed.

'It appears they were not using it for its proper use but were drinking it which is very dangerous unhealthy.

'So we restricted it by placing it behind the counter and vetted every sale, but it still wasn't enough.'

The NT government, after consultation with Anthony Albanese's Labor government, reinstated bans on the sale of takeaway alcohol on Mondays and Tuesdays in Alice Springs for the next three months.

On other days customers are limited to one transaction per day in bottle stores and sales of takeaway alcohol is restricted to 3pm to 7pm.

Longer term solutions are still to be decided.
The stepmother of disgraced actor Armie Hammer is suing his brother, claiming that Viktor Hammer is preventing her from accessing cash bequeathed to her in their father Michael's will.

Misty Millward, who married Michael Hammer in 2017, filed court documents on January 10, accusing Viktor, 35, of blocking her inheritance. Armie, 36, is not named in the suit.

Michael, who inherited the majority of a $40 million oil fortune, died in November from cancer at the age of 67.

Armie Hammer is pictured with his brother Viktor in October 2015. Viktor Hammer is being sued by their stepmother over their father's estate

Armie Hammer is seen with his stepmother Misty shortly after the death of Michael Hammer

Millward alleges Viktor used his job as a securities broker at Morgan Stanley to prevent her receiving more than $2 million Michael left in an account for her.

She says she tried to transfer the money on December 23, a month after her husband's death, but was unable to do so.

'Morgan Stanley has refused to transfer the Account holding securities and cash greatly exceeding $2million to Misty, thereby breaching Morgan Stanley's contractual obligation to Misty as beneficiary,' the complaint states.

'This position is similar to Morgan Stanley's position in refusing to honor authorized transfers of funds from foundations created by Michael Hammer, Armand Hammer Foundation, Inc., and Hammer International Foundation, Inc., all caused by interference by Viktor Hammer.

'As a proximate result of the breach by Defendant as herein alleged, Plaintiff has suffered damages in a sum to be shown at trial, plus interest at the legal rate, and attorney's fees, for a total sum to be shown at time of trial.'

Millward accused Viktor of 'unlawfully trying to seize control of all of the Accounts and assets of the two foundations, Armand Hammer Foundation, Inc., (AHF) and Hammer International Foundation, Inc. (HIF).'

Michael Hammer died in November at the age of 67. He is pictured in October 2016

The businessman, who worked in investment banking before taking over family firm Occidental Petroleum, died in November

Viktor (left) and Armie (right) are pictured in 2009 with their father Michael Hammer

'Viktor Hammer has no legal authority to put himself in charge of the Accounts or to give himself control or exert directives over the Accounts,' said her lawyer, in court documents obtained by The Sun.

'At Viktor Hammer's insistence, however, Morgan Stanley has refused to honor Michael Hammer's directive to transfer the Accounts to Misty.'

She is seeking return of the money plus damages.

Armie, meanwhile, is still a pariah following a series of revelations, beginning in January 2021, about his sexual fetishes and violent fantasies.

Hammer's wife Elizabeth Chambers filed for divorce in July 2020, and six months later he was in the eye of a frenzied storm - with allegations of affairs, cannibalism, sexual coercion and brutality.

The couple share two children: their daughter Harper, seven, and their son Ford, five.

Armie Hammer, 35, and his former wife Elizabeth Chambers, 39, are seen in March 2018 at the Oscars

Hammer and Chambers are pictured with their children Harper and Ford in December 2019

A series of texts Hammer sent to one of his accusers. It was anonymously shared in 2021 when he was first accused. It is unclear who he sent it to

A pair of texts Armie Hammer allegedly sent to Courtney Vucekovich were revealed in the documentary that disturbed the ex-girlfriend

Messages he sent to women included conversations about extreme sexual bondage and disturbing cannibalistic urges.

'I want to eat you...I am 100% a cannibal,' read one message, while others included troubling admissions of desires to eat a woman's ribs and cut off her toes.

One woman accused him of rape.

The LAPD has investigated and Hammer has never been charged, but the allegations proved to be catastrophic for Hammer's career, and he was subsequently dropped by the talent agency WME, as well as by his personal publicist.

He was replaced in Jennifer Lopez's new rom-com Shotgun Wedding by Josh Duhamel, and Miles Teller took over his role in the TV series The Offer, which dramatizes the making of Francis Ford Coppola's classic film The Godfather.

Although he was removed form those productions, Hammer had already finished filming the Kenneth Branagh-directed mystery Death On The Nile, which features an ensemble cast including Branagh, Gal Gadot, Annette Benning, Russell Brand and Rose Leslie, among others.

Viewers mocked a trailer for the film after it appeared to go out of its way to minimize the actor's participation - though his brief appearances were still too much for many viewers.

Hammer was also sued by American Express over an unpaid $67,000 credit card bill, but the case was dropped this week.

He is reportedly living in the Cayman Islands and selling time shares.

In September, Discovery+ released a three-part docu-series, House of Hammer, that detailed Hammer's relationships and family dynasty.

The series interviewed two of Hammer's former girlfriends, Courtney Vucekovich and Julia Morrison, and members of the Hammer household.
Ukraine today warned Russia is preparing for a 'maximum escalation' of the war as Kyiv braces itself for Moscow's highly-anticipated springtime three-pronged offensive.

Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, said Vladimir Putin could be planning another simultaneous attack on the country from the north, south and east on February 24 to coicincide with the anniversary of the war's beginning.

Danilov warned that the bloodiest battles are 'yet to come' and they will happen within the next few months, in what will be a 'defining' moment of the war.

He told Sky News: 'Russia is preparing for maximum escalation. It is gathering everything possible, doing drills and training.

Oleksiy Danilov (pictured), Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, said Vladimir Putin could be planning another simultaneous attack on the country from the north, south and east on February 24 to coicincide with the anniversary of the war's beginning

Ukrainian servicemen adjust a 60mm mortar tube near the frontline in the Donetsk region on Tuesday

Ukrainian serviceman Myroslav, 23, walks in a trench near a frontline position in the Donetsk region on Tuesday

'When it comes to an offensive from different directions, as for now, I can say that we are not excluding any scenario in the next two to three weeks.'

Russia is anticipated to have launched a major assault, ordering forces south from Belarus, north from Crimea and east from the Donbas to encircle and strangle Kyiv forces.

Danilov said Putin could launch his three-pronged offensive on Ukraine on the anniversay of the war on February 24. 'We do understand everything is on the table,' he said.

Speaking about whether the worst is yet to come on the battlefield, Danilov said: 'Of course, we went through an extensive difficult period, but I'm conscious that the main fights are yet to come and they will happen this year within two to three months.

'These will be defining months in the war. We have our own plans and they are clear to us. They're not hidden from our main partners.'

His comments came after Ukraine's top general, Valery Zaluzhny, told the Economist last month that Russia was preparing 200,000 fresh troops for a major offensive that could come from the east, south or even from Belarus in the spring.

Russian army soldiers practice on a military training ground in Russian-controlled Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, on Tuesday

While Germany, US and other Western nations including Britain have said they will send fourth-generation battle tanks to Ukraine, it will take months for them to arrive.

The process could even leave Ukraine stranded without the hi-tech weaponry until after Moscow orders its highly-anticipated springtime three-pronged offensive.

The US does not even have a ready supply of M1 Abrams tanks to deliver and will need to procure some of their fleet, while German defence minister Boris Pistorius said their Leopard 2 tanks will not be ready until the end of March or early April.

Military analysts say more aid is crucial if Ukraine is to block an expected Russian spring offensive and launch its own effort to push back Russian forces.

But Danilov is certain that Ukraine will win the war. 'We will definitely win due to having all the world's support behind us,' he said.

Meanwhile, one of Russia's top spies forecast on Wednesday that the NATO military alliance would fail to inflict a 'strategic defeat' on Moscow, despite sending billions of dollars worth of weapons and military hardware to Ukraine.

Sergei Naryshkin, who heads up Russia's SVR Foreign Intelligence Service and is a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, accused NATO of upping the ante in the conflict by supplying Kyiv with more advanced weapons.

'NATO is raising the stakes because they still have dreams of a strategic defeat over Russia,' Naryshkin said in a televised interview with the state-run RIA news agency released on Wednesday. 'But this will not happen'.

His comments come as the United States is readying its latest package of military aid for Ukraine, worth some $2 billion.

Supplies are expected to include rockets with a range of up to 150 kilometres (94 miles) for the first time.

Washington has previously been hesitant to supply Kyiv with such long-range weapons, apparently fearing they could be used in attacks on Russia itself, which could bring Moscow and NATO closer to the brink of direct conflict.

Naryshkin criticised Washington's latest promises of military aid, saying Moscow had 'taken note of the expansion in both the volume and the range of military equipment being supplied'.

He said the United States and its allies were 'determined to wage war with Russia to the last Ukrainian'.

Following promises by the United States, Germany and several other European countries to deliver dozens of tanks to Ukraine, Russian officials such as Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov have accused NATO countries of taking a more active role in the war.

Kyiv and the West say military supplies are vital to help Ukraine defend itself against what they say is an illegal war of aggression being waged by Russia which sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February last year in what it called a 'special military operation.'

Meanwhile, on the front lines, Russian forces are making incremental gains in their push to take territory in Ukraine's eastern province of Donetsk, focusing on the town of Bakhmut north of the regional capital.

But the Ukrainian army today released footage of their troops launching an artillery strike on a Russian command post and ammunition depot near Bakhmut.

The Ukrainian military tweeted: 'The gunners of the 28th Brigade, together with the air reconnaissance of the 4th brigade of the National Guard, have destroyed the command post and ammunition depot of the occupiers.'

Having finally persuaded NATO countries to supply the modern battle tanks, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's government is now lobbying hard for some of Ukraine's neighbours and Western allies to supply fighter jets.

A Russian army soldier shoots as an instructor stands near during a practice on a military training ground in Russian-controlled Donetsk region on Tuesday

In Paris after meeting Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov, French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said 'there was no taboo' about supplying Kyiv with fighter planes.

The United States and Britain have thus far rejected the idea but repeated their willingness to continue military support to Ukraine.

The West has so far refused to send weapons that could be used to attack deep inside Russia for fear of starting a wider conflict although Moscow has denounced recent Western pledges of weapons as provocations.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian troops in Bakhmut came under renewed fire as did Klishchiivka and Kurdyumivka, villages on the southern approaches to the town, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said in a statement on Tuesday night.

Bakhmut has suffered a relentless bombardment for months, as Russian forces resorted to the same destructive tactics they used to capture two cities further north - Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk - in June and July.

Russian forces on Tuesday made no headway in attempts to advance on Avdiivka, the second focal point of Russian attacks in Donetsk region, Kyiv's military general staff said.

Russian forces also tried to advance near Lyman, a town further north in Donetsk region that was recaptured by Ukrainian forces in October, the military said.

Ukrainian military analyst Oleh Zhdanov said on YouTube that Russian forces in the area were regrouping and bringing in conscripts in what he called a 'conveyor of death.'

'We inflict as much damage as possible and they are forced to bring in new forces in order to keep up the constant attacks on our troops,' he said.

'Conscripts cannot keep up the pace of previous assaults ... Their physical abilities are not up to the task and their motivation is a lot weaker.'

Russia was reaching further west in Donetsk by firing on the town of Vuhledar and a half dozen other towns and villages, the Ukraine military said. Vuhledar is about 148 km (90 miles) southeast of the main fighting in and around Bakhmut.

Britain's Ministry of Defence said the Russian force in the new Vuhledar assault was at least the size of a brigade, a unit typically comprising several thousand troops.

In neighbouring Luhansk region, a planned Ukrainian advance had slowed and an attack to liberate the town of Svatovo had been delayed due to bad weather, the military commander in the sector, Yuri Federenko, told Espreso TV.

Wagner mercenaries and 'special forces dressed in Ukrainian uniforms' who could speak Ukrainian were active in the area, he said.
Newsnight descended into chaos yesterday when Tory peer Lord Baker's phone rang four times as he spoke about the crisis surrounding the Conservative Party.

The former Education Secretary was addressing questions about whether Prime Minister Rishi Sunak mishandled the sacking of Nadhim Zahawi and the bullying accusations levelled at Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab.

Asked if Mr Sunak is repeating the mistakes made by former PM John Major, Lord Baker, 88, began defending the current occupant of Downing Street when his phone went off for the first time.

Presenter Victoria Derbyshire took it and said she would put it on silent, as she joked with Newsnight political editor Nick Watt that he is 'in demand'.

The conversation then continued, before Lord Baker's phone rang again just seconds later.

Laughing, Ms Derbyshire said 'give me your phone' as Lord Baker joked: 'The Prime Minister is very insistent isn't he!'

The phone went off for a third time when Lord Baker was noting how the PM's ethics advisor Sir Laurie Magnus concluded within an investigation into Mr Zahawi within a week.

Ms Derbyshire said 'oh my God' as the ring tone sounded, before she silenced it again and joked: 'Someone is telling you to shush!'

The phone went off for the final time when Lord Baker said that the bullying accusations surrounding Mr Raab will 'hang over him for the rest of his career.'

Having silenced it again, Ms Derbyshire returned the phone to Lord Baker as she ended the interview.

Social media users quickly noticed the gaffe, with one saying: 'Can't we have a weekly programme where Kenneth Baker forgets to switch his phone off.'

Another added: 'It happened again and again! Where were the back up staff?! Victoria was so patient!'

Lord Baker served as Environment Secretary and then Education Secretary under Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s, before becoming Home Secretary under John Major.

It came as senior Conservative Jacob Rees-Mogg warned against being 'too snowflakey' over bullying allegations as he defended Mr Raab.

The former Education Secretary was addressing questions about whether Prime Minister Rishi Sunak mishandled the sacking of Nadhim Zahawi and the bullying accusations levelled at Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab

Asked if Mr Sunak is repeating the mistakes made by former PM John Major, Lord Baker, 88, began defending the current occupant of Downing Street when his phone went off for the first time

Mr Sunak has refused to suspend Mr Raab despite the number of allegations to his bullying inquiry reportedly swelling significantly and being added to by a former top civil servant.

The Prime Minister has been under increased pressure after he sacked Mr Zahawi as Tory chairman following a furore over his tax affairs.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats have urged Mr Sunak to suspend Mr Raab while he is under investigation by senior lawyer Adam Tolley KC.

Reports suggest that former Foreign Office permanent secretary Lord Simon McDonald has given evidence to Mr Tolley as a witness.

The two other permanent secretaries who worked with Mr Raab while he held Cabinet positions have now also been interviewed, according to The Guardian.

The newspaper has also reported that at least 24 civil servants, and perhaps more than 30, are involved in formal complaints. Mr Raab denies allegations of bullying.

Mr Sunak has refused to suspend Mr Raab despite the number of allegations to his bullying inquiry reportedly swelling significantly and being added to by a former top civil servant

Mr Rees-Mogg said it is 'completely sensible' for Mr Raab to remain as Mr Sunak's deputy, and Justice Secretary, while under investigation.

The former Brexit opportunities minister and Commons leader told Sky News: 'I think we've got to be slightly careful about the bullying allegations.

'We mustn't be too snowflakey about it. People need to be able to say this job has not been done well enough and needs to be done better.

'It's a very difficult line to judge. It's not a straightforward issue in most cases. It's how did somebody react, what did somebody say, is it reasonable to demand from senior and well-paid professionals a level of good service? And then you have to judge whether that line has been overstepped.'

Mr Rees-Mogg backed then-PM Boris Johnson for keeping Priti Patel on as home secretary despite her being found to have broken the ministerial code over bullying allegations.

Dave Penman, the general secretary of the FDA union representing senior civil servants, said: 'Even by Rees-Mogg's standards this is outrageous.

'A former leader of the House trivialising bullying that we know has ruined lives and careers.

Last week, Mr Raab insisted he is 'always mindful of the way I behave'

'Not only should he be ashamed of himself but his leader and party should distance themselves from this.'

Labour's shadow Cabinet Office minister Florence Eshalomi added: 'It speaks volumes that Jacob Rees-Mogg is seeking to belittle the serious claims of bullying and intimidation that have been made against the Deputy Prime Minister.

'He should be ashamed of himself. If Rishi Sunak was serious about his zero-tolerance approach, he would distance himself and his party from Jacob Rees-Mogg's remarks.'

Last week, No 10 insisted the number of formal allegations against Mr Raab remained at eight but could not rule out each complaint including multiple accusers.

Speaking during a Cabinet awayday at his Chequers grace-and-favour retreat, Mr Sunak said he will await the outcome of Mr Tolley's investigation before taking any action.

'I appointed an independent investigator to have a look at that matter. I'll wait for that independent investigator to complete that investigation and report back to me,' he said.

Last week, Mr Raab insisted he is 'always mindful of the way I behave'.

'I'm confident I behaved professionally throughout, and of course the Government takes a zero-tolerance approach to bullying,' he told the BBC.

The investigation centres on when Mr Raab was foreign secretary, Brexit secretary and during his first stint as justice secretary.

Last year, Lord McDonald alleged Mr Raab was so demeaning and abrasive to junior colleagues that many were 'scared' to enter his office.

'Colleagues did not complain to me formally, it was kind of their professional pride to cope, but many were scared to go into his office,' the crossbench peer told Times Radio.

'His sort-of defence was that he treated everybody in the building in the same way. He was as abrasive and controlling with junior ministers and senior officials as he was with his private secretaries.'

Mr Sunak has pledged to take 'whatever steps are necessary to restore the integrity back into politics'.

But Downing Street would not be drawn on whether the Prime Minister was told of informal concerns about Mr Raab's behaviour when he made him his deputy.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said Mr Sunak had the 'requisite information needed' to make the appointment and had acted swiftly by appointing Mr Tolley to investigate once formal complaints were made.
A pair of British tourists were among a group rescued from an abandoned hiking trail in a jungle in Thailand.

Prasannatma Das Bhatt, 30, his friend Anne Pedder, 35, and Dutch holidaymaker Sandra Helena, 44, had set off on a hike through the snake-filled woods in the Khao Ra mountain of Surat Thani province on Monday morning.

But as dusk arrived the trio realised they had strayed off the main path and into the undergrowth. Completely lost, they were forced to call park officials for help.

Thailand is home to hundreds of species of snakes, including the lethal monocled cobra, pit viper, and reticulated python - one of the largest snakes in the world.

Prasannatma Das Bhatt, 30, (centre left) his friend Anne Pedder, 35, (centre) and Dutch holidaymaker Sandra Helena, 44, (centre right) pose with the rescue crew after they were found lost in the woods

The hiking trail along the Khao Ra mountain is known to be particularly treacherous. The mountain is located on Koh Pha Ngan island (pictured)

Thikamphon Penchaom, chief of the Than Sadet National Park, sent out a search team to locate the missing tourists.

He said: 'We examined the coordinates from one of their phones, and found that they were on a trail leading up to the peak of the mountain.'

He added that the path had been disused, and is now covered with undergrowth.

The search party finally discovered the foreigners all safe at 8:45pm local time. They were given first aid for minor injuries.

Thikamphon added: 'Hiking in the forests can be dangerous for anyone who is not experienced and does not know the local area. Tourists should also stay on the correct paths and have emergency supplies.'

The rescue team pose with the hikers who got lost in the snake infested woods of Khao Ra

Khao Ra is the highest peak on the province's Koh Pha Ngan island. It is known to be a difficult hike, even while following the correct trail.

In September 2021, British pensioner Barry Leonard Weller, 72, was rescued after spending three days after going missing in remote jungle in Khon Kaen province.

And in May last year, two British teenage girls Eliza Keeping, 19, and Rose Cox, 19, were found safe after disappearing in woodland in Surat Thani province.

Worried staff at the Coco Hostel Khao Sok, a set of floating bamboo raft rooms, called the police when the two girls had not returned from a walk by 9pm.

The Khao Sok National Park is a sprawling 285-square-mile area of evergreen rainforests older than the Amazon.

Eliza Rose Keeping, 19, from Brill, Buckinghamshire, and Matilda Rose Adelaide Cox, 19, from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, were staying at a resort in Surat Thani province

The Khao Sok National Park is a sprawling 285-square-mile area of evergreen rainforests older than the Amazon

Rescue teams were immediately notified of the missing youngsters amid fears they could have been injured in the sprawling woodland or fell into the lake.

Neither of the girls could be contacted on their mobile phones.

Frantic park rangers and local volunteers launched a search for the girls throughout the night in the vast Khao Sok National Park.

They were found soaking wet, exhausted and covered in mud the next morning at around 9am.

'Both of the girls were in a state of exhaustion but they were healthy. They were relieved to be safe.'
Xi encourages young people to forge ties

13:16, February 01, 2023 By MO JINGXI ( Chinadaily.com.cn

[File photo/Xinhua]

President Xi Jinping, in a recent letter to students of a Hungarian-Chinese bilingual school in Budapest, Hungary, encouraged teenagers in the Central European country to understand China better and become envoys to carry forward and enhance the friendship between the two nations.

Xi's letter, which was in response to one sent by students of the school, was published on Tuesday. In his reply letter, the president said he and his wife were glad to have received the students' letter during Spring Festival in the Year of the Rabbit.

Noting that he still remembered his interactions with the Budapest school's teachers and students in 2009, Xi appreciated the persistent efforts of the students in learning the Chinese language and their ambition to contribute to China-Hungary friendship.

During an official visit to Hungary in October 2009, Xi, who was then China's vice-president, made a visit to the school. At the time, he noted that the school was named after Chinese writer Lu Xun and Hungarian national poet Sandor Petofi, and told teachers and students that learning both Chinese and Hungarian languages and cultures will help deepen the two countries' mutual understanding and friendship.

Founded in September 2004, the Hungarian-Chinese bilingual school is the only full-time public school in Central and Eastern Europe that uses both Chinese and the local language for teaching. Now, it has set up 20 classes with about 530 students in 12 grades.

Before the Spring Festival holiday, two students  whose Chinese names are Hu Lingyue and Song Zhixiao  wrote a letter to Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, on behalf of the entire school, sending their Spring Festival greetings according to the Chinese custom. They shared their 12-year experience in learning Chinese at the school, and expressed their willingness to go to college in China and contribute to Hungary-China friendship.

Xi said that both China and Hungary have a time-honored history and a splendid culture, and the people of the two countries, which enjoy a traditional friendship, have witnessed increasingly closer cultural exchanges.

The students, Xi said, are welcome to study at Chinese universities after they finish high school. He expressed his hope that more and more Hungarian youths will fall in love with and study the Chinese language. He encouraged them to visit China, if they get a chance, and learn more about today's China, along with the country's history and culture.

Xi has on many occasions emphasized the importance of promoting cultural exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations. He has always encouraged young foreigners, who are interested in the Chinese language and culture, to visit China and help forge closer relations between the people of China and other countries.

Jia Ruixia, an associate professor at Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of European Studies, said that using letters as the bridge of communication shows the importance Xi attaches to enhancing the bonds between the Chinese and Hungarian people.

"The students' letter is an example of the aspiration for communication and exchanges in a world faced with conflicts and several other destabilizing factors. As long as people are willing to learn about each other and communicate with each other, while respecting their differences, many conflicts can be avoided," Jia said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
gettyimagesbank



By Lee Min-hyung



Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on chips and robots turned out to have generated the largest returns in January in hopes of a gradual recovery in the global semiconductor market.



According to data from the Korea Exchange, TIGER U.S. Philadelphia Semiconductor Leverage ETF topped the list of most profitable ETFs listed here. The ETF generated returns of 30.03 percent between Jan. 2 and 30.



Other major chip-related ETFs also enjoyed a robust rally during the same period. ACE Global Chip Top 4 Plus, Solactive ETF, also reported returns of 22.15 percent this month. Data from the exchange also showed that all the 15 ETFs on semiconductors listed here generated double-digit profitability this month alone.



The solid growth has been driven by not just the industrial outlook, but the possible end to global monetary tightening.



"Starting from the second quarter of this year, signals will be detected that the cycle of decline in the memory chip industry bottoms out," KB Securities analyst Kim Dong-won said. "The memory chip industry is faced with oversupply for now, but this will not be the case in 2024 with overall supply reduction and Chinese chipmakers' delayed production as a reaction to U.S. sanctions."



ETFs associated with robots and the metaverse have also enjoyed their heyday in January. KODEX K-Robot Active ETF topped the list of most profitable ETFs here  excluding leveraged ETFs  with monthly returns of 20.2 percent, according to data from Samsung Asset Management. The robot-industry-focused ETF was listed for the first time in Korea in November, containing key tech stocks such as Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and Naver.



The ETF gained traction on the growing demand for automation technology amid an aging population and falling birthrate here. The industry is considered one of the next major mid- to long-term growth areas here.


Victims of phone theft in London have tracked down their stolen mobiles to the exact same street in China.

The stolen phones are appearing on Huafa South Road in Shenzhen, 6,000 miles away from their owners.

The south China city, next to Hong Kong, is a hub for mobile phone manufacturers and wholesalers.

It is believed that the iPhones are likely being stripped for parts and filtered into legal markets, or being turned into 'Frankenstein phones'.

Ketan Aggarwal, 36, had his 1,000 iPhone stolen in London. When he searched for it online, he found it had travelled 6,000 miles to Shenzen in China

Stolen iPhones have been tracked down to this street in Shenzen, where it is believed they are stripped for parts and sold off

Ketan Aggarwal, 36, was talking on his iPhone 14 Pro, worth around 1,000, when it was snatched from his hand in Farringdon, central London.

He then decided to track his phone - and watched it as it made its way out of the capital and across the world to Huafa Road.

He believes the phone was stripped for parts once it arrived in Shenzen, China.

Ketan, from Ealing, West London, said: 'Phone theft is a big problem in London.

'I had mine nicked right from my ear, and after tracking it to China, I've had an insight into what actually happens next.'

A Reddit user also said: 'Had my brand new iPhone 13 Pro stolen in London over one month ago.

'It is now located by Find My iPhone on Huafa Road, Shenzhen, China.

Victims of phone theft in London have little chance of getting their devices back, as many are shipped far overseas

'I am just shocked that these sorts of black markets are still profitable and a big company like Apple can't do anything to stop this?'

Shenzen's electronics district has been described as a bustling downtown bazaar, with crowded streets, neon lights and sidewalk vendors.

A WIRED report described it as 'Silicon Valley's go-to hardware garage' - adding: 'Chips, circuit boards, sensors, casings, cameras, even raw plastics and metals - it's all here.'

Professor David S. Wall, an expert in cybercrime at the University of Leeds, could not comment on Shenzen specifically.

But he said: 'My only thoughts are that the sims must have been active when they were sent to China.

'Therefore, victims must cancel their service as soon as they know their phone is stolen or lost.'
Alec Baldwin attended a poker night with his wife after criminal charges were filed against him, it has been reported.

The actor, 64, was officially charged on Tuesday with involuntary manslaughter for shooting dead Halyna Hutchins on the set of the movie Rust in October 2021.

Just hours later, Baldwin and his wife Hilaria paid a visit to the private club Zero Bond in New York City, an exclusive spot in Manhattan's NoHo neighborhood.

'Alec seemed chill and low-key' PEOPLE magazine cited a source as saying.

Baldwin and his wife Hilaria paid a visit to the private club Zero Bond in New York City, an exclusive spot in Manhattan's NoHo neighborhood, hours after the charges were filed. Pictured: The Baldwins leave their home on Tuesday before the charges were filed by prosecutors over the on-set death of Halyna Hutchins

'They didn't engage with anyone but headed straight to where everyone plays poker,' the source added, explaining an area at the back of the twenty thousand square foot private member's club is only available to guests who play poker.

'After spending around 30 to 40 minutes in the back poker area, Alec and Hilaria came back out and sat in the lounge' where the pair 'chatted away,' the source told the magazine.

Late on Tuesday, Fox News obtained photographs of Baldwin outside Zero Bond.

In them, he is seen in a blue puffer jacket keeping his head down, and carrying his phone by his side as he enters through the club's red door.

On its website, Zero Bond says the club maintains a rigorous process in regard to member selection,' and only those who 'display a high level of integrity' and show they can contribute to the private community are accepted as members.

'While we do not discriminate based on race, socioeconomic status, or profession, we are highly particular on character,' the club's website says.

'Upon submitting a formal application, the membership committee will review and render a decision on acceptance after taking into account all aspects of the person's character.'

Once a member is accepted into the club, they must pay an initiation fee and an annual fee that is different depending on a person's age.

The actor, 64, was officially charged on Tuesday with involuntary manslaughter for shooting dead Halyna Hutchins on the set of the movie Rust in in October 2021. Pictured: Baldwin is seen outside his home on Tuesday, before being charged

Pictured: The entrance to the Zero Bond private member's club in New York City's NoHo neighborhood. Actor Alex Baldwin attended the club on Tuesday night

Prosecutors formally charged Baldwin and film-set weapons supervisor Hannah Gutierrez-Reed on Tuesday over the fatal shooting of cinematographer Hutchins on the New Mexico movie set.

Hutchins died shortly after being wounded during rehearsals at a ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe on Oct. 21, 2021. Baldwin was pointing a pistol at Hutchins when the gun went off, killing her and wounding the director, Joel Souza.

In documents, prosecutors claimed the actor was 'distracted' during firearm training and shortly after the incident admitted to officers he had fired the weapon - something he would later vehemently deny.

They say reckless safety failures accompanied the film production from the outset.

The documents cite Baldwin's failure as an actor to appear for mandatory firearms training prior to filming and his decision as a producer to work with Gutierrez-Reed, who was an uncertified and inexperienced armorer.

A probable cause statement from investigators traces safety failures across a 10-day period from misfires on set and a camera crew walkout to the moments before Hutchins' death as a revolver was loaded with ammunition and Baldwin's finger came to rest on the pistol's trigger.

Among the documents filed with the court on Tuesday is a 10-page probable cause affidavit (pictured) that describes Baldwin putting his finger 'inside of the trigger guard and on the trigger' on the day of the shooting, and moments before the gun went off

Pictured: Alec Baldwin is seen on October 21, 2021, after speaking to investigators about the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins

Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed has also been charged with involuntary manslaughter

Halyna Hutchins, 42, was shot and killed on the 'Rust' movie set on October 21

'Baldwin's deviation from known standards, practices, and protocol directly caused the fatal death of Hutchins,' Robert Shilling, a special investigator for the Santa Fe district attorney's office, said in the probable cause statement.

Baldwin's attorney Luke Nikas declined to comment Tuesday and referred to a previous statement in which he called the charges a 'terrible miscarriage of justice' that he and his client would fight and win.

'Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun - or anywhere on the movie set,' the statement said.

'He relied on the professionals with whom he worked.' Gutierrez-Reed's attorney said they would release a statement later.

A manslaughter charge can be brought for a killing that occurs while a defendant is doing something lawful but dangerous and is acting negligently or without caution.

Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed maintain their innocence and have vowed to fight the charges.

Baldwin has stated repeatedly that he never pulled the trigger, and said that it was a tragic accident - emphasizing that he relied on the firearms experts hired to be on set. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison.
Medical equipment was seen strewn across a pavement following the collision

Horrific crash took place between Marylebone Road and Baker Street last night

An ambulance attending a 999 call overturned following a frightening crash with a double decker bus on one of London's busiest streets.

Emergency services rushed to the scene between Marylebone Road and Baker Street at around 11.07pm last night.

No injuries were reported, nor arrests made in connection with the incident, but footage from the scene shows the ambulance having overturned with medical equipment scattered across a nearby pavement.

London Ambulance Service today said it has launched an internal review following the incident.

Emergency services rushed to the scene between Marylebone Road and Baker Street late last night

The paramedics inside were seen climbing out of the wrecked vehicle as horrified members of the public looked on.

Meanwhile, passengers on the bus were also said to be visibly shaken following the incident.

The front windows of the bus were seen to have sustained significant damage in the crash.

Police, firefighters and further paramedics attended the scene, with a cordon erected around the road.

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: 'We were called at 11:06pm on Tuesday 31 January to reports of a road traffic collision involving an ambulance responding to an emergency call, and a London bus on Marylebone Road at the junction with Baker Street, NW1.

'Another ambulance was dispatched to the original incident. We then sent multiple resources to the scene, including an ambulance crew, an incident response officer, members of our hazardous area response team (HART) and Londons air ambulance.

'There were no injuries on the bus as a result of the collision. The ambulance crew involved were taken to hospital for further checks.'

Two paramedics are seen climbing out of the emergency response vehicle following the collision

The front windows of the bus (pictured) were seen to have sustained significant damage in the crash

The ambulance overturned following the impact, with paramedics said to have climbed out the vehicle

A cordon erected around the scene of the crash near Marylebone in west London late last night

Medical equipment was seen strewn across a nearby pavement after the ambulance overturned

Those onboard the bus were said shaken but unhurt following the incident shortly after 11pm last night

The paramedics inside are understood to have been seen climbing out of the wrecked vehicle as horrified members of the public looked on

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: 'Police were called at 11.07pm on Tuesday, January 31, to a collision involving a bus and ambulance in Baker Street, W1.

'No injuries were reported and there was no arrests.'

Around 80,000 cars and lorries pass along Marylebone Road, a major arterial trunk road that has run into and out of the Home Counties since the 18th century.

Every day, more than 80,000 cars and lorries pass along the busy Marylebone Road each day - a major arterial trunk road that has run into and out of the Home Counties since the 18th century.

It travels past major landmarks including The Regent's Park and Madame Tussauds before becoming Euston Road and ending at King's Cross in the east.

London Ambulance Service has been contacted for comment.
Searches for mother-of-two Nicola Bulley entered their sixth day today with no trace of the mortgage adviser last seen in picture postcard St Michael's-on-Wyre.

Her worried family are distraught at her disappearance and her partner Paul Ansell has tried to protect their two little girls by explaining 'mummy is lost'.

They are said to have 'cried their eyes out' as he tried to console them while himself terrified at her unexplained vanishing.

Lancashire Police has so far been unable to locate Ms Bulley but are treating her as 'missing'. Here MailOnline pieces together her last steps:

Nicola Bulley's last known movements have baffled police even six days after she vanished

Ms Bulley would often be seen by other dogwalkers along the route every day with Willow

8.45am - Ms Bulley is understood to have left her 300,000 home in Inskip to drop her two children off at St Michael's-on-Wyre Church of England Primary School at around 8.30am.

She has then left her car in the Hall Lane area before setting off on her regular walk with Willow, which loops around to finish at the same spot.

Ms Bulley would often be seen by other dogwalkers along the route every day and was noticeable because she would look so smart in her clothes.

Dogwalkers would notice Ms Bulley each day because she would look so smart in her clothes

When Willow was found the dog was dry and they was no sign the animal had been in the water

9.01am - During her walk, Ms Bulley joins a conference call with her work, but is not on camera and has muted her device and is just listening in.

Ben Pociecha, the director of Exclusively Mortgages, said there was nothing unusual in the fact she was not on screen.

He said: 'It seems as if she was muted and didn't have her camera on. She was listening in whilst walking her dog.

'There were numerous parties involved in this. A lot of people attended the call. The police are investigating the call.'

Dogwalkers seen in the area yesterday. Ms Bulley is a keen walker and would go all week

Ms Bulley would park her car at the school and then take the dog out for a walk in the morning

9.15am - A dogwalker who had been in a nearby field saw her at 9.15am on a footpath by the River Wyre.

The man - who has not been identified - said there had been nothing unusual about her appearance and she was walking her regular route.

He was with another two people in the field and police have spoken to him about what he saw.

His wife told the Times: In the field there were about three people, including my husband. He said there was nothing unusual about her and she seemed completely normal.

'I'd often see her and say hello. I always thought she looked very nicely dressed, in her bobble hat and smart Wellington boots. It's just horrible to know she's missing.'

Ms Bulley's social media activity demonstrated her fondness for the walk and its surroundings

A man described by police as a 'key witness' may have seen Willow running free at 9.20am

9.20am - Nicola is believed to have been seen again by a pensioner in his 70s at this time.

He was walking a small white fluffy dog on a lead and later spoke to another woman, who was also in the area around half an hour later.

MailOnline understands he alerted her to Willow who by now was running free along the bank.

He was called a 'key witness' by police yesterday, who have since located and spoke to him.

This is the bench where Ms Bulley's mobile phone and Willow's harness and dog lead were

Searches were carried out by Lancashire Police using drones and police dogs over the week

10am - The woman who spoke to the pensioner dog walker by now has found Willow on the river bank.

Police say the springer spaniel was unharmed and crucially dry, meaning the dog had not been in the water.

Willow's lead and dog harness were located on a bench on the river bank.

Ms Bulley's mobile phone was also laid on the seat and was still connected to the work conference call.

Neighbours have since warned the riverbank was muddy and could have been a risk to falling.

Paul Ansell, right, reported Ms Bulley, left, missing after someone at the school alerted him

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue team and the North West Underwater Search Team have been involved in the hunt for Ms Bulley

10.30am - Ms Bulley's partner Paul Ansell says he is alerted by the primary school his partner is missing and their dog found.

He sparks the police investigation by ringing the force to tell it his girlfriend has gone missing.

Mr Anstell told reporters on Monday: 'I got a call from the school regarding somebody who had found Willow, and Nikki's phone and the dog lead and harness on the bench.

'We take the kids to school and take the dog down there - either myself or Nikki - nearly every day.'
Taiwan has scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to large-scale manoeuvres of 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships in the Taiwan Strait.

Beijing yesterday instructed its air force and navy to perform a major operation which saw 20 Chinese aircraft cross the central line of the Strait, long seen as a buffer zone between the island nation and mainland China, according to Taiwanese defence officials.

It is the latest escalation of tensions between the two states and comes after weeks of Chinese military drills close to Taiwanese air space, leading Taipei and its US allies to be wary of a potential blockade or outright attack.

China's alarming military manoeuvres came just hours after foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning declared Beijing 'does not promise to renounce the use of force' in its efforts to reunify.

A Taiwan Mirage 2000 jet sits in a hangar surrounded by ordinance during a drill at an airbase in Hsinchu, Taiwan, as the Taiwanese armed forces prepare for a potential conflict

Taiwanese military personnel have for weeks been engaged in preparedness drills as Beijing continues to ramp up threatening behaviour in the Taiwan Strait

Soldiers pose for group photos with a Taiwan flag after a preparedness enhancement drill simulating the defense against Beijing's military intrusions, ahead of the Lunar New Year in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan on Wednesday, Jan 11, 2023

China has for weeks sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defence resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.

Chinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the US and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening manoeuvres.

Taiwan has responded to China's threats by ordering more defensive weaponry from the US, leveraging its democracy and high-tech economy to strengthen foreign relations and revitalising its domestic arms industry.

Taiwan has been governed independently from mainland China since a 1949 civil war, but President Xi Jinping's Chinese Communist Party claims the island is part of 'One China' and has made no bones about its intention to reclaim the territory.

Beijing has accusing Taiwan of using the US and other Western allies to bolster its efforts to maintain independence, and insists the US is manipulating Taiwan to 'contain' Chinese influence.

Taiwanese support for independence meanwhile is overwhelming. According to a December 2022 poll conducted by the National Chengchi University, less than three percent of Taiwanese citizens wants to reunify with China immediately, and only five percent think Taiwan should unify at some point in the future.

A string of visits in recent months by foreign politicians to Taiwan, including by then-US house speaker Nancy Pelosi and numerous politicians from the European Union, spurred displays of military might from both sides.

A Chinese Navy J-11 fighter jet is recorded flying close to a U.S. Air Force RC-135 aircraft in international airspace over the South China Sea, according to the U.S. military, in a still image from video taken December 21, 2022

Soldiers rush after alighting from an assault amphibious vehicle during a military drill in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023

Soldiers and tanks are deployed to a preparedness enhancement drill simulating the defense against Beijing's military intrusions, ahead of the Lunar New Year in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan on Wednesday, Jan 11, 2023

China's President Xi Jinping has openly declared that the CCP believes Taiwan is a part of China under its 'One China' policy

In response to Ms Pelosi's visit in August, China staged war games surrounding the island and fired missiles over it into the Pacific Ocean.

China has repeatedly threatened retaliation against countries seeking closer ties with Taiwan, but its attempts at intimidation have sparked a backlash in popular sentiment in Europe, Japan, the US and other nations.

In a memo last month, US air force general Mike Minihan instructed his officers to be prepared for a US-China conflict over Taiwan in 2025 as a result of the increasing tensions.

Meanwhile, Taiwan's de-facto ambassador in Washington, Bi-khim Hsiao, said there is a new emphasis on preparing military reservists and civilians for the kind of all-of-society fight that Ukrainians are waging against Russia following the February 24, 2022 invasion.

'Everything we're doing now is to prevent the pain and suffering of the tragedy of Ukraine from being repeated in our scenario in Taiwan,' Ms Hsiao said.

'So ultimately, we seek to deter the use of military force. But in a worst-case scenario, we understand that we have to be better prepared.'

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday highlighted China's threatening behaviour towards Taiwan as a reason why NATO must maintain and develop its working relationships in the Indo-Pacific.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg answers a question from students at Keio University Tokyo, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. Stoltenberg pointed to China-Taiwan tensions as a reason for NATO to develop its relations in the Indo-Pacific

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (L) shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (R) on January 31, 2023 in Tokyo, Japan

Speaking this morning during a visit to Tokyo, Stoltenberg said: 'Working with partners around the world, especially in the Indo-Pacific, is part of the answer to a more dangerous and unpredictable world.'

Although he said China was not an adversary, the NATO chief said the country was becoming a 'more and more authoritarian power' that was displaying assertive behaviour, threatening Taiwan, and developing military capabilities that could also reach NATO countries.

'We are more than ready to further strengthen and expand the partnership with countries in this region,' he added.

China rejected the claims by Stoltenberg, saying that it has always been a defender of peace and stability.

'On the one hand, NATO claims that its position as a regional defensive alliance remains unchanged, while on the other hand, it continues to break through traditional defense zones and areas, continuously strengthen military security ties with Asia-Pacific countries and exaggerate the threat of China,' Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Ning said in a regular briefing held Wednesday.

'I want to emphasise that the Asia-Pacific is not a battlefield for geopolitical rivalry and confrontation between the camps with Cold War mentality is not welcomed,' she added.
A single mother has been forced to sleep in her kitchen due to black mould, damp and cracked ceilings all over her flat.

Samantha Gorman, of Sutton, south London, lives in the council-owned one bedroom flat with her 13-year-old son Ronnie, who has autism.

She gave the only bedroom to her son and has since been forced to sleep on a camping bed in her kitchen due to the growth of black mould in her living room.

Miss Gorman also said her bathroom ceiling is covered in mould and a crack in her kitchen ceiling causes water to leak.

Samantha Gorman, pictured in her kitchen where she has to sleep on a camping bed due to mould and damp all over her council flat

The mould on their bathroom ceiling - she said she was 'sick and tired' of living in squalor and has demanded to be moved by Sutton Council

Miss Gorman, who has asthma, said the issue has taken a massive mental and physical toll on her family.

She said: 'I now sleep on a camp bed in my kitchen because I can't sleep in my living room any more.

'I can't sleep with the mould, it doesn't do my chest any favours at all. One wall of the living room is completely damp, I refuse to let me or my son sleep there overnight.

'My son's had so much time off school due to chest infections connected with the mould and damp.

What is black mould and why is it so common in rented housing? It's a fungus rather like mildew or toadstools, and it needs permanently damp conditions to grow and multiply. It struggles to establish itself in dry conditions and, if you can see mould growing on a wall, you are looking at a colony of perhaps millions of mould spores. Once they start growing, they increase rapidly and will continue to do so unless eradicated. Mould is an allergen and, if allowed to spread, can become highly toxic and cause severe respiratory infections. Spores can grow on plaster, wood, carpet and even dust. The problem is worse in tenanted homes, rather than privately owned ones, as these properties tend to be cheaply built with thin walls and are prone to condensation. Also, much rental stock is old and not built to current housing regulations. Another factor is that these properties tend to be less well looked after by landlords than owner-occupied homes. Around 40 per cent of rental homes are susceptible to mould, according to the charity Shelter. Advertisement

'My anxiety is going through the roof, I'm sick and tired of living in squalor. I don't like living in this flat any more, there's too many memories for me and my son.

'The last couple of years I've been in a really low place, at some points I've not wanted to be here.

'I've got myself out of that because of my son but it's really affecting my mental health. The flat is in such dire straits I can't be bothered with it.'

She has asked to be moved into a new property in Wallington, Sutton, which is closer to her son's school and where her parents live.

But she said Sutton Council only responds by telling her it will 'address repairs' in the flat, despite her never having reported them.

She said: 'I'm sleeping in the kitchen for god's sake, it's a joke.

'If I was to live in Wallington I could walk my son to school if I needed to.

'I'm not being picky or choosy but that would be the ideal place for me to move to.

'It would be better for us all around.'

Miss Gorman said she contacted her local MP, Paul Scully, to help alert the council to the problems but that it did not reply to his emails raising concerns.

This issue has existed since they moved into the property 13 years ago but has got worse since the passing of her partner, Lee, in December 2020.

A spokesperson for Sutton Council said: 'We take any report of damp or mould very seriously and having checked with our housing team we can confirm that the tenant has not reported an issue relating to damp and mould.

'However regardless of this our team attended the property this afternoon to complete an inspection.

'We are now working closely with the tenant to address repairs in the home as soon as possible, including mould treatment to the bathroom ceiling and wall, and also in the front room.'

Miss Gorman said she contacted her local MP, Paul Scully, to help alert the council to the problems but it did not reply to his emails raising concerns.
Visitors at Tate Modern have sympathised with the owners of four luxury flats that are intrusively overlooked by a viewing platform in the art gallery which allows 'hundreds of thousands' of museum visitors to look inside their homes.

After launching a legal bid to close down the viewing platform, the five affected residents won their Supreme Court privacy battle today after a judge ruled living in the homes was 'like being on display in a zoo'.

Speaking outside the Tate Modern, Thea Minet, a 23-year-old waitress from Essex, said: 'If you live there what can you expect?

'But, to be fair, I wouldn't want to live there. What if you broke up with your boyfriend and you wanted to sit on the sofa and watch Love Island for three weeks? You wouldn't want someone watching you.'

Residents of the multi-million pound Neo Bankside flats on London's South Bank first applied for an injunction in 2017.

The viewing platform seems to give a perfect view of Neo Bankside apartments (pictured)

A photograph taken from the viewing platform in 2016 shows how visitors can see into the apartments at Neo Bankside (Pictured: a reporter)

Speaking outside the Tate Modern, Thea Minet, a 23-year-old waitress from Essex, said: 'If you live there what can you expect?

This required the Tate to cordon off parts of the platform or to erect screening to block the views of their homes to stop what they said was a 'relentless' invasion of their privacy.

The owners lost the last stage of their fight at the Court of Appeal in February in 2022 when a judge agreed with a previous High Court decision which suggested the owners could simply 'lower their solar blinds' or 'install privacy film (or) net curtains'.

However, in a ruling on Wednesday, the Supreme Court ruled by a three-to-two majority in the residents' favour.

The owners had argued that the platform goes against their right to privacy, as enshrined by Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR).

The five residents - Giles Fearn, Gerald Kraftman, Lindsay Urqygart, and Ian and Helen McFadyen - lost their case in the High Court and Court of Appeal, taking their case to the UK's highest court in December 2021.

Asked about the intrusive viewing spot, Kirsten Coutinho, a 22-year-old masters student who is also from Rotterdam, said: 'Windows open up a room so you wouldn't want to cover them with curtains.

'And you buy a place for the views and the windows so I understand why they are annoyed. Their privacy should be respected.'

Kate, a 23-year-old student from Rotterdam in the Netherlands, added: 'I haven't seen the view, but I can imagine it would be uncomfortable living there.

'You couldn't just walk into the kitchen in a towel or something. It must be annoying as if you have spent a lot of money on a place you want it to be perfect.'

Another gallery visitor stated: 'It's like being in a fish tank so I wouldn't live there.'

A graphic showing the locations of the multi-million pound flats (pictured right) and the viewing platform (left)

Pictured: The viewing gallery at the Tate Modern, from which visitors can peer into the Neo Bankside apartment block

A photograph taken from the viewing platform shows how visitors can look directly into the flats at the Neo Bankside development on London's South Bank

Leon, a 29-year-old scientist from Seattle, felt sympathy for the gallery. He said: 'I think it's unfair that the Tate would have to change as they were here first. If I lived there I would wave at everyone, it would be like I'm part of an exhibition. If they don't want to live there they should have thought of that before perhaps'

Asked about the intrusive viewing spot, Kirsten Coutinho, a 22-year-old masters student who is also from Rotterdam, said: 'Windows open up a room so you wouldn't want to cover them with curtains'

Leon, a 29-year-old scientist from Seattle, felt sympathy for the gallery.

He said: 'I think it's unfair that the Tate would have to change as they were here first. If I lived there I would wave at everyone, it would be like I'm part of an exhibition. If they don't want to live there they should have thought of that before perhaps.'

One visitor believed it depends on what came first.

He said: 'If the balcony came first then they surely knew that this was part of the deal. But if it came after then I think it is unfair to have invaded their privacy like that.

'Looking into them now I personally wouldn't like to live there. But they can't be short of a bob or too to live there so they could move.'

Another visitor added: 'I understand that it mustn't be nice having your privacy invaded but I guess if the Tate and the viewing platform have been here before the building then it's not their fault.

'Surely the constructors could have taken that into consideration when building the flats. They could have found ways to make it more private.'

One visitor, who went to the platform before it closed, said they were disappointed by the closure.

'I thought it was nice up there, it's a good view so it's a shame it has closed,' she said.

'But I can see what they mean, you can see right into their houses and if I lived there I probably wouldn't like it. But then again they chose to live there.'

According to the Tate Modern's social pages, the platform in question has been closed since the beginning of the pandemic.

The viewing spot faces towards the flats and away from the river.

The owners of the flats are yet to comment on the victory.

Giving the court's majority ruling, Lord Leggatt said the lower courts had found that the living areas of the flats - which have floor-to-ceiling windows - were under 'constant observation from the Tate's viewing gallery for much of the day, every day of the week'.

He continued: 'It is not difficult to imagine how oppressive living in such circumstances would feel for any ordinary person - much like being on display in a zoo.'

Lord Leggatt found that the Tate Modern's viewing gallery is not a 'normal' use of the museum's land and is a legal 'nuisance' to the flat owners.

He said: 'It is beyond doubt that the viewing and photography which take place from the Tate's building cause a substantial interference with the ordinary use and enjoyment of the claimants' properties.

'Inviting members of the public to look out from a viewing gallery is manifestly a very particular and exceptional use of land. It cannot even be said to be a necessary or ordinary incident of operating an art museum.'

The Tate Modern's new Switch House development, with Neo Bankside apartments to the left of the art gallery in central London

Flat owner Lindsay Urquhart, 48, arrives at the Court of Appeal in central London for a previous court hearing

The viewing platform at Tate Modern's Switch House gives a view directly into Neo Bankside flats

In his ruling, with which Lord Reed and Lord Lloyd-Jones agreed, the Supreme Court justice said that a 'normal use' of the Tate's building would not allow the flat owners to bring a claim.

The Supreme Court heard that the residents' flats, on the 13th, 18th, 19th and 21st floors of one of the Neo Bankside blocks, are approximately 112ft (34m) away from the Tate Modern and that those on the 18th and 19th floors are at around the same height as the viewing gallery.

Other flats in the four-block development are on sale for between 750,000 and 2.5 million, according to current listings on Rightmove.

Lord Leggatt said the five residents had bought their flats in 2013 and 2014, and the Tate Modern's Blavatnik Building - which houses the viewing gallery - opened in 2016.

Dismissing the High Court claim in 2019, Mr Justice Mann found that the developers of the flats were aware a viewing gallery was going to be built, but 'did not foresee the consequences'.

However, Lord Leggatt said that 'what the Tate and the developers of the Neo Bankside flats knew of each other's intended uses of their land' was not relevant to the appeal.

In his ruling, with which Lord Reed and Lord Lloyd-Jones agreed, the Supreme Court justice said that a 'normal use' of the Tate's building would not allow the flat owners to bring a claim.

However, he added: 'The nature and extent of the viewing of the claimants' flats goes far beyond anything that could reasonably be regarded as a necessary or natural consequence of the common and ordinary use and occupation of the Tate's land.'

The flat owners claimed that 'hundreds of thousands' of visitors to the gallery have been able to see inside their homes from the Tate

The case has now been returned to the High Court to find a solution for the residents and gallery

Lord Leggatt said the case will now be returned to the High Court to determine a solution for the flat owners.

Law firm Forsters, which represented the residents, welcomed the decision by the Supreme Court judge.

Natasha Rees, senior partner at Forsters and the lead lawyer advising the flat owners, said: 'Our clients are both pleased and relieved that nearly six years after they began their claim the Supreme Court has now found in their favour.

'Lord Leggatt, giving the majority judgment, recognised how oppressive it can be to live 'under constant observation from the Tate's viewing gallery'.

'Our clients now look forward to working with the Tate as valued neighbours to find a practical solution which protects all of their interests.'

The justice said that, at the time of the original trial, around half-a-million people visited the viewing gallery - which allows 360-degree views of London - each year.

Mr Justice Mann had suggested the owners could 'lower their solar blinds' or 'could install privacy film (or) net curtains'.

Following the ruling, a Tate spokesman said: 'We thank the Supreme Court for their careful consideration of this matter.

'The Supreme Court has referred the case back to the High Court and, as the case is ongoing, we cannot comment further.'
NSW Firefighters have dramatically freed a cat named Snow trapped inside a wall, in a heartwarming rescue.

The firies in a painstaking two-hour operation used grinders, power saws and drills to cut through gyprock and set him free at a home in Sydney's Marrickville on Tuesday.

When the frightened critter emerged they gave their new 'furry friend' a cuddle and a sip of water before 'letting it find its own way home'.

But the drama wasn't over for the mixed-up moggy.

Disoriented after his owners moved into their new home three days earlier, the cat was unsure about how to get back to it.

His desperate owner Amma Asantuaa, 28, told Daily Mail Australia she spent the next 24 hours searching for him.

A Sydney feline has avoided a near-catastrophe after being lost, rescued by the firies, lost again and eventually recovered by her devoted owner

'It seemed really weird to me, why would they do that, just let a cat go without its owner?' she said.

NSW Fire and Rescue said they did try to reach local after-hours vets, but made the decision to let him go thinking he was a local and would find his way home.

When Ms Asantuaa's friend saw a television news item about a white cat freed by firies, he let the distraught young woman know.

She contacted NSW Fire and Rescue for more information, only to be told the cat was long gone.

So around lunchtime on Wednesday, Ms Asantuaa set off on a desperate mission to find Snow, who she had first rescued as a stray kitten.

She walked up and down streets between Sydenham Road to the end of Marrickville Road - which is around 45 minutes in one direction.

Amma Asantuaa, 28, who recovered her cat, Snow, after searching all day on Wednesday wondered by the firies released her cat without his owner

The harrowing NSW Fire Service video showed the cat apparently trapped in a narrow space between two walls

Around 9.30pm, she miraculously found him, hiding in a house in the middle of renovations, about 700 metres from his new home.

'I have done miles and miles today, some people might think I was being really dramatic but Snow is like a child to me,' she said.

'I got him as a stray and had him under my wing ever since.

'I fed him up, it was devastating to lose him and major to find him.

'It's a massive weight off my shoulders, I can relax. I can eat again.

'I haven't eaten all day.'

Snow, however, she said 'has had a big feed and is laying down relaxing.'

Amma Asantuaa rescued Snow as a kitten and said she couldn't eat while he was missing
Executions in Saudi Arabia have almost doubled under Mohammed bin Salman's regime, despite the Crown Prince's 'reformist' programme.

Capital punishment has soared in the past seven years in the country, with an average of 129.5 executions per year since Prince Mohammed came to power in 2015.

This marks an 82 per cent rise in the number of executions in Saudi Arabia compared to the period between 2010 and 2014 when there were 70.8 executions per year, according to a report by activist groups Reprieve and the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights

Executions in Saudi Arabia have almost doubled under Mohammed bin Salman's (pictured) regime, despite the Crown Prince's 'reformist' programme.

More than 1,000 death sentences, most of which involve beheading, have been carried out under the current leadership, the NGOs said, after verifying official announcements with investigations and interviews with lawyers, family members and activists.

Saudi Arabia executed 147 people last year, while scores have endured torture and other human rights violations.

Saudi Arabia, which is one of the world's leading executioners, announced 81 executions in a single day last March it said were for terrorism-related offences.

The country has undergone rapid social reforms in recent years but activists accuse Crown Prince Mohammed of also overseeing a harsh crackdown on critics.

'Every data point in this report is a human life taken,' said Reprieve director Maya Foa.

'The Saudi death penalty machine chews up children, protesters, vulnerable women in domestic service, unwitting drug mules and people whose only 'crime' was owning banned books or speaking to foreign journalists.'

Crown Prince Mohammed said in an interview with The Atlantic magazine that the kingdom had 'got rid of' the death penalty except for cases of murder or when someone 'threatens the lives of many people', according to a transcript published by state media last March.

But the six bloodiest years for executions in Saudi's recent history have all occurred under the current leadership.

More than 1,000 death sentences, most of which involve beheading, have been carried out under the current leadership, the NGOs said, after verifying official announcements with investigations and interviews with lawyers, family members and activists

'This bloody path is being taken by the Saudi authorities for the purposes of intimidation and political repression,' said Taha al-Hajji, legal director of ESOHR.

'Reports of secret executions since the end of 2022 are extremely worrying.'

'The doubling of the number of executions reveals the deception and tricks used by the Saudi government to deceive the world with imaginary reforms, which it markets with its huge media machine and public companies that paint MBS as a reformer,' al-Hajji added.

Since 2013, at least 15 people have been executed for offences committed when they minors. Eleven of the 15 executions were carried out after 2015.

The last known child defendant executed was Mustafa al-Darwish in June 2021.

Born on 19 September 1994, al-Darwish was arrested in 2015 and was later charged on offences relating to his alleged participation in protests when he was 17 years old.

He was executed 'without any warning to his family, who found out about his death on the news,' the report said.

Apart from minors, at least 31 women were put to death from 2010 to 2021, including 23 foreign nationals and 13 who were domestic workers.

They include Indonesian domestic worker Tuti Tursilawati, who 'was convicted of murder and sentenced to death after she killed her employer when he was attempting to rape her, following a long period of sexual abuse,' the report said.

'On 29 October 2018, after eight years in prison, Tuti was executed by beheading'.

The 58-page document also alleged 'systemic' torture and due process violations, including cases of unfair trials and the torture of child defendants and women.
Boris Johnson has piled pressure on Rishi Sunak to reverse his decision not to send fighter jets to Ukraine.

The former prime minister called on Western leaders to 'give the Ukrainians what they need' to further boost their chances of repelling Russia's invasion.

Despite a plea from Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky for fighter jets, Downing Street has insisted it is 'not practical' to provide RAF Typhoons or F-35s.

It is claimed that training Ukraine's forces on the 'extremely sophisticated' jets would take too long.

US President Joe Biden has also ruled out sending America's F-16 jets.

But Mr Johnson took a swipe at the decision by Britain and the US not to provide air support to Ukraine, as he rejected suggestions it could escalate the war.

Speaking to Fox News on a visit to Washington D.C., Mr Johnson said: 'Every time we say that it will be a mistake to give such and such an item of weaponry, we end up doing it and it ends up being the right thing for Ukraine.'

Boris Johnson called on Western leaders to 'give the Ukrainians what they need' to further boost their chances of repelling Russia's invasion

Despite a plea from Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky for fighter jets, Rishi Sunak has insisted it is 'not practical' to provide RAF Typhoons or F-35s

It is claimed that training Ukraine's forces on Britain's 'extremely sophisticated' jets would take too long

The ex-premier recalled being told it was the 'wrong idea' to provide Ukraine with anti-tank shoulder-launched missiles while he was PM.

'Actually they were indispensable and the US under Donald Trump gave them the Javelins as well,' he added.

'They were indispendable in those battles to repel the Russian tanks.

'People said we shouldn't give the Himars, I remember having arguments about the multiple-launch rocket systems, the MLRS - actually they proved invaluable for the Ukrainians.

'Same with tanks, we said the same about tanks. All I'm saying is, save time, save money, save lives, give the Ukrainians what they need as fast as possible.

'Get this thing done, forget about Putin, go for economic stability, long-term peace and prosperity.'

Mr Johnson also dismissed fears that supplying Ukraine with fighter jets could prompt Vladimir Putin to follow through on his threat to use nuclear weapons.

'That's what he [Putin] wants you to think. I'll tell you why that's not going to happen,' he added.

'It's not going to happen because he'd lose the Chinese immediately, he'd lose all his support from the swing voters - from the Indians, the sub-Saharan Africans, the Gulf states, people who are cutting him too much slack at the moment.

'He would absolutely terrify his own population who worry about reprisals.

'You know what, he probably doesn't even stop the Ukrainians if he did that.

'And we would put his economy into such a cryogenic paralysis that Russia wouldn't come out of it for decades. So he's not going to do that.'
gettyimagesbank





By Anna J. Park







Private equity firms (PEFs) opted to invest huge sums of money into low-cost carrier (LCC) businesses amid the worst hardships stemming from the pandemic. Now that international travel numbers are again soaring, the PEFs are eyeing a successful exit from their LCC stakes in the coming years.







VIG Partners injected 110 billion won ($89 million) into Eastar Jet, a Korea-headquartered LCC, aiming to improve its s financial structures and set up a new management system. The local PEF signed the deal early this year to acquire a 100 percent stake in the airline for 40 billion won. It has since decided to contribute further capital to increase air routes and expand its fleet.







Founded in 2007, Eastar Jet had been logging solid growth until 2017, operating international flights with a cumulative number of passengers exceeding 10 million in 2014. Yet during the pandemic, the firm went into a corporate rehabilitation procedure, and it desperately needed a new capital injection for steady management. With the new capital increase of 110 billion won, the company is expected to be out of its capital impairment situation.







VIG Partners expects the LCC to yield stable profits again soon, once it earns back the land ministry's air operator certificate (AOC) license  an approval granted by the nation's aviation authority for airlines.







Likewise, JKL Partners invested 80 billion won in 2021 into T'way Air, a local LCC, becoming its second-largest shareholder. A year later, it put in an additional 21.7 billion won, increasing its stake to the present 21.24 percent. The PEF expects the airline to log improved profits, as demand for long-distance international flights recovers.







T'way Air ended last year with an operating loss. Yet its new Incheon-Sydney route, launched in November, as well as the increase of high-demand Japan routes could result in improved earnings this year.







"In addition to the increased average selling price of flight tickets, the soaring consumer demand for international travel is expected to yield solid earnings for local LCCs this year," a market watcher said.







Meanwhile, JC Partners, a local PEF that acquired a 51.5 percent stake in Air Premia in 2021, expects to make a successful exit from the LCC this year, as its corporate value surges on the popularity of its new route between Incheon and Los Angeles. JC Partners is said to be currently holding talks with potential buyers of its stake in the LCC.


Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro intends 'to remain active in Brazilian politics,' he told a reception in Orlando, Florida.

The far-right leader made the promise last night to some 400 supporters gathered in the city by Yes Brazil USA, a conservative organization of Brazilian expatriates in the United States.

Bolsonaro was defeated in the last election by leftist Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, and departed from Brazil on December 30, two days before his rival's inauguration.

He has been in the United States ever since, and is seeking a six-month visa, his lawyer said Monday.

Former President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro attends a news conference at Dezerland Park in Orlando, Florida, on January 31, 2023

Bolsonaro poses for a selfie during an event taking place in a restaurant at Dezerland amusement park in Orlando, Florida on January 31, 2023

Bolsonaro has repeatedly cast doubt on the integrity of the election.

On January 8 hundreds of his supporters stormed the seat of power in Brasilia, ransacking the presidential palace, the Congress and the Supreme Court.

On Tuesday, Bolsonaro again questioned his election loss.

'Many people are still shaken by what happened in the elections (...) But we will face this moment and, God willing, we will win together,' he said, calling himself 'more popular than ever'.

However, he said he regretted 'what some inconsistent people did' on January 8.

Bolsonaro has come under scrutiny over the riot, with the new government ordering a probe of him.

It is just one of several probes targeting the former president, which at the least could strip him of his eligibility in future races.

Bolsonaro has largely kept a low profile since flying to Florida.

He has been staying near Disney World at the Orlando home of Brazilian former martial arts champion Jose Aldo and was photographed eating fried chicken alone at a KFC restaurant.

Bolsonaro made the promise 'to remain active in Brazilian politics' to some 400 supporters gathered in Orlando by Yes Brazil USA, a conservative organization of Brazilian expatriates in the United States

Bolsonaro supporters react as they attend an event taking place in a restaurant at Dezerland amusement park in Orlando, Florida

Bolsonaro supporters listen as he speaks at an event taking place in a restaurant at Dezerland amusement park in Orlando, Florida on January 31, 2023

Bolsonaro will headline a 'Power of the People' rally in Miami on Friday. He will be introduced by conservative activist Charlie Kirk, deliver a speech and then sit for a question and answer session, according to an organizer.

Bolsonaro's six-month spell sought in the US with the visa application would overlap with the probe in Brazil.

'I think Florida will be his temporary home away from home,' Alexandre Felipe Alexandre, founder of AG Immigration, told the Financial Times.

'Right now, with his situation, I think he needs a little stability.'

Bolsonaro had travelled to the US on an A-1 visa used by diplomats and heads of state.

However, it expired when he left office, giving him 30 days to obtain a new visa or leave.

Bolsonaro had previously told CNN Brasil that he had planned to return by the end of January, and was considering moving his departure earlier for health reasons.

The far-right leader was injured in a knife attack in 2018. He has suffered ongoing health complications from that assassination attempt, and received hospital care during his stay in Florida.

The visa request comes as US President Joe Biden comes under increasing pressure to send the populist leader and ally of Donald Trump back to Brazil.

Bolsonaro attends an event at Dezerland Park on January 31, 2023 in Orlando, Florida

Bolsonaro supporters attend an event taking place in a restaurant at Dezerland amusement park in Orlando, Florida on January 31, 2023

Biden will host Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for meetings on February 10, the White House announced today.

Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the leaders would discuss US 'support of Brazil's democracy and how the two countries can continue to work together to promote inclusion and democratic values in the region and around the world'.

They are also set to discuss climate change, migration, economic development and security matters.

The storming of the capital by thousands of Bolsonaro's die-hard supporters demanding that the leftish president's election be overturned was sharply condemned by Biden, who pledged US assistance.

It had echoes of the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by Trump supporters after he lost his reelection bid.

Dozens of House Democrats wrote to the White House urging officials to examine Bolsonaro's status and revoke his visa if necessary.

It also urged the administration to cooperate with investigations in Brazil over the January 8 violence.

The State Department has said repeatedly its policy is not to discuss specific visa cases.
A man wanted by British police over a brutal drive-by murder has been arrested in Morocco.

Nana Oppong, 42, was among 13 fugitives named in a National Crime Agency (NCA) most wanted campaign last year.

Oppong was wanted as part of an Essex Police investigation into the murder of Robert Powell, 50, on June 13, 2020.

Dad-of-three Mr Powell was shot eight times with a 9mm pistol outside a party in Water Lane, Roydon, Harlow, with the shooter promptly driving off. He died in hospital the following day.

Nana Oppong was arrested as he attempted to enter Morocco from Spain using false papers

Robert Powell, a 50-year-old dad-of-three, was shot eight times outside a party in 2020

Oppong, whose last known address was in Newham, London, was arrested trying to enter Morocco in late September last year.

Police said they were unable to divulge news of his detention at the time due to operational and security reasons.

As well as being placed on the NCA's Most Wanted list, Oppong was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice - an official request sent to law enforcement groups worldwide to arrest the suspect on sight.

The fugitive was stopped by officers from the DGSN - Morocco's General Directorate for National Security - as he tried to using false identity documents to enter Morocco from Spain.

Oppong remains in custody, with extradition proceedings now underway.

The suspected gunman Oppong had travelled from Spain to Morocco, where he was arrested (image from scene of 2020 shooting)

He is the seventh fugitive to be arrested from the NCA's Most Wanted campaign, which is run in conjunction with independent charity CrimeStoppers, Spanish law enforcement and UK policing.

Steve Reynolds, NCA regional manager in Spain, said: 'Oppong's arrest came about after a sustained campaign to trace him and because of the vigilance of our Moroccan partners and support from Interpol.

'This is another excellent result and shows once again that UK law enforcement does not give up on finding those who await justice in the UK.

'Working with our colleagues at home and abroad we will continue to hunt those on the run.'

Oppong is one of 12 fugitives that were placed on the National Crime Agency's Most Wanted list for 2022

Detective Superintendent Stephen Jennings, who leads the Essex Police investigation, said: 'Numerous officers and staff across all agencies involved in this case have been working day and night to get justice for Robert's family.

'Oppong's arrest is the result of an excellent collaboration between Essex Police, the NCA, the CPS, Interpol, Crimestoppers and other law enforcement colleagues around the world, and it doesn't stop there.

'We all share a common goal - to find anyone suspected of committing crime, no matter where they try to hide.

'Our work continues, and we won't stop until Nana Oppong is back in the UK and facing the courts.'

Lord Ashcroft, founder and chair of the charity Crimestoppers, said: 'It's very encouraging that another fugitive has been caught whilst on the run abroad.

'This highlights the success of our joint Most Wanted campaign with the NCA as more than half of the wanted individuals have now been arrested.

'Remember that with Crimestoppers, as a charity that's independent of the police, your personal details are never asked for - just tell us anonymously what you know online or call our UK Contact Centre on 0800 555 111.

'With your support, we can help ensure dangerous criminals are no longer able to avoid facing justice.'
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New images reveal Japan's progress in restoring the radiation exclusion zone at the centre of the 2011 nuclear disaster at Fukushima.

Explorer Bob Thissen, 34, and a group of photographers visited the deserted exclusion zone towns of Namie, Futaba, Okuma and Tomioka in 2017 and again in 2022 to capture the progress made in restoring the Japanese coastline.

The magnitude 9.0 Tohoku earthquake on 11 March 2011 triggered a 133ft tsunami, which hit the eastern coast of Japan and sent three nuclear reactors into meltdown.

Nuclear fuel was melted and released into the environment, and 300,000 people were initially evacuated from their homes.

After years of rebuilding, Japan plans to reopen the Fukushima exclusion zones by 2030.

 Slide me  Forgotten buildings and overgrown plants in 2017 (left) pictured again, cleaned of radiation or pulled down in 2022 (right)

 Slide me  Six years after the disaster, buildings stand with structural damage (left), and then are finally repaired by 2022 (right)

Bob said: 'I was astonished at how hard the Japanese worked to get the villages decontaminated and with how respectful they have been during the rebuild.

'In contrast to Chernobyl and Pripyat, there won't be any signs of the disaster beside memorials. Most of the former (forbidden) exclusion/red zones like the village of Futaba, restrictions have been lifted for a big part.

'You can see a lot of families who returned to the former disaster zone. They even built a little Pokemon park for children. Life has slowly returned and the ghost town vibes you now only have in a few streets. Although there's still a lot of work to do, most of the towns are like a big construction area.

'On my all my visits to Fukushima I have had mixed feelings. As an urban explorer it's the perfect post -apocalyptic world and on the other hand you could feel the terror and fear people must have had. Though some may think I'm a trespasser or a dark tourist. I think it's important to document this aftermath of the disaster.

'We saw signs of burglary but almost everything in the buildings is still the way it was abandoned in March 2011. In almost every other country the stores and houses would be looted within a week.

'The most touching memory was the moment I walked into classrooms where children's bags, shoes and personal belonging still were lying on their desks. There were dead fishes and turtles in fish tanks.

'It must have been a terrified experience to suddenly get torn away from your known environment and leave everything behind.'

 Slide me  Rusted signs and broken windows pictured in 2017 (left) had been pulled down by 2022 (right) to make way for developments

 Slide me  A Mitsubishi rally car appears relatively unchanged after six (left) and 12 (right) years sat inside the exclusion zone

 Slide me  Buildings pictured in 2017 (L) that could not be saved and had been pulled down for new developments to be built by 2022 (R)

The Tohoku tsunami was most devastating to the people of Japan, killing upwards of 18,000 people.

It was triggered by Japan's largest earthquake, also named after the northern region of Tohoku, caused by thrust faulting on a tectonic plate boundary.

The region is prone to earthquakes, which often create tsunamis, as a result of underground friction. Deadly tsunamis in 1611, 1896 and 1933 also damaged Japan's coastline.

One person was confirmed to have died from cancer linked directly to exposure to radiation.

16 were left with physical injuries due to hydrogen explosions, and two workers were taken to hospital with burns.

Nuclear reactors are relatively safe and controlled and cannot explode like an atom bomb, but the expulsion of low-level radioactive waste can be dangerous with prolonged exposure.

After a few weeks, 160,000 people had moved away either from official evacuation demands or voluntarily.

Cleaning the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power station is expected to take 30 to 40 years.

Surrounding areas remain abandoned, overgrown and irradiated.

 Slide me  A bowling alley remains untouched for six years in 2017 (left), then levelled by 2022 to make way for new builds (right)

 Slide me  Buildings pictured standing in 2017 (left image) have been completely pulled down to make way for new flats in 2022 (right)

The World Nuclear Association reported there were 2,313 disaster-related deaths among the evacuees.

While there does not seem to be any increased risk of cancer or radiation-linked health impacts for those in the surrounding areas, 573 are estimated to have died from the physical and mental stress of evacuation.

Japan's 50 viable nuclear reactors were also shut down after the disaster, subject to regular inspections.

The reactors were partially reopened in 2012, but public fear towards nuclear keeps electricity produced at around 6.5%, down from 30% in 2010.

The evacuation and abandonment of towns had devastating effects on Japan's already struggling economy.

The region's 2bn agricultural sector disappeared overnight, reliant on contaminated water, unstaffed and losing local buyers.

Now, Japan looks to release contaminated water into the sea to help rebuild the local fishing industry.

Experts say this might be the best option - and a relatively safe one - for the region to recover fully.

Until residents feel safe to return, Japan's abandoned eastern coastline will continue to fall further behind.
The daughter of doomsday prepper cop killers has claimed her parents respected 'all police' in a bizarre interview.

Returning to the house, Madelyn Train revealed she still loves her parents and said 'they were not who they became'.

Madelyn, in her 20s, is Nathaniel and Stacey Train's biological child. However, after their divorce, Stacey married Nathaniel's brother Gareth - who Madelyn considers her father.

Nathaniel, Gareth and Stacey killed police constables Rachel McCrow, 29, and Matthew Arnold, 26, in a horrific siege in December when the officers attended their Wieambilla property in country Queensland on a routine welfare check for a missing persons case.

Cop killer Nathaniel Train was once a beloved head teacher - but his mental health spiralled down after he suffered a heart attack. Stacey Train was also shot dead. Her daughter has revealed she still loves her parents and said 'they were not who they became'

Brothers Gareth (left) and Nathaniel (centre) Train. Both were shot dead in the shocking siege in December

Returning to the scene of the slaughter for an interview, Madelyn bizarrely insisted her parents respected police officers

When asked if it was clear her parents disliked cops, she told A Current Affair: 'No, that's not fair to say. I think they had a lot of respect for the police, they didn't respect the police officers that jumped over the fence.'

Reporter Pippa Bradshaw responded by saying that people 'don't have the right to shoot someone who walks onto their property'.

Madelyn responded: 'Lots of farmers would argue differently.'

In a wide-ranging interview, Madelyn said: 'I grieved six people and the first people I grieved weren't my family, they were the police officers and Alan Dare.

'I have a lot of trust in God and that I'm on this planet to do more than just be the daughter of someone that shot police officers.'

Before the deadly events of the siege, police had already wanted to speak with Nathaniel about an outstanding warrant for a firearms breach.

However, a missing persons report lodged by his estranged second wife Vanessa after he abandoned his school principal job and vanished from their Walgett, NSW home was what brought officers to the Wieambilla property.

Constables Arnold and McCrow are said to have jumped a fence before being met with a hail of bullets as they walked up the driveway towards the house on the property.

Two other constables barely managed to escape the barrage of bullets, while neighbour Alan Dare, 58, was shot in the back as he ventured closer to investigate the gunshots and a grass fire.

A lengthy siege then ensued as 16 officers from the Specialist Emergency Response Team were scrambled to the location and only concluded when the trio were killed by police.

In a wide-ranging interview, Madelyn said: 'I grieved six people and the first people I grieved weren't my family, they were the police officers and Alan Dare'

Constables Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29, were shot dead as they approached,

Madelyn had received a text from Gareth on the day of the siege, unaware of what had happened.

An unhinged Gareth wrote that 'Vanessa sent people to kill us', referring to the estranged second wife of his brother Nathaniel.

A distraught Madelyn broke her silence last month in a television interview, revealing that she was aged just three when her biological parents divorced - and that she had always considered Gareth her father.

In defending the strange relationship between her parents and uncle, she said that she 'grew up in a really healthy, happy family environment (and) the only reason it was unusual is literally people's interpretation of it.'

She also denied claims that the trio were meth users despite widespread reports from locals and said she did not believe alcohol or drugs were a factor.

Gareth and Stacey (pictured) married after she divorced Nathaniel with Madelyn saying she grew up considering him as her father

Gareth sent an unhinged text message to Madelyn during the siege

Maddy said her mother 'hated guns' (pictured as a child with her younger brother and Stacey)

'I'd say they were influenced by fear, by whatever was happening and them not understanding,' she told 9News.

'Gary would often think he was in a military scenario because he wanted to join the military, he'd read lots of military books,' she said.

Madelyn declared the trio were the 'gentlest' people she knew.

'I mourn six people. I mourn my family, I mourn the police officers, and I mourn the neighbour,' she said.

'I have developed acute traumatic stress disorder from it.

'Because grieving three of your family members is hard enough but then finding out what they did and then seeing everyone's reaction to what they did.

'They (Nathaniel and Gareth) were both shot dead. And then mum was trying to get out the back.

'They said she was armed but mum didn't like guns so I don't know what she was armed with, but the police said it was a gun and I trust the police.'

The Trains had spent years fortifying the wooden home into a makeshift bunker to try to fend off an assault by police, which they had long anticipated.

They even set up elaborate defences, lived off the grid and installed solar panels and satellite dishes, as well as rainwater and septic tanks.
A Chinese businessman - currently on bail in London amid extradition proceedings - is still able to live in a luxury penthouse in opulence thanks to unusual court rulings.

Billionaire Li Zhang, 70, was arrested at Heathrow Airport by police acting on an American warrant.

The co-chairman of the R&F Properties conglomerate denies US authorities' allegations of bribery and providing kickbacks for permits for a building project.

He has had his Chinese and Canadian passports taken from him but has been allowed to be bailed to his 6million five bedroom 43rd-floor penthouse overlooking the Thames.

Zhang Li, Co-Chairman and President of R&F Properties Group, is currently on luxury bail

Mr Zhang has access to a private swimming pool after lodging 15million bail and agreeing to pay 200,000 for a private security operation

There he has access to a private swimming pool after lodging 15million bail and agreeing to pay 200,000 for a private security operation to keep him under 24-hour guard

The extraordinary arrangements, revealed by The Times, are said to be the joint highest surety in legal history in the UK.

Bail has been lodged with Westminster Magistrates Court and were disclosed in a hearing yesterday.

JPs were told Mr Zhang - who is worth an estimated $2.3 billion - is being guarded by British security firm Eminent Crisis Management working in 12-hour shifts.

He has been bailed to his 6million five bedroom 43rd-floor penthouse overlooking the Thames

A camera monitors him in his bedroom and he has to be accompanied down to the private swimming pool when he fancies taking a dip.

It was this measure Judge John Zani made yesterday, replacing a previous condition that he had to be handcuffed in the lift to the pool.

The judge remarked that there 'aren't many swimming pools in Wandsworth prison' but accepted he was complying with 'a complicated set of bail conditions, which need time to bed in and work through'.

He agreed Zhang could have his electronic tag removed after the court was told the technology did not work well because of a poor signal.

Nicholas Howard, of Eminent, said Zhang was 'under surveillance 24/7' and added: 'He is complying with all the conditions.'

Ben Lloyd, counsel for the US government, urged against 'incremental attempts to water down the conditions'.

Zhang is the co-chair of R&F with billionaire Li Sze Lim and they founded the company together in 1994.

In London it has two big projects, Queen's Square in Croydon and the Thames City development at Nine Elms.
A UN human rights lawyer who said the word 'superficial' was a 'racial trope' has been behind a string of controversial comments - including accusing an Apple worker of 'mansplaining' for telling a woman who asked to be served by a female member of staff, 'I'll be happy to help'.

Dominique Day chaired a working group of experts on people of African descent which said there had been a failure to tackle 'systemic' racism in the UK - a finding the Government said was based on a 'superficial analysis'. In response, Miss Day claimed this was an 'upgrade' from 'lazy' and called it a 'familiar racial trope'.

Her UN group has previously claimed racism causes global warming and slammed a major race report from the UK Government's Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities for 'normalising white supremacy'.

Miss Day also writes about issues around race and gender in a personal capacity, including the discrimination faced by dogs with 'black-sounding names' and the ways 'motherhood' has 'indispensably sustained white supremacy'.

Dominique Day chaired a working group of experts on people of African descent which said there had been a failure to tackle 'systemic' racism in the UK

The American's comments about a 'mansplaining' Apple employee came in a thread about an incident at a store in New York in August 2021.

Journalist Laura Bassett wrote: 'I'm at Apple Store SoHo. A grey-haired woman walks in and announces, ''I'd like to buy a phone from a woman.'' Male associate says, ''I'd be happy to help you!'' She replies, ''No offense but I demand a woman. Men are too linear and can't understand what I need in a phone.'' lmao.'

After a follower questioned why the male employee had thought the customer could be talking about him, Ms Day claimed that he had been acting according to 'the patriarchy handbook'.

She wrote: 'I think you already know the belief that white male voices/leadership are always necessary and relevant is in the patriarchy handbook, with mansplaining as the chief weapon for those who fail to appreciate it.'

Miss Day attended Harvard College and Stanford Law School and now lives in New York City, where she runs social justice organisation Daylight.

In 2018, she wrote in a blog post on Medium about the links between the 'mothering' instinct and racism.

The American's comments about a 'mansplaining' Apple employee came in a thread about an incident at a store in New York in August 2021

'Motherhood has indispensably sustained white supremacy in America. We must reckon with the covert, even intimate, acts of caring that perpetuate institutional racism,' she wrote.

The attorney said mothers were often 'openly, flagrantly racist' out of a desire to protect their children, citing the example of a Colorado woman who called the police on two Native American teenagers during her son's college tour because they looked 'creepy'.

Last year, she cited a study in an academic journal which found that dogs with black or Hispanic-sounding names were adopted slower.

Responding to the report, she said: 'Folks just run on racism. Shelter dogs, especially pit bulls, with Black-sounding names are adopted slower. People overlay racial fears and white supremacy wherever the discretion to do so exists.'

In 2021, a report carried out by Miss Day's UN working group found that climate change was 'linked to economic and political frameworks that have systematically disregarded the right to life and other core human rights for people of African descent'.

It added: 'Climate change is a biproduct of our ongoing economic reliance on extraction, exploitation and accumulation through dispossession,' said the experts.

The group's report on racism in Britain was published after a 10-day visit to the country last week to discover evidence of 'racism, xenophobia and Afrophobia'.

After the visit, it wrote to the government to express 'very extreme concern' about the failure to address 'structural, institutional and systemic racism' against black people in Britain.

It's not the first time Miss Day has waded in to UK politics, with the lawyer previously accusing Cabinet minister Dominic Raab of 'brass neck' for a November 2020 tweet about the importance of defending the rights of Britons living in EU countries

In response, Number 10 'strongly' rejected most of its findings and said the report presented a 'superficial analysis' of complex issues.

This angered Miss Day, who claimed the word 'superficial' was an 'upgrade' from 'lazy' - which she said was used in one meeting during her trip - and called it a 'familiar racial trope'.

But former Cabinet minister Shailesh Vara, whose family moved to Britain from Uganda in the 1960s, told MailOnline the Downing Street response was 'not a trope in any way'.

'A 10-day tour around England is hardly a proper way to truly understand the situation. Of course it is superficial analysis, it is not a trope in any way,' the Tory MP said.

'The UN report doesn't reflect the UK as it is. The fact that so many people from across the world want to come and live here sends out a powerful message and speaks volumes to rebut the UN analysis.'

It's not the first time Miss Day has waded in to UK politics, with the lawyer previously accusing Cabinet minister Dominic Raab of 'brass neck' for a November 2020 tweet about the importance of defending the rights of Britons living in EU countries.

In addition, her working group slammed a flagship 2021 study by the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities which found there was no evidence of institutional racism in the UK suggesting it contributed towards 'white supremacism'.

The UN group has a 'robust' discussion with Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch, an 'anti-woke' Tory 'rising star' who was born in Nigeria and is touted as a future Prime Minister

In its recent report on racial discrimination in the UK, Miss Day's group called for an immediate and unconditional moratorium on the use of joint enterprise laws by prosecutions and the use of strip searches by police during stop and searches.

'We have serious concerns about impunity and the failure to address racial disparities in the criminal justice system, deaths in police custody, 'joint enterprise' convictions and the dehumanising nature of the stop and (strip) search,' it said in a statement.

In preliminary findings, it also claimed that austerity measures had exacerbated racism and racial discrimination for black people.

Speaking at a press conference in London on Friday, Ms Day said: 'I've never visited a country before where there is a culture of fear pervading black communities  relating to a range of asylum, residency, policing issues.

'An entire community experiences constant and ongoing human rights violations as a routine and normalised part of daily life.'

A Government spokesman said: 'We strongly reject most of these findings. The report wrongly views people of African descent as a single homogeneous group and presents a superficial analysis of complex issues that fails to look at all possible causes of disparities, not just race.

'We are proud that the UK is an open, tolerant and welcoming country but this hard-earned global reputation is not properly reflected in this report. We are not complacent and recognise some people experience racism in Britain, but we are very clear this has no place in our society and must be rooted out.

'The UK government has made great strides in addressing racial and ethnic disparities, most recently with our ground-breaking Inclusive Britain strategy, which is focussed on closing outcome gaps between people from different ethnic backgrounds. Instead of sowing division we must celebrate the fact that this country strives to give everybody, from every community, in every corner of the UK, the opportunity to thrive and succeed.'
A couple who abandoned their baby at the check-in desk in Israel's Ben-Gurion airport before trying to board a flight to Brussels have been detained by police.

The pair arrived at the airport in Tel Aviv on Tuesday with Belgian passports and tickets for a Ryanair flight to the Belgian capital, but did not have a boarding pass for their child.

When they were told by airport staff that they couldn't board without purchasing a separate ticket, they simply left the child in its pushchair at the check-in desk and proceeded to head for the security terminal.

Shocking video footage showed the moment gobsmacked airport staff noticed the lone pushchair and pulled back a blanket, exposing the abandoned baby underneath.

At first, it appeared as though someone had forgotten a pushchair at the check-in desk

But airport staff pulled down a cover to reveal a baby had been left inside by its parents who had attempted to get through security

In the clip, one member of staff peels back a cover that had been draped over the pushchair, which was sat on a conveyor belt at the check-in desk.

Audible gasps of surprise are heard when the staff realise a baby has been left alone in the pushchair with its parents nowhere in sight.

Staff at the security check-in refused to allow the pair through, forcing them to return to collect the infant before calling the police who descended on Terminal 1 and promptly arrested them.

The pair were taken in for questioning.

The manager of the Ryanair desk told the Jerusalem Post: 'We've never seen anything like this. We couldn't believe what we were seeing.'

According to Ryanair, people travelling with an infant can either pay around 25 for a lap seat or can buy a separate seat for the child at a standard adult fare.

The parents attempted to get through the security check at the airport's Terminal 1 but were turned away by staff who forced them to collect their child

Israel's Airport Authority also released a statement, explaining the couple had arrived late for their flight and left the baby at the check-in desk in an attempt to make it through security in time.

'A couple with Belgian passports arrived for a Ryanair flight at Terminal 1 without a ticket for the baby.

'The couple also arrived late for the flight after the flight's check-in counters had closed.

'They left the baby and went to the security check-in at Terminal 1 to get to the departure gate.

'A ground services shift manager took the couple back to the flight counters to take the baby and called the police and a security guard.'

The parents were detained by police after leaving their baby at the check-in at the Ben-Gurion Airport (pictured) in the Israeli capital

The shocking incident came just one month after airport staff in Mauritius found a newborn baby boy abandoned in a plane toilet bin on New Year's Day.

Officials discovered the newborn aboard an Air Mauritius plane during a routine customs check after the aircraft touched down in Mauritius on January 1.

The baby was born during the flight from Madagascar but was not discovered until the plan landed at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport in the capital of Mauritius, Port Louis.

A 20-year-old woman detained in connection with the discovery initially denied she was the infant's mother but a medical examination confirmed she had recently given birth.

The newborn was rushed to hospital for treatment and is understood to be doing well.
An actor who was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly running a cult which sexually abused young indigenous girls had suicide pills for his five wives in case police stormed his Las Vegas home, according to a new report.

Nathan Chasing Horse, 46, is known for his role as Smiles a Lot - a young Sioux tribe member in the 1990 Oscar-winning film Dances With Wolves.

The critically acclaimed movie saw him star alongside Kevin Costner, and he went on to gain a reputation among tribes across the US and Canada as a so-called medicine man who performed healing ceremonies and spiritual gatherings.

But that reputation was damaged seven years ago when tribal leaders banned him from the Fort Peck Reservation amid human trafficking allegations, and shattered on Tuesday when he was taken into custody near his North Las Vegas home.

Nathan Chasing Horse, 46, was known for his role as Smiles a Lot - a young Sioux tribe member in the 1990 Oscar-winning film Dances With Wolves. He was arrested on Tuesday, and has been charged with a series of sex offences

Pictured: Las Vegas police are seen outside a property purportedly belonging to Nathan Chasing Horse in the north of the city

Police have accused him of using his reputation 'as a tool to sexually assault young girls on numerous occasions,' according to an arrest warrant, which noted that his followers believed he could communicate with higher beings.

Now, a new report has said Chasing Horse may have had a gruesome contingency plan in place ready to be hatched if the police came to his home.

Citing sources, CBS affiliate KLAS 8 News Now reported that police believe the actor planned for his wives (of which he is believed to have at least five) to take 'suicide pills' and be ready for a shootout with law enforcement officers.

Las Vegas police were investigating the actor's home in the north of the Nevada city for hours after he was taken into custody, the news station reported. SWAT officers were seen outside the two-story home as detectives carried out their search.

No resistance has been reported by the police when they entered the property, or when they arrested the actor near his home.

However, when moving in to raid the house, a chief concern among officers was the possibility of unsecured firearms being in the property, even with children present, 8 News Now said.

Police have accused Nathan Chasing Horse (pictured) of using his reputation ' as a tool to sexually assault young girls on numerous occasions,' according to an arrest warrant, which noted that his followers believed he could communicate with higher beings

Pictured: Police officers are seen outisde Nathan Chasing Horse's house in north Las Vegas on Tuesday. The actor was arrested nearby, and police searched his house for hours

His arrest is the culmination of a months-long investigation that began after police received a tip in October 2022.

According to a 50-page search warrant obtained by the Associated Press, Chasing Horse is believed to be the leader of a cult known as The Circle.

The document says Las Vegas police have identified at least six alleged victims and uncovered sexual allegations against Chasing Horse dating to the early 2000s in multiple states, including Montana, South Dakota (where he was born), Nevada, where he has lived for about a decade, and even Canada.

Some of the alleged victims were as young as 13, according to the warrant. One of Chasing Horse's wives was allegedly offered to him as a 'gift' when she was 15, while another became a wife after turning 16.

Chasing Horse also is accused of recording sexual assaults and arranging sex with the victims for other men who allegedly paid him.

8NewsNow reported that police said victims were given emergency contraceptive pills after Chasing Horse had sex with them to prevent any unwanted pregnancies.

The outlet said there could be even more victims and co-conspirators.

Pictured: Kevin Costner (second right) is seen with his co-stars in the 1990 Oscar-winning film

The 1990 film won seven Oscars, with Kevin Costner winning best director. He also starred in the movie as Lieutenant Dunbar (shown left)

Director and actor Kevin Costner (left) and producer Jim Wilson (right are pictured with their Oscars for Best Picture for Dances with Wolves', with Barbra Streisand (centre), who presented the award at the ceremony in March 1991

There was no lawyer listed in court records for Chasing Horse who could comment on his behalf as of Tuesday evening, Associated Press said.

Chasing Horse was born on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, which is home to the Sicangu Sioux, one of the seven tribes of the Lakota nation.

According to the warrant, he was banished in 2015 from the Fort Peck Reservation in Poplar, Montana, amid allegations of human trafficking.

'Nathan Chasing Horse used spiritual traditions and their belief system as a tool to sexually assault young girls on numerous occasions,' it reads

Followers believed he could communicate with higher beings and referred to him as 'Medicine Man' or 'Holy Person,' the warrant adds.

Although the warrant includes details of crimes reported elsewhere, the arrest stems from crimes allegedly committed in Nevada's Clark County. They include sex trafficking, sexual assault of a child younger than 16 and child abuse.

His arrest comes as state attorneys general and lawmakers around the U.S. are looking into creating specialized units to handle cases involving Native women.

In South Dakota, the attorney general's office has put a new focus on crimes against Native American people, including human trafficking and murders.
The Chaser comedy team have pulled their latest stunt outside Cardinal George Pell's memorial by trying to 'bury' a coffin full of 'evidence' with him.

The controversial former archbishop of Melbourne and Sydney died aged 81 in a Rome hospital last month from heart complications which followed hip surgery.

Comedian and The Chasers War on Everything star, Charles Firth, along with Chaser colleague, Lachlan Hodson, attempted to crash the memorial at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney on Wednesday, where the Cardinal is lying in state.

The duo tried carrying a coffin filled with boxes labelled 'evidence' into the cathedral, referencing allegations that Pell was aware of historic child sex abuse cases within the church and did not act - and the child sex abuse conviction against him that was quashed by the High Court in 2020.

The Chaser comedy team has tried to enter Cardinal George Pell's memorial to 'bury' a fake coffin full of 'evidence' with him

Cardinal George Pell (pictured) died in a Rome hospital last month from heart complications following hip surgery

Poll Do you think The Chaser went too far with this stunt? Yes No Do you think The Chaser went too far with this stunt? Yes 347 votes

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'I'm here at St Mary's Cathedral to bury the evidence one last time,' Firth says as he picks up the fake coffin in the video.

As the pair approach the steps leading up to the cathedral, they are confronted by security as bystanders begin filming the stunt on their phones.

Firth tells security that he has 'evidence' to 'bury alongside' Pell and claims it's 'what he would've wanted'.

As one guard tries to stop the comedian from taking a step further, Firth tells him, 'Don't touch me, I'm not an altar boy'.

'Wait a minute, is this an issue of consent?' he says.

'I don't understand, that's never worried you before.'

As security urge Firth and Hodson to move away, the comedian tells the guards that he'll take the fake coffin to another parish as that's 'normally the way it works'.

Comedians Charles Firth and Lachlan Hodson tried to crash the memorial at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney on Wednesday

The pair approached the entrance of the cathedral with a fake coffin filled with boxes labelled 'evidence' as security cut them off

The stunt references allegations that Cardinal Pell was aware of historic child sex abuse cases within the church and did not act

As mourners went inside the cathedral to pay their respects, security were cutting ribbons tied to fences on the outside by sexual abuse survivors and their supporters.

In recent days, a support group for clergy abuse survivors, Loud Fence, had been tying colourful ribbons as a symbol of solidarity.

But church security has repeatedly been cutting them down.

Sexual abuse survivor Paul Auchettl organised the ribbon-tying protest. His brother was also a victim of clerical abuse, by a priest under the leadership of Cardinal Pell in Ballarat during the 1970s.

Mr Auchettl's brother ended his life some 25 years ago.

'I don't want to be disrespectful at George's funeral, I want him to have a peaceful service. But I want to alert people that there is this unfinished business that he was still yet to do and that, in a sense, he has failed,' he said.

'I want the church to recognise that clergy abuse and related suicides have created secondary victims  usually family members.

'We can't even talk about this, it's taboo, it's too difficult, people are so angry. Yet this is what happens in this sorry story, we're shut down.

'The ribbons become a way of saying, "we need to know about these stories".'

The ribbons tied to St Mary's Cathedral by sexual abuse survivors have been cut down as the body of Cardinal George Pell is laid to rest inside

In recent days a support group for clergy abuse survivors, Loud Fence, has been tying colourful ribbons around the cathedral's fence as a symbol of solidarity

It comes as police prepare to block protesters from LGBTQI group Community Action for Rainbow Rights during Cardinal Pell's funeral on Thursday.

The group had applied to demonstrate outside but was refused by police due to 'safety concerns'.

The Sydney-based protest group planned their demonstration for Thursday, when a requiem mass will be held before the cardinal is buried in a private ceremony at St Mary's crypt.

The group said it would go ahead with a peaceful march on Thursday morning timed with the funeral, despite the police order.

Protest group Community Action for Rainbow Rights had applied to demonstrate outside the funeral

Cardinal Pell was the Vatican's top finance minister before leaving Rome in 2017 to stand trial in Melbourne for child sexual abuse offences.

The following year, he was convicted of molesting two teenage choirboys in the sacristy of Melbourne's St Patrick's Cathedral while archbishop in 1996.

He maintained his innocence and in 2020 his convictions were quashed by the High Court.

Lifeline 13 11 14
Do you know the identity of the couple in the video? Email: tips@dailymail.com

He claims despite his evidence and CCTV, police say it is purely 'circumstantial'

John Glasspool, 67, rigged up CCTV as police were 'too busy to pursue'

A parish churchwarden who caught this middle-aged 'Bonnie and Clyde' pair on CCTV apparently dipping into a donation box in a sleepy village church said police told him they were 'too busy' to pursue it.

And when he handed officers the registration number of the crook's car, parked outside the church, he was told it was only 'circumstantial evidence'.

Churchwarden John Glasspool, 67, told MailOnline that he and other church organisers had suspected a series of thefts last year from the donation box at St Andrew's, Timsbury, Hampshire, where a church has stood since around 1400.

Retired doctor Mr Glasspool said he improved the CCTV coverage of the slit in the wall-safe donation box and 'baited' it with a 5 note inside.

Churchwarden John Glasspool, 67, is convinced he has the mystery couple bang to rights

The pair can then be seen looking through the contents of the donation box together

CCTV caught what he claimed was the couple's car leaving the church

In September, the warden was astonished to play back the footage revealing the man wearing a gilet and a flat cap, accompanied by a woman who appeared to be his spouse.

After a quick check for witnesses, the alleged thief got to work, first using a torch to see inside the slit, revealing the 5 note.

Then, using a piece of wire, with the torch gripped between his teeth, the elderly villain managed to gently edge the money out through the opening, while his 'moll' looked around the Grade II listed church.

As soon as he'd managed to make his illicit withdrawal, he handed the money to his female accomplice and the pair left.

'We were pretty pleased,' said Mr Glasspool, 'We don't want to keep the church locked because people like to drop in, and it's a historic building, so catching the thief red-handed was a good result, or so we thought.

'The first officer who arrived when we called was very upbeat and impressed with how good the images were, but then I got a call from a detective who was less optimistic.

'I was told that the CPS would take no action as there was no full-on view of his face and the car was 'circumstantial', as he could claim he parked there to go for a walk!

A man can be seen approaching the donation box on the wall and looking at the contents

While he rummages around inside a woman can be seen who appears to be with him

Before quietly slipping out of the church door and out of sight of the hidden CCTV

A couple of days before Christmas, the same pair returned, hoping perhaps for a bumper yuletide haul, but this time the box was empty.

Mr Glasspool added: 'I reported them for attempted theft, and the police got in touch and said they'd look into it but 'I shouldn't get my hopes up.

'I heard nothing, so I raised an official complaint. A perfectly nice chap phoned me and said, with charming honesty, that the police were too busy to deal with thefts of small sums of money, even from a church.

'I suggested he's probably doing the same thing at other churches in the area and they said they'd be interested if I could prove that  I thought that was their job!

'All the police officers I've dealt with have been polite, and I can see where they're coming from but I do have to wonder if they would have the same attitude if it were theft from another faith.'

In his complaint to Hampshire's Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones, Mr Glasspool churchwarden for 30 years, wrote: 'I and the members of the Parochial Church Council are aware that these episodes don't constitute a major crime, butit means that since we have been told that our CCTV is, in effect, useless, we shall have to leave the church locked for the foreseeable future, which means the public will no longer be able to enjoy it for both spiritual and secular purposes.

'It is reasonable to assume that the thief has been visiting other churches. I've cascaded the information to the Diocese, but one imagines nothing will be done if his car is seen again outside other churches.

'I was advised to 'dial 999' if he re-appears. Please forgive my cynicism, but I doubt that will receive a response within the 5 minutes that he takes to carry out the theft.

A spokesperson for Hampshire Police told MailOnline in a statement: 'We can confirm we received a report theft of money from a wall safe at St Andrews Church in Timsbury, which occurred sometime between 3.30pm and 4pm on 11 September, 2022.

'Various enquiries were carried out by officers from the Neighbourhood Policing Team, including viewing submitted camera footage, and regular contact made with the person who reported it.

'No suspects could be clearly identified from the camera images submitted.

The investigation has been filed pending further information coming to light.

'We also received a report of an attempted theft from a collection box outside the church that took place on 22 December, 2022.

'No money was stolen and the report was filed.

'We can also confirm a complaint on 17 January this year concerning thefts from churches. This was reviewed and discussed with the complainant and resolved over the phone'




South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin will depart for the United States on Wednesday for talks on strengthening their alliance and seek international support in dealing with North Korea's provocations.







Park and his American counterpart, Antony Blinken, plan to hold talks in Washington, D.C., on Friday (local time), Park's ministry said.







The minister is also scheduled to meet with senior officials at the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration to discuss bilateral cooperation in space-related areas.







Before his trip to Washington, Park will stop by New York for a meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. He also plans to meet with ambassadors from members of the U.N. Security Council to request their support in responding to the North's saber-rattling. Park plans to return to Seoul on Saturday. (Yonhap)


The world's biggest YouTuber MrBeast has hit back at critics who slammed him for paying to cure 1,000 people's blindness.

Jimmy Donaldson, a 24-year-old with 131million subscribers, released a video Saturday documenting his philanthropy which has already amassed a staggering 70million views.

The clip shows sufferers with severe cataracts being able to see again after the surgery paid for by the millionaire, with the help of a the non-profit eye care organization, See.

But some online said the video was 'demonic', showing how sufferers could only receive the surgery by becoming online content for a rich YouTuber instead of getting the necessary treatment from the government.

The world's biggest YouTuber MrBeast has hit back at critics who slammed him for paying to cure 1,000 people's blindness

One Twitter post retweeted thousands of times read: 'There is something so demonic about this and I can't even article what it is.'

Another said: 'What's grotesque about it is that such a life changing treatment exists and the only way these people can access it is be becoming "content".'

Streamer Hasan Piker was one of the video's most high profile critics, saying: 'I watch this video and Im filled with rage that we shut off access to a 10-minute procedure because we paywalled it and decided that only some people can get it.

'Its so insanely frustrating that its up to one YouTube guy to decide to make content out of it, that people who are too poor just cant f***ing see.'

Some also claimed MrBeast, who was YouTube's highest-earning creator in 2021, earning an estimated $54million that year alone, was exploiting the sufferers to gain more fame and accrue more wealth for himself.

Some online said the video was 'demonic', showing how sufferers could only receive the surgery by becoming online content

But the YouTuber hit back, saying: 'Twitter - Rich people should help others with their money.

'Me - Okay, Ill use my money to help people and I promise to give away all my money before I die. Every single penny.

'Twitter - MrBeast bad.'

He also added: 'I dont understand why curable blindness is a thing. Why dont governments step in and help?

'Even if youre thinking purely from a financial standpoint its hard to see how they dont roi on taxes from people being able to work again.'

Donaldson is known for his outlandish stunts which include videos of him being buried alive for 50 hours, and another where the last person to take their hand off a private jet gets to keep the plane.

In addition to being YouTube's most subscribed individual, he is also one of the website's highest earners.

In his latest video, he also gave away $10,000 to a number of cataracts patients, bought one a Tesla, and even donated $50,000 to another's college fund. He also donated $100,000 to See.

The YouTuber hit back, saying he intends to give away every penny of his huge fortune before he dies

Jimmy Donaldson, a 24-year-old known is better known by his internet moniker MrBeast

The second person MrBeast provided the surgery for. He helped with the curing of 998 more

According to the nonprofit MyVision.org, cataract surgery costs an average of $3,500 per eye.

In the video, MrBeast shows patients getting their bandages removed after surgery, and shows their reaction. For many of them it was the first time they were able to see properly in decades.

One patient named Charlie was unable to work because his vision had deteriorated so much.

MrBeast paid for his surgery and an extra $10,000.

'I just haven't been me for the last 62 years,' one patient tells MrBeast in the video, 'I can actually see your face.'

Another man said he wanted to see his son as soon as his bandages came off, saying he had been his 'rock' throughout his vision problems.

'Seeing him, seeing his face, you know, that's what I miss the most,' he said.

Footage shows the pair embracing in tears in the tear-jerking moment.

'I can see everybody's facial features now,' he said, wiping away a tear. 'It's a little blurry with my tears coming out.'

MrBeast stands with a crowd of his people whose vision he helped cure in his latest video

Patients received Phacoemulsification, a surgery which sees cataracts removed with a vacuum

Once the cataract is removed from the eye an artificial lens is inserted to replace it

The surgery used in the video appeared to be Phacoemulsification, which is one of the procedures See specializes in.

In the procedure, doctors make a small incision in the eye and vacuum out the eye's clouded cataract lens, and then inserts a new artificial lens.

Sufferers from severe cataracts are not entirely blind - they can still see light - but their vision can be so blurry that the basic shapes of objects are indiscernible.

Phacoemulsification can cost up to $6,000 for patients without insurance.

Another one of MrBeasts patients is a boy named Jeremiah, who had been blind in his right eye since birth

Jeremiah was given $50,000 to put towards his college education after his surgery

Satchel was born partially blind and always wanted to drive but couldn't

After a successful surgery, MrBeast presented Satchel with a bran new Tesla

What is Phacoemulsification? Phacoemulsification is a cataract surgery that sees a millimeters wide incision made into the eye's lens. A small vacuum is then used to suction the material that clouds the eye and hinders vision. Then an artificial lens is then inserted into the eye. Advertisement

One patient, Jeremiah, had been blind in his right eye since birth because the cataract prevented the eye from ever seeing light, which meant the surgery only had a 50 percent shot at success, MrBeast explained in the video.

Jeremiah broke down in tears after he removed his bandages to find the surgery worked, and then MrBeast presented him with a $50,000 check to put towards his college tuition.

'I don't even think this is real, like I'm waiting to wake up,' he said.

The video also featured a teenager named Satchel, who was partially blind since birth and nearly lost all his vision in a go karting accident.

'All I see is like blur and color, I can barely see the shapes,' Satchel explained.

He told MrBeast that he had never been able to drive and was housebound.

At the end of the video after the surgery was successful, MrBeast gave Jeremiah a Tesla.

MrBeast also brought the surgery to patients from countries around the world

Countries the effort visited were Namibia, Mexico, Honduras, Indonesia, Brazil, Vietnam, Kenya, and Jamaica

MrBeast and See also brought their surgery around the world to cure the vision of people from Namibia, Mexico, Honduras, Indonesia, Brazil, Vietnam, Kenya, and Jamaica.

On its website, See explained that cataracts affect about 65.2million people around the world, and that in 80 percent of those cases vision loss can be moderate to severe.

Procedures to cure cataracts like the one detailed in MrBeast's are relatively simple, but 99 percent of the world doesn't have access to healthcare and services to treat the condition.
Revelation came during questioning of Archives general counsel Gary Stern by top Republican James Comer

The National Archives was prevented from notifying the public that classified documents had been found at President Joe Biden's think tank back in November, raising questions over who stopped the information from coming out.

House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman James Comer raised the question Tuesday night, claiming the only two entities that could have given the order are the White House and the Department of Justice  putting the onus on either Biden or Attorney General Merrick Garland.

Despite Biden's team claiming they have been 'transparent' regarding the classified document scandal, new details emerged Tuesday that the FBI had searched his former offices after the initial materials were found.

Documents with classified markings were found at Biden's Washington, D.C. think tank in early November, just days before the 2022 midterm elections.

The National Archives prepared a press release to notify the public of the discovery, but was stopped from issuing it, Comer revealed.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer of Kentucky (pictured) said Tuesday that the National Archives was blocked from releasing a prepared statement on the discovery of classified documents at the Penn Biden Center in Washington, D.C. in early November

'DOUBLE STANDARD': House Oversight Chair James Comer tells "Hannity" that his meeting with the National Archives revealed that the Biden classified documents were treated "very differently" compared to those found in Trump's possession. pic.twitter.com/S8BylCcjYs  Fox News (@FoxNews) February 1, 2023

'There are only two people that could have given those orders, and that's either the Department of Justice with Merrick Garland or the White House with Joe Biden,' the Kentucky Republican told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Tuesday evening.

'So, it shows right there that this Department of Justice and this White House is interfering with this,' he added.

The latest revelation comes after Comer's panel conducted a lengthy interview with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) general counsel Gary Stern.

Stern informed the Oversight Committee that he couldn't tell them who gave the order not to release the statement.

Comer noted yet another double-standard in the process of classified documents between the case involving Biden and the one involving former President Donald Trump, whose Mar-a-Lago residence was raided by the FBI in August after he had failed to return presidential documents to the National Archives following multiple requests.

'If you go on the National Archives website, there's pages and pages of press releases and information about the FBI raid into Mar-a-Lago and Donald Trump's possession of classified documents,' Comer said. 'But there's nothing on the website about Joe Biden.'

New information about Biden's case also emerged Tuesday, indicating the discovery of documents wasn't as much of a cooperative process as previously indicated.

FBI investigators searched Biden's DC think tank office days after the president's lawyer identified classified material there.

New revelations emerged Tuesday that FBI agents had searched the Penn Biden office for classified material back in November  a detail previously unknown despite the administration insisting 'transparency' through the whole process

The White House and the Justice Department did not disclose the search, which was reported by CBS News, despite the White House's claim of 'transparency' over the rolling discoveries of classified material.

It was not immediately known if any additional documents marked classified were uncovered during the search, which took place in mid-November.

On November 2, days before the midterm elections, a Biden attorney discovered 10 documents marked 'classified,' then contacted the National Archives, which alerted the Justice Department.

Comer demanded the Archives come before the Oversight Committee to shed some clarity on the documents saga after the classified materials were found at Trump, Biden and former Vice President Mike Pence's private residences and offices.

Stern was grilled by lawmakers Tuesday for more than three hours in a transcribed interview with Comer and his panel, as Democrat and Republican lawmakers have grown increasingly frustrated with the lack of detail and transparency from the administration on the matter.

In the Democrat-controlled Senate, the Intelligence Committee has lamented that they have not been able to review the documents, yet the press keeps releasing information regarding the materials found in the searches.

While Republicans and Democrats lamented about 'stonewalling' from the Justice Department, members of the Oversight panel claim that the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Avril Haines is blocking the release of key details until the agency has concluded its investigation.

The FBI search at the Penn Biden center in Washington, D.C. came days after the initial document discovery in November

The FBI then carried out a search of Biden's Wilmington, Delaware, home, where more classified materials were discovered in the president's garage and library

The same garage is home to Biden's beloved classic Corvette Stingray

News of the FBI search comes as the Biden administration faces new pressure from Democrats to disclose the contents of classified material found at his home and office.

The White House had fielded questions last week about whether such a search might happen this past weekend, when Biden was at Camp David and in Wilmington, but there are no indications it happened.

'There has not been a limit of transparency,' White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said earlier this month during a particularly feisty White House press briefing.

The repeated disclosures come after months of reporting on Donald Trump's own resistance to government demands to return documents  and the FBI's discovery under a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago of hundreds of documents marked 'classified.'

Former Barack Obama advisor David Axelrod is among prominent Democrats who have called out the Biden White House for insufficient transparency, in an op-ed where he faulted the team for violating a mantra of crisis communications to 'fully disclose all the facts' as quickly as possible.
Rishi Sunak slammed Keir Starmer for putting 'extremist protesters' and Labour's union paymasters ahead of schoolchildren during bruising PMQs clashes today.

The premier swiped at Sir Keir for opposing the government's 'minimum service' law on strikes, as well trying to water down a crackdown on disruptive protests.

As the Labour leader seemingly did his best to avoid the topic of the wave of strikes crippling the country, Mr Sunak said: 'What do the unions and Just Stop Oil have in common? They bankroll him and his party. So while he sides with extremist protesters and union bosses, we stand up for hard-working Britons and schoolchildren.'

Sir Keir insisted it was 'pathetic' for the PM to blame Labour for the industrial action - and focused his fire on sleaze allegations including the Nadhim Zahawi tax settlement row.

Rishi Sunak (right) slammed Keir Starmer (left) for putting 'extremist protesters' and Labour's union paymasters ahead of schoolchildren during bruising PMQs clashes today

Striking workers and their supporters march in Newcastle today

'After 13 years in power, trying to blame the Labour Party for his failure to sort out the strikes is rank pathetic,' he said.

'The Tory Party's addiction to sleaze and scandal has done huge damage to this country and the cost to the public keeps adding up.'

A Labour spokesman insisted the party is not funded by Just Stop Oil, and called on Mr Sunak to correct the record in Parliament.

Sir Keir has previously defended accepting donations from Dale Vince, a green power millionaire who has also bankrolled Just Stop Oil.

The biggest strike in a decade is under way, with up to half a million workers walking out in increasingly bitter disputes over pay, jobs and conditions.

Members of seven trade unions are taking industrial action, affecting schools, universities, trains and buses.

Thousands of schools closed for the day because of action by the National Education Union (NEU), although many parents only found out this morning if their children would have to stay at home.

Civil servants, train and bus drivers and university staff also stopped work on the biggest single day of strikes in a decade.

Picket lines were mounted outside railway stations, schools, government departments and universities across the country, with unions saying they are receiving strong support from the public.

More than 100,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union are on strike, including Border Agency staff at ports and airports.

Civil servants join a Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) picket line outside Department for Education in London today

The union announced on Tuesday night that its Border Force members in France will strike during the February half-term.

The TUC is holding a series of protests against the Government's controversial plans for a new law on minimum levels of service during strikes.

A petition against the law, signed by more than 200,000 members of the public, will be handed in to 10 Downing Street.

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said he hopes the protests and strikes will send a strong message to the Government about the anger felt by growing numbers of workers.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said she expects the 'majority' of schools to remain open in England and Wales despite the teacher strikes, but added that 'some will have restrictions' for different cohorts.
One activist complained that the beds were 'hard' and the facility was too 'cold'

They are resisting being moved to a shelter just 45 minutes away in Brooklyn

Migrants are protesting outside the Midtown hotel where they were housed

Migrants who have landed in New York City are protesting the decision to send them from a midtown hotel to a ferry cruise terminal in Brooklyn by camping outside of their affluent lodgings.

On Wednesday, DailyMail.com witnessed activists serving the migrants food including pizza, donuts, coffee, avocados and fruit while protecting them from the media with black umbrellas as bread was thrown at reporters.

Sergio Tupac Uzurin, an anti-NYPD and pro-migrant activist who attended Manhattan's exclusive Stuyvesant High School, earlier told a group of reporters and residents of the area around West 57th Street this week that the reason for the protest was that the 'cold' shelter was 'not meant to be inhabited' and that the beds are made of 'hard materials.'

The previous night, dozens of migrants were pictured sleeping out on the street in front of the hotel as temperatures plummeted to the 20s, followed by snowfall in the early hours of Wednesday.

Activists block off a Newsmax TV crew who were attempting to film the migrants

Uzurin also argued that Mayor Eric Adams and New York Governor Kathy Hochul should give the newly arrived migrants access to the apartments in the area around The Watson Hotel known as 'Billionaire's Row.'

Rooms at The Watson Hotel usually go for around $450 per night.

Another activist, named only as Philip, told DailyMail.com that the outreach to the migrants was 'a community organized effort. This is neighbors, helping neighbors. New Yorkers, helping New Yorkers a community organized lead grassroots effort working together - we all need housing.

'These migrants have been through so much to survive to reach the country. They want to make a home here and work. I am one person among many working together with the migrants. I am Christian. I am a person who believes in human dignity I believe that everyone deserves housing,' he added.

When asked what the migrants expected when the came to the US, Phillip said: 'I don't think they expected to put in a cruise terminal without adequate heating.'

He added: 'I think there is an image of the United States abroad that I think that's projected. If you are poor while working class, if you are a minority and anyway in this country, I don't think that dream was never really designed for you.'

Activists outside of the hotel told the migrants not to speak to members of the media.

The cruise terminal is around 45 minutes away from the Watson in Brooklyn's Red Hook neighborhood, and comes equipped with a buffet food service, over 100 toilets, and is temperature controlled.

On Wednesday, DailyMail.com witnessed activists serving the migrants food including pizza, donuts, coffee, avocados and fruit while protecting them from the public glare with black umbrellas

Some of the food that has been supplied to the migrants outside of the hotel

It's not clear what group the activists are associated with, here they are seen protecting the migrants

Migrants with their belongings outside of the hotel

The trash that has accumulated during the protest

The previous night, dozens of migrants were pictured sleeping out on the street in front of the hotel as temperatures plummeted to the 20s, followed by snowfall in the early hours of Wednesday

A person holding up a sign declaring: 'Give them work permits' amid the protests

Migrants cover themselves during cold temperatures outside the Watson Hotel

Activist Sergio Tupac Uzurin told a group of reporters and residents that the reason for the protest was that the 'cold' shelter was 'not meant to be inhabited' and that the beds are made of 'hard materials'

More than 43,000 asylum seekers have flooded the Big Apple since last spring, leading the city to set up emergency shelters at hotels while it constructed mass housing for the migrants.

Sergio Uzurin, who graduated from the same high school as former Attorney General Eric Holder and Obama senior advisor David Axelrod, told ABC New York: 'So the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal is a large structure, it's not meant to be inhabited. It is a thousand beds, beds made out of hard material.

'There's not space for personal belongings. If you have personal belongings you have to put them in a locker. That's out of your control. There's only four bathrooms for a thousand men which is unsustainable for anybody who's working.

'It's in an isolated part of the city away from where many of them work and it's cold.'

While touring the facility on Monday, Mayor Adams noted that he saw a man wearing shorts.

The Queens-born activist continued: 'The immediate resolution is that the Hotel Watson needs to accept these men back and put them back into their rooms.

'The longer-term solution is to reallocate funding from over-funded departments like the NYPD into housing vouchers and into other programs that get people into permanent stable housing.'

Accommodations set up for the migrants at the ferry terminal include a ping pong table

A bus bringing migrants from midtown to the Red Hook section of Brooklyn on Wednesday

Activist Carolina Salguero is offering to help migrants who arrive at the ferry terminal

Rooms at The Watson Hotel typically go for anywhere between $325 and $450

A video showing Mayor Eric Adams' visit to the shelter also showed off a buffet at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook

The photos show a mass of roughly 1,000 of cot-style beds

A photo provided by one of the migrants shows rows of beds set up at the terminal

More than 43,000 asylum seekers have flooded the Big Apple since last spring, leading the city to set up emergency shelters at hotels while it constructed mass housing for the migrants

Rooms at The Watson Hotel usually go for around $450 per night

Activists have called on the mayor to open up luxury apartments for migrants

While some migrants have been moved outside the hotels, many at The Watson have refused to take up the city's offer to ship them to the Red Hook housing facility in Brooklyn, causing headaches for longtime residents in Hell's Kitchen

The city's office of immigrant affairs said that the shelter is temperature-controlled with free-food, security, over 100 toilets and that residents are given vouchers for public transportation to get them to where they need to be.

One migrant, Ivan, 33, from Venezuela, said that the shelter was 'very clean' but only had a 'little bit of heat.'

He said: 'They aren't beds they are cots. There is no privacy. I am worried leaving my belongings when I go to look for work that someone will steal from me. The showers are outside in a hangar area and it is cold. We are just looking for a dignified place.

'The commissioner would be safe. He guaranteed it, but meanwhile, one of the people in the facility had a knife on them that was taken away. He could've cut my face with that. We are scared that we will get cut when we are sleeping.

'We are going to stay here on the street. We're having fun here and a member of the community have given us a place where we can go to shower,' Ivan added.

While some migrants have been moved outside the hotels, many at The Watson have refused to take up the city's offer to ship them to Red Hook, causing headaches for longtime residents in Hell's Kitchen.

The migrants were given the option to tour the facility before moving their belongings there, but most refused.

One who did see the shelter, named only as Labrador by NewsNation, told the station: 'The conditions are so bad we have to cross the street to take a shower. We need to come back to our beds, which are all together like a jail.'

A young couple, Simon and Melissa Marie, who live beside the hotel told DailyMail.com: 'I didn't want to change my lifestyle because of them, but it's inconvenient. This is a residential area. You should respect the street there is trash all over the floor and they are not being respectful of the accommodations being given to them.'

The couple said that they had to put a muzzle on their dog to stop him from eating discarded trash left by the migrants and that they group blasts music at night.

Some migrants have said they have boarded the buses to the Brooklyn facilities, but have plans to immediately come back to The Watson later

Pictured: Food and coffee being served to the migrants outside the hotel

The city has declared a state of emergency over the surge of migrants arriving every day

The city plans to begin moving migrant families into the Watson as early as next week, reports CBS New York.

New York City Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Manuel Castro said this week: 'The truth is we are max capacity with hotels. We need the space for children and families. And this was always meant to be temporary.'

On Tuesday, a Holiday Inn hotel in Manhattan's Financial District won court approval to host migrants to the tune of $190 per room per night, the New York Post reported.

The hotel had applied for bankruptcy just this November in the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic. The new arrangement will net the hotel over $93,000 a day and nearly $3million a month.

Allan Robert, who lives in an apartment with his wife next to the Watson, slammed the city for moving the migrants to the hotel in the first place, and said the crowded streets have become safety concerns for residents.

'No information was given to the neighborhood prior to this happening,' Robert said. 'They were just dropped here.

'I don't mind helping migrants but I do mind helping migrants that are undocumented - which we are paying for per night, per room. Really, how much is it?'

Pictured: A sign set up by the hotel that reads: No to the discrimination of immigrants

Migrants are opting to stay at The Watson as earlier reports indicated they enjoyed free food and other amenities

Pictured: A surge of migrants setting up camp outside The Watson Hotel

Adams has also been bullish on asking for federal help.

Washington has approved $800million in spending to aid the crisis but it will go to various cities across the country.

Another resident said: 'They are taking the migrants out to Brooklyn to put a whole new set of people here. Our tax dollars are paying for this.

'They are making a mockery of what we worked so hard for decades to fix. It's ridiculous. It's a puppet show.'

Pictured: Paramedics tending to a migrant who needed help on Tuesday. Some residents feared for the migrants camping out in the streets in the winter

Although police moved in on Monday to remove tents, many are still their in sleeping bags

Residents said they are frustrated by the sight of migrants smoking cigarettes and marijuana on the streets outside The Watson Hotel

The city is pushing the migrants to board buses bound for Brooklyn (above), but the migrants and advocates say the facility is ill-equipped to accommodate them

Local residents expressed outrage at the sight and slammed the city and federal government for failing to curb the number of asylum seekers reaching the Big Apple

Migrants have been camping outside The Watson Hotel in Hell's Kitchen after refusing to relocate to a NYC housing shelter in Brooklyn

In a seemingly prepared speech, Uzurin earlier told the gathered media: 'We need one thing to be clear, Eric Adams only has one plan so far. Eric Adams' plan is to loot the city's departments and give that money to the NYPD and the developers who are gentrifying this city.

'He could have easily, along with Governor Hochul, opened up all of the vacant luxury apartments. We are on 57th Street right now. This is Billionaire's Row.

'Half of the super towers on this street are empty. These are $40million apartments!'

Migrant Oscar Veliz told ABC 7 that the 1,000-bed Red Hook facility is ill-equipped, and that food isn't always readily available.

'We do not want to go to Brooklyn Terminal, I was there yesterday, there was no heat; it's cold,' he said.

One of the migrants who was shuttled off to Red Hook told DailyMail.com that many are leaving their belongings behind at The Watson Hotel because they plan on returning.

City Hall spokesman Fabien Levy said in a statement this week: 'The facilities at Brooklyn Cruise Terminal will provide the same services as every other humanitarian relief center in the city.'

Buses of migrants have been arriving in NYC since fall when Republican governors, primarily Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, began sending asylum seekers from the border to largely Democratic-leaning cities.
The man accused of raping Brittany Higgins has lodged a formal complaint of professional misconduct against the Director of Public Prosecutions which includes accusations he failed to rein in Lisa Wilkinson and other media outlets.

Bruce Lehrmann, in a bombshell leaked letter sent to the ACT Bar Association on December 9, accuses Shane Drumgold of smearing his name through the media, The Australian reported.

Ms Higgins, 28, claimed her ex-colleague Mr Lehrmann sexually assaulted her in defence minister Linda Reynolds' office at Parliament House after a boozy night out in Canberra in March 2019.

Mr Lehrmann, 27, denied the allegation and pleaded not guilty in his first trial which began in October before a retrial was scheduled for February.

The first trial collapsed in early November when a juror brought prohibited academic research papers into the jury room.

Mr Drumgold dropped the matter altogether a month later due to concerns over Ms Higgins' mental health.

Bruce Lehrmann (pictured) has lodged a formal complaint of professional misconduct against the Director of Public Prosecutions over the handling of his rape trial

Bruce Lehrmann, in a bombshell letter sent to the ACT Bar Association on December 9, accuses Shane Drumgold (pictured) of smearing his name through the media despite calling off the second trial.

'His public behaviour continues to smear my name and the presumption of innocence that is a cornerstone of our justice system and that demands him to uphold,' Mr Lehrmann said.

'I contend that his conduct was driven by malice towards me personally. I also consider that his conduct was political.'

The former political staffer goes on to say Mr Drumgold failed to adequately warn Ms Higgins about public statements she made that he alleges undermined his presumption of innocence.

Mr Lehrmann also makes the same claim in relation to a number of media outlets, insisting the prosecutor should have taken steps to remove the material from publication.

These include Lisa Wilkinson's Channel 10 Project interview, an ABC Four Corners report, a National Press Club address, statements made at the Women's march in Canberra, as well as comments made to Marie Claire magazine and Women's Weekly.

Heidi Yates (right) could be seen standing next to Brittany Higgins (left) each day she appeared in court throughout the trial

Ms Wilkinson, who won a Logie for her interview with Ms Higgins, made comments during her acceptance speech in June that forced the judge to delay the first trial.

Mr Lehrmann's letter of complaint states: 'Lisa Wilkinson and an apology letter to the Supreme Court from Paramount (Channel Ten's parent company), allude to insufficient warning on the part of the director to Ms Wilkinson about her Logies speech and the possibility that this would cause a stay.'

The explosive allegations laid out in the letter comes as an Australian of the Year candidate who stood by Mr Higgins throughout her rape trial is now at the centre of a major probe into how the investigation unfolded.

The ACT government announced in December it would hold a board of inquiry, the equivalent of a royal commission, into the roles played by police and prosecutors in the 12-day trial against Mr Lehrmann.

Heidi Yates, the ACT victims of crime commissioner, was a permanent fixture by Ms Higgins' side throughout the Supreme Court hearing in October - appearing heavily in news coverage of the case the nation was transfixed upon.

The compliant accuses Mr Drumgold of failing to rein in Lisa Wilkinson (pictured) and other media

The inquiry will determine whether it was appropriate for Ms Yates to align herself so closely with the complainant.

On Wednesday, former judge Walter Sofronoff KC was appointed to lead the probe, which will report to Chief Minister Andrew Barr by June 30.

Mr Drumgold in the aftermath of the discontinued trial had accused police of siding with the defendant and 'bullying' Ms Higgins, in an explosive letter that was released under freedom of information laws.

He will investigate the conduct of police, the DPP and Ms Yates - who was also the territory's Australian of the Year nominee for 2023.

Specifically, the inquiry will examine the 'appropriateness of the ACT Victims of Crime Commissioner Heidi Yates aligning herself with the complainant', according to a government statement.

It will also assess 'whether the Victims of Crime Commissioner acted in accordance with the relevant statutory framework in terms of support provided to the complainant'.

Ms Higgins, 28, claimed her ex-colleague Mr Lehrmann (pictured) sexually assaulted her in defence minister Linda Reynolds' office at Parliament House after a boozy night out in Canberra in March 2019. He denies the allegations

A spokesperson for the ACT Human Rights Commission said in a statement to Daily Mail Australia: 'The ACT Human Rights Commission welcomes the announcement of Mr Walter Sofronoff as Chair of the Board of Inquiry.

'The commission also welcomes the confirmation of the inquiry's terms of reference.

'Victims of Crime Commissioner Heidi Yates has the full support of the commission.

'The Commission values highly the Victims of Crime Commissioner's essential work providing support, advocacy and assistance to victims of crime in the ACT.'

Ms Yates sat with Ms Higgins during her two evidence in chief interviews with Australian Federal Police in early 2021, which were recorded and played to the court during the trial in October.

The commissioner also personally accompanied the alleged victim each day she appeared in the Supreme Court during the trial.

Furthermore, Ms Yates stood alongside Ms Higgins as she delivered an emotional speech to the media after the case was aborted.

The speech was quickly referred to the Australian Federal Police by Mr Lehrmann's lawyers over fears it could bias a jury in a retrial.

Ms Higgins is pictured, with her partner avid Sharaz during the trial

Daily Mail Australia previously asked the Victims of Crime Commission whether it was standard practice for the commissioner to personally accompany complainants to court, and to interviews with police.

A spokeswoman for the commission declined to answer the question.

Ms Yates did not win the title of ACT Australian of the Year. She was beaten by climate activist and maggot farmer Olympia Yarger. However, she was one of four nominees.

According to her online profile, she is a human rights lawyer and activist 'whose work has improved the lives of vulnerable people across the community'.

'Her wins have inspired other communities to demand similar positive change.'

When the probe was announced last year, the ACT government stressed it was not to recontest Ms Higgins' rape claims - only the conduct of the criminal justice system.

The inquiry has the power to issue search warrants, compel witnesses to give evidence, and subpoena documents.
Trump has denied the affair and derided Daniels as 'Horseface' on Truth Social

Donald Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen has handed his cell phone to Manhattan prosecutors investigating the $130,000 hush-money payments made to Stormy Daniels.

The fixer revealed his cooperation to CNN on Wednesday, as part of the probe into a bid to stop the porn star going public with her affair with the former president before the 2016 election.

Trump denied the relationship again this week and called Daniels 'Horseface' as a grand jury was convened to hear evidence.

'Most recently, they asked for my cell phones because they want to be able to extract from it the voice recordings that I had had with Keith Davidson, former attorney to Stormy Daniels before Michael Avenatti, as well as a bunch of emails, text messages and so on,' Cohen told Don Lemon after meeting with prosecutors earlier this month.

Cohen pleaded guilty to federal campaign finance charges and was given three years in prison in 2018 for facilitating the $130,000 payment to Daniels.

He spent most of his sentence in home confinement in his Manhattan apartment.

Donald Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen has handed his cell phone to Manhattan prosecutors investigating alleged hush-money payments made to Stormy Daniels

Trump denied the relationship again this week and called Daniels 'Horseface'

Federal prosecutors said the Trump Organization paid Cohen $420,000 to cover his original payment and tax liabilities, and reward him with a bonus.

He also responded to the video of his old boss pleading the Fifth 400 times over four hours in a deposition with New York's Attorney General Letitia James.

'Donald cannot keep track of the lies that he tells, and so, what better way to stop a fool from being deposed and hurting himself further than to tell him to plead the Fifth at least 400 times,' he added.

On Tuesday night, Daniels hit back at Trump after he went on a tirade on Truth Social over the alleged payments.

Daniels claims to have slept with Trump in 2006, but the ex-president denied the allegations on his Truth Social app on Monday.

A grand jury is set to hear testimony this week about the former president's role in the payment made to keep Daniels quiet during his 2016 campaign, the New York Times reported.

The porn star responded to Trump's tirade on Twitter, claiming: 'He opens his mouth more than I do my legs.

'Thanks for just admitting that I was telling the truth about EVERYTHING,' Daniels wrote. Guess I'll take my "horse face" back to bed now, Mr. former "president".'

Daniels claims she slept with Trump while he was married to former First Lady Melania Trump, who had given birth to their son Barron less than six months before their brief fling.

She said the president paid her $130,000 to keep quiet.

Trump lambasted Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg as a 'radical' prosecutor.

He also accused Bragg of spending more time investigating him than going after crime in New York City, and claims the Democrat leaked the grand jury report to the press himself.

Trump denied the allegations on his Truth Social app on Monday and derided Daniels as 'Horseface'. Meanwhile, Daniels responded to Trump on Twitter

Stormy Daniels hit back at Donald Trump over alleged hush money payments. She claimed the former president paid her $130,000 to keep quiet about an affair in 2006

'With murders and violent crime surging like never before in New York City, the Radical Left Manhattan D.A., Alvin Bragg, just leaked to the Fake News Media that they are still going after the Stormy Horseface Daniels,' Trump wrote on Monday afternoon.

'Working closely with the Weaponized Justice Department, this is a continuation of the Greatest Witch Hunt of all time. They long ago missed the Statute of Limitations, & I recently won big money against Stormy in the 9th Circuit - NEVER HAD AN AFFAIR. This is old news!'

His 'big money' line is likely in reference to a judge recently ordering Daniels to pay nearly $300,000 in Trump's legal feel after her lawsuit against him failed. She had sued him for defamation over his denials of their alleged fling.

Daniels added on Tuesday: 'I like sex. He likes to lie. Seems like a perfect analogy to me.'

The case could lead to criminal charges.

Trump lambasted Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg as a 'radical' prosecutor. He continues to deny Daniels' allegations

Trump lashed out following reports that a grand jury has started hearing from witnesses over alleged 'hush money' payments

Daniels further added that Trump 'opens his mouth more than I do my legs'

Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen previously admitted to paying Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, to keep her silent about the alleged affair.

Cohen pleaded guilty to violating campaign finance law in 2018 and was sentenced to three years in prison for arranging the payment and a non-disclosure agreement.

He told a judge at the time that they were made 'in co-ordination with and at the direction of a candidate for federal office'.

Now, with Trump several years out of office and running another campaign, witnesses are set to begin speaking before the New York City grand jury as prosecutors make their case for why the former president should be charged.

On Monday, among the witnesses seen arriving at the Manhattan judicial proceedings was reportedly David Pecker, former publisher of the National Enquirer.

He previously admitted to prosecutors that he worked 'in concert' with the Trump 2016 campaign to arrange hush money payments for Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal.

A statement from the Manhattan DA's office at the time said he helped facilitate the payments so the women would 'not publicize damaging allegations' about Trump.

Other expected witnesses include former National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard and two Trump Organization employees, according to The Times.

It was revealed late last week that federal prosecutors had discussed charging Trump with campaign finance violations over the payments to Daniels and McDougal after he'd left office.

While Justice Department guidance cautioned against charging a sitting president, there were conversations on whether to use the evidence compiled from prosecuting Cohen in 2018 to go after Trump when his term was over, according to the book Untouchable by CNN analyst Elie Honig.

But that was apparently derailed by the chaos of that month, including the riot at the US Capitol on January 6 and Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

Honig wrote that such national crises made alleged campaign financial fouls 'seem somehow trivial and outdated by comparison'.
Historic southern border crisis is going on its third year with no signs of slowing

Fulfills GOP promises to remove the Democratic official for dereliction of duty

Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona is introducing articles of impeachment against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Wednesday,

The move makes good on the House GOP promises to crack down on immigration, illegal migration as well as hold President Joe Biden and Mayorkas accountable for the ongoing southern border crisis.

The Republican congressman representing the Grand Canyon State, will be joined by at least 15 other Republican lawmakers from both border states and non-border states to formally bring articles of impeachment against Mayorkas.

Biggs, a member of the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees, said that the only 'remedy' to start addressing the ongoing migration crisis effectively is by removing Mayorkas from office because he has 'attacked' the integrity of U.S. borders.

Arizona Representative Andy Biggs (right) plans to introduce articles of impeachment against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas

Republicans vowed once they won a majority to impeach Mayorkas after the DHS secretary balked claims to resign amid a historic migrant surge. Pictured: Mayorkas shakes hands with a member of the Texas National Guard during a survey of the southern border wall in La Joya, Texas in May 2022

'I think that the appropriate response is to do what the Founders said; you remove somebody from office  a public official from office who's causing public harm and violating the public trust,' Biggs told Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Tuesday evening. 'And that is impeachment.'

'I think that is the, quite frankly, the most pressing remedy that we need to avail ourselves of with Alejandro Mayorkas,' he added.

'What he has done is absolutely, in my opinion, it is unconscionable. He's literally attacked the essence of this country by attacking the geographical integrity and he's changing so much. He's put so many people in danger.'

Biggs first introduced articles of impeachment against Mayorkas in August 2021 after claiming the DHS secretary's dereliction of duty resulted at the border amounts to high crimes and misdemeanors.

Considering the House was still controlled by Democrats in the 117th Congress, the articles went nowhere.

Now that Republicans are in power in the House, it's likely to, at least, receive a vote.

Even if impeachment charges are successful and move to the Democrat-controlled Senate, it would require a two-thirds vote to pass, which is more than highly unlikely and would likely result in acquittal.

This is what happened both times former President Donald Trump was impeached. The House voted for the charge, but the Senate voted to acquit.

Figures released for December show that the number of encounters at the southern border are continuing to rise  and reached a new all-time single month high of 251,487 despite sub-freezing temperatures and harsh conditions

Migrants continue to flow over the southern border despite Biden and Mayorkas claiming the border was 'closed' during the COVID-19 public health emergency

Members who plan to join Biggs for the announcement of impeachment are, among others, Republican Representatives Brian Babin, Pat Fallon, Troy Nehls, Randy Weber and Ronny Jackson of Texas; Lauren Boebert of Colorado; Marjorie Taylor Green and Andrew Clyde of Georgia; Claudia Tenney of New York; Eli Crame of Arizona; Bob Good of Virginia; Ralph Norman of South Carolina; Eric Burlison of Missouri; Andy Ogles of Tennessee; and Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin.

The articles come after figures released for December show a brand new all-time-high in apprehensions at the southern border with 251,487 in the single winter month where temperatures reached sub-freezing. This tops the last high from May 2022, also under Biden's leadership.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has encountered more than 4 million migrants at the southern border since Biden took office in January 2021.

Despite the staggering figures, Biden and Mayorkas have assured the southern border is closed and have insisted their policies work, refusing to admit there is a crisis at the border between the U.S. and Mexico.

Mayorkas has also repeatedly balked calls by Republicans to step down from his position for the sake of national security.
A close friend of the Murdaughs today told the jury he is 100% positive that Alex, Paul and Maggie's voices were in a cell phone video taken at the crime scene minutes before the murders.

Rogan Gibson, who described the Murdaughs as his 'second family', listened to a video taken by Paul at 8.44pm at the dog kennels where the 22-year-old was shot dead with his mother Maggie shortly after 8.49pm on June 7, 2021.

Gibson told jurors he was positive he could hear Paul, Maggie and Alex in the footage. Paul had promised to send Gibson the video of his dog who he was looking after - but it was never sent despite the pair talking on the phone moments before.

Prosecutors say Paul couldn't send the video as promised because Murdaugh had shot him dead with a shotgun before turning a rifle on his mother.

Gibson's testimony contradicts Murdaugh's claim that the last time he saw Maggie, 52, and Paul alive was when they were having supper at the house on the estate in Islandton, South Carolina. The disgraced attorney, 54, told cops he only saw them at the kennels when he arrived back from his mother's home to find them dead.

Scroll down for LIVE video.

Murdaugh wept at the defense table as the video was played to the court Wednesday. Paul's voice can be heard speaking to the dog as he tries to film its tail, the prosecution says that a woman speaking in the background is Maggie, and the third male voice heard is Murdaugh

TIMELINE: NIGHT OF THE KILLINGS Alex Murdaugh, 54, is accused of shooting his wife, Maggie, 52, and younger son Paul, 22, at the family's hunting estate in Islandton, South Carolina, on the night of June 7, 2021. Here are the key events in the timeline laid out by prosecutors: At 7.56pm, Paul sent a Snapchat video to friends showing the 22-year-old riding around the estate with his father. At 8.15pm, Murdaugh's wife Maggie arrived home and the trio ate dinner together. Autopsies showed similar stomach contents in Maggie and Paul. About 8.30pm, Paul's phone starts moving towards the kennels. Then at 8.44pm, a second video taken by Paul at the kennels - soon to become a murder scene - allegedly proves that Maggie, Paul and Alex were together. At 8.49pm the prosecution say Paul's phone locked and went silent forever, never to send another text or make another call. Between 9pm and 9.30pm, Paul and Maggie were killed - according to the coroner. At 9.06pm, Murdaugh's car is fired up. The alleged killer said he went to go visit his mother, who is in the late stages of Alzheimer's disease, in Almeda - around a 15-minute drive. At 10.07pm, Murdaugh called 911 claiming he had arrived home a to find his wife and son shot dead. Advertisement

Gibson testified that Paul used his phone 'a lot' and had been communicating back and forth with him frequently that evening.

At 8.40pm, the two friends had a phone call about Gibson's Labrador during which he told jurors he was '99 per cent' sure he could hear Murdaugh in the background.

Gibson said they were discussing a problem the dog had with its tail and Paul said he would try to Facetime him to show him what it looked like.

However, the reception at the estate was such that Paul told Gibson he would send a video if that did not work.

Records show that a few seconds after their phone call ended, Paul attempted to Facetime Gibson - that call lasted just 11 seconds.

Paul then recorded the video of Gibson's dog in which his friend says he can hear Alex, Maggie and Paul together.

But he never sent it.

Gibson then texted Paul about the dog at 8.49pm - but the message went unanswered.

He also tried calling five times and even messaged his mother at 9.34pm asking Maggie to get him to call back.

Gibson told the court he learned of the murders early the following morning. He drove down to Moselle, as the Murdaugh's estate is known, to pick up his dog and then met with detectives.

They asked to see his phone and he described having a phone conversation with Paul about a problem with his dog's tail the night before at 8.40pm.

Gibson told the cops he was '99% sure' that he could hear Murdaugh's voice in the background during that call.

Gibson told jurors he met police again in November 22 and they showed him the video Paul took of his dogs at the kennels.

Prosecutor Creighton Waters asked: 'Did you recognize the voices of your second family?'

Gibson said: 'I did.'

Waters asked Gibson if he ever spoke to Murdaugh about hearing his voice in the video.

'No sir,' he told the court.

Waters followed up: 'Not a subject you wanted to talk about?'

Gibson replied: 'That is correct.'

The young man said he spent a lot of time at Moselle after the killings and recalled telling Maggie's mother, Kennedy Branstetter - who Gibson affectionately knows as Grandma - that he 'heard Mr Alec' at the kennels.

Waters asked: 'Did [Murdaugh] stand up and say, no I wasn't there?'

Gibson replied: 'He did not.'

Murdaugh claims he had supper with Maggie and Paul around 8.15 before they headed down to the kennels. He told cops he remained in the house, falling asleep in front of the TV. He then woke up and drove to visit his mother who is in the late stages of Alzheimer's at around 9pm.

He says the next time he saw his wife and son was when he arrived home and found them lying dead at the kennels.

Murdaugh called 911 at 10.07pm.

Rogan Gibson testified he heard Alex, Paul and Maggie at the kennels at 8.44pm on the night of the killings. That contradicts Murdaugh's claim he was not at the kennels until after the pair were killed

Murdaugh cries as the footage Paul took of the dog was played - the last moments he shared with his son and wife before they were killed

Murdaugh with his wife Maggie and sons Paul (right) and Buster. Buster was staying with his girlfriend near Charlotte when his mother and brother were killed

Earlier, Maggie's iPhone records showed how her husband of 28 years made a series of calls and texts to her in the frantic minutes after her death.

Murdaugh called Maggie three times between 9.04pm and 9.06pm, and then twice more at 9.45pm and 10.03pm. Prosecutors suggest the calls were an effort 'to manufacture an alibi.'

Paul's phone locked at 8.49pm and 35 seconds and Maggie's locked at 8.49pm and 31 seconds. Neither victim read another text or picked up another call ever again.

However, after Maggie's phone locked, it recorded steps during the time prosecutors say she was dead.

Jurors heard that the iPhone's sensors proved the device was picked up by somebody at 9.06pm. Just two seconds later the device received a call from Murdaugh.

But the defense later attacked the theory that Murdaugh was holding his wife's phone at the murder scene.

Defense attorney Phillip Barber said the steps recorded on Alex's phone did not match up, as would be expected if they were both being held by the defendant.

Lt. Dove agreed with Barber, saying: 'I would expect to see steps on both phones, yes sir.'

The prosecution had Dove confirm that between 8.09pm and 9.02pm, Murdaugh's phone stopped recording steps. Prior to this, the device had recorded regular movement.

Prosecutor John Conrad paused testimony to note this hour-long break. The state alleges Murdaugh killed his wife and son at 8.50pm.

Maggie's cell data

At 8.49pm, Maggie received a text from Alex's sister as part of a group chat about the family patriarch Randolph III's failing health. This was the final message marked as 'read' on Maggie's iPhone.

A text at 9.08pm from Alex to Maggie was never read. At 9.47pm Alex texted her, saying: 'Call me babe.'

Buster Murdaugh, left, and his girlfriend Brooklynn White watch a video clip from Buster's brother Paul's phone in the double murder trial

Alex Murdaugh covers his face during his double murder trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro on Wednesday

After Maggie's iPhone locked and went silent forever, sensors on the phone picked up movement. It recorded 59 steps from 8.53pm to 8.55pm.

Lt Dove, who assessed the cell phone, told jurors Tuesday how the phone orientation changed at 8.53pm, waking the screen and activating its camera for Face ID.

Dove told jurors that, based on this evidence, it appeared that someone who was not Maggie picked up the phone. The camera activated and scanned their face, but the phone did not unlock.

Maggie's phone orientation shifted again to portrait at 9.06pm, indicating that it was held in someone's hand.

Two seconds later, the phone gets an incoming call from Murdaugh.

MURDAUGH'S LAST TEXT AND CALLS TO HIS WIFE: At 9.47pm Alex Murdaugh texted Maggie, saying: 'Call me babe.' The prosecution say she had been dead almost an hour by this point. The phone also shows Maggie's missed calls, including five from Alex on the night of the murders

PAUL'S FRIEND ROGAN GIBSON'S LAST TEXTS TO MAGGIE AND PAUL: Gibson texted Paul about his dog, who was being cared for at the Murdaugh kennels, at 8.49pm, following a conversation they had on the phone. That message went unanswered. Gibson then sent a text to Maggie at 9.34pm, saying: 'Tell Paul to call me'

Maggie's phone was discovered on a roadside about a quarter mile from the crime scene the following afternoon.

The defense suggested to Dove that the orientation change logged at 9.06pm could indicate the phone being tossed out of a window of a getaway car.

Murdaugh's steps recorded by his phone on murder night 6:42:12 p.m-6:43:55 p.m. - 57 steps 6:52:27-7:02:05 p.m. - 283 steps 7:03:55-7:11:29 p.m. - 165 steps 7:15:35-7:21:52 p.m. - 200 steps 7:28:35-7:37:11 p.m. - 47 steps 7:41:23-7:48:41 p.m. - 29 steps 7:55:32-8:05:07 p.m. - 270 steps 8:05:35-8:09:52 p.m. - 74 steps NO MOVEMENT FOR ALMOST AN HOUR - PROSECUTION SAY MURDAUGH KILLED MAGGIE AND PAUL AT 8.50PM 9:02:18-9:06:47 p.m. - 283 steps Advertisement

The defense theory is that Paul and Maggie were killed in revenge for the fatal boating accident in which the 22-year-old youngest Murdaugh son was driving under the influence. The crash killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach.

Barber floated the idea that the killer or killers had thrown Maggie's phone out of their vehicle after becoming freaked out when Alex made the call.

Paul's cell data

Paul's phone was found lying on top of his back after Murdaugh told cops he placed it there after it fell out of his son's pocket while he was checking his body.

The 22-year-old's call logs showed he rang his friend Gibson from the kennels at 8.44pm. The pair were discussing Gibson's dog, which Paul was looking after.

This is the Labrador which Paul was trying to film in the video, which the prosecution says proves Alex was at the murder scene.

Five minutes later, at 8.49pm, Gibson messaged Paul: 'See if you can get a good picture of it. Marion wants to send it to a girl we know that's a vet. Get him to sit and stay. He shouldn't move around too much.'

That message went unanswered.

Dove told jurors that the last text Paul read was at 8.48pm. This is also the same time as the last text Paul ever sent, a movie recommendation for a girl he was chatting to. He suggested A Star Is Born.

Gibson tried calling Paul five times between 9.10pm and 10.08pm.

At 9.34pm, Gibson sent a message to Paul's mother Maggie, saying: 'Tell Paul to call me.' But she didn't respond.

He sent a final follow-up text to Paul at 9.58pm, which simply said: 'Yo.'

Paul's phone logged regular steps throughout the evening, but after 283 steps between 8.32pm and 8.42pm, his phone recorded no more movement. A few steps here and there are not necessarily recorded by an iPhone.

Murdaugh arrives at court Wednesday on day eight of his blockbuster trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in South Carolina

Buster and John Marvin arrive at court Wednesday

Murdaugh's narrative

Murdaugh claims that the last time he saw his wife and son was when they had supper together around 8.15pm.

He said he fell asleep in front of the TV while Maggie and Paul went down to the kennels.

The alleged killer said he tried calling Maggie before going to visit his mother, who is in the late stages of Alzheimer's disease. Call logs show Murdaugh tried ringing Maggie three times between 9.04pm and 9.06pm. She did not pick up.

He fired up his Chevrolet Suburban at 9.06pm and he texted Maggie that he would be right back and was going to check on his mother, who lives around 15 minutes away.

Murdaugh called his wife twice more - apparently on his way back home - at 9.45pm and 10.03pm. She did not answer.

Waters told jurors last week, it is 'up to you to decide whether he's trying to create an alibi.'

Murdaugh claims that when he arrived back at the house, he found Maggie and Paul lying dead at the kennels. He called 911 at 10.07pm.

Alex and Maggie's marriage announcement was published in the August 15, 1993 edition of The State Sunday

Maggie and Paul Murdaugh as a young couple (left) and Maggie with her sons Paul and Buster and her mother Kennedy Branstetter

Murdaugh out hunting with Paul (right) in images uploaded to Maggie's Facebook page

However, the prosecution allege that Murdaugh was with Maggie and Paul at the kennels.

Citing the video, Waters told jurors last week: 'The evidence will show that he was there. He was at the murder scene with the two victims.

'More than that, just over three minutes later, 8.49pm and one second, Paul's phone locks forever. Never reads another text, he never sends another text, he doesn't answer calls.

'Three minutes after that video has the defendant at the murder scene with the two victims, Paul's cell phone goes silent forever.'

The coroner estimates that Paul and Maggie died between 9pm and 9.30pm.

Murdaugh weeps inside a detective's car during his second police interview on June 10 - three days after the killing

Overhead view of the hangar and kennels at Moselle where Maggie and Paul were shot dead

Murdaugh claimed he had been visiting his elderly mother who suffers from Alzheimer's and arrived home to find Maggie and Paul dead near the estate's dog kennels

The trial is taking place at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, a sleepy, rural town 50 miles west of Charleston in a low-lying region of South Carolina over which the Murdaugh family has wielded immense judicial and political power.

Indeed, in the courtroom where Murdaugh faces judgment, a portrait of his late grandfather - legendary longtime 14th Circuit Solicitor Buster Murdaugh Jr. - had hung on the wall before it was removed ahead of the trial.

Prosecutors have said Murdaugh killed his wife and child to generate sympathy and distract from his financial crimes, an alleged motive that Murdaugh's lawyers have argued doesn't make sense.

But he has adamantly insisted from the moment he found the bodies of his wife and youngest son shot multiple times that he was not the killer.

WHERE PAUL DIED: Blood spatters on the floor inside the storage room at the kennels where Paul Murdaugh was shot dead. He was killed with a shot to the chest and a second to the head

WHERE MAGGIE DIED: A pool of blood outside the kennels where Maggie Murdaugh was shot dead with two AR bullets to the head

Alex Murdaugh pictured with his wife Maggie and their two sons Paul (left) and Buster

Following the murder trial, Murdaugh will have to face more than 100 additional criminal charges, ranging from drug trafficking to allegations that he stole nearly $9million from clients and other attorneys.

Prosecutors say Murdaugh lured his wife and son to their 1,700-acre hunting lodge and shot them dead.

The state also claims that his life was spiraling out of control amid years of opioid addiction and ballooning debts.

Murdaugh pleaded not guilty in June, and the blockbuster trial is expected to include wild allegations of dark family secrets, financial ruin and hedonistic excess.

In total, over 220 people could testify against Murdaugh in the trial.
In September a boy was attacked while walking a trail with his father near LA

The attack was the second mountain lion attack on a child in less than a year

A child was attacked by a mountain lion just south of San Francisco on Tuesday

A child was attacked by a mountain lion 40 miles south of San Francisco on Tuesday evening and rushed to a trauma center in unknown condition.

It was the second such incident in California in less than a year and comes after a seven-year-old boy was hospitalized after being bitten by a lion near Los Angeles.

After the attack at around 6.50pm on Tuesday a neighbor of the child told local outlet ABC7 they seemed calm but that it was unexpected as mountain lions rarely interact with humans.

'They were pretty calm when I pulled up, they're my neighbors so I asked them if they were okay. They were very, they were good,' neighbor Chad Conover said.

The unidentified child was taken to a local trauma center but neither their condition nor the condition of the cat is known (file photo of a California mountain lion)

After the attack a neighbor of the child, Chad Conover (pictured), told local outlet ACB7 they seemed calm but that it was unexpected and surprising

'They said everybody's fine, but they had to talk to Fish and Game, and a warden pulled up right as I pulled out,' he added. 'Typically the mountain lions avoid people, so it's not often you hear about an attack on a human.'

Mountain lion sightings are common but attacks are not. According to the Department of Fish and Wildlife around 20 confirmed attacks have occurred in California in more than a century.

'[San Mateo County Sheriff's Office] was dispatched to a report of a mountain lion attack and we can confirm a child was transported to a local trauma center after the attack,' wrote the San Mateo Sheriff's office in a tweet.

'Incident occurred on the 1000 blk of Tunitas Creek Rd. in unincorporated SMC. [California Department of Fish and Wildlife] actively investigating the incident.'

Authorities said the child was conscious when they were transported to the hospital but would not specify their condition.

The mountain lion attack on Tuesday was the second on a child in California in less than a year

The attack happened on the 1000 block of Tunitas Creek Road, in unincorporated San Mateo county

In September 2022 a seven year old boy was bitten from behind while taking a walk with his father through Pico Canyon Park just north of Los Angeles

In September 2022, about 300 miles south, another young boy was attacked. A seven-year-old boy was bitten from behind while taking a walk with his father through Pico Canyon Park, just north of Los Angeles.

The two were walking up some stairs when the lion struck from behind, biting the boy on the buttocks. The father scared the animal away and the boy was treated for only minor wounds.

After his attack authorities baited the lion with a fresh deer carcass in an attempt to capture it. Captain Patrick Foy from the California Fish and Wildlife Department told ABC7 after the attack that if it was found the cat may need to be put down.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife are also investigating Tuesday night's attack - the condition of the mountain lion involved is unknown.

Accompanying news of the attack was a message from Sheriff Corpus: 'Our coastal community has endured so much these past few weeks. Our entire agency is saddened of this news and sends many warm wishes to the child for a speedy and full recovery. Our thoughts are with the family at this time.'

The six to eight-month-old cub entered Pescadero High School on San Mateo County coast before becoming trapped inside

Last June a mountain lion cub entered a California classroom before school had begun.

The six to eight-month-old cub entered Pescadero High School on San Mateo County coast before becoming trapped inside when a school custodian enclosed it in a room.

After evacuating the school the cub was tranquilized with a dart and safely removed hours later.

The small mountain lion was then taken to Oakland Zoo where vets identified that it had a badly fractured tooth which had to be removed. They also decided the young cat was too young to survive in the wild, so it was not released.
A San Francisco pizza shop employee has been fired for their 'shameful and hateful actions' toward several police officers who were told that they were 'not welcome' inside the restaurant.

The San Francisco Police Officer's Association posted about the incident on Twitter and said that an employee at San Francisco's Pizza Squared had since been fired and the officers had been offered a sincere apology from the owners.

Union President Tracy McCray noted to Fox San Francisco that the police officers had dined at the pizza shop before and never faced any mistreatment in the past.

Emotions were high at the weekend across the country when video footage of a police beating was released by Memphis Tennessee officials prompting thousands, outraged by Tyre Nichols' death, to take to the streets in protest.

A San Francisco pizza shop employee has been fired for their 'shameful and hateful actions' toward several police officers who were told that they were 'not welcome' inside the restaurant

The SFPOA post said: 'Today, a @pizzasquaredsf employee told several of our officers that they were not welcome in the restaurant.

'The SFPOA notified the owners of the restaurant of the shameful and hateful actions of one of their employees. We appreciate the owners' swift apology.

'We appreciate the owner's swift apology, praise for the hard work our officers do, and the owners' commitment to meeting with the affected officers.'

In response to the tweet the pizzeria explained that the employee had been a trainee on his third day at work.

'When our shift manager told us about the incident after it happened, we expressly told him we didn't share his views [and] that he was out of line,' the comment continued.

'He was fired at the end of the day. When we notified by SFPOA, we apologized.'

McCray told FOX San Francisco they were pleased by the immediate response taken.

'We were pleased to receive an immediate response from the owners, including a sincere apology for their employee's actions and a commitment to meet with the affected officers and make this unfortunate situation right,' he said.

Speaking to KRON 4, McCray said the behavior of the rogue employee had shocked the officer's involved.

Union President Tracy McCray said the cops had dined at the pizzeria before and never been mistreated. Here an employee, not involved in the incident, poses with a friendly demeanor

The San Francisco Police Officer's Association posted about the incident on Twitter and said that an employee at San Francisco's Pizza Squared had since been fired

'As frequent patrons of this restaurant, our officers were surprised and dismayed [by] this bigotry,' he told the outlet.

'The SFPOA notified the owners of the restaurant of the shameful and hateful actions of one of their employees.'

Thousands from across the country came together to protest the killing of Tyre Nichols, 29.

Emotions surged after horrific video footage released on Friday showed the moment the 29-year-old was stopped by police, tried to flee and then the vicious beating that took place when police caught up followed by a lack of medical care.

Nichols was pulled over for alleged reckless driving on Jan 7.

The footage shows Memphis police officers aggressively pulling Nichols out of his car and pushing him to the ground.

After he tried to run away, officers caught up with him and beat him with a baton and kicked and punched him.

Five officers involved in the January 7 incident have been charged with second-degree murder and fired from the force.

CJ Davis, the well-respected Memphis police chief, said she had never witnessed anything so devastating in her policing career.

Emotions surged after horrific video footage released on Friday showed the moment the 29-year-old was stopped by police, tried to flee and then the vicious beating that took place when police caught up followed by a lack of medical care

Thousands from across the country came together to protest the killing of Tyre Nichols, 29. Here protestors demonstrated peacefully in Oakland

Meanwhile Benjamin Crump, an attorney representing the Nichols family, said Nichols was treated like 'a human pinata'.

Rodney Wells, Nichols' father, urged people protesting to keep things peaceful.

The four clips - three from body cameras, one from a surveillance camera attached to a post - shocked and angered America.

Over the weekend, San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott released a statement in response to the Memphis police beating, while hundreds marched peacefully in Oakland.

'I have been closely monitoring the events unfolding in Memphis and have viewed the video released by the Memphis Police Department,' he said.

'The tragic death of Tyre Nichols after force was used upon him by five Memphis Police Department officers after a traffic stop is extremely disturbing.

'What I and everyone else saw on the video images reflect a disregard for the sanctity of human life and is the antithesis of the oath, we as law enforcement professionals, were all sworn to uphold.'

The violence in Memphis has renewed calls for national police reform, with many Democrats saying it's time to revisit the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. Here a demonstrator is seen taunting a police officer during a protest over the police killing of George Floyd in 2020

The bill would ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants for all federal law enforcement agencies, create a national registry of police abuses and make the process easier for to sue and prosecute officers

Scott goes on to say it was yet another example of how force is used against people of color and hopes the narrative will change.

'This incident again raises the pervasive issue that has occurred for generations, and continues to occur, regarding using force on people of color [specifically black and brown men],' he said.

'Those of us who have chosen policing as a profession all have a responsibility to make the difficult and courageous decisions necessary to change this narrative for the better.

'I applaud and support the decision and swift action taken by Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis to terminate the involved officers for what she described as physical abuse against Nichols.

'This incident affects all of us in law enforcement, and it underscores the importance of the San Francisco Police Department's work on policy and training revisions, reducing disparities in stops, arrests, and uses of force, and reducing non-lethal and lethal force to fulfill the promise of bias-free and equitable policing that stands for safety with respect for all.'

The violence in Memphis has renewed calls for national police reform, with many Democrats saying it's time to revisit the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act that was passed the House in 2020 but failed to move in the Senate.

The bill would ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants for all federal law enforcement agencies, create a national registry of police abuses and make the process easier for to sue and prosecute officers.
Travelers stand in line at the Air China international flight check-in counter at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, Jan. 15. AP-Yonhap



China resumed mandatory COVID-19 tests for arrivals from Korea only Wednesday, in its latest tit-for-tat response over Seoul's strengthened antivirus curbs against travelers from the neighboring nation.



In a notice sent Tuesday to airlines operating between the two neighbors, Chinese aviation authorities said all passengers on board direct flights from Korea to China will receive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests on arrival from Wednesday, according to the officials and sources. Those who test positive are required to be quarantined or hospitalized.



It is the latest in a series of retaliatory measures targeting Korea after Seoul tightened curbs on travelers from China last month due to the fast spread of new cases in the neighboring country.






President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy will sit down together at the White House on Wednesday for a high-stakes meeting on increasing the nation's debt ceiling.

The two men are meeting for the first time since McCarthy won the speakership and their sit down comes amid a stalemate over how to raise the country's $31.4 trillion borrowing limit.

At stake is the ability for the country to pay its debt. The U.S. has never defaulted and economists fear a default could trigger a worldwide recession and damage America's credit rating.

But hope for a breakthrough is slim with neither side shows a sign of budging - McCarthy wants cuts to federal spending and Biden wants to raise the limit with no conditions attached.

Wednesday's Oval Office meeting is expected to the be first of many and the starting point for lengthy negotiations.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy heads to the White House on Wednesday afternoon to meet with President Joe Biden

Republicans are setting a low bar going into the event.

'I'd say the fact that [Biden] has agreed to negotiate is a good sign. But he's the president of the United States, nothing happens if he doesn't agree to it,' Republican Rep. Tom Cole said.

'They're two very amiable men. So I have no doubt they'll get along well, and at least we'll get the discussion started,' he said.

Going into the meeting, each side had made their case in the court of public opinion.

The White House argues Republicans need to show their hand and lay out what cuts they want to federal spending. The administration also points out Republicans approved 'clean' raises to the debt ceiling under President Donald Trump.

McCarthy, for his part, argues that if the nation is spending too much money, it should cut back on its expenses.

Republicans have tossed out several ideas on how to make the cuts including taking federal spending back to its pre-COVID pandemic levels.

The speaker has said he wants to work with Democrats on cuts - despite their stance they won't concede to any - and believes he'll be able to force them into a negotiation down the road as the nation gets closer to a default.

'The only thing I'm really going to gauge is do you want to negotiate or do you want to play politics,' he told Punchbowl News. 'I'm not going to play these games. So you tell me when you want to negotiate. If you think you can beat me up, I'm going to be reasonable. So the sooner we sit down, the sooner this doesn't become a problem.'

'But we're eventually going to have to dance together. So when do you want to play the music, now or later?'

President Joe Biden will press Speaker Kevin McCarthy for specifics on what he wants to cut from the federal budget when the two men meet in the Oval Office

The House GOP met Wednesday morning on Capitol Hill to brainstorm on how to cut federal spending. Republican leadership was looking for general thoughts and ideas on what should be cut from their members.

They did indicate that cuts to Social Security and Medicare would be off the table. Slashing the budget of either program could be a political liability for Republicans with voters.

'This is a lot more of education for a lot of our colleagues about the different components of debt ceiling,' Rep. Byron Donalds said of their meeting.

'It's important that you lay a foundation on this kind of stuff. But one thing that is very apparent at this point, and I'm happy that the speaker is going to be meeting with the President later today.'

Republicans have tossed out several ideas including cuts to defense spending and agencies like the EPA but nothing has yet garnered momentum.

'Next week were gonna be really hammering out the details but one thing that we do have consensus on is that Biden is abdicating his duty by refusing to negotiate and just producing a budget,' Rep. Kat Cammack said.

Democrats, in turn, argue that there is nothing McCarthy can propose that will get him the 218 votes he needs among his Republicans to move ahead in the legislative process.

McCarthy can only afford to lose four Republican votes if he wants to pass a debt ceilling increase without Democratic help.

In their sit-down, Biden will ask McCarthy to promise the that the U.S. would not default on its debt.

Additionally, Biden will press McCarthy on when he will release his federal budget, top White House economic adviser Brian Deese and Budget director Shalanda Young wrote in a memo released on Tuesday.

Biden's budget will be released on March 9th. Republicans have said their budget will be released in April.

'It is essential that Speaker McCarthy likewise commit to releasing a budget, so that the American people can see how House Republicans plan to reduce the deficit  whether through Social Security cuts; cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Affordable Care Act health coverage; and/or cuts to research, education and public safety  as well as how much their budget will add to the deficit with tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and large corporations,' Deese and Young wrote.

Senate Republicans are letting McCarthy take the lead as they stand back to see what happens.

Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell made it clear is taking a hands' off approach.

'I think the deal has to be cut obviously between the House majority and the Democratic president in order to have a chance to survive over here,' he said.

Ahead of the meeting, both side was quick to start pointing the finger at the other.

Biden on Tuesday called McCarthy a 'decent man' but said he 'had to do to get commitments that are just absolutely off the wall' in order to become speaker.

McCarthy called Biden 'childish' for not wanting to negotiate.

'Why would you put the economics of America in jeopardy?' he said Tuesday on Capitol Hill. 'Why would you play political games? I'm not.'

Trump raised the debt limit three times during his presidency without any dramatics or standoff negotiations. During his four years in office, the debt increased from $20 trillion to nearly $28 trillion.

But the debt rose even further due to a slew of post-pandemic spending programs Demcrats enacted to help the country recover economically from its COVID shutdown.

The U.S. debt is now almost equal to the country's gross domestic product, a measure of yearly economic output. It's on track to be 225% of GDP by 2050, according to the Penn Wharton Budget Model.

The U.S. is expected a hit the ceiling on Thursday, forcing the Treasury Department to start using 'extraordinary measures' so the government can keep paying bills while Congress negotiates to try and avoid an economic meltdown

The federal debt ceiling was raised in December of 2021 by $2.5 trillion to $31.381 trillion, which is expected to hit on Thursday, January 18.

To stabilize the debt near current levels, the government would need to permanently slash all spending by 30%, raise tax revenues by 40% or some combination of both, Kent Smetters, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and director of the Penn Wharton Budget Model, to the Associated Press.

The U.S. has never defaulted on its debt, but it has come close.

In 2011, House Republicans, who held the majority, demanded then-President Barack Obama negotiate over deficit reduction in exchange for an increase in the debt ceiling.

The back-and-forth debate went down to the wire, with the debt ceiling being raised only two days before the US defaulted.

Just the brinkmanship sparked a major economic crisis for the country, resulting in one of the worst weeks for the markets since the 2008 financial crisis, sinking stock prices, and taking a toll on people's retirement savings.

Mortgage rates spiked, hurting prospective home buyers.

The standoff also resulted in the US getting its credit rating downgraded and the economy took months to recover.
A Labour MP was forced to apologise today after she sparked outrage by branding the Israeli government 'fascist' and referring to the country as 'an apartheid state'.

Kim Johnson, MP for Liverpool Riverside, was also hauled in for a dressing down by Labour's chief whip after making the comments during Prime Minister's Questions.

Her remarks were branded 'unacceptable and dangerous', as well as 'deeply disturbing' by fellow MPs.

Tories also questioned whether Labour had moved on from the regular controversies that dogged the party under former leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Speaking in the House of Commons this afternoon, Ms Johnson said: 'Since the election of the fascist Israeli government in December last year there has been an increase in human rights violations against Palestinian civilians, including children.'

After her words prompted disquiet among other MPs in the Commons chamber, Ms Johnson added: 'Can the Prime Minister tell us how he is challenging what Amnesty and other human rights organisations are referring to as an apartheid state?'

Labour MP Kim Johnson branded the Israeli government 'fascist' and referred to the country as 'an apartheid state'

Rishi Sunak, responding to Ms Johnson, called for 'calm' as the PM urged 'all sides to strive for peace'

In response to Ms Johnson, Rishi Sunak replied: 'She also failed to mention the horrific attacks on civilians inside Israel as well.

'It is important in this matter to remain calm and urge all sides to strive for peace, and that is very much what I will do as Prime Minister and in the conversations that I have had with the Israeli prime minister.'

Ms Johnson later returned to the Commons to offer an apology for her 'insensitive' remarks.

'I would like to apologise unreservedly for the intemperate language I used during PMQs,' she said in a point of order.

'I was wrong to use the term "fascist" in relation to the Israeli government and understand why this was particularly insensitive given the history of the state of Israel.

'And while there are far-right elements in the government, I recognise that use of the term in this context was wrong.

'I would also like to apologise for use of the term "apartheid state".

'While I was quoting accurately Amnesty's description, I recognise this is insensitive and I'd like to withdraw it.'

Ms Johnson, an ally of Mr Corbyn, had earlier been swiftly criticised for her PMQs comments by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer's office, as well by fellow MPs.

A spokesman for Sir Keir told reporters after PMQs: 'Kim Johnsons words were completely unacceptable as a first step we would want her to withdraw the remarks that she used.'

The spokesman added, if Sir Keir had been answering Ms Johnson's question as PM, he would have 'made it clear that he regards that language as unacceptable'.

'We see the relationship with Israel as an important one for us, bilaterally,' he continued.

'We want to have strong relations with the government of Israel. Obviously there are always issues in any bilateral relationships where you have disagreements between countries.

'But fundamentally the relationship between Britain and Israel is one that we value.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer branded Ms Johnson's comments as 'completely unacceptable' and she is set for a dressing down by the party's chief whip

Dame Margaret Hodge, Labour MP for Barking, condemned Ms Johnson for her 'unacceptable and dangerous' language

Dame Margaret Hodge, Labour MP for Barking, condemned Ms Johnson for her 'unacceptable and dangerous' language.

'With violence escalating in recent weeks, this careless remark only makes it harder to bridge the divide,' she posted on Twitter.

Dame Margaret also said it was a 'complete insult' to the legacy of Louise Ellman, who is Ms Johnson's predecessor as Liverpool Riverside MP and who temporarily quit Labour under Mr Corbyn's leadership amid her concerns at antisemitism in the party.

Brendan Clarke-Smith, Tory MP for Bassetlaw, branded Ms Johnson's remarks as 'absolutely disgraceful'.

'For all the PR and promises, its clear Labour havent changed,' he added on Twitter.

Scott Benton, Tory MP for Blackpool South, tweeted: 'Deeply disturbing language. A disgraceful insult to our great ally.'

Sir Keir's decision to reprimand Ms Johnson over her comments prompted a new rift between the Labour leader and left-wing group Momentum.

They hit out at 'another outrageous abuse of power by Starmer, this time to silence wholly legitimate criticism of the Israeli government'.

'Israel has been termed an apartheid state by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Its new far-right government has been widely condemned. Facts,' the group added on Twitter.

'What does it say about free speech in the Labour Party, when MPs face *disciplinary action* for citing internationally-renowned human rights organisations on the atrocities being committed against the Palestinian people?'

Karla McLaren, of Amnesty International UK, said: 'Leading human right organisations, UN experts and a growing number of countries recognise that Israels seizure of Palestinian land and property, its unlawful killings, drastic movement restrictions and denial of nationality and citizenship to Palestinians are part of a system clearly amounting to the crime of apartheid under international law.

'While successive UK governments have rightly condemned killings of both Palestinian and Israeli civilians, the UK has abjectly failed to hold the Israeli authorities to account for their grave and systematic breaches of international law stretching back decades.'
Michigan authorities have launched a desperate search for three local rappers who mysteriously vanished after a gig at a Detroit club was cancelled ten days ago.

Armani Kelly, 28, Dante Wicker, 31 and Montoya Givens, 31, haven't been seen since a performance at Lounge 31 was called off at the last minute due to 'technical problems' on January 21.

The three men met when serving time in prison and Kelly's mother fears her son has been killed by former inmates following his release for an armed robbery charge last year.

Kelly's mother and fiance first reported him missing two days after his disappearance, but it took police a week to realize Wicker and Givens had also vanished in what investigators have called an 'extraordinary' case.

'Its our understanding that the performance got canceled, and from there  we just have a whole lot of unanswered questions that we are trying to find out,' said Michael McGinnis, Detroit Police commander of major crimes.

Armani Kelly, 28, left, Dante Wicker, 31, center, and Montoya Givens, 31, right, have been missing without a trace for almost two weeks

Armani Kelly, who went by the stage name Marley Whoop, reportedly drove to the cancelled performance with the other men before their disappearance

The men haven't been seen since a performance at Detroit club Lounge 31 was cancelled at the last minute on January 21 due to technical problems

The trio were driving to Detroit together but it remains unclear if they ever made it to the club.

Armani, who goes by the stage name Marley Whoop, was set to perform just his second ever show when he was told the gig was called off at the last minute.

It is understood that the 28-year-old last left his mother a voicemail at around 5pm telling her he had arrived in Detroit for the show, before later texting his fiance, Taylor Perrin, that the gig had been cancelled.

Perrin said she became increasingly worried when her messages to him stopped delivering at around 7.30pm, and police said the phones belonging to Kelly and the two men he was with have not recorded any activity since that evening.

'We always had contact,' Perrin told Detroit News.

'We didnt go hours without talking or at least sending a text to let the other know were OK. So, my mind is racing. I couldnt sleep all night.

'I just dont understand how this happened and how theres three grown men missing, and nobody seems to know anything.'

Armani Kelly's mother Lorrie Kemp, left, and fiance Taylor Perrin, right, launched a desperate search for the rapper following his disappearance. Their media appearances led the families of Dante Wicker and Montoya Givens to file missing persons reports

Armani Kelly, 28, was released from prison for armed robbery months before his disappearance. His mother believes he may have been targeted by those he met behind bars

When Kelly stopped responding, his mother, Lorrie Kemp, and fiance began a frantic search, including tracking his car using vehicle security service OnStar.

After locating his car online, Lorrie saw that it had been driven to the city of Warren around 15 miles from Detroit, where it was suspiciously moved three times in the days following his disappearance.

The car was first tracked to a church two days after the cancelled performance, before it was then moved to an apartment complex the next day.

The vehicle was eventually found in a different apartment parking lot by police four days after, without a trace of the three men.

Perrin said the car was discovered covered with mud and without a license plate.

Kelly's mother feels officials did not take her son's disappearance seriously enough until it dawned on them that two others - Wicker and Givens - were also missing.

'Where is the police department? They didn't do their job,' she told WXYZ.

'I'm doing everything I possibly can, I'm out there hitting the roads, hitting the pavement.

'I don't want to be on Dateline and wait 20 years to find his body.'

Taylor Perrin, right, said she became concerned about her fiance Armani Kelly, left, after he stopped responding to her messages on the night of his disappearance on January 21

The car the three rappers travelled to Detroit in was suspiciously moved around the city of Warren in the days following their disappearance. It was eventually found by police in an apartment complex parking lot, pictured

Kelly had previously spent eight years in prison for armed robbery, which is where he met the other two missing men, according to his fiance.

After their mysterious disappearance, his mother has said she fears the rapper may have been targeted by those he encountered behind bars.

'I'm angry because you did eight years in prison and you didn't die, and now you come out and they kill you.

'He's dead - I don't care. I love that people are optimistic, and I love that they think there's hope, but I know in my gut.'

Armani Kelly, who used the stage name Marley Whoop, was set to perform for just the second time when he vanished. Pictured is a poster advertising the January 21 performance

The three rappers travelled to Detroit to appear at Lounge 31, before the gig was cancelled hours before the performance due to equipment issues

Kemp told Detroit News she believes perceptions about the three missing men may have led police in multiple jurisdictions to be slow to react.

She said: 'I think they thought they're disposable men.

'They did their time. Everybody mistakes in life and they were charged with crimes. They did their time and thats it.

'Armani did his time and came out as a whole new person. He knew what he did was wrong and that is not the path he wanted to travel on.

'At the end of the day theyre still a human being and they deserve to be seen and heard.'

Multiple law enforcement agencies have since joined the search for the men, who have now been missing without a trace for nearly two weeks.

The families of Wicker and Givens only reported the two men missing after Kelly's mother and fiance's efforts to bring attention to the case, including posting thousands of fliers across Detroit and making several media appearances.

Montoya Givens, 31, pictured, reportedly met Kelly and Dante Wicker while the trio served time in prison

'Once that happens, other family members of the other missings come to realize that thats a friend of their loved ones and they havent seen them either, so then they both get reported missing,' McGinnes said.

'The fact that the three of them are missing together is very concerning and very alarming for us.

'It's very extraordinary circumstances.

'We need help. If somebody knows something, were asking please call and share that information with us.'

Following his early release from prison at the end of last year, Kelly's fiance said he had been working hard to turn his life around.

Alongside a budding rap career, the 28-year-old was also working full-time and taking college classes.

Perrin said: 'It doesnt look good how many days its been, that hes still alive, but I'm not going to give up until I see his face again,' she said.

'We were so close to be able to start our life and somebody just took it all away.

'I just beg for help, for anything. I need answers and, if it comes to it, I need closure, because I will never forget and I will never stop.'

His mother told CBS News the search for her son, which has now stretched into its tenth day, has turned into an agonizing wait.

'I try to be optimistic, but every day that goes by it gets worse and worse.

'I don't believe my son will come home alive. I just want his body so I can move on. I don't know what else to do, I just want to take him home.'
Disabled residents suing Portland over scores of homeless encampments blocking city sidewalks have discovered the city spent at least $2million in taxpayer funds to buy those tents and tarps.

Plaintiffs learned that Multnomah County's Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS) used the millions to buy 22,000 tents and 70,000 tarps for its homeless residents, but kept basically no record of who got the supplies or where they were set up.

The lawsuit alleges the Oregon city is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act by allowing tents to build up unchecked across the city and block disabled people's abilities to safely navigate the city sidewalks.

Over the past four years the city has also spent at least $26.6million over the last four years cleaning up camps it helped fund. Representatives for Mayor Ted Wheeler defended the expenses, insisting they were mitigating the city's 'public health emergency.'

A homeless encampment blocking the sidewalk in Portland, Oregon. Disabled residents say they can't get around the city because of the camps

Mayor Ted Wheeler's office defended the expenses, insisting they were mitigating the city's 'public health emergency'

The attorney representing the plaintiffs in the case, John DiLorenzo, uncovered the tent and tarp funds in the lawsuit's discovery phase.

'The taxpayers are paying the county to put tents in place, which the city is, in turn, charging the taxpayers to sweep up,' he said, according to Fox News. 'It's sort of like trying to walk up the down escalator.'

'You provide them [with] 22,000 tents and tarps over a couple of years, we believe the likelihood is quite high that most of those tents and tarps are what ended up on the sidewalks, streets, and in the parks,' he said.

The lawsuit seeks to have the city remove all encampments - which total more than 30,000 - from across the city's sidewalks and parks.

A man walks through a homeless camp filled with tents on the streets of Portland

Tents set up on the sidewalk of Portland. There are thousands across the city's sidewalks

A spokesperson person for the JOHS said its employees who deal with homeless people first hand tell advise them where they can and can't sleep, but that they are ultimately powerless over where the camps actually go up.

'Outreach workers generally tell people to sleep where it's legal and safe to do so, to avoid being swept. And they offer information on where folks aren't allowed to be. But they can't ultimately control where folks set up.'

Mayor Wheeler's spokesperson defended the expense, according to Fox News.

'We have 800 self-sited unsanctioned campsites across 146 miles of Portland,' the mayor's office said. 'This is a public health emergency.'

A massive tent erected on a Portland sidewalk. The city has spent millions buying them

A homeless man on the sidewalk in Portland, Oregon. The city's mayor said they are dealing with a 'public health emergency'

The city has vowed to clean up homeless encampments within three days if they pose a risk, which is evaluated on several factors, including criminal data, garbage, obstruction of ADA walkways, and the amount of drug paraphernalia, according to KPTV.

Campsites are cleaned up and assessed through the Clean Start program - which is made up of formerly homeless people, inmates, and those who face a lack of employment, mental health, or addiction issues.

One of Clean Start workers, James Ruenz, said that they pick up 'about 1,000 pounds a day' of garbage and 'around 80 to 100 syringes' a day.

A total of 107,000 reports have come through in the last year from Portland citizens, but 73,000 were duplicates, leaving 34,000 requests that still need assessments by the Clean Start workers. Portland released a dashboard showing where reported camps are, and explaining which have been addressed.

A map showing where homeless camps have been reported across the city of Portland

The lawsuit seeks to have the city remove all encampments - which total more than 30,000 - from across the city's sidewalks and parks

Within a six-month period in 2019, the Clean Start workers cleaned up 644 tons, or 1,288,000 pounds, of garbage and more than 37,000 needles from public spaces. They also completed 8,000 assessments. The year prior, there were 9,000 assessments completed.

So far in January 2023, a total of 1,247 assessments have already been completed, with 706 marked high risk, 252 marked medium risks, and 289 marked low risk.

The city saw a spike in reports in September and November as the weather got cold, with more than 1,000 assessments being performed each month.

On average, an assessment is completed within 3.5 business days and around 200 to 300 camps are cleaned up each month.

The goal of the program is not to remove camps, but rather to do so as a 'last resort.'
Half of Subway - the world's largest fast food chain - will soon be owned by a charity created by the company's late co-founder, the foundation announced Monday.

The multibillion-dollar donation comes from the late Peter Buck, a former nuclear physicist whose $1,000 investment helped create the sandwich empire.

Buck died in 2021 at age 90, but apparently left instructions in his will to give 50 percent of the chain to a charitable foundation he and his wife set up in 1999.

The donation, potentially valued at up to $5billion, creates a possible complication as Subway execs have reportedly been weighing interest in a potential sale of the corporate entity.

The multibillion-dollar donation comes from the late Peter Buck, a former nuclear physicist whose $1,000 investment helped create the sandwich empire. He died at age 90 in 2021

The donation, potentially valued at up to $5billion, creates a possible complication as Subway execs have reportedly have been weighing interest in a potential sale of the corporate entity

The stipulation was announced by the Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation Tuesday, in a statement that claimed it had been in the works for more than a decade.

'This gift will allow the foundation to greatly expand its philanthropic endeavors and impact many more lives,' wrote Carrie Schindele, executive director of the Connecticut charity, which supports causes related to education and health care.

'Especially our work to create educational opportunities for all students,' said Schindele. 'Work Dr. Buck cared so deeply about.'

The charity, founded by Buck and the late Carmen Lucia Buck, provides services for elementary school students across the country as well as seniors in Danbury, where the couple lived for many years.

Subway has more than 40,000 locations worldwide, topping McDonald's and Starbucks. It is reportedly valued at $10billion - meaning Buck's donation amounts to roughly $5billion

Through means, such as grants and counseling, the private family firm seeks to improve the quality of life in the communities it serves, and has donated millions over the years to hospitals in Connecticut.

The firm also employs both of the couple's sons, William and Christopher Buck, who serve as executives on its board.

The brothers, along with CFO Ben Benoit, are the sole executors of Buck's estate.

Forbes confirmed the contents of Buck's will in a report Friday, writing that they had obtained a copy.

The report comes amid rumors of a potential sale of the company. Since its meteoric rise in the early 2000s, it has struggled to stay relevant, closing dozens of stores and restructuring franchisee operations amid a decline in earnings

The donation constitutes Buck's full share of the $10billion company, which has been owned by its two founding families for more than five decades.

Buck was 34 when he partnered with Fred DeLuca, a 17-year-old New Yorker who was a friend of Buck's family.

Seeking to start a humble sandwich shop in Bridgeport, DeLuca besieged the then-nuclear physicist to back his vision.

Buck, who at the time was designing power plants in the area, provided the seed funds of $1,000  and the rest is history.

The pair opened 'Pete's Super Submarines', with the priciest sandwich selling for 69 cents.

The day their shop opened, on August 28, Buck and De Luca sold out of their foot-long subs - still a staple of the chain's menu today.

The duo changed the name to 'Subway' three years later and decided to turn it into a chain by franchising - a move that would eventually make both of them billionaires.

Subway was founded co-found by Fred DeLuca and Peter Buck in 1965, with DeLuca (above) serving as CEO during the peak of the restaurant's popularity

'We didn't make a profit for 15 years,' Buck told The Wall Street Journal in 2014.

Forbes estimated Buck's net worth at $1.7 billion. DeLuca died in 2015 at age 67.

Subway says it now has more than 40,000 locations worldwide, topping McDonald's and Starbucks.

However, since its meteoric rise in the early 2000s, the company has struggled to stay relevant, closing dozens of stores and restructuring franchisee operations amid a decline in earnings.

During the pandemic, the chain laid off hundreds of corporate staff to cut costs amid rumors of a potential sale.

Sales reached their peak at $18 billion in 2012 but have since halved to around $9billion.

Buck  providing start-up funds of $1,000  and DeLuca started the sandwich empire in 1965 with 'Pete's Super Submarines' in Bridgeport, with the priciest sandwich selling for 69 cents

In 2015, the company faced a public image nightmare when the face of the company, Jared Fogel, was convicted on child pornography charges.

It has also faced criticisms over the freshness of its ingredients, with Ireland's Supreme Court ruling that its bread had too much sugar to be called bread.

The company recently faced a class-action lawsuit claiming it was misrepresenting its tuna sandwiches, with lab analysis repeatedly showing the meals had no tuna DNA.

Despite these troubles, the privately-owned company has remained in family hands - though half of the business is now set to be held by the Buck-dominated charity, which also has descendants of DeLuca on its board of directors.

According to the foundation, 'the Buck and DeLuca families continue to remain close.'

Subway propelled into a global success in 2000, as Americans searched for healthy fast-food options. Subway's dominances was cemented through Fogle, who said he lost 425 pounds by eating at the sandwich chain

Keeping with its origins as a humble Connecticut sandwich shop, the company has been family-run for nearly sixty years, with John Chidsey becoming the first outsider CEO in 2019.

As a physicist, Buck was hired by General Electric in 1957 at a laboratory in Schenectady, New York, and worked on atomic power plants for US Navy submarines and ships.

Buck had been the first in his family to go to college. He graduated in 1952 and then earned his doctorate in physics.

He later worked for United Nuclear in White Plains, New York, and Nuclear Energy Services in Danbury, where he made his home, according to an obituary prepared by his family.

Buck and De Luca changed the name of their outlet after people listening to radio adverts they had made thought 'Pete's Submarines' sounded like 'Pizza Marines'

He also pursued philanthropy, making significant donations to many organizations including the Smithsonian Institution, to which he gave a 23-carat ruby named after Carmen Lucia Buck, who was his late second wife. She died in 2003.

DeLuca manned the helm of the growth before being diagnosed with cancer in 2013, with his daughter, Suzanne Greco, taking the reins.

Greco then retired in 2018, with Trevor Haynes serving as interim CEO until Chidsey came on board.

Buck's mammoth donation comes amid reports from earlier this month that stated that Subway was considering a sale valued at more than $10 billion. If such a sale does take place, Buck's donation would be valued at $5 billion.

DaliyMail.com has reached out to Subway for comment.
Heart-stopping video footage has captured the moment a diver plays alongside a great white shark and even appears to embrace the 11-foot beast.

'Fearless' wildlife photographer Taylor Horton was engaged in a shark tagging expedition just off the coast of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

In one shot he can be seen wielding a tagging instrument in one hand while wrapping his other arm around the dangerous fish.

Viewers were left in horror by the footage with one Facebook user writing 'this makes my heart pound just watching it.'

"Fearless' wildlife photographer Taylor Horton calmly embraces a great white shark in heart-stopping video footage

Shark tagging is a research method where specially created tags are attached to a shark's dorsal fin to provide information about its migration patterns.

The mission was organized by Outcast Sport Fishing, which is run by Chip Michalove, 46.

Horton and Michalove worked together to lure the shark in with bait and were able to tame it long enough to tag it.

'It was pretty wound up when we hooked it. It meant business,' Michalove said. 'It was there to feed and take advantage of the situation.

'But once the sharks get close to the boat they lose all aggression - they're not looking to feed, they're just looking to get away.

'I'm more concerned about another one coming up than that one. She was very easy to work with.'

Discussing his friend, he added: 'He is fearless but once you're around sharks a lot you start to learn about their personality and demeanor - you learn what they're going to do before they even know what they're going to do.'

Michalove, who has been a charter fisherman for 25 years, claims that he has hooked over one hundred great whites off the coast of South Carolina, as well as thousands of tiger sharks, bulls, and hammerheads.

Outcast Sport Fishing often shares jaw-dropping images on its Facebook page of fishermen engaging playfully with sharks

Daredevil expeditioners are often seen playing with sharks on the Outcast Sport Fishing page

But he took on the additional role of tagging great white sharks seven years ago when a team of scientists asked for his expertise in capturing them in order to tag and track their movements.

He and his team use baited fishing rods to draw the sharks in, hook them and pull them to their boat in order to apply the satellite tags, before releasing them again.

'It seems really dangerous but it's like taking a lion and hitting it with a tranquillizer dart,' Michalove said.

'Once that animal is not in the mind-frame to feed, it's just a regular fish.

'There was no immediate danger. If this shark had a different personality or was really wound up and wired, I wouldn't have allowed [Taylor] to get in the water.

'You have to stay away from the corners of their mouths because they will snap at you out of aggravation but they're not looking to eat anymore.'

But Facebook users were nevertheless left unnerved by the footage.

One wrote underneath the video: 'My heart was pounding I think louder than his! What an awesome job! Somebody had nerves of steel to do that.'

Another said: 'I held my breath the whole time watching this! You guys are rockstars.'

Chip Michalove, 46, pictured, was on the 'shark tagging' expedition with Horton as the pair were helping researchers track sharks migration patterns

Outcast Sport Fishing teamed up with a team of Cape Cod scientists for the tagging expedition.

Michalove said: 'We know the least amount about white sharks - we don't know where they breed or pup. We know so little about them.'
House Republicans are readying to boot Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar off of the Foreign Affairs Committee as soon as Wednesday over anti-Israel comments she made earlier in her Capitol Hill tenure.

A resolution to pull Omar from the committee passed the House Rules panel on Tuesday night, though her expulsion will have to come from a full chamber vote.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's thin majority means that he can currently afford to lose three votes for the measure to pass - and some Republican lawmakers have already signaled they're against it.

But coming out of a morning conference meeting on Wednesday, several Republican lawmakers told DailyMail.com that they're confident that the resolution will pass.

And while they mentioned her previously negative remarks about Israel, several also suggested that the move is payback for House Democrats removing two hardline right Republicans from their posts in the last Congress.

Progressive Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar is likely going to be removed from the Foreign Affairs Committee after a full House vote, several Republican lawmakers indicated to DailyMail.com

'The overwhelming number of members I talked to are - they don't feel like given her past and perhaps current views that she should have a seat on Foreign Affairs,' South Dakota Rep. Dusty Johnson said.

Omar's fellow House Foreign Affairs Committee member Rep. Andy Barr of Kentucky told DailyMail.com that's he's spoken to the congresswoman about the current situation and she has a 'right to free speech' - but not to a committee post.

'The Foreign Affairs committee involves, you know, sensitive intelligence briefings and things like that, and when it comes to our national security and when it comes to our relationship with Israel, her views have a bearing on her ability to serve on that committee,' Barr said.

Barr also pointed out that Republicans are giving Omar an avenue for 'due process' after Indiana GOP Rep. Victoria Spartz agreed to support the resolution on Tuesday night if the progressive had an avenue to appeal the decision to the House Ethics Committee.

'We are providing a process,' Barr said. 'We're providing an appeal.'

Alluding to Democrats stripping firebrand GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of her previous committee assignments over inflammatory social media posts before she joined Congress, he also said: 'We are also not kicking people off of committees because of statements that they've made before they were in Congress. These are statements she's made as a member of Congress.'

'And that is a significant distinction between what Speaker Pelosi did and what Kevin McCarthy did.'

Rep. Tom Cole, who chairs the committee that passed Tuesday night's resolution to boot Omar off of Foreign Affairs, told reporters on Wednesday morning that the full House process could start as soon as today.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy vowed retribution for the removal of Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar from their committees in the last Congress

'They were warned two years ago, "If you do this, there will be consequences." You're not going to, you know, deny our members committees, and kick Kevin McCarthy appointees off things like the January 6 committee while you put their political equivalents on and think there's not going to be consequences with the majority changes,' Cole said. 'Now, the chickens are coming home to roost, so to speak.'

He added, 'What I hope happens is each side learns something from this and we don't go down this road again.'

'But it's not going to be a situation where they were allowed to do that to our members, and now they don't even acknowledge what they did was a mistake, that might help,' Cole said.

Along with Greene's removal for social media activity parroting QAnon conspiracies and calling for violence against high profile Democrats, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's 117th Congress also removed Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar for posting a video depicting himself attacking progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Florida Rep. Byron Donalds incredulously asked DailyMail.com, 'Are you serious?' when questioned about why he believes Omar should be kicked off the high-profile Foreign Affairs panel.

'First of all, Congresswoman Omar - this is now the third time that issues have been made about her anti-Semitic comments. In 2019. There was a resolution brought to the House floor, specifically about her, that Nancy Pelosi watered down to just say Congress opposes anti-Semitism,' Donalds said.

'Well, of course Congress opposes anti-Semitism, but there is one member that has had this rhetorical issue, and frankly philosophical issue, for some time.

'We have our political issues here in the United States. We all know that. But Israel being our most important ally in that region has not been a point of this- of disagreement between Republicans and Democrats when it comes to foreign policy, save for one member. So why should that member continue to sit on Foreign Affairs?'
Bosses at the pub giant behind the Slug & Lettuce and Be At One chain are mulling plans to close 1,000 venues after accruing an enormous 2.6billion debt pile during the pandemic, it has been reported.

Stonegate is looking to sell off the venues for 800million, according to Bloomberg.

The chain, which is owned by private equity firm TDR capital, completed a takeover of rival Ei before the Covid pandemic - and before the hospitality sector was battered by successive shutdowns.

The industry is also now under increased pressure due to rampant inflation and rising energy bills.

Stonegate is said to be looking to sell off 1,000 venues for 800million, Bloomberg said

The chain, which is owned by private equity firm TDR capital, completed a takeover of rival Ei before the Covid pandemic - and before the hospitality sector was battered by successive shutdowns

A spokesperson for Stonegate declined to comment when approached by MailOnline.

It comes after Wetherspoons confirmed ten of its pubs will be closing for good after being sold.

Wetherspoons also noted that costs were far higher than three years ago, especially for labour, food, energy and maintenance.

It comes after Wetherspoons confirmed ten of its pubs will be closing for good after being sold

Its chairman Tim Martin said: 'The aftermath of the pandemic and lockdown restrictions have been far more difficult than anyone thought. That is the picture for the whole pub and restaurant industry.

'People thought that after lockdown there would be a boom in people suffering from cabin fever but, instead, it has almost been the opposite situation as people have got in the habit of staying in.

'That's the big thing that means sales are down on 2019. Things are improving now but it's slow.'
Federal agents seized handwritten notes from Joe Biden's beach home in Rehoboth on Wednesday but found no documents marked classified, the president's attorney said, as the crisis takes yet another troubling turn for the administration.

The Justice Department will review the material they took, which dates from Biden's time as vice president.

Biden didn't answer questions on the matter during an economic event at the White House. The president, who is fighting off a cold, sat silently while reporters shouted at him and then were escorted from the room.

Biden cooperated with the three-and-half hour search of his $2.7 million, six-bedroom, 4,800 square foot home in the Delaware beach town, his attorney Bob Bauer said.

'The DOJ's planned search of the President's Rehoboth residences, conducted in coordination and cooperation with the President's attorneys, has concluded. The search was conducted from 8:30 AM to noon. No documents with classified markings were found,' Bauer said.

'Consistent with the process in Wilmington, the DOJ took for further review some materials and handwritten notes that appear to relate to his time as Vice President,' Bauer said.

Biden's personal attorney acknowledged the search after various news outlets reported it was taking place, marking yet another occasion the administration made an announcement after journalists uncovered information. It comes as the White House deals with questions about how transparent it has been on the crisis, which keeps growing.

Federal agents from the Department of Justice are searching President Joe Biden 's Rehoboth, Delaware beach house for classified documents

Federal agents leave the Rehoboth beach house of President Joe Biden

Every room in the beach house was searched, White House spokesman Ian Sams said on Wednesday.

He wouldn't say if there are any other areas where Biden has papers - such as his Senate material being housed at University of Pennsylvania - will be searched.

'Look, I think we are providing information as this goes on and answering questions about the search activities as they have been happening. I don't want to speak too much to the DoJ practices in an ongoing investigation. I can say that we have cooperated fully,' Sams said.

Biden's attorneys previously said there are no classified documents at his beach home, having searched it themselves.

But, in late January, FBI agents searched Biden's main residence in Wilmington, , Delaware, and found more classified documents there after the president's attorneys had conducted their own search.

Biden bought the Rehoboth house for $2.7 million in 2017 when he was vice president. He and first lady Jill Biden often spend weekends there with their pets and their grandchildren.

He was last there the weekend of January 20th through the 23rd.

The administration has faced a series of questions about the classified materials in Biden's personal possession and their transparency on the matter.

House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman James Comer on Tuesday night claimed that National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) general counsel Gary Stern told them the agency was prevented from notifying the public that classified documents had been found at Biden's D.C. think tank back in November, raising questions over who stopped the information from coming out.

Federal agents searched Biden's Rehoboth home for three-and-a-half hours on Wednesday

President Joe Biden is facing questions about his transparency on documents crisis

It is unclear who stopped the information from being released.

The documents crisis dates back to November but did not come to public attention until January, earning criticism for the administration, which has promised transparency.

Biden's attorneys discovered the first cache documents on Nov. 2, 2022, as they closed down his D.C. think tank. The Biden team did not disclose their findings until January, after CBS News reported their existence.

Piling on, earlier this week, it was revealed that FBI agents searched Biden's DC think tank office days after the president's lawyer identified classified material there.

The White House and the Justice Department did not disclose the search, which was reported by CBS News.

White House spokesman Ian Sams was asked about the non-disclosure but argued the administration has been transparent.

'Yes, I think we have been pretty transparent from the beginning providing information as it occurs throughout this process,' he said on Wednesday.

It was not immediately known if any additional documents marked classified were uncovered during that think tank search, which took place in mid-November.

In total, there have been five discoveries of classified materials in Biden's possession: at the Penn-Biden Center, a think tank in Washington, D.C.; in Biden's garage at his Wilmington, Del., home; one document discovered in his 'personal library' in the same home; four more documents found in his home; and then another six found when the Justice Department did another search of his Wilmington residence.

All date back to Biden's time as vice president under Barack Obama but the White House won't answer as to what topics the materials cover.

Biden, himself, has taken a personal hit, with his refusal to disclose the initial discovery immediately to the public - especially when it was revealed the documents were found in his think tank six days before the 2022 midterm election.

He has been defensive on the matter, saying 'there's nothing there.'

'I think you're gonna find there's nothing there. I have no regrets. I'm following what the lawyers have told me they want me to do. It's exactly what we're doing. There's no there there,' he said in California last week.

Taking the public beating has been White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who is grilled in her daily press briefings with questions about why the discovery wasn't publicly disclosed, the validity of the information she is giving to the public, and what else is being kept hidden.

Jean-Pierre has admitted she and her press team learned about the documents' existence when CBS News asked about it for their story - which was two months after the initial discovery.

She's also made a series of misstatements - including saying six times the search for more documents was completed, only for five more to be found - that are compounding the public relations problems for the White House.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has the unenviable task of trying to parse the document debacle to the media on a daily basis

All of this - the lack of disclosures, the misstatements, and Biden's testiness - has contributed to the impression the White House has not been forthcoming and that their strategy on this has been a mistake.

The White House has repeatedly insisted it is cooperating with the Justice Department and following all legal procedures properly. The administration argues it was transparent with the federal government - immediately informing the National Archives of the materials - even if it didn't disclose it to the general public.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel to look into both Donald Trump and Biden's handling of classified material.

After ignoring requests to turn over presidential records, the Department of Justice authorized a warrant for former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. As a result of the search, a Special Counsel to oversee the probe was appointed.

Former President Donald Trump is also under investigation for the mishandling of presidential papers and classified documents after he left office in January 2021

A photo of documents seized during the Aug. 8 FBI search of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. The probe into the presence of top-secret information at Mar-a-Lago continues.

The Biden administration has taken pains to point out the differences between the president's handling of the documents and Trump's.

The National Archives had repeatedly asked Trump to return official documents taken when he left the White House in January 2021, as required by the Presidential Records Act.

After months of stonewalling, Trump eventually turned over 15 boxes to the National Archives and found classified material. Suspecting Trump hadn't handed everything over, the federal agency turned to the Justice Department, which ultimately got a federal warrant to search the property.

After that August raid, Trump was found to have hundreds of documents with classified documents in his possession.

Former Vice President Mike Pence also revealed last week that some classified documents were found in his Indiana home. His attorney immediately notified the federal government, and they were turned over to the FBI.
A newly-created House Republican run committee on 'weaponization' of government is preparing to fire off subpoenas  with plans to focus on the Justice Department and school board protests that erupted last year.

House Judiciary Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) has already fired off a letter to retired FBI agent Timothy Thibault charging 'abuse and misconduct' at senior levels in the Justice Department. Republicans have accused him of partisanship related to the Hunter Biden probe, conduct his lawyers deny.

It was cosigned by Darrell Issa, a former chair of the Oversight panel when it probed Benghazi. He is among a core group of Republicans on a new subpanel on the 'weaponization' of government, chaired by Jordan.

Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, a Donald Trump loyalist who chairs the GOP conference, is a new member of the panel, and is publicly talking up its subpoena power. The clash over investigations comes as President Joe Biden prepares to sit down with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy amid a looming debt limit crisis.

'I anticipate there will be subpoenas, not just from this select subcommittee but from many of the agencies that have refused to comply with document requests,' she told the Washington Examiner, saying there would 'absolutely' be speedy subpoenas.

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) leads a select subcommittee on 'weaponization' of government

'We will fight for transparency and accountability and shining sunlight on the corruption in these federal agencies, and it is telling that already the Democrats and the Biden administration and Joe Biden himself are trying to stonewall our efforts to access information. These agencies work for the American people, not the other way around,' she said.

Democrats are designing their own strategy to push back. Former Judiciary panel chair Rep. Jerold Nadler is among those already banking Republicans will overreach.

'Clearly, when they when they go off on nonsense, we're gonna push back at it,' Nadler told CNN.

Nadler was in Congress when House Republicans launched a series of investigations of President Bill Clinton in an effort that culminated with the impeachment effort.

Republicans created the new 'weaponization' panel on a party-line vote when they passed a new House rules package, after talks between now-Speaker Kevin McCarthy and GOP rebels who want to take on the Biden administration.

Stefanik also indicated the panel intends to focus on an October Justice Department memo on 'violent threats against school officials and teachers.' That came amid angry clashes at school board meetings last fall, amid an uproar over a National School Boards Association letter comparing protesting parents to domestic terrorists.

'You're talking about the federal government targeting parents who are asking valid questions about their kids' education, including violent acts committed against their kids in schools,' Stefanik said. 'It is government weaponization at its worst, and that's why we're focused on getting to the truth.'

'I anticipate there will be subpoenas,' said select subcommittee member Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.)

The 'weaponization' panel intends to target 'bias' in government agencies. One early effort focuses on the Justice Department headed by AG Merrick Garland and the Hunter Biden probe

A new Judiciary letter targets 'troubling attempts by the Department of Justice and the White House to use the heavy hand of federal law enforcement to target concerned parents at local school board meetings.' A meeting in Loudoun County, Virginia was halted in June because a crowd refused to quiet down

There were a series of tense school board meetings last summer and fall

Another letter, to FBI HR official Jennifer Leigh Moore, cites 'whistleblower' complaints and claims a 'purge' of conservatives at the bureau.

The lawmakers had fired off similar letters last year when they were in the minority but to no avail.

A letter to National School Boards Association head Chip Slaven says the panel is probing 'troubling attempts by the Department of Justice and the White House to use the heavy hand of federal law enforcement to target concerned parents at local school board meetings and chill their protected First Amendment activity.'




Korea, the United States, the European Union and 19 other countries issued a joint statement calling for the end of violence in Myanmar on Wednesday, the second anniversary of a military coup in the Southeast Asian nation.







The statement signed by the countries' foreign ministers and the EU's diplomatic chief pressed Myanmar's military regime to "end violence and create space for meaningful and inclusive dialogue to allow for any democratic process to resume," according to Korea's foreign ministry.







It also urged the international community to support efforts to hold those responsible for human rights violations and abuses to account, and meet the urgent humanitarian needs of Myanmar's people. (Yonhap)


Ms Fenner says the ceiling of her Clarion Housing flat has collapsed twice

A furious mother has demanded Clarion housing association to move them as she claims mould in her young daughter's bedroom has given her four chest infections and put her on antibiotics.

Shannon Fenner, 26, says she first complained back in 2018 after her flat's ceiling collapsed- an incident that repeated itself last year 'scaring' her daughters.

After four years in her Tunbridge Wells flat, she claims she is forced to clean black mould off her walls fortnightly to stop her two daughters becoming ill - and can no longer use her wet room.

At her wits end, Ms Fenner says she has been travelling to her mum's house in order to wash Evie-Belle, six and Daisy, two.

Speaking to KentLive, Ms Fenner alleged that Clarion simply 'don't care' about their issues.

Ms Fenner claims one of her daughters has had four chest infections due to the conditions

Ms Fenner claims she cleans black mould patches like this off her walls at least every two weeks

Ms Fenner says her ceiling has now collapsed twice and fears it will do so again

She said: 'Clarion housing doesn't listen, it's just like they don't care. Currently we're not allowed to use the wet room again.

'So we have no washing facilities, so I do go to my mum's house when we need to shower or bath, which I'm fine doing, but we shouldn't have to do it. We should be able to do it in our house.'

Clarion is the largest housing association in the UK with 125,000 homes nationwide.

However Ms Fenner is adamant they are not doing enough to remedy her problems, especially regarding the mould.

She said: 'The mould situation is really bad, because my daughter has got inhalers now because of the coughs that she keeps getting.

'She's had about four chest infections. And then she had one last year as well, but she was really unwell with it before Christmas and she had to have antibiotics twice.

'There's mould coming through the ceiling downstairs, the one that fell down before but their bedroom is absolutely jam packed with mould. I'm cleaning it every two weeks as well, I'm leaving the windows open, I'm doing everything that Clarion has told me to do, and it's still not enough.

'Clarion said they do not know the cause of the mould in the bedroom. It's a very cold bedroom.'

Ms Fenner says her young daughters have to be bathed at her mum's house and are terrified of the house

She is worried that her ceiling may collapse for a third time

And after coming home to a ceiling full of watermarks, a terrified Ms Fenner is concerned it may collapse for the third time.

She explained: 'When we got home from school on Friday, there was water spreading across the whole ceiling and heading towards the light. It's really wet at the moment.

'So there's a chance that it will fall through. I'm really hoping that it's not going to,' she said.

'I called emergency repairs and they sent someone within an hour and luckily it was the engineer who has sorted the wet room blockages out loads and has been there when the ceiling fell down and has seen how many reports have been made from me to Clarion Housing.

'He was shocked at how bad the ceiling was, he said a whole new wet room needs sorting but he said that we should be moved and not be living in an unsafe property.

'I want to be moved because it's not fair on my children growing up in a house like this, having no washing facilities and worrying that the ceiling is going to collapse on top of them.

'My daughter is just too scared'

Speaking yesterday, a spokesman for Clarion Housing said that the group takes all complaints of mould very seriously.

A spokesman said: 'Our contractors have completed every repair raised by Ms Fenner and we are due to visit the resident today (January 31) to review the issue with the wet room and the report of damp and mould, which we take very seriously.

'At this visit, our team will work to determine the best steps forward to resolve these issues and will work with Ms Fenner to make her aware of all of the housing options available to her.'

MailOnline has approached Clarion Housing for an update on Shannon's situation.
A pair of gun-wielding thieves robbed 13 people in a terrifying two-hour rampage before crashing their minivan on their way to continue their spree, police have said.

Carlos Perez, 24, and Alvin Velez, 34, allegedly terrorized the streets of New York on the early hours of Tuesday morning, holding up diners at gunpoint and snatching belongings from shocked bystanders.

Perez reportedly even boasted to police during his arrest, after police found the gun brandished in the robberies in their van's glove box: 'In 24 hours, I'll be out on bail.'

Police said today the pair will be prosecuted by federal authorities and it is unlikely they will be released on bail, despite the city's lax bail laws which have been slammed as being soft on crime.

Charges against Velez, who was on parole for attempted murder, and Perez, who was on parole for gun offenses, are pending.

A pair of gun-wielding thieves allegedly robbed 13 people in a terrifying two-hour rampage before crashing their minivan on their way to continue their spree, police have said

Carlos Perez, 24, and Alvin Velez, 34, allegedly terrorized the streets of New York on the early hours of Tuesday morning and have now been arrested

The spree began in Queens at around 1am on Tuesday, when the pair got out of their white Toyota minivan and targeted two women, New York Daily News reported.

They stole two cell phones and a necklace from them on Alstyne Ave. near 104th St. and made off to continue their night of savagery, police said.

The pair shortly after stopped at the Woodside Motel on Queens Blvd. where they allegedly stole cash and a phone from two shocked pedestrians.

They then drove on to Brooklyn, holding up a man at gunpoint at 1.45am on N. 11th St. and Wythe Ave. in Greenpoint.

Twenty minutes later, Perez and Velez then returned to Queens, pointing their gun at six outdoor diners near 72nd St. and Broadway.

The duo finally went to Manhattan, robbing a food truck worker at Washington Square Park, before stealing a bag from a woman at Seaman Ave. and W. 204th St.

The pair left a trail of crime through the city although none of the victims were hurt, police said.

A manhunt was launched and a police helicopter deployed to find the thieves.

They eventually found the minivan crashed at the side of the road on Cedar Ave. and W. 179th St.

Investigators said the pair would have continued their spree in the Bronx if it were not for the crash.

The pair have multiple arrests and were recently arrested on drugs charges, police said.

Velez was released in November 2021 after a seven-year prison sentence for attempted murder.

In 2013, he was conditionally released by parole for a weapons conviction.

Perez was released on parole in October 2020 after serving a year for weapons charges, records show.

New York's bail laws have proved controversial, with a string of crimes committed by newly-released offenders.

In November, New York City Mayor Eric Adams urged newly-elected Governor Kathy Hochul to ditch the 'catch, release, repeat' bail reforms that are fueling the city's crime epidemic.

The pair crashed their minivan while on their way to continue their thieving spree

They have now been arrested, although Perez reportedly boasted that he would soon be out on bail

Manhattan's tourist-packed neighborhoods have increasingly become hotbeds for crime - where brazen thieves are leaving shopkeepers feeling powerless

Hochul inherited the governorship of New York from Andrew Cuomo last year. She was re-elected in the midterms on a narrower-than-expected margin and has been widely panned for her soft stance on crime and bail reform.

The bail reforms implemented in 2019 do away with cash bond in most instances, a progressive idea that has meant many criminals are released back onto the streets within hours of being picked up.

'This catch, repeat, release system is just destroying the foundation of our country. And that's why we are losing this election,' Adams told MSNBC's Morning Joe.

'Six out of 10 New Yorkers in the Hispanic and Asian community voted Democrat compared to seven to eight out of 10 last time. We are losing the base black and brown who really believe in those basic things. Public safety, housing, education,' the former cop said.

'We cannot talk our way out of this. We have to be real what people are facing on the street.

'We must return to Albany... too many people in Albany, they have dug in and say, "If we change this small number of offenders and go after them, that we are relinquishing a reform that I advocated for."

'To not recalibrate is a big mistake because there are too many people... that are repeated offenders. They have made up their mind that they're going to be violent in our streets, and the unpredictableness of their behavior is really...'
A Brazilian volleyball player has been suspended indefinitely by his team for publishing a social media post that asked followers if anyone would shoot President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Sada Cruzeiro Volei issued the punishment Tuesday evening, a day after Wallace da Souza held a Q&A session on Instagram with followers and one of his fans who asked, 'Would you shoot Lula in the face with that 12 (mm handgun)?'

'The Sada Cruzeiro board emphasizes, again, that it repudiates any act that could mean incitement to violence, after the posts of the athlete Wallace. Attentive to developments, the club reports that it has been taking action in the face of the fact,' the club said in a statement.

The decision was made after the club ordered da Souza to issue a 'full retraction and an apology.'

The follower's question was posed after da Souza had posted a picture of himself brandishing the firearm on his Instagram Story.

Wallace da Souza was suspended Tuesday by his volleyball club, Sada Cruzeiro Volei. The punishment was issued a day after da Souza posted a poll on Instagram asking followers if they would shoot President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva

As of Wednesday, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva had yet to publicly address the Instagram poll posted by volleyball player, Wallace da Souza, who asked followers if anyone would shoot him

He proceeded to repost the follower's question and included a poll with it that asked fans, 'Would someone do that,' followed by an angel emoji.

The vote showed that 54% of his followers clicked yes and 46% opposed such violent action.

Da Souza, an ardent supporter of the far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro, apologized Tuesday afternoon for the bizarre post and recognized that it generated 'very bad social repercussions.'

The Brazilian Olympic Committee announced that it was opening its own investigation and called da Souza's behavior 'unacceptable.'

Although President Lula did not publicly address the Instagram post, Paolo Pimenta, the minister for the Social Communication Secretariat, petitioned the Attorney General's Office to look into da Souza.

Wallace da Souza shared a question from an Instagram follower who asked, 'Would you shoot Lula in the face with that 12 (mm handgun)?' Leandro proceeded to repost the follower's question and also started a poll in which he asked fans, 'Would someone do that'

Wallace da Souza was suspended Tuesday by Brazilian volleyball club, Sada Cruzeiro Volei, for posting a poll on Instagram that asked his followers if anyone would shoot Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva

Da Souza won gold with Brazil at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

His 353,000 followers Instagram followers include Bolsonaro and his sons, Eduardo and Flavio.

Following President Lula's runoff victory in October, the volleyball player posted a photo of Lula on social media that said, 'crime in Brazil pays' and added the caption, 'Brazil is really not for amateurs. Ps: enjoy now before censorship starts.'
A two year-old girl was killed during a game of hide and seek, a girl has told a double murder trial.

Andrew Innes, 52, is accused of murdering Bennylyn Burke, 25, and her daughter, Jellica, two, at a house in Dundee between February 20 and March 5 2021.

Innes has admitted killing the pair but denies murdering them and has lodged a special defence of diminished responsibility.

Innes is also accused of raping the girl and of sexually abusing Jellica.

On Tuesday, the High Court in Edinburgh was played an interview with a girl in the house at the time of alleged murders, when she told officers: 'I should have saved them but I couldn't because I didn't know what was happening.'

Bennylyn Burke, 25, originally from the Philippines, and her daughter Jellica, two, died at a house in Dundee, Scotland between February 20 and March 5, 2021

In the interview, the girl said a game of hide-and-seek had started, and when asked about two-year-old Jellica's death, she said: 'I don't know where, I just know looking in the bathroom and he shut the door on me.

'Andrew shut the door at me so it must be in the bathroom.'

The girl told the court that after she was sexually assaulted she would be paid, and referred to 'jobs' during the interview played to the jury.

'The first job Jellica was there, Jellica was with me, then the rest of the jobs Jellica was dead,' she said.

The interviewer was told they both were given 2.10 after the incident.

The girl recalled the alleged crimes against her, and said Innes used handcuffs and put tape and a sock on her face.

'It felt terrible,' she said.

Barry Mitchell, a forensic scientist, told the jury that tests on items in the property had revealed traces of DNA belonging to Innes on Jellica.

Mr Mitchell also told the court that traces of DNA belonging to Innes and the toddler were found on a condom found in a bin within the detached property.

The court heard Bennlyn Burke and her daughter were buried under the kitchen floor after they were murdered

The jury heard evidence that DNA from the girl he is accused of assaulting - not Jellica - was found on what was described in the court as 'black furry handcuffs', and traces of saliva on a sock.

And Mr Mitchell said that Ms Burke's DNA was found on a 1.5 kilo lump hammer found in the property.

A post-mortem examination revealed that Ms Burke, who weighed 5st 7lb, suffered a single stab wound to her chest, as well as head injuries, with pathologists having said the combined effects of internal bleeding and the injuries to her head caused her death.

Jellica was asphyxiated by means unknown, the court was told, with a post-mortem examination revealing that there had been pressure on the girl's mouth and neck.

The court was told Innes wrapped a rubble bag, blanket and tarpaulin around the head of Ms Burke and hid her beneath the kitchen floor.

He also put the body of the two year-old under the floor, the jury was told.

Innes denies all charges against him and the trial, before Lord Beckett, continues.
Italy's top court has ruled that children are under no obligation to see their grandparents and cannot be forced to do so.

The ruling, made in Italy's Court of Cassation, came in response to an appeal brought by the parents of two children against an earlier decision made by a juvenile court in Milan.

That court stipulated that the youngsters had to spend time with their paternal grandparents after the elderly couple complained the children's parents had 'established obstacles' preventing them from maintaining contact amid an ongoing family feud.

The juvenile court in 2019 ordered social worker-supervised meetings between the children and the grandparents in spite of the parents' objections, and an attempt on the parents' behalf to appeal the decision failed.

But the Court of Cassation this week overturned the decision, recognising that while there is 'no doubt' that the two children would 'benefit from a bond with the articulated line of generations', the children themselves had expressed their distaste at being forced to see their grandparents given their fractured relationship.

Kids in Italy are no longer under any obligation to see their grandparents, a court has ruled (stock image)

The ruling found that the rights of the children should outweigh those of the grandparents in scenarios involving 'an unwelcome and unwanted relationship'.

Children aged over 12 are capable of discerning whether they want to maintain a relationship with their grandparents and cannot be forced to do so, it said.

Cristina Maggia, president of the minor's court in Brescia, told Italian outlet Vita in response to the decision: 'Children must be able to have relationships with grandparents and other family members if these relationships are useful and productive of well-being for the child himself.

'If this is not the case, if the relationship is imposed on the children, there is no right for the grandparents to maintain a relationship with the grandchildren.'

In Italy, grandparents can request that a court order parents to arrange for their kids to see their grandparents if it is in the child's interests. This was introduced in part to remedy situations in which divorced couples refused to let their kids see grandparents from the other side of the family (stock pic)

Under a 2006 law, grandparents in Italy who are prevented from seeing their grandchildren by the children's parents maintain the right to request that a court investigate whether such restrictions are damaging to the child's wellbeing.

If the court determines the children's wellbeing is infringed upon, it can order the parents to allow their kids to attend routine visits with their grandparents in the presence of social workers.

This law was introduced in part to ensure kids whose parents had divorced or otherwise split up could still maintain a connection to their ascendants in the event that one or both parents refused to allow them to see the grandparents from the other side of the family.

A similar article established in 2013 in Italy's civil code reinforced this, but the Court of Cessation in 2018 specified that grandparents did not have an 'unconditional right' to see their grandkids.

From then on, any cases involving disputes over whether grandparents should be able to see their kids would be examined by a judge based on the 'exclusive interests of the minor'.
Shamima Begum today claimed she was interrogated by Jihadi John after arriving in Syria - as she unconvincingly denied ever watching videos of ISIS atrocities before joining the death cult.

The jihadi bride said she met the fellow Londoner in ISIS's 'capital city' of Raqqa. Speaking on BBC podcast I'm Not A Monster, she described how she and the two friends she fled the UK with were taken on a bus that stopped in the middle of a field.

'An hour later five cars came and surrounded the bus. We were so scared we couldn't even talk... afterwards another car came and a man with a mask walked on the bus. He had a small gun on him. He sat across from me.

'He asked us our real names, how old we were and where we had come from. From those three questions he could figure out that we were the three girls on the news. His face was covered but his face looked like Jihadi John from the videos.

'The size, the eyes, the accent - he was clearly British. They could not believe in a million years that three teenagers could leave their good, comfortable lives in the UK for Syria without being caught by the government.'

Shamima Begum claimed she met Jihadi John in ISIS's capital' city of Raqqa

The notorious executioner, who like Begum was from London, was later vapourised in a drone strike

Today's episode of the ten-part BBC series also saw Begum claim she had never watched ISIS execution videos before leaving the UK - contradicting her previous comments.

Questioned by broadcaster Josh Baker how she couldn't have seen footage of ISIS violence, she said: 'I didn't know about these atrocities because as a 15-year-old I didn't watch the news.

'I got my news on social media where people were saying this is untrue, it's an exaggeration.'

This was in the face of comments she made in 2019 to the BBC's Middle East correspondent, Quentin Sommerville, who asked her: 'One of the reasons you joined IS is because you watched some beheading videos, is that right?'

She replied: 'Not just the beheading videos, the videos that show families and stuff in the park. The good life that they can provide for you. Not just the fighting videos, but yeah the fighting videos as well I guess.'

This audio was played back on the podcast, before Baker asked her: 'You've said previously that you did watch ISIS propaganda in London... you said you were aware of the fighting and brutality of ISIS before you left'.

'No,' she replied.

The episode also saw Begum asked about Sharmeena Begum, a classmate at Bethnal Green Academy in East London who left to join ISIS shortly before her.

The 23-year-old said she was in regular contact with Sharmeena when her friend was already in Syria.

Begum claimed Sharmeena told her claims ISIS had been executing people and carrying out atrocities had been made up by the media.

The ISIS bride, who has been stripped of her British citizenship, said she 'fell in love' with the idea of the terror group as a 'utopia', and was in 'complete shock' when she first saw videos of the death cult's beheadings after arriving in Syria.

In 2019, Begum told the BBC's Middle East correspondent, Quentin Sommerville, that she had watched ISIS videos before leaving for Syria

Begum, pictured here wearing leggings and a white t-shirt, has changed her appearance radically since she was first found in the Al-Roj camp in Syria

And, wallowing in self-pity, she blamed her family and 'racism' for turning her against Britain.

'It's really hard wanting to integrate into society but your family holding you back,' she said. 'Because their idea of being British was loose and immoral. I didn't want to be like that, I just wanted to be free.'

Begum later added: 'I didn't feel British or Bengali. I didn't feel Bengali because I didn't want to be, and I didn't feel British because I felt like I wasn't able to be... you want to be accepted but I didn't feel like I was because of racism and other things'.

The ten-part BBC series has attracted controversy for giving airtime to Begum, who is accused of sewing bombers into their suicide vests while living in ISIS-controlled territory in the Middle East.

However, producers insist the series is 'not a platform for Shamima Begum to give her unchallenged story' but a 'robust, public interest investigation'.

- I'm Not a Monster: The Shamima Begum Story is available now on BBC Sounds
A drunk easyJet passenger who groped and assaulted airline staff after downing half a bottle of duty free vodka has avoided jail.

Robert Sheldon, 37, flirted with a female flight attendant before grabbing her waist on a flight from Turkey to Bristol in July last year.

When asked to buckle up his seat belt he told her 'only if you do it,' Bristol Crown Court heard.

He also tried to trip up a male member of staff by sticking his foot out, the court heard.

His disruptive behaviour was reported to the aircraft's pilot and police were alerted, before an intoxicated Sheldon was arrested when the flight came in at Bristol Airport.

Robert Sheldon downed half a bottle of duty free vodka on the flight from Turkey in July last year

Sheldon, of Bryn Celyn, Pentwyn, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to assault, sexual assault of a female and being on an aircraft whilst drunk.

Sentencing yesterday, Judge Michael Cullum handed him 18 weeks' custody, suspended for 12 months. easyJet has banned Sheldon from flying with them for five years.

The judge told Sheldon: 'On that easyJet flight from Turkey you were a thorough, drunken nuisance.'

The judge told Sheldon people convicted of being on an aircraft whilst drunk should expect immediate custody.

He conceded, though, that Sheldon's likelihood of positive rehabilitation was deemed good, he provided valuable care to his mum and he had mental health issues as well as important surgery timetabled.

Sheldon was handed six months' alcohol treatment, up to 35 days' rehabilitation and ordered to pay 650 to the victim of the sexual assault and 350 prosecution costs.

He declined to comment as he left court.

Andy Pickett, prosecuting, said an intoxicated Sheldon was complimentary to a female flight attendant.

As the four-hour 20-minute flight neared its destination, when the attendant asked him to fasten his seatbelt he replied: 'Only if you do it'.

Mr Pickett said with that Sheldon stood up and leaned in, pouting.

The attendant managed to back away, but he blocked her way and grabbed her waist, the court heard.

easyJet has banned Robert Sheldon from flying with them for five years (stock image)

When Sheldon still refused to fasten his seatbelt a passenger did it for him, the court heard.

When the attendant's male colleague passed by Sheldon stuck his foot out and tried to trip him, Mr Pickett said.

Both cabin crew members said the incident made them uncomfortable as they tried to do their jobs.

Chloe Griggs, defending, urged for her client to receive a suspended sentence. She said: 'He is genuinely remorseful for his actions.

'If he could send a message of apology to everyone on that plane then he would.

'The pre-sentence report shows utmost remorse and regret. There is no attempt to pass blame on to others.

'He knows he's in an extremely serious position. He knows your honour could send him to immediate custody today.'
Newly-released personnel files show that four of the five Memphis cops charged in Tyre Nichols' death have been disciplined in the past.

The files released by the city Tuesday night detail how Officers Demetrius Haley and Emmitt Martin were both disciplined twice since 2019, while Justin Smith and Desmond Mills were disciplined once during their careers.

A fifth cop charged in Nichols' death, Tadarrius Bean, had never been reprimanded, however.

The personnel files, obtained by WREG, detail how the four officers were previously reprimanded for a slew of violations including excessive force, failing to search suspects, failure to issue a report and failure to maintain proper control of a vehicle.

All five police officers have since been dismissed from their positions in the Memphis Police Department, and are now each facing second-degree murder, assault, kidnapping, official misconduct and oppression charges in the fatal beating of Nichols.

Personnel documents show that Memphis Police Officers Emmitt Martin, 30, left, and Demetrius Haley, 30, right, were both reprimanded twice before they were charged in Tyre Nichols' death

Police Officers Justin Smith, 28, and Desmond Mills, 32, were both disciplined once during their careers at the Memphis Police Department

Tyre Nichols, 29, died at a local hospital three days after he was brutally beaten by the officers

Demetrius Haley, 30, was reprimanded twice by the Memphis Police Department, once in 2021 and again in 2022.

He was accused on June 17, 2021 of using excessive force when he put handcuffs on a woman in a February 21 arrest. Haley was assisting another officer at the time, who was accused of dislocating the woman's shoulder.

He received a written reprimand for that incident.

Less than one year later, on January 31, 2022, Haley was again written up by his superiors for losing control of a police vehicle he was driving.

Personnel documents say he 'hit the curb and struck a stop sign with the front grill of the police car' and was issued a traffic citation 'for striking a fixed object.'

But Haley apparently told his superiors he was responding to an officer calling for help when he crashed his vehicle, and the violation against him was dismissed.

Emmitt Martin, 30, also received two violations during his time in the Memphis Police Department.

The first came on March 22, 2019, when Martin and a partner transported two suspects in the back of a squad car, only for an officer on the next shift to find a handgun on the vehicle's floor.

Nichols is seen sitting propped against a car following the beating on January 7

He was seen in body camera footage being pinned to the ground by multiple officers following a foot chase. Nichols was then pepper sprayed in the face, and kicked and punched

Martin said he did pat down the suspects, but was accused of not searching the vehicle. He was suspended for three days without pay for the incident.

Then on November 10, 2020, Martin was again written up for failing to issue a report when he responded to a domestic disturbance call on September 27.

He said he did not believe the report was necessary because everyone inside the house was drunk, and the parties involved requested a report not be taken. Martin was then suspended for one day without pay.

Desmond Mills, 32, meanwhile, was written up just once for his response to a traffic stop on March 21, 2019.

Authorities say a suspect in that case resisted arrest and was allegedly pinned to the ground, but the violation was not sustained.

He was, however, given a written reprimand for failing to complete a Response to Resistance form and for 'rough or careless handling of equipment.'

Mills said that while conducting the traffic stop, he accidently dropped his PDA and it was run over by another vehicle.

And Justin Smith, 28, was issued a citation for failure to maintain proper control after a wreck on January 24.

Documents show that he and and another person were injured, and three vehicles were damaged. A two-day suspension without pay was ordered,

Now, they and Bean are all being held on $350,000 bonds and are charged with second-degree murder, which was described by the Memphis District Attorney as a 'knowing murder.'

It is punishable by 15 to 60 years in prison under Tennessee law.

Preston Hemphill has also been suspended with pay pending a hearing, but was spared criminal charges

A sixth Memphis police officer, Preston Hemphill, was also suspended with pay for his role in the brutal beating of Tyre Nichols on January 7, but has so far been spared any criminal charges.

Hemphill, 26, who joined the force in 2018, wore the body-camera that captured the first of four videos released by authorities on Friday of the traffic stop and violent confrontation that followed.

In the video, Hemphill is seen 'violently pulling Nichols from his car while hitting him on the ground with a taser, later saying, "I hope they stomp his a**" after Nichols ran away', the family's lawyers said.

A seventh officer who was not immediately identified has also been relieved of duty without pay, the police department said.

Police Chief Cerelyn Davis has said an unspecified number of officers besides the five initially implicated remained under investigation for policy infractions stemming from the arrest of Nichols.

JaMichael Sandridge (left) and Robert Long, both EMTs with the fire department, were fired on Monday after they failed to attend to the dying Tyre Nichols

Lieutenant Michelle Whitaker was also fired on Monday night: She remained in the fire truck when they arrived on scene

Meanwhile, three members of the Memphis Fire Department who responded to the fatal police confrontation were also dismissed on Monday after investigators found Nichols was beaten and left handcuffed on the ground without medical attention for nearly 15 minutes.

According to a fire department statement, emergency medical technicians Robert Long and JaMichael Sandridge failed to assess Nichols' condition when they arrived, while fire Lieutenant Michelle Whitaker, who drove them to the scene, remained in her vehicle.

An internal review of their conduct found that all three fire department employees 'violated numerous (fire department) policies and protocols,' the agency said in a statement issued by Fire Chief Gina Sweat.

And two Shelby County Sheriff's deputies have also been relieved of duty pending an internal review, Sheriff Floyd Bonner said last Friday, after the shocking body camera video was released.

The specialized Scorpion police unit that included the five Memphis officers charged with murder in the case has now been disbanded by city officials.

It remains unclear if the other officers under investigation belonged to that unit.
Former soldier Phil Powell has accused police in Wales of racially profiling him

A restaurateur and former British soldier has accused police of racially profiling him after being stopped more than forty times in 10 years.

Father-of-two Phil Powell, who served twice with the army in Afghanistan, says he is 'constantly' stopped and searched by police in Ceredigion, Wales.

He says he has been pulled over eight times in the last two years by officers who breathalyse him and check his tyres and insurance.

The 41 year-old claims he is repeatedly pulled over because he is black and has even accused officers of assaulting him.

Mr Powell, who owns a Caribbean restaurant, estimates he has been pulled over by Dyfed-Powys Police more than 40 times in the years he has lived in Aberaeron.

Father-of-two Phil Powell, who served twice with the army in Afghanistan, says he is 'constantly' stopped by police in what he says is racial profiling

Mr Powell, who owns a Caribbean restaurant, estimates he has been pulled over by police more than 40 times in the years he has lived in Aberaeron

He says he has lost count of how often it happens and has been forced into speaking out because he cannot contain his 'fury and frustration' any longer.

The businessman - who has owned Mama Fay's restaurant in Portland Road for eight years - says he has been physically assaulted and embarrassed by police officers.

His most serious allegations are that he was once 'kneed' by a copper and police terrorised him in front of his wife and children at his home in Aberaeron.

He claims officers often wait for him and then tail him when he leaves his restaurant, and he claims an officer 'kneed him' and confiscated his keys in Llanrhystud.

Mr Powell has recorded videos of several of the incidents, which appear to back up some of the claims.

He says he was last pulled over on Saturday January 21.

Mr Powell has complained four times through the Independent Office for Police Conduct website about the treatment he has received from Dyfed-Powys Police.

But he says no action has yet been taken. Complaints have also been made to the region's Police and Crime Commissioner, Dafydd Llywelyn.

Black people are more than eight times as likely to be stopped and searched by Dyfed-Powys Police than white people in the force area, data shows.

Mr Powell told the Cambrian News: 'I'm 100 per cent sure it's racial profiling.

Mr Powell says he is '100 per cent sure' he has been stopped because of racial profiling by police

'Now it's reached a point when, if I'm stopped, I'm just so angry I can't help but let out my frustration. I've been stopped so many times it's hard to keep track.

'I've complained and tried everything to make it stop. I'll give you an indication - in the past two years, I've been stopped at least eight times. I'm not joking.

'The police officers know who I am but they're still hassling me all the time.

'As usual they breathalyse me, they check my tyres, they check my insurance - they're constantly doing these things all the time.

'I'm not one to accuse people of things but these are racist police officers. Why else would they be waiting and following me?

'I've never been in any trouble, I don't smoke or do drugs, I'm ex-service personnel.

'I'm a respected business owner in the Aberystwyth community and I employ a lot of local people - and people know me in Aberaeron.'

He says he is aware of other non-white friends of his and fellow business owners in Aberystwyth who are also allegedly targeted by police.

Mr Powell, who is of Jamaican origin and previously lived in Birmingham, says he has no record of any criminality apart from three points on his licence for one speeding offence in 2017.

But he objects to the 'staggering frequency' at which he is stopped under suspicion of speeding and drink driving only to have been penalised once for speeding.

The restaurant owner even claimed a police officer assaulted him on one occasion when he was stopped

Mr Powell alleges on 12 May 2020, during the height of lockdown rules, he was assaulted by a police officer when he was driving back home from Birmingham via Aberystwyth.

He claims the officer 'kneed him' and confiscated the keys from his van when he stopped and searched him near the Texaco garage in Llanrhystud.

'I was driving into Llanrhystud and the officer switched on his lights near the bus stop,' he said.

'I'm always conscious of where I pull over when the police stop me. I won't stop anywhere dark for my own safety.

'The officer came storming out and asked me why I didn't pull over immediately. I was perfectly calm but he was in a rage.

'This guy was trying to provoke me and suggested there were reports about a white van in the area that's been suspicious or some nonsense.

'Before I could produce my licence and registration this guy pulled open my door and grabbed my key out - and kneed me while he pushed past.'

Mr Powell added: 'I know when I'm being pulled over because I've been racially profiled - believe me, I know the difference.

'When a police officer comes up to you and instantly has an angry look on his face like he wants to fight, you'll understand what I'm saying.'

He added: 'This isn't about me. It's about young black kids. There is a psychological trauma for them to deal with.

'I've dealt with lots of experiences of racism in my life so I'm a bit more emotionally hardened - which I shouldn't be.

'But I've had young black kids working here before who always have a story about the police, getting searched and hassled. It needs to stop.'

Mr Powell said he has never had any trouble with racism in the Ceredigion community, which he loves dearly - only from police officers, he says.

Responding to the claims made, a spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: 'We are aware of the complainant's concerns having received his complaint via the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in May 2020.

'His complaint was recorded and his concerns were looked into at the time. It was found that on each occasion the complainant was stopped by police there was a legitimate and appropriate reason for doing so.

'In addition there was no indication that race played any part in the decision to stop him.

'Upon conclusion of the complaint the complainant was given a right to appeal the findings to the IOPC, however he did not submit an appeal.

'The recent allegations have not yet been brought to the attention of Dyfed-Powys Police by the complainant, but a member of our Professional Standards Department will be making contact with him to discuss further.'
The College Board has removed a series of controversial topics from its new AP African American Studies course after criticism led by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

A final version of the curriculum published on Wednesday either watered down or removed entirely topics linked to the Black Lives Matter movement, 'black queer studies' and critical race theory.

The subjects had appeared in a draft version of the course guide that surfaced last September and drew fierce criticism over claims students were being subjected to woke 'indoctrination'.

DeSantis, who has made removing 'ideological conformity' in education a headline of his leadership, said he would ban the course being taught in Florida's schools.

Across four broad units, the course covers many, mostly uncontroversial topics ranging from origins of the African diaspora to slavery and civil rights.

DeSantis said the course would be banned in Florida and described the controversial subjects as a 'political agenda', adding: 'That's the wrong side of the line for Florida standards.'

David Coleman, the head of the College Board, has denied that the removal of the problematic subjects was linked to politician pressure

The contentious material mostly arose in the course's fourth and final unit, titled 'movements and debates'. Subheadings within the section included 'Intersectionality and Activism' and 'Black Queer Studies'.

DeSantis, who's tipped to be the Republican presidential nominee for the 2024 election, described inclusion of the subjects as a 'political agenda' and added: 'That's the wrong side of the line for Florida standards.

'We believe in teaching kids facts and how to think, but we don't believe they should have an agenda imposed on them. When you try to use black history to shoehorn in queer theory, you are clearly trying to use that for political purposes.'

A spokesman for the Governor's office told DailyMail.com that officials in Florida's Department of Education are now reviewing the updated framework 'corrections and compliance' with state law.

David Coleman, the head of the College Board, told the New York Times the removal of the problematic subjects was not linked to politician pressure.

He said the decision was made after consultation with students, professors and teachers, adding that some of the topics were 'quite dense'.

Coleman said: 'At the College Board, we can't look to statements of political leaders.'

He added that the revisions to the curriculum also stemmed from 'longstanding A.P. principles' and added: 'We experimented with a lot of things including assigning secondary sources, and we found a lot of issues arose as we did.

'I think what is most surprising and powerful for most people is looking directly at people's experience.'

Authors who've been removed from the course guide include Columbia law professor Kimberle W. Crenshaw, a leading scholar in critical race theory, and author Ta-Nehisi Coates, an advocate of reparations for African Americans

The course guide was published on Wednesday with controversial subjects which appeared in a draft version either removed or watered down

Coleman has described the course as an 'unflinching encounter with the facts and evidence of African American history and culture'.

The course is currently being piloted in 60 schools across the country. The pilot will be expanded to hundreds more institutions throughout 2023-24, before it is fully rolled out in the following academic year.

A 234-page handbook of the course still includes some mentions of the topics that drew the ire of Republicans and some Democrats.

Towards the end of the guide, a section of 'sample project topics' - which are described as 'illustrative only' - has suggestions which include: Black Lives Matter: Origins, impacts, critics; Intersectionality and the dimensions of Black experiences; and Reparations debates in the U.S./ the Americas.

The guide also now includes 'Black conservatism: development and ideology' as a suggested project idea - something that wasn't included in the draft.

Authors who have been removed from the draft include Columbia law professor Kimberle W. Crenshaw, a leading scholar in critical race theory, and Ta-Nehisi Coates, who has written about the case for reparations for African Americans.

The publication of the course curriculum comes just one day after DeSantis announced a series of reforms to Florida's higher education system that he said were designed to remove 'political activism' from teaching and instead 'promote academic excellence'.

'Theres really a debate about what is the purpose of higher education, particularly publicly funded higher education systems,' he said at a press conference on Tuesday.

'You have the dominant view, which I think is not the right view, to impose ideological conformity, to provoke political activism. Instead, we need our higher education systems to promote academic excellence.'

The measures also aim to ban schools from teaching critical race theory - which claims that racism is embedded in American society and its institutions - and limit diversity, equity and inclusion programs at state colleges.

AP - or Advanced Placement - courses are optional college-level programs offered to high school students which allow them to explore advanced fields of study, earn credits and also help their college applications.
Labor Minister Lee Jung-sik, left, talks to Cambodian workers (two with their heads covered) at a farm in Pocheon, northern Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday, during his site visit. Courtesy of Ministry of Employment and Labor



Labor minister visits Cambodina workers to check living conditions of migrant workers



By Ko Dong-hwan



Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jung-sik on Tuesday morning visited a farm in Pocheon, northern Gyeonggi Province, where four Cambodian migrant workers work and also live. The city, about 35 kilometers away from the nearest point of the inter-Korean border, was swept by frigid Arctic air late last month, plummeting wind chill to well below minus 20 degrees Celsius.



Despite the harsh conditions, the workers live on, cultivating lettuce, young radishes and winter cabbages inside a large vinyl greenhouse operated by their Korean employer. There, the minister met two Cambodian women dressed for the cold, with their faces covered, squatting and tending to the crops. Through an interpreter, the minister began making casual conversation with them.



A Cambodian man, also an employee, joined the conversation and they moved to a room. The minister inquired about the difficulties of working and living on the farm.



There have reportedly been cases of some Korean employers offering foreign workers poorly prepared and unsatisfactory housing, which can be deadly in harsh summer or winter weather. After announcing last November that he would deal with the chronic problem, the minister decided to pay a personal visit to the farm.



"This year, we are expecting a particularly large number of foreign workers to arrive, as we have increased this year's quota for migrant workers," the minister said, Tuesday. "Employers, therefore, should prepare for that by preventing accidents and improving the living conditions offered. Especially during this winter marked by extreme cold, the workers need to be kept warm and safe. The government will continue discussing with the Korean employers how to better cater to foreign workers in this country."





Labor Minister Lee Jung-sik, center, talks to a Cambodian farm worker during his visit to Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. Courtesy of Ministry of Employment and Labor
The Judiciary Committee kicked off the new Congress on an extremely combative note with Chairman Jim Jordan opening with accusing the Biden administration of 'intentionally' causing the southern border crisis.

Democratic Ranking Member Jerry Nadler followed-up with his own opening remarks calling Republicans' focus on the southern border 'racist' and a 'distraction'.

Jordan made the panel's first hearing on the southern border crisis as the House GOP makes clear the issue is a top priority in their new majority.

After reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, the Ohio Republican started off the hearing by listing several staggering figures, including the more than 4.5 million illegal immigrants who have crossed the southwest U.S. border since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021.

'These numbers make clear that the Biden administration does not have operational control of the border,' Jordan said, adding that month-after-month new records are reached for migrants entering the U.S.

The hearing comes just hours before a group of House Republicans led by Arizona Representative Andy Biggs, who also participated in the hearing as a member of the Judiciary panel, plan to introduce articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan held the panel's first hearing Wednesday by focusing on the southern border and accusing the Biden administration of 'intentionally' causing the migration crisis

Combative Ranking Member Jerry Nadler accused Jordan of 'distracting' from lack of GOP headways in the new Congress and said: 'The first hearing will showcase the racist tendencies of the extreme MAGA Republican wing of the party... It almost makes me miss their usual obsession with conspiracy theories'

'I think it's intentional,' Jordan said of the crisis. 'I don't know how anyone with common sense or logic can reach any other conclusion. It seems deliberate, it seems premeditated, it seems intentional,' the Judiciary chairman added.

Nadler, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, lambasted the GOP leaders, saying that the hearing would prove 'the racist tendencies' of pro-Trump Republicans.

He also said that Republicans are only interested in 'showboating' and claimed Jordan is in a 'turf war' with Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman James Comer, who is holding his own hearing on the border next week.

'I wish this committee was starting off on a different note,' Nadler lamented in his opening remarks. 'Unfortunately, this hearing is more of the same haphazard, chaotic style we have come to expect of this new Republican majority.'

'We saw them take 15 tries to elect a Speaker, we saw them fumble on the opening play by needing to reschedule their first meeting and now this,' he listed.

'Furthermore, this hearing appears to be the latest spat in an ongoing turf war between Chairman Jordan and Chairman Comer.'

Republicans in Congress equally blame Mayorkas and Biden for the southern border crisis, and have torn into the leaders for insisting that the southern border is closed and under operational control.

Vice President Kamala Harris has also received the brunt of Republican ire since she was appointed border 'czar' for the administration  but has insisted her role is only to focus on root problems in Central American countries that lead to mass migration to the U.S.

'Make no mistake about it, the Biden administration is carrying out its plan,' Jordan said, claiming that they are being successful in their efforts at the border, insisting that the influx of illegal immigration is an intentional plot by the White House.

The first Judiciary hearing makes good on GOP promises to zero-in on the southern border crisis  but Democrats say it was thrown together due to a 'turf war' with Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman James Comer, who is holding his own hearing on the border next week

Nadler, who otherwise appeared unbothered by the proceedings, was combative in his opening remarks targeting his Republican counterpart's leadership so far in the committee

'We all heard Secretary Mayorkas sit in front of this committee and said, 'We are executing our plan on the border.' And we all heard President Biden say, 'We're trying to make it easier for people to get here.' Well they're certainly succeeding in that,' the chairman detailed.

'Imagine the frustration that our border communities feel when they hear that the damage done to their land and to their businesses, the crimes committed by illegal alien trespassers and the overwhelmed local resources that are all part of their own federal government's plan,' he alleged.

Democrats insisted that Biden has continued former President Donald Trump's policies at the border as a way to defend against GOP attack-lines.

The Republican side of the Judiciary panel, however, disputed this, pointing to Biden stopping construction of the border wall and ending the so-called Remain in Mexico policy, formally known as the Migrant Protection Protocols. Both Trump-era provisions were key to the former administration's hawkish plan to keep illegal immigration at bay.

Jordan listed several figures showcasing the that the 'Biden administration does not have operational control of the border'. Pictured: Jordan speaks with panel member Matt Gaetz prior to the hearing Wednesday

Migrants continue to flow over the southern border despite sub-freezing temperatures. Pictured: Asylum-seeking migrants walk along the U.S. side of the Rio Bravo River in El Paso, Texas on January 17

Representative Andy Biggs, a member of the Judiciary panel who participated in Wednesday's hearing, is introducing later in the day articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has repeatedly said that the southern border is closed, and has gone on several visits to the border, which Republicans have dubbed 'photo-ops'

But Nadler says Republicans' going after the migrant crisis shows 'racism' in the pro-Trump wing of the party.

'The first hearing will showcase the racist tendencies of the extreme MAGA Republican wing of the party that seeks to close the border to refugees from places like Cuba and Venezuela,' Ranking Member Nadler noted in his opening remarks.

'It almost makes me miss their usual obsession with conspiracy theories and the FBI,' he quipped.

'I suspect this hearing is also an attempt to distract from the fact that Republicans have failed to pass any meaningful legislation in their first month in the majority.'

December figures showed a brand new all-time-high in apprehensions at the southern border with 251,487 in the single winter month where conditions reached sub-freezing temperatures in the Texas and Arizona deserts.

The latest figures, as January numbers won't be released for another few weeks, tops the last high from May 2022, also under Biden's leadership.

Figures released for December show that the number of encounters at the southern border are continuing to rise  and reached a new all-time single month high of 251,487

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has encountered more than 4.5 million migrants at the southern border since Biden took office in January 2021, which Jordan noted during his remarks at the hearing Wednesday.

He also noted several other figures since Biden's presidency began. The list includes the 1.7 million illegal migrants released into the U.S.; the 8,100 average per-day number of encounters at the southwest border in December; the 1.1 million known gotaways; and the exact single-year high reached in 2022 with 2,378,944 encounters.

Jordan said several records were reached in FY2022, including 856 migrants dying as they attempted to cross the southern border and the 98 aliens encountered on the terrorist watch.

Despite the staggering encounter rate, Biden and Mayorkas have assured the southern border is closed and have insisted their policies work, refusing to admit there is a crisis at the border between the U.S. and Mexico.

A huge focus of the hearing was on drug smuggling, and specifically the massive spike in fentanyl overdoses in the U.S. with the surge coming over from the southern border.

Many Americans are finding their illicit drugs secretly laced or cut with fentanyl since it is much cheaper than the other substances. This is leading to people unknowingly taking and overdosing on fentanyl dur to improper dosing.

The father of Noah Dunn's gave a tearful testimony before the panel as he talked about the fentanyl issue after his 15-year-old son died of overdose when he thought he was taking percocet.

'For us this isn't a political issue, it's an issue of safety of our children and the people of America,' Brandon Dunn said between choking back tears.

Meanwhile, Democrats insisted during their questioning of the three witnesses at the Judiciary hearing on Wednesday that Americans should be lauding the advances made by law enforcement to seize fentanyl rather than causing more 'chaos' by bringing attention to the issue.

Democratic members of the panel also noted that most fentanyl smuggling comes through the legal ports of entry and not from illegal border hoppers.

'I think too often, many of my colleagues on the other side, have rooted on some of the chaos around this issue and don't want to be a part of the solutions or change,' Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell said.

He then read off a series of tweets posted by GOP lawmakers about the fentanyl issue, including those who pointed to big drug busts at the border or the number of overdoses over a certain period of time.

'This is just cheering on chaos instead of honoring the police who did the tough job, the hard work and seized the drugs and took them off the streets,' Swalwell said in a confusing line of reason.

'If we want to talk about some of the fentanyl facts, 96 percent of the fentanyl seized in the last fiscal year was seized at ports of entry,' the California Democrat noted. 'And 86 percent of the convictions around fentanyl coming across our border were convictions of U.S. purses.'

'So we should talk about fentanyl, we should go after China, but this  this is chaos what I'm seeing from my Republican colleagues.'

El Paso, Texas County Judge Ricardo Samaniego, one of the three witnesses, noted that fentanyl is usually coming through ports of entry and not through individuals or smugglers coming across illegally.

Democratic Representative Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania repeated these sentiments.

She also said that Republicans should focus more on 'trying to solve these problems' of fentanyl smuggling and overdoses instead of 'just trying to make people afraid of them.'
She told DailyMail.com: 'I just want justice, please. The whole matter of fact is this is a man who is the size of a child, basically. What threat was that?'

The mom-of-two, who shares a 15-year-old daughter with Lowe, said the video of his death 'broke her' and questioned why cops resorted to lethal force

The former wife of the double amputee gunned down by cops in California last week said watching the harrowing footage of his death 'broke me.'

Myissha Simpson-Lowe, 39, was married to Anthony Lowe, 36, until July 2021 when she filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences.

But the mom-of-two told DailyMail.com the pair had remained friends after their split and she now wants justice for Lowe  who she said was struggling to come to terms with the recent amputation of his legs when he was killed last Thursday.

'Seeing the video broke me. I'm sorry He was helpless. He was not a threat. He couldn't do anything. He was trying to get away,' she said in an exclusive interview.

Myissha Simpson-Lowe, 39, was married to Anthony Lowe, 36  who was gunned down by police in Huntington Park, California  until July 2021

Lowe, who used a wheelchair to get around after recently losing both of his legs, was killed in a hail of 10 bullets after trying to flee from cops last Thursday. He is shown lying on the sidewalk after being shot multiple times. He was pronounced dead at the scene

She added: 'I just want justice, please. The whole matter of fact is this is a man who is the size of a child, basically. What threat was that? What threat was that?

'For them to do anything, it could have been done in a non-lethal way. What happened to rubber bullets? What happened to the beanbags they used to shoot?

'Bullets? That wasn't necessary. I would like to see those cops prosecuted.'

Lowe, who was wheelchair-bound after losing both his legs, was killed in a hail of 10 bullets in Huntington Park, California, last Thursday.

He was unemployed and living in South Central Los Angeles with his mother Dorothy, 53, at the time of his death.

The LA County Sheriff's Department, which is investigating the incident, said Huntington Park Police were called to reports of a stabbing on the 2400 block of Slauson Avenue at 3:40pm.

When cops arrived, they found a man suffering from stab wounds to the chest  the unnamed victim remains hospitalized.

They discovered Lowe a few blocks away, sitting in his wheelchair, but say he produced a 12-inch butcher's knife and allegedly attempted to throw it at them when they tried to arrest him.

Police were called to the scene over reports of a stabbing on Slauson Ave and found Lowe a few blocks away allegedly wielding a butcher's knife. They claim he then tried to throw the knife at them

Lowe Jr. was carrying a large knife which the cops say he had just used to stab someone. After failing to subdue him with their Tasers, the officers said they feared he was going to throw the knife at them

He then turned and tried to hurry away from them, clutching a large butcher's knife in one hand

Police said they then made several attempts to tase him but opened fire when he tried hurling the knife at them a second time.

An investigation into his death has already been completed by the LA Medical Examiner, with the manner of Lowe's death listed as homicide, while the place of death reads, simply, 'sidewalk'.

Lowe did not have a criminal record in Los Angeles County but was known to police having been arrested on a 2007 warrant for robbery and petty theft on April 20 2021.

The charges were all dismissed after a preliminary hearing two weeks later on May 4.

Myissha, who met Lowe in 2005 via mutual friends, described the man she was instantly 'in awe of' as 'the kindest spirit.'

The couple went on to marry in 2011 and welcomed their now 15-year-old daughter Ar'Rian in 2005 but separated in 2017.

She said: 'He was the kindest spirit who would do anything for anyone that it was in his power to do.

'He was loving [to Ar'Rian]. There whenever she needed to talk and whenever she needed her father.'

She added: 'We were still friends. We still talked. If he needed me I was there and vice versa. It's just there was nothing legal. He was still there though.'

But the mom-of-two also told how Lowe had been struggling in recent months, after losing his legs following what his older sister Yatoya Toy, 38, described, during an interview with the LA Times, as an altercation with police in Texas.

LA Medical Examiner, with the manner of Lowe's death listed as homicide, while the place of death reads, simply, 'sidewalk'

Myissha and Anthony Lowe married in 2011 and welcomed their now 15-year-old daughter Ar'Rian in 2005 but ultimately divorced in July 2021. The mom-of-two says the exes had remained friends even after their split

Myissha said she does not know the circumstances of the incident but confirmed it happened in late 2022 and that Lowe had been trying to come to terms with his life-changing injuries.

She told DailyMail.com that he had not been having a 'mental health crisis' as previously reported, but had been working on 'starting over' as an amputee.

'That's not what they were saying  what they were saying is if you lose your legs, you're going through something,' she said.

'You have to try to get everything back to how you can function daily but without legs. That's tough for anybody. That's a huge challenge for anybody.

'That's just a challenge for anybody, having to basically start over.'

Myissha, who works as a dispatcher for school bus company First Student Group America, says her focus is now on supporting Ar'Rian as she mourns the loss of her father.

She said the teenager has seen the video of her father being gunned down and is 'devastated' by the loss of the man she spent much of her time with.

Myissha told DailyMail.com Lowe had not been having a 'mental health crisis' as previously reported, but was working on 'starting over' as an amputee

Family and friends of Anthony Lowe Jr hold a news conference to demand an investigation into his death outside of the Huntington Park Police Department on Monday

Myissha said: 'It's very hard. This is not something you would want your child to go through, not at such an early age.

'Him being 36 and her being 15. That's not something any child would want to go through. Not right now.

The brave mom added: 'It is difficult. But I have got be strong for my daughter. Right now I'm her voice, ask how she's feeling and let everyone know that.

'She's hurting too. Not just everybody else, she is too.'

Lt. Hugo Reynaga of the LA County Sheriff's Office said the cops involved had been placed on leave 'for a few days' but that no official disciplinary action had been taken.

The officers involved have not been identified.

The incident comes three weeks after unarmed 29-year-old Tyre Nichols was beaten to death by a different group of police officers in Memphis, Tennessee.
The former first lady will interview Ellen DeGeneres and Orpah in the new show

Michelle Obama is launching a new podcast with Amazon's Audible less than a year after she and her husband Barack severed ties with Spotify, allegedly over exclusivity rights among other things.

The new podcast, The Light Podcast, will debut on March 7 and remain exclusive to Amazon for two weeks, at which point it will be made universally available.

It will be an eight-part podcast series featuring interviews with guests such as Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey discussing topics like race and relationships.

The announcement of Michelle Obama's second podcast comes after last April Spotify declined to renew a deal with the Obamas, which was estimated to have been worth tens of millions of dollars.

Spotify wanted the Obamas to feature on podcasts more regularly than they were willing and on a continual basis. They also wanted to retain prolonged exclusive rights to streaming them, Bloomberg reported at the time.

Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast is an eight-part series releasing on March 7 on Audible. It will remain exclusive to Amazon for two weeks before a more general release

The Light Podcast was born out of a book tour promoting Michelle Obama's second best-selling book, The Light We Carry, she said in a statement on Wednesday.

To promote the book she visited six cities and conducted interviews with show business personalities including Tyler Perry, Conan O'Brien, Gayle King, Hoda Kotb and David Letterman.

The Light Podcast will feature interviews Obama conducted with varies showbusiness personalities while promoting her second best-seller last year

Conversations with those guests touched on themes like relationships, race and adapting to change, she said, and will be shared in the new podcast.

'Though only a few thousand people were able to attend the events live, these remarkable conversations can now be heard by everyone,' Audible said in a news release.

It is not clear if there will be any additional material contained in the eight episodes.

'Like so many people around the world, I felt isolated, disconnected and discouraged during the pandemic. Writing The Light We Carry was a way for me to make sense of it and reflect on some of the biggest challenges we all face in life,' Obama said in a statement.

'The tour was an incredible way to share those stories with my readers and connect with real people once again,' she added.

'That's what Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast is all about - it's a deeper examination of those fun and meaningful moments.'

The podcast is produced by Higher Ground, a television and podcast production company she founded with the former president. Part of their divorce from Spotify was rooted in their preference to produce podcasts giving others a voice. Spotify, by contrast, were more interested in the Obama's themselves.

Michelle Obama has said in her new podcast she will discuss themes like relationships, race and adapting to change with various personalities including Ellen DeGeneres

Included in the new Audible podcast will be an interview between Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey

The Obamas signed their deal with Spotify in 2019 as they planned their post presidency media business

The Obamas signed their deal with Spotify in 2019 as they planned their post presidency media business.

Since then, Michelle hosted her own podcast - The Michelle Obama Podcast - and Barack appeared in a series with Bruce Springsteen titled Renegades: Born in the USA.

The release of those podcasts was a source of tension between the two parties, Bloomberg reported, as they were only made available on other services months later.

Between them the couple only released 18 podcast episodes in more than two years with Spotify.

In June 2022, months after the break up, it was reported that Higher Ground had reached an agreement with Audible on a multi-year production deal having also negotiated with other platforms including iHeartMedia.

The deal with Audible gave the Amazon subsidiary the right to have a look at new material before others in the industry gain access to it, Reuters reported at the time.
Former President Donald Trump claims in a new policy video that he could end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours, as he takes aim again at President Joe Biden for weakness on the world stage.

With the war fast approaching its first anniversary, Trump says the West failed to send a clear message to President Vladimir Putin that any incursion into Ukrainian territory would be unacceptable.

'If I were president, the Russia Ukraine war would never have happened ... never in a million years,' he says in one of two videos obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com.

'But even now, if I were president, I'd be able to negotiate an end to this horrible and rapidly escalating war within 24 hours.

'It can be done. You have to say the right things, not the wrong things.

'I think we helped lead Russia into that war by saying, well, if they took a small part of the country that would be okay. Such a tragic waste of human life.'

Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued two new videos on the war in Ukraine, claiming that he could negotiate an end to the conflict within 24 hours

Trump has repeatedly condemned Biden's handling of the conflict, claiming his successor in the White House has undermined the nation's standing.

His latest salvo is a reminder of how Russia seized the Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 triggering U.S. sanctions under President Barack Obama  measures criticized as too weak by hawkish Republicans.

And his words also echo criticism of Biden before the war, when Russian troops were massing on the Ukrainian border, and the president said NATO was divided on what to do if Russia launched a 'minor incursion.'

Furious Ukrainian officials said Biden had effectively given Putin a 'green light.'

Russian troops invaded Ukraine on February 24 last year, making rapid advances before being beaten back by spirited resistance and an influx of foreign weapons.

In the early days, the White House warned repeatedly of the risk of 'World War Three' if US tanks were sent or warplanes patrolled no-fly zones.

Trump accused Biden of hypocrisy after last week announcing he was sending a battalion of M1 Abrams tanks.

The scene in Kharkiv, Ukraine, where an S-300 missile is believed to have killed one person and wounded four more, as Russia's air war continues

President Joe Biden, flanked by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, last week announced he was sending 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine

U.S. Army M1A1 Abrams tank fires during NATO enhanced Forward Presence battle group military exercise

'The situation in Ukraine is very dangerous, explosive and escalating by the day,' he said in a second video.

'Joe Biden's weakness and incompetence has brought us to the brink of nuclear war.

'And now Biden is doing what he said 10 months ago would lead to World War Three.

'He is sending in American tanks. It's far past the time for all parties involved to pursue a peaceful end to the war in Ukraine before this already horrific catastrophe spirals out of control and ends up leading indeed to World War Three.

'And this would be a war like no other war because this would be a nuclear war.'

The videos are the latest in a string of policy declarations, as Trump looks to clear the field for the 2024 Republican nomination.

At the weekend, he burnished his early state credentials with visits to New Hampshire and to South Carolina.

He has yet to resume his large-scale rallies, and on Saturday made an unusual foray into retail politics with a visit to an ice cream parlor in South Carolina.

In his videos, he promised to make America strong again and condemned suffering in Ukraine.

'Such a tragic waste of human life,' he said.

'When you look at all that's happening there, those cities are obliterated.

'First comes the tanks and then come the nukes. Get this crazy war ended now.

'It can be done and in fact, it's easy to get done.'

He is not alone in analyzing what went wrong in the run-up to war in Ukraine.

Trump's words come soon after the former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Western leaders had also shown weakness in the face of Russia, trying to mollify the Kremlin by insisting that although they would welcome Ukraine's application to join the alliance, in practice it would never happen.

'And what is the result of all this sucking and blowing at once? What have we achieved by speaking softly out of both sides of our mouths?' he wrote in the Washington Post on Monday.

'The result is the worst war in Europe for 80 years.'
Connecticut lawmakers are considering offering posthumous exonerations to women and men killed in the state prior to the infamous Salem witch trials.

Connecticut state Rep. Jane Garibay proposed the exonerations on Tuesday, after receiving letters from eighth- and ninth-generation relatives of the accused witches.

The proposed guidance comes more than 375 years after the 11 Connecticut citizens were killed, and six months after the final outstanding conviction in the Salem Witchcraft Trials was posthumously nixed.

The executions, which transpired between 1647 and 1662, came decades before the mass hysteria in Massachusetts that saw an additional 19 hanged and one man crushed to death by rocks.

Calls to get the centuries-old convictions tossed in recent months have become more pronounced, as several other states and countries have strived to atone for the wrongful persecutions that transpired during the period.

The 17th century trials - fueled by feelings of superstition, fear of disease and strangers, and other indicators - were not exclusive to Massachusetts, with 11 put to death in Connecticut between 1647 and 1662

Connecticut state Rep. Jane Garibay proposed the exonerations on Tuesday, after receiving letters from eighth- and ninth-generation relatives of the accused witches

'They're talking about how this has followed their families from generation to generation and that they would love for someone just to say, 'Hey, this was wrong,'' State Rep. Garibay said Tuesday of the letters he's received from relatives of the deceased, two of whom had been men and nine women.

'And to me, that's an easy thing to do if it gives people peace,' he added.

Garibay's assertion comes as an increasing amount of residents have called for exonerations for the hundreds slain during 17th-century witch trials, which, contrary to popular belief, were not exclusive to Massachusetts - or even America.

As an increasing number of Americans uncover their links to victims thanks to genealogy websites, the calls have become more pronounced, spurring other states and countries to attempt to atone for a history of persecuting people as witches.

Last year, Scotlands prime minister issued a formal apology to the estimated 4,000 Scots, mostly women, who were accused of witchcraft up until 1736. Of the 4,000, about 2,500 were killed. A Scottish member of parliament last year called for posthumously pardoning them.

In 2022, Massachusetts lawmakers formally exonerated Elizabeth Johnson Jr., who was convicted of witchcraft in 1693 and sentenced to death at the height of the Salem Witch Trials.

Johnson was the last accused Salem witch to have her conviction set aside by legislators, in a decision that came following a three-year effort from Massachusetts schoolteacher Carrie LaPierre and her eighth-grade class, who relentlessly fought to clear the persecuted woman's name.

Aided by a state senator who helped champion the cause, the movement was ultimately successful, with officials deciding to pardon Johnson, who, like many others put to death at the time, was an impoverished single mother with a suspected mental disability.

Pictured is an original complaint letter dated back to 1669 against Katherine Harrison, who was tried multiple times for witchcraft. The proposed guidance would see 17th-century Connecticut citizens like Harrison pardoned posthumously

Connecticut is the only other American locale to also be plagued by such hysteria, with the state boasting a significant record of both trials and executions. Other states, however, such as Virginia, also engaged in trials to a lesser degree, and likely more informal executions

Graves of several of the 11 Connecticut citizens killed during mass hysteria that erupted across the 13 colonies in the 1600s are seen here. The pardons, like others granted in Massachusetts in recent years, would be posthumous

In another occurrence common at the time, the then-22-year-old was forced to plead guilty prior to nearly being put to death.

Ultimately spared, Johnson came close to being among the 20 killed during the infamous trials, where more than 200 Massachusetts residents were tried for suspected instances of witchcraft.

She was, however, one of 30 deemed to be a witch - with none of the women admitting witchcraft ultimately being put to death.

Connecticut is the only other American locale to also be plagued by such hysteria, with the state boasting a significant record of both trials and executions. Other states, however, such as Virginia, also engaged in trials to a lesser degree, and likely more informal executions.

With all the Massachusetts 'witches' now pardoned, Connecticut now looks poised to follow suit.

The proposed guidance was announced six months after Massachusetts lawmakers exonerated the final outstanding conviction in the Salem Witchcraft Trials, thanks to a three-year effort from Massachusetts school teacher Carrie LaPierre (pictured) and her students

With all the Massachusetts 'witches' now pardoned, Connecticut now looks poised to follow suit. Historical document from the Salem Witch Trials on the examination of Elizabeth Johnson Jr., who was posthumously pardoned last year. She was the last 'Salem Witch' to be exonerated

In 2006, former Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine took his first step in addressing the injustices that transpired in his state, when gave an informal pardon to Grace Sherwood, a widowed midwife who was blamed by neighbors for ruining crops, killing livestock, and creating storms, and subsequently accused of being a witch.

With her hands bound, Sherwood was thrown into a river to see if she floated, which was purported to indicate guilt. She managed to set herself free and spent seven years in prison.

Connecticut's witch trials were held in the mid-to-late 1600s. In each of the New England colonies, witchcraft was considered a capital offense. According to the earliest laws in the colony of Connecticut, 'any man or women (to) bee a Witch, that is, hath or consulteth with a familiar spirit, they shall bee put to death.'

Many historians believe fear and anxiety among the religiously strict English settlers led to the witch trials, noting how life was very difficult, given epidemics, floods, cold winters, and starvation. Often, accusations started as a quarrel, or the death of a child or a cow, or even butter that couldnt be churned.

An accused witch is shown going through the judgement trial, where she is dunked in water to prove her guilt of practicing witchcraft. Many of the people executed as witches were poor, single mothers, several of whom were forced to plead guilty

Many of the people executed as witches were poor, single mothers.

THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS OF 1692 CAUSED 'MASS HYSTERIA' In 1692, mass hysteria swept through Salem, Massachusetts. Superstitious townspeople, fearful of the devil, began accusing men and women of witchcraft and hounded scores of 'witches' to put on trial. The hysteria began after a group of young girls in claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused several local women of witchcraft. As hysteria spread throughout Massachusetts, a court convened in Salem to hear the cases. The first convicted witch, Bridget Bishop, was hanged that June. Eighteen others followed and some 150 more men, women and children were accused over the next several months. Trials continued with until May 1693. But by that May, the governor of Massachusetts had pardoned and released all those in prison. Advertisement

Such was the case of Mary Johnson, a servant in Wethersfield, Connecticut, who was accused of 'familiarity with the Devil.'

For years, she was tortured by a local minister who whipped her until she finally confessed to being a witch and admitted to 'uncleanness with men,' according to Bridgeport author Andy Piascik, who wrote an article for Connecticut Humanities, an independent, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Johnson is believed to have been hanged after giving birth to the child of a man she was not married to.

'It's important to right the wrongs of the past so we learn from them and move on and not repeat those mistakes,' said Joshua Hutchinson, of Prescott Valley, Arizona, who traced his ancestry to accused witches in Salem and is the host of the 'Thou Shalt Not Suffer: The Witch Trial Podcast.'

He noted that even in recent decades people have been killed in multiple countries because they were suspected of being witches or sorcerers.

Beth Caruso, an author, co-founded the CT Witch Trial Exoneration Project in 2005 to clear the names of the accused. The group is encouraging people who discovered through genealogy research that they are descendants of victims to contact Connecticut state legislators and urge them to support exoneration legislation.

Connecticut state Sen. Saud Anwar, who also proposed an exoneration bill, said he expects some people might laugh or scoff at the idea of the Legislature taking time to clear the records of accused witches. But he said the descendants are feeling some 'serious stuff,' including a constituent who requested the resolution.

'His wish was that if there was a way to give some kind of a closure to the families,' Anwar said, 'that would be one way for him to be able to say that he has done his share, even though his ancestors may have not done the right thing.'
He said the zoo thief was likely one of the repeat trespassers he saw frequently

The former guard said he was repeatedly told not to interfere with trespassers

A former security guard for the Dallas Zoo claimed it has been plagued by animal trafficking problems for years and that its security contractor advised guards not to confront trespassers.

The unnamed man worked at the zoo for seven months in 2022, but told NewsNation he quit after being brushed off by managers when he raised concerns for the safety of the animals, guests, and staff.

He said the zoo saw numerous repeat trespassers while he worked there, and that he suspects one of them is likely responsible for the spate of animal thefts and possible attempts the zoo has dealt with in the last month.

Four incidents rocked the Dallas Zoo in January, which included the apparently intentional release of a leopard, an attempted break-in to a monkey enclosure, the 'suspicious' death of a buzzard, and the theft of two tamarin monkeys which were later discovered in the closet of an abandoned house near the zoo.

Police released the photo of a man walking through the zoo eating a bag of Doritos who they are trying to identify and speak to about the incident. Dallas PD told DailyMail.com the man has not been named as a suspect or a person of interest.

Police are investigating after two emperor tamarin monkeys were 'deliberately' taken from their enclosure

The former security guard also told NewsNation he was not surprised when he heard about the security breaches at the Dallas Zoo.

'This upsets me quite a bit. Because as security you're hired to protect that property and whatever creatures are there - human or animals,' he said.

'And the Dallas Zoo is a huge black-market gold mine. Always has been.'

The man did not provide specific instances to corroborate his claims about animal trafficking at the zoo.

Dallas PD told DailyMail.com it had no record of animals being stolen from the zoo in recent years. The zoo did not respond to requests for comment at the time of publication.

Nonetheless, the former employee said the security company was to blame for leaving the zoo vulnerable to theft and pointed out ten locations he characterized as vulnerable entry points to the zoo.

'Something needs to be done, and I'm not going to sit there and let this big security company get away with this stuff while animals and people ultimately will get hurt.'

The unnamed man worked at the Zoo for seven months during 2022, but said he quit after being brushed off by managers when he raised concerns for the safety of the animals, guests, and staff.

A search for missing clouded leopard Nova (pictured) shut down the Dallas Zoo on January 13 as police helped search for the animal

On January 21, a 35-year-old endangered vulture named Pin was found dead, with the zoo issuing a statement saying that its death did not appear to be 'natural'

The man wouldn't clarify whether or not he thought the recent incidents could be an inside job.

'The way I read it is someone's failing to prevent this stuff.' he said.

'The people that were hired to prevent this stuff are failing at their job, and that ultimately comes down to security.'

The zoo's third-party security consultant - Gardaworld - did not respond to DailyMail.com requests for comment.

'I hope the zoo gets secure again, cause that place is something people should be able to treasure for years to come,' the former employee said.

Dallas police are searching for this man believed to be in the area when two monkeys were stolen from the zoo on Sunday

Yesterday, Dallas PD followed an anonymous tip to an abandoned house just south of the zoo in Lancaster, Texas, and discovered the missing emperor tamarin monkeys alive in a closet. They were safely returned to the zoo.

Zoo officials confirmed the monkey's enclosure appeared to have been broken into with a cutting tool.

Just days prior a similar cut was found on the enclosure for the zoo's langur monkeys, and on January 13 the zoo was closed while staff searched for a clouded leopard which appeared to have escaped through a man-made opening. The leopard was eventually found within the zoo near its enclosure.

And on January 21, a 35-year-old endangered vulture named Pin was found dead, with the zoo issuing a statement saying that its death did not appear to be 'natural.'

Zoo President and CEO Gregg Hudson said the vulture had 'a wound', and that the 'circumstances of the death are unusual'.

Police were again called to the scene of the Dallas Zoo on Monday to investigate the disappearance of the two emperor tamarin monkeys

Police cars are pictured outside the Dallas Zoo as workers as cops hunted for the missing cloud leopard earlier this month

Dallas Police Department was again alerted, with the zoo admitting they contacted authorities because of 'recent incidents.'

Ed Hansen, chief executive of the American Association of Zoo Keepers, said he could not recall a zoo facing similar incidents with such frequency.

'It appears that somebody really has an issue with the Dallas Zoo,' Hansen said.

Hansen, who described the Dallas Zoo's reputation as 'excellent' within the industry, said accredited zoos have double-perimeter fencing and that a zoo as large as Dallas' would have a security patrol.

But animals have escaped enclosures from the Dallas Zoo before.

Most notably, a 340-pound gorilla named Jabari jumped over a wall in 2004 and went on a 40-minute rampage that injured three people before police shot and killed the animal.
Nathan Chasing Horse's daughter, the model Quannah Rose Chasinghorse, shared her support of one of his sexual abuse accusers in September last year, six months before his arrest.

Quannah, 20, is an IMG model and activist. While Nathan, 46, is her biological father, she says he did not have an active role in her upbringing.

Nathan, who found fame in Dances With Wolves with Kevin Costner, is now facing charges of sexual trafficking and child sex abuse. He was arrested in Las Vegas last night on suspicion of luring young women into a cult he called The Circle.

Now, many Native Americans are speaking out to ask why his arrest took so long, when the abuse he is accused of was an open secret in their communities.

In September last year, one of his accusers - Corena Leone - went public on TikTok with her claims.

Quannah Rose Chasinghorse, 20, is an IMG model and Native American activist

Quannah offered her support in the comments section, writing: 'Sending you all the love, healing and justice. You deserve so much better.'

Corena replied: 'Thank you so much. Your support means a lot. I just want you to know I know you had nothing to do with his behavior.

'And you are not your father. I support you and what you're doing for our women and communities 100%.'

Quannah replied: 'Thank you. Never hesitate to reach out for anything. You always have my support.'

Quannah's representatives did not immediately respond to inquiries regarding her father's arrest.

While he is her biological father, she was raised in Alaska by her mother, and stepfather Eli Black.

The details of Nathan's arrest remain scarce; the Las Vegas Police Department which took him into custody has not shared his arrest record or the search warrant used.

The AP obtained a copy, however, which shows he is accused of telling victims they would be part of 'the Circle' if they went along with his demands.

In September, Quannah Rose extended her support to one of his victims

Nathan Chasing Horse is in custody in Nevada

Corena is now appealing for donations on GoFundMe, saying her abuser 'maxed out' her credit cards.

Nathan belonged to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe in North Dakota.

The tribe's attorneys declined to comment when approached by DailyMail.com on Wednesday morning.

It remains unclear when Nathan will appear in court.

Police say he told his victims that 'spirits' wanted them to have sex with him, and that he would use his celebrity title against the girls.

He had multiple wives - at least five - which was unusual for the tribe.

According to KLAS 8, police sources believed he had 'suicide pills' prepared for himself and his wives, and was prepared to engage in a shootout with police.

Corena Leone, one of the women who has come forward to accuse him of abuse

Quannah with her mother Jodi. She was raised in Alaska, where her mother lives now

Quannah at The Met Gala last May

According to a 50-page search warrant obtained by the Associated Press, Chasing Horse is believed to be the leader of a cult known as The Circle.

The document says Las Vegas police have identified at least six alleged victims and uncovered sexual allegations against Chasing Horse dating to the early 2000s in multiple states, including Montana, South Dakota (where he was born), Nevada, where he has lived for about a decade, and even Canada.

Some of the alleged victims were as young as 13, according to the warrant.

One of Chasing Horse's wives was allegedly offered to him as a 'gift' when she was 15, while another became a wife after turning 16.

Chasing Horse also is accused of recording sexual assaults and arranging sex with the victims for other men who allegedly paid him.
A 43-year-old man who fatally shot a Dallas police officer nearly 16 years ago is set to be executed in Texas today amid an ongoing legal battle over the state's use of expired legal injection drugs.

Wesley Ruiz has been on death row since 2008, after gunning down Dallas Police Senior Corporal Mark Nix, a US Navy veteran of Operation Desert Storm, the previous year.

Ruiz had led Nix on a high-speed car chase through the streets of Dallas, before sliding off the road and shooting the officer in the chest

The 33-year-old police officer had served on the Dallas force for nearly seven years and was engaged to be married when he was killed.

Ruiz's execution will be carried out despite controversy surrounding the state's use of lethal injection drugs long past their original expiration dates.

Ruiz's attorneys have also unsuccessfully attempted to halt proceedings after arguing jurors relied on 'racist' stereotypes when deciding the killer's fate.

Wesley Ruiz, 43, was sentenced to death after he shot and killed Dallas Police Senior Corporal Mark Nix in 2007

Mark Nix, a US Navy veteran of Operation Desert Storm, had served on the Dallas force for nearly seven years and was engaged to be married when he was killed

Ruiz was sent to death row for the 2007 killing of Nix, which erupted as police were searching for a murder suspect.

After spotting Ruiz driving a red Chevrolet that matched the description of one seen fleeing a recent slaying, police attempted to pull him over but he sped away at over 80mph.

The chase came to an end when Ruiz's car eventually slid off the road and Nix rushed over to try and smash the passenger window with his police baton.

Ruiz then fired a single shot at Nix, hitting his police badge which then splintered and sent fragments flying into an artery in his neck.

Nix died later in hospital, and Ruiz was sentenced to death in July the following year.

Ruiz is set to be executed at Texas' Huntsville penitentiary this evening amid a controversial legal battle over the state's use of expired lethal injection drugs

Wednesday's execution comes amid a controversial legal battle that alleges the use of expired and unsafe execution drugs on death row inmates violates the US Constitutions prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment.

Ruiz is one of five inmates facing lethal injection who are suing the Texas prison system for using the expired execution drugs.

The lawsuit stems from an issue with a lack of pharmacies willing to produce execution drugs, which has led the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to extend the use-by dates.

The authority prolongs the use of the drug pentobarbital, the only medication used in Texas executions, after retesting its potency levels, and previous lawsuits attempting to halt the practice have failed in court.

Prison officials deny the lawsuits' claims that the expired drugs make their execution more painful, and say the state's supply of drugs is safe.

Despite a civil court judge in Austin preliminarily agreeing with the claims, the state's top two courts have still allowed the execution of another inmate who joined Ruiz in the litigation on January 10.

Ruiz has been on death row for nearly 16 years after he gunned down Mark Nix in 2007

In another attempt to delay his execution, Ruiz's attorneys have also argued that juror bias led to an unjust sentence in his murder trial.

They petitioned to the US Supreme Court that jurors relied upon 'overtly racist' and 'blatant anti-Hispanic stereotypes' when deciding whether Ruiz would be a future danger, an element needed to secure a death sentence in Texas.

In court documents filed late Tuesday with the Supreme Court, the Texas Attorney General's Office said Ruizs claim of juror bias has no merit because a review conducted a week ago rejected the allegations.

One of the jurors accused of bias by Ruiz's attorneys told the review: 'I was not nor am not bias(ed) to anyone or any race,' according to the court filing.

At his trial, Ruiz claimed he shot and killed Nix because he was afraid for his life, and said he only fired in self-defense when the officer allegedly threatened to kill him.

'I didn't try to kill the officer. I just tried to stop him,' Ruiz testified.

The killer also said he only decided to lead officers on the fatal high-speed chase because he had taken illegal drugs and had them in his car.

Gabriel Luchiano, who knew Nix when the officer worked as a security guard, said he always responded quickly when people needed help at the convenience store in northwest Dallas where Luchiano worked.

He was a 'guardian angel,' said Luchiano, 55. 'It's still painful no matter what. Nothing is going to close it.'

Ruiz would be the second inmate put to death this year in Texas and the fourth in the US. Seven other executions are scheduled in Texas for later this year, including one next week.
TV host Carol Vorderman has taken several shots at Baroness Mone this month

Activists Led By Donkeys said they have been 'scouring the world' for the yacht

Carol Vorderman fanned the flames of her feud with Michelle Mone again by tweeting her delight as Left-wing campaigners targeted the Tory peer's yacht.

The boat was found by activist group Led By Donkeys off the coast of Barcelona, who promptly renamed it 'Pandemic Profiteer'.

Baroness Mone's is being investigated by National Crime Agency fraud experts and the House of Lords over claims she failed to declare an interest when lobbying for PPE Medpro to supply personal protection equipment to the Government and NHS for 203million during the Covid pandemic.

The peer, who denies claims she and her children pocketed 29million from the deals, has taken a break from the Lords to defend herself  while the Government sues PPE Medpro for supplying 25 million 'unusable' surgical gowns.

Earlier this month TV star Vorderman, 62, claimed she dropped Mone, 51, 'like a stone as soon as I realised what kind of person she was'.

We've found Michelle Mone's yacht pic.twitter.com/Eflhc7fpOG  Led By Donkeys (@ByDonkeys) February 1, 2023

A video from Led By Donkeys shows them renaming Michelle Mone's yacht 'Pandemic Profiteer'

Carol Vorderman (left) and Baroness Mone (pictured in 2010) had previously been very close friends but recently the former Countdown host has been feuding publicly with her

The former Countdown host used to be friends with the embattled bra baroness, with the pair regularly having 'great fun' on nights out together before Baroness Mone, 51, married billionaire businessman Doug Barrowman.

Miss Vorderman tweeted the video earlier today: 'MICHELLE MONE @ByDonkeys have found her yacht and literally physically RENAMED IT... PANDEMIC PROFITEER Watch the video to the end...

'(Ps The same yacht about which led to a claim of her racially abusing someone. She settled by reportedly paying him 50,000).'

The Led By Donkeys video starts by showing a picture of Baroness Mone posing by the yacht in her swimsuit.

The video describes how the group have been 'scouring the world' looking for the yacht and shows several people in a small boat pulling up alongside it.

Quickly two men paste 'Pandemic Profiteer' across the side of the of the boat.

Captions to the video read: 'We've all paid for the boat so that's why we've renamed it'.

Earlier this month in a string of tweets, Miss Vorderman made further unverified allegations about 'baroness bra'.

2010: Vorderman and Baroness Mone Marion Rose Ball in aid of Children with Leukaemia at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London

In a string of tweets, Miss Vorderman took further potshots at 'baroness bra', saying in one post: 'For some reason or other I feel obliged to reshare this article noting that after PPE firm linked to them received VIP lane contract MM/Husband/firm bought a jet & a boat & 3m in property for her children'

She said: 'For some reason or other I feel obliged to reshare this article noting that after PPE firm linked to them received VIP lane contract MM/Husband/firm bought a jet & a boat & 3m in property for her children'.

She wrote in another: 'Barrowman (husband) will be on trial in Spain in May for criminal fraud. Last yr police raided their homes & offices, charges pending? It's claimed that B & Mone illegally benefited from upwards of 58m from PPE Medpro through trusts. You get the gist...'.

A spokesperson for Baroness Mone declined to comment when approached by MailOnline at the time.

Miss Vorderman told This Morning viewers of her friendship with the baroness and that she 'dropped her like a stone as soon as I realised what kind of person she was'.

But Baroness Mone, who denies wrongdoing, hit back through a friend, who said in response to Miss Vorderman's comments: 'What are the reasons  a hunger for publicity, or maybe her coming to the end of her TV career?' The friend added that Miss Vorderman's outburst had been 'outrageous', saying: 'I really don't understand why Carol has started this attack.'

And the friend disputed claims by Miss Vorderman on Twitter that money from the Government PPE contracts funded the baroness's business tycoon husband Doug Barrowman's luxury lifestyle, saying: 'Baroness Mone's husband has owned super yachts and a jet for many years.'
A sleepy town where Britain's best cheese is made and Prince Harry's book is printed has the highest number of satanists in England and Wales.

Figures from the 2021 census show that 70 out of an estimated 8,500 people living in historic Bungay and nearby villages in north Suffolk identify as devil-worshippers.

The sinister statistic means that nearly one in every 120 people in the area claimed to be a satanist when asked in the census to state their religious beliefs.

The figure is around a hundred times the national average of only one in every 12,000 people identifying as a satanist.

The country's next highest headcount of satanists is in the Brondesbury area of north London, which has 20 of them, despite having a far higher population than Bungay.

The town sign in Bungay, Suffolk, which has the highest number of satanists in England and Wales

The ruins of the Benedictine nunnery next to St Mary's Church in Bungay

The Druid's stone outside St Mary's Church where local legend has it that you can conjure up the Devil by dancing a dozen times around the stone

Church officials in Bungay have been reluctant to comment, other than saying they have no knowledge of any animal sacrifices or devil worshippers in their midst.

Civic leaders in the town which has the ruins of a medieval castle and a Benedictine nunnery have also expressed surprise at the data.

But some suggest that there may be a link to a local legend of the devil taking the form of a black dog, known as Black Shuck, which terrorised the congregation of St Mary's church in the town in 1577.

The folklore has been enthusiastically adopted in Bungay which has a Black Dog Running Club, a Black Dog Judo Club and a Black Dog Arts group.

A black dog also features on Bungay's Coat of Arms and on the weather vane which stands in the town centre, and a Bungay Black Shuck Festival launched in the town last year.

St Mary's church which has been redundant since the 1970s also has a large rock called the Druid's Stone in its graveyard. Some local legends suggest that the Devil can be conjured up by dancing 12 times around the stone.

Bungay which dates back to Anglo Saxon times and has a number of quaint Georgian buildings is the home of printers Clays which employs 700 people and prints 150 million book a year on its 14 acre site.

The 200-year-old firm is known for printing books under the highest security and most recently printed Prince Harry's controversial book Spare.

The Fine Food Digest Awards also recently named Britain's best cheese as Baron Bigod, which is made in Bungay as a British take on classic French brie and named after the Norman knight who once ruled the town.

The streets of Bungay where the number of satanists is nearly 100 times the national average, according to the latest census

Some people in the town suggest that there may be a link to a local legend of the devil taking the form of a black dog, known as Black Shuck

Bungay dates back to Anglo Saxon times and has a number of quaint Georgian buildings

Bungay Town Council clerk Rosalind Barnett said: 'I have spoken to several councillors and none of them believe they have ever met any satanists.

'So this number in the census is a bit of a mystery. Devil worship has never crossed our radar and has never been discussed. We don't know anything about it.

'The council might discuss it at our meeting in February under correspondence.'

The town's mayor Tony Dawes said: 'I was very surprised to hear this statistic. I have never come across a satanist in the town to my knowledge.

'We have the legend of Black Shuck, but that is as far as it goes. The churches in the town are very well supported, although I wouldn't say Bungay is an especially religious community.

'I am wondering if people with nothing better to do during lockdown decided to put down on the census that they were satanists.'

Judy Cloke, a Conservative county and district councillor representing Bungay, insisted: 'Bungay is most definitely not the devil worshipping capital of the UK.

'We have very strong church and religious communities and I find it quite insulting that someone is having a laugh at Bungay at the expense of the residents. It is very unfair.

'People might not have been telling the truth in the census. I just don't know.'

The Office of National Statistics revealed in November that 5,054 people in England and Wales had claimed to be satanists out of a population of 59,597,300 in the 2021 census.

The figure represented a 167 per cent increase on the 1,893 who identified as such in the last census in 2011.

The 70 satanists in Bungay either live in the town or one of the several villages to the south in a so-called Middle Super Output Area designated by the ONS as being called Bungay and the Saints. MSOAs in Suffolk have an average population of 8,500 people.

The latest census also revealed the number of Pagans nationally rose from 56,620 to 73,733, and a rise in the number of Animists - who believe that all natural things have a soul - from just 541 in 2011 to 802.

St Mary's Church officials have said they have no knowledge of any animal sacrifices or devil worshippers in their midst

St Edmunds RC church in Bungay is a large Gothic-style Roman Catholic church

Another view of Bungay town centre which Conservative county and district councillor Judy Cloke insisted 'is most definitely not the devil worshipping capital of the UK'

The 2011 census famously featured 177,000 people declaring themselves as being Jedi after the religion in the Star Wars films, making it the seventh most popular religion.

The move followed an urban myth email which promised to declare Jedi as an official religion if enough people claimed to follow it. The 2021 survey showed the number of self-identified Jedi had dropped to less than 1,600.

The Black Shuck dog is said to have burst through the doors of St Mary's Church as locals were praying that their homes would be spared by a huge storm on the night of August 4, 1577.

The so-called 'hellish monster' is reputed to have run down the Nave killing a man and a boy, just as the church's steeple collapsed through the roof.

It then supposedly killed two more people the same night at Holy Trinity Church, Blythburgh, leaving the devils's scorch marks on the door which survive to this day.

St Mary's church in is still open for prayer and community events, despite no longer having services, but the town's Holy Trinity church is still in use, along with Bungay's large Gothic-style Roman Catholic church, St Edmunds.

Martin Evans, of the Friends of St Mary's Church, said: 'I have seen no evidence of satanists at all. I can't imagine why anyone would put that down in the census, but we do have a lot of jokers around here.'

The legend of Black Shuck was immortalised in a song by Suffolk heavy metal band The Darkness. It also features in an anonymous Suffolk poem.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin attends a welcome ceremony before a meeting with his South Korean counterpart Lee Jong-sup at the Defense Ministry in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Jan. 31. AP-Yonhap



The U.S. Department of Defense has released a Korean-language version of its nuclear policy document published last year, amid a debate in South Korea over whether Seoul needs to pursue its own nuclear armament in the face of evolving North Korean threats.



The Pentagon posted the Korean version of the Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) on its official website on Tuesday (Washington time), along with the original English version released on Oct. 27.



It had provided only a Korean summary of the previous 2018 NPR. But this time, it posted a full-length translation of the 2022 NPR.





This image from the U.S. Department of Defense shows a Korean translation version of the 2022 Nuclear Posture Review. Yonhap
President Joe Biden seems to be snubbing D.C. taxpayers by riding around in a motorcade that doesn't display Washington's 'Taxation Without Representation' protest slogan on its license plates.

On inauguration day, Biden rolled onto White House grounds in The Beast, the nickname for the presidential limo, which displayed new '46' license plates, for the 46th president, with the 'Taxation Without Representation' slogan displayed.

But it looks like those plates were just a temporary, symbolic gesture to the 672,000 residents of Washington, D.C., who pay federal taxes but have no voting members of Congress.

During his early trips in 2021, the Biden motorcade was back to using the same slogan-less license plate, with the same number, as former President Donald Trump, who was adamently against D.C. statehood. The plates remain the same today.

Axios first reported Wednesday on plate-gate, reporting that D.C's non-voting Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton planned to write a letter to the administration indicating that one of the best ways Biden can speak up for D.C. autonomy 'is to put Taxation Without Representation on his license plate.'

INAUGURATION DAY 2021: President Joe Biden's motorcade arrived at the White House with license plates that said '46' - as he's the 46th president - and the D.C. protest slogan 'Taxation Without Representation'

THIS WEEK: President Joe Biden's motorcade has been using slogan-less plates since as easly as March 2021, suggesting the plates displayed on inauguration day were just a temporary, symbolic gesture to the taxpayers of Washington, D.C.

Asked about it at Wednesday's press briefing, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she didn't know why Biden's Beast lacked the plates.

'Look I have to run that down - to the Beast and why it may not have those plates. But what I can tell you, and the president has been very consistent since the campaign that we strongly support the D.C. statehood and that has not changed,' Jean-Pierre said.

Biden hasn't had the opportunity to sign a D.C. statehood bill because why it passed twice in the Democrat-let House during his tenure, it's failed to pick up steam in the Senate because it would never survive a GOP-led filibuster, and the vote would likely be party-line.

As Trump pointed out in a May 2020 interview with The New York Post, Republicans would have to be 'very, very stupid' to vote in favor of statehood due to the current, very liberal makeup of the capital city.

The ex-president argued that it would practically guarantee two new Democrats in the U.S. Senate, as well as more Democrats in the House.

In the 2020 presidential election, Biden won the District with 92 percent of the vote, to Trump's 5.4 percent.

In kind, Democrats have tended to use the protest license plates and then Republicans remove them.

Democratic President Bill Clinton used them late in his term, while Republican President George W. Bush had them removed. The D.C. Council pushed Democratic President Barack Obama to bring them back and he did in 2013.

Trump got rid of them in August 2018.

A DailyMail.com picture from late September 2020 shows President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump getting into the Beast, which displayed the same number on its slogan-less license plates that President Joe Biden is using today

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has traditionally had a cozy relationship with Biden - so much that she was one of the few officials to travel to Wilmington amid the COVID pandemic to celebrate his win on November 7, 2020.

But she hasn't been able to get the president to sign off on a proposal to end telework for droves of federal employees, which would force them to come back to offices in downtown D.C.

She's found an unlikely ally in House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who says he supports it, as part of Republicans' general detest for COVID-era protections.

Businesses in the downtown corridor - especially lunch and happy hour spots - have struggled since the start of the pandemic.

The federal government leases about a third of downtown office space.

Last month, Bowser - who was sworn-in for a third term - said that federal workers either needed to come back or the government needed to give up the space so that it could be used by the 'local government, by nonprofits, by businesses, and by any user willing to revitalize it.'

She's also making a push to turn some of the downtown office buildings into housing.
The crash occurred as police were pursuing a stolen truck driven by Oscar Delacruz, who faces murder charges and is being held without bond

Christopher Teagardin, 47, and Timothy Schultz, 49, were struck and killed as they were driving back from picking up tacos down the street from their homes

Two innocent fathers were killed Tuesday night in a horror crash in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Panorama City

Two innocent men were killed Tuesday night while police were pursuing a stolen vehicle in a northern Los Angeles neighborhood.

The men, now identified by friends and family, were driving back from picking up tacos just down the street from where they lived when their Honda Civic was struck.

The victims, Christopher Teagardin, 47, and Timothy Schultz, 49, both died after a stolen truck driven by Oscar Delacruz, 32, hit them at a high-speed while evading police.

Delacruz also struck a silver sedan before coming to a stop near the intersection of Lanark Street and Woodman Avenue in LA's Panorama City neighborhood.

The man has been arrested and will face murder charges police said. He is being held without bail at this time.

These are the two vehicles after the horrific crash which occurred Tuesday evening in the northern Los Angeles neighborhood of Panorama City

The incident began with a report of a stolen vehicle Tuesday evening.

The Los Angeles Police Department first received a call about a stolen truck in the 10600 block of El Dorado Avenue just after 7.30pm.

'At the time the suspect was fleeing from officers, as the air unit came overhead, that suspect struck a vehicle that was going northbound on Woodman Avenue and, tragically, the two people that were inside of that vehicle have passed away as a result of that traffic collision with the suspect,' Los Angeles Police Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said.

Delacruz drove just over four miles through northeast Los Angeles before slamming into the car holding the two men around 8pm.

The man had two passengers in the vehicle who were taken to the hospital. Their condition is unknown at this time.

Authorities told ABC7 that officers believed one of the men from the pickup truck may have been suffering from an overdose. The third person was a woman.

Aerial footage of the crash taken by local media shows a horrific scene.

Both the Civic and the stolen pickup truck appear almost completely smashed in.

This is the sedan the two men were riding in just before the crash

The black pickup truck the suspect was driving was also badly smashed in during the crash

The crash was so powerful that both Teagardin and Schultz were pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel.

According to family members who spoke with Fox 11 Los Angeles, each man leaves behind one teenager.

Teagardin has a son who just recently turned 18.

Schultz leaves behind a daughter who is 16.

The pair were lifelong friends and knew each other for more than 30 years.

Chris Teagardin (right) was one of the two men killed in the crash Tuesday evening

'No one could match your energy,' said one of Teagardin's Facebook friends in a tribute

Local media caught the moments first responders carries away one person involved

Friends said the deceased victims were Schultz and Teagardin, who had known each other for well over 30 years.

'They were just fantastic,' said Stacy Spears, a friend said.

Spears described the deaths as 'devastating' and 'senseless, senseless, senseless.'

'R.I.P. My friend no one could match your energy!' wrote one friend in a tribute post on Facebook Wednesday morning.

'Just a reminder live life like theres no tomorrow there are no guarantees! This one hurts RIP Chris Teagardin,' wrote another friend, sharing a pic of the man.

According to KTLA, one of the men was pronounced dead immediately while the passenger died later from his injuries.

It's unclear at this time if it was Teagardin or Schultz driving the sedan.

'Just a reminder live life like theres no tomorrow there are no guarantees,' said one friend who remembered Teagardin in a Facebook post

This is the intersection in northern Los Angeles where the devastating crash occurred

A witness told local media they heard the crash and then saw the stolen pickup truck's driver attempt to flee the scene after the collision

'This is a very tragic incident,' said Los Angeles Police Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton

'I heard a big bang and I ran over to see if I can help the people,' a witness told AB7 about the crash. 'It looks like it was already too late, and I saw the gentleman get out of the Tacoma and run that way.'

After the collision, Delacruz and another passenger allegedly attempted to flee the scene on foot.

Officers from the Foothill Division were able to pursue and stop him after deploying a stun gun, police said.

'This is a very tragic incident,' said Hamilton. 'Unfortunately, we try to conduct these incidents where we go on pursuit as safely as possible, with all the tools that we have.'

The police official said they worked quickly to attempt to avoid the fatal ending.

'That's why we request an air unit right away. That's why we go into tracking mode just as soon as we can, but at the same time, we have to balance that with a community member who has requested the police department to respond because their vehicle is being stolen,' Hamilton said.
A devout Christian who claims her four-year-old son was compelled to take part in an LGBT pride parade is suing the school - in the first case of its kind in the UK.

Izzy Montague, 38, said she was told by the headteacher of Heavers Farm Primary School in South Norwood, southeast London, that her son could not opt out of the event in June 2018.

The school sent a letter to parents on June 19 inviting them to partake in a Pride march and 'celebrate the differences that make them and their family special'.

A week later Mrs Montague contacted the school and asked for her son to be excused attendance on June 29 as she was concerned about him 'being involved of a public display of adherence to views which she did not accept.'

Mrs Montague's request was refused by headteacher Susan Papas, so the parent replied with a lengthy email on July 13, Central London County Court heard.

Izzy Montague, a 38-year-old devout Christian from London claims her four-year-old son was compelled to take part in LGBT pride parade and is now suing his primary school on the grounds of discrimination

Pictured: Heavers Farm Primary School (CC 3.0, courtesy of Pafcool2) where headteacher Ms Susan Papas told Mrs Montague that her son had to attend the lesson

At the start of the eight-day case Judge Christopher Lethem described Mrs Montague and her husband as 'devout born-again Christians', adding: 'They bear a belief that sexual relations should be abstained from or take place within a life-long marriage between a man and a woman and any activity outside those confines is sinful.

'They also say pride is considered to be the most serious of the deadly sins.'

The court heard that Mrs Montague attended a meeting with Ms Papas on September 19 in which the headteacher's daughter wore a T-shirt with the slogan: 'Why be racist, sexist, homophobic, or transphobic when you could just be quiet?'

Giving evidence, Mrs Montague told the court that prior to the incident she had expressed concerns to her son's teacher about the type of books they were reading in class, including 'a same-sex-family book'.

Ian Clarke, representing the school, said: 'So you get this letter on June 19 and you see that it is about celebrating "the things that make our family special".'

Mrs Montague replied: 'It felt like it was lecturing me about something to do with British values and somehow we weren't adhering to British values.'

Izzy Montague has appeared on ITV to argue that teaching LGBT issues is wrong. She said it should be her choice whether to teach her children about LGBT

Mr Clarke said: 'You also say in your witness statement that the letter made a disparaging comment about the attitudes of parents... where does it say that?'

Mrs Montague replied: 'I just feel this letter was really trying to hammer into parents and drive into them something that's not happened before.'

Mr Clarke said: 'You say the letter is forcing you into the indoctrination of an LGBT lifestyle, where does it say that?'

Mrs Montague told the court: 'I don't know, I just felt a topic had come up.

'I clearly was not in the know about it, but this was the way, in my opinion, to try to indoctrinate it on to us by passing it off that it was part of law or part of British values or it was part of the national curriculum. It was trying to sell something no one wanted to buy.'

Reading from a blog published by the school on June 18, 2018, Mr Clarke said: 'This June, the celebration of Pride is about learning about the diversity of our whole school community and tackling bullying.'

He asked Mrs Montague: 'As I understand, you don't have a problem of celebrating the diversity of the whole school community and tackling bullying?'

She replied: 'Me personally, it's not something I would celebrate. It's not something I would choose to celebrate.

'I think it's good the wider community comes together and we learn and live together.

'I don't know if you mean celebrate as have a party. It's not something I would attend.'

Mr Clarke asked: 'Isn't the school simply using the month of June to celebrate wider issues of diversity and tolerance?'

Mrs Montague replied: 'I believe it's using Pride month and other issues around that time to sell Pride month.

'I think you can easily celebrate diversity without even having anything to do with Pride month.'

Mr Clarke said: 'So, if they did it on May 29 would we all be sat here?'

'If they did any form of celebration of any sexual lifestyles we will still be sat here,' Mrs Montague said.

Mr Clarke asked: 'So the fact it is Pride month is neither here nor there?'

'A month that celebrates sexual lifestyles is a problem in any month,' Mrs Montague replied.

Mrs Montague, supported by the Christian Legal Centre, is suing the school on the grounds of direct and indirect discrimination, victimisation and breach of statutory duty under the Education Act 1996 and the Human Rights Act 1998.

It is the first time that a UK court will scrutinise the legality of imposing LGBT ideology on primary schools.

The hearing continues.
This is the shocking moment a man who was allegedly on drugs caused traffic to come to a standstill while running naked down a street in Argentina.

Footage of the video recorded by a pedestrian shows a man identified as Adrian being chased by a police officer on Wednesday morning in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Nunez.

According to the online news portal Contexto Tucuman, Adrian was seen by his neighbors walking out of his building naked, which prompted them to call 911.

The viral clip shows the barefooted 28-year-old man slowly walking down Avenida del Libertador before he started jogging.

A man identified as Adrian was caught on camera walking naked in the middle of a street in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday morning. He was taken into custody by cops after residents at the building where the 28-year-old lives saw him leaving his home without clothes

Adrian was taken to a local hospital for a mental evaluation after he was arrested by Argentine cops in Buenos Aires for being naked in public

Moments later, Adrian could be seen running towards the intersection as a police officer chased after him and placed him under arrest.

'He was drugged and did not resist when he was apprehended,' a law enforcement agent told TN news outlet.

Adrian told police he had taken drugs at a party.

An Argentine man was seen running in the middle of a street in Buenos Aires on Wednesday morning before he was taken into custody by the police. The 28-year-old told cops he had taken drugs at a party

Adrian was taken Pirovano Hospital and admitted into the facility's mental health unit for an evaluation.

Social media users made light of the incident, joking that the man 'had an advantage because he ran slow or the cop lacked working out.'

Another person chimed in and said, 'the cop had less of a desire to chase him down that I do of going to the gym.'
Tyre Nichols' mom broke down as she paid a heartbreaking tribute to her son while thousands of mourners filled his funeral in Memphis.

Among those who paid their respects to Nichols, the 29-year-old unarmed black man who was brutally beaten following a traffic stop, included Rev. Al Sharpton and civil rights leader Ben Crump.

Several speakers used the occasion to call for urgent police reform, with Vice President Kamala Harris saying: 'We demand that Congress pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. It's non-negotiable.'

Nichols' mother RowVaughn Wells tearfully told the crowd: 'We need to pass that bill because if we don't the next child that dies, that blood is going to be on their hands.'

Nichols died on January 10, three days after he was brutally beaten by several Memphis police officers.

Thousands have descended on a Memphis church Wednesday for the funeral of Tyre Nichols, 29, a father-of-one

Tyre Nichols' mom RowVaughn Wells broke down as she paid a heartbreaking tribute to her son

Wells called for the passage of police reform in Congress, tearfully telling the crowd: 'We need to pass that bill because if we don't the next child that dies, that blood is going to be on their hands'

Vice-President Kamala Harris demanded police reform as a 'non-negotiable' at the service

Rev. Al Sharpton gave the eulogy for Tyre Nichols on Wednesday afternoon

As the ceremony got underway on Wednesday, the reverend remembered Nichols as a 'good person, a beautiful soul, a son, a father, a brother, a friend, a human being, gone too soon.'

He said Nichols was 'denied his rights to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness' and was 'denied [his] right to hold his son.'

Turner concluded his remarks by saying the pattern of black people being killed by police officers will be 'canceled and will not be renewed.'

'We're going to overcome in this struggle for justice for our brother Tyre Nichols,' he told the mourners.

The reverend added that the brutal attack on Nichols was 'particularly offensive' to the community because it was perpetrated by five black men.

'You didn't get there by yourself,' he said.

'People had to march for you... how dare you act like we didn't fight for you.'

As he continued his eulogy following remarks from Vice-President Harris, Sharpton called for an end to qualified immunity while condemning the officers who killed Nichols.

'You don't fight crime by becoming criminals yourself,' he said.

'You don't fight gangs by becoming five men against an unarmed man. That's not policing, that's punks.

'If that man had been white, I believe you wouldn't have beat him that night. We're not asking for anything special, we're just asking to be treated fair.'

Sharpton also echoed Harris' call for the passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act as he said people would have to pay the 'same dues' of the civil rights era to make meaningful change.

Addressing Tyre Nichols' family, Sharpton said: 'We'll be there with them when the cameras are gone, when there is no longer a story... it doesn't matter how long.

'We are wedded in this struggle together.'

Nichols' mother, RowVaughn Wells, cried as she and her husband, Rodney Wells, attended her son's funeral service on Wednesday

Crump is pictured with Nichols' mother, RowVaughn Wells, and stepfather, Rodney Wells

RowVaughn Wells is pictured placing a flower on her son's casket ahead of the ceremony

Attorney Ben Crump is pictured arriving to attend the funeral service on Wednesday

Flowers were delivered for the ceremony ahead of the Celebration of Life

Several speakers have given eulogies at the service, which is being held at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church Wednesday afternoon

Harris appeared alongside the Rev. Al Sharpton and civil rights attorney Ben Crump to call for passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act

Taking the stage after Sharpton, civil rights attorney Ben Crump thanked the reverend for his work in bringing attention to police brutality.

'For every George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, there are 100's of others out there being killed,' he said.

'Without local activists, we never would have heard the name Tyre Nichols.'

The attorney also mirrored Sharpton's support for police reform after Kamala Harris called it a 'non-negotiable'.

He noted that there would be a 'duty to intervene' policy included in the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act that was championed by the VP earlier in the service, as Crump urged for quicker action against such crimes.

'In this call to action, we build his legacy,' he added.

'We have to remember Memphis... it is important that the community sees swift justice.'

Speaking after Crump's call to action, Nichols' sisters paid a heartbreaking tribute to their fallen brother, reciting poetry and condemning how Tyre's death led to one 'losing my faith'.

'I screamed and cried at how this could happen. It is a pain I have never felt, when those monsters hurt my baby brother. Even in his demise he was still polite. He asked them to 'please' stop.

'I will always love by baby brother.'

Tyre's parents thanked the crowd and activists for their support following the attack, as his stepfather Rodney Wells said: 'The journey is not going to end here, it is just beginning.'

'We are looking forward to getting justice, this is a continual fight. We can't continue to let these people brutalize our kids.'

He also slammed the aftermath of the killing, where he said the manner in which Tyre's killing was recalled to him was full of 'lies and deceit'.

'The truth will always come to light,' he added.

Nichols' mother RowVaughn issued a heartbreaking call for police reform, echoing calls from Vice President Harris and Ben Crump, she urged Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

She said: 'We need to pass that bill because if we don't the next child that dies, that blood is going to be on their hands.

'The only thing keeping me going is believing my son was sent on an assignment. And now that assignment is over he has gone home.

'Tyre was a beautiful person.'

Rev. Al Sharpton said Wednesday morning he plans to address police brutality in his eulogy

Nichols has been described as a skateboarder and amateur photographer who worked making boxes at FedEx, made friends during his morning visits to Starbucks, and always greeted his mother and stepfather by saying: 'Hello parents.'

He was the youngest of his siblings, born 12 years after his next older sibling. Nichols had a 4-year-old son and worked hard to better himself as a father, his family said.

Nichols grew up in Sacramento, California, and loved the San Francisco 49ers.

He moved to Memphis just before the coronavirus pandemic and got stuck. But he was fine with it because he was with his mother, RowVaughn Wells, and they were incredibly close, she said. He even had her name tattooed on his arm.

Friends at a memorial service last week described him as joyful and kind, quick with a smile, often silly.

'This man walked into a room, and everyone loved him,' said Angelina Paxton, a friend who traveled to Memphis from California for the memorial service.

Earlier on Wednesday, Sharpton told MSNBC hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski how he plans to address police brutality in his eulogy.

He said the 'only comfort' that he can afford Nichols' family 'is that we will stand with them and fight in the name of Tyre and others to try and change the legal and legislative structure that deals with policing in this country.'

He also noted that he and Nichols' family are 'united in passing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act,' saying he has been 'talking with my colleagues and civil rights leadership as well as members of the Senate to really try and push police reform in light of this.

'To go to Memphis and think Martin Luther King died here on a cold balcony in April 1968, and we're here now where five black cops beat an unarmed man to death and there's no federal legislation that addresses this shows the shame that we have of what has happened to Tyre Nichols,' Sharpton told the Morning Joe hosts.

'To think that Dr. King died to put blacks on the police force and they're acting in as brutal a force as any racist police is why we're here today, and I'm going to address that directly in the eulogy,' he said.

Sharpton added that he thinks 'it's a bit fitting the first black woman vice president will be there because this building where Dr. King died will show how far we came from.

'As Joe [Biden] was in Europe last week to show the human carnage, how low we can be, now we have to rise up together to fight this. We can't just accept it.'

Vice President Kamala Harris is seen arriving for the funeral of Tyre Nichols

Jim Strickland, mayor of Memphis, welcomed U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris

Tristan Strickland, left, and Dan Beazley, right, hold up a cross in front of the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church

Harrowing video released last week showed Nichols crying out for his mother as he is pinned to the ground by multiple officers, pepper sprayed in the face, kicked and punched in the head, while struck with a metal baton.

Police hit him at least nine times during the nearly five minute altercation, just 80 yards from his home, as they continued to scream profanities at him.

Then, even after paramedics arrived, Nichols had to wait for nearly half an hour slumped over the pavement for any significant medical treatment.

Eventually, he was transported to a local hospital, where he would succumb to his injuries three days later.

The violent incident began with officers dragging Nichols from the driver's seat of his car as he yells out, 'D**n, I didn't do anything ... I am just trying to go home'

After fleeing towards his mother's house and being tasered by one of the cops, Nichols is tackled and held down by two officers, who repeatedly shout 'give me your hands!'

Nichos is seen sitting propped against a car following the beating on January 7

The terrifying encounter began with a traffic stop, when multiple unmarked cop cars surrounded Nichols' vehicle and officers dragged him from the driver's seat as one could be heard yelling, 'Get the f*** out of the f****** car.'

'D**n, I didn't do anything ... I am just trying to go home,' responds Nichols.

TIMELINE OF EVENTS IN NICHOLS' DEATH January 7: Police pull over Tyre Nichols on suspicion of reckless driving at 8.30pm. Tyre fled on foot after a 'confrontation' but was apprehended by cops soon after. An ambulance was called to the scene after Tyre complained of shortness of breath, and was transferred to hospital in a critical condition. January 10: Three days after the stop Tyre, 29, died from his injuries sustained in the incident. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced that they were looking into his death. January 15: Five officers are relieved of duty while the investigation into their use of force continues. Preliminary findings indicate the serious nature of the offences. All of the officers were given a notice regarding the impeding administrative actions. January 18: The Department of Justice announces that a civil rights investigation has been opened into the death of Tyre. January 20: Memphis Police Department identifies, and fires five offices involved in the traffic stop, due to their violation of multiple department polices. Officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills, Jr, and Justin Smith's jobs were terminated for failing in their 'excessive use of force, duty to intervene, and duty to render aid'. Two Memphis Fire Department employees who were part of Nichols' 'initial patient care' were also fired. January 23: The family of Tyre Nichols and their attorney, Ben Crump, view the footage of his arrest for the first time. Crump compares it to the assault of Rodney King by LAPD officers in 1991. January 26: All five officers are charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, two charges of aggravated kidnapping, two charges of official misconduct and one charge of official oppression. January 27: Four of the former officers each paid bond of $250,000 each to be released after their arrest. Body-cam footage of the assault is released. Advertisement

'On the ground, on the ground,' an officer says as cops force Nichols to the ground, order him to lay on his stomach and squirt him in the face with pepper spray.

'Alright, I'm on the ground,' Nichols can be heard saying, with a cop responding profanely: 'B***h, put your hands behind your back before I . I'm going to knock your ass the f*** out.'

'Get on the f****** ground. I'm going to Tase you,' one cop says.

'You guys are really doing a lot right now. I'm just trying to go home,' says Nichols.

Several cops then began kicking Nichols as he lies on the ground. Nichols broke free, scrambles to his feet and sprinted away down a road with officers chasing him on foot.

One officer then fires a taser at Nichols, but later remarks that only one prong struck him, meaning the circuit was not completed and the electric shock was not delivered.

After running for roughly half a mile, Nichols is seen being tackled and held down by two other officers involved in the pursuit, who repeatedly shout 'give me your hands!'

Other cops are seen arriving on foot as Nichols is being pinned down. One sprays pepper spray at Nichols, also hitting himself in the face.

Two officers held Nichols to the ground as he moves about, then the third appears to kick him in the head.

He slumped more fully onto the pavement with all three officers surrounding him. The same officer then kicks him again.

The officer who used the pepper spray then extends a telescoping metal baton, shouting, 'I'm gonna baton the f*** out of him!' before striking Nichols three times in the back.

Several officers are later seen propping Nichols up on his feet as one and punches his face. Nichols stumbles and turns, still held up by two officers.

The officer who punched him then walked around to Nichols' front and punches him three more times. Then Nichols collapsed.

Nichols is heard repeatedly screaming, 'Mom! Mom!' during the struggle, but goes silent after blows to his face.

After Nichols is handcuffed, he appeared to be unresponsive and unable to sit upright.

As the minutes tick by, cops are heard cursing, wisecracking and ordering him to sit up as he slumps over onto the pavement.

Even after paramedics arrive on the scene, they do not appear to render immediate aid.

In total, Nichols lied on the pavement for more than 19 minutes as at least eight cops mill around the scene, flushing pepper spray out of their own eyes.

Nearly half an hour after the assault, an ambulance finally pulled up and a stretcher was unloaded to transport Nichols to the hospital.

Charged with second degree murder are (top, left to right) Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, and (bottom, left to right) Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith

Preston Hemphill has been suspended with pay pending a hearing, but was spared criminal charges

In the aftermath, Memphis authorities announced that five black officers were relieved from duty.

Justin Smith, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III, Demetrius Haley and Tadarrius Bean were later charged with second-degree murder, assault, kidnapping, official misconduct and oppression in the fatal beating of Nichols.

Preston Hemphill was also suspended with pay pending a hearing, but has so far been spared the criminal charges filed against his five police colleagues.

Hemphill, 26, who joined the force in 2018, wore the body-camera that captured the first of four videos released by authorities on Friday of the traffic stop and violent confrontation that followed.

In the video, Hemphill is seen 'violently pulling Nichols from his car while hitting him on the ground with a taser, later saying, "I hope they stomp his a**" after Nichols ran away', the family's lawyers said.

A seventh officer who was not immediately identified has also been relieved of duty without pay, the police department said.

Police Chief Cerelyn Davis has said an unspecified number of officers besides the five initially implicated remained under investigation for policy infractions stemming from the arrest of Nichols.
Now that Donald Trump has opened the floodgates against potential 2024 GOP challenger Ron DeSantis, he is going all-in, calling the wildly popular Florida governor a 'Republican in Name Only'.

In true Trump form, the ex-president came up with the nickname 'Ron DeSanctimonious' just weeks before announcing his White House bid in November  and started gradually getting more direct with his attacks.

Over the weekend Trump made a one-day, two-state swing to early primary contest states of New Hampshire and South Carolina. On his flight between the two east coast states, Trump told reporters on his plane that it would be very 'disloyal' if DeSantis ran against him in a 2024 GOP primary.

Now he is escalating the criticism as it appears increasingly likely that DeSantis could launch a White House bid.

Donald Trump is escalating his attacks against Ron DeSantis, calling the widely popular Florida Governor a RINO or Republican in Name Only

The former president said that DeSantis is trying to rewrite history by touting his anti-lockdown stances and claimed the Florida governor is a 'globalist' who 'loved vaccines'

DeSantis has been slow to respond to criticism from the former president, but did say Tuesday that voters in Florida have rendered their judgment on him by reelecting him for a second term.

In a series of posts and reposts to Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump got fantastical in his claims against DeSantis, claiming that the anti-lockdown governor 'loves vaccines' and 'closed' beaches.

'The real Ron is a RINO GLOBALIST, who closed quickly down Florida and even its beaches,' Trump wrote. 'Loved the Vaccines and wasted big money on "Testing." How quickly people forget!'

He was responding to a post on his social media website that claimed Trump would 'destroy' DeSantis in a primary.

Several other tweets were re-truthed by Trump, including one that said: 'DeSantis has never been America first, he is faking it trying to build his conservative credentials until he is elected president.'

Another from a separate account noted: 'He's a globalist dude. Don't be fooled.'

'He supports Ukraine and criticized Trump on his foreign policy,' the user continued. 'Trump kept everyone in check and didn't start any wars....well he did rage a war against the DS [deep state] but that's a good thing. Dems have nobody that can stop Trump so they are using Ron.'

DeSantis brushed off Trump calling him 'disloyal', employing the moniker 'DeSanctimonious' and attacking his COVID-19 response by saying voters rendered their verdict by reelecting him for a second term

Trump 're-Truthed' several posts Wednesday going in on attacking Governor DeSantis

Specifically, Trump liked the line calling DeSantis a 'globalist'

One user wrote: 'DeSantis has never been America first, he is faking it trying to build his conservative credentials until he is elected president'

Trump twice referred to the Florida governor as 'DeSanctimonious' in Tuesday tweets.

DeSantis brushed off the criticism, claiming the 'verdict has been rendered' that his leadership, especially his Covid-19 response, is popular with the people who voted to reelect him.

The Florida governor was unruffled at a press conference on higher education Tuesday, saying, in response to Trump's comments: 'I roll out of bed, I have people attacking from all angles, It's been happening for many, many years.'

He added: 'If you look at the good thing about it though, is like if you take a crisis situation like Covid, the good thing about it is when you're an elected executive, you have to make all kinds of decisions, you've got to steer that ship.

'And the good thing is that the people are able to render a judgment on that, whether they reelect you or not.

'So I would say, that verdict has been rendered by the people of the state of Florida,' DeSantis concluded, referring to his massive reelection victory in the 2022 midterms.

Trump speaks from South Carolina for the first day of high-profile campaigning on the 2024 trail

DeSantis earned the ire of Trump after his increasingly popular policies in Florida led to national notoriety and whispers that he could seek a White House bid.

The former president's 2024 campaign, meanwhile, is gaining more support after a lackluster start.

DeSantis only earned his spot in the governor's mansion in 2018 after Trump swooped into the neck-and-neck race. The endorsement saw DeSantis jump in the polls by double-digits.

'Ron would have not been governor if it wasn't for me,' Trump told reporters aboard his plane on Saturday, en route to South Carolina for a campaign event.

'So then when I hear he might run, I consider that very disloyal,' he lamented.

Trump kicked off his 2024 bid with stops in early primary contest states of New Hampshire and South Carolina on Saturday.

As Trump kicked off his 2024 White House bid on Saturday, he took a jab at DeSantis by claiming it would be 'very disloyal' if he launched a White House primary bid against him

He also slammed DeSantis for closing Florida for a 'long period of time' during the Covid-19 pandemic when other Republican states did not, claiming the governor and his team are 'trying to rewrite history.'

In a pair of posts on his Truth Social app, Trump wheeled out the 'DeSanctimonious' nickname twice as he accused DeSantis of being a 'globalist' and having 'shut down Florida and its beaches' during the pandemic.

His return to using the moniker is a sign that the ex-president is ready for all-out political warfare against his rival. DeSantis has not formally declared a White House bid, but his refusal to rule one out has infuriated Trump.

Trump first used the 'Ron DeSanctimonious' line during a rally in Pennsylvania just three days before the midterm elections - and was promptly criticized by top Republicans for attacking the governor on the eve of his re-election bid.

He initially backed off, and even encouraged people to vote for DeSantis the next day, before steadily upping his attacks once again.

In the first of two posts on Sunday night, Trump issued rare praise for the media over press coverage of his first two campaign events, which took place in New Hampshire and then South Carolina on Saturday.

He wrote on Truth Social hours later: 'The revelations about Ron DeSanctimonious doing FAR WORSE than many other Republican governors, including that he unapologetically shut down Florida and its beaches, was interesting, indeed.

Trump added, referring to himself in the third person: 'DJT leading BIG!!!'

In the second post, made just after midnight on Monday, Trump went on a bizarre tangent against conservative group Club For Growth - and somehow, DeSantis was caught up in the mix.

The influential organization has been at odds with Trump since the 2022 midterm season, when it clashed with him on two high-profile Republican Senate primaries in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

It also undercut his November 15 presidential announcement by releasing an early 2024 poll the day before that which showed Trump losing to DeSantis.

'The Club For No Growth is a GLOBALIST group that I have been taking to the cleaners for years. We worked together for a period, but they couldn't get away from China, Europe, Asia, and part's unknown,' Trump wrote on Truth Social in the early hours of Monday morning.

'They know I won't play that game, I am America First all the way. That's the ONLY way we will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.

'Ron DeSanctimonious, who I made Governor in BOTH the Primary & the General, is also a Globalist, & so are his donors.'

He also tried to link DeSantis to Jeb Bush, the former Republican governor of Florida who Trump soundly defeated for the GOP nomination in 2024 - despite the former's place in one of America's foremost political dynasties.

In his first of two Truth Social posts wheeling out his 'Ron DeSanctimonious' line, Trump accused the Florida governor of shutting down his state during the pandemic

In the second post, Trump also took aim at conservative group Club For Growth

DeSantis has so far been unwilling to take on Trump in public, a strategy that's appeared to pay off for him up until now.

He's seen his GOP star rise throughout the Biden administration with his vocal opposition to the president's progressive policies.

He's also made a name for himself with Trump's MAGA base by wading into the culture wars with LGBTQ-targeted legislation and taking on Critical Race Theory in schools.

But through it all, DeSantis has repeatedly insisted that his focus is on Florida, when asked about his 2024 ambitions. It's done little to quell the buzz, especially among fellow Republicans.

'Obviously, DeSantis and Trump are the two candidates, right, whether he's declared or not,' New Hampshire's GOP Gov. Chris Sununu said on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday.
He suggests Brexit enabled delivery of NLAWS - the anti-tank weapons - to Kyiv

Ex-PM insists UK was able to take a 'very distinct' approach due to leaving EU

Boris Johnson tonight claimed Britain's ability to support Ukraine in the face of Russia's invasion had been boosted by Brexit.

The ex-prime minister insisted the UK was able to take a 'very distinct' approach to the Ukraine war due to leaving the EU.

Mr Johnson suggested Britain's supply of thousands of NLAWS - the anti-tank weapon systems - to Ukraine would not have happened if the UK had 'stuck with' the 'old EU approach'.

Speaking at a think tank event on his trip to Washington D.C., Mr Johnson took issue with a suggestion the UK had been able to take a leading role in supporting Kyiv 'despite Brexit'.

Boris Johnson insisted the UK was able to take a 'very distinct' approach to the Ukraine war due to leaving the EU

The ex-PM suggested Britain's supply of thousands of NLAWS - the anti-tank weapon systems - to Ukraine would not have happened if the UK had 'stuck with' the 'old EU approach'

Answering questions after delivering a speech at the Atlantic Council, the former premier said: 'First of all that phrase "despite Brexit".

'I seriously think that it was in part because of Brexit that we were able to take a decision and to have an approach that was very distinct from the old EU approach, which was by the way all governed by the fabled Normandy Format.

'Remember the Normandy Format which was agreed in Normandy in 2014.

'For reasons that are now obscure to me, the British government decided they did not want to be involved in this.

'France and Germany led it, that was the EU framework. If wed stuck with that, I dont believe we would have delivered the NLAWS.

'And I think we would have taken a very different approach, to be perfectly frank.

'So I think because of Brexit weve been able to do things differently and I hope in a way that has been useful to Ukraine.'

But Mr Johnson added that world leaders all accepted there was 'no way forward' apart from supporting Ukraine against Vladimir Putin's forces.

'Whenever people get together on this subject, they're driven by the logic of the position... to support Ukraine,' he said.

'Because there isn't a deal you can do with Putin, everybody spots that - France, Germany wherever, we all come to the same conclusion.

'There's no way forward except backing the Ukrainians.'

Mr Johnson prompted anger last year with his comparison between Ukraine's resistance to Russia's invasion and Britain's vote to leave the EU.

Critics swiftly pointed out that Ukraine itself had applied to be a member of the Brussels-based bloc.

Others said it was an 'insult' to compare Brexit to how Ukrainians were sacrificing their lives to fight for freedom.

Mr Johnson has also used his trip to Washington D.C. this week to pile pressure on Britain and the US to supply fighter jets to Ukraine

Downing Street today continued to rule out sending British fighter jets to Ukraine despite Mr Johnson's intervention

Mr Johnson has used his trip to Washington D.C. this week to pile pressure on Western leaders to supply fighter jets to Ukraine - despite both Britain and the US ruling out such a move.

In a swipe at the reluctance from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden to provide Kyiv with air support, he told Fox News: 'Every time we say that it will be a mistake to give such and such an item of weaponry, we end up doing it and it ends up being the right thing for Ukraine.'

Downing Street today continued to rule out sending British fighter jets to Ukraine despite Mr Johnson's intervention.

Mr Sunak's official spokesman said: 'Its currently not practical to send UK jets, we will continue to work closely with the Ukrainians to understand their needs and how allies can further support them.

'Given the complexity of UK fighter jets and the length of time required to train them we do not currently think it is practical to do so.'
Pope Francis held a mass for of one million of his Congolese flock on Wednesday

Pope Francis visited his flock in the Democratic Republic of Congo in an intimate mass that gave the opportunity for victims of war crimes to tell their harrowing stories.

On Wednesday the Pope heard first-hand accounts of some of the 'inhuman violence' suffered by the Congolese, including a former sex slave who was forced into cannibalism, with an audience of one million people.

Other victims included a teen-age girl 'raped like an animal' for months and a young man who watched as his father was decapitated.

The Pope travelled to the capital of Kinshasa and sat in silence as victim after victim came forward with their gut-wrenching stories of the foul atrocities suffered at the hands of rebel groups.

Territory in the mineral-rich region has been sought after through bloodshed and barbaric violence that have forced more than 5 million people to flee their homes.

The Pope travelled to the capital of Kinshasa and sat in silence as victim after victim came forward with their gut-wrenching stories of the foul atrocities

Victims offered up at the foot of a crucifix a symbol of their pain: the machete used to maim and kill, or the straw bed mat on which they had been raped.

As they knelt in front of him for a blessing, Pope Francis placed his hand on their heads, or on the stumps of the arms that remained.

'Your tears are my tears; your pain is my pain,' Francis told them.

'To every family that grieves or is displaced by the burning of villages and other war crimes, to the survivors of sexual violence and to every injured child and adult, I say: I am with you; I want to bring you God's caress.'

Despite being home to one of the largest U.N. peacekeeping operation in the world, eastern Congo has been mired in violence since the early 1990s as rebels and miliitas vie for control of mineral-rich territory.

Pope Francis has called this the 'forgotten genocide' that barely makes the news.

Francis slammed foreign powers and extraction industries exploiting Congo's east, calling out the 'hypocrisy' of flourishing commerce as 'as people are being raped and killed.'

The Pope had originally planned to visit the eastern province of North Kivu, where rebel groups have intensified attacks in the past year, when his trip was initially scheduled for July.

Francis slammed foreign powers and extraction industries exploiting Congo's east, calling out the 'hypocrisy' of flourishing commerce as 'as people are being raped and killed'

But after the trip was rescheduled, the Vatican had to cancel the visit to Goma due to the fighting that has forced some 5.7 million people to flee their homes.

This latest eruption of violence has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Congo, where already some 26.4 million people face hunger, according to the World Food Program.

Instead, residents of the east came to Francis, and their testimony was gut-wrenching.

Emelda M'karhungulu, from a village near Bukavu in Congo's South Kivu province, spoke through a translator of having been kept as a sexual slave for three months at age 16 by armed men who invaded her village in 2005.

She said she was raped daily by five to 10 men who then forced their captives to eat the flesh of the men they had killed, mixed with animal meat and maize paste.

M'karhungulu said she eventually escaped one day when fetching water.

While forced cannibalism is not known to be widespread, the United Nations and human rights groups documented how it was used as a weapon of war in the early 2000s in parts of eastern Congo.

'Bijoux Makumbi Kamala, 17, told of being kidnapped in 2020 by rebels in Walikale, in North Kivu province as she went to fetch water.

On Wednesday the Pope heard first-hand accounts of some of the 'inhuman violence' suffered by the Congolese with an audience of one million people

Speaking through a translator, she said she was raped daily by the commander 'like an animal,' until she escaped after 19 months.

'It was useless to scream, because no one could hear me or come to my rescue,' she said.

The teenager gave birth to twin girls 'who will never know their father' and found consolation through services offered by the Catholic Church.

Ladislas Kambale Kombi, from the Beni area of eastern North Kivu province, told Francis of watching as men in military uniforms decapitated his father, placed his head in a basket and then took off with his mother, whom he never saw again.

'At night, I cannot sleep,' he said.

Desire Dhetsina disappeared after surviving an attack Feb. 1, 2022, on a camp for internally displaced people in Ituri province, on Congo's northeastern border with Uganda.

'I saw savagery: People carved up like meat in a butcher shop; women disemboweled, men decapitated,' Dhetsina reported.

As his story was read to Francis, two woman stood up in front of the pope and raised into the air the stumps that remained of their mutilated arms.

Francis condemned the violence and urged the Congolese victims to use their pain for good, to sow peace and reconciliation.

It was a message he also delivered earlier in the day at a Mass to the throngs at Kinshasa's Ndolo airport, where he cited the example of Christ who forgave those who betrayed him.

Roughly half of Congo's 105 million people are Catholic, according to the Vatican, which also estimated that 1 million people were on hand for Francis' Mass, citing local organizers.
A thug who battered a paramedic who went to help him before smashing up an ambulance has been jailed for two years.

Paramedic Steve Raven had gone to help the thug who assaulted him in an attack that has left the brave emergency worker with hearing loss and facial numbness.

Henry Grain, 20, was jailed for two years after leaving Mr Raven with a broken jaw after punching him in the face outside a bar in Leominster, Herefordshire before smashing an ambulance window.

In this case, body-worn camera footage from West Midlands Ambulance Service was used for the first ever time as part of an investigation into an assault of a member of the ambulance service.

A court heard paramedics were called to Shooters Bar on March 4 last year to reports of an unresponsive pub-goer inside.

Henry Grain, 20, has been jailed for two years after leaving Mr Raven with a broken jaw after punching him in the face outside a bar in Leominster, Herefordshire

But when medics tried to help Grain he responded violently - punching Steve in the face and proceeding to damage an ambulance window.

He also broke one of the ambulance door hinges, taking the vehicle off the road for repairs, before police arrived at the scene.

Grain, of Leominster, pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent and was jailed for two years at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday.

Steve said after the case: 'We had been tasked to a report of an unresponsive man in a public house.

'After initial treatment, we took him out to the ambulance where he became aggressive, so we activated the ambulance CCTV system and our body worn cameras.

'I love my job, but this incident has had a profound impact on me. As well as the time for my bone to heal I have been left with facial numbness and hearing loss.

'It has also affected me psychologically - I get very nervous when I attend similar situations.

'Often we don't feel that the law provides us with enough protection, but I was pleased that the judge in his summing up was quite strong in his disgust at what Grain did.

Paramedic Steve Raven had gone to help the thug who assaulted him in an attack that has left the brave emergency worker with hearing loss and facial numbness

'He understood that this was an assault on someone who had gone there to help a patient and ended up off work for weeks, robbing the public of a paramedic at a time when it is incredibly challenged.

'When I started this job in 2015, the thought that I would need to wear a body worn camera for my protection would have seemed absurd, but I am so glad that both the vehicle and our staff have that option.

'I feel sure that being able to capture what happened made all the difference when it came to the prosecution and I would urge all my colleagues to use the system every time they go out, you just never know when you might need it.'

West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) said it was the first time body worn camera footage was provided to the police in the West Midlands region as part of an investigation into an assault on their staff.

Nathan Hudson, WMAS emergency services operations delivery director, said: 'I welcome this sentence as it shows how seriously the court took the violence against Steve.

Henry Grain has now become the first person to be convicted as a result of body-worn camera footage worn by staff at Britain's second biggest ambulance service

'Ambulance staff are there to help people in their hour of need.

'We know that the vast majority of the public find violence against our staff to be abhorrent.

'The impact that violence against our staff has on their lives can be profound: we have seen cases where colleagues are left scared to be alone with a patient; some get flash backs and other mental health impacts.

'These often long term effects are on top of the recovery that is needed for their physical injuries that may stop them being able to work for days, weeks or months.

'Violence is not acceptable and we all need to work together to stop it happening.'
This is the moment a BBC debate about Brexit descended into chaos after an anti-Brexit campaigner was dragged away by security while shouting for the Conservatives to get out of power.

Steve Bray, a well-known pro-EU campaigner, was forcefully thrown out of the debate after shouting: 'Tories out!'

He also heckled Tory MP and prominent Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg as he was put in a headlock and dragged away by three men, The Express reports.

Mr Rees-Mogg showed he clearly recognised the protester, saying: 'Steve, it's very nice of you to come and join us.

Steve Bray, a well-known anti-Brexit campaigner who often protests outside Parliament, was ejected from a Radio 4 debate while shouting 'Tories out!'

Jacob Rees-Mogg responded to the drama by commenting: 'I've said to [Bray] many times, he should stand for election if he wants to get his arguments across'

'For those of you listening at home, Steve Bray stands outside the House of Commons every day shouting.

'I've said to him many times, he should stand for election if he wants to get his arguments across.'

The former Cabinet minister appeared on the Radio 4 debate, hosted by Mishal Husain, about the effects of Brexit with opponents Alastair Campbell and CBI boss Tony Danker.

The impact of Brexit hit the headlines this week after the IMF forecast Britain would have the weakest major economy in the world and would be the only one among the G7 to shrink this year.

Elsewhere, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed Brexit for 'literally saving lives' as he was interviewed by close ally Nadine Dorries.

The former PM pointed to the vaccine rollout as a major benefit as he dismissed critics who spread gloom about Brexit three years after the UK left the EU.

Mr Johnson was appearing on Ms Dorries' new show on Talk TV. The MP served as his Culture Secretary and has been one of his biggest cheerleaders on the Tory benches - often urging him to make a comeback.

Boris Johnson has hailed Brexit for 'literally saving lives' as he was interviewed by close ally Nadine Dorries

Mr Johnson urged Britons to ignore 'gloom-mongers' as senior EU players in the Brexit saga weighed in on the landmark date.

The most left-field claim came from wacky former Belgian PM and arch federalist Guy Verhofstadt, who suggested Brexit was to blame for Vladimir Putin's bloody invasion of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, former EU negotiator Michel Barnier suggested the UK had seen 'no added value' from leaving. He also lauded Keir Starmer as 'a European', something the Labour leader may not appreciate as he tries to keep his party happy.

Speaking to Ms Dorries on her programme - to be broadcast tomorrow at 8pm - Mr Johnson said that, thanks to Brexit, Britain's MHRA pharmaceutical watchdog, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, was able to act quickly and independently to approve Covid vaccines.

He added: 'Thank goodness that era is behind us, but one thing people forget - now let's pray it's behind us - but one thing people forget, thinking about the vaccine rollout is there we've got the, I think the third anniversary of Brexit, coming up, or the third anniversary of the day when we actually came out of the EU.

'You don't hear it much these days, but it is absolutely the case that had it not been for our ability to do our own regulation, had it not been for the fact that we'd come out of the European Medicines Agency, the MHRA was now totally free to decide how fast to approve the vaccine, we wouldn't have been able to do that vaccine rollout so fast.

'And you know, it is literally true that Brexit helped save lives. And people's eyes bulge a bit when you say that, but it happens to be true. I'm proud of that. I'm proud of all the work that those people did.'
U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg speaks at a forum hosted by Korean Women Journalists Association in Seoul, Feb. 1. Yonhap



Philip Goldberg, the top American envoy here, publicly asked South Korea on Wednesday to have confidence in Washington over its "extended deterrence" commitment against North Korean threats.



Goldberg made the remarks at a forum hosted by the Korean Women Journalists Association in Seoul, countering doubts among a growing number of people here regarding whether the U.S. is fully willing and ready to defend South Korea in the face of the North's advancing nuclear and missile programs.



Some even argue that the South should pursue its own nuclear development or the redeployment here of American tactical nukes. Others have raised concerns about the negative impact to the health of the alliance in case of Seoul's nuclear pursuit.



The ambassador sought to assure Seoul of Washington's full security commitment.



"I think that it's understandable that there are people who worry about the future and that's what I'm here to say is that they can rely on the U.S.," he said. "We are fully committed to using all of our resources to make sure that the commitment is real and that all of our deterrence is present to deter any threats here and especially from the DPRK."



DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.



Goldberg added that the U.S. is focused on further engaging in dialogue with its allies to "reassure an understandably anxious Korean population."



"On extended deterrence, we're continuing discussing the whole range of our capabilities with the Yoon (Suk Yeol) administration ... That will continue and I think you'll see further evidence of our willingness and our objective of reassuring the South Korean people if they are not convinced of it till now," he said. (Yonhap)


The Iranian national lived with Brenda Blainey in Yorkshire who he met in 2013

A failed asylum seeker who killed an elderly woman that 'treated him like a grandson' in an act of 'appalling brutality' has been detained indefinitely at a psychiatric hospital.

Shahin Darvish-Narenjbon, 34, was befriended by 87-year-old Brenda Blainey when she met him in a Leeds restaurant in 2013 and he went to live with her in the picturesque village of Thornton-le-Dale.

But on January 5 last year, the Iranian national strangled Mrs Blainey before smashing her head on the kitchen floor, stabbing her in the chest and cutting her throat.

Judge Rodney Jameson KC said: 'You killed Brenda Blainey is her own home in circumstances of appalling brutality'.

He said Mrs Blainey was likely placing a grocery order on the phone to the village shop when Darvish-Narenjbon launched his attack.

Shahin Darvish-Narenjbon who has been sentenced today at Leeds Crown Court after he killed Brenda Blainey who had given him a room in her home to live in

But the judge said: 'You have never given, and have never been capable of giving, a full account of what you did.'

Sentencing the defendant at Leeds Crown Court, Judge Jameson said three consultant forensic psychiatrists agreed Darvish-Narenjbon has schizophrenia and his 'retained responsibility' for the killing is 'low'.

The judge told him: 'I want to make it clear both to you and to the family of Brenda Blainey that this is not to say that your responsibility is extinguished; it is not.

'You remain, albeit to a low degree, responsible for the dreadful death of Mrs Blainey and for the grief and suffering that this has caused to her friends and family.'

The judge said he is satisfied the defendant poses a 'risk to members of the public of serious harm' and is capable of 'homicidal violence' while in psychosis.

Darvish-Narenjbon admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility at a previous hearing.

The court was told he was born in Tehran but has mainly lived in the UK since he was 15, although he stayed for a period in the US, where he spent time in a psychiatric unit.

His permission to remain in the UK expired in 2015 and his application for asylum was unsuccessful, as was his appeal against the refusal to allow him to stay.

He had exhausted all appeal options by 2017, but submitted another asylum claim in 2020  which was outstanding at the time of the killing.

Sentencing the defendant at Leeds Crown Court (pictured), Judge Jameson said three consultant forensic psychiatrists agreed Darvish-Narenjbon has schizophrenia and his 'retained responsibility' for the killing is 'low'

According to a Government source, he could not be removed from the UK between 2017 and 2020  when he lodged the second claim  because there was not a returns agreement in place with Iran.

The judge said on Wednesday: 'Given the situation in Iran, however, you will not presently be considered for deportation.'

Earlier this week, prosecutors said Darvish-Narenjbon, who was a student in Leeds, met Mrs Blainey at Carluccio's restaurant in 2013 and she offered him a room in her home, also letting him use a study and car.

Their friendship was characterised as a 'grandma-grandson relationship' and they spoke regularly while he was away studying in Leeds, the court heard.

Mrs Blainey even attended his masters degree graduation.

Darvish-Narenjbon, formerly of Tinshill Lane, Cookridge, Leeds, appeared in court by video-link from Rampton high security special hospital wearing a grey sweatshirt as members of Mrs Blainey's family watched in the court room.

The judge ordered him to be detained at Rampton 'without limit of time'.
The 46-year-old will appear in court tomorrow on the charges in Las Vegas

Actor Nathan Chasing Horse has been seen for the first time since his arrest in a mugshot that details his Native American face tattoo and glasses.

The 46-year-old looks haggard after his arrest on Tuesday for several counts of sexual abuse and human trafficking.

He is accused of running a cult that sexually abused young indigenous girls at his Las Vegas home  which he is said to share with five wives.

Sources have also claimed that he had suicide pills in case police stormed his home in Nevada where he was arrested on Tuesday.

Chasing Horse, real name Nathan Lee Chasing His Horse, is accused of being the leader of a cult called 'The Circle' and has been charged with sex trafficking, sexual assault of a child younger than 16 and child abuse.

Actor Nathan Chasing Horse has been seen for the first time since his arrest in a mugshot that details his Native American face tattoo and glasses

Nathan Chasing Horse, 46, was known for his role as Smiles a Lot - a young Sioux tribe member in the 1990 Oscar-winning film Dances With Wolves

The Native American played Smiles a Lot in the 1990 Oscar-winning film, Dances With Wolves and was arrested as part of a months-long investigation.

He was banned by tribal leaders from the Fort Peck Reservation amid human trafficking allegations after gaining a reputation among tribes across the US and Canada.

Chasing Horse was well known to the tribes as a 'Medicine Man' or 'Holy Person,' with those roles being highly regarded within Native American spiritual traditions and belief systems.

Police have accused him of using his reputation 'as a tool to sexually assault young girls on numerous occasions,' according to an arrest warrant, which noted that his followers believed he could communicate with higher beings.

Las Vegas police were investigating the actor's home in the north of the Nevada city for hours after he was taken into custody, searching the property.

Several SWAT officers were seen outside the two-story home as detectives carried out their search.

No resistance has been reported by the police when they entered the property, or when they arrested the actor near his home.

However, when moving in to raid the house, a chief concern among officers was the possibility of unsecured firearms being in the property, even with children present, 8 News Now said.

He has since been arrested for allegedly running a cult that sexually abused young indigenous girls at his Las Vegas home  which he is said to share with five wives

Corena Leone claims that Nathan Chasing Horse abused her from the age of 14  allegedly raping her to 'pay the price' for him to 'cure' her mother of cancer

Chasing Horse (right) is seen in 1999 taking part in a symbolic journey, carrying a sacred bundle from Rapid City, South Dakota, to Yellowstone National Park to raise awareness of the importance of bison

His arrest is the culmination of a months-long investigation that began after police received a tip in October 2022, according to a 50-page search warrant.

Las Vegas police have identified at least six alleged victims, with claims dating back to the early 2000s in multiple states  including Montana, South Dakota and Nevada.

He was born on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, which is home to the Sicangu Sioux, one of the seven tribes of the Lakota nation.

Court records show that his bail is set at a total of $45,000, and he is set to appear in court on Friday on several charges.

Some of the alleged victims were as young as 13, according to the warrant, and one woman claimed online that she was first raped by the star when she was just 14.

Corena Leone called the actor a 'predator' who demanded that she give her virginity to him and the life of her firstborn to help her mother, who had been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.

A second woman has also posted similar claims online, though has not revealed her identity.

Police allege he also used his position to abuse young Native American girls, some as young as 13. Pictured: Chasing Horse in the movie Dances With Wolves

His daughter Quannah Rose Chasinghorse, 20, is an IMG model and Native American activist

After meeting Chasing Horse in 2011, and says she was sexually assaulted by him in 2014 when she was just a child and has now launched a campaign of awareness.

Corena, who posted her claims online in September, says she called Chasing Horse and other men 'grandfather'  with the actor telling her she had to 'give up' her virginity to help her mother.

The daughter of Chasing Horse, Quannah Rose Chasing Horse, also shared support with Corena back in September.

The IMG model and activist says that she was brought up by her mother and step-father in Alaska and had nothing to do with him  despite having his name.

One of Chasing Horse's wives was allegedly offered to him as a 'gift' when she was 15, while another became a wife after turning 16.

Chasing Horse also is accused of recording sexual assaults and arranging sex with the victims for other men who allegedly paid him.
Federal agents were terrified that he would flee after the chance encounter

Kohberger and his father were pulled over twice in minutes by Indiana Police

An FBI surveillance team tracking suspected quadruple murderer Bryan Kohberger as he drove across the country lost him for 'several alarming hours'.

Authorities had planned to keep a close eye on the criminology student, 28, as he and his dad traveled more than 2,500 miles back to Pennsylvania for the holidays.

Kohberger and his father, Michael, left Pullman, Washington, where he was studying at Washington State University but were nearly immediately lost by the FBI.

The pair had just pulled out of the parking lot of his graduate housing before he vanished from the sight of police  before being pulled over twice as he made his way back to the family home.

A Hancock County Sheriff's Department confirmed Kohberger was pulled over by a deputy at around 10.41am on December 15.

Authorities had planned to keep a close eye on the criminology student, 28, as he and his dad traveled more than 2,500 miles back to Pennsylvania for the holidays

Kohberger and his father Michael left Pullman, Washington, where he was studying at Washington State University, but were nearly immediately lost by the FBI

Kohberger was pulled over twice within nine minutes while driving along I-70 in December, looking more concerned on the second occasion.

Sources have since told AirMail's Howard Blum, who is penning a true-crime book on the horrific slayings, that the 'chief suspect in a quadruple homicide that had shocked the nation had seemingly vanished.'

He said that law enforcement let on to the potentially disastrous slip-up 'with a bristle of embarrassment.'

Blum added: 'It would be a disaster  not just professionally, but also for their own peace of mind.'

It also meant that the white Hyundai Elantra that officers painstakingly tracked down and linked him to the murders in the first place had also vanished.

Kohberger also reportedly took an indirect route home with Michael telling a friend it was one that made little sense.

This FBI surveillance quickly went from panic to despair according to Blum, who added that they only picked him up again after an automatic license plate reader picked up his car in Colorado.

Kohberger and his vehicle were identified 900 miles after the cops initially lost them  around 15 hours from when they set off.

The crime took place on November 13 miles from where Kohberger was arrested. His father flew to meet his son in Washington and drove with him back to their Pennsylvania home

Best friends Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen, both 21, were murdered along with roommate Xana Kernodle and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin, both 20 in an off-campus home in Moscow

Two stops by Indiana Police also left the FBI frustrated and angry, insisting that they were not ordered to pull him over by lead investigators.

They feared Kohberger could flee or be arrested too soon if local cops recognized the car from appeals.

However, on both occasions, the suspected killer was let go, which allowed the agents to follow the car back to the Pocono Mountains.

A SWAT Team later swooped on the property, arresting Kohberger and raiding the home for evidence.

Those tracking him were also tasked with tracking Kohberger so they could arrest him as soon as a warrant was issued, as well as trying to get hold of an object to compare DNA to a sample found at the scene.

Law enforcement saw the suspect multiple times outside of his parents' $250,000 Pennsylvania home wearing surgical gloves.

Idaho police said the four University of Idaho students were murdered in their sleep between 3am and 4am. Pictured: Victims Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Maddie Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and 20-year-old Ethan Chapin

He was arrested after being tracked by the FBI for four days near his parents' home in Pennsylvania, with authorities narrowing down the suspect from genetic genealogy

Kohberger was also seen cleaning the inside and outside of his car, with a source adding that he didn't 'miss an inch'.

And he was reportedly spotted taking out the trash to his neighbors' bins at around 4am  the contents were recovered by officers.

Officers called to the scene of the bloody crime on November 13 quickly discovered a K-Bar knife sheath next to the bodies of Maddie Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves.

Unsealed court documents show the painstaking work done by officers, who matched the DNA found on the sheath to Kohberger's by comparing it to his father's DNA  which was a 99.9998 percent match, and identified via a genetic genealogy website.

He has been charged with the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Ethan Chapin, 20, on November 13.

Court documents recently revealed that police discovered d a pillow covered in 'blood' in Kohbergers Washington apartment.

A new search warrant, made public on January 17, shows that police found several hair strands, including one suspected animal hair, a black glove, a computer tower and one unnamed item with a collection of 'dark red spots'.

Court documents show police wanted to see if any hair had been 'transferred' onto Kohberger and then back to his apartment  including that of Kaylee Goncalves' dog Murphy

Kaylee's dog Murphy was spared during the slayings - officers found him alone in her room

Authorities initially sealed the search warrant for the murder suspect's Washington home  arguing that releasing the details could 'prematurely' end the investigation

They also hauled away a pillow with a 'reddish/brown stain' on it and the top and bottom of a mattress cover with 'multiple stains'.

Investigators who raided the property back in December also picked up receipts from Walmart and two Marshall's receipts, as well as collecting the contents of his vacuum cleaner.

Authorities initially sealed the search warrant for the murder suspect's Washington home  arguing that releasing the details could 'prematurely' end the investigation.

However, the document has since been unsealed with the approval of Whitman County Prosecutor Denis Tracy, who filed the motion on January 17.

Court documents show that eight strands of hair were recovered from the apartment, as well as a 'possible' animal hair.

They also recovered a Fire TV stick during their search. All the items are now being stored at the Washington State University Police department.

Authorities reportedly said they wanted to see if any hair had been 'transferred' onto Kohberger and then back to his apartment  including that of Kaylee Goncalves' dog Murphy.

Murphy was found alive in Kaylee's room by investigators who were called to the scene, and has now been returned to her ex-boyfriend.

The application also stated that the home where the students were murdered had a significant amount of blood from the victims  including 'spatter and castoff blood'.

Investigators believe that it was likely that the killer would have had blood evidence on their body or clothing, and hoped to find trace evidence in Kohberger's apartment.

However, they did not describe the results of any of the testing in the documents, and did not confirm if any hairs found matched the victims or Kaylee's dog.

His offices at Washington State University were also searched, but nothing was seized by officers.
Tom Girardi, the disgraced lawyer husband of Real Housewives star Erika Jayne, has been indicted for allegedly stealing $18million from clients including the grieving families of victims of the 2018 Lion Air crash.

Girardi is already facing a mountain of civil litigation over claims he stole money from his law firm.

Today, he was indicted by grand juries in Chicago and L.A. on allegations of stealing $3million from the plane crash victims, and an additional $15million from other clients.

Prosecutors say he stole the money to pay exorbitant American Express bills and membership fees for two country clubs.

He and Erika Jayne are estranged, but have not yet finalized their divorce. She filed for divorce in 2020.

Alzheimer's-ridden Girardi, 83, has been indicted on multiple counts of fraud

Tom Girardi, the disgraced lawyer husband of Real Housewives star Erika Jayne, has been indicted for fraud

Girardi, now 83, is in an assisted living center. His wife has claimed publicly that he is in the throes of dementia and he was formally diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2021.

It remains unclear if he will be deemed fit enough to stand trial. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.

Girardi was indicted on Wednesday by juries in Los Angeles and Chicago. His son-in-law from a previous marriage, David Lira, was also indicted in Chicago.

Among the allegations is that he stole $3million from the settlements of the families of victims of an Indonesian plane crash, and stole another $18million from his firm to cover his extravagant lifestyle.

The criminal indictment is the latest chapter in a sad saga that brings an end to Girardi's once-admired career.

He is facing multiple lawsuits for the alleged fraud and theft, which first came to light in 2020, around the same time Erika filed for divorce.

Much of the drama has played out in episodes of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

Christopher Kazuo Kamon, the law group's 49-year-old former CEO, was indicted along with Girardi in Los Angeles.

189 people died in the crash of Lion Air Flight JT-610. Girardi and his firm represented five relatives of victims, but stole $3million of their settlement money

Among the victims Girardi allegedly stole fromj was Bias Ramadhan, whose mother died in the crash

Girardi is best known for helping in the real-life, 1993 Erin Brokovich case against Pacific Gas & Electricity Co.

David Lira, Girardi's attorney, was also indicted

Their lawsuit obtained a settlement of $460million for the residents of Hinkley, a record at the time.

Before the indictment against him was filed, a separate law firm - Chicago-based Edelson PC - reimbursed the families Girardi is accused of ripping off.

That law firm said they would then pursue recouping the money from Girardi and his firm.

Erika Jayne has been named as a defendant in some of the lawsuits against her estranged husband, but has not been charged with any crime.

She has been dropped from some of those lawsuits, and insists she did nothing wrong.

Some of Girardi's victims went after her claiming that together, she and her estranged husband used stolen funds to prop up their expensive tastes.

The couple's palatial mansion sold for $7.5 million in October last year after falling into foreclosure.
Local reports suggest his family paid for his release, which is legal in Sudan

He was convicted of the 2008 murder of US diplomat John Granville in Sudan

Sudanese authorities have released a man convicted of killing a US diplomat in a 2008 drive-by shooting in the nation's capital, Khartoum.

Abdel-Raouf Abu Zaid walked free on Monday after spending 15 years behind bars for the murder of John Granville, an official with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) who was working to implement a peace agreement that ended more than two decades of civil war in the country.

While previous reports suggested Abu Zaid - who is designated a terrorist by the US - was released as a part of a deal brokered between the Trump administration and Sudan, the State Department refuted those claims Wednesday.

Instead, local reports said Abu Zaid was freed because his family paid money to the family of a Sudanese driver who was killed in the attack on Granville. Under the Islamic Law Sudan follows, a convict can be pardoned if his victim's family is financially compensated.

Before his release, Abu Zaid was facing the death penalty for his crime. The US State Department said it was 'deeply concerned' by the news, and 'troubled' by the Sudanese government's lack of transparency on the matter.

John Granville, 33, was working to promote peace settlements in Sudan which ended civil war

Abdel-Raouf Abu Zaid walked free on Monday after spending 15 years behind bars

Granville, 33, and another USAID worker were being driven home early in the morning on January 1, 2008, from a New Year's Eve party at the British embassy in Sudan, when another vehicle cut them off.

Gunmen opened fire from the car, killing the Sudanese driver and the other USAID worker instantly, and wounding Granville. He died from his injuries a few hours later.

Abu Zaid and four other men were apprehended shortly after the attack, with Abu Zaid and three of the killers being sentenced to death by hanging, and the fifth receiving a two-year prison sentence for providing the weapons used in the attack.

The four killers broke out of prison two years later - killing a Sudanese police officer and wounding another in a shootout - before disappearing.

Only Abu Zaid was recaptured, with the other three believed to have escaped to Somalia.

Local reports suggested two of those three have since died.

Earlier this month, Abu Zaid's family apologized for the killing of Granville and his driver,.

'We, as a family, apologize and acknowledged Abdel-Raoufs mistake and he already admitted his mistake and expressed his regret and remorse for what has happened,' they said in a video message.

John Granville in Sudan. To promote the nation's elections he helped distribute radios

John Granville's body in a flag-draped casket is delivered to US officials after his 2008 murder

The killer's brother, Abdel-Malek Abu Zaid, posted photos on social media showing the scene outside the prison following Abdel-Raouf's release.

He has not elaborated on the details of his brother's release.

A spokesman for Sudan's ruling military declined to comment on the case.

Other officials could not be reached for comment.

The US State Department, which designated Abu Zaid a terrorist in 2013, said it was seeking more information from the authorities in Khartoum.

'We call for full accountability for the murders,' of Granville and his driver, Abdel Rahman Abbas Rahama, the State Department said.

In 2021, Sudan paid the US $335 million to settle compensation lawsuits related to a number of deadly attacks against US citizens by Sudan, including Granville's. At least $2.5 million from that sum went to his family.
British Gas has been habitually sending debt collectors to break into the homes of vulnerable customers who have fallen behind on repayments and forcing pay-as-you-go meters on them, according to a new investigation.

Warrants forcing customers into such agreements should only be used in exceptional circumstances and never be expected of vulnerable customers, energy regulator Ofgem states.

And yet, an investigation by The Times allegedly determined the practice is happening more than ever, with debt collectors even offered monetary bonuses when they fit meters.

Chris O'Shea, the CEO of Centrica, which owns British Gas, told MailOnline he is 'extremely disappointed' by the nature of the allegations.

'Protecting vulnerable customers is an absolute priority and we have clear processes and policies to ensure we manage customer debt carefully and safely. The allegations around our third-party contractor are unacceptable and we immediately suspended their warrant activity.

British Gas has been habitually sending debt collectors to break into the homes of vulnerable customers who have fallen behind on repayments and forcing pay-as-you-go meters on them, according to a new investigation

'Having recently reviewed our internal processes to support our prepayment customers as well as creating a new 10 million fund to support those prepayment customers who need help the most, I am extremely disappointed that this has occurred.

'As a result, on Wednesday morning, we took a further decision to suspend all our prepayment warrant activity at least until the end of the winter.'

Mr O'Shea said there needs to be a balance between 'managing spiralling bad debt and being aware that there are those who refuse to pay and those who cannot pay'.

'Government, industry and the regulator need to come together to agree a long-term plan to address this and ultimately create an energy market that is sustainable.'

Gas and energy bills have spiralled amid a mounting cost of living crisis in the UK. Households are paying on average 1,200 more annually when compared to before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Energy companies have the jurisdiction to apply for warrants from the court to enter a customer's home by force and install prepayment meters if they have fallen behind on bills.

But this practice was supposed to be getting tougher amid the cost of living crisis. Instead, the publication reports a surge in warrants - from 275,000 in 2019 to 345,000 in the 11 months to December.

The debt collectors involved work for Arvato Financial Solutions, which is a contractor for British Gas. The publication alleges employees are incentivised with cash bonuses to install meters.

The reporter who was embedded into the company and worked alongside the debt collectors said they could earn points worth almost 4 per job.

Once a prepayment meter is fitted, customers must top up to get the gas to turn on. Regular repayments are then taken from the bank account, and the supply is cut off if there is not enough credit to cover the cost of the gas

One Arvarto debt collector the reporter worked alongside allegedly said of the warrant process: 'Honestly, it's a little bit cheeky. Basically the government says you can't disconnect residential customers so what we do is we install a prepayment meter and then if they don't top up they self-disconnect. So we don't actually disconnect them. It's a bit of a laughable loophole.'

'That person could tell you that their entire family of 50 were in a horrific aeroplane crash and were the sole survivor and we'd still be saying that's a shame but we are changing your meter.

'As long as you don't do anything silly you won't get in trouble. You'll have to literally like murder someone in this job to get in trouble. You won't get in trouble.'

Some of the customers who were targeted included a mother of four with a newborn baby, another woman with mobility issues, a single dad and a woman in her 50s with bipolar disorder.

Elderly people were allegedly described by some debt collectors as easy targets.

Ofgem has previously stated vulnerable people should not be forced to use prepayment meters. Vulnerability includes disability, mental health conditions, pregnancy and having children under the age of five.

When debt collectors arrived at a customer's home, a manager would allegedly encourage them to threaten customers with the police if they did not comply with the orders.

Once a prepayment meter is fitted, customers must top up to get the gas to turn on. Regular repayments are then taken from the bank account, and the supply is cut off if there is not enough credit to cover the cost of the gas.

An urgent meeting is expected to take place in the coming days between British Gas and government ministers over the investigation.

An Ofgem spokesperson told MailOnline: 'These are extremely serious allegations from The Times which we will investigate urgently with British Gas and we won't hesitate to take firm enforcement action.

'It is unacceptable for any supplier to impose forced installations on vulnerable customers struggling to pay their bills before all other options have been exhausted and without carrying out thorough checks to ensure it is safe and practicable to do so.

'We recently announced a major market-wide review investigating the rapid growth in prepayment meter installations and potential breaches of licences driving it.

'We are clear that suppliers must work hard to look after their customers at this time, especially those who are vulnerable, and the energy crisis must not be an excuse for unacceptable behaviour towards any customer  particularly those in vulnerable circumstances.'
The Biden administration moved one step closer to approving a controversial drilling project in Alaska that would produce up to 629 million barrels of oil.

The administration indicated it is likely to approve the Willow Project, a major business venture by ConocoPhillips that would lock in oil and gas drilling in Alaska for 30 years.

An environmental impacts review by the Interior Department on Wednesday predicted the project could result in 278 million metric tons of carbon dioxide over the project's 30 years - the equivalent of driving 59,900 cars for a year or firing up 60 new coal-fired power plants.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stressed that Wednesday's move was not a final approval and the final decision would be made by Interior Sec. Deb Haaland.

Haaland, as a member of Congress in 2020, signed on to a letter criticizing the project.

'Now is not the time to be fast tracking permitting for a massive new oil development project,' the letter read.

Climate activists gather to protest by demanding President Biden stop the Willow Project outside the White House

The bipartisan congressional delegation from Alaska - two Republican senators and done at-large Democratic congresswoman - put out a joint release praising the move and calling for the project's final approval.

Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, said in a statement the drilling project would spur jobs and economic growth in her state.

'In the short term, this project will provide thousands of good-paying union jobs and help jump-start Alaska's economy. In the long term, the revenues from Willow will pay for essential state services like public safety and investments in our education system,' she said.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released an analysis saying the government preferred a scaled-back version of the $8 billion proposed project on the National Petroleum Reserve.

The BLM called for the project's drilling sites to be reduced from five to three and for the project to reduce the number of miles of gravel, ice roads, pipelines and airstrips needed.

The goal is to 'reduce the amount of surface infrastructure' for the project and lessen impacts on caribou and other wildlife.

Still, the Biden administration moved forward with the project at a time when it is under intense pressure from Republicans to spur domestic oil production. The GOP-led House passed a bill last week that would prevent President Biden from draining the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) unless he approves new drilling leases for oil and gas companies.

Wednesday's analysis is the final regulatory hurdle before a decision on the project's approval, but the Interior Department underscored today's move 'is not a decision about whether to approve the Willow Project.'

Green groups are fighting mad about the Biden administration's move toward approval.

The Biden administration moved one step closer to approving a controversial drilling project in Alaska that would produce up to 629 million barrels of oil

'It's outrageous that Biden seems ready to greenlight the massively destructive Willow project, prioritizing oil industry profits over the future of polar bears and other Arctic wildlife,' said Kristen Monsell, senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity.

'Letting ConocoPhillips move forward with this dangerous plan breaks Biden's promise to stop oil drilling on public lands,' she added. 'This nonsensical project is a huge step backwards. We urge Biden to reject it in the final decision.'

ConocoPhillips said in its own statement that it 'welcomes and continues to review' the government's environmental analysis and said Wednesday's decision 'represents a major milestone in the permitting process.'

Erec Isaacson, president of ConocoPhillips Alaska, said his company is 'ready to begin construction immediately' once a final decision is issued.

Sen. Joe Manchin, the moderate West Virginia Democrat who chairs the Natural Resources Committee, praised the move as an 'important step towards reestablishing American energy independence and strengthening American energy security.'

While the project was approved under the Trump administration in 2020, a court struck it down in 2021, saying that the environmental review and climate impact assessment were inadequate.

Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark, expressed more cautious optimism about the Interior Department's move.

'There's no doubt that we need these resources to become energy independent and secure our supply chains. I'm glad to see the Biden administration finally taking positive action on energy, but I will be watching closely to see what the administration puts in the final Record of Decision,' he said in a statement to DailyMail.com.

'While it has been a long and arduous road to get back to this point, we have pushed hard, as a delegation, and are now just one step away from Willow's re-approval,' Alaska's Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski said in a statement.

'Thousands of good union jobsand immense benefits that will be felt across Alaska and the nationwill hang in the balance until a positive final decision has been issued.'
The culture wars are heating up yet again after the Department of Energy issued new proposed efficiency standards at the same time Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a plan to subsidize gas stoves.

The sweeping new efficiency standards were given formal notice Wednesday in the Federal Register, sets new performance standards in Kilowatts per hour, and apply to both electric and gas stoves.

The procedural notice appeared in print on the same day that Florida Gov Ron DeSantis unveiled a new $115 billion state budget that includes a permanent end to state taxes on gas stoves.

'They want your gas stove and we're not going to let that happen,' DeSantis said in Tallahassee. 'No tax permanently on gas stoves... it's just the principle of  this is ridiculous,' he said

The new standards 'would save a significant amount of energy... and a lifetime energy savings for consumer conventional cooking products purchased,' according to the proposed rule.

Discussions about using gas stoves continues to heat up as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis removes all taxes on gas stoves after the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently suggested that gas stoves were a health hazard, leading people to believe that they would be banned.

DeSantis was using the budget to drive home a political point, after conservative outrage boiled over after a study linked indoor gas stoves to health problems  prompting some to propose an indoor ban.

A move earlier this month by the Consumer Product Safety Commission to consider a ban on gas stoves prompted conservative commentator Matt Walsh to say: 'You will have to pry my gas stove from my cold dead hands.'

'They want to go after the gas stoves,' Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said when spelling out his new budget, which would state there are no taxes on gas stoves

New York progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who got in a Twitter spat over the stoves, defended her own use of a gas stove in her rental unit. 'I do think it's funny the absolute, utter Republican meltdown where they're like 'you can take my gas stove from my cold dead hands,' or, 'how dare you talk about gas stoves, you have a gas stove'' she said.

According to the government's analysis, the proposed rule would have a total consumer benefit of '$0.65 billion to $1.71 billion  as well as yielding 'significant environmental benefits,' with reduction in carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides, as well as methane and nitrous oxide and mercury.

The proposal would roll back one 'prescriptive standard' that prohibits constant burning pilots for gas cooking tops  but the rule says its tighter standards would make rule out continuously burning pilots anyway.
The BTK serial killer says that he can understand how suspected quadruple murdered Bryan Kohberger is feeling behind bars  but denies ever being in contact with him.

Criminology student Kohberger, 28, studied under the same psychologist who wrote the book on strangler Dennis Rader, Dr Katherine Ramsland.

Kohberger is accused of killing four University of Idaho students as they slept n November 13 and has been in custody since his arrest on December 30.

There was some speculation by BTK's daughter that the pair could have been in contact, something the serial killer has now denied.

But the murderer  who gave himself the 'Bind, Torture, Kill' name  said that he sympathizes with Kohberger, who has been in solitary confinement awaiting his trial.

Criminology student Kohberger, 28, studied under the same psychologist who wrote the book on strangler Dennis Rader, Dr Katherine Ramsland

Dr. Katherine Ramsland is a professor of criminal justice and forensic psychology at DeSales. Her published works focus on murder, the supernatural and other aspects of true crime

His daughter, Kerri Rawson, told Fox News.com that her father said: 'Since I spent from Feb. 2005 to April 2005 in a cell by myself, I know how he feels  very lonely.'

Rader added that he spent time with his defense attorney and found ways to pass the time and wanted to go through 'everything' prosecutors had on him  despite confessing on the day of his arrest.

Rawson revealed that her dad was 'going back and forth' between whether he should plead guilty or not, adding: 'One difference is dad confessed and seemed relieved while Kohberger has to feel very alone.'

She added that she has seen 'fan mail' sent to Kohberger which is very similar to that which was sent to her father  explaining that women 'are in love' with them.

BTK's daughter previously said that Kohberger could have been in contact with her father after discovering that he had been taught by Dr Katherine Ramsland while at DeSales University.

It is something that he has since denied, with the pair having a 'close relationship' while writing the 'Mind of a Murderer' book.

However it is not the only thing Kohberger has in common with the serial killer with both Rader and Joseph James DeAngelo  known as the Golden State Killer - obtaining criminology degrees.

It comes after it was revealed that An FBI surveillance team tracking Kohberger as he drove across the country lost him for 'several alarming hours'.

The murderer  who gave himself the 'Bind, Torture, Kill' name  said that he sympathizes with Kohberger, who has been in solitary confinement awaiting his trial

BTK's daughter previously said that Kohberger could have been in contact with her father after discovering that he had been taught by Dr Katherine Ramsland while at DeSales University

Ramsland has written books including, How to Catch a Killer, The Mind of a Murderer and The Human Predator: A Historical Chronicle of Serial Murder and Forensic Investigation

Dennis Rader (left) and Joseph James DeAngelo (right)  known as the Golden State Killer  both had criminology degrees.

Authorities had planned to keep a close eye on the criminology student, 28, as he and his dad traveled more than 2,500 miles back to Pennsylvania for the holidays.

Kohberger and his father, Michael, left Pullman where he was studying at Washington State University but were nearly immediately lost by the FBI.

The pair had just pulled out of the parking lot of his graduate housing before he vanished from the sight of police  before being pulled over twice as he made his way back to the family home.

A Hancock County Sheriff's Department confirmed Kohberger was pulled over by a deputy at around 10.41am on December 15.

Kohberger was pulled over twice within nine minutes while driving along I-70 in December, looking more concerned on the second occasion.

Sources have since told AirMail's Howard Blum, who is penning a true-crime book on the horrific slayings, that the 'chief suspect in a quadruple homicide that had shocked the nation had seemingly vanished.'

Best friends Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen, both 21, were murdered along with roommate Xana Kernodle and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin, both 20 in an off-campus home in Moscow

Authorities had planned to keep a close eye on the criminology student, 28, as he and his dad traveled more than 2,5000 miles back to Pennsylvania for the holidays

He said that law enforcement let on to the potentially disastrous slip-up 'with a bristle of embarrassment.'

Blum added: 'It would be a disaster  not just professionally, but also for their own peace of mind.'

It also meant that the white Hyundai Elantra that officers painstakingly tracked down and linked him to the murders in the first place had also vanished.

Kohberger also reportedly took an 'indirect route home' with Michael telling a friend it was one that 'made little sense'.

This FBI surveillance quickly went from 'panic to despair' according to Blum, who added that they only picked him up again after an automatic license plate reader picked up his car in Colorado.

Kaylee and Madison were found on the top floor of the Moscow, Idaho home. College lovers Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle were found in a second-floor bedroom while survivors Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke were sleeping on the first floor

Kohberger and his vehicle were identified 900 miles after the cops initially lost them  around 15 hours from when they set off.

Two stops by Indiana Police also left the FBI 'frustrated and angry', insisting that they were not ordered to pull him over by lead investigators.

They feared Kohberger could flee or be arrested too soon if local cops recognized the car from appeals.

However, on both occasions, the suspected killer was let go, which allowed the agents to follow the car back to the Pocono Mountains.

A SWAT Team later swooped on the property, arresting Kohberger and raiding the home for evidence.

Those tracking him were also tasked with tracking Kohberger so they could arrest him as soon as a warrant was issued, as well as trying to get hold of an object to compare DNA to a sample found at the scene.

Law enforcement saw the suspect multiple times outside of his parents' $250,000 Pennsylvania home wearing surgical gloves.

Kohberger and his father Michael left Pullman, Washington, where he was studying at Washington State University, but were nearly immediately lost by the FBI

Idaho police said the four University of Idaho students were murdered in their sleep between 3am and 4am. Pictured: Victims Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Maddie Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and 20-year-old Ethan Chapin

He was arrested after being tracked by the FBI for four days near his parents' home in Pennsylvania, with authorities narrowing down the suspect from genetic genealogy

Kohberger was also seen cleaning the inside and outside of his car, with a source adding that he didn't 'miss an inch'.

And he was reportedly spotted taking out the trash to his neighbors' bins at around 4am  the contents were recovered by officers.

Officers called to the scene of the bloody crime on November 13 quickly discovered a K-Bar knife sheath next to the bodies of Maddie Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves.

Unsealed court documents show the painstaking work done by officers, who matched the DNA found on the sheath to Kohberger's by comparing it to his father's DNA  which was a 99.9998 percent match, and identified via a genetic genealogy website.

He has been charged with the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Ethan Chapin, 20, on November 13.
A Qantas customer has slammed the airline for leaving more than 60 bags off a flight from Sydney to New Zealand.

The passenger on the flight from Sydney to Wellington, in New Zealand, said the airline failed to tell travellers the bags had been left behind, and that they only realised they were missing when standing around an empty baggage carousel.

This was a better outcome than leaving passengers behind to reduce the weight of the aircraft a Qantas spokesperson said

The passenger flew from Sydney to Wellington with a baby

A post to social media read: 'QF163 from Sydney to Wellington on Tuesday night.

'Qantas managed to get us to Wellington 1.5 hours late ... and left over 60 bags behind in Sydney due to "weight" reasons.

'It was a full flight... absolutely packed... and they didn't tell us they skipped half the bags until we're all waiting at the now-empty carousel at 2am.'

The passenger went on to say he was travelling with a 13-month-old baby.

'Queue us with a grumpy 13-month-old... I asked (Qantas staff), "How am I going to organise a travel cot at 2am? Where do I get clean clothes from? Formula?" No answers and not even a sorry,' the post went on.

The customer said he spent 30 minutes on the phone after trying to track down his bag.

A Qantas spokesman said: 'Due to poor weather conditions in New Zealand, we had to reduce weight on our flight from Sydney to Wellington last night.

'The poor weather meant we had to offload a number of bags, which will be delivered to passengers (on Wednesday).

'While we know it's frustrating for customers to be without their luggage for a day, this was a better outcome than leaving passengers behind to reduce the weight of the aircraft.'




A progressive Korean activist has been indicted on charges of making unauthorized contact with North Korean spies, prosecutors said Wednesday.







Ha Yeon-ho allegedly violated the National Security Law that bans unauthorized contact with North Koreans, the Jeonju District Prosecutors Office said. He is the head of a progressive civic organization, Jeonbuk People Movement, which is based in North Jeolla Province.







Ha allegedly met with North Korean agents on several occasions in cities such as Hanoi and Beijing between 2013 and 2019, prosecutors said. Ha also emailed them to report about domestic issues.







Ha denied the allegations, saying an investigation is suppression.







The investigation came after the National Intelligence Service probed several progressive figures based in North Jeolla Province, South Gyeongsang Province and Jeju Island last year. (Yonhap)


Nine people allegedly behind a massive Chinese-Australian money laundering operation have been arrested as police seize $150million in property, designer handbags and luxury jewellery.

The alleged head of the criminal syndicate, a 43-year-old man, was taken away in handcuffs from his home in Vaucluse, in Sydney's exclusive eastern suburbs, on Wednesday.

Eight others aged between 33 and 69, all in Sydney, were also arrested and charged with multiple money laundering and proceeds of crime offences.

The AFP alleges the syndicate 'enabled multiple transnational serious and organised crime groups to launder funds derived from criminal activities' between 2018 and 2022.

The group then allegedly used these profits to buy high-end jewellery, cars and accessories.

Nine people allegedly behind a massive Chinese-Australian money laundering operation have been arrested as police seize $150million in property, designer handbags and luxury jewellery

One of the alleged syndicate members is seen being arrested on Wednesday

'It will be alleged the syndicate acted as an unregulated multi-national bank, able to draw on cash reserves held in multiple countries around the world to facilitate transactions for criminal clients,' AFP said in a statement.

'Criminal groups in Australia and offshore allegedly used its services to ensure their money appeared to be filtered through legitimate systems and their criminal activities hidden from law enforcement.'

The group allegedly obtained more than $150million in profits from the operation.

Police raided 13 properties across Sydney on Wednesday, seizing $29million in cryptocurrency, 18 designer watches, 17 designer handbags, 46 items of luxury jewellery and four licenced firearms that were unlawfully stored.

Police seized $150million in property, cash and luxury items during raids

Luxury jewellery has also been seized that allegedly belonged to the syndicate

The scheme was allegedly a global operation that had its headquarters in Sydney and facilitated the movement of illicit money.

The AFP-led taskforce have also obtained restraining orders relating to 20 properties in Sydney.

These include commercial buildings in the CBD and two houses in Sydney's eastern suburbs worth more than $19million combined.

Orders were also given relating to a 360hectare tract of land near Sydney's western airport worth $47million, as well as for 66 bank accounts, cash, and more than $1million in luxury cars.

Eight members of the alleged syndicate will face court on Thursday.

The 43-year-old will appear at a later date.

Police arrested nine people on Wednesday allegedly involved in a major money laundering syndicate

Pictured is one of the luxury cars seized during raids
The FBI is investigating George Santos over allegations he stole $3,000 raised for a homeless Navy veteran's cancer-stricken dog.

U.S. Attorneys Office in the Eastern District of New York contacted the former service member Richard Osthoff this week, according to Politico.

Osthoff claims in 2016 the scandal-plagued Republican congressman used the tragic story of the pit bull mix called Sapphire to raise funds for life-saving surgery to remove a cancerous tumor.

Santos allegedly didn't hand over the funds and the dog died.

The New York lawmaker, who is already facing multiple investigations and calls to resign over his fabricated resume, has denied Osthoff's allegations.

The report states that Osthoff handed agents text messages between him and a man who called himself 'Anthony Devolder', one of Santos' aliases.

The FBI is investigating George Santos for his role in a GoFundMe scheme to raise money for a veteran's sick dog, a report claims

The report, published Tuesday, contains bombshell claims concerning the GOP freshman leveled by Richard Osthoff, a disabled veteran who in May 2016 was living with his sick service dog, Sapphire, off a highway in New Jersey

The messages, first reported in Patch, suggested Devolder led Osthoff on before he abruptly said Sapphire was not fit for funding.

Osthoff claims Santos' alleged ruse delayed the procedure that could have saved Sapphire's life.

In 2016, the disabled veteran was living in a chicken coop on the side of a highway in New Jersey.

After successfully raising the funds, Devolder allegedly deleted the fundraiser and disappeared with the money, leaving Osthoff - who suffers from severe PTSD - in the lurch. Months later, Sapphire succumbed to her illness and died.

Santos has since been accused of several instances of fraud, and is facing multiple criminal investigations over allegations he lied about his qualifications for congress.

Osthoff told Politico on Wednesday: 'Im glad to get the ball rolling with the big-wigs. I was worried that what happened to me was too long ago to be prosecuted.'

DailyMail.com has reached out to Santos's attorney for comment.

The alleged fundraising scheme is only the latest in a slew of legal troubles piling up for the 34-year-old congressman.

On Tuesday Santos stepped down from his committee assignments, telling his colleagues he wanted to avoid being a 'distraction' to the caucus.

He has been under fire since December, after reports emerged that he had lied on his campaign website about where he attended college, and that he had worked for high-powered financial institutions including Citigroup and Goldman Sachs.

His carefully constructed back story unraveled from there, including reports that he had been a drag queen in Brazil - claims he denied.

Polling from Newsday and Siena College showed that 78 percent of Santos' New York constituents now believe he should resign.

Federal prosecutors are also investigating Santos' campaign finances - the Department of Justice even asked the Federal Election Commission to hold off on any enforcement on Santos and provide any relevant documents to them, according to the Washington Post.

That investigation comes after watchdog Campaign Legal Center directed focus toward the $700,000 donation Santos claims he loaned his 2022 campaign.

The complaint also took issue with the dozens of expenses Santos' campaign lists at $199.99 - just one penny below the $200 threshold when itemized receipts are required by the FEC.

CLC additionally notes Santos listed six expenses totaling $13,500 that were listed as 'apartment rental for staff,' but a New York Times report found that Santos himself had been living there.

Separately the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is looking into Santos's role at Harbor City Capital - the investment firm that shuttered in 2021 after the SEC accused it of running a 'classic Ponzi scheme.'
A self-appointed spokesman for the migrants assembled outside of a hotel in Manhattan as they protest the efforts being made to move them to a converted ferry terminal is a long-time agitator with a history of left-wing activism going back to the Occupy Wall Street movement.

On Tuesday, interviews and speeches from Sergio Tupac Uzurin, 37, were broadcast on TV and on social media from outside of The Watson Hotel. The male migrants who had been living at the hotel are being moved to Brooklyn in order to make room for women and children at the Watson, according to city officials.

Uzurin made demands that included allowing the migrants to remain at the hotel or to be given million dollar apartments for free.

His Instagram page is littered with his coverage of protests for Black Lives Matter and various other left-wing causes. His activism dates back to 2012, when he was pictured at an Occupy Wall Street protest.

Uzurin, a graduate of the public but notoriously difficult to get into Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan, told ABC New York in an interview: 'The immediate resolution is that the Hotel Watson needs to accept these men back and put them back into their rooms.'

On Tuesday, interviews and speeches from Sergio Tupac Uzurin, 37, were broadcast on TV and on social media from outside of The Watson Hotel

Uzurin pictured at an Occupy Wall Street protest in 2012. His activism goes back over ten years, and in 2014 the photographer attended a Black Lives Matter protest at Macy's flagship store in Manhattan

He added: 'The longer-term solution is to reallocate funding from over-funded departments like the NYPD into housing vouchers and into other programs that get people into permanent stable housing.'

He later graduated from the University of Buffalo in 2009 with a BA in Media Study and International Studies. While at the school, he was a member of a fraternity.

Uzurin is a 2004 graduate of Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan, the same high school that former Attorney General Eric Holder and Obama senior advisor David Axelrod attended.

The school is in the shadow of where the twin towers once stood. On the twentieth anniversary of 9/11, Uzurin wrote on Facebook: 'I consider myself a double survivor- from the planes, the health effects, and the racism.'

According to his Facebook page, Uzurin was a former organizer with The Black Institute, an 'action think tank' that was founded by fellow activist Bertha Lewis, who was a member of Bill de Blasio's administration.

In the wake of the protest outside of The Watson Hotel, Uzurin complained in a Facebook post of being referred to as being an 'outside agitator.'

He also wrote: 'If you are in NYC, come to the Watson Hotel protest encampment, 440 West 57th Street. They need people to make sure the police don't abuse the migrants, especially in the late night and early morning hours.'

Uzurin also encourages the public to donate to various causes related to the protest at the Watson.

Uzurin pictured in the lead-up to a protest in 2017

The exclusive Stuyvesant High School, where Uzurin graduated from

Uzurin lecturing the migrants and the media about what needs to be done to deal with the crisis

He concludes his post by writing: 'I am a self-employed video production company and word of mouth is how I pay my bills, make my art and have the flexibility to do all these organizing in my spare time. It helps.'

The activist operates a business named NativeNYvideo. Prior to leading a protest outside of The Watson Hotel, in 2022, Uzurin worked with Hilton Hotels to produce a video promoting Manhattan tourism.

In his speech outside of The Watson Hotel, Uzurin railed against developers who were 'gentrifying the city' while arguing that migrants should be given vacant 'luxury apartments.'

While on his personal website, Uzurin advertises his skills at making sophisticated 3D virtual tours to be used by realtors.

He writes on the page: '3D Virtual Tours are a new, immersive and engaging way to give your customers what traditional promotional material doesn't: A believable sense of presence.'

Other services offered by Uzurin include drone videos and photography. He also promotes time lapse videos for use by businesses.

According to his Model Mayhem page, where he promotes his photography business, Uzurin lists among his genres 'Erotic' and 'Fetish.' Among the projects that Uzurin worked on in 2022 was named Make America 69 Again.

In his interview with ABC New York this week, Uzurin said: 'So the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal is a large structure, it's not meant to be inhabited. It is a thousand beds, beds made out of hard material.

'There's not space for personal belongings. If you have personal belongings you have to put them in a locker. That's out of your control. There's only four bathrooms for a thousand men which is unsustainable for anybody who's working.

'It's in an isolated part of the city away from where many of them work and it's cold.'

While touring the facility on Monday, Mayor Adams noted that he saw a man wearing shorts.

Activist Sergio Tupac Uzurin told a group of reporters and residents that the reason for the protest was that the 'cold' shelter was 'not meant to be inhabited' and that the beds are made of 'hard materials'

The Queens-born activist continued: 'The immediate resolution is that the Hotel Watson needs to accept these men back and put them back into their rooms.

'The longer-term solution is to reallocate funding from over-funded departments like the NYPD into housing vouchers and into other programs that get people into permanent stable housing.'

In a seemingly prepared speech, Uzurin earlier told the gathered media: 'We need one thing to be clear, Eric Adams only has one plan so far. Eric Adams' plan is to loot the city's departments and give that money to the NYPD and the developers who are gentrifying this city.

'He could have easily, along with Governor Hochul, opened up all of the vacant luxury apartments. We are on 57th Street right now. This is Billionaire's Row.

'Half of the super towers on this street are empty. These are $40million apartments!'

In the summer of 2022, Uzurin spoke to the The New York Times about his efforts to help newly arrived migrants saying: 'We know their shoe sizes, we know their medical needs, we know their court cases, where their ICE check-ins are. The city wasnt doing any of that.'

A year earlier, the University of Buffalo graduate was arrested outside of Bergen County Jail in Hackensack, New Jersey, after attending an anti-ICE demonstration. The group was protesting the deportation of Marvin Jerezano Pena.

Around that time, Uzurin said: 'We need to take direct action against Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Theyre a rogue agency. Theyre a fascist agency, in the sense that they act totally outside of the law and outside any bounds of morality.'

Uzurin was in a feature on CNN about migrants in New York City in October, at the time he was referred to as a member of NYC ICE Watch.

Some of the food that has been supplied to the migrants outside of the hotel

On Wednesday, DailyMail.com witnessed activists serving the migrants food including pizza, donuts, coffee, avocados and fruit while protecting them from the public glare with black umbrellas

His activism goes back over ten years, in 2014 the photographer attended a Black Lives Matter protest at Macy's flagship store in Manhattan.

He was quoted as saying at the time: 'Voicing your opinion is not enough. You have to disrupt business as usual for this to happen and that's the only thing that's ever made change. It's the real way democracies function.'

On Wednesday, DailyMail.com witnessed activists serving the migrants food including pizza, donuts, coffee, avocados and fruit while protecting them from the public glare with black umbrellas.

Another activist, named only as Philip, told DailyMail.com that the outreach to the migrants was 'a community organized effort. This is neighbors, helping neighbors. New Yorkers, helping New Yorkers a community organized lead grassroots effort working together - we all need housing.

'These migrants have been through so much to survive to reach the country. They want to make a home here and work. I am one person among many working together with the migrants. I am Christian. I am a person who believes in human dignity I believe that everyone deserves housing,' he added.

When asked what the migrants expected when he came to the US, Phillip said: 'I don't think they expected to put in a cruise terminal without adequate heating.'

He added: 'I think there is an image of the United States abroad that I think that's projected. If you are poor while working class, if you are a minority and anyway in this country, I don't think that dream was never really designed for you.'

Activists block off a Newsmax TV crew who were attempting to film the migrants

Activists outside of the hotel told the migrants not to speak to members of the media.

The cruise terminal is around 45 minutes away from the Watson in Brooklyn's Red Hook neighborhood, and comes equipped with a buffet food service, over 100 toilets, and is temperature controlled.

A young couple, Simon and Melissa Marie, who live beside the hotel told DailyMail.com: 'I didn't want to change my lifestyle because of them, but it's inconvenient. This is a residential area. You should respect the street there is trash all over the floor and they are not being respectful of the accommodations being given to them.'

The couple said that they had to put a muzzle on their dog to stop him from eating discarded trash left by the migrants and that they group blasts music at night.
The parents of a four-month-old baby in a New York City NICU during the nurses' strike said they had been told by the hospital that their son had been getting better.

In an exclusive interview with NBC4, Craige and Saran Morgan said that their baby Noah was stable and even improving in the days leading up to his tragic death.

'I was surprised,' Saran Morgan said. 'I thought he was getting better. They basically had just said that he was looking pale.'

Noah died in a Mount Sinai hospital on January 11 while the staff was trying to insert an IV, the day before the nurse strike would end after more than 7,000 went on strike over understaffing.

Sources told Gothamist the infant's tragic passing took place after untrained fill-in nurses and overwhelmed doctors failed to prepare for the walk-out, leading to the baby's blood count not being noticed for hours.

As the hospital begins an investigation into Noah's death - which the Morgans say has 'blindsided them - Saran Morgan told NBC4 that 'If they know that his care was impacted by the strike, we would like to know.'

The parents of a four-month-old baby in a New York City NICU during the nurses' strike said they had been told by the hospital that their son had been getting better

The family has started a GoFundMe to pay for the funeral costs, aiming to raise $12,000.

The probe is required for any infant death that happens at the hospital, with sources suggesting seasoned nurses would have had a better handle on the situation.

'These babies can get very sick very quicklyThat's why subtle things you see are important to report, and highly trained NICU nurses do that,' one of the nurses who worked in the NICU during the strike told Gothamist.

However, in speaking to NBC4, a hospital insider did not blame the striking nurses but the hospital administration for not either settling or hiring better temporary replacements.

'They essentially tied one hand behind our backs,' the source said. 'Senior executives put all these providers, doctors, nurses, the people caring for these babies, in an impossible situation.'

The higher level leadership places importance on profit before patients and their staff,' they added. And the outcome for this baby was a devastating consequence of that mentality.

The baby's death came as unionized nurses took to the streets to protest the lack of staff, leaving healthcare workers to care for too many patients at a time.

'Nurses don't want to strike. Bosses have pushed us to strike by refusing to seriously consider our proposals to address the desperate crisis of unsafe staffing that harms our patients,' the union said earlier this month.

Noah died in a Mount Sinai hospital on January 11 while the staff was trying to insert an IV, the day before the nurse strike would end after more than 7,000 went on strike over understaffing

The family has started a GoFundMe to pay for the funeral costs, aiming to raise $12,000

The baby's death came as unionized nurses took to the streets to protest lack of staff, leaving healthcare workers to care for too many patients at a time

Mount Sinai reportedly hired hundreds of travel nurses prior to the strike and staffed the NICU with them and other non-unionized staff. Infants in the NICU reportedly received their medicines hours late on multiple occasions, according to the source, and that doctors were feeding babies, taking vitals, and administering medication, which is normally performed by nurses

Mount Sinai reportedly hired hundreds of travel nurses prior to the strike and staffed the NICU with them and other non-unionized staff. A source told Gothamist one of the travel nurses fell asleep in the NICU while on duty and was asked not to return.

'They put nurses in there who had zero NICU experience,' another source told the outlet. 'Parents felt like they couldn't leave their child's bedside during the strike.'

Infants in the NICU reportedly received their medicines hours late on multiple occasions, according to the source, and that doctors were feeding babies, taking vitals, and administering medication, which is normally performed by nurses.

Mount Sinai runs a 'level four' NICU, meaning they care for critically ill and complex infants, including those who have had open-heart surgery, and require highly-trained nurses.

'[These babies] are not mini-adults. In fact, they're not even mini-children,' Scott Lorch, associate chief of Neonatology at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, told Gothamist. 'As babies get smaller or sicker, the skills that a nurse needs to care for them gets more specific.'

NYC nurses ended the strike on January 12 after the four-day strike

One NYC nurse described the unit during the strike as 'traumatizing.'

'I've seen and done a lot of difficult things in my career. I've held children when they died, but this was especially traumatizing,' a source told Gothamist. 'I've been having nightmares every night.'

Mount Sinai said the NICU was fully staffed with 17 nurses during the staff, but those inside said it was not about the number, but the qualifications of those nurses.

Mount Sinai also moved some of the NICU babies to other hospitals during the strike, according to Gothamist.

However, Judy Gonzalez, president of the New York State Nurses Association, said neither Mount Sinai nor Montefiore Medical Center - which also went on strike - were 'prepared adequately.'

Nurses at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City were among more than 7,000 nurses at two hospitals who returned to the picket lines

Mount Sinai said the NICU was fully staffed with 17 nurses during the staff, but those inside said it was not about the number, but the qualifications of those nurses

'There are many negative outcomes that occur as a result of understaffing, under-resourcing and inadequate training,' she told Gothamist.

An MIT and Carnegie Mellon University study found in 2010 that between 1984 and 2004 in-patient mortality rates rose 20 percent during strikes in New York.

On average, according to the NYC Department of Health, four babies die for every 1,000 lives birth in the Big Apple.

NYC nurses ended the strike on January 12 after a four-day strike.

The New York Nurses Association reached an agreement with Mount Sinai Hospital and Montefiore Medical Center, both of which announced the news at around 4am this morning.

The agreements will result in a 19.1 percent wage increase, the creation of around 170 nursing positions, and improved healthcare benefits, among other perks.
An upstate New York school landed itself in hot water after posting a picture of students proudly posing alongside a muddy snowman and declaring the creation to be as diverse as the school's students.

The Coxsackie-Athens Central School District posted the image to social media on Tuesday but quickly took it down as baffled and outraged responses began to pile up.

As grabs of the post made the rounds online, the school posted an apology on its website and said their use of the word 'diverse' in the post had nothing to do with the snowman's mixed color, but instead was meant to celebrate how each student can make snowmen their own way.

Nonetheless, the post has continued to circulate online, with many people saying they intend to keep reposting it to hold the school accountable.

The Coxsackie-Athens Central School District posted the image to social media on Tuesday, but quickly took it down as baffled and outraged responses began to pile up

The photo showed three boys standing with their arms behind their backs around a lumpy and dirty snowman which was apparently hewn from the remains of a meager snowfall.

'Today's CE Fourth Grade Playground Fun,' the school district wrote in the Facebook post. 'This snowman is just as diverse as our students!'

Responses were swift, with one user kicking things off with the question, 'What in tarnation is that supposed to mean?'

Others joined in and demanded the school district explain what they meant.

'I would like for Coxsackie-Athens Central School Districts to explain the meaning of this post?' one wrote.

The Coxsackie-Athens Central School District's explanation of the post's intended meaning

After pulling the post down, the school issued a statement on its website apologizing and explaining that their use of the word diverse was not intended to speak to the color of the snowman or its students' skin.

'The word 'diverse' was used to describe how every kid can make a snowman differently and this variety of creativity should be celebrated,' the school explained.

'When it was commented that this post could be interpreted about race the post was taken down. We want to apologize and reiterate it was never intended to be hurtful.'

'Families of the students in the picture have already been contacted personally. We will use this as an opportunity to review our social media policies and procedures and continue our commitment to providing a learning environment where every person feels that they belong,' it continued.

Despite the explanation, many online were not ready to let the school off the hook.

'I'm going to leave this here since Coxsackie-Athens Central School District decided to delete this post after getting some backlash,' one Facebook user wrote.

'I'm going to leave this here since Coxsackie-Athens Central School District decided to delete this post after getting some backlash. Its giving Sullivan west vibes & I will not let that slip,' said another.

'This is where language and white privilege collide smh, im sure it was said with innocent intentions from someone who lacks education on diversity, lacks socially acceptable humor and clearly needs a reality check,' commented a third.
At least two people have been killed in a Russian rocket strike which razed a residential building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, authorities say.

Regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko sent a memo on Telegram describing the catastrophe, which occurred just hours ago.

'At least two dead and seven wounded - these are the consequences of the shelling of Kramatorsk,' he added, warning more people could be found under the rubble.

Witnesses on the ground say 'people's cries for help can be heard from under the rubble'.

'Rescuers, law enforcement officers and communal services are working at the scene,' Kyrylenko said.

It comes amid mounting concerns Vladimir Putin is preparing for an 'imminent' new strike on Ukraine by bolstering his forces as the first anniversary of Moscow's invasion approaches.

At least two people have been killed in a Russian rocket strike which struck a residential building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, authorities say

'Two hours ago, the Russian occupiers hit a residential building in the centre of the city with a rocket,' regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said on Telegram

Kyiv is standing firm, with one senior soldier threatening to send Kremlin troops 'home in black bags'.

On the battlefront, the Kremlin's forces have reportedly started expelling residents in Russian-held territory as it musters its military might in the Luhansk region of Ukraine, officials said Wednesday.

'There is an active transfer of (Russian troops) to the region and they are definitely preparing for something on the eastern front in February,' Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai said.

The Institute for the Study of War said late Tuesday that 'an imminent Russian offensive in the coming months is the most likely course of action'.

A new offensive might coincide with the invasion anniversary on February 24. And Ukraine's top general, Valery Zaluzhny, warned Russia is preparing 200,000 fresh troops for the action.

Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, said Putin could be planning another simultaneous attack on the country from the north, south and east and warned the bloodiest battles are 'yet to come'.

He said they will happen within the next few months, in what will be a 'defining' moment of the war.

But Kyiv is still holding firm, bolstered by the arrival of foreign equipment. A soldier told The Sun Kremlin troops would be sent home in 'black bags' or become 'fertiliser' in Ukraine.

Pictured: The residential building razed to the ground

As the first anniversary of Moscow's invasion approaches, there are mounting concerns Putin is planning to launch a new offensive

Vladimir Putin is preparing for an 'imminent' new strike on Ukraine by bolstering his forces - but Kyiv is standing firm, with one senior soldier threatening to send Kremlin troops 'home in body bags'

Lieutenant General Yurii Sodol said: 'I will separately address the Russian military: before it's too late, run, return to your 'Maruskas' [Russian women] or surrender, otherwise it's the fate of a fertiliser on someone else's land; a black bag or disability awaits you, this is your 'happy' future.

'Unlike you, we know what we are fighting for, we are united, we are one.'

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported Wednesday that Russia was also concentrating its efforts in neighboring Donetsk province, especially in its bid to capture the key city of Bakhmut.

Donetsk and Luhansk provinces make up the Donbas, an industrial region bordering Russia that President Vladimir Putin identified as a goal for takeover from the war's outset and where Moscow-backed separatists have fought Ukrainian forces since 2014.

Russian shelling of Bakhmut, from which most residents have fled while others spend much of their time in cellars, killed at least five civilians and wounded 10 on Tuesday, Ukraine's presidential office said Wednesday.

The regional governor of Donetsk, Pavlo Kyrylenko, posted images of the aftermath of the shelling, showing huge black holes in residential buildings in the embattled city. He said Russia is 'actively deploying new military personnel to the region.'

Ukrainian servicemen adjust a 60mm mortar tube near the frontline in the Donetsk region on Tuesday

Donetsk was one of four provinces that Russia illegally annexed in the fall, but controls only about half of it. To take the remaining half, Russian forces have no choice but to go through Bakhmut, the only approach to bigger Ukrainian-held cities.

Russian forces have been trying for months to capture Bakhmut. Moscow-installed authorities in Donetsk claimed Russian troops are 'closing the ring' around the city.

Ukraine is keen to secure more Western military aid to fend off the much larger Russian forces. It has already won pledges of tanks and now wants more.

Top military expert explains how Putin could launch nuclear strike Advertisement

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described media reports about new U.S. military assistance to Ukraine expected to be announced soon as 'a direct path to inciting tensions and taking the escalation to a new level.'

'It will require additional efforts on our part, but it won't change the course of events,' he said in a conference call with reporters.

The Western allies are trying to broaden their coalition in support of Ukraine. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said he sought stronger cooperation and more 'friends' for the alliance in the Indo-Pacific region.

Danilov told Sky News: 'Russia is preparing for maximum escalation. It is gathering everything possible, doing drills and training.

'When it comes to an offensive from different directions, as for now, I can say that we are not excluding any scenario in the next two to three weeks.'

His comments came after Ukraine's top general, Valery Zaluzhny, told the Economist last month that Russia was preparing 200,000 fresh troops for a major offensive that could come from the east, south or even from Belarus in the spring.
Behind the bar of the Green Dragon sits a pentagram.

For dark forces are at work, it seems, in the ancient town of Bungay, a serene spot in sleepy Suffolk.

Encircled by the River Waveney with views over lush meadows and peppered with historic buildings, the market town has just been named the Satanist capital of the UK.

Recently released official figures from the 2021 census show that around one in 120 of the local population answered 'Satanism' when asked about their religion  100 times the national average.

Local politicians and residents insist they have never seen any sign of nefarious activities and suggest it could be a prank. If so, a lot of people are in on it.

And Green Dragon barman Jake Feasey doesn't seem to be overly worried.

Dark forces are at work, it seems, in the ancient town of Bungay, a serene spot in sleepy Suffolk

Dark history: Satanic hound Black Shuck rides a lightning bolt on a town centre weathervane

Historic: Bungay, with its castle, was the setting of a 1796 Gothic novel by Elizabeth Bonhote

Around the size of a 50p piece, the pentagram  a symbol associated with paganism, witchcraft and devil worship  might have been a dark charm worn secretly by the punter who left it behind. Its current home, draped around the neck of a small plastic action character on a shelf behind the bar, has made it rather less menacing.

'Bungay might attract these people but they don't come out and say 'I'm a Satanist',' said Mr Feasey, 44.

The town certainly has the spooky credentials for those who choose to embrace Satan.

According to folklore, the devil took the form of a black dog, Black Shuck, which terrorised worshippers at St Mary's Church in the town in August 1577.

Barman at the Green Dragon, Jake Feasey, 44

The Fleece Inn in centre of Bungay, Suffolk

Holy Trinity Church in Bungay, Suffolk

The fearsome apparition is said to have burst through the doors of the 12th century church, accompanied by a portentous clap of thunder.

It then ran up the nave, killing a man and a boy and causing the steeple to collapse through the roof, before attacking a congregation at a nearby church.

Spine-chilling verse records: 'All down the church in midst of fire, the hellish monster flew, and passing onward to the quire, he many people slew.'

Chloe Coulson, manager of The Fleece Inn in Bungay, Suffolk

The centre of town in Bungay, Suffolk, which has been named the Satanist capital of the UK.

To this day, this snarling hellhound supposedly haunts dark lanes and footpaths with howling that 'makes the hearer's blood run cold [but] his footfalls make no sound'.

St Mary's, which was last used in the 1970s, also lays claim to a boulder called the Druid's Stone in its graveyard. Some say the Devil can be summoned by dancing 12 times around it.

Bungay Castle, built in 1100 by Roger Bigod whose son Roger was a key player in a period in the mid-12th century called the Anarchy, when civil war raged in England and Normandy. Who knows what atrocities may have been committed by its owners.

The market town of Bungay has just been named the Satanist capital of the UK.

St Mary's, which was last used in the 1970s, also lays claim to a boulder called the Druid's Stone in its graveyard. Some say the Devil can be summoned by dancing 12 times around it

The site, with its dramatic curtain walls and twin towers, was the setting of a 1796 Gothic novel, Bungay Castle, by Elizabeth Bonhote, which depicts characters searching the haunted structure. So far, so ungodly. But what do locals think?

Betty Warnes, a member of the Friends of St Mary's, suspects 'jokers' behind the census figure  but couldn't be certain. 'I would have thought it would be a wind-up,' she said. 'There is a rumour of ley lines and dancing around the Druid's Stone naked in the town. Nothing that I've seen, however.'

Bungay Town Council also denied any knowledge of dark arts  but is taking the matter seriously enough to consider including it on the agenda at its next meeting. Clerk Rosalind Barnett said: 'This number in the census is a bit of a mystery. Devil worship has never crossed our radar.'

Official census figures showed that around one in 120 people in Bunghay in Suffolk identified as 'Satanists'

The barman at the Green Dragon in Bunghay, Suffolk, holding up a pentagram

Mayor Tony Dawes added: 'I am wondering if people with nothing better to do during lockdown decided to put down on the census that they were Satanists..' Census figures released by the Office for National Statistics show that 5,054 people in England and Wales claimed to be Satanists out of a population of 59,597,300. Of those, some 70 are in Bungay.

The country's next highest headcount of Satanists is in the Brondesbury area of north London, which has 20 of them, despite having a far higher population than Bungay

But what is Satanism exactly? Dr David Robertson, senior lecturer in religious studies at the Open University, says it's nothing like the Hollywood version of animal sacrifices, hooded gowns and naked orgies.

'You're looking at propaganda put out by conservative Christian groups in the 1980s and 1990s when there was the Satanic abuse scares, which history shows to be totally false, a fabrication.'

Latest census reveals that Bungay (population 8,500) has more devil worshippers than anywhere else in the UK

St Mary's Church in the town centre of Bungay

The Cursed Grave in St Mary's churchyard in Bungay, Suffolk

Rather than worshipping the Devil, it's typically young, rebellious types who 'deliberately challenge the hegemony of Christianity by association with Satan', he asserted. Few indulge in formal 'ritualistic activity', although there's a disturbing line in imagery, including inverted pentagrams, Baphomet  the goat-headed man  and circles with occult symbols.

'I'd expect this is some sort of group of people who are either having a laugh or are cocking a snook at the local church,' Dr Robertson said of Bungay.

Yet there are signs of occult rituals in the UK, including five animal hearts left in a circle on Stagbury Hill in the New Forest, Hampshire, that a walker stumbled upon last month.

The tower of St Mary's Church in Bungay, Suffolk, stands at 33.5-metres high

The charming market town of Bungay is set beside a loop of the River Waveney in Suffolk

Three years ago a sheep was stabbed and sprayed with pentagrams in the nearby village of Bramshaw, while occult markings have been daubed on the village's 12th century church.

Chaplain Leopold, a London-based undertaker who co-runs the Global Order of Satan UK, said there had been a 200 per cent rise in membership in five years.

He said 'younger people don't want to be identified as part of a prescriptive dogmatic religion and, rather, want to identify as their own self-beliefs and self-realisation  which is what Satanism offers'.

So where does this leave Bungay? Those thinking twice now about visiting the town can perhaps take heart from its motto, 'Moribus antiquis pareamus'  'Let us ever hold fast to the old virtues.'
Indigenous and political leaders have slammed the ABC for branding a crisis meeting on the Alice Springs crime wave as being 'filled with white supremacists'.

ABC's flagship radio show AM was accused of biased coverage in its reporting on the Save Alice Springs meeting attended by thousands of fed-up locals on Monday.

The audience at the town hall meeting was comprised of terrified families, business owners and Indigenous leaders.

But the ABC's radio segment featured only people who labelled the meeting 'racist', including one who said it was a 'white supremacist fest'.

Now Alice Springs mayor Matt Patterson is demanding a retraction from the ABC, and Indigenous politician Warren Mundine has branded the reporting 'disgraceful'.

Thousands of locals gathered at a crisis meeting in Alice Springs on Monday night to discuss the town's youth crime wave

Alice Springs Mayor Matt Paterson has called for the ABC report to be retracted

'The ABC cherry-picked a few people within the crowd to get their view on it,' Mr Patterson told Nine's Today show on Thursday.

'It certainly wasn't the way the meeting was run. It was categorically incorrect. The organiser of the event ran it very well.

'He was very sensitive, gave every person the opportunity to come up on stage and share their story. The article put forward by the ABC is factually incorrect.'

He added: 'At the end of the day, we had 3000 people come together demanding change who are clearly fed up with what's happening in Alice Springs.'

The ABC reporter Carly Williams interviewed one woman who told her: 'It was really a disgusting show of white supremacy... It was really, really disappointing.

'It was scary to be in that room.'

Another told the program: 'Tension and violence and anger in the room was palpable.

'It was clearly all around white supremacy and the safety of white people in this town - and that is all that was being considered.'

Yet another described the meeting as 'bizarre' and 'dangerous'.

During a live cross on ABC TV, Williams said 'emotional' people were 'leaving early and streaming out of the convention centre', with just one interview in the report.

'It's a total white supremacist fest in there - and I can tell you - it was scary,' the woman interviewed said.

ABC reporter Carly Williams (pictured) gave a live cross for the broadcaster's TV program and submitted a radio segment

Former Alice Springs mayor Jacinta Price blasted the national broadcaster for its one-sided slant on the meeting organised by local businessman Garth Thompson.

'They had 3000 people to choose from and they chose to listen to the voices of three bleeding hearts,' the Country Liberal MP told Sky News Australia.

'They dont care for the kids on the streets. Theyre completely disconnected from the lives of these kids.

'Ultimately, theyre the ones who are creating the issues for these young people.

'They had no right to go in there and accuse everyone of being racist.'

She said the meeting was brought to an early end after 20 minutes when it was disrupted by 'progressives'.

'They wanted to go around calling everyone rednecks and Nazis, which is utter nonsense,' she said.

Former Alice Springs mayor Jacinta Price (right) blasted the national broadcaster for its one-sided slant on the meeting and Warren Mundine (left) said he was 'shocked' by the reporting.

'Local residents, white and Indigenous were turning around and telling them to rack off, and how dare they bring that nonsense to a community meeting.'

Warren Mundine said he was 'shocked' by the ABC report.

'I listened to that report and I thought these people are off with the fairies,' he told Sky News Australia.

'I thought they went to a different universe, a different dimension from what was happening at that meeting. It's disgraceful reporting, quite frankly.

'They didn't talk to anyone else. They just spoke to a small handful of people and they're made out as a sort of like some Klu Klux Klan meeting going on inside.

'These are decent Australian citizens, black and white, who were there to resolve a whole lot of issues that are happening in that community.'

Alice Springs in the Northern Territory has recently descended into chaos with locals now afraid to go to sleep in fear of home intruders

Other locals offered different portrayals of the meeting.

'I am so proud to see the number of locals giving their time and support to help bring change,' meeting organiser Garth Thompson posted on Facebook after the event.

'Im proud to be a local here in Alice Springs, the community coming together tonight was a showing of what is possible in our amazing town!'

2GB host Ben Fordham also blasted the national broadcaster on air on Wednesday.

'Out of the thousands of people who attended the meeting, we only heard from one person in that report - a woman who had left early,' he said.

'We didn't hear from the terrified locals or the worried mums and dads - we only heard of claims of racism from a woman who walked out [of the meeting] - someone who did not represent the whole mood in the room.

'And there were no examples given of the so-called ''white supremacy" - no quotes, no footage, no audio.

Biggest gathering Ive ever seen of #AliceSprings locals at the Convention Centre. People from all walks of life with diverse ideas about the town. pic.twitter.com/fb4MDxltsk  Alex Barwick (@_AlexBarwick) January 30, 2023

'We didn't hear from any of the concerned locals, they didn't play any of the comments from inside the hall - I'm not sure if [she] was inside - that was not clear from her story.'

Fordham said the AM segment was 'even worse' than the TV report.

'Their coverage of the meeting was reckless and ruthlessly one-sided,' Fordham said.

'They ignored the issues And just turned into a fight between black and white. And IF racist comments were made what were they? And where's the proof?'

The Prime Minister recently made a short visit to the town where he announced new alcohol restrictions

In response to the outcry, an ABC spokesman rejected the accusations of bias, saying the broadcaster's coverage of the issue has reflected diverse perspectives.

'The ABC's long-running reporting on the issues facing Alice Springs has included a range of perspectives and will continue to canvass peoples views and experiences as coverage continues,' they said.

'Many strong and conflicting views and opinions are expressed within the community, including some confronting views, and the news coverage reflects that and doesnt shy away from it.'

Williams, a First Nations Quandamooka woman, is a journalist with the ABC's audio and current affairs team.

Federal and territory governments have designated cash to extra policing as they consider reintroducing alcohol bans in Indigenous communities.

The calls for action come as videos have emerged of youth violence within the town's streets, with a clip surfacing on Tuesday of a boy being attacked by other teens with an axe.
A woman is being questioned by police after a man was allegedly stabbed and a house was set on fire in Brisbane's northern suburbs.

Emergency crews were called to a home on Inglis St, Grange shortly after 5am on Thursday after neighbours heard screams

They arrived to found the property alight and an injured man suffering stab wounds to his chest.

He was rushed to Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital with critical injuries and is now fighting for life.

Forensic officers collect evidence from the scene where a man was allegedly stabbed at a Brisbane

A woman and two children managed to escape the home uninjured.

Firefighters extinguished the 'small' fire a short time later, according to police.

A woman known to the man is currently assisting police with their inquiries.

Police have launched an investigation into the incident, which is believed to be domestic violence related.

Detectives have set up a crime scene at the home, which remains cordoned off as forensic officers scoured for evidence.

A woman known to the critically injured man is currently being questioned by police (pictured, detectives at the scene)

Shocked neighbours said the man and woman had been living there for a while.

'There's a young man who seems to work hard. He doesn't seem [like] anything awful so he seems like a really nice guy. I hope everyone is okay,' one woman told Nine News

'Nothing happens in this street. It's a very quiet street so to wake up with all these lights and sirens, it's a big thing.'
Watergate reporter Bob Woodward revealed in a new interview how Washington Post reporters were overtaken by the excitement of Russiagate investigations and failed to heed his warnings about Christopher Steele's notorious dossier on Donald Trump.

The result, he said, was that readers were 'cheated' by the coverage of Trump's ties to Russia.

He made his comments in a lengthy investigation into the media handling of the biggest story of the Trump presidency.

'Bob Woodward, of the Post, told me that news coverage of the Russia inquiry "wasn't handled well" and that he thought viewers and readers had been "cheated,"' wrote Jeff Gerth for the Columbia Journalism Review.

'He urged newsrooms to "walk down the painful road of introspection."'

Veteran journalist Bob Woodward described how reporters failed to heed his warnings over the now-debunked Steele dossier, with disastrous consequences

The dossier compiled by former MI6 agent Christopher Steele sent shockwaves through Washington when it was published in early 2017

He singled out the way the media covered Steele's dossier as an example of failings.

The dossier was a collection of allegations collected by the former MI6 document from sources in eastern Europe.

They ranged from details of alleged cooperation between the 2016 Trump campaign and Moscow, to lurid claims about Trump and Russian prostitutes.

The work was funded by the Clinton campaign and became an open secret in Washington circles by the end of 2016, before Buzzfeed News published it in full in January 2017.

That gave other media organizations cover to follow suit.

On Jan. 15, Woodward appeared on Fox News and described the dossier as 'garbage.'

Since then key details have been debunked, although U.S. intelligence community share its broad assessment that Moscow intervened in the 2016 election to help Trump.

Woodward later told Gerth that he had spoken to Post journalists only to find they were not interested in hearing more about his concerns.

Donald Trump spent his presidency fending off allegations of collusion with Russia

'To be honest, there was a lack of curiosity on the part of the people at the Post about what I had said, why I said this, and I accepted that and I didn't force it on anyone,' he told Gerth.

Then there was a bombshell New York Times story, claiming that Russian intelligence was in touch with members of the Trump campaign.

The story described Steele as having a 'credible track record' and claimed that the FBI was chasing down his sources.

In fact, writes Gerth, the FBI had interviewed the former spy's 'primary' source, who said Steele had exaggerated or misstated details and that his own information was based on 'rumor and speculation,' according to notes released later.

None of that mattered, as the FBI at the time stayed silent.

The Times story had triggered a frenzy, with other news outlets producing their own stories about Trump campaign officials in contact with Russians known to US intelligence.

'It's kind of like the Watergate burglary,' Woodward told Gerth, helping 'launch the issue.'




A Seoul court on Wednesday ordered the state to pay more than 200 million won ($162,500) in compensation to family members of a woman killed after an attempted rape by a man wearing an ankle monitor for sexual crimes.







In 2012, the woman in her 30s was murdered by Seo Jin-hwan, who broke into her house in Seoul's Gwangjin district in an attempt to rape her. It was only later found out by police that Seo had committed a similar crime just 13 days earlier and that he was wearing an electronic ankle monitor at the time.







The family then filed a compensation suit against the state, claiming Seo's crime could have been prevented if police had properly managed DNA evidence found from the previous crime scene and if his ankle bracelet had been properly monitored.







In earlier rulings, the courts dismissed the suit, citing the lack of correlation between negligence of police officers and the crime.







But the Supreme Court later struck down the rulings and sent the case back to the Seoul High Court for a review, saying Seo would not have committed such daring crimes repeatedly if he had understood his location was monitored through an electronic device.







On Wednesday, the Seoul High Court ruled partially in favor of the plaintiffs and ordered the state to pay over 93 million won to the victim's husband and 59.5 million won each to her two children.







The court recognized the correlation between the negligence of officers and the victim's death, as well as their failure to properly monitor a sex offender, constitutes as a crime. (Yonhap)


The Royal Air Force broke employment law when it attempted to favour female and ethnic minority candidates over white men, an official report is expected to conclude.

The order to prioritise their job applications led to the resignation of the officer expected to implement the policy, Group Captain Lizzie Nicholl.

She refused to comply with the directive as she believed it was unlawful, a view shared by the RAF's legal department. It emerged yesterday that Gp Capt Nicholl is said to be considering legal action against the RAF.

Questioned by MPs yesterday, the head of the RAF fudged his response when asked if he was behind the controversial policy.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston said: 'I set the aspirational goal for the service and the direction for the RAF. We did identify mistakes and I want the RAF to learn from this. I very much regret [Gp Capt Nicholl] found herself in that position and that she felt she had no alternative but to resign.'

Group Captain Lizzie Nicholl is said to be considering legal action against the RAF

Defence chiefs have ordered a non-statutory inquiry (NSI) into last year's 'positive discrimination' policy which saw women and BAME candidates prioritised for highly sought-after places on RAF training courses.

Under employment law, the military is granted dispensation to disqualify people based on their age and physical abilities when these characteristics are considered essential to their roles.

But any policies which favour candidates based on their sex and race would be unlawful.

Defence committee chairman Tobias Ellwood told Sir Mike: 'There has clearly been a lack of integrity at the top of the RAF.

'Your legal team said it would break the law if you pursued this policy. This was a formal directive from the top. She [Gp Capt Nicholl] saw the legal advice. It is going to go to a tribunal.'

Last night the RAF said the policy was never implemented and there was no impact on operational capabilities. All the 'white males' were found places on training courses.

However, a previous policy was understood to have led to 160 cases of 'positive discrimination' against white men between November 2020 and March 2021.

Mr Ellwood told MPs: '[Gp Capt Nicholl] ended up having to resign not wishing to go through with this policy.'

Air Chief Marshal Mike Wigston (left) and Station Commander for RAF Coningsby Billy Cooper (right) with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during his visit to RAF Coningsby in Linconshire

Sir Mike is facing huge pressure over the recruitment policy, delays in RAF fast jet training and the sexual misconduct scandal in the Red Arrows.

The committee heard it was taking pilots ten years to qualify to fly the F-35 Lightning, when it should take three years.

The delays have been caused by aircraft maintenance issues and the RAF's commitment to train pilots from Saudi Arabia and Qatar as part of a deal to convince Gulf states to buy UK-manufactured Typhoon jets.

The committee also heard that the decision to retire the RAF's Hercules transport aircraft this year could jeopardise Special Forces missions.

The replacement for the Hercules, the A400M, cannot be used on certain operations because it does not allow paratroopers to jump from both sides or boats to be deployed from its rear ramp.

Sir Mike said: 'This wasn't a decision taken in isolation by the RAF. Decisions are taken in a resource constrained environment.'

Mr Ellwood said: 'The one thing we [the UK] bring to the table is our Special Forces. By taking these niche capabilities away you are denying the SF these capabilities.'
That search was conducted at the Penn Biden Center think tank in Washington, DC after Biden's personal attorneys found classified files there on November 2

He would not give a reason for the delayed disclosure of another FBI search for classified files of the president's that occurred in mid-November

Ian Sams, a spokesman for the White House Counsel's Office, fielded questions from reporters on Wednesday after the FBI searched Biden's Rehoboth house

The White House insisted yet again on Wednesday that it has been 'transparent' about President Joe Biden's handling of classified documents amid intense scrutiny over the timeline of its disclosures.

It comes after the White House Counsel's Office confirmed that same morning that the FBI was searching Biden's holiday home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware for more secret files.

The search turned up no new pages. As many as 30 have reportedly been found across Biden's main private residence in Wilmington and a Washington, DC think tank where he previously held a private office.

But the quick disclosure of that FBI action stands in stark contrast to the months-long delay in revealing that the bureau also searched the Penn Biden Center in mid-November, after the first batch of classified files was found there earlier that same month.

That FBI search was not revealed until Tuesday of this week.

Ian Sams, a spokesman for the White House Counsel's Office, was asked by reporters why today's search was made known so quickly but the Penn Biden Center operation was kept secret.

White House Counsel's Office spokesman Ian Sams fielded questions from reporters on Wednesday, hours after the FBI searched President Joe Biden's Rehoboth Beach holiday home for more classified documents

'Do the American people have a right to know about that?' ABC correspondent Mary Bruce asked.

'Yeah, I think weve been pretty transparent from the very beginning with providing information as it occurs throughout this process,' Sams said.

'You know, we have released probably thousands of words of statements from the Presidents personal attorney in the White House Counsels Office about the process that has been undertaken here  that process that has been fully coordinated with the Justice Department as they conduct an ongoing investigation.'

Pressed again on the delay, Sams said, 'With regards to that specific question, I dont have anything to add for you right now.'

'I think its probably more appropriate  that question, specifically, about something that happened a few months ago  be asked to the Justice Department,' he added.

The National Archives, which was first alerted about the original batch of documents by Biden's private lawyers on November 2, was prevented from notifying the public that classified files had been found at the DC think tank at the time.

House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman James Comer claimed on Tuesday night that the only two entities that could have given the order are the White House and the Department of Justice  putting the onus on either Biden or Attorney General Merrick Garland.

The National Archives prepared a press release to notify the public of the discovery, but was stopped from issuing it, Comer claimed.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer of Kentucky (pictured) said Tuesday that the National Archives was blocked from releasing a prepared statement on the discovery of classified documents at the Penn Biden Center in Washington, D.C. in early November

'There are only two people that could have given those orders, and that's either the Department of Justice with Merrick Garland or the White House with Joe Biden,' the Kentucky Republican told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Tuesday evening.

'So, it shows right there that this Department of Justice and this White House is interfering with this,' he added.

The latest revelation comes after Comer's panel conducted a lengthy interview with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) general counsel Gary Stern.

Stern informed the Oversight Committee that he couldn't tell them who gave the order not to release the statement.

Comer noted yet another double-standard in the process of classified documents between the case involving Biden and the one involving former President Donald Trump, whose Mar-a-Lago residence was raided by the FBI in August after he had failed to return presidential documents to the National Archives following multiple requests.

'If you go on the National Archives website, there's pages and pages of press releases and information about the FBI raid into Mar-a-Lago and Donald Trump's possession of classified documents,' Comer said. 'But there's nothing on the website about Joe Biden.'

New information about Biden's case also emerged Tuesday, indicating the discovery of documents wasn't as much of a cooperative process as previously indicated.

FBI investigators searched Biden's DC think tank office days after the president's lawyer identified classified material there.

New revelations emerged Tuesday that FBI agents had searched the Penn Biden office for classified material back in November  a detail previously unknown despite the administration insisting 'transparency' through the whole process

The White House and the Justice Department did not disclose the search, which was reported by CBS News, despite the White House's claim of 'transparency' over the rolling discoveries of classified material.

It was not immediately known if any additional documents marked classified were uncovered during the search, which took place in mid-November.

Days before the midterm elections, a Biden attorney discovered 10 documents marked 'classified,' then contacted the National Archives, which alerted the Justice Department.

Comer demanded the Archives come before the Oversight Committee to shed some clarity on the documents saga after the classified materials were found at Trump, Biden and former Vice President Mike Pence's private residences and offices.

Stern was grilled by lawmakers Tuesday for more than three hours in a transcribed interview with Comer and his panel, as Democrat and Republican lawmakers have grown increasingly frustrated with the lack of detail and transparency from the administration on the matter.

In the Democrat-controlled Senate, the Intelligence Committee has lamented that they have not been able to review the documents, yet the press keeps releasing information regarding the materials found in the searches.

While Republicans and Democrats lamented about 'stonewalling' from the Justice Department, members of the Oversight panel claim that the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Avril Haines is blocking the release of key details until the agency has concluded its investigation.

The FBI search at the Penn Biden center in Washington, D.C. came days after the initial document discovery in November

The FBI then carried out a search of Biden's Wilmington, Delaware, home, where more classified materials were discovered in the president's garage and library

The same garage is home to Biden's beloved classic Corvette Stingray

News of the FBI search comes as the Biden administration faces new pressure from Democrats to disclose the contents of classified material found at his home and office.

The White House had fielded questions last week about whether such a search might happen this past weekend, when Biden was at Camp David and in Wilmington, but there are no indications it happened.

'There has not been a limit of transparency,' White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said earlier this month during a particularly feisty White House press briefing.

The repeated disclosures come after months of reporting on Donald Trump's own resistance to government demands to return documents  and the FBI's discovery under a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago of hundreds of documents marked 'classified.'

Former Barack Obama advisor David Axelrod is among prominent Democrats who have called out the Biden White House for insufficient transparency, in an op-ed where he faulted the team for violating a mantra of crisis communications to 'fully disclose all the facts' as quickly as possible.
Teachers could be forced to tell schools they are planning to strike to avoid a repeat of yesterdays nationwide disruption.

Ministers are urgently examining whether to tighten the law to close a loophole that prevents headteachers from knowing which staff are taking part in industrial action.

Tens of thousands of teachers who are members of the National Education Union (NEU) left their posts and joined picket lines yesterday.

In a general strike in all but name  dubbed Walkout Wednesday  they joined 100,000 civil servants, 70,000 university staff and thousands of train drivers and Border Force officers in staging industrial action.

The strikes caused misery for parents, many of whom were left in limbo after the union encouraged teachers to refuse to tell heads in advance whether they would turn up for work.

Teachers, pictured at a rally in Whitehall yesterday, could be forced to tell schools they are planning to strike to avoid a repeat of yesterdays nationwide disruption

Tens of thousands of teachers who are members of the National Education Union (NEU) left their posts and joined picket lines yesterday

It meant some schools were forced to close unnecessarily, disrupting their pupils education and forcing parents to take unpaid leave or pay for extra childcare.

Rishi Sunak is said to have been incredulous that militant unions are able to disrupt contingency plans by refusing to provide basic information on which teachers are going on strike.

The walkouts disrupted more than 80 per cent of secondary schools yesterday. In other developments:

Mr Sunak accused Sir Keir Starmer of siding with extremist protesters and union bosses as he attacked Labour for voting against anti-strike laws;

Mick Lynch, head of the RMT rail union, told an rally of 40,000 in Westminster: We are the working class and we are back;

The British Museum was forced to close after workers went on strike;

Mick Whelan, general secretary of the Aslef rail union, threatened a ten-day walkout in a bid to flout a proposed law requiring a minimum level of service during strikes.

Rishi Sunak, pictured during Prime Minister's Questions on February 1, is said to have been incredulous that militant unions are able to disrupt contingency plans

Union members and supporters march along Whitehall during a day of national strikes on February 1

READ MORE: Now for the pub on a school night! Striking teachers knock back pints after day on picket line - as official stats reveal nearly 80% of secondary schools were shut or told some pupils to stay at home Striking teachers were pictured enjoying a weeknight pint on a day which has nearly 80 per cent of secondary schools close or restrict attendance for pupils Advertisement

The NEU told members to ignore requests from headteachers in the run-up to the strike. On its website, the union warned heads: Individual NEU members do not have to tell their employer which union they are a member of, or whether or not they personally intend to take part in strike action. You cant ask staff to tell you or sign a form.

A government source pointed out that French law requires striking teachers to give schools 48 hours notice if they intend to walk out, to enable heads to make contingency plans.

The source added: It is ridiculous that unions are able to add to the disruption caused by refusing to provide the basic information needed to make contingency plans. If this is something that is going to become a regular tactic then we will have to act on it.

The Prime Ministers spokesman noted that the new Minimum Service Levels Bill will give ministers the power to require unions to provide a certain level of staff on strike days.

The legislation is due to apply initially to fire, ambulance and rail services. Ministers had hoped to reach a voluntary agreement with teaching unions, but the PMs spokesman said the issue was being kept under review in the light of yesterdays tactics.

Attacking Sir Keir at Prime Ministers Questions yesterday, Mr Sunak said: He cant stand up to his union bosses, he cant stand up for Britains school children today, and he cant stand up for the women in his party.

But the Labour leader  who failed to raise the crippling walkouts during PMQs  said it was rank pathetic to blame his party for failing to sort out the strikes.

Sadiq Khan, the Labour mayor of London, sent a message of support to striking teachers, saying the way in which youve been treated is nothing short of a disgrace. More than 20 Labour MPs joined picket lines.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he believes he can come to agreement with President Joe Biden on raising the nation's debt ceiling but refused to lay out the cuts he wants to federal spending and wouldn't give details about what the two men talked about in their Oval Office meeting on Wednesday.

'I just walked out having an hour conversation with this president that I tell you - in perspective - was a good conversation. No agreements. No promises except we will continue this conversation,' he told reporters outside of the White House after the meeting ended.

'There's nothing in there with me walking away that does not believe at the end of the day we can come to an agreement that makes America stronger, puts us on a path to balance and exactly what the American people are asking us to do. It's our responsibility,' he added.

The two men met for the first time since McCarthy won the speakership and their sit down came amid a stalemate over how to raise the country's $31.4 trillion borrowing limit.

'Just finished a wide-ranging discussion with Speaker Kevin McCarthy,' Biden said in a tweet. 'I made clear that its the shared duty of every leader in Congress not to allow a default. However, I told him that I welcome separate talks about how best to continue reducing the deficit while growing the economy.'

The White House shared a picture of President Joe Biden (right) in his first meeting with Rep. Kevin McCarthy (left) since the California Republican won the House speakership last month

Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he and President Joe Biden didn't come to an agreement on how to raise the debt limit but agreed to continue talking

The White House, in a readout on the meeting, said it was 'a frank and straightforward dialogue.'

Ahead of the meeting, both sides laid out their arguments: Biden wanted specifics from McCarthy on what federal spending he wants to cut and McCarthy wants Biden to agree to negotiate with him on future federal budgets.

The meeting ended as it began - in a stalemate.

Both the White House and the speaker said talks will continue. The county is expected to hit its borrowing limit in June. Wednesday's meeting was expected to be the opening session of many negotiations to come

'The president and I are trying to find a way that we can work together. We will continue to do that,' McCarthy said.

The Republicans are pushing for negotiations so they can propose cuts to the federal budget. Biden has made it clear he wants the debt limit raised with no conditions attached. The White House point out Republicans agreed to that three times under President Donald Trump.

The administration doubled down on that stance after the meeting, saying a discussion on reducing the debate is a 'separate' one.

'The President welcomes a separate discussion with congressional leaders about how to reduce the deficit and control the national debt while continuing to grow the economy,' the White House noted.

The White House said President Biden had 'a frank and straightforward dialogue'

Before the meeting occurred, the White House said that President Biden would ask McCarthy to agree that the nation shouldn't default on its debt.

The speaker declined to say if he made that promise.

'Now is a moment in time. We have five more months,' he said.

He also refused to say what he specifically wants cut in federal spending, noting he's not going to negotiate in the press.

But, he added: 'There's a lot of savings to find for the American taxpayer. This is a hard-working taxpayer. There's a lot of places where there's wasteful Washington spending. I think we can find an agreement.'

He called the debt the 'greatest threat' to America.

The U.S. has never defaulted and economists fear a default could trigger a worldwide recession and damage America's credit rating.

Republicans have tossed out several ideas on how to make the cuts they want to federal spending, including taking federal spending back to its pre-COVID pandemic levels.

The House GOP met Wednesday morning on Capitol Hill to brainstorm on how to cut federal spending. Republican leadership was looking for general thoughts and ideas on what should be cut from their members.

They did indicate that cuts to Social Security and Medicare would be off the table. Slashing the budget of either program could be a political liability for Republicans with voters.

'This is a lot more of education for a lot of our colleagues about the different components of debt ceiling,' Rep. Byron Donalds said of their meeting.

Democrats, in turn, argue that there is nothing McCarthy can propose that will get him the 218 votes he needs among his Republicans to move ahead in the legislative process.

McCarthy can only afford to lose four Republican votes if he wants to pass a debt ceiling increase without Democratic help.

Senate Republicans are letting McCarthy take the lead as they stand back to see what happens.

Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell made it clear is taking a hands' off approach.

'I think the deal has to be cut obviously between the House majority and the Democratic president in order to have a chance to survive over here,' he said.

Trump raised the debt limit three times during his presidency without any dramatics or standoff negotiations. During his four years in office, the debt increased from $20 trillion to nearly $28 trillion.

But the debt rose even further due to a slew of post-pandemic spending programs Democrats enacted to help the country recover economically from its COVID shutdown.

The U.S. debt is now almost equal to the country's gross domestic product, a measure of yearly economic output. It's on track to be 225% of GDP by 2050, according to the Penn Wharton Budget Model.

The U.S. is expected a hit the ceiling on Thursday, forcing the Treasury Department to start using 'extraordinary measures' so the government can keep paying bills while Congress negotiates to try and avoid an economic meltdown

The federal debt ceiling was raised in December of 2021 by $2.5 trillion to $31.381 trillion, which is expected to hit on Thursday, January 18.

To stabilize the debt near current levels, the government would need to permanently slash all spending by 30%, raise tax revenues by 40% or some combination of both, Kent Smetters, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and director of the Penn Wharton Budget Model, to the Associated Press.

The U.S. has never defaulted on its debt, but it has come close.

In 2011, House Republicans, who held the majority, demanded then-President Barack Obama negotiate over deficit reduction in exchange for an increase in the debt ceiling.

The back-and-forth debate went down to the wire, with the debt ceiling being raised only two days before the US defaulted.

Just the brinkmanship sparked a major economic crisis for the country, resulting in one of the worst weeks for the markets since the 2008 financial crisis, sinking stock prices, and taking a toll on people's retirement savings.

Mortgage rates spiked, hurting prospective home buyers.

The standoff also resulted in the US getting its credit rating downgraded and the economy took months to recover.
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Furious Catholics have clashed with hundreds of protestors chanting 'George Pell, go to hell' outside the Cardinal's funeral.

Australia's most senior Catholic was laid to rest on Thursday at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney after his death at 81 from hip replacement surgery complications.

LGBTQI activists gathered over the road in Hyde Park before marching to the edge of the street carrying rainbow flags and banners.

They were allowed to stand in the middle of the road chanting 'George Pell, go to hell' for about five minutes, just a few metres from more than a thousand mourners outside the cathedral.

One man, dressed in a grey T-shirt and shorts, yelled at two protesters holding a 'Pell burn in hell' banner across the road from the cathedral with the word 'hell' painted as if it was on fire

Police managed to get the protesters to move the signs (pictured) further away from the cathedral

A woman alongside the angry Catholic man held up a sign reading 'anti-Catholic bigotry must end' and claiming Christians were 'the most persecuted religious group in the world'

Some mourners shouted abuse at the protesters and confronted police, who stood between the two groups, demanding they be ordered to move.

The demonstrators were allowed to briefly protest between the park and the cathedral in a deal with police, and eventually marched down College Street.

Cardinal Pell's handling of child sexual abuse by Catholic priests and brothers, homosexuality, and abortion angered many over the course of his life and prompted the protests.

He served 406 days of a six-year sentence over child sexual abuse allegations but always maintained his innocence. The federal court upheld the verdict but the High Court overturned his conviction in 2020.

Daily Mail Australia also filmed irate Pell supporters confronting protesters outside the Sydney cathedral on Thursday morning just before the funeral started.

The man, dressed in a grey T-shirt and shorts, yelled at two protesters holding a 'Pell burn in hell' banner across the road from the cathedral with the word 'hell' painted as if it was on fire.

'We want that taken down,' the supporter told the police officer, who was trying to calm the man.

The supporter then spoke directly to the two protesters holding the sign, and another reading 'infernal resting place' pointing towards the ground - and therefore hell.

'Take it down, you're aggravating a lot of f**king people,' he said.

A woman next to him, dressed in business clothes, was holding a sign that read 'anti-Catholic bigotry must end'.

The cathedral was packed for the requiem mass for Cardinal George Pell before he is buried in Sydney

Cardinal Pell's coffin is carried out of the cathedral to a waiting hearse to drive it to the crypt underneath

Nuns arriving to pay their respects to George Pell

The man could then be heard asking a protester if they had 'looked in the mirror' and asked them 'are you a dyke?'.

'Dyke' is a homophobic slur, typically used against lesbians.

'I do not respond to dykes so please move, you're a dyke, that's not hate speech. Go film your own people, you are not welcome here, go take your f**king sign off, get your people to move, they can go f**k themselves,' he yelled.

Another protester was roughly frogmarched away from the funeral after loudly blowing a whistle for several minutes just on the other side of the fence.

Several police tried to talk to the man, who asked 'what am I doing wrong?'

Carrying a rainbow umbrella and wearing a face mask and a 'facts not stories' t-shirt, he walked away from the police whenever they approached him, continuing to blow his whistle along the fence line.

When an angry mourner charged towards him threatened to inflame the situation, police outside the closed area surrounded the protester as he yelled, 'no, I didn't do anything' several times.

'What am I doing? I have a right to be here,' he said.

Four officers then surrounded the man, pushing him away from the cathedral and vigorously grabbing his umbrella as they marched him towards a waiting paddy wagon.

Another protester was roughly frogmarched away from the funeral after loudly blowing a whistle for several minutes just on the other side of the fence

The demonstrators were allowed to briefly protest between the park and the cathedral in a deal with police, and eventually marched down College Street

Protesters turned onto Oxford Street after they marched past the cathedral and continued through Darlianghurst

Supporters of survivors of sexual abuse had a much quieter protest than the LGBTQI community, tying ribbons to the fence outside St Mary's Cathedral after they were removed overnight

NSW Police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia the man was 'moved on' from the protest but not arrested.

More than a thousand mourners lined up for hours in the hot sun for a chance to get inside the church to watch Cardinal Pell's funeral, in a queue that stretched around the edge of the cathedral square and up College Street.

The well-wishers included a multitude of ethnicities and nationalities with ages ranging from the elderly to newborn babies, as well as dozens of nuns in white and purple habits, and monks in their cowls.

Catholic men's group Knights of the Precious Blood had a dozens-strong contingent in their black shirts and entire workplaces attended together in uniform.

Many wore crucifixes or held rosary beads, muttering prayers for Cardinal Pell.

Only a small number made it inside, the rest staying in the square to watch the funeral on large TV screens.

Hundreds of mourners take the eucharist while Pell's mass is held inside

Hundreds of Sydneysiders queued in the sun for hours to take the eucharist

A picture of Cardinal Pell as a baby was included in the Order of Service handed out to mourners

About 10.15am, a few hundred mourners kneeled on the stone paving to chant the rosary for 15 minutes.

As the funeral began, volunteers handed out orders of service for mourners outside to follow, including hymns and prayers they sang and recited in unison.

Some used them in a desperate attempt to shield themselves from the sun, while a small number came prepared with umbrellas.

Every speech, all glowing with praise for Cardinal Pell, was followed by clapping and cheering.

Halinda Gad, a retired opera singer and Polish immigrant, and her friend held signs declaring Cardinal Pell a 'white martyr' and compared him to a cardinal jailed for resisting communism.

'He was persecuted by the mainstream media and aggressive liberalism, not only in Australia, also in the whole globe,' she said.

'That's why we wanted to pay tribute and ask God that he can be seen [in heaven] immediately, because he suffered a lot.

'He was jailed twice like our Polish cardinal Stefan Wyszynski... because he didn't want to collaborate [with the Soviets] and all the country followed him.'

Cardinal Wyszynski was imprisoned by the post-World War II communist regime in Poland for supporting the country's anti-communist resistance.

'And the same thing happened to Cardinal George Pell, he was also persecuted for truth, justice, Christian ethics and morality, and deeply loved by I think all Australians,' she said.

Halinda Gad, retired opera singer and Polish immigrant (right), and a friend held up signs declaring Cardinal Pell's innocence and claiming he was persecuted

Former prime minister Tony Abbott (pictured right) inside the cathedral. He spoke at the service

Former prime minister John Howard arriving to pay his respects to Cardinal George Pell

Former prime ministers John Howard and Tony Abbott was spotted arriving at the funeral just before it started, as well as Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.

Mr Abbott, a close friend of Cardinal Pell, gave an extraordinary eulogy during the service where he made the case for him to be declared Australia second saint.

'He's the greatest Catholic Australia has ever produced and one of our country's greatest sons,' he said.

'He should not have been charged in the absence of corroborating evidence and should never have it should never have been convicted in the absence of a plausible case, as the High Court so resoundingly made plain.'

The staunch Catholic mocked protesters outside for their 'George Pell, go to hell' slogan as further proof the cardinal should be swiftly canonised.

'At least they now believe in the afterlife. Saint George Pell's first miracle,' he joked during the service.

The crowd's sang 'ave Maria' as hundreds of clergy from around the world slowly marched down College Street in the funeral procession

Cardinal Pell's hearse was behind them, followed by non-clergy members of the funeral party

They all proceeded under the cathedral for the burial in the crypt, screened on the TVs for mourners outside to watch

Mr Abbott said Cardinal Pell should be included in Catholic religious studies and courses and grants be named after him.

'Just as there are for the other saints,' he said.

'If we can direct our prayers to Mother Teresa, Thomas A Becket and Saint Augustine, why not the late cardinal too, who's been just as pleasing to God, I'm sure, and has the added virtue of being the very best of us.'

Mr Abbott received a huge cheer as he walked behind the hearse carrying Cardinal Pell's coffin, waving to the crowd and walking to the fence to shake hands with a few mourners.

His appearance briefly interrupted the crowd's rousing singing of 'ave Maria' as hundreds of clergy from around the world slowly marched down College Street in the funeral procession.

Cardinal Pell's hearse was behind them, followed by non-clergy members of the funeral party. They all proceeded under the cathedral for the burial.

The coffin was laid to rest in the cathedral's crypt, and screened on the TVs for mourners outside to watch.

Radio broadcaster Alan Jones (pictured centre) also attended the service but appeared to sit alone

Thousands are expected to attend St Mary's Cathedral to farewell George Pell

Opposition leader Peter Dutton arriving at the cathedral to pay his respects to George Pell

NSW Police on Wednesday predicted there would be clashes after hundreds of protesters were given the green light to hold a protest outside the funeral.

The activists are protesting Cardinal Pell's public opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion rights as well as a child sexual abuse conviction that he was ultimately cleared of.

It comes as officers were called to the cathedral late Wednesday night after mourners approached child abuse activists who had been tying ribbons to the fence.

Footage captured by 9News showed supporters of the cardinal allegedly shouting at the silent protesters.

Police officers were seen breaking up the crowd and talking to people following the clash.

The Today Show filmed police officers sweeping the church on Thursday morning.

'They have done a sweep inside the church. There are the last half-a-dozen police cars stationed here,' reporter Lara Vella said.

'They have been keeping a close eye on a particular group of men who have been doing laps of St Mary's Cathedral. I have seen them lots and lots of times.'

Clashes outside St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney ahead of Cardinal George Pell funeral

Riot police out in force on Thursday morning ahead of the funeral

Clashes outside St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney ahead of Cardinal George Pell funeral. Picture: 9News

Hundreds of mourners gather outside St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney

NSW Police announced it would attempt to stop the protest in the Supreme Court over 'safety concerns' on Tuesday.

But the court was told on Wednesday that 'alternative arrangements' to use a different route had been made with protest organisers had been made.

Protesters have been allowed to march through Hyde Park and stand at the square outside the cathedral.

Outside court, Acting Assistant Commissioner Martin Fileman told media it was 'never the intention' to stop or oppose any protest activity.

He said there was a 'risk' of clashes between protesters and Pell supporters, which is why the 'buffer zone' will 'mitigate the risk'.

CARR organiser Kim Stern told media the action by NSW Police was an attempt to 'suppress our democratic right to protest'.

Police mix with mourners outside St Mary's Cathedral on Thursday morning

'They tried to stop us from marching next to the church, they wanted us to march in the opposite direction ... they claimed it was a security issue, a safety issue,' Mr Stern said.

'I think if we were denied the right to march right up opposite the church... those people would have been very happy if they could have gone in unperturbed by that.'

Mr Stern said it was a massive victory for the activists, who will be able to have their voices heard.

'Now we're able to march up right opposite the church and have our voices heard, have a loud, visible, angry rally that's going to be hearing from survivors of abuse in the Catholic Church,' he said.
The Reserve Bank will update the $5 banknote to feature a new design that honours the culture and history of Indigenous Australians - instead of King Charles.

The new design will replace the portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II that has long been on Australia's currency.

The other side of the banknote will continue to feature the Australian Parliament.

The surprise decision to not replace the late Queen with King Charles III follows consultation with the federal government, which supported the change.

'I think this is the right decision,' treasurer Jim Chalmers told reporters in Melbourne on Thursday.

The Reserve Bank board will now consult with First Australians in designing the new $5 banknote.

The new banknote will take a number of years to be designed and printed.

The current $5 banknote will continue to be issued and will still be able to be used even after the new banknote is introduced.

The late monarch has been on the polymer $5 banknote since 1992 when she replaced humanitarian Caroline Chisholm, who had been on the previous paper $5 note since 1967.

Poll What do you think of the decision to not feature King Charles III on the new $5 note? Great idea Disagree, the King should be on the new note New note should feature a famous Aussie What do you think of the decision to not feature King Charles III on the new $5 note? Great idea 458 votes

Disagree, the King should be on the new note 924 votes

New note should feature a famous Aussie 366 votes Now share your opinion





The treasurer warned it will be a 'fair while yet' before the new notes are issued.

'There's plenty of time to consider and consult on the design that best honours First Australians,' Dr Chalmers said.

'It's also important to remember the monarch will continue to be on our coins.'

'It is an opportunity to strike a good balance here.

'The monarch will still be on the coins, but the $5 note will say more about our history and our heritage and our country, and I see that as a good thing.'

High profile republican Peter FitzSimons was quick to welcome Thursday's decision as a huge step forward.

'Next thing: in what places across Australia is the official portrait of 'King Charles' up, and how soon can they be taken down?,' he tweeted.

The announcement also sparked a divided response from Aussies.

'Great decision. Maybe we can shrug off the monarchy yet,' one tweeted.

Another added: 'This is a good gesture, but I don't think it will make up for the fact that the inflationary dollar system plays against the indigenous people, whom are often considered the least credit worthy in our society. The credit worthy get the new money, the poor just get the inflation.'

Others offered their own design suggestions.

'In 2000 one note would buy a schooner. So why don't you make the new note half the size?,' one man commented.

Aussies previously called for late national icon Steve Irwin to replace the Queen on the $5 note instead of King Charles.

King Charles III will not feature on Australia's new $5 note (pictured is a mocked-up $5 note featuring King Charles)

Her death after 70 years on the throne heralded a raft of changes for Australia, including the introduction of bank notes and coins emblazoned with the new King's face.

Assistant Treasurer Andrew Leigh said it wasn't a given King Charles would automatically replace his mother on the note.

'As I understand it, the decision to include the Queen's face on the $5 note was about her personally rather than about the status of the monarch, so that transition isn't automatic,' he said.

Many Aussies at the time of the Queens's death called for her to be replaced on the $5 note by late wildlife icon Steve Irwin.

'Can we get a petition to get Steve Irwin's face on money in place of the Queen going? It's what we all want,' one Aussie suggested at the time.

'Steve Irwin deserves our highest form of currency,' another chimed in.

'The $5 note will explode in value if we put him on that note.'
A sprawling Victorian-era Grade II* listed fort where Dad's Army star Arthur Lowe once served and was almost killed before his acting career even began is on sale for 500,000.

The 20-sided Old Defensible Barracks in Pembroke Dock, Dyfed, Wales, which has 4.5 acres of land, once housed actor Lowe, who played Captain Mainwaring in the hit show between 1968 and 1977.

He once said the closest he ever came to danger during the Second World War was when German bombers attacked Pembroke Dock, with one bomb landing virtually next door to his billet in the fort.

But the docks now languish abandoned and unloved and property lovers could buy a one-bedroom flat in some of London's priciest areas for the same price.

The beautiful property is set in the heart of the Welsh countryside, and has more than 150 years of history

The enormous property is on sale for the same price as a one-bedroom flat in central London, and could be refurbished as a hotel or individual premises

The 20-sided Old Defensible Barracks in Pembroke Dock, Dyfed, Wales, once housed actor Arthur Lowe, who played Captain Mainwaring in Dad's Army

A one bathroom flat in Bloomsbury, west London, would set you back 575,000, the same in Hackney, east London is 500,000 and in Islington, north London, a modest one bed can go for 565,000.

But the incredible fort's internal area is a whopping 47,797 square metres with approximately 4.47 acres of grassy green spaces surrounding the barracks as well as magazines and gun sheds.

Its buildings have up to four floors and are made of stone, brick, timber and steel, with roofs in slate.

The barracks were built between 1841 and 1846 in order to house Royal Marines, and were also home to the RAF for 30 years.

It is thought to be the last trace bastion fort to have been built in the whole of Europe.

Pictures show what appears to be the main entrance over a bridge with boarded up doors and warning signs.

The Victorian brick-work is studded with overgrown plants, weeds and vines - giving the hulking building a post-apocalyptic feel.

The entrance is a grand frontage, complete with a beautiful clock inset within the stone

The incredible fort's internal area is a whopping 47,797 square metres with approximately 4.47 acres of grassy green spaces surrounding the barracks

As well as the main fort, there are also outhouses and magazines throughout the almost 4.5 acres of land

The historic fort is set in the heart of picturesque Pembrokeshire, Wales, surrounded by countryside

It has breathtaking sea views, with a previous owner negotiating permission to turn the historical building into a hotel in the 80s

Inside the parade square neat barracks in pretty grey shades built with brick, timber and steel and roofed with slate can be seen.

The building also has basement areas, cast-iron rails and Prince of Wales feathers and VR crests.

Landmark Chelsea development that claims to be 'Europe's greenest' and has a house for sale for 53m is home to Britain's biggest electricity users Advertisement

As well as a gatehouse and main fort, there is also a substantial parade ground and basement area.

There is even evidence of efforts to hide weaponry in the event of an attack, with a 'hairdresser' storeroom actually having housed ammunition.

Stunning aerial pictures show the true size of the fort, with the inside unfurnished with white-washed walls and huge windows flooding the many rooms with natural light.

It has breathtaking sea views, with a previous owner negotiating permission to turn the historical building into a hotel in the 80s.

But potential buyers should be prepared for significant works on the buildings before they are habitable.

The Defensible Barracks is of historic and national importance and therefore has been given Scheduled Ancient Monument status. It has been home to thousands of armed forces members over the years, perhaps most famously Arthur Lowe.

After working in an aircraft factory in his 20s, Lowe joined the British Army on the eve of the Second World War.

The interior of the barracks has been largely stripped of all furniture and fittings - making it a clean slate for renovators

Original features such as hand-painted signs remain scattered throughout the barracks

During the First World War, the fort was a siege training school for the Royal Artillerymen, and in the Second World War it was used as the Milford Haven headquarters

Despite the age of the building, it has hundreds of large windows and is bright and well-lit by natural sunlight

He served in the Middle East with the Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry during the war, and began to take part in shows put on for the troops, which appears to have sparked his desire to act.

He left the Army, in which he served as a radar technician, at the end of the war with the rank of Sergeant Major.

Before being cast as Captain Mainwaring, he appeared in shows such as Coronation Street and The Avengers (1967).

The description for the listing states: 'The barracks and associated buildings are full of character and details with a layout that presents well for renovation and conversion into residential property - whether hotel or individual dwellings.

'Famous residents of the barracks include Gordon of Khartoum, who was later deployed to join the fighting in Crimea, and Arthur Lowe, who played Captain Mainwaring in Dad's Army!

'During the First World War, the fort was a siege training school for the Royal Artillerymen, and in the Second World War it was used as the Milford Haven headquarters.

'The whole region has a palpable link to World War 2, various military garrisons and RAF bases can be found all over Pembrokeshire.

'For 30 years the RAF was based at Pembroke Dock. In 1943 when home to the Sunderland Flying Boats, it was the largest operational base for flying boats in the world.

'The barracks itself has housed various well regarded regiments such as Royal Marines and Pembrokeshire Artillery to the 24th Foot (South Wales Borderers) since its completion in 1846.

'The Defensible Barracks is of historic and national importance and therefore has been given Scheduled Ancient Monument status.'
It is the first time it will be seen since the age of the Neanderthals years ago

An incredibly rare green comet will zip past Earth tonight for the first time since the age of the Neanderthals 50,000 years ago.

Comet C/2022 E3 will fling past our planet at a distance of about 26.4 million miles (42.5 million km).

Stargazers will be able to tell the difference between the comet and surrounding stars as it will have a streaking trail of dust following it.

Here's everything you need to know about the comet - including how and when to see it.

Tonight, an incredibly rare green comet, formally known as Comet C/2022 E3, will be visible in the night sky

On Monday, the comet appeared between the Big Dipper and Polaris, the North Star. Today it will appear near the constellation Camelopardalis, bordered by Ursa Major, the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper

KEY FACTS: COMET C/2022 E3 Last visible from Earth: The Ice Age Closest approach to the sun: January 12 Closest approach to Earth: February 2 Next visible: 50,000 years time Distance at closest approach: 26.4 million miles (42.5 million kilometres) from Earth Discovered: March 2022 Spotted by: The Zwicky Transient Facility in California Will it be visible to the naked eye? Possibly Where to look: In the morning sky, to the northeast Advertisement

What is a comet?

Nicknamed 'dirty snowballs' by astronomers, comets are balls of ice, dust and rocks that typically come from the ring of icy material called the Oort cloud at our solar system's outer edge.

Surrounding a comet is a thin and gassy atmosphere filled with more ice and dust called a coma.

As they approach the sun, comets melt, releasing a stream of gas and dust blown from their surface by solar radiation and plasma and forming a cloudy and outward-facing tail.

Comets move toward the inner solar system when various gravitational forces dislodge them from the Oort cloud, becoming more visible as they venture closer to the heat given off by the sun.

Fewer than a dozen comets are discovered each year by observatories around the world.

Unlike some comets that are more frequent visitors of Earth, such as Halley's comet, this comet last passed our planet thousands of years ago.

This was at a time when Neanderthals still inhabited Eurasia, our species was expanding its reach beyond Africa, big Ice Age mammals including mammoths and saber-toothed cats roamed the landscape and northern Africa was a wet, fertile and rainy place.

According to Professor Thomas Prince from the California Institute of Technology, the comet will be able to provide clues about the primordial solar system because it was formed during the solar system's early stages.

The comet reaches the sun this month, before looping around and making its closest approach to Earth

Why is this comet green?

The green comet was discovered in March by astronomers using the Zwicky Transient Facility telescope at Caltech's Palomar Observatory in San Diego.

Since then, the new long-period comet has brightened substantially, sweeping across the northern constellation Corona Borealis in predawn skies.

In December, scientists managed to get the first detailed photograph of the new comet, revealing its brighter greenish coma and yellowy dust tail.

Its greenish, emerald hue reflects the comet's chemical composition - it is the result of a clash between sunlight and carbon-based molecules in the comet's coma.

NASA plans to observe the comet with its James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which could provide clues about the solar system's formation.

Planetary scientist Stefanie Milam of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland said: 'We're going to be looking for the fingerprints of given molecules that we can't access from the ground.

'Because JWST's so sensitive, we're expecting new discoveries.'

Its green colour not a unique feature - other comets in the past have also had a similar feature.

In 2009, the Lulin comet was also green because of its nucleus contain cyanogen, a poisonous gas found in many comets, and diatomic carbon.

The green Comet Lulin reached its closest approach to earth on February 24 2009

What caused the comet to appear?

Astronomers think the space rock, which will be visible for many stargazers on Earth tonight, suffered a 'disconnection' event caused by turbulent space weather.

This effectively means a weakening in the comet's tail which makes it look like it is breaking off.

Experts at SpaceWeather.com say the disruption was likely caused by a stronger-than-usual solar wind released during a recent coronal mass ejection (CME) from our sun.

'A piece of Comet ZTF's tail has been pinched off and is being carried away by the solar wind,' SpaceWeather.com wrote.

'CMEs hitting comets can cause magnetic reconnection in comet tails, sometimes ripping them off entirely.'

CMEs are large clouds of plasma and magnetic field that erupt from the sun's upper atmosphere, the corona, before travelling across the solar system and interfering with the atmospheres of planets and other bodies like comets.

Comets are notoriously unpredictable, but if this one continues its current trend in brightness it should be easy to spot with binoculars or a telescope

How can I see the green comet tonight?

The comet will be visible tonight and your best chance of seeing it is by finding somewhere very dark, away from areas with much light pollution.

On Monday, the comet appeared between the Big Dipper and Polaris, the North Star.

Today it will appear near the constellation Camelopardalis, bordered by Ursa Major, the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper.

Jake Foster, a Royal Observatory astronomer told the Guardian: 'The comet is in the north of our skies, currently close to Polaris, the pole star directly due north.

'The comet is best viewed after midnight, when it reaches its highest point in the sky.

'It will move a significant distance across the sky from night to night as it makes its way towards the constellation of Taurus over the coming weeks.'

Having a pair of binoculars or a small telescope will increase your chance of being able to see the comet.

The best time to view the comet in the UK will be in the early hours of Thursday morning after the Moon has set.

Dr Greg Brown, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich advised: 'While it may yet become possible to see it with the unaided eye from an extremely dark site, you are much better off pointing a pair of binoculars or a small telescope at it.

'For observers in the UK, head out after midnight when the comet will be highest in the sky and try and find the faint greenish light coming from it.

'Easiest to see will be the brighter head of the comet, but, if you are lucky, you may spot one of its two tails sweeping out from it, each made of material being jettisoned from its rapidly warming icy surface.'

If people do spot the comet with the naked eye it will be the first one since NEOWISE raced past Earth in 2020, although it won't be anywhere near as spectacular.

NEOWISE left a long, misty tail, while E3 is likely to appear as a grey streak or smudge in the night sky.
Elon Musk has made his Twitter account private in a bid to test whether it will 'vastly improve' a tweet's reach.

The tech billionaire, who bought Twitter in October for 35.6 billion ($44 billion), declared that 'something is wrong' with the social media site.

He made the claim in response to a tweet from the popular right-wing Twitter account Libs of TikTok, which saw a surge in the number of comments after making its account private.

Musk tweeted this morning: 'Made my account private until tomorrow morning to test whether you can see my private tweets more than my public ones.'

Elon Musk has made his Twitter account private in a bid to test whether it will 'vastly improve' a tweet's reach

Libs of TikTok is a popular right-wing Twitter account. They claimed tweets were being seen by more people since making the account private

This morning the billionaire announced that he would be making his account private until tomorrow to see if more people see his private tweets than public ones

What happens when you turn your Twitter account private? Elon Musk this morning declared he was making his Twitter account private - so what does that mean? Your tweets will only be visible for followers

You will receive a request when new people want to follow you

Followers will no longer be able to retweet

Tweets will not appear in third-party search engines, like Google

Tweets will only be searchable by followers

Replies sent to an account that does not follow you will not be seen by that account Advertisement

This means the only people able to see the billionaire's tweets are his 127.7 million followers.

No one will be able to retweet Musk's tweets either.

It comes amid complaints from users that their tweets are not being seen by as many people as they used to.

One user said: 'Why are my tweets not getting visibility when tweets before and after mine in the same conversation have hundreds of views?

'Am I getting in penalized by Twitter, and is so, why?'

Another added: 'Anyone else notice that their tweets are not being seen?'

The issue has led users to take matters into their own hands.

Ian Miles Cheong, a right-wing political commentator with almost half a million followers on Twitter, revealed yesterday that he had carried out a test to see if making his account private boosted views.

He posted two tweets - one public, one private.

One read: 'I'm gonna test out the theory that privating your account makes more people see your tweets.

'This is a test with my account in public.

'Respond/like if you see if this. Keeping this up for about five minutes, then I'll do a private one and see what the reach is.'

This tweet was seen by 3,080 people, liked by 348 and retweeted by eight, while 47 people commented.

The second tweet, posted when private, read: 'I'm testing out the theory that making your account private allows more people to see your tweets.

Ian Miles Cheong, a right-wing political commentator with almost half a million followers on Twitter, revealed yesterday that he had carried out a test to see if making his private boosted tweet's views

His public tweet was seen by 3,080 people, liked by 348 and retweeted by eight - 47 people commented

His private tweet was seen by 4,047 people, liked by 1,710 people and comments from 568.

'This tweet is being posted in private. Like and reply if you see it so I can compare it to the public tweet I posted five minutes ago.'

This tweet had more engagement, being seen by 4,047 people, liked by 1,710 people and comments from 568.

As it was tweeted from a private account, it had no retweets.

Mr Cheong added: 'Further observation: the people I follow, whom I have on notifications, only started showing up after I set my account to private.

'I received very few likes/replies from mutuals in the public post. It became almost unusable with the pop-ups at the top.'

Musk will now carry out a similar experiment to see the problem for himself.

However, several Twitter users have poked fun at Musk's decision to turn his account private.

One joked: 'Elon Musk going private with 127 million followers is taking me out.'

Another added: 'Why is Elon Musk private? He has like 100 million followers.'

Twitter users have poked fun at Musk's decision to turn his account private questioning how it is private when he has 127 million followers

Others questioned why it should be necessary to make Twitter accounts private to boost views.

One said: 'Elon Musk made his account private to have more engagement. How is this making any sense?

'Engagement should be based on the value of your communication.'

Another added: 'Didnt want to believe it but is broken when people have to put their account on private for it to have reach.'

Twitter users called Twitter 'broken' if people need to put their accounts on private to boost engagement

Other eagle-eyed users pointed out that the decision to make his account private comes at an interesting time for the tech billionaire who is in the midst of a trial over whether a previous tweet, about his other company Tesla, affected the firm's stock price.

One said: 'Elon Musk has made his Twitter account private to test the visibility of private tweets.

'In other news there is also an ongoing court case about his Tesla tweets from 2018 and whether they cost investors millions of dollars.'

The troublesome tweet from Musk, published in August 2018, said: 'Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Financing secured'.

Musk's decision to make his account private comes at an interesting time for the tech billionaire who is in the midst of a trial over whether a previous tweet, about his other company Tesla, affected the firm's stock price

As a result, Tesla's stock rocketed to $8 a share within one minute, and by the end of the day these had shot up to more than $20 a share.

Yesterday, two experts hired by the attorney representing Tesla shareholders told the court that they estimated the tweet caused billions of dollar's worth of investors damages after the deal collapsed.

U.S. District Judge Edward Chen is expected to let the jury of nine make a decision on Friday.

Depending on the verdict, Musk and the electric automaker that he runs could be facing more financial fallout for his unpredictable behavior on the Twitter platform, which he now owns.

Without acknowledging any wrongdoing, Musk and Tesla reached a $40 million settlement with securities regulators after Musk's troublesome tweets in August 2018.
Swans charm wetlands of Xinjiang

(People's Daily App) 14:43, February 01, 2023

As the temperature drops during winter, migrating swans arrive at the wetlands of Yining county in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Increasing awareness of bird protection and an improved ecology have empowered the flocks to visit, forage and survive.

(Source: Shijie APP-youjiang xinma)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)




By Kim Se-jeong







While the increasing imports of sex dolls serve to comfort lonely men in Korea, they're also frightening some men, particularly garbage collectors.







According to the Kookmin Ilbo, a Korean-language daily newspaper, a garbage collector recalled his frightening encounter with a sex doll at work.







"I saw a bit of hair in the trash pile and pulled at it assuming it to be a wig," the newspaper quoted him as saying in an online post. "What I got was a beheaded woman. Can you imagine how much that frightened me at first (assuming it was a real dead body)?"







He went on to say that instead of throwing away the doll as a whole, "the owner dismembered the doll and wrapped the parts separately. The head wasn't wrapped tight enough. When I saw the decapitated head, my heart stopped. My hands are still shivering. Those wishing to buy sex dolls, please think also about how to properly dispose of them."







It's not the first such incident, according to the newspaper.







A man in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, found a body in a local lake last May, which turned out to be a sex doll. In Thailand, a sex doll found at a tourist beach resulted in calls to the local police.







Sex dolls are both imported and manufactured in Korea. The number of sex dolls in the country is expected to grow after the Korea Customs Service lifted additional import bans last month.


You can 'feed your ex to the lions' in a fundraiser that lets people name a cockroach or rodent that is then fed to an animal at the San Antonio Zoo on Valentine's Day.

As part of the zoo's annual 'Cry me a Cockroach' event, donors are able to send their former lover a digital Valentine's Day Card informing them that a creature was named in their honor and fed to an animal.

The zoo charges $10 for cockroaches and $25 to name a rodent. Anyone in the world can participate.

Those looking for sweet revenge can pay for the $150 premium package, which includes a personalized video message showing the not-so-special someone the animal feasting on their cockroach, vegetable or rodent.

None of the creatures will be fed to lions - they will be eaten by birds and lizards.

The San Antonio Zoo is hosting its annual 'Cry me a Cockroach' fundraiser. This event lets people name a cockroach that is then fed to an animal at the zoo

There is a 'vegan' option for $5, which features greens to be eaten by herbivores.

Participants will receive a certificate they can share on social media, which can also be sent to their ex.

'Dear [Name],' it reads. 'You ex, [Name], has named a cockroach in our honor, to be eaten on 2/14. Feel free to tune in now to the cockroach live stream at sazoo.org/you-blew-it.'

The most submitted names initially were Zach, Ray and Adam. Jacob and Sarah were the most popular last year.

Last year, San Antonio Zoo received more than 8,000 donations from all 50 states and over 30 different countries, according to CNN.

Fans flocked to Twitter to share their excitement about the event.

A user by the name of Amy Ruby Rose posted: 'For Valentine's Day, San Antonio Zoo will let you name a cockroach after an ex before feeding it to one of their animals. This is the level of pettiness I aspire to.'

Another user was ready to sign up to have their ex's name eaten by a zoo animal.

There is also the option to name a rodent after your ex, but people seem to be more excited about the idea of a cockroach

The zoo charges $10 for cockroaches and $25 to name a rodent, and anyone in the world can participate. All feedings will take place on Valentine's Day

While the event is sparking laughs on social media - some users are running at the chance to partake - it is aimed at raising money for the wildlife that call San Antonio Zoo home.

The zoo made headlines in August 2022 when it provided a new pair of orthopedic rubber boots to a penguin with a degenerative foot condition.

The aquatic, flightless bird named Lucas developed what is known as bumblefoot that caused lesions on his feet and would have led to sepsis and death if left untreated.

In a race against time, zoo staff turned to Thera-Paw.

People can send their ex a digital card informing them that a creature was named after them and it was fed to an animal at the zoo

The most submitted names so far are Zach, Ray and Adam, and Jacob and Sarah were the most popular last year. Last year, San Antonio Zoo received more than 8,000 donations from all 50 states and over 30 different countries

The zoo made headlines in August 2022 when it provided a new pair of orthopedic rubber boots to a penguin with a degenerative foot condition

This organization creates rehabilitative and assistive products for animals with special needs, which designed custom shoes made of neoprene and rubber to prevent pressure sores from developing when Lucas stands and walks.

Lucas gait has improved since wearing the small, black boots and his ability to navigate through the rocky habitat.

His posture is also more natural, providing him with better balance.
This suggests that the warriors took their dogs and horses with them to Britain

Analysis of their chemical makeup suggests they all came from the Baltic Shield

Vikings took dogs and horses with them when they travelled from Scandinavia to Britain 1,157 years ago, a study has found.

This suggests that they didn't just steal animals from the settlements they raided, as accounts describe, but brought some with them.

Scientists from Durham University found animal remains alongside the remains of a human at Britain's only known Viking cremation cemetery at Heath Wood, Derbyshire.

Analysis showed that the individual was from the Baltic Shield area and crossed the North Sea with their horse and dog, but died shortly after arriving.

The researchers believe that they were of high status, as they were allowed to be cremated with their pets.

Vikings took dogs and horses with them when they travelled from Scandinavia to Britain 1,157 years ago, a study has found (stock image)

Scientists from Durham University found animal remains alongside human remains (pictured) at Britain's only known Viking cremation cemetery at Heath Wood, Derbyshire

The remains at the Heath Wood site are associated with the Viking Great Army; a coalition of Norse warriors originating from Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

They came together under a unified command to invade the four Anglo-Saxon kingdoms that constituted England in 865 AD.

Lead author Tessi Loffelmann said: 'This is the first solid scientific evidence that Scandinavians almost certainly crossed the North Sea with horses, dogs and possibly other animals as early as the ninth century AD and could deepen our knowledge of the Viking Great Army.

'Our most important primary source, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, states that the Vikings were taking horses from the locals in East Anglia when they first arrived, but this was clearly not the whole story, and they most likely transported animals alongside people on ships.

'This also raises questions about the importance of specific animals to the Vikings.'

Previous studies have found that burial ceremonies for Vikings in Iceland included the slaughter of a male horse, which would then be buried alongside the dead.

In 2019, two Viking burial ships were found in Sweden that contained the remains of a man buried with his dog and horse in the stern.

It was common to bury the dead on these ships rather than cremating them to show high status and respect.

The remains at the Heath Wood site are associated with the Viking Great Army; a coalition of Norse warriors originating from Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Pictured: Viking burial mound at Heath Wood, Derbyshire, UK, being excavated

For the new study, published today in PLOS ONE , scientists were looking for new information about those buried at the Heath Wood cemetery

WHO WERE THE VIKINGS? The Viking age in European history was from about 700 to 1100 AD. During this period many Vikings left their homelands in Scandinavia and travelled by longboat to other countries, like Britain and Ireland. When the people of Britain first saw the Viking longboats they came down to the shore to welcome them. However, the Vikings fought the local people, stealing from churches and burning buildings to the ground. The people of Britain called the invaders 'Danes', but they came from Norway and Sweden as well as Denmark. The name 'Viking' comes from a language called 'Old Norse' and means 'a pirate raid'. The first Viking raid recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle was around 787 AD. It was the start of a fierce struggle between the Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings. Advertisement

For the new study, published today in PLOS ONE, scientists were looking for new information about those buried at the Heath Wood cemetery.

The site is associated with the Vikings who wintered in nearby Repton in 873 AD.

Repton was a significant royal and ecclesiastical centre in the Anglo-Saxon kingdom Mercia, but became a Viking stronghold for the army after they seized it.

The researchers analysed the strontium in the remains of two adults, one child and three animals - a horse, a dog and possibly a pig.

Strontium is a naturally occurring element that appears in rocks, water and soil, and makes its way into the plants that grow from them.

The ratio of different forms, or isotopes, of strontium that appear in a landscape is specific to its geographical location.

Humans and animals eat the plants, and the strontium inside them replaces the calcium in their bones and teeth, remaining there even after their death.

Therefore, the ratio of the different strontium isotopes in their remains can be matched to a specific location, revealing where they came from or settled.

Strontium ratios in the remains of one of the adults and the child match to multiple locations in Europe, including Denmark, south-west Sweden and the area local to the Heath Wood cremation site in England.

But those in the other adult and the three animals are normally found in the Baltic Shield area of Scandinavia, covering Norway and central and northern Sweden.

The pig remnant is not thought to be from a live animal, but instead an amulet brought over to Britain from the individual's home, or a preserved food source.

All the remains were buried under a mound after cremation, suggesting they were a part of a Scandinavian burial rite and providing 'a direct link, a proxy, to the 'homelands' of those buried'.

Analysis showed that the individual buried with the horse and dog was from the Baltic Shield area and crossed the North Sea with her animals. Pictured: Fragment of a sampled cremated horse forelimb bone from the burial mound

Co-author Dr Janet Montgomery said: 'Our study suggests that there are people and animals with different mobility histories buried at Heath Wood, and that, if they belonged to the Viking Great Army, it was made up of people from different parts of Scandinavia or the British Isles.'

Dr Julian Richards from the University of York co-directed the excavations at the Heath Wood Viking cemetery between 1998 and 2000.

He added: 'The Bayeux Tapestry depicts Norman cavalry disembarking horses from their fleet before the Battle of Hastings, but this is the first scientific demonstration that Viking warriors were transporting horses to England two hundred years earlier.

'It shows how much Viking leaders valued their personal horses and hounds that they brought them from Scandinavia, and that the animals were sacrificed to be buried with their owners.'
They've been perfectly preserved for thousands of years with their facial features still distinguishable today.

Now, researchers have discovered how Egyptian mummies still look so good  and it's all to do with a carefully curated embalming recipe.

Experts have revealed ancient Egyptians were masters in chemistry and knew exactly what ingredients were needed to stop flesh from decaying.

Newly unearthed embalming recipes, used around 2,700 years ago, included tree resin, juniper and beeswax.

Some of these had been imported from as far as Southeast Asia and had important antibacterial properties, experts said.

Researchers have discovered how Egyptian mummies still look so good  and it's all to do with a carefully curated embalming recipe

An international team of researchers analysed 31 ceramic vessels that had been recovered from an embalming workshop in Saqqara  one of ancient Egypt's most important cemeteries.

Ancient Egyptians' embalming recipe The embalming recipe contained: - Elemi resin - Pistacia tree resin - Beeswax - By-products of juniper (used for embalming the head) Advertisement

The vessels, which date as far back as 664BC, were inscribed with texts providing embalming instructions such as 'to put on his head' or 'bandage with it'.

They also contained the names of embalming substances and had leftover residue of the substances themselves.

This allowed the team to understand, for the first time, what chemicals were used during mummification and how they were mixed, named and applied.

For example, they found three different mixtures which included substances such as elemi resin, Pistacia tree resin, beeswax and by-products of juniper, that were specifically used for embalming the head.

Other mixtures were used for washing the body or softening the skin.

The authors also showed that many of the embalming substances came from far outside Egypt  for instance, Pistacia and juniper products were probably imported from the Mediterranean region, and elemi resins may have been from rainforests in Southeast Asia.

An international team of researchers analysed 31 ceramic vessels that had been recovered from an embalming workshop in Saqqara  one of ancient Egypt's most important cemeteries

Dr Maxime Rageot, one of the authors from the University of Tubingen in Germany, said: 'The embalmer has used some substances which could be important both for anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties.

'These are helpful for example, to preserve the human tissue and reduce some unpleasant smells.

'Materials such as bitumen and beeswax could also be used to seal the skin's pores and reduce moisture.'

The first part of the embalming process, which took a total of 70 days, involved removing an individuals' internal organs, except for the heart.

Ancient Egyptians were masters in chemistry and knew exactly what ingredients were needed to stop flesh from decaying

The Saqqara Saite Tombs Project excavation area, overlooking the pyramid of Unas and the step pyramid of Djoser north-west-facing

The body would have been covered with a type of salt called natron to dry it out, before embalmers anointed it inside and out to help preserve the skin.

The entire process was to help 'transform' an individual from an earthly to a divine being, and prepare them for the afterlife.

Professor Philipp Stockhammer, who also worked on the study, said one of their most surprising findings was that tropical resins had been transported as far as Southeast Asia.

'Embalming was an early driver of globalisation because it means that you needed to transport these resins over large distances  from Southeast Asia to Egypt,' he said.

'It also shows the people working in these workshops  these specialists  knew what substances they were using.

'It's interesting to see the complexity of embalming  the global network on the one hand and this chemical knowledge on the other side which goes far beyond what we knew before.

'I was fascinated by this chemical knowledge. In the embalming process the skin is immediately endangered by being colonised by microbes that would eat up the skin.

'These people used antibacterial and antifungal substances to keep the skin best preserved, but without having any microbiological background  without knowing about bacteria.

'My personal highlight was to see this enormous knowledge that has accumulated through centuries of experience of embalming.'
While by far not the biggest name nominated at this year's Oscars Andrea Riseborough has been the star dominating the headlines.

While the highly respected actress has been in the industry for two decades she rose to prominence when she bagged her first Oscar nomination this year for little-seen movie To Leslie.

Yet instead of being able to bask in her remarkable success, Andrea found herself at the centre of this year's biggest Oscars scandal.

Now we take a look at the Oscars strict lobbying rules, why Andrea's nomination came under review and what changes the Academy will be making next year.

Centre of attention: While by far not the biggest name nominated at this year's Oscars Andrea Riseborough has been the star dominating the headlines (pictured in September 2022)

What was the scandal?

Fans were shocked when Andrea scored herself a Best Actress nod for To Leslie at the Oscars given that both she and the film had flown under the radar at other big award ceremonies.

To Leslie stars Andrea as a Texan alcoholic mother who seeks redemption years after squandering lottery winnings, and while it received good reviews from critics the film flew under the radar, making only $27,322 in gross box-office earnings worldwide.

It was later claimed that an 'aggressive' lobbying campaign put the little-seen movie on the map, with To Leslie publicised by stars like Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow and Charlize Theron.

The Academy was also accused of snubbing two prominent African-American films and their stars, with some claiming acclaimed black actresses Viola Davis (The Woman King) and Danielle Deadwyler (Till) would have made the Best Actress list until the A-list campaign for Andrea kicked off.

The Academy's 54-person board then launched an investigation too see whether the campaign to score her a nomination broke their strict lobbying rules.

While they eventually concluded that rules had not been broken and Andrea could keep her nomination, they stated that tactics used in her film's campaign had 'caused concern' and revealed they would be making changes to campaign regulations next year.

One to watch: To Leslie followed Andrea as a West Texas alcoholic mother who seeks redemption years after squandering her lottery winnings

What are the Oscar campaign rules?

The Academy have strict rules on how to conduct Oscar campaigns - which can cost studios up to $15 million.

Campaigning is big business, with Hollywood studios and production companies hiring strategists and consultants to catch the attention of voters who could help them score a nod.

For example, Harvey Weinstein was famed for his prolific and shameless lobbying tactics, credited for scoring Shakespeare In Love its Best Picture gong in 1999 over the critically acclaimed Saving Private Ryan.

The list of rules is lengthy, one of which is that contacting any of the 6,000 Academy members by telephone to promote a film or achievement is expressly forbidden.

Rule 10 for lobbying states: 'Contacting Academy members directly and in a manner outside of the scope of these rules to promote a film or achievement for Academy Award consideration is expressly forbidden.'

In 2017, Greg P. Russell, a sound mixer on 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, was stripped of his Oscar nomination after he was caught phoning his fellow members from the Academy's Sound Branch 'to make them aware of his work on the film.

The calls were a 'direct violation of a campaign regulation that prohibits telephone lobbying,' a statement from the Academy said.

Film companies must also limit the volume of mail and email sent to members during Oscar season.

In 2014, the song Alone Yet Not Alone from the little-known film of the same name had its nomination for Best Original Song rescinded after composer Bruce Broughton, an Academy member and former governor, contacted fellow branch members by email, breaking Academy rules

Meanwhile rule 11 for References to Other Nominees states: 'Ads, mailings, websites, social media (including Facebook and Twitter) or any other forms of public communication by anyone directly associated with an eligible film attempting to cast a negative or derogatory light on a competing film or achievement will not be tolerated.'

'In particular, any tactic that singles out 'the competition' by name or title is expressly forbidden.

'In addition to reserving all available remedies, Academy members who are found to have violated this regulation will be subject to a one-year suspension of membership for first-time violations, and expulsion for any subsequent violations.'

The Academy also state that any comments made directly or on social media that attempt to 'cast a negative or derogatory light' on rival movies 'will not be tolerated.'

In 2010, Nicolas Chartier, one of the producers on film the Hurt Locker, was banned from attending the Oscars for sending out an email asking voters to back his movie over 'a $500m film' - a clear reference to rival Best Picture nominee Avatar.

The film was still eligible for consideration, however, and went on to win the big prize, with Nicholas sent his award in the post a month later.

In 2012, the Academy clamped down on Oscar campaigns that included lavish parties for members where the food and drink flowed.

They passed new rules that prohibited receptions after screenings, a longtime Hollywood lobbying ritual, and limited to two the number of panel discussions that filmmakers can attend.

The rules also barred inviting Academy voters to attend events designed specifically to promote a nominated movie or individual.

Campaigning: It's been said that Mary McCormack, the wife of To Leslie director Michael Morris and Andrea's manager Jason Weinberg were at the forefront of the Oscars campaign

What did the Academy conclude from their internal review?

Academy CEO Bill Kramer said in a statement: 'The Academy has determined the activity in question does not rise to the level that the film's nomination should be rescinded.

'However, we did discover social media and outreach campaigning tactics that caused concern.

'These tactics are being addressed with the responsible parties directly.'

What changes will be made going forward?

Bill Kramer said that the board will make changes to its campaign regulations next year.

'The purpose of the Academys campaign regulations is to ensure a fair and ethical awards process, these are core values of the Academy.

'Given this review, it is apparent that components of the regulations must be clarified to help create a better framework for respectful, inclusive, and unbiased campaigning.

'These changes will be made after this awards cycle and will be shared with our membership. The Academy strives to create an environment where votes are based solely on the artistic and technical merits of the eligible films and achievements.'

Helping hand: Andrea's shock Best Actress nomination came after several Hollywood stars used their fame to help promote her struggling movie

Why did Andrea's lobbying campaign cause concern?

It has been reported that Andrea had help from some of Hollywood's most powerful figures, starting off with actress Mary McCormack who also happens to be the wife of To Leslie director Michael Morris.

She spread the word to her celebrity friends to watch the movie and share their love of it after To Leslie's distributor, Momentum Pictures, apparently 'dropped the ball.'

It's been said that Andrea's manager Jason Weinberg and Mary were at the forefront of To Leslie's campaign to reach wider audiences.

An email from Mary is said to have read 'If youre willing to post every day between now and Jan 17th, that would be amazing! But anything is helpful, so please do whatever makes you comfortable. And whats more comfortable than posting about a movie every day!'

While it may have been a particularly enthusiastic campaign, the film's stars claimed they had to take matters into their own hands because To Leslie's distributor, Momentum Pictures, apparently 'dropped the ball.'

To Leslie star, comedian Marc Maron, made the accusation on his WTF podcast in January, saying: 'The f***ing distributor dropped the ball on facilitating something that would bring a lot more attention to the movie.

'And now this movie with a 100 per cent Rotten Tomatoes score that everyone should see has been hobbled by the people responsible for putting it out there.'

Andrea was a guest on his popular podcast when he made these comments.

Friends in high places: Gwyneth Paltrow (pictured with To Leslie star Andrea, director Michael Morris and Demi Moore) held a screening just days before Oscar nominations voting started

Shared post: The actress told her 8.2 million followers that the movie was a 'masterpiece' in a post that was shared on her account and the movie's page

Which famous stars promoted Andrea's film?

Among those singing the movie's praises was Academy Award winner Charlize Theron, who first hosted a screening for the movie in November.

'It's the kind of movie that stays in your mind. It stays in your bones. [It] even stays in your skin,' she said of To Leslie, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Even before this, Howard Stern, who was shown To Leslie by its director and his wife back in July, had been singing its praises on his SiriusXM show in October, Variety reported.

Friends star Jennifer Aniston and Glass Onion actor Edward Norton also held screenings at their homes.

After seeing the film, Edward wrote: 'I don't post a lot about films or actor performances maybe I should more often. But for those interested in really great acting I'll share that Andrea Riseboroughs portrayal in "To Leslie" just knocked me sideways.

'It's about the most fully committed, emotionally deep, physically harrowing performance Ive seen in a while. Just raw & utterly devoid of performative BS.

'It's a tough but really elegant & compassionate film (by Michael Morris) where the emotion is really earned.

'I happened to catch it and, wow, I was really staggered by the depth she reached. Very rare. Check it out.'

Support: Glass Onion actor Edward Norton also held a screenings at his home and tweeted that 'Andrea Riseboroughs portrayal in "To Leslie" just knocked me sideways'

Following these events, Andrea and a team of publicists 'started working the phones,' and got their ducks in a row with a good base of support during the holidays at the end of 2022.

As the new year came, Hollywood powerhouse Gwyneth Paltrow played host to a January screening, declaring To Leslie a 'masterpiece,' just days before voting for Academy Award nominations was poised to begin.

'Last night we had the true pleasure of watching a masterpiece of a film called To Leslie. Directed by our friend [Michael Morris] and starring the incomparable [Andrea Riseborough],' the Iron Man actress wrote in a January 11 Instagram post.

'I am stunned by all of the performances. Andrea should win every award there is and all the ones that haven't been invented yet.'

Shout out: Cate Blanchett, who is also nominated for an Oscar, shouted out Andrea's performance during her Best Actress acceptance speech at the Critics Choice Awards

At the top of her Critics Choice speech, Cate Blanchett shouts out TO LESLIE star Andrea Riseborough pic.twitter.com/Wrdm13mEv4  Kyle Buchanan (@kylebuchanan) January 16, 2023

Four days later at the Critics' Choice Movie Awards, Cate Blanchett, who won Best Actress for Tar, shouted out Andrea's performance during her acceptance speech.

'It is extremely arbitrary considering how many extraordinary performances there have been by women [this year], not only in this room, but Andrea Riseborough and Tang Wei and Penelope Cruz. The list goes on and on and on,' she said.

During a Q&A for the film, host Kate Winslet praised Andrea's performance.

'This was so fantastic. I loved it. You should be up for everything, you should be winning everything,' she told the To Leslie star who was appearing alongside the director during the session.

'I think this is the greatest female performance on-screen I have ever seen in my life. And I love you, and congratulations.'

Despite all the backings of some of Hollywood's most powerful actors and actresses, Andrea was surprised by her Academy Award nomination.

'I'm astounded,' she told Deadline on Tuesday when the nominations were announced.

'It's such an unexpected ray of light. It was so hard to believe it might ever happen because we really hadn't been in the running for anything else. Even though we had a lot of support, the idea it might actually happen seemed so far away.'

Andrea is up against Tar's Cate Blanchett, Blonde's Ana de Armas, The Fabelmans' Michelle Williams and Everything Everywhere All At Once's Michelle Yeoh.

At the moment the Best Actress is tipped to be won by with Cate or Michelle.
A new documentary, 'The Price of Glee, ' examines the fallout from Ryan Murphy's hit sitcom that followed high school kids in their school's unpopular show choir.

While the show catapulted its relatively unknown cast into stardom, it has also been plagued by controversy and the shocking and unfortunate deaths of several of its main characters, leading some to believe the show is cursed.

Cory Monteith, Glee's jock-turned-leading man Finn Hudson, was found dead of an alcohol and heroin overdose in a hotel room in Vancouver in July 2013, aged 31.

Mark Salling, the 'bad boy' of Glee, was charged with possessing child pornography and pleaded guilty to downloading 25,000 sexual images of children. Salling hung himself in a forest in Los Angeles in January 2018, just weeks before being sentenced.

In June 2020, actress Naya Rivera was found dead at Lake Piru in California. The actress who played Santana Lopez had gone out on a rented pontoon boat with her then four-year-old son and drowned.

DailyMail.com's Kayla Brantley takes a closer look at the tragedies that have overshadowed the show's success.
The Apprentice has been rocked by a race row, MailOnline can reveal.

Show bosses launched an investigation after Shazia Hussain complained that fellow contestant Mark Moseley racially abused her.

Technology recruiter Shazia reported pest control company owner Mark, 39, to producers after being left 'distressed' by the alleged incident.

Although no details of what reportedly happened have been made public, the incident was apparently caught on camera, which the BBC chose not to broadcast.

BBC One series The Apprentice has been rocked by a race row, MailOnline can reveal

Show bosses launched an investigation after Shazia Hussain complained that fellow contestant Mark Moseley racially abused her

A TV source told MailOnline: 'Shazia was really upset by the way she was treated and at times didn't feel safe living in the Apprentice house.

'She can't believe in this day and age she would be subjected to racially motivated bullying.

'Candidates were shocked that Mark was able to carry on filming the show despite animosity building behind the scenes.

'The show casts candidates of different ethnicities and backgrounds and the expectation is for each person to respect each other, which wasn't the case during filming of the current series.'

The insider added: 'The incident took place on camera and the candidates in question were wearing microphones so it's not a case of what he said, she said.'

Although no details of what reportedly happened have been made public, the incident was apparently caught on camera, which the BBC chose not to broadcast

The alleged incident involving the pair prompted show bosses to introduce a 'diversity and inclusion expert' to remind the candidates of workplace conduct

Pest control company owner Mark narrowly missed being fired during last week's episode when his team lost the latest task and he faced a grilling in the boardroom

The alleged incident involving the pair prompted show bosses to invite a 'diversity and inclusion expert' into The Apprentice house to remind the candidates of workplace conduct.

A spokesperson from The Apprentice told MailOnline: 'The Apprentice has a zero tolerance on racist bullying.

'The duty of care and welfare of all candidates is of utmost importance and when action is required, we take it.

'All candidates sign up to strict code of conduct and if there was evidence of racist bullying candidates would be immediately removed from the process. We take all complaints very seriously.'

MailOnline understands that Mark, who's still a candidate in the running for Lord Sugar's 250,000 investment, may not appear on spinoff show You're Fired or at filming of the final Apprentice episode.

He may also not be invited to the recording of You're Hired, a show hosted by comedian Tom Allen where the winning candidate is celebrated, and the rest of the cast reflect on the highs and lows of the series.

A TV source told MailOnline: 'Shazia was really upset by the way she was treated and at times didn't feel safe living in the Apprentice house'

A show source added: 'Invitations to the final episode of The Apprentice are based on candidate availability and production's discretion. The same applies to You're Fired and You're Hired, and arrangements are made close to the time of filming.'

Shazia spoke out in a now-deleted TikTok video about the bullying she faced during filming of The Apprentice.

The candidate referred back to episode three of the series where the teams were challenged with creating a cartoon suitable for 24-year-olds.

Working in team Affinity alongside co-star Mark, Shazia put forward the idea of naming their children's character Yogita, explaining to her colleagues, 'I was thinking of creating a female character of ethnic descent like maybe Indian Yogita the Giraffe.'

After facing some criticism from her co-workers, she added: 'I thought it was very important to have a name that was representative of the entire population out there. It's actually not that difficult to pronounce.'

Shazia was disappointed after facing criticism from her co-stars over naming their children's cartoon character Yogita, an Indian giraffe she hoped would be 'representative of the entire population out there'

Shazia's team, including herself and Mark, won the task despite pushbacks on her idea, which was favoured among the industry professionals

On TikTok, she said: 'Does anyone else think it's really ironic that the team wanted to do a task about diversity and inclusivity yet none of them understood what diversity and inclusivity is.

'It means that when you have a set of different opinions, you appreciate those differences and work with those differences, and you don't reject them.

'But notice that my team didn't do that, they were incredibly offended by the name Yogita way more than what was shown on the show yesterday.'

She continued: 'I was actually really attacked for the name Yogita, which I can confirm happened really severely off camera but the footage they did capture didn't make it onto the edit because I think that viewers would have found it really disturbing.

'At the end of the day we're just trying to make a little cartoon character about an Indian giraffe.'

Shazia confirmed in the video that she officially reported the bullying after the end of the task.

She said: 'In all seriousness, I actually felt unsafe in the house living with that level of animosity that was directed at me.'

The London-based business owner explains on her Instagram profile that she 'champions a varied representation of diverse women in the world of business.'

She added: 'Watch me on this year's Apprentice where I shine a light on diversity, inclusion and neurodiversity.'
The actors appeared on shows such as That '70s Show and The Ranch

Kutcher, 44, spoke for the first time about the charges against his frequent collaborator, 46, in an interview with Esquire Tuesday

Ashton Kutcher is speaking out about the legal battles swirling around Danny Masterson, who is headed for a second trial in connection with allegations of sexual assault involving three women at his home in the Hollywood Hills between 2001 and 2003.

The 44-year-old actor, speaking with Esquire on Tuesday, said that he hopes Masterson 'to be found innocent of the charges brought against him,' with the publication noting that that is not 'the same as Kutcher wanting his friend to get off the hook.'

Kutcher, who costarred with Masterson on That '70s Show and The Ranch, said that with his limited perspective, he does not have 'a space to comment' on the situation.

The latest: Ashton Kutcher, 44, is speaking out about the legal battles swirling around Danny Masterson, 46, his costar on That '70s Show and The Ranch, who is headed for a second trial in connection with allegations of sexual assault

'Ultimately, I can't know,' the Cedar Rapids, Iowa native told the publication. 'I'm not the judge. I'm not the jury. I'm not the DA. I'm not the victim. And I'm not the accused. And so, in that case, I don't have - I just don't know.'

The Two and a Half Men actor keeps in touch with Masterson and his brother, the outlet reported, and said that he made his comments taking into account that Masterson's eight-year-old daughter Fianna Francis Masterson (with wife Bijou Phillips, 42) would eventually learn about the ongoing legal battle involving her father.

'Someday, his kid is going to read about this,' Kutcher said, adding that he considers himself an advocate for victims.

'I wholesale feel for anybody who feels like they were violated in any way,' said Kutcher, who founded the anti-online sex abuse nonprofit Thorn more than 10 years ago.

Kutcher said that he hopes Masterson 'to be found innocent of the charges brought against him,' with the publication noting that that is not 'the same as Kutcher wanting his friend to get off the hook'

Masterson and wife Bijou Phillips were pictured leaving court in LA last November

Masterson was first accused of sexual assault by four women in March of 2017, and denied the allegations.

In June of 2020, Masterson was charged with the alleged sexual assaults of three women, to which he entered a not guilty plea in January 2021.

A first trial that began in October of 2022 was declared a mistrial in November after jurors could not reach a unanimous decision.

At the time the initial allegations were made in 2017, Masterson was appearing on the Netflix series The Ranch with Kutcher, and was subsequently written out of the show in December 2017.

Kutcher, who founded the anti-online sex abuse nonprofit Thorn more than 10 years ago, says he feels 'for anybody who feels like they were violated in any way'

Masterson was first accused of sexual assault by four women in March of 2017, and denied the allegations; in June of 2020, Masterson was charged with the alleged sexual assaults of three women, Pictured in 2017 in LA

'I am obviously very disappointed in Netflix's decision to write my character off of The Ranch,' Masterson told Us Weekly in a statement. 'From day one, I have denied the outrageous allegations against me. Law enforcement investigated these claims more than 15 years ago and determined them to be without merit.'

Masterson has also not been involved with the That '70s Show reboot That '90s Show to reprise his role as Steven Hyde. The Netflix reboot has featured original series cast members Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Wilmer Valderrama, Laura Prepon and Topher Grace.

In his chat with Esquire Tuesday, Kutcher said that Masterson was the leader of the cast of the series, which originally aired on Fox.

'He's like, "One f***ing rule: Don't do anything f***ing stupid and f*** this up. Because if you f*** it up, you f*** it up for everybody."'
Toni Collette took center stage in the new teaser trailer for the Amazon series The Power on Tuesday.

The 50-year-old Australian actress stars as Margot Cleary-Lopez, the mayor of Seattle, who announces in the teaser's opening moments that teenage girls around the world have developed a mysterious new organ.

The series, which debuts on March 31 on Prime Video, details a world in which girls have evolved the ability to generate deadly bolts of electricity thanks to their new anatomy.

The series is based on Naomi Alderman's critically acclaimed 2016 novel of the same name.

Electrifying: Toni Collette, 50, stars in the teaser for The Power, a new Amazon series in which teenage girls develop the ability to generate massive amounts of electricity

The teaser opens with Margot's harried phone call as she says that teen girls 'are developing a new organ.'

A closeup of an X-ray seems to indicate that the mysterious new tissue is located somewhere around the collarbone.

Rob (John Leguizamo), Margot's husband, adds that the new organ 'generates electricity.'

'This is not a hoax,' Margot adds at a press conference as reporters wildly raise their hands with questions.

The new flesh: Girls have begun to develop a new organ that gives them their electric powers

One of those affected: Aulii Cravalho, who voiced the title character in Disney's Moana, plays Jos Cleary-Lopez, Margot's daughter, and she's seen navigating her high school

Sharing their stories: Toheeb Jimoh, best known for appearing on Apple's Ted Lasso, is shown as Tunde, a video journalist who tries to document the emerging phenomenon of electrified girls

Aulii Cravalho, who voiced the title character in Disney's Moana, plays Jos Cleary-Lopez, Margot's daughter, and she's seen navigating her high school.

Toheeb Jimoh, best known for appearing on Apple's Ted Lasso, is shown as Tunde, a video journalist who tries to document the emerging phenomenon of electrified girls.

He begins to film the wreckage of incidents in which young girls appear to have used their newfound powers.

'This power is evolution,' Margot declares to journalists.

Evidence: He begins to film the wreckage of incidents in which young girls appear to have used their newfound powers

New order: 'This power is evolution,' Margot declares to journalists

No joke: 'This is not a hoax,' Margot adds at a press conference as reporters wildly raise their hands with questions

While she's addressing the crisis, her daughter Jos is seen showing off her newfound powers with a friend as they electrify a pole and burst a light bulb.

The new powers also seem to have major implications for geopolitical power and societal structures.

Zrinka Cvitesic is shown as Tatiana Moskalev, the wife of the Moldovan president, and the trailer suggests that she uses her powers to take over his position of power to lead the country.

Showing off: While she's addressing the crisis, her daughter Jos is seen showing off her newfound powers with a friend as they electrify a pole

Glamorous: Zrinka Cvitesic is shown as Tatiana Moskalev, the wife of the Moldovan president

Change of status: The trailer suggests that she uses her powers to take over his position of power to lead the country

Expansion: Her ascendance also seems to illustrate a major part of the novel, in which the teen girls are able to awaken the same electrifying powers in older women

Her ascendance also seems to illustrate a major part of the novel, in which the teen girls are able to awaken the same electrifying powers in older women.

Josh Charles will also be featured in the series, though he didn't appear to be part of the teaser trailer, and Eddie Marsan was only briefly glimpsed as a London crime boss.

The Power will premiere on Prime Video on March 31, with new episodes arriving weekly on Fridays.

Star power: Josh Charles will also be featured in the series, though he didn't appear to be part of the teaser trailer, and Eddie Marsan was only briefly glimpsed as a London crime boss
The Irwin family suffered a devastating loss on Saturday as Rhino their Rhinoceros iguana tragically passed at the age of 42.

Bindi, 24, posted a heartbreaking memorial video to Instagram in which she broke down crying as she spoke about the lizard she grew up with in Australia Zoo.

Mourning with her brother Robert, mother Terri and husband Chandler Powell, the Wildlife Warrior spread Rhino's ashes throughout the zoo's Rhinoceros enclosure.

The Irwin family suffered a devastating loss on Saturday as Rhino their Rhinoceros iguana tragically passed at the age of 42. (Pictured L to R: Bindi, Terri and Robert Irwin)

'It is with a very heavy heart that we have to say goodbye to Rhino, but we didn't want to miss the opportunity to be able to share him one last time with you guys,' Bindi said as she held her beloved reptile's box of ashes.

As the famous conservationist got teary eyed, her brother, 19, stepped in to share a glimpse into the animal's life.

He revealed that Rhino, who was born in 1980 and received a Guinness World Record for being the oldest Rhinoceros iguana on record, loved Hibiscus flowers and was always full of energy and 'sass'.

Bindi, 24, posted a heartbreaking memorial video to Instagram in which she broke down crying as she spoke about the lizard she grew up with in Australia Zoo

'His quality of life was 100% every day. He lived a brilliant life every single day and that's what you hold onto,' Robert added.

Chandler, 26, also chimed in, saying: 'He was a special part of the family too because he was the first animal you saw when you went through the Zoo gates.

'So he greeted every single guest who came through our doors.'

Mourning with her brother Robert, mother Terri and husband Chandler Powell, the Wildlife Warrior spread Rhino's ashes throughout the zoo's Rhinoceros enclosure

Terri, 58, revealed the iguana first came to Australia Zoo in 1993, the year after she married the late national icon Steve Irwin.

The memorial video then showed heartbreaking clips of the Irwin family spreading Rhino's ashes beneath a tree in the Rhinoceros enclosure.

It finished with some tear-jerking footage of Steve Irwin in happier times gushing over Rhino as he introduce the lizard to the world.
Michael Shannon's world turns upside down when he's mistaken for a famous and reclusive author in the new trailer for Saban Films' A Little White Lie.

Shannon stars as a New York City handyman who gets mistaken for an author who hasn't been seen in years, and attends a literary festival pretending to be him.

Kate Hudson - who revealed earlier this month she is putting out her debut album this year - stars as the professor putting on this festival.

Upside down: Michael Shannon's world turns upside down when he's mistaken for a famous and reclusive author in the new trailer for Saban Films' A Little White Lie

Kate: Kate Hudson - who revealed earlier this month she is putting out her debut album this year - stars as the professor putting on this festival

The trailer begins with Hudson's character Simone Cleary telling her team, 'What if I told you the man who is coming to this year's festival will put us back on the literary map?'

We see shots of Shriver (Shannon) sitting on a plane next to Delta Jones (Da'Vine Joy Randolph), as Simone adds, 'The man that vanished after the publication of his masterpiece.'

Delta says on the plane, 'I know who you are, the mysterious Shriver' as it cuts back to Simone and her team all saying his name Shriver, though Professor Arthur Baldwin (M. Emmet Walsh) says, 'I thought he was dead.'

The man: The trailer begins with Hudson's character Simone Cleary telling her team, 'What if I told you the man who is coming to this year's festival will put us back on the literary map?'

Delta: We see shots of Shriver (Shannon) sitting on a plane next to Delta Jones (Da'Vine Joy Randolph), as Simone adds, 'The man that vanished after the publication of his masterpiece'

Dead: Delta says on the plane, 'I know who you are, the mysterious Shriver' as it cuts back to Simone and her team all saying his name Shriver, though Professor Arthur Baldwin (M. Emmet Walsh) says, 'I thought he was dead'

The college president (Kate Linder) tells Simone, 'bring Shriver and bring a crowd, because this is the last chance for this festival.'

Back at a bar in New York, Shriver tells his friend Lenny (Mark Boone Junior), 'They think I'm someone else. I'm not a writer,' though Lenny shoots back, 'Everyone's a writer these days. When was the last time you were in a Starbucks?'

The trailer cuts back to the college as Simone reads Shriver's letter back, stating it would be his pleasure to attend their, 'esteemed and prestigious festival... which is totally my thing. Also, is the prize a car?'

President: The college president (Kate Linder) tells Simone, 'bring Shriver and bring a crowd, because this is the last chance for this festival'

Lenny: Back at a bar in New York, Shriver tells his friend Lenny (Mark Boone Junior), 'They think I'm someone else. I'm not a writer,' though Lenny shoots back, 'Everyone's a writer these days. When was the last time you were in a Starbucks?'

Letter: The trailer cuts back to the college as Simone reads Shriver's letter back, stating it would be his pleasure to attend their, 'esteemed and prestigious festival... which is totally my thing. Also, is the prize a car?'

Simone is seen waiting at the airport with a worn copy of Shriver's masterpiece Goat Time as she takes him to the festival, where he meets T. Wasserman (Don Johnson).

'Here you are... unless the real Shriver is still in hiding,' Wasserman jokes, as a woman named Layla (Perry Mattfeld) meets Shriver and says, 'Something about you just doesn't smell right.'

Shriver declares he needs a drink and starts doing shots with Wasserman as they check out a pool full of bikini-clad women.

Novel: Simone is seen waiting at the airport with a worn copy of Shriver's masterpiece Goat Time as she takes him to the festival, where he meets T. Wasserman (Don Johnson)

Pool: Shriver declares he needs a drink and starts doing shots with Wasserman as they check out a pool full of bikini-clad women

Later Simone tells him she just needs him to 'behave for three days,' and he says he can do that, but she admits, 'there's no car.'

At some point it seems Simone realizes Shriver isn't the real Shriver, telling him, 'I need you to be the man who wrote one brilliant novel.'

Another man says, 'I'm on to you,' as he screams in a bar, 'I'm not Shriver!' before Simone takes Shriver to a party hosted by Dr. Bedrosian (Wendie Malick), who Simone says is a 'key benefactor for the festival.'

No car: Later Simone tells him she just needs him to 'behave for three days,' and he says he can do that, but she admits, 'there's no car.

Benefactor: Another man says, 'I'm on to you,' as he screams in a bar, 'I'm not Shriver!' before Simone takes Shriver to a party hosted by Dr. Bedrosian (Wendie Malick), who Simone says is a 'key benefactor for the festival'

Dr. Bedrosian takes Shriver up to what she says is her library, but it's really her bedroom as she pulls him on the bed and insists, 'Talk to me about literature!'

The plot thickens when the supposedly real Shriver (Zach Braff) shows up at the festival, as Simone asks Shriver, 'Can you honestly tell me you haven't been lying to me?'

'That's a complicated question,' Shriver responds, while another scene shows Detective Karpas (Jimmi Simpson) asking, 'Will the real Shriver please step forward?'

Literature: Dr. Bedrosian takes Shriver up to what she says is her library, but it's really her bedroom as she pulls him on the bed and insists, 'Talk to me about literature!'

Step forward: 'That's a complicated question,' Shriver responds, while another scene shows Detective Karpas (Jimmi Simpson) asking, 'Will the real Shriver please step forward?'

'Can we please put an end to this buffoonery?' the real Shriver asks, while another shot shows Wasserman insisting, 'this is one of the great literary hoaxes of all time' as the trailer comes to an end.

The film - written and directed by Michael Maren - also stars Peyton List, Adhir Kalyan and Aja Naomi King, arriving on Digital and On Demand formats March 3.


Gender ministry's policy U-turn ignites debate over rape



By Lee Hyo-jin



Rape is often defined as forcing someone to submit to sexual intercourse against their will. A question arises in cases when consent hadn't been established explicitly between individuals involved in a sex act: is it rape?



Korea's Criminal Law defines the crime of rape as sexual activity against one's will involving "violence or intimidation." As such, in order to secure a rape conviction, prosecutors must prove that the perpetrator had used or threatened violence against the victim. Sexual assault against a victim in a vulnerable state, such as under the influence of alcohol or drugs, is seen as "quasi-rape."



In recent years, women's rights groups and civic activists, who claim that the existing rape law is outdated and insufficient to protect the victims, have been strongly demanding the legal definition of rape to be expanded to include non-consensual sex.



But the idea has drawn fierce backlash from some men who believe that a consent-based definition of rape may result in an increase of false rape accusations. They view that whether the sexual activity was consensual or non-consensual will be difficult to confirm in court proceedings.



The thorny issue was spotlighted again recently after the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family retracted a plan to review revisions to the rape law to include non-consensual sex, a few hours after it was announced.





Vice Minister of Gender Equality and Family Lee Ki-soon speaks during a Jan. 26 briefing on the government's framework on gender equality policies to be carried out from 2023 to 2027. Yonhap



At a briefing on the government's third framework on gender equality policies held on the morning of Jan. 26, Vice Minister Lee Ki-soon said the ministry will "review widening the scope of the legal definition of rape to non-consensual sex not involving the use of physical force." If legislated, victims will no longer have to provide proof of violence or threat, coercion or resistance against their assailants.



But soon after the briefing, the Ministry of Justice, which oversees criminal law policies, told reporters that it does not have plans to review such proposals, implying that the two ministries had not discussed the agenda thoroughly in advance.



Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) claimed that the proposed revision will only worsen gender conflicts.



"Such a law may result in possible false rape allegations. It will be highly difficult to determine a criminal offense based only on a victim's claim," he wrote on Facebook. The lawmaker also said that state intervention over individuals' sexual activities, which are considered a private matter, should be limited to a minimum level.



Later that day, the gender ministry reversed its plan, saying that expanding the definition of rape to include non-consensual sex is not a policy that is being considered by the Yoon Suk Yeol administration.



"The government does not have plans to revise related bills regarding non-consensual sex," it said in a text message sent to reporters about eight hours after the initial announcement.



The ministry's flip-flop drew criticism from women's rights groups and liberal lawmakers, who lamented that the government is backpedaling on rape laws, as opposed to some European countries that have already adopted consent-based rape laws in a bid to better protect victims.



'Yes means yes, no means no'



Similar controversies have arisen in many other countries, the result of which about a dozen European nations including Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Portugal have introduced revised rape laws based around the so-called "yes means yes" and "no means no" models.



According to a report published by Korea's National Assembly, Germany previously required "violation and intimidation" as a legal condition of rape. But after a revision was made in November 2016, the country now defines rape as "sexual relations against victims' expression."



In 2018, Sweden also passed revision bills stipulating "without consent" instead of "violation and intimidation."



More recently, in August 2022, Spain's congress passed a legislation referred to as the "only yes means yes" law, which defines all non-consensual sex as rape, in the wake of a gang rape case in which an 18-year-old woman was raped by five men in 2016.





Rep. Na Kyung-won, head of the then-main opposition Liberty Korea Party speaks during a conference on proposed bills to revise the rape law to expand the scope to non-consensual sex, held at the National Assembly, Aug. 24, 2018. Korea Times file
The ex-girlfriend of Married At First Sight's 'pickiest groom' Jesse Burford has spoken out about their relationship.

Jesse, 30, polarised viewers on Tuesday's episode as he rattled off an outrageous list of his dating deal-breakers, which he described as 'icks'.

Melbourne radio announcer Kat Markey told the Fifi, Fev & Nick show on Wednesday she'd briefly dated Jesse, and she was all too familiar with his nit-picking antics.

Fox FM Melbourne radio announcer Kat Markey (left), the ex-girlfriend of Married At First Sight's Jesse Burford (right), has revealed what it's really like to date Australia's pickiest groom

'He was really picky and it didn't last long. And I knew he was not in it for the long run,' said Kat, who met Jesse when she worked for Hit 92.9 Perth a few years ago.

'He's very confident. He knew what he wanted [in our relationship, and] what he didn't want,' she said.

Kat then took a series of blistering swipes at her ex, accusing him of being fame hungry and trying to use her industry connections to further his career.

'He was really picky and it didn't last long. And I knew he was not in it for the long run,' said Kat (pictured), who met Jesse when she worked for Hit 92.9 Perth a few years ago

Kat took a series of blistering swipes at her ex, accusing him of being fame hungry and trying to use her industry connections to further his career

'He used to hit me up about radio-related stuff. So I don't think he's actually there for a girlfriend; I think he's looking for a bit of a [media] gig,' she said.

'He just likes the sound of his own voice, to be honest.'

Jesse raised eyebrows on Tuesday's episode of MAFS as he listed his relationship turn-offs and deal-breakers.

'He used to hit me up about radio-related stuff. So I don't think he's actually there for a girlfriend; I think he's looking for a bit of a [media] gig,' she said

A producer asked him: 'Do you get "the ick" quite easily?'

'Uh, yes, I do,' he replied. 'It's funny you ask that, because I actually brought a list.'

Jesse, who is a marriage celebrant, then listed several issues he has with modern women, starting with: 'Girls who are addicted to their phones.'

Jesse raised eyebrows on Tuesday's episode of MAFS as he listed his relationship turn-offs and deal-breakers

'Social media, motivational quotes, hustle and grinding. Who do you think you are?' he continued.

'Any girl who calls me honey, sweetie... You're not my auntie!'

'Chicks who are always talking, who always interrupt you,' he continued.

'Any girl who starts their sentence with 'Oh my god, babe!' Star sign chicks...'

'Star sign chicks' was a major ick for Jesse. Unfortunately, his MAFS bride is into astrology

Jesse tied the knot with Claire Nomarhas, a 31-year-old kindergarten assistant who is a muscle car fanatic and is unapologetically loud

Jesse continued to ramble with more turn-offs, like 'mirror selfies', girls who leave 'dirt on the mirror', and girls who take 'gym photos'.

He also listed 'butt, boob, bikini' which may be referring to other types of photos.

Jesse later tied the knot with Claire Nomarhas, a 31-year-old kindergarten assistant who is a muscle car fanatic and is unapologetically loud.

Things got off to a cracking start for the pair until the wedding reception, when Jesse identified two 'icks' in his new bride.

Things got off to a cracking start for the pair until the wedding reception, when Jesse identified two 'icks' in his new bride

Jesse began to get more and more 'icked' by the little things Claire would say

Claire revealed she was passionate about astrology and crystals, two things Jesse loathes.

'If I get the "ick" I can start to find everything unbelievably annoying,' he later told producers.

Jesse began to get more and more 'icked' by the little things Claire would say.

Claire thought she'd be able to break the ice by gifting her husband with a crystal that symbolises a 'transformative' era in people's lives.

The offering appeared to change Jesse's mindset and he started to come to terms with Claire's interests that didn't align with his own.

Claire thought she'd be able to break the ice by gifting her husband with a crystal that symbolises a 'transformative' era in people's lives

The offering appeared to change Jesse's mindset and he started to come to terms with Claire's interests that didn't align with his own

'Is the crystal stuff for me? Well, no. But I'm not gonna hate on someone else's passion. Especially my brand new wife,' he told producers.

'If it means something to you, it means something to me,' he said to Claire.

But Jesse's nitpicking ultimately knocked the couple off course when he told his wife to 'shush'.

Jesse's nitpicking ultimately knocked the couple off course when he told his wife to 'shush'

The pair were at the airport ready to depart for their honeymoon in the Whitsundays when Jesse told Claire to be quiet 'a few times'.

An upset Claire began to second-guess everything she was saying, and how she said it.

'One day in. If you're already shushing me, you're going to have a hard time ahead of you, buddy boy,' she said.

Married At First Sight continues Wednesday at 7.30pm on Channel Nine and 9Now
Jessica Chastain cut an elegant figure in a burgundy dress with a plunging neckline on her way to tape an episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Tuesday.

As she arrived to the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City, the Oscar-winning actress, 45, turned heads as she strutted down the street in a pair of black thigh-high boots.

For her appearance, the star, who narrowly missed contracting COVID-19 earlier this month, wore her red hair in glamorous curls, a glossy nude lipstick and blush for youthful glow.

Radiant: Jessica Chastain cut an elegant figure in a burgundy dress with a plunging neckline on her way to tape an episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Tuesday

She smiled and waved at onlookers, who gathered outside the building to catch a glimpse of her.

Her thigh-skimming frock, from Dries Van Noten, also featured a belted waist, black buttons and pockets.

The performer most recently starred in Showtime's miniseries George Jones and Tammy Wynette, George & Tammy, which aired its finale episode earlier this month.

Glamorous: As she arrived to the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City, the Oscar-winning actress, 45, turned heads as she strutted down the street in a pair of black thigh-high boots

Stunning: For her appearance, the George & Tammy star wore her fiery red tresses styled into glamorous curls, a glossy nude lipstick and blush for youthful glow

The show reunited her and Michael Shannon, who she starred with in the 2011 psychological thriller Take Shelter.

The show follows Tammy and George as they thunder through drugs, fights and even - in her case - shock therapy.

The duo had a dramatic and explosive marriage from 1969 to 1975, scarred by problems including his galloping alcoholism.

Looking good! She smiled and waved at onlookers, who gathered outside the building to catch a glimpse of her

Chic: Her thigh-skimming frock, from Dries Van Noten, also featured a belted waist, black buttons and pockets

Tammy herself eventually became addicted to painkillers for years before dying of a heart attack at the age of just 55 in 1998.

In addition to her busy work schedule, Chastain is married to Gian Luca, an executive for fashion brand Moncler.

The Eyes of Tammy Faye star and her spouse share two young children, named Giulietta and Augustus.
Pamela Anderson admitted that there might be some collateral damage with the release of her new memoir Love, Pamela.

The 55-year-old Baywatch star said that her ex-husband Tommy Lee's wife Brittany Furlan might be 'annoyed' by what is revealed in the tome in an interview with WSJ. Magazine that was published on Tuesday.

The book was released on Tuesday, coinciding with the debut of the documentary Pamela: A Love Story, which arrived on Netflix on the same day.

Pamela was seen later on Tuesday in Beverly Hills as she left for an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in the evening.

Charged subject: Pamela Anderson, 55, admitted that her ex-husband Tommy Lee's wife Brittany Furlan, 26, might be 'annoyed' by her new memoir; seen with Tommy in 1998

'Im sure its going to be annoying to his wife. Id be annoyed,' she admitted in her WSJ. interview.

Unvarnished: Pamela's memoir delves into some of the ugly details of her marriage to Tommy, including his alleged domestic abuse and his jealous rages

Part of that potential annoyance most likely relates to the unvarnished claims the actress makes in her book.

In one particularly surprising passage, Pamela admitted that she didn't even know Tommy's last name when they eloped on a beach in Mexico in 1995, just four days after meeting.

'On the flight home, I asked him what our last name was, and he said, Lee,' she wrote.

She followed that up by asking where he lived. The exchange suggests Pamela may not have been very familiar with his hair metal band Motley Crue, as he was already an internationally famous figure for his drumming with the band and hard-partying ways.

In her documentary, she adds that she had mixed his name up with that of the actor Tommy Lee Jones.

Brittany Furlan, a former Vine star, comedian and actress, is Tommy's fourth wife, and his first since his divorce from Pamela, which was finalized in 1998.

Awkward: 'Im sure its going to be annoying to his wife. Id be annoyed,' she admitted to WSJ. Magzine. Brittany, a former Vine star, began dating Tommy in 2017; seen in November 2021

Lovebirds: The actress and comedian got engaged to Tommy on Valentine's Day 2018, and they married exactly one year later in 2019; seen in September 2021

They began dating in early 2017 and got engaged on Valentine's Day in 2018, with their wedding following exactly one year later in 2019.

So far, she hasn't commented on Pam's new movie or her book.

The memoir delves into some of the ugly details of her marriage to Tommy, including his alleged domestic abuse and his jealous rages.

She describes in her memoir one incident in which her husband became violent after she had to film an intimate scene with her Baywatch costar David Chokachi, according to The Guardian.

'Tommy was so jealous. I thought thats what love is. I had to kiss David Chokachi but I didn't tell Tommy,' she shared. 'He lost it. He trashed my trailer on the set, put his fist through a cabinet.'

She added: 'I apologized for not telling him  lying, as he put it  and told him it wouldn't happen again.'

Out of control: Pamela describes in her memoir one incident in which her husband became violent and 'trashed' her trailer after she filmed an intimate scene with Baywatch costar David Chokachi, according to The Guardian; seen in 1996

The one: Despite the tumult of their marriage, Pamela said Tommy was the only true love of her life; seen in 2005

In another embarrassing incident, the drummer allegedly crashed his car into a makeup trailer on set.

She wrote that Tommy  with whom she shares sons Brandon, 26, and Dylan, 25  would visit nearly every day to have time with his wife.

Despite the tumult of their marriage, Pamela said Tommy was the only true love of her life.

''I really loved your Dad for all the right reasons and I really don't think I've loved anybody else. It's f***ed,' she tells Brandon in the documentary. 'I think I'd rather be alone than not be with the father of my kids. I think it's impossible to be with anybody else but I don't think I could be with Tommy either. It's almost like a punishment.'

Later on Tuesday, Pamela was seen looking glamorous as she made her way to a Jimmy Kimmel Live! taping in Hollywood.

LBD: Later on Tuesday, Pamela was seen looking glamorous in a little black dress as she made her way to a Jimmy Kimmel Live! taping in Hollywood from the Beverly Hills Hotel

Stunner: The actress looked elegant in a classic sleeveless black dress with a medium-length skirt

Standing tall: The 5ft7in beauty elevated her stature with a set of black open-toe heels that strapped around her ankles, and she carried a sleek white off-white coat over her arm

The actress looked elegant in a classic sleeveless black dress with a medium-length skirt.

The 5ft7in beauty elevated her stature with a set of black open-toe heels that strapped around her ankles, and she carried a sleek white off-white coat over her arm.

She showed off a winning smile as she walked out of the bungalows at the Beverly Hills Hotel, while wearing her iconic long blond hair styled up in a playfully messy bun.
Sarah Michelle Gellar put on a fashionable display wearing a chic white suit during a trip to Milan in new Instagram snaps shared on Tuesday while promoting her Paramount+ series, Wolf Pack.

The Buffy The Vampire Slayer alum, 45, additionally shared a glowing selfie while surrounded by the picturesque views of the Italian city.

The beauty, who tied the know with Freddie Prinze Jr. in 2002, recently stated that she doesn't 'get taken seriously by men on sets' during an interview with The Guardian published earlier Monday.

Stunning! Sarah Michelle Gellar, 45, was radiant wearing a white suit in a new Instagram post she shared on Tuesday amid her trip to Milan

In the first snap shared on the latest post, Sarah could be seen posing on a balcony with what appeared to be the iconic Milan Cathedral towering behind her with the sun shining high in the sky.

The talented actress opted to wear an eye-catching suit that comprised of a double-breasted blazer along with matching, loose-fitting slacks.

For a flashy touch to the look for the Wolf Pack photo call in the city, the mother of two slipped into a pair of closed-toed, sparkling silver heels.

Her blonde locks were parted to the side, and slicked back into a low up do to complete her overall look for the special event.

The Cruel Intentions star penned the caption, 'Sono cosi felice di essere a Milano,' to her 4.2 million followers, which means, 'I am so happy to be in Milan.'

Beautiful: She also shared a selfie onto the post, showing off her glammed up makeup for the Wolf Pack photo call in Milan that had taken place on Saturday

Dressed to impress: The talented actress opted to wear an eye-catching suit that comprised of a double-breasted blazer along with matching, loose-fitting slacks

Sarah additionally uploaded a selfie in the Instagram post that gave a closer glimpse of her glammed up makeup.

The star opted for a layer of black mascara along with a shimmering, gold shadow to make her green-colored eyes pop.

She also added a rosy pink blush to better accentuate her cheekbones, and for a finishing touch, donned a bold, red lipstick.

To accessorize the sleek suit, the I Know What You Did Last Summer actress wore a pair of dangly, rectangular white earrings that contained a dazzling emerald in the middle, along with mini gold ear cuffs.

Sarah's best friend, Selma Blair and fellow Cruel Intentions co-star, simply penned in the comments, 'Bella,' followed by a white heart emoji.

Actress and professional dancer, Amanda Kloots, typed, 'WOW WOW WOW! How do you just keep getting more gorgeous!! Keep this press tour going!'

Having a blast: The actress later shared an assortment of snaps onto her Instagram stories that captured special memories from the Milan press tour

Flashy: To accessorize the sleek suit, the I Know What You Did Last Summer actress wore a pair of dangly, rectangular earrings that contained a dazzling emerald in the middle

Having a blast: In another photo, Sarah could be seen posing with a few pals during the exciting trip

Sarah also shared an assortment of snaps onto her Instagram stories that captured special memories from the Milan press tour, including more photos of her posing with the city view sprawled out behind her.

The talented actress, who kick started her successful career in 1983, also shared exciting pictures as she posed with her friends at night in front of the Milan Cathedral, also known as the Duomo di Milano.

The beauty has been promoting her latest Paramount TV+ series titled, Wolf Pack, which officially premiered on the streaming site on January 26.

Sarah was cast to portray the character of arson investigator Kristen Ramsey, with the premise following, 'A teenage boy and girl get their lives changed forever when a California wildfire awakens a terrifying supernatural creature,' according to an IMDB synopsis.

Gellar, who is also an executive producer on the teen supernatural series, explained to The Guardian, 'Ive been doing this for 40 years,' and added that due to her experience, 'Im going to have ideas, and Im going to be vocal about them.'

Breathtaking views: The talented actress, who kick started her successful career in 1983, also shared exciting pictures as she posed with her friends at night in front of the Milan Cathedral

Newest project: The beauty has been promoting her latest Paramount TV+ series titled, Wolf Pack, which officially premiered on the streaming site on January 26

She also opened up to the publication about the 'burnout' she experienced while working on the Buffy The Vampire Slayer set and how she is also a victim of sexism in the industry.

Sarah explained, '22 episodes burn everybody out, not just the writers Now we live in a world where TV can be eight to 10 episodes, and not murder you.'

The star then admitted, 'I still dont get taken seriously by men on sets. I still feel the need, sometimes, to read [out] my resume, like, 'How many of these shows have you done? How many experiences have you had at 2am with 250 extras, a late shot, a stunt  all of these things? I not only have produced it, but Ive also been in it. Listen to me, because I know where Im coming from.'

'I can speak like that now, where I think 10 years ago I probably couldnt. If theres one thing children teach you, it is patience.'

Earlier this month, Sarah attended the Wolf Pack premiere in Los Angeles alongside husband and fellow actor, Freddie Prinze Jr. earlier this month. The couple celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary last year in 2022, and share children, Charlotte 13, and ten-year-old Rocky.

Happy pair: Earlier this month, Sarah attended the Wolf Pack premiere in Los Angeles alongside husband and fellow actor, Freddie Prinze Jr. earlier this month
Do you know the woman? Email charlotte.karp@mailonline.com

Later, Boon spoke candidly on Instagram about his Tinder matches

In 2021, cops took an AVO out against a woman on his behalf

Married At First Sight bad boy Harrison Boon went to police over fears for his safety before he became a reality TV star.

Boon, 33, made his television debut on Tuesday night when he married Bronte Schofield, 28, on the hit Channel Nine show.

The Sydney-based builder and part-time stripper opened up about his life in the first episode of season 10.

He lamented only being allowed to see his son every second weekend, and said his days as a promiscuous bachelor were over.

However, it can now be revealed police took out a restraining order against a woman for his protection in 2021.

Harrison Boon married Bronte Schofield (pictured) on Channel Nine reality show, Married At First Sight

Boon was living and working in Merimbula, on the NSW south coast, when police took out an apprehended violence order against a 30-year-old woman.

According to records filed in Bega Local Court, she was banned from threatening, stalking, harassing, or intimidating him, or destroying any of his property, for a period of two years.

She was also banned from going within 50 metres of anywhere Boon lived or worked.

Records also showed police filed a second restraining order against her on the same day, on behalf of another man.

The woman was charged with destroy or damage property worth less than $2000.

She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a two-year conditional release order, without a conviction.

Harrison Boon (pictured) is a part-time stripper. He was living and working in Merimbula when police took out an apprehended violence order against a woman on his behalf

Two weeks after the AVO was mentioned in court, Boon spoke candidly about his love life on Instagram (pictured)

Boon did not want to comment when approached by Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday.

However, two weeks after the AVO was mentioned in court, Boon spoke candidly about his love life on Instagram.

'Sometimes I start a group chat with my Tinder matches and just sit there watching them fight it out Hunger Games style till theres only one left then I take her on a date,' he wrote, alongside a photo of him at a national park.

'Im convinced nobody reads these captions anymore so Im just using this as a safe space now.'

Boon's wedding to Ms Schofield on Tuesday night didn't exactly go as planned, after the bride's girlfriend Jessica Tomlinson told her the groom had a 'secret girlfriend' waiting for him outside the show.

Harrison Boon (pictured) pledged to leave his life as a promiscuous bachelor behind him and take his experimental marriage seriously

The newlyweds spent their first night sleeping in separate beds, before they had a frosty confrontation in the living room of their hotel suite.

'I think parts of me, before this experience, has kind of like, followed me into it. And I had a little bit of explaining to do,' he told producers.

'It's just shame that it got brought to light in such a negative way on my wedding day, because even though I was seeing someone before coming into this... I have made it perfectly clear that person that things are over.'

Ms Schofield explained it was her 'biggest fear' that she'd find love in the experiment, only for him to 'replace' her with another woman waiting in the wings.

However, he assured her his days as a bachelor were over and that he was taking their experimental marriage 'seriously'.
Olivia Attwood put on a classy display wearing a crisp white trench coat and a stone satin skirt at the Regenerative Institute in London.

The former Love Island star, 31, arrived at the event in the Corinthia Hotel in style with various different shades of beige pieces bringing the outfit together.

She was joining a slew of stars celebrating the launch of the London Regenerative Institute in collaboration with the Corinthia Hotel and the Cadogan Clinic.

Chic: Olivia Attwood put on a classy display wearing a crisp white trench coat and a stone satin skirt at the Regenerative Institute in London

Glamorous: The former Love Island star, 31, arrived at the event in the Corinthia Hotel in style with various different shades of beige pieces bringing the outfit together

Olivia, who wore a light beige sweatshirt on her top half, was in the capital to celebrate with world-leading facial plastic surgeons Mr Tunc Tiryaki and Dr Steve Cohen- Founders with their new launch.

Her all-beige look was complimented by her nude coloured Chanel leather quilted crossbody bag, which she held in her hand.

She slipped her feet into a pair of cream leather croc-embossed knee-high leather heeled boots which added some inches to her model stature.

Wow: Olivia, who wore a light beige sweatshirt on her top half, was in the capital to celebrate with world-leading facial plastic surgeons Mr Tunc Tiryaki and Dr Steve Cohen- Founders with their new launch

Her lengthy blonde tresses were tousled in a beachy wave style and her front fringe framed her face perfectly.

Olivia opted for a full face of makeup for the occasion and looked gorgeous as she posed for a few snaps before enjoying her Tuesday evening.

Also in attendance was Lady Victoria Hervey, who looked glamorous in her all-black ensemble and stand-out leather jacket.

All black ensemble: Also in attendance was Lady Victoria Hervey, who looked glamorous in her all-black ensemble and stand-out leather jacket

Night out: The statement piece featured embellished silver gems on the lapels which contrasted against her black high-neck dress

The statement piece featured embellished silver gems on the lapels which contrasted against her black high-neck dress.

She kept her light blonde locks in a blow-out style and looked pleased to be joining stars at the glamorous event on Tuesday evening.

Made in Chelsea stars Ollie and Gareth Locke arrived in their typically chic style, both wearing trench coats in contrasting navy and beige colours.

The married couple posed for a snap with a glass of champagne in their hands before heading in to mingle.

Celebrate: Olivia opted for a full face of makeup for the occasion and looked gorgeous as she posed for a few snaps before enjoying her Tuesday evening (pictured with Mr Tunc Tiryaki)

Swanky: Made in Chelsea stars Ollie and Gareth Locke arrived in their typically chic style, both wearing trench coats in contrasting navy and beige colours

Public speaker and influencer Noelle Reno looked glamorous in her figure-hugging mauve-purple dress which had a thigh-split and ruched detail at the waist.

She, like Olivia, posed for a picture with Mr Tunc Tiryaki to celebrate his big night at the swanky London hotel.

Lara Accison stunned in a bold blue satin jumpsuit which complimented her physique and she dolled up with a dark red lip colour.

Strike a pose: Public speaker and influencer Noelle Reno looked glamorous in her figure-hugging mauve-purple dress which had a thigh-split and ruched detail at the waist

Snap: Lara Accison stunned in a bold blue satin jumpsuit which complimented her physique and she dolled up with a dark red lip colour (pictured right with Lady Victoria Hervey)

It comes after Olivia opened up to fans recently where she admitted she was 'struggling.com'.

The reality star, who was forced to leave the I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here jungle after just one day in November, shared a glum-looking selfie for her 2million followers.

Wrapped up against the UK's big freeze in a padded jacket, a downcast Olivia snapped a mirror selfie which she captioned 'struggling.com'.

Glamorous: Noelle, like Olivia, posed for a picture with Mr Tunc Tiryaki to celebrate his big night at the swanky London hotel

Olivia previously admitted she is still struggling with the way she was asked to leave I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! after just 24 hours.

She was forced to leave the jungle after a blood test showed she was 'dangerously anaemic', which prompted a trip to A&E before show bosses denied her reentry into the camp.

The television personality admitted she'd had an emotional week after the final of the show, claiming she had still not come to terms with her exit.

Feeling blue: It comes after Olivia opened up to fans recently where she admitted she was 'struggling.com'

Unfortunate: The former Love Island star was forced to leave the I'm A Celeb jungle early last month after a blood test showed she was 'dangerously anaemic', which prompted a trip to A&E

Seeming fed up in a clip on her Instagram Stories, Olivia said: 'I probably underestimated that I'm finding it hard that it was the jungle final this week and I was told to f**k off after 24 hours, and I wanted to stay to the end.

'I think I pretended like it's fine but deep down I'm probably not fine really.'

A show spokesman told MailOnline after her exit: 'As a precautionary measure Olivia needed to leave the jungle to undergo some medical checks.

'Unfortunately, the medical team has advised it is not safe for Olivia to return to camp as there needs to be further investigation. She has been absolutely brilliant and she'll be very much missed on the show.'

Olivia's admission came shortly after she was left in floods of tears when she endured an expletive-laden exchange from a stranger during a dog walk.

The TV star looked visibly shaken as she took to her Instagram Stories to recount the experience, explaining that a passing woman had dubbed her 'that f****ng crazy b**ch from the telly'.

Admitting it was the first time she'd cried since leaving the jungle, Olivia said: 'I can't believe I'm literally crying on my Stories but I literally just had the most awful experience. I've had the most awful experience, I literally can't believe what people are actually like.
Zara Holland reflected on her holiday to Tulum on Tuesday.

The Love Island star took to Instagram to post a series of throwback snaps from the sunny holiday.

She looked stunning in a busty white bikini, also posing in a barely-there blue number for a mirror selfie.

Reminiscing: Zara Holland reflected on her holiday to Tulum on Tuesday. The Love Island star took to Instagram to post a series of throwback snaps from the sunny trip

Zara also smiled next to a coffee shop, looking carefree and happy in a strapless pink dress.

The set of stunning pictures showcased her golden tan and slender arms and she went without makeup, letting her natural beauty shine through.

Zara captioned her post: 'Dreaming of Tulum' with a thought bubble, heart, sun and star emojis.

Racy: She looked stunning in a busty white bikini, also posing in a barely-there blue number for a mirror selfie

It comes after Zara got engaged to her boyfriend Elliott Love in March after he popped the question in Dubai.

The former Miss Great Britain finally found her happy ending with Elliott, 31, who she's been dating for six years.

Zara celebrated her engagement to Elliott with a big party, wearing a beautiful bridal-inspired dress as close friends and family congratulated her on the happy news.

Smiles: Zara also smiled next to a coffee shop, looking carefree and happy in a strapless pink dress

Reflecting: Zara captioned her post: 'Dreaming of Tulum' with a thought bubble, heart, sun and star emojis as she reminisced on her holiday

A source told MailOnline: 'Zara is over the moon to be engaged to Elliott.

'She went on Love Island years ago to find the man of her dreams  and meeting Elliott came just at the right time.

'Elliott proposed in the most perfect way in Dubai, and they couldn't be happier, now they're just excited to start planning their big day.'

Zara and Elliott, who prefers to stay out of the spotlight, met shortly after she starred on the dating series, where she became a much-loved Islander.

Engaged: The star, who rose to fame on the ITV2 show in 2016, finally found her happy ending with Elliott, who she's been dating for six years

Speaking about her romance Zara previously said: 'We're very happy together and have such a great time. He is absolutely amazing and he's definitely The One.

'When I did just come out the villa and I was on nights out or at public appearances guys would be like "Can I buy Zara from Love Island a drink?" But he just likes me for me which was so refreshing.'

The reality star landed a place on Love Island in 2016 but left the series early after she was unfairly stripped of her Miss Great Britain title.

Zara was punished by beauty pageant bosses for having sexual intercourse with co-star Alex Bowen on TV during the early years of the ITV2 show.

Miss Great Britain faced a backlash over their old-fashioned views while Zara defended her right to make her own decisions as a grown woman.

Alex, 30, is now married to Olivia Bowen, 28, who starred on the same season, and the pair are expecting their first baby together.

Gorgeous: The reality star landed a place on Love Island in 2016 but left the series early after she was unfairly stripped of her Miss Great Britain title

Zara hit the headlines in 2021 when she was spared prison for flouting Covid-19 laws on holiday in Barbados after she tried to flee the country alongside Elliott, who had tested positive for the virus.

The couple were intercepted by police at the airport trying to board a plane back to the UK.

Since appearing on Love Island, Zara has taken a step away from celebrity life and has focused on running her fashion business Mimi Boutique.

She has previously spoken out about the intense trolling and scrutiny Love Island contestants face after rising to fame on the show.
She is one of 10 women looking for love on the new season of Married At First Sight.

But Alyssa Barmonde had only one thing on her mind on the night she filmed the hens' party in Sydney in August last year.

The American-born mother of one, 35, was pictured on a 2am Macca's run after a long night of shooting with the other brides.

Married At First Sight bride Alyssa Barmonde went on a 2am Macca's run after filming the hens' party in Sydney in August last year

Alyssa, whose wedding will air this week, was heard ordering a large cheeseburger meal with extra pickles and extra mustard.

She chose a Frozen Coke for her beverage.

Alyssa looked pretty in pink in a tight fuchsia dress, which she teamed with a beige trench coat.

The American-born mother of one, 35, bought some fast-food after a long night of shooting with the other brides

Alyssa, whose wedding will air later this week, was overheard ordering a large cheeseburger meal with extra pickles and extra mustard

Alyssa looked pretty in pink in a tight fuchsia dress, which she teamed with a trench coat

She completed her look with strappy pink heels.

Alyssa seemed to have no regrets about her purchase, as she had a huge grin on her face while climbing out of her taxi.

She even referenced her McDonald's order in an Instagram post uploaded the night the hens' party aired on TV.

'Thinkin' about Macca's (and how Im gonna have to share my fries with my new hubby),' she wrote in the caption.

She even referenced her McDonald's order in an Instagram post uploaded the night the hens' party aired on TV

Alyssa has been single for about 12 months after her seven-year marriage ended

Growing up in Utah, Alyssa was raised a Mormon, and family is a huge part of her life.

She has been single for about 12 months since her seven-year marriage ended, and is finding it hard to date as a single mum - and even harder on apps.

But Alyssa is taking a chance on love again by walking down the aisle for a second time on MAFS.

Although Alyssa seems bubbly and sweet on the surface, don't be mistaken: she admits she can be bossy and digs her heels in even when she knows she's wrong.
The scandalous past of Australian Survivor: Heroes V Villains contestant Sarah Marschke has come back to haunt her.

Rafaela Plastira, a former Miss World beauty pageant competitor from Greece, claimed Sarah pushed her off a bus, leaving her with a sprained ankle.

Sarah, who represented Australia at Miss World 2019, denied pushing Rafaela.

The scandalous past of Australian Survivor: Heroes V Villains contestant Sarah Marschke (pictured) has come back to haunt her

Speaking to Greek outlet Espresso about the incident before the Miss World finals, Rafaela said: 'We were coming back from an event and as I was getting off the bus Miss Australia pushes me [from behind] causing my leg to twist. I got a sprain.

'For two days I moved around in a wheelchair The girl who assaulted me claims it was an accident, but [I know] she pushed me on purpose. From the very start, [Sarah] appeared hostile towards me. This attack I suffered and the sprain have given greater strength of will for the finals.'

Sarah, who is in the 'villains' tribe on Survivor this year, brought up the pushing incident on the show - but denied the allegations.

'When I was representing Miss Australia at Miss World, a bit of controversy happened,' she said.

'Miss Greece told everyone, and it was all over the news, that I had pushed her down the stairs of a bus and ruined her chances of winning.

'I didn't - but if I did, she wouldn't have gotten up!'

Rafaela Plastira, a former Miss World beauty pageant competitor from Greece, claimed Sarah (pictured on Survivor) pushed her off a bus, leaving her with a sprained ankle

The model said she was ready to play as a villain on Survivor, adding: 'You should never underestimate what a beauty queen is willing to do to win.'

Not just a pretty face, the 23-year-old said her sporty background should help her in the survival program.

She grew up playing rugby and represented Queensland as a teenager; however, she said that although rugby is tough, it doesn't compare to beauty pageants.

The model said she was ready to play as a villain on Survivor, adding: 'You should never underestimate what a beauty queen is willing to do to win'

Sarah added: 'Competing at Miss World is brutal, it's a very competitive pageant because you're there to win; you're not there to make friends or have a good time.'

Other stars on the latest series of Australian Survivor: Heroes v Villains include Real Housewives of Melbourne's Anjali Rao, AFL player David Zaharakis and Home and Away's Sharni Vinson.

They are joined by writer and broadcaster Benjamin Law and two-time Olympian Liz Parnov.

Australian Survivor continues Wednesday at 7:30pm on Channel 10 and 10 Play
Emily Atack: Asking For It

Rating: **

Great British Menu

Rating: ****

The solution seems quite simple. With countless women and girls being bombarded with obscene images on their smartphones, we need to prosecute the people doing it.

I don't only mean the perverts who indulge in cyber-flashing. It's the senior executives of social media companies who facilitate this abuse  they deserve punitive fines. And, if they still fail to halt the tide of filth, imprisonment, too.

Why not? They're no different from the seedy proprietors of dodgy bookshops in Soho that used to be raided routinely by the police, their stock of pornographic magazines seized and pulped.

Actress Emily Atack, revealing the scale of the problem in a one-off documentary, Asking For It (BBC2), was rightly savage in her condemnation of the men who get their depraved kicks by sending vile sexual photographs.

Difficult: Emily Atack in her new one-off documentary on BBC2 called Asking For It

But she ignored the complicity of the online giants, who appear to regard themselves as above the law. With artificial intelligence software, it shouldn't be a difficult problem to fix. The photo app on my phone is so sophisticated, it can recognise faces and accurately identify the people in family snapshots.

Surely it's easy for social media technicians to filter out all obscene images and automatically close the accounts of the sexual deviants who post them  before forwarding their personal details to the police.

Emily, who says she wakes to dozens of these intimidating, upsetting images on her phone every day, didn't address this. She also dismissed the common sense of an interviewee who suggested sexual assaults were fuelled by online porn.

Her argument wasn't made any clearer by her reluctance to blacklist men who pelt her with offensive pictures. She could block their messages with one click, but rarely does. She claims that it might antagonise them, driving them to stalk her in person, or even break into her home and murder her.

Fixer-upper of the night:

Young parents George and Sophie were mending a tumbledown 800-year-old farmhouse in the gorgeous mountains of Tuscany, on New Lives In The Wild (C5). Their nearest neighbour is an hour's walk away. That really is getting away from it all.

That's her choice. I think it's a mistake, but she isn't asking my advice. She was right to say that, even if she threw her own phone away, it wouldn't help other women. At a London school, she met a group of 16-year-old girls who had all, without exception, received obscene photos from strangers.

According to Conservative MP Fay Jones, 48 per cent of Millennial women have been subjected to unsolicited lewd images on social media. She has pushed through a new law to make cyber-flashing a specific legal offence.

Emotional: The actress breaks down in her mother's arm during the documentary

Emily skirted that, too. It's the responsibility of pervy men to change their behaviour, she believes. I'm sure that will happen, the same week that social media companies start volunteering to pay all their taxes.

A more innocent era was evoked as Great British Menu (BBC2) returned, with professional chefs competing to celebrate classic children's animation. One cook saluted Andy Capp, with a cloth cap like a tea cosy on his mushroom hotpot. Another made a sandwich with two slices of fish instead of bread. This was a nod to a story where Paddington goes fishing  though surely this strange sarnie should have had a marmalade filling.

As a lifelong Clangers fan, I'd love to try the Soup Dragon consomme with blue string pudding.

With nothing but prestige at stake, the competition is brisk but never cut-throat. Contestants help each other out when time is tight. And it was reassuring to see that, as one over-stressed chef poured his stock into the wrong pan, even a Michelin star isn't proof against occasional kitchen catastrophes.
Two commuters wait to board a subway train at Seoul Station. Korea Times file



Seoul City at odds with finance ministry over free subway fares



By Lee Yeon-woo



Around 5 p.m., Tuesday, when the waiting crowd was busy trying to squeeze into the subway train at Ewha Womans University Station on Seoul Metro Line 2, a 73-year-old senior citizen who asked to be identified only by her first name Hang-soon stood up from a bench and pushed her mini handcart onto the train.



She was heading home from a visit to her friend at an elderly social gathering. She said the free subway ride is important for traveling to meet her friends. It keeps her energetic and makes her feel connected to the world.



Like other seniors, she does not have to pay a single penny to get there.



Hang-soon is one of the nation's 9 million senior citizens who can use the subway for free. In Korea, everyone aged 65 or older is eligible for free subway rides.



She said she is truly grateful for the policy. "It's a good country to live in. The government takes care of seniors like me, every place (in Seoul) is near a subway station and thanks to the free subway I can go anywhere I want."



The free subway fare for senior citizens, which was introduced in 1984, is one of the rare perks only seniors can enjoy in this aging society. It helps reduce rates of suicide and depression, as well as medical fees by keeping senior citizens active, according to the Korea Transport Institution's research in 2015.



However, transporting elderly riders for free doesn't give only advantages.









It has recently emerged as a headache for heads of big city governments, especially Seoul where most of the nation's population is concentrated, as the deficits of Seoul Metro are snowballing to a dangerous new level.



"Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Seoul Metro has faced a deficit of 1 trillion won ($ 8.1 billion) annually, and the seniors' free rides account for 30 percent of the deficit. Before COVID-19 it took 60 percent," Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon wrote on Facebook, Tuesday. "In the meantime, Seoul Metro has endured by issuing corporate bonds, but now it has reached its upper limit. If it was a private company, it would have already gone bankrupt."







Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon speaks during a press conference held at Seoul City Hall, Monday. Yonhap
Savannah Chrisley said her father Todd Chrisley has given her parenting advice amid his prison stint.

Savannah, 25, opened up Tuesday on the Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley podcast about the struggles she's had adapting in raising brother Grayson, 16, and niece Chloe, 10, after her parents Todd, 53, and Julie, 50, began serving their federal prison sentences earlier this month.

'It's been hard - it's been hard to understand, to process and also help two kids process what's been going on in our life,' said Savannah, who described he past week as the toughest of her life amid the life changes.

The latest: Savannah Chrisley, 25, said Tuesday on the Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley podcast that her father Todd Chrisley, 53, has given her parenting advice amid his prison stint

Savannah said that Grayson had a breakdown and she had personally 'felt defeated' as she prepared to take Chloe to visit her relatives in prison.

'I don't feel adequate enough for this job,' Savannah said, adding that she finds 'the strength to get through it and do it.'

She referenced her mother Julie, saying: 'I am not my mother, which I wish I was - because she is the kindest, most loving, most amazing human being I've ever met.

'I always said if I could be half of her, I would be okay. I guess in moments like these, I realize I'm more like my mom than I realize because I'm getting through it.'

Savannah spoke about the struggles she's had adapting in raising brother Grayson, 16, and niece Chloe, 10, after her parents Todd, 53, and Julie, 50, began serving their federal prison sentences earlier this month. The couple was pictured in 2019 in Nashville

Savannah said that Grayson, pictured in a recent Instagram post, had a breakdown amid the dramatic life changes

Savannah said that she emailed her father about her 'crappy day,' and he responded with an encouraging message

Savannah said that she emailed her father about her 'crappy day,' and he responded with an encouraging message.

In the letter Todd sent, according to Savannah, he told her, 'I want you to give yourself some grace. Fall in love with the real Savannah, the one that I raised that radiates a room with her kindness and compassion. Not the one the world wants to see

He continued in the letter, 'Remember, to gain the world and lose your soul, then what do you have? I've never been more proud of you and the woman you're becoming. You've been cast in the fire and what God burns off will allow you to shine brighter than gold.'

In the letter Todd sent, according to Savannah, he told her, 'I want you to give yourself some grace'

Savannah said she doesn't 'feel adequate enough for this job,' but finds 'the strength to get through it and do it'

She referenced her mother Julie, saying: 'I am not my mother, which I wish I was - because she is the kindest, most loving, most amazing human being I've ever met'

The Chrisley Knows Best couple were sentenced to federal prison November 22 in connection with their bank fraud and tax evasion convictions.

Todd was sentenced to 12 years in custody, while Julie was sentenced to seven years in custody, both with 16 months of probation.

They began their respective sentences January 17, with Todd serving time at the Federal Prison Camp Pensacola, with Julie at a facility in Lexington, Kentucky.

New episodes of Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley are released weekly on PodcastOne.
Pamela Anderson revealed that she hopes to get married again while promoting her new book and documentary on Tuesday on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

The 55-year-old actress while wearing a black sleeveless dress was put on the spot by Jimmy, 55, toward the end of her interview on the ABC talk show.

'Do you think you'll ever get married again?,' Jimmy asked her.

Blonde bombshell: Pamela Anderson revealed that she hopes to get married again while promoting her new book and documentary on Tuesday on Jimmy Kimmel Live

'God, what a crazy question. I don't know, I hope so,' Pamela replied.

'You hope so? Oh, you want to get married again?,' Jimmy said.

'I hope so. I don't know. I still have a lot of life left,' Pamela said.

'Have you ever met Mike Lindell from My Pillow?,' quipped Jimmy, referencing his other guest who appeared inside a toy claw machine for his interview.

Good question: The 55-year-old actress while wearing a black sleeveless dress was put on the spot by Jimmy, 55, toward the end of her interview

Hopeless romantic: 'I hope so. I don't know. I still have a lot of life left,' Pamela said when asked by Jimmy if she wanted to get married again

Pillow guy: 'Have you ever met Mike Lindell from My Pillow?,' quipped Jimmy, referencing his other guest who appeared inside a toy claw machine for his interview

Famous couple: Tommy Lee and Pamela are shown in January 1996 in Los Angeles

'I don't even know who that is,' Pamela said.

The Baywatch star was promoting the Netflix documentary 'Pamela, a love story' that premiered on Tuesday on the streaming service.

She also was plugging her new memoir Love, Pamela that was released on Tuesday by publisher Dey Street Books.

New book: Pamela also was plugging her new memoir Love, Pamela that was released on Tuesday by publisher Dey Street Books

Pamela was wed once to Tommy Lee, once to Kid Rock, twice to Rick Salomon, very briefly to Batman co-producer Jon Peters and more recently to Dan Hayhurst.

Her son Brandon Thomas Lee, 26, is a producer of the Netflix documentary that seeks to give the actress an opportunity to provide her own narrative following the recent Hulu miniseries Pam & Tommy that dramatized events in her life.

'You got your house remodeled, the contractor came, you married him at the beginning of the documentary. And you divorced him by the end of the documentary,' Jimmy said referencing her bodyguard ex-husband Dan.

Multiple marriages: Pamela was wed once to Tommy Lee, once to Kid Rock, twice to Rick Salomon, very briefly to Batman co-producer Jon Peters and more recently to Dan Hayhurst

Family photo: Pamela is shown on Monday at the Hollywood premiere of the Netflix documentary 'Pamela, a love story' with her sons Brandon and Dylan

'I needed like a storyline. I needed a beginning, a middle and an end,' Pamela joked.

'At least you know he's not going to like gouge you when he's your husband for a while, I guess,' Jimmy said.

'Geez, okay, let's not go there,' Pamela said.

Storyline relationship: 'I needed like a storyline. I needed a beginning, a middle and an end,' Pamela joked about her short marriage to Dan

Short marriage: Pamela and Dan Hayhurts are shown on Instagram during their short marriage

Rock star: Kid Rock and ex-wife Pamela are shown in May 2001 in Kentucky

Pamela said that her son Brandon encouraged her to do the documentary and he went through her diaries in preparation.

She admitted watching videos of old birthday parties brought tears to her eyes and said the experience was hard.

Pamela also has 25-year-old son Dylan with her ex-husband Tommy, 60, and said she just recently watched the documentary with her youngest son.

Tough experience: She admitted watching videos of old birthday parties brought tears to her eyes and said the experience was hard

The book has been in the works for two years, Pamela said, and it coincidentally came out as the same time as the documentary.

Pamela also gushed about working as a magician's assistant in Las Vegas and said it was one of her most favorite things she's ever done.

She revealed that she learned how to make balloon animals at the time and Jimmy brought out some balloons to test her skills.

Pamela smiled as she twisted the balloon and made a poodle for Jimmy.

Magician's assistant: Pamela also gushed about working as a magician's assistant in Las Vegas and said it was one of her most favorite things she's ever done

Balloon animal: The actress laughed and smiled as she twisted the balloon and made a poodle for Jimmy
Married at First Sight's experts appear to have made an excellent match with the show's youngest couple who immediately hit it off on Wednesday's episode of the Channel Nine show.

PR manager Tahnee Cook , 27, and voiceover actor Ollie, 26, had instant chemistry when they met at the altar, bonding over their mutual love of Thai food and dislike of online dating.

After tying the knot the pair danced together, sharing an 'excellent' first kiss, before flying off to Fiji and consummating their marriage on the first night of their honeymoon.

Married at First Sight's experts appear to have made an excellent match with the show's youngest couple who immediately hit it off on Wednesday's episode of the Channel Nine show

After tying the knot the pair danced together, sharing an 'excellent' first kiss, before flying off to Fiji and consummating their marriage on the first night of their honeymoon (pictured)

'Ollie and I were intimate last night,' Tahnee told producers with a beaming smile.

'I'm absolutely chuffed,' she added.

Ollie added it was 'really really good'.

The pair appeared to hit it off from the get go, with Ollie beaming in delight the second he saw his bride walking down the aisle.

The pair appeared to hit it off from the get go, with Ollie beaming in delight the second he saw his bride walking down the aisle

'When I turned around it was just instinct, how I genuinely felt in that moment,' he said.

While the pair said they were 'both shaking' they quickly relaxed as they laughed together.

'A lot of people have asked me if I'm ready to be standing here today, and it's a fair question for a 26-year-old who orders takeout more times that he cooks?' Ollie said at the aisle.

While the pair said they were 'both shaking' they quickly relaxed as they laughed together

'I'm a boy from Perth who was brought up predominantly in a house hold with three strong women who are here today.

'These women, they brought me up with such love and care. And that's something that I hope to bring to us in this experiment.

'I'm not the biggest fan of online dating. I feel the best way to get to know a person is to be with them in in everyday life, and that's a big reason why I'm here today'.

PR manager Tahnee Cook , 27, and voiceover actor Ollie, 26, had instant chemistry when they met at the altar, bonding over their mutual love of Thai food and dislike of online dating

Tahnee added: 'I was born and raised in Sydney and also spent a little bit of time in Thailand as a child.

'My favourite thing to do is cook Thai food with my mum'.

After dancing the night away, Tahnee said she was 'awkward at first' but now feels 'quite comfortable'.

'The experts did a great job, honestly,' she said.

The pair were then whisked off for a romantic honeymoon in Fiji where they struggled to get into hammocks, before having a flirty exchange on a paddleboard together, and even a romantic massage.

Married At First Sight continues Thursday at 7.30pm on Channel Nine
Dakota Johnson brought back the 1970s with her latest look when she was spotted out in Los Angeles this week.

The 33-year-old Fifty Shades Of Grey star modeled a double denim look that included bell bottoms and accessorized with a large pair of shades.

Wearing her silky locks in long straight curtains, the daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith sharpened her features with naturalistic makeup.

Retro chic: Dakota Johnson brought back the 1970s with her latest look when she was spotted out in Los Angeles this week

Bundling up against the chill in a cozy-looking grey mock turtleneck, she lent herself a touch of added stature with black high-heeled boots.

Dakota, who is in a longtime relationship with Coldplay heartthrob Chris Martin, slung on a spiky handbag with an eye-popping green strap.

Her latest outing comes after she was dragged into the online furor about 'nepo babies' accused of getting showbiz careers through family connections.

Not only is Dakota a daughter of two stars, but her maternal grandmother is also the Hitchcock blonde Tippi Hedren of The Birds fame.

Off she goes: The 33-year-old Fifty Shades Of Grey star modeled a double denim look that included bell bottoms and accessorized with a large pair of shades

Dakota is part of a glut of rising starlets with famous parents, from Johnny Depp's daughter Lily-Rose Depp to Andie MacDowell's daughter Margaret Qualley.

Maude Apatow, whose father is Judd Apatow, and Maya Hawke, whose parents are Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, have shot to fame in recent years as well.

Madonna's daughter Lourdes Leon, Heidi Klum's daughter Leni Klum, Cindy Crawford's daughter Kaia Gerber and Elvis Presley's granddaughter Riley Keough are also coming up, among other boldface names.

The online chatter around 'nepo babies' reached a fever pitch in December after New York magazine ran a viral cover story about the phenomenon.

Swanking about: Bundling up against the chill in a cozy-looking grey mock turtleneck, she lent herself a touch of added stature with black high-heeled boots

Dakota was one of the faces on the cover, along with Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet's daughter Zoe Kravitz and producer Marc Platt's son Ben Platt.

Jamie Lee Curtis, the daughter of Psycho actress Janet Leigh and Some Like It Hot dreamboat Tony Curtis, then waded into the debate.

Calling herself the 'OG Nepo Baby,' she complained: 'The current conversation about nepo babies is just designed to try to diminish and denigrate and hurt.'
Thomas Malucelli looked delighted to be having some fun in the sun on Wednesday with a mystery blonde on Bondi Beach in Sydney.

The Bachelors hunk, 35, who failed to find love on this year's series, could not wipe the smile off his face as he chatted with his beautiful companion.

Thomas opted to wear a pair of striped boardshorts for the outing, showcasing his muscular physique.

Thomas Malucelli looked delighted to be having some fun in the sun on Wednesday with a mystery blonde on Bondi Beach in Sydney. Both pictured

The reality star looked every inch the beach beefcake as he flaunted his jaw-dropping build and showed off his rarely-seen tattoos.

Meanwhile, his friend turned heads in a barely there bikini which showcased her stunning figure and flawless skin.

The pair looked to be having the time of their lives as Thomas whipped out his phone and took pictures of his friend rocking her best angles in her eye-popping swimsuit.

Thomas opted to wear a pair of striped boardshorts for the outing, showcasing his muscular physique

The reality star looked every inch the beach beefcake as he flaunted his jaw-dropping build and showed off his rarely-seen tattoos

Meanwhile, his friend turned heads in a barely there bikini which showcased her stunning figure and flawless skin

At one point, the pair cosied up together while resting on a towel to watch the ocean waves.

It comes after Thomas broke up with his chosen partner on The Bachelors, despite proposing on camera.

Despite getting down on one knee, Thomas confirmed in a statement he had ended his engagement to makeup artist Leah Cummings after two months.

At one point, the pair cosied up together while resting on a towel to watch the ocean waves

It comes after Thomas broke up with his chosen partner on The Bachelors, despite proposing on camera

Despite getting down on one knee, Thomas confirmed in a statement he had ended his engagement to makeup artist Leah Cummings (not pictured) after two months

Thomas' friend ensured all eyes were on her on Sydney's famous beach

She wowed onlookers in a slinky bikini

At one stage the blonde swept her hair back off her visage

'We had lots of love and care for each other but we weren't compatible and compatibility is so important,' he said.

Leah is understood to have been 'devastated' things didn't work out. Thomas was spotted on dating app Hinge back in September.

'It is with sadness that Leah and I announce that we have called off our engagement, and are no longer romantically together,' he wrote on Instagram.

'We care for and respect each other immensely, however we came to realise that staying together was not the right decision for us.'

The couple made the most of the beautiful summer's day

Thomas's friend made sure to show off her sensational frame for the camera

The pair huddled together to review the snaps they took

Thomas' friends ensured she stayed sun safe on the outing

Thomas appeared to be enjoying the view
Ozzy Osbourne has retired from touring and cancelled all his upcoming shows while he recovers from spinal surgery.

The 74-year-old rocker was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease four years ago and has been battling various health problems in recent years.

He had been due to kick off his European tour in May, originally set for 2019 and then rescheduled three times, but it has now officially been cancelled along with any more dates in the future.

Ozzy's last tour show was in December 2018, where he performed at Ozzfest in Inglewood as part of farewell tour, No More Tours II.

End of an era: Ozzy Osbourne has retired from touring and cancelled all his upcoming shows while he recovers from spinal surgery (pictured in September)

In a heartfelt Instagram post on Wednesday, the Black Sabbath rocker apologised for 'disappointing' his fans and admitted 'never would I have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way.'

He confessed that he was still struggling with health problems seven months after undergoing spinal surgery that saved him from paralysis and amid his ongoing battle with Parkinson's disease.

He explained: 'This is probably one of the hardest things Ive ever had to share with my loyal fans. As you may all know, four years ago, this month, I had a major accident, where I damaged my spine.

'My one and only purpose during this time has been to get back on stage. My singing voice is fine. However, after three operations, stem cell treatments, endless physical therapy sessions, and most recently groundbreaking Cybernics (HAL) Treatment, my body is still physically weak.'

Aide: Ozzy was pictured leaning on a friend as he arrived at a fitness class in Los Angeles last Thursday seven months after having spinal surgery that saved him from paralysis

Ozzy continued: 'I am honestly humbled by the way youve all patiently held onto your tickets for all this time, but in all good conscience, I have now come to the realization that Im not physically capable of doing my upcoming European/UK tour dates, as I know I couldnt deal with the travel required. Believe me when I say that the thought of disappointing my fans really F***S ME UP, more than you will ever know.'

He continued: 'Never would I have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way. My team is currently coming up with ideas for where I will be able to perform without having to travel from city to city and country to country.

'I want to thank my familymy band.my crewmy longtime friends, @JudasPriest, and of course, my fans for their endless dedication, loyalty, and support, and for giving me the life that I never ever dreamed I would have.

'I love you all Ticket refunds are available at point of purchase.'

Sad news: In a heartfelt post, the Black Sabbath rocker apologised for 'disappointing' his fans and admitted 'never would I have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way'

Ozzy confessed: 'In all good conscience, I have now come to the realization that Im not physically capable of doing my upcoming European/UK tour dates' (pictured in July 2022)

Ozzy previously told he could be paralysed for life after undergoing his first spinal surgery in 2019.

Months after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019 he suffered a horror fall that aggravated a neck injury from his 2003 quad bike accident.

The injury triggered previous nerve damage from his quad bike accident 17 years ago, where he fractured eight ribs and a vertebra in his neck on his English country estate.

Iconic: Ozzy rose to fame as the vocalist of pioneering rock group Black Sabbath, and has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide (pictured in 1996)

He underwent spinal surgery which left him with 15 screws in his back, nerve pain in his neck, back, shoulders and arms, and the star fearing getting 'bolts in his neck.'

Last year he underwent a further two more operations, the most recent of which took place in June, with Ozzy saying: 'Thank God I found the right surgeon who knows how to deal with spinal problems. He had to cut nerves and you have to take f*****g nerve-pain pills, but I am getting better.'

The Black Sabbath hitmaker returned to the stage in August in his hometown of Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony - just two months after the 'life-altering surgery'.

End of an era: Ozzy's last tour show was in December 2018, where he performed at Ozzfest in Inglewood as part of farewell tour, No More Tours II (pictured backstage with wife Sharon)

The Paranoid hitmaker discussed his current health while appearing on his own Ozzys Boneyard channel on SiriusXM last month, with the star saying of touring: 'It is so f*****g tough because, I mean, I want to be out there.

'I want to be doing it. This f*****g surgery this guy did. F*****g hell, you have no idea.

'The thing is my head is all right, my creativity is OK, my singing OK but I just cant f*****g walk much now.

'I cant begin to tell you how f*****g frustrating life has become. It is amazing how you go along in life and one stupid thing can screw everything up for a long time. I have never been ill this long in my life.

On tour: Ozzy's last tour show was in December 2018, where he performed at Ozzfest in Inglewood as part of farewell tour, No More Tours II (pictured in September)

'That surgeon told me if I didnt have the surgery there would be a good chance I would be paralyzed from the neck down.'

Ozzy rose to fame as the vocalist of pioneering rock group Black Sabbath, and has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide.

His fame increased still further thanks to MTV's warts-and-all reality show The Osbournes, featuring his children and his wife and manager, Sharon.
US comedian Dave Chappelle recently landed in Australia for a national stand up comedy tour.

And on Wednesday, the Emmy Award winning actor was spotted laughing it up with fans in Surry Hills, Sydney.

The Netflix star, 49, rocked a casual look in a black t-shirt, grey pants and sneakers and looked relaxed as he exited a Jamaican-inspired restaurant.

Dave Chappelle (pictured) recently landed in Australia for a national stand up comedy tour

His head was shaved and he added a touch of glamour to his look with a gold necklace.

Dave was all smiles for his adoring fans as he hammed it up while posing for selfies - and he even fist bumped another.

At one point, the Con Air star slipped away to have a cigarette while he played with his phone.

On Wednesday, the Emmy Award winning actor was spotted laughing with fans

The Netflix star, 49, rocked a casual look in a black t-shirt, grey pants and sneakers

Chappelle drew a backlash in 2021 for material in his Netflix comedy special 'The Closer' that some in the LGBTQ+ community said ridiculed transgender people.

His supporters viewed it as a cry against cancel culture.

The special even spurred a response from transgender star Caitlyn Jenner, who also defended the comedian for his comments.

His head was shaved and he added a touch of glamour to his look with a gold necklace

Dave was all smiles for his adoring fans as he hammed it up while posing for selfies

He even fist bumped another outside the restaurant

At one point, the Con Air star slipped away to have a cigarette while he played with his phone

In the special, Chappelle joked women view trans women the same way black people might view white women wearing blackface.

He also said women are entitled to feel anger toward trans women, since Jenner won Glamour magazine's 2015 Woman of the Year award.

'I'd be mad as sh*t if I was a woman,' Chappelle sarcastically said in one bit that had been deemed problematic.

The star also joked about the anatomy of trans women, joking they lacked real female reproductive organs and that they did not have blood but 'beet juice.'

Dave will be performing at the RAC Arena in Perth on Thursday, February 2, and at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on Saturday, February 4 and Sunday, February 5.

Dave will be performing at the RAC Arena in Perth on Thursday, February 2, and at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on Saturday, February 4 and Sunday, February 5
Married at First Sight's Harrison Boon has already caused a stir after his 'wife' discovered he had a girlfriend during their wedding reception.

And his marriage to Bronte Schofield doesn't appear to be getting any better.

The builder, 33, from Sydney told his stunning bride that he's not attracted to her, while on their honeymoon.

Married at First Sight's Harrison Boon has already caused a stir after his 'wife' discovered he had a girlfriend during their wedding reception. Pictured with Bronte Schofield

According to a preview of Thursday's episode, the single dad tells his new wife: 'There's no sexual chemistry, that's just the way that it is.

'I just need time to find you sexually attractive again'.

This is met with confusion from Bronte, who replies with a simple, 'huh?'.

It comes after the Online Beauty Educator's nuptials turned into disaster after guest Jessica Tomlinson told her she recognised her husband Harrison, and that he dated her friend just days before their wedding.

The builder, 33, from Sydney told his stunning bride that he's not attracted to her, while on their honeymoon

'I need to tell you something,' she told Bronte after pulling her aside from wedding guests.

'I have a friend that is from Sydney,' Jess explained.

'She told me about this guy that's going to go on MAFS and that she has been dating for the last month and a half... It's him, it's Harrison.'

Jess then explained that Harrison told her friend that he wanted to be with her once he finished the experiment - and he was planning on spending each weekend with her.

Married at First Sight groom Harrison Boon (pictured) wrote a post on Instagram likening Asian tourists to animals, it can be revealed

Harrison has made quite the stir after making his TV debut on Tuesday night.

Before he was cast, the Sydney-based builder and part-time stripper penned a racist post about Asian people visiting the Three Sisters, a tourist hotspot in the Blue Mountains.

'This place would be so majestic if it werent for the hordes of Asian tourists hack coughing and then spitting their lung butter onto the tourist ridden footpath below where people were posing for family photos. Unfortunately ruining the experience for me. But still. Pretty sweet views ,' he wrote.

Harrison penned a scathing post to Instagram about Asian people visiting the Three Sisters, a tourist hotspot in the Blue Mountains

After a friend of his commented, 'Theyre animals. I had a go at a group for the exact same thing the other day', Harrison replied: 'No way bro you too? They full act like animals aye'.

Comments on the post, which was written in 2018, have since been limited.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Boon and Endemol Shine for comment.

It comes after Daily Mail Australia revealed Boon went to police over fears for his safety before he became a reality TV star.

'This place would be so majestic if it werent for the hordes of Asian tourists hack coughing and then spitting their lung butter onto the tourist ridden footpath below where people were posing for family photos. Unfortunately ruining the experience for me. But still. Pretty sweet views ,' he wrote. Pictured: Harrison and bride Bronte

In the first episode of season 10 he said his days as a promiscuous bachelor were over.

However, it can now be revealed police took out a restraining order against a woman for his protection in 2021.

Boon was living and working in Merimbula, on the NSW south coast, when police took out an apprehended violence order against a 30-year-old woman.

After a friend of his commented, ' Theyre animals. I had a go at a group for the exact same thing the other day', Harrison replied: 'No way bro you too? They full act like animals aye'

According to records filed in Bega Local Court, she was banned from threatening, stalking, harassing, or intimidating him, or destroying any of his property, for a period of two years.

She was also banned from going within 50 metres of anywhere Boon lived or worked.

Records also showed police filed a second restraining order against her on the same day, on behalf of another man.

It comes after Daily Mail Australia revealed Boon went to police over fears for his safety before he became a reality TV star

The woman was charged with destroy or damage property worth less than $2000.

She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a two-year conditional release order, without a conviction.

Boon did not want to comment when approached by Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday.

However, two weeks after the AVO was mentioned in court, Boon spoke candidly about his love life on Instagram.

Two weeks after the AVO was mentioned in court, Boon spoke candidly about his love life on Instagram (pictured)

'Sometimes I start a group chat with my Tinder matches and just sit there watching them fight it out Hunger Games style till theres only one left then I take her on a date,' he wrote, alongside a photo of him at a national park.

'Im convinced nobody reads these captions anymore so Im just using this as a safe space now.'

Boon's wedding to Ms Schofield on Tuesday night didn't exactly go as planned, after the bride's girlfriend Jessica Tomlinson told her the groom had a 'secret girlfriend' waiting for him outside the show.

The newlyweds spent their first night sleeping in separate beds, before they had a frosty confrontation in the living room of their hotel suite.

'I think parts of me, before this experience, has kind of like, followed me into it. And I had a little bit of explaining to do,' he told producers.

'It's just shame that it got brought to light in such a negative way on my wedding day, because even though I was seeing someone before coming into this... I have made it perfectly clear that person that things are over.'

Ms Schofield explained it was her 'biggest fear' that she'd find love in the experiment, only for him to 'replace' her with another woman waiting in the wings.

However, he assured her his days as a bachelor were over and that he was taking their experimental marriage 'seriously'.
Married At First Sight groom Cameron Woods was rushed to hospital last Wednesday after suffering a nasty fall in Darwin.

The 27-year-old is 'lucky to be alive' after plummeting seven metres to the ground during a night out with friends.

Daily Mail Australia understands Cam was rushed to hospital where he stayed for several days for observation after fracturing his ribs, spine and kidney.

Married At First Sight groom Cameron Woods was rushed to hospital last Wednesday after suffering a nasty fall in Darwin

While Cam is 'on the mend' now, there were fears the Northern Territory-based carpenter wouldn't be able to walk again.

'Cam is getting better and just needs to lay off the heavy lifting,' a source said.

'The nasty accident couldn't have come at a worse time for him, but he is back on his feet now and is in therapy.'

The 27-year-old carpenter is 'lucky to be alive' after plummeting seven metres to the ground during a night out with friends

The Aussie larrikin moved to Darwin to work in Indigenous communities.

Cam has been matched with Perth-based accountant Lyndall Grace on MAFS.

Their wedding was practically a fairytale, with the couple connecting immediately after meeting at the altar.

Cam has been matched with Perth-based accountant Lyndall Grace (pictured) on MAFS

In her moving vows, Lyndall explained why she decided to join the experiment in the first place while referencing her cystic fibrosis diagnosis.

'For a long time, I thought the kind of love that I needed didn't exist and that I'd never meet someone with a similar view of life to me. Or simply, that the kind of love I wanted wasn't for me to have. That long-lasting, life-changing, soulmate kind of love,' she said.

'[My partner] has to know what a pleasure and a gift it is to be here, and because of that they want to live their fullest and happiest life.

'I want someone who feels that way about me, because that's exactly the way I feel about everyone and everything in my life.'

After continuing to bond at the reception, Lyndall later decided to explain her diagnosis to Cam and what a new, life-changing drug meant for her.

'I have a chronic illness called cystic fibrosis. I don't know if you know anything about it,' she asked Cameron, to which he nodded.

'I know about it. We had a mate pass away... it's where you have trouble breathing,' he emotionally replied.

Married At First Sight continues Thursday at 7.30pm on Channel Nine and 9Now
Louise Thompson has revealed she has been unable to go to St Lucia on holiday on Wednesday after being hospitalised.

The former Made In Chelsea star, 32, took to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday to reveal she was back in hospital due to an 'unexpected situation' as she dealt with another health problem.

Louise spent a month in intensive care after welcoming son Leo-Hunter Libbey, 14 months, with boyfriend Ryan in 2021, and suffers with PTSD and post-natal anxiety after the near-death birthing experience.

Sad news: Louise Thompson has revealed she has been unable to go to St Lucia on holiday on Wednesday after being hospitalised

She didn't reveal the exact medical issue but gave her followers the advice to not take anything for granted.

Now, Louise has revealed that the health issue has now caused her to miss her flight to St Lucia.

She took a picture from her hospital bed and wrote: 'We were supposed to be flying to St Lucia this morning.'

Upsetting: The former Made In Chelsea star, 32, took to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday to reveal she was back in hospital due to an 'unexpected situation' as she dealt with another health problem

She admitted: 'I am so upset that we aren't able to go because I really needed some sun and sea'.

However, bravely trying to say positive Louise added: 'But at the same time I am SO grateful that this all happened on English soil because I have no idea what the outcome would have been abroad.'

It comes after Louise posted an update sat in a hospital bed, penning: 'I've been quiet on here recently because I had a bit of an unexpected situation again.

Tough: It comes after Louise posted an update sat in a hospital bed, penning: 'I've been quiet on here recently because I had a bit of an unexpected situation again'

'Don't really know what to say right now, except for a huge thanks to everyone that's kept the old ticker ticking.

'I feel like I've very much used up my quota of NHS services at this point. Eeek. I can't help but feel a bit guilty about it all.

'I guess the only message for today is to take NOTHING for granted. Oh and without sounding too dramatic, tell everyone that you love them RIGHT NOW.'

Scary: She didn't reveal the exact medical issue but gave her followers the advice to not take anything for granted

It comes after earlier this month Louise revealed she feels like she 'died and came back in someone else's body' after giving birth for the first time.

The former reality star took to Instagram to discuss her ongoing health issues.

Louise had just finished a painful workout when she wrote: 'I said to the doctor earlier that I feel like I'm living in someone else's body.'

Family: Louise spent a month in intensive care after welcoming son Leo-Hunter Libbey, 14 months, with boyfriend Ryan in 2021, and suffers with PTSD and post-natal anxiety

She added: 'I feel like I died and then came back in someone else's bod. It's been a nightmare.

'I feel exhausted after 10 hours sleeps. My body aches and I feel like an 80-year-old peeling myself off the floor. I've never known anything but pure 100% health, until Leo.

'Now I can't even cross my legs without agonising pain. I can feel exercise in my heart, lungs, legs, even my eyeballs are red and throbbing at the end of every day. i get numbness and terrible pins and needles.

Louise finished by saying: 'But I'm keeping at it slowly, doing my best on any given day. I've had to find new kinds of exercises that suit this slower pace,' and asked her followers if anyone was going through something similar.

Difficult: It comes after earlier this month Louise revealed she feels like she 'died and came back in someone else's body' after giving birth for the first time

Louise has endured a difficult few years after she nearly died during Leo's birth, and spent five weeks in hospital suffering with 'serious complications'.

She has since been battling post-traumatic stress disorder and post-natal anxiety, admitting during one week in January that she cried up to 20 times.

The star - who previously admitted she can't remember the first five months of her son's life after the trauma she suffered - has been honest with her fans about her daily struggles, revealing at points that the anxiety felt 'inexplicable' but now she's learning to 'make sense of it.'

Louise, who often calls Leo her 'little miracle baby', manages to control her anxiety, and after obsessively checking her temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate, is able to go about her normal, daily routine.

Ouch: Louise had just finished a painful workout when she wrote: 'I said to the doctor earlier that I feel like I'm living in someone else's body'

When Leo was born, she wrote on Instagram: 'Hello everyone, this post isn't an easy one for me to write. I have so many things that I want to say but at the same time I'm struggling to find the words to explain what has happened to me and my family so for now I will keep it quite simple.

'The reason I have been absent for weeks is because I have been very unwell.

'5 weeks ago I gave birth to my beautiful baby boy Leo-Hunter Libbey weighing in at 7lbs. Unfortunately it wasn't the easiest start for either of us. One ended up in NICU and the other ended up in ICU.

Reassuring her followers that Leo was not unwell for long, Louise said: 'Whilst Leo made a fairly quick recovery. I have been recovering in hospital for a month with various serious complications.'
This March 29, 2019 file photo shows the grave of Korean independence activist Hwang Ki-hwan at Mount Olivet Cemetery in New York. Yonhap



The remains of a Korean independence fighter will return home from the United States a century after his death, under a project to commemorate the patriot that has inspired a hit 2018 TV series, the veterans ministry said Wednesday.



The ministry is hoping to bring home the remains of Hwang Ki-hwan, who has been laid to rest at Mount Olivet Cemetery in New York, before the centennial anniversary of his death on April 17.



It has been pushing for the return since 2013, but the effort had faced an obstacle: the cemetery's call for a local court approval due to the absence of his family members.



But the cemetery recently gave the green light "based on the wishes of the South Korean people and overseas Koreans" and the approaching centenary of his death, according to the ministry.





Lee Byung-hun plays U.S. marine Eugene Choi in "Mr. Sunshine." Courtesy of CJ ENM
Former radio host Jennifer Hansen quit her role on Smooth FM's popular breakfast program in December after nine years with the network.

And on Wednesday she revealed her next career move will be hitting the road with her Neighbours star husband Alan Fletcher to perform in his band.

'If you're choosing between getting up every morning at 3.45 or touring with your husband and playing with his band in the UK, what would you do?' she asked the Herald Sun.

Jennifer Hansen (pictured) quit her role at Smooth FM's popular breakfast program in December after nine years with the network. On Wednesday she revealed she will be hitting the road with her Neighbours star husband Alan Fletcher to perform in his band

'It was time for a change. Especially given Fletch had already booked extensive tour dates and he wanted me to be with him, singing and playing keyboard,' she added.

Jennifer has already performed with her husband across Australia and will travel with him to the UK later this year while he performs in the Neighbours Celebration Tour.

The veteran presenter added 2023 would be a big year with her husband juggling acting on the revived Neighbours series and performing with her across Europe.

She said: 'It's a full-on schedule. But it will be a lot of fun and a great way to showcase our new music.'

'If you're choosing between getting up every morning at 3.45 or touring with your husband and playing with his band in the UK, what would you do?' she said

Jennifer has already performed with her husband across Australia and will travel with him to the UK later this year while he performs in the Neighbours Celebration Tour

Back in December, the radio star said there was no scandal behind her departure from Smooth FM and she was simply seeking other opportunities.

'It's just time. I love working in media and I feel it's time for a change,' she told The Herald Sun.

Jen plans to spend more time with her husband, who she thanked along with her co-star Mike Perso in her goodbye message.

The veteran presenter added 2023 was shaping up to be a big year with her husband juggling acting on the revived Neighbours and performing with her across Europe

'I'm so proud of everything Mike and I achieved over our nine years including winning the Number One FM breakfast radio program spot twice,' she said.

'A huge thank you to our wonderful Smooth listeners for their loyalty over the years and to my incredible family especially Alan for all his support and guidance.

'It's now time for some very exciting new adventures - stay tuned,' the media personality concluded.

Jennifer and Alan have been married since 1990 and have two children, daughter Veronica and son Tom.
Doctor Who's Ncuti Gatwa proudly showed off his new London home on Tuesday as he posed for a photo in his living room.

The actor, 30, previously admitted he was homeless for five months prior to finally landing his breakthrough role on Netflix's Sex Education five years ago.

But after securing the prestigious role of the famed time travelling Doctor Who, Ncuti has now become a homeowner for the first time and is delighted.

Homeowner: Doctor Who 's Ncuti Gatwa proudly showed off his new home on Tuesday as he posed for a photo in his new London pad

Ncuti, who fully moved in this week, offered a huge grin as he sat among clothes and unpacked boxes, as well as an impressive coat collection.

Captioning the post, he wrote: 'Man's a homeowner now'.

The Scottish star, who was born in Rwanda, previously revealed that before landing the role, he'd struggled with homelessness and depression.

In an interview with The Big Issue in 2020, he admitted that while temping at luxury department store Harrods in the city, he was selling 7,000 fragrances by day but didn't have a bed to sleep in when he went home at night.

He also revealed that a friend had to lend him money to get to the audition for his role, which earned him praise for his show-stealing portrayal of a gay black teen.

Happy: Ncuti, who fully moved in this week, offered a huge grin as he sat among clothes and unpacked boxes

He said: 'So for five months before Sex Education, I was couch-surfing among all my friends. I didn't have a home.

'I was homeless. The only thing stopping me from being on the streets was the fact I had friends.

'Being a 25-year-old man with no money or job affected my sense of self-worth. Rejection became unbearable. Auditions weren't just acting jobs, they were lifelines.

'One friend gave me money towards paying off the prior month's rent and offered to let me move into their spare room rent free for a while.

Honest: The actor, 30, has been open about his turbulent past, admitting he was homeless for five months prior to finally landing his breakthrough role on Netflix's Sex Education, (pictured in October)

Great, I thought. An opportunity to get back on my feet and start paying people back.

On moving-in day, he changed his mind. 'As I was standing on the street with my suitcases, one thought came into my head: "I'm homeless".

'To the outside world everything seemed fine. I was temping at Harrods.

'I'd wake up from the double bed I shared with my best friend, leave the house without a hair out of place in a slick-looking trench coat and polished brogues.

'I would get compliments for looking so presentable. When I lost weight due to eating only one meal a day, people told me how lean and healthy I looked.'

Following his move in during the weekend, Ncuti couldn't wait to thank his removal team for being so kind.

He wrote: 'Finally FULLY in my yard. Hit up Den Drops Ltd if you need to move. So helpful. So efficient. And great banter. What more do you want.'

Ncuti will take over from fourteenth Doctor David Tennant at the end of 2023.

Meanwhile, Doctor Who bosses recently said they considered casting a non-binary actor for the Fifteenth Time Lord, before casting Ncuti .

In a new interview, Russell T. Davies spoke about the search to find Jodie Whittaker's replacement with actors from 'all backgrounds and genders' taking part in the audition process.

The screenwriter, 59, reflected on the casting process and how both he and executive producer Phil Collinson had a rough vision that the new Doctor would be played by someone under 30.

Casting: In a new interview, Russell T. Davies (pictured with Ncuti in May) spoke about the search to find Jodie Whittaker's replacement

'As ever, we turned to Andy Pryor [casting director] and said, ''Bring us the best in the land.'' We saw all backgrounds, all genders,' Russell told Radio Times' Doctor Who magazine.

'We saw men, we saw women, we saw one non-binary actor.

'I think, as a rule, we were looking for younger  most of the people we saw were under 30  but not as a definite rule, and kind of new talent.'

While Russell kept coy on which actors took part in the audition process, he admitted bosses nearly gave the role of Doctor Who to someone else, before Ncuti bagged the role.

Doctor Who returns in November 2023 with three special episodes to coincide with the show's 60th anniversary, with David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor.

The Fifteenth Doctor, played by Ncuti will then take control of the TARDIS, with his first episode airing over the festive period next year.
Captain America star Chris Evans' stunning actress girlfriend has revealed she was the victim of a terrifying abduction attempt in Scotland when she was a child.

Alba Baptista, the lead lady in Netflix series Warrior Nun, made the revelation in a magazine interview in Portugal where she was born.

The actress, now 25, told Nova Gente the drama occurred while she was on a study trip aged just 10.

Scary: Captain America star Chris Evans' stunning actress girlfriend has revealed she was the victim of a terrifying abduction attempt in Scotland when she was a child

Alba, who made her English language debut in American fantasy drama Warrior Nun after beginning her career in Portugal with series and films, recalled how she went to Scotland as part of a programme where she stayed with a group of students in order to could learn English.

On one of the days she was exploring the city and was queuing in a shop to buy a T-shirt for her dad when a man aged around 50 next to her offered to pay for it.

She thanked the man but told him it wasn't necessary before he offered to give her a much better T-shirt that was in his car.

Shock: The actress, now 25, told Nova Gente the drama occurred while she was on a study trip aged just 10 (her beau Chris is pictured)

Couple: The pair are pictured together in New York City last year and keep their relationship private

Recalling how he then grabbed hold of her arm and tried to abduct her but she managed to escape, Alba explained: 'I must have a wonderful guardian angel, because when he was grabbing me by the arm and pulling me out of the shop, the teacher appeared at the door to call me.

'I ran to go to her. I remember telling her what had happened and suddenly I see the man cutting through the queue with a hurricane-type look on his face and coming directly for me.

'My teacher went to alert someone and I was left alone. The worst was yet to come. The man grabbed me and began to carry me down the street.

Terrifying: Alba Baptista, the lead lady in Netflix series Warrior Nun, made the revelation in a magazine interview in Portugal where she was born

'He was telling me everything was fine and we were friends. I didn't know what to do.'

She added that the man was acting 'as if he was her father' so that people around them wouldn't be surprised.

When Alba began shouting at him to leave her alone the man started hugging her.

When she looked around she said she could remember the whole class running after her before they surrounded the man and he had to let go of her.

Private: The American actor confirmed their relationship on social media earlier this month with a cute home video

The man then ended up saying to me 'Don't forget me.'

Alba explained that she hated to think the same thing could have happened to another child.'

The actress revealed the drama in an old interview with Nova Gente when she was 19 which the magazine has now republished and is being picked up by other Portuguese media.

It was not made clear where or exactly when the incident happened and whether police got involved and the man she was targeted by was arrested.

US magazine People revealed in November last year Alba, whose father is Brazilian, had been dating Chris Evans for over a year.

A source told the magazine: 'They are in love and Chris has never been happier.'

Ordeal: She explained: 'My teacher went to alert someone and I was left alone. The worst was yet to come. The man grabbed me and began to carry me down the street'

The American actor confirmed their relationship on social media earlier this month with a cute home video.

Alba, who speaks five languages and in 2018 did humanitarian work at an orphanage in Cambodia focusing on education, plays the part of a quadriplegic orphan who discovers she has supernatural powers in Warrior Nun.

Last year she starred in the film 'Mrs Harris Goes to Paris' about a widowed cleaning lady in 1950s London who falls madly in love with a couture Dior dress.
James Norton graciously handed out autographs as he attended the press night for new play Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London on Tuesday.

The actor, 37, looked worlds away from his dastardly Happy Valley character Tommy Lee Royce as he cheerfully greeted fans.

He cut a casual figure in a khaki coat layered over a black T-shirt and a pair of jeans in the same colour.

Kind: James Norton graciously handed out autographs as he attended the press night for new play Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London on Tuesday

He wore a pair of brown suede boots and had a grey and black scarf hanging around his neck.

The screen star sported a pair of gold-rimmed glasses and his hair styled in longish curls.

A trailer for the final episode of Happy Valley was released today ahead of the upcoming finale on Sunday.

The 16 second clip teases the final showdown between Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) and Tommy Lee Royce (James) after his daring escape from court before the police sergeant is shown breaking down in tears.

Gracious: The actor, 37, looked worlds away from his dastardly Happy Valley character Tommy Lee Royce as he cheerfully greeted fans

Laidback: He cut a casual figure in a khaki coat layered over a black T-shirt and a pair of jeans in the same colour

The trailer opens with Tommy's son Ryan (Rhys Connah) being questioned by police about when he last had contact with his dangerous dad.

A series of scenes of the police moving in on Tommy follow as Catherine is heard saying 'he's still out there, he's going to be angry and he's going to be even more desperate and dangerous'.

The short clip ends with a bloodied Tommy appearing to hit somebody on the ground and a final shot of Catherine in tears.

The end is near: A trailer for the final episode of Happy Valley has been released ahead of the finale on Sunday showing Sarah Lancashire's Catherine Cawood breaking down in tears

Villian: The 16 second clip teases the final showdown between Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) and Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton) after his daring escape from court

On the run: Tommy escaped at the end of the fourth episode of this series with fans learning in Sunday's fifth instalment that he planned to run off to Marbella, with his son Ryan

Viewers tuned into the breathless penultimate episode of the BBC drama on Sunday evening as Tommy Lee Royce revealed his grand plans.

Tommy escaped at the end of the fourth episode of this series with fans learning in Sunday's fifth instalment that he planned to run off to Marbella, with his son Ryan in tow.

Viewers admitted they could barely watch the dramatic episode as everything lined up for a dramatic showdown between Tommy and Sargent Catherine, as he revealed he plans to kill her before jetting off to Spain.

Producers are said to be so desperate to keep the show's climax a secret that they have filmed five different endings.

More than six million viewers are expected to tune in on Sunday to learn how the cat-and-mouse game will be resolved.
Amanda Holden has paid tribute to her stillborn son Theo on what would have been is 12th birthday.

The TV and radio personality, 51, acknowledged her son's passing on Wednesday with a picture of his footprints shared to her Instagram stories.

Remarking that her boy would always be on her and her family's minds, she wrote: 'Never ever forgotten.'

Grieving: Amanda Holden has paid tribute to her stillborn son Theo on what would have been is 12th birthday (pictured with husband Chris Hughes)

Amanda also added the words 'We love you Theo', as well as a candle emoji.

The Britain's Got Talent judge tagged pregnancy and baby loss charity Tommy's in her post.

Theo was tragically stillborn at seven months in 2011, and Amanda has previously spoken out about her experience in a bid to help other parents who may be struggling.

Back in 2011, Amanda was seven months pregnant with Theo when a routine scan revealed his heart had stopped.

Remembered: The TV and radio personality, 51, acknowledged her son's passing on Wednesday with a picture of his footprints shared to her Instagram stories

The TV star and her husband Chris Hughes then made the devastating decision to have a caesarean following Theo's passing.

In September, Amanda revealed she was made to feel like a 'game show contestant' when a doctor told her she was 'going home empty handed' after her stillbirth.

The presenter worked with the baby loss charity Aching Arms and raised money for them as part of fundraising for her 3 Peaks Challenge last year.

Speaking with Ross Sullivan - a user of Aching Arms - on her Heart Breakfast show, Amanda spoke of her 'awful' experience and told of her hopes that the charity with help people to 'avoid' the kind of language that was used with her.

Heartbreaking: Remarking that her boy would always be on her and her family's minds, she wrote: 'Never ever forgotten'

Family: Amanda married Chris in 2008 and they are also parents to daughters Alexa, 17, and Hollie, 11

She said: 'I will never forget when I went through something, that I would imagine is very similar to your [experience].

'We lost our baby Theo at 28 weeks, and they very sensitively moved me into another room so I could deliver him without having to hear the lovely babies screaming on a normal ward.

'Often that's not thought about, it's little things like that. I remember the lady afterwards as well when we went for a chat also said 'I know you're going home empty handed' is what she said to me.

Upset: In September, Amanda revealed she was made to feel like a 'game show contestant' when a doctor told her she was 'going home empty handed' after her stillbirth

Awareness: Speaking with Ross Sullivan - a user of Aching Arms - Amanda spoke of her 'awful' experience and told of her hopes that the charity with help people to 'avoid' the kind of language that was used with her

'So I felt like some sort of game show contestant, so it's all of that language that I know this charity will be helping people to avoid and educate them on how best to deal with something so awful. It's just awful.'

Amanda married Chris in 2008 and they are also parents to daughters Alexa, 17, and Hollie, 11.

For help with related issues, contact Tommy's, a miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirth charity, at mailbox@tommys.org or call 0800 0147 800
Sofia Richie and her fiance Elliot Grainge were seen outside Nobu in Malibu on Tuesday evening.

The 24-year-old model - who was seen in Paris last week - and her 28-year-old future husband affectionately bid farewell to several of their friends before making their way from the celebrity-favorite restaurant.

The couple - who became romantically involved in 2021 and have been engaged for nearly a year - were both hit with high winds as they stood in the valet section.

Out and about: Sofia Richie and her fiance Elliot Grainge enjoyed dinner at Nobu in Malibu on Tuesday evening

Richie looked stylish while wearing a white sweater underneath a jet-black jacket during the outing.

The fashion industry figure added a bit of color to her look with a set of slightly loose-fitting and embroidered blue jeans, as well as a pair of velvet shoes.

The daughter of hitmaker Lionel Richie accessorized with several articles of jewelry and carried a chic purse with her for much of the evening.

Her gorgeous blonde locks remained free-flowing in the coastal breeze and fell onto her shoulders.

Standing out: Richie looked stylish while wearing a white sweater underneath a jet-black jacket during the outing

Contrasting colors: The fashion industry figure added a bit of color to her look with a set of slightly loose-fitting and embroidered blue jeans, as well as a pair of velvet shoes

Richie and Grainge had been acquainted for years before they began their relationship in 2021.

Prior to becoming involved with her current partner, the social media personality was in a high-profile relationship with Scott Disick.

The former couple began seeing each other in mid-2017 before they went Instagram official that September.

The pair maintained an on-again-off-again relationship for three years until they officially called it quits in 2020.

Longtime friends: Richie and Grainge had been acquainted for years before they began their relationship in 2021

Richie later began seeing Grainge, and he first appeared on her Instagram account the following March.

The pair were subsequently spotted in each other's company during various outings and in several social media posts.

The two shocked many when they announced that they had become engaged last April.

A source later spoke to Us Weekly and expressed that Richie was 'taking the time to enjoy being engaged and traveling the world with Elliot.'

Putting a ring on it: The two shocked many when they announced that they had become engaged last April

The insider also stated that the pair had 'started wedding planning and looking at locations' and added that the model wanted to tie the knot this year.

The fashion industry personality shared several snaps from her engagement to her Instagram this past New Year's Eve.

In her first shot, the model and her fiance were seen locking lips after he popped the question.

Richie also showed off her eye-catching engagement ring in another one of her snaps.
Molly-Mae Hague and boyfriend Tommy Fury welcomed their first child, a baby girl, last week.

The Love Island star, 23, took to Instagram on Tuesday to reveal their daughter's name is Bambi, after previously admitting some fans would 'hate' it.

A closer delve into Molly-Mae's social media shows the star had been dropping hints about what she was going to name her newborn for months - from themed Disney mugs to blankets.

Here we take a look at all the secret signs Molly-Mae was going to call her daughter Bambi.

Disney mug

Baby joy: Molly-Mae Hague and boyfriend Tommy Fury welcomed their first child, a baby girl, last week - here we take a look at all the hints she was going to call her daughter Bambi

Before she was pregnant, the television personality hinted about the name's special meaning after pal Maura Higgins gifted her a mug for her 22nd birthday with the baby deer on.

Molly-Mae showed the mug to her followers on Instagram and wrote: 'Only real ones know why this is special. Love you @maurahiggins.'

The name Bambi is of Italian origin and is thought to derive from the word 'bambino', which means 'child'.

Bambi: Before she was pregnant, the television personality hinted about the name's special meaning after pal Maura Higgins gifted her a mug for her 22nd birthday with the baby deer on

Blanket

The star shared a glimpse of her baby daughter Bambi's name on a personalised blanket weeks before the big reveal.

Fans were convinced that she had changed her baby's name after they had been guessing for weeks, with suggestions including Halo, Nephele and Skye, but it turns out Molly-Mae and Tommy have stuck to the name they had decided on.

But in her most recent YouTube video before giving birth, where she showed her followers what was packed in her hospital bag, Molly-Mae revealed that her father had gifted her a baby blanket with her daughter's name embroidered on it.

She insisted that she wasn't going to unwrap the blanket, because she wanted to keep her little one's name as private as possible and for as long as possible - something which she has continued to do one week on from giving birth.

Molly-Mae told viewers: 'I'm packing this blanket that my dad and his wife got us when I had my baby shower. I'm not going to open it up though, because it has been embroidered with her name on it.'

Pregnancy: Molly-Mae shared a glimpse of her baby daughter Bambi's name on a personalised blanket weeks before the big reveal

'Really unusual name'

Sweet: The Love Island star, 23, took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a snap of her baby girl's name in illuminated letters overlooking her little girl in her cot

Molly-Mae said she had her daughter's name picked out for years - and luckily Tommy liked it.

In a previous YouTube Q&A she said: 'It's not made up, it's totally not made up, I can't explain it. It's just not a name that's ever been used before. It's very very different and rare and you're either going to love it or hate it.

'I've had the name picked out since I was a baby girl myself. It's always been a dream baby girl name and luckily when I met Tommy and I told him the name I've always dreamt of using, he absolutely loved it too.

'It's a really really unusual and a different name, I do not know anybody else with the name. I've not seen any other girls with the name before, it's that different.'

T-shirt

Hint: Last July, when Molly-Mae was around three months pregnant but hadn't yet formally announced she was expecting her first child, she cryptically made reference to her name

She knows! Close pal Maura picked up on the reference, in on the knowledge Molly-Mae is expecting, as she wrote: 'The T-shirt' alongside seven love heart emojis

Last July, when Molly-Mae was around three months pregnant but hadn't yet formally announced she was expecting her first child, she cryptically made reference to her name choice with her outfit.

The reality star wore a white T-shirt with a deer on for an outing where she grabbed a coffee.

Close pal Maura picked up on the reference, in on the knowledge Molly-Mae is expecting, as she wrote: 'The T-shirt' alongside seven love heart emojis.

Baby shower

Nod? Molly-Mae wore a figure-hugging brown dress for her 'dream' baby shower last month

Molly-Mae wore a figure-hugging brown dress for her 'dream' baby shower last month.

Perhaps in a nod to the Disney character, Molly-Mae chose the colour as a meaningful reference for her daughter's name.

Molly was joined by close friends and family for the lavish celebrations.

Savouring the memories: Molly-Mae secretly gave birth on the 23rd January, but it kept it quiet for a week with the aid of clever Instagram decoy posts and YouTube videos

Unusual: Molly-Mae teased last year her daughter's name would be 'really, really unusual and different'

On Tuesday, Molly-Mae shared a series of pictures of her week old baby girl when she was just a newborn.

The influencer shared a natural picture of herself wearing grey nightwear as she cuddled her newborn.

She wrote: 'Just a couple of hours old. My heart just explodes every time I look at her... the love is unbelievable.'

Molly lovingly wrapped her little one in an Aden + Anais swaddle from their Harry Potter collection as she gazed lovingly at her.

Molly-Mae also shared a picture of herself cuddling her boyfriend Tommy Fury the night before they welcomed their first baby.

She penned: 'The night before life changed forever,' alongside a cry-face emoji.

Delighted Molly also uploaded a picture of Tommy giving their beautiful baby 'nose kisses' as she thanked fans for their sweet messages.
Michelle Collins appeared loved up as she shared a passionate kiss with her toyboy husband Mike Davidson on Tuesday night.

The EastEnders actress, 60, who tied the knot with her Mike, 38, last August, seemed happier than ever as she attended a Rise Of The Footsoldier video game launch in London with her beau.

The former soap star, best known for playing Cindy Beale, looked nothing short of sensational in black embellished trousers by Nadine Merabi and a turtle neck jumper.

The pair could barely keep their hands off one another during their tactile display in front of the cameras.

Mike slung his arm around Michelle and pulled her in, sharing the passionate embrace.

In love: Michelle Collins, 60, appeared loved up as she shared a kiss with her toyboy husband Mike Davidson, 38, at a Rise Of The Footsoldier video game launch on Tuesday night

Glamorous: The EastEnders actress, 60, who tied the knot with her lover, 38, last August, seemed happier than ever as she attended the launch in London with her beau

The actress styled her long blonde tresses in curls and wore a radiant palette of makeup including a dark smokey eyeshadow.

Meanwhile, Mike cut a dapper figure in black jeans, a black v neck T-shirt and matching blazer.

He added some brown suede shoes and an eye-catching red belt to spice up his outfit for the evening at the launch in London.

The happy couple tied the knot in a low-key ceremony at Islington Town Hall in London in August 2022 after 10 years together.

Michelle has previously hit back at critics who feel the need to comment on her age.

She posted a quote by actor Richard Gere on her Instagram page, which read: 'I am old, but my heart is young. We always have the same years in our soul, I know it's the perfect age.

Michelle previously hit out at critics of the couple's 22-year age gap and said she was frustrated to be branded as a 'cougar'.

'Each year is special and precious and we can live in each. Don't regret getting old, it's a privilege that not everyone has.'

Power couple: The former soap star , best known for playing Cindy Beale, looked nothing short of sensational in dazzling black trousers by Nadine Merabi and a turtle neck jumper

Pucker up! The pair packed on the PDA as they shared a kiss in front of the cameras

Glam: The actress styled her long blonde tresses in curls and wore a radiant palette of makeup including a dark smokey eyeshadow

Beneath the update, Michelle wrote: 'I am so fed up with people obsessed with age. I don't care about it, it's others that care. Age is just a number.'

She continued: 'Love this from @richardtiffanygereoffical though I think ageing affects women's careers far more than men. Age is just a number.'

The actress also said to critics in 2018: 'Mike is 22 years younger than me and I'm regarded as a predator. It drives me mad. People call him my toyboy beau. He's nearly 35, for God's sake.

'He turned to me the other day and said, "Surely I'm not still your toyboy, am I?" I laugh about it now but it is annoying.

'And I hate that word cougar. I can't stand it. I find it so demeaning. A cougar is a predator going around looking for young flesh. I'm certainly not like that.'

Michelle and Mike began dating in late 2012, after they were set up by Michelles niece, who is said to have worked for Mike at a retail store.

Soap star Michelle confirmed her engagement to Mike in April 2021 by sharing an image from a friend's account on her Instagram Stories.

Loved-up: Michelle and Mike began dating in late 2012, after they were set up by Michelles niece, who is said to have worked for Mike at a retail store

Michelle revealed on social media in April that Mike had popped the question on a hike up Temescal Canyon in Los Angeles  a decade after the pair first met.

She told her Instagram followers: 'So this happened in #la he got down on bended knee while we were on top of #temescalcanyon basically no one else around just us. It's #beautfiul and I'm #happy #10years this April about time I think (sic).'

The pair tied the knot in August this year in a ceremony at Islington Town Hall after Michelle's now-husband previously admitted he didn't want to get married.

She told OK! Magazine she found the day especially emotional since her late mum Mary - who passed away last year following a two-year battle with cancer - wasn't there.

Also absent was her daughter Maia, 25, who she shares with ex partner Fabrizio Tassalini, who couldn't attend since she was 'away'.

Michelle said: 'It was very emotional because, as Michael said in his speech, we've lost a lot of people and there were a lot of people who couldn't be there.

'We had a picture of [Mary] in the registry office next to the celebrant and she was there at the party as well.
Olivia Wilde and ex Jason Sudeikis are reportedly 'locked in a dogfight' on how their child support will be handled.

And on Thursday, Olivia was seen grabbing dinner with friends at E Baldi in Beverly Hills.

The 38-year-old actress cut a casual figure in a sweater with jeans, adding a brown handbag.

Olivia chose a cream colored sweater, adding flared denim bottoms and boots.

The mother of two carried a stylish taupe hued handbag, with her hair pulled back in a bun and no makeup.

Focused: Olivia Wilde and ex Jason Sudeikis are reportedly 'locked in a dogfight' on how their child support will be handled. And on Thursday, Olivia was seen grabbing dinner with friends at E Baldi in Beverly Hills

She was seen chatting with friends as they waiting for their cars via the valet service.

The outing comes after it was reported that Olivia and Jason are 'still locked in a dogfight,' regarding their child support agreement,' TMZ reported.

Olivia and Jason are continuing to 'thrash out their child support will be handled, per TMZ.

The couple share kids Otis, eight, and Daisy, six.

The outlet's source reported that Jason's lawyer in New York City - Bill Beslow - has gone to a judge to resolve the issues revolving around child support.

He reportedly went to a New York Court on January 4 to request they handle the child support issues instead of having that hashed out by a California judge.

Last July, a New York judge and a California judge both agreed that an LA judge should handle the case.

The judge Bill spoke to set a hearing date on February 15.

Dinner time: The 38-year-old actress cut a casual figure in a sweater with jeans, adding a brown handbag

Hanging out: Olivia chose a casual cream colored sweater, adding flared denim bottoms and boots

According to TMZ, Olivia is 'baffled' about Bill going to a judge in New York to move the case since another judge in New York and one in LA agreed it was an LA case.

Her LA attorney Laura Wasser and her New York lawyer have both filed paperwork requesting that a judge dismiss Jason's lawyer Bill's request to move the case to New York and leave it for an LA judge to decide on the child support.

The actress, who recently split from Harry Styles, wants child support and custody hashed out in LA.

Jason does not want child support from her and is willing to pay her a 'reasonable' amount in child support decided by a judge or figured out between the two of them, per TMZ's source.

Last Friday, Olivia and Jason were seen sharing a hug as they chatted together in LA,.

Their sighting comes almost a year after Jason served Olivia papers regarding custody at a public event while she was on stage.

Despite denying he did it intentionally, the actress called it a 'vicious move.'

Olivia and Jason were in a relationship from 2011 until 2020; she went on to date Harry Styles.

In December 2021 Olivia addressed the 'false narrative' surrounding her relationship with Harry, who she went public with just two months after splitting from Jason.

When Olivia was seen holding hands with her beau Harry, who is a decade younger than her, many people raised an eyebrow at how quickly she moved on.

Harry and Olivia split in November of last year, after almost two years together, despite sources claiming there is 'no bad blood' between the pair, their relationship was marred by drama.

The pair first crossed paths in September 2020 when Harry was cast as actress Florence's husband and replaced Shia LaBeouf in film Don't Worry Darling.

Shortly after, rumors of a feud between Olivia and co-star Florence Pugh, 27, began circulating.

The way they were: Two months later, Olivia split from Ted Lasso actor Jason, 47, after nine years which left the actor reportedly 'absolutely heartbroken;' seen March 24, 2018
Danny Dyer has opened up on his departure from EastEnders, admitting that he 'didn't know' who he was playing anymore.

The actor, 45, recently quit his role as Mick Carter on the BBC soap EastEnders after nine years.

Viewers were forced to say goodbye to Danny's character on Christmas Day when he was lost at sea during a tense festive special.

But reflecting on his show exit, Danny has now admitted that he became disillusioned with his character and felt like Mick had 'lost his way'.

Danny's character came into the show back in 2013 with wife Linda (Kellie Bright) and their children.

Candid: Danny Dyer has opened up on his departure from EastEnders, admitting that he 'didn't know' who he was playing anymore

But after the happy couple's initial stint, things would eventually change, with teenage sweethearts Mick and Linda parting ways and Mick re-marrying Janine Butcher, played by Charlie Brooks.

'I didn't quite know who I was playing anymore,' star Danny told The Sun of his later storylines. 'It was an odd thing.'

Discussing his reasons for leaving the show, Danny also claimed that, in recent years, he's been constantly told by people that they no longer watch EastEnders.

He said: 'All I got for the past couple of years was, "You still in that EastEnders? I don't watch it anymore." Constantly, that was the thing.

'When I first came in there was like seven or eight million people watching it, of course because of streaming services and all that stuff a lot less people do watch it.

'It was more that people didn't watch it anymore: "You still in that?" it was all that sort of dialogue.

'It was a lot of people, a lot of young people, young people don't watch it.'

When Danny joined the BBC One show in 2013, EastEnders was regularly getting up to eight million viewers a night, but in the past year those figures have gone down to roughly 2.5 million an episode.

End of an era: Reflecting on his show exit, Danny has now admitted that he became disillusioned with his character and felt like Mick had 'lost his way'

Although Mick is presumed dead because his body was not found, Danny also admitted he is not closing the door on a return to EastEnders in the future in the same way Harold Bishop returned to Neighbours after he was believed to have drowned.

He said: 'I had a good reaction from all that. I was very surprised by the amount of love I got from it, really. I didnt quite know how that was going to go down.

'I do remember Harold Bishop, a few people have mentioned that to me because he died and then he came back, he washed up funnily enough, lost his memory.

'Who knows? Theyve kept it open, I could turn up in three years smothered in seaweed. I went to Canvey, I thought Id go and get a caravan on Canvey Island.'

Danny recently addressed his EastEnders exit with an expletive-laden explanation while lounging on a beach in a sun-soaked location, which was later revealed to be Australia.

Dramatic: Mick got lost at sea during Danny Dyer's explosive finale on Christmas Day

Danny, whose character was 'killed off' after he appeared to drown, joked it has been a 'c*** of a swim' as she shared a hilarious video with fans.

Danny relaxed on the sand while smoking shisha and downing tequila as he assured fans he was 'sweet as a f***ing nut' following his exit from the soap.

He said: 'It was very emotional last night. It was a very nutty episode. But don't be concerned... because I f***ing made it!

'It was a c**t of a swim but let me tell you now, it was worth it. Mick needed a rest, it was time for him to move on, new chapter.

'I want to take this opportunity to thank all my cast mates, every single one of you, I love you all very dearly, I'm very honoured to have worked with you for as long as I have and I'll relish those moments for the rest of my life.

Drama: The character was killed off in true soap style as he attempted to save ex-wife Linda's (Kellie Bright) life after she and Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) drove off a cliff and into the English Channel

'I'm not going to name names, there's too many of you but of course my Carter family who mean everything to me - it's the end of an era. I'm very grateful and I really appreciate the years that I've had running the Queen Vic.

'So again, don't stress and especially the fans who have voted for me and invested in Mick and made him the character that he is.

'But he had to get away... Janine was driving him f**king mad! So, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and don't worry about Mick... [drinks tequila and smokes] because he's sweet as a f**king nut!'

Danny's video received a quick response from his friends and fans.

His daughter Dani, replied: 'So proud of you! Love you so much.'

Meanwhile his co-star Bobby Brazier shared a series of laughing faces.

Viewers were led to believe that Danny took his final breaths as character Mick.

It appeared that his character was killed off in true soap style as he attempted to save ex-wife Linda's (Kellie Bright) life after she and Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) drove off a cliff and into the English Channel.

Exit: The actor, 45, recently left his role as Mick Carter in an explosive Christmas Day special after nine years on the show

His heroic act came after Mick learned the truth about wife Janine's framing of Linda and confessed his love for the latter, before dramatically exiting the show in a nail-biting finale which saw him lost at sea.

And recently sharing some behind-the-scenes info on filming, Danny admitted that the dramatic scenes were actually filmed 'in a tank of vegetable juice'.

Mick's exit came as he, Janine and Linda all came head-to-head in an explosive finale at the White Cliffs Of Dover - after learning that Janine was responsible for the car crash that Linda took the blame for in previous episodes.

In a dramatic car chase, Janine attempted to escape her husband and his ex-wife as they tried to make her pay for her crimes, driving quickly away towards Dover.

But not letting her get away, Linda jumped into the passenger seat and wrestled with Janine for the steering wheel - leading to them losing control of the car and rearing off the side of a cliff, into the English Channel.

Following behind was Mick, who got out of his car and made a jump into the water to rescue them after realising what had happened.

The duo were submerged in water and trapped in Janine's car, before Mick managed to rescue Janine and take her back to land, before jumping back in for Linda.

But unbeknownst to Mick, Linda was already out of the water and had made her way to land, leaving a struggling Mick nowhere to be seen in the water.

Speaking on the filming process of the scenes, Danny recently told The Sun that to mirror the water, he was submerged in vegetable juice.

'My last scene, I was smothered in broccoli. The water tank, they fill it with broccoli juice to make it green. It is like a bath temperature. I was very tearful and I was all emotional  but I smelt like broccoli. It softened the blow,' he shared.

Actor Danny announced that he would be stepping down from his role as Mick Carter back in January after joining the show in 2013.

And the exit certainly lived up to bosses' hints , which previously teased that the exit would be 'explosive'.




The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) said Wednesday it will countersue the presidential office for accusing its spokesman of libel after he raised stock manipulation allegations involving the first lady.







Earlier this week, Yoon's office sued DPK spokesman Rep. Kim Eui-kyeom on charges of making false claims that the name of first lady Kim Keon Hee was mentioned at least 300 times during a trial on the alleged manipulation of stock prices of Deutsch Motors, a BMW car dealer in Korea.







The opposition party has long accused the first lady of involvement in the case.







Kim further cited a prosecutor as saying Kim's bank account was used in manipulating stock prices of a separate company, Woori Technology, which develops nuclear power plant technology.







Denouncing Kim's claims as "fake news," the presidential office categorically denied the allegations involving Woori Technology.







On Wednesday, DPK spokesperson Park Sung-joon told reporters that the party's legal affairs committee plans to sue the presidential office this Friday.







"Kim issued a statement on the party's stance as a spokesperson. It would be appropriate for the party's legal committee to handle this," Park said.







In a radio interview with YTN, Kim also rebutted the presidential office's claim of "fake news," citing court documents from a separate trial.







He claimed a former banker, considered a key figure in the Deutsch Motors case, was sentenced for manipulating stock prices of Woori Technology, which the court documents showed was used for stock manipulation by scam investors. (Yonhap)


Nicola Peltz has become the new face of GCDS, starring in a new fashion campaign for the Italian brand.

The 28-year-old actress looked nothing short of sensational as she appeared in the spring 2023 lookbook.

This comes after her snippy texts to one of her wedding planners, from her wedding to Brooklyn Beckham, were revealed in a new lawsuit.

Nicola cut a striking figure in the snap, reclining on a sun lounger in one shot while wearing a pink jumpsuit with cutouts on the sides to flash an extra glimpse of skin.

She added a pair of platform silver high heels which she expertly matched to her coordinating silver handbag.

Photoshoot: Nicola Peltz has become the new face of GCDS, starring in a new fashion campaign for the Italian brand

Incredible: The 28-year-old actress looked nothing short of sensational as she appeared in the spring 2023 lookbook

Revelation: This comes after her snippy texts to one of her wedding planners, from her wedding to Brooklyn Beckham, were revealed in a new lawsuit

Looking good: In one photo she lay draped across a bed, in a white tank top and denim miniskirt, while her legs were left bare

Another snap showed her kneeling on the floor in a quirky SpongeBob SquarePants inspired dress, with black leather over-the-knee boots.

A third image showed Nicola lounging on the floor while talking into a red vintage telephone.

She wore a black midi-dress that showed off her long legs and ample cleavage, while she added white high heels and a pair of PVC gloves.

In the final photo she lay draped across a bed, in a white tank top and denim miniskirt, while her legs were left bare.

Her brunette tresses were straightened for the photoshoot, while she also modelled a block fringe.

She completed her look with a full face of flawless make-up, complete with a classic red lip.

Creative director Giuliano Calza said: 'She embodies the GCDS woman: playful, hot and deadly sassy'.

It comes after it was revealed that Nicola, the daughter of billionaire investor Nelson Peltz, went through three different sets of wedding planners, two of whom failed to meet the 'scale' of her plans.

Wedding planner #1: Preston Bailey, the designer to the stars who planned Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump's wedding

There was a last-minute scramble to book musicians, and a 'day of reckoning' with one event designer who was reduced to tears by the stress of the project.

Those new details emerged yesterday - along with texts written by Nicola to one of the planners - in a lawsuit filed by her father, a punchy and tenacious businessman who is vying for a seat on the board of Disney.

He is suing Nicole Braghin, the tearful party planner, and her partner, Arianna Grijalba, claiming they are refusing to refund him the $159,000 deposit he gave them.

Peltz and his wife Claudia made contact with Braghin and Grijalba through their firm, Plan Design Events, in March 2022, after getting rid of their first planner, celebrity-adored Preston Bailey.

Wedding planners #2: Ariann+a Grijalba and Nicole Braghin were contacted by the Peltz family in March 2022, six weeks before the wedding. They worked for the Peltz family for nine days before being told they weren't up to scratch

It's unclear why exactly Bailey wasn't fit for the job.

In his legal filing, Peltz, 80, says Bailey encountered 'challenges' while planning the enormous event, which took place at the family estate in Palm Beach, Florida, on April 9 and reportedly cost around $3.5million.

Bailey, who planned Ivanka Trump's wedding to Jared Kushner, did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's inquiries about why he stood down.

The Peltz family had grand plans for the three-day extravaganza for their daughter, who they describe as a 'world-famous actress'.

'Nicola is a world-famous actress who has starred in blockbuster movies and television shows, including, among others, Transformers: Age of Extinction, Bates Motel and The Last Airbender.

Wedding planner #3: Michelle Ragos got the job done in the end - but charged the Peltz family an escalated fee because of the tight turn-around

'The guest list included more than five hundred people, including numerous celebrities, athletes, dignitaries and other influential individuals, who travelled from all around the globe to attend,' the lawsuit reads.

On March 1, 2022 - six weeks before the wedding - the Peltz family had hoped Braghin and Grijalba would be able to pick up where Bailey left off.

But nine days later, after forking out a $159,000 deposit, they decided not to move forward with the pair, who they said couldn't handle the VIP guestlist.

'The celebrity of the wedding couple combined with the anticipated attendance of many high-profile guests required that the wedding planner have the expertise and staffing to plan, coordinate and execute a wedding event of the expected caliber and complexity,' Nelson's lawyers say in the lawsuit.

The issue now at hand is the deposit, which Peltz sued for in Miami this week.

In the process of trying to get his money back, he has revealed some of the intimate details of the star-studded event.

Annoyed: Nicola appears to be getting frustrated with the wedding planners as her message - in the blue bubbles - say: 'Lewis Hamilton did NOT RSVP. So explain why his names on the list please. We spoke to him. He can't come so explain why you said he rsvpd yes'

He included screenshots of a group text between him, the planners and Nicola.

In some, Nicola told the planners she was 'tired of catching' their repeated mistakes.

In an exchange about F1 star Lewis Hamilton, who the couple had invited to the bash, Nicola wrote: 'Lewis Hamilton did NOT RSVP. So explain why his names on the list please.

'We spoke to him. He can't come so explain why you said he rsvpd yes,' she demanded in one text.

The wedding planner tried to explain that she wasn't familiar with the virtual guest list and needed more time to get to grips with the technology.

'I need time to do this. I'm going to take a moment to learn the app and send you the information, | hate looking like a fool but | hate the most not giving you what you need ASAP. I will be back soon,' she said.

Reply: The planner then responded - in the gray bubbles - saying: 'I need time to do this. I'm going to take a moment to learn the app and send you the information, | hate looking like a fool but | hate the most not giving you what you need ASAP. I will be back soon'

Terse: Texts between Nicola, Nelson and the wedding planners reveal Nicola's frustration that they couldn't manage the RVSP list

Response: The text chain shows Adrianna sharing a tally of guests for the welcome party, the wedding and the wedding brunch as well as a list of non-attendees

Nicola shot back: 'That's not true. He didn't rsvp AT ALL.'

In his lawsuit, Peltz also makes the suggestion that the wedding planners were abusing alcohol.

'References to alcohol use and possible abuse were not unusual,' his attorneys wrote in their lawsuit.

In one message sent around a week before the RSVP conversation, Arianna posted in the chat that she was 'going for a tequila before her head exploded', to which Nicola replied: 'Yes queen!!!!'

'Yes queen': In a separate conversation around a week before the chat about Lewis Hamilton, Arianna said that she was 'going for a tequila before her head exploded', to which Nicola replied: 'Yes queen!!!!'

The Peltz family say the pair of wedding planners oversold their abilities, promising them they could handle the event - which was the 'opportunity of a lifetime'.

'Peltz had presented them with the opportunity of a lifetime  to have their names associated with the wedding of two world-famous celebrities, which would undoubtedly propel PDE into wedding planning stardom.

'In reality, however, it later became clear that PDE viewed this is as an opportunity to take advantage of Peltz by making material misrepresentations on both their website and in person regarding their experience, expertise, and capability of planning the wedding,' his attorneys wrote.

On March 4 - what Peltz's attorneys describe as the 'day of reckoning', he called the pair to let them know they'd lost the gig.

'Peltz had presented them with the opportunity of a lifetime  to have their names associated with the wedding of two world-famous celebrities, which would undoubtedly propel PDE into wedding planning stardom' the lawsuit reads, referring to Nicola as a 'world-famous actress'

Parents: David and Victoria Beckham at Brooklyn and Nicola's wedding in Palm Beach in April last year

Guestlist: Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and his family also attended the star-studded wedding

'During their nine days of negotiations, PDE failed to book a single new wedding vendor, failed to finalize the terms of any agreements with any of the vendors that had previously been selected by Peltz and his family and failed to attend previously scheduled meetings with Peltz.

Father-in-law: Nelson Peltz with son-in-law Brooklyn

'Admitting that they lacked the skills to perform as promised, PDE recommended hiring an additional wedding planner.'

Two days later, they begged Nelson and his wife Claudia not to spread negative gossip about them, writing in an email: 'In order to avoid negative gossip, we would appreciate that in the case you are asked to comment on our departure, that your answer reflects the work and good attitude we put into the process, and no professional reason for our detachment.

'We will say: we are under NDA and cannot comment. This keeps us both in a very good place.

'We really wish you and the family a fantastic event... we are sure as you even said that our paths will cross in the future as I truly feel we had a great connection with you and Claudia.'

The family ended up hiring Michelle Rago of Michelle Rago Destinations, who pulled the event off seamlessly.

But because of the tight time frame, Peltz claims he had to pay Rago a 'substantially higher fee than what the Rago Destinations would have charged under normal circumstances'.

He says he asked for his deposit back from Planned Design Events multiple times in the following weeks, but that they refused to return it.

Peltz is also suing the pair for legal fees.
Loose Women's Sophie Morgan slammed British Airways on Wednesday as she claimed the airline 'deliberately ignores' wheelchair users.

Sophie, 37, suffered a T6 spinal cord injury in 2003 when she was involved in a car accident which left her paralysed aged 18.

She revealed on the ITV daytime talk show that her 8,000 wheelchair was 'manhandled by airline staff' during a flight from LA and 'in doing so broke it'.

The TV star had shared a video about her experiences on Tuesday and explained further what she had gone through on the show.

She said: 'Monday night I arrived into Heathrow and the attachment for my wheelchair had been connected up incorrectly.

'Not valued': Loose Women's Sophie Morgan slammed British Airways on Loose Women on Wednesday as she claimed the airline 'deliberately ignores' wheelchair users after her 8k chair was broken during transit

'Mistreated': She revealed on the ITV daytime talk show that her wheelchair was 'manhandled by airline staff' during a flight from LA and 'in doing so broke it'

'The chair and the attachment were wedged together by someone who doesnt know what theyre doing.

'The only way to prize them apart was for the airline staff to manhandle it apart. In so doing, broke them.'

Sophie, who requires a wheelchair at all times, went on to say that the airline told her to 'send an email' when she complained about the damages.

Sophie continued: 'British Airways, their responsible to send an email of complaint which is a waste of time. This isnt an isolated incident, it keeps happening.

'The airlines come out and say theyre going to do better. I appreciate the apology and compensation that will be offered.

'Bear in mind, these devices take ages to be fixed. The question I keep coming back to is, if these apologies dont get us anywhere, what can we do?

'Why is it we cant travel on an airline in our wheelchairs? The arguments have always been the cost of the changes are too high, never mind the damage that is being done to human beings.'

The panellist went on to say horrible it is to be 'not valued' and 'mistreated' during a flight.

'Not important': Sophie, who requires a wheelchair at all times, went on to say that the airline told her to 'send an email' when she complained about the damages

She added: 'I cant tell you what it makes you feel like. Airlines are deliberately ignoring these stories. Theres people whove died because of mistreatment in flying.

'Why cant airlines be designed for everybody? It makes you feel like youre not important, that youre not valued.

They had attached the chair to the battery powered attachment without permission and untrained staff were unable to separate them, leaving her terrified she might be stuck without it.

'This has to stop!': Sophie had appeared completely distressed as she worried if she would be able to get into her chair again to get home on Monday as she took to Instagram to share what happened

When they did detach the chair from the battery, it had to be pieced back together, leaving it damaged and as she later discovered, the light was also broken.

On Monday the star took to Instagram, she said: 'Landed at Heathrow with a bang.

'Someone - no one took responsibility - decided to attach my wheelchair and my batec (battery-powered attachment) whilst in transit (they were checked in separately, in two parts, unattached) and they have done so a) without permission and b) COMPLETELY WRONG!!!

'It took over half an hour to "break" them apart, all that time I had to sit on an aisle chair that was NOT safe and I didnt know if I would be able to get back into my chair.

'Eventually, they broke them apart and I got back into my chair and reattached the batec but its not safe to use. I then discovered more damage.'

She said the customer service she experienced after this was completely unacceptable.

She said: 'It took over half an hour to "break" [the chair and battery pack] apart, all that time I had to sit on an aisle chair that was NOT safe'

Horrendous: Sophie documented her whole experience with the broken chair and was left 'literally shaking'

'And what was I told to do by BRITISH AIRWAYS!? Send an email via the website.

'This has GOT TO STOP. Thousands of chairs are damaged by airlines every year. Its #JustPlaneWrong.'

Sophie filmed a video which showed she was literally shaking because she was worried that she might not be able to get back into her chair which she relies on.

A spokesperson for British Airways told MailOnline: 'We're extremely sorry for Sophie's experience and we're investigating what happened as a matter of urgency.

'We've been in contact with Sophie to sincerely apologise and to resolve the matter with her directly.

'We carry hundreds of thousands of customers who require additional assistance each year and we work hard to provide help and support them throughout the whole journey.

'It's extremely disheartening when things go wrong, and we dont underestimate the impact this has. We're committed to ensuring we deliver a consistently good service, and we'll be working closely with Sophie and our dedicated accessibility teams to discuss how we can continue to make improvements to ensure a great flying experience for everyone.'

London-based campaigner Sophie has undergone a host of impressive projects including presenting Channel 4's TV coverage of the Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

Shocking: Sophie was left wheelchair bound after suffering a T6 spinal cord injury in 2003 resulting in paralysis from the chest down at the age of 18

Remarkable: Sophie has said her disability 'made her life' and has encouraged her to 'live her life properly' - pictured on Lorraine in 2021

Appearing on Lorraine in 2021, Sophie said that while many people are 'frightened of change', she believes that her disability 'made her life' and has encouraged her to 'live properly'.

She said: 'I think people are frightened of change, they don't want it, there's a fear around it, said Sophie. 'But for me, because my change ended up giving so many positives, I sort of lean into it, I seek it out.

'I want life to be different and to be full of variety and excitement.

'I suppose I learned the hard way that the worst things that happen to you can lead to the best of life.

'It's hard for people to relate, they see my disability and think it ruins a life - but I found it to be the opposite, I think it made my life.

Sophie, whose successful television career began in 2009, says that while it was difficult adapting to her injury, it has become 'part of who she is'.

'When I had my injury there was obviously the initial adapting to it and becoming paralysed and wheelchair user at such a young age.

'There was so much to work out and figure out about my identity, who I was going to be and how I was going to make it happen', she said.

'I really didn't have much experience with disability, I was the first disabled person I had ever met, I had so much to learn and unlearn.

'But over the years it's become part of who I am and that drives me to think about how to live life properly, because I nearly lost my life, so it matters so much to me.'
Hairy Bikers star Si King has announced an exciting new solo project.

It comes after the star recently starred in BBC series Hairy Bikers Go Local with co-star Dave Myers but they revealed it was drawing to a close after eight episodes, leaving fans gutted.

However, in a move that is sure to make their viewers happy, Si wrote on social media of his new venture: 'EXCITING NEWS. I'm heading to @pubinthepark Leamington Spa and Tunbridge Wells in July, then Chiswick in September.

'Find me at the Saturday sessions at these locations! See you there?

'Head to the Pub in the Park website to sign up for early pre-sale access on 3rd Feb! #PubInThePark#HairyBikers#Festival#SiKing.'

New venture: Hairy Bikers star Si King has announced an exciting new solo project, heading to Pub In The Park over the summer (pictured on television in October)

Pub In The Park was thought up by Tom Kerridge in a bid to champion Great British pubs.

Tom, a celebrity chef, wrote on Twitter last week ahead of this year's event: 'Don't forget, you've got loads of amazing restaurants cooking up the most delicious food paired with some proper feel-good tunes too! Summertime here we come. '

It comes after Dave admitted he's 'learning to live with cancer' as he gave a health update amid treatment last month.

Dave, who went public with his diagnosis in May, has chosen not to publicly reveal the type of cancer he has but previously told his fans he's undergoing chemotherapy.

The chef, 64, appeared on BBC Breakfast and told viewers he's 'doing alright' and wants to fit filming in around his treatment.

He said: '[The treatment] is still ongoing but I'm kinda doing all right, it's like many people, it's something one learns to live with,' he said.

Dave, who has taken a break from filming since the diagnosis, returned to BBC viewers screens last month for new series Hairy Bikers Go Local.

Speaking about the new series, he said: 'It was an idea that came together that a lot of chefs don't know what's on their own doorstep.

Co-stars: The star had recently starred in Hairy Bikers Go Local with co-star Dave Myers (pictured on the show) but they revealed it was drawing to a close after eight episodes

'I'm kinda doing alright': It comes after Dave admitted last month that he's 'learning to live with cancer' as he gave a health update amid treatment

He continued: 'If you've got amazing suppliers that are there on your doorstep, then maybe they don't know about it.'

Dave added: 'So it's a bit like speed dating, there's Michelin-star chefs, people who run pubs, and I would say 80% of the time, they don't know.'

He said that he hoped filming for new shows would resume, but that it would have to 'fit in' with his treatment.

It comes after Dave made his long-awaited return to television in December as he appeared on the Saturday Kitchen festive special with Si - amid his cancer battle.

He said that he'd 'had a rough year' but that it was 'great to be back' on TV - before poignantly adding: 'There are some times when I didn't think I'd be here for Christmas '.

Speaking on the show he said: 'It's fantastic to be back and what a way to celebrate Christmas being here! I'm over the moon to be back. It's lovely to be back it's been a rough year and I can't pretend otherwise.

'There are some times when I didn't think I'd be here for Christmas but I have had so much help and I have to give a shout out to the doctors and nurses in Birmingham that put me back together and the rehabilitation team who got me walking again.

'And a shout out to nurse Marion who before my chemotherapy brought me cake in - it was the best banana bread ever! But it's lovely to be back. Si has been looking after me! The first time we were on Saturday Kitchen was 15 years ago!'

He looked happy and healthy on the show where he wore a festive red waistcoat and cooked up a storm with Si making a coffee and hazelnut cake.

Happy: It comes after Dave made his long-awaited return to television in December as he appeared on the Saturday Kitchen festive special with Si - amid his cancer battle

Back in October Dave explained his life will be completely changed when he gets the all-clear from cancer.

Speaking to The Guardian , he admitted the treatment has been a 'huge inconvenience' but said once get comes out the other side 'life never will be the same'.

Dave told the publication: 'I'll feel I've made it when I get the all-clear from this bloody cancer. That's going to be completely life-changing, life-affirming. And life never will be the same again.

Dave explained he is now 14 sessions into a course of chemotherapy, with six to go and said: 'A huge inconvenience is the best way to describe it.'

He also explained the reason why he hasn't told his fans the type of cancer he has: 'Because everybody then goes googling, everybody becomes an amateur doctor... And I don't want to be judged - yet.'

Hard: Dave, who went public with his diagnosis in May, has chosen not to publicly reveal the type of cancer he has but told his fans he's undergoing chemotherapy

He announced in May that he was undergoing chemotherapy, and would be taking some time off work.

Dave revealed that he hadn't 'been too well recently' and 'this year is a write off', whilst reassuring fans that 'the prognosis is okay.'

Speaking about his medical condition with his TV cooking partner Si, he said: 'I may be a baldy biker for a while it's simply something I have to live with.'

Dave said: 'Anyway Kingy, I've got to come clean now, I haven't been too well recently and basically, I've got to have some chemo, you know all this anyway, so this year is going to be a bit quiet for me.

'I'm not going to be filming, some of the festivals I'm not going to be able to go to, some may be okay but this year's a bit of a write off for us.

'I have had to speak up about this because I don't want to hide under a rock, but I would love it if people respected my privacy and just let me get on with it and give Si and our team all the support they need, that would be great. But look, the prognosis is okay, I'm going to be fine.'

He continued: 'I've just got to tuck in, look after myself, eat sensibly and get over this mess, flog books, and be a happy person so within that, that's where I am.

'I may be a baldy biker for a while so it's just a warning, I don't want to make a fuss about it, I look alright bald actually.'

Dave has suffered with illness in the past after being diagnosed with a cyst on his brain in 1998, and later glaucoma, which is an eye condition that can lead to blindness.

The same year he was diagnosed with having a cyst on his brain, Dave sadly lost his fiancee to cancer, previously describing 1998 as the worst year of his life.
Steven Moffat has revealed that he believes Doctor Who could 'go on forever' as Russell T Davies prepares to take over as showrunner for its 60th Anniversary.

The writer, who was showrunner for the iconic BBC series from 2010 to 2017, compared its status to similar pop culture legends such as King Arthur and Sherlock Holmes.

Speaking to RadioTimes.com at the Radio Times Covers party, Steven also revealed that Russell had shared details of his plans for the upcoming 14th series, which will see Ncuti Gatwa take on the role of The Doctor.

He said: 'I just want it to go on. I want it to not stop. I want it to, and I know [Russell's] going to, make use of its infinite adaptability to always be the number one predator in the environment.'

'That's what I want. I want it to go on forever. I believe it can. Like the stories of Robin Hood and King Arthur and Sherlock Holmes. Some things always go on.'

Infinite: Steven Moffat has revealed that he believes Doctor Who could 'go on forever' as Russell T Davies prepares to take over as showrunner for its 60th Anniversary

Steven also penned multiple episodes for Doctor Who during Russell's first stint as showrunner, including the critically-lauded The Girl In The Fireplace.

However, he went onto admit he has no plans to return to the show under Russell's tenure, even to write a single episode.

He added: 'It would be career madness even by my standard to go back into a junior capacity on a show I used to run," he said. "I would have to be insane to do that.'

Since leaving Who in 2017, Steven has gone onto write the 2020 miniseries Dracula with Mark Gatiss, as well as The Time Traveler's Wife and Inside Man last year.

He also co-created and wrote the BBC series Sherlock, which aired from 2010 to 2017, and starred Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular detective.

It was announced in 2021 that Russell would be returning to Doctor Who as showrunner, beginning with a trio of 60th Anniversary episodes later this year.

David Tennant will reprise his role as The Doctor for the specials, alongside Catherine Tate as Donna Noble.

Ncuti will then take over the role as the titular Time Lord over the festive period, ahead of a 14th series in 2024.

Legendary: The writer, who was showrunner for the iconic series from 2010 to 2017, compared its status to King Arthur and Sherlock Holmes, ahead of David Tennant's return later this year

He's back! Russell is set to return to Doctor Who as showrunner for its 60th Anniversary later this year, have previously helmed the series from 2005 to 2009

Coronation Street star Millie Gibson will also join the cast The Doctor's companion Ruby Sunday.

Meanwhile, Doctor Who bosses recently said they considered casting a non-binary actor for the Fifteenth Time Lord, before casting Ncuti .

Russell spoke about the search to find Jodie Whittaker's replacement with actors from 'all backgrounds and genders' taking part in the audition process.

Coming soon! Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa will take over the role of The Doctor in Christmas 2023, ahead of the 14th series next year

The screenwriter, 59, reflected on the casting process and how both he and executive producer Phil Collinson had a rough vision that the new Doctor would be played by someone under 30.

'As ever, we turned to Andy Pryor [casting director] and said, ''Bring us the best in the land.'' We saw all backgrounds, all genders,' Russell told Radio Times' Doctor Who magazine.

'We saw men, we saw women, we saw one non-binary actor.

'I think, as a rule, we were looking for younger  most of the people we saw were under 30  but not as a definite rule, and kind of new talent.'

While Russell kept coy on which actors took part in the audition process, he admitted bosses nearly gave the role of Doctor Who to someone else, before Ncuti bagged the role.
Harrison Ford was spotted as he stepped out in New York City on Wednesday morning.

The 80-year-old performer - who recently praised his former costar Ke Huy Quan - appeared to be unbothered by the swarms of fans asking for his autograph as he made his way back to his hotel.

The actor's outing took place less than a week after the premiere of the new comedy-drama program Shrinking, in which he appears. He also stars in 1923.

Ford kept it relatively casual in a black jacket and a blue shirt that were worn underneath a sizable overcoat.

The Star Wars franchise star also donned a set of slim-fitting blue jeans and a pair of leather boots.

Man about town: Harrison Ford was spotted as he stepped out in New York City on Wednesday morning

The performer currently serves as one of the principal cast members of Shrinking, which premiered last Friday.

The program is centered on a therapist who, after dealing with the death of his wife, unexpectedly begins bluntly speaking his mind about his patients' issues.

The show stars Jason Segel as Jimmy Laird, while Ford portrays the character's colleague and friend, Dr. Paul Rhodes.

Other cast members include Jessica Williams, Michael Urie and Christa Miller.

Development on the program was initially revealed to the public in October of 2021, and Ford, as well as several other cast members, were announced to have been attached to the project last April.

Physical production on the now-released series also officially began that same month.

Shrinking's first two episodes were eventually released on the AppleTV+ streaming service on January 27.

The program has received positive reviews from critics, with much praise going towards the Blade Runner star, and it currently holds an 82% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

On the small screen: The performer currently serves as one of the principal cast members of Shrinking, which premiered last Friday

In the lead: The show stars Jason Segel as Jimmy Laird, while Ford portrays the character's colleague and friend, Dr. Paul Rhodes

Doing well: The program has received positive reviews from critics, with much praise going towards the Blade Runner star, and it currently holds an 82% score on Rotten Tomatoes

Working together: Shrinking's co-creators, Bill Lawrence, Brett Goldstein and Segel, recently spoke to The Hollywood Reporter, and the latter of the three spoke about how they came into contact with the Indiana Jones franchise star

Shrinking's co-creators, Bill Lawrence, Brett Goldstein and Segel, recently spoke to The Hollywood Reporter, and the latter of the three spoke about how they came into contact with the Indiana Jones franchise star.

'You offer it to someone like Harrison Ford, so that for like a week you can say out loud, "Oh, we're out to Harrison Ford." And then you'll go to the real person. Then Brett heroically got him,' he recalled.

The performer went on to express that Ford was incredibly easy to work with as the project was filmed.

'He does something really amazing from the moment he arrives, which is he makes you feel like a peer. He breaks down that "you're supposed to be in awe" thing real fast,' he said.

Goldstein then spoke about how the actor was enthusiastic about working on the show.

'When I watched the read-through of the pilot, I could see glee in his eyes...and when he was getting big laughs in the room, I was like, "Oh, this is new for him."'

Shrinking's third episode is currently scheduled to premiere this coming Friday.
Dr Chris Brown has quit Channel 10 after 15 years, becoming the latest high-profile star to jump ship at the struggling network.

The 44-year-old has signed a deal with Seven and will officially join in July to produce 'new projects' for Channel Seven and 7Plus.

Dr Chris first joined Ten in 2008 to host Bondi Vet, which became a surprise ratings hit and was syndicated around the world.

Dr Chris Brown (left, with Carrie Bickmore) has quit Channel 10 after 15 years, becoming the latest high-profile star at the struggling network to jump ship

The factual series was based on his real-life experience as a vet at the Bondi Junction Veterinary Hospital in Sydney's east.

He went on to become a part-time panelist on The Project and also co-hosted I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! and The Living Room, which was axed last year.

The move to Seven is a homecoming of sorts for Dr Chris.

Dr Chris first joined Ten in 2008 to host Bondi Vet, which became a surprise ratings hit and was syndicated around the world, including on Animal Planet

He started his TV career in 2003 as a presenter on Harry's Practice on Seven, a role that earned him a Logie nomination for Most Popular New Talent.

The Sydney University graduate never planned to work in the media, but was discovered by a talent scout telling animal stories over a few beers in a pub.

His passion for animals started as a child growing up in Newcastle where his father Graeme was the local vet.

In between working for Seven and Ten, Dr Chris did a stint at Nine hosting segments for Burke's Backyard, and was also a contributor to the Today show.

Chris will join Seven once he has finished his contractual obligations at Ten, including hosting the next season of I'm a Celebrity.

He went on to become a part-time panelist on The Project and also co-hosted I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! and The Living Room, which was axed last year

He said in a statement: 'I'm not entirely sure my old access pass works, but once we get over that hurdle and I'm back from the jungle, I cant wait to sink my teeth into some exciting new projects in the second half of the year and beyond with Seven.'

James Warburton, Seven West Media's managing director and CEO, added: 'We are very pleased to welcome Chris back to Seven. It's been too long.

'Chris is one of the most popular and recognised people on Australian TV, bringing warmth, intelligence and a great sense of humour to everything he does.

'We can't wait to have him on board and to announce the great new content he will star in.'

Dr Chris' move to Seven was referenced on Sunrise on Thursday, with host David Koch saying weatherman Sam Mac had 'lured' his good friend over with promises of lavish expenses.

'It's very exciting to have Chris joining the team. He heard about the per diems we get at Sunrise and was jumping at it. You don't get that at Ten!' he said.

Later, during the hand-over to The Morning Show, Larry Emdur even joked Dr Chris was going to take his job.

Dr Chris (pictured with Seven West Media CEO James Warburton) has signed a deal with Seven and will join the company in July to produce 'new projects' for Channel Seven and 7Plus

Dr Chris is the latest in a string of major departures from Ten, following the exits of The Project hosts Carrie Bickmore, Lisa Wilkinson and Peter Helliar.

Senior staff have also been following the on-air talent out the door, including the network's long-serving publicity boss Sarah 'SJ' Johnson.

Dejected employees said last year the station feels like 'a sinking ship' and the workplace is 'lacking direction and morale' - although network reps insist Ten's parent company Paramount Global is in good financial shape.

Chris will join Seven once he has finished his contractual obligations at Ten, including hosting the next season of I'm a Celebrity with Julia Morris (right)

'There are going to be a lot more resignations to come... Ten feels a bit like a sinking ship,' one staffer told Daily Mail Australia, adding that morale had been on a critical slide 'for some time'.

'It feels kind of rudderless. Like there's not a lot of direction and the network can't seem to figure out exactly what it wants to be.'

Adding to the general discontent is the network's hit-and-miss programming which leans heavily on reality TV formats, another staffer said.

'Some like Survivor and, at a pinch, MasterChef, work but a lot of them don't,' the source said. 'There seems to be so much that bombs.'
Chris Pratt's hit series The Terminal List has been renewed for a second season by Amazon Prime Studios.

The second season of the program will see its the Jurassic World franchise star - who has been spending much time with his wife Katherine - returning to portray Lieutenant Commander James Reece.

Deadline also reported that the show is getting the prequel treatment with a series that is currently in development.

Back for more: The Chris Pratt-starring series The Terminal List has been renewed for a second season by Amazon Prime Studios executives

According to Deadline, the performer was heavily involved in the discussions to renew The Terminal List for a second season, and suggested the development of a prequel series.

The media outlet reported that the upcoming show will be centered on Ben Edwards, who was portrayed by Taylor Kitsch in the program's first season.

The prequel series will follow Edwards' 'journey from Navy SEAL to CIA paramilitary operator, exploring the true darker side of warfare and the human cost that comes with it.'

The Terminal List is based on Jack Carr's debut novel of the same name, which was published in 2018.

The show is centered on Reece, who previously commanded a platoon of Navy SEALs that was wiped out during an ambush.

After returning home, the character begins to learn more details about the incident and becomes the target of various shadowy forces targeting both him and his loved ones.

Other cast members in the program include Constance Wu, Riley Keough and Jai Courtney.

Development on the program was announced in 2020, when Pratt was first revealed to have been involved with the project.

Putting in work: According to Deadline, the performer was heavily involved in the discussions to renew The Terminal List for a second season, and suggested the development of a prequel series; he is seen in 2022

Source material: The Terminal List is based on Jack Carr's debut novel of the same name, which was published in 2018

In addition to leading the show's cast, the actor also serves as one of the program's executive producers alongside Carr and Antoine Fuqua, who directed the show's first episode.

Physical production on the series began in March of 2021 and took place throughout the year.

The Terminal List made its debut on the Amazon Prime Video streaming service this past July and was an immediate hit with audiences.

However, the program did not fare as well with critics, and it currently holds a 39% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Pratt previously spoke about working on The Terminal List during an interview with Collider, where he expressed that he took on the project in an effort to serve as one of its producers.

'I wanted to take something that was a book and turn it into something that lived on screen, and be a part of every single aspect, every step along the way,' he said.

Smash hit: The Terminal List made its debut on the Amazon Prime Video streaming service this past July and was an immediate hit with audiences

Harsh: However, the program did not fare as well with critics, and it currently holds a 39% score on Rotten Tomatoes

At the time of the interview, which was published just after the show's premiere, the performer expressed that he was interested in continuing The Terminal List's story in the future.

'I love the character. The stories get better. I love the bonds and the relationships that I forged with the creative team, making this, and I'd love to move forward, working with them,' he said.

However, Pratt expressed that his family-related obligations could potentially keep him from working on the show.

'If we continue the series, and it becomes location work, I have to justify whether or not I'm gonna be giving up a movie to do a season of this show, which I very well could,' he stated.

A premiere date has not been set for either The Terminal List's second season or for its prequel series.
Married At First Sight groom Adam Seed was blasted by his new bride Janelle Han about his career during Wednesday night's episode.

Janelle saw red flags when her husband couldn't give her a straight answer to the question, 'What do you do for a living?'

And now it's been revealed Adam, 35, is the co-founder of Meta Competitions, a 'rewards club' competition business.

Married At First Sight groom Adam Seed's mystery job is revealed after he was blasted by his new bride Janelle Han for not having a real career

Adam and his friend Kaio go live on the company's Facebook page and announce a winner, who has been selected by a 'random number generator'.

However, the site hasn't run any competitions or been active since April 2022, just two months after its launch.

Meta Competitions previously gave away five bottles of Au Vodka to one winner and a Delonghi Kettle and Toaster to another.

It's been revealed Adam, 35, is the co-founder of a 'rewards club' competition business called Meta Competitions. However, the site hasn't run any competitions or been active since April 2022, just two months after its launch

It comes after Adam's job became a sore subject between him and his new bride Janelle, 28, a beauty influencer who grew up in a strict Singaporean-Chinese family, on Wednesday.

When she asked what he does for a living, he seemingly couldn't give her a straight answer.

Despite the 35-year-old being billed on the show as a 'business owner' it was unclear exactly what his business is, or if he has a steady income.

It comes after Adam's job became a sore subject between him and his new bride Janelle Han, 28, a beauty influencer who grew up in a strict Singaporean-Chinese family, on Wednesday

His official Nine bio states he only recently moved back to Australia after 'calling London home for the past six years', so it's possible he hasn't yet found his feet since returning home.

The morning after their wedding, the couple revisited the topic of Adam's mysterious career while lying in bed together.

'Do you have any stream of income?' she asked him bluntly.

A fired-up Adam then later tells producers: 'Don't make me feel like I've got nothing when you don't know me.'
Uzo Aduba is to star in Shonda Rhimes' newest series, White House murder mystery The Residence.

The Orange Is The New Black star, 41, will reunite with Netflix for her part in the new show from Shondaland's Rhimes and Betsy Beers, and play a wildly eccentric Metropolitan Police Department detective tasked with solving a murder with multiple suspects.

Aduba's character Cordelia Cupp is described as an 'astute observer of human behavior, with a distinctive and, to some, unsettling, conversational style' by The Hollywood Reporter.

A description of the eight episode series reads: '32 rooms. 157 suspects. One dead body. One wildly eccentric detective. One disastrous State Dinner.

'The Residence is a screwball whodunnit set in the upstairs, downstairs and backstairs of the White House, among the eclectic staff of the worlds most famous mansion.'

New role: Uzo Aduba is to star in Shonda Rhimes' newest series, White House murder mystery The Residence (pictured June 2022)

The drama is based on Kate Andersen Browers book, The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House, with showrunners crafting a new murder mystery story,

Scandal boss Paul William Davies will act as showrunner and executive producer with Rhimes and Beers.

Aduba played Suzanne 'Crazy Eyes' Warren on Orange Is the New Black from 2013-2019 for which she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2014, an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2015, and two SAG Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series in 2014 and 2015.

The Boston native married filmmaker Robert Sweeting in September 2020. anniversary.

Aduba opened up on the challenges of putting together a wedding during the pandemic in 2020.

She said that 'a lot of Amazon and Etsy gets you through' and that the toned-down proceedings were 'awesome.'

Aduba said the wedding was held 'quietly and with a small group' of their 'most loved and closest family and friends.'

On screen: Aduba (left) played Suzanne 'Crazy Eyes' Warren on Orange Is the New Black from 2013-2019 - pictured with Samira Wiley

Aduba in September took to Instagram with a wedding shot alongside Sweeting and a quote from the 1989 film When Harry Met Sally, 'When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.'

Aduba said of her wedding, 'For some of us, it can feel like we spend our whole lives waiting for our special someone. My heart, my love - I'm so happy my life started last year with you. You're the best thing that ever happened to me.'

Later in the month, she posted a vacation shot from Mexico with her new husband, writing, 'Some much needed restoration, recovery, and relaxation.

'So thankful to get away and celebrate Robert and my anniversary with a couple of our favorite humans.'
Model Joy Corrigan showed off her figure in a series of seriously sexy Instagram snaps for the yoga brand Alo.

The Victoria's Secret model struck a pose in a tan corset-style crop top that revealed her tan, taut and toned tummy. She paired that with matching cotton pants with an ultra-low rise.

She wore her long California blonde hair down and parted in the middle in loose waves that cascaded down her back.

Her full lips were painted in a kissable berry color.

She accessorized the look with a pair of white over sized sunglasses, a classic white Chanel handbag and pointy-toed snakeskin boots.

Strike a pose: Joy Corrigan showed off her taut tummy in a matching crop top and pants from yoga brand Alo in Los Angeles

Here's lookin' at you kid: The model turns her back to the camera and glances over her shoulder with a pout on her famous face

Joy posed on concrete with an off white stucco wall behind her.

The sexy snaps come just two weeks after the Massachusetts native turned 28.

She celebrated her birthday at a resort in Mexico with her boyfriend, tech executive Ted Dhanik, 46, and some friends.

Ted was an executive at MySpace during the social media trailblazer's start up phase and he founded the technology company Engage: BDR, which went public in Australia in 2017.

The couple has been dating for a few months now.

The Naked Species founder has been sharing snaps and videos from her trips and nights out on Instagram regularly.

Last week she shared photos of herself in a teeny tiny white minidress during a night out at West Hollywood hot spot Craig's.

Long and lean: The former Victoria's Secret model recently celebrated her 20th birthday in Mexico with her boyfriend and some friends

Caption this: The Naked Species founder tagged the yoga brand Alo in the caption of the series of snaps

Accessorized: Joy elevated the casual look with a classic Chanel handbag and a pair of white, tan and brown snakeskin cowboy boots

Me and my shadow: The model effortlessly moves from pose to pose showcasing her sexy but casual outfit

The dress featured a micro miniskirt that just grazed the very top of her thighs and a corseted top that showed off her cleavage.

She paired the princessy look with a sweeping white coat that floated behind her.

Joy accessorized the look with dangly silver earrings and an iridescent white Chanel handbag.

Monochromatic look: Between Joy's blonde hair, tan, the off white stucco wall and the concrete beneath her feet - the whole scene gives off a monochromatic look

Crouching model: The model also wore a gold band on her index finger which was visible as she appeared to crouch down to pick up something

Perky cheeks: Joy showed off her perky butt and wild mane of hair in another snap from the photoshoot
Lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea stage a sit-in at the National Assembly, Wednesday. They demanded a special counsel probe into stock manipulation allegations involving first lady Kim Keon Hee on the day. Yonhap



The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) on Wednesday vowed to push for a special counsel probe into stock manipulation allegations involving first lady Kim Keon Hee.



The DP has long accused Kim of being one of the market players that were involved in manipulating stock prices of Deutsch Motors Inc., a BMW car dealer in South Korea, for about three years since December 2009.



"Stock manipulation is a serious crime that disturbs the market system and inflicts harm on random people," DP floor leader Park Hong-geun said in a meeting of the party task force aimed at uncovering the truth about allegations surrounding the first lady.



After the meeting, Park told reports the party also plans to file a complaint against Kim's mother, claiming she is also involved in the case.



On Monday, the office of President Yoon Suk Yeol sued DP spokesperson Kim Eui-kyeom for making allegedly false claims of Kim's involvement in the case.



Earlier Wednesday, the DP said it will countersue the presidential office also on charges of making false accusations against its spokesperson. The party has accused the prosecution of turning a blind eye to the stock manipulation case while conducting a politically motivated investigation of DP leader Lee Jae-myung. (Yonhap)


Finn Wolfhard revealed that he couldn't have been happier upon learning that his friend and costar Noah Schnapp had come out as gay.

The 20-year-old Stranger Things star admitted that he had a 'big smile on my face' after hearing the news while chatting with GQ for a profile published on Wednesday.

Finn and Noah, 18, are both part of the main cast of the massively popular Netflix science fictionhorror series, which began airing on the streamer in 2016.

The actor's eyes reportedly 'soften[ed]' after his friend Noah's coming out post on TikTok was mentioned.

'When I saw it, I just had a big smile on my face,' Finn said. 'I was just really proud of him.'

Supportive pal: Finn Wolfhard, 20, said he was 'really proud' of his costar Noah Schnapp, 18, when the Stranger Things actor came out as gay last month; seen in December in NYC

Sweet: Finn's eyes reportedly 'soften[ed]' after his friend Noah's coming out post on TikTok was mentioned. 'When I saw it, I just had a big smile on my face,' Finn said. 'I was just really proud of him'; Schnapp seen in December

Noah's character Will Byers was initially just a recurring character in the first season, as he was abducted into the deadly alternate dimension known as the 'Upside Down.'

He later joined the main cast starting with the second season, which saw him take on a more prominent role in the ensemble.

Back in January, Noah announced that he was gay in a TikTok video, though he joked that the news wasn't exactly a surprise to his loved ones.

'When I finally told my friends and family I was gay after being scared in the closet for 18 years and all they said was "we know,"' he wrote in his caption.

In the video, he added, 'I guess I'm more similar to Will Byers than I thought!'

Fans of Stranger Things had long suspected that his character was intended to be gay, based on hints that he was infatuated with Finn's character Mike Wheeler.

Last year, Noah confirmed the fan theory to Variety, even as it became clearer in later seasons.

'Obviously, it was hinted at in Season 1  It was always kind of there, but you never really knew, is it just him growing up slower than his friends? Now that he's gotten older, they made it a very real, obvious thing,' he said.

'Now it's 100 percent clear that he is gay and he does love Mike. But before, it was a slow arc.'

Moving on up: Noah's character Will Byers was initially just a recurring character in the first season of Stranger Things, as he was abducted into the deadly alternate dimension known as the 'Upside Down,' but he became a main cast member in season two

Having a laugh: Back in January, Noah announced that he was gay in a TikTok video, though he joked that the news wasn't exactly a surprise to his loved ones

In his GQ interview, Finn said he and Noah were close enough to be like family members after years of shooting Stranger Things together.

That closeness meant that the two didn't necessarily need to chat every day to still be important parts of each other's lives.

'Were not on everyday-text vibes in any way, and not because its like...' he said, pausing as he searched for the right way to express himself.

'Do you text your cousins every day? Probably not. Theyre our family,' he started to explain. 'Well talk on each others birthdays. Well talk once in a while. But in the same way that family works, if I ever needed anything, theyre there.'

Finn added that, 'Everyones on their own quests in real life,' as he compared the actors' need to make a name for themselves with the fracturing of the friend group on Stranger Things.

Finn also had kind words for his veteran costar Winona Ryder, who plays Noah's mother on the series and is a regular fixture in the lives of the main cast.

Finn joked that she is 'one of the funniest texters ever, because shell text you and then youll text her back and then she wont text you ever again.'

'Shell text you whatever, say something like, "Oh, have you ever seen this movie?" And Ill be like, "No, I havent. How are you?" And then just, nothing,' he said with a laugh.

Close pals: In his GQ interview, Finn said he and Noah were close enough to be like family members after years of shooting Stranger Things together, which meant they didn't have to talk every day

MIA: mother on the series and is a regular fixture in the lives of the main cast. Finn joked that she is 'one of the funniest texters ever, because shell text you and then youll text her back and then she wont text you ever again'

But she was also a receptacle for important culture knowledge.

Finn noted that 'she dated Dave Grohl and MCA from Beastie Boys, and all these people. I could literally ask her what it was like knowing Kurt Cobain, and she just tells me everything. Its insane.'

Nowadays, though, Winona lives a reserved life and mostly shuns the spotlight, despite being in one of the most popular television shows of the moment.

'She is awesome too, because she just lives with her partner at her house. She doesnt go out,' Finn added. 'Shes a homebody and doesnt care about being relevant either. She just wants to be fulfilled.'
Janelle Han and Adam Seed exchanged vows on Wednesday's episode of MAFS, but not all in attendance approved of the wedding.

Jordan, one of 28-year-old Janelle's overprotective brothers, couldn't wipe the scowl off his face as his sister walked down the aisle.

But after watching him grill Adam, 35, over his past, fans flocked to Twitter to rip into the young man for his 'psycho' and 'hyper-critical' behaviour.

Janelle Han (left) and Adam Seed (right) exchanged vows on Wednesday's episode of MAFS, but not all in attendance approved of the wedding

During his vows, Adam confessed he had made mistakes in the past, but assured his 'wife' he had learned from them and was ready to move forward.

This remark sparked doubt in Jordan's mind, and he jumped to the conclusion his new brother-in-law had been 'arrested' before.

When Adam introduced himself to Janelle's family at the reception and stated again he had made mistakes, Jordan decided to pull him aside to talk about it.

Jordan (pictured), one of 28-year-old Janelle's overprotective brothers, couldn't wipe the scowl off his face as his sister walked down the aisle

'It's a little bit concerning that he has reiterated over and over that he had baggage in the past. So I've absolutely got a few questions. There's no chance I'm letting him off the hook,' Jordan told producers.

His hunch turned out to be right when Adam confessed he was once engaged but the relationship fell apart when he cheated.

Despite Jordan's discovery, viewers were quick to slam him for being too critical of Adam, with one saying: 'Janelle's brother is a bit much.'

After watching him grill Adam, 35, over his past, fans flocked to Twitter to rip into the young man for his 'psycho' and 'hyper-critical' behaviour

'I think the brother needs to just calm his farm a little bit. Psycho brother is different to protective brother,' another tweeted.

'Janelles brothers are driving me insane. God forbid my brothers act like this,' a third added.

Someone else said it was a red flag to be 'hyper critical of anyone dating your sister'.

'I think the brother needs to just calm his farm a little bit. Psycho brother is different to protective brother,' one person tweeted on Wednesday

Another made fun of Jordan's hair, a buzzed back and sides with a bleached blonde top, saying: 'Jordan's got a lot of moxie for someone sporting that hairstyle.'

Later in the episode, things continued to unravel between Janelle and Adam when he avoided the topic of his career and income, which she found alarming.

Adam is billed on the show as a 'business owner' but it remains unclear exactly what his online giveaway business entails.
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By Park Sung-ik



The reason we live life is happiness. But we do not know what happiness is and we do not know what we live for. South Korea currently ranks 102 out of 178 countries on the happiness index  almost last.



It has become a wealthy country. But its people are not happy. South Korea now has the highest youth suicide rate in the world. This is because parents force children to compete from an early age.



A certain kindergarten has a yard and good facilities, but parents say that they are moving to an English kindergarten because the kindergarten does not teach English. They are driving their children to hell.



Parents want to send their children to Seoul National University. But only one percent of the students are admitted to Seoul National University. And are they happy when they go to Seoul National University?



Daily, children go from elementary school to English, math, and essay academies. In middle school, they study at the academy late into the night, so as to enter a science high school, a self-supporting private high school, or a foreign language high school. When they come home, they cannot sleep properly because they have school homework to do.



As a result, they do not have the opportunity to eat or talk with their parents. Since they have not been happy during their student days, they will not be happy when they become adults. They do not know how to be happy. They are not happy even if they enter prestigious universities.

Again they must endure fierce competition, in order to become a judge, prosecutor, or doctor. They must compete for employment at large companies such as Samsung, or to become civil servants.



These would-be-employees hate going to small businesses. So, workers from Southeast Asia or Central Asia work in small and medium-sized companies' factories. When most college students fail the exams for large corporations and civil organizations, many tend to idle away as unemployed at home, dependent upon their parents.



Happiness does not lie in entering a prestigious university or becoming a judge or a doctor. You should be happy where you are, right now. If you were not happy as a child, you would not know how to be happy as an adult.



Parents should release students from academies and let them do work that suits their abilities. Adults should make themselves happy. But adults themselves are not happy. So they abuse their children with their studies.



Benjamin Franklin said that if wealth is lost, little is lost; if fame is lost, half is lost; if health is lost, all is lost. You have to be healthy to be happy.



Then, how can we be happy? Exercise: walk, hike, stretch, and swim. Live a life of gratitude, because God gives us water, air, and sunlight freely. Do not be greedy for what others have, and discover what you have. Study steadily! If you want to live from now until 100 years old, you have to study again. Adults have to pack their suitcases and leave for Europe, America, and India, right now, not later. If you are not happy now, it is unlikely that you will travel when you are older. Leave now, not later!





The writer (parksi48@naver.com) was a former teacher at Pungmoon Girls' High School.




Doctors should agree to raising medical school enrollment quotas



Medical doctors comprise one of the most complex and elusive groups in Korea.



Medical schools suck up all the best talents. They are so popular that even college students who entered the nation's three most prestigious universities quit to move to medical schools.



Becoming a doctor is never easy. Medical residents must work 78 hours weekly, sleeping four hours a day. These trainee doctors are so stressed out due to the murderous workload and other reasons that cause more than half to consider dropping out, with nearly two in 10 thinking of suicide once.



Still, they will never share their work with others. Physicians vehemently oppose the invasion of their territory by traditional medicine practitioners, nurses, or even tattooists, all in the name of "protecting people's lives and promoting public health." However, the most popular departments among residents are dermatology, cosmetic surgery and psychiatry, instead of thoracic or brain surgery.



Existing doctors are even reluctant to share their work with more would-be physicians, opposing an increase in the medical student enrollment quota.



As a result, the admission quota has been fixed at 3,058 for the past 18 years. In 2020, the Moon Jae-in administration tried to increase it by 400 more, but then backed off after encountering fierce opposition from the medical community. Trainee doctors walked out en masse during the COVID-19 crisis and boycotted state exams for doctor licenses. The government yielded, agreeing to revisit the issue after the pandemic stabilizes.



Now that COVID-19 has weakened, the Yoon Suk Yeol administration seems set to tackle the matter and rightly so. Last week, Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyu-hong tackled the issue with the head of the Korean Medical Association (KMA), the largest doctors' group with about 130,000 members, to discuss the matter. It is also uncommon, in Korea or elsewhere, for a cabinet minister to have weekly meetings with a vocational group's representative to make policies.



However, the association's position remains unchanged from two years ago. A KMA spokesperson reiterated claims that the government must first "rectify structural problems" by, for instance, allowing increases in medical fees for "essential but unpopular" departments, such as OB-GYN and pediatrics. The group maintains that the government can remedy the extreme imbalance in healthcare services between urban and rural areas and between different medical departments with more sophisticated policies instead of increasing the number of doctors and medical schools.



Various statistics say otherwise, however.



In 2020, the number of physicians, excluding traditional medicine practitioners, stood at 2.5 per 1,000 people, some two-thirds of the OECD average of 3.7 and the lowest after only Mexico's 2.4. The figure was 16 in a central Seoul district and 0.16 in a rural county in southeastern Korea. A recent study also showed that, at this pace, Korea will face a doctor shortage of 27,000 by 2035.



The healthcare crisis has already begun. A pediatrics department at a large hospital in Incheon suspended accepting patients after one of two remaining trainee pediatricians left. In a recent and very unfortunate case, a nurse who suffered a stroke at one of the big five hospitals, had to be transferred to another institution as its two brain surgeons were not available at the time and she died.



Still, nothing seems to change the adamant stance of doctors. They say even if the government increases their number, the void at unpopular  and unprofitable  departments will remain the same because medical residents have "freedom to choose a vocation." About the government's idea of setting up public medical schools in provinces and nurturing regional doctors, they say "few will remain there after their mandatory period of service ends." In Japan, however, a similar system has taken root as more regional doctors decided to settle in their respective regional areas.



Korea has a relatively excellent healthcare service thanks partly to competent and dedicated physicians. It would, however, be far better than now if doctors drop their collective selfishness a little for the benefit of all. Lawyers, another elite group, did so a few decades ago, and Koreans now enjoy legal services far more quickly and at a cheaper price.




A food truck specializing in fruity and creamy flavored gourmet popsicles is opening its first Ohio location in the Dayton area.

Armando and Augustina DeLeon, franchisees of Frios Gourmet Pops, are introducing gourmet popsicles to the Miami Valley! The familys first taste of Frios Gourmet Pops was in Montgomery, Alabama.

My very first bite of a Frios solidified my desire to be a part of the brand as a franchise owner, Armando said. I cant wait for the Dayton community to try our pops for themselves and to share that magic with them.

Armando is a retired United States Air Force Officer. Augustina previously worked in broadcast media and event marketing. She also was a small business owner for 10 years. Augustina said they plan to have their children help them with this new business endeavor.

It gives you an opportunity to spend time with your kids, she said. She added that as their children get older, they hope to pass the business down. Frios Gourmet Pops comes in a variety of flavors including cookies and cream, cotton candy, birthday cake, strawberry, strawberry mango, fruit punch, blue raspberry, and many more.

Augustina said they plan to rotate their flavors as they learn what the community desires. She explained the company offers gluten, dye, nut, wheat, soy, and dairy-free options. No sugar is added and vegan options are available as well.

With its mission to sell happiness on a stick, Frios commitment to giving back to local communities stands at the forefront of the brands values. In addition to the companys already established, nationwide philanthropy partnerships, the Dayton location will also carry the tradition to lead goodwill initiatives in Dayton and surrounding communities.

At our core, Frios is a brand rooted in compassion, community, and altruism, said Patti Rother, president of Frios Gourmet Pops. We deliver happiness to guests in the form of delicious, hand-poured gourmet pops, but it goes beyond that  we are passionate, driven, we deeply care about our communities, and we have a group of wonderful Happiness Hustlers who dedicate themselves to giving back to neighbors in need.

Augustina is the perfect person to carry out that mission in Dayton, Rother added. She embodies the values Frios upholds, and we are excited to see her continue to grow the business.
KSLV-2, also known as Nuri, takes off from Naru Space Center in Goheung County in South Jeolla Province, June 21, 2022. Courtesy of Korea Aerospace Research Institute





By Ko Dong-hwan







June 21, 2022, marks the turning point for Korea's space industry. The KSLV-2, better known as the Nuri, is a Korean-made three-stage launch vehicle that shot through the sky of Goheung County in South Jeolla Province and successfully released a test satellite into a 700-kilometer orbit. Following the failed first attempt in October the previous year, the accomplishment made Korea the world's seventh country to possess functioning space launch vehicle technology capable of carrying a 1 kilogram or heavier satellite  following the U.S., Russia, the European Union, India, Japan and China.







With the historic episode complete, South Jeolla Province on Jan. 22 launched another mission. The provincial government declared it will become the country's leading province to nurture and develop space launch vehicle technologies. Moreover, they said that along with neighboring South Gyeongsang Province, they will turn the country's southern coastal regions into Korea's new "space belt." Their ultimate objective is to include Mars within their plans and raise Korea's global space industry market share from 1 percent to 10 percent by 2045.







"With Naro Space Center in Goheung at its pivot, we will strengthen the country's global space development industry competitiveness to an innovative level," Kim Yung-rok, governor of South Jeolla Province, said in a press conference on Jan. 22 at the local government's headquarters in Muan County. "And South Jeolla Province will rise as the mecca of Korea's space industry."







Last December, the Ministry of Science and ICT revised the country's Space Development Promotion Act and designated Goheung, South Jeolla Province's southern coastal county, as the country's unique space industry cluster that specializes in the development of launching vehicles. South Gyeongsang Province and Daejeon, under the same legal update, were also promoted into the space industry cluster. They will specialize in satellites as well as the human resources sector, thus forming part of South Jeolla Province's space belt.







South Jeolla Provincial Governor Kim Yung-rok speaks during a press briefing at the provincial government's headquarters in Muan County, Jan. 22, announcing government plans to develop Goheung as the mecca for the country's space industry. Courtesy of South Jeolla Provincial Government





Heads of South Jeolla Province's space division believe that their launch vehicle technologies, in the private sector, are about 18 years behind those of advanced countries. To offset the gap, the authority said they will contribute over 1.6 trillion won ($1.3 billion) by 2031 to "anchor" companies, prepare state R&D centers dedicated to launch vehicles, and build further core infrastructure  including a launch vehicle test facility, a comprehensive center that supports evaluating and certifying startups, other private space firms, and a science park to raise public awareness on the importance of space exploration.







With 380 billion won approved, by 2028 the provincial authority will introduce the Naro Space Center a new industrial complex on a 1.72 million square meter site where launch vehicles based on both liquid and solid fuels will be simultaneously researched.







On a separate track, the provincial government also plans to bring local small to medium-sized manufacturers into the industry to build parts for launch vehicles. The study of farm cultivation methods in a zero-gravity environment is also underway until 2030.







"With all the space industry clusters complete, we expect there will be over 10 anchor companies by 2031," the governor said. "They will generate business opportunities worth over 2.66 trillion won, with an added value of 1.14 trillion won and will create jobs for over 20,000 people."







Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), which observes the technological safety and potential errors of Nuri, plans for four more rocket launches in Goheung by 2027, each time carrying small-size satellites. Hanwha Aerospace, the country's major private space developer, is participating in the mission, investing over 687 billion won over the course of five years to strengthen Nuri's launch vehicles. Other private developers will also join the domestic space campaign as soon as 2030, placing satellites of various purposes in orbit.







Children visit a special exhibition for the successful launch of the Nuri rocket, at Gwacheon National Science Museum in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, June 22, 2022. Newsis





The country's space initiative has already seen local start-ups lock horns in a bid to stand out as the country's leading space launch vehicles service provider. Perigee Aerospace in Daejeon, Innospace in Sejong and Unastella in Seoul are among the leaders, all having acquired investments of hundreds of millions of won. With giants like Hanwha Aerospace and Korean Air, the firms are trying to make launch vehicles safer, more affordable and also recyclable.







According to a space observer in Korea, there have been an increasing number of space launch vehicle developers in the country in a rather short amount of time. Having created a unique local ecosystem of their own, the domestic players, despite their youth, have shown "surprising growth and high potential."







The world's space launch vehicles industry market is expected to reach $29.6 billion by 2027, according to market data analysis firm Markets and Markets.







Korea's space industry took its first notable step in 1992 when it launched its first satellite KITSAT-1 atop Europe's Ariane 4 space launch system. In 2002, the country's first liquid-fuel engine rocket, KSR-3, was also successfully launched. Since humans started exploring space in 1957 with the Soviet Union's Sputnik 1, Korea has come a long way, not giving up what is still considered a threshold overcome by only a few elite countries so far.


Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presents the Union Budget 2023-24 in the Lok Sabha, in New Delhi, Wednesday, Feb 1, 2023. (PTI Photo)

New Delhi: Putting more money in the hands of the middle class as well as salaried individuals to boost taxpayers in India, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced her Budget 2023-24, saying that the Indian economy was on the right path and heading towards a bright future as economic growth is estimated at nearly seven per cent, the highest among all major economies. Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, it is the last full-fledged Budget and the first one in the "Amrit Kaal" that began in 2022. This move of the government aims to create more jobs and growth in the country.

Amid the shaky global economy, Sitharamans fifth straight Budget also sees a substantial hike in spending on the social sectors as well as ramping up incentives for local manufacturing. Announcing major changes in tax slabs under the new tax regime, or the "default" tax regime as it is called now, Sitharaman also focused on inclusive growth, mainly on green energy, the continuation of the food security programme for another year and announced a slew of steps for sectors such as MSMEs, agriculture start-ups, fisheries, women, senior citizens, and launched a programme for the primitive, vulnerable and tribal groups as well. Besides, she also gave a big boost for spending, mainly on the Railways, and on capital expenditure.

Reacting to 2023-24 Budget, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called it the first Budget of "Amrit Kaal" that provides a "foundation to fulfil, resolve for a developed India" and also gives priority to the deprived, and will fulfil the dreams of Indias aspirational society, farmers, and the middle class, among others. Citing the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 4.0, Mr Modi also said that those toiling traditionally through their hands for the country, Vishvakarma, were the "creators" of this country, and for the first time a scheme related to the training and support for Vishvakarma has been brought into the Budget.

Besides, both India Inc as well as the stock markets hailed the Budget, where leading industry body CII described it as a "roadmap for nation building, growth-centric and fiscally prudent", with continued focus on capex and inclusion. With vision, structure and discipline it puts India on the path to become "the world champion", industry leaders said.

Also, benchmark index Sensex and Nifty pared gains after Ms Sitharaman presented the Budget in the Lok Sabha. In the afternoon trade, the Sensex rose 1,000 points to touch an intra-day high of 60,1618 points, while the NSE Nifty rose by 270 points or 0.78 per cent to 17,933 points.

While presenting the Budget in Parliament, Ms Sitharaman listed seven priorities of the Union Budget and said that they complement each other and act as the "Saptarishi", guiding us through the "Amrit Kaal", such as inclusive development, reaching the last mile, infrastructure and investment, unleashing the potential, green growth, youth power and financial sector.

In her Budget, the fiscal policy statement highlighted that there was a total expenditure of Rs 45.03 lakh crores in 2023-24, which has been increased by 7.5 per cent over the last Budget of 2022-23. "A total expenditure in Budget 2023-24 has been pegged at Rs 45,03,097 crores, up from Rs 41,87,232 crores of the revised estimates for 2022-23. The Budget estimates of expenditure for 2023-24 show an increase of Rs 3,15,865 crores over the revised estimates 2022-23," it said.

As for direct tax, she also said the personal income-tax rebate limit has been increased to Rs 7 lakhs from the fiscal year starting April 1 under the new tax regime, up from the previous Rs 5 lakhs. "Tax slabs has been cut to five from seven earlier. Also, the maximum income-tax rate has been reduced to about 39 per cent from 42.7 per cent after a reduction in the highest surcharge to 25 per cent from 37 per cent.

Besides, the deposit limit for senior citizens savings schemes has also been doubled to Rs 30 lakhs and for monthly income account scheme to Rs 9 lakhs, and there will be a new small savings scheme for women, offering 7.5 per cent interest rate on deposits of up to Rs 2 lakhs for a tenure of up to two years," she said.

On the direct tax front, she also went on to clarify that the government was not compelling anyone to shift from the old to the new tax regime, even though the latter had greater incentives. "The total revenue foregone from the reduction in direct and indirect taxes after accounting for a small gain from additional mobilisation will be Rs 35,000 crores annually," she said.

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, his government has ramped up capital spending, including on roads and energy, while wooing investors through lower tax rates and labour reforms, and offering subsidies to poor households to clinch their political support. Even in this years Budget for 2023-24, the capital investment outlay has been increased steeply for the third year in a row by 33 per cent to Rs 10 lakh crores, which would be 3.3 per cent of GDP, which is almost three times the outlay in 2019-20.

Ms Sitharaman also said that despite a global slowdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, the Indian economy was on the right track. As the total expenditure is seen rising, the government would target a Budget deficit of 5.9 per cent of GDP in 2023-24, down from 6.4 per cent for the current year. That would entail a gross borrowing of Rs 15.43 lakh crores. "While the agriculture credit target has been increased to Rs 20 lakh crores with focus on animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries, the increased investment in infrastructure and productive capacity is aimed at having a multiplier impact on growth and employment," she said.

Besides, the finance minister also said that an additional Rs 9,000 crores has been provided toward credit guarantee for medium and small enterprises. "The Railways has been provided a capital outlay of Rs 2.40 lakh crores, the highest ever and about nine times the outlay made in 2013-14. Besides, an Urban Infrastructure Development Fund (UIDF) will be established for the creation of urban infrastructure in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. The Budget has also provided Rs 35,000 crores for energy transition and net zero objectives," she said.

An outlay for the affordable housing scheme, PM Awas Yojana, has also been increased 66 per cent to Rs 79,000 crores. Other highlights of the Budget include reviving 50 additional airports, heliports and water aerodromes, and establishing a national digital library to make available quality books across languages, geographies and genres.
Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath said that AP suggested a policy for the implementation of a pumped storage system and this was done. Another of AP's requests was to increase the funds for the PM Awas Yojana, to which too, the Centre has responded positively. (File Photo: DC)

Vijayawada: Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath has said the Centre has favourably considered the pleas of the state government in the pre-Budget meetings and included them in the 2023 Union Budget.

The minister said that AP suggested a policy for the implementation of a pumped storage system and this was done. Another of APs requests was to increase the funds for the PM Awas Yojana, to which too, the Centre has responded positively.

Addressing the media here on Wednesday, Rajendranath said it was a matter of pride that the Urban Infra Development Fund would be initiated across the country by considering AP's proposal. This would benefit every state, he said.

The minister said AP, which accounted for 40 per cent of the fish and shrimp production and 60 per cent of shrimp production in the country, had urged the Centre to reduce the import duty on the feed. The Centre has responded positively to the four points proposed by AP and included them in the Budget, he said.

Citing other positives of the Union Budget, he said the funds for the PM Awas Yojana was raised by 66 per cent and the Budget also laid a big emphasis on the construction of new railways by allocating Rs 10 lakh crore under capital investment head. The Budget promised to set up 157 new nursing colleges across the country, as also national digital libraries especially for the youths and school students. There were also plans for new airports and ports across the country.

Matters like construction of helipads, the setting up of a fund for learning new methods of agriculture, a nature-oriented agriculture policy, establishment of international skill training centres as also the plans relating to Ekalavya schools, ITDA and aquaculture would benefit Andhra Pradesh.

He said that with the establishment of skill centres, one per constituency, employment opportunities will improve and this would benefit 50,000 youths of AP.

The Union Budget outlay, which was Rs 41.87 lakh crore last year has been raised by Rs 3 lakh crore, taking its size to Rs 45 lakh crore. The Capital Expenditure has increased from Rs 7.28 lakh crore last year to Rs 10 lakh crore this year, which means an increase of Rs 2.5 lakh crore by way of capital expenditure, the minister said.

The reduction of the fiscal deficit from 6.4 per cent to 5.9 per cent in two years after the Covid phase was a good development, he stressed.

Rajendranath said the expected tax revenue was Rs 33.60 lakh crore the coming fiscal while it was Rs 30.43 lakh crore in 2022-23. In this, Andhra Pradesh's share was Rs 9.15 lakh crore for the fiscal 2022-23 and it was estimated to be Rs 10 lakh crore in 2023-24 fiscal.

He said the nations debt last year was Rs 17.58 lakh crore and this year it was Rs 17.98 lakh crore, which meant an increase of approximately Rs 50,000 crore. The revenue for the country was Rs 41.90 lakh crore last fiscal and this time it was expected to rise to Rs 45 lakh crore.

The AP finance minister noted that the budgetary allocations for fertiliser, urea, rice and wheat subsidies have been reduced. While allocations for agriculture have been reduced, allocations for roads and railways as also for education and electricity have been increased.

Rajendranath said that the Central Budget 2023-24 has been designed with the theme of "giving priority to 7 important sectors" under the name of 'Saptarushulu' for the development of every segment of the society, he noted.
The chargesheet will soon be produced before the court, said a senior official of Secunderabad railway police.. (PTI Photo/Representational)

HYDERABAD: The Secunderabad RPF are stitching together images from different camera and videos to be used as evidence in the investigation of the anti-Agnipath stir on June 17 last, that saw protestors storm four gates of Secunderabad railway station and damaged property worth Rs 20 crore. One of the protesters was killed in police firing.

Stitching is the process of combining images from two or more lenses to produce a single panoramic image.

The stitcher camera images and videos that we have will mean that the lies accused, who are saying they were not involved, would be exposed. The chargesheet will soon be produced before the court, said a senior official of Secunderabad railway police.

So far GRP has arrested more than 64 accused in connection with the Agni violence. They all have been booked under various sections of IPC.
Indian Institute of Millet Research, Hyderabad. (Facebook)

Hyderabad: The Indian Institute of Millet Research here will soon get a facelift as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced that it will be supported as 'Centre of Excellence' for sharing best practices, research and technologies at the international level.

In her Union Budget speech, she noted that India is the largest producer and second largest exporter of Shree Anna' (millets) in the world, which has numerous health benefits and also an integral part of food for centuries.

Now to make India a global hub for 'Shree Anna', the Indian Institute of Millet Research, Hyderabad will be supported as the Centre of Excellence for sharing best practices, research and technologies at the international level, she said.

Reacting to the proposal, Krishna Ella, Founder and Executive Chairman, Bharat Biotech International Ltd in a statement said the upgradation of the Millet Research Institute is a clear indication of the government's commitment to rural development and food security.

IIMR is a premier agricultural research institute engaged in basic and strategic research on sorghum and other millets under Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

It coordinates and facilitates Millets research at national level through All India Coordinated Research Projects on Millets, Pearl Millet and Small Millets and provides linkages with various national and international agencies.




By Park Jae-hyuk







SK hynix suffered its first quarterly operating loss in 10 years, reiterating that the size of its annual investment will be halved this year compared to last year.







During Wednesday's conference call on its fourth-quarter earnings, the chipmaker attributed its performance to falling global memory chip demand and declining product prices leading to its quarterly operating loss of 1.7 trillion won ($1.4 billion).







This is the first time that the company operated at a loss since it posted a 24 billion won operating loss during the third quarter of 2012.







Citing growing uncertainties in its business environment, SK hynix reaffirmed its plan to cut investments this year by more than 50 percent from last year's 19 trillion won, as it had said during a conference call last October on its third-quarter earnings.







Its conservative stance contrasts with Samsung Electronics which ruled out the possibility of reducing its chip output this year, despite a 97 percent year-on-year drop in its semiconductor business' operating profit.






Finance minister T. Harish Rao said that the states were actually receiving just 30 per cent from the central tax pool towards tax devolutions against the 41 per cent recommended by the 15th Finance Commission. (File Photo)

Hyderabad: The Centre's tax devolution to Telangana has witnessed a slight increase in the new fiscal (2023-24) over the previous fiscal, according to the Union Budget presented in Parliament on Wednesday. The Budget has put the tax devolution to Telangana at Rs 21,470 crore against Rs 19,668 crore in 2022-23.

Of the total tax devolution to States, Telangana accounts for 2.10 per cent. The tax devolution to Telangana has been increasing year after year. In 2021-22, it was Rs 17,932 crore, which increased to Rs 19,668 crore in 2022-23 and is at Rs 21,470 crore in 2023-24.

Total resources being transferred to all the states, including the devolution of states' share, grants/ loans and releases under centrally-sponsored schemes in the Budget 2023-24 was Rs 17,97,537 crore, which shows an increase of Rs 1,43,056 crore over actuals of fiscal 2021-22.

This apart, IIT-Hyderabad has been allocated Rs 300 crore, tribal universities in both Telugu states combined got Rs 37 crore, Rs 1,650 crore for Singareni Collieries, all 22 AIIMS in the country, including the one in Bibinagar, together got Rs 6,835 crore, all museums in the country, including Salarjung museum, got Rs 357 crore,

Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) in Hyderabad has got Rs 27 crore, while the heavy water plant in Kothagudem district along with Kota and Burajala plants in other states together got Rs 1,473 crore.

However, finance minister T. Harish Rao said that the states were actually receiving just 30 per cent from the central tax pool towards tax devolutions against the 41 per cent recommended by the 15th Finance Commission. He said the Centre is collecting taxes from states in the form of cess and surcharges deny a legitimate share in revenues collected by the Centre.
Telugu Desam AP president K. Atchannaidu has described Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy as psycho for raising the issue of Visakhapatnam as capital while the case is pending in the Supreme Court. (Twitter)

Vijayawada: Telugu Desam AP president K. Atchannaidu has described Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy as "psycho" for raising the issue of Visakhapatnam as capital while the case is pending in the Supreme Court.

Atchannaidu recalled that before 2019 elections, Jagan had made it clear that Amaravati will be the only capital of the state. To demonstrate this, the then leader of opposition built a house in Amaravati. Tom-tomming that Amaravati will remain the capital all over AP, he went on to win the assembly elections.

"Now that Jagan Mohan Reddy has become the Chief Minister, he is trying to divide Andhra Pradesh once again," the TD state president declared.

He maintained that High Court has ruled that on a state government having no power to legislate on the matter of the state capital. He claimed that the highest court in state has also clarified that Amaravati will remain the only capital.

"Now the Supreme Court is hearing the Amaravati case, the "psycho" CM has gone to Delhi. At a summit, he has stated that Visakhapatnam is the only capital of Andhra Pradesh and the government will be shifting soon," Atchannaidu remarked.

He said when there is a debate going on all over the country about CBI intensifying its investigation into the murder case of Chief Ministers uncle Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy and Jagan's brother MP Avinash Reddy being arrested anytime, the CM is trying to divert the attention from Viveka murder case by raising the issue of Vizag as capital.
News

Many IAS officers are upset with the Bihar IAS Officers Associations silence at the state governments proposal to release former MP Anand Mohan from jail. Mr Mohan is serving a life term for the murder of the former district magistrate of Gopalganj G. Krishnaiah.

Sources say that the Nitish Kumar-led government has recently been dropping several hints that it is trying to seek the release of Anand Mohan, a prominent Rajput leader, due to political compulsions (read alliance partner RJD). Mr Anand was initially handed out a death sentence by a local court, but it was later commuted to life imprisonment by the high court. Although no member of the IAS association has come forward to speak on the issue, their silence has not gone down well among the babus.

The secretary of the association, Dipak Kumar Singh, however, has said that this is a government decision, and the association has no comment on it. But a former IPS officer Amitabh Kumar Das has strongly criticised the state IAS association for keeping mum on this sensitive matter and even called for it to be dissolved if it does not take up the issues of its members. Mr Anands release from jail would be an insult to the murdered IAS officer, he said. For now, it seems, that politics may end up trumping propriety in Bihar.

Punjab police becomes top heavy

The top tier of Punjabs police establishment is becoming increasingly crowded. The state may have the most officers in the rank of directors general of police (DGPs) in the country, after the Bhagwant Mann government promoted seven ADGPS to the rank of DGP, bringing the total to 13.

The state has also got its first women officers elevated to DGP rank. Gurpreet Deo, a 1993-batch IPS officer and the first woman IPS officer in Punjab Police, is also the senior-most among those promoted. Another woman IPS officer Shashi Prabha Dwivedi has also been promoted to DGP rank. Ms Deo was earlier holding the charge of additional director general of police, community affairs division and women affairs while Ms Dwivedi was posted as additional DGP, Railway.

Others who have been promoted to the rank of DGPs are chief director, vigilance bureau, Varinder Kumar, ADGP, human resource development, Ishwar Singh, ADGP, Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd, Jitendra Kumar Jain, ADGP, Police and Rules, S.K. Asthana and ADGP, internal security, R.N. Dhoke.

IPS officers have a vertical tenure-based promotion system in accordance with IPS cadre rules. Cadre management, however, varies from state to state. Anyone who has served 30, 25 and 18 years in service is eligible to become a DGP, ADGP and IG, respectively. Further, in Punjab, promotions are done promptly after a batch becomes eligible for a higher rank, whereas some states with stricter cadre management promote officers only when a vacancy arises in the cadre posts.

Sources have informed DKB that while adding more DGPs to the police, the state government has yet to recruit adequate personnel in the lower ranks, creating a top-heavy force and a peculiar imbalance affecting its functioning.

Yogis babus woo UK investors

Uttar Pradeshs senior bureaucrats led by the states finance minister and minister for parliamentary affairs, Suresh Kumar Khanna, visited the United Kingdom recently to woo global investors for the states Global Investors Summit to be held shortly.

Sources have informed DKB that Mr Khanna and his core team along with Indias consul general in Birmingham, Dr Shashank Vikram, have identified a roadmap and strategies to be followed to enhance trade and economic ties between the UK and UP.

Mr Khanna is ambitious with his plans as UPs vision is to become a $1 trillion economy. Towards this objective, the state government has provided a single window clearance for 25 sectors it has opened up for global investors. With the Yogi Adityanath government enjoying its second term in UP, there is political stability. But the moot point is will these roadshows in the UK following the US earlier, encourage global entrepreneurs to UP?

The answer to this holds the key to the Yogis political ambitions. The audacious goal of a trillion-dollar economy is seen as the blueprint for how Yogi can turn around UP's fortunes, and all ministers and babus are working hard to achieve it.
At least 28 people, including soldiers and civilians, were killed in two separate gunmen attacks on Sunday and Monday in Burkina Faso, a regional governor and the Army have revealed.

Fifteen civilians were killed on Sunday by unidentified armed men in the province of Comoe in western Burkina Faso on the border with Cote d'Ivoire, the Governor of the Cascades region, Colonel Jean Charles dit Yenapono Some said.

The incident involved two mini-buses that were intercepted in the village of Linguekoro in the province by unidentified gunmen on Sunday evening. Nine passengers, out of a total of 24 of the mini-buses were freed, while the two mini cars were later set on fire and the other passengers abducted. On Monday, the bodies of 15 victims with bullet impacts were found near the village where they were abducted, said the official in a statement.

The army also reported on Tuesday in a separate statement that 13 people, including 10 gendarmes, two army auxiliaries and a civilian were killed on Monday in a terrorist attack by unidentified armed men in the locality of Falangoutou in the province of Seno, Xinhua news agency reported.

None of these attacks have been claimed so far.
Historian Ramachandra Guha has said that to "revive" healthy democracy in India in which one party does not steamroll the Opposition, a lot depends on the Congress becoming more competitive, which won't happen merely through a march but by winning votes.

Guha was speaking at the launch of the third edition of his seminal work, India After Gandhi, here on Tuesday.

"Objectively, it is only the Congress that has a footprint, shall we say, in eight to 12 states. So to have healthy democracy in which one party does not steamroll the Opposition, the kind that India experienced from the late 1970s till 2014, to revive that, to restore it, which I believe would be very good for all of us, it would depend a lot on the Congress becoming more competitive," he claimed.

Also Read | Bharat Jodo Yatra: Walk that burnished Rahul Gandhis image

To buttress his point, Guha spoke about how among all other parties it was the Congress that fought the BJP head-to-head in as many as 191 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

He claimed the same would happen in the 2024 general elections because parties like JD(U), AAP, DMK and TMC stand no chance against the BJP in states such as Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh.

The Congress won 16 out of the 191 seats with a success rate of eight per cent only, Guha said, adding the allies would have an important role to play but then it will be "Congress plus plus" only.

Also Read | Congress to win not less than 130 seats: M B Patil

"So, it could be RJD plus JD(U) in Bihar, NCP and Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, DMK in Tamil Nadu, which is Congress plus plus. But it would have to be the revival of the Congress," he elaborated.

Referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's recently concluded Bharat Jodo Yatra, the 64-year-old historian said the revival of the party won't happen "merely through a march".

"A lot depends on how they can revitalise itself (themselves), not merely through a march but by winning votes," he said.

The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7, concluded in Srinagar on January 30 after covering more than 4,000 kilometres in 136 days.

Terming Gandhi a "decent man", Guha said there is a question mark on him being a "capable politician" or on whether India deserves a "fifth generation dynast" but he believes it is "morally wrong".

India after Gandhi, a 980-page tome, first released in 2007. It is touted to be a magisterial account of the pains, struggles, humiliations and glories of the world's largest democracy.
Thousands of people, including women and children, hit the streets in Sunjwan-Bathindi on the city's outskirts against the Jammu and Kashmir administration's ongoing anti-encroachment drive to retrieve "illegally occupied" state land.

The residents' protest comes in the backdrop of the authorities serving public notices asking violators to remove illegal constructions within seven days, officials said.

The protesters also observed a complete shutdown in the area.

Waving Tricolours and shouting slogans against the eviction drive, the protesters passed the main roads before staging a peaceful sit-in at a vast land adjoining the bypass.

Police were deployed in large numbers as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.

The sub-divisional magistrate was seen requesting the protesters to disperse on the assurance that no residential homes would be demolished. He added that the district administration was ready to listen to their grievances.

Representatives of almost all major political parties, including the National Conference, Congress, People's Democratic Party, Apni Party and the AAP, also joined the protest and demanded an immediate end to the "anti-people" drive.

The residents also staged a protest in the area on January 30 and had threatened to intensify their agitation if the government went ahead with the demolition drive.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi may visit Washington DC before hosting the United States President Joe Biden for the G-20 summit in New Delhi on September 9 and 10.

Biden has extended an invitation to Modi for a state visit to the United States. The Prime Minister has accepted the invitation from the US president. The two sides are now looking for mutually convenient dates. A source in New Delhi said that the visit of the Prime Minister might take place in June or July  well before the US president, himself, and other world leaders would land in the national capital to attend the 18th G-20 summit.

Also Read: US courts India as technology partner to counter China

The visit is going to be significant and the two sides will seek to iron out the wrinkles in the bilateral ties, which came under a bit of stress over Indias refusal to join the US and the other western nations in criticizing Russia for its special military operations in Ukraine.

Modi had visited Washington DC several times after taking over as the Prime Minister of India. But most of his visits had either been official or on the sideline of multilateral or plurilateral summits.

If Modi travels to Washington DC on an invitation from Biden, it is going to be his first state visit to the US. It is also going to be his second visit to the US after Biden succeeded Donald Trump.

Biden hosted Modi and the leaders of the other partners of the Quad  Japan and Australia  for a summit of the four-nation bloc in the White House in September 2021. The Prime Minister had brief bilateral meetings with the US president on the sideline of the summit. He also had a meeting with the US Vice President Kamala Harris.

Modi and Biden, however, have spoken to each other over phone several times and have met on the sidelines of other conclaves, the latest being the 17th G20 summit at Bali in Indonesia.

Modis National Security Adviser, Ajit Doval, is currently on a tour to Washington DC for talks with his counterpart, Jake Sullivan, on bilateral cooperation in critical and emerging technologies. They also discussed the deliverables for the series of the proposed high-level engagements between India and the US during the current year, including Modis visit to Washington DC and Bidens visit to New Delhi, the source told DH.

Also Read: Discussions during Dovals visit form the basis for intensifying Indo-US cooperation in cutting-edge sectors: Indian embassy

Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra hosted the US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland for the Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi on Tuesday. The two sides reviewed progress made towards further consolidating the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, according to a press-release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs. Discussions also covered contemporary regional developments in South Asia, Indian Ocean Region and the Indo-Pacific. The two sides reiterated their commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, with the objective of ensuring peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will host his counterpart, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, early next month. Blinken will visit New Delhi to attend the meeting of the G20 Foreign Ministers to be hosted by Jaishankar. They will however hold bilateral meetings on the sideline of the conclave and discuss Modis visit to Washington DC and Bidens to New Delhi.
Concerns over Indias declining control over strategic positions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, repeatedly raised by security analysts in recent years, gained official credence at a recent meeting of top police officials in New Delhi.

According to a research paper submitted at a conference of DGPs, since taken down, India has lost access to 26 of 65 patrolling points between the Karakoram Pass and Chumar in Ladakh. While Chinese salami slicingits gradual grabbing of territory is partly to blame for the loss of access to patrolling positions, the Indian Armys restrictive or no patrolling in disputed areas left the space open for Chinese soldiers to move in, the research paper says. Additionally, the Indian Army placed significant restrictions on civilians and graziers entering forward areas on the Indian side of the LAC.

Also Read | Reflected decisiveness of Centre: President on India's response to China

As a result of this play-safe strategy, aimed at avoiding riling the Chinese or even giving them an opportunity to object to Indian presence in disputed areas, locals were not allowed entry there.

In addition to losing land, Indias acceptance of buffer zones to get the Chinese to disengage has proved costly as they have come up mostly in areas formerly under Indian control, according to the research paper. Much of what it says has been said before. Security experts have been pointing out that India has lost at least 1,000 sq km of territory in Ladakh to the Chinese over the past two years and a half.

The Modi governments response to these reports was silence or outright denial. Now a senior police official from Leh has substantiated and confirmed our worst fears. What does the government have to say?

It is unlikely that Indian soldiers on the ground would have by themselves decided to stay out of disputed areas. Decisions on such key strategic matters are not made at lower levels.

Who ordered the soldiers to pull back from territory India held till recently? And why? The Modi government has been disingenuous about the situation along the Line of Actual Control from the start of the crisis in April 2020. Soon after the clashes at Galwan, Prime Minister Modi denied the presence of Chinese soldiers on Indian soil. What accounts for the loss of access to around 40 per cent of our patrolling points along the LAC, as described in the paper? It is time the government took Parliament into confidence to discuss the LAC crisis.
Derry's North West Regional College (NWRC) has formed a unique educational partnership with The Open University (The OU) which is set to enhance the future career aspirations of learners across the North West.

In a first for the region, both organisations have formed an alliance which will see the introduction of a new range of university level courses to be delivered by NWRC, and accredited and validated by the OU, from September 2023.

The partnership will feature new degree level opportunities for learners in Cyber Security, Housing and Healthcare in the first instance. (Subject to validation approval).

It is intended that this initiative will result in greater choice for local learners at higher education level, as well as fostering growth in local employment, while addressing current levels of skills shortages and demands from employers within some key regional industry areas.

Speaking at the launch, Dr Catherine OMullan, NWRC Director of Curriculum and Academic Standards, said: This is very exciting news for higher level learning for the North West region.

"Our partnership with The Open University is the culmination of extensive diligence and hard work from both organisations, as well as significant consultation with a number of local employers, over a two-year period.

"We are thrilled now to be working with the OU in preparations to deliver a new era of university level education for local learners.

John DArcy, Director of The Open University in Ireland, added: The Open University is delighted to partner with North West Regional College to provide greater choice and provision of higher education courses to the North West Region.

We hope that this partnership will grow from strength to strength over the next few years to improve university level education and positively impact the economy and skills supply in the area.

It is expected that applications for these new courses will open from February 2023.

If you have queries, contact admissions@nwrc.ac.uk
Paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland have coerced young people with drug debts to take part in rioting, a Westminster committee has heard.

A community worker gave an example of a users debt being reduced by 80 for doing so.

Megan Phair, co-ordinator of the Journey to Empowerment Programme and member of the Stop Attacks Forum, said both loyalist and dissident republican groups use the tactic to force people on to the streets.

The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee heard that paramilitary groups sell drugs to young people who cannot afford to pay for them, and then exploit them by using their debt.

Ms Phair said some of the young people who took part in serious rioting at Lanark Way, close to a peace line off the Shankill Road in Belfast, in 2021 had been ordered to do so over drug debts.

The disorder, which followed a protest against the Northern Ireland Protocol, was widely condemned.

She described paramilitaries putting people in debt bondage.

In 2021, the Lanark Way riots young people were rioting to clear drug debt, we were told that, she told MPs.

And if you look at the Easter Rising march, dissident republican groups were also using young people.

From what young people have told me, it was up to 80  if you riot you can get 80 of drug debt cleared.

Its shocking that thats the tactic they are using. Theyre not stupid  theyre using these tactics and young people are terrified, they dont have 50, they dont have 100, but they can go out and riot.

But then these young people, who we can argue are victims of exploitation and coercion, are being criminalised in the same system which is meant to protect them.

She called for a holistic approach to tackling paramilitarism, involving the health service as well as police, and a safeguarding strategy for vulnerable young people.

The issue of paramilitary-style attacks was also discussed at the committee meeting on Wednesday morning.

Paul Smyth, executive director, Politics In Action, and also a member of the Stop Attacks Forum, urged that the term punishment attack is not used.

The forum was set up in 2017 as a pressure group against the attacks.

He described the term punishment attack as very misleading, implying theres some sort of due process, which there never is.

He compared the situation to the Taliban in Afghanistan, saying very similar things are happening in our own community yet people dont seem to care.

We need much better dialogue between communities and the police in terms of what community policing should look like, he told MPs, adding that recent warnings about funding issues in police affecting the services are extremely worrying.

Paramilitary assaults tend to most of the time happen to the most vulnerable people in the most vulnerable communities.

So there are people who are often perceived as being a nuisance in those communities, so its quite easy for the paramilitaries to act against them and its often for what the police might describe as anti-social behaviour  or thats the accusation.

So were very worried that the kind of reduction in terms of policing is going to make vulnerable people even more vulnerable.

The committee is examining the effects of paramilitary activity and organised crime on society in Northern Ireland.

In a second session, Victims Commissioner Ian Jeffers said 25 years on from the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement there is a vacuum in terms of dealing with the past.

From PSNI data 32% of organised crime groups operate with direct links to paramilitaries, so we have got to have the debate, how do we encourage those paramilitaries to come to the table, and ultimately get them off the scene, and then you deal with the criminality, he told MPs.

There is that grey area at the minute, theres a supposed credibility that the paramilitaries carry, that is a throw over to the Troubles, so weve got to look at what is the road map for reconciliation and then you can start to address that.

Wave Trauma Centre chief Sandra Peake said during the Troubles the paramilitary groups had a focus of external violence, but have since brought the violence internally within their own communities.
Economy on road to strong recovery

15:10, February 01, 2023 By Hao Dong ( Chinadaily.com.cn

Movie goers wait to enter a cinema in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning province on Jan 24, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

The first Spring Festival when people could travel freely across the country since the COVID-19 outbreak has released peoples pent-up consumption to a large extent. For instance, 308 million domestic trips were made during the just concluded seven-day Spring Festival holiday, up 23.1 percent year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. This means the travel sector has recovered to 88.6 percent of the 2019 level.

In 2022, because of the frequent but sporadic outbreaks of the novel coronavirus variants and their sub-variants, Chinas economy was under the triple pressure of contracting demand, disruptions in supply, and weakening of expectations  not to mention the complicated and challenging external economic environment.

But to improve the situation, the central and local governments have stepped up efforts to implement a prudent monetary policy, while implementing a package of policies to stabilize the national economy, by helping increase domestic demand and strengthening the real economy. Also, with easing restrictions on the COVID-19 epidemic, household demand and market expectations have risen.

As of now, the authorities focus is on increasing household consumption and strengthening Chinas socialist market economy on way to building a great modern socialist country in in all respects.

First, China has extended the bailout period for enterprises by announcing tax reductions, helping boost consumption and improving peoples livelihoods. In January, the Ministry of Finance and the State Administration of Taxation reduced taxes in general, including waiving value-added tax (VAT), for small-scale taxpayers, and adopted appropriate policies to meet the needs of the market players.

In 2022, the tax authorities refunded 2.4 trillion yuan of VAT to the taxpayers, which is 3.7 times more than all the tax refunds for the whole year of 2021. Plus, the newly raised tax and administrative fee cuts reached 884 billion yuan, with tax and fee reductions totaling 733.1 billion yuan.

China has also provided the consumer market with policy support. For example, in the second half of 2022, purchase tax was halved on passenger cars that cost 300,000 or less and have displacement levels below 2.0 liters. Moreover, the exemption of purchase tax on new energy vehicles will continue until the end of this year.

The tax-reduction and fee-waiver policy will directly benefit consumers, as it will reduce the price of cars and other products, and expedite the recovery of enterprises. The policy has not only boosted market confidence, but also accelerated the high-quality development of the automobile industry.

Second, the huge development potential of the market and pent-up demand have been released to a certain extent. Comparing the national consumer price index (CPI) and industrial producer price index (PPI) for 2022, we can see the overall price level continues to be stable, and household consumption is expected to gradually increase.

That some residents tend to save for a rainy day such as a pandemic does not necessarily mean people are afraid of or hesitant to maintain normal consumption levels in 2023. In fact, the release of pent-up household consumption could form the base for a strong economic recovery.

In order to re-energize the consumer market and boost demand, many local governments have issued different types of consumer coupons which, for example, can be used in restaurants, home appliance and departmental stores, or to buy a car.

While the Zhengzhou local government in Henan province distributed consumer vouchers worth 15 million yuan for home appliances in January, the Shenyang local government in Liaoning province has issued 100 million yuan worth of Spring Festival vouchers.

Many other local governments, too, have distributed general consumption and takeaway coupons of small amounts through online platforms such as Alipay, Douyin and Meituan. As a result, the Chinese peoples tendency to save, not spend has somewhat changed, and there could be a substantial increase in consumption in a short time, with the consumers becoming bolder as economy picks up.

Also, the Central Economic Work Conference has listed expanding domestic demand as a key task in 2023, and made increasing demand, improving peoples livelihoods both in rural and urban areas, and promoting green development, for instance by boosting the sale of electric vehicles, its priorities for the year 2023.

But there is also a need to encourage parties to consolidate and upgrade traditional consumption in areas such as automobiles, home appliances, home furnishing and catering, because it in turn will promote the healthy and orderly development of new models of consumption, and integration of online and offline services.

In order to strengthen urban consumption platforms, the authorities should organize activities to promote consumption and thus the economic recovery.

It is also important to rely on fiscal and financial means to boost investment and give full play to the role of investment in business. And greater efforts should be made to stabilize and optimize the scale and structure of foreign trade to promote the high-quality development of the domestic economy.

The author is deputy director of the Department of Strategic Philosophy, the Party School of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Liang Jun)
Mercedes-Benz Korea vice presidents Johannes Schoen, left, and Lee Sang-kuk, third from right, pose with other officials and the German carmaker's EQS SUV during a press conference at the Grand Hyatt Seoul hotel, Wednesday. Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Korea



By Baek Byung-yeul



Mercedes-Benz has introduced its large-sized electric vehicle (EV), the EQS SUV with an aim to increase its presence in the luxury EV market here, the Korean subsidiary of the German carmaker said Wednesday.



"EQS SUV is the first large-size electric SUV in the current electric vehicle market and also the most luxurious and the most powerful electric SUV that Mercedes-Benz has ever introduced," Johannes Schoen, vice president of Mercedes-Benz Korea, said during a press conference in Seoul.



"This means that the new EQS SUV is the one and only model in the current electric vehicle market without comparison from the exterior. The EQS SUV to the largest dimensions among the Mercedes EQ," the vice president in charge of product, marketing and digital business of the Korean unit, added.



Mercedes-Benz officially launched its electric SUV in the Korean market, Tuesday. It was developed based on its EVA2 platform, an EV-dedicated architecture. Mercedes-Benz Korea said the new model "features a spacious and luxurious interior and an aerodynamic design and delivers excellent driving performance in any type of road condition."



The company began selling two models of the EQS SUV  the new EQS 450 4MATIC SUV and the new EQS 580 4MATIC SUV, which are priced at 152.7 million won ($124,005) and 185.4 million won, respectively.



In addition, the company is also selling a special model edition for the 450 and the 580 this year. The 450 and the 580 models can travel 459 kilometers and 447 kilometers, respectively, on a single charge.



"Especially the 580 4MATIC model with an output of up to 400 kilowatt shows powerful performance and also record standard sprints from zero to 100 kilometers in just 4.6 seconds," Schoen said.





Lee Sang-kuk, vice president of Mercedes-Benz Korea, introduces the German carmaker's sales strategy in the Korean market, during a press conference at the Grand Hyatt Seoul hotel, Wednesday. Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Korea
The Northern Ireland Secretary has told Stormont leaders he has asked officials to explore possible avenues to implement organ donation laws in the region in the absence of the powersharing institutions.

The opt-out donation system was passed by MLAs last year but the secondary legislation required to implement it cannot be approved at Stormont due to the political stalemate.

Last month, the five largest parties wrote to Chris Heaton-Harris urging him to intervene to implement the new organ donation law at Westminster.

It was to be named Daithis Law after six-year-old Daithi MacGabhann, from Belfast, who is on the organ transplant waiting list and whose family have campaigned for the new legislation.

Mr Heaton-Harris has now written to the Stormont parties. This came on the same day the Northern Ireland Secretary was meeting with Daithi and his parents at Hillsborough.

The Northern Ireland Secretary said he shared the familys deep disappointment and frustration that the legislation may not be fully implemented by the spring as planned.

While he said he would ask officials to assess how the law could be implemented by the Government, he also urged Northern Ireland MPs to consider tabling a Private Members Bill to proceed the issue by that legislative route.

The change to Northern Irelands organ donation law has been a long time coming and the MacGabhann familys campaign was instrumental in generating momentum for the change to the law, he wrote in a letter seen by the PA news agency.

I am extremely frustrated that the inability of MLAs to elect a new speaker could cause delays to the introduction of life-saving legislation.

That is why I want fully functioning devolved institutions to resume as soon as possible, so MLAs can get back to work and swiftly implement the law that Daithi and his family have campaigned so tirelessly for.

I am asking my officials to explore possible avenues for the UK Government to progress this issue, should the Assembly fail to do so.

I would also like to remind MPs from the Northern Ireland parties of the other Parliamentary routes to progress this legislation that continue to be available to them, namely the opportunities that exist to introduce Private Members Bills etc.

This issue demonstrates just how important it is for the Executive to be restored and for the vital business of the Northern Ireland Assembly to resume. This will continue to be my priority.
Siofra OLeary to deliver EU50 Lecture in Iveagh House on St Brigids Day

Press release

The Department of Foreign Affairs will today mark St Brigids Day with a special EU50 Lecture at Iveagh House, delivered by Justice Siofra OLeary on her first official visit to Ireland since being elected President of the European Court of Human Rights.

Following her lecture, President OLeary will be joined by Senator Fiona OLoughlin, Chair of the Oireachtas Womens Caucus, and Professor Aoife Nolan, recently elected President of the European Committee of Social Rights, to reflect on how membership of the Council of Europe and the European Union has changed Ireland, including by advancing equality.

Ahead of meeting President OLeary, the Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Micheal Martin TD said:

Justice OLeary has served with great distinction since her appointment to the European Court of Human Rights. A reflection of the esteem in which she is held by peers across Europe, her election as the Courts first female President is also a source of great pride to us in Ireland. So too are Professor Nolans recent election as President of the European Committee on Social Rights and Senator OLoughlins continued leadership at the Council of Europes Parliamentary Assembly. Through their efforts, Irelands standing in Strasbourg has never been stronger.

Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence Peter Burke TD, who will host the lecture, added:

On St Brigids Day, we celebrate the remarkable contributions of Irish women, at home and abroad. Part of our EU50 programme, this lecture honours President OLearys outstanding personal achievement. But it also celebrates the contribution Irish women have made  and continue to make  across other international organisations, above all the European Union and the Council of Europe. Through their efforts and through membership of these same organisations, Ireland, for all our continued challenges, has become a far more equal and tolerant place.

The event will be livestreamed here

ENDS

Press Office

1 February 2023

Notes for editors About the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights Established in 1949, and headquartered in Strasbourg, the Council of Europe is the continents largest and oldest intergovernmental organisation.

Although it works closely with the EU, the Council of Europe is separate from it, being both older and larger in membership.

Ireland was amongst the organisations ten founding members. Today, following the expulsion of the Russian Federation on 16 March 2022, it comprises 46 member states, including the 27 EU member states, the United Kingdom, Turkiye and Ukraine.

The organisation plays a leading role in the protection and promotion of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law across Europe and beyond  notably through the European Court of Human Rights, which ensures the observance by member states of their obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights.

The European Convention on Human Rights is also a key element of the Good Friday Agreement. The Agreement saw the Conventions incorporation into Northern Ireland law, ensuring citizens have direct access to the European Court of Human Rights.

Following election by her peers, Siofra OLeary assumed the office of President of the European Court of Human Rights in November 2022, having served as Vice President since January 2022. She has been a judge at the forty six member Strasbourg Court since 2015, having previously worked at the Court of Justice of the European Union.

The Committee of Ministers is the principal intergovernmental decision-making body of the Council of Europe. Chaired on a rotating basis by member states over six month terms, Ireland held the Presidency from May to November 2022.

Other bodies of the Council include the Parliamentary Assembly, which last year elected Senator Fiona OLoughlin to lead an Ad-hoc Committee in planning for a fourth Summit of the Council of Europe Summit in Iceland this May.

The European Committee on Social Rights oversees member states adherence to the European Social Charter, which protects European citizens social and economic rights. Professor Aoife Nolan was elected as its President on 26 January 2023. EU50 Iveagh House Lecture Series Since 2012, the Department of Foreign Affairs has hosted a series of commemorative lectures at its headquarters at Iveagh House in Dublin, with distinguished speakers invited to consider seminal events in our states history.

Within that tradition, the EU50 Iveagh House lecture series is devoted to reflecting on how, over half a century, membership of the European Union has shaped Ireland and how Ireland, in turn, has shaped the European Union.

Part of the Governments wider EU50 programme, the series features a range of leading voices from across the European Union or, as in the case of President OLeary, its key partners.

For more information see www.Ireland.ie/EU50 St. Brigids Day Irelands diplomatic network, in partnership with local communities, host a series of festivals each February celebrating the remarkable contribution Irish women have made  and continue to make - across the world.

In 2024, the state will celebrate the 1500th anniversary of St Brigids passing with a special programme of events worldwide.

This year, however, is also momentous, with St Brigids Day celebrated for the first time by a public holiday, the first named in honour of a woman.

For more information, see www.ireland.ie

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Samsung recently launched its first smartphone of the year which was the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G at a starting price of 18,999. Samsung has now revealed that it will launch the same Samsung A14 in a 4G LTE version as well. However, there is no official information about the configuration of the Samsung Galaxy A14 4G but the specification of the phone has been leaked. The phone is likely to be launched in Europe by the end of March at a price of 200 (approx. 17,999).

Samsung Galaxy A14 4G: Design

WinFuture has leaked the images of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy A14 4G and it looks like the phone is going to roll out in three colours. Namely, Black, Green and Silver. The device is similar to the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G but there is a slight change in the design pattern on the back, according to the leaks. The Samsung Galaxy A14 4G is slightly slimmer than the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G. It could sport a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, 3.5mm headphone jack and USB type-C port.

Samsung Galaxy A14 4G: Display

Samsung Galaxy A14 4G might feature a 6.6-inch PLS LCD screen with Full HD+ resolution. The display reportedly supports a 60Hz refresh rate.

Samsung Galaxy A14 4G: Performance

The Samsung Galaxy A14 4G is expected to be powered by the MediaTek Helio G80 processor paired with 4GB6GB RAM and 64GB128GB storage. It is likely that it will run on Android 13-based One UI 5.0.

Samsung Galaxy A14 4G: Camera

The Samsung Galaxy A14 4G could sport a triple camera setup with a 50-megapixel primary camera along with a 5-megapixel ultrawide lens for wide-angle shots and a 2-megapixel macro camera for close-up shots.

Samsung Galaxy A14 4G: Battery

The device is expected to be packed with a 5000mAh battery with 10-watt of fast charging support.

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page.
Dell Technologies has launched Alienware Aurora R15 in India as its new gaming desktop. Aurora R15 is powered by 13th gen Intel core series processors, and you can couple it with Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 GPU. There is also double the cooling performance with a 240W cooler and a redesigned motherboard. Lets dive deeper to have a better understanding.

5 Alienware Aurora R15 features

1. Powerful hardware

Alienware Aurora R15 bears up to 13th Gen Intel Core i9 CPU and up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 GPU.

The company says you can play games at 4K 60+ FPS with raytracing and enhanced overclocking.

Aurora R15 also comes with Nvidia technologies like:

DLSS 3 to boost frame rates

Reflex technology for lower latency in responses

Broadcast App for virtual backgrounds, auto framing in videos, constant eye contact, etc.

Ada Lovelace Architecture for enhanced rendering

2. Optimized thermals

Alienware Aurora R15 has a 240mm AIO cooler, hexagonal side vents, and Cryo-tech liquid cooling technology. So, what you are getting (as per the company) is 58 per cent more performance out of 5 per cent lower CPU temperatures.

3. Healthy ports selection

On the front of Aurora 15 you get 3x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. As for the back, you have a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (10GBps and 20GBps), 2x USB 2.0 Type-A, LaN, and rear audio.

Wirelessly speaking, there is Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 in the mix.

4. Software support

The device boots Windows 11 Pro and features Alienware Command Center. The latter offers preset game profiles, knobs and switches to control thermals, overclocking, RGB colours and lighting on the machine.

5. Legend 2.0 design

All of these come in the Legend 2.0 design whichs not just about looks but also internal layout, port placement, and cable management.

Alienware Aurora R15 price and availability

You can purchase the top-end Aurora R15 at 5,49,990. This includes 13th Gen Intel Core i9 13900KF, 32 GB DDR5 RAM, 512GB M.2 PCIe SSD, 1TB SATA 7200 RPM HDD storage, and Nvidia 40 series 4090 GPU with 24GB GDDR6X vRAM.

There is also an Intel i7 model with 16GB RAM but the price details are yet to be announced.

Alienware Aurora R15 is available on the official Dell website and Dell Exclusive Stores.

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page.








By Lee Kyung-min







Korea registered an all-time high trade deficit of $12.69 billion (15.62 trillion won) in January, marking the 10th consecutive month of deficits, which were brought on by surging energy imports and plunging exports, the trade ministry said Wednesday.







Experts say the recent slowed growth of exports will continue at least during the first half of this year, as global consumers buy fewer Korean-made goods, including semiconductors.







Further exacerbating the grim outlook are elevated energy prices that are showing no immediate signs of relenting due to Russia's prolonged invasion of Ukraine. Korea relies on imports to meet over 93 percent of its energy needs.







Data from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy showed exports fell 16.6 percent from a year earlier to $46.27 billion in January. This is a far sharper drop compared to the 2.6 percent year-on-year decrease in imports which came to $58.9 billion.







January's steep trade deficit accounts for 27 percent of last year's total $47.4 billion trade shortfall. This is the first time the monthly figure topped the $10 billion mark since 1956 when the ministry began compiling related data.







Former Seoul National University economist Lee In-ho said that the deficit is likely to widen in the months to come.







"Macroeconomic conditions do not bode well for the economy," he said. "The rapid increase in borrowing rates, overall sustained high prices of goods and living expenses as well as Russia's invasion of Ukraine are all risks that will not produce a dramatic shift any time soon."







Whether and by how much China eases COVID-19 restrictions will be among the key determinants related to the pace of economic recovery.







"China is the largest chip importer and is the largest global market. Spending should be able to recover in line with eased quarantine policies, but nothing can be said for certain now," Lee said.







The slowdown in exports was led primarily by declining unit prices of semiconductors and increased product stockpiles, amid an overall weakening of global market demand. Also at play was the reduced level of exports of Korea's semiconductors to China, which fell 46.6 percent last month. Semiconductors account for about a fifth of Korea's total outbound shipments.







Exports began to register year-on-year decreases in October of last year and have continued on a downward trajectory for four straight months.







Chip exports dropped 44.5 percent last month from a year earlier, greater than the 29 percent decrease logged both in November and December of last year. The decline was 17.4 percent in October of last year.







The price of DRAM memory chips was around $1.81 last month, about half the level seen in January and April at $3.41.







Other than chips, exports of petrochemicals, steel, automobiles, displays and biohealth products, declined between 16 to 33 percent.


Budget 2023-24: Focus on reforms through technology-driven mechanism

Presenting the Union Budget 2023-24 in Parliament today, union minister for finance and corporate affairs Nirmala Sitharaman has proposed an overarching Saptarishi  7 priorities of the government aimed at a multi-sectored focus on reforms through technology-driven and knowledge-based mechanisms during Amrit Kaal.

Our vision for the Amrit Kaal includes technology-driven and knowledge-based economy with strong public finances, and a robust financial sector. To achieve this, Jan Bhagidari through Sabka Saath Sabka Prayas is essential, the finance minister stated.

Elaborating further, the finance minister said, Our focus on wide-ranging reforms and sound those in need, helped us perform well in trying times.

She attributed Indias rising global profile to several accomplishments, such a unique world class digital public infrastructure, such as Aadhaar, Co-Win and UPI, the speed and scale at which the country completed Covid vaccination drive; the proactive role in frontier areas such as achieving the climate related goal; Mission LiFE, the National Hydrogen Mission and the farmer-centric Digital Public Infrastructure.

The finance minister proposed a digital public infrastructure for agriculture to be built as an open source, open standard and inter operable public good. This, Sitharaman said, would enable inclusive, farmer-centric solutions through relevant information services for crop planning and health, improved access to farm inputs, credit, and insurance, help for crop estimation, market intelligence, and support for growth of agri-tech industry and start-ups.

National Digital Library

As part of inclusive development, Sitharaman proposed to set up a National Digital Library for children and adolescents for facilitating availability of quality books across geographies, languages, genres and levels, and device agnostic accessibility. The finance minister stated that states will be encouraged to set up physical libraries for them at panchayat and ward levels and provide infrastructure for accessing the National Digital Library resources.

Bharat Shared Repository of Inscriptions

The finance minister proposed Bharat Shared Repository of Inscriptions, to be set up in a digital epigraphy museum, with digitisation of one lakh ancient inscriptions in the first stage.

5G services

Sitharaman proposed the setting up of 100 labs for developing applications using 5G services in engineering institutions to realise a new range of opportunities, business models, and employment potential. The labs will cover, among others, applications such as smart classrooms, precision farming, intelligent transport systems, and health care applications.

Centres of excellence for Artificial Intelligence

To realise the vision of Make AI in India and Make AI work for India, the finance minister proposed three centres of excellence for Artificial Intelligence to be set up in top educational institutions. Leading industry players will partner in conducting interdisciplinary research, develop cutting-edge applications and scalable problem solutions in the areas of agriculture, health, and sustainable cities. This will galvanise an effective AI ecosystem and nurture quality human resources in the field.

Simplification of KYC process

For streamlining the financial sector further, Sitharaman proposed that the KYC process will be simplified, adopting a risk-based instead of one size fits all approach. The financial sector regulators will also be encouraged to have a KYC system fully amenable to meet the needs of Digital India.

Fintech services

Sitharaman said that Fintech services in India have been facilitated by our digital public infrastructure, including Aadhaar, PM Jan Dhan Yojana, Video KYC, India Stack and UPI, and proposed to enable more Fintech innovative services, the scope of documents available in DigiLocker for individuals to be expanded.

Entity DigiLocker

The finance minister proposed to set up an Entity DigiLocker for use by MSMEs, large business and charitable trusts. This will be towards storing and sharing documents online securely, whenever needed, with various authorities, regulators, banks and other business entities.

e-Courts

Sitaraman proposed that for an efficient administration of justice, Phase-3 of the e-Courts project will be launched with an outlay of Rs7,000 crore, further unleashing the potential of e-Courts.

Digital payments

Sitharaman stated that in 2022, digital payments showed an increase of 76 per cent in transactions and 91 per cent in value. Considering that digital payments continue to find wide acceptance, the finance minister proposed continuation of fiscal support for this digital public infrastructure in 2023-24.
People and rescue workers gather to look for survivors under a collapsed roof, after a suicide blast in a mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan Jan. 30. Reuters-Yonhap



A suicide bomber struck a crowded mosque inside a police compound in Pakistan on Monday, causing the roof to collapse and killing at least 59 people and wounding more than 150 others, officials said.



Most of the casualties were police officers. It was not clear how the bomber was able to slip into the walled compound, which houses the police headquarters in the northwestern city of Peshawar and is itself located in a high-security zone with other government buildings.



Sarbakaf Mohmand, a commander for the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, claimed responsibility for the attack in a post on Twitter.



But hours later, TTP spokesperson Mohammad Khurasani distanced the group from the bombing, saying it was not its policy to target mosques, seminaries and religious places, adding that those taking part in such acts could face punitive action under TTP's policy. His statement did not address why a TTP commander had claimed responsibility for the bombing.



''The sheer scale of the human tragedy is unimaginable. This is no less than an attack on Pakistan,'' tweeted Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who visited the wounded in Peshawar and vowed ''stern action'' against those behind the bombing. He expressed his condolences to families of the victims, saying their pain ''cannot be described in words.''



Pakistan, which is mostly Sunni Muslim, has seen a surge in militant attacks since November, when the Pakistani Taliban ended their cease-fire with government forces.



Earlier this month, the Pakistani Taliban claimed one of its members shot and killed two intelligence officers, including the director of the counterterrorism wing of the country's military-based spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence. Security officials said Monday the gunman was traced and killed in a shootout in the northwest near the Afghan border.



The TTP is separate from but a close ally of the Afghan Taliban. The TTP has waged an insurgency in Pakistan in the past 15 years, seeking stricter enforcement of Islamic laws, the release of its members in government custody and a reduction in the Pakistani military presence in areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province it has long used as its base.



Monday's assault on a Sunni mosque inside the police facility was one of the deadliest attacks on security forces in recent years.



More than 300 worshippers were praying in the mosque, with more approaching, when the bomber set off his explosives vest. Many were injured when the roof came down, according to Zafar Khan, a police officer, and rescuers had to remove mounds of debris to reach worshippers still trapped under the rubble.



Meena Gul, who was in the mosque when the bomb went off, said he doesn't know how he survived unhurt. The 38-year-old police officer said he heard cries and screams after the blast.



Mohammad Asim, a spokesman at the main government hospital in Peshawar, put the death toll at 59, with 157 others wounded. Police official Siddique Khan said the bomber blew himself up while among the worshippers.



Senior police and government officials attended the funerals of 30 police officers and arrangements to bury the rest were being made. Coffins were wrapped in the Pakistani flag their bodies were later handed over to relatives for burials.



Peshawar is the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where the Pakistani Taliban have a strong presence, and the city has been the scene of frequent militant attacks.





Rescue workers look for survivors under a collapsed roof, after a suicide blast in a mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan Jan. 30. Reuters-Yonhap
On Saturday 28th January 2023, Gaisce  The Presidents Award held a special Award Ceremony, in recognition of 34 Presidents Award Leaders from all over Ireland who have graciously supported young people to achieve their potential.

This included Mary Cleary (Volunteer Centre) and Ciara Morrison-Reilly (Scoil Ui Mhuiri) from Louth.

The Award Ceremony took place at Farmleigh House in the Phoenix Park, Dublin.

Gaisces Civic Merit Award honours Presidents Award Leaders (PALs) who have supported young people to take part in the Gaisce programme for more than five years.

Retiring PALs and PALs who mentored a Gold Awardee were also celebrated and commended for supporting and encouraging young people on their Gaisce journey.

The ceremony was MCd by comedian, writer and podcaster Julie Jay and the guest speaker at the event was author and world-renowned immunologist and Professor of Biochemistry Professor Luke ONeill.

Speaking about the Awardees, Avril Ryan, Acting CEO of Gaisce  The Presidents Award said:

Gaisce are delighted to celebrate the work of our Presidents Award Leaders.

Their dedication to the principles and outcomes of the Gaisce programme ensures the continued value society places upon the personal development and wellbeing of young people and their achievements, whilst also promoting Gaisces vision that young people have every opportunity to dream big and fulfil their potential.

She continued:

For many young people a Gaisce Award is often the first time they receive any recognition for their achievements.

A Gaisce Award recognises the skills, volunteering, leadership, and other qualities of Gaisce participants, talents that may never have been discovered and honed without their participation in this unique and holistic non-formal education Award.

A special message from the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins was read by Chair of Gaisce  The Presidents Award John Cunningham:

The leadership of all of you has undoubtedly played a significant role in the success of the programme and the growth and development of the participants.

The dedication and hard work that goes into the planning and execution of the Gaisce journey is given evidence in the distinguished achievements of the participants. It is with great pleasure and a sense of gratitude that I send my warmest congratulations and my sincere appreciation for your valued contribution to Gaisce.

Gaisce  The Presidents Award is a personal development programme for young people which enhances confidence and wellbeing through participation in personal, physical, community and team challenges.

Since its inception in 1985 over 300,000 young Irish people have completed a Gaisce Award, including former Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh and internationally renowned Irish actor Robert Sheehan.
Louth County Council is appealing to those who have unoccupied properties to offer them as temporary homes for those fleeing war in Ukraine.

The call is part of a government initiative, led by local authorities, to make use of unoccupied houses, apartments or holiday homes to house Ukrainian people and families.

While rent will not be payable to those who offer properties, a tax-free recognition payment of 800 per month is available from the Department of Social Protection to those who offer accommodation to Ukrainians.

This is a call for stand-alone properties that are not occupied by others. Properties should be in liveable condition and, ideally, available for at least six months. Under the programme, Louth County Council takes offers of houses, apartments or holiday homes for temporary accommodation, liaise with owners to assess suitability, and arrange for their use by Ukrainian people and families.

Since the programme was launched at the end of November Louth County Council has allocated 13 vacant properties accommodating 33 Ukrainian people in their new homes.

The feedback from both the Ukrainian families and the owners has been very positive, says the local authority. The families are delighted to be able to stay in a home environment. They are also able to keep their children in the same schools, keep in contact with the Ukrainian community in Co. Louth that they rely on for support and integrate with the local people in Louth.

An owner of one of the properties stated the council facilitated the process and had documents in English and Ukrainian so both sides could easily understand the process, the meeting covered everything that was expected from both parties and the contracts were signed at the meeting.

Another owner who was very happy to help a family stated The Offer a Home Programme has brought a great joy to our family. A wonderful young Ukrainian couple expecting their first baby have taken up residence in our holiday cottage. It really was a wonderful experience for our family to welcome this lovely couple over Christmas.

Yvonne OBrien, Acting Director of Service, Ukrainian Humanitarian Response stated that we have a fluent Ukrainian speaker working as a matching officer so that the whole process can be smoothly facilitated.

"Louth County Council will work with you throughout the process and be there to offer support while your property is being used. To offer a property or for more information, visit offerahome.ie or contact the Ukrainian Response Team on 042 -9335457.
Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Irelands Seafood Development Agency, has announced the appointment of Caroline Bocquel as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Caroline Bocquel has held the role of Interim CEO at BIM since November, 2022.

A native of Co Louth, Caroline is a chartered accountant and has a degree in Business and Languages from Technological University Dublin. Prior to joining BIM in 2021 as Director of Corporate Services, she held senior executive roles at GOAL and the Marine Institute.

BIM Chair, Aidan Cotter, said: Following a rigorous search process, I am pleased to announce Carolines appointment as CEO at BIM. Caroline brings significant drive, experience and insight to her new role that will help take the organisation and Irelands seafood industry to the next level of sustainable development and secure its future in the face of major change.

"She is a strong leader with extensive experience and sectoral knowledge, and I look forward to working with her in the coming years.

Caroline takes on this role at a time when BIM is implementing a range of schemes for industry, with a total value of 265M under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve, delivering on the recommendations of the Seafood Taskforce.

The aim of these schemes is to develop and restructure the sector ensuring it is profitable, innovative and sustainable - and to identify opportunities for jobs and enterprises in coastal communities, dependent on the sector.

This year will see the launch of new European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund schemes, with a value of 258M, further enhancing the sectors ability to develop.

These funds will be allocated for the management of fisheries, aquaculture and fishing fleets, and also cover measures such as scientific advice, controls and checks, market intelligence, maritime surveillance and security.

Commenting on her new role, Caroline Bocquel said: I am delighted to take on the role of CEO at BIM at this critical time, where the need for innovation and strong leadership has never been more necessary.

"The Irish seafood industry has shown enormous resilience and ingenuity in the face of challenges, turning them into opportunities in many cases. I am confident we can leverage the industrys skillsets to deliver BIMs vision to significantly boost value creation of an Irish sustainable seafood sector, across the supply chain, from catch to consumer.

"I look forward to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to deliver on this mission, particularly my colleagues on the senior leadership team, the wider BIM team, and the industry we serve.
Senator Erin McGreehan has encouraged women across Louth to get informed about Cervical Cancer Prevention.

Last week marked Cervical Cancer Prevention Week which is about Ireland's commitment to eliminating cervical cancer.

The HSE, NSS, NIO, and NCCP have developed a roadmap towards global targets set by the WHO to reduce cervical cancer.

The goals include HPV vaccination for 90% of girls by 2030, cervical screening for 70% of women by ages 35 and 45, and appropriate treatment for 90% of those identified with cervical disease.

The CervicalCheck program will soon launch a personal cervical screening review process to support women who develop cancer after the screening, with control of the process placed in the hands of the patient.

More information can be found on the HSE and NSS websites. #GetInformed is the key message for this Cervical Cancer Prevention Week.

Senator McGreehan said: We want everyone to know that cervical cancer is a preventable and treatable disease, if detected early and managed appropriately.

"Cervical cancer is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and can be reduced by getting vaccinated against HPV.

"The HPV vaccine is a safe and effective way to protect yourself against cervical cancer.

"A day to acknowledge is World cancer day which is next Saturday 4th of February, it is important to acknowledge the great work that has been done to improve cancer outcomes for people.

"We still have a way to go to improve and support cancer trials and treatments but we as a country are most definitely on a positive trajectory.

"In 2023 I look forward to continuing my work with the Oireachtas Cross Party Committee on Cancer and also my work supporting the progression of the All Ireland Cancer Research Institute.

"I am passionate about my campaign to ensure awareness for Breast Cancer, supporting research and also moving forward with myself and my Fianna Fail colleague Cllr Teresa Costello with our campaign to widen the age range for Breast Check."
Circumstantial evidence will be used in the case against two men accused of the robbery in which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was shot dead, the Special Criminal Court has heard.

James Flynn and Brendan Treanor are also accused of conspiring to commit a series of "creeper burglaries" in which thieves popped out the locks to the front doors of houses during the middle of the night and entered to steal car keys and other items.

Lorcan Staines SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said the prosecution would ask the court to draw inferences from phone contacts around the times of the burglaries between Mr Flynn, Mr Treanor and the man convicted of murdering Det Gda Donohoe, Aaron Brady.

He said inferences could also be drawn from the location of the cell sites their phones pinged off around the times when the burglaries happened.

Part of the evidence, counsel said, will be that a Satnav that had been in one car stolen in a creeper burglary was found by gardai when they stopped and searched James Flynn's father Eugene Flynn Snr at Dublin Airport in 2015.

Partially burned documents taken from a home in Cavan during another burglary in October 2012 were found in the house where Aaron Brady was living in March 2013, Mr Staines said.

Mr Staines said the prosecution accepts that the evidence in respect of each of the burglaries would not be sufficient to prosecute either accused in isolation. Taking all of the burglaries together, he said, "the pattern becomes clear in terms of the individuals involved in these highly similar crimes".

In relation to the robbery at Lordship Credit Union, Mr Staines said the evidence is circumstantial and the prosecution case will "stand or fall on the strength of many fine threads wound together."

The State, he said, would have to negate the statements from the accused in which they suggested that they had a "normal day of friendly association with each other and with Aaron Brady''.

Brendan Treanor (34), previously of Emer Terrace, Castletown Road, Dundalk, Co Louth, and James Flynn (32) from South Armagh are charged that between September 11, 2012 and 23 January 2013, they conspired with Aaron Brady and others to enter a house with the intention of stealing car keys.

Both men are also charged with the robbery of 7,000 at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth on January 25, 2013.

Aaron Brady (31) previously of New Road, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, is serving a 40-year prison sentence having been found guilty of murdering Det Gda Adrian Donohoe and of the burglary at Lordship.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the State had no legal defence to withhold disability payments from people in institutional care, but he stressed it is different in substance to the nursing home charges story.

It comes after RTE Investigates revealed the State denied thousands of vulnerable people in residential care their Disabled Persons Maintenance Allowance (DPMA).

A memo which dates back to 2009 reportedly outlined that if families were to take cases, they would likely succeed.

Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald said it was another strategy to conceal, to deny, to cover up, instead of protecting vulnerable citizens.

It comes after the Mail On Sunday revealed a legal strategy by the State in relation to families who were forced to use private nursing homes when public spaces were not available.

Where is the compassion & care for people? Why did successive governments deny people disability payments & nursing home refunds they were entitled to? Why, instead of standing up for people, did they face down some of the most vulnerable in our society?  @MaryLouMcDonald pic.twitter.com/y6iHF0nqRC  Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) February 1, 2023

It has been reported the strategy sought to settle the cases out of court to prevent further cases from being taken, in relation to charges for nursing home care deemed illegal by a 2010 Ombudsmans report into the issue.

Whether the charges are illegal has never been tested in the courts, but the State maintains there is no obligation on it to pay for private nursing home care.

Ms McDonald said vulnerable people need government to stand up for them  instead of governments facing them down and fighting them tooth and nail at every turn to deny them things that they were entitled to.

Mr Varadkar said the two issues are very different.

During leaders questions on Wednesday, he told Ms McDonald: The legal advice in relation to the DPMA was that the State didnt have a leg to stand on.

The legal advice in relation to the nursing homes is that those charges were not illegal, and thats never been established, deputy.

Youre making an assertion that is not established and hasnt been established and your ultimate assertion that people are prevented from going to court  nobody is prevented from going to court, deputy. You cant prevent somebody from going to court in Ireland. Thats an entirely false statement.

There were cases that were settled and there are cases that have not been settled and they may yet go to court, deputy, so that assertion is also false.

He added: The Disabled Persons Maintenance Allowance was paid between 73 and 96 under the Health Act of 1970 by the former health boards.

Im advised that the allowance  which could be and was used for food, heating, electricity, rent and so forth  was paid to people who could not provide for themselves.

The policy position at the time  rightly or wrongly, this going back to the 70s, 80s and 90s  was that this money was no longer required as the individuals were living in state-funded residential care and those needs were being met.

And so people with a disability who were resident in long-term care facilities did not receive this allowance after the first weeks in residential care. In 1996, the allowance was renamed the disability allowance and responsibility for it was transferred to the department of social, community and family affairs, as it was called at the time.

Since 2007, it has been paid in full to people with disabilities living in long-term care, so this matter was resolved 15 years ago.

However, the question that arose in 2009 is whether there should have been back pay  whether there should have been retrospection. It is a historic issue, it is a legacy issue, but it does appear different to the nursing home charges issue to me.

He said the government would look into the issue in the coming weeks before responding further.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik said the States approach to litigation was indistinguishable from any faceless private corporate entity  its a war of attrition against those who dare to sue it.

She called on the Government to re-evaluate the role of the Attorney General, and said it wasnt right or transparent that ministers can hide behind unpublished legal advice given by that office.

Mr Varadkar repeated that the issues are very different.

It does appear different to the nursing home charges issue to me, it appears different in substance because the legal advice is different, he said.

He added that the governments he has been a part of have worked to right the past wrongs of the State  mentioning cases of redress provided to people affected by Magdalene Laundries, Mother and Baby Home institutions, symphysiotomy, and mica and pyrite defects.

Weve put a huge amount of time and care and resources into putting right some of the wrongs of the past, even where there is no legal liability on the State, he said.

He said that this also involves protecting the taxpayer and to protect the common good, which means balancing the future and the past.

I do think the government has a responsibility to do what is right and just, and we do also have a responsibility to protect the taxpayer and the common good. You cant spend the same euro twice, he said.
A crowd gathered at the gates to the Irish parliament on Wednesday to call for action to be taken to protect women against violence and oppression.

The rally was held to coincide with St Brigids Day, with speakers asking that women be protected in the spirit of the Celtic goddess and Christian saint Brigid, who is associated with healing.

Among those who attended the rally were the family of Natalie McNally who read out a poem about violence against women.

Also in attendance were members of the Iranian community, students, representatives of the National Womens Council and feminist activist Ailbhe Smyth.

It is an emergency, it is an ongoing crisis, Ms Smyth told those gathered.

All decent men need to stand up actually along beside us as women, because women have not created this problem, it is up to men to address the problem, and to set about resolving it and stopping the violence and stopping the killings.

Wouldnt it be absolutely an incredible achievement for us to begin to see the figures (of women killed) come down rather than increase, and thats my hope on this St Brigids Day as I think of her as the healer and protector of women.

Roja Fazaeli, an associate professor in Islamic civilisations at Trinity, said as St Brigids Day is celebrated, it was important to raise the issues of the oppression of women across the world.

She said that Iranian women and men have backed the feminist movement Woman, Life, Freedom, sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini last year after, in the understanding that freedom for women means freedom for all.

Former TD and Rosa activist Ruth Coppinger criticised members of the far-right who oppose housing asylum seekers by claiming there is a threat to womens safety.

They dont care about violence against women, their macho behaviour perpetuates violence against women, she said.

The protest was organised by People Before Profit, and the socialist feminist movement Rosa is to organise another protest at Dublin citys the Spire on March 8 for International Womens Day.

A number of events were held across Ireland on Wednesday and throughout the week to mark St Brigids Day, including musical and cultural events, lightshows and Brigids cross-making events.

This year it holds a special significance as the inaugural bank holiday is taking place next Monday, February 6, in honour of the Celtic goddess and Christian saint  who is associated with poetry and nature.

This is the first Irish public holiday named after a woman.

In the Irish parliament, TDs held a minutes silence for peace to coincide with St Brigids Day and the start of the Celtic festival Imbolc, marking the start of spring.

Imbolc marks the start of the traditional Celtic new year as we move from winter into a period of light and hope, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said.

In this pause for peace, were asking people to come together to be inspired by the life of Brigid of Kildare, Brigid the peacemaker, the protector of the natural world, and a formidable force for justice, whose light shines evermore brightly today.
This file photo taken on Oct. 5, 2020 shows the logo of mobile messaging service WeChat on the screen of a tablet in Toulouse, southwestern France. AFP-Yonhap



China leads the world in counterfeit and pirated products, the office of U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai said in a report on Tuesday which identified WeChat, China's most popular chat app, as "one of the largest platforms for counterfeit goods."



"Counterfeit and pirated goods from China, together with transshipped goods from China to Hong Kong, accounted for 75 percent of the value of counterfeit and pirated goods seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in 2021," the U.S. government's latest report on "notorious markets" added.



The U.S. government identified 39 online markets and 33 physical markets that reportedly engage in or facilitate substantial trademark counterfeiting or copyright piracy.



"This includes continuing to identify the WeChat e-commerce ecosystem as one of the largest platforms for counterfeit goods in China," it added.



WeChat is China's most popular chat app with more than a billion active users and is owned by Chinese technology firm Tencent Holdings Limited.



The report alleged WeChat provided an e-commerce ecosystem that facilitated the distribution and sale of counterfeit products to users of the overall WeChat platform.



China-based online markets AliExpress, Baidu Wangpan, DHGate, Pinduoduo and Taobao also remain part of the notorious markets list, along with seven physical markets in China "that increasingly use brick-and-mortar storefronts to support online sales of counterfeits," the USTR office said on Tuesday.



The U.S. government added e-commerce sites operated by Tencent and Chinese tech giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd to its notorious markets list in early 2022.



"The Notorious Markets List is an important tool that urges the private sector and our trading partners to take action against these harmful practices," Tai said on Tuesday.



The Chinese government said at the time it did not agree with the U.S. government's decision to include some e-commerce sites in the list, calling the action "irresponsible."



Tencent also said at the time it strongly disagreed with the decision and Alibaba had said it will continue working with government agencies to address concerns about intellectual property protection across its platforms. (Reuters)


Turkish President and Leader of the Justice and Development Party Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during his party's group meeting at the Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara, Feb. 1. AFP-Yonhap



Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reaffirmed Wednesday that Turkey won't allow Sweden to join the NATO military alliance as long as it permits protests desecrating Islam's holy book to take place.



Turkey, which has been holding off approving Sweden and Finland's membership in the Western military alliance, has been infuriated by a series of demonstrations in Stockholm by activists who have burned the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy and hanged an effigy of Erdogan. It has indefinitely postponed a key meeting in Brussels that would have discussed the two Nordic countries' entry into NATO.



''Sweden, don't even bother! As long as you allow my holy book, the Quran, to be burned and torn, and you do so together with your security forces, we will not say 'yes' to your entry into NATO,'' Erdogan said in a speech to his ruling party's legislators.



Swedish government officials have distanced themselves from the protests, including by a far-right anti-Islam activist who burned copies of the Quran in Stockholm and Copenhagen, Denmark, while also stressing that the demonstrations are protected by freedom of speech.



On Tuesday, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson denounced the activists who carried out the demonstrations as ''useful idiots'' for foreign powers who want to inflict harm on the Scandinavian country as it seeks to join NATO.



''We have seen how foreign actors, even state actors, have used these manifestations to inflame the situation in a way that is directly harmful to Swedish security,'' Kristersson told reporters in Stockholm, without naming any countries.





Women chant slogans during a protest outside the Swedish consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, Jan. 22. AP-Yonhap
The Yelp app is seen on an iPad in Baltimore, in this March 19, 2018, file photo. There's been a sharp increase in the number of hate-filled business reviews spotted by Yelp's content moderators. AP-Yonhap



As if running a restaurant during a pandemic wasn't tough enough, Christopher Wong also had to contend with a racist troll.



''I will not have my dog eat in this place because they might cook him,'' read the Yelp review of Wong's eatery, the Curry Up Cafe in suburban Los Angeles. ''The owner works for the Chinese government.''



Yelp removed the review after Wong and several regular customers complained, but not before it had already been seen by an unknown number of potential customers.



''If one person read that and decided not to come in, that's someone who could have been a satisfied customer for years,'' Wong told The Associated Press.



Last year, Yelp, which is based in San Francisco, removed more than 2,000 racist business reviews before they went online  a nearly 10-fold jump over the year before.



It's a sharp increase that reflects improved efforts by Yelp to combat racist content and shows how even a site known for reviews of restaurants and repair services can become ensnared in America's ongoing battle over online civility.



While the content included hate speech targeting Black, Latino and LGBTQ people, too, the largest increase was seen in reviews denigrating Asian Americans and Asian American-owned businesses, according to Yelp, which included the figures in its annual trust and safety report, released Wednesday.



In 2021, Yelp proactively removed only nine posts that included anti-Asian hate. In 2022, it removed 475.



Yelp first began tracking racial hate speech on its platform in 2020, just as Asian Americans experienced a rise in racially motivated hatred related to COVID-19, which was first identified in China. Then-President Donald Trump added to the controversy, referring to the coronavirus as ''kung flu'' and '' the Chinese virus.''



In that context, an increase in racist restaurant reviews isn't surprising, according to University of Michigan marketing professor Justin Huang, author of a recent study that found Asian restaurants saw an 18% drop in customers compared with non-Asian restaurants in the same communities in 2020, equating to more than $7 billion in lost revenue.



''We've seen an increase in violent incidents, in random attacks,'' Huang said. ''Anti-Asian stigmatization during the pandemic really runs the gamut.''



In total, Yelp said, it removed 26,500 business reviews last year that violated its rules about hate speech, threats or lewdness, an overall increase of 1,300 over the year before.



Similar to the increase in anti-Asian content, Yelp proactively removed hundreds of reviews containing anti-LGBTQ hate speech in last year. Similar content has thrived on social media, both on fringe sites popular with extremists as well as broad platforms like Twitter, which has experienced a rise in racist posts following its purchase by Elon Musk.



Yelp has fine-tuned its efforts to identify and remove racist content since the pandemic began. In 2020, the platform started allowing businesses to identify that they had a Black, Latino, Asian or LGBTQ owner. As part of the designation, Yelp proactively assesses customer reviews for hate speech before they are posted online.



Noorie Malik, Yelp's vice president of user operations, said the company is ''aggressive'' when it comes to taking down ''unreliable'' reviews, including those that contain hate speech.



''The trust and safety of the Yelp community is a top priority,'' Malik wrote in a statement emailed to the AP. ''Which is why we continue to heavily invest in both technology and human moderation.'' (AP)


A two-month suspended jail term was imposed on a 44-year-old man for shouting obscenities at gardai in Cork and calling one officer a f***ing muppet.

John Paul Heffernan of 30 Loughmahon Road, Mahon, Cork, pleaded guilty at Cork District Court to engaging in threatening behaviour and being drunk and a source of danger to himself or others.

The case related to an incident on January 30 2022 when gardai received a call to call to Phoenix Street. Security staff at a premises were restraining him.

Garda Stuart Crichton observed him this incident and heard the accused shouting obscenities and making threats.

Sergeant Gearoid Davis said the accused fled on foot but was caught and arrested nearby at Pembroke Street.
SPECIALIST cleaning works are set to commence at Corks historic Butter Exchange in Shandon ahead of its transformation into a state-of-the-art technology hub and enterprise centre.

Recreate Shandon CLG, the group behind the ambitious redevelopment plans, said the cleaning of heritage elements, including the portico and external walls, marks the first stage of the proposal to upgrade the former Butter Exchange building and craft centre, which has lain vacant for many years.

The non-profit enterprise, set up in 2020, said the main work proposed is a cleaning and tidy up of the external elevations of the existing street elevation of the site, including the external walls and portico, which involves specialist removal of plant growth and moss, steam cleaning of the plasterwork and brickwork, and repairing joints and loose material.

The works are confined to the external historic fabric and some essential associated repairs that are likely to arise.

Read More 1 in 20 homes vacant in county Cork

Shandon Butter Exchange is a protected structure in the Cork City Development Plan and is included on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. The Butter Market Exchange is also located in the Shandon Architectural Conservation Area, as identified in the current Development Plan.

Recreate Shandon CLG was given the green light for the redevelopment plans last June.

The development is set to include co-working office units, meeting rooms, a multi-purpose room at ground-floor level for communal use, a canteen/break room, sanitary facilities, and more.

In addition to other reports, an architectural heritage impact assessment was submitted as part of the application and states that the aim of the architectural project is to minimise necessary demolitions and to provide a new use for the iconic building through the rehabilitation of the protected structure.

Cleaning works are due to go to tender in the coming days, with a view to appointing a specialist contractor in mid-March.

The project is expected to take approximately two or three weeks to complete.

Fianna Fail councillor Tony Fitzgerald welcomed the plans for the cleaning works to what he described as an iconic building ahead of the redevelopment.

I think local people will be delighted and it will add to the attraction of visiting the Shandon area, he continued.

Sinn Fein councillor Mick Nugent also welcomed the update.

Hopefully it will be the first step in the redevelopment and opening up of the building by Recreate Shandon, he said.

Recreate Shandon has also stated that it intends to apply for funding from Enterprise Ireland from their Regional Enterprise Development Fund to regenerate the building for modern office use.
Vivienne Clarke

The co-author of the 2010 Who Cares Report, Fintan Butler, has rejected the Governments assertion that the strategy for dealing with nursing home charges was "legitimate".

Mr Butler told RTE radios Morning Ireland that he did not think most people would accept that as a reasonable position. The "so-called legitimate strategy" was denying peoples rights, he said.

First of all, it's preventing the issue being clarified legally. It's acting in a very hostile and aggressive manner towards people who are the victims of all of this. And essentially what's happening is the strategy is treating this litigation as if it was simply another piece of litigation among equals.

This is not litigation among equals. This is the strength of the State against its own citizens.

This is not litigation among equals. This is the strength of the State against its own citizens.

Mr Butler pointed out that in the past the Ombudsman had recommended some form of redress and that there should be some form of action that could be taken by vulnerable groups in class action type situations where their rights could be established and protected without individual people having to put themselves at risk by taking court action.

The present controversy is not about people who were in public nursing homes, it's about people who by default had to go into a private nursing home.

I heard somebody say, some politician say on the radio yesterday, if you choose to go privately, you cannot expect the state to pick up the cost. Now, that's unfortunately a misrepresentation of what was happening.

Mostly these were people who did not have a choice. There was a shortage of public nursing home places, people needed to go somewhere, so they ended up in private care.

Mr Butler said it was surprising that the issue had not yet been dealt with given the Ombudsmans detailed report in 2010. It was now an historical issue, with nothing to do with the current level of entitlements.

It's about the situation of people, who, up to about 2006, 2007, who had to pay for private care because they chose to go elsewhere. And unlike people who went into public nursing homes who were refunded costs incurred back in the late 2000, these people have never been compensated.

What's annoying is that there has been a strategy to prevent the matter ever being legally clarified.

And the Department of Health maintains the position that you have no entitlement to compensation. What's annoying is that there has been a strategy to prevent the matter ever being legally clarified. There has never been any opportunity to test that definitively, both in the court case and the strategy has been to prevent that ever being clarified.

I just wonder whether it's actually practical, feasible to test it in court because due to the court actions initiated by some, a very small minority of people affected, the most recent one was in 2013. The vast majority of these cases were initiated in 2005, 2006. I don't know the procedures in court, but you can revive a procedure which was begun and lapsed.

The Ombudsman did recommend some kind of redress, but not the full compensation. It was at a very critical time for the state finances.

Mr Butler added that he thought the level of exposure to redress had been grossly exaggerated".

I don't really know what the cost might be, but it doesn't seem very likely that there will now be much money ever paid out to the previous people because except the government introduces some new redress scheme.
Techtextil North America and Texprocess Americas 2023

SPONSORED CONTENT  Techtextil North America and Texprocess Americas will once again be reunited for one large, co-located industry event in May 2023. The exhibition will build on the success of previous years by bringing together technical textiles, nonwovens, and sewn product sectors, amassing exhibitors from across the globe to showcase the latest, most innovative technologies from all industry sectors. The platform presents an amazing opportunity for visitors to gain essential industry insight, reinforce B2B connections, and become equipped with solutions needed to optimize their production.

The disruptions caused due to the pandemic have created the need for more flexible sourcing and automated technologies that allow the industry to efficiently scale up production, says Kristy Meade, Vice President of Technical Shows. Development in future-oriented fields such as 3D design, blockchain, and sustainable processes are providing multi-faceted insights for businesses to upgrade their shop floors, and Techtextil North America and Texprocess Americas will serve as the ideal industry meeting point to see these advancements in person. At the 2023 edition, visitors can expect to find the most relevant, on-trend innovations and can discover for themselves how new R&D developments and technologies are revolutionizing all kinds of industries from apparel to upholstery to agriculture to construction  opening doors for the industrys diverse sourcing needs.

Attendee registration is live. Companies interested in visiting can register here to attend Techtextil North America or here to attend Texprocess Americas, to get access to both shows. Likewise, companies interested in exhibiting can check out the information and latest floorplans and reserve a booth for Techtextil North America here and Texprocess Americas here.

This is a significant year for the sewn product industry to rebuild supply chains and optimize efficiency, says Michael McDonald, President of SPESA. The synergy created through these co-located shows will generate a business environment that encourages the exchange of knowledge, resources, and technology that not only benefits the companies that participate in the show but also strengthens our collective industries. We are extremely excited to bring the latest advancements of sewn product industry suppliers to live audiences in 2023 and provide a platform in which they can instantly engage with and respond to the information they are being presented.

Covering trending topics and the most pressing industry challenges, the Symposium will feature a series of educational sessions about new technologies, through which attendees will also be able to gain in-depth business insights. At these highly acclaimed sessions, industry experts will discuss some of the most pivotal advancements being made in technical textile, nonwoven, and sewn product technology and will highlight ways in which these advancements are changing the industry landscape.

Techtextil North Americas versatile range of displays will target agriculture, construction, furniture, apparel, and more. The technologies on display at Techtextil North America can be applied across diverse industry sectors, making it a must-visit platform for visitors to make sourcing decisions. Similarly, Texprocess Americas is the perfect business platform for all professionals involved in the sewn products industry  including retail, brand, and manufacturing executives  to meet with leading international manufacturers and distributors of machinery, equipment, parts, supplies, systems, technology, supply chain solutions, and other products and services used for the development of sewn products.

Together, the Techtextil North America and Texprocess Americas platforms aim to empower attendees to integrate technology and fuel innovation that will drive the textile and sewn product industries forward and will be a pivotal meeting point in 2023!
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.

2022 was a difficult year for the European Union energy-wise. Russias invasion of Ukraine in February reduced the supply and upped the price of gas, while a summer drought strained its hydroelectric resources.

Despite these challenges, it ended up being a promising year for renewable energy in the bloc, a new report from energy think tank Ember has revealed. For the first time, wind and solar generated more than a fifth of the EUs electricity, more than any other single energy source including gas and coal.

Europe has avoided the worst of the energy crisis, Ember head of data insights Dave Jones said in the report. The shocks of 2022 only caused a minor ripple in coal power and a huge wave of support for renewables. Any fears of a coal rebound are now dead. Europes clean power transition emerges from this crisis stronger than ever.

BREAKING #Solar & #Wind generated a record 1/5 of EU electricity in 2022, for the first time overtaking fossil gas.



Despite the #gascrisis and record lows in hydro and nuclear, Europe prevented a threatened return to coal power.#EER2023 https://t.co/j5ijp266xC pic.twitter.com/sfZ11fYFRa  Ember (@EmberClimate) January 31, 2023

The findings come from the European Electricity Review 2023, Embers seventh annual report on power generation in the EU. 2022 was a pivotal year for the blocs energy transition because it saw the triple crisis of reduced Russian gas, a one-in-500 year drought and nuclear outages in France, according to the report and Carbon Brief.

Before Russias invasion of Ukraine, the EU got a third of its gas from the country. In the aftermath, Russia reduced supplies and the EU sanctioned coal and oil imports from the country. This led to concerns that energy security would override climate action as a priority for European leaders. Indeed, 26 11-gigawatt (GW) coal plants were returned to emergency standby, and the EU imported 22 million more tonnes of coal than in 2021, according to Energy Monitor. At the same time, there was actually not much switching between coal and gas in 2022 because that had already occurred in 2021 when gas prices started to rise.

There was no further gas-to-coal switching possible in 2022, Jones told Carbon Brief.

In addition to gas supply issues, however, a historic drought saw hydropower fall to its lowest levels since at least 2000 while French nuclear plants suffered an outage right when German plants had been set to retire, the report noted. Because of this, the bloc saw a 185 terawatt-hour (TWh) gap in electricity generation, which was as much as seven percent of the EUs demand for the year.

In this instance, wind and solar came through, making up five-sixths of that gap. Fossil fuels filled in the last sixth, and overall fossil generation did rise by three percent compared to 2021. As part of this, coal use did rise by seven percent compared to 2021and power sector emissions rose by 3.9 percentits rise was much smaller than feared.

It could have been much worse: wind, solar and a fall in electricity demand prevented a much larger return to coal, Ember wrote.

Together, wind and solar made up a total of 22.3 percent of the EUs electricity mix, more than nuclear at 21.9 percent and gas at 19.9 percent, Carbon Brief reported. This was the first year that wind and solar had generated more than nuclear and gas, while they had already passed coal in 2019 and hydro in 2015. That said, nuclear and hydro together still generated more electricity than wind and solar in 2022, according to Ember.

Of the new carbon-free energy sources, solar had the biggest year, generating 39 more TWh than in 2021, an increase of more than 24 percent. This was made possible by a record 41 GW worth of new solar installations, up 47 percent from 2021 a worthy investment since it helped prevent an extra 10 billion in gas expenditures. Twenty EU countries also broke records for highest amount of electricity from solar to date.

Solar is stepping up right when Europe needs it most, SolarPower Europe CEO Walburga Hemetsberger told Euronews Green in response to the report. These new numbers show that rapid solar growth is truly the foundation of the energy transition.

Record growth in wind and solar helped fill the EU's hydro and nuclear deficit.



Solar generation rose the fastest, up 24% in 2022, almost twice its previous record. 20 countries set new solar records.



3/10 #EER2023 https://t.co/j5ijp26Ena pic.twitter.com/k9K2fRWsdl  Ember (@EmberClimate) January 31, 2023

Going forward, Ember predicts an even greener 2023, with wind and solar rising by around 20 percent, hydro and nuclear recovering and fossil power potentially falling by a record 20 percent. Coal generation already fell during the last four months of 2022 because of decreased demand, and two thirds of the EUs extra imported coal were never used.

We forecast a record fall of 20% in EU fossil generation in 2023  almost 2x the previous record in 2020.



Why? Record growth in wind & solar, falling electricity demand and a return to normal for hydro reservoirs and French nuclear plants.#EER2023 https://t.co/j5ijp266xC pic.twitter.com/si6s3Er9e9  Ember (@EmberClimate) January 31, 2023

Not only are European countries still committed to phasing out coal, they are now striving to phase out gas as well, Jones said in the report. The energy crisis has undoubtedly sped up Europes electricity transition. Europe is hurtling towards a clean, electrified economy, and this will be on full display in 2023. Change is coming fast, and everyone needs to be ready for it.




Iceland sets funds for creation of fishing farming degree

Iceland is allocating millions of kroner to help the country's leading universities develop a degree course in fish farming.

The money is part of an kr1.2 billion (US$8.5 million) overall education package announced by Industry and Innovations Minister Aslaug Arna Sigurbjornsdottir.

The project is supported by the University of Holum, the University of Iceland, the University of Akureyri, the Agricultural University of Iceland and the University Centre of Vestfjorur. They have been allocated around kr58 million (US$411,220) to offer Bachelor of Science (BSc) and Masters of Science (MSc) programmes in farming, cultivation and the utilisation of marine and aquatic organisms, along with coordinated research and research infrastructure.

The minister said: "The project will contribute to Iceland's leadership role in sustainable (fish) farming and takes full account of public policies on sustainability, climate issues and biological diversity."

Iceland looks set to develop its own aquaculture learning facilities.

Isafjorur High School recently signed a cooperation agreement with three leading aquaculture companies in the Westfjords region, Arctic Fish, Arnarlax and Haafell ehf, for secondary school courses in fish farming in collaboration with the Westfjords regional development office.

The fish farming companies have made a startup contribution and classes will start later this year.

Arnarlax said the industry is growing rapidly, especially in the west of Iceland but there was a serious shortage of personnel to handle that expansion.

- Fish Farmer
Netflix brings spatial audio to hundreds more titles, but only for Premium subscribers You'll be able to download shows and movies to more devices for offline viewing.

Last summer, Netflix started using a spatial audio system that doesn't require dedicated equipment. After debuting the tech with season four of Stranger Things and a few other other titles, Netflix is now rolling it out more broadly. However, you'll need to be subscribed to the top-end Premium tier to check it out. The company says spatial audio is now available on more than 700 of its most-watched titles, including The Watcher, Wednesday and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.

A spatial audio badge on shows and movies will make it clearer if a title supports that format. You can also search for "spatial audio" to see the full list of supported titles. In the coming months, you'll be able to check out more series and films with spatial audio enabled, including You, Your Place or Mine, Luther: The Fallen Sun and Tour de France.

Netflix teamed up with Sennheiser to use Ambeo 2-Channel Spatial Audio tech. It's designed for built-in stereo speakers, particularly laptops and tablets. Netflix says spatial audio should be effective on TVs that aren't too far away from the viewer and phones with stereo speakers. The company claims that its spatial audio will offer a more immersive experience to those wearing headphones too.

Premium subscribers are getting another boost starting today, which could come in especially handy for those who watch Netflix shows and movies on the go and across several devices. You'll now be able to download titles to six different devices, up from four. That's six more devices than users on the ad-supported plan can download TV series and films to.
PayPal is about to become the latest tech company to lay off a substantial part of its workforce. The payments firm announced Tuesday plans to cut approximately 2,000 employees, a number that equates to about seven percent of its total staff. According to PayPal president and CEO Dan Schulman, the layoffs will occur over the next few weeks, with some parts of the company affected more than others.

We will treat our departing colleagues with the utmost respect and empathy, provide them with generous packages, engage in consultation where required and support them with their transitions, Schulman said. I want to express my personal appreciation for the meaningful contributions they have made to PayPal.

The company joins a growing list of tech companies that have announced layoffs in recent months. Earlier this month, Google disclosed plans to lay off 12,000 employees, or about around six percent of its global workforce. Before that, Microsoft said it would cut 10,000 jobs. Schulman, like his counterparts at Microsoft, Google and other tech firms, blamed PayPal's layoffs on the challenging macro-economic environment the company finds itself in recently. While we have made substantial progress in right-sizing our cost structure, and focused our resources on our core strategic priorities, we have more work to do, he said.

Its worth noting the US economy has not entered into a recession yet. At 3.5 percent, the national unemployment rate is at a 50-year low, and the gross domestic product grew over the last quarters. Turning specifically to PayPal, the company beat Wall Street expectations during its most recent earnings call, with revenue and income increasing by 11 percent and 7 percent year on year, respectively.
True to the rumors, Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy Book 3 line  including the company's first-ever Ultra laptop model. The Galaxy Book 3 Pro, Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360 convertible and Galaxy Book 3 Ultra all center around 120Hz, 2,880 x 1,800 "Dynamic AMOLED 2X" displays with technology lifted directly from Samsung's higher-end smartphones. You'll only find touch input on the Pro 360, but this still promises rich colors (120 percent of the DCI-P3 gamut), smooth responses and DisplayHDR True Black 500 support.

The 16-inch Galaxy Book 3 Ultra (pictured above) is, unsurprisingly, billed as a performance powerhouse. It comes with up to a 13th-gen Intel Core i9 and NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 4070 graphics  this is very much a gaming machine. You can also expect up to 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD (with an expansion slot), a 1080p webcam and an AKG-tuned quad speaker array with Dolby Atmos surround. Two Thunderbolt 4 ports, one USB-A port, a microSD slot, a headphone jack and HDMI round out connectivity. The Ultra is an easy-to-carry system despite the specs, weighing 3.9lbs and measuring 0.65in thick thanks to a "full" aluminum frame that you'll also find in other models.

Samsung

The Galaxy Book 3 Pro and Pro 360 (middle) are more conventional thin-and-light portables. Both support up to a 13th-gen Core i7 and lean on integrated Iris Xe graphics. They support up to 32GB of RAM a 1TB SSD and the ports of the Ultra, but don't have the Ultra's expansion or HDMI 2.0 compatibility (only HDMI 1.4). The Pro is available in a very light (2.42lbs) 14-inch model as well as a 16-inch (3.4lbs) configuration, while the Pro 360 is only available in a 16-inch (3.7lbs) variant. The touchscreen laptop does have optional 5G, however.

Integration with Samsung's phones is tighter than before, too. Multi Control now lets you steer your handset (not just your tablet) using the Galaxy Book 3's keyboard and trackpad  you can drag-and-drop content between devices. You can automatically upload the phones' Expert RAW photos and edit them in Adobe Lightroom, too. The company is also eager to note support for Microsoft Phone Link, including new productivity features. You can quickly continue web browsing on your computer, or quickly connect to your phone's hotspot.

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Prices start at $1,249 for the Galaxy Book 3 Pro, $1,399 for the Pro 360 and $2,199 for the Ultra. Pre-orders begin today. They'll ship on February 17th, starting with the Pro and Pro 360 notebooks. It's evident that the Ultra is the headliner, though, as it's one of the few truly portable laptops that can still deliver the performance needed for games and heavy-duty media editing.
After the fall of FTX and other foibles, there are strong calls for new rules.

UK government reveals 'robust' plans to regulate crypto After the fall of FTX and other foibles, there are strong calls for new rules.

The UK government has detailed "ambitious" plans to regulate the crypto industry, with proposals on stronger rules for trading platforms, crypto lending, new token issues and more. The goal, it says, is to protect consumers and businesses, while enabling "a new and exciting sector to safely flourish and grow," it wrote in a press release.

Last year saw the fall of FTX, Celsius and other crypto exchanges, along with wildly fluctuating prices for Bitcoin, Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies. As a result, critics in the UK have been calling for new rules that protect consumers from the "crypto wild-west," as the opposition Labour party's Tulip Siddiq put it.

The UK government plans to strengthen rules around the operation of crypto trading firms like FTX, along with other financial intermediaries. The primary aim, it wrote, is to enhance consumer protection and the ability of exchanges to weather storms. As part of that, it's proposing what it calls a "crypto market abuse regime" that would create rules around money laundering and other illegal schemes. It also plans to strengthen laws around cryptocurrency lending.

At the same time, the treasury department is introducing a time-limited exemption that would allow designated crypto firms to issue new tokens. Companies registered with the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for anti-money laundering purposes would be allowed to issue coins while the new regulations are written.

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In January 2022, the UK government promised a crackdown on misleading crypto ads, but that now seems quaint given the tumultuous year that followed. At the time, the government figured that around 2.3 million people in the country owned a cryptoasset.

Today's proposal "delivers on the original policy intention of the measure to promote innovation, enhance consumer protection and ensure that cryptoasset promotions can be held to equivalent standards as promotions of financial services products with similar risk profiles," the government said. The consultation will close on April 30th, 2023, at which point regulators will review feedback and formulate a response.
One of my first part-time high school jobs was in telemarketing. I worked for a company that had a contract with a state police organization to raise money for the disabled officers fund. Yes, I was one of those annoying people who would call you during dinner and try to guilt you into giving money to support disabled police officers. Whether you think it is a good cause or not, that job opened my eyes the importance of incentives.

After a year or so on the job, the office manager pulled me and another guy aside and offered us promotions to part-time office managers. Each of us would take the managing duties for two nights a week and we were free to develop strategies for our team of callers that would give them the incentive to raise as much money as possible. Our pay was contingent on the performance of the team.

My competitor chose the following strategy: At the end of the night we will add up all of the committed pledges and you will get paid an equal percentage of the total of all pledged donations.

His thinking was that by providing equal incentives to everyone, everyone would work harder.

My strategy: At the end of the night you will be paid a percentage of the donations you bring in.

My thinking was that everyone would have more of an incentive to work if they were paid according to their own results.

At the end of a month guess who had been paid more as manager? Yep, I won.

Now you may be tempted to say "But it's not all about profit, it might be the case that your strategy made a lot of money for one really good caller and everyone else made almost nothing." That's right, that may very well have been the case, but remember the overall goal--to make as much money as possible for everyone involved: In particular the disabled police officers. My strategy resulted in a bigger overall pie to be divided among everyone involved. That's efficiency. But is efficiency all it's cracked up to be? Is efficiency fair?

In deciding how best to allocate our scarce economic resources, many argue that there is a trade-off between equity and efficiency. As Greg Mankiw puts it in his now standard Principles of Microeconomics textbook:

Another trade-off society faces is between efficiency and equality. Efficiency means that society is getting the maximum benefits from its scarce resources. Equality means that those benefits are distributed uniformly among society's members...When government policies are designed, these two goals often conflict...In other words, when the government tries to cut the economic pie into more equal slices, the pie gets smaller.

Or as Winston Churchill put it:

The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery.

I agree with Mankiw, to an extent. That was the point of my example at the beginning of this post, given the goal of maximizing the size of the economic pie, a policy which aims at efficiency creates incentives inconsistent with the goal. There is a way to reallocate the scarce resources (in that case the employees) to better achieve the goal of maximizing donations. Conditional on a given goal, we can define an allocation as efficient or not efficient and evaluate that based on objective/observable outcomes.

But what is missing from this discussion and what is implicitly assumed in Mankiw's definition of efficiency is that everyone is OK with the goal of maximizing the size of the economic pie. Efficiency does not imply the goal of maximizing total economic productivity; to the contrary, maximizing total economic productivity is the subjective goal to which the objective definition of efficiency is being applied.

This distinction is important because it is often assumed that there is a one-to-one correspondence between total economic productivity and total societal well-being or happiness. Therefore to improve societal well-being, concerns of equity must be thrown away since total economic productivity can only be maximized through efficiency. Hence the trade-off. But what if there is not a one-to-one correspondence between happiness and total economic productivity? Does that render the concept of efficiency--and consequently economics--useless?

Quite the contrary and this is where some of the critics of economics overreact when they see Mankiw-like definitions of efficiency. Efficiency is usually defined with the underlying subjective goal of maximizing total productivity. But what if society values equality? That is, what if total productivity is only part of what determines well-being and people actually care about making sure others are looked after--at least minimally. Then we can't be efficient right? According to the definition of efficiency above, that's right. There is no way to efficiently achieve the goal of maximizing total economic productivity if our goal is to maximize something else.

The trade-off that is typically discussed between equity and efficiency is really a trade-off between equity and total economic productivity. The logical problem comes in assuming that total economic productivity and total well-being are synonymous. But what if part of our societal goal is some concept of equity? Can we still achieve it efficiently? I'm pretty sure. Efficiency doesn't have to be predicated on the particular goal of maximizing total economic productivity. So with that, I offer the following definition of efficiency:

Efficiency is achieving a particular social goal using the least amount of society's resources as possible.

That social goal may be total economic productivity, or it may be any one of a million other distributions of social well being. No matter the goal, economics provides a valuable set of tools for understanding how to achieve those goals using the least amount of society's resources--and thereby freeing those resources for other uses (or nonuses).

With that said, I will reveal my hand. I believe maximizing total productivity is the best goal. I fully recognize that this is a subjective stance. But conditional on that, well-functioning markets are the best way of achieving that goal and imposing equity concerns up front lessen the incentive to achieve the maximum productivity. That is Mankiw's point. There are after-the-fact ways to transfer wealth that don't distort the incentives created by well-functioning markets.

Make the pie big first. Then slice it.
Here is the current lineup of the Environmental Economics blog contributing economists. These folks have offered at least one post since our inception. Follow the links for a brief introduction and/or webpage link:
Do you believe people buy more at lower prices and less at higher prices? Do you believe that sellers want to sell more at higher prices and less at lower prices? When I teach principles of economics, I start the class by asking two questions: After I get almost universal agreement--and I do because I tell them their grade hinges on agreeing with me--I tell them: Then you believe that markets work. So let's take a quick look the basics and then use it to explain why the current high gas prices are your fault.

Believing that people buy less at higher prices and that sellers want to sell more at higher prices means that you believe that price and quantity demanded are inversely related and that price and quantity supplied are directly related. If we put this onto a standard graph with prices on the vertical axis and quantity on the horizontal axis then believing those two statements means we can draw an downward sloping demand curve and an upward sloping supply curve. Bear with me...the good stuff's coming.

OK, so we now know that demand and supply can be drawn as an X on an L shaped graph. Just like the picture on the right. After the buyers and sellers bargain with each other until everyone is happy the market price and quantity stabilize. This is called the equilibrium--the point (Q0, P0) on the graph--and it means that those willing and able to buy the good are the ones who get it, and those willing and able to sell the good are the ones who sell. Just so you know I'm not using sleight of hand, remember, all of this hinges on you agreeing that people buy more at low prices and sellers want to sell more at high prices, that's all.

Now that the market is stable, we can start to figure out why prices and quantities change. There are only 4 things that can change a price: Demand increases, Demand decreases, Supply increases or Supply decreases. If you understand these 4 cases, you can identify the cause of almost any price or quantity change in any market--that's a pretty powerful statement, but supply and demand is a pretty powerful tool.

Increases and decreases in supply and demand are represented by shifts to the left (decreases) or right (increases) of the demand or supply curve. After the demand or supply changes, buyers and sellers renegotiate the deals they had previously made and the price and quantity are adjusted according to these deals. When everyone is happy again, we can compare the new price and quantity to the old and see what happened. Again, all of this depends only on you agreeing that people buy more at low prices and sellers want to sell more at high prices.

The picture on the right lays out all four of the possible market changes. You'll notice that each of the inset pictures has one of the four possible market changes. You'll also notice that each market change causes a uniquely identifiable change in the price, quantity combination:

Demand Increase: price increases, quantity increases. Demand Decrease: price decreases, quantity decreases. Supply Increase: price decreases, quantity increases. Supply Decrease: price increases, quantity decreases.

So if you observe a price and quantity changing, you know have a powerful tool for understanding the underlying cause.

Take the case of high gas prices. From Reuters:

Millions of Americans will drive their cars to visit family and friends over the Thanksgiving holiday even though gasoline is above $3.00 per gallon, travel and leisure group AAA said Thursday. About 38.7 million Americans, 1.5 percent more than last year, will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, AAA estimated, based on a national Web survey of 2,200 adults.

The price per mile of travel is increasing (gas prices are increasing) and miles traveled are increasing relative to last year. The only thing consistent with higher prices and higher quantity is an increase in demand. If high gas prices were supply driven we would see consumption decreasing, not increasing.

And all you have to believe is people buy less at higher prices and that seller want to sell more at higher prices. That's all.
Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Basic Human Needs

We are social creatures in need of love community and family. But the other two basic needs for achievement and power, define the essence of the manufacturing and military contradiction. Achievements lead to economic growth mainly through new manufacturing, while Power is the essence of the international political arena of military spending. Achievement relates to economic growth just as Power relates to politics and control. Empire, while usually thought of in geographic terms, in peace economics terms is best defined and measured by high levels of military spending relative to the size of a national economy. An empire society will have dominant levels of military spending compared to others. Just as achievement leads to creativity and growth, power leads to limitation and control. Control is important to guide things but is not a part of creativity and economic growth

Control Is the Essence of Empire

National Security is the argument for empire conventionally speaking. But it's really all about controlling the environment the country is in. Bigger dominant and sprawling are all attractions that drive that control impulse. Power is the goal while control is the mechanism. Individual glory for a national leader is a great historical driver of many wars and expansions. Control puts law and order restrictions front and center. Control means more lawyers and red tape than low military Europe or Japan have. Lawyers for control, Engineers for economic growth and inventions. Lots of lawyers in the empire control-oriented society, the Romans are famous for the development of law. Lots of engineers in the high growth societies. Yankee ingenuity.

Domestic Consequences of Control

Politics and crime are the leading areas directly affected by empire militarism. Yet several bad health statistics also correlate strongly with empire. Teen Births, Mental Illness, and Obesity each correlate a robust 0.8 rounded to the nearest tenth. Homicides and Prisoners likewise correlate a robust 0.8 rounded to the nearest tenth or better. On the economic front, military spending correlates over 0.9 with a lack of social mobility and high manufacturing CEO pay. Income inequality also correlates about 0.8 with military spending (empire), about the same as low press freedom media (using Reporters without Borders data). Empire weakens the economy, making a society unequal, crime ridden, and unhealthy compared to other advanced economies. Many people will die due to crime rising, the limited economics, dehumanization (of enemies and crime victims), and kill training of troops. More people will be murdered domestically during peacetime than die during wars. Murder is one way to destroy domestic peace. The peace economics imperative to increase prosperity and reduce murders will also reduce wars. This will do more for peace than an African peace deal or media against tyrants. Recognition of the two hard science theories in my work will make this kind of social progress inevitable.

Limits of Politics

In the seventy-eight years since the end of World War II the USA politics has evolved like the Roman Empire did, in this way: America is evolving from democracy towards dictatorship just as the Roman Empire evolved out of the Roman Republic. Eisenhower was shocked to witness the scramble for military dollars, warning about the military industrial complex achieving undue influence over America. Dehumanization has flourished over time and exploded under Trump. The confederacy, the South, has flipped from Democratic to Republican. Over time moderates have lost out to the Southern extremists with the rise of the Tea Party in 2010. Polarization has grown stronger and stronger as the extreme party has treated Democrats as enemies, a process that duplicates what happens in wartime. The Roman Empire had many civil wars under the emperor system, which started with Augustus in 27 BC.

Crime

Many people will die due to crime rising, limited economics, dehumanization (of enemies and crime victims), and kill training of troops. Militarism leads to crime in the deviant 2%. In recent decades crime has evolved slowly, changing with changes in the military budget with about a six-year delay (child development into an at-risk status takes time, although teachers can recognize the problem kids right away). At one time kids saw 18,000 murders on TV by the time they grew up. The doubling of gun deaths since 2015 is anomalous to this gradual pattern, suggesting Trump rhetoric and encouragement to treat others violently throughout his career has born fruit, with some help from the pandemic. Trump tactics and Covid isolation and fear have contributed to the quadrupling of domestic terrorism in the last few years.

Militarism Control Empire Social Decay:

https://www.academia.edu/11421799/MILITARISM_CONTROL_Empire_Social_Decay_WWW_97_6p

Please cite this work as follows: Reuschlein, Robert. (2023, January 31), "Power, Control, and Empire" Madison, WI, Real Economy Institute. Retrieved from: https://www.expertclick.com/NewsRelease/Power,-Control,-and-Empire,2023291000.aspx

Dr. Peace, Professor Robert Reuschlein, Real Economy Institute, Nobel Peace Prize nominee 2016-2023 with accelerating interest from the deciding Norwegians. A consistently growing pattern shows intense interest in my work on my expertclick.com website; daily "hard looks" per year went from 2 to 3 to 48 to 128 to 200 to 322 to 346 by the October 7th, 2022 Nobel Peace Prize announcement time.

Contact: bobreuschlein@gmail.com

Info: www.realeconomy.com
NEWS FLASH





Norwegian carrier Flyr has ceased operations and filed for bankruptcy today, resulting in the termination of its planned new seasonal flights to Croatia. Flyr commenced services at the end of June 2021 and operated two weekly seasonal flights from Oslo to Dubrovnik and Zadar, as well as a one weekly rotation between Bergen and Zadar. The airline built up a network combining domestic routes with popular international city and resort destinations in Europe. It boasted a fleet of five Boeing 737s, including the MAX.
A year ago, Boris Johnson made people jittery by reporting that Vladimir Putin threatened to fire a missile at him in the runup to Russias invasion of Ukraine. He apparently is no longer worried. Johnson is no longer prime minister of the U.K., and this week he basked in the safety of the United States.

Johnson toured Capitol Hill Tuesday, meeting with U.S. lawmakers not only to press the case that Ukraine needs more military aid to beat back the Russians, but also that they deserve membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

I am here primarily to recognize and pay tribute to the immense U.S. contribution to the security of the Ukrainian people. There is no doubt that without the United States it would have been much more difficult for the Ukrainians to have turned the tide of this war, Johnson wrote in a statement.

The former leader of Britains Conservative Party has already met with a number of American conservatives who are predisposed to raise a skeptical brow to the tens of billions of dollars in military financial aid the Biden administration has sent to Ukraine.

A member of his staff told RealClearPolitics that he plans to lunch with the Republican Study Committee Wednesday. Similar meetings for Senate Republicans are also in the works.

My mission is to demonstrate that Ukraine will win, Johnson said in a statement to RCP, and that there is no conceivable case for delay in further supporting the Ukrainians to win this year. We should have no fear of escalation when it comes to the provision of weaponry.

The United States has rallied the West to support Ukraine, and President Biden has repeatedly pledged to keep that lifeline of financial aid and military equipment open as long as it takes, so Russia cannot in fact defeat Ukraine and move beyond Ukraine. But Republicans are increasingly skeptical.

House Republicans report that they were charmed by the former prime minister, but they share the sentiment of Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who promised late last year that there would no longer be a free blank check. Particularly worrisome for many of the fiscal conservatives on the Hill? The possibility of corruption and graft in Ukraine.

Rep. James Comer, the Kentucky Republican now chairing the House Oversight Committee, told RCP last week that he plans on combing through receipts for signs of waste or misuse.

With any massive government spending comes the opportunity for waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement. Ukraine aid is no different, Comer told RCP, before adding that Congress owes it to the taxpayer to conduct oversight over the tens of billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars sent overseas.

The White House insists that U.S. aid to Ukraine has gone where it was intended and been used for its designed purpose. John Kirby, Bidens national security spokesman, confirmed to RCP that the administration has not seen any misuse of either dollars or bullets so far. Neither military nor financial assistance, he said, have fallen prey to any kind of corruption in Ukraine.

While Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has said that supplying Ukraine remains the number one priority for most members of his party, some conservatives argue that the focus should be on problems at home. McCarthy himself warned late last year in an interview with Punchbowl News that voters may lose their appetite for generosity if domestic challenges like the border go unaddressed. Ukraine is important, he said, but at the same time it cant be the only thing they do.

For Americas European allies, the danger isnt so far removed. Johnson watched the Russian invasion from his post at 10 Downing Street last year after warning Putin that aggression would lead to sanctions and a more muscular NATO. That is when the Russian president casually floated bringing a missile down on the head of the then-prime minister.

He threatened me at one point and said, you know: Boris, I dont want to hurt you but with a missile it would only take a minute, or something like that, Johnson recalled during an interview for a BBC documentary about the war in Ukraine. In his recollection, Putin was just being jolly.

From the very relaxed tone that he was taking, the sort of air of detachment that he seemed to have, Johnson added, he was just playing along with my attempts to get him to negotiate.

The West has been anything but relaxed in their response to Russian aggression. After the U.K. pledged to send tanks to Ukraine and Germany said it would follow suit  but only if the U.S. did as well  Biden announced last week that he would send 31 Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine, armor that the administration hopes will help turn the tide come spring. For his part, Johnson now serves as an unofficial ambassador to keep that aid flowing  and more.

Writing in the Washington Post, the Brit called for Ukraine to officially join NATO, a possibility that the Russians have long found unacceptable.

The truth is, if you had asked me before Putins invasion when Ukraine would join NATO, I would have said, Roughly when hell freezes over, or not for at least 10 years, he wrote.

But then, if you had asked me whether we would now be sending Challenger tanks to Ukraine, or Abrams tanks, or whether the Germans would now be sending Leopard tanks  I would have thought you were mad. Just as I would have thought you were mad if you had told me that Putin was going to invade, he added.

When Russian tanks started rolling across the Ukraine, Johnson concluded, Moscows argument against Kyiv joining NATO went up in smoke: They had a case once, and they were heard with respect. That case has been pulverized by the bombs and missiles of Putin.
Proponents of Senate Bill 208 line up to testify in favor of the measure at the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee on Jan. 31, 2023. (Photo by Blair Miller, Daily Montanan)

Republican lawmakers in Montana want to preemptively stop any local governments from banning various energy sources amid a national conversation about gas stove bans, even though no local governments are considering such a prohibition, the sponsor said Tuesday.

More than a dozen proponents spoke in favor of Senate Bill 208, sponsored by Sen. Jason Small, R-Busby, including representatives from energy companies, restaurants, the building industry and unions, who said such bans would hurt their respective business sectors.

Basically, just energy freedom, Small told the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee to summarize his bill.

Opponents said the measure was another attempt by the state to take local control away from city and county governments, which they said should have the freedom to make their own decisions, much as states have those rights in the nations federalist system.

You need to allow local governments to make decisions for what they believe is best for their communities, said Ross Butcher, a commissioner from Fergus County, the lone county in Montana with self-governing powers, according to Butcher and Eric Bryson, with the Montana Association of Counties (MACO).

Smalls bill would deny all local governments, including Fergus County, the ability to make any ordinances, resolutions or policies that either impede or prohibit the use of electric, natural gas, propane or other energy sources provided by any utility or energy provider.

It would also bar the state from putting a prohibition or limitation on any energy source into the state building code.

Bryson, testifying in opposition on behalf of MACO, said he and the organization were fine with the section on the state building code but against the rest.

Leave local decisions for local elected officials, Bryson said.

In early January, a commissioner on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission caused uproar in some circles when he said the agency would consider banning gas stoves to cut down on indoor air pollution. The commissions chairman clarified two days later that was not under consideration.

Congressman Ryan Zinke, R-Montana, was among the politicians who voiced outrage over a potential ban. He tweeted a graphic of a pot on a gas stove overlaid with the words from my cold, dead hands the day after the commission chairman said there would be no ban.

Berkeley, California, was the first local government in the country to ban natural gas hookups in new developments in 2019, saying it was a way to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions and harmful indoor pollutants. Other largely Democrat-controlled cities followed suit with similar prohibitions, including San Francisco and New York City. Denver had considered a ban in December but tabled the discussion for the time being.

At least 20 mostly Republican-controlled states, including Wyoming, Utah and Arizona, have adopted preemption laws in response to the efforts.

Nationwide in 2020, commercial and residential emissions made up about 13% of greenhouse gas emissions, about 80% of which came from natural gas consumption, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

In Montana, residential and commercial emissions made up 8.8% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2020, according to the EPA. The states largest greenhouse gas producer is the agricultural industry, which emits about 35.1% of greenhouse gases, per the EPA data.

Ian Lund, testifying in opposition on behalf of the Montana Environmental Information Center, said the emissions pose health and safety risks inside homes and businesses. He said gas stoves alone put significantly larger amounts of toxic gases into homes than electric stoves.

The American Public Health Association said in a November report gas stove emissions can cause risks of illness in vulnerable populations.

Proponents argued that preserving energy options would be the best foot forward in a state that sees a wide range of energy sources used in heating homes and businesses, as well as in cooking.

Shelby Demars, speaking as a proponent on behalf of the Montana Association of Oil, Gas and Coal Counties, said while the organization was not necessarily a fan of local government preemptive bans, it was making an exception on this measure. Union members representing mining and energy workers said any bans would threaten union jobs.

Bryson told the committee he didnt believe there were any MACO members who were even considering such a ban. He said continuing to add preemptive bans at the state level further erodes the importance of local government.

And during questions, Small confirmed to Sen. Christopher Pope, D-Bozeman, there were not any local governments even considering such a ban currently.

This is pretty preemptive at this moment in time, Small said.

The post Montana bill seeks to preemptively prohibit bans on energy sources appeared first on Daily Montanan.
First Milk has become the latest processor to announce a substantial milk price fall for March, declining by 4p per litre.

The move means its milk price on a manufacturing standard litre will sit at 45.69p per litre, including the member premium.

The UK dairy co-operative said there was the "biggest disjoint ever" between market prices and current farmgate milk prices.

Robert Craig, First Milk's vice-chairman, said the sentiment in global dairy markets had been weakening for some time.

"This has accelerated significantly since the beginning of January, and we are now seeing week-on-week reductions in dairy market prices.

"We are also seeing probably the biggest disjoint ever between market prices and current farmgate milk prices.

We have been pleased to hold milk price up until this point, providing some stability through the winter period, but we are not immune to market forces and, whilst disappointing, we must adjust our milk price to reflect market movements.

We recognise that this will be unwelcome news and we will continue to do all we can to reduce the speed and impact of the falling market for our members.

Dairy farmers supplying Muller who meet the conditions of the processor's Advantage scheme will also see a March milk price decline, of 3ppl.

Those producers who follow the programme will see their milk price fall to 44 pence per litre.

It follows recent analysis by AHDB which said that milk prices are set to change direction this year following record-breaking price increases in 2022.

Changes to milk prices for the start of 2023 have been downwards, with just one exception, and are the first reductions in almost two years.

Assuming the typical lag of three-four months, prices are projected to see further cuts into the spring, the levy board said.
A-Plan Rural Insurance have set up a Rural Community blog as part of their work on social media to contribute to farmers' efforts in showcasing British farming.

The blog invites farmers to give their experiences in the industry, sharing their contributions to over 120,000 followers on Instagram.

Bridging the gap between farm and the consumer is something that lots of farmers are trying to do in an effort to help more people understand the reality of what goes into producing their food.

Since starting the blog, A-Plan Rural have worked with a great variety of farmers from differing backgrounds and locations all over the UK.

They previously spoke with Ioan Humphrey, a sheep farmer based in Wales, who has generated a large Instagram following from his content that shares the ups and downs he experiences on his farm.

In their latest blog, they spoke with Millie, a sheep farmer based in Kent, who used to work in the public services but is now a shepherdess.

They asked Millie some questions around her journey into farming, her life as a shepherdess, and how times of year (like Easter) influence her day-to-day decisions.

Read the full blog here.
Chaos, distrust, frustration -- Three years on, Britain still troubled by Brexit crisis

Xinhua) 15:11, February 01, 2023

Photo taken on Jan. 31, 2020 shows an image of the text "UK VOTES OUT" on a giant screen as pro-Brexit supporters celebrating Brexit at a gathering at Parliament Square in London, Britain. (Photo by Stephen Chung/Xinhua)

The future of the relationship will depend on political will on both sides, which is far from guaranteed, said the UK in a Changing Europe report in January.

LONDON, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- This January, three years after its departure from the European Union (EU) in 2020, Britain still suffers from division with parliament members continuing to pressure the prime minister on Brexit's consequences during their weekly conventions.

"It's clear that Brexit and its hold over British politics remains strong," noted Sophie Stowers from the academic network UK in a Changing Europe. "Britain has been split into two distinct camps: 'Leavers' and 'Remainers'."

Brexit chaos has showed no sign of stopping. The divorce has turned out to be long and unpleasant, full of quarrels and distrust, both inside Britain as well as between it and the bloc. As much evidence has showed, the British economy has suffered much, and frustration has grown over the unfulfilled promises. Worse yet, no quick solution is in sight.

ECONOMIC TOLL

"There's now a reasonable consensus that the effects of Brexit on the UK economy have been negative," Professor Iain Begg from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) told Xinhua. "It's more an incremental, small, bit-by-bit, drip-by-drip effect on the British economy. But it's mainly been in one direction of being negative."

Evidence abounds that both households and businesses have been hit hard. Brexit added an average of 210 pounds (258.4 U.S. dollars) to household food bills in the EU over the two years to the end of 2021, and cost British consumers a total of 5.8 billion pounds (7.1 billion dollars) with higher food bills, research from the LSE Centre for Economic Performance showed in December 2022.

A man stands at the entrance of a store in Basingstoke, Britain on Nov. 13, 2022. (Photo by Tim Ireland/Xinhua)

"And since low-income households spend a greater share of their income on food than richer families, these Brexit-driven price rises had a proportionately greater impact on the poorest people," the study added.

Companies have also felt the blow. Nearly half businesses still found Brexit challenging, while only a third could envisage opportunities materializing from Brexit, a report published by the Institute of Directors in November 2022 showed.

Businesses said that they have lost clients as a result of Brexit, and that they have had to divert supply chains and relocate to the EU to keep trading, said the report, noting that EU firms are pulling out of Britain as an export market because of the barriers.

"Businesses feel they are banging their heads against a brick wall as nothing has been done to help them," said Shevaun Haviland, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce. "The longer the current problems go unchecked, the more EU traders go elsewhere, and the more damage is done."

Brexit has inevitably led to tax rises as well, because a slower-growing economy requires higher taxation to fund public services and benefits, said deputy director John Springford at the think tank Centre for European Reform. If Brexit had not happened, he added, most of the tax rises that the government announced in March 2022 would not have been necessary.

A report published by think tank Resolution Foundation in June 2022 found that since 2019, Britain had experienced a sharp decline of 8 percentage points in trade openness, or total trade as a share of GDP. It's estimated that labor productivity will be reduced by 1.3 percent by the end of the decade due to changes in trading rules alone.

While the debate on the impact of Brexit has implied a one-off shock, adjustment will be gradual and create a lasting impact on Britain's competitiveness and productivity over the coming decade, the report noted.

BROKEN PROMISES

One of the illusory promises of Brexit was it would enable Britain to cut quick-and-easy trade deals, but this has not happened with the EU, by far its largest partner, nor with the United States, said John Kampfner from the policy institute Chatham House in a December 2022 article.

Photo taken on Dec. 31, 2020 shows a general view of the Port of Dover, following the end of the Brexit Transition Period, in Dover, Britain. (Photo by Tim Ireland/Xinhua)

"Considerable effort, and resource, has been expended on devising an independent trade policy. Once again, the results are limited," Kampfner noted. "Much of Brexit's Global Britain dream was based on reviving deeper relationships with the Commonwealth. Again, this is proving harder than originally envisaged."

The reality is that the vast majority of the 71 deals reached since Brexit are rollover agreements with countries that already had trade agreements with the EU, according to researcher Stephen Hunsaker at the UK in a Changing Europe in January. Even though the existing UK-Japan agreement was slightly modified, analysts cautioned that it will provide no net gain compared to the EU-Japan deal, Hunsaker added.

Also, migration was quite a big deal in Brexit debates, but two years on from the end of free movement, the level of net migration certainly has not fallen, said Torsten Bell, chief executive at the Resolution Foundation.

Statistics show net migration continued to add to the population in the year ending June 2022, with an estimated 504,000 more people arriving long-term to the UK than departing.

"EU migration has decreased sharply, while there has been a substantial increase in non-EU migration. Combined with other factors, this has led to migration overall running at record levels," said a report published by UK in a Changing Europe in January.

"The new system has seen increases in work visas in the health sector, and some other high-skilled service sectors, while other sectors, such as hospitality, which were previously more dependent on EU workers, are seeing labour shortages," it added.

Regrets have been growing. The number of Leave voters who think it was wrong for Britain to vote leave the EU has been steadily increasing since 2021, hitting a record 19 percent in November 2022, YouGov data showed, identifying the top reason as "just a general sense that things have gotten worse since Brexit."

Simon Wolfson, chief executive of the retailer Next, called for more foreign workers in Britain during a recent media interview. It is "not the Brexit I wanted," said the Brexit supporter.

CONTINUED CHAOS

A dispute over the Northern Ireland Protocol, the rules governing post-Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland, has strained Britain's relations with the EU, even stoking worries of a trade war. Tension grew when the British government in June 2022 introduced a bill to unilaterally change parts of the protocol, which the EU said was not acceptable.

A vehicle moves past a border sign near Newry, Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom, on June 14, 2022. (Photo by Colum Lynch/Xinhua)

Under the protocol, Northern Ireland is part of British customs territory but is subject to the EU's customs code, value-added tax rules and single market rules for goods. However, a de facto Irish Sea border was thus created between the British mainland and Northern Ireland, meaning goods transported to and from Northern Ireland are subject to border controls.

This has elicited firm opposition from Northern Ireland's pro-Brexit Democratic Unionist Party, which has demanded the removal or replacement of the protocol as a precondition for it to sit in the assembly and form a devolved government. Political chaos has continued.

The British government's approach to resolving the problems with the protocol has been counterproductive and has further undermined trust, said Hilary Benn, the Labour Member of Parliament for Leeds Central, in September 2022.

"One of the most striking features of Brexit is that those who argued most strongly for it appear unwilling to take any responsibility for its consequences. Nowhere has this been demonstrated more clearly than in the case of the Northern Ireland Protocol," Benn noted.

More recently, with efforts to heal the rifts, progress was made in Britain-EU talks. Nevertheless, gaps remained, and analysts expect a long road ahead for the two sides to settle their disputes.

The future of the relationship will depend on political will on both sides, which is far from guaranteed, said the UK in a Changing Europe report in January. "What seems clear, however, is that the relationship is far from settled. Brexit will not be 'done' for a while yet."

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
The holy city of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh is a cultural hub, offering the visitor spirituality, music, food and more

Varanasi, also called Benares or Kashi, is a city that offers every visitor an unforgettable experience, and its welcoming people are a big part of that experience.





Find Spirituality In Varanasi

Spirituality is very much a part of culture, and in Varanasi, one of Hinduisms holiest cities, you can be sure of finding plenty to give you peace. The River Ganga flows through the city, and on her numerous stepped banks (ghats), you will find the cycles of life and death being played out. Dont miss the opportunity to be present at the morning and evening aartis and prayers at Assi Ghat and Dashashwamedh Ghat respectively, take a boat ride on the river, and stroll the banks.



The government has made it easier for visitors to get closer to the innate spirituality of Varanasi by building the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Corridor, which allows pilgrims to easily get from the ghats to the iconic Kashi Vishwanath Mandir. It also affords them the opportunity to marvel at the many ancient temples that were discovered and restored during the construction of the corridor.

Varanasi is also significant to Buddhism  the Buddha is said to have given his first sermon at Sarnath nearby after attaining enlightenment in Bodh Gaya  and to Jainism as the birthplace of four tirthankaras.
Today, the European Commission has presented a Green Deal Industrial Plan to enhance the competitiveness of Europe's net-zero industry and support the fast transition to climate neutrality. The Plan aims to provide a more supportive environment for the scaling up of the European Unions (EU) manufacturing capacity for the net-zero technologies and products required to meet Europe's ambitious climate targets.

The plan builds on previous initiatives and relies on the strengths of the EU Single Market, complementing ongoing efforts under the European Green Deal and REPowerEU. It is based on four pillars: a predictable and simplified regulatory environment, speeding up access to finance, enhancing skills, and open trade for resilient supply chains, the Commission said in a media release.

Today, the European Commission has presented a Green Deal Industrial Plan to enhance the competitiveness of Europe's net-zero industry and support the fast transition to climate neutrality. The plan aims to provide a more supportive environment for the scaling up of the European Union's (EU) manufacturing capacity for the net-zero technologies.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said: We have a once in a generation opportunity to show the way with speed, ambition, and a sense of purpose to secure the EU's industrial lead in the fast-growing net-zero technology sector. Europe is determined to lead the clean tech revolution. For our companies and people, it means turning skills into quality jobs and innovation into mass production, thanks to a simpler and faster framework. Better access to finance will allow our key clean tech industries to scale up quickly.

A predictable and simplified regulatory environment, the first pillar of the plan, is about a simpler regulatory framework. The Commission will propose a Net-Zero Industry Act to identify goals for net-zero industrial capacity and provide a regulatory framework suited for its quick deployment, ensuring simplified and fast-track permitting, promoting European strategic projects, and developing standards to support the scale-up of technologies across the Single Market. The framework will be complemented by the Critical Raw Materials Act, to ensure sufficient access to those materials.

Faster access to funding, the second pillar of the plan, will speed up investment and financing for clean tech production in Europe. Public financing, in conjunction with further progress on the European Capital Markets Union, can unlock the huge amounts of private financing required for the green transition. In order to speed up and simplify aid granting, the Commission will consult Member States on an amended Temporary State aid Crisis and Transition Framework, and it will revise the General Block Exemption Regulation in light of the Green Deal, increasing notification thresholds for support for green investments. Among others, this will contribute to further streamline and simplify the approval of IPCEI-related projects.

The Commission will also facilitate the use of existing EU funds for financing clean tech innovation, manufacturing and deployment. The Commission is also exploring avenues to achieve greater common financing at EU level to support investments in manufacturing of net-zero technologies, based on an ongoing investment needs assessment. The Commission will work with Member States in the short term, with a focus on REPowerEU, InvestEU and the Innovation Fund, on a bridging solution to provide fast and targeted support. For the mid-term, the Commission intends to give a structural answer to the investment needs, by proposing a European Sovereignty Fund in the context of the review of the multi-annual financial framework before summer 2023, the release added.

As between 35 per cent and 40 per cent of all jobs could be affected by the green transition, developing the skills, which is the third pillar, is needed for well-paid quality jobs will be a priority for the European Year of Skills, and the third pillar of the plan will focus on it.

To develop the skills for a people centred green transition the Commission will propose to establish Net-Zero Industry Academies to roll out up-skilling and re-skilling programmes in strategic industries. It will also consider how to combine a Skills-first' approach, recognising actual skills, with existing approaches based on qualifications, and how to facilitate access of third country nationals to EU labour markets in priority sectors, as well as measures to foster and align public and private funding for skills development.

The fourth pillar will be about global cooperation and making trade work for the green transition, under the principles of fair competition and open trade, building on the engagements with the EU's partners and the work of the World Trade Organization. To that end, the Commission will continue to develop the EU's network of Free Trade Agreements and other forms of cooperation with partners to support the green transition. It will also explore the creation of a Critical Raw Materials Club, to bring together raw material 'consumers' and resource-rich countries to ensure global security of supply through a competitive and diversified industrial base, and of Clean Tech/Net-Zero Industrial Partnerships.

The Commission will also protect the Single Market from unfair trade in the clean tech sector and will use its instruments to ensure that foreign subsidies do not distort competition in the Single Market, also in the clean-tech sector.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)
STEINHAUSEN, Switzerland, Jan. 31, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG) announced today that the ultra-deepwater drillship, Dhirubhai Deepwater KG2, has been awarded a 910-day contract by a national oil company for work offshore Brazil. The estimated backlog of $392 million excludes a mobilization fee of 90 times the contract dayrate.



The new contract is expected to commence in the third quarter of 2023.

About Transocean

Transocean is a leading international provider of offshore contract drilling services for oil and gas wells. Transocean specializes in technically demanding sectors of the global offshore drilling business with a particular focus on deepwater and harsh environment drilling services, and operates the highest specification floating offshore drilling fleet in the world.

Transocean owns or has partial ownership interests in and operates a fleet of 38 mobile offshore drilling units, consisting of 28 ultra-deepwater floaters and 10 harsh environment floaters. In addition, Transocean is constructing one ultra-deepwater drillship and holds a partial ownership interest in a company that is constructing another ultra-deepwater drillship.

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements described herein that are not historical facts 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. These statements could contain words such as "possible," "intend," "will," "if," "expect," or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and assumptions, and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. As a result, actual results could differ materially from those indicated in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, estimated duration of customer contracts, contract dayrate amounts, future contract commencement dates and locations, planned shipyard projects and other out-of-service time, sales of drilling units, timing of the company's newbuild deliveries, operating hazards and delays, risks associated with international operations, actions by customers and other third parties, the fluctuation of current and future prices of oil and gas, the global and regional supply and demand for oil and gas, the intention to scrap certain drilling rigs, the success of our business following prior acquisitions, the effects of the spread of and mitigation efforts by governments, businesses and individuals related to contagious illnesses, such as COVID-19, and other factors, including those and other risks discussed in the company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, and in the company's other filings with the SEC, which are available free of charge on the SEC's website at: www.sec.gov. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize (or the other consequences of such a development worsen), or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the company or to persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by reference to these risks and uncertainties. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur, or which we become aware of, after the date hereof, except as otherwise may be required by law. All non-GAAP financial measure reconciliations to the most comparative GAAP measure are displayed in quantitative schedules on the company's website at: www.deepwater.com.

This press release, or referenced documents, do not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, and do not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act ("FinSA") or advertising within the meaning of the FinSA. Investors must rely on their own evaluation of Transocean and its securities, including the merits and risks involved. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of Transocean.

Analyst Contact:

Alison Johnson

+1 713-232-7214

Media Contact:

Pam Easton

+1 713-232-7647
HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, Feb. 01, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Vinamilk, Vietnam's leading dairy brand, announces that Vinamilk Optimum Gold - manufactured in Vietnam, is the first dairy formula milk product in Asia that was awarded the Clean Label Project Purity Award 2022.





This is a testament to Vinamilk's pioneering efforts to keep pace with the world's highest standards and demonstrates its persistence with the uncompromising philosophy of quality for Vietnamese children's products. Vinamilk's representative also added that the company is currently submitting evaluation documents for other Vinamilk products to raise the quality standards of its entire children products portfolio.

"Prestigious awards, such as the Purity Award, require our production not only to adhere to strict ingredient end-to-end safety standards from raw materials to the final products but also to ensure full packaging information transparency. This achievement is a great encouragement to Vinamilk in striving towards its commitment to bringing nutritional products of international standards to Vietnamese people, especially children," shared Mr. Nguyen Quoc Khanh, Executive Director of R&D at Vinamilk.

Jaclyn Bowen, Executive Director of Clean Label Project, further explained, "The awards are given by CLP to brands whose products emphasize the purity of ingredients. We greatly appreciate the efforts of businesses like Vinamilk in setting higher standards for milk products for children."





In addition, two other fresh milk products, Vinamilk Green Farm and 100% Organic are also the first fresh milk products in the world to achieve the Clean Label Project certification for brands that not only have increased transparency but are also forthright in product labeling. With these, Vinamilk is now the first brand in Asia that owns both fresh milk and baby formula with certifications and awards from the CLP.

About Vinamilk

Established in 1976, Vinamilk is the 36th largest dairy company in the world in terms of revenue, with a brand value in the Top 10 most valuable global brands. Vinamilk currently manages 15 farms and 17 factories locally and abroad, built and operated with international standards. The company's products are exported to 57 countries and territories, where baby formula products have accounted for the majority of the total export revenue.

Learn more at www.vinamilk.com.vn

About Clean Label Project

The Clean Label Project is a non-profit organization founded in the United States with a mission to bring honesty and transparency to the labeling of food and consumer products. The Clean Label Project (CLP) conducts rigorous tests and assessments to award brands whose products focus on purity and exceed the minimum regulatory requirements required by the US - FDA based on scientific evidence.

The Clean Label Project (CLP) encourages businesses and brands to come together to address growing consumer concerns about industrial and environmental pollutants and toxic substances in both food and beverages. products and consumer products.

Find more information at www.CleanLabelProject.org

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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.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Branded food company Conagra Brands Inc. has recalled about 2.58 million pounds of canned meat and poultry products citing a packaging defect, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service sad in a statement. According to the agency, the possible packaging defect may cause the products to become contaminated without showing any outward signs of contamination. The recall was initiated after the establishment notified FSIS after observing spoiled and/or leaking cans from multiple production dates at the establishment's warehouse. As per investigation, the affected cans may have been damaged in a manner that is not readily apparent to consumers, which may allow foodborne pathogens to enter the cans. However, there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of the products to date. The recalled products mainly include Armour Star branded products such as Vienna Sausages Chicken, Chicken Vienna Sausage, Vienna Sausage Original, Potted Meat, Vienna Original, and Original Vienna Sausage, among others. Further, other branded products such as Kroger Vienna Sausages, Goya Vienna Sausage, Prairie Belt Vienna Sausage, Hargis House Potted Meat, and Grace Chicken Vienna Sausage and others are also part of the recall. The affected meat and poultry products were produced between December 12, 2022, and January 13, 2023, and shipped to retail locations nationwide. The products subject to recall bear establishment number 'P4247' on the product cans. FSIS is concerned that some product may be on retail shelves or in consumers' pantries, and urged them to throw away the products or return them to the place of purchase. For More Such Health News, visit rttnews.com Copyright(c) 2023 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.




ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, Feb 1, 2023 - (ACN Newswire) - The international securitization specialist GenTwo celebrates its 5th anniversary and looks back on a fast-paced development. In 2022 the number of new products increased by 60% and international business doubled.The business momentum of GenTwo and its subsidiary GenTwo Digital has progressively picked up since the company was founded 5 years ago in February 2018. The products issued on its platform recorded over USD 1 billion in new inflows, resulting in a surge in assets under services growth to USD 2.5 billion as of today, despite the challenging market environment in 2022.The number of new products increased by 60% to a total of 900. This impressive growth underpins the ongoing high level of interest in alternative and digital investments among institutional clients around the world and Gen Two's expertise to provide flexible portfolio structuring for investors."We were able to broaden our customer base once again in 2022 nationally and are currently servicing clients in over 25 countries. The number of clients grew by almost 50%, even 100% on an international level," says Philippe A. Naegeli,Co-Founder, and CEO.This success is also based on a solidly developed and diverse workforce with an above-the-industry F/M gender ratio of 35:65, with 21 nationalities, totaling up to 70 employees.Patrick Loepfe, Founder and Chairman of the Board says, "A 2022 highlight was the extension of the offering for financial intermediaries to retail investors. This move will transform the market for alternative and digital investment products and marks another pioneering achievement for GenTwo."The main focus of 2023 remains on the continuous improvement and build-out of the service platform and its further digitization and client-centric automation. Additionally, the company pursues its international growth strategy by further internationalizing its customer base, onboarding more financial institutions onto its platform, and growing its ecosystem for investors and innovators.About GenTwo and GenTwo DigitalZurich-based innovative securitization specialist GenTwo has invented a new generation of financial products. The company creates securitization platforms for asset managers, banks, family offices and venture capital investors, enabling professional investors to easily invest in bankable and previously non-bankable assets. The focus on off-balance sheet investment products solves the problem of declining margins and growth barriers for many financial market participants. New performance potential emerges through granting access to a theoretically unlimited world of asset classes. Institutional investors can use GenTwo's securitization solution to realize their own product and business innovations, to make any type of assets investable and to help shape new, sustainable markets. Private investors in Switzerland can now also benefit from these innovative products via their financial intermediaries, thereby giving GenTwo the opportunity to open and expand its customer base to retail investors.About GenTwo DigitalGenTwo Digital is based in Crypto Valley in Zug, Switzerland. The subsidiary of GenTwo enables professional investors around the world, and now also private investors in Switzerland, to securitize all digital assets, including crypto assets, in securities on the traditional financial market via their financial intermediaries.Web: GenTwo.comContact GenTwoSimone C. DrillChief Marketing & Communication Officermedia@gentwo.com+41 79 207 33 49Source: GenTwo AGCopyright 2023 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.


Mr Azman Jaafar, Managing Partner of RHTLaw Asia, and Mr Anil Changaroth, Partner of RHTLaw Asia [L-R]

SINGAPORE, Feb 1, 2023 - (ACN Newswire) - Singapore headquartered regional law firm RHTLaw Asia has merged with ChangAroth Chambers LLC to strengthen its Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice with the addition of Appropriate Dispute Resolution veteran Mr Anil Changaroth and his team. Mr Changaroth has been appointed a Partner in RHTLaw Asia.Mr Changaroth, who is an internationally accredited mediator and arbitrator, previously managed ChangAroth Chambers' practice with a focus on Appropriate Dispute Resolution in the areas of commercial, civil, criminal matters and corporate advisory work in particular infrastructure, building and construction projects.Mr Changaroth, said, "The merger enables us to widen our reach with our core capabilities now complemented by RHTLaw Asia's regional access and ONERHT's multidisciplinary professional services. We see significant opportunities for growth in conflict avoidance and appropriate dispute resolution including with collabrative contracting in building, construction and infrastructure as projects resume post-Covid. In the ASEAN region, sustained economic growth and urbanization will boost the construction of transport and energy infrastructure as well as urban built environment projects."RHTLaw Asia Managing Partner, Mr Azman Jaafar, said, "We will continue to strengthen our practice through synergistic opportunities here in Singapore and the region. The talents at ChangAroth Chambers LLC are a welcome addition to our team as we roll out our new ONERHT Client UX strategy together with our core multidisciplinary capabilities."A multilingual advocate in facilitative and restorative justice, Mr Changaroth is an experienced conflict avoidance and dispute resolution practitioner who has represented parties from across the Asia Pacific region. With graduate certificates in Law and Technology, AI and Machine Learning, and Diversity-Equity-Inclusion, Mr Changaroth also holds a Master of Science in Construction Law and Arbitration from Kings College London and the National University of Singapore.About RHTLaw Asia LLPRHTLaw Asia LLP is a leading regional law firm headquartered in Singapore with a network of offices in 16 jurisdictions in Asia, Oceania, Middle East and Africa under the ASEAN Plus Group (APG) comprising over 2,000 lawyers. We help clients understand the local challenges, navigate the regional complexity to deliver the competitive advantage for their businesses in Asia. We are also the Singapore member of the Interlex Group, a global network of leading law firms. RHTLaw Asia collaborates with ONERHT, an integrated network of multidisciplinary professional services, through entities which are not affiliates, branches, or subsidiaries of RHTLaw Asia LLP. For more details, please visit www.rhtlawasia.comAbout ONERHTSince 2011, RHTLaw Asia's founding team aspired to develop a second engine of growth through ONERHT, an independent ecosystem of professional services, associated companies and networks, complementing RHTLaw's full service legal offerings. Together as ONE, we deliver comprehensive integrated business solutions. For more details, please visit www.onerht.comFor media queries, please contact:Elliot Siow / elliot.siow@rhtgoc.com / +65 8375 0417Source: RHTLaw Asia LLPCopyright 2023 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
eureKARE welcomesDirac Biosciencesas first companyintoits biomedical start-up studio

Innovative gene circuit technology has the potential to detect and treat cancerous and other diseased cells

Luxembourg, Belgium, and Paris, France - 1February2023: eureKARE, an innovative investment company for disruptive synthetic biology applications, welcomes Dirac Biosciences, the first company to be supported and housed in its biomedical start-up studio in Brussels, Belgium. Dirac Biosciences is applying advanced synthetic biology tools to create next generation therapeutics.

Gene circuits allow cells to be programmed in very specific ways, enabling a targeted response to specific activity happening inside a cell or in its external environment. Dirac's circuit technology enables the building of next-generation therapeutics that could adapt to changing states of disease. This means that they would have the ability to become active in very specific contexts and tailor the treatment delivered within the body in real-time.

Dirac Biosciences has been co-founded by eureKARE, the Technical University of Darmstadt (TUDA), Germany, and Prof. Dr. Heinz Koeppl from the Centre for Synthetic Biology of TUDA. The Centre is well recognized in the European synthetic biology community for excellent and relevant science in this emerging and disruptive field, with special expertise in advanced computational tools and models.

Dirac's initial focus is on oncology. According to World Health Organization and World Cancer Research Fund International reports, in 2020, 18.1 millionpeople were diagnosed with cancer and nearly 10 millionlost their lives to it. In Europe, the overall economic impact of cancer is estimated to exceed 100 billion annuallyand mortality is set to increase by more than 29% by 2040. Unless decisive action is taken, this clinical and economic burden will grow. These figures support why early cancer detection and appropriate therapy are key public health priorities in the 21st century.

In this context, Dirac Biosciences is developing an innovative synthetic biology-based technology with two major goals: (1) To create a computational platform for the rapid design of gene circuits for different targets or cancer types; (2) To build circuits that can detect cancer early in the development of the disease and to increase the specificity of anti-cancer therapy. The company's cutting-edge gene circuits aim to sense cancer biomarkers associated with poor prognosis and metastasis development and treat only diseased cells. Dirac Biosciences' technology would include several competitive advantages, including the capacity to design next-generation therapeutics that address cancer in a faster and more cost-efficient way as well with a low toxicity profile due to the ability to distinguish between healthy and diseased cells.

eureKARE's Biomedical Start-up Studio

eureKARE's biomedical start-up studio is focused on creating the next generation of cell and gene therapies using disruptive synthetic biology tools and approaches. The studio in Belgium is part of eureKARE's synthetic biology studio network, a new model of start-up creation and development which nurtures high-quality European synthetic biology. It acts as a catalyst, enabling scientists to transform their discoveries into ground-breaking businesses. eureKARE aims to nurture young innovations into successful companies, empowering scientists with the right resources, access to funding, as well as both academic and scientific know-how.

Alexandre Mouradian, Chairman, Founder, and Chief Executive Officer of eureKARE, commented:"Welcomingthe first companyinto our biomedical start-up studio in Belgiummarks a significant milestone for eureKARE.These synthetic biology concepts hold real potential forthe treatment of cancer and other diseases of major concern. The strength of the science and potential of the project leaders behind this company is a testamentto our studioapproach where we source untapped European innovation and nurture it into successful business."

Dr. Georges Rawadi, Chief of Biotech Studio Development at eureKARE, commented: "Our start-up studio strategy enables us to act as a bridge between academia and industry to transform innovation into companies.I am delighted to be workingalongsideDr. Heinz Koepplfrom TUDA to provide the necessary support to progress this great project and realize its full potential.Today's news reflectsthe momentum at eureKARE and I look forward to supporting future companies across our start-up studio network."

Prof. Dr.Heinz Koeppl, Director and Founding Member of the Centre for Synthetic Biology at TUDA, commented:"The significant support we have received from eureKARE and TUDA is evidence of the importance - and even urgency - of equipping medicine with novel and disruptive tools that improve disease diagnosis, therapy and prognosis. The long-term vision I have for Dirac Biosciences is to design, test and optimize synthetic biology-based therapeutics by using advanced computer modeling and data-driven AI-based techniques, to make it ever faster and more effective."

- Ends-

About eureKARE

eureKARE is an investment company focused on financing and developing synthetic biology innovation across Europe. Driven by the belief that synthetic biology holds the key to many of the world's most pressing health and environmental challenges, eureKARE's experienced team is focused on harnessing untapped leadership in the field to build the companies of the future. eureKARE is championing a new model of start-up creation and development to create a dynamic ecosystem of early and later-stage ventures through its network of biotech studios. eureKARE's studios act as a bridge between academia and industry, helping to catalyze the commercialization of innovations while giving young startups access to all the ingredients they need to grow, prosper, and bring benefits to society.

Contacts

eureKARE SA

Michelle Wilson-Andre, Head of Communications

michelle.wilson@eurekare.eu

Consilium Strategic Communications - Media Relations

eurekare@consilium-comms.com

Please click herefor the press release in French
Regulatory News:

TotalEnergies (Paris:TTE) (LSE:TTE) (NYSE:TTE) has started up commercial operation of a 51-megawatt (MW) solar power plant located in Tsu, Mie Prefecture, Japan.

The plant, connected to the electricity distribution grid, will supply its electricity to Chubu Electric Power Miraiz Co. Inc., a subsidiary of the regional utility company, through a power purchase agreement over a 17-year period.

Built in 2 years, the Haze power plant is operated with nearly 100,000 high-efficiency solar panels, ensuring the highest performance in mitigated weather conditions. The supports and foundations of the solar panels are designed in consideration of earthquakes and typhoons.

The Haze power plant operates on a surface of nearly 77 hectares and will provide enough clean and reliable electricity to serve nearly 20,000 households.

"We are delighted of the successful start-up of Tsu Haze, our fourth large scale solar power plant in Japan, with our partners Suzuka Group and Tohoku Electric. This marks a new milestone in the deployment of our renewable energy activities in Japan. With more than 150 MW of cumulative capacity in operation, we are proud to contribute to the country's energy transition." said Vincent Stoquart, Senior Vice-President Renewables at TotalEnergies.

The commercial operation of Haze Solar Power Plant follows:

27MW Nanao Solar Power Plant which is in operation since 2017

25MW Miyako Solar Power Plant which is in operation since 2019

52MW Osato Solar Power Plant which is in operation since 2021

TotalEnergies and renewables electricity

As part of its ambition to get to net zero by 2050, TotalEnergies is building a portfolio of activities in electricity and renewables. At the end of 2022, TotalEnergies' gross renewable electricity generation installed capacity was 17 GW. TotalEnergies will continue to expand this business to reach 35 GW of gross production capacity from renewable sources and storage by 2025, and then 100 GW by 2030 with the objective of being among the world's top 5 producers of electricity from wind and solar energy.

About TotalEnergies

TotalEnergies is a global multi-energy company that produces and markets energies: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewables and electricity. Our more than 100,000 employees are committed to energy that is ever more affordable, cleaner, more reliable and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, TotalEnergies puts sustainable development in all its dimensions at the heart of its projects and operations to contribute to the well-being of people.

Twitter: @TotalEnergies LinkedIn: TotalEnergiesFacebook:TotalEnergies Instagram:TotalEnergies

Cautionary Note

The terms "TotalEnergies", "TotalEnergies company" or "Company" in this document are used to designate TotalEnergies SE and the consolidated entities that are directly or indirectly controlled by TotalEnergies SE. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" may also be used to refer to these entities or to their employees. The entities in which TotalEnergies SE directly or indirectly owns a shareholding are separate legal entities. This document may contain forward-looking information and statements that are based on a number of economic data and assumptions made in a given economic, competitive and regulatory environment. They may prove to be inaccurate in the future and are subject to a number of risk factors. Neither TotalEnergies SE nor any of its subsidiaries assumes any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information or statement, objectives or trends contained in this document whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Information concerning risk factors, that may affect TotalEnergies' financial results or activities is provided in the most recent Universal Registration Document, the French-language version of which is filed by TotalEnergies SE with the French securities regulator Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF), and in the Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005451/en/

Contacts:

TotalEnergies

Media Relations: +33 (0)1 47 44 46 99 l presse@totalenergies.com l @TotalEnergiesPR

Investor Relations: +33 (0)1 47 44 46 46 l ir@totalenergies.com
Temenos achieves a perfect 100% disclosure score in the global benchmark index on gender equality for the second year running

GENEVA, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Temenos (SIX: TEMN), today announced that it is one of 47 technology companies globally to join the 2023 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI). This is the second year running that Temenos is included in the index reflecting the company's commitment to gender equality in the workplace, notably encouraging more young women to choose a career in the IT industry and the advancement and representation of women in management positions.



The company achieved a perfect 100% disclosure score in the 2023 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI), compared to 96.31% average for the technology sector, while the Temenos overall GEI score was 80.24%, 7.9% higher than industry average. Temenos is one of the 485 companies globally and one of 11 companies in Switzerland across all sectors to be included in the 2023 GEI.

In 2021, women represented 47% of Temenos' workforce in the under 30's category, up from 35% in 2014. Over the same period, women's proportion of senior management positions increased from 22% to 40%, while women in STEM positions increased to 35%. 35% of Temenos global workforce identified as women.

To accelerate representation and improve employee experience, Temenos has re-imagined its policies, benefits, and leave programs that contribute to an inclusive work environment, where all employees feel valued and have equal opportunities.

Kalliopi Chioti, Chief Marketing and ESG Officer, Temenos, commented: "Temenos is proud to be recognized in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index for the second consecutive year. As a global company with a presence in many countries, we are committed to advancing gender diversity in our operations, value chain, and community investment programs. To be recognized in this global benchmark index highlights our strong commitment to gender-related data transparency and reporting. It also shows how we contribute to a global, diverse, inclusive and sustainable banking world that creates opportunities for everyone."

Peter T. Grauer, Chairman of Bloomberg and Founding Chairman of the U.S. 30% Club, said: "Congratulations to the companies that are included in the 2023 GEI. We continue to see an increase in both interest and membership globally, reflecting a shared goal of transparency in gender-related metrics. Those included on this year's index scored at or above a global threshold established by Bloomberg to reflect disclosure and the achievement or adoption of best-in-class statistics and policies."

Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI) is a modified market capitalization-weighted index developed to gauge the performance of public companies dedicated to reporting gender-related data. This reference index measures gender equality across five pillars: leadership & talent pipeline, equal pay & gender pay parity, inclusive culture, anti-sexual harassment policies, and external brand.

Member companies represent a variety of sectors, including financials, technology, and utilities, which continue to have the highest company representation in the index from 2022.

For more information on Bloomberg's sustainable finance solutions, including the GEI, please visit: https://www.bloomberg.com/professional/sustainable-finance/.

About Temenos

Temenos (SIX: TEMN) is the world's leading open platform for composable banking, creating opportunities for over 1.2 billion people around the world every day. We serve over 3000 banks from the largest to challengers and community banks in 150+ countries by helping them build new banking services and state-of-the-art customer experiences. The Temenos open platform helps our top-performing clients achieve return on equity three times the industry average and cost-to-income ratios half the industry average.

For more information, please visit www.temenos.com.
Succession planning for Trina Gordon's retirement, led by Chairman Craig Stevens, results in marquee hire Chad Hesters

New York, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Boyden, a premier leadership and talent advisory firm with more than 70 offices in over 45 countries, is delighted to announce the appointment of Chad Hestersas President & CEO, effective immediately. He takes the reins from Trina Gordon, who retires after 12 years as CEO, 3 years as Chair, and 30+ years as a Managing Partner in the firm.

"I am honored to be appointed President & CEO of Boyden," commented Chad Hesters. "I have long admired Trina Gordon for her leadership and her custodianship of one of the oldest, global heritage brands in our industry. Boyden has a unique, collaborative culture that puts clients at the heart of their business. This collegial community is distinctive and aligns well with my style of engagement in the market. Through a shared vision and strong values, I look forward to enabling excellence for clients and nurturing the firm's current and aspiring partners".

Chad Hesters was previously a Managing Partner at Korn Ferry, where he held geographic and business line leadership roles in addition to being a Senior Client Partner in the global industrial practice. He has over 15 years of experience in executive search and organizational consulting, leveraging his global perspectives and expertise to deliver leadership consulting solutions for clients. Prior to executive search, Mr. Hesters held corporate finance roles at Hunt Oil and Shell following his early career as an Intelligence Officer with the US Navy. He holds a bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University and an MBA from the University of Colorado.

Craig Stevens, Boyden Chair, added, "Our global search for a leader to succeed our highly successful retiring CEO, Trina Gordon, has led us to another global executive, Chad Hesters. He has worked in over 20 countries and brings a comprehensive track record leading a complex leadership advisory business. His hallmark is a keen understanding of strategy while remaining close to clients and their evolving needs.

He continues, "I would like to pay tribute to Trina Gordon for her inspirational, values-driven leadership. As the first female CEO of a global executive search firm, Trina blazed the way for women leaders in our industry. While other professional services firms have taken a top-down corporate approach to strategy, Trina has remained committed to a governing structure of a true partnership, keeping the consultants who serve our clients at the center of our approach to the market. Trina established Boyden's leadership consulting Centre of Excellence, deepened our sector expertise and delivered innovations to all three lines of business. The board of directors thanks her for her exceptional performance and unwavering dedication to the partnership."

About Boyden

Boyden is a premier leadership and talent advisory firm with more than 70 offices in over 45 countries. Our global reach enables us to serve client needs anywhere they conduct business. We connect great companies with great leaders through executive search, interim management and leadership consulting solutions. Boyden is ranked amongst the top companies on Forbes' Americas Best Executive Recruiting Firms for 2021. For further information, visit www.boyden.com.

Attachment
SINGAPORE, Feb 1, 2023 - (ACN Newswire) - ACROMETA Group Limited [SGX: 1CH1] today announced that with effect from 30 January 2023, it has appointed Mr Levin Lee Keng Weng as Executive Chairman and Director of the Board. Mr Lee brings with him a wealth of experience in business and an enviable track record in investing.On the appointment of Levin as Executive Chairman, ACROMETA Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director Mr Lim Say Chin said, "Levin's experience, business network and financial resources will be beneficial to ACROMETA as we advance to capture growth opportunities in our controlled environments engineering business. He has an enviable track record in helping companies strategize to be future-ready and bring about optimization of their market valuation."Mr Levin Lee said, "SMEs in Singapore with good potential are often neglected by investors who do not understand their business. As a result, such small caps are often overlooked and thus hampered in their operations through a lack of financial resources and a good business strategy. My role is not only to help ACROMETA in its business strategy and financials, but also to let the investing public understand the company's business and potential. The controlled environments engineering business is truly a future-ready business as the R&D and production processes of many industries in the future economy such as biotechnology, semi-conductors and renewable energy take place in controlled environments."The appointment of Mr Lee as Executive Chairman is in accordance with corporate governance best practice that the post of Chief Executive Officer should be separate from that of Chairman of the Board.Note on ACROMETA's Controlled Environments Engineering BusinessACROMEC Engineers Pte Ltd (ACROMEC) a wholly owned subsidiary of ACOMETA is one of the few companies in Singapore established in the field of Controlled Environments Engineering (CEE) where it designs and constructs facilities for companies that require a controlled physical environment for their production and processes. The ability to control physical variables such as temperature, air purity, humidity, and pressure in the product manufacturing space is a mission-critical requirement for new economy industries such as semiconductors, biotechnology and renewable energy. Examples of CCE include Semiconductor wafer fab production, biotechnology R&D laboratories, and animal-manure-to- energy pyrolysis chamber.About ACROMETA Group Limited (SGX Stock Code: 1CH1)ACROMETA (Previously known as ACROMEC Limited) is an established specialist engineering services provider with more than 25 years of experience in the field of controlled environments. The Group has over the years acquired expertise in the design and construction of facilities requiring controlled environments such as laboratories, medical and sterile facilities and cleanrooms.ACROMETA's business is divided into two main business segments: (i) Engineering, procurement, and construction services, specialising in architectural, and mechanical, electrical and process works within controlled environments; and (ii) Maintenance and repair services of facilities and equipment of controlled environments and their supporting infrastructure.The Group mainly serves the healthcare, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, research and academia, and electronics sectors. ACROMETA counts amongst its customers, hospitals and medical centres, government agencies, research and development companies or agencies, research and development units of multinational corporations, tertiary educational institutions, pharmaceutical companies, semiconductor manufacturing companies, and multinational engineering companies. The company has been listed on the Catalist board of the Singapore Exchange since 2016. For more information, please visit www.acrometa.com.Media and Analysts Contact:ACROMETA LimitedMr Jerry TanChief Financial OfficerTel: +65 6415 0574Email: jerry.tan@acromec.comWaterbrooks Consultants Pte LtdMr Wayne KooTel: +65 6958 8008 / +65 9338 8166Email: wayne.koo@waterbrooks.com.sgEmail: query@waterbrooks.com.sgThis media release has been reviewed by the Company's sponsor Evolve Capital Advisory Private Limited. (the "Sponsor"). It has not been examined or approved by the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (the "Exchange") and the Exchange assumes no responsibility for the contents of this document, including the correctness of any of the statements or opinions made or reports contained in this document. The contact person for the Sponsor is Mr Chua Hiang Hwee Jerry, 138 Robinson Road, #13-02 Oxley Tower, Singapore 068906, jerrychua@evolvecapitalasia.comSource: AcroMeta Group LimitedCopyright 2023 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Newly appointed CFO with significant experience in medical technology and public / private financing

Insulin Pump system Kaleido to expand commercial roll out in Europe

UTRECHT, Netherlands, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ViCentra B.V., the company behind Kaleido, one of the world's smallest, lightest and most precise Insulin Pump systems for treating people with type 1 Diabetes, is pleased to announce the appointment of Leo Toole as Chief Financial Officer and provides a corporate update on its expansion pathway of Kaleido into key European markets in 2023.

Leo Toole brings a wealth of experience in senior finance roles with more than 25 years' experience in medical technology, pharmaceutical, and FMCG sectors. Leo was previously CFO of hVIVO plc, a UK contract research organization publicly listed on AIM & Euronext (HVO), specializing in testing infectious and respiratory disease products, and was a key member of the team that turned around the Company's financial position from 2020 to 2022. Prior to this, Leo was CFO of Sigmoid Pharma Ltd, an Irish specialty pharma company developing drugs for ulcerative colitis, which completed a c$60m financing in 2018. Leo's other experiences include his role at BiancaMed Ltd, an Irish medical device company sold to ResMed Inc in 2011 and senior finance roles in Procter & Gamble across Europe.

Frans Cromme, Chief Executive Officer of ViCentra, said: "We are delighted to welcome Leo at this pivotal time of Company development and growth. Leo has experience in both large corporate organizations and small entrepreneurial ventures and understands financial market dynamics having successfully led multiple private and public financing events. His expertise will serve us as we seek additional funding and expand our operations to bring our CE-marked product Kaleido to thousands of people with Type 1 diabetes."

Leo Toole, Chief Financial Officer of ViCentra, commented: "I am excited to join ViCentra during this period of great change and Company growth. I am extremely impressed by this disruptive technology that will help combat the increasing prevalence of diabetes. I look forward to contributing to ViCentra's excellent leadership team as we drive the European expansion of Kaleido and prepare for US entry."

ViCentra's flagship product Kaleido is one of the world's smallest, lightest and most precise insulin pump systems and can be uniquely tailored to the person using it. The tiny pump combines the freedom of a patch pump with the versatility of a conventional pump and uses unique micro-pulse technology to deliver accurate and consistent dosing of insulin. It is available as a manual and automated insulin delivery system.

ViCentra has successfully scaled its manufacturing capacity to enable the launch of Kaleido into multiple European geographies and is expanding its commercial team. Kaleido is currently available and growing in the Netherlands and France and will be launched in Germany, the world's second largest diabetes market, in 2023.

About ViCentra

ViCentra B.V., with headquarters in Utrecht, the Netherlands develops, manufactures and markets next generation insulin pumps and other products to treat people with diabetes. The company flagship product is the Kaleido insulin pump which is CE marked and is commercially released in European countries. It is one of the world's smallest, lightest and most precise insulin pump systems, waterproof, available in 10 bright colours and is available both as a manual and an automated insulin delivery system. ViCentra was founded in 2013 and is backed by INKEF Capital, EQT Life Sciences, Health Innovations, Invest-NL, Partners in Equity and Kreos Capital. More information about ViCentra can be found at www.hellokaleido.com.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/vicentra-bolsters-leadership-team-with-the-appointment-of-leo-toole-as-chief-financial-officer-and-expands-european-commercialization-301735608.html
Rio Tinto expresses its gratitude to the Western Australia's Department of Fire and Emergency Services for coordinating the successful search effort to locate a missing capsule lost while in transit from the company's Gudai-Darri iron ore mine in the Pilbara, Western Australia.

Rio Tinto would also like to thank the specialist search crews from the Australian Defence Force, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, as well as all other support agencies, for their crucial role in the search and recovery efforts.

Rio Tinto Iron Ore Chief Executive Simon Trott said, "We are incredibly grateful for the hard work of everyone involved in finding the missing capsule.

"While the recovery of the capsule is a great testament to the skill and tenacity of the search team, the fact is it should never have been lost in the first place. I'd like to apologise to the wider community of Western Australia for the concern it has generated.

"We are taking this incident very seriously and are undertaking a full and thorough investigation into how it happened.

"This sort of incident is extremely rare in our industry, which is why we need to investigate it thoroughly and learn what we can to ensure it doesn't happen again. As part of our investigation, we will be assessing whether our processes and protocols, including the use of specialist contractors to package and transport radioactive materials, are appropriate."

Notes to editors

The device involved is an industrial gauge which is commonly used in the mining industry. In this instance it was being used at our Gudai-Darri mine site to measure iron ore feed in the crushing circuit of the fixed plant.

The capsule is small (6mm diameter, 8mm long), round and stainless steel, and forms part of a level sensor (gauge) that is used in some fixed plant assets.

The gauge, packed by a specialist radioactive materials handler, was collected by a transport contractor from the Gudai-Darri mine site on 12 January.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005476/en/

Contacts:

Please direct all enquiries to media.enquiries@riotinto.com

Media Relations, UK

Matthew Klar

M+ 44 7796 630 637

David Outhwaite

M +44 7787 597 493

Media Relations, Americas

Simon Letendre

M +514 796 4973

Malika Cherry

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Media Relations, Australia

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Investor Relations, UK

Menno Sanderse

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David Ovington

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Clare Peever

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Investor Relations, Australia

Tom Gallop

M +61 439 353 948

Amar Jambaa

M +61 472 865 948

Rio Tinto plc

6 St James's Square

London SW1Y 4AD

United Kingdom

T +44 20 7781 2000

Registered in England

No. 719885

Rio Tinto Limited

Level 43, 120 Collins Street

Melbourne 3000

Australia

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Registered in Australia

ABN 96 004 458 404

riotinto.com

Category: Pilbara
GURUGRAM, India, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Vietnam Solar PV Equipment Market is in the growing stage, being driven by Government Initiatives and availability of modern technologies Vietnam Solar PV Equipment Market has various players. JA Solar, Trina Solar, ET Solar are the major Solar PV Module Manufacturers in Vietnam.





There is a great potential for green transition in Vietnam , which by 2050 can become a net zero-carbon economy

The upcoming technology being used in solar panels nowadays is a little different from traditional ones by coating the panels with a thin layer of a crystal material called perovskite

VietNam as a country is blessed with generous amount of sunshine with roughly 2000-2500 hours of annual sunlight, which makes it an ideal region.

Current Market Positioning: In the latest revision of PDP VIII edition, it mentions that Solar Photovoltaic Energy is a priority sector for the country. The growth is expected to accelerated particularly in the household sector due to the push for RTS system by the government, while the C&I sector will continue to see stable growth in the years to come.

Net Zero-Carbon Economy: There is a great potential for green transition in Vietnam, which by 2050 can become a net zero-carbon economy. Within the Net Zero Emissions Targets 2050 for Renewable Energy, the Government of Vietnam aims to comprise 75% of energy source from Solar. Meeting such targets as a country only reflects the huge potential and capacity the country has and is aiming to develop in future. To reach net zero emissions by 2050 at least cost, renewable electricity should be the main substitute for fossil fuels, either directly or indirectly.

Rising Installed Capacity:Vietnam's Solar PV Installed Capacity is likely to contribute 21% of the total installed power capacity of the country by 2027E. Market is attracting significant investments in recent years and is expected to have a total Installed Capacity of Solar PV Equipment of 28200 MW by 2027E. Vietnam Total Installed Power Capacity is expected to increase at a CAGR of 10% in order to cater to the needs from industrial expansion and technological advancements.

The Dominance of the Northern Region: With the advantage of cheaper land, no space constraints, and other costs, northern region is likely to grow in the future, reaching a 18% market share by 2027E. While south is still likely to remain the developed hub of Vietnam with the highest market share for Solar PV Installed Capacity. However, since land is limited, the southern region has started to saturate and crowded now, reducing its share from 70% to 62% by 2027E. The central highlands region is likely to increase its capacity by 3% to a total 20% by 2027E.

Analysts at Ken Research in their latest publication- "Vietnam Solar PV Equipment Market Outlook to 2027 - Driven by the regulations and incentives updated by the Government of Vietnam and concerns for climate change" by Ken Research provides a comprehensive analysis of the potential of the Vietnam Solar PV Equipment Market. Public demand for environmental protection and the Government's intention to develop solar power generation as a new economic sector are expected to contribute to the market growth over the forecast period. Vietnam Solar PV Equipment Market is expected to grow at a robust CAGR over the forecasted period 2023E-2027E.

Key Segments Covered:-

Segmentation by the Type of Technology

Monocrystalline

Polycrystalline

Thin film

Segmentation by Region

South

Central highlands

North

Segmentation by Type of End User

Commercial

Industrial

Residential

To learn more about this report Download a Free Sample Report

Segmentation by Type of Mounting

Ground Mounted

Rooftop solar

Segmentation By Type of Connectivity

On Grid

Off Grid

Key Target Audience:-

Solar PV Module Manufacturers

Solar PV Inverter Companies

EPC/Developers

Power Plant Owners/Utilities

Operation & Maintenance (O&M) Companies

Investor Community

Financing Companies

Government Bodies & Industry Organizations

Other Stakeholders

Time Period Captured in the Report:-

Historical Period: 2017-2022P

2017-2022P Base Year: 2022P

2022P Forecast Period: 2023E-2027E

Visit this Link :- Request for custom report

Companies Covered:-

Supply Side Entities

Trina solar

Jasolar

Irex

Boviet solar

Canadian solar

Jinko solar

Longi

Firstsolar

Key Topics Covered in the Report:-

Executive summary

Country overview

Market Overview of Solar PV Equipment Market Vietnam

ASEAN Market Overview

Renewable Energy Market Overview

Ecosystem of Major Players in the Market

Value Chain

Market Size of Solar PV Equipment Market in Vietnam

Market Segmentation of Solar PV Equipment Market in Vietnam , 2022

, 2022 Segmentation on the Type of Technology, End User, Region, Mounting, Connectivity

Industry Analysis

Trends & Developments in Vietnam Solar PV Equipment Market

Solar PV Equipment Market Growth Drivers of Vietnam Solar PV Equipment Market

Government Regulations & Incentives in Vietnam Solar PV Equipment Market

Solar PV Equipment Market Upcoming Projects & Investments in Vietnam Solar PV Equipment Market

Solar PV Equipment Market Challenges & Issues Faced in Vietnam Solar PV Equipment Market

Solar PV Equipment Market Demand Analysis

TAM, SAM, SOM of Vietnam Solar PV Equipment Market

Demand Analysis of Vietnam Solar PV Equipment Market

Competitive Landscape

Competition Overview of Solar PV Equipment market in Vietnam

Market Positioning Analysis

BCG Matrix Analysis of Vietnam Solar PV Equipment Market

Cross Comparison of Top Players

Future Outlook and Projections, 2023E-2027E

Future Market Size of Solar PV Equipment Market in Vietnam on the basis of Revenue and Total Installed Capacity, 2023E-2027E

on the basis of Revenue and Total Installed Capacity, 2023E-2027E Future Market Segmentation on the Type of Technology, 2022P-2027E

Future Market Segmentation on the Type of End User, 2022P-2027E

Future Market Segmentation on the Type of Region, 2022P-2027E

Future Market Segmentation on the Type of Mounting, 2022P-2027E

Future Market Segmentation on the Type of Connectivity, 2022P-2027E

Case Study: LONGi Solar

Analyst Recommendations

Industry Speaks

Research Methodology

Disclaimer

Contact Us

For more insights on the market intelligence, refer to below link:-

Vietnam Solar PV Equipment Market

Related Reports by Ken Research:-

Europe Solar Photovoltaic Panel Market Outlook and Forecast to 2027 - Driven by Favorable Policies to Achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2050 and Integrated Market Structure Enabling Fast Projects

The Europe Solar Photovoltaic Panel Market is expected to witness a CAGR of above 19% over the next 5 years, owing to the rise in the demand for energy, favorable government policies and increasing incentives for the adoption of renewable energy sources in the region. Furthermore, most of the countries in Europe are either expanding/building new power plants or are shifting towards renewable sources of energy especially solar power to meet the rise in demand.

Saudi Arabia Industrial Waste Water Treatment Market Outlook to 2026F - Driven by government initiatives of Vision 2025, to achieve 100% clean water bodies and by 2035 to treat more than 6.8 million cubic meter of wastewater per day

KSA Industrial Waste Water Treatment Market in terms of capital expenditure is anticipated to Grow at a double digit CAGR during the Period 2021 - 2026F, due to increase in Industrial Establishments in 2026F owing to rise in Industrialization and big initiatives by the KSA government. The rising growing population along with the ever-growing need of industries in order to cater the consumer demand of the Indonesian population, is expected to contribute to the market growth over the forecast period.

Philippines Industrial Waste Water Treatment Market Outlook to 2026F-Driven by the rising number of industries within the countries and governments initiatives

Philippines Industrial Waste Water Treatment Market is Expected to Generate $46.5 Mn in Revenue, due to increase in Industrial Establishments in 2026F owing to rise in Industrialization and big initiatives by the Philippines government. The rising growing population along with the ever-growing need of industries in order to cater the consumer demand of the Indonesian population, is expected to contribute to the market growth over the forecast period.

Indonesia Industrial Waste Water Treatment Market Outlook 2027F - Driven by Rising Industrialization, Depletion of Resources and Government's Strong Initiatives in Waste Water Treatment

The rising growing population along with the ever growing need of industries in order to cater the consumer demand of the Indonesian population, is expected to contribute to the market growth over the forecast period. Jakarta's population is anticipated to grow from 95.4 Mn to 11.8 Mn at a growth rate of 1.7%. With the shift to a new capital of Kalimantan, Kalimantan is the area on the watchlist which is anticipated to grow even further.

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/solar-pv-equipment-market-in-vietnam-is-expected-to-reach-usd-9-61-bn-in-2027e-owing-to-the-governments-commitment-to-energy-security-and-technological-improvements--reduced-costs-ken-research-301735865.html
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Oil prices were slightly higher on Wednesday after having rebounded from early weakness to settle on a firm note on Tuesday. Benchmark Brent crude futures edged up 0.1 percent to $85.53 a barrel, while WTI crude futures were up 0.3 percent at $79.09. Oil prices received some support today after data showed that demand for U.S. crude and petroleum products rose in November. Improved manufacturing data from China also bolstered hopes for demand recovery in the world's second-largest economy. The upside remained capped somewhat after industry body American Petroleum Institute (API) reported large crude and product builds. Crude oil inventories rose by another 6.33 million barrels last week on top of last week's 3+ million-barrel build, the API report revealed. The U.S. Energy Information Administration will release official stockpiles data later in the day. Investors also awaited the outcome of an OPEC+ meeting along with a slew of central bank decisions for directional cues. Copyright(c) 2023 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.


CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Australian dollar climbed against its major counterparts on Wednesday, on hopes that the Federal Reserve will moderate the pace of tightening at the conclusion of its two-day policy meeting later in the day.



Markets expect a quarter-point rate hike by the Fed, to a 4.5 percent - 4.75 percent range.



Overnight data showing a drop in labor costs cemented expectations for a smaller 25 basis-point hike by the central bank.



China manufacturing activity improved in January, further underpinning the risk sentiment.



While the official manufacturing PMI moved to expansion from a 34-month low in the previous month, the Caixin survey showed that factory activity shrank more slowly than in the previous month.



The aussie rose to 2-day highs of 0.7082 against the greenback and 92.24 against the yen, off its early lows of 0.7037 and 91.49, respectively. The aussie may test resistance around 0.72 against the greenback and 94.00 against the yen.



The aussie edged up to 1.5358 against the euro, after falling to 1.5424 in early deals. The aussie is seen finding resistance around the 1.49 mark.



The aussie advanced to 0.9420 against the loonie, from an 8-day low of 0.9372 hit at 9:30 pm ET. On the upside, 0.96 is possibly seen as its next resistance level.



The aussie was up against the kiwi, at a 6-day high of 1.0985. If the aussie rises further, it may find resistance around the 1.12 level.



Looking ahead, Eurozone CPI for January and jobless rate for December are due in the European session.



U.S. ADP private payrolls data for January is scheduled for release at 8:15 am ET.



U.S. ISM manufacturing PMI for January and construction spending for December are set for release in the New York session.



Copyright(c) 2023 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 1, 2023) - INCA ONE GOLD CORP. (TSXV: INCA) (OTCQB: INCAF) (FSE: SU92) ("Inca One" or the "Company") a gold producer operating two mineral processing facilities in Peru (the "Plants"), provides the following report on calendar 2022 sales and milestones achieved for the year. All figures below are stated in US dollars unless otherwise indicated.

2022 Highlights

All time high gross annual sales (unaudited) of $51.6 million.

Record annual ore purchases of 68,463 tonnes.

Record annual milling of 68,306 tonnes, an average of 187 tonnes per day (" TPD ").

"). Total gold production for the year reached 24,579 ounces.

Secured a revolving US$2 million trade finance facility.

In the Company's eighth year of commercial production, Inca One recorded its highest ever sales surpassing the $50 million mark with gross sales of $51.6 million, a 42% increase over 2021 sales ($36.3 million). The increase in revenue was driven mainly by a higher volume of gold sold, and higher price per ounce of gold sold year over year ("YoY"). The Company successfully and efficiently deployed its working capital previously raised in two separate non-dilutive financings and executed its business on many levels, achieving record revenue from the sale of 27,780 ounces of gold at an average price of US$1,806 per ounce of gold.

Consolidated Annual Operations 2022 2021 YoY Increase Tonnes Purchased 68,463 60,859 10% Tonnes Milled 68,306 61,004 12% Gold Produced (Oz) 24,579 23,595 4% Sales (US) $51.6M $36.3M 42%

"I am tremendously pleased with our latest operational achievement surpassing the $50 million mark in gold and silver sales this past year -- I applaud our entire Peruvian and Canadian teams on this milestone," stated Inca One President and CEO Edward Kelly. "Despite the working capital challenges we faced throughout the latter half of this year, we continue to staff our plants to maximize output. We never lost focus on our goals of minimizing costs, driving efficiencies and working towards profitability. Our primary goal looking ahead is to secure the requisite funding that will allow Inca One to fill our available permitted capacity and create value for all our stakeholders and shareholders."

The Company also achieved new operational milestones in the year, with all time highs in ore supply and milling as the Inca One Plants achieved new all time highs for the second consecutive year. Gold production in ounces increased 4% YoY, producing gold at an average grade of 0.39 ounces per tonne. Ore purchases increased 10%, averaging 188 TPD, and milling increased 12% YoY. The Plants operated at 187 TPD or 42% of permitted capacity in 2022, peaking at 61% (275 TPD) in March of this year.

The Company maximized efficiencies and recovery levels achieved at its Plants as working capital available for ore purchases was constrained in the second half of the year. This will be a prime focus in the upcoming year as Inca One is sourcing new, non-dilutive financing to fill the remaining 58% capacity. This will allow for significant revenue growth potential as the company seeks to scale operations as quickly as it has previously executed.

Inca One has always committed to employ ethical and honest business practices in all our workplaces. The Company is dedicated to and supports positive environmental stewardship and has diligently hired staff and employees from local communities, positively impacting the cities and towns nearby our operations. In addition, using local, small suppliers for our Plants has allowed us to help contribute to the local economics of these towns. This year we were also active in community outreach while promoting community health, safety and security, improving workforce housing, while promoting better standards of living and workforce advancement.

As part of our sustainable development goals, we further developed a commercial strategy to support our miners' growth. Additionally, we helped our miners implement safety protocols for their operations by scheduling technical visits from qualified and experienced small-scale mining geologists and providing economic support for minor infrastructure developments in some small mining clusters. In addition, we focused our commercial efforts in the development of new producing areas and regions where the economic indicators showed the lowest indexes of economic and human development fostering growth and creating a positive impact among all these regions.

About Inca One

Inca One Gold Corp is an established gold producer operating two fully permitted, gold mineral processing facilities in Peru. The Company possesses a combined 450 TPD permitted operating capacity at its two fully integrated plants, Chala One and Kori One and has produced more than 130,000 ounces of gold, generating over US$200 million in sales from its processing operations. Inca One is led by an experienced and capable management team that has established the Company as a trusted leader in servicing permitted, artisanal and small-scale miners (ASM) in Peru. Peru is one of the world's largest producers of gold, and its ASM sector is estimated by government officials to be valued in the billions of dollars annually. To learn more, visit www.incaone.com.





Figure 1. Inca One's gold processing facilities in Peru (left: Chala One facility; right: Kori One facility)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2645/153153_dc24d9c684a82a55_001full.jpg

On behalf of the Board,

Edward Kelly

President and CEO

Inca One Gold Corp.

For More Information Contact:

Konstantine Tsakumis

ktsakumis@incaone.com

604-568-4877

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.

Statements regarding the Company which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. 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. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, they involve inherent risks and uncertainties by their very nature. Actual results in each case could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements due to factors such as: (i) fluctuation of mineral prices; (ii) a change in market conditions; and (iii) the fact that future operating results may not be accurately predicted based on this limited information to date. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to update any changes to such statements. Inca One believes the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included herein should not be unduly relied upon.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/153153
The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), in cooperation with the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture and Science (SNC), is set to host the inaugural edition of a major international conference on culture, science and education in the 21st century.

The conference, 'Future of Education, Science, and Culture International Organizations Forum' (FESCIOF) will take place over two days from March 8-9, 2023, at the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) in the Saudi capital Riyadh, with the participation of a number of major international organizations in the fields of education, culture and science.

FESCIOF will host an unprecedented gathering of international organizations and global entities across a variety of sectors with the goal of enabling collaboration and facilitating cross-sectoral dialogue.

Expected attendees include top international and multilateral organizations; regional institutions; national and regional policymakers; representatives of international and regional development banks; global and national academic institutions; international and regional organizations and institutions; major global and regional corporations, charitable foundations; NGOs; and a variety of subject-matter experts.

The conference aims to create a platform to strengthen relations across international and multilateral organizations, and to provide a space for the effective exchange of ideas and solutions for global challenges. FESCIOF will also develop joint flagship initiatives at the sectorial level.

Commenting on the announcement, Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al-Saud, the Saudi Minister of Culture and Chairman of the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture and Science said: "I am proud to announce our partnership with ALECSO to deliver the first-ever Future of Education, Science, and Culture International Organizations Forum. FESCIOF represents a genuine milestone to align objectives across sectors and bring about tangible positive change.

"We are looking forward to hosting FESCIOF in Riyadh to explore and enhance opportunities for international organizations in the sectors of education, science, and culture and their expanded ecosystems.

"True impact requires collaboration across sectors and countries. This platform will allow participating organizations to draw from each other's strengths."

The Director General of ALECSO, H.E. Prof. Dr. Mohamed Ould Amar, said: "We at ALECSO are proud to be working with our key partner, SNC, to launch this global reaching and highly impactful initiative.

"We hope FESCIOF can be a catalyst for new synergies that cut through silos. We believe the conference will result in tangible impact through the creation of joint initiatives which will help to establish partnerships and new understandings between sectors."

*Source: AETOSWire

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005477/en/

Contacts:

Haitham Haddadin

HHaddadin@apcoworldwide.com
GURUGRAM, India, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Philippines Dental Services Market is currently in a growing stage owing to rise in urban population, government initiatives, general awareness and upgradation in technology. Upcoming technologies such as Cloud-based software, Robotics and advancements in present technologies such as 3D Printing and Laser dentistry will fuel to the market growth.





Dental services market is anticipated to witness significant growth over the forecast period due to the improvements in already existing services along with introduction of new improved technologies, including dental caps, dentures and drills.

In the coming future, the market is expected to be dominated by the Dental clinics; however, the hospitals are expected to contribute to the growth of overall market. Dental Clinics market size in terms of revenue is expected to grow with a CAGR of 6.4%, 2021-2026F.

The rising Dental consciousness among the Filipinos, along with the growing purchasing power, is expected to contribute to the market growth over the forecast period.

Rise in Dental Tourism: Philippines is an attractive destination for dental tourists due to low prices for dental services. The market was affected during Covid 19 due to cross-border restrictions, however, post-Covid, dental tourism has returned to normal and has contributed to the market revenues.

Introduction of New Improved Technologies: The market for dental services is predicted to develop significantly throughout the forecast period as a result of improvements made to currently offered services as well as the introduction of new and enhanced technology, such as drills, dental caps, and dentures. The demand for proper training and education on digital dentistry solutions from professionals and students is rising, which will further boost the effectiveness of the nation's dental care sector. With the development and improvement in traditional technologies, doctors will be able to spend more time on responsibilities relevant to patient care and contribute to the continued expansion of the dental services industry in the Philippines.

Increasing Urban Population opting for Orthodontic treatments: Although most of the population of the Philippines currently lives in remote and rural areas, the country is witnessing major population migration from rural to urban areas. This shift is expected to continue to increase, contributing to the increased utilization of dental services in these regions. The Philippines is considered the selfie capital of the world and wearing braces is very common in the country, especially among teenagers, which is expected to drive the growth of the dental services market in the country.

Analysts at Ken Research in their latest publication "Philippines Dental Services Market Outlook to 2026F - Driven by Rising Oral Health Awareness, Growing Economy and Dental Tourism in the Philippines" observed that the Dental Services market is an emergent healthcare market in the Philippines at a rebounding stage from the economic crisis after the pandemic. The rise in the prevalence of dental diseases and orthodontics treatments is expected to contribute to market growth over the forecast period. The Philippines Dental Services Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.9% over the forecasted period 2021-2026F, due to a rise in dental tourism, a rise in urban population and an upgradation in technology.

Key Segments Covered

Philippines Dental Services Market

By Types of Services

General Dentistry

Orthodontics

Oral Surgery

Periodontics

Endodontics

Cosmetic Dentistry

Prosthodontics

Dental Implants

Pediatric Dentistry and Others

By Revenue Division

Domestic

International Tourist

By End Users

Dental Clinics (Organized + Unorganized)

Hospitals (Public + Private)

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By Dental Clinics

Unorganized Dental Clinics

Organized Dental Clinics

By Cities

Manila

Davao

Cebu

Iloilo

Others

Key Target Audience

Dental Service Providers

Dental Equipment Distributors

Dental Equipment Manufacturers

Dental Clinics

Hospitals

Healthcare Companies

Pharmaceutical Companies

Tourism Agencies

Market Research and Consulting Firms

Government Bodies & Regulating Authorities

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Time Period Captured in the Report:-

Historical Period: 2018-2021

2018-2021 Base Year: 2021

2021 Forecast Period: 2022- 2026F

Companies Covered:-

Dental Services Providers

MetroDental

GAOC

Smile Makers Dental

Urban Smiles

NovoDental

Whitehouse Dental Clinic

Affinity Dental

Dental World Manila

Green Apple Dental

DentaGem

BrightSmile Avenue Dental

Elevate Dental

Key Topics Covered in the Report

Philippines Healthcare Overview

Philippines Dental Services Market Overview

Ecosystem of Philippines Dental Services Market

Business Cycle and Genesis of Philippines Dental Services Market

Market Sizing Analysis of Philippines Dental Services Market: Revenue, 2018-2021

Philippines Dental Services Market Segmentation (By Type of Services, By End Users, By Dental Clinics, By Revenue Division, By Cities), 2021

End User Analysis of Philippines Dental Services Market

Industry Analysis of Philippines Dental Services Market

SWOT Analysis of Philippines Dental Services Market

Key Growth Drivers in Dental Service Market in Philippines

Trends Driving Adoption Of Digital Innovation

Major Challenges and Bottlenecks in Philippines Dental Services Market

Dental Services Market Regulatory Framework in Philippines Dental Services Market

Dental Services Market Competition Framework for Philippines Dental Services Market

Market Share of Major Dental Services Providers in Philippines Dental Services Market

Dental Services Market Cost Sheet of Major treatments and Price List of major Players

Impact of Covid-19 on Philippines Dental Care Market

Future Outlook and Projections of the Industry, 2021-2026F

Market Opportunity and Analyst Recommendations

For more insights on the market intelligence, refer to below link:-

Philippines Dental Services Market

Related Reports by Ken Research:-

UAE Dental Services Market Outlook to 2027F- Rising Awareness for Overall Aesthetics and Adoption of New Technology by Dentists is Driving the Dental Services Market

The UAE Dental Services Market witnessed significant growth during the period 2022-2027F owing to a rise in general awareness about dentistry and rising general dental check-ups. The rising Dental consciousness among the Emiratis along with the increased spending on oral health is expected to contribute to the market growth over the forecast period. The dental services market is anticipated to witness significant growth due to the improvements in already existing services along with the introduction of new improved technologies and supportive government policies.

Thailand Dental Services Market Outlook to 2026F- Driven By Rising Dental Awareness and Government's Strong Initiatives in Healthcare System

According to Ken Research estimates, the Thailand Dental Services Market grew from approximately ~$ 1.1Bn in 2018 to approximately ~$ 1.2 Bn in 2021 and is forecasted to grow further into a ~$ 1.7Bn opportunity by 2026F, owing to the growth in the urban population, ageing population, rising dental tourism and government's initiatives in healthcare. The rates of dental health care services offered in the Thailand are comparatively lower than in other countries such as Canada or Japan, this attracts a lot of international tourists adding to the revenue generated by the dental services market in Thailand. The Statistics show that Thailand has a 1:3,900 dentist-to-population ratio. Many dentists in Thailand get their degrees and training from European nations or the US and return to their home country for practicing dentistry.

KSA Dental Services Market Outlook to 2027F- Driven by Rising Oral Health Awareness, Demand for Aesthetics among Saudi Arabians and Government Initiatives

According to Ken Research estimates, the KSA Dental Services Market grew from ~$1.7 Bn in 2018 and ~$ 2 Bn in 2022P owing to the rise in oral health awareness, inclination towards a healthier lifestyle and rising demand for aesthetics and is forecasted to grow further ~$ 3 Bn by 2027F due to improvements in the Saudi healthcare sector by KSA government. Factors like rising oral health related diseases, technological advancements in dentistry along with an inclination toward the use of minimally invasive procedures and artificial dentistry are propelling the growth. KSA has a total of 504 hospitals of which 337 hospitals are under MOH and 167 private hospitals. There are 201,489 healthcare workers and ~26,000 Dentists in 2022P.

India Dental Services Market Outlook to FY'2027F - Driven By Rising Dental Awareness, Dental Tourism, Lower Dental Services Cost and Government's Strong Initiatives in Healthcare System

India has well-equipped hospitals and dental clinics offering high quality services. India Dental Services market is currently at the growth stage owing to rising personal attention, demand for cost efficiency and technological advancements. India Dental Service Market is a highly fragmented market with Clove Dental as the market leader in the market owing to their highest number of dental clinics and number of dentists and employees per clinic across India. Other players in the market includes Partha Dental Skin & Hair, Orthosquare Dental Clinic, Sabka Dentist, Apollo White Dental.

The market is expected to grow at a robust CAGR of 9.6% over the period 2022-2027F owing to Government initiatives as well as the increase in private practices and specialty chains across the country. The affordable cost and high quality of treatments will increase the market share of international tourists in the forecasted period.

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Related Reports

Vietnam Dental Services Market Outlook To 2023 - By Organized And Unorganized Clinics, By Cities (Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Hanoi, Haiphong, Binh Duong, Can Tho, Khanh Hoa, Nghe An, An Giang And Others), By Dental Care Services (Prosthodontics, Endodontics, Cosmetic Dentistry, Implantology, Orthodontics, Periodontics And Others), By Domestic And Foreign Customers.

Singapore Medical And Dental Clinics Market Outlook To 2022 - Led By Inorganic Expansion Of Major Clinics And Expansion Into More Specialized Services

India Dental Services Market Outlook to FY'2027F - Driven By Rising Dental Awareness, Dental Tourism, Lower Dental Services Cost and Government's Strong Initiatives in Healthcare System

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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / Camino Corp. (TSXV:COR)(OTC PINK:CAMZF)(WKN:A116E1) ("Camino" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that on January 31, 2023, it has entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent to partner with Nittetsu Mining Co., Ltd. ("Nittetsu") at its Los Chapitos copper exploration project ("Los Chapitos" or the "Project") in Peru. Nittetsu operates the Atacama Kozan copper mine located in northern Chile that was developed from an Iron Oxide Copper Gold ("IOCG") deposit style similar to Camino's Los Chapitos Copper Project. Nittetsu can earn a 35% interest in the Project by making payments and expenditures totalling CAD $10,100,000 over three years. Proceeds will be applied towards exploration, infill drilling, and metallurgical and engineering studies. Camino will remain the operator of the Project.

"Nittetsu is the operator of the Atacama Kozan mine located in the prolific Iron Oxide Copper Gold belt in Chile, next to one of the world's largest IOCG copper mines, Candelaria," said Jay Chmelauskas, CEO of Camino. "Our Japanese partners have extensive mining and geological exploration expertise in a renowned IOCG belt to bring to our southern Peru location. There has been growing interest in southern Peru as an under-explored IOCG mining district and Nittetsu has recognized our Los Chapitos Project as one of the most advanced exploration projects in this coastal cordillera region."

Nittetsu will have exclusivity to complete due diligence and enter into a Definitive Agreement by the end of April 2023. Unless mutually extended, the Letter of Intent will terminate at the end of April 2023.

Key Terms:

Nittetsu to pay Camino CAD $100,000 upon signing the Letter of Intent for three months of exclusivity to complete further due diligence.

Nittetsu to pay Camino CAD $1,000,000 upon execution of a Definitive Agreement to be entered by the end of April 2023.

Nittetsu to incur earn-in expenditures of CAD $9,000,000 over a 3-year period to earn a 35% project interest in the Los Chapitos Project with no accruing interest rights.

Upon completion of the 35% interest acquisition by Nittetsu, a Joint Venture between parties will be established.

Camino to remain the operator of the Project.

Off-take on commercial basis to be shared 50% by each party.

The Los Chapitos Project is located in the IOCG belt of the Coastal Cordillera of northern Chile and southern Peru. The Mina Justa IOCG copper mine is located approximately 100 km north of Los Chapitos in southern Peru, and is notably one of the world's newest large scale copper producers behind Quellaveco (Peru) and Kamoa-Kakula (DRC). Other major deposits in this IOCG belt include Mantoverde (Chile) and Candelaria (Chile) and there are dozens of other smaller scale copper deposits (see Figure 1.).

The proposed transaction is at arm's length and the Company will pay a finder's fee upon completion of the transaction.

Figure 1. Copper rich IOCG deposits extending through southern Peru and northern Chile

About Nittetsu Mining Co., Ltd.

Nittetsu is a Japanese corporation listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange with over a 100-year history as a mining and trading company. Nittetsu is the operator of the Atacama Kozan mine located in the prolific Candelaria-Punta del Cobre copper district which is known to host IOCG type ore deposits. Nittetsu has expertise in processing, distributing, importing, and exporting copper and other mineral products. Other businesses include: purchasing and distributing coal and petroleum products; developing and distributing equipment, machinery and environment-related products; real estate; power generation using renewable energy; the supply and sale of electricity; and mining and distributing industrial minerals.

About Camino Corporation

Camino is a discovery and development stage copper exploration company with a portfolio of projects located in Peru. The Company is focused on advancing its high-grade Los Chapitos copper project through to resource delineation, new discoveries and development. Camino has also permitted the Maria Cecilia copper porphyry project for a planned exploration drilling program. In addition, the Company has increased its land position at its copper and silver Plata Dorada project. The Company seeks to acquire a portfolio of advanced copper assets that have the potential to deliver copper into an electrifying copper intensive global economy. For more information, please refer to Camino's website at www.caminocorp.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD For further information, please contact: /S/ "Jay Chmelauskas" Camino Investor Relations President and CEO info@caminocorp.com Tel: (604) 493-2058

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.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements: Certain disclosures in this release constitute forward-looking information. In making the forward-looking disclosures in this release, the Company has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking information in the release includes the Letter of Intent and the prospect of a definitive agreement being entered into, the prospectivity of future exploration work at Los Chapitos, metallurgical recoveries, and amenability for heap-leach mining. Although the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking information in this release is subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking information. Such risk factors include, among others, the ability of the parties to negotiate the definitive earn-in and joint venture agreement on satisfactory terms, that actual results of the Company's exploration activities will be different than those expected by management, that the Company will be unable to obtain or will experience delays in obtaining any required approvals and the state of equity and commodity markets. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and 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, except as required by law.

SOURCE: Camino Minerals Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/737618/Camino-Signs-Earn-in-and-Joint-Venture-Letter-of-Intent-with-Nittetsu-Mining-for-the-Los-Chapitos-Copper-Project-Peru
Issuer: Viessmann Group / Key word(s): Annual Results

Viessmann Group in 2022, its 105th anniversary year: Driven by a lot of positive energy, the family company achieved record revenues of EUR 4 billion and growth of +19 percent



01.02.2023 / 12:00 CET/CEST

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



Viessmann plans to invest 1 billion in green climate solutions over the next three years focusing on expanding research and manufacturing capacities for heat pumps. Viessmann Group: Positive business development due to high resilience through diversification of the Group with strong development in all areas - particularly in climate and refrigeration solutions as well as strategic investments in mid-sized companies

Positive business development due to high resilience through diversification of the Group with strong development in all areas - particularly in climate and refrigeration solutions as well as strategic investments in mid-sized companies Climate Solutions: Long-term transformation as an integrated climate solutions provider enables dynamic growth in heat pumps, creating the basis for Europe's energy and building transition

Long-term transformation as an integrated climate solutions provider enables dynamic growth in heat pumps, creating the basis for Europe's energy and building transition Refrigerations Solutions: Focus on intelligent cooling solutions and entry into new markets lead to increased growth

Focus on intelligent cooling solutions and entry into new markets lead to increased growth Viessmann Investment: Partnerships develop positively, expanding the range of offerings through adjacent solutions

Partnerships develop positively, expanding the range of offerings through adjacent solutions Digital activities VC/O: Investment in early-stage technology companies provide disruptive solutions for labor shortage of installation partners; Maschinenraum as an ecosystem of digital experts grows to over 65 member companies

Investment in early-stage technology companies provide disruptive solutions for labor shortage of installation partners; as an ecosystem of digital experts grows to over 65 member companies Viessmann Foundations: Family business takes social responsibility for children in need in times of crisis, donating over EUR 5 million to aid organizations such as Aktion Deutschland, Unicef, and Save the Children Allendorf (Eder), Germany,February 1st, 2023 - The Viessmann Group successfully continues its growth track in the 2022 fiscal year. In its 105th anniversary year, the family company increased its total revenue to EUR 4 billion. This corresponds to an increase of +19 percent compared to total revenue of EUR 3.4 billion in the previous year. Despite the crisis, the total number of employees grew from 13,000 in the previous year to a total of 14,500. The positive developments underline the strength of the strategy and the resulting resilience of the Viessmann Group, which includes the following areas: Climate Solutions: Business area for sustainable climate solutions.

Business area for sustainable climate solutions. Refrigerations Solutions: Business area for sustainable refrigeration & clean room solutions

Business area for sustainable refrigeration & clean room solutions Investment: Strategic investments in mid-sized companies

Strategic investments in mid-sized companies VC/O: Venture capital investments in early-stage technology companies, including Maschinenraum as an ecosystem for family businesses

Venture capital investments in early-stage technology companies, including Maschinenraum as an ecosystem for family businesses Real Estate: Development and operation of sustainable buildings

Development and operation of sustainable buildings Foundations: Social responsibility and social commitments Prof. Dr. Martin Viessmann, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Viessmann Group: "The year 2022 marks an important milestone in our company's history, as we have once again demonstrated what Viessmann stands for. In any challenge, we also see an opportunity for positive change and growth. Today, we are very well positioned to make the best possible use of the once-in-a-century opportunities that lie ahead of us. We will continue to focus on accelerating the energy transition in the building sector, in order to make a measurable contribution in the fight against climate change." Max Viessmann, CEO of the Viessmann Group: "In our 105th anniversary year, we have taken additional responsibility by facing the crises and challenges. As enablers of the independent energy transition, we were able to expand our renewable, green climate solutions and broaden our ecosystem of co-creators on a global level. In addition to the responsibility for our own family members, we have also extended our social responsibility for those who are suffering most from the terrible war in Ukraine. In an unprecedentedly challenging year, we have consistently followed our purpose - with everything we do: Creating living spaces for generations to come." Viessmann Climate Solutions: Transformation into a leading provider of integrated climate solutions The largest business area within the Viessmann Group successfully continued its transformation into a leading provider of integrated climate solutions in the past fiscal year. The growth of Viessmann Climate Solutions was accelerated in particular by the high demand for sustainable climate solutions that are based on renewable energies. These include heat pumps with natural refrigerants, biomass, solar thermal, electric storage, green gasses, and liquid green fuels, as well as air purification solutions and digital services. In May 2022, the family company announced its plans to invest EUR 1 billion in the expansion of green climate solutions. Consequently, the business area expanded its development capacities for heat pumps and almost doubled the number of employees in this area. Further central components of the family company's green climate solution offensive include the launch of the new heat pump generation Vitocal-150-A/-250-A, the development of an own in-house VitoCharge battery storage unit, the new Viessmann Invisible compact solution, and the construction start of a new heat pump site in Poland. From an organizational aspect, the business area has lined up a new five-member management team in 2022, led by CEO Thomas Heim. Thomas Heim, CEO of Viessmann Climate Solutions: "Our climate solutions support the European climate targets to reduce CO 2 emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030. An important pillar to reach this goal will be the total number of installed heat pumps in the future. In light of this important mission, we are proud to have successfully continued our own transformation in 2022, setting the way forward. The visit of the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at our headquarters last year underlined that we are on the right track." Viessmann Refrigeration Solutions: Further focus on energy efficiency and sustainability for customers The family company's refrigeration solutions business made a positive contribution to the Group's successful overall development in 2022. Key business drivers were intelligent cooling solutions based on heat pump technology and efficient nano-cooling solutions for urban areas. The company's highly advanced clean room solutions, which are mandatory for the production of new batteries and microchips, provide the right foundation for many customers who are fighting against global challenges such as disrupted supply chains and the energy transition. Frank Winters, CEO of Viessmann Refrigeration Solutions: "In the past two years, we have taken major innovation steps to focus on energy efficiency and sustainability for our customers. We will continue to follow this path consistently in 2023, opening up new growth markets through strong partnerships - also beyond European borders." Viessmann Investment: New international partnerships for growth and co-creation In addition to strong organic growth, Viessmann was able to expand its market position geographically through strategic acquisitions and new partnerships with mid-sized companies, also broadening its offering range through adjacent solutions. These include an investment in 0800-Repair , a service company in the UK specializing in the maintenance of heat pumps.

, a service company in the UK specializing in the maintenance of heat pumps. The new strategic partnership with aqotec , a leading Austrian full-service provider of district heating solutions, expanded the range of heat distribution, local and district heating services.

, a leading Austrian full-service provider of district heating solutions, expanded the range of heat distribution, local and district heating services. Viessmann gained access to the rapidly growing North American ventilation market with an investment in the Canadian indoor air specialist Nu-Air. Timo Tauber, Managing Director of Viessmann Investment: "Together with our strategic partners, we form a purpose-driven alliance of willing co-creators that strengthen each other and seize new market opportunities. We will drive our strong ecosystem of entrepreneurial experts in the energy industry across the globe through further strategic partnerships - and we will do that faster than ever before." VC/O with new investments in digital business models and early-stage technologies Through its venture investments, VC/O participates in early-stage technology companies and ensures that small and mid-sized family companies share knowledge and experience with each other. Today, V/CO investments comprise more than 30 companies, including disruptive technology leaders that proactively address socially relevant issues such as labor shortage. These include for example PowerUs, a digital matching platform that enables installation partners to quickly find highly qualified electronics technicians and plant mechanics to address the acute shortage of skilled staff members. Sharing know-how and experience, the fast-growing ecosystem Maschinenraum, based in Berlin (Germany), pursues the mission to co-create the next generation of German Mittelstand. Today, the Maschinenraum counts over 65 family businesses among its members. Viessmann Foundation: Social responsibility as a strong anchor in turbulent times In the particularly challenging year of 2022, the family company once again demonstrated its stance and assumes social responsibility along its Purposes in a) creating living spaces and b) focusing on generations to come. In order to create living spaces, the family business has launched the Climate Neutral Waldeck-Frankenberg project. Together with more than 125 partners from the region, the Group is pursuing the clear goal of achieving climate neutrality for the Waldeck-Frankenberg district by 2035 and protecting the region sustainably. The lighthouse project is intended to serve as a blueprint for other regions, showing them a pragmatic path to climate neutrality. Viessmann has also donated 500,000 euros to the German Cancer Research Centre. The money will be used to set up a laboratory for sustainable healthy nutrition at the National Cancer Prevention Centre in Heidelberg. In focusing on generations to come, the family company decided to provide help quickly. In light of Putin's horrible war against Ukraine, Viessmann donated EUR 5 million to people who urgently needed help and solidarity during winter. More than half of the money was given to aid projects that support children and families in and from Ukraine in their time of need, including donations to the three major organizations Aktion Deutschland hilft, Unicef, and Save the Children. About Viessmann The family company Viessmann was founded in 1917 as a local garage for heating technology. Today, it has become a global, broadly diversified Group with over 14,500 family members and a total revenue of over 4 billion euros. The Climate Solutions and Refrigeration Solutions business areas include sustainable solutions in heating, cooling, water and air quality. Under Viessmann Investment, the Group bundles all strategic partnerships and investments in mid-sized companies. The diversification unit VC/O manages all venture capital investments in early-stage technologies, including Maschinenraum as a growing ecosystem for family companies. The development and operations of sustainable buildings are led by the diversification area Real Estate. The Viessmann Foundation coordinates all social commitments and represents the social responsibility of the family business. All activities are based on the company's purpose "We create living spaces for generations to come". This is the responsibility that the large Viessmann family faces every day. Press contact: Byung-Hun Park Vice President Corporate Communications E-mail: huni@viessmann.com Ph: +49151-64911317

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All Seas Capital, a pan-European private capital fund that provides transformational capital solutions to leading founder- and entrepreneur-owned companies, is pleased to announce the final close of its maiden fund, All Seas Capital I SCSp (the "Fund"), with total commitments of US$400m including coinvestments.

All Seas Capital's global investor base, consisting of pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, consultants, insurance companies and banks from the US, Europe and Asia, provide a well-diversified mix of investors. Since inception to the Fund's final close, All Seas Capital invested over US$200 million in portfolio companies, including Attivo Group (UK), Hakim Group (UK), SoMeD Sante (France) and Zimmer MedizinSysteme (Germany).

All Seas Capital provides flexible long-term financing solutions to leading Western European mid-market businesses. Alongside transformational capital solutions, the All Seas team provides board level expertise to entrepreneurs and management teams who do not want to sell majority stakes.

ESG considerations are integrated throughout the investment process to help position All Seas Capital's portfolio for long term, sustained growth and its hybrid strategy, investing a combination of debt and equity, gives investors access to equity-like returns with debt-like structural protections.

All Seas Capital is led by Marc Ciancimino and Cristobal Cuart who co-founded and led KKR's European mezzanine and preferred equity business and have an extensive career track record, with 3.4bn invested across 45 businesses prior to founding All Seas Capital.

Marc Ciancimino, Co-Founder of All Seas Capital, said:

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank our group of investors in All Seas Capital I. The quality and international diversity of our LPs is a great testimony to the investment mandate we are pursuing and we look forward to partnering with them for many years. At All Seas, we identify successful businesses that have already proven their business model but are in need of support and capital as the catalyst for real business growth. Our bespoke form of capital is attractive to management teams, and we are finding no let-up in demand having already backed five fantastic businesses."

Cristobal Cuart, Co-Founder of All Seas Capital, commented:

"As entrepreneurs ourselves, we launched All Seas Capital to take advantage of the deep pool of opportunities across the European mid-market, accessible through our established sourcing network across our target markets of Western and Northern Europe. We have built a strong and ambitious investment and operational team, with an entrepreneurial culture at its core."

Gemma Braithwaite, Investor Relations Managing Director of All Seas Capital, commented:

"It's been an interesting time to be a first time fund, and I am thrilled with the outcome. The whole team has worked hard on the fundraise and that's reflected in the results. I am especially pleased with the quality of investors we now have alongside us as we grow a great testament to the differentiated strategy, quality of the team and the growing portfolio."

All Seas Capital was advised by Debevoise Plimpton LLP in London. The Luxembourg team consists of Loyens Loeff, One Fund Management S.A. and Alter Domus.

-Ends-

About All Seas Capital

All Seas Capital is a pan-European private capital fund that provides flexible long-term financing solutions to leading mid cap companies. The team is led by Marc Ciancimino and Cristobal Cuart who co-founded and led KKR's European mezzanine and preferred equity business, and have an extensive career track record with 3.4bn invested across 45 businesses prior to founding All Seas Capital.

We partner with and provide transformational capital solutions and board level expertise to Western European entrepreneur- and family-owned mid-market businesses who need strategic capital, but do not want to sell majority stakes. We identify businesses that already have a certain amount of scale but are in need of support and capital as the catalyst for real business growth.

All Seas Capital's hybrid strategy, investing a combination of debt and equity, integrates ESG considerations throughout its investment process to help position its portfolio for long term, sustained growth.

www.allseascapital.com

Marc Ciancimino, Co-Founder

Prior to starting All Seas, Marc was a partner ("Member") of KKR Co where he spent a decade and started the European dimension of the firm's private credit activities with a special emphasis on hybrid transactions. He sat on the Global Private Credit Committee and was a Portfolio Management Committee member. He started his career in 1995 at Citibank and also worked at Bankers Trust before moving to the buyside in 1999. He has invested over $1.9bn since he started his career.

Cristobal Cuart, Co-Founder

Prior to All Seas, Cristobal was a Director at KKR which he joined in 2010 where he was a senior member of the European private credit and preferred equity platform, working closely with Marc Ciancimino to launch and grow the firm's European private credit and preferred equity activities. He has invested over $2.2bn into privately held businesses throughout his career.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230131005809/en/

Contacts:

For further information, please contact:

All Seas Capital

Charlotte Balbirnie

+44 7989 528421

CBalbirnie@keplercomms.com
The "Finland Data Center Market Investment Analysis Growth Opportunities 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Finland data center market is expected reach $1,255 Million in 2027, from $745 Million in 2021, growing at a CAGR of 9.08% during 2022-2027.

This report analyses the Finland data center market share. It elaboratively analyses the existing and upcoming facilities and investments in IT, electrical, mechanical infrastructure, general construction, and tier standards. It discusses market sizing and investment estimation for different segments.

Finland is continuously innovating and expanding its AI industry. AI/ML applications are being utilized to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy and provide smart decisions for energy harnessing from renewable sources. The country also has excellent submarine cable connectivity with around eight submarine cables and landing stations at places such as Hanko, Helsinki, Haradsholm, and others.

Finland's renewable energy stands at around 40% of its energy mix. The country has goals for carbon neutrality by the year 2035. There are upcoming renewable energy projects in the country for harnessing electricity from clean energy sources. Further, significant advancements in 5G across the country are leading to higher data generation.

Elisa, a telecommunication operator, stated its 5G network availability is available to 80% of the population across 182 locations. There is an immense shift towards digitalization which was highly fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic. The country's public and private organizations are noticing migrating workloads to the cloud. Around 75% of the enterprises in Finland make use of cloud services that are paid.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Finland is one of the fastest-growing data center markets in the Nordics. The growth is supported by factors such as the adoption or migration of cloud services, growing IoT and Big Data solutions, renewable energy procurement, adoption of AI/ML workloads, and others.

The country is one of the ideal places for developing facilities in Nordics which is supported by a dependable power grid, low latent high-speed data networks, and political stability. Helsinki is the primary data center hub in the country, with the highest number of facilities.

There is a significant scope for cloud service providers to penetrate the Finland data center market and open new cloud regions. Cloud giants such as Google and Microsoft have a presence and have planned to build data center regions in the country.

The operators are also adopting the district heating concepts, helping to utilize waste heat generated by facilities in nearby residential and commercial buildings. District heating connects 90% of building in the country. Microsoft's upcoming data center region will utilize the district heating concept for which it will partner with Fortum, a renewable energy provider.

There is immense growth in the ICT industry in Finland. The country has given birth to several start-ups, which keep innovating and growing with Finland's ICT industry, attracting operators to invest.

WHY SHOULD YOU BUY THIS RESEARCH?

Market size available in the investment, area, power capacity, and the Finland colocation market revenue.

An assessment of the investment in Finland by colocation and enterprise operators.

Investments in the area (square feet) and power capacity (MW) across locations in the country.

A detailed study of the existing market landscape, an in-depth industry analysis, and insightful predictions about the Finland data center market size during the forecast period.

Snapshot of existing and upcoming third-party data center facilities in Finland

Facilities Covered (Existing): 20

Facilities Identified (Upcoming): 1

Coverage: 2+ Locations

Existing vs. Upcoming (Area)

Existing vs. Upcoming (IT Load Capacity)

Data center colocation market in Finland

Market Revenue Forecast (2021-2027)

Wholesale vs. Retail Revenue Forecast (2021-2027)

Retail Colocation Pricing

Wholesale Colocation Pricing

The Finland market landscape investments are classified into IT, power, cooling, and general construction services with sizing and forecast.

A comprehensive analysis of the latest trends, growth rate, potential opportunities, growth restraints, and prospects for the industry.

Business overview and product offerings of prominent IT infrastructure providers, construction contractors, support infrastructure providers, and investors operating in the industry.

A transparent research methodology and the analysis of the demand and supply aspects of the market.

VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Some key investors in the Finland data center market include Equinix, Hetzner Online GmBh, Google, and Ficolo.

The Finland data center market will be heavily witnessing greenfield construction. Hyperscale providers put in significant investments, making them one of the major drivers for generating revenue for sub-contractors and general contractors in the market.

The industry has witnessed investments from some new market entrants, such as Microsoft, a major cloud service provider planning to construct facilities.

The construction contractors in the country have both global and local presence, supplying significant operators in the market for instance, Fluor Corporation, Ramboll, and Kirby Engineering Group.

The data center investors are looking forward to entering the Finland market due to factors such as Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI). Finland is ranked as number one among the top EU Member states.

Major Vendors

IT Infrastructure Providers

Atos

Cisco Systems

Dell Technologies

Extreme Networks

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Huawei

IBM

Juniper Networks

NEC

Oracle

Data Center Construction Contractors Sub-Contractors

AFRY

Fluor Corporation

Granlund Group

Kirby Engineering Group

Parviainen Arkkitehdit

RED

Ramboll

Royal Haskoning

Support Infrastructure Providers

ABB

Airedale International Air Conditioning

Caterpillar

Cummins

Delta Electronics

Eaton

HITEC Power Protection

Legrand

Rittal

Schneider Electric

STULZ

Trane

Vertiv

Data Center Investors

Equinix

Google

New Entrants

Hyperco

Microsoft

EXISTING VS. UPCOMING DATA CENTERS

Existing Facilities in the region (Area and Power Capacity)

Helsinki

Other Cities

List of Upcoming Facilities in the region (Area and Power Capacity)

REPORT COVERAGE:

The segmentation includes:

IT Infrastructure

Servers

Storage Systems

Network Infrastructure

Electrical Infrastructure

UPS Systems

Generators

Transfer Switches Switchgears

PDUs

Other Electrical Infrastructure

Mechanical Infrastructure

Cooling Systems

Rack Cabinets

Other Mechanical Infrastructure

Cooling Systems

CRAC CRAH Units

Chiller Units

Cooling Towers, Condensers Dry Coolers

Economizers Evaporative Coolers

Other Cooling Units

General Construction

Core Shell Development

Installation commissioning Services

Engineering Building Design

Fire Detection Suppression Systems

Physical Security

Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM)

Tier Standard

Tier I Tier II

Tier III

Tier IV

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/o85ulx-data?w=4

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With the growing popularity of rideshare services like Lyft and Uber in the Austin and Pflugerville area, the number of accidents involving these companies has also increased.

Austin, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - February 1, 2023) - With the growing popularity of rideshare services like Lyft and Uber in the Austin and Pflugerville area, the number of accidents involving these companies has also increased. In addition to these accidents, public transportation incidents such as bus accidents continue to be a concern for residents of the Round Rock area.

Austin Accident Lawyers at The Traub Law Firm have recently begun offering Uber, Lyft, and Rideshare accident injury services. More information about this service can be found by visiting https://austinaccidentlawyer.com/practice-areas/uber-accident-lawyer/





Austin Accident Lawyer Handles Round Rock, Pflugerville TX Uber & Lyft Accidents

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According to data from the Texas Department of Transportation, there were over 900 reported accidents involving rideshare companies in the Austin area in 2020 alone. Of these accidents, over 200 resulted in injuries and 12 resulted in fatalities. Furthermore, the number of accidents involving public transportation in the Round Rock area has also seen an uptick in recent years.

In the wake of these accidents, many individuals - both rideshare drivers and rideshare passengers - have been left with severe injuries and financial burdens. Fortunately, the personal injury attorneys at the Traub Law Firm, led by expert personal injury attorney Andrew Traub, has a allocated a legal division of the firm to helping injured Texans secure the compensation they deserve.

The Traub Law Firm has a proven track record of successfully representing clients in rideshare and public transportation accident cases. With years of experience and a deep understanding of the legal system, attorney Andrew Traub and his team are equipped to navigate the complex process of securing compensation for injured individuals.

The Traub Law Firm professes to have a deep commitment to their clients . The firm operates on a contingency fee basis, which means that clients pay no fee unless they win their case. This ensures that injured individuals can access the legal representation they need without worrying about financial burden - a standard practice for personal injury lawyers.

In addition to their dedication to their clients, the Traub Law Firm also has a deep understanding of the unique challenges facing injured individuals in the Austin, Pflugerville, and Round Rock areas. They work closely with medical professionals and experts to ensure that clients receive the best possible care and compensation for their injuries.

Rideshare accidents in and around Austin, Texas are becoming increasingly common as the use of services like Uber and Lyft continues to grow. As a result, it's important for individuals who have been involved in a rideshare accident to understand their rights and the legal options available to them. Austin Uber drivers and Lyft drivers are required to be insured, so when a Texas resident is involved in a rideshare accident, it usually means dealing with insurance companies to cover things like property damages and medical bills.

"One of the first steps for anyone involved in a rideshare accident is to seek medical attention for any injuries sustained. This is not only important for the individual's physical well-being, but also for any potential legal claims," stated a spokesperson for the Austin Accident Lawyer.

"Next, it's important to gather as much information about the accident as possible, including the contact information of any witnesses and any police reports that were filed. It's also important to take photographs of the accident scene and any damage to the vehicles involved.

"When it comes to seeking legal representation, it's important to find a qualified and experienced rideshare accident attorney. A rideshare accident lawyer who specializes in this area of law will be familiar with the unique challenges that can arise in these types of auto accident cases, such as determining liability and navigating the insurance claims process," continued the spokesperson.

"It's also important to keep in mind that there are time limits for filing a legal claim, so it's important to act quickly. An attorney can help ensure that all necessary paperwork is filed in a timely manner and that the individual's rights are protected throughout the process, which ultimately means the accident victims have the best chance at getting the significant financial compensation they need to address medical care and property damages."

If the accident resulted in injuries, the person should file a personal injury claim against the rideshare company or the driver. This can help the individual recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages.

It is also important to understand the insurance coverage for the accident. Rideshare companies have commercial insurance policies that may come into play in the event of an accident. An attorney can help the individual understand what coverage is available and ensure that any claims are filed correctly.

For more information, visit the Traub Law Firm's website, or by calling (512) 246-9191

Contact Info:

Name: Andrew Traub

Email: andrew@austinaccidentlawyer.com

Organization: Austin Accident Lawyer

Address: 8701 Shoal Creek Blvd #401, Austin, Texas 78757, United States

Website: https://austinaccidentlawyer.com/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/153163
FREMONT, Calif., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Jackery, the global leader in providing portable power stations and solar panels, strives to contribute to a more sustainable future. Now, after a successful decade in the United States market, Jackery is ready to start a new chapter.





In January 2023, the company took its first step into the Australian green energy market with select products available to Aussie customers through Amazon, with the company's official Australian website launching on February 1, 2023.

The Jackery Solar Generator 1000 Pro includes a 1000 Explorer Pro portable power station and two SolarSaga solar panels. This product is fast-charging and convenient to take on an outdoor adventure.

The Jackery Explorer 500 is a lightweight portable power station that is one of the most affordable and efficient lithium portable power stations on the market.

Both are available on Amazon.

10 Years of Sustainable Energy Innovation

Jackery has over the last decade grown into a global leader in solar power products, having sold over 2 million units worldwide. Its successes have been recognized in over 100 media outlets including CBS News, and CNN. Last year, Forbes dubbed Jackery's solar generators "the Apple of portable power devices."

At the 2023 CES, the company launched two portable solar generators: the 3000 Pro and the 1500 Pro and won four CES Innovation Awards. Among the winning products was the Jackery LightTent-AIR, which won the Best of Innovation award.

Making a Contribution to Australia's Green Future

Australia currently faces an unprecedented energy crisis with supply issues causing severe pricing spikes.

Chris Bowen, the Australian Minister for Climate Change and Energy, has admitted that the country isn't sufficiently prepared. This year, Australians could face energy price increases of up to 18 percent.

Factors have included COVID-19, the situation in Ukraine, supply shortages, and an overreliance on coal. Because the problem is so multi-faceted, the solution must be too.

With its affordable range of portable, green energy products, Jackery aims to be a part of that solution.

But Jackery products are more than just sustainable energy solutions. They are tools to help Aussies enjoy outdoor activities that remind them that the earth is worth protecting.

About Jackery

Jackery, the world's leading innovative portable power and green outdoor energy solution provider founded in California in 2012, is a global top-selling solar generator brand born with a vision to offer green energy to everyone, everywhere.

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NOTIFICATION OF TOTAL VOTING RIGHTS AND CAPITAL IN THE COMPANY

WOKINGHAM, UK / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / In accordance with DTR 5.6.1, the Company hereby notifies the following:

The Company's issued share capital as at January 31, 2023 consisted of 232,171,182 ordinary shares of 10 pence each ("Ordinary Shares"), of which 25,619,935 Ordinary Shares were held in treasury as at the date of this disclosure. The voting rights of treasury shares are automatically suspended.

Therefore, the total voting rights in the Company is 206,551,247. This figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which to determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules and the Company's Articles of Association.

Enquiries:

Kate McCormick, Company Secretary

(0118 927 3827)

February 1, 2023

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: Ferguson PLC

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/737646/Ferguson-PLC-Announces-Total-Voting-Rights
HONG KONG, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Harbour City, Hong Kong's largest shopping mall, partners with the renowned Italian Cracking Art group to host its debut Eco-public art exhibition in Hong Kong on its 30th anniversary. From now till 28 Feb 2023, 90 animal sculptures made from regenerated plastic are on display across 8 different locations in Harbour City, indoors and outdoors. These vibrant installations certainly shine a light on the bustling mall.





Placing eye-catching animal sculptures in unexpected urban spaces, Cracking Art aims to arouse people's attention to the intense relationship between nature and artificial plastic through public art and inspire a community-wide conversation about the importance of sustainability and environmental conservation. Cracking Art has hosted exhibitions in over 300 influential cities around the world including New York Central Park, Duomo di Milano, Four Seasons Hotel in Florence and Xintiandi in Shanghai. The artists have created 14 types of animal sculptures in their collection, with each species chosen for its strong symbolism about the species itself and their relationship with nature. Eight of them are displayed in this exhibition, including Beagle, which is the unfortunate dog breed which has been picked for animal testing; Penguin, which has been the great sufferer of global warming; Crocodile and Sea Turtle, which are two of the oldest creatures on Earth.

In addition to the unexpected encounters with Rabbit, Elephant, Penguin, Beagle, European Cat, Sea Turtle, Bear and Crocodile by Cracking Art in Harbour City, visitors are welcome to print the exclusive Personalised Photo Postcard for FREE.

To continue the mission of Cracking Art Group of minimizing waste and reducing the environmental impact, the sculptures will be returned after the exhibition and will be displayed in other cities.

Customer Enquiry: (852) 2118 8623 / www.harbourcity.com.hk #HarbourCity CrackingArt HCart @harbourcity @crackingart













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Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 1, 2023) - Caprock Mining Corp. (CSE: CAPR) ("Caprock" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding option agreement dated January 31st, 2023 (the "Option Agreement") setting out the terms of an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Ackley Lithium-Tin-Molybdenum-REE property ("Ackley", or the "Property") located in south-eastern Newfoundland from Dean Fraser (the "Optionor"), the arms-length owner of the Property (the "Transaction").

Ackley comprises three claim blocks that collectively span an area of 4,550 hectares located less than two hours' drive from St. John's. The claim blocks overlie portions of the contact zone of a large Devonian-aged granite complex with Proterozoic metasediments and volcanics, parts of which are "greisened", or hydrothermally altered, that is similar in age and lithology to the Mount Pleasant deposit in New Brunswick and the East Kemptville deposit in Nova Scotia. Limited historical exploration work across the eastern claim block (the "Main claim block") by companies including Esso Minerals, American Zinc, Inco and others, discovered occurrences and anomalies of lithium, tin, molybdenum, tungsten and REE's.

Recent magnetometer survey work over part of the Main claim block indicates that the altered contact zone may be extensive, covering several square kilometres. Recent limited prospect sampling and historical Esso trenches across the Main claim block returned assays of up to 0.91% lithium dioxide, 5.0% molybdenum, 0.67% tin and 1-5% fluorine on surface. Newfoundland government survey maps of this region report some of the highest lake sediment values for REE's on the entire island.

President & CEO of Caprock, Vishal Gupta states, "High-grade lithium, molybdenum and tin mineralization on surface, a large prospective alteration halo spanning several square kilometres, and its location in a mining-friendly jurisdiction, are some of the characteristics that attracted us to Ackley. The opportunity to add this lithium-focused Property to our existing portfolio of precious metals properties in Ontario provides Caprock's shareholders an incredible optionality in today's turbulent commodity markets."

Terms of the Transaction

Pursuant to the Option Agreement, Caprock has an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Property by incurring the following obligations over the course of three years (which may be accelerated at Caprock's option) from the date of the signing of the Option Agreement:

Issuance of 5,200,000 common shares of the Company (1,300,000 immediately and 1,300,000 on each of the 12, 24 and 36 month anniversaries of execution of the Option Agreement);

Payment of $125,000 in cash ($20,000 immediately, $25,000 on the 12 month anniversary of execution of the Option Agreement, $30,000 on the 24 month anniversary of execution of the Option Agreement and $50,000 on the 36 month anniversary of execution of the Option Agreement); and

Incurring qualified expenditures on the Property totaling $750,000 ($150,000 within the first 12 months of execution of the Option Agreement, an additional $250,000 within 24 months of execution of the Option Agreement and an additional $350,000 within 36 months of execution of the Option Agreement).

Upon the completion of the above obligations by Caprock, the Optionor will retain a 2% NSR on the Property, of which half would be buyable by Caprock for $1,000,000 at any time.

Figure 1

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About Caprock Mining Corp.

Caprock Mining Corp. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on opportunities in the historical Beardmore-Geraldton Gold Belt ("BGB") of Ontario. The company's 100% interest in six gold exploration properties gives it a substantial landholding in the BGB - a belt that has produced over four million ounces of gold historically, and contains the world-class Greenstone gold project (formerly known as the Hardrock gold project) which is being brought to production by a joint venture partnership between Equinox Gold and Orion Mine Finance. With an experienced management team that has a strong exploration pedigree, Caprock is poised to advance its portfolio of gold exploration properties in the BGB to generate incremental shareholder value.

The scientific and technical information disclosed in this release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Vishal Gupta, the Company's President & CEO. Mr. Gupta is a P.Geo. registered with the Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (PGO), and a. "qualified person" as defined under National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

For More Information

Please contact:

Vishal Gupta

President & CEO

E-Mail: vgupta@caprockmining.com

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

All statements in this press release about anticipated future events or results constitute forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, statements with respect to: those that address the anticipated closing of the Option Agreement and necessary approvals for the closing of the Option Agreement. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, are forward-looking statements, and include: the future exercise of the option by Caprock, including receipt of the consideration payable and the occurrence of the expenditures by Caprock required for it to exercise the option. Although Caprock believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and/or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since Caprock can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements, including the risks, uncertainties and other factors identified in Caprock's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. Forward-looking statements are subject to business and economic risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results of operations to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Caprock's expectations include risks associated with the business of Caprock; risks related to reliance on technical information provided by Caprock; risks related to exploration and potential development of the Company's mineral properties; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally; fluctuations in commodity prices and currency exchange rates; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineral deposits; the need for cooperation of government agencies and First Nation groups in the exploration and development of properties and the issuance of required permits; the need to obtain additional financing to develop properties and uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; the possibility of delay in exploration or development programs and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; and other risk factors as detailed from time to time and additional risks identified in Caprock's filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com). Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the date the statements are made. Caprock does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider 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/153176
Toronto, Ontario and New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - February 1, 2023) - QuantGate Systems Inc. (OTCQB: QGSI) (the "QuantGate" or "Company"), an Artificial Intelligence ("AI"), Machine Learning ("ML") SaaS-based Fintech solutions provider, is pleased to announce the company is pursuing a new strategic direction into the Investment Management Sector and the addition of a new member to the QuantGate team. This move comes as a response to the growing demand for highly advanced technologies, sophisticated analytical tools, and leveraging AI & ML in the Investment industry.

QuantGate Systems is a technology company that has developed a suite of SaaS-based technology, including proprietary big-data processing algorithms and analytics, to deliver solutions and seamless API integration to the investment community. The company's technology aims to help Investment Managers make better-informed decisions, identify new opportunities, and increase their potential for return on investment to provide investors with the insights they need to succeed in the financial markets.

"We are excited to embark on this new strategic direction and bring our expertise in technology and data analysis to the Investment Management sector with our proprietary AI technologies and algorithms," states Wayne Welter, Chairman of QuantGate Systems Inc. "We believe that our advanced analytics tools and software will help investment managers make better-informed decisions, identify new opportunities, and increase their ROI."

Ilan Yosef, CTO of QuantGate, commented: "Our QuantGate team continues to develop many innovative fintech applications for both retail and institutional investors. Now QuantGate has a great opportunity to further expand its proprietary AI into traditional and alternative investment management."

QuantGate is also delighted to announce that Mark Casaletto (LinkedIn: Mark Casaletto) has agreed to join the Board of Directors. Mark is bringing over 25 years of experience in establishing operational optimization across diverse industries in both national and international operations, with a proven track record of achieving revenue, profit, and business growth within start-up, turnaround, and rapid-change environments. Mark stated: "I have had the privilege of being associated with some leading edge innovation in the data, analytics, and software as a solution (SaaS) space. The QuantGate team has unleashed some of the most powerful use cases that I have seen on how to best utilize big data and combine it with the power and potential of artificial intelligence technology."

QuantGate Systems is committed to delivering the best solutions to its clients, and this new strategic direction is a reflection of that commitment. The company will continue to invest in research and development to stay at the forefront of technological advancements and to provide its clients with the most advanced and effective software and technology solutions available.

The company also announces that Govin Misir (CEO & Director) has resigned from the company, effective immediately. In reference to the Press Release dated July 6, 2022 (CEO Acquires Shares), this has been terminated. Stuart Hensman (Director) has also resigned from the company, effective immediately. The company thanks both of these individuals for their service and wishes them well in their future endeavors.

About the Company

QuantGate Systems Inc. (OTCQB: QGSI) is a publicly-traded fintech company operating for over ten years, developing sophisticated Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and proprietary big-data processing algorithms and analytics to deliver SaaS solutions and seamless API integration. Pilot Trading (www.pilottrading.co) is a 100% wholly-owned subsidiary of QuantGate. Our core intelligence identifies investment opportunities across multiple asset classes, rooted in the financial markets, and perfected for cryptocurrency exchanges, enabling our valued clients to make better-informed investment decisions. Turnkey solutions and efficient APIs, founded on robust and scalable SaaS architecture, easily allow 3rd party integration for onboarding existing users and scaling globally.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

For additional information on QuantGate Systems Inc., please visit the Company's website at www.quantgatesystems.com , or visit social media: Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

For further information on Pilot, please visit www.pilottrading.co and connect on Facebook and Instagram.

Contact Information:

QuantGate Systems Inc.

Wayne Welter, Chairman

150 Bloor Street West, M103

Toronto, ON, M5S 1M4

E: wayne.w@QuantGatesystems.com

T: +1 (416) 993-8896

Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer and Reader Advisory:



All statements included in this press 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 involve numerous assumptions made by the Company based on its experience, perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments, and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, these statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections, and other forward-looking statements will prove inaccurate, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date hereof or revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events.

QuantGate Systems Inc. does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements and cautions investors to consider all other risks and uncertainties, including those disclosed in QuantGate filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/153144
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 1, 2023) - Getchell Gold Corp. (CSE: GTCH) (OTCQB: GGLDF) ("Getchell" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the filing of the Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") technical report for the Fondaway Canyon project in Churchill County, Nevada. The MRE conceptualizes potential open pit and underground mining.

Mineral Resource Estimate Key Highlights

Large 'at surface' Mineral Resource Estimate in a premier gold mining jurisdiction;

Inferred Mineral Resource of 38.3 million tonnes at an average grade of 1.23 g/t Au for

1,509,100 ounces of gold;

of 38.3 million tonnes at an average grade of 1.23 g/t Au for of gold; Indicated Mineral Resource of 11.0 million tonnes at an average grade of 1.56 g/t Au for an additional 550,800 ounces of gold;

of 11.0 million tonnes at an average grade of 1.56 g/t Au for an additional of gold; Gold mineralization remains open for further expansion in all contributing zones; and

Technical report available on the Company's website and on SEDAR.

"The quantity of gold, the grade, the exposure of the mineralization at surface, the robustness of the Mineral Resource Estimate, and the location in a supportive global gold mining epicenter, places the Fondaway Canyon project in a highly select and coveted group." states Mike Sieb, President, Getchell Gold Corp. "Combined with a strong gold price and healthier forecast, the mineralization fully open for further expansion, and aggressive advancement planned, Getchell Gold Corp. is poised to realize significant upside this year."

The results of the Mineral Resource Estimate are as follows:

Table 1: Fondaway Canyon Global Mineral Resources Estimate at a price of US$ 1,650 per ounce.





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Table 2: Fondaway Canyon Mineral Resource Estimate by Zone





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Figure 1: Fondaway Canyon Project MRE showing conceptual pits and Central Zone gold grade block model

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Figure 2: Fondaway Canyon Project MRE 3D gold grade block model - Colorado SW section

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Figure 3: Fondaway Canyon Project MRE 3D gold grade block model - North Fork Section

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Figure 4 displays a long section that highlights the near surface mineralization of the Paperweight shear vein and the long section in Figure 5 highlights the continuity of the mineralization and the open down-dip potential of both the Colorado SW and North Fork zones.





Figure 4: Fondaway Canyon Project 2022 MRE block model - Long section Paperweight to Colorado SW zone

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Figure 5: Fondaway Canyon Project 2022 MRE block model - Long section North Fork to Colorado SW zone

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The Fondaway Canyon Mineral Resources Estimate is based on 518 reverse circulation and diamond drill holes totaling 52,395 metres (171,900 feet) spanning over forty years to the present along a 3.5 km East-West gold trend (Figure 1).

The MRE represents a significant expansion to a historic Mineral Resources Estimate published by a previous operator in 2017 by:

i) Primarily modelling the Mineral Resources as a bulk tonnage target with a conceptual open pit mining scenario versus a solely underground extraction scenario;

ii) The addition of new assay results from 26 diamond drill holes (2017 to 2022) that were completed subsequent to the release of the historic 2017 Mineral Resources Estimate; and

iii) Major discoveries in 2020 and expansion of the new zones during the recent period of drilling.

Nineteen (19) drill holes, FCG20-01 to FCG22-19, totaling 6,973 metres (22,877 feet) drilled by the Company in 2020, 2021, and 2022, were considered in the current MRE and represent a significant component of the expanded gold mineralization.

Nine (9) holes drilled in 2022, FCG22-20 through FCG22-28, totaling 3,473 metres (11,394 feet) were completed subsequent to the cut-off for inclusion into the MRE. The assay results from these nine 2022 holes will be incorporated into a future Mineral Resources Estimate.

Notes on the Mineral Resource Estimate:

The independent and qualified person for the mineral resources estimate, as defined by NI 43-101, is Michael Dufresne, P.Geo., from APEX Geoscience Ltd. Mineral Resources, which are not Mineral Reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability. There has been insufficient exploration to define the inferred resources tabulated above as an indicated or measured mineral resource, however, it is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. There is no guarantee that any part of the mineral resources discussed herein will be converted into a mineral reserve in the future. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, marketing, or other relevant issues. The mineral resources in this report were estimated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum standards on mineral resources and reserves, definitions, and guidelines prepared by the CIM standing committee on reserve definitions and adopted by the CIM council (CIM 2014 and 2019). The Mineral Resources Estimate is underpinned by data from 518 reverse circulation and diamond drillholes totaling 52,395m of drilling that intersected the mineralized domains. The mineral resource is reported at a lower cut-off of 0.3 g/t Au for the conceptual open pit and 2.0 g/t Au for the conceptual underground extraction scenario. The lower cut-off grades and potential mining scenarios were calculated using the following parameters: mining cost = US$2.70/t (open pit); G&A = US$2.00/t; processing cost = US$15.00/t; recoveries = 92%, gold price = US$1,650.00/oz; royalties = 1%; and minimum mining widths = 1.5 metres (underground) in order to meet the requirement that the reported Mineral Resources show "reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction". Original Au assays were composited to 1.5 m with 11,957 composites generated overall in the mineralized domains including 9,980 composites generated for the Central Zone, 1,323 for the Mid-Realm / South Mouth Zone, and 654 for the Silica Ridge / Hamburger Hill Zone. Grade interpolation was performed by ordinary kriging (OK) using 1.5 metre composites (block size of 3m x 3m x 3m). A default density of 2.56 g/cm3 was used for the mineralized zones. The mineral resources estimate is categorized as indicated or inferred and classified based on data density, data quality, confidence in the geological interpretation and confidence in the robustness of the grade interpolation. The indicated category was defined by a search ellipse extending 55m along the major axis, 40m along the minor axis, and 10m vertical. In addition, a minimum of 3 drill holes were required, reporting 9 samples with a maximum of 3 samples per drill hole. The inferred category was defined using a search of up to 120 m and requiring at least 1 sample per drillhole from a minimum of 2 drillholes. High-grade capping supported by statistical analysis was completed on composite data for each zone and was established at 29 g/t Au for the Central Zone, 6.5 g/t Au for the Mid Realm - South Mouth Zone, and 8.0 g/t Au for the Silica Ridge - Hamburger Hill Zone. The number of metric tonnes was rounded to the nearest thousand and gold ounces was rounded to the nearest hundred, and any discrepancies in the totals are due to rounding effects. Metal content is presented in troy ounces (tonnes x grade (g/T) / 31.10348). The author is not aware of any known environmental, permitting, legal, title-related, taxation, socio-political or marketing issues or any other relevant issue not reported in the technical report that could materially affect the mineral resource estimate. The effective date of the Mineral Resources Estimate is December 15, 2022 and the related technical report is available for download on the Company's website and on SEDAR.

About Getchell Gold Corp.

The Company is a Nevada focused gold and copper exploration company trading on the CSE: GTCH and OTCQB: GGLDF. Getchell Gold is primarily directing its efforts on its most advanced stage asset, Fondaway Canyon, a past gold producer with a significant in-the-ground Mineral Resources Estimate. Complementing Getchell's asset portfolio is the Star project, a past high-grade copper, gold, and silver small-scale producer, the Dixie Comstock project, a past gold producer with a historic resource, and one earlier stage exploration project, Hot Springs Peak (Au). Getchell has the option to acquire 100% of the Fondaway Canyon and Dixie Comstock properties, Churchill County, Nevada.

For further information please visit the Company's website at www.getchellgold.com or contact the Company by e-mail at info@getchellgold.com or by phone at +1 647 249-4798.

Mr. William Wagener, Chairman & CEO

Getchell Gold Corp.



The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Certain information contained herein constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the use of proceeds. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "will" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Although management of Getchell have 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. The Company will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/153168
Hong Kong, Hong Kong--(Newsfile Corp. - February 1, 2023) - B2Broker, a leading provider of FX and crypto industry liquidity and technology services, has just announced the integration of Match-Trader into its white label liquidity offering. This move will give clients access to a full-service white label solution with competitive pricing plans and ready-made B2Core integration. The addition of Match-Trader follows the successful integration of cTrader in 2022, demonstrating B2Broker's commitment to offering its customers a flexible and comprehensive solution. With this integration, clients will benefit from even greater access to the world of FX and crypto trading.

New White Label Offering by B2Broker with Match-Trader



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Match-Trader & B2Core

B2Broker also has announced the integration of Match-Trader with B2Core, allowing brokers to offer their clients a seamless trading experience. The platform enables traders to open and manage accounts quickly within the trader's room, providing an instant connection to the platform. This addition to B2Broker's existing white label offering allows brokers to provide the same quality to their consumers.

Creating a margin trading account with Match-Trader through B2Core is now easier than ever. All that is needed is to create a user account, which will serve as the bridge between all the trading accounts. After creating the user account, it is easy to link a margin trading account with Match-Trader.

The B2Core team has also just released their Match-Trader section in the Platforms tab, offering users a wealth of features and capabilities. Users are now able to open demo and live accounts and experiment with various trading strategies in real-time, as well as make deposits, withdrawals, transfers, and internal transfers within the platform. To make things even easier, they have also added a download button for the dedicated Match-Trader terminal, making it simple to access and start trading immediately.

Match-Trader + While Label Solution

B2Broker has launched a white label solution that aims to provide brokers and their customers with an improved Match-Trader experience. The comprehensive package includes B2BinPay (crypto payment processing solution), B2Core (CRM system) technologies, and access to the Prime of Prime liquidity pool from B2Broker - all in one package.

The online trading experience just got a whole lot easier with the launch of Match-Trader's white label. It offers a comprehensive suite of features and services, including 24/7 server support, technical assistance, and personalized account management. Furthermore, training sessions are available.

Businesses looking to take advantage of competitive trading commissions and favorable volume charges now have this perfect solution. And, with no setup charge or initial investment other than a minimum liquidity fee for three months, it's even more appealing. Plus, customers benefit from a grace period of one calendar month plus whatever days are left since set up in terms of monthly minimum liquidity and connectivity.

Bottom Line

With this new partnership, B2Broker and Match-Trader are bringing next-level trading solutions to brokers everywhere. The package includes a range of powerful tools that are perfect for taking advantage of modern tech - and it's now available for any business looking to keep up with the latest innovations in trading.

Soon, Match-Trader will be fully included into IB's programming, opening up a world of new opportunities. This collaboration ensures businesses of all sizes can access the quality services they need to succeed.

Moreover, by combining Match-Trader with B2Core mobile, B2Broker ensures brokers can offer clients the best of both worlds in one platform. With such a wealth of features and possibilities, it's no wonder why the new Match-Trader white label solution is becoming the choice for many brokers.

Company: B2Broker

Contact: Steve Chow

Email: mail@b2broker.net

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/153032
Enables CE Marking of blood test for brain cancer and advances colorectal cancer development

Dxcover Limited, a clinical-stage diagnostics company developing spectroscopic liquid biopsy technology for early detection of multiple cancers, today announced it has raised $11.9 (9.7) million in Series A and grant financing. The funding will support the ongoing development of the Dxcover Liquid Biopsy Platform for the detection of early-stage cancers, including brain and colorectal cancers. The Series A of $9.25 (7.5) million was led by existing investors Eos Advisory LLP, Mercia Asset Management PLC (from Mercia EIS Funds and Mercia Knowledge Intensive Impact Fund), Scottish Enterprise, University of Strathclyde, SIS Ventures and Norcliffe Capital. Boston-based life science investor Mark Bamforth of Thairm Bio also joined the round as Dxcover continues to develop its U.S. network. Dxcover received a grant of $2.7 (2.2) million from the European Innovation Council, following a rigorous competitive process.

"This is a very significant funding milestone in our mission to detect cancer early and improve survival and quality of life for patients," said Dr. Mark Hegarty, CEO, Dxcover. "Having demonstrated our multi-cancer capability, we can now focus on building the pipeline of organ-specific tests, beginning with a multi-center study for CE IVDR marking of the Dxcover Brain Cancer test. We will also expand our data on colorectal cancer, one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and continue our work on collaborative projects."

Dxcover's novel liquid biopsy platform utilizes infrared spectroscopy to analyze patient blood samples and artificial intelligence algorithms to detect the presence or absence of disease. Having initially proven the technology in the detection of brain cancer, the company expanded to eight cancers in 2022 and demonstrated enhanced ability to detect early-stage tumors with the Dxcover Platform.

"Dxcover fits perfectly with Eos's focus on finding and scaling Scottish companies that address key global issues. Their ability to diagnose early-stage cancers could transform survival rates and patient outcomes, and this investment is testament to their quality of data and growth," said Andrew McNeill, Managing Partner, Eos Advisory.

Dxcover was formed in 2019, based on the world leading research of its Chief Technical Officer, Prof. Matthew J. Baker, who said, "Early detection of cancer requires analysis of all the vital signals that are present in early-stage disease. Our pan-omic analysis surveys all of these vital signals and delivers new data. Our approach is complementary to other technologies and has the ability to enhance them."

About Dxcover Limited

Dxcover is a clinical stage liquid biopsy company developing tests for the early detection of multiple cancers, when treatment has a better chance to impact outcomes. The company has pioneered the early detection and identification of cancer by infrared spectroscopy of circulating pan-omic biomarkers. The company has generated compelling clinical data with high accuracy detection of Stage I and Stage II cancers. Dxcover is based in Scotland, United Kingdom and is expanding its network in Europe and the USA.

For further information go to https://www.dxcover.com/science

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005117/en/

Contacts:

Media

Lauren Arnold

LArnold@macdougall.bio
Standard Chartered Bank (the "Bank") has been appointed as OANDA's cash management bank for payments and collections in the United States and United Kingdom; an extension of an existing relationship covering the Singapore market. The Bank has also been mandated as OANDA's foreign exchange (FX) prime broker for its retail FX business internationally.

Through this mandate, OANDA will be able to manage its payments and collections through streamlined Cloud-based processing services across various geographies via the Bank's Straight2Bank platform.

With Cloud-based payment processing solutions such as Automated Clearing House (ACH) in the United States, OANDA will be able to improve its speed to market through faster service enhancements and the potential to apply new payments schemes reliably and securely.

"Standard Chartered's ability to offer a one stop Cloud-based solution that encompasses foreign exchange, prime brokerage, payments, collections, and FX hedging is aligned with our mission to efficiently support our retail and corporate clients across the globe," says Gavin Bambury, Chief Executive Officer of OANDA. "We look forward to the continued partnership and the opportunity to bank with them across different markets."

"This mandate is a wonderful demonstration of our ability to offer international clients with localized and regional solutions that support their growth ambitions," said Karen Hom, Managing Director of Transaction Banking at Standard Chartered Americas. "As treasury teams seek flexible and seamless processing experiences, Cloud-based payment solutions will offer forward looking companies like OANDA the opportunity to scale and grow efficiently."

About OANDA

Founded in 1996, OANDA was the first company to share exchange rate data free of charge on the Internet, launching an FX trading platform that helped pioneer the development of web-based currency trading five years later. Today, the OANDA group, which includes OANDA Corporation, OANDA Europe Limited, OANDA Asia Pacific Pte Ltd and other subsidiaries of OANDA Global Corporation, provides online multi-asset trading, currency data and analytics to retail and corporate clients around the globe, demonstrating an unrivaled expertise in foreign exchange. With regulated entities in nine of the world's most active financial markets, OANDA remains dedicated to transforming how the world interacts with trading, enabling clients to trade global market indices, commodities, treasuries, precious metals and currencies on one of the fastest trading platforms in the market.

About Standard Chartered

We are a leading international banking group, with a presence in 59 of the world's most dynamic markets, and serving clients in a further 83. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, here for good.

Our history in the US dates back to 1902, and we are currently present in eight locations throughout the Americas. Our Americas franchise focuses on financial institutions and select corporates and plays a key role in facilitating trade and investment flows between the Americas and Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges.

For more stories and expert opinions please visit Insights at sc.com. Follow Standard Chartered on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005256/en/

Contacts:

For further information:

Dana Catterina

OANDA

pr@oanda.com

Chris Teo

Standard Chartered, Americas

Chris.Teo@sc.com

Sammi He

Standard Chartered, Americas

Sammi.He@sc.com
Madrid, February 1, 2023 - Atos today announces that it has signed a contract with Madrid City Council, for which it plays a key role in updating and expanding the new Territorial Municipal Emergency Plan (PEMAM 'Plan Territorial de Emergencia Municipal del Ayuntamiento de Madrid') of the city, presented on January 30 by the Mayor of Madrid, Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida.

Chosen for its strong consulting and technical expertise, Atos provided consultancy support to update the PEMAM of Madrid City Council and designed and developed the new Information and Communications Platform as part of the PEMAM, which aims to coordinate existing emergency services and related means and resources of the City Council and other entities. By doing so, the City Council, with the help of Atos, will ensure effective anticipating, forecasting, monitoring and response of emergency activity across the city of Madrid.

Real-time management andreduced response time

The platform features a catalogue of resources available, an updated database of all relevant contact people, as well as a new messaging system that informs users of the emergency in real-time, allowing the sharing of images, videos, documents and texts, so that resources from multiple services can be coordinated more efficiently and dispatched faster.

In addition, the new PEMAM platform incorporates a viewer that aggregates each of the risks into layers of information and displays them graphically in a map view, which can be consulted by users.

The objective of the new PEMAM is to have an efficient multidisciplinary organization combining human and material resources, capable of responding to emergencies related to a serious risk, catastrophe or public calamity, such as those caused by fires, accidents, terrorism, floods, adverse meteorological phenomena or other serious events that may affect the safety of people, property and the environment.

General Directorate of Emergencies and Civil Protection(DGEPC)

For years, Madrid City Council has been using Atos emergency solutions, which allow the DGEPC ('Direccion general de emergencias y proteccion civil') the organization responsible for coordinating emergency services in the city of Madrid, to integrate and coordinate its response to emergency calls. It is a comprehensive solution, constantly updated, that optimizes the use of resources, reduces response times and, most importantly, saves lives.

***

About Atos

Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with 112,000 employees and annual revenue of c.  11 billion. European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high performance computing, the Group provides tailored end-to-end solutions for all industries in 71 countries. A pioneer in decarbonization services and products, Atos is committed to a secure and decarbonized digital for its clients. Atos is a SEofAtosis to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space.

Contacts presse

Spain: Christian Suell - christian.suell@atos.net (mailto:christian.suell@atos.net)

France & other countries - Laura Fau - laura.fau@atos.net (mailto:laura.fau@atos.net) - +33 (0) 6 73 64 04 18

Attachment
New DNS detection and response service safeguards user internet traffic and enforces enterprise acceptable use policies

Neustar Security Services, a leading provider of cloud-based security services that enable global businesses to thrive online, is introducing UltraDDR (DNS Detection and Response), a recursive DNS-based protection service aimed at combatting network breaches, ransomware attacks, phishing and supply chain compromise, while enforcing enterprise acceptable use policies for its users.

UltraDDR provides a Protective DNS solution that enables enterprises to get in front of threats by blocking communication before damage can occur. Protective DNS analyzes DNS queries and takes action to mitigate threats. Using years of historical domain data, UltraDDR delivers real-time observability of outbound network communication, allowing enterprises to detect and stop malware, ransomware, phishing, and supply chain attacks before they can do damage. If a user is compromised, UltraDDR blocks that user's outbound connections to malicious sites on the internet, preventing the infected device from remotely loading malware or taking any actions to further compromise your infrastructure. UltraDDR not only observes, analyzes and blocks suspicious communications, it also maps attacker assets and behaviors, generating detailed insights into the complete threat. UltraDDR alerts can be correlated with alerts from EDR and NDR solutions to minimize the noise and distraction of false positives, allowing security teams to focus on real threats.

"C-suites live in fear of becoming victimized by ransomware or a widespread data breach as the frequency of attacks is higher than ever while attackers are routinely exploiting business' weakest security link their people," said Carlos Morales, senior vice president of solutions at Neustar Security Services. "You may not be able to prevent one of your users from clicking on or opening something nefarious, but you can use protective DNS as a means of preventing outbound connections from infected hosts, nullifying the threat before it gets started. UltraDDR's real-time detection and response capabilities can help prevent user actions from becoming an enterprise's biggest security blind spot."

Organizations can depend on UltraDDR for their recursive DNS needs. UltraDDR includes a highly reliable, global recursive DNS resolution network that consists of 27 nodes worldwide, providing lightning-fast resolutions everywhere. UltraDDR is a full DNS resolver solution, complete with advanced security features such as DNSSEC, DNS over HTTPS (DoH), and DNS over TLS (DoT). Additionally, the service includes built-in DNS DDoS protection via Neustar Security Services' UltraDDoS Protect solution to quickly defend against attacks towards the UltraDDR DNS resolver network, ensuring that DNS resolution availability is not compromised.

UltraDDR also provides comprehensive DNS firewall capabilities to enforce acceptable use policies for enterprise users. Administrators can choose categories of internet traffic such as adult, gambling, gaming, social media, etc., that are not acceptable under company policy and choose to block or flag this traffic to provide a simple, unobtrusive way of enforcing policy.

UltraDDR can be deployed in minutes to improve organizations' existing security investments for example, by integrating always-on DNS intelligence into security information and event management systems, firewalls, endpoint solutions, and more. The solution supports a client which can be installed on Windows, macOS, iOS and Android devices that allows DNS settings to persist regardless of network connection and can continue to offer both web categorization and threat prevention.

For more information about UltraDDR, please visit: https://neustarsecurityservices.com/blog/ultraddr-is-next-level-protective-dns.-heres-why.

About Neustar Security Services

The world's top brands depend on Neustar Security Services to safeguard their digital infrastructure and online presence. Neustar Security Services offers a suite of cloud-based services that are secure, reliable and available to enable global businesses to thrive online. The company's suite of solutions protects organizations' networks and applications against risks and downtime, ensuring that businesses and their customers enjoy exceptional interactions all day, every day. Delivering the industry's best performance service, Neustar Security Services' mission-critical security portfolio provides best-in-class DNS, application and network security (including DDoS, WAF and bot management) services to its Global 5000 customers and beyond. For more information, visit https://neustarsecurityservices.com/.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005310/en/

Contacts:

Neustar Security Services

Finn Partners for Neustar Security Services

Pete Johnson

+1 503-546-7880

pete.johnson@finnpartners.com
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / Atomic Minerals Corporation ("ATOMIC MINERALS" or the "Company") (TSXV:ATOM) is pleased to announce it has entered into an option agreement for the Hamilton Lake Uranium Project ("Hamilton Lake") and the Mitchell Lake Uranium Project ("Mitchell Lake") located in Canada's Athabasca Basin from two arm's length vendors (the "Property Vendors").

Hamilton Lake consists of 2,972 hectares and lies approximately 45 kilometres northeast of Uranium City, Saskatchewan. Mitchell Lake consists of 292 hectares and lies approximately 660 kilometres north of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and west of Wolliston Lake on the western edge of the Athabasca Basin.

Atomic Minerals President & CEO Clive Massey commented, "We are very excited about adding two more highly prospective projects to our growing portfolio, as we continue to mitigate our exploration risk. With momentum in the green energy sector continuing to build, uranium is the only sensible and cost-effective solution for the looming worldwide power shortage and with the pledge at COP26 to phase out coal for power generation, the best alternative is nuclear power."

About the Mitchell Lake Project

The Mitchell Lake Project lies in the eastern Athabasca Basin, contiguous to UEX Corporations West Bear property. Historic exploration has identified a major +10km linear EM anomaly associated with a NE trending regional structure. The southern end of the anomaly lies along the southern boundary of the Mitchell property with ground EM also highlighting linear splay structures trending well into the property.

About the Hamilton Lake Project

The Hamilton Lake Project lies in the Beaverlodge District of northern Saskatchewan, contiguous to Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp. Alces Lake property. The claims are underlain by intrusives, metasediment and mylonites and lie along the regional St. Louis Fault. Historic airborne EM surveys have located linear EM anomalies associated with the fault in the immediate area of a splay fault.

Transaction Terms

Under the terms of the Agreement, Atomic may acquire a 100% ownership interest in the Mitchell Lake and Hamilton Lake projects by issuing the vendors 6,000,000 shares upon TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX.V") acceptance. There are no royalties associated with the Mitchell Lake or Hamilton Lake properties.

Change of Auditor

Atomic announces that it has changed its auditors from Smythe LLP, (the "Former Auditors") to Crowe MacKay LLP, (the "Successor Auditors") effective January 16, 2023.

The Former Auditors resigned as auditors of the Company effective December 28, 2022, and the board of directors of the Company appointed the Successor Auditor as the Company's auditor effective January 16, 2023, until the next Annual General Meeting of the Company.

There were no reservations in the Former Auditor's reports in connection with the most recently completed fiscal year (2022) or for any period subsequent to the most recently completed period for which an audit report was issued preceding the date of the Former Auditor's resignation. There are no "reportable events" (as that term is defined in National Instrument 51-102 Continuous Disclosure Obligations) between the Company and the Former Auditor.

In accordance with National Instrument 51-102, the notice of change of auditor, together with the required letters from the former auditor and the successor auditor, have been reviewed by the audit committee and the board of directors and has been filed on SEDAR.

About the Company

Atomic Minerals is a Vancouver based publicly listed uranium exploration company trading on the TSX Venture Exchange, with current assets in Saskatchewan's Athabasca Basin and the Four Corners region of the southwest United States. The Company is led by a highly skilled management and technical team with numerous previous successes in the junior mining sector.

For additional information, please visit the Company's website at www.atomicminerals.ca

Qualified Persons

Mr. R. Tim Henneberry, P.Geo. (BC), is the "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and is responsible for the technical contents of this news release and has approved the disclosure of the technical information contained herein.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"Clive Massey"

Clive H. Massey

President & CEO

For further information, please contact:

Investor Relations

(778) 316-5105

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor their Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "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. Although Atomic Minerals Corporation 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. Forward looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of Atomic Minerals Corporation management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, Atomic Minerals Corporation undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

SOURCE: Atomic Minerals Corporation

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/737615/Atomic-Minerals-Corp-Options-Hamilton-Lake-and-Mitchell-Lake-in-Athabasca-Basin-and-Changes-Auditor
CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / CannaPharmaRx, Inc. (OTC PINK:CPMD), a future leader in ultramodern, highly efficient cannabis production facilities announced today that its Board of Directors is reviewing options for examining and evaluating measures to address the unusual trading activity of the company's stock.

The company believes that certain individuals and/or companies may have engaged in naked short selling practices and other manipulative actions that have artificially lowered the stock price. As a result, the company is following the blueprint of other publicly traded companies in addressing this issue. CannaPharmaRx, Inc. believes the Company may have been the target of a market manipulation scheme and will develop a comprehensive plan and task force to investigate. The company may utilize third party experts to help remedy the situation.

"We are committed to executing our business model, rapidly increasing our revenue base and growing and protecting our shareholder value. The integrity of our stock is among our highest priorities," stated Chief Executive Officer, Dominic Colvin.

About CannapharmaRx, Inc.

CannapharmaRx is focused on the acquisition and development of state-of-the-art cannabis grow facilities in Canada. CPMD is in discussion with other companies regarding potential acquisitions. CannapharmaRx's business strategy is to become a leader in high quality and low-cost production of cannabis through the development, acquisition, and enhancement of existing facilities. CannapharmaRx is committed to operating high-quality facilities utilizing the latest technology in combined heat and power generation to ensure being a low-cost producer of cannabis.

Safe Harbor Statement

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information or Statements

This press release contains forward-looking information or statements. All statements that are or information which is not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations, or beliefs of future performance, are 'forward-looking information or statements.' Forward-looking information or statements can be identified by the use of words such as 'plans,' 'expects,' or 'does not expect,' 'is expected,' 'estimates,' 'intends,' '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,' 'might' or 'will' be taken, occur or be achieved. With respect to forward-looking information and statements contained herein, Management of CannapharmaRx has made numerous assumptions, including, among other things, assumptions about general business and economic conditions. Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, events, or developments to be materially different from any future results, events, or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking information or statements. 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 forward-looking information or statements. CannapharmaRx assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information or statements, even if new information becomes available as a result of future events, new information, or for any other reason except as required by law.

Contact:

Brokers and Analysts

Chesapeake Group

410-825-3930

info@chesapeakegp.com

SOURCE: CannaPharmaRx

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/737613/CannaPharmaRx-Evaluates-Investigation-into-Market-Manipulation-and-Potentially-Illegal-Trading-of-Stock
Grass Valley, California--(Newsfile Corp. - February 1, 2023) - Rise Gold Corp. (CSE: RISE) (OTCQX: RYES) (the "Company") announces that it has completed the first tranche of the non-brokered private placement announced in its January 18 and 25, 2023 news releases (the "Financing").

In this tranche, the Company raised a total of US$1,779,626 through the sale of 4,449,066 units (each a "Unit") at a price of US$0.40 per Unit (~CDN$0.55 per Unit), with each Unit comprising one share of common stock (a "Share") and one-half of one share purchase warrant (the "Private Placement"). Each whole warrant (a "Warrant") entitles the holder to acquire one Share at an exercise price of US$0.60 until January 31st, 2025. The Company paid a total of ~US$2,767 in finder's fees and issued a total of 6,900 finder's warrants, where each finder's warrant entitles the holder to acquire one Share at a price of US$0.60 until January 31, 2025.

Certain directors of Rise Gold, directly, through entities controlled by them, or through entities for which they exercise control or direction over investment decisions, purchased an aggregate of 1,476,363 Units for gross proceeds of US$590,545. The participation of each of these directors in the Private Placement constitutes a "related party transaction" under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). Rise Gold is relying on exemptions from the formal valuation requirements of section 5.4 of MI 61-101 and minority shareholder approval requirements of section 5.6 of MI 61-101. As the fair market value of the related parties participation is not more than 25% of Rise Gold's market capitalization, the related party transactions are exempt from the formal valuation requirements pursuant to subsection 5.5(a) of MI 61-101 and from the minority approval requirements pursuant to subsection 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101. A material change report, as contemplated by the related party transaction requirements under MI 61-101, was not filed more than 21 days prior to closing as the extent of related party participation in the Private Placement was not known until shortly prior to the closing.

All securities issued pursuant to the Private Placement are subject to statutory hold periods in accordance with applicable United States and Canadian securities laws. Under Canadian securities laws the securities are subject to a hold period expiring on June 1st, 2023. Rise Gold will use the proceeds from the Private Placement for the advancement of the Idaho-Maryland Mine Project, debt repayment, and for general working capital.

The securities offered 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 may not be offered or sold absent registration or compliance with an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.

About Rise Gold Corp.

Rise Gold is an exploration-stage mining company incorporated in Nevada, USA. The Company's principal asset is the historic past-producing Idaho-Maryland Gold Mine located in Nevada County, California, USA.

On behalf of the Board of Directors:

Benjamin Mossman

President, CEO and Director

Rise Gold Corp.

For further information, please contact:

RISE GOLD CORP.

Suite 215, 333 Crown Point Circle

Grass Valley, CA 95945

T: 530.433.0188

info@risegoldcorp.com

www.risegoldcorp.com

The CSE has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this news release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur.

Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions related to certain factors including, without limitation, obtaining all necessary approvals, meeting expenditure and financing requirements, compliance with environmental regulations, title matters, operating hazards, metal prices, political and economic factors, competitive factors, general economic conditions, relationships with vendors and strategic partners, governmental regulation and supervision, seasonality, technological change, industry practices, and one-time events that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information contained in this release. Rise undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements or information except as required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/153147
NORTH MARA, Tanzania, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE:GOLD)(TSX:ABX) has hosted a two-day open-door visit to its North Mara Gold Mine in Tanzania by the UK-based NGO RAID (Rights and Accountability in Development) represented primarily by its executive director, Anneke van Woudenberg.



The intention of the visit was for RAID to experience firsthand the positive impact Barrick has had since assuming operational control of North Mara in September 2019. In the course of the visit, RAID were given a comprehensive presentation on the mine's operations and operating environment and were able to view the transformative impact the mine's sustainability strategy has had on its host communities, as is the case for all Barrick mines.

RAID was invited to observe one of the frequent community engagement meetings between North Mara, the village chairpersons, ward and village executive officials of the 11 host villages as well as their member of parliament. At this meeting, the village leadership afforded RAID the opportunity to raise any human rights issues they felt were of concern. Consistent with Barrick's findings to date, the village leadership did not corroborate the allegations raised by RAID and reaffirmed that there had been no previous engagement with RAID on the concerns raised.

RAID also had the opportunity to see community projects, including the agribusiness which provides livelihoods to over 100 youths, the potable tap water supply which will supply over 30,000 community members, new schools and medical facilities. These projects were all funded by the mine through a Community Development Committee, which puts the community at the heart of the decision-making process.

Finally, Barrick introduced RAID to key local authorities and held tripartite meetings which included the Regional Police Commander and the District Commissioner.

Barrick does not tolerate human rights abuses in any of its operations and encourages any individual or organization to share any concerns they may have. North Mara Gold Mine will continue to implement its sustainability strategy. This includes engaging and working closely with over 20 regional and national NGOs that understand the challenges in its host communities and partner with the mine to implement socio-economic development projects.

"We encourage RAID to join these NGOs and collaborate with us on upliftment initiatives. I hope that the site visit has been informative for RAID and that they will leave Tanzania with a fresh perspective on the numerous benefits the mine brings to its host communities and its respect for the human rights of those influenced by its operations," said Barrick's president and chief executive Mark Bristow.

Barrick Enquiries



Investor and media relations

Kathy du Plessis

+44 20 7557 7738

+27 83 266 5847

Email: barrick@dpapr.com

Website: www.barrick.com

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information

Certain information contained or incorporated by reference in this press release, including any information as to our strategy, projects, plans or future sustainability performance, constitutes "forward-looking statements". All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. The words "opens", "transformative impact", "opportunity", "invest", "will", "encourage", "collaborate", "upliftment initiatives", "continue" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking statements including, without limitation, with respect to: Barrick's sustainability strategy and vision; Barrick's environmental, health and safety, corporate social responsibility and human rights programs, policies and performance at North Mara and in Tanzania; the transformative impact of Barrick's sustainability strategy in the region; the anticipated benefits of agricultural, potable water supply and other community projects at North Mara; the impact of community engagement meetings at North Mara and Barrick's invitation to RAID and other NGOs to collaborate on social and economic uplift initiatives at the mine.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions including material estimates and assumptions related to the factors set forth below that, while considered reasonable by the Company as at the date of this press release in light of management's experience and perception of current conditions and expected developments, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements and information. Such factors include, but are not limited to: failure to comply with environmental and health and safety laws and regulations; non-renewal of key licences by governmental authorities; changes in national and local government legislation, taxation, controls or regulations and/or changes in the administration of laws, policies and practices; expropriation or nationalization of property and political or economic developments in Tanzania and other jurisdictions in which the Company or its affiliates do or may carry on business in the future; timing of receipt of, or failure to comply with, necessary permits and approvals; lack of certainty with respect to foreign legal systems, corruption and other factors that are inconsistent with the rule of law; risks associated with illegal and artisanal mining; risks associated with new diseases, epidemics and pandemics, including the effects and potential effects of the global Covid-19 pandemic; damage to the Company's reputation due to the actual or perceived occurrence of any number of events, including negative publicity with respect to the Company's handling of human rights and environmental matters or dealings with community groups, whether true or not; risk of loss due to acts of war, terrorism, sabotage and civil disturbances; litigation and administrative proceedings; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties, or over access to water, power and other required infrastructure; risks associated with working with partners in jointly controlled assets; employee relations including loss of key employees; and increased costs and physical risks, including extreme weather events and resource shortages, related to climate change. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining, including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding and gold bullion, copper cathode or gold or copper concentrate losses (and the risk of inadequate insurance, or inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks).

Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can affect our actual results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, us. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Specific reference is made to the most recent Form 40-F/Annual Information Form on file with the SEC and Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities for a more detailed discussion of some of the factors underlying forward-looking statements and the risks that may affect Barrick's ability to achieve the expectations set forth in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
Family-owned company is planting thousands of trees across the world to support biodiversity, help local communities and capture an expected 2.5M kg of CO2

Initiative marks company's 'Founder's Day' and 161-years of doing the right thing with a celebration of its bold ESG commitments

HAMILTON, BERMUDA / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / Family-owned Bacardi Limited is celebrating its 161st anniversary with a gift to the planet and its people. The world's largest privately held spirits company will plant one tree for every employee to support biodiversity, help local communities, and capture a combined 2.5M kg of CO2 during the trees' lifetime.

This week, every person in the company will receive an anniversary edition bottle of BACARDI Carta Blanca, complete with a QR code which enables them to plant their own tree and then track its progress and positive impact through an online platform.

The initiative forms part of the continued drive from Bacardi to be the most responsible global spirits company in the world. Through its extensive Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG)program, Good Spirited, the company takes bold action to restore communities, revitalize natural ecosystems, and revolutionize the way it does business.

"As a family-owned company, doing the right thing is in our DNA, and all of us at Bacardi share that passion for taking care of the environment," said Bacardi Limited CEO Mahesh Madhavan. "By creating our very own Bacardi forests, we can all take pride in having our own positive impact and being part of our company's legacy for the next 161 years and beyond."

The trees will be planted in India, Nepal, Indonesia, Ecuador, and Madagascar, with 11 different species carefully selected to maximize the benefits to each location and community.

The tree planting sites represent areas where Bacardi sources some of the botanicals and raw ingredients used in crafting its premium drinks portfolio, which includes BACARDI rum, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin, GREY GOOSE vodka, PATRON tequila, MARTINI vermouth and DEWAR'S Blended Scotch whisky.

"We care deeply about the farmers who grow our beautiful ingredients and take great pride in the strong relationships we've spent decades building with these communities," says Dave Ingram, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Bacardi Limited. "Planting these trees on their doorsteps is another way of giving back as we invest in their future and in protecting the environment for generations to come."

To mark the 161st anniversary, Bacardi will also plant 161 coconut trees in Puerto Rico, home to the world's largest premium rum distillery where BACARDI rum is produced. The trees will help regenerate and protect a beach located near the BACARDI rum distillery, an area that has suffered significant hurricane damage in recent years.

The initiative also pays homage to the company's legendary coconut palm, 'El Coco'. Planted in front of the first BACARDI distillery in Cuba, El Coco came to symbolize the strength and resilience of the Bacardi company after withstanding a distillery fire, five earthquakes, and countless hurricanes.

In Bermuda, home of the Bacardi's global headquarters, the company will plant 100 cedar saplings at one of the island's nature reserves. A highly valued and symbolic tree in Bermuda, the cedar supports biodiversity by providing a crucial nesting site for birds such as the native Bluebird.

On February 4, 2023, Bacardi celebrates 161 years since Don Facundo Bacardi Masso founded the company in Santiago de Cuba. Family owned over seven generations, Bacardi grew from a single rum brand to a portfolio of iconic global spirits brands.

Find out more about Bacardi and its ESG commitments, including its alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, at www.bacardilimited.com/good-spirited.

Always drink responsibly.

Notes to editors

This limited-edition bottle of BACARDI Carta Blanca is only available to Bacardi employees and is not on sale for consumers.

About Bacardi

Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, produces and markets internationally recognized spirits and wines. The Bacardi Limited brand portfolio comprises more than 200 brands and labels, including BACARDI rum, GREY GOOSE vodka, PATRON tequila, DEWAR'S Blended Scotch whisky, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin, MARTINI vermouth and sparkling wines, CAZADORES 100% blue agave tequila, and other leading and emerging brands including WILLIAM LAWSON'S Scotch whisky, ST-GERMAIN elderflower liqueur, and ERISTOFF vodka. Founded more than 161 years ago in Santiago de Cuba, family-owned Bacardi Limited currently employs more than 8,000 people, operates production facilities in 10 countries, and sells its brands in more than 170 countries. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. Visit www.bacardilimited.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram.

Media enquiries:

Phillippa Williams, Corporate Communications Director, Bacardi, pholmes@bacardi.com

Bacardi CEO Mahesh Madhavan and Chief Supply Chain Officer Dave Ingram plant a cedar sapling in Bermuda - part of the company's initiative to plant a tree for each of its employees to celebrate 161st anniversary

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Bacardi Limited on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Bacardi Limited

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/bacardi-limited

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Bacardi Limited

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/737670/Bacardi-Plants-a-Tree-for-Every-Employee-To-Celebrate-161st-Anniversary-With-a-Gift-to-the-Planet
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 1, 2023) - Casa Minerals Inc. (TSX: CASA) (OTC Pink: CASXF) (FSE: 0CM) (the "Company" or "Casa") is pleased to announce the assay results of the initial exploration at its Congress Gold Mine Project in Yavapai county, Arizona, USA. Casa's work included compilation of historic data and drilling of ten holes with total length 6,828ft HQ Diameter. Results of the field program exceeded expectations, with all the drill holes intersecting the Niagara and Congress Veins extensions on the property and yielded several noteworthy gold intercepts and long intervals of strong gold enrichment.

The highest gold intercepted in phase one, 2022 drilling campaign:

CCG-004 14.9 g/t over 1.5 meters, as part of a larger intercept of 3.5 g/t over 10.7 meters

CCG-004 9.3 g/t over 3 meters.

Three distinct areas of gold potential have been identified, two of which were revealed by previous drilling and one is newly discovered, and named for convenience, Congress z1, z2 and z3, respectively. These results demonstrate significant exploration potential of the property.

The following map illustrates the identified and confirmed Congress z1, z2 and z3:





Figure 1: Congress Gold Mine Project compilation map

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1750/153170_8eed1009d4d8f8cb_001full.jpg

Casa's diamond drilling program tested possible extensions of the formerly-productive Congress and Niagara vein structures and nearby areas. Cores were examined, recorded and sampled with the supervision of personnel from MineMappers, LLC, of Marana, Arizona and Mark Osterberg, ((PhD., P.G., Wisconsin), R.G. (Arizona), RMSME, a qualified registered consulting geologist in the state of Arizona.

Prior to sampling, cores were recorded, photographed and logged for rock types and structures, then halved by sawing: one half was submitted to an independent, ISO 9000 registered commercial analytical laboratory, with initial processing at the lab's Tucson, Arizona, facility and final analysis in Vancouver, Canada. The remaining half-core was retained in a secure storage facility on the property where it is available for further examination. Core handling procedures followed industry-standard QA/QC methods to ensure integrity of analytical data.

Selected gold intercepts are depicted in Table 1:

DDH Including From (m) To (m) Width (m) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Year Operator CGC-001 70.1 82.9 12.8 0.3 1.1 2022 Casa CGC-001 Inc. 71.0 79.6 8.5 0.4 1.6 2022 Casa CGC-001 Inc. 75.0 76.8 1.8 1.1 3.4 2022 Casa CGC-002 0.0 14.0 14.0 0.0 0.1 2022 Casa CGC-003 78.3 81.4 3.0 2.6 4.6 2022 Casa CGC-003 78.3 86.3 7.9 1.9 4.3 2022 Casa CGC-003 78.3 89.0 10.7 1.6 3.6 2022 Casa CGC-003 Inc. 85.0 86.3 1.2 4.3 5.6 2022 Casa CGC-003 85.0 87.5 2.4 2.6 4.3 2022 Casa CGC-004 12.8 120.4 107.6 0.4 0.7 2022 Casa CGC-004 Inc. 34.1 69.2 35.1 1.1 1.9 2022 Casa CGC-004 Inc. 50.9 61.6 10.7 3.5 4.2 2022 Casa CGC-004 Inc. 55.5 57.0 1.5 14.9 6.9 2022 Casa CGC-004 55.5 58.5 3.0 9.3 7.3 2022 Casa CGC-005 70.1 90.5 20.4 0.3 0.5 2022 Casa CGC-005 Inc. 80.2 82.0 1.8 1.0 0.9 2022 Casa CGC-005 Inc. 126.8 129.8 3.0 1.1 2.6 2022 Casa CGC-005 314.6 322.2 7.6 0.9 1.3 2022 Casa CGC-005 Inc. 320.6 322.2 1.5 2.8 0.3 2022 Casa CGC-006 55.5 67.7 12.2 0.4 1.2 2022 Casa CGC-006 58.5 72.5 14.0 0.4 1.0 2022 Casa CGC-009 0.0 285.3 285.3 0.1 0.4 2022 Casa CGC-009 256.3 257.9 1.5 2.6 10.4 2022 Casa CGC-009 262.4 264.0 1.5 1.3 3.4 2022 Casa CGC-009 268.5 271.6 3.0 1.5 3.2 2022 Casa CGC-009 268.5 280.7 12.2 1.1 2.1 2022 Casa CGC-009 283.8 285.3 1.5 3.1 2.1 2022 Casa CGC-009 Inc. 317.3 318.8 1.5 1.6 1.0 2022 Casa

Casa's extensive database of Congress property information is from several sources, including public archives, records of previous operations and Dubois family records. Table 2 is a compilation of some of the significant gold intersections from those records. Data in this news release from earlier sources has not been reviewed or verified by a Qualified Person and should not be relied upon in any evaluation of the Congress Mine.

Selected historic gold intercepts are tabulated in Table 2:

DDH Including From (m) To (m) Width (m) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Year Operator 90-02 77.9 91.3 13.4 1.8 6.6 1990 Other 90-02 Inc. 78.2 86.4 8.2 2.5 6.4 1990 Other 90-02 Inc. 83.0 84.9 1.8 7.6 9.7 1990 Other 90-06 18.0 19.8 1.8 2.3 6.4 1990 Other 90-07 26.9 27.8 0.9 7.5 71.5 1990 Other 90-07 Inc. 67.6 68.2 0.5 4.1 23.3 1990 Other 90-08 205.6 215.3 9.7 3.1 22.5 1990 Other 90-08 Inc. 206.9 207.6 0.7 16.5 107.5 1990 Other 90-08 206.9 208.8 1.9 7.6 46.3 1990 Other 90-08 206.9 214.6 7.7 3.6 26.0 1990 Other 90-09 50.1 51.7 1.5 3.2 5.2 1990 Other 90-09 69.4 70.0 0.6 2.2 11.6 1990 Other 90-12 157.3 157.9 0.6 15.7 51.5 1990 Other 90-12 157.3 165.4 8.1 3.6 11.7 1990 Other 90-12 Inc. 159.9 160.7 0.7 4.6 15.7 1990 Other 90-12 164.6 165.4 0.8 6.4 13.6 1990 Other 90-13 215.3 215.7 0.3 4.7 23.0 1990 Other 90-13 215.3 220.5 5.2 2.7 8.7 1990 Other 90-13 Inc. 219.3 220.0 0.7 4.7 21.5 1990 Other 90-14 37.8 38.3 0.5 2.8 0.1 1990 Other 90-15 186.8 191.4 4.6 2.4 4.6 1990 Other 90-15 Inc. 190.2 191.4 1.2 5.4 9.6 1990 Other 90-18 86.4 86.9 0.5 6.9 2.6 1990 Other 90-18 86.4 87.4 1.0 3.9 1.3 1990 Other 90-18 173.4 175.0 1.5 2.2 1.5 1990 Other 90-18 264.3 264.6 0.3 2.1 0.0 1990 Other 90-20 22.3 22.9 0.6 6.7 6.8 1990 Other 90-20 142.5 143.3 0.7 6.4 9.4 1990 Other 90-20 142.5 145.5 2.9 2.5 6.3 1990 Other 90-20 162.3 165.6 3.3 1.6 4.9 1990 Other

Casa's drilling (Figure 1) was directed to southeast parts of the Congress Mine where historic work indicated possible extensions of mined areas and to other areas of potential gold mineralization. Vertical sections Figures 2, and 3 illustrate the location of previous drill holes, mine workings and Casa drill holes.





Figure 2: Congress Gold Mine Project - Section 2 - 2'

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1750/153170_8eed1009d4d8f8cb_002full.jpg





Figure 3: Congress Gold Mine Project - Section 5 - 5'

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1750/153170_8eed1009d4d8f8cb_003full.jpg

(A complete historic mine plan and sections are posted on the company's website at https://www.casaminerals.com/elementor-784/historical-drillings-and-layouts )

The Congress gold mine operated at intervals from 1887 to 1992, with reported production of about 400,000 to 500,000 ounces gold by previous operators included Echo Bay Mines Ltd. and Malartic Hygrade. Casa Minerals Inc. owns ninety percent (90%) interest in the Congress gold mine from 40 feet depth and beyond, subject to a 1.5% Net Smelter Royalty (Arizona, USA). The property comprises 14 patented mining claims with area 260 acres and undivided one hundred percent of the 494.8 acres that Casa acquired by staking. In a small part of the property, Surface rights to depth 40 feet (9 m) in part of the property are held by a third party. Gold mineralization occurs with vein quartz and in areas of strong siliceous alteration in granite.

Qualified Person:

Mr. Erik Ostensoe P.Geo., a director and chief geologist of the Company, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release.

About Casa Minerals Inc.

The Company is engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties located in Canada and the USA. Casa owns ninety percent (90%) interest in the Congress gold mine (Arizona, USA). This historic high-grade gold producing mine has not been explored nor been in production since 1992. Additionally, the Company owns a one hundred percent (100%) interest in the polymetallic Pitman and Keaper properties (BC, Canada) and has an option to acquire a seventy-five percent (75%) interest in the Arsenault VMS Property (BC, Canada).

On Behalf of Board of Directors

Farshad Shirvani, M.Sc. Geology

President and CEO

For more information, please contact:

Casa Minerals Inc.

Farshad Shirvani, President & CEO

Phone: (604) 678-9587

Email: contact@casaminerals.com

https://www.casaminerals.com

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Certain of the statements made and information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information." In particular references to the private placement and future work programs or expectations on the quality or results of such work programs are subject to risks associated with operations on the property, exploration activity generally, equipment limitations and availability, as well as other risks that we may not be currently aware of. 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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/153170
Mavenir, the Network Software Provider building the future of networks with cloud-native software that runs on any cloud, today announced new initiatives in collaboration with AMD to help Communication Service Providers (CSPs) in their transition to cloud-native telecommunication networks.

First, Mavenir and AMD have been collaborating in Open RAN to build industry leading radio technology. Mavenir has incorporated the AMD Zynq Ultrascale+ RFSoC devices into Mavenir's OpenBeam Radio Portfolio and, through this partnership, both companies continue to work together to introduce new functionality, features, and capabilities to customers.

Secondly, Mavenir's Converged Packet Core has been validated on AMD EPYC CPUs This means Mavenir's cloud-native, fully containerized, virtualized Converged Packet Core (4G 5G) solution can now be deployed on AMD EPYC server CPUs to provide CSPs with more options to implement virtual network functions in cloud data centers.

The elements validated include AMF, SMF, UPF, UDSF, NRF, NSSF, AUSF, UDM, and UDR network functions. Additionally, PCF, NEF, BSF, MME, SecGw, PCRF, MME and SGSN network functions will be validated in the coming months.

"Mavenir's commitment to enabling networks built on software that runs on any cloud revolves around giving CSPs the ability to use the best components that fit their specific needs, in the cell-site and in the data center," said Bejoy Pankajakshan, EVP, Chief Technology and Strategy Officer, Mavenir. "Mavenir and AMD are working together to give CSPs multiple options and help them optimize power consumption, network efficiency and total cost of ownership in the radio access as well as the core network."

"Cloud-native telecom networks empower CSPs with systems that offer flexibility, lower operational cost, ease of system management, and a broader ecosystem for value add, innovation, and upgrade capabilities as network requirements grow," said Salil Raje, senior vice president and general manager, Data Center and Communications Group, AMD. "We are extremely proud of our close collaboration with Mavenir to help deliver exceptional TCO and predictable scalability along with high performance and power efficient solutions to telecommunications operators leveraging AMD data center products."

Mavenir's OpenBeam innovative radio portfolio is specifically designed for the growing needs of CSPs with agile, cost-efficient, intelligent radios to meet critical demands on the network now, and as the network changes and expands. The radio solutions can be used for a wide range of use cases, including basic coverage across all frequency bands, outdoor small cells, for public and private networks providing business and consumer services in both urban and rural environments.

Mavenir's Converged Packet Core is an end-to-end, fully containerized portfolio that offers multi-generational support to modernize existing mobile networks while providing a cost-effective journey to 5G. Its cloud-native architecture, with applications and services purpose-built for the cloud model, offers easy scaling, hardware decoupling, agility, portability and resiliency across public, private and hybrid clouds. Its web-scale granular microservice architecture meets carrier-grade requirements such as high availability, security, and performance.

To know more about the joint collaboration, visit Mavenir (hall 2 stand 2H60) and AMD (hall 2 stand 2M61) at Mobile World Congress 2023 in Barcelona (February 27th March 2nd

AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, EPYC, Zynq and Ultrascale+, and combinations thereof, are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Other names are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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 world's subscribers. www.mavenir.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005147/en/

Contacts:

PR Contact:

PR@mavenir.com

Maryvonne Tubb (US)

Emmanuela Spiteri (EMEA)
Climate activists are deepening calls for a halt to plans for oil and gas exploration in Democratic Republic of Congo and seeking the Popes support in this, as he embarks on a visit to the country.

The activists have been opposing oil exploration activities in the Virunga National Park (http://bit.ly/3PehVBd), Africas oldest national park, as well as the recent plans by the government to auction oil and gas blocks (http://bit.ly/3XRTfSL), some of which fall in sensitive areas in the DRC. They cite the grave risks posed by oil exploration activities to the environment, endangered species of wildlife, and the livelihoods of local communities. Pope Francis, who is on a 4-day visit to the country, is an advocate for environmental justice who has been consistent in calling for urgent climate action, the abandonment of fossil fuels and a transition to renewable energy.

Bonaventure Bondo, Climate activist in Kinshasa, DRC said,

We are concerned by our governments continued push for expansion of fossil fuel exploration in our country, which will come at great cost to our environment, wildlife, our communities and the climate. Our protected areas are under threat  from the oil exploration activities in Virunga National Park, to the oil and gas blocks that the government is auctioning off in the Congo basin. This comes at a time when all the signs point to the urgent need to shift away from fossil fuels to renewable energy, to contain global heating and avert catastrophic climate impacts. We appeal to Pope Francis, to engage our government on this very crucial matter, to call for the stop to these fossil fuel projects and the prioritization of renewable energy.

Ashley Kitisya, Fossil Fuel Free Campaigner Laudato Si Movement said

Pope Francis in Laudato Si shares, There is an urgent need to develop policies so that, in the next few years, the emission of carbon dioxide and other highly polluting gasses can be drastically reduced, for example, substituting for fossil fuels and developing sources of renewable energy. The exploration of oil and gas in DRC sets us on the path of more climate catastrophes that will disproportionately affect the poor. We therefore come together to call for the end of unjust actions to profit a handful of people. Instead, we call for a transition away from fossil fuels and the use of clean, renewable energy that primarily addresses the needs of local communities and economies.

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NEWS RELEASE Paris: EUR

EURO RESSOURCES REPORTS THE ENTERING INTO A CONFIRMATION AND CONSENT IN CONNECTION WITH THE SALE OF ROSEBEL

Paris, France, February 1, 2023: EURO Ressources S.A. ("EURO" or "the Company") (Paris: EUR) today reported the entering into a confirmation and consent in connection with the sale of Rosebel.

On October 18, 2022 IAMGOLD Corporation ("IAMGOLD") made public announcement of its agreement with Silver Source Group Limited and Zijin Mining Group Co. Ltd. regarding the proposed sale of the shares of Rosebel Gold Mines N.V. (the "Zijin Transaction"). The transaction closed on February 1, 2023. Rosebel Gold Mines N.V. is the current owner of the Rosebel Gold Mine assets in Suriname. Pursuant to a Participation Right Agreement, IAMGOLD undertook to pay to the Company certain revenue stream calculated on the basis of the production of the Rosebel Gold Mine.

Following announcement of the Zijin Transaction, the directors independent of IAMGOLD, being Susanne Hermans, Ian Smith and David Watkins, who had no prior knowledge of the Zijin Transaction, commenced a review of the Company's historical records with respect to the Participation Right Agreement and any other ancillary agreement.

This included a review of the terms of a share pledge agreement and hypothec on moveable property granted in April, 2003 in favour of predecessor holder of the Participation Right Agreement over certain of the shares of Rosebel Gold Mines N.V. (the "Rosebel Security"). Copies of the documents evidencing the Rosebel Security and its assignment to the Company were provided, through counsel, to IAMGOLD.

At its meeting held on December 22, 2022, the Board of Directors of the Company formalized in this respect the appointment of a Special Committee comprised of Susanne Hermans, Ian Smith and David Watkins with a view to assess any risk of the Zijin Transaction for the Company and make any recommendation to the Board of Directors and to the Company's officers to secure the Company's rights.

The Special Committee reviewed the history of the creation of the Participation Right Agreement and the Rosebel Security.

The Special Committee also reviewed (i) parts (including the text of publicly-redacted provisions) of the terms of the October 18, 2022 agreement regarding the Zijin Transaction, and (ii) the requested form of confirmation and consent, which includes the release of the Rosebel Security, to be made by IAMGOLD and the Company in favour of Silver Source Group Limited and Rosebel Gold Mines N.V., which the Company understands is a condition precedent to the completion of the Zijin Transaction (the "Confirmation and Consent").

The Special Committee reported to the Board of Directors of the Company its recommendation regarding the Confirmation and Consent on January 4, 2023.

Subsequent to the presentation of its report, the Special Committee engaged in further discussions and correspondence with IAMGOLD, represented by its Acting Chief Financial Officer and Acting Chief Executive Officer.

As a result of such discussions and correspondence, the Company's circumstances are as follows:

(i) The Special Committee was formally advised of IAMGOLD's intentions regarding the ongoing operation of the Rosebel Gold Mine should the Zijin Transaction not be completed, including that IAMGOLD will be forced to reallocate resources away from the Rosebel Gold Mine, potentially placing the Rosebel Gold Mine operations on care and maintenance, or otherwise significantly reducing operations, resulting in an indefinite suspension of any revenue stream from the Participation Right Agreement.

This represents a real risk to the Company as the Company (a) does not have any right of action to force IAMGOLD to operate the Rosebel Gold Mine and (b) the Company is currently completely dependent on the revenues from the Participation Right Agreement.

There is uncertainty regarding the exact intentions of IAMGOLD should the Zijin Transaction not be completed including the pure and simple abandonment of the Rosebel Gold Mine which has been subject to a transaction value of more than $300 million.

(ii) The Special Committee was also advised by IAMGOLD of IAMGOLD's views that completion of the Zijin Transaction would result in the operations of the Rosebel Gold Mine being carried on by a new, financially stronger, operator with a stated plan to accelerate production and, thus, payment of the Company's entitlements under the Participation Right Agreement.

(iii) The Confirmation and Consent creates a risk for the Company: The payment under the Participation Right Agreement shall remain an unsecured obligation of IAMGOLD and the Company will therefore depend solely on the financial capacity of IAMGOLD, even if the operations of the Rosebel Gold Mine continue and the production should have entitled the Company to receive payment. IAMGOLD confirmed in this regards that it was not in capacity to grant to the Company alternate security due to its banking arrangements and covenants.

The Special Committee is of the opinion that there is no straightforward solution to address the issues and risks raised. The Special Committee is also of the opinion that the situation of the Company would have been different should IAMGOLD and/or the directors and officers of the Company (part of IAMGOLD's management), having knowledge of the contemplated transaction, had involved the Company's Board of Directors in the discussions and, in any event, prior to entering into any definitive agreement regarding the Zijin Transaction.

The Special Committee has considered the understanding and agreement of IAMGOLD (the "IAMGOLD Understanding"), including the interpretation of certain provisions of the Participation Right Agreement, and the appointment of an officer or consultant directly engaged by the Company to pursue corporate development opportunities on behalf of the Company.

In light of the forgoing considerations, and the negotiations undertaken by the Special Committee with IAMGOLD, the Special Committee recommends that the Board of Directors of the Company approve the execution and delivery of the Confirmation and Consent, including the release of the Rosebel Security.

At its meeting held on January 25 2023, the Board of Directors of the Company accepted the recommendation of the Special Committee and those members of the Board of Directors independent of IAMGOLD (being the members of the Special Committee) approved the execution and delivery of the Confirmation and Consent by the Company.

The Company is relying on the exemption from the requirement for minority shareholder approval under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Securityholders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101") of the Confirmation and Consent set out in section 5.7(e) of MI 61-101 on the basis that (a) in light of the anticipated material detrimental effect on the operations of the Rosebel Gold Mine and the resulting loss of the Company's revenue stream under the Participation Right Agreement should the Zijin Transaction not be completed, the Company would be in serious financial difficulty; (b) the execution and delivery of the Confirmation and Consent, and the matters agreed with IAMGOLD under the IAMGOLD Understanding are designed to improve the financial position of the Company; and (c) taken as a whole the execution and delivery of the Confirmation and Consent and the matters agreed with IAMGOLD as set forth in the IAMGOLD Understanding are reasonable in the circumstances faced by the Company.

About EURO

EURO is a French company whose main assets are a royalty on the Rosebel Gold Mine production in Suriname (the "Rosebel Royalty"), a royalty on the Paul Isnard concessions, a silver stream from a subsidiary of Orezone Gold Corporation ("Orezone") and marketable securities. On October 18 2022, IAMGOLD announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement with Zijin Mining Group Co. Ltd. to sell its interests in the Rosebel mine. The existing royalty on Rosebel held by EURO will remain an obligation of IAMGOLD.

The royalty on the Paul Isnard concessions is a net smelter returns production royalty on future production of the Paul Isnard concessions and an area of interest surrounding the concessions in French Guiana. Orea Mining Corp. now holds a 100% interest in the Montagne d'Or project. The silver stream entitles EURO to receive 50% of the payable silver production over the life of mine on Orezone's Bombore mine, located in Burkina Faso, West Africa.

EURO has approximately 62.5 million shares outstanding. At December 31, 2022, IAMGOLD France S.A.S. ("IAMGOLD France"), a wholly owned subsidiary of IAMGOLD, owned 90% of all issued outstanding shares of EURO. As at December 31, 2022, IAMGOLD France held 56,242,153 shares representing 112,300,344 voting rights or 94.38% of the voting rights of EURO.

Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information: Some statements in this news release are forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and involve risks and uncertainties.There can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those anticipated by management.

Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States. The securities referred to herein have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to a U.S. person absent registration, or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

Additional information relating to EURO Ressources S.A. is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Further requests for information should be addressed to:

Tidiane Barry

Directeur General

Tel: +1 450 677 0040

Email: tbarry@euroressources.net Sophie Halle

Directeur General Delegue

Tel: +1 450 677 0040

Email : shalle@euroressources.net (mailto:shalle@euroressources.net)

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WELLESLEY HILLS, Mass. and PERTH, Australia, Feb. 01, 2023, a leading producer of tantalum powders and metallurgical products, has successfully undergone conflict minerals due diligence audits by the Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP) of the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI).

Following September 2022 audits, RMAP-RMI has determined GAM Aizu, Japan, and Pennsylvania, USA, facilities conformant to its audit standard for 13 consecutive years.

To earn RMAP conformance status, a company must successfully undergo a rigorous third-party audit of all its smelting operations. The audit includes validating evidence of adherence to the 5-steps Due Diligence Guidance of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), acceptable reasonable country of origin evaluation, mine of origin and chain of custody, and verification of scrap sources among other criteria.

"This conformance determination is complementary of GAM's other responsible business practices, such as our safety-focused Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). We will continue to drive adoption of sustainable business practices across our operations and supply chains," said Edward Steckel, GAM Senior Director of Global Supply Chain.

The RMI-RMAP conflict-minerals due diligence audit program is led and supported by a cross section of industries (e.g., Electronics, Aerospace, and Automotive), governments, and other stakeholders. Downstream companies rely on the conformance of smelters like GAM to comply with US Dodd-Frank 1502, EU conflict minerals regulations, and other applicable regulations.

About GAM

A leading conflict-free tantalum producer, GAM has exclusive rights to the world's largest industrial resources of tantalum ore located in Western Australia.

GAM produces conflict-free tantalum powders and metallurgical products at its Pennsylvania, USA, and Aizu, Japan, plants for a range of industries, including electronics, aerospace, automotive, medical and chemical processing.

GAM's smelting facilities in Japan and the USA were first declared "Conflict-Free" in 2010 under the former EICC/GeSI Conflict-Free Sourcing Initiative (CFSI) audit program and continue to maintain their conformance to the current (RMAP) standard.

About RBA, RMI and RMAP

The Responsible Business Alliance-RBA was formerly known as the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition-EICC,

The Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) was formerly known as the Conflict-Free Sourcing Initiative-CFSI, and

The Responsible Minerals Assurance Process-RMAP was formerly known as the Conflict-Free Smelter Program-CFSP.

Media Contact:

Jean-Paul Meutcheho

JMeutcheho@globaladvancedmetals.com

Contact Information:

Jean-Paul Meutcheho

jmeutcheho@globaladvancedmetals.com



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MAULDIN, SC / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / Xcelerate, Inc. (OTCQB:XCRT) today announced that Fabian Urquijo has accepted an invitation to join its Xcelerate Brands Advisory Board.

Fabian Urquijo is originally from Argentina. He received his bachelor's degree in business administration at the Argentinean Catholic University, and graduated with honors, Summa Cum Laude.

Fabian joined the Procter & Gamble Company, as an Assistant Brand Manager for Pantene, in 1997. At P&G, he enjoyed an 18-year career, within the Marketing and General Management functions. He served in various roles of increasing responsibility within the company, serving in different countries (Argentina, Venezuela, United States, Panama) and businesses segments (Hair Care, Home Care, Health Care, Oral Care, and Fabric Care). His last responsibility, as a Senior Marketing Director for the Laundry business, was leading the Ariel brand across all of Latin America.

Upon moving to the United States, Fabian joined Revlon, where he worked for more than three years, serving as Global Chief Marketing Officer of the Professional Division and Senior Vice President Marketing of the Portfolio Brands division. In Revlon Fabian had day to day responsibilities within the marketing organization, encompassing running business operations, P&L management, and innovation development for Male Grooming (American Crew), Professional Color Care (Revlon Professional), Professional & Consumer Nail Color & Care (CND, Cutex, SinfulColors, Pure Ice), Color Cosmetics (Almay), and Personal Care (Mitchum).

Since early 2019, Fabian has been involved the start-up world, where he has advised early-stage companies in areas of Marketing, innovation and go-to-market and currently is the President of Swiftarc Ventures, an early-stage Venture Capital firm, where he leads the investment team, provides portfolio companies support and Fund finance and administration. Fabian is a big believer in the opportunities and superpowers of digital technologies to drive his marketing efforts, which these companies see as a key focus.

"Xcelerate recently announced the formation of Xcelerate Brands with the vision of redefining the next generation of clean skin and personal care products, by thoughtfully combining proven natural ingredients with proprietary Xcelerate science to delight a new cohort of more demanding consumers and professionals. Fabian brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in leading teams, developing products, and growing Brands which will be a core competence within Xcelerate Brands," said Michael O'Shea, Xcelerate' s CEO.

"Fabian's mixed experience of traditional marketing along with his years of management experience with industry leaders and early stage start-ups should prove invaluable to Xcelerate as we begin to develop a portfolio of products for the nascent Xcelerate Brands division."

I expect Fabian's involvement and guidance will be of key importance as I and several advisors travel to California this week to begin the due diligence process for our recently announced letter of intent to acquire a controlling interest in The ESN Group, a company identified for potential acquisition" continued Mr. O'Shea.

For more information:

Michael O'Shea, CEO,

854-900-2020

Email: info@xcelerate.global

SAFE HARBOR

This press release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), including all statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the Company, its directors or its officers with respect to, among other things: (i) the Company's financing plans; (ii) trends affecting the Company's financial condition or results of operations; (iii) the Company's growth strategy and operating strategy; and (iv) the declaration and payment of dividends. The words "may," "would," "will," "expect," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "intend," and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to control, and actual results may differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements resulting from various factors.

SOURCE: Xcelerate, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/737668/Fabian-Urquijo-Joins-the-Advisory-Board-of-Xcelerate-Inc
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has signed a Bill into law making abortion a woman's fundamental right. With this, Minnesota has become the only state in the United States to guarantee access to abortion after the Supreme Court ruled Roe v. Wade invalid. The 'Protect Reproductive Options Act' codifies protections for abortion, contraception, sterilization, family planning, fertility treatments and other reproductive health care. 'Last November, Minnesotans spoke loud and clear: They want their reproductive rights protected - not stripped away,' Walz said in a news release, in apparent reference to the Democrats securing majority in both houses of the state legislature. 'Today, we are delivering on our promise to put up a firewall against efforts to reverse reproductive freedom. No matter who sits on the Minnesota Supreme Court, this legislation will ensure Minnesotans have access to reproductive health care for generations to come. Here in Minnesota, your access to reproductive health care and your freedom to make your own health care decisions are preserved and protected,' he added. 'While Congressional Republicans continue their support for extreme policies including a national abortion ban, the President and Vice President are calling on Congress to restore the protections of Roe in federal law. Until then, the Biden-Harris Administration will continue its work to protect access to abortion and support state leaders in defending women's reproductive rights,' White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement. The Supreme Court's June 24 decision to end the constitutional right to abortion by overturning Roe v. Wade in the Dobbs case will gut abortion access in half of U.S. states and have a devastating impact on those in need of essential abortion care in many parts of the country. Copyright(c) 2023 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.
Catheter Precision Expands its VIVO Product into New Territories in the US

FORT MILL, SC / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / Ra Medical Systems, Inc. (NYSE American:RMED) (Ra Medical), a medical device and technology company focused on cardiac electrophysiology, announces that additional representatives have been hired to support its VIVO technology in new territories within the United States. VIVO, developed by Ra Medical's wholly owned subsidiary Catheter Precision, is a proprietary AI system used to non-invasively identify the origin of ventricular arrhythmias prior to an ablation procedure.

"We are excited to add to our clinical support team and begin the first steps of building an in-house sales team," said David Jenkins, Ra Medical Executive Chairman. "These additional employees allow us to expand our footprint into new territories that are influential in the electrophysiology space such as Texas and Ohio. We believe that supporting the VIVO product both through direct sales and additional clinical support will provide us with additional opportunities for physician partnerships and further innovation."

To date, VIVO has only been available to select physicians as part of a limited launch. Hiring additional support, in increments by territories, is a part of the launch strategy established by Catheter Precision to ensure positive clinical adoption and an increase in utilization in 2023.

About VIVO

Catheter Precision's VIVO (View Into Ventricular Onset), is a non-invasive 3D imaging system that enables physicians to identify the origin of arrhythmias pre-procedure, thereby streamlining workflow and reducing procedure time. VIVO has received marketing clearance from the U.S. FDA and has the CE mark.

About Ra Medical Systems

Ra Medical, and its wholly owned subsidiary Catheter Precision, is an innovative U.S.-based medical device company bringing new solutions to market to improve the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. It is focused on developing groundbreaking technology for electrophysiology procedures by collaborating with physicians and continuously advancing its products.

CONTACTS:

At the Company

David Jenkins

973-691-2000

mhuck@catheterprecision.com

SOURCE: Ra Medical Systems, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/737625/Ra-Medical-Systems-Adds-Additional-Clinical-and-Sales-Representatives
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / International Paper announced plans to support The Center for Heirs' Property Preservation as they work alongside the Mississippi Center for Justice to provide legal services, assistance and resources to help historically underserved Mississippians keep generational land and conserve working forests through The Mobile Basin Heirs' Property Support Initiative. The Mobile Basin Heirs' Property Support Initiative is a two-year program designed to help families in Mississippi protect and keep their forestland; build generational wealth; and promote productive, sustainably managed forests. Launched in October 2021, the initiative is a joint effort between the centers, with support from World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Kimberly-Clark.

Heirs' property is land passed down informally from generation to generation, often because landowners die without a will. In the absence of a will, the land is considered jointly owned by all heirs, split between multiple family members regardless of whether they have set foot on the land, lived on the property or paid the taxes. This disproportionally affects Black families, and their fractured land is vulnerable to developers, natural resource exploitation, tax sales, and forced partition sales. Owners are faced with the decision to give up their land or go through the complex and costly legal process of resolving title issues. In Mississippi, this has led to an increased rate of forest loss, compromising the region's important freshwater habitats and drinking water supply.

"Families and individual landowners with title issues clouded by undetermined heirs or absent heirs can result in loss of land held for generations through tax sales, court-ordered partition sales, or even a 'taking' of the land by adverse possession," said Mississippi Center for Justice President and CEO Vangela M. Wade. "These harmful effects-which have persisted for decades-have been particularly acute for families of color and low-income families in Mississippi. It is currently estimated that heirs' property accounts for 1.6 million acres valued at $6.6 billion across the southern Black Belt."

This initiative is based on a successful model developed by the Center for Heirs' Property Preservation in South Carolina, which has helped families resolve more than 319 titles, building family and community wealth and ecological restoration in marginalized communities. The initiative will also provide landowners with forestry education and access to additional funding for forest conservation and responsible forest management. This support can help families make income from their lands while protecting wildlife habitat and water sources.

"Property matters to people. It's far more than just a parcel of land, it can be a window to the past that tells the story of a family, a community, or a way of life," said Dr. Jennie L. Stephens, CEO for the Center for Heirs' Property Preservation. "We believe that with our proven expertise, with the help of our friends at the Mississippi Center for Justice and Mississippi Associations of Cooperatives, and with the support from partners like International Paper, we can achieve help families in the Mobile Basin."

"International Paper is honored to support this important work in the Mobile Basin, which is making a profound impact on families and sustaining communities and forests where IP employees live and work," said Sophie Beckham, VP and Chief Sustainability Officer, International Paper. "These efforts are fundamental to support landowners, build climate resilience, and advance our Vision 2030 goals of creating a better future for people and planet."

International Paper is focused on developing strategic collaborations with partners to ensure healthy and abundant forests and thriving people and communities in the Mobile Basin and other geographies in the Southeastern US.

About International Paper

International Paper is a leading global supplier of renewable fiber-based products. We produce corrugated packaging products that protect and promote goods, and enable worldwide commerce, and pulp for diapers, tissue and other personal care products that promote health and wellness. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., we employ approximately 38,000 colleagues globally. We serve customers worldwide, with manufacturing operations in North America, Latin America, North Africa and Europe. Net sales for 2021 were $19.4 billion.

About the Center for Heirs' Property Preservation

The Center for Heirs' Property Preservation has been protecting heirs' property through legal education and direct legal services since 2005. In 2013, the Center began promoting the sustainable use of land through forestry education and services to provide increased economic benefit to low-wealth family landowners. The Center provides legal services and forestry services in Allendale, Bamberg, Beaufort, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Clarendon, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, Orangeburg, Sumter, and Williamsburg counties. To date, the Center has provided 4,961 persons with free, one-hour "Advice and Counsel" (A&C) with 11,425 clients receiving direct legal services to clear title. A total of 1,501 simple wills have been drafted at free, community Wills Clinics; more than 503 families (who collectively own in excess of 40,000 acres) have benefited from various levels of education and expert resources to develop and implement sustainable forestry management plans, and 319 titles have been cleared on family land with a total tax assessed value of $19.3 million.

About the Mississippi Center for Justice

Now in its 18th year, the Mississippi Center for Justice continues to be one of the most well-respected civil justice organizations in the South, known for the strategic nature of its advocacy and the high impact of its work. MCJ is a non-profit, public interest law firm committed to strengthening racial, social, and economic justice in Mississippi by dismantling the systems that strip opportunity away from historically disadvantaged Mississippians. MCJ does this through a potent combination of direct legal services, strategic policy advocacy, targeted community education, and media outreach. MCJ works to create a better future for Mississippi through dedicated legal campaigns centered around health and public benefits, fair housing, consumer protection, education, immigration, disaster recovery, and impact litigation. MCJ works across such a diverse array of issues because addressing the root causes of poverty and inequity are inherently intersectional. MCJ confronts a wide range of challenges facing low-income Mississippians and has an exceptional track record of making real and positive change. Learn more at www.mscenterforjustice.org.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from International Paper Company on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: International Paper Company

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/international-paper-company

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: International Paper Company

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/737678/International-Paper-Supports-Mississippi-Initiative-to-Combat-Leading-Cause-of-Involuntary-Land-Loss-Among-Black-Families
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / At T. Rowe Price, the long-term success of our clients is made possible by the diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, talents, and experiences of our associates. Through our diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs; community partnerships; and the work of the T. Rowe Price Foundation, we continuously invest in people and communities.

As we celebrate Black History Month, we lift the contributions and impact of the community and commit to continuing doing the work to strengthen the community, culture, and broader world.

Supporting Our Associates

Our Diversity Talent Acquisition team is developing a pipeline of underrepresented talent for roles at all levels within the firm. Our recruitment efforts include M.B.A. Weekends, Female Insight Days, investment fellowships, and our pre-M.B.A. summer internships for students of diverse backgrounds. We also created programs to introduce talent to our firm and culture. For example, our Launching Your Legacy program is an opportunity for diverse undergraduate talent to gain exposure to careers in asset management and career pathways at T. Rowe Price, including in Investments, Distribution (Sales and Marketing), Finance and Accounting, Investment Operations, and Technology.

The MOSAIC @ T. Rowe Price business resource group is an associate-led group made up of individuals who join based on common interests; similar lived experiences; and backgrounds or demographic factors such as gender, race, or ethnicity. Through MOSAIC's subgroups-the African Heritage Community, the Asian Heritage Community, and LatinX Heritage Community-the group proactively celebrates cultural diversity and coordinates panel discussions across the firm with senior leaders for all associates to learn from and understand how to progress their careers. This February, the African Heritage Community is promoting health equality and career development, hosting an educational session on sickle cell anemia, two blood drives, and a fireside chat promoting internal professional development resources available to associates.

The firm's Black Leadership Council (BLC) promotes opportunities and success for Black/African American associates. This advisory group provides a direct channel of communication between the Management Committee and senior Black associates to ensure there is active dialogue on associate attraction, retention, and development, as well as timely social issues. Acting as mentors of the firm's rising Black talent, BLC members support the firm's community engagement and outreach and advise the firm's leadership in communicating important messages and developments related to the firm's DEI initiatives.

Supporting Our Communities

Strategic partnerships with diverse organizations are key in helping us to further engage with diverse talent of all backgrounds. For many years, we have partnered with the Robert Toigo Foundation-an M.B.A. fellowship program that develops minority professionals who are ready to lead within the finance industry-which has helped us attract several diverse associates. We have similar relationships with the BEYA (Black Engineer of the Year) STEM Community and the National Society of Black Engineers, among others, and we continue to evaluate other partnerships to source diverse talent.

We also partner with several industry organizations, including the Money Management Institute, the Association of African American Financial Advisors, the CFA Institute, and the UK's Diversity Project to create equal access and opportunity within the industry. Further, Raymone Jackson, the global head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion participates on roundtables with other diversity leaders within the industry to share best practices and scale efforts for broader impact.

To that end, last year T. Rowe Price joined the Equity Collective, an industry-leading group of wealth management and asset management businesses that have come together to educate, empower, and develop the next generation of diverse leaders in the finance industry.

We also support diverse-owned social good businesses, innovators, and entrepreneurs of color through Moonshot, a program the T. Rowe Price Group launched in 2022 with Baltimore Corps, a local nonprofit focused on creating equitable change. Eight Moonshot Innovators-four nonprofit organizations and four for-profit startups-received a financial reward from T. Rowe Price and were paired with pro bono volunteer advisors from the firm who partnered with each innovator on a specific business challenge. Additionally, each nonprofit Moonshot innovator is participating in a two-year T. Rowe Price Foundation Entrepreneurs in Residence program, funded by the firm's $2 million racial justice grant, to receive additional mentoring and support.

As we commemorate Black History Month and other celebrations of diversity, we invite you to learn more about our DEI initiatives and how our differences bring us together at www.troweprice.com/diversity.

Black History Month: Investing in People and Communities



View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from T. Rowe Price on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: T. Rowe Price

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/t-rowe-price

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: T. Rowe Price

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/737680/Black-History-Month-Investing-in-People-and-Communities
NEW HAVEN, CT / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / KeyBank announced ConnCORP as the recipient of a $1 million grant from KeyBank Foundation to support the ongoing work of the ConnCORP Lab and its entrepreneurial support ecosystem. The grant, which will be dispersed in $200,000 increments over the next five years, is slated to address the ongoing entrepreneurial challenges facing the Newhallville/Dixwell neighborhood.

As it stands, the present ecosystem within the Newhallville/Dixwell neighborhood falls short of fully encouraging or supporting the formation and sustainability of local minority-owned businesses and minority entrepreneurs. Those minority-owned businesses that have formed remain small in size and scale, and most have no employees. Among all New England states, Connecticut is home, on average, to fewer and smaller minority-owned businesses.

"We've created something truly special with the ConnCORP Lab and are interested in partnering with community operators and organizations to bolster our efforts to give Black entrepreneurs and early-stage companies a chance to succeed," said Aya Beckles Swanson, Executive Director of the ConnCORP Lab. "This is just one piece of the larger picture to siphon much-needed support into our community of business owners who have a much steeper hill to climb to success. With this investment in our work, we hope to bridge the gap between the initial idea to business success."

KeyBank's grant to ConnCORP is made under Key's National Community Benefits Plan, which has already delivered more than $29 billion in lending and investments across Key's national footprint supporting affordable housing and community development projects, home, and small business lending in low- and-moderate income communities, and philanthropic efforts targeted toward education, workforce development, and safe, vital neighborhoods.

"ConnCORP is bringing innovative solutions to the challenges faced by minority-owned businesses in the community," said Elizabeth Gurney, Executive Director, KeyBank Foundation. "Helping locally-owned businesses grow, employ more people, and support the economic health of the Newhallville/Dixwell neighborhood is critical to building and sustaining a thriving community."

Over the next five years, KeyBank's funding will help the Lab hire a program director as well as scale program offerings for the local business community. In addition to regular entrepreneurial workshops and training, offerings will include the Launch Pad at the Lab speaker series, a quarterly investment roundtable for women of color designed to overcome the intimidation many feel about investing in capital markets, monthly opportunities for Lab tenants to network with other Greater New Haven area business owners, increased coworking membership and overall support of the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Key's investment will also support the ConnCORP and Quinnipiac Community Entrepreneurship Academy - a 12-week entrepreneurial clinic taught by QU professors and business students and culminating in a pitch competition and up to $5??,500 in seed money from the SBA for each participant who makes it through the course.

"The Lab's efforts to bring entrepreneurial resources and financial literacy training to underserved minority business owners and entrepreneurs is critical to New Haven's economic health and growth, and aligns directly with KeyBank's business and community objectives," said Matthew Hummel, KeyBank's Market President and Commercial Sales Leader for Connecticut and Massachusetts. "We are inspired by ConnCORP's mission to drive economic development in the Newhallville/Dixwell community and are proud to expand our partnership with them."

Through its work, which includes the acquisition and revitalization of commercial properties as well as investment in new and existing local community-based businesses, ConnCORP seeks to attract businesses to New Haven and, ultimately, to catalyze and support a place-based impact investing ecosystem in the city.

"The importance of Black-owned businesses in our communities cannot be overstated," said Erik Clemons, ConnCORP & ConnCAT CEO. "For more than a decade we've built a legacy on the strategy of giving community members the tools they need to determine success as they deem fit. Our next steps with this investment are to continue the work we've started and broaden our reach to support a wider ecosystem of entrepreneurs."

ConnCORP maintains that the business and entrepreneurial ecosystems must play a significant role in helping to transform the Dixwell/Newhallville neighborhood. The Lab is an immersive and transformative space for innovation, creativity, entrepreneurial education, and a community space to learn and exchange ideas about business ownership. The Lab offers a place where financial and business skills are learned, best practices conveyed, and where logistical support can be accessed. Most importantly, The Lab offers a place where aspiring entrepreneurs can connect with like-minded peers and trade support and encouragement.

About ConnCORP

Our Mission: To drive economic development and economic justice in impoverished communities by investing in local commercial and residential real estate, and minority-owned businesses.

Our key activities include the acquisition and revitalization of commercial properties as well as investment in new and existing local community-based businesses. ConnCORP also seeks to attract businesses to New Haven and, ultimately, to catalyze and support a place-based impact investing ecosystem in the city.

About KeyBank Foundation:

KeyBank Foundation serves to fulfill KeyBank's purpose to help clients and communities thrive, and its mission is to support organizations and programs that prepare people for thriving futures. The Foundation's mission is advanced through three funding priorities - neighbors, education, and workforce - and through community service. To provide meaningful philanthropy that transforms lives, KeyBank Foundation listens carefully to understand the unique characteristics and needs of its communities and then backs solutions with targeted philanthropic investments. KeyBank Foundation is a nonprofit charitable foundation, funded by KeyCorp.

About KeyBank/KeyCorp:

KeyCorp's roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $189.8 billion at December?31, 2022. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit?https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from KeyBank on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: KeyBank

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/keybank

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: KeyBank

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/737677/ConnCORP-Receives-1M-in-Grant-From-KeyBank-Foundation-Deepens-Investment-in-Entrepreneurial-Support
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 1, 2023) - Silver Elephant Mining Corp. (TSX: ELEF) (OTCQX: SILEF) (FSE: 1P2) ("Silver Elephant" or "the Company") announces that a sales and purchase agreement ("SPA") has been entered between Silver Elephant's Mongolia subsidiary (the "Seller") and a Hong Kong commodity trading and logistics company with significant presence in Mongolia (the "Purchaser").

The Seller and Purchaser are sometimes hereafter referred to collectively as the "Parties."

Under the SPA, the Seller will supply to the Purchaser 15,000 tonnes of coal (the "Trial Shipment") from the Company's Ulaan Ovoo mine. The Seller will deliver the Trial Shipment at the Sukhbaatar rail station in Mongolia (Point of Delivery). The Trial Shipment will then travel southbound to China by rail. The delivery is scheduled to be completed by March 31, 2023.

"After a brief pause for the lunar new year, coal sales and delivery from Silver Elephant's Ulaan Ovoo mine is resuming in February. Our goal is to achieve steady continued coal sales year-round in 2023, which we expect to be the record year in sales revenue for Ulaan Ovoo," commented John Lee, CEO of the Company.

Parties intend to expand the sales volume under the SPA after successful completion of the Trial Shipment. The SPA expires on December 31, 2023.

About Mega Thermal Coal Corp.

Mega Thermal Coal Corp. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Silver Elephant, which owns and operates the Ulaan Ovoo mine. Mega Thermal Coal Corp. also owns the Chandgana Khavtgai and Chandgana Tal coal mines in Mongolia.

Further information on Mega Coal can be found at www.megacoal.ca.

About Silver Elephant Mining Corp.

Silver Elephant Mining Corp. is a premier silver mining and exploration company, with a flagship Pulacayo silver project in Bolivia. It also owns 100% of Mega Thermal Coal Corp and 39% of Oracle Commodity Holding Corp. ("Oracle"). Oracle has equity and royalty investments in nickel and vanadium mining.

Further information on Silver Elephant can be found at www.silverelef.com.

SILVER ELEPHANT MINING CORP.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

John Lee

CEO

For more information about Silver Elephant, please contact Investor Relations:

+1.604.569.3661 ext. 101

info@silverelef.com / www.silverelef.com

Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Reader Advisory

Certain statements contained in this or other news release, including, but not limited to, statements with respect to the debt settlements, the terms of the debt settlements, and the completion of the debt settlements, among other things, and statements which may contain words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "estimates", "targets", or similar expressions, and statements related to matters which are not historical facts, are forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking statements, which reflect management's expectations regarding either of Silver Elephant's future growth, results of operations, performance, business prospects and opportunities, are based on certain factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on Silver Elephant's forward-looking statements. Silver Elephant believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release and the documents incorporated by reference herein are reasonable based on information available to it, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. In addition, although Silver Elephant has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Silver Elephant undertakes no obligation to release publicly any future revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as expressly required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/153183
New York, NY, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FOLK HERO, [INVNT GROUP]'s brand strategy firm, is expanding its global operations into Europe and the Middle East, growing its storytelling reach across the region.

FOLK HERO is a modern brand studio, brand consulting agency, and leading expert in global brand storytelling. The firm has led award-winning brand strategy campaigns for Loro Piana, Intimissimi, Sales Force, Tezenis, Walmart Media Group, Nurosene and more.

Ben Mainwaring has been appointed Chief Strategy Officer of FOLK HERO.

"As we continue to build on the strength of our global strategic offering, Ben brings great expertise in technology, purpose and innovation, that will help Folk Hero continue to successfully take brands into the future," said Rob Klingensmith, CEO of FOLK HERO.

Mainwaring brings over 20 years of brand marketing strategy, new product development, and commercial strategy experience, specializing in automotive, emerging technology and systems innovation.

Mainwaring will be based in INVNT GROUP's EMEA headquarters in London, supporting client work across the region.

"We're thrilled to have this powerhouse resource on the ground in the EMEA region enhancing our capabilities for clients. Helping brands and organisations ensure that they are telling the best version of their brand story, and reaching the most relevant audiences is crucial," said Claudia Stephenson, Managing Director of INVNT GROUP EMEA.

Ben Mainwaring joins FOLK HERO after 8 years as Founder at Matter, delivering strategy and innovation to private sector and governments clients across the US, Middle East, and Africa.

"I have known INVNT GROUP's leadership for over a decade and have been so impressed by how the business has grown, adapted, and innovated over the years. I am joining FOLK HERO at a pivotal time in the evolution of the GROUP - advancing the agency's brand strategy and storytelling power. I can't wait to make my own contribution to the agency's challenger mantra and broaden our offering to new markets and world-class clients," said Ben Mainwaring, Chief Strategy Officer of FOLK HERO.

###

ABOUT FOLK HERO

Folk Hero, established by award-winning brand strategist Rob Klingensmith and part of [INVNT GROUP] The Global BrandStory Project specializes in bringing story strategies to the executive level, creating master brand narratives that act as brands' operating and organizing principles. The firm helps its clients develop unusually compelling brand narratives, architecture, identity and tone-of-voice, all underpinned by a robust research methodology and deep understanding of contemporary consumer behaviors. For more information visit: www.folkhero.com

ABOUT [INVNT GROUP]

[INVNT GROUP] THE GLOBAL BRANDSTORY PROJECT was established as an evolution of the founding global live brand storytelling agency INVNT in 2008, with a vision to provide consistent, meaningful, well-articulated BrandStory across all platforms. With offices in New York, Sydney, London, Singapore, Dubai, San Francisco, Stockholm, Detroit, and Washington D.C.; headed by President and CEO, Scott Cullather, [INVNT GROUP] represents a growing portfolio of complementary disciplines designed to help forward-thinking organizations everywhere, impact the audiences that matter, anywhere. The GROUP consists of modern brand strategy firm, Folk Hero; creative-led culture consultancy, Meaning; production studio & creative agency, HEVE; events for colleges and universities, INVNT Higher Ed; digital innovation division, INVNT.ATOM; creative multimedia experience studio, Hypnogram; and the original live brand storytelling agency, INVNT. For more information visit: www.invntgroup.com
On board the Global Mercy, docked in Spains Canary Islands, there is an atmosphere of expectation. Ever since the new ships construction was completed in mid-2021, shes been getting ready to serve her very first patients. Day after day, her crew has been patiently preparing for a moment thats finally about to arrive.

Soon, the newest ship in the Mercy Ships fleet will lower her gangway in Dakar, Senegal, and welcome patients on board to receive life-changing surgery.

Preparing the Ship

Janet and Lawrence Adjei, from Ghana, live on board the Global Mercy with four children, ages 5 through 13. While normally volunteer families spend most of their time serving in West Africa, the Adjeis have been working on the Global Mercy for the past year, making sure shes ready to serve her first patients.

Now, Janet cant wait to sail to Senegal in February.

For the first time, this purpose-built ship is going for field service and to serve its purpose, she said. Its amazing.

Janet has watched the mood shift on the ship. Anticipation is growing, and new crewmembers arrive regularly.

Seeing people coming and going, meeting new people, and also getting the hospital ready, its exciting, she said. Were just looking forward for the ship to start working.

For both Janet and her children, the experience of seeing patients receive surgery in Dakar will be a fulfillment of a year of planning and dreaming.

Its going to be a nice thing to see the patients come in and be healed physically, emotionally, and spiritually, she said.

Lawrence Adjei, the Global Mercys bosun, has been with Mercy Ships since 1991, serving all over West Africa. But for the past year, he has been hard at work in the Canary Islands, preparing the deck and the crew of this brand-new floating hospital.

Its a big ship, he said with a laugh. More work, more to be done. And more people to be reached out to.

Were going to double the work we did before, Lawrence said.

The Global Mercys size and custom design give her the capacity to serve more people than ever before. This capacity will be important in 2023, as Mercy Ships serves patients in two countries  Senegal and The Gambia  from one port.

Preparing the Hospital

Perhaps the most exciting element of the upcoming field service is the chance to see the Global Mercys hospital in action for the first time.

This will be a historic field service, said Mercy Ships Director of Clinical Services Nathan Claus. This place really is incredible.

The Global Mercy hospital will bring new technology and larger spaces to the field service. For the 2023 Senegal field service, shell start with two operating rooms running simultaneously, as the crew gets used to the new platform. Shell eventually scale up to four operating rooms, and in subsequent field services, shell begin maximizing her full capacity.

Its amazing how much surgery and training we will do in this place, Claus said. How many patients, caregivers, trainees, crew, and day crew will be on board at any given time. Decks 3 and 4 will be bustling, and we cant wait for that.

The new hospital has several advantages. Many of the off-ship facilities, like the dockside medical tents, have been moved on board. This saves weeks of setup and tear-down, allowing more time for surgeries.

Built-in cameras will allow trainees to watch surgeries remotely, exponentially expanding training opportunities.

The hospital has more physical space, with six operating rooms and 199 beds, significantly increasing the number of surgeries that can be performed during a field service.

This hospital is six times the size of the Africa Mercy, Claus said. Its a whole different way of working, and it has been helpful to have this time to figure out how were going to run this place.

Claus has been moved by the dedication of the volunteers who have worked on the Global Mercy month in and month out during the equipping phase, without being able to see the transformation that theyre making possible.

Equipping has been long and not always glamorous, he said. Its tremendous to see their stamina and endurance.

Preparing the Africa Mercy

Now that the Africa Mercy has finished her 2022 field service in Senegal, its her turn to take time for rebuilding. While the Global Mercy takes the lead on the next field service, the Africa Mercy will sail to South Africa for an intensive maintenance period known as refit.

According to Lawrence Adjei, refit is especially important because it translates to upgrade.

Its necessary to take time to work on the ship, so that the doctors and the nurses will be able to do their job, he said. The ship cannot go on without upgrade; some things have to be done for the ship to last longer.

Preparing the Community

As Lawrence says, its the people that make the community.

If theres anyone who knows the importance of having community on board, its the Kirchner family.

Beth Kirchner started volunteering as a teacher in the Africa Mercy Academy six years ago. In the summer of 2021, her parents Caroline and Mike joined her.

For years, weve heard about what shes doing, said Mike. Its just a special privilege to get to see it.

All three have now transferred to the Global Mercy, where Mike is a science and social studies teacher, and Caroline leads the hospitality team.

The Kirchners make the most of the community time together on the ship, scheduling standing lunch dates and regular weekend adventures.

Were all in the same boat, literally, Caroline said. We might as well make the best of it and make it meaningful.

Carolines team is responsible for greeting new crew, and she puts her position to good use.

My mom is literally the first person to meet everybody who comes on board, Beth said.

Caroline is intentional about making sure each new volunteer knows about all the activities they can join. The Kirchners put on a movie night every Friday. They host regular game nights. They gather fans of The Chosen to watch the show on Tuesdays.

We need to take the initiative to build community on the ship, Mike said. The GLM is new.  Theres a lot of people who come by themselves; they dont know anyone. We want them to feel a part.

Beth has spent years on the well-established Africa Mercy, which has many of its own traditions. Now, she said, the Global Mercy feels like home.

Its a little different because its a different space, she said. I think it can be a very similar community, in that it is a lot of people who all have one purpose.

Mike and Caroline have both had the opportunity to see the Africa Mercy in action, if only for a short period. But they know many of their fellow crewmembers have never seen the joy of a successful surgery firsthand.

They havent had that visceral experience, said Caroline. So, Im super excited for everybody on the ship to actually experience it.

In the meantime, Caroline has been giving hospital tours to as many GLM volunteers as she can.

When they step into the Global Mercys gleaming OR, she pictures it as it soon will be: Surgical equipment whirring, ward beds covered with quilts and stuffed animals, lives being transformed.

Every time she enters, Caroline said, she remembers. Oh, yeah. This is what were here for.

The Global Mercy will soon be making her way to Senegal, and the team are looking forward to serving their first patients for 2023.

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NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY RESTRICTED JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION.

This announcement is an advertisement and does not constitute a prospectus and investors must subscribe for or purchase any shares referred to in this announcement only on the basis of information contained in the Prospectus and not in reliance on this announcement. Copies of the Prospectus, subject to any applicable law, will shortly be available for viewing at the National Storage Mechanism at https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism and on the Company's website. This announcement does not constitute, and may not be construed as, an offer to sell or an invitation to purchase investments of any description or a recommendation regarding the issue or the provision of investment advice by any party. No information set out in this announcement is intended to form the basis of any contract of sale, investment decision or any decision to purchase shares in the Company.

1 February 2023

Castelnau Group Limited

Publication of Prospectus

On 23 January 2023, the boards of directors of Dignity plc ("Dignity") and Yellow (SPC) Bidco Limited ("Bidco"), a newly formed company indirectly owned or controlled by a consortium comprised joint offerors SPWOne V Limited, Castelnau Group Limited ("Castelnau" or the "Company") and Phoenix Asset Management Partners Limited ("PAMP" and, together with SPWOne V Limited and Castelnau, the "Consortium"), announced that they had reached agreement on the terms of a recommended cash offer to be made by Bidco to acquire the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Dignity, other than the Dignity shares already owned or controlled by Castelnau and PAMP (the "Announcement").

Further to the Announcement, Castelnau has today published a prospectus (the "Prospectus") containing details of:

a proposed issue of up to 133,052,656 new Ordinary Shares to be issued by the Company in connection with the acquisition of Dignity Plc (the " Takeover Offer ");

"); a proposed issue of up to 32,442,740 Ordinary Shares to be issued by the Company pursuant to the Consortium Rollover;

a placing of up to 154,000,000 Ordinary Shares at 75.02p (the " Issue Price ") per Ordinary Share (the " Placing "); and

") per Ordinary Share (the " "); and a placing programme for up to 300,000,000 Ordinary Shares and/or C Shares (the "Placing Programme")

The Placing is intended to raise proceeds to assist with the funding of the Company's cash funding obligation pursuant to the Takeover Offer and, if sufficient, further investment in accordance with the Company's investment policy.

The subsequent Placing Programme allows the Company to issue up to a further 300 million Ordinary Shares and/or C Shares (together the "Shares"), in aggregate, in the twelve months from the date of the Prospectus.

Further details of the Placing, including the terms and conditions of the Placing, are contained in the Prospectus. Further information on the Takeover Offer will be contained in the offer document, when published by Bidco.

Gary Channon, CIO of Phoenix Asset Management Partners Limited, commented:

"Buying Dignity is a game changer for Castelnau. It brings together all the best of what Castelnau is about in a transaction that will change our scale and add considerably to upside value. We expect great things of this partnership with Sir Peter Wood and his team, and today's announced capital raise will allow existing and new investors to participate in it."

Expected timetable

Publication of the Prospectus and Placing open 1 February 2023 Latest time and date for receipt of commitments under the Placing midday on 3 March 2023 Announcement of the results of the Placing 7.00 a.m. on 6 March 2023 Admission and dealings in the Placing Shares commence 8.00 a.m. on the date being two business days following the date on which the Takeover Offer has become or been declared unconditional Crediting of CREST stock accounts in respect of the Placing Shares as soon as reasonably practicable on the date of Admission Where applicable, definitive share certificates despatched in respect of the Placing Shares within 10 Business Days of Admission Issues under the Placing Programme Placing Programme opens 1 February 2023 Placing Programme closes and last date for Shares to be issued pursuant to the Placing Programme 31 January 2024

Notes:

References to times above are to London times unless otherwise specified. All times and dates in the expected timetable may be adjusted by the Company. Any material changes to the timetable will be notified via an RIS.

Publication of Prospectus

A copy of the Prospectus will shortly be available on the Company's website at www.castelnaugroup.com, subject to certain access restrictions. A copy of the Prospectus will also be submitted to the National Storage Mechanism and will shortly be available for inspection at https://www.fca.org.uk/markets/primary-markets/regulatory-disclosures/national-storage-mechanism.

The information required to be made available to investors in the Company before they invest (the "Article 23 Disclosures"), pursuant to the requirements of the FCA Rules implementing the EU Alternative Fund Managers Directive (Directive 2011/61/EU) of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2011 on Alternative Investment Fund Managers in the United Kingdom and related UK laws (including Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 231/2013, as it forms part of UK law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018) is available for inspection on the Company's website at www.castelnaugroup.com. The information required to be made available to investors in the Company is set out in Chapter 3.2 of the Investment Funds sourcebook of the FCA Handbook

The Placing

Placing Shares will be issued pursuant to the Placing at an Issue Price of 75.02 pence per Placing Share. The Issue Price is equal to the unaudited Net Asset Value per Share as at 31 December 2022. The maximum number of Placing Shares to be issued under the Placing is 154 million. The Placing has not been underwritten.

The total number of Ordinary Shares to be issued pursuant to the Placing, and therefore the Gross Proceeds, are not known as at the date of this announcement but will be notified by the Company via a Regulatory Information Service announcement and the Company's website prior to Admission.

The Placing is conditional, inter alia, on: (i) the Takeover Offer becoming or being declared unconditional; (ii) Admission having become effective on or before 8.00 a.m. on the date being two business days following the date on which the Takeover Offer has become or been declared unconditional (whereupon an announcement will be made by the Company to a Regulatory Information Service) or such later time and/or date as the Company and Liberum may agree (being not later than 8.00 a.m. on 31 July 2023 or such later date as the Company and Liberum may agree from time to time); and (iii) the Placing Agreement becoming wholly unconditional in respect of the Placing (save as to Admission) and not having been terminated in accordance with its terms at any time prior to Admission.

Application will be made for the Ordinary Shares to be issued pursuant to the Placing to be admitted to trading on the Specialist Fund Segment of the Main Market. It is expected that Admission will become effective and dealings in the Ordinary Shares will commence at 8.00 a.m. on the date being two business days following the date on which the Takeover Offer has become or been declared unconditional. If the Placing is extended, the revised timetable will be notified via a Regulatory Information Service announcement.

In the event that commitments under the Placing exceed the maximum number of Placing Shares available (being 154 million Placing Shares), applications under the Placing will be scaled back at Liberum's discretion (after consultation with the Company and the Investment Manager).

The Placing Programme

The Prospectus also puts in place a Placing Programme providing the Company with the flexibility to issue up to a further 300 million Shares in aggregate.

The Company will have the flexibility to issue Shares on a non-pre-emptive basis where there appears to be reasonable demand for Shares in the market, for example, if the Shares trade at a premium to the Net Asset Value per Share.

The minimum price at which Ordinary Shares will be issued pursuant to the Placing Programme, will be equal to the prevailing published Net Asset Value per Share at the time of issue

The issues of Shares under the Placing Programme is at the discretion of the Directors. Subsequent Placings may take place at any time prior to the final closing date of 31 January 2024 (or any earlier date on which it is fully subscribed, or otherwise at the discretion of the Directors). An announcement of each Subsequent Placing under the Placing Programme will be released by the Company via a Regulatory Information Service, including details of the number of Shares to be issued and the Placing Programme Price for the Subsequent Placing.

The Placing Programme is not being underwritten and, as at the date of this announcement, the actual number of Shares to be issued under the Placing Programme is not known. The maximum number of Shares available under the Placing Programme should not be taken as an indication of the number of Shares finally to be issued.

Where new Shares are issued pursuant to the Placing Programme, the total assets of the Company will increase by that number of Shares multiplied by the relevant Placing Programme Price less the expenses of such issuance.

The net proceeds of any Subsequent Placing under the Placing Programme are dependent, inter alia, on, the level of subscriptions received, the price at which such Shares are issued and the costs of the Subsequent Placing.

The Ordinary Shares issued pursuant to the Placing Programme will rank pari passu with the Ordinary Shares then in issue (save for any dividends or other distributions declared, made or paid on the Ordinary Shares by reference to a record date prior to the issue of the relevant Ordinary Shares).

The Placing Programme will be suspended at any time when the Company is unable to issue Shares under any statutory provision or other regulation applicable to the Company or otherwise at the Directors' discretion. The Placing Programme may resume when such conditions cease to exist.

Liberum Capital Limited is acting as financial adviser and sole bookrunner in relation to the Placing and the Placing Programme.

Except where the context requires otherwise, defined terms herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Prospectus.

- Ends -

Enquiries

Phoenix Asset Management Limited +44 (0) 208 600 0100 Gary Channon

Steve Tatters

Liberum Capital Limited (Financial adviser and sole bookrunner to Castelnau) +44 (0) 20 3100 2222 Darren Vickers

Owen Matthews

Will King

Morgan Stanley (Financial adviser to Bidco)

+44 (0) 20 7425 8000

Laurence Hopkins

Richard Brown

Anusha Vijeyaratnam



Citigate Dewe Rogerson +44 (0) 20 7638 9571 Caroline Merrell

Toby Moore

Important Information

Liberum Capital Limited ("Liberum") is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Liberum is acting exclusively for the Company in connection with the matters described in this announcement and is not acting for or advising any other person, or treating any other person as its client, in relation thereto and will not be responsible for providing the regulatory protection afforded to its clients or advice to any other person in relation to the matters contained herein. This does not exclude any responsibilities or liabilities of Liberum under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 ("FSMA") or the regulatory regime established thereunder.

This announcement is a financial promotion and is not intended to be investment advice. The content of this announcement, which has been prepared by and is the sole responsibility of the Company, has been approved by Phoenix Asset Management Partners Limited solely for the purposes of section 21(2)(b) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended).

This announcement is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities in the Company in the United States, Australia, Canada, the Republic of South Africa, Japan, or in any other jurisdiction where such offer or sale would be unlawful.

This communication is not for publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States of America. This communication is not an offer of securities for sale into the United States. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States, except pursuant to an applicable exemption from registration. No public offering of securities is being made in the United States.

The Company has not been and will not be registered under the US Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "Investment Company Act") and, as such, holders of the Company's securities will not be entitled to the benefits of the Investment Company Act. No offer, sale, resale, pledge, delivery, distribution or transfer of the Company's securities may be made except under circumstances that will not result in the Company being required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act.

Moreover, the Company's securities will not be registered under the applicable securities laws of Australia, Canada, the Republic of South Africa, Japan or any member state of the EEA. Subject to certain exceptions, the Company's securities may not be offered or sold in Australia, Canada, the Republic of South Africa, Japan or any member state of the EEA or to, or for the account or benefit of, any national, resident or citizen of, Australia, Canada, the Republic of South Africa, Japan or any member state of the EEA. The Placing and the distribution of this announcement, in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law and accordingly persons into whose possession this announcement is received are required to inform themselves about and to observe such restrictions.

Neither the content of the Company's website, nor the content on any website accessible from hyperlinks on its website for any other website, is incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement nor, unless previously published by means of an RIS announcement, should any such content be relied upon in reaching a decision as to whether or not to acquire, continue to hold, or dispose of, securities in the Company.

The information in this announcement is for background purposes only and does not purport to be full or complete. No reliance may be placed for any purpose on the information contained in this announcement or its accuracy or completeness. The material contained in this announcement is given as at the date of its publication (unless otherwise marked) and is subject to updating, revision and amendment. In particular, any proposals referred to herein are subject to revision and amendment.

The value of shares and the income from them is not guaranteed and can fall as well as rise due to stock market and currency movements. When you sell your investment you may get back less than you originally invested. Figures refer to past performance and past performance should not be considered a reliable indicator of future results.

This announcement may include statements that are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking statements". These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms "believes", "estimates", "anticipates", "expects", "intends", "may", "might", "will" or "should" or, in each case, their negative or other variations or similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this announcement, including, without limitation, those regarding the Company's financial position, strategy, plans, proposed acquisitions and objectives, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as at the date of this announcement and cannot be relied upon as a guide to future performance.

Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and, accordingly, the Company's actual future financial results and operational performance may differ materially from the results and performance expressed in, or implied by, the statements. These factors include but are not limited to those described in the Prospectus. These forward-looking statements speak only as at the date of this announcement and cannot be relied upon as a guide to future performance. Subject to their respective legal and regulatory obligations (including under the Prospectus Regulation Rules), the Company, PAMP and/or Liberum expressly disclaim any obligations or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based unless required to do so by law or any appropriate regulatory authority, including FSMA, the Prospectus Regulation Rules, the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules, the Prospectus Regulation and UK MAR.

None of the Company, PAMP and/or Liberum, or any of their respective affiliates, accepts any responsibility or liability whatsoever for, or makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to this announcement, including the truth, accuracy or completeness of the information in this announcement (or whether any information has been omitted from the announcement) or any other information relating to the Company or associated companies, whether written, oral or in a visual or electronic form, and howsoever transmitted or made available or for any loss howsoever arising from any use of the announcement or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith. The Company, PAMP and Liberum, and their respective affiliates, accordingly disclaim all and any liability whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise which they might otherwise have in respect of this announcement or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith.

INFORMATION TO DISTRIBUTORS

Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within PROD 3 of the FCA's Product Intervention and Product Governance Sourcebook (the "Product Governance Requirements"), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that the Shares to be issued pursuant to the Placing and Subsequent Placings are: (i) compatible with an end target market of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in COBS 3.5 and 3.6 of the FCA's Conduct of Business Sourcebook, respectively; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by the Product Governance Requirements (the "Target Market Assessment").

Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, distributors should note that: (a) the price of the Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; (b) an investment in the Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom, and (c) the Shares will be admitted to the Specialist Fund Segment, which is intended for institutional, professional, professionally advised and knowledgeable investors who understand, or who have been advised of, the potential risk from investing in companies admitted to the Specialist Fund Segment. The Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Initial Issue and/or Subsequent Placings. Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, Liberum will only procure investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of the FCA's Conduct of Business Sourcebook; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the Shares.

Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own Target Market Assessment in respect of the Shares and determining appropriate distribution channels.

UK PRIIPS REGULATION

In accordance with the UK PRIIPs Regulation, a key information document prepared by PAMP in relation to the Ordinary Shares is available on the Company's website: www.castelnaugroup.com. It is the responsibility of each distributor of Ordinary Shares to ensure that its "retail clients" are provided with a copy of the key information document.

PAMP is the manufacturer of the Ordinary Shares for the purposes of the UK PRIIPs Regulation and neither the Company nor Liberum is a manufacturer for these purposes. Neither the Company nor Liberum makes any representations, express or implied, or accepts any responsibility whatsoever for the contents of the key information document prepared by PAMP in relation to the Ordinary Shares or any other key information document in relation to the Shares prepared by PAMP in the future nor accepts any responsibility to update the contents of any key information document in accordance with the UK PRIIPs Regulation, to undertake any review processes in relation thereto or to provide such key information document to future distributors of Shares. Each of the Company, Liberum and their respective affiliates accordingly disclaim all and any liability whether arising in tort or contract or otherwise which it or they might have in respect of any key information document prepared by PAMP.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / Discovery Education:

The STEM Careers Coalition - the first-of-its-kind national STEM initiative powered by corporate leaders and anchored in schools by Discovery Education - presents a curated collection of no-cost content celebrating the careers of Black leaders in STEM for use during Black History Month and beyond. The collection of dynamic on-demand resources showcasing careers of Black professionals across an array of STEM industries and supports educators' efforts to drive deeper student engagement by connecting classroom lessons to the real-world. Discovery Education is the worldwide EdTech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place.

Since its founding in 2019, the STEM Careers Coalition has reached more than 6 million students in its mission to support the next generation of diverse STEM solution-seekers. To continue in the mission of reaching 10 million students by 2025, the Coalition presents a robust array of career profiles featuring diverse leaders across various industries and job roles. Included in the curated collection are digital career profiles featuring leaders from Boeing, Capital Power, Chevron, Procter & Gamble, Sanofi, Stanley Black & Decker, and more. The career profiles also feature student activities and career preparatory materials that introduce students to the world of career planning. In addition, educator guides support teachers in integrating these resources into any lesson plan. Learn more here.

"I love the resources from the STEM Careers Coalition for so many reasons, including the fact that they're constantly updating, relevant to my students, and easy to use. Showing students that there are individuals just like them in these high-profile careers has never been easier," said Tamille Wilson, Fourth Grade Math and Science teacher at Cobb County Schools.

STEM Careers Coalition partners share a common goal of empowering educators to teach STEM effectively in the classroom with an intentional focus on racial and gender equity. Representing a range of industry sectors, the STEM Careers Coalition seeks to prepare 10 million students for the future of work by 2025 by providing equitable access to digital content and experiences that engage students in instruction, build foundational STEM knowledge, and develop the critical skills students need for college and career success. In 2022, the Coalition welcomed the following new members Charles River Laboratories, Cox, Inc., Nevada Gold Mines, and PepsiCo Foundation. View the complete list of STEM Career Coalition partners here.

"Representation matters. Students need, and want, to see people like them in the careers of the future. The STEM Career Coalition intentionally highlights diverse leaders and perspectives as part of its broader effort to improve access to the STEM careers of the future," said Jackie Smalls, Vice President of Social Impact Coalitions at Discovery Education. "This collection of curated content for Black History Month empowers educators to connect students to the real-world and is designed for grab-and-go use every day."

All resources are available at no-cost at stemcareerscoalition.org, and through Discovery Education's K-12 learning platform on the STEM Careers channel.

For more information about Discovery Education's award-winning digital resources and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Twitter and LinkedIn.

About STEM Careers Coalition

A coalition of industry partners are joining forces with Discovery Education to impact the culture of STEM education in K - 12 schools nationwide. The all-new STEM Careers Coalition's mission is to empower educators to teach STEM effectively in the classroom, foster equity and access to quality education, and build the next generation of solution-seekers.

About Discovery Education

Discovery Education is the worldwide EdTech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading EdTech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.

Contacts

Grace Maliska

Discovery Education

gmaliska@discoveryed.com



View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Discovery Education on 3blmedia.com.



Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Discovery Education

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/discovery-education

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Discovery Education

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/737683/STEM-Careers-Coalition-Offering-Educators-No-Cost-Resources-To-Celebrate-Black-STEM-Leaders-During-Black-History-Month
The excellent results from the first five (5) definition holes drilled at depth along the length of the Manicouagan Ouest Graphitic Corridor (MOGC) deposit further demonstrate the potential for a significant extension of the deposit at depth.

KINGSTON, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / Focus Graphite Inc. (TSX.V:FMS)(OTCQX:FCSMF)(FRANKFURT:FKC) ("Focus" or the "Company") is pleased to report the results for the first five (5) holes from the Company's 2022 exploration and definition drilling program at its 100%-owned Lac Tetepisca graphite project, located southwest of the Manicouagan Reservoir in the Cote-Nord administrative region of Quebec, on the Nitassinan of the Pessamit Innu. Between March 3 and November 17, 2022, Focus completed 14,900.5 metres of core drilling from 74 holes, including 6,640.2 metres of definition drilling from 27 deep holes along strike of its Manicouagan Ouest Graphitic Corridor ("MOGC") deposit. The results reported today are for five (5) deep definition holes drilled on sections at 50-metre interval over a 200 m strike length section of the MOGC deposit, between Line 6+50S and Line 8+50S (see map).

Highlights :

Hole LT-22-130 , drilled at -65 o to a vertical depth of 198.5 metres on Section L6+50S, intersected 86.66 metres* grading 15.00% Cg (from 93.6 metres to 197.3 metres**; Table 1), including:

, drilled at -65 to a vertical depth of 198.5 metres on Section L6+50S, intersected 86.66 metres* grading 15.00% Cg (from 93.6 metres to 197.3 metres**; Table 1), including: 60.1 metres* grading 17.71% Cg (from 105.0 metres to 177.0 metres**).

Hole LT-22-131 , drilled at -65 o to a vertical depth of 198.5 metres on Section L7+00S, intersected 92.42 metres* grading 14.28% Cg (from 90.0 metres to 200.7 metres**; Table 1), including:

, drilled at -65 to a vertical depth of 198.5 metres on Section L7+00S, intersected 92.42 metres* grading 14.28% Cg (from 90.0 metres to 200.7 metres**; Table 1), including: 67.0 metres* grading 16.03% Cg (from 106.9 metres to 198.6 metres**).

Hole LT-22-132 , drilled at -65 o to a vertical depth of 201.2 metres on Section L7+50S, intersected 91.83 metres* grading 13.84% Cg (from 86.5 metres to 196.4 metres**; Table 1), including:

, drilled at -65 to a vertical depth of 201.2 metres on Section L7+50S, intersected 91.83 metres* grading 13.84% Cg (from 86.5 metres to 196.4 metres**; Table 1), including: 53.75 metres* grading 16.43% Cg (from 101.7 metres to 166.0 metres**); and,

16.08 metres* grading 16.44% Cg (from 174.8 metres to 194.0 metres**).

Hole LT-22-133 , drilled at -62 o to a vertical depth of 209.3 metres on Section L8+00S, intersected 75.72 metres* grading 16.28% Cg (from 125.5 metres to 213.2 metres**; Table 1).

, drilled at -62 to a vertical depth of 209.3 metres on Section L8+00S, intersected 75.72 metres* grading 16.28% Cg (from 125.5 metres to 213.2 metres**; Table 1). Hole LT-22-134 , drilled at -62o to a vertical depth of 219.4 metres on Section L8+50S, intersected 83.01 metres* grading 15.74% Cg (from 119.0 metres to 215.2 metres**; Table 1).

* True thickness ** Core length

"We're thrilled to kick off 2023 with these terrific results from Lac Tetepisca," said Marc Roy, President and CEO of Focus. "They demonstrate excellent continuity in the thickness and graphitic carbon grades of the main graphite mineralisation at depth and along strike of the MOGC deposit, and they continue to illustrate the potential for a significant extension of the deposit at depth. We look forward to the results of the 22 other deep definition holes drilled last year, which are expected to arrive in the coming months, and will then be combined with those of the 106 holes drilled by the Company from 2014 to 2020 to form the basis of an updated mineral resource estimate for the MOCG deposit tentatively planned for Q3 2023."

Drill core analytical results are now being delivered to Focus at a rate of about one hole per week and they will be released by the Company as they are received from COREM and ACTLABS laboratories and compiled, processed and QA\QC-verified by IOS Services Geoscientifiques Inc. ("IOS") who designed the 2022 drilling program and are managing the analytical program for the Lac Tetepisca project for Focus. Please monitor the Company's website at (www.focusgraphite.com) and regulatory filings on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) for the latest news on the Lac Tetepisca project.

Geological sections showing the results of the first five (5) drill holes from the 2022 drilling program at Lac Tetepisca together with results from 2014 to 2020 drilling along with a map showing the location of the drill holes are available on the Company's website at www.focusgraphite.com.

Table 1. Highlights for the first five (5) drill holes from the 2022 deep definition core drilling program targeting the MOCG deposit.

Hole ID Section Az Dip Length True Depth from to Intercept length (m) Graphitic Carbon grade (%Cg) (deg) (deg) (m) (m) (m) (m) Downhole True width LT-22-130 L6+50S 302 65 219.1 198.5 93.55 197.30 103.75 86.66 15.00 Including 105.00 177.00 72.00 60.14 17.71 Including 184.25 196.25 12.00 10.02 12.62 LT-22-131 L7+00S 302 65 219.0 198.5 90.00 200.65 110.65 92.42 14.28 Including 106.85 198.65 80.25 67.03 16.03 LT-22-132 L7+50S 302 65 222.0 201.2 86.50 196.45 109.95 91.83 13.84 Including 101.65 166.00 64.35 53.75 16.43 Including 174.75 194.00 19.25 16.08 16.44 LT-22-133 L8+00S 302 62 237.0 209.3 111.00 117.30 6.30 5.44 6.32 and 125.45 213.20 87.75 75.72 16.28 Including 129.60 212.40 82.80 71.45 16.91 LT-22-134 L8+50S 302 62 248.5 219.4 119.00 215.20 96.20 83.01 15.74 Including 126.80 213.80 87.00 75.07 16.92

Notes:

(1) True thicknesses are reported in this news release and are calculated based on a dip of -58.5 for the mineralised envelope. Core descriptions, sampling information and analytical results were captured in Geotic core logging software, and then exported to LeapFrogtm software for three-dimensional (3-D) rendering. The 3-D mineralisation envelope has an azimuth of N035.5 and dips at -58.5 to the south-east according to the 3-D model. The drill holes crosscut the envelope of the main mineralised zone's strike (80) and dips (60o) at high angle.

(2) "Best intercepts" and "significant mineralisation" are defined as Cg grading a minimum of 5.0% over at least 6.0 m with internal dilution set at a maximum of 7.0 m consecutive and no external dilution. "Best sub-intercepts" are defined as Cg grading a minimum of 10.0% over 6.0 m with same limitations on dilution. The 5% cg and 10% Cg cut-offs are used solely to delineate the extent of the mineralised envelopes corresponding to "Best intercepts" and "Best sub-intercepts", respectively. Economic cut-offs based on geological, metallurgical, mining, and economic factors, parameters and considerations will be determined as part of the mineral resource estimate update planned for the Lac Tetepisca project later in 2023 and through subsequent technical studies.

(3) Barren core intervals within the mineralised envelope of the MOGC that were not analysed are considered as 0.0% Cg internal dilution.

(4) Analyses were performed by COREM of Quebec City, an ISO/IEC 17025:2005 certified facility using LECO combustion in induction furnace and infrared spectrometry (code LSA-M-B10) and are reported as graphitic carbon (Cg) and total sulphur.

(5) QA/QC program: IOS introduced 10% reference samples, including certified and internal reference materials, duplicates, and blank samples. Ten percent of the drill core samples were also analyzed by COREM for total, organic and inorganic, carbon. Duplicates of the same 10% of the drill core samples were also sent to ACTLABS Laboratories of Ancaster, Ontario (ISO/IEC 17025:2005 with CAN-P-1579) for interlaboratory verification where they were analyzed for graphitic carbon, total sulphur and for trace metals by ICP-MS after aqua-regia digestion.

2022 drilling program

The 2022 core drilling program at the Lac Tetepisca project was designed and operated by IOS Services Geoscientifiques Inc. ("IOS") of Saguenay, Quebec, under the supervision of Table Jamesienne de Concertation Miniere ("TJCM") of Chibougamau, Quebec, acting as an independent technical adviser to the Company. Drilling was performed by Forage G4 of Val-d'Or, Quebec using a single drill rig. Drilling commenced on March 3, 2022 and ended on November 17, 2022.

The drilling program consisted of systematic definition drilling along strike of the Company's MOGG deposit together with exploration drilling at the nearby West Limb and Southwest MOGC geophysical (MAG-TDEM) targets. A total of 74 holes were completed, from LT-22-107 to LT-22-179 (total: 14,900.5 metres), including 27 deep holes drilled over a 1.5 km strike length on the MOGC deposit (total: 6,640.2 metres); 29 exploration holes drilled on the West Limb target (total: 5,421.6 metres), and 18 exploration holes drilled on the Southwest MOGC target (total: 2,838.8 metres). Drilling completed on the MOGC deposit includes seven (7) 300 m-length vertical HQ-diameter holes, 19 high angled holes drilled to a vertical depth of 200 metres, plus a short hole drilled at moderate angle (LT-22-173A).

Starting in March 2022, drill core boxes for each hole were packaged by sequential numbers onto pallets in the field by IOS personnel and then shipped by truck every 2 weeks to IOS's facilities in Saguenay where they are currently archived. Sampling has been conducted with a diamond saw, with NQ-diameter core from the Southwest MOGC and West Limb targets being halved, while all HQ-diameter core from the MOGC deposit was quartered. Sample preparation work consisting of crushing and grinding began last September and is expected to be completed by early March. Pulverized splits were sent to COREM, an ISO/IEC 17025:2005 certified facility located in Quebec City, for graphitic carbon (code LSA-M-B10) and total sulphur (code LSA-M-B41) analysis using LECO induction furnace with infrared spectrometry. A subset of 10% of samples was analyzed for 35 trace element analysis using ICP-OES and ICP-MS after an aqua-regia digestion at Activation Laboratories in Ancaster, Ontario (ISO/IEC 17025:2005 with CAN-P-1579. Code 1E2 - Aqua Regia). Holes LT-22-130 to LT-22-134, concerned by the present communication, included 534 graphitic carbon analyses.

Quality Assurance / Quality Control

The analytical quality control program for the Lac Tetepisca project has been implemented by an IOS-certified chemist and is identical to the one used for previous drill programs at Lac Tetepisca or at the Company's Lac Knife project. Under the QA/QC program, the current set of analyses included 48 of the core samples, or about 9% of the samples, which were also analyzed by COREM for total carbon (code LSA-M-B45), organic carbon (code LSA-M-B58) and inorganic carbon (code LSA-M-B11). Duplicates of the same 48 samples were sent to ACTLABS Laboratories of Ancaster, Ontario (ISO/IEC 17025:2005 with CAN-P-1579) for graphitic carbon (code 5D - C Graphitic) and total sulphur (code 4F - S Combustion infrared detection) determinations. A total of 74 (about 14%) reference materials are inserted in the sample sequences, either certified or internal reference material samples (CDN-GR1, CMRI12, Oreas-724, GLC-004, NSC-DC-60119, NSC-DC-60120, NSC-DC-60121), duplicates (quarter-split core or grinding duplicates), and preparation and analyses blanks.

Qualified Persons

The technical content disclosed in this news release was reviewed and approved by Rejean Girard, P.Geo. (QC), President of IOS Services Geoscientifiques Inc., and a qualified person as defined under National Instrument NI-43-101.

Mr. Marc-Andre Bernier, geo. (QC), P.Geo. (ON), M.Sc., Senior Geoscientist for Table Jamesienne de Concertation Miniere, a consultant to the Company and a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument (NI) 43 - 101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects has reviewed and approved the non-technical content this news release.

About the Lac Tetepisca Graphite Project

Focus Graphite's 100%-owned Lac Tetepisca Graphite Project is located in the Southwest Manicouagan reservoir area of the Cote-Nord region of Quebec, one of North America's leading emerging flake graphite districts. The project lies on the Nitassinan of the Pessamit, 234 km north-northwest of the city of Baie-Comeau, an industrial city located where the Manicouagan River intersects the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. It comprises two contiguous properties, Lac Tetepisca and Lac Tetepisca Nord. Together, the two properties form a block of 126 map-designated claims (total area: 6,785.14 ha). Focus purchased a 100% unencumbered interest of the mineral rights in the 67 CDC claims constituting the original Lac Tetepisca property from a third party in August 2011. The Lac Tetepisca Nord property was map-staked by the Company in 2012. The Lac Tetepisca Project is accessible year-round by way of a network of secondary gravel roads that extend north from Highway 389, 10 km to the south of the Manic 5 hydroelectric power station.

The Lac Tetepisca project hosts the Manicouagan Ouest Graphitic Corridor ("MOGC") graphite deposit with a pit-constrained Indicated resource of 59.3 Mt tonnes ("Mt") grading 10.61% Graphitic Carbon1,2 ("Cg") for an estimated content of 6.3 Mt of natural flake graphite (in-situ), and an Inferred resource of 14.9 Mt grading 11.06% Cg1,2 for an estimated content of 1.6 Mt of natural flake graphite (in-situ).

1A cut-off grade of 3.9% Cg was applied to all estimates.

2Source: "NI 43-101 Technical Report Mineral Resource Estimate Lac Tetepisca Graphite Project, Quebec" by DRA America's Inc., dated April 4, 2022, available on www.sedar.com/, under Focus graphite Inc.

Additional maps of the Lac Tetepisca property showing the location of the MOGC graphite deposit, along with drill sections, are available on the Company's website at www.focusgraphite.com.

About Focus Graphite

Focus Graphite Inc. is an advanced exploration company with an objective of producing flake graphite concentrate at its wholly owned Lac Knife and Lac Tetepisca flake graphite projects located in the Cote-Nord administrative region of Quebec. In a second stage, to meet Quebec stakeholder interests in developing second transformation industries within the province and to add shareholder value, Focus is evaluating the feasibility of producing value added specialty graphite products including battery-grade spherical graphite.

Focus Graphite is a technology-oriented graphite development company with a vision for building long-term, sustainable shareholder value. Focus also holds a significant equity position in graphene applications developer Grafoid Inc. For more information about Focus Graphite, please visit www.focusgraphite.com.

For more information about Focus Graphite and the Company's Lac Tetepisca and Lac Knife projects, please visit Focus's website at www.focusgraphite.com or contact:

Kimberly Darlington

Communications, Focus Graphite

kdarlington@focusgraphite.com

Judith Mazvihwa-MacLean

CFO, Focus Graphite

jmazvihwa@focusgraphite.com

(613) 581-4040

Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All information contained herein that is not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information, including references to the plans and project of the Company such as proceeding with production at the Company's Project, proceeding with exploration activities on its permits on Lac Tetepisca. Generally, such forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "potential", "high-potential", "expected", "optimistic", "looking forward", "moving forward", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would" or "might". 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, including but not limited to: (i) volatile stock price; (ii) the general global markets and economic conditions; (iii) the possibility of write-downs and impairments; (iv) the risk associated with exploration, development and operations of mineral deposits; (v) the risk associated with establishing title to mineral properties and assets; (vi) fluctuations in commodity prices; (vii) the risks associated with uninsurable risks arising during the course of exploration, development and production; (viii) competition faced by the issuer in securing purchasers, off-taker markets, clients and experienced personnel and financing; (ix) access to adequate infrastructure to support mining, processing, development and exploration activities; (x) the risks associated with changes in the mining regulatory regime governing the issuer; (xi) the risks associated with the various environmental regulations the issuer is subject to; (xii) risks related to regulatory and permitting delays; (xiii) risks related to potential conflicts of interest; (xiv) the reliance on key personnel; (xv) liquidity risks; (xvi) the risk of litigation; and (xvii) risk management.

Forward-looking information is based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable at the time such statements are made, including but not limited to, continued exploration activities, no material adverse change in metal prices, exploration, and development plans to proceed in accordance with plans and such plans to achieve their stated expected outcomes, receipt of required regulatory approval, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the 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 forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information has been provided for the purpose of assisting investors in understanding the Company's business, operations and exploration plans and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is given as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update such forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

SOURCE: Focus Graphite, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/737673/Focus-Graphite-Reports-9242-m-grading-1428-Graphitic-Carbon-Cg-in-hole-LT-22-131-8666-m-grading-1500-Cg-in-hole-LT-22-130-and-9183-m-grading-1384-Cg-in-hole-LT-22-132-from-the-2022-Definition-Drilling-Program-at-Lac-Tetepisca-Quebec
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / Cummins Inc.

Cummins

Global power technology leader Cummins Inc. will showcase its new fuel-agnostic 15-liter engine platform to reduce carbon emissions at North America's largest construction trade show later this year.

The next generation internal combustion engines will be on display at CONEXPO, March 14-18 in Las Vegas. They use a common base engine with cylinder heads and fuel systems that can be specifically tailored for hydrogen, natural gas, advanced diesel and biofuels to reduce carbon emissions.

The new platform is part of the company's Destination Zero strategy to reduce carbon in Cummins' internal combustion engines through low-carbon fuels and other means, while also bringing to market the low- and no-carbon technologies likely to power the future, including battery electric and hydrogen fuel cells.

The company's New Power business segment is also manufacturing electrolyzers to separate hydrogen from water. No-carbon green hydrogen is produced when renewable forms of energy are used to power the process.

Cummins wants to give customers a variety of options to reduce carbon, so they can choose the one that best fits their unique circumstances. In some applications, customers may be ready for zero emission solutions today, but those solutions may not be a good fit in other applications and circumstances.

Either way, Cummins believes the world needs to begin reducing carbon immediately to achieve its climate goals. Waiting will merely make carbon reduction efforts an even bigger challenge.

The 15-liter hydrogen engine will be available with ratings from 400-to-530 horsepower (hp) and a peak torque of 2600 Newton metres (Nm). For applications powered by renewable biogas, the engine will offer ratings from 400-to-510 hp with a peak torque of 2500 Nm available. The advanced diesel version will offer a broad power range of 450-to-650 hp, with 3200 Nm peak torque.

Cummins believes it can play a leadership role in climate action because of the wide number of commercial power applications the company serves. Cummins technology powers commercial trucking, buses, passenger trains, marine applications, farm and construction equipment and commercial generators that provide emergency power to schools, hospitals, data centers and more.

Cummins fuel-agnostic engines are part of the company's Destination Zero strategy for decarbonization

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Cummins Inc. on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Cummins Inc.

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/cummins-inc

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Cummins Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/737693/Cummins-To-Showcase-Lower-Carbon-Engines-to-Construction-Industry
Cancel Kickbacks Campaign has already garnered more than 100 signatures from licensed cannabis retailers opposed to unjust practices by large producers and chains

Kitchener, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 1, 2023) - Highland Cannabis and independent cannabis retailers in Ontario are banding together in an effort to level the playing field in the kickback-fraught cannabis industry, starting a 'Cancel Kickbacks' Campaign that highlights the rampant improper circumvention of anti-inducement regulations in the Ontario cannabis market.

From the outset of cannabis legalization, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has expressly prohibited inducements between licensed cannabis producers and licensed cannabis retailers. The AGCO defines inducements as payments that are "given with the purpose to promote or increase the sale of a particular brand or product by the licensee or their employees."

The Cancel Kickbacks campaign is demanding that the Ontario government properly enforce its own anti-inducement regulations being circumvented by retailers and producers that are falsely and illegally characterizing inducement transactions as payments for the sale of "data for business intelligence purposes."

These payments favour larger, well-funded, licensed cannabis producers who have the funds to pay kickbacks as a sales incentive to gain market share, and larger retail chains which have the leverage to demand the kickbacks and then use them to fund predatory pricing that small independent retailers cannot possibly match.

Highland Cannabis Inc., an independent retailer based in Kitchener, Ont., is leading the Cancel Kickbacks Campaign. "The AGCO, by failing to enforce the inducement prohibition is tacitly permitting the cannabis producers to pay prohibited kickbacks to the retail cannabis chains. Several of the large retail chains are using the prohibited inducement money to fund predatory pricing, controlling the market and thereby driving the small independent retailers out of business," says Owen Allerton, owner of Highland Cannabis Inc. "People talk about the price wars in the cannabis retail market. There are no price wars. There are just big chains and their ultra-discount models that are subsidized by prohibited kickbacks. Producers are paying these prohibited kickbacks for shelf space in big chains, meanwhile they are undermining the 1,000+ independent retailers - driving them out of business. In the end, only the chains will be left."

Kickbacks also threaten hundreds of licensed cannabis producers. "Kickbacks - or 'pay to play' is hurting small producers as well," says Dr. Shane Morris, consultant and industry expert. "Small, craft-type growers of cannabis trying to legally survive in an already highly competitive marketplace simply cannot afford to pay these kickbacks to retailers. They are often blocked from large retailers who demand payment in return for a product listing, ultimately limiting consumer choice and stifling innovation."

In addition to the broad prohibition against inducements, the Registrar's Standards also explicitly prohibit any agreement between a retail licensee and a licensed producer that defines which - or how many - products the retailer sells, or how much display, merchandising, marketing or promotion the licensed producer's products receive.

However, on June 30, 2022, the AGCO revised the Registrar's Standards for Cannabis Retail Stores to allow retailers to sell their "sales data" to producers "for business intelligence purposes." That change opened the door for larger industry players to circumvent the express prohibition against inducements simply by characterizing such inducements as payment for "sales data." This prohibited practice amounts to a "kickback" scheme that threatens to undermine Ontario's Cannabis industry.

Of Ontario's 1,573 licensed retailers, approximately 300 are part of large retail store chains and over 1,000 are smaller, independent shops (fewer than 10 stores). Independent cannabis retailers are predominantly run by individuals or families who have invested personal finances and savings into their retail startups. These independent shops make up the majority of the industry and are at the greatest risk from predatory pricing funded by prohibited inducements.

To date no compliance or enforcement actions have been taken by the AGCO regarding the use of data sales as cover for inducements in the cannabis industry in Ontario.

Retailers and producers can sign the petition at www.cancelkickbacks.com

-30-

About Highland Cannabis

Founded in 2020, Highland Cannabis is Kitchener's one-stop shop for local, independently sourced quality products while delivering efficient and personalized services. Through providing their patrons of all experience levels with the knowledge to shop confidently and comfortably, Highland Cannabis caters to the local community and emphasizes the importance of local initiatives to help Kitchener grow.

Website: www.highlandonhighland.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/highlandonhighland/

Instagram: @highlandonhighland

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/highland-cannabis/about/

Twitter: @highlandkw

For media inquiries, please contact:

Melissa Durrell - Durrell Communications

melissa@durrellcomm.com

Scott Hamilton - Durrell Communications

scotth@durrellcomm.com

226-203-4490

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/153056
PITTSBURGH, PA / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / Today, Liberated Syndication Inc. ("Libsyn"), the leading all-in-one podcasting platform for creators and advertisers, announced its January 2023 Podcast Advertising Rates, including the highest and most accessible CPM categories.

"We saw a slightly lower average CPM rate in January due to the typical seasonality which follows the holiday season," said Dave Hanley, Chief Revenue Officer at Libsyn's AdvertiseCast. "Coming into 2023, we've signed several new exclusive podcast advertising partnerships, and many are leveraging our Libsyn Auto Ads offering to augment their host-read program with programmatic ad revenue. We expect to roll out even more features soon to enable creators and advertisers to drive more value from podcasting with improved measurement, insights, and transparency."

The AdvertiseCast January 2023 Podcast Advertising Rates

The following rates, which are denoted as cost per thousand or CPM, are published monthly by Libsyn's AdvertiseCast, the industry's premier podcast advertising marketplace that connects advertisers with podcasters. The Company releases the figures to empower the podcaster and advertiser communities to readily monitor market pricing and provide greater insight into podcasting advertising as a monetization vehicle. The data is derived from actual sales data across AdvertiseCast's network of over 3,000 shows, including more than 225 exclusive podcasts.

For January 2023, the average CPM rate was $22.28 for a 60-second ad spot. That figure is down approximately 5.5% compared to last month (December 2022 avg. CPM rate: $23.55) and has decreased year-over-year (January 2022 avg. CPM rate: $25.40).

The three highest CPM categories in January based on delivered advertising were:

Games & Hobbies: $28

Technology: $26

True Crime: $26

Moreover, three categories where advertisers can effectively tap into highly engaged audiences at more accessible CPM rates include Art, News, Fiction, and TV, which averaged in the low twenties in January.

Libsyn's AdvertiseCast combines an industry-leading ad buying and management platform with full-service capabilities that makes it easy for podcast advertisers to initiate and manage highly targeted and measurable campaigns, while providing maximum return for creators. Historical monthly CPM rates can be found on AdvertiseCast's website at: www.advertisecast.com/podcast-advertising-rates.

About Liberated Syndication

Founded in 2004, Liberated Syndication Inc. ("Libsyn") is the leading all-in-one podcasting platform for creators and advertisers to host, distribute, monetize, amplify, and measure their audio content. In 2022, the Company hosted over 75,000 shows and delivered over 8 billion downloads to listeners globally. Libsyn's AdvertiseCast marketplace combines an industry-leading ad buying and management platform with full-service capabilities that make it easy for podcast advertisers to initiate and manage highly targeted and measurable campaigns on over 3,000 shows. Based in Munich, Germany, Libsyn's Julep Media platform is the leading podcasting hosting platform and advertising marketplace in Europe. Libsyn also powers podcast membership platform, Glow, and web hosting platform, Pair Networks. Visit libsyn.com or investor.libsyn.com for more company information.

Media Contacts:

Ray Yeung + Nancy Zakhary | ray@relev8.co+ nancy@relev8.co

SOURCE: Liberated Syndication, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/737697/Libsyn-Unveils-January-2023-Podcast-Advertising-Rates
CHICAGO, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Therapeutic Drug Monitoring Market in terms of revenue was estimated to be worth $1.8 billion in 2022 and is poised to reach $2.9 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 9.6% from 2022 to 2027 according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The growth of this market is majorly driven by the Increasing incidence of chronic and infectious diseases and growing awareness about early disease diagnosis. However, Alternatives to conventional TDM may challenge the growth of this market.





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221 - Pages

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring Market Scope:

Report Coverage Details Market Size USD 2.9 billion by 2027 Growth Rate 9.6% of CAGR Largest Market North America Market Dynamics Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities & Challenges Forecast Period 2022-2027 Forecast Units Value (USD Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered Product, Technology, Class of drugs, End User and Region Geographies Covered North America (US, Canada), Europe (Germany, France, UK, Spain, Italy, and RoE), APAC (China, India, Japan, and the RoAPAC), and Rest of the World (Latin America- and Middle East & Africa) Report Highlights Updated financial information / product portfolio of players Key Market Opportunities Increasing prevalence of autoimmune diseases Key Market Drivers Importance of TDM in organ transplant procedures

Germany in European Therapeutic drug monitoring market to witness the highest shares during the forecast period.

The Europe Therapeutic Drug Monitoring Market is segmented into Germany, Italy, France, Spain, the UK, and the Rest of Europe. Germany is projected to occupy the highest share during the forecast period. The major factors contributing to the growth of this market are the rising geriatric population, increasing incidence of chronic and infectious diseases, rising healthcare expenditure, and increasing R&D investments.

Japan dominates the Asia Pacific Therapeutic Drug Monitoring market

The APAC Therapeutic Drug Monitoring market is segmented into Japan, China, and India. In 2021, Japan accounted for the largest share of the Asian Therapeutic Drug Monitoring market. The large share of Japan can be attributed to the large geriatric population in the country, the rising prevalence of chronic medical conditions such as cancer, growing budgetary allocations for healthcare, and the presence of a well-developed healthcare system.

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Therapeutic Drug Monitoring Market Dynamics:

Drivers:

Importance of TDM in organ transplant procedures Use of TDM across various therapeutic fields Increasing preference for precision medicine Growing focus on R&D related to TDM Technological advancements

Restraints:

Requirement of high capital investments Reluctance of small hospitals to offer TDM services

Opportunities:

Increasing adoption in the treatment of autoimmune diseases

Challenges:

Alternatives to conventional TDM

Operational barriers faced in conducting TDM

Key Market Players:

The significant players in the Therapeutic Drug Monitoring market are Abbott (US), Thermo Fisher Scientific (US), F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. (Switzerland), Siemens Healthineers AG (Germany), Danaher Corporation (US), Bio-Rad Laboratories (US), bioMerieux SA (France), Theradiag SA (France), Grifols S.A. (Spain), Exagen Inc. (US), R-Biopharm AG (Germany), ARK Diagnostics, Inc. (US), apDia Group (Belgium), Immundiagnostik AG (Germany), and Sekisui Medical Co. Ltd. (Japan).

Recent Developments:

In May 22 , Theradiag ( France ) Announced the launch of ez-Track1, a Point-of-Care Testing solution for TDM.

, Theradiag ( ) Announced the launch of ez-Track1, a Point-of-Care Testing solution for TDM. In Jan 2021 , Theradiag ( France ) Announced CE marking for four new i-Tracker test kits for biotherapy monitoring.

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Browse Adjacent Market:Medical Devices Market Research Reports & Consulting

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Mirador, Inc. announces the opening of Mirador Worldwide LTD in international business hub, Edinburgh, Scotland. In a continued effort to best serve its non-US clients, Mirador now has client service personnel on the ground to counsel these clients from a more convenient time zone. In addition to convenience, Edinburgh was chosen for its business-friendly resources and its thriving tech community, among other factors. In the final analysis, Edinburgh proved to be the perfect European fit for cutting-edge Mirador.

With excellent universities, expertise in scientific discovery, beauty, walkability, and location as one of Europe's chief cultural centers, Edinburgh has drawn a highly skilled workforce well-suited to work at one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S.

"In order for Mirador to continue to deliver exceptional client service, we have to have a shop in Europe," said Mirador CEO President Joseph Larizza. "We thoroughly looked into other sites, and I can say without hesitation that Edinburgh is where we need to be. Senior staff members willingly volunteered to relocate, we have hired our first Scotland-based employee and are actively recruiting additional talent."

"Having been with Mirador since 2020, I have experienced first-hand the growth of our company," said Sr. Associate, Reporting, Blake Johnson who is one of the first US-based employees to relocate to Scotland. "I know how important real-time availability is to our clients and am thrilled to be establishing the Mirador office in Scotland. It is exciting to be in this historic city, interacting with such smart and vibrant people."

Mirador is a best-in-class, tech-enabled, managed services partner to the wealth management industry. The company serves those who manage significant wealth: ultra/high net worth wealth advisors, families family offices, endowments, and foundations. Mirador specializes in financial reporting services, middle office services, technology solutions, and compensation management.

Mark Hallan, Director of Global Investment at Scottish Development International, said: "With its commitment to utilizing technology to serve the financial needs of its customers, Mirador, Inc's decision to open a business hub in Edinburgh is most welcome.

"Given our focus on innovation, world-class workforce, outstanding universities, and technological expertise, multi-national companies in the financial services sector continue to choose Scotland to support their global growth ambitions. When you combine this with the quality of life on offer in our beautiful country not to mention lower costs compared to other financial centres Scotland is a truly irresistible proposition to internationally-minded firms

Mirador started with one CT-based employee in 2015 and has grown to five office locations in the US and more than 160 employees and is now expanding its footprint in the United Kingdom. Mirador also has an office in Dublin, Ireland, which houses certain technical resources.

About Mirador, Inc.

Grounded in Wall Street and enabled by technology, Mirador, Inc. combines powerful data science and deep financial expertise to provide best-of-breed financial reporting services, middle office services, and technology solutions and products for U/HNW investment portfolios. Through partnerships with leading technology platforms, Mirador's service offering creates insightful, consolidated, real-time views of all assets and liabilities -strategically constructed to identify opportunities and expose financial risks. Mirador's performance reporting experts drawn from family offices and wealth-management firms create true, ongoing partnerships with clients to ensure data integrity, cull new insights from the data, answer questions, and resolve inconsistencies. The firm supports the performance reporting requirements of family offices, wealth managers, endowments, and foundations throughout the Americas, EMEA, and Asia Pacific.

For more information about Mirador, please visit www.mirador.com or email info@mirador.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005710/en/

Contacts:

Media

Sarah Fullilove

Mirador, Inc.

sfullilove@mirador.com

203.884.7344
MONTREAL, QC / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / Critical Elements Lithium Corporation (TSX-V:CRE)(OTCQX:CRECF)(FSE:F12) ("Critical Elements" or the "Corporation") is pleased to provide a corporate update regarding its exploration, engineering, permitting and project financing activities. The Corporation is fully funded for these preparatory activities leading to a potential final investment decision for its wholly-owned Rose Lithium-Tantalum project ("Rose Project" or "Project") in the James Bay Region of Northern Quebec (the "Final Investment Decision"). Critical Elements is pleased to be working closely with the Cree Nation of Eastmain, the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee), and the Cree Nation Government under the Pikhuutaau Agreement signed in July 2019.

Exploration Update

Critical Elements has commenced a drilling program on it's wholly owned Lemare Lithium project, located within a portion of the Corporation's highly prospective 1,050 km2 exploration portfolio. The objective of the drilling program is to confirm and expand the known Lemare zone identified by drilling in 2016-2017. The Corporation plans to drill approximately 7,000 meters during its winter program on Lemare with the objective of delivering an initial mineral resource estimate later this year.

During the summer of 2022, Critical Elements conducted a prospecting program over the Lemare property and several areas of the Corporation's Nemaska belt property portfolio. Prior to the prospecting campaign, EarthLabs, through its GoldSpot Discoveries division, generated and ranked LCT pegmatite targets using its in-house "SmartTarget" methodology that combines both expert-driven and machine-learning data-driven targeting approaches. The objective of the field program was the identification of new pegmatite bodies using systematic rock geochemical sampling of all pegmatite bodies to refine the geological interpretation of the properties for further exploration work.

Sample results confirming the extension of the LCT pegmatite trend on the Lemare property had also extended the strike potential for future drilling on the Lemare property (Figure 1 and 2). The LCT pegmatite trend on the Lemare property now has a potential strike length of over 5 kilometres (See Press Release October 27th, 2022). The winter 2023 drill program will test some of this potential strike extension. Additional drilling is expected following the Lemare program, as part of the total 25,000m program announced in 2022.

Figure 1: 2023 proposed Lemare drilling program map

Figure 2: Goldspot targeting with 2023 proposed drillhole location map

Front-End Engineering Design Study

The Corporation is pleased to provide a progress update on the front-end engineering design ("FEED") studies for the process plant and related infrastructure. Bumigeme Inc. has been mandated to conduct a gap analysis on the process plant focusing on design review, optimization, and mitigation of potential risks related to the flowsheet developed during the feasibility study released by the Corporation in 2022 (the "2022 Feasibility Study"), a copy of which is available on the Corporation website and on SEDAR under its issuer profile. The gap analysis informs the FEED study to optimize and freeze the design of the process plant and produce an updated capital cost estimate. As of today, 98% of this mandate has been completed. On completion of the processing plant FEED study, a value engineering study will finalize this optimization, freeze the 3D layout for all equipment and define datasheet for long-lead equipment orders.

WSP has been conducting the FEED study for process and non-process infrastructure such as the main electrical station and 25 kV distribution, utilities, water management, final effluent facility, and mining support facilities. This infrastructure FEED study will optimize and freeze the design and produce an updated capital cost estimate. The infrastructure FEED study consists of optimizing the design and producing preliminary engineering documents to reduce some risks for the infrastructure project estimate. WSP will be responsible for consolidating all estimates from other consultants and producing the overall project estimate. As of today, more than 80% of the WSP mandate has been completed and the completion of the WSP mandate is scheduled for the end of February 2023.

Golder is now part of WSP. WSP-Golder has been mandated to complete the detailed engineering design of the stack tailings facility ("STF") for filtered mill tailings in co-disposal with a pit waste rock disposal facility ("WRF"). Engineering works include STF and WRF hazard classification, tailings laboratory testing, staging and placement, water management design, hydrogeological modelling and seepage collection, stability assessment, and an instrumented monitoring plan. As of today, more than 50% of the Golder mandate been completed and completion of this mandate is expected by the end of Q2 - 2023.

Detailed engineering is expected to follow value engineering and take 12 to 14 months. The Corporation is fully funded to complete all detailed engineering. Assuming project financing and specific construction permits are in place, tree clearing and site preparation may commence with detailed engineering being approximately 60% to 75% completed and a Final Investment Decision having been made. Based on the 2022 Feasibility Study, the construction period is expected to be approximately 20 months.

Bumigeme Inc. is a Montreal based multidisciplinary engineering firm offering various services in geotechnical, mining operations, ore processing, mechanical and electrical engineering. Bumigeme Inc. has executed several prefeasibility and feasibility studies as well as detailed engineering and construction activities on mining projects in Canada, South America and West Africa. Bumigeme Inc. conducted the original mineral processing of the 2017 Feasibility Study for the Rose Project.

As one of the world's leading professional services firms, WSP provides engineering, design, and strategic advisory services in Transportation & Infrastructure, Property & Buildings, Environment, Power & Energy, Resources and Industry sectors. WSP had previously conducted the infrastructure portion of the Corporation's original feasibility study and environmental impact assessment for the Rose Project released in 2017 (the "2017 Feasibility Study").

Golder is a global organization which offers construction, design, and consulting services in their specialist areas of earth, environment, and energy characterized by technical excellence, innovative solutions, and award-winning customer service. Their clients work in key sectors, namely mining, oil and gas, manufacturing, and the energy and infrastructure sectors.

Environmental Authorization and Permitting

The Province of Quebec is considered one of the top mining jurisdictions globally by the Fraser Institute in its annual survey of mining companies. Permitting transparency is one of the key factors in the institute's considerations and certainty of land tenure is an essential driver of mining investment.

In August 2021, Critical Elements announced that the Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change had rendered a favorable decision in respect of the proposed Rose Project. In a Decision Statement, which included the conditions to be complied with by the Corporation, the Minister confirmed that the Project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects when mitigation measures are taken into account.

In May 2022, Critical Elements announced that the Quebec Minister of Energy and Natural Resources has approved the rehabilitation and restoration plan concerning the Rose Project.

In November 2022, Critical Elements received the Certificate of Authorization pursuant to section 164 of Quebec's Environment Quality Act from the Quebec Minister of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parcs.

The receipt of the Certificate of Authorization pursuant to Quebec's Environment Quality Act and the approval of the rehabilitation and restoration plan are a prerequisite to the granting of the mining lease and the land use lease that will be necessary to move forward with the Project.

The Corporation has been working actively to complete the application for the mining lease and land use lease. The Critical Elements team does not anticipate having any difficulty meeting the various conditions attached to the Federal and Provincial authorizations and is advancing the monitoring programs related to the Rose Project.

Project Financing Process

Critical Elements has commenced a formal process to receive and analyze multiple expressions of interest in participating in the financing and development of the project received to date. The Corporation's long-term strategy of avoiding Memorandums of Understanding for offtake arrangements leaves the Rose Project's planned production unencumbered in a tight market for spodumene concentrate, both for chemical conversion for the burgeoning EV battery market, and also for the higher margin glass and ceramics industry. The Corporation believes that the Project's location in a top mining jurisdiction with access to low cost, low carbon energy, as well as strong financial and human capital, makes the Rose Project's metallurgically attractive spodumene concentrate highly desirable. Management is actively engaged in identifying the optimal strategic partner or partners to maximize benefits for all the Corporation's stakeholders, but at this time, there can be no guarantees as to the timing and outcome of this process.

Qualified persons

Yves Perron, Eng. MBA, Vice-President Engineering, Construction and Reliability and Marc-Andre Pelletier, Project Geologist for the Corporation and Member in good standing with the Ordre des geologues du Quebec (permit No. 2040)are the qualified persons that has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this news release on behalf of the Corporation.

About Critical Elements Lithium Corporation

Critical Elements aspires to become a large, responsible supplier of lithium to the flourishing electric vehicle and energy storage system industries. To this end, Critical Elements is advancing the wholly owned, high purity Rose lithium project in Quebec, the Corporation's first lithium project to be advanced within a land portfolio of over 1,050 square kilometers. On June 13th, 2022, the Corporation announced results of a feasibility study on Rose for the production of spodumene concentrate. The after-tax internal rate of return for the Project is estimated at 82.4%, with an estimated after-tax net present value of US$1.9 B at an 8% discount rate. In the Corporation's view, Quebec is strategically well-positioned for US and EU markets and boasts good infrastructure including a low-cost, low-carbon power grid featuring 93% hydroelectricity. The project has received approval from the Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change on the recommendation of the Joint Assessment Committee, comprised of representatives from the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and the Cree Nation Government and also received the Certificate of Authorization pursuant to section 164 of Quebec's Environment Quality Act from the Quebec Minister of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parcs.

For further information, please contact:

Patrick Laperriere

Director of Investor Relations and Corporate Development

514-817-1119

plaperriere@cecorp.ca

www.cecorp.ca

Jean-Sebastien Lavallee, P. Geo.

Chief Executive Officer

819-354-5146

jslavallee@cecorp.ca

www.cecorp.ca

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is described in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary statement concerning forward-looking statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian Securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "scheduled", "anticipates", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "scheduled", "targeted", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information contained herein include, without limitation, statements relating to the results and completion of the 2023 exploration program, the permitting process, the results and outcome of the Front-End Engineering Design Study as well as the outcome of the formal process launched by the Corporation in connection with the project financing. Forward-looking information is based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable at the time such statements are made. 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 information.

Although Critical Elements 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. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from expected results described in forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: final and complete results of the Corporation's 2023 exploration program, the final outcome of the permitting process and the Corporation's ability to meet all conditions imposed thereunder, the final results of the Front-End Engineering Design Study and its effects on the development of the Rose Project, the formal process launched in connection with the project financing not producing the anticipated and expected results, as well as those risk factors set out in the Corporation's Management Discussion and Analysis for its most recent quarter ended November 30, 2022 and other disclosure documents available under the Corporation's SEDAR profile. Forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this news release and Critical Elements disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE: Critical Elements Lithium Corporation

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/737702/Corporate-Update
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / Skys the Limit:

In honor of Black History Month, SkysTheLimit.org highlights new mentorship and educational opportunities for entrepreneurs wishing to advance their business goals in 2023.

Featuring new digital downloads, a web series, and its proprietary Pathway to Business Ownership curriculum - among numerous other resources - the organization continues to explore new ways to help entrepreneurs thrive in 2023.

"Having advisors has helped me to control my ideas, creativity, and be more productive. Mentors have helped with accountability and helped me to draw a line between the gray areas and focus on the black and white," said Sky's the Limit community member and entrepreneur Angel Salter, Founder of Sweet Salts Bar and Co.

"The mentors have been amazing! Vanessa Hall and Rob Jacobs have really guided me in the areas of business strategy and business planning. They made me think outside the box and challenged me out of my comfort zone. I am so confident and extremely happy because my business is now structured and moving in the right direction," said Sky's the Limit entrepreneur and Ngozi Muoneke, Founder of Lamuon Group Ltd.

This February, Sky's the Limit is pleased to announce:

Episode 2 of its Limitless! web series will feature a virtual conversation with two inspiring Black female founders. Sky's the Limit entrepreneurs, Tiffany Nelson, Founder of Imagiread based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and De'Shera Benton, Founder of D. Milan Hospitality and Manager, Member Experience at Sky's the Limit will speak. Registration is available here.

Sky's the Limit entrepreneurs, Tiffany Nelson, Founder of Imagiread based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and De'Shera Benton, Founder of D. Milan Hospitality and Manager, Member Experience at Sky's the Limit will speak. Registration is available here. More free sessions with Sky's the Limit mentors. Entrepreneurs can become members and tap into one-on-one virtual sessions through the Sky's the Limit platform and connect with seasoned mentors to help breakthrough and overcome business challenges.

Entrepreneurs can become members and tap into one-on-one virtual sessions through the Sky's the Limit platform and connect with seasoned mentors to help breakthrough and overcome business challenges. Monthly funding opportunities. Entrepreneurs are invited to submit an online video pitch to qualify for various grant opportunities in February, and beyond. Grants typically start at $2500 and range up to $30,000.

Entrepreneurs are invited to submit an online video pitch to qualify for various grant opportunities in February, and beyond. Grants typically start at $2500 and range up to $30,000. New self-paced digital workbooks. Sky's the Limit is also giving away two new digital downloads entrepreneurs can use individually and to guide their work together with their mentors: Exploring Financial Freedom.for Yourself and Your Business and Build Off Your Successes to Achieve Your Dreams.

Membership is completely free for entrepreneurs and is available at SkysTheLimit.org.

Sky's the Limit entrepreneurs benefit from relationships with experienced mentors, many of whom come through skills-based volunteerism programs offered by their companies as part of their organization's commitment to social impact. Companies can engage their employees in skills-based volunteering at Sky's the Limit, with employees serving as mentors to support entrepreneurs on their business journeys. For more information about how to get your company involved in mentoring, please visit https://www.skysthelimit.org/partnerships.

About SkysTheLimit.org: SkysTheLimit.org is a digital platform that connects young, historically excluded entrepreneurs with one-on-one support from experienced business advisors and mentors, entrepreneurship milestone training and tracking, and community-voted startup grants. SkyTheLimit.org is a 501(c)3 nonprofit.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Skys the Limit on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Skys the Limit

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/skys-limit

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Skys the Limit

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/737704/SkysTheLimitorg-Skys-the-Limit-Offers-New-Resources-for-Black-Owned-Businesses-This-Black-History-Month
The Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) will provide a $1 million technical assistance grant to the Green Mobility Facility for Africa (GMFA).

GMFA provides technical assistance and investment capital to accelerate and expand private sector investments in sustainable transport solutions in seven countries: Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and South Africa.

The SEFA grant will support the creation of an enabling environment for Electric vehicles (EVs), the design of EV business models and guidelines for the public and private sector, the development of a bankable pipeline of e-mobility projects, regional coordination, and knowledge sharing amongst other upstream activities to help catalyse follow-on private sector financing during the subsequent investment phase of the GMFA.

Mobility is a fundamental lifeline that connects people to critical services, jobs, education, and opportunities, said Nnenna Nwabufo the Director-General of the Banks East Africa Regional Development and Business Delivery Office. The African Development Bank is committed to building a sustainable and more climate-resilient future by catalysing private investment in low-carbon solutions. We believe GMFA will have a tremendous impact on the African market by accelerating the shift to green mobility, reducing over 2,175,000 carbon dioxide equivalent tons of greenhouse gas emissions and facilitating the creation of 19,000 full-time jobs.

Future demand for mobility solutions and vehicle ownership is expected to increase with rapid urbanisation, population growth, and economic development. We are delighted to receive this support from AfDB. We see this as a vote of confidence in our efforts to shift to e-mobility solutions and advance Rwandas transition to a low-carbon economy, said Clare Akamanzi, Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Development Board. Rwanda is one of seven pilot countries for GMFA.

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NEW DELHI (dpa-AFX) - To expand and deepen their technology partnership, the United States and India have launched a set of new bilateral initiatives welcoming new cooperation between the two governments, industry and academia in various domains.



Tuesday, the inaugural meeting of the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) was held under the leadership of the National Security Advisors of the two countries in Washington, DC.



The two sides underlined their commitment to working to resolve issues related to regulatory barriers and business and talent mobility in both countries through a standing mechanism under iCET. This followed the January 30 roundtable hosted by the U.S.-India Business Council, which brought together more than 40 CEOs, university presidents, and thought leaders from the United States and India to accelerate opportunities for increased technology cooperation. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and other senior U.S. and Indian officials attended.



India and the United States have signed a new Implementation Arrangement for a Research Agency Partnership between the National Science Foundation and Indian science agencies to expand international collaboration in a range of areas - including artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and advanced wireless - to build a robust innovation ecosystem between the two countries.



The two sides agreed to develop new bilateral Defense Industrial Cooperation Roadmap to accelerate technological cooperation between both countries for the joint development and production, with an initial focus on exploring projects related to jet engines, munition related technologies, and other systems.



The United States committed to expeditiously review an application it received from General Electric to jointly produce jet engines that could power jet aircraft operated and produced indigenously by India.



A new 'Innovation Bridge' that will connect U.S. and Indian defense startups will be launched.



A task force will make recommendations to the Department of Commerce and the India Semiconductor Mission on opportunities and challenges to further strengthen India's role within the global semiconductor value chain, and will also provide input to the U.S.-India Commercial Dialogue.



It has been agreed to strengthen cooperation on human spaceflight, including establishing exchanges that will include advanced training for an Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) astronaut at NASA Johnson Space Center.



Within the next year, NASA and ISRO will convene a meeting of U.S. CLPS companies and Indian aerospace companies to advance NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) project.



The United States and India will launch a public-private dialogue on telecommunications and regulations. This will include advancing cooperation on research and development in 5G and 6G, facilitating deployment and adoption of Open RAN in India, and fostering global economies of scale within the sector.



Copyright(c) 2023 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / Herbalife Nutrition

The Herbalife Nutrition Foundation (HNF) launched its first Casa in Mongolia and donated $15,000 USD to Veloo Foundation's "Children of the Peak" Kindergarten, the new Casa Herbalife Nutrition Partner.

"Our team is happy that the Casa Herbalife program is launching in Mongolia.," said Denzen G., representative of Herbalife Nutrition Company in Mongolia. "We are donating $15,000 to the Veloo Foundation, and we plan to gradually increase our donation in the future. It is important for any organization to realize its social responsibility and organize campaigns aimed at the public and help others."

With the donation, the Veloo Foundation will upgrade the kitchen equipment of the "Children of the Peak-1" kindergarten, create a comfortable environment, and provide children with healthy and nutritious food.

"The kindergarten is located in a remote district where the standard of living is low," said Dorjpalam N., Executive Director of Veloo Foundation. "There are many children who have no firewood during the winter, no food, and are locked up to stay home alone. That was the reason to build our first kindergarten there. We are very grateful for the support of the Herbalife Nutrition Foundation and look forward to developing our new partnership and fulfilling our shared goal of meeting the vital needs of children."

Learn more about how you can also help improve the lives of children and communities around the world.

View original content here.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Herbalife Nutrition on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Herbalife Nutrition

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/herbalife-nutrition

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Herbalife Nutrition

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/737707/Herbalife-Nutrition-Foundation-Launches-First-Casa-in-Mongolia-Donates-15000-to-Veloo-Foundation
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 1, 2023) - PORTOFINO RESOURCES INC. (TSXV: POR) (OTCQB: PFFOF) (FSE: POTA) ("Portofino" or the "Company") announces summary updates of its key projects and 2023 plans and objectives.

Arizaro lithium Project, Salta (Argentina):

Portofino management and the state-owned mining company of the Province of Salta ("REMSA"), continue to work together within the framework of the previously executed MOU agreement. Management has prepared and filed a "private initiative" (joint venture proposal) pursuant to the Provincial Mining Law regarding an 8,445-hectare property within the Arizaro salar (the "Arizaro Project"). The Arizaro Project is in close proximity to multiple world-class salar lithium projects including near-term production projects operated by Ganfeng Lithium, Rio Tinto and French mining conglomerate, Eramet. In addition, junior explorer, Lithium Chile Inc. has reported a high-grade resource on an adjacent property.

Portofino has financed a reconnaissance mapping, surface sampling, and surface trenching sampling program as well as a geophysical survey as part of its commitment to REMSA pursuant to its MOU agreement. Initial sampling and geophysical surveying feedback indicate the property hosts a deep lithium bearing aquifer, similar in nature to other operators within the Arizaro salar region. The Company will report results when available.

2023 Next Steps : Management believes the private initiative process could be finalized in Q2-2023.

Yergo lithium Project, Catamarca (Argentina):

In September 2022, the Company reported that it had received a Notice of Termination from Fabian Bertetto, the claim owner and optionor (the "Optionor") of the Yergo Project in Catamarca, Argentina. The Company rejected the purported termination as baseless and having no merit whatsoever. Pursuant to the Company's filing and request, an injunction has been granted by the Mining Court for the Province of Catamarca (the "Court") against the Optionor. The injunction has also been filed and accepted by the Provincial Ministry of Mining. The Company views this a positive development as: (i) prima facie, the Court's Judge considers Portofino's position to have reasonable grounds under Argentine Law; and (ii) the injunction legally prohibits the Optionor from entering into any form of alternative transaction regarding the Yergo Project.

The Company has worked closely with the Catamarca Ministry's of Environment and Mining for more than 18 months on the development of an environmentally and socially responsible exploration plan for inclusion in its drill permit application. Portofino completed all required work to advance the Yergo project from a pure greenfield property to one that has the potential to deliver significant value to the Province of Catamarca, the Optionor and Portofino.

Portofino previously completed and reported results of a geophysical survey which identified 2 large, aquifers within the project measuring approximately 2.3km x 1km and 1.8km x 2.5km (News Releases | Portofino Resources Inc.) as well as surface sampling programs which have returned values up to 373 mg/l Lithium and has advanced the project to a drill-ready stage.

The project is approximately 15 kilometers from the 3Q property boundary, which was previously owned and explored by NeoLithium Corp., and acquired by Zijin Mining for $960M in 2022.

(Key Projects-Zijin Mining Group Co., Ltd.)

2023 Next Steps : Formal and informal avenues of dispute resolution are currently being pursued. While the Company would welcome an informal commercial resolution to the issues created by the Optionor, it anticipates a formal adjudication from the Court will be required. Any material developments will continue to be reported on a timely basis.

Allison Lake North Lithium Project, Northern Ontario:

In late September 2022, Portofino's geological team completed a reconnaissance and sampling program on Portofino's newly acquired claims near the southwestern contact of the Allison Lake Batholith, as well as additional sampling on the main claim group. The new claims are located just west and proximal to the SJ Pegmatite which is described in a 2003 Ontario Geological report as hosting 'economically interesting' rare-element mineralization. In total, 28 grab samples and 23 select channel samples were collected, many of those from undocumented pegmatites within metasediments. Values of up to 230 ppm Lithium ("Li") were reported (News Releases | Portofino Resources Inc.) within metasediments adjacent to these undocumented pegmatite dykes, and up to 622 ppm Rubidium ("Rb") within pegmatite. Of significance were a few Magnesium/Lithium ratios in between 1 and 5 which signify highly evolved pegmatites and are good indications that these pegmatites are likely to be lithium bearing.

Initial grab and channel samples by Portofino on the Allison Lake Project in 2021 returned up to 398 ppm Li, 90.5 ppm Cesium ("Cs"), 1040 ppm Rb and 135 ppm Tantalum ("Ta") (News Releases | Portofino Resources Inc.). Additional sampling in the fall of 2021 returned elevated channel sample values up to 412 ppm Li and 857 ppm Rb (News Releases | Portofino Resources Inc.). In January 2023, Portofino filed an independent National Instrument 43-101 ("43-101") technical report for the Allison Lake Property (News Releases | Portofino Resources Inc.).

2023 Next Steps : Portofino expects to follow-up previous exploration success with an additional sampling and pegmatite dyke exploration program in the spring. In addition, the Company is actively engaged with several groups interested in partnering on the Allison Lake Project and the Company will news release any material developments.

Five Gold Projects, Northern Ontario:

Within the historically prolific gold producing Red Lake and Atikokan regions of Northwestern Ontario, the Company has 5 exploration stage projects. Two projects that are drill-ready include the Gold Creek project (Gold Creek Property | Portofino Resources Inc.) (near Agnico Eagle's Hammond Reef Project); and South of Otter project (South of Otter, Red Lake Property | Portofino Resources Inc.) (near Great Bear Resources which was acquired in 2022 for $1.4B.) (Kinross completes acquisition of Great Bear Resources - Kinross Gold Corporation).

2023 Next Steps : With a recently improved investor sentiment toward gold, the Company is contemplating several possible transactions regarding its gold project portfolio. Opportunities that are beginning to present themselves include monetizing one or more assets, forming joint ventures and spinning-out the gold projects into a new entity in order to enhance shareholder value.

Qualified Person

Mike Kilbourne, P. Geo, an independent qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this news release on behalf of the Company.

About Portofino Resources Inc.

Portofino is a Vancouver-based Canadian company focused on exploring and developing mineral resource projects in the Americas. Portofino has an opportunity to earn a majority interest in multiple lithium projects in Salta, Argentina and up to 100% of the Yergo Lithium property in Catamarca. The properties are situated in the heart of the world-renown Argentine Lithium Triangle and in close proximity to multiple world-class lithium projects. The Company also has the right to earn 100% interest in three northwestern Ontario, Canada lithium projects: Allison Lake North, Greenheart Lake and McNamara Lake.

Portofino's South of Otter and Bruce Lake projects are in the historic gold mining district of Red Lake, Ontario, Canada proximal to the Dixie gold project discovered by Great Bear Resources and now owned by Kinross Gold Corp. In addition, Portofino holds three other northwestern Ontario gold projects; the Gold Creek property located immediately south of the historic Shebandowan mine, as well as the Sapawe West and Melema West properties located in the rapidly developing Atikokan gold mining camp.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"David G. Tafel"

Chief Executive Officer

For Further Information Contact:

David Tafel CEO,

Director 604-683-1991

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 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, among other things, the ability of the Company to complete the Arizaro Agreement and fund the acquisition price agreed to therein; the Company successfully coming to an informal agreement with the Yergo Property's Optionor, or formal court ordered adjudication in favour of the Company; the timing, terms and completion of any proposed private placement, and the expected use of proceeds from a future financing; the Company's intent for continued exploration on the projects; and the Company's intention to exercise its option to purchase a 100% interest in the projects currently subject to option agreements.

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, that the Company will not receive a favourable outcome to the Yergo Property contractual dispute; that the Company will not complete the Arizaro Agreement or succeed in funding the acquisition price; to complete a proposed future private placement; the inability of the Company to raise capital on acceptable terms, or at all; unanticipated costs; adverse changes in legislation; that the Company will not undertake continued exploration on the projects within the timeframe anticipated or at all; market uncertainty; that the Company's operations, business, personnel or financial condition is adversely impacted by COVID-19 or the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe; and the risk that Company is not able to exercise its option to purchase a 100% interest in the Project.

In making the forward looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation; that the Company will: receive a favourable outcome related to the Yergo Property contractual dispute; complete the Arizaro Agreement on reasonable terms and in a timely manner that is funded by continued investor support; all requisite approvals on property activity will continue to occur in a timely manner; that the Company will be able to raise capital on acceptable terms; that the Company will undertake exploration on the projects, as anticipated; that the Company will retain the key personnel required to complete its business objectives; that there will be no adverse changes in legislation; and that the Company will have the resources required to exercise its option to acquire projects currently subject to option agreements.

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 or forward-looking information disclosed herein, except in accordance with applicable laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/153191
The Company seeks to raise capital from the public through tZERO Markets' crowdfunding platform

DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / Aurox Holdings, Inc. ("Aurox"), a leading DeFI-focused software development company, is announcing the launch of its crowdfunding campaign, which is open to everyone, not just insiders and venture capital firms. You do not need to be an accredited investor to participate in the campaign.

Aurox plans to use the funds from this campaign to continue product development and marketing to expand its trader user base. The new crowdfunding campaign follows Aurox's release of our new web3 wallet extension, which is intended to compete directly with MetaMask for crypto wallet users.

Aurox's crowdfunding campaign is launched under Regulation CF. Regulation CF permits companies like Aurox to raise capital from the public through an SEC-registered intermediary like tZERO Markets.

To learn more and participate in the campaign, go to: tZERO.com.

"Aurox has always put its community first - and this investment round continues that commitment," said Aurox CEO, Giorgi Khazaradze. "This is our community's opportunity to benefit from the next growth area in crypto - bringing DeFi to the masses. Our community already loves our trading terminal and web3 wallet - and now they can invest in our mission to bring safe, simple, secure De-Fi to the masses."

If you would like to learn more about Aurox's crowdfunding campaign, you can learn all of the details on the campaign page at tZERO.com.

"We are excited to partner with Aurox on their crowdfunding campaign, which gives everyday investors the opportunity to be a part of an innovative DeFi company," said tZERO CEO David Goone. "Our platform is dedicated to democratizing access to alternative assets and this campaign aligns perfectly with that mission."

Contact:

John Collins

pr@getaurox.com

ABOUT AUROX

Aurox is a leading crypto software ecosystem - offering traders, investors and institutions a suite of tools that make DeFi easy. Today, an estimated 70,000 crypto traders trust Aurox. Co-founded by crypto traders Giorgi Khazaradze, Ziga Naglic, and Taraz Andreyevich in 2020, Aurox launched its free trading terminal, an all-in-one platform that integrates 50+ exchanges, 100,000 pairs, advanced market trend indicators and real-time data that help crypto traders make better decisions. The company released its web3 wallet in 2022, offering users industry-leading security, a simplified user experience and a first-of-its-kind rewards and loyalty program. For more info, visit: https://getaurox.com/.

ABOUT tZERO

tZERO Group, Inc. (tZERO) and its broker-dealer subsidiaries provide an innovative liquidity platform for private companies and assets. We offer institutional-grade solutions for issuers looking to digitize their capital table through blockchain technology, and trade on a regulated alternative trading system. tZERO, through its broker-dealer subsidiaries, democratizes access to private assets by providing a simple, automated, and efficient trading venue to broker-dealers, institutions, and investors. For more information on tZERO, please visit https://www.tzero.com/.

ABOUT tZERO MARKETS

tZERO Markets, LLC is a SEC-registered broker dealer and member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and Securities Investor Protection Corporation. More information about tZERO Markets may be found at https://brokercheck.finra.org/.

INVESTOR NOTICE

Crowdfunded securities are generally offered by early-stage companies and investors should be prepared to lose some or all of their investment. Investors should read all of the risks and disclosures prior to making any investment decisions.

Future transactions and results are impossible to predict. Opinions and estimates offered in this presentation constitute our judgment and are subject to change without notice, as are statements about market trends, which are based on current market conditions. This presentation may include forward-looking statements that represent opinions, estimates, projections and forecasts, which may not be realized. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, which may cause actual results to be materially different from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. We believe the information provided herein is reliable, as of the date hereof. Therefore, the recipient of this document is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The recipient is further cautioned that the Company does not expect to update or otherwise revise this document.

Securities are offered through tZERO Markets, LLC, an SEC-registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. Neither tZERO Markets, LLC, nor any of its affiliates provide any investment advice or make any investment recommendations to any persons, ever, and no communication through herein or in any other medium should be construed as such. Investments in early-stage companies are speculative, involve a high degree of risk, are generally illiquid, and can be different from traditional markets. You should be prepared to lose some or all of your investment. Crowdfunding may not be appropriate for every investor. Any discussion of liquidity is purely speculative. Offers to sell, or the solicitations of offers to buy any security can only be made through official offering documents that contain important information about risks, fees and expenses. Investors should conduct their own due diligence, and are encouraged to consult with a financial professional. Past performance is not indicative of future results. There is no guarantee that a diversified portfolio will enhance overall returns, outperform a non-diversified portfolio, or prevent against loss.

SOURCE: Aurox Holdings Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/737621/Aurox-Launches-Crowdfunding-Campaign
NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As per Facts and Factors study, The global seborrheic dermatitis market size was worth around USD 2.2 billion in 2021 and is predicted to grow to around USD 5 billion by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 11.1% between 2022 and 2030.





Seborrheic Dermatitis Market: Overview

Seborrheic dermatitis is a non-serious medical condition that does not cause significant harm to the infected person. It is an extremely common and non-contagious disease that can be managed with minimum care. Seborrheic dermatitis causes greasy scales and leads to itchy red patches. It appears as flaky, itchy, and dry skin on the scalp along with other body parts. Seborrheic is the reference for sebaceous glands and derm stands for the skin. In common terms, it is called dandruff if it occurs on the scalp of an adult. The same condition is called cradle cap if it occurs in a baby.

Dandruff is not limited only to the scalp but can occur on other body parts as well like the upper chest, upper back, creases at the base of the nose, forehead, face, navel area, eyebrows, behind the ears, under the breast and in bends or creases of legs, arms, and groin. The symptoms of the disease include the occurrence of itchy white flakes on the skin on the scalp. If the flakes are itched, they can become loose, fall on the neck area, and mix with hair. The condition also leads to red scales on the skin.

Get a Free Sample Report with All Related Graphs & Charts (with COVID 19 Impact Analysis): https://www.fnfresearch.com/sample/seborrheic-dermatitis-market

Key Insights:

As per the analysis shared by our research analyst, the global seborrheic dermatitis market is estimated to grow annually at a CAGR of around 11.1% over the forecast period (2022-2030)

In terms of revenue, the global seborrheic dermatitis market size was valued at around USD 2.2 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 5 billion , by 2030.

in 2021 and is projected to reach , by 2030. The market is projected to grow at a significant rate due to the high number of patients suffering from the condition

Based on route of administration segmentation, topical was predicted to show maximum market share in the year 2021

Based on dosage form segmentation, creams were the leading form in 2021

On the basis of region, North America was the leading revenue generator in 2021

Facts and Factors published the latest report titled "Seborrheic Dermatitis Market Size, Share, Growth Analysis Report By Route Of Administration (Parenteral, Topical, Oral, and Others), By Treatment (Antifungal, Anti-Inflammatory, Sulfur Products, and Others), By End-Users (Speciality Clinics, Hospitals, Homecare, and Others), By Dosage Form (Shampoos, Creams, Gels, Ointments, and Others), and By Region - Global and Regional Industry Insights, Overview, Comprehensive Analysis, Trends, Statistical Research, Market Intelligence, Historical Data and Forecast 2022 - 2030" into their research database.

Industry Dynamics:

Seborrheic Dermatitis Market: Growth Drivers

High number of patients suffering from the condition to propel market growth.

The global seborrheic dermatitis market is projected to grow owing to the high number of patients suffering from the condition on a regular basis across the globe. The medical concern is extremely common in adults. As per estimates, more than 11% of the world's population is infected by seborrheic dermatitis. It is mostly observed in infants that are below 3 months old or in adults between 30 to 60 years of age. Men are at higher risk than women and the rate of infection is higher in Caucasians as compared to African Americans. People who are born with naturally oily skin are more likely to contract the disease or if there is a history of psoriasis then the future generation becomes more vulnerable. Patients who have several other medical conditions are also more prone to seborrheic dermatitis.

Seborrheic Dermatitis Market: Restraints

Lack of a completely effective cure to restrict market expansion.

Even though the condition is extremely common and has long prevailed in the medical community, there is a lack of concrete treatment plan that has proven to be one hundred effective in treating the condition. Most of the plans can help manage the condition but not completely cure it. Most of the cure methods have to be customized as per the requirement and involve trial and error methods. The chances of the condition recurring are very high once the medication is switched or stopped.

Directly Purchase a Copy of the Report @ https://www.fnfresearch.com/buynow/su/seborrheic-dermatitis-market

Global Seborrheic Dermatitis Market: Opportunities

Increasing birth rate to provide expansion opportunities.

Since seborrheic dermatitis is mostly seen in infants, the rapid rate at which the population is growing could lead to higher growth opportunities. The world population crossed the 8 billion mark on 15th November 2022. As per projections, the total population would cross the 10 billion mark by 2100.

As of 2020, the birth rate as per data from across the world is 2.39 births per woman. The other segment of the population that is more prone to the disease includes adults. As per the World Health Organization, the geriatric population was estimated to be around 253 million in 2010.

Global Seborrheic Dermatitis Market: Challenges

Impact on quality of life to become the major challenge for market players.

One of the major challenges for people suffering from seborrheic dermatitis is the reduced quality of life in patients. Since the condition starts appearing on the outer ski, it can greatly diminish the confidence level of the people suffering from it. This is also caused due to the negative advertisements and sentiments associated with the condition. Studies have concluded that dandruff in adults can be associated with embarrassment and self-consciousness. It is known to be the cause of more psychological problems than medical issues.

Global Seborrheic Dermatitis Market: Segmentation

The global seborrheic dermatitis market is segmented based on route of administration, treatment, end-users, dosage form, and region.

Based on the route of administration, the global market is segmented as parenteral, topical, oral, and others. In 2021, the global market registered the highest growth in the topical segment since most of the medicines available in the market for the treatment of the condition are supposed to be applied externally. These medicines are available in various forms that have to be administered topically at regular intervals as recommended by the medical professional. The increasing number of topical product launches showing effective results could lead to further segmental growth. Topical ketoconazole is a popular choice. The medicine takes around 4 weeks to manage the medical problem.

Based on dosage form, the global market divisions are shampoos, creams, gels, ointments, and others. In 2021, the creams segment led the global market with the highest CAGR followed by ointments and shampoos. The latter is one of the most common methods of managing dandruff as there are specially curated hair-washing products including conditioners that claim to get rid of the condition with regular use.

However, they do not eradicate the diseases completely and the chances of the condition coming back remain high. These shampoos are recommended to be used 2 times a week for expected results.

Get More Insight before Buying@: https://www.fnfresearch.com/inquiry/seborrheic-dermatitis-market

List of Key Players in Seborrheic Dermatitis Market:

Pfizer Inc.

F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.

Eli Lilly and Company

Bayer AG

Abbott

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd

Key questions answered in this report:

What are the growth rate forecast and market size for Seborrheic Dermatitis Market?

What are the key driving factors propelling the Seborrheic Dermatitis Market forward?

What are the most important companies in the Seborrheic Dermatitis Market Industry?

What segments does the Seborrheic Dermatitis Market cover?

How can I receive a free copy of the Seborrheic Dermatitis Market sample report and company profiles?

Report Scope:

Report Attribute Details Market size value in 2021 USD 2.2 Billion Revenue forecast in 2030 USD 5 Billion Growth Rate CAGR of almost 11.1 % 2022-2030 Base Year 2020 Historic Years 2016 - 2021 Forecast Years 2022 - 2030 Segments Covered By Route Of Administration, Treatment, End-Users, Dosage Form, and Region Forecast Units Value (USD Billion), and Volume (Units) Quantitative Units Revenue in USD million/billion and CAGR from 2022 to 2030 Regions Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa, and Rest of World Countries Covered U.S., Canada, Mexico, U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Argentina, GCC Countries, and South Africa, among others Companies Covered Pfizer Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Eli Lilly and Company, Bayer AG, Abbott, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, and others. Report 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 of customized purchase options to meet your exact research needs. https://www.fnfresearch.com/customization/seborrheic-dermatitis-market

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Recent Developments

In December 2022 , MyHealthTeam, creator of the fastest-selling social networks dedicated to helping people with chronic medical conditions, launched MySebDermTeam, an online community meant for people with seborrheic dermatitis to find other patients for mental support.

MyHealthTeam, creator of the fastest-selling social networks dedicated to helping people with chronic medical conditions, launched MySebDermTeam, an online community meant for people with seborrheic dermatitis to find other patients for mental support. In February 2022 , Arcutis announced the enrollment of the last subject for the STRATUM phase 3 trials. The study is conducted for understanding the impact of roflumilast on patients with seborrheic dermatitis.

Regional Dominance:

North America to lead with the highest market share.

The global seborrheic dermatitis market is projected to register the highest growth in North America mainly driven by the growing number of pharmaceutical companies in the US working consistently toward the development of new and improved medical treatments against the condition. As per estimates, one in every 5 Canadian citizens is known to suffer from dandruff which can be treated with over-the-counter shampoo. Over 50% of the North American population is estimated to suffer from the condition which means that the demand for the product is also high.

The regional market could further be driven by the already developed healthcare infrastructure of the countries. Around 38% of the American population has access to health insurance coverage in 2021 which was an increase of 1.21% from 2020. The growing initiatives undertaken by the medical community of the region to normalize the condition and help create support groups for people infected with the disease have encouraged a larger group of people to seek treatment.

Global Seborrheic Dermatitis Market is segmented as follows:

Seborrheic Dermatitis Market: By Route Of Administration Outlook (2022-2030)

Parenteral

Topical

Oral

Others

Seborrheic Dermatitis Market: By Treatment Outlook (2022-2030)

Antifungal

Anti-Inflammatory

Sulfur Products

Others

Seborrheic Dermatitis Market: By End-Users Outlook (2022-2030)

Speciality Clinics

Hospitals

Homecare

Others

Seborrheic Dermatitis Market: By Dosage Form Outlook (2022-2030)

Shampoos

Creams

Gels

Ointments

Others

Seborrheic Dermatitis Market: By Region Outlook (2022-2030)

North America

The U.S.

Canada

Europe

France

The UK

Spain

Germany

Italy

Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

China

Japan

India

South Korea

Southeast Asia

Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America

Brazil

Mexico

Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa

GCC

South Africa

Rest of Middle East & Africa

Press Release for Seborrheic Dermatitis Market: https://www.fnfresearch.com/news/global-seborrheic-dermatitis-market

Browse Other Related Research Reports from Facts and Factors

Seborrheic Dermatitis Market Report : According to the report published by Facts and Factors, the global seborrheic dermatitis market size was worth around USD 2.2 billion in 2021 and is predicted to grow to around USD 5 billion by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 11.1% between 2022 and 2030.

According to the report published by Facts and Factors, the global seborrheic dermatitis market size was worth around in 2021 and is predicted to grow to around by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 11.1% between 2022 and 2030. Radiofrequency Ablation Devices Market Report : According to the report published by Facts and Factors, the global radiofrequency ablation devices market size was worth around USD 3.59 billion in 2021 and is predicted to grow to around USD 10.21 billion by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 11% between 2022 and 2030.

According to the report published by Facts and Factors, the global radiofrequency ablation devices market size was worth around in 2021 and is predicted to grow to around by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 11% between 2022 and 2030. Insulin Biosimilars Market Report : According to the report published by Facts Factors, the global insulin biosimilars market size was worth around USD 1.44 billion in 2021 and is predicted to grow to around USD 5.81 billion by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 21.45% between 2022 and 2030.

Browse through Facts and Factors's coverage of the Global Healthcare Industry

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Facts and Factors is an obligated company. We create futuristic, cutting-edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, and company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from cardinal industries. Our database is been updated constantly to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the client's needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to us-after all-if you do well, a little of the light shines on us.

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HBM Healthcare Investments AG / Key word(s): Monthly Figures

Key Figures 31.01.2023



01.02.2023 / 17:46 CET/CEST



in CHF Performance in % 31.01.2023 MTD FYTD CYTD NAV 255.22 0.6 -7.2 0.6 Share Price 214.50 6.7 -18.8 6.7 Total Net Assets (in million) 1'776 HBM Healthcare Investments AG Bundesplatz 1 CH-6300 Zug - Switzerland Tel. +41 41 710 75 77 Fax +41 41 710 75 78 E-Mail: hbm@hbmhealthcare.com Web: www.hbmhealthcare.com Wenn Sie keine Mitteilungen von HBM Healthcare Investments mehr wunschen, konnen Sie diese hier abbestellen. Should you wish to unsubscribe from all HBM Healthcare Investments news, please unsubscribe here. Disclaimer: This message may contain confidential or privileged Information and is intended only for the use of the addressee named above. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, you are hereby notified that you must not use, copy, disclose or take any action based on this message or information herein. If you have received this message by error, please advise the sender immediately and delete this message. The publication is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy or subscribe for securities. Past performance is not a reliable indicator or guarantee of future results, prices of shares and the income from them may fall as well as rise and investors may not get back the amount originally invested. The investor must be aware of the investment risk and personal risk ability. Some information quoted was obtained from external sources HBM considers to be reliable. HBM cannot guarantee the adequacy, accuracy, timeliness or completeness of or be held responsible or liable for errors of fact regarding such data and information obtained from third parties, and this data may change with market conditions.

End of Media Release


Finsbury Growth & Income Trust Plc - Transaction in Own Shares

For immediate release

1 February 2023

FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC

(the "Company")

MARKET PURCHASE OF COMPANY'S OWN SHARES

The Company announces that it has today purchased 88,182 of its own shares ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 875.88 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 17 January 2023.

Following this transaction, the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury is 14,148,069; 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 210,843,234.

The figure of 210,843,234 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
AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Abracon, LLC (Abracon), a leading global manufacturer of Frequency Control & Timing, RF & Antenna, and Inductor & Connectivity solutions, welcomes Richard Diaz as the company's new Vice President of Global Operations for Abracon, reporting to Tony Roybal, President & CEO at the company's headquarters in Spicewood, Texas.





"Richard comes to Abracon with a strong track record of success, a determination to win, and a commitment to high-performance teams and operational excellence," said Tony Roybal, Abracon President & CEO. "As an experienced leader, Richard will work closely with Sr. Staff to drive operational performance to accelerate the execution of our global growth strategy."

Most recently, Diaz held the role of Vice President of Operations and Supply Chain at Avnet. While at Avnet, he was responsible for material management, supply chain solutions, and business optimization efforts aligning with sales, finance, and IT to drive growth and improve profits. With over 25 years of experience in the electronic components industry, Diaz has held leadership roles in supply chain, pricing management, operations, sales, and business development. He received his bachelor's degree in Finance from Arizona State University and his MBA from the University of Phoenix.

"I am thrilled to be joining the Abracon team. Abracon is a broad-line industry leader in their space, has great technology, serving all segments, and is well aligned with key hyper-growth areas such as the automotive and industrial markets. As the electronics components market continues to grow, I look forward to working with the talented team at Abracon to drive industry-leading results to capitalize on the company's partnerships, technology, and strategy."

About Abracon

Headquartered outside of Austin, Texas, Abracon enables global customers to design next-generation products by offering innovative and high-performance Frequency Control & Timing, Inductors & Connectivity, and RF & Antenna solutions. Abracon accelerates customers' time to market by focusing on technical expertise, service excellence, and providing reliable electronic components through a global distribution network. With service, quality, and technical knowledge at the company's core, Abracon empowers innovative connected technology in markets spanning data communication, transportation, industrial, medical, aerospace, defense, and beyond.

Learn more at www.abracon.com

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Miami, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - February 1, 2023) - Smart Glass Technologies (SGT) implements PriWatt switchable privacy smart glass for Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital.

Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital in New York is a leading pediatric healthcare facility that serves the needs of children and families in the region. The hospital is committed to providing the highest quality of care in a comfortable and welcoming environment. As part of this commitment, the hospital is currently undergoing a major renovation project to upgrade and modernize its facilities.





PriWatt Smart Glass Mount Sinai

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8913/153205_5fbdb203b47a0a3c_001full.jpg

Smart Glass Technologies LLC was contracted by the glazing contractor to manufacture the PriWatt switchable privacy smart glass in various areas of the hospital. This cutting-edge technology allows for the glass to switch from clear to opaque at the touch of a button, providing privacy and improved hygienic measures for patients and staff.

The implementation of PriWatt switchable privacy smart glass provides a number of benefits for the hospital, including:

Improved patient privacy: The ability to switch the glass from clear to opaque allows for privacy during medical procedures and consultations.

Improved hygiene: The opaque setting of the glass can be used to create a more sterile environment in the hospital, such as the operating rooms or isolation rooms.

Emotional benefit: When the glass is transparent, patients are able to see other people around them, reducing feelings of isolation and promoting a sense of connection with the outside world.

Enhanced aesthetics: The sleek and modern design of the glass enhances the overall aesthetic of the hospital, creating a welcoming and comfortable environment for patients and families.

Flexibility: The ability to switch between clear and opaque settings allows for flexibility in the use of space, as rooms can be easily converted for different purposes.





PriWatt Smart Glass Kravis

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8913/153205_5fbdb203b47a0a3c_002full.jpg

The implementation of PriWatt switchable privacy smart glass by Smart Glass Technologies LLC is a valuable addition to the renovation project at Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital. The technology provides improved patient privacy, improved hygiene, enhanced aesthetics, emotional benefit, and flexibility. The hospital's commitment to providing the highest quality of care in a comfortable and welcoming environment is further strengthened by the implementation of this cutting-edge technology.

PriWatt Smart Glass installation video:





Cannot view this video? Visit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13QJNzC2In4

Smart Glass Technologies LLC

Kate Long

sales@smartglasstech.us

www.smartglasstech.us

United States Of America

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/153205
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / Electrovaya Inc. (TSX:EFL)(OTCQB:EFLVF), a lithium-ion battery technology and manufacturing company, announces that it will release its first quarter financial results ending December 31, 2022, after market close on February 13 2023. Followed by a conference call at 5:00 p.m. EST on the same day, presented by CEO, Dr. Raj DasGupta and CFO, John Gibson to discuss the financial results and provide a business update.

Conference Call details:

Date: February 13, 2023

Time: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Toll-Free: 877-407-8291 / 201-689-8345

To help ensure that the conference begins in a timely manner, please dial in 10 minutes prior to the start of the call.

For those unable to participate in the conference call, a replay will be available for two weeks beginning on February 13, 2023 through February 27, 2023. To access the replay, the dial-in number is (877) 660-6853 and (201) 612-7415. The replay access ID is 13736251.

For more information, please contact:

Investor and Media Contact:

Jason Roy

Director, Corporate Development and Investor Relations

Electrovaya Inc.

905-855-4618

jroy@electrovaya.com

About Electrovaya Inc.

Electrovaya Inc. (TSX:EFL)(OTCQB:EFLVF) is a pioneering leader in the global energy transformation, focused on contributing to the prevention of climate change by supplying safe and long-lasting lithium-ion batteries without compromising energy and power.. Electrovaya is a technology-focused company with extensive IP, designs, develops, and manufactures proprietary lithium-ion batteries, battery systems, and battery-related products for energy storage, clean electric transportation, and other specialized applications. To learn more about how Electrovaya is powering mobility and energy storage, please explore www.electrovaya.com.

SOURCE: Electrovaya, Inc.

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As Africas largest democracy gears up for its hotly contested elections, the question of technologys role in enhancing the voting process is once again in the spotlight.

Nigeria goes to the polls in February to elect a new President, House of Representatives, and Senate, as well as new State Assemblies and Governors. More than 84 million of the countrys 211 million citizens are eligible to vote, but mobilising voters and getting them to the polls has proven challenging in recent years.

Voter turnout at Nigerias elections has declined over the past few election cycles, with only 30-35% of eligible voters turning up to cast their vote at the ballot come election day. In some regions the voter turnout is as low as 8.3%, according to Nigerias Independent National Electoral Commission, driven in part by a general lack of young voters making their way to the poll.

Among the factors contributing to the low voter turnout are inadequate voter education, ineffective voter mobilisation, and low trust in state institutions. And despite the importance of elections to the broader democratic and nation-building effort, many countries in West Africa and across the continent are experiencing declining numbers of voter participation.

Boosting youth participation in voting process

About 60% of the Nigerian population consists of youth aged 24 or under.

Efforts driven by civil society have helped mobilise greater numbers of young voters. One recent partnership aimed at youth in Lagos and Abuja resulted in 74% of applications for a continuous voter registration exercise being young people.

Such efforts are vital as younger, digital-native voters may prove an influential force through their greater use and adoption of digital tools. Sixty percent of Africas population is under the age of 25, and the continents youth is expected to constitute 42% of all global youth by 2030. Enhancing electoral systems to encourage greater involvement in voting and other democratic processes can only bode well for the continents democratic states.

Manual voting processes ripe for tech innovation

Encouragingly, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has started making concerted efforts at introducing technology to protect and enhance the voting experience.

This includes the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) which provides a dual fingerprint and facial recognition accreditation process to ensure only genuine voters are able to cast their ballots. The introduction of the INEC Result Viewing portal will bring greater visibility and transparency to the polling results in real time come the 2023 elections.

However, there is still enormous scope for the role of technology to enhance the electoral process.

Greater use of e-voting could encourage voters in outlying areas to cast their ballot. At the moment, voters have to travel to physical voting stations, often great distances away from where they live. While not widely used in Nigerias electoral system, e-voting was trialed during the 2018 local government elections in Kaduna State.

The use of e-voting could also spark greater numbers of young voters to participate in elections, especially since adoption of digital technologies remain highest among youth.

Greater digitisation of voting processes can also give rise to innovative new start-ups, as is the case with Lagos-based data company Stears. The company developed an elections tracker that displays results in near real-time in the hope of generating excitement for elections and beat voter apathy. At its first attempt in 2019, Stears received two million visitors to their election tracking website, with 99% of visitors accessing the site from their mobile phones.

Quick wins for techs role in electionsSeveral parts of present electoral processes are ready to benefit from the introduction of digital technologies.

Firstly, citizens residing in other countries or who may be traveling abroad during election cycles have a mountain to climb in order to cast their votes. By introducing e-voting functionality to out-of-country voters, the country may benefit from greater voter participation.

Secondly, current voting processes remain overwhelmingly manual and paper-based. Introducing greater efficiency during the voting process can improve the overall voting experience and may contribute to attracting larger numbers of voters. This is especially true in urban areas where technology adoption and mobile penetration remains highest.

Third, technology can play a central role in building trust in the voting process by eliminating error-prone processes with more transparent, digitised processes. This can build trust in elections by ensuring the integrity of electoral results.

Finally, considering Nigerias vast size and the disparate nature of many of its communities  especially in rural areas  the use of technology could enable marginalised communities to more easily participate in elections. This can encourage greater involvement in elections across the country and provide a welcome boost to the perceived fairness and integrity of election results.

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Lukka has appointed Former Mckinsey Partner, Ian Hurst, as their First Head of Europe.

LONDON, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lukka, the leading institutional crypto data and software provider, has brought on former Lukka Advisory Board Ian Hurst as their newly created Head of Europe. Prior to his role and advisory position at Lukka, Hurst was a partner at Mckinsey & Company, where he was a longstanding leader in their Financial Institutions Practice. After his time at Mckinsey, he went on to IBM as General Manager of Global Financial Services, where he was responsible for overall relationships with major financial services firms around the world.





Hurst, who is based in London, will work closely with Lukka's other leaders to further expand business in European markets. In addition, his experience as a global financial leader will allow him to position Lukka as a front-runner in the region's developing crypto financial markets.

"I am thrilled to shift from my advisor role to taking on the Head of Europe position and guiding Lukka as we continue our European expansion. There is a lot of potential for Lukka to facilitate institutional involvement in digital assets in the region and I am looking forward to leading the business toward those opportunities." Ian Hurst, Head of Europe.

This announcement comes on the heels of Lukka announcing its European office opening in Zug, Switzerland, along with closing a significant deal with Swiss company Bitcoin Suisse, signaling the company's intention to further grow their European reach.

About Lukka:

Founded in 2014, Lukka serves the most risk mature businesses in the world with institutional data and software solutions. Lukka bridges the gap between the complexities of blockchain data and traditional business needs. Its customers include both Traditional and Crypto Asset Exchanges and Trading desks, CPA & Accounting Firms, Fund and Financial Auditors, Fund Administrators, Miners, Protocols, individuals, and any other businesses interacting with crypto assets. All of Lukka's products are created with institutional standards, including AICPA SOC Controls and ISO standards, which focus on accuracy and completeness. Lukka is a global company headquartered in the United States.

For information about Lukka, visit https://lukka.tech/

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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / The Power Play by The Market Herald has announced the release of new interviews with Fokus Mining, Ridgeline Minerals and Datametrex AI 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.

Fokus Mining (TSXV:FKM) unearths gold at its Galloway project

Fokus Mining (FKM) has intersected gold at its Galloway project. Several significant gold zones were also intersected in the same area in 3 other holes. The main objective of this 4-hole, 1,150-metre program was to assess the continuity at depth of the RB Zone. CEO and President Jean Rainville sat down with Coreena Robertson to discuss the results.

For the full interview with Jean Rainville and to learn about Fokus Mining, click here.

Ridgeline Minerals (TSXV:RDG) unearths high-grade gold & silver at the Selena Project

Ridgeline Minerals (RDG) intercepted high-grade grade minerals from its Chinchilla Zone at the Selena project in Nevada. SE22-045 returned the single best intercept in the project's history, 6.1 m grading 1,137.20 g/t AgEq (metal prices $20 Ag, $0.90 Pb, $1.25 Zn, $1800 Au,. CEO Chad Peters spoke with Coreena Robertson about the results.

For the full interview with Chad Peters and to learn about Ridgeline Minerals, click here.

Datametrex (TSXV:DM) announces competitor to ChatGPT

Datametrex (DM) subsidiary, Nexalogy, has unveiled a new API engine similar to ChatGPT. The engine is currently in use with a partner company and government organizations. Datametrex CEO Marshall Gunter sat down with Coreena Robertson to discuss Nexalogy's new advancement.

For the full interview with Marshall Gunter and to learn about Datametrex, 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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Cranbrook, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 1, 2023) - DLP Resources Inc. (TSXV: DLP) (OTCQB: DLPRF) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it intends to increase the size of its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") to up to 5,203,814 units (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.27 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $1,405,030.

Each Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company (a "Share") and one common share purchase warrant of the Company (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share in the capital of the Company (a "Warrant Share") for a period of two (2) years from the date of issue at an exercise price of $0.40 per Warrant Share, subject to an acceleration clause in the event the trading price of the Shares equals or exceeds $0.50 for a period of 10 consecutive days.

The Private Placement will be made available to subscribers pursuant to the accredited investor and friends, family and business associate exemptions provided under sections 2.3(1) and 2.5 of National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions.

The Private Placement will also be made available to existing shareholders of the Company who, as of the close of business on January 16, 2023, held Shares (and who continue to hold such Shares as of the closing date), pursuant to the existing shareholder exemption set out in BC Instrument 45-534 Exemption From Prospectus Requirement for Certain Trades to Existing Security Holders (the "Existing Securityholder Exemption"). The Existing Securityholder Exemption limits a shareholder to a maximum investment of CAD$15,000 in a 12-month period unless the shareholder has obtained advice regarding the suitability of the investment and, if the shareholder is resident in a jurisdiction of Canada, that advice has been obtained from a person that is registered as an investment dealer in the jurisdiction. If the Company receives subscriptions from investors relying on the Existing Shareholder Exemption exceeding the maximum amount of the Private Placement, the Company intends to adjust the subscriptions received on a pro-rata basis.

The Company expects to pay finder's fees in connection with the Private Placement to certain eligible finders in the form of: (i) a cash commission of 7.0% of the gross proceeds raised under the Private Placement from investors introduced to the Company by the finder; and (ii) the issuance of such number of non-transferable common share purchase warrants of the Company (the "Finder's Warrants") equal to 7.0% of the Units issued under the Private Placement from investors introduced to the Company by the finder.

The Company intends to use the proceeds from the Private Placement for funding the Peru projects and general office and administration requirements. There may be circumstances, however, where, for sound business reasons, a reallocation of funds may be necessary.

The Private Placement is subject to all necessary regulatory approvals including acceptance from the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued in connection with the Private Placement will be subject to a four-month hold period from the closing date under applicable Canadian securities laws, in addition to such other restrictions as may apply under applicable securities laws of jurisdictions outside Canada.

Not for distribution to U.S. news wire services or dissemination in the United States.

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 and 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, among other things: the anticipated proceeds to be raised under the Private Placement; the use of any proceeds raised under the Private Placement; and finder's fees to be paid in connection with the Private Placement.

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: delays in obtaining or failure to obtain required regulatory approvals for the Private Placement; market uncertainty; and the inability of the Company to raise the anticipated proceeds under the Private Placement.

In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that: the Company will obtain the required regulatory and TSX Venture Exchange approvals for the Private Placement; the Company will be able to raise the anticipated proceeds under the Private Placement; and the Company will use the proceeds of the Private Placement as currently anticipated.

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/153235
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 1, 2023) - Sharechest is pleased to announce the recent activation of the Sharechest Connector on Radisson Mining Resources' (TSXV: RDS) (OTCQB: RMRDF) (FSE: 2RX) website. The Sharechest Connector captures potential investor interest to facilitate impactful company and investor relationships.

Radisson is a Quebec-based gold exploration company. In 2019, Radisson embarked on an exciting journey by taking a fresh look at the richest gold mine by grade in Quebec, the old O'Brien mine. Since then, Radisson completed a 127 km drill program, the largest in the Company's history. In Q1-2023, Radisson is expected to publish a Mineral Resource Estimate update for the O'Brien project.

The O'Brien project, cut by the world-renowned Larder-Lake-Cadillac Break, is Radisson's flagship project. The project hosts the former O'Brien Mine, considered to have been the Abitibi Greenstone Belt's highest-grade gold producer during its production (1,197,147 metric tons at 15.25 g/t Au for 587,121 ounces of gold from 1926 to 1957; Kenneth Williamson 3DGeo-Solution, July 2019).

To learn more about Radisson Mining Resources visit their website https://www.radissonmining.com/.

For more information about the Company please send an email to contact the investor relations team at ir@radissonmining.com or call the Corporate inquiries line at 819-763-9969.

About Sharechest Inc.

Sharechest Inc. provides an innovative web application solution that streamlines the discovery process for companies seeking investors. The Sharechest Connector seamlessly integrates onto the company's existing website and acts as a magnet for investors who are interested in learning more about the company or investing in the company. Customized to meet the company's brand, the Sharechest Connector widget provides a secure and simplified lead generation form for interested investors to actively engage and take action as they navigate through the company's website.

For further information about Sharechest Inc. and becoming one of our success stories, please visit www.sharechest.io.

Steve Kim, Media Relations, steve@sharechest.io

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/152963
NEW YORK / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / United Nations Global Compact

Progress against the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) have stalled over the course of the past two years. There are myriad causes for this in the United States, including lack of environmental regulation, food shortages and deserts, and widening inequalities. Rather than progress, global greenhouse gas emissions are set to increase by almost 14% over the current decade, even with current national commitments. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has created a multiplying effect that continues to exacerbate these issues.

The US private sector is a critical lever for generating much needed solutions globally. Agenda 2030 envisions a secure world free of poverty, hunger, and an end to environmental degradation, and achieving this will require companies to increase their ambition on the SDGs. The US private sector must have a trusted partner to navigate these complex issues, making the value of a partnership with the UN Global Compact's Network USA even more critical to our nation's business community.

"I encourage any organization that has not yet signed the Compact to join now because we need you," said Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. "Resolution of the intractable problems we face cannot come from governments alone. We need non-government organizations (NGO) and civil society, we need academics and scholars, and we most certainly need the business community."

Network USA is the Local Network chapter of the United Nations Global Compact, supporting US businesses and subsidiaries of multinational corporations in implementing the UN Global Compact's Ten Principles and SDGs. Network USA currently has more than 900 signatory companies and works with them to identify sustainability challenges and opportunities, provide practical guidance, and promote action supporting broader UN goals.

Member companies often take advantage of the Accelerators: educational programs designed to train internal teams to help generate behavior change across companies. These Accelerators help companies understand and implement practical solutions to integrating the 17 SDGs into core business management and train future business leaders to develop, drive, and scale innovative solutions through new technologies and inclusive business models. Network USA is growing its staff in 2023 and developing additional accelerator programming in diversity, equity, and inclusion to meet the growing demand for guidance and support from the private sector.

During last September's UN General Assembly, Network USA hosted SDG Summit USA. This sold-out event welcomed over 400 attendees and brought together nearly 200 US companies who actively support the UN Secretary General's call to align their strategies and operations with universal principles. In addition, Network USA showcased the actions of the US private sector through a series of panel discussions highlighting steps companies can take to increase ambition, innovation, and implementation of the SDGs into core business operations.

"Businesses have become increasingly more trusted on the global stage; therefore, expectations for companies to do more for society have increased. Businesses are seen and expected to take a positive leadership role in all elements," said Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General, Executive Director and CEO of the UN Global Compact.

She emphasized the need for US companies to integrate sustainability throughout their operations. "We have also seen a shift in how the private sector views sustainability and its role in securing a company's future," said Ojiambo. "We took a recent survey of signatories, and it told us that companies are becoming more interested in sustainability as one of the critical drivers for responsible business and strengthening their brand perception."

Achieving Agenda 2030 and meeting the demands of the present moment for future generations will require accelerating our collective efforts. Therefore, companies must identify and strategically prioritize actions that will advance their contribution to global goals and set aggressive targets with absolute benchmarks. Network USA is committed to working with American companies to drive this progress forward.

About the United Nations Global Compact

As a unique initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations Global Compact calls for companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with the Ten Principles in human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. Our ambition is to accelerate and scale the collective global impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering Sustainable Development Goals through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change. With more than 17,000 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, and 69 Local Networks, the UN Global Compact is the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative - one Global Compact uniting businesses for a better world. For more information, follow @globalcompactusa on social media and visit our website at https://www.globalcompactusa.org/.

For more information, please contact:

Noah A. Smith: noah@globalcompactusa.org / +1 443 359 7989





View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from United Nations Global Compact on 3blmedia.com.



Contact Info:

Spokesperson: United Nations Global Compact

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/united-nations-global-compact

Email: info@3blmedia.com



SOURCE: United Nations Global Compact

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/737774/UN-Global-Compact-Network-USA-Helps-US-Companies-Elevate-Their-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Agenda
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), the world's leading organization focused on deploying people-first places to advance a global culture of health, announced today the launch of a yearlong awareness effort designed to help arm advocates and practitioners alike with resources that show the return on investment and other economic benefits of healthy buildings and healthy organizations.

Coinciding with today's announcement, IWBI released its comprehensive research review, Investing in Health Pays Back: The Growing Research Behind the Business Case for Healthy Buildings and Healthy Organizations. The report, available for download here, summarizes major findings from nearly 60 independent studies, including research led by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, University of Colorado-Boulder and many more.

"For years, our community has been asking for a definitive resource that articulates the ROI for investing in healthy buildings and organizations," said Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO, IWBI. "We've answered the call with this compilation of nearly 60 peer-reviewed and other leading studies from many of the most reputable research organizations in the world."

Highlights from the report include:

Research that tied higher ventilation rates to an 8% uptick in employee performance.

A new peer-reviewed study that connected WELL Certification to a 28% improvement in overall satisfaction with the workplace.

Numerous case studies, including one that demonstrated a 300% return on investment for workplace wellness programs.

"Buildings - the places where each of us spends roughly 90% of our lives - must be at the heart of the solution to foster wellness and deliver positive health outcomes at scale, not to mention the many economic benefits for organizations implementing these science-backed strategies," said Dr. Richard Carmona, 17th Surgeon General of the United States, in the report.

In addition to the comprehensive research review, IWBI is also providing other supporting resources, including shorter overviews around key topics:

Strengthen Real Estate Returns , a summary resource that highlights how commercial real estate investments in healthy buildings can drive significant financial benefits.

, a summary resource that highlights how commercial real estate investments in healthy buildings can drive significant financial benefits. Good for People, Good for Business, another resource that summarizes how strategic investment in health and well-being strategies can enhance business performance and drive higher financial returns.

"Now, with such a robust set of research, the market is rallying around a very profound healthy building axiom - that investing in health pays back," said Jason Hartke, Executive Vice President of External Affairs and Advocacy at IWBI and lead author of the research review report. "The research literature is unambiguous, showing that these health investments pay back for employees by boosting well-being and productivity, as well as increasing organizations' bottom lines."

Over the coming months, IWBI will conduct ongoing outreach and engagement to bring these resources to everyone across its global network. "Now, we're doing our part to help ensure this information is readily available and accessible for champions around the globe who are working in their communities to advance people-first places," added Hodgdon.

As part of the awareness efforts, on March 2, IWBI will host its inaugural Investing in Health Pays Back Webcast. The virtual event will feature a panel of experts who will further explore the strong connections between these health investments and enhanced business performance, increased asset value and higher financial returns.

View original content here.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from International WELL Building Institute on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: International WELL Building Institute

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/international-well-building-institute

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: International WELL Building Institute

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/737780/International-WELL-Building-Institute-IWBI-Kicks-Off-Global-Awareness-Push-Investing-in-Health-Pays-Back
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 1, 2023) - Lithium Energi Exploration, Inc. (TSXV: LEXI) (the "Company" or "LEXI") is pleased to announce that it has entered into certain binding settlement documentation to settle certain outstanding debt obligations of LEXI, including all amounts owing to Arena Investors, LP ("Arena"), Triangle Lithium, LLC ("Triangle"), Steven C. Howard ("Howard") and Omar Ortega ("Ortega"). The Company has also entered into a subscription agreement with Triangle to provide additional working capital and settled the form of secured credit facility with Arena to provide a new credit facility of up to $15 million (the "New Credit Facility") to the Company, of which $7 million will initially be drawn-down at Closing. The Company has also entered into a lithium processing agreement to utilize the lithium extraction technology developed by International Battery Metals, Ltd. ("IBAT").

A 2% transaction fee will be payable by the Company on any subsequent disbursements under the New Credit Facility after the initial $7 million drawdown.

All transactions (together, the "Transactions") are expected to close contemporaneously ("Closing"), after receipt of all required approvals, including consents from the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") and LEXI's shareholders.

Noted Steven Howard, LEXI's CEO, "Closing these Transactions opens a bright, new future for LEXI. Adding new capital, highly-qualified talent, and proven extraction technology, while resolving LEXI's past obligations, unveils a new chapter in LEXI's growth - all happening at the perfect time for LEXI to further secure its place in the fast-rising lithium sector. These Transactions are a Phoenix Moment for LEXI and our team has worked tirelessly to bring them to fruition, a key component of which is putting the successor team in place to lead our Company forward. These Transactions both clear the slate and breath a new momentum into LEXI and the valuation of its assets. We couldn't be happier for our shareholders."

Details of the proposed Transactions are noted below.

Arena Debt and New Credit Facility

Arena and LEXI have entered into a settlement agreement (the "Settlement Agreement") pursuant to which the parties have agreed to settle all amounts owing to Arena by LEXI ("Arena Debt Settlement"). At Closing, LEXI will issue 30,000,000 common shares at a deemed price of $0.1875 and 8,000,000 share purchase warrants to settle certain disputed amounts outstanding under the current credit facility (the "Arena Debt") provided to the Company by Arena. The Arena Debt is the subject of litigation in the courts of Ontario and British Columbia, as disclosed in the Company's reporting filed in its SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, all of which litigation will be dismissed upon Closing of the Transactions. Each share purchase warrant will have a three-year term at an exercise price of $0.30 per common share. The issuances of the common shares and warrants will eliminate all Arena Debt and result in the withdrawal and release of all related litigation.

In accordance with and subject to the terms and conditions of the Settlement Agreement, Arena has also agreed to provide LEXI with the New Credit Facility to be drawn down in three tranches (each, a "Term Loan"), which shall equal up to $15 million in total. At Closing, the first Term Loan of $7 million will be drawn by LEXI. Subsequent Term Loans will be subject to mutually agreed milestones as set out in the definitive loan documentation and be subject to a 2% cash transaction fee. Each Term Loan will have a maturity date that is 24 months from the draw down date. Each Term Loan will be secured against all of the assets of LEXI and bear interest at 12% per annum and, at Arena's option, up to 50% of such interest can be paid in common shares of LEXI subject to approval of the TSXV. Arena will also be issued common share purchase warrants (the "Loan Warrants") representing 100% coverage of each respective tranche of the Term Loan (net of the 2% transaction fee with respect to any subsequent Term Loans). The Loan Warrants issued pursuant to the first Term Loan at Closing will have an exercise price of $0.24. Loan Warrants issued pursuant to each subsequent Term Loan shall have an exercise price equal to the market price as determined by the policies of the TSXV. The term of all Loan Warrants shall be equal to the term of the related Term Loan.

The Arena Debt Settlement and the entering into of the New Credit Facility is subject to the successful completion of all of the other Transactions in accordance with the terms of the Settlement Agreement, including without limitation the settlement or repayment of all other outstanding Company debt and the entering into by the Company of the Lithium Processing Agreement (as defined below).

Upon Closing the Arena Debt Settlement, LEXI has agreed to pay a success fee to Triangle equal to 10% of the Arena Debt ("Settlement Fee"). The Settlement Fee will be paid by the issuance of 3,000,000 common shares, issued at a deemed price of $0.1875 per common share, and 3,000,000 common share purchase warrants of the Company. Each share purchase warrant will have a three-year term at an exercise price of $0.30 per common share.

Upon Closing of the New Credit Facility and the drawdown of the initial Term Loan of $7 million, LEXI has agreed to pay a success fee to Howard equal to 12.5% of the first Term Loan ("Success Fee"). The Success Fee will be paid by the issuance of 4,666,667 common shares of the Company, issued at a deemed price of $0.1875 per common share.

Triangle and Related Party Debt Settlements

LEXI has entered into debt settlement agreements with Triangle, Howard, Ortega, and companies controlled by Howard or Ortega (collectively, the "Debt Settlement Agreements") to settle all amounts currently outstanding. The Company expects that, as of the Closing, balances outstanding will be: i) $3,548,316 due to Triangle (the "Triangle Debt"), which Triangle acquired at its face value pursuant to debt assignments from Meteor Energy, LLC ($2,057,187) and Mountas, Inc. ($1,491,129), companies owned and controlled by Howard and Ortega; ii) $780,013 due to Howard and/or companies controlled by Howard (the "Howard Debt") and iii) $557,387 due to Ortega and/or a company controlled by Ortega (the "Ortega Debt").

The Triangle Debt will be settled by the issuance of 18,924,354 common shares at a deemed price of $0.1875 per common share and the issuance of 18,924,354 share purchase warrants. Each share purchase warrant will have a three-year term at an exercise price of $0.30 per common share. The Howard Debt will be settled by the issuance of 4,160,068 common shares at a deemed price of $0.1875 per common share. The Ortega Debt will be settled by the issuance of 2,972,730 common shares at a deemed price of $0.1875 per common share.

Upon Closing the Debt Settlement Agreements, the Company has arranged a non-brokered private placement to be subscribed by Triangle for gross proceeds of $500,000 (the "Private Placement"). The Private Placement will consist of 2,666,667 units at a price of $0.1875 per unit. Each unit will consist of one common share and one common share purchase warrant. Each common share purchase warrant will have an exercise price of $0.30 per common share and a term of 36 months from the Closing date of the Private Placement. The Private Placement is subject to approval of the TSXV. Gross proceeds of the Private Placement will be used to repay existing accounts payable of the Company.

Under the Debt Settlement Agreements, LEXI has also agreed to severance payments payable to Howard and Ortega upon their resignations from LEXI. Upon the resignations of Howard and Ortega, LEXI will issue to each individual 1,450,268 commons shares to settle severance payments of $271,925 each at a deemed price per common share of $0.1875.

Closing the Debt Settlement Agreements is contingent on closing the New Credit Facility and Arena Debt Settlement and is subject to regulatory approvals, including TSXV approval and shareholder approval.

Lithium Processing Technology Agreement

Facilitated by Triangle, LEXI has entered into a brine processing agreement ("Lithium Processing Agreement") with Ensorcia Argentina, LLC, an arm's length party to LEXI that is an affiliate of Ensorcia Metals Corporation ("Ensorcia"), a controlling shareholder of Triangle, to provide LEXI with access to a direct lithium extraction technology developed and owned by IBAT. Ensorcia has the exclusive license to implement the IBAT technologies in Argentina. Under the terms of the Lithium Processing Agreement, LEXI will pay, as directed by Ensorcia, a one-time fee in the amount of $1,350,000 comprised of a $335,871 cash payment at Closing and issuance of 5,408,979 common shares of LEXI at a deemed price of $0.1875 per common share. According to IBAT's 9/27/22 press release, a full scale, modular IBAT processing plant, constructed and operational in Louisiana since May of 2022, has received rigorous third party evaluation by SLR International Corporation, whose results confirmed that this first-of-its-kind, commercial-scale plant extracts more than 65% of the lithium from the processed brine, which is "dramatically higher than existing commercial DLE technology" and recycles 94% of the water used in the process, which is "far superior to traditional evaporation extraction methods".

No finder's fee is being paid by LEXI in connection with the Lithium Processing Agreement.

Director and Management Changes and Governance

If all approvals are obtained, upon Closing of the Transactions, LEXI will welcome new members to its Board of Directors, including Daniel Blanks, a representative of Arena, and Ali Rahman, a representative of Triangle. Concurrent with installing the new Board members, the Company will also accept resignations from Howard and Ortega, as officers and/or directors with a new slate of management personnel recommended to the Board, including Ali Rahman as the Company's new CEO. If the Transactions close and the resignations are accepted, the Company will offer its deepest gratitude to the departing officers for their years of dedicated service to the Company's shareholders and wish them well in their future endeavors.

Incoming Directors and Officers :

Ali Rahman - Director, Chief Executive Officer Daniel Blanks - Director

Outgoing Directors and Officers :

Steven C. Howard - Director, Chief Executive Officer Omar E. Ortega - Vice President-Latin America

Triangle and Arena will also enter into an investor rights agreement with LEXI, pursuant to which each of Arena and Triangle will be entitled to designate one member to serve on LEXI's Board of Directors and participate in any future equity issuances of the Company to maintain their pro rata ownership percentages (subject to the terms and conditions of the investor rights agreement). Initially those nominees will be Daniel Blanks and Ali Rahman, per the above.

Summary

Upon Closing of the Transactions: i) all of LEXI's outstanding obligations prior to Closing will be retired and satisfied in full; ii) LEXI will add access to use of IBAT technologies to its development plans; iii) LEXI will have new working capital contributions totaling $7,500,000 from the Triangle private placement and first tranche of the new Credit Facility; iv) changes to LEXI's management and Board of Directors will be in effect; v) Triangle will own 30,000,000 commons shares of LEXI and 24,591,021 share purchase warrants representing 20.1% of the post-transaction common shares outstanding (29.9% on a fully diluted basis); vi) Arena will own 30,000,000 common shares and 8,000,000 common share purchase warrants representing 20.1% of the post-transaction common shares outstanding (20.9% on a fully diluted basis, excluding warrants issued on the Credit Facility); vii) Howard will own 18,677,003 common shares of LEXI representing 12.9% of the post-transaction common shares outstanding (10.2% on a fully diluted basis); and viii) Ortega will own 9,722,996 common shares of LEXI representing 6.7% of the post-transaction common shares outstanding (5.3% on a fully diluted basis).

As proposed in these Transactions, after Closing, Arena and Triangle will each hold more than 20% of the Company's issued and outstanding shares. Arena and Triangle are distinct parties with no relation to each other. Accordingly, each of Arena and Triangle will become a new Control Person pursuant to the rules of the TSXV and therefore, such parts of the Transactions will require approval of the Company's shareholders in accordance with the requirements of the TSXV.

Each of the Company, Triangle and Arena are at arm's length to each other. However, certain of the Transactions will constitute a "related party transaction" pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). In particular, the Debt Settlement Agreements with each of Howard and Ortega and the Success Fee payable to Howard in connection with the Credit Facility are all "related party transactions", as each of Howard and Ortega are presently directors and/or officers of the Company. The Debt Settlement Agreements with each of Howard and Ortega and the Success Fee payable to Howard will require the majority of the minority approval in accordance with subsection 5.6 of MI 61-101.

All common shares and warrants issued pursuant to the Transactions will be issued in reliance upon certain prospectus exemptions available under Canadian securities legislation and will be subject to a four month and one day hold period from the date of issuance.

Closing of the Transactions remains subject to various conditions, including the receipt of required LEXI shareholder approvals under MI 61-101 and the rules of the TSXV, and the acceptance of the TSXV. There is no guarantee that such conditions precedent will be satisfied or that any of the Transactions will be completed as described herein or at all. The Company intends to seek the requisite shareholder approvals for the Transactions at an upcoming shareholders meeting in March 2023.

About Arena Investors, LP . Arena Investors, LP is an institutional asset manager founded in partnership with The Westaim Corporation (TSXV: WED). With approximately $3.5 billion of invested and committed assets under management as of December 31, 2022, and a team of over 100 employees in offices globally, Arena provides creative solutions for those seeking capital in special situations. The firm has individuals with decades of experience, a track record of comfort with complexity, the ability to deliver within time constraints, and the flexibility to engage in transactions that cannot be addressed by banks and other conventional financial institutions. See www.arenaco.com for more information.

About Triangle Lithium, LLC . Triangle Lithium, LLC is a Delaware limited liability company formed by Sorcia Minerals, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ensorcia, and by an affiliate of Global Oil Management Group, LLC, a resource development holding company controlled by Harry Sargeant, III, a billionaire investor focused principally in the diversified energy and shipping industries, which operates an expansive, multibillion-dollar conglomerate of private global enterprises consisting of aviation companies, oil refineries, oil trading operations, alternative fuels development, alternative energy development, and oil and asphalt shipping.

About Ensorcia Argentina, LLC . Ensorcia Argentina, LLC is a Delaware limited liability company founded as a subsidiary of Ensorcia. Ensorcia is a private corporation formed to acquire, license, and develop proprietary technologies for the metals industry. Ensorcia is the largest shareholder of IBAT, has partnered with Dr. John Burba to develop IBAT's technologies, and holds an exclusive license to implement the IBAT technologies in certain countries in Latin America.

About Lithium Energi Exploration, Inc. Lithium Energi Exploration, Inc. is an exploration company focused on acquisition, exploration, and development of lithium brine assets in Argentina. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario with offices in Dallas, Texas and Catamarca, Argentina, the Company's shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV: LEXI) and the Frankfurt Exchange (FSE: L09). LEXI's portfolio of prospective lithium brine concessions in the Argentina Province of Catamarca (heart of the lithium triangle) includes approximately 57,000 hectares and a 20% interest in Triangle Lithium Argentina, S.A., which owns an additional 15,000 hectares - all located in and around the Antofalla Salar, one of the largest basins in the region, which is over 130 km long and up to 20 km across. Albemarle Corporation, the world's largest lithium producer, owns exclusive exploration and acquisition rights to large claim blocks located throughout the Antofalla Salar. With prospective lithium properties located just west of Livent's producing properties and offset to the north and south of Albemarle's concessions, LEXI believes that its claim package holds the potential to deliver impressive values to its shareholders, if the economic viability and technical feasibility of the properties are established and developed.

For more information about Lithium Energi Exploration, Inc., please view the Company's filings at www.SEDAR.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"Chris Hobbs"

________________________

Chris Hobbs,

Chief Financial Officer and Director

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Lithium Energi Exploration, Inc.

Tel: 416 276-6689

Email: chris.hobbs@lithiumenergi.com

Arena Investors, LP

Lindsay Jablonski

ljablonski@prosek.com

Parag Shah

ir@arenaco.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements.

These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as 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 materially differ from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: the results of preliminary testing proving accurate and repeatable over time and at commercial scale; the absence of material changes with respect to the Company and its businesses; possible variations in mineralization, grade or recovery rates; actual results of exploration activities; conclusions of future economic evaluations; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of commodities; fluctuations in currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar to United States dollar exchange rate); change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, cave-ins and flooding); the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties; failure to enter into definitive documentation with Arena or Triangle, or the other applicable parties, on the terms disclosed herein or at all; failure to close the Transactions on the terms set out herein or at all; the use of proceeds; and receipt of all requisite approvals to the Transactions. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure its shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended.

Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/153273
CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Australia will on Thursday release December data for building approvals, highlighting a light day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. Approvals are expected to rise 1.0 percent on month after sinking 9.0 percent in November. Japan will provide January numbers for monetary base, with forecasts suggesting a decline of 3.2 percent on year following the 6.1 percent decline in the previous month. South Korea will see January figures for consumer prices, with forecasts calling for an increase of 0.5 percent on month and 5.0 percent on year. That follows the 0.2 percent monthly increase and the 5.0 percent yearly gain in December. Copyright(c) 2023 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.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 1, 2023) - Further to its press release dated September 22, 2022, Whatcom Capital II Corp. (TSXV: WAT.P) ("Whatcom" or the "Corporation") and Terrazero Technologies Inc. ("TZ") are pleased to announce that they have entered into a definitive business combination agreement (the "Definitive Agreement") which, subject to certain conditions and applicable TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") approval, will result in the reverse takeover of Whatcom by TZ and will constitute Whatcom's "Qualifying Transaction" (the "Transaction"), as defined by TSXV Policy 2.4 - Capital Pool Companies ("Policy 2.4").

Summary of the Transaction

Pursuant to the Definitive Agreement, on closing of the proposed Transaction, it is expected that:

(i) Whatcom will consolidate (the "Consolidation") all of the then issued and outstanding common shares of the Corporation (the "Whatcom Shares") on the basis of one post-consolidation Whatcom Share for each previously outstanding 3.5 Whatcom Shares (such post-Consolidation Whatcom Shares the "Resulting Issuer Shares");

(ii) All of the issued and outstanding preferred shares in the capital of TZ will be converted to common shares in the capital of TZ in accordance with TZ's constating documents;

(iii) TZ and 1396032 B.C. Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Whatcom, will be amalgamated under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the "Amalgamation") and continue as one corporation called TZ Technologies Operating Corp. ("Amalco"), which will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of Whatcom;

(iv) Whatcom will change its name to TerraZero Technologies Inc., (on a post-closing basis, the "Resulting Issuer");

(v) Holders of the common shares in the capital of TZ will receive one Resulting Issuer Share for each TZ share, and the TZ shares will be canceled; and

(vi) Each outstanding option, warrant and broker warrant exercisable to acquire shares in the capital of TZ will be exchanged for one replacement option, warrant or broker warrant, as applicable, exercisable at the equivalent price to acquire a Resulting Issuer Share.

The parties to the Transaction are at arm's length and therefore the approval of the shareholders of Whatcom in respect of the Transaction will not be required.

The completion of the Transaction is subject to, among others, the following conditions precedent be met prior to the closing of the Transaction: (a) TZ and the shareholders of TZ shall have tendered all closing deliveries contemplated in the Business Combination Agreement; (b) the shareholders of TZ shall have approved the Business Combination Agreement; (c) the board of directors of each of the Corporation and TZ shall have approved the Transaction; (d) the representations and warranties of each of Whatcom and TZ contained in the Business Combination Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects at closing; (e) the Resulting Issuer Shares shall have been conditionally approved for listing on the TSXV, and the Transaction shall have been conditionally approved as a Qualifying Transaction by the TSXV, subject to the customary requirements of the TSXV in respect of transactions of the nature of the Transaction; (f) each of the covenants of Whatcom and TZ in the Business Combination Agreement shall have been fulfilled or complied with in all material respects at closing; (i) the existing directors and officers of Whatcom shall have tendered their resignation; and (j) Whatcom will have obtained all applicable authorizations to complete the Consolidation and the change of its name to TerraZero Technologies Inc.

Neither the Corporation nor TZ will be undertaking any financing in connection with the Transaction, and no finder's fees or commissions are payable in relation to the proposed Transaction.

Other Significant Conditions to Closing

Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, TSXV acceptance and if applicable pursuant to TSXV requirements, majority of the minority shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative. The TSXV has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

Information on Resulting Issuer

Following completion of the Transaction, the Resulting Issuer will carry on the business currently carried on by TZ. The Resulting Issuer will be a Technology issuer under the policies of the TSXV.

It is expected that following completion of the Transaction, there will be an aggregate of 57,483,253 Resulting Issuer Shares outstanding, and 9,220,573 Resulting Issuer Shares will be reserved for issuance pursuant to convertible securities (options and warrants) of the Resulting Issuer. It is expected that following completion of the Transaction the current holders of Whatcom Shares will hold approximately 7.5% of the outstanding Resulting Issuer Shares and the holders of TZ shares will collectively hold approximately 92.5% of the outstanding Resulting Issuer Shares, all as calculated on a non-diluted basis immediately following the closing of the Transaction. Certain of the Resulting Issuer Shares will be subject to voluntary hold periods and TSXV escrow restrictions.

To the knowledge of the directors and executive officers of the Corporation and TZ, the only person who will beneficially own, directly or indirectly, or exercise control or direction over 10% or more of the Resulting Issuer Shares is BIGG Digital Assets Inc. ("BIGG"), which will hold approximately 29% of the Resulting Issuer Shares. BIGG believes the future of crypto is a safe, compliant and regulated environment. BIGG invests in products and companies to support this vision. BIGG has three portfolio companies: Netcoins, Blockchain Intelligence Group and TerraZero.

Management of the Resulting Issuer

Subject to TSXV approval, upon completion of the Transaction, it is expected that the board of directors and the senior officers of the Resulting Issuer will be the following proposed individuals, and two additional independent directors who will be identified in the filing statement to be filed and posted on SEDAR with respect to the proposed Transaction:

Dan Reitzik - proposed Chief Executive Officer, and Director

Mr. Reitzik is the founder, Chief Executive Officer and a director of TZ. Mr. Reitzik has years of experience, knowledge and understanding of blockchain, digital assets and cryptocurrency through his previous role as the co-founder and CEO of DMG Blockchain Solutions Inc. (from 2016 to March 2021), a vertically integrated blockchain and cryptocurrency company that manages, operates and develops end-to-end digital solutions to monetize the blockchain ecosystem.

Ryan Cheung - proposed Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Secretary and Director

Mr. Cheung is the Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Secretary and a director of TZ. Mr. Cheung, CPA, CA, is founder of MCPA Services Inc. Chartered Professional Accountants, providing accounting, management, securities regulatory compliance services to private and publicly-listed companies. Mr. Cheung also serves as an officer and/or director of a number of publicly-listed companies. Mr. Cheung holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Victoria and is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia. Mr. Cheung was previously worked alongside Dan Reitzik as the Chief Financial Officer of DMG Blockchain Solutions Inc. from September 2017 to July 2021.

Ryan Kieffer - proposed Chief Metaverse Officer

Mr. Kieffer is the Co-Founder of Bear NFT, a Metaverse marketing agency - and the Co-Founder of Confidential Creative, an animation studio and creative agency with an established portfolio of music videos and animation projects for the likes of Maroon 5, Journey, Carrie Underwood, Peacock Kids and more. As an expert in the Metaverse, Mr. Kieffer has leveraged both skill sets to produce several events including To the Moon Fest, Decentraland's first live music festival and Halloween Events. Mr. Kieffer brings a wealth of industry connections and leads many of the business development initiatives at TerraZero. Mr. Kieffer oversees many of TerraZero's business divisions and has operational knowledge and experience working within the Metaverse.

Brandon Johnson - proposed Chief Experience Officer

Mr. Johnson oversees business development initiatives and oversees many TerraZero divisions. Mr. Johnson has led creative and execution for clients and projects in blockchain, VR/AR, gaming, animation, film and series television. Brandon has also managed freelance teams and helmed community development initiatives for freelance platforms. Mr. Johnson's vision is to bring elevated interactive experiences to the Metaverse through innovative technologies.

Lance Morginn - proposed Director

Mr. Morginn is a director of TZ. Mr. Morginn is the co-founder, President and a director of BIGG Digital Assets Inc. With over 20 years of industry experience in technology-based start-ups, he brings a vast and proven track record for growing and developing businesses from the ground-up. His background includes roles as Founder/CEO/Director in several publicly and privately traded companies.

Adrian Glover - proposed Director

Mr. Glover is a 20-year software industry professional, who has over 10 years of experience delivering software products as a Project and Development Manager. Mr. Glover is currently the Chief Technology Officer of DMG Blockchain Solutions Inc. and work alongside Mr. Reitzik and Mr. Cheung during their time at DMG Blockchain Solutions Inc. His experience began in research & development and includes one of the first connected mobile applications using Geographical Information System (GIS) technology for asset tracking on Windows CE. As a Project Manager, Adrian was certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP) and mentored new Project Managers in the trade. He has successfully introduced Agile Project and Product Management techniques to multiple companies using industry-standard tools and techniques. He has a track record of repeated success delivering products built on emerging technologies, including Big Data, VR, and Mobile VR.

Martin Cronin - proposed Director

Mr. Cronin spent over 20 years in international diplomacy with the British Government with appointments across the Middle East, South Asia, Europe and North America spanning counter-terrorism, conflict resolution, trade and inward investment. Following a posting as British Consul-General to Western Canada, Martin settled in British Columbia and joined the private sector, serving as CEO and Director of several private and public companies in the public safety and defence sectors, including as the former CEO and a director of Patriot One Technologies Inc. He is the Executive Chairman of Syniad Innovations Inc., which has a portfolio of ventures rooted in deep science. Martin is former Honorary Colonel of a Canadian Army Primary Reserve Regiment, Director of the Canadian Forces Liaison Council and Advisory Board Member of the Central Okanagan Regional Economic Development Commission. He is a frequent speaker on the Middle East and issues of international security.

Sponsorship

Under the policies of the TSXV, the parties to the Transaction are required to engage a sponsor for the Transaction unless an exemption or waiver from this requirement can be obtained. Whatcom intends to make an application for a waiver from the TSXV's sponsorship requirements.

Additional Information

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the filing statement to be prepared in connection with Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative. Whatcom will issue additional news releases related to the post-closing capitalization of the Resulting Issuer, financial information regarding TZ, and other material information as it becomes available.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange, Inc. nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the polices of the TSX Venture Exchange) has in any way passed upon the merits of the Transaction and associated transactions and neither of the foregoing entities accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release or has in any way approved or disapproved of the contents of this press release.

For further information, please contact:

Whatcom Capital II Corp.

Darren Tindale, CEO, CFO, Corporate Secretary and Director

Telephone: (604) 376-3567

Cautionary Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the proposal to complete the Transaction and associated transactions, including statements regarding the terms and conditions of the Transaction, the business plans and objectives of TZ and the Resulting Issuer, expectations for other economic, business and competitive factors and approval of regulatory bodies. The information about TZ contained in the press release has not been independently verified by the Corporation. Although the Corporation believes in light of the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Corporation can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements depending on, among other things, the risks that the parties will not proceed with the Transaction; the Transaction and associated transactions will differ from those that currently are contemplated; and that the Transaction and associated transactions will not be successfully completed for any reason (including the failure to obtain the required approvals or clearances from regulatory authorities). The terms and conditions of the Transaction may change based on the Corporation's due diligence and the receipt of tax, corporate and securities law advice for the parties to the Transaction.

The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release. The common shares have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirement. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/153297
ONEs first battery cell factory, ONE Circle

Our Next Energy, a Novi, MI-based energy storage technology company, raised $300M in Series B funding at a post-money valuation of $1.2 billion.

The round was led by Fifth Wall and Franklin Templeton, with participation from ONEs Series Ainvestors Temasek, Riverstone Holdings, Coatue, AI Capital Partners and Sente Ventures. In conjunction with Franklin Templetons investment in Ones Series B, Richard Piliero, a Managing Director at Franklin Templeton, will join ONEs Board of Directors. The equity financing is joined with $220M in grants from the state of Michigan for a total of more than $500M to fund a battery cell factory.

The company intends to use the funds to accelerate growth and expand operations.

Lewd by Mujeeb Ijaz, CEO & Founder, Our Next Energy is an energy storage technology company focused on engineering batteries that will accelerate electrification.

The company has signed ten customer agreements for its products, totaling 36 GWh over the next five years, and is further preparing for phase two factory investments ahead of plan.

FinSMEs

01/02/2023
Eight regional acts  performing everything from Irish music to groovy 60s tunes  will perform at Mayfair when it returns May 24-26 to Cedar Crest College.

On Tuesday, college officials announced the acts that will perform on Mayfairs RCN Main Stage: The Rogue Diplomats, Lucky 7, The Large Flowerheads, Shake3X, the BC Combo, Philly Funk Authority, James Supra and Sarah Ayers, and Rubix Cube.

Additional acts will be performing on the bandstand stage, and there will also be roving musicians.

In addition to the music, Mayfair will feature dozens of artists showcasing pottery, sculpture, painting, photography and more. Food vendors will include Cactus Blue, The Little Sicilian, Cone Appetit and Take-a-Taco. Kids can play in Frankis Fun Zone.

Admission and parking will again be free. Hours will be 4 to 10 p.m. May 24; and noon to 10 p.m. May 25 and 26.

This is the second year Cedar Crest College is hosting Mayfair. The art, food and music festival, after being held for more than three decades in Allentown, was canceled 2017, citing a lack of support, but revived last year as a free, mostly outdoor celebration at Cedar Crest.

Information: www.cedarcrest.edu/mayfair.
On January 14, 2023, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President Xi Jinping and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong sent congratulatory letters to each other on the coming Spring Festival, a traditional festival for the Chinese and Vietnamese people.

In his message, Xi Jinping extended his most sincere greetings and blessings for the Spring Festival to Nguyen Phu Trong, the CPV as well as the Vietnamese government and people on behalf of the CPC, the Chinese government and the Chinese people.

Xi Jinping said that the year 2022 is of crucial importance to the respective development of the two parties as well as the two countries, and also a milestone for the China-Vietnam relationship. The CPC held its 20th National Congress successfully, putting forward the Party's missions and tasks in the new era and on the new journey. The Vietnamese people, under the leadership of the CPV Central Committee, have comprehensively acted upon the guiding principles of the 13th National Congress of the CPV. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong paid a visit to China successfully shortly after the conclusion of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, and both sides released a joint statement on further strengthening and deepening the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between China and Vietnam. Xi Jinping said that relevant departments and sub-national authorities of the two parties and two countries have been striving to follow through on the broad common understandings reached between the two sides, and he believes that this will consolidate political mutual trust and traditional friendship between the two sides, and earnestly improve the well-being of the people of both countries.

Xi Jinping noted that with the beginning of the new year, everything takes on a new look. Looking ahead to 2023, Xi said he is ready to keep close communication with General Secretary Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong and steer the course for the sustained, sound and steady development of China-Vietnam relations. China and Vietnam are a community with a shared future that bears strategic significance and China regards Vietnam as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, and stands ready to strengthen the alignment of development strategies with Vietnam, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, enhance communication and coordination in international and regional affairs, and make positive contributions to advancing the noble cause of peace and development of mankind.

Nguyen Phu Trong said in his message that over the past year, under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the CPC successfully held its 20th National Congress, which was an extremely important event in the political life of the Chinese people. Nguyen Phu Trong expressed confidence that under the leadership of the CPC, the brotherly Chinese people will successfully fulfill all the goals and visions set forth at the 20th CPC National Congress, build a modern socialist country in all respects, and march toward the realization of the Second Centenary Goal.

Nguyen Phu Trong said that under the guidance of a series of common understandings reached between General Secretaries of the two parties, Vietnam-China relations have maintained a positive momentum of development and achieved important progress. Nguyen Phu Trong noted that his official visit to China with a high-level delegation of the Vietnamese party and government shortly after the conclusion of the 20th CPC National Congress was a success. Nguyen Phu Trong said he is ready to work with General Secretary Comrade Xi Jinping to guide the departments and sub-national authorities of both sides to implement the agreements and common understandings reached during his visit, carry out strategic communication on theories and practices of both countries' respective socialist development, and chart the course and make strategic plans to ensure that the relations between the two parties and two countries continuously develop and reach new heights. Nguyen Phu Trong wishes the CPC continuous development and growth, the People's Republic of China prosperity and strength, and the brotherly Chinese people a happy and peaceful New Year.
Xiaomi introduced the Mi Pad 5 along with Mi Pad 5 Pro back in 2021, and a larger Xiaomi Pad 5 Pro arrived last year, now the specifications of the Xiaomi Pad 6 and Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro have surfaced, thanks to tipster Digital Chat Station in China.

According to the leak, both the tablets will feature about 11-inch (2880x 1800) screen with 120 or 144Hz refresh rate, and support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+. It is not clear if this will use an LCD screen, similar to the older models, or move to a AMOLED screen.

The Xiaomi Pad 6 could be powered by Snapdragon 870 SoC, similar to the Mi Pad 5 Pro and the Xiaomi Pad 5 Pro, but the Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro is expected to get an upgrade to Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC.

We can expect up to 12GB RAM and up to 512GB storage for the tablets, and it could retain the 67W fast charging, but the battery capacity and the camera specifications are not available yet. It looks like the company is not planning to launch a 5G version of the tablet yet, according to the leaker.

The Xiaomi Pad 6 and Pad 6 Pro are expected to be introduced sometime in Q2 2023, which is sometime before June, even though the Xiaomi Pad 5 Pro was introduced only in the third quarter last year.

Source
What positive changes has the BRI brought to world development?

16:04, February 01, 2023 By Caroline Antwi ( China.org.cn

This photo taken on Sept. 20, 2022 shows the Doraleh Multi-Purpose Port, constructed by China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), in Djibouti city, capital of Djibouti. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) initiated by China seeks to connect Asia with Africa and Europe via land and maritime networks with the aim of improving regional integration, increasing trade and stimulating economic growth.

The BRI comprises a Silk Road Economic Belt  a trans-continental passage that links China with Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, Russia and Europe by land  and a 21st century Maritime Silk Road, a sea route connecting China's coastal regions with Southeast and South Asia, the South Pacific, the Middle East and Eastern Africa, all the way to Europe.

The initiative defines five major priorities: policy coordination; infrastructure connectivity; unimpeded trade; financial integration; and connecting people.

The BRI has been associated with a very large programme of investments in infrastructure development for ports, roads, railways and airports, as well as power plants and telecommunications networks. Since 2019, Chinese state-led BRI lending volumes have been in decline. The BRI now places increasing emphasis on "high-quality investment", including through greater use of project finance, risk mitigation tools, and green finance.

The name was formulated by China's President Xi Jinping, who drew inspiration from the concept of the Silk Road established during the Han Dynasty 2,000 years ago  an ancient network of trade routes that connected China to the Mediterranean via Eurasia for centuries.

The ancient Silk Road, which was a network of trade routes originating from China, connecting Asia, Europe and Africa. Ancient Chinese poems had indicated that, numerous emissaries and traders took to the Road, and ships set sail, bringing about a boom in travel and trade over land and across the seas, and providing a strong impetus to regional development and exchanges and cooperation among different nations and civilizations along the routes.

The world today is undergoing great development and profound transformation and changes, which calls for new growth drivers for the global economy, more inclusive and balanced development and ways and means to bridge the yawning gap between the rich and the poor.

In line with the prevailing trend of economic globalization and in response to the call of the times for reforming the global governance system and the strong aspiration of the world's people for a better life, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the building of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road in 2013, later known as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

This is an initiative for open and inclusive economic cooperation that follows the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits. It is based on and centered around economic cooperation, underpinned by people-to-people exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and aims to increase connectivity among countries along the routes through deepened practical and win-win cooperation to achieve common development.

The five major priorities are as stated below:

Foremost, policy connectivity: states that, any cooperation project under the BRI will be carried out on the basis of consultation on an equal footing, with no political strings attached. It will not be imposed from a "position of strength." Rather China seeks to align the initiative with other countries' development strategies and regional and international development agendas so that the parties involved can draw upon each other's strengths to achieve complementarity. In fact, the BRI has been effectively aligned with policy initiatives like the Middle Corridor initiative of Turkey, the Bright Road initiative of Kazakhstan, the Eurasian Economic Union of Russia and the Development Road initiative of Mongolia to produce greater synergy and a multiplying effect.

In addition, infrastructure connectivity: China is working with relevant countries to accelerate implementation of major infrastructure projects such as railways, roads and ports, with many more connectivity projects in the pipeline. It is the goal of China to create better conditions and more opportunities for trade and investment cooperation and economic development of all countries.

The Infrastructure connectivity saves transportation time and cost, unleashes trade and investment potential, and lends impetus to global economic recovery from the pandemic. Unimpeded trade is a focus of efforts in advancing the BRI, and a strong driving force for sustained growth of the world economy.

Furthermore, trade connectivity: China is working with other BRI participating countries to promote trade and investment facilitation, improve business environment and build FTAs in firm support of the multilateral trade regime and the building of an open world economy.

Moreover, financial connectivity: China has engaged in diverse forms of financial cooperation with BRI partner countries and organizations, and is willing and ready to provide them with financial support for economic development to the best of its ability. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Silk Road Fund, for instance, have already made good contributions to economic growth in relevant countries.

Last but not the least, people-to-people connectivity: Guided by the Silk Road spirit, China and other BRI participating countries have carried out extensive cooperation in science, education, culture, health and people-to-people exchanges with firm commitment to enhancing exchanges, dialogue and mutual learning among different civilizations.

Having received positive response and broad support from the international community, the BRI is being translated from a blueprint into reality and has grown to be the broadest and largest platform for international cooperation in the world, generating huge opportunities and dividends to countries around the world. The cumulative trade between China and its BRI partners has exceeded $9.2 trillion, and Chinese businesses direct investment in countries along the routes exceeded $130 billion. A World Bank report estimated that when fully implemented, the BRI could help nearly 40 million people in relevant countries get out of poverty.

Despite the sudden outbreak of COVID-19 that has ravaged the world for the past three years, the Belt and Road cooperation has not come to a halt. Instead, it has pressed ahead against the headwind, demonstrating strong resilience and vitality.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, China and its BRI partners have worked together to put up an international firewall of cooperation against the virus. China has held over 100 meetings with relevant countries to share experience in pandemic response, provided more than 280 billion masks, 3.4 billion protective suits and 4 billion testing kits to the world, and helped many countries build testing labs. China has also conducted extensive vaccine cooperation with many countries, and had by mid-June, 2021 donated and exported more than 400 million doses of finished and bulk vaccines to more than 90 countries, most of which were BRI partners.

In spite of the challenges posed by the pandemic, trade and investment cooperation under the BRI has made remarkable achievements, making the Belt and Road a promising model of recovery for restoring economic and social activity and a model of growth for unlocking development potential. The China-Europe freight trains playing a more prominent role as an artery for trade, the construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor picking up speed and the cross-border e-commerce boosting the circulation of supplies of anti-pandemic materials and daily necessities. Platforms like China International Import Expo (CIIE) and China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) are also playing an increasingly important role in facilitating trade connectivity and technological cooperation among countries.

In 2020, Chinese investors made non-financial direct investment of $18.61 billion in 58 Belt and Road countries, despite a 35% year-on-year decline in global outward direct investment, and their accumulated investment in overseas economic and trade cooperation zones reached $44.85 billion, creating 373,000 local jobs.

Going forward, China had indicated that it will continue to work with all other parties to pursue high-quality Belt and Road cooperation in line with the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits and the philosophy of open, green and clean development to make it high-standard, sustainable and beneficial to the people.

The Belt and Road is a road to prosperity. China and other participating countries will continue to promote all-round infrastructure connectivity and enhance the free flow of goods, capital, technology and personnel to deliver more tangible benefits to the people and enable more developing countries to participate in and gain from the Belt and Road cooperation.

The Belt and Road is a road for green development. China is advocating for a green, low-carbon, circular and sustainable way of life and work, and call for increased cooperation in green infrastructure, green energy and green finance and deepened implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, so as to bring about harmonious coexistence between man and nature and sustainable development of human society.

The Belt and Road is a road for health. China will continue to work with its BRI partners to help and support underdeveloped countries and regions in fighting and preventing epidemics, promote exchanges and cooperation in public health R&D, scale up cooperation in virus origin tracing and vaccine R&D and production, and further improve global public health governance, so as to build a robust global community of health for all.

The BRI was proposed by China and belongs to the whole world. It is open to all countries, and its achievements will be shared by all.

China had welcomed and supported the United States of America's participation in the Belt and Road cooperation. The two countries were highly complementary in economic structures and comparative strengths. The cooperation on the Belt and Road will serve not only the interests of the U.S. and China, but also the interests of all participants in the initiative. The BRI would provide broad opportunities for U.S. businesses, open up a new horizon for China-U.S. cooperation, and place the two countries in a better position to help partner countries strengthen infrastructure building, advance industrialization process and improve people's living standard.

China has embarked on a new journey to build a modern socialist country in all respects. China is actively building a new paradigm of development with domestic cycle being the mainstay and domestic and international cycles reinforcing each other. This will provide stronger impetus and greater space for the Belt and Road cooperation. China will continue to work with relevant countries to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and help them meet their needs in pandemic response and economic recovery so as to jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind and create a brighter future for all countries.

The author is Deputy Director of Human Resource Management and Development, Ministry of Defence of Ghana.

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Liang Jun)
Imagine this headline: Dozens locked up in Lehigh County Jail because they suffer from epilepsy.

Surely, thousands would descend upon the jail to protest. Yet we are silent about persons jailed who suffer from mental illness. One in 4 people in jail is severely mentally ill. In fact, Jails and prisons have become our primary mental health hospitals for the poor, and LCJ is no exception.

So what happens when a jail is asked to stand in for a hospital? When a person who desperately needs help is held in a place that offers none? Consider the story of a client of mine. Ill call her Jane.

Ettore J. Angelo is a criminal defense attorney in the Lehigh Valley.

In the throes of paranoid psychosis, Jane parked her car at a house to which she had no connection. Homeowners called police. Bethlehem police officer Ralph Gontz arrived and, as he told me a year later, determined immediately that Jane was mentally ill. He took her to LVH-Muhlenbergs emergency room. That was the last kindness bestowed upon Jane by two systems  medical and justice  that failed her at every turn.

Suffering delusions of being kidnapped, Jane resisted efforts to restrain her and bit an attendant. Finally, she was sedated and effectively restrained. Unfortunately, in the meantime, police arrived and consulted the Lehigh County district attorney for guidance. Charge or not charge, that was the question for the DA.

According to court documents, the DAs office directed police to charge felony aggravated assault for Janes unruliness and biting. I requested information about this decision, but was succinctly informed by DA Jim Martin that Janes case is closed and the defendant was represented by competent counsel from the public defenders office throughout. He gave no other information.

Typical manifestations of paranoid disorder are distrust of others and the tendency to be hostile, stubborn and argumentative  precisely Janes symptoms.

The tragic irony is that Jane was exactly where she needed to be to receive treatment. Instead, she was removed from the hospital and deposited into a jail cell. Why? For exhibiting symptoms that are a textbook description of her affliction.

Waking up in that cold jail cell, clutching a suicide blanket, Jane could not recall how she got there. Continuing to battle her demons, at one point she was maced by guards, again for exhibiting symptoms of her illness. Guards lack training to deal with severely mentally ill inmates. Thats what a hospital is for.

In the clutches of the justice system, Janes nightmare began in earnest. This severely mentally ill woman suffered in solitary confinement for five months until a plea deal was struck: aggravated assault was dropped for her plea to a misdemeanor assault. Note that the sentencing guidelines for simple assault permitted probation.

Five months in solitary confinement, huddled in the dark corners mental illness creates. Imagine your loved one in that cell. But after five months, at least shed be free, right? Wrong.

Although the Judge sentenced Jane to time served, she was not released. Why? Because she had no home to return to, having lost it due to the five months in jail. With no home, Jane could not complete her home plan for parole. She languished in her cell for another two months.

Janes case is not an outlier with regard to the home plan issue. A reliable Lehigh County official told me that at any given time 50-90 citizens  who have served the sentence the judge ordered  nonetheless remain incarcerated because they have no home.

I have recommended solutions. Lehigh has space for transitional housing at the work release center that currently lies vacant, or the juvenile center, which is 80% empty. No action has been taken to create housing solutions or to build mental health centers.

Taxpayers spend $100 per day to incarcerate someone like Jane. Of every tax dollar, 71 cents go to law and order; 5 cents go to social service helping actions. As the saying goes, a budget is a moral document. What does this spending disparity say about us as a people?

Jane will never get back those seven months she missed with her two beautiful children. These systems owe Jane and countless others an apology and, more importantly, an overhaul of practices in how those suffering the pain of mental illness are treated.

Lehigh County has $10 million available from American Rescue Plan funds. Solutions to the mental health and housing crises exist. Leaders must pursue a path of compassion to resolve these issues.

Heres a thought: In addition to plans to build high-end apartments and cushy coffee shops on the 195 acres of the former Allentown State Hospital, lets devote a few of those acres for mental health and transitional housing  for helping hands, instead of hand cuffs and cages.

Ettore J. Angelo is a criminal defense attorney in the Lehigh Valley.
Yesterday, realme confirmed the launch of realme GT Neo5 smartphone in China on February 9th. Today, the company has posted a new teaser video that shows the rear design with LED light on the back, coinciding with earlier rumours.

The rumour from December said that the phone will include RGB lights, but the new teaser only shows the light in a purple colour. The rear triple rear camera arrangement includes the main camera on the top, and two cameras below it.

realme also confirmed that the charging the phone with the 240W charger for 30 seconds will offer 2 hours of talk time, but it still has not revealed the total charging time yet.

Regarding the life and safety issues of 240W charging, realme said that even after 1600 complete charge and discharge cycles, the effective capacity of the battery will be 80%, twice the industry standard, so that the phone can be used even after four year. The company said that it has used 10C ultra-thin pole piece battery, so even if the power is higher you dont need to worry.

We should know more details about the phone in the coming days, before it goes official next week.

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INCARCERATED Zengeza West legislator Job Sikhalas close allies have expressed concern over his deteriorating health.

They suggested that Sikhala, who is the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) interim vice-chairperson, should urgently be released on health grounds.

The opposition legislator has clocked seven months in remand prison after he was arrested last year in June on charges of inciting public violence.

Early this year, Sikhala wrote a heart-wrenching letter from Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison, highlighting that he had been suffering from abdominal pain ever since his alleged poisoning.

Sikhala said the pain, exuding from his left side, had been growing steadily over the weeks. He expressed fear that it could be colon cancer.

Yesterday, Friends of Job Sikhala Trust spokesperson Emmanuel Zellas Gumbo told NewsDay that Sikhalas health was fast deteriorating.

His health is not in good state, he is suffering from abdominal pains, and there is now suspicion that he could be suffering from cancer of the colon. Not only has he lost weight in prison, but you can also tell that he is emotionally drained, Gumbo said.

He said Sikhalas situation had become very dire as the legislator was being denied access to his private doctors by prison authorities.

He has not had access to his personal doctor; therefore he has not yet gotten proper medical attention, thats why we are suspecting that he could be suffering from very serious complications, Gumbo said.

Since his incarceration in June last year, his CCC party president Nelson Chamisa has been denied permission to visit him.

Its a very sad situation, not only does this affect us as friends, but his personal health is cause for concern. His immediate familys mental health is also a major cause of concern. This man has seen it all, he has suffered a lot in the hands of this regime, sadly for simply demanding justice for a fellow citizen, added Gumbo.

On January 26, Sikhala was remanded in absentia after the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services indicated that he was not well.

Meanwhile, Sikhalas lawyer Jeremiah Bhamu yesterday filed two applications before Harare magistrate Tafadzwa Miti, which, if granted, would make changes to the lawmakers case.

Bhamu wants Sikhala to get treatment from private doctors, saying it is within his rights to do so as he has high blood pressure.

In the second application, Bhamu wants presiding magistrate in Sikhalas case, Miti recused over alleged bias.

We are set on filing the second application at the Harare High Court on February 8. The State must make its response known by February 13, Bhamu said. Newsday
With Valentines Day right around the corner, its only fitting that downtown Corvallis newest wine bar is called Corazon, which translates to heart in Spanish, located in the heart of the valley.

Corazon opened Jan. 31 at 208 SW Second St. Owner Nick Cheatham, a 2017 Oregon State University graduate who studied fermentation sciences, said he noticed the need for a wine bar in a primarily brewery-loving city, and he wanted to open something new for the Corvallis community to enjoy.

I think there's a demographic here who wants to hang out and have a glass of wine and not necessarily have to go to a restaurant to do that, Cheatham said.

Cheatham, 29, started out on the brewery route himself, but fell in love with the winemaking community. He considered making his own wine, but instead decided to open a tasting room/lounge to provide a different kind of experience.

The restaurants we have in town are awesome, and they have great glass pours, but I wanted something a little more dialed back and geared towards exploration, he said.

Corazon has about 25 varieties of wine, half from the Pacific Northwest and half imported. The majority of imported wines are from Spain and Mexico, although there are also some from South Africa, France and Italy.

Walking through the door, customers may feel as if they have taken a step into Mexico. Spanish and Mexican influences are apparent everywhere, from the guitar and Mexican art at the entrance to the tile roof, brick wall and architectural arches throughout the bar.

Cheatham is half-Mexican, and his partner lived in Spain, and Cheatham said their backgrounds influenced several design decisions with Corazon.

He has curated his glass pour list to be approachable for both novice and experienced drinkers. He said he knows how it feels to be intimidated by wine, and he encourages people to ask questions, read descriptions of tasting notes and try new things until they find something that feels right.

It's OK to not like something, Cheatham said. There are no wrong answers when it comes to wine tasting. It's all about exploration and discovery.

Corazon offers a charcuterie board with Spanish cheeses, Olympia Provisions salami, olives, Spanish olive oil and sustainably caught canned fish from Top Chefs Sara Hauman in Portland.

Cheatham will be holding weekly winemaking events where real winemakers will pour what theyre growing to give the Corvallis community a chance to expand their palettes and ask questions about the business.

Corazon is open from noon to 9 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and from noon to 10 pm. Friday and Saturday. More information is available at https://www.corazoncorvallis.com/.

The people who make wine, especially the hardworking laborers in the vineyard, are really down-to-earth, wonderful people, Cheatham said. When I drink wine, I like thinking about the stories of different wines and the historical aspect of those wines.
A Stayton man died in a two-vehicle crash near Lyons Monday afternoon, Jan. 30.

The Linn County Sheriffs Office received a report of a crash on Lyons-Mill City Drive near the intersection of Mowitch Street at around 3:10 p.m., according to an agency news release.

Deputies arrived on scene and discovered two vehicles had collided and one driver was unresponsive. The unresponsive driver was identified as Jesse Guzman, 23. He was pronounced dead on scene, according to the sheriffs office.

While investigating, deputies learned that Guzman was driving a 1995 Dodge Intrepid east on Lyon-Mills City Drive when he crossed into the oncoming lane of traffic and collided with a 2013 Honda Civic.

Medics transported both occupants of the Honda to Salem Hospital with serious injuries, the news release said.

It is unknown at this time why Guzman left his lane of travel, and the investigation is ongoing. The Lyons Fire Department and Linn County Medical Examiners Office assisted LCSO.

This wasnt the only car crash in Linn County on Monday.

In Albany, a 52-year-old man ran off the road at Southwest Queen Avenue and crashed into a canal. According to Albany police, he is expected to make a full recovery.

There was also a fatal crash near Albany on Scravel Hill Road. A 34-year-old Lebanon man died after crashing his car into a power pole.

Law enforcement agencies throughout Linn County responded to multiple fatal crashes yesterday impacting a significant amount of family, friends and community members, the LCSO news release said.

Our thoughts are with all those who suffer in the loss of those close to them. The Linn County Sheriffs Office wants to remind everyone to drive with care. Any reckless behavior will be investigated fully and those committing criminal acts will be held accountable.
Former Corvallis City Councilor Mark Page, 51, was sentenced on Tuesday, Jan. 31 to two years of probation in Benton County Circuit Court for a 2018 incident involving a firearm.

Page was convicted of two counts of recklessly endangering another person following a July 2018 incident in which Page threatened a family member with a loaded handgun.

Court documents show Page initially was indicted on many other charges: unlawful use of a weapon, pointing a firearm at another person, menacing, harassment, second-degree disorderly conduct and nine counts of recklessly endangering another person.

During Tuesdays sentencing, he pleaded no contest to the two counts of recklessly endangering another person and Judge Joan Demarest dismissed the rest of the charges in accordance with the plea agreement between the prosecution and defense.

The incident

Police responded to a call for a domestic dispute on Southwest Touchstone Place on July 21, 2018.

According to previous Mid-Valley Media reporting, police discovered Page had started a physical altercation with his brother-in-law. After the two were separated, Page retrieved a handgun, pointed it at his brother-in-law and chased after him saying, Im gonna kill you.

He was also accused of pointing a handgun through the window of a car in which seven people were passengers.

Police arrested Page and booked him into the Benton County Jail. He was released from custody following an arraignment hearing.

Controversy on council

Voters elected Page to City Council in November 2016 to represent Ward 8. In March 2018, Page announced plans to run for a seat on the Benton County Board of Commissioners that year.

Page came in last in May 2018 for the Democratic nomination for this position. His chance at the commissioner seat may have been impacted by a Mid-Valley Media April 2018 story that included a background check into Page.

According to this story, Page owed $140,000 in child support for children of three ex-wives; he pleaded guilty in 2007 in a domestic violence case that required him to take anger management classes; and he did not hold a diploma from Kansas State University like his paperwork filed to run for City Council had indicated.

Trial dates come and go

Page was scheduled to go to trial multiple times over the past few years, according to Oregons online court database. These trials were constantly canceled and rescheduled, sometimes for COVID-19 concerns.

Page moved to Las Vegas at some point after his arrest. This also complicated trial dates.

A three-day trial was scheduled for Feb. 7 through Feb. 9, but the prosecution and defense came to an agreement during a settlement conference.

Finally sentenced

On top of probation, Demarest ordered Page to complete an anger management course and have no offensive contact with any named victims in the indictment.

The resolution seems to be ideal for all involved, both sides' attorneys said.

I have been in constant contact with the victims in this matter, and they approve of this settlement. And their hope is that, because theyre all relatives, that they can get the family back together, prosecutor Amy Seely said.

Defense attorney John Rich said Page is ready to put this all behind him and reconnect with his family, with whom he hasnt had contact for the last 4 1/2 years since the incident.

Im glad its coming to a good resolution for everyone involved, Demarest said.

Related stories:
Albany police have arrested a Lebanon man accused of slamming someone's head onto concrete multiple times.

Officers arrested Richard Ronald Leo Carrillo, 47, on suspicion of assault, strangulation, menacing and more.

According to court documents, on or around Monday, Jan. 30, Carrillo hit a man's head against concrete, strangled him and used or threatened to use a firearm against him. Carrillo also allegedly drove under the influence of intoxicating liquor.

He was arraigned in Linn County Circuit Court Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 31 on charges of second-degree assault, fourth-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon, menacing, strangulation and DUII. According to Oregon's online court database, Judge Michael Wynhausen set Carrillo's bail at $50,000 and appointed Robert Montgomery as defense attorney.

Editor's note: this story has been updated with Richard Carrillo's correct city of residence.
Philomaths If I Were Mayor contest is accepting submissions until March 31.

The winning submissions will be recognized during a Philomath City Council meeting.

Here is how it works: Mayor Chas Jones is willing to chat with any Philomath students or their classrooms about his mayoral experience. Winners will be invited to have lunch with the mayor and will receive gift cards to their favorite Philomath restaurant.

The winning submissions in each category will be submitted to the League of Oregon Cities to compete for the statewide prize and recognition.

According to a news release, this is an opportunity for students to learn more about public service and local government, and a chance for them to voice their ideas. The mayor and the City Council will then have the opportunity to consider implementation of these ideas. First-place statewide winning students in each of the three age groups will each win $500.

These students will receive their prizes at an awards luncheon during the Oregon Mayors Association summer conference, set for Aug. 10 through 12 at the Best Western Plus in Hood River, according to the release.

Winners will be contacted in June for travel arrangements. Second- and third-place winners will win $300 and $100 respectively and will receive their prizes at local presentations.

More details can be found at www.oregonmayors.org/special-programs/page/student-contest.


A SELF-STYLED apostle with the God of Fire International Ministries was arrested on Sunday for allegedly duping a Zambian pastor of US$400.

Apostle Raston Chikoti allegedly duped Pastor Mightwell Zimba, and he was arrested and detained at Kuwadzana 2 Police Station under RRB 5444718. He appeared in court yesterday and the matter has been set for next month.

I am Zambian and reside in Kafue District. In 2020, I met Chikoti in Malawi where were doing Bible studies.

When we finished our studies, we went to our respective countries and in August 2021 Chikoti phoned me and said there was a company in Zimbabwe which manufacturers tents.

He told me that since I was planning for a church overflow, I should send him $400 so that he could buy and send the tents to me in Zambia.

Without hesitation I transferred the money via Mukuru. After he received the money, he started making excuses, and then eventually blocked me, said Pastor Zimba.

In December 2022, relatives from Zimbabwe visited me in Zambia and I told them the story. When they returned to Zimbabwe, they tried to talk to Chikoti, but he claimed not to know me.

He even said he did not do any transaction. My relatives reported the case to police and he got scared and then promised to pay back the amount times two.

A source said after his arrest, the apostle and his church elders were liaising with Pastor Zimba to withdraw the case against him.

He was arrested at around midday on Sunday and church elders pleaded with the complainant to withdraw the case and have an out of court settlement.

There are also reports that he has been doing this to congregants for a long time, but they are afraid to confront him probably because of his position. His shenanigans should come to an end because he is embarrassing the church, said the source. H Metro
VISITING Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko told his ally President Emmerson Mnangagwa to work extremely hard to win this years elections which he said will not be a stroll in the park for the Zanu PF leader.

Speaking during the signing ceremony of eight bilateral agreements between Belarus and Zimbabwe at State House yesterday, Lukashenko said the Zanu PF leader would face stiff competition in general elections likely to be held by end of July.

Mnangagwa was the darling of many Zimbabweans when he assumed power after dethroning the late former President Robert Mugabe in a November 2017 coup.

But in 2018, Mnangagwa narrowly won against youthful opposition leader Nelson Chamisa in a disputed presidential election. Since then Mnagagwas stock has significantly dipped, opinion polls have indicated.

My dear President, this year you're going to face a huge challenge, presidential, parliamentary elections and local elections. This will be a huge challenge for your nation, and I hope that you will be able to pass through this. Please don't trust liars, there are no miracles. Good results and success can only be achieved through hard work, Lukansheko said.

So, I am hopeful that this year you will make the right choice. By making the right choice make sure that you will be able to show the entire world that you deserve the independence that you won, and you're going to preserve it further. The people of Zimbabwe deserve it, please be very mindful and careful. With all this hard work you will be able to achieve what you want to achieve.

In response to Lukansheko, Mnangagwa said his Zanu PF party does not lose elections. He dared all interested Zimbabweans to challenge him because the ground is open.

Let me assure you that since independence, Zimbabwe has never omitted to hold general elections when they fall due. Every five years we held elections since 1980 and the ruling party Zanu PF has been winning all these elections. We shall continue winning. It's true that we are a democracy. Last elections we had over 50 political parties which contested and I had 23 presidential contenders, and this is beautiful, he said.

The more we have people who want to become President, the merrier it is. This time around I don't know how many want to contest. The ground is open. In Zanu PF, we are extremely confident that we are going to win these elections.

On the bilateral agreements signed by two countries, Foreign Affairs minister Frederick Shava and Belarus Foreign Affairs minister Sergei Aleinik first established a Joint Permanent Commission where they appended their signatures.

Other agreements were on reciprocal protection of investments; mutual recognition of educational qualifications; avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income and property; contracts on co-operation of supply of tractors and grain harvesting equipment; supply of equipment for the construction and modernisation of grain storage complexes; supplies of machines and equipment for the timber industry and co-operation between City of Harare and Minsk.

Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe was honoured by Lukashenkos visit which demonstrates the warm relations between the two countries.

This visit strengthens, deepens and consolidates our bilateral relations. And as a result we agreed to open embassies in each other's capitals. The two countries are victims of sanctions from the West. From that point of view, we are twin sanctions victims.

Belarus has a very developed agricultural sector, and we have begun benefiting from the mechanisation from Belarus. As you have seen we have signed protocols and agreements relating to the mechanisation, modernisation and industrialisation of our agricultural sector. We now wish to further this cooperation to extend to other aspects of the economy like mining and tourism, Mnangagwa said Newsday
Portland, OR, Jan. 19, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the report published by Allied Market Research, the global alternative energy market generated $1.1 trillion in 2021, and is estimated to reach $3.2 trillion by 2031, witnessing a CAGR of 10.3% from 2022 to 2031. The report offers a detailed analysis of changing market trends, top segments, key investment pockets, value chains, regional landscape, and competitive scenario. The report is a helpful source of information for leading market players, new entrants, investors, and stakeholders in devising strategies for the future and taking steps to strengthen their position in the market.

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Report coverage & details:

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 20222031 Base Year 2021 Market Size in 2021 $1.1 Trillion Market Size in 2031 $3.2 Trillion CAGR 10.3% No. of Pages in Report 354 Segments Covered Type, End Use and Region Drivers Surge in demand for electricity or power Depletion of fossil fuel resources Surge in environmental pollution Rise in demand for renewable energy sources for the generation of electricity Opportunities Increasing global warming and changing climatic conditions Increase in preference towards environment-friendly energy solutions Restraints High costs associated with infrastructural setup, operation, and maintenance

Covid-19 Scenario:

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic had a notable impact on the alternative energy market. The pandemic led to the reduced use of renewable and non-renewable energy in the U.S. It drastically decreased China's generation of renewable energy for the short term, while the country's storage and distribution facilities were also shut down.

Weekly demand for electricity in Covid-affected regions decreased by 10-35% due to lockdown. Companies then decided to shift to alternative energy solution which boosted the overall share of alternative energy to meet the demand.

There was a significant decline in energy generation using fossil fuels, while renewable power gained new momentum which boosted the growth of the global alternative energy market.

The report offers a detailed segmentation of the global alternative energy market based on type, end use and region. The report provides an analysis of each segment and sub-segment with the help of tables and figures. This analysis helps market players, investors, and new entrants in determining the sub-segments to be tapped on to achieve growth in the coming years.

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Based on type, the nuclear energy segment held the largest share in 2021, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the global alternative energy market, and would rule the roost through 2031. The solar energy segment, however, is estimated to witness the fastest CAGR of 10.7% during the forecast period. The report also discusses the geothermal energy segment.

In terms of end use, the industrial segment captured the largest market share of nearly half of the global alternative energy market in 2021 and is expected to lead the trail during the forecast period. The residential segment, on the other hand, is likely to achieve the fastest CAGR of 10.7% through 2031. The report also studies the commercial segment.

Based on region, the market in Asia-Pacific was the largest in 2021, accounting for more than one-third of the global alternative energy market share, and is likely to maintain its leadership status during the forecast period. The same market is expected to manifest the highest CAGR of 10.6% from 2022 to 2031. The other regions analyzed in the study include Aisa-Pacific and Europe.

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Leading players of the global alternative energy market analyzed in the research include NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, Trina solar, Ormat Technologies Inc., capstone infrastructure corporation, Enel Spa, Ontario Power Generation Inc., adani group, LONGi, Acciona SA, Northland Power Inc., Constellation Energy Corporation, and ReNewPower.

The report analyzes these key players of the global alternative energy market. These players have adopted various strategies such as expansion, new product launches, partnerships, and others to increase their market penetration and strengthen their position in the industry. The report is helpful in determining the business performance, operating segments, product portfolio, and developments by every market player.

Trending Reports in Alternative Energy Industry (Book Now with 10% Discount):

Energy Transition Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2022-2031

Renewable Energy Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030

Solar Energy Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2019-2026

Nuclear Energy Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20222031

Geothermal Power Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20192026

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Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of " Market Research Reports " and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Jan. 31, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a recent Future Market Insights (FMI) report, the value of the rice mill machine market is anticipated to cross US$ 284.4 million in 2033. A steady CAGR of 4.0% approximately between 2023 and 2033.



The rice mill machine market is undergoing a period of change because of rising customer demand for better food safety, sustainability, and quality. As per FMI, a market research and competitive intelligence provider, from 2017 to 2022, the global market value for rice mill machines registered sluggish expansion owing to the increasing application of the product in the rice production sector.

Request For Sample PDF: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-16542

Rice milling machines are classified into three types based on impurity removal - those that remove both the husk and the bran from the grain, those that only eliminate the husk, and those that do not eliminate either. The most common type of machine is the one that removes both the husk and bran. These machines are typically more expensive than those that only remove one or the other, but they offer several advantages.

Machines that provide the best value for money, the most features, and the most user-friendly interface are expected to generate substantial demand and sales. As the demand for rice grows, so does the demand for efficient and dependable rice milling machines. With so many viable options, it can be challenging for rice producers to determine the best machines.

Various governments are helping manufacturers to produce rice mill machines at a large scale by providing subsidies and interest-free loans. Between 2023 and 2033, FMI expects manufacturers to increasingly focus on developing technologies that can reduce the carbon footprint of rice mill machine use.

Customization Before Buying, Visit: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/customization-available/rep-gb-16542

Key Takeaways from the Rice Mill Machine Market Study:

Sales of rice mill machines are anticipated to increase at a slow 2.7% CAGR in Australia in 2023.

CAGR in Australia in 2023. Demand for rice mill machines is predicted to increase at a rate of 32.7% in the U.S. in 2023.

in the U.S. in 2023. India rice mill machine market is expected to grow at a 6.3% CAGR from 2023 to 2033.

CAGR from 2023 to 2033. The United Kingdom rice mill machine market is set to register a 5.3% CAGR between 2023 and 2033.

CAGR between 2023 and 2033. Demand for rice mill machines across North America is anticipated to grow at a 38% CAGR from 2023 to 2033.



Competition Landscape: Rice Mill Machine Market

Leading players in the global rice mill machine market include Zhengzhou Machinery Co., Ltd, Taizy, Flour Tech, Rising Industries, Mill Master Machinery Private Limited, SATAKE, Alvan Blanch Development Company, and Savco Sales.

Between 2023 and 2033, these companies are expected to fuel global rice production through their technologically advanced products. Owing to global warming and climate change concerns, FMI anticipates these countries to make more energy-efficient and environment-friendly rice mill machines.

Talk With Our Expert: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ask-question/rep-gb-16542

Get Valuable Insights into Rice Mill Machine Market (Segment-wise)

FMI, in its new offering, provides an unbiased analysis of the rice mill machine market presenting historical demand data (2017 to 2022) and forecast statistics for the period from (2023 to 2033). The study divulges compelling insights on the demand for rice mill machine industry research is segmented into five major sections, as below:

By Product:

Mini Rice Milling

Tractor Operated Rice Milling

Combined Rice Milling



By Motor Power:

3.5 HP

5 HP

7.5 HP

10 HP

By Application:

Commercial

Industrial (Agriculture)

By Mode of Operation:

Semi-Automated

Automated

By Region:

North America

Latin America

Europe

East Asia

South Asia

Oceania

The Middle East & Africa



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Table of Content

1. Executive Summary | Rice Mill Machine Market

1.1. Global Market Outlook

1.2. Demand-side Trends

1.3. Supply-side Trends

1.4. Technology Roadmap Analysis

1.5. Analysis and Recommendations



2. Market Overview

2.1. Market Coverage/Taxonomy

2.2. Market Definition/Scope/Limitations



3. Market Background

3.1. Market Dynamics

3.2. Scenario Forecast

3.3. Product launches & Recent Developments

3.4. Product Life Cycle Analysis

3.5. Value Chain Analysis

3.6. Global Rice Mill Machine Market - Pricing Analysis

3.7. Forecast Factors - Relevance & Impact

3.8. PESTLE and Porters Analysis

3.9. Regulatory Landscape

3.10. Regional Parent Market Outlook

3.11. Production and Consumption Statistics

3.12. Import and Export Statistics

3.13. Consumers Survey Analysis

3.14. Macro-Economic Factors

3.15. Product Claims & Nutritional Information Scan by Buyers

Explore wide-ranging Coverage of FMIs Process Automation Market Insights Landscape:

Tree Milling Machine Market Size: The global tree milling machine market is poised to reach a valuation of US$ 1,178.2 million in 2023. From 2023 to 2033, a slow 3.3% CAGR is expected for the market, which should result in a valuation of US$ 1,630.1 million in 2033.

Milling Machine Market Share: The global milling machine market is expected to register a valuation of US$ 68,303.3 million by 2023. From 2023 to 2033, the market is slated to expand at a slow but steady CAGR of 4.9%. The market value is projected to increase to US$ 110,203.8 million by 2033.

Beer Fermenter Market Growth: The global beer fermenter market is anticipated to reach a valuation of US$ 1,152.2 million in 2023. From 2023 to 2033, the market is poised to register growth at a 3.4% CAGR. In 2033, the markets value is set to reach US$ 1,609.7 million.

Vertical Mill Market Demand: The overall sales of vertical mill are projected to reach a valuation of US$ 1,367.2 by the end of 2023, as per the study. This indicates a marginal jump from the markets US$ 1,298.4 Million in 2022.

Commercial Cheese Shredder Market Analysis: The global commercial cheese shredder market size is expected to increase from US$ 11,631.0 million in 2023 to US$ 23,094.7 million by 2033. Total sales of commercial cheese shredders are forecast to accelerate at 7.1% CAGR throughout the forecast period.

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 Us:

Future Market Insights, Inc.

1602-6 Jumeirah Bay X2 Tower,

Plot No: JLT-PH2-X2A,

Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai,

United Arab Emirates

Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com

Web: www.futuremarketinsights.com

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WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2023  Conagra Brands, Inc., a Fort Madison, Iowa establishment, is recalling approximately 2,581,816 pounds of canned meat and poultry products due to a packaging defect that may cause the products to become contaminated without showing any outward signs of contamination, the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.







The meat and poultry products were produced between December 12, 2022, and January 13, 2023. The following products are subject to recall: [view spreadsheet] [view labels].







The products subject to recall bear establishment number P4247 on the product cans. These items were shipped to retail locations nationwide.







The problem was discovered when the establishment notified FSIS after observing spoiled and/or leaking cans from multiple production dates at the establishments warehouse.



Subsequent investigation by the establishment determined that the cans subject to recall may have been damaged in a manner that is not readily apparent to consumers, which may allow foodborne pathogens to enter the cans.







There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.







FSIS is concerned that some product may be on retail shelves or in consumers pantries. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.







FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution lists will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.







Members of the media with questions about the recall can contact Dan Hare, Senior Director of Communications, ConAgra Brands, at 312-549-5355 or daniel.hare@conagra.com. Consumers with questions about the recall can call 800-289-6014, Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST or email consumer.care@conagra.com.







Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or live chat via Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Consumers can also browse food safety messages at Ask USDA or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.




New York, NY, Jan. 31, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Recently, FAMEEX , a secure and globally recognized cryptocurrency exchange, completed a successful 100-user feedback campaign. The campaign aimed to gather valuable insights and perspectives from the exchange's users and attracted a large number of participants. Feedback was received on various aspects of the platform, including the ease-to-use interface, 24/7 customer support, automated grid trading, poster-sharing features and overall satisfaction. This feedback has been instrumental in helping FAMEEX to optimize its platform and continue to improve its offerings, especially after being listed on CoinGecko and partnering with Banxa.

There are some users who have expressed their concerns and a desire to share feedback about the exchange's assets reserves, following the collapse of another major cryptocurrency exchange. This has led to increased attention on exchanges like FAMEEX to provide proof of assets audits. FAMEEX has always made user protection a priority, from implementing secure multi-area storage strategies and global asset management to now providing proof of assets for users to verify on the platform. This demonstrates the exchange's commitment to prioritizing user safety and security, which extends beyond just protection from exploits and includes transparency, fairness, and honesty in all interactions with users. FAMEEX has consistently stated that its primary focus is the safety of its users and their assets. By assuring users that the reserves exceed user asset balances, FAMEEX has proven that it stands by this commitment.

The feedback provided by the participants was invaluable in guiding FAMEEX's efforts to continually improve the platform and provide the best possible experience for its users. As a result of the campaign, several areas for improvement were identified and changes have already begun to be implemented. These changes are expected to further solidify FAMEEX's position as a secure exchange in the cryptocurrency space. The FAMEEX exchange is committed to continue serving its users and providing them with a secure and seamless trading experience.

About FAMEEX

Launched in 2020. FAMEEX is a global cryptocurrency exchange that currently provides fiat-crypto, crypto-crypto, grid trading, futures, options, margin, spot and a hugely popular referral and affiliate program. With more than 300,000 users across 50 countries and regions. FAMEEX provides a secure, stable and efficient 24/7 trading platform.

Currently, FAMEEX is undergoing rapid expansion of the user base and is a reliable crypto exchange broker which operates under a policy of transparency and fairness. Moreover, the trading platform offers a high level of sophistication, with plenty of engaging trade choices to help traders accomplish their goals.

In addition, FAMEEX keeps pushing the boundaries of the crypto exchange industry, exploring frontier growth opportunities and strengthening core competencies, expanding into adjacent product offerings and developing innovative business models that lead the way in bringing Web3 solutions into the crypto ecosystem including recruiting more Web3 developers and researchers to enrich the Web3 product that will support those visionary traders.

Find FAMEEX on:

Website: https://www.fameex.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FameexGlobal

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FAMEEX

Telegram: https://t.me/fameexgroup

Discord: https://discord.gg/V8yvKPxVCk

Trade on-the-go with the FAMEEX app ( iOS/Android )

Contact Name: Siran

Email: mia@mail.fameex.info

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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PLANO, Texas, Jan. 31, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Integer Holdings Corporation (the Company, Integer) (NYSE: ITGR) today announced that it has priced an offering of $435 million aggregate principal amount of 2.125% convertible senior notes due 2028 (the Convertible Notes). The offering was upsized from the previously announced offering size of $375 million aggregate principal amount of Convertible Notes. The Company granted to the initial purchasers of the Convertible Notes an option to purchase up to an additional $65 million aggregate principal amount of the Convertible Notes for settlement within a 13-day period beginning on, and including, the first day on which the Convertible Notes are issued. The offering is expected to close on February 3, 2023, subject to customary closing conditions.



In connection with the pricing of the Convertible Notes, the Company has entered into privately negotiated capped call transactions with certain financial institutions, including one or more of the initial purchasers of the Convertible Notes and/or their respective affiliates (the option counterparties). The cap price of the capped call transactions will initially be approximately $108.59 per share, which represents a premium of approximately 65% over the last reported sale price of the Companys common stock of $65.81 per share on January 31, 2023, and will be subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments.

The Company anticipates that the aggregate net proceeds from the offering will be approximately $422.2 million (or approximately $485.4 million if the initial purchasers of the Convertible Notes exercise their option to purchase additional Convertible Notes in full), after deducting the initial purchasers discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by the Company. The Company intends to use approximately $30.5 million of the net proceeds from the offering to pay the cost of the capped call transactions. If the initial purchasers of the Convertible Notes exercise their option to purchase additional Convertible Notes, the Company expects to use a portion of the net proceeds from the sale of the additional Convertible Notes to enter into additional capped call transactions with the option counterparties. The Company intends to use the remainder of the net proceeds from the offering to repay borrowings and any accrued and unpaid interest under the Companys term B loan (the TLB Facility) under the Companys credit agreement, and any prepayment premium, penalty or other amount, if any, due in connection with such repayment, and for general corporate purposes, including the repayment of other debt. The Companys repayment of the TLB Facility will reduce its exposure to floating rate debt and bring more predictability to its cash interest expense obligations.

The Convertible Notes will be senior unsecured obligations of the Company, and will accrue interest at a rate of 2.125% per annum, payable semi-annually in arrears on February 15 and August 15 of each year, beginning on August 15, 2023. The Convertible Notes will mature on February 15, 2028, unless earlier repurchased, redeemed or converted. Prior to November 15, 2027, the Convertible Notes will be convertible only upon satisfaction of certain conditions and during certain periods, and thereafter, the Convertible Notes will be convertible at any time until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately preceding the maturity date. The Convertible Notes will be convertible, on the terms set forth in the indenture, into cash up to the aggregate principal amount of the Convertible Notes to be converted and cash, shares of the Companys common stock or a combination of cash and shares of the Companys common stock, at the Companys election, in respect of the remainder, if any, of the Companys conversion obligation in excess of the aggregate principal amount of the Convertible Notes being converted. The conversion rate will initially be 11.4681 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount of Convertible Notes (equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately $87.20 per share of Common Stock). The initial conversion price of the Convertible Notes represents a premium of approximately 32.5% to the $65.81 closing price of the Companys common stock on January 31, 2023. The conversion rate will be subject to adjustment in certain circumstances. In addition, following certain corporate events that occur prior to the maturity date or the Companys delivery of a notice of redemption, the Company will increase, in certain circumstances, the conversion rate for a holder who elects to convert its Convertible Notes in connection with such a corporate event or notice of redemption, as the case may be.

The Company may not redeem the Convertible Notes prior to February 20, 2026. The Company may redeem for cash all or any portion of the Convertible Notes, at its option, on or after February 20, 2026, if the last reported sale price of the Companys common stock has been at least 130% of the conversion price then in effect for at least 20 trading days (whether or not consecutive) during any 30 consecutive trading day period (including the last trading day of such period) ending on, and including, the trading day immediately preceding the date on which the Company provides notice of redemption at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Convertible Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date.

If the Company undergoes a fundamental change (as defined in the indenture governing the Convertible Notes), subject to certain conditions, holders may require the Company to repurchase for cash all or part of their Convertible Notes at a repurchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Convertible Notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the fundamental change repurchase date.

The capped call transactions are expected generally to reduce potential dilution to the Companys common stock upon conversion of any Convertible Notes and/or offset any cash payments the Company is required to make in excess of the principal amount of converted Convertible Notes, as the case may be, with such reduction and/or offset subject to a cap.

In connection with establishing their initial hedges of the capped call transactions, the Company expects the option counterparties or their respective affiliates to purchase shares of the Companys common stock and/or enter into various derivative transactions with respect to the Companys common stock concurrently with or shortly after the pricing of the Convertible Notes. This activity could increase (or reduce the size of any decrease in) the market price of the Companys common stock or the Convertible Notes at that time. In addition, the option counterparties or their respective affiliates may modify their hedge positions by entering into or unwinding various derivatives with respect to the Companys common stock and/or purchasing or selling shares of the Companys common stock or securities of the Company in secondary market transactions following the pricing of the Convertible Notes and prior to the maturity of the Convertible Notes (and are likely to do so on each exercise date for the capped call transactions or following any termination of any portion of the capped call transactions in connection with any repurchase, redemption or early conversion of the Convertible Notes). This activity could also cause or avoid an increase or decrease in the market price of the Companys common stock or the Convertible Notes, which could affect holders of the Convertible Notes ability to convert the Convertible Notes and, to the extent the activity occurs following conversion of the Convertible Notes or during any observation period related to a conversion of the Convertible Notes, it could affect the amount and value of the consideration that holders of the Convertible Notes will receive upon conversion of such Convertible Notes.

The Convertible Notes will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws. The Convertible Notes were offered only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A under the Securities Act.

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 these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About Integer

Integer Holdings Corporation (NYSE: ITGR) is one of the largest medical device outsource (MDO) manufacturers in the world serving the cardiac, neuromodulation, vascular, portable medical and orthopedics markets. The Company provides innovative, high-quality medical technologies that enhance the lives of patients worldwide. In addition, the Company develops batteries for high-end niche applications in energy, military, and environmental markets. The Companys brands include Greatbatch Medical, Lake Region Medical and Electrochem.

Contact Information

Tony Borowicz

Senior Vice President, Investor Relations

716.759.5809

tony.borowicz@integer.net

Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

You can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as outlook, projected, may, will, should, could, expect, intends, plans, anticipates, believes, estimates, predicts, potential, project, or continue or variations or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions. Actual events or results may differ materially from those stated or implied by these forward-looking statements. In evaluating these statements and the Companys prospects, you should carefully consider the factors set forth below.

Although it is not possible to create a comprehensive list of all factors that may cause actual results to differ from the results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or that may affect the Companys future results, some of these factors and other risks and uncertainties that arise from time to time are described in Item 1A Risk Factors of the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K and in its other periodic filings with the SEC and include the following:

operational risks, such as the duration, scope and impact of global supply chain issues, the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and the COVID-19 pandemic, including the evolving health, economic, social and governmental environments and the effect of the pandemic on the Companys associates, suppliers and customers as well as the global economy; its dependence upon a limited number of customers; pricing pressures that the Company faces from customers; its reliance on third party suppliers for raw materials, key products and subcomponents; the competitive labor market and its ability to attract, train and retain a sufficient number of qualified associates; the potential for harm to its reputation caused by quality problems related to its products; the dependence of its energy market-related revenues on the conditions in the oil and natural gas industry; interruptions in its manufacturing operations; its dependence upon its information technology systems and its ability to prevent cyber-attacks and other failures; and its dependence upon its senior management team and technical personnel;





strategic risks, such as the intense competition the Company faces and its ability to successfully market its products; its ability to respond to changes in technology; its ability to develop new products and expand into new geographic and product markets; and its ability to successfully identify, make and integrate acquisitions to expand and develop its business in accordance with expectations;





financial risks, such as the Companys significant amount of outstanding indebtedness and its ability to remain in compliance with financial and other covenants under its senior secured credit facilities; economic and credit market uncertainties that could interrupt its access to capital markets, borrowings or financial transactions; financial and market risks related to its international operations and sales; its complex international tax profile; and its ability to realize the full value of its intangible assets; and





legal and compliance risks, such as regulatory issues resulting from product complaints, recalls or regulatory audits; the potential of becoming subject to product liability or intellectual property claims; the Companys ability to protect its intellectual property and proprietary rights; its ability and the cost to comply with environmental regulations; its ability to comply with customer-driven policies and third party standards or certification requirements; its ability to obtain necessary licenses for new technologies; legal and regulatory risks from its international operations; and the fact that the healthcare industry is highly regulated and subject to various regulatory changes.



Except as may be required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements in this press release whether to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes in future operating results, financial conditions or prospects, or otherwise.




eureKARE welcomes Dirac Biosciences as first company into its biomedical start-up studio

Innovative gene circuit technology has the potential to detect and treat cancerous and other diseased cells

Luxembourg, Belgium, and Paris, France  1 February 2023: eureKARE, an innovative investment company for disruptive synthetic biology applications, welcomes Dirac Biosciences, the first company to be supported and housed in its biomedical start-up studio in Brussels, Belgium. Dirac Biosciences is applying advanced synthetic biology tools to create next generation therapeutics.

Gene circuits allow cells to be programmed in very specific ways, enabling a targeted response to specific activity happening inside a cell or in its external environment. Diracs circuit technology enables the building of next-generation therapeutics that could adapt to changing states of disease. This means that they would have the ability to become active in very specific contexts and tailor the treatment delivered within the body in real-time.

Dirac Biosciences has been co-founded by eureKARE, the Technical University of Darmstadt (TUDA), Germany, and Prof. Dr. Heinz Koeppl from the Centre for Synthetic Biology of TUDA. The Centre is well recognized in the European synthetic biology community for excellent and relevant science in this emerging and disruptive field, with special expertise in advanced computational tools and models.

Diracs initial focus is on oncology. According to World Health Organization and World Cancer Research Fund International reports, in 2020, 18.1 million people were diagnosed with cancer and nearly 10 million lost their lives to it. In Europe, the overall economic impact of cancer is estimated to exceed 100 billion annually and mortality is set to increase by more than 29% by 2040. Unless decisive action is taken, this clinical and economic burden will grow. These figures support why early cancer detection and appropriate therapy are key public health priorities in the 21st century.

In this context, Dirac Biosciences is developing an innovative synthetic biology-based technology with two major goals: (1) To create a computational platform for the rapid design of gene circuits for different targets or cancer types; (2) To build circuits that can detect cancer early in the development of the disease and to increase the specificity of anti-cancer therapy. The companys cutting-edge gene circuits aim to sense cancer biomarkers associated with poor prognosis and metastasis development and treat only diseased cells. Dirac Biosciences technology would include several competitive advantages, including the capacity to design next-generation therapeutics that address cancer in a faster and more cost-efficient way as well with a low toxicity profile due to the ability to distinguish between healthy and diseased cells.

eureKAREs Biomedical Start-up Studio

eureKAREs biomedical start-up studio is focused on creating the next generation of cell and gene therapies using disruptive synthetic biology tools and approaches. The studio in Belgium is part of eureKAREs synthetic biology studio network, a new model of start-up creation and development which nurtures high-quality European synthetic biology. It acts as a catalyst, enabling scientists to transform their discoveries into ground-breaking businesses. eureKARE aims to nurture young innovations into successful companies, empowering scientists with the right resources, access to funding, as well as both academic and scientific know-how.

Alexandre Mouradian, Chairman, Founder, and Chief Executive Officer of eureKARE, commented: Welcoming the first company into our biomedical start-up studio in Belgium marks a significant milestone for eureKARE. These synthetic biology concepts hold real potential for the treatment of cancer and other diseases of major concern. The strength of the science and potential of the project leaders behind this company is a testament to our studio approach where we source untapped European innovation and nurture it into successful business.

Dr. Georges Rawadi, Chief of Biotech Studio Development at eureKARE, commented: Our start-up studio strategy enables us to act as a bridge between academia and industry to transform innovation into companies. I am delighted to be working alongside Dr. Heinz Koeppl from TUDA to provide the necessary support to progress this great project and realize its full potential. Todays news reflects the momentum at eureKARE and I look forward to supporting future companies across our start-up studio network.

Prof. Dr. Heinz Koeppl, Director and Founding Member of the Centre for Synthetic Biology at TUDA, commented: The significant support we have received from eureKARE and TUDA is evidence of the importance  and even urgency  of equipping medicine with novel and disruptive tools that improve disease diagnosis, therapy and prognosis. The long-term vision I have for Dirac Biosciences is to design, test and optimize synthetic biology-based therapeutics by using advanced computer modeling and data-driven AI-based techniques, to make it ever faster and more effective.

- Ends -

About eureKARE

eureKARE is an investment company focused on financing and developing synthetic biology innovation across Europe. Driven by the belief that synthetic biology holds the key to many of the worlds most pressing health and environmental challenges, eureKAREs experienced team is focused on harnessing untapped leadership in the field to build the companies of the future. eureKARE is championing a new model of start-up creation and development to create a dynamic ecosystem of early and later-stage ventures through its network of biotech studios. eureKAREs studios act as a bridge between academia and industry, helping to catalyze the commercialization of innovations while giving young startups access to all the ingredients they need to grow, prosper, and bring benefits to society.

Contacts

eureKARE SA

Michelle Wilson-Andre, Head of Communications

michelle.wilson@eurekare.eu

Consilium Strategic Communications  Media Relations

eurekare@consilium-comms.com





Please click here for the press release in French
SALT LAKE CITY, UT, ROCHESTER, NY, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CallTower has been named Global Partner Rising Star by Five9, a leading provider of the intelligent cloud contact center. The Five9 2022 Global Partner Awards recognize the achievements of the Five9 global ecosystem of channel partners, Systems Integrators, strategic alliance partners, and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs).

We are excited to be recognized by Five9 as the Rising Star of 2022 in their Global Partner Awards, says CallTower Chief Revenue Officer, William Rubio. Our partnership speaks for itself  weve worked hard to make sure our unified communication solutions combined with Five9 Cloud Contact Center meet the collaborative needs of our global customer base, and that they can manage everything seamlessly with our CallTower Connect admin portal.

Five9 brings the power of cloud innovation to more than 2500 customers worldwide and facilitates billions of call minutes annually. The Five9 Intelligent Cloud Contact Center provides digital engagement, analytics, workflow automation, workforce optimization, and practical AI to create more human customer experiences, engage and empower agents, and deliver tangible business results.

The growing Five9 partner ecosystem reflects the companys build with philosophy and the recognition that delivering customer engagement solutions of the future will require co-innovating with software and service providers that can extend Five9 capabilities, as well as its reach.

At Five9, we recognize that our partners play a key role in delivering excellence, said Jake Butterbaugh, Senior Vice President, Global Partner Organization, Five9. Our partnerships of all types and sizes are critical to our success. Moreover, our partnerships are critical to our mutual customers successes, and our 2022 would not have been the same without [Partner Company Name]. We congratulate and thank them, along with all our 2022 Five9 Global Partner Award winners, and look forward to many more reasons to celebrate in 2023.

To learn more about the Five9 2022 Global Partner Award winners, click here.

About CallTower

Since its inception in 2002, CallTower has evolved into a global cloud-based, enterprise-class Unified Communications, Contact Center and Collaboration solutions provider for growing organizations worldwide. CallTower provides, integrates and supports industry-leading solutions, including Operator Connect Microsoft Teams, Teams Direct Routing, GCC High Teams Direct Routing, Office 365, , Cisco Webex Calling / UCM, Cisco CCPP, Zoom (BYOC), CT Cloud UCaaS and four contact center options, including Five9 for business customers.

For more information contact: marketing@calltower.com

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Dublin, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Green Hydrogen Market - A Global and Regional Analysis: Focus on Application, Technology - Analysis and Forecast, 2022-2031" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global green hydrogen market was valued at $227.7 million in 2021 and is projected to reach $108.64 billion by 2031, registering a CAGR of 68.9% between 2022 and 2031 in terms of value.

Green hydrogen is a hydrogen-produced fuel obtained from the electrolysis of water with electricity generated by renewable energy sources. Hydrogen is one of the prominent energy carriers that can be used in different applications, such as oil and gas, industrial feedstock, mobility, and power generation.

Various countries and regions, including Europe, the U.K., China, South Korea, Japan, Canada, South Africa, and the U.S., have adopted net zero objectives. These developments of national and international ""net zero"" objectives has been one of the most noteworthy characteristics of climate policy in recent years. Renewables and batteries can help to decarbonize power generation and the automobile industry. Heating may also be decarbonized in some areas by using heat pumps driven by renewable energy.

Market Lifecycle Stage

The green hydrogen market has been developing significantly since early 2000, and much has been attributed to the technological advancements in this field. The ecosystem of the green hydrogen market comprises technology suppliers, green hydrogen producers, and end users. The market is still developing, with Europe at the forefront, followed by other regions such as North America, Asia-Pacific, the U.K., China, and Rest-of-the-World.

Industrial Impact

Green hydrogen is one of the gases with an increase in demand from the petroleum refining industry due to its function in different refining processes such as hydrocracking, hydroisomerization, hydrodealkylation, and hydrodesulfurization, and it has a high impact on the oil and gas sector.

Furthermore, green hydrogen has a moderate to high impact on the industrial feedstock sector, as green hydrogen is used in the production of ammonia, methanol, steel, and other industrial products.

Recent Developments in Green Hydrogen Market

In August 2022, Linde inaugurated the world's first hydrogen refuelling system for passenger trains in Bremervorde, Germany. The company's hydrogen refuelling system has been designed and constructed with the ability to integrate future on-site green hydrogen generation.

In March 2022, Air Liquide received support from the French State, subject to final validation by the European Commission, to launch its Air Liquide Normand'Hy large-scale renewable hydrogen production project. This electrolyzer of an initial 200 MW capacity, which should notably provide renewable hydrogen to TotalEnergies' Normandy refinery and will use Siemens Energy technology.

In November 2022, Air Products and Associated British Ports (ABP) partnered to bring the first large-scale, green hydrogen production facility to the U.K. The facility would import green ammonia from production locations operated by Air Products and its partners around the world. This would be used to produce green hydrogen, which would decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors such as transport and industry.

Market Segmentation



Application:Oil and gas is anticipated to be one of the prominent end-use markets for green hydrogen during the forecast period 2022-2031.

Technology:Based on technology, the green hydrogen market is estimated to be led by alkaline electrolyzer during the forecast period, 2022-2031.

Region:In the global green hydrogen market, Europe and North America are anticipated to gain traction in terms of green hydrogen production, owing to the continuous growth in the oil and gas industry and the presence of the world's largest manufacturers in those regions.

Key Market Players and Competition Synopsis

Green hydrogen is mainly being utilized in the oil & gas, and mobility industry. At present, hydrogen production mainly relies on natural gas and coal, accounting for 99 percent of production. Electrolysis produces approximately 1 percent of global hydrogen. At present, renewable energy does not produce a large amount of hydrogen, and green hydrogen is mostly limited to demonstration projects.

Key Metrics

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 223 Forecast Period 2022 - 2031 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2022 $696.73 Million Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2031 $108637.15 Million Compound Annual Growth Rate 68.9% Regions Covered Global

Key Companies Profiled

Linde

Air Liquide

Air Products Inc.

ENGIE

Uniper SE

Siemens Energy

Green Hydrogen

Cummins Inc.

Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation

Nel ASA

SGH2 Energy Global, LLC

PLUG POWER INC.

Aker Horizons

HY2GEN AG

Fusion-Fuel

Key Topics Covered:

1 Markets

1.1 Industry Outlook

1.1.1 Trends: Current and Future

1.2 Industry Attractiveness

1.2.3 Patent Analysis

1.3 Product Benchmarking, By Technology, 2021

1.4 Pricing Analysis: Global and Regional

1.5 Market Dynamics

1.5.1 Market Driver

1.5.1.1 Increasing Awareness Regarding Green Hydrogen

1.5.1.2 Low Variable Renewable Energy (VRE) Electricity Cost

1.5.2 Market Restraint

1.5.2.1 High Cost of Production

1.5.2.2 Limited Dedicated Transport Infrastructure

1.5.3 Market Opportunity

1.5.3.1 Scaling Up of Technologies

1.5.3.2 Government Initiatives for Zero Emission Systems

1.5.4 Business and Corporate Strategies

1.5.4.1 Key Market Development and Strategies

1.5.4.2 Product Launches and Developments

1.5.4.3 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Contracts

1.5.4.4 Business Expansions

1.5.4.5 Mergers, Acquisitions, and Joint Ventures

1.5.4.6 Other Key Developments

1.6 Snapshot of Water Electrolysis Market

1.6.1 Leading Countries in the Water Electrolysis Market

1.6.2 Leading Companies in the Water Electrolysis Market

1.6.3 Water Electrolysis Market Projections

1.7 Snapshot of Green Ammonia Market

1.7.1 Leading Countries in the Green Ammonia Market

1.7.2 Leading Companies in the Green Ammonia Market

1.7.3 Green Ammonia Market Projections

1.8 Snapshot of Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) Market

1.8.1 Leading Countries in the Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) Market

1.8.2 Leading Companies in the Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) Market

1.8.3 Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) Projections

1.9 Snapshot of Green Methanol Market

1.9.1 Leading Countries in the Green Methanol Market

1.9.2 Leading Companies in Green Methanol Market

1.9.3 Green Methanol Projections

1.1 Start-Up Landscape

1.10.1 Key Start-Ups in the Ecosystem

1.11 List of Key Operational and Upcoming Projects, Green Hydrogen

2 Application

2.1 Global Green Hydrogen Market (by Application)

2.2 Demand Analysis of the Global Green Hydrogen Market (by Application), Value and Volume Data

2.2.1 Oil and Gas

2.2.1.1 Hydrocracking

2.2.1.2 Hydroisomerization

2.2.1.3 Hydrodealkylation

2.2.1.4 Hydrodesulfurization

2.2.2 Industrial Feedstock

2.2.2.1 Ammonia

2.2.2.2 Methanol

2.2.2.3 Steel

2.2.2.4 Others

2.2.3 Mobility

2.2.4 Power Generation

2.2.5 Others

3 Products

3.1 Global Green Hydrogen Market (by Technology)

3.2 Demand Analysis of Global Green Hydrogen Market (by Technology), Value and Volume Data

3.2.1 Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Electrolyzer

3.2.2 Alkaline Electrolyzer

3.2.3 Anion Exchange Membrane

3.2.4 Solid Oxide Electrolyzer

4 Region

4.1 Market

4.1.1 Key Manufacturers and Suppliers

4.1.2 Business Drivers

4.1.3 Business Challenges

4.2 Applications

4.2.1 Green Hydrogen Market (by Application), Value and Volume Data

4.3 Product

4.3.1 Green Hydrogen Market (by Technology), Value and Volume Data

4.4 By Country

5 Markets - Competitive Benchmarking & Company Profiles

5.1 Competitive Benchmarking

5.1.1 Competitive Position Matrix

5.1.2 Market Share Analysis of Key Companies

5.2 Company Profiles

5.2.1 Company Overview

5.2.2 Product Portfolio

5.2.3 Corporate Strategies

5.2.4 Production Sites and R&D Analysis

5.2.5 Strength of the Company in Green Hydrogen Market

5.2.6 Weakness of the Company in Green Hydrogen Market

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/3zodan-hydrogen?w=12

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Attachment
Dublin, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Battery Manufacturing Equipment Market - A Global and Regional Analysis: Focus on Application, Equipment by Process, Battery Type, and Region - Analysis and Forecast, 2022-2031" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global battery manufacturing equipment market is projected to reach $88,093.50 million by 2031 from $9,439.22 million in 2021, growing at a CAGR of 27.12% during the forecast period 2022-2031.

China dominated the global battery manufacturing equipment market in 2021 due to the presence of a large electric vehicle industry, leading industry players across the supply chain, and a fast-developing economy.

Market Lifecycle Stage

The battery manufacturing equipment market is in the developing phase. The rising demand for batteries from electric vehicles along with increasing consumer awareness of environmental issues is leading to the development of the battery manufacturing equipment market. Batteries are springing up as a vital component in the evolution toward a more stable future due to their involvement in electrifying mobility and balancing power networks.

Industry Impact

Some of the factors behind the expansion of the global battery manufacturing equipment market are increased usage of batteries in automotive, consumer electronics, healthcare, energy and power, etc. With the rising demand for batteries in end-use industries expanding, the battery manufacturing equipment market is also expected to grow simultaneously.

Further, the recent focus green environment is creating demand and research scientists from across the world are striving to create new production methods or battery chemistries that can employ more widely accessible, ecologically acceptable components, but these innovations are not yet extensively used.

Recent Developments in the Global Battery Manufacturing Equipment Market

In May 2022, by aiding customers in the U.S. with battery manufacture, Xiamen Tmax Equipments maintained a favorable connection with them. It offered them the pouch cell pilot line, which comprises 52 machines ranging from mixing to testing. In accordance with the real requirements of the customer, Xiamen Tmax Equipments supplied complete solutions for the production of coin cells, cylinder cells, pouch cells, prismatic cells, and battery packs on a lab, pilot, and large-scale.

In June 2022, Wuxi Lead Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd. signed a contract with Volkswagen to deliver 20GWh lithium battery manufacturing equipment. The company would strengthen its presence in the European market and mark a new era of its global operation.

Market Segmentation



Application

Based on application, the automotive segment dominated the battery manufacturing equipment market in 2021 and was the largest segment due to the rising sales of electric vehicles across the globe. Favorable governmental regulations are the dominant driver fueling growth in the adoption of the automotive Li-ion battery. Officials from a multitude of separate nations are collaborating with automobile manufacturers to seek solutions to the escalating issues of ecological sustainability and the clean energy balance.

Equipment by Process

Based on equipment by process, the electrode manufacturing segment held the majority share in the battery manufacturing equipment market in the year 2021 as it is the most intricate part of the process. It is the initial step in the process, and the complete value chain of the battery is dependent on it. Further, the maximum amount of energy consumption happens at this stage.

Battery Type

Based on battery type, the lithium-ion segment held the majority share in the battery manufacturing equipment market in 2021. Lithium-ion batteries are a preferred source of power for low-carbon technologies such as electric vehicles. Due to their quantity of energy, they can retain in a relatively small area, charging capabilities, and propensity to remain functional after hundreds, if not thousands, of charge cycles.

These batteries are an essential component of the present drive to phase out gas-powered automobiles that release carbon dioxide and other carbon pollution. Furthermore, these batteries are excellent choices for power storage for the electric grid due to their similar qualities.

Region

China dominates the battery manufacturing equipment market due to the presence of a large electric vehicle industry, leading industry players across the supply chain, and a fast-developing economy. The region holds the majority of lithium-ion reserves in the world and has the potential to utilize them in various end-use industries such as automotive, consumer electronics, and others.

Key Metrics

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 217 Forecast Period 2022 - 2031 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2022 $10166.04 Million Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2031 $88093.5 Million Compound Annual Growth Rate 27.1% Regions Covered Global

Some prominent names established in this market are:

Wuxi Lead Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd.

SHENZHEN YINGHE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

Targray

Xiamen Tmax Equipments

DAIICHI JITSUGYO CO., LTD. (DJA)

SOVEMA GROUP S.p.A.

Battery Technology Source Co. Ltd. (BTS)

Hitachi High-Tech Corporation

CKD

Manz AG

Wirtz Manufacturing

Buhler

HIRANO TECSEED Co., Ltd

Foshan Golden Milky Way Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd. (GMK)

Readco Kurimoto, LLC

Lyric

Shanghai Putailai New Energy Technology Co., Ltd.

Super Components

Key Topics Covered:

1 Markets

1.1 Industry Outlook

1.1.1 Trends: Current and Future

1.1.1.1 Increasing Customer Awareness regarding Electric Vehicles

1.1.1.2 Increase in Initiatives Promoting Equipment-as-a-Service

1.1.1.3 Increasing Awareness among People regarding Environmental Issues

1.1.2 Supply Chain Network/MAP

1.1.3 Ecosystem/Ongoing Programs

1.1.3.1 Consortiums and Associations

1.1.3.2 Regulatory Bodies

1.1.3.3 Government Programs

1.1.3.4 Programs by Research Institutions and Universities

1.1.4 Key Start-Up Landscape

1.1.4.1 Key Start-Ups in the Ecosystem

1.1.4.2 Funding Analysis

1.1.5 Impact of COVID-19 on the Battery Manufacturing Equipment Market

1.1.6 Analysis of Major Tactics that can be Used by the Manufacturers for Competing with the Existing Players

1.1.7 Snapshot of the Electric Vehicles Market

1.1.7.4 Global Electric Vehicles Market Projection for the Forecast Period

1.1.8 Snapshot of Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Market

1.2 Business Dynamics

1.2.1 Business Drivers

1.2.1.1 Rising Demand for Electric Vehicles (EVs)

1.2.1.2 Government Initiatives to Reduce Carbon Footprints and e-Waste

1.2.1.3 Rising Usage of Batteries in Energy Storage and Tracking Systems

1.2.2 Business Challenges

1.2.2.1 Rising Cost and Competitive Pressure for Battery Equipment Manufactures

1.2.2.2 Logistics and Supply Chain Risks

1.2.3 Business Strategies

1.2.3.1 Product Developments

1.2.3.2 Market Developments

1.2.4 Corporate Strategies

1.2.4.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Joint Ventures

1.2.5 Business Opportunities

1.2.5.1 Growing Demand for Lithium-Ion Batteries

1.2.5.2 Growing Battery Production in the Europe and Asia-Pacific (APAC) Regions

2 Application

2.1 Battery Manufacturing Equipment Market (by Application)

2.1.1 Automotive

2.1.2 Consumer Electronics

2.1.3 Energy and Power

2.1.4 Others

2.2 Demand Analysis of Battery Manufacturing Equipment Market (by Application), $Million, 2021-2031

3 Product

3.1 Battery Manufacturing Equipment Market (by Product)

3.2 Battery Manufacturing Equipment Market (by Equipment by Process)

3.2.1 Electrode Manufacturing

3.2.2 Cell Assembly

3.2.3 Cell Finishing

3.3 Demand Analysis of Battery Manufacturing Equipment Market (by Equipment by Process), $Million, 2021-2031

3.4 Battery Manufacturing Equipment Market (by Battery Type)

3.4.1 Lithium-Ion

3.4.2 Lead Acid

3.4.3 Nickel Cadmium

3.4.4 Nickel Metal Hydride

3.4.5 Others

3.5 Demand Analysis of Battery Manufacturing Equipment Market (by Battery Type), $Million, 2021-2031

3.6 Product Benchmarking: Growth Rate - Market Share Matrix, 2021

3.7 Patent Analysis

4 Region

4.1 Market

4.1.1 Key Manufacturers/Suppliers

4.1.2 Business Challenges

4.1.3 Business Drivers

4.2 Application

4.2.1 Demand Analysis of Battery Manufacturing Equipment Market (by Application), $Million, 2021-2031

4.3 Product

4.3.1 Demand Analysis of Battery Manufacturing Equipment Market (by Equipment by Process), $Million, 2021-2031

4.3.2 Demand Analysis of Battery Manufacturing Equipment Market (by Battery Type), $Million, 2021-2031

4.4 Country-Level Analysis

5 Markets - Competitive Benchmarking & Company Profiles

5.1 Competitive Benchmarking

5.1.1 Competitive Positioning Matrix

5.1.2 Market Share Analysis

5.2 Company Profiles

5.2.1 Company Overview

5.2.1.1 Role in the Battery Manufacturing Equipment Market

5.2.1.2 Product Portfolio

5.2.1.3 Corporate Strategies

5.2.1.4 Analyst View

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/zadnw2

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Attachment
Dublin, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Trust and Corporate Service Market: Analysis By Alternative Asset, By Segment (Corporates, Funds SPV, High Net-worth Individuals, and Others), By Region Size And Trends With Impact Of COVID-19 And Forecast up to 2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global trust and corporate service market were valued at US$11.39 billion in 2022. The market value is expected to reach US$15.25 billion by 2028.

The trust and corporate services provide a broad range of administration services to lend assistance to its clients to set up, structure, and manage their financial and investment decision. The trust and corporate service market is mainly focused on stable countries with high regulations.

The market has been driven by a highly qualified workforce, high-value services, personal relationships between clients and service providers, and increased globalization.

The factors that are expected to contribute to the market growth in the coming years include rising household wealth, greater corporate and tax regulation, as well as, more outsourcing of administrative services by private equities and real estate funds. The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of approx. 5% during the forecasted period of 2023-2028.

Market Dynamics:

Growth Drivers: The global trust and corporate service market growth is predicted to be supported by numerous growth drivers such as escalating global GDP per capita, growing global HNWI wealth, growing opportunity in pension assets, high client retention rate, an increasing number of sovereign investors, upsurge in outsourcing, and many other factors. In recent years, the advent of new sovereign investors has directed the trust and corporate industry toward a huge demand raise for alternative asset management. The trust and corporate service providers are expected to generate innovative investment opportunities, financial arrangements, advisory relationships, and comprehensive funds which consent the sovereign investors to meet their objectives even in less developed countries.

Challenges: However, the market growth would be negatively impacted by various challenges such as unstable globalization and FDI, failure of client relationship, shuddering global consumer confidence, increasing cyber threat, etc.

Trends: The market is projected to grow at a fast pace during the forecast period, due to various latest trends such as modifications in regulations, political and economic ambiguities, improvement and advancement in technology infrastructure, etc. The dynamic nature of technology has resulted in the execution of some new inventions in the trust and corporate service industry. Like any other industry, modification in the current technology is of top priority in the trust and corporate service market. It is the technology that stimulates the automatic exchange of data. One of the primary components of trust and corporate services is security and asset protection with the use of technology, for example Robo-advisory, KYC by voice recognition, etc. These technological tools are anticipated to further grow and reach every inch of the market.

Impact Analysis of COVID-19 and Way Forward:

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a considerable decline in business activities and hence a decline in the income of individuals. Therefore, demand for trust and corporate service providers observed a hit as the numbers of high-income-generating individuals plummeted. This has led to a slowdown in the demand for experienced personnel's needed for the management of finances such as structuring of their wealth, tax fillings, administrative services, and much more, thus hampering the overall growth of the market in 2020. However, the market experienced growth in 2021 with a gradual resumption of business activities as COVID-19 cases declined.

Competitive Landscape:

The global trust and corporate services market is highly fragmented. The key players in the global trust and corporate services market are:

Intertrust Group

JTC plc

TMF Sapphire Midco B.V. (TMF Group)

M&T Bank Corporation (Wilmington Trust)

Tricor Group

American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC

Vistra

Cafico International

Apex Group Ltd. (Sanne Group)

Ocorian

IQ EQ Group Holdings S.a r.l.

Vivanco & Vivanco

Some of the strategies among key players in the market are mergers, acquisitions, and collaborations. For instance, in 2022, JTC announced that the company had completed the acquisition of New York Private Trust Company ("NYPTC"), a Delaware-chartered non-deposit trust company. On the other hand, TMF Group announced the acquisition of Etive Consulting, a UAE-based company providing compliance advisory, governance support, and AML services, among others.

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 141 Forecast Period 2023 - 2028 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023 $11.96 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2028 $15.25 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 5.0% Regions Covered Global

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary



2. Introduction

2.1 Trust and Corporate Service: An Overview

2.2 Trust and Corporate Service Functions: An Overview

2.2.1 Functions of Trust and Corporate Service Provider

2.3 Trust and Corporate Service Segmentation: An Overview

2.3.1 Trust and Corporate Service Segmentation



3. Global Market Analysis

3.1 Global Alternative Assets Market: An Analysis

3.1.1 Global Alternative Assets Market: An Overview

3.1.2 Global Alternative Assets Market by Value

3.1.3 Global Alternative Assets Market by Asset Under Management

3.2 Global Trust and Corporate Service Market: An Analysis

3.2.1 Global Trust and Corporate Service Market: An Overview

3.2.2 Global Trust and Corporate Service Market by Value

3.2.3 Global Trust and Corporate Service Market by Segment (Corporates, Funds SPV, High Net-worth Individuals, and Others)

3.2.4 Global Trust and Corporate Service Market by Region (North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa)

3.3 Global Trust and Corporate Service Market: Segment Analysis

3.3.1 Global Trust and Corporate Service Market by Segment: An Overview

3.3.2 Global Corporates Trust and Corporate Service Market by Value

3.3.3 Global Funds SPV Trust and Corporate Service Market by Value

3.3.4 Global HNW Individuals Trust and Corporate Service Market by Value

3.3.5 Global Other Trust and Corporate Service Market by Value

3.4 Global Fund Administrator Market by Number of Private Capital Funds Serviced

3.4.1 Global Fund Administrator Market by Number of Private Capital Funds Serviced



4. Regional Market Analysis



5. Impact of Covid-19

5.1 Impact of COVID-19 on Global Trust and Corporate Service Market

5.1.1 Impact on Market Growth

5.1.2 Most Common Sentiments of Private Equity Firms

5.1.3 Rising Complexity of Fund Structures

5.2 Post COVID-19 Impact on Global Trust and Corporate Service Market



6. Market Dynamics

6.1 Growth Drivers

6.1.1 Escalating Global GDP Per-Capita

6.1.2 Growing Global HNWI Wealth

6.1.3 Growing Opportunity in Pension Asset

6.1.4 High Client Retention Rate

6.1.5 Increasing Number of Sovereign Investors

6.1.6 Upsurge in Outsourcing

6.2 Challenges

6.2.1 Unstable Globalization and FDI

6.2.2 Failure of Client Relationship

6.2.3 Shuddering Global Consumer Confidence

6.2.4 Increasing Cyber Threat

6.2.5 Brexit Aftershocks

6.3 Market Trends

6.3.1 Modifications in Regulations

6.3.2 Political and Economic Ambiguities

6.3.3 Trust and Good Corporate Behavior

6.3.4 Low Entry Barriers

6.3.5 Improvement and Advancement in Technology Infrastructure

6.3.6 Strong Culture of Excellence



7. Competitive Landscape

7.1 Global Trust and Corporate Service Players by Market Share

7.2 Global Trust and Corporate Service Players by Market Structure

7.3 Global Trust and Corporate Service Market Players by Strategic Comparison



8. Company Profiles

8.1 Intertrust Group

8.1.1 Business Overview

8.1.2 Operating Segments

8.1.3 Revenue by Service Line

8.1.4 Business Strategies

8.2 JTC plc

8.2.1 Business Overview

8.2.2 Operating Segments

8.2.3 Business Strategies

8.3 TMF Sapphire Midco B.V. (TMF Group)

8.3.1 Business Overview

8.3.2 Revenue by Service Line

8.3.3 Business Strategies

8.4 M&T Bank Corporation (Wilmington Trust)

8.4.1 Business Overview

8.4.2 Revenue from Contracts with Customers

8.4.3 Business Strategies

8.5 Tricor Group

8.5.1 Business Overview

8.5.2 Business Strategies

8.6 American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC

8.6.1 Business Overview

8.6.2 Business Strategies

8.7 Vistra

8.7.1 Business Overview

8.7.2 Business Strategies

8.8 Cafico International

8.8.1 Business Overview

8.8.2 Business Strategies

8.9 Apex Group Ltd. (Sanne Group)

8.9.1 Business Overview

8.9.2 Business Strategies

8.10 Ocorian

8.10.1 Business Overview

8.10.2 Business Strategies

8.11 IQ EQ Group Holdings S.a r.l.

8.11.1 Business Overview

8.11.2 Business Strategies

8.12 Vivanco & Vivanco

8.12.1 Business Overview

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/6576hb-trust-and?w=12

Attachment
Dublin, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Finland Data Center Market - Investment Analysis & Growth Opportunities 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



Finland data center market is expected reach $1,255 Million in 2027, from $745 Million in 2021, growing at a CAGR of 9.08% during 2022-2027.

This report analyses the Finland data center market share. It elaboratively analyses the existing and upcoming facilities and investments in IT, electrical, mechanical infrastructure, general construction, and tier standards. It discusses market sizing and investment estimation for different segments.

Finland is continuously innovating and expanding its AI industry. AI/ML applications are being utilized to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy and provide smart decisions for energy harnessing from renewable sources. The country also has excellent submarine cable connectivity with around eight submarine cables and landing stations at places such as Hanko, Helsinki, Haradsholm, and others.



Finland's renewable energy stands at around 40% of its energy mix. The country has goals for carbon neutrality by the year 2035. There are upcoming renewable energy projects in the country for harnessing electricity from clean energy sources. Further, significant advancements in 5G across the country are leading to higher data generation.

Elisa, a telecommunication operator, stated its 5G network availability is available to 80% of the population across 182 locations. There is an immense shift towards digitalization which was highly fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic. The country's public and private organizations are noticing migrating workloads to the cloud. Around 75% of the enterprises in Finland make use of cloud services that are paid.

Key Metrics

Report Attribute Details Forecast Period 2021 - 2027 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2021 $745 Million Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2027 $1255 Million Compound Annual Growth Rate 9.0% Regions Covered Finland

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Finland is one of the fastest-growing data center markets in the Nordics. The growth is supported by factors such as the adoption or migration of cloud services, growing IoT and Big Data solutions, renewable energy procurement, adoption of AI/ML workloads, and others.

The country is one of the ideal places for developing facilities in Nordics which is supported by a dependable power grid, low latent high-speed data networks, and political stability. Helsinki is the primary data center hub in the country, with the highest number of facilities.

There is a significant scope for cloud service providers to penetrate the Finland data center market and open new cloud regions. Cloud giants such as Google and Microsoft have a presence and have planned to build data center regions in the country.

The operators are also adopting the district heating concepts, helping to utilize waste heat generated by facilities in nearby residential and commercial buildings. District heating connects 90% of building in the country. Microsoft's upcoming data center region will utilize the district heating concept for which it will partner with Fortum, a renewable energy provider.

There is immense growth in the ICT industry in Finland. The country has given birth to several start-ups, which keep innovating and growing with Finland's ICT industry, attracting operators to invest.

WHY SHOULD YOU BUY THIS RESEARCH?

Market size available in the investment, area, power capacity, and the Finland colocation market revenue.

An assessment of the investment in Finland by colocation and enterprise operators.

Investments in the area (square feet) and power capacity (MW) across locations in the country.

A detailed study of the existing market landscape, an in-depth industry analysis, and insightful predictions about the Finland data center market size during the forecast period.

Snapshot of existing and upcoming third-party data center facilities in Finland

Facilities Covered (Existing): 20

Facilities Identified (Upcoming): 1

Coverage: 2+ Locations

Existing vs. Upcoming (Area)

Existing vs. Upcoming (IT Load Capacity)

Data center colocation market in Finland

Market Revenue & Forecast (2021-2027)

Wholesale vs. Retail Revenue & Forecast (2021-2027)

Retail Colocation Pricing

Wholesale Colocation Pricing

The Finland market landscape investments are classified into IT, power, cooling, and general construction services with sizing and forecast.

A comprehensive analysis of the latest trends, growth rate, potential opportunities, growth restraints, and prospects for the industry.

Business overview and product offerings of prominent IT infrastructure providers, construction contractors, support infrastructure providers, and investors operating in the industry.

A transparent research methodology and the analysis of the demand and supply aspects of the market.

VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Some key investors in the Finland data center market include Equinix, Hetzner Online GmBh, Google, and Ficolo.

The Finland data center market will be heavily witnessing greenfield construction. Hyperscale providers put in significant investments, making them one of the major drivers for generating revenue for sub-contractors and general contractors in the market.

The industry has witnessed investments from some new market entrants, such as Microsoft, a major cloud service provider planning to construct facilities.

The construction contractors in the country have both global and local presence, supplying significant operators in the market - for instance, Fluor Corporation, Ramboll, and Kirby Engineering Group.

The data center investors are looking forward to entering the Finland market due to factors such as Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI). Finland is ranked as number one among the top EU Member states.

Major Vendors

IT Infrastructure Providers

Atos

Cisco Systems

Dell Technologies

Extreme Networks

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Huawei

IBM

Juniper Networks

NEC

Oracle

Data Center Construction Contractors & Sub-Contractors

AFRY

Fluor Corporation

Granlund Group

Kirby Engineering Group

Parviainen Arkkitehdit

RED

Ramboll

Royal Haskoning

Support Infrastructure Providers

ABB

Airedale International Air Conditioning

Caterpillar

Cummins

Delta Electronics

Eaton

HITEC Power Protection

Legrand

Rittal

Schneider Electric

STULZ

Trane

Vertiv

Data Center Investors

Equinix

Google

New Entrants

Hyperco

Microsoft

EXISTING VS. UPCOMING DATA CENTERS

Existing Facilities in the region (Area and Power Capacity)

Helsinki

Other Cities

List of Upcoming Facilities in the region (Area and Power Capacity)

REPORT COVERAGE:

The segmentation includes:

IT Infrastructure

Servers

Storage Systems

Network Infrastructure

Electrical Infrastructure

UPS Systems

Generators

Transfer Switches & Switchgears

PDUs

Other Electrical Infrastructure

Mechanical Infrastructure

Cooling Systems

Rack Cabinets

Other Mechanical Infrastructure

Cooling Systems

CRAC & CRAH Units

Chiller Units

Cooling Towers, Condensers & Dry Coolers

Economizers & Evaporative Coolers

Other Cooling Units

General Construction

Core & Shell Development

Installation & commissioning Services

Engineering & Building Design

Fire Detection & Suppression Systems

Physical Security

Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM)

Tier Standard

Tier I & Tier II

Tier III

Tier IV

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/8uweyg-data?w=12

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Attachment
TORONTO, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CHAR Technologies Ltd. (CHAR or the Company) (TSX Venture Exchange: YES) is pleased to announce that it has completed Phase 1 of the Thorold Renewable Natural Gas & Biocoal project with the initial production of biocoal in Thorold. Thanks to a $1,500,000 investment by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), CHAR has relocated and recommissioned its facility from London, Ontario, to the Thorold Multimodal Hub where it is now producing biocoal.



CHARs biocoal was developed in collaboration with Canadian industry and is a carbon neutral drop-in replacement for metallurgical steel making coal that provides significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction. Renewable natural gas (RNG) is a sustainable pipeline-quality gas, generated from wood residuals and organic wastes, that is fully interchangeable with conventional natural gas.

The Thorold project is on schedule, as CHAR now focuses on Phase 2 of the Project, which will increase CHARs biocoal production capacity from 1,000 tonnes to 10,000 tonnes/yr. Phase 3 will complete the project with the commencement of production of 500,000 GJ/yr of RNG, enough to heat 5,500 homes.

Yesterday CHAR and Bioveld Canada Inc, a BMI Group company and owner of the Thorold Multimodal Hub, hosted top executives from Canadian industry for a site tour to view the operational facility.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the Honourable Filomena Tassi, the Minister responsible for FedDev, for believing in our vision, said CHAR CEO, Andrew White. With Phase 1 complete, we can focus on scaling up the facility to reach its full potential as Canadas largest woody biomass to RNG and biocoal facility.

Were ambitious with what we do, said BMI Group Managing Partner, Paul Veldman. My brothers Justus and John share my ambition to develop the Thorold Multimodal Hub into a true bio-economy hub. CHAR Technologies is a welcomed asset as BMI continues to invest in developing the infrastructure to support Canadian innovation through our critical mineral hub strategy throughout Ontario.

Following the CHAR site tour Ontarios not for profit Center for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy (CRIBE) presented the NextFor Biocarbon for Heavy Industry Forum. CRIBE presented a much-anticipated Ontario forest biomass availability study that will directly support Ontario industries Net Zero decarbonization ambitions.

The Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario)

The Government of Canada is committed to supporting companies that are leading the charge on the development of innovative, clean solutions to help Canadians build a greener future for them and their families. Through investments, like the one today for CHAR Technologies Thorold Inc., we are creating skilled jobs and helping to grow the economy towards a cleaner, greener Canadian economy.

QUICK FACTS

The Government of Canada has provided more than $6 million for the project, including $1.5 million through FedDev Ontarios Jobs and Growth Fund and over $4.9 million through Natural Resource Canadas Investments in Forest Industry Transformation program.

The Government of Ontario has provided $6.4 million for the project through the Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program, a business support program designed to improve productivity and innovation, enhance competitiveness, support new market access and strengthen regional economies.

The Forest Biomass Action Plan is a five-year plan that encourages the use of forest biomass resources to secure jobs, support economic development and encourage sustainability in Ontarios forest sector. Forest biomass has many current and emerging uses, including as a source of low-carbon consumer products and renewable energy.

The forest sector generated $18 billion in revenue from the sale of manufactured goods and services in 2020 and supported more than 148,000 direct and indirect jobs in 2021.

Wood produced from Ontarios Crown forests is sustainably sourced and renewable. Wood is a renewable resource, a clean energy source, and a sustainable  and biodegradable  alternative to single-use plastics.



About CHAR Technologies Ltd.

CHAR Technologies Ltd. (TSXV:YES) first-in-kind high temperature pyrolysis (HTP) technology processes unmerchantable wood and organic wastes to simultaneously generate two renewable energy revenue streams, renewable natural gas (RNG) or green hydrogen and a solid biocoal that is a carbon neutral drop-in replacement for metallurgical steel making coal.

CHARs HTP is an ideal waste to energy solution that aligns with the global green energy transition by diverting waste from landfills and generating sustainable clean energy to decarbonize heavy industry.

About Thorold Multimodal Hub

The Thorold Multimodal Hub is a 500-acre multimodal industrial complex in Niagara, adjacent to the Welland Canal. Unique to Niagara, it features marine, rail and highway access, as well as more than 1,000,000 square feet of indoor warehouse and outdoor storage space, which can be configured to a wide variety of industrial, cargo handling and ancillary operations. The Hub comprises a 155-acre space owned by BMI Group., and additional space owned by Hamilton Oshawa Port Authority Ports.

About FedDev Ontario

For 13 years, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario , has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation, growth and job creation in Canadas most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving productivity, growing revenues, creating jobs, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the impacts the Agency is having in southern Ontario by exploring our pivotal projects, our Southern Ontario Spotlight, and FedDev Ontarios Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

For further information, please contact:

Andrew White

Chief Executive Officer

CHAR Technologies Ltd.

E: andrew.white@chartechnologies.com

T: 866 521-3654 Mark Korol

Chief Financial Officer

CHAR Technologies Ltd.

E: m.korol@chartechnologies.com Edward Hutchinson

Press Secretary

Office of the Minister responsible for

the Federal Economic Development Agency

for Southern Ontario

E: edward.hutchinson@feddevontario.gc.ca



Website: www.chartechnologies.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 accuracy of this news release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (forward-looking statements) about CHAR and its business and operations. The words "may", "would", "will", "intend", "anticipate", "expect" and similar expressions as they relate to CHAR, are intended to identify forward-looking information. Such statements reflect CHARs current views and intentions with respect to future events, and current information available to CHAR, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those risk factors discussed or referred to in CHARs disclosure documents filed with the securities regulatory authorities in certain provinces of Canada, including the Management Discussion & Analysis dated January 31, 2022 and available under CHARs profile on www.sedar.com. Any such forward-looking information is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Moreover, CHAR does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this press release is made as of the date of this press release and CHAR undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable law.
LA VERNE, Calif., Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Following the success of its first season, The Debrief with Jon Becker announced it will be back for Season 2 starting Feb. 1, 2023. The new season will start with interviews of Medal of Honor Recipient MSgt. Earl Plumlee debriefing his actions on Aug. 28, 2013, in Afghanistan; RCMP Inspector Kevin Cyr discussing RCMP-ERT and tactical decision making; Chief Phil Hansen on the history of LASD-SEB and modern leadership challenges; as well as an operator from Brigade de Recherche et D'intervention (BRI) with a firsthand debrief of the Paris Bataclan hostage rescue. But those are just a few of the guests for Season 2.

Based on feedback from listeners, The Debrief will move from a primarily video to primarily audio format for Season 2. The Debrief audience primarily listens to the show, rather than watching it, and by moving to an audio-first format, the show will be able to record remote episodes which will provide for a greater breadth of guests. The primary video format will still be used in certain episodes, but audio will be the primary focus. This change of format will not, however, affect the streaming platforms on which the show is available.

Jon Becker, the host of the Debrief, shared his thoughts on Season 2:

"I am very excited for Season 2. We are so grateful to our audience for the support they have given, and this season, we are planning to take The Debrief to an even higher level. I am privileged to share the stories of amazing people as well as explore the issues facing tactical law enforcement. We have amazing guests lined up for this season and we are going to probe some very challenging topics."

Since the release of the podcast's first season in June 2022, it has received incredible reviews and accolades including winning a prestigious Muse Award. The Debrief has been covered on other podcasts including CATO, Tactical Breakdown, Policing Matters, The NPA Report, and On the Blue Line. The Debrief has also been featured in Police & Security News and Police1.com.

The Debrief is available wherever you find your podcasts, including Spotify, Apple, YouTube, and Amazon. New episodes launch on the first of each month. Visit www.thedebrief.live to stay updated on the latest episodes as they release.

To set up an interview with Jon Becker regarding The Debrief Podcast and its guests or to learn more about The Debrief, please contact Joe Liebersbach at joe@fpwmedia.com or 541-343-1355.

Contact Information:

Joe Liebersbach

Director of Client Strategy

pr@fpwmedia.com

541-343-1355



Brent Doan

Director of Sales

bdoan@aardvarktactical.com

909-451-6105



Related Images











Image 1: The Debrief with Jon Becker Season 2





The Debrief with Jon Becker Season 2









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment
New York, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Monkeypox Treatment Market: Focus on Therapeutics, Vaccines and Diagnostic Kits: Industry Trends and Global Forecasts, 2023-2035" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06414164/?utm_source=GNW

Monkeypox has recently emerged as a prominent orthopox virus affecting public health. In May 2022, multiple cases of the disease were reported in several non-endemic countries, thereby making monkeypox a disease of global concern. Consequently, in July 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared global monkeypox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). In fact, till date, over 84,000 cases of the disease have been reported, globally. In response to the monkeypox outbreak, active research and development efforts are underway to develop various therapeutics and vaccines for the treatment and prevention of monkeypox. Presently, more than 25 therapeutics / vaccines are commercialized / under development for the treatment and prevention of monkeypox. With the increase in the number of monkeypox cases globally, the demand for testing has also increased.



SCOPE OF THE REPORT

The Monkeypox Market - Distribution by Type of Product (Therapeutics and Vaccines), Drug Developers, Drug Candidates, Type of Diagnostic Kit (PCR Kits, Antigen Detection Kits and Antibody Detection Kits), Type of End User (Hospitals and Clinics, Diagnostic Laboratories and Other End Users) and Key Geographical Regions ( North America (US, Canada), Europe (UK, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Rest Of Europe) and Asia-Pacific (Japan, Australia)): Industry Trends and Global Forecasts, 2023-2035 report features an extensive study of the current market landscape and future opportunity for the players focused on the development of monkeypox therapeutics, vaccines and diagnostic kits. The report answers many key questions related to this domain.



Growing Demand for Monkeypox Therapeutics / Vaccines and Diagnostic Kits

Due to the surge in monkeypox cases in 2022, globally, there is a growing demand for monkeypox vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostic kits. With only a few therapeutics / vaccines currently approved or granted special access for the treatment / prevention of the monkeypox disease, the existing demand for effective monkeypox vaccines and therapeutics is still unmet. Additionally, the approved monkeypox vaccines are available at a high price, making it inaccessible to general population in developing countries, where the disease is endemic. In order to contain an outbreak, point-of-care (POC) testing is very critical to ensure timely isolation and enable contact tracing of infected individuals. Therefore, considering the demand for diagnostic solutions for monkeypox virus, and the associated financial opportunity, both large companies and start-ups are competing to gain a foothold in this market.



Current Market Landscape of Monkeypox Therapeutics and Vaccines

The current monkeypox therapeutics and vaccines landscape is fragmented, featuring a mix of several large, mid-sized and small companies, which are engaged in the development of a number of therapy and vaccine candidates against the monkeypox virus. It is worth mentioning that, till date, only six therapeutics / vaccines, including ACAM2000, IMVANEX / JYNNEOS / IMVAMUNE and Cidofovir / Vistide, have either received approval or been granted special access for the treatment / prevention of the monkeypox virus infection. Additionally, more than 20 monkeypox therapeutics and vaccines are in the development pipeline. Post the 2022 outbreak of the monkeypox disease globally, interest in this area of research has grown significantly.



Current Market Overview of Monkeypox Diagnostic Kits

At present, more than 165 diagnostic kits are available in the market for the detection of monkeypox virus. It is worth highlighting that over 75% of the monkeypox diagnostic kits use polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as the detection technique, followed by antigen detection kits and antibody detection kits. In pursuit of gaining a competitive edge, monkeypox diagnostic kit providers are presently undertaking various initiatives in order to expand their existing capabilities and augment their respective product portfolios.



Key Drivers in Monkeypox Therapeutics / Vaccines and Diagnostic Kits Market

More than 70 countries across the world reported cases of monkeypox, with the maximum cases being reported in non-endemic regions. This outbreak has posed the risk of monkeypox virus spreading beyond endemic areas. Consequently, governments have undertaken several initiatives to increase awareness about monkeypox disease. Big pharma players are carrying out initiatives to strengthen their respective product portfolios focused on monkeypox disease. The growing cases of monkeypox disease and availability of limited number of therapeutics / vaccines / diagnostic solutions are the key factors driving the growth of this market.



Market Size of Monkeypox Therapeutics and Vaccines

Due to the increase in incidence of monkeypox infections and the growing demand for monkeypox vaccines and therapeutics, the monkeypox market is anticipated to witness a steady growth in the foreseen future. Presently, close to 80% of the monkeypox therapeutics and vaccines market is captured by players based in North America and Asia-Pacific.



Market Size of Monkeypox Diagnostic Kits

The market for monkeypox diagnostic kits is anticipated to increase steadily in the foreseeable future due to the growing cases of the disease and the possibility of future outbreaks. Currently, over 60% of the diagnostic kits market is captured by players based in Asia-Pacific.



Key Players in Monkeypox Therapeutics, Vaccines and Diagnostic Kits Market

Examples of key players engaged in the monkeypox therapeutics and vaccines domain include (which have also been captured in this report) Bavarian Nordic and Emergent BioSolutions. Further, key players engaged in the monkeypox diagnostic kits domain include (which have also been captured in this report) ACON Laboratories, altona Diagnostics, Jiangsu Bioperfectus Technologies, Elabscience, Goldsite Diagnostics, Lansion Biotechnology, DNA Software and Hangzhou Testsea Biotechnology.



Amongst other elements, the report also includes:

An executive summary of the insights captured during our research. It offers a high-level view on the current state of the monkeypox market and its likely evolution in the mid-long term.

A general introduction to monkeypox virus, along with information on signs and symptoms of the disease, history of monkeypox outbreaks and details on transmission of disease from animals to humans and humans to humans. It also features an overview of the monkeypox disease diagnosis and current therapeutics / vaccines used for the treatment / prevention of the infection and a discussion on future prospects of this domain.

A detailed assessment of the current market landscape of monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines that are approved / under development, based on several relevant parameters, such as phase of development (approved, clinical and preclinical / discovery), type of product (therapeutic drugs and vaccines), type of molecule (small molecules and biologics), type of dosage form (tablets, capsules, liquids, powders and others), route of administration (oral, intravenous, percutaneous and subcutaneous). In addition, it provides details on monkeypox drug / vaccine developers, along with analyses based on their year of establishment, type of player (Industry and Non-Industry), company size (Small companies: ?50 employees, Mid-sized companies: 51-500 employees and Large companies: >500 employees), geographical location (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World) and leading players (in terms of number of therapeutics / vaccines in pipeline).

A detailed assessment of the current market landscape of monkeypox diagnostic kits, based on several relevant parameters, such as type of sample analyzed (lesion swab / rash exudate, serum, blood, respiratory samples, plasma, scab specimen and others), kit components (primer, probe, positive control, negative control, internal control, buffer, enzyme mix, reaction mix, PCR grade water and others), clade of virus detected (monkeypox virus  clade unspecified, West African clade, Congo Basin clade and orthopox virus  including monkeypox), detection method (Polymerase Chain Reaction and others), application area (clinical diagnostics and research), type of kit (DNA detection kit, antibody detection kit, antigen detection kit), quantity of sample required (2-10 L, 11-50 L, 51-100 L and > 100 L), turnaround time (5-30 minutes, 31-60 minutes, 61-90 minutes and > 90 minutes), limit of detection (100-200 copies/ mL, 201-500 copies/ mL, 501-1,000 copies/ mL and > 1,000 copies/ mL), number of tests per kit (15-50 tests/ kit, 51-150 tests/ kit, 151-500 tests/ kit and > 500 tests/ kit), shelf life (1-9 months, 9-12 months and 12-24 months) and storage temperature (ultra-low storage (-70C to -40C), frozen storage (-40C to 0C), chilled storage (2C to 8C), cool storage (8C to 15C), controlled ambient storage (15C to 25C) and incubator storage (25C to 60C)). In addition, it provides details on monkeypox diagnostic kits developers, along with analyses based on their year of establishment, company size (Small companies: ?50 employees, Mid-sized companies: 51-500 employees, Large Companies: 501 - 1,000 and Very Large companies: >1,000 employees), geographical location (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World), type of developer (Industry and Non-Industry), and leading players (in terms of number of kits provided).

A product competitiveness analysis of monkeypox detection kits based on various relevant parameters, namely supplier power (in terms of the experience of the developer) and product competitiveness (in terms of type of clade of virus detected, number of kit component(s), number of sample(s) used, turnaround time, number of tests per kit, storage temperature, kit shelf life, type of detection method, and type of kit).

Elaborate profiles of prominent players engaged in the development of monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines and diagnostic kits, featuring a brief overview of the company, details on its product portfolio and recent developments with an informed future outlook.

A detailed analysis of the recent partnerships inked between stakeholders engaged in this domain, during the period 2018-2022, covering supply agreements, product development agreements, asset acquisitions, distribution agreements, fill / finish agreements, research and development agreements, and technology integration agreements.

An in-depth analysis on various grants, received since the year 2003, by players engaged in this field based on year of award, support period, amount awarded, funding institute, type of grant application, activity code, type of study section, purpose of grant, prominent program officers, recipient organizations, popular NIH departments and location of recipient organizations.

A detailed analysis of more than 200 peer-reviewed, scientific articles related to research on monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines and diagnostic kits, over last five years, based on several relevant parameters, such as year of publication, type of publication, most popular journals, popular keywords, most active publishers, most popular affiliations, and distribution by geography.

A qualitative analysis of the five competitive forces, including threats for new entrants, bargaining power of drug developers, bargaining power of buyers, threats of substitute products and rivalry among existing competitors under an insightful Porters Five Forces framework.



One of the key objectives of this report was to estimate the existing market opportunity and the future growth potential of the monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines and diagnostic kits over the coming years. Based on multiple parameters, such as incidences of monkeypox, target population to be vaccinated / treated, cost of therapeutics / vaccines, we have provided an informed estimate on the evolution of the monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines market for the period 2023-2035. Similarly, we have estimated the monkeypox diagnostic kits market for the period 2023-2035 based on multiple parameters, such as incidences of monkeypox, testing population across the world, popularity of type of kits available and cost of kits. The report features the likely distribution of the current and forecasted opportunity across various types of products (therapeutics and vaccines), drug developers, drug candidates and key geographical regions (North America (US, Canada), Europe (UK, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Rest of Europe) and Asia-Pacific (Japan, Australia)) for monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines market. For monkeypox diagnostic kits market, the report features likely distribution of the current and forecasted opportunity across various types of kits (PCR Kits, Antigen Detection Kits and Antibody Detection Kits), type of end users (Hospitals and Clinics, Diagnostic Laboratories and Other End Users) and key geographical regions (North America (US, Canada), Europe (UK, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Rest of Europe) and Asia-Pacific (Japan, Australia))



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.



The opinions and insights presented in the report were also influenced by discussions held with senior stakeholders in the industry. The report features detailed transcripts of interviews held with the following individuals:

Willy Tozoke Laou Man Cheong (Business Director, Hunan Runmei Gene Technology)

John W Sharkey (Vice President, Business Development, GeoVax)

Horace Lee (Sales Manager, Firegene)

Alan Yu (Sales Manager, Hangzhou Testsea Biotechnology)



RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The data presented in this report has been gathered via secondary and primary research. For all our projects, we conduct interviews / surveys with experts in the area (academia, industry, medical practice and other associations) to solicit their opinions on emerging trends in the market. This is primarily useful for us to draw out our own opinion on how the market will evolve across different regions and technology segments. Wherever possible, the available data has been checked for accuracy from multiple sources of information.



The secondary sources of information include:

Annual reports

Investor presentations

SEC filings

Industry databases

News releases from company websites

Government policy documents

Industry analysts views



While the focus has been on forecasting the market till 2035, the report also provides our independent view on various technological and non-commercial trends emerging in the industry. This opinion is solely based on our knowledge, research and understanding of the relevant market gathered from various secondary and primary sources of information.



KEY QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Question 1: What are the first signs of monkeypox?

Answer: The first signs and symptoms of monkeypox include high temperature, headache, muscle ache, backache, swollen glands, chills, joint pain and exhaustion.



Question 2: What is the growth rate of monkeypox therapeutics and vaccines market?

Answer: Monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines market is anticipated to witness a decline over the next decade; this is likely to be the result of a dip in the number of monkeypox cases till 2035.



Question 3: What is the growth rate of monkeypox diagnostic kits market?

Answer: Monkeypox diagnostic kits market is expected to witness a decline over the next decade due to the dip in the number of monkeypox cases till 2035.



Question 4: Who are the key developers of monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines?

Answer: Examples of key players currently developing monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines include Bavarian Nordic, Emergent BioSolutions and KM Biologics and SIGA Technologies.



Question 5: Who are the key developers of monkeypox diagnostic kits?

Answer: Examples of key players currently developing monkeypox diagnostic kits include ACON Laboratories, altona Diagnostics, DNA Software, Elabscience, Goldsite Diagnostics, Hangzhou Testsea Biotechnology, Jiangsu Bioperfectus Technologies and Lansion Biotechnology.



Question 6: How many players are offering monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines and diagnostic kits?

Answer: Currently, more than 20 players are developing monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines. Additionally, over 120 players are involved in the development of diagnostic kits for monkeypox.



Question 7: What is the count of monkeypox diagnostic kits available in the market?

Answer: At present, more than 150 monkeypox diagnostic kits are available in the market. Moreover, close to 10 kits are currently under development for diagnosis of monkeypox.



Question 8: How many therapeutics and vaccines are approved for the treatment and prevention of monkeypox?

Answer: Presently, six therapeutics / vaccines have been approved or granted special access for the treatment / prevention of monkeypox.



Question 9: Which type of diagnostic kit accounts for the largest monkeypox market share?

Answer: In the current market, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based detection kits for monkeypox represent the largest market share.



Question 10: Which segment, in terms of type of product, accounts for the largest monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines market share?

Answer: At present, vaccines account for the largest market share, in terms of revenues, in the global monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines market.



CHAPTER OUTLINES



Chapter 1 provides an executive summary of the insights captured during our research. It offers a high-level view on the likely evolution of the monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines and diagnostic kits market in the short to mid-term and long term.



Chapter 2 provides a general introduction to monkeypox virus, along with information on signs and symptoms of the disease, history of monkeypox outbreaks and details on transmission of disease from animals to humans and humans to humans. Additionally, the chapter includes an overview of monkeypox disease diagnosis and current therapeutics and vaccines used for the treatment / prevention of the infection and a discussion on future prospects of the domain.



Chapter 3 includes a detailed assessment of the current market landscape of monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines that are approved / and are currently under development, based on several relevant parameters, such as type of phase of development (approved, clinical and preclinical / discovery), type of product (therapeutic drugs and vaccines), type of molecule (small molecules and, biologics), type of dosage form (tablets, capsules, liquids, powders and others), type of route of administration (oral, intravenous, percutaneous and subcutaneous). In addition, it provides details on monkeypox drug / vaccine developers, along with analyses based on their year of establishment, type of player (Industry and Non-Industry), company size (Small companies: ?50 employees, Mid-sized companies: 51-500 employees and Large companies: >500 employees), geographical location (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World) and leading players (in terms of number of therapeutics / vaccines in pipeline).

Chapter 4 includes detailed assessment of the current market overview landscape of monkeypox diagnostic kits that are developed and are currently under development, based on several relevant parameters, such as type of sample analyzed (lesion swab / rash exudate, serum, blood, respiratory samples, plasma, scab specimen and others), type of kit components (primer, probe, positive control, negative control, internal control, buffer, enzyme mix, reaction mix, PCR grade water and others), type of clade of virus detected (monkeypox virus  clade unspecified, West African clade, Congo Basin clade and orthopox virus  including monkeypox) , type of detection method (Polymerase Chain Reaction and others), type of application area (clinical diagnostics and research), type of kit (DNA detection kit, antibody detection kit, antigen detection kit and undisclosed), quantity of sample required (2-10 L, 11-50 L, 51-100 L and > 100 L), turnaround time (5-30 minutes, 31-60 minutes, 61-90 minutes and > 90 minutes), limit of detection (100-200 copies/ mL, 201-500 copies/ mL, 501-1,000 copies/ mL and > 1,000 copies/ mL), number of tests per kit (15-50 tests/ kit, 51-150 tests/ kit, 151-500 tests/ kit and > 500 tests/ kit), shelf life (1-9 months, 9-12 months and 12-24 months) and storage temperature (ultra-low storage (-70C to -40C), frozen storage (- 40C to 0C), chilled storage (2C to 8C), cool storage (8C to 15C), controlled ambient storage (15C to 25C) and incubator storage (25C to 60C)). In addition, it provides details on monkeypox diagnostic kits developers, along with analyses based on year of establishment, company size (Small companies: ?50 employees, Mid-sized companies: 51-500 employees, Large Companies: 501 - 1,000 and Very Large companies: >1,000 employees), geographical location (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World), type of developer (Industry and Non Industry), and leading players (in terms of number of kits provided).



Chapter 5 presents product competitiveness analysis of monkeypox detection kits based on various relevant parameters, namely supplier power (in terms of the experience of the developer) and product competitiveness (in terms of type of clade of virus detected, number of kit component(s), number of sample(s) used, quantity of sample required, turnaround time, number of tests per kit, limit of detection, storage temperature, kit shelf life, type of detection method, and type of kit).



Chapter 6 features elaborate profiles of prominent players engaged in the development of monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines, featuring a brief overview of the company, details on its product portfolio and recent developments with an informed future outlook.



Chapter 7 includes elaborate profiles of prominent players engaged in the development of monkeypox diagnostic kits, featuring a brief overview of the company, details on its product portfolio and recent developments with an informed future outlook.



Chapter 8 features a detailed analysis of the recent partnerships inked between stakeholders engaged in this domain, during the period 2018-2022, covering supply agreements, product development agreements, asset acquisitions, distribution agreements, fill / finish agreements, research and development agreements, and technology integration agreements.



Chapter 9 provides an in-depth analysis on various grants, received since the year 2003, by players engaged in this field based on year of award, support period, amount awarded, funding institute, type of grant application, activity code, type of study section, purpose of grant, prominent program officers, recipient organizations, popular NIH departments and location of recipient organizations.



Chapter 10 includes a detailed analysis of more than 200 peer-reviewed, scientific articles related to research on monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines and diagnostic kits, over last five years, based on several relevant parameters, such as year of publication, type of publication, most popular journals, popular keywords, most active publishers, most popular affiliations and distribution by geography.



Chapter 11 presents a qualitative analysis of the five competitive forces, including threats for new entrants, bargaining power of drug developers, bargaining power of buyers, threats of substitute products and rivalry among existing competitors under an insightful Porters Five Forces framework.



Chapter 12 features the likely distribution of the current and forecasted opportunity across various types of products (therapeutics and vaccines), drug developers, drug candidates and key geographical regions (North America (US, Canada), Europe (UK, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Rest of Europe) and Asia-Pacific (Japan, Australia))



Chapter 13 presents a comprehensive market forecast analysis, highlighting the future potential of the market till 2035. We have segregated the current and upcoming opportunity based on various types of kits (PCR Kits, Antigen Detection Kits and Antibody Detection Kits), type of end users (Hospitals and Clinics, Diagnostic Laboratories and Other End Users) and key geographical regions (North America (US, Canada), Europe (UK, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Rest of Europe) and Asia-Pacific (Japan, Australia))



Chapter 14 is a collection of interview transcripts of the discussions that were held with key stakeholders in the industry.



Chapter 15 is an appendix, which provides tabulated data and numbers for all the figures included in the report.



Chapter 16 is an appendix, which contains a list of companies and organizations mentioned in this report.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06414164/?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.



__________________________
Pune, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PCB Design Software Market report shares valuable information about global development status, opportunities, and challenges in near future, as past data analyzed by industry experts which is helpful for you to take needful discussions. PCB design software market study offers information about the sales and revenue during the historic and estimated period of 2017 to 2028. Understanding the benefits of the segment in identifying the significance of different factors that help the industry progress.

PCB design software market report also covers all the regions and countries of the world, which shows the regional development status, with market size, volume, and value, as well as price data, key players, and regional analysis. Moreover, the report similarly covers segment data, with type segment, application segment, channel segment, etc.

Get a Sample Copy of the Report at https://www.absolutereports.com/enquiry/request-sample/22284432

The circuits are formed by a thin layer of conducting material deposited, or "printed," on the surface of an insulating board known as the substrate.

As an important part of EDA (Electronic Design Automation) software, PCB (printed circuit board) design software is widely used in many industries like electronic industry. The most used functions of PCB design software are drawing schematics and PCB layout. Functions like auto routing, editing component, importing/exporting feature and simulated analysis are also available in some advanced software.

In the market, mass users are using pirated software, especially in China. Some companies will also push out free software with limited function to expand their market. In this report, the data we supplied is just referred to the sales of copyrighted software, not including the pirated software and free software. For companies, the revenue can be divided into two parts, the software revenue (sales for the software) and service revenue (sales for related service).



PCB Design Software market size was valued at USD 567.4 million in 2022 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 812.5 million by 2029 with a CAGR of 5.3% during review period.

Segmentation by Types: -

Basic type

Professional type

Segmentation by Applications: -

Consumer Electronic

Computer

Communication Electronic

Medical Equipment

Automotive Electronic

Other

Inquire or Share Your Questions If Any Before Purchasing This Report  https://www.absolutereports.com/enquiry/pre-order-enquiry/22284432

Geographic Segmentation: -

North America

Europe

Asia-Pacific

South America

The Middle East and Africa

Major players in the global market include: -

Mentor Graphics

Candence

Zuken

Altium

CadSoft

Novarm

Shanghai Tsingyue

Mentor Graphics, Candence, Zuken and Altium are the top 4 of global PCB Design Software, with about 92% market shares.



Get a Sample Copy of the Report at https://www.absolutereports.com/enquiry/request-sample/22284432

Key Reasons to Purchase: -

To gain an understanding examines of the market and have a complete acceptance of the global market and its commercial landscape.

Evaluate the production processes, major issues, and solutions to mitigate the development risk.

To understand the most affecting driving and restraining forces in the market and their impact on the global market.

Learn about the market strategies that are being adopted by leading respective organizations.

To understand the future outlook and prospects for the market.

Besides the standard structure reports, we also provide custom research according to specific requirements.

TOC of PCB Design Software Market Research Report: -

1 Market Overview

1.1 Product Overview and Scope of PCB Design Software

1.2 Market Estimation Caveats and Base Year

1.3 Classification of PCB Design Software by Type

1.3.1 Overview: Global PCB Design Software Market Size by Type: 2018 Versus 2022 Versus 2029

1.3.2 Global PCB Design Software Consumption Value Market Share by Type in 2022

1.3.3 Basic type

1.3.4 Professional type

1.4 Global PCB Design Software Market by Application

1.4.1 Overview: Global PCB Design Software Market Size by Application: 2018 Versus 2022 Versus 2029

1.4.2 Consumer Electronic

1.4.3 Computer

1.4.4 Communication Electronic

1.4.5 Medical Equipment

1.4.6 Automotive Electronic

1.4.7 Other

1.5 Global PCB Design Software Market Size & Forecast

1.6 Global PCB Design Software Market Size and Forecast by Region

1.6.1 Global PCB Design Software Market Size by Region: 2018 VS 2022 VS 2029

1.6.2 Global PCB Design Software Market Size by Region, (2018-2029)

1.6.3 North America PCB Design Software Market Size and Prospect (2018-2029)

1.6.4 Europe PCB Design Software Market Size and Prospect (2018-2029)

1.6.5 Asia-Pacific PCB Design Software Market Size and Prospect (2018-2029)

1.6.6 South America PCB Design Software Market Size and Prospect (2018-2029)

1.6.7 Middle East and Africa PCB Design Software Market Size and Prospect (2018-2029)

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2 Company Profiles

2.1 Mentor Graphics

2.1.1 Mentor Graphics Details

2.1.2 Mentor Graphics Major Business

2.1.3 Mentor Graphics PCB Design Software Product and Solutions

2.1.4 Mentor Graphics PCB Design Software Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2018-2023)

2.1.5 Mentor Graphics Recent Developments and Future Plans

2.2 Candence

2.2.1 Candence Details

2.2.2 Candence Major Business

2.2.3 Candence PCB Design Software Product and Solutions

2.2.4 Candence PCB Design Software Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2018-2023)

2.2.5 Candence Recent Developments and Future Plans

2.3 Zuken

2.3.1 Zuken Details

2.3.2 Zuken Major Business

2.3.3 Zuken PCB Design Software Product and Solutions

2.3.4 Zuken PCB Design Software Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2018-2023)

2.3.5 Zuken Recent Developments and Future Plans

2.4 Altium

2.4.1 Altium Details

2.4.2 Altium Major Business

2.4.3 Altium PCB Design Software Product and Solutions

2.4.4 Altium PCB Design Software Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2018-2023)

2.4.5 Altium Recent Developments and Future Plans

2.5 CadSoft

2.5.1 CadSoft Details

2.5.2 CadSoft Major Business

2.5.3 CadSoft PCB Design Software Product and Solutions

2.5.4 CadSoft PCB Design Software Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2018-2023)

2.5.5 CadSoft Recent Developments and Future Plans

2.6 Novarm

2.6.1 Novarm Details

2.6.2 Novarm Major Business

2.6.3 Novarm PCB Design Software Product and Solutions

2.6.4 Novarm PCB Design Software Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2018-2023)

2.6.5 Novarm Recent Developments and Future Plans

2.7 Shanghai Tsingyue

2.7.1 Shanghai Tsingyue Details

2.7.2 Shanghai Tsingyue Major Business

2.7.3 Shanghai Tsingyue PCB Design Software Product and Solutions

2.7.4 Shanghai Tsingyue PCB Design Software Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2018-2023)

2.7.5 Shanghai Tsingyue Recent Developments and Future Plans

3 Market Competition, by Players

3.1 Global PCB Design Software Revenue and Share by Players (2018-2023)

3.2 Market Share Analysis (2022)

To be continued...

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PCB Design Software market size was valued at USD 567.4 million in 2022 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 812.5 million by 2029 with a CAGR of 5.3% during review period.


New York, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global TIL Therapies Market : Distribution by Target Indication, Key Players and Key Geographical Regions : Industry Trends and Global Forecasts, 2023-2035" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06414163/?utm_source=GNW

These lymphocytes selectively mediate the elimination of tumor cells. Ongoing and planned clinical research initiatives in this direction are driven by encouraging results achieved in past trials, which were mostly focused on various solid tumors. Driven by the ongoing pace of innovation in this field, sufficient financial support from investors and encouraging clinical trial results, the TIL-based therapy market is likely to witness significant growth in the foreseen future.



SCOPE OF THE REPORT

The Global TIL-based Therapy Market (2nd Edition), 2023-2035: Distribution by Target Indication (Melanoma, Head and Neck Carcinoma, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Sarcoma, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Breast Cancer, Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Cervical Carcinoma), Key Players and Key Geographical Regions (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and North Africa, and Rest of the World): Industry Trends and Global Forecasts, 2023-2035 report features an extensive study of the current market landscape and future opportunity for the players focused on the development of TIL-based therapies. The report answers many key questions related to this domain.

Need for TIL-based Therapies for the Treatment of Various Types of Cancer

Modified tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL)-based interventions have emerged as a viable and potent option to selectively eradicate the tumor population, with minimal side effects. Till date, several clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy and therapeutic superiority (over conventional treatment options) of TIL-based therapies. Their tumor-cell killing efficiency is attributed to the fact that they are pre-sensitized to cancer specific antigens. Additionally, this emerging class of biologics is believed to possess the potential to cater to the unmet pharmacological needs, across both oncological and non-oncological disorders, even those where small molecule drugs have proven to be inadequate.



Current Market Landscape of TIL-based Therapies

Over 75 TIL immunotherapies are being evaluated across different stages of preclinical / clinical development, either as monotherapies or in combination with other drugs. Both industry and non-industry players have demonstrated keen interest in the development of novel TIL-based cell therapies. Further, melanoma emerged as the most popular target indication in this domain. More than 95% of the therapy candidates that are being developed to target a wide range of disease indications are autologous in nature.



Rising Interest in TIL-based Therapies

A growing interest in TIL-based therapies is reflected from the increase in the partnerships focused on R&D of such therapies. Several investors, having realized the opportunity within this upcoming segment of T-cell immunotherapy, have invested USD 2.7 billion, across 30 instances, since 2013. Further, in the last 10 years, close to 95 clinical trials evaluating TIL-based therapies have been registered across different geographies. Mostly driven by the need for effective treatment options for cancer, the TIL-based therapy pipeline is expected to steadily grow over the coming years. Moreover, clinical success is likely to draw in investments that are likely to support the ongoing and anticipated therapy development initiatives.



Market Size of the TIL-based Therapy Market

With a growing focus on the development pipeline and encouraging clinical results, the market is anticipated to witness an annualized growth rate of 40% in the next decade. Specifically, in terms of target indication, the market is anticipated to be driven by therapies being developed to target melanoma and head and neck carcinoma. Additionally, close to 90% of the market is anticipated to be captured by players based in North America and Europe, in 2035. Overall, we are led to believe that the global TIL-based therapy market is poised to witness significant growth in the foreseen future.

Who are the Key Players in the TIL-based Therapy Market

Examples of key players engaged in this domain (which have also been captured in this report) include Bristol-Myers Squibb, CAR-T (Shanghai) Cell Biotechnology, Cellectis, Incyte Corporation, Instil Bio, Iovance Biotherapeutics, Lytix Biopharma, Phio Pharmaceuticals and Prometheus Laboratories.



The study presents an in-depth analysis, highlighting the capabilities of various stakeholders engaged in this domain, across different geographies. Amongst other elements, the report includes:

An executive summary of the insights captured during our research. It offers a high-level view on the current state of global TIL-based therapies market and its likely evolution in the mid-long term.

A general overview of TIL-based therapies in comparison to conventional forms of therapy that are being used for the treatment of various oncological indications. Further, it includes historical evolution of cancer immunotherapy, general manufacturing procedure of T-cell immunotherapies, and key attributes in the development of TIL-based therapies.

A detailed assessment of the overall market landscape of TIL-based therapies, based on several relevant parameters, such as type of developer (industry and non-industry), phase of development (preclinical, phase I, phase I/II, phase II, phase III and approved), therapeutic area (hematological cancer, solid tumor and others), key target indications (melanoma, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, sarcoma, breast cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, fallopian tube cancer, gastric cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and others), source of T-cells (autologous and allogeneic), route of administration (intravenous and hepatic arterial infusion), dosing frequency (single dose and multiple dose), target patient segment (children, adults and seniors), and type of therapy (monotherapy and combination therapy). Further, the chapter also provides developer landscape of industry and non-industry players engaged in this domain.

An analysis of completed, ongoing, and planned clinical studies related to TIL-based therapies, based on several relevant parameters, such as trial registration year, enrolled patient population, trial status, trial phase, target patient segment, type of sponsor / collaborator, study design, most active players (in terms of number of registered trials), key focus areas and geography.

An insightful analysis highlighting the key opinion leaders (KOLs) in this domain, featuring an analysis of the various principal investigators of clinical trials related to TIL-based therapies, considering them to be KOLs, who are actively involved in R&D of TIL-based therapies. In addition, it compares the relative expertise of KOLs based on a proprietary scoring criterion with that of a third party.

Elaborate profiles of mid- to late-stage clinical products (phase I/II or above); each profile features an overview of the therapy, its mechanism of action, dosage information, details on the cost and sales information (wherever available), a clinical development plan, and clinical trial results.

A detailed analysis of recent partnerships inked between several stakeholders engaged in this domain, covering R&D agreements, license agreements (specific to technology platforms and product candidates), manufacturing agreements, clinical trial collaborations and others.

An analysis of the funding and investments that have been made into companies having proprietary TIL-based products / technologies, including venture capital financing, capital raised from IPOs and subsequent offerings, grants, and debt financing.

An in-depth analysis of patents related to TIL-based therapies, filed / granted till 2022, based on several relevant parameters, such as type of patent (granted and patent applications), patent publication year, geographical distribution, type of player, Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) symbols, emerging focus areas, leading players (in terms of number of patents), and patent benchmarking. In addition, it features a patent valuation analysis, which evaluates the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the patents.

A case study on manufacturing cell therapy products, highlighting the key challenges, and a detailed list of contract service providers and in-house manufacturers involved in this space.

An elaborate discussion on various factors that form the basis for the pricing of cell-based therapies. It features different models / approaches that a pharmaceutical company may choose to adopt to decide the price of a TIL-based therapy that is likely to be marketed in the coming years.

Elaborate profiles of the leading players in the domain of TIL-based therapies. Each company profile includes an overview of the developer and a brief description of the product portfolio specific to TIL-based therapies, the technology portfolio (if available), recent developments related to TIL-based therapies, and the manufacturing capabilities of the companies. Additionally, we have provided details of the strategic / venture capital investments made in these companies.



One of the key objectives of the report was to estimate the current opportunity and the future growth potential of TIL-based therapies over the coming decade. Based on several parameters, such as target consumer segments, region-specific adoption rates, and expected prices of such products, we have developed informed estimates of the likely evolution of the market over the period 2022-2035. The report also includes likely sales forecasts of TIL-based therapies that are in the mid- to late stages of development. Additionally, it features market size projections for the overall TIL-based therapies market, wherein both the current and upcoming opportunity is segmented across target indication (melanoma, head and neck carcinoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, sarcoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, breast cancer, acute myeloid leukemia and cervical carcinoma), key players and key geographical regions (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and North Africa, and Rest of the World). In order to account for future uncertainties and add robustness to our model, we have provided three market forecast scenarios, namely the conservative, base, and optimistic scenarios, which represent different tracks of the industrys 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.

The opinions and insights presented in the report were also influenced by discussions held with senior stakeholders in the industry.



RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The data presented in this report has been gathered via secondary and primary research. For all our projects, we conduct interviews / surveys with experts in the area (academia, industry, medical practice and other associations) to solicit their opinions on emerging trends in the market. This is primarily useful for us to draw out our own opinion on how the market will evolve across different regions and technology segments. Wherever possible, the available data has been checked for accuracy from multiple sources of information.



The secondary sources of information include:

Annual reports

Investor presentations

SEC filings

Industry databases

News releases from company websites

Government policy documents

Industry analysts views



While the focus has been on forecasting the market till 2035, the report also provides our independent view on various technological and non-commercial trends emerging in the industry. This opinion is solely based on our knowledge, research and understanding of the relevant market gathered from various secondary and primary sources of information.



KEY QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Question 1: What is the growth rate of TIL-based therapy market?

Answer: The global TIL-based therapies market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 40% from 2023-2035.



Question 2: Which region has the highest growth rate in the TIL-based Therapies market?

Answer: Europe is growing at the highest CAGR, over the period 2023-2035.



Question 3: How many players are developing TIL-based Therapies?

Answer: Close to 30 industry and non-industry players are currently evaluating the potential of over 75 TIL-based therapies for the treatment of various oncological and non-oncological disorders.



Question 4: Which target indication is likely to cover the largest TIL-based therapy market share in 2035?

Answer: Melanoma is likely to capture the maximum share (51%) of the TIL-based therapy market in 2035.



Question 5: What is the partnership and collaboration trend in the TIL-based therapy domain?

Answer: Currently, R&D agreements, licensing agreements, and manufacturing agreements are the common types of partnerships inked by developers involved in the TIL-based therapy domain.



Question 6: What is the current IP landscape of TIL-based therapies market?

Answer: More than 70% of the filed patents were patent applications, while around 28% were granted patents. Of the total granted applications, more than 95% were filed in the US.



CHAPTER OUTLINES



Chapter 1 is a preface providing an introduction to the full report, TIL-based therapy market (2nd Edition), 2023-2035.



Chapter 2 provides an executive summary of the insights captured in our research. It offers a high-level view on the likely evolution of the TIL-based therapy market in the short to mid-term and long term.



Chapter 3 provides a general overview of TIL-based therapies. In this section, we have briefly discussed the conventional forms of therapy that are being used for the treatment of various oncological indications. Further, it includes a discussion on the advent and historical evolution of cancer immunotherapy, general manufacturing procedure of T-cell immunotherapies, and key attributes in the development of TIL-based therapies.



Chapter 4 includes detailed assessment of the current market landscape of more than 75 TIL-based therapies that are currently approved or are in different stages of the development. It features a comprehensive analysis of pipeline molecules with respect to the type of developer (industry and non-industry), phase of development (preclinical, phase I, phase I/II, phase II, phase III and approved), therapeutic area (hematological cancer, solid tumor and others), key target indications (melanoma, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, sarcoma, breast cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, fallopian tube cancer, gastric cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and others), source of T-cells (autologous and allogeneic), route of administration (intravenous and hepatic arterial infusion), dosing frequency (single dose and multiple dose), target patient segment (children, adults and seniors), and type of therapy (monotherapy and combination therapy). Further, chapter also includes developer landscape analysis based on some relevant parameters, including year of establishment, company size (small, mid-sized, and large) and location of headquarters (North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific).



Chapter 5 presents a detailed analysis of completed, ongoing, and planned clinical studies related to TIL-based therapies, based on several relevant parameters, such as trial registration year, enrolled patient population, trial recruitment status, trial phase, target patient segment, type of sponsor / collaborator, study design, most active players (in terms of number of registered trials), and geography.

Chapter 6 presents an analysis highlighting the key opinion leaders (KOLs) in this domain, featuring an analysis of the various principal investigators of clinical trials related to TIL-based therapies, considering them to be KOLs, who are actively involved in R&D of TIL-based therapies. In addition, it compares the relative expertise of KOLs based on a proprietary scoring criterion with that of a third party.



Chapter 7 provides detailed profiles of mid to late-stage TIL-based therapies (phase I/II or above). Each profile features an overview of the therapy, its mechanism of action, dosage information, details on the cost and sales information (wherever available), clinical development plan, and key clinical trial results.



Chapter 8 features an analysis of the recent partnerships inked between several stakeholders engaged in this domain, covering R&D agreements, license agreements (specific to technology platforms and product candidates), manufacturing agreements, clinical trial collaborations and others, companies involved, type of therapy, prominent product candidates involved and regional distribution of the collaborations.



Chapter 9 provides details on the various funding and investments that have been made into companies having proprietary TIL-based products / technologies, including venture capital financing, capital raised from IPOs and subsequent offerings, grants, and debt financing. It includes a detailed analysis of the funding instances that have taken place in the period between 2013 to 2022, highlighting the growing interest of venture capital (VC) community and other strategic investors in this domain.



Chapter 10 provides an in-depth analysis of patents related to TIL-based therapies, filed / granted till 2022, based on several relevant parameters, such as type of patent (granted and patent applications), patent publication year, geographical distribution, type of player, Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) symbols, emerging focus areas, leading players (in terms of number of patents), and patent benchmarking. In addition, it features a patent valuation analysis, which evaluates the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the patents.



Chapter 11 provides case study on cell therapy manufacturing, highlighting the current challenges that exist in this domain, and the pre-requisites for owning and maintaining cell therapy manufacturing sites. Additionally, it includes a detailed list of various cell therapy manufacturers, covering both contract manufacturing organizations and companies with in-house manufacturing capabilities. For the players mentioned in the chapter, we have included details on location of various manufacturing facilities, the products being manufactured, scale of operation and compliance to cGMP standards.



Chapter 12 highlights our views on the various factors that must be taken into consideration while deciding the prices of cell-based therapies. It features discussions on different models / approaches that a pharmaceutical company may choose to follow to decide the price at which their TIL-based therapy product can be marketed. Additionally, we have provided a brief overview of the reimbursement consideration for TIL-based therapies.



Chapter 13 features an elaborate discussion on the future commercial opportunity offered by TIL-based therapies. It provides a comprehensive market forecast analysis for TIL-based products that are approved or are in phase I/II and phase II of development, taking into consideration the target patient population, existing / future competition, likely adoption rates and the likely price of different therapies. The chapter also presents a detailed market segmentation, based on target indication (melanoma, head and neck carcinoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, sarcoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, breast cancer, acute myeloid leukemia and cervical carcinoma), key players, and key geographical regions (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and North Africa, and Rest of the World).



Chapter 14 includes brief company profiles of the leading players in the domain of TIL-based therapies. Each company profile includes an overview of the developer and brief description of the product portfolio specific to TIL-based therapies, technology portfolio (if available), recent developments related to TIL-based therapies and manufacturing capabilities of the companies. Additionally, we have provided details of the strategic / venture capital investments made in these companies.



Chapter 15 is a summary of the overall report. In this chapter, we have provided a list of key takeaways from the report, and expressed our independent opinion related to the research and analysis described in the previous chapters.



Chapter 16 is a collection of transcripts of interviews conducted with key stakeholders in the market.



Chapter 17 is an appendix, which provides tabulated data and numbers for all the figures included in the report.



Chapter 18 is an appendix, which contains a list of companies and organizations mentioned in the report.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06414163/?utm_source=GNW



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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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Durham, N.C., Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Full-service telecommunications materials, logistics, warehousing and kitting company NWS has reached an agreement to become the North American distributor for KelTech IoE, a Dublin, Ireland-based telecommunications equipment and solutions provider.

The deal, approved by both companies on Jan. 11, gives NWS a direct relationship with an up-and-coming manufacturer of innovative, energy efficient telecommunications equipment, including vaults and enclosures. The two companies expect to show together for the first time at the Connect (X) trade show being held May 8-10 in New Orleans.

As part of the agreement, KelTech products will be stocked by NWS at its main distribution facility in Carrollton, Texas.

This partnership deepens our relationship with a very forward-thinking telecom manufacturer, said Sam Clark, chief revenue officer of NWS. They are a leader in innovative active and passive equipment for wireless and wireline applications, with an emphasis on developing creative ways to achieve sustainability and net zero energy efficiency. We are excited about the new types of solutions that the addition of KelTech will bring to our customers.

KelTech IoE looks forward to partnering and innovating with NWS in accelerating our business growth across the North American market, said Mark Kellett, CEO of KelTech. Their expertise allows them to quickly deliver equipment and support to carriers, project managers, and general contractors exactly when it is needed.

A fast-growing solutions and logistics provider to carriers and telecommunications contractors, NWS produces and supplies a wide array of custom connectivity solutions, including bulk and custom fiber cable, and related installation material and equipment to wireless and broadband operators and contractors through offices and warehouses in North Carolina, Texas, and Illinois, as well as across Canada. The Durham, North Carolina-based company also offers services in cell site development, inventory management, and material distribution.

Founded in 2012, NWS is a portfolio company of Grain Management, LLC, a leading Washington, D.C.-based investment firm focused on the global communications sector. Grain Management acquired NWS in 2021. Both NWS and Grain Management are Certified Minority Business Enterprises.

In 2022, NWS was ranked third on the 2022 North Carolina Mid-Market Fast 40 ranking. The annual ranking recognizes companies based in North Carolina that have annual revenues in the range of $10 million to $500 million and a record of rapid revenue and employment growth over the past three years.

KelTech IoE, which Mark Kellett founded in 2019, is focused on developing, manufacturing, and supplying smart sustainable solutions that connect and power a sustainable world. The business has achieved notable global recognition from the global utilities industry, including the title of the Worlds Best Start-up, which it earned on Nov. 21 as one of 800 companies competing for the honor as part of the ambitious Free Electrons program.

KelTech IoEs Dual Distributed Network (DDN) solution transforms last-mile communication network deployments through a symbiotic convergence of energy and data in a single integrated solution, resulting in a quicker, more cost effective and safer implementation. The company currently works with large clients across the telecom, construction, utility, and hospitality industries.

KelTech IoEs head office is located in Dublin, with offices in the United Kingdom and United States as well as a presence in Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Australia.

About NWS

Since 2012, NWS has provided a wide array of mission-critical services to the wireless telecommunications industry. The company has established itself as a collaborative partner to carriers, general contractors, and tower/infrastructure owners through its expertise, quality of service, and ability to develop and deliver custom cabling solutions and equipment exactly when needed. By combining extensive industry knowledge, a flexible approach, and a disciplined focus on customer service, NWS is a proven partner in helping businesses tackle complex challenges and accelerate speed to market. Based in Durham, N.C., NWS serves businesses throughout the U.S. and in Canada, where it recently expanded its presence by acquiring Gap Wireless, in Mississauga, Ont., and JF TECH, in Blainville, Que. For more information, visit www.nwswireless.com .

About KelTech IoE
English Estonian

On February 1, 2023, Bigbank AS held webinar introducing the issue of second series of public offering of Bigbank AS subordinated bonds in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania.

In the webinar, Bigbank AS management board members Martin Lants and Argo Kiltsmann presented an overview of Bigbank AS group, including business results, future plans and the terms of the second series of subordinated bond issue.

Bigbank AS would like to thank all participants. Webinar recording is available https://youtu.be/IZVWtHc5yJY .

Additional information about the public subordinated bond issue can be found also at https://investor.bigbank.eu .
NEW YORK, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NEW YORK, NY (Feb. 1, 2023) The Open Space Institute (OSI) today unveiled a plan to develop a multiuse trail network connecting the Hudson Valleys vast network of scenic trails, diverse communities, and renown green spaces. OSIs Growing Greenways: West of Hudson Greenway Trails Vision Plan (Growing Greenways Plan) presents a vision to enhance and connect seven of the regions historic rails, canals, and carriage roads into one, accessible public trail system that will provide improved access to nature and recreational opportunities for residents and visitors and promote local economic activity and tourism.

OSI is spearheading this visioning effort to develop the unified, primarily off-road trail network that would span more than 250 miles and connect more than 20 communities throughout Ulster, Sullivan, and Orange Counties. The Growing Greenways Plan outlines long-term opportunities to create new community linkages, boost economic activity and tourism, expand non-motorized transportation options, promote physical activity and public health, and advance more equitable access to the outdoors.

Seven existing trail corridors converge in this three-county region and the plan outlines both completed and future projects that would link the:

Wallkill Valley Rail Trail,

O&W Rail Trail, including the D&H Canal,

Catskill Mountain Rail Corridor, including the Ashokan Rail Trail,

Sullivan O&W Rail Trail,

Schunnemunk Rail Trail,

Orange County Heritage Trail, and

Shawangunk Ridge Carriage Roads, which include Minnewaska State Park Preserves carriage roads and the OSI-owned and managed River-to-Ridge Trail.

The Growing Greenways Plan expands on decades of OSIs work to protect land and build trails in partnership with local communities and builds upon local, town, and county trail development plans, as well as state trail investments, to create a unified, interconnected trail network at a regional scale.

While OSI has been building and improving trails throughout the Hudson Valley for decades, what has long been missing is a unifying vision to connect people to nature and to each other at a regional scale, said Kim Elliman, president and CEO of the Open Space Institute. OSIs Growing Greenways Plan demonstrates how strategic planning and big-picture thinking can maximize the range of trail assets that exist throughout the three counties to create something greater than the sum of their parts. This interconnected trail system will leverage wonderful regional offerings and create a unified trail and greenway system for generations to come.

State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid said, I applaud the Open Space Institutes work to connect people and places in a region rich with recreational trails to explore. The plan is a critical next step in realizing the goals laid out in New Yorks Statewide Greenway Trails Plan.

I am excited about the Growing Greenways Plan, which when completed will showcase not only picturesque Orange County, but other parts of the beautiful Hudson Valley. It will also provide residents with another venue to utilize for exercise and enjoyment. We are proud to work with the Open Space Institute on another transformative project that will benefit residents for years to come and promote our beautiful County, said Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus.

OSI has been helping Sullivan County implement a plan we completed in 2020 to build out the O&W rail trail. We are working to connect five existing trail segments into a 50-mile trail crossing Sullivan from Mamakating to Rockland, and also have the potential for a spur line running down to Orange County. OSIs new West of Hudson Greenway Trails Vision Plan will give our Sullivan O&W Rail Trail plan an important regional context that will lead to a more robust system and increase their utility. The New York State Greenways Plan reported that trail users prioritize length when choosing a trail; OSIs regional vision speaks directly to that preference, said Sullivan County Planning Commissioner, Freda Eisenberg.

Connecting and improving the trails of three counties, Ulster, Orange, and Sullivan, creates a trail system of great length, diversity, and quality, which will attract visitors from around the country and around the world, said Dr. Kathy Nolan, Ulster County legislator and senior researcher at the Catskill Mountainkeeper. Putting trails closer to where people live increases their use, she continued, and we know that health improves dramatically the more people use trails for recreation and transportation. We also need to connect people from towns and villages, and from the centers of our cities, into the vast and beautiful spaces of the Hudson River Valley and the Catskill Park. These are lands set aside for the use and enjoyment of the people of New York State, and these new and more completely interconnected trails will make it far easier for them to be enjoyed by everyone," she concluded.

Kevin Smith, Ulster County Trails Advisory Committee Chair & Woodstock Land Conservancy Board Chair said, "We are inspired by OSI's vision and excited about the opportunity to work with them and other partners, to bring even more benefits of connected trails to more communities located in these seven historic corridors. OSI recognizes that our shared-use community trails are a unique blend of public health and transportation infrastructure. Connecting close-to-home places where we can all run, roll, stroll, sit in nature, sightsee and commute to work, these trails weave through our communities and unify them. They support businesses, they connect us to each other, and connect us to the unparalleled natural beauty of our region."

Well known for its rich history, cultural attractions, and natural beauty, the Hudson Valley has long been recognized as a premier outdoor recreation destination for both residents and visitors.

Thanks to decades of investment in land protection and local trail systems, the regions existing greenway trails have the potential to support users at a regional scale. Continued public-private investment in these corridors will create connections and support increased accessibility to town centers, public transportation options, local neighborhoods, public green spaces, regional attractions, and local businesses.

The projects proposed in OSIs Growing Greenway Plan focus on extending and improving each of the seven major existing trails. The initiative will require land acquisition, new trail development, improvements and realignments to existing trails, and trailhead improvements that will better welcome and orient visitors.

The plan exemplifies how connectionconnected communities, connected places, and connected purposeis a force that drives lasting and beneficial community outcomes, Elliman added.

The Growing Greenways Plan is part of OSIs ongoing efforts to connect, create, improve, and expand trails throughout the Hudson Valley and beyond. Having worked to protect this landscape for nearly 50 years, OSI is familiar with the current conditions and ongoing conservation needs of the region, making the organization uniquely suited to spearhead the execution of a regional trail network.

OSIs expertise, creativity, and dogged pursuit of landscape-level conservation has protected more than 100,000 acres of land in the Hudson Valley and led to the development and restoration of more than 70 miles of trails, including more than 15 miles of Minnewaskas Victorian-era carriage roads, sections of carriage roads at Mohonk Preserve, the River-to-Ridge Trail in New Paltz, more than 19 miles of the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, and restoration of the Rosendale Trestle.

Having attracted and invested more than $100 million toward land acquisition, trails and other visitor amenities in the area over the last decade alone, OSI is pursuing additional partnerships, private funds, and grants to fully achieve the ambitious Growing Greenways Plan. The ultimate fundraising goal needed to accomplish this visionary project is more than $8 million and is defined by a combination of engineering studies currently underway and stakeholder outreach.

About OSI

The Open Space Institute protects scenic, natural, and historic landscapes to provide public enjoyment, conserve habitat and working lands and sustain communities. Founded in 1974, initially, to protect significant landscapes in New York State, today, the Open Space Institute has been a partner in the protection of more than 2.3 million acres in the eastern US and Canada to promote clean air and water, combat climate change, improve access to recreation, strengthen communities, and provide for wildlife habitat.

The Hudson River Valley, with its rich history and unparalleled beauty, is a place worth protecting. And its where the Open Space Institute got its start. Nearly five decades ago, the Open Space Institute set out to protect the places that make this region so very special. Today, OSIs far-reaching and continuing impact in the Hudson Valley has already resulted in the protection of more than 100,000 acres of land. Building on this conservation success, the Open Space Institute also works to make these and other protected lands more welcoming and accessible to the public by creating and improving trails.

Attachments
AUGUSTA, GA, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Americas Warrior Partnership (AWP) announced today a new campaign in honor of AWPs late co-founder, Colonel Leo K. Thorsness, whose birthday is on February 14th, to drive awareness around suicide in the veteran community  an issue close to his heart. The Valentines Day campaign, Share your heart, save a life, will run through the month of February.

One of the most highly decorated airmen of the Vietnam War, Colonel Thorsness served for 22 years and retired from the United States Air Force. After returning from being a prisoner of war for six years during the Vietnam War, Colonel Thorsness received the Medal of Honor in 1973. The citation for his medal recognizes his "extraordinary heroism, self-sacrifice, and personal bravery" while in captivity and notes that his actions "inspired his fellow prisoners to resist their captors and provided them with hope, courage, and an unwavering spirit."

Colonel Thorsness is an inspiration  not just for his incredible and decorated military career, but also for his dedication to veterans after service, said Jim Lorraine, president and CEO of AWP. This campaign is an opportunity to further drive awareness of the issue of veteran suicide while honoring Colonel Thorsness life and legacy.

The national nonprofit also celebrates its ninth anniversary of operation in February. AWP's mission of preventing veteran suicide is through an upstream approach to veteran empowerment based on a four-step community integration plan: Connect, Educate, Advocate, and Collaborate with veterans, their families, caregivers, and the communities that support them. Their ultimate goal is to improve veterans' quality of life and end veteran suicide by partnering with communities and organizations to serve them proactively and holistically before a crisis occurs.

For more information about AWP, including upcoming events, and to sign up to be a part of their community, visit their website at https://www.americaswarriorpartnership.org/ or @awpartnership.

About America's Warrior Partnership:

America's Warrior Partnership is a tax-exempt 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization that aims to partner with communities to prevent veteran suicide. Connect local veteran-serving organizations with the appropriate resources, services, and partners they need to support veterans, their families, and caregivers at every stage of their lives. Their ultimate goal is to improve veterans' quality of life and end veteran suicide by empowering local communities to serve them proactively and holistically before a crisis occurs. Learn more at https://www.americaswarriorpartnership.org/ or @awpartnership.
San Jose, CA, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading Silicon Valley business litigation firm Bergeson LLP recently scored a major victory in court, fending off a nonprofits challenge to a California family-owned timber ranchs timber harvesting plan  the latest example of how the small but proven team of legal experts provides comprehensive and successful legal support for companies at all stages.

John Pernick, a partner with Bergeson LLP, says the timber case demonstrates the skills the firm can bring to businesses of all sizes. While the firm won the timber ranchs case in court, it also works with its clients outside of the litigation context, always focused on putting its clients in the strongest position to obtain the results they seek.

Were not afraid to have final battles in court, and we advise and represent clients in their disputes as strong advocates working to obtain the best possible outcomes, says Pernick. But we also use our extensive litigation experience in advising clients in an earlier stage to show them how to best structure entities and business agreements so their interests are protected and the ambiguities that often lead to litigation are avoided at the outset.

Another situation where this dedicated work produces positive results for clients is the firms representation of investors in companies that are acquired by larger companies. Often, the terms of those acquisitions give the investors a right to an additional payment based on the achievement of certain financial results. The firm works to make sure that the investors receive all due payments, including enforcing the investors rights through litigation when necessary.

The firms attorneys all have extensive experience. For example, Pernick has more than thirty years of expertise representing a range of clients, from Silicon Valley and Bay Area startups to Fortune 50 corporations. He has worked in complex business litigation in state and federal courts, covering a variety of disputes.

Bergeson LLP, founded in 1990, regularly litigates significant cases in courts in California, Delaware, and throughout the US. With a talented group of litigators, with decades of experience including as partners at named national law firms, this litigation boutique provides the significant benefit of experience, combined with the personal attention that large firms do not give their clients.

Its the kind of much-needed support that typically is cost-prohibitive for many businesses and can only be afforded by market leaders with the cash resources to spare. Bergeson LLP makes that same top-tier counsel available for clients of all sizes  with flexibility on rates and fee arrangements that larger firms cannot provide.

We are strong advocates who will work to avoid litigation, but who are very ready to pursue litigation through to trial when necessary to serve our clients' interests, says Pernick.

Should legal challenges arise, he points to the recent success in the timber company case, proving how the team at Bergeson LLP can make the difference between a win or a loss.

Putting the hard work in upfront can pay huge dividends for businesses by either preventing litigation before it can start  or by placing the client in the best position to prevail should litigation become necessary, says Pernick.



Media Contact

Bergeson LLP

(408)-291-6200
Vancouver, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Coming fast on the heels of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework at COP15, the Fifth International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC5), taking place in Vancouver from Feb. 3-9, is the first time the global ocean community will meet since nearly 200 countries agreed to protect a third of the worlds marine and coastal areas by 2030.

WWF-Canada is calling on Canada, as the host country, to be a leader on ocean conservation by advancing the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework. This includes supporting the implementation of well-managed protected area networks and emerging Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas and the establishment of strong minimum standards for new and existing marine protected areas.

The week-long forum is an opportunity for practitioners, decision-makers and coastal communities to share their knowledge, experience and best practices for marine conservation as countries begin the work of increasing global marine protection from eight per cent to 30 per cent in just eight years. In Canada, currently more than 13 per cent of oceans and coasts are designated as protected.

Canada has set strong targets for marine protection, but not all protections are created equal. Progress shouldnt be measured just by the amount of area set aside for conservation, but whether we protect the right places, in the right ways, for the right reasons. We are urging Canada to champion effective minimum standards for both new and existing marine protected areas that include a comprehensive ban on ship dumping, a strong national ocean noise strategy, and support for Indigenous governance of marine areas, says Simon J. Mitchell, WWF-Canadas Vice-President, Resilient Habitats.

WHAT: Fifth International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC5) will bring together the global community of ocean conservation practitioners and decision-makers to exchange knowledge, experience, and best practices to strengthen marine conservation and biodiversity.

WHEN: Friday, February 3 to Thursday, February 9, 2023

WHERE: Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver, B.C.

WHO: Over 4,000 in-person and 2,000 virtual attendees are expected, including experts from WWF-Canada and across the global WWF network. WWF is also supporting the participation of six Indigenous and community leaders from four countries.

Megan Leslie, president and CEO, WWF-Canada

Simon J. Mitchell, vice-president of resilient habitats, WWF-Canada

Hussein Alidina, lead specialist for marine conservation, WWF-Canada (Great Bear Sea, underwater noise pollution)

Sam Davin, senior specialist for marine shipping and conservation, WWF-Canada (minimum standards in MPAs, ship waste)

Erin Keenan, senior manager of Arctic marine conservation, WWF-Canada (Arctic MPAs)

Jessica Currie, senior specialist for nature-based climate solutions, WWF-Canada (blue carbon)

Jimmy Ullikatalik, manager of Spence Bay Hunters and Trappers (Indigenous-led conservation, Aviqtuuq Inuit Protected and Conserved Area)

Pepe Clarke, Oceans Practice Leader, WWF International (Global Ocean conservation)

WWF-Canada sessions at IMPAC5 (in Pacific Standard Time). Please find the full program here.

Saturday, Feb. 4

ENGO perspectives on the Northern Shelf Bioregion MPA Network, British Columbia, Canada (presentation with Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society-BC, David Suzuki Foundation and West Coast Environmental Law) at 11:30 a.m.

(presentation with Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society-BC, David Suzuki Foundation and West Coast Environmental Law) at 11:30 a.m. Indigenous Ocean Conservation: Knowledge from Indigenous Conservation Leaders in Canada on Taking Care of All Our Shared Connected Waters (with Oceans North and Mushkegowuk Council) at 11:30 a.m.

(with Oceans North and Mushkegowuk Council) at 11:30 a.m. Sea-ing Blue: Reflections On ENGO Collaboration On Canadas Marine Conservation Targets (with SeaBlue Canada) at 4:00 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 5

Conservation of Biodiversity: Modeling Waste Production By Ships In Canada's Federal Marine Protected Areas at 4:00 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 6

Indigenous and Coastal Communities' Leadership: Embedding Centuries of Traditional Knowledge Into Practice to Accelerate Community-Led Conservation (with WWF Coastal Communities, ACAI) at 2:00 p.m.

(with WWF Coastal Communities, ACAI) at 2:00 p.m. Blue carbon: A nature-based solution to climate change mitigation (with Parks Canada, Simon Fraser University and the Hakai Institute) at 2:00 p.m.

(with Parks Canada, Simon Fraser University and the Hakai Institute) at 2:00 p.m. Managing the Impacts of Shipping in Canadian Marine Protected Areas (hosted by WWF-Canada with panelists from Transport Canada, East Coast Environmental Law, Shipping Federation of Canada, Council of the Haida Nation and Kitasoo/Xaixais Nation) at 4:00 p.m.

(hosted by WWF-Canada with panelists from Transport Canada, East Coast Environmental Law, Shipping Federation of Canada, Council of the Haida Nation and Kitasoo/Xaixais Nation) at 4:00 p.m. Harnessing Blue Carbon to Expand Marine Protected Areas in Canada (with SeaBlue Canada, Oceans North, DFO, University of Victoria and Blue Carbon Canada) at 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 7

Inclusive and Effective Ocean Conservation at Scale: ArcNet: An Arctic Ocean Network of Priority Areas for Conservation (with WWF Global Arctic Program) at 4:00 p.m.

(with WWF Global Arctic Program) at 4:00 p.m. Indigenous and Local Communities Marine Conservation Initiatives in the 30x30 Decade (WWF-International) at 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb.8

Advancing Marine Conservation Through Marine Spatial Planning: Protected Area Network Planning in Canada at the Pan-Arctic Level (with DFO) at 2:00 p.m.

About World Wildlife Fund Canada

WWF-Canada is committed to equitable and effective conservation actions that restore nature, reverse wildlife loss and fight climate change. We draw on scientific analysis and Indigenous guidance to ensure all our efforts connect to a single goal: a future where wildlife, nature and people thrive. For more information visit wwf.ca.

Attachment
Visiongain has published a new report: Women health Market , (COVID-19 Impact Analysis):- Market Segment by Application (Contraceptives, Postmenopausal Osteoporosis, Hormonal Infertility, Menopause, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Endometriosis and Uterine Fibroids, and Other diseases), Market Segment by Distribution Channel (Hospital Pharmacies, Retail Pharmacies, Online Pharmacies), Market Segment by Drugs (Xgeva, Prolia, Mirena, Forteo, Premarin, Lupron, Lo Loestrin, Orilissa/Oriahnn), Market Segment by Type (Generics, Branded), plus COVID-19 Impact Analysis and Recovery Pattern Analysis (V-shaped, W-shaped, U-shaped, L-shaped), Profiles of Leading Companies, Region and Country.



The women health market was valued at US$36,567.3 million in 2022 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.1% during the forecast period 2023-2033.

High Prices Are Restraining Growth of the Market

New and innovative therapies are usually expensive as there is lack of sufficient competition in the market that increases dependence on a few products. Furthermore, these are novel and branded therapies that target specific populations and indications. High prices hamper treatment efforts in developing geographies. Pricing pressure continues to increase with novel and high priced products. For instance, as per a study conducted by Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker, womens annual health expenditures (19 to 34 years age) are twice compared to men in the same age. Consequently, 50% women (18 to 49 years age) skip or delay medical care owing to high costs. Thus, increasing drug prices for Womens Health necessitates appropriate regulatory and legal actions and policies to keep prices affordable. These initiatives are expected to exert downward pricing pressure particularly in developing countries. In response, manufacturers are developing new technologies to lower production costs. Furthermore, lack of financial support impacts the adoption of such products.

Download Exclusive Sample of Report

https://www.visiongain.com/report/womens-health-market-2023/#download_sampe_div

How will this Report Benefit you?

Visiongains 240-page report provides 119 tables and 185 charts/graphs. Our new study is suitable for anyone requiring commercial, in-depth analyses for the women health market, along with detailed segment analysis in the market. Our new study will help you evaluate the overall global and regional market for Women health. Get financial analysis of the overall market and different segments including type, process, upstream, downstream, and company size and capture higher market share. We believe that there are strong opportunities in this fast-growing women health market. See how to use the existing and upcoming opportunities in this market to gain revenue benefits in the near future. Moreover, the report will help you to improve your strategic decision-making, allowing you to frame growth strategies, reinforce the analysis of other market players, and maximise the productivity of the company.

What are the Current Market Drivers?

Increased focus on developing economies.

Economic developments in developing/emerging countries have increased the demand for healthcare treatments. Acceptability, accessibility, and affordability are the three key factors for the commercial success of products, especially in emerging markets. For instance, ObsEva, Switzerland based company, focused on development of nolasiban drug, an oral oxytocin receptor antagonist used in in vitro fertilization procedures. In 2020, the company out licensed its drug rights to a Chinese local firm named Yuyuan BioScience. This could create opportunities in China in regard to drug discovery and clinical research. So, with the emergence of new markets, the competition for Womens Health is increasing because of which various regions and companies are competing to increase their sales of Womens Health in the market.

Increasing innovation for novel therapies

Number of companies are developing new products for women health treatment. These companies are receiving regulatory approvals to meet the needs of target population and is expected to drive market growth. For instance, in 2019, the U.S. FDA granted approval for Evenity (romosozumab-aqqg), a product developed together by Amgen and UCB. Evenity is indicated for osteoporosis treatment in postmenopausal women with high risk of fracture. Evenity is the only bone builder with a distinctive dual effect. The dual effect increases bone formation and decreases bone resorption/bone loss to rapidly reduce fracture risk. The drug has also received European Commission marketing authorization in Dec 2019.

Download Exclusive Sample of Report

https://www.visiongain.com/report/womens-health-market-2023/#download_sampe_div

Where are the Market Opportunities?

Investments for advanced healthcare infrastructures are projected to Grow more strategically Rising investments for health care is presents a huge opportunity for many national and international organizations. By 2020, more than US$144 billion will be invested in medical facilities in MEA regions, with 50% support from Gulf Cooperation Council nations to the total expense. This will help in building advanced infrastructure for healthcare and help in supporting women health. Also, in Dec 2022, The German Federal Foreign Office signed an agreement to grant 7 million euros for the Humanitarian Thematic Fund over three years. Multi-year funding method will permit United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to meet the needs of women and girls in case of crisis with access to sexual and reproductive health care.

Competitive Landscape

The major players operating in the women health market are Agile Therapeutics, Allergan/AbbVie, Amgen, Apothecus Pharmaceutical Corp., Bayer Pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly and Company, Ferring B.V., Merck, Novartis, and Pfizer. These major players operating in this market have adopted various strategies comprising M&A, investment in R&D, collaborations, partnerships, regional business expansion, and new product launch.

Recent Developments

On October 2022, Bayer received US$12 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for pre-clinical non-hormonal contraception research that will be extended for four years.

On August 2022, Myovant Sciences and Pfizer Inc. received FDA approval for MYFEMBREE for moderate to severe pain related with endometriosis in pre-menopausal women.

To access the data contained in this document please email oliver.davison@visiongain.com

To find more Visiongain research reports on the Pharma sector, click on the following links:

Do you have any custom requirements we can help you with? Any need for a specific country, geo region, market segment or specific company information? Contact us today, we can discuss your needs and see how we can help: oliver.davison@visiongain.com

About Visiongain

Visiongain is one of the fastest-growing and most innovative independent market intelligence providers around, the company publishes hundreds of market research reports which it adds to its extensive portfolio each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis across 18 industries worldwide. The reports, which cover 10-year forecasts, are hundreds of pages long, with in-depth market analysis and valuable competitive intelligence data. Visiongain works across a range of vertical markets with a lot of synergies. These markets include automotive, aviation, chemicals, cyber, defence, energy, food & drink, materials, packaging, pharmaceutical and utilities sectors. Our customised and syndicated market research reports offer a bespoke piece of market intelligence customised to your very own business needs.

Contact:
LONDON, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Business Research Companys research on the Autoimmune Treatment Market forecasts the global autoimmune treatment market size to grow from $6 billion in 2022 to $6.8 billion in 2023 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 12%. The autoimmune disease therapeutics market size is expected to grow to $10.9 billion in 2027 at a CAGR of more than 12%.



The increase in investments in research and development of drugs for autoimmune diseases are expected to propel the growth of the autoimmune treatment market going forward. For instance, in January 2020, Kyverna Therapeutics, a US-based biotechnology and cell therapy company, raised $25 million series A funding from Vida Ventures and Westlake Village Bio Partners investors and entered into a strategic partnership with Gilead Sciences. This funding will be used to enhance Kyverna's treatment strategy, which integrates advanced T cell engineering and synthetic biology technologies to inhibit and remove autoreactive immune cells, which are the source of inflammatory diseases.

Learn More In-Depth On The Autoimmune Treatment Market

Technological advancements are gaining popularity in the autoimmune treatment market trends. Major companies operating in the market are developing advanced technologies to sustain their position in the market. For instance, in January 2020, Predicta Med, an Israel-based healthcare company operating in the autoimmune treatment market, launched Predicta Med which helps in the identification of autoimmune disorders for early detection and intervention. The artificial intelligence technology and machine learning helps to greatly speed up a procedure that generally requires more than four years and at least four different doctors. Also, the accuracy rate increases to 84%, and it can also accurately detect lupus, multiple sclerosis, psoriatic arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. This unique platform offers healthcare professionals an AI-powered way of expediting the diagnosis of autoimmune illnesses, which might improve provider efficiency, increase the efficacy of treatment, and improve patient care.

The global autoimmune treatment market is segmented by product into consumables and assay kits, instruments, services; by service type into consultation and diagnosis, therapy and monitoring, drug development; by disease into rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, sjogrens syndrome, thyroiditis, scleroderma, other diseases; by drug class into anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperglycemics, NSAIDs, interferons, other drug class; by end user into clinical laboratories, hospitals, other end users.

Get A Free Sample Of The Global Autoimmune Treatment Market Report

Major players in the autoimmune treatment market are Abbott Laboratories, Amgen, Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly & Co., Pfizer, Roche, AstraZeneca Plc, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., Autoimmune Inc., Siemens Healthcare Private Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Biogen Idec Inc., Bayer Schering Pharma AG, GSK plc, and Genentech Inc.

North America was the largest region in the autoimmune treatment market in 2022. The regions covered in the autoimmune treatment market analysis are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, and Africa.

Autoimmune Treatment Market Global Report 2023 by The Business Research Company provides insights on the autoimmune treatment market size, autoimmune treatment market segments, autoimmune treatment market trends, drivers and restraints, major competitors market positioning, revenues and market shares.

The Business Research Company has published over 3,000+ industry reports, covering more than 2,500+ market segments and 60 geographies. The reports draw on 1,500,000 datasets, extensive secondary research, and exclusive insights from interviews with industry leaders.

Check Out Similar Market Intelligence Reports By The Business Research Company:

Autoimmune Disease Diagnosis Global Market Report 2023

https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/autoimmune-disease-diagnosis-global-market-report

Cell Based Assays Global Market Report 2023

https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/cell-based-assays-global-market-report

Cell Culture Consumables And Equipment Global Market Report 2023

https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/cell-culture-consumables-and-equipment-global-market-report

Learn More About The Business Research Company

The Business Research Company is a market intelligence firm pioneering in company, market, and consumer research. With offices all around the world, TBRC has specialist consultants in a variety of fields, including manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, chemicals, and technology.

Global Market Model  Worlds Most Comprehensive Database

The Business Research Companys flagship product, Global Market Model, is a market intelligence platform covering various macroeconomic indicators and metrics across 60 geographies and 27 industries. The Global Market Model covers multi-layered datasets which help its users assess supply-demand gaps.
Portland, OR, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the report published by Allied Market Research, the global military generator market garnered $1.27 billion in 2021 and is estimated to generate $1.98 billion by 2031, manifesting a CAGR of 4.7% from 2022 to 2031. The report provides an extensive analysis of changing market dynamics, major segments, value chains, competitive scenarios, and regional landscapes. This research offers valuable guidance to leading players, investors, shareholders, and startups in devising strategies for sustainable growth and gaining a competitive edge in the market.

Download Report Sample - https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/13679

Report coverage & details:

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 20222031 Base Year 2021 Market Size in 2021 $1.27 billion Market Size in 2031 $1.98 billion CAGR 4.7% No. of Pages in Report 320 Segments Covered type, installation type, application, fuel type, capacity, and region Drivers Technological advancement in generators



Development of small tactical power generators



Increase in military expenditure Opportunities Increasing use of hybrid generators



The rise in the development & adoption of DRASH tent systems Restraints Stringent emission regulations for diesel generator



Alternative backup power equipment

Covid-19 Scenario:

Lockdowns implemented by several countries in reaction to the COVID-19 outbreak' quick spread have had an impact on business operations in defense equipment, electronics, and other sectors.

Moreover, governments all across the world focused on the healthcare sector to combat the COVID-19 virus, which hurt the performance of the defense industry. Additionally, escalating trade restrictions, financial crises, and a lack of raw materials were some of the major issues harming businesses that manufacture military equipment and systems including military generators.

The significant decline in the GDP of major economies, including the US, UK, France, India, Germany, and others, in 2020 led to a reduction in investment in the procurement of military equipment. The demand for field energy has decreased as a result, which has hindered the expansion of the military generator market.

However, the military generator market has a high scope of growth opportunities in the future due to factors such as the high demand for field generators, and the greater adoption of portable generator systems.

The research provides detailed segmentation of the global military generator market based on type, installation type, application, fuel type, capacity, and region. The report discusses segments and their sub-segments in detail with the help of tables and figures. Market players and investors can strategize according to the highest revenue-generating and fastest-growing segments mentioned in the report.

Based on type, the AC generator segment held the highest share in 2021, accounting for more than 70% of the global military generator market, and is expected to continue its leadership status during the forecast period. However, the DC generator segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 5.4% from 2022 to 2031.

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Based on installation type, the stationary generator segment accounted for the highest share in 2021, contributing to more than 50% of the global military generator market, and is expected to maintain its lead in terms of revenue during the forecast period. However, the portable generator segment is expected to manifest the highest CAGR of 5.6% from 2022 to 2031.

Based on application, the field hospital segment accounted for the highest share in 2021, holding more than one-fourth share in the global military generator market, and is expected to maintain its lead in terms of revenue during the forecast period. However, the field camps and accommodation segment is expected to manifest the highest CAGR of 5.4% from 2022 to 2031.

Based on fuel type, the diesel segment accounted for the highest share in 2021, holding around two-thirds share in the global military generator market, and is expected to continue its leadership status during the forecast period. However, the hybrid segment is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR of 6.9% during the forecast period.

Based on capacity, the up to 60 KW segment accounted for the highest share in 2021, holding more than one-third share in the global military generator market, and is expected to continue its leadership status during the forecast period. However, the same segment is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR of 5.2% during the forecast period.

Based on region, North America held the largest share in 2021, contributing to more than 40% of the global military generator market share 2021, and is projected to maintain its dominant share in terms of revenue in 2031. In addition, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to manifest the fastest CAGR of 5.7% during the forecast period.

Leading market players of the global military generator market analyzed in the research include Caterpillar CMCA Group of Companies, Cummins Inc., Fischer Panda, HDT Global, KOHLER SDMO, Leonardo DRS, SFC Energy AG, The Dewey Electronics Corporation, and Rolls-Royce plc.

The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players in the global military generator market. These players have adopted different strategies such as new product launches, collaborations, expansion, joint ventures, agreements, and others to increase their market share and maintain dominant shares in different regions. The report is valuable in highlighting business performance, operating segments, product portfolio, and strategic moves of market players to showcase the competitive scenario.

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Similar Reports We Have on Military Industry:

Automotive Thermoelectric Generator Market Research Report 2023-2035

Inert Gas Generator System Market Research Report 2023-2035

Electric Vehicle Sound Generator Market Research Report 2023-2035

Electric Vehicle Range Extender Market Research Report 2023-2035

About Us

Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of " Market Research Reports " and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.

We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.
Dublin, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Disposable Protective Clothing Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global disposable protective clothing market size reached US$ 3.32 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach US$ 5.51 Billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 8.81% 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 industries. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.



Disposable protective clothing refers to a personal protective equipment (PPE) product, which is designed and fabricated for protecting personnel from hazardous working environments and contaminants.

It includes lab coats, ballistic vests, and head, eye, body and breathing protection gears, which assists frontline workers and operators in obstructing the entry of physical, chemical, airborne, heat and biohazard matters.

This, in turn, aids in ensuring a higher rate of cleanliness, maintaining hygiene, and providing optimal safety to the workers at affordable prices.

Apart from this, disposable protective clothing is versatile, sustainable, and lightweight in nature, on account of which it is extensively used in different applications. At present, it is commercially available in polyethene, polyester, and polypropylene material types.



Disposable Protective Clothing Market Trends:



The rising need for effective respiratory and protective clothing across the healthcare sector for mitigating the spread of hospital acquired infections (HAIs) is primarily driving the disposable protective clothing market.

The product is also gaining huge popularity owing to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, which has intensified their adoption in the medical and food service industries to prevent the spread of the virus and meet the health and safety measures.

Additionally, the increasing instances of manual industrial accidents and injuries caused due to handling hazardous chemicals in the oil and gas and manufacturing sectors has prompted governments of different nations to undertake favorable initiatives for ensuring the safety of point of entries (POEs) and employers or employee at workplaces, which, in turn, is supporting the market growth.

In line with this, ongoing technological advancements, along with strategic collaborations between key players for introducing advanced disposable coveralls manufactured from microporous films, is acting as another growth-inducing factor. These materials assist in providing an excellent barrier against viruses, protozoans, and parasites, due to which it is extensively used for disease prevention purposes.

Competitive Landscape:



The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being 3M Company, Ansell Ltd., Asatex AG, Derekduck Industry Corp., Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, DuPont de Nemours Inc., Honeywell International Inc., International Enviroguard, Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Inc. (Kimberly-Clark Corporation), Lakeland Industries Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific and Uvex Winter Holding Gmbh & Co. Kg.



Key Questions Answered in This Report:

How has the global disposable protective clothing market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global disposable protective clothing market?

What are the key regional markets?

What is the breakup of the market based on the material type?

What is the breakup of the market based on the application?

What is the breakup of the market based on the end use industry?

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 disposable protective clothing market and who are the key players?

What is the degree of competition in the industry?

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 121 Forecast Period 2021 - 2027 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2021 $3.32 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2027 $5.51 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 8.8% Regions Covered Global

Key Topics Covered:



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global Disposable Protective Clothing Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Material Type

6.1 Polyethylene

6.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.2 Market Forecast

6.2 Polypropylene

6.2.1 Market Trends

6.2.2 Market Forecast

6.3 Polyester

6.3.1 Market Trends

6.3.2 Market Forecast

6.4 Others

6.4.1 Market Trends

6.4.2 Market Forecast



7 Market Breakup by Application

7.1 Thermal

7.1.1 Market Trends

7.1.2 Market Forecast

7.2 Mechanical

7.2.1 Market Trends

7.2.2 Market Forecast

7.3 Chemical

7.3.1 Market Trends

7.3.2 Market Forecast

7.4 Radiation

7.4.1 Market Trends

7.4.2 Market Forecast

7.5 Others

7.5.1 Market Trends

7.5.2 Market Forecast



8 Market Breakup by End Use Industry

8.1 Manufacturing

8.1.1 Market Trends

8.1.2 Market Forecast

8.2 Oil and Gas

8.2.1 Market Trends

8.2.2 Market Forecast

8.3 Healthcare

8.3.1 Market Trends

8.3.2 Market Forecast

8.4 Defense

8.4.1 Market Trends

8.4.2 Market Forecast

8.5 Others

8.5.1 Market Trends

8.5.2 Market Forecast



9 Market Breakup by Region

10 SWOT Analysis



11 Value Chain Analysis



12 Porters Five Forces Analysis



13 Price Analysis



14 Competitive Landscape

14.1 Market Structure

14.2 Key Players

14.3 Profiles of Key Players

14.3.1 3M Company

14.3.1.1 Company Overview

14.3.1.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.1.3 Financials

14.3.1.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.2 Ansell Ltd.

14.3.2.1 Company Overview

14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.2.3 Financials

14.3.2.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.3 Asatex AG

14.3.3.1 Company Overview

14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.4 Derekduck Industry Corp.

14.3.4.1 Company Overview

14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.5 Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA

14.3.5.1 Company Overview

14.3.5.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.5.3 Financials

14.3.5.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.6 DuPont de Nemours Inc.

14.3.6.1 Company Overview

14.3.6.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.6.3 Financials

14.3.6.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.7 Honeywell International Inc.

14.3.7.1 Company Overview

14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.7.3 Financials

14.3.7.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.8 International Enviroguard

14.3.8.1 Company Overview

14.3.8.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.9 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Inc. (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)

14.3.9.1 Company Overview

14.3.9.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.10 Lakeland Industries Inc.

14.3.10.1 Company Overview

14.3.10.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.10.3 Financials

14.3.11 Thermo Fisher Scientific

14.3.11.1 Company Overview

14.3.11.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.11.3 Financials

14.3.11.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.12 Uvex Winter Holding Gmbh & Co. Kg

14.3.12.1 Company Overview

14.3.12.2 Product Portfolio

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/7mbkz5

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

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SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KlimaDAO has ratified 250,000 USDC in funding to support the development of the Improved Cookstoves project in Bangladesh in collaboration with SCB Group. The funding will enable the issuance of 31,250 Gold Standard certified carbon credits between 2023 and 2025, with the goal of providing liquidity for consumers within the Digital Carbon Market (DCM) on the Polygon blockchain.

By rolling out energy-efficient, improved smokeless cook stoves known locally as 'Chula' to the community, the project helps address environmental and health issues that stem from the use of inefficient cookstoves and polluting open flames within homes.

The partnership demonstrates how decentralized mechanisms can be used to transparently allocate resources towards high-impact carbon projects globally, and how community-wide governance can enable greater stakeholder engagement and scrutiny around the type and quality of carbon credits that are bridged into the DCM.

The partnership announcement comes after three months of discussion on KlimaDAO's Community Forum and a token vote via the Snapshot platform.

Drew Bonneau of KlimaDAO said, "This collaboration represents a significant milestone for KlimaDAO and the wider DCM, as the community's first DAO-wide token vote to allocate funding towards a project financing initiative. The carbon markets are becoming an increasingly important mechanism for directing capital to projects across the globe, and increased community involvement can help raise the scrutiny, scale and profile of project financing. The Improved Cookstoves for Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh project, with its strong environmental and social co-benefits, now serves as a blueprint for future decentralized carbon project initiatives."

Kevin McGeeney, CEO of SCB Group, said, "The on-chain community, always at the forefront of shaping emerging best practice in voluntary carbon markets, has once again demonstrated how forward-thinking and agile it is by agreeing to support this project. I congratulate KlimaDAO for their collaborative approach and am especially pleased I've had the honor to visit this project firsthand. The people we're supporting left everything behind in their homeland of Myanmar, and although they are now safe in Bangladesh, their situation is beyond what most of us can imagine. Your support allows these people to cook their rations and boil their water, saving time that can be more productive and sparing the scarce resources of the surrounding environment in the world's most densely populated country."

About KlimaDAO

KlimaDAO's mission is to accelerate the delivery of climate finance globally by building the transparent, neutral, and public infrastructure needed to scale the Digital Carbon Market. Contact KlimaDAO.

About SCB Group

SCB has more than 17 years' experience in the global renewables and commodity markets. With an industry-leading team and more than 100 employees across offices in Chicago, London, Singapore and Geneva, SCB is a world-leading low-carbon commodity company. It provides market-based carbon trading solutions to assist clients in achieving their sustainability goals and supports the financing of high-integrity and quality emission reduction and removal projects. Contact SCB Group.

Contact Information:

Katherine Anderson

Senior Marketing Manager, SCB Group

katherine@starcb.com



Alex Taylor

Press

press@klimadao.finance



Related Images











Image 1





KlimaDAO logo









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

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Reno, NV, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The early pandemic years overlapped with some of Californias worst wildfires on record, creating haunting, orange-tinted skies and wide swathes of burned landscape. Some of the impacts of these fires are well known, including drastic declines in air quality, and now a new study shows how these wildfires combined with midwinter drought conditions to accelerate snowmelt.

In a study published Jan. 20 in Geophysical Research Letters, a DRI-led research team examined what happens to mountain snowpacks when sunny, midwinter dry spells occur in forests impacted by severe wildfire. The researchers found a substantial increase in wildfires burning in Californias snowy landscapes throughout 2020 and 2021, when large blazes like the Dixie, Caldor, and Creek fires concentrated in snow zones. Using a 2013 midwinter dry spell as comparison, they found that similar weather in the winter of 2021-2022 led to 50% less snow cover. The compounding impacts of wildfire on snow melt include an increase in sun exposure due to loss of forest canopy, and a reduction in the snows ability to reflect sunlight.

Its already established that wildfires are accelerating spring snow melt, but we wanted to know what happens when you add a long winter dry spell on top of that, said Arielle Koshkin, M.S., a Ph.D. student now at the Colorado School of Mines who co-led the study as part of her masters research at DRI and the University of Nevada, Reno. The Caldor fire burned in our backyard, it was so close to where we live and work. So, the following winter, we wanted to investigate what it looked like.

Satellite data showed that compared to the 2001-2019 average, 2020 and 2021 saw a nearly ten-fold increase in wildfires burning in Californias seasonal snow zones. What that implies is that there's this increasing overlap between the fire and snow and there's all these cascading and compounding impacts on the system and especially the hydrology, said Ben Hatchett, Ph.D., a climatologist at DRI who co-led the study with Koshkin. This huge increase of fire activity in California snowy regions is exactly what we expect to see more of going forward.

A strong winter drought followed during the winter of 2021-2022, when Tahoe City experienced a 46-day long midwinter dry spell (the second-longest since reliable records began in 1917; the long-term median is 22 days without precipitation). A comparable midwinter drought following a wet start to the winter occurred in 2013, giving the researchers the ability to compare and contrast the impacts under more typical conditions with those that occurred in a severely burnt landscape.

In 2013 and 2022, we had very similar weather patterns, but we didn't see notable melt in 2013. And in 2022, we also did not see melt in unburned areas, Hatchett said. So that gives two lines of evidence suggesting that it's the fire and not the meteorology that's driving this.

Forests where severe wildfires have burnt the tree canopy have more exposed snowpacks, which enhances the melting caused by sunny days and warm nights (another recent DRI study examined the snowmelt impacts of spring heatwaves). Snowmelt is further exacerbated by the loss of the snowpacks albedo, or the natural power of white snow to reflect, rather than absorb, the suns radiation. Particularly in the winters immediately following a wildfire, snow is dusted with the black carbon of burnt vegetation, which can accelerate snowmelt rates by up to 57%.

The enhanced snowmelt was so pronounced within the perimeter of the Caldor fire that the researchers found a total of 50 fewer days with snow cover in the winter of 2021-2022  the lowest number of snow cover days on record.

Following a wildfire, there are two timescales of interest: right after the fire, the loss in albedo really dominates, said Hatchett. But impacts from the loss of canopy last for decades, maybe longer if the forest does not recover.

The enhanced snowmelt midwinter creates challenges for forecasting water availability from the natural snowpack reservoir. During the winter months, water managers need to leave room in reservoirs to prevent flooding; this means that earlier snowmelt may not be captured for later use in the dry season. Studies like this provide water managers with the tools to make more accurate predictions of the timing and magnitude of snowmelt.

The fires have made major landscape disturbance that we're not taking into account in our forecasting abilities, Koshkin said. I think this study is showing that wildfire impacts are huge, and we need to implement this into our ability to understand how water runs off the landscape. It's part of our world and it's increasing and it's going to affect more snowy places. So, its important to make sure that we understand the outcomes in our models and management plans.

Koshkin plans to expand on this research for her Ph.D. studies by examining regional variation of fire impacts on snow. She notes that how wildfire impacts snowmelt in the Sierra Nevada may look different in Colorado or Idaho, due to different weather and snowpack conditions.

The researchers emphasize that the wildfire impacts seen in this study are the result of high-severity wildfires, and not lower-severity burns like prescribed fires. This study really highlights the importance of bringing fire back onto our landscape in the sense that we need fire  good fire is the answer to our wildfire problem, Hatchett says. Bringing a more natural regime of fire, through prescribed and cultural fire, back onto our landscape will help reduce the likelihood of future severe fire.

We can recognize that this could be our new normal, Koshkin said, but we also have the ability to adapt and manage and mitigate as much as possible.

More information:

The full study, Midwinter dry spells amplify post-fire snowpack decline, is available from Geophysical Research Letters:

https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL101235

Study authors include: Benjamin Hatchett (DRI), Arielle Koshkin (DRI/UNR), Kristen Guirguis (Scripps Institution of Oceanography), Karl Rittger (CU Boulder), Anne Nolin (UNR), Anne Heggli (DRI), Alan Rhoades (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab), Amy East (USGS), Erica Siirila-Woodburn (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab), W. Tyler Brandt (Scripps Institution of Oceanography), Alexander Gershunov (Scripps Institution of Oceanography), and Kayden Haleakala (Scripps Institution of Oceanography/UCLA).

###

About DRI

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is a recognized world leader in basic and applied environmental research. Committed to scientific excellence and integrity, DRI faculty, students who work alongside them, and staff have developed scientific knowledge and innovative technologies in research projects around the globe. Since 1959, DRIs research has advanced scientific knowledge on topics ranging from humans impact on the environment to the environments impact on humans. DRIs impactful science and inspiring solutions support Nevadas diverse economy, provide science-based educational opportunities, and inform policymakers, business leaders, and community members. With campuses in Las Vegas and Reno, DRI serves as the non-profit research arm of the Nevada System of Higher Education. For more information, please visit www.dri.edu.

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HAMILTON, Ontario, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lawrie Insurance Group, one of Canada's leading, privately-owned, multi-disciplined insurance brokerages and recently celebrating 40 years in business, announces the appointment of Paul Martin, CIP, as Chief Operating Officer (COO).



Paul brings with him many years of insurance industry leadership and experience. His focus on professionalism and integrity has made him well known for his advocacy for clients, industry education and general love for insurance. Paul believes strongly in giving back to the community and is involved in various charities, including Co-Chair of the WICC Relay for Life and Board Member of Victim Services of York Region. He is also the Past President of the Insurance Institute of Ontario.

Paul will work directly and in collaboration with our teams in driving growth and operational success within LIG's core multi-disciplined business units of Commercial Lines, Personal Lines, Employee Benefits, Group Retirement, and Life & Living Benefits.

Bob Lawrie, CEO of Lawrie Insurance Group, commented, "We are thrilled to have Paul join the Lawrie Insurance Group team to bring his experience, leadership, and professionalism in elevating the execution of our long-term strategies and shared commitment to fierce broker independence."

About Lawrie Insurance Group

Lawrie Insurance Group Inc. is a leading privately-owned, multi-disciplined Canadian insurance brokerage specializing in commercial and personal insurance, employee benefits, life and living benefits and group retirement solutions. With a staff of over 125 dedicated professionals, Lawrie Insurance Group has become one of the largest and most trusted insurance organizations and ranks in the top 5% of independent insurance brokerages in Canada. Lawrie Insurance Group is a member of the Canadian Broker Network (CBN), Intersure and Globex International with affiliated offices across Canada, the United States, and the world. Please visit us online at www.lawriegroup.com.

Media contact:

Dennis Harrington

Director of Marketing & Communications

dharrington@lawriegroup.com

365-675-0387 (direct)

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/18c8aab4-e658-4092-98c5-0fe609adb397
Dublin, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Research Report on China's Coal Import 2023-2032" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



China is the largest coal producer and consumer. The huge coal consumption in China encourages foreign coal producers to expand their production capacity. In addition, overseas coal mines are mostly opencast ones, which makes it easy to increase production.

However, coal production in China is restricted by environmental protection policies and other factors. In recent years, some small and medium-sized coal mines had to cut or even stop production because their environmental protection facilities failed to meet standards.

Meanwhile, the rising mining costs have made the coal prices in China higher than the international coal prices. For example, in 2019, the average price of imported coal was only US$78 per ton, about 10% lower than that of domestic coal.



According to the publisher's analysis, the logistics costs for imported coal are very low because imported coal mostly enters China by sea. While the logistics costs for domestic coal are far higher because the prices of refined oil are more expensive in China than in other parts of the world, and the expressway tolls are excessively high. Therefore, China imports a large quantity of coal every year.



China's coal imports rose from 204.06 million tons in 2015 to 299.67 million tons in 2019. In 2020, due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and the deterioration of relations between China and Australia, China's coal imports have shown a downward trend. In 2021, China's coal imports amounted to approximately 323.21 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 6.6%.



Coal imports are classified into anthracite, coking coal, other coal, other bituminous coal and lignite. The first three types of coal are used for thermal power generation and collectively called as steam coal in China. China's coal imports are dominated by steam coal that has a low average price.



According to the publisher, coal import can bring the following benefits to China: (1) Appropriate amount of coal imports can suppress the price fluctuations and speculation on China's coal market so that the downstream industries can maintain stable production and operation; and (2) the import of high-quality coking coal that China lacks can promote the development of China's coke and metal smelting industries.



According to the publisher's prediction, if the COVID-19 epidemic is relieved in 2022, China's coal imports will increase in 2023-2032. Although China has reduced its coal imports from Australia, it will look for coal from other countries as an alternative. If the COVID-19 epidemic continues in 2023, it is expected that China's coal imports will continue to decline in 2023 and will not resume growth until 2024.



Topics covered:

China's Coal Import Status and Major Sources in 2018-2022

What is the Impact of COVID-19 on China's Coal Import?

Which Companies are the Major Players in China's Coal Import Market and What are their Competitive Benchmarks?

Key Drivers and Market Opportunities in China's Coal Import

What are the Key Drivers, Challenges, and Opportunities for China's Coal Import during 2023-2032?

What is the Expected Revenue of China's Coal Import during 2023-2032?

What are the Strategies Adopted by the Key Players in the Market to Increase Their Market Share in the Industry?

What are the Competitive Advantages of the Major Players in China's Coal Import Market?

Which Segment of China's Coal Import is Expected to Dominate the Market in 2032?

What are the Major Adverse Factors Facing China's Coal Import?

Key Metrics

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 60 Forecast Period 2023 - 2032 Compound Annual Growth Rate 5.0% Regions Covered China

Key Topics Covered:

1 Overview of China's Coal Industry

1.1 Definition of Coal

1.2 Classification of Coal

1.3 Industry Chain of Coal

1.4 The Impact of COVID-19 on China's Coal Imports



2 Analysis on Environment of Coal Import in China, 2019-2022

2.1 Economic Environment

2.2 Policy Environment

2.3 Technological Environment



3 Analysis on Coal Supply in China

3.1 China's Coal Reserves

3.2 Production Capacity of China's Coal Mines

3.3 Production Volume of Coal in China



4 Analysis on Coal Demand in China

4.1 Major Downstream Consumers of Coal in China

4.2 Consumption Volume of Coal in China

4.3 Market Size of Coal in China



5 Analysis on Coal Import in China

5.1 Scale of Coal Import in China

5.2 Average Import Prices of Coal in China

5.3 China's Reliance on Coal Imports



6 Analysis on Coal Imports by Type in China

6.1 Steam Coal Import in China

6.2 Coking Coal Import in China

6.3 Anthracite Import in China



7 Analysis on Major Sources of China's Coal Imports

7.1 China's Coal Imports from Indonesia

7.2 China's Coal Imports from Australia

7.3 China's Coal Imports from Mongolia

7.4 China's Coal Imports from Russia



8 Major Coal Importers in China

8.1 Major Steam Coal Importers in China

8.2 Major Coking Coal Importers in China



9 Prospect of Coal Import in China, 2023-2032

9.1 Major Factors Influencing Coal Import in China

9.2 Forecast on Import Volume of Coal in China

9.3 Forecast on Types and Major Sources of China's Coal Imports

Companies Mentioned

Huaneng Group Fuel Co., Ltd.

Xiamen ITG Group Corp., Ltd.

Baoshan Iron & Steel Co., Ltd.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/6vrdq8-report?w=12

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.
MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Samsung Electronics Canada today unveiled the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Series, its latest flagship PC lineup, which features the Galaxy Book3 Ultra, Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 and Galaxy Book3 360. As Samsungs new premium PC, the Galaxy Book3 Ultra features ultra-high-performance computing; the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 and Galaxy Book3 360 feature a 2-in-1 convertible form factor with S Pen functionality1. The Galaxy Book3 Series is designed for those who need seamless multi-device connectivity and premium hardware to supercharge their productivity and creativity.



Today, were seeing an increasing number of people using multiple devices to perform efficiently. These new workflows are made possible thanks to our open and extensive Galaxy ecosystem, said TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. The latest Galaxy Book3 Series further enriches our connected offerings. It is tailor-made for Galaxy enthusiasts looking for the ultra-high computing performance and seamless connected Galaxy experiences to maximize their productivity and creativity.

Delivering the Most Seamless Samsung Galaxy Connected Experience Yet

The Galaxy Book3 Series offers a connected experience that is both intuitive and familiar. Including a wide range of on-the-go productivity features, such as Link to Windows / Microsoft Phone Link2 which allows users to enjoy seamless phone-to-PC connectivity across the OS. Link to Windows / Microsoft Phone Links Recent Websites3 lets you continue web sessions from your phone to PC  such as looking up the price of a flight on your phone and then booking it on your PC, while Instant Hotspot4 enables effortless connection to wireless hotspots with just one click.

In addition, users can move seamlessly between multiple screens across different devices with no disruptions. The Samsung Multi Control5 feature lets you control your Galaxy PC, Galaxy Tab and now Galaxy smartphone with the Galaxy Book3 Series keyboard and trackpad, enabling you to copy, paste, or drag-and-drop between devices, while Second Screen6 turns your Galaxy Tab into an additional monitor with a single click. As well, since users often create content on multiple devices, the Galaxy Book3 Series makes the creative process easier. Now, users can take high quality photos using Expert RAW7 on their Galaxy smartphone, transfer them to the Galaxy Book3 Series automatically, and edit them on Adobe Lightroom8.

Onboarding to the new Galaxy Book3 Series is intuitive, fast and frictionless. Sign in to your Samsung Account on your Galaxy Book3 Series device just once and it will sync with the Galaxy services youve been using on other Galaxy devices thanks to Single Sign On9. You can even sign in to your favorite websites on the Galaxy Book3 Series easily using the information on your Samsung Pass10 account for mobile. Plus, transferring all your data and settings from your old Windows PC is simplified with Galaxy Book Smart Switch11, while Galaxy Book Experience provides an easy-to-follow guide to help new users get started.



Providing the Power to Perform

The Galaxy Book3 Series offers ultra high-performance computing with an upgraded CPU, GPU, display and more. The Galaxy Book3 Ultra features the latest 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processor12, making it the fastest Galaxy Book PC to date, as well as the NVIDIA RTX Geforce 4070 laptop GPU13 provides studio-grade graphics to enhance creative workflows and gaming experiences. For the first time, Samsungs Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display  first used in the Galaxy premium smartphone lineup display  is featured in the Galaxy Book3 Ultra. The 3K (2880x1800) resolution shows incredibly fine details, and the adaptive 120Hz refresh rate offers a smooth and slick viewing experience. The display is also VESA ClearMR and DisplayHDR TRUE BLACK 500 certified and has received SGS Eye Care Display certification for the guaranteed reduction of blue light. All these improvements empower users to perform multiple demanding tasks, watch rich and detailed content without loss of fidelity, and play high-spec games smoothly. Plus, depending on viewing needs, the 16-inch display14 features a 16:10 aspect ratio with the Galaxy Book3 Ultra.

The audio in the Galaxy Book3 Series is more refined, with a new quad speaker system that delivers clear, high notes and a rich bass sound. Studio quality dual microphones, along with AI Noise Cancellation15, clearly capture your voice and reduce background noise. And as video calls are now a part of everyday life, you can confidently join anytime and still look great with Studio Mode16, which offers improved visuals with lighting correction, auto framing, eye contact correction and smooth backgrounds.

Galaxy for the Planet

Samsung believes that technological innovation is essential in shaping a more sustainable future. Since the launch of the Galaxy S22 Series, Samsung has incorporated recycled materials not just in our plastic free packaging17, but also in the hardware of our new products. These are the first steps in our Galaxy for the Planet initiative, which includes our continued incorporation of recycled plastics and the creation of new materials in partnership with leading sustainability partners.

The Galaxy Book3 Series is built with select parts created from recycled18 Ocean Bound Plastic, including retired fishing nets. In addition, the Galaxy Book3 Series pushes the boundaries of eco-conscious design, reducing plastics and using recycled and sustainable materials in packaging19 and includes energy-conscious features like intelligent charging to optimize long-term battery life and reducing standby power consumption.

Canadian Availability

The new Galaxy Book3 Series uses a full aluminum frame for a premium look and feel  ensuring an enhanced user experience while preserving its light, sleek and flat design.

Galaxy Book3 Ultra (16-inch):

The Galaxy Book3 Ultra will be available will be available for pre-order in select markets beginning February 14, 2023, and for purchase starting February 22, 2023 in Graphite in the below variations:

16GB | 1TB Model: Available for $3,269 (our regular price)

16GB | 512GB Model: Available for $2,999 (our regular price)

Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 (16-inch):

The Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 will be available for pre-order in select markets beginning February 1, 2023, and for purchase starting February 17, 2023, at Samsung.com/ca, Samsung Experience Stores and major retailer partners across Canada in Graphite in the below variations:

16GB | 1TB Model: Available for $2,499 (our regular price)

16GB | 512GB Model: Available for $2,199 (our regular price)

Galaxy Book3 360 (13.3-inch):

The Galaxy Book3 360 will be available for pre-order in select markets beginning February 1, 2023, and for purchase starting March, 2023, at Samsung.com/ca, Samsung Experience Stores and major retailer partners across Canada in Graphite in the below variations:

16GB | 512GB Model: Available for $1,899 (our regular price)

8 GB | 256G Model: Available for $1,499 (our regular price)

For more information, please visit:

Galaxy Book3 Ultra: https://www.samsung.com/ca/computers/galaxy-book/galaxy-book3-ultra-16-inch-i7-16gb-512gb-np960xfh-xa1ca/

Galaxy Book3 Pro 360: https://www.samsung.com/ca/computers/galaxy-book/galaxy-book3-pro-360-16-inch-i7-16gb-512gb-np960qfg-ka1ca/

Galaxy Book3 360: https://www.samsung.com/ca/computers/galaxy-book/galaxy-book3-360-13-3-inch-i7-16gb-512gb-np730qfg-ka1ca/



Promotional Offers

Gift with Purchase - Galaxy Book3 Ultra

Canadians who pre-order a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra between February 14, 2023 and February 21, 2023 at an authorized Canadian retailer or carrier, at a Samsung Experience Store in Canada or online at samsung.com/ca/ are eligible to receive a Samsung Galaxy Buds2 gift20.

Gift with Purchase - Galaxy Book3 Pro 360

Canadians who pre-order a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 February 1, 2023 and February 16, 2023 at an authorized Canadian retailer or carrier, at a Samsung Experience Store in Canada or online at samsung.com/ca/ are eligible to receive a Samsung Galaxy Buds2 gift21.

Gift with Purchase - Galaxy Book3 360

Canadians who pre-order a Samsung Galaxy Book3 360 between February 1, 2023 and March 14, 2023 at an authorized Canadian retailer or carrier, at a Samsung Experience Store in Canada or online at samsung.com/ca/ are eligible to receive a Samsung Galaxy Buds2 gift22.

Double your storage, on us

Canadians can receive twice the storage for the same price when they purchase a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 between February 1, 2023 and February 16, 2023; that equates to $300 in savings off the MSRP of a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 36023.



Canadians can receive twice the storage for the same price when they purchase a Samsung Galaxy Book3 360 between February 1, 2023 and March 14, 2023; that equates to $300 in savings off the MSRP of a Samsung Galaxy Book3 36024.

Canadians can receive twice the storage for the same price when they purchase a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra between February 14, 2023 and March 2nd, 2023; that equates to $270 in savings off the MSRP of a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra25.

Peace of Mind with Samsung Care+

With a Samsung Care+ Plan, Canadians can experience a total care service for their new Samsung Galaxy Book3 Series laptop. Users will be protected for up to two years against physical or liquid damage and mechanical malfunction or defects, with a team of dedicated Galaxy experts available to help them get back on track.

Canadians who pre-order a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra device between February 14, 2023 and February 21, 2023 or complete the purchase of a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra device between February 22, 2023 and March 9, 2023, will receive a Samsung Care+ 2 Year Plan at 50% off, as applicable26.

Canadians who pre-order a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 device between February 1, 2023 and February 16, 2023 or purchase a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 device between February 17, 2023 and March 9, 2023, will receive a Samsung Care 2 Year Plan at 50% off, as applicable27.

Canadians who pre-order a Samsung Galaxy Book3 360 device between February 1, 2023 and March 14, 2023 and complete their purchase, will receive a Samsung Care 2 Year Plan at 50% off, as applicable28.

To learn more visit: http://pages.samsung.com/ca/promotions/English/Samsung_careplus_terms_conditions_EN.pdf

About Samsung Electronics Canada Inc.

Samsung Electronics Canada inspires Canadians to reach their full potential through a transformative ecosystem of products and services that deliver innovation and distinct design to every aspect of their connected lives. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, and wearable devices, tablets and digital appliances. In 2022, Samsung was ranked as one of Canada's "Most Reputable Companies" by Leger, named one of Canadas Top 100 Employers and placed first on Forbes 'The World's Best Employers' list. Dedicated to helping make a difference in the lives of Canadians, Samsung's award-winning corporate giving initiatives support public education and health-related issues in communities across the country. To discover more, please visit www.Samsung.ca.

Follow Samsung Canada at facebook.com/SamsungCanada, on Instagram @samsungcanada or on Twitter @SamsungCanada.

Device Specifications



Galaxy Book3 Ultra Specifications  Galaxy Book3 Ultra 16 Dimensions*29 355.4 x 250.4 x 16.5 mm

*Accuracy of numbers may vary depending on measurements used. Height varies depending on manufacturing process. Weight*30 1.79kg

*Weights vary depending on manufacturing process. OS*31 Windows 11

*Availability varies by region and carrier. Experience may vary by device. Display*32 16.0-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X (16:10 ratio),

400nits, Adaptive 120Hz Refresh Rate(48 - 120hz), 120% Colour volume (DCI-P3),

3K (2880x1800)

*400nit (Typ), 500nit (HDR) -VESA HDR 500 authentication, HDR Contents only. CPU* (Platform)33 13th Gen Intel Core i7 (Intel EVO)

*CPU specifications vary depending on model, country, or region. Graphic*34 NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU /

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU

* GPU specifications vary depending on model, country, or region. Connectivity*35

(WLAN) Wi-Fi 6E (Gig+), 802.11 ax 2x2

Bluetooth v5.1

*Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment. Wi-Fi 6E availability will vary due to OS version, country, location, network conditions, and other factors. Wi-Fi 6E wireless network routers required and sold separately. Colour36 Graphite

*Colour availability may vary by country and retailers. Memory*37 32GB (LPDDR5)

*Availability may vary by devices. Storage*38 512GB / 1TB SSD (PCIe) + expansion slot

*Availability may vary by devices. Camera/Mic FHD 1080p / Studio-quality Dual Mic Audio

(Speakers) AKG Quad Speaker (Woofer Max 5W x 2, Tweeter 2W x 2),

Smart Amp, Dolby Atmos Keyboard*39 3-row Numeric, Island Type with Backlit

*Keyboard layout may differ by market. Battery*40 76Wh (Typical)

*Typical value tested under third-party laboratory conditions. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Rated capacity is 4757mAh/73.8Wh. Adaptor

(Charging)41 100W USB Type-C Adapter

*Charger can power Galaxy devices that use USB Type-C port. Charger specification varies by model and regions. Authentication

(Security)42 Secured-core PC, Fingerprint on Power Key

*Secured-core PCs require specific configuration by the user to fully enable the highest level of protection against attacks. To use Windows Hello requires specialized hardware, including fingerprint reader, illuminated IR sensor or other biometric sensors and capable devices. Ports*43 Thunderbolt 4 (2), USB Type-A (1),

HDMI 2.0, microSD, Headphone/Mic

*Actual speed of USB can vary depending on user environment. Solution44 Galaxy Eco (Phone-Tab-PC-Wearable): Samsung Multi Control*, Second Screen **, Expert RAW (Auto Share)***, Quick Share & Private Share ****, Phone Link *****, Samsung Pass ******





Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 Specifications  Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 16 Dimensions*45 355.4 x 252.2 x 12.8 mm

*Accuracy of numbers may vary depending on measurements used. Height varies depending on manufacturing process. Weight*46 1.66kg / 1.71kg (5G model)

*Weights vary depending on manufacturing process. OS*47 Windows 11

*Availability varies by region and carrier. Experience may vary by device. Display48 16.0-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X (16:10 ratio),

Touch screen & S Pen capable (Pen in-box)

400nits, Adaptive 120Hz Refresh Rate (48 - 120hz),120% Colour volume (DCI-P3),

3K (2880x1800),

*400nit (Typ), 500nit (HDR) -VESA HDR 500 authentication, HDR Contents only. CPU (Platform) 49 13th Gen Intel Core i5 / Core i7 (Intel EVO)

*CPU specifications vary depending on model, country, or region. Graphic Intel Iris Xe Graphics

*Availability may vary by devices. Connectivity*50

(WLAN) Wi-Fi 6E, 802.11 ax 2x2, Bluetooth v5.1

*Wi-Fi 6E availability will vary due to OS version, country, location, network conditions, and other factors. Wi-Fi 6E wireless network routers required and sold separately. Colour*51 Graphite

*Colour availability may vary by country and retailers. Memory*52 16GB (LPDDR5)

*Availability may vary by devices. Storage*53 512GB / 1TB SSD (PCIe)

*Availability may vary by devices. Camera/Mic FHD 1080p / Studio-quality Dual Mic Audio

(Speakers) AKG Quad Speaker (Woofer Max 5W x 2, Tweeter 2W x 2),

Smart Amp, Dolby Atmos Keyboard*54 3-row Numeric, Island Type with Backlit

*Keyboard layout may differ by market. S Pen*55

(Stylus) In-box (8.2 x 7.7 x 144.84mm, 7.9g)

*Bluetooth is not available for S Pen. Battery*56 76Wh (Typical)

*Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Rated capacity is 4762mAh/73.9Wh. Adaptor

(Charging)57 65W USB Type-C Adapter

*Charger can power Galaxy devices that use USB Type-C port. Charger specification varies by model and regions. Authentication

(Security)58 Secured-core PC, Fingerprint on Power Key

*Secured-core PCs require specific configuration by the user to fully enable the highest level of protection against attacks. To use Windows Hello requires specialized hardware, including fingerprint reader, illuminated IR sensor or other biometric sensors and capable devices. Ports59 Thunderbolt 4 (2), USB Type-A (1),

HDMI 1.4, microSD, Headphone/Mic, nano SIM slot (Optional)

*Actual speed of USB can vary depending on user environment. Solution60 Galaxy Eco (Phone-Tab-PC-Wearable): Samsung Multi Control*, Second Screen **, Expert RAW (Auto Share) ***, Quick Share & Private Share ****, Phone Link *****, Samsung Pass ******







Galaxy Book3 360 Specifications  Galaxy Book3 360 13.3 CPU (Platform) 61 Intel 13th i7 (15/28W, EVO verified) Graphics Card Intel Iris Xe graphics

*Availability may vary by devices. Display62 15.6 FHD Super AMOLED (16:9), Colour Volume (DCI-P3) 120%, up to 500nit (HDR) Storage*63 256/512 GB,

*CPU specifications vary depending on model, country, or region. Memory*64 8/16 GB (LPDDR4x)

*Availability may vary by devices. Cam FHD 1080p Authentication

(Security)65 Secured-core PC, Fingerprint on Power Key



Audio

(Speakers) Stereo 2 x 2W, Dolby Atmos Ports66 TB4, USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, HP/MIC, microSD Dimensions*67 355.4 x 228.0 x 13.7 mm Weight*68 1.49kg Battery*69 68 Wh (20 hrs video playback, TBD)

*Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Rated capacity is 4762mAh/73.9Wh. S Pen*70

(Stylus) S Pen (EMR, optional)

*Bluetooth is not available for S Pen. Connectivity*71

(WLAN) Wi-Fi 6E (Gig+), 802.11 ax 2x2





___________________________________

1 The S Pen included with Galaxy Book3 Pro 360, S Pen sold separately for Galaxy Book3 360

2 Users must link their Samsung Galaxy device to their Windows PC through Link to Windows on phone and the Microsoft Phone Link App on PC and follow the set-up prompts, including being signed into the same Microsoft account. Link to Windows is preloaded on select Samsung Galaxy devices. PC (Microsoft Phone Link App) requires Windows 10 or above. Microsoft Phone Link recommends Samsung Galaxy device to be on the same Wi-Fi network as the PC. Some mobile apps may restrict content to be shared on other screens. Some related features may vary by device.

3 'Recent Websites' is only available when using Samsung Internet app on Samsung Galaxy smartphone with One UI 3.1.1 or above (Samsung Galaxy S, Note, Z Fold, Z Flip) and Windows PC with Windows 10 20H1 or above. Requires latest app updates to Phone Link/Link to Windows/Samsung internet. Internet connection is required on both devices.

4 'Instant Hotspot' is only available on Samsung Galaxy smartphone with One UI 4.1.1 and BT capable Windows PC with Windows 11 22H2 or above. Requires latest app updates to Link to Windows / Phone Link.

5 Samsung Multi Control requires updated phones with One UI 5.1, tablets with One UI 4.1 or higher versions and works on Galaxy Book series devices released in 2021 or later with either Samsung Settings v1.5 (Intel) or Samsung Settings v3.3 (ARM). Some models may have limited feature support.

6 Second Screen requires Galaxy Tab S7, S7+ or S7 FE with One UI 3.1 or higher, or S8, S8+ or S8 Ultra. PCs with Wireless Display and Windows 10 v.2004 or higher are required.

7 Expert RAW must be downloaded separately from the Galaxy Store, for free, before use. Expert RAW app is available on Galaxy S23 series (S23 Ultra, S23+, S23), Galaxy S22 Series (S22 Ultra/S22+/S22), S21 Ultra, S20 Ultra, Z Fold4, Z Fold3, Z Fold2 and Note 20 Ultra. To automatically transfer images, Quick Share must be installed on the PC and users must log in with same Samsung account on both devices. (PC: Turn on Quick Share reception and Screen. Phone: Turn on Auto Share to PC or tablet in Expert RAW setting > Choose your PC)

8 To receive a 2-month complimentary trial offer (US$19.98 value) for Adobe Lightroom for Samsung (Offer), a valid form of payment, a Samsung device, a Samsung account and an Adobe ID are required. You must redeem this offer before February 10 2024. This Offer is non-transferrable and cannot be combined with any other offer. Limit one (1) Offer per person. Offer not available to existing Lightroom subscribers. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Lightroom subscription is subject to the Adobe Terms of Use ( https://www.adobe.com/legal/subscription-terms.html)

9 Single Sign-On works on apps including Quick Share, SmartThings, Bixby, Samsung Bluetooth Sync, Samsung Multi Control, Samsung Notes and Samsung Gallery.

10 Samsung Pass requires TPM (Trusted Platform Module) 2.0 and above, Windows 10 version 1903 or higher, Windows Hello. Available devices and browsers may be subject to change.

11 Data transferring via Galaxy Book Smart Switch requires all devices to be installed with Galaxy Book Smart Switch. Both PCs should be connected to the same network. Availability of Galaxy Book Smart Switch may vary depending on OS. There may be certain files that cannot be transferred, in which case user will be informed during program execution.

12 CPU specifications vary depending on model, country, or region.

13 GPU specifications vary depending on model, country, or region.

14 Screen size is measured diagonally as a full rectangle without accounting for the rounded corners. Actual viewable area is less due to the rounded corners.

15 Only supports VoIP apps including Zoom, WeChat, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and more. Internet connection is required.

16 Automatically activated when using the camera. Studio mode may not work correctly when 3rd party video call camera effects (backgrounds, face effects, etc.) are applied simultaneously. Auto framing feature requires face detection and may not work properly if user is wearing a face mask. Features may vary by environment, light condition, apps, device condition and other factors.

17 In-box components include the screen protector.

18 The recycled plastics consist of two plastic types: PA (Polyamide) material sourced from discarded fishing nets, and PC (Polycarbonate) material sourced from discarded water barrels. We incorporated recycled materials into the upper, front and rear case. Upper, front and rear case do not include internal circuits, boards or other components.

19 Galaxy S23 Ultra increases the presence of recycled materials from six internal components in the Galaxy S22 Ultra to twelve internal and external components. Recycled materials include plastic, glass and aluminum.

20 Some conditions apply. Offer is valid from February 14th 2023 to February 21st, 2023. Pre-order from any participating authorized Canadian retailer, Samsung Experience Store in Canada or online at https://www.samsung.com/ca/ any eligible Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra and receive a Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Gift with Purchase as a bonus upon completion of your purchase of a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra. Eligible Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra devices are as follows: NP960XFH-XA2CA regular price: $3269.99, NP960XFH-XA1CA regular price: $2999.99. Savings will be realized upon completion of your purchase of a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra purchase. While supplies last. No rain checks. Limit of one (1) Samsung Galaxy Buds2 per Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra purchased. The exact colour of the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 may vary depending on the availability as selected by Samsung in its own discretion. Open to Canadian residents only. Participating authorized Canadian retailers may vary and may sell for less. Cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion except where expressly permitted. Promotion may be cancelled or changed without notice.

21 Some conditions apply. Offer is valid from February 1st 2023 to February 16th 2023. Pre-order from any participating authorized Canadian retailer, a Samsung Experience Store in Canada or online at https://www.samsung.com/ca/any eligible Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360 and receive a Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Gift with Purchase as a bonus upon completion of your Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360. Eligible Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 are as follows: NP960QFG-KA2CA regular price: $2499.99, NP960QFG-KA1CA regular price: $2199.99. Savings will be realized upon completion of your Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 purchase. While supplies last. No rain checks. Limit of one a Samsung Galaxy Buds2 per Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 purchased. The exact colour of the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 received by the customer may vary depending on the availability as selected by Samsung in its own discretion. Open to Canadian residents only. Participating authorized Canadian retailers may vary and may sell for less. Cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion. Promotion may be cancelled or changed without notice

22 Some conditions apply. Offer is valid from February 1st 2023 to Mar 14th 2023. Pre-order from any participating authorized Canadian retailer, a Samsung Experience Store in Canada or online at https://www.samsung.com/ca/any eligible Samsung Galaxy Book3 360 and receive a Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Gift with Purchase as a bonus upon completion of your Samsung Galaxy Book3 360. Eligible Samsung Galaxy Book3 360 are as follows: NP730QFG-KA1CA regular price: $1899.99, NP730QFG-KA2CA regular price $1499.99. Savings will be realized upon completion of your Samsung Galaxy Book3 360 purchase. While supplies last. No rain checks. Limit of one a Samsung Galaxy Buds2 per Samsung Galaxy Book3 360 purchased. The exact colour of the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 received by the customer may vary depending on the availability as selected by Samsung in its own discretion. Open to Canadian residents only. Participating authorized Canadian retailers may vary and may sell for less. Cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion. Promotion may be cancelled or changed without notice.

23 Pre-order from February 1st, 2023 to February 16th, 2023; (the Offer Period) from a participating authorized Canadian retailer, a Samsung Experience Store in Canada or online at https://www.samsung.com/ca/ the following devices, and save: (i) $300 off the MSRP on a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 (NP960QFG-KA2CA) (now the same price as NP960QFG-KA1CA). Its like getting twice the storage at no additional cost! You must complete your purchase by February 16th, 2023. Selection and availability may vary. While quantities last. No rain checks. Offer is subject to change or cancellation without notice. Participating authorized Canadian retailers may vary. Offer provided by Samsung Electronics Canada Inc. Cannot be combined with any other offer except where expressly permitted.

24 Pre-order from February 1st, 2023 to March 14th, 2023, (the Offer Period) from a participating authorized Canadian retailer, a Samsung Experience Store in Canada or online at https://www.samsung.com/ca/ the following devices, and save: (i) $300 off the MSRP on a Samsung Galaxy Book3 360 (NP730QFG-KA1CA) Its like getting twice the storage at no additional cost! You must complete your purchase by March 14th, 2023. Selection and availability may vary. While quantities last. No rain checks. Offer is subject to change or cancellation without notice. Participating authorized Canadian retailers may vary. Offer provided by Samsung Electronics Canada Inc. Cannot be combined with any other offer except where expressly permitted.

25 Complete the purchase of a Galaxy Book3 Ultra between February 14th, 2023 and March 2nd, 2023; (the Offer Period) from a participating authorized Canadian retailer, a Samsung Experience Store in Canada or online at https://www.samsung.com/ca/ and save $270 off the MSRP on a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra (NP960XFH-XA2CA) (now the same price as NP960XFH-XA1CA). Its like getting twice the storage at no additional cost! Selection and availability may vary. While quantities last. No rain checks. Offer is subject to change or cancellation without notice and is available to Canadian residents only. Participating authorized Canadian retailers may vary. Offer provided by Samsung Electronics Canada Inc. Cannot be combined with any other offer except where expressly permitted.

26 Either (i) pre-order from February 14th, 2023  February 21st, 2023 and complete your purchase, or (ii) purchase from February 22nd, 2023 to March 9th, 2023, a Galaxy Book3 Ultra Series (each an Eligible Galaxy device as listed below) and you can receive: One (1) Samsung Care+ 2 Year Plan at 50% off (before taxes) for your selected Galaxy Book3 Ultra device (promotional price: $139.50;Tier 3 Samsung Care+ Notebooks Plan regular price - $279). Offer available at participating authorized Canadian retailers and carriers, at Samsung Experience Stores in Canada, and online at Samsung.com/ca. While quantities last. No rain checks. Offer has no cash value, is not transferrable and cannot be switched once selected. Limit of one (1) Samsung Care+ 2 Year Plan at 50% off, as applicable, per Eligible Galaxy device purchased. Products must be purchased on the same invoice to qualify for the promotional pricing. Open to Canadian Residents only. Participating authorized Canadian retailers and carriers may vary. Samsung reserves the right to request a bill of sale to verify date and location of purchase. Samsung reserves the right to change or cancel the promotion without notice.

27 Either (i) pre-order from February 1st, 2023  February 16th, 2023 and complete your purchase, or (ii) purchase from February 17th, 2023 to March 9th, 2023, a Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 Series (each an Eligible Galaxy device as listed below) and you can receive:(i) One (1) Samsung Care+ 2 Year Plan at 50% off (before taxes) for your selected Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 device for $139.50 (Tier 3 Samsung Care+ Notebooks Plan regular price - $279).Offer available at participating authorized Canadian retailers and carriers, at Samsung Experience Stores in Canada, and online at Samsung.com/ca. While quantities last. No rain checks. Offer has no cash value, is not transferrable and cannot be switched once selected. Limit of one (1) Samsung Care+ 2 Year Plan at 50% off, as applicable, per Eligible Galaxy device purchased. Open to Canadian Residents only. Participating authorized Canadian retailers and carriers may vary. Samsung reserves the right to request a bill of sale to verify date and location of purchase. Samsung reserves the right to change or cancel the promotion without notice.

28 Pre-order from February 1st, 2023  March 14th, 2023 and complete your purchase of a Galaxy Book3 360 Series (each an Eligible Galaxy device as listed below) and you can receive: (i) One (1) Samsung Care+ 2 Year Plan at 50% off (before taxes) for your selected Galaxy Book3 360 device for $139.50 (Tier 3 Samsung Care+ Notebooks Plan regular price - $279). Offer available at participating authorized Canadian retailers and carriers, at Samsung Experience Stores in Canada, and online at Samsung.com/ca. While quantities last. No rain checks. Offer has no cash value, is not transferrable and cannot be switched once selected. Limit of one (1) Samsung Care+ 2 Year Plan at 50% off, as applicable, per Eligible Galaxy device purchased. Open to Canadian Residents only. Participating authorized Canadian retailers and carriers may vary. Samsung reserves the right to request a bill of sale to verify date and location of purchase. Samsung reserves the right to change or cancel the promotion without notice.

29 Accuracy of numbers may vary depending on measurements used. Height varies depending on manufacturing process.

30 Weights vary depending on manufacturing process.

31 Availability varies by region and carrier. Experience may vary by device.

32 400nit (Typ), 500nit (HDR) -VESA HDR 500 authentication, HDR Contents only.

33 CPU specifications vary depending on model, country, or region.

34 GPU specifications vary depending on model, country, or region.

35 Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment. Wi-Fi 6E availability will vary due to OS version, country, location, network conditions, and other factors. Wi-Fi 6E wireless network routers required and sold separately.

36 Colour availability may vary by country and retailers.

37 Availability may vary by devices.

38 Availability may vary by devices.

39 Keyboard layout may differ by market.

40 Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Actual battery life may vary depending on network environment, usage patterns and other factors.

41 Charger can power Galaxy devices that use USB Type-C port. Charger specification varies by model and regions.

42 Secured-core PCs require specific configuration by the user to fully enable the highest level of protection against attacks. To use Windows Hello requires specialized hardware, including fingerprint reader, illuminated IR sensor or other biometric sensors and capable devices.

43 Actual speed of USB can vary depending on user environment.

44 *Samsung Multi Control requires updated phones with One UI 5.1, tablets with One UI 4.1 or higher versions and works on Galaxy Book series devices released in 2021 or later with either Samsung Settings v1.5 (Intel) or Samsung Settings v3.3 (ARM). Some models may have limited feature support. ** requires Galaxy Tab S7, S7+ and S7 FE with One UI 3.1 or higher, and S8, S8+ and S8 Ultra. PCs with Wireless Display and Windows 10 v.2004 or higher are required. ***Expert RAW must be downloaded separately from the Galaxy Store, for free, before use. Expert RAW app is available on Galaxy S23 series (S23 Ultra, S23+, S23), Galaxy S22 Series (S22 Ultra/S22+/S22), S21 Ultra, S20 Ultra, Z Fold4, Z Fold 3, Z Fold 2, Note 20 Ultra. **** Available on Galaxy device with One UI 2.1 or later versions installed. Quick Share uses Bluetooth Low Energy and Wi-Fi Direct. The transferable type, number, capacity and expiry date of files as well as the number of simultaneous file shares in Private Share may be limited. *****Phone Link requires linking a Samsung Galaxy smartphone to a Windows PC through Link to Windows app on phone and 'Phone Link' app on PC and following the set-up prompts, including being signed into the same Microsoft account. ******Samsung Pass requires TPM (Trusted Platform Module) 2.0 and above, Windows 10 version 1903 or higher, Windows Hello. Available devices and browsers may subject to change.

45 Accuracy of numbers may vary depending on measurements used. Height varies depending on manufacturing process.

46 Weights vary depending on manufacturing process.

47 Availability varies by region and carrier. Experience may vary by device.

48 400nit (Typ), 500nit (HDR) -VESA HDR 500 authentication, HDR Contents only

49 CPU specifications vary depending on model, country, or region.

50 Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment. 5G availability will vary by market and model. Wi-Fi 6E availability will vary due to OS version, country, location, network conditions, and other factors. Wi-Fi 6E wireless network routers required and sold separately.

51 Colour availability may vary by country and retailers.

52 Availability may vary by devices.

53 Availability may vary by devices.

54 Keyboard layout may differ by market.

55 Bluetooth is not available for S Pen.

56 Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Actual battery life may vary depending on network environment, usage patterns and other factors.

57 Charger can power Galaxy devices that use USB Type-C port. Charger specification varies by model and regions.

58 Secured-core PCs require specific configuration by the user to fully enable the highest level of protection against attacks. To use Windows Hello requires specialized hardware, including fingerprint reader, illuminated IR sensor or other biometric sensors and capable devices.

59 Actual speed of USB can vary depending on user environment.

60 *Samsung Multi Control requires updated phones with One UI 5.1, tablets with One UI 4.1 or higher versions and works on Galaxy Book series devices released in 2021 or later with either Samsung Settings v1.5 (Intel) or Samsung Settings v3.3 (ARM). Some models may have limited feature support. **Second screen requires Galaxy Tab S7, S7+ and S7 FE with One UI 3.1 or higher, and S8, S8+ and S8 Ultra. PCs with Wireless Display and Windows 10 v.2004 or higher are required. ***Expert RAW must be downloaded separately from the Galaxy Store, for free, before use. Expert RAW app is available on Galaxy S23 series (S23 Ultra, S23+, S23), Galaxy S22 Series (S22 Ultra/S22+/S22), S21 Ultra, S20 Ultra, Z Fold4, Z Fold 3, Z Fold 2, Note 20 Ultra. **** Available on Galaxy device with One UI 2.1 or later versions installed. Quick Share uses Bluetooth Low Energy and Wi-Fi Direct. The transferable type, number, capacity and expiry date of files as well as the number of simultaneous file shares in Private Share may be limited. *****Phone Link requires linking a Samsung Galaxy smartphone to a Windows PC through Link to Windows app on phone and 'Phone Link' app on PC and following the set-up prompts, including being signed into the same Microsoft account.****** Samsung Pass requires TPM (Trusted Platform Module) 2.0 and above, Windows 10 version 1903 or higher, Windows Hello. Available devices and browsers may subject to change.

61 CPU specifications vary depending on model, country, or region.

62 400nit (Typ), 500nit (HDR) -VESA HDR 500 authentication, HDR Contents only

63 Availability may vary by devices.

64 Availability may vary by devices.

65 Secured-core PCs require specific configuration by the user to fully enable the highest level of protection against attacks. To use Windows Hello requires specialized hardware, including fingerprint reader, illuminated IR sensor or other biometric sensors and capable devices.

66 Actual speed of USB can vary depending on user environment.

67 Accuracy of numbers may vary depending on measurements used. Height varies depending on manufacturing process.

68 Weights vary depending on manufacturing process.

69 Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Actual battery life may vary depending on network environment, usage patterns and other factors.

70 Bluetooth is not available for S Pen.

71 Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment. 5G availability will vary by market and model. Wi-Fi 6E availability will vary due to OS version, country, location, network conditions, and other factors. Wi-Fi 6E wireless network routers required and sold separately.

Contact info:

Vera Culic

North Strategic

416-836-2037

vera.culic@northstrategic.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1d1c0b87-6fc9-479e-8ae4-0a0ccb690cef

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c476d1d5-7afd-4708-9635-732e59438eaf
Dallas, Texas, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Parker University is proud to announce that its president, Dr. William E. Morgan, has been awarded the 2022 Congressional Veteran Commendation Award for the Twenty-Fourth Congressional District of Texas.

The Congressional Veteran Commendation is a nominations-based program designed to recognize the wartime sacrifices and peacetime community involvement of residents of this congressional district of Texas. Honorees are exceptional Americans in every way.

In recognition of this award, Parker University hosted a Veterans Recognition Luncheon on Saturday, January 28, 2023, where Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne and other dignitaries like Mayor of Coppell Wes Mays, Mayor of Southlake John Huffman, and North Richland Hills Councilmember Suzy Compton, presented several Congressional Veteran Commendations.

This award helps recognize how thankful the community is for Dr. Morgans service to our country and his ability to make so many sacrifices for others to help make the Twenty-Fourth Congressional District of Texas a better place.

In addition to Dr. Morgan, other veterans were recognized at the ceremony on the Parker University campus, including Ricardo Castanuela, Tracy Chumbley, Neil Larimer, Gunnar West, and Brandon Williams.

In a pre-event engagement, Dr. Morgan held conversations with Ms. Van Duyne, Mr. Huffman, and Mr. Mays, discussing the deep bond that has been forged between Parker University and surrounding cities. Check out these exclusive interviews here!

Parker University is proud to recognize its president and the impact he makes in our community. Thank you, Dr. Morgan!

About Parker University

Parker University, the fourth-fastest growing college in Texas and the fastest-growing college in Dallas, was founded in 1982 by Dr. James William Parker (formerly Parker College of Chiropractic). Today, Parker University has more than 2,100 students and more than 35 academic programs, including its famed chiropractic program, as well as masters degrees in neuroscience, clinical neuroscience, strength and human performance, and functional nutrition. Currently, Parker Universitys chiropractic cohort is the second largest of any campus in the world. Parker University has been recognized as a Great College to Work For, one of the 25 Fastest-Growing Colleges in the U.S., and as a recipient of the 2021 FutureEdge 50 Awards.

Attachment
English French

BURLINGTON, Ontario, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wolseley Canada and GE Appliances, a Haier company, Air & Water Solutions are teaming up to offer a comprehensive line of premium heating, ventilation, and air conditioning products in the Canadian market.



The new residential ducted HVAC line-up from GE Appliances Air & Water Solutions includes furnaces, air conditioners, air handlers, heat pumps, evaporator coils, and package units that offer the ultimate in-home comfort. The new products are now available at Wolseley Canada stores across Canada.

With these new products, we are able to offer the best in residential HVAC solutions, says Shawn Hulshof, Vice President, Category Management with Wolseley Canada. Each of the products are state of the art and are designed to deliver optimal performance, whether we are in the midst of a swirling blizzard in January or the dog days of summer in a dry, hot August.

Assembled in North America, all of the products in the lineup come with a ten-year warranty and are compatible with a conventional 24V thermostat.

From inverter-driven heat pumps to high-efficiency gas furnaces, weve designed a complete and new residential HVAC line to reduce downtime for pros and energy bills for consumers, says Mark Talma, Canadian Director for GE Appliances Air & Water Solutions. Through Wolseley Canadas national network of branches and strong relationships in the construction industry, were excited to roll out a new, dynamic option in residential HVAC.

The gas furnace features:

Insta-Position furnace technology

Perfect fit coil flanges

Silent ignition

Smaller burners, mini-clamshell HX designed for quiet operation

Lifetime heat exchanger warranty



The air conditioner and heat pump features:

Proprietary aluminum alloy tube and fin coil technology

All models compatible with standard TXVs

High and low-pressure switches on all HP models

All models compatible with conventional, 24V thermostats

The packaged unit features:

Horizontal install ready; downflow convertible

Total access service design

0 installation clearance*

48 max width

For more information, reach out to your local Wolseley Canada store. Learn more about Wolseley Canada at wolseleyinc.ca.

About Wolseley Canada:

Wolseley Canada is a market leader in the wholesale distribution of plumbing, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration, waterworks, fire protection, pipes, valves and fittings and industrial products. With its head office in Burlington, Ontario, the company has approximately 2,500 employees and more than 220 locations coast to coast. Wolseley's team of sales and service specialists, an industry-leading e-business platform, Wolseley Express, and relationships with the best vendors and brands in the business, make Wolseley the professional's choice across the country. Wolseley Canadas parent company, Ferguson plc (NYSE: FERG; LSE: FERG) is a leading North American value-added distributor providing expertise, solutions, and products from infrastructure, plumbing and appliances to HVAC, fire, fabrication and more. For additional information on Ferguson plc, please visit www.corporate.Ferguson.com.

Contact:

Jodi Smith-Meisner

Director, Communications

Jodi.smith-weisner@wolseleyinc.ca

647-272-5718
Montreal, QC, Canada, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Genetec Inc. (Genetec), a leading technology provider of unified security, public safety, operations, and business intelligence solutions, has achieved a number of certifications underscoring its unwavering commitment to ensuring the cybersecurity of its solutions and the ISMS (information security management systems) that govern them.

Genetec maintains ISO 27001 certification for the 6th consecutive year and obtains ISO 27017 certification

Genetec has maintained ISO 27001 certification for the 6th consecutive year and exemplifies its commitment to cybersecurity by also implementing ISO 27017 standards.

With ISO 27001 and 27017 certifications, Genetec customers can be confident they are working with an organization that has put stringent controls in place to manage sensitive data and mitigate cyber threats when theyre using the companys cloud solutions including Autovu CloudrunnerTM, Security Center SaaS edition, Genetec Stratocast, Genetec Clearance , Genetec ClearID , SynergisTM, Access Control as a service, and Genetec Curb Sense.

Developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), ISO/IEC 27017 builds on the principles of the ISO 27001 standard, which provides a checklist of controls for a companys establishment, operation and maintenance of an information security management system.

ISO 27017 focuses on the protection of the information in cloud services with a focus on major control areas including asset management, access control, physical security, and compliance. With ISO 27017, an organizations system and processes are subject to stringent security and privacy standards.

Genetec renews UL 2900 cybersecurity certification for the fourth year in a row

Genetec has also received the UL 2900-2-3 level 3 cybersecurity certification for the fourth year in a row. The company remains the only VMS vendor in the world to have achieved this certification. The UL Cybersecurity Assurance Program (UL CAP) is a robust certification program that evaluates the security of network-connectable products and vendor processes. The UL 2900-2- level 3 standard, for which the Genetec Security Center Omnicast VMS is certified, is specifically designed for life safety and physical security systems. It includes a series of checks including fuzz testing, code and binary analysis, vulnerability assessment, penetration testing, and risk management methodology validation.

Genetec passes SOC 2 Type 2 audit

Genetec has also passed the SOC 2 Type 2 audit to include its entire portfolio of cloud products and ISMS that govern them. This signifies that internal controls at Genetec are built on the best industry practices and aligned with SOC 2 Type 2 criteria and requirements. Defined by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), this report offers prospective Genetec customers and partners peace of mind, as it is a stamp of approval that the company is compliant with best practices in data protection and has all the appropriate safeguards and procedures in place to control who can access sensitive data. The SOC 2 Type 2 audit conducted by third parties covers five key areas: security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. Genetec has also obtained the SOC 3 report which can be consulted here.

Certification with ISO and UL standards, and SOC 2 Type 2 audits are essential elements of our comprehensive approach to cyber resilience. Customers can be sure we have the right policies and procedures in place to manage sensitive data when they use our cloud solutions or hybrid deployments, said Mathieu Chevalier, Principal Security Architect, Genetec Inc.

--ends--

About Genetec

Genetec Inc. is a global technology company that has been transforming the physical security industry for over 25 years. Today, the company develops solutions designed to improve security, intelligence, and operations for enterprises, governments, and the communities in which we live. Its flagship product, Security Center, is an open-architecture platform that unifies IP-based video surveillance, access control, automatic license plate recognition (ALPR), communications, and analytics. Founded in 1997, and headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Genetec serves its customers via an extensive network of certified channel partners and consultants in over 159 countries.

For more information about Genetec, visit: www.genetec.com

 Genetec Inc., 2023. Genetec, Autovu Cloudrunner, Stratocast, Clearance, Security Center Omnicast, Genetec ClearID , Synergis, Access Control as a service, Genetec Curb Sense, and the Genetec logo are trademarks of Genetec Inc. and may be registered or pending registration in several jurisdictions. Other trademarks used in this document may be trademarks of the manufacturers or vendors of the respective product.

Attachment
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nevada Exploration Inc. (NGE or the Company) (TSX-V:NGE; OTCQB:NVDEF) announces that it intends to complete the share consolidation (the Consolidation) of its common shares (Common Shares) on the basis of twenty-five (25) pre-Consolidation Common Shares for one (1) post-Consolidation Common Share. The Consolidation was approved by the Companys shareholders at a meeting duly held on January 24, 2023 and disclosed in the Companys news release dated January 25, 2023. The proposed Consolidation will change the number of outstanding Common Shares from 169,121,620 to 6,764,865.

The Consolidation is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (Exchange). The record date for the Consolidation will be set subsequent to receipt of Exchange approval for the Consolidation.

The Company will issue a further news release confirming the record date and the effective date for the Consolidation. The Consolidation is expected to become effective mid-February, 2023.

About Nevada Exploration Inc.

Led by an international team of explorers, NGE is applying modern technology to systematically explore for the undiscovered second half of Nevadas gold endowment waiting to be uncovered within Nevadas valley basins. NGE is advancing a portfolio of gold exploration projects, primarily focused on three district-scale Carlin-type gold projects, including its flagship South Grass Valley project, located in close proximity to the Nevada Gold Mines of the Cortez Complex.

For further information, please contact:

Nevada Exploration Inc.

Email: info@nevadaexploration.com

Telephone: +1 (604) 601 2006

Website: www.nevadaexploration.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 Statement on Forward-Looking Information:

This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively, forward-looking information) within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including, without limitation, expectations, beliefs, plans, and objectives regarding projects, potential transactions, and ventures discussed in this release.

In connection with the forward-looking information contained in this news release, the Company has made numerous assumptions, regarding, among other things, the assumption the Company will continue as a going concern and will continue to be able to access the capital required to advance its projects and continue operations. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies.

In addition, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Companys actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are the risks inherent in mineral exploration, the need to obtain additional financing, environmental permits, the availability of needed personnel and equipment for exploration and development, fluctuations in the price of minerals, and general economic conditions.

A more complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company is disclosed in the Companys continuous disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulatory authorities at www.sedar.com. All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. (NYSE: FSM) (TSX: FVI) is pleased to provide an update on activities at its Seguela gold Project located in Cote dIvoire.



David Whittle, Chief Operating Officer - West Africa, commented, Construction activities are nearing completion despite worldwide supply chain challenges. We are pleased to report commissioning remains on schedule for Q2 2023. Mr. Whittle added, Our operational teams are being assembled with an experienced core leadership group already hired and preparing for first gold production. Mr. Whittle concluded, This will mark a significant milestone for Fortuna with Seguela also exhibiting growth potential given the quantity of Inferred Resources and the exploration success on the property to date.

Construction Highlights

Overall project is approximately 90 percent complete as of the end of January and remains on-track and on-budget for first gold pour in mid-2023

SAG mill installation is nearing completion

Tailing storage facility (TSF) earthworks and HDPE lining is almost complete

Commissioning of the fuel depot is complete

Grid connection and energization of the high voltage substation is complete

Water storage dam (WSD) reserves at levels above requirements for commissioning and processing plant start-up

Handovers of infrastructure from construction to operations teams have commenced

Mining and Operational Readiness Highlights

Recruitment and onboarding of staff well underway with an experienced core leadership team already in place

Mine fleet continues to arrive on site and training of operators is underway

Grade control drilling is underway and mining activities are expected to commence in February

Process plant commissioning plan is on-track with commissioning teams and vendor representatives expected to arrive throughout the first quarter of 2023

Spare parts, first fills, reagents and consumables have started to arrive at site



With the completion of construction rapidly approaching, operational readiness has increasingly become the focus in preparation for commissioning of the processing plant, which is due to commence early in the second quarter of 2023. As a result of the dedicated efforts of the Seguela management and site teams, the project is well positioned for this transition which also represents a significant milestone for the Company. Mota-Engil, the mining contractor, has established their temporary facilities on site to support initial mining activities with construction of the permanent mining services area infrastructure progressing well. The mining fleet required for initial mining activities is on site and has been commissioned.



The next tranche of mining equipment is on-schedule for late-February availability:

6020B 230-ton hydraulic excavator delivered and being assembled on-site

4 x 777E haul trucks being assembled in Abidjan

1 x 50-ton excavator for rock-breaker, hammer already on-site

1 x D9 dozer

2 x 988 front end loaders for crusher feed



Mining preparations are underway with the Antenna Stage 1 pit having been cleared and grade control drilling in progress. The ROM pad and Antenna pit haul road areas have been cleared in preparation for their construction which is scheduled to begin in early February.

Upcoming key milestones include:

Q1

Commencement of mining activities in early February

Commencement of drilling and blasting in late February

Commencement of processing plant commissioning in March

First ore to ROM pad at the end of March

Q2

Processing plant practical completion in April

First ore fed to the crusher in April

First gold pour



Negotiations with the Cote dIvoire government are continuing in order to finalize the terms of the mining convention.

Following the completion of the aforementioned milestones, Lycopodium, EPC contractor, will conduct a rigorous performance test of the processing plant before the end of the third quarter.



SAG mill installation well advanced





HV substation energized





Fuel depot commissioned





TSF earthworks and HDPE lining practically complete





Initial mining fleet on site





Grade control drilling underway





Further updates on the Seguela gold Project will be provided as the development of the project proceeds. Seguelas construction photo gallery can be accessed here.

Qualified Person

Raul Espinoza, Director of Technical Services for the Company, is a Fellow member and Chartered Professional of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (FAusIMM CP) and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Espinoza has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information pertaining to the Seguela Gold Project contained in this news release and has verified the underlying data.

About Fortuna Silver Mines Inc.

Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. is a Canadian precious metals mining company with four operating mines in Argentina, Burkina Faso, Mexico and Peru, and a fifth mine under construction in Cote d'Ivoire. Sustainability is integral to all our operations and relationships. We produce gold and silver and generate shared value over the long-term for our stakeholders through efficient production, environmental protection, and social responsibility. For more information, please visit our website.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Jorge A. Ganoza

President, CEO, and Director

Fortuna Silver Mines Inc.

Investor Relations:

Carlos Baca | info@fortunasilver.com | Twitter: @Fortuna_Silver | LinkedIn: fortunasilvermines | YouTube: Fortuna Silver Mines

Forward looking Statements

This news release contains forward looking statements which constitute forward looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and forward looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, Forward looking Statements). All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are Forward looking Statements and are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the Forward looking Statements. The Forward looking Statements in this news release may include, without limitation, statements about the Companys plans for the construction of an open pit gold mine at the Seguela gold Project, including the timeline for construction, commissioning, first gold pour and the ramp up to design capacity; the costs of constructing the mine, the securing of contracts necessary for the construction of the mine, the timing of the delivery of equipment to the project; the signing of the Mining Convention with the Government of Cote dIvoire, the ability to sign contracts for outstanding equipment and services in line with the estimates for same, the timing of the first gold pour; the Companys business strategy, plans and outlook; the merit of the Companys mineral properties; mineral resource and reserve estimates; timelines; the future financial or operating performance of the Company; expenditures; approvals and other matters. Often, but not always, these Forward looking Statements can be identified by the use of words such as estimated, potential, open, future, assumed, projected, used, detailed, has been, gain, planned, reflecting, will, containing, remaining, to be, or statements that events, could or should occur or be achieved and similar expressions, including negative variations.

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 be materially different from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Forward looking Statements. Such uncertainties and factors include, among others, changes in general economic conditions and financial markets; the duration and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our operations and workforce and the effects on the global economy and society; changes in prices for silver, gold and other metals; changes in the prices of supplies required for the construction at the Seguela gold Project such as equipment and services; the ability to sign the Mining Convention on terms currently contemplated and acceptable to the Company; technological and operational hazards in Fortunas mining and mine development activities; risks inherent in mineral exploration; fluctuations in prices for energy, labor, materials, supplies and services; fluctuations in currencies; increases in inflation; uncertainties inherent in the estimation of mineral reserves, mineral resources, and metal recoveries; our ability to obtain all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in a timely manner; governmental and other approvals; political unrest or instability in countries where Fortuna is active; labor relations issues; as well as those factors discussed under Risk Factors in the Company's Annual Information Form. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in Forward looking Statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended.

Forward looking Statements contained herein are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management, including but not limited to that the construction at the Seguela gold Project will continue on the time line and in accordance with the budget as planned; that COVID-19 and the current inflationary environment will not have an adverse effect on the cost of construction of the mine at the Seguela gold Project and will not adversely affect the supply chain and delivery of materials and equipment for the construction; expected trends in mineral prices and currency exchange rates; that there will be no adverse weather conditions that will delay work at the project; that the Companys activities will be in accordance with the Companys public statements and stated goals; that there will be no material adverse change affecting the Company or its properties; that all required approvals will be obtained; that there will be no significant disruptions affecting operations, and such other assumptions as set out herein. Forward looking Statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any Forward looking Statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by law. There can be no assurance that Forward looking Statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on Forward looking Statements.

Cautionary Note to United States Investors Concerning Estimates of Reserves and Resources

Reserve and resource estimates included in this news release have been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators that establishes standards for public disclosure by a Canadian company of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. Unless otherwise indicated, all mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates contained in the technical disclosure have been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves.

Canadian standards, including NI 43-101, differ significantly from the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and mineral reserve and resource information included in this news release may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/792fbb69-ec66-4ada-82eb-2c7503b443ad

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/acca0bd7-12ef-4f9f-8008-72e5e36127a1

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/013ac5af-623d-45f2-9be7-84e08f2fa017

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/76982db0-e25f-4821-9df9-f7517ae0bafe

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f436752f-7699-4e6d-916a-c8bf85b85329

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c971d39b-6117-4f6e-b16e-1f8b587892c8
South Africa: Reconfiguration of entities aims to improve water provision

Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu, has reiterated that reconfiguration of water entities aims to improve water provision to communities.

The reconfiguration of water boards is meant to give adequate support to the under-capacitated Water Services Authorities (WSAs) to meet the ever-increasing demand for services by communities, and ensure adequate capacity with quality and skilled engineers, Mchunu said.

Mchunu was addressing a virtual Water and Sanitation Portfolio Committee meeting held on Tuesday to respond to the resolutions of the National Assembly on several issues in the water and sanitation value chain.

Mchunu said the reconfiguration will address transformation challenges, increase water access to unserviced areas, enhance market capitalisation for infrastructure projects and reduce skewed supply of water.

He said the process will ensure that water boards provide water services to areas where there is no provision.

However, the Minister said this process is not an imposition, but due process is undertaken to bring on board all relevant stakeholders, including the WSAs in various provinces where the services are being extended, to ensure that there is sustainable water supply in all parts of the country.

The reality is that the expenditure to implement projects is too high and the demand of services is also too high, yet the delivery by government institutions is too low and we need to fix this as a matter of urgency, the Minister said.

The reconfiguration of all water boards follows the resolutions taken during the National Water and Sanitation Summit held early last year, where stakeholders came up with ways to improve the sector.

Mchunu said the department has consulted all relevant stakeholders in KwaZulu-Natal to create a single water entity by incorporating Mhlathuze Water and its boundary into Umgeni Water.

He said the process is expected to be finalised by end of February and a new board to be appointed in April 2023.

The scope of Rand Water will be extended to cover the entire Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces. Consultations with the affected stakeholders are ongoing and a gazette notice for public comments has been published and closed on Friday, 27 January 2023.

Lepelle Northern Water Boards boundary is also being extended to service the entire Limpopo Province. Technical discussion between Lepelle and Magalies Water to take over on areas that are currently being served by Magalies are underway, Mchunu said.

Mchunu said Magalies Water scope expands to service the entire North West province, taking over from Sedibeng Water, was disestablished last year, and Magalies functions and assets in Gauteng and Limpopo will be transferred to Rand Water and Lepelle Water respectively.

Bloem Water will service the whole Free State and the Northern Cape as part of the reconfiguration. The utility has already taken over the staff, assess and liabilities from the disestablished Sedibeng Water with effect from August 2022. A new name has been proposed for this entity, to accommodate Northern Cape customers.

The incorporation of Sedibeng Water into Bloem and Magalies Water Boards has gone smoothly, and transfer agreements have been signed and operational funds transferred to Bloem Water and Magalies Water respectively, Mchunu explained.

In the Eastern Cape, the Amatola Waters scope has been extended to cover the entire province and all due processes are unfolding while the process to select new board members is underway.

The Minister has reiterated that the process of reconfiguration will not result in job losses, and it is only meant to strengthen capacity, improve institutional efficiencies and enable water boards to better support Water Services Authorities.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2023-02-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
China's AG600 amphibious aircraft starts airworthiness flight-test phase

Xinhua) 16:22, February 01, 2023

BEIJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- China's indigenously-developed AG600 large amphibious aircraft has entered the airworthiness flight-test phase, announced the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) on Wednesday.

Two AG600M airplanes, the firefighting model belonging to the AG600 aircraft family, have arrived at the flight-test center in Yanliang District in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, said the AVIC, the country's leading plane-maker.

It marked that the special-mission aircraft has officially entered the flight-test phase to obtain the type certificate, the AVIC added.

At the flight test center, the AG600M airplanes will firstly receive modifications to conduct the flight test subjects.

Various test works, including the static test and others, have also been initiated, said the AVIC.

Codenamed Kunlong, or "water dragon" in Chinese, the AG600 aircraft family is developed to serve emergency rescue missions. It can be used in forest firefighting, maritime search and rescue, and other critical emergency rescue missions.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
2 Institutions sign MoU to empower youth in agriculture

Maclean Kwofi Business News Feb - 01 - 2023 , 06:00

The University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Kosmos Innovation Centre (KIC) to implement the KIC AgriTech Challenge Programme at the regional level by training students in enterprises under the KIC mentorship programme.

The partnership will see students from the university and youth of Bono Region get trained and exposed to vast opportunities in agri-entrepreneurship and innovation.

It seeks to foster job creation, enhancement in agriculture and economic growth for the youth in the long-term.

Collaborations

The Executive Director of KIC, Benjamin Gyan-Kesse, in a statement issued by KIC in Accra, expressed excitement to the collaboration, saying it was as an opportunity for the parties to leverage on their respective strengths, experiences, and resources to create impact in generating youth interest and changing mindsets while creating job opportunities.

UENR provides leadership and management of energy and natural resources and is also a center of excellence in these areas.

The signing provides KIC with the opportunity to connect with more young people in the areas of entrepreneurship, innovation and job creation as our core mandate suggests, he said.

He stated that KIC remained committed to focus on empowering young men and women to drive innovation in agriculture, the country's largest employer, and training them to lead sustainable, successful businesses.

He said since its inception, KIC has trained more than 1300 young people with business skills and entrepreneurship through participation and have nurtured some of the most promising youth-driven, agri-tech startups in Ghana today and 127 agri-MSMEs have been trained.

Future of the youth

The Vice Chancellor of UENR, Professor Elvis Asare-Bediako, noted that the university was committed to partnering with relevant stakeholders who have the necessary tools, skills to assist students at the university and the youth of the region to secure their future.

He said the partnership with UENR was for a period of three years, starting from 2023 to 2025 but renewable on yearly basis.

He added that in this collaboration, KIC and UENR would join efforts to create job opportunities and empower vulnerable groups to aid a resilient agricultural sector.

Similar agreements

KIC will be signing similar agreements with four more universities in four different regions this year, bringing to a total of 10 regions covered from last year.

These universities are Ho Technical University-Volta Region, Koforidua Technical University-Eastern Region, Takoradi Technical University-Western Region and Bolgatanga Technical University-Upper East Region.

The universities that have signed on the KIC programme last year include University of Ghana-Greater Accra; University of Cape Coast-Central Region, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)-Ashanti Region, University for Development Studies-Northern Region and University for Business Integration and Development Studies (UBIDS)-Upper West Region.

As part of KICs collaboration with Mastercard Foundation, the programme is expected to extend its impact across all the regions of Ghana by 2025, ensuring more young people with interest in entrepreneurship and agriculture are supported.

The programme also works with agri-micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in all the regions by supporting them to accelerate.

KIC will be signing similar agreements with six more universities in the remaining regions of Ghana in 2024 as part of the programme expansion.
SMEs get lifeline to expand operations

Kwame Larweh Business News Feb - 01 - 2023 , 09:02

Samaritan Angels Limited an entrepreneurial focused agency has launched a GH 10 million initiative to support small business owners and workers in the formal and informal sector.



The project dubbed I AM INVESTIBLE kicks off with an initial amount of GH3million.

Applicants, according to the company, are entitled to a maximum amount of GH50,000 once they successfully complete the process to access the funds.

Beneficiaries will include traders, artisans, and entrepreneurs whose businesses are expected to be impacted through the initiative meant to transform their operations.

Launch

At the launch of the initiative in Accra on Monday, interested entrepreneurs were entreated to apply for the funds by paying a processing fee of GH150 and 250-word pitch or video of their particular business that needs funding.

A panel of judges whose expertise are in various fields of entrepreneurship and business will ascertain the credibility and entrepreneurial skills of each participant after which successful applicants will be granted the funds.

The managing consultant of the project, Angelina Diyouh Minski noted that the project provided the needed small grants and technical support, training and mentorship and business advisory services to applicants who patronised it.

Samaritan Angels Ltd which is pioneering this project is a social enterprise, focused on accelerating the growth of small and growing businesses to contribute to sustainable development in Ghana, she added.

A member of the board of Samaritan Angels, Nana Yaw Amponsah who is also the CEO of Kumasi Asante Kotoko entreated Ghanaians to apply for the funding through the initiative to better their lot and sustain their business.

The Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Bright Wereko Brobbey, entreated Ghanaians to embrace the spirit of entrepreneurship.

He was certain that with the holistic support provided under the project, SMEs would contribute more to the development of the country.

He added that the government would continue to explore innovative ways to support private sector projects.
Dear Ace, Are we celebrating independence this year? - Occasional Kwatriot Kwesi Yankah

Kwesi Yankah Opinion Jan - 29 - 2023 , 21:06

Dear Ace, counting my fingers, I realize our independence anniversary is around the corner. 6th March, isnt it?

It dawned on me a few days ago watching national television, and seeing the Volta region being prepared for the celebration.

But I should have known it from late last year, when we saw a circular from the Minister for Interior, reminding us of the 2023 calendar of holidays, with 6th March prominently displayed.

Those notices about holidays, the way we do that, tell us holidays are our national priorities, not hard work, not GDP.

The Hon Ministers announcement, gives us long enough notice so we can plan towards days on which we can sleep the whoooole day, or rather walk with a swag to the beach and eat khebab.

Because this is 6th March, smartly dressed school kids also have to swing their arms marching, then respond with precision to a military command of eeeeyes right.

Left right left right. Dear Ace, for 66 years, we have repeatedly done eeeeyes right, without getting anything right about independence.

But there is something more ominous this year. This year 2023, on our 66th anniversary, I humbly pray we do everything possible to steer our national day away from CNN Breaking News.

Here is the news we should avoid: On Ghanas 66th independence anniversary, a dependency agreement will be signed and sealed between the sovereign nation Ghana and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

That disaster indeed has already happened, as we wait with bated breath for IMF to proceed on a rescue mission, to make life a little easier for the ordinary Ghanaian.

I just flipped through the net, lazily browsing this strange computer before me, and realized we have knocked on the doors of IMF about 16 times since independence, beginning from 1966, after Osagyefos overthrow.

This must be less than a decade after Nkrumahs celebrated boast that, we are capable of managing our own affairs. In primary school lingo, one can say we have done corrections upon corrections upon corrections upon corrections; yet we are still decades away from getting the right formula, woefully lagging behind our class mates in Asia.

In primary school, the comment on our report card from Teacher Duncan was likely to be Poor. Always joking in class. This simply means the situation has reached a point of desperation where, never before in our history, we resort to monetary haircuts to qualify for dependency. With this unusual turn of events, our preparations for 6th March should cease to be business as usual.

Otherwise, our beloved country could become a global laughing stock. Dear Ace, must we continue celebrating independence with self-same salutes and same eeeeeyes right knowing very well we shall continue to do everything wrong. Times have changed, and we should come along, and learn even from younger nations.

December 2022. Samia Hazan, the President of Tanzania cancelled Independence Day celebrations and directed that the budget be used to build eight dormitories for children with special needs.

Her will was done. Tanzania is four years younger than Ghana. 2015, Hazans predecessor Magafuli used the Independence Day funds for road construction.

Dear Ace, what of our Independence day this year? Lets dream of our school children marching early morning in protest against the menace destroying their future, poisoning their water bodies, taking them out of school, and inflicting deadly diseases in local streams. Let the theme be Think of the Kids: Stop Galamsey.

Let the ministries of education, and of lands and mineral resources consult and organize this unique project. The eyes right, and master saluting on independence days, are archaic and must stop this 6th March.

Allow the children to say No to Galamsey with placards, song and slogan, marching in every district across the country, and on billboards.

Let individuals, industry and the media sponsor this project. And as the children take their destinies into their own hands, let us elders bow our heads in shame.
Ghana Education News

75% TVET curricula outdated - Study

Severious Kale-Dery Education Feb - 01 - 2023 , 11:30

SEVENTY-FIVE per cent of the curricula of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions is outdated, a skills gap analysis between 2018 and 2022 has revealed.

The analysis, which was matched with an audit of 10 economic sectors, showed that within the period, there was also an ineffective mode of teaching at the various TVET institutions, which adversely impacted on the productivity levels of graduates from those schools on the job market.

The Director-General of the Commission of TVET (CTVET), Dr Fred Kyei Asamoah, disclosed this at a media briefing on the first five-year strategic plan (2018 to 2022) for transforming TVET in the country.

The plan is also expected to establish strong links between industry and TVET providers/academia.

The analysis was to address issues of skills mismatch between training institutions and industry.

Addressing gaps

Dr Asamoah, who was briefing the media on what the CTVET was able to do, the drawbacks and the tenets of the strategic plan, said currently the gaps in the curriculum are being addressed under the Ghana Jobs and Skills Project, which is expected to develop 100 competency-based training (CBT) packages from level one (proficiency) to level five (higher national diploma) of the national TVET qualification framework.

In all these, however, one of the biggest drawbacks in the provision of quality TVET is the poor state of training facilities and equipment and the lack of linkage to industry.

Only a handful of formal TVET institutions and providers are considered well-equipped to provide training, he revealed.

Investment

The director-general said in response to those challenges, the government had invested massively in TVET over the last five years.

He listed the investments to include the upgrading and modernisation of all the erstwhile 34 National Vocational Training Institutes (NVTIs), the head office, together with 10 regional offices, five apprenticeship offices across the country and the Opportunities Industrialisation Centre at Bawaleshie in Accra.

Dr Asamoah said the upgrading involved the construction, rehabilitation and equipping of laboratories, workshops, additional classrooms, hostels and administrative offices with 123 million.

He said additionally, two new foundries and machining centres at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Accra and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi were completed last year.

He further said construction work on five new district TVET centres of excellence was ongoing, with those at Anyinam in the Eastern Region and Pakyi No. 2 and Manso Abore, both in the Ashanti Region, nearing completion, while those at Assin Jakai in the Central Region and Akomadan in the Ashanti Region were at various stages of completion.

The first phase of the construction of 32 state-of-the-art TVET institutions, costing $158 million, commenced in nine regions last year. These campuses will have academic facilities, workshops, laboratories, hostels and staff accommodation and provide further access for training, Dr Asamoah added.

Critical time

The CTVET Director-General explained that the survey was even more critical in a time of accelerated technological development when industries, globally, kept transforming, with TVET at the centre of providing the skills needed for them.

As part of the strategic plan to ensure the evenly spread of skills at the disposal of industries, he said, the government was establishing sector-specific skills bodies in 22 identified economic sectors, with 12 of such bodies already inaugurated.

He said the analysis and audit findings had contributed to the work of the sector skills bodies to help with the generation and upgrading of standards within the CBT framework.

Next strategic plan

Touching on the next five years under the strategic plan, Dr Asamoah said the government was looking forward to launching the TVET transformation plan and developing a TVET Policy.

We will be looking at the digitalisation of the TVET system, as well as the licensing and professionalisation of TVET graduates.

We are working at creating a sustainable TVET financing mechanism with the enhancement of the Ghana Skills Development Fund. Arguably, our biggest activity will be to oversee the implementation of the modified dual TVET based on increased industrial attachment, he added.

He said as part of the regulatory mandate of the commission, there would be stronger monitoring mechanisms with tracer studies in TVET institutions, especially at the technical universities, stressing: We are working towards bridging innovation and learning in TVET.
Ghana Education News

Support education financing to improve standards - IEPA Director-General to stakeholders

Shirley Asiedu-Addo Education Feb - 01 - 2023 , 09:12

An educational forum has been held in Cape Coast to mark the International Day of Education, with a call to stakeholders to support education financing to improve standards.

The Director-General of the Institute of Educational Planning and Administration of the University of Cape Coast, Dr Michael Boakye-Yiadom, who made the call said while the governments budgetary allocation to the sector was woefully inadequate, stakeholders must not look on, as that could compromise quality.

He said the country must not give up on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on education and added that all must devise innovative ways increase enrolment and finance to enhance quality.

The Institute of Educational Planning and Administration, a semi-autonomous institute of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) that trains educational planners, leaders and administrators and a UNESCO category two institution, organised the forum.

It was in collaboration with the Cape Coast office of the Ghana Education Service and the University Practice Senior High School (SHS).

Theme

This years celebration was on the theme, Invest in people, prioritise education.

The first International Education Day was celebrated on January 24, 2019.

Dr Boakye-Yiadom said in 2001, at an international educational forum, the government pledged a minimum of 23 per cent of budgetary allocations to education.

However, he noted, this years allocation was 12 per cent, one of the lowest in many years.

He said public funding of education would never be enough in any country and particularly in developing countries, charging traditional rulers, district assemblies and the private sector to support the financing of education.

The Director-General said about 1.2 million Ghanaians, between the ages of four and 17, were out of school.

Out of the number, Dr Boakye-Yiadom noted that almost one million had never been in school, saying the figures should be a worrying concern for all.

Huge investments

The academician said all levels of education, from basic to tertiary, required huge investments in infrastructure and teacher development to increase access and improve quality.

Dr Boakye-Yiadom said it was sad that some SHS graduates, with good grades, could not get admission into tertiary institutions because of limited facilities.

If the country does not effectively mobilise to work towards achieving the SDG on education it would not be attained, he added.

He urged stakeholders to consciously make efforts towards educating all from the individual to the national level.

Visits to some of the communities in and around Cape Coast, he said, indicated that some of the children were not in school because they still did not understand the relevance of education.

Others did not have mentors and role models who inspired them to go to school, he added.

He said IEPA was considering developing mentors and role models for communities across the country to encourage them to go and stay in school.

Dr Boakye-Yiadom said if every young person in school encouraged one other person to go to school, the challenge would be solved.

He advised the students to stay in school and encourage others to stay in school.



The Cape Coast Metropolitan Director of Education, Phyllis Krobea-Asante, said education held the key to developing a productive and functional workforce essential for accelerated socio-economic development when she spoke on the theme.

She said the government must increase its allocation to education from 12 per cent to 23 per cent and added that the future benefits of such investments would silence all critics.

Ms Krobea-Asante said to that end, the nation must continue to prioritise education and help prepare the youth for the future and added that was the best way to ensure growth and development and bridge the gap between the rich and the poor.
4 Traditional councils in Savannah Region inaugurated

Mohammed Fugu Feb - 01 - 2023 , 09:18

The Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has conferred traditional council status on the Buipe, Busunu, Wasipe and Bole Traditional Areas in the Savannah Region.

The status which had legislative backing confers the presidency of the councils on the Paramount Chiefs of the traditional areas granting them the power to establish committees for effective administration.

Inauguration

Inaugurating the councils at separate locations, the acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Fati Lily Soale, said the elevation of the traditional areas formed part of the governments commitment to position traditional institutions for community development.

She said the councils would pave way for the establishment of the various committees and structures to ensure the smooth running of the chieftaincy institutions.

She underscored the role of chiefs in promoting development and charged the councils to continue to follow due processes in the sale of lands to prevent communal disputes.

While congratulating the chiefs on their elevation to the council status, Miss Soale admonished them to work close with the relevant stakeholders to amicably resolve all outstanding disputes in the areas.

Advise/commendation

The Registrar of the Savannah Regional House of Chiefs, Abutu Kapori, who swore in members of the councils, advised them to always be guided by the oaths they had sworn in the discharge of their duties, particularly in the administration of justice.

He said membership of the councils only merited gazetted chiefs and that others would be sworn into the councils when they were duly gazetted.

The region currently has 22 paramountcies and we are calling on the ministry to create more for us, when we have more paramountcies and councils, the pressure on the Regional House of Chiefs will reduce because they will be able to resolve some of the cases before it gets to the house he noted.

For his part, the Paramount Chief of the Buipe Traditional Area, Buipewura Abdulai Jinapor II, thanked the ministry for facilitating the process for the establishment of the councils and said it would go a long way to help in settling disputes in a formal manner in line with the chieftaincy laws of Ghana.
Banker charged over investment fraud

Elizabeth Konadu-Boakye Feb - 01 - 2023 , 07:27

A 28-year-old banker has been arraigned for allegedly defrauding a businessman to the tune of GH274,000.

The accused, Frederica Appiah, pleaded not guilty to the charge of defrauding by false pretence when she appeared before the Accra Circuit Court presided over by Susana Eduful.

The accused has, however, been granted bail in the sum of G300,000 with three sureties, and is expected to reappear on February 8 this year.

Facts

The facts of the case as presented by the prosecutor, Inspector Teye Okuffo, were that the complainant and the accused person were involved in a business deal called the "Pay off" for a long time.

Prosecution stated that on July 6, 2022, Frederica approached the complainant and told him about the investment promotional package that her outfit was embarking on.

"Complainant, who is also a businessman, decided to give it a try. Accused person demanded and collected cash amount of GH274,000 from the complainant on the pretext of investing same for him," Insp. Okuffo said.

He added that the accused person then promised to give the complainant an investment document after the money had been invested, but failed and went into hiding.

He said two weeks after the accused person had failed to pick up the complainants calls and gone into hiding, the complainant made his own enquiries at Fredericas company, but the company denied ever embarking on any promotional investment package.

He further stated that when the complainant realised that he had been duped, he lodged an official complaint with the Nima police and the accused was arrested through the Military Police of Burma Camp.

In the course of investigation, the prosecutor said, the accused person admitted in her caution statement to have taken the money from the complainant to invest for him.

"Investigation revealed that the accused person did not use the money for investment, but rather used the money for her personal gain, the prosecution said.
Davis Mac-Iyalla: Nigerian LGBTQ activist's installation as chief in Ghana reversed

Shirley Asiedu-Addo Feb - 01 - 2023 , 00:28

The popular Nigerian born British LG BTQIA+ rights campaigner, Davis Mac-Iyalla who was installed as a traditional chief at Yamonransa in the Central Region of Ghana at the weekend is no longer a chief.

The chiefs have stripped him of that title and reversed his installation on the grounds that he did not reveal his true identity to them.

According to the chiefs, they had known him only as Kweku Adu, a resident of Cape Coast for the past 10 years but only got to know that he was also known as Davis Mac-Iyalla, an LGBTQIA+ rights activist only a few moments to the installation at the weekend.

In view of that, they have decided to reverse the process and that Mac-Iyalla cannot refer to himself as a chief anymore.

"During the process of his installation as Amankorehen, (Nkosuohen - Development chief), information came that Kweku Adu is also known as Davis Mac-Iyalla and has been supporting LGBTQIA+ and it's related activities," the chiefs said at a press conference on Tuesday (January 31, 2023).

Immediately this information came to our attention, we called for the whole process of Mac-Iyalla to be halted. We wish to state that no title has been conferred on him as Amankorehen of Yamonranza in view of the latest information about him and does not carry any such title as Amankorehen," they said.

Graphic Online's Shirley Asiedu-Addo reports from Cape Coast that following the uproar that followed the installation of Davis Mac-Iyalla as Amankorehen of the Nkusukum Traditional Area in the Central Region. the Traditional Council has retreated from the action saying Mac-Iyalla is not yet conferred with the title.

The popular gay activist was outdoored at a ceremony at Yamonransa at the weekend under the stool name Nana Kweku Gyasi I.

But at a press conference Tuesday, Nana Okese Esandoh IX, Paramount chief of the Nkusukum Traditional Area said the traditional council was not aware that Mac-Iyalla was a gay activist and had thus refrained from conferring that chieftaincy title on him.

We wish to state that no title has been conferred on him as Amankorehen of Yamonransa in view of the latest information that reached us about him and does not carry any such title as Amankorehen he stated.

He explained that he got to know Mac-Iyalla through some friends in Cape Coast who recommended that he had been supportive with developmental projects.

He said he discussed the issues with the Ebusuapayin (family head) of Yamonransa to install him as Amankorehen to help with the areas development.

Among others he indicated that the Amankorehen was to organise the African-American people who have traced their roots to Yamonransa to support the areas development.

Dedication to development

Nana Esandoh admitted that Mac-Iyalla had shown some dedication and commitment to the development of the area.

His broader vision to attract investors from America and Europe, particularly the United Kingdom to boost economic activities is great, he stated.

Nana Esandoh said it was during the process of installation that the information came that the man they knew as Kweku Adu was also known as Davis Mac-Iyalla.

Immediately after the information reached them the final processes of his installation was halted.

The durbar

The ceremony on Saturday to outdoor Mac-Iyalla was attended by several traditional authorities from Osu in Accra, Elmina, Mankessim and Cape Coast.

There was also some police presence that mostly guided the precessions to ensure safety.

Video: When Gay rights activist Davis Mac Iyalla fell down from Palanquin during installation as chief https://t.co/rDWzje8dY9 pic.twitter.com/inqK7dNqkv  GraphicOnline (@Graphicgh) January 29, 2023

Palanquin ride

Nana Kwesi Gyasi was carried in a palanquin through the Yamonransa township pouring schnapps along the route.

The palanquin ride was not too smooth as he fell off the palanquin to the ground on his way to the durbar grounds.

On reaching the grounds, Nana Gyasi together with the paramount chief Nana Okese Esandoh were held in an engagement with police officials for about an hour before the proceedings continued with an amended programme lineup.

The swearing of oath of allegiance to the Omanhen in state on the initial programme lineup was cancelled.

Mac-Iyalla in his address said he had completed all traditional formalities saying he was now a chief.

He said he was born Nigerian but now a British citizen saying by the grace of God I practice what I preach that is human rights for all persons. I dont believe in discrimination. Whether you are tall, short black, white, yellow or green you are a human being and I will fight for that my belief to the very end. No matter what it cost me. I am not a hypocrite and I will not start now to be a hypocrite. You dont need to like me but you have to respect my views, he stated.

He explained that he came to know the Omanhen in April 2022 when the Omanhen had been in a chieftaincy dispute for 13years.

He said soon after knowing him (the Omanhen) they worked to ensure he was gazetted in December 2022 and sworn into the regional house of chiefs.

Stopping the ceremony

People were trying to stop the ceremony, he stated saying that many who tried to stop the ceremony saying some of the same people had made foreigners chiefs and benefited from it.

I am a man of action. When I enter somewhere I bring change. Whenever I enter anywhere if I say I want to do something I do it and I do it very well.

He said people who would use him to fight the Omanhen were in for a long battle.

He said he belonged to Nkusukum Yamonransa and nobody can take it away from me. Let us not waste time. Let us celebrate and enjoy. I have completed the process as a chief, he added.

News of his installation on various social media received a lot of attention with many criticizing the chiefs for installing him.
Ghana bans importation of some substandard, used appliances (LIST)

Graphic Online Feb - 01 - 2023 , 12:28

As part of efforts to prevent Ghana from becoming a dumping ground for some substandard electrical appliances, the Energy Commission has announced a ban on the importation of some new but substandard and used electrical appliances.

The Energy Commission in a statement said per its mandate under Act 541, it had caused Parliament to pass 19 laws to regulate the markets for electrical appliances and renewable energy projects.

The purpose of the new regulations are also to reduce electricity demand and cost; protect the environment and safeguard the health of citizens from air pollution caused by increased power generation; and protect consumers from purchasing unsuitable appliances as well as paying unnecessarily high electricity bills.

The regulations came into force on Wednesday, November 2, 2022.

However, to ensure the effective implementation of the regulations and protect the livelihoods of persons in the electrical appliances and renewable energy products markets, there will be a transitional period of one year for the market to adjust.

The list of new but substandard and used appliances include;
Holocaust Day marked "Israeli Ambassador calls for peaceful co-existence"

Delali Sika Feb - 01 - 2023 , 08:26

The Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Shlomit Sufa, has underscored the need for tolerance, peaceful co-existence and intercultural understanding among individuals of diverse backgrounds and opinions.



At a ceremony to mark the International Holocaust Remembrance Day at the British Council in Accra yesterday, she explained that humans had to work with the principle of unity in diversity in order to make the world a better place.

"We must collectively and continuously work together as human beings to ensure that the hatred towards other people because of their religion, colour or race is never tolerated or accepted, she said.

"I would like to emphasise that when we see our fellow human beings in any kind of suffering, we must not look away," the Ambassador, who is also in charge of Liberia and Sierra Leone, stated.

Background

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is observed worldwide each year to remember the millions of people, mostly Jews, who were deliberately murdered and desecrated prior to, and during World War II in East Germany and East German-occupied areas in Europe.

Consequently, the ambassador noted that as a Jew, memories and the pain of her ancestors during the dark days were still engraved in her memory.

"The same goes for the entire Jewish people.

In our commemoration, I would like to reflect on the issue of hatred in our world.

I ask myself, how did humanity come to a point where genocide was made so legitimate that such a massive effort was made to wipe out a race in the most inhumane way possible," she asked.

Commemoration

Marking the day on the theme:Home and Belonging, the commemoration was characterised by the screening of an animated film titled: Where is Anne Frank.

The movie, which was directed by Ari Folman, gave an insight into the life of a family whose members were victims of the Holocaust.

In attendance were members of the diplomatic community, government agencies and students of some junior and senior high schools.

Notable among them were the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Ghana, Daniel Krull; United Nations Resident Coordinator, Ghana, Charles Abani; Chairperson, National Commission on Civic Education, Kathleen Addy; Ghana Country Director of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Abdourahamane Diallo; and students of Nungua Secondary School, among others.

Additionally, Jewish prayers were said for the departed souls, after which the ritual of lighting a candle to pay tribute to lives lost, a sign that their memory still lived on, was performed.



Vigilant

For his part, Mr Krull called on the world to be vigilant and stand against anything that would make people hate one another.

Today, as we commemorate the victims, let us remain vigilant and stand together against any type of systematic, state-sponsored disenfranchisement, persecution of a group determined by heredity,

I say Never again, he noted.

He added that it was not an easy task to mount the podium and to speak as a German.
Man shot dead for attempting to snatch a military rifle

Graphic.com.gh Jan - 31 - 2023 , 20:31

A 25-year-old man identified as Alfred Awuku was on Monday shot dead at Hobor in the Ga South Municipality of Greater Accra by a military man, according to some eyewitnesses.

Two others, including the Wulomo of Hobour, Kweku Pamfo also sustained injuries.

The deceased, Alfred Awuku is said to have attempted to snatch a rifle from the hands of a military man during the incident on Monday.

Reports suggest that the military men, numbering about six were in the Hobor community on Monday in the company of a private developer.

The youth and some chiefs were said to have confronted the private developer, an argument ensued followed by an altercation during which the deceased is said to have attempted snatching the rifle from the hands of one of the military men.

This reportedly resulted in the firing of the gun and led to the death of Awuku.

The Assemblyman for Hobor, Peter Adonu, who spoke to Accra based Citi FM said the six military men ordered the workers on the land to stop work but Alfred Awuku protested and threatened to fight the solder before he was shot.
Police grab 8 persons in school placement deal

Investigative Desk Report Feb - 01 - 2023 , 07:21

Eight persons are in the grips of the police for their roles in the school placement fraud uncovered by The Fourth Estate.

The suspects are said to be part of a syndicate that sold placement slots in Senior High Schools during the 2022 Computerised School Selection and Placement exercise.

They are Eric Aggrey, a cleaner; Rachel Aryeetey, a caterer; Isaac Mensah, and Gilbert Afriyie Nkrumah.

The rest are Sebastian Appram, a staff of the Fisheries Commissions Tema Regional Office; Bernard Kusi Agyemang, an operations manager with a logistics company; Eugenia Abigail Ahiable, an administrator; and Daniel Opoku, a foreman.

The Fourth Estate investigations revealed that the suspects worked with other intermediaries to effect placement into senior high schools after they demanded and took money ranging from GH8,000 to GH20,000.

Private citizens

Eric Aggrey, with the assistance of other intermediaries, changed placement from Apam Senior High School to Aggrey Memorial AME Zion School and from Presbyterian Senior High Technical School, Aburi, to Mfantsiman Girls in the Central Region.

Eric and his network demanded and took GH19,500 for placing two candidates at Aggrey Memorial and Mfantsiman Girls, both in the Central Region.

Cartel

Eric confessed to taking money from some people. He also admitted to receiving a list of vacancies of schools from Rachel, another member of the cartel.

Rachel also admitted and mentioned another person, a private security guard in a basic school opposite her house, as the facilitator for everyone she had assisted to get placement changed.

Rachel said the security guard, called Isaac Mensah, also gave the money he collected to his friend whom she (Rachel) had never met.

She said Isaacs brother owed her money for his inability to change placement for the last candidate she presented.

The police subsequently arrested Isaac who also mentioned Sebastian Appram as the person who assisted him.

Gilbert Afriyie Nkrumah was invited to the Accra Central Police station and was arrested on October 28, 2022.

Student placement

Three others were later arrested. Daniel Opoku, a foreman, mentioned the name of twin brothers, Atta Kuffuor senior, a lab technician; and Atta Kuffuor Junior, an IT expert, who finally helped to change the placement of a student from Aburi Presbyterian Senior High School to Mfantsiman Girls Senior High School.

The twins were already on the run for similar offences, Daniel Opoku told the Police in his statement.

Investigations later revealed that Rachel could not have placed a student into Mfantsiman Girls without the approval of the Minister of Education or the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, the only two individuals with passwords to Category A schools.

How the names of students got to the Education Minister or the GES Director-General for placement into category A schools is easy to find, according to the Education Minister, Dr Yaw Adutwum.

Dr Adutwum said only the Director-General of the Ghana Education Services office and the Ministry of Education had access to category A schools in the placement system. Our checks revealed that full access to such protocol placement was limited to only two individuals; the Minister for Education and the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service.

Meanwhile, the suspects have been granted bail by an Accra Circuit Court.
Rent support scheme launched

Chris Nunoo Feb - 01 - 2023 , 06:56

A financial support scheme to cushion Ghanaians to meet their rent demands has been launched in Accra.

Known as the National Rental Assistance Scheme (NRAS), the intervention is expected to provide low-interest loans for qualified applicants to enable them to pay their rent in advance.

The Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who launched the scheme in Accra yesterday, said the government had set aside GH30 million as seed money towards the implementation of the scheme.

He said the scheme would be rolled out initially in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Western, Eastern, Northern and Bono East regions.

He said the scheme would enable Ghanaians with identifiable and regular income to apply, and when approved, the rent would be paid directly to their landlords, who would also be required to register with the scheme.

In partnership with the private sector, the scheme will provide low-interest loans for eligible Ghanaians to enable them to pay rent in advance. These loans will be repaid on a monthly basis to match the tenor of the rent and will be supported by a bank guarantee to ensure sustainability, Dr Bawumia explained.

The scheme will target individuals in the formal and the informal sectors with identifiable and regular income, he said.

The operations of the scheme have been outsourced to a private sector entity, known as Rent Masters Ghana Limited, which will be responsible for its day-to-day operations.

The private entity will manage customer applications, the disbursement of rent advance to landlords and the preparation and submission of periodic reports on the implementation of the scheme.

To qualify for the scheme, an applicant must be 18 years, show proof of being a Ghanaian and must possess a valid Ghana Card.

The applicant must also have verifiable employment, earn income and have a bank statement, with the rent to be paid not exceeding 30 per cent of the household income.

Again, self-employed applicants who qualify based on the eligibility criteria will receive the assistance, while students who satisfy the eligibility criteria and whose parents can guarantee for them will also be supported by the scheme.

Dr Bawumia said providing meaningful shelter for Ghanaians had formed a significant part of the developmental goals of the government.

Recounting his visit to the offices of the Rent Control Department (RCD) in July 2020, Dr Bawumia said he noted the overall importance of the rental housing market in its quest to increase access to housing options.

He, therefore, reiterated plans by the government to make it more effective and efficient, while reviewing the law governing rent management in the country to make it more relevant to trends.

The Vice-President expressed the excitement that the idea found expression in the 2020 Manifesto of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and subsequently in the national budget.

He commended the Minister of Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye, and his team for working tirelessly to put the framework together and urged them not to renege on their oversight and supervisory responsibilities for the successful implementation of the scheme.

He further called on all well-meaning Ghanaians to support the initiative, saying: As a government, we remain committed to the successful implementation of the scheme for the benefit of every Ghanaian.

The Vice-President further indicated that the government, acting through the Ministry of Works and Housing, had submitted to Parliament the Rent Bill for passage to replace the existing Rent Act, 1963 (Act 220) which was enacted by Parliament 59 years ago.

He said the relevance of Act 220 had been outlived by the current population growth, urbanisation and housing availability.

He said processes had also begun in earnest and a service provider engaged to digitalise the work of the RCD across the country to enhance its service delivery.

That process, he indicated, would provide a consolidated platform for the operations of the department and improve revenue generation and collection.

Mr Asenso-Boakye said the initial beneficiary regions under the scheme had been selected because data from the RCD indicated that they had a higher rate of rent advance-related issues.

He said the objective of the government was to operationalise the scheme across the country.

Mr Asenso-Boakye expressed gratitude to the Office of the Vice-President for the instrumental role it played towards developing the scheme and gave an assurance that his outfit was committed to addressing the challenges confronting the housing sector in the country.

The minister insisted that the NRAS was one of such vehicles which could adequately help respond to the challenges through public policy and programme development.

He also admitted the fact that there could be some difficulties with the scheme, it being the first time in the country, but said the ministry would ride the tide to make it better.

The Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Dr Anthony Yaw Baah, who was at the launch, suggested that women be given priority under the newly launched scheme.

He also urged the implementers to provide decent accommodation for workers under the scheme, which he said would bring additional benefits and relief to workers.

Lets pay some more attention to single mothers, especially those with a child or more, because they need that support from the state and this is going to help, not only the mothers but also the children, he said.

Dr Baah commended the government for the initiative, in the face of the global economic challenges, and stressed the need for the effective monitoring of the scheme.

The Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, advocated the prioritisation of pensioners under scheme.

He said through a search with the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), it was noticed that many pensioners earned GH600 a month, an amount which he said was inadequate for such pensioners to raise money for decent accommodation.

He was, therefore, grateful to the Ministry of Works and Housing for the initiative and pledged his support to ensure its success.

Transparency

The Chairman of the Council of State and Juabenhene, Nana Otuo Siriboe II, who chaired the launch, stressed the need for transparency at all levels of the scheme to rid it of duplicate applications and political interference.

He recommended the publication of applications and beneficiaries of the scheme in order to eliminate duplications and persons who would want to outsmart the system.

Nana Otuo Siriboe also asked that the Labour Ministry and the TUC be included in the leadership of the scheme, since many of the beneficiaries would be workers.
Wenchi Municipal Assembly inaugurates educational, sanitation facilities

Biiya Mukusah Ali Feb - 01 - 2023 , 10:00

The Wenchi Municipal Assembly has inaugurated educational and sanitation projects at the total cost of GH595,235.77 to improve the two sectors in the area.

The projects include a three-unit classroom block for the Amoa-Twumkrom M/A Basic School, a six-seater aqua privy toilet facility for the Wenchi Aswaq Cluster of Schools and a five-seater water closet toilet with four urinal facilities for the Wenchi market.

The classroom block was constructed at the cost of GH274, 081.25, while the Wenchi Aswaq Cluster of schools toilet facility was constructed at the cost of GH128, 577.00.

The Wenchi Market toilet facility was constructed at the cost of GH192, 577.52.

The assembly financed the three projects from its share of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF).

School block

The three-unit classroom block is made up of office, staff common room, storeroom, toilets and urinal facilities.

Before the construction of the school block, pupils were studying in a dilapidated classrooms, where they were exposed to poor weather conditions and reptiles such as snakes and scorpions.

The issue of reptiles invading the school demotivated some of the pupils to attend to school, as they were afraid to be attacked by the reptiles.

The headteacher of the school, Ernest Ibrahim, appealed to the assembly to provide the school with 120 dual desks to help improve teaching and learning.

He explained that majority of the 360 pupils in the school carried furniture from home to school every day.

Mr Ibrahim also appealed to the government to construct a staff bungalow to accommodate teachers and expressed the hope that the new classroom block would help whip up the interest of the pupils to attend school.

Government commitment

Speaking to newsmen after the inaugural ceremony at Wenchi in the Bono Region, the Wenchi Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Alexander Obour Damoah, said education was one of the major priorities of the current government.

He said the government was committed to creating conducive environment for pupils to study and access education without difficulties.

Mr Damoah was happy that though the Amoa-Twumkrom school project had delayed, the government had finally completed and handed it over to the twin community.

Mr Damoah said the municipality had witnessed several projects in the second term of the government and mentioned the construction of market projects, Wenchi High Court and Magistrate Court Complex and expansion of water projects, among others.

No toilet facility

He explained that the toilet facility was the first to be constructed for traders at the market since its establishment.

He expressed the hope that the construction of the two toilet facilities would help improve the sanitation situation in the market and the school.

Mr Damoah gave an assurance that the assembly would continue to invest in the development of the municipality and appealed to the chiefs and people in the area to support the assemblys agenda to meet it development target.

At the Aswaq Cluster of Schools, he appealed to the community members not to use the facility, explaining that it was purposely constructed for the school and not the community.

Mr Damoah advised the management of the school and the market to ensure proper management and cultivate the habit of maintenance culture to keep the facilities clean and in good condition.
Commence work on sea port - Keta MP appeals to govt

Gabriel Ahiabor Politics Feb - 01 - 2023 , 08:41

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Keta in the Volta Region, Kwame Dzidzorli Gakpey, has appealed to the government to commence work on the Keta Sea Port Project.

He said the successful completion of the project would help alleviate the plight of the residents in Keta and offer job opportunities to the youth in the area.

Mr Gakpey made the appeal at a ceremony to enrol more than 1,000 youths, including school dropouts into various apprenticeship programmes to improve their livelihoods.

According to him, the Keta Port project was expected to be Ghanas third port platform after those of Tema and Takoradi, adding that physical work on the project was expected to commence in August 2020.

He said the site for the project was virtually bare, with only a project office constructed.

He bemoaned the lack of commitment on the part of the government towards the construction of the facility.

Enrolment

The MP said his aim of enrolling the youth into various apprenticeship programmes was in fulfilment of his promise to train them to become master craftsmen and women within the next three years.

He said the beneficiaries would spend a period of two to three years in their various chosen fields after which they would be presented with tools to work with.

Meanwhile, an initial number of sewing machines bought from funds provided by the Agbogbomefia of the Asorgli State, Togbe Afede XIV, has been presented to some of the youth to facilitate their learning.

Transforming lives

Mr Gakpey said he recognised the potential of using technical and vocational training as a means to employment to reduce poverty among the youth in the area.

He said more youths would be identified and trained in other commercial towns to acquire other commercial and industrial skills that could not be accessed locally

He indicated that a monitoring team would be set up to check the performance of the trainers and the trainees to conform with the standard required for the programme to achieve its intended purpose.

He advised the youth to take their trade seriously and also impact the knowledge they would acquire on to their other colleagues.

One of the beneficiaries, Faustina Dzodzegbe, on behalf of her colleagues, thanked the MP for the initiative and pledged their commitment to the success of the programme.

Kindergarten block

The MP has also facilitated the construction of a four-unit kindergarten block for the Anlo Afiadenyigba Basic School.
Prioritise economic recovery over Cathedral  Dr Lartey

George Ernest Asare Politics Feb - 01 - 2023 , 08:25

The Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to make the recovery of the National Economy a priority over the construction of the National Cathedral.

The Leader of the Party, Dr Henry Herbert Lartey, who made the call during an exclusive interview with the Daily Graphic also implored the President to refrain from using any state resources, or financial support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to support the construction of the National Cathedral.

Dr Lartey opined that resorting to the IMF to bail Ghana with $3 billion to address the challenges confronting the national economy was critical, hence the need for the President to refrain from using any amount of the loan to support the construction of the National Cathedral.

He was also of the view that as individual Ghanaians, it was important to join hands to support the President to fulfil his campaign promise to God, but noted that the construction process should not be rushed to affect the national interest.

He noted, So far as I am concerned, we can build the cathedral, but we need to take time and gradually build it. It should not necessarily be in the time of the President, We know he initiated it, so credit will go to him if it is completed, but for Christs sake, we should not rush to do it at this stage of our crawling economy.

Deplorable economy

Dr Lartey noted: At the moment, our economy is in deplorable state, so rushing to build the Cathedral at this stage will not be in our best interest. We need money to rebuild the economy to create the requisite jobs for the unemployed youth who have now become a big national security issue. By boosting the national economy to expand local industries and increased job opportunities, we can improve the standard of living of Ghanaians and create a serene atmosphere in Ghana.

Recalling the genesis of the construction of the National Cathedral, Dr Lartey said it was a campaign promise by Nana Akufo-Addo to glorify God if he won the 2016 Presidential Election.

The construction of the National Cathedral was the Presidents commitment to God as part of his election campaign, but he also announced that the cathedral would not be financed by the state. However, it is gradually coming out that the state is financing the project, he stated.

As important as we are Christians and want to replicate what others have done, it is important for us to take our time to build. It should not be rushed. This is because at the moment, our economy is in a bad state, so rushing to build the cathedral at this stage will not be in our best interest, Dr Lartey said.
Stop takeover of indigenous private banks - Mahama Ayariga writes to BoG

Nana Konadu Agyeman Politics Feb - 01 - 2023 , 08:19

The National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, has urged the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Ernest Addison, to make concerted efforts to stop the possible collapse of the financial sector and the unjust takeover of indigenous private banks due to the implementation of the domestic debt exchange (DDE) programme.

He contended that the DDE programme would emasculate domestic private banks as they would face capitalisation and liquidity problems, given that they would not receive timely and appropriate coupon payments from their bondholder, the Government of Ghana.

He also said the directive of the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, to those banks to approach the Ghana Amalgamated Trust Plc (GAT) for support from the Ghana Financial Stability Fund (GFSF) would open them up to a takeover by investors in the GAT, if the GFSF was not wholly publicly funded.

I further contend that political patronage and nepotism will inform the ultimate purchase of the shares in the private banks once GAT begins to dispose of these shares to realise the investments made in those banks (if GAT is not publicly funded), he said.

Illegal and unconstitutional

In a letter, dated January 30, 2023 which he wrote to the Governor of the BoG, Mr Ayariga, said the policy and strategic options chosen by the Finance Minister enabled the illegal and unconstitutional expropriation of the private property of the present owners of domestic private banks and, possibly, private international banks operating in Ghana.

I call for the mobilisation of the available intellectual competencies and political forces to defend the bona fide property rights of owners of private banks in Ghana. Not to do so with a sense of urgency will constitute the greatest dereliction of duty of our political class.

And the collapse of present owners of these banks and the takeover of these banking interests, similar to what was orchestrated in the PDS saga and the intended Agyapa deal, will capriciously, unlawfully and criminally transfer enormous wealth and concentrate it in the hands of those who might enjoy the patronage of the Minister of Finance. This could disorient our democracy and potentially destabilise our politics. The history of the recent banking sector cleanup remains fresh in our memory, he said.

The letter was also copied to the Chief Executive (CEO) of the Ghana Bankers Association, the CEO of GAT, the Speaker of Parliament, the Attorney General and the Minister of Justice, the leadership of Parliament, the board chairmen of all banks in Ghana as well as the Country Director of the World Bank office.

Background

Shedding light on the background informing his letter to the BoG Governor, Mr Ayariga recalled the Finance Minister announcing a debt restructuring programme involving a debt exchange by government domestic bond holders.

He said Ghanas total external debt stood at about GH383 billion as of November 2022. Domestic debt constituted GH195 billion, with the total debt, therefore, amounting to GH578 billion in November 2022.

Banks in Ghana, he said, held about half of the entire domestic bonds of the Government of Ghana and individuals held 11 per cent of the government bonds.

He recalled how the Minister of Finance had compelled domestic banks to voluntarily engage in a debt exchange with the government in relation to the bonds they held.

This involves reduced coupons and deferred payments. Definitely, the liquidity, solvency and capitalisation of these banks will be negatively affected.
Cabot Corporation plans to add conductive carbon additives (CCA) capacity in the United States to enhance its position in the market and support the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). Cabot plans to add conductive carbons capacity at its existing facility in Pampa, Texas, which is part of an approximately $200-million planned investment program over the next five years focused on expanding the companys CCA production in the United States.

The adoption of EVs plays a key role in the decarbonization of the economy, and the US government has announced targeted efforts to build a domestic EV battery supply chain. As part of these efforts, federal and state governments have implemented a variety of programs in the form of grants, loans, and tax incentives. Cabot believes that many of these programs present potential funding opportunities for the company in its efforts to expand CCA production capacity in the US.

CCAs are an essential component of lithium-ion battery chemistry and are used to provide sufficient electrical conductivity to the active materials. Cabot offers a broad portfolio of CCAs including conductive carbons, carbon nanotubes (CNT), carbon nanostructures (CNS), and blends of CCAs to deliver optimal performance. Additionally, the companys global footprint of manufacturing assets, technology labs and commercial resources enables regional supply security support for its customers.

Demand for critical battery materials, such as CCAs, for EV batteries is expected to continue to grow in the range of 20 to 30 percent globally over the next five years. Growth potential in the US is expected to outpace global growth as penetration of EVs accelerates in the coming years. Cabot is committed to meeting the expected growing demand from its customers in the US and helping to onshore critical battery components such as CCAs.

As part of its investment plans, Cabot expects to invest approximately $75-90 million to produce 15,000 metric tons of conductive carbons annually at its existing facility in Pampa, TX. This project is expected to create approximately 75 high-quality jobs and is expected to commence operation at the end of calendar year 2025. In addition to a manufacturing plant, Cabot also operates a research and development facility and pilot plant in Pampa that focuses on developing new process technology for battery and other applications.

Cabot also intends to make additional investments to expand its US manufacturing and technology footprint over the next five years with plans to invest in new CNT powder and dispersion capacity and to continue extending its portfolio of products for battery applications.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Final Determination under Section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) that blocks the development of Northern Dynasty Minerals proposed Pebble copper and gold mining project in Alaska. The ruling prohibits certain waters in the South Fork Koktuli River and North Fork Koktuli River watersheds from being used as disposal sites for the discharge of dredged or fill material for the construction and routine operation of Pebble Limited Partnerships (PLP) mine as described in its permit application.

The ruling also prohibits future proposals to construct and operate a mine to develop the Pebble deposit that would result in the same or greater levels of loss or change to aquatic resources.

The Final Determination also restricts the use of the South Fork Koktuli River, North Fork Koktuli River, and Upper Talarik Creek watersheds as disposal sites for the discharge of dredged or fill material associated with future proposals to develop the Pebble deposit that would result in adverse effects similar or greater in nature and magnitude to those associated with the Pebble 2020 Mine Plan.

The prohibition and restriction in EPAs Final Determination only apply to certain discharges of dredged or fill material associated with developing the Pebble Deposit. This action does not apply to any current or future resource development projects in the state of Alaska.

The action marks the third time in 30 years, and the 14th time in the 50-year history of the Clean Water Act, that EPA has used its Section 404(c) authority.

The EPA says that by barring the development of the Pebble mine project, it is helping to protect Bristol Bay, the most productive wild salmon ecosystem in the world.





Pebble. The Pebble deposit contains copper-, gold-, and molybdenum-bearing minerals and is located at the headwaters of the Bristol Bay watershed in Southwest Alaska. The Pebble deposit underlies portions of the South Fork Koktuli River, North Fork Koktuli River, and Upper Talarik Creek watersheds, which drain to two of the largest rivers in the Bristol Bay watershed, the Nushagak and Kvichak Rivers.

Since 2001, Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (NDM) and subsequently the Pebble Limited Partnership (PLP) have been conducting data collection and analysis as part of efforts to pursue the development of a large-scale mine at the Pebble deposit. NDM says that the Pebble deposit is the worlds largest undeveloped copper and gold resource.

PLP was created in 2007 by co-owners NDM and Anglo American PLC to design, permit, construct, and operate a long-life mine at the Pebble deposit. In 2013, NDM acquired Anglo Americans interest in PLP, and NDM now holds a 100% interest in PLP.

The current resource estimate for the deposit includes 6.5 billion tonnes in the measured and indicated categories containing:

57 billion pounds copper

71 million ounces gold

3.4 billion pounds of molybdenum

345 million ounces silver

2.6 milllion kg rhenium (Since the late 1980s, rhenium has been critical for superalloys used in turbine blades and in catalysts used to produce lead-free gasoline.)

The estimate also include 4.5 billion tonnes in the inferred category:

25 billion pounds copper

36 million oz gold

2.2 billion lb molybdenum

170 million oz silver

1.6 million kg rhenium

Palladium also occurs in the deposit.

Since 2001, NDM and subsequently the PLP have been conducting data collection and analysis as part of efforts to pursue the development of a large-scale mine at the Pebble deposit. In 2020, NDM CEO Ron Thiessen wrote that after acquiring the property in 2001, the company [NDM] spent more than a decade and close to $1 billion proving it up as one of the greatest mineral resources ever discovered  certainly on American soil.

According to Thiessen, contained copper at Pebble is equivalent to ~1.3% of all the copper metal ever discovered or produced in the past 10,000 years; contained gold at Pebble is equivalent to ~1.8% of all the gold ever produced; and Pebble is the largest deposit of rhenium in the world.

In the 2020 Mine Plan, PLP proposes to develop the Pebble deposit as a surface mine at which 1.3 billion tons of ore would be mined over 20 years. The project consists of four primary elements:

The mine site situated in the SFK, NFK, and UTC watersheds. This would comprise the open pit, bulk tailings storage facility (TSF), pyritic TSF, a 270-megawatt power plant, water management ponds (WMPs), water treatment plants (WTPs), milling and processing facilities, and supporting infrastructure.

The Diamond Point port; the transportation corridor, including concentrate and water return pipelines; and the natural gas pipeline and fiber optic cable.

Under the 2020 Mine Plan, PLP would progress through four distinct mine phases: construction, operations (production), closure, and post-closure. The construction period would last approximately four years, followed by 20 years of operation. Closure, including physical reclamation of the mine site, is projected to take approximately 20 years. Post-closure activities, including long-term water management and monitoring, would last for centuries.

PLP CEO John Shively issued a statement following the EPAs announcement:

Todays action by the EPA to preemptively veto the proposed Pebble Project is unlawful and unprecedented. For well over a decade, we have argued that fair treatment under the rules and regulations of the US should be followed for Pebble or any other development project. Unfortunately, the Biden EPA continues to ignore fair and due process in favor of politics. This preemptive action against Pebble is not supported legally, technically, or environmentally. As such, the next step will likely be to take legal action to fight this injustice.  The EPA decision to try to destroy the Pebble opportunity is just one more piece of the Biden administrations war on domestic natural resource development. It has attempted to stop mining, fossil fuels development and timber harvesting on many fronts in Alaska. The Biden strategy when it comes to securing the minerals required for its green energy goals seems to be to give some passing support for the development of boutique minerals such as lithium and rare earths in the U.S., but to seek the enormous supply of base metals such as copper needed for EVs, solar panels, wind turbines, hydroelectric plants, and the associated infrastructure from other nations. We have seen what happens when our nation is dependent on others for our resources, for instance the Saudis for more oil production. When we go to China seeking the copper and other minerals we need for our green energy transition, the reaction will likely be more problematic and the cost more expensive. John Shively, CEO of PLP

Bristol Bay. The Bristol Bay watersheds fishery resources are a thriving economic driver for the region, generating significant nutritional, cultural, economic, and recreational value. The total economic value, including subsistence uses of the Bristol Bay watersheds salmon resources, was estimated at more than $2.2 billion in 2019 and results in 15,000 jobs annually. The Bristol Bay Watershed is home to 25 Alaska Native villages and communities and supports one of the last intact, sustainable salmon-based cultures in the world. Salmon provides more than half of the subsistence harvest for some Alaska Native communities in the Bristol Bay region.

The streams, wetlands, and other aquatic habitats in the South Fork Koktuli River, North Fork Koktuli River, and Upper Talarik Creek watersheds provide important spawning and rearing habitat for Coho, Chinook, and Sockeye salmon and provide high-quality habitat for other fishes, such as Rainbow Trout, Dolly Varden, Arctic Grayling, and Northern Pike. The aquatic habitats of the South Fork Koktuli River, North Fork Koktuli River, and Upper Talarik Creek watersheds also provide critical support for downstream habitats.

By contributing water, organic matter, and macroinvertebrates to downstream systems, these headwater areas help maintain downstream habitats and fuel their fish productivity. Together, these functionsdirect provision of high-quality habitat and indirect provision of other resources to downstream habitats support the valuable fisheries of the Bristol Bay watershed.

EPAs assessment was that unacceptable adverse effects on the anadromous fishery areas in the Bristol Bay watershed would be likely to result from discharges of dredged or fill material associated with mining from the Pebble deposit. (Anadromous fishes hatch in freshwater habitats, migrate to sea for a period of relatively rapid growth, and then return to freshwater habitats to spawn.)
Netflix finally revealed details on its plans to stop people from sharing their family plan passwords - a practice that violates its terms of service and hurting its overall revenue.

The streaming platform updated its Help Center to say that only accounts within one household will be shareable. To ensure devices are associated with the primary location, Netflix will ask users to connect to the Wi-Fi once every 31 days.

The details were gathered by The Streamable, revealing that freeloading users can transfer their profile history into a new account without losing preferences, likes, dislikes, and other personal data.

Traveling and playing Netflix on a device not at home will require the user to request a temporary code for logging in, giving access to the account for seven days. Interestingly, these details are not available for access in markets outside United States & Canada, suggesting that Netflix might implement the change only for the North American region for now.

Heres the full set of Q&A:

Who Can Use a Netflix Account Now?



Netflix accounts are still shareable, but only within one household. To ensure that your devices are associated with your primary location, Netflix is now asking users to connect to the Wi-Fi at your primary location, open the Netflix app or website, and watch something at least once every 31 days.



Can You Still Share Netflix With Someone Who Doesnt Live With You?



No, accounts are only meant to be used within one household. Netflix will prompt users who try to sign into your account elsewhere to sign up for their own account instead and block their access until they do.

Netflix will NOT begin automatically charging account holders whose information is used outside of their homes.



Can Other Users on Your Netflix Account Save Their Profiles?



Yes, Netflix offers users a profile transfer feature that will allow them to migrate their show recommendations, watch history, and more to their own account if they decide to create one. This will give password sharers the opportunity to preserve their profile if they sign up for their own Netflix accounts.



Can You Still Use Netflix While Traveling?



Signing into Netflix outside of your home may lead to the device in use being blocked from Netflix. This could prevent you from signing into new devices while traveling, but Netflix has devised a workaround.

Traveling users who want to use Netflix on a hotel smart TV, company laptop, etc. can request a temporary code from the service when signing in. This will give them access to their account for seven consecutive days.



How Can You Prevent Netflix from Blocking Your Devices?



Signing into home Wi-Fi at least once every 31 days on your devices will make them trusted devices, which Netflix will remember and leave unblocked.

If your device has been blocked incorrectly, youll need to contact Netflix in order to get it unblocked.



How Will Netflix Know if Youre Not in Your Home/Primary Location?



Netflix uses information such as IP addresses, device IDs, and account activity to determine whether a device signed into your account is connected at your primary location.

If your device is being used outside your home by someone you havent authorized, you can sign into your account and sign out on all other devices, then change your password.



How Many Devices Will Netflix Let You Use Simultaneously in One Location?

That all depends on which plan youre signed up for. Netflix offers four distinct price tiers, and the number of simultaneous streams varies on which tier you subscribe to.

Via
Yesterday Poco India officially announced that the Poco X5 Pro will be launching in the country on February 6. Missing from that reveal was any mention of the non-Pro Poco X5, and according to a new leak today, that's for good reason.

It turns out that the Poco X5 won't be launching in India alongside its Pro sibling. Instead, we'll see the X5 in Europe. So now the question is - will the X5 Pro be available in Europe too, or just India? There's no answer to this yet, but at the rate the leaks are going we'll surely find out in a few days at most.

Exclusive: POCO X5 5G marketing material with specs.



-Snapdragon 695 processor

-6.67", AMOLED, 2400x1080 resolution, 120Hz Refresh Rate

-48MP Main + 8MP Wide-Angle + 2MP Macro

-13MP Selfie

-5000mAh battery

-33W charging with MMT tech



(1/2)#POCOX55G pic.twitter.com/M9g5jKLyaY  Sudhanshu Ambhore (@Sudhanshu1414) January 31, 2023

Regardless of that, the Poco X5 is apparently headed to Europe, and a full spec sheet for it has been leaked courtesy of some marketing materials today. The phone is coming with a 6.67-inch 1080x2400 120 Hz AMOLED touchscreen with 240 Hz touch sampling rate and 1200-nit peak brightness. The panel is Low Blue Light certified and covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color space.

The Poco X5 also boasts a 48 MP main camera, an 8 MP ultrawide, and a 2 MP macro, as well as a 13 MP shooter for selfies. The battery is a 5,000 mAh cell with 33W wired charging support. At the helm is Qualcomm's Snapdragon 695 SoC.
Samsung is hosting the first Unpacked event for 2023 today, and we will see the Galaxy S23 flagships get announced. We also expect five new Galaxy Book3 notebooks - vanilla and Pro, each of them with a different variant with a 360-degree hinge, and a top-of-the-line Ultra version.

The event begins at 6PM UTC, which is 1PM EST/7PM CET/11:30PM IST. There will be a live stream, which we will add below when the time comes.

The Galaxy S23 series will include a vanilla Galaxy S23, a slightly bigger Galaxy S23+, and a Galaxy S23 Ultra with Samsungs latest 200MP camera. The three were leaked multiple times, revealing Samsung is ditching the corner island design in the non-Ultras and is going for a cleaner look with only the lenses protruding from the back.

These devices are all expected to have a custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset globally and bring the end of Exynos reign in certain markets.

We will provide full coverage of the event so keep an eye on our homepage to know all about the new phones and laptops!
PDN has teamed up with Chief Hurao Academy to celebrate Mes CHamoru. Tune in to see why the students love speaking their language and sharing their culture.
The legal battle over Guams decades-old, near-total abortion ban, has begun.

Court filings show Attorney General Doug Moylan has officially asked the court to dissolve the permanent injunction on the ban, Public Law 20-134, on Wednesday.

Attorney Anita Arriola, who represented the plaintiffs in the original lawsuit over the ban in the 1990s, has promised that she and her client will move to block the motion.

The law would make anyone who provides an abortion guilty of a third-degree felony. A woman who obtains an abortion or even seeks one out would be guilty of a misdemeanor, while people soliciting women for an abortion would likewise be guilty of a misdemeanor.

With the right to regulate abortion back in the hands of the territory as of last June, the law must stand, filings from the Office of the Attorney General state.

The doctrinal underpinnings of the permanent injunction in this case were predicated on the Supreme Courts decision  which held that the Constitution confers upon women a constitutionally protected right to an abortion in certain circumstances, filings state.

But Roe and its progeny are no longer the law.  Because there is no longer a legal basis to support the injunction, it must be vacated and the case dismissed with prejudice.

The court filing even defends the constitutionality of the ban on seeking out an abortion. That provision was ruled a violation of the First Amendment right to free speech when the abortion ban was first enjoined.

The Office of the Attorney General argues that with abortion no longer a right, theres no right to ask for one.

When the underlying act being solicited is not constitutionally protected, but is in fact illegal, the First Amendment provides no sanctuary, filings state.

Moylan has said that, even if the ban on seeking an abortion is struck down, the rest of the ban will still take effect under Guam Law.

An islandwide vote on whether to keep or kill the ban was supposed to happen on Nov. 6, 1990. But with the law enjoined, it was deemed moot. Theres no word yet on what will come of the referendum.
The Office of the Attorney General of Guam has lost almost a third of the attorneys it had on staff as of December, Attorney General Doug Moylan confirmed Wednesday.

Guams chief lawyer said the shuffle of attorneys out of the office doesnt surprise or concern him, and that they are still focused on putting criminals behind bars.

A total of 54 attorneys were onboard as of Dec. 30, staffing patterns show. Moylan said five of those lawyers resigned before he stepped through the door, while several more decided to burn up their leave before departing.

He said that the latest staff update he received showed 37 attorneys onboard.

Former deputy attorney general Karl Espaldon, who was until recently in charge of the solicitors division, providing counsel to GovGuam agencies, was one notable departure. Moylan said Espaldon had left after being reassigned to the prosecution division.

Moylan also confirmed that two high-level prosecutors had submitted their resignation letters as of Wednesday: Sean Brown, who was assistant attorney general for prosecution prior to Moylan taking the helm, and former attorney general Leonardo Rapadas.

The three men each made over $100,000 at the close of December, staffing patterns show. None could be reached immediately for comment.

Its not like theyre just picking up and leaving. These people are professionals, and theyre acting very professionally (in) how to depart the office, and theyre giving us some time to wind down, Moylan said.

He said he was not at all concerned about the office being able to fulfill its mandates, with a good staff still on board.

The prosecution division, which was down to 12 attorneys out of 17 slots as of Dec. 30, and nine attorneys in January, was back up to 13 attorneys.

Thats partly due to the reshuffling of divisions to beef up prosecution, but the office is actively hiring, he said.

Assistant attorneys general continued to work to fulfill the promises he campaigned on, including ending the cycle of catch, release and reoffend, and deporting non-U.S. citizen offenders.

A lot of what youre talking about now, are management issues, Moylan told the newspaper, the work product is providing protection to the public. Are we protecting the public, from the prosecution point of view?

The changeover during his first 31 days was to be expected, Moylan said.

And I suspect that further changes will be made as we tailor this office for the best and the brightest that are willing to fight for the people.

A revolving door for lawyers as administration and priorities changed was probably typical, and had been the case when he first took office in 2003, Moylan said.

However, the large turnover didnt appear to be the case during the first months of former Attorney General Leevin Camachos term.

The last AG inherited 57 attorneys from his predecessor, Elizabeth Barrett Anderson, staffing patterns show, and staff remained at 55 three months into 2019.
The governor wants to give most government of Guam employees a significant pay raise, beginning April 1, and on Tuesday asked lawmakers to approve a $16 million increase in the governments budget for the current fiscal year to pay for it.

Moving forward, it will cost an additional $20.66 million a year to support the pay increases in the governments line agencies, $7.8 million to support raises at Guam Memorial Hospital, and $13.44 million to support raises in the Department of Education, according to the revised General Pay Plan approved by the governor.

Its the first time the governments general pay plan has been adjusted since 2014.

The government has separate pay scales for educators, attorneys, nurses and executives, but the general pay plan sets the compensation for most GovGuam employees.

For example, public school teachers got a pay raise last year, but other education department employees, who fall under the general pay plan, did not.

On Jan. 31, 2023, I approved a 22% increase to the General Pay Plan as recommended by the director of administration, Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero stated Tuesday in a letter to Speaker Therese Terlaje. The governor submitted a bill to lawmakers, asking the Legislature to appropriate $16 million from the general fund to pay for the salary adjustments.

Department of Administration officials last March stated the department was working on an updated pay plan which would increase the compensation for between 2,000 and 3,000 GovGuam employees.

GovGuam salaries have been well below the national average for similar jobs nationally, and the Department of Administration is responsible for reviewing the governments pay scale and recommending adjustments to ensure employee compensation is internally equitable and externally competitive.

Here are examples of how the new pay scale will impact GovGuam compensation:

The starting pay for a clerk typist I is $19,040. Starting April 1, it will increase to $23,229.

The starting pay for a school aide III is $26,520. It will increase to $32,355 on April 1.

A newly hired administrative assistant currently is paid $31,076 on step 1 of the pay scale. The compensation for that job will increase to $37,913 on April 1.

The governments pay plans do not apply to autonomous power and water agencies, which have adopted separate compensation rates for their employees.

The higher compensation offered by those autonomous agencies poses a challenge for the rest of the government to pay its employees equitably, according to the administration department, which noted that some GovGuam employees left their jobs for higher pay at autonomous agencies.

According to the administration department, its appropriate for the autonomous agencies to approve higher pay for industry-specific positions such as electricians, stevedores and sewer plant operators. But generally shared positions in those agencies, such as administrative jobs, should not experience such a dramatic difference in pay, the administration department stated in its report on the pay plan.
The school board is scheduling site visits to the public schools, according to Dededo Mayor Melissa Savares, an ex-officio member of the board, who encouraged mayors to attend the board visits in their villages, so you can see the challenges the schools are having.

Damaged facilities and poor maintenance resulted in D sanitation scores for two public schools in recent months and prompted an entire middle school to relocate to a high school campus after Christmas break.

The gymnasium at George Washington High School has been closed for more than 16 months because structural damage noted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2021 has not been repaired, with no announced start date for repairs.

Education spokeswoman Michelle Franquez on Wednesday said someone was hired twice to address the GW High gym repair. She did not respond when asked who was hired to do the work.

Oceanview Middle School received D ratings during several inspections late last year, but DOE decided to allow the Hagat school to remain open until at least the end of this school year.

A D rating normally is bad enough to immediately revoke a schools sanitary permit, effectively closing the facility, but Guam law gives schools a grace period, until July 2024, to fully comply with the governments revised sanitation regulations.

Education officials considered relocating the Oceanview students to nearby Southern High School, where they would share the campus. Southern High also received a D rating following a public health inspection in January. During the inspection, Public Health officials noted a dead snake on the floor of a room and a dead pigeon on a piano, among other deficiencies.

They have been actively addressing the issues (at Southern High) since the release of the report, said DOE spokeswoman Franquez.

Students and staff of F.B. Leon Guerrero Middle School currently are sharing the Okkodo High School campus, in a double session with the high school students, because of water-related structural damage to the middle school.

Its crazy

Sinajana Mayor Robert Hofmann, during Wednesdays meeting of the Mayors Council of Guam, said people would have been fired a long time ago if this had happened in the private sector. He said more maintenance work should be privatized at the schools, even if it means cutting government jobs.

For things to be this long and this lax, its crazy, he said.

Council Executive Director Angel Sablan told mayors interim education Superintendent Judith Won Pat, who started work Wednesday, said she plans to work closely with stakeholders to address concerns about school facilities. Won Pat, former speaker of the Guam Legislature, was hired to lead the school system until July 1, when Superintendent Kenneth Swanson, an off-island hire, is scheduled to begin work.

This didnt happen yesterday, Sablan told the Mayors Council, noting photos have long been circulating on social media, showing poor conditions in the public schools.

Sablan encouraged mayors to work with their sister squadrons  military personnel who volunteer to help in the villages  to provide supplies to help improve the schools in their villages.

Agana Heights Mayor Paul McDonald asked if village mayors are allowed to trim trees on public school campuses.

Its to a critical condition now. The trees are huge, and its a hazard to the kids, McDonald said, adding he wants to do something about it.

The governments sanitary rules for school state, the school site shall be kept clean and free of rubbish and overgrown vegetation.

Dededo Mayor Savares said mayoral offices can help trim trees on school campuses, provided the school applies for the necessary government permit. The Department of Agriculture must approve the cutting or trimming of trees on public land.
Ron McNinch is a longstanding member of the Guam community and frequently gives his opinion on a wide range of topics.
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Published on 2023/01/31 | Source

Actor Lee Joon-gi covered the February issue of The Star Magazine.

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In this special pictorial shot in Da Nang, Vietnam, Lee Joon-gi caught the attention of fans at once with his unique soft smile and boyishness.

In a pictorial under the theme of "Love Letter", Lee Joon-gi honestly expressed his gratitude to his fans. Living at the center of popular culture and art as an actor requires a lot of effort to stay at the center, and fans deliver great strength and warmth of love. He expressed that they are like his companion in a sense because they send constant support and love in a life that should always be evaluated coldly.

Lee Joon-gi is currently filming the drama "Aramun's Sword: Arthdal Chronicles". It's been a long time since he's done a historical drama, so there's a lot to prepare and a lot to try again. "Since there are many filming locations outside of downtown Seoul, I have to maintain my condition, and it's not easy in many ways".

When asked what happiness is, Lee Joon-gi said, "I think it comes from people in the end". Although he acts fiercely in the field, he enjoys every moment of his life because he wants to make many people who look at him happy. It means that he feels great happiness in constantly interacting and interacting with people.

In addition, Lee Joon-gi's special pictorials and full interviews, which are rarely seen, can be found in the February issue of The Star.
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, WAHIAWA  At a school assembly in front of cheering students, teachers, and staff members, Esther Kwon, assistant principal at Daniel K. Inouye Elementary School, has become the latest recipient of the prestigious Milken Educator Award. Regarded as the "Oscar Award of Teaching," the award honors outstanding excellence in education and comes with an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize. Kwon was presented the award by Dr. Jane Foley, senior vice-president of the Milken Family Foundation, Lt. Governor Sylvia Luke and Superintendent Keith Hayashi. Kwon is the sole Milken Educator Award winner from Hawaii this year.



Esther is an outstanding innovator who continually finds new ways to motivate students to incorporate their passions and interests into their work to keep them inspired and engaged, Superintendent Keith Hayashi said. As a Hawaii State Teacher Fellow, Esther mentors her fellow teachers and guides them through their professional development journeys, helping to improve student outcomes across the board. We are very grateful to have such an exceptional educator and congratulate her on this well-deserved award.



Kwon has taught and led various programs during her 10 years of service at Daniel K. Inouye Elementary, including teaching fifth grade, Gifted and Talented Enrichment, after-school tutoring, and Korean language; mentoring new teachers; advising the Student Council; serving on the School Community Council; and leading the Pineapple Academy distance learning program for 12 elementary schools in the Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua Complex Area. As a Hawaii State Teacher Fellow, she has published articles on project-based learning and increasing student engagement, and led discussion on education policy with teachers, legislators and community members.



Growing up, Kwon attended 10 different schools in three countries  Korea, Canada and the U.S. This first-hand experience reinforced the importance of belonging in her students academic success and their social-emotional well-being. Daniel K. Inouye Elementary, which is located on the U.S. Armys Schofield Barracks installation, has a student population almost entirely composed of military dependents. Kwon helps them to overcome challenges associated with frequent family relocations that are a part of military service and stay focused on academic success.



Kwon earned a bachelors degree in political science from the University of Virginia and a masters degree in elementary education from Johns Hopkins University. She originally moved to Hawaii as a Teach For America member.



The Milken Educator Awards program, which was launched by the Milken Family Foundation in 1987, has been described as "the Oscars of Teaching" by Teacher magazine. Kwon is the 80th Hawaii teacher to receive the award since Hawaii joined the program in 1990. Hawaii recipients have received awards along with a total of $2 million in prize monies.










The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that the mercenaries of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham targeted a headquarters of the Damascus government forces near the town of Kafruma in the southern countryside of Idlib, killing "eight soldiers, one of them with the rank of major."

The official media of the Damascus government did not publish any news about this bombing.

In addition, the official Syrian news agency, SANA, quoted the Ministry of Interior as saying that 6 members of the Internal Security Forces were wounded, as a result of the explosion of two explosive devices that targeted a patrol on the Muzayrib al-Yadudah road in Daraa countryside.

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ANHA
"All eligible voters who use Suomi.fi Messages will receive a notification of their right to vote in the general elections in electronic form instead of receiving it in mail.

Already nearly one million voters will receive a notification of their right to vote in general elections electronically this year. The notification comes electronically to all those entitled to vote who use Suomi.fi Messages. However, not all recipients of an electronic notification remember or notice that they receive the notification electronically.

In other words, if you do not receive a notification of your right to vote by post at the turn of February and March, you should check your Suomi.fi Messages and check that your e-mail address is correct there. Notifications of new incoming messages are sent to the email address that the user has entered into the service," reminds Maria Juka-Lahdenpera, Service Owner of Suomi.fi Messages from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency.

Electronic notifications are a significant eco-action

Sending notifications electronically is also a significant eco-action, as it saves millions of pages of paper.

"Voters who use Suomi.fi Messages will save more than four million sheets of paper already now. If this amount of paper were to be collected into a single stack, it would form a stack of paper approximately 400 metres high. That is nearly 2.5 Nasinneula Towers," explains Juka-Lahdenpera.

More paper than this could be saved. "We calculated that if all those entitled to vote in the general elections received notification of their right to vote electronically this year, almost 16 million sheets of paper would be saved. This amount of paper would accumulate a stack about 1.6 kilometres high, which is more than five Eiffel towers on top of each other," says Juka-Lahdenpera.

You will receive a notification of your right to vote electronically when you activate Suomi.fi Messages by 9 February

The Digital and Population Data Services Agency encourages the introduction of Suomi.fi Messages by 9 February 2023. You will then receive the notification of this spring's general elections and of your right to vote electronically instead of on paper. The person entitled to vote does not need to print a copy of the electronically received voting rights notification in order to present it at the polling station.

You can access Suomi.fi Messages by downloading the Suomi.fi mobile application or by identifying yourself here. Identification takes place with bank credentials, a mobile certificate or an electronic ID card. By introducing Suomi.fi Messages, you will also receive electronic mail sent by several other authorities.

What Suomi.fi Messages?

Suomi.fi Messages is a secure electronic mailbox that replaces official mail that arrives via paper mail. The service is used by several authorities and its use is constantly increasing. Incoming messages can be read using the Suomi.fi mobile application or by identifying yourself in the Suomi.fi Web Service here. This way, you can read the incoming mail wherever you go. The notifications of new incoming messages are sent to the email address that you have provided to the service. Users of the Suomi.fi mobile application will also receive the notification directly through the app.

HT

Source: Digital and Population Data Services Agency (The Finnish Digital Agency)
We still hope that well be members by the summit in Vilnius [Lithuania in July], even though we cant influence decision-making in Hungary or Turkey, he stated to reporters in Helsinki on Monday.

FINLAND has the patience to wait for its accession to Nato in part due to the security guarantees it received from several countries at the beginning of what has become an almost nine-month process, says Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto (Greens).

Attitudes toward the Finnish membership application have progressed in Turkey, according to Haavisto.

Turkish media reported roughly a week ago that Turkey has discontinued its ratification negotiations with Finland and Sweden. Haavisto at the time estimated that the negotiations would likely remain on hold for a couple of weeks. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday indicated that the country might be willing to ratify the membership application of Finland, but not that of Sweden.

Im sure that the statement reflects the fact that weve made progress when it comes to the Nato process with Turkey, and that they have the readiness to evaluate the issue quickly in terms of ratifications, analysed Haavisto.

He revealed he discussed the issue on Sunday with both Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billstrom and Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu. Cavusoglu, he said, confirmed that there has been discussion about the possibility of ratifying the Finnish membership bid before the parliamentary elections held in Turkey in May.

My understanding is that the Turkish leadership has had genuine discussions about the possibility that the current parliament moves forward with the ratification. But I cant analyse the mindset or timetable of the parliament more closely, he told.

Haavisto reiterated to Cavusoglu the Finnish stance that Finland and Sweden should be accepted into the defence alliance simultaneously.

Sweden is our closest co-operation partner in defence and security policy, and in this regard our stance hasnt changed. Also Nato as an organisation and Nato member states have emphasised how important itd be for the defence plan to get [both] Finland and Sweden as Nato members. The Finnish and Swedish membership processes moving forward simultaneously would strengthen the capabilities of Nato and security in the Baltic Sea and entire Nato, he argued.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT
Israeli authorities must dismantle the system of apartheid which is causing so much suffering and bloodshed, Amnesty International said today. Since the organization launched a major campaign against apartheid one year ago, Israeli forces have killed almost 220 Palestinians*, including 35 in January 2023 alone. Unlawful killings help maintain Israels apartheid system and constitute crimes against humanity, as do other serious and ongoing violations by Israeli authorities such as administrative detention and forcible transfer.

Over the past few days, a series of deadly attacks has underscored the urgent need for accountability. On 26 January, Israeli forces carried out a raid on Jenin refugee camp and killed 10 Palestinians, including a 61-year-old woman. On 27 January, seven Israeli civilians were killed when a Palestinian gunman opened fire in Neve Yaakov, an Israeli settlement in occupied East Jerusalem. In response to this attack, Israeli authorities have stepped up collective punishment against Palestinians, carrying out sweeping mass arrests and threatening punitive home demolitions.

The devastating events of the past week have exposed yet again the deadly cost of the system of apartheid. The international communitys failure to hold Israeli authorities to account for apartheid and other crimes has given them free rein to segregate, control and oppress Palestinians on a daily basis, and helps perpetuate deadly violence. Apartheid is a crime against humanity, and it is frankly chilling to see the perpetrators evade justice year after year, said Agnes Callamard, Amnesty Internationals Secretary General.

Israel has long attempted to silence findings of apartheid with targeted smear campaigns, and the international community allows itself to be cowed by these tactics. Until apartheid is dismantled there is no hope of protecting civilian lives, and no hope of justice for grieving families in Palestine and Israel.

Under apartheid, Israeli authorities control virtually every aspect of Palestinians lives and subject them to daily oppression and discrimination through territorial fragmentation and legal segregation. Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) are segregated into separate enclaves, with those living in the Gaza Strip isolated from the rest of the world through Israels illegal blockade, which has caused a humanitarian crisis and is a form of collective punishment.

Daily evidence of apartheid

On 1 February 2022, Amnesty International released a report setting out how Israel enforces an institutionalized system of oppression and domination against Palestinians wherever it has control over their rights: in Israel, the OPT and against displaced refugees by denying their right to return. It showed how Israeli laws, policies and practices are enacted with the overarching aim of maintaining a Jewish demographic majority, and maximizing control of land and resources to benefit Jewish Israelis to the detriment of Palestinians.

2022 went on to become one of the deadliest years for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since at least 2005, with some 153 Palestinians, including dozens of children, killed by Israeli forces, mostly in the context of increased military raids and arrest operations. Research by Amnesty International found that 33 Palestinians, including 17 civilians, were killed by Israeli forces during their August 2022 offensive on Gaza, and that at least seven civilians were killed by rockets launched by Palestinian armed groups.

Meanwhile, incidents of Israeli settler violence against Palestinians increased for the sixth consecutive year in 2022, with attacks including physical assaults, damage to property, and destruction of olive groves. There is extensive documentation of the Israeli authorities condoning and facilitating this violence, including by arresting the Palestinians who are under attack, providing armed escort to settlers, or simply looking on from the sidelines while Palestinians are beaten and their property destroyed. This culture of impunity has encouraged further violence, as demonstrated by the spate of attacks by settlers which have taken place in recent days.

Following the Neve Yaakov shooting attack, Israeli authorities have appeared to incite further violence against Palestinians by announcing plans to expedite gun licenses in order to enable thousands of additional citizens to carry weapons. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has already pledged to massively expand illegal settlements across the OPT, also said the government was planning to strengthen settlements.

All Israeli settlements in the OPT are illegal under international law, and Israels long-running policy of settling civilians in occupied territory amounts to a war crime.

Increased settlement expansion will put countless more Palestinians at risk of forcible transfer  a crime against humanity which Israeli authorities have committed on a systematic basis. A recent example is the May 2022 Supreme Court ruling which greenlighted the forcible transfer of more than 1,150 Palestinians from Masafer Yatta in the West Bank.

In the past year Israeli authorities also scaled up plans to demolish the unrecognized village of Ras Jrabah in Israels Negev/Naqab region and displace its 500 Palestinian-Bedouin residents, while in January 2023 the Bedouin village of Al-Araqib was demolished for the 212th time. Amnesty Internationals apartheid report showed how forced evictions in the Negev/Naqab, and across the OPT, are carried out in pursuit of Israels demographic objectives.

Growing recognition

Amid these violations, there is growing international recognition that Israeli authorities are committing apartheid. Palestinians have long been calling for an understanding of Israels rule as apartheid, and Palestinian organizations such as Al-Haq, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, and Al Mezan have been at the forefront of UN advocacy to this end.

The push for such recognition gained momentum in 2022 with two UN Special Rapporteurs concluding that Israeli authorities are committing apartheid. The number of states at the Human Rights Council referring to apartheid by Israel doubled from nine in 2021 to 18 in 2022. Notably, South Africa and Namibia are among the states who have expressed concern that Israels treatment of Palestinians constitutes apartheid. Several international and Israeli human rights organizations have also called for an end to apartheid, including Human Rights Watch, BTselem and Yesh Din.

Israeli authorities have gone to great lengths to suppress and discredit findings of apartheid. The consequences are particularly serious for Palestinian human rights defenders  in August last year, Israeli authorities raided the offices of seven leading Palestinian NGOs after branding them terrorist entities and outlawing them. In December, Salah Hammouri, a field researcher at prisoners rights organization Addameer, was stripped of his Jerusalem residency and deported to France after spending nine months in Israeli administrative detention.

Disregard for international law

In May 2023, Israels human rights record will come under scrutiny through the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the UN Human Rights Council. Amnesty International has written to the Israeli authorities urging them to engage, but they have yet to submit to the review process.

Israeli authorities have ignored most of the recommendations put forward by reviewing states and endorsed by the Human Rights Council during the previous UPR cycle in 2018. For example, despite being urged repeatedly over the years, and then again in 2018, to end administrative detention, Israel is currently holding over 860 Palestinians without charge or trial  the highest number in 15 years.

The Israeli authorities longstanding disregard for their obligations under international law and the recommendations of the international community continues to have dire consequences for Palestinians and undermines rights protection for Israelis as well, said Agnes Callamard.

No state should be able to systematically flout international law, including binding UN Security Council resolutions, with impunity. We call on states to end all forms of support for Israels violations, and to break with years of complicit inaction by holding the Israeli authorities to account.

*Based on United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs data for February 2022-31 December 2022; and reporting by the Palestinian Ministry of Health for January 2023.

HT

Source: Amnesty International
LOCAL BRIEFS: Boyette a Fulbright teacher, Latino essay winner, Edneyville novel, Pardee Team Member of the Month

Anne Boyette

Boyette awarded Fulbright Teacher teaching stint in Finland

Anne Boyette, the AIG (Academically and Intellectually Gifted) specialist at Hendersonville Middle School, was recently selected as a recipient of a Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms award by the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

The Fulbright Program is devoted to increasing mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The worlds largest and most diverse international educational exchange program, Fulbright is overseen by the U.S. State Departments Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Boyette, a Delta Kappa Gamma Alpha Lambda member, completed a 90-hour program on Global Education, attended a weekend symposium, developed a project-based learning unit and created a website for Global Education in Western North Carolina. She observed and taught in Finland Nov. 2-15 with several members from her Fulbright cohort.

Grand prize winner

Christopher Hernandez-Montero, grand prize winner of Optimums Hispanic Heritage Month Essay Contest, posed with Apple Valley Middle School English teacher Jennifer Summers, Hendersonville Mayor pro tem Lyndsey Simpson and Optimums Lisa Stokes after receiving a big check for his essay contest win.

Optimum awarded scholarships of $3,000 to four grand prize winners across its 21-state footprint. Optimum and TelevisaUnivision also recognized the educators who encouraged their students to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by submitting an essay. Special gifts were awarded to educators who sponsored the highest number of essay submissions from their students.

Author will talk about novel based in Edneyville



Award-winning author Rose Senehi will talk about and sign her newest book at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, in the community room of the Historic Courthouse. A resident of Chimney Rock and author of more than 10 novels, Senehi will be talking about Falling Off a Cliff: The Story of a Mountain Nurse, which is set in Edneyville. She will talk about researching the 1920s of Edneyville.

Time, like a pendulum, swings the reader between two women born to make a difference with their healing hands no matter what dangers they have to face, a synopsis of the novel on Senehis website says. In the 1920s, Lula Mae clings to a doctor woman as they gallop horseback all over the steep, harsh Blue Ridge Mountains where fierce pride and guarded secrets define the people they try to help. In the 60s, Nurse Holly travels the same mountain paths to reach the ill and search for the mother she's never known. Can Holly breach the fortress where mountain folk protect their own and share a code of silence to guard their secrets, or will she be denied the answer that would unravel the mystery and finally give her a glimpse of where she came from?

Refreshments will be served. The Henderson County Heritage Museum is the sponsor.

Helpful engineering tech honored as top employee

Derek Lancaster, an engineering technician, is Pardee Hospitals Team Member of the Month, Pardee UNC Health Care announced.

Derek LancasterAs an engineering technician, Lancaster helps by supporting and maintaining the physical and mechanical condition of buildings, utility systems and facility equipment and making any needed repairs.

Lancaster has been with Pardee for seven years and said that he enjoys working for the healthcare organization because his job provides him with a healthy work/life balance. He expressed his favorite part of his job is the people he works with and his colleagues share the same sentiment, describing him as loyal and a hard worker. He is always smiling and goes beyond the goals set for the department, a coworker said. He performs every task without hesitation and gives the best customer service to every unit and department and cares about the quality of his work and how it affects the team members and patients.

The Team Member of the Month is selected by a committee of peers and recognized for going above and beyond his or her regular duties to support patients, customers, peers, the organization and its community.

Area Agency on Aging seeks board members

Land of Sky Regional Council Area Agency on Aging is looking for new members to join its Regional Aging Advisory Council. Members will need to be able to join bimonthly meetings 10 a.m.-noon on the second Thursday. The advisory board helps to manage and guide the agencys work in Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, and Transylvania counties. The board has vacancies in all four counties. If you are interested in learning more, contact LeeAnne Tucker at 828-251-7436 or leeanne@landofsky.org

Nominations sought for Athena Award



The Henderson County Chamber of Commerce is now accepting applications for the 2023 Athena Award of Henderson County. The Athena Award is presented by Pardee UNC Health Care, Optimum and Hunter Automotive. Nominations will be accepted through Wednesday, March 1.

Nominations are judged and a recipient selected by a panel of professionals based on the criteria set forth by Athena International. Nominators should plan to tell their nominees story through rich narrative and details, as judges will have no knowledge of even well-known community members. The nomination forms can be found at www.hendersoncountychamber.org.

Named for the goddess of wisdom and victory, the Athena Award is presented to a woman  or man  based on professional excellence, community service and for actively assisting women in their attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills.

The Athena Program is a way to honor and celebrate the contributions individuals in our community have made to the cause of womens leadership, said Lee Henderson-Hill, committee chair and 2018 recipient. When you look at the history of Henderson County, you see how much of how our community is shaped today as a result of female leadership. We want to celebrate and continue that work.

The Athena award was originally sponsored and brought to Henderson County by Vanessa Mintz. Mintz was a long-time local business woman, active Chamber volunteer and community advocate. After her untimely death in 2011, the award was and continues to be presented in her memory. The award is co-sponsored by the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce. The recipient of the 16th annual award will be announced at the Business and Professional Womens Luncheon in May at Blue Ridge Community College. For more information call the Chamber at 828-692-1413.

Registration now open for June 4 WNC Flyer



Signup is now open for the 19th annual Hunter Subaru WNC Flyer, which will be held June 4 in Brevard. With a start/finish at Oskar Blues, the ride features bluegrass, barbecue and a brew.

Riders will have their choice of a century, metric, half-century, or half-metric ride that winds through the valleys of Transylvania County. Although it is the flattest ride in Western North Carolina, it has plenty of rolling hills to keep all riders interested. There is beautiful mountain scenery without the long mountain climbs. A fundraiser for the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club, the Flyer is a ride for everyone from first-time to experienced riders. This is a fully supported ride with well-stocked rest stops and an after-ride party catered by Mayberrys and including one free beer.






Landowners seek OK for lodge and club on Cabin Creek Road

Outline shows 48-acre site where property owners want to build a private club/ lodge and restaurant. [HENDERSON COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT]

GREEN RIVER  A landowner who dropped plans for a 20-room inn amid intense neighborhood opposition last March has filed a new application to permit a lodge and private club on a 4-acre site in a wooded area off Cabin Creek Road.



This time, the project does not require a rezoning. A staff report describes both a club/lodge and common area recreation and services facilities as permitted uses in the county's Rural Two Residential zone. The use is permitted "by right" in the R2R zone and authorization lies with the Technical Review Committee, the panel made up of officials from the NCDOT, the health department, emergency and fire services, Hendersonville water and sewer systems and county building and stormwater offices. It does not go before the Planning Board or Board of Commissioners, county Zoning Administrator Matt Champion said in an emailed response to the Lightning's questions.

The original was to rezone it for an inn and the problem is in the county there's no provision for an inn, said Hunter Marks, of Watermark, the landscape architect for the project. The only thing that it has is a hotel so we would have had to rezone to community commercial and that just didn't fly. (Cabin Creek Road residents) weren't comfortable with that and I can understand that. And so we're going back with club-lodge, which is by right. You can do that by right in our zoning.

He said hed prefer to let the applicant, Lark Elliot, describe the plans in more detail and answer other questions.

Called Tuxedo Falls  tagline An Escape into Nature  the development would be reached by a private road of just under a quarter mile. The landowner is seeking the countys OK to build a 10,000-square-foot lodge that would include a restaurant and bar, pool, hiking trails and outdoor education opportunities. Plans that the countys Technical Review Committee will take up next week show 33 parking spaces and the clearing of three acres for the lodge and associated uses.

Cabin Creek Club inspires connection with the natural world by providing a homebase where members can enjoy, explore, and protect the woodlands, streams, mountains, and countryside of Western North Carolina, says mission statement submitted as part of the application, using an earlier name for the project. It would be organized as a nonprofit requiring membership to use the lodge and enjoy its activities. People would apply for membership and, once approved, pay an annual fee based on which amenities they want to use, the developer said.

The site plan also shows a solid waste collection facility, a water storage tank for drinking water and fire protection, several retaining walls to accommodate steep slopes, 155 feet of road frontage along Cabin Creek Road and a 50-foot vegetative buffer around the developed area.

The owners also said in their application they intend to encourage community involvement and support of local retailers.

In addition to encouraging members to enroll children in local summer camps to allow for their entry at the Club, the Club may arrange for local summer campers to experience the educational nature services available to members, they said. Additionally, to the extent possible, edible plants grown on-property could be made available to local farm-to-table restaurants. Finally, the Club will coordinate with local businesses to encourage patronage of area businesses.

Last March property owners Daniel Park and Lark Park Elliot applied for a rezoning of the 48-acre vacant site from Residential Two Rural to Community Commercial in order for an inn, walking trails and other amenities. In September 2021 Park purchased 43 acres of the 48-acre site for $500,000 and Elliott bought 5 acres for $115,000, land records show.

Although there is no rezoning hearing, Cabin Creek Road residents are likely to argue ig given the chance that the use is inconsistent with the goal to preserve the rural character of forests, farmland and sparsely populated areas.

Surrounded by single-family homes, farmland and Camp Glen Arden, the site is part of a Rural Agricultural Area, which is characterized by low-density residential development with substantial land areas devoted to agriculture and undeveloped lands, the county's land-use ordinance says. Most sections of the RAA are so far from sewer services as to make their extension largely impossible. Land development regulations should recognize this by not permitting densities that would require sewer services or introduce traffic capacity problems and by encouraging densities that are consistent with steep slopes, poor septic capacities, and sensitive topography.

The site is also in a Conservation Area, a designation that also discourages dense development. This category includes land areas that are intended to remain largely in their natural state, with only limited development, the comp plan says. Such areas should be targeted for protection through regulations and incentives.
China's Liaoning sees busy China-Europe freight train service

Xinhua) 16:49, February 01, 2023

SHENYANG, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- A China-Europe freight train loaded with 55 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers of daily necessities and mechanical parts left Shenyang in northeast China's Liaoning Province on Tuesday for Russia's Elektrougli.

This was the 29th outbound China-Europe freight train launched by Liaoning since the beginning of this year, according to China Railway Shenyang Bureau Group Co., Ltd.

In January, Liaoning handled 73 inbound China-Europe freight trains, up 62.2 percent year on year.

Also in January, a total of 3,180 TEU containers were transported via Liaoning's China-Europe freight train service, up 32.5 percent year on year.

In order to ensure the safe, efficient, and smooth operation of the China-Europe freight train service, Liaoning's railway authorities opened a green channel during China's Spring Festival holiday.

To better satisfy the strong demand of the international market in 2023, the Shenyang bureau group has increased the number of carriages from 50 to 55 for each freight train.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Half Moon Bay, CA (94019)

Today

Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 53F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. Low around 45F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Located in the center of Toyama, DoubleTree by Hilton Toyama takes inspiration from the beauty of the surrounding mountains and sea.

Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today announced the opening of DoubleTree by Hilton Toyama, the first Hilton hotel in Japan's Hokuriku region. Located on the coast of the Sea of Japan, Toyama offers convenient access to and from the major cities of Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya. With direct international flights from several Asian countries expected to resume in summer 2023, Hilton anticipates a growing demand for Toyama from international travelers.

DoubleTree by Hilton Toyama is conveniently located within a three-minute walk of Toyama Station and a 20-minute drive of Toyama Kitokito Airport. The city of Toyama offers an ideal staging point for various popular day-trip destinations, including the Kurobe Alpine route, famous for massive snow walls; the traditional villages of Shirakawago and Gokayama; and the Noto Peninsula.

The 13-story, 201-room hotel features contemporary guest accommodations with five room types, ranging from 26-square-meter layouts for up to three people to a 79-square-meter premium suite that can comfortably accommodate up to four people. The hotel's interior design and artwork take inspiration from the natural beauty of Toyama, including Toyama Bay and the Tateyama Mountain Range.

The all-day restaurant, korare WINE AND DINE, takes its name from the Toyama dialect's word for "welcome." It features 78 seats and a private room that can accommodate 10 seats, a buffet and dining area and an open kitchen serving breakfast, afternoon tea and dinner. Guests can enjoy fresh seafood from Toyama Bay, beef and red snow crab from the Toyama Prefecture, and a wide selection of offerings from the on-property sommelier's wine selection.

At korare Bar, guests can enjoy light meals, such as pastas and hamburgers, that feature local ingredients, while also taking advantage of a selection of more than 20 wines by the glass, original cocktails and sake. Meanwhile, the GRAB'n'GO Coffee & Deli offers takeout coffee, sandwiches, soups, cakes, muffins and other snacks for guests looking for fuel on the move.

Guests will have access to a variety of facilities and services, including inspiring banquet and meeting facilities that can accommodate up to 100 people, a 24-hour fitness center, and a public bath with a sauna.

In December 2022, Hilton debuted its 50th DoubleTree by Hilton property in the Greater China and Mongolia region with the opening of DoubleTree by Hilton Kunming Airport, and will soon launch the brand in South Korea. In Japan, DoubleTree by Hilton Kyoto Higashiyama will open this summer, while DoubleTree by Hilton Osaka Castle will open in 2024.

DoubleTree by Hilton Toyama is part of Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest loyalty program for Hilton's 19 world-class hotel brands. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount and free standard Wi-Fi. Members also enjoy popular digital tools available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors mobile app, where Hilton Honors members can check in, choose their room and access their room using a Digital Key.

Hotel website
Hilton(NYSE: HLT) announced today the opening of Embassy Suites by Hilton Aruba Resort, the 330-all-suite resort nestled between the dazzling waters of the top-rated Eagle Beach and the scenic lagoon of the Bubali Bird Sanctuary. The opening marks the first Embassy Suites by Hilton property in Aruba and second Hilton hotel on the island.

Located just six miles from the Queen Beatrix International Airport which receives more than 100 direct flights from major cities around the world, Embassy Suites by Hilton Aruba Resort is located across the street from the white sands of Eagle Beach and a short ride from Palm Beach where guests can experience Aruba's flavors and nightlife. The resort introduces a more home-style experience to the island, inviting guests to experience the local culture and natural beauty of island life, with nearby major attractions including the idyllic Bubali Bird Sanctuary, California Lighthouse, Butterfly Farm and Alto Vista Chapel. With its large guest rooms, central location and stunning views of the Caribbean, this hotel serves as the perfect beachfront homebase.

Spacious Accommodations

Embassy Suites by Hilton Aruba Resort features 330 two-room suites, with a contemporary design inspired by Aruba's iconic beaches and the Bubali Bird Sanctuary that uses a neutral and ocean blue color palette, wood accents and sea life art to create a calming, warm and inviting environment that feels like home. Rooms sleep up to six guests and are available as two queens or one king bed, with the living area offering extra seating and a sleeper sofa. Dining areas offer a wet bar outfitted with a microwave, mini-fridge and coffee maker to create the perfect homebase to socialize with family and friends. Most rooms offer balconies, designed to enjoy the expansive views of the ocean, nature or pool from coffee at sunrise to a cocktail at sunset.

Dining Delights

With five food and beverage outlets on property in addition to room service, guests can choose from a variety of dining experiences to suit their tastes. As an Embassy Suites by Hilton hotel, guests can enjoy the brand's signature complimentary breakfast with both made-to-order items as well as a breakfast buffet each morning at Brickstone, while looking out on to the Caribbean Sea.

The Grab & Go market offers coffee drinks, sandwiches, pastries and plenty of snacks to bring along for a day at the beach. Guests spending a day by the pool can sip drinks at the pool bar, or stop by Splash, a snack and grill restaurant that overlooks the pool. Before heading to dinner, guests can visit the lobby bar for a complimentary evening reception featuring drinks and light bites, and incredible sea views.

Amenities and Attractions

Guests of Embassy Suites by Hilton Aruba Resort will enjoy an array of amenities. A private underground tunnel walkway connects the hotel to the powdery white sands of the world-famous Eagle Beach, annually voted one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Relax in plush chaise lounges by the hotel's expansive outdoor pool, and frequent pool-goers can even book a suite with direct pool access. Perfect for families, the hotel also offers a children's pool, outdoor playground where little ones can climb, slide and explore, and kids' activities, such as scavenger hunts. For those looking to maintain fitness routines while away from home, the hotel offers a 24/7 fitness center and fitness classes including yoga and aerobics.

Later this year, the hotel will open a spa with five treatment rooms, Jacuzzi and sauna. Guests can relax with an array of treatments, from massages to facials.

Destination Weddings, Events and More

With nearly 7,000 square feet of flexible indoor event and meeting space and 2,500 square feet of meeting space outdoors, Embassy Suites by Hilton Aruba is a tropical oasis for oceanside corporate events and meetings. From rehearsal to reception, destination wedding guests will love it, too, especially the property's 4,100 square foot ballroom that can hold up to 330 guests.

Embassy Suites by Hilton Aruba Resort participates in Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest loyalty program for Hilton's 19 distinct hotel brands. Members who book directly have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, exclusive member discounts, free standard Wi-Fi, and access to the Hilton Honors mobile app.

For more information and reservations, please visit here or follow the hotel on Instagram at @embassysuitesaruba.

Hotel website
'RMS further supports Australia's 4.4bn Park and Campground industry with a highly experienced, specialist Parks leader.'

RMS are celebrating one of their veteran team members, Courtney Hall, with a newly appointed position as Sales Manager, Parks and Campgrounds for Australia and New Zealand. The highly- contested position has been filled internally after a rigorous recruitment process, delivering over two decades of experience and the right fit for the park sector. RMS wanted to ensure it delivered on the proud history of its partnership with the Australian park industry which the business started 40 years ago -and Hall is the perfect fit.

The Parks division remains a strategic priority for RMS in Australia and New Zealand, with RMS covering 70% of the market share for suppliers of park technology. The new role is a massive junction to RMS' 2023 plans with strong growth strategies under the newly appointed Chief Sales Officer, Stephen Martin. With the industry worth 4.4bn and expected to grow 6.5% in 2023, Martin is putting RMS' most elite leadership team in place to ensure parkies are getting the support they need.

Hall's 20-year journey with RMS Cloud has been pivotable to the success of RMS' pioneering software, and now she is ready to embrace the challenges parkies face across the industry. Her extensive knowledge and understanding over the years, combined with the latest advances within RMS, is the perfect balance -both new and long-term parks win. With a heavy focus on helping update the Australian and New Zealand park industry, Hall is entirely equipped and ready to nurture RMS park operators and really take the time to discuss operational challenges in detail. Fostering a closer relationship with the parks community will be a personal goal while in this role and provides a new conduit for the two-way relationship to grow and flourish.

RMS has paved a concrete road map for the Park division for 2023, and this is a first step to deliver a park representative who knows and understands parks. Hall's understanding of the industry goes beyond her 20 years at RMS and deep into her family roots, where she has been camping with her family locally for years.

Hall is thrilled to be starting a new chapter in her career at RMS Cloud and is excited to take on new challenges with confidence. Having started her new role this week, Hall will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies to expand the number of RMS Parks and, most importantly, maintain relationships with RMS' most valuable parkies. Hall's experience will undoubtedly set new standards in the industry and is an invaluable asset to the RMS team. Hall will attend Australia's largest park and campground event, CIAA National Conference, in May, where Australian park owners can arrange to meet up with Hall.
As Kempinski debuts its first Mexico property with the Grand Hotel Cancun managed by Kempinski, loyal guests of the property will be happy to find familiarity in the hotel's lauded culinary offerings. At the end of the year, the property will be fully operated under Kempinski Hotel Cancun.

With over 34 years in the business, Chef Rene Camelo is no stranger to the property or catering to its devoted, epicurean clientele. This is partly due to his loyalty to the very walls that saw him grow from a cook in 1996 to Executive Sous Chef by 2022. By 2023, Chef Camelo will be overseeing all the culinary experiences throughout the property, or better said, his home away from home.

Chef Camelo's love for food started in his grandmother's kitchen in Sucila, Yucatan, and his locally sourced dishes emphasize the authentic touch within the hotel's robust food and beverage program. Grand Hotel Cancun managed by Kempinski offers five onsite restaurants to enjoy Chef Camelo's carefully curated menus, from the award-winning Mediterranean fine-dining restaurant Fantino, to the romantic Casitas, where guests dine on the sand and under the stars. As Kempinski transitions into the property, Chef Camelo will continue to dream up sumptuous Mexican cuisine with the added Kempinski feel.
Nour Laasri has been appointed Marriott International's new Area General Manager, Houston, and General Manager for Marriott Marquis Houston. In his role as General Manager, Laasri will act as the primary strategic leader for the 1,000-room Marriott Marquis Houston. He will oversee the success of all day-to-day operations, financial performance, sales and revenue generation, and guest & employee satisfaction strategies. As Area General Manager, Laasri will serve as an active member of the Houston community and will help the hotel team foster deeper relationships with local officials and businesses in the area.

Laasri's hospitality career spans nearly four decades with Marriott International. He's worked in various leadership roles at the company, including Food and Beverage, Operations, and Franchise Operations. For ten years, Laasri served as General Manager at the Dallas/Fort Worth Marriott Solana, Dallas Marriott City Center, and the Marriott St. Louis Grand. Most recently, Laasri was the Area General Manager, Pennsylvania and General Manager, Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. A leader in the hospitality community, Laasri has prioritized collaboration with others in the industry, joining forces to enhance the cities in which his hotels are based. He's looking forward to doing his part to elevate the city of Houston and the Marriott Marquis' downtown campus.

Laasri will leverage his revenue management and sales experience to help lead the Marriott Marquis Houston into 2023 and beyond. He'll also work closely with the hotel's exceptional culinary team, led by Bernard Hamburger, Director of Food & Beverage, as they elevate Marriott Marquis Houston's extensive dining program.
Bishop's Lodge, Auberge Resorts Collection, the historic luxury resort and thoughtfully restored landmark in Santa Fe, today announces the appointment of Missy Auge as Wine Director. Auge will oversee the wine operations for the 100-room resort, which serves as a luxurious and soulful retreat steeped in New Mexico's heritage. Born and raised in New Mexico, Auge is returning to the Southwest, where she first discovered her adoration for viticulture as the Owner and Operator of Tanti Luce 221 in the heart of Santa Fe's historic district.

With over a decade of experience in hospitality and a Level 2 Sommelier certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers, Auge has held key managerial and sommelier positions in some of the country's most celebrated cities including: Los Angeles, Calif. and Big Sky, Mont. before returning to Santa Fe, N.M. Auge comes to Bishop's Lodge, Auberge Resorts Collection most recently from Montage Big Sky, where she served as Lead Sommelier of the luxury five-star resort. Previously, Auge was Lead Sommelier at 71Above in Los Angeles and held management positions at esteemed establishments, including Spaghettini & the Dave Koz Lounge in Beverly Hills.

Auge received her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from The University of New Mexico, where she also served as a New Mexico State Representative for the Americans for the Arts National Arts Summit. Dedicating her career to her passion for wine, Auge brings her diverse experience in multi-state hospitality management with a proven track record in profitability and high guest and employee satisfaction to Bishop's Lodge, Auberge Resorts Collection.

SkyFire at Bishop's Lodge, Auberge Resorts Collections invites guests to inhale the atmospheric earthy scents of cuisine that celebrates storied, Southwestern ingredients. Beyond the resort's textured and multi-layered restaurants, its one-of-a-kind experiences, healing elements, nature-driven adventures, and picturesque views of the Santa Fe National Forest create cherished memories for creativity, reflection, and discovery.
Forty-year hospitality industry technologist Neil Schubert has joined Canada-based Hotel Communication Network (HCN) as Chief Product Officer. With 20 of those years spent spearheading the technology initiatives for Marriott International, Schubert brings to HCN a wealth of knowledge in application development, product management, systems integration, financial systems management, infrastructure, IT architecture, and field service. His goal is to strategically transform HCN into a global hospitality communications brand. HCNs Navigator tablets are quickly gaining traction in hotels as a two-way communication device that easily and efficiently replaces in-room phones, alarm clocks, voice assistants and other electronics. Schubert will perform this role from his office in Wilmington, N.C.

Neil has a keen understanding of hotel technology and how to balance the bleeding edge with a leading edge approach for effective adoption of new and emerging solutions. We first met Neil while still with Marriott, as we installed our tablet and DineIN solutions at a 1,500 room Marriott property which was a great success. When Neil left Marriott, he joined HCNs Advisory Board. We were always impressed with his passion for innovation and we feel greatly honored that he has decided to join us to provide his visionary leadership to the HCN guest communication platform. Driving ADR and reaching new heights in guest satisfaction are the missions we know Neil can help us evolve in our continuing quest to be the industry's innovation leader. Kevin Bidner, HCN president

Serving Those who Serve

Serving on Advisory Boards is not new to Schubert. He has been recruited by several universities and leading hospitality associations to lend his expertise. Advisory posts include president of the University of Delaware Technology Advisory Committee, a member of the Penn State University Technology Advisory Committee, Advisory Board member of Hotel Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP), and workgroup and forum chairman for Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG). Schubert also served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Delaware educating graduate students on hotel technologies.

Prior to joining Marriott  where he held such prestigious titles as Vice President IT Business Partnership & Planning, Vice President IT Strategy, Western Regional Vice President (IR Global Field Services), Senior Director (International Financial Systems), and IT Director  Schubert served as Senior Director of Renaissance Hotels International, responsible for managing all IT functions at the company inception when it spun off from Ramada International. His hospitality career began in 1986 where he served as a Systems Manager for Sheraton Hotels. Immediately following his exit from Marriott, Schubert worked as Senior Vice President Global Product Management, Exceptional Innovation. More recently, he served as Senior Vice President of Product Management and Development for Cloud5 Hospitality. Prior to joining HCN, Schubert and his wife, Anna, took a year-long RV trip visiting 43 states across 33,000 miles spanning the U.S. and Alaska.

Turning Tech Noise into a Symphony

One thing hoteliers are challenged with today is giving travelers a digital experience equal to  or better than  what they experience at home, Schubert said. Unfortunately, operators are getting hit with too much technology noise; Im talking about spot solutions and micro applications that are taking over the guestroom. HCNs Navigator tablets dont just turn down the noise, they turn it into a symphony. Their tablets with audio docking stations replace most peripheral solutions and does it with an ROI that is not capital intensive. More importantly, its affordable for luxury brands and economy properties alike. Navigator not only transforms how guests interact with the hotel, the city, and their room, but its an interactive in-room two-way communication platform allowing guests to send and receive information, make purchases, order room service, report problems, and control their room with just a touch or voice command.

Wi-Fi has matured to a point where hotels have a reliable wireless footprint today, he said. That was not always the case; wireless in rooms started out with very spotty coverage and made it nearly impossible for tablet providers to connect guests to the hotel. Those early adopters did not have the digital platform adeptness that HCN is putting into rooms today. Navigator is supporting brands desires to drive guests to their own apps using personalized marketing. Quick messages to guests via the tablet is proving to be a strong business case for improving the guest experience. HCNs innovative approach to tablet technology and their teams ability to look at applications through a unique lens is what made me eager to join the company. I look forward to helping them grow.

To learn more about HCN and its Navigator Tablets, visit www.hcn-inc.com.

About The Hotel Communication Network (HCN)

Founded in 2008, with headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, The Hotel Communication Network has built on years of research and development to provide an innovative high-value guest amenity that keeps each guest connected to their hotel, city and each other. For more information, visit www.hcn-inc.com.

Barbara Worcester
This Veganuary isn't about no meat, its about New-meat with over 70 top new restaurants serving New-meat in the Netherlands, Germany and UK, joining a special Veganuary campaign

Among the exciting customers kicking off 2023 are The Breakfast Club and Meraki in the UK, Boterlap, Koks gemert, Wildschut, Cafe Luxembourgh and Shakshuk in the Netherlands, and Mundfein, The Ash and Spreegold in Germany

Endorsed by Michelin-starred chefs such as Marco Pierre White and Ron Blaauw, Redefine Meats breakthrough technology-based New-meat range of 100% plant-based premium cuts, pulled and minced meat products demonstrate why meat lovers dont actually need to reduce their meat consumption

Redefine Meat  , the pioneer of New-meat*, has dished up a record Veganuary with over 70 new customers onboarded across the UK, Netherlands and Germany. These include everyday diners to steakhouses and fine-dining establishments, all seeking to transform their menus with high-quality New-meat. Exciting new customers include The Breakfast Club chain and Meraki in the UK, Boterlap, Koks gemert, Wildschut, Cafe Luxembourgh and Shakshuk in the Netherlands, and Mundfein and The ASH in Germany.

This follows what has been a year of major business and product expansion, which has seen the New-meat embraced across European food services  from large restaurant chains and hotels, to catering and company canteens. The company launched commercially in six new European markets (UK, Germany, Netherlands, France, Austria and Finland), and signed a major deal with Europes leading importer of high-end meat, Giraudi Meats, to expand in a plethora of new countries in 2023. Redefine Meat also recently opened a new large-scale factory in the Netherlands providing the capacity to support the aggressive expansion of New-meat in both new and existing markets.

And to cap it off, the company commercially launched the most diverse range of New-meat products to date with no less than 16 new New-meat products. These include four breakthrough premium cuts  Tenderloin, Striploin, Beef and Lamb Flank, a new Pulled Meats range comprising Beef, Lamb, and Pork, as well as several minced products including the New-meat burger, bratwurst sausage, and lamb kebab.

Veganuary updates in key markets:

Netherlands - Redefine Meat kicked off Veganuary in the Netherlands by winning the prestigious Horecava Innovation Award  the gold standard of the Dutch food service industry  for its breakthrough Beef Flank premium cut. The company also onboarded an abundance of new restaurants including Boterlap, Koks gemert, Wildschut, Luxembourgh and Shakshuk, while also commercially-launching Redefine Pulled Beef, Pulled Pork, and Redefine Bratwurst within the Dutch market.

- Redefine Meat kicked off Veganuary in the Netherlands by winning the prestigious Horecava Innovation Award  the gold standard of the Dutch food service industry  for its breakthrough Beef Flank premium cut. The company also onboarded an abundance of new restaurants including Boterlap, Koks gemert, Wildschut, Luxembourgh and Shakshuk, while also commercially-launching Redefine Pulled Beef, Pulled Pork, and Redefine Bratwurst within the Dutch market. Germany - Redefine Meat has witnessed unprecedented demand for New-meat from chefs, restaurants, and diners in Germany. Today, hundreds of restaurants nationwide are serving the company's New-meat with accelerated growth during Veganuary. Special initiatives in Germany this month include renowned vegan-friendly chain, Mundfein, launching its first Redefine Meat Pizza, Heinrich, across all 40 of its locations nationwide featuring delicious plant-based meatballs created from the Redefine Meat lamb kebab mix. Building upon its partnerships with Germanys largest food wholesalers to the hospitality industry, Redefine Meat today announces its first logistics partner for food services, Dewender, further bolstering its supply chain. Dewender, a well-established warehousing, logistics and distribution family business, will distribute New-meat from Redefine Meats large-scale factory in the Netherlands to Redefine Meats food wholesaler network across Germany. Dewender has supplied specialist food and non-food items to hundreds of thousands of locations nationwide for the past 85 years  from canteen kitchens to hospitals to youth hostels  making them the ideal partner.

- Redefine Meat has witnessed unprecedented demand for New-meat from chefs, restaurants, and diners in Germany. Today, hundreds of restaurants nationwide are serving the company's New-meat with accelerated growth during Veganuary. Special initiatives in Germany this month include renowned vegan-friendly chain, Mundfein, launching its first Redefine Meat Pizza, Heinrich, across all 40 of its locations nationwide featuring delicious plant-based meatballs created from the Redefine Meat lamb kebab mix. Building upon its partnerships with Germanys largest food wholesalers to the hospitality industry, Redefine Meat today announces its first logistics partner for food services, Dewender, further bolstering its supply chain. Dewender, a well-established warehousing, logistics and distribution family business, will distribute New-meat from Redefine Meats large-scale factory in the Netherlands to Redefine Meats food wholesaler network across Germany. Dewender has supplied specialist food and non-food items to hundreds of thousands of locations nationwide for the past 85 years  from canteen kitchens to hospitals to youth hostels  making them the ideal partner. UK - Renowned London restaurant chain The Breakfast Club has partnered with Redefine Meat to transform its menu options at all its locations starting this month. Redefine Meat is also collaborating with The Breakfast Club on Berwick Street as part of its exclusive 100% veggie and vegan month for Veganuary. Two new Veganuary specials launched across all sites  The Works: a veggie and vegan fry-up, and a Posh Sausage Sandwich: made with Redefine Meat Bratwurst Sausage. While the Redefine Burger is available as the new plant-based Cheeseburger. Also in the UK this month, Redefine Meats newly-launched Tenderloin premium cut was added to four more London menus including Meraki, Chotto Matte and Powerplant.

Weve come an incredible way since last Veganuary when New-meat debuted on the first menu in Europe. Fast forward 12 months, Redefine Meat is in thousands of locations globally and brought to market 16 new product innovations  including four premium cuts previously considered impossible. The uptake of New-meat has been phenomenal, and this Veganuary we celebrate a new era of no compromise meat-eating that meets the needs of meat lovers, vegetarians, flexitarians and vegans alike. Were extremely excited to see what 2023 brings, as we ramp up production with our new large-scale factory in the Netherlands to support our ambitious expansion across Europe. Redefine Meat CEO, Eshchar Ben-Shitrit

About Redefine Meat

At Redefine Meat, we love meat. Really, really love meat.

We believe that the world deserves New-meat*, delicious plant-based meat that is good for the environment and kind to animals. Having studied the unique properties of animal meat and perfected cutting-edge technologies, we've developed a wide range of high-quality products that provide the full sensory experience of meat, including flavour profiles, texture and aroma, without compromise. Our category-defining New-meat portfolio spans minced meat products and premium muscle cuts, which are proudly served by leading chefs at hundreds of restaurants, hotels and other foodservice across Europe, including in the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands and more. In Israel, they are available in food service and retail channels. For more information, please visit www.redefinemeat.com Redefine Meat is headquartered in Rehovot, Israel, and has over 240 employees in Israel and Europe. For more information, please visit www.redefinemeat.com
Shatterproof, a national nonprofit dedicated to reversing the addiction crisis in the U.S., recently honored Chris Nassetta, president and CEO, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, with the Shatterproof Hospitality Hero Award. He is the fifth recipient to receive the award. Nassetta has been an integral voice on the issue of addiction in America, using his leadership in the industry to unite hospitality executives to take an active role in ending the addiction crisis.

Senior executives across the hotel industry united during the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) in Los Angeles to commend Nassetta on his accomplishments. More than 60 hospitality companies raised more than $2 million during the event to advance the important work Shatterproof is doing and to support its founder and CEO, Gary Mendell, a former hotelier (chairman and co-founder of HEI Hotels and Resorts), who lost his son Brian to addiction in 2011.

I was honored to receive this award, but more importantly, to help raise critical support for Shatterproof and the transformational work they are doing, said Nassetta. The hospitality industry is disproportionately impacted by substance use disorder, and Shatterproof is leading the way in advocating for those struggling with addiction, their families and the communities this disease impacts.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration, employees of restaurants and hotels (the two major branches of the hospitality industry) have the highest rates of substance use out of the entire American workforce.

Mendell regularly attended the ALIS conference in his 25-year hospitality career. After losing his son, Mendell founded Shatterproof with a goal of sparing others from the tragedy his family suffered. Since 2016, the hospitality industry has raised more than $5 million for Shatterproof during events at ALIS.

"I continue to be inspired by the incredible support of the hotel industry, said Mendell. Substance use disorder is a largely preventable disease, and it is through the generous support and awareness efforts of the hospitality industry that we will be able to reduce stigma and increase the number of policy changes and treatment resources to end this crisis.

The 2023 Shatterproof Hospitality Heroes Committee includes

Robert Alter, Geoff Ballotti, Mike Barnello, James Burba, Patrick Campbell, Thomas Corcoran, Ted Darnall, Joel Eisemann, Clark Hanrattie, Tim Hodes, Merrick Kleeman, Dan Lesser, Gary Mendell, Chris Nassetta, Bill Reynolds, Anthony Rutledge, Stacy Silver, Paul Whetsell, and Mark Woodworth.

About Shatterproof

Shatterproof is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to reversing the course of the addiction crisis in America. Shatterproof is focused on ensuring treatment in America is based upon proven research and ending the stigma of addiction. The organization advocates for changes to federal and state policy, payer reform, treatment quality assessment, and provides public education through family and workplace programs.

About Gary Mendell

Gary Mendell is the founder and CEO of Shatterproof. He founded Shatterproof to spare others the tragedy his family suffered with the loss of his son Brian to addiction in 2011. He is a frequent speaker on how our society can end the stigma unjustly associated with addiction, has been honored numerous times for his leadership related to reversing opioid epidemic, testified in front of the President's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis and is a frequent commentator in the media. Mr. Mendell also serves on the Executive Advisory Board of the University of Pennsylvania's Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics (LDI). He is an experienced businessman and CEO who founded HEI Hotels & Resorts and is the former president of Starwood Lodging Trust.
Last night Divia Thani, Global Editorial Director. Conde Nast Traveller and Simon Leadsford, Publishing Director, hosted Conde Nast Travellers Wellness & Spa Awards for 2023 in association with Healing Holidays. The event took place at The Lanesborough Hotel in London.

These are the Conde Nast Traveller Spa Guide winners for 2023: the top-level retreats and medi-clinics, the most-results-driven health centres and the slickest spas. Wellbeing has never been more at the forefront of our minds than now, and there have never been more excuses to exercise wellness on a daily basis. From sound baths in the Maldives to recovery lounges in Napa Valley, 2023 is set to see boundary-pushing wellness trends in the travel world, and, closer to home, mental health retreats in the UK are becoming an increasingly common holiday break. For now, explore some of the world's most incredible spas, as awarded by Conde Nast Traveller in this year's Spa Awards.

The Conde Nast Traveller Wellness & Spa Award categories and winners for 2023 are:

BRING THE FAMILY: Soneva Soul at Soneva Jani, Maldives - An ambitious approach to wellness pairs cutting-edge therapy with sumptuous surrounds

- An ambitious approach to wellness pairs cutting-edge therapy with sumptuous surrounds CHANGE YOUR LIFE: Men Without Masks , UK - A ground-breaking retreat aimed at rewiring masculinity and nurturing brotherhood

, - A ground-breaking retreat aimed at rewiring masculinity and nurturing brotherhood DESTINATION HEALTH: Park Igls, Austria - No-nonsense gut-reset supremo in an alpine setting

- No-nonsense gut-reset supremo in an alpine setting HOLISTIC HEAVEN: Rakxa, Thailand - A comprehensive, clinically led retreat that also folds in Asian medicine

- A comprehensive, clinically led retreat that also folds in Asian medicine MEDICAL MIRACLES: Palazzo Fiuggi, Italy - High-tech water cures amid elegance

ABOUT HEALING HOLIDAYS

Healing Holidays is a multi-award winning, owner-run Spa & Wellness travel company. They are an unbiased filter for the worlds top spas, experts and retreats, offering recommendations based upon their first-hand experiences. From Detox Centres and Medical Clinics, to Yoga Retreats and Holistic Havens in which to recover and recalibrate, Healing Holidays have it all covered.

About Conde Nast Traveler

Conde Nast Traveller is the world's most distinguished travel title providing inspiration and advice for discerning travellers. Authoritative and influential, Conde Nast Traveller features destinations in the UK and around the world, whilst offering their award-winning expertise in luxury travel. The title assembles four major hotel lists every year: Hot List, Spa Guide, Readers' Choice Awards and The Gold List. https://www.cntraveller.com/
When Disneyland Resort, Anaheims crown jewel, was forced to close in 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, area hotels faced some of the greatest demand losses in the nation. The park system welcomed back its local fanbase in 2021 with the introduction of a new reservation system. Once Disney attendees were more familiar with the parks new reservation system, which requires advance planning and makes it more difficult to book same-day tickets, leisure demand rebounded, spurring double-digit ADR growth in 2021 and 2022.

However, the Anaheim-Santa Ana hotel market has not caught up to pre-pandemic occupancies. In addition to reduced Disneyland ticket availability and a muted convention calendar, local hoteliers have struggled to meet the surge in demand due to a lack of staffing, as the local employment base has been affected by the prolonged Disneyland closure. According to market participants, many places shuttered or laid off workers because Disney closed, and many area workers subsequently moved or found other employment, resulting in a smaller workforce for local hotels. As a result, in 2021, both occupancy and RevPAR performed at roughly 75% of the level achieved in 2019. Despite this lag in demand, overall hotel revenue rebounded rapidly as ADR soared to never-before-seen heights, ending November 2022 more than 20% above 2019 levels.

Anaheim-Santa Ana Hotel Trends

Source: STR Global, STR Monthly Hotel Review Photo by HVS

Source: STR Photo by HVS

The question remains whether Orange County hotels will have to adjust to below-pre-pandemic occupancy levels, as ADRs are unlikely to decline. With a U.S. recession likely to set in during early 2023, a potential future gap in pricing expectations may affect Orange County hotels in the near future. Disney visitation and Anaheim-Santa Ana hotel stays became more expensive in 2022, and customers and businesses have become more price sensitive during past recessions. With a possible looming recession, area hoteliers reported that leisure travelers, especially larger families, have begun to push back on rate increases; overall, however, the higher rates have not deterred the loyal fanbase from the parks. Despite the economic uncertainty, leisure demand is expected to remain strong in the near term, driven by the centennial celebrations at the Disney theme parks in 2023.

Disney Centennial

In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Walt Disney Animation Studios founding, the worldwide Disney 100 Years of Wonder celebration kicked off on January 27, 2023, with the Wondrous Journeys and World of Color  ONE nighttime shows, to be followed by the Magic Happens" parade on February 24, 2023. Additionally, the park will feature special decorations, limited-edition merchandise, and novelty food offerings. Attendance is expected to surge to record levels this year given the strong brand following.

Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world. Walt Disney

Major Development Projects in Anaheim

Some of the major developments currently underway or recently completed are highlighted below.

Recently Opened

Nearing Completion

Mickey's Toontown will feature the reopening of CenTOONial Park on March 8, 2023, with new play areas and a showpiece Mickey Mouse fountain.

Under Construction

The Indiana Jones Adventure ride in Adventureland at Disneyland Park has been closed for renovation since January 9, 2023, and should reopen in the spring of 2023.

The 115-acre ocV!BE, a mixed-use development in Anaheim anchored by the Honda Center, is scheduled to partially open in 2024, with full completion by 2028. The project will include a new 5,700-seat concert venue, more than 30 restaurants, 1.1 million square feet of office space, 550 hotel rooms, 230,000 square feet of retail space, and roughly 1,700 housing units.

Downtown Disneys updated western portion will feature new restaurants and retail offerings, anticipated to be completed by 2025.

Pending Approval

On March 25, 2021, the Disney Company announced its major, long-term expansion plan known as DisneylandForward. Projects include a new integrated experience for guests on the current Toy Story Parking Lot, to feature restaurants, hotels, live music, shopping, ticketed shows, and theme park experiences modeled after the popular Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando. The plans also include the creation of a new parking hub with upgraded accessibility for hotels and businesses located along Harbor Boulevard and Disney Way, effectively shifting the park further east.

Canceled

The Angel Stadium project, originally planned to include 2.7 million square feet of office space, over 5,000 apartments, and in-stadium improvements, was canceled in 2022 due to a legal dispute.

Convention & Group Business Trends

The Anaheim Convention Center (ACC) reopened on April 23, 2021, after the COVID shutdowns. However, major events, such as National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) and Natural Products Expo West, did not reoccur until 2022, and they attracted lower attendance than expected. NAMM is scheduled to return in April 2023 and will move back to its typical event month of January in 2024. While these legacy events recorded lower attendance, representatives at Visit Anaheim reported that fan-type conventions, such WonderCon, VidCon, and Disney's D23 Expo, boasted higher-than-anticipated attendance in 2022, illustrating a positive trend among fan-based events.

The following tables highlight historical attendance figures for some fan-based events at ACC, as well as overall citywide event statistics.

Fan-Based Convention Attendance

Source: Visit Anaheim Photo by HVS

Economic Impact (Millions)

Source: Visit Anaheim Photo by HVS

Citywide Event Statistics

Source: Visit Anaheim Photo by HVS

According to Visit Anaheim representatives, group demand is estimated to be 6065% of 2019 levels in 2022. Due to the typical booking window for major events and the potential economic headwinds for 2023, group demand is expected to reach roughly 75% of 2019 levels in 2023 and should recover fully by 2025, which illustrates the prolonged demand challenge that Anaheim convention-focused hotels are facing.

Supply Changes

Recent Hotel Openings and Re-brandings The Anaheim area has experienced a notable uptick in the construction or rebranding of upscale and luxury hotel properties, as listed below.

New Supply The market experienced tremendous supply growth in the past decade, but the new supply pipeline has shrunk since the onset of the pandemic. The only upcoming new inventory in Anaheim is the Villas at Disneyland Hotel & Timeshares, a 350-unit timeshare property that is highly anticipated by many Disney fans.

High-Profile Transactions

Several noteworthy transactions have occurred in Orange County since the beginning of 2021.

In 2021, the newly opened Element by Westin Anaheim Resort Convention Center was reportedly sold for over $60 million.

The 252-room Montage Laguna Beach, which sold at roughly $2,600,000 per key in 2022, set a record in the nation.

The Fashion Island Hotel sold for $145 million in February 2022, and the Hotel Irvine Jamboree Center sold for $133.6 million in August 2022. Both assets were owned by the Irvine Company. The Fashion Island Hotels leasehold interest was sold, and the property will be rebranded to a Pendry Hotel after substantial renovations, while the Hotel Irvine Jamboree Center is now wholly owned by Hyatt and will be rebranded back to a Hyatt Regency, after becoming independent in 2015.

Conclusion

Despite the looming concerns of a recession, the outlook for the Anaheim market is optimistic given the ramp-up of new Disneyland attractions, the centennial celebrations, and the gradual return of major conventions, including the promising trend of fan conventions. Other positive factors that bode well for the market's recovery include the strong population base in the Los Angeles Basin and other major development projects in Anaheim such as ocV!BE.

Our team constantly monitors the Anaheim-Santa Ana hotel market, and our many consulting engagements throughout the greater area keep us abreast of the latest trends and shifts in the market. We update our forecasts monthly.

For more information, contact Kirsten Smiley, Luigi Major, or Marcus Lee of HVS Los Angeles or Eileen Bosworth of HVS Portland.

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The 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP27, took place from 7-18 November 2022. Sponsored by EHL and nominated by CarbonCare InnoLab (CCIL), I was grateful to have the opportunity to participate in this large annual climate conference in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

"We are the future of our society"

Incorporating sustainability into different aspects of life is no longer an option, it is a universal go al to build a better future for our generation and the next. This year, we finally saw more youth voices being heard at this international climate change conference, as seen in the first-ever Children and Youth Pavilion in the blue zone.

But how can we bring climate issues to a wider audience? Everyone can be part of the change regardless of their occupations and focuses. We are the future of our society, and climate education is the key to pushing forward the importance of addressing the long-term environmental problem while balancing profitability concerns.

Bringing up local environmental problems

What brings me to COP? My journey started last summer when I joined the Climate Advocacy Training for Youth programme organised by CCIL. I co-founded Re-Market, a climate advocacy group with the aim of minimizing plastic packaging in Hong Kong supermarkets, and our team organised a press conference to announce customers perceptions towards this topic from over 4000 replies.

While I was exposed to local environmental problems, I was eager to take a global level perspective. My motivation to broaden my horizons and network brought me to a bigger stage of climate negotiation - COP27. As one of the eight Hong Kong Youth Delegates selected by CCIL, we submitted a Hong Kong Youth Statement on Climate Actions to the Environment and Ecology Bureau with a focus on five main topics:

Adaptation,

Energy Transition,

Climate Budgeting and Finance,

Governance,

Youth Engagement and Inclusion.

Raising awareness towards local issues is the first step, but I am also keen to explore how overseas best practices could be applied to Hong Kong.

Going global

COP27, the two-week conference where climate enthusiasts and national leaders gathered, was an intensive yet rewarding trip. Collaborating with other international youth organisations, my sharing of Hong Kongs heat wave on 14 November kickstarted my adventure at COP. I spoke as a youth panellist at Voices of APAC Youth, Indigenous Groups & Local Communities , bringing up climate justice in the Asia-Pacific region.

Hong Kong is certainly not the most vulnerable community compared to countries such as Fiji or Indonesia, but 35 degrees celsius for weeks last summer was a red flag for us to take immediate action. We grew up experiencing the impact of climate disasters, and it was eye-opening to see how the other seven speakers spoke up to bring forward solutions for their hometowns.

COP27 Blue Zone: the platform to get perspectives challenged and enriched

My journey continued with a bilateral meeting with Alok Sharma, the President of COP26. As a member of YOUNGO, the official youth constituency of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, I took part in drafting the Global Youth Statement. It was an amazing conversation about the progress of COP27, and we handed over the Global Youth Statement to express the expectations and demands of the younger generations.

Youth voices should not be neglected, and I was delighted to see how Alok Sharma demonstrated how we could be part of the climate conversation. It is clear that youths have an increasing engagement at COP, as seen in the first-ever Children and Youth Pavilion this year. What we are hoping is that this is not only a gesture but long-term inclusiveness of the new generation.

With a strong focus on the intersection of business and climate actions, I spent half of my time at the business pavilion in the blue zone. It was insightful to see how corporates are moving from internal sustainability initiatives to engaging upstream and downstream stakeholders. An impressive one was the talk on Exponential Climate Action in Supply Chains to Halve Emissions by 2030, covering the challenges of interacting with farmers and fishermen since they have no education on carbon accounting, not to mention how they would know the emission level of their farming activities.

I took the opportunity to chat with Mr Owen Bethell, the Environmental Impact Lead of Nestle on sustainable packaging, to build up my knowledge on Re-Market. It was intriguing to understand the current obstacles faced by multinational consumer packaged goods brands, but at the same time also led me to think about how I could personally participate in pushing forward a circular economy.

Helena Gualinga: the girl who shared her story

My COP journey ended with a speech by Helena Gualinga, a 20-year-old Ecuadorian. This is a COP that should have happened 30 years ago. I want to see reparation, not compensation I could feel how frustrated and desperate she was, just to create a future for the place where she was born and raised.

Finally, we are seeing a big step forward in climate justice. For the first time, the Loss and Damage Fund was established as a financial support for vulnerable nations to recover from climate catastrophes. This used to be a topic that rich countries were reluctant to touch on since it relates to their responsibility and financial commitments. Pakistan's flooding and wildfires in Europe, these results of climate change left them no choice but to take action.

Sustainability in the hospitality industry: Where are we at?

While progress was seen for climate justice, the fossil fuel result was a let down. No attempt to phase out fossil fuels this year, yet scientists are warning about the increasing global emission level. As a hospitality student, I am acutely aware of the energy shift and how the hospitality industry could play a part in driving a sustainable economy.

From the installation of smart energy facilities during hotel construction to applying energy-saving measures when operating a hotel, this investment is vital to bring long-term financial and societal benefits. We did see hospitality groups committing to sustainable tourism, such as Accor and Airbnb who submitted their Science Based Target Initiative and established their roadmap to keeping 1.5 alive.

Commitment is the first step, but I also saw potential challenges in achieving net zero in the hospitality industry. Scope 3 emission is the most difficult one to calculate in terms of a companys carbon emission level since both upstream and downstream stakeholders emissions would need to be taken into account. From amenities suppliers to tourists, the companys attempt to engage multiple stakeholders is essential to address the longstanding data inadequacy issue.

Our planet, our future: Join the transformation

It is undeniable that the hospitality industry is aware of the importance of conducting sustainability transformation, but we are still far from net zero when compared to other industries. EHL students are the future leaders in the hospitality industry, how can you play a part in accelerating this transition? From food waste management in the F&B sector to sustainable sourcing practices in hotel operations, ESG can be incorporated into our management style. I look forward to seeing the sustainable transformation of the hospitality industry.

EHL Hospitality Business School

Communications Department

+41 21 785 1354

EHL

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Hudson, NY (12534)

Today

Sunny to partly cloudy. Near record high temperatures. High 87F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable.
Pittsfield Woman Pleads Guilty to Larceny

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Heidi Kushi pleaded guilty in Superior Court for two counts of larceny and was sentenced to state prison.

On Monday, Jan. 30, Heidi Kushi, 57 years old of Pittsfield, pleaded guilty in Superior Court for two counts of larceny by single scheme. She was indited in July of 2019.

The defendant was sentenced to 2 to 5 years in state prison, both counts concurrent, by Judge Agostini.

Kushi, who began working for Donovan Construction in June 2013 as their accountant/bookkeeper, stole $138,772.72 during her time at the company. From June 1, 2013, to the date she was terminated, April 27, 2018, Kushi overpaid herself totaling approximately $38,000. From 2017 the date of termination, Ms. Kushi used the Donovan Construction bank account to pay off credit cards including cards in her elderly mother's name with the defendant identified as an authorized user.

In April 2018 Thomas and Lisa Donovan began reviewing their books, identified there was an issue, and called the Pittsfield Police Department.
Local Leaders Elected as MMA Group Officers

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  Several Berkshire County elected officials and administrators have been named to leadership roles in the member groups of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, which held its annual meeting and trade show the weekend of Jan. 20.

Andrew Hogeland, a Williamstown Select Board member, is president of the Select Board Association this term and Adams Selectwoman Christine Hoyt is chair of the District 1, covering the Berkshires. Hogeland was first vice president of the association last year and has served on the MMA's Executive Committee and Local Government Advisory Committee. Hoyt has been a member of the MMA Board of Directors.

Mayor Linda Tyer, president of the Mayors Association last year, will continue to represent District 1 on the MMA Board of Directors as well as North Adams City Councilor Lisa Blackmer, elected as first vice president of the Municipal Councilors Association.

Pittsfield's Personnel Director Michael Taylor was elected a director of the Massachusetts Municipal Human Resources Association.

The MMA is a private, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization with the mission of improving the effectiveness of local government in the commonwealth through public policy advocacy, membership education, intergovernmental relations, services to cities and towns, increasing public awareness, and fostering unity.
Can you reduce the Medicare surcharge?

Before you turn 65, you'll want to become familiar with Medicare's rules and features. And if you're a high earner, you'll want to be especially aware of the Medicare premium surcharge  because, over time, it can add up to some significant dollars.

The premium surcharge  known as the income related monthly adjustment amount, or IRMAA  is assessed on premiums for Medicare Parts B and D, and generally is based on an individual's modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) of two years ago. So, the IRMAA for 2023 would be based on one's MAGI from 2021.

For someone who's married and files taxes jointly, and whose MAGI for 2021 was $194,000 or less, the Part B premium for 2023 will be $164.90 per month, and the Part D premium will be whatever amount is charged by their Medicare plan. But if their 2021 MAGI was between $194,000 and $246,000, they'll pay $230.80 (a surcharge of $65.90) for Part B and an additional $12.20 for Part D. And the IRMAA rises at different income levels, reaching a maximum of $560.50 (a surcharge of $395.60) for Part B and an additional $76.40 for Part D for a MAGI of $750,000 or more.

If you're unprepared for the IRMAA, it can be an unpleasant surprise. So, if you've still got a few years until you enroll in Medicare, you may want to look for ways to control your MAGI and possibly limit the surcharge.

Here are a few suggestions:

Contribute to a Health Savings Account (HSA). If you have access to a Health Savings Account (HSA), your contributions will reduce your taxable income, helping you on the IRMAA issue. Furthermore, any investment growth within your HSA is tax free, as are withdrawals for qualified medical expenses, which can include Medicare premiums, deductibles and copays.

Contribute to a Roth IRA. Roth IRA withdrawals are tax free, provided you don't start taking them until you're 59 and you've had your account at least five years. These tax-free withdrawals can enable you to avoid taking taxable withdrawals from other accounts, which may help you avoid an increase in your IRMAA.

Consider a Roth IRA conversion. You could convert some, or perhaps all, the assets of a traditional IRA into a Roth IRA. But you'll need to consider the impact of taxes  any deductible contributions to your traditional IRA and the earnings generated by these contributions will be fully taxable the year of the conversion, so you'll want to have funds outside your IRA available to pay these taxes. Also, timing is important  to be on the safe side, you might want to complete the Roth conversion three or more years before you enroll in Medicare, so the conversion and the likely increase in your MAGI won't increase the IRMAA.

Manage your withdrawal rate  Taking large withdrawals from your retirement accounts can bump up your MAGI bracket and your IRMAA. So, as you near retirement, you'll want to establish a sustainable withdrawal rate  one that provides you the income you need but without going overboard.

While these moves could potentially help you control the Medicare surcharge, they still must make sense for your overall financial strategy. It's obviously desirable to keep the surcharge as low as you can  but it's even more important to take the steps necessary to reach your financial goals.
North Adams Taxi Put on Probation

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  The City Council on Tuesday issued a stern warning and 30 days of probation to a local taxi company.

The vote came after nearly an hour of debate over suspending the license of OTT taxi.

"Again, I will reiterate, if you're back here again, it will be my recommendation, and I think my councilors will probably follow along at that point, because they'll feel like they've been slapped in the face," said President Lisa Blackmer. "So it won't be a three- or five-day suspension. It will be a 20 or 30 day."

OTT, or On Time Taxi, was before the council last week over complaints of unlicensed and underage drivers and unmarked cars being used to pick up fares.

Mayor Jennifer Macksey requested a 20-day suspension of owner John Lord's operating license following the report of yet another complaint.

Councilors had little sympathy for Lord's claims that he didn't know or understand the city's ordinance regulating taxi services but hesitated in disrupting the livelihoods of his drivers and the customers who need them.

"Personally, me, I like to have tolerance and I'd like to have compassion for businesses that are just starting in our community. I want to help them succeed," said Councilor Marie T. Harpin.

Councilor Peter Oleskiewicz said, speaking as a business owner, "you don't want to keep people from being gainfully employed. You don't want to hurt employees."

But the councilors were taken aback by the most recent complaint of a unlicensed dispatcher using a Lord family vehicle to pick up a fare that very morning.

Oleskiewicz said it happened outside his place of business, Miss Adams Diner.

Lord said he had no knowledge of any pickup that morning because he wasn't in town but said the sport utility in question was his and his mother's and had been parked at his house.

"I came to work this morning and there was your car with an unlicensed driver dropping off," said the councilor. "I mean, after what we went through last week, I would think that in the last week, everything would have been perfect behavior, would have been good. Knowing what you're up against right now. And today, I was very disappointed."

Police Chief Jason Wood, who had requested last week's public hearing on the license, said complaints about the taxi service have been mainly about unlicensed drivers.

Lord was accused of driving the taxis and picking up fares without a taxi driver license issued by the city; a 16-year-old was also stopped by police for driving the taxi.

His response has been to repeat that he was unaware of the regulations, saying his insurer had assured him that unlicensed taxi drivers were covered under his policy, and intimated that the police chief had lead him astray on whether to register as a livery or taxi.

Wood said he had never spoken with Lord prior to a meeting with him last year about complaints.

Lord had applied for a taxi license at the Planning Board and then registered with the Registry of Motor Vehicles and insurer as a livery. This was changed after he was notified by police.

Blackmer responded that it's a business owner's responsibility to know the laws regarding that business. She pointed out that the law does not allow an individual under the age of 18 to drive a vehicle for a business.

"When it was brought to Mr. Lord's attention, his responses were saying that this is how I do things and I'm going to continue to do so," she said.

Councilor Bryan Sapienza noted there were resources available to new businesses and that the ordinances are not new.

"We were not showing any particular bias against your company," he said. "If it was the other company involved, I'm sure we'd be in the same position as we are now deciding whether or not to revoke or suspend your license."

Macksey noted that the council had not been in this position before of enforcing the taxi ordinance, "but that's mostly because OTT believes in some instances that our ordinances do not apply to them."

Four people stood to speak for the business, citing its dependability, friendly and helpful drivers, cleanliness, and reasonable rates. The taxi provides a critical service to the community, they said.

Virginia Reel, who move to the city 18 months ago, said the company had made her feel "part of the team" here.

"OTT is more than a taxi company, they're a community service organization. And I hope that this council and administration will support and nurture OTT to bring their services and caring to their customers, who are the people you have been elected to serve," Reel said.

Councilor Wayne Wilkinson made a motion, seconded by Harpin, to impose a 30-day probation period, during which if the company again violated the ordinance, it would be called back on the carpet.

Councilor Keith Bona said he couldn't support that because he felt they would be just starting the process over again if there was another violation. Wilkinson said he understood his point but felt if they imposed a suspension, the same thing could happen. However, he said he would vote for whatever the council decided.

Blackmer suggested a three- to five-day suspension, comparing it to how the Licensing Board escalates penalties for violations.

After more discussion, the council voted 4-2 on Wilkinson's motion of a 30-day probation with Bona and Blackmer voting naye. Councilors Jennifer Barbeau, Michael Obasohan and Ashley Shade were absent.

"If something happens again there's going to be no excuses now, said Bona, adding was disturbed that he heard no remorse from Lord.

"The incident today concerns me because that's the one time we know that happened. How many times do we not know that's happened?" he said, adding that the company's complaints that it was being targeted didn't add up. "If you're getting caught doing something wrong, it's because you did it wrong."
Clark Art Virtual Talk With Furniture Designer

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  On Saturday, Feb. 4 at 2 pm, the Clark Art Institute hosts a virtual talk with acclaimed furniture designer Jomo Tariku.

Tariku will discusses his design process and his relationship to the history of design, including the use of drawing like those by eighteenth-century designers as seen in the "Promenades on Paper: Eighteenth-Century French Drawings" from the Bibliotheque nationale de France exhibition, on view through March 12.

The lecture is presented as part of the Clark's Conversations with Artists series.

According to a press release:

Ethiopian American artist and industrial designer Jomo Tariku is known for his modern African-themed furniture. Tariku's pieces include a variety of artistic designs that synthesize his own experiences of diverse culture, historical structures, architecture, traditional furniture, colors, artifacts, landscapes, wildlife, hairstyles, and more. As a child growing up in Ethiopia, Tariku was drawn to the eclectic art, souvenirs, and furniture pieces his father collected during his travels throughout Africa and beyond.

Tariku developed his skills as a craftsman while spending two summer breaks working at a furniture builder in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He went on to study Industrial Design at the University of Kansas. His craft expresses a modern harmony of heritage, humanity, and design sensibility. Tariku's namesake collection, launched in 2017, has been featured in numerous publications including Elle Decor, Architectural Digest, and Interior Design.

Tariku currently lives and works outside Washington, D.C.

Free, but advance registration is required. Registrants will receive a Zoom link upon registration. For more information and to register, visit clarkart.edu/events

This talk was originally planned as an in-person event but will now be held virtually.
Airstrikes ordered against civilian targets, destruction of thousands of buildings, millions displaced, nearly 3,000 civilians murdered, over 13,000 jailed, the countrys independent media banished, and the country locked in a deadly nationwide civil war. Myanmar civilians now ask what else must happen before they receive international support in line with Ukraine, writes Phil Thornton.

In the two years since Myanmars military seized power from the countrys elected lawmakers it has waged a war of terror against its citizens - members of the Civil Disobedience Movement, artists, poets, actors, politicians, health workers, student leaders, public servants, workers, and journalists.

The military-appointed State Administration Council amended laws to punish anyone critical of its illegal coup or the military. International standards of freedoms - speech, expression, assembly, and association were now criminalised. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), reported as of January 30, 2023, the military killed 2,901 people and arrested another 17,492 (of which 282 were children), with 13,719 people still in detention. 143 people have been sentenced to death and four have been executed since the militarys coup on February 1, 2021. Of those arrested, 176 were journalists and as many as 62 are still in jail or police detention.

The Committee to Protect Journalists ranks Myanmar as the worlds second-highest jailers of journalists. Fear of attacks, harassment, intimidation, censorship, detainment, and threats of assassination for their reporting has driven journalists and media workers underground or to try to reach safety in neighbouring countries.

Journalist Ye Htun Oo has been arrested, tortured, received death threats, and is now forced to seek safety outside of Myanmar. Ye Htun spoke to IFJ of his torture, jailing and why he felt he had no choice, but to leave Myanmar for the insecurity of a journalist in exile.

They came for me in the morning

I started as a journalist in 2007 but quit after two years because of the difficulty of working under the military. I continued to work, writing stories and poetry. In 2009 I restarted work as a freelance video and documentary maker.

Ye Htu said making money from journalism in Myanmar has never been easy.

I was lucky if I made 300,000 kyat a month (around US$300) - it was a lot of work, writing, editing, interviewing and filming.

Ye Htuns hands, fingers and thin frame twist and turn as he takes time to return to the darkness of the early morning when woken by police and military knocking on his front door.

It was 2 am, the morning of October 9, 2021. We were all asleep. The knocking on the door was firm but gentle. I opened the door. Men from the police and the militarys special media investigation unit stood there  no uniforms. Theyd come to arrest me.

Ye Htun links the visit of the police and army to his friends arrest the day before.

He had my number on his phone and when questioned told them I was a journalist. I hadnt written anything for a while. The only reason they arrested me was because I was identified as a journalist  it was enough for them. The military unit has a list of journalists who they want to control, arrest, jail or contain.

Ye Htun explains how easy it is for journalists to be arrested.

When they arrest peopleif they find a reference to a journalist or a phone number its enough to put you on their list.

After the coup, Ye Htun continued to report.

I was not being paid, moving around, staying in different places, following the protests. I was taking photos. I took a photo of citizens arresting police and it was published. This causes problems for the people in the photo. It also caused some people to regard me and journalists as informers  we were now in a hard place, not knowing what or who we could photograph. I decided to stop reporting and made the decision to move home. That's when they came and arrested me.

In the early morning before sunrise, the police and military removed Ye Htun from his home and family and took him to a detention cell inside a military barracks.

They took all my equipment  computer, cameras, phone, and hard disks. The men who arrested and took me to the barracks left and others took over. Their tone changed. I was accused of being a PDF (Peoples Defence Force militia). Ye Htun describes how the politeness of his captors soon evaporated, and the danger soon became a brutal reality. They started to beat me with kicks, fists, sticks and rubber batons. They just kept beating me, no questions. I was put in foot chains  ankle braces.

The beating of Ye Htun would continue for 25 days and the uncertainty and hurt still shows in his eyes, as he drags up the details hes now determined to share.

I was interrogated by an army captain who ordered me to show all my articles  there was little to show. They made me kneel on small stones and beat me on the body  never the head as they said, they needed it intact for me to answer their questions.

Ye Htun explained it wasnt just his assigned interrogators who beat or tortured him.

Drunk soldiers came regularly to spit, insult or threaten me with their guns or knives.

Ye Htun is quick to acknowledge he was scared and feared for his life.

I was terrified. No one knew where I was. I knew my family would be worried. Everyone knows of people being arrested and then their dead, broken bodies, missing vital organs, being returned to grieving families.

After 25 days of torture, Ye Htun was transferred to a police jail.

They accused me of sending messages they had faked and placed on my phone. I was sentenced to two years jail on 3rd November  I had no lawyer, no representative.

Ye Htun spoke to political prisoners during his time in jail and concluded many were behind bars on false charges.

Most political prisoners are there because of fake accusations. Theres no proper rule of law  the military has turned the whole country into a prison.

Ye Htun served over a year and five months of his sentence and was one of six journalists released in an amnesty from Pyay Jail on January 4, 2023.

Any respite Ye Htun or his family received from his release was short-lived, as it became apparent the military was not yet finished torturing him. He was forced to sign a declaration that if he was rearrested he would be expected to serve his existing sentence plus any new ones, and he received death threats. Soon after his release, the threats to his family were made.

I was messaged on Facebook and on other social media apps. The messages said, dont go out alonekeep your family and wife away from us their treats continued every two or three days.

Ye Htun and his family have good cause to be concerned about the threats made against them. Several pro-military militias have openly declared on social media their intention against those opposed to the militarys control of the country. A pro-military militia, Thwe Thauk Apwe (Blood Brothers), specialise in violent killings designed to terrorise. Frontier Magazine reported in May 2022, that Thwe Thauk Apwe had murdered14 members of the National League of Democracy political party in two weeks. The militia uses social media to boast of its gruesome killings and to threaten its targets  those opposed to military rule - PDF units, members of political parties, CDM members, independent media outlets and journalists.

Ye Htun said fears for his wife and childrens safety forced him to leave Myanmar.

I couldnt keep putting them at risk because Im a journalist. I will continue to work, but I know I cant do it in Myanmar until this military regime is removed.

Air strikes target civilians  wheres the UN?

Award winning documentary maker and artist, Sai Kyaw Khaing, dismayed at the lack of coverage by international and regional media on the impacts of Myanmars military aerial strikes on civilian targets, decided to make the arduous trip to the countrys northwest to find out.

In the two years since the military regime took illegal control of the countrys political infrastructure, Myanmar is now engaged in a brutal, countrywide civil war. Civilian and political opposition to the military coup saw the formation of People Defence Force units under the banner of the National Unity Government established in April 2021 by members of parliament elected at the 2020 elections and outlawed by the military after its coup.

Thousands of young people took up arms and joined PDF units, trained by Ethnic Armed Organisations, to defend villages and civilians and fight the military regime. The regime vastly outnumbered and outmuscled the PDFs and EAOs with its military hardware  tanks, heavy artillery, helicopter gunships and fighter jets.

Sai Kyaw contacted a number of international media outlets with his plans to travel deep inside the conflict zone to document how displaced people were coping with the airstrikes and burning of their villages and crops. Sai Kyaw said it is telling that he is yet to receive a single response of interest from any of the media he approached.

Whats happening in Myanmar is being ignored, unlike the conflict in Ukraine. Most of the international media, if they do report on Myanmar, want an expert to front their stories, even better if its one of their own, a Westerner.

Sai Kyaw explains why what is happening on the ground needs to be explained  the impacts of the deadly airstrikes on the lives of unarmed villagers.

My objective is to talk to local people. How can they plant or harvest their crops during the intense fighting? How can they educate their kids or get medical help? Thousands of houses, schools, hospitals, churches, temples, and mosques have been targeted and destroyed  how are the people managing to live?

Sai Kyaw put up his own money to finance his trip to a neighbouring country where he then made contact with people prepared to help him get to north western Myanmar, which was under intense attacks from the military regime.

It took four days by motorbike on unlit mountain dirt tracks that turned to deep mud when it rained. We also had to avoid numerous military checkpoints, military informers, and spies.

Sai Kyaw said after reaching his destination, meeting with villagers, and witnessing their response to the constant artillery and aerial bombardments, their resilience astounded him.

These people rely on each other, when theyre bombed from their homes, people who still have a house rally around and offer shelter. They dont have weapons to fight back, but they organise checkpoints managed by men and women.

Sai Kyaw said being unable to predict when an airstrike will happen took its toll on villagers.

You dont know when theyre going to attack  day or night  clinics, schools, places of worship  are bombed. These are not military targets - they dont care who they kill.

Sai Kyaw witnessed an aerial bombing and has the before and after film footage that shows the destruction. Rows of neat houses, complete with walls intact before the air strike are left after the attack with holes a car could drive through.

The unpredictable and indiscriminately attacks mean villagers are unable to harvest their crops or plant next season's rice paddies.

Sai Kyaw is concerned that the lack of aid getting to the people in need of shelter, clothing, food, and medicine will cause a large-scale humanitarian crisis.

Theres no sign of international aid getting to the people. If theres a genuine desire to help the people, international aid groups can do it by making contact with local community groups. It seems some of these big international aid donors are reluctant to move from their city bases in case they upset the militarys SAC [State Administration Council].

At the time of writing Sai Kyaw Khaing is still to receive a reply from any of the international media he contacted.

Its the economy stupid

A veteran Myanmar journalist, Kyaw Kyaw*, covered a wide range of stories for more than 15 years, including business, investment, and trade. He told IFJ he is concerned the ban on independent media, arrests of journalists, gags and access restrictions on sources mean many important stories go unreported.

The military banning of independent media is a serious threat to our freedom of speech. The military-controlled state media cant be relied on. Its well documented, it's mainly no news or fake news overseen by the militarys department of propaganda.

Kyaw lists the stories that he explains are in critical need of being reported  the cost of consumer goods, the collapse of the local currency, impact on wages, lack of education and health care, brain drain as people flee the country, crops destroyed and unharvested and impact on next years yield. Kyaw is quick to add details to his list.

People cant leave the country fast enough. There are more sellers than buyers of cars and houses. Crime is on the rise as workers' real wages fall below the poverty line. Garment workers earned 4,800 kyat, the minimum daily rate before the militarys coup. The kyat was around 1,200 to the US dollar  about four dollars. Two years after the coup the kyat is around 2,800 - workers' daily wage has dropped to half, about US$2 a day.

Kyaw Kyaws critique is compelling as he explains the cost of everyday consumer goods and the impact on households.

Before the coup in 2021, rice cost a household, 32,000 kyat for around 45kg. It is now selling at 65,000 kyat and rising. Cooking oil sold at 3,000 kyat for 1.6kg now sells for over double, 8,000kyat. Its the same with fish, chicken, fuel, and medicine - family planning implants have almost doubled in cost from 25,000 kyat to now selling at 45,000 kyat.

Kyaw is dismayed that the media outside the country are not covering stories that have a huge impact on peoples daily struggle to feed and care for their families and have the real potential for a massive humanitarian crisis in the near future.

The focus is on the revolution, tallies of dead soldiers, politics  all important, but journalists and local and international media need to report on the hidden costs of the militarys coup. Local media outlets need to find solutions to better cover these issues.

Kyaw stresses international governments and institutions  ASEAN, UK, US, China, and India - need to stop talking and take real steps to remove and curb the militarys destruction of the country.

In two years, they displaced over a million people, destroyed thousands of houses and religious buildings, attacked schools and hospitals  killing students and civilians  what is the UNSC waiting for?

An independent think tank, the Institute for Strategy and Policy  Myanmar, and the UN agency for refugees confirm Kyaws Kyaws claims.The Institute for Strategy and Policy reports at least 28,419 homes and buildings were torched or destroyedin the aftermath of the coup between February 1, 2021, and July 15, 2022.

The UN agency responsible for refugees, the UNHCR, estimates the number of displaced people in Myanmar is a staggering 1,574,400. Since the military coup and up to 23 January 23, the number is 1,244,000 people displaced.

While the worlds media and governments focus their attention and military aid on Ukraine, Myanmars people continue to ask why their plight continues to be ignored.

Phil Thornton is a journalist and senior adviser to the International Federation of Journalists in South East Asia.

*Name has been changed as requested for security concerns.
On the second anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar, the South East Asia Journalists Unions (SEAJU) strongly condemned the military juntas continued gross violations of human rights, persecution of journalists and attacks on independent media. The regions media unions called on the international community to increase pressure on Myanmars military to guarantee the safety of all Burmese citizens and cease the state-sanctioned violence, arbitrary arrests and draconian laws that have suppressed activists and stifled freedom of expression.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), as of January 31, 2023, the military has killed 2,940 activists and civilians, with at least 13,763 people currently detained. 143 people have been sentenced to death and four have been executed since the militarys coup on February 1, 2021. As many as 62 journalists are among those still in jail or police detention, according to IFJ monitoring.

In the first verified arrest of 2023, Kanbawza Tai News Agency editor-in-chief, U Kyaw Zay Ya, was jailed for one year on January 9 under section 505A of Myanmars Penal Code, a charge often levelled against journalists which criminalises the incitement of disobedience or disloyalty from members of the government.

Media rights violations continued to intensify in the final weeks of 2022, with Yangon reporter Soe Yar Zar Tun sentenced to four years imprisonment with hard labour on arbitrary terrorism charges following his re-arrest in March 2022 on December 16, and Thingangyun Post News editors Wai Linn Yu and Htet Htet Aung both sentenced to five years imprisonment for allegedly possessing explosive substances.

Journalists Mhu Yadanar Khat Moh Moh Tun and Ko Kaung Satt Lin, arrested after being hit by a military vehicle while covering anti-junta protests on Pannpin Gyi Road, were both sentenced to three years imprisonment on December 21.

On December 5, Aung Lwin, a frequent contributor to the Tanitharyi Journal, was handed a five-year prison sentence under Section 144a of the Penal Code, while Hanthar Nyein was sentenced to an additional five years in prison on December 26 under electronic transmissions legislation. On December 30, the founder and publisher of Media Top 4, Thurein Kyaw, was jailed for 10 years on terrorism charges, following his February 2022 arrest.

SEAJU remains critically concerned at the continued attacks and detainments of journalists, restrictions on internet access, surveillance, censorship, and human rights violations against civilians across the war-torn country.

On International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists on November 2, the IFJ launched The Revolution Will Not Be Broadcast  Myanmar: IFJ Situation Report 2022, which gathered the lived experiences of Burmese journalists and media workers living under the junta and called on the international community to increase pressure on Myanmars military junta to guarantee the safety of all Burmese citizens and call for a return to democracy.

The report found hundreds of journalists have been forced to find alternate work to survive, as media closures, satellite blackouts, confiscation of mobile phones, beatings and arrests have driven many in the profession into hiding. Misinformation continues to increase, with the publics right to know forfeited as the junta denies access to coverage of news events.

Through its affiliate, the Myanmar Journalists Network (MJN), the IFJ has also documented the payment of professional journalists at citizen journalist rates following the coup. Further exacerbating financial issues for journalists operating under the junta or in exile, many international media outlets continue to pay diminutive amounts and fail to give credit for footage, images, and hard-to-source interviews with people inside Myanmar, including Internally Displaced People, Peoples Defence Forces (PDFs) and Ethnic Armed Organisations.

On February 1, the Council of Global Unions, of which the IFJ is a member, called on all affiliated unions to demand national governments recognise the National Unity Government (NUG), formed in exile by democratically elected politicians, as the legitimate representative of the people of Myanmar, and the release of all political prisoners.

The SEAJU said: As the second year under the military regime draws to a close, the gross human rights atrocities faced by journalists, media workers, activists, and civilians, both in Myanmar and in exile, show no signs of relenting. Despite assurances from the junta to the contrary, independent Burmese media have been shut down and silenced, as internet restrictions and stringent censorship further quash press freedom. In this time of crisis, SEAJU calls on the international community to work urgently to coordinate action to support and protect media workers living under the coup and restore legitimate democracy in Myanmar.

SEAJU members

Alliance of Independent Journalists Indonesia (AJI)

Cambodian Association for the Protection of Journalists (CAPJ)

Cambodian Journalist Alliance Association (CamboJA)

Media and Creative Industry Workers Union for Democracy (SINDIKASI)

Myanmar Journalist Association (MJA)

Myanmar Journalists Network (MJN)

National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP)

National Union of Journalists (Peninsula Malaysia) (NUJM)

National Union of Journalists, Thailand (NUJT)

Timor Leste Press Union (TLPU)
A Russian court on 1st February has sentenced in absentia veteran journalist Alexander Nevzorov to eight years in prison for spreading so-called "false information" about Russia's war on Ukraine. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) join their Russian affiliate the Journalists' and Media Workers' Union (JMWU) in condemning this criminalisation of journalism and call on the Russian authorities to review the ruling.

Alexander Nevzorov came under pressure from authorities for alleging that Russian forces deliberately shelled a maternity hospital in Mariupol, in southern Ukraine. "Journalist Alexander Glebovich Nevzorov was found guilty (...) and sentenced to imprisonment for a period of eight years," the press service for Moscow courts said in a statement on Telegram. Prosecutors had requested a sentence of nine years in jail.

Nevzorov has left Russia and did not take part in the hearings. Investigators launched the probe in March last year, saying Nevzorov had intentionally published "misleading information" with "inaccurate photographs of civilians affected by the shelling". He was designated a "foreign agent" one month later, a branding that piles bureaucratic pressure on people hit with the label.

After the Kremlin ordered troops into Ukraine, Russia introduced new legislation criminalising what authorities consider to be false or damaging information about the Russian army and the war on Ukraine.

"The person of Alexander Nevzorov, whose publications and statements often irritate many people, can be the object of criticism. But he is undoubtedly one of the main symbols of the new independent journalism that emerged at the end of the 1980s of the last century, at the end of the USSR," said Andrei Jvirblis, secretary of the independent Russian journalists union JMWU. "His conviction, which is also quite symbolic because Nevzorov is beyond the reach of Russian justice, is undoubtedly a condemnation of this type of journalism. From this point of view, it does not matter what exactly Nevzorov wrote about Ukraine, whether he "discredited" the Russian army or not. With this judgment, the very possibility of free thought and free expression is condemned and intimidated in Russia."
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), representing 189 affiliates in 140 countries around the world (600,000 journalists) deeply regrets the decision of four Nordic unions, from Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway to give notice of their intention to leave the IFJ on 31 July 2023.

The IFJ is a voluntary federation of unions and associations representing journalists and media professionals around the world  our strength is in our unity, but we always recognize that our affiliates have a choice to be members.

We remain committed to building the strongest possible global voice for journalists and media workers to secure their professional, labour and social rights and to defend media freedom. We will do so by continuing to recruit new affiliates around the world, serving existing affiliates and

maintaining a dialogue to seek to persuade those who have left to return.

Since the last IFJ World Congress in June 2022, the IFJ and its affiliates in the Nordic countries have been involved in a process of dialogue regarding concerns those unions have raised, in particular, what was the most important issue for them, that the Russian Union Journalists is expelled from the IFJ. The IFJ has responded by letter, email and in two meetings in Copenhagen (20 September 2022 and 27 January 2023) to those concerns.

The IFJ takes concerns by its affiliates seriously, no matter where they come from. The newly elected IFJ President asked to meet the five Nordic unions already immediately after being elected. A meeting was held in Copenhagen on 9 September during which the IFJ Nordic affiliates asked a series of questions and requested a further meeting on 27 January. The IFJ President wrote answering these questions. Despite this, on 19 December the Nordic Unions said they had a lack of confidence in the IFJ, that they were not satisfied on three issues: Russia , "Transparency" and "Democracy."

The IFJ has taken the time to listen, dialogue and make proposals to explore and address concerns and will continue to do so.

RUSSIA

On 24 February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine the IFJ and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) launched a joint solidarity fund to support Ukrainian journalists and exiled Russian journalists. Since that date more than 500,000 has been raised, and working with our two Ukrainian unions, six Journalists Solidarity Centres offering protective equipment, safety training, psychological and legal support, work spaces for journalists from occupied territories and humanitarian grants have been established in Ukraine.

In October, the Russian Union of Journalists established four branches in Ukrainian regions annexed by Russia. The IFJ issued a statement condemning the move. The IFJ Executive Committee unanimously passed a motion, in line with the IFJ rules, condemning the decision and triggering

Article 16 of the IFJ Constitution, which can lead to the suspension and eventual expulsion of an affiliate, obliging the General Secretary to investigate the establishment of the 4 new branches and to report back to the Executive Committee.

The report of the General Secretary will be presented to the Administrative Committee on 9 February and considered by an extraordinary session of the Executive Committee on 22 February, which has the power to suspend the RUJ.

At all times the IFJ has respected its rules which set out the rights and responsibilities of all affiliates and are applied equally to all members.

TRANSPARENCY

While the IFJ always strives to improve all its operations it rejects unsubstantiated allegations of corruption as false, defamatory and damaging.

The IFJ has a robust system of transparency. The IFJs accounts are deposited, by law, with the National Bank of Belgium and are publicly available to all. The IFJ sends its audited accounts to all 189 affiliates every year in advance of the Annual Meeting and all financial reports are available on the members' area of the IFJ website. At the Annual Meeting all affiliates can attend, ask questions and scrutinise the accounts.

As at every World Congress, for the Congress in June 2022, all affiliates received in advance by pdf, and on the spot in hard copy, all the reports of the President, Honorary Treasurer and General Secretary. All these reports were presented to the Congress and adopted unanimously, including by the Nordic Unions who participated in the Congress. The elected lay-member Finance Commission report is presented and was also endorsed unanimously.

In order to respond to ongoing concerns among Nordic Unions the IFJ had proposed establishing a governance commission, which would have the power to review all processes and procedures and make recommendations for changes to statutes or working rules.

DEMOCRACY

In June 2022 the IFJ held its 32nd World Congress in Muscat, Oman, at the invitation of its affiliate, the Oman Journalists Association (OJA). IFJ Congresses have been held in a range of countries across the world with varying systems of government and democratic rights. In this way the IFJ is able to support its affiliates in strengthening their work on media freedom and journalists professional and social rights. It is precisely because media freedom is threatened or journalists are prevented from working independently that the IFJ moves and acts. It is in this spirit that the IFJ has held meetings of its elected bodies in Palestine, Tunisia, Morocco, Zimbabwe, Turkey, Russia, Egypt and Taiwan in recent years.

In 2022, Motion No.6 on press freedom in Oman, tabled by the Norwegian Union of Journalists, was passed unanimously by the Congress and was welcomed by the OJA. Discussions were held on LGBTIA rights, including calls on the Omani government to reform its repressive legislation.

No government ministers or representatives were invited to speak to the Congress. Inaccurate and misleading figures about the alleged cost of the IFJ Congress and the sources of funding have been published by some media.

The IFJ rejects allegations that holding a Congress in a particular country or receiving funding from public bodies or commercial enterprises has had any influence on the ability of the Congress to discuss, debate and decide on any issue in the same way it is done at every Congress  no matter the venue.

International solidarity cannot just be about writing communiques from Brussels, but is characterised by an uncompromising - independent - commitment to journalists and media workers, wherever they may be.

The IFJ is proud of its daily work  from conflict zones to underground activity in some of the most repressive environments for journalists. For 96 years wherever journalists have faced threats the IFJ and its affiliates have stood up for journalists and journalism. We will not stop.

No organization is perfect. All can strive to be more effective, deliver more. All remarks, suggestions and proposals for improving and developing the work we do are important, are listened to, debated and responded to, from all its affiliates from all regions of the world.

Today, more than ever, as we advance towards our centenary, the International Federation of Journalists remains committed to working tirelessly for the collective interest of journalists and media workers, spearheading the fight for the safety of journalists, advocating for the protection of journalists at the UN, challenging the surveillance of journalists, including the threats created by the Pegasus software and through the global labour movement fighting for workers rights at the workplace.
The grind of the new generation of Filipinos has begun. Young professionals, gigsters and hustlers, student dreamers and aspiring content creators look for the best support system in this new era to match the emergence of lifestyle and technology trends.

Boosting every Filipinos A-game in working hard and playing even harder, Home Credit Philippines (HCPH), the lifestyle partner of every Filipino, teams up with the leading global provider of smart devices HONOR, as it introduces a new and powerful, ultra-tough smartphone that can keep up with every users own superhero lifestyle  the HONOR X9a 5G.

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Chinas all-round rural revitalisation can apply to SA

In late December 2021, President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote address at the two-day Annual Central Rural Work Conference. The areas of agriculture and rural development in the Peoples Republic of China, are fundamental in terms of policy announcement.

What has been the experience of China in advancing rural revitalisation and consolidation of agricultural outputs? Which lessons can possibly be imparted by this country for South Africa as it grapples, seemingly unendingly so, with the historical injustice of land deprivation and food insecurity?

President Xi declared boldly that food security is an important foundation for national security . Linking the two is included in Chinas 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), which articulates clearly the countrys social and economic objectives. This includes maintaining yearly grain production of more than 650 million tons.

Linking food security and national security are non-negotiables in this country of 1.4 billion people, who comprise close to one-fifth of the worlds net population occupying less than 9% of the worlds arable land.

In pursuit of this latest Five-Year Plan, it is not surprising that in 2021, Chinas grain output reached close to 683 billion kilograms, an improvement of 13.4 billion from the 2020 financial year.

Most importantly though, this grain growth has been consistently produced in seven consecutive years. With this in mind, the Rural Work Conference was unified in purpose that the figures for 2022 will be more than 650 billion kilograms.

Given the history of China surviving through periods of food insecurity, President Xi maintained, in his memorable aphorism, that at all times, Chinese food must be installed in the rice bowl of the Chinese.

As a developing country, the Peoples Republic of China is acutely aware how failure to guarantee food security and rural revitalisation can be for social stability.

Of course, this hinges to a great extent on ensuring there is relatively stable domestic prices and China gradually ceases its over-reliance on certain food imports such as soybeans.

At the Rural Conference it was communicated how the country remains intent on building more than 6 million hectares of high-standard farmland by boosting the relevant industries and accelerating rural-urban integration.

Making agriculture a policy and programmatic cornerstone for China, is directly connected to all-round rural revitalisation. What are the other constituent elements of this?

It talks to China building on its unprecedented victory of poverty alleviation whereby the country has lifted, in eight years, more than 98 million rural people out of poverty and removed 128,000 villages and 832 impoverished counties out of poverty.

As South Africa grapples with land, hunger and food insecurity, there is much to admire and learn from China. The Presidential Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture, in its May 2019-released Report, was unambiguous in addressing the historical injustice matter.

The report identified the slow land reform as counter-productive to post-1994 efforts at nation building.

Some of the central factors mentioned in the report, that need to be attended to urgently, includes insecurity of tenure that results in economic exclusion (whereby) South Africa has over 60% of citizens whose land/property rights are neither recorded nor registered.

It does not augur well for social cohesion when the majority of South Africans are either asset-poor or sit with unrecorded or devalued assets.

This runs counter to the aim of the democratic dividend delivering on human dignity black farmers who constitute a mere 10% of commercial producers, as highlighted by the National Agricultural Marketing Council.

Therefore, there is much work to be done to realise the goals set out in Chapter 6 of the National Development Plan.

Quite clearly, China is doing something right in enabling the incomes of rural residents to outpace those of urban residents in 11 consecutive years. This narrowing of the urban-rural divide has also seen China building and upgrading more than 2 million kilometers of rural roads between 2012 and 2020.

 Like almost every other record achievement in China, it boils down to first, policy consistency that is implemented and monitored for its impact regularly.

 Second, political and executive will that is communicated and translated from provinces to municipalities.

 Third, ground-up involvement of people themselves as liberators of their own development and transformation.

These non-negotiables in the Peoples Republic of China are not unique to that country, but are universal values and principles that can be replicated in South Africa.

(Professor Tembe is a sinologist and founder of SELE Encounters.)

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Wu Chengliang)
This publication is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in the Indian market and includes a gu...
Kathmandu: Close on the heels of Victoria Nuland, the Undersecretary of State, the United States is sending to Nepal, Samantha Power, a high ranking official, who had earlier served as Washingtons permanent representative at the UN during the Obama administration years.

Power, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will be visiting Kathmandu in early February, the USAID said in a press statement.

Power will arrive in Kathmandu on February 7, officials said. Power holds a Cabinet rank in the US order of precedence. She is the first USAID Administrator to be a member of the National Security Council, where she is mandated to ensure that development plays a critical role in Americas responses to a range of economic, humanitarian, and geopolitical issues.

Both Nuland and Power are visiting Kathmandu at a time when Nepal has elected a new government , led by Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal or Prachanda, known to be sympathetic to China.

Prior to joining the Biden-Harris Administration, Power, known as a human rights crusader and a regime-change icon, was the Anna Lindh Professor of the Practice of Global Leadership and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School and the William D. Zabel Professor of Practice in Human Rights at Harvard Law School. From 2013 to 2017, Power served in the Obama-Biden Administration as the 28th US Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Power will be the senior-most foreign dignitary to visit Kathmandu after the formation of the new government.

While there, Administrator Power will meet with civil society leaders, community groups, students, businesses, and government officials to discuss Nepals efforts and achievements in becoming a more democratic, prosperous, inclusive, and resilient country, read the press statement issued by the USAID headquarters on Wednesday.

During the visit, the USAID Administrator Power will underscore the United States enduring, more than 75-year partnership with the government and people of Nepal, according to the statement.

She will highlight USAIDs commitment to increasing our engagement with Nepal and its new government.

Administrator Power will announce new efforts to build momentum to strengthen democratic gains in federalism, social inclusion, civil society, and media freedom, the USAID added.

During the upcoming visit of Samantha Power to Kathmandu, the two countries are expected to discuss the implementation of several projects being implemented by the USAID in partnership with the Nepali government.

Earlier, Nuland paid a visit to Nepal on Sunday and Monday this week during which she held high-level engagements including with PM Prachanda and Foreign Minister Bimala Rai Paudyal.

One after another visits from the United States to Nepal indicate that the Biden administration is willing to engage with the new communist-dominated government in Nepal and ensure that the US geo-strategic interests are not compromised amid growing Chinese influence in Nepal, a foreign policy observer told India Narrative on Wednesday.

The United States has built up pressure on Nepal to execute several USAID projects at a time when the China-initiated Belt and Road Initiative framework (BRI) is becoming a non-starter.

The US-China rivalry was visible in Nepal last year amid heated political debates over the MCC Nepal Compact which is an integral part of the US Indo Pacific Strategy that aims to contain China.

Dr. Thomas A. Marks has a new paper out on Nepal: The Political Labyrinth. Based on fieldwork and interviews, it discusses #Nepals murky political and ideological currents and their implication for Western influence and reach. #MCC #SPPhttps://t.co/LnRO0HNOvO pic.twitter.com/YlJ7y2loh8  NDU CISA (@NDU_CISA) July 24, 2022

Despite Chinas public objections, Nepals parliament ratified the USinitiated MCC Nepal Compact. A few days before the passage of the US grant program, China and the US also engaged in a war of words accusing each other of violating Nepals sovereign decision.

Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the US of employing coercive diplomacy against Nepal while the US countered that it was China who was behind the inordinate delay in passing the US MCC Nepal Compact.

"After pushing Nepal to approve the MCC economic pact, the US may have also urged the Himalayan country to join its military alliance, the SPP, widely believed to be another component of the US' Indo-Pacific Strategy"#Nepal #US #MCC #SPPhttps://t.co/1cnUQpWdR9  The Annapurna Express (@TheAnnaExpress) June 22, 2022

Immediately after the passage of the MCC Nepal Compact, the US also approved $659 million aid to Nepal and it is being executed by the USAID.

(Santosh Ghimire is India Narratives Nepal Correspondent based in Kathmandu)
New York State Police released the following statement following the brutal beating and death of Tyre Nichols on January 7, 2023. Nichols died three days later as a direct result from the gang beating.

NYSP Nigrelli, Having reviewed the video o...
What is being sought when one picks out a "mind-bending" movie? Perhaps it's the same idea as completing a puzzle or a riddle; the enjoyment of being confused but then sorting things out. Maybe it's just a way to force our heads outside of the boxes, so to speak, to just say "woah!" Whatever it is, there are fortunately hundreds of amazing movies that serve the purpose. Here is a list of the best mind bending movies of all time that require multiple watches.

1. Pulp Fiction





If Reservoir Dogs was the film that put Quentin Tarantino on the map, then his follow-up film, Pulp Fiction, ensured the masterful storyteller wouldnt be just a flash in the pan. A dark comedy/crime drama, it follows several interlinked figures in the L.A. criminal underworld in a web of violence and style.

Where To Watch: Netflix

2. Interstellar





Christopher Nolan's films are widely praised due to their creative narrative structures and heart-pounding sequences. The directors 2014 sci-fi epic Interstellar delivered all that in spades, following a small crew tasked with traveling to a different universe to find a new home for humanity as Earth becomes unlivable.

Where To Watch: Netflix

3. Shutter Island





The fourth collaboration between Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio made for a winding mystery thriller with one of cinemas most memorable plot twists to boot. In the quintessential mind-blowing movie, Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio) journeys to a psychiatric hospital on a remote island to investigate a missing patient who he believes is responsible for his wifes death.

Where To Watch: Netflix

4. Synecdoche, New York





Ever a master of opaque storytelling, Charlie Kaufmans directorial debut can only be described as truly surreal. Something of a cult classic, Synecdoche, New York offers a challenging viewing experience for those who like something to contemplate while they watch a movie.

Where To Watch: Prime Video

5. Predestination





Well, there is mind-boggling. Then there is Predestination, a contained, paradoxical sci-fi mystery that turns the WTF dial up to eleven. Following a time-traveling agent tracking a criminal known as the Fizzle Bomber through time and the perilous journey of self-discovery his inexperienced partner goes on, it is a great and underrated sci-fi gem that disturbs as much as it intrigues.

Where To Watch: Prime Video

6. Arrival





Denis Villeneuve is the biggest name in cerebral science-fiction filmmaking right now, with Dune and Blade Runner 2049 as his most recent releases; however, hes been no stranger to mind-melting drama either, with such films as Incendies and Enemy in his repertoire. Arrival may be the point in his filmography where his two styles meet in a perfect marriage of hard sci-fi and head-scratching narrative.

Where To Watch: Netflix

7. Fight Club





Anti-consumerism has never been as fun as in David Finchers pulsating masterpiece, Fight Club. Boasting one of the most iconic plot twists in cinematic history, the 1999 satirical drama has had first-time viewers reaching for the rewind button for over twenty years.

Where To Watch: Prime Video

8. 2001: A Space Odyssey





A quintessential classic for anyone who considers themselves to be a film buff, Stanley Kubricks immortal masterpiece is not only one of the most iconic pictures in cinematic history but also one of the most hotly debated. After a phenomenal theorization of the first steps of human evolution and a mysterious, confidential mission to a lunar base, 2001: A Space Odyssey finally settles with the infamous HAL 9000 (voiced by Douglas Rain) and the crew of Discovery One as they venture to Jupiter.

Where To Watch: Apple TV

9. The Sixth Sense





Arguably the most soul-shattering iconic plot twist in movie history, The Sixth Sense was a compelling drama that immortalized Haley Joel Osment as the kid who saw dead people. The films final moments not only saw director M. Night Shyamalan forever defined himself as a master of plot twists but left audiences no choice but to rewatch the film again immediately.

Where To Watch: Disney+ Hotstar

10. Memento





Christopher Nolans confusing yet ground-breaking thriller introduced moviegoers to many tropes that would become core components of the filmmakers illustrious career. Memento follows Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), a man on a mission to avenge his murdered wife despite his short-term memory loss.

Where To Watch: Prime Video

11. Inception





Among Christopher Nolans most popular films, Inception tells the story of Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), a talented thief who is given the opportunity to redeem himself by accomplishing the impossible: implanting an idea into a person's subconscious. Cobb and his crew infiltrate their target's dreams, employing a range of modern technologies to plant the idea and control the dream. As the team goes deeper into the target's psyche, they are forced to confront their own guilt and regrets, which builds to a dramatic and mind-bending ending.

Where To Watch: Netflix
Aaliya Siddiqui's lawyer has alleged that his client has been denied "food, bed, and a bathroom to take showers" for the past seven days by Nawazuddin Siddiqui and other members of the actor's family.

In a statement, Rizwan Siddiquee said,

"Mr. Nawazuddin Siddiqui and his family members did everything they could to get my client, Mrs. Aaliya Siddiqui, out of the house. They filed an untenable criminal complaint of trespass against her. After that, through the police, they threatened to arrest her and were calling her each day to the police station after sunset."

"While I do not want to directly attribute the actions and failures of the police department to them, the fact remains that no police officer ever came to protect my client's rights, even when her modesty was insulted before the police officers. Not only was her relationship with Mr. Nawazuddin Siddiqui called into question before the police officer, but so was the legitimacy of her minor son. Yet the police officer did not act on the written complaint given by my client under Section 509 of IPC," the advocate added.

Adding how Nawazuddin Siddiqui's wife was tortured inside his house, the advocate added,

Twitter

"Mr. Nawazuddin Siddiqui and his family members have in the last seven days ensured that no food, no bed, and no bathroom to take a bath is given to my client. They have even posted innumerable male bodyguards all around my client and installed CCTV cameras in the hall, where my client is currently staying with her minor children," he continued.



"To add to all of this, they even ensured that I did not obtain any signatures of my client to file appropriate court cases against Mr. Nawazuddin Siddiqui and his family members. Despite being stopped and threatened at multiple levels, and with no police officer coming to my client's aid, my team and I obtained my client's signatures for the court cases. Accordingly, multiple cases are being filed in the courts now," the advocate concluded.



Last week, Aaliya alleged that she was being harassed at her home after Nawazuddin's mother filed a complaint against her over a property dispute.



Currently, Aaliya is staying at Nawazuddin's home in Andheri. It has been reported that Aaliya and her children, Yaani and Shora, had to return from Dubai because of passport problems.

According to the ANI news agency, Zainab is Nawazuddin's second wife. Nawazuddin and Aaliya, formerly known as Anjana Kishor Pandey, formerly known as Zainab, have been married for nearly a decade.

They have two children together and were on the verge of breaking up.

Bollywood Shaadis

In a 2020 interview, Aaliya stated that Nawaz was unfaithful to her and claimed that Nawaz's brother had assaulted her. She revoked her divorce from Nawazuddin in 2021. The couple, however, were living separately.



(To get the latest updates from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment)


A court in Uttar Pradesh's Shamli district has sentenced a woman and her partner to life in prison for murdering her husband.

37-year-old Rajesh Devi, and her paramour, 39-year-old Pradeep Kumar were found guilty by the court, based on testimony provided by the woman's six-year-old son.

Unsplash/Representational image

Murdered for opposing illicit relationship

The duo was found guilty in the murder of the woman's husband, Dharamvir Singh, who was found dead in June 2018, which was initially thought to be a case of suicide.

His wife strangulated Dharamvir with the help of her partner for opposing their illicit relationship and they hung his body from the ceiling to make it look like a suicide.

Representational Image

What the son said

However, things changed after the couple's eldest son told his grandfather a few days later that his father was killed by his mother and another man.

According to the boy, he had woken up at night and saw his mother holding his father's legs while another man was sitting on a pillow under which he struggled.

Based on the boy's revelation, Dharamvir's family, who say they were aware of Devi's illicit relationship, approached the police.

The police arrested the duo in November 2018 and during the trial, the court relied on the 6-year-old boy's testimony and concluded that Dharamvir was murdered.

Unplash/Representative Image

Woman, lover found guilty of murder

On Monday, Judge Griesh Kumar Vaish found the couple guilty under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code, the government counsel said.

The couple was also slapped with a fine of Rs 40,000 each.

The victim's son, who was examined as an eyewitness, fully supported the prosecution story, said Sanjay Chouhan, the government counsel.

The boy narrated in court that his father was strangled to death by his mother with the help of her partner at their home, Chouhan said.

For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
What if we told you that the currently extinct dodo bird could roam the Earth again? Genetic engineering company Colossal Biosciences said on Tuesday that it will attempt to resurrect the extinct dodo bird as part of its "de-extinction" efforts.

The company received $150 million in new funding and currently has three targets - the woolly mammoth and the thylacine (also known as the Tasmanian tiger).

Why do it at all, you wonder? Colossal claims that reintroducing these extinct species to their former habitats would help bring some sense of normalcy to those environments.

Colossal

What happened to the dodo bird?

The dodo, a flightless bird that was native to the island of Mauritius had gone extinct by 1681. The company has managed to sequence the genome of all three species - the woolly mammoth, the dodo, and the Tasmanian tiger.

The dodo actually went extinct because humans hunted it to death, same as the Tasmanian tiger, as reported by Gizmodo.

Also read: De-Extinction: Scientists Say They'll Bring Back The Tasmanian Tiger In 10 Years

The dodo used to weigh about 22 kg (50 pounds) and sported a curved beak. It evolved to become flightless due to the lack of predators on Mauritius. 150 years after Europeans found the bird in 1507, it went extinct.

ALICE AND THE DODO - 1865 by John Tenniel

It's imperative to note here that these species, if they return, will not be the exact replicas of their original species. Instead, these "proxies" will attempt to create the closest version of the extinct creature and as it existed in the past.

How would the animal behave if brought back to life? It's unclear! When a lone resurrected member of any of these species is let loose in the wild, it would have to learn behaviours from scratch. These behaviours may or may not represent the characteristics of the original species before they went extinct.

Also read: Harvard Doctor Playing God? Will Bring Dead Woolly Mammoth Back To Life In 6 Years



Wikimedia Commons/Frederick William Frohawk

Even if this research doesn't yield expected results, it could help humans better understand the relationship between species and how creatures may be protected from threats including diseases.

Are you excited about the scope of bringing back extinct species? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.
After filming a video of herself illegally buying, cooking, and eating a great white shark, a Chinese food blogger was fined $18,500 (Rs 15 lakh). Authorities found out that the person on social media who went by the name Tizi was actually Jin Moumou.

According to a report in the Independent, authorities in Nanchong have released a statement claiming that she purchased the great white shark in April 2022 and released a video of herself cooking and eating the wild animal in July of the previous year.

The statement also claims that she uploaded the video.

DNA analysis performed on tissue scraps confirmed that the shark purchased was a great white.

Screengrab

According to the publication, the video, which was shared on Douyin (the equivalent of TikTok in China), violated the "Wild Animal Protection Law of the People's Republic of China."



The statement issued on the 28th of January also stated that the illegal possession of a white shark could lead to a prison sentence ranging from five to ten years.

Local media said that Tizi claimed to have obtained the shark through "legal channels." Still, the local agriculture bureau later called her story "inconsistent with the facts" and reported the matter to the police.

In the video, the blogger can be seen striking a pose in front of a shop with a shark roughly six feet long. The head of the animal is prepared by simmering it in a stew, while the rest of the animal is halved, seasoned, and grilled.



In the controversial video, Tizi is heard saying,

"It may look vicious, but its meat is truly very tender," she said, tearing large chunks from the whale's meat with her teeth.

Her 7.8 million Douyin followers have also seen her devouring crocodiles and ostriches.

The officials reportedly stated to the publication that the blogger purchased the shark from Alibaba's Taobao online shopping website for 7,700 yuan, equivalent to 93,295 Indian rupees.

According to CBS News, the fishermen and the merchant responsible for her purchasing the shark have reportedly been arrested.

screenshot

The World Wildlife Fund has reclassified the great white shark as a "vulnerable" species. Beginning in February 2020, China prohibited all wild animals' purchase, sale, and consumption.



(For more trending stories, follow us on Telegram.)


The Sydney edition, which is taking place on March 9, will be followed by the Melbourne event two weeks later on March 23, according to the professional bodys announcement. This year, ANZIIF will be engaging young insurance professionals through a discussion on artificial intelligence and the importance of the human factor.
Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there, says Michael B. Jordan in a new SNL sketch where he plays Jake from State Farm in what first appears to be an insurance ad. After teaching a married couple how to file a claim in seconds through the State Farm mobile app, however, the actor then proceeds to have dinner with the mom and her kids, take them to church, host the familys dinner parties, and hijack their closet with rows of State Farms trademark red polo.
First phase

The launch of CyFi is significant milestone for Aon as it aims to be a leading global provider of cybersecurity and financial lines risk management products. Its also the first phase of exciting and innovative products that Aons digital client services is looking to roll out this year.
The insurers suite of executive risks products, including its directors and officers liability (D&O) insurance and employment practice liability (EPL) coverage, have also been built for every brokers ease of customization. Coalition gives brokers a risk assessment with every quote to prepare them for risk management conversations they may want to have with their clients. At the same time, Coalitions product design allows brokers to customize coverage to address specific crime and fiduciary liability risks in addition to the usual policy limits and retentions.
Floridas property insurance crisis

Florida lawmakers met in December for a special session to address the states property insurance crisis in the aftermath of hurricane Ian, with a rash of insurer insolvencies having plagued the state last year even before the deadly storm hit. The result was a package of reforms hailed as historic by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
War Against the Junta Over 40 Myanmar Junta Forces Killed in Three Days of Resistance Attacks

The Irrawaddys latest roundup includes incidents in Mandalay, Sagaing and Magwe regions.

At least 43 Myanmar junta troops were killed in the last three days as Peoples Defense Forces continued to attack regime targets across the country.

Incidents were reported in Mandalay, Sagaing and Magwe regions.

The Irrawaddy has rounded up the following reports of significant attacks by PDFs.

Some military casualties could not be independently verified.

13 junta troops including militia leaders killed in PDF ambush in Sagaing

At least 13 regime forces including pro-regime Pyu Saw Htee militia leaders were killed and six others injured in Shwebo Township, Sagaing Region on Monday morning when 11 local resistance groups jointly ambushed a military detachment, said Wild Tiger Force, which was involved in the attack.

The military detachment from Taltheetaw Village was ambushed while traveling between two villages. After being ambushed, the regime forces fled back. All resistance fighters retreated from the area without any casualties, the PDF group said.

Five regime forces killed in drone strikes in Sagaing



Front FB- PDF drones drop bombs on a military checkpoint and junta base in Ayadaw Township on Tuesday. / Middle Revolutionary Technical Front

Five regime forces including pro-regime Pyu Saw Htee militia members were killed in Ayadaw Township, Sagaing Region on Tuesday when four PDF groups used a drone to drop eight bombs on a military checkpoint and a junta camp in Thalalbar and Sapardwin villages, claimed anti-regime group Middle Revolutionary Technical Front, which joined the attacks.

In the drone strikes, 10 regime forces were injured.

Two military detachments ambushed in Sagaing

At least two regime forces were killed and many others injured in Myaung Township, Sagaing Region on Sunday when 13 PDF groups attacked two military detachments and a police station in the township, said Civilian Defense and Security Organization of Myaung (CDSOM), which was involved in the attack.

CDSOM said it was forced to attack the regime forces from Kyaukyit Police Station as an officer there shot a civilian detainee in the arm in Nabat Village.

Two regime troops were killed or injured when four PDF groups attacked the military detachment returning to the police outpost from Nabat. Meanwhile, three other PDF groups shelled Kyaukyit Police Station with 60mm mortar rounds. Many regime forces are thought to have been killed or injured.

Then, seven more PDF groups used 18 land mines to ambush 60 regime reinforcements from the town of Myaung. A soldier was killed and many others injured.

The 60 troops were ambushed with a series of land mines in two locations while they were returning to the town from Nabat, said CDSOM.

Police outpost attacked in Magwe

PDF-Yenangyaung claimed it and other two resistance groups conducted a surprise attack on the junta police outpost in Yenangyaung Township, Magwe Region by using both mines and firearms on Tuesday night.

All PDF fighters retreated from the area without any casualties. However, military casualties were unknown.

Military motorboats ambushed in Magwe

A junta soldier was killed and two others injured in Yesagyo Township, Magwe Region on Sunday when 11 PDF groups ambushed military motorboats traveling on the Irrawaddy River near a village, said Nagar Ni Guerrilla Force, which joined the attack.

A PDF video shows resistance fighters attacking the regime targets.

Seven regime forces including a captain killed by PDF land mines in Magwe

Seven junta troops including a captain were killed in Seikphyu Township, Magwe Region on Sunday when two PDF groups used land mines to ambush a military detachment of troops from a military weapons factory, said Seikphyu Barmahtee PDF group, which coordinated the attack.

The regime forces were ambushed while traveling on the Seikpyu-Saw Highway.

Regime forces torching houses bombed in Magwe

Myaing-PDF claimed to have seriously injured five regime forces when it used land mines and drones to attack 80 regime forces looting and torching a school and houses in Htan Pauk Kone Village in Myaing Township, Magwe Region on Monday.

On Tuesday, the PDF group also conducted 70 drones strikes on regime forces torching houses in the village, in which three more soldiers were injured. Around 50 buildings were burned in the junta arson attacks, according to the PDF group.

Also, a resistance fighter was killed and two others injured in a mine accident, Myaing-PDF said.

Ten regime forces killed, injured by PDF land mines in Mandalay

At least 10 regime forces were killed or injured in Myingyan Township, Mandalay Region on Monday when Nagar Ni Guerrilla Force (Myingyan) used a cluster of 15 land mines to ambush a vehicle carrying 30 soldiers, the PDF group said.

The vehicle was also damaged by the land mines.

Regime forces bombed in Mandalay



Drones drop bombs on regime targets in Shin Hla Taung Village, Madaya Township on Tuesday / Unicorn Guerrilla Force

Local resistance group Unicorn Guerrilla Force claimed it and six other PDF groups used five drones to bomb regime forces stationed at Shin Hla Taung Village in Madaya Township, Mandalay Region on Tuesday.

The drone strike was in response to arbitrary shooting by regime forces that injured two female villagers in the village. However, military casualties were unknown.

Five junta troops killed in Mandalay

PDF group Tawgyi Mwaybwae claimed to have killed five regime soldiers when it used land mines to ambush a military detachment traveling in the west of Madaya Township, Mandalay Region on Monday.
Burma Myanmar Junta Extends Military Rule by Six Months

Protesters outside the Embassy of Myanmar in Bangkok on February 1, 2023, to mark the second anniversary of the coup in Myanmar. / AFP

Myanmar will be officially under military rule for six more months, the National Defense and Security Council (NDSC) has announced.

The decision was made on Tuesday and announced on Wednesday on junta-controlled media. Ex-general Myint Swe, who heads the military-dominated NDSC as the regimes acting president, announced the extension.

Junta leaders lamented the extraordinary situation, referring to resistance against the regime, which has hampered efforts to hold a general election this year.

The regime finds it difficult to compile accurate voter lists because of the resistance attacks on census takers, said junta boss Min Aung Hlaing as he again alleged widespread fraud in the 2020 general election.

While at least 50 percent of lawmakers must be elected to regional and state parliaments for them to convene, voting is impossible in more than half of some regions and states, Min Aung Hlaing told the meeting.

The Constitutional Tribunal announced that the NDSCs extension of emergency complied with the military-drafted 2008 Constitution.

Wednesday marks the second anniversary of the coup against the National League for Democracy (NLD) government, claiming voting fraud in the 2020 election in which the NLD won a landslide.

The regime faces unwavering armed resistance and is not in control of the country.
Burma We Believe We Will Be Victorious: Views on Two Years Of Military Rule

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Feb. 1 has become one of the most fateful days in Myanmars political calendar since the early-hours coup on that day in 2021. The country has never been the same since, becoming mired in social and political turmoil sparked by the takeover.

Two years on, Myanmar is still reeling from the coup. On the positive side, the popular resistance against the regime remains unwavering and has spread despite the juntas ongoing atrocities against civilians.

To mark the second anniversary of the coup on Wednesday, The Irrawaddy spoke to democracy activists, resistance leaders and observers to get their thoughts on Myanmars two-year struggle under military rule, and the way ahead.

Ko Bo Kyi

Joint secretary, Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma)

Myanmar after two years under military rule is a disaster due to the coup, which shouldnt have happened in the first place. It has also pushed the country onto a revolutionary path. Its a huge blow for the country as we have lost educated young people in the fight against the regime. The takeover brings nothing good to the country.

On the other hand, after two years, the fight against the regime is gaining momentum and will only get bloodier. There is no hope for the junta. Its hopeful for the people of Myanmar and the revolutionary forces.

Among the positive things the revolution has brought over the past two years are an understanding of ethnic people and a mindfulness of federal democracy. Such things are big steps forward for the countrys national reconciliation.

U Kyaw Zaw

Spokesperson, Myanmars shadow National Unity Government (NUG)

During the two years of our fight against the regime, the NUG has made significant developments in many sectors including militarily, and in international relations and politics. We now have control over more than half of the country after our coordinated attacks with ethnic armed organizations on junta targets.

As more areas come under our control, we are providing education and health services there, as well as administrative and judicial services. We have opened more than 4,000 schools and 55 hospitals on the ground in those areas. The NUG administration is in effect in 80 townships and we are expanding to the district level. The judicial system will follow.

As the NUG has vowed that 2023 will be a decisive year in the fight against the junta, we are trying hard to bring change. We believe we will be victorious. At the same time, you will see more systematic administration and rule of law in 2023.

Scot Marciel

Former US ambassador to Myanmar

(Photo: The Irrawaddy)

The military has reversed virtually all of the previous decades reforms and is waging war in a brutal, indiscriminate fashion against the Myanmar people, all to hold onto power. The Myanmar people have responded in heroic fashion, rising up against the military with incredible courage and resilience and insisting that they will not accept the militarys desire to turn the country back to the dark days of the past.

The future is uncertain, but what is promising is that people from many different communities are now working together to defeat the coup, and in that process they are also tackling decades-old prejudices and taking important steps to build trust among themselves.

I understand that many of you are frustrated by the lack of international attention to your plight and inadequate support you have received from the international community. All I can say is that there are many people around the world who have been inspired by your struggle and who are looking for ways every day to generate more attention and support for your effort.

Phado Saw Taw Nee

Karen National Union communications chief

Over the two years, junta chief Min Aung Hlaing has tried to gain legitimacy but he has failed, as there is no space for him even at the regional level, in ASEAN [the Association of Southeast Asian Nations]. He is a loser on all fronts, locally and internationally.

The revolution against him is occurring not only in Karen State but across the whole country. It has now far passed the infantry stage. The resistance groups are now able to collaborate with each other [to lauch attacks on the junta]. Thats the most remarkable thing; we havent seen such a thing in the history of Myanmars 70 years of armed struggle.

Min Aung Hlaing will try desperate moves, including holding an election, this year as he is running out of options. Our priority has to be how to get rid of them from this Earth! I dare to say there will be changes this year militarily and politically.

Dr. Miemie Winn Byrd

Professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies

(Photo: The Irrawaddy)

The country was left with both economic and political uncertainties following the coup. A growing dissatisfaction and defiance of the military by the general public only further added uncertainty to the economy.

As long as the military continues to stay in power, it is almost impossible for many sectors of the economy to become fully productive again. It is imperative that the international community continue to put pressure on the junta to restore democracy so that the civilian-led democratic government can do its part in reversing current economic woes.

In order for the Myanmar resistance coalition to reach tipping point, faster the coalition is able to come together, faster they will be able to reach tipping point. The coalition also needs to prioritize and adequately resource intel operations and the strategic communication line of effort.

Khun Be Du

Chairperson of the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF)

(Photo: The Irrawaddy)

Since its formation following the coup, the KNDF has become battle-hardened. Fighting continues against regime troops in Kayah State.

Over the two years, we have been able to collaborate with other ethnic armed groups and Peoples Defense Force [PDF] groups in other areas.

On the political front, we have decided to join other forces to build a federal union in Myanmar. We will work hard for it in 2023 either by armed struggle or popular support.

Ma Nilar Thein

Veteran democracy activist and widow of activist Ko Jimmy, who was hanged by the regime

(Photo: AFP)

It has been two years since the Myanmar military seized control of the country. The past two years saw an important shift in our country. The Civil Disobedience Movement [CDM] and Generation-Z played powerful roles to applause from the international community. The CDM proved [able] to stall junta mechanisms, and Generation-Z provided a leadership role [in the resistance movement against the regime]. Peoples Defense Forces emerged as people sought to defend themselves after the Myanmar military carried out brutal crackdowns on peaceful rallies.

Our citizens at home and abroad demonstrated strong solidarity against military rule with their hearts linked together. International diplomatic circles have not only expressed concern but started to take action regarding the Myanmar issue. So, I think if all forces are unified, things will take shape in 2023. It is crucial that democracy and federalism forces and all the ethnicities join hands in this fight.

I vow to turn the sorrow from the deaths of all of our comradesincluding Ko Jimmy and those who died behind closed doors in interrogation centers, in arson attacks on villages, and in clashes in foreststo strength and continue to fight until this revolution wins.

Dr. Tayzar San

Anti-regime protest leader

The military mistakenly believed their coup would succeed as they have guns. They underestimated the people. Now, two years on, they still cant control the country as the revolution against them is in full swing. Politically, now is a time of national unity unlike any we have seen before, as the various forces against the regime have become one. I have to say its a very remarkable result. At the same time, the regime is losing control day by daytake Upper Myanmar for example.

We have to work harder, as the regime wont step down easily. We already and firmly believe we will win. The world also needs to believe it. To earn their trust, we have to be unified in voice and action in our fight against the regime in 2023.
Conflicts In Numbers Two Blood-Soaked Years Under Myanmars Junta in Numbers

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The Burmese population has paid a terrible toll since the military seized power from an elected government on February 1, 2021. The Irrawaddy chronicles two years of killing and destruction as Myanmar reaches its second anniversary of junta rule.

People Killed, Arrested and Detained

Wednesday marks Myanmars second anniversary under brutal military rule. Since February 1, 2021 the regime has killed 2,947 people in atrocities committed across the country. Among those murdered were 282 children. At least 17,525 people including 489 children have been arrested for opposing military rule and 13,719 are still in prison. Military tribunals have sentenced 143 people including anti-junta activists to death.

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NLD Persecuted

The junta also targeted the ousted ruling party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), by killing and detaining its members. At least 84 members including two former members of parliament have been killed in the two years of junta rule. Thousands of party members have been detained, 80 of whom were elected members of parliament. The junta also seized 371 houses and properties of NLD members while attacking the partys offices and confiscating its properties nearly 120 times in two years.



++++++++++++++++++

Deadly Air strikes

The regime launched frequent air strikes in Sagaing, Chin, Kayin, Kachin, Mon and Magwe regions where fighting continues between the anti-regime forces (PDFs) and junta troops.

The air force launched at least 668 airstrikes in 2022, more than a 12-fold increase from 54 in 2021. The aerial attacks in two years killed 460 people, including children, across the country.



++++++++++++++++++++

Houses Torched

Nearly 50,000 houses were destroyed in arson attacks by junta forces. One of the worst-hit regions is Sagaing where 36,667 houses were torched, followed by Magwe with 8,575 houses and Chin with 1,475.

++++++++++++++++++++

Impact of Military Rule

1.1 million people are displaced from their homes, 15.2 million people are food insecure, over 5 million children need assistance, and 22 million people are living under the poverty line after two years of junta rule, according to the United Nations Humanitarian Office and World Bank.
Since 1976, every US president has designated February as Black History Month.

The months second week coincides with the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.

Lincoln was influential in the emancipation of slaves, and Douglas was a prominent leader in the movement to abolish slavery. The 2023 Black History Month theme is Black Resistance, which resonates especially with Florida educators and students studying black history.

A new Florida law  dubbed the Stop Woke Act  requires that lessons on race be taught in an objective manner, and not be used to indoctrinate or persuade students to a particular point of view. The law, which went into effect last summer also says students should not be made to feel guilt because of actions committed by others in the past.

Gov. Ron DeSantis, who championed the law, contends some teachers have inserted political beliefs into lessons related to race. The Florida Department of Education has already rejected an Advanced Placement African-American studies course because of the new education law.

Marvin Dunn, FIU Professor Emeritus, psychologist, activist and author, describes it as a reinvention of the 1950s, aimed to attract tourists. Back then, however, Florida was a racist southern state  like many others, and, in some ways, worse. A Black person in Florida was almost as likely to be lynched as a black person in Mississippi or Alabama.

Dunn highlights Black Florida stories by offering a tour to sites where historic events transpired. His Teach the Truth tour in January took high school students and their parents to locations of lynchings and other race-related violence. One was where Arthur McDuffie, a Black insurance salesman, was beaten to death by six White police officers in 1980.

Some other atrocities against Black residents that Dunn includes in his tour include: The Rosewood massacre; the story of the Newberry Six lynchings; and the murders of Black civil rights activists who were bombed on Christmas Day, 1951.

His appeal for white and Black people is to sit down and listen to each other.

Dunns book, A History of Florida: Through Black Eyes, contains photos unearthed over 50 years of research, documenting lynchings and other race crimes. He donated a collection of the found 4,000 to FIU.

For more information about Dunns work and the Teach the Truth tour, click here.

You can also visit GoVoteMiami/News here.

For information on civic engagement and everything you need to know about voting in Miami, visit GoVoteMiami.org.

#kbvotes
Imaging products and services company, Fujifilm Australia, is doubling down on AI with its latest move into the healthcare industry. The tech giant has teamed up with annalise.ai, an Australian medical imaging specialist, to offer one of the world's most advanced chest X-ray analysis solutions, CXR Edge.

The partnership between Fujifilm and annalise.ai will provide healthcare professionals with the tools they need to make quicker decisions in an era of increased patient volumes.

CXR Edge is a software medical device that works with both portable and stationary X-ray devices. The AI-powered algorithm within the device can identify up to 95 different clinical findings and provide notifications of suspected findings in under 10 seconds. The new solution has already been put to the test, with two mobile X-ray devices equipped with CXR Edge sent to Tonga and Palau as part of a pandemic response.

Fujifilm's foray into AI is the result of decades of investment in image-processing technologies. Today, the company offers over 70 image recognition technologies across various industries, including healthcare. The new partnership with annalise.ai will enable Fujifilm to achieve its goal of improving medical accessibility in all 196 countries and regions of the world by 2030.

The Japanese tech giant initially created its own open, vendor-neutral platform, REiLI, to host third-party AI technologies, as well as its own. The collaboration with annalise.ai was a logical next step in the journey. Fujifilm CEO Ryuichi Matoba said that the company wants to "create a society where people can live healthily for longer," and the partnership with annalise.ai plays a major role in supporting that goal.

While Fujifilm is best known for its high-quality photographic films, the company has evolved into a major player in healthcare, materials, business innovation, and imaging. The company's Medical Systems business is expected to make up a significant portion of its global sales, targeting JPY700 billion (AUD7.7 billion) by 2026.

Fujifilm's partnership with annalise.ai represents a significant milestone in the company's journey from a photographic film manufacturer to a company contributing to resolving social challenges with advanced technologies in a wide range of business fields. The new AI solution will provide healthcare professionals with the tools they need to make quicker and more accurate diagnoses, improving medical accessibility for patients worldwide.
Social marketing and brand reputation management firm, Porter Novelli, has developed a half-day data breach simulation to aid businesses in removing their risk around such an event, rather than waiting until their name is on the front page of the news for all the wrong reasons.

Data breaches have become a pervasive threat in today's digital landscape, with a 33% increase in the number of breaches involving 5,000 or more Australians reported to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) in the first six months of 2022. To tackle this growing concern, Porter Novelli Australia has reinforced its cyber incident response offering with a new data breach simulation model. The simulation model is designed to test clients' existing plans against a realistic and escalating scenario, uncovering gaps in their response plans and preparing them for the worst-case scenario.

Porter Novelli Australia CEO Rhys Ryan emphasised the importance of good preparation, saying, "Consumer, stakeholder and regulatory expectations on how corporations respond to a cyber incident are specific and evolving, which means that relying on existing Crisis Management Plans will no longer suffice. Great response requires good preparation."

The simulation is a half-day event that can be coupled with executive media training specifically designed for data breaches and cyber incidents. It has been rolled out to clients across the financial services, retail, and education sectors over the past three months.

Porter Novelli urges all organisations to take a proactive approach to data breach preparedness and asks them to consider five crucial questions:

Is cyber incident response a board-level issue in your business? Do you have guiding principles established with the board? You can't be spending the first crucial hours of a ransomware attack debating whether you would or wouldn't pay a ransom. Do you have a data breach plan for the first two hours? Do you have established relationships with experts such as legal counsel, forensic IT experts, and communications experts? Do you have a specific response plan for cyber incidents and data breach scenarios? And have you tested it with a simulation?

In an era where data breaches are inevitable, it is crucial for organisations to have a robust and up-to-date incident response plan. With Porter Novelli's simulation model, companies can prepare for the worst and ensure that they are ready to face any data breach head-on.
COMPANY NEWS: Boomi, the intelligent connectivity and automation leader, today announced that Gartner has positioned Boomi as a Leader in its Magic Quadrant for Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS), Worldwide for the ninth consecutive time. Gartner evaluated 16 iPaaS providers on their ability to execute and completeness of vision.

The iPaaS market is projected to reach $11 billion in revenue by 2026. Given the advanced capabilities and immense scale of iPaaS vendors, iPaaS has become the strategic integration platform of choice for hundreds of thousands of organisations around the world. In many cases, iPaaS has replaced previous generations of integration platform software such as application integration suites, data integration tools and B2B gateway software.

Boomi continues to have more customers than any other cloud integration provider, said Boomi CEO Steve Lucas.

Our self-managing, self-learning, and self-scaling integrations run themselves autonomously  saving more time and money over the long term. We help organisations of all sizes and industries worldwide achieve better collaboration and data-sharing as their technology environments become more fragmented and complex. Thats why our mission of digital connectedness is more important than ever for business success.

Trusted by customers across all industries globally, for its speed, ease-of-use, and lower total cost of ownership, the cloud-native, unified, low code, scalable, open, secure, and intelligent Boomi AtomSphere Platform helps organisations across all industries quickly and easily accelerate business outcomes. Boomi connects everyone to everything, anywhere, by providing end-to-end capabilities, including integration, master data management, API management, workflow automation, data quality governance, B2B/EDI network management, and data catalogue and preparation.

Boomi recently announced significant updates to its platform and business, including:

Product innovation

Rapid API Creation  Single-click creation of an API from an integration flow to rapidly expose secure services to developers.

Federal Risk Authorisation Management Program (FedRAMP) Authorisation  Boomis low-code workflow automation service, Boomi Flow, joined other Boomi platform services that have been FedRAMP authorised since 2019, including API Management, Integration, and Master Data Hub.

IRAP Assessment  The Boomi AtomSphere Platform was independently assessed for cloud security against the Australian Governments Information Security Manual (ISM) Protected controls. Boomis security posture for storing, processing, and communicating information allows government agencies to purchase the Boomi platform without needing to complete their own independent assessments.

B2B/EDI for the Automotive Industry  Support for the Odette standard for faster interoperability with a customers automotive supply chain.

Citizen integrator/business technologist enhancements

Expanded Boomi Discover Catalogue  More pre-built recipes to simplify integration.

Simplified Visual Experience  New iconography, dynamic and responsive user engagement that provides the foundation for an engaging user experience.

Accelerated Product Onboarding  Platform and Welcome Pages make it easy for the citizen integrator/business technologist to launch their journey.

Expanded leadership and global reach

Leadership Expansion  Boomi recently appointed Steve Lucas as CEO, a 3x CEO with more than 27 years of experience leading and operating some of the worlds most innovative, global enterprise software companies. Prior to spending three years growing iCIMS, Lucas held executive roles at Adobe, Marketo, SAP, and Salesforce, and brings specific expertise and experience in data management, platform as a service, and integration. As CEO of Marketo, Lucas implemented significant product expansion and platform growth, leading to Adobes $4.75 billion acquisition of the company.

Global Growth  Boomi has also been continuing to scale rapidly, recently expanding its global footprint in Japan to address growing demand across Asia-Pacific. As a category-leading, global software as a service (SaaS) company, Boomi touts a growing community of more than 100,000 members, and one of the largest arrays of global systems integrators (GSIs) in the iPaaS space.

The company boasts a worldwide network of approximately 800 partners, including Accenture, Deloitte, SAP, and Snowflake; and works with the largest hyperscaler cloud service providers, including Amazon Web Services, Google and Microsoft, among others.

Recently included on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 and Inc. 5000 lists as one of Americas fastest growing and most innovative technology companies, Boomi has also won two International Stevie Awards, for Company of the Year and Product Innovation; the Gold Globee Award in the Platform as a Service (PaaS) category; the Merit Award for Technology in the Cloud Services category; the Stratus Award as a Global Leader in Cloud Computing 2022, and received the prestigious five-star rating in the CRN Partner Program Guide, a definitive list of the most notable programs from industry-leading technology vendors that provide innovative products and flexible services through the IT channel. Boomi has also won numerous awards for being an employer of choice, including a recent listing as one of Inc. Magazines Best Workplaces.

To learn more about the iPaaS market and Boomis recognition, read the Gartner report: Magic Quadrant for Integration Platform as a Service, Worldwide.

About Boomi

Boomi aims to make the world a better place by connecting everyone to everything, anywhere. The pioneer of cloud-based integration platform as a service (iPaaS), and now a category-leading, global software as a service (SaaS) company, Boomi touts the largest customer base among integration platform vendors and a worldwide network of approximately 800 partners  including Accenture, Capgemini, Deloitte, SAP, and Snowflake. Global organizations turn to Boomis award-winning platform to discover, manage, and orchestrate data, while connecting applications, processes, and people for better, faster outcomes.
COMPANY NEWS: InterSystems, a creative data technology provider dedicated to helping customers solve the most critical scalability, interoperability, and speed problems, today announced that Ventana Researchs Value Index for Data Platforms awarded InterSystems IRIS data platform with its highest rating of Exemplary, and ranked it third overall from among thirteen total vendors.

The Ventana Research 2023 Value Index for Data Platforms provides an independent, holistic view of thirteen vendors ability to serve a combination of both operational and analytic workloads with either a single data platform product or multiple data platform products. In the report, InterSystems IRIS ranks third overall, and second in the Product Experience, Usability, and Adaptability categories.

Matt Aslett, VP & Research Director at Ventana Research said, As a cloud-first data platform, InterSystems IRIS can reduce the need to implement and integrate multiple technologies, resulting in less code, fewer system resources, and less maintenance. I recommend that organisations that are migrating to the cloud and are looking for a platform to provide a consistent, accurate and real-time view of their enterprise data should evaluate InterSystems.

InterSystems success reflects its ability to provide native analytic and operational capabilities in a single product. The next generation InterSystems IRIS data platform provides built-in high performance database management, interoperability, and analytics capabilities, and eliminates the need to copy data from an operational database to a separate analytic database.

The second-place ranking for the Adaptability category demonstrates InterSystems commitment to meeting customer requirements and high rates of customer satisfaction. Using InterSystems IRIS, developers are able to use their programming language of choice, while Embedded Python support enables Python developers to gain direct server-side access to all of the functionality in the platform, providing a familiar programming environment for the more than eight million Python developers worldwide.

InterSystems IRIS ability to meet the varying business needs of executives, management, workers and analysts, along with IT and others involved in data platforms contributed to achieving a ranking of second in the Usability category. It was also ranked second in Product Experience.

Joe Lichtenberg, Global Head of Product and Industry Marketing, InterSystems, said: We are delighted that our InterSystems IRIS data platform has been recognised as third overall among the top thirteen data platform vendors by Ventana Research, as well as recognising InterSystems as an Exemplary vendor. In todays landscape, data platforms are essential to support concurrent operational and analytical workloads to ensure organisations obtain the real-time data and insights they need to manage disruptions, identify new opportunities, and move their businesses forward. Coming out ahead of well-respected vendors such as Microsoft, Amazon, SAP, and Google in Ventana Researchs overall ranking is testimony to InterSystems deep commitment to our customers success, and our ability to deliver the functionality, performance, usability, and reliability our customers require.

To access the Ventana Value Index for Data Platforms report, visit: InterSystems.com/Ventana.

About InterSystems

Established in 1978, InterSystems is the leading provider of next-generation solutions for enterprise digital transformations in the healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and supply chain sectors. Its cloud-first data platforms solve interoperability, speed, and scalability problems for large organisations around the globe. InterSystems is committed to excellence through its award-winning, 247 support for customers and partners in more than 80 countries. Privately held and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, InterSystems has 36 offices in 25 countries worldwide. For more information, please visit InterSystems.com.
Radware's threat intelligence team has issued a threat advisory about the Passion Botnet, a DDoS-as-a-Service being offered to pro-Russian hactivists by the Passion Group.

The Passion Botnet was used by Killnet during the attack yesterday that targeted medical institutions in the USA, Portugal, Spain, Germany, Poland, Finland, Norway, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom in retaliation for sending tanks in support of Ukraine.

As Killnet threatens future attacks, Radware director of threat intelligence Pascal Geenens calls for moderate caution. "The network between Killnet, Anonymous Russia and their affiliates is substantial enough to pose a moderate risk to public and private infrastructure," he said.

"While Killnet and its affiliates do not have a track record of inflicting operational impact, the group has had time to gather experience, build tools, gain support, and increase its circle of influence with other pro-Russian groups.

"Consequently, a threat from Killnet to explore more impacting campaigns should not be ignored or the cause of alarm but treated with caution."

The origins of the Passion Group remain unknown, but it has made its presence known, especially since the start of the new year. It recently began offering DDoS-as-a-Service to pro-Russian hacktivists for as little as $30 for seven days of service up to $1,440 for a full year of prepaid service. Other hacktivist groups, such as Anonymous Russia, Mirai, Venom and Killnet have promoted Passion.

Radware sees several reasons for concern:

 Several pro-Russian threat groups aligned with Killnet, including Anonymous Russia and the Passion Group, launched DDoS attacks supporting the operation.

 The Passion Botnet offers its subscribers ten attack vectors, including application layer encrypted web attacks, L4 attacks, DNS attacks and UDP/TCP floods. By providing various attack methods, the Passion Group enables its subscribers to custom tailor their attack and increase the probability of a successful takedown.

 Hacktivists and defacement attacks can pose a serious risk to targeted organisations. It is essential for organisations to take proactive measures and have complete visibility into their hybrid infrastructure to detect and assess the impact of breaches and defacements.

Radware's advisory report is available here.
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.
Get unlimited access to all content and features at ivpressonline.com with our Full Online Access Subscription. Read our E-Edition, the digital replica of the print newspaper online, access content in exclusive sections including Family, Teen, Business, Databases, Farm and more. This option does not include daily home delivery of the Imperial Valley Press newspaper. For home delivery service, please select Premium or Premium Plus.
Eco-friendly economics: some lessons from China

In the memorable expression of President Xi Jinping, delivered at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15), Green mountains are gold mountains and silver mountains.

Why is the promotion of coexistence between humanity and nature important in the PRC? What informs President Xis emphasis on a sound ecology and environment is not just a natural asset, but also an economic asset?

Which are the lessons that can possibly be learnt by South Africa from Chinas experience aimed at protection and preservation of nature and its ecosystems?

Unchecked industrialisation has produced disastrous consequences in the form of deforestation, desertification, species eradication, and the emergence of viruses.

Hence, the PRC has taken urgent and practical steps to deal with this through sound eco-environmental sustainability and conservation policies and programmes. This has involved environmental defence and the restoration of lakes based on the introduction of a red line for ecological protection. In turn, this has produced positive net results.

For instance, the PRC has created 11,800 national parks or protected areas that comprise 18% of the PRCs landmass.

In an example of decisive leadership, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has imposed a 10-year ban on fishing in the Yangtze River. Across China, measures aimed at restoration of harmony between humanity and nature have seen aquatic and wildlife returning, such as finless porpoises, Asian elephants, crested ibises, Siberian tigers, milu deer and Brydes whales. Other progressive measures introduced by President Xi include the earmarking of 1.5 billion yuan (about R3.5bn) for a biodiversity protection fund.

At the September 2021 UN summit, he promised that the PRC would not build abroad any more coal-fired power projects. This is in addition to his 2020 commitment that China pledges to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030, and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.

Which lessons are imparted by the PRC for us in South Africa where the primary focus of our policies and programmes is on economic growth and employment creation?

First, that economic growth needs to be balanced with ecological protection and restoration. If we prioritise one at the expense of the other there will be negative effects, as seen with the uncontrolled levels of urbanisation, industrialisation and pollution.

The pursuit of a win-win in the economy and ecology is a necessary investment that must be made by this generation for future generations.

Second, the pursuit of harmony between nature and humanity is a non-negotiable that cuts across political and ideological divides. Ordinary people would be willing to make sacrifices if they saw their public leaders and political parties lead by example.

Third, decisive policy choices must be made. Currently, there is confusion in the governing party and among its leaders whether they should prioritise carbon neutrality in coal production or renewable energy.

In the PRC, once a decision was made to pursue green industrialisation, there was no further debate about shutting down high-polluting factories. For example, an article entitled Decade of Miracles in Xinhua, dated March 7, 2022, says that Chinas energy consumption per unit of GDP, or energy intensity, declined by 28.7% from 2011 to 2020. The proportion of coal in the total energy consumption was reduced from 69.2% to 56.8% during the 2010-2020 period. This is a prime illustration of what can be achieved with decisive leadership to advance harmony between nature and humanity.

(Tembe is a sinologist and founder of SELE Encounters.)

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Wu Chengliang)
Hallyu favorite star Nam Joo Hyuk is finally set to fulfill his mandatory military duty this 2023.

The actor dominated the year 2022 with his internationally-acclaimed melodrama "Twenty Five, Twenty One," with Kim Tae Ri, WJSN Bona, Choi Hyun Wook and Lee Joo Myung.

Nam Joo Hyuk To Finally Enlist in Military

Fans are feeling bittersweet after top star Nam Joo Hyuk announced his enlistment plans!

After the success of his A-graded drama "Twenty Five, Twenty One," Nam Joo Hyuk was reported to enlist in the military in December. However, he didn't receive official summons from the authorities.

On January 31, a representative from Management SOOP, Nam Joo Hyuk's agency, shared that the actor was accepted into the military police force.

"Nam Joo Hyuk applied to The Capital Defense Command Military Police Group in May, and was finally accepted," Nam Joo Hyuk's side stated.

With this, Nam Joo Hyuk will serve as a military police officer riot squad. He will officially begin his service on March 20.

In addition to that, he will receive basic military training at the training center for five weeks before being transferred to his spot.

Let's wish Nam Joo Hyuk a safe service!

Nam Joo Hyuk Wraps Up 'Vigilante' Filming

If you love Nam Joo Hyuk to the core, don't fret! The actor may be enlisting but his love for his fans is never-ending!

Prior to enlisting, Nam Joo Hyuk wrapped up his upcoming web series "Vigilante," a small gift to his fans before finally bidding goodbye.

Nam Joo Hyuk teams up with "Money Heist Korea: Joint Economic Area" star Yoo Ji Tae and "Along With the Gods: The Last 49 Days" actor Lee Joon Hyuk.

"Vigilante" focuses on the ordinary life of a college student who becomes a detective to gain power in order to seek revenge from his parents' murderers.

Based on the webtoon of the same name, "Vigilante" is predicted to deliver an exhilarating watching experience especially with its star-studded cast.

Even more so, the new Disney+ series marks Nam Joo Hyuk's first ever action drama since making his acting debut in 2014.

"Vigilante" is currently in its post production process, however, it hasn't announced its official release date yet. The Disney+ series is aimed to premiere in the second quarter of 2023! Stay tuned for more updates!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE THIS: Song Joong Ki's Remarriage Receives Mixed Reactions - Avid Fans Weigh In





KDramastars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
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Recently I was scrolling through posts from a physician leadership Facebook group. I came upon one that caught my eye. It said something like, Does anyone have information I can share with my radiologists to show them the impact of working through lunch?

I was happy to see a post that focused on physician well-being. A leader who cares enough and wants her physicians to take a break. And then it occurred to me. Maybe there is a better question this leader could be asking. Maybe the deeper question is, Why do my doctors feel they dont have time to eat lunch? Most people know that a lunch break is a good idea. But when you feel like your house is on fire, its hard to stop for nourishment.

Its inspiring to see the increasing focus on well-being in health care. But whats the best approach? Sometimes I think of us as frogs in the proverbial pot of water that is slowly heating up. What are our options? We either jump out of the pot, develop thicker skin to manage the heat, or lower the heat. This analogy doesnt exactly hold up because I think the goal of the pot is to make the frog into a soup, and in that case, as frog advocates we would encourage the frog to hop out. Our mission in health care is too important to abandon the pot. But how do we achieve it without killing ourselves? If we all jump out, the consequences are massive. The recent nurses strike in NYC was an example of that. I dont know the details of the strike, but the nurses were essentially demanding the flame be turned down before they hopped back in the pot.

What we need is a two-pronged approach to supporting well-being in health care.

1. To health care leaders: Make well-being a priority. In 2022, the Surgeon General gave an advisory addressing health worker burnout. The report calls for systemic change and calls on health care organizations, insurers, government, tech companies, and accreditation boards to remove administrative burdens and barriers with the goal of supporting all health care workers.

Put this report into action. You cannot squeeze your physicians any harder. We are used to pushing ourselves hard, but soon we will break. Its time for every organization to take wellness seriously. Hire a chief wellness officer and adopt the quadruple aim. Ensure that the well-being of your clinicians and other employees is equally important to that of quality, data, and operations in your companys success. Your doctors are mission-driven and will work more efficiently when you put systems in place that support us instead of bogging us down. Remove our obstacles and see what we can do for you. In reality, thriving physicians lead to a thriving company with improved retention and patient outcomes.

2. To the physicians: Dont lose hope. Advocate for yourself and protect yourself. Physicians sometimes criticize the focus on self-care and point to the system as the only problem. Fix the system, and well all be just fine. Ive heard the argument that focusing on self-care is like taking Tylenol when someone hits you with a hammer. If you could stop the pounding, you wouldnt need Tylenol. That may be true. However, whether or not meaningful change is coming is not really in our day-to-day control. As physicians, we should absolutely demand and fight for the changes that are needed in health care, but the wheels of change move slowly. So since we cant fully move out of the way of the hammer pounding on our heads right now, I recommend putting on a helmet so you can continue to work while the wheels of change slowly lessen the pounding we are receiving. That helmet includes a set of skills that will be useful in all aspects of life (practice mindfulness, build resilience, focus on purpose and power, set boundaries, and take lunch!). If you want to continue practicing medicine in this environment, develop these skills. They will help improve your well-being. But dont be afraid to get out if things become too much for you. Making a change is not a failure on your part. It is brave. There is no shame in doing what is best for you.

The optimist in me believes that we are progressing on both of these fronts. We have a long way to go, but our mission in health care is too great for us to give up.

Jennifer Shaer is a pediatrician and chief wellness officer, Allied Physicians Group, and a certified executive and life coach. She is founder, Shaer Coaching, and can be reached on Facebook. She is available for one-on-one coaching and speaking engagements: Feel free to schedule a conversation with Dr. Shaer or reach out by email.
Local councillors are due to attend a special crime prevention workshop today with gardai offering advice on personal safety following a recent attack at the home of a public representative .

President of The Association of Irish Local Government and Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council, Councillor Pat Fitzpatrick said that he asked Crime Prevention Officer, Sergeant Peter McConnon to address a meeting of the AILG at the Ormonde Hotel last Thursday.

"As President of the AILG I asked Sgt McConnon to come in and give a presentation to the members of the AILG on personal security.

"Councillors all around the country have gone through intimidation and I also thought it prudent following a recent event in Kilkenny," said Cllr Fitzpatrick referring to an attack on the home of local public representive, Cllr Eugene McGuinness.

"At the delegate meeting there was huge engagement from members of the AILG and we asked delegates to go back to each local authority area and ask for a workshop to be organised.

"Councillors across the country are finding themselves increasingly in a hostile environment while carrying out their duties.

At a local level in Kilkenny the executive of Kilkenny County Council contacted gardai and Sgt Peter McConnon is holding a workshop at County Hall on Wednesday (February 1) for councillors."

Meanwhile gardai are continuing to investigate an incident of criminal damage at the home of Cllr Eugene McGuinness at Bishop Birch Place in Kilkenny City on January 19 where windows of his home were broken and his van damaged.

A garda spokesperson confirmed that An Garda Siochana are investigating an incident of criminal damage that occurred at a residence on the outskirts of Kilkenny City on January 19, shortly after 8pm.

Gardai in Kilkenny are appealing to any person who may have information in relation to this incident to contact them in Kilkenny Garda Station on 056 777 5000, or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.
An extension of drinking hours in Ireland would be harmful to public health and safety, TDs have been told.

A number of stakeholders have warned an Oireachtas committee that the proposed Sale of Alcohol Bill 2022 would not fulfil its purpose of reducing alcohol-related harm.

The Joint Committee on Justice is examining the bill, unveiled by the Minister for Justice Helen McEntee last year, which proposes a major modernisation for the licencing laws in Ireland.

One of the elements of the bill is to support the night-time economy by enabling bars to stay open an hour later until 12:30am seven nights a week.

The legislation also proposes creating new annual permits for late bars and nightclubs, which would replace special exemption orders.

The committee heard from a number of public health organisations which deal with alcohol-related harm.

Dr Helen McAvoy, director of policy at the Institute of Public Health, said the bill included useful provisions to regularise alcohol licensing.

She added: Ultimately, it provides for extended drinking hours in both indoor and outdoor venues.

It provides for extended drinking hours in holiday camps, sporting clubs, trains and airports, public venues where children are likely to be present.

The governments commitment to modernise alcohol licensing and enhance our culture, nightlife and the night-time economy is welcome but we are concerned by international evidence that suggests that measures in this bill could have some significant unintended consequences, including increasing the overall availability of alcohol and reinforcing alcohol consumption as central to the experience of social, cultural, leisure and sporting activity in Ireland.

Marie Lawless, policy and research officer at Irish Community Action on Alcohol Network, noted that one objective of the Bill was to reduce alcohol-related harm, particularly among young people.

She added: We fundamentally do not believe the bill, in its current form, will achieve that objective.

At the end of last year, we commissioned a Red C poll on alcohol licensing which highlighted significant concerns that people have in relation to the proposals contained in this bill; 51% agreed that extending the hours at which alcohol can be sold will have a negative impact on public health, public safety and public order.

The evidence is clear, deregulation and extending hours will increase harm.

Dr Sheila Gilheany, CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland, said: We are concerned that in a bill which was ostensibly about the streamlining of legislation, there has also been a sudden move to increase both licensing hours and density of outlets.

The evidence from multiple jurisdictions is clear. Increasing alcohol availability whether through longer licensing hours or increased density of outlets leads to a range of harms.

Anne Graham, CEO of the National Transport Authority told the committee that an extension of opening hours would have an impact on public transport provision.

She said: If the extension of the general opening hours of licensed premises to 12:30am is enacted, the authority will have to re-examine the timetables of bus and other public transport services to see whether it is possible to extend a proportion of these services to later operating hours in our cities.

Independent Senator Lynn Ruane said she was not sure the evidence was clear of a link between longer opening hours and an impact on public health.
No level of consultation would have made a difference in some areas where protests have taken place against housing asylum seekers, Minister for Equality Roderic OGorman has said.

Protests have been held in Waterford, Cork and areas of Dublin in recent weeks where refugees or asylum seekers have been accommodated.

Gardai are also investigating an alleged assault at a campsite in Ashtown, Dublin, where migrants had been living for months, and a suspected arson attack on a disused school in Dublin that had been rumoured to be used for migrants.

Among concerns raised by local people is that they had not been consulted about dozens of migrants being moved into their community, as well as a lack of services to provide for a larger population.

Politicians have argued that a lack of engagement from authorities in some cases has left a vacuum for misinformation to grow and false rumours to spread.

Mr OGorman said the department is under such pressure to house people that it is forced to move rapidly.

He told RTE Radio: Well look to increase our departments ability to provide information when were opening new international protection accommodation, but I think its also important to say in some of the examples that weve seen in recent weeks its clear that no level of consultation, no level of engagement, would have changed the outcomes.

Weve seen a building set on fire as a result of a rumour, an untrue rumour. Weve seen migrants attacked again as a result of an untrue, online rumour.

He said it is not his departments policy to refrain from informing local communities when migrants are to be housed in the area.

He added: When were opening new accommodations, we brief elected reps, we brief the local authority, and thats how information is provided  to elected representatives in a particular area.

Mr OGorman said a vacant hotel in Lismore, Co Waterford, would still be used to house international protection families this week despite a protest of 200 people held outside the building at the weekend.

He said the hotel has not been used in seven years.

Its important to say were not taking a hotel out of use, were actually using a building that hasnt been used for a long period of time, he said.

On Tuesday, People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said he believed Ireland is in a very dangerous situation in relation to the far-right and the spread of very racist, divisive, hateful ideas.

He warned: I think we are on a trajectory for someone being very seriously injured or killed.

Obviously there is a lot of attention about the threats to politicians and so on, and thats appropriate. But the truth is, the most likely person to get seriously hurt or injured or killed is going to be a migrant.

That is the trajectory of things.

An anti-racism demonstration is due to be held on Saturday February 18 at 1.30pm at Parnell Square in Dublin, which will take on the message of several community demonstrations in support of housing migrants, under the banner Ireland for All.
Mechanics have been recruited from Spain and the Philippines in a bid to address a backlog of vehicle tests in Ireland, industry officials have said.

The head of the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and the company which run the tests apologised for the waits, currently an average of 25 days compared with an average of less than 12 days before the pandemic.

RSA chief executive Sam Waide and Mark Synnott, managing director of Applus Ireland, appeared before the Oireachtas Transport Committee on Wednesday.

Mr Waide said customers for vehicle and driving tests are not getting the level of service that they want to deliver and that they are working to remedy the situation.

I want to apologise for any inconvenience caused and I want to assure everyone that we are working hard to rectify them, he told the committee.

In terms of the National Car Testing Service (NCTS), Mr Waide described demand and capacity issues.

Covid caused significant staff absenteeism levels at test centres and in the call centre, he said.

There were also very high levels of customer no-shows and late cancellations, reduced availability of new cars has meant there are more older cars in the Irish fleet. This means there are circa 1.5 million cars to be tested at NCTS this year.

Outside the pandemic, Mr Waide said there have also been difficulty in recruiting and retaining vehicle inspectors.

He said they hope to return to normal service levels by June.

In terms of driving tests, he described an increase in demand for tests at the same time as a reduced workforce.

He said there are 47,364 learners waiting to sit a driving test and a 19-week national average waiting time for an appointment. The target waiting time is 10 weeks.

He said the RSA is currently providing an average of 4,000 tests per week, up from 3,000 in October 2022.

However the resource level is not enough, the current staffing level will neither reduce the backlog of driving tests nor will it meet the projected future demands for the service based on the learner permit demand, he said.

He said beyond 2023/24 the RSA projects that a permanent pool of 170 testers will be required to meet estimated future demand.

The message I wish to tell our customers is we are doing everything we can to return the services to normal, he said.

Applus has the contract to provide the service at 49 test centres across the republic, with plans to open centre in five more locations.

Mr Synnott also apologised to customers and said they are working hard to address issues.

He said there are 375,000 vehicles overdue their test, around 170,000 above the norm for this time of year.

However, he said 42,000 have been tested and 204,000 have a booking.

There are approximately 47,000 vehicles on our priority list, 14,000 are due in prior months, 10,000 are due in January and 23,000 are vehicles which are due in future months, he said.

He said they are seeing 2,500 vehicles not showing up for their appointment each week, with a further 1,000 cancelling just before the test.

Mr Synnott said Covid had a significant impact and also described a chronic shortage of mechanics in Ireland, adding that colleagues across Europe are reporting similar issues.

He said 113 vehicle inspectors left, with some leaving for higher pay in other areas.

He said that struggling to recruit in Ireland, they have recruited inspectors from Spain and the Philippines.

Whilst NCTS may have lost inspectors in 2022, we recruited 124 more. Fifty-nine were hired locally, 21 were seconded from our sisters companies in Spain and 44 were recruited in the Philippines, he said.

At the start of 2020 we had 547 vehicle inspectors, we now have 610, this allowed us to recently launch night-time testing.

We have the highest volumes of vehicle inspectors employed in the history of NCTS, we are testing record volumes of vehicles, the next couple of months will be very challenging but we can expect a significant improvement in service delivery in quarter two, and we hope to be fully returned to normal for the start of quarter three.

Mr Synott also highlighted a vehicle test first-time pass rate of 54% and urged that customers prepare their car for the test, and not use the test as a diagnostic.
Tthe 3rd Infantry Battalion celebrated the centenary of its formation and 25 years at its home base in James Stephens Barracks, Kilkenny on Friday.

One of the armys largest units  and indeed one of the largest employers in Kilkenny and the surrounding counties  the Battalion has a strength of almost 450 personnel. READ MORE BELOW OR CLICK FOR PICS

The 3rd Infantry Battalion is the oldest army unit of the Irish Defence Forces and traces its foundation back to January 1923. It played a critical role in national defence preparations during World War II period and during the Troubles.

The Battalion  known affectionately as The Bloods  has had a long-standing relationship with Kilkenny and the South-East since its deployment there throughout World War II and The Emergency period.

Almost 100 of the battalions soldiers returned home only recently from Syria, and the unit has served on many UN-mandated missions overseas since 1960, including in the Congo, Mali, Chad, Lebanon, Liberia and Kosovo.

The 3rd Infantry Battalion is also the lead unit deploying to the UNIFIL mission in Lebanon in November 2023.

Locals will have seen the exceptional work carried out by the battalion during the recent pandemic at vaccination centres, testing sites and in manning contact tracing call centres.

Its soldiers  including many sporting legends such as Kieran Brennan, Paul Murphy, and Stacey Keogh, have been at the heart of communities in the South-East for many years.

The Ceremony

Although Fridays centenary parade was not open to the public, families of serving soldiers and veterans of the unit were invited to the event. The ceremony included live music from the Band of 1 Brigade under the baton of Captain Fergal Carroll.

Veteran pipers of the 3rd Infantry Battalion also performed on the day, including a special rendition of the battalions marching tune, The Dawning of The Day on the barrack square. Dignitaries including local TDs, the Mayor of Kilkenny, the Dean of St Canices Cathedral, the battalions chaplain, and the General Officer Commanding 1 Brigade also attended.

The celebration saw four companies from the 3rd Infantry Battalion on parade as well as a representative body from a sister unit in the Curragh, 1 Mechanised Infantry (1MIC) whose origins lie with B Company, 3rd Battalion.

The soldiers of 1 MIC provided armoured vehicles on display, joined by the iconic Sliabh na mBan 1922 Rolls Royce armoured car which is just about the same age as the battalion.

The parade included the traditional blessing and presentation of new unit colours to commemorate the centenary. The event was followed by the opening of the refurbished veterans centre and a new museum exhibition and oral history collection entitled Bloods 100.
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Windy with a mix of clouds and sun. High 84F. Winds S at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Showers and thundershowers this evening will give way to steady rain overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 51F. Winds SSE at 15 to 25 mph, becoming NNW and decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
COLUMBIA  This week, the Missouri Department of Mental Health (DMH) released its Missouri Well Being Playbook to share strategies and resources to promote organizational wellness.

The seven steps of organizational well-being per the playbook include: creating infrastructure, team engagement, well being measurements, intervention designs, program implementation, impact evaluation and establishing sustainable culture.

This playbook comes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to DMH Director of Trauma Services Rachel Jones.

"People were personally being impacted by COVID, professionally impacted by COVID, less people being able to actually work, and more stress involved with work," Jones said.

The American Hospital Association released a well-being playbook of its own for hospital and health care leaders in 2019. A second version was released in 2021 as result of the pandemic.

"We thought it would be awesome if Missouri created our own and showed other Missourians what we're doing in our own hospitals and health care settings," Jones said.

The playbook is designed for not just the health care industry, but can apply to the education system, social services and service industries.

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"COVID really impacted a lot of industries that nobody had considered," Jones said. "It does focus on health care, but it can be broadly generalized to a lot of workplace settings."

A large aspect of the playbook's initiative is the "service over self" motto, the preexisting idea from pressure created in service industries that the people being taken care of are more important than yourself. Jones says some people dismiss their own mental health in that matter.

"What happens from service over self is that people get burnt out," Jones said. "Those people eventually can have a lot of chronic health problems, interpersonal problems for the people that they love and care about, and may even have problems at work."

The playbook took around six months to write, with meetings once a month in a group setting led by Jones.

"It was definitely a group effort of people who wrote it, researched it and edited it," Jones said. "Every time we met, we were sharing all our ideas, we were revising, we were adding more resources and learning more spotlights to include."

Behavioral health services in Missouri are in support of the playbook's actions and motives.

Burrell Behavioral Health is supportive of this evidence based resource for organizations of all sizes," said Burrell Behavioral Health Central Region President Mat Gass. "We think access to care and workforce well-being in Missouri is good for business. Employers who support the emotional wellness and well-being of their staff have a significant advantage in this economic climate.

The Missouri DMH plans on releasing a second version of the playbook in the next two or three years, based off the research results of the initial one.
The FBI is conducting a search of President Joe Bidens home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, pictured here, on January 31, in New York City, NY, as a special counsel investigation into his handling of classified material begins in earnest.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
The City of Auburn Water Department has been inducted into the Cast Iron Pipe Century Club. In front, from the left, are Mayor Mike Ley, Water Superintendent Randy Harvey, treatment supervisor Clint Sites and production technician Zack Scott. In back are water AMI service technician Chuck Taylor, distribution foreman Ken DePew, distribution technician Connor Meehan, distribution supervisor Greg Freeze, distribution technician Derek Allen, administrative assistant Anita Akey, distribution technician Jarin Parker, distribution technician Phil Balliet and production technician Rodney Wolschleger.
A Fort Wayne man was taken to an area hospital for treatment of a head injury following a two-vehicle crash that occurred in the 4700 block of S.R. 1 south of Butler around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, the DeKalb County Sheriffs Office reported.
ARMYs have reminisced BTS Suga's iconic soup on Instagram. According to the fandom, the post is the reason for Suga's "sudden shift" in vibe!

Here's what ARMYs are saying.

The Soup That Changed Lives: ARMYs Reminisce BTS Suga's Iconic Post

On February 1, ARMYs celebrated a specific post from BTS Suga on Twitter. Fans brought up Suga's previous Instagram post, which featured a bowl of rice cake soup. The picture was posted on February 1, 2022.

In the post, Suga wrote a caption, greeting happy new year to everyone. After publishing the soup photo, ARMYs noticed Suga's surprising transition from being a cute, Instagram newbie, to a confident, and even daring stan attractor!

On his pre-soup posts, fans pointed out that Suga gave an adorable feel, showcased in his lovely ambiance. They even spotted slight hints of aegyo from the idol!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: How Did BTS Suga Make a Virtual Appearance for The 2020 MAMA Awards? + Fan Reactions

However, in his post-soup photos, ARMYs mentioned the "shift" in nature within Suga's posts. As opposed to his vibrant atmosphere, Suga had left fans swooning over his mature side, as displayed in his alluring photos.

He even had ARMYs confused with his abrupt releases such as this one!

With this sudden turn, an inside joke manifested within the fanbase. Its context centered around the soup that Suga ate, which left fans pondering on the rapper's sleek transition.

They also stated that the post-soup photos led to rumors of possible Valentino collabs, and new mixtape releases!

To honor the memorable picture's first anniversary, fans expressed their sentiments online. ARMYs flocked on the platform, voicing out how everything changed after his soup post. Others were amazed on Suga's transformation as well.

Moreover, fans emphasized that the rapper wasn't the only one who's changed, but most of their biases also did, cementing Suga's reputation as a certified bias-wrecker.

Went from this to this

Like he is NOT the same person pic.twitter.com/thfxnrdRiL  Apobangpo  (@chimdimnie) January 31, 2023

The life changing color changing soup you meanpic.twitter.com/OGXdsW5CU4  Ivy//Jungkook Jeon  (@sesangbangtan) January 31, 2023

See more of their reactions below:

"Nothing has been same about Agust D ever since." "After that post, we didn't get a single good night sleep with his post and pics since then." "That soup has to contain something because Yoongi after eating that was a little too fine." "It was from this point forward, that we received not a single moment of peace." "A year ago, we lost Yoongi and August D came to life." "Then everything changed in that whole Instagram feed." "After this soup, he was no longer the person he used to be."

BTS Suga Makes Accomplishment in Billboard Charts Despite Hiatus

In other news, BTS Suga took a temporary hiatus to recover from shoulder injury. However, the rapper still made headlines despite being away from the K-pop scene.

On the Billboard Pop Songs Chart, Suga claimed the No. 40 spot with his song "Blueberry Eyes," which included American artist MAX.

Even if the idol was away, the song "Blueberry Eyes" was still able to captivate thousands of listeners across the United States. With this achievement, it marked Suga as the second South Korean artist who entered the Billboard Pop Songs Chart.

Were you also shocked by Suga's mature transition? Tell us in the comments below!

Read KpopStarz for more K-pop news.

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Written by Israel Monte
News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism.
MANILA, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Surviving Filipino women sexually enslaved by Japan's World War II military on Tuesday urged the Japanese government to acknowledge its war crimes, resolve the "comfort women" issue, and stop "warmongering."

"It is very unjust on the part of the Japanese government to continue ignoring the issue of Filipino comfort women who have suffered long enough, more than half a century in silence," Sharon Cabusao-Silva, the executive director of Lila Pilipina, told reporters.

Lila Pilipina is a Philippine organization helping women forced into Japanese military brothels in their fight for justice. There are only a few survivors, and most are in their 90s and sick.

Silva said Japan must recognize the trauma inflicted on the women by the Japanese Imperial Army.

"We urge Japan to finally acknowledge its war crimes against Asian nations and take the necessary steps toward a fair and long-overdue resolution of the 'comfort women' issue," the group said.

Lila Pilipina's call came when Japan was set to present its human rights report for the Fourth Cycle of the United Nations' Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights in the country.

"We are outraged that Japan has chosen to ignore once again the issue of its wartime military sex slavery of thousands of Asian women in the fourth human rights report it submitted to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC)," it added.

While declaring its achievements in various human rights areas, the Japanese government was utterly silent about the "comfort women" system which is also at the core of these issues, the group said.

The group added Japan "totally ignored" the recommendations made by other countries "for Japan to finally address this long-standing issue."

The group sounded the alarm over Japan's "aggressive actions toward war spending and production with the development of its missile and other defense capabilities."

The group also expressed alarm "by how Japan has militarized its Official Development Assistance programs in the Philippines through the sale of war material."

As living witnesses and victims of war, Narcisa Claveria and Estelita Dy said they experienced cruelty and hardships during World War II at the hands of the Japanese military.

"We were abused, forced to wash and iron their clothes by day, and repeatedly raped at night by Japanese soldiers. That is why I reject war," Claveria told reporters.

"War is brutal; you will suffer even if you have not done anything wrong because they accuse you of doing something even if you did not," she added.

Estelita Dy said the new generation must not experience war. "We do not want the new generation to experience the atrocities of war; what we went through during the war, so we are against war," she told reporters.

During World War II, hundreds of thousands of women and girls from China, the Korean Peninsula, Southeast Asia and other countries and regions were forcibly conscripted by Japanese militarists as sex slaves and experienced horrific sexual violence, both mentally and physically.
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Chandigarh, February 1: Ruling Aam Aadmi Party, opposition Congress, and Shiromani Akali Dal on Wednesday slammed the Union Budget, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and State Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema saying the state has been completely ignored in it.

Mann said that first, on Republic Day, the state's tableau "was kept out of the parade," now Punjab has been "completely ignored" in the Union Budget, as he criticised the Centre for presenting a budget that was "anti-Punjab, anti-people, anti-farmers and directionless." Agnipath Scheme: Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann Assures Support to Recruitment Drives After Army Cites Lack of Local Assistance.

"Don't understand what revenge they are taking from Punjabis," he said.

Cheema also said, "I think Punjab has been completely ignored in this budget." Punjab's farmers and youths have been left disappointed and there is nothing in the budget for the common masses, Cheema told reporters here. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann Asks Narendra Modi Govt To Withdraw GST on Sarais of Golden Temple.

Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring dubbed the budget "anti-poor" and "anti-people" while Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal said it had failed farmers, ruralites, poor, and the youth. Mann said the Centre in its budget shortchanged the sacrifices made by hardworking people of the state.

"It is shameful that going by its myopic mindset the Union government has completely ignored the state thereby bringing a huge disrespect to countless sacrifices made by the brave and hardworking Punjabis in pre- and post-independent era," an official statement quoted Mann as saying.

He said that all "genuine demands of Punjab have been blatantly ignored and state figures nowhere in the Union budget." He said that being a border state, they had demanded Rs 1,000 crore for the modernisation of the BSF and state Police from Centre, which, he said, was necessary to combat the smuggling of drugs and weapons from across the border especially through the hi-tech drones.

The Union government, instead, gave the cold shoulder to this demand, he said. He said that during the pre-budget meetings the state had flagged the need to start Vande Bharat trains from Amritsar and Bathinda to Delhi, but this demand too was completely ignored, along with another demand of connecting all five 'Takhts' of the Sikhs through rail route.

Mann alleged that the budget has exposed the "anti-farmers stance of the Modi government" and added the government has run away from giving remunerative MSP on crops to farmers which, he said, was very unfortunate.

The Chief Minister said that his government had been pursuing the Centre to extend Rs 1,500 crore financial assistance for the farmers, but that too failed to materialise.

He said that though the Scheduled Tribes have been offered various facilities in budgets, the Scheduled Castes and Backward classes "have been completely ignored." He cautioned the Union government "to stop playing with fire by ignoring the state on key issues."

"India cannot be imagined without Punjab and the BJP-led Union government's attempt to ignore the contribution of Punjab and Punjabis will not be tolerated," he said, as he called Punjab the grain bowl of the country. Warring said the budget has actually turned out to be a "classic jumla" of the BJP government at the Centre.

He also alleged it was "an anti-poor and anti-people budget with key focus on increasing income of corporations only." Senior Congress leader and Punjab's Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said there is nothing in the budget for the farmers and also "no legal guarantee  for the MSP as expected by the farmers all across India."

SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said farmers were promised that their agriculture income would be doubled, "but far from doing anything to realise this goal, the government has not been able to ensure procurement of all food grains on minimum support price."

Speaking about the government thrust on millets, Badal said this would succeed only if all millet crops were procured as per remunerative MSP.
London [UK], February 1 (ANI/NewsVoir): India's premier Digital Experience Platform (DXP) services provider Tekno Point has joined DEPT, one of the fastest-growing digital agencies in the world. Tekno Point is the consecutive winner of the APAC Adobe Digital Experience Emerging Partner of the Year for 2021 and 2022, and its 500-strong team of Adobe specialists will accelerate DEPT's DXP service offering for its global client base.

Founded in 2000 by brothers Himanshu and Yash Mody, Tekno Point has had a singular focus on Adobe DXP, offering an in-depth understanding of the technology across several industries for clients including IDFC Bank, Tata Capital, Bajaj Allianz, Asian Paints, Rosewood Hotels, and Tata AIA.

Also Read | Google Fi Suffers Data Breach, Information of Millions of Customer Compromised, Confirms Firm.

"Tekno Point's proven Experience Engineering approach combined with deep Adobe DX expertise empowers enterprise customers to realise faster time-to-market and deliver hyper-personalised experiences across channels," said Himanshu Mody, Founder and CEO Tekno Point. "We're thrilled to join forces and continue the growth globally with DEPT, to support our combined mission to pioneer the world's best digital experiences."

Philip Cronin, Senior Director, Adobe Partner Sales, APAC, welcomes the addition: "We are very much looking forward to working very closely with Himanshu, Tekno Point & the team from DEPT to drive even more success in the region."

Also Read | What Got Expensive and Cheaper After Budget 2023-24? From Cigarettes, TV, Mobile, Gold and Silver, List of Commodities That Got Costlier and Cheaper.

Founded in Amsterdam in 2015, DEPT has quickly grown across the globe, from 150 people in The Netherlands to over 4,000 people in seventeen countries across five continents, hitting approximately USD 500 million in revenue in 2022. The Certified B Corporation is known for delivering pioneering work for brands like Google, Philips, Patagonia, eBay, H&M and Twitch, and became the most awarded agency at the Webby Awards and Lovie Awards last year.

"India holds enormous potential as a domestic market and is host to a truly world-class talent pool. Our culture is 'big enough to cope, small enough to care', and we felt that same connection with Tekno Point when working together on several European and US clients," said Dimi Albers, CEO of DEPT. "With growing global demand for Adobe DX capabilities, Tekno Point is ideally placed to help us pioneer with Adobe technology, and we're excited to grow their business into a global service offering."

DEPT expanded to Asia Pacific a year ago, headed by former Havas Group regional CEO Vishnu Mohan. Tekno Point marks the second team to join DEPT in APAC after Australian digital product studio Two Bulls joined forces with DEPT in September 2022, making the APAC team over 700 people strong.

"Tekno Point is just the beginning of our journey in India. DEPT brings an unrivalled depth of experience in the global creative tech industries to the Indian subcontinent, which we can not wait to share with partners here," said Mohan.

Now part of DEPT, Tekno Point will be rebranded as Tekno Point/DEPT and continue to operate under the leadership of Himanshu Mody, Founder and CEO, and Yash Mody as CTO.

DEPT is a pioneering technology and marketing services company that creates integrated end-to-end digital experiences for brands such as Google, KFC, Philips, Audi, Twitch, Patagonia, eBay and more. Its team of 4000+ digital specialists across 30+ locations on 5 continents delivers pioneering work on a global scale with a boutique culture. DEPT is committed to making a positive impact on the planet and since 2021 has been Climate Neutral and B Corporation certified. www.deptagency.com.

Tekno Point is a pioneering Adobe DX specialist solution partner and has empowered enterprise customers across industries to make the most of their Adobe DX Investments. Tekno Point's unique experience engineering approach covers - strategy, tech, execution and enablement Services delivered by a team of 500 Adobe specialists. www.teknopoint.in.

This story has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, February 1: During the Union Budget speech on Wednesday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said the government's targeted fiscal deficit will be below 4.5 per cent by 2025-26 with a fairly steady decline over the period.

The fiscal deficit is estimated to be at 5.9 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) for 2023-24. A country's fiscal deficit is the difference between the total expenditure and revenue of the government in a year. What Got Expensive and Cheaper After Budget 2023-24? From Cigarettes, TV, Mobile, Gold and Silver, List of Commodities That Got Costlier and Cheaper.

The Minister said that the government has adhered to this path, and reiterated to bring the fiscal deficit below 4.5 per cent of GDP by 2025-26. Sitharaman said, "To finance the fiscal deficit in 2023-24, the net market borrowings from dated securities are estimated at Rs 11.8 lakh crore. The balance financing is expected to come from small savings and other sources. The gross market borrowings are estimated at Rs 15.4 lakh crore." Budget 2023: Heres What Has Become Cheaper And Whats Got Expensive.

During her speech, the Finance Minister projected the revised estimate for the FY23 fiscal deficit at 6.4 per cent. She also reiterated the Centre's commitment to bring fiscal deficit down to 4.5 per cent of GDP by FY26.

The total gross market borrowing is estimated at Rs 15.43 lakh crore for FY24. For financing the FY24 fiscal deficit, the FM said net market borrowing of Rs 11.8 lakh crore balance financing is expected from small savings and other sources.

The fiscal deficit or the gap between expenditure and revenue for 2022-23 is estimated to be Rs 16,61,196 crore. According to government data, the country's fiscal deficit was projected higher at 6.9 per cent for 2021-22, against 6.8 per cent estimated earlier.

The Revised Estimates (RE) for 2021-22 indicated fiscal deficit of Rs 15,91,089 crore as against the Budget Estimates (BE) of Rs 15,06,812 crore.

(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, February 1: Shares of Adani Enterprises nosedived sharply on Wednesday, a day after its follow-on public offer closed for the subscription. The shares of Adani Group flagship company closed at Rs 2,179.75 with a sharp decline of 26.70 per cent.

Its intraday low was Rs 1,941.2, over 30 per cent lower than Tuesday's settlement price. On Tuesday, the last day for subscription, the follow-on public offer (FPO) issued by Adani Enterprises was fully subscribed. Abu Dhabi Based IHC To Invest USD 400 Million in Gautam Adanis Adani Enterprises FPO.

A follow-on public offering (FPO) is the issuance of shares to investors by a company listed on a stock exchange after its initial public offerings. Data showed the demand for the FPO was led by non-institutional investors, and they subscribed to the shares 3.26 times. The portion for institutional investors was also oversubscribed. Gautam Adani No Longer in List of World's Top 10 Richest Persons, His Net Worth Plummets by $36 Billion After Adani Group Companies' Shares Crashed Following Hindenburg Report.

On Monday, an Abu Dhabi-based diversified conglomerate International Holding Company announced that it will invest about USD 400 million (AED 1.4 billion) into the Adani Enterprises' follow-on public offer (FPO) through its subsidiary Green Transmission Investment Holding RSC Limited.

Adani Enterprises had filed a red herring prospectus with the markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for the Rs 20,000 crore follow-on public offer (FPO), the largest ever in India.

There were concerns that the FPO may not receive a strong response from investors amid a report by a US-based Hindenburg Research that surfaced on January 24, which claimed the Adani Group of having weak business fundamentals among others.

The US-based firm, in its report, raised concerns about shares of Adani group companies having a possibility of declining from their current levels, owing to high valuations. In response, Adani Group on Sunday said the recent report by Hindenburg Research was not an attack on any specific company but a "calculated attack" on India, its growth story, and ambitions. It added the report was "nothing but a lie".

(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, Feb 1 (PTI) As many as 47.8 crore Jan Dhan accounts have been opened so far, a scheme which was launched in 2014 as a national mission for financial inclusion.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said the National Rural Livelihood Mission has achieved remarkable success by mobilising rural women into 1 lakh SHGs (self help groups).

Also Read | 50 Additional Airports, Helipods, Water Aero Drones, Advanced Landing Grounds Will Be   Latest Tweet by ANI.

She said that 47.8 crore JanDhan accounts have been opened.

The Jan Dhan Yojana was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day address in 2014, and it was launched on August 28 in the same year.

Also Read | Adani Group Companies Shares See Further Sell-Off Days After Hindenburg Report.

Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) is the national mission for financial inclusion to ensure access to financial services -- savings and deposit accounts, remittance, credit, insurance and pension in an affordable manner.

She also informed that 9.6 crore LPG connections and 220 crore Covid vaccines for 102 crore people have been given.

On tourism, the minister in her Budget speech said that there is a large potential in the tourism sector and promotion of tourism needs to be taken up in mission mode.

Green growth efforts would also help reduce carbon intensity and create green job opportunities, Sitharaman added.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma clicking selfies with fans on his birthday. (Photo/ANI)

Guwahati (Assam) [India], February 1 (ANI): A large number of fans, well-wishers and followers of the Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma gathered at his residence at 12 am on Wednesday to wish him as he turned 54.

Himanta Biswa Sarma celebrated his birthday by cutting a cake with his fans, and well-wishers.

Also Read | Govt Efforts Since 2014 Have Ensured Better Quality of Life for Citizens of the Country,   Latest Tweet by PTI News.

The fans seemed very enthusiastic and clicked selfies with the chief minister.

Himanta Biswa Sarma was born on February 1, 1969 in Assam's Jorhat.

Also Read | Maharashtra Road Accident: Bus Collides With Truck on Pune-Solapur Highway; Four Killed and 20 Injured.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister held a meeting with Uttar Pradesh Power Minister AK Sharma on Tuesday.

According to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, this meeting would help meet the energy needs, boosting growth and industrialisation.

"Big step towards power availability and revenue. In Ghatampur Thermal Project, Assam gets 20 per cent equity and 297 MW of power. Will help in meeting energy needs, boosting growth and industrialisation," tweeted the Assam CM. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi [India], February 1 (ANI): Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday termed the Union Budget 2023 a step towards achieving the Amrit Kaal vision and said that the budget promises to free the country from sickle cell anaemia when India celebrates 100 years of its independence.

"An important announcement was made in this budget for the Ministry of Health. A government laboratory will be opened for those doing research in the health sector. The country should be free from sickle cell anaemia when it will be celebrating its 100 years of independence," Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told ANI.

Also Read | UPSC Civil Services Exam 2023: Registration for Prelims Examination Begins at upsc.gov.in; Know Steps To Apply for 1105 Posts.

"Sickle cell anemia is a major disease among the tribal population. Seven crore people below the age group of 40 years will be screened for this disease," Mandaviya added.

Mandivya further informed that 157 Medical Colleges have been opened across the country since 2014.

Also Read | Delhi Police Allocated Rs 11,662 Crore in Union Budget 2023-24.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during her budget speech in Parliament, said that the central government aims to eliminate sickle cell anaemia by 2047, and a mission will soon be launched in this regard.

The mission will create awareness among the common people with universal screening of seven crore people in the age group of 0 to 40 years in the tribal areas and counselling through collaborative efforts of central ministries and state governments.

Speaking on medical research, she said that facilities in select ICMR labs will be made available for research by public and private medical college faculty and private sector research and development teams for encouraging collaborative research and innovation.

Dwelling on the subject of pharma innovation, the Finance Minister informed that a new programme to promote research and innovation in pharmaceuticals will be taken up through centres of excellence.

She said that the government will also encourage industry to invest in research and development in specific priority areas. She also announced that 157 new nursing colleges will be set up across the country to give a boost to the health sector.

The Finance Minister also announced that under PM Kaushal Vikaas Yoajna 4.0, industry partnership, and alignment of courses with the needs of the industry will be emphasised. The scheme will also cover new age courses for industry 4.0 like coding, AI, robotics, mechatronics IoT, 3D printing drones and other soft skills to skill the youth for international opportunities.

30 Skill India International Centres will be set up across different states for the purpose, said the Finance minister.

Sitharaman also said that the Centre will recruit 38,000 teachers and support staff for the 740 model Eklavya Model Residential Schools serving 3.4 lakh tribal students.

She also focussed on the training of teachers and said that teachers' training will be re-envisioned through innovative pedagogy, curriculum transaction, continuous professional development, dipstick survey and iCT implementation. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi [India], February 1 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought a response from the Centre through the Ministry of Labour and Employment and others on a plea filed by the Labour Law Association against the shifting of the Central Government Industrial Tribunal cum Labour Court from Rouse Avenue District Court Complex to a new building constructed by the Central Government in Dwarka.

The Bench of Justice Satish Chander Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad on Wednesday sought a response from respondents and granted four weeks to the Union of India to file a status report.

Also Read | Budget 2023: EAM S Jaishankar Gives 10 Reasons Why Union Budget Should Be Welcomed.

The Petitioner was represented by Rajiv Agarwal, Jawahar Raja, Meghna De, L Gangmei and Varsha Sharma.

The plea stated that since May 2019, the Labour Courts and Industrial Tribunals including the CGITs have been functioning from the Rouse Avenue Courts Complex. The other stakeholders including litigants and representatives are satisfied with this centrally located facility.

Also Read | MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan To Inaugurate Madhya Pradesh Bhawan in Delhi Tomorrow.

The plea also submitted that High Court did not grant any permission to the Respondent Ministry of Labour and Employment regarding the shifting of CGITs from Rouse Avenue Courts Complex.

It further stated that the litigants and their representatives will suffer immensely because of the shifting of the CGITs to one end of the city. The trade union officials and the advocates practising before the Labour Courts will face difficulties as the practitioners appear before the state labour courts and industrial tribunals on the same day. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
47th Raising Day event organised in Kochi by the Indian Coast Guard (Photo/ANI)

Kochi (Kerala) [India], February 1 (ANI): Coast Guard District Headquarters (Kerala and Mahe) conducted a Day at Sea on its Raising Day on Wednesday, with Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan as the Chief Guest.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad reviewed the demonstration of the Coast Guard at sea.

Also Read | Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai Inaugurates Mukteshwar Temple, Says 'Leave Ego and Bow Down to God'.

The Coast Guard Ships Samarth took the Governor to the sea. Apart from Samarth, Sarang, Samar, Abhinav, Anagh, C-162, C-410, AB Urja Pravaha, Dornier, Advanced Light Aircrafts and Chetak Helicopters also participated in the events at sea.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan arrived at Coast Guard District Headquarters (Kerala and Mahe) on Tuesday for the 47th Raising Day of the Indian Coast Guard.

Also Read | Income Tax, Corporate Tax To Grow by 10.5% to Rs 18.23 Lakh Crore in Financial Year 2023-24, Says Government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday extended his greetings to the Indian Coast Guard on its Raising Day.

Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is celebrating its 47th Raising Day on Wednesday.

"Greetings to all Coast Guard personnel on their Raising Day. The Indian Coast Guard is known for its professionalism and efforts to keep our coasts safe. I also convey my best wishes to them for their future endeavours. @IndiaCoastGuard," tweeted PM Modi.

The Governor was received by DIG N Ravi, Coast Guard Dist Commander (Kerala and Mahe).

Indian Coast Guard is a multi-mission organization, conducting round-the-year real-life operations at sea. Despite being relatively small, it has a wide range of task capabilities for both surface and air operations.

The organization is headed by the Director-General Indian Coast Guard (DGICG) exercising his overall command and superintendence from the Coast Guard Headquarters (CGHQ) located in New Delhi. (ANI)

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Leh (Ladakh) [India], Februray 1 (ANI): Thousands of people from all over Ladakh joined education reformist and innovator Sonam Wangchuk in support as he completed his five-day hunger strike demanding the inclusion of the Union Territory (UT) in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

A video on the reformist's private YouTube channel showed scores of locals joining his protest site.

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Wangchuk, whose remarkable life story inspired the blockbuster '3 Idiots', has, on his personal Twitter handle, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure the safety and protection of Ladakh, citing studies that have forewarned the extinction of nearly two-thirds of the glaciers in the Union Territory.

"FINALLY, MY #ClimateFast ENDS... It was to #SaveLadakh under #SixthShedule. I was joined by 100s of people in prayers, from all over Ladakh in snowy polar conditions," tweeted Wangchuk.

Also Read | Budget 2023: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Arrives at North Block Ahead of Union Budget Presentation Today (See Pics).

Wangchuk sat on a hunger strike to draw the attention of the central government and the world to the environmental hazards that the UT was faced with, and seek safeguards for an eco-fragile Ladakh.

"ALL IS NOT WELL in Ladakh! In my latest video, I appeal to @narendramodi ji to intervene and give safeguards to eco-fragile Ladakh. To draw the attention of Govt and the world I plan to sit on a 5-day #ClimateFast from 26 Jan at Khardungla pass at 18000ft -40 C," tweeted Wangchuk.

Speaking to ANI on Sunday, Wangchuk said if the authorities concerned continue to turn a blind eye to the needs of Ladakh and if the UT isn't provided protection and safeguards from industries, the glaciers there will be extinct, leading to enormous water scarcity and other hazards for the country and its neighbourhood.

"If necessary measures are not taken, industries, tourism, and commerce will continue to flourish in Ladakh and will eventually ruin it. According to recent studies from Kashmir University and other research organisations, Ladakh may lose two-thirds of its glaciers if they are not properly taken care of. A study by Kashmir University has found that the glaciers surrounded by highways and human activities are melting at an alarming rate," Wangchuk said.

"Global warming due to America and Europe alone is not responsible for this climate change. Localised pollution and emissions are equally responsible for it. In areas like Ladakh, there should be minimal human activities so that there is no harm to the glaciers," he added.

Stressing the need for the adoption of sustainable development, the engineer-turned-education reformer appealed to Prime Minister Modi to ensure the protection of Ladakh and other Himalayan regions from 'industrial exploitation'. It will help safeguard the lives and employment of the people, he added.

"It is my appeal to PM Modi to provide protection to Ladakh and other Himalayan regions from this industrial exploitation, as it will impact and safeguard the lives and jobs of the people. However, I believe that besides the government, the people should also be equally concerned about climate change and look for measures to mitigate it," he said, emphasizing on the need to adapt to a sustainable mode of living, ensuring that resources, while being used to meet the development goals, are also preserved for the coming generations.

He also urged children to avoid wastage of food and clothes as it harms the environment in the long run.

In a 13-minute long video shared by Wangchuk on his YouTube channel, he 'urgently' appealed to his countrymen and the world to help protect the 'environmentally sensitive' region of Ladakh. He has also urged PM Modi to intervene and safeguard the ecosystem of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

"This is an urgent appeal from Sonam Wangchuk in Ladakh (in the Indian Himalayas) to the people of India and the world to help protect the environmentally sensitive region of Ladakh. He appeals to the Prime Minister of India to intervene and safeguard this fragile ecosystem under the sixth schedule of the Indian constitution," read the description column for his Youtube video.

Born in 1966, Wangchuk, a mechanical engineer and director of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL), was a recipient of the Magsaysay Award in 2018.

Wangchuk inspired the fictional character of Phunsukh Wangdu essayed by Aamir Khan in '3 Idiots', which released in 2009.

The Ladakh-based engineer is known for setting up his innovative school, the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), whose campus runs on solar energy and uses no fossil fuels for cooking, lighting, or heating.

He set up the SECMOL in 1988 with the aim of supporting Ladakhi children and youth and training the students whom the system termed as failures.

In 1994, Wangchuk launched Operation New Hope to bring reforms to the government school system. (ANI)

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New Delhi [India], February 1 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Wednesday stayed orders discharging five Uttar Pradesh police personnel of murder charges in connection with the death of Kanpur-based businessman Manish Gupta.

The High Court also stayed the proceedings before the special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) judge at Rouse Avenue court.

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This matter pertains to the alleged thrashing of Manish Gupta by UP cops in a Gorakhpur Hotel. He allegedly died of the injuries. The investigation was transferred to the CBI and the trial was transferred to New Delhi in view of cops being accused in the matter.

The trial court has framed murder charges against only the Station House Officer (SHO) Jagat Narain Singh out of six police personnel. The other five cops have been charged with an offence of voluntarily causing hurt (Section 323) and section 34 of IPC.

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Justice Jasmeet Singh stayed the order of December 22, 2022 framing charges of murder against one accused and of voluntarily causing hurt against six cops.

The High Court has also stayed the order of January 9, 2023 denying permission to the family of the deceased to assist the court at the time of framing of charges.

The court has issued notices to the CBI and the accused cops. The matter has been listed for hearing on March 3, 2023.

The High Court passed the order while hearing the plea moved by the family of the deceased against the trial court's order.

After hearing the counsel for the petitioner, Justice Singh said, "I am of the view that the petitioner should have been heard and allowed to assist the court at the time of framing of charges."

"I am also of the prima facie view that the accused should be charged with section 302 and 34 of IPC," Justice Singh said.

The bench also observed, "In case the matter is permitted to proceed, evidence would be led not under section 302 and but only section 323 which may not be proper."

After expressing the view, the bench stayed both orders till the next date of hearing.

The family of Manish Gupta has moved a plea through Advocate Kartickay Mathur. (ANI)

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New Delhi, February 1: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the Union Budget 2023 is for a sustainable future that would further encourage green energy, infrastructure resulting in jobs while underlining the potential of the middle class in realizing the dreams of 2047.

The Prime Minister said that the government has focused on technology in the budget. "This budget is for a sustainable future further encouraging green energy, green growth, green infrastructure, and green jobs. We have focused on technology & new economy in the budget," PM Modi said reacting to the budget. Budget 2023: PM Narendra Modi Hails First Budget of Amrit Kaal, Says 'It Lays Strong Foundation for Building Developed India'.

Referring to the latest tax rebates, the Prime Minister said that it has given relief to the middle class and underlined the potential of the middle class in realizing the dreams of 2047. The Prime Minister informed that in order to empower the middle class, the government has taken many significant decisions in the past years that have ensured Ease of Living.

"India's middle class remains a major stream in every sphere of life. The middle class is a huge force to fulfill the dream of a prosperous and developed India. Our government has taken several steps to empower the middle class and ensure ease of living. We have reduced tax-rate and have given relief accordingly," he said.

He highlighted the reduction in tax rates as well as the simplification, transparency and speeding up of the processes. "Our government that always stood with the middle class has given huge tax relief to them", the Prime Minister said.

PM Modi also touched upon the investment in the infrastructure sector and said that there has been a jump of 400 per cent than in 2014. "Investment in infrastructure has increased by more than 400 per cent as compared to the year 2014. An unprecedented investment of Rs 10 lakh crore on infrastructure will give new energy and pace to the progress of India. This investment will generate employment for the youth and new income opportunities for a large population," he said. Budget 2023: Indian Stock Market Investors Cheer, Sensex Up Over 1,000 Points To Breach 60,000 Mark.

He referred to digital payments and said that its success has to be repeated in the agriculture sector. "We have to repeat the success of digital payments in the agriculture sector. We have brought a big scheme for digital agriculture infrastructure," he said.

The Prime Minister mentioned the millets and said that the "superfood" has given a new identity in the name of 'Shri Anna'. "Today, when millets are becoming popular all over the world, the maximum benefit is in the hands of the small farmers of India. Now this 'super food' has been given a new identity in the name of 'Shri Anna'. With 'Shri Anna', our small farmers and tribal brothers and sisters doing farming will get financial strength," he said.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2023 today in Lok Sabha. This was the third time in a row that the government presented the budget in a paperless form.

Highlights of the budget presented by the Union Finance Minister included big incentives under the new income tax regime. The IT rebate limit in the new regime has been increased from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh and the new tax regime will be the default tax regime, the Finance Minister said. Capital expenditure outlay has been increased by 33 per cent to Rs 10 lakh crore, accounting for 3.3 per cent of the GDP.

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New Delhi, Feb 1 (PTI) Luxury carmakers Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Lexus on Wednesday said prices of some of their luxury vehicle models will go up following a hike in customs duty on certain fully imported vehicles in the Budget 2023-24.

Prices of imported vehicles with invoice value less than USD 40,000 are expected to go up by around 2 per cent with Finance Minister NIrmala Sitharaman proposing to increase customs duty on such vehicles from 60 per cent to 70 per cent in the Union Budget 2023-24.

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Customs duty on vehicles in completely built units (CBUs) costing less than USD 40,000 or with engine capacity less than 3,000 cc for petrol-run vehicles and less than 2,500 cc for diesel-run vehicles has been raised from 60 per cent to 70 per cent, as per the Budget document.

Similarly, customs duty on electrically operated vehicles in CBU form, other than with cost, insurance and freight (CIF) value of more than USD 40,000, has also been raised to 70 per cent from 60 per cent.

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The Budget also outlined that customs duty on vehicles, including electric vehicles, in Semi-Knocked down (SKD) form will rise to 35 per cent from 30 per cent earlier.

Already, cars imported as CBUs with CIF more than USD 40,000 or with engine capacity more than 3,000 cc for petrol-run vehicles and more than 2,500 cc for diesel-run vehicles attract 100 per cent customs duty.

Mercedes-Benz India Managing Director & CEO Santosh Iyer said the change in basic custom duties is going to impact the pricing of some of the company's select cars like the S-Class Maybach and select CBUs like GLB and EQB, making them dearer.

"However as we locally manufacture most of our models, this will not affect 95 per cent of our portfolio," he added.

BMW Group India said the budget focused on long-term growth and comprehensive development.

The relaxations for e-mobility production, announcements regarding scrappage policy and National Green Hydrogen Mission will play an important role in a sustainable future. However, the increase in customs duty will impact sales of few of our models, Vikram Pawah, President, BMW Group India, said.

Similarly, Lexus India President Naveen Soni said based on the increase in duties suggested in the Union Budget, the company may have to adjust the prices of a few of its models. The company will, however, continue to take significant steps towards the goal of zero emissions by actively contributing to society at large, he added.

Deloitte India Partner Rajat Mahajan said global MNCs who are banking on buoyant consumer demand in the premium and luxury space will be affected. "The ex-showroom price after loading top GST bracket for cars and accounting for margins, can go up by 1-2 per cent if the OEM passes this in entirety," he added.

Icra Senior Vice President & Group Head Corporate Ratings Shamsher Dewan said the increase in customs duty is unlikely to have a material impact as most of the luxury cars are now assembled in India, barring the top-end variants. Nonetheless, an increase in customs duty will further aim to promote domestic manufacturing going ahead, 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)
Kolkata, Feb 1 (PTI) The income tax concessions proposed in the Union budget will promote more savings and propel growth in deposits, which in turn, will help the banking industry, Bandhan Bank Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Chandra Shekhar Ghosh said on Wednesday.

In her budget speech, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced no tax for those with an annual income of up to Rs 7 lakh under the new tax regime but made no changes for those who continue in the old regime that provides for tax exemptions and deductions on investments and expenses such as HRA.

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"For the last year, we have witnessed that the deposit growth is less than normal. The new tax norms proposed in the budget will encourage people to save more, and in turn, it will normalise the growth in deposits. It indeed will help the banking industry. When the deposit growth increases, the credit flow also increases," he said.

In what is being seen as a push for the salaried class taxpayer to switch to the new tax regime where no exemptions on investments are provided, the finance minister in her budget for 2023-24 allowed a standard deduction of Rs 50,000 under the new regime.

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The old tax regime provides for a similar deduction and no tax on income up to Rs 5 lakh.

Also, the basic exemption limit has been raised to Rs 3 lakh from Rs 2.5 lakh. A Rs 2.5 lakh basic exemption limit is prescribed in the old tax regime.

Speaking on the budget proposal for simplifying the KYC process, Ghosh hailed it as a noble effort.

"The simplification of the KYC process will help bank customers who often complain about complications in the KYC process. The budget also mentioned that PAN cards would be used in all files. It is also a very good decision," he said.

The KYC process will be simplified by adopting a risk-based' instead of a one size fits all' approach, the FM said.

She also said the financial sector regulators will also be encouraged to have a KYC system fully amenable to meet the needs of Digital India.

Ghosh also said the government's proposal for the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) was very important as the country's future growth prospect lies in the sector.

"In our country, the economic growth will come from the MSME sector as it contributes to the per capita income and generates employment.

The credit guarantee scheme helps the bank take risks in lending in this sector," he said.

Last year, the FM proposed revamping of a credit guarantee scheme for MSMEs.

I am happy to announce that the revamped scheme will take effect from April 1, 2023 through infusion of Rs 9,000 crore in the corpus. This will enable additional collateral-free guaranteed credit of Rs 2 lakh crore. Further, the cost of the credit will be reduced by about 1 per cent, she said.

Kolkata-based microfinance institution VFS Capital MD and CEO Kuldip Maity said the Union budget has a greater emphasis on the rural sector, social sector schemes and infrastructure creation.

We also welcome the measures announced for the MSME sector. Rs 9,000 crore corpus for revamped credit guarantee scheme is expected to address the liquidity stress of micro enterprises and will push the next level of growth for the MSME sector in the country, he added.

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Mumbai, Feb 1 (PTI) India's unemployment rate declined to a four-month low of 7.14 per cent in January, data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) showed on Wednesday.

The unemployment rate during December 2022 was 8.30 per cent, while in November, it was at 8 per cent and 6.43 per cent in September, the CMIE data stated.

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While urban unemployment was at 8.55 per cent during January, rural joblessness stood at 6.48 per cent, as per the data.

Among the states, unemployment was the highest in Jammu and Kashmir at 21.8 per cent closely followed by Haryana at 21.7 per cent and Rajasthan at 21.1 per cent.

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Joblessness in Delhi in January was at 16.7 per cent, Goa at 16.2 per cent, Assam at 16.1 per cent and Tripura at 16 per cent, the data added.

It further revealed that unemployment was the lowest in states like Chhattisgarh at 0.5 per cent followed by Odisha at 1.5 per cent, Tamil Nadu at 1.8 per cent and Madhya Pradesh at 1.9 per cent.

"It is safe to say that employment has improved over the last few quarters, however, we still have a long way to go given each year in absolute terms we have added nearly 20 million to the workforce making the gap wider day by day," TeamLease Services co-founder and executive vice president Rituparna Chakraborty said.

CIEL HR Services managing director and CEO Aditya Narayan Mishra opined that the unemployment rate witnessed the lowest rate in January 2023 compared to the last three months, which is a good start to the year.

The unemployment rate has been wobbling in the last few months due to various economic and geopolitical factors, he noted.

"IT, technology and startups have suffered in the last six months, however, we anticipate more jobs to be created over the months of 2023, which will reduce the rate further.

"Budget 2023 has also focused on job creation in agritech, education, tourism, infrastructure, healthcare, financial services, healthcare and MSME sectors, indicating that the unemployment rate may continue to fall in the following months," he said.

Skilling initiatives will equip people to have the right skills that are required to fulfil the job requirements of various sectors, Mishra added.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Los Angeles, February 1: Researchers have applied deep learning techniques to previously studied dataset of nearby stars and uncovered eight previously unidentified signals of interest.

The team of researchers was led by an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto, Peter Ma, along with those from the SETI Institute, Breakthrough Listen and scientific research institutions around the world, the study said. The research is published in the journal Nature Astronomy. Indian Firms To Hike Their Artificial Intelligence Spend by 10% in Three Years: Report.

When pondering the probability of discovering technologically advanced extraterrestrial life, the question that often arises is, "if they're out there, why haven't we found them yet?" And often, the response is that we have only searched a tiny portion of the galaxy. Further, algorithms developed decades ago for the earliest digital computers can be outdated and inefficient when applied to modern petabyte-scale datasets, the study said. How Artificial Intelligence Can Help Doctors in Complex Surgeries.

"In total, we had searched through 150 TB of data of 820 nearby stars, on a dataset that had previously been searched through in 2017 by classical techniques but labelled as devoid of interesting signals," said Peter Ma, lead author.

"We're scaling this search effort to 1 million stars today with the MeerKAT telescope and beyond. We believe that work like this will help accelerate the rate we're able to make discoveries in our grand effort to answer the question 'are we alone in the universe?'" said Ma.

The search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) looks for evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence originating beyond Earth by trying to detect technosignatures, or evidence of technology, that alien civilizations could have developed.

The most common technique is to search for radio signals. Radio is a great way to send information over the incredible distances between the stars; it quickly passes through the dust and gas that permeate space, and it does so at the speed of light, about 20,000 times faster than our best rockets, the study said.

Many SETI efforts use antennas to eavesdrop on any radio signals aliens might be transmitting, the study said. According to the study, it re-examined data taken with the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia as part of a Breakthrough Listen campaign that initially indicated no targets of interest.

The goal was to apply new deep learning techniques to a classical search algorithm to yield faster, more accurate results. After running the new algorithm and manually re-examining the data to confirm the results, the study found that newly detected signals had several key characteristics:

1) The signals were narrow band, meaning they had narrow spectral width, on the order of just a few Hz. Signals caused by natural phenomena tend to be broadband.

2) The signals had non-zero drift rates, which means the signals had a slope. Such slopes could indicate a signal's origin had some relative acceleration with our receivers, hence not local to the radio observatory.

3) The signals appeared in ON-source observations and not in OFF-source observations. If a signal originates from a specific celestial source, it appears when we point our telescope toward the target and disappears when we look away. Human radio interference usually occurs in ON and OFF observations due to the source being close by.

"These results dramatically illustrate the power of applying modern machine learning and computer vision methods to data challenges in astronomy, resulting in both new detections and higher performance.

"Application of these techniques at scale will be transformational for radio technosignature science," Cherry Ng, another of Ma's research advisors and an astronomer at both the SETI Institute and the French National Center for Scientific Research said.

While re-examinations of these new targets of interest have yet to result in re-detections of these signals, this new approach to analyzing data can enable researchers to more effectively understand the data they collect and act quickly to re-examine targets.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Washington, February 1: US President Joe Biden is understood to have invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a state visit this summer, PTI has learnt.

The invitation has been accepted in principle and officials on both sides are now working on mutually convenient dates, according to multiple sources, who noted that it is currently in the early stages of logistical planning. PM Narendra Modi Thanks US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, Other World Leaders for Supporting Indias G20 Presidency.

Given that India is hosting a series of events this year related to G-20 leading to a summit in September, which among others would be attended by Biden, it is reliably learnt that officials from the two sides are looking for appropriate dates in June and July when not only both the US House of Representatives and the Senate are in session but Modi has a couple of days at his disposal when he does not have a predetermined domestic commitment or international engagements.

At least a couple of days are required for the state visit, which among other things includes an address to the joint session of the US Congress and a state dinner at the White House. In addition to G-20, Modi has packed domestic and international commitments till the fall, before he hits the campaign trail for a series of crucial state assembly elections later this year.

Sources, who requested anonymity as they are not allowed to talk on this sensitive issue at this point of time, however, did not reveal when this invitation was delivered and who delivered this personal invitation from Biden to the Prime Minister's Office. Biden hosted French President Emanual Macron for his first state dinner last December. G20 Summit 2022: PM Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden Seen Having Interaction (See Pics and Video).

Meanwhile, a senior administration official told reporters that Biden believes the partnership between India and the United States, which are the world's leading knowledge economies, is essential to address major global challenges.

President Biden views that as two of the world's leading knowledge economies, this partnership is essential. He believes that no successful and enduring effort to address any of the major challenges that the world faces today, whether we're looking at food or energy or health security, the climate crisis, or upholding a free and open Indo-Pacific, going to work without a US-India partnership at its heart, a senior administration official told a group of Indian reporters here.

Prime Minister Modi had in Tokyo last year described the US-India relationship as a partnership of trust and a force for good global peace and stability.

The US really views that this is in our strategic interest to support India's rise as a global power. We see that in both the Quad and as India's Presidency of the G-20. This describes a greater vision of this coherent US-Indo Pacific strategy that requires that both the US and India pull closer together and overcome long-standing obstacles to doing so, said the senior administration official, requesting anonymity to reporters.

On Tuesday, India's National Security Advisor Ajit K Doval along with his American counterpart Jake Sullivan launched the India-US initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies or iCET, which officials on both sides described as a Next Big Thing in the bilateral relationship of the two countries.

While geopolitics is one dimension of what's happening here, this is sort of more important, bigger than that. The US view is that our relationship with India is essential not just because of the way the world looks today, but rather that this is the next logical milestone of our relationship, the official said.

We view that what's going on here it's really even larger than 2006 (the year of the India-US civil nuclear deal), he said.

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Washington, Feb 1 (PTI) The launch of the India-US initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his American counterpart Jake Sullivan is an important signal that the two countries are ready to break down barriers, foster ties in technology and bolster defence cooperation, experts said.

Sullivan and Doval met at the White House on Tuesday along with their respective high-powered delegations for the inaugural iCET dialogue.

Also Read | US To Train Indian Astronauts, Cooperate on Planetary Defence Against Dangerous Asteroids and Comets (See Pics).

Announced during US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bilateral talks in Tokyo in May last year, the iCET is spearheaded by the National Security Councils of both countries.

It focused on strengthening the US-India partnership on the technologies that will drive global growth, bolster both countries' economic competitiveness, and protect shared national security interests.

Also Read | US President Joe Biden Believed To Have Invited PM Narendra Modi for State Visit This Summer.

The holding of the inaugural iCET meeting between the Indian and US National Security Advisors is a major milestone for the relationship and signals that the two sides are ready to break down barriers to closer technology and defence cooperation, Lisa Curtis, Senior Fellow and Director of the Indo-Pacific Security Programme at Centre for New American Security told PTI.

Curtis, a former CIA official, was deputy assistant to the president and NSC senior director for South and Central Asia from 2017 to 2021, during which she played a key role in shaping India-US ties.

Both sides stand to gain from the emerging technology partnership: India will gain access to defence technologies that will bolster its capabilities at a time when China-India border friction is increasing and clashes like the one at Galwan Valley in June 2020 and near Tawang in December 2022 are becoming more frequent, Curtis explained.

For its part, the US will benefit from enhancing scientific cooperation and harmonising standards and ethical approaches to technology development with an influential democratic power with a vibrant economy and burgeoning tech talent at the heart of the Indo-Pacific, she said.

Curtis said it was important to establish the technology dialogue at the NSA level, as it can convene the various government agencies and departments within their respective bureaucracies to take action and move cooperation forward.

The launch of iCET is a pivotal moment in the US-India partnership, Mukesh Aghi, president of US India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF) told PTI.

Completing the work on the long-awaited NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) earth observation satellite is an excellent example of how the US-India partnership in space can benefit the world.

"Climate Change is a real threat in front of us, and NISAR brings both countries closer to fighting this threat," he said.

iCET launch is like the big bang moment for the scientists in both countries. It will open up opportunities for deeper collaboration and more research between the two countries. USISPF is delighted to see the launch come to fruition, Aghi said.

US India Business Council commended the Biden administration on working with India to launch the iCET.

By strengthening our technology partnership with India, we will make both our economies stronger and ready to shape the next phase of global growth, it said.

According to Ronak D. Desai, a leading India practitioner at Paul Hastings LLP and an expert at the Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute at Harvard University, said the iCET is a powerful reminder of the genuinely multidimensional nature of U.S.-India ties, as well as the extent to which bilateral relations are spanning virtually every arena of human cooperation conceivable.

iCET's promise is enormous and carries with it the potential for the United States and India to achieve new, unprecedented levels of convergence in critical areas of interest to both countries, he said.

The symbolism of the iCET dialogue is just as important as the substance underlying it.

The initiative represents yet another formidable investment by the United States into its strategic partnership with India. It underscores the Biden administration's desire to further expand and elevate its relationship with India at a particularly crucial time internationally, Desai said.

The historic dialogue represents an unprecedented opportunity for key segments of the American and Indian private sector to collaborate further and become e critical stakeholders in the burgeoning US-India relationship, Desai added.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi [India], February 1 (ANI): As the Ministry of External Affairs observed Swachhata Pakhwada, the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar along with senior officials inspected the surroundings and applauded the efforts of the employees to make it a successful campaign.

The Ministry of External Affairs observed Swachhata Pakhwada from January 1-15, 2023, at more than 425 locations, including the Regional Passport Off Center, Indian Missions / Posts Abroad, Branch Secretariats and its subordinate offices in India in accordance with the schedule for Central Government ministries/departments, the official release read.

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EAM inspected a number of sections, washrooms, newly created meeting rooms and renovated canteen at South Block, and praised the efforts of the Ministry's employees to make Swachhaa Pakhwada a successful campaign.

Jaishankar along with senior officials of the Ministry inspected Swachhata in South Block on 13 January 2023.

Also Read | Earthquake in Philippines: Quake of Magnitude 6.0 Hits Babag.

During the pakhwada, special emphasis was made to improve current cleanliness levels in the office premises, disposal of scrap/waste materials and utilization of social media to amplify this message. Swachhata banners were displayed at all prominent places in the Ministry and its all offices / subordinate offices in India and Indian Missions / Posts abroad.

Shramdaan was undertaken by officials to keep their offices and surroundings clean. Special drives to clean toilets, bathrooms, staircases and corridors as well as for segregation and safe disposal of paper waste, plastic waste and e-waste banners were undertaken. A review of Divyang access to the toilets by various teams at South Block, Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan and Sushma Swaraj Bhawan was carried out, according to the official statement.

The official release stated that Indian Missions abroad / RPOs in India actively participated during Swachhata Pakhwada. Indian Missions engaged the Indian diaspora to participate in Swachhata activities.

Swachhata activities undertaken included (i) Blood donation camps (EoI Kathmandu, AHCI Mombasa and RPO Hyderabad) (ii) Nukkad Nataks (CGIs Istanbul and Sittwe and Passport Office Visakhapatnam). (iii) Plogging walks (CGI Sittwe, EoI Asuncion, Paraguay and RPO Lucknow). (iv) Webinars (EoI Hague, AHCI Mombasa, RPO Shimla and Bhopal). (v) Painting competitions (AHCI Chittagong, EoI Ankara, HCI Nairobi etc.) and (vi) Plantation of saplings (HCI Suva, EoI Baku, EoI Brazzaville, RPO Jalandhar etc.)

The Swachhata Pakhwada was comprehensive in size and scale, and witnessed widespread participation from thousands of officials in India and aboard, the release added. (ANI)

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New Delhi [India], February 1 (ANI): Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to India, Milinda Moragoda, called on External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday. They discussed how to take the relationship forward between the two countries, according to the statement released by Sri Lanka's High Commission.

According to the statement, Moragoda and Jaishankar also reviewed the current status of the relations between Sri Lanka and India.

Also Read | Pakistan Mosque Blast: Worshippers Not Killed During Prayers Even in India, Says Defence Minister Khwaja Asif.

On 20 January, Jaishankar concluded an official visit to Sri Lanka. During the visit, he had called on President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and had official discussions with Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry.

"A good meeting with Foreign Minister Ali Sabry and other ministerial colleagues this evening in Colombo. Discussed India-Sri Lanka cooperation in infrastructure, connectivity, energy, industry and health," tweeted Jaishankar.

Also Read | US To Train Indian Astronauts, Cooperate on Planetary Defence Against Dangerous Asteroids and Comets (See Pics).

He also conveyed India's commitment to increase investment flows to Sri Lanka to hasten its economic recovery.

Jaishankar further stated that will be discussing the India-Sri Lanka partnership with Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, Minister of Ports, Shipping & Aviation of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Dr Bandula Gunawardhana, Minister of Transport, Highways and Mass Media, Kanchana Wijesekera, Minister of Power and Energy.

"Conveyed our commitment to increasing investment flows to Sri Lanka to hasten its economic recovery. Look forward to my discussions with the leadership tomorrow morning.@alisabrypc, @DeSiripala, @banduladr, @kehelia_r, @kanchana_wij, @amanugama_dilum, @tharakabalasur1," tweeted Jaishankar.

Regarding Sri Lanka's tour, the Ministry of External Affairs stated that Jaishankar's visit would follow his earlier trips to the bankrupt country in January 2021 and March 2022. Sri Lanka is a close friend and neighbour, and India has always stood with the people of Sri Lanka.

"During the visit, EAM will call on President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and also hold discussions with Minister of Foreign Affairs MUM Ali Sabry on the entire gamut of close India-Sri Lanka partnership and steps to strengthen it in all spheres," the statement stated.

India and Sri Lanka share a good relationship. Under the 'Neighbourhood First Policy', India had extended aid worth USD 3.9 billion to help Sri Lanka sustain itself in face of the acute economic and financial crisis and meet its immediate needs such as medicines, cooking gas, oil and food items, Sri Lanka based news publication News 19 reported. (ANI)

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Washington [US], February 1 (ANI): United States and Indian officials on Tuesday agreed to expand cooperation on advanced weaponry, supercomputing, semiconductors and other high-tech fields. This comes as the Biden administration looks towards strengthening its ties with its Asian allies to offset China's dominance of cutting-edge technologies, the New York Times reported.

The agreements were arrived at after two days of high-level meetings in Washington, between government officials and executives from various companies. The agreements are first under a new dialogue about critical and emerging technologies that President Biden and India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, announced in Tokyo in May.

Also Read | Pakistan Bomb Blast: Maryam Nawaz Holds Ex-ISI Chief General Faiz Hamid Responsible for Peshawar Mosque Attack.

U.S. national security adviser, Jake Sullivan on Tuesday said that the goal was for technological partnerships to be "the next big milestone" in the U.S.-Indian relationship after a 2016 agreement on nuclear power cooperation. He described the effort as a "big foundational piece of an overall strategy to put the entire democratic world in the Indo-Pacific in a position of strength."

Sullivan said that the agreements will test whether the Biden administration can realize its proposal for "friend-shoring" by shifting the manufacturing of certain critical components to friendly countries.

Also Read | Earthquake in Philippines: Quake of Magnitude 6.0 Hits Babag.

According to The New York Times, Biden officials have expressed concerns about the United States' continued reliance on China for semiconductors, telecommunications parts and other important goods. In recent months they have clamped down on the sale of advanced semiconductor technology to China, in an effort to inhibit an industry that the White House says could give China a military advantage.

According to the New York Times report, many companies have found it challenging to obtain the factory space and skilled workers they would need to move their supply chains out of China.

Though India has a highly skilled workforce and a government that wants to attract more international investment, multinational companies seeking to operate in India, complain of heavy government regulations.

According to Sullivan, both Biden and Modi are working towards closer U.S.-Indian cooperation in efforts to build out the industrial and innovation bases of their countries.

The partnerships announced on Tuesday include an agreement between the U.S. and Indian national science agencies to cooperate on artificial intelligence and advanced wireless technology, as well as in other areas, The New York Times reported.

The two countries also vowed to speed up their efforts to jointly produce and develop certain defence technologies, including jet engines, artillery systems and armoured infantry vehicles.

The US has said that it would review a proposal by General Electric to produce a jet engine with India.

According to The New York Times, officials also said that they would work together to facilitate the build-out of an advanced mobile network in India and look for new cooperation in semiconductor production, including efforts to help India bolster chip research and production that would complement major investments in the industry in the United States. (ANI)

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Washington [US], February 1 (ANI): The US State Department informed Congress on Tuesday that Russia was not complying with the last remaining nuclear treaty remaining between the two countries, The Washington Post reported.

According to the daily, Russia refused to allow American inspectors into nuclear weapons facilities, an obligation under the remaining treaty known as New START, which was renewed for five years in February 2021.

Also Read | US To Train Indian Astronauts, Cooperate on Planetary Defence Against Dangerous Asteroids and Comets (See Pics).

"Russia's refusal to facilitate inspection activities prevents the United States from exercising important rights under the treaty and threatens the viability of US-Russian nuclear arms control," the State Department said in a statement on Tuesday.

It added that "Russia has also failed to comply with the New START treaty obligation to convene a session of the bilateral consultative commission in accordance with the treaty-mandated timeline."

Also Read | US President Joe Biden Believed To Have Invited PM Narendra Modi for State Visit This Summer.

Further, according to The Washington Post, the State Department called on Russia to return to compliance by allowing inspectors onto its territory, as it had done for more than a decade, and by agreeing to hold a session of the commission, in which officials could discuss issues related to the treaty and nuclear arms control.

In August, Moscow and Washington are working on removing obstacles to resuming inspections under the New START arms control treaty, with some issues already resolved.

"The inspection activities under the New START Treaty have indeed been suspended since early 2020 by mutual agreement due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are working closely with our American colleagues within the framework of the New START Bilateral Consultative Commission to remove organizational and technical obstacles to resume inspections," the Russian embassy said in a comment to the Newsweek media outlet on the current situation on arms control.

The Russian embassy said some issues have been resolved but by no means all of them. It also said that the treaty expires in 3.5 years and that the remaining time to work out an agreement is 'extremely short'.

"Any interaction on arms control matters must be conducted on an equal basis, with due consideration for mutual concerns and interests," the embassy added.

The Treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, also known as the New START Treaty, enhances U.S. national security by placing verifiable limits on all Russian deployed intercontinental-range nuclear weapons.

The New START Treaty entered into force on February 5, 2011. Under the treaty, the United States and the Russian Federation had seven years to meet the treaty's central limits on strategic offensive arms (by February 5, 2018) and are then obligated to maintain those limits for as long as the treaty remains in force, according to the US State Department.

Both the United States and the Russian Federation met the central limits of the New START Treaty by February 5, 2018, and have stayed at or below them ever since. It is expected to last until February 5, 2026, having been extended in 2021. (ANI)

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New Delhi, February 1: Locally manufactured television sets will become cheaper by up to Rs 3,000 with finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announcing reduction in basic customs duty (BCD) on imported parts to 2.5 per cent from 5 per cent. The reduction of customs duty on parts of open cells will help to effectively reduce the price of TVs by around 5 per cent, according to some industry players.

Open cell panels account for over 60-70 per cent of the cost of manufacturing LED TV sets. Most TV makers import these panels. In her Budget speech, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said "... to promote value addition in the manufacture of televisions, I propose to reduce the basic customs duty on parts of open cells of TV panels to 2.5 per cent." What Is New Tax Regime? Which Tax Regime Is Better? From Tax Slabs to Exemption Limit and Deductions, Key Differences Between the Two Taxation Systems.

Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association (CEAMA) President Eric Braganza said this move will help to increase the domestic value addition and growth of the sector. "This is a good step for the industry and a fillip for domestic manufacturing. Most of the manufacturers will extend the benefits to the consumers," he said.

Super Plastronic Pvt Ltd (SSPL), which has licences for international brands including Blaupunkt, Thomson, Kodak and White-Westinghouse - for the Indian market, said a reduction of customs duty to 2.5 per cent will reduce the final price of the TV set by 5 per cent.

"This is a welcoming move by the government of India to reduce customs duty on the open cell to 2.5 per cent, we will pass this benefit to customers. Television prices can come down up to Rs 3,000 on larger screens," said SPPL CEO and founder Avneet Singh Marwah.

Sony India Managing Director Sunil Nayyar said: "The newly announced reduction in basic customs duty for several television component imports is a big boost for the television industry. We welcome this budget in its entirety and we are optimistic about our future business plans in India."

According to him, this budget should propel more demand and consumer spending across various sectors, especially with more disposable income in the hand of consumers owing to significant tax benefits.

Panasonic Life Solutions India Chairman Manish Sharma said a reduction in tax for both the middle and upper class indicates more money in the hand of taxpayers thus stimulating demand and driving consumption. Budget 2023 Highlights: From New Income Tax Slabs to Custom Duty Revision, Here Are Major Announcements Made by FM Nirmala Sitharaman.

"It is encouraging to see a reduction in customs duties for inputs/parts of certain electronic items like lithium-ion batteries, TV, and camera lens. It will improve the feasibility for enhancing backward integration and subsequently enabling local manufacturing of electronics," he said.

Haier Appliances India President Satish N S said this reduction will not only benefit the manufacturers but will also be a lifestyle change for many consumers as they can buy televisions at an affordable rate. He also applauded the government's plans to establish three centres of excellence for artificial intelligence to enable 'Make AI in India' and 'Make AI work for India'.

"This move will benefit the industry and encourage early AI adoption in the country," he said, adding, "with the advent of AI in the consumer appliances and electronics segment, it has opened a wide array of possibilities, given the massive size of the electronics market."

Earlier, the government had in September 2019 scrapped the duty on open cell for a year. However, it was reimposed a year later in 2020. Videotex International, which owns Daiwa and Shinco brands and is also OEM/ODM Smart TV manufacturer for Realme, Toshiba, Lloyd, Compaq, BPL, Hyundai and over 15 leading brands of India, said the reduction of duty is a "real game-changer moment" for the industry.

"Prices for LED TVs are expected to fall by 1 to 1.5 per cent and the benefits of the same shall be passed on to the customers. This will significantly boost the domestic television manufacturing industry and help compete with global brands. This decision is a much-awaited one," said Videotex International Director Arjun Bajaj. Budget 2023: Government Adheres to the Path of Bringing Down Fiscal Deficit, Says Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

According to the latest Counterpoint Research report, India's smart TV market recorded a 38 per cent year-on-year growth in shipments during the July-September quarter.

Global brands led India's smart TV segment with a 40 per cent share, followed by Chinese brands with a 38 per cent share. While the Indian brands showed the fastest growth, doubling their share to 22 per cent of the total smart TV shipments, the report said.
Veteran BJP leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti has said she will start opening cow shelters in liquor shops in the state because CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan did not unveil the new liquor policy. Uma Bharti said: "CM had told me that he'll announce the new liquor policy on Jan 31. I'll no longer wait for the new liquor policy but, day after tomorrow, I'll open cow shelters in liquor shops." She also asked CM Chouhan to stop being "sevak" (servant) and become "prashasak" (administrator). 'Gopal Kanda Cannot Get Away With His Crimes by Winning Election': Uma Bharti Urges BJP Not to Take Tainted MLA's Support in Haryana.

Uma Bharti Says She Will Start Cow Shelters in Liquor Shops:

MP | CM had told me that he'll announce the new liquor policy on Jan 31. I'll no longer wait for the new liquor policy but, day after tomorrow, I'll open cow shelters in liquor shops. I appeal to MP CM to come out of role of 'sevak' & become 'prashasak': Ex-MP CM Uma Bharti(31.1) pic.twitter.com/pjGMQ07Oi6  ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) February 1, 2023

BJP Leader Uma Bharti Says She Will Open Cow Shelters in Liquor Shops in MP:

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#Rashad al-Alimi (@PresidentRashad), Chairman of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, on Tuesday discussed with a European diplomatic delegation the ongoing regional and international efforts to renew the expired truce in the war-torn country. pic.twitter.com/1cS2Cvel8h IANS (@ians_india) February 1, 2023

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Lithuania to train 1,600 Ukrainian soldiers in 2023.



Lithuania has allocated 4 million euros to help train a total of 1,600 Ukrainian soldiers over the course of 2023, the countrys Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said on Feb. 1, as reported by the European Pravda. The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 1, 2023

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 Reuters: Washington prepares over $2 billion in military aid, longer-range weapons for Ukraine.



The U.S. is preparing over $2 billion worth of military aid for Ukraine, including anticipated longer-range rockets, Reuters reported on Jan. 31, citing two U.S. officials. The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) January 31, 2023

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A new Texas border czar is tapped to address the growing issue of illegal immigration in Texas, with Gov. Greg Abbott naming a retired Border Patrol for the position.

Abbott announced Michael Banks, a newly retired Border Patrol agent after serving for more than 20 years, as the new Texas border czar. Banks is expected to use his experience in deploying "strategies that reduce illegal immigration" while keeping the community safe.

Abbott said the reason behind the creation of the new border czar position was due to the Texas illegal immigration crisis needing "a leader whose only focus is responding" to U.S. President Joe Biden administration's "failing policies."

In a White House statement, the administration noted that it is ramping up more resources to the border and the region of Venezuela to improve anti-smuggling operations.

Biden also announce that his administration would refuse migrants from Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Haiti a chance to apply for asylum if they illegally crossed the border, according to The New York Times.

READ MORE: Texas: Greg Abbott Gets Brutally Honest on Scary Effects of Title 42 Abolishment

New Texas Border Czar

Michael Banks said that his top priority is to make Texas the "least desirable place for illegal immigration to cross," adding that he does not think it would be difficult and that the state and its officials just need to be "aggressive."

Aside from "aggressive" measures Banks is projected to impose, Abbott said the new Texas border czar will also work with the Texas National Guard, state troopers, and the Texas Facilities Commission to fast-track the "building of the border wall in Texas," as cited in Texas Tribune.

The Republican governor announced in the press conference the continuation of the construction of the border wall, with his office estimating it is costing Texas $25 million per mile for the building of the wall.

The Texas Facilities Commission has awarded six contracts since Abbott announced the wall construction in June 2021.

The contracts overall amounted to $841 million, managing 37 miles of border barrier in counties of Cameron, Starr, Val Verde, Webb, and Zapata counties.

Texas Illegal Immigration

Last December, county commissioners of Hopkins County declared a "local state of disaster" due to an "invasion" of immigrants, with Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom signing the resolution in mid-November.

The declaration noted that the health, safety, and welfare of the county residents are "under an imminent threat of disaster" due to an unprecedented influx of illegal migrants, human trafficking, and drug smuggling.

At least 33 counties adopted the resolution, including small and rural counties.

Abbott launched Operation Lone Star as a program directly addressing the Texas illegal immigration crisis. The initiative has caused more than 343,000 illegal immigrant apprehensions and more than 23,000 criminal arrests.

The Texas governor has also bused more than 9,100 migrants to the nation's capital, with over 5,200 bused to New York since August 5.

Biden also announced measures to "stiffen enforcement" for those coming without any legal right to stay, as reported by The NY Times.

The president warned them to "not show up at the border," especially if they are trying to leave Cuba, Nicaragua, or Haiti.

Democratic Sen. Bob Mendez said that it would exclude migrants fleeing violence and persecution from their home countries.

READ MORE: Texas, Arizona Keep Sending Buses of Migrants to Washington; DC Mayor Devotes $10 Million to Help

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Announces Border Czar - from Forbes Breaking News


Republican candidate Solomon Pena ran for the New Mexico State House of Representatives last November and lost to his Democrat opponent by a landslide. Believing Donald Trump's claims that the elections were stolen, he took it upon himself to shoot at Democrats, and he was arrested for it.

Now, the newbie Republican politician has been indicted by a New Mexico grand jury for his crimes, including hiring criminals to shoot at the homes and offices of elected Democratic officials.

According to KOB-4, his list of charges includes three counts of criminal solicitation to commit shooting at a dwelling or occupied building, three counts of shooting at a dwelling or occupied building, two counts of conspiracy to commit shooting at a dwelling or occupied building, two counts of unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, and one count each for Shooting at a dwelling or occupied building, attempt to commit a felony, to wit: aggravated battery, and receipt, transportation, or possession of a firearm or destructive device by certain persons.

Solomon Pena Got Handily Defeated by Democrat Opponent but Still Claimed To Have Been Cheated

Pena has been an ardent supporter of former President Donald Trump and has been seen proudly wearing Trump merchandise and adhering to Trump's various rhetoric. This includes the "Big Lie," which is Trump claiming that he won the election and that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him.

As such, Pena believed the former president and mirrored his claims that the ballot boxes and voting machines have been tampered with, and he claimed this without presenting any evidence of such, much like Trump himself.

READ MORE: Supreme Court Rejects Donald Trump Again

According to the Huffington Post, Pena ran as the state Representative for New Mexico's 14th District. However, he lost to Democrat Miguel Garcia by over 47 points in a landslide victory for his Democratic opponent. Despite this and the lack of evidence, he still claims the results were fraudulent.

This led to the series of shootings that started last December, at the home of Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa. He shot up the homes or offices of other elected Democrats, before finally shooting at the home of State Senator Linda Lopez on January 3. The attack hit the room of Lopez's 3-year-old child but nobody was injured.

Pena was previously imprisoned and his past has been put into question before. However, the New Mexico Republican Party did not seem to mind and still let him run as their candidate.

Solomon Pena's Attacks Make New Mexico Solons Think About New Laws Protecting Lawmakers

Last week, a New Mexico judge ordered Pena to be held in custody without bond given the severity of his crimes, as well as his criminal past.

He was arrested on January 9 thanks to a combination of cellphone and vehicle records, witness interviews, and bullet casings that authorities found at the victims' homes, according to the Associated Press.

However, Pena did not do the act alone, as he hired four men, including a father and son duo and two other unidentified men to attack Democrats. This was enough for some New Mexico lawmakers to propose new laws for their safety.

During a legislative session, New Mexico state representatives are now considering a measure that would not reveal the home addresses of elected officials. They are also debating if they should make it harder for people accused of violent crimes to make bail.

READ MORE: Republicans Investigated for Fake Elector Scheme in Michigan

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Key suspect in shootings at elected officials' homes, Solomon Pena indicted - KRQE
Prosecutors in New Mexico said on Tuesday that Alec Baldwin admitted to shooting Halyna Hutchins on the set of "Rust" and that he had not received proper training with firearms before the incident.

The district attorney for Santa Fe County formally charged him with involuntary manslaughter, calling his actions during the fatal shooting a "reckless deviation from known standards and practice," per the NY Post.

According to the complaint filed on Tuesday, the 64-year-old "30 Rock" actor and the 24-year-old movie's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, have been charged with two felonies: involuntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter in the commission of a lawful act.

Hutchins, a 42-year-old married mother of one, was shot to death by Baldwin using a prop gun that contained a live round on October 21, 2021. The accident also injured director Joel Souza.

READ NEXT: Alec Baldwin Faces Involuntary Manslaughter Charges

Recklessness Causes Alec Baldwin Shooting Accident

An investigator for the prosecution wrote in a probable cause statement filed with the court on Tuesday that Baldwin ignored "multiple significant safety violations" on set despite having access to training in basic firearms safety rules.

Evidence "clearly indicates that Baldwin recklessly ignored these rules on multiple occasions," the statement reads, according to BBC.

According to the district attorney's office, assistant director David Halls of "Rust" has pleaded guilty to negligent use of a deadly weapon. Halls will likely only have to go through probation for six months and a suspended sentence.

The district attorney's office announced Tuesday that the plea agreement would be made public once a judge approved it.

The Scene Doesn't Require Gunfire

Special investigator Robert Shilling concluded that Baldwin resulted in a reckless climate, as proven by the cast and crew's behavior, as documented by statements and proof, because he did not hold enough safety meetings as the film's producer.

According to Shilling, evidence indicates the scene did not require the firearm to be fired after looking over the script and interviewing witnesses, NBC News noted.

Alec Baldwin was rehearsing a scene for "Rust" at the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe County, New Mexico. While the scene does not require a gunshot, Baldwin's gun went off, killing Halyna Hutchins and hurting Souza.

According to the probable cause statement, it is also established after consultation with professional armorers that a plastic gun or a replica should be used in a rehearsal, as no shooting of blanks is required.

But Baldwin pulled the trigger, firing a shot. The bullet fired from the .45 long colt pistol hit Halyna Hutchins in the right armpit, passed out of her back, and pierced Joel Souza in the right shoulder with the bullet lodging into his right back.

On the other hand, Gutierrez-Reed's attorney, Jason Bowles maintained that his client should not be punished because she has done everything, she could to improve safety on the "Rust" set in New Mexico.

"Hannah pleaded to provide more firearms training," Bowles said in a statement. "She was denied and brushed aside.

Bowles argued that Gutierrez-Reed should not be facing a felony charge when Halls could be looking at a sentence of only six months' probation.

"Hannah asked Halls if they could use a plastic gun for the rehearsal scene, and he said no, wanting a 'real gun,'" according to Bowles.

READ MORE: R. Kelly Sexual Assault Cases

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Alec Baldwin formally charged in "Rust" shooting with involuntary manslaughter | full coverage - From CBS News
As gangs continue to take control of Haiti, four key suspects in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise were transferred to the United States to face prosecution. This comes as local Haitian judges get spooked by death threats against them should they hear the case.

According to the Associated Press, the four suspects transferred to U.S. custody are Haitian Americans James Solages, 37, and Joseph Vincent, as well as pastor and doctor Christian Emmanuel Sanon and Colombian German Rivera Garcia.

Sanon, who is described as a failed businessman, was identified as a key player in the plot but it has been suggested that he was duped by the real masterminds behind the assassination who are still yet to be identified.

He is charged with smuggling goods from the U.S. and providing unlawful export information. These include smuggling 20 ballistic vests but were described as "medical X-ray vests and school supplies."

Moise's assassination has plunged Haiti into a political crisis as violent street gangs became emboldened and overwhelmed police. They have ransacked and burned courthouses and have already killed many as they vied for territory not just against police, but also against other gangs.

Jovenel Moise Assassination Suspects Discussed Regime Change in Haiti

Haitian authorities believe that Sanon tried to seize power for himself as president. However, he was not charged with conspiracy to commit murder like the three other men.

However, the elderly doctor did meet with one of the other suspects, Solages, in April 2021. According to the Justice Department, they met "to discuss regime change in Haiti and support for Sanon, an aspiring Haitian political candidate."

READ MORE: Haiti Gang Burns Courthouse

The two men then received a list of equipment needed for the "regime change operation," according to the New York Times. These include rifles, machine guns, tear gas, grenades, ammunition, and bulletproof vests.

This led Sanon to conspire with others to ship the bulletproof vests from South Florida to Haiti. These vests would be used by the 20 Colombian mercenaries who attacked the president. One of the suspects, Garcia, was considered to be their leader.

However, in June 2021, the planned replacement for Moise shifted to a Supreme Court judge as the plan would be to arrest and imprison Moise. However, by July of that same year, the plan changed again as Solages told the other conspirators that they would kill the president instead.

If found guilty. Sanon could face up to 20 years while the other three could face a life sentence.

Haiti Spiraling Out of Control as Gangs take Over

The United Nations has estimated that Haitian gangs have gained control of the majority of the capital, Port-au-Prince, One of the most powerful gangs is the G9 Family and Allies," led by the infamous Jimmy Cherizier, also known as Barbeque, who previously took over Haiti's largest oil depot and crippled the country even further.

He recently spoke to the Associated Press and flaunted that he was not afraid of authorities or other gangs, riding a motorcycle while flanked by gang members in the streets that his gang has occupied.

He told the outlet that he is not a thief nor a rapist, but a revolutionary that is fighting against the corrupt government. The AP noted that men like Chezier are the ones filling the power vacuum left by Haiti's crumbling government, which has been in shambles since Moise was assassinated.

READ MORE: Dominican Republic Deported 1,800 Children to Haiti, Says UNICEF

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Haiti unrest: Sky meets Haiti's notorious gang leader 'Barbecue'
Following a "pattern of repression" against anti-government protests that have resulted in the deaths of over 50 civilians, several US Democrats in the House of Representatives have prompted the Biden administration to suspend Peru security assistance.

In a letter sent to the Biden administration on Monday, the lawmakers demanded an end to security aid until it was verified that the crackdown in Peru had ended and those responsible for human rights abuses were being held to account, according to Al Jazeera.

Peru's foreign minister is in the United States capital this week to lobby for international aid for President Dina Boluarte's increasingly isolated administration.

Many people want Boluarte to step down from her position as president of Peru, which she assumed last month after Pedro Castillo was impeached and arrested for his failed attempt to dissolve Congress.

The letter, signed by 20 primarily progressive US Democrats, claims that "security forces have indiscriminately responded with almost no regard for protestors' human rights."

The letter also said that the Boluarte government has substantially increased tensions by labeling protesters as "terrorists" and restricting citizens' right to movement rather than working to de-escalate tensions.

READ NEXT: Peru President Dina Boluarte Refuses to Resign

US Spends Millions Annually on Peru's Security

The Washington Office on Latin America estimates that the annual U.S. Peru security assistance is over $40 million.

Most of this aid is destined to assist Peru in its fight against drug trafficking, per AP.

Initial protesters were calling for Castillo's release from prison. Still, the unrest has since spread across the country, gaining support from many low-income indigenous Peruvians who have seen little benefit from the mining industry's recent economic boom.

Protesters are calling for Boluarte and Congress to resign immediately and hold new elections this year.

Congress rejected the idea on Friday, but after the death of another protester and Boluarte's pleas, they agreed to debate the idea of holding elections in October by a razor-thin margin on Monday.

Meanwhile, the security forces have ramped up their power as the protests enter their second month.

The national police raid on student dormitories at San Marcos University in Lima, which resulted in the mass arrest of nearly 200 people, is one incident cited in the letter organized by one of the US Democrats, Rep. Susan Wild of Pennsylvania.

Many Peruvians were taken aback by this news, as university campuses have traditionally been off-limits to the police except in cases of actual crime.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights issued a scathing indictment of the campus invasion after hearing testimony from civil society groups alleging that law enforcement officers had broken into the bedrooms of student leaders, made racist remarks to indigenous activists, and forced women to strip naked and do squats.

What Started the Repression in Peru?

After illegally trying to shut down Congress to avoid impeachment, leftist President Pedro Castillo was ousted and arrested in December, setting off unrest in the South American country of about 34 million. Dina Boluarte, his vice president, is now the president.

The economy and access to essential services outside of Lima were hit particularly hard by the pandemic. Castillo, a former teacher and the son of peasant farmers, campaigned on a promise to advocate for Peru's rural poor and Indigenous communities, who are often overlooked in the country's political arena.

Many people were outraged by Castillo's arrest, and that anger has translated into widespread demonstrations against voter suppression, NBC News noted.

As a result of the protests, Boluarte has cracked down on demonstrators, instituted curfews in some cities, and temporarily revoked some civil liberties.

Meanwhile, many progressive Latino members of Congress, like Representatives Jess "Chuy" Garca, Ral Grijalva, Nanette Diaz Barragan, Juan Vargas, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Adriano Espaillat, Nydia Velazquez, and Delia Ramirez, signed the letter sent by US Democrats to the Biden administration.

READ MORE: Alec Baldwin Officially Charged With Manslaughter

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Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Peru protests: Army deployed in southern region as tensions rise - From Al Jazeera English
Former President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against journalist Bob Woodward for allegedly not getting his consent to release audio recordings of their interviews and publishing them in an audiobook. .

The copyright violations lawsuit focuses on "The Trump Tapes: Bob Woodward's Twenty Interviews with President Donald Trump." It was filed in the Northern District of Florida on Monday and sought around $50 million in damages.

The lawsuit also alleged Woodward of capitalizing upon the former president's voice. Woodward and the publisher of the audiobook, Simon & Schuster, noted that Trump's case "is without merit," reported CNN.

They added that all these interviews were on the record and recorded with Trump's "knowledge and agreement."

The former president argued that he only allowed Woodward to use the interviews for "Rage," the author's second book on the former president, which was published in September 2020.

However, the former president said Woodward broke his promise and released the audio from their interviews without his consent last October.

The lawsuit claimed that Trump told the veteran journalists several times that the interviews would only be used to "accurately quote President Trump" for "Rage."

Simon & Schuster was included in the lawsuit and parent company Paramount.

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What Does Bob Woodward's Donald Trump Audiobook Contain?

In a statement, Trump said Bob Woodward's audiobook "was an open and blatant attempt" to make him "look as bad as possible," NBC News reported.

According to The Guardian review, the Trump Tapes audiobook contained the former president pouring out "praise for Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin." It was reported that Trump has complimented them for their "smarts, cunning, and ruthlessness."

Aside from his praise for the mentioned world leaders, Trump also touted the United States' nuclear arsenal, saying that he has "built a weapon system" that has never been created in the U.S. before.

The former president added that the U.S. has "stuff" that the Russian leader and Chinese president "never heard about before."

CNN asked Woodward about the former president's claim that he never asked permission to release the tapes. He then said they were done voluntarily, and "it was all on the record."

Donald Trump has earned a reputation for filing lawsuits against media outlets, including CNN. Currently, he faces a civil fraud lawsuit filed against him by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

What Was Bob Woodward Famous For?

Bob Woodward was known for his Washington Post investigative reporting in 1973 about the Watergate scandal, which earned him a Pulitzer Prize.

The Watergate scandal was known to be a series of interlocking political controversies of the late president Richard Nixon's administration, which included a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C.'s Watergate complex in 1972.

It also involved the coverup done by people who worked for or with the White House and by Nixon himself. Likely facing impeachment for his role in covering up the scandal, Nixon resigned in 1974.

He became the only U.S. president to resign. Four of the five burglars involved in the break-in had been formerly actively in Central Intelligence Agency activities against Fidel Castro in Cuba.

Last January, Woodward with Carl Bernstein commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Watergate break-in.

READ MORE: Donald and Melania Trump Marriage: How Do the Former White House Couple Manage to Stay Together for Over a Decade

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WATCH: Trump Is Now Going After Bob Woodward; Here's Why - From MSNBC




A dangerous new internet craze, known as the "tranquilizer challenge," is raising concern among parents and law enforcement officials in Mexico as it has already led to 15 students being treated.

According to the Associated Press, these grade school students in the north-central city of Guanajuato have been treated after taking part in the challenge in which groups of students take tranquilizers to see who can stay awake the longest.

While no official information was released on the students' condition, they were believed to be in the fifth and sixth grades. It is still unknown how and where they got the tranquilizers used in the deadly internet challenge.

Guanajuato Mayor Alejandro Navarro noted that the students were treated in the school and urged parents to supervise their children whenever they use social media.

"As a rule, girls and boys shouldn't have social media accounts, it's bad to start with," the mayor wrote on his Facebook account. It was reportedly the fourth school in Mexico to suffer such incidents since last year.

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What Is the Tranquilizer Challenge?

This internet challenge has become popular among teens in Mexico, and "the last one to fall asleep wins" the challenge. As the name suggests, the students take tranquilizers and find out who is the last to fall asleep.

This challenge is dangerous, as many tranquilizers are considered controlled medications and can cause harm if the dosage is not monitored. Some tranquilizers, such as clonazepam, even require a prescription before they can be sold. It becomes more dangerous because these kids administer the tranquilizers without adult supervision.

Before this incident in Guanajuato, eight middle school students in Mexico City were also treated after taking part in the "tranquilizer challenge." Some were even hospitalized. Another three middle school students near the northern city of Monterrey were also treated for taking clonazepam doses.

Mexico's Health Department Warns Against the Tranquilizer Challenge

The latest incident in Guanajuato City happened only a few days after Mexico's Health Department issued an alert regarding kids participating in the "dangerous" internet challenge.

According to Fox29, the alert called on the public to report any store selling clonazepam, the tranquilizer usually used in these challenges, without any prescription. The department also urged children and adolescents not to participate in or promote the challenge that "put their lives at risk."

The first incident could be traced back to 2022 when five middle school students near the western city of Guadalajara consumed what the Jalisco state governor, Enrique Alfaro, described as "a strong tranquilizer."

The "tranquilizer challenge" is among the dangerous internet challenges in social media, including the infamous "Tide pod challenge" and the choking game or "blackout challenge."

READ MORE: Joe Biden, Justin Trudeau, AMLO Meet for the North America Leaders Summit

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WATCH: Last to SLEEP Wins $10,000 - Challenge - From Piper Rockelle
A former public school official in Illinois was accused of stealing over $1.5 million worth of chicken wings from schools in a Chicago suburb.

According to CBS Chicago, Vera Liddell, 66, the former director of food services at Harvey School District 152, is facing charges of financial crimes and theft exceeding $1 million. The Cook County State's Attorney's Office said Liddell orchestrated a slow-motion heist scheme that resulted in the theft of over $1.5 million in taxpayer money.

The alleged scheme reportedly happened between July 2020 and February 2022 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when authorities ordered schools to be closed and replaced with online classes. Prosecutors said the school district still provided meals for pickup even though children were learning remotely.

They noted that Liddell placed hundreds of unauthorized orders for food, including 11,000 cases of chicken wings through school district vendor Gordon Food Service, that never made it to schoolchildren. Prosecutors said these purchases were made separately from the school district's legitimate orders.

READ NEXT: Chicago School Watchdog Claims Reports Roughly 500 Sexual Harassment

Routine Audit in Chicago Suburb Schools Discovered Illinois' Former Public School Official's Fraud Scheme

According to the prosecutors, Gordon Food Service believed all the purchases made by Vera Liddell were authorized and billed the district that paid the entire bills. Prosecutors noted that the illicit purchases bore Liddell's signature, Law & Crime reported.

They said the chicken wings were not served to students as they contained bones. Surveillance footage reportedly showed the former public school official arriving at Gordon Food Service to pick up the food orders and put them in a cargo van owned by the school district.

However, court records noted that the food was "never brought to the school or provided to the students," the New York Post reported. It is still unclear where the chicken wings ended up.

Liddell's scheme was reportedly discovered after the district manager conducted a routine mid-year audit in January 2022 and found that food costs were already $300,000 over its annual budget, with the school year only about halfway through.

Prosecutors said all food service provider employees knew Liddell by name because of the massive amount of chicken wings she purchased. District funds were reportedly used to pay for the food.

Illinois' Former Public School Official Faces Theft Case After Stealing Millions Worth of Chicken Wings From Chicago Suburb Schools

The Cook County State's Attorney's Office investigated the case, and the former public school official was arrested and charged. Vera Liddell is being held at the Cook County Jail with a $150,000 bond, WGN9 reported.

Harvey School District 152's interim superintendent Lela Bridges told WGN9 that she was aware of the case but had no comment due to the ongoing probe. The district, which consists of five schools, has a total enrollment of 1,600 students, with more than 80% qualifying as "low income."

READ MORE: US Democrats Urge Biden Administration to Stop Peru Security Assistance

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WATCH: Vera Liddell Allegedly Stole $1.5M in Chicken Wings From Illinois Schools - From New York Post
Ovidio Guzman Lopez, the son of Sinaloa Cartel boss Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera, was found to have anti-aircraft guns inside his bedroom, along with other high-power weapons.

During a Congress meeting on Monday, Mexico's Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said they found "47 weapons, including some very high-power weapons and anti-aircraft guns" inside Ovidio's bedroom alone, VICE reported.

Ebrard noted that these types of weapons cannot be sold in any store, adding that they were still finding out who sold them to El Chapo's son. Military troops arrested Ovidio in Culiacan, Sinaloa state, on January 5. During the violent operation to capture him, at least 29 people were killed.

According to Mexican police, 10 soldiers and 19 individuals suspected to be Sinaloa Cartel members were killed during and after the arrest of El Chapo's son. Aside from the deaths, BBC reported that 35 military personnel were injured and 21 gunmen were arrested.

Immediately after Ovidio was apprehended, Sinaloa Cartel gunmen invaded the city of Culiacan. They set up roadblocks in a bid to free him and clashed with authorities. At least two planes at a Sinaloa airport were reportedly hit by gunfire, and dozens of vehicles were set fire. The gunfight reportedly lasted for more than 10 hours.

READ NEXT: Ovidio Guzman Lopez's Mom, Who Is El Chapo's Second Wife, Pays Funeral Expenses for Dead Sinaloa Cartel Hitmen

Mexico Official Says Guns Found in El Chapo's Son Ovidio Guzman Lopez's House From U.S.

According to Marcelo Ebrard, most of the weapons confiscated inside Ovidio Guzman Lopez's house were traced back to the same gun manufacturers in the United States sued by the government of Mexico last year.

Ebrard noted that most weapons that come into Mexico from the U.S. border concentrate in 10 counties, Borderland Beat reported. These counties were Harris, Dallas, El Paso, Bexar, and Orange in Texas; Maricopa and Pima in Arizona; Hampden in Massachusetts; Hartford in Connecticut; and Los Angeles in California.

The foreign minister said an armory in Hartford sold more than 1,650 weapons located in high-powered criminal areas in Mexico, 1,482 in Maricopa, and 1,156 in Harris, Texas. Ebrard noted that the "whole problem of controlling the sale of arms to Mexico could be reduced to controlling the companies" that sell weapons in the 10 counties.

According to the Washington Post, Mexican officials said guns from the U.S. have flooded Mexico, with the number of .50-calibers and assault rifles more than doubled in the past decade.

The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said about 70 percent of firearms found at crime scenes in Mexico are traceable to the U.S. Local Mexican customs chief Juan Gim Nogales previously said that a surge in ammunition is also a problem.

Nogales noted that the number of ammunition seized in 2020 surged compared to 2019. He said agents at the port of entry confiscated over "four times the ammunition" than in 2019. Nogales noted that they could not tell what the Mexican drug cartels were "getting ready for, but they're arming up."

El Chapo's Sons: The Los Chapitos of Sinaloa Cartel

The four sons of El Chapo, known as Los Chapitos, had reportedly assumed leadership roles in the Sinaloa Cartel after their father was arrested and extradited to the U.S.\ Ovidio Guzman Lopez, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar are collectively known as Los Chapitos.

Under their leadership, the Sinaloa Cartel has continued to be one of Mexico's most powerful drug cartels. The U.S. State Department has offered $5 million rewards for any information that could help federal agents arrest El Chapo's four sons.

The State Department said the Los Chapitos are high-ranking members of the Sinaloa Cartel and are each subject to a federal indictment for their involvement in the illegal drug trade.

Their father's former right-hand man, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, was reportedly the Los Chapitos' internal enemy number one. El Chapo's sons have also been at odds with their uncle, Aureliano "El Guano" Guzman. El Chapo's brother is also a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel.

READ MORE: El Chapo Son Ovidio Guzman Lopez's Arrest Sparks Ongoing Street Warfare in Mexico's Sinaloa State

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WATCH: Mexico Va Por Vendedores De 47 Armas en Poder De Ovidio Guzman: Ebrard - From MILENIO
Las Vegas police on Tuesday arrested former "Dances With Wolves" actor Nathan Chasing Horse after he was accused of running a cult and sexually assaulting young Indigenous girls.

Before he was arrested, the Associated Press reported that police raided the North Las Vegas home of Nathan Lee Chasing His Horse, who goes by Nathan Chasing Horse, that allegedly turned into a cult leader. He was apprehended near his house he reportedly shared with his five wives.

SWAT officers surrounded the two-story house as detectives combed the area in the evening. Chasing Horse gained fame as the young Sioux tribe member Smiles a Lot in Kevin Costner's Oscar-winning film.

He acquired a reputation among American and Canadian tribes as a so-called medicine man performing healing ceremonies and spiritual gatherings. Police said he allegedly used his position to abuse young Native American girls.

A police tip in October 2022 led to the monthslong probe that resulted in his arrest. The AP has obtained a 50-page search warrant that cited Chasing Horse as the leader of a cult called "The Circle." It comes at a time when legislators and state attorneys general in the U.S. are considering establishing specialized units to handle Native women's cases.

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'Dances With Wolves' Actor Nathan Chasing Horse's Nevada Sex Abuse Case

According to 8 News Now investigators, the "Dances with Wolves" star is accused of preying on vulnerable indigenous girls, even taking them across state lines.

Nathan Chasing Horse allegedly told them that spirits wanted them to have sex with him and that they would be part of "The Circle." In some cases, sources told 8 News Now that the actor may have recorded himself while doing the sexual assaults.

Las Vegas police reportedly spent hours investigating his home even after he was arrested. Among the officers' concerns was the possibility of having unsecured guns inside the house, even with children present at times.

Sources also said that Chasing Horse may have planned that if cops showed up, the women present should take "suicide pills" and be ready for a gunfight. Police noted that Chasing Horse preyed on girls from single-parent homes with no father figure and subjected them to repeated physical and sexual abuse.

Allegations against the actor also include child abuse, sexual assault of a child younger than 16, and sex trafficking that forces the victims to have sex with men.

Nathan Chasing Horse Has Been Doing His Crimes for Decades

The AP reported that the Las Vegas police have identified six victims and uncovered sexual allegations against the actor dating back to the early 2000s in several states, including Montana, South Dakota, and Nevada, where he has lived for about 10 years.

Nathan Chasing Horse was born in South Dakota's Rosebud Reservation, home to the Sicangu Sioux, one of the seven Lakota tribes, CBS News reported. After being accused of human trafficking in 2018, the actor was expelled from the Fort Peck Reservation in Poplar, Montana.

Some of Chasing Horse's followers believed he could speak with higher beings and referred to him as "Medicine Man" or "Holy Person." According to the arrest warrant, some victims were as young as 13, and one of the actor's wives was allegedly offered to him as a "gift" when she was 15, while another girl became his wife after turning 16.

The warrant noted that the arrest stemmed from crimes allegedly committed in Nevada's Clark County, despite including details of crimes reported elsewhere.

READ MORE: Alec Baldwin Officially Charged With Manslaughter

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Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: What The Cast Of Dances With Wolves Is Doing Now - From Looper
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More women must be at the forefront of farming to meet the challenges facing agriculture according to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Minister Charlie McConalogue was dut to deliver the message at the National Dialogue on Women in Agriculture in Portlaoise on February 1.

A statement said the dialogue is being led by former Tanaiste and Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan, and features panel discussions and workshops, as well as speakers including the former German Minister for Agriculture, Julia Klockner, Glanbia plc CEO, Siobhan Talbot.

Minister McConalogue will attend with his colleagues Ministers of State Pippa Hackett and Martin Heydon, who both represent Laois voters from their bases in Laois, Offaly and Kildare. The Department of Agriculture says the objective of the dialogue is to gather views to feed into future national policy on the issue of greater gender equality in agriculture.

Minister McConalogue outlined the current situation and called for change.

Of the nearly 280,000 people working on farms in Ireland, some 27% (75,113) are female. However, of the over 130,000 farm holders, just 13% (16,900) are female. Fewer than half of farm holders have a succession plan in place and 83% of identified successors are male.

We have included several measures in the Irelands new CAP Strategic Plan which will support greater gender equality. However, to meet our Food Vision 2030 goals of greater environmental, economic and social sustainability, greater womens participation is crucial. We cannot meet the challenges and grasp the opportunities ahead if we continue to have an under-representation of women, both within farming and across the sector.

Its time to take the role of women farmers out of the shadows and put them firmly in the spotlight. I believe this National Womens Dialogue will do that, he said.

Green Party Minister of State and farmer Pippa Hackett said also wants change to bring diversity into farming.

I am passionate about finding collaborative solutions to advancing the gender equality agenda within the agriculture sector in Ireland. Today, we have taken an important step in coming together and discussing the issues. We must now continue to make progress so that agri-food can benefit from greater female participation in the future and we can continue to advance our journey towards greater sustainability, including considering options for farm diversification such as organics and forestry, she said.

Minister of State Heydon said there are clear benefits to getting more women into farming.

It is fitting that we are gathered on St Brigids Day to discuss the participation and visibility of women in agriculture. Improving the social sustainability of agriculture is a priority under Food Vision 2030 and gender equality forms an important part of that. From the perspective of farm safety, this will also bring improvements to the health, wellbeing, and safety of all those who live and work on farms as a greater influence of women in the management of farms can lead to the adoption of safer farm practices, he said.

The Department says the outcome of the discussions will be compiled into a report that will inform policy in this regard in the coming years. It says this will be strengthened by a specific research project on womens participation in agriculture, and ongoing engagement with stakeholders.

The meeting takes place at the Midlands Park Hotel Portlaoise.
A record number of patients have attended Portlaoise hospital's Emergency Department (ED / A&E) which the HSE wanted to be shut by 2022, according to figures obtained by a local TD.

Sinn Fein's Brian Stanley says figures he has received from the HSE outline the month-on-month increase throughout 2022 for emergency presentations at the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise.

He says they show that a total of 42,387 patients attended the Laois ED last year which he claims makes it one of the busiest emergency units outside of Dublin.

He said the monthly figures increased steadily throughout with 3,071 patients attending in January, but by December this increased each month and hit a record high of 4,054.

He praised the staff for their response.

"Great credit is due to the staff at the hospital who have managed to deal with each case and have also worked hard to reduce the number of patients on trolleys.

It is important that the extra capacity is put into Portlaoise to cater for the increase of population of the region. Adequate space and sufficient staffing numbers are essential in terms of good outcomes for patients. When patients are not seen in a timely manner it can lead to a backup with ambulances attending with very ill patients. The huge volume of people being treated in Portlaoise hospital vindicates the case that has been made over the years for retention of emergency services and increased investment in the Hospital," he said.

The TD concluded by saying he looks forward to the construction works being completed for the new extension at the hospital.

The green light was given recently by Government to fund a new respiratory unit at the hospital. Pediatric facilities are also in line for expansion.

A plan leaked to Dep Stanley in 2017 outlined a detailed downgrade plan for Dublin Midlands Hospital Group. By 2022 it had been hoped to shut the ED as well as removing ICU surgery, paediatrics and maternity from the hospital.
As Ireland prepares to celebrate its first public holiday dedicated to a woman, Siobhan McSweeney goes in search of the real Brigid for a new documentary Finding Brigid on RTE One tonight at 10.15pm.

1500 years after Brigids death, Siobhan unravels the tangled threads of fact and folklore to reveal the truth about this elusive Goddess, Woman and Saint, and asks why, in an increasingly secular and diverse Ireland, Brigid's popularity appears to be on the rise?

Siobhan gathers a "mnasome", in a stone circle in Galway, with Herstory activist Melanie Lynch, and poet Laura Murphy, who candidly reveal their motivation behind the Herstory campaign and their mission to make St Brigids Day a national holiday.

Joining this mnasome are sisters Mary Kennedy and Deirdre Ni Chinneide, who grew up by St Brigids Well in Clondalkin and are co-authors of the book Journey to the Well.

Broadcaster Mary openly shares the influence she feels Brigid had on her, saying: "I did feel that by researching and by writing about Brigid, I got more of a sense of me as a woman, as an Irish woman, as a woman with Celtic roots and a confidence."

Siobhan then visits the sacred Brigids Well in Kildare with former president Mary McAleese.
IntoKildare, the County Kildare Tourism Board illuminated the Hill of Allen and the highest hill in County Kildare, Cupidstown Hill, as part of this years festivities to celebrate the patron saint of Kildare, St. Brigid.

The historic tower at the Hill of Allen emitted a series of bright lights at 6.00pm on Tuesday, January 31st, on the eve of St Brigids.

The Tower and hill will light up again from 6pm to midnight on St. Brigids Day, February 1st.

International soprano and Kildare native, Celine Byrne sang A Candle For You, at the top of the hill and wore a St. Brigid inspired cloak designed by Irish designer, Jennifer Rothwell. The beautiful song was composed by Marie Dunne and Celines performance was a moving tribute to St. Brigid whose legacy as a peace maker is renowned.

Due to restrictions, there is no access to the Hill of Allen during the lighting up ceremonies to ensure public safety. Members of the public will be able to view the lighting up from their own homes by logging onto IntoKildares Facebook page or by visiting www.intokildare.ie

St Brigids Day traditionally marks the first day of spring and has been celebrated by Christians all over the world for many centuries. The much-adored Kildare patron saint was born in the fifth century, where she built a monastery for men and women in Kildare around 470AD. Irish missionaries and migrants carried her name and spirit across the world and pilgrims and visitors come to County Kildare from all over the world seeking to walk in Brigids footsteps.

Additionally, IntoKildare and Solas Bhride Centre & Hermitages have joined forces and launched a global Pause for Peace movement.

Pause for Peace will see the residents of County Kildare (Ireland) calling on people all around the world to stop for a minutes silence at 12.00 noon on the 1st of February 2023.

2024 marks the 1500th year of the passing of Saint Brigid, the patron Saint of Kildare and Ireland and in preparation for this special year various activations will take place in 2023. The lighting of the hills and the Pause for Peace movement are just some of these special events and celebrations which formally recognises the importance of Saint Brigid from a cultural, religious, spiritual, and historical point of view. Brigid 1500 will see a whole series of celebrations and events taking place at home and abroad while 2023 will also be the first year that Ireland will celebrate the new public holiday in the beloved saints name.

CEO of Into Kildare, Aine Mangan said, From this year onwards Ireland will celebrate a new annual national holiday in honour of Saint Brigid, one of the three patron saints of our country. Saint Patrick had a national holiday declared in his honour in 1903, finally, one hundred and twenty years later Saint Brigid has been granted a similar honour. This decision marks the modelling of the equal dignity of male and female at national level. The new public holiday this year is on the 6th of February. The Saint Brigids Day Public Holiday is hugely important not just for County Kildare, but for the whole country when we expect to see hundreds of thousands of visitors travel to Ireland. We are also working alongside our partners and colleagues at Kildare County Council, Tourism Ireland and Failte Ireland to promote Kildare and the new public holiday all around the world. Equally, from a domestic point of view, the new holiday will serve as a welcome uplift for hospitality providers who will enjoy a business boost in the shoulder period between Christmas and Saint Patricks Day.
Department of Defence is seeking tenders from contractors for the construction of Logistics Office, School of Military Engineering. It is intended to provide a new Logistics Office at the School of Military Engineering, DFTC, Curragh Camp, Co. Kildare that will be suitable for occupation by up to 12 members of staff.

There is an extensive list of that work that will be carried on the new construct, the full list is below;

- Construction of new NZEB single storey building including locker facilities, shower and ablution faciltiies

- Associated ground works for concrete strip foundations

- Construction of concrete strip foundations

- Floor finishes

- Installation and connection of new three phase LT cables in ducting to the building from existing electrical supply

- Construction of Main Distribution Board within the Logistics Office

- Electrical power supply and lighting for the Logistics Office

- Fire escape doors to the North gable elevation and Western Elevation

- Installation of air to water heat pump to provide space and water heating for the building, to including underfloor heating and associated pipework for water heating

- Installation of showers, ablutions and associated plumbing works to include connection to existing sewage drains

- Internal block walls, stud partition walls and associated fire doors

- Surface Water drains and connection to existing stormwater drainage system

- Internal electrical and communications points as outlined

- Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery system

Works contracts will be used for this project and if interested you can contact the Department of Defence on Station Road

Newbridge, Co Kildare or Sarah Curry at +35345492148 or BuildingPMB@defence.ie.

The response deadline is March 1 at 12pm.
ALDI Ireland is rolling out a nationwide partnership with Too Good To Go to its nine stores in County Kildare, making it the first supermarket to partner with the food surplus app.

Following a successful trial last year, ALDI Ireland is making the surplus food bags available nationwide in a bid to tackle food waste and offer even lower prices to customers.

The surplus food bags, known as Surprise Bags, will contain a range of products that are approaching their sell-by or use-by dates at a third of the price, costing shoppers in Kildare just 3.99 each to purchase.

To avail of a Surprise Bag, shoppers can download the free Too Good To Go app and search for their nearby ALDI store before reserving a bag to collect from the store at an allotted time.

ALDI has pledged to eliminate 60 tonnes of food waste from its operations in 2023 in support of the Governments National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap. The nationwide rollout will reduce food from going to waste annually and will form a key part of ALDIs ongoing commitment to reducing food waste.

In addition to the new partnership, all of ALDIs stores in Kildare will continue to donate surplus food to local causes 365 days of the year. Since 2014, the supermarket has donated more than 2.6 million meals via its successful partnership with charity partner FoodCloud, saving an equivalent of 3.2 million tonnes of CO2.

John Curtin, Group Buying Director, ALDI Ireland comments, Our partnership with Too Good To Go will further enable us to cut down on food waste, while also offering customers in Kildare the opportunity to pick up our food at even lower prices.

With the rising cost of living impacting so many, Too Good To Go offers a simple and accessible way for consumers to save money and reduce waste.

Were thrilled to be officially launching our partnership with ALDI nationally, adds Sophie Trueman, Managing Director of Too Good To Go UK and Ireland. Having already had fantastic feedback during a successful trial period, I know our community in Kildare is going to jump at the chance to save ALDI Surprise Bags. At Too Good To Go we believe that saving food from going to waste is a win-win-win - businesses can recover the sunk cost of would-be wasted food, consumers can get good food for less, and with one simple action, were collectively doing something great for the planet by stopping that food from ending up in landfill.

Caz Mooney, ALDIs newest Brand Ambassador, speaking at the launch, I am absolutely thrilled to be joining forces with ALDI as an ambassador for 2023. Having worked with them over the last 6 months championing the value and quality of their range, this feels like the natural evolution of our relationship. I know my Irish Budgeting community, will welcome this partnership with Too Good To Go, as we seek to save money and reduce food waste in our homes every single day.
STATE of the art signage is proposed to be created for Limerick City and County later this year in an effort to create uniformity throughout the county.

Councillors Daniel Butler and Olivia O'Sullivan have backed this initiative to spend 100,000 to remove dated or obsolete signage and will also look at amalgamating other signage across the county.

Cllr O'Sullivan expressed her desire to remove the "inconsistent" signage along the county and city gateways, and replace them with a cohesive brand, that in her words, from a tourism stand point, will be "far stronger."

"It will announce where you are, where you are arriving into," she started. "It will provide a welcome, and establish us."

In the city, there will be a number of signage options created. Finger post signage, with various locations on it which will be interchangeable and dotted around the city centre. "This is a great thing as signage can date," said Cllr O'Sullivan. Totem structures will appear in certain city locations to point you in the right direction. "There will be a printed map and some illustrations on these to show you where you are." Route markers will also be scattered across walking routes.

As far as a timeline goes, the work initially began in 2019, but due to Covid was postponed.

According to the Fine Gael representative, planning permission will be submitted at the end of March or beginning of April. She continued to add that after the planning process has been completed by June, a manufacturer will be assigned and the installation should happen in September.

Before this gets underway, Cllr O'Sullivan stated that a de-cluttering audit of Limerick city will be required to get rid of any "outdated or unnecessary signage that is there."

At the moment the she said: "There's no uniformity. This is going to be the same throughout the city and county and is really overdue for us. I'm delighted to see it," she smiled.

About this plan, Cllr Butler said: "Besides the visual improvement this will offer it will also make paths less obstructed and more accessible for all users. Reduction in signage has also proven to improve motorist safety reducing distracting excessive signage and ensuring key information is visible to the driver."

When contacted by Limerick Live, Limerick City and County Council declined to comment on the project.

Councillor O'Sullivan stressed that the images of the proposed signage are mock-ups and the translations or designs have not yet been finalised. Care will be taken to ensure the Irish will be grammatically correct.

According to Limerick City and County Council's adopted budget for 2023, this project is partly funded through Failte Irelands Destination Towns Funding Programme.
GARDAI have issued a warning to third-level students in Limerick about the dangers of becoming a so called "money mule".

According to the authorites, a money mule is a person who allows their bank account to be used for the transfer of others stolen or illegal money.

"They may or may not be aware of the crime, however, they are complicit if they recklessly allow their account to be used to launder the proceeds of criminality," said Garda John Finnerty of Henry Street garda station.

Those aged between 18 and 24 and those over 55 years are the cohorts which are most commonly targeted by organised crime gangs to act as money mules.

There have been a number of arrests, prosecutions and convictions in Limerick in recent years arising from such incidents.

"Vulnerable people such as those who are new to the country, students, people who are unemployed or under financial pressure are also likely to be targeted. Those who purchase illegal drugs may be offered to pay off their drug debt by becoming a money mule," added Garda Finnerty.

The garda message is that ignorance of the law is not excuse and those who are approached are being advised the penalties, upon conviction, include a prison sentence of up to 14 years.

What are the warning signs that young people should heed?

According to gardai, there can be advertisements for jobs on online platforms offering seemingly easy or quick money that are, in fact, a recruitment front for money mules.

"Anyone who thinks they are being approached to become a money mule should refuse to provide their bank details and to contact An Garda Siochana. If an account has already been compromised, the account holder should contact their bank and An Garda Siochana," said Garda Finnerty.

In recent years, over 800 money mules have been identified across Ireland, including in Limerick.
A MONUMENTAL milestone has been reached by a past group of Crescent College graduates.

The class of 1966 celebrated their 57th anniversary at the Savoy Hotel, and after a few postponements due to Covid, they were delighted to finally be reunited.

At a time before the land in Dooradoyle was purchased for what is now known as Crescent College Comprehensive SJ, class of 1966 member Justin Herbert reminisced about his former school.

"We were located at the Jesuit school near the Daniel O'Connell monument," he began. "At the time we would have had Jesuit priests teaching us, there are very few left now."

Towards the end of January, upstairs in The Locke Suite upstairs at the luxury hotel, the group of roughly 20 enjoyed a prosecco reception, a four-course meal and a night full of laughter, chatter and nostalgia.

Justin laughed about the memories they shared: "We were thinking back on the rugby we played, the operas and plays we held and God knows what else we were getting up to!"

From Limerick, Cork, Dublin and Galway to name a few, the group arrived from near and far to attend as many had not seen each other since they left school.

According to Justin it was "a very enjoyable time and good fun".
A NEW bioenergy training course for farmers is being run as a collaboration between Gurteen College and the Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA).

The project is made possible by funding from the National Just Transition Fund for the wider Midlands region and Gurteen College and IrBEAs agreement to deliver it jointly.

Gurteen College Principal Jon Parry commented: This is a pivotal time for farming and climate action, and we are delighted to partner with the Irish Bioenergy Association to bring in its bioenergy technical knowledge and market development expertise for the delivery of this course.

It reflects our ongoing delivery of sustainability in farming programmes for our students, and it will play an important part in the Just Transition for the wider Midlands region.

A collaborative learning approach is a key part of our ethos here at Gurteen, and in this case, collaborating with IrBEA means that we can broaden and deepen the level of knowledge and expertise that the Bioenergy Training Course can access and offer to our students, added Mr Parry.

IrBEAs Chief Executive Officer, Mr Sean Finan commented that this course is an exciting opportunity for farmers interested in bioenergy, regardless of their previous level of knowledge or expertise in it.

Sustainability, energy and new income opportunities are very much at the core of discussions both about farming generally and amongst farmers themselves.

This new bioenergy training course offers the whole spectrum of farmers an opportunity to learn more about sustainable bioenergy, and the different ways it can contribute to farming, the economy, and our communities and environment, Mr Finan stated.

Gurteen College has 75 years of experience of agricultural teaching and training. IrBEA represents the broad remit of bioenergy, across the island of Ireland, since 1999.

The bioenergy training course will run for one day a week for six weeks, with the possibility of some additional modules emerging from the discussions and learnings on the course. A team from IrBEA and Gurteen College will jointly deliver the course.

The course will be provided on a funded scholarship-type basis - on-site attendance and participation at Gurteen College is required, where meals will be provided.

The course promises to provide an exciting combination of Gurteen Colleges farming and agricultural expertise and IrBEAs bioenergy expertise, including support to bioenergy enterprise and market development.

For farmers, there will be a particular focus on knowledge transfer in relation to sustainable energy crop production and anaerobic digestion.

For more Green news, follow the EcoLive section of our website LimerickLive.ie.
THE University of Limerick has been ordered to pay 50,000 to a former counsellor after it was found to have discriminated against him on age grounds.

Michael OMahony, who had worked for UL for nearly two decades, initiated proceedings in the Workplace Relations Commission, after he was compulsorily retired in March 2021.

In her ruling, WRC Adjudicator Brid Deering said the actions of UL constituted a discriminatory dismissal on grounds of age contrary to the provisions of EU law and the Employment Equality Acts.

During a hearing last October, Mr OMahony, now aged 70, stated he was fit and capable of working when he was informed by UL that his employment was being terminated.

He said he believed his age was held against him and that it was important to him, as a respected hard-working member of staff, that he be treated with dignity and respect.

The manner of his dismissal was a sad way to end what was otherwise a very happy and rewarding career with the respondent, noted Ms Deering.

During the hearing, UL argued it was legally obliged to compulsorily retire Mr OMahony who had worked as an independent contractor for many years before becoming a direct employee of the university.

The UL case was that the retirement age of 65 in the Public Sector is well known and that it was obliged to implement the law and, accordingly, had to retire Mr OMahony.

In her closing remarks, Ms Deering noted Mr O'Mahony was a "highly valued employee" and was a a great resource to the students.

In her findings, which have just been published, she states that the implications for the complainant of a change in employment status were manifold.

"As a self-employed person he had the liberty to work to an age of his choice; whereas on 1 January 2019 he became a public servant employed prior to 1 April 2004, and accordingly, a compulsory retirement age of 65 years applied in line with the applicable retirement legislation."

Finding in Mr O'Mahony's favour, she said: "I decide that the complainant has established a prima facie case of discrimination which has not been rebutted by the respondent."

In ordering UL to pay 50,000 in compensation for the effects of discrimination on the age ground, she added: "This amount is arrived at having regard to the requirement under Article 17 of the Framework Directive as interpreted by case law that the sanction be 'effective, dissuasive and proportionate'."
THE DEPARTMENT of Education says it's working on a "contingency plan" to ensure no Limerick child is left without a secondary school place next year.

It comes after it emerged some 26 city youngsters moving up from primary school in September will not be formally offered a place.

It comes due to the fact schools in the urban area and the suburbs are at capacity.

Under the Common Application System unique to Limerick, which sees all city schools, and two rural schools - in Croom and Pallaskenry - make their offers together, students were due to be contacted today.

However, for 26 local families, it will be a tense time, as they will hear tomorrow that they have unfortunately not been allocated a school place.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education - which put out a warning over the issue last month - said engagement has taken place with Limerick Education Centre and school patrons.

They pointed out that city schools have already upped their places by more than 100, including 44 new spots made available in the last week.

This, they say, has brought the number of refusal letters down from 70.

"It is expected that some students who have been offered places instead accept places in other non-city schools. It is likely that this will free up places that will meet the needs of some or all of the students currently without a place. Nevertheless, the Department is working with school patrons to put a contingency solution in place to ensure that there are sufficient places available in the city. There will be further clarity on this in the coming weeks. Families can be assured that any necessary solution will be delivered so that all of the children currently without a place can be accommodated," the spokesperson pledged.

The explosion in demand for school places is likely to peak in the next year or two, the department has said.

It's being blamed on what's been described as a "demographic bulge" moving through the education system.

On top of this, some 1,000 Ukrainian children who have come to Ireland to escape from their homeland's conflict with Russia will transfer from primary to secondary this year.

The common application system was introduced in 2005 by the then Education Minister Noel Dempsey.

It followed controversy over the exclusion each year of a small but significant number of children, in hopes the system would prevent them being passed over.

Chair of the Limerick principal and deputy principals association Eoin Shinners, who heads the new Educate Together school set for Castletroy, told RTE News that many of this year's applications had come from localities outside of the city.

He said he was confident that more capacity would be freed up as rural children offered places opt instead to attend schools closer to where they live.

He said the Department of Education had been informed about the capacity problem and the issue would be discussed with the department "should we have a situation where the 26, or some of them, don't receive a place in a school".
Ulster Bank said it is confident that it has the resources to handhold vulnerable customers towards a new provider by the end of March, as it begins to freeze active accounts.

Around 2,000 active personal accounts will begin to be frozen from next week in what the bank told a committee was the last attempt to engage with these customers.

Its representatives said that 5,500 accounts which are receiving social welfare payments are being targeted to move to a new provider in the coming months before the banks withdrawal from the Irish market.

Around half of these accounts are in receipt of child benefit, with the other half receiving a broad range of social welfare payments such as pensions.

The Department of Social Protection and the bank are making efforts to engage with customers in areas where the numbers are highest, using social media and advertising campaigns.

Around 800 customers a week are changing from Ulster Bank as their main provider.

We are going to then get down into very small numbers of customers who potentially are very vulnerable customers, Elizabeth Arnett, director of corporate affairs at Ulster Bank, told TDs and senators on Wednesday.

Were going to cross reference those with our vulnerable customer team.

We have individuals assigned across the bank who, for want of a better word, own each individual vulnerable customer, and were confident that those resources are in place to handhold those customers out of the bank and into another service provider, the majority of whom will be done by the end of March.

Ulster Bank and KBC appeared before the Oireachtas finance committee on Wednesday, to outline progress in the closing of thousands of accounts in the coming weeks.

Ulster Bank is to close its branches on April 21 this year  more than two years since it was first announced.

Accounts are closed if they have been given a six months notice period and there is little activity in their account, and a cheque is sent out to customers with the remaining amounts in their accounts.

In her opening statement, Ulster Bank chief executive Jane Howard said that since November, it has frozen around 126,000 accounts that we believed customers were no longer reliant on.

This is based on less than five transactions in a 31-day period, she added.

Ms Howard said that when these accounts were frozen, there was no spike in the opening of other accounts, which leads them to categorically conclude these are not being used as peoples main accounts.

We did not freeze or close any known vulnerable customers accounts or accounts in receipt of Department of Social Protection Payments, she said.

Ms Howard added that they are to begin freezing the 20,000 accounts that have gone beyond their six-month notice period from next week, freezing between 2,000-2,500 a week in a phased, orderly manner.

This will mean that funds cannot go in or out of the account.

She said: I think these 20,000 customers, they sort of fall into two cohorts. Weve got some who have been open with us and said were just not going to go until you make us, and then weve got others and we dont know why they havent gone and theyre the ones that were most worried about.

She said that 91% of Ulster Bank personal current accounts are either closed or have five transactions or less in the past month, and 81% of Ulster Bank business accounts are either closed or with minimal transactions.

Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty asked would people be still entitled to redeem cheques that had not been cashed in time.

So the post could be landing, but its landing in a pile in the corner on a table, he said.

After six months, as you say, the cheque then is no longer legal tender and wouldnt be capable of being cashed, Ms Howard said.

So we will be opening a trustee account and we will have a record of any customers who havent cashed their cheque, and will always have a right to that money.

She said the vast majority of the accounts that have been closed have balances less than 10 euro, but there are some accounts with more than 10,000 euro.

Were not sending out a cheque in excess of 10,000 euro without doing more track and trace to make sure you know for fraud and other reasons.

KBC Bank chief executive Frank Jansen said that in May 2022 it was estimated that 52,000 of its 130,000 current account holders would need to open a new account or move to a new provider.

He said that it is now estimated the number who need to open an account or move to a new provider is down 50% to 26,000, and that all current account customers have received closure notices.

Our plan as it looks today is that colleagues will leave over the next two years in a phased way and all our employees will be entitled to redundancy, he said.

Ms Howard said that a small group of Ulster Bank employees will be retained in Ireland to deal with complaints, but the majority of colleagues will leave in 2023.

Ms Arnett said that they are informing their staff as best they can when their job will end.

She added: Theres lots of other opportunities for colleagues and I think weve been very open to ensuring their colleagues are thinking along those lines and making sure that theyre availing of all of the additional training and supports.

Weve seen one colleague a year ago left to train as a midwife, so theres lots of different opportunities for people and weve been encouraging people to think differently about it.

But without a doubt, certainty as to when the change will happen is the most important thing for colleagues.
One of Irelands most dynamic ensemble, Irish Chamber Orchestra, will open its season in Limerick on February 24.

Mixing traditional repertoire with new commissions as they collaborate with everyone from DJs to dance companies, ICO pushes the boundaries of what a chamber orchestra can do.

Based at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick, ICO is funded by the Arts Council of Ireland.

The thrilling concert will feature ICOs Principal Conductor and Artistic Partner, Thomas Zehetmair and his wife, renowned violist, Ruth Killius.

One of the finest violinists in Europe and equally in demand as a conductor, Thomas Zehetmair has a reputation for compelling performances and artistic individualism.

Zehetmair and Killius already work hand in glove as one half of the award-winning Zehetmair Quartet, and in these concerts, they showcase Mozarts glorious Sinfonia concertante, an iconic work from his Salzburg days, to great effect.

In the prodigious Wind Serenade by Richard Strauss, the Irish Chamber Orchestra shines its carefree, calm, and lyrical work.

Continuing to champion Irish composers, Raymond Deanes evocative and atmospheric Embers features alongside Haydns Symphony No. 49 which explores grief with dramatic flair.

Full of striking dark colours, the Passion Symphony is typical of the period and Zehetmair and ICO give it that emotional intensity.

The concert will take place at University Concert Hall, in Limerick on February 24. Tickets via uch.ie
The prices of Tata Motors passenger vehicles such as Tata Tiago, Tata Punch, Tigor, etc will be increased from today, 1 February 2022.

There will be an increase of 1.2% on every vehicle on a weighted average basis.

According to Tata Motors, the price increase is due to a rise in overall input cost. In January, the automaker had raised commercial vehicle prices by up to 2%.

"The company has been absorbing a significant portion of the increased costs on account of regulatory changes and rise in overall input costs and is hence passing on some portion through this hike, Tata Motors said in a statement.

The company sells various models like Nexon, Harrier, Safari, and Punch in the domestic market.

Earlier in January, rival and India's top car maker Maruti Suzuki raised prices by an average of 1.1% across its models, blaming similar cost pressures.

India has mandated automakers to comply with stricter fuel efficiency norms from April this year and will also require all cars to have six airbags by October.

Recently, Mahindra also increased the prices of Scorpio-N and Scorpio Classic. The carmaker has to raise the prices of the SUV by up to 85,000 and of Scorpio-N by up to 1 lakh.

Hyundai has also increased the prices of its premium hatchback i20 and its sportier version i20 N-Line. In the second hike in just over four months, the Korean carmaker has increased the price of i20 by up to 21,500. The price of the hatchback now starts from 7.18 lakh and goes up to 11.68 lakh (ex-showroom)for top-spec Asto (O) variant with DCT transmission.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the last full budget of the Modi 2.0 government on today, 1 February 2022. The finance minister will on Wednesday present her fifth straight budget at a time when the economy is slowing due to global headwinds. Budget 2023 will be presented in paperless form just like the previous two union budgets.

The budget session of the Parliament began on Tuesday with President's address. This year's budget session is going to have 27 sittings till April 6 with a month-long recess to examine the budget papers. Part-I of the budget session will conclude on 13 February while Part 2 will reconvene on 21 March and conclude on 6 April.

In today's budget, the Central government will seek to lower its fiscal deficit while offering incentives for investment and stepping up state spending to support an economy that is caught in the global slowdown.

Sitharaman will have to do a tight-rope walk between staying fiscally prudent and general public expectations of lower taxes and a wider social security net, while at the same time firing the engines of the economy before general elections.

Worried over rising public debt, the central government is likely to cut its fiscal deficit to between 5.8% and 5.9% of GDP in 2023/24 from 6.4% in 2022/23, officials have said.

Officials have told the media agency that the Budget 2023 is unlikely to offer major relief to households due to fiscal constraints. However, Finance Minister Sitharaman could tweak tax rules including through an alteration to the structure of the capital gains tax that would encourage investment.

The finance minister is also likely to expand production-linked incentives for more sectors, and new investments to meet India's net-zero carbon emissions goal by 2070.

Yesterday, Sitharaman tabled the Economic Survey for the Financial Year 2022-23.

The Economic Survey said that India's economic recovery from the Covid pandemic is complete and the economy is expected to grow in the range of 6% to 6.8% in the coming financial year 2023-24. This is in comparison to 7% this fiscal and 8.7% in 2021-22.
The amount of taxes you pay is likely to change ahead. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her budget speech has made key major announcements for hard-working middle-class citizens who pay taxes. These are called new income tax slabs and the Centre has decided to make it a default tax regime. However, the old income tax slabs regime has not been abolished as well. Instead, taxpayers now have the option between the two regimes when paying for their taxes. But which one is better?

What is the new income tax slabs regime?

Firstly, FM cleared the air over the rebate on an income of 5 lakh which is free from taxes in both old and new tax regimes. This will change ahead!

Sitharaman has proposed to make the exemption limit to 7 lakh under the new tax regime -- which means that up to this income amount a taxpayer will not be required to pay any tax.

Further, she proposed of change the tax structure in this regime by reducing the number of slabs to five and increasing the tax exemption limit to 3 lakh.

Hence, the new revised tax rates are:

- Income slab of 3 lakh: No tax levied

- Income of 3 lakh to 6 lakh: 5% tax rate

- Income of 6 lakh to 9 lakh: 10% tax rate

- Income of 9 lakh to 12 lakh: 15% tax rate

- Income of 12 lakh to 15 lakh: 20% tax rate

- Above 15 lakh income: 30%.

Additionally, the FM has proposed to reduce the surcharge rate from 37% to 25% on the highest tax rate in the country of 42.74% -- which is among the highest in the world. With the reduction in the surcharge rate, the maximum rate would be 39%.

Also, FM proposed to extend the benefit of the standard deduction to the new tax regime. Each salaried person with an income of 15.5 lakh or more will thus stand to benefit by 52,500.

But FM also said, "we are also making the new income tax regime as the default tax regime. However, citizens will continue to have the option to avail the benefit of the old tax regime."

In the previous new tax regime, no tax was levied on income to 2.5 lakh. Other tax rates were:

- Income 2.5 lakh to 5 lakh: 5% rate

- Income 5 lakh to 7.5 lakh: 10% rate

- Income 7.5 lakh to 10 lakh: 15% rate

- Income 10 lakh to 12.5 lakh: 20% rate

- Income of 12.5 lakh to 15 lakh: 25% rate

- Above 15 lakh income: 30% rate

What are old income tax slabs?

- Income up to 2.5 lakh: Exempted from tax

- Income of 2.5 lakh to 5 lakh: 5% tax rate

- Income of  5 lakh to 10 lakh: 20% tax rate

- Income of above 10 lakh: 30% tax rate

Which one is better?

Before understanding which is a better regime, you need to first understand which factors will be taken into consideration for calculation of income tax amount.

According to India's leading tax and financial services software platform, Clear's calculation, without any deduction claims, the new tax regime is beneficial. A taxpayer saves more taxes under the new tax regime. It needs to be noted that this would be without any deductions that are available in old regime.

View Full Image Without any deduction claims, the new tax regime is beneficial. (Clear's Calculation)

In the older regime, a tax rebate is applicable till income of 5 lakh under section 87A of the IT Act. The maximum rebate comes to around 12,500. Now, this rebate is added to income tax payable above 5 lakh. Hence, only the income class of 5 lakh salary, does not pay any taxes.

Examples:

For example, Mr. XYZ has a salary of 10 lakh and decided to choose the old tax regime. Let's suppose, tax deductions under sections 80C, 80D, and 24 (b) cumulatively come to around 2.5 lakh. Taking into consideration the deduction amount, the taxable amount is around 7.5 lakh ( 10 lakh minus 2.5 lakh tax benefits).

Tax amount on income of 7.5 lakh:

Till 2.5 lakh income: Nil Tax

Income tax slab between 2.5 lakh to 5 lakh: 5% tax rate on 2.5 lakh (the difference between 2.5 to 5 lakh) which comes to around 12,500

Income tax slab between 5 lakh to 10 lakh: 20% tax rate is levied on the remaining 2.5 lakh, taking the amount to 50,000

Taking the above into consideration, the tax amount that needs to be paid would be 62,500 ( 12,500 + 50,000).

But if deductions are not included in the old regime:

- Till income of 2.5 lakh, no tax will be levied.

- 12,500 tax between income bracket of 2.5 lakh to 5 lakh

- 20% levied on the remaining 5 lakh which falls under the income tax bracket of 5 lakh to 10. The tax amount here comes to around 1 lakh.

Taking these into consideration, the tax payable amount would be 1,12,500 in the old regime.

Under the revised new tax regime:

Taking the same example into consideration, the taxable amount will be 10 lakh.

- 0 to 3 lakh: No Tax

- 3 lakh to 6 lakh: Tax rebate of 15,000 (5% under section 87A)

- 6 lakh to 9 lakh: 10% tax rate which leads to 30,000

- 9 lakh to 12 lakh slab: The remaining 1 lakh amount falls under this bracket, hence, the tax amount here would be 15,000

The tax amount payable would be 60,000 ( 15,000 + 30,000 + 15,000) in the new revised regime.

Hence, without the tax deduction amount claimed, the new regime is much better for taxpayers to save on taxes. But if deductions are included, then old regime is more beneficial.

View Full Image The same is the case in high tax slabs with same tax rate in both old and new regime. (Clear's Calculations)

For example: If your salary comes to around 20 lakh. Under this salary income, the highest tax rate of 30% is same for both new and old regime, however, the tax amount varies.

Old regime:

Under the old regime, without claiming tax deduction benefits, here's how your tax amount will be.

Income till 2.5 lakh: No tax

Tax on income slab from 2.5 lakh to 5 lakh: 12,500 payable (5% of 2.5 lakh).

Tax on income slab from 5 lakh to 10 lakh: Tax amount to come around 1,00,000.

Above 10 lakh: 30% levied on the remaining amount of 10 lakh -- the amount comes to around 3,00,000.

The tax payable amount is 4,12,500 ( 12,500 + 1 lakh + 3 lakh) on a salary of 20 lakh in the old regime.

New revised regime:

Same example:

- No tax till 3 lakh

- 15000 between income slab of 3 lakh to 6 lakh (5%)

- 30,000 between income tax slab of 6 lakh to 9 lakh (10%)

- 45,000 between income slab of 9 lakh to 12 lakh (50%)

- 60,000 between income slab of 12 lakh to 15 lakh (20%)

- 1,50,000 on above 15 lakh (30% on remaining 5 lakh)

The total tax payment comes to around 3 lakh ( 15,000 + 30,000 + 45,000 + 60,000 + 1.5 lakh)

Similar is the case with other income salaries.

View Full Image New tax regime is likely to be benefit lower earnings and very high income class. (Clear's calculations)

From the above it can be seen that individuals earning salaries upto 7 lakh are biggest beneficiary in new regime.

Archit Gupta, Founder, and CEO, Clear said, "taxpayers who want to avoid the hassles of claiming traditional deductions, who usually do not opt for HRA or claim other reimbursements via an employer or do not want to invest in traditional 80C, may now see the new regime as an option."

But Gupta also added, "Taxes are lower yet old regime may still play out better for taxpayers, all depends on how well structured their CTC is, to allow for reimbursements and claims and how well they can maximise the exemptions available to them. Nevertheless, the messaging is clear, the government is aiming to move towards the new tax regime."

Here's an example with deductions in the old regime and without deductions in the new regime as per Clear:

View Full Image Old regime still can be better than new regime on many levels. (Clear's calculations )

Further, for the higher-income class, the new tax regime is likely to be better.

Clear explained with an example that for taxpayers with 10 crore income, the new regime will provide a benefit of 38,87,324 over the old regime.

View Full Image The high income earners likely to make massive savings from the new tax regime. (Clear's Calculation. )

Even if taken deductions on an income of 2 crore, the new regime will provide a benefit of 81,626 over the old regime. This is after claiming both 80C and 80CCD(1B) deductions in the old regime.

View Full Image Both low and high earners are likely to benefit from the new regime on certain parameters. (Clear's calculation)

As per Clear, however, if he/she exhausts all benefits, old may be slightly better. The tax platform believes that it seems the change will benefit the low earners and the very high earners.

Abhishek Soni, Co-founder & CEO, of Tax2win, a Fisdom company said, "as expected, this year after a long wait, the budget finally focused on the middle-class/ salaried class/ small business category taxpayers of India. The introduction of new slabs with lesser tax rates under the new tax regime as well as the announcement of introducing a single simplified common ITR form in the future, clearly shows the government's objective to simplify the income tax for the common people. For small businesses and professionals also, the threshold limit for presumptive business income has been increased, which will not just reduce the compliance burden for them but ensure more people do the compliance. Further, no tax is levied up to 7 Lakh of income, a big relief for millions of salaried individuals."

Also, Anand K Rathi, Co-founder, MIRA Money said, "Happy that the Government didnt give in to the pressure from the middle class. Though there has been a revision in the income tax slabs for the salaried class, the income Tax regime needs a massive change. We need a clear rollout plan toward a simpler, more effective, and inclusive income tax regime."

Further, Ankur Maheshwari, Chief Financial Officer, Freo said, "a huge relief has come in the form of personal taxes, the New Tax regime which is now also the default tax regime has been incentivised significantly to improve adoption. The Budget has provided a playing field for taxpayers by increasing rebates and ensuring that there is no income tax levied up to 7 lakh rupees in income. Additionally, the revised tax slabs under the new tax regime and the extension of the standard deduction will ensure that the salaries class will have more liquid cash which will directly impact the consumption and investment."

Disclaimer: The views made above are those of individual analysts or companies, and not of Mint.
NEW DELHI : State-run hydro power major NHPC has submitted the pre feasibility report (PFR) for Indias largest hydro power project, the Upper Siang Multipurpose Storage Project (11 GW) in Arunachal Pradesh, said a top company official.

The official further said that the project that is central to counter Chinas ambitious water diversion scheme of the Siang river that feeds downstream into the Brahmaputra is expected to constructed as a joint venture with state-run NEEPCO or the government of Arunachal Pradesh. The PFR was submitted to the government on 30 December, 2022.

On June 21, Mint reported that India may spend 1.13 trillion to build the Upper Siang multi-purpose storage project at Yingkiong in Arunachal Pradesh.

The storage project will be able to store 9-10 billion cubic metres (BCM) of water.

The 2000 MW Subansiri Upper hydro electric project is expected to be completed in the next few months and commissioned by August 2023. Further, the Upper Subansiri, Middle Subansiri and the Lower Siang hyrdro projects are underway with a cumulative capacity of 66 MW.

The official also said that the Dibang Multipurpose Project on the Dibang River with a capacity of 28.8 GW is expected to the approval of Public Investment Board (PIB) soon. The estimated cost for the project is nearly 32,000 crore and is expected to be completed within a timeframe of nine years after approval from the cabinet.

The push for hydro power projects in the border state of Arunachal Pradesh assumes importance given Chinas 14th five-year plan proposing building a massive dam over the Brahmaputra river, known in China as the Yarlung Tsangpo, a development that has raised concerns in India because of the strategic ramifications.

On 30 December, Mint reported that Centre plans to revive stalled power projects in the state and it has identified around 10 to be taken over by state-run power developers, including NHPC, soon.

Recent India-China clashes after Chinese incursion in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh has worsened ties.

China plans to construct a 60 GW Dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo river amid the push to achieve its net zero target of 2060, as also to utilize the fresh water available in Southern China.

The dam which is planned to be constructed at Medog is at the border with Arunachal Pradesh and may, therefore, have an impact on the lower riparian states.
An OPEC+ panel will likely recommend keeping the groups current oil-production policy unchanged Wednesday, delegates said, amid uncertainties about demand in China and the impact of sanctions on Russian crude supplies.
New Delhi: The government will reduce customs duty on import of some parts for mobile phone manufacturing and on open cells used in the manufacturing of television sets, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday while announcing the Union Budget for 2023-24.

The move is an attempt at deepening domestic manufacturing.

To further deepen domestic value and manufacturing of mobile phones, I propose to provide relief on customs duty on input of certain parts like camera, lens and continue the concession of duty on lithium batteries for another year," Sitharaman said in her Budget speech.

The minister said that Indias mobile phone output rose to 31 crore units last fiscal from 5.8 crore units in 2014-15 .

The government has reduced customs duty on camera lens for camera module and input/sub parts for lens of camera module of mobile phone from 2.5% to zero. Specified chemicals or items for manufacture of pre-calcined ferrite powder, for palladium tetra amine sulphate for manufacture of parts of connectors have been exempted from customs duty. Additionally, customs duty on parts for manufacture of open cells of TV panels has been reduced to 2.5% from 5%.

Mint had reported that the government was considering proposals from the industry, seeking reduction in duty on components used in production of mobile phones. High duties on mechanics, being imported, were making the industry uncompetitive, it had claimed.

Customs duty exemption is being provided to import of specified capital goods and machinery required for manufacture of lithium-ion cells for batteries used in electric vehicles as is available for manufacture of lithium-ion cells for batteries used in mobile handsets," as per the Budget documents.

Industry experts said the move will help companies ramp up production and welcome new players into manufacturing, while furthering the governments Make in India programme.

This is a big boost to manufacturing on mobile phones and television in India by extending the reduction in custom duty. This will welcome global players to establish manufacturing in India," said Maneet Pal Singh, Partner, I.P. Pasricha & Co.

Make in India push continues in line with the announcements in the previous few budgets. Customs duty is proposed to be reduced across sectors from 21% to 13%. This is a welcome change. Relief by way of reduced customs duty on inputs meant for mobile phone production is also specifically proposed," Mahesh Jaising, partner at Deloitte India said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Gulveen Aulakh Gulveen Aulakh is Senior Assistant Editor at Mint, serving dual roles covering the disinvestment landscape out of New Delhi, and the telecom & IT sectors as part of the corporate bureau. She had been tracking several government ministries for the last ten years in her previous stint at The Economic Times. An IIM Calcutta alumnus, Gulveen is fluent in French, a keen learner of new languages and avid foodie. Read more from this author
Coal India: State-owned Coal India has reported a consolidated net profit of 7,755.55 crore for the third quarter (Q3FY23), up 70% from 4,558.39 crore in the corresponding quarter of last year, as production at the company increased due to higher power demand amid extreme weather conditions. That beat an average estimate of 7,678.03 crore by Bloomberg analysts. On a sequential basis, net profit after tax (PAT) rose 28% from 6,043.55 crore in the previous quarter (Q2FY23).

Infosys: Software services major Infosys on Tuesday admitted that it has appealed against a corporation tax assessment by the UK authorities as British media reports referenced the companys annual report to reveal the dispute. Reports here are flagging that the firm co-founded by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks father-in-law, Narayana Murthy, was contesting a GBP 20 million tax bill with His Majestys Revenue and Customs (HMRC) department.

Power Grid Corporation: State-run Power Grid Corporation on Tuesday posted a nearly 11% rise in its consolidated net profit to 3,645.34 crore in the December quarter compared to a year ago mainly on the back of higher revenues. The consolidated net profit of the company was 3,292.97 crore in the quarter ending December 31, 2021, a BSE filing showed. The total income of the company rose to 11,530.22 crore in the quarter from 10,723.61 crore in the same period a year ago.

Jindal Steel: Jindal Steel on Tuesday reported a 67.9% decline in consolidated net profit to 518.67 crore for the December 2022 quarter. This is against a net profit of 1616.67 crore in the year ago period. The consolidated revenue from operations declined by 0.57% to 12,452.44 crore as against 12524.86 crore in the corresponding quarter last fiscal. Jindal steel and Power reported production of 2.06 Mt during the quarter, which was 13% higher sequentially. The sales came in at 1.90 Mt, down 6% QoQ.

Adani Ports: The Adani Group on Tuesday acquired the strategic Israeli port of Haifa for USD 1.2 billion and vowed to transform the skyline of this Mediterranean city as part of its decision to invest more in the Jewish nation, including opening an artificial intelligence lab in Tel Aviv. Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani, whose business empire was rocked by allegations of fraud by US short seller Hindenburg Research, appeared alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for signing of the deal to takeover Haifa Port, and spoke of investment opportunities.

Tata Motors: Tata Motors on Tuesday said it has raised the second and final tranche of 3,750 crore from TPG Rise Climate as per an agreement inked in 2021. In October 2021, Tata Motors announced that it will raise USD 1 billion in its passenger Electric Vehicle (EV) business from TPG Rise Climate in exchange for compulsorily convertible preference shares to create a portfolio of EVs and dedicated Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) platforms. Tata Motors and TPG Rise Climate entered into a binding agreement under which TPG along with its co-investor ADQ to invest in a subsidiary of Tata Motors.

Godrej Consumers: Godrej Consumers on Tuesday reported a 3.5% rise in consolidated profit to 546.3 crore in the December 2022 quarter. This is against a net profit of 527.6 crore in the year ago period. The consolidated revenue from operations was up by 9% to 3,598.9 crore as against 3,302.6 crore in the corresponding quarter last fiscal. Total expenses were higher at 2,969.52 crore as against 2,714.32 crore in the year ago period.

Indian Hotels Company: Tata group hospitality firm Indian Hotels Company Ltd on Tuesday reported an over four-fold rise in consolidated net profit at 403.56 crore December 2022 quarter. This is against a consolidated net profit of 95.96 crore in the year-ago period. The consolidated revenue from operations rose by 51.6% to 1,685.8 crore as against 1,111.22 crore in the corresponding period previous fiscal, it added. Total expenses were higher at 1,248.62 crore in the third quarter, up from 1,014.23 crore a year ago.

Vodafone Idea: Crisis-ridden telco Vodafone Idea on Tuesday said its board has approved an issue of optionally convertible debentures of up to 1,600 crore to vendor American Tower Corporation. After a meeting of the board of directors, the company in a regulatory filing said that it will convene an extraordinary general meeting on February 25 to seek shareholders' nod for the same. "The funds so raised shall be used to pay amounts owed by the Company to ATC under the master lease agreements and, to the extent of the remainder, for general corporate purposes of the Company," the filing said.

Westlife Foodworld: Westlife Foodworld Ltd kept the ball rolling in the December quarter (Q3FY23), but that was pretty much expected. It clocked the highest-ever quarterly revenue of 611.5 crore. This represents 28% year-on-year (y-o-y) growth. The operator of McDonalds restaurants in west and south India saw an increase in footfalls in the last quarter. This led to same-store sales growth (SSSG) of 20% y-o-y. In Q2, helped by a lower base, SSSG stood at a higher rate of 40%. However, in Q3, average sales per store on a trailing 12 months basis was higher sequentially.
As Adani Group acquired the strategic Israeli port of Haifa, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the deal as an "enormous milestone". He also added that this will significantly improve connectivity between the two countries in many ways.

The Port of Haifa is the second largest port in Israel in terms of shipping containers and the biggest in shipping tourist cruise ships.

"I think this is an enormous milestone...Over 100 years ago, and during World War I, it was the brave Indian soldiers who helped liberate the city of Haifa. And today, it's very robust Indian investors who are helping to liberate the port of Haifa," Netanyahu said.

The Prime Minister added that he discussed with his "good friend" Indian counterpart Narendra Modi this vision of "having connectivity between our countries in many ways, transportation lines and air routes and sea routes...and it's happening today."

He said what is happening today has historic importance because what "we see there is a tremendous boost for peace."

Netanyahu said the region will become an entry point and an exit point to a vast number of goods that reach the Mediterranean and Europe directly without having to go around the Arabian peninsula without having to go through three choke points.

"This is an unequivocal expression of confidence in the Israeli economy," he said, adding that privatisation of the ports and the entry of new investors strengthen Israel's economic strength, lowers the cost of living and creates new opportunities for import and export and strengthens ties between India and Israel.

Amid allegations of fraud by Hindenburg Research, the Adani Group on Tuesday has acquired the strategic Israeli port of Haifa for $1.2 billion.

The company has vowed to transform the skyline of the Mediterranean city as part of its decision to invest more in the Jewish nation, including opening an artificial intelligence lab in Tel Aviv.

Group chairman Gautam Adani appeared alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for signing of the deal to takeover Haifa Port, and spoke of investment opportunities.

Also Read: Adani Enterprises FPO fully subscribed amid row with Hindenburg; NII supports, but retail investors stay away

On his part, Adani said his group will also develop real estate at the port to transform the Haifa skyline.

The 60-year-old Indian tycoon did not make any mention of the Hindenburg row that has already wiped out over $70 billion in value from his group stocks. US short seller Hindenburg Research in a report on January 24 had published a report on Adani Group accusing it of improper use of offshore tax havens and flagging concerns about high debt that sent the Group stocks to crash.

The group holds short positions in Adani group companies. Hindenburg Research said evidence that the Group has engaged in a 'brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud scheme over the course of decades.'

Also Read: Adani plans twin-airport strategy for Mumbai, Navi Mumbai airports

In his speech during the event, Gautam Adani said, We have initiated several dozen technology relationships wherein we have offered the entire Adani portfolio of companies to be a giant sandbox for us to learn together."

Also Read: Adani News Live Updates

"We are also in the process of setting up an Artificial Intelligence lab in Tel Aviv which will work in close collaboration with our new AI labs in India and US."

He later tweeted about his meeting with Netanyahu.

"Privileged to meet with @IsraeliPM @netanyahu on this momentous day as the Port of Haifa is handed over to the Adani Group. The Abraham Accord will be a game changer for the Mediterranean sea logistics. Adani Gadot set to transform Haifa Port into a landmark for all to admire," Adani said in a tweet.

Privileged to meet with @IsraeliPM @netanyahu on this momentous day as the Port of Haifa is handed over to the Adani Group. The Abraham Accord will be a game changer for the Mediterranean sea logistics. Adani Gadot set to transform Haifa Port into a landmark for all to admire. pic.twitter.com/Cml2t8j1Iv  Gautam Adani (@gautam_adani) January 31, 2023

The UAE forged diplomatic ties with Israel in 2020 under a series of US-brokered deals known as the Abraham Accords. Bahrain and Morocco followed suit.

The agreements spearheaded by then US President Donald Trump challenged the long-held view that there would be no relations between the Arab world and Israel while the Palestinian question remains unresolved.

In the last six years, Adani group has struck many critical partnerships with companies such as Elbit Systems, Israel Weapon Systems, and Israel Innovation Authority.

Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone Ltd in partnership with local chemicals and logistics group Gadot in July last year won an Israel government's tender to buy the Haifa Port, a major trade hub on Israel's Mediterranean coast, for about $1.2 billion.

Adanis company has no holdings in the West, so its entry into Israel is a signal for increased maritime traffic between Asia and Europe, and the major Asian players need for a hub in the Mediterranean.

"The acquisition of the Haifa port also comes with a significant amount of real estate. And I promise you that in the years to come we will transform the skyline we see around us," said Adani, the founder and chairman of the group.

"The Haifa of tomorrow - will look very different from the Haifa that you see today. With your support - we will deliver on this commitment and do our part to transform this city."

He expressed confidence in transforming the entire port landscape. "We realize that there will be competition from others, but our confidence comes from our belief in the people of Israel and therefore our belief in the Israel Growth story."

"Our intention is to make the right set of investments that will not just make the Adani Gadot partnership proud but will make the whole of Israel proud," he said.

Stating that the Israeli spirit makes all the difference, he said his group also aims to establish collaborative relationships with local colleges like the University of Haifa to be able to capitalise on the deep technology expertise available in this city.

Adani said India-Israel friendship dates back to September 23, 1918, when soldiers from the Indian cities of Mysore, Hyderabad and Jodhpur battled here for the freedom of Haifa.

"And earlier today, I had an opportunity to visit the cemetery where our soldiers were put to rest. It was a moving moment for me to reflect on the fact that the port we now share - is part of the same city - where soldiers from both our countries - fought side by side for the ultimate shared cause that we all call -- Freedom," he said.

He went on to state that Israel has always motivated him. "You have rewritten the rules of what a country with a population of less than ten million can achieve. You have rewritten the rules by proving what a country with very few natural resources can achieve. And you have rewritten the rules by showcasing what a country with self-belief can achieve."

The elasticity of Israel makes it the world's most resilient nation. "Your pace of innovation across multiple sectors amazes me. Your drive for innovation makes me wonder how we can learn from you. You have focused on sustainable growth far before the world was talking about sustainability," he said.

(With inputs from PTI)
Union Budget 2023: A 12-day nationwide campaign will be launched by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday to reach out to the public and convey the benefits of the budget that will be tabled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today.

The party source informed the news agency ANI that BJP will hold a countrywide discussion on the Union Budget beginning today, February 1. The discussion will continue till February 12.

The ruling party will also run a nationwide campaign to spread awareness that will be announced in the budget today. BJP national president JP Nadda has constituted a nine-member committee for the same.

"Former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi has been made the committee's convenor. On February 4 and 5, ministers of the Government of India, national officials, and economic experts will hold conferences on the budget at 50 important centers including the capitals of various states of the country", the party source told ANI.

For the next two weeks, BJP-ruled state Chief Ministers, State Presidents, Ministers, MPs, and MLAs will hold conferences and public meetings across the country to discuss the Budget and its benefits with the common people.

Conferences will be organized in all the districts and the main issues of the budget will be conveyed to the public up to the block level.

At the central level, many economic experts including Sunil Bansal, National General Secretary, Yuva, and Kishan morcha national president have been made members of this committee, said party sources as quoted by ANI.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Budget 2023 today, Wednesday, February 1. This year's Budget presentation holds significance as it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government's last full budget before the next parliamentary elections in 2024, slated for April-May 2024.

(With ANI inputs)
Ahead of Union Budget 2023 presentation, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that locals have demanded new trains in the Jagadalpur and Surguja areas of the state, according to the news agency ANI.

The chief minister has also demanded the release of GST and central excise dues to the state at the earliest.

People have demanded new trains in Jagadalpur and Surguja areas as there used to be a separate Railway Budget earlier. But now, such announcements are not made separately. We also demand that our share of GST and central excise dues be released at the earliest," said Baghel, as quoted by ANI.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Budget 2023 today, Wednesday, February 1. This year's Budget presentation holds significance as it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government's last full budget before the next parliamentary elections in 2024, slated for April-May 2024.

The plan is expected to boost funds for infrastructure, defense, and logistics, providing windfalls for related companies.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will also launch a 12-day nationwide campaign to highlight the benefits of Budget 2023. It will also run a nationwide campaign to spread awareness that will be announced in the budget today. BJP national president JP Nadda has constituted a nine-member committee for the same.

The Budget Session of Parliament began on Tuesday and the first part will conclude on 13 February. The Parliament will reconvene on 12 March for the second part of the Budget Session that will conclude on 6 April.

Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the upcoming Union Budget will attempt to meet the hopes and aspirations of the people and strive to be a ray of hope for the world.

Amid the unstable global economic situation, Indias Budget will not only attempt to meet the hopes and aspirations of the common citizens, but the ray of hope being seen by the world will also glow brighter -- for this, I firmly believe that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will make all efforts to meet those aspirations."

(With ANI inputs)
At a high-level initiative on critical and emerging technologies (iCET), the US said China is a major challenge to India and the world.

Yesterday, India's national advisor Ajit Doval and his US counterpart interacted on emerging technologies at the White House. During the "fruitful discussion", officials announced several concrete steps that the initiative will be taking forward from the high-power meeting in Washington.

US's Sullivan said that iCET would 'serve both countries' deeper strategic interests. He said that the Biden administration sees technology development vis-a-vis China as a zero-sum game that the US cannot lose hence iCET could be an important way forward.

"The US-India defence and artificial intelligence dialogue is a multi-layered approach and China is one of the dimensions as it is a major challenge to New Delhi and the world," a senior administration official said.

When asked whether Russia and China can raise geopolitical concerns, Sullivan said, "A big part of the story is fundamentally about a bet on high tech and an industrial innovation policy. That's at the core of the president's entire approach to his presidency. So the China-Russia factors are real, but so is the idea of building a deep democratic ecosystem with high technology".

There is much more about India's rise and the US desire to participate in that rise, he said.

"This is important with regard to China. I think that they've proven themselves time and again, to be a challenge for India and for the world. And I think working together as like-minded countries is a beneficial and necessary part of our Indo-Pacific strategy," the official added.

A key element of the initiative is semiconductor supply chain diversification, US announced its plan to help India grow its legacy chip-making capabilities while continuing the flow of top engineers that study and work in the United States, Sullivan added.

He said that the US supports the Indian National Semiconductor Mission.
Science students experiment with the beat to help with their studies, Xing Wen reports. Scientists depend on facts; their reputation depends on verifying the validity of their findings. It's not normally something to make a song and dance about, but one field, not usually associated with scientific endeavor, also requires a degree of authenticity: hip-hop. The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, widely recognized for cultivating talented people in science and technology, may seem like an unlikely place for hip-hop, yet a group of postgraduate and doctoral students gathered there to share their pursuit of authenticity in both scientific research and hip-hop dance. The university boasts four campuses at various locations in Beijing. Although living in different campuses, far apart from one another, these students have founded a dance club called HD Crew. On weekends, they enjoy several hours away from their study and research schedule, traveling from the four campuses to meet at a rented dance studio in Haidian district. They learn and practice moves and routines of various street-dance genres including hip-hop, popping, locking and jazz. "Dance helps me unwind after a stressful week of study," says Hu Weimin, 26, a member of HD Crew and a doctoral student specializing in optics. Jazz is his favorite. The formation of his passion for dancing can be traced back to his early years, when he was still at primary school and liked to imitate the performances of Cantopop idols from their music videos. It was not until he became an undergraduate student in China University of Geosciences in Wuhan that he started to formally learn from dance teachers. Later, he got to make friends with the other dance lovers at the university. Without a proper dance studio, they often rehearsed together in the square in front of the university's stadium, the glass wall of which would serve as a big mirror. "I was chubby and, as a result, not very confident," recalls Hu. "However, the atmosphere created by these dance lovers inspired me to dance with panache and forget about my body anxiety." Lin Jinyi is another HD Crew member. She used to learn dance at a studio in Chaoyang district. She had to spend three hours traveling to and from her campus in Shijingshan district and the dance studio. During the commute, she would watch online tutorials, complete assignments, review dance moves or listen to music to count the timing and beat in her mind. "After I joined HD Crew, I found that there are so many others at our university who have the same passion for dance as me. A strong sense of belonging overwhelmed me," Lin says. "An interesting point is that hip-hop culture inspires people to 'keep it real' while scientific works are underpinned by honesty. "Although it seems that science has nothing to do with hip-hop. I think they uphold the same values." Last year, for the first time, they got a chance to perform on a big stage. They were invited to join the talent show, Campus. The show invited 20 dance clubs from higher education institutions, including the Central University of Finance and Economics, the Macau University of Science and Technology, Beijing Sport University, Fudan University and the Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts, to go through rounds of competitions. "Instead of making the show competitive, we would like to lean more on presenting how those young people articulate their thoughts onstage and encourage their attempts at emotive self-expression using artistic movement," says Tang Yuan, the show's producer. Some of their performances expressed their reflections of a wide range of topics, including school bullying, environmental protection and free-choice marriage; some artistically reproduced scenes from classic movies and Chinese legends, while others incorporated elements of intangible cultural heritage such as piying, a traditional Chinese shadow play performance, into choreography. The talent show attained 7.9 points out of 10 on the review site Douban. "Students from different universities across the country rehearse and compete in groups, showing a strong cohesion. The strength of the collective fills me with nostalgia for my college years," comments one reviewer. Tang Yaling, 22, a graduate from Sichuan Conservatory of Music, is also the leader of a dance club, named Rich Family, at the university. "It's my last time doing a group activity with the other club members. I want to do my best in all the performances to bid a proper farewell to my unforgettable university years," she says.
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who is known for her attraction towards Indian textiles, has worn a traditional temple border saree on the Budget 2023 day that will be presented today at 11 am in Parliament.

FM Sitharaman opted for the red temple saree with black border and intricate golden work on Budget day. The beautiful saree also featured a star-like design. She has already arrived in Parliament.

She has been actively promoting traditional handlooms especially after she took charge as the Finance Minister in 2019. Her sartorial choice from the current and previous budget sessions proves that she is a staunch supporter of handwoven fabrics.

With a red digital tablet in hand, Sitharaman looked classic and elegant as she posed for photographs in front of the Ministry of Finance, Central Secretariat on Wednesday morning. She completed her simple look with a small bindi and gold bangles.

Take a look at FM Nirmala Sitharaman's Budget day attire,

Delhi | Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman all set to present the Union Budget 2023 at 11am today



This is the BJP government's last full Budget before the 2024 general elections. pic.twitter.com/m2NRMHW7Ut  ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2023

In 2019, Sitharaman chose to wear a simple pink Mangalgiri saree with a gold border for her first Budget presentation. She caught the attention by ditching the colonial tradition of bringing ledger papers in a briefcase. She carried the Budget documents in a traditional 'bahi khata'.

In 2020, Sitharaman opted for a bright yellow-gold silk saree. The yellow colour holds a valuable significance. It is believed to be a sacred colour which stands for prosperity.

In 2021, Sitharaman wore a red and off-white silk Pochampally sari with ikat patterns around the pallu and a green border. Pochampally ikat is traditionally made in Bhoodan Pochampally, in Telangana, and is popularly known as the 'silk city of India'.

In 2022, Sitharaman was seen dressed in a rust and maroon handloom saree. The rusty brown tone of her saree was a combination of two colours, brown and red, that hold a deeper significance. While the colour brown is often associated with resilience, dependability, security, and safety, red signifies warmth, love and power. It was a Bomkai saree typically made in Sonepur district of Odisha.

(With ANI inputs)
New Delhi: The central government will re-envision teachers training, and build institutes of excellence across districts, as well as set up a national digital library to ensure school-going children and the youth get easy access to quality books across subjects to overcome the learning losses suffered during the covid-19 pandemic.

The Budget for FY24 has set aside 1.12 trillion for the education sector, the highest ever, up 8.2% compared to the budget allocations for FY23. While 68,804.85 crore is allocated to schools, 44,094.62 crore will be for higher education.

While for FY23, the budget allocation was at 1.04 trillion, the revised estimates were at 99,881 crore. This years allocation is a 13% increase than the revised estimates.

Dharmendra Pradhan, union education minister, lauded the finance ministers efforts and said the budget was inclusive, people-centric and growth-stimulating, especially for the education sector. With a boost to education, research and development, skill development, digital infrastructure, green growth, entrepreneurship, and job creation, the Budget draws a meticulous blueprint for India@100 and lays a solid foundation for transforming India into a technology-driven knowledge-based economy," Pradhan added.

The national digital library for children and adolescents will be set up to facilitate availability of quality books across geographies, languages, genres, and levels," FM Nirmala Sitharaman said. The library will be device agnostic.

The pandemic had wreaked havoc on students across all age groups following the closure of educational institutions. The Annual Status of Education Report said the basic reading ability of children dropped to pre-2012 levels in most states and across genders.

The government, which had announced the setting up of a national digital university in its last Budget, said it will be operational by June or July.

States will be urged to set up physical libraries at panchayat levels to provide infrastructure for accessing the national digital library resources, Sitharaman said. National Book Trust, Childrens Book Trust, as well as other sources will be encouraged to give books and study materials in regional languages and in English to these libraries to help build a culture of reading among the youth. Physical libraries will help make up for the learning loss due to covid, Sitharaman said. Collaborations with NGOs working in the field of literacy will be encouraged to promote financial literacy. Financial sector regulators and organisations will be encouraged to provide age-appropriate reading material to libraries," she added.

The teachers training programme will be re-envisioned through innovative pedagogy, continuous professional development, and curriculum transaction. District institutes of education and training will be developed as vibrant institutes of excellence for this purpose."

The FM said 100 laboratories will be set up across engineering institution campuses. To realise the new range of opportunities, business models and employment potential, the labs will cover application for smart classrooms, precision farming, intelligent transport systems and healthcare applications."
Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani has overtaken Gautam Adani as the richest Indian in the world, according to the Forbes Real-time Billionaires list.

Gautam Adani, with an estimated net worth of $84.4 billion, earlier became the 11th richest person in the world, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. That represents a sharp decline from the estimated $121 billion fortune the chairman of the Adani Group had at the start of the year, which put Adani in third place, behind LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

View Full Image Mukesh Ambani has surpassed Gautam Adani as the richest Indian.

With a net worth of $82.2 billion, Ambani came in close behind Adani in position 12. Adani was speculated to be in danger of losing the title of Asia's richest man to Ambani if his wealth kept declining.

Also Read: Adani vs Hindenburg: What we know so far

On February 1, despite the conglomerate having completed a carefully-monitored share sale the day prior, the majority of Adani Group equities fell, causing losses to reach $72 billion.

In a research released last week, Hindenburg Research said that offshore tax havens were being used improperly and raised red flags regarding increasing debt. According to what it called "sky-high valuation", shares in seven Adani listed companies have an additional 85% downside.

Also Read: Adani Enterprises FPO fully subscribed amid row with Hindenburg

The charges have been vehemently refuted and called unfounded by Adani Group, which also noted that it has always made the required regulatory filings.

The Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) is currently reviewing the research from Hindenburg Research to determine whether any regulatory action is required, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. Last week, the Indian conglomerate's stock value dropped by $65 billion as a result of concerns expressed by a short-seller located in the US over the company's unsustainable debt levels.

(With agency inputs)
An avalanche hit the Afarwat peak at famous ski resort in Jammu and Kashmir's Gulmarg on 1 February.

According to reports, two Polish tourists were killed and moved to hospital for medico-legal procedures. Also, several more are trapped. At least 19 foreigners have so far been rescued successfully, police said.

#WATCH | J&K: Avalanche hit the Afarwat peak at famous ski resort in Gulmarg. Rescue operation launched by Baramulla Police along with other agencies. Reports of some skiers being trapped are being corroborated, Baramulla Police say. pic.twitter.com/zsFBfBL0od  ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2023

Police and local authorities have launched the rescue operation.

"A massive rescue operation has been launched," Kashmir's police chief Vijay Kumar told Reuters. "Two bodies have been recovered so far."

Avalanche hit the Afarwat peak #HapathKhud at famous ski resort in #Gulmarg.#Rescue operation has been launched by #Baramulla Police alongwith other agencies. Reports of some skiers being trapped are being corroborated. More details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice @KashmirPolice  Baramulla Police ( ) (@BaramullaPolice) February 1, 2023

The skiers were hit by the avalanche in the Affarwat area of Gulmarg, Kumar said, days after heavy snowfall in the hills of Kashmir, a disputed Himalayan region claimed in full by both India and Pakistan, though each country only controls parts of it.

Videos of the avalanche, showing people running for their lives, circulated widely on social media.

With agency inputs.
The Ministry of External Affairs on 1 February issued an order to put into effect the listing of Abdul Rehman Makki as a UN-listed terrorist.

The associated individuals regarding ISIL (Da'esh), Al Qaida, and associated individuals, groups, undertakings, and entities enacted amendments on its ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List of individuals and entities subject to the asset freeze, travel ban, and arms embargo outlined in paragraph 1 of Security Council resolution 2610(2021), adopted under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the order said.

The Ministry of External Affairs in its order, said, "The Central Government considers it necessary and expedient to revise the Schedule to the order issued under the United Nations (Security Council) Act, 1947 (43 of 1947) to give effect to the said amendments; Now, therefore, in the exercise of the powers conferred by section 2 of the United Nations (Security Council) Act, 1947 (43 of 1947), the Central Government hereby makes the following Order further to amend the Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism (Implementation of Security Council Resolutions) Order, 2007."

ALSO READ: UN designates Pakistan-based LeT leader Abdul Rehman Makki as global terrorist

Listed as a global terrorist under its ISIL (Daesh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Pakistan-based terrorist Abdul Rehman Makki was more than just the brother-in-law of 26/11 attacks mastermind and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed.

The second-in-command, as well as the head of political affairs of the terror outfit LeT and Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), Abdul Rehman Makki, was already listed by India and US as a terrorist under their domestic laws.

According to the order, the the Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism (Implementation of Security Council Resolutions) Amendment Order, 2023, may be referred to as such. It will take effect the day after it is published in the Official Gazette.

India's relentless efforts to list Pakistan-based terrorists paid off as Makki was finally listed as a 'global terrorist'.

India had made listings of Pakistan-based terrorists a top priority of its United Nations tenure during 2021-22, according to the sources. A total of five names were submitted by India for designation under 1267 in 2022: Abdul Rehman Makki (LeT), Abdul Rauf Asghar (Jaish-e-Mohammed, JeM), Sajid Mir (LeT), Shahid Mahmood (LeT), and Talha Saeed (LeT).

China finally lifted its 'technical hold' on the designation of Makki as a global terrorist under the 1267 UN Sanctions Committee in January after the country was left isolated in the Security Council.

This listing comes after China last year put a 'technical hold' on India's bid to name the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leader a global terrorist. In June 2022, India slammed China after it blocked the proposal to list terrorist Abdul Rehman Makki under the Sanctions Committee, also known as the UNSC 1267 Committee.

Already, India and the US have listed Makki as a terrorist under their domestic laws. He has been involved in raising funds, recruiting and radicalizing youth to violence and planning attacks in India, especially in Jammu and Kashmir.

Makki has performed various leadership roles within the LeT, a US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), while also playing a role in raising funds for LeT operations.

According to the US State Department, a Pakistani anti-terrorism court convicted Makki in 2020 on one count of terrorism financing and sentenced him to prison.

With ANI inputs.
Pakistani authorities scrambled Tuesday to determine how a suicide bomber was able to carry out one of the countrys deadliest militant attacks in years, unleashing an explosion in a crowded mosque inside a highly secured police compound in the city of Peshawar. The death toll from the blast climbed to 100.

Monday morning's bombing, which left at least 225 wounded, raised alarm among officials over a major security breach at a time when the Pakistani Taliban, the main anti-government militant group, has stepped up attacks, particularly targeting the police and the military.

Who carried out the bombing was unclear. A commander from the Pakistani Taliban, known by the acronym TTP, claimed responsibility, but a spokesman for the group later distanced the TTP from the carnage, saying it was not its policy to attack mosques.

More than 300 worshippers were praying in the Sunni mosque, with more approaching, when the bomber set off his explosives vest, officials said. The blast blew off part of the roof, and what was left caved in, injuring many more, according to Zafar Khan, a police officer.

Rescuers worked through the night and into Tuesday morning, removing mounds of debris to reach worshippers still trapped under the rubble. The death toll rose as more bodies were found and several of the critically injured died, said Mohammad Asim, a government hospital spokesman in Peshawar.

Most of the victims were police officers, he said.

Counter-terrorism police are investigating how the bomber was able to reach the mosque, which is inside a walled-off police headquarters compound called Police Lines. The compound is located in a heavily security district of Peshawar that includes other government buildings.

Yes, it was a security lapse," said Ghulam Ali, the provincial governor in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, of which Peshawar is the capital.

Akhtar Ali Shah, a former regional interior secretary once based in Peshawar, said it was not a spur of the moment attack."

It was the handiwork of a well-organized group," he told The Associated Press. He said those behind the attack must have had inside help to gain access to the compound and probably entered it several times for reconnaissance or even to plant explosives ahead of time.

Its not a security lapse, its a security breach," he said. From all entry points, there are multiple layers of security you have to cross" with ID checks.

Talat Masood, a retired army general and senior security analyst said Mondays suicide bombing showed negligence."

When we know that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan is active, and when we know that they have threatened to carry out attacks, there should have been more security at the police compound in Peshawar," he told the AP, using the official name of the Pakistani Taliban.

The militarys media wing declined an Associated Press interview request for the chief of army staff. Asim Munir, who took office in November, has yet to do any media appearances.

Kamran Bangash, a provincial secretary-general with the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, called for an investigation and blamed the instability on the government of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

The government has failed to improve the economy and law and order situation, and it should resign to pave the way for snap parliamentary elections," he said. The partys leader, former Prime Minister Imran Khan, denounced the attack.

The bombing comes as Pakistan is contending with political and economic crises from a disputed election and from unprecedented floods last summer that killed 1,739 people, destroyed more than 2 million homes, and at one point submerged as much as a third of the country.

Sharif visited a hospital in Peshawar after the bombing and vowed stern action" against those behind the attack. On Tuesday he dismissed criticism of his government and called for unity. My message to all political forces is one of unity against anti-Pakistan elements. We can fight our political fights later," he tweeted.

Shortly after the explosion, a Pakistan Taliban commander Sarbakaf Mohmand claimed responsibility for the attack in a post on Twitter.

But hours later, TTP spokesperson Mohammad Khurasani said it was not the groups policy to target mosques, seminaries and religious places and that those taking part in such acts could face punitive action under TTPs policy. His statement did not address why a TTP commander had claimed responsibility for the bombing.

Pakistan, which is mostly Sunni Muslim, has seen a surge in militant attacks since November, when the Pakistani Taliban ended a cease-fire with government forces.

The Pakistani Taliban are the dominant militant group in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and Peshawar has been the scene of frequent attacks. In 2014, a Pakistani Taliban faction attacked an army-run school in Peshawar and killed 154, mostly schoolchildren.

But the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, a regional affiliate of the Islamic State group and a rival of the Taliban, has also been behind deadly attacks in Pakistan in recent years. Overall, violence has increased since the Afghan Taliban seized power in neighboring Afghanistan in August 2021 as U.S. and NATO troops pulled out of the country after 20 years of war.

The TTP is separate from but a close ally of the Afghan Taliban. It has waged an insurgency in Pakistan in the past 15 years, seeking stricter enforcement of Islamic laws, the release of its members in government custody and a reduction in the Pakistani military presence in areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province it has long used as its base.

Earlier this month, the Pakistani Taliban claimed one of its members shot and killed two intelligence officers, including the director of the counterterrorism wing of the Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency. Security officials said Monday the gunman was killed in a shootout near the Afghan border.

The Taliban-run Afghan Foreign Ministry said it was saddened to learn that numerous people lost their lives" in Peshawar and condemned attacks on worshippers as contrary to the teachings of Islam.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is on a visit to the Middle East, tweeted his condolences, saying the bombing in Peshawar was a horrific attack."

Terrorism for any reason at any place is indefensible," he said.
The US Justice Department is poised to sue Alphabet Inc.s Google as soon as Tuesday regarding the search giants dominance over the digital advertising market, according to people familiar with the matter.

The case is expected to be filed in federal court before the end of the week, said the people, who asked not to be named discussing a confidential matter.

The Justice Department didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Google declined to comment.

The lawsuit will mark the Justice Departments second monopoly case against the company, which is the No. 1 player in the $278.6 billion US digital-ad market, controlling most of the technology used to buy, sell and serve online advertising.

Google shares were down less than 1% at 11:28 a.m. in New York.

The lawsuit would also be the fifth major case in the US challenging the companys business practices. State attorneys general have filed three separate suits against Google, alleging it dominates the markets for online search, advertising technology and apps on the Android mobile platform in violation of antitrust laws.

The Mountain View, California-based company is No. 1 in the $626.86 billion global digital ad market, according to 2023 estimates by research firm EMarketer, with the US representing the biggest piece. Alphabets ad operations are expected to bring in $73.8 billion in US digital ad revenue in 2023. Google runs an ad-buying service for marketers and an ad-selling one for publishers, as well as a trading exchange where both sides complete transactions in lightning-fast auctions.

Google has argued that the market for online advertising is a crowded and competitive one. In court filings and congressional testimony, the company has noted its rivals include other major players in the ad tech market such as Amazon.com Inc., Meta Platforms Inc. and Microsoft Corp.

The departments scrutiny of Googles control of the ad tech market goes back to the Trump administration. The DOJ under then-Attorney General William Barr sued Google over its search business instead, alleging the company used exclusive distribution deals with wireless carriers and phone makers to lock out competition. That case is due to go to trial in September.
Ecuador plans to vaccinate more than two million birds against bird flu to control an outbreak in the Andean nation, the Minister of Agriculture said on Wednesday.

The South American nation declared an animal health emergency at the end of November due to the first infections on a farm in the central province of Cotopaxi, and there are currently outbreaks in three other provinces.

The poultry vaccination process will begin in the next two months and Ecuador will import four million doses through a Mexican-Ecuadorian partnership, the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Bernardo Manzano told a press conference.

About 1.2 million birds have been infected with the virus and have been culled in the country's four provinces, according to official data.

"The vaccine together with biosecurity and control measures will help prevent the spread of the disease in the country," Manzano said, as well as curb bird mortality rates on farms.

Ecuador reported in January its first case of human transmission of bird flu in a 9-year-old girl, who was likely infected by direct contact with virus-carrying domestic poultry in the province of Bolivar.

Vaccination does not prevent infection on other farms in the risk areas, but it does reduce the mortality rate in birds, said Patricio Almeida, director of the Agency for Regulation and Phytosanitary and Zoosanitary Control (Agrocalidad).

"The vaccine is biologically safe and does not constitute a risk to humans," Almeida told journalists. "It decreases the mortality rate from 80% to 40%."

Ecuador produces 263 million chickens, representing 495,000 tonnes of meat and 4.6 billion eggs.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.
Three people were shot dead and another one died in a hospital after gunshots were fired in KwaMashu township, north of South Africa's Durban, police said on Wednesday.

Five more people with gunshot wounds were rushed to a clinic, said Robert Netshiunda, a police spokesperson in the coastal province of KwaZulu-Natal.

"It is reported that at least 20 armed suspects stormed into the hostel and opened fire to the victims," he said in a statement.

Police said they were investigating the murder cases.

South Africa has one of the world's highest murder rates, with around 20,000 people killed every year out of a population of 60 million.

On Sunday, gunmen killed eight people and wounded three others in a different mass shooting, police said.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.
Days after a deadly suicide bombing at a mosque in Pakistan's Peshawar left over a hundred people dead, police said that they have landed on some excellent clues".

Peshawar police chief Ijaz Khan told Reuters We have found some excellent clues, and based on these clues we have made some major arrests."

We cant rule out internal assistance but since the investigation is still in progress, I will not be able to share more details."

So far, 23 people have been detained in connection to the blast that killed 101 people.

A suicide bomber slipped undetected into a highly sensitive compound in northwest Peshawar and detonated explosives among a row of worshippers in the compound's mosque on Monday, causing a wall to collapse and crush officers.

"We have detained people from the police line (headquarters) to get to the bottom of how the explosive material made its way in and to see if any police officials were also involved in the attack," the senior official said, as reported by AFP. "The attacker and facilitators might have had links outside Pakistan."

Meanwhile, Pakistans defence minister Khawaja Asif cited, the bomber was in the first row of the prayer hall when he detonated the explosives.

Authorities are investigating how a major security breach could happen in one of the most tightly controlled areas of the city, housing intelligence and counter-terrorism bureaus, and next door to the regional secretariat.

Akhtar Ali Shah, a former regional interior secretary once based in Peshawar, said, as reported by the Independent UK, it was not a spur of the moment attack".

It was the handiwork of a well-organised group," he told the Associated Press. He said those behind the attack must have had inside help to gain access to the compound and probably entered it several times for reconnaissance or even to plant explosives ahead of time.

Low-level militancy, often targeting security checkpoints, has been steadily rising in the areas near Peshawar that border Afghanistan since the Taliban seized control of Kabul in August 2021.

The assaults are claimed mostly by the Pakistani Taliban, as well as the local chapter of the Islamic State, but mass casualty attacks remain rare.
In response to the deadly suicide bombing that took place inside a mosque in Peshawar on January 30, Pakistan's Minister of Defense Khawaja Asif has claimed that, even in India, people are not killed while attending prayers. The suicide attack claimed 100 lives and injured many more.

More than 100 people were hurt in the suicide attack inside a mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan, bringing the death toll to 100. In the mosque, more than 300 people were offering prayers at the time of the explosion.

The minister spoke about terror acts that occurred between 2010 and 2017, "This war started from Swat during the PPP's tenure and it was concluded during the PML-N's previous tenure, and peace was established in the country from Karachi to Swat."

Also Read: At the end of road: Pakistan heading for a Sri Lanka-esque future as IMF visits

"Worshippers weren't killed during prayers even in India or Israel but it happened in Pakistan," The Dawn quoted Asif as sharing his thoughts on the incident at the National Assembly. Terrorism doesnt differentiate between any religion or sect. Terrorism is used in the name of religion to take precious lives."

Asif went on to say that after the Afghans arrived in Pakistan and settled, thousands of people were left without jobs. Asif also said that the Swat residents' demonstrations against the relocated people served as the first evidence of this. According to him, 450,000 Afghans entered Pakistan legally over the course of the last 1.5 years and did not leave.

Also Read: Pakistan blames 'security lapse' for mosque blast, 100 dead

The minister said that this shouldn't just be a discussion and urged the House to advise the administration on how to combat terrorism. He went on to say that terrorism had permeated Pakistans way of life and the way it communicated, highlighting how the mood of the country had altered over the previous four to five years, as per the publication.

Who is a terrorist and who is not, I cant say anything about that." The Dawn quoted Asif as saying in reference to the Afghan refugees present in small cities across the country.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sounak Mukhopadhyay Sounak Mukhopadhyay, who also goes by the name Sounak Mukherjee, has been producing digital news since 2012. He's worked for the International Business Times, The Inquisitr, and Moneycontrol in the past. He's also contributed to Free Press Journal and TheRichest with feature articles. He covers news for a wide range of subjects including business, finance, economy, politics and social media. Before working with digital news publications, he worked as a freelance content writer. Read more from this author
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Tuesday met his American counterpart Jake Sullivan to launch the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET). The Indian Embassy in the United States has provided the information on its official Twitter handle.

Transforming vision into action! NSAs Ajit Doval & Jake Sullivan formally launched U.S.-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET). Announced by @narendramodi & @POTUS,iCET reflects conv.of strategic, commercial, and scientific approaches in the field of technology," the Indian Embassy in the US tweeted.

During the meeting, the two sides also reviewed ongoing bilateral initiatives, the upcoming launch of the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET), and shared assessments of major global and regional developments.

NSA Ajit Doval and US NSA Jake Sullivan @JakeSullivan46 reviewed ongoing bilateral initiatives, the upcoming launch of Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) and shared assessments of major global and regional developments during a productive meeting. pic.twitter.com/85PwoCqTBj  India in USA (@IndianEmbassyUS) January 31, 2023

In May 2022, US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the iCET to elevate and expand their strategic technology partnership and defense industrial cooperation between the governments, businesses, and academic institutions of the two countries.

India and the United States affirm that the ways in which technology is designed, developed, governed, and used should be shaped by their shared democratic values and respect for universal human rights," the White House said in an official statement, ANI reported.

In addition, Ajit Doval and Jake Sullivan also discussed opportunities for greater cooperation in critical and emerging technologies, co-development, co-production, and ways to deepen connectivity across their innovation ecosystems, the White House said.

The White House stated that both officials also noted the value of establishing 'innovation bridges' in key sectors, including expos, hackathons, and pitch sessions, and they identified the fields of biotechnology, advanced materials, and rare earth processing technology as areas for future cooperation, as per ANI reports.

The two countries also underlined their commitment to work for resolving issues related to regulatory barriers, business, and talent mobility through a standing mechanism under iCET.

They signed a new Implementation Arrangement for a Research Agency Partnership between the National Science Foundation and Indian science agencies to expand international collaboration in a range of areas -- including artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and advanced wireless -- to build a robust innovation ecosystem between our countries.

(With ANI inputs)
Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi has vowed that WhatsApp and Instagram will remain blocked in the country, blaming the online platforms for stoking protests that started over four months ago.

The Islamic republic was rocked by major demonstrations after the mid-September death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, after her arrest for allegedly breaching the country's dress code for women.

Raisi charged that the two platforms, owned by US internet giant Meta, "were at the root of the insecurity in the country during the recent riots", speaking on national television Tuesday evening.

"The two platforms will only be allowed to operate if they have a legal representative in the country who is responsible for their users' activities," the president said.

Telecommunications Minister Issa Zarepour said Wednesday that the continued Whatsapp and Instagram blocks were approved by "the Supreme National Security Council in the presence of the president, the head of the judiciary and the head of parliament".

The online services were the most widely used in Iran after authorities earlier blocked access to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Telegram and TikTok.

Raisi also said that he had "told the country's leaders that internet disruptions were causing discontent" among the population of Iran, which has become a highly connected country in recent years.

Former government spokesman Ali Rabiei warned late last month that the activities of "about three million companies and the jobs of 12 million people" were linked to the internet in Iran.

Even before the protests, internet access was restricted and most foreign websites could only be accessed through virtual private networks.

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WASHINGTON : The Biden administration is turning to India for help as the U.S. works to shift critical technology supply chains away from China and other countries that it says use that technology to destabilize global security.

Administration officials hosted meetings this week with a delegation of Indian officials and U.S. industry executives, seeking to facilitate technology development and investment in India as part of a broader US push to cultivate alternatives to China.

Challenges arising from Beijings expanding global influence have had a profound impact on the thinking in Delhi just as they have had on the profound impact on the thinking in other capitals," White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Tuesday. There is an element of that that forms a backdrop for the discussions here."

The meetings come on the heels of an agreement with Japan and the Netherlands to start restricting exports of advanced chip-manufacturing equipment to China, joining efforts by the Biden administration to slow Chinas military development by cutting access to advanced technologies.

U.S. officials hope those export restrictions create opportunities in India and elsewhere. While India isnt among the worlds top producers of semiconductors, New Delhi has sought to assert itself as a greater semiconductor player. India is an appealing partner for industries looking to diversify their supply sources. With a population of 1.4 billion people, the country has a massive source of labor and costs are relatively low.

On Tuesday, the administration hosted a task force organized by the Semiconductor Industry Association, which is working in partnership with the Indian Electronics and Semiconductor Association, to develop a readiness assessment," aimed at trying to accelerate cooperation and investments. The meetings were attended by top American executives from a range of industries, including defense giant Lockheed Martin and semiconductor producer Micron, administration officials said.

Indias national security adviser, Ajit Doval, led New Delhis delegation this week in meetings with Mr. Sullivan and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and other officials.

The meetings underscore a broader U.S. effort to meet challenges from China through alliances with other countries. The Biden administration has given priority to Washingtons relationship with what is known as the Quadan alliance between India, Australia, Japan and the U.S. that has focused on countering Beijing.

President Biden really believes that no successful and enduring effort to address any of the major challenges in the world todayis going to be effective without a close U.S.-India partnership at its heart," a senior administration official said.

However, a number of challenges in recent months have strained relations between Washington and New Delhi. India has maintained a neutral stance on the war in Ukraine and has continued to purchase discounted oil from Russia, rebuffing the Biden administrations offer to replace Russian oil with U.S. supplies. Instead, India has increased its imports of Russian crude.

Biden administration officials said they understand the enormous domestic demand facing India and said that India continues to buy oil well below the price cap agreed to by allies late last year.

The key, U.S. officials said, is to offer India alternatives. The administration remains hopeful that it can ween India off purchasing Russian military equipment by offering incentives for it to diversify. Mr. Sullivan said generally, the U.S. is doing that through joint production and development. Top priorities in that effort include joint development of jet engines, artillery systems, armored infantry, vehicles and maritime security.

General Electric has just submitted a proposal to the U.S. government for a jointly produced jet engine in the defense technology space.

This is the kind of thing where were looking to make fast and ambitious progress," Mr. Sullivan said.

India has also expressed frustration that two years into the Biden administration, there remains no U.S. ambassador. Earlier this month, the White House submitted to the Senate dozens of presidential selections who failed to win confirmation last year.

India is among a number of countries to also call for an overhaul to the U.S. H-1B visa, a nonimmigrant visa that allows U.S. companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Advocates have called for reforms to the program, including an increase in the annual cap, as well as for a more simplified process.

The State Department has made some progress on the issue, but employers expect delays in obtaining visas to continue in some places, including India. Visitor visas will likely also remain problematic.
Biden-Harris administration announces $2.5M for Tennessee to improve roads at the local level and tackle traffic fatalities
The flashing lights of a police car is something you most likely don't want to see in your rear view mirror. If you do get pulled over, a Chattanooga attorney said it's important to remain calm and remember you do have rights.
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Longford-based author Aidan OHara launches his new book A Damn Yankee Am I? Thanks! in Longford Library on Thursday, February 2 at 7.30pm.

The book explores the growing population of Irish immigrants who found themselves in the United States during the era of the American Civil War (1861-1865).

Fully illustrated, the book offers a rich and detailed look at a little-known chapter in American history. It is a must-read for all interested in the American Civil War, Irish history, and the immigrant experience in America.

Aidan OHara is a well-known broadcaster, author and historian, who has been living in Longford since 2004. His broadcasting career began in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and continued in RTE, where he was a producer and presenter.

His many publications include the books Ill Live Till I Die: The Story of Delia Murphy and Atlantic Gaels: Links between Donegal and the Hebrides. Aidan has also written numerous articles, including in Teathbha, the Journal of County Longford Historical Society.

Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Turlough McGovern, welcomes the book. Many congratulations to Aidan on this hugely impressive book. I know this book has been a labour of love across many years. It offers a unique perspective with links back to Longford seen in the book. I have no doubt it will be very popular both here in Longford, nationally across Ireland and in America also.

Longford County Council Chief Executive Paddy Mahon also sees the book as introducing a major subject to a local, national and international audience. The book shows the extent of Longford and Irish participation in the American Civil War, shedding light on a not-very well-known area of Irish history. I welcome its launch in Longford Library this week.

Author Aidan OHara added, The era of the Civil War is assessed as being from the start of abolitionism in the 1830s, through the war itself and its aftermath. As well as considering the broad topic of emigration, the book contains many references to Longford people and their part in the Civil War.

Hundreds of Longford men and descendants of Longford families took part in the war and several of them died, including Hugh Mulvey and Patrick Tiernan from Drumlish, my fathers native place. Peter McLaughlin was a native of Glanmore, County Longford and he fought at the famous Battle of Vicksburg, in the 84th Illinois Volunteers. Other men whose names we have  and not much else  include James Trainor, Edward Brady, George Grier, Michael Nannery, John Masterson and Francis Carey.

A Damn Yankee, Am I? Thanks! is published by Anam Communications. The book is available through Longford Libraries. It is also available to buy from online retailers, including Amazon and the Book Depository and from local booksellers.
Service users of St Christopher's assembled in the car park of the Battery Road facility this morning as they prepared for a visit to the seat of Irish government. The day trip to the Kildare Street parliament was arranged by local Fianna Fail Cllr Uruemu Adejinm

St Christopher's provides services to Adults and Children with Intellectual Disabilities in County Longford including day, residential an respite care.

Staff and service users from St Christopher's prepare for the trip to Dublin: Lorraine Farrar, Safia Hamal, Carmel Farrell, John Kyle, Aidan Coughland, Aoife Paland, Kevin Hegarty, Miriam Delaney, Fiona McLoughlin, Fiona Devine, Christian Dann, Annmarie Courtney

Cllr Adejinm explained how the Dail visit came about: A couple of month sago I was invited to meet with staff and service users of the ACE Unit in St Christopher's. We had a questions and answers session. In my role as councillor I asked if there was any issues I could highlight.

A number of issues were raised, but a few people expressed a desire to visit Leinster House and meet the then Taoiseach Michael Martin. I contacted Deputy Joe Flaherty and he was delighted to make the arrangements. Today is the day and everyone is very excited about the trip.

Lorraine Farrar supervisor in St Christopher's said there was great excitement about the trip: It's a great day and we have been looking forward to it for a while. Uruemu met with the service users in the ACE unit (Achievement, Choice and Evolution) and she told them about her work as a councillor. In the course of that meeting they mentioned wanting to visit the Dail. We have to thank Uruemu and Deputy Flaherty for making the arrangements.
A Brazilian woman who was allegedly trafficked to Ireland to work in prostitution has told a jury that her plan every day was to end the day alive.

The woman was giving her evidence via video-link and through an interpreter at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial of Natalia Nogueira Da Silva and Ivanilce (Lisa) Vailones Fidelis.

The State alleges the two accused women trafficked two vulnerable Brazilian women for the purposes of exploiting them and taking advantage of their vulnerability to such an extent as to cause the trafficked person to have no real or acceptable alternative but to submit to being trafficked.

Ms Vailones Fidelis (46) of Castle Manor, Racecourse Road, Roscommon, has denied all 18 charges against her, including two counts of human trafficking, one count of organising prostitution and money laundering charges on dates between 2015 and 2020.

Ms Da Silva (32), of Cairn Hill View, Drumlish, Co Longford, has admitted 35 charges including organising prostitution, facilitating the entry into the state of an illegal person and money laundering. She has denied a single charge of human trafficking in 2019.

The woman told Garnet Orange SC prosecuting that she came to Ireland in 2018 after a friend advised her that she could help organise work for her. She said her friend gave her the name of Lisa and contact details.

Lisa then helped her organise her a passport, flights and an invitation letter to facilitate her entry into Ireland. She recalled getting picked up in Belfast Airport and being taken to Ballymahon, Co Longford.

She said she spent a week there because Lisa would tell her she had to move every week because it was too dangerous to stay.

The woman told the jury that she had expected to work in Ireland doing massages but that Lisa had advised her that she wouldnt make much money from that. She started work the very next day following her arrival into Ireland.

She said Lisa would advise her that there was a customer at the door, either through message or a phone call and Lisa would have agreed with the client what service would be provided.

She said sometimes it would be okay with the client to just do massage but other times they would want more and she would get angry with Lisa because Lisa had agreed with clients that this would be the service provided.

The woman said she could have seven, eight or nine clients on a daily basis and they would each pay 100 to 150.

I just expected to end the day alive. Sometimes there were drugs or they were aggressive. I would deny some things and they would get aggressive and I had no English to explain myself properly, the woman continued.

When asked by Mr Orange what services they were paying for she replied sex. Weird things. All of weird things relating to sex, humiliating things. Sometimes they agreed on the phone to do anal sex and things with food and fetishes.

When asked if she ever agreed to do these things with the clients she replied No. She said The safe option for me was to just do that.

She said that each week she had to pay 100 for the website that was used for clients  Escort Ireland. She would also have to pay her rent, which she said could range from 500 to 900. She also had to pay the driver who moved her to a different location every week.

She said that at the end of each week she counted the number of clients she had. This was based on a kiss emoji beside a clients details on WhatsApp. She would tell Lisa the amount and then she had to lodge half that amount into an account, the details of which had been provided by Lisa.

She said Lisa made her delete the WhatsApp conversations and she had to send a screenshot to prove that she had deleted them.

The woman told Mr Orange that she never set up the profile on Escort Ireland because she had no English at the time and she said Lisa took care of the site.

When I arrived she told me I needed to do this site and she organised a hotel room, clothes and a photographers for pictures. She paid for the pictures and told me I had to pay her back  she organised the style of it - school girl clothes  really small skirts, stockings and heels, she said.

She told the jury of an occasion at Christmas when Lisa rented a house for all the girls to spend Christmas together. She said that was time she got to meet the person she had been speaking to on the phone  the person she knew as Lisa.

She said there were eight or nine girls there and drink and drugs were provided to them. She also met a woman called Natalia that day whom she had never met before.

Ms Da Silva has pleaded not guilty to one count of human trafficking a woman at an unknown location within the State, on dates between March 31, 2019 and May 18, 2019.

She has pleaded guilty in front of the jury to one count of organising prostitution at an unknown location within the State on dates between December 5, 2018 and May 18, 2019.

She has also admitted one count of facilitating the entry into the State of a person she knew to be illegal on March 31, 2019 at Dublin Airport, along with 33 counts of money laundering the proceeds of crime on dates between March 2020 and May 2021.

Ms Vailones Fidelis has pleaded not guilty to all 18 counts against her.

She has denied two counts of human trafficking two women at various locations within the State on dates between December 2018 and May 2019. She has pleaded not guilty to one count of organising prostitution during the same time period.

Ms Vailones Fidelis has further pleaded not guilty to 14 counts of money laundering the proceeds of crime on dates between January 2015 and December 2020 and one count of removing proceeds of crime from the State during the same time period.

The trial continues before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury.
(Alliance News) - Foresight Group Holdings Ltd on Wednesday said it has made further inroads into the US sub-advisory market, after its capital management division was appointed to the Cromwell Foresight Sustainable Infrastructure Fund, launched yesterday.

Foresight Group is a London-based infrastructure and private equity investment manager.

The new US fund will replicate Foresight Capital Management's existing global real infrastructure strategy. To date, the UK and Luxembourg-domiciled funds focusing on this strategy have raised gross inflows of GBP1.1 billion since launch in June 2019.

The new US mutual fund represents the newly-formed partnership between Foresight and Baltimore-based Cromwell Funds. It represents an opportunity for Foresight to enter the US asset management market.

The firm argued that FCM's capabilities and experience, alongside the "strong and well-established" distribution capabilities of Cromwell, would provide US investors with an attractive entry into a portfolio focussed on sustainable energy transition infrastructure.

"I am delighted to announce the launch of Foresight's new US Mutual Fund in partnership with Cromwell which further expands our geographic footprint and strengthens our already resilient and diversified business model," said Executive Chair Bernard Fairman.

"The US market offers a significant opportunity for Foresight and over the next 12 months we will build both the scale of the Fund and the US profile of the Foresight brand. We believe that the growth opportunities in the US offer the potential in the long term to exceed FCM's current UK and European business."

Foresight shares were trading 1.1% higher at 466.00 pence each in London on Wednesday morning.

By Holly Beveridge; Alliance News reporter

Comments and questions to newsroom@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2023 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.




Monroes next schools chief seen as energetic

community-builder MONROE  Shawn Woodward, currently the schools superintendent in a district north of Spokane, was selected by the school board last week to be Monroe's next superintendent starting July 1.

The board voted 4-0 after more than one-and-a-half hours of final deliberation.

During a public question-and-answer round, Woodward described himself as "an eternal optimist" who believes in honesty and being open and transparent about district affairs both good and bad.

He said he is passionate about supporting special needs and underrepresented students, and said respectful teacher-student relationships are one piece to ensuring all students feel like they belong.

Woodward is the superintendent of the Mead School District, of Spokane County, of about 10,275 students. He became Mead's superintendent in 2019 to fill a retirement vacancy. Prior to that, he was superintendent of the smaller Lake Pend Oreille School District in Sandpoint, Idaho for seven years.

In Lake Pend Oreille, Woodward established in-school mental health clinics and a program to supplement education for homeschooled children as two of his initiatives, according to Spokane's daily paper The Spokesman-Review. People familiar with Woodward told that paper that he is capable of turning around underperforming schools.

Woodward said in Mead the district created an equity dashboard, used to track which schools and groups of students are lagging, and Woodward said he'd initiate the same in Monroe.

He jumped into education some 30 years ago right out of college, and obtained his Master's degree 25 years ago.

Working in Monroe would return him and his wife back to this side of the mountains. Bremerton's his hometown.

Monroe's next step will be to negotiate a salary package with Woodward.

In 2020, Woodward's base salary at the Mead School District was $220,000, according to a database compiled by the Kitsap Sun newspaper. Monroe's most recent hire, interim superintendent Marci Larsen, was hired on a one-year contract with a $256,000 base salary.

In 2019, he began hunting for another district. Before being the chosen winner for Mead, he was the runner-up choice to be superintendent of the South Kitsap School District of Port Orchard and he also was a finalist for superintendent of the Eagle County Schools system near Vail, Colorado, according to the Kitsap Daily News and the Vail Daily newspapers.

He arrived in Mead right after it undertook $11 million in budget shortfall cuts, including closing a STEM-focused alternative high school and a second school program, and had to navigate that.

He described Monroe as having town pride, community engagement and he said he applied because he wants to be part of it.

Woodward said he supports keeping the public engaged in district affairs. He described that while in Lake Pend Oreille he held stakeholder meetings involving thousands of people.

He said he prefers connecting person-to-person. "I'm known for calling people and asking them to come in to have a respectful conversation," Woodward said.

Answering a question about hiring people to work at the district, Woodward suggested hyper-localizing recruitment drives in the neighborhoods which individual schools serve.

The other two finalists were Voni Walker, a former Monroe teacher who is the superintendent of the small Manson School District in Chelan County, and Greg Schwab, an assistant superintendent in the Edmonds School District.

Walker spoke of creating an inviting workplace culture to attract new hires. Schwab, answering a different question, spoke to how the district is poised for a new strategic plan which he could lead.

They advanced from an original field of 21 applicants.

The superintendent candidates toured schools, met with groups of teachers and had a whirlwind of activities Thursday, Jan. 26.

The community panel of 12 people asked candidates nine pre-scripted questions for a community open meeting before the final vote. One of the panelists said they did not select the questions.

Monroe's current superintendent, Marci Larsen, came out of retirement to run the district, taking over for chief academic officer Kim Whitworth. Whitworth took on the temporary role of interim superintendent to fill a void when Superintendent Justin Blasko was put on leave in late 2021. The district mutually separated with Blasko six months later with a $396,374 payout to terminate his superintendent contract early.

The district always planned to do a search to find a permanent superintendent this year, the district said previously.









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We're still working on this, but watch for an upcoming Tribune to see some recognitions.



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We express our severe concern with the enormous number of people who have been jailed without warrants as well as the sentencing of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.

by Dr Arpita Hazarika

Today is 1st February 2023. The daring military takeover in Myanmar two years ago on February 1 will be remembered as the start of the most oppressive administration in recent memory on February 1, 2023. The situation in Myanmar has deteriorated drastically since February 2021, and a civil war between the military and the pro-democracy front is still raging. The years 2021 and 2022 were sad for the state of human rights as the military, often known as the Tatmadaw, used excessive violence to put an end to the call for democracy.

A resolution was vetoed in the UN Security Council because to Chinese and Russian support for the Tatmadaw, therefore it might be said that the situation has reached this point as a result of the lackluster response and insufficient strict steps of the international community.

Myanmar Military Training [ Photo Credit: The Irrawaddy ]

Unprecedented agony and hardship for the people of Myanmar resulted from the military's unrelenting violence and repression in 2022.

Aung San Suu Kyi was one of the prominent leaders of the National League for Democracy (NLD) who was detained by the Tatmadaw two years ago after they attempted a coup and made the absurd claim that elections had been rigged. Despite the fact that the NLD won the election with an overwhelming majority of seats and 83 percent of the vote overall, Tatmadaw, the "King Maker," rejected the outcome out of concern for its continued control over Myanmar politics. The general populace of Myanmar protested against the coup and denounced it. The demonstration quickly evolved into the civil disobedience movement (CDM), in which professionals from all fields refused to report to work and sought the return of democracy.

The Tatmadaw's choice to satiate the demand with bullets covered Myanmar's streets in blood. According to the Thailand-based human rights organization Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, the Tatmadaw has killed roughly 1,500 people and detained up to 9,000 others in the past year (Burma). Additionally, the Tatmadaw employed stringent monitoring techniques to stifle protestors' voices. 120 journalists have been detained under the recently implemented harsh provision, Section 505A of the penal code, of whom 15 have been found guilty and 50 are still awaiting trial. Seven media outlets' licenses as well as those for satellite television have been revoked.

After the People's Defence Force (PDF) was established as the political branch of the National Unity Government in the midst of the bloody crackdown, the CDM changed into an armed resistance group (NUG). Even though NUG has the least power over the force, former NLD officials and pro-democracy fronts founded NUG and PDF as their armed wings. PDF and NUG gradually became one of the main political groups in Myanmar. To combat PDF, Tatmadaw has increased its level of aggression, whereas PDF prefers guerrilla warfare. According to UN estimates, at least 406,000 people have been displaced due to the increasing civil war.

Myanmar's economy has also been destroyed by political unrest. Foreign companies' withdrawal and currency depreciation have stifled the nation's economic expansion.

Even while previous military coups encountered the least resistance and protest, this one resulted in a hitherto unheard-of movement against the dictatorship. The youth of the nation have demonstrated a strong belief in democracy and have remained in the forefront of the protest. The "Five Twos," often referred to as Myanmar's "Generation Z," have taken the Tatmadaw and the rest of the world by surprise. Their political awareness is commendable, and they exhibit an unwavering spirit of resistance.

The Tatmadaw started to experience an image crisis after the youth rebellion was violently put down, and they now worry about maintaining power in the face of unabated popular hatred. Outside of Myanmar, the Tatmadaw has substantial backing from mighty nations like China and Russia.

On the other hand, the people of Myanmar rely on the international world to change things and bring back democracy. With the military's withdrawal from power, it is clear that the situation will change for the better, necessitating the major engagement of the international community. Ironically, there has been no progress toward resolving this political problem by the international community, which is still bitterly split.

The lives of Myanmar's residents and ethnic communities are wretched and perpetually unstable due to the lackluster responses of the international community, the geopolitical alignment of major countries, the lengthy history of military rule, and the Tatmadaw's counter-insurgency operations. Torture, famine, and displacement are the three main pillars of modern-day Myanmar society.

The Tatmadaw has not been significantly impacted by major corporations leaving the country in protest of violations of human rights, such as Chevron and Total. The causes of humanity, genocide, and ethnic cleansing are not what drive the global world; rather, it is geopolitical interests. Although many people believed NUG would have international assistance to drive the Tatmadaw out, in reality, it has not succeeded in securing the backing of significant international players beyond mere lip service.

Situations like these, ranging from the Rohingya catastrophe to the Middle East conflict, have demonstrated how keenly global powers have focused on securing their own interests through strategic realignments and readjustments. Bangladesh is affected by the military takeover in Myanmar and the subsequent political developments in that country since the repatriation of 1.1 million Rohingyas from Bangladesh has been put on hold.

The Tatmadaw's violence, repression, and civil war in Myanmar have left people living in perpetual fear and uncertainty. The international community must restore democracy to Myanmar's youth and give displaced people like the Rohingyas new hope. Before it's too late, the international community must respond in a concerted and strict manner. The Tatmadaw would gain strength as a result of the great nations failing to act, prolonging the agony and vulnerability of the people of Myanmar in 2023 and beyond.

We honor the lives lost over the previous year, especially those of women, children, humanitarian workers, human rights advocates, and nonviolent protestors, on this second anniversary of the coup. We vehemently condemn the country's widespread human rights abuses and breaches committed by the military dictatorship, especially those committed against Rohingya and other racial and religious minorities. We express our deep concern about the verifiable reports of sexual and gender-based violence as well as torture. We are really concerned about the additional more than 400,000 people who have fled their homes since the coup. We further express our serious concern for the worsening humanitarian situation throughout the nation and call on the military regime to grant immediate, complete, and unrestricted access to vulnerable communities for humanitarian purposes, including COVID-19 immunization.

We express our severe concern with the enormous number of people who have been jailed without warrants as well as the sentencing of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.

All members of the international community are urged to support initiatives aimed at promoting justice for the people of Myanmar, to hold those accountable for abuses and violations of human rights accountable, to stop providing the military and its representatives with arms, equipment, and technical assistance, and to continue assisting them in meeting immediate humanitarian needs.

We want to be clear that we support the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus and the Special Envoy of ASEAN in his efforts to promote a peaceful resolution that serves the needs of the people of Myanmar. In order to ensure that the ASEAN Special Envoy has access to all stakeholders in Myanmar, including pro-democracy organizations, we urge the military administration to actively participate in ASEAN's efforts to achieve complete and urgent implementation of the Five-Point Consensus. We also applaud the work of the UN Special Envoy for Myanmar and call on the military government to cooperate constructively with her.

Dr Arpita Hazarika is a Gauhati University, Assam, India-based researcher. She is interested in refugee affairs, political economy, security and strategic affairs, and foreign policies of the Asia-Pacific region. With numerous foreign exposures, she has conducted research works on India-Bangladesh affairs.
Israel has developed another, the fifth, version of its Merkava tank. The Merkava 5 was quietly developed, built, tested and deployed in small numbers during late 2022. This was ahead of schedule because the original delivery date was supposed to be early 2023. Like the earlier Merkava models, Merkava 5 is an improved version of the previous model. The 65-ton Merkava 4 entered service in 2005, with an upgraded version appearing in 2011. Further upgrades of Merkava 4 turned out to be so extensive that this version was designated Merkava 5, which weighs the same as Merkava 4. Several hundred Merkava 4 tank deliveries will instead incorporate the Merkava 5 features and enter service as Merkava 5s. This means there will be 360 Merkava 4s and 300 Merkava 5s. The price per tank will also increase from $4.5 million for each Merkava 4 and about $5 million for each Merkava 5.

Improvements in the Merkava 5 include a more effective engine along with upgrades to the Iron Vision system that provides the commander a view of what is happening outside the tank. The new version provides a more realistic day/night view of what is outside as well as indications of where enemy fire (bullets or projectiles) hitting the tank is coming from and how best Merkava can respond. This was the result of upgrading the fire-control system. The Trophy APS (Active Protection System) has also been updated to be more effective and incorporate some of the lessons of the war in Ukraine.

Israel is the smallest nation in the world to design and build its own tanks. This was the result of the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, which took Israel by surprise and inflicted heavy losses before Israel counter-attacked and defeated Egypt and Syria and their larger number of modern Russian tanks. Israel carefully analyzes the results of each war it fights and makes changes to deal with problems encountered. The 1973 war prompted Israel to start designing and building its own tanks.

By 1979 the 61-ton Merkava entered service and 250 were built by 1983. That was the year the first of 580 62-ton Merkava 2s entered service. Production of Merkava 2 ended in 1989. The first two Merkava models were similar in design with both using a 105mm gun. The Merkava 2 had additional armor, a five percent more powerful 950 HP engine and a 20 percent higher top speed of 55 kilometers an hour. The external 60mm mortar, mainly for firing smoke shells, was moved inside for the Merkava 2. There were a lot of other mechanical and electronic upgrades. By 1989 all the active-duty armored brigades had Merkavas and many of the reserve armored brigades as well.

Using lessons learned from the 1982 fighting in Lebanon, Israel developed a much improved 63.5-ton Merkava 3, which entered service in 1990. By 2002 680 Merkava 3s were built. The main improvements in Merkava were a 120mm main gun and much more powerful 1,200 HP engine that produced a 60-kilometers an hour top speed, faster acceleration and a more maneuverable and nimbler tank. All the armor was of a modern composite design. Fewer main gun shells could be carried; 46 120mm ones compared to 60 105mm shells in the Merkava 2. Merkava 3 could load shells faster because of a five-round mechanical drum. The fire-control system was also upgraded, as were many other components. The Merkava 3 is still used, mainly by reserve armor brigades.

In 2003 the 65-ton Merkava 4 was introduced. So far 360 of these have been produced and most have already undergone several major upgrades. Merkava 4 has improved armor, a redesigned turret, 25 percent more powerful 1,500 HP engine and a top speed of 65 kilometers an hour. Merkava 4 is even more nimble and maneuverable than Merkava 3. Merkava 4 carries 48 rounds of 120mm shells and uses a 10-round electric powered drum for quick loading. Merkava has a smoother ride because of an improved suspension system. There is also improved protection for the crew against mines and roadside bombs. By 2021 360 Merkava 4s were built.

All Merkavas feature a unique design feature; the engine is in the front. This adds more protection for the four-man crew and any passengers in the large rear compartment. That compartment can hold more 120mm shells or other supplies or up to eight passengers. Usually six infantrymen are carried, providing Merkava with its own infantry support. This is especially useful in built-up areas.

Merkava 4 underwent several major upgrades. In 2012 Israel completed equipping all the Merkava tanks in an armor brigade with the Trophy APS. In 2010 the first battalion of Merkavas was so equipped. In 2011 Trophy defeated incoming missiles and rockets in combat for the first time. This included ATGMs (Anti-Tank Guided Missiles), possibly a modern Russian system like the Kornet E. This ATGM was introduced in 1994 and sold to Syria, who apparently passed some to Hezbollah and Hamas. A few weeks before the ATGM intercept, Trophy defeated an RPG warhead, an unguided rocket propelled grenade fired from a metal tube balanced on the shoulder. As it was designed to do, Trophy operated automatically and the crew didn't realize the incoming RPG and missile warheads had been stopped until after it was over. That is how APS is supposed to work.

In 2017, a ground vehicle VR (Virtual Reality) system called Iron Vision was introduced and Merkava 4 was the first tank to get it. Iron Vision meant a tank could largely dispense with tanks traditional dependence on the tank commander spending a lot of time with his head sticking out of the turret to get a better view of the situation. The VR helmet display helmet is worn by the tank commander and not only shows real-time video of what is outside, but also an overlay of other information or even a map. Israel pioneered the development and use of such helmets, and the F-35 stealth fighter was designed to use a VR helmet. Most modern tanks are equipped with these small external digital vidcams but Iron Vision makes the external cameras much easier to use.

In 2020 Fire Weaver fire control network software was first installed in Israeli tanks and will soon be installed in warplanes, artillery and other armored vehicles. In 2021 at least two of the four active-duty armored brigades had Fire Weaver. Once all the active-duty armor brigades have it, the six active-duty infantry brigades will receive it. Some of the 22 reserve brigades, nine of them armored, may get the system as well.

Fire Weaver takes data from existing sensors on tanks and other armored vehicles as well as artillery and warplanes and rapidly (within five seconds) lets vehicles, warplanes and artillery know which available target each combat system should fire at. This eliminates a common battlefield situation where too many weapons fire on some targets while other targets are not initially fired on at all. Currently, tank crews and artillery spotters (troops who call back to tell artillery which targets to hit) have manual procedures for picking which targets they should fire at. That often works quite well, especially during a situation where a tank unit encountering the enemy has an opportunity to fire first. Fire Weaver automates these decisions and makes more effective choices more quickly. The troops and pilots can override Fire Weaver-selected targets but tests have shown that Fire Weaver is usually quite effective in selecting the best targets for each tank, artillery unit or aircraft.

Fire Weaver is easy to implement in the Israeli military because the Israelis have already been providing their troops with better sensors and battlefield networks. For example, in mid-2019 three Israeli firms, responding to an IDF proposal for bid, showed off their versions of the proposed Carmel Concept for future armored vehicles. Three different armored vehicles; the Merkava 4 tank, Namer IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) and the Eitan 8x8 APC (Armored Personnel Carrier) had proposed versions of Carmel installed. Carmel involves several existing technologies plus proposed new ones that would turn an armored vehicle into a combat system that would operate with, a crew of two or a robotic vehicle operated remotely (like a UAV) or autonomously, to benefit from more information about where friendly and suspected enemy forces were. This information would often be delivered in real-time. This sort of thing provides a tremendous advantage in combat.

The best example of similar (to Carmel) existing tech is used in the F-35 where numerous sensor and communications systems are controlled by software that uses data fusion. This is merging data from many sources and presenting it to the pilot in a comprehensible fashion to provide the F-35 pilot with unprecedented situational awareness. That means an accurate picture of where the pilot and everything else in the vicinity is. It had long been known that superior situational awareness was the key to victory in combat be it in the air, at sea or on land. Carmel proposes that manufacturers find ways to effectively combine existing tech with improved software. This would include more AI (Artificial Intelligence) to analyze sensor and situational data at high speed and either act autonomously (as ADS, or Active Defense Systems, do) or present options to the vehicle operators.

Although the Merkava was introduced in 1979 it wasnt until mid-2006 that Israeli tanks saw their first heavy combat in 24 years. It was also the first combat for the then new Merkava 4. Actually, it was the first heavy combat for the Merkava 2 (introduced in 1983) and Merkava 3 (1989). In 1982, 180 Merkava 1s saw action during the war with Lebanon. Until 2006 Merkavas had only been used in peacekeeping and counter-terror operations with the Palestinians.

The Israelis, as they have in all past wars, collected detailed information on each tank that was hit by enemy fire. Israel won't, for obvious reasons, release all this information. But they have provided some data. "Several hundred" Merkavas were sent into southern Lebanon in 2006. Of those, ten percent were hit by enemy fire, including mines and roadside bombs. Merkava faced modern ATGMs for the first time in 2006. Only 18 tanks were seriously damaged, and only a third of those were from several hundred ATGMs fired by Hezbollah. Only two of the 18 heavily damaged tanks were destroyed, and both of those were damaged by roadside bombs. In those two cases, the tank was over the bomb when it was detonated.

The experience in Lebanon again proved that ATGMs tend to be overrated. Israel first encountered ATGMs during the 1973 war, and quickly adapted. ATGMs were much less effective in the 1982 war, and didn't do all that well in 2006 either. The Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah quickly learned that the Merkava frontal armor was impervious to their Kornet ATGMs. Getting side and rear shots was more difficult, and not a lot more successful. While the ATGM warhead often penetrated, the Merkava was designed to take this kind of hits and survive, and survive it did. In addition to fire extinguisher systems, the ammo and fuel are stored in such a way that secondary explosions are rare. The crew normally survives these hits, as does the tank.

One of the biggest problems with Israeli tanks in Lebanon had to do with the crews. Because of the heavy use of Israeli troops in counter-terror operations since 2000, most tank crews have spent a lot of time without their tanks, serving as security troops (light infantry). The lack of training in their tanks reduced the effectiveness of the Merkavas in Lebanon. This was not a critical factor, but it annoyed the tank crews quite a bit.

The tankers were also peeved at the lack of protective devices, like smoke grenades on some tanks, or active defense systems like the Trophy APS. This was because so much money was diverted to counter-terror operations. While only six tanks were destroyed in Lebanon, over a hundred tank crewmen were killed or wounded by ATGMs. Hezbollah would often use a missile just to get the vehicle commander, who often was standing up, with his head and chest out of the turret hatch to get a better look at what's going on. Tank commanders would like to see some money spent on sensor systems (cameras) that enable the tank commander to get a good look around the tank, from inside the tank. The Lebanon operation was a wakeup call for the Israeli government to stop shortchanging efforts to improve their tanks.

As good as the Merkava is, there are not a lot of export customers. There was apparently only one export customer and Israel did not reveal who it was and no other public information about a foreign user has appeared so far. One difficulty with export orders is that Israel builds the Merkava itself and cannot afford large production facilities. Moreover, many key components come from the United States, which gives the Americans a veto power over who exports go to. Merkava is also very expensive, with the most modern Merkava 5 costing over $5 million each.

Israel cannot afford to keep all its Merkava in service. Currently 220 of 550 Merkava 4s are in storage, while only 160 of 730 Merkava 3s are in use, the rest in storage. There are still 370 Merkava 2s available, but all are in storage. If there is a major war, the stored Merkavas can be ready for combat in a few days, or less. These storage tanks would be used to replace tanks out of action for combat or non-combat reasons. Because the Merkava is designed to reduce crew casualties, most of the crews of damaged or destroyed tanks are available for duty within hours. While storage tanks dont get many of the upgrades, the basic controls of Merkava were kept the same or similar from one model to another to make it easy for crewmen who started out in a Merkava 4 to operate an earlier Merkava model taken out of storage.

The success of Merkava and the need for a new APC (armored personnel carrier) to replace the current 18-ton American M113s led to the production of several hundred Namer IFVs (Infantry Fighting Vehicles). These were basically Barak tanks without the turrets. At first the chassis of the 61-ton Merkava 1 was used but the protection for the nine infantry and three-man Namer crew was considered inadequate. Instead, the chassis of the 65-ton Merkava 4 was used. This Namer used the Trophy APS and that seemed to provide the needed protection. The Namer is the best protected IFV in service. It is armed with a small RWS (remote controlled weapons station) containing a 30mm autocannon. There is also a 60mm mortar and a 7.62mm machine-gun that are manually operated by crew or passengers. The latest addition is two Spike ATGMs that are carried and launched from a metal pod that is inside the vehicle and raised from inside the Namer for use. The passengers and crew are seated in blast resistant seats to protect them from injury if Namer encounters a large roadside bomb or anti-tank mine. This approach proved successful when such large explosions were encountered.
NATO delays in delivering tanks and other armored vehicles, as well as longer-range missiles and combat aircraft have hampered Ukrainian plans to launch new offensives to force Russian forces out of more Ukrainian territory. Russia is taking advantage of this by using its few remaining offensive units to make small territorial gains and promote this as major victories.

For Vladimir Putin, his war in Ukraine can continue as long as he has enough money to support it. Oil income is way down because of sanctions. Despite that Russia can still export oil but at discounts of up to 45 percent. This can (according to Russian officials) go on for about three years and then the National Wealth Fund, a reserve of gold and foreign currencies that supports the value of the ruble, will be officially gone (much has been frozen in Western banks by sanctions and will instead probably end up being used to rebuild Ukraine). Emptying that fund this way makes it nearly impossible to borrow money. Meanwhile sanctions and costs of the war have increased unemployment and poverty rates.

Putin calls on Russians to exercise the traditional forbearance under difficult conditions. This got Russia through World War II and years of communist misrule. The costs were high. World War II cost Russia 18 percent of its population with enormous damage to the economy and infrastructure. Communist corruption and inability to manage the economy eventually led to the dissolution of the centurys old Russian empire in 1991. Putin describes the war in Ukraine as an internal matter for a Russian government that considers the 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union as illegitimate and a great mistake. The problem is that none of the new nations created from the dissolution want to return to being imperial vassals. Putin was surprised at the Ukrainians resistance and, rather than accept the truth, insisted that the Ukrainians had become corrupted by NATO who persuaded them to fight the Russian liberation effort. Ukrainians old enough to remember life in Soviet Ukraine recognize Putins version of the situation as the same delusional beliefs that caused the Soviet Union to fall apart in 1991.

Its another example of those who refuse to learn from history and are condemned to repeat it. Ukrainians recognize this and a growing number of Russians do as well. After losing about seven million Russians who left Russia permanently since Putin took power, Putin now restricts who can leave the country. In response to that, Russians are sneaking out of the country despite the risk of arrest and prison or getting killed by border guards with orders to shoot anyone caught crossing illegally and refusing to stop. So far a majority of Russians have put up with this mistreatment but the situation is a replay of the late 1980s and few Russians want that. This includes a growing number of wealthy Russians (the oligarchs) who have the means to bring Putin down if enough of them unite in such a risky effort.

Putin is moving to cripple the opposition by trying to limit the ability of many Russian Internet-based war correspondents to visit the war zone. His generals are cooperating with this although most of the troops are not. Russians mobilized into the military during 2022 are poorly trained, led and supplied. The result has been a lot of soldiers who refuse to act like soldiers. Russia lost most of its combat officers early in the war and many non-combat officers (including doctors) ordered to replace those losses were not effective. Russia has no veteran NCOs and in desperation is offering officer commissions to act like an officer. This has not worked out because the new officers found that the senior officers are more concerned with keeping their jobs than taking care of their subordinates. Russia is running out of capable and loyal soldiers willing to fight and die for Putin.

Russia is also running out of generals because nine have died so far during visits to the front to see for themselves what is happening and why. Accurate news from the front is still available from the Internet-based reporters. Despite that, Putin recently replaced the senior generals running the Ukraine operations with ones who believe only Russian offensive action will work for Russia in Ukraine. Remaining on the defensive in order to wait out the Ukrainians is something Putin realizes he literally cannot afford.

Putin plays down the problems with an offensive strategy. For example, when Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022 it never expected to run out of ammunition. The war was not over in a few months and, because of that, Russia did run out of artillery munitions by the end of 2022 while Ukraine was supplied by NATO with massive amounts of 155mm artillery ammunition. Russias production of artillery ammunition continues but it is not enough to match what Ukraine is receiving from NATO nations. Ukraine has also revived its artillery munitions production of 152mm shells. This is the caliber used by Russian-designed artillery which Ukraine still has some of. NATOs current munitions are more effective and reliable than Russian-made projectiles. For Ukraine to push the Russians out of its territory it must attack and that requires more artillery support than defense.

The NATO countries supplying all this ammunition have a problem because they eventually ran through most of what they had available. The United States supplied most of it and now has to replace its war reserves stockpiled for a major war. While European NATO nations dont have to worry about their major threat, Russia, while they rebuild their war reserves, the Americans have to plan for potential conflicts elsewhere, like China, North Korea and Iran. The Americans can still do so because supporting Ukraine does not degrade American naval or air power. A war with China would not become more difficult because of American military aid to Ukraine. The same is true for potential conflicts with China, North Korea or Iran as both of them have plenty of powerful local near-peer opponents who would be American allies in such conflicts, i.e., South Korea, Japan, the Arab gulf states and Israel, who can deal with China, Iran or North Korea given American and naval support. American ground forces are also available for a Pacific campaign, but cannot use artillery munitions as heavily as they would prefer.

The U.S. found that it takes several years to ramp up production of artillery munitions and five or more years of increased production to restore the reserves. Munitions are still being sent to Ukraine, but not in the massive quantities seen during the first eight months of the war. Ukraine has managed to repair its own production facilities after Russia damaged them early in the war and is now manufacturing a lot of the basic small arms, artillery and mortar ammunition its troops use. While NATO nations have sent Ukraine most of the available munitions as well as a lot of weapons and combat or support vehicles, this is justified by the fact that NATO exists to protect NATO members from a Russian attack. The Russians did attack, but started with Ukraine, which wanted to join NATO, before moving on to nearby NATO nations. Russia has wrecked its military power and economy with this invasion of Ukraine, and wont recover for a long time.

Ukrainian Advantages

Ammunition is not the only item Russia does not have enough of. Adequate training for its troops, especially the new ones, is lacking. This is not the case with the Ukrainian forces, which received training from NATO countries since 2015 and that increased in 2022. For example, the United States set up a training program that trained up to 800 Ukrainian troops a month. Until 2022 the Americans were only training about 300 Ukrainian soldiers each month. Since February 2022 the U.S. has trained 3,100 Ukrainian soldiers. All this training concentrates on teaching Ukrainian troops to use weapons or equipment sent to Ukraine. For example, this program trained 610 Ukrainian artillerymen on how to use the HIMARS vehicle that carries and launches six GMLRS missiles. The fire control system of the HIMARS vehicle is somewhat complex. This HIMARS training enabled the Ukrainian crews to use the GMLRS missiles with devastating effect.

The new expanded program will train infantry units to handle more complex battlefield tactics. From 2015 to February 2022, American instructors trained 0ver 27,000 Ukrainian troops at a Ukrainian army base. After the invasion the American trainers withdrew and the training continued, on a smaller scale, in NATO bases in Germany.

Britain has used a thousand trainers to train nearly 10,000 Ukrainian troops in the last six months of 2022. Britain will train another 20,000 Ukrainian troops in Britain during 2023. Other nations have also contributed trainers to this effort. The Ukrainians appreciate this training effort and it makes a difference on the battlefield. This is especially true because Russia is sending more troops to Ukraine who have had little or no training. That means the Russians suffer higher casualties and the Ukrainians lose far fewer men. Ukrainian troops have been quick learners and know that success learning this material is a matter of life or death. The NATO nations have been making notes of how well and quickly the Ukrainians absorb this training, and used it to improve NATO training methods. NATO has long been getting useful feedback from Ukrainian troops about how well the training and the equipment works. Several NATO nations are sending Ukraine a hundred or more Leopard 2 tanks and the United States is sending some M1 tanks. Several countries are sending IFVs (Infantry Fighting Vehicles) and other light armored vehicles that typically accompany tanks. NATO and the Ukrainians develop shorter courses enabling troops familiar with one model of tank or IFV to transition to another similar vehicle. All this training gives Ukrainian forces a major advantage over the Russians, where most of the troops have little training or advanced tech and suffer from low morale and poor leadership. That sort of thing makes a big difference in combat but is often discounted during peacetime.

Russian Motivations

Vladimir Putins obsession with conquering Ukraine is aimed at acquiring more sufficiently ethnic Russians (which Ukrainians qualify as) to keep Russia Russian. The 2020 Russian census showed that the percentage of ethnic Russians had declined from 77.78 percent to 71.7 percent since 2010, even though it defined the two million Ukrainians (many ethnic Russians or Tatars) in Crimea as Russians because Putin had unilaterally declared that occupied (since 2014) Crimea was now part of Russia. The decline in ethnic Russians is largely because of a low birth rate and a growing number of ethnic Russians leaving Putins Russia. Over seven million ethnic Russians have left Russia since Putin took power in 1999. This happened because Putin mismanaged the economy and turned democratic Russia back into something like the failed Soviet Union. Putin believes that reviving the Soviet Union would be a good thing. Its not enough to turn democratic Russia back into a police state with a corrupt and inefficient economy. The Soviet Union was an empire which lost half its population and much of its territory when it fell apart in 1991. Putin prospered as a citizen of the Soviet Union because he was a KGB officer. The KGB was a secret police/CIA type organization that was well paid and immune from arrest by anyone except another KGB officer. KGB officers were one of the few groups in the Soviet Union who had power and prosperity.

January 25, 2023: American and German leaders abandoned their refusal to send Ukraine tanks and have agreed to send tanks immediately and continue sending this until Ukraine has all it needs to drive Russian forces out of Ukraine and end the war. While most politicians and Americans in general backed sending Ukraine the M1, senior military officials insisted that the Ukrainians wont learn to use the M1s quickly enough to make a difference. The Ukrainians disagreed and pointed to many recent examples of their quickly adapting to new weapons systems in terms of operators and maintainers. The American opposition is coming mostly from the same experts who initially predicted that the larger and better equipped Russian force would soon defeat the Ukrainians. It was not a complete surprise that the Americans announced shortly after saying the 31 M1 tanks would be delivered within weeks, now claim that it will take months. Meanwhile German Leopards are already in Ukraine and it is somewhat surprising that the Americans suddenly cant find 31 operational M1 tanks for Ukraine. The United States has thousands of M1 tanks in reserve. Currently over 2,000 M1 tanks are in use by U.S. Army units. Some M1s are with American units already in Europe. There are also over 3,000 M1s held in reserve. These are not the latest models but were seen as adequate replacements for M1 tanks lost in some future conflict. That conflict is going on now in Ukrainian except that, because Ukraine is not a NATO member, Ukrainian troops are willing to do all the fighting if NATO continues sending all the weapons and munitions they need, including tanks designed and built to defeat a Russian attack on NATO.

The excuses for not sending 31 promised M1 tanks are nothing new, despite the fact that there are currently three American armored brigades in Europe, each with 87 operational M1 tanks. The Ukrainians know this, as do the Poles who are sending their Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. Apparently the closer you are to Russia the more you realize how real; the threat is. Americans have already stalled on sending some weapons, like longer range missiles and any tanks at all, for fear of angering the Russians and triggering an expanded war. That has not happened and the Russians have taken unprecedented losses. Germany had a similar situation but was willing to allow other NATO members, like Poland, to send their Leopard 2 tanks anyway, without reference to what the Americans do with their M1s. Britain ignored American misgivings and sent fourteen of their similar Challenger 2 tanks. The problem is that there are thousands of unused Leopard 2s and M1 tanks available but only a few hundred Challenger 2s. Britain could not afford to build as many tanks as Germany and the Americans, and simply didn't have many to send. Germany finally heeded the pleas of Poland, the Baltic States and Ukraine by no longer trying to block Leopard 2s from going to Ukraine. Poland borders Ukraine and has been preparing to move the tanks into Ukraine. The only NATO nation with M1 tanks is Poland, which ordered 250 and has already received seven to be used for training crews and maintainers. Poland has 247 Leopard 2s and a dozen are being sent to Ukraine immediately for training crews and maintainers. Some of that training may already have taken place in Poland. Sending Leopard 2s to Ukraine is a popular move to most Poles, who see themselves as next on the Russian invasion list. The Ukrainian can stop the Russians sooner with the tanks. Russia continues to make vague threats of reprisals if NATO escalates the situation by sending tanks. Ukrainians regard these as empty threats. Russia has already thrown everything it has at Ukraine and failed. The Russians are planning a Spring Offensive with new troops who are poorly trained, led and armed. This wont succeed but it will get more Ukrainians killed and delay the expulsion of Russians from all Ukrainian territory. The Polish Leopard 2s enable Ukraine to hit the Russians first and speed up the end to Russian control of any Ukrainian territory. Ukraine will have about a hundred M1s, Leopard 2s and Challenger 2s within a month or so. NATO nations are also sending several hundred lighter armored vehicles for infantry and reconnaissance. Some Leopard 2s have already arrived in Ukraine for crew training. Ukraine was apparently already selecting potential crew and maintainers and providing them with detailed data on operating and maintaining M1s and Leopard 2s. Ukraine has also been training pilots for F-16 and A-10 aircraft. In 2023 the U.S. revealed that it was prepared to supply Ukraine with F-16s, but these will not arrive until late 2023.

January 21, 2023: The Russian government increased the legal maximum number of its active-duty military personnel from 1,013,628 to 1,150,628 personnel. It is unlikely that this number will ever be reached. At the end of 2021 the Russian ground forces had about 400,000 men while the navy and air force each had about 150,000. About a third of air force personnel were paratroopers or air mobile infantry. The navy had about 12,000 marines, who guarded naval bases in peacetime. That means the heavy Russian losses since the invasion began, and failure to mobilize many replacements, reduced the army to about 250,000 personnel. The airborne forces and marines also suffered heavy losses but more of them are still in service. Heavy combat losses reduced the personnel strength so sharply because the Russian army has far fewer soldiers providing logistic and transportation services. These are provided by government or private contractors who assemble and move supplies close to the combat zone, where military trucks and drivers move the supplies to army-maintained collection points or the combat units. This works inside Russia where the state-controlled railroads are equipped for operation by civilians who are trained for such support. For a major war against Russia, civilian trucks and drivers are mobilized for this. Such a mobilization disrupts the economy but that is seen as necessary t0 defend Russia. This is why the Ukrainian invasion was not called a war but an internal operation in what Russia declared was Russian territory controlled by rebels. Russia did not expect the Ukrainians massive resistance or their destruction of so many Russian trucks and supply collection points. This dramatically weakened Russian supply capabilities inside Ukraine, especially after Ukraine received guided GMLRS rockets that hit Russian supply depots because of information supplied by Ukrainians or NATO supplied aerial and satellite surveillance. Russian forces inside Ukraine are chronically short of ammunition, food, fuel and much else because of these Ukrainian tactics. Resorting to looting civilian supplies in occupied areas only partially replaces the supplies destroyed in transit or stored inside Ukraine.

Russian armed forces were supposed to have over a million men but that goal has never been met and at the end of 2021 the total was about 750,000. That is now about 400,000, including the air force and navy. Mobilizations of new conscripts and men who had served the one year of conscript service failed to replace all the losses, in part because the mobilized men knew that the war in Ukraine was not going well and most men sent there had little training, equipment or leadership. Most of the junior officers were killed or disabled during the first months of the war and replacements take months to train. Peacetime officer training takes years and now there is a shortage of trainers for troops and officers because most of the existing ones were sent to Ukraine as replacements for the catastrophic losses the Ukrainians were inflicting. Ukraine had 250,000 active-duty troops in early 2022 and within months had half a million more in form of volunteers and conscripts. Normally Ukrainian troops receive a lot more training than their Russian counterparts but in the first months of the war, untrained Ukrainians were used to halt the invasion. Since then, Ukrainian troops get more training and are led by experienced officers and NCOs in combat. Ukrainian troops dont suffer from supply shortages and suffer relatively fewer casualties than the Russians.

January 20, 2023: The American military has finally accepted Ukrainian estimates of Russian losses. While the Ukrainians believe Russia has lost 180,000 troops in Ukraine, the Americans will only acknowledge 100,000 as well enough documented to accept. The Ukrainians also point that their troops lost total does not mean dead, but no longer in the Russian military because they were captured or deserted. Ukraine considers the deserters a real plus for the Ukrainian cause because the deserters will often return home or get in touch and provide a more accurate account of what is really happening in Ukraine. The deserter version is far more glum than the official government reports. The high actual losses have led to an increase of active opposition to the war. This is especially true with young men likely to be conscripted soon. The resistance increasingly means disrupting Russian railroad operations. There are a lot of easy ways to do this and this information is widely circulated inside Russia. Damaging or disabling the thousands of electronic boxes found throughout the railway system. Putting these out of commission is easy if you know how and it means a stretch of rail is not available for days or weeks.

January 19, 2023: The central African state of Mali received a shipment of aircraft from Russia. There were two Mi-8 transport helicopters and eight fixed-wing Su-25 ground attack aircraft and L-39 trainers, which can also be armed with bombs and serve as a ground attack aircraft. Mali did not disclose how many Su-25s or L-39s they received.

January 18, 2023: Russias mysterious special purpose nuclear submarine Belgorod has shown up again. Commercial satellite photos showed the Belgorod on the surface off the northeastern Russian coast, where several ports used by the Northern Fleet are located. Russia reported in early January that Belgorod was testing mockups of its primary weapon, the Poseidon torpedo, to make sure they could be carried and launched by Belgorod. These tests also confirmed that the nuclear propulsion system worked as expected. Belgorod is a larger and heavier Oscar class sub but it still uses the same power plant as the other Oscars. The Poseidon torpedo is too large to be carried inside Belgorod and launched from a torpedo tube, and are instead affixed to the underside of the sub and released by the sub commander. The dummy Poseidon is the same size and weight of the real one. The size and weight of the Poseidon attached to the bottom of the Belgorod changes the performance characteristics of the Belgorod and tests were done to note and fix any problems. The actual Poseidon torpedoes, which are described as a doomsday weapon, are being built and not expected to be ready for another year or two. Four to eight Poseidons will arm the Belgorod. Each Poseidon carries a very powerful Cobalt nuclear warhead designed to release more radiation than normal. Poseidons are also nuclear-powered and purportedly programmed to travel autonomously to enemy coastal cities, detonate underwater and somehow create large waves that cause enormous damage and spread radioactivity along the nearby coasts. The Poseidon can travel thousands of kilometers underwater on its own, at very high speed for a torpedo because of its nuclear reactor, before detonating the two-megaton warhead while on the seabed of the continental shelf. Such doomsday weapons would allegedly be used only if Russia lost a nuclear war and would punish its victorious opponents even more. In that sense Poseidon is a psychological terror weapon, something the Russians have long been fond of. Its an expensive obsession because creating the Belgorod and Poseidon torpedoes and their Cobalt radiation warheads cost billions of dollars for a weapon that may never be used and if it does get used, may not work as expected. After all, how do you test the Cobalt super bomb to confirm that it works?

January 17, 2023: Vladimir Putin has again reshuffled Russias senior leadership, especially the ones controlling operations in Ukraine. The new commanders are not expected to change much as the same sort of leadership replacement occurred several times since the war began 11 months ago without improving troop training or tactics. The only known exceptions are the private armies like the Wagner Group and Chechen volunteers who are recruited, trained and led by Chechen leaders that Putin trusts. Wagner has had some success because they are allowed to recruit from prisons. Putin quietly allowed Wagner to give pardons to such volunteers, which meant they were free if they survived six months of combat. Most dont, but over 50,000 volunteered anyway. Wagner and the Chechens were also allowed to recruit Russian veterans, especially those with combat experience, and pay them more than Russian troops receive. These two mercenary forces report to Putin, who must personally approve what operations they take part in. Russian generals in charge of the forces in Ukraine must accept this and make the most of it. Despite all this, the two mercenary forces have not achieved any notable victories but have made progress in areas where they are involved. Most other Russian troops in Ukraine are on the defensive and taking heavy casualties doing that. Recently the Wagner forces were replaced by Russian airborne troops who had also been operating in Donetsk province for over a month. These airborne troops are one of the few reliable forces Russia has in Ukraine. The paratroopers cannot replace losses as quickly as Wagner can and use tactics that minimize their losses.

Putin is trying to create a new force of Russian troops who are well trained and equipped. This takes time, and it may be months before these new forces are ready and sent to Ukraine. Ukrainian intelligence regularly reports on the progress of Russian forces in action or in training. Such reports can be independently verified with commercial satellite photos. The Ukrainians supply details to explain why things are happening and use a network of informants in Russian controlled territory to help with that. NATO supplied the Ukrainians with the results of more detailed air and satellite photos as well as radio intercepts. Ukraine continues to obtain useful information by monitoring Russian troops using their cell phones freely. Officially, Russia bans such use of cell phones but the Russian officers are unwilling to actively crack down on cell phone use because Russian troops do not have reliable military radios and not many of those. Putin and his generals also missed what happened when NATO personnel served in Ukraine between 2014 and 2021 when they taught Ukrainian officers how to become a NATO-compatible force. This turned out to be a major advantage because the Russians were still using their rigid Soviet-era command and troops control procedures. By 2021 the Ukrainians had adopted more flexible Western methods where junior commanders were trained to improvise when necessary. The only Russian troops who did any of that were spetsnaz (special operations) forces. Most Russian troops follow detailed orders and, when they encounter something not covered in their orders, they halt and wait for further instructions. The loss of specialists like artillery forward observers and similar specialists who accompany the combat troops was high during the first months of the war because Russian sent most of these specialists in with the invading combat troops so they could gain some low risk combat experience. These specialists were killed in large numbers along with the troops they accompanied. The dead included instructors from the schools that trained new specialists. Russia never had enough of these specialists, a bad habit their inherited from the Soviet Union era. Replacing the instructors takes a while and is another reason why replacement combat units not only take time to train, but will not have the support the pre-invasion units had. Ukrainian forces regularly exploited this. After nearly a year of fighting the Russians have not changed, even though the more flexible Ukrainians constantly win battles because of their initiative. One significant change Putin made was to settle a dispute between the Russian generals in Ukraine and the commander of the Wagner Group. Currently Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin is in trouble with his patron, Vladimir Putin, for feuding with Russian army commanders in Ukraine over credit for some recent victories. Prigozhin isnt going to get fired but Putin sided with the army generals and had to publicly criticize Prigozhin to make sure everyone got the message about the limits of the Wagner Group forces in Ukraine. Wagner Group is a profitable international operation that reports directly to Putin. The Wagner Group was sent to Ukraine because the Russian army needed help, not competition. Prigozhin organized the largest Wagner Group force ever for the Ukraine operation and did it with money supplied by Putin. For the Ukraine operation Prigozhin assembled 10,000 of his usual military veterans and over 40,000 cheaper and less skilled convicts recruited from Russian jails. Putin took care of enabling that and the use of pardons for the convicts who joined. Some of the convicts had some military experience, most did not. They received six-month contracts of which some was devoted to brief but intense training, unlike most Russian troops which get no training at all. The convicts were not told that they were being used in high-risk operations under the supervision of veteran Wagner personnel. The few convict mercenaries who survived their contract received their pardons, and this was publicized to encourage the others. Word got around in prisons that signing on with Wagner was risky but that the pardons were real, as was the high-risk nature of working for Wagner. Most of those who did join later deserted rather than be killed in combat. Apparently most of the convicts recruited were lost to massive desertion as well as combat casualties. Despite that, during the last few months, the Wagner Group force was one of the few Russian units in Ukraine capable of defeating Ukrainian forces. The Ukrainians took fewer casualties but had to give ground against the Wagner force. The only other effective Russian forces in Ukraine were a few airborne units. Those were composed of well trained and led Russian troops that the army could not afford to lose in the kind of attacks the Wagner Group was making. Prigozhin made the mistake of criticizing the airborne troops, and army forces in general, for being less useful than the Wagner Force. Putin was putting a lot of time and money into training and equipping more Russian troops to join the airborne units in a few months for a major offensive. Prigozhin did not pay sufficient attention to this and his boss Putin was not pleased. The Ukraine Wagner Force will continue as part of a larger Russian army plan and its leader will obey army commands. Putin has also appointed a new general to command operations in Ukraine and the new commander believes offensive operations are the only way for Russia to win in Ukraine. As new Russian units are available, with better trained and equipped troops, they will be used to attack the Ukrainians, not just provide more effective defense against planned Ukrainian attacks.
Russian Internet-based war correspondents are a major source of what is actually going on with Russian troops in Ukraine. The Russian government has not (so far) tried to silence these reporters because the reporters can switch their reporting to encrypted apps, like Telegram, which Russia cannot block readers from viewing. Most of these correspondents support the troops, if not the generals. The truth has become more uncomfortable for Putin and his generals and now he threatens to ban the correspondents from the front lines. That makes it a bit more dangerous to be at the front, but not impossible. Most of these war correspondents agree that attempts to limit access to the troops will be just another embarrassing failure.

A current controversy is continued use of cell phones by Russian troops. Ukrainian intelligence can monitor these calls and that sometimes gets Russian troops killed. The Internet correspondents point out that Russia has failed to supply the troops with adequate military radios, which makes personal cell phones a dangerous but essential tool. They are basically the only tactical communications available below brigade level for Russian forces in Ukraine. Plus, Russian combat zone troops and their leaders communicate via text messages, which are quicker and quieter.

This government inability to supply the troops with proper military radios, or much of anything else, is reported by the internet war correspondents and used by them to explain the poor performance of Russian forces in the Ukraine. The Russian government appears no closer to improving this equipment problem or most anything involving the war. The one exception is the use of convict soldiers, which is a marginal improvement. A more permanent solution is to train new troops. This is being done, slowly, because of the shortage of instructors. Early in the war the instructors were sent to Ukraine to replace losses and most were eventually killed, captured or left the army.

It's not just a matter of training and equipping new troops, there are also the problems with Russian combat tactics and support. The Ukrainians are obviously more effective in both areas. The Ukrainians train their troops, supply them with competent leaders as well as proper weapons and regular supplies of food, fuel, munitions and battlefield medical care. Russian war correspondents sometimes mention this but they either do not entirely understand why this is so, or are afraid to discuss it publicly because the corruption which permeates everything due to underlings emulating their corrupt bosses from Putin all the way down.

They know that the Ukrainians have access to the American Starlink satellite-based communications system that is active over Ukraine to Ukrainians and not Russians. Russia says it will shut down Starlink but so far all their efforts have failed. Another blind spot is the fact that since 2015 the Ukrainians have concentrated on training, equipping and supplying their troops using NATO methods. NATO sent a lot of instructors to Ukraine between Russias 2014 and 2022 invasions, and now most Russians understand how important this difference was in the relative performance of Ukrainian and Russian troops. Putin ignores this sort of thing, but for his soldiers in Ukraine it is a daily and very dangerous reality. It means that Russian offensive operations mean a lot of dead Russians and far fewer dead Ukrainians, who will safely withdraw when the surviving Russians get too close and continue killing the remaining Russians. Even the convict soldiers had a difficult time accepting this and will desert. This despite the fact that convict deserters are killed if caught while non-convict Russian soldiers are not.

Russias Internet-based war correspondents report the inability of the government to remedy all these problems. Some limited efforts have been made to improve the quality of Russian troops but the shortage of experienced officers and continued shortage of adequate weapons, equipment and supplies is mystifying. Some of the braver correspondents do mention continuing corruption in the Russian military, but dont relate it to greater social and political issues as that would implicate Putin and bring swift retribution.

In contrast the Ukrainian Volodymir (Ukrainian for Vladimir) Zelensky is a more competent leader and regularly cracks down on corruption by Ukrainian suppliers of equipment and other military services and supplies. In 2019 Zelensky was elected president of Ukraine on the promise that he would crack down on corruption which, while not as bad as in Russia. is still present in wartime Ukraine. This sort of thing makes a difference on the battlefield and is another reason the Ukrainians are winning.
In China, the rabbit has been well-loved since ancient times. It is widely praised and revered as a symbol of the bright full moon and an omen of good fortune. In Anhui Museum, there is a 5,000-year jade rabbit discovered at the Lingjiatan relic site in Ma'anshan City, Anhui Province. It is the earliest jade rabbit ever found in China and is believed to be a beloved object of residents in the Neolithic period. The jade rabbit This jade rabbit was unearthed in Tomb 10 at the Lingjiatan site and is 6.8 cm long, 1.9 cm wide, and only 2 mm thick. The jade material is thinly sliced, with a grayish-white color and a bright, smooth surface. The rabbit is carved in a running posture with its head lifted, tail curled upward, ears close to the spine, and hind feet raised. The lower part of it is faceted into a long concave edge, with four round holes of various sizes drilled into the concave edge, which is why it is speculated to be used as headwear or as a comb top. Its simple but vivid depiction of a dynamic rabbit reflects the mature aesthetics 5,000 years ago. Located in Hanshan County, Ma'anshan City, the Lingjiatan relic site is a Neolithic settlement center dating back 5,800 to 5,300 years ago, therefore is called "the dawn of ancient Chinese civilization" by some archeologists. The site is also one of the three major centers of China's prehistoric jade culture. A total of more than 3,000 pieces of exquisite jade ceremonial vessels, stone tools, pottery, and other precious cultural relics have been unearthed in Lingjiatan. The exquisite jadewares, represented by the jade figurine, turtle, eagle, dragon, etc., have brought the site world renown. These precious jade artifacts not only mirror the high level of craftsmanship at that time, but are also the fruit of the wisdom of the Chinese ancestors more than 5,000 years ago. The jade figure The jade eagle The jade dragon In China's Shengxiao (Chinese zodiac) this year is the Year of the Rabbit. In the hall of Anhui Museum's "Bright Starlight - Lingjiatan Culture Exhibition", this 5,000-year-old rabbit is now waiting for visitors to explore. To celebrate the coming of the Year of the Rabbit, why not go take a historic trip through time and space with it?
WASHINGTON  The Justice Department has dropped its probe of retired four-star Gen. John Allen for his role in an alleged illegal foreign lobbying campaign on behalf of the wealthy Persian Gulf nation of Qatar, his lawyer told The Associated Press.

Attorney David Schertler said in a statement Tuesday that the Justice Department had informed him that it was closing its investigation of Allen and no charges would be filed. The Justice Department declined to comment but a law enforcement official familiar with the inquiry who wasn't authorized to speak publicly confirmed the decision on condition of anonymity.

The AP first reported last June that the FBI had outlined a potential criminal case against Allen in a confidential search warrant application that appeared to have been filed in error on a federal courts website. Days later, the former Marine general who oversaw U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan resigned as head of the influential Brookings Institution think tank.

Schertler said it was deeply unfortunate and unfair that the public release of the FBIs confidential document had damaged Allens reputation and livelihood. A Brookings spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The 77-page document detailed Allens behind-the scenes efforts to help Qatar influence U.S. policy in June 2017 when a diplomatic crisis erupted between the gas-rich monarchy and its neighbors. That included traveling to Doha to advise top Qatari officials and then lobbying U.S. officials, the FBI said.

An FBI agent said in an affidavit in support of a search warrant there was substantial evidence that Allen had knowingly broken foreign lobbying laws, and had made false statements and withheld incriminating documents.

Allen denied any wrongdoing, saying his involvement with Qatar was meant to help benefit the United States.

The federal investigation has previously ensnared Richard G. Olson, a former ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan who pleaded guilty to federal charges last year, and Imaad Zuberi, a prolific political donor now serving a 12-year prison sentence on corruption charges.

The Justice Department has made enforcing foreign lobbying laws a higher priority in recent years but suffered some high-profile defeats in contested cases.

Qatar has spent lavishly on its influence efforts in the U.S. and Europe. The country is allegedly behind a massive cash-for-favors corruption scandal currently unfolding at the European Unions parliament.

___

Mustian reported from New York.
Ensuring the Department of Veterans Affairs does not get overwhelmed by the influx of new patients and claims coming from the sweeping toxic exposure law passed last year will be a priority of the new House Veterans Affairs Committee chairman, the lawmaker told Military.com in an interview.

Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., said he sees no signs yet that the VA is being overwhelmed, noting that the law, known as the PACT Act, also gave the department the funding and flexibility to hire more claims processors and medical staff. But he added that it will be important for Congress to stay on top of the issue as the implementation progresses.

"That's 3.5 million-plus new people receiving services. That's a lot of people on a system that's already a big system," Bost said in the Monday phone interview. "We got to make sure that we're ready to roll and no one loses out on what they're already receiving."

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The PACT Act, which was signed into law in August, expanded VA health care and benefits for millions of veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during their military service, including Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who breathed in fumes from burn pits.

The department began accepting benefits claims shortly after the law was enacted and processing them at the start of January. As of Tuesday, the VA had received 278,000 PACT Act claims and processed 39,250, approving nearly 85% of them, VA Secretary Denis McDonough told reporters at his monthly news conference.

The claims backlog, defined as claims older than 125 days, has grown by roughly 50,000 since September to 200,140, but the department has hired about 2,000 new claims processors and is using an automated system to process some.

Bost and most other House Republicans opposed an initial version of the PACT Act that was drafted by House Democrats over what they said were concerns about existing VA patients being hurt if the system is overwhelmed. But Bost supported the version that became law, which was negotiated by Senate Democrats and Republicans and included the extra hiring authorities meant to assuage concerns about the VA not being able to handle the new workload.

Bost also said he plans to focus on "bringing the VA -- maybe kicking and screaming -- into the 21st century," including updating technology and infrastructure.

On technology, Bost plans to target the VA's troubled new electronic health records system, which has received bipartisan scorn for glitches that have risked patient safety.

He and other House Republicans are introducing two bills related to the program. The department has paused rolling out the system to more locations until at least June while it reviews problems. One bill would require the department to certify that the system has been improved before moving forward with it. The other would end the program altogether.

"The goal is wonderful," Bost said. "The system they're trying to use is terrible. And there's no reason why we should have to make our employees and most of all our veterans suffer with a system that they can't get right."

McDonough on Tuesday provided no update on the review process, but stressed the importance of the VA having modern digital medical records that are compatible with the Defense Department. He also said he hears "broad support" in Congress for the idea of the program but understands there is "frustration that it has not been rolled out more quickly and efficaciously."

Bost is taking over as chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee after two years as the panel's top Republican while his party was in the minority in the lower chamber. With Republicans holding a narrow majority in the House, this congressional session is expected to be marked by partisan gridlock. The Veterans Affairs Committee has typically been able to stay out of the partisan fray and advance bipartisan bills, though some hearings have devolved into partisan fighting.

Bost said he's committed to keeping the committee bipartisan during his tenure, though he acknowledged there are "certain people who have tried to make everything partisan" and that some of his priorities, such as a bill relating to veterans' gun rights, could be seen as partisan.

"When I first came in, the VA committee was one of the most nonpartisan committees that was out there. I have all intention of making sure it's that way," he said.

The gun rights bill, which Bost first introduced last congressional session, would prohibit the VA from sending a veteran's information to the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System solely on the basis that the department has appointed a "fiduciary" to handle the veteran's benefits.

The VA, which appoints fiduciaries who manage a veteran's financial affairs after determining a beneficiary is "mentally incompetent" under VA regulations, has been reporting those names to the background check system since 1998 under its interpretation of the gun control legislation known as the Brady Law. However, Congress passed a law in 2016 requiring the department to notify beneficiaries before making a determination and giving them an opportunity to contest the decision.

Bost framed his bill as a matter of expanding mental health access, arguing some veterans who need VA mental health care could be deterred from seeking it out of fear of losing their gun rights.

"We have a real problem with the fact that only six of the 20 that commit suicide have ever even talked or visited any program with the VA," Bost said, using the number of veterans the department said died by suicide each day in 2016. The VA's most recent estimate is that an average of 16.8 veterans die by suicide a day.

One bill that veterans service organizations and Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester, D-Mont., have identified as a priority this year could face a harder time in the House. The Major Richard Star Act seeks to ensure that service members who medically retire before 20 years have full access to both military retirement pay and VA disability benefits. Right now, veterans with a disability rating of less than 50% have retirement pay reduced a dollar for every dollar of disability pay they get. The bill got 335 House co-sponsors and 66 Senate co-sponsors from parties last session, but went nowhere.

The issue falls under the jurisdiction of both the Veterans Affairs and Armed Services committees, but Bost told Military.com he believes the bill is best handled by the Armed Services Committee and sidestepped questions about his personal stance on the measure.

"I know that there's a lot of veterans out there that are concerned about it. I'm concerned about it, as well. And so we're gonna watch the process and see how they handle it over in that committee, and when it comes up on the floor, I'll make my decision based on the language that is in it," he said.

But first, Bost said his committee will get started with some easier work: advancing bills that passed the House last congressional session but were never taken up by the Senate. About 25 veterans bills passed the House last session that weren't taken up by the Senate, according to Bost's office.

Bost plans to revisit bills to clarify that a spouse or dependent is not responsible for repaying GI Bill benefits if a service member transfers them and then fails to fulfill their service obligation; establish performance metrics for VA human resources employees; and standardize the disability benefits questionnaires contractors use to support veterans' benefits claims so they can be read by automation software, among others.

"Those will be the first ones that we can aggressively get them back out there and send them back to the Senate and see if the Senate will actually take them up this time," he said, jokingly adding that he "won't hold my breath."

"We're going to hit the ground running."

-- Patricia Kime contributed to this report.

-- Rebecca Kheel can be reached at rebecca.kheel@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @reporterkheel.

Related: VA to Begin Processing Burn Pit and Related Claims Under Landmark PACT Act on Jan. 1
WASHINGTON  Influential lawmakers from both parties urged the Defense secretary in a letter Tuesday to curtail the departments submission to Congress of unfunded priorities lists  annual requests for billions of dollars in military spending above White House budget proposals.

The Department of Defense must show taxpayers that it is a responsible steward of its funds, wrote four senators and two representatives in a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III that was obtained by CQ Roll Call. That must begin with eliminating the practice of sending Congress bloated wish lists for additional funds on top of its core budget submissions.

The letter was signed by an unlikely coalition. The signatories were Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Angus King, I-Maine, both of whom are members of the Armed Services Committee; Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who leads the Congressional Progressive Caucus; plus three fiscally conservative Republicans: Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Mike Braun of Indiana and Rep. Tom McClintock of California.

The bipartisan, bicameral composition of the letters signatories underscores how the defense budget could be a major issue in 2023 as a growing number of Republicans, especially in the House, are deviating from the partys traditional pattern of all but exempting military spending from fiscal austerity.

The half-dozen lawmakers asked Austin to reduce the use of the unfunded priorities requests, starting with next months fiscal 2024 budget proposal, and to support legislation that would eliminate statutory requirements that the Pentagon submit such supplementary requests annually.

The Pentagon did not immediately reply Tuesday to a request for comment.

Supporters of the unfunded priorities lists say they give Congress information about defense systems that may deserve funding even if the White House does not agree. And, these proponents add, it is Congress duty to add and subtract from budget requests rather than rubber stamp them.

On the other hand, critics of the unfunded requests say their submission to Congress effectively forms an addendum to the formal budget that helps inflate defense spending. Nondefense departments and agencies do not have similar lists of any appreciable size, budget experts say.

The additional funding is often for nice-to-have, not critical programs, the critics argue. At the same time, the lawmakers said in their letter to Austin, when the unfunded priorities lists include important initiatives that have been offloaded there from the regular budget, it artificially understates the regular budget.

We are increasingly concerned that budget gamesmanship is leading to the placement of critical programs in unfunded priorities lists, rather than the Departments initial budget which should be accurately reflecting our true national security priorities, they wrote.

Last years budget cycle exemplified the Pentagons practice of submitting to Congress not just a regular defense spending request but also billions more dollars on wish lists.

Within a few weeks of President Joe Bidens $813 billion fiscal 2023 defense budget submission to Congress last March, the leaders of the military services, the combatant commands, the National Guard Bureau and the Missile Defense Agency submitted separate lists totaling some $24 billion for one year alone for items that did not make the presidents budget.

Then, in November, Pentagon Comptroller Mike McCord sent Congress a list of $29.57 billion in programs that had also not been part of the presidents March budget and most of which had also not been included in the earlier $24 billion worth of supplementary requests.

In recent years, the programs on the unfunded priorities lists tend to be funded by Congress. Those wish-list additions form a substantial share of the additional spending that lawmakers regularly insert on top of the Pentagons regular budget request.

Congress appropriated $858 billion for defense in fiscal 2023, including money for Ukraine and other emergencies, compared to the $813 billion Biden request. The defense budget has gone up from year to year in seven of the last eight years.

Since at least the mid-1990s, the unfunded lists have been a feature of Pentagon budget advocacy, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates succeeded in significantly scaling back the size and cost of the lists between 2006 and 2011, but they have grown back since then.

The authors of Tuesdays letter to Austin cited Gates push and hinted that Austin should do the same.

The fiscal 2017 National Defense Authorization Act was the first law that required the service chiefs and combatant commanders to submit unfunded lists. The number of flag officers and senior defense officials who are required by law to submit such lists has expanded since then.

The signers of Tuesdays letter filed legislation in both chambers in the last Congress that would eliminate the statutory requirements for Defense Department unfunded lists  and they asked Austin to support such legislation in the new Congress.

We urge the Department to support this bill and will continue to work with our colleagues to repeal this wasteful and unnecessary requirement that undermines budget discipline, the lawmakers wrote.

___

2023 CQ-Roll Call, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Visit cqrollcall.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
TOKYO  China's growing assertiveness and collaboration with Russia poses a threat not only to Asia but also to Europe, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday as he sought stronger cooperation and more friends for NATO in the Indo-Pacific region.

Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in meaningful dialogue on arms control for atomic weapons, while escalating coercion of its neighbors and threats against Taiwan, the self-ruled island it claims as its own territory.

The fact that Russia and China are coming closer and the significant investments by China and new advanced military capabilities just underlines that China poses a threat, poses a challenge also to NATO allies, Stoltenberg told an audience at Keio University in Tokyo. Security is not regional but global."

NATO needs to make sure we have friends, he said. It is important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo-Pacific.

China is increasingly working with Russia and they lead an authoritarian pushback against the rules-based, open and democratic international order, he said.

Stoltenberg said NATO does not regard China as an adversary or seek confrontation, and that the alliance will continue to engage with China in areas of common interest, such as climate change.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning defended China as a force for regional and global peace and stability and criticized NATO for labeling China a threat and for expanding its military ties to Asia.

NATO has constantly sought to reach beyond its traditional defense zone and scope, strengthen military and security ties with Asia Pacific countries and played up Chinas threats, Mao said. I would like to stress that the Asia-Pacific is not a battlefield for the geopolitical contest and does not welcome the Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation.

Stoltenberg and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held talks Tuesday and agreed to step up their partnership in security in cyberspace, space, defense and other areas.

Besides Japan, NATO is also strengthening practical cooperation with Australia, New Zealand and South Korea in maritime cybersecurity and other areas and stepping up participation of their leaders and ministers in NATO meetings, he said.

Kishida on Tuesday announced Japans plans to open a representative office at NATO.

Japan, already a close ally of the United States, has in recent years expanded its military ties with other Indo-Pacific nations as well as with Britain, Europe and NATO amid growing security threats from China and North Korea.

Tokyo was quick to join in U.S.-led economic sanctions against Russias war in Ukraine and provided humanitarian aid and non-combative defense equipment for Ukrainians. Japan fears that Russian aggression in Europe could be reflected in Asia, where concerns are growing over increasing Chinese assertiveness and escalating tensions over its claim to Taiwan.

Stoltenberg arrived in Japan late Monday from South Korea, where he called for Seoul to provide direct military support to Ukraine to help it fight off the prolonged Russian invasion.

North Korea condemned Stoltenbergs visits to South Korea and Japan, saying that NATO was trying to put its military boots in the region to pressure Americas Asian allies into providing weapons to Ukraine.

North Korea also criticized increasing cooperation between NATO and U.S. allies in Asia as a process to create an Asian version of NATO, saying it would raise tensions in the region.

___

AP video producer Liu Zheng in Beijing contributed to this report.
The Navy announced Tuesday that it has awarded a contract to Hawaii-based Nakupuna Cos. to develop a public outreach program to look for proposals on how to repurpose the underground Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility after the military removes the roughly 104 million gallons of fuel stored in the facility's aging World War II-era tanks.

"Nakupuna and its team of sub-consultants will solicit and consider all ideas received from the community with an emphasis on citizens on Oahu, " the Navy said in a Tuesday news release. "Based on this input, the Navy will meet with the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) and Hawaii Department of Health (DOH ) to select the top five ideas, from the public, with the most merit and benefit for further consideration. The top five ideas will be further evaluated on feasibility considering environmental, engineering, maintenance, safety, cost and benefit. The final analysis will be presented to the state, DOH and EPA for review and consideration."

In its news release, the Navy called Nakupuna "a Native Hawaiian-owned and local small business." Representatives of Nakupuna could not be reached for comment and did not respond to an email from the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, but according to the company's website it was "established to provide knowledge-based services to Department of Defense and government clients " and maintains offices in Hono lulu and Washington, D.C., as well as in Colorado, Virginia, Pennsylvania and South Carolina.

According to data from the Hawaii Defense Economy project, Nakupuna's subsidiaries have received at least $8, 842, 500 in military contracts since 2020.

The Red Hill tanks sit just 100 feet above a critical aquifer that most of Honolulu relies on for clean drinking water. In November 2021, fuel from the facility leaked into the Red Hill water well, contaminating the Navy's Oahu water system, which serves 93, 000 peopleincluding both military families and civilians who live in former military housing areas. After initially resisting a state emergency order to defuel the tanks, the Pentagon in March announced it would defuel and permanently shut down the facility.

Military officials later surprised local officials and community members when they said they were already exploring ways to "re-purpose " the facility after it's defueled. Though military officials have touted the possibility of "beneficial reuse " of the Red Hill facility, reception has been lukewarm at best from local agencies and community organizations. The Honolulu Board of Water Supply and the Hawaii chapter of the Sierra Club have both raised safety concerns, and state Department of Health officials have said it's not clear Hawaii state law would permit reuse.

During a November news conference on Oahu, Meredith Berger, assistant secretary of the Navy for energy, installations and environment, told reporters, "We will continue to make sure we are protective of the environment, of the people and of the community, and we are notI want to make sure this is very clearwe are not going to pursue any beneficial reuse option that would contain potential contaminants, and none of the options that we have laid on the table would be a fuel reuse."

But during a November meeting of the state's Red Hill Fuel Tank Advisory Committee, BWS Manager and Chief Engineer Ernie Lau said, "If the tank liners are still there, the pipes that move fuel to and from Pearl Harbor, if everything is still there in place, we are only one degree of freedom from getting back to fuel storage over the aquifer."

Defense officials have been hesitant to discuss specific reuses of the Red Hill facility but have floated the idea of using it as a hydroelectric plant to provide an alternative energy source, an idea that has been floated in the past. During a November news release marking the anniversary of the water crisis, Navy Region Hawaii Rear Adm. Stephen Barnett said "there's a lot of good ideas and things that folks are recommending " but did not offer specifics.

___

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An animal rights group says that it has successfully lobbied the Navy to end a pair of studies that involved subjecting sheep to conditions that simulated surfacing quickly from a great depth, causing them pain and sometimes leaving the animals paralyzed or dead.

Representatives from the group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, say that their campaign of letter writing, protests and legal action has put an end to a series of experiments at the University of Wisconsin's Madison campus that were billed as studying ways of rescuing sailors trapped in sunken submarines.

"These tests are scientifically worthless and fall far short of international standards," Shalin Gala, a vice president with the group, told Military.com earlier in January, before adding that both France and the U.K. scrapped their respective naval animal testing programs long before the U.S. Navy.

Read Next: A General Warned of an Impending War with China. Airmen Under His Command Say it Was 'Inappropriate'

Gala called the experiments, which involve putting sheep in chambers that simulate both the pressure one would experience at depth as well as surfacing, "gruesome" and "useless."

The experiments largely revolved around inflicting decompression sickness on the animals by pressurizing the chamber and then rapidly depressurizing it in order to cause nitrogen bubbles to form in the sheep's blood.

The condition is commonly known as "the bends," and it is something both professional and recreational divers take steps to avoid since it is often painful, if not deadly.

Gala said that the experiments left the sheep with conditions such as cardiovascular collapse, spinal cord injury and paralysis. However, he also cited one instance in which a malfunctioning pump on the chamber led researchers to euthanize the animals mid-experiment after they began to show "signs of discomfort." Sheep who survived the experiments were still euthanized and dissected, according to Gala.

When reached by Military.com, both the University of Wisconsin and the Navy confirmed that the experiments had ended. The Navy said the stop was because "the contract for the project came to its natural conclusion at the end of the performance period," while the university said it was because both "the scientists and the Navy ... decided in 2022 not to continue these contracted experiments at UW-Madison."

The University of Wisconsin also said that it is "committed to careful and ethical animal studies like these with immediate potential for life-saving results" and noted that it "would certainly revisit what has been a long and important partnership" with the Navy.

According to Shalin, the reason behind the university's desire to continue these tests is clear: money. The pair of recently halted experiments came with nearly $390,000 of Navy funds.

The school has conducted experiments on animals in the past -- sometimes with great controversy. In 2014, the university drew attention for a planned experiment on monkeys that aimed to separate primate infants from their mothers and then euthanize them to study anxiety and depression. The experiment drew condemnation from both outside and inside the university.

Meanwhile, PETA has a yearslong history of trying to expose what it sees as abusive animal experiments at the university. One of its campaigns in 2020 led the school to allege that the group had misrepresented its research, used "episodes plucked out of context," and was "focused on stopping all animal research, despite the indispensable role animal research has had in eliminating diseases and alleviating the suffering of both people and animals."

In the decompression experiments, PETA took legal action, suing the school in 2010, and more recently launched a public pressure campaign to end the tests.

In a 2022 letter, co-signed by a retired Navy rear admiral who commanded several naval medical institutions, the group urged Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro to halt the experiments and conduct studies on tissues and cells or use data gathered from divers. The group also led protests, with signs and people dressed in sheep costumes, at several events the secretary attended.

The Navy's track record regarding concern for animal welfare has been somewhat mixed and more sensitive to public outcry and legal action.

For example, the service has been sued several times over the past two decades by environmental groups over its use of sonar in submarine exercises. And the service's record of "incidental taking" -- the regulatory term for anything from disrupted behavior to injury or death of a marine mammal -- prompted the governor of Washington to call its behavior "unacceptable" in a letter to a regulator.

The service has been publicly working to offset some of its impact on wildlife including during large exercises like ship shock trials -- a process of setting off large explosives near newly built ships to test them, but is known to harm and kill marine life -- highlighting the steps it takes to protect the welfare of animals.

Gala says that PETA will "continue to urge the Navy and the U.S. Department of Defense to get in line with international standards by not supporting deadly and pointless decompression and oxygen toxicity experiments on any animals at any institutions -- and by backing superior, human-relevant, non-animal research methods instead."

-- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin.

Related: PETA to Marines: Stop Guzzling Snake Blood During Jungle Training
The fire that decimated the Spirit of Norfolk last year originated from the port side engine of the ship and was fueled by combustible material near the engine, a fire investigator with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives testified Tuesday.

The fire has been deemed accidental but no final conclusions about the cause have been made by any investigative agency, according to a report by ATF Special Agent Brian Vaughn.

Vaughns testimony comes amid a series of public hearings before a panel of United States Coast Guard and NTSB investigators.

The Spirit of Norfolk caught fire during a cruise down the Elizabeth River on June 7, 2022, while 108 people were on board, including elementary school students. No one was injured in the fire thanks to a rapid response, but the ship  valued at $4 million, according to Vaughns report  was a total loss.

Vaughns investigation was to determine criminal intent, and thus did not render an opinion on the specific technical failure that caused the fire. The National Transportation Safety Board will produce conclusions about the cause of the fire independent of the Coast Guard, as well as make recommendations to correct any safety issues they uncover.

Vaughn concluded the fire was fueled by combustible material  including cardboard boxes  stored on shelving close to the engine. A split in the starboard fuel tank, caused by excess heat, resulted in diesel fuel leaking into the engine room and the spread of the fire throughout the majority of the ship.

I investigate every fire from a criminal standpoint; do I see a crime here? Did someone intentionally do something, did someone do something that they shouldnt have been doing in that engine room at the time that this fire originated? I think the answer to that is clearly no, Vaughn said. The fire patterns I see come back to that port side engine, some failure on, near or about that engine causing the event. So we call it accidental.

The causes he ruled out were the hydraulic system, the electric generators and the starboard engine. The hydraulics suffered a mechanical failure as a result of the fire, he said. The generators were in working order and the crew reported the ship only lost power after their system alerted them to the port side engine failure. The starboard engine failed when Capt. Ryan Nadeau tried to reengage the port side engine, according to Vaughns report.

The equipment in the wheelhouse, or the cockpit of the ship, used to monitor the ships systems was badly damaged in the fire, and no data could be recovered.

A major focus of Vaughns report was the state of the turbocharger on the port side engine.

The boat had passed inspection May 10, but experienced several technical malfunctions between then and the day of the fire. On May 13, the ship suffered a failure in the water pump housing, causing the port engine to overheat, according to Vaughns interviews with the crew. Bay Diesel found a hole in the port engine which had leaked anti-freeze and resulted in overheating.

Bay Diesel conducted repairs and the ship was cleared to resume operations, but white smoke was seen coming from the engine before its first cruise.

Bay Diesel found anti-freeze had mixed with the engine oil to cause this issue, and recommended a complete rebuild of the port engine which was finished by May 26, according to Vaughns report.

The ship completed 18 cruises between May 26 and the fire on June 7 with no issues from the engine, but at some point the crew noticed oil leaking from the port turbocharger. Bay Diesel and Nadeau recommended the turbocharger be replaced. A new one was ordered, but it had not been replaced by the time of the fire on June 7.

Bay Diesel also recommended the other turbocharger be replaced as a precaution.

Based on his own research, Vaughn said that a failing turbocharger could produce temperatures above 1,800 degrees. He noted the issue with the turbocharger because it seemed important but did not make a determination about whether this was the cause of the fire.

This temperature is capable of igniting combustible items stored in the area of the Port side engine, Vaughns report reads.

2023 The Virginian-Pilot. Visit pilotonline.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand  The United States opened an embassy in the Solomon Islands on Thursday in its latest move to counter China's push into the Pacific.

The embassy is starting small, with a charge daffaires, a couple of State Department staff and a handful of local employees. The U.S. previously operated an embassy in the Solomon Islands for five years before closing it in 1993 as part of a global reduction in diplomatic posts after the end of the Cold War.

But China's bold moves in the region have the U.S. seeking to increase its engagement in a number of ways, such as by donating COVID-19 vaccines, bringing back Peace Corps volunteers to several island nations, and investing in forestry and tourism projects.

The opening of the embassy in the Solomon Islands comes as Fiji's new leader, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, appears to be reassessing some aspects of his nation's engagement with China. Rabuka told The Fiji Times last week he planned to end a police training and exchange agreement with China.

The U.S. State Department notified lawmakers early last year that Chinas growing influence in the region made reopening the Solomon Islands embassy a priority. Since then, the Solomons has signed a security pact with China, raising fears of a military buildup in the region, and the U.S. has countered by sending several high-level delegations.

The Solomon Islands switched allegiance from the self-ruled island of Taiwan to Beijing in 2019, threatening the close ties with the U.S. that date back to World War II.

We are seeing this bond weaken as the Peoples Republic of China aggressively seeks to engage Solomon Islands political and business elites, utilizing a familiar pattern of extravagant promises, prospective costly infrastructure loans, and potentially dangerous debt levels, the department said in a December notice to Congress that was obtained by The Associated Press.

A senior State Department official who insisted on anonymity to brief the media said the U.S. had been encouraged by the Solomon Islands' commitment to continue working with traditional security partners such as Australia and the U.S., but remained concerned about the secrecy surrounding the security agreement with China.

He said any type of militarization in the Pacific by China would be a great concern.

The official said the U.S. had yet to have deep conversations with the new Fijian leadership so it was too early to tell if the move on policing signaled a change in direction for Fiji on China.

The Fijian government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration.

What is China Planning When it Comes to Taiwan?

Just days after a top U.S. military official warned that the United States should be prepared for a war with China over Taiwan in 2025, Beijing on Wednesday conducted the largest incursion of Taiwanese airspace in weeks.

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense reported that 34 Chinese military aircraft, along with nine naval vessels, were detected near the self-governing island at around 3 a.m. local time.

Twenty of the detected Chinese aircraft had reportedly crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's southwest Air Defense Identification Zone, according to the Ministry. The median line is at the central point of the Taiwan Strait and has been the unofficial buffer zone between the two sides.

However, Beijing insists that Taiwan is a breakaway province that will be returned to mainland control, by force if necessary  despite the fact the Chinese Communist Party has never ruled the island.

Beijing conducts these sorties near Taiwan to reinforce its stance. The vast majority of Taiwanese are not swayed, and they oppose unifying with the People's Republic of China.

Though Wednesday's incursion is the largest of the new calendar year, at the end of December China deployed a record 71 aircraft and seven ships toward Taiwan, the largest such sortie of 2022.

Standing by Taiwan

A day before the Chinese military incursion, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent thanks to the governments of France and Australia for voicing their support for Taiwan.

On Monday, Paris and Canberra pledged to deepen ties with Taipei and reiterated their support for its participation in international organizations.

In addition, in a visit to Japan on Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned that China's growing assertiveness and its increased collaboration with Russia could pose a grave threat not only to Asia, but also to Europe.

The NATO chief had previously criticized Beijing for "bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan," but he also added that "NATO needs to make sure we have friends," and called for Tokyo and other democracies in the region to work together and stand up to such aggression.

China's Foreign Ministry responded by accusing the international military alliance of exceeding its mandate, with a spokesperson on Wednesday claiming that China is a force for regional and global peace.

It was just last week that U.S. Air Force General Mike Minihan sent a memo to every airman with Air Mobility Command that warned of a war with China by the middle of the decade.

"I hope I am wrong. My gut tells me we will fight in 2025," the Feb. 1-dated memo stated, and Minihan speculated that the presidential elections in Taiwan and the United States could serve as a catalyst. "Taiwan's presidential elections are in 2024 and will offer Xi a reason," he said.

"United States' presidential elections are in 2024 and will offer Xi a distracted America. Xi's team, reason, and opportunity are all aligned for 2025."

A Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs.

This article originally appeared on 19fortyfive.com.
Bob Marley first sang about Buffalo Soldiers in 1983, a little less than 120 years after the actual Buffalo Soldiers were formed in the U.S. Army. Marley's song accurately depicts their story as a fight for survival in the prejudiced Army of the time period, but they also fought to survive the harsh conditions of the frontier, conflict with native tribes and Wild West outlaws as they sought to maintain law and order and protect settlers.

The Army units that would come to be known as "Buffalo Soldiers" were created during the post-Civil War Reconstruction Era. On June 28, 1866, Congress passed a legislation that allowed Black men to enlist in the peacetime army. Officially called "An Act to Increase and Fix the Military Peace Establishment of the United States," it created two regiments of all-Black cavalry and four regiments of all-Black infantry, commanded by white officers.

(U.S. Army)

What Is a Buffalo Soldier?

The original Buffalo Soldiers came from these units. The U.S. Army's 9th and 10th Cavalry were the first. Then came the four infantry units. The 38th U.S. (Colored) Infantry Regiment and the 41st U.S. (Colored) Infantry Regiment, were eventually consolidated into the 24th Infantry Regiment. The 39th and 40th (Colored) Infantry Regiments were consolidated into the 25th Infantry Regiment.

They weren't the first Black men to serve in defense of the United States. Black men served in the Continental Army and state militias during the Revolutionary War. Black troops served in the War of 1812, and freedmen and former slaves fought in the Civil War for the Union Army. The 1866 legislation was the first to call for specific units composed of Black troops and recruited from Washington, Louisiana, Kentucky, Kansas and Missouri.

Buffalo Soldiers' Service History

After its formation in New Orleans, the 39th Infantry remained in Louisiana to enforce Reconstruction laws. The 40th was sent to North Carolina for the same occupation duty, before being sent to New Orleans to form the 25th Infantry. The 41st was sent to the U.S. border with Mexico before it was merged to form the 24th Infantry to enforce laws on the Texas frontier.

As the frontier moved west, the 24th was at the vanguard, manning forts and outposts, fighting native tribes in the Plains Wars, which would continue long after the frontier was officially closed in 1890. The 24th Infantry would be the longest-serving infantry unit in the Army.

It fought in the Spanish-American War, notably the Battle of San Juan Hill with future President Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders.

Buffalo Soldiers in formation in Cuba, circa 1899. (Library of Congress)

They also served in the Philippine Insurrection, the Mexican Border clashes and World Wars I and II. It was the last Buffalo Soldier regiment to be integrated, which came when President Harry S. Truman desegregated the armed forces before the Korean War.

The 25th Infantry also fought native tribes on the Great Plains, in the Spanish-American War, the Philippines and in World War II.The 9th and 10th Cavalry would also participate in these same American conflicts, but the 10th Cavalry Regiment would also ship off to the Mexican border during World War I, where it would clash with a Mexican force led by German advisers in a border skirmish now known as the Battle of Ambos Nogales.

Origin of the "Buffalo Soldiers" Nickname

These soldiers weren't created with the name "Buffalo Soldiers." It was a moniker the units picked up along the way. No one is entirely certain about the origin of the name, but there are two main theories.

The first is that the name was bestowed on the men by Comanche fighters. After fighting the 10th Cavalry in 1871, the theory goes, the Comanches began referring to the Black men as "Buffalo soldiers." It wasn't meant derisively, as the Comanches revered the buffalo and gave the soldiers the name Buffalo for their toughness in combat.

Buffalo Soldiers of the 24th Infantry in the Korean War. (U.S. Army)

Another theory holds that the tribes the Black men encountered believed the soldiers' dark, black, curly hair resembled the hair of the buffalo's. This, too, was meant as a sign of respect, and the cavalrymen adopted the buffalo on their coat of arms as well as the nickname.

Famous Buffalo Soldiers

In 1866, an enlistee by the name of William Cathay joined the 38th Infantry for a three-year term. After a series of illnesses sent Cathay to the hospital, it was discovered that Cathay was actually Cathay Williams, a Black woman. She was honorably discharged after the discovery, but was still the first official Black woman to enlist, and the only female Buffalo Soldier.

Read: Cathay Williams Was the Army's Only Female Buffalo Soldier and First Black Female Enlistee

Between 1866 and 1918, 27 members of the regiments of Buffalo Soldiers would receive the Medal of Honor for actions in the Plains Wars, law enforcement on the American frontier, the Spanish-American War and World War I. The first three Black graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point were officers with the Buffalo Soldiers. Charles Young, the third graduate, would become the first Black man with the rank of colonel.

Mark Matthews was the last living Buffalo Soldier. He enlisted at age 15 in 1909, joined the Punitive Expedition in Mexico and fought at the Battle of Ambos Nogales. In World War II, Matthews fought at the Battle of Saipan at age 50. He died in 2005, at 111 years old.

-- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook.

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The title of this article is actually a misnomer: There is no way to make your drill instructor/drill sergeant/MTI/RDC happy. If there were, they would never show it, and they sure as hell would never tell anyone. You can, however, make them less unhappy with your performance during training, and this kind of effort will go a long way toward making your basic training or boot camp stay easier.

Any veteran will tell you that -- in retrospect -- basic training is physically demanding but actually not as hard as it seems from the photos and videos seen all over the internet. Trainees are learning about the history, structure and uniforms of their branch. They will pick up some weapons and combatives skills (depending on their branch). They'll also learn close attention to detail while getting in shape to serve and fight.

They get all of these things, three meals, a paycheck, qualifications for benefits and, in many cases, college credit for all of it, too. How can you go wrong? The answer to that question is by ignoring these simple tips.

1. Be honest.

There's a reason "integrity" is in the core values of most branches of service (and "honor" includes integrity for you Navy types). There's nothing worse than a liar in the eyes of the men and women wearing that campaign hat. Lying is one of the habits in civilian kids they're trying to break, so just don't do it.

Make no mistake, an instructor is going to set their trainees up for opportunities to tell the truth or lie. They will ask questions, sometimes personal ones, to see how they respond. It's important to remember that when they ask questions like this, they already know the answer, so it's easier on you (and your push-up related muscles) to just tell the truth.

2. Learn how to address them.

It might be difficult to remember how to address an instructor, especially when under what might be the worst stress the trainee has ever experienced in their life. Especially in the first few days of training, instructors are going to make an example of those who do it wrong as a lesson to the rest, so don't be that guy.

You'll think i'm insane now, but looking back, you're going to love these people, so show some respect. (U.S. Marine Corps/Lance Cpl. Zachary T. Beatty)

Movies and television have probably taught you that "sir" works for everyone in the military. This could not be more false. It works for officers, but hopefully, you won't see one of those for a few weeks.

Each branch has its protocol. In the Army, they're drill sergeants. In the Marine Corps, Space Force and Air Force, "sir" and "ma'am" are the proper forms of address, though the Corps calls them "drill instructors" and the Air Force and Space Force call them military training instructors.

Navy recruit division commanders expect to be called "Petty Officer," "Chief" or "Senior Chief," (depending on their rank), along with their last name. The Coast Guard permits "sir" and "ma'am" in the first weeks of training, but once recruits learn Coast Guard ranks, they're expected to refer to instructors by their rank and last name.

3. Follow directions.

Basic training is not the time for creative thinking. You can trust there will be time for that later in your military career, but this is not it. This is the time to follow your instructor's instructions, as instructed. They have a series of lessons they have to get recruits to learn and do not want to fall behind. Wasting time offering a "better way" to do things will only earn a recruit the ire of their instructors.

Recruits in training are expected to uniformly learn and do, as quickly and efficiently as possible. Listen to what they're saying, follow instructions when told to and then repeat as necessary, which will likely be a handful of times.

4. Take it seriously.

It's important to remember that the only funny person in your platoon, flight or whatever your basic training unit is called is the instructor. And they are funny. Really funny. This is not the time to attempt some improv with them, however. They will never be amused by a trainee's antics. Most of the time, laughing is not acceptable because they expect recruits to maintain their military bearing.

Kinda like that. (U.S. Air Force/1st Lt. Mays.)

There are moments of levity in basic training, where recruits are free to laugh at something funny, but those will come based on your training staff only. Even in those moments, it's important to keep your own jokes to yourself.

5. Don't make excuses.

In basic training, everyone is going to fail at tasks. It's a part of learning. The only way to flawlessly breeze through boot camp is to know everything beforehand, and there's no way any new recruit could. There may even be times where the instructor sets a trainee up to fail as part of the lesson.

It's not meant to make anyone feel stupid (although it might feel that way at the time). Each instructor has their own tried-and-true training methods, especially for the most important lessons. When you fail -- for any reason -- never make an excuse. If you have to answer for yourself, don't make an excuse; just admit you don't have one. Owning your mistakes is a part of being in the military, so it's a good lesson to learn early on.

Even drill instructors stop to help one another out. (U.S. Coast Guard/Chief Warrant Officer Timothy Tamargo)

6. Help those in need.

The basic training outfit is a recruit's first unit, and every member is a part of the team. They can only move as fast as the slowest member, and it's likely composed of people from all over the United States (and sometimes outside the United States). There will be differences in language, meaning and ability that the unit as a whole will have to address.

Simply put, not everyone in the unit will understand things the first (or second) time around. Some of them will fall behind. Don't be afraid to reach out to someone in the unit, even if you don't know them at all to help them keep up, either physically or mentally. This is called "leadership," and it won't be the first time or the last time you do it in your military career.

-- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook.

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The Ghanaian music industry is getting heated with conversations about rapper Sarkodie's alleged show-off attitude.

Samini came out to register his displeasure about Sarkodie for snubbing him after sending him a collaboration request.

Days later, Ghanaian rapper, Yaa Pono came out with a diss song, titled, Yard, lambasting Sarkodie for featuring a ghost (Bob Marley) and boasting to be the best-ever Tema rapper.

The song caught the attention of Mad Time Records CEO Kwaw Kese, who in a tweet blasted Yaa Pono for insulting someone who is way bigger than him.

"If you diss someone whos ahead of you in everything, youre wasting your time. Use that energy to better yourself," Kwaw Kese told Pono.

In anger, Ponobiom has clapped back at Kwaw Kese, calling him stupid and an ass-kisser.

In a live video, Yaa Pono said: "I don't normally come online unless I am promoting my music, and I just dropped 'Yard', Shout out to Fox Beats. Back to the matter: I run the streets, forget everybody. The main reason is that I am calling out Kwaw Kese. I am talking to you direct. Do you feel me?

"I should have taken the phone to call you because that's what I am used to doing, but I see that this is where you want your clout.

"I will tell you to your face that you are stupid.

"Let it be known to Kwaw Kese that I don't beat around the bush. He should channel his energy into helping his brother who is a musician at Swedru."
The mayor of Lyon has canceled round table talks due to be held on Wednesday in the presence of the Franco-Palestinian lawyer Salah Hamouri. Gregory Doucet said he regretted not being able "to calmly guarantee freedom of expression" in a context marked in recent days by an outbreak of violence between Israelis and Palestinians.

"My role as mayor is to ensure civil peace and harmony in the city", he said during a press briefing on Monday, stressing that his decision was due to "the risks of disturbing public order".

The Rhone police chief had earlier sent a formal notice to the town hall, asking it to cancel the conference entitled "Thirty years after the signing of the Oslo Accords, view of Palestine".

On Sunday, one of Doucet's assistants, Florence Delaunay, had to leave a ceremony dedicated to the memory of the liberation of the Auschwitz camp after being booed by the public, noted a correspondent from French news agency AFP.

"There was very strong verbal violence, a form of intimidation (...) and I must do everything so that the violence suffered there is not imported here in Lyon," underlined Doucet on Monday.

Deadly attacks

This comes against a context of heightened tension in the Middle East.

On Sunday, President Emmanuel Macron echoed other world leaders in condemning a series of deadly incidents in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

An Israeli raid in the Jenin refugee camp on Thursday killed nine Palestinians.

This was followed by a deadly shooting outside a Jerusalem synagogue on Friday and a gun attack by a 13-year-old Palestinian boy that wounded two in the city on Saturday.

In a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, Macron "recalled the need for all to avoid measures likely to feed the spiral of violence", according to his office.

Macron also expressed his "readiness to contribute to the resumption of dialogue between the Palestinians and the Israelis", the statement added.

Neutrality in question

Meanwhile, Salah Hamouri's invitation to Lyon, like the title of the round table, was perceived as a "provocation" by several local representatives, including the chief rabbi of Lyon Daniel Dahan.

In protest, the religious leader resigned last Friday from a body interconfessional association created in 2002 by the town hall of Lyon to promote "living well together".

Hamouri has been in France since his expulsion from Israel in December, an act deemed "contrary to law" by authorities in Paris and condemned by the UN, which described it as a "war crime"

The 37 year-old lawyer denies accusations by Israel that he has links with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), considered to be a terrorist organisation by the Jewish State and the European Union.

The European Jewish Organization (OJE), which fights against anti-Semitism, for its part seized the administrative court of Lyon to have the conference suspended, in the name of "the neutrality of the public service". The request was rejected Monday morning by the judge.

The Council for Jewish organisations in France (CRIF), which had planned a press conference on Monday afternoon on "the repercussions and dangers resulting from the maintenance of the conference organised by the town hall of Lyon", said in a press release that the mobilisation "was no longer necessary" as a result of the mayor's decision.

Republican values

For their part, Hamouri's supporters denounced in a press release the "intimidation (...), the harassment and the defamation of the censors" who "want to condemn him to silence".

Last week, Doucet defended his decision in an interview with the regional daily newspaper Le Progres to invite the Franco-Palestinian lawyer for this "focus on the Palestinian territory".

"He is a French citizen who has the right to express himself", he stressed, recalling that he himself was "aligned with France's position on a two-state solution", also supported by the United Nations.

He also announced that he was not giving up on the "project to describe, with all those of goodwill and people who respect the democratic framework, the real situation in Israel and Palestine" and planned "future meetings with the general public on this theme" according to a letter sent Monday to various associations.

"This is the whole spirit of our approach, both to address complex geopolitical issues and thorny local situations: to be respectful of republican values (...), to ensure that harmony is maintained, and, never, to be silent in the face of injustices or untruths", this letter stated.

(with AFP)
Massive crowds thronged for a glimpse of Pope Francis as he made his way through the streets of Kinshasa Tuesday, after arriving in DR Congo with a message of peace for a country ravaged by decades of conflict.

Waving flags and cheering, residents of Kinshasa ran after the popemobile, which wound through working-class districts towards the presidential palace, after the 86-year-old Pope Francis descended from his plane in a wheelchair.

The Argentine pontiff is on his fifth trip to Africa, during which he will also visit conflict-hit South Sudan.

"We've been waiting for a year, it's a beautiful trip," the 86-year-old pope told reporters travelling aboard his plane.

It is the first time since 1985 that a pope has visited the Democratic Republic of Congo, a desperately poor country of about 100 million people, 40 percent of whom are Catholic.

Bystanders cheer as the popemobile passes by. By Guerchom Ndebo (AFP)

"I didn't want to miss the opportunity to see him face to face," Maggie Kayembe, a woman in her thirties, told AFP as she waited for the pope. "He always preaches peace wherever he goes, and peace, we really need it," she added.

The six-day trip to DRC and South Sudan had been planned for July 2022, but postponed due to the pontiff's knee pain that has forced him in recent months to use a wheelchair.

He boarded the plane in Rome via an elevator.

Security concerns were also said to play a role in delaying the trip, and a stop in Goma in DR Congo's east, where dozens of armed groups operate, is no longer on the itinerary.

"I would have liked to go to Goma too, but with the war, you can't go there," the pope told reporters on the plane.

On Sunday, he had offered his greetings "with affection to those beloved peoples who await me".

"These lands, situated in the centre of the great African continent, have suffered greatly from lengthy conflicts," he said after his Angelus prayer at the Vatican.

Residents of Kinshasa raced behind the popemobile for a glimpse of the pontiff. By Guerchom Ndebo (AFP)

He lamented "armed clashes and exploitation" in the DRC, and said South Sudan, "wracked by years of war, longs for an end to the constant violence".

Victims of violence

Despite its vast mineral wealth, some two-thirds of DRC's population live on less than $2.15 a day, while violence plagues the eastern provinces.

The Tutsi-led armed group M23, which Kinshasa alleges is backed by neighbouring Rwanda, has been conquering large swaths of territory in North Kivu province.

It is the first time since 1985 that a pope has visited the Democratic Republic of Congo. By Alexis Huguet (AFP)

The region has also seen a wave of deadly attacks blamed on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a group the Islamic State claims as an affiliate, including a bomb blast at a Pentecostal church this month that killed 14 people.

Francis will be received at the presidential palace by President Felix Tshisekedi.

The pontiff will then make his first of a dozen speeches during the trip, addressing authorities, the diplomatic corps, and representatives of civil society.

"He can deliver a strong message to politicians by addressing the issue of corruption" ahead of a general election scheduled for December, said Samuel Pommeret with Catholic humanitarian group CCFD-Terre Solidaire, which operates in the area.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend a prayer vigil Tuesday evening at N'dolo airport ahead of a mass on Wednesday morning, which is tipped to draw more than a million faithfl.

During his visit to DRC, the pope will also meet victims of violence as well as members of the clergy and charities operating in the country.

Pilgrimage of peace

On Friday, Francis will travel to Juba, the capital of South Sudan, also one of the world's poorest countries, that has lurched from one crisis to another since gaining independence in 2011.

It suffered a brutal five-year civil war, while continued conflict between rival ethnic groups exacts a terrible toll on civilians.The pope will be joined in Juba by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, and the leader of the Church of Scotland, on what he has called "an ecumenical pilgrimage of peace".
31.01.2023 LISTEN

Ivory Coast will increase the amount of cocoa it processes domestically to 49% of production starting from October with the addition of several new plants, the head of the sector regulator said last week.

Ivory Coast is the world's top cocoa producer with annual production of about 2.2 million tonnes. Currently, about 35-40% is processed in the country and the rest exported, but the government has a goal of increasing that to at least 50%.

The West African country has signed an agreement with the United Arab Emirates for the construction of a new plant in San Pedro with a grinding capacity of 120,000 tonnes, said Yves Brahima Kone, director general of the Coffee and Cocoa Council (CCC), who was in Abu Dhabi this month to open a new CCC office.

"This permanent representation (in Abu Dhabi) is the fruit of our new vision for Ivorian cocoa that we want to export all over the world. This office will allow us to explore markets in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa," he told Reuters.

Ivory Coast also expects two new factories financed by China to enter into production in October, with a production capacity of 50,000 tonnes each, Kone said.

The new plants will allow the country to process more than 1 million tonnes of cocoa annually, making it the world's leading cocoa grinder, he said.

Currently it vies with the Netherlands for top spot.

The state has implemented an aggressive policy in recent years to make local processing attractive, including offering tax cuts and other incentives to Ivorian companies.
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said Tuesday during a visit to Zimbabwe that sanctions imposed by Western nations had brought the two countries closer together, as he offered the Southern African nation "everything you need."

Lukashenko, who backs Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and his Zimbabwean counterpart Emmerson Mnangagwa are both subjected to US sanctions, along with a coterie of their aides and family members.

"Sanctions on Belarus and Zimbabwe were not just a curse but also a blessing, because if not for the sanctions, maybe Zimbabwe would continue trading with the West, selling its natural resources," Lukashenko told a news conference in Harare on his first visit to the country.

"But now, because of sanctions, Zimbabwe is trading with Belarus and we are happy to trade with Zimbabwe," Lukashenko said.

Belarus has shipped hundreds of tractors and harvesters to Harare as part of a $66 million (61 million euros) offer to Zimbabwe, which is looking to mechanise its farming sector.

"When we come to Africa we bring peace, we bring science and technology, we are not here to destroy," Lukashenko said, pledging to help Zimbabwe "in everything you need".

Mnangagwa and Lukashenko are looking to deepen economic and political cooperation as they face increasing diplomatic isolation on allegations of corruption and rights violations.

The Belarus leader's visit also comes ahead of a presidential election in Zimbabwe, which Mnangagwa hinted Tuesday would probably be held in July.

He appeared confident of a victory for his Zanu-PF party -- in power for the past 43 years -- saying that "we will continue winning".

Mnangagwa, who came to power in 2017 after generals forced the long-time strongman Robert Mugabe to resign, is running for re-election amid new claims of a crackdown on political opponents.

Lukashenko, in power for nearly 30 years, oversaw a brutal crackdown on protests after a contested election in 2020.

In 2021, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, a consortium of investigative journalists, also unveiled alleged links between Lukashenko's family and a gold mining venture in Zimbabwe.
I, Joel Savage, would like to request that if I have mistakenly accused the president of Ghana, Nana Akufo Addo, and his relative, the finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, of being thieves, they both can curse me to death. I have been telling Ghanaians for more than four years that since the president chose his relative to facilitate corruption for him, Ghana will endure the worst political crisis in its history and corruption would be at an all-time high, but many people still don't believe me.

Therefore, I implore them to curse me and deny my assertions because if they do and they are neither corrupt nor thieves; I shall surely perish as soon as the curse is uttered. Although I am the only columnist on ModernGhana who has written about Akufo Addo and his relative, Ken Ofori-Atta, in the context of a high level of corruption, hardships, and a crumbling economy and everything has taken place, there are still others who are not pleased with me and occasionally abuse me. Thats why I issue this challenge.

Numerous tribal bigots and disgruntled Ghanaians still exist, and they still wish that John Mahama, the former president of Ghana, had suffered the same fate as Nana Akufo Addo. Because it didn't happen to him and the current president has shamefully failed to uphold the promises he made to ordinary Ghanaians, they feel very resentful that I would expose and criticize the president. As a result, they believe that the best way to feel better is to attack and humiliate me.



Considering that there are morons in Ghana, who don't believe me when I say that Nana Akufo Addo and Ken Ofori-Atta are expert thieves who have earned degrees in corruption, I permit them to publicly curse me if I have incorrectly accused them of being thieves.

Four years ago, while President Akufo Addo was in office, I noticed his corruption operations right away. I was so troubled by how people seemed to trust him, though, that I felt compelled to write "Which One Is Easier To Say, Akufo Addo Is Corrupt Or A Thief? Akufo Addo wants Ghanaians to comprehend that John Mahama is the most corrupt leader in the country's political history, but I claimed in that article, which was published on February 28, 2020, that anyone who holds such an opinion is a hypocrite.

I continued by saying that despite the theft of 400 NDA tricycles and the untraceability of over 500 excavators confiscated from unlicensed miners, Akufo Addo seemed unconcerned about these crimes but because it is against the opposition leader, John Mahama, the president appointed the former Special Prosecutor to the Airbus corruption case. I feel this to be very shameful and embarrassing politics in Ghana. I received the demeaning remarks listed below after the article's publication.

Andom | 3/6/2020 3:28:59 PM

It's a pity that the "partisan, bias, tribal and NPP hater, so-called home-made "Fante" journalist, Joel Savage, who leaves in Belgium, never saw anything wrong about John Mahama, how he eradicated Atta Mills from the earth surface, his quantum corruption, his gross incompetence and most especially about Mahama's current Airbus bribery scandal and therefore never before wrote anything about all those serious things but always quick to kick against Nana Addo and the NPP.

Just read through his numerous partisan and tribal articles posted on Modernghana and Ghanaweb, it will tell you all about the tribal Fante guy, Joel Savage. It's sad that we have such an old-buggy of 63 years with 3 Kids but behaves like a class 3 pupil.

Essuman | 3/6/2020 3:30:33 PM

Joel Savage, I can't really fathom, why you are such a hypocrite, tribal, partisan bias and to crown it all such a bad person. Your of-late biological mother, Madam Elizabeth Nancy Savage, (may her soul Rest In Peace) was such a lovely and nice woman. Why are you such a gargantuan disgrace to your mother and the rest of your family?

Simon | 3/6/2020 3:35:09 PM

Joel Savage, will you stop your primitivism of insulting the President...how old are you?

I. Ann | 3/6/2020 3:43:41 PM

Joel Savage, listen, you full idi-otic son of a bit-ch !!!:

Akuffo-Addo is not corrupt, he hasn't been in any book for taking a bribe, gift or any item for corruption purposes. Mahama, on the other hand, has personally taken items, monies and gifts for corruption purposes. If my understanding of this makes me a child, so be it.

Padmore | 3/6/2020 3:51:11 PM

*Your old "Fante" father Savage, was greedy, corrupt, and a thief, even though he was a bogus journalist, who published almost nothing sensible but sh*t in the 1960s.*

Christina | 3/6/2020 8:28:40 PM

The hypocrite and Mr. too known, Joel Savage is writing the below (attention-seeking) bull-sh*t and rubb-ish about the Belgian King, describing him as a murderer but he's still living in Belgium with his wife and 3 kids, and even his own son is married to a Belgian woman and they have one child.

Mercy Adobea | 3/7/2020 1:54:32 PM

Let, this writer, Joel Savage, tells us his main reason for consistently attacking and insulting President Akufo Addo.

Mercy Adobea | 3/7/2020 3:56:30 PM

I dare the writer Joel Savage to tell us his main reason for consistently attacking and insulting President Akufo Addo. Listen! Joel Savage, with your 63 years, President Akofo Addo could be your father and I am cocksure he is older than your father and mother as well.

Akpaloo Jnr. | 3/9/2020 1:40:46 PM

THIS IS HOW FAR THE WRITER JOEL SAVAGE HAS GONE TO INSULT THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA. Paragraphs from this very article: By Joel Savage

==> "Which One Is Easier To Say, Akufo Addo Is Corrupt Or A Thief?"

Belgium doesn't even have one-tenth of the resources Ghana has but the fact is that the country's 15 Ministers, plus the Prime Minister, are not st*p*d like the Akufo Addo's elephant-sized Ministers. They know how to create jobs and maintain a flexible economy.

Which one is easier to say, Akufo Addo is corrupt or a thief? As for me, both are easy to say because the Ghanaian leader is not a Messiah. The entire government of Akufo doesn't only lacks intelligence, they are all filthy corrupt.

According to Mr. Kofi Akpaloo, the founder of one of the new political parties in Ghana  Liberal Party of Ghana: No Reasonable Ghanaian Will Vote For Mahama Again, Mr. Akpaloo, please, let me tell, don't join the dirty pigs for someone to mistakenly consider you as dirty or one who lacks intelligence.

The fact that many Ghanaians due to hate or ignorance wouldn't like to admit is nobody will ever vote for Akufo Addo again for abandoning projects which belong to Ghana because they were started by the opposition in any Eastern bloc country, including Romania, the poorest, let alone Western Europe.

Isaac | 3/14/2020 5:32:39 AM

THE basta*d HE-GOAT, JOEL SAVAGE: The vagabond, Joel Savage was not raised but reared like a he-goat at home hence lacking respect and manners.



If you read the insults directed at me because I showed that Akufo Addo is a thief, you'll understand why I won't call the president a thief today, instead, I'll call him a criminal because that's what he is, and if he thinks otherwise, he should buy whatever he needs and travel to one of the many rivers in the Ashanti Region to curse me and see who dies between the two of us and, if I need to curse, the people who also insulted me, none will live because God knows that Akufo Addo is a thief.

Since you can't foretell what will happen tomorrow, you shouldn't belittle and insult other people. The president has humiliated them all today, but to be totally honest, I won't curse any of them since anyone who used a true or false name to insult me has already received their just compensation. Some of the writers are so desperate today, to get readers, so they have shifted to writing articles they had never even considered to see if the readers would be interested.

If you are an intelligent Ghanaian, you should question how this writer learned that Akufo Addo is corrupt in 2020. I'm so perplexed that Ghanaians only recently became aware of the president's egregious corruption. It is extremely clear that if you are not corrupt, you will never add corrupt judges, journalists, or politicians to your administration. More importantly, the current special prosecutor is dealing with the same issue as the former special prosecutor, which caused him to resign.

Akufo Addo is a career criminal who has the power to detain those he despises at the Kotoka International Airport, or in the country but he is aware that that he can't touch me, I won't get into details, so let's end it here. If Akufo Addo hadn't been chosen to lead the party, Ghana ought to be among the best nations in West Africa. He arrived with a vengeance because he instilled in him hatred and jealousy against Kwame Nkrumah.

Sadly, he has been cursing himself more often whenever he speaks out to claim that he has done more for Ghana than Kwame Nkrumah. Lies can be stated but their spiritual effects can be exceedingly detrimental. I have stated numerous times in some of my posts that I will not follow Akufo Addo because I dont want to embarrass myself. The president will readily admit that many NPP politicians are upset with him.

If Akufo Addo finds it simple, he would inform Ghanaians that he has lost a lot of friends and that many people, including some of his family, are upset with him. In a lighthearted manner, I once joked that I should receive an award from the president since if he had read my columns with any seriousness, they would have helped him more than many of the useless articles from tribal bigots promoting tribalism, corruption, and crime to his disadvantage.



Mahama was accused of corruption, but he started many projects and even left some of them uncompleted. In contrast, Akufo Addo has amassed a significant debt for Ghana with no projects at sight, therefore; I don't regret calling President Akufo Addo a thief; he is aware of my accuracy from the year 2020. He has the right to curse me, though, because I'm not afraid of dying, if he believes I've unfairly accused him and Ken Ofori-Atta of being thieves.
Leading French unions on Tuesday night announced two separate days of action against Emmanuel Macron's plans to revamp the country's pensions system

The eight anointed 7 and 11 February as the focal points for nationwide protests aimed at forcing Macron's government to renounce proposals to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.

"The government must listen to the massive rejection of its project and withdraw it," said Patricia Drevon, one of the chiefs of the Force ouvriere union who read a statement from the union pact that includes the CFDT, CGT, CFE-CGC, CFTC, Unsa, Solidaires and FSU.

The move for more demonstrations follows a day in which official figures estimated that nearly 1.3 million people took to the streets of France to express their opposition to one of Macron's main policies.

On 19 January, one million protesters gathered throughout the country.

The CGT claimed 2.8 million people demonstrated on Tuesday.

Praise

Gerald Darmanin, France's interior minister, praised the police for ensuring the protests took place orderly.

"My gratitude to the officers who, once again, allowed the demonstrations to go ahead in safe conditions," Darmanin tweeted.

But the day brought widespread chaos. Schools and colleges closed as teachers and lecturers took to the streets. Transport systems were also disrupted.

The rail operator, SNCF, removed just over 7,000 trains out of 9,633 scheduled to run outside the Paris region.

Stance

Before the day of protest, Elisabeth Borne, the Prime Minister, said the government might be willing to reconsider certain parts of the pension reforms.

But she said the new minimum age of 64 was non-negotiable.

On Tuesday night, Borne attempted to project a more conciliatory stance as French MPs debated the minutiae of the proposals in the Assemblee nationale.

"The pension reform raises questions and doubts," Borne tweeted. "We hear them. The parliamentary debate opens. It will make it possible, in transparency, to enrich our project with a goal: to ensure the future of our pay-as-you-go system. It is our responsibility."

France's retirement age of 62 is among the lowest in Europe. The government claims maintaining the option will become financially unsustainable.

However, Macron's opponents say the system is currently balanced. The head of the independent Pensions Advisory Council recently told the French parliament that pension spending was not out of control.
Up to a million people are tipped to celebrate a papal mass in DR Congo's capital on Wednesday, on the second day of Pope Francis' visit to the conflict-torn country.

Tens of thousands of worshippers had already begun to flock to Kinshasa's N'Dolo airport on Tuesday night for a vigil held ahead of the open-air mass.

"I have come the day before to be able to attend the mass as I am not really in the habit of getting up early," said Franciane Sudila, 24.

"I have brought some water and a change of clothes for tomorrow," she said.

Veronique Mapinzi also prepared to pass the night in Ndolo with her baby.

"I cannot miss this benediction of the pope, that is why I have come here with my child," she said.

Patrick Kazadi, 31, said he hoped that the help of "God, through the intercession of the Holy Father, will end this situation of war" plaguing DR Congo for years.

The 86-year-old pontiff had arrived in the Democratic Republic of Congo earlier in the day, on the first leg of a six-day trip to Africa that will also include troubled South Sudan.

Huge crowds thronged the streets for a glimpse of the popemobile, cheering and waving flags as Francis drove past.

Even bigger crowds -- of up to a million people -- are expected at the mass Francis is due to give at N'dolo at 9:30 am (8:30 am GMT).

A former Belgian colony the size of continental western Europe, the DRC is Africa's most Catholic country.

About 40 percent of the population of some 100 million people follows the church of Rome, according to estimates.

Another 35 percent of the population is Protestant of various denominations; nine percent is Muslim; and 10 percent Kimbanguist -- a Christian movement born in the Belgian Congo.

Pope Francis will hold an open air mass in the capital. By Arsene MPIANA (AFP)

Official Vatican statistics put the proportion of Catholics in the DRC at 49 percent of the population.

During a speech to politicians and dignitaries in Kinshasa's presidential palace on Tuesday, Francis denounced the "economic colonialism" he suggested had wreaked lasting damage in the DRC.

"This country, massively plundered, has not benefited adequately from its immense resources," he said, to applause.

Despite abundant mineral reserves, the DRC is one of the poorest countries in the world. About two-thirds of Congolese people live on less than $2.15 a day, according to the World Bank.

Meeting conflict victims

Kinshasa residents clamoured for a glimpse of the popemobile after Francis' arrival. By Guerchom Ndebo (AFP)

Francis is also due to meet victims of the conflict in eastern Congo in Kinshasa on Wednesday afternoon after the mega-mass.

After that, he will talk to representatives from charitable organisations.

The DRC's turbulent east has long been plagued by dozens of armed groups. Since late 2021, M23 rebels have also captured swaths of territory in the eastern North Kivu province, coming close to its capital Goma.

The trip to DRC and South Sudan had originally been planned for July 2022, but it was postponed due to the pontiff's knee pain that has forced him in recent months to use a wheelchair.

Security concerns were also said to play a role in delaying the trip, and a stop in Goma -- a city of over a million people on the border with Rwanda -- is no longer on the itinerary.

"I would have liked to go to Goma too, but with the war, you can't go there," Francis told reporters on the plane on the way to DRC.

The Argentine pontiff, in his speech in Kinshasa on Tuesday, urged the need to address the conflict and said he supported regional peace efforts.

Francis also underlined the need for investment in education, and free-and-fair elections, among other issues.

On Friday, the pope travels to South Sudan's capital Juba.

The current foreign papal visit is Francis' fortieth since being elected in 2013.
Muhammed Bazza has been queueing for petrol under the blazing sun for four hours, while Alexander Okwori has spent the last two waiting at a cash dispenser.

And these days Awolowo, a main commercial artery of Lagos, Nigeria's megacity of 20 million people, is constantly blocked by traffic jams worsened by the waits for fuel, spelling further misery for residents.

From north to south, the country of about 215 million people is facing an even higher combination of problems than usual: petrol shortages and chaos at banks over a new currency swap, in addition to the chronic lack of water and electricity.

It's a volatile mix as Nigeria gears up for presidential and general elections next month, with President Muhammadu Buhari stepping down after the two terms allowed by the constitution.

Bazza said he had woken up at 4:30 am to try to avoid the petrol queues, but it didn't work -- Shortly after 10 am, and just 10 metres (30 feet) from the petrol pump, he was told to leave.

"It's over! No more fuel," the station attendant said.

"My day is wasted," Bazza told AFP. "Every day is the same problem, it's ridiculous."

While Nigeria is one of Africa's largest crude oil producers, it has almost no refining capacity and must import fuel from Europe and elsewhere.

"We are tired," Bazza said before driving off. "Everywhere people are fighting."

No cash

On the other side of the road, fifty or so people are huddled outside a bank, with more people continuously joining the crowd.

Crowds have been lining up to withdraw Nigeria's new naira notes, in a country where millions of people do not have bank accounts. By Audu MARTE (AFP)

Like everyone else, Alexander Okwori is trying to get his hands on new bank notes unveiled last October to replace the old naira, with a January 31 deadline to make the swap.

But days before the deadline, only a few banks were distributing the new notes, leaving many Nigerians, who are overwhelmingly poor and without bank accounts, without access to cash.

Under pressure, the government agreed to push the deadline back to February 10, but on Tuesday many banks were still unable to distribute the new notes.

"No ATM are giving money. I went to 10 banks, there are no new notes," said Okwori, who wonders how he will manage to buy food for the day.

His anger has reached the point where he has no intention of casting a vote on February 25.

"To get my PVC (voting card), I have to queue again. For what? They (politicians) are all the same," the 21-year-old said.

The two main candidates vying to replace Buhari are Bola Tinubu of the president's governing party, and Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition group.

The two are old political hands, wealthy but also dogged by corruption suspicions in the minds of many voters.

'Getting worse'

Outside another petrol station on Awolowo, a queue has completely blocked the traffic, leaving Vanessa Ifejitah stuck in her car for three hours with her children on their way to school.

Wearing an elegant orange dress, the mother of two steps out of her car and starts shouting at military officers standing nearby.

"You are the cause of our problems!" she shouts, pointing at their vehicle parked in the middle of the queue, making things even worse for those trying to drive through -- so Ifejitah starts directing the traffic herself to sort out the mess.

"The queue is getting worse every day... I don't know what is happening in Nigeria," she says, getting back into her car, on the verge of tears. "My children are two hours late for school."

Less than a month before voting day, frustrations are growing across the country.

On Monday, protests broke out over the fuel shortages in Benin City in the south, according to local media.

Irate crowds also protested a recent visit by Buhari to Kano, the biggest city in the north, with many setting bonfires and hurling stones at police in a city traditionally one of the president's strongholds.
A lot of radio presenters, especially morning show hosts, news reporters and other media personnel in the Bono East region, say even though they are very much aware of the alleged nefarious activities of personnel of the Police Intelligence Directorate (PID) of the Ghana Police Service, they are afraid to report or talk about them for fear of being hunted or killed by the PID.

These PID personnel, according to the Bono East media, allegedly have multiple tattoos on their bodies, wear ear-rings and are always seen flexing their bodies in town and putting fear in residents as they keep conducting arbitrary arrests anyhow in the region.

A visit to Techiman, the Bono East regional capital by this reporter revealed that some personnel of the regular police service are equally not happy at all about the operations of their colleagues working under the PID wing but are also afraid to speak out for fear of being victimised.

The PID, according to Police sources, has been in existence for quite a long time but used to be in only Accra and Kumasi. Its offices have however been opened in all regional commands of the Ghana Police Services since the current Inspector-General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, took office in 2021.

Some Police personnel, media practitioners and residents in Techiman, Nkoranza, Kintampo, Yeji, Prang and Atebubu allege that Chief Superintendent Saviour Ahiamadi, head of the PID in the Bono East region has been leading his gang or issuing them orders to visit all kinds of atrocities on innocent people in the region.

Cant speak out

Who am I to talk about Mr. Saviour Ahiamadi and his boys? I would be a dead person the following day if I make any pronouncements about his activities here in the Bono region, including maiming and sometimes killing people upon his orders. In fact, he is even more powerful that the IGP himself, not to mention the Regional Police Commander, a journalist in Techiman told our reporter on condition of anonymity.

According to him, the PID personnel in the Bono East region appear to wield more powers than the Regional Security Council chaired by the Regional Minister, Kwasi Adu Gyan since nobody has the courage to call them to order as they keep harassing and terrorising people any time they like.

Operation gone bad

A source at the Bono East Regional Police Command told our reporter that Chief Superintendent Saviour Ahiamadi is currently nursing serious injuries he sustained from gun-shots during one of his operations in Wenchi.

He went there with his boys to arrest just one person and when the said suspect tried to inquire from Mr. Ahiamadi why he was being arrested, especially without any warrant, he got angry and ordered his men to shoot at him, our Police source revealed.

The source continued: The alleged suspect managed to escape without being hit by any of the bullets but unfortunately for Chief Superintendent Saviour Ahiamadi, one of his own men mistakenly shot at him in the process and he fell down, screaming like a day-old baby. He was eventually taken to the Police Hospital in Accra for treatment and may be flown to South Africa for further treatment considering the severity of his injury.

According to the source, there is uneasy calm within the ranks of the Bono East Regional Police Command as the activities of these PID personnel continue to undermine the integrity of the Police Service as well as the peace and security of the region.

Condemnable acts

In an interview, the Ghana Journalists Association's Regional Chairman for Bono East, Bono and Ahafo Regions, Larry Paa Kwesi Moses said if indeed this is true then it is condemnable and asked the media not to be afraid in exercising their constitutional duties in bringing out the ills in society for actions to be taken.

Even the Ghana Armed Forces, our soldiers, dont do this so why should the Ghana Police Service, not a Police force, be engaging in this criminality, he stated.

If they have genuine reasons why someone should be arrested, they should follow the due process and act according to what the law says and put the person before the law Courts for prosecution. You dont have any right or whatsoever to arrest someone, beat him up or open fire at him anyhow and subject people to all kinds of brutalities as if we are in a banana republic, he fumes.

He called on the IGP to constitute a body to investigate the issue and bring the culprits to book as a matter of urgency.
Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has alleged that President Akufo-Addos office has blown GHS59.4 million on operational enhancement expenditure between January and September 2022.

In this nine-month period, he also said, the fuel bills paid at the presidency cost the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer a colossal GHS51.1 million.

Empirical analysis conducted reveals that government failed abysmally in its promise to slash fuel expenditure by 50 per cent, the lawmaker said in a statement on Facebook.

He further disclosed that the Presidents regional tours last year cost the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer a staggering GHS16.9 million while tyres and batteries for official vehicles cost an unbelievable GHS15 million between January and September 2022.

5) The last Cabinet Retreat cost GHS4.8million, payment for new vehicles cost GHS6.5million, payment for Networking and ICT Equipment cost GHS6.6 million (6,600,000.00) while an additional expenditure on Office Equipment/Furniture and Fittings cost GHS7.07 million.

Mr Ablakwa wants the President to depart from the obscene profligacy, particularly at the ostentatious Presidency where we will expect true burden sharing and frugal leadership by example at this time of government-inflicted economic crisis.

Below are details of his full post:

I couldnt agree more with the revered and celebrated Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference following their timely appeal to the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government to present a posture that is consistent with the fact that the country is in dire straits or crisis and their further demand for drastic government expenditure control.

Expenditure documents from the Presidency between January and September 2022 which I am currently reviewing firmly justify the call from the venerable Bishops  a plea, which to be honest, many others within civil society organizations, the NDC Caucus in Parliament and former President John Mahama have been ingeminating.

Readers beware, a summary of the presidential expenditure items listed below are most gut-wrenching:

1) The Presidents operational enhancement expenditure (whatever that animal is) cost the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer a mind-boggling GHS59.4million (59,486,108.91);

2) The fuel bills paid at the presidency within the 9-month period under review cost the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer a colossal GHS51.1 million. (51,109,137.86). Empirical analysis conducted reveals that the government failed abysmally in its promise to slash fuel expenditure by 50%;

3) President Akufo-Addos regional tours last year cost the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer a staggering GHS16.9million (16,906,272.45);

4) Tyres and Batteries for official vehicles cost the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer an unbelievable GHS15million (15,000,000.00);

5) The last Cabinet Retreat cost the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer a whopping GHS4.8million (4,800,000.00);

6) Payment for new vehicles cost the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer GHS6.5million (6,500,000.00)  this is particularly distressing considering Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Attas announcement of a ban on imported official vehicles in March last year;

7) Payment for Networking and ICT Equipment cost the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer an impressive GHS6.6million (6,600,000.00);

8)An additional expenditure on Office Equipment/Furniture and Fittings cost the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer a fantastic GHS7.07million (7,070,315.28);

9) Telecommunications and Internet Services from January to September alone cost the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer a shocking GHS20million (20,000,000.00);

10) Vice President Alhaji Bawumia appears determined not to be left out. His office has on three occasions between January and September 2022 demanded what is simply described in the expenditure documents as the release of funds for URGENT AND OTHER EMERGENCIES ACTIVITIES (wondering why emergencies and not emergency and most importantly what exactly those emergencies and urgent matters were?). For the period under consideration and from GIFMIS Code 2210909  a whopping GHS4.05million (4,050,227.18) of taxpayer funds from suffering Ghanaians was cumulatively released for the Vice Presidents emergency activities.

Quite obviously, the Ghana Fire Service, NADMO and the National Ambulance Service would wish they were as resourced for real emergencies as the Vice Presidents office is.

In the true spirit of transparency and accountability, I expect the Vice Presidents office to immediately clarify to the Ghanaian people what those emergency expenditures are. I sincerely do hope that we arent witnessing blatant abuse of incumbency where our taxes are being funnelled into the Vice Presidents presidential campaign under the dubious claim of emergency activities.

Moving forward, the NDC Caucus in Parliament shall be paying keener attention to these strange expenditure patterns both in the Presidents office and the Vice Presidents office.

Instructively, the 10-item expenditure summary above which amounts to a massive GHS191,522,061.68 represents a tiny sample selection from more than 250 expenditure items contained in the Expenditure Documents currently under parliamentary scrutiny.

The Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/Ofori-Atta government must definitely listen to the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference and indeed all Ghanaians by sincerely departing from the obscene profligacy, particularly at the ostentatious Presidency where we will expect true burden sharing and frugal leadership by example at this time of government-inflicted economic crisis.

For God and Country.

Ghana First.

Source:Classfmonline.com
The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has raised concerns about the quantum of money being spent on the presidency.

This is after reviewing expenditure documents from the Presidency between January and September 2022.

He reveals in a post on social media that the Presidents operational enhancement expenditure cost the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer a mind-boggling GHS59.4 million (59,486,108.91) in that period.

Okudzeto Ablakwa adds that the fuel bills paid at the presidency within the 9-month period under review cost the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer a colossal GHS51.1 million.

Indicating that this spending and many others at the president are not the best under current economic circumstances, the MP has called on the government to listen to the advise of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference as well as the cries of Ghanaians and stop blowing cash at the presidency.

The Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/Ofori-Atta government must definitely listen to the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference and indeed all Ghanaians by sincerely departing from the obscene profligacy, particularly at the ostentatious Presidency where we will expect true burden sharing and frugal leadership by example at this time of government-inflicted economic crisis, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said in his post on Facebook.
Coffee harvest at a farm in Zambia. - Source: Photo by Oleksandr Rupeta/NurPhoto via Getty Images

01.02.2023 LISTEN

Over half of Zambia's population lived below the national poverty line in 2015. In rural areas, where 89% of households are engaged in agriculture, the poverty rate was even higher, at 77% of the population.

The government runs several programmes of financial support for farmers. Some provide agricultural inputs directly to households.

Agricultural input subsidies can encourage adoption of modern inputs like fertilisers, improved seeds or agro-chemicals, by making them more affordable. Input subsidies can be price-based, packages of inputs or input vouchers provided at a subsidised cost to eligible farmers.

There is a vast body of research showing that these policies can raise farm outputs and incomes . But there are also reservations concerning their effectiveness. Low and middle-income countries, including in Africa, also have other transfer policies that may be more effective in reaching the poor. They can also lead to improved agricultural production, as is the case with social cash transfer programmes .

Agricultural input subsidies represent a transfer of income to the targeted households. But eligibility criteria  such as requiring minimum farm sizes or membership of farming cooperatives  may reduce the likelihood of such support reaching the poorest farmers. Price-based subsidies offer the greatest benefit to people who farm on a bigger scale.

Read more: Small efforts can protect farmers from pesticides. Insights from Zambia

Tax instruments are needed to fund inputs provided to farmers and cash transfers to households. But they, too, have impacts on poverty and inequality. That is why a comprehensive assessment of agricultural policies as a part of the broader tax-benefit system is needed.

Our study

To fill this gap, we used tax-benefit microsimulation to assess the distributional impacts of agricultural policies in Zambia. The tax-benefit microsimulation model for Zambia, MicroZAMOD , enables policymakers and researchers to analyse and compare the effects of different benefit policy scenarios on poverty, inequality and government revenues. The earlier version of the model was expanded by us to better capture the main impacts of agricultural policies on household incomes.

The results show that Zambian agricultural policies reduce the share of households whose consumption falls below the poverty line by 35 percentage points. Although this does not solves the poverty problem in the country, it is still a sizeable effect among developing countries. The magnitude of poverty reduction depends on whether only the policies' direct impacts are considered, or also behavioural impacts that lead to changes in agricultural production. We also examined whether it was possible to reach similar poverty reduction at a lower cost to the government.

Farming interventions in Zambia

The Zambian government has three key agricultural programmes:

Farmer Input Support Programme

Food Security Pack

Food Reserve Agency purchase programme.

The Farmer Input Subsidy Programme, introduced in 2002, represents farm input subsidies, or subsidised input vouchers or packs. It provides e-vouchers or input packs through direct distribution. This is subject to the farmer's own contribution. The aim is to enhance smallholder farmers' incomes, and food security at the household and national levels.

The Food Security Pack, established in 2000, is a social protection programme aimed at vulnerable, but viable, smallholder farmers. It consists of a package of inputs and a part of the crop is recovered by the community as a pay back.

The Food Reserve Agency buys farmers' produce at set prices. This provides market access and stabilises prices. Its core aim is to manage strategic food reserves.

There have been a number of impact studies of these programmes. But, until now, there has been no systematic assessment of the agricultural policies as a part of the entire tax-benefit system in Zambia.

Read more: Tanzania's tomato harvest goes to waste: solar-powered cold storage could be a sustainable solution

In our analysis , we wanted to capture how these policies affected poverty. We took into account their productive impacts, established by earlier studies. We simulated the impacts of extending the number of beneficiaries of the Food Security Pack.

The value of the package to a farmer is about 2,400 Kwacha (about US$130). Beneficiaries are households whose heads are not employed. They must also belong to categories of vulnerable households. These include being headed by females, children, terminally ill persons, unemployed youths or old people. Eligibility also requires them to be cultivating between 0.5 and 2 hectares of land, and having adequate labour.

Read more: Farming in South Africa: 6 things that need urgent attention in 2023

Until around 2020, the coverage of Food Security Pack was very low. In 2020 we modelled it to have 55,000 recipient households. In the 2022-23 farming season, the government goal is to reach 290,000 recipients, having already expanded the programme to 263,000 households in 2021-22.

The results of our simulations indicate that expanding the coverage of the package to 292,000 beneficiaries would reduce Zambia's poverty headcount ratio by 0.9 percentage points, in comparison to the lower number of recipients (55,000).

Part of the reduction in poverty stems from the benefit's impact on households' agricultural production. The Gini index, which measures income inequality, is also slightly reduced. This means lower inequality as a result of the package's expansion. The cost of extension is estimated to amount to about 430 million Kwacha. Because of the targeting criteria, the household beneficiaries are mostly rural, agricultural households cultivating less than five hectares of land (Figure 1). Figure 1: Poverty reduction (positive numbers indicating a reduction in poverty headcount) by household type following a simulated increase in the number of FSP beneficiaries. The blue bars represent the case where the agricultural production does not react, whereas orange bars include a positive behavioural reaction to receiving the benefit. The household categories are not mutually exclusive. Supplied by authors

Female-headed households and households with elderly members benefit relatively more. The Food Security Pack is, therefore, effective in reducing rural poverty and inequality in Zambia. It shows that provision of inputs to vulnerable households is more cost effective in achieving these impacts compared to the Farmer Input Support Programme that targets smallholders with less focus on vulnerability.

In the light of these findings the Zambian government's decision to expand the programme further is advisable.

Read more: Chickens from live poultry markets in Nigeria could be bad for your health - scientists explain why

Tax-benefit microsimulation is a useful tool to examine the economy-wide impacts of the entire taxation and social protection system. We have broadened its use with a more detailed analysis of agricultural policies. As the Zambian application shows, a joint analysis of agricultural and social support is key when designing well-targeted poverty reduction policies.

Mari Kangasniemi, a social protection officer in the Inclusive Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division in the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, contributed to the research and this article.

Jukka Pirttila receives funding from the Academy of Finland and is a non-resident senior research fellow at UNU-WIDER.

By Jukka Pirttila, Professor of Public Economics, University of Helsinki
Over a million worshippers turned out for a papal mass in DR Congo's capital Wednesday, organisers said, on the second day of Pope Francis's visit to the conflict-torn country.

Many of the faithful in Kinshasa, a deeply observant megacity of some 15 million people, began to arrive at Ndolo airport on Tuesday night to assure themselves of a spot.

Francis entered the airport grounds aboard his popemobile and was greeted by singing and dancing crowds before the mass began at around 9:30 am (0830 GMT).

A man holds the DRC flag ahead of the mass at Ndolo airport. By ALEXIS HUGUET (AFP)

Organisers said that over one million people were on the airport tarmac.

Adrien Louka, 55, told AFP he had arrived before dawn.

"As our country has many problems, it is reconciliation that we are looking for and the Pope will give a message so that the countries around us leave us in peace," he added.

The attendees included Kinshasa residents as well as the Democratic Republic of Congo's president, Felix Tshisekedi, and leading opposition politicians.

Francis wished the crowd peace in Lingala, one of the DRC's four national languages and the everyday language of Kinshasa.

Worshippers gathered for the long-awaited mass. By Guerchom Ndebo (AFP)

The pope delivered the rest of his homily in Italian -- which was translated into the DRC's official language French -- in which he urged the faithful "not to give in to divisions."

The 86-year-old pontiff had arrived in the DRC on Tuesday, on the first leg of a six-day trip to Africa that will also include troubled South Sudan.

Huge crowds had also thronged the streets for a glimpse of the popemobile as Francis drove past.

'Massively plundered'

A former Belgian colony the size of continental western Europe, the DRC is Africa's most Catholic country.

About 40 percent of the population of some 100 million people follows the church of Rome, according to estimates.

Another 35 percent of the population is Protestant of various denominations, nine percent is Muslim and 10 percent Kimbanguist -- a Christian movement born in the Belgian Congo.

Around 40 percent of DRC's population of around 100 million is Catholic, according to estimates. By Guerchom Ndebo (AFP)

Official Vatican statistics put the proportion of Catholics in the DRC at 49 percent of the population.

During a speech to politicians and dignitaries in Kinshasa's presidential palace on Tuesday, Francis denounced the "economic colonialism" he suggested had wreaked lasting damage in the DRC.

"This country, massively plundered, has not benefited adequately from its immense resources," he said, to applause.

Despite abundant mineral reserves, the DRC is one of the poorest countries in the world. About two-thirds of Congolese people live on less than $2.15 a day, according to the World Bank.

Meeting conflict victims

Francis is also due to meet victims of the conflict in eastern Congo in Kinshasa on Wednesday following the mega-mass.

Fervour: A woman wears a dress emblazoned with a picture of the pope. By ALEXIS HUGUET (AFP)

After that, he will talk to representatives from charitable organisations.

The DRC's east has long been plagued by dozens of armed groups. Since late 2021, M23 rebels have also captured swathes of territory in North Kivu province, coming close to its capital Goma.

The trip to DRC and South Sudan had originally been planned for July 2022, but it was postponed due to the pontiff's knee pain that has forced him in recent months to use a wheelchair.

Security concerns were also said to play a role in delaying the trip, and a stop in Goma -- a city of over a million people on the border with Rwanda -- is no longer on the itinerary.

"I would have liked to go to Goma too, but with the war, you can't go there," Francis told reporters on the plane from Rome.

The Argentine pontiff, in his speech in Kinshasa on Tuesday, urged the need to address the conflict and said he supported regional peace efforts.

Francis also underlined the need for investment in education, and free-and-fair elections, among other issues.

On Friday, the pope travels to South Sudan's capital Juba.

This visit is Francis's 40th foreign trip since being elected in 2013.
Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Member of Parliament for Assin Central has finally reacted to the accusations of having a hand in the murder of late Tiger Eye PI member Ahmed Husein-Suale.

The legislator has revealed that he unknowingly paid the tertiary fees of the deceased investigative journalist as part of his philanthropic deeds.

On Accra-based Metro TVs Good Evening Ghana show with Paul Adom Otchere, the maverick MP said he was told by his workers after he published the journalists images on his Net2 TV days before his murder.

"When I showed the video on Net2, my workers came to me and told me, Honourable, don't you know this guy? And I said no. And they were like, but he was one of the guys whom you paid his school fees. I said I don't remember because I always pay people's school fees."

The worker recounted, "He came here; he said he was going to the university, and you gave him GH1,500."

But the MP said he insisted, 'I said I don't remember.'

According to Mr. Kennedy Agyapong, his intention in showing that video wasnt to kill him but to warn him not to come near his company to set them up for an expose.

"Dont allow him to come here because he will set us up, when you see him, beat him up. This is what I said," he noted.

After being accused of the murder, the NPP flagbearer hopeful said he will revisit the case and make sure that the culprits are brought to book when he finally becomes Ghanas President.

"What I will do if I'm elected president is I will encourage the police to investigate the case to the bottom to uncover everything... I wanted to tell you that if I'm elected today, whether the case is dead or not, I will bring it back again to investigate," he noted.

Ahmed Suare, who was an investigative journalist at Tiger Eye PI was shot multiple times in the chest close to his residence in Madina, Accra, on January 2019.

After four years, his murderers are still walking freely.
Dzogbese Lisa has treated me thus

It has led me among the sharps of the forest,

Returning is not possible and going forward is a great difficulty.

The affairs of this world is like chameleon faeces, into which I have stepped.

When I clean, it cannot go  Prof. Kofi Awoonor

THIS POEM by my mentor, lecturer and role model, the late Professor Kofi Awoonor is meant for Mr. Asiedu Nketia, the Chairman of the NDC and Felix Ofosu Kwakye, the Abakrampa Goebbels. The replacement of Hon. Haruna Iddrisu and Hon. Muntaka Mohamed, both Dagombas and Muslims as well from the Northern Region as Minority Leader and Chief Whip, will not have been a big deal. What has made it a big deal is that these two Muslims have been replaced by two Christians. And the way the NDC apparatchiks, led by Mr. Big Mouth, Ofosu Kwakye, said about the NPP and the alleged bad treatment the party gives to northerners makes the replacement questionable. They say what goes around comes around and if you throw a ball against a wall, it comes back to you. How will Abakrampa Goebbels do the damage control for his party, now that two northerners who diligently played very active and important roles in Parliament for the party has been axed in a palace coup? When the NPP suspended Paul Afoko, Sammy Crabbe and Kwabena Agyapong, there was no demonstration, the destruction of party offices, violence and the threat of mayhem. But when the NDC removed Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka, look at what is happening in Tamale and other towns. No wonder, Mr. Mahama told Ghanaians that when it comes to unleashing violence, no one could beat the NDC because they have revolutionary routs. Nkwaseasem! Where was Mahama when the guns were booming in 1981 and women were stripped naked in public and whipped in-between their thighs while respected chiefs and self-made men were drilled and received dirty slaps in public by unruly soldiers? Is he reminding us of our sordid past to rake our wounds? Akoa wei paa!

In the run-up to the 2016 General Election, something happened within the NPP which led to the suspension of Messrs Paul Afoko, the National Chairman of the party, Sammy Crabbe, the First Vice Chairman and Kwabena Agyapong, the General Secretary. The NDC went to town to make it look as if it was the worst thing that ever happened in the political history of Ghana. They forgot about the beating up of Vice President Ekow Nkensen Arkaah at a Cabinet meeting by Rawlings. Some of us used to put off our televisions sets anytime the Abakrampa Goebbels came on air because anytime any topic was put on air for discussion, Mr. Ofosu Kwakye will veer off the lane to take on the NPP for suspending the three gentlemen, particularly, Mr. Paul Afoko. To him, the NPP did not like Northerners because they suspended Paul Afoko. Mr. Mahama joined the clamorous choir by accusing candidate Akufo Addo as autocratic, knowing very well that the decision was taken by the National Executive Council of the NPP but not Nana Akufo-Addo alone as a flagbearer of the party. He called on Ghanaians to reject Nana because he could not even keep his house in order. He referred to Lawyer Freddy Blay, who took over from Paul Afoko as Opana and ungentlemanly ridiculed the astute lawyer on political platforms during his campaign for simply accepting the challenge when the NPP seemed to be in crisis.

I am not a soothsayer, neither am I am a prophet. In fact, I do not even believe in horoscope. What I have, which is more potent than what I mentioned is my Crystal Ball. Anytime I look into my Crystal Ball, I foresee what is going to happen and it comes to pass. Last week, I wrote that Asiedu Nketia has planted dragon teeth at the backyard of the NDC and the dragon teeth will one day sprint into an army of warriors which will fight each other until their number diminishes. The planted dragon teeth have already started to sprint up. An old man in my village once told me that mosquito bite is not as painful as the noise it makes in your ears in the night when you are asleep.

The sacking of Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, and Hon. Muntaka Mohammed, both northerners from Dagbon, from their leadership positions in Parliament has become the dragon teeth planted by Asiedu Nketia. It has created confusion, violence and too much cacophonous noises in the party. It has raised the issue of tribalism in the party to a higher level. So, returning is not possible and going forward is a great difficulty. Asiedu Nketia has stepped into chameleon faeces. When he cleans, it cannot go. If he rescinds his decision it will be defeatist on his part and if he maintains the decision, it will be politically suicidal.

It has now dawned on northerners in the NDC that after all, when it comes to a party that loves the northerners, it is the New Patriotic Party. The Communist propaganda tactics which the leadership of the NDC used to poison the minds of the northerners and those living in the Zongos that the NPP doesn't like anti-northerners has been diluted. When ex-president Kufuor won the NPP Presidential Primaries at the Sunyani Congress in 1998, he chose Alhaji Aliu Mahama, a relatively unknown gentleman from the Northern Region and a Muslim for that matter as his Running Mate. The tongues of NPP top men who did not understand Mr. Kufuor started wagging. Mr. Kufuor stood his grounds because he knew what he was doing. At the end of the day, the NPP won the General Election with Alhaji Aliu Mahama becoming the first Muslim in Ghana to swear with the Holy Quran to Ghanaians when he took the Oath of Office as the Vice President of Ghana. It was history made in broad daylight. In the 2000 General Election, votes garnered by the NPP in the Northern Region appreciated considerably and the issue of the NPP being an Akan party started to whittle away.

Enter Candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo. He also followed the footsteps of his predecessor, Mr. Kufuor and chose Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, another relatively unknown politician and a Muslim from the Northern Region as his Running Mate and once again, the NPP eventually won the elations. And once again a Muslim held the Holy Quran to swear the Oath of Office as the Vice President of Ghana. In fact, this time around, the votes garnered by the NPP from the Northern and Upper Regions improved dramatically. That was when the NDC sensed danger. They tried desperately to find faults with the economic whiz-kid but much as they tried, they could not get anything against the meek, mild and gentle Vice President. History repeated itself one more time. People from the Northern and Upper Regions have seen the light and fear is written on the faces of the NDC apparatchiks who have expended their ammunitions in their propaganda war to knock the heads of the people from the Northern Regions and the Zongos against that of the NPP. God is Great!

The gospel truth is that the Rawlings era NDC is dead and buried in the same grave that they buried Rawlings. The ghost of Rawlings is haunting Asiedu Nketia because of the way he shabbily treated the founder of the NDC. So, the people from the Northern regions who used to love the NDC because of the love they have for J.J. Rawlings should begin revising their notes. A new vicious and vindictive NDC, led by Asiedu Nketia, which is poised to sideline the northerners is born. A new Pharaoh has come to Egypt in the person of Asiedu Nketia, who doesn't know Joseph. So the Israelis will suffer. And like the Israelis, supporters of the NDC in the northern regions will also suffer. They have started with Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka. Who knows where the moving violation will stop next? Asem beba dabi.

BY Eric Bawah
Management of the Rent Control Department of the Ministry of Works and Housing has denied reports making the rounds on traditional and social media platforms that offices of the rent regulatory body across the country are housed in rented properties.

According to the management, no single district office of the control is housed in a rented property.

The management was categorical in saying that the accommodation for the various offices of the control is provided for by the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

So it cannot be true offices of the Control are housed in rented properties, it added.

The controls Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr Emmanual Kporsu, made this denial while explaining the National Rental Assistant Scheme (NRAS) launched by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia in Accra.

He spoke in an interview with the host of the Ghana Yensom morning show, Odehyeeba Kofi Essuman, on Accra 100.5 FM on Wednesday, February 1, 2023.

He stressed that the news that went viral that a rent control office had been ejected for non-payment of rent are all false.

We heard this last year and we started an investigation to unravel the story but to date, the person who posted the report cannot be traced, he added.

He noted that the NRAS scheme is to support young people who are gainfully employed but cannot afford rent advance.

He said the scheme is more or less like a revolving fund to assist people 18 years and above with a Ghana Card, bank account and a Mobile Money account. He said without this, you cannot apply for assistance from the scheme because the money given out had to be paid for.

He explained that the scheme does not negotiate with the landlords but the tenant does so for the scheme to pay the advance to the property owner.

He asserted that per the Rent Act, landlords are supposed to demand six-months rent advance only.

If the tenant is willing to pay for two or five years the landlord is obliged to accept, he said, but the law says he cannot demand rent advance of more than six months.

Source: Classfmonline.com
January was a busy diplomatic month for South Africa. The country hosted Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and US treasury secretary Janet Yellen . Josep Borrell, vice-president of the European Commission, was also in town .

The biggest talking point, though, has been Lavrov's visit, which met with criticism in the west. Similarly, the South African-Russian-Chinese joint maritime exercise, Operation Mosi , scheduled for February off the South African Indian Ocean coast. Critics have slammed South Africa's hosting of the war games in the light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 .

South Africa has been reticent to criticise Russia openly for invading Ukraine. The country abstained during each vote criticising Russia at the United Nations. Some have read this as tacit support of Russia.

The visits and South Africa's position on Russia's invasion of Ukraine have put the spotlight on the country's foreign policy.

I follow, study and have published extensively on South Africa's foreign policy. In a recent publication, Ramaphosa and a New Dawn for South African Foreign Policy , my co-editors and I point out that South Africa's voting pattern in these instances should be read in the context of its declared foreign policy under the stewardship of President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Like his predecessors, Ramaphosa's policy encompasses at least five principles:

pan-Africanism

South-South solidarity

non-alignment

independence

progressive internationalism. The governing ANC defines this as

an approach to global relations anchored in the pursuit of global solidarity, social justice, common development and human security, etc.

Evolution of South Africa's foreign policy

In the era of Nelson Mandela, the first president of democratic South Africa, the country, once a pariah state, returned to the international community. Under him, the country saw a significant increase in its bilateral and multilateral relations .

Read more: History may explain South Africa's refusal to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine

It enjoyed global goodwill and Mandela was recognised for his outspoken views on international human rights abuses. His involvement in conflict resolution efforts in, for example, Timor Leste (East Timor) and Africa also received international acclaim . The UN declared 18 July Nelson Mandela International Day .

Mandela's tenure was followed by the aspirational era of President Thabo Mbeki's African renaissance . Mbeki's foreign policy aspired to reposition Africa as a global force as well as to rekindle pan-Africanism and African unity. Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, (left), with South African foreign minister, Naledi Pandor, in Pretoria on 23 January 23. Phill Magakoe/AFP via Getty Images

His successor Jacob Zuma's era could be described as indigenisation of South Africa's foreign policy, driven by the values of ubuntu (humanness). In giving effect to ubuntu  equality, peace and cooperation  as a foreign policy principle, South Africa gravitated towards the global south, rather than just Africa. Yet the continent remained a focus of South Africa's foreign policy.

Ramaphosa's foreign policy

South Africa's foreign policy under President Cyril Ramaphosa has shifted to a strong emphasis on economic diplomacy. This is joined by a commitment to progressive internationalism .

Progressive internationalism formed the basis for South Africa's vocal position on UN reform, global equity and ending the dominance of the global north. The global north could view this as challenging to its hegemonic power and dominance in the UN.

This has challenged South Africa's declared foreign policy principles. It maintains strong economic and political relations with the global north. But it also maintains strong relations with the global south (including Cuba, Venezuela and Russia). For this, it has been criticised by the west.

South Africa's quest for global status in line with its declared foreign policy principles continues under Ramaphosa. It has adopted several roles to achieve this: balancer, spoiler and good international citizenship.

As a balancer, it has attempted to rationalise its relations with both the north and south in accordance with the principles of non-alignment and independence. As a spoiler, it has failed to condemn, for example, China for its poor human rights record, claiming it is an internal Chinese matter. This could be read as an expression of its south-south solidarity with China. Its role as a good international citizen has made it an approachable international actor. It has promoted the rule of international law and upholding international norms. This speaks to its progressive internationalism principle.

At home and abroad

The Ramaphosa era set off in 2018 with less emphasis on foreign policy. But by the time the COVID pandemic broke out in December 2019 , his foreign policy really came to the fore as he led both the South African and African pandemic responses.

South Africa has been attempting to capitalise on the geostrategic changes in the balance of forces on the world stage. Blatant realpolitik has returned. During the past year, for example, the country has conducted joint multilateral military exercises with several states, most notably with France ( Operation Oxide ), a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

South Africa's soft diplomacy has made some inroads at UN agencies and through its cultural diplomacy. But this has not necessarily resulted in material gains  such as more leadership in multilateral organisations.

Moreover, its gravitation towards strong non-western military powers such as Russia, China and India has met with western disappointment. Its foreign policy position of solidarity, independence, non-alignment and progressive internationalism has not translated into material foreign policy benefits either, such as increased foreign direct investment as envisaged by Ramaphosa's economic diplomacy .

Trade with states such as China, Turkey, Russia and India has increased . But it is not enough as the country requires massive investment to update infrastructure and start new development projects in line with Ramaphosa's vision of a new dawn for South Africa. South African finance minister, Enoch Godongwana, meets his American counterpart, Janet Yellen, in Pretoria on 26 January. GCIS

The post-pandemic international political economy has also adversely affected the country. This has been amplified by the economic impact of the Ukraine crisis . Massive Western financial commitments are directed towards Ukraine . This leaves South Africa in a vulnerable economic position as it needs foreign development assistance .

Looking forward

As our South African Foreign Policy Review volume 4 has shown, Ramaphosa's new dawn has been deferred . This as his party and government jump from crisis to crisis. This kind of instability often seeps into the diplomatic landscape. Investors are aware of the investment risks posed by state capture and power crises.

Globally, the age of soft power has somewhat waned since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. South Africa needs to be proactive  not only reactive  to emerging international geostrategic conditions.

Read more: Russia in Africa: can it offer an alternative to the US and China?

Besides its current leadership of the BRICS bloc (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa), the country needs to be bolder. It should, for example, campaign for a fourth term on the UN Security Council , and for leadership in multilateral organisations. In these, it can actively achieve its foreign policy objectives in support of the country's national interests.

Jo-Ansie van Wyk has taught at the Diplomatic Academic of the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation.

By Jo-Ansie van Wyk, Professor in International Politics, University of South Africa
Toyota Tsusho Manufacturing Ghana Co. Limited has commissioned the first locally assembled Suzuki Swift in Ghana.

The company began assembling the Suzuki Swift vehicle in Ghana in September 2022.

This is one of the initiatives based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in Developing Automotive Industry signed by Toyota Tsusho and the Government of Ghana in August 2019 at the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7) in Yokohama, Japan.

Speaking at the ceremony to mark the commissioning of the vehicle, the caretaker minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, said the government was working with development partners and industry players to develop and implement vehicle financing schemes to make locally assembled vehicles affordable.

He noted that the newly established Ghana Automotive Industry Development Council, was expected to sustain the industry's long-term development and that the Automotive Development Centre, which serves as the Council's Secretariat, would provide Policy Support, Vehicle Financing, Investment and Customs Facilitation, Training and Skills Development, Vehicle Testing and Certification, as well as a Showroom for exhibiting locally assembled vehicles.

The Managing Officer of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Koichi Suzuki, stated that Suzuki sales in Africa increased by 60% to 116,000 units, while sales in Ghana increased by 63% to over 1,000 units.

He stated that the alliance was a critical component of Suzuki's African strategy and that the company would continue to strengthen its presence in Africa, particularly in Ghana.

The Suzuki Swift features Swift-like styling, nimble handling, drivability and excellent fuel economy.
The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has launched the innovative National Rental Assistance Scheme (NRAS) in Accra.

The NRAS, to be managed by a private sector property manager under the auspices of the Ministry of Works and Housing and other key stakeholders, is designed to make rental accommodation more accessible, affordable and convenient by taking away the unfair burden faced by lower-income households and the youth across the country of multi-year rent advance payments demanded by landlords.

The initial rollout, with a seed funding of Ghs30m, will take place in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Western, Eastern, Bono East and Northern Regions, where data from the Ghana Statistical Service indicate renters have the greatest challenge with rental accommodation.

In partnership with the private sector, the Scheme will provide low-interest loans to eligible Ghanaians to enable them to pay rent in advance. These loans will be repaid monthly to match the tenor of the rent and will be insured to ensure sustainability.

The Scheme will target individuals in the formal and informal sectors with identifiable and regular income. The rent advance loans will be paid directly into landlords' bank accounts, who would also have to register with the Scheme, Dr Bawumia explained at the launch.

Recounting the various steps which culminated in the Scheme being part of the NPPs 2020 Manifesto, Vice President Bawumia emphasized that the interventions undertaken by the Akufo-Addo government since it assumed office in 2017, particularly the National Digital Property Address System (GhanaPost GPS) and the National ID system and Mobile Money Interoperability, had made it possible to roll out a scheme where all parties are confident of conveniently having their needs met.

As a people-focused government, providing meaningful shelter for our citizens has formed a significant part of this government's developmental goals and measures taken to address problems associated with the housing sector, especially the rental housing sector, have remained vital to our development agenda.

When I visited the Rent Control Department in July 2020, I noted the overall importance of the rental housing market in our quest to increase access to housing options. I reiterated plans by the government to make the Rent Control Department more effective and efficient while reviewing the Law governing rent management in the Country to make it more relevant to evolving trends.

More importantly, I also mentioned that on the issue of payment of rent advance, the government is putting in place plans to introduce a new programme to bridge the information and financial gap between tenants and landlords. These measures would enhance tenants' creditworthiness and reduce the need for large rent advance requests by landlords.

I am particularly excited to learn of the eligibility criteria that have been adopted in the selection of beneficiaries for the Scheme. It does not only support the call to synchronize all platforms with the National Identification System but also the data produced from the implementation of the Scheme will facilitate government efforts at expanding our revenue stream through the improved collection of Rent Tax, he stated.

The Minister for Works and Housing, Mr Francis Asenso-Boakye, expressed gratitude to all partners and stakeholders who, despite initial challenges, had worked together to address the short-to-medium term market failures in the renter segment of the housing market.

Mr Asenso-Boakye called on the media and other stakeholders to assist the government in informing and educating the general public on this all-important Scheme, noting that public programmes of this nature may come with its operational challenges during implementation, but we are confident experiences and lessons would be learned to make the Scheme better across the country.

Applicants to the Scheme must be Ghanaian, possess a valid Ghana Card, be at least 18 years old, have verifiable employment and earned income evidenced in a bank or mobile money statement and the rent payable must not exceed 30% of the household income. Parents can also guarantee for their children.

The results or status of applications will be released within 5-10 days after the applications are released, according to the managers of the Scheme, Rent Masters. Additional information can be found at www.nras.gov.gh
Ghanaian man of God cum politician, Rev. Christian Kwabena Andrews, popularly known as Osofo Kyiri Abosom has kicked against the importation and usage of condoms in the country.

He noted that it is unwise for people to put on condoms while having sexual intercourse.

In a video, the Live Assembly Worship Centres Overseer said he will ban the importation of condoms when voted as President.

The 2020 Ghana Union Movement (GUM) presidential candidate explained that the motive of sex is to have children which is very important.

According to him, people should not use the fear of contracting Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) as an excuse to wear a condom.

He noted that anyone who is infected with STI in the process should visit a hospital for treatment.

It is not necessary. When people get infected with any disease, they will go to the hospital for treatment, he said.

Watch him speaking in the video below;


The Kasoa and Achimota branch managers of the popular retail shop, Melcom, have been picked up by the revenue protection taskforce from the Ghana Revenue Authority over failure to issue VAT invoices on some items sold to customers.

They were arrested on Wednesday, February 1. Their arrest brings to nine, the number of shop managers arrested on the third day of the operation by the compliance unit of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

The GRA rolled out the Electronic VAT Invoicing system in 2022 in its quest to track taxes paid on goods purchased.

With the current Value Added Tax rate at about 25%, some shops have adopted schemes to bypass the system in order to keep a low price rate to attract customers.

According to the GRA, shop managers have found a smart way of directing purchases through other systems other than the customs-approved system.

The suspected shop managers will be arraigned according to the GRA after their statements are taken.

On Tuesday, the Managers of the East Legon branch of Max Mart shopping centre, Community 25 branch of Palace shopping mall, and Second Cup Coffee shop at Dzorwulu were arrested and detained by the Ghana Revenue Authority for non-compliance with tax laws and bypassing the Electronic VAT Invoicing system.

The three managers are made up of two foreigners and a Ghanaian.

According to GRA, the managers of the respective malls deliberately outsmarted the Electronic VAT Invoicing system by recording multiple sales of items under one unit.
Former Auditor-General Daniel Yaw Domelevo has not received his emoluments three years after he was forcefully retired by President Akufo-Addo.

The Executive Secretary to the President, Nana Asante Bediatuo, has, in a letter, asked the Board of the Ghana Audit Service to deal with the matter.

The Office of the President is in receipt of letters dated 5th November 2021 and 4th November 2022 respectively from the former Auditor-General, Mr Daniel Yaw Domelevo, regarding emoluments and entitlements due him upon retirement.

The contents of the letters have been duly noted and are hereby forwarded to you for your kind attention.

This Office would be grateful if the Board of the Ghana Audit Service could review the claims of Mr Domelevo and take the necessary action in respect of them as soon as practicable.

Kindly keep this Office informed of all steps taken in respect of this matter.

Background

President Nana Akufo-Addo asked Mr Domelevo to go home two years ago since, according to him, the A-G, at the time, had passed the compulsory retirement age of 60.

In a letter dated 3 March 2021, the president, through his secretary, Nana Bediatuo Asante, said: The attention of the President of the Republic has been drawn to records and documents made available to this Office by the Audit Service, that indicate that your date of birth is 1st June 1960, and that in accordance with article 199 (1) of the Constitution, your date of retirement as Auditor-General was 1st June 2020.

Based on this information, the president is of the view that you have formally left office, the President said.

Mr Domelevo reported to work at the Audit Service Headquarters in Accra on Wednesday, 3 March 2021, at 8:20 am despite the Audit Service Board declaring him retired.

He resumed work after his forced 167-day leave ended.

Mr Domelevo was seen entering the Audit Service building but declined any media comments on the raging controversy that surrounded his age and nationality at the time.

The Board had earlier written to him challenging his Ghanaian nationality and age.

The Board said his own Social Security and National Insurance Trust records showed he is a Togolese and not a Ghanaian and also due for retirement.

The Board, in a series of correspondence with Mr Domelevo, said he was born in 1960, per his own records and, thus, should have gone on retirement in mid-2020.

In a letter dated, 26th February 2021, the Audit Service Board said: Records at the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) completed and signed by you indicate your date of birth as 1st June 1960 when you joined the scheme on 1st October 1978. The records show that you stated your tribe as Togolese and a non-Ghanaian. That your home town is Agbatofe.

On 25th October 1992, you completed and signed a SSNIT Change of Beneficiary Nomination form, stating your nationality as a Ghanaian and your home town as Ada in the Greater Accra Region. The date of birth on your Ghanaian passport number A45800, issued on 28th February 1996 is 1st June 1961. That place of birth is stated as Kumasi, Ashanti Region, the letter said.

In his reply, Mr Domelevo explained that his grandfather, Augustine Domelevo, was a native of Ada in the Greater Accra Region but migrated to Togo and stayed at Agbatofe.

Either my father wrongly mentioned Agbatofe in Togo as his home town to me, or I misconstrued it at the time, Mr Domelevo explained, adding: My mother is also a Ghanaian.

Concerning his date of birth, Mr Domelevo said he noticed that the 1960 date of birth was a mistake when I checked my information in the baptismal register of the Catholic Church in Adeemmra.

The register has Yaw as part of my name and also provides my date of birth as 1st June 1961  this corresponds with Thursday or Yaw  the day of the week on which I was born.

The Audit Service Board, however, said: Observation of your responses and explanations contained in your above reference letter make your date of birth and Ghanaian nationality even more doubtful and clearly establishes that you have made false statements contrary to law.

Records made available to the Board indicate that your date of retirement was 1st June 2020 and as far as the Audit Service is concerned you are deemed to have retired, it noted.

By a copy of this letter, the Board is informing the President, who is your appointing authority, to take necessary action. Additionally, the Board is making available to the President all the relevant documents at our disposal.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo directed Mr Domelevo to take his accumulated annual leave of 123 working days effective Wednesday, 1 July 2020 but later increased it to 167 following a protest letter from the A-G.

A statement released by the office of the president and signed by the Director of Communications, Mr Eugene Arhin, on Monday, 29 June 2020, said: The Presidents decision to direct Mr Domelevo to take his accumulated annual leave is based on Sections 20(1) and Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), which apply to all workers including public office holders such as the Auditor-General.

Mr Domelevo was said to have taken only nine days of his annual leave at time.

But reacting to the directive from the president in a letter addressed to Nana Asante Bediatuo, Mr Domelevo said: My knowledge of recent labour and practice in the country is that no worker is deemed to have accumulated any leave on account of their having failed, omitted, neglected or even refused to enjoy their rights to annual leave, which the law guarantees for their benefit, not the employer.

He stated that to the best of his knowledge, therefore, wherein any given year a worker fails, omits, neglects or even refuses to take their annual leave such leave is deemed forfeited with no corresponding obligation on the part of the employer to enforce the workers right to take their leave by assuming, deeming or declaring the forfeited leave accumulated.

I am also informed that by law, every person is entitled in some in very limited circumstances, to wave what the law has ordained for their benefit, in this case, a workers leave. Be that as it may, the directive that I proceed on leave and hand over all matters relating to the office to Mr Johnson Akuamoah with all due respect has serious implications for the institutional independence of the office of the auditor general, the letter said.

A petition presented to the office of the president, signed by some 1,000 Ghanaians living abroad and led by Lolan Sagoe-Moses and Korieh Duodu, with regard to Mr Domelevos leave directive, asked that the directive be reversed, noting that it would make him incapable of acting as Auditor-General.

The petition stated: We question how the public is expected to consider such a decision as made in good faith, in circumstances where the Auditor-General is essentially being asked to make himself well-rested and refreshed for the commencement of his retirement. Mr Domelevos absence, during this 167-day period, would mean he will not be able to actively execute his constitutionally-prescribed role as protector of the public purse during the crucial 6-month period before the general election.

However, responding to the petition from the Ghanaians abroad, Nana Asante Bediatuo indicated that President Akufo-Addos stance on the leave directive had not changed.
New Patriotic Party Presidential hopeful Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen has vowed to modernise the party if given the mandate by delegates at the presidential primaries later in the year.

The former Trade and Industry Minister hinted at establishing platforms that could generate resources to pay party executives to allow them concentrate on party duties and responsibilities.

Having served as a Minister for over 10 years, in both the Kufuor and Akufo-Addo administrations, the former Trade and Industry Minister revealed that he would put in place a pension scheme for party executives who devoted their entire life to serving it.

Speaking in Kumasi, the trade and industry expert did not mince words in highlighting the need for

funding party projects and motivating party officials and executives.

There must be a platform and programmes for party financing. I have the record to have set up the Constituency Business Ventures in the past, that is your way to strengthening the party, the former Trade and Industry Minister said.

On party executives at the Constituency and national level, he suggested a salary structure for them that would enable them to concentrate on party issues.

He also suggested a pension scheme for committed and full-time party executives to motivate others.

Full-time party executives must be on full salary to enable them to devote more attention to party work.

There will be a pension scheme to retired party executives who devote all their time to working for the NPP, the former Trade and Industry Minister

concluded.

The focus should be on the party because it is the party that brings the government into power,, Alan Kyerematen said.

He said a lot more attention should be paid to concerns of footsoldiers and other workers of the party who worked tirelessly to get the party into power and are then neglected with no benefits to show for their efforts.

This trend, he said, must stop in order to build a strong and mass party to win elections in the future.

Mr Kyerematen had carved a niche for himself as an industry expert and was highly regarded globally as a consultant on international trade and industry matters.

The longest serving Trade and Industry Minister has already confirmed his readiness to contest as flagbearer in the upcoming NPP presidential primaries, anticipated to be fiercely contested, later in the year.

GNA
Africa is the world's top producer of numerous critical mineral commodities. With the rapid increase in the rate of global energy transition, the continent's mining industry has a role to play in sourcing and supplying these critical minerals for use in clean energy projects, manufacturing capacity, electric vehicles and other sustainable solutions. The continent is a large supplier of bauxite, chromium, cobalt, copper, diamond, gold, iron ore, platinum group metals, lithium, rare earth metals and zinc, for example, with most of them being exported as ores, concentrates or metals.

Exporting these critical minerals as raw materials, however, reduces Africa's trading position to one of price taker, and subjects the continent's mining sector to changes in global commodity markets. Adding to these challenges, the current disruptions in global supply chains are hampering the trade of these commodities in Africa, with mining companies now subject to long delays and higher costs. This high level of global and economic uncertainty has the added effect of holding back investment in new mining projects, placing more obstacles in the way of a continent that desperately needs to be able to capitalize on its vast mineral resource base.

Enter the African Continental Free-Trade Area (AfCFTA), implemented in 2021, and intended to act as a strong impetus for African governments to address their infrastructure gaps, boost their manufacturing capacity, streamline their supply chains, and overhaul regulation relating to trade, cross-border initiatives, investment-friendly policies and capital flows. The trade in mineral commodities in Africa is expected to benefit from these reforms, but the extensive infrastructure development that is needed to facilitate the movement of goods across borders will clearly take time.

Projects are already in progress to boost continent-wide infrastructure needs. For example, Tanzania's construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) Project is expected to provide a safe and reliable means for efficiently transporting people and cargo to and from the existing Dar-es-Salaam port. Other large projects underway include the Trans-Maghreb Highway in North Africa, the North-South Multimodal Corridor, the Central Corridor project and the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway project.

According to the World Economic Forum's (WEF) latest report - AfCFTA: A New Era for Global Business and Investment in Africa - investment in transport and logistics will be crucial to enable the trade of goods in Africa, including in the mining sector. The report notes that AfCFTA is expected to increase trade demand by 28%, which will lead to a requirement for "2 million trucks, 100,000 rail wagons, 250 aircraft and more than 100 vessels by 2030".

To assist with much-needed investment in the sector, the WEF notes in its report that it is actively working with the AfCFTA Secretariat on trade and investment tools that align with the AfCFTA negotiation process. The tools are intended to identify areas "where public-private collaboration can help reduce barriers and facilitate investment from international firms".

The report goes on to say that "public-private collaboration can help remove obstacles in the supply chain, improve cross-border payments and access to trade finance, reduce the costs and delays of moving goods across borders, help to mainstream environmental sustainability, and tackle barriers to investment entry and expansion".

The intended advantages of these new tools are aligned with the goals of the Africa Mining Vision (AMV), which was adopted by African Union Heads of State in 2009. One of the aims of the AMV is the "transparent, equitable and optimal exploitation of mineral resources to underpin broad-based sustainable growth and socio-economic development". Also listed as intended goals of the AMV are the need to facilitate and nurture human resources and skills, provide supporting infrastructure, encourage instruments of collaboration, promote local beneficiation and value addition of minerals, establish an industrial base, ensure cross-border compliance with corporate governance and ESG, and establish enabling markets and platforms for services, such as capital raising, commodity exchanges, and legal and regulatory support.

In order for the AMV to be successful, Africa's countries and its regional bodies must implement integrated resource-based development and industrialization policies that take into account operations that benefit local workers and the communities, and that produce results that are net positive for the region. Also essential is the ability of African nations to be able to successfully negotiate with global mining companies and stipulate the importance of local inputs. Regionally, mining legislation must be integrated with the continent's industrial and trade policies. One of the intended end results of these policies is that African countries will be able to launch more lucrative value addition industries that are involved in the final product manufacturing of raw minerals.

Recent Baker McKenzie research, compiled in conjunction with Oxford Economics, AfCFTA's USD 3 trillion Opportunity (report) , revealed that over three-quarters of African exports to the rest of the world were currently heavily focused on natural resources, primarily raw materials. According to this report, Manufacturing GDP represents on average only 10% of GDP in Africa. This means that limited production capabilities within Africa are currently being compensated for through foreign imports. This manufacturing deficit is intended to be eventually satisfied within the continent and enabled by AfCFTA.

AfCFTA is providing the opportunity for African countries to diversify their economies, scale up production capacity, improve their trade in services, and widen the range of final products made in Africa. Closer integration of neighbouring economies is also a potential avenue for creating scale and competitiveness through domestic market enlargement, thereby promoting development through greater efficiency. This relates to both intraregional trade and trade with non-African nations.

Taking a longer view, regional trade cooperation could potentially become a successful bridge for connecting the region's wealthier and poorer nations, promoting the growth of value chains and laying the foundations for increased international exports of the continent's resources and its manufactured products. According to goals of the AfCFTA and the AMV, the key beneficiaries of improved manufacturing and trade across the continent is intended to be Africa and its citizens.

By Virusha Subban, Partner specialising in Customs and Trade, and Head of Tax, Baker McKenzie, Johannesburg
Since politics in Ghana became entangled with the disastrous belches of loudmouthed miscreants and jaundiced characters, both educated and uneducated, sharp teeth and all, I have not watched a balanced discussion on Joy News yet. The banter is almost always tipped in favour of the NDC, a party that the presenter is said to be a member of.

In Ghana, it is not uncommon to listen to screeching lies and insinuations from the buccal cavities of people, both sexes implied, who will have a cheap go at anything that will direct the cameras at them, be it fake news, propaganda, issues of self-aggrandisement, and so on! The latter is a trait that many at Multimedia suffer from, and truly, it cannot be said that they are of normal disposition given the wrong timing of issues, especially those that put a blight on the whole nation when aired to the detriment of the ordinary Ghanaian!

For example, TV3s Eva, a supposed Al-Jazeera correspondent, invited a gang of two from Nigeria to film a mischievous documentary that shocked the cocoa industry in Ghana, resulting in an immediate denial from the betrayed people of the village where it was allegedly shot. The intentional attempt to mar the cocoa industry to suit the international syndicate whose agenda she knowingly or unknowingly carried on her back like a cross made her the betrayer of the Ghanaian nation to which she belongs.

All must know that the cocoa industry in Ghana is about the nation, the whole nation, and not political parties that some of these presenters and anchors seek to please!

Multimedia helped carry that same cross by publicising the matter. However, prior to that, this same multimedia led the way, last year, by releasing an unpatriotic documentary about child slavery where children were, allegedly, sold to work on cocoa farms, making it seem as if this is a norm in Ghana. Yes, there are isolated incidents where such a thing occurs, but to portray a remote incident in a documentary to make it seem as if it is general practice makes Multimedia a charlatan organisation bereft of all the ingredients of a true patriot loyal to the motherland.

They know all too well the repercussions from their false reportage. The international buyers seek to push European and American legislators to ban Cocoa from Ghana, and when such unfortunate documentaries are aired internationally, their case is given a boost, prompting pressure groups to come onboard to discourage Ghana cocoa. All these maneuverings mean that no one will buy Ghanas cocoa, which if left in the silos will rot and become unwholesome. Therefore, Cocobod would have to sell at whatever price offered even if it meant for pittance. Who loses in this instance? You, I, Eva, Multimedia, Government, and every single person under the Ghanaian sky.

Of course, I shall discuss Evas documentary and the intentional setup to discredit Ghanas cocoa in another article, but what one must know is that her mischievous and negative documentary was filmed on a Sunday when most people were at church, hence her ability to influence the naive villagers who were overwhelmed with the cameras and an opportunity to be ridiculed across the globe by people seeking to impoverish Africa and Africans, prancing at the least opportunity to kill the African Dream!

Shame on Multimedia for such untoward behaviour! So, does the management of this shithole think that child slavery in Ghana is rampant? How many of the folks manning this media company and sanctioning the dissemination of fake stories have underaged relatives working for them as servants?

It is a norm that in villages, children often help their families on farms over the weekends and on holidays. Some even do same early in the morning before going to school. There are those who fetch water for their household before going to school, is that, also, slavery? Or are Multimedia employees from outer space that they do not know that these are simple traditions we follow in Ghana. I used to help my father on his poultry farm as a child, carrying loads of chicken feed on my head and back; did that make me a child slave? I did it for as far as my memory can go back in time with eager and glee. Sometimes, he would fetch me from school and proceed directly to the farm to help out.

Everyone belonging to the knit and fabric of Ghanaian society has done some form of work on farms or other places for their parents one time or the other, but demagogues at multimedia seem to adopt the strategy of Gog and Magog who just spread hatred and tension all over!

Shame on Joy News and their mother of all evil institution, Multimedia, for raising rubble and filth where the environment is a healthy and clean one!
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the Akufo-Addo government of mismanagement of funds meant for the countrys fight against the Corona Virus Pandemic.

This claim and several others come on the back of a recent report of the Auditor-General on a Special Audit of the Government of Ghana Covid-19 expenditure for the period March 2020 to June 2022.

Addressing a press conference at the Partys headquarters on Wednesday, February 1, 2023 under the Moment of Truth series, the partys National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi outlined what he described as fifteen shocking revelations contained in the report of the Auditor-General.

The party called for the head of the Health Minister, Kweku Agyemang Manu for impropriety in the purchase of vaccines worth $120,192,379.80 from UNICEF/AVAT, after the Auditor-General disclosed that vaccines valued at only $38,322,000 were supplied to the National Cold Storage, meaning $81.8 million worth of vaccines are yet to be delivered.

The party also faulted the use of GHS10.3 million to purchase Special Life Insurance Cover for 10,000 frontline Health Workers without evidence of Life Insurance Policy document and a list of beneficiaries.

Many had raised questions at the height of the pandemic following various risk faced by frontline Health Workers which resulted in some fatalities. President Akufo-Addo subsequently announced in one of his addresses governments intention to provide life insurance cover for all frontline health workers. However, the NDC contends that the arrangement that led to the procurement of 30% life insurance cover from Enterprise Insurance was irregular and therefore smacks of some underhand dealing, given the absence of a policy document and list of beneficiaries.

While commenting on the finding of the report on invoices received from various suppliers for the supply of food to the National Food Buffer Stock Company, the party cited the Chief Executive Officer of the National Food Buffer Stock Company for what it calls over-invoicing of waybills, thereby occasioning a loss of GHS1,406,085.00. The party is therefore calling for the refund of the said funds into the states coffers.

Describing the Akufo-Addo government as a monument of waste and corruption, Mr. Gyamfi lamented how a contractor working on a holding, treatment and isolation center at Naleriguin the North East Region received advanced payments amounting to US$4.5 million, and subsequently abandoned work on the $15 million facility. Bemoaning the absence of a performance bond or insurance guarantee at the time of awarding the contract, the NDC argues this has occasioned huge financial loss to the state.

As part of demands for a series of actions on the report, the party called on the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament to compel the Auditor-General to exercise his power of surcharge and disallowance to retrieve all COVID-19 funds that have been misapplied or misused through various infractions and veritable acts of criminality.

Citing the Malawian example in which a Minister of State and nineteen (19) other officials were dismissed for their mishandling of Covid-19 funds, the NDC called on President Akufo-Addo to immediately dismiss the Finance Minister, Health Minister, Kweku Agyemang Menu, CEO of the National Food Buffer Stock Company and other officials who have been cited for what the party alleges are violations of the laws of the country relative to their handling of Covid-19 funds.
A Paris court this week ordered the partial release of Pierre Alessandri, who has served 24 years in jail for the 1998 assassination of Corsica's top regional official Claude Erignac.

Pierre Alessandri, 64, has spent almost twenty-four years in prison. He was sentenced in July 2003 to life behind bars for his part in the assassination of Claude Erignac on 6 February 1998 in Ajaccio.

The Paris appeals court granted Alessandri a probationary partial release of 12 months from 13 February, the prosecutor-general Remy Heitz announced.

Alessandri could then be granted "conditional release" for another ten years, Heitz said.

Under the ruling, Alessandri will be allowed to work for a landscaping company.

The relaxation of the Corsican nationalist's conditions of detention came amid tensions between Corsica's pro-autonomy leaders and the French state, after Yvan Colonna, a fellow Corsican detained in the same case, was murdered in a French prison in March.

Alessandri and a third Corsican detainee Alain Ferrandi, sentenced to life in jail in 2003 in connection with the murder, were transferred from mainland France to a jail in Corsica in April after the murder of Colonna.

Ferrandi has also asked to be released on parole, and a decision is due on 23 February.

'A strong symbolic significance'

Alessandri's lawyer Eric Barbolosi hailed the ruling as a "great relief".

"For the first time in a court of appeals, the magistrates made a decision based on the criteria necessary for a conditional release, not the particular nature of the case," he said.

In a press release published on Tuesday, Gilles Simeoni, the president of Corsica's local government, the Executive Council, stressed that the decision had "a strong symbolic significance, a few days before the 25th anniversary of the assassination of the prefect Claude Erignac.

"The time has come, without forgetting any of the facts, and with respect for the memory of the victim and the pain of his family, to open a new page in relations between Corsica and the State," Simeoni added.

France's Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin is due to visit Corsica on 6 February, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the death of the prefect Erignac in Ajaccio.

(With AFP)
The Ministry of Works and Housing has opened up on why the National Rental Assistance Scheme (NRAS) has been set up as a public-private partnership.

In a press release, the Ministry says the decision to have a public-private partnership is among other things to Ensure accountability and protect the public purse.

Besides the accountability bit, the partnership is also to ensure due process and value for money for the sustainability of the Scheme.

According to the Ministry of Works and Housing, the decision to partner with Rent Masters Ghana Ltd is to exploit the experience and working business model of the company to minimise risk.

Rent Masters Ghana Ltd has been in this business since 2018 with an effective business model.

Under the National Rental Assistance Scheme, Government will assist eligible Ghanaians to pay their rent advance through affordable and convenient arrangements.

While the NRAS website is open for the public to access, the Ministry of Works and Housing says work is still ongoing to update its features and contents to reflect the mandate and functions of the partners.

We urge the general public to disregard all information intended to disparage this good initiative and seek your cooperation in making the Scheme beneficial to all, the Ministrys release issued by its Public Relations Unit concluded.
Dr. Nyaho-Nyaho Tamakloe, a founding member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has described who a mature leader is.

The statesman noted that a leader is someone who can be trusted and makes fewer promises during campaign periods.

Speaking at the Osu Presby Hall in Accra on Wednesday, February 1, where Mr. Addai Nimo declared his intention to contest flagbearer race of the NPP, Dr. Nyaho Tamakloe reechoed the words of the former President and leader of the NPP, Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor, indicating that campaign promises are mostly hard to deliver.

Once again, we have come to the rank and file of our Party  the New Patriotic Party  to solicit their votes in the leadership race of the Party. The contestants are many, and they will come with promises, some of which are unrealistic, he stated.

He continued, It is noteworthy that, at a meeting with the outgoing German Ambassador in Ghana at the Osu Castle during his first term in office, President Kufuor willingly disabused Ghanaians of the promises he had made during the campaign prior to the December 7, 2000 elections.

He added, "the campaign platform promises cannot be fulfilled when you are in office because, oftentimes, you are emotionally charged; but the reality when in office and confronted with the myriad of problems against the limited resources available calls for an immediate rethinking of the promises made during the campaign.

According to him, former President Kufuor focused on the new policy direction that guided the programmes he undertook throughout his presidency; a rare display of integrity, maturity, professionalism and accountability in governance.

Having said that, the NPP stalwart eulogized Mr. Addai Nimo, entreating delegates to give him the mandate when the time comes for the presidential primaries.
Pope Francis slammed "brutal atrocities" committed in eastern DR Congo after hearing harrowing accounts of violence from the turbulent region during the second day of his visit to the conflict-torn country Wednesday.

At the Apostolic Nunciature in the Kinshasa, the Holy See's diplomatic mission in the Congolese capital, Francis listened as four victims of conflict recounted stories of rape and mutilation.

Emelda M'karhungulu, one of the victims, told the pope that militants had held her as a sex slave for three months and forced her to eat human flesh.

"They made us eat corn paste with the meat of killed men," she said.

One woman also held up her mutilated arms -- both of her hands had been cut off -- before the pontiff, who watched with a grave expression before giving an address.

Francis arrived in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a deeply observant nation of some 100 million people, on Tuesday.

Worshippers gathered for the long-awaited mass. By Guerchom Ndebo (AFP)

It is the first time since 1985 that a pope has visited the country, whose troubled east has been wracked by militia violence for decades.

After the victims' testimony, Francis condemned the "inhumane violence" before an audience in the Nunciature and called for mercy from God.

"May he convert the hearts of those who carry out brutal atrocities, which bring shame upon all humanity," the 86-year-old said.

He added that the conflict in mineral-rich eastern Congo was driven by greed, at the expense of innocent victims, and called on combatants to lay down their arms.

"Listen to the cry of their blood," the pope said, alluding to a verse from the Book of Genesis.

'Massively plundered'

A former Belgian colony the size of continental western Europe, the DRC is Africa's most Catholic country.

About 40 percent of the population of some 100 million people follows the church of Rome, according to estimates.

A man holds the DRC flag ahead of the mass at Ndolo airport. By ALEXIS HUGUET (AFP)

Another 35 percent of the population is Protestant of various denominations, nine percent is Muslim and 10 percent Kimbanguist -- a Christian movement born in the Belgian Congo.

Official Vatican statistics put the proportion of Catholics in the DRC at 49 percent of the population.

During a speech to politicians and dignitaries in Kinshasa's presidential palace on Tuesday, Francis denounced the "economic colonialism" he suggested had wreaked lasting damage in the DRC.

"This country, massively plundered, has not benefited adequately from its immense resources," he said, to applause.

Despite abundant mineral reserves, the DRC is one of the poorest countries in the world. About two-thirds of Congolese people live on less than $2.15 a day, according to the World Bank.

Million-strong mass

The second day of the pope's visit to the DRC began on a brighter note, when over a million people braved scorching heat to hear the pontiff give a mass in Kinshasa's Ndolo airport, according to an official estimate.

Around 40 percent of DRC's population of around 100 million is Catholic, according to estimates. By Guerchom Ndebo (AFP)

Many of the gathered Catholic faithful had arrived in the early hours to grab a spot on the tarmac. Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, as well as leading opposition figures, also attended the open-air mass.

Adrien Louka, 55, told AFP he had arrived before dawn.

"As our country has many problems, it is reconciliation that we are looking for and the Pope will give a message so that the countries around us leave us in peace," he added, a sentiment echoed by other mass-goers.

Francis wished the crowd peace in Lingala, one of the DRC's four national languages and the everyday language of Kinshasa.

The pope then delivered the rest of his homily in Italian -- which was translated into the DRC's official language French -- in which he urged the faithful "not to give in to divisions".

Fervour: A woman wears a dress emblazoned with a picture of the pope. By ALEXIS HUGUET (AFP)

Francis is due to meet representatives from charitable organisations later on Wednesday, and address young people in Kinshasa's Stade des Martyrs the following day.

On Friday, the pope travels to South Sudan's capital Juba.

This visit is Francis's 40th foreign trip since being elected in 2013.
The Member of Parliament for Hemang Lower Denkyira Constituency in the Central Region Bright Wireko-Brobby, has collaborated with the Ghanaian-German Centre for Jobs, Migration and Reintegration to provide skills development training for tens of youth in the constituency.

The skills development training had the objective of providing young jobseekers with vocational skills, as part of efforts to address the challenge of youth unemployment. It equipped them with skills so they can exploit entrepreneurial opportunities.

A total of 40 youth from various communities across the constituency benefited from the short-term skills training, in trades like bakery and pastries making, iced cream production and cosmetology.

They were given start-up kits including baking ovens, gas stoves, make-up kits, deep freezers, and ice chest sets, among others.

The one-week training was funded by the Ghanaian-German Centre and the Member of Parliament, who is also the Deputy Minister for Employment and Labour Relations.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Mr. Wireko-Brobby, said the training was aimed at helping young people become economically productive and self-reliant.

He was confident the training would help resolve the problems of youth unemployment and its related challenges such as teenage pregnancy and drug abuse among others.

The MP entreated the beneficiaries to make good use of the start-up kits that were presented to them after the training, to become shining examples in their communities.

He urged the beneficiaries to uphold their various careers with integrity and strive to expand, train and employ more people.

Nana Omanhene-Otumfour Amoah Sasraku IV who is chief of the Twifo Traditional Area commended Bright Wireko-Brobby for supporting the youth in the constituency.

Nanahema, Adjoa Obeng Asor II who is queen-mother of the Twifo Traditional Area advised the beneficiaries to put the skills and startup kits to good use to generate profits to cater for themselves and their dependents.

She also urged them to train more youth in their communities as their contribution to reducing the unemployment problem in the country.

Mr. Kwaku Yeboah who is an adviser at the Ghanaian-German Centre for Jobs, Migration, and Reintegration commended the youth on their successful graduation.

He said the training would ensure many unskilled youths got the opportunity to be equipped and offered employable skills for sustainable livelihood, to help them contribute towards the growth and development of the constituency and the nation as a whole.

Ms. Ruth Sonful, on behalf of the beneficiaries, pledged they will put the skills and items to good use.

She expressed gratitude to the MP, Bright Wireko  Brobby, and the Ghanaian-German Centre for their support.

In attendance at the graduation ceremony were Mrs. Faustina Ama Appiah who is the women organizer for the NPP in the Hemang Lower Denkyira Constituency, Abubakar Farouk who is NPP constituency chairman, Ms. Ernestina Adu who works with the German Development Corporation (GIZ), and Mr. Patrick Wilson, also of GIZ.
Organised Labour says it will resist any attempt by the Government to include pension funds in the ongoing Domestic Debt Exchange (DDE) programme.

This follows Government's announcement that it was finalising engagement with Organised Labour and Pension Fund Trustees on a separate arrangement for the programme.

The Finance Ministry announced the fourth extension of the DDE programme, noting that: Discussions are being finalised with Organised Labour and Pension Fund Trustees on a separate arrangement in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding signed with Organised Labour on 22nd December 2022, and in line with government's debt management programme.

The new development comes after the Government [ represented by the Finance Ministry and Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations] had agreed with Organised Labour to exempt pension funds from the DDE programme.

Commenting on the new development on the programme, Organised Labour recalled the earlier agreement, which stated that: Government has decided to grant exemption to all pension funds in the DDE programme. 

Organised Labour, hereby, reiterates that this position is final as far as involvement of Pension Funds in the DDEP is concerned, it said in a statement on Tuesday.

It added that: By this, Organised Labour and ALL our Pension Schemes are not participating in any DDE Programme as per the aforementioned exemption from government.

Any contrary communication or position is alien to us and should be dismissed by all well-meaning Ghanaians. Any attempt to go contrary to this agreement will be fiercely resisted by Organised Labour, the statement emphasised.

It assured all workers of Ghana that Organised Labour would continue to safeguard their interest at all times.

The DDE forms part of efforts by the Government to assure the International Monetary Fund (IMF) of debt sustainability and gain creditors' confidence in the Fund's $3 billion loan-support programme.

GNA
The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) , an anti-corruption organization, has called for the abolishment of the protocol list system in secondary schools under the Computerized School Selection and Placement System.

The Organization said the protocol list created loopholes for people to cheat and stressed that everybody must have fair and equal opportunity in the placement system.

The Fourth Estate, a media organisation, recently released a documentary, School Placement for Sale, which captured parents, guardians, and officials in charge of school placement allegedly making deals to put wards in desired institutions in 2022.

Parts of the video showed some parents paying as much as GHS20,000 to get their children placed in schools, while others paid GHS8,500 to get their children placed in preferred schools.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr Michael Boadi, the Fundraising Manager, GII, called for a transparent investigative team to deal with persons associated with the school placement scandal.

He said the protocol system, which gave preferential admission to some students, led to exploitation of the system.

The special protocol list in the school selection and placement system is for key stakeholders like chiefs, churches, founders of the schools, and former students who contribute to the development of their secondary schools.

But Mr Boadi said, There is no need to streamline the quota system. Once there is an exception to every rule, people will want to exploit the system, and we must avoid it completely. 

The absence of a quota or protocol system, he said, would make it difficult for someone to infiltrate and take advantage of the system.

He said corruption had taken over every fiber of society, and because the issue had not been dealt with, people were not afraid to engage in corrupt practices.

Mr Peter Kwasi Nortsu-Kotoe, Ranking Member of Parliamentary Committee on Education, said Parliament would discuss the issue when it resumed on February 7 to avert any infractions for this year's placement list.

Mr Kwasi Kwarteng, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, commended the Fourth Estate for the piece and said the Ministry would collaborate with all stakeholders to get to the bottom of the issue.

In a statement on January 29, 2023, the Ministry of Education advised parents, prospective Senior High School students, parents, and the public against the payment of money to secure school placement.

The Ministry stressed that the school selection and placement process was based purely on merit and took no other consideration whatsoever.

GNA
Bawku Central Member of Parliament, Mahama Ayariga

01.02.2023 LISTEN

The Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga has condemned the military for brutalities inflicted on the people of Bawku.

There were gunfires last night across Bawku town. The military, as part of their efforts to curtail the situation set out to bring the shooters to book.

Information gathered indicate that the military officers chased some people and other people saw those being chased running and also took to their heels.

The military reportedly shot at them and in the process killed six civilians. A little boy who also run to hide behind some grass was also shot. The grass caught fire and burnt him to death, making the number 7.

In addition, the Assemblyman for Missiga Electoral Area is said to have been physically assaulted by military personnel and sustained serious injuries.

Reacting to the brutalities, Mahama Ayariga has stressed that the actions by the military are totally unacceptable,

In a press release, the Bawku Central MP has assured residents in Bawku that he will leave no stone unturned in his fight for redress for the victims.

This is totally unacceptable and I condemn the military in very strong terms.

The Government must immediately investigate this report and bring to book the perpetrators of this dastardly act, Mahama Ayariga said in his statement.

Meanwhile, the MP has urged everyone in Bawku to lay down their weapons and work towards peace in order not to give opportunities to others to inflict such inhuman treatment on them.
eTranzact Ghana Limited, a leading financial technology entity at the forefront of delivering cutting-edge innovation in the electronic payment space, has been adjudged the Leading Fintech Solution Provider of the Year, 2022, at the second edition of the Ghana Fintech Awards, held in Accra.

The brand further consolidated its leadership position in Ghanas Fintech Industry by winning the Fintech & Bank Partnership of the Year, and the Fintech Innovation Company of the Year.

The awards were in recognition of the companys work and commitment to ensure excellent service delivery across the business eco-system in the country as well as continuous investment in infrastructure and a renewed focus on customer experience.

Executive Director of eTranzact, George Babafemi, in his address on receiving the award, expressed his gratitude to the organizers for the recognition of the hard work and commitment made by the company over the years toward universal financial inclusion and transformation of the business ecosystem.

He added that, as pioneers in the fintech industry, providing bespoke electronic and convenient payment solutions is the firms greatest asset.

As a company, we thrive in ensuring we provide to customers secure, convenient, and cost-effective means of receiving or making payment, buying airtime or bundle as well as paying bills, etc at the comfort of their homes and provide tailor-made solutions to suit an organization or individuals electronic need.

This is a great feat for eTranzact, and we are extremely thankful to our customers and colleague workers for giving us a reason to still be in business after all these years. Indeed, being recognised by your peers is a great honour, Babafemi added.

Chief Executive Officer, eTranzact, John Apea, also commenting on the award said: We dedicate these awards to our customers, clients, partners, and staff for their unflinching support and commitment to eTranzact. We will continue to work hard to provide relevant digital platforms that are cutting-edge, secure, and convenient."

The second edition of the Fintech Awards, organised by the Ghana Fintech and Payment Association (GFPA), was held in Accra to reward and recognize Ghanaian companies that are contributing immensely to the development and transformation of the fintech space in the country.

GFPA has been established to be the voice of the players in the financial technology space, working to transform citizens' lives in Ghana and beyond while serving the last mile.

It seeks to be a unique fintech and digital payment services association of its kind in West Africa and one of the few dedicated platforms for Fintech companies in Ghana and by extension, Africa to connect with potential investors, partners, and clients.

The Association thrives to bring the best in FinTech companies across the continent, supporting each other's growth and helping to forge lasting relationships with international financial institutions, corporates, and retail consumers.
The leader of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Dr. Henry Herbert Lartey has waded into the long-standing controversies surrounding the national cathedral project.

The former presidential candidate told President Akufo-Addo to desist from spending scarce resources on a national cathedral amid the current economic hardships.

Though he supports the project, he posited that the current economic meltdown makes it a misplaced priority.

Mr. Henry Lartey in an interview urged government to channel the available funds to restore the countrys ailing economy.

"The (National Cathedral) construction process should not be rushed to affect the national interest," he said.

He explained, "So far as I am concerned, we can build the cathedral, but we need to take our time and gradually build it. It should not necessarily be in the time of the president. We know he initiated it, so credit will go to him if it is completed, but for Christs sake, we should not rush to do it at this stage of our crawling economy."

Meanwhile, despite the huge public outcry President Akufo-Addo insists on building it before leaving office in 2025.

In one of his defence speeches, the President averred that those who oppose the projects are like Sanballat and Tobias in the days when Nehemiah wanted to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

"Just like Sanballat and Tobias in the days of Nehemiah, there are some who do not share my views on the building of the National Cathedral. I respect their right to differ, but I am confident (in) my decision, by the vast numbers of enthusiastic supporters of this project, whose spiritual dimension is limitless," said President Akufo-Addo.
The United States called Wednesday on Tunisia to show greater democratic inclusion after just 11.4 percent of voters took part in a second round of elections for a toothless legislature.

"The low voter turnout reflects the dire need for the government to engage in a more inclusive path going forward," State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters.

But he said that elections represented "another step in the important and essential process of restoring the country's democratic checks and balances."

The two-round vote that ended Sunday saw the lowest participation since the 2011 revolution that toppled dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and sparked the Arab Spring uprisings.

Tunisian President Kais Saied in July 2021 froze the legislature, sacked the government and seized wide-ranging powers, in moves that were initially welcomed by some Tunisians tired of political parties seen as corrupt and ineffective.

Saied has defended his record and described the low turnout as a sign of discontent with parliament.
Amplified Intelligence Opens Office in Sydney

In Australia, omnichannel attention measurement company Amplified Intelligence has opened an office in Sydney, where it has named Daniel Lyas Vice President, Customer Success.



Adelaide-headquartered Amplified Intelligence, which was founded in 2017 by Karen Nelson-Field and also has offices in London and New York, uses artificial intelligence (AI), and deep learning algorithms to provide clients with insight and tools to measure attention to advertising, based on 'true human attention'. Last summer, the firm said that future planned offerings include campaign optimisation through attentionADJUST, and media trading tech with attentionTRADE.



Lyas (pictured) joined the company four years ago as Operations Coordinator, and most recently served as Head of Operations & Customer Success. Commenting on the firm's expansion, Lyas said: 'Having 'feet on the street' in Sydney is key to the global growth of the business and developing our customer relationships long-term. This second office will help ensure our clients in Australia get the maximum value from what Amplified Intelligence has to offer.'



Web site: www.amplifiedintelligence.com.au .




NOTICE OF GRAND JURY MEETINGIt is the duty of your Grand Jurors to investigateany public offense which they know or have reasonto believe has been committed and which is triableand indictable in this county. Any person havingknowledge or proof that such an offense has beencommitted may apply to testify before the GrandJury subject to the provisions of Tennessee CodeAnnotated, Sec. []
Yang Mingjin projects a movie for children from a special-education school in Lushui City, Lisu Autonomous Prefecture of Nujiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Oct. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Hu Chao) KUNMING, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- As day turns to night, Yang Mingjin sets up a big cloth screen, ready to project a movie free of charge for the locals living deep in the mountains. Over the past 24 years, this tire-shop owner has provided more than 4,500 screenings here in the city of Lushui, Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. In the process, the 45-year-old movie buff has provided around 500,000 free seats, lighting up the lives of rural residents in this remote corner of southwest China. CHILDHOOD DREAM The white pickup truck bumped on the winding mountain road, heading for the mountain top. Arriving at the outdoor screening venue, Yang moved some machines, adjusted the equipment and set up the stereo speakers. Finally, the mountain was alive once more with the light of the projector. The music sounded, attracting nearby villagers who gathered in front of the screen. The film being screened was "The Captain," a Chinese blockbuster based on a real-life emergency airplane landing. The audience stared at the screen, their mood fluctuating with the plot. After the break, several children gathered in front of the projector, one of them asking, "Did the light come from here?" The scene reminded Yang of his own childhood. When he was around the same age, he found himself hiding in a hole in the night. The loudspeakers of his village had announced the screening of a movie: "A colorful spy war movie will be screened tonight..." He had come running to the screening venue but had no money to buy a ticket. So he found a hole in the corner of the barrier, lay on the ground and wriggled through. However, he was soon spotted by the ticket seller, who ejected him from the audience. The scene was an embarrassing one for the youngster. Later, he found a better way to get inside, swapping eggs for a ticket. For the first time, he was able to watch a whole film from start to finish. That night, as he lay in bed, his mind was full of movie images. He suddenly had a flash of inspiration, a dream to pursue: "In the future, I must let everyone watch films for free!" In 1998, Yang graduated from an auto-repair school and bought a projector to screen films for local people in his spare time. Later, a rural public welfare film screening project was implemented nationwide, and Yang joined as a film projectionist. Since then, he has gone from village to village, sharing his passion for movies. SCREENING FILMS WITH PRIDE "Do people in the movies also speak our Lisu language?" came a question from the audience. Yang had arrived in Laimao Village, setting up his equipment and showing a film in the local language. The audience was gripped by this new phenomenon, which caused much discussion. One old man took Yang's hand and said in Lisu, "This is the movie I have ever understood the most." At that moment, Yang felt great pride. Three months before then, he was in the same village to screen a film. A villager came over and said, "It would be better if the film was in the Lisu language." Yang suddenly realized that the old man was happy to watch films but could not understand them properly. He called the film studio and learned that a technology could be applied to convert the dubbing into the Lisu language. After three months of hard work, Yang figured out how to record the new dubbing. On the day of the official screening, he put on a fresh white shirt, climbed onto his motorcycle and took his projector to the village. He felt it was an important moment. It seemed that everyone, young and old, had turned out to watch the movie. With all the seats in the field taken up, some viewers perched on a nearby roof, while others climbed up the tree. Yang felt that all his hard work had paid off, and he felt glad to be making so many people happy. THE LIGHT OF HOPE In 2018, Yang's younger daughter died in a liquefied gas explosion at home. His wife was also badly injured. Over the following two years, Yang accompanied his wife to the provincial capital Kunming for treatment. The financial cost was considerable, but he received much help from the government, as well as donations from kind well-wishers. Yang said that, in the darkest moments of his life, it was films that gave him strength. "If there weren't any movies, I might not have survived," he said. "People in movies can persevere and overcome all kinds of obstacles, so why can't I?" These days, Yang's wife is gradually recovering, and Yang is still showing films. At the end of last year, Yang screened movies at the Hexie residential community, where residents had been relocated from inhospitable areas. "Hey! Do you remember me?" said a little boy, suddenly jumping out and patting Yang on the arm. Yang looked intently and recognized the boy as Zhang Jun, who used to live high on a mountain and often came to help when he showed films. Yang was overjoyed. He had not seen the boy for two years. Zhang looked well, no longer in ragged clothes. The boy said that his new home was warm and there were no power outages anymore. With more villages now accessible by road, Yang no longer has to climb mountains carrying equipment on his shoulders. Many villages among the more remote mountains have been moved to resettlement sites, with the people bidding farewell to a life without material comforts. They also have a richer array of recreational activities to enjoy. However, Yang's films are still popular with the mountain dwellers, and his open-air cinema never closes. Yang Mingjin changes a tire in Lushui City, Lisu Autonomous Prefecture of Nujiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Oct. 21, 2022. (Xinhua/Hu Chao) Yang Mingjin adjusts the projector in Lushui City, Lisu Autonomous Prefecture of Nujiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Oct. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Hu Chao) Yang Mingjin opens a cloth screen in Denggeng Village of Lisu Autonomous Prefecture of Nujiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Oct. 21, 2022. (Xinhua/Hu Chao) Yang Mingjin watches movie with children from a relocation site in Lushui City, Lisu Autonomous Prefecture of Nujiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Oct. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Hu Chao) Yang Mingjin sets up a cloth screen in Denggeng Village of Lisu Autonomous Prefecture of Nujiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Oct. 21, 2022. (Xinhua/Hu Chao) Yang Mingjin drives a car to project free movie in Luzhang Town of Lushui City, Lisu Autonomous Prefecture of Nujiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Oct. 21, 2022. (Xinhua/Hu Chao) Yang Mingjin adjusts the projector in Lushui City, Lisu Autonomous Prefecture of Nujiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Oct. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Hu Chao)
Lambert here: This post recently surfaced in my feeds. I have to say that the author made a very good call  in 2018 (!).* Kudos to Tom Engelhardt, whos been in there punching with Tom Dispatch since 2001. * Hence the anachronistic remark about Trump.

By Michael T. Klare, the five-college professor emeritus of peace and world security studies at Hampshire College and a senior visiting fellow at the Arms Control Association. He is the author of 15 books, the latest of which is All Hell Breaking Loose: The Pentagons Perspective on Climate Change. He is a founder of the Committee for a Sane U.S.-China Policy. Originally published at Tom Dispatch.

Think of it as the most momentous military planning on Earth right now. Whos even paying attention, given the eternal changing of the guard at the White House, as well as the latest in tweets, sexual revelations, and investigations of every sort? And yet it increasingly looks as if, thanks to current Pentagon planning, a twenty-first-century version of the Cold War (with dangerous new twists) has begun and hardly anyone has even noticed.

In 2006, when the Department of Defense spelled out its future security role, it saw only one overriding mission: its Long War against international terrorism. With its allies and partners, the United States must be prepared to wage this war in many locations simultaneously and for some years to come, the Pentagons Quadrennial Defense Review explained that year. Twelve years later, the Pentagon has officially announced that that long war is drawing to a close  even though at least seven counterinsurgency conflicts still rage across the Greater Middle East and Africa  and a new long war has begun, a permanent campaign to contain China and Russia in Eurasia.

Great power competition, not terrorism, has emerged as the central challenge to U.S. security and prosperity, claimed Pentagon Comptroller David Norquist while releasing the Pentagons $686 billion budget request in January. It is increasingly apparent that China and Russia want to shape a world consistent with their authoritarian values and, in the process, replace the free and open order that has enabled global security and prosperity since World War II.

Of course, just how committed President Trump is to the preservation of that free and open order remains questionable given his determination to scuttle international treaties and ignite a global trade war. Similarly, whether China and Russia truly seek to undermine the existing world order or simply make it less American-centric is a question that deserves close attention, just not today. The reason is simple enough. The screaming headline you should have seen in any paper (but havent) is this: the U.S. military has made up its mind about the future. It has committed itself and the nation to a three-front geopolitical struggle to resist Chinese and Russian advances in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

Important as this strategic shift may be, you wont hear about it from the president, a man lacking the attention span necessary for such long-range strategic thinking and one who views Russias Vladimir Putin and Chinas Xi Jinping as frenemies rather than die-hard adversaries. To fully appreciate the momentous changes occurring in U.S. military planning, its necessary to take a deep dive into the world of Pentagon scripture: budget documents and the annual posture statements of regional commanders already overseeing the implementation of that just-born three-front strategy.

The New Geopolitical Chessboard

This renewed emphasis on China and Russia in U.S. military planning reflects the way top military officials are now reassessing the global strategic equation, a process that began long before Donald Trump entered the White House. Although after 9/11, senior commanders fully embraced the long war against terror approach to the world, their enthusiasm for endless counterterror operations leading essentially nowhere in remote and sometimes strategically unimportant places began to wane in recent years as they watched China and Russia modernizing their military forces and using them to intimidate neighbors.

While the long war against terror did fuel a vast, ongoing expansion of the Pentagons Special Operations Forces (SOF)  now a secretive army of 70,000 nestled inside the larger military establishment  it provided surprisingly little purpose or real work for the militarys heavy metal units: the Armys tank brigades, the Navys carrier battle groups, the Air Forces bomber squadrons, and so forth. Yes, the Air Force in particular has played a major supporting role in recent operations in Iraq and Syria, but the regular military has largely been sidelined there and elsewhere by lightly equipped SOF forces and drones. Planning for a real war against a peer competitor (one with forces and weaponry resembling our own) was until recently given far lower priority than the countrys never-ending conflicts across the Greater Middle East and Africa. This alarmed and even angered those in the regular military whose moment, it seems, has now finally arrived.

Today, we are emerging from a period of strategic atrophy, aware that our competitive military advantage has been eroding, the Pentagons new National Defense Strategy declares. We are facing increased global disorder, characterized by decline in the long-standing rules-based international order  a decline officially attributed for the first time not to al-Qaeda and ISIS, but to the aggressive behavior of China and Russia. Iran and North Korea are also identified as major threats, but of a distinctly secondary nature compared to the menace posed by the two great-power competitors.

Unsurprisingly enough, this shift will require not only greater spending on costly, high-tech military hardware but also a redrawing of the global strategic map to favor the regular military. During the long war on terror, geography and boundaries appeared less important, given that terrorist cells seemed capable of operating anyplace where order was breaking down. The U.S. military, convinced that it had to be equally agile, readied itself to deploy (often Special Operations forces) to remote battlefields across the planet, borders be damned.

On the new geopolitical map, however, America faces well-armed adversaries with every intention of protecting their borders, so U.S. forces are now being arrayed along an updated version of an older, more familiar three-front line of confrontation. In Asia, the U.S. and its key allies (South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, and Australia) are to face China across a line extending from the Korean peninsula to the waters of the East and South China Seas and the Indian Ocean. In Europe, the U.S. and its NATO allies will do the same for Russia on a front extending from Scandinavia and the Baltic Republics south to Romania and then east across the Black Sea to the Caucasus. Between these two theaters of contention lies the ever-turbulent Greater Middle East, with the United States and its two crucial allies there, Israel and Saudi Arabia, facing a Russian foothold in Syria and an increasingly assertive Iran, itself drawing closer to China and Russia. From the Pentagons perspective, this is to be the defining strategic global map for the foreseeable future. Expect most upcoming major military investments and initiatives to focus on bolstering U.S. naval, air, and ground strength on its side of these lines, as well as on targeting Sino-Russian vulnerabilities across them.

Theres no better way to appreciate the dynamics of this altered strategic outlook than to dip into the annual posture statements of the heads of the Pentagons unified combatant commands, or combined Army/Navy/Air Force/Marine Corps headquarters, covering the territories surrounding China and Russia: Pacific Command (PACOM), with responsibility for all U.S. forces in Asia; European Command (EUCOM), covering U.S. forces from Scandinavia to the Caucasus; and Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees the Middle East and Central Asia where so many of the countrys counterterror wars are still underway.

The senior commanders of these meta-organizations are the most powerful U.S. officials in their areas of responsibility (AORs), exercising far more clout than any American ambassador stationed in the region (and often local heads of state as well). That makes their statements and the shopping lists of weaponry that invariably go with them of real significance for anyone who wants to grasp the Pentagons vision of Americas global military future.

The Indo-Pacific Front

Commanding PACOM is Admiral Harry Harris Jr., a long-time naval aviator. In his annual posture statement, delivered to the Senate Armed Services Committee on March 15th, Harris painted a grim picture of Americas strategic position in the Asia-Pacific region. In addition to the dangers posed by a nuclear-armed North Korea, he argued, China was emerging as a formidable threat to Americas vital interests. The Peoples Liberation Armys rapid evolution into a modern, high-tech fighting force continues to be both impressive and concerning, he asserted. PLA capabilities are progressing faster than any other nation in the world, benefitting from robust resourcing and prioritization.

Most threatening, in his view, is Chinese progress in developing intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs) and advanced warships. Such missiles, he explained, could strike U.S. bases in Japan or on the island of Guam, while the expanding Chinese navy could challenge the U.S. Navy in seas off Chinas coast and someday perhaps Americas command of the western Pacific. If this [shipbuilding] program continues, he said, China will surpass Russia as the worlds second largest navy by 2020, when measured in terms of submarines and frigate-class ships or larger.

To counter such developments and contain Chinese influence requires, of course, spending yet more taxpayer dollars on advanced weapons systems, especially precision-guided missiles. Admiral Harris called for vastly increasing investment in such weaponry in order to overpower current and future Chinese capabilities and ensure U.S. military dominance of Chinas air and sea space. In order to deter potential adversaries in the Indo-Pacific, he declared, we must build a more lethal force by investing in critical capabilities and harnessing innovation.

His budgetary wish list was impressive. Above all, he spoke with great enthusiasm about new generations of aircraft and missiles  what are called, in Pentagonese, anti-access/area-denial systems  capable of striking Chinese IRBM batteries and other weapons systems intended to keep American forces safely away from Chinese territory. He also hinted that he wouldnt mind having new nuclear-armed missiles for this purpose  missiles, he suggested, that could be launched from ships and planes and so would skirt the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, to which the U.S. is a signatory and which bans land-based intermediate-range nuclear missiles. (To give you a feel for the arcane language of Pentagon nuclear cognoscenti, heres how he put it: We must continue to expand Intermediate Nuclear Force Treaty-compliant theater strike capabilities to effectively counter adversary anti-access/area-denial [A2/AD] capabilities and force preservation tactics.)

Finally, to further strengthen the U.S. defense line in the region, Harris called for enhanced military ties with various allies and partners, including Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Australia. PACOMs goal, he stated, is to maintain a network of like-minded allies and partners to cultivate principled security networks, which reinforce the free and open international order. Ideally, he added, this network will eventually encompass India, further extending the encirclement of China.

The European Theater

A similarly embattled future, even if populated by different actors in a different landscape, was offered by Army General Curtis Scaparrotti, commander of EUCOM, in testimony before the Senate Committee on Armed Services on March 8th. For him, Russia is the other China. As he put it in a bone-chilling description, Russia seeks to change the international order, fracture NATO, and undermine U.S. leadership in order to protect its regime, reassert dominance over its neighbors, and achieve greater influence around the globe Russia has demonstrated its willingness and capability to intervene in countries along its periphery and to project power  especially in the Middle East.

This, needless to say, is not the outlook were hearing from President Trump, who has long appeared reluctant to criticize Vladimir Putin or paint Russia as a full-fledged adversary. For American military and intelligence officials, however, Russia unquestionably poses the preeminent threat to U.S. security interests in Europe. It is now being spoken of in a fashion that should bring back memories of the Cold War era. Our highest strategic priority, Scaparrotti insisted, is to deter Russia from engaging in further aggression and exercising malign influence over our allies and partners. [To this end,] we are updating our operational plans to provide military response options to defend our European allies against Russian aggression.

The cutting edge of EUCOMs anti-Russian drive is the European Deterrence Initiative (EDI), a project President Obama initiated in 2014 following the Russian seizure of Crimea. Originally known as the European Reassurance Initiative, the EDI is intended to bolster U.S. and NATO forces deployed in the front-line states  Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland  facing Russia on NATOs Eastern Front. According to the Pentagon wish list submitted in February, some $6.5 billion are to be allocated to the EDI in 2019. Most of those funds will be used to stockpile munitions in the front-line states, enhance Air Force basing infrastructure, conduct increased joint military exercises with allied forces, and rotate additional U.S.-based forces into the region. In addition, some $200 million will be devoted to a Pentagon advise, train, and equip mission in Ukraine.

Like his counterpart in the Pacific theater, General Scaparrotti also turns out to have an expensive wish list of future weaponry, including advanced planes, missiles, and other high-tech weapons that, he claims, will counter modernizing Russian forces. In addition, recognizing Russias proficiency in cyberwarfare, hes calling for a substantial investment in cyber technology and, like Admiral Harris, he cryptically hinted at the need for increased investment in nuclear forces of a sort that might be usable on a future European battlefield.

Between East and West: Central Command

Overseeing a startling range of war-on-terror conflicts in the vast, increasingly unstable region stretching from PACOMs western boundary to EUCOMs eastern one is the U.S. Central Command. For most of its modern history, CENTCOM has been focused on counterterrorism and the wars in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan in particular. Now, however, even as the previous long war continues, the Command is already beginning to position itself for a new Cold War-revisited version of perpetual struggle, a plan  to resurrect a dated term  to contain both China and Russia in the Greater Middle East.

In recent testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, CENTCOM commander Army General Joseph Votel concentrated on the status of U.S. operations against ISIS in Syria and against the Taliban in Afghanistan, but he also affirmed that the containment of China and Russia has become an integral part of CENTCOMs future strategic mission: The recently published National Defense Strategy rightly identifies the resurgence of great power competition as our principal national security challenge and we see the effects of that competition throughout the region.

Through its support of the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad and its efforts to gain influence with other key actors in the region, Russia, Votel claimed, is playing an increasingly conspicuous role in Centcoms AOR. China is also seeking to enhance its geopolitical clout both economically and through a small but growing military presence. Of particular concern, Votel asserted, is the Chinese-managed port at Gwadar in Pakistan on the Indian Ocean and a new Chinese base in Djibouti on the Red Sea, across from Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Such facilities, he claimed, contribute to Chinas military posture and force projection in CENTCOMs AOR and are signals of a challenging future for the U.S. military.

Under such circumstances, Votel testified, it is incumbent upon CENTCOM to join PACOM and EUCOM in resisting Chinese and Russian assertiveness. We have to be prepared to address these threats, not just in the areas in which they reside, but the areas in which they have influence. Without providing any details, he went on to say, We have developed very good plans and processes for how we will do that.

What that means is unclear at best, but despite Donald Trumps campaign talk about a U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria once ISIS and the Taliban are defeated, it seems increasingly clear that the U.S. military is preparing to station its forces in those (and possibly other) countries across CENTCOMs region of responsibility indefinitely, fighting terrorism, of course, but also ensuring that there will be a permanent U.S. military presence in areas that could see intensifying geopolitical competition among the major powers.

An Invitation to Disaster

In relatively swift fashion, American military leaders have followed up their claim that the U.S. is in a new long war by sketching the outlines of a containment line that would stretch from the Korean Peninsula around Asia across the Middle East into parts of the former Soviet Union in Eastern Europe and finally to the Scandinavian countries. Under their plan, American military forces  reinforced by the armies of trusted allies  should garrison every segment of this line, a grandiose scheme to block hypothetical advances of Chinese and Russian influence that, in its global reach, should stagger the imagination. Much of future history could be shaped by such an outsized effort.

Questions for the future include whether this is either a sound strategic policy or truly sustainable. Attempting to contain China and Russia in such a manner will undoubtedly provoke countermoves, some undoubtedly difficult to resist, including cyber attacks and various kinds of economic warfare. And if you imagined that a war on terror across huge swaths of the planet represented a significant global overreach for a single power, just wait. Maintaining large and heavily-equipped forces on three extended fronts will also prove exceedingly costly and will certainly conflict with domestic spending priorities and possibly provoke a divisive debate over the reinstatement of the draft.

However, the real question  unasked in Washington at the moment  is: Why pursue such a policy in the first place? Are there not other ways to manage the rise of China and Russias provocative behavior? What appears particularly worrisome about this three-front strategy is its immense capacity for confrontation, miscalculation, escalation, and finally actual war rather than simply grandiose war planning.

At multiple points along this globe-spanning line  the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, Syria, the South China Sea, and the East China Sea, to name just a few  forces from the U.S. and China or Russia are already in significant contact, often jostling for position in a potentially hostile manner. At any moment, one of these encounters could provoke a firefight leading to unintended escalation and, in the end, possibly all-out combat. From there, almost anything could happen, even the use of nuclear weapons. Clearly, officials in Washington should be thinking hard before committing Americans to a strategy that will make this increasingly likely and could turn what is still long-war planning into an actual long war with deadly consequences. [Lambert here: Ah well, nevertheless.]
Under this process, the global super-rich use their power to extract wealth from the worlds poorer countries, and then store that wealth in richer countries. They use their might to destabilise and undermine political systems in the global south, then store the money they make under the protection of the relatively stable political systems in the global north.

The risk with league tables is, as journalist Oliver Bullough puts it, that you end up calling poor countries who are looted by kleptocrats corrupt, while rating highly the rich countries that host the kleptocrats money.

Positions in the rankings are based on surveys of experts and business executives, and the second problem is that there are serious questions about what sorts of things are perceived by these people as corruption and what is just treated as normal business or politics.

Pay $100 to a Kenyan police officer so they turn a blind eye, and youre corrupt. Pay $100,000 to a US senators re-election campaign, so they ensure legislation turns a blind eye, and thats just how things work. Lowly public officials doling out jobs to their nephews is corruption. The prime minister handing out peerages to his mates is normal. And dont even mention the Queen getting to hand the sovereignty of the nation  and the vast wealth that comes with it  to her oldest son.

And that takes us to the third problem. The very word corruption implies deviance from a system that is in some way right and proper. But what if that system itself is the problem? What if the issue isnt that a few miscreants corrupt a process which is designed to be just and honest, but that they are the system?

If kleptocracy is a global process which spans both the rich world (further enriching it) and the poor world (further impoverishing it), then its true that it doesnt fall evenly in either of those categories. And there is one particular jurisdiction that is particularly known for harbouring corruptly gained wealth.

Im talking, of course, about Britain.

British territories like the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands, Bermuda and Gibraltar; British dependencies like Guernsey, Jersey, and Mann; and the City of London itself are, more often than anywhere else, the lair to which kleptocratic dragons return with the wealth.

While most of the headlines about the Panama papers, the Paradise papers and the Pandora papers were about corrupt figures from the global south, most of the companies listed in them were registered in British territories.

Its not just a fluke of history that the British state has ended up using its diplomatic and legal might to act as protector to most of the smuggling holes, pirates coves and secret stashes on the planet.

Unlike almost anywhere else on earth, Britain doesnt have a codified constitution to describe how the sovereignty of its state can be applied. Instead, its left to the ruling class to make it up as they go along: a flexibility of which they have long taken full advantage. Over the last century or so, as Britain retreated from most of its land empire, its wealthy elites took full advantage of this laxity, and carved jurisdictions for themselves beyond the sorts of laws the rest of us are supposed to follow.

Transparency Internationals corruption index does something important. It tells us what a certain kind of powerful person perceives; that Britains reputation is falling even among elites. But once we understand that kleptocracy is a process at the heart of the modern global economy, we see that Britain is a lot worse than it seems at first.
The evolution of my position with the Post dates to 2000, when I began work with The City Paper. In 2008, SouthComm Inc. bought the Post and TCP, with the latter ceasing operations in 2013. In 2018, FW Publishing acquired the Post, for which I have served as managing editor since 2011.

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On a recent Thursday afternoon, the whiteboard of the Youth Overcoming Drug Abuse program headquarters on Charlotte Avenue is adorned with wisdom from the programs participants. Among the whiteboards sentiments: You cant keep doing the same thing and expect a different result.

The YODA program, as its often called, is a subset of STARS, an organization dedicated to providing mental health support to young people. The rate at which drug use is impacting our young ones is unbelievable, YODAs primary counselor, Folusho Micah, tells the Scene.

Drug abuse is of course nothing new among teens, but the issue has been exacerbated by an increased availability of illicit substances. Illegally manufactured and distributed pills and other drugs are being advertised and sold to young people through avenues like social media. Some of these drugs, however, can be laced with other dangerous substances, oftentimes unbeknownst to young buyers, that could have serious health and safety implications.

A December report from the Centers for Disease Control states that although illicit drug use declined overall among surveyed middle and high school students during 2019-2020  widespread availability of illicitly manufactured fentanyls (IMFs), proliferation of counterfeit pills resembling prescription drugs but containing IMFs or other illicit drugs, and ease of purchasing pills through social media have increased fatal overdose risk among adolescents. According to a report issued by The New England Journal of Medicine in May, drug overdose and poisoning is the third-leading cause of deaths in adolescents, behind firearm-related deaths and motor vehicle crashes. According to a 2021 report from the Tennessee Department of Health, 21 Tennesseans under the age of 18 died from overdose in 2021, along with 231 people ranging from ages 18 to 24; both age ranges show an increase in drug-related deaths from previous years.

The increased presence of fentanyl  a highly addictive synthetic opioid that can be lethal in very small doses  is a particularly concerning aspect of the national opioid crisis thats leading to overdoses in people of all ages. Recent legislative changes and statewide programming have made more resources available, including increased access to naloxone. Naloxone, often referred to as a brand name Narcan, is a drug that can counteract opioid overdoses. A spokesperson confirms that Metro Nashville Public Schools nurses and school resource officers are supplied naloxone and trained to administer it.

Other related resources are available to adolescents and their parents both in and out of the school system, from educational information to targeted mental-health-based programming and treatment. Messaging surrounding substance use has also significantly changed from what older generations might be used to. While anti-drug campaigns have historically relied on fear-based tactics, information like research produced by the state and Vanderbilt University shows that this approach isnt effective in preventing substance use, and can backfire. Instead, organizations like STARS and MNPS are working to educate young people on the physiological effects of drugs so they can make informed decisions.

Scare tactics do not work  they stopped working a long time ago, says Stephanie Davis of MNPS student support services. Its about changing the mindset. And one way you change the mindset is you provide education that they can absorb, that they can understand and that they can apply. And so thats what we do, we provide the education that they can understand and apply so that they can make a better decision.

Davis says MNPS leans on its staff, counselors, social workers and community partners to provide that kind of education through avenues like one-on-one counseling and mental health awareness days. The districts community resource guide also lists several organizations that can provide mental health support, education and intervention  oftentimes at no cost. Additionally, there are local and statewide organizations dedicated to addressing drug use and recovery across all age groups. A state Collegiate Recovery Initiative, for example, trains and informs college campuses about addiction and how to address it.

Parents and caretakers also have a role to play. For those who arent sure how to talk about drugs with their children, the national Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has a Talk. They Hear You campaign that equips adults with tools for discussing these matters. Micah tells the Scene that parents should look out for warning signs that indicate drug use such as extreme behavioral changes, dramatic shifts in attitudes and sleeping patterns, and reclusive behavior. He also notes that parents shouldnt assume that their kids arent interested in drugs.

This is not just a school approach, says Davis. This is not just a school issue. This is a community, neighborhood, faith-based, city, state [matter]. It has to be a collaboration with everyone involved, to address it, and to resolve some of the issues. It cant just be one entity trying to make sure that we have viable resources that are available to our parents and students.
(Natural News) Most of the hate breeding in this country has been blown out of proportion, fueled, propagandized, and exacerbated by the Leftist-controlled mass media and the communists in Washington DC. Sure, there will always be racists, bigots, misogynists, and old-fashioned conservatives who oppose certain lifestyles, but as far as the whole country being divided and hating each other to death, well, thats sadly been an elaborate hoax thats been gas-lighted to the fullest extent to achieve one main goal  to weaken America for a Communist takeover.

Democrats and Globalists push the narrative that all Republicans and Conservatives are anti-science, gun-toting, white supremacists that hate gays

Watch fake news MSM for even just a few minutes, and you will witness several different narratives that simply are not true on a grand scale (or even a small scale many times). Lame-stream media is highly skilled at making one small example of a hate crime, or a single bigotry example, seem like its happening everywhere, all the time in America, but thats simply not true.

Most Americans are not racist, bigoted, hate mongers who spew venom at their neighbors and coworkers all day. Most Americans do not want to start fights and riots with people of opposing political views or ideals. Most Americans do not hate other Americans because they have different religious beliefs, or sexual partner gender preferences, or medical choices, but fake news would have us all believe differently.

If one white cop beats up one black man on video, suddenly were all supposed to believe this happens in every city and town, every day, all day, to every black person thats charged with or arrested for a crime. Its race-baiting and the fake news propaganda intends to foment hate across the land to help with the communist agenda of wrecking the Republic by dividing us all.

Just because twenty percent of Americans refuse to get the Covid clot shots (so-called vaccines) doesnt mean we are anti-vax or anti-science. In fact, many of these educated, natural health advocates have received many vaccines growing up, and support certain ones, but absolutely KNOW that the Fauci Flu jabs are quite dangerous, with all these recent reports of healthy athletes, pilots, military members, adolescents, and children dropping dead or having heart attacks shortly after getting these spike protein prion injections.

United we stand, divided we fall: Top 6 ways the Democrats and Communist Globalists foment hate among US citizens

#1. Race-baiting

#2. Pro-vax vs. Anti-vax

#3. Man vs. Woman

#4. Gender-baiting

#5. Environmentalists vs. Economists (Conservatives)

#6. Demonic (Hedonist) vs. Religious (Moral-driven)

#7. Middle class vs. the 1 percent

Most people who support real science and who have common sense realize that the oceans are not swallowing the coastlines, the temperature is not rising at alarming rates (or even at all) in a way that will burn up all the food, animals, and humans in the next decade, century, or even millennium. Still, the fake news and the globalists want us all to believe that driving gas-powered cars and eating meat is causing the whole earth to have extreme weather that will kill us all tomorrow!  if we dont give all of our hard-earned money to the filthy rich, lying elite.

Millions of Americans believe in God, but it seems that the demon-worshipping elite and the Hollywood Satanists are pushing hard for everyone to give up on faith and drop all morals and ethics in life. This is another communist manifesto and undercurrent in this country pushed and advocated by the demonic Leftist freaks in Washington DC, Hollywood, Disney, and other demonic propaganda pushers on social media.

Gender fluidity and the trans-everything movements are unfortunately not a private, personal choice anymore, but more of a falsified and morally-twisted dichotomy where the gender-confused people accuse everyone else of hating them and their choices, while pushing perversions on teens, adolescents, children, and even toddlers. Theres also race-baiting and race-hating woven into this.

We see this in curriculum in colleges, including CRT (critical race theory), at all school levels (think furries and gender-baiting), and Drag Queen Story Hour, prominent now in liberal school systems and daycare centers in metropolitan cities, libraries, and elementary schools.

Obviously, the globalists and Democrats are trying to make us all hate each other, get highly distracted, eliminate the middle class, and turn the whole Republic into a socialist/communist hell-hole. Dont let this happen. Bookmark Censored.news to your favorite websites for truth news about keeping the Republic in tact, thats being censored from the rest of media as you read this.

Sources for this article include:

NaturalNews.com

Censored.news
(Natural News) A four-star general of the United States Air Force warned that the country will be at war with China by 2025.

Gen. Mike Minihan, head of U.S. Air Mobility Command, said the scheduled events of 2024 will likely embolden Chinese President Xi Jinping to launch an all-out conflict over Taiwan in 2025. (Related: Think tank: Americas defense industry is not prepared for a war with China over Taiwan.)

I hope I am wrong. My gut tells me we will fight in 2025, wrote Minihan in a private memo to his top subordinates obtained by NBC News.

Minihan pointed out that both Taiwan and the U.S. have major elections scheduled for 2024. This will cause both countries to be distracted, giving Xi the opportunity to move to Taiwan. Xis team, reason and opportunity are all aligned for 2025, noted Minihan in his memo.

This is absolutely a dire warning, commented Lisa Haven of Restricted Republic, who pointed out that America is obligated to come to Taiwans aid if China were to attempt any type of military action that threatens its sovereignty.

Haven further noted how Americas current focus on fending off Russian advances in Ukraine is keeping the nations military distracted and its military assets shipped off to Eastern Europe. This is absolutely chilling to my core, she said. We already know that we are on the rocks right now with Russia and war, right? But on top of that, now weve got these warnings of a war in China.

Minihan preparing Air Mobility Command for inevitable conflict

Air Mobility Command has nearly 50,000 service members and nearly 500 planes, and is the main branch of the Air Force responsible for transportation and refueling. In his memo, Minihan lays out his goals for preparing for this coming conflict.

Minihan hopes for the Air Force to help the military build a fortified, ready, integrated and agile Joint Maneuver Team ready to fight and win inside the first island chain. The first island chain refers to the chain of major archipelagos in the East Asian region, starting from Taiwan and extending all the way up to the northernmost tip of the Japanese archipelago.

Furthermore, for the entirety of February, he has directed all Air Mobility Command personnel to practice their small-arms firing capabilities by firing a clip into a seven-meter target with the full understanding that unrepentant lethality matters most. Aim for the head.

In March, he is ordering Air Mobility Command personnel to get their personal affairs in order by updating their record and emergency contacts, including visiting military legal officials for those who need it, to make sure they are legally ready and prepared.

Minihan has also ordered his commanders to do everything they can for the rest of 2023 to prepare for the China fight. This includes taking even more risks in training sessions.

Run deliberately, not recklessly, he wrote. If you are comfortable in your approach to training, then you are not taking enough risk.

Minihan has ordered all of his commanders to report all major efforts to train and prepare for the coming conflict by the end of February. He further noted that his commanders intent is to provide his branch of the Air Force seven more monthly directives regarding the future direction of Air Mobility Commands focus and that these directives are not up for negotiation.

Learn more about the threats to Americas national security at NationalSecurity.news.

Watch this clip from Restricted Republic as host Lisa Haven discusses Gen. Minihans dire warning for Americans to prepare for war.

This video is from the Lisa Haven channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Japan, India launch first joint air combat drills amid growing threat posed by China.

China preparing to launch an invasion of Taiwan, warns Chinese journalist.

China launches massive air, sea military exercise in practice run to invade Taiwan.

Taiwan to extend mandatory military service period amid rising tensions with China.

Pentagon: China seeking to build military that will dominate American systems, even as US introduces 6th-generation bomber.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

NBCNews.com

FT.com

Independent.co.uk
(Natural News) Images taken from inside a cobalt mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in Africa show the terrible working conditions that help fuel the creations showcased by Big Tech companies like Apple and Tesla.

Roughly 90 percent of the worlds cobalt supply is mined in the DRC. Cobalt is one of the chemical elements found in almost every major electronics produced by the worlds tech giants, especially ones that use lithium-powered batteries. Smaller gadgets like smartphones and laptops require only a few grams of cobalt to function. Larger electronics like electric vehicles (EVs) require at least 10 kilograms (22 pounds).

Big Tech companies like Apple, Microsoft, Google and Tesla repeatedly claim that they hold their cobalt suppliers to the highest standards and that they only trade with smelters and refiners who adhere to their strict codes of conduct. (Related: Lithium batteries used in EVs and other green technology are anything but clean.)

But the photos, taken by author Siddharth Kara, tell a different story.

His photos come from the Shabara mine, an open-pit cobalt mine in the southern DRC province of Lualaba. In this mine, hundreds of thousands of Congolese miners are exposed to toxic chemicals every day due to the fact that this is an artisanal mine, where all the mining is done by hand or with small tools instead of large industrial equipment that can reduce health risks.

Kara noted witnessing workers, including children, laboring in the mine for $2 a day. The work includes men hauling hundreds of pounds of rocks and minerals every day, children covered in chemicals smashing open rocks and exhausted women, including new mothers with their babies strapped to them, sifting through nets of rocks to find cobalt.

These are hundreds of thousands of the poorest people on the planet mining for cobalt, said Kara. This is blood diamonds multiplied by a thousand  diamonds arent toxic. And you buy a diamond once, maybe twice, in your life, whereas Western society cant function for more than 24 hours without devices that rely on cobalt.

Human rights issue in Congo cobalt mines a growing human rights concern

Kara, an expert on modern-day human rights issues and an adjunct lecturer at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, pointed out how the lithium batteries used in todays electronics come with a heavy price.

The moral clock has been dialed back to colonial times, he said in an email to the Daily Mail. Theyre doing it for $2 a day and for them, its the difference between whether or not they eat that day, so they dont have the option of saying no.

Kara pointed out how these appalling working conditions are being perpetrated by tech giants like Apple, Microsoft and Tesla turning a blind eye to the exploitation of workers due to their desire to acquire cheap minerals for their products.

Furthermore, the sudden demand for supposedly green technologies are having a catastrophic effect in the DRC, according to Kara. Its supposed to be a green choice, getting an EV, he said. Well, its not green for everybody.

Kara urged American Big Tech companies that rely on a steady stream of cobalt coming into their factories to change course and reevaluate their relationship with their current cobalt suppliers who put profit over people.

[Companies] initiate [the] demand for cobalt. It starts with them  it is their responsibility, said Kara. The supply chain only exists because of demand. They all say they source it ethically, they will all say supply chains are ethical, but then you go to the Congo and you see its not true.

Watch this clip from AFP of the Shabara mine in the DRC showing the enormous human toil needed to produce the worlds clean energy technology.

This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Bill Gates flies around Australia for climate change lectures in $70m private jet that guzzles fossil fuels.

FBI director tells WEF the future of national security is in partnership between tech companies and government.

Sweden finds Europes largest deposit of rare earth elements  but it will take over a decade to start mining them.

LITHIUM mining for electric vehicles is incredibly destructive to the environment and about as far from green as you can imagine.

Phasing out fossil fuels and replacing them with green energy is a dangerous delusion, report warns.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

FoxNews.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Providing new tanks to Ukraine wont change the reality on the ground of the current conflict with Russia, according to retired Army Lt. Col. Daniel L. Davis, who claimed the United States has no plan or strategy and warned of the real-world danger of invoking NATOs mutual defense clause, which would trigger a nuclear war.

(Article by Joshua Klein republished from Breitbart.com)

In an exclusive interview with Breitbart News on Thursday, Davis discussed the situation on the ground in Ukraine.

Davis, a Defense Priorities senior fellow and military expert, spent over two decades in active service, which included combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, and was awarded two Bronze Star medals.

It just doesnt work that way in reality

Calling the recent decision by the U.S., Germany, and other European nations to send tanks to Ukraine a huge information operation game changer, Davis cautioned that information operations and claims dont translate into reality on the battlefield.

From someone who has done combat operations in tank-on-tank fights; in operations patrolling the East-West border during the Cold War and its potential Soviet invasions; and was the second-in-command of an armored cavalry squadron for the First Armored Division in the mid 2000s in Germany; I can tell you that just having NATO tanks does not equal battlefield success, he explained.

Davis cast doubt on the perception many have on how effective the new tanks will prove on the battlefield.

The problem is that what works on video games and on paper  you have to make it work on the ground, he said. And very few people anywhere in the western media or anywhere in the other media, for that matter, understand how combat power is made.

And its not just the platform, though that is very important, but roughly 90 percent of the success is the people who operate the equipment, he added.

In order to achieve that, he explained, a trained individual at each of the positions within a tank is needed, in addition to a trained crew that knows how to fight well together.

And then you have to have a trained platoon, platoons in a company; and a company in the battalion; and if youre talking about the inner-level operations, battalions within brigades etc, he said.

So all of those are necessary and they all take time, he added.

Recalling his units intense training in Europe and Saudi Arabia prior to battle in order to replicate how war would play out, Davis noted that it had all taken place with military officials in key positions with many years of experience  something he asserted could not be manufactured.

You cant send 500 [Ukrainian] dudes to Germany and conduct six weeks of maneuver training and think youre going to get the same output, because those guys dont have the experience, he said. They dont even have the baseline understanding that we had a whole career and our whole training before we even arrived at that one year preparation.

Davis suggests imagining the chances that someone who has never even seen this equipment will have to just fall in on it while theyre in [combat] potentially a few months from now  which is what theyre saying theyre trying to do  and its somehow those things are going to be effective in combat.

I mean just on the surface of it, thats ridiculous, he said. I mean its people who just dont have any idea of how actual combat power is generated that would believe that.

Because maybe it works for movies and in video games  just getting this capacity on your video game and poof, youve got the full capacity as though you were fully trained, but it just doesnt work that way in reality, he added.

What makes somebody think that just the presence of a different kind of tank is suddenly going to change all that?

Another problem Davis pointed to is that Ukraine has already possessed strategic weapons on the ground throughout the conflict.

Its not as though Ukraine has no tanks and so they need tanks to operate because suddenly [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky said he needed 300 new tanks, he said.

Well, the fact is theyve got  depending on who you want to believe  somewhere around 1,000 tanks already and, according to Bloomberg, something along the neighborhood of 410 Soviet-era tanks have been given to them since the war started in addition to whatever survives from when they first started, he continued.

So they have tanks; they have artillery pieces, he added. Weve given a bunch of those. They [also] have rocket launchers.

As a result, Davis questioned just what an Abrams or Leopard tank is going to do differently than the T72s, the T80s or the T64s that they have right now?

And thats the part that no ones even talking about, he said. Its like, look, you have tanks already; you can say that our Abrams is more capable but what is that going to do in the field?

Ive been scouring the internet and any report I could find for months, and theres hardly any tank-on-tank engagements, he noted.

Highlighting how Ukraine in a year of fighting, has never pushed Russia back [from the Donbas area], Davis questioned, What makes somebody think that just the presence of a different kind of tank is suddenly going to change all that?

He also noted that Ukraine has no experience in maneuver warfare.

They have lots of experience in trench-warfare, in static warfare, and in defensive warfare  theyve actually gotten very good at it and thats why its so hard and taking Russia so long to push Studenok, because theyre actually very good at defending, he said.

But that doesnt help you at offense, its a completely different skill set and I havent seen any evidence that they have that, he added. And thats just something you cant manufacture in a couple of months. You just cant do it. It takes a lot longer than that.

Davis, who fought in the largest tank battle of Desert Storm, the Battle of 73 Easting, concluded that the expectation that so many in the West, and certainly those in Kyiv, have been professing: that they think the possession of these Bradleys, Abrams, Leopards, AMX-10, M109 Paladins, etc. combined, is going to allow them to go on a NATO-type offensive maneuver is just not going to happen because its way more than the platforms required to enable that kind of offensive operation.

Youre making Russia want to go to war

The former Lt. Col. admitted that if providing all this equipment we have in the last eight days combined with whats apparently coming from these other dozen European nations, had a legitimate shot at ending the war and winning it for Ukraine without sparking a nuclear retaliation from Russia, then Id be willing to say it is worthy.

However, he explained, theres none of that.

All youre doing is making Russia want to go to war, he warned. Far from wanting to deter Russia or making them hesitate and count the costs  its having the exact opposite effect across the board in Russia.

If anything, it makes them want to be more aggressive, he added. It makes them absolutely think we cannot lose this and double down on their efforts.

According to Davis, even the general Russian population  you dont see any protests anymore and you barely see any kind of negative social media comments, and thats usually people who arent even in Russia.

In Russia you dont see any of that, because people are for the most part convinced that this is what has to be done because [they feel] its a very valid position to say all of NATO is against them, he said.

Davis insisted that reality was not some fantasy, but its graphically produced on the ground, you see it.

Were doing everything except physically pulling the trigger, he asserted.

Were providing intelligence. Were providing ammunition. Were providing weapons systems [and] repair facilities, literally everything but the pull of the trigger, he added.

He then suggested considering another country doing the same to the United States:

Imagine during the war with Afghanistan that Russia or China had just completely got behind the Taliban, gave them everything they had, including all their modern gear to kill American soldiers, he said.

Do you think we would have accepted that? Would we have been OK with that? he asked. Wed go crazy. Wed have potentially gone to war with them.

And yet, Davis noted, We think that, like Biden said hiding behind a fig leaf today, when he announced this change, that we are not going to war with Russia and were not a direct participant, as though just saying those words means anything to Russia.

Theyre looking at your actions, and the actions speak louder than the word, he said.

Though, according to his analysis he did not see any possibility that this can accomplish an objective and outcome that we want, Davis did see it as having a real chance at making sure that Russia does whatever it takes to win.

And I think that theres not enough recognition of just how much risk and gamble were taking right now, he warned.

We have no plan

Davis described the unambiguous conclusion of all the aforementioned as the fact that the U.S. has no plan.

We have no strategy, he said. Nobody is asking what comes next.

Having just talked ad nauseam on the failings of the United States in Operation Iraqi Freedom  when we went in in 2003, nobody talked about what comes next and then  after we had this easy military victory  we didnt know what to do next and weve been paying for it ever since.

All the stuff that happened after is because we didnt have a plan, he added.

According to Davis, were now doing the same thing  we have no plan.

Were just giving all this stuff, nobodys talking about, not even ethereal kinds of overarching statements. What is this supposed to accomplish? What is the outcome you see by giving [these tanks]? What are you trying to produce on the ground? How is this going to benefit the United States of America as opposed to not doing it? What are the pros and cons? he asked.

That conversation hasnt even taken place, he added.

We dont even know what we want to do

Davis noted that without a clear plan, it would be impossible to achieve a successful outcome.

Imagine if youre throwing all of this military equipment out there and you dont even know what you want to accomplish  how are you going to know if this is successful? he asked. How can President Biden or anybody in the Pentagon tell the American people whether its worth it to send this equipment or whether its not? Whether its making a difference or not?

Theres no criteria! he exclaimed. We dont even know what we want to do.

Even if you claim to want to win, Davis insists the term be clearly defined.

Define win, he said. Because you had the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff one week ago repeat what hes been saying a lot, and one of the few things I agree with him on, [that] he sees no military path for Ukraine to win this war in the foreseeable future, meaning throughout the entire 2023.

And hes right, he added. Even with all this stuff, of course, he knew what we were going to offer before he made that comment. And hes right, but no one pays any attention to that, they just pretend it didnt happen, [as if] he didnt say it.

Asking what the objectives are, Davis questioned exactly what the American national security interest here were trying to protect is?

And what does President Biden hope to accomplish by giving Ukraine all of this stuff [tanks, sophisticated military equipment]? he continued.

He insisted that the American people deserve an answer to such questions.

Not a general statement, but an actual physical, detailed answer: Heres what we want to accomplish; heres what we consider success; heres the objectives we want to accomplish. That should be a bare minimum, and its not even on the table, he said.

And that is a major major problem, he added. Because then you can stumble into all kinds of stuff, if you havent given thought to those.

Russia has the biggest nuclear stockpile in the world

Davis also highlighted the uniqueness of the situation.

One of the things thats been from the outset that it just has not come to grips within the West [is that] this is not Syria; this is not Iraq; this is not Libya; this is not Yemen; this is not even Iran, he said.

We have basically done whatever we wanted to do in all these places and didnt even care about what they might do because we know they dont have the ability, he added.

According to Davis, were having that same mentality in Russia, which possesses the biggest nuclear stockpile in the world.

They can do something. The rules are different. You cannot behave and act in the interest of Russia or opposed to it, like you can against Syria, he explained.

You just cant just launch a strike into Russia  especially on their territory  like you could against Syria, or like we did in Libya or all these other places and not worry about what would happen, he added. We have to worry about it now.

Though the rules are different in the current scenario, were not acting like it.

And I fear that one day, Russias going to say, OK, you finally did cross a red line this time and were going to take action, he said.

For example, he added, [Russian Foreign Minister Sergey] Lavrov recently said that based on all this stuff about the tanks, they reserve the right to attack any provider of NATO gear, NATO tanks, NATO vehicles, their ammunition  no matter where they are, meaning Poland or in some other NATO country.

So theyre now saying that they may attack those things that are directly for war, that are there against their forces wherever they are, he added.

Davis also warned that Article 5 of NATOs founding treaty, which dictates that member states consent that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all, could lead to an explosion.

There is zero chance  and I mean zero  not point anything, that Russia could ever militarily defeat NATO in a conventional sense, he said. Its a physical impossibility. Theyre just struggling even now to defeat Ukrainians in part of the Donbas, their next-door neighbor, so they certainly couldnt take on a 30 member NATO military alliance; they know that.

So the only way they can defend against NATO, is through nuclear weapons, of course, he explained. So if we try to think were going to trigger Article 5 and not trigger nuclear war. I mean, were just insane and fooling ourselves.

And while, he claimed, the information he relayed is just common sense and logic, if you just played stuff through, Davis argued that we dont like to play with reality.

We like to play with words, he said. In fact, we just create our own reality, whatever we prefer.

The matter comes as Western countries agreed to supply tanks for use against the Russian invasion this past week, prompting the Ukrainian government to push the envelope further, with discussions about more major military equipment advancing.

Read more at: Breitbart.com
(Natural News) While Pfizer made sure to rush out a statement following that viral Project Veritas video featuring a Pfizer executive bragging about mutating COVID via directed evolution so that their company can continue to profit for decades to come at the expense of the American people, that statement didnt say anything about the mounting number of people across the planet now doing Pfizer Flops as seen in the gif image above of Greek TV reporter Konstantina Klokotara falling out live on air.

(Article by Stefan Stanford republished from AllNewsPipeline.com)

Though as well explore within this story, it did come with an admission from Pfizer that the jabs bring with them the possibility of the injected being struck by side effects, which were now seeing everywhere, including each of the following as just the first few that they listed.:

 Severe allergic reactions

 Non-severe allergic reactions such as rash, itching, hives, or swelling of the face

 Myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle)

 Pericarditis (inflammation of the lining outside the heart)

With the terms myocarditis and pericarditis medical terms most Americans had never even heard of before the vax was rolled out, but now terms we hear about nearly every day in the news as more and more Americans learn of newly developed heart problems, take note that nowhere in the statement does Pfizer admit to their vax causing death, nor take responsibility for all of these people dying suddenly.

And those severe allergic reactions they spoke of in their statement, do you think thats why the Epoch Times is now reporting the FDA advocated on behalf of Pfizer to keep the clinical trial data hidden for 75 years and now theyre being sued to release the raw data!? Now what could be in that data important enough to want to hide it? Things that make any normal thinking person realize this stinks to high heaven.

With the FDA also pivoting towards an annual COVID shot which they claim will be based upon new strains expected to be dominant in that particular year, showing once again how much of a crap shoot and episode in Russian roulette that entire process is many more ways than one, this grieving mother spoke on camera about how that game of Russian roulette turned out for her family, bluntly telling the interviewer.:

We were pro vaccine. We thought the people who wouldnt get the vaccine were silly. Then one day my daughter drops dead.

How many more parents have suffered similar tragedies because the FDA and CDC and WHO are quite literally covering up genocide? And when you think about the FDA covering up Pfizer test data for 75 years, making sure that practically anyone alive now will be dust by the time its finally allowed to be seen, also think about the United Nations end run around the 1st Amendment, with the UN about to criminalize anyone who spreads what they call misinformation that causes social disorder and hatred as heard in the 1st video below from Clayton Morris.

Showing theyre trying to cover up this genocide for all of history, were quickly headed towards the World Health Organization making the health decisions for Americans and people around the world if the globalist devils get their way, with the United Nations determining what is truth and what is misinformation, the same kind of powers held by mass murdering dictators throughout history.

So with more and more angry leftists showing up on twitter posts sounding an awful lot like Mike OMara, who weve reported on ANP was pro-vax, took the shot, and is now dying a horrible slow-motion death, detailing it all on twitter in a series of alarming posts in which he describes his body quite literally disintegrating. Just think about the UN trying to criminalize the recent social media posts below by Mike, true posts describing his unfolding death which the UN could call misinformation.

Mike OMara: Kicked off of Facebook. For sharing my story. For speaking about what is happening to so many. For trying to find resources to save lives. I hope this world changes at some point, and that some day, humankind will be strong enough to weather differing views, opinions and beliefs.

Mike OMara: A big part of me is convinced that Im already dead and in hell. I must be. I try to do anything, try to live, but end up lying around in pain, my body useless and atrophied. I didnt think I deserved to be here, but that isnt for me to judge. Maybe at the end Ill be released.

Mike OMara: Yet another, just one of so many just like me. Abnormal presentation. Passed 4 EMGs. Post vax, got aggressive, atypical ALS. Was gaslit the whole way. RIP, Vicki.

And with Vicky and Mike just two of a countless number of victims of this vax genocide whove already been maimed or killed, their lives ruined or extinguished by a vax that looks more and more like a weapon created specifically for depopulation every day, how many more people who were told by their governments and employers to do the right thing are there already, names and people who well never know, and how many more will there be in the coming days?

Read more at: AllNewsPipeline.com
(Natural News) A 15-year-old Greta Thunberg fanatic by the name of Mari Copeny is being charged with a 20-year felony for threatening on Snapchat to shoot up a school in Grand Blanc, Mich.

Little Miss Flint, as Copeny also goes by on social media, was interviewed by fake president Joe Biden last year concerning the water crisis in Flint, as well as about climate change. Now, this child faces many years in prison for making terroristic threats on the Snapchat platform.

I cant vote yet but my generation is going to be impacted by the climate crisis more than any other generation before us, Copeny told the Sniffer-in-Chief. What message do you have for the people who vote without the youth or greater good in mind?

Were going to make sure that every single lead pipe in America is out, Biden answered. Were going to pay to have a new one put in in hundreds of thousands of homes.

The incident for which Copeny is now being charged with a 20-year felony occurred on November 7 of last year when Copeny made a post stating:

Im gonna f***ing shoot up grandblanc highschool today at 9:16m.

For some unknown reason, it took months for charges to be filed against Copeny despite the immediacy of her threat.

I have repeatedly stated that making threats to shoot up a school is no joke, said Genessee County Prosecutor David Leyton in a statement about the case. This is a very serious matter; it is a felony charge and we do not condone such threats in any of our schools.

(Related: Another Greta Thunberg fanatic from India who created a protest toolkit for the climate activist was arrested in 2021 on charges of sedition.)

Mari Copeny is also a Great Reset-believing, vaccine-pushing extremist

When she is not pushing global warming hysteria and threatening to shoot up schools, Copeny is also an aggressive student activist at her school concerning vaccine compliance.

On Instagram, Copeny shared a post about a vaccine drive she apparently helped coordinate to accompany a back to school event.

So many happy kids and families, wrote Little Miss Flint along with a picture of two men standing near a table with a sign reading:

VACCINES AVAILABLE HERE!!! ASK ME ANY ?s

Prior to threatening to shoot up her school, Copeny was being showered with praise for her Greta Thunberg-style public activism. Michigan-based corporate media just loved her, as did Biden and other social justice-driven entities.

Copeny was even profiled by MLive for receiving the Billboard Music Awards Changemaker award last year. That profile reads:

The Billboard Music Awards Changemaker honor is given to pop culture figures that speak truth to power through their commitment to individual action and leadership. They are socially conscious, politically aware, ever-present in their community and charitable with time, crucial resources and influence to improve the lives of others, the awards organization stated.

Since Greta Thunberg is already becoming something of a has-been in the world of climate activism, it only makes sense that Copeny, another child star, was rolled out to take her place. One wonders: who will become the next underage youth star for the Democrats to trot about once Copeny loses her luster  which she maybe already has should she end up in prison for the next two decades.

According to ABC 12, Copeny never bothered to follow through on her threat. Grand Blanc Community Schools reportedly sent all students home early that day, went into secure mode, and brought in more police presence. No further incidents occurred.

More related news can be found at Terrorism.news.

Sources for this article include:

BigLeaguePolitics.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) White people are to blame for five black cops beating 29-year-old black man Tyre Nichols after he evaded and resisted arrest earlier this month in Memphis, Tennessee, according to the controlled media.

(Article by Chris Menahan republished from InformationLiberation.com)

From CNN:

Opinion: The police who killed Tyre Nichols were Black. But they might still have been driven by racism by Van Jones Updated 7:13 PM EST, Fri January 27, 2023 Three decades ago, when four White Los Angeles police officers were videotaped beating Rodney King, the public outcry was heard around the world. [] From the King beating to the murder nearly three years ago of George Floyd, American society has often focused on the race of the officers  so often White  as a factor in their deplorable acts of violence. [] One of the sad facts about anti-Black racism is that Black people ourselves are not immune to its pernicious effects. Societys message that Black people are inferior, unworthy and dangerous is pervasive. Over many decades, numerous experiments have shown that these ideas can infiltrate Black minds as well as White. Self-hatred is a real thing. Thats why a Black store owner might regard customers of his same race with suspicion, while treating his White patrons with deference. Black people can harbor anti-Black sentiments and can act on those feelings in harmful ways. [] Regarding the officers race, [Nichols mother RowVaughn Wells] also noted to CNN that violence like what happened to her son is about how some bad cops use their power over Black and brown victims.

From The Independent:

Pointing out that the officers involved in Tyre Nichols death were Black is a dangerous distraction The fight against police brutality has never just been about white cops or racist cops by Nylah Burton [] The police officers who killed Nichols are Black, which has prompted many people  particularly online  to attempt to counter the idea that his death is linked to systemic racism and police brutality in the law enforcement system. Not only is this a simplistic and illogical argument, but its one meant to distract us from our fight. The fight against police brutality has never just been about white cops or racist cops. Its about how the entire system encourages all those who join it  no matter what their own racial background  to dehumanize and target people of color. All of the officers involved in Nichols death, who have been fired and charged with second degree murder, were members of the Memphis Police Departments SCORPION (Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in our Neighborhoods) unit, a type of policing associated with discriminatory stops and searches in low-income, Black and Latinx neighborhoods. Tyre Nichols family attorney, Antonio Romanucci, has urged the Memphis Police department to disband the unit. In his call to action, Romanucci said SCORPION units wind up oppressing the people that we care about the most  our children, our young sons and daughters, who are Black and brown, because they are the most vulnerable. This is a systemic problem that goes beyond the race or ethnic identity of the police officers involved in this tragedy. It is shockingly easy, in the leviathan of unjust systems, to train people to hate their own, to detain their own unlawfully, to abuse them, and end their lives. If anything, the fact that the officers who beat Nichols were Black themselves should prove to us that this fight is even more urgent, that change needs to be even more radical. This is not a problem that can be reformed, that can be chipped away with initiatives like diverse hiring practices or racial sensitivity training or body cameras. The law enforcement system in our country is rotten and evil. Defunding the police and prison abolition are the only paths forward that offer any kind of moral clarity, any kind of hope for freedom. Black people have suffered so many indignities and cruelties at the hands of this racist state, for centuries. No matter what race the foot soldiers are, the system is irredeemable and must be dismantled.

The Atlantic contributor Jemele Hill also said white people are to blame:

I need so many people to understand this regarding Tyre Nichols. Several of the police officers who murdered Freddie Gray were Black. The entire system of policing is based on white supremacist violence. We see people under the boot of oppression carry its water all the time. https://t.co/H11cuzHPxC  Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) January 27, 2023

As did Florida Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost:

Doesnt matter what color those police officers are. The murder of Tyre Nichols is anti-Black and the result of white supremacy.  Maxwell Alejandro Frost (@MaxwellFrostFL) January 28, 2023

Update: Frost just deleted it.

It goes on like that forever.

No matter the facts of the case, white people are always to blame.

Video 1 from City of Memphis on Vimeo.

Video 2 from City of Memphis on Vimeo.

Video 3 from City of Memphis on Vimeo.

Video 4 from City of Memphis on Vimeo.

Read more at: InformationLiberation.com
(Natural News) Back in 2016, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer paid out a $784.6 million settlement to resolve allegations that it overcharged Medicaid for the price of its heartburn drug Protonix.

According to a February 2016 piece in the Whistleblower News Review, the allegations were a legacy suit Pfizer inherited from the drug manufacturer Wyeth, which the New York-based company acquired in 2009. Based on a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the same year that Pfizer bought Wyeth, the subsidiary allegedly provided discounts on Protonix to non-government hospitals while charging Medicaid full price for the drug.

Pharmaceutical companies must comply with the best price requirement indicated in False Claims Acts (FCA) for both the federal and state levels. This means that drug firms are required to offer their lowest prices to Medicare, Medicaid and other such programs. Thus, the Justice Department accused Wyeth of violating federal law by overcharging federally funded healthcare programs for prescription drugs.

The case against Wyeth, and subsequently against Pfizer, was the product of two earlier suits filed by Louisiana physician Dr. William LaCorte and former sales representative Lauren Kieff. LaCorte discovered Wyeths fraudulent pricing scheme via his New Orleans hospital. Meanwhile, Kieff caught wind of the scheme by speaking with hospital pharmacists.

According to the DOJ, the total losses in taxpayer dollars could be in excess of $2 billion.

This was not the first time the Pfizer subsidiary got in trouble before the law. In December 2012, the pharmaceutical giant paid a $55 million to settle claims that Wyeth marketed Potonix  which acts to repair damage to the lining of the esophagus caused by acid reflux  for off-label uses not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. (Related: Prilosec, Nexium, Protonix and Zegerid found to increase DEATH by 25%.)

Mahany: Whistleblowers standing up to Big Pharmas greed

Whistleblowers such as LaCorte and Kieff provide a valuable public service by standing up to corporate greed, according to whistleblower attorney Brian Mahany. He added that the actions of the two will save taxpayers millions of dollars and help ensure that medical decisions are based on patient need, not on who is offering the biggest rebate.

Because of their assistance in exposing the scheme, both LaCorte and Kieff would receive a whistleblower award of almost $59 million. The Louisiana doctor is no stranger to exposing fraudulent pharmaceutical schemes, as he previously collected $38 million in reward money after filing several lawsuits. LaCorte had a role in the 2008 Merck settlement amounting to $250 million regarding its heartburn medication Pepcid.

Those willing to bring fraudulent activities to light can collect up to 30 percent of the amount collected by the government. In 2015 alone, Washington recovered $2.8 billion through FCA lawsuits filed by whistleblowers  with $597 million being allocated to individuals who shed light on pharmaceutical corruption.

Most whistleblower cases arise from information provided by insiders, explained Mahany. This case makes it clear that equally valuable inside information can come from outside as well.

The prominent whistleblower lawyer ultimately denounced the shocking conduct of Big Pharma.

This case against Pfizer is not an isolated incident. The big drug companies have been fined billions of dollars in recent years, yet they still cant clean up their act. Unfortunately, Pfizer looks at the $785 million fine as a small cost of doing business instead of a deterrent.

Watch Gabor Gabe Zolna discuss Pfizer being fined more than $4.7 billion for FCA violations since 2000.

This video is from the zolnareport.com channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

HISTORY OF FRAUD: Pfizer agreed to pay $49 million settlement in 2002 over Lipitor price gouging.

HISTORY REPEATS: Pfizer paid out $1.2B after its drug caused thousands of BREAST CANCER cases.

CRIME CARTEL: Pfizer paid out $2.3 billion in a settlement to Washington for illegally promoting its drugs.

NEVER FORGET: In 1994, Pfizer paid $20 million after LYING about defective heart valve that killed hundreds.

NEVER FORGET: Pfizer agreed to settle lawsuit after jury awarded $43M to Texas woman whose liver was destroyed by Rezulin.

Sources include:

BrianMahany.com [PDF]

WhistleblowerGov.org

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) A professor at MIT by the name of Retsef Levi put out a video that was shared by Dr. Aseem Malhotra calling on all mRNA vaccination programs around the world to end immediately for the safety of humanity.

A practitioner and academic with more than 30 years of experience in his fields of study, Levi explains in the video, which you can watch below, that covid injections have completely failed to do any of the things that were promised in Big Pharmas advertising. (Related: Last year, Dr. Malhotra also called for all covid jabs to be immediately pulled from the market.)

And more importantly, Levi goes on to state, they should stop because of the mounting and indisputable evidence that they cause an unprecedented level of harm, including the death of young people and children.

The evidence is mounting and indisputable that MRNA vaccines cause serious harm including death, especially among young people. We have to stop giving them immediately! pic.twitter.com/chFLvqlDqu  Retsef Levi (@RetsefL) January 30, 2023

Levi says he first started to worry about covid shots in mid-2021 when it was being established that these experimental medical products cause myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart. Existing vaccine surveillance systems continue to be inadequate at detecting this correlation, so Levi did the work himself using national EMS data from Israel.

That data, Levi explains, reveals with greater clarity the rate of out-of-hospital adverse events, which in Israel  Pfizer was the only brand of covid jab used in Israel, just to be clear  resulted in a 25 percent increase in cardiac events among people aged 16-39 during the first half of 2021.

Older age groups also saw increases, though to a lesser degree, in cardiac arrest immediately after Israel rolled out the covid jabs.

The EMS data further shows that the risk of cardiac problems increases progressively with each subsequent mRNA injection. In other words, the more you get boosted, the greater your risk of suffering a heart attack and possibly dying.

Sudden cardiac arrest as a sequel to vaccine-induced myocarditis is just one of the many potential mechanisms by which these injections are causing people harm.

Entire spike proteins showing up in blood systems of children

In 2021 in Israel, Levi further explains, there were 3,000 more EMS resuscitations that occurred compared to the number recorded in 2019. This represents a 27 percent increase in serious cardiac events in 2021 just from the jabs.

Two prospective studies out of Thailand and Switzerland further show that actual rates of heart damage caused by the shots are likely to be significantly higher than the rates detected simply by clinical diagnosis.

Another study out of Harvard Medical School found entire spikes from the jab in the blood of children. This suggests that mRNA spike proteins and lipids are able to penetrate the blood system.

Then there are the autopsies of recently fully jabbed cadavers which continue to show an enlarged number of cardiac cases, adding to the growing body of evidence showing that vaccine-induced myocarditis is causing death in many.

I think that there is no other ethical or scientific choice but to pull out of the market these medical products and stop all the mRNA vaccination programs, Levi says. This is clearly the most failing medical product in the history of medical products, both in terms of safety and efficacy.

And we need to investigate and think hard about how did we end up in a situation that this is also the most profitable medical product in the history of medical products.

You can learn more about the dangers and ineffectiveness of covid injections by visiting ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

Twitter.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Russia is now bracing for a bigger war against the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the West, according to Europes defense chief.

Stefano Sannino, the secretary general of the European Unions External Action Service, gave this alarming warning following the announcement of more NATO nations that theyre willing to send more tanks and arms to help Ukraine thwart the Russian invasion.

Russia is now locked in a war against NATO and the West, said Sannino, suggesting that Russian President Vladimir Putin is now moving the war into a different stage. That stage can include the involvement of non-military targets and the deployment and possible use of nuclear weapons. (Related: Russia warns WWIII is all but GUARANTEED if Ukraines Western allies continue to meddle in ongoing conflict.)

Canada recently became the 12th country to commit to sending tanks to Ukraine. Poland had earlier pledged to deliver 60 more tanks to the 14 it has already committed to the joint effort to halt the Russian advance. Spain and Norway are expected to follow suit and announce how many Leopard 2 they will send.

The United States had committed to sending 31 M1 Abrams tanks; Germany 14 of its Leopard 2 A6 tanks; and Great Britain 14 Challenger tanks  all of which are deemed superior to Russias outdated T-72 tanks.

French President Emmanuel Macron has also asked his defense minister to consider sending its Leclerc battle tanks to Kyiv.

Although it has no tanks to offer, Belgium committed to a new package of military aid consisting of cash, missiles, machine guns and armored vehicles.

Clearly, the U.S. and these NATO members are disregarding the signs coming out of the Kremlin that it is bent on sending Ukraine to its knees regardless of the consequences.

In April 2022, Russia test-launched the dreaded Sarmat Satan II missile, sparking the threat of nuclear Armageddon.

Even before its encroachment into the Ukraine territory in February 2022, Russia flaunted its military capability when it test-launched the fearsome Zircon (3M22) hypersonic missile from the Admiral Gorshkov warship in January 2020. Zircon is considered unstoppable because of its 9 Mach speed and reported coverage distance of 1,500 kilometers (932 miles).

Ukraine eyeing Western fourth-generation fighter jets

In the wake of the Russian threats, Ukraine is also seeking Western fourth-generation fighter jets, such as the US F-16, although this remains an unlikely prospect.

According to Sannino, Ukraines allies had been forced to upgrade their military support to Kyiv in response to Moscow shifting the focus of the war to the West. I think that this latest development in terms of armed supply is just an evolution of the situation and of the way Russia has started moving the war into a different stage, Sannino said.

Russia intensified its attacks on the eastern part of the Donbas region in an attempt to break through Ukraines front flanks before the arrival of Western tanks.

Apart from the ground movements of its troops, Russia also made indiscriminate bomb attacks on civilians and cities, conducting a total of 37 airstrikes. Although 47 of the 59 missiles were intercepted, 11 people were killed in explosions caused by those that went through.

Russia, for its part, lambasted U.S. President Joe Biden for dumping weapons into Ukraine, instead of instigating a ceasefire.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the promised delivery of Western tanks to Ukraine was evidence of the growing direct involvement of the United States and Europe in the ongoing armed conflict.

We categorically disagree with this, and in Moscow everything [theyre doing] is seen as direct involvement. We see that this is growing, said Peskov, who at a press conference on January 9 claimed that the new military supplies will only prolong the suffering of the Ukrainian people as they are not capable of stopping us from achieving the goals of the special military operation.

North Korea, which is being accused by Washington of supplying ammunition to Russian forces, also slammed the decision by the U.S. to supply Ukraine with tanks, accusing Washington of escalating a proxy war strategy aimed at destroying Moscow.

Taking a different stand from its NATO allies, Hungary, through its Prime Minister Viktor Oban, suggested Western countries have drifted into becoming active participants in the conflict. Orban said the West should pursue a ceasefire and broker a peace talk instead of boosting Ukraines war chest.

Follow WWIII.news for the latest development in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Watch the video below showing NATO forces on high alert in response to the growing Russian threat in the region.

This video is from the Chinese taking down EVIL CCP channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Russia: Washington complicit in war crimes by supplying Ukraine with ammunition.

Kremlin: NATO preparing for war with Russia.

NATO engaged in direct aggression against Russia.

Sources include:

MSN.com

DailyMail.co.uk

News.Yahoo.com

TheEpochTimes.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Russia has announced plans to develop a combat version of its Marker robotic tank, specifically to target and destroy American M1 Abrams and German Leopard 2 main battle tanks.

Dmitry Rogozin, former director general of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, noted that the Marker unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) capabilities will include the ability to automatically detect and target enemy military equipment, including tanks. (Related: Autonomous KILLER BOTS to dominate battlefields soon as war in Ukraine leads to significant advances in drone technology.)

The combat version of the Marker robot has an electronic catalog in the control system that contains images of targets both in the visible and in the infrared range, said Rogozin, who currently serves as the head of a special group of military advisors known as Tsars Wolves.

Rogozin announced the development of the robotic combat vehicle on Telegram and said his group was working with the Russian Foundation for Advanced Research Projects in the Defense Industry, a state-sponsored research agency, and a private company called Android Technology, which is responsible for creating the original Marker robot, which was designed to be a ground reconnaissance UGV.

Everyone agrees that our strike [version] of the Marker, before the arrival of the Abrams and Leopards in Ukraine, should be prepared for their destruction, said Rogozin.

Rogozin noted that the Marker will be able to select targets independently and hit them with appropriate means. These can include anti-tank missile systems, heavy machine guns or other weapons.

Android Technology claims the Marker can be outfitted with carriers for up to 16 kamikaze quadcopters that are designed to crash into and take down enemy drones.

Development and deployment of Marker UGVs part of Russian move to reduce combat casualties

Samuel Bendett, an adjunct senior fellow at the think tank, the Center for a New American Security, noted that the idea of autonomous vehicles dominating battlefields is to replace a soldier in dangerous missions, and to make missions more effective.

The whole point of UGVs like the Marker is to provide militaries with an asset that can be expendable. But currently there are very few existing Marker tanks in Ukraine that are ready to do combat missions.

It appears that most of the existing Markers, three out of five, will in fact be tested in Ukraine, and can be lost in combat, said Bendett. It also appears that Android Technology is actually okay with that, indicating a willingness to respond to the [Russian Ministry of Defenses] needs for improved weapons and tactics, and perhaps indicating that the company is working on other projects that can build on the Marker experience.

Retired Col. Yuri Knutov of the Russian armed forces noted that the Marker robots are already equipped with an artificial intelligence system and machine learning technological capabilities.

Furthermore, Knutov pointed out that Russia already has extensive experience using robotic equipment in Syria. But more tests will need to be conducted, as the landscape of the Syrian battlefield was significantly different from that of Ukraine. This would explain why only a handful of Marker robots are currently on the ground in Ukraine. Their presence is being used to study their behavior in more urban areas and make possible improvements to the technology.

Such robots were designed for urban environments in the first place, said Knutov. Its artificial intelligence will develop.

Knutov added that the Marker robots will also be trained for use in very flat terrain such as in eastern Ukraine, where they will be deployed to counter the Western tanks supplied to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Learn more about the technological developments brought about by the conflict in Ukraine at MilitaryTechnology.news.

Watch this clip from US Military News discussing the arrival of M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine.

This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Drone use is widening in Ukraine, bringing with it potential dawn of robotic killing machines.

Russian army debuts robot dog with grenade launcher strapped to back.

Ukraine unveils new mini Terminator machine gun robot to help in the fight against Russia.

TERMINATORS: Killer robots join Ukraines line of defense against Russian troops.

Not-so-cute: Robodogs sporting machine guns seen being tested in viral videos as our dystopian future begins to emerge in full.

Sources include:

English.Pravda.ru

DefenseOne.com

Newsweek.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Despite founding the group in 2020, Dr. Simone Gold of Americas Frontline Doctors held no officer, director, or other official management role with AFLDS after February 2022 but still continued to represent herself as the founder and public voice of AFLDS, according to a recently dismissed lawsuit  for which Dr. Gold is now countersuing.

AFLDS board member Joseph Gilbert tried to take Dr. Gold to court over these claims, though his suit was dismissed on December 6. Now, Dr. Gold is suing him back, alleging that Gilbert engaged in theft and corruption in the Ultra Vires Hostile Takeover.

On January 25, a preliminary injunction for the case will be held. A few days prior, Dr. Gold held a press conference to address the case and Gilberts allegations against her, stating that she is innocent. (Related: Dr. Gold was imprisoned and later released for her alleged involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol building.)

AFLDS remains in pursuit of its mission to provide the public with accurate and independent information related to science, medicine, and civil liberties, she said.

Attorney Jose Jimenez also issued a statement:

The facts are clear and fully documented, and we are confident the legal process will fully exonerate Dr. Gold as AFLDS President and courageous leader and allow AFLDS to continue its critical mission of saving lives and preserving our civil liberties.

AFLDS continues to stand in the gap for health and medical freedom in America

The goal of AFLDS is to stand up for all Americans who wish to obtain the best quality healthcare. The group does this by empowering doctors working on the front lines of Americas most pressing healthcare challenges  covid being a big one.

Many doctors were bullied and threatened into not treating their patients with viable remedies such as hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and ivermectin throughout the scamdemic. AFLDS was there to help them with Dr. Gold as the groups figurehead.

She famously stood on the capitol steps  you can see her there along with other AFLDS representatives in the cover photo of this story. To this very day, Dr. Gold and others continue to stand up for medical freedom in the United States, which is under attack like never before.

In the comments, someone quoted Josey Wales, a character played by Clint Eastwood in the 1976 western film The Outlaw Josey Wales, who stated:

Now remember, if things look bad and it looks like youre not gonna make it, then you gotta get mean. I mean plumb, mad-dog mean. Cause if you lose your head and you give up then you neither live nor win. Thats just the way it is.

Another added the quote that if youre going to fight, fight like you are the third monkey on the ramp to Noahs Ark, and brother  its starting to rain  this line coming from a 2016 tweet by MMA fighter Tim Kennedy, which later appeared in the comedy novel RashTorRi by Christopher Woods.

Doctors, nurses and scientists cant be trusted after the stuff they have pulled the last 2+ years, which was the lefts intent, wrote another about how the medical system at large has become a circus of lies and deception.

We are in the fight of our lives, and for our lives, and have no trustworthy medical support now.

Numerous others lauded Dr. Gold and AFLDS for continuing to fight the good fight, as they are among the few trustworthy medical professionals left in America.

Dr. Gold did time in prison on false trespass charges for reading the AFLDS credo under the dome of the Capitol on Jan. 6, one of them wrote. Most of the others cannot be trusted!

More related news about AFLDS can be found at HealthFreedom.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheGatewayPundit.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The White House called for regulators to bolster oversight of cryptocurrencies, warning of the dangers that come with the burgeoning sector.

Four White House officials  National Economic Council Director Brian Deese, Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Arati Prabhakar, Council of Economic Advisers Chairwoman Cecilia Rouse and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan  made the call through a Jan. 27 blog post. The said entry also outlined the executive branchs plan to mitigate the risks that come with crypto.

While cryptocurrency might be relatively new, the behavior we have seen some crypto companies exhibit and the risks posed by this behavior are not, they stated. As an administration, our focus is on continuing to ensure that crypto cannot undermine financial stability, to protect investors and to hold bad actors accountable.

Some cryptocurrency entities ignore applicable financial regulations and basic risk controls  practices that protect the countrys households, businesses and the economy. In addition, crypto platforms and promoters often mislead consumers, have conflicts of interest, fail to make adequate disclosures or commit outright fraud.

The four officials outlined several examples of the dangers that come with crypto. They cited the May 2022 collapse of the TerraUSD stablecoin, and the later collapse of the crypto exchange FTX headed by Sam Bankman-Fried. Moreover, they also mentioned poor cybersecurity across the industry that allowed hackers hired by North Korea to steal $1.2 billion in digital assets to fund Pyongyangs aggressive missile program. (Related: Stablecoins Terra and Luna crater, exposing some cryptos as highly unstable Ponzi scams.)

Agencies are using their authorities to ramp up enforcement where appropriate and issue new guidance where needed. [They] have [also] launched  or are now developing public awareness programs to help consumers understand the risks of buying cryptocurrencies. We encourage regulators to continue these efforts, including those designed to address and limit financial institutions exposure to the risks of digital assets.

But according to macroeconomic strategist Jim Bianco, there is a risk that regulators may become co-opted by the same companies they are mandated to regulate  citing the example of the now-disgraced FTX founder.

A lot of people in the industry were very uncomfortable with [Bankman-Fried] because they didnt think he represented the best interests of the industry, he remarked. He was going to use his vision of regulation to build a moat around FTX.

White House officials also ask help from Congress

The four officials also exhorted Congress to pass new laws to help curb criminal activity in the crypto space, urging lawmakers to step up [their] efforts. It suggested several proposals, including:

Expanding regulators powers to prevent misuses of customers assets and mitigate conflicts of interest.

Strengthening transparency and disclosure requirements for crypto companies.

Increasing penalties for violating illicit finance rules.

Subjecting crypto intermediaries to bans against tipping off criminals.

Collaborating with international partners for greater law enforcement capacity.

They warned that the legislative branch could also make [their] jobs harder and worsen risks to investors and to the financial system.

Legislation should not greenlight mainstream institutions, like pension funds, to dive headlong into crypto markets. In the past year, traditional financial institutions limited exposure to crypto has prevented turmoil in crypto from infecting the broader financial system. It would be a grave mistake to enact legislation that reverses course and deepens the ties between cryptocurrencies and the broader financial system, they noted.

But Peter Schiff, CEO and chief economist at Puerto Rico-based Euro Pacific Asset Management, begged to differ.

We dont need more government regulation, he told the Epoch Times. We need more free market regulation and personal responsibility.

Listen to the Health Ranger Mike Adams discussing crypto leaders begging for regulation to clean up the massive fraud in the space.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Crypto Nostradamus John Perez: Cryptocurrency scam is THE SCAM of the century.

Crypto 9/11 is now under way a controlled demolition event to usher in HEAVY regulation.

Democrats SCRAMBLING to hide evidence linking them to former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried.

Video influencers heavily profited from FTX fraud, proving the crypto space has ZERO vetting, oversight.

Regulators threaten stablecoin actions if Congress fails to act, warning that stablecoin claims may not be backed up by actual deposits.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

WhiteHouse.gov

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Ben Armstrong of the New American magazine has blasted President Joe Biden for openly goading Russia into World War III by sending tanks and other higher-tier military equipment to Ukraine.

Armstrong opened the Jan. 27 episode of The Ben Armstrong Show by playing several clips showing Biden provoking Russia. One clip featuring InfoWars Alex Jones mentioned a headline from the New York Times stating how the Department of Defense will bolster production of Ukraine-bound artillery shells by 500 percent over the next few years.

The U.S. is depleting its military stockpiles by sending millions of shells to Ukraine, Jones said, pointing out how taxpayer money is being squandered on this effort.

Armstrong also played a clip of Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson. The news host tackled how Biden sent Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a huge present in the form of more than 30 M1 Abrams tanks during the Jan. 25 edition of Tucker Carlson Tonight. Incidentally, Zelensky was celebrating his birthday that day.

It is Zelenskys 45th birthday today and he is getting a huge present, said Carlson. Ukraine is about to receive more than 30 M1 Abrams tanks from the U.S. military. Thats a whole battalion of our most technologically advanced tanks we said we would never send.

In relation to the shipment of tanks, Biden remarked on Jan. 25: Im announcing that the U.S. will be sending 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, the equivalent of one Ukrainian battalion. [Defense] Secretary [Lloyd] Austin has recommended this step because it will enhance Ukraines capacity to defend its territory and achieve its strategic objectives.

Carlson further noted that Germany, Poland and the U.K. are also sending tanks to Ukraine. (Related: Biden promises to provide Ukraine with advanced air defense systems as Russia threatens more severe attacks.)

Globalists look forward to WWIII and resulting destruction

After playing the clips, Armstrong pointed out that Biden has triggered WWIII and the globalists are in favor of that scenario.

They are cheering this on because they want America to get blown up with nukes. Because if you blow up America with nukes, no ones left but the globalists to take control of the world and form a one world government, he said.

The journalist and podcast host also lamented how the Biden administration is attempting to deplete the military stockpile within two years. According to Armstrong, Washington is in a drunken state basking in a sea of money and power.

Its literally impossible to be this dumb. You have to be spiritually blind. But its more theyre drunk on money that you cannot satisfy yourself. It never ends; its never enough. These people are never going to be satisfied because money and power are all they crave.

Armstrong ultimately warned that a lot of major cities on the East Coast are going to be gone should the attack start, and that the U.S. would be unable to respond in time.

Were not going to respond, and [were] not going to launch. Were not going to know who hit us. Its going to be all at once, and [the] nuclear missiles that are [going to] hit are from the sea, Armstrong said.

Were not going to know if its North Korea, Iran, Russia or China. Possibly some other countries, but for sure Russia is going to lead the way.

Watch the full Jan. 27 episode of The Ben Armstrong Show below.

This video is from The New American channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Prather Point: Biden is turning Ukraine into an ENDLESS WAR for the benefit of war profiteers  Brighteon.TV.

The full $16Bn list of what Biden has sent Ukraine

Biden administration to spend BILLIONS for Ukraine, but only MILLIONS to boost food production in America.

Biden regime now drawing down Pentagon weapon stocks for Ukraine, putting American forces at risk.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

ZeroHedge.com

Express.co.uk
(Natural News) A shadowy propaganda unit of the British Army spied on people who were critical of the governments Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic lockdown policies.

The offending unit of the British Army is the 77th Brigades Counter Disinformation Unit, which specializes in psychological and information warfare.

According to the statement of a whistleblower who spoke with the Daily Mail, this unit compiled dossiers on prominent public figures who voiced their dissenting views on COVID-19 policies. Their dissenting views were then reported back to former Prime Minister Boris Johnsons government.

The information gathered during the illegal espionage operation was then used to craft the British governments responses to criticisms of different COVID-19 policies, including lockdown orders, and police being given the power to break up gatherings and issue fines for violating COVID-19 policies.

I entered this role believing I would be uncovering foreign information warfare, said the whistleblower. Instead, I found the banner of disinformation was a guise under which the British military was being deployed to monitor and flag our own concerned citizens.

The whistleblower further noted that there may have been actual social media campaigns from foreign governments like China to promote support for COVID-19 lockdown policies in places like the United Kingdom, but because most of the 77th Brigades efforts were focused on monitoring sentiment toward the success of the lockdown, the unit probably missed its chance to detect it.

I had the impression the government was more interested in protecting the success of their policies than uncovering foreign interference, and I regret that I was a part of it, he concluded. Frankly, the work I was doing should never have happened.

Outspoken critics targeted by British government

The British governments targets included journalists Peter Hitchens and Toby Young and Conservative Member of Parliament and former cabinet minister David Davis. These individuals figured prominently during the COVID-19 pandemic for their outspoken criticism of the governments policies online.

It is quite obvious that our activities resulted in the monitoring of the U.K. population  the social media posts of ordinary, scared people, said the whistleblower. [These] posts did not contain information that was untrue or coordinated  it was simply fear.

Davis, reacting to the revelation, called it outrageous that taxpayers money was wasted keeping an eye on people using their rights and questioning the British governments policies.

Hitchens responded by saying that the whistleblowers statement is just the tip of the iceberg of what government agencies were up to during the closedown of the country.

We know they were at one stage interested in what I was up to, but I suspect there was a lot more than this that we will never find, he added. To me, the most astonishing thing about the great COVID panic was how many attacks the state managed to make on basic freedoms without anyone much even caring.

Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch, the organization responsible for uncovering the 77th Brigades actions, noted that the government used the guise of countering misinformation as a plausible reason for the unit to conduct its political monitoring operations. She noted how this concept of so-called misinformation has been used as a means for the government to abuse its people and control narratives online.

Contrary to their stated aims, these government truth units are secretive and harmful to our democracy, she said.

Davis and Hitchens noted that now is the time for the people of Britain to come together and demand a full accounting from the British government of the 77th Brigades actions and to push back against any other attempts to expand the governments censorship and suppression apparatuses. Carlo went further and called for the 77th Brigades Counter Disinformation Unit to be suspended immediately.

Learn about more incidents of government espionage at SpyGateNews.com.

Watch this clip from InfoWars as host Harrison Smith discusses the intricate ties between spy agencies and Big Tech companies.

This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Twitter Files reveal that several mysterious federal agencies worked with platform to suppress content.

Age of surveillance: Authorities now have even more control over ordinary people.

BIG QUESTION: If lockdowns worked, why do we still need more lockdowns? Just another facet of the never-ending scamdemic.

Atlas of Surveillance database reveals THOUSANDS of law enforcement agencies unlawfully surveilling Americans.

Google sued for auto-installing COVID spyware on one million phones in Massachusetts.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

IndependentSentinel.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Following the Wests recent decision to send tanks to Ukraine for use against Russia, Army Lt. Col. Daniel L. Davis warned that the provocation, should it result in a NATO invocation of the mutual defense clause, will eventually result in nuclear war.

Davis, who spent more than two decades in active service, including deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, told the independent media that just because tanks are being sent does not mean that Ukraine actually knows how to use them.

From someone who has done combat operations in tank-on-tank fights; in operations patrolling the East-West border during the Cold War and its potential Soviet invasions; and was the second-in-command of an armored cavalry squadron for the First Armored Division in the mid 2000s in Germany; I can tell you that just having NATO tanks does not equal battlefield success, Davis told Breitbart News.

The problem is that what works on video games and on paper  you have to make it work on the ground. And very few people anywhere in the western media or anywhere in the other media, for that matter, understand how combat power is made.

Many Ukrainian soldiers have never been inside or even seen these kinds of tanks, let alone been trained in how to use them. Simply supplying the equipment is not enough to fight off Russia, especially since Ukraine has no experience in maneuver warfare, according to Davis.

They have lots of experience in trench-warfare, in static warfare, and in defensive warfare  theyve actually gotten very good at it and thats why its so hard and taking Russia so long to push Studenok, because theyre actually very good at defending.

If NATO and the West keep pushing to the limit, Russia will pull the nuclear option

Russia knows it cannot successfully defeat NATO and the West without deploying nuclear weapons, Davis warns. Conventionally speaking, Russia simply lacks the military capacity to get the job done  unless it pulls out the big guns.

There is zero chance  and I mean zero  not point anything, that Russia could ever militarily defeat NATO in a conventional sense, Davis said.

Its a physical impossibility. Theyre just struggling even now to defeat Ukrainians in part of the Donbas, their next-door neighbor, so they certainly couldnt take on a 30 member NATO military alliance; they know that.

So the only way they can defend against NATO, is through nuclear weapons, of course. So if we try to think were going to trigger Article 5 and not trigger nuclear war. I mean, were just insane and fooling ourselves.

The United States is doing all the wrong things right now if it wants to avert a nuclear escalation. Flooding Ukraine with tanks and other heavy military equipment with no actual plans at the ready for how to use any of it is a recipe for failure.

We dont even know what we want to do, Davis says about the end goals of the U.S. in this skirmish.

Imagine if youre throwing all of this military equipment out there and you dont even know what you want to accomplish  how are you going to know if this is successful? How can President Biden or anybody in the Pentagon tell the American people whether its worth it to send this equipment or whether its not? Whether its making a difference or not? Theres no criteria!

It is important to remember that Russia currently holds the largest nuclear stockpile in the world  and if pushed to the limit, Russia will not hold back in launching nukes.

More related news coverage can be found at WWIII.news.

Sources for this article include:

Breitbart.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Dr. Kevin Stillwagon joined the Jan. 25 edition of Merritt Medical Hour on Brighteon.TV to tackle the problems faced by American pilots injured by the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines.

Late last year, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) made changes in the passing score for the once-revered flight physical. Program host Dr. Lee Merritt said the FAAs action violated the military manual for flight surgeons.

According to Stillwagon, a pilot must go through a physical exam twice a year in order to be a captain or first officer. One of the requirements in this physical exam is an electrocardiogram (ECG) test. He noted that a resting ECG test wont show a problem, so a pilot should undergo a stress ECG test.

In the October 2022 version of the FAA Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners, the FAA widened the EKG parameters beyond the normal range  from a PR max of 0.2 to unlimited. In other words, the aviation authorities didnt widen the range by a little. They widened it by a lot.

Stillwagon, a former airline captain himself, remarked that airlines want to ensure that potential pilots are truly healthy before hiring them. Thus, airline companies also conduct other tests and look at a pilots family history before making the offer.

This why the FAAs move is seen by critics as an admission that many airline pilots developed heart conditions after getting vaccinated against COVID-19. It is possible that the industry is now running out of healthy pilots, so the FAA needs to lower its standards in flight physical.

Meanwhile, Merritt remarked that the sudden death of a pilot in the cockpit is a stressful and horrible scenario for an experienced co-pilot. She recounted an instance during her flight to Florida where she saw a third pilot in uniform  aside from the captain and co-pilot  believed to be a backup officer in case either of the two die in mid-air.

Stillwagon emphasized the need for at least one unvaccinated pilot in the cockpit, but he said this may not be possible anymore as the authorities coerced pilots into getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

They were telling them that this was the safe and right thing to do and that it was going to protect them, the passengers and co-workers, he told Merritt. We all know that was an absolute lie, and they knew that right from the start.

Stillwagon: COVID-19 shot injuring cardiovascular systems

According to Stillwagon, the COVID-19 vaccine is injuring the cardiovascular systems of pilots either through micro-clotting in their blood vessels or cardiac inflammation affecting their hearts. (Related: As many as 30% of US pilots may have COVID-19 vaccine-induced heart conditions.)

He explained that micro-clotting affects the vessels by clogging the coronary arteries. This leads to angina pain that radiates up into the arm and jaw. Moreover, he mentioned that myocarditis has caused pilots to lose their certifications to fly aircraft.

Healthline defines myocarditis as the inflammation of the heart muscle or myocardium. It adds: When the myocardium becomes inflamed, its ability to pump blood becomes less effective. This causes problems like an abnormal heartbeat, chest pain, and trouble breathing.

Merritts guest called for the need to make pilots undergo the D-dimer test to show possible evidence of blood clotting. He also called for a troponin level test to determine any signs of myocarditis.

If your troponin levels are elevated, there is evidence that youve got damage to the heart muscle, Stillwagon told Merritt. That wont necessarily ground a pilot either, but it will induce that pilot to search further to find out whats going on.

A definitive diagnosis of myocarditis is going to ground a pilot and the pilot wont be issued a flight certificate even to fly a small aircraft, he added.

Watch the the Jan. 25 episode of Merritt Medical Hour below. Catch Merritt Medical Hour every Wednesday at 7-8 p.m. and Saturday at 2-3 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.

More related stories:

Pilots fear for safety of passengers as airlines continue to impose COVID-19 vaccine mandate  Brighteon.TV.

Cardiologist says 30 percent of vaccinated pilots would fail health screenings due to vaccine injuries.

COVID-jabbed pilots are suffering cardiac arrest, but the media remains silent to avoid creating vaccine hesitancy.

FAA admits pilot EKGs are no longer normal in the era of mandatory covid vaccines.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

Healthline.com
(Natural News) A study that focused on dementia induced by Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) infection was found to be flawed as one of its authors deliberately omitted the vaccination status of participants.

Professor Norman Fenton of Queen Mary University of London learned of the study published March 7, 2022 in Open Forum Infectious Diseases through a Twitter user.

Approximately three percent of patients with pneumonia associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection developed new-onset dementia, which was significantly higher than the rate seen with other pneumonias, the study authors concluded. The findings suggest a role for screening for cognitive deficits among survivors of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The said Twitter user cited a tweet by German physician Dr. Andreas Knopke that COVID-induced dementia affected between 50,000 to 100,ooo pneumonia patients in the country. He remarked: Apparently, others in Germany have gone further and concluded that the vaccines must therefore be saving hundreds of thousands from dementia.

But upon further scrutiny, Fenton discovered that the study was indeed flawed as the raw data did not undergo an independent review. Moreover, he pointed out that the study authors seemed to have considered all kinds of demographic and physiological factors of the study participants  save for their COVID-19 vaccination status. Fenton described this as quite an omission given that the study was done after the initial vaccine rollout. (Related: Covid vaccines confirmed to cause Parkinsons dementia symptoms.)

It uses the strange case-control method, whereby you focus on a set of cases being people who have a positive PCR test and then find a set of matching control patients who did not test positive, he said. Even though this strange method has been increasingly used in COVID observational studies, I believe the results of such studies are unreliable.

Studys lead researcher an AstraZeneca consultant

Worse, the lead researcher in the 2022 study  neurologist Dr. Adnan I. Qureshi  is a consultant for pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. The firm developed a COVID-19 vaccine that used an adenoviral vector to deliver the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

On Jan. 20, the professor took the liberty of emailing Qureshi about the omission of the participants vaccination status in his study. He asked three main questions to the study author:

Was COVID vaccination status data ever part of the study and if not, why not?

If COVID vaccination status data was part of the study, then why was it excluded from the reporting and results?

Is there any plan to follow up with results that include the COVID vaccination status?

Fenton also noted in his email: I note that you have received consultation fees from AstraZeneca who, I would have thought, would have been especially interested in knowing the extent to which the vaccine impacts the overall results.

The professor is yet to receive Qureshis reply. Nevertheless, he assured that he will post answers, clarifications and/or corrections if in case he may have interpreted the studys data erroneously.

Head over to ScienceFraud.news for more about flawed COVID-19 studies.

Watch this video that discusses how vaccine-induced brain fog mirrors the symptoms of dementia.

This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Woman injured by Pfizer COVID-19 shot feels damaged for life.

COVID-19 vaccines are causing blood clots, confirms veteran embalmer Richard Hirschman.

CDC study: COVID-19 mRNA shots increase risk of myocarditis by 13,200%.

Getting COVID-19 vaccines is a risk potential recruits are not willing to take, says ex-serviceman.

Study: COVID vaccination causes vaccine-associated enhanced disease in children.

Sources include:

Expose-News.com

Academic.OUP.com

WhereAreTheNumbers.Substack.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) A top Air Force general issued a shocking gut feeling warning to those in his chain of command last week warning them to get read for a major conflict with China in two years.

Gen. Mike Minihan, head of Air Mobility Command, said in a memo obtained by NBC News, I hope I am wrong. My gut tells me will fight in 2025.

The news outlet reported further:

Air Mobility Command has nearly 50,000 service members and nearly 500 planes and is responsible for transport and refueling.

Minihan said in the memo that because both Taiwan and the U.S. will have presidential elections in 2024, the U.S. will be distracted, and Chinese President Xi Jinping will have an opportunity to move on Taiwan.

In the memo, the Air Mobility commander explained his objectives for preparing, which include building a fortified, ready, integrated, and agile Joint Force Maneuver Team ready to fight and win inside the first island chain.

The signed memo was sent to all air wing commanders within the command and other operational commanders throughout the Air Force. It orders them to report to him all significant efforts to prepare for fighting China by Feb. 28.

During the next month, the memo directs all AMC personnel to fire a clip into a 7-meter target with the full understanding that unrepentant lethality matters most, adding, Aim for the head. In addition, he ordered all of his personnel to update medical and other records as well as emergency contacts.

In March, he ordered all personnel to consider their personal affairs and whether a visit should be scheduled with their servicing base legal office to ensure they are legally ready and prepared.

Furthermore, he advises AMC personnel to take on some risks in training.

Run deliberately, not recklessly, he writes, though later in the memo, he added: If you are comfortable in your approach to training, then you are not taking enough risk.

NBC News added: He also provides a window into one capability the U.S. is considering for possible conflict with China  commercial drone swarms. He directs the KC-135 units to prepare for delivering 100 off-the-shelf size and type UAVs from a single aircraft.

On Friday, a spokesperson for the command confirmed the authenticity of the memo.

This is an authentic internal memo from General Minihan addressed to his subordinate command teams. His order builds on last years foundational efforts by Air Mobility Command to ready the Mobility Air Forces for future conflict, should deterrence fail, the spokesperson said, according to NBC News.

And Defense Department press secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder added in a statement: The National Defense Strategy makes clear that China is the pacing challenge for the Department of Defense and our focus remains on working alongside allies and partners to preserve a peaceful, free and open Indo-Pacific.

In March 2021, Adm. Philip Davidson, then commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, told a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing that China has designs on Taiwan and plans to take over the island democracy by force if diplomacy fails.

I think the threat is manifest during this decade, in fact, in the next six years, said Davidson.

Meanwhile, former lawmaker, CIA director, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo echoed Minihans statement in an interview with Breitbart News.

The Chinese Communist Party has franklybeen at war, at the very least economic war, with the United States for 40 years, and we just turn the other cheek and let them run over us and build their economy on the backs of the American worker. And so Im glad to see this, Pompeo said of the memo.

He added: Yes, our military should get ready. I dont know if 2024, 2025 is the moment, but we should be doing the hard work, getting our military space systems, our cyber systems, all of those lined up, and then working our tails off to continue to build on what I write about in [his book] Never Give an Inch; India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, our partners in the region the Philippines we should be working with them to deliver against the Chinese Communist Party a capacity to deter them from doing precisely what [Minihan] writes about.

On Sunday, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said of Minihans prediction during a Fox News interview: I hope hes wrong, as well. I think hes right, though, unfortunately.

WATCH: House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman @RepMcCaul joined @ShannonBream on #FoxNewsSunday to discuss Chinas looming threat, the U.S. sending tanks to Ukraine, our military readiness and more. pic.twitter.com/aDBuT4eKvc  Fox News Sunday (@FoxNewsSunday) January 29, 2023

Sources include:

Breitbart.com

NBCNews.com
(Natural News) A vast industry of fact checkers and experts on misinformation is being funded by a familiar figure  George Soros. This industry is actually promoting suppression of anything against the Left.

According to the New York Post, an investigation of several fact-checking groups revealed that their funding came from the Hungarian-born American billionaire. The said groups were bent on silencing and shaming conservative voices online so that the leftist narrative can remain unchecked.

Back in late 2022, the Soros-funded Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and 11 other leftist groups urged Big Tech CEOs to take immediate action against disinformation to help prevent the undermining of democracy. Of the 11 other signatories, eight were financed by Soros  having received a combined $30.3 million from the globalist billionaire in just a span of four years. (Related: Report: George Soros funds global fact checking empire.)

Soros has been successful in employing fact-checkers both in America and in Europe. Just like their American counterparts, European fact-checkers are mostly critical of the political right.

Leading fact-checking organizations such as PolitiFact, Snopes and others have faced accusations of left-wing political bias, accusations several studies over the years have verified. One such paper scrutinizing PolitiFact found that it is six times more likely to defend President Joe Biden in its fact-checks than verify his statements.

The Poynter Institute, PolitiFacts parent, receives funding from several entities including the Soros-financed Tides Foundation and Tides Center. It also receives money from John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Ford Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Another Poynter Institute Project, the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), had been bankrolled by Soros Open Society Foundations when it began in 2015. Other backers for the IFCN included the Omidyar Network and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The IFCN was originally funded by the National Endowment for Democracy in its initial days.

The IFCN serves as the high body for the large number of fact-checking organizations under its direction, which unite under a shared code of principles, and a mission to bring together the growing community of fact-checkers around the world and advocates of factual information in the global fight against misinformation.

The Associated Press and the Washington Post are just some of the mainstream media outlets relying on the IFCN for fact-checks.

Big Tech firms are employing fact checkers

The globalist Soros is aware of how the Left has adopted disinformation as its newest strategy to address threats to the narrative. Thus, his funding of fact checkers has served to bolster this crucial element of censorship. Even Big Tech firms have followed his footsteps.

California-based Facebook, for example, notoriously employs fact checkers to avoid responsibility for censorship. The social media platform has acknowledged in court that fact checks, despite their pretext of impartiality and objectivity, are just viewpoints.

The problem, however, is that these fact checks are anything but impartial.

Facebook proceeded to censor content about the controversial laptop from hell once owned by Hunter Biden, given that intelligence officials stated the possibility of it being Russian disinformation. Alongside other Big Tech firms, it also censored articles positing the possibility of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) coming from a laboratory. The platform established by Mark Zuckerberg also put warning labels on content questioning the effects of climate change even though they are supported by data.

Facebook is not the only platform influenced by Soros efforts to combat so-called disinformation.

Last year, the billionaire partnered with LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, himself a leftist. The two agreed to financially back a project against disinformation called Good Information Inc., a name that may have been taken straight from British author George Orwell.

Follow Soros.news for more news about George Soros.

Watch this video explaining how George Soros spent $18 billion to support Americas destruction.

This video is from the Puretrauma357 channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Leftist group funded by George Soros submits letter to Biden regime calling for killing Republicans.

ProPublica is a George Soros funded journo-terrorism organization that targets logic and reason for destruction and censorship.

Soros-linked fact checker scheme to be implemented at Google and YouTube to suppress truth and catapult official LIES.

George Soros: The money behind leftist media & censorship (CensorTrack with Paiten).

Bill Gates, George Soros team up to create Orwellian nightmare organization focused on policing disinformation.

Sources include:

Breitbart.com

NYPost.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) A new report from Big Brother Watch details how the British government hired contractors to spy on high-profile journalists and politicians to ensure they followed the script of the official covid narrative.

Entitled Ministry of Truth: The secretive government units spying on your speech, the report explains at length how these hired contractors were tasked with flagging suspicious tweets for potential recategorization as misinformation if they contained anything that the government deemed as false.

Those who tweeted offending tweets were then punished in accordance with Big Techs covid misinformation and disinformation policies, which in some cases resulted in a ban.

According to the report, there was a special government list of offending tweets and associated accounts that Big Brother used to go after prominent targets such as MP David Davis and journalist Julia Hartley-Brewer, both of whom criticized the governments covid monitoring apparatus.

Three Tory MPs were targeted for joining Parler, a free speech alternative platform to Twitter. Silkie Carlo and Mark Johnson of Big Brother Watch, along with Adam Brooks, a pub landlord and political commentator, were also targeted for criticizing so-called vaccine passports.

(Related: Parler was removed from Apples App Store for allowing too much free speech, and was only allowed to return after surrendering to the left-wing speech police.)

The UK government also considered flagging Toby Young posts to Twitter while Peter Hitchens and Daily Mail journalist Ross Clark were targeted for criticizing lockdowns, just as Keir Starmer, Andy Burnham, MP Chris Green were targeted for criticizing tiered regulations and local lockdowns, reported Reclaim the Net. Starmer is the leader of the Labour Party and Andy Burnham is the Mayor of Manchester.

The U.S. government is spying on and punishing misinformation spreaders, too

Mind you, what was happening in the UK as far as censorship goes was far more limited than what was happening, and continues to happen, here in the United States.

Over there, potential opinion-makers were the primary targets of the governments spying and surveillance operation. Here in the States, anyone who tries to tell the truth online faces potential punishment by Big Tech and the government.

We now know that in the UK, a military division called the 77th Brigade was brought in to help with that countrys information warfare operations. It was a whistleblower from the 77th Brigade who came forward to spill the beans that let us all know about his groups involvement.

That whistleblower lift[ed] the lid on the sentiment analysis the 77th Brigade conducted, looking at how people viewed the governments handling of the pandemic.

Through a number of Freedom of Information requests, Big Brother Watch also determined that the following were also involved in Great Britains censorship operations: the Counter Disinformation Unit (covering government response from the Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport, as well as the Rapid Response Unit in the Cabinet Office) and the Foreign Offices Government Information Cell, and the Research, Intelligence and Communications Unit in the Home Office.

This is an alarming case of mission creep, where public money and even military power have been misused to monitor academics, journalists, campaigners and members of parliament who criticized the government, particularly during the pandemic, commented Big Brother Watch Director Silkie Carlo.

As we also reported, Twitter hired its own army of FBI agents to help with these surveillance operations both domestically and abroad.

Twitter is just another arm of government newspeak, wrote a commenter here at Natural News about the deceptive nature of this social media platform. Censor any opposition to the party line.

The latest censorship-related news can be found at Censorship.news.

Sources for this article include:

ReclaimTheNet.org

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia has dismissed a Chapter 11 petition filed by a recently created subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson (J&J) called LTL Management, which would have allowed the pharmaceutical giant to avoid having to pay out billions in trial awards for its cancer-causing talc baby powder.

J&J created LTL Management back in October to address the more than 38,000 talc baby powder lawsuits that resulted in $3.5 billion in verdicts and settlements, including one case in which 22 women were awarded a judgment of over $2 billion.

What would have happened, had the Third Circuit Court not struck down this little scheme, is that J&J would have shifted all liability for these verdicts and settlements onto LTL Management, which is just a shell holding company where all that liability would have gone to die.

Applied here, while LTL faces substantial future talc liability, its funding backstop plainly mitigates any financial distress foreseen on its petition date, a three-judge panel wrote, further noting that good intentions such as protecting the J&J brand or comprehensively resolve litigation  do not suffice alone.

(Related: Last spring, J&J decided to stop selling personal care products in Russia after Vladmir Putin decided to launch a special operation in Ukraine.)

J&J trying to pervert the bankruptcy system, says lawyer representing mesothelioma victims

J&J spokesperson Allison Fennell announced that the company plans to appeal this decision, adding that the talc products in question are safe and do not cause cancer as the lawsuits in question determined.

As we have said from the beginning of this process, resolving this matter as quickly and efficiently as possible is in the best interests of claimants and all stakeholders, Fennell told the media.

We continue to stand behind the safety of Johnsons Baby Powder, which is safe, does not contain asbestos, and does not cause cancer.

J&J previously lost a bid to dispose of all the talc litigation with an appeal. After that failed, the company shifted to creating this LTL Management subsidiary, which it hoped would absorb all that litigation to protect the company against having to pay out billions in verdicts and settlements.

The plaintiffs in all these cases against J&J celebrated the Third Circuit Courts ruling, stating that the decision is a point-by-point rejection of J&Js attempt to pervert the bankruptcy system and trample the constitutional right to a jury trial of all Americans harmed by deadly products, announced Jon Ruckdeschel, a lawyer representing numerous victims of mesothelioma.

Bankruptcy courts are for honest companies in financial distress, not billionaire mega-corporations like J&J, 3M, and Koch Industries that seek to close courthouse doors to their victims.

The bankruptcy court relied on unsupported speculation and improper evidence, wrote attorneys representing some 7,000 talc personal injury claimants last fall, adding that the bankruptcy court also used unfounded estimates.

J&J will now have to appeal this latest decision with the U.S. Supreme Court, this being the only prospect left, according to legal scholar Carl Tobias, which grants review in a miniscule percentage of appeals.

In other words, J&J has pretty much run out of options and will have to pay up for all those verdicts and settlements. There is more than likely no way for the company to slither out of having to make things right for the tens of thousands of victims damaged by its talc baby powder.

Since the rulings on these lawsuits, J&J has stopped selling all talc baby powder products both in the United States and Canada. All remaining sales of the product elsewhere in the world will cease in 2023.

More related news about corporate fraud can be found at Corruption.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheEpochTimes.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) This months violence in Atlanta, a reported night of rage, is the latest proof that Antifa is real.

(Article by Dr. Zachary Marschall republished from HumanEvents.com)

But dont tell liberals that. They consider themselves too smart to believe that Antifa exists  almost how atheists think themselves too clever to believe in God.

There are many smart people on the left, but the so-called educated liberals who populate and consume mainstream media are not as smart as they think, because they never think to consider they might be wrong.

A small group of thugs destroyed property in downtown Atlanta on January 21 in an anti-police protest. Atlanta police are now charging six people with committing domestic terrorism by smashing windows and arson, echoing the Atlanta mayors outrage and characterization of the violence.

The National Review, Daily Mail, and Fox News are reporting that the charged individuals are members of Antifa. But MSNBC is going out of its way not to cover the violence, and CNN is dancing around who is responsible and the scope of the destruction.

Denying that property destruction counts as violence, freelance writer David Peisner, whose work has appeared in illustrious publications such as Playboy and TV Guide, argued last week on CNN that property destruction is a real blurring of the lines in the use of the word violence.

In addition to smashing up businesses, cars & the ATL Police Foundation, far-left extremists came with arson supplies to set an @Atlanta_Police vehicle on fire. The riot was organized as revenge for their gunman dying in a shootout at the autonomous zone. pic.twitter.com/NGcqZmKO9t  Andy Ngo ???? (@MrAndyNgo) January 22, 2023

CNNs online coverage continues to push the narrative that these protests were mostly peaceful, as if the country still buys that delusional line.

Liberals wont listen to things they dont want to be true. Instead, they construct fanciful and overly complicated explanations that they pass off as sophisticated musings.

In a 2020 debate with Donald Trump, then-presidential candidate Joe Biden argued that Antifa is an idea not an organization.

In 2021, MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle argued more laboriously, Antifa is this sort of abstract boogeyman word that we keep hearing on the other side. During the interview with Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC), Ruhle then used January 6, 2021 to suggest that political violence only comes from the right.

We all saw it, Ruhle said of January 6, 2021, devoid of context or logic.

These prominent liberal figures have one thing in common. They believe that because they cannot see Antifa the same way they can see groups like the KKK or the Proud Boys, it must not exist; it must be a phantom of the rights malicious imagination.

In that respect, Antifa-denying liberals are as illogical as atheists. Many atheists do not believe God exists because they do not see proof of his presence. But faith in God is, by definition, belief in what cannot be seen.

Copious amounts of research and reporting on Antifa have been published. If more liberals had the capacity to listen to or read what they do not want to acknowledge, they would understand that Antifas organizational structure explains its evasive character.

In 2018, the Congressional Research Service published a two-page explainer on Antifas history and organization.

The U.S. antifa movement appears to be decentralized, consisting of independent, radical, like-minded groups and individuals, the report states. [T]he movement lacks a unifying organizational structure or detailed ideology.

Antifa is essentially anarchistic. Its organization is based on a loose network of decentralized clusters that have coordinating and organizing abilities, but without a visible top-down chain of command. That nonhierarchical structure makes its operations harder to perceive from the 30,000-foot view that mainstream media takes to observe and then superficially explain social phenomena.

The report also demonstrates that CNNs coverage of the violence aligns with Antifas patterns of behaviors.

The report states, When they harm property or brawl with opponents, antifa members tend to rationalize such crimes either as defensive reactions to the aggressions of their foes or as part of their own need to defend society from fascism. In some instances, antifa followers show up at protests prepared for physical skirmishes, carrying weapons as well as gear such as shields and helmets.

That summary aligns perfectly with CNNs account of January 21.

The protesters marched in a peaceful manner down a central Atlanta street, but a group within the crowd later began committing illegal acts, including breaking windows and attacking police cruisers, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said in a news conference, CNNs coverage states.

Antifas patterns of behaviors are well-documented, and there is consensus in the media about how the violence broke out. So, there is no excuse for mainstream media journalists not to investigate and report on the extent of Antifas involvement on this night.

Nicole Armbruster, a self-identified Antifa member who was charged in 2020 for physically pushing Human Events own Jack Posobiec, explains in a 2021 Reuters interview that she has a litany of arrests in cities where her clandestine group has staged demonstrations and protests.

We are prepared to put our bodies on the line in the event of police or fascist or racist violence, Armbruster told Reuters.

The recent protests in Atlanta were in reaction to Cop City, the epithet for a large police training complex the city is trying to build.

Instead, liberals want to talk about abstractions and the meaning of the word violence, as if they havent already gone along with the woke anti-racism arguments that silence, complicity, and words are all violence.

Liberals want sophisticated and nuanced conversations about these things. But they never want the truth.

The truth is that former Democratic Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms supported the project during her time in office and the current Democratic mayor, Andre Dickens, condemned the violence as domestic terrorism while reminding the public that the perpetrators traveled from outside the city to have their night of rage.

The people who were charged with domestic terrorism are far left of these two mayors, and their journey to the city is in line with how Antifa moves across the country to incite often-violent demonstrations, as Armbruster recounts.

But mainstream media liberals do not want to hear it. They want explanations and arguments that arrive at anything else than what actually is.

Thats because confronting reality means these media liberals would have to admit  at least some of the time  that they are wrong. Being wrong is not the mainstream medias truth, so it cannot be the truth in their columns or nightly broadcasts.

Evidently, more cities will have to burn before the liberal elite will see Antifa for what it is and what it does.

Read more at: HumanEvents.com
(Natural News) For some reason, the amateurs who are running Joe Bidens regime want to pick a fight with the worlds biggest nuclear-armed power, as evidenced by the latest weapon system being considered for Ukraine.

Despite nuclear saber-rattling by Russian officials, some within the Pentagon want Biden to sign off on sending Ukraine F-16 fighters in a new escalation of the war there following Moscows invasion nearly a year ago, according to the UKs Daily Mail.

Biden has not signed off on this yet, but the fact that the Pentagon is openly advocating for it means that Biden is coming under increasing internal pressure to ramp up U.S. aid to Kyiv in the face of an almost certain Russian response should the planes be delivered.

The discussion on whether to send F-16s has been ongoing for weeks if not months, the report noted, with the White House taking its time to decide on the best course of action. But to that end, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been lobbying hard for the fourth-generation fighter jets that have a top speed of 1,200 miles per hour.

Deputy national security adviser Jonathan J. Finer said that while there hasnt been a decision made, the possibility that Ukraine could get the aircraft hasnt been officially taken off the table. Also, he said that top Pentagon military leaders are keen on the idea.

We have not ruled in or out any specific systems, Finer said, according to The Telegraph.

A senior U.S. defense official added: I dont think we are opposed.

The Daily Mail added:

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Zelensky, said on Saturday that Ukrainian officials are focused on fast track discussions about military weapons, such as war planes.

We must show the real picture of this war [and how] this will reduce security threats to the European continent, Podolyak said about western allies, according to the news outlet.

Zelensky is preparing for the US to give in to another one of his requests as experienced pilots have already been identified to fly the fighter jets, Politico reported.

The fighters would give Zelenskyy a huge boost in defense of his country. The F-16 can fly 500 miles, detect low flying aircraft even radar ground clutter, and deliver weapons on target in all weather conditions.

Ukraines Air Force has their own fleet of aging Soviet-era fighter jets that came off the assembly line before Kyiv even declared independence more than 31 years ago. The warplanes are used for intercept missions and to attack Russian positions, the Daily Mail reported.

Meanwhile, Dmitri Medvedev, a former Russian prime minister and president who essentially played musical chairs with Vladimir Putin with both offices for years, has issued what many believe is a direct threat of nuclear escalation should World War III break out.

Currently serving as Security Council Deputy Chairman, Medvedev ripped Western officials who say their countries are arming Ukraine following Russias invasion nearly a year ago in order to prevent it from escalating.

Firstly, defending Ukraine, which nobody needs in Europe, will not save the senile Old World from retribution if anything occurs. Secondly, once the Third World War breaks out, unfortunately it will not be on tanks or even on fighter jets. Then everything will definitely be turned to dust, he wrote on his Telegram channel on Saturday, according to Russian news agency Tass.

The report added:

In this post, Medvedev commented, in particular, on Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosettos remarks that the Third World War would erupt if Russian tanks reached Kyiv and the borders of Europe and that the weapons sent to Ukraine were meant to stop the escalation. Medvedev equated his remarks to the calls from the United Kingdom to provide Kyiv with all the weapons NATO has.

Sources include:

NaturalNews.com

DailyMail.co.uk
30 people formed a human chain to assist a stranded dolphin to swim out of a canal in Florida and into Tampa Bay.

The 30 people were a group of biologists and volunteers who worked together to block the dolphin's passage further up the waterway.

Through their efforts, the dolphin was able to escape the canal and head into Tampa Bay, saving it from a future in which it would lose the ability to survive on its own and eventually become an aquarium resident.

Stranded Dolphin

A dolphin was spotted loitering in a canal in Clearwater, Florida, according to a call received by Brittany Baldrica, a Clearwater Marine Aquarium senior rescue biologist. After four days, it had not moved past a brief section of the man-made waterway, and the caller was worried it was hurt or lost.

It is prohibited to feed or disturb marine mammals like manatees, dolphins, or whales under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. However, Baldrica had just successfully treated a dolphin named Izzy who was stranded and had been fed by people after spending so much time in a canal as a result of a boat strike that she had lost her ability to hunt.

She revealed to a nearby Fox affiliate that they kept an eye on the stranded dolphin for 18 days after the call.

Baldrica stated that The dolphin was acting normally when it was discovered, and after talking to nearby residents, they discovered that it had been in the same area for at least four days. The group was worried that he had wandered off from the other animals.

Baldrica eventually concluded that she had to step in. She gathered 28 biologists and volunteers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, and the Clearwater Aquarium last Wednesday so they could enter the canal and create a "wall of sound" to entice the dolphin to swim through a small culvert and out toward Tampa Bay.

Human Chain

Baldrica explained that the intention was to keep my hands off the animal while also providing it with a novel barrier. So they had someone behind them banging on a boat, revving the engine, splashing water, and then they were moving forward towards the animal to create a physical barrier as well as an auditory barrier, allowing the animal to swim through the bridge on its own.

The locals who cooperated with CMA to keep the animal safe from harm and allowed access to their property while they watched over and saved it are to be thanked, The Good News Network reports

Also Read: Bottlenose Dolphins Migrate to Bay Area for First Time as Water Temperatures Rise in North, Central California

Izzy the Dolphin from Texas

Before this rescue, Baldrica rescued another dolphin named Izzy.

Izzy stayed in one place for a long time. As soon as people discovered she was there, she had to deal with numerous harassment issues.

Baldrica explained that they were worried about the possibility of harassment due to the proximity of a residence and the small area where it was located.

After her health had been deteriorating for a few years as a result of human interaction, Izzy the dolphin was rescued from Texas by NOAA and its allies in June and now lives at the Aquarium.

The staff was worried that Izzy, a dolphin who had been hit by boats and depended so heavily on the public for food, might suffer an adverse outcome so she intervened when she found out that a stranded dolphin was found in a canal in Florida, FOX13 reports.

Related Article: Noise Pollution From Shipping Makes Dolphins Whistle Louder But Less Effectively, Research Reveals
On Tuesday, Winter Storm Mara coated interstates in ice and caused numerous traffic accidents across several states.

The weather has been blamed for at least three deaths in Texas.

According to the state Department of Public Safety, the latest victim was a woman who died due to an icy road in Eldorado, Texas, as per The Weather Channel.

A man also died after his car flew off a slick overpass in Arlington on Monday night, and another was killed in a 10-car pileup in Austin on Tuesday morning.

According to Marc Williams, director of the Texas Department of Transportation, the current weather has made driving conditions extremely dangerous throughout the state.

Several locations, including Dallas metroplex and more rural areas, have experienced crashes, according to Williams.

An injured state trooper who was looking into a crash was taken to the hospital.

Conditions are anticipated to get worse.

Since midnight, Austin police had already helped with more than 90 traffic crashes, three of which implicated their own units.

Near Jeanette, Arkansas, there is a 15-mile-long line of backed-up vehicles on Interstate 40, and motorists are being urged to avoid the area.

Among Forrest City, Arkansas, and Memphis, the Arkansas Department of Transportation advised motorists to avoid using I-40 westbound.

According to WREG-TV, 12 cars collided with one another on an icy Memphis street this morning.

The incident took place on Third Street, which is close to Interstate 55.

The station was informed by a driver that the road was very icy and that vehicles were swerving all over the place.

Also Read: Latest Weather Forecast: Dangerous, Severe Weather Conditions to Unleash in Southern U.S This Week, Forecast Warns

People receive weather alert for ice storm

The majority of the storm hit Texas, Arkansas, and Tennessee on Tuesday afternoon, but also more than 30 million people from New Mexico to West Virginia are receiving some kind of winter weather alert through Wednesday, as per CNN.

Particularly, on Tuesday evening, an ice storm warning, which indicated that ice accumulations of much more than a quarter inch were anticipated, covered parts of northern Texas, much of Arkansas, northwest Mississippi, and western Tennessee.

Several school districts in western Tennessee and northwest Mississippi announced they would be closed on Wednesday.

Memphis Shelby County Schools added that all before- and after-school activities had been canceled.

The Parkland Health system in Dallas made the announcement that all clinics would be closed through Wednesday due to the deteriorating weather.

Forecasters predict up to half an inch of ice accumulation in parts of Arkansas, foreshadowing travel delays and power outages.

The ice storm warning was extended through Thursday at noon, according to the Little Rock weather service, and more freezing rain is expected Wednesday.

Anticipation of Ice storm

What to anticipate from Tuesday night into Wednesday. Tuesday evening, there will be significant freezing rain in some areas of Arkansas, western and central Tennessee, and northwest Mississippi.

By early Wednesday morning, it is anticipated that it will be less severe.

The worst of this storm is anticipated to hit early on Wednesday morning, according to forecasters in Austin and the San Antonio region.

Most areas in the region are predicted to experience temperatures that are near or below freezing.

By Thursday, it is anticipated that the effects of the winter storm will have subsided and temperatures will start to rise.

Related Article: Gusty Thunderstorms, Another Storm to Hit Southern California
Singaporeans experience a brief period of coolness at the beginning of every year, which refers to it as winter in hot and humid Singapore.

However, this year in particular was extremely cold, with lows of just 22 degrees Celsius.

Freezing temperature in Singapore

Due to a monsoon surge brought in by strong winds and rain clouds over South China Sea, the Meteorological Service Singapore, otherwise known as the weather people, has predicted cool temperatures and rain for the entire month of January, as per Coconuts.

The lowest temperature of 22.3 degrees Celsius was recorded at Newton and Jurong West during the past month's daily gloomy rainy weather.

This is cooler than the 22.8 degrees Celsius recorded in January of last year.

The constant downpour of rain caused canals at Bedok Reservoir and hiking trails in Bukit Timah to flood.

Just 29 degrees Celsius will be reached today's high and only 23 degrees Celsius will be reached today's low.

Additionally, the city-state continues to experience heavy rain.

Adaptation is proving difficult for some Singaporeans as the weather gets colder.

A select few attempted to pull off their bulkier attire by taking cool literally. To stay warm, they even pulled out puffer jackets, leather coats, scarves, and furs.

Also Read: Spread of Dengue Caused by Climate Change: Singapore Warns the World

Weather keeps away customer to restaurants

While some may view Singapore's typically sunny weather as a welcome change, businesses that depend on good weather have been negatively impacted by the rain, as per Channel News Asia.

The effects of the rainy weather are also being felt by other eateries that rely in part on outdoor dining, such as those in Alkaff Mansion, which is tucked away in Telok Blangah Hill Park, where walk-in business has decreased extreme cold due to Polar vortex.

Cold weather in Asia is caused by the Polar Vortex

According to scientists, the so-called polar vortex, which last month brought unusually cold weather to the United States, is largely to blame for Asia's extreme cold, as per The Straits Time.

The phrase describes a large area of chilly air that typically circles the Arctic but sporadically moves south from the North Pole.

The Earth's rotation and the temperature changes between the Arctic and midlatitudes keep the polar vortex in place.

The polar vortex may shift south as those temperature variations increase.

This occurs naturally, but experts believed that as the planet warms, polar vortex shifts will likely become more frequent and noticeable.

It is unclear to scientists whether climate change is having any impact on the process or whether there will be more extreme freezes as global warming progresses.

According to meteorologist Woo Jin-kyu of the Korea Meteorological Administration, the polar vortex moved slowly eastward this month, bringing arctic air to Central Asia.

A change in the jet stream, which is a ring of powerful wind that blows from west to east along the vortex's edges, coincides with its bulge to the south, he said.

According to a report released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change last year, the frequency and severity of cold extremes have generally decreased around the world since the 1950s.

The vice-chair of an IPCC working group, Mr. Howden, disagreed, stating that the trend is an average that doesn't take into account regional variations.

Related Article: Scientists Extend Sea Level Record of Singapore by 10,000 Years
The latest weather forecast warned that rounds of storms would continue to unload this week in Ohio Valleys, Western Texas, Tennessee, and parts of the South.

The ice storm unleashed freezing rain in the affected areas, causing significant travel concerns and slower commuters.

People thinking to travel this week should consider the weather conditions.

Sleet and freezing rain

According to AccuWeather's latest forecast for February 1, the storm caused a swath of ice in Ohio Valleys, Tennessee and the Rio Grande.

On Wednesday, rounds of rain and icy mix were unloaded in San Antonio, Dallas, Little Rock, Nashville and Charlotte.

In AccuWeather's outlook, the ice storm would dump rounds of freezing rain, power outages, tree damage and possible road closures.

The ice storm is forecast to unfold in Odessa, Dallas, Lubbock, Oklahoma City, Memphis and Charleston.

A wet weather condition with possible thunderstorms is expected in Dallas, Corpus Christi, Houston, New Orleans, Atlanta, Memphis, Johnson City, Richmond, Greenville, and Tallahassee.

Freezing rain could raise cold-related health concerns, especially for older adults. It is advisable to avoid or limit prolonged exposure to colder weather.

There is also a chance that the ice storm would unleash in San Antonio, Dallas, Nashville and Louisville this week.

Also Read: Latest Weather Forecast: Dangerous, Severe Weather Conditions to Unleash in Southern U.S This Week, Forecast Warns

The rainy conditions are forecast to stretch to portions of Southeastern Texas and Carolinas this week.

Moreover, Fox Weather reported that the ice storm caused dangerous to deadly driving conditions in Arkansas and Southeastern Oklahoma.

Fox Weather added that the National Weather Service issued a winter storm advisory in Texas due to severe weather conditions.

Did you know?

According to Texas State Historical Association (TSHA), hurricanes are considered powerful and devastating that also hit Texas. The report said that Galveston Hurricane in 1990 is one of the most unforgettable and catastrophic hurricanes in the United States.

The report said that the powerful hurricane resulted in widespread damage, reaching about $40 million in property loss.

About 6,000 to 8,000 were the said casualties from the devasting storm.

Safety tips during freezing weather and rain

The ice storm, with freezing rain and sleet, would be challenging for many motorists and commuters this week, raising safety concerns on main roads.

Road accidents would emerge due to problematic weather. It is best to stay updated with the weather before leaving.

Here are important safety tips during severe weather events.

Car owners should ensure that vehicles are well-conditioned before traveling.

Cars should have emergency kits in case you become stranded in the middle of the road. The emergency kit must have a flashlight, power bank, battery-powered radio, bottled water, blanket, snow shovel and extra mobile phone.

Travelers or commuters must anticipate the weather conditions to avoid the inconvenience of being stranded and delays.

Motorists should drive slowly. Untreated pavements or roads can be prone to accidents. Wet and slippery roads would be challenging for many.

It is best to stay inside your vehicle if there is a blizzard or winter storm.

Related Article: Gusty Thunderstorms, Another Storm to Hit Southern California

For more similar, don't forget to follow Nature World News.
Skill development has always been a must for anyone in an IT career, but this is especially true as cloud services mature and the components of cloud infrastructure trickle down into the rapidly evolving corporate data center.

Whether you are looking to refresh existing skills on the latest technologies or branch out into a new specialty there are a host of invaluable resources available at no cost to you from some of the biggest vendors in the computing industry.

The result for IT pros is that vendors marketing budget could very easily be your ticket to advancement should the skills they teach become needed where you work now or at a different organization.

In this case, the old adage, You get what you pay for, isnt necessarily true. Many of the training libraries listed here alphabetically by company name are top notch, featuring videos, reference material, and in some cases even full lab environments or free software tools. Many of these training libraries offer completion certificates or badges, and some facilitate your path to recognized industry certifications by preparing you for proctored exams.

Some of content provided by the eight vendors listed here is fully free, but registration is required in most cases. In many cases additional training content may be available only to known customers or business partners, in which case youll likely need to work through your business rep to gain access. Many vendors offer premium memberships in the form of paid subscriptions or purchased training credits.

Here the focus is primarily on training libraries that are open to anyone, offering self-paced training at no cost.

AWS Training

AWS can provide a huge array of services and offers an equally impressive range of courses. The AWS training library is structured to support both beginners and seasoned veterans, for either technical pros or for less technical roles such as sales, management, and planning. Many of the courses are offered in languages including English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Thai, and Vietnamese.

Course materials consist of text and video content with periodic knowledge checks to ensure you are retaining the material being covered. Playback speed of course videos can be adjusted to breeze through content you are already familiar with. The training also offers AWS Cloud Quest, a cheesy but innovative training platform that operates like an open-world role-playing game. You can navigate it to complete tasks and solve business problems through puzzles, labs, and quizzes.

AWS offers both free and premium training libraries. The free library contains over 500 courses, practice tests for certification exams, and the Cloud Quest game. Premium users gain access to three exam-prep courses, over 100 lab environments, additional Cloud Quest roles, as well as access to a second role-playing game AWS Industry Quest for $29 per month or $299 a year.

Skills for All from Cisco

Ciscos Skills for All offers a wealth of beginner and intermediate courses across broad topics like networking and cybersecurity. These courses are bundled into learning collections of up to 70 hours of training, and there is even training for a career path in cybersecurity totaling 160 hours of coursework. The courses are available primarily in English, but many are also available in Spanish and French and to a lesser extent Portuguese, Russian, and German.

Skills for All courseware includes video-based training and interactive lessons designed to optimize learning and encourage engagement with the materials. Cisco offers downloadable resources including their network-configuration simulator tool, Packet Tracer, and virtual machines preconfigured to facilitate hands-on lab work for some of the cybersecurity courses.

As you complete modules and courses in Skills for All you can unlock achievements and earn digital badges to use on your resume or social media. Cisco doesnt offer certifications directly through Skills for All, but its cybersecurity career path does align with the exam objectives for the IT Specialist  Cybersecurity certification offered through Certiport, and the Skills for All Python Essentials 1 and 2 courses prepare you for the Certified Entry-Level Python Programmer (PCEP) and Certified Associate in Python Programming (PCAP) certs from the Python Institute.

Fortinet Training Institute

Fortinet Training Institute offers free access to their Network Security Expert (NSE) courses Levels 1-8, the first three of which allow you to earn associate-level certifications within the course. Each of the NSE courses builds on existing knowledge by providing a progressively advanced overview of security threats and protection measures.

Fortinet also offers self-paced training courses on a broad range of its security products. Some offer supplemental materials in the form of books or on-demand lab access, both of which incur a fee, but they are not required to complete the course material. Training content is primarily made up of videos, but interactive components are used for knowledge checks and skill validation. Full lesson scripts are available for download in PDF format.

Many Fortinet courses offer completion certificates and may also be used to earn Continuing Professional Education credits for (ISC)2 certifications such as the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). The courses identify how many hours of credit you earn and what certification domain they correspond to.

Juniper Networks learning portal

Junipers learning portal is largely focused on Juniper certification tracks with free training available based on the Juniper certifications you already hold. For example, Juniper Specialist certifications require you to hold a Juniper Associate-level certification, so the Specialist-level training is only available to individuals who hold an Associate-level cert. Without a current Juniper cert you are limited to associate-level certification, which still allows access to a course for each certification track. Upon completion of a certification-focused course you can earn a 75% discount on an exam voucher. All Juniper cert-prep courses up to the Professional level are free providing you meet prerequisites for the certification. There is a fee for Expert-level cert-prep courses. Additional courses available on the portal arent certification-related, but the selection is limited.

Juniper also offers free access to their vLabs platform, which provides pre-built lab environments to practice and validate your skills. Sign-up for vLabs is separate from the main learning portal and must be approved by Juniper prior to gaining access.

If your needs reach that level, on-demand training courses are available for a premium$950 to $4,750 per course. Alternatively, you can purchase an all-access pass that provides unlimited access to all on-demand courses and labs, and also gains Juniper Networks Certified Internet Expert (JNCIE) Cert lab exam bundles, and an exam voucher for $5,995.

Microsoft Learning

Microsofts training library offers material on topics relevant to the modern data center including Active Directory, Windows Server, Hyper-V, clustering and high-availability, storage and file services, and myriad hybrid or Azure-based workloads.

Most of the content in Microsoft Learning is self-paced and text-based, meaning youre going to spend quite a bit of time reading through course material, reviewing diagrams, and consuming tabular content. Its not as engaging as interactive training material, but it represents a wealth of content, most of which corresponds directly to Microsoft certifications.

Microsoft Learning offers digital incentives to completing coursework, including badges and experience points (XP) to help level-up your reputation score. Microsoft also occasionally offers learning challenges that can earn different rewards including exam vouchers.

Microsofts certifications have been popular for more than two decades, and while the company continues to offer a variety of them, at this point most focus on cloud platforms like Azure and Office 365. In addition to their core industry certs, Microsoft has begun offering Fundamentals certifications, which lower the entry point somewhat for certification. Fundamentals certification exams are available for free to verified students.

Red Hat Training

Red Hats free library offers 12 courses that cover key technical topics including the basics of Red Hat Administration, OpenStack, OpenShift, and Ansible. Each course feeds into either a Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) or Red Hat Certified Specialist (RHCS) certification.

In addition to courses, Red Hat offers training videos via Red Hat TV. They dont offer the interactivity or step-by-step learning process that some other vendors do, but content is highly technical and can bring a lot of value to IT professionals looking to get up to speed on the Red Hats latest offerings.

For $6,000 a year, Red Hat offers individual access to a much larger library of courses, each of which is also available a-la-carte, as well as hands-on labs, and additional certification paths.

VMware Learning

VMware Learnings free Basic subscription offers primarily text-based product overviews and high-level technical briefings in bite-sized chunks with diagrams and interactive elements sprinkled in. If your training needs specifically involve preparation for an industry cert then you are out of luck with a Basic subscription, although VMware does offer certificates of completion for their courses. VMware Learning also exposes VMwares video library, which is publicly available even without a Basic subscription and provides quick access to additional content that may align with your learning goals.

If the resources available in the Basic tier dont meet your needs, for $269 per year you can buy a Premium subscription, which offers intermediate-level content, courses focused on exam prep (VMware Certified Technical Associate and VMware Certified Professional), as well as the Customer Connect learning environment.

VMware KubeAcademy

KubeAcademy is a free learning environment focused on Kubernetes and is curated by VMware but operated separately from VMware Learning. It focuses on pure Kubernetes without any VMware spin, which makes it valuable to anyone looking to get up to speed managing container-based apps on Kubernetes in general. The content is primarily video based with speed controls.

KubeAcademy also provides learning paths for different topics and experience levels, intended to allow you to build on your knowledge over time. Training courses and videos also offer downloadable transcripts, which are great for the hearing impaired or for checking back later for clarification. Courses may also link to other reference material or even Slack channels to connect you with a community of fellow pros.

As for providing proof of training youve completed, KubeAcademy is pretty spartan. There are no certificates, training doesnt map directly to industry certifications, and achievements seem to be visible only on your own profile page.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High 81F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low 56F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
NHLANGANO  The mob that killed and torched four robbery suspects, is incessantly searching for three more suspects, who are allegedly accomplices in the spate of robberies at Matsanjeni.

Their family members said they were living in fear that their houses might be torched, as per threats making the rounds. Sources revealed to the Times yesterday, that there were three more suspects, who were allegedly partners-in-crime with the four. On Monday the four were hacked, doused with petrol and set alight by a mob on the allegations that they were complicit to the robberies. It was gathered that the community members were in possession of a list of about seven people who were wanted.

Fear

The three suspects family members shared that they were now living in fear after the initial incident. They shared that they did not know the whereabouts of the wanted family members, while one said even if they did, who would send their children to a lions den. The family members shared that they were approached by the mob in their homesteads, looking for the said people, but were told that they were not home. They wondered why the mob had to burn the suspects instead of handing them over to the police. I sent my child away and he will not come back anytime soon after what I saw, said one of the family members. It was gathered that on Monday, another meeting was held, wherein parents came with their notorious children to the mob and asked the community members to speak to them as their children were engaging in criminal activities.



Sources revealed that each parent was being made to stand and tell the mob about the conduct of their child. In the event that the childs conduct was wayward, the parent gave the mob permission to beat up the child. Some were sharing that their children were not going to school while others shared that they robbed people of phones as well as those who were stealing from peoples homes. The mob spoke to them and some were flogged as per the parents requests, added the source. Matsanjeni South Indvuna YeNkhundla Siphiwe Mabuza said if it was per her wish, the police would have acted swiftly and addressed the matter and things would not have escalated to this state.

Future

She further said that in future, parents of children wanted by the police were supposed to take them (children) to the police to face the law. We feel for the people who were affected by the crime wave as they lost a lot of valuables and, in the same manner, we are sending our condolences to the families who lost their children, she said. It was gathered that police officers were on the ground yesterday investigating the murder of the four people. It was said that a few homes were visited and families questioned. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati said there were no arrests regarding the mob justice as police were still doing their investigations. She advised the three families whose children were still wanted by the community members to report same to the police.
Introduction

Overview

The Miller-Urey Experiment

Evidence for Early Lifeforms

In Summary

References

The history of life's evolution from the primordial soup is a long, complex, and winding one. Today, there is a staggering variety of living species, from the smallest bacteria or archaea to the largest trees and mammals. Life emerged billions of years ago, but what led to this is largely a mystery. This article will discuss the theory of abiogenesis, the idea that life emerged from non-living molecules.

Image Credit: Maximillian cabinet/Shutterstock.com

Overview

It is generally accepted that terrestrial life emerged approximately 3.5 billion years ago. The theory of abiogenesis posits that the first lifeforms which arose from the primordial soup were simple organisms that gradually became more complex throughout aeons.

Abiogenesis is different from the ancient theory of spontaneous generation, which posits that organisms arise from non-living matter spontaneously, for example, maggots being spontaneously generated by rotten meat. This hypothesis was disproved in the 19th century by experiments conducted by scientists, including Louis Pasteur.

Enzymes give organisms the ability to produce carbon-carbon bonds easily. However, this process requires a large energy input without enzymatic activity, which presents a fundamental problem: how did organisms produce the building blocks of biological molecules before enzymes? This problem was used to attempt to disprove evolution in the early days of evolutionary science.

Biogenesis is the derivation of life from reproduction. This was presumably preceded by abiogenesis, and once the Earth's atmosphere assumed its composition today, abiogenesis would have become impossible.

A significant milestone in the field came in the 1920s with the work of Haldane and Oparin, where they both theorized that organic molecules could arise in a reducing atmosphere and the presence of external energy sources. Their work formed the basis of subsequent studies on the theory of abiogenesis.

The Miller-Urey Experiment

Another crucial milestone in the theory of abiogenesis occurred in 1952 with the now-famous Miller-Urey experiment. Stanley Miller and Harold Urey proved how organic life could spontaneously arise from inorganic molecules in the conditions described by Haldane and Oparin.

In their experiment, Miller and Urey used a highly reducing atmosphere with a mixture of hydrogen, ammonia, methane, and water vapor. A mix of precursor molecules mimicking the primordial soup was subjected to substantial amounts of electricity for extended periods, with the samples analyzed after the experiments. Observations of the resulting mixture revealed that simple molecules had started to form the complex molecules required for life.

Since this initial experiment, several studies have used Miller and Urey's methodology to produce complex organic molecules, including proteins and RNA, further strengthening the evidence for abiogenesis. Some scientists, however, argue that the theory does not consider energy sources such as lightning or the amount of lightning in the primordial atmosphere.

Image Credit: Ali DM/Shutterstock.com

Evidence for Early Lifeforms

Some scientists have theorized that life first formed in the vicinity of deep-sea hydrothermal vents due to favorable conditions for generating organic molecules from inorganic ones. Fossilized micro-organisms have been discovered that appear to have inhabited hydrothermal vents soon after the oceans first formed in the Hadean eon.

Other evidence for early life has been found in many parts of the world, with biogenic graphite discovered in Greenland as old as 3.7 billion years. Banded iron formation rocks in Northern Quebec have indicated that early lifeforms may have existed up to 4.28 billion years ago, pushing back the generally accepted time of life's origins by nearly a billion years. Zircons found in Australia have provided evidence for life's existence 4.1 billion years ago.

Many scientists have introduced the idea of an RNA world, which posits that before the formation of DNA, which is found in most lifeforms on Earth, self-replicating RNA molecules were dominant. Elucidating how the transition to DNA, proteins, and complex organisms occurred is a key challenge in proving this theory. Some scientists have posited that even earlier life forms may have existed before this.

In Summary

The exact age of life on Earth is a contested subject in scientific circles. However old life is, it has become more accepted over the past few centuries that organic molecules and biological organisms arose from a complex and dynamic mixture of inorganic molecules.

The theory of abiogenesis has a long history, but studies such as the Urey-Miller experiment and subsequent genomic investigations to elucidate the last universal common ancestor of all life on Earth have revealed a rich story that continues to open new chapters in our understanding of the origins of life.

The theory of abiogenesis could even help with the search for extraterrestrial life, with one school of thought positing that the building blocks of life could have been delivered to the early Earth in comets and asteroids.
India's traditional 'chit fund' system of banking by small self-help groups may meet the health needs of the country's 1.4 billion people better than private health insurance companies, which only cover around half of medical bills, researchers say.

Chit funds originated in India but spread through traders and migrants to South-East Asia. The system allows subscribers to withdraw a large sum early to meet major expenses such as a wedding or funeral and repay it through the monthly installments.

Employers who pay their employees' group health insurance premiums can instead invest in chit fund schemes. Employees who maintain good health can be paid a bonus, and the money that accumulates in their accounts can be withdrawn when they leave the establishment." Jacob Puliyel, author of a paper published in the Indian Journal of Medical Ethics and visiting professor at the International Institute of Health Management Research, New Delhi

With chit funds, a group of individuals can make a monthly subscription installment that is equal to the monthly installment for health insurance cover and the accumulated money can be deposited in a joint savings account and made available to anyone who falls ill to defray expenses up to the coverage limit, says Puliyel.

Out of pocket

Private health insurance is rapidly becoming the primary source of health financing in India through public-private partnerships. The proportion of people covered had grown from around three per cent of the population in 2005 to 22 per cent by 2014, according to a 2020 Cambridge University publication.

Citing figures from the National Health Systems Resource Centre, the publication says that public-funded health services in India are grossly inadequate, with 48.2 per cent of total health expenditure being paid 'out-of-pocket' by patients. Private health care is generally unregulated, leading to concerns over quality and access to care, according to the Cambridge study.

"There is a crying need in this country to prevent large numbers of patients from falling victims to 'catastrophic health expenses' that can ruin entire families," says Vetury Sitaramam, a medical doctor who currently does collaborative research in poverty economics and poverty biology.

Sitaramam says that the situation can be ascribed to "governance failure" and is part of an overall situation of abysmally poor health services. "The chit fund approach (theoretically), has every chance of succeeding given its long history of meeting emergency financial needs of ordinary people in this country."

Puliyel believes that competition from chit funds devoted to health care will drive down the costs of private health insurance while promoting improvements in health services.

"Health insurance on the chit fund model, as suggested by Puliyel, will work in certain social contexts because of factors like mutual trust and accountability and also the inbuilt checks and balances," says Mira Shiva, a founder of the international People's Health Movement that is committed to the concept of 'health for all'. Shiva, a member of the National Council for Clinical Establishments, under the Directorate General of Health Services, said profit maximisation by private insurance needed to be subjected to medical audit and charges levied on patients monitored.

"During the COVID-19 pandemic there were numerous complaints of predatory exploitation of patients that cannot be ignored, especially in a country where medical indebtedness is a harsh reality," Shiva said.

Puliyel's paper, said Shiva, was written in the context of a mushrooming of over-exploitative private health insurance that defy any rationalisation of medical costs  it does go some way towards the concept of social health insurance which is always better than private health insurance.

"The bottom line, though, is that without adequately trained and skilled health personnel  doctors, nurses, lab technicians and others  insurance, irrespective of the payment system, will never be able to provide rational medical care," Shiva added.
In our body, we have both an innate immune system and an immune system that is developed throughout life. Part of the innate immune system consists of so-called NK cells. This is a type of immune cell that specializes in killing cancer cells. These cells may be of great importance for cancer treatment in the future.

The NK cells kill cancer cells with the help of small "killer torpedoes" that the NK cells secrete. In biology, they are called vesicles.

Vesicles are small bubbles with a fatty wall of lipids and a space filled with toxic proteins. These are the torpedoes' "weapons".

Researchers at the Institute of Clinical Medicine have recently discovered new things about these killer torpedoes.

We have discovered that we can separate the killer torpedoes from other types of vesicles so that they form a kind of arsenal of weapons. Our research also shows that this type of vesicle is probably stored in a separate room inside the NK cell." Miriam Aarsund Larsen

She is a doctoral research fellow from the research group of Professor Marit Inngjerdingen at the Department of Pharmacology at the Institute of Clinical Medicine.

The goal is to develop a completely new type of immunotherapy against cancer

"We intend to investigate this further. Our goal is to develop a new type of cancer treatment based on the killer vesicles in the NK cells," Aarsund Larsen says.

Marit Inngjerdingen and her research group are the only ones in Norway studying the vesicles in NK cells as a possible new type of treatment against cancer.

"Many people have heard of cell therapy, which is a form of immunotherapy where immune cells are used to fight cancer. But there are several challenges associated with this type of treatment. Among other things, the cancer cells prevent the body's immune cells from attacking them," Aarsund Larsen explains.

The killer torpedoes penetrate the cancer cells and kill them

The vesicles, which we here call killer torpedoes, have a built-in ability to attach themselves to cancer cells, and to penetrate and kill them.

"The killer torpedoes are good at getting into cancer tumors. They then use their weapons and skills to kill the cancer cells from the inside," the doctoral research fellow explains.

This is a major advantage compared to other forms of cancer treatment, according to the researchers. They explain that another challenge with cell therapy is that the immune cells are not very good at getting into cancer tumors. Then it also becomes more difficult to attack them.

Inngjerdingen and Aarsund Larsen's research shows that this is precisely what the killer torpedoes do so well.

"We can even imagine that we can fill them up with chemotherapy to provide more targeted treatment, with fewer side effects," Aarsund Larsen says.

The research field is still in its early stages

The researchers emphasise that research on vesicles in NK cells as a possible new form of treatment against cancer is still in its early stages.

"This line of research has just begun, and we need to conduct many more studies before we can say with certainty that this is better than the therapy that is already on the market," Aarsund Larsen says.

She points out that some studies have shown that vesicles have an effect in mice with cancer."Our plan is to manipulate our unique killer vesicles to become even better at attacking cancer tumors," she explains.

Clinical studies on vesicles from stem cells

Clinical studies on vesicles from other types of cells already exist, especially on stem cells. These show that the vesicles have the ability to reduce corneal inflammation, according to the researchers.

"We believe that we can use vesicles from NK cells to kill various types of unwanted cells. This is not limited to cancer. It is also conceivable that we can direct them against over activated T cells, which are seen in various autoimmune conditions," Inngjerdingen says.

Studied the killer torpedoes in NK cells in the lab

Inngjerdingen and Aarsund Larsen examined the killer vesicles in NK cells from humans that they cultured in the laboratory. They tested them on cancer cell lines, which are immortalized cancer cells from patients. They have used these to make small lumps of cancer, in order to be able to model a real tumor.

"Then we measured how many cancer cells died after treatment with the killer vesicles," Aarsund Larsen says.
Peritoneal cancer is difficult to treat and has a poor survival prognosis. But a new and effective nanomedicine delivery system is offering some hope.

The company is called NaDeNo and is well underway with the development of a new cure for cancers that have spread to the peritoneal cavity. It is a spin-off from the Norwegian science institute SINTEF, where the technology was developed over a period of more than ten years within nanomedicine research.

The work from which NaDeNo has evolved was started in 2012. Initial research at SINTEF yielded promising results, and now both the technology and its patents are being spun off from the research institute and into a separate company.

The technology makes it possible to embed large volumes of an active cancer drug in nanoparticle carriers. These carriers are then injected into the peritoneal cavity, enabling the drug to be evenly distributed and thus delivered to all the tumors developed in the peritoneum.

Delivering a large dose the tumors

Experiments using mice and rats demonstrate that the nanoparticles accumulate preferentially in the tumors, thus releasing a much greater proportion of the drug to cancer cells than they do to healthy cells.

A solid foundation created by research carried out at SINTEF has enabled progress within the development of this technology. If we get the results we're hoping for, the technology may represent a significant step forward, not only for the future treatment of peritoneal cancer, but also for other illnesses." Yrr Mrch, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Co-Founder at NaDeNo

However, in order to make the technology accessible to cancer patients, it first has to be tested thoroughly and then manufactured at larger scales. It must be both safe and effective.

"We're now getting ready to start pre-clinical trials", says Mrch. "This phase will take some years, during which we will carry out a number of animal studies using standardized methods. We have to test the product thoroughly and also demonstrate that the drug is safe and can be manufactured with appropriate medical purity", he says.

"The human body is composed mostly of water. Drugs that are poorly soluble in water are thus difficult to transport to the correct location in the body in sufficient doses to enable them to work for long enough to have their full effect without causing serious side effects.

The company will then apply to carry out clinical trials on cancer patients.

"Nanoparticles are now being manufactured at laboratory scale at SINTEF, but we have to show that we can produce these at an industrial scale", says Mrch. "This must be carried out by specialist manufacturers, but to do this we have to go overseas", he says. "A lot of research remains to be completed before the technology can be applied on cancer patients. We are still at an early phase", he says.

Difficult to treat peritoneal cancer

Peritoneal cancer is difficult to discover and to treat. It often arises as a result of the spread of cancer cells from other organs such as the ovaries or digestive tract. It gives few symptoms and is often discovered too late. Survival prognoses are usually poor.

Current treatment approaches are yet to be standardized, and they tend to be life-extending rather than curative.

Patients who gets this diagnosis are commonly treated by surgical removal of all visible cancer tissue followed by chemotherapy that is administered either locally, or to the entire body via the blood. The problem with this approach is that the drug either has too short recidence time in the peritoneal cavity, or fails to reach the cavity and the cancer cells.

"This is due to a barrier that exists between the blood and the peritoneum", says Annbjrg Falck, who is CEO and co-founder of NaDeNo.

In order for the drug to work effectively it has to be soluble in water. However, many chemotherapeutic treatments involve small-molecule drugs that are poorly soluble in water. Such treatments are thus difficult to deliver targeted at tumor sites.

Small particles with an enormous surface area

NaDeNo is aiming to address this by encapsulating the drug in tiny nanoparticle carriers. The nanoparticles are injected directly into the peritoneal cavity in a solution that ensures that they are distributed uniformly and reach all the tumors in the peritoneum. They then release the drug at the tumor sites.

"This drug is poorly soluble in water when it is 'naked' but becomes highly soluble when embedded in the nanocapsules developed by SINTEF", says Mrch. "The capsules help the drug to reach the correct location. When the particles degrade in the body the drug is released", she says.

Cabazitaxel is very powerful and exhibits less resistance development than other comparable cytotoxins. A new and optimized delivery method will thus enable many more patients to benefit from this effective drug.

In experiments with mice and rats, the researchers have observed that the nanoparticles accumulate in the tumors located in the peritoneum. This enables a greater proportion of the drug to reach the cancer cells and less is wasted on the healthy cells.

"The uniform distribution of the drug throughout the peritoneal cavity, combined with the longer residence time, demonstrates that the animals appear to tolerate the drug better when this delivery system is used", says Mrch.

There are also other benefits.

"The size of the nanoparticles means that they have a large surface area in relation to their volume", he says. "As many as 10 particles are contained in every milliliter of solution - literally billions of particles. This makes an enormous surface area available for interaction between the particles and their surroundings, and not least for attachment to the various cells and tissues in the human body", says Mrch.

This enables the nanoparticles to deliver large amounts of the drug to the tumors.

An effective anti-cancer cytotoxin

The product currently being developed by NaDeNo can thus be described as a nanotechnological platform for the encapsulation of non-water soluble (hydrophobic) drugs in nanoparticle carriers. There is currently great demand for the effective delivery of such drugs.

"If we succeed with our first product, it will enable us to offer a delivery technology that can benefit companies in both the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors", says Mrch.

The cytotoxin that the company is using is called cabazitaxel. It is very effective, but current methods of delivery also cause major side effects.

"Cabazitaxel is currently used only for the treatment of prostate cancer", says Annbjrg Falck. "The active component is highly toxic and is poorly soluble in water. For this reason, there are limits on how much of the drug can be administered without causing serious side effects", she says.

The poor water solubility of cabazitaxel makes it difficult to develop nanoparticle delivery systems for the drug. NaDeNo thus has to demonstrate that embedding the drug in nanoparticles offers better efficacy compared to current treatments for patients suffering from cancer metastasis to the peritoneal cavity.

"Cabazitaxel is very powerful and exhibits less resistance development than other comparable cytotoxins", says Falck. "A new and optimized delivery method will thus enable many more patients to benefit from this effective drug", she says.

Multiple applications

Up until now, SINTEF's development of its nanoparticle technology has been carried out in close collaboration with the Norwegian Radium Hospital in Oslo, with expertise in peritoneal cancer treatments.

This collaboration has provided NaDeNo's first development candidate with a key clinical foundation and has enabled the company to obtain access to representative mouse models of human cancers, with very promising results.

"The Radium Hospital treats patients suffering from metastasis to the peritoneal cavity according to high international standards", says Mrch. "The method is called hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), where all visible tumour tissue is surgically removed from the cavity prior to local treatment with heated chemotherapy. In some cases, better efficacy is achieved by this method. However, the treatment is very strenuous for the patients, who are very ill. The cytotoxin has a short residence time in the peritoneum and distributes rapidly to other parts of the body.

Kjersti Flatmark is a Professor and Senior Consultant in gastrosurgery at the Norwegian Radium Hospital and speaks very positively about the collaboration with NaDeNo and SINTEF.

"Metastasis to the peritoneum is difficult to treat and comes with a very poor prognosis. Unfortunately, our current treatment approaches very rarely cure our patients, so it is clearly a need for better treatment options. It has been exciting to be part of this collaborative effort, firstly with SINTEF and now with NaDeNo. Up to now we have focused on the development and testing of the technology in model systems, and are hoping that in the long term, the delivery of cytotoxins in nanoparticle carriers will contribute towards better treatment efficacy, enabling many more patients to enjoy a full recovery", she says.

Initially, NaDeNo is focusing on a group comprising 37,000 patients annually in Europe and the USA. The company also has ambitions to apply the technology to a greater number of patients.

"If the first drug delivery system works, this will be a good indication that we have a technology that can be used for the treatment of many types of cancer that are currently difficult to treat", says Mrch.

Eyes on the market

SINTEF's know-how in the design and characterization of delivery platforms has made it an attractive partner both in Norway and across the world. From 2015 to 2020, SINTEF participated in the EU-funded European Nanomedicine Characterization Laboratory (EU-NCL) together with six European partners and the US National Cancer Institute (NCI).

In August 2022, NaDeNo's first development candidate was accepted by the NCI as a promising nanomedicine. The NCI carries out a standardized preclinical test program free of charge, where the aim is to accelerate the development of nanomedicines that have the potential to treat patients with life-threatening diseases for which there is currently a pressing medical demand to find a cure.

"Inclusion in one of the NCI's preclinical test programs is a key milestone for us, and offers valuable recognition of our development programme", says Annbjrg Falck. The criteria for inclusion are quite strict, so this demonstrates that the work carried out by SINTEF over many years is of a high international standard", she says.

Heidi Johnsen is a research manager for the team at SINTEF that participated in the development of the NaDeNo technology platform, and is optimistic for the future of the spin-off company.

"At SINTEF we work towards developing technology for a better society and I am proud of what we have achieved so far. We will continue to do the best we can in terms of effective collaboration to ensure that NaDeNo is successful with its product development", she says.

"Our current strategy is to secure sound future investment with the aim of bringing our first product to the market and to patients, while at the same time continuing to develop our technological platform", says Falck. "In this connection, we also want to forge links with partners in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors that are looking for new and better ways of delivering poorly water-soluble drugs", she concludes.

Facts about the company NaDeNo:

NaDeNo was founded in 2022 as a spin-off company from SINTEF. Its objective is to bring new nanomedicines to patients and to offer its drug delivery system to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

The company's current management team is composed of CEO and co-founder Annbjrg Eide Falck, who has an MBA and a master's degree in pharmacy, and CTO and co-founder Yrr Mrch, who has a PhD in biotechnology from NTNU and is one of the inventors of the technology.

The company's key future milestones include the technical transfer and upscaling of its production processes to the status of 'Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)', completion of the formal pre-clinical phase, and launch of the first clinical trials in cancer patients. The key partners who will help to achieve these milestones are SINTEF and the NCI Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory (NCI-NCL) in the USA. The company also works closely with the Norwegian Radium Hospital in Oslo.

NaDeNo has recently completed its first round of capital raising. It has attracted financing from Norwegian investors both in Trondheim and elsewhere who have extensive experience of investing in SINTEF spin-offs. The company has also recently been granted an IPN (Innovation for Business) project funding by the Research Council of Norway. This is an important milestone that will enable the company to continue with its research, as well as the development of both its technology platform and innovative nanomedicines in close collaboration with SINTEF. Moreover, NaDeNo will continue to work to obtain additional 'soft funding' linked to the first product in its product portfolio.
University of Oklahoma biomedical engineer Yuan Yang, Ph.D., has received nearly $2 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association to examine the impact of strokes and the movement impairments stroke patients suffer.

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and a major cause of serious disability for adults. With more than 7 million stroke survivors in the United States, strokes disrupt lives at one stroke every 40 seconds, Yang says. Four out of five stroke patients have movement problems in their hands, arms and shoulders causing difficulties in reaching, grasping and opening their hands.

In more severe cases, existing treatments are not effective due to an inadequate understanding of the changes experienced by the brain following a stroke, particularly when targeted treatment is not administered." Yuan Yang, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering at OU

NIH awards $1.6 million

The NIH awarded Yang $1.6 million for a five-year project titled "Shift from Unilateral to Bilateral Sensory-Motor Connectivity in Chronic Hemiparetic Stroke."

Yang is the study's lead investigator with collaborating researchers at the OU Health Sciences Center and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. The team's goal is to increase the understanding of the role of sensory feedback in the recovery of movements following a stroke.

"For decades, researchers have focused on investigating the changes in the motor control pathways to understand the cause of limited movement in stroke patients. However, how the sensory system changes after a brain injury and the role of sensory feedback to the abnormal movement patterns after a stroke are largely unknown," Yang said.

AHA grants $231,000

The AHA awarded Yang $231,000 to study pathological changes in the nervous system associated with brain injuries or neurological disorders. The project, "Determine the Effect of Targets High-definition tDCS on Reducing Post-stroke Upper Limb Motor Impairments," will address the need for precision rehabilitation to create interventions that combat movement impairments in stroke patients.

Researchers believe brain stimulation therapy may play a role in treating certain disorders. Transcranial direct current stimulation, tDCS, is a form of neuromodulation that uses constant, low direct current delivered via electrodes on the head. By testing this therapy on eight stroke patients at the OU Neural Control and Rehabilitation Laboratory, Yang found that each patient's movement improved after the tests.

The next step is identifying new patients for a phase 1 clinical study. And while the science on tDCS is inconclusive, Yang says his team's research is an essential step in the right direction.

"This brain-hacking technique has been shown to improve symptoms in neurological disorders, including stroke," he said. "The funding from the American Heart Association will help us better understand these techniques."

Yang's research fits within the greater OU effort of growing biomedical research in the state. He and the many other researchers at the Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering in the Gallogly College of Engineering and the clinicians and physician-scientists at the OU Health Sciences Center are dedicated to discovering and creating treatments to help people with illnesses. The Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering recently announced a $3.5 million gift from OU alumnus Michael Turner to support such research efforts.
Experiencing three or more concussions is linked with worsened brain function in later life, according to major new research.

The study  the largest of its kind - also found having just one moderate-to-severe concussion, or traumatic brain injury (TBI), can have a long-term impact on brain function, including memory.

Led by teams at the University of Oxford and the University of Exeter, the research included data from more than 15,000 participants of the online PROTECT study, who were aged between 50 and 90 and based in the UK. They reported the severity and frequency of concussions they had experienced throughout their lives, and completed annual, computerized tests for brain function.

Published in the Journal of Neurotrauma, the paper found that people who reported three or more concussions had significantly worse cognitive function, which got successively worse with each subsequent concussion after that. Attention and completion of complex tasks were particularly affected.

Researchers say people who have had concussions should be warned of the dangers of continuing high-risk sport or work.

Lead investigator Dr Vanessa Raymont, from the University of Oxford, said: "We know that head injuries are a major risk factor for dementia, and this large-scale study gives the greatest detail to date on a stark finding - the more times you injure your brain in life, the worse your brain function could be as you age.

"Our research indicates that people who have experienced three or more even mild episodes of concussion should be counseled on whether to continue high-risk activities. We should also encourage organizations operating in areas where head impact is more likely to consider how they can protect their athletes or employees."

The team found that participants who reported three episodes of even mild concussion throughout their lives had significantly worse attention and ability to complete complex tasks. Those who had four or more mild concussion episodes also showed worsened processing speed and working memory. Each additional reported concussion was linked to progressively worse cognitive function.

Furthermore, the researchers found that reporting even one moderate-to-severe concussion was associated with worsened attention, completion of complex tasks and processing speed capacity.

In the online PROTECT study, participants share detailed lifestyle information, and complete a suite of cognitive tests every year, for up to 25 years. This rich mine of data helps researchers understand how the brain ages, and the factors involved in maintaining a healthier brain in later life.

As our population ages, we urgently need new ways to empower people to live healthier lives in later life. This paper highlights the importance of detailed long-term studies like PROTECT in better understating head injuries and the impact to long term cognitive function, particularly as concussion has also been linked to dementia. We're learning that life events that might seem insignificant, life experiencing a mild concussion, can have an impact on the brain. Our findings indicate that cognitive rehabilitation should focus on key functions such as attention and completion of complex tasks, which we found to be susceptible to long-term damage." Dr Helen Brooker, Study Co-Author, University of Exeter

Dr Susan Kohlhaas, Director of Research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said:

"Studies like this are so important in unraveling the long-term risks of traumatic brain injury, including their effect on dementia risk. These findings should send a clear message to policy makers and sporting bodies, who need to put robust guidelines in place that reduce risk of head injury as much as possible."

The PROTECT study is conducted entirely online, and is open to new participants aged 40 and over. To find out more, visit: https://www.protectstudy.org.uk

The research included collaboration with University of New South Wales, Australia, Kings College London and University College London, UK, Stavanger University Hospital in Norway and Harvard Medical School, in the US. The. paper is entitled 'Lifetime TBI and cognitive domain deficits in late life: The PROTECT-TBI cohort study', published in the Journal of Neurotrauma.
MBABANE  Namibia President Dr Hage Geingob says it is regrettable that there have been ongoing and sporadic acts of violence in Eswatini that point to an escalation of the tensions.

Dr Geingob was speaking during the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Extraordinary Organ Troika Summit in his capacity as the Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation. The summit was held in Windhoek, Namibia yesterday where Eswatini was represented by Prime Minister Cleopas Sipho Dlamini.

Regrettable

Dr Geingob said it was regrettable that while the region was focused on assisting Eswatini to find and implement peaceful solutions to the challenges faced, there had been ongoing and sporadic acts of violence in the kingdom that pointed to an escalation of the tensions. The chairperson highlighted that several days ago they received the sad news that the people of Eswatini lost a prominent opposition political activist of the Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF), by the name of Thulani Rudolf Maseko, who was assassinated. He noted that in his capacity as chairperson of the Organ, he issued a statement calling for a swift, transparent and comprehensive investigation so that the culprits could be brought to book. Dr Geingob highlighted that following reports of civil unrest and violent disturbances in the Kingdom of Eswatini, the then Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi, President of the Republic of Botswana, deployed an Organ Troika fact-finding mission to the country on July 3-4, 2021.

Engagements

Follow-up engagements were conducted by my immediate predecessor, Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa, who, among other initiatives, undertook a working visit to the Kingdom of Eswatini in November 2021. Subsequently, in November 2022, I paid a courtesy call on His Majesty King Mswati III after I assumed the chair of the Organ, he said. He added that their regional commitment as SADC had always been to address inter and intra-State conflicts by peaceful means. He said in this spirit, these initiatives were aimed at obtaining a clearer understanding of the causes and impact of the civil unrest, and to consult key stakeholders on possible solutions to the prevailing challenges. On another note, the chairperson highlighted that as the new year had begun, he hoped that it would be the year of the regions revival.

He said revival in the SADC context was about their regions economic, political and security renaissance, regeneration, revitalisation and restoration. Geingob said as leaders of SADC were seized with the well-being and welfare of close to 400 million citizens, they were called upon to reinvent new approaches to find solutions to old problems that had been troubling the region for so long. He highlighted to have stated on a previous occasion that without peace, development could not take place and without development they could not achieve shared prosperity for their citizens. The chairperson said for that reason, it was incumbent upon them, the leaders of SADC, and in particular of the Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation, to take decisive action in addressing issues of insecurity in the region.

He also mentioned that the time had come for them to dare to reinvent innovative strategies and pursue novel ways and means, to find lasting solutions to their political and security challenges. He said in the same vein, they were also called upon to prepare and empower their people for the journey to the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Dr Geingob said thus, the steps for revitalisation and innovation in the political, economic and scientific and many other spheres in all the SADC countries, should be undertaken.

Development

He said by so doing, they would shape the future of the region as a cutting-edge region of peace, stability, development and progress, as per the goals of the Vision 2050 and the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan 2020-2030. Therefore, we will become the makers and masters of our destiny in SADC, he said. Dr Geingob told the SADC leaders that they shall achieve the high goals of becoming a peaceful, inclusive and middle to high income industrialised region where all citizens enjoy economic prosperity, justice and liberty. He urged them then to be mindful of their cultural, linguistic and geographic differences, continue to hold hands as brothers and sisters of the SADC region and through deliberate and resolute strategies and actions, bring about extraordinary renaissance of the region.

Meanwhile, SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi said peace, security and political stability were the foundation for socio-economic development. He said it was for this reason that the region continued to pay particular focus on strengthening political cooperation and enhancing democracy, good governance, the rule of law, human rights and human security in line with the SADC Vision 2050. Magosi said to this effect, the region continued to register successes in consolidating democracy and good governance. He applauded the Organ chairperson (Dr Geingob) for his exemplary leadership in guiding the work of the Organ, including the deployment of the SADC Election Observation Missions in the Republic of Angola in August 2022, and the Kingdom of Lesotho in October 2022, leading to successful elections and peaceful transfer of power in both countries.
A new way to significantly increase the potency of almost any vaccine has been developed by researchers from the International Institute for Nanotechnology (IIN) at Northwestern University. The scientists used chemistry and nanotechnology to change the structural location of adjuvants and antigens on and within a nanoscale vaccine, greatly increasing vaccine performance. The antigen targets the immune system, and the adjuvant is a stimulator that increases the effectiveness of the antigen.

The scientists used chemistry and nanotechnology to change the structural location of adjuvants and antigens on and within a nanoscale vaccine, greatly increasing vaccine performance. The antigen targets the immune system, and the adjuvant is a stimulator that increases the effectiveness of the antigen.

The study will be published Jan. 30 in Nature Biomedical Engineering.

The work shows that vaccine structure and not just the components is a critical factor in determining vaccine efficacy. Where and how we position the antigens and adjuvant within a single architecture markedly changes how the immune system recognizes and processes it." Chad A. Mirkin, director of the IIN, lead investigator

Mirkin also is the George B. Rathmann Professor of Chemistry at the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and a professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

This new heightened emphasis on structure has the potential to improve the effectiveness of conventional cancer vaccines, which historically have not worked well, Mirkin said.

Mirkin's team has studied the effect of vaccine structure in the context of seven different types of cancer to date, including triple-negative breast cancer, papillomavirus-induced cervical cancer, melanoma, colon cancer and prostate cancer to determine the most effective architecture to treat each disease.

Conventional vaccines take a blender approach

With most conventional vaccines, the antigen and the adjuvant are blended and injected into a patient. There is no control over the vaccine structure, and, consequently, limited control over the trafficking and processing of the vaccine components. Thus, there is no control over how well the vaccine works.

"A challenge with conventional vaccines is that out of that blended mish mosh, an immune cell might pick up 50 antigens and one adjuvant or one antigen and 50 adjuvants," said study author and former Northwestern postdoctoral associate Michelle Teplensky, who is now an assistant professor at Boston University. "But there must be an optimum ratio of each that would maximize the vaccine's effectiveness."

Enter SNAs (spherical nucleic acids), which are the structural platform -; invented and developed by Mirkin -; used in this new class of modular vaccines. SNAs allow scientists to pinpoint exactly how many antigens and adjuvants are being delivered to cells. SNAs also enable scientists to tailor how these vaccine components are presented, and the rate at which they are processed. Such structural considerations, which greatly impact vaccine effectiveness, are largely ignored in conventional approaches.

Vaccines developed through 'rational vaccinology' offer precise dosing for maximum effectiveness

This approach to systematically control antigen and adjuvant locations within modular vaccine architectures was created by Mirkin, who coined the term rational vaccinology to describe it. It is based on the concept that the structural presentation of vaccine components is as important as the components themselves in driving efficacy.

"Vaccines developed through rational vaccinology deliver the precise dose of antigen and adjuvant to every immune cell, so they are all equally primed to attack cancer cells," said Mirkin, who also is a member of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University. "If your immune cells are soldiers, a traditional vaccine leaves some unarmed; our vaccine arms them all with a powerful weapon with which to kill cancer. Which immune cell 'soldiers' do you want to attack your cancer cells?" Mirkin asked rhetorically.

Building an (even) better vaccine

The team developed a cancer vaccine that doubled the number of cancer antigen-specific T cells and increased the activation of these cells by 30% by reconfiguring the architecture of the vaccine to contain multiple targets to help the immune system find tumor cells.

The team investigated differences in how well two antigens were recognized by the immune system depending on their placement -; on the core or perimeter -; of the SNA structure. For an SNA with optimum placement, they could increase the immune response and how quickly the nanovaccine triggered cytokine (an immune cell protein) production to boost T cells attacking the cancer cells. The scientists also studied how the different placements affected the immune system's ability to remember the invader, and whether the memory was long-term.

"Where and how we position the antigens and adjuvant within a single architecture markedly changes how the immune system recognizes and processes it," Mirkin said.

The most powerful structure throws two punches to outsmart the wily, mutating tumor

The study data show that attaching two different antigens to an SNA comprising a shell of adjuvant was the most potent approach for a cancer vaccine structure. It led to a 30% increase in antigen-specific T-cell activation and doubled the number of proliferating T cells compared to a structure in which the same two antigens were attached to two separate SNAs.

These engineered SNA nanostructures stalled tumor growth in multiple animal models.

"It is remarkable," Mirkin said. "When altering the placement of antigens in two vaccines that are nearly identical from a compositional standpoint, the treatment benefit against tumors is dramatically changed. One vaccine is potent and useful, while the other is much less effective."

Many current cancer vaccines are designed to primarily activate cytotoxic T cells, only one defense against a cancer cell. Because tumor cells are always mutating, they can easily escape this immune cell surveillance, quickly rendering the vaccine ineffective. The odds are higher that the T cell will recognize a mutating cancer cell if it has more ways -; multiple antigens -; to recognize it.

"You need more than one type of T cell activated, so you can more easily attack a tumor cell," Teplensky said. "The more types of cells the immune system has to go after tumors, the better. Vaccines consisting of multiple antigens targeting multiple immune cell types are necessary to induce enhanced and long-lasting tumor remission."

Another advantage of the rational vaccinology approach, especially when used with a nanostructure like an SNA, is that it's easy to alter the structure of a vaccine to go after a different type of disease. Mirkin said they simply switch out a peptide, a snippet of a cancer protein with a chemical handle that "clips" onto the structure, not unlike adding a new charm to a bracelet.

Path to most effective vaccine for any cancer type

"The collective importance of this work is that it lays the foundation for developing the most effective forms of vaccine for almost any type of cancer," Teplensky said. "It is about redefining how we develop vaccines across the board, including ones for infectious diseases."

In a previously published paper, Mirkin, Teplensky and colleagues demonstrated the importance of vaccine structure for COVID-19 by creating vaccines that exhibited protective immunity in 100% of animals against a lethal viral infection.

"Small changes in antigen placement on a vaccine significantly elevate cell-to-cell communication, cross-talk and cell synergy," Mirkin said. "The developments made in this work provide a path forward to rethinking the design of vaccines for cancer and other diseases as a whole."

Northwestern Ph.D. candidate Michael Evangelopoulos also is an author of the paper, titled "Multi-Antigen Spherical Nucleic Acid Cancer Vaccines."

Founded in 2000 as an umbrella organization to coalesce and foster nanotechnology efforts, the IIN represents and unites more than $1 billion in nanotechnology research, educational programs, and supporting infrastructure.

This study is based upon work supported by the Polsky Urologic Cancer Institute of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Edward Bachrach and the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health (R01CA208783, R01CA257926, and P50CA221747). Teplensky also received support from Northwestern University's Cancer Nanotechnology Training Program Award (T32CA186897). Evangelopoulos was partially supported by the Dr. John N. Nicholson Fellowship and the Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation.
The "Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma" (PDAC) is by far the most common form of cancer of the pancreas. PDAC tumors have an extremely poor prognosis because of several reasons. The tumors only become noticeable at a late stage; they tend to form metastases quickly; the chemotherapeutic drugs that are usually used cause severe side effects, and most patients quickly develop resistance to them. So, it is no wonder that the mortality rate for PDAC, unlike many other cancers, has not improved in recent years. In fact, the chances of cure for the approximately 14,000 new cases registered per year in Germany are still low: only about ten percent of all patients are still alive five years after the initial diagnosis. Elmar Wolf has set a goal of changing this.

A promising career

The cancer researcher is a Professor of Tumor Systems Biology at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Julius-Maximilians-Universitat Wurzburg (JMU). The focus of his new research project is the development of new therapies against pancreatic cancer, which has now been approved by the European Research Council (ERC). The endowed ERC Consolidator Grant of around two million euros will enable him to advance this research over the next five years. The ERC awards a Consolidator Grant to outstanding scientists with a promising career.

Shredding the cancer proteins

Wolf's project focuses on PROTACs (proteolysis targeting chimeras). These are small molecules that bind to target proteins and feed them into the cellular degradation machinery - a kind of "shredder" inside the cell. If cancer cells absolutely need these target proteins to survive, PROTAC could be a perfect cancer drug.

Wolf and his team have already carried out the relevant preliminary work: "We have identified a number of target molecules that are absolutely necessary for the growth of cancer cells in pancreatic cancer," the scientist explains. In addition, the research group has already developed numerous PROTACs for a number of cancer types in the past, gaining deep insights into the underlying design principles and synthesis procedures. "And last but not least, we have established genetic models in mice to simulate the function of our PROTACs and discover further targets," says Wolf.

Wolf is confident that with the help of the financial support of the ERC grant, he will succeed in developing compounds that degrade important proteins needed by cancer cells to survive and divide. This would enable them to inhibit the growth of pancreatic tumors in healthy tissue - with comparatively few side effects.

About the person

Elmar Wolf (42) studied human biology at the University of Marburg from 2000 to 2005. He submitted his doctoral thesis in 2010 at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Gottingen. From July 2010 to 2015, Wolf conducted research as a postdoc under the supervision of Professor Martin Eilers at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Wurzburg. Since 2016, Wolf is head of his own research group, and since October 2020 he is Professor of Tumor Systems Biology at the Chair of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at JMU.

Elmar Wolf has been successful with his application to the ERC for the second time. In 2017, he received a "Starting Grant" endowed with around 1.5 million euros. This research project was about understanding the molecular basis of cancer.

Wolf has also received several awards for his work. In January 2016, the German Research Foundation (DFG) approved his application to establish an Emmy Noether Junior Research Group, and with it research funding of 1.2 million euros, spread over five years. In May 2016, Wolf received the Rontgen Prize. Every year, the University and the Universitatsbund Wurzburg award this prize to outstanding young Wurzburg scientists.
Reductions in violence are seen in individuals using Beta adrenergic-blocking agents (-blockers) compared with periods that they are not taking the medication, in a study published January 31st in the open access journal PLOS Medicine. If the findings are confirmed by other studies, -blockers could be considered as a way to manage aggression and hostility in individuals with psychiatric conditions.

-blockers are used to treat hypertension, angina and acute cardiovascular events, heart failure and arrhythmias as well as, migraine, symptoms of hyperthyroidism and glaucoma. They are often used for anxiety and have been suggested for clinical depression and aggression, but evidence is conflicting. They have been linked to an increased risk of suicidal behavior though evidence is inconclusive.

Seena Fazel of the University of Oxford, UK, and colleagues at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden investigated psychiatric and behavioral outcomes: hospitalizations for psychiatric disorders; suicidal behavior and deaths from suicide; and charges of violent crime. They compared 1.4 million -blocker users in Sweden to themselves during medicated and non-medicated periods over an eight-year period from 2006-2013.

Periods on -blocker treatment were associated with a 13% lower risk of being charged with a violent crime by the police, which remained consistent across the analyses. Additionally, an 8% lower risk of hospitalization due to a psychiatric disorder was reported as well as an 8% increased association of being treated for suicidal behavior. However, these associations varied depending on psychiatric diagnosis, past psychiatric problems, as well as the severity and type of the cardiac condition the -blockers were being used to treat.

Previous research has linked severe cardiac events to an increased risk of depression and suicide, and these results might suggest that the psychological distress and other disabilities associated with serious cardiac problems, rather than the -blocker treatment, increases the risk of serious psychiatric events. In secondary analyses, associations with hospitalization were lower for major depressive but not for anxiety disorders.

In order to understand the role of -blockers in the management of aggression and violence, further studies including randomized controlled trials are needed. If these confirm the results of this study, -blockers could be considered to manage aggression and violence in some individuals.

In a real-world study of 1.4 million persons, -blockers were associated with reduced violent criminal charges in individuals with psychiatric disorders. Repurposing their use to manage aggression and violence could improve patient outcomes." Seena Fazel of the University of Oxford, UK
Next-generation cancer strategies rely on next-generation gene sequencing (NGS), which paves the way for new techniques and tools to detect mutations and determine patient therapy. A team of Chinese researchers proposed a more effective strategy to filter false positive results, which improves the accuracy and efficiency of cancer diagnosis and treatment.

The research team proposed DeepFilter, a deep-learning based filter for removing false positives in somatic variants in NGS data.

Their study was published on January 06, 2023 in Tsinghua Science and Technology.

Finding somatic mutations, or alterations in normal tissue, is key to understanding lethal genetic diseases of the human genome such as cancer. Next-generation gene sequencing accelerates the search for somatic mutations by employing technologies that separate DNA/RNA into multiple pieces and identify sequences in parallel, producing thousands or millions of sequences concurrently. This technique improves accuracy while reducing the cost and time of sequencing.

Powerful "calling tools" comb through NGS data and track down tumors or other mutations by comparing sequences to a reference genome from related tissue in the same individual.

VarDict is a somatic variant calling tool used commonly in clinical research. Previous studies have shown that VarDict achieves higher accuracy rates and detects more true variants than similar calling tools. However, VarDict also generates a higher number of false positives than other callers, which can skew results.

An error rate of 1:10,000 in a genome with 3 billion positions would result in many false calls, which may lead to inaccurate clinical diagnoses. However, filtering true positives may also lead to missed diagnoses." Zekun Yin, Study Author from Shandong University

Typically, researchers filter out some of the false positives manually  an onerous, costly process that the Chinese research team set out to alleviate.

"It will save a lot of time and money if we provide an automatic method to effectively filter out most of the false positives," said Hao Zhang, a study author from Shandong University.

Inspired by recent successes integrating machine-learning based methods to call genetic variants from NGS data, the Chinese research team introduced a deep-learning based variant filter. Dubbed DeepFilter, the filter is designed to effectively sift through false positive variants generated by VarDict while also ensuring high calling sensitivity.

DeepFilter treats the task of distinguishing whether a variant is true or false as a binary classification problem. The researchers used three types of datasets to train and test DeepFilter: real-world tumor-normal sample data, a mixture of two golden-standard data, and synthetic data.

The experimental results based on both synthetic and real-world NGS data were promising:

"DeepFilter outperformed other filters in terms of false positive variant filter tasks, which made VarDict more valuable in practical clinical research and greatly facilitated downstream analysis in biological research and patient treatment," said Zhang.

The team plans to wade deeper into the problem of false-positive variant filtering, looking specifically at the positive and negative sample imbalance problem and incorporating other machine learning and deep-learning methods for filtering.

"Our ultimate goal is to solve the problem of running efficiency and accuracy of variation calling and provide a state-of-the-art variation detection tool," said Yin.

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Shenzhen Basic Research Fund, the Key Project of Joint Fund of Shandong Province, Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation, and Engineering Research Center of Digital Media Technology, Ministry of Education, China.

Other contributors include Yanjie Wei from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Bertil Schmidt from Johannes Gutenberg University and Weiguo Liu from Shandong University.
Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) said it has signed an agreement with Omani authorities to provide finance for a key infrastructure project coming up within Al Dhahirah Special Economic Zone in Oman at a total cost of SR1.2 billion ($320 million).

This comes following the directives of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

The MoU was signed by CEO Sultan Al Murshid and Zahir bin Marhoon Al Abri of Oman Ministry of Finance in the presence of Minister of Investment Engineer Khalid Al Falih and Omani Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef on the sidelines of the Saudi-Omani Investment Forum.

To be held until February 4 in Riyadh, the forum follows several successful MISA events hosted with investment counterparts from such countries as Turkiye, Azerbaijan and South Korea resulting in enhanced cooperation and multiple MoUs to explore investment opportunities across several sectors.

According to SFD, the memorandum aims to open horizons of cooperation at many levels through the establishment of an economic zone in Al Dhahirah Governorate, which contributes to promoting sustainable economic growth, in addition to increasing trade exchanges and creating quality industries.

It also encourages partnerships among sectors to provide goods and products and reduce the cost of production and export between the two brotherly countries, it stated.

Al Abri lauded the significant role being played by the Saudi government through SFD in supporting development projects and programmes in the infrastructure sector across Oman.

The memorandum, he stated, contributes to strengthening bilateral development relations between the two sides, appreciating the efforts that seek to achieve sustainable development goals between the two brotherly countries.

At the signing ceremony, Al Murshid said the memorandum strengthens the long-established historical relations and close partnership between KSA and Oman.

"These development projects and programs contribute to achieving the ambitious visions of the two countries, to achieve economic growth and social prosperity," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Japan's Marubeni Corporation said it has joined hands with two key regional players in the utility sector - Ajlan & Bros for Trading of Saudi Arabia and Qatar's United District Energy International (UDEI) - to enter into the district cooling business in KSA.

The Marubeni move comes at a time when the demand for district cooling in KSA is expected to expand due to factors such as continuous population growth and urbanization, vigorous real estate development, and increased motivation for energy conservation.

As per the JV deal, the three companies will work jointly to meet the local demand for district cooling services.

Marubeni will be utilising its know-how in infrastructure business development and operation in KSA; while the UDEI, which has extensive experience in district cooling, will deploy its expertise for the project and the local network will be taken care of by Ajlan & Bros Holding Group, which is involved in a wide range of businesses in the kingdom.

Marubeni had formulated the long-term vision for climate change in March 2021 and had positioned a green strategy as one of its basic policies for enhancing corporate value in its mid-term management strategy GC2024, said a company spokesman.

"District cooling is a plant system that supplies chilled water produced by a central plant to multiple buildings through pipelines. By consolidating the cooling facilities and increasing their capacity, it is possible to improve the efficiency of energy use and achieve better usage of floor area compared to having such facilities in individual buildings," he explained.

"This system contributes significantly to decarbonization by optimizing the operation of the cooling facilities and by taking advantage of economies of scalem," he noted.

"Through this project, Marubeni will expand its community-based utility service business, accelerate the process of decarbonization, and contribute to the sustainable economic development of Saudi Arabia," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Reported by Zahra Ayaz

Indians migrate to Bahrain in search of greener pastures as well as to support their families back home. However, they are now embracing the kingdom through tourism. Despite slowing trends in Europe and West Asia, more Indian immigration can benefit Bahrain's tourism sector by bringing thousands of high-net-worth individuals and potential tourists.

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority (BTEA) has also put India on its priority list by maintaining an office in the country to collaborate with travel agents and tourism players. The excellent links between Bahrain and India will also contribute to this tourism resurgence drive.

"More Indian weddings are taking place nowadays, and Bahrain has become a popular tourist destination for Indians, allowing us to supply visas and tickets and develop our business," Haris PT, Managing Director of Travel Knits, told The Daily Tribune.

Bahrain's tourism sector should collaborate with GCC states to enhance the country as a tourist destination, he opined.

"A single-visit visa for Gulf countries could bring more visitors to Bahrain." This can benefit tourism throughout the GCC, as most tourists visit multiple European countries when they can travel with a single Schengen visa. Saudi Arabia is currently heavily pushing tourism. "It would be a game changer if tourists could obtain a single visa to travel to multiple GCC countries."

Another representative, Shailen Kumar, stated that business is brisk and that many Indian tourists are visiting Bahrain.

"It also depends on when the holiday begins, especially since many people want to bring their families to Bahrain during Ramadan." "I've seen more people travel to Bahrain than return to India," Kumar explained.

Bahrain has recently been touted as a one-of-a-kind destination by the BTEA.

In the first three months of this year, the Kingdom will host 14 marriages.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Beban, an entrepreneurship-themed reality show produced by Hope Ventures, the investment arm of Hope Fund, hosted five entrepreneurs from Bahrain, UAE, Kuwait,and Saudi Arabia.

The United Arab Emirates entrepreneur introduced "Mineral Energy", a brand that formulates skincare products that are safe and effective in reducing, inhibiting, and/or improving dermatological symptoms, founded by Muna Alhammadi.

Koala Picks' a brand that makes and provides healthy snack boxes with natural ingredients for kids and adults co-founded by Ahmed Mubasher, Aya Assaf, and Omnia Abdelhalim, Mismaar, a mobile application that quickly and safely connects vetted contractors to regular people who want to do home improvement projects, founded by Nezar Almoayed, Gahwa.co a coffee and tea capsules that contains Arabic and Latin blends.

The recipes are created in-house by the founder, founded by Mahmood Al-Araibi, and GFX Securities, a trading platform specialized in providing brokerage services in the field of securities, founded by Ali Al Hlaiwa.

These five businesses pitched before a panel of regional investors comprised of Kuwaiti investor Yousef AlSultan, CEO of Nuzha Ventures, Basel Alabdulkarim, Saudi angel Investor & President EO Saudi East, and Abdulelah Algosaibi, Saudi investor in emerging technologies.

The panel was moderated by Aymen bin Tawfiq Almoayed, Chairman of Hope Fund, representing Hope Ventures investments.

"Beban comes in line with one of our key mandates at Hope, which is to shed light on promising entrepreneurs and facilitate co-investment opportunities alongside the private sector.

In this episode, not only will viewers witness the exciting journeys of 5 businesses of various sectors from Bahrain and the UAE as they pitch in front of a panel of regional investors from Saudi and Kuwait, but they will be able to invest in some of these opportunities in-real time through Bebans crowdfunding platform beban.me.," Khaled Alrayyes, Manager of Projects at Hope Ventures said.

Beban season 2, is 100% powered by renewable energy through Hope Ventures partnership with The Oil and Gas Holding Company B.S.C (closed) ("nogaholding") and the Electricity and Water Authority (EWA).
We are continuously developing our insurance products to meet customers needs: BBK

We are continuously developing our insurance products to meet customers needs: BBK

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

BBK, Bahrains pioneer in retail and commercial banking, said it will continue to develop its motor, home and other insurance products to fulfil the needs of its existing and potential customers.

BBK said its insurance products have competitive advantages in terms of the coverage and price.

Additionally, customers with a BBK credit card can pay for any insurance products they take up through an equal payment plan, consisting of monthly installments paid over the course of a year.

The bank said it also offers comprehensive and Takaful insurance, providing customers with multiple options to suit their specific needs.

Moreover, we have developed a system at all its branches that issues insurance policies instantly, ensuring that customers are provided with a user-friendly, hassle-free experience.

BBK has been offering Secura-branded third-party insurance products for nearly 23 years, providing exclusive car insurance services to customers.

These products are inclusive of benefits such as; 24-hour roadside assistance in Bahrain and the GCC, windshield cover, a replacement car in case of repairs in addition to agency maintenance for up to five years.

Dr Adel Salem, General Manager of Retail Banking at BBK, said; We are pleased to announce that BBK is diversifying its insurance portfolio with its highly competitive automotive, home and travel insurance products.

We want to ensure that existing and future customers will be able to purchase the insurance product that provides them with the necessary security and protection should they need it.

Dr Salem explained that BBKs insurance products are always in demand which reflects the banks stature and indicates the quality of BBKs insurance products within the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Bahrain's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Bahrain (TRA) recently organised a meeting for the major players of the Wi-Fi Industry to discuss new advancements in the sector.

During the meeting, held at the TRA headquarters in Seef District, several presentations were held to highlight the capabilities of new Wi-Fi generations and their positions at the upcoming World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-23).

Also the teleom regulator discussed the Bahrains position regarding the upper 6Ghz Band.

In addition to supporting the kingdoms digital economy, Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E will also foster digital transformation across all sectors and the development of cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence.

In this way, the telecommunications and ICT sector can contribute to economic growth in all sectors of the kingdoms economy and support growth across all sectors, it stated.

Furthermore, it complies with the Governments requirement that consumers should benefit from improving average download speeds over time. This is to meet evolving consumer needs, and aspire to be among the leading countries regionally, when it comes to download and upload speeds.

"New Wi-Fi generations 6 & 6E facilitates the objective of faster download speeds to consumers, as does the nationwide 5G coverage and the increasing fibre coverage. A maximum data rate of almost 10Gbps is provided by Wi-Fi 6 & Wi-Fi 6E, the latest version of unlicensed wireless networking," said Engineer Hasan Mohamed Hasan, the Director of Spectrum at TRA.

"As a result, gaming, artificial and virtual reality, IoT, 4K/8K video, etc., can benefit from improved latency, improved connection quality, and faster data transfer," he stated.

Hasan pointed out that this will allow improved quality of service, new areas for innovation, will encourage small businesses to introduce new products and services, and will enable remote monitoring and control of machinery throughout the kingdom, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Weve all heard the news: Japan has finally reopened its borders to the world. In the wake of this announcement, how does the tourism situation look in Japan and what should we expect for 2023?

Weve been waiting for this news for more than two and a half years. Most of the conditions for traveling are now the same as before the pandemic. Its finally time to return to Japan!

One thing I can say for certain is that peoples love for Japan hasnt vanished at all. If anything, the wait has made them yearn for the country even more - despite the high prices of plane tickets, demand has been significant. Of course, these types of trips tend to be planned well in advance, so I reckon itll be some time before Japan recovers the tourists it had pre-pandemic. I expect to see the number of visitors to grow over the coming year, peaking for the cherry blossom and Autumn leaf seasons this year, and even more growth for 2024.

What is your favorite time for traveling to Japan?

I would personally recommend traveling during the second half of May. Youre almost guaranteed to have great weather that comes with Spring, while avoiding the rush of tourists coming for cherry blossom viewing. The days are longer as well, so you get to enjoy your time all the more.

Not to say that the other three seasons dont each have their draws: if you love outdoors, summer is perfect for hiking through the Japanese Alps or exploring Hokkaidos national parks. Between September and November, youll find beautiful red and gold leaves blanket the countrys landscapes. And winter is a very underrated season. Its snowy, but the air is dry, and the sky sunny. As a bonus, the people brighten the dark days with a variety of festivals and celebrations.

However, youre better off avoiding trips during Japans national holidays - Shogatsu (Japanese New Year), Obon (in mid-August or mid-July, depending on the area), and Golden Week (between April 29 and May 5). Locals tend to travel a lot during these periods, so the major sightseeing spots can get very crowded.

If a tourist does decide to travel at these moments, are there any hidden gems you can recommend?

If youre looking for natural landscapes, I recommend Japans smaller islands, especially those in the Inland sea, which were left mostly untouched. In the same vein, youll find the countrys most beautiful primary forest on the island of Yakushima, south of Kyushu. Instructions to visitors are very strict, so they leave as little of a trace of their visit as possible.

For seasoned hikers, the temple of Ikumo in Ishikawa Prefecture is a very well-kept secret. Visitors are very nicely welcomed by the monks coming here to meditate, and the 360 panorama on the sea and Hakusan Mountain is a sight to behold. Not only that, but youre also likely to be alone; there are only 2 to 3 rooms, and the climb is rather challenging.

And if youre coming to Japan during the cherry blossom season, I suggest the banks of the Kamo river. Its a classic, but the pink trees lining the river have a beauty thats almost magical. If you come here on a weekday in the morning, there wont be many people.

Many people are already planning their trip. Are there any cultural differences they should be aware of before traveling?

One word that perfectly describes Japanese culture is courtesy, for the sake of which certain customs are expected to be followed. Because the Japanese are unlikely to get angry even when offended, they can be difficult to decipher. As a general rule, the best way to avoid social mistakes is to do as the Japanese do, but there are a few specific recommendations.

Its common knowledge that the Japanese are very clean and strongly dislike littering. You wont find many trash cans on the streets, bring a small bag to collect your trash throughout the day. And for very much the same reasons, they wont appreciate you eating while walking.

In the same vein, silence is golden in public transportation - passengers talk very rarely and never call. Before boarding a train, make sure to wait for passengers to disembark.

Shops may refuse customers for any reason. If this happens to you, its best to not insist any further. Note that tattoos can play a part in this, due to their association with the yakuza - the Japanese mafia - so covering them can help. Also, avoid tipping. Japan does not practice tipping - in fact, its considered an insult to do so!

Laws are followed to the letter. For instance, the Japanese will respect pedestrian signals even if there are no cars nearby. They also wont smoke outside in the streets - its forbidden to smoke outside of specially-designated areas.

What about travel requirements?

Most of the restrictions that were put in place for the pandemic have been relaxed, but there are still a few formalities travelers should be aware of. If you are not vaccinated at least three times, youll need to present a negative COVID PCR test result, taken within 72 hours of your departure. Unless you are from the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and EU, among others, youll also have to apply for a tourist visa. Either way, you should pre-register on the Visit Japan Web service: thisll make border control much smoother. We also strongly recommend applying for health insurance if your credit card does not provide one; it should cover medical expenses and hospitalization.

Do you have any good deals for travelers on a budget?

If youre traveling as a group of more than 3 people, you could consider renting a house instead of booking separate hotel rooms, especially in areas such as Tokyo. Besides, its the perfect way to live a more authentic experience!

When it comes to transport, I recommend the train to get around the country. Japans railway network is very developed - the Shinkansen bullet trains can get you across the country in just a few hours, while the regular trains can help you reach more remote locations. The latter is also perfect for enjoying panoramic views of Japans natural landscapes.

It can get rather expensive, however, so if youre staying in Japan for at least a week and have a lot of cities to cover, I recommend you purchase a Japan Rail Pass. Itll give you unlimited access to most trains for 1 to 3 weeks. Or, if youre staying in one specific region, it might be worth it to purchase a Regional Pass instead - such as the Hakone Free Pass, which is quite popular with tourists. Either way, youll quickly get your moneys worth. It also affords a lot of flexibility, as you can board most trains without a stop to a Ticket Office.

Japan Experience is the first European tour operator to specialize exclusively in Japan. Can you tell us more about your activities?

We are a team of enthusiasts - we live and breathe Japan, and were constantly exploring new unique activities that we want to share with our customers. For over 40 years, weve been devoting all our energy to promote Japan with passion to all those who wish to travel there and, of course, to all those who simply wish to learn more about the country.

Whether youd like to organize your trip yourself, or let us handle all the details, we have everything you need among our large catalog of products. If youre in need of personalized advice, dont hesitate to visit us at one of our local offices in Paris, London, Madrid, Berlin, or Tokyo.

After all, for us, Japan is more than just a destination - its our raison d'etre.
The Philippines is taking steps to repatriate four Japanese nationals who are believed to be linked to a series of robberies in Japan.

Attention has been focused on how soon the suspects will be sent. Philippine officials are expected to discuss the matter as early as Wednesday afternoon.

A Philippines' justice department spokesman told reporters on Tuesday that Japan wants the four men to be deported together. He also said that the Philippines will comply with Japan's request, even if preparations have only been completed for some of the suspects.

Japanese police have obtained arrest warrants for the four men, as they believe the individuals were previously involved in phone scams in Japan. ...continue reading
Dubai-based independent hotel management company, Aleph Hospitality, has signed an agreement to operate The Pelican Hotel in Accra, marking the groups first entry into Ghana.

Located in Cantonments, an affluent suburb of Accra home to various embassies, as well as shopping malls, dining and leisure facilities, the all-suite boutique hotel is set to open in June 2023.

A 10-minute drive from Kotoka International Airport, the upscale property features 134 suites and apartments, a cafe, a speciality restaurant, swimming pool, gym, spa and meeting room facilities.

Having won three international architecture awards, including the prestigious title of Best Architecture Multiple Residence in Africa, The Pelican Hotel is the first of its kind in Ghana, unmatched in its contemporary design and luxurious accommodation.

Bani Haddad, Founder and Managing Director of Aleph Hospitality, said: We are delighted to have been entrusted with the management of The Pelican Hotel in Accra and look forward to a very successful opening. With its stunning natural beauty, rich history, many cultural attractions and tourism-friendly infrastructure, Ghana is an attractive destination for business and leisure travellers alike, and with tourism as one of the fastest growing sectors in the country, this is a very exciting time for us to enter Ghana.

DevtracoPlus Limited, one of Ghanas leading real estate companies under the Devtraco Group, is the developer and owner of The Pelican Hotel Apartments. John Kane Entsuah, CEO of Devtraco Group, said: We are excited to continue delivering on our promise of creating value for investors in this strategic partnership with Aleph Hospitality. With years of experience in working with the world's largest hotel companies, Aleph Hospitality is the ideal partner to deliver the highest level of hospitality management services for Accras first hotel apartment. Together, we will be redefining the hospitality industry in Ghana.

Aleph Hospitality, which has targeted 50 hotels in the Middle East and Africa by 2026, manages hotels directly for owners, either on a franchise basis for branded properties or as a white label operator for independently branded hotels.  TradeArabia News Service
As part of BOMBAY SAPPHIRE's mission to Stir Creativity and inspire creative self-expression, the brand has collaborated with the Jean-Michel Basquiat Estate to design the first ever special edition BOMBAY SAPPHIRE bottle in Canada.

TORONTO, Feb. 1, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE announces the Canadian arrival of the brand's highly anticipated artist Special Edition bottle, which pays homage to cultural icon and prolific artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. The beautiful collectable shines a light on Basquiat's fearless creativity and their joint mission to make the art world more accessible to all who have a passion for self-expression, a part of the brand's ongoing 'Stir Creativity' platform.

BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Special Edition bottle (CNW Group/BOMBAY SAPPHIRE ) 'King Meets Queen' Cocktail (CNW Group/BOMBAY SAPPHIRE )

The Special Edition bottle features one of Basquiat's earliest works, his Untitled (L.A Painting). Never before licensed and only displayed to the public once, it is a masterpiece influenced by the surrounding remote environment of Venice Beach, L.A where Basquiat found security and solitude away from the hustle and bustle in New York in 1982. Exhibited in Basquiat's second ever show, the piece features many of the key motifs that are associated with his work: the crown, the bird, the coin and the skull which are all beautifully collaged over soft hues of blue. Through the social commentary behind his graffiti inspired artwork, Jean Michel created a global legacy and has greatly influenced modern and contemporary art.

With a shared mission to inspire and enable creativity in us all, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE and the Basquiat Estate bring to life this special edition bottle, which aims to highlight his fearless creativity and meaningful artistic expression that transcends generations.

"We're thrilled to be launching the special edition bottle in Canada to honour Basquiat's dynamic creativity and offer an entirely new way to experience art," said James Fisher, Senior Brand Manager of BOMBAY SAPPHIRE. "This collaboration was born from a shared mission to shine a light on the arts and inspire creative self-expression within everyone. BOMBAY SAPPHIRE is leading a global charge to stir creativity - a call to arms for everyone to unlock their creative potential."

Like Basquiat and his sisters, Jeanine Heriveaux and Lisane Basquiat, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE constantly strives to foster creative self-expression and open alternative pathways to champion equal representation in the arts.

"We are excited to collaborate with BOMBAY SAPPHIRE to share Jean-Michel's work with those passionate about his art, life, and journey," said Lisane Basquiat and Jeanine Heriveaux of the Basquiat Estate.

Recognized as the ultimate canvas for cocktail creativity that inspires bartenders and drinkers to experiment with flavour and versatility, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE and the Basquiat Estate have created a signature cocktail  the "King Meets Queen". Inspired by Basquiat's sharp colours, stark lines and stabbing contrast, this cocktail is made to stand out and shine next to the Special-Edition bottle this February and beyond, as an ode to Basquiat's constant curiosity.

The BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Jean-Michel Basquiat Special Edition bottle is available at select retailers across Canada.

High-res imagery: HERE

BASQUIAT X BOMBAY SAPPHIRE SPECIAL EDITION

SIZE: 750 ML

SRP: $30.50 (price may vary by province)

ABV: 40%

ON SHELVES: February 2023, in select provinces

LINK FOR PURCHASE: HERE

"King Meets Queen"

The Official Cocktail of the Jean-Michel Basquiat: King Pleasure

1.5 oz BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin

0.5 oz Real Pineapple Puree

0.5 oz Lemon juice

0.5 oz Honey syrup 1:1

5 oz Fever-Tree Premium Tonic

METHOD: Build ingredients in balloon glass with fresh cold draft ice. Garnish with two pineapple top leaves and a few slices of jalapeno (or other pepper) in the drink.

ABOUT BOMBAY SAPPHIRE:

Based on a 1761 recipe, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin is created by perfectly balancing a unique combination of 10 hand-selected exotic botanicals from around the world. The design of the BOMBAY SAPPHIRE distillery at Laverstoke Mill has won a BREEAM award for sustainability and is the home of the unique Vapour Infusion process, where the natural flavours of the botanicals are skillfully captured, resulting in the fresh and vibrant taste with which BOMBAY SAPPHIRE is synonymous. BOMBAY SAPPHIRE is on a mission to be the world's most sustainable global gin, with all 10 botanicals being certified sustainably sourced, by the For Life certification from Ecocert S.A. The BOMBAY SAPPHIRE brand is part of the portfolio of Bacardi Limited, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited.



ABOUT BOMBAY SAPPHIRE AND CREATIVITY:

With its 'Stir Creativity' campaign, launched in 2018, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE is leading a global mission - a call to arms for everyone to engage with their creativity and unlock their creative potential. From advocacy programmes including the World's Most Imaginative Bartender competition, which has run in North America for over a decade, to hosting The Glasshouse Project, which brings together the world's top bartenders in a series of creative workshops designed to push the boundaries of cocktail creativity. For eight years, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE ran The Artisan Series, an art competition created by the brand to provide emerging artists with an international platform.



www.bombaysapphire.com

www.instagram.com/bombaysapphire

www.facebook.com/BombaySapphire



BE BRILLIANT AND INSPIRED. DRINK RESPONSIBLY

 2023 BOMBAY SAPPHIRE AND ITS TRADE DRESS ARE TRADEMARKS

ABOUT THE BASQUIAT ESTATE:

The Estate is the heir to the legal rights and interests of Jean-Michel Basquiat. The Estate works to preserve and exhibit his artwork, and to be a source of accurate information about the life and work of Jean-Michel Basquiat. The Estate was administered by Gerard Basquiat, the late artist's father, until his passing in 2013. It is currently administered by the late artist's sisters, Jeanine Heriveaux and Lisane Basquiat.

Partnership done in collaboration with Artestar, a global licensing agency and creative consultancy representing high-profile artists, photographers, designers and creatives.

 Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York.

SOURCE BOMBAY SAPPHIRE 

For further information: MEDIA CONTACT: Emily Wilson, Meat and Produce Agency, [email protected]
/NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES/

VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 1, 2023 /CNW/ - Klimat X Developments Inc. ("Klimat X" or the "Company") (TSXV: KLX) is pleased to provide details on its development strategy and key milestones for 2023. Klimat X finished 2022 in a strong position by rapidly advancing its forest and mangrove restoration projects. The combination of jurisdictional scalability and success in establishing key relationships and support within the countries and states it operates will allow the company to build on last year's performance over the next 12 months. Klimat X will continue to expand the scale of its projects by unlocking operational efficiencies at its two flagship assets in Sierra Leone & Yucatan as it works towards initial carbon credit validation. As one of the only publicly traded large scale nature-based carbon credit developers, Klimat X is ideally situated to capitalize on the strong corporate demand for high quality offsets over the coming decade.

Klimat X CEO, Dr. James Tansey commented 'The scale of demand for carbon credits has remained robust despite the economic headwinds of 2022. Across the sector, companies are seeing strong demand from final buyers looking for long term contracts to secure carbon credits. Large scale restoration projects of the type we develop command a price premium. We look forward to further commercial validation of our development model in the coming year and to building a foundation for future growth.'

Looking forward to 2023, the company has set the following goals for the coming year;

In Sierra Leone , expanding on the 400 hectares planted to date, by completing up to a further 1,000 hectares of reforestation with native species and building additional nurseries to expand planting capacity. Visit for video



Lease and survey up to 10,000 hectares of critical coastal mangroves for restoration and conservation in Sierra Leone . Mangroves store 10-15 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare and the protection of mangrove areas can prevent more than 400 tonnes CO2 per hectare from being released to the atmosphere.



Initiate the first mangrove restoration project within an area of up to 25,000 hectares in Yucatan, Mexico with the state government as a local partner.



Complete at least two Project Design Documents (feasibility studies), that establish the full carbon credit reserves at the projects.



Secure additional reforestation and conservation projects in West Africa and Latin America .



Continue marketing future carbon credits to potential buyers.

About Klimat

Klimat X carries on the business of developing validated and verified carbon credits from afforestation and reforestation of degraded land areas and marine ecosystems, including mangroves, for sale into international voluntary carbon markets. In contrast to streaming and royalty companies, Klimat X works upstream as a direct owner and operator of projects, addressing a key supply constraint in the current market and the rapidly growing demand for carbon credits in global voluntary and regulated markets. The Corporation intends to achieve this by investing in the exploration, restoration and management of terrestrial and marine systems that can either be protected to enhance the sequestration of greenhouse gases or restored from a degraded status to fully productive ecosystems. Klimat X will draw on the experience of a senior executive team and Board that provide access into key target jurisdictions through relationships in the mining and natural resources sectors, combined with decades of experience in carbon markets. Klimat X plans to deploy capital at risk under various arrangements (including cooperation, assignment and production sharing agreements) with large land- owners and governments in various suitable jurisdictions around the world. SEE VIDEO

Reader Advisory

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.

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "will", "intends" "expects" and similar expressions which are intended to identify forward-looking information or statements. More particularly and without limitation, this press release contains forward looking statements and information concerning Klimat X's ability attract and retain a new Chief Financial Officer. Klimat X cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, assumptions and expectations, many of which are beyond the control of Klimat X. 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 Klimat X. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and Klimat X does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by securities law.

THIS PRESS RELEASE, REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE CANADIAN LAWS, IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES, AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO SELL ANY OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN IN THE UNITED STATES. THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN, AND WILL NOT BE, REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. PERSONS UNLESS REGISTERED OR EXEMPT THEREFROM.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction.

SOURCE KLIMAT X Developments Inc.

For further information: Klimat X Developments Inc., James Tansey, Suite 390, 1050 Homer Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V6B 2W9, Phone: 1-604-562-4546
With this agreement, ATSA became the first South American operator of Dash 8-400 aircraft to join De Havilland Canada's Cargo Solutions Program

CALGARY, AB, Feb. 1, 2023 /CNW/ - De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited ("De Havilland Canada") announced today that Aero Transporte S.A. ("ATSA") has signed a firm agreement for a Dash 8-400 freighter conversion with a large cargo door (Dash 8-400 F-LCD). With this agreement, ATSA has become the first South American operator of Dash 8-400 aircraft to join De Havilland Canada's Cargo Solutions Program and ATSA's Dash 8-400 F-LCD aircraft will be the first one operating on the continent. ATSA currently operates two Dash 8-400 aircraft from its base in Peru to support the mining sector.

ATSA Dash 8-400 Large Cargo Door Freighter Conversion (CNW Group/De Havilland Aircraft of Canada) ATSA has become the first South American operator of Dash 8-400 aircraft to join De Havilland Canadas Cargo Solutions Program. (CNW Group/De Havilland Aircraft of Canada)

"As an experienced operator of the Dash 8-400 aircraft, we have first-hand knowledge of its outstanding performance capability to support our expanding cargo operations in Peru's mining sector. Our country's complex geography that includes arid coastal plains, the Andean mountains, and the rain forests of the Amazon basin, make the Dash 8-400 aircraft the ideal choice for this type of operation," said Carlos Cueva, President, ATSA.

"We are delighted to welcome ATSA to our cargo solutions program and we wish the airline all the best with its expanding operations to support more cargo transport," said Philippe Poutissou, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, De Havilland Canada. "De Havilland Canada will conduct ATSA's Dash 8-400 F-LCD conversion in Canada utilizing our Transport Canada-approved original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Service Bulletins  illustrating our growing capability to provide ongoing support to the global fleet of De Havilland Canada aircraft."

About De Havilland Canada's Dash 8-400 Cargo Solutions

Dash 8-400 Quick Change (Dash 8-400 QC)

The Dash 8-400 Quick Change solution is a revenue expansion model that offers flexibility to convert the Dash 8-400 aircraft between all-passenger and all-cargo configurations. Operators can combine two distinctive income streams into one, significantly expanding their revenue base. The short time required to switch from one configuration to the other allows operators to match market dynamics swiftly. By installing a new smoke detection system in the cabin to convert it into a Class E compartment, no attendants are required in the cabin for cargo flights.

Dash 8-400 Package Freighter (Dash 8-400 PF)

The Dash 8-400 Package Freighter allows bulk loading of various sizes of cargo, such as e-commerce packages. There are nine distinct loading zones with eight radial spider nets providing tie-down and restraint functions. The primary cargo access door is in the same position as the aft LHS baggage compartment door in all Dash 8-400 aircraft, and there are four additional access doors (two on each side of the aircraft in forward and aft positions) to facilitate quick loading and unloading of cargo. It is ideal for the transportation of e-commerce packages. An optional cargo loading system is also available for palletized cargo.

Dash 8-400 Freighter with Large Cargo Door (Dash 8-400 F-LCD)

The Dash 8-400 Package Freighter can be equipped with a large cargo door ("LCD") and a cargo loading system to provide a containerized cargo model that facilitates the transport of unit load device (ULD) containers or pallets. With the LCD measuring 107 in x 71.5 in (2.7 m x 1.8 m), the Dash 8-400 F-LCD is equipped to handle typical containers such as LD1, LD2, LD3 and LD4. For example, it can carry as many as eight LD3 containers. This would allow interline transfer of containers from other aircraft in an operator's network. It is ideal for hub-and-spoke network carriers as well as major logistics operators.

About De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited

With more than 5,000 aircraft delivered, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited (De Havilland Canada) is well established across the globe and our talented team of aviation professionals is dedicated to advancing our near-100-year reputation for excellence in innovation, production and customer support. Our aircraft operate reliably in some of the world's harshest climates and provide vital connections between rural communities and urban centres  transporting essential cargo and millions of passengers annually. Our aircraft also support a wide variety of special mission operations including aerial firefighting, search and rescue, medical evacuation, reconnaissance and coastal surveillance. In February 2022, De Havilland Canada became the operating brand for the companies that previously operated as Longview Aviation, Viking Air Ltd, Pacific Sky Training and De Havilland Canada. https://dehavilland.com

SOURCE De Havilland Aircraft of Canada

For further information: Philippa King, De Havilland Canada, [email protected]
OTTAWA, ON, Feb. 1, 2023 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Black History Month:

"As we celebrate the beginning of Black History Month, we reflect on the rich history of Black communities in Canada and commit to building an equitable future for all. This is a time for Canadians to honour the legacy of Black communities from coast to coast to coast and celebrate the contributions they have made across the country. From scientists to artists, from business owners to philanthropists, Canadians from Black communities continue to shape our country each and every day.

"One of the many stories we celebrate this February, as part of this year's Black History Month theme, 'Ours to tell', is that of the Honourable Jean Augustine. Thirty years ago, she made history as the first Black Canadian woman to be elected to the House of Commons and later when she became the first Black Canadian woman to be appointed to the federal Cabinet. Her advocacy led to the national recognition of Black History Month, and she continues to be a beacon of excellence for communities across Canada, and for others to follow in her footsteps. From Jean Augustine to medical pioneers like Dr. June Marion James, athletes turned successful entrepreneurs like Donovan Bailey, scientists and comedians like Boucar Diouf, and artists like Dionne Brand, this year's Black History Month theme celebrates stories that are worth telling.

"Last year, the Government of Canada committed $1.5 million to support the ongoing activities of the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora at York University, which works to address systemic barriers to improve educational outcomes for Black students. We also provided funding through the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative to support Black community organizations across Canada, while the Black Entrepreneurship Program continues to offer Black-led businesses, organizations, and financial institutions across Canada the financial resources to succeed now and into the future. These investments are key pieces to making sure we're building an equitable Canada.

"Canada has a history of anti-Black racism, and communities continue to face the impacts of systemic racism today. It is our collective responsibility to end it by listening, learning, and taking action. That is why in 2018, Canada officially recognized the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent, which provides a global framework for recognition, justice, and development for people of African descent. Building on this framework, our government will continue to address the unique challenges that Black communities face.

"We know that more work still needs to be done, and the Government of Canada will continue to support the advancement of Black communities. This includes our ongoing efforts, working closely with provinces, territories, and Black communities, to develop Canada's Black Justice Strategy, which will help address systemic discrimination and the over-representation of members of Black communities in our criminal justice system. And through Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy, we will continue fighting anti-Black racism, eliminating inequities, empowering communities, and changing attitudes by building awareness.

"This month, I invite everyone to take part in community events for Black History Month, and to listen to and actively share the stories Black communities have to tell. Let's continue to celebrate their many past and ongoing contributions. Together, we will continue to build a stronger and more resilient country, where all Canadians can succeed, thrive, and have their voices heard."

This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca

SOURCE Prime Minister's Office

For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected]
Washington DC, Feb 1 (UNI) National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his US counterpart Jake Sullivan on Wednesday formally launched US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) and reviewed defence cooperation and regional security among other issues.

NSA Ajit Doval also held important meetings with other key US security officials.

"NSA Ajit Doval and US NSA Jake Sullivan @JakeSullivan46 reviewed ongoing bilateral initiatives, the upcoming launch of Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) and shared assessments of major global and regional developments during a productive meeting," said Indian Embassy in Washington in a tweet.

"Transforming vision into action! NSAs Ajit Doval & Jake Sullivan formally launched U.S.-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET). Announced by Narendra Modi and @POTUS, iCET reflects India US convergence of strategic, commercial and scientific approaches in field of technology," the Embassy added in thread.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden announced the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) in May 2022 to elevate and expand strategic technology partnership and defense industrial cooperation between the governments, businesses, and academic institutions of the two countries.

The US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) is aimed at strengthening partnership on the technologies that will drive global growth, bolster economic competitiveness, and protect shared national security interests.

"Today, the two National Security Advisors led the inaugural meeting of the iCET in Washington, DC. They were joined on the U.S. side by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Director of the National Science Foundation, the Executive Secretary of the National Space Council, and senior officials from the Department of State, Department of Commerce, the Department of Defense, and the National Security Council," a While House statement stated.

India's Department of Science and Technology and United States' National Science Foundation also signed an Implementation Arrangement for bilateral cooperation in the field of Science and Technology.

"Deepening bilateral cooperation in Science and Technology. Delighted to sign the Implementation Arrangement between India's Dept of Science and Technology @IndiaDST and United States' National Science Foundation @NSF, along with my good friend Panch Sethuraman Panchanathan and in the presence of NSAs Ajit Doval and Jake Sullivan," said Ambassador of India to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu in a tweet.

US Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr Kathleen Hicks also called on NSA Ajit Doval.

They discussed a range of topics including US- India defence cooperation and regional security issues, the Indian Embassy in Washington said in a tweet.

UNI ASU RKM




The Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, might have given credence to the claim by the Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State that some elements in Nigerias Presidential Villa are working against Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC.





Aisha Buhari shared the video clip of el-Rufais statement on her verified Instagram page without any comment attached to it, an act which might be seen as tacit support to the governors claim.





It was reported that El-Rufai had while featuring on Channels Televisions Sunrise Daily programme on Wednesday said that some persons within the presidency who wanted a candidate other than Tinubu to emerge as the APC presidential candidate are working against him (Tinubu).





El-Rufai also disclosed that individual elements are hiding behind President Muhammadu Buharis desire to do what he thinks is right.





He said: I believe there are elements in the Villa that want us to lose the election because they didnt get their way; they had their candidate. Their candidate did not win the primaries.





They are trying to get us to lose the election, and they are hiding behind the presidents desire to do what he thinks is right.





Aishas action might not come to many as a surprise, as she had in the past said that President Buharis administration would have done better if not for two powerful persons.




Gunmen early Wednesday morning attacked the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Ojoto, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.





A source said the hoodlums burnt the commissions headquarters using Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs.





The gunmen also attacked a police station in Nnobi, in the same local government area, and a residential building inside the station, where they killed a boy, and injured a girl.





The level of damage in the police station was, however, not yet ascertained at the time of this report.





The state police commands spokesperson, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incidents in a press statement.





He said the attack happened at about 1:45 am on Wednesday, confirming that the attackers came in huge numbers, and we were ferried to the scenes of the incidents in four Toyota Sienna vehicles.





He added that the command had heavily deployed security personnel around the state to forestall such attacks in other places.





The release read: Anambra State Police Command today, 1/2/2023 has reinforced security deployment in the state, following an attack on the INEC office in Idemili South, Ojoto and Nnobi Police Station.





The hoodlums came in their numbers by 1:45 am today 1/2/2023, with four unmarked Sienna vehicles armed with IEDs, petrol bombs and other explosives.





They invaded the INEC office, the Police Station and the residential building in the station. Unfortunately, one boy aged 16 years a relative of a serving policeman in the station was murdered by the armed men, while the other, a female aged 15 years old sustained a gunshot injury. She has been taken to the hospital where she is receiving treatment.




Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, on Wednesday led the governorship campaign rally ahead of the 2023 elections.





Amosun, who is a Senator elected under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), also contested for the partys presidential ticket.





As the candidate of the ADC in Ogun, Biyi Otegbeye, flagged off his campaign at the Ake Palace Square, Amosun stormed the venue at 1:49pm to the chagrin of many at the event.





Amosun had earlier said he would support the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, for the presidency but would support Otegbeye for governor.





Though the former governor was absent when Tinubu visited Abeokuta last week Wednesday, he is, however, the cynosure of all eyes at the ADC rally today.
The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) not to succumb to blackmail.

Atiku charged CBN to immediately review the measures it has put in place for ensuring the seamless circulation of the new naira notes to alleviate the hardship confronting ordinary people across the country, especially rural dwellers, who need cash for their daily transactions.

Atiku in a statement by his media office, in Abuja on Wednesday, commended the CBN for listening to the demand of the ordinary people by granting a ten-day extension for the exchange of the old naira notes for new ones.

The former Vice President charged CBN not to consider further extension after February 10 so as not to destroy the purpose and objective of initiating the redesigning of the currency.

The statement read The additional ten days will enable our people in the rural areas and ordinary people across the country to take the naira in their possession into the banks. It will also enable the CBN to further circulate the new currency notes among banks so that people can have easy access.

Within these ten days, I urge the CBN to initiate measures that will alleviate the problems being encountered by the people in exchanging their old naira notes for new ones and getting more new notes into circulation. The CBN may have to consider printing more currency notes to eliminate the current scarcity among ordinary people, especially rural dwellers who need them for their daily transactions.

If the CBN thinks its officials and banks must operate at the weekend to address the needs of the ordinary people and rural dwellers, it may have to consider this option, after all the amount these people require is not huge. The essential element here is ensuring that the new currency goes around and is well distributed to the points where people can easily access them. Every good policy must be people-centred and must not bring an avoidable difficulty to the people.

However, the CBN should be wary of the elite whose motive for crying out about more postponement of the deadline for the tenure of the old naira notes is sinister and far from being altruistic. I am totally in support of building a cashless economy and reducing the amount of cash in our economy.

The cashless policy and reduction of the cash in circulation has many advantages and every patriotic Nigerian should support the CBN on this. It will help to reduce the flow of illicit funds in our economy. It will help to defeat the funding of terrorism and deter the circulation of drug money in our economy. It will help our fight against corruption.

More importantly, a cashless economy will help to save and grow our democracy. Those who have devised several means of buying votes in the coming elections and using money to corrupt the electoral system as well as destroying the principle of one man, one vote and the goal of a credible, peaceful, free, and fair poll are the ones shouting against the cashless policy and naira redesign.

The anti-democratic elements who are pretending to be democrats are the ones ganging up against the CBN because of the currency redesigning and the cashless regime it seeks to enthrone. They have been scheming and lobbying day and night to frustrate the policy. Now, their new measure is to lobby for a second postponement of the deadline for the change of currency. I urge the CBN and the government to ignore their antics. The CBN should not succumb to the current pressure.

There should be no further postponement of the new naira regime after the expiration of the February 10 deadline. The vote riggers are seeking to push the CBN to extend till after the election when they would have achieved their evil plots. The CBN and the Presidency should be steadfast. The merits of the new naira policy far outweigh the little inconvenience we are experiencing.




The federal government has reacted to a claim by Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna, that there are elements in the Aso Villa who are working against the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Earlier on Wednesday, el-Rufai had alleged that some persons within the government are not happy with the outcome of the APC presidential primary and, as such, are working against the party winning the election.

Most of the people in the villa are not members of our party. I believe there are elements in the villa that want us to lose the election because they didnt have their way, the Kaduna governor said.

They had their candidates, and their candidates didnt win the primaries and I think they are still trying to get us to lose the election and they are hiding behind the presidents desire to do what he thinks is right.

However, reacting to the claim while speaking with journalists, Mohammed said the focus of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is ensuring credible elections.

One thing I can assure you is that no matter who, this administration is focused and determined to ensure a free and fair election and I think in this administration, the most important person is Mr. President, and I think he has shown by words and by deeds that hes committed to a free, fair

and credible election, the minister said.

Fair, free, and credible election actually means not favouring anybody or disadvantaging anybody. And everywhere he goes, he makes that very clear. Even as recently as Friday, when he was in Daura, he said the same thing.

So, if theres anybody whos working against any candidate, we dont know officially.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has said that he is in touch with the presidential candidate of the New Nigerian People Party (NNPP) Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso for possible support in the forthcoming general elections.

In an interview with BBC Hausa service, Atiku said he is also holding talks with the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi.

He said the duo of Obi and Kwankwaso were not in any way a threat to his chances in the election.

I see no threat because we are not together with them (Kwankwaso and Obi). We are in talk with them, The discussion might yield a positive result that will see one of them coming. he told the BBC.

On the lingering PDP Crisis, Atiku said, Each party has its internal crisis; we are still talking with them. Most are neither in PDP nor in other parties and definitely that will not make us lose the election because we are okay with the elections preparations for now.

Elections now are not like in the past when a governor will dictate who to vote for, elections today are in the hands of the voters.

The presidential candidate also promised to open all Nigerias borders if elected president.




The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, has blamed the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele for the hardship induced by new naira notes.





Oba Akanbi also noted that the new naira regime has grounded economic activities in Nigeria adding that implementation of such ought to have been gradual to ease commercial activities.





In a statement by Alli Ibraheem, his Chief Press Secretary on Wednesday, Oluwo who called for urgent close monitoring to ensure naira circulation alleged that the plan was to instigate Nigerians against the legacy of President Muhammadu Buhari.





The traditional ruler alleged that many Nigerians have been stranded, immobile and made vulnerable to starvation due to the scarcity of the new Naira note.





The statement reads: The new naira regime has inflicted much hardship on Nigerians. It has grounded the countrys economic activities. Its worsening every day. As a father with voice, I must speak out.





The CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele owe Nigerians apology for inducing such a hardship. Im yet to be convinced about the introduction of new naira notes without proper measures to provide adequate inflow of new notes in circulation. Its gross insensitivity to human feelings. Many are stranded, immobile and starved due to [the] non-availability of new notes.





Alleging an intention to blackmail the infrastructural legacies of President Muhammadu Buhari, the king called on the federal government and federal legislators to checkmate the CBN governor, and veto an unconditional extension of the deadline and ensure the new notes are widely circulated.





He further averred: Emefiele needs to address Nigerians again to holistically justify the introduction of the new note and the deadline without enough money in circulation. We cant continue suffering and keep mute. This is really bad at a time INEC will need resources for logistics.





Oba Akanbi called on stakeholders, most especially the federal government, to review the policy with a view to alleviating the hardship on innocent Nigerians.





Revealing that traditional rulers are not left out of the naira impasse, he implored the legislators to veto the enforcement of the extension and provision of enough naira notes by CBN.
Canadian health officials issued revised government recommendations for alcohol consumption last week, changing the low risk level from two drinks per day to two drinks per week. Health officials further said that no amount is safe and strongly suggested that citizens cut out alcohol altogether.

There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that any alcohol consumption, however moderate, can have negative health consequences. Even low levels of drinking increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and certain types of cancer - and as alcohol consumption rises, so do the health risks and alcohol-related deaths.

Understanding that there is no such thing as risk-free drinking, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - while not going so far as its Canadian counterpart - defines moderate drinking as 2 drinks or less per day for men and no more than one drink per day for women. Still, despite the well-publicized health risks, more than two-thirds of adult drinkers regularly exceed those levels.

In some parts of the country, excessive drinking is far more common than in others. According to data from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Louisiana residents consumed 2.59 gallons per resident 14 and older in 2020, the 21st highest among states. Nationwide, alcohol consumption was 2.45 gallons per person the same year.

The health risks posed by excessive alcohol consumption go beyond chronic conditions. A reported 31.2% of all driving deaths in Louisiana between 2016 and 2020 involved alcohol.

Data on alcohol-related driving fatalities came from the 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program.
The Obi-Datti Campaign Organisation has disclosed that the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, is not in talks with the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over a possible alliance.

Atiku hinted at his readiness to work with Obi and the New Nigerian People Partys candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, after meeting with the duo to support his ambition in the forthcoming election.

Atiku made this known in a 15-minute interview with BBC Hausa service on Tuesday.

Speaking with the interviewer in the Hausa language, Atiku said both Obi and Kwankwaso were not a threat to his chances of winning at the February 25 poll.

Although I see no threat in any of them, we are in talks, and the discussion might yield a positive result that will see one of them coming.

But reacting to the claim on Wednesday in an exclusive chat with The PUNCH, the Obi-Datti campaign organisation spokesperson, Yunusa Tanko, said those making the alliance claim are just trying to exploit Obis popularity.

As of yesterday, before we left Numan, there was nothing of such nature. We are busy with campaigns. We are not aware of anything like an alliance.

I think somebody is just trying to cash out on the Obi-Datti ticket. We are right now campaigning in Sokoto and we will be in Zamfara.

Efforts to get the spokesperson for the New Nigeria Peoples Party were futile as he did not pick up his calls as of the time of filing this report.




The Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy has been issued a 48-hour ultimatum to account for N13.9 billion Service Wide vote collected from 2017 to 2021.





Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Mathew Uroghide handed down the ultimatum at an investigative hearing on Tuesday in Abuja.





The directive followed the inability of the Permanent Secretary, William Alo to effectively defend the expenditure of a whopping N13.9 billion before the panel having appeared on behalf of the Ministry.





Alo could not produce documentary evidence, leaving the panelists bewildered on the impunity going on in the Ministry.





Midway into the investigation, the Permanent Secretary and the Director of Finance in the Ministry pleaded for more time to produce supporting documents.





The request infuriated the lawmakers who disclosed that the Committee battled to have the Ministrys officials appear before it for the past four months.





Senator Uroghide said: Based on records made available to the committee from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, a total of N13.9 billion was disbursed to the Ministry from the Service Wide votes for special capital projects execution from 2017 to 2021.





The lawmaker stated that the Committee has written several letters of invitation but the officials keep reneging.





Only for you to come here today along with the DFA of the Ministry to beg for more time which would not be granted beyond Thursday this week because the committee must submit report to the Senate on how your Ministry and many of the other MDAs are running away from explanations on spendings made from the Service Wide Votes, he said.





Uroghide said an investigation by the committee showed that government officials spent Service Wide Votes recklessly and insisted that the Ministry of Communications must explain how the fund was spent.





The committee, however, granted the embattled Permanent Secretary another appearance before it on Thursday.
Leo DaSilva, the former Big Brother Nigeria (BBNaija) housemate, has alleged that organ harvesting is booming in Nigeria.





The reality star was reacting to a petition asking the government to address rising cases of missing persons in the country.

The petition, initiated by Ebun Alaka-Coker, and addressed to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), said over 25,000 Nigerians are missing.

The disregard displayed by the Nigerian national government, through the lack of investigation or provisions for investigations into missing persons report are in direct breach of human rights, the petition reads.

The right to life of the citizens of Nigeria must be respected. Reports of missing people should be taken seriously.

Reacting to the petition, DaSilva lamented the cases of missing persons, which he claimed were linked to organ harvesting in the country.

The entrepreneur also revealed that someone close to him fell victim to an organ harvesting ring but God saved him.

There is a organ harvesting ring thriving in Nigeria. Someone close to me has fallen victim and God saved him, he wrote.

There is a organ harvesting ring thriving in Nigeria.

Someone close to me has fallen victim and God saved him. https://t.co/JgfMaqWwNQ  Leo Dasilva (@SirLeoBDasilva) January 30, 2023





He, however, did not provide further details on the incident.

Conversations around organ harvesting heightened in the country last year after Ike Ekweremadu, former deputy president of the senate, and his wife were arrested by the UK police.

The lawmaker is standing trial for charges bordering on conspiracy to arrange/facilitate the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.

His trial is scheduled to commence fully on May 2, 2023.
Super Eagles striker, Paul Onuachu has joined Premier League side, Southampton from Genk.





The Premier League side confirmed the deadline day transfer on the official website.





Onuachu joined the Saints on a permanent deal from Belgian club toppers, Racing Genk.





The big striker signed a three-year deal that will see him stay at the club till 2026.





Onuachu scored 164 goals in 328 appearances for three different clubs since he moved to Europe.





Southampton already have another Nigeria international Joe Aribo on their payroll. Aribo joined the South Coast club from Scottish side Rangers in the summer of 2022.
The supreme court has nullified the nomination of Emmanuel Bwacha as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba state.

Delivering judgment on Wednesday, a five-member panel led by Kudirat Kekere-Ekun affirmed the verdict of the federal high court which held that the APC did not conduct any valid governorship primary in the state.

In September 2022, a federal high court in Jalingo, Taraba state, sacked Bwacha as the APCs governorship candidate.

David Sabo Kente, one of the aspirants, had filed the suit against Bwachas candidature.

Simon Amobeda, the high court judge, had agreed with the plaintiff that no governorship primary was held in Taraba.

The judge condemned the false declaration of results at Danbaba Suntai airport in Jalingo by the returning officer who later reportedly left the country on a private jet.

The judge ordered that a fresh primary should be conducted within 14 days.

However, on November 24, the court of appeal in Yola set aside the judgment of the trial court which sacked Bwacha.

But Kente, through his counsel, Kanu Agabi, filed an appeal before the supreme court.

In its judgment, the apex court held that the court of appeal was wrong to have set aside the decision of the trial court.

Consequently, the apex court allowed the appeal setting aside the judgment of the court of appeal.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council says Bola Tinubu, its presidential candidate, did not attack President Muhammadu Buhari when he spoke about the countrys exchange rate.

Speaking at a rally held at the UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar, Cross Rivers capital, on Tuesday, Tinubu said the Buhari administration met the naira/dollar exchange rate at N200 to a dollar but it has depreciated to about N800/dollar at the parallel market.

In a statement on Wednesday, Bayo Onanuga, the campaigns media director, said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) created the current exchange rate crisis experienced by the country.

Onanuga said Buhari has been able to build back the reserve to about $38 billion.

The reference to exchange rate was not in any way an attack on the Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress administration but an attempt to capture how the economic mismanagement of the PDP created a forex crisis in the country since 2015, he said.

Anyone who followed the entire sequence and context of what Asiwaju said at the rally in Calabar will know he directed his missiles against PDP and Atiku.

Lets not forget, the PDP left the forex reserve at $28 billion by May 2015, when Buhari took over despite unprecedented revenue from crude oil.

The futile attempt to misrepresent Asiwaju Tinubu by the mischievous PDP media did not detract from his central message.

Our candidate explicitly said the people should not follow PDP and Atiku because they dont know the road.

Asiwaju Tinubu could not have meant that President Buhari does not know the road, having celebrated, numerous times, the achievements of the Buhari administration. Tinubu had also said at campaign fora he would build on the achievements, when elected on 25 February.
Labour Party, LP, chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo has blamed the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate Bola Tinubu for President Muhammadu Buharis reported stoning.

The Presidents convoy and a chopper that flew him were targeted by angry citizens, mostly youths, in Katsina and Kano States.

The APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have made counter allegations, each accusing the other of sponsoring the unrest.

In his reaction, Okonkwo stated that Tinubu has committed anti-party activities against APC more than any member.

Okonkwo said the former Lagos governor accused the Nigerian leader of using fuel scarcity and naira scarcity to his scuttle ambition.

Buhari is being stoned now by citizens because of Tinubus utterances, the LP member tweeted.

He urged APC members to prevail on Tinubu to step down for Peter Obi who he described as a competent man of character who will engender a new Nigeria.

Okonkwo, a lawyer and veteran Nollywood actor, is one of LP Presidential Campaign Council, PCC, spokespersons.
Udom Emmanuel, governor of Akwa Ibom, says political campaigns should be about addressing issues affecting the country  not attacks on individuals.

Emmanuel spoke on Tuesday while inaugurating the newly appointed permanent secretaries, chairpersons and members of boards and commissions, and the transition committee in Uyo, the state capital.

While campaigning in the state on Monday, Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had tackled Emmanuel for supporting the presidential bid of Atiku Abubakar, standard-bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Akwa Ibom, that boy that brought Atiku here, who calls himself governor  tell him enough is enough. He lives in my backyard in Lagos. If not that we are friends, I would have driven him home, Tinubu said.

But responding on Tuesday, Emmanuel said Tinubus comment should focus on what he intends to do if elected rather than launch personal attacks on individuals.

When you leave what you can do for the people and be talking about other people, it means you dont have anything to offer people, Emmanuel said.

If I had wanted to answer Asiwaju, he wont carry the kind of insult I would have insulted him.

You (Tinubu) say that boy that brought Atiku here and call himself a governor. What an insult! In a whole state. Then our people were there clapping. Other governors there clapping. If you dont have anything to tell the people, then you come and go.

If you watch our campaign, my principal has never spoken about any governor. My principal has never spoken openly about Asiwaju before. I dont want to answer him. But I will answer him one day.

He is insulting 7.9 million people. It is not about Udom Emmanuel, it is about government, it is about people. I dont want to join issues with these people.
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Fort Polk, LA (71446)

Today

Mainly sunny to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High 82F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
The pliant, fresh corn tortillas might only be a few hours off the press when they join a plate of spicy chorizo, eggs and plantains for one breakfast dish. Some of the same tortillas are bundled tightly around shredded chicken and fried for Honduran tacos. More are cut into triangles as the basis for nachos dripping queso.

No matter how they end up, the tortillas all started out as part of a fathers dream brought to life by his sons.

This dream had to evolve to survive the pandemic crisis, but now it has expanded into a much fuller restaurant, one working its own way with Central American flavors.

This is Mawi Tortillas, run today by the brothers Fernando and Will Avelar and their father, Carlos. When it opened, it was a micro bakery, making corn tortillas in a shoebox of a storefront in a Metairie strip mall.

It was mainly a wholesale operation. When the pandemic closed restaurants, the business of supplying them abruptly halted. In the aftermath, fewer were spending money on fresh tortillas, a dynamic that hit artisan bread producers as well.

To survive, the Avelars slapped together a small kitchen to make lunch plates. Support from the community feeding program created by the Krewe of Red Beans kept it going, and Mawi started earning a following.

The early hook was birria tacos, that social media sensation that works like tacos crossed with quesadillas crossed with a French dip. Will Avelars recipe cooks down brisket with the earthy heat of guajillo and ancho chiles to fill tacos fried on the griddle and served with broth for dipping.
Although the officer received a 120-day suspension on May 2021 in connection with the second-degree rape count, this suspension was canceled the next month, and he returned to full regular duty.
analysis

Under the Hanging Tree is a new film written, directed and produced by Perivi Katjavivi, a young, up-and-coming Namibian filmmaker.

Despite two decades of gradual growth in the fledgling Namibian film industry, only about 20 features have been produced by the southern African country so far. Katjavivi's efforts at writing, directing and producing are to be lauded. Under the Hangman's Tree is his third feature and it premiered in the official selection of the prestigious International Film Festival Rotterdam. Katjavivi's films offer political themes that reveal the dark underbelly of Namibian society. His narratives expose the devastating effects of colonialism, still felt today.

Read more: Namibia pulls down German colonial statue after protests - who was Curt von Francois?

Under the Hanging Tree is about Christina, a police officer who must investigate a murder on a farm. She is a Herero woman who has given up her tradition and culture in pursuit of a successful career. The mostly nomadic Ovaherero people were a Bantu grouping who arrived in central Namibia in the 1700s. Their descendants constitute 9% of the population today.

Between 1904 and 1908 tens of thousands of Herero and Nama people were massacred by forces of the German empire in a genocidal act of ethnic cleansing. This is described as the first genocide of the twentieth century and a "dress rehearsal" for the Holocaust that was to take place in Europe a few decades later.

This poignant film traces the growth of Christina's character from a young woman who is colonised and uprooted from her culture to one who acknowledges her heritage and its tragic history. The film plays out slowly - sometimes too slowly - but in the process it grasps the heart of the matter. It leaves a viewer thinking deeply about how the past influences the present.

Opening scenes

The two opening scenes juxtapose one another and set the tone for the rest of the story.

An old Herero man at a ritual fire is invoking his ancestors and calling on them to come and bless their children. This cuts to Christina, arguing with her aunt Ndjambi, an elder who wears the typical Herero dress. She wants her niece to help hang their clothes out to dry but they argue. Christina considers it undignified to do this kind of work because she is educated and a professional.

The Hanging Tree will proceed to gradually unfold, revealing a society torn between the old and the new, between tradition and modernity.

What it's about

Christina and her colleague must investigate a murder that has been reported at one of the German farms in present day Namibia. There remain many farms owned by the families of original German settlers in the country. She discovers the farm owner hanged on a tree by an unknown person, echoing what happened more than a century ago when Herero people were hanged by the Germans from trees like this one.

In his story, Katjavivi brings to life the transgenerational trauma of a community. The film is alive to the mood of the nation, where discussions around German genocide reparations are a highly charged and sensitive topic.

Katjavivi makes the bold decision to focus on the death of one German Namibian to present the theme of genocide at a microscopic level.

Film noir

The film has a contemporary approach, adopting a noir style of storytelling. Film noir is commonly a dark detective film with stark lighting revealing bleak settings, intricate plots and an underlying existentialist philosophy.

Under the Hanging Tree also uses Otjiherero sayings to good effect as scene headings, indicating the chapter to come.

Katjavivi doesn't fall into the trap of making a commercial thriller. Instead, he chooses to tell a story which is slower, more critical, compulsive to watch and crucial.

Under the Hanging Tree starts out as a police procedural, but is not a whodunnit. Instead it's a reflection on young Namibians, born after independence in 1990, who are unaware of or choose to ignore their country's painful history. Katjavivi handles Christina's growth in consciousness with sensitivity and courage.

The tree, says her aunt in one scene, is the "womb" from which all people emerge, referencing indigenous knowledge systems. Christina can run, but she cannot escape her culture.

Is it any good?

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The slow first half delves into Christina's life and work. The cinematography tells a deeper story. Using long shots, it captures an arid and beautiful Namibian landscape so vast that humans seem insignificant. Christina is shown through window bars and door frames, trapped in her reality.

Similarly, sound is put to effective use. Classical music underscores the German characters, but Herero characters bring with them sounds of nature that serve to heighten the tense atmosphere.

The second half picks up speed, with events unfolding in quick succession towards an unexpected resolution.

I have always felt that Namibian stories are best told by Namibians and Katjavivi rises to the challenge. He has succeeded in bringing to life the past and its impact on the present. There are countless human stories of Namibia's genocide that must still be recorded. But this is not enough. They have to be listened to, watched and explored.

Katjavivi is aware that it is only through telling them over and over again that there can be healing.

Sarala Krishnamurthy, Professor of Literature and Applied Linguistics, Namibia University of Science and Technology
Guest column: When it comes to sexual violence, LSU is the symptom; Louisiana is the problem
LSU students Dora Rasulova, left, of Uzbekistan, and Violeta Kovalemko, right, of Ukraine, carry the flag of Ukraine as they march with others on the steps of the State Capitol during a demonstation to show support for Ukraine, which is at war with Russia, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Jake Muriillo, an American from New Orleans, is just behind them, at center. ORG XMIT: BAT2203011100140815
Memorabilia sit on a shelf as people write little notes to the family of novelist Dr. Ernest J. Gaines during a public memorial service in his honor for at Edith Garland DuprZ Library on Monday, November 11, 2019 in Lafayette, La.. Gaines died Tuesday, Nov. 5, at his home near New Roads, Louisiana. He was 86.
analysis

After a few difficult years of lockdowns and travel restrictions, people are finally winging their way across the globe again; families are being reunited and sights are being seen.

Yet the joys of international travel often come with a side of jetlag, which can make it hard to initially enjoy a holiday, and to settle in once you return home.

Why do people experience jetlag? And is there anything you can do to lessen its effects?

What causes jetlag?

The term "jetlag" describes the physical and cognitive symptoms people experience when travelling quickly across several timezones.

Before you leave for a trip, you're synchronised to your local time. Once you enter a new timezone, your body's rhythms are no longer lined up with the clock on the wall.

That's when jetlag symptoms hit. You're sleepy when you want to be awake, and wide awake when you want to be asleep. You're hungry in the middle of the night, and might feel bloated or nauseous if you eat during the day.

Until your body clock and all the rhythms it controls line up with the new local time, you are physiologically and mentally discombobulated. Not a happy holiday vibe!

Jetlag isn't the same for everyone

Interestingly, the experience of jetlag varies between people. That's because we all tick along to our own internal rhythm.

Most of us have a natural daily cycle of about 24.2 hours. So if we lived in a cave and didn't see any light, our sleep/wake cycle and other daily rhythms would tick along at about 24.2 hours. Researchers think this is an evolutionary adaptation that allows us to adjust to different day lengths across the year.

Read more: Morning lark or night owl? How our body clocks affect our mental and physical performance

But some people have slightly longer cycles than others, and this may play a role in how a person experiences jetlag.

Research suggests if you have a longer cycle you might adjust quicker to westward travel, such as when travelling from Australia to South Africa, but we don't know if a shorter cycle helps going the other way.

We also get a little less resilient as we age, so the older among us might have worse jetlag symptoms.

Does direction of travel matter?

More generally, many people find westward travel, where you "gain" time, a bit easier.

Say Jasmine and Sarah depart Adelaide at the same time. Jasmine lands in Perth in the afternoon, where it's about 2.5 hours earlier in the day. She sees some sights and easily falls asleep at about 8.30pm local time. She then wakes up very early and starts her day.

Because Jasmine's body clock naturally delays - shifting a little later relative to the local time each day - after a few days she is fully synchronised.

Sarah, meanwhile, lands in Auckland which is about 2.5 hours later in the day. She takes advantage of the balmy evening and some of the night, and is wide awake until 2am. She then struggles out of bed when the alarm goes off at 7am, because it's still 4.30am on her body clock.

Sarah will likely feel the effects of jetlag more severely than Jasmine, and for longer.

Is jetlag just 'psychological'?

Some people might wonder if jetlag is just in your head. Well, in a way it is, because it's a mismatch between your body's internal time (which is determined in your brain) and your local time.

But that doesn't mean you can talk yourself out of jetlag. It's better thought of as a physiological condition, rather than a psychological one.

Luckily, there are a few simple ways to alleviate jetlag symptoms and help your body clock adjust. This is particularly important for elite athletes who travel to compete.

First, decide whether it's worth trying to adapt to the new time or not. If it's only a short trip, it might make more sense to stay on your home time. If it's longer than three days, start consciously moving your own rhythms - such as when you sleep, eat, exercise and get sunlight - towards the new timezone.

If you're trying to shift your body clock, it's a good idea to start on the plane. Set your watch to your destination's timezone and line up your activities accordingly.

Keep caffeine and alcohol intake low on the journey. This will be better for sleep and hydration, and will help with adjusting your body clock to the new timezone.

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When adjusting to a new timezone, try to sleep during the local night time and just rest when you need to at other times. Short naps can give you a boost to get through the day and evening activities. Aim for about 30 minutes and avoid naps later in the day as you near your actual planned bedtime.

Gastrointestinal discomfort is a symptom of jet lag. If you're prone to or experience tummy trouble while travelling, stick to small meals and eat when you're hungry. Your body will tell you when it's ready for food. Tip 3 about caffeine and alcohol applies here too.

Get outside. Sunlight is key to adjusting to a new timezone. Depending on your timezone change, appropriately-timed outside activities will help.

If that's not enough, the Sleep Health Foundation has more tips here.

Read more: Is there such a thing as the perfect alarm tone? We think so (and this is what it might sound like)

Sally Ferguson, Director, Appleton Institute, CQUniversity Australia

Dean J. Miller, Senior Postdoctoral Fellow, CQUniversity Australia
Worldwide, the incidence of diphtheria has reduced dramatically in the past five decades, thanks to widespread immunisation using a diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccine.

Recently, the Nigerian government confirmed the outbreak of diphtheria in parts of the country. The disease is a highly contagious infection caused by a bacterium called Corynebacterium species that affects the nose, throat and sometimes, skin of an individual.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reported that 38 people, mostly children, have lost their lives from the disease, and there are 123 clinically suspected cases. In partnership with state ministries of health, NCDC said it initiated an "emergency response to the outbreak and is monitoring" the situation in four states (Lagos, Kano, Osun and Yobe).

Worldwide, the incidence of diphtheria has reduced dramatically in the past five decades, thanks to widespread immunisation, using a diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccine.

The number of diphtheria cases reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) declined from about 100,000 in 1980 to less than 10,000 cases in 2021.

The prevention of infection primarily controls diphtheria through high population immunity achieved by high vaccination coverage. NCDC said in a health advisory issued to Nigerian healthcare workers that "consequently, Diphtheria outbreaks reflect inadequate vaccination coverage."

What is diphtheria?

Diphtheria is a severe bacterial disease caused by the spread of a bacterium, Corynebacterium species, mainly by toxin-producing Corynebacterium diphtheriae and rarely by toxin-producing strains of C. ulcerans and C. pseudotuberculosis, NCDC explains.

When a person catches diphtheria, the bacteria release toxins or poison into the person's body. America's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the toxin infects the upper airways and sometimes the skin, causing a membrane to grow across the windpipe.

"This makes breathing hard, and if the membrane completely blocks the windpipe, it can lead to suffocation and death. The heart and nervous system can also be damaged," CDC noted.

Diphtheria manifests as laryngitis, pharyngitis or tonsillitis and is associated with an adherent membrane covering the tonsils, pharynx and/or nose.

Beyond the respiratory symptoms, NCDC said, approximately a quarter of cases may develop heart problems (myocarditis). The mainstay of Diphtheria treatment is antibiotics and Diphtheria antitoxin (DAT).

Transmission

Diphtheria spreads easily among people by direct contact or through the air and through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing, NCDC added.

"It may also be spread by contaminated clothing and objects. A person is infectious for as long as the bacteria are present in respiratory secretions, usually two weeks without treatment and seldom more than six weeks.

"In rare cases, chronic carriers may shed organisms for six months or more. Effective treatment promptly terminates shedding in about one or two days," NCDC said.

According to the CDC, diphtheria can be transmitted by sharing items such as cups, cutlery, clothing or bedding with an infected person. It is possible to get diphtheria more than once.

Who's at risk of developing diphtheria?

Anyone who is not protected by the vaccine and comes in close contact with an infected person can develop diphtheria, according to Cleveland Clinic, an American non-profit academic medical centre.

Symptoms

The most common type of diphtheria is classic respiratory diphtheria. An infected person typically shows signs of diphtheria around two to five days after exposure.

The length of time for symptoms to show can be anywhere from one to 10 days after exposure, said Tijjani Yakubu, a medical doctor at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja. "Initial symptoms may be mild and include fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, and red eyes (conjunctivitis)."

In some cases, Mr Yakubu said, infected persons "experience swollen neck glands, problems breathing due to tissues obstructing the nose, throat, kidney, or heart problems (if the bacteria enters the bloodstream)."

In severe cases, NCDC states that the bacteria produce an exotoxin that causes a thick grey or white patch (pseudo-membrane) on the tonsils and/or at the back of the throat.

"This can block the airway making it hard to breathe or swallow and causing a barking cough. The neck may swell partially due to enlarged lymph nodes and frequently confer a bull-neck appearance.

"The exotoxin produced by the bacteria may also enter the bloodstream causing complications such as inflammation and damage of the heart muscle, inflammation of nerves, kidney problems, and bleeding problems due to decreased blood platelet count.

"The damaged heart muscles may result in an abnormal heart rate, and inflammation of the nerves may result in paralysis. The infection can also affect the skin (cutaneous diphtheria). More rarely, it can affect mucous membranes at other non-respiratory sites, such as the genitalia and conjunctiva," NCDC stated.

Causes

Mr Yakubu said diphtheria is a serious infection caused by strains of bacteria called Corynebacterium diphtheriae that make a toxin.

"It is the toxin that can cause people to get very sick," Mr Yakubu said.

On their part, Cleveland Clinic researchers said diphtheria is caused by bacteria adhering to the lining of respiratory system.

"These bacteria generate a toxin that damages your respiratory tissue cells. The tissue left behind within two or three days forms a bulky, grey coating. This coating has the potential to cover tissues in your voice box, throat, nose and tonsils. For the infected person, breathing and swallowing become hard to do."

Complications

NCDC said complications due to diphtheria usually occur in the second and third week following infection.

"This includes corneal scarring (aggravated by vitamin A deficiency), encephalitis (more common in older children and adults, 0.1 per cent), diarrhoea, pneumonia (a major cause of death) and subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (rare, delayed complication; associated personality changes, seizures, motor disability, progressing to coma and death).

According to NCDC, "Case fatality ratios up to 10 per cent have been reported in diphtheria outbreaks and are higher in settings where diphtheria antitoxin (DAT) is unavailable."

Types of diphtheria

According to the CDC, there are two main types of diphtheria - classical respiratory and cutaneous.

Classical respiratory diphtheria is the most common type of diphtheria. It may affect the nose, throat, tonsils or larynx (voice box). "Symptoms can vary depending on where the affected membranes are located in the body. Some people call this condition pharyngeal diphtheria (diphtheria of the throat)," CDC added.

Cutaneous diphtheria is described as "the rarest type of diphtheria, characterised by skin rash, sores or blisters, which can appear anywhere on your body. Cutaneous diphtheria is more common in tropical climates or crowded places where people live in unhealthy conditions."

Diagnosis

According to Mr Yakubu, the Abuja-based doctor, healthcare providers will diagnose based on symptoms and a lab test.

"They will use a swab to take a sample from the back of your throat or a sore," the medical doctor said, noting that the swab would be taken to a lab for diagnosis.

NCDC also explains diphtheria testing broadly, saying clinical diagnosis of diphtheria usually relies on a greyish/whitish membrane (pseudo-membrane) covering the throat (pharynx/tonsils).

Although laboratory investigation of suspected cases is recommended for case confirmation, treatment should be started immediately before laboratory results are received, the centre added.

"Two samples should be collected from every suspected case at first contact with the case - a pharyngeal swab and a nasal swab - and should ideally be taken before starting antibiotics. However, samples should still be taken even if antibiotics have already been started. Specimens should be placed in an appropriate transport medium (Amies transport medium or Stuart medium) or silica gel sachets in the case of a dry swab. Transport these to the laboratory promptly at 2-8oC," NCDC said.

"If possible, a sample of the pseudo-membrane should also be collected and placed in saline (not formalin). A culture collected from a wound should be handled the same as nasal and throat swabs," the centre explained. "The most reliable method of confirming diphtheria is by the culture of the organism from any of the specimens mentioned above and by demonstrating toxin production using an immunoprecipitation reaction (the modified Elek test.)"

"PCR can be done directly on swab material to detect the presence of the A and B subunits of the diphtheria toxin gene (tox). However, in some cases, the presence of tox does not confirm the production of toxin; positive PCR results should therefore always be confirmed with the Elek test if there is an isolate," NCDC said.

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Treatment

Diphtheria infection is treated with a diphtheria antitoxin (DAT) administered intravenously or through an intramuscular injection. The Nigerian disease control agency said that antibiotics could also be given to eliminate the bacteria to prevent transmission and toxin production to others.

"Close contacts of the patient are to be monitored for signs and symptoms for ten days from the last contact with a suspected case. Healthcare workers exposed to the case's oral or respiratory secretions or exposed to their wounds should also be monitored. Prophylactic antibiotics (penicillin or erythromycin) for seven days are indicated for close contact."

Prevention

In the Nigerian childhood immunisation schedule, three doses of pentavalent vaccine (diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccine) are recommended at the 6th, 10th, and 14th week of life.

WHO recommends a three-dose series of diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccines in the first year of life beginning at 6 weeks of age and advises that 3 booster doses of diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccine are provided during childhood and adolescence to ensure long-term protection.

In endemic settings and outbreaks, healthcare workers may be at greater risk of diphtheria than the general population. Consequently, NCDC advised that special attention should be paid to immunising healthcare workers (clinicians, laboratory scientists etc.) who may have occupational exposure to Corynebacterium diphtheriae.

Diphtheria in Nigeria

In Nigeria, there was an outbreak in Borno, in the country's North-east, in 2011, with 98 cases and 21 deaths (the case-fatality ratio was 21.4 per cent). NCDC said this outbreak and the associated high fatality cases were due to a combination of low vaccination coverage, delayed clinical recognition and laboratory confirmation, and the absence of antitoxin and antibiotics for treatment.

The researcher produced this fact-check per the Dubawa 2023 Kwame Karikari Fellowship partnership with Premium Times to facilitate the ethos of truth in journalism and enhance media literacy in the country.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida sign a defense agreement on January 11. (Photo/ ThePaper)

By Xiong Chaoran

Japan, the rotating chair of G7 in 2023, kicked off an intensive slew of diplomatic activities at the beginning of the year. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited France, Britain, Italy and Canada in succession, and his visit to the US -the highlight of all -captured worldwide attention. The series of foreign visits have yielded what can be called satisfactory results. In Europe, Japan and Britain signed the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) allowing them to station troops in each other; in the US, Kishida was commended by Biden for the three Japan's defense documents newly revised at the end of last year.

Kishida gave himself a thumbs-up on his historical position when giving a speech at the Johns Hopkins University. I am convinced that this decision represents one of the most historically critical milestones for strengthening the alliance, following such precedents as the conclusion of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty by Prime Minister YOSHIDA Shigeru, the revision of the Treaty by Prime Minister KISHI Nobusuke, and the Legislation for Peace and Security by Prime Minister ABE Shinzo, he said.

But both the Japan-UK defense agreement and the three newly revised Japan's defense documents have threatened regional peace and stability, being highly targeted on China. The recent moves by Japan have revealed its intention to break way from military restrictions in strides and it is colluding with the US on the military level at a higher frequency.

Why did Fumio Kishida visit the five countries right at the beginning of the new year?

What was Japan up to visiting so many G7 countries so intensively? What was Kishidas top goal for visiting the US? Are Japans latest moves for military expansion ordered by the US or initiated by itself? As Japan is actually jeopardizing the political mutual trust it claims to want to increase, where is the China-Japan relationship heading going forward?

According to Da Zhigang, researcher at the Institute of Northeast Asian Studies at Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences and chief specialist at the Institute of Northeast Asian Strategies, since Japan is this years rotating chair in G7, its reasonable and customary for its prime minister to visit G7 members first, but Kishidas choice of destinations revealed his focus on security and targeting third countries, with China being the primary target. Wherever he went, he went to great lengths to instigate hostility and criticism against China. Apart from the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula, he laid more stress on hyping up the so-called China threats such as Chinas growing activities in the Indo-Pacific region, the East China Sea and South China Sea issues, and the Taiwan question.

This year is critical for Japan to exert its international role and secure historical breakthroughs in the security domain. Kishida hopes to consolidate the security relationship with Europe and use this exotic element to influence the situation in Asia or Indo-Pacific, and even to balance the Europe-US-Japan relations, said Da. Giving Japans reservations and concerns-more or less -over its security alliance with the US, bringing Europe into the picture at the right moment is giving itself some extra insurance.

This was Kishidas first visit to Washington since he became prime minister in October 2021, which was like a dream come true considering the lengthy belatedness despite his repeated expression of the wish to make the trip in the past one year and more. In general, the visit to Washington still holds the pride of place in Kishidas early-year foreign trips, and his greatest accomplishment during the meeting with US President Biden was introducing the revisions of the three defense documents.

US President Biden meets with his Japanese counterpart at the White House. (Photo/CNN)

Who wants to untie Japans hands in military expansion more, Washington to Tokyo?

As Da Zhigang sees it, the drastic revisions of Japans three national security documents have changed the overall background in the post-WWII world. On the macro level, Kishidas top agenda for the US visit was still to consolidate bilateral alliance and push their security cooperation to be modernized. On the meso level, he hoped the counterattack capabilities Japan inserted into the security documents will be materialized with Americas support, which means he has to have Americas word on the purchase of Tomahawk cruise missile, intensified integrated military cooperation between the two countries, and military interactions and resource sharing. On the micro level, Kishida wanted to uplift bilateral sharing practices to cover such aspects as arsenal, fuel depot, wartime information, and command system.

Although Japans three new security strategy documents list China, Russia and DPRK as the top three threats, the contents about enhancing Japans so-called counterattack capabilities are more targeted at China. On the Taiwan question in particular, Kishida and Biden in their meeting continued to emphasize that an emergency in Taiwan would mean an emergency to Japan, said Da, who believed there is a high possibility that Japan may engage in the question directly alongside the US, an indication of its growing risk-taking tendency.

Japan has recently taken fast steps to free itself from military restrictions. Is that an instruction from the US or an initiative by Japan itself? Das analysis showed that the increasingly complicated Korean peninsular issue with its back and forth and the potential spillover effects from the Russia-Ukraine conflict have all given Japan the excuse to lift the ban on its right to collective defense and to reinforce its attack capabilities. This, Da said, could be viewed as Japans proactive move with explicit or implicit aiding and abetting from American and European forces.

Sha Qingqing, deputy director of the Historical Literature Center, Shanghai Library, pointed out that Kishida began tweaking Japans exclusively defense-oriented strategy and raising defense and military budget last year, which is welcomed by the US because, proving less than able to truly and fully control the Asian Pacific region, Washington looks to Japan to help fill some strategic blanks. Weve seen both Secretary of State Blinken and President Biden applaud Japans shift of attitude.

China-US relationship is a key consideration in China-Japan relationship.

When Chinese and Japanese leaders met in Bangkok, Thailand last November, they reached a five-point consensus on stabilizing and developing bilateral relations, one of which was that the importance of their ties has not changed and will not change. Kishida went further to say that the two countries, as close neighbors, dont pose threats to each other and should pursue peaceful co-existence. But for now, while stressing the need to increase political mutual trust, Japan has been destroying it by augmenting its defense capabilities. Thats something that should not be seen in the development of China-Japan relations.

The regional arms race that will probably be set in motion by Japans military expansion will undoubtedly push regional economic cooperation to the back seat, erode mutual trust between the peoples, and increase enmity and hostility between the two countries. All of these will pose a new challenge to the development of China-Japan relationship, said Da Zhigang. If Japan willingly assists in Americas diversified anti-China strategy, how can we expect it to pick up the initial aspiration when forging diplomatic ties with China 50 years ago? Its current moves are apparently detrimental to the stability and healthy development of the ties with China. Kishidas claim that he wanted a constructive and stable bilateral relationship could only be credited when put into friendly and pragmatic practices.

Sha Qingqing noted that there was a time during Abes reign when the China-Japan relationship was on a healthy track and when Tokyo had doubts about the Trump administrations policies. Abes utilitarian decision to engage with China in economy, trade and culture exchanges was more to hedge against the volatile Trump administration. As the Biden administration has implemented a pre-set Far Eastern policy thats highly predictable, Japan, out of some historical habit, quickly climbed back to its subordinate position to the US, feeling quite comfortable there.

Many researchers hold that the China-Japan relationship is set in the broader context of China-US relationship, a situation that hasnt changed since the 1970s, stressed Sha, saying that its hard to see any positive change in the former as long as the latter doesnt fare well. Although the future of China-Japan relationship is anything but optimistic, one thing we must bear in mind -which is also what sets it apart from the China-US relationship -is that China and Japan are after all close neighbors of geographical proximity.

Editor's note: Originally published on guancha.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
"The law, which says even after the old currency has lost its legal tender status, that we are mandated to collect these money, ..... And I stand with the House of Reps on this."

The Governor of the Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele, has said commercial banks must accept the old Naira notes even after the expiration of the 10 February deadline.

Mr Emefiele announced this on Tuesday while appearing before the House of Representatives ad hoc committee looking into the implementation of the policy.

The CBN governor said he agrees with section 20(3) of the CBN Act, which provides that commercial banks must accept old notes after a deadline.

Section 20 (3) of the Act says: "Notwithstanding Sub-sections (1) and (2) of this section, the Bank shall have power, if directed to do so by the President and after giving reasonable notice in that behalf, to call in any of its notes or coins on payment of the face value thereof and any note or coin with respect to which a notice has been given under this Sub-section, shall, on the expiration of the notice, cease to be legal tender, but, subject to section 22 of this Act, shall be redeemed by the Bank upon demand."

Mr Emefiele said commercial banks must accept the money even after the 10 February deadline.

Although Mr Emefiele had on Sunday announced 17 February as the "grace period" for the Nigerians to deposit the money, the lawmakers are insisting that it must be months, not days.

In his speech, Mr Emefiele said "the law which says even after the old currency has lost its legal tender status that we are mandated to collect these money. And I stand with the House of Reps on this. What does that mean? It could have lost its legal tender status which means we have moved on.

"But if you have your money that you have not been able to send to the bank we will certainly give you the opportunity to bring them back into the CBN to redeem it. Either you pay it to your bank account or you want to do an exchange--we will give you. You will not lose your money. This is the assurance I give to Nigerians," he said.

Details to follow... ...
The police said no life was lost in the incident.

A school, a mosque and several houses were destroyed by an explosion cause by a dynamite in Azare town of Katagum area of Bauchi State on Sunday, 15, January, 2023.

The explosion, which occured around the Police Township area of the town, also affected a proposed Police officers Jumuat Mosque.

A resident of the town, Haruna Bello told PREMIUM TIMES over the phone that the dynamite went off few minutes after 11:00 a.m while some local government officials were clearing the area.

"When the explosion occured, it took time before calm was restored. You know, we too had incidences of Boko Haram attacks some years back, so when the explosion happened, people began to scamper for safety thinking it was a Boko Haram attack," Mr Bello said.

He said the explosion occurred at a local government owned building in the area.

Addressing journalists on the incident, the Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Aminu Alhassan, confirmed the explosion but said no life was lost.

He said the explosion was caused by a dynamite while some people were clearing grasses in the area.

"The issue is an incident where some dynamite used in constructing roads in an abandoned store in a quarry site owned by a road construction company. Now they left the place more than 30 years ago.

"There was a problem of some people burning bushes around and the heat detonated one of the dynamites. There were not meant for Boko Haram. There were abandoned dynamite of the company for blasting rocks," he said.

Mr Alhassan said the command dispatched an Anti Bomb Squad to the area for proper assessment.

He added that more abandoned dynamites were discovered by the police squad and had ordered for the place to be sealed.

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"We immediately sent an EOD and they went there and found out that there were dynamites. They also cleared the area and exhumed two more dynamites that same night. They had expanded the search and three more dynamites were found. I've also ordered the sealing of the whole area so that it would not be accessible to the public until we cleared the area properly.

"There was a new mosque there, there was also a private school that were affected and some family houses. We want to assure people that it was not a Boko Haram or any terrorists attack but an explosion from dynamites," he added.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the governor of the state, Bala Mohammed, alongside heads of security agencies in the state visited the town Monday afternoon.

Azare, the headquarter of Katagum Local Government area, suffered deadly Boko Haram when the insurgents attacked the town, leading to the death of three residents in 2011.
Garmin has unveiled the Vivomove Trend, a 40 mm hybrid smartwatch. Available in four colours, the Vivomove Trend retails from US$269.99 and supports all core Garmin smartwatch features, such as Garmin Pay and the Garmin Connect app.

4 Reviews

Garmin has finally released the Vivomove Trend, nearly a year after references to the smartwatch first emerged online. As expected, the Vivomove Trend is a hybrid smartwatch with a small display that can show basic information. While Garmin's marketing images suggest that the smartwatch has two displays above and beneath its physical hands, the single display measures 25.6 x 18.8 mm and operates at 254 x 346 pixels. Meanwhile, the Vivomove Trend itself measures 40.4 x 40.4 x 11.9 mm, supports 20 mm quick-release straps and weighs 43.3 g with its default silicone strap attached.

According to Garmin, the smartwatch combines a stainless steel bezel with a fibre-reinforced polymer case. Additionally, the Vivomove Trend is 5 ATM water resistant and should last up to 5 days between charges in smartwatch mode. Alternatively, the smartwatch will need recharging after 6 days when used in watch mode with its smart features disabled. The Vivomove Trend supports Garmin's usual suite of smartwatch apps and services too, including Garmin Pay and the Garmin Connect app.

While Gamin boasts that the Vivomove Trend is suitable for fitness tracking, it lacks a GPS module. Instead, it only supports Connected GPS when paired with a compatible smartphone. The Vivomove Trend is available to order now in four colours. Garmin describes the smartwatch's four colourways as follows; please see the company's website for more details:
Reuters, had, in an investigative report, alleged that the Nigerian military ran the programme, secretly terminating at least 10,000 pregnancies of freed captives of Boko Haram terrorists over the years.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has set up a panel to probe the allegation of an elaborate secret abortion programme operated by the Nigerian military in the North-east.

Reuters had in an investigative report published in December 2022 alleged that the Nigerian military ran the programme, secretly terminating at least 10,000 pregnancies of freed captives of Boko Haram terrorists in the troubled region over the years.

A spokesperson for the NHRC, Fatimah Mohammed, said in a statement on Tuesday that the inauguration of a seven-member panel appointed to probe the charge would take place 10 a.m. on 7 February. It will be held at the Bukhari Bello Auditorium located in the commission's headquarters in Abuja.

The panel is known in full as Special Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations in the Implementation of Counter Insurgency Operations in the North East (SIIP-North East).

It will be led by Abdu Aboki, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, as the chairperson.

The NHRC's Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu, a Senior Advocate (SAN), according to the statement, has said the appointment of the panel was triggered by the Reuters' report.

"Besides, the international media organisation had alleged that the Military was involved in the massacre of children as well as other Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in the North East," Mr Ojukwu said.

Many of the pregnancies, according to Reuters, resulted from rape of the kidnapped women and girls by Boko Haram fighters.

The sources for the story, according to the organisation, included dozens of witness accounts and documentation reviewed by Reuters.

The report had generated controversies with many calling for an independent investigation into the allegations of systemic and coerced abortions reportedly perpetrated by the Nigerian army.

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had called on the Nigerian authorities to begin a thorough investigation and "immediate remedial actions and accountability measures."

In its reaction, the Nigerian government, on the other hand, rejected the Reuters report, stating that there was no secret programme of forced abortions run by its military in the country's northeast.

"The Federal Government hereby categorically states that there is no 'secret, systematic and illegal abortion programme' being run by our military in the northeast or anywhere across the country," the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, had said.

Read the full statement below

NHRC APPOINTS SPECIAL INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIVE PANEL ON COUNTER INSURGENCY OPERATIONS IN THE NORTH EAST

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) will on Tuesday (7th February 2023) inaugurate a Special Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations in the Implementation of Counter Insurgency Operations in the North East (SIIP-North East).

The inauguration will take place at Bukhari Bello Auditorium, NHRC Headquarters at 10am.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Tony Ojukwu OFR, SAN, who made this disclosure in Abuja Monday stated that the panel will among other things focus on investigating Reuters report which alleged that Nigerian Military was involved in abortion of many pregnancies in the North East in the last 10 years.

Besides, the international media organisation had alleged that the Military was involved in the massacre of children as well as other Sexual and Gender Based Violence(SGBV) in the North East.

However, the Military has refuted the allegations saying that it was a ploy to malign the image of the Nigerian Armed Forces which has been at the forefront of the counter insurgency efforts in the North East.

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It would be recalled that the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor during his visit to the Commission in December 2022 told the Executive Secretary that the Military is willing and ready for any probe, particularly as it relates to Reuter's report as stated above.

Members of the panel are Honourable Justice Abdu Aboki, retired Justice of the Supreme Court ( Chairman), Ms Kemi Okonyedo, representing Women Rights Organisation, Barrister Azubuike Nwankenta, representing NBA, Major General Letam Wiwa rtd (Military Law and Intelligence Expert), Dr. Maisaratu Bakari (Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynecology (Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital Yola), Dr. Fatima Akilu (Humanitarian Expert, representing Civil Society), and Ms. Halima Nuradeen (Psychologist, representing Youths).

Fatimah Mohammed,

Deputy Director Public Affairs.
CROWN POINT  Negligence on the behalf of operators of a Gary gas station contributed to the 2021 shooting death of a 21-year-old mother and continued to put others at risk, according to a civil lawsuit filed Tuesday.

The suit, which seeks an undesignated amount of money, was filed by the estate of shooting victim Jaelynn Williams and targets Gary-based AH Chase Petroleum and CITGO Petroleum Corp.

The suit alleges that at the time of the May 3, 2021, shooting in question at the gas station at 3118 W. 15th Ave., the gunman was already at the store and Williams was sitting in a car at a gas pump.

When Williams was shot, the operators of the station did nothing, attorney Aaron Robbins claims in the suit.

"Defendants then belatedly called the police, after the incident had already occurred," the suit claims.

The station failed to provide proper security for customers, despite the large number of shootings and other violent crimes in the area, the suit alleges.

"The city council for Gary, Indiana, had raised public concern for violence in gas stations and the need for armed security guards at least since September 2020," the litigation claims.

The negligence resulted in the death of Williams and has deprived her daughter of love, care and financial support, according to the suit.

The legal action also accuses the station of being a public nuisance, contributing to the death of Williams and the "continuation of such recklessness continues to put the public at risk."

A spokesperson for AH Chase could not be located Tuesday, and CITGO declined to comment on the suit.

James Guyton, 22, of Gary, was charged with murder in the case, records show.

Guyton is accused of driving up and firing multiple shots at the vehicle, striking Williams twice in the head, police said. She was taken to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Guyton allegedly fired the gun at another man after encountering him at the gas station and asking why he was looking at Guyton's vehicle, according to police.

Guyton later told a witness that he got into a shootout with a man at the gas station, but police say surveillance video does not corroborate that story.

A hearing in the case was scheduled for March 6 before Lake Criminal Court Judge Salvador Vasquez, records show.
INEC partners the NURTW and Marine Workers' Union of Nigeria (MWUN) to ease movement of materials and officials on election day

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has said he will be meeting with the officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to look into mitigating the effects of petrol scarcity for transportation of electoral materials and officials on election day.

Mr Yakubu disclosed this on Tuesday when he met with the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to finalise the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the transport union in December.

INEC partners the NURTW and Marine Workers' Union of Nigeria (MWUN) to ease movement of materials and officials on the election day.

But the commission worries that the shortage of petroleum products being experienced across the country could affect logistical operations on election day.

"The truth is that our arrangements may be negatively affected by the non-availability of products," he said.

"For this reason, the Commission will this afternoon meet with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to look into ways to ameliorate the situation.

"I wish to assure Nigerians that we will continue to engage every national institution for the success of the 2023 General Election."

He said Tuesday's meeting with the executives of the transport workers was to put finishing touches to the implementation of the signed MoU and to conclude on the modalities for the certification of vehicles by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

"The issue of logistics has been a perennial problem in election administration in Nigeria. That is why for three electoral cycles now, INEC has collaborated with the road transport unions to address the problem," he said.

The plan, he said, is for materials and officials to arrive at the venue of elections before voters and not the other way round. "We believe that this is achievable."

He said the commission has communicated the specifications of vehicles needed and the locations to the unions.

"Vehicles conveying personnel and materials will not travel long distances. In fact, all movements should be within a state and preferably within local government areas. There should be no inter-state movement.

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"I should also remind you that our MoU covers both forward and reverse logistics. This means that there is an obligation to return the personnel and materials to designated locations after the election," he added.

Mr Yakubu also said the commission is working with security agencies to ensure the safety of drivers and their vehicles as well election officials during the election.

"I cannot conclude my remarks without reminding you of your obligation to neutrality. The work of INEC requires non-partisanship.

"Working in partnership with the commission, you will be required to subscribe to the Oath of Neutrality and to demonstrate your non-partisanship in the work you do on Election Day."

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
VALPARAISO  A 57-year-old Porter County man nabbed with nearly 900 child-pornography videos, including of children estimated to be as young as 4 years old, has been sentenced to six years behind bars.

Harold Harvey of Burns Harbor pleaded guilty to a felony count of possessing child pornography and misdemeanor invasion of privacy, court records show.

Porter Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Clymer, who said he could find no arguments in favor of Harvey, sentenced him to six years on the child-pornography charge and six months for invasion of privacy with the sentences to run concurrently.

Harvey was also ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years and comply with those restrictions.

He was given credit for 156 days served and granted the services of a public defender to pursue an appeal, court records show.

Harvey, who was represented by defense attorney Mark Chargualaf, was arrested in May on the child-pornography charges.

"I like young young," Harvey reportedly wrote on Facebook Messenger as part of his alleged sharing and collection of the illegal pornography. "Do you like young young porn?"

Indiana State Police said they received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about the trading of child porn through Facebook by a user later traced to Harvey.

Investigators served a search warrant for two Facebook accounts linked to Harvey and found chat logs, photos and 897 videos involving child pornography, according to a charging document.

Police said they served a residential search warrant March 17 at Harvey's home, and he was taken into custody outside his residence. He reportedly declined to talk to investigators.

The invasion-of-privacy charge stems from Harvey making contact twice with an individual he was ordered to avoid while his child-porn case proceeded.

The latter allegations resulted in Clymer revoking Harvey's bond in September.
CROWN POINT  A former East Chicago Catholic school teacher is free on bond and set for trial on allegations she threatened to kill herself and others at her school.

Angelica C. Carrasquillo-Torres, 25, of Griffith, must now face a jury after being denied entry into a counseling program that could have resulted in her criminal charge being dismissed.

Carrasquillo-Torres appeared Tuesday morning before Lake Criminal Court Judge Natalie Bokota.

Carrasquillo-Torres, her defense attorney Andreas T. Kyres, of Crown Point, and Lake County Deputy Prosecutor Jacob J. Brandewie agreed to set her case for a trial to begin the week of Sept. 11.

Carrasquillo-Torres, a fifth-grade teacher at East Chicagos St. Stanislaus School, is pleading not guilty to a felony charge of intimidation.

She faces a maximum penalty of two years and six months in prison if found guilty of death threats.

Prosecutors allege in court papers that Carrasquillo-Torres confided last fall to a 12-year-old student that she wanted to kill herself and others and had a "kill list."

She allegedly told the boy he was on the list but at the bottom. The boy told a school counselor Oct. 12 about Carrasquillo-Torress threats.

School officials questioned Carrasquillo-Torres who initially said, "I want to kill myself, staff and students, and I did also make a kill list."

When asked why she felt that way, Carrasquillo-Torres said, "I'm having trouble with my mental health and sometimes the kids do not listen in the classroom.

Carrasquillo-Torres named only one student on the alleged list during her interview and never showed a list to administrators.

She later said she was only joking about it all.

School officials stated on their Facebook page the following day that Carrasquillo-Torres was immediately removed from further contact with students.

Only after school officials safely dismissed students at the end of the school day did they escort Carrasquillo-Torres off school property and call police.

Police said last October that the delay in learning about the incident prevented the immediate gathering of evidence. Investigators didnt recover a physical kill list.

Police worked with the prosecutors office to file the criminal charge against her Oct. 14. Authorities jailed her a week later.

School officials said they changed the buildings exterior locks, increased security at the entrance of the school and took other increased security steps.

Carrasquillo-Torres signed a no-contact order and agreed to stay away from the school property before she was freed on bond Dec. 15.

Carrasquillo-Torres attorney asked the court Nov. 14 to order her to be evaluated for admission into the Therapeutic Intervention Court.

A 2021 brochure described the program as a collaboration of medical, psychiatric and counseling services to assist mentally ill individuals involved in the criminal justice system.

Those admitted to the program are required to remain under its supervision for at least one year. One court official said those who successfully complete the program have been eligible to have their criminal charges dismissed.

A program official notified Bokotas court Monday that Carrasquillo-Torres was not appropriate for the Therapeutic Intervention Court because of the nature of the crime.

The brochure states the program is unavailable for those charged with crimes against children.
CROWN POINT  A former caregiver has been placed on probation for the large-scale theft of valuables from a St. John family.

Jacob Z. Christoff, 34, formerly of Crown Point, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Lake Criminal Court to a felony theft count.

Christoff was initially charged with exploitation of a dependent, a class D felony, punishable by up to three years in prison.

The prosecutors office alleged Christoff began work in August 2015 for a man with multiple sclerosis at his home near 93rd and Mallard Lane in St. John.

The family discovered several months later that a basket and a bottle of wine were missing. They suspected Christoff of having taken the items, and he returned them after being asked to do so.

Court records state the family later contacted police and a private investigator after discovering items worth as much as $130,000 missing.

They included an antique chest, rare coins, a saxophone, jewelry and irreplaceable family heirlooms. Investigators traced some of the items to area pawn shops, including music speakers that Christoff was recorded as having sold.

Deputy Prosecutor Shannon Phillips and defense attorney Herb Shaps told the judge that the case had been pending for six years because of difficulties in proving Christoffs involvement in the disappearance of many of the victims valuables.

The prosecutor and Christoff entered into a plea agreement in which he would waive his right to a jury trial in return for his admission to the theft charge.

He also agreed to pay $15,000 in restitution to the victim.

Judge Natalie Bokota accepted the plea bargain, ordering that the felony theft conviction eventually be reduced to a misdemeanor.

She imposed a 12-month sentence of probation and ordered him to write a letter of apology  some explanation of why you did this, such as abject greed."

The judge told him, This is absolutely despicable. If you have gone to trial, you would have received a 2 1/2 year sentence you so richly deserve.

Shaps said Christoffs probation will be supervised by authorities in Los Angeles, California, where Christoff now lives.
GARY  Another Region school has been the target of an unfounded threat.

Gary police Lt. Dawn Westerfield said officers from the department were called out around 8:20 a.m. Tuesday in response to a bomb threat at Bailly STEM Academy, 4621 Georgia St.

Police officers and dogs from Hammond and the Lake County Sheriff's Department joined in a search of the building, but no explosive device was found.

"It appears the call came directly in to dispatch and not the school," Westerfield said. "The caller used a recording of a voice-altering device."

No additional calls were received.

Bailly STEM Academy serves students in grades six to eight, the school Facebook page says.

The threat comes in the wake of last week's arrest of a 16-year-old Ohio boy, accused of making threats involving Valparaiso High School. The school received repeated threats over the the past few weeks.

Several schools across Northwest Indiana received threats from an unknown caller Thursday morning that proved to be noncredible but sent the schools into lockdown or lockout status, police said.

A false bomb threat Jan. 9 locked down Valparaiso High School and led to an early release of students. A false threat of violence Jan. 17 at the same school triggered a second lockout response from police and disrupted school operations, according to officials.

Authorities could not confirm whether the Ohio juvenile is connected with the threats against Portage and Hobart high schools. Portage and Hobart police had said their departments would conduct investigations into the incidents at their local schools.

Valparaiso, Portage and Hobart high schools received threatening calls and implemented security measures, police said, and Wheeler High School in Porter County implemented a lockout. Once lifted, Portage High School dismissed its students for the day. Wheeler cancelled after-school activities.
HAMMOND  A handgun was found in a student's backpack at Hammond Central High School on Tuesday, school district officials said.

At approximately noon, a student from a different school trespassed into the building after being let in by another student, the district said in a statement to The Times. The district said that the student didn't attend Hammond Central, but he is a School City of Hammond student, though the district declined to specify further. After realizing the student entered through "an unauthorized door," a teacher reportedly alerted the main office before security and administrative personnel located the trespasser.

At that point, the trespassing student fled and gave his backpack to another student, according to the district. Administrative staff then reportedly located the backpack while security apprehended the trespasser.

After searching the backpack, the district said it found a handgun in the backpack. The district notified Hammond Police Department, which arrested the trespassing student, and the school went on "secured status" while an investigation ensued.

Indiana state statute dictates a mandatory one-year expulsion for any offenses associated with deadly weapons. Additionally, the district said that any students who assisted the trespasser will be disciplined according to the district's code of conduct.

"No students or staff were harmed thanks to the immediate response from Hammond Central staff and security officers," district spokesperson Nathaniel George George Sr. said in a statement. "The security of all SCH students and staff are the #1 priority of the School City of Hammond. The due diligence and awareness of all staff allowed for the trespasser in question to be apprehended quickly, even while many on campus were not aware of what was occurring. Our deepest appreciation goes out to everyone involved who ensured that Hammond Central students and staff remained safe."

Gallery: The Times Photos of the Week Winfield library books improvements 012823-spt-gbk-che-and_5 012823-spt-gbk-che-and_1 012823-spt-gbk-che-and_12 012823-spt-gbk-che-and_6 012823-spt-gbk-che-and_2 Lake Central at Chesterton boys basketball Lake Central at Chesterton boys basketball Lake Central at Chesterton boys basketball Lake Central at Chesterton boys basketball Lake Central at Chesterton boys basketball Lake Central at Chesterton boys basketball Intramural Club at PNW snow volleyball Intramural Club at PNW snow volleyball Intramural Club at PNW snow volleyball Intramural Club at PNW snow volleyball Grant will restore historic train, revive fountains and bring Taste of Region and other festivals to downtown Gary State of the City of Valparaiso U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal visits IUN U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal visits IUN U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal visits IUN Baby is first to get free $100 Baby is first to get free $100 Kiwanis aids paralyzed woman Kiwanis aids paralyzed woman Morgan Township and Westville face off in PCC Tournament Final Morgan Township and Westville face off in PCC Tournament Final Morgan Township and Westville face off in PCC Tournament Final 012223-spt-bbk-pcc_4 Gallery HTML code
The most prominent candidate for Indiana's 2024 Republican U.S. Senate nomination was enthusiastically endorsed Wednesday by the most recent GOP president of the United States.

One day after former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels bowed out of the race, former President Donald Trump declared northeast Indiana U.S. Rep. Jim Banks has Trump's "complete and total endorsement" in Banks' bid to represent the Hoosier State in the Senate.

"I know Jim well, have seen him tested at the highest and most difficult levels, and win," Trump said in a message posted to his Twitter-like Truth Social website.

Trump described Banks in his endorsement as "strong on the border, crime, our military and our vets," and Trump pledged Banks will "fight for low taxes and regulations, sanity in government and our under-siege 2nd Amendment."

"Jim is respected by all (and) will never let you down," Trump said.

Banks, 43, tweeted in response to Trump's announcement: "Proud to be endorsed by the greatest president in my lifetime!"

"President Trump was the first president of my lifetime to confront the China threat and put working families in Indiana and across the country first. He strengthened our military and America's standing on the world stage, secured the border, and grew our economy, but in just two years we've seen much of that progress wiped out by Joe Biden and the Democrats' radical agenda," Banks said.

"I'm grateful to President Trump for his support and look forward to fighting for the 'America First' agenda in the U.S. Senate," he added.

The former president's endorsement of Banks wasn't entirely unexpected. Donald Trump Jr. last month joined a variety of Trump-associated political organizations in condemning Daniels as a "Republican in name only" and "Mitt Romney 2.0" when Daniels revealed he was considering the Senate contest following his Dec. 31 exit as Purdue University president after 10 years.

Daniels made clear he wasn't afraid of competing against Banks and the Trump team for Indiana's Republican U.S. Senate nomination. Rather, Daniels acknowledged he's not cut out for legislative service after spending decades as an action-oriented executive.

"Maybe I can find ways to contribute that do not involve holding elective office. If not, there is so much more to life. People obsessed with politics or driven by personal ambition sometimes have difficulty understanding those who are neither," Daniels said.

At this time, it's not clear whether any politically experienced Hoosier Republicans will choose to challenge Banks at the May 7, 2024, GOP primary, and no major Democratic candidates have signaled an interest in seeking their party's nomination more than 15 months out.

The most recent Indiana Democratic U.S. Senate nominee, Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr., said on his "Left of Center" podcast Tuesday that he expects term-limited Gov. Eric Holcomb eventually will be drawn into the Senate race to defend pre-Trump Republican principles.

"If you're a traditional (Ronald) Reagan, George Bush, George W. Bush Republican, that party (freaking) left you guys. It's gone. You're wandering in the wilderness," McDermott said. "(Holcomb) is going to run against Jim Banks, those two are going to hammer it out, and Banks is going to beat the (stuffing) out of him, in my opinion."

"And not because Eric Holcomb is a bad guy. I like Eric Holcomb, and I think Eric Holcomb has been a great governor. Unfortunately for Eric Holcomb, his party is bat(stuff) crazy, and it went bat(stuff) crazy under his watch and they don't like him anymore," McDermott said.

Holcomb repeatedly has said he's not currently looking ahead to any public- or private-sector opportunities that may be available when his second four-year term ends in early 2025.

"My focus right now is, and will continue to be, our states budget session, and Im not going to let anything interfere with the work I have in front me as governor," Holcomb said.

Gallery: Indiana historical markers in the Region First Physician Great Sauk (Sac) Trail St. John's Lutheran Church Tolleston Dutch in the Calumet Region St. John Township School, District #2 The Lincoln Highway/The Ideal Section The Lincoln Highway/The Ideal Section Froebel School - side 1 Froebel School Stewart Settlement House Stewart Settlement House Origin of Dr. MLK Day Law Origin of Dr. MLK Day Law Bailly Homestead Iron Brigade Willow Creek Confrontation Ogden ski jump.jpg Teale 1.jpg Teale 2.jpg Steel 1.jpg Steel 2.jpg Civil War camps.jpg Old lighthouse.jpg Railroad.jpg Camp Anderson.jpg Boundary line 1.jpg Boundary line 2.jpg LaPorte courthouse 1.jpg LaPorte courthouse 2.jpg Carnegie 1.jpg Carnegie 2.jpg Rumely Co 1.jpg Rumely Co 2.jpg Lincoln train 1.jpg Lincoln train 2.jpg LaPorte university 1.jpg Laporte university 2.jpg Gary Roosevelt 1 Gary Roosevelt 2
VALPARAISO  After listening to more than two hours of complaints and concerns about the proposed Willowcreek Road extension, Porter County Board of Commissioners President Jim Biggs, R-North, promised to take another look at the previously rejected plan to extend Ind. 149 south to U.S. 30.

The countys preferred route for the proposed Willowcreek Road extension would have gone down County Road 625 West, along the western edge of Wheeler, to reach U.S. 30. The aim of the project is to give Portage  Northwest Indianas third-largest city  a north-south route to U.S. 30 and to give another major north-south thoroughfare besides Ind. 49.

It would be a two-lane county road with a 45 mph speed limit, Biggs said. However, the bridges would be designed to expand the road to four lanes if thats warranted in the future, county Planning Director Robert Thompson said.

The litany of complaints at the hearing was long, ranging from how the road would affect safety, development and quality of life in Union Township to how residents concerns would be heard.

Portage Mayor Sue Lynch grew up in Wheeler. Shes concerned about how extending the road, which now ends at County Road 700 North, would affect traffic two and from the citys main business district. The city just spent $4.5 million paving that road, and extensive heavy traffic wasnt accounted for, she said.

Truck traffic would be discouraged on the route, including by the use of roundabouts, Thompson said.

Wheeler resident Don Munson drives a dump truck, hauling materials for the steel mills. After they redid Willowcreek, they screwed a ton of us drivers, he said. When Portage put a 12-ton weight limit on Willowcreek Road, he had to go far out of his way to get home, extending his commute and increasing his fuel cost considerably in the process.

The proposed route would go just two feet from his garage door, he said.

Austin Bonta, of Portage, is concerned that the road could become a catalyst for additional development. We're watching what's happening right now in Lake County as places like Dyer, St. John, Cedar Lake have boomed as more people are moving in from places like Illinois and elsewhere in Northwest, Indiana  nothing wrong with that, by the way, he said.

Thompson said the road would not be built without having zoning in place for future development within a half-mile on either side of the roadway.

I know (Ind.) 149 keeps on coming up, Thompson said. That would have required a massing bridge. The road would have to cross Ind. 130, the Canadian National Railroad tracks that parallel it, and the Salt Creek floodplain. Thats 2,000 feet of bridges, an estimated cost of $26 million just for the bridges. The route using 625W would be $36 million for the entire route.

Thats why the commissioners put the brakes on the plan in the 1990s, he said.

Traffic counts also show 7,400 vehicles a day at 625W and Ind. 130, compared to 7,800 for Ind. 149 and Ind. 130. The former is a busy route already.

Nothing is written in stone at this point. And we will take a hard look at the extension of Ind. 149, Biggs promised. If theres no other reason it cant be done other than its just more expensive, that isnt enough to knock it out of consideration, he said.

Gallery: The Times Photos of the Week Winfield library books improvements 012823-spt-gbk-che-and_5 012823-spt-gbk-che-and_1 012823-spt-gbk-che-and_12 012823-spt-gbk-che-and_6 012823-spt-gbk-che-and_2 Lake Central at Chesterton boys basketball Lake Central at Chesterton boys basketball Lake Central at Chesterton boys basketball Lake Central at Chesterton boys basketball Lake Central at Chesterton boys basketball Lake Central at Chesterton boys basketball Intramural Club at PNW snow volleyball Intramural Club at PNW snow volleyball Intramural Club at PNW snow volleyball Intramural Club at PNW snow volleyball Grant will restore historic train, revive fountains and bring Taste of Region and other festivals to downtown Gary State of the City of Valparaiso U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal visits IUN U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal visits IUN U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal visits IUN Baby is first to get free $100 Baby is first to get free $100 Kiwanis aids paralyzed woman Kiwanis aids paralyzed woman Morgan Township and Westville face off in PCC Tournament Final Morgan Township and Westville face off in PCC Tournament Final Morgan Township and Westville face off in PCC Tournament Final 012223-spt-bbk-pcc_4 Gallery HTML code
Child death in Michigan City ruled natural, police say The death of a 3-year-old child Jan. 20 was ruled natural, Michigan City police said Tuesday.

MICHIGAN CITY  The investigation into the death of a 3-year-old child Jan. 20 has concluded, police said, after it was determined the child died of natural causes.

Michigan City police were called around 2:40 p.m. to the 800 block of West Sixth Street for a report of an unresponsive child. Family, police and medical professionals performed lifesaving efforts, but the child ultimately died at Franciscan Hospital.

Officials announced Jan. 23 that they were investigating the death. Police worked with the LaPorte County coroner's office on the case.

"There was absolutely no foul play or wrongdoing found," police said in a news release Tuesday. "The Michigan City Police Department extends its deepest condolences to the family during this time of loss."
VALPARAISO  Residents living on Valparaiso's West side have been complaining about truck traffic along Yellowstone Road for months.

Barbara Domer, who has lived on Yellowstone Road since 1992, said the residential road used to have "no thru truck traffic" signs posted on either end. However, a few years ago, the signs disappeared.

"Yellowstone Road and the immediate surrounding community is overburdened with the negative impact of heavy vehicles, including city public works vehicles," Domer said during a Jan. 9 Valparaiso City Council meeting. "I want my safe road back."

Domer, who is running as a Democrat for the 3rd District City Council seat, brought in chunks of asphalt she found on the sidewalk in front of her house.

"The road's in terrible condition," Domer said as she held the asphalt.

City Engineer Mike Jabo said Yellowstone is classified as a "collector road," meaning it connects local streets to arterial roads. Over the past 11 years, the city has conducted four traffic counts along Yellowstone. According to the counts, 2-Axle, 6-Tire vehicles frequent the road  things like FedEx delivery trucks, extended pickup trucks and single-vehicle box trucks.

"This truck mix is not uncommon for most of our city streets," Jabo said, adding he is unsure why there would have ever been a "no thru truck traffic" sign on Yellowstone.

Jabo said he spoke with multiple longtime public works employees who said they have always used Yellowstone Road, particularly to reach the city compost site located at 21500 Lincolnway. Domer and other residents have asked city vehicles to consider alternative routes; however, Jabo said Yellowstone is the best option.

If city fleets used the nearby Campbell Street instead, Jabo said, the vehicles would go through downtown. Rerouting to Froberg Road would increase trip lengths by a half-mile, "which is time, money, fuel and wear-and-tear on vehicles when you consider the number of trips, Jabo added.

Jabo said the city will post a 20-ton weight limit on Yellowstone Road, though exceptions will be made for school buses, emergency vehicles and public works vehicles. Additionally, Valparaiso plans on using funding from the Community Crossings roadwork grant to resurface the road.

A visual inspection was made of Yellowstone, and it was acknowledged, the road does need some TLC," Jabo said. It is the opinion of the Engineering Department that the current condition of Yellowstone Road is more related to deferral of maintenance rather than exercise by trucks.

After Jabo's report, Yellowstone Road resident Mary Abraitus said the only adequate solution would be to "restore" the no thru truck traffic restriction.

"There is a difference between repair and restore," Abraitus said during the Jan. 23 meeting.

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If your concerns were the narrower kind, and you wanted to do something for their child, you might consider finding a way to have a playdate at your place. Thats probably what I would be inclined to do. But I suspect youre guided by a broader sense of opprobrium. There can certainly be social value in shunning wrongdoers, though I should acknowledge that it isnt a particular strength of mine. When someone I was friendly with in my youth was sent to prison for committing larceny, I was appalled by what hed done, by his abuse of a communitys trust, but I still visited him behind bars to see that he was OK.

Your situation is different, of course; these people are little more to you than a list of wrongdoings. And if you are determined to have nothing to do with these people  a practice that is, to return to our earlier distinction, morally permissible but not obligatory  then you probably wont want to encourage a friendship between your child and theirs. Children, in these circumstances, cant be severed from their parents.

At this point, you could simply tell the couple that your child wont be able to come to the sleepover. Its up to you whether you want to explain why: that youve been shaken by what youve learned about them. Either way, you will need to think about what your child will then say to their child about whats happening.

Sadly for their child, its very unlikely that the actions of the parents will forever remain a secret at school. (And given that the parents actions have drawn the attention of both the media and law enforcement, it would be surprising if their child is completely unaware of them.) But you dont want your child to be the one to spread the news. So you shouldnt burden your child with information thats not to be repeated. Dont say much more than that youve read stuff that makes you want to steer clear of these parents. This isnt the time to inventory and assess their misdeeds.

Your child may or may not become friendly with this new classmate; friendships among children arent something parents are able to direct, nor should they. But do encourage your child to treat theirs with kindness. Ezekiel got it right: Children shouldnt bear the iniquity of their parents.
interview

Rukayat Shittu, 26, is a House of Assembly candidate in the 2023 general elections in Kwara State.

It is not easy to disrupt the status quo in politics. But 26-year-old Rukayat Shittu said she won nomination as the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for Owode Onire state constituency of Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State without giving money to any godfather in or outside the party.

In this interview with PREMIUM TIMES' Olasunkanmi Akinlotan, Ms Shittu also advised young Nigerians on what they need to have impact in politics.

PT: For the benefit of people who may be reading about you for the first time, tell us what growing up was like for you?

Ms Shittu: My name is Rukayat Motunrayo Shittu, the youngest APC flag bearer in Nigeria, contesting for the Kwara State House of Assembly seat for Owode Onire Constituency in Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State. I am from Manyan village of Alapa/Onire/Odegiwa ward.

I attended Baptist Primary School LGEA in Ilorin, and Government Girls Day Secondary School, Oko Erin to obtain my Senior Secondary School Certificate in 2011 and then proceeded to Kwara State College of Arabic and Islamic Legal Studies affiliated to Bayero University Kano. I then obtained a diploma certificate in Mass Communication and Islamic Studies in 2015.

After my diploma, I enrolled with a fashion school. In 2017, I got admission to the National Open University of Nigeria and graduated in 2022. I worked as the head of the news department for a famous online media outlet in Kwara, Just Event Online.

PT: How old are you and are you married?

Ms Shittu: I am a 26-year-old and I am not married.

PT: Tell us about your parents and their dispositions to your political ambition?

Ms Shittu: I have the best parents anyone could pray for on earth. They are the backbone of my political aspirations and it has been like that since I was an undergraduate. My dad usually advised me to contest positions in school and I mostly got finances for the contests from him. Their disposition regarding my political aspiration is so firm. My dad studied me and knows what is best for me so he doesn't hesitate when I aspire for things. I had been class reps since primary school days and that continued until I graduated from National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) as the first female senate president of the Congress of NOUN Students (CONS), heading the legislative arm of the students' association in over 85 study centres across the federation.

PT: Politics is not a profession, do you agree? So, what else are you good at aside from politics?

Ms Shittu: We all have different definitions of things. Politics they say is not a profession but to me; it is something every reasonable citizen needs to consider if truly we want democracy. And life is a process, stage by stage. I am so glad that I have the privilege to be involved at an early age and with this. I am very confident that the furure is very bright.

I am a media practitioner, fashionista and an entrepreneur.

PT: You studied Mass Communication, don't you think you should practice?

Ms Shittu: Yeah, I studied Mass Communication and graduated with second class upper division. I passionately understand the job. Before the contest, I was on the field for many years. Whether I am into politics or not, I am still a journalist and in the real sense, every journalist is a politician because we have our preference when it comes to politics. Note, you can still consult me for your media related work.

PT: You are contesting on the platform of the APC. Why APC?

Miss Shittu: I am a card-carrying member of APC. No other party has been progressive and sensitive as APC in Kwara. APC brought the state out of darkness to light, it brought Kwara out of the state of ignorance (Jahiliyyah) to an era of enlightenment and illumination. Our governor (AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq) has a good track record regarding youth inclusion in governance, which in the past wasn't the norm. Speaking about gender balance, he has given us a level playing field - APC has the highest number of female contestants in the last primaries and it is still the only major party with more females and the youngest candidate in Kwara State. There is progressiveness in APC.

PT: It is believed that women are marginalised in politics, especially in Nigeria. How did you emerge?

Ms Shittu: Yes, women are underrepresented and marginalised in politics because many of us also fail to stand up. As I have said earlier, our governor, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, has given us the space to exhibit ourselves. I emerged not only with the voice of the majority of Owode Onire constituents, but also with the policy of the state government - 'The 35 per cent affirmative action' which encourages more people, especially those who are strongly connected to the governor's progressive ideals to support me.

PT: What is your motivation?

Ms Shittu: Governor AbdulRahman is my motivator, he motivated me and a lot of us across the state. Also, with the marginalisation of womenfolks in the space, I want to inspire and be a worthy role model to other people who are scared of getting engaged in politics.

PT: When did you develop political interest?

Ms Shittu: I happen to be a former students union leader and a female senate president for the Congress of NOUN Students. I have always had political interests since my undergraduate days. And when I was in the field working as a journalist, my focus has been on promoting women's participation in politics through the media. My passion for politics has been on since my university days.

PT: How much did you pay godfathers to secure the ticket?

Ms Shittu: I did not pay any godfather to secure my ticket. I only paid for the nomination forms, while the expression of interest form was free for women and youth that were willing to contest under the ruling All Progressives Congress.

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PT: Many youths are afraid of joining politics over the financial requirements. How have you been funding your campaign?

Ms Shittu: The topmost factor as a youth in politics is commitment, resilience, focus and perseverance. Another thing is having the right people around. For example, I am a member of a leading pro-democracy group in Kwara State, "Kwara Must Change", which provided me with necessary human resources and know-how to navigate the political process. I am funding my campaign through support from various progressive quarters and I am still looking forward for more support as we approach the general election.

PT: Should you emerge, what are your plans for the people and your future?

Ms Shittu: By God's grace, I am going to emerge to represent the people of Owode Onire Constituency at the 10th Kwara State House of Assembly. My plan as a lawmaker is to make laws and sponsor bills that will be of benefit to our people, facilitate and lobby for government projects to my constituency, carry out oversight activities of the executive and ensure that our people have adequate representation.

Lastly, I want the future to speak for me and point at me as a role model for youths. I believe my candidature will encourage and pave ways for more young people who are willing to participate in the electoral contests.

(This interview is the first in a series focusing on young candidates taking part in the 2023 general elections. It is a partnership between Premium Times and YIAGA Africa).
WASHINGTON  The Biden administration is expected to propose a scaled-down version of a sprawling oil drilling project in the North Slope of Alaska, according to two people familiar with the decision. The proposal would allow drilling to proceed on a limited basis as part of an $8 billion project known as Willow that climate activists have criticized for years.

The project, led by ConocoPhillips, has the potential to eventually unlock 600 million barrels of crude oil. Opponents say the decision undermines the Biden administrations promises to cut fossil-fuel use in order to limit the damage from climate change.

The Bureau of Land Management in Alaska is preparing to say that it has selected a preferred alternative for development on the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska that calls for curtailing the project from five drill sites to three, according to one person who viewed the draft report in recent days, and a second who was independently briefed on the reports contents. Both requested anonymity to discuss the details of the plan.

The BLMs action, which is expected in the coming days, is an environmental analysis that includes options that range from permitting five drill sites (the outcome sought by ConocoPhillips) to not allowing drilling at all. It does not represent a final decision by the government, but it would effectively be a recommendation to proceed with a scaled-back drilling operation.
Mr. Santos formed the company, which has been described as a political consulting group, along with his colleagues from his former firm, Harbor City Capital, after its assets were frozen as part of a Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit that accused it of operating a Ponzi scheme. Neither Mr. Santos nor his business partners were named in that action.

Red Strategies USA has since been dissolved for failing to file a financial report.

Ms. Markss resignation comes as the Santos campaign is facing increased scrutiny. Last week, the magazine Mother Jones reported that the identities of more than a dozen of the major donors to Mr. Santoss campaign could not be confirmed. The Miami Herald reported that several of his campaign expenditures did not match the records of the vendors. And last year, The Times reported that the campaign had spent thousands of dollars on rent and a bizarre string of payments for $199.99  one cent below the threshold at which F.E.C. rules require that candidates provide receipts.

This irregularity, among others, formed the basis of a complaint that the Campaign Legal Center filed with the F.E.C. this month. That complaint accused Mr. Santos of using campaign funds for personal expenses and of conducting a straw donor scheme to obscure the source of $705,000 he lent to his campaign.

Another F.E.C. complaint was filed on Tuesday by the government-reform group End Citizens United about the roughly $260,000 Mr. Santos raised for a 2020 recount fund. Under New York State law, recounts are automatically initiated when the margin of victory is close. But Mr. Santos lost by 13 points, and the state does not allow for candidate-requested recount efforts, the complaint says.

In addition, the complaint  which names Mr. Santos and Ms. Marks  points out that a number of the expenses that the recount fund paid appear to overlap with those paid by the campaign, including identical charges for a $2,026.25 laptop computer from Best Buy 12 days apart.
If you were a child again, what kind of playroom would you rather have: a basement filled with castoff furniture (because no one cares if you jump on that worn-out sofa), or a colorful room that celebrates toys and art, inviting you to climb up the walls?

Its not hard to guess which one many parents have recently been choosing for their children.

When I grew up, the playroom was always the worst room in the house, because there wasnt much attention given to it, said Karri Bowen-Poole, a former teacher who founded Smart Playrooms, a design firm in Rye, N.Y. So its been incredible for me to see the transformative thinking thats happened. Design does affect kids  how they feel about themselves, what they do and what we can get them to do, just by how we create a space.
Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, as he positions himself for a run for president next year, has become an increasingly vocal culture warrior, vowing to take on liberal orthodoxy and its champions, whether they are at Disney, on Marthas Vineyard or in the states public libraries.

But his crusade has perhaps played out most dramatically in classrooms and on university campuses. He has banned instruction about gender identity and sexual orientation in kindergarten through third grade, limited what schools and employers can teach about racism and other aspects of history and rejected math textbooks en masse for what the state called indoctrination. Most recently, he banned the College Boards Advanced Placement courses in African American studies for high school students.

On Tuesday, Governor DeSantis, a Republican, took his most aggressive swing yet at the education establishment, announcing a proposed overhaul of the states higher education system that would eliminate what he called ideological conformity. If enacted, courses in Western civilization would be mandated, diversity and equity programs would be eliminated, and the protections of tenure would be reduced.

His plan for the states education system is in lock step with other recent moves  banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, shipping a planeload of Venezuelan migrants to Marthas Vineyard and stripping Disney, a once politically untouchable corporate giant in Florida, of favors it has enjoyed for half a century.
Two of the former Memphis police officers charged with killing Tyre Nichols had previously been reprimanded for failing to file required reports about the use of physical force in making arrests, according to records released Tuesday.

In one case from 2019, Officer Desmond Mills Jr. was assisting with an arrest after a traffic stop when he grabbed the suspect by the arms and took her to the ground, personnel records show. After a hearing two years later, Mr. Mills was given a written reprimand for failing to file the mandatory incident report.

The woman arrested in that case had filed a complaint alleging that she was beaten by officers, grabbed by the hair and slammed into a patrol car. The records describe body camera footage showing that two different officers had struggled with the woman for several minutes, with one of them striking her with a baton, before Mr. Mills and others stepped in to assist. The woman sustained bruises and abrasions during the struggle, the records say.

Demetrius Haley, another one of the officers charged in Mr. Nicholss death, was also reprimanded in 2021 for failing to file a report after grabbing someone by the arm to turn them around to make an arrest. Mr. Haley said at a hearing that he had been mistaken about the amount of force necessary to require such documentation.
Armani Kelly drove about three hours to Detroit to perform his second show as a rapper on Jan. 21. But he never got on stage. The event was canceled because of technical problems, the authorities said, and its unclear if he even made it to the venue at all.

Mr. Kelly, 27, and two friends who were supposed to be at the lounge  Dante Wicker and Montoya Givens, both 31  were later reported missing. They have not been seen in the 10 days since the canceled event, prompting a multiagency police investigation into what the authorities called an extraordinary case.

None of the mens phones have shown any activity since the evening of the canceled show, Cmdr. Michael McGinnis, of the Detroit Police Department, said at a news conference on Monday. A car that Mr. Kelly drove on Jan. 21 was found in a nearby city with no signs of the three men.

The Police Departments in Warren, Oscoda and Melvindale are all investigating the case, along with the Detroit police. Three people missing under the same circumstances is unusual, Commander McGinnis said. When youre dealing with an adult thats missing, he said, its usually one person.
WASHINGTON  Three Haitian Americans and a Colombian national have been charged in the United States with involvement in the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise of Haiti, the Justice Department said on Tuesday.

The announcement of the charges from the federal government  more than 18 months after the murder of Mr. Moise  outlined a sprawling conspiracy to murder the Haitian leader and seize power, supported by an unnamed former Haitian Supreme Court judge, Colombian mercenaries and an illegal arms shipment from the United States.

The decision to charge the four men, who are considered to be some of the ringleaders in the assassination plot, in the United States is an indication of the chronic dysfunction of the Haitian justice system. Government institutions have disintegrated after Mr. Moises assassination, and conditions in the country have worsened in recent months.

Three of the four men were charged with conspiracy in the murder of Mr. Moise: James Solages and Joseph Vincent, who are dual Haitian American citizens, and German Alejandro Rivera Garcia, a Colombian accused of leading a group of mercenaries operating in Haiti.
WASHINGTON  Republicans on Tuesday pushed legislation through the House that would repeal vaccine mandates and declare the pandemic over, blowing past Democratic opposition in a broader drive to use the federal response to the coronavirus spread against President Biden and his party, stoking a culture war over a major public health challenge.

The largely party-line votes to block the government from requiring health care workers to take the coronavirus vaccine and to end the public health emergency declared at the start of the pandemic were the start of a flurry of legislative activity by the G.O.P. this week that has virtually no chance of yielding any new laws, since the measures cannot make it through the Democratic-controlled Senate or to Mr. Bidens desk, where he would be all but certain to veto them.

But they were the leading edge of a bid by Republicans to use their majority to portray Mr. Biden and Democrats as overreaching bureaucrats who kept pandemic measures in place for far too long, wreaking havoc with the economy, and in some cases costing people their livelihoods with health restrictions and a vaccine shot that they did not want. It is a theme that taps into the grievances of parents who were furious about school closures and the resentments of Americans angry about how the pandemic destabilized their lives, and one that is already shaping the nascent 2024 Republican presidential primary.

Americans have not recovered from Covid-19, said Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia, a close ally of Speaker Kevin McCarthy who was banned from Twitter over violations of the companys coronavirus misinformation policy, but has now been assigned to a select subcommittee to investigate the origins of and response to the virus. Not just in a physical way, but very much in a financial way and in an emotional way.
WASHINGTON  As the House debated for hours over pandemic measures, Republican lawmakers on Tuesday repeatedly misled about the efficacy of vaccines, the rationale behind vaccine mandates and their effects.

Two measures, introduced by Republicans, would end a vaccine mandate for certain health care workers as well as the public health emergency declared at the start of the pandemic. The House approved the two bills, largely along party lines, on Tuesday. Still, they do not have the votes to pass the Democratic-controlled Senate, let alone receive approval from President Biden.

Heres a fact check of some of their remarks.

What Was Said

Dr. Walensky, the C.D.C. director, said in August 2021, quote, What they cant do  they being the vaccines  What they cant do anymore is prevent transmission. The C.D.C.s own website says right now the vaccine does nothing for transmission. Zero. Yet that was the whole basis of the vaccine mandate.

 Representative Chip Roy, Republican of Texas

This is misleading. Mr. Roy is referring to  and cherry-picking  comments made by Rochelle P. Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about the agencys guidance on Covid-19 vaccines as well as the rationale behind the vaccine mandates for federal workers and certain health care professionals.
Russian forces are ratcheting up pressure on the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, pouring in waves of fighters to break Ukraines resistance and targeting supply lines in a bloody campaign aimed at securing Moscows first significant battlefield victory in months.

Eleven months after Moscow launched its invasion, Bakhmut and the areas around it have become a center of intense fighting, with growing importance as both sides add forces to the battle. Russia intensified its effort to capture Bakhmut, which may be key to seizing the entire Donbas area, after months of bombardment beginning in the summer yielded few gains.

The situation is very tough, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, said in a recent nightly address after meeting with military leaders. He said, There are constant attempts to break through our defense.

Over the course of the war, firepower has proved critical to Russian gains, but the battle for Bakhmut has been different.
The N1 trillion is expected to be used to fund the N819.5 billion 2022 supplementary budget which the lawmakers approved last December.

The House of Representatives has approved the request by President Muhammadu Buhari to secure an additional N1 trillion loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to fund the 2022 supplementary budget.

The CBN has already violated its enabling law by loaning the federal government more than the approved sum, a PREMIUM TIMES reported. This did not, however, deter the lawmakers from approving the fresh loan from the central bank.

Also, the House suspended the request to securitize the N22.7 trillion Ways and Means loans pending more details from the Executive.

On Tuesday, the House Committees on Finance, Banking and Currency, and Aids, Loans and Debts Management jointly presented a report recommending the approval of the restructuring of N1 trillion additional Ways and Means advances for implementation of the 2022 Supplementary Appropriations Act as passed by the National Assembly.

Also, the committees recommended further engagement with the Executive to allow for thorough and detailed work and submissions on the larger part of the Advances which amounts to N22.7 trillion.

Mr Buhari had in a letter in 2022 requested that the N22.7 trillion Ways and Means loan should be converted to a 40-year bond with a moratorium of three years.

The N1 trillion is expected to be used to fund the N819.5 billion 2022 supplementary budget which the lawmakers approved last December.

Speaking on the report, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila informed his colleagues that the other report will be considered subsequently after their recess.

In December, there was a mild drama in the Senate over the consideration of the report, prompting the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, to step down the report.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the chamber was thrown into a chaotic session for minutes during the consideration of the report which was presented by the chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Adeola Olamilekan.

Many lawmakers who opposed the president's request either said it was against the laws or wondered why the National Assembly was not notified when the amount was taken from the central bank.
Cy Gavin didnt initially see moving into his upstate New York farmhouse as an act of defiance.

In 2020, the artist simply wanted more space in which to live and to paint his dynamic, vibrant landscapes.

But when people drove by, calling him names or throwing garbage; when he spotted racist signs in backyards, such as Cold Beer Matters (as opposed to Black Lives), Gavin realized he had no choice but to  literally  dig in.

So he started planting  holly and rhododendron, native evergreens  in the ground that surrounds his home in Northern Dutchess County. Rather than pack up and leave for more hospitable environs (as friends urged him to do) or build a high privacy fence that would make him feel caged in, Gavin leaned into his relationship to the land, providing food and shelter for birds, creating pretty things to look at, welcoming animals.

I refused to be intimidated, he said in a recent interview. I had to figure out how I was going to relate to the space, the land, which meant also confronting the energy outside of the house.
Its rare to see a show as well balanced as Nicole Eisenman: Prince, a retrospective of more than a decade of the artists collaborations with the New York publishers Harlan & Weaver, Jungle Press Editions and 10 Grand Press. Like her drawings and paintings, Eisenmans prints teem with ideas and art-historical allusions. Sometimes her sense of humor gets the upper hand, as in the lithograph Man Holding His Shadow, which shows a retired boxer in a windowpane-pattern suit and matching cap mournfully cradling what looks like a deflated inner tube. Sometimes its her tenderness, as in Portrait of Evan, a sensitive, impromptu portrait of an assistant at Jungle Press.

Most of the time, though, a Nicole Eisenman print is a riot of competing impulses, so its especially welcome to see so many of them so judiciously edited and lucidly arranged. The show also amounts to a primer on the extensive possibilities of the medium: There are little copper plate etchings made with matchsticks and string; a jigsaw woodcut monoprint, displayed alongside the printing blocks; cardboard collagraphs; a figure drawn on plywood in wax, cast in aqua resin, and printed from the cast; and seven in-progress proofs of Watermark, an etching and aquatint, displayed along with the final version. This last is a primer in itself, because what begins as a mysterious, mostly shadowy scene slowly becomes a highly detailed view of the artists children and their grandparents, complete with patterned wallpaper, trees out the windows, and tiny book titles on the shelves. WILL HEINRICH

Lower East Side

Dave Schubert

Through March 5. Public Access, 105 Henry Street, Manhattan; no phone number, no website. On Instagram @publicaccess.nyc.
Since 2016, the millions of tourists who flock each year to Tate Modern, Londons most popular art museum, have been able to do something unusual: stare into the apartments opposite, as if they were artworks.

From a platform on the museums 10th floor built to offer panoramic views of the city, visitors could peer directly at dozens of luxury dwellings, all of which have floor-to-ceiling windows. Sometimes, nosy art lovers would catch a glimpse of a resident of the multimillion-dollar homes making breakfast or reading a weekend newspaper.

On Wednesday, Britains Supreme Court ruled that tourists using the viewing platform was a clear case of nuisance even if ogling homeowners was not their purpose.

In a regal London courtroom, Lord George Leggatt, the lead judge in the ruling, said that hundreds of thousands of visitors each year headed to the platform and many took photographs of the apartments. It is not difficult to imagine how oppressive living in such circumstances would feel for any ordinary person  much like being on display in a zoo, he said.
Over the past few months, The New York Times has asked jazz musicians, critics and scholars to answer the question, What would you play a friend to make them fall in love with Duke Ellington? Or Alice Coltrane? Weve also covered bebop, vocal jazz and the catalogs of Ornette Coleman and Sun Ra.

Thats a lot of listening back. So this month, we decided to explore whats happening now. Where is jazz today? Its a good time to be asking. Just a dozen years ago, the music seemed to be having a crisis of self-worth. Where was its center? Could anything guarantee its relevance?

But over the past five or 10 years, you could say that jazz has gone through a kind of ego death, and then a rebirth: Today theres no particular sound or style that young players all want to preserve, but jazz as a general practice  a commitment to taking on musical adventures together, live and in real time; to treating musical instruments as the writing utensils for a narrative  hasnt been this alive in decades. As a result, all across the jazz spectrum, artists are in comfortable contact with hip-hop, contemporary poetry, the Black Lives Matter movement and visual art.

Below, we asked writers and jazz musicians of various generations to recommend their favorite recordings from the new millennium. Enjoy reading their commentary and listening to the excerpts, and find a playlist at the bottom of the article with full tracks. As always, be sure to leave your own favorites in the comments.
Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, drew sold-out crowds last year, a milestone in its recovery from the pandemic.

This summer, the orchestra hopes to build on that success with a program that blends familiar works with more contemporary offerings, the ensemble announced on Wednesday.

The lineup includes works by 28 living composers, including the world premiere, in July, of a piece by Iman Habibi, led by the orchestras music director, Andris Nelsons. There are also more traditional works, including a concert performance of Mozarts Cosi Fan Tutte, also led by Nelsons in July, and appearances by festival regulars including the pianist Emanuel Ax and the cellist Yo-Yo Ma.

This years programs both inspire a sense of discovery and celebrate returning guest artists whose appearances move us so deeply year after year, Nelsons said in a statement.
Donald Washington Jr. had only an eighth-grade education when he began his 15-year-to-life sentence in a New York correctional facility for murder, robbery and the criminal sale of a controlled substance. By the time he was released nearly 15 years later, he had earned a bachelors degree in behavioral science and a masters degree in professional studies through a prison college program.

He knows self-improvement is possible for those in prison. But he also knows that obstacles exist.

Prison is not an environment thats necessarily conducive to your growth and development, Washington, 38, said. But it can be if you seek that, right? So this is the seeds of hope that we are hoping to plant.

He is referring to Inside Story, a news and current-affairs video series Washington created with Lawrence Bartley in partnership with Vice News and the Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization focused on the U.S. criminal justice system. Made largely by former prisoners, the show explores issues of crime, punishment and the prison industry for a target audience of the imprisoned and anyone else who might value such a perspective. Reports on topics like the living conditions and drug use inside correctional facilities accompany personal essays and interviews with criminal justice experts and the previously incarcerated.

The series, which includes eight episodes in its first season, premieres on Thursday and will air weekly inside correctional facilities in 48 states, as well as on the Vice News YouTube channel, the Marshall Project website and the Vice News channel on Plex, a streaming platform.
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous nights highlights that lets you sleep  and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now.

The Man in the Machine

Mike Lindell, the MyPillow founder, who is known for his elaborate conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, returned to Jimmy Kimmel Live on Tuesday, complying with Kimmels one condition: that he appear inside a claw machine at an arcade.

In his monologue, Kimmel joked that the mustachioed Lindell was here to finally answer the question: What if Ted Lasso was on the F.B.I. watch list?
Exxon Mobil made $56 billion in profit last year, its largest annual haul ever. Chevron earned $36 billion, also a company record. But after a bountiful 2022, the outlook for those companies and other big oil and gas producers is cloudy.

They benefited for much of last year from higher prices for nearly all fuels as the continued recovery from the pandemic slowdown increased demand and the Russian invasion of Ukraine strained supplies. The landscape already looks different.

Exxons fourth-quarter profit of $12.75 billion, while strong, was down sharply from the $19.7 billion it earned in the third quarter. Oil prices have settled to a level more than a third lower than their peak shortly after the Ukraine war began last February, and natural gas prices have crashed by 70 percent from their highs in August, mostly because of an unseasonably warm winter in much of Europe and the United States.

We dont know whats ahead in 2023, Mike Wirth, Chevrons chief executive, told analysts last week, adding that the uncertainty called for operational discipline.
Maxime Clausier stood inside the barricaded entrance of his butcher shop in central Paris and surveyed the swelling crowd of protesters outside his door. He had closed early Tuesday amid the latest demonstrations in France against President Emmanuel Macrons plan to raise the legal age of retirement to 64 from 62, and his business was taking a hit.

But Mr. Clausier said he would have given anything to be right out there in the crowd. Even at age 30, having worked nearly half his life as a butcher, he couldnt stomach the idea of being required to work longer to finance what the government says may soon be an untenable pension system.

I cant afford to be out there for even five hours, said Mr. Clausier, who helps run La Boucherie des Gobelins and pays what he said were high payroll taxes used to fund Frances social safety net. But Im with them in spirit, because what we are seeing is the unraveling of Frances social contract. We cant let that happen.

Tens of thousands of people marched past Mr. Clausiers shop on the Avenue des Gobelins on Tuesday, following a snaking four-kilometer route that started at the Place dItalie and coursed along the main arteries of Pariss Left Bank, all the way to Napoleons tomb at the Invalides.
WASHINGTON  The Biden administration on Wednesday took a crucial step toward approving a $8 billion ConocoPhillips oil drilling project on the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, drawing the anger of environmentalists who say the vast new fossil fuel development poses a dire threat to the climate.

The Bureau of Land Management issued an environmental analysis that says the government prefers a scaled-back version of the project, which is known as Willow. The assessment calls for curtailing the project to three drill sites from five, as well as reducing the proposed length of both gravel and ice roads, pipelines and the length of airstrips to support the drilling.

The analysis is the last regulatory hurdle before the federal government makes a final ruling on whether to approve the Willow project. If approved, it project would produce about 600 million barrels of oil over 30 years, with a peak of 180,000 barrels of crude oil a day.

Separately, Bureau of Land Management and White House officials are considering additional measures to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and environmental harm, such as delaying decisions on permits for one of the drill sites and planting trees, according to two people familiar with the discussions.
The Emir of Dutse died at 79 from an undisclosed ailment

The Emir of Dutse in Jigawa State, Nuhu Muhammad-Sanusi, is dead.

The emir died Monday afternoon at an undisclosed hospital in Abuja. He was 79.

Mansur Ahmad, the media aide to former Jigawa Governor, Sule Lamido, confirmed the death to PREMIUM TIMES.

The late emir is one of the five first-class emirs in Jigawa State. He served for 28 years as the Emir of Dutse.

He succeeded his late father, Muhammadu Sanusi Dan Bello, who ruled between 1983 and 1995.

The Federal Military Government under Ibrahim Babangida created Jigawa State on 27 August 1991, and Dutse became the capital city of the new state. This development gave birth to Dutse Emirate on 13th November 1991 with the upgrade of the district head as first class emir.

The late Mr Muhammad-Sanusi attended Dutse elementary school and Birnin Kudu Senior Primary School, between 1952 and 1959. He was, thereafter, admitted to the Kano Teachers College.

He later gained admission into Advanced Teachers College in 1967.

He also attended Ohio University in the USA where he obtained BSc in Business Education in 1972 and MBA in 1974.

Thereafter he had MSc in Project Analysis and Evaluation from Bradford University in England in 1977.

He was elected a member of the constituent assembly in 1989. At the traditional level, he served as the district head of Dutse and senior counsellor in the emirate council between 1992 and 1995.
As global demand for Covid-19 vaccines dries up, the program responsible for vaccinating the worlds poor has been urgently negotiating to try to get out of its deals with pharmaceutical companies for shots it no longer needs.

Drug companies have so far declined to refund $1.4 billion in advance payments for now-canceled doses, according to confidential documents obtained by The New York Times.

Gavi, the international immunization organization that bought the shots on behalf of the global Covid vaccination program, Covax, has said little publicly about the costs of canceling the orders. But Gavi financial documents show the organization has been trying to stanch the financial damage. If it cannot strike a more favorable agreement with another company, Johnson & Johnson, it could have to pay still more.

Gavi is a Geneva-based nongovernmental organization that uses funds from donors including the U.S. government and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to provide childhood immunizations to lower-income nations. Early in the pandemic, it was charged with buying Covid vaccinations for the developing world  armed with one of the largest-ever mobilizations of humanitarian funding  and began negotiations with the vaccine makers.
There is no reliable screening test for ovarian cancer, so doctors urge women at high genetic risk for the disease to have their ovaries and fallopian tubes removed once they are done having children, usually around the age of 40.

On Wednesday, a leading research and advocacy organization broadened that recommendation in ways that may surprise many women.

Building on evidence that most of these cancers originate in the fallopian tubes, not the ovaries, the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance is urging even women who do not have mutations  that is, most women  to have their fallopian tubes surgically removed if they are finished having children and are planning a gynecologic operation anyway.

In such a procedure, surgeons remove the tubes, which lead from the ovaries to the uterus, but leave the ovaries intact. The ovaries produce hormones that are beneficial even later in life, reducing the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis and sexual dysfunction. Sparing the organs has been linked to lower mortality overall.
The word covet has appeared in 61 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Jan. 20 in What Do the Discerning Men Want? by Guy Trebay:

Fashion weeks offer up such a glut of the newest, latest, coolest, costliest, most insane, most fire and sometimes least obtainable objects that you might think theyd make monks of mens wear experts. Yet, like gear heads, guys who look at clothes occupationally also geek out in their off time. Caught on the move as the mens wear circuit migrated from Florence to Milan and Paris, some discerning fashion insiders weighed in this week on what they covet now. For coats, I still love my big raglans, said Josh Peskowitz, a onetime honcho at Bloomingdales and Moda Operandi, and a designer best known for collaborations with Levis Made & Crafted line and his Instagram overcoat chronicles. But suddenly Im into duffle coats for the first time in a long time. Im also totally into some new moccasin-toe work boots from Yuketen. I love them.

Daily Word Challenge

Can you correctly use the word covet in a sentence?

Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using todays Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the words definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.

Then, read some of the other sentences students have submitted and use the Recommend button to vote for two original sentences that stand out to you.

If you want a better idea of how covet can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com.
Hormone therapy carries health risks that vary by age.

The age at which a woman begins hormone therapy is important for assessing her increased risk of heart disease, stroke and dementia.

For women who go through early menopause, before age 45, hormone therapy is recommended because theyre at greater risk for osteoporosis if they dont receive hormones up to the typical age of menopause. For healthy women in their 50s, the increased risks from hormone therapy are considered low. There are greater risks for women who start hormone therapy after age 60. No definitive research has yet followed women who start in their 50s and stay on continuously into their 60s.

Women of all ages have an increased risk of breast cancer after about five years of taking hormones.

At highest risk from hormone use are women who have had a heart attack, breast cancer or a stroke or clot, or women with a cluster of significant health problems.

For everyone else, says Stephanie Faubion, the director of the Center for Womens Health at the Mayo Clinic, the decision has to do with the severity of symptoms as well as personal preferences and level of risk tolerance.
Alloy holds online support groups where women, clearly of varying socioeconomic backgrounds, often vent  about how hard it was for them to find relief, how much they are still suffering or how traumatized they still are by the lack of compassion and concern they encountered when seeking help for distressing symptoms. On one call in July, a middle-aged woman described severe vaginal dryness. When I was walking or trying just to exercise, I would be in such agony, she said. Its painful just to move. She was trying to buy vaginal estradiol cream, an extremely low-risk treatment for genitourinary syndrome; she said there was a shortage of it in her small town. Until she stumbled on Alloy, shed been relying on antibacterial creams to soothe the pain she felt.

The space was clearly a no-judgment zone, a place where women could talk about how they personally felt about the risks and benefits of taking hormones. At one meeting, a woman said that shed been on hormone therapy, which she said changed my life during perimenopause, but that she and her sisters both had worrying mammograms at the same time. Her sister was diagnosed with breast cancer and had her lymph nodes removed; the woman on the call was diagnosed with atypical hyperplasia, which is not cancer but is considered a precursor that puts a woman at high risk. The NAMS guidelines do not indicate that hormone therapy is contraindicated for a woman at high risk of breast cancer, leaving it up to the woman and her practitioner to decide. My new OB-GYN and my cancer doc wont put me on hormones, the woman said. She bought them from Alloy instead. So Im kind of under the radar.

No one at the meeting questioned the womans decision to go against the advice of two doctors. I mentioned the case to Faubion. It sounds to me like she felt she wasnt being heard by her doctors and had to go somewhere else, she said. Faubion told me that in certain circumstances, higher-risk women who are fully informed of the risks but suffer terrible symptoms might reasonably make the decision to opt for hormones. But, she said, those decisions require nuanced, thoughtful conversations with health care professionals, and she wondered whether Alloy and other online providers were set up to allow for them. Anne Fulenwider, one of Alloys founders, said the patient in the support group had not disclosed her full medical history when seeking a prescription. After that came to light, an Alloy doctor reached out to her to have a more informed follow-up conversation about the risks and benefits of hormone therapy.

As I weighed my own options, I sometimes asked the doctors I interviewed outright for their advice. For women in perimenopause, who are still at risk of pregnancy, I learned, a low-dose birth control can even things out, suppressing key parts of the reproductive system and supplying a steadier dose of hormones. Another alternative is an intrauterine device (IUD) to provide birth control, along with a low-dose estrogen patch, which is less potent than even a low-dose birth-control pill and is therefore thought to be safer. Too much equipment, I told Rachel Rubin, the sexual-health expert, when she suggested it. This is why I dont ski. I found myself thinking often about an insight that Santoro says she offers her patients (especially those under 60 and in good health): If youre having any symptoms, how can you weigh the risks and benefits if you havent experienced the extent of the benefits?

In November, I started on a low-dose birth-control pill. I am convinced  and those close to me are convinced  that my brain is more glitch-free. I have no hot flashes. Most surprising to me (and perhaps the main reason for that improvement in cognition): My sleep improved. I had not even mentioned my poor quality of sleep to my gynecologist, given the length of our discussion, but I had also assumed that it was a result of stress, age and a sweet but snoring husband. Only once I took the hormones did I appreciate that my regular 2 a.m. wakings, too, were most likely a symptom of perimenopause. The pill was an easy-enough experiment, but it carried a potentially higher risk of clots than the IUD and patch; now convinced that the effort of an IUD is worth it, I resolved to make that switch as soon as I could get an appointment.
Here are edited excerpts from our conversation.

How did you feel the day before the Oscar nominations were announced?

I was busy in my house and I felt occupied, but as the day went on, my body was feeling really nervous and I was like, Damn that subconscious! Its obviously on my mind. But I did go on a beautiful hike by myself and I clocked the moment, thinking, Im actually really happy right now. So just remember that if it doesnt work out tomorrow, I was happy today and I didnt have it.

Did you sleep well that night?

I did but I could sleep through a nuclear bomb. Im telling you, they should study me. I was going to turn off my cellphone and have my manager give the news to me like a regular business day  I was trying to be all cool so if I didnt get it, I could take that moment privately and get myself together. But Colin called me and was like, Do you want to watch it together? Then I had to debate that for three hours because I was like, What if one of us gets it and the other one doesnt? Do I want to experience this massive moment with other people? At the last minute, I said, Ill go to your house and watch it.

And on West Coast time, that means getting up before dawn.

It was the weirdest thing getting up in the dark and scurrying out the door. Honest to God, it felt like we were doing something illegal! Its just so surreal to be at anyones house at 5 in the morning, sober and in your pajamas, but Im really glad I shared it with other people because it felt nice to get hugs in that moment. Whereas if Id have been on my own, it would have been amazing, but it also would have been like, God, Kerry, youre such a loner!

In a statement released that morning, you described the nomination as a dream come true.

I dont think theres anything wrong with admitting that youre ambitious. Its not like Im Lady Macbeth and Im stabbing the competition. I watched the Oscars when I was a kid and its always been on my radar. At the same time, was my happiness dependent on this? No, Im not that much of a superficial person.

Youve worked with Martin McDonagh several times on plays. What took him so long to write a great film role for you?
When the district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, was running for office, he vowed to create a police integrity unit to replace the accountability unit. Instead, he maintained the unit he had inherited from his predecessor, which had been overhauled after the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, and kept Mr. Viorst as its supervisor. One major change did occur: The unit now reports directly to Mr. Bragg.

D.A. Bragg has prosecuted public corruption and police misconduct throughout his career, and has made this work a priority as district attorney, said Emily Tuttle, a spokeswoman for the office. When discovery issues dating back to 2019 arose in this trial, D.A. Bragg was immediately informed and deeply involved in correcting these errors where possible, and determining next steps.

She said that Mr. Bragg usually met with the unit once every two weeks; they have met about two dozen times since he took office, she said.

Mr. Viorsts appointment as head of the unit was announced in January 2021, with Ms. Minogue joining the following month. In April, she became its deputy, a position she held until Tuesday, when the office removed her from her post. She remains employed in the district attorneys office.



Mr. Viorst also worked for Mr. Bragg when both men were at the New York attorney generals office, leading a unit that investigated police killings of unarmed civilians. It is a difficult job  the law makes it notoriously hard even to charge police officers, let alone win a guilty verdict, Still, under their supervision, the unit brought back zero convictions in the 24 cases it investigated. (It has fared no better since; the unit, now called the Office of Special Investigation, still has not won a conviction.)

Mr. Bragg has had more success in other matters of police accountability. In 2020, he successfully pushed for a judicial inquiry into the death of Eric Garner, a Black man who died after being placed in a chokehold by a New York police officer.
The negotiations are bound to expose ideological rifts and power struggles between the governor, a moderate Democrat who is looking to establish her place in Albany after winning her first full term, and more left-leaning Democrats in control of the State Legislature, who have already successfully challenged her this year.

Just two weeks ago, a Senate committee rejected her nominee for chief judge, a stunning defeat that marked the first time a governors pick for New Yorks highest court was rejected, and one that may linger over the typically contentious budget negotiations.

The governors proposed spending plan was as much a delineation of the states fiscal health as it was a declaration of Ms. Hochuls political leanings, as she continues to cast herself as a problem-solving pragmatist who is also committed to her partys most liberal priorities.

As such, Ms. Hochul committed over $1 billion to reimburse local governments for a share of spending on emergency shelters for migrants; increased overall spending on health care, including $27.8 billion on Medicaid; and raised spending on public education, including a total of $34.5 billion for school districts, or 10 percent more than the previous budget, the biggest ever year-to-year increase.

While she did not propose raising income taxes, she proposed extending a tax hike on large corporations that is scheduled to expire at the end of this year for another three years, perhaps partially placating the partys left wing, which has called on her to make the tax increase permanent.
Whats your assessment? What does this injection of money from the $1 trillion infrastructure package mean?

Theres still the big question of will this ever happen. President Biden says it will, and Senator Schumer says it will, but we have been down this road before. The last attempt to build a tunnel under the Hudson ended when Chris Christie pulled the plug on it, and that project was further along than this one is. It had already lined up its federal funding, and the crews had actually started digging.

They havent started digging this one?

No. What was announced on Tuesday was funding for a section of the tunnel  the section under the streets of Manhattan, where the tunnel from under the river would go on its way to Penn Station. The actual tunnel under the river, they have not begun to dig yet. The estimate is that it would cost more than $16 billion, and New York and New Jersey expect the federal government to pay half of that. But the federal government has not yet committed to paying that half. Senator Schumer has said there is enough money in the infrastructure bill to pay for the whole project, but it has not yet been earmarked specifically for the Gateway project.

So what would happen with an administration thats less committed than the Biden administration?

During the Trump administration, President Trump stopped this project in its tracks. His administration downgraded the importance of the whole project. Theres a process. It had been given highest importance in the Obama administration and was downgraded by the Trump administration. That could happen again under a different administration. Joe Biden is as supportive as he could be, but theres no telling what a different president would think of it with a different Congress.

Doesnt New York desperately need the new tunnel?

Yes. Every elected official from the Northeast says this is critical to maintaining rail service in the Northeast Corridor.
Start with the broad youthful impulse toward what you might call magical thinking, ranging from the vogue for astrology to the TikTok craze for manifesting desired outcomes in your life. In certain ways this is an extension of the self-help spiritualities that have been attached to American religion since forever, but right now the magical dimension is more explicit, the connection to old-time religion weak to nonexistent.

At the same time, its unclear to what extent any of this can be called belief. Instead there is a playacting dimension throughout, a range of attitudes from This isnt real, but its fun to Maybe this isnt real, but its cool to play around with to This is actually real, but who knows what it means? Even some people who explicitly identify with witchcraft seem to have this ambiguity in their identification; they are participants in a culture of ritual and exploration, not believers in a specific set of claims.

A second example is the increasing fascination with psychedelics and hallucinogenic drugs, which takes secular and scientific forms but also has a strong spiritual dimension, with many participants who believe the drugs dont just cause an experience within the mind but also open the doors of perception, as Aldous Huxley titled his account of taking mescaline, to realities that exist above and around us all the while.

This is clearly true of the emergent spiritual culture around DMT, an ingredient in the psychedelic brew known as ayahuasca thats become a trip of choice for so-called psychonauts  explorers of the spiritual territory that its ingestion seems to open up. For many users, DMT seems to offer an eerily shared experience: They report encountering similar landscapes and similar beings, as if theyre all either connecting to the shared archetypes of some Jungian subconscious (which would be strange enough) or actually entering the same supernatural plane. And the latter belief yields spiritual experimentation in its purest form: People taking DMT this way arent practicing a religion so much as trying to discover religions supernatural grounding and fashion a personal theology out of what they find and see.

Now a third example, very specific: Recently a statue appeared on a New York courthouse, occupying a plinth near famous lawgivers like Moses and Confucius. Its a golden woman, or at least a female figure, with braided hair shaped like horns, roots or tendrils for arms and feet, rising from a lotus flower.
The group said the average cattle herder in Nigeria has become an endangered specie.

A group of Fulani cattle herders, the Coalition of Pastoralists Associations of Nigeria (CPAN), has accused the Nigerian government and other ethnic groups in the country of destroying the business of cattle rearing.

The group also claimed that the hostility shown to Fulani people, who are primarily cattle rearers, has forced many to leave the country.

The group made the claims during a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday.

It subsequently called on the government and the international community to save the average cattle herder, whose business it said "is going down and who can lose his life anytime without consequences."

The National President of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Baba - Othman Ngelzarma, who spoke on behalf of CPAN, said the briefing was done to draw the attention of the government to the dangers being faced by the Fulanis across the country.

Mr Ngelzarma said while Lake Chad has been negatively affected by global warming forcing herders to look elsewhere for water and food for their livestock, the Nigerian government watches helplessly while Fulanis are being treated as second class citizens.

"To start with, we all know that global warming is a reality, and it has affected the Lake Chad massively, forcing our people to move down south in search of water and food for our livestock. While the Nigerian government has not lifted any finger to recharge the Lake Chad and make it habitable for our people, it has watched on helplessly as different communities and state governments across the North Central and Southern parts of the country treat the Fulani as irritants or second class citizens who have no right to live or who do not deserve to have a source of living.

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"The state governments formulate obnoxious laws targeted at chasing our people away. They ban open grazing without providing infrastructure for alternatives. They therefore seize our cows and arrest our people recklessly, fine them unreasonable amounts and everyone is watching as if all is well.

"The Fulani have been the target of stereotypes, ethnic cleansing and mass murder in almost all states of the Federation. From Zamfara in the North-west to Adamawa, Taraba in the North-east, Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa in the North-central, down to Ondo and Oyo in the South-west, or worse still the South-eastern states, the Fulani people have been a subject of hatred, annihilation for unjustifiable reasons."

He accused the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, of using livestock guards to arrest and extort Fulani herders.

"Apart from the most recent bombardment of Tuesday 24th of January, 2023 in Akwanaja, there were similar airstrikes on innocent herders in Keana and Awe in Doma LGAs of Nasarawa State," he lamented.

The Fulani leaders asked the federal government to investigate the killing of the herders in Nasarawa and disband the livestock guards.
BEIJING  I caught Covid for the first time in early December.

I panicked when I saw the two lines on my rapid antigen test indicating a positive result. Chinas government was still clinging to its zero Covid approach of using mass lockdowns and testing in a vain attempt to stop the virus from spreading. Would the dreaded health workers in their head-to-toe protective white suits, who seemed to have taken over the country, come to drag me away to a grim quarantine facility?

Millions of Chinese had been living in fear of that knock on the door. So I hid in my Beijing apartment. Three days later, the government essentially gave up fighting the virus. I was free. I celebrated by taking out my overflowing bag of garbage.

For three years, Chinas people were told that Covid had to be controlled. But the government suddenly reversed course not long after street protests broke out in November over the escalating human and economic costs of that approach. But little was done to prepare us for what came next.

Public vaccination drives had been halfhearted, and China still does not allow more effective foreign-made vaccines to be imported (aside from allowing German-made vaccines for that countrys nationals in China). Advice was minimal on how to avoid getting sick or what to do in an emergency. We were on our own.
Julie Wronski, a political scientist at the University of Mississippi, wrote back by email:

Underlying the liberal shift among white Democrats is their tendency to hold more liberal racial attitudes. In the Voter Study Groups Racing Apart report, the percentage of white Democrats that hold the most liberal positions on the standard racial resentment measure has increased over the last decade to such a large extent that their racial resentment views match those of Black Democrats.

The Democratic Party, Wronski continued, has become

a coalition of racial minorities (especially Blacks) and whites who are sympathetic to the inequities and challenges faced by minority groups in America. Racial identities and attitudes are the common thread that link wealthier, more educated whites with poorer minority constituencies.

The Democrats biracial working-class coalition during the mid-20th century, in Wronskis view, was successful because racial issues were off the table. Once those issues moved front and center, the coalition split: Simply put, the parties are divided in terms of which portion of the working class they support  the white working class or the poorer minority communities. The level of educational attainment is the line of demarcation between the two groups of white voters.

By 2020, the white working class  defined by the Federal Reserve of St. Louis as whites without four-year college degrees  voted for Donald Trump over Joe Biden, 67 to 32 percent, according to network exit polls. In the 2022 election, white working-class voters backed Republican House candidates at almost the same level, 66 to 32 percent.

The shift of non-college white working-class support to the Republican candidates, Wronski wrote,

was driven by racial group animus. Trump was particularly able to attract members of the white working class on the basis of racial (and other) group sentiments  with those disliking minority groups being uniquely attracted to Trump, in a continuation of the division of the working class along racial lines.

There are those who argue, however, that the contemporary Democratic coalition is more fragile than Wronski suggests. Ryan Enos, a political scientist at Harvard, emailed to say, If youre a Democrat, you might worry that the coalition is not stable.

Over the long haul, Enos wrote:

College-educated whites, especially those with higher incomes, are not clear coalitional partners for anyone  they dont favor economic policies, such as increasing housing supply or even higher taxes on the rich, that are beneficial to the working class, of any race. And many college-educated whites are motivated by social issues that are also not largely supported by the working class, of any race. Its not clear that, with their current ideological positions, socially liberal and economically centrist or rightist college-educated whites are natural coalition partners with anybody but themselves.

Enos went so far as to challenge the depth of elite support for a liberal agenda:

My sense is that much of the college-educated liberal political rhetoric is focused on social signaling to satisfy their own psychological needs and improve their social standing with other college-educated liberals, rather than policies that would actually reduce racial gaps in economic well-being, civil rights protections and other quality of life issues.

Paul Begala, a Democratic strategist, is an explicit critic of the left wing of the party. It is plain to me that the Democrats greatest challenge is the progressive left, Begala wrote in an email:

Pew Research shows they are the most liberal, most educated and most white subgroup in the Democratic coalition. They constitute 12 percent of Democrats and those who lean Democrat  which means 88 percent of us are not on their ideological team.

In contrast, Begala continued:

Black voters are both the most loyal Democrats and the most sensible, practical, strategic and moderate voters. This is why it was important, politically and even morally, for President Biden to move the African-American-rich South Carolina primary ahead of overwhelmingly white Iowa and New Hampshire.

In the November 2021 study of the composition of the Democratic Party that Begala referred to, Pew Research reported:

The progressive left makes up a relatively small share of the party, 12 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents. However, this group is the most politically engaged segment of the coalition, extremely liberal in every policy domain and, notably, 68 percent white non-Hispanic. In contrast, the three other Democratic-oriented groups are no more than about half white non-Hispanic.

This disproportionately white wing of the party, as I previously discussed, provided crucial support for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ayanna Pressley when they ran for Congress in 2018, putting them over the top in their first primary victories over powerful Democratic incumbents.

A variety of forces is straining the center-left coalition.

Bruce Cain, a political scientist at Stanford, replied by email to my inquiries:

Many white liberals live in enclaves of affluence, sheltered from the economic and personal insecurity of the low-income communities. They are more strongly motivated by identity issues around gender and race but are less concerned with poverty or economic insecurity issues than liberals in the sixties.

As a result, in Cains view:

Parts of the Democratic coalition are talking past each other and sometimes clashing. In the case of climate change, white liberals want to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles that most low-income nonwhites cannot afford. During Covid, affluent white liberals could work at home and have food delivered to them by nonwhite workers who left the food packages at their doorstep or who had to go to work and suffer higher rates of illness.

When all said and done, White liberals are still a better deal for nonwhites than the Republican Party, Cain contended, but it is revealing that the African Americans in South Carolina preferred Biden to Sanders or Warren.
Mr. Zohar also hopes to prevent any similar projects by requiring filmmakers seeking government grants to pledge that their works wont harm the countrys reputation. Given the right wings new hold on Parliament, Mr. Zohars proposals could soon be a reality  and the dependence of the Israeli film industry on taxpayer support could very well force many filmmakers to sign such loyalty oaths, or risk not being able to complete their projects.

As a whole, Israeli society doesnt like to debate the occupation, and domestic news reports about it have become rarer in recent years. More often than not, these accounts are told through the perspective of the security issue, and refrain from dealing with human rights or the absence of political rights for Palestinians.

Still, the thriving Israeli documentary scene has remained a major venue for exposing the public to the reality in the occupied territory, and for the price both societies pay for it. Not only do filmmakers continue to document whats happening in the West Bank, they sometimes succeed where other methods of public engagement fail. Films create a world of their own, so they have the power to avoid dominant narratives and ideologies; they connect on an emotional level, not just an intellectual one; they tell a story: and they often offer an opportunity to adapt a new perspective.

And so, acclaimed documentaries produced over the last 15 years, like The Law in These Parts, the Emmy-winning Advocate and the Oscar nominees The Gatekeepers and 5 Broken Cameras brought to light harsh practices used by Israel in the West Bank and set off fierce public debates. Other works, like Blue Box and Tantura, went even further, critically examining the formal narrative of the roots of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Unsurprisingly, these documentaries generate discomfort, and backlash. Now the Israeli right, which long sought to delegitimize or even criminalize criticism of the occupation, is seeing an opportunity to kill off such films.
This week, 53 years after the first Pan Am passenger flights between New York and London, the 1,574th  and last  Boeing 747 had its ceremonial send-off and took to the skies. This ultimate example of the famous airliner has a depiction on its tail of Atlas holding the world atop his shoulders, as the logo of the cargo and charter carrier Atlas Air Worldwide. How appropriate, for the 747 created a worldwide web long before there was a World Wide Web.

As the last of the giants leaves the nest, its worth taking a moment to acknowledge the 747s role in aviation history, not to mention the ways in which it symbolized an era when American manufacturing still seemed to be able to pull off anything, including a trip to the moon.

The 747 was nearly three times the size and capacity of any jet airliner at the time, and with that distinctive double-decker bulge, it certainly looked like none of its predecessors. (The hump, by the way, was an act of engineering genius: It allows the plane to open up on hinges at its nose, creating a huge cavity eight feet high and nearly 12 feet wide. That is what has made it a huge success as a freighter.)

Some professional pilots said the plane was so big and so heavy that it would never get off the ground  literally. It did fly, of course, though even today one can be forgiven for watching this mammoth humpback lumber down a runway and wondering how in the world the thing will ever get aloft. All told, 747s have carried more than six billion passengers about 60 billion nautical miles, the rough equivalent of 144,000 trips to the moon and back.

But aside from its engineering superlatives and its military variants star turn in Hollywood and as the presidents airplane, what the 747 ultimately accomplished was more profound. In bringing air travel to the masses, it further shrank our world and allowed for a degree of human connection that was simply unthinkable for prior generations.
Although it hasnt happened yet, its easy to see how China could commandeer the powerfully influential app to affect elections or manipulate public opinion, with especially pernicious effects in a time of crisis. Two out of three American teenagers have used TikTok, so disinformation on the app could be particularly potent for that impressionable audience. Theres no better evidence of why a government might fear the apps insidious nature than the fact that TikTok is banned in China itself. Instead, the Chinese government lets ByteDance use a limited domestic version of the app thats explicitly subject to state censorship.

Were American users personal data to be given to the Chinese government, or if the app were to spew Chinese disinformation, it would be almost impossible to undo the harm. So its no surprise that following congressional hearings on the risks, the federal government banned TikTok from government-owned phones and computers, and many states have done the same. That hardly solves the problem, since theres no ban on using TikTok on an individuals personal devices. Yet legislation pending in Congress would effectively do just that, nationwide. Moreover, if it wanted to collect information on Americans, China could sidestep a ban and legally, though with a little more effort, purchase almost limitless amounts of information from data brokers who stockpile information about our online activities.

If we had comprehensive laws that limit the collection and misuse (including the potential export to China) of Americans online personal data, then fears about the Chinese authorities using the app for surveillance and data collection would be greatly reduced. The freewheeling data broker business would also be restricted, so all that data would no longer be readily available. After years of debate, Congress came tantalizingly close last year to adopting basic data privacy legislation. In the meantime, several states have moved ahead with their own privacy laws  hardly an efficient solution to a national and transnational problem. As if to illustrate the point, Indiana recently sued TikTok, claiming it violates state consumer protection laws. No ones figured out how to operate a social media app with different rules for each state.

Either way, through new privacy laws or imposing a full national ban that passes constitutional muster, Congress will have to act. Federal law governing foreign investment has historically been focused on national security concerns such as ownership of defense industry contractors, not on attributes of the digital age, such as social media apps. Indeed, President Donald Trump tried to ban TikTok under a 1977 statute, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, but TikTok successfully argued in court that the law didnt cover the platform.

The recent limited bans on TikTok are mostly an effective way for politicians to sound tough on China. The House of Representatives has just established a select committee to investigate the strategic challenges posed by China to Americas economy generally and especially to its tech industry. Theres no dispute that China represents a genuine threat in many ways  but the danger is that political winds will push us to do something bold about TikTok without thinking through the long-term consequences.
The progress of that flight could affect the timing of Crew-6, a launch of four astronauts to the I.S.S. aboard SpaceXs Crew Dragon vessel that is to replace the four astronauts of Crew-5. Flying aboard Crew-6 are Stephen Bowen and Warren Hoburg of NASA, Andrey Fedyaev of Russia and Sultan Alneyadi, who will be the second astronaut from the United Arab Emirates to visit the station.

New Rocket Progress

The first flights of new rockets (or first flights of existing rockets from new places) will be highlights of 2023.

January had a mixed start on this front. The company Rocket Lab had its first flight from a launchpad on Wallops Island in Virginia after earlier trips from its New Zealand home base. But an attempt by Virgin Orbit to launch the first orbital rocket from England failed. The company ABL Space Systems also experienced an energetic explosion during its first launch.

There are other rockets to keep an eye on in February. At the end of January, SpaceX completed a fueling test of Starship, its next generation orbital rocket prototype. The rocket is central to SpaceXs ambitions of getting to Mars and NASAs plans to get astronauts back on the moon. The company may next conduct a static fire this month  where the 33 engines on the rockets booster stage fire while the ship itself is held in place. If that succeeds, it could set up the rockets first flight to orbit in March.
Last week, a self-driving car stopped in the middle of a busy street during the morning rush hour in San Francisco, jamming traffic for nearly two miles. The car, which was operated by Waymo, did not leave the intersection until company technicians arrived about 10 minutes later and manually drove it away.

With services in San Francisco and Phoenix, Waymo, the self-driving car company owned by Googles parent company, Alphabet, is one of two companies operating so-called robotaxis without drivers behind the wheel. The other, Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors, offers a service in San Francisco.

The services are the culmination of more than 10 years of research, development and testing by the two companies. After pouring billions of dollars into the technology, both say they will soon introduce driverless services in other cities, too. But because automated vehicles still struggle to drive themselves in certain situations, some local officials are questioning whether the services are ready for widespread use.
The delightfully titled Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons is a high-concept romantic comedy on themes of language and communication. Its protagonists, Oliver and Bernadette, are your typical slightly mismatched couple: Hes an idealistic musician, shes a sensible lawyer; he thinks shes too careerist, but she reckons hes just insecure because she earns more than him. Their differences are brought into focus when the government brings in a new law that forbids all citizens from speaking more than 140 words per day.

How could any couple survive in such conditions? The so-called Hush Law threatens the basis of their closeness, forcing them to water down their conversation to a meager daily quota. But whereas Oliver is affronted and joins a protest movement to try to get the rule repealed, Bernadette, whose instincts are conservative, is initially complacent about its ramifications. Their relationship may or may not be unraveling.

This lively debut, by the young British playwright Sam Steiner, enjoyed modest success on the independent circuit a few years ago. It premiered at the Warwick Arts Center in 2015 before moving on to the Edinburgh Fringe festival the following year  and is now enjoying a rather more high-profile second wind at the Harold Pinter Theater in Londons West End, directed by Josie Rourke and running through March 18.

The productions co-stars Aidan Turner and Jenna Coleman are relatively big names in British showbiz thanks to roles in the TV series Poldark and Doctor Who. As Oliver, Turner is sympathetic as the quintessential artsy dreamer  a little self-absorbed, but his hearts in the right place; Colemans Bernadette is prim and sharp, very much the yin to his yang. Together they present a charming and relatable portrait of long-in-the-tooth coupledom, flitting between estrangement and tenderness.
Two Americans found dead after they were attacked and kidnapped near the border. Airports shuttered amid gang violence in Sinaloa. Turmoil among taxi drivers in Cancun.

A number of recent security incidents have raised concerns about the risks of traveling to Mexico, where more than 20 million tourists flew last year to visit the countrys beaches, cities and archaeological sites, or to obtain health care.

Ahead of the spring break holiday, a popular time for American tourists to visit the country, the U.S. Embassy issued a travel alert, urging visitors to exercise caution by avoiding dangerous situations and drinking responsibly, among other recommendations. Crime, including violent crime, can occur anywhere in Mexico, including in popular tourist destinations, the alert said. And the State Department has warned tourists to steer clear of six states, including the state of Tamaulipas, where the recent kidnapping occurred  and to exercise increased precautions in other popular destinations like Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Tulum and Mexico City.

An overwhelming majority of visitors enjoy a safe vacation in Mexico, and tourists are largely sheltered from the violence that grips local communities. But the attack and kidnapping of four Americans in the border city of Matamoros, two of whom were later found dead, along with recent disorder in Cancun and violence in early January that forced the closure of three airports in northwest Mexico, is prompting questions about whether the countrys broader unrest is spilling into other destinations.
Allan A. Ryan, a Justice Department lawyer who in the early 1980s identified and prosecuted dozens of Nazi collaborators living in the United States, earning him a reputation as Americas foremost Nazi hunter, died on Thursday at his home in Norwell, Mass. He was 77.

His daughter, Elisabeth Ryan, said the cause was a heart attack.

Mr. Ryan was the director of the Office of Special Investigations, a Justice Department unit created in 1979 at the behest of Representative Elizabeth Holtzman, Democrat of New York. She had been shocked to learn that thousands of Nazi collaborators, including concentration camp guards and gas-chamber operators, had come to the United States after the war as refugees, often under assumed names.

They remade themselves: Feodor Fedorenko, a Russian who had served as a guard at the Treblinka extermination camp in Poland, found work at a foundry near New Haven, Conn. Until Mr. Ryan won his conviction in 1981, Mr. Fedorenkos most egregious infraction had been a single parking ticket. He was deported to the Soviet Union, where he was executed.

Mr. Ryan employed a team of about 20 lawyers, 10 investigators and five historians, and sent them around the world to dig through archives and immigration records. Though he spent only a little more than three years in the office, he oversaw 700 investigations and 32 prosecutions. The New York Times called him the nations foremost Nazi hunter, but he insisted that most of his job involved mundane research.
Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, has assured that no Nigerian would lose his or her money to the Naira swap policy of the government.

He also reiterated that the policy was in the overall interest of Nigeria's economy.

This is just as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, also assured Nigerians that the option of reviewing the deadline to redeem the old currency was not foreclosed.

Emefiele spoke during a meeting with the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee interfacing with the apex Bank and the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Commercial Banks on the deadline for the swap of old Naira notes at the National Assembly Complex.

He added that subject to the provision of Section 20(3) of the CBN Act, Nigerians would be given the opportunity to redeem the face value of the Naira in their possession after the currency would have lost its legal tender status at the expiration of February 10, 2023 deadline only at the CBN.

"Nigerians will not lose their money," he declared, just as he sought the cooperation of the National Assembly to ensure the success of the policy.

While reeling out the steps taken by the apex Bank to ensure the effective distribution of the new banknotes, he disclosed that about N1.9 trillion had so far retrieved from circulation since the commencement of the exercise.

According to him, the currency redesign policy had so far recorded about a 75 per cent success rate given the fact that many of those in the rural and underserved locations across the 36 states of the country have had the opportunity of swapping their old banknotes for the new series of the banknotes.

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Emefiele, who was accompanied to the meeting by all the four deputy governors of the CBN, disclosed that the Bank had deployed about 30,000 super agents to work with the Bank's staff currently in the hinterland to ensure that the underserved and vulnerable members of the society were adequately catered for.

The CBN Governor also disclosed that the apex Bank was working closely with relevant agencies of the Federal Government to ensure full compliance with the CBN guidelines issued to the deposit money banks for the seamless distribution of the new banknotes.

However, while speaking on the report of the House committee, Gbajabiamila said if the pressure on Nigerians to redeem the old currency had not subsided when the deadline elapsed, the CBN would be opened to another review.

"This is very key, and it is not included in the report. But I heard the CBN has not foreclosed the option of another review," Gbajabiamila said.

Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Special Ad-hoc committee, Hon. Ado Doguwa, expressed the support of the House of Representatives for the cashless policy of the apex Bank, stressing that the House would assist the CBN in achieving its mandate in that regard.

Dogowa welcomed the submissions of the CBN Governor and stressed the need for more collaboration.
After heavy criticism from Gov. Ron DeSantis, the College Board released on Wednesday an official curriculum for its new Advanced Placement course in African American Studies  stripped of much of the subject matter that had angered the governor and other conservatives.

The College Board purged the names of many Black writers and scholars associated with critical race theory, the queer experience and Black feminism. It ushered out some politically fraught topics, like Black Lives Matter, from the formal curriculum.

And it added something new: Black conservatism is now offered as an idea for a research project.

When it announced the A.P. course in August, the College Board clearly believed it was providing a class whose time had come, and it was celebrated by eminent scholars like Henry Louis Gates Jr. of Harvard as an affirmation of the importance of African American studies. But the course quickly ran into a political buzz saw  first from conservatives after an early draft leaked to conservative publications like The Florida Standard and National Review. And then, once the curriculum was released on Wednesday, some academics and liberal groups protested the changes.

The dispute over the A.P. course is about more than just the content of a high school class. Education is the center of much vitriolic partisan debate, and the College Boards decision to try to build a curriculum covering one of the most charged subjects in the country  the history of race in America  may have all but guaranteed controversy. If anything, the arguments over the curriculum underscore the fact that the United States is a country that cannot agree on its own story, especially the complex history of Black Americans.
WASHINGTON  A transit employee was killed and three others were injured on Wednesday morning after a gunman confronted people on a bus and later in a Metro station in Southeast Washington, the police said.

The employee was trying to protect a customer when he was killed, officials said. Bystanders later tackled the gunman, the police said, and he was taken into custody at the station.

The violent string of events began shortly after 9 a.m. with an altercation on a Metro bus, where the attacker brandished a weapon and then followed a passenger off the bus and shot him in the legs, according to the police.

The gunman then went down the escalator into the Potomac Avenue Metro station and came upon a person buying a fare card, the police said, and proceeded to shoot the person in the leg after another altercation.
As mourners filled the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis on Wednesday to pay tribute to Tyre Nichols, lawmakers, clergy and activists found themselves again calling on Congress to act.

The death of Mr. Nichols, whose fatal beating prompted murder charges against five former Memphis police officers, has sparked a renewed push to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

The expansive policing bill targeting racial bias and use of force was named for another Black man who was killed by police; Mr. Floyds death in 2020 at the hands of a white police officer in Minneapolis shocked Americans and led to a movement for police reform.

We need to get that bill passed, said RowVaughn Wells, Mr. Nicholss mother. Because if we dont, the next child that dies  that blood is going to be on their hands.

The bill, co-written by Vice President Kamala Harris when she was a senator, has languished for a year and a half amid partisan differences. The broad measure addresses the use of excessive force and racial discrimination, but party leaders have failed to reconcile their differences over altering the legal liability shield for individual police officers, known as qualified immunity, to make it easier to bring civil lawsuits against them for wrongdoing.

President Biden will meet with members of the Congressional Black Caucus on Thursday to have a real conversation about police reform, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. Ms. Jean-Pierre said Mr. Biden would continue to push for the reform bill, which stalled in Congress during his first year in office. But Ms. Jean-Pierre did not directly address whether the White House would consider passing additional reform measures through executive action if Congress failed to act.

Democrats have demanded changing the federal code to make criminal prosecution of individual officers easier. The Democrats bill would also include restrictions on the use of deadly force except as a last resort.

Ms. Harris, who delivered a surprise speech at the service, called on Congress to pass the bill, adding that Mr. Biden would sign it. Ben Crump, a civil rights lawyer for the Nichols family, said a new version of the Floyd bill should include language about a police officers duty to intervene when they see police violence.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, who delivered the eulogy at Mr. Nicholss funeral, called for an end to qualified immunity and for the passage of the Floyd Act.

I want to go where they cant treat me like a double standard, Mr. Sharpton said. I want to get home.

Mr. Nichols could be heard on a body camera saying, Im just trying to go home as officers repeatedly beat him after a traffic stop.

Zolan Kanno-Youngs contributed reporting.
WASHINGTON  Inside a grand committee room in the Capitol on a recent afternoon, Senator Patty Murray paused at the end of the 31-foot conference table to re-enact how, as a rank-and-file lawmaker years ago, she would have to stand up and wave to catch the attention of the men running negotiations from the center of the room.

Now it is Ms. Murray, Democrat of Washington, whose name is etched in gold cursive at the center of the table, set among frescoes of Roman goddesses and a multitiered crystal chandelier, signifying her position as the chairwoman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee. These days, she is part of the first-ever all-female team of Republicans and Democrats to lead the congressional committees that control government spending.

The group will play a pivotal role this year in what is expected to be an epic and high-stakes fiscal battle whose two principal players, President Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Republican of California, met for the first time on Wednesday to feel each other out for the coming fight over spending and debt. The two men emerged without tangible progress, but expressed willingness to continue discussions.

The top appropriators are veterans of such negotiations. Etched alongside Ms. Murrays name is that of Senator Susan Collins of Maine, the top Republican on the panel. In the House, Representative Kay Granger, Republican of Texas, is the newly installed chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, and Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut is the top Democrat. At the White House, the top budget official is Shalanda Young, the first Black woman to head the Office of Management and Budget.
The report is but one of many instances where former President Trump and his allies weaponized the Justice Department, Mr. Durbin said in a statement, adding that his committee would do its part and take a hard look at these repeated episodes, and the regulations and policies that enabled them, to ensure such abuses of power cannot happen again.

Mr. Barr assigned Mr. Durham to scour the Russia investigation for any wrongdoing in the spring of 2019 and later bestowed special counsel status on him, entrenching him to stay in place after Donald J. Trump lost the 2020 election. Mr. Durham developed two cases centered on charges of false statements, both of which ended in acquittals, and he is completing a report about his investigation, which has lasted four years.

Based on interviews with more than a dozen current and former officials, The Times described an array of previously unreported episodes that showed how Mr. Durhams inquiry became roiled by internal dissent, leading two prosecutors on his staff to resign in protest.

The article also described how Mr. Durham used Russian intelligence memos  suspected by other U.S. officials of containing disinformation  to gain access to emails of an aide to George Soros, the liberal philanthropist who is a target of the American right and Russian state media. Mr. Durham shifted to using grand jury powers to obtain the information after a judge twice rejected his request for an order as legally insufficient.

The article revealed that in the fall of 2019, Italian officials unexpectedly gave Mr. Barr and Mr. Durham a tip about suspected financial crimes linked to Mr. Trump. While the tip was unrelated to the Russia investigation, Mr. Barr decided to have Mr. Durham investigate the matter himself rather than referring it to another prosecutor. Mr. Durham brought no charges.
But people familiar with Mr. Bidens reaction to the steady drumbeat of revelations about the classified documents said he has become angry and frustrated by the situation, in particular by the comparison to Mr. Trump.

As a candidate, Mr. Biden explicitly ran as the antithesis of Mr. Trumps norm-busting conduct and his willingness to interfere in Justice Department investigations. Now, the very suggestion that some people might think Mr. Biden is in the same league as Mr. Trump has left the president fuming, said several people, who asked for anonymity to discuss the presidents reaction.

During the first two years of Mr. Bidens time in office, White House officials, and the president himself, have generally refrained from directly mentioning Mr. Trump, believing that doing so would merely elevate the former president.

Free Trade: Under President Biden, the United States has declined to pursue new free-trade agreements with other countries. That approach Under President Biden, the United States has declined to pursue new free-trade agreements with other countries. That approach has now become a major headache for the administration.

Preparing for 2024: President Biden is President Biden is sharpening his message ahead of an expected re-election bid, warning that a strong economy could be weakened under Republican leadership.

Defending Democracy: The Biden administrations The Biden administrations defense of global democracies is being tested by a political crisis in Israel and setbacks to democracy in other countries closely allied with the United States.

But Mr. Biden has sharply criticized Mr. Trumps mishandling of classified files at his residence in Florida, and the presidents lawyers have repeatedly insisted that the differences in how the two men responded to the discovery of classified documents is significant.

For the White House, the documents inquiry has become a distraction just as the president is trying to draw the publics attention to his accomplishments and is widely expected to announce that he is running for re-election.
WASHINGTON  Days before the end of the 2020 presidential race, a team of F.B.I. analysts tried to game out the worst potential outcomes of a disputed election.

But of all the scenarios they envisioned, the one they never thought of was the one that came to pass: a violent mob mobilizing in support of former President Donald J. Trump.

The teams work, which has never been reported, is just the latest example of how the Federal Bureau of Investigation was unable to predict  or prevent  the chaos that erupted at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Apparently blinded by a narrow focus on lone wolf offenders and a misguided belief that the threat from the far left was as great as that from the far right, the analysis and other new documents suggest, officials at the bureau did not anticipate or adequately prepare for the attack.

The story of the F.B.I.s missteps in the weeks leading up to Jan. 6 was touched upon, but not fully explored, by the House select committee investigating Jan. 6 and may involve a mix of legal hurdles, institutional biases and simple human error.
MEMPHIS  The body cameras worn by the Memphis police officers who stopped Tyre Nichols recorded his anguished cries and the conflicting orders that were virtually impossible for him to obey. As the officers punched and pepper-sprayed him, though, those cameras were often jostled, pointed away or dark.

But the residential street where the officers had caught up with Mr. Nichols after he ran from them on the night of Jan. 7 happened to have another camera trained on it, affixed to a utility pole in a white metal box with a bright blue light.

It was one of the hundreds of SkyCop cameras, as they are known, that the Memphis Police Department has installed around the city. It was watching from above, recording as Mr. Nichols was beaten and then as officers and medics delayed providing aid. He died three days later.

Glory be to God that a SkyCop camera was there to catch what happened, Van D. Turner Jr., the president of the Memphis branch of the N.A.A.C.P., said last week.
In attendance were Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd, who was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis, and Tamika Palmer, the mother of Breonna Taylor, who was shot to death by the police in Louisville. The mother of Eric Garner, who died in New York City, and the sister of Botham Jean, who was gunned down in his own apartment in Dallas, were there, too. Tiffany Rachal, the mother of Jalen Randle, a 29-year-old Black man who was killed by a Houston police officer last year, sang the gospel song Lord I Will Lift My Eyes to the Hills.

Their presence was meant to send a signal that Mr. Nicholss death was the latest blow in a lengthy struggle. These are not isolated incidents, said Ben Crump, the civil rights lawyer who represents many of these families, including Mr. Nicholss. Perhaps, as his mother hoped, his death could be a force for something better.

Mr. Nichols died on Jan. 10, three days after a traffic stop that turned into a brutal beating by Memphis police officers who were part of a specialized unit formed to help halt a surge of violence in the city.

Video from the officers body cameras and a stationary surveillance camera that was released last week showed the assault and Mr. Nichols begging for his life. The encounter began as officers approached his vehicle  they claimed he was driving erratically, although the citys police chief has said no evidence of that has emerged  with guns drawn and pulled him from his car. The officers shouted often contradictory orders before using pepper spray on Mr. Nichols, who ran off.
Immerse yourself in the moment. Sometimes people ruminate about things that happened in the past or that will happen in the future, and which have no immediate solutions. To get yourself out of that unproductive thought pattern, Dr. Marks said, take a moment to notice everything that is happening around you, such as: What do you see in front of you? Whats the temperature in the room? Is there anything that you can smell in the air? Take whatever experience youre in and completely immerse yourself.

Serious rumination might need therapy

While the strategies above may be helpful for some people, those who ruminate and also have certain mental illnesses (such as severe O.C.D.) will need more regimented intervention, some experts said. If your rumination gets to a near-constant state, it would be unrealistic for you to try to be distracted or mindful all the time, Dr. Greenberg said  like constantly trying to swat at a fly or hold a balloon underwater.

And distracting yourself can sometimes backfire. If you tell yourself not to think of a pink elephant, for example, youre going to want to think of a pink elephant. And, it wont get to the root of the problem, or why youre ruminating in the first place.

Instead, Dr. Greenberg teaches people how to let go of those thoughts while still acknowledging that they exist. Your job, he said, is to stop trying to figure out the problem. When you tell yourself that you do not need to resolve the issue, and you believe that its OK to refrain from trying to find a solution, thats often when your brain can let go. It should feel like a release, Dr. Greenberg said. You dont need to visualize anything, you dont need to do anything, you just stop engaging. While that may sound like a confusing directive, it is something anyone can learn, he said, usually with a bit of practice.

Dr. Siegle also noted that treating rumination and treating underlying mental health conditions often go hand in hand. Therapies for conditions like O.C.D., anxiety and certain types of depression  which can include cognitive behavioral therapy, antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, light therapy or writing out your feelings  are all useful in reducing rumination, he said.
Nairobi  The new year brought bad news for press freedom on the African continent with the brutal murder of one journalist and the suspicious death of another.

Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Africa program head Angela Quintal said that to start the year with the death of at least two top journalists in one week was very bad news and is hopefully not an ominous sign for the year ahead.

"The brutal murder of Cameroonian journalist Martinez Zogo who was abducted, tortured, and killed in the capital, Yaounde, and the suspicious death in a road accident of John Williams Ntwali, the independent and outspoken Rwandan journalist in Kigali, has left the media community reeling, I feel punch-drunk, and it's only the start of the year," said Quintal.

The African Editors Forum (TAEF) also expressed shock, anger, and outrage over these deaths and planned to make representations to the governments of Rwanda and Cameroon to "demand full public reports on the circumstances leading to their deaths."

Unfortunately, these are not isolated incidents. In 2022 alone, CPJ documented at least six journalists killed in sub-Saharan Africa and confirmed that four of them, Ahmed Mohamed Shukur and Mohamed Isse Hassan in Somalia and Evariste Djailoramdji and Narcisse Oredje in Chad, were killed in connection to their work.

"In these four cases, the journalists were killed either on dangerous assignments or crossfire in relation to their work. We continue to investigate the death in Kenya of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif and Jean Saint-Clair Maka Gbossokotto in the Central African Republic to determine whether their deaths are in connection to their journalism," Quintal said.

Quintal said Somalia continues to top CPJ's Global Impunity Index as the worst country where "the killers of journalists invariably walk free, and there is no accountability or justice for their deaths."

In 2022, six journalists were killed in connection to their work: Abdiaziz Mohamud Guled and Jamal Farah Adan in Somalia, David Beriain and Roberto Fraile in Burkina Faso, Joel Mumbere Musavuli in DRC, and Sisay Fida in Ethiopia. This is the same number of journalists killed in 2021.

Quintal said Sisay's death was the first confirmed case since 1998 that a journalist was killed in Ethiopia. CPJ continues to investigate the death of Dawit Kebede Araya in Ethiopia in 2021 to determine whether it was related to journalism.

"By far, most journalists who have been killed are local reporters. Of the six in 2021, two Russian journalists were murdered in Burkina Faso, and we continue to investigate the killing last year in Kenya of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif to determine whether the motive was related to journalism," Quintal added.

"The years 2022 and 2021 saw the most journalists killed annually since 2015 when CPJ documented at least 11 killed, and I pray that we not going to see a return to the dark days of double-digit killings. One journalist killed is one journalist too many."

Quintal decries the levels of impunity and the failure of governments to ensure justice for the majority of killed journalists and their families--a trend mirrored elsewhere in the world."

Globally, according to CPJ's 2022 annual report, the killings of journalists rose nearly 50 percent amid lawlessness and war, and in 80 percent of these, there has been complete impunity.

"This illustrates a steep decline in press freedom globally, something that we also see in terms of record figures in the number of jailed journalists globally. The year 2022 saw the highest number of jailed journalists around the world in 30 years. With a record-breaking 363 journalists behind bars as of December 1, 2022," Quintal stresses.

CPJ's editorial director Arlene Getz notes, "in a year marked by conflict and repression, authoritarian leaders double down on their criminalization of independent reporting, deploying increasing cruelty to stifle dissenting voices and undermine press freedom."

Against this chilling backdrop, Quintal tells IPS that short-term solutions include the political will from governments, matched by the necessary financial and human resources, to arrest, prosecute and convict those guilty of crimes against journalists.

"It is time governments walk the talk ... This would send a clear signal that there will be consequences for harming a journalist."

There is also an urgent need to invest in digital and physical safety training for journalists and emergency visas for journalists in distress.

"This is where the international community can play an important role. Diplomatic missions in countries where journalists are threatened by those in power, for example, can assist local journalists who need to relocate in an emergency," she said.

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"Governments must carry out thorough, independent investigations to stem violence against journalists, and there must be political and economic consequences for those who fail to carry out proper investigations that meet international standards."

Long-term solutions, she adds, include countries establishing and investing resources in special mechanisms to protect journalists, such as those in places like Mexico. But she warns that they have not lived up to their promise, largely because of a lack of resources, capacity, and political will.

Governments must also prioritize protection, credible investigations, and justice. Where local governments fail, "foreign states should also look at universal jurisdiction to pursue those accused of murdering journalists -- in the same way Germany is prosecuting a member of former Gambian president Yahya Jammeh's hit squad responsible for the assassination of The Point editor Dedya Hydara."

TAEF continues to mourn these deaths, mount pressure on relevant governments to answer the growing list of journalists killed, and deliver justice for the affected in promoting press freedom.

IPS UN Bureau Report

Follow @IPSNewsUNBureau
The thumping church music, booming choir and exuberant crowd of about a million people greeting Pope Francis for an open-air Mass on Wednesday in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, felt a world away from the violence ravaging the countrys east, where scores of competing armed groups are pillaging villages, plundering resources and heightening tensions with neighboring Rwanda.

But Francis, who was forced to abandon his plan to visit the east because of the spike in fighting there, tried to touch the regions wounds by bringing some of its victims of violence to him.

We continue to be shocked to hear of the inhumane violence that you have seen with your eyes and personally experienced, Francis said after listening to the searing stories of survivors in a private meeting at the papal nunciature in Kinshasa on Wednesday.

To you, dear inhabitants of the east, Francis continued, I want to say: I am close to you. Your tears are my tears; your pain is my pain. To every family that grieves or is displaced by the burning of villages and other war crimes, to the survivors of sexual violence and to every injured child and adult, I say: I am with you.
After a tiny, dangerously radioactive capsule was lost in the Western Australian desert in mid-January, the authorities feared that it could take weeks or even months to find it. The device was smaller than a penny, while the search zone was an 870-mile stretch of highway cutting across vast tracts of desert.

But the search took just six days, with the authorities announcing on Wednesday afternoon that the capsule had been recovered in what they called an extraordinary result.

The search crews have literally found the needle in the haystack, Stephen Dawson, the emergency services minister for Western Australia state, said at a news conference.

The authorities had launched the large-scale search, involving the defense force, emergency services and radiation experts, after the capsule was discovered to be missing last week.
South Korea dropped indoor masking on Monday. Japan has ditched them outdoors and is getting ready to unmask indoors soon, too. Taiwan is set to jettison its mandate later this month.

Mask mandates, once a ubiquitous feature of the coronavirus pandemic, are finally being let go of in several countries in East Asia, where pandemic restrictions have lingered for much longer than in other parts of the world.

Wearing a mask comes with some discomfort, including hindering communication and fogging up glasses. Countries in Southeast Asia and Europe, as well as the United States, abandoned masking requirements months ago.

But even with their governments easing rules, many citizens in East Asia are unlikely to stop wearing masks completely any time soon. Here are some reasons.
KYIV, Ukraine  Andrew Milburn, a former American Marine colonel and leader of the Mozart Group, stood in a chilly meeting room on the second floor of an apartment building in Kyiv about to deliver some bad news. In front of him sat half a dozen men who had traveled to Ukraine on their own dime to work for him.

Guys, Im gutted, he said. The Mozart Group is dead.

The men stared back at him with blank faces.

One asked as he walked toward the door, What should I do with my helmet?

The Mozart Group, one of the most prominent, private American military organizations in Ukraine, has collapsed under a cloud of accusations ranging from financial improprieties to alcohol-addled misjudgments. Its struggles provide a revealing window into the world of foreign volunteer groups that have flocked to Ukraine with noble intentions only to be tripped up by the stresses of managing a complicated enterprise in a war zone.

Ive seen this happen many times, said one of Mozarts veteran trainers, who, like many others, spoke only anonymously out of concerns that the Russians might target him. You got to run these groups like a business. We didnt do that.
KYIV, Ukraine  Moscow has massed hundreds of thousands of troops in Ukraine and is targeting dozens of places a day in a markedly stepped-up barrage of artillery attacks. Ukrainian forces are struggling to hold their ground on a 140-mile stretch in the east, awaiting tanks, armored vehicles and other weapons systems from the West.

Ukrainian officials have been bracing for weeks for a new Russian offensive that could rival the opening of the war. Now, they are warning that the campaign is underway, with the Kremlin seeking to reshape the battlefield and seize the momentum.

I think it has started, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said this week.

Along the undulating front line in eastern Ukraine, artillery never goes silent for long. The roads in Ukrainian-held areas are largely empty, except for tanks and armored personnel carriers and huge trucks filled with boxes of ammunition. The few gas stations still operating are crowded with soldiers savoring hot coffee before returning to the fight.
A young Iranian couple appears alone in the video, dancing in front of the Azadi Tower in downtown Tehran. They smile as they move together. The womans uncovered hair trails behind her as he lifts her into the air.

The video was posted online in early November, weeks after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini at the hands of the police sparked widespread protests in Iran. In the months afterward, those protests grew stronger, as the government has arrested thousands and conducted a campaign of public executions.

Now the couple  Astiyazh Haghighi, 21, and Amir Mohammad Ahmadi, 22  have each been sentenced to five years in prison, according to Mizan, a news agency overseen by the countrys judiciary, on charges including colluding against national security, and propaganda against the establishment.

The agency said the couple used their Instagram accounts to call for people to participate in the riots,  a reference to the protests, and said the police arrested the couple on Nov. 1, after they ignored warnings to curb their malicious activity online.
A drone attack on an Iranian military facility over the weekend brought renewed attention to Irans development of sophisticated missiles, a program that deeply worries its regional rivals.

The strike on Saturday, which set off a large explosion in the city of Isfahan, was the work of the Mossad, Israels premier intelligence agency, according to senior intelligence officials who were familiar with the dialogue between Israel and the United States regarding the attack.

The purpose of the targeted facility was not immediately clear. But Isfahan, in central Iran, is a hub for Irans production, research and development of missiles, including the assembly of Shahab medium-range ballistic missiles, which can reach Israel and beyond.

Iran has steadily been ramping up its long-range missile capabilities in recent years and Israel fears that those missiles could one day be used to deliver a potential nuclear warhead. Israel, which sees the weapons program as an existential threat, has been locked for years in a shadow war with Iran. But repeated strikes targeting the nuclear program and military targets have failed to stop Irans steady advances on both fronts.
Black History Month has been celebrated in the United States for close to 100 years. But what is it, exactly, and how did it begin?

In the years after Reconstruction, campaigning for the importance of Black history and doing the scholarly work of creating the canon was a cornerstone of civil rights work for leaders like Carter G. Woodson. Martha Jones, a professor of history at Johns Hopkins University and the Society of Black Alumni Presidential Professor, explained: These are men [like Woodson] who were trained formally and credentialed in the ways that all intellectuals and thought leaders of the early 20th century were trained at Harvard and places like that. But in order to make the argument, in order to make the claim about Black genius, about Black excellence, you have to build the space in which to do that. There is no room. This is how they built the room.
The day after Thanksgiving, nearly one month after Elon Musk became the owner of Twitter, he returned to one of his hobby horses. Im just fighting for free speech in America, he wrote in a tweet.

One of 28 that he posted that day  beginning just after midnight, following messages about how tasty his holiday meal was  the free speech tweet was in response to two followers who were aggrieved about how Mr. Musk was being treated since acquiring the social network in late October. The post was liked more than 46,000 times.

Ian Miles Cheong @stillgray The establishment media is angry at @elonmusk because:

 Twitter is no longer under the control of the establishment and its activist allies

 He implemented meritocratic policies and fired their friends who worked at Twitter

 The public can now openly question the narrative Elon Musk @elonmusk Yup Tesla Owners Silicon Valley @teslaownersSV Elon would you be open to sharing this story with me ? Tesla Owners Silicon Valley @teslaownersSV People should know the insane amount of crap youve received since the takeover Elon Musk @elonmusk Its insane! Im just fighting for free speech in America.

Mr. Musk has often said that Twitter needs to be more open and filled with a greater diversity of voices and points of view. But Mr. Musks Twitter feed is often an echo chamber. He regularly sees, likes and replies to messages that are about him or are posted from accounts that often act as his cheerleaders, according to a New York Times review of his activity on the platform.

In order to assess how the social network may evolve under Mr. Musks watch, The Times reviewed nearly 20,000 of his public tweets, analyzing posts from recent years and images he published over the past decade, as well as the relatively small number of users that he follows.

What Mr. Musk says on Twitter has a huge reach, now more than ever: His audience is one of the largest, with nearly 128 million accounts following him. It is where he solicits advice, conducts polls, condemns censorship and announces sweeping policy changes on the platform. As a power user who now controls the company  he recently called himself the chief twit  Mr. Musk has vowed to remake the social network in his vision.

Of the 177 accounts that Mr. Musk followed as of this week, most were related to his businesses, or have expressed admiration of his business style, the Times review found. The list is heavily male: Only two dozen that are not institutional or organizational accounts belong to women. He is related to two of them  his mother, Maye, and sister, Tosca  and was married to a third.

Amid discussions of Twitter policies, internet satellites from SpaceX and Tesla software updates, his posts have a freewheeling quality to them. He traffics in juvenile humor and vulgar jokes (pictures of tape dispensers laid in sexual positions), scientific marvels (the Large Hadron Collider), popular subjects on far-right sites (Pepe the Frog) and critiques of divisive cultural issues (Im not brainwashed!!).

Mr. Musks posting style is conversational, and regularly satirical. He messages with former Democratic cabinet officials, criticizes news organizations and trades barbs with venture capitalists.

The purchasing of Twitter was a power move, politically, said Joan Donovan, the research director of the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard. He is one of the richest men in the world buying a social media company in a move that is expressly about politics and influence on culture and on media.

Often, his updates are limited to just memes  joking images or videos that are copied and widely shared. Many have origins on fringe sites or cryptocurrency message boards that are popular with his followers. Some are about him. Some appear to be original.

A timeline showing images tweeted by Mr. Musk from 2012 through the end of 2022, in which there is an increase in images shared starting in 2018 and nearly half of those are memes. Through the end of 2022, Mr. Musk shared 1,181 images on Twitter. Through the end of 2022, Mr. Musk shared 1,181 images on Twitter. Since October 2018, at least 47 percent of them have been memes. They are highlighted here. The use of memes, Ms. Donovan said, is a way for Mr. Musk to signal to his followers that he is in the know and keeping up with internet culture. Since October 2018, at least 47 percent of them have been memes. They are highlighted here. The use of memes, Ms. Donovan said, is a way for Mr. Musk to signal to his followers that he is in the know and keeping up with internet culture. During Mr. Musks early use of Twitter, he regularly posted photos that promoted his businesses: SpaceX rocket launches and Tesla car assembly lines (as well as the occasional bottle of tequila). During Mr. Musks early use of Twitter, he regularly posted photos that promoted his businesses: SpaceX rocket launches and Tesla car assembly lines (as well as the occasional bottle of tequila). But in 2018, as he struggled to hit ambitious production targets at Tesla, his posting behavior shifted. In October that year, he shared an image of a fake news article that said he had bought the popular video game Fortnite in order to save these kids from eternal virginity. But in 2018, as he struggled to hit ambitious production targets at Tesla, his posting behavior shifted. In October that year, he shared an image of a fake news article that said he had bought the popular video game Fortnite in order to save these kids from eternal virginity. Since then, Mr. Musks use of memes, which are highlighted, has accelerated. Since then, Mr. Musks use of memes, which are highlighted, has accelerated. He has posted certain imagery repeatedly over time, some more explicit than others. One meme features an erotic illustration of a praying monk and a woman with her backside exposed to him. Another shows a hand about to flick the testicles of a tiger. He has posted certain imagery repeatedly over time, some more explicit than others. One meme features an erotic illustration of a praying monk and a woman with her backside exposed to him. Another shows a hand about to flick the testicles of a tiger. Then there are topics that are popular among political fringes. Mr. Musk has tweeted many memes about taking the red-pill, a reference to the movie The Matrix that has been adopted by far-right groups as a way to condemn liberal ideology. Then there are topics that are popular among political fringes. Mr. Musk has tweeted many memes about taking the red-pill, a reference to the movie The Matrix that has been adopted by far-right groups as a way to condemn liberal ideology. He has also tweeted about Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency based on a joke about a Shiba Inu dog. The currency skyrocketed in value after Mr. Musk began posting about it, but it has since crashed, losing roughly 85 percent in value since its peak in May 2021. He has also tweeted about Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency based on a joke about a Shiba Inu dog. The currency skyrocketed in value after Mr. Musk began posting about it, but it has since crashed, losing roughly 85 percent in value since its peak in May 2021.

Mr. Musk did not respond to a request for comment about his activity. At Twitter, as with many of his other companies, Mr. Musk has no traditional press team. Instead, he tweets.

Since he created his account in June 2009, Mr. Musk has posted more than 21,000 times. In recent years, that has meant posting all hours of the day, most days of the week.

Mr. Musk has made himself unignorable by becoming king of Twitter, Ms. Donovan added.

Over a 48-hour period in November, a moment when he touted record activity on the social network under his leadership, Mr. Musk posted 60 times. His posts included commentary on the collapse of a cryptocurrency and combative responses to critiques about his workplace policies. In one instance, he issued a decree about parody accounts after users changed their profile names to imitate him.

Many of his missives quickly became popular among his followers.

48 hours of Elon Musks tweets Circles representing Musks tweets are sized by the total retweets, likes, replies and quote tweets in response to what he posted. A chart of Mr. Musks original tweets, replies and quote tweets over a two-day period in November. Sixty tweets are shown, with one tweet getting as many as 513,000 interactions. Original tweet Reply Quote tweet Going forward, accounts engaged in parody must include parody in their name, not just in bio. 6 p.m. 452,000 interactions Quite the day! Nov. 11, 2022 243,000 185,000 Hit all-time high of active users today 6 A.m. 296,000 482,000 NooN Comments on the news that FTX, Sam Bankman-Frieds crypto exchange, had collapsed. As Twitter pursues the goal of elevating citizen journalism, media elite will try everything to stop that from happening 6 P.m. 331,000 254,000 NOV. 12 513,000 Posts  along with a status of Soon, indicating his intention to remove bots from the platform. 6 A.m. Another Sam Bankman-Fried meme. NOON Calls out critic of Twitter office policy, claiming post was false. 6 P.m. Original tweet Reply Quote tweet 5:51 p.m. on November 10 Going forward, accounts engaged in parody must include parody in their name, not just in bio. 6 p.m. 452,000 interactions 11:30 p.m. Quite the day! 243,000 Nov. 11, 2022 12:34 a.m. Hit all-time high of active users today 185,000 6 A.m. 296,000 7:30 a.m. on Nov. 11 The Reuters Twitter account shared a story about Tesla. Five minutes later, Mr. Musk replied, False. 482,000 NOON 9:30 a.m. As Twitter pursues the goal of elevating citizen journalism, media elite will try everything to stop that from happening Afternoon Mr. Musk began discussing the collapse of the crypto exchange FTX. His posts included memes of Mr. Bankman-Frieds face. 6 P.m. 331,000 254,000 NOV. 12 513,000 He later posted  along with a status of Soon,indicating his intention to remove bots from the platform. 6 A.m. The next morning, he posted another Sam Bankman-Fried meme. NOON 3:54 p.m. Mr. Musk called out a critic of Twitters remote work policy, condemning what he posted as false. 135,000 6 P.m. Original tweet Reply Quote tweet At 5:51 p.m. on Nov. 10, Mr. Musk tweeted, Going forward, accounts engaged in parody must include parody in their name, not just in bio. 6 p.m. 452,000 interactions 11:30 p.m. Quite the day! 12:34 a.m. In a reply to himself, Mr. Musk said: Hit all-time high of active users today 243,000 Nov. 11, 2022 185,000 6 A.m. 296,000 At 7:30 a.m. on Nov. 11 the Reuters Twitter account shared a story about Tesla. Five minutes later, Mr. Musk replied, False. He then opined on how he will make legacy journalism obsolete, using his favorite  emoji several times in jokes and replies with followers. 482,000 9:30 a.m. As Twitter pursues the goal of elevating citizen journalism, media elite will try everything to stop that from happening NOON In the afternoon, Mr. Musk began discussing the collapse of the huge crypto exchange FTX. His posts included memes of Mr. Bankman-Frieds face. 6 P.m. 331,000 254,000 At roughly 11:30 p.m., Mr. Musk tweeted  with the status Soon, seemingly referencing the elimination of bots on the platform, a frequent preoccupation of his. NOV. 12 513,000 6 A.m. After a nearly 10-hour break, Mr. Musk returned to replying to his followers. At 11:12 a.m. he tweeted another meme about Mr. Bankman-Fried. NOON 3:54 p.m. Mr. Musk called out a critic of Twitters remote work policy, condemning what he posted as false. 135,000 6 P.m. Notes: All times are in Pacific Time.

It is unclear exactly what Mr. Musk sees in his feed. The exact sequence depends on whether he has chosen to receive algorithmic recommendations or just tweets from accounts he follows. (He has previously tweeted that people are being manipulated by the algorithm.)

His activity increasingly consists of replying to users who have mentioned him. When he responds to accounts that he does not follow, he frequently chooses those that have complimented or praised him: In dozens of instances over the past six months, according to the Times analysis, he has replied to tweets from users whose account descriptions mention that they support or invest in companies owned by Mr. Musk, or that they are fans of his leadership.

ALX  @alx Raise your hand if you think @ElonMusk should make public all internal discussions about the decision to censor the @NYPosts story on Hunter Bidens laptop before the 2020 Election in the interest of Transparency. Elon Musk @elonmusk @alx @nypost This is necessary to restore public trust ALX  @alx Excellent, thank you. 

Elon Musk loves to reply Eight-week rolling average of Musks tweets, quote tweets and replies A chart shows Mr. Musk tweeting with increasing frequency since he joined the platform in 2010, with a marked rise beginning in 2018, especially in the number of replies. At the end of 2022, he was averaging over 25 replies a day, his highest average ever. 0 5 10 15 20 tweets 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 Replies Original tweets Quote tweets Note: Includes tweets through the end of 2022.

There are times when he second guesses what he broadcasts.

Over the past two years, he has deleted hundreds of tweets within hours of posting them. According to the PolitiTweet website, which archives all of Mr. Musks tweets, he has also deleted dozens of tweets in the months since he acquired Twitter.

On Nov. 14, for example, Mr. Musk tweeted that he would be working and sleeping at Twitters headquarters in San Francisco until the site was fixed.

Elon Musk @elonmusk Ive been at Twitter SF HQ all night. Will be working & sleeping here until org is fixed.

A website tracking Mr. Musks private jet movement suggested that he traveled away from San Francisco around that time. He deleted the tweet 18 hours after first posting it.

But for a person with as large a follower base as Mr. Musk has, deleting tweets may do little to change how widely seen or influential those posts become when they are first published.

Millions of people see his tweets, not many will notice when they are deleted, Ms. Donovan said.

Many tweets that have landed Mr. Musk in hot water remain online.

In 2018, a few weeks after Mr. Musk had smoked marijuana during an on-camera interview for Joe Rogans podcast, Mr. Musk tweeted that he had the funding to take Tesla private at $420 a share.

Elon Musk @elonmusk Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured.

Experts began to question whether his entire feed was being produced in jest, and pointed out the repeated marijuana references in his tweets (including his proposed funding price).

That incident led to charges from the Securities and Exchange Commission, and later a settlement that included monitoring of what Mr. Musk could post about Tesla on Twitter. The incident also led to a lawsuit from shareholders seeking billions of dollars in damages the takeover proposal never materialized. On Friday, a jury ruled in Mr. Musks favor.

Last week, Mr. Musk joined an investor call as Tesla reported its recent quarterly earnings, which showed a respectable jump in profits despite a growing list of problems plaguing the company. The automakers mixed performance last year had led many to question whether Mr. Musks focus and attention on Twitter had meant that he was neglecting his duties at Tesla.

Mr. Musk deflected that criticism on the earnings call, suggesting that his millions of Twitter followers were a sign of his popularity.

I might not be popular with some people, he said, but for the vast majority of people, my follower count speaks for itself.
Donald Trump will return to Meta's Facebook platform this month and pick up right where he left off, spreading lies and disinformation ahead of 2024.

A MediaMatters for America report found that since the Facebook ban, Trump continued to spread his misinformation and QAnon conspiracy garbage on the Truth Social platform.

The former president on Feb. 1 posted a video on Truth Social highlighting his unhinged proposals to crack down on transgender rights.

Among the doozies, Trump wants to pass a federal law recognizing only male and female genders assigned at birth.

He wants to punish doctors/hospitals that provide gender affirming care and launch probes into the healthcare system.

The American Medical Association views gender-affirming care as a medically-necessary, evidence-based care that improves the physical and mental health of transgender and gender-diverse people.

Unfortunately, Trump doesnt care a bit about the AMA or medical science.

He just wants to outflank Ron DeSantis when it comes to beating up on the LGBT community and winning the hearts and minds of his political base.

Facebook will give a megaphone to Trump to do just that.

As a private company, Meta has no obligation to host Trump.

In reinstating Trump, Meta apparently lusted after the increased traffic from the lunatic fringe that he will attract to Facebook, and disregarded the threat that the ex-president poses to America's democracy.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and global affairs president Nick Clegg must be held responsible for the hurt, hate and political division caused by Trump.

Joe Biden gets it wrong. The president was grandstanding when the White House attacked ExxonMobil for its outrageous record $55B in 2022 profits after Americans were forced to pay such high prices at the pump after Putins invasion.

The White House claims Big Oil was using the outlandish earnings to plough those profits into padding the pockets of executives and shareholders.

Sorry, Joe. Thats just how the free market works. ExxonMobil and its ilk simply dont have a social contract with the American people.

ExxonMobil boss Darren Woods reaffirmed that point.

He told CNBC that though ExxonMobil faced pressure from investors and others to shift money into renewables, it spent money on oil and gas projects.

We leaned in when others leaned out, said Woods.

Corporate kleptomaniacs, beware. Searby PLLC is on the case. The DC law firm has made one of the more interesting Foreign Agent Registration Act filings of late. It was made on behalf of the Switzerland-based environmental group Bruno Manser Fund, which is dedicated to ending the plunder of the worlds rainforests.

Searbys letter of engagement with BMF deals with the matter about alleged kleptocratic wealth held in the US and related damage to ecosystems, communities and forests in Malaysia.

Bruce Searby is a formidable advocate. Chambers and Partners ranked him in 2022 in white-collar crime & government investigations.

Bruno Manser, one of the founders of BMF, lived among the Penan people from 1984 to 1990 in Sarawak, a federal state in Malaysia.

They were one of the last groups on Earth living as nomads in a primeval forest.

The logging industry threatened the destruction of the Penans rainforest. Manser helped the Penan organize a resistance to the loggers and he became a global spokesperson.

In 2000, Manser went missing in Sarawak. Several search parties failed to find any trace of him. Swiss authorities in 2005 declared him to be missing and presumed dead.

Not exactly the Gettysburg Address Massachusetts Representative Jack Auchincloss made history on Jan. 25 by delivering the first speech on the House floor that was created by the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT.

Fittingly, the 128-word speech was about a bill to create a U.S.-Israel AI Center in the United States.

The Democratic politico said it took five or six prompts to produce the right speech.

He said that applications for ChatGPT are tremendous but its not intelligent. Its more of a word prediction engine, he said.
South Africa: Policy changes to address disparities between NSFAS beneficiaries

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has introduced certain policy changes for the 2023 academic year to progressively address existing disparities between Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges and university beneficiaries bursary packages.

Announcing NSFAS 2023 funding eligibility and criteria during a media briefing held in Pretoria on Tuesday, NSFAS board chairperson, Ernest Khosa, said TVET college students studying occupational programmes can only be funded for the cost of tuition for the duration of the qualification.

TVET college students,who are registered on an occupational qualification, may qualify for allowances only if in simulated training, and students registered on an occupational qualification, who have an employment contract, do not qualify for NSFAS allowances.

TVET college graduates will be funded for a university undergraduate qualification regardless of the benefit that they would have derived from the application of the N+ rule at a TVET college level (on condition they did not exceed the TVET N+ rule), Khosa explained.

"N" is the minimum number of years allocated to complete a qualification and the +1 refers to the extra year that a student may need to complete the qualification.

On academic eligibility, Khosa announced that as of 2023, first-time entering students must achieve a course credit pass rate of 50%, while continuing university students must achieve a progressive course credit pass rate of 55%, and returning university students must meet ongoing academic eligibility requirements in order to remain funded by NSFAS.

The N+ rule for distance university students will be reviewed as of 2024, and academic progression criteria will increase from 55% to 60% over time. On allowances, our board directed the executive management to introduce processes that enable the entity to reduce the risk of abuse of its funds, Khosa said.

Khosa said the payment of allowances will be made directly by NSFAS into the students NSFAS bank account and NSFAS funded students are required to complete the NSFAS direct payment on-boarding process to prepare for the payment of allowances into their account.

Through direct payment, NSFAS beneficiaries will receive their allowances for food, personal care, transport etc., through a NSFAS bank account; and after being registered on the system, students will receive virtual and/or physical cards they will use to transact.

Additionally, students will be able to make online transactions such as EFT, prepaid purchases, receive from and transfer money to other existing banks, just as with a normal bank account, and other benefits include access to value-added services, ATM cash withdrawals, as well as at retail stores, Khosa explained.

To ensure that all NSFAS students are on board, Khosa said the scheme has assigned NSFAS teams to institutions, and its service partners will join them when visiting all institutions from February 2023 to assist with on-boarding and query handling.

Currently, the focus of the NSFAS teams is to encourage university students to on-board the new system in the meantime, as we prepare for university implementation later in the year. I would like to request that the SRCs, together with the student unions responsible for both our TVET colleges and universities, work together with the teams to make this process seamless, Khosa said.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2023-02-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
More than 20 pro-unification parties and groups from Taiwan protested a possible trip to Taiwan by United States House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, saying it might arouse another military crisis across the Taiwan Straits.

McCarthy is reportedly preparing to visit Taiwan in April after his predecessor Nancy Pelosi's trip to the island last August, which was followed by severe countermeasures from Beijing, including military drills around Taiwan.

The Cross-Straits Peaceful Development Forum, a platform initiated by over 20 parties and groups in Taiwan, including the Labor Party and Alliance for the Reunification of China, issued a statement on Monday to protest the possible visit.

"If McCarthy did come to Taiwan, the mainland would be forced to take stronger and more direct countermeasures, which might trigger another cross-Straits crisis," the statement said.

The parties and groups condemned McCarthy for hyping up the trip to Taiwan to gain political capital in the US, and said at that time he might require Taiwan to buy more expensive US arms.

Pelosi's visit to Taiwan last year did not bring any benefit to the people of Taiwan, the groups asserted. Instead, it brought instability and unrest to the island. After the military exercises ended, the tension across the Straits has not cooled down .

Nearly two-thirds of Taiwan residents did not welcome Pelosi's visit to Taiwan last year, but neither the ruling Democratic Progressive Party nor the opposition Kuomintang dared to reject the trip, the statement said.

The groups added that in the face of a potential military crisis, it is the common interest and responsibility of the people on both sides of the Straits to safeguard peace and defuse it.

The signatories called on all Taiwan people to strongly oppose McCarthy's visit to Taiwan, and to strive for peace.
analysis

Debating Ideas aims to reflect the values and editorial ethos of the African Arguments book series, publishing engaged, often radical, scholarship, original and activist writing from within the African continent and beyond. It offers debates and engagements, contexts and controversies, and reviews and responses flowing from the African Arguments books.

Introduction

Here we examine the role of the magazine AWA: la revue de la femme noire (English: Awa: the black woman's magazine) (1964-73), launched by a network of women's rights activists, in shaping the emergence of a pan-Africanist political consciousness through transnational organising. In addition, the magazine promoted women's literacy and professional training to help contribute to nation-building efforts especially after independence. AWA was created by a group of women including the first Senegalese professional journalist Annette Mbaye d'Erneville. It was a platform connecting women in Africa, the diaspora and globally around gender and societal issues, using print media to express themselves, articulate their pan-Africanist thought, and reach a wider audience. This illustrates African women's engagement in socio-political, cultural, and economic spheres and an awareness of how their interconnectedness impacted their lives, prompting them to mobilise and organise in associations and movements to fight against gender inequality and to transform patriarchal systems from within. Today AWA constitutes a rare archive that documents a rich parenthesis of the emergence of women's political consciousness and their organising. The magazine's editorial choices illustrate this commitment in the period between 1964 and 1976 in Senegal.

What was AWA?

Celebrating black womanhood and contributing to the emergence of a pan-African political consciousness in Africa and its diasporawas howAWA's Editor in Chief Annette Mbaye d'Erneville described themain goal she advocated for through her journalism, writing and activism. In this, the journal follows the lead of many other magazines created in this vibrant period including Presence Africaine launched as a political, cultural and literary quarterly magazine in 1947 before becoming a publishing house.Indeed, in the immediate aftermath of independence, the task of nation-building went along with the need to promote female literacy and raise women's political consciousness in order for them to contribute to the progress of the continent and its peoples. Against this background, Mbaye d'Erneville and a network of other women's rights activists conceptualised the magazine "Femmes de Soleil" (English: Women of the sun) in 1957. The monthly magazine in French was subsequently renamed AWA: la revue de la femme noire. The name AWA derives from the mother Eve, Awa in Wolof. Mbaye d'Erneville, a Senegalese journalist and poet born in 1926 in Sokone, wrote the introductions to each issue highlighting the mission of the magazine:"Nous dirons a toutes nos surs d'Afrique et du monde, Voici notre fille! Qu'en ferons-nous? Awa deviendra ce que toutes nous deciderons qu'elle soit." [We will say to our sisters from Africa and the world: this is our daughter! What will we do with it? AWA will become what we all want it to be.][1]

The magazine launched in 1964 and was published until 1973. The journal was printed thanks to the benevolence of the private and independent printing press Abdoulaye Diop. It was funded through memberships, subscriptions and, advertisement as well as receiving a contribution from the then President of Senegal, Leopold Senghor. When it started in 1964, the magazine used to publish issues every month. In 1965 publication was reduced to four, then in 1966 the editorial team only issued one edition. After that there was a pause until 1973 with only two editions published due to financial issues.

AWA's editorial choices: literacy,transnational black femininity and pan-African politics in women organising

AWA's editorial team comprised a group of women including Annette Mbaye d'Erneville, Marie-Anne Sohai, Henriette Bathily, Virginie Camara and Marie-Therese Diop, among others, who were also known for being either artists, women's rights activists, or journalists. The editorial team was committed to highlighting the experiences of black women.

AWA was not just a reflection on the lives and experiences of African women, it was also a platform for black woman around the world to network and embody solidarity and sorority. Their goal in creating AWAwas to highlight the different spheres of action of women's movements in relation to the struggles they faced due to gender inequalities.

The statement below is from the editorial page of the first issue of AWA in 1964 under Annette Mbaye d'Erneville's direction:

"AWA se propose seulement simplement d'etre une raison de nous rencontrer, de nous retrouver pour mieux nous connaitre et nous apprecier, nous femmes d'Afrique, femmes du monde entier."

"AWA wants to simply be a reason for us to meet, to renew ourselves to know each other better, to appreciate one another, us African women, women from all over the world."[2] (Translation)

The use of the pronoun "we" in this statement underscores the magazine's invitation to all black women to get involved in the growth of the magazine. The magazine's advocacy for female education, professional training and promotion of literacy is preeminent. As Ruth Bush makes clear in her article "Mesdames, Il Faut Lire!" (English: Ladies we must read!), which borrows the title from an article by a contributor writing under the pseudonym "Sim" in the second issue published in February 1964, AWA editors "played a significant role in defining in specific local settings the value of literacy itself as a means for self-improvement and collective identification".

In addition, their advocacy for the improvement of black women's lives is pragmatic, based their everyday experiences. Many articles, songs, poems and other aspects of black women's life were published between 1964 and 1973 showing the multidimensional talents and roles of women in society. The magazine's vision was to reach women and celebrate their achievements as well as their contributions in societies which the patriarchal environment tended to overlook. Plural definitions of femininity and black womanhood and pan-Africanist consciousness are two important editorial themes of interest. AWA advocated for black women's agency and amplified their voices in every aspect of their communities' socio-cultural, political, and economic realities. To do this, AWA celebrated the achievements of women in leadership such as members of parliament: Caroline Diop, Awa Dia Thiam, Lena Dianne Gueye and Marie-anne Sohai Sambou. Caroline Diop, from Mbour, for instance, was the first woman MP in Senegal, elected amongst 69 men. She was part of the Women's branch of UPS, the Democratic Bloc of Senegal (BDS). Similarly, AWA also celebrated the achievements of other women such as Suzanne Diop, the first Senegalese female magistrate.

In doing this, AWA purposefully centred biographies of women in public life and their role in nation-building. The commitment to be part of nation-building struggles was crucial in this post-colonial context as illustrated by these words from the first Senegalese female member of parliament Caroline Faye Diop:

"Nous voulons participer au developpement de notre nation, avoir une part entiere aux responsabilites. Aux heures importantes de notre histoire, nous avons toujours ete a vos cotes, souvent meme devant vous."

"We want to contribute to the development of our nation, to have a full share in these responsibilities. At important times in our nation's history, we have always been by your side, often even taking the lead." [3] (Translation)

As a result, AWA discussed among other themes: professional and reproductive roles, the condition of female workers (as secretaries, MPs, or fighters in Guinea in May 1964, in Moscow, September 1964 and Senegal, May 1965).

Pan-African consciousness was key to AWA's contents because some of its editorial committee members were also women's activists who took part in key continental initiatives of women's organising. As a result, AWA documented and took part in the many crucial steps of pan-Africanist movement-building and anti-colonial struggles. A defining moment was their participation in the first African women's conference: the International Conference of African Women (CAF) on 31 July 1962 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (then Tanganyika) where a few women's rights activists including Aoua Keita, Jeanne Martin Cisse, Virginie Diallo Camara and Pumla Kisosonkole played a key role. This conference was instrumental in the establishment, the following year, of the Organisation for African Unity (OAU). In fact, it might have constituted the "building block" for women's political activism at a continental level contributing to pan-African consciousness. After a congress held in Dakar Senegal in July 1974 including 14 independent countries, and 10 national liberation movements, the African Conference of Women was to become the Pan African Women's Organization (PAWO) with a lasting nickname: "La panafricaine des femmes" (English: Women's pan-Africanism). At the same meeting, it was decided that 31 July would symbolically become African Women's Day.

Transnational politics of black womanhood is another critical focus of AWA's editorial line. This is for instance the object of the magazine's sections "Echos" and "A travers le continent"(News from the continent) since the magazine's main readership was Francophone Africa and Black worlds. In other words, the journal highlights an aesthetic and a vision of blackness featuring the lived experiences of black women. This is illustrated by the fact that the journal spotlighted beautiful pictures of black women symbolising a certain vision of femininity and Afro-modernity with pictures of landscapes where black women evolve. These were assumed to be the first things that attracted readers, curated with the aim of challenging single narratives on African and black women. Indeed, such visual representations contribute to the deconstruction of negative stereotypes and misconceptions about African and black women's realities and articulate instead an alternative image of their agency. Those images go along with beautiful and dense texts that reflect the lives and experiences of African women. Some of the headlines include "Oumar et la calebasse'(Oumar and the calabash], "Petits Problemes Scolaires" (Small issues with schools] and "Les Femmes et l'experience de la journee continue au Senegal"(Women and their experiences with all-day school in Senegal).

AWA: a platform for femininity or feminism?

AWA did not have the ambition to publish revolutionary or feminist content, which at the time was far from being singular in Africa or globally. As the editorial of the first edition of the magazine presenting the objective of AWA makes clear, the magazine does not aim to "serve feminism", but rather to be a platform to emphasise "our possibilities, our femininity ... It is out of question to use AWA either to launch a crusade for the equality between men and women or claim the emancipation of the African woman. All this is already passe as everywhere, women have shown their abilities" (AWA, January 1964). Rather, the magazine's focus was mainly to educate women to be good citizens, housewives and mothers. AWA did so by providing its readership with insights ranging from literature to health, trends in fashion and decor, to news on women's organising and recipes, to highlights of key female figures.

At its inception, the magazine's focus was to create a platform for women in Francophone Africa to mobilise, and to organise. For instance, the editorial of its third issue (3 March 1964) was "let's unite". In this call for unity, they invite women to put together their experiences, intellectual contributions, community organising skills and encourage all women to celebrate the different values that enrich their Pan-African and Black political consciousness. They cite the International Council of Women and the Pan-African Women conference as examples of women coming together to build stronger alliances and resist patriarchal societies. The team of the magazine also included men (though they were limited as the focus was mainly to amplify women's voices) which reflected the will to bring together the voices of all in society on the understanding that gender inequality is a societal issue, not just women's responsibility. By publishing and by organising and mobilising politically, AWA's editors were radical. The magazine hosted the musings of an overtly feminist generation including sociologist Fatou Sow and MP Caroline Faye Diop. For instance, about the celebrations of Women's fortnight, Caroline Diop said: "the baobab may be strong and tall, it was mothered by a little grain". And about feminism, she said: "I am a feminist. I am for equality between men and women, but I am not talking about mathematical equality. But one which subsumes itself in the complementarity between genders" (AWA, March 1964, p. 32).

This ideological positioning on the issue of women's liberation as one which required the "complementarity of sexes" would be constant as was illustrated by editorial of the last issue published in May 1973 featuring the female fighters of the African Party for the Liberation of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) co-founded by Amilcar Cabral in Bissau Guinea (Cabral died in January 1973): "Cette complementarite dans l'action favorise justement l'emancipation de la femme du maquis... "(This complementarity in action is crucial to women's emancipation). [4]

Unsurprisingly however, the male contributors often used the magazine to convey patriarchal messages such as Joseph Mathiam's contribution in the first issue defending polygamy and calling African women to be "less irresponsible and more mature" (p. 29, issue 1, 1964). Such recurrent positioning has been the object of criticism even within the magazine. For instance, consider a response by Helene Pillote to an editorial by Goor Gu mak (a frequent contributor) against the paternalism (and sexism) of some of AWA's opinion writers. In her response, Helene Pillote called out Goor Gu Mak'ssexist article that reduces women to the position of submission by wanting them to have stay at their place of servitude and a source of inspiration. Pillote replied by stating that emancipation is possible and has been the sole struggle for women who advocate for liberation in opposition to what the article (which Pillote seeks to respond to) claims. It is up to men to challenge that advancement if they are scared that their privileges and comfort are being threatened by emancipated women.

Another challenge for the magazine was to connect to grassroots women and transnational organisations despite Awa's ambition to represent women from all walks of life and social classes and publish content that would speak to all. For instance, under the magazine section "la lettre du mois" (Monthly letter] of AWA issue 8 of October 1964, the letter titled "Awa : est-elle nationaliste ?" (Is Awa nationalist?) states: "Awa est un journal feminin qui s'adresse a toutes les femmes noires, de tous les milieux". (Awa is a feminist magazine dedicated to all black women, from all classes). Despite these declarations, the journal's editorial line often contracted this vision and it struggled to really connect with the grassroots because of its elitism: "AWA doit etre la revue de l'elite feminine" (Awa must be the magazine of elite women] (p.32, issue 1, 1964).

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Conclusion: AWA's legacy

African women have been invested in articulating thought around black womanhood and contributing to the rise of a pan-African political consciousness in the aftermath of independence as discussed here. They did so by resisting patriarchy and bringing forward their concerns for a better recognition of their rights. In this sense, AWA sought to highlight women's everyday experiences through promoting a black aesthetics and responding to more pragmatic contents through images, recipes and poetry and writings as well as celebrating intellectual achievements, political and social. In this, AWA contributes to transnational African feminisms in the past and today. AWA not only inspires the younger generation of women to focus on their realities but also to advocate for women's rights in a changing context.

Today, Awa's audience is a very-well educated class which might contrast with its initial motive to represent everyday experiences. Indeed, this is one of motivations behind the decision by Ruth Bush and Claire Ducournau to digitise AWA and make it accessible as an online archive. This digitisation was achieved through the Global Challenges project of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) in partnership with IFAN-Cheikh Anta Diop, Musee de la Femme Henriette-Bathily and the National Archives of Senegal. In our 2020 interview, Ruth Bush also mentioned the 2018 portrait made by artist Fahamu Pecou Jigeen bu bees fenkhna (Dawn of Woman) representing what AWA could look like if it existed today.

End Notes

[1] Page 3, issue 1, January 1964.

[2] Editorial, page 3, issue 1, January 1964.

[3] page 16, issue 3, March 1964.

[4] page 5, issue 4, May 1973.

About the series:

'African Feminisms: A Constant Awakening' is Debating Ideas' latest series - co-edited by Rosebell Kagumire - examining social and feminist movements on the continent, the shifts and implications internally and externally. What is shaping the discourse around women's and gender-diverse people's issues and their rights? The series will investigate some of the most pertinent intersecting issues such as: understanding the division of theory, policy and practice; new age influences and what grounds them? These themes will be situated in the larger continental debates of politics and human development as well as lessons from South-South collaboration in re-centring decolonization in the struggle for equality and freedom.

Rama Salla Dieng is a scholar activist and currently a lecturer at the Centre of African Studies, University of Edinburgh. Among other topics, her work focuses on politics and social movements including African feminisms. She is the editor of Feminismes Africains: Une histoire Decoloniale (Presence Africaine, Paris, 2021), and the co-editor of Feminist Parenting, Perspectives from Africa and Beyond (Demeter Press, 2020).

Korka Sall is the Assistant Director of the Minnesota Studies in International Development MSID-Senegal. She came back to Senegal after nine years in the USA teaching and conducting research at UMass Amherst, Mount Holyoke College, and Harvard University. Korka is one of the Coordinators of the African Women's Millennium Initiative on Poverty and Human Rights (AWOMI), which focuses on Women and Gender Development. She coordinated AWOMI's panel on Gender-Based Violence during the 2019 International Conference on Population and Development organized by UNFPA in Nairobi, Kenya. Her research interests include gender studies, feminist studies and African diaspora studies.
An aspiring law student has been ordered to pay 7,500 in compensation for her part in orchestrating a "hair-brained" and "bizarre" scheme by enlisting a gang of youths to tie her former boyfriend up and violently assault him during the course of an alleged aggravated burglary in the Midlands.

Nineteen-year-old Jennifer Patrick, 6 Dun Darrach, Dublin Road, Longford, told a sitting of how she never believed her actions would go as far as they did following an incident at 2 Holly Green, Clonbalt Woods, Longford on August 20, 2020, which left her former partner Paul Adetunji with injuries to his face and and knee.

Ms Patrick, aged 17 at the time of the offence, was charged with burglary following the incident and making a false statement to gardai. She pleaded guilty to the burglary charge last July while a nolle prosequi was entered by the State in connection to the latter charge.

The court was told Nigerian native Ms Patrick, who now resides in the UK, had been forced to relocate to the UK due to the breakdown in relationship with her peers and the fact two of her brothers no longer speak to her as a result.

State prosecuting counsel, Shane Geraghty BL, said three co-accused teenagers currently before the courts had pleaded guilty to theft but not to aggravated burglary owing to their insistence no knife was produced in the commission of the offence.

Judge Keenan Johnson was told Ms Patrick had contacted Mr Adejunji on the day in question under the "false pretense" of giving the victim 80.

Mr Geraghty said while Mr Adejunji was left confused by this request, he agreed.

It was revealed Ms Patrick was upset over the recent ending of the pair's relationship and when she arrived at the victim's rented property, the accused intimated to Mr Adetunji that she had to go back outside to retrieve some lipstick and, in so doing, asked for the victim's room key.

When she returned, the court heard Ms Patrick began kissing Mr Adejunji and moments later witnessed three unidentified males enter his bedroom.

Mr Adejunji told gardai at the time how the trio attacked him and immediately shouted: "Where is the money?".

Despite his own attempts to fend off the gang, Mr Adetunji was forced onto a chair with his hands tied behind his back with black cable ties.

A sock was also placed in the victim's mouth to prevent him from shouting for help, the court heard.

Giving evidence, Detective Garda Orla Geraghty said Mr Adetunji told her during interview how he had been left suspicious by Ms Patrick's demeanor, adding that while she "didn't seem frightened", one of the assailants called her by the tennager's first name.

Detective Garda Geraghty said Mr Adetunji felt he had been "set up" by Ms Patrick.

"He (Mr Adetunji) felt she was faking it," she said.

"He said he was going to the garda station and she said: 'Please don't go' as she would get in trouble."

Mr Adetunji suffered cuts to his lip and an injury to his knee as a consequence of the ordeal, it was revealed.

A voluntary cautioned witness statement was taken from Ms Patrick in August 2020 during which the accused indicated she too had received a punch to the face from one of the men.

She also told gardai how she had been left distressed following the relationship and how she had been treated.

Det Garda Geraghty said she admitted holding a conversation with one of the co accused, telling him: "I just want him bet."

It was revealed, however, that Ms Patrick never made a complaint to gardai about any "more sinister elements to the relationship".

The court heard on the day of the incident, the three youths arrived in Longford Train Station after travelling from Dublin.

Det Garda Geraghty said she had been left satisfied as to Ms Patrick's level of involvement in the incident.

"As far as I could see, it (incident) was done purposely to make out she (Ms Patrick) was a victim in all of this," she said, adding Ms Patrick was cable tied to the front with Mr Adejunji having his hands tied behind his back.

In defence, Dara Foynes SC said Ms Patrick and Mr Adetunji had since "made peace".

She added her client would suffer a high degree of "social appropbrium" with her name likely to be published and had endured significant hardship in attempting to further her own aspirations as a lawyer.

"She has effectively left Longford and lost all her friends over this," said Ms Foynes.

"She had to cease her college studies because she needed to get garda clearance to continue her studies."

A letter of apology was also handed in, the contents of which Ms Patrick read out in open court.

"To Paul, I am sorry for everything that took place," she said.

"Robbery was never my intention."

Under direct questioning from Judge Johnson, Ms Patrick said it was the toxicity of her relationship with her ex boyfriend which ultimately led to the incident.

"He hurt me a lot and I wanted to hurt him too," she said.

"I have apologised to Paul and we have made peace with each other. I regret it so much. I wish I didn't do what I done. I am just really sorry."

Judge Johnson described the entire planning of the incident from start to finish was "hair-brained" and "one of the most bizarre cases" he has ever come across as a circuit court judge.

He adjourned the case until October 3 and ordered Ms Patrick to return to court with 7,500.

In the event she adheres to those terms, he indicated he would apply Section 1(2) of the Probation Act.
Beef processed in Roscrea will soon return to dinner plates in China after an export ban on Irish beef has been lifted.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, announced the resumption of Irish beef exports to China, giving the green light for three sites in Tipperary to resume exports.

Before the two-and-a-half year ban brought about due to concerns over BSE, the Chinese market previously imported Irish beef to the tune of 96 million in 2019.

Chinese buyers of Irish beef have placed orders with a number of processors and cattle eligible for export to China have been processed in a number of facilities throughout Ireland as of Friday last, January 27.

24 Irish sites are currently listed on the China Imported Food Enterprise Registration (CIFER) website, who are approved to export beef to China, with some of these sites slaughtering cattle while other sites store or process the beef.

ABP in Cahir, ABP in Nenagh and Ashbourne Meat Processors in Roscrea are the Tipperary facilities which have resumed exports to China.

Irish beef exports to China were worth 45-million in 2020, down from exports of 96-million in 2019.

In May 2020, Irish beef shipments to China were suspended following the confirmation of an isolated case of BSE. The isolated case did not enter the food chain and posed no risk to human health.

However, beef exports to China were immediately suspended as a precautionary measure, which was a serious blow to the local industry.
AN Offaly man has spoken about how a painful GAA injury which threatened to end his working days has been fixed after he flew to Spains Costa Blanca for surgery.

Robert Delaney, (54), once starred at midfield for his parish club Cappincur.

But 21 years ago when he decided hed pull on the club jersey for the last time, he suffered a serious cruciate injury which left him with nerve damage. He later underwent surgery, ending any thoughts of a U-turn or plans to continue playing.

I felt unlucky as I had already decided it would be my last year playing with the club and Id never had any serious injury prior to that, says Robert.

As it turned out I couldnt change my mind anyway as I was told never to play contact sport again. But I never felt right after the surgery. I could still feel pain in my knee.

I started doing a bit of walking to keep in shape and four or five years ago my knee would start to slip out from under me. I knew there was something wrong. The past two years have been awfully painful.

Robert turned to a private clinic for scans and was told he needed knee replacement surgery.

The cartilage in the knee was gone and the bone was fairly well worn as well, said the father of four.

He was later given the same news by a hospital doctor.

I was offered an injection for the pain. I was in awful pain by this stage but I didnt see the point of an injection, said Robert, a factory worker at Irish Casings in Tullamore.

I was lifting 20kg boxes all day and pulling pallets with 700kg and I was doing all that with one knee, the good knee.

After a couple of hours it would get really really painful. But I was told I was too young for a knee replacement. I couldnt believe it. How long was I supposed to wait? I need to live my life now.

In August past (2022) I was told I would have to wait three years or more to get an operation at Tullamore Hospital.

I would be 58 or 59 by that stage. A friend of mine has already been waiting for four years.

Robert had heard about going abroad for the surgery and contacted the organisation Healthcare Abroad.

All I had to do was book my flights. Healthcare Abroad looked after everything else, said Robert.

I met someone out walking at home who had already been to Spain with Healthcare Abroad and they said it had been first class. And my experience was the same as it turned out.

I have to be honest and say I was sceptical about it to begin with. It would mean going to a strange place, paying a lot of money up front and you dont anything about the hospital and the doctors.

But I read the reviews. These were all Irish people who had been to Denia for the same operation. And my wife knew someone whose friend had been out for back surgery and she had advised us not to worry about it, to go for it.

Healthcare Abroad did all the paperwork, they collected us from Alicante airport and they settled us into a lovely hotel in Denia before going for surgery at the HCB Private Hospital where the nurses and doctors could not have been more welcoming.

Robert got a loan for his operation from the Credit Union. The HSE will reimburse the costs of his operation and physio around 16 weeks after surgery.

At the end of the day the only money coming out of my own pocket was the cost of flights and the hotel and that was a very small price to pay, said the father of four.

I didnt even have to explain it to the Credit Union in Tullamore. They knew about Healthcare Abroad already and it was sorted very quickly.

The Cappincur man believes he would have ended up in a wheelchair and would have had to quit his job if he hadnt gone to Spain.

It was the best decision I ever made, said Robert.

I would say to anyone in my own parish or own county if they are in the same position Dont even think about it, just get on a plane to Alicante.

You couldnt be looked after any better, the doctors, the nurses, the people bringing your food and your tea, the physios and the Healthcare Abroad carers and drivers were all incredible. The whole thing was exceptional.

A Healthcare Abroad spokesperson said: We were delighted to assist Robert in accessing one of Spains best surgeons. He is making a particularly quick recovery from his knee replacement surgery and we are delighted he will be like a new man very soon. We want to wish him and his family all the best for the future.

Robert was treated for his injury at a hospital in the upmarket seaside city of Denia, an hour north of Alicante on the Costa Blanca.

The HCB Private Hospital used by patients travelling with Healthcare Abroad is dubbed the Irish hospital by Spanish locals because so many Irish patients now get treatment there. It is one of 46 hospitals available to Irish patients, each specialising in different procedures.

Robert was able to jump waiting lists at home under the EU Cross Border Directive, a decade-old scheme which allows patients from any EU country to avail of treatment in another EU country. The HSE here in Ireland reimburse the costs of the operation. Patients dont have to be on a waiting list. They just need a referral from a GP.
There are still significant gaps between the UK and European Union over Northern Irelands post-Brexit arrangements, Downing Street said as it played down speculation about a breakthrough.

Rishi Sunaks spokesman said there was lots of work to do in all areas of the talks around the Northern Ireland Protocol.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said there were constructive talks with the UK but everything is only negotiated at the very end.

The comments followed reports  described by No 10 as speculative  suggesting that an agreement on customs had been reached.

According to The Times, the EU has accepted a plan that would avoid routine checks on goods going into Northern Ireland.

The protocol was agreed by the UK and EU as a way to avoid a hard border with Ireland.

It moved regulatory and customs checks on goods to the Irish Sea, creating economic barriers on trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

The Times reported that the customs deal is largely based on the Governments proposals for a red and green lanes system  with the green lane for goods from Great Britain which are staying in the region and the red lane to check and control products going on to the Republic of Ireland and the rest of the EU.

A separate agreement would be negotiated on exports of meat and live animals to Northern Ireland, with the UK agreeing to maintain EU veterinary standards on goods destined for the province.

Citing government sources, The Times also reported that Brussels has made concessions on the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice (ECJ), a key sticking point in UK-EU talks.

For the first time, it recognised that the ECJ could rule on Northern Ireland issues only if a case was referred by courts there, the newspaper said.

But the Prime Ministers official spokesman played down the prospect of a breakthrough.

No deal has been agreed, there is still lots of work to do on all areas, with significant gaps remaining between the UK and EU positions, the spokesman said.

Talks are ongoing on potential solutions including on goods.

Speaking in Brussels, Ms von der Leyen said she had a very trusted and excellent relationship with Mr Sunak and their teams were working together to find solutions.

As always in negotiations, you know the principle that everything is only negotiated at the very end when you know what the result is and you give a final signature, she said.

Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dail on Wednesday afternoon that no deal had yet been struck between the EU and the UK.

Both sides are keen to reach an agreement to break the logjam over the contentious trading arrangements before Aprils landmark 25th anniversary of Northern Irelands historic Good Friday peace agreement.

Many unionists in Northern Ireland are vehemently opposed to arrangements they claim have weakened the regions place within the union.

The devolved powersharing institutions at Stormont collapsed last year after the DUP withdrew co-operation as part of its protest against the protocol.
A TELECOMMUNICATIONS company says a mast which Offaly County Council turned down is crucial for improved mobile and broadband services in the Walsh Island area.

The County Council refused permission for the 25.5m high (83.5 feet) lattice tower north of Walsh Island in Ballintemple townland because there is already another mast 150 metres away.

Towercom said the proposed structure will replace a smaller mast which has been there since 1990 and an appeal has been lodged with An Bord Pleanala.

Towercom argue that the new mast must be placed at the existing site because that is the location of an Eir exchange and a fibre point of connection.

Vodafone support the Towercom appeal and said they require a direct connection to this fibre point of connection which is not achievable by using the mast 145/150 metres from the exchange across a 3rd part agricultural field.

Vodafone says it assesses co-location as a first option and already has masts co-located on ESB, CIE, Bord Na Mona, Vantage and Cellnex sites in the surrounding area but we need to remain at exchange premises with use of new tower because of direct availability to the high-capacity fibre connection.

The new mast will be 11 metres higher than the existing one and documents lodged with the appeal to An Bord Pleanala say increasing the height is necessary to achieve line of sight with more surrounding sites for the installation of site to site radio link dishes.

This allows these sites to be connected into Vodafone's high capacity transmission fiber network located in exchange. These connected sites will experience capacity uplift for 4G and future 5G services.

The other sites Vodafone wish to link to are Towercom in Bracknagh, CIE in Geashill, ESB in Knock, Daingean, Vantage in Daingean GAA, Cellnex in Clonyquin and Bord na Mona in Ballykilleen.

Towercom said in the original application to the council that the area is fringe for Eir mobile 4G coverage according to ComReg, very good for Three, and varying from fringe to no coverage for Vodafone.

In the appeal they say: As a long-established telecommunications site and utilities property, the existing installation is of inadequate height and structural capacity for multiple operators' equipment and as such is in need of upgrading and investment by the applicant and operators.

The telecommunications site is of critical importance to the Vodafone network in this region and is relied upon by individuals, communities, and businesses in the area for many years... The proposed replacement structure presents an opportunity for current operators to upgrade their installation and future operators to co-locate as the lattice tower will have capacity to cater for future equipment as required.

The rationale... is to improve the coverage and capacity of mobile telecommunications and broadband services in this area of Offaly, consistent with the Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027...

Towercom sought permission in December 2021 and gave the council further information 11 months later. The application was refused in December 2022.

The council said it aims to consolidate the number of telecommunications masts in the county and says the other mast, (24m high and 150m to the northeast in the neighbouring townland of Bunnagappagh) serves the same geographical area.

The council said Towercom's application had not satisfactorily demonstrated that coverage could not be achieved through co-location with another operator on an existing telecommunications structure.

The owner and operator of the other mast, OnTower, said it already provides wireless broadcast facilities for Three Ireland in the Walsh Island area.

OnTower told the council their site has the capacity for additional equipment and can be upgraded to accommodate additional telecommunications equipment as the need arises and added: Towercom Ltd did not seek a colocation from OnTower Limited in this case. For this reason, we do not see a requirement for a second telecoms site in the Walsh Island area.
Peter Andreas Thiel is a German-American billionaire entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and political activist. A co-founder of PayPal, Palantir Technologies, and Founders Fund, he was the first outside investor in Facebook. As of May 2022, Thiel had an estimated net worth of $7.19 billion and was ranked 297th on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
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Eurasia Review 21 Jan 2023

By Reza Parchizadeh*



The Pahlavists, loyalists to the son of the fallen Shah of Iran, have found a model in Moscow. They..
North Melbourne says it will co-operate fully with any new investigation into alleged misconduct by midfielder Tarryn Thomas.
WASHINGTON (AP)  As if running a restaurant during a pandemic wasn't tough enough, Christopher Wong also had to contend with a racist troll.



I will not have my dog eat in this place because they might cook him, read the Yelp review of Wong's eatery, the Curry Up Cafe in suburban Los Angeles. The owner works for the Chinese government.



Yelp removed the review after Wong and several regular customers complained, but not before it had already been seen by an unknown number of potential customers.



If one person read that and decided not to come in, that's someone who could have been a satisfied customer for years," Wong told The Associated Press.



Last year, Yelp, which is based in San Francisco, removed more than 2,000 racist business reviews before they went online  a nearly 10-fold jump over the year before.



It's a sharp increase that reflects improved efforts by Yelp to combat racist content and shows how even a site known for reviews of restaurants and repair services can become ensnared in America's ongoing battle over online civility.



While the content included hate speech targeting Black, Latino and LGBTQ people, too, the largest increase was seen in reviews denigrating Asian Americans and Asian American-owned businesses, according to Yelp, which included the figures in its annual trust and safety report, released Wednesday.



In 2021, Yelp proactively removed only nine posts that included anti-Asian hate. In 2022, it removed 475.



Yelp first began tracking racial hate speech on its platform in 2020, just as Asian Americans experienced a rise in racially motivated hatred related to COVID-19, which was first identified in China. Then-President Donald Trump added to the controversy, referring to the coronavirus as kung flu and  the Chinese virus."



In that...
Washington says Moscow is not complying with the pact as tensions soar over Russia's war in Ukraine. The treaty, which in its current state is due to continue to 2026, limits the two countries' nuclear capabilities.
Ukraine's army has put in an order for drones from Quantum-Systems. The German government is funding the deal with the Bavarian start-up, whose investors include the likes of Paypal co-founder Peter Thiel.
Alexander Nevzorov was sentenced to eight years in prison in absentia. He was targeted for his reporting on the bombing of a maternity hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine.
The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa has warned Kasese Municipal Council Local Government over trying to pass by-laws recognising homosexuality.

On Wednesday, Taybewa said the attempt by Kasese Municipal Council to back homosexuality contravenes national laws and that it must be stopped.

"I received and confirmed news that Kasese Municipal Council made an attempt to pass a bylaw that reorganises homosexuals and transgender people as minorities. I want to make it very clear, there is no local government that can pass a bylaw that contravenes national laws," he warned.

He said that he was briefed that the illegal bylaw had been facilitated by a non-government organisation identified as Human Rights Promotions Awareness Forum (HRAPF). He also identified Bob Kyamanywa as the team leader of the malicious organisation.

Tayebwa directed the Ministry of Internal Affairs Minister to investigate the activities of HRAPF.

"I want to alert you that attempts are being made from all corners because the money from these groups seems to be a lot and also, this is not a simple fight. They are going to target us but we must stand firm," he noted.

Bukonzo West Member of Parliament in Kasese District Atkins Katusabe said the purported pro-gay bylaw is not a representation of the Kasese community.

"Kasese is a highly religious community. I don't want that to define the people of Kasese," Katushabe said.

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Moses Okot Junior, the Member of Parliament Kioga County, called for the anti-gay bill re-introduced in Parliament.

"We were informed that this law was nullified by the courts; why don't we bring it back?" he wondered.

On Tuesday, Thomas Tayebwa expressed concern over the deterioration of morals in schools.

"I am getting painful stories; if you talk to doctors, you get to know how serious it is but our children are dying in silence," Tayebwa said.

Tayebwa said the report should be given urgent priority, noting that many schools and recruitment centres have been penetrated by the vice.

"I hope it [report] can be quick so that we can debate it and get a solution. We need to see how best we can work with the government to support it... whether we can put more funding to patrol all these entities," Tayebwa said.
Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin has been formally charged with involuntary manslaughter over the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of the western film Rust.
New York City officials are in a standoff with a group of migrant men who refuse to be relocated from a Midtown hotel into the..

Upworthy 31 Jan 2023
The US, Canada, UK and Australia imposed sanctions on the election commission, energy and mining enterprises among others. The junta has said it will hold elections this year.
Congratulations everyone, we made it through the first and most depressing month of 2023. While "Blue Monday" isn't actually a..

Mashable 01 Feb 2023
Investigations are currently ongoing into the suspicious deaths of three elderly women in southwestern Germany. Authorities have now arrested a 31-year-old man in connection with the cases.
With his appointment, the 34-year-old Israeli musician adds another top-notch orchestra to his portfolio. Shani's predecessor, Valery Gergiev, was fired in 2022 after failing to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
CHICAGO (AP)  Emboldened anti-abortion activists are looking to the 2024 presidential election as an opportunity to solidify their influence over the Republican Party.



Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, the most influential group in the anti-abortion movement, is telling each potential GOP presidential hopeful that to win its backing  or avoid being a target of its opposition  they must support national restrictions on the procedure. Exceptions in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother are acceptable, the activists say, but leaving the question for states to decide is not.



It is a level of protection that goes to every single state. Thats the baseline of what were looking to do, said Frank Cannon, Susan B. Anthony's chief political strategist. Anything less than that will not be acceptable and will not be somebody that SBA can support. So, its that simple.



That directive is creating an early litmus test for Republicans considering entering the first presidential election since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that enshrined federal protections for abortion for roughly 50 years. While the hard-line stance could please anti-abortion activists who hold sway in GOP primaries, it could create problems for the party's eventual nominee in the general election.



Voters protected abortion rights via ballot measures in six states in 2022, including Kansas, a state former President Donald Trump twice won by double-digit margins. AP VoteCast, a survey of the midterm electorate, showed the Supreme Court's decision was broadly unpopular. About 6 in 10 said they were angry or dissatisfied by it, and roughly the same percentage said they favor a law guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide.



Supporters of abortion...
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's political standing is set to get a boost amid critical domestic and international scrutiny with a likely state visit to the White House in summer. Although Modi has visited the US more than half dozen times since he became prime minister, they have mostly been official visits or working visits, often on the margins of trips to the United Nations in New York.
The Chadian leader is in Israel at the moment and will officiate at the inauguration of the embassy, whose location was not clear.
The Parliament of the Republic of Uganda (file photo).

analysis

The Ugandan parliament is investigating what it calls the festering of homosexual activities in schools, amid public outcry. The country is known for its staunch opposition to homosexuality.

Anna, not her real name, sits in a chair at her home in Makindye, a suburb of Uganda's capital, Kampala.

She showed DW the scars that are visible on her body, and explained that the wounds were inflicted by a mob who were against her sexuality. Anna is transgender.

However, experiences like those Anna suffered haven't stopped her from speaking out, and calling for the protection of LGBTQ rights in her country.

Those rights have come under scrutiny once more in a country known for its staunch opposition to homosexuality. In Africa, same-sex partnerships are only legal in about half of the continent's 54 states.

Many countries outlaw homosexuality, and LGBTQ people still live in fear of attacks, imprisonment and even the death penalty.

Intolerance toward LGBTQ community

Now, according to recent media reports, a teacher has been transferred from his school to another location for engaging in homosexual activities, sparking further public outcry.

But Anna said she isn't surprised, and insisted that people must be allowed to express their sexuality no matter where they find themselves.

"The only thing is that people are probably expressing their feelings in the wrong places with the wrong people," she said.

Anna doesn't encourage LGBTQ relationships between teachers and their students, but wants people to be allowed to freely express how they feel.

"It is very wrong for teachers to actually date students, but it is not wrong for students to express their sexuality," she told DW.

Are Ugandan teachers and students promoting LGBTQ activities?

Teachers and students have been cited as superspreaders of what some Ugandan lawmakers have called character-killing morals.

Debates have already taken place on the floor of Uganda's parliament amid reports about sexual minorities gaining ground in schools.

Anita Among, the speaker of parliament, has now directed the Education Committee to investigate schools suspected of encouraging LGBTQ rights.

She told committee members to look into social media stories about gays in which a teacher is transferred from one school to another because of being gay. "Can you pick up that issue and report to the House, we are killing our morals," she said recently.

Homosexuality remains illegal in Uganda, despite a 2016 court ruling that found the 2014 Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Act invalid on procedural grounds.

The Penal Code Act still categorizes homosexuality as a crime against morality.

Call to protect minors, families

Some parents don't think the government is doing enough to protect their children from homosexual activities in schools, citing the fact that family identity is one of the moral fibers of Ugandan society.

Doreen Ndeezi, a mother of four, told DW the country would lose its culture and values if the situation is not urgently addressed.

"In Africa the family is regarded as the strongest and main unit of a society, where you have the parents and children, then you go into building up the extended family, where you have relatives and all that -- grandpa, grandma, cousins, you name it," she told DW.

Maureen Akatukunda, a Kampala resident, welcomes the decision of legislators to investigate cases of LGBTQ practices in schools, but told DW that the priority should be protecting minors.

"Of course, when someone is an adult, they can make a choice. It is their right to choose which path they want to take. But for minors, there should be an ethical team on board that is protecting minors in schools," she said.

Some Ugandans, like Chris Kiwanuka, argue that LGBTQ rights should not be given any attention or room to fester.

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"It is a Western project," Kiwanuka insisted, adding that the world has become more dangerous since people increasingly equate homosexuality with human rights. "The human right of a man to sleep with another man, where?" he questioned.

'People have failed to accept the changing times'

Meanwhile, some education experts, including Godfrey Busobozi, have called for calm among Ugandans. He told DW that there is no need to panic.

He said LGBTQ rights have existed for centuries, and urged Ugandan society to learn to live with people of such orientations while safeguarding their cultural values.

"The issue is that people have failed to accept the changing times, so we should learn to live with it because this is an era of knowledge," said Busobozi. "Whatever was not known is becoming known, but now, as a society, we need to guard our values jealously."

Edited by: Chrispin Mwakideu
The San Diego Unified School District in California will host a ceremony to raise the Black Lives Matter flag in honor of Black History Month in February.
The House Oversight Committee says Chief Border Patrol officials will testify before Congress next week after GOP Rep. James Comer threatened DHS with a subpoena.
President Biden said during a fundraiser on Tuesday night that climate change is a bigger threat to humanity than the possibility of nuclear war is.
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Top UN-appointed independent rights experts on Tuesday called on the authorities in Mali to launch an immediate probe into the mass execution of civilians last year, allegedly by Government forces and the Russia-based private military contractor, the Wagner Group.

The rights experts - who include the UN Working Group on Mercenaries - said that a "climate of terror and complete impunity" has surrounded Wagner's activities in the northwest African country.

Systematic killings

"We are particularly worried by credible reports that over the course of several days in late March 2022, Malian armed forces accompanied by military personnel believed to belong to the Wagner Group, executed several hundred people, who had been rounded up in Moura, a village in central Mali," the UN experts said.

Founded by Russian businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner Group is also widely reported to be involved in fighting in Ukraine, having recruited thousands of convicts from Russian jails.

Concerns about the Wagner Group have surfaced elsewhere in recent months, too, notably in the Central African Republic (CAR), where the UN human rights office OHCHR, published information indicating that the mercenaries were among those "committing systemic and grave human rights and international humanitarian law violations, including arbitrary detention, torture, disappearances and summary execution, a pattern that continues unabated and unpunished".

UN-appointed independent rights experts said that they had also received reports that Wagner Group officers committed rape and sexual violence against women, men, and young girls across CAR.

"It is not clear how many people have been victims of sexual violence because survivors are terrified to bring their cases to justice for fear of retaliation," they said.

Peuhl minority targeted

In addition to the alleged involvement of the Wagner Group in Mali's Moura atrocity, the experts said that there were also persistent and credible accounts of multiple serious rights violations committed against mainly ethnic Peuhl individuals.

These include torture, rape, pillaging, arbitrary detentions and enforced disappearances.

State-sanctioned violence

In a statement, the rights experts expressed concern at the "increased outsourcing of traditional military functions" to the Wagner Group in Mali, where the Government has been fighting a jihadist insurgency in north and central regions, for years.

The experts added that the private contractors had also carried out counter-terrorism operations, including in Nia Ouro, Gouni and Fakala, before urging the Malian authorities to prohibit private individuals from taking part in hostilities.

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"The use of mercenaries, mercenary-like actors and private security and military companies only exacerbates the cycle of violence and impunity prevailing in the country," the experts insisted.

Victims of the Wagner Group have faced significant challenges in accessing justice and remedy for the human rights abuses, including sexual violence, and related crimes committed against them, the experts said, "particularly in light of the secrecy and opacity surrounding Wagner's activities in Mali".

Afraid to speak out

The experts added that the threat of reprisals against those daring to speak out had also created "an overall climate of terror and complete impunity for victims of the Wagner Group's abuses".

In an exclusive interview with UN News, the UN refugee agency's (UNHCR) representative in Mali, Mohamed Toure, explained that jihadists continue to terrorise and target civilians in rural areas on a daily basis.

Mr. Toure was speaking after a recent attack on N'Tillit village in northern Mali, forcing more than 3,700 Burkinabe refugees and local Malians to flee to Gao, the nearest city located 120 kilometres away.

The majority of displaced are women and children who walked for hours without food, fearing for their lives to find safety, the UNHCR official said.
NEW YORK (AP)  For thousands of years, ancient Egyptians mummified their dead in the search for eternal life. Now, researchers have used chemistry and an unusual collection of jars to figure out how they did it.



Their study, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, is based on a rare archaeological find: An embalming workshop with a trove of pottery around 2,500 years old. Many jars from the site were still inscribed with instructions like to wash or to put on his head.



By matching the writing on the outside of the vessels with the chemical traces inside, researchers uncovered new details about the recipes that helped preserve bodies for thousands of years.



Its like a time machine, really, said Joann Fletcher, an archaeologist at University of York who was not involved with the study. Its allowed us to not quite see over the shoulders of the ancient embalmers, but probably as close as well ever get.



Those recipes showed that embalmers had deep knowledge about what substances would help preserve their dead, said Fletcher, whose partner was a co-author on the study. And they included materials from far-flung parts of the world  meaning Egyptians went to great lengths to make their mummies as perfect as they could possibly be.



The workshop  uncovered in 2016 by study author Ramadan Hussein, who passed away last year  is located in the famous burial grounds of Saqqara. Parts of it sit above the surface, but a shaft stretches down to an embalming room and burial chamber underground, where the jars were discovered.



It was in rooms like these where the last phase of the process took place, said Salima Ikram, an Egyptologist at The American University in Cairo who was not involved with the study. After drying out the the body with salts, which probably...
After announcing presidential runs, Mitt Romney, Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush all raised more per day in their out-of-the-gates fund-raising periods.
Petr Pavel tells the BBC Ukraine is morally and practically ready to join Nato after the war is over.
Almost 13,000 offshore companies holding UK property have failed to declare their ultimate owners and may now face fines and a ban on selling their land, the government has said. Martin Callanan, a business minister, praised the introduction of the new register of overseas owners of UK properties,



#martincallanan #fbi #rujaignatova #cryptoqueen #landregistry #kensington #companieshouse #insolvencyservice #callanan #hmlandregistry
The US Justice Department is conducting a planned search of President Joe Biden's Delaware beach house, his lawyer said on Wednesday, adding that the president is cooperating with the search.
News that the United States could soon send rockets nearly doubling the firing range of Ukrainian forces gave Kyiv a big lift on Wednesday, even as its troops were being pushed back by a relentless Russian winter offensive in the east.
British Steel is considering cutting up to 1,200 jobs at its steelworks in Scunthorpe in a move that unions said would be a betrayal of workers amid talks with the UK government over a potential 300m in financial support. Executives at the Chinese-owned company told union leaders they were



#britishsteel #scunthorpe #unions #unite #tatasteel #tatas #porttalbot #britishsteels #sharongraham #jingyegroup
The Government of South Sudan, in its first ever briefing to the UN Peacebuilding Commission, outlined its priorities on Tuesday, addressing a host of recommendations from civil society speakers and UN officials.

"Our priority in 2023 is to take a 'peace to people' approach with the Government's facilitation," Stephen Par Kuol, Minister of Peacebuilding of South Sudan, told the Commission, via video link.

Addressing the ambassadorial-level meeting on building peace in communities through local governance and community reconciliation in South Sudan, he said efforts included tackling such persistent challenges as intercommunal violence, a major legacy of decades of war.

'Build peace with us'

"This is something we cannot do alone," he said. "All we need is support from the regions and the international community to build peace in South Sudan with us."

He highlighted gains in judicial, security and constitutional processes since the parties signed the 2018 peace agreement. Meanwhile, the Government is "working hard to bring back together traditional leadership authorities" to ensure there are no armed groups in the country.

The Commission consulted on ways forward with Chapters I and V of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan.

Suggestions included improving the resilience of local communities in the face of existing vulnerabilities - including endemic poverty, weak governance, gender-based and sexual violence and poor management of natural resources - which can exacerbate violence and intercommunal conflict.

List of asks

Civil society speakers, also briefing the Commission via video link, and presented recommendations to reinforce the path towards sustainable peace.

Offering several suggestions on how to improve the current fragile situation, youth representative Adeng Leek, a human rights advocate and programme manager with the Nonviolent Peace Force, pointed out that South Sudan is "no longer an infant" nation.

To overcome such major roadblocks to peace as shrinking civic space, spikes in sexual violence and a massive social disconnection between politicians and people, she said the Government must demonstratethe necessary political will to resolve concerns and foster accountability.

She said politicians must effectively respond to communities, and local authorities must dedicate themselves to deliver servicesneeded to counter such challenges as climate shocks and establish safe civic space.

If all these are left unconsidered, she warned, local governments will not have the required elements to advance peace.

Tools to 'make a difference'

Edmund Yakani, a civil society representative and Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), said intercommunal violence has branched into alarming human rights violations, including slavery and trafficking.

Having mediated dozens of community peace agreements, he said the road ahead must strengthen the currently weak peace and reconciliation infrastructure, build space for civic dialogue, and ensure transparent peacebuilding funding. "Such tools can make a difference," he urged.

Fact-finding mission

Commission Chair Muhammad Abdul Muhith, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh, highlighted a new report on its December visit to South Sudan. Among other findings, he said concrete action is needed, including in holding elections and achieving the expected 35 per cent threshold of women's participation.

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Other briefers, speaking via video link, agreed. Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support Elizabeth Spehar, added that prioritizing trust-building efforts is essential for creating an enabling environment for peaceful exchanges.

Highlighting the dire funding situation, Ahmed Yusuf Hersi, Senior Political Advisor to the Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), said the current ceasefire has allowed progress along several tracks, but challenges remain in making the transition to lasting peace.

Empowering women, youth

Sara Beysolow Nyanti, the UN Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative and the UN Resident Coordinator in South Sudan, said the future hinges on empowering women and youth. Further, she said, there will be no sustainable peace until transitional justice is fully implemented.
Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - A conference on why the Juba Peace agreement signed between Sudanese has failed to find solutions among stakeholders and their supporters alike kicked off in Khartoum on Tuesday
Kinshasa, DR Congo (PANA) - Pope Francis on Wednesday praised the work of charities in DR Congo and the African continent saying their work is like a forest silently growing and bearing fruit, amid the noise of ongoing violence and injustice
Photo: (Photo : RODNAE Productions from Pexels)

With Valentine's Day coming, some aspiring spouses-to-be might take advantage of the occasion to seal the deal and pop the question once and for all. After all, love is in the air, and it's natural to think your chances of getting a sure "yes" will increase on this special occasion.

However, proposing can be a nerve-wracking experience, and it's important to make sure you have all your bases covered before getting down on one knee. Whether you're a long-term couple or just starting to think about engagement, this guide will help you make your proposal as special and memorable as possible.

Let's dive in!

1. Flex Your Creative Muscles

Valentine's Day is the perfect opportunity to get creative and personalize your proposal. One way to do this is by putting the ring in a heart-shaped box, which adds a romantic and playful element to the moment.

Another idea is to give a choice of rings in a chocolate box. This move allows your partner to pick the one they like best and adds a touch of fun to the occasion, which can be a great way to make the proposal more interactive and memorable.

Some jewelry stores offer short-term rentals for their lab-grown oval diamond selections. Going this route allows your partner to try out different styles and designs before making a final decision.

2. Avoid Tipping Your Hand

Valentine's Day also happens to be one of the most - if not the most - popular days on the calendar to pop the question. Thus, it goes without saying that if you want the moment to be a surprise, you should work even more covertly to ensure that everything happens as planned and your betrothed catches no wind about a potential proposal.

It's worth pointing out that while it can be fun for the moment itself to be a surprise, you don't want to catch your partner totally off-guard when asking them to marry you. Have a conversation about marriage well before the proposal to ensure you're both on the same page about future plans and goals.

3. Capture the Moment

Since Valentine's Day is such a popular time for engagements, it's important to plan ahead regarding photography. Most professional photographers' schedules tend to fill up quickly, so booking in advance is best. However, if you are unable to secure a professional photographer, you can still make sure to capture the special moment by having a friend take pictures with a camera.

If you're an unmarried couple with kids, bringing along the children to see their parent beaming with happiness can be an irreplaceable post-proposal surprise as well!

4. Privacy Is the Best Policy

While holding a public proposal can work for some extroverted couples, doing so can take away the intimacy and privacy of the moment. A proposal is a very personal moment, and some spouses-to-be may feel uncomfortable being in the spotlight or having strangers witness it.

Thus, please consider your partner's preferences for a proposal setting. Moreover, it'd be wise to avoid putting them in an uncomfortable position if they end up rejecting you. Follow these tips, however, and the odds will be in your favor!

Best of Luck!

Proposing on Valentine's Day can be a romantic and special occasion, but it's important to be prepared. By considering the creativity, covertness, exclusivity, and sweetness of your proposal, you can ensure that your special moment is memorable and perfect.

The most important thing is to be true to yourself and your partner and make your proposal reflect your unique, loving relationship. Happy Valentine's Day, and good luck!
The emir will be buried at 2:00 pm at Dutse

The late Emir of Dutse, Nuhu Muhammad-Sanusi, who died on Tuesday afternoon, will be buried at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, according to Islamic rites.

The Secretary of Dutse Emirate Council, Shehu Malami, announced the development to reporters in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital.

The corpse of the deceased emir will arrive in Dutse by 10 a.m. while the funeral prayer will be conducted at the Eid prayer ground opposite the Federal University Dutse, Mr Malami said.

The late emir is one of the five first-class emirs in Jigawa State. He served for 28 years as the Emir of Dutse.

He succeeded his late father, Muhammadu Sanusi Dan Bello, who ruled between 1983 and 1995.

The state's governor Muhammad Badaru, in a condolence message through his media aide, Habibu Kila, said the death is a great loss to the nation.

He described the late emir as a humble, religious and community leader whose conduct and character in life have been to the service of humanity.

The governor said the death of the emir has created a vacuum difficult to be filled considering his contributions to peace, stability and progress in his domain and the country.

He prayed to Allah to grant his soul eternal Bliss and called on the people of the emirate to bear the loss with the spirit of acquiescence to God's will.
Photo: (Photo : Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images)

A miscalculation will cause Virginia schools to receive $202 million less in educational funding.

As the politicians drew out the budget for the new fiscal year, some things went wrong. A miscalculation made using an online tool resulted in halting the appropriate educational funding.

This error would mean that some educational institutions that rely heavily on government aid may be unable to operate properly or face millions of dollars in bills.

Wrong calculations impact Virginia schools funding

According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Virginia Department of Education has recently acknowledged a significant math error that resulted in the underestimation of state funding for K-12 school districts across the state.

This mistake will result in a loss of approximately $202 million for the current and upcoming fiscal years for the schools in the Virginia district, including a $58 million reduction for the current K-12 school year that is nearly three-quarters complete.

The error in calculating basic state aid for K-12 school divisions occurred after the General Assembly adopted the two-year budget and was signed into law by Governor Glenn Youngkin last June.

NBC reported that the budget failed to consider a provision meant to protect localities from the elimination of the state's portion of the sales tax on groceries, which was part of a tax cut package pushed by Governor Youngkin and his predecessor, Governor Ralph Northam.

The mistake originated from an online tool used by school districts to estimate the amount of funding they should expect from the state.

This number is determined based on various factors, including the number of students in the district and the amount of property tax revenue received.

The flawed tool provided incorrect information, resulting in a significant underestimation of state funding for these school districts.

Read Also: American Academy of Pediatrics Releases New Guideline to Treat Obesity in Children

How will this affect Virginia schools' funding?

According to the Washington Post, the recent news about a flawed tool that overestimated the state aid for Prince William County by approximately $11 million for the upcoming fiscal year has caused concern among lawmakers and politicians.

The district is estimated to spend around $1.6 billion in the coming year, making the impact of this error significant.

According to Keith Perrigan, head of the Coalition of Small and Rural Schools of Virginia, there is a sense of panic regarding the situation.

The error made by the state education department can inhibit critical investments in the future, such as teacher staffing, special education teaching assistants, and safety improvements. Diana C. Gulotta, the Prince William County Public Schools spokeswoman, expressed her worries about the negative effects of this mistake.

The chairman of the Appropriations Committee expressed his regret over not being informed about the error sooner. Now, the House and Senate negotiators will have to find a resolution later in the legislative session.

The school funding error will significantly impact districts that rely heavily on state aid, particularly those in poor and rural communities that do not have a wealthy property tax base to fund their schools. In some of these districts, state aid makes up 80 percent of the funding for basic education services.

Related Article: Schools Now Contribute To Negative Body Image of Pre-teens, Teenagers
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Parents left their baby at the airport check-in counter while rushing to board their flight. They allegedly refused to pay for their child's ticket.

Authorities detained a couple with Belgian passports after they left their baby at Israeli Ben-Gurion Airport's check-in counter while rushing to board their flight to Brussels, Belgium, Israel Airports Authority stated Monday.

According to The Times of Israel, the parents planned to take their baby with them on a Ryanair flight. However, they arrived late, and the check-in counters had already closed. More than that, they did not buy a ticket for their son.

When asked to pay for their baby's ticket, they allegedly refused and "sprinted off toward security," leaving their child in the baby carrier at the airport's check-in counter.

We can't believe what we were seeing

"All the workers were in shock. We have never seen anything like that. We didn't believe what we were seeing," an airline staff member stated.

Jerusalem Post reported that the airport staff were stunned to witness the situation and decided to contact the police. The parents were then found and taken in for questioning.

As of writing, there was no update on the current status of the baby and his parents.

Read also: Qantas Airline Books 13-Month-Old Baby on Separate Flight from Parents for an 11-Hour International Flight

Newborn baby left in an airplane

In January of last year, a baby boy was also left behind, but this time, it was a newborn found in a toilet bin of an airplane.

It was New Year's Day when an airport staff discovered the newborn in the Air Mauritius plane's toilet bin while doing a routine customs check after the aircraft landed in Mauritius.

According to the Daily Mail, the baby boy was born during the flight from Madagascar but was not found until the plane touched down at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport in the capital of Mauritius, Port Louis.

A 20-year-old woman, suspected as the mother, was detained. She initially denied the baby was hers, but a medical exam showed that she recently gave birth.

Both the newborn and the suspected mom were rushed to the hospital for treatment and reported to be doing well.

BBC reported that the suspected mother is a Malagasy woman who came to Mauritius on a two-year work permit. She was placed under police surveillance while in the hospital and was questioned when released. She was expected to face charges for abandoning her own child.

Related Article: Woman Gives Birth to a Baby on a Flight from Ghana to the US
Photo: (Photo : Spencer Platt/ Getty Images)

The woman from Illinois allegedly stole $1.5 million worth of food. Vera Lidell, 66, was charged by the local authorities for putting a school in Illinois in a tight position wherein they had to pay a massive bill to their food supplier.

This is allegedly Lidell's fault for ordering massive amounts of food from various suppliers for the school. She had been running this scheme for years.

The suppliers and delivery personnel knew her due to her large orders of chicken wings.

Woman steals food from Illinois school

According to ABC, Lidell is facing charges of theft and operating a financial crime enterprise. She is accused of embezzling $1.5 million worth of food, mainly chicken wings, from a school district over a period of nearly two years.

The alleged scheme involved Liddell placing orders for the food, which included 11,000 cases of chicken wings, separate from the legitimate orders of the district.

The food service providers then sent invoices to the district, which paid them without realizing that the orders were fraudulent. The scheme was reportedly active from July 2020 to February 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The scheme was discovered during a routine mid-year audit by a manager, who found that the district had exceeded its annual budget by over $300,000 despite being only halfway through the school year.

The business manager for the district conducted a closer examination of the invoices and found that they were for massive quantities of chicken wings that were never served to students as they contained bones.

Liddell also signed the invoices, leading to her arrest and the charges against her.

Read Also: Tesla Driver Who Plunged Family off California Cliff Faces Attempted Murder Charge

Stealing $1.5 million worth of food

As the inquiry progressed, FOX News reported that Lidell had placed hundreds of unauthorized food purchases with Gordon Food Service, the primary food supplier for the Harvey School District 152.

According to the prosecution, Liddell was the sole individual accountable for placing food orders on behalf of the district. According to the records filed with the court, the vast fraud started during the height of COVID, which was a period when kids were not permitted to be physically present in school.

Even though the children received their education through online classes, Harvey School District 152 took the initiative to continue providing student meals during the pandemic.

The students' families could pick up these meals to assist them in coping with the challenges they faced during this time.

It was concluded that the food was neither delivered to the school nor distributed to the pupils.

According to statements made to investigators by workers at Gordon Food Service, all workers were familiar with Liddell due to the enormous quantity of chicken wings she would purchase.

After making the fraudulent orders, Liddell would pick up the food in a cargo van belonging to the school district.

The New York Post stated that at this time, Liddell is being held at the Cook County Jail on a bond of $150,000. In addition, there is limited information available regarding the case due to the ongoing investigations.

Related Article: Baby Boy Holding His Mother's IUD Goes Viral After Mom Shares It On TikTok
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Vilnius Airport in Lithuania has begun constructing its 14,400m2 departure terminal, which is expected to be open for use in early 2025.

The new terminal will be built between the VIP terminal and conference center and the old passenger terminal. The total value of the contract is 41.5m (US$44.9m). The main purpose of the new departure terminal project is to double the airports throughput to 2,400 passengers per hour to improve the passenger experience and ensure greater efficiency in airport operations.

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The building will have two floors, with a self-service check-in area on the ground floor, enabling passengers to check in their luggage at dedicated terminals. There will also be common public spaces, cafes and other commercial areas and airline offices, while the second floor will house the security screening areas as well as the departure and arrival gates for passengers from Schengen countries. The new building will have an A++ energy class and will be BREEAM-certified Good, demonstrating not only the innovative solutions used in the project, but also a sustainable approach to the construction process.

Alongside the construction of the new terminal, the transport access in front of Vilnius Airport will also be updated. The airport will renew its engineering infrastructure and surfaces and will install carports. According to Aurimas Stikliunas, Interim CEO of Lithuanian Airports, the new terminal will lay the groundwork for correcting the mistakes of Vilnius Airports previous terminal expansions in the future  the previous terminals were expanded to the side of the airfield, not parallel to the entire airport area. The construction of this passenger terminal will be accompanied by the renovation and conversion of the old terminals, with expansion and modernization planned in phases.

Almantas Cebanauskas, the head of the main contractor of the project, said, We appreciate the opportunity to implement projects of importance to Lithuania. We are confident that our experience in the construction of complex structures, including our project for the construction of the VIP terminal at Vilnius Airport, will contribute significantly to the successful completion of the construction of the new terminal.

Stikliunas commented, We stand at the center of an important change for aviation in Lithuania. The opportunities to handle more aircrafts, and more passengers, are directly linked to our future prospects to become leaders in the region, which means moving to the next level of quality and competing for a wider geography of flights across the country. This entire project is a series of developments  not just a construction project, but also a platform for innovation in airports, where we will finally be able to apply state-of-the-art technology to improve airport efficiency and passenger comfort. This is undoubtedly the most important project for all Lithuanian airports in the next few years, to which we are dedicating a lot of our internal resources.

Marius Skuodis, Minister of Transport and Communications in Lithuania, said, The main Lithuanian airport must be convenient for passengers, meet international standards and perform its functions properly. The new terminal at Vilnius Airport will make a significant contribution to the development of the aviation sector, opening up new capacity opportunities. As passenger traffic at the airport grows, it is important to ensure comfortable service conditions that meet modern standards.
Two new items went up today on the website of the Interpreter Foundation:

Come, Follow Me  New Testament Study and Teaching Helps: Lesson 7, February 6  12: John 24  Ye Must Be Born Again

Once again, Jonn Claybaugh generously supplies a set of helpful notes for teachers and students of the Churchs Come, Follow Me curriculum.

The New Testament in Context Lesson 7: Ye Must Be Born Again

In the 15 January 2023 Come, Follow Me segment of the Interpreter Radio Show, Foundation volunteers Bruce Webster, Kris Frederickson, and Martin Tanner discuss New Testament lesson 7, covering John 24: Ye Must Be Born Again.

The other segments of the 15 January 2023 radio show can be accessed at https://interpreterfoundation.org/interpreter-radio-show-january-15-2023.

You can listen to the Interpreter Radio Show live each and every Sunday evening from 7 to 9 PM (MDT), on K-TALK, AM 1640. Or, if you prefer or if K-TALK doesnt reach your area, you can listen live on the Internet at ktalkmedia.com. Its the same program in either case.

Strolling just above the surf at Ironwood Cliffs on the Kapalua Bay Trail, its interesting to see evidences of the forces that made the island of Maui and that are now very slowly unmaking it. Beyond, across the strait known as Lahaina Roads, is the island of Molokai. Whales are clearly visible there at this season. Both Maui and Molokai  as well as the nearby islands of Lanai and Kahoolawe and the now submerged shield volcano west of Molokai called Penguin Bank  are parts of a much larger geological unit called Greater Maui or Maui Nui.

Just below us on the trail, though, it was easy to see the lava produced many years ago by the oldest of Mauis two main peaks, the much eroded West Maui Volcano. And it is being battered by surf. No longer being created, its being worn away. As the tectonic plate on which the Hawaiian Islands sit, the Pacific Plate, moves to the northwest  at an annual rate of about 2.75 inches or seven centimeters  they leave behind them the stationary hot spot that formed them. Kauai and Oahu and the other islands age and begin very slowly to decay under the onslaught of rain and wind and, far and away most important, under the pounding of the Pacific Ocean. Necker Island, located about 430 miles northwest of Honolulu, rose at one point about 3300 feet above the ocean and was roughly the size of todays Oahu. Today, its little more than a rocky ridge. Its highest point is roughly 277 feet above sea level, its length is 0.8 miles, and its width at its very widest point is well under seven hundred feet.

Mauis eastern volcano, Haleakala, is dormant. However, it still rises to more than ten thousand feet, and its still thought capable of erupting; its last recorded eruption occurred in 1790, which is, geologically speaking, the blink of an eye.

But the real geological life in Hawaii today continues in and near the southeastern-most of the islands, the so-called Big Island, itself named Hawaii. Anybody who has been paying attention to the news of late will be aware of the fact that Mauna Loa erupted in November and December of 2022, and that Kilauea is erupting as I write. Further, underwater and offshore to the south southeast of the Big Island is the active volcanic seamount formerly known as Loihi. In 2021, in its wisdom, the U.S. Geological Survey adopted for it, instead, the more ambitiously Hawaiian name of glowing child of Kanaloa, or Kamaehuakanaloa. (Kanaloa is the Hawaiian god of the ocean.) Somewhere between ten thousand years from now and a hundred thousand years from now, Kamaehuakanaloa will emerge above the surface of the Pacific Ocean. Thats probably sufficient time for real estate salespeople and condo developers to devise a way of dealing with its somewhat unwieldy new name.

I suppose that my overall meditation is this: In my ever-advancing old age, as people who meant a great deal to me and whom I love have passed on, the sentiment expressed in the hymn has come to mean more and more to me:

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;

The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.

When other helpers fail and comforts flee,

Help of the helpless, O abide with me. Swift to its close ebbs out lifes little day;

Earths joys grow dim; its glories pass away;

Change and decay in all around I see;

O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

If there is anything at all that might be termed something like a terrestrial paradise, I suppose that the Hawaiian Islands might come close. They are beautiful. Their climate is delightful. Their breezes are (mostly) gentle. They are, today, fertile and rich with life. But they are unstable. Biology and geology have taught us that there is nothing immutable here on earth.

The Hawaiian paradise began as barren volcanic rock emerging from the sea. It will end as barren volcanic rock crumbling into the sea. In the meantime, human corruption exists here just as it exists everywhere else. (Ever seen Hawaii Five-O?). And sickness and death are here, as well. An old cemetery abuts the road just a couple of miles from where Im sitting right now.

There is no earthly paradise. Not yet, anyway.

And there is no natural paradise in outer space. Pre-Copernican astronomy assured us that, in the superlunary world, beyond the sphere of the moon, all was changeless perfection. Orbits were perfect circles, the crystalline spheres were made of a perfectly transparent celestial element, a quintessence unlike the four changeable elements familiar to us here below. But Galileo and comets and sunspots changed all that.

Our hope for paradise must be fulfilled elsewhere, or not at all. As the author of the epistle to the Hebrews put it in chapter eleven, speaking of the ancient saints:

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Posted from Kaanapali, Maui, Hawaii
An article in Haaretz: Two 3,800-year-old Cuneiform Tablets Found in Iraq Give First Glimpse of Hebrew Precursor (Ofer Aderet, 1-20-23), describes a very recent and exceptionally exciting discovery (I corrected a few typos):

This is something sensational. Im excited, says Professor Nathan Wasserman of the Hebrew University Institute of Archaeology and Department of Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations. His colleague from the Tel Aviv University Archeology Department, Professor Yoram (Yori) Cohen, calls it a paradigm change of very fundamental significance, and doesnt hesitate to use the word amazing. The big news from the ancient world centers on two cuneiform tablets that have been dated to 1800 B.C.E., 3,800 years ago. This was the era of Hammurabi, the Babylonian king known for the Code of Hammurabi . . . The text on the tablets resembles a language manual that is divided into two parts. On the first are words and phrases in the Amorite/Canaanite language  an extinct ancient language of which scholars hitherto had very little knowledge, and the second contains their translation into Akkadian, a known language that can be read and translated. In this text, which is very, very ancient, words appear that anyone who knows Hebrew will immediately recognize. You dont have to be a linguist to understand the connection to Hebrew, Cohen says. Basically, were looking at our forefathers here, he adds. This is a very significant discovery for anyone who speaks Hebrew, Wasserman comments. Cohen adds that the text proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that already in the second millennium B.C.E there was a spoken language that was very close to Hebrew, which has been heretofore only known from the first millennium B.C.E. . . . This language manual, which also includes sentences related to meetings between people, to addressing a king, to food preparation and to situations from everyday life, is practically the only documentation of the Amorite/Canaanite language and the fullest example of it to date. Up to now, weve had a very fragmented acquaintance with Amorite/Canaanite, mainly from proper nouns and from a number of nouns from Babylonia and Canaan. And now suddenly the language is revealed to us with full documentation, with grammar, vocabulary, phrases and even poetry, Cohen says. Wasserman can hardly conceal his excitement over this text and from other parts of it that contain names of gods as well as expressions of love. Its pretty incredible. They were actually speaking a kind of Hebrew. Its not really Hebrew, but its close to Hebrew, he says. Cohen describes their language as the mother of Hebrew and says that most scholars agree that Hebrew developed from it and is related to it.

So now weve discovered a spoken language that was very close to Hebrew in 1800 BC in ancient Israel (Canaan). That would be quite a shock to many higher criticism Bible skeptics  were we able to raise them from the dead to inform them of this  (and a few stubborn holdovers today) who delighted in taunting Christians and Jews with their contentions that Moses (c. 1340 or 1330c. 1220 or 1210 BC, in my reckoning, based on the eminent Egyptologist Kenneth Kitchens exhaustive research) wouldnt have been able to read or write at all, let alone write the first five books of the Bible.

But now we have this evidence that predates his writing of the Torah (yes, I think he wrote it, and provide 50 reasons for why I think so) by some 500 years or more. Its so old that it is contemporaneous with the life of Abraham (born c. 18801860 BC according to Kitchen). Abraham would have been able to (possibly) write in language (if indeed he used this language) that Moses would have understood without much trouble.

Thus the oral + written Hebrew / biblical tradition passed down would have had less linguistically diverse evolution than previously thought, even according to the thinking of maximalist archaeologists, who think the Bible is remarkably historically trustworthy. The implications of this new data are monumental.

Genesis 15:18-21 records the Abrahamic covenant, in which God told Abraham that his descendants would possess the land of the Amorites, Canaanites, and eight other ancient peoples in the region. Its the previously little-known Amorite/Canaanite language that is on these tablets.

In Genesis 48:21-22 the dying Jacob gives to Joseph some land (a mountain slope) that he won in battle with the Amorites. In Exodus 3:8, 17 God makes a similar promise to Moses: that the Israelites would inherit a land flowing with milk and honey form the Amorites and other groups. his was reiterated many times (see the many OT references to Amorites).

King Solomon enslaved the Amorites and other former inhabitants of Canaan (1 Kgs 9:20-21). That would have brought about intermingling which in turn could have contributed to the evolving Hebrew tongue. Moreover, we have the following related statement:

Judges 3:5-7 So the people of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; [6] and they took their daughters to themselves for wives, and their own daughters they gave to their sons; and they served their gods. [7] And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, forgetting the LORD their God, and serving the Baals and the Asheroth.

This mixing of the Israelis and other Canaanite cultures is what would have brought about the linguistic similarities. This is usually the way that cultures both clash and intermingle (as seen, for example, in the mixing of the Anglo-Saxons with the earlier Celts, and then with the conquering Normans, in medieval England). The process was similar in ancient Israel after Moses successor Joshua entered Canaan. I wrote in my new book, The Word Set in Stone: How Archaeology, Science, and History Back up the Bible (Catholic Answers Press, March 2023), in my chapter, Joshua and the Conquest of Canaan:

Joshua does not describe a widespread destruction of the land. Rather, as Joshua admits (13:1), there was still much land not in Israelite hands, and the book proceeds to outline those areas (vv. 28). So the idea of a group of tribes coming to Canaan, using some military force, partially taking a number of cities and areas over a period of some years, destroying (burning) just three cities, and coexisting alongside the Canaanites and other ethnic groups for a period of time before the beginnings of monarchy [as much as 100-200 years] does not require blind faith.

***

Further Related Reading

Bible & Archaeology web page

My book, The Word Set in Stone: How Archaeology, Science, and History Back up the Bible (Catholic Answers Press, March 2023)

***

Practical Matters: Perhaps some of my 4,000+ free online articles (the most comprehensive one-stop Catholic apologetics site) or fifty books have helped you (by Gods grace) to decide to become Catholic or to return to the Church, or better understand some doctrines and why we believe them.

Or you may believe my work is worthy to support for the purpose of apologetics and evangelism in general. If so, please seriously consider a much-needed financial contribution. Im always in need of more funds: especially monthly support. The laborer is worthy of his wages (1 Tim 5:18, NKJV). 1 December 2021 was my 20th anniversary as a full-time Catholic apologist, and February 2022 marked the 25th anniversary of my blog. PayPal donations are the easiest: just send to my email address: apologistdave@gmail.com. Youll see the term Catholic Used Book Service, which is my old side-business. To learn about the different methods of contributing, including 100% tax deduction, etc., see my page: About Catholic Apologist Dave Armstrong / Donation Information. Thanks a million from the bottom of my heart! ***

Photo credit: [David Owen/   / Haaretz]

***

Summary: We now have striking direct evidence of a proto-Hebrew language dating from 1800 BC: a spoken language that was very close to Hebrew in Abrahams time!
Toi Staff reported on this exciting archaeological discovery in The Times of Israel: Archaeologist: Thick wall found at Lachish indicates King Solomons son built it (4-23-19):

Prof. Yosef Garfinkel, head of the Hebrew University of Jerusalems Institute of Archaeology, announced the find at a conference two weeks ago, . . . The discovery, he argued, bolsters the biblical account in the book of Chronicles of the city under 10th century BCE King Rehoboams reign, . . . We looked in three places, and ultimately, in the northern section, we found a wall between Layer 6 and Layer 4. Later the excavators reached a floor that stretches to the wall, which could be dated using olive pits found beneath the floors. Samples of the pits were sent to the particle accelerator at Oxford, which ruled that the wall had been built around 920 B.C.E., which was exactly the rule of Rehoboam, son of Solomon and grandson of David. The discovery of a fortified city two days walk from King David and Solomons Jerusalem suggests the broader kingdom of Judah was established about a century earlier than historians currently believe.

This rather spectacularly verifies the Bible; especially this text:

2 Chronicles 11:5-12 (RSV) Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and he built cities for defense in Judah. [6] He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, [7] Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, [8] Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, [9] Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, [10] Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, fortified cities which are in Judah and in Benjamin. [11] He made the fortresses strong, and put commanders in them, and stores of food, oil, and wine. [12] And he put shields and spears in all the cities, and made them very strong. So he held Judah and Benjamin.

Encyclopaedia Britannica (Kings: Solomons successors) states that King Solomon died in 922 BC, succeeded by his son, Rehoboam. Note that the super-sophisticated particle accelerator at Oxford determined that the wall in Lachish was built around 920 BC: two years later. Bible and archaeology line up once again (I just wrote a book devoted to that convergence).

The prophet Jeremiah referred to Lachish (along with Azekah) as the only fortified cities of Judah that remained (Jer 34:7) shortly before the Babylonians conquered the country in 587-586 BC.

Archaeologists tell us that Lachish was in ruins for over 200 years. This is because Joshua took the city and burned it (Josh. 10:31-35). I wrote about it in my 2023 book, The Word Set in Stone (chapter: Joshua and the Conquest of Canaan):

The archaeological Level VII of Lachish has been dated to the thirteenth century B.C., and its destruction determined to be in the middle or latter part of the twelfth century B.C. According to Israeli archaeologist David Ussishkin, the biblical description (in Josh. 10:3132) fits the archaeological data: a large Canaanite city destroyed by fire . . . and complete desertion of the razed city explained by the annihilation of the populace. [Footnote: 3 Eero Junkkaala, Three Conquests of Canaan: A Comparative Study of Two Egyptian Military Campaigns and Joshua 1012 in the Light of Recent Archaeological Evidence (Turku, Finland: Abo Akademi University Press, 2006); citations from pages 235236, 238.]

Archaeologist Kenneth Kitchen dated the destruction of Lachish at about 1177/1165 BC. [On the Reliability of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids and Cambridge: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2003, p. 142)].

Avraham Negev and Shimon Gibson, editors of Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land (New York: Continuum, revised edition of 2001, Lachish, 289) describe other findings in Lachish which are also consistent with the biblical accounts:

The earliest Israelite remains are the foundations of a palace (Palace A). It is 100 feet square and . . . is attributed to Rehoboam (928-911 BC). To the time of Asa (908-867 BC, stratum IV) is attributed the building of a city wall . . . To the time of Jehoshaphat (867-846 BC) is attributed the enlargement of the fortified palace . . .

***

Further Related Reading

Bible & Archaeology web page

My book, The Word Set in Stone: How Archaeology, Science, and History Back up the Bible (Catholic Answers Press, March 2023)

***

Practical Matters: Perhaps some of my 4,000+ free online articles (the most comprehensive one-stop Catholic apologetics site) or fifty books have helped you (by Gods grace) to decide to become Catholic or to return to the Church, or better understand some doctrines and why we believe them.

Or you may believe my work is worthy to support for the purpose of apologetics and evangelism in general. If so, please seriously consider a much-needed financial contribution. Im always in need of more funds: especially monthly support. The laborer is worthy of his wages (1 Tim 5:18, NKJV). 1 December 2021 was my 20th anniversary as a full-time Catholic apologist, and February 2022 marked the 25th anniversary of my blog. PayPal donations are the easiest: just send to my email address: apologistdave@gmail.com. Youll see the term Catholic Used Book Service, which is my old side-business. To learn about the different methods of contributing, including 100% tax deduction, etc., see my page: About Catholic Apologist Dave Armstrong / Donation Information. Thanks a million from the bottom of my heart!

***

Photo credit: [  / Bible Archaeology Report]

***

Summary: In 2019, archaeologists discovered King Rehoboams wall in Lachish in Israel, dated to c. 920 BC in a fortified city: precisely the place & period described in the Bible.
The CBN senior staffer who was obviously angry accused commercial banks of sabotaging the efforts of the CBN to make the new naira notes available.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says it has discovered N4 million of new naira notes hoarded in some commercial banks in Ogun State.

The deputy director, banking supervision department, CBN Lagos, Kayode Makinde, said this on Tuesday while monitoring the distribution of the new naira.

The CBN senior staffer who was obviously angry accused commercial banks of sabotaging the efforts of the CBN to make the new naira notes available.

the commercial banks sabotaging the efforts of the CBN in making the new naira notes available.

Mr Makinde said this is the third week of the monitoring exercise in the state in an effort of the CBN to ensure compliance with its directives on the issuance of new notes.

It will be recalled that some politicians have accused the President of the CBN, Godwin Emefiele, of trying to sabotage the circulation of the new notes for political reasons.

The political bigwigs believed that the CBN president was hoarding the new notes to scuttle the general elections.

Mr Makinde, however, told the public to blame the commercial banks over the scarcity of the new notes, saying the CBN has done its part.

"This is the third week of ensuring strict implementation of our directive as regards the issuance of new notes. We have banks, agents and super agents circulate new notes in the economy. The experience has been mixed, we saw some trying to hoard new notes, we compelled them to upload into ATM terminals, and others had poor cash management.

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"From our experience, CBN should not be blamed but commercial banks for scarcity. We caught some of them, with new notes in their vault, and we compelled them to upload them to their machines. We told them that instead of trying to ration, upload the ones they have and contact your central cash Management unit which has direct access to CBN for more.

"We came across instances of sabotage on the part of operators, we will take the case up and they will be dealt with appropriately.

" We have given a directive that they shouldn't pay out new notes via the counter but other notes, some of them did that and ran out of cash. Some of the branches deployed resourceful cash management skills and they never ran out of cash while others experience cash run out and are still waiting for their source.

"We came across one of them that couldn't account for almost four million naira of new notes and appropriate sanction will be placed on them."

Mr Makinde further said two teams were dispatched to cover two senatorial districts on each day of the monitoring exercise.
Samsungs new Galaxy Book3 Ultra is the most powerful laptop Samsung has ever unveiled, and addresses a content-creation market that the company hasnt broached before. But heres the really interesting news: Youll find one of the Ultras most attractive featuresa stunning 3K, 120Hz, OLED displayon both the cheaper Galaxy Book3 Pro and Galaxy Book3 Pro 360.

For years, Samsungs Galaxy Book laptops have typically been synonymous with three words: thin, light, and OLED. But with more and more manufacturers deploying OLED screens in their laptops, Samsung is now leaning harder into its own OLED bona fides and thus we have the Galaxy Book3 Ultra, Pro, and Pro 360 laptops, plus a Galaxy Book 360 announced at launch. All save the Galaxy Book3 360 feature a 3K OLED display, along with upgrades both in picture quality and performance.

We had a chance to go hands-on with the first three machines in advance of their launch and our first impressions are that they live up to the hype.

Samsung will ship the 16-inch Galaxy Book3 Ultra for between $2,199.99 and $2,799.99 on Feb. 24. The 16-inch Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 goes for $1,699.99 and ships on Feb. 17. Samsungs most affordable versions will be 14- and 16-inch Galaxy Book3 Pro models, selling for $1,449.99 and up on Feb. 17. All of these new Book3 laptops earn Intels Evo premium notebook badge in case youre wondering.

Samsung also added a fourth family, the $1,299.99 Galaxy Book3 360, which they announced at launch. That laptop will be available in either 13.3-inch or 15.5-inch display options, but only in a 1080p display option.

Beautiful OLEDs, top to bottom

While the Galaxy Book3 Ultra stands out as the flagship of the group, its Samsungs beautiful new OLED display that really sells all three laptops. OLED displays trump more pedestrian LCD displays by offering richer, more spectacular colors, along with absolute blacks that appear, well, absolutely black. But Samsungs new display tech goes beyond what you may already know about OLED laptop screens.

Its difficult to capture with a conventional camera, but LCDs feature a backlight halo effect, while OLEDs do not. Mark Hachman / IDG

The tech that Samsung calls Dynamic AMOLED 2X supports 120 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut and the color response is visually striking. But thats not all: The new AMOLED 2X panels can filter out almost all of the blue light they produce, with no apparent loss of color fidelity, Samsung says. The display is also VESA ClearMR and DisplayHDR TRUE BLACK 500 certified and has received SGS Eye Care Display certification for the guaranteed reduction of blue light. But thats all spec talk. What you need to know is the new OLED display is simply gorgeous and should be easier on your eyes.

Samsungs new OLED runs at up to 120Hz, a performance improvement that will deliver smoother inking and mousing, and allow for high frames-per-second gaming on the Galaxy Book3 Ultra (which boasts the most powerful GPU of the lineup). The new Galaxy Book3 family display is rated for 500 nits of output using HDR, 400 nits without.

The new OLED display employs an odd 16:10 display ratio of 2,8801,800 pixels. This provides an upgrade past a 1440p display without quite touching the 38402160 resolution that characterizes a 4K display. Its worth noting that the Galaxy Book2 Pro series features 1080p, 60Hz panels. Thus the jump to the Book3 is a significant upgrade just on basic display specs alone.

Samsung used a camera sensitive to blue light to capture the amount of blue light given off by an LCD (left), versus its latest AMOLED 2X technology (right). Mark Hachman / IDG

Samsungs Galaxy Books have always been a pleasure to view content on thanks to their gorgeous OLED screens. This holds true for the newest models and the wow-factor of Samsungs OLEDs is stronger than ever. In one tech demo designed to prove the superiority of its new display tech, Samsung demonstrated how the single backlight used in an LCD screen imbues even dark scenes with a halo effect, with a soft glow all around the image. That was contrasted with the pristine, unsullied blackness of its own OLEDa big benefit for video editors.

And for those who are sensitive to blue light, the new Galaxy Book might mean users can work longer hours without triggering a migraine. That could be a real plus for creators as well as anyone who uses her laptop for basic productivity work.

Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra, designed for creators

The 16-inch Galaxy Book Ultra contradicts some of what makes a Galaxy Book a Galaxy Book because at 16.5 mm thick, its got the girth of a more traditional laptop. Its the hefty weight, though3.9 poundsthat feels like the creator-class notebook that it really is. Youll be able to drop it in a laptop bag or backpack, but the weight feels noticeable in the hand. Mind you, its not chunky like a gaming laptop. Its just a bit thicker than most laptops and noticeably thicker than the other Galaxy Book3 models.

The Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra, with its massive touchscreen. Mark Hachman / IDG

The Book3 Ultra not only includes the option of either a 13th-gen Core i7 or i9, but more importantly, you can choose between an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 or 4070 laptop GPU. While those are on the low end of the new GeForce RTX 4-series mobile GPUs that Nvidia launched at CES, the company does claim theyll deliver better performance than the current GeForce 3080 mobile GPUs (though we dont know if that factors in Nvidias frame-rate-easing DLSS 3 technology).

The Book3 Ultra memory options include 16GB or 32GB of LPDDR5, and you can choose between 512GB or 1TB of PCIe storage. Samsung says theres an additional expansion slot for an additional SSD.

The large, wide screen accommodates an extra island of number keys to the far right. But the display body itself is still thin, which has traditionally meant that Samsung has foregone the use of a Windows Hello depth camera in favor of an embedded fingerprint reader. Sadly, thats still the case. Samsungs keyboards have always deftly walked the line between being shallow while still providing a comfortable typing experience, and a few experimental phrases in Notepad confirmed theyre still surprisingly usable.

The Book 3 Ulrtra is thick for a Galalxy Book, with some thermal venting that peeps out from underneath. Mark Hachman / IDG

One key difference between the Galaxy Book3 Ultra and the rest of the Galaxy Book3 lineup is in the Ultras dedicated HDMI 2.0 port, which supports enough bandwidth to display 4K video and 60 frames per second on an external display. Both the Galaxy Book 3 Pro and Pro 360 include an HDMI 1.4 port, which supports 4K video at 24 frames per second on an external display. So this is yet more evidence that the Book3 Ultra is designed for content creation, and the Book3 Pro and Pro 360 are destined for simpler tasks. Regardless, theres a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports on all three Book3 models.

Finally, I have to call out Samsungs absolutely massive touchpad. It might not have been totally clickable all the way to the top in my brief hands-on, but make no mistake: Its enormous.

Samsung doesnt skimp on the Book3 Pro and Pro 360

The Galaxy Book3 Pro and Pro 360 are Samsungs more traditional laptops and lets face it, these are the models most people will buy.

A massive difference in price$1,699 for the 16-inch Pro versus at least $2,199 for the Book3 Ultramakes the Pro an attractive choice by comparison. The Pro 360, by contrast, offers three things that the other Galaxy Book3 models do not: a 360-degree convertible form factor, an integrated S Pen inside the box, and optional 5G capability for on-the-go connectivity.

The Galaxy Book3 Pro and its two Thunderbolt 4 ports, next to a new Galaxy S23 phone. Mark Hachman / IDG

Otherwise, the Galaxy Book3 Pro and Pro 360 are remarkably similar to their gaudier cousin, the Ultra. For one, they offer identical display tech, only differing in size. (The Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 is offered in just a single 16-inch configuration.) Samsung also offers an identical port configuration, with two Thunderbolt 4 ports and an HDMI port option.

On paper, the two Pro models also differ very little in their starting price. They do differ fairly substantially in their weight, however. The 16-inch weighs almost a pound more than the 14-inch, a svelte 2.42 pounds.

The Pro and Pro 360 models are offered in both Graphite and Beige while the Ultra ships only in the Graphite color scheme.

The Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 ships the S Pen in-box, though it must be stored separately rather than in a holster. We didnt have much time to test it, but we confirmed that the pen inks as expected. Unfortunately, we werent able to test for ink judder.

We didnt have a chance to try out the Galaxy Book 360.

The Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 in tent mode. Mark Hachman / IDG

Below weve summarized the specifications of all three Galaxy Book3 laptops. Note that our original story included information that differs from what we list here, including pricing. Samsungs initial prices, as reported to us by a Samsung representative, factored in a $300 trade-in discount on select devices. That discount is still available as of press time.

Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra specifications:

Processor: Intel Core i7-13700H/Core i9-13900H

Intel Core i7-13700H/Core i9-13900H Display: 16-inch (2,8801800), 120Hz AMOLED 2X, 400 nits, 120% DCI-P3 color volume

16-inch (2,8801800), 120Hz AMOLED 2X, 400 nits, 120% DCI-P3 color volume Memory: 16GB/32GB LPDDR5

16GB/32GB LPDDR5 Storage: 512GB/1TB SSD plus expansion slot

512GB/1TB SSD plus expansion slot Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050/4070 Laptop GPU

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050/4070 Laptop GPU Ports: 2 Thunderbolt 4, USB Type-A, HDMI 2.0, microSD, Headphone/Mic

2 Thunderbolt 4, USB Type-A, HDMI 2.0, microSD, Headphone/Mic Security: Fingerprint reader

Fingerprint reader Camera: 1080p (user-facing)

1080p (user-facing) Battery: 76Wh

76Wh Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E (Gig+), 802.11 ax 22, Bluetooth 5.1

Wi-Fi 6E (Gig+), 802.11 ax 22, Bluetooth 5.1 Audio: AKG Quad Speaker (two 5W woofers, two 2W tweeters), Smart Amp, Dolby Atmos

AKG Quad Speaker (two 5W woofers, two 2W tweeters), Smart Amp, Dolby Atmos Operating system: Windows 11

Windows 11 Dimensions: 13.99 x 9.86 x 0.65in. (16.5mm)

13.99 x 9.86 x 0.65in. (16.5mm) Weight: 3.95lbs (rated)

3.95lbs (rated) Colors: Graphite

Graphite Price: beginning at $2,199

Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro specifications:

Processor: Intel Core i7-1360P

Intel Core i7-1360P Display: 14-inch/16-inch: (2,8801800), 120Hz AMOLED 2X, 400 nits, 120% DCI-P3 color volume

14-inch/16-inch: (2,8801800), 120Hz AMOLED 2X, 400 nits, 120% DCI-P3 color volume Memory: 16GB LPDDR5

16GB LPDDR5 Storage: 512GB/1TB SSD

512GB/1TB SSD Graphics: Iris Xe

Iris Xe Ports: 2 Thunderbolt 4, USB Type-A, HDMI 2.0, microSD, Headphone/Mic

2 Thunderbolt 4, USB Type-A, HDMI 2.0, microSD, Headphone/Mic Security: Fingerprint reader

Fingerprint reader Camera: 1080p (user-facing)

1080p (user-facing) Battery: 63Wh/76Wh

63Wh/76Wh Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E (Gig+), 802.11 ax 22, Bluetooth 5.1

Wi-Fi 6E (Gig+), 802.11 ax 22, Bluetooth 5.1 Audio: AKG Quad Speaker (two 5W woofers, two 2W tweeters), Smart Amp, Dolby Atmos

AKG Quad Speaker (two 5W woofers, two 2W tweeters), Smart Amp, Dolby Atmos Operating system: Windows 11

Windows 11 Dimensions: 12.29 x 8.81 x 0.44in. / 13.99 x 9.86 x 0.49in. (12.5mm)

12.29 x 8.81 x 0.44in. / 13.99 x 9.86 x 0.49in. (12.5mm) Weight: 2.58lbs/3.44lbs (rated)

2.58lbs/3.44lbs (rated) Colors: Graphite, Beige

Graphite, Beige Price: beginning at $1,449.99

Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 specifications:

Processor: Core i7-1360P

Core i7-1360P Display: 16-inch: (2,8801800), 120Hz AMOLED 2X, 400 nits, 120% DCI-P3 color volume

16-inch: (2,8801800), 120Hz AMOLED 2X, 400 nits, 120% DCI-P3 color volume Memory: 16GB LPDDR5

16GB LPDDR5 Storage: 512GB/1TB SSD

512GB/1TB SSD Graphics: Iris Xe

Iris Xe Ports: 2 Thunderbolt 4, USB Type-A , HDMI, microSD, Headphone/Mic

2 Thunderbolt 4, USB Type-A , HDMI, microSD, Headphone/Mic Security: Fingerprint reader

Fingerprint reader Camera: 1080p (user-facing)

1080p (user-facing) Battery: 63Wh/76Wh

63Wh/76Wh Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E (Gig+), 802.11 ax 22, Bluetooth 5.1; 5G Sub6 optional

Wi-Fi 6E (Gig+), 802.11 ax 22, Bluetooth 5.1; 5G Sub6 optional Audio: AKG Quad Speaker (two 5W woofers, two 2W tweeters), Smart Amp, Dolby Atmos

AKG Quad Speaker (two 5W woofers, two 2W tweeters), Smart Amp, Dolby Atmos Operating system: Windows 11

Windows 11 Dimensions: 13.99 x 9.93 x 0.50in. (12.8mm)

13.99 x 9.93 x 0.50in. (12.8mm) Weight: 3.66lbs (rated)

3.66lbs (rated) Colors: Graphite, Beige

Graphite, Beige Prices: beginning at $1,699

Samsung Galaxy Book3 360 specifications:

Processor: Core i7-1360P

Core i7-1360P Display: 13.3-inch/15.6-inch: (19201080) AMOLED

13.3-inch/15.6-inch: (19201080) AMOLED Memory: 16GB LPDDR5

16GB LPDDR5 Storage: 512GB/1TB SSD (1TB as tested) plus expansion slot

512GB/1TB SSD (1TB as tested) plus expansion slot Graphics: Iris Xe

Iris Xe Ports: 1 Thunderbolt 4, 1 USB-C, 1USB Type-A , HDMI, microSD, Headphone/Mic

1 Thunderbolt 4, 1 USB-C, 1USB Type-A , HDMI, microSD, Headphone/Mic Security: Fingerprint reader

Fingerprint reader Camera: 1080p (user-facing)

1080p (user-facing) Battery: 61/68Wh

61/68Wh Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E (Gig+), 802.11 ax 22, Bluetooth 5.1

Wi-Fi 6E (Gig+), 802.11 ax 22, Bluetooth 5.1 Audio: Two 2W speakers, Dolby Atmos

Two 2W speakers, Dolby Atmos Operating system: Windows 11

Windows 11 Dimensions: 11.98 x 7.95x 0.51in. / 13.99 x 8.98 x 0.54in.

11.98 x 7.95x 0.51in. / 13.99 x 8.98 x 0.54in. Weight: 2.56/3.22lbs (rated)

2.56/3.22lbs (rated) Colors: Graphite

Graphite Prices: beginning at $1,299

Correction: A Samsung representative gave us incorrect pricing information before launch. Samsung also announced the Galaxy Book3 360 at press time. This story was updated at 12:07 PM to reflect those changes and on Feb. 2 to add additional details.
With the launch of the Galaxy S23 smartphones, the Galaxy Book3 laptops, and its existing Galaxy Tab tablets, Samsung is showing off a nifty trick, combining all three into a unified system that you can control or copy from a single mouse.

It may not sound like much, but mousing from a tablet to a PC to a phone is something to see. Its like Apples Universal Control, but Samsungs implementation is much more versatile.

Its another twist on the old problem. Whats the best way to move data from device to device? PCs have USB keys and removeable storage for just this reason. But phones dont. Its one of the ways that Samsung is trying to convince you to buy a phone, laptop, and tablet, all with the companys brand.

One of the things worth watching out for is how individual device makers sometimes strike gold with software and services. Samsungs Quick Search app blows away the built-in search within Windows. Lenovos Vantage app sets the high-water mark as a management utility. And Dells Mobile Connect app kicked off the ability to connect phones and PCs in 2018, long before the Windows Phone Link feature appeared. The point? All three justify buying the manufacturers hardware, by selling software.

Add Samsung Flow to that list. Samsungs Flow is an existing app within the Galaxy ecosystem, but the company is enhancing it with the release of the new Galaxy S23 series. Flow already allows you to transfer data between the Tab tablet and the Galaxy Book series. The latest version allows you to mouse between all three devices (phone, tablet and laptop) and transfer data. That sounds simple enough, but we think youll see the potential: With the phone and tablet within view, you can control them with the new Galaxy Book3 laptops, as well as quickly grab a photo or a document that you had previously saved to your phone and move it to another device.

If thats not good enough for you, you can access your phones apps directly from your Windows PC via Phone Link, but only through most Samsung Galaxy phones, the Surface Duo, and select devices made by Honor. Its a select partnership between Microsoft and Samsung thats never been fully explained, though Samsungs self-positioning as the Apple of Android devices may have something to do with it. You can still pull photos from your Android phone and author texts, but the experience has been optimized for Galaxy phones.

There are certainly other ways to do this: save documents to the cloud and then download them on another device, email them to yourself, and so on. But being able to simply mouse across devices is like a cross-device version of Mouse without Borders, a fascinating free app for Windows PCs that does the same thing.

The PC mouse cursor above the Albums tab at the bottom is the signal that something interesting is going on. Mark Hachman / IDG

Samsung is launching the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra beginning today, a 6.8-inch phone which will be available in Phantom Black, Green, Cream and Lavender for $1,199. The Galaxy S23+, with a 6.6-inch display, will be priced at $999. Finally, the S23, a 6.1-inch phone for $799.99 will also go on sales. You can preorder all three phones today, with shipments and in-store purchases beginning on Feb. 17.

Want more details on Samsungs new phones? Check out the coverage on TechAdvisor, our sister site.
Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has proposed three areas for African political and business leaders to prioritize in their quest to transform Africa into an economic powerhouse on the global stage.



Delivering the keynote address at the maiden edition of the African Prosperity Dialogue (APD) which is currently taking place at the Safari Valley Resort in the Eastern Region, the Vice President counselled African business and political leaders to as a matter of priority, make smart investments in critical infrastructure across the continent; unleash the productive capacity of the continent onto the world; while mobilising finance and investments to bridge the infrastructural gap currently plaguing the continent.



According to the Vice President, with the narrative about Africa for most parts of the world sadly being about poverty, conflict, misgovernance, corruption and underdevelopment, the time has come for Africa and Africans to define our own narrative, insisting that: We cannot allow poverty and underdevelopment to be the destiny of Africa, a continent so blessed with every natural resource imaginable  oil, gas, minerals, and sunshine.



Infrastructural Investment



The Vice President opined that as a continent, we need to produce and trade our way out of poverty and underdevelopment, and we cannot do that without investing in smart infrastructure across the continent.



While the last decades have seen some positive investments, he noted, there was the need for additional resources to finance the arteries for trade, which include physical infrastructure such as roads, rail, and energy.



Digital infrastructure such as data centres to facilitate the digital transformation and financial infrastructure to allow for integration of financial markets are also prerequisites for the African transformation.



These investments, he iterated, will be critical to delivering the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).



Unleashing African Productive Capacity



Furthermore, Dr. Bawumia stressed on the need for Africans, particularly its business and political leaders, to unleash their productive capacities across the continent.



We must create platforms for knowledge brokerage and access to information on critical products and services on the continent to allow the 445 million small businesses across the continent to plug into the value chains of these mega industries, he stated.



We need to develop Africa into a manufacturing zone that will facilitate the trade of value-added products, the Vice President added. These, in my view, will be critical to leapfrogging Africas industrialisation and the enormous socio-economic benefits.



Mobilising Finance and Investments



In his third proposal on transforming Africa, the Vice President urged African business and political leaders to focus on mobilising finance and investments.



Africa, he intimated, needs between US$ 130 billion and US$ 170 billion annually to bridge its infrastructure gap and generate sustainable growth at 5% per annum or more.



This, in his opinion, presents immense opportunities for the private sector investment.

Attracting private sector participation through public-private partnerships (PPPs) is therefore, essential for the delivery of various infrastructural projects, he said, adding that, there was the need for innovative policies to mobilise and allocate resources more effectively, and for better coordination amongst all African stakeholders and international partners.



In concluding his remarks, the Vice President charged participants at the forum to consolidate Africas successes so far, saying: We are indeed on the cusp of the realisation of the Africa we want.



As key stakeholders, we must consolidate the successes so far and, with a sense of urgency, develop the signature solutions needed to deepen intra-African trade and spur impactful investments needed to bring prosperity to the continent and its people. And we must do this with fearless determination.



About APD



The Africa Prosperity Dialogue series, is an initiative of the Africa Prosperity Network (APN), that brings together political and business leaders of the continent, as well as other thought leaders to brainstorm on the all-important African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) single-market project for the continent while creating an annual platform for the continents leaders to spearhead collaborative implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement.



The event is scheduled to run between Thursday, January 26 to Saturday, January 28, 2023.

Source: dailyguidenetwork.com









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South Africa's foreign minister Naledi Pandor on Friday called on mobile operator MTN Group (MTNJ.J) and the Ghana Revenue Authority to find a solution to a $773 million tax dispute.



Earlier this month MTN said the Ghana Revenue Authority issued the company's subsidiary MTN Ghana (MTNGH.GH) with a bill for back taxes after auditing it for the years 2014 to 2018 and inferring that it had under-declared its revenue by about 30% during the period.



MTN, which has a presence in 19 countries in Africa and the Middle East, said at the time that it disputed the "accuracy and basis" of the assessment and that it would fight it.



Minister Pandor was briefed on the issue this week and called "on the parties involved to do everything possible to find an amicable solution," South Africa's Department Of International Relations and Cooperation said in a statement.





Source: Reuters









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The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has revealed that some leading shopping malls and eateries are duplicating electronic VAT serial numbers in an attempt to evade tax.



The Head of Accra Central Enforcement Area-GRA, Joseph Annan, speaking to the B&FT in Accra after a visit to some retail departmental shops said: Palace Shopping Mall and other suspected entities are duplicating e-VAT serial numbers, an act tantamount to tax evasion. You have a situation wherein multiple invoices are bearing the same serial numbers. That is a pure case of duplication and they are short-changing the state.



Others, including the Dzorwulo Branch of Second Cup Restaurant and Max Mart East Legon, were not issuing the invoices at all, Mr. Annan disclosed.



The culprits are expected to face court action after all necessary investigations are concluded by the Authority. Indeed, the VAT Act 2013, sections 58, 59, stipulate a 1,500 penalty unit fine or imprisonment of up to five years or a combination of both.



The Authority has emphasized that it will leverage the first quarter of this year to arrest managers of businesses not complying with the electronic VAT (e-VAT) invoice.



This specific exercise, according to Mr. Annan, will involve branches of key retail companies including shopping malls, restaurants and other entities.



Since Monday, management of about six branches of some retail businesses in the capital were arrested for non-compliance with the e-VAT directive.



The enforcement exercise is currently ongoing, according to the GRA, and will cover some 15 branches of major shopping malls and retail outlets in the capital.



This year, 2023, the GRA has set a revenue target of GH206billion  of which the Customs Division is expected to collect some GH28.5billion.



Background



The ongoing e-VAT enforcement exercise is aimed at ensuring that some 50 targetted large taxpayers enroll onto the certified invoicing system. The 50 companies are part of a total 600 companies that have been targetted for the first phase of a three-phase project. The Commissioner-General has officially and legally certified the e-VAT per the VAT Act 870 as amended.



It is worth noting that the 600 companies targetted for the projects first phase pay 90 percent of total VAT revenue and a total 80 percent of the countrys entire domestic revenue.



The exercise is aimed at aiding the GRA to monitor live transactions in companies  thus improving revenue monitoring and collection systems. The system will also check the cases of under-invoicing and prevent avoiding the payment of VAT. When successful, this system will increase VAT contributions to tax revenue.



The projects second phase will enroll medium taxpayers onto the system in 2023, and the third and final phase is expected to enroll the remaining VAT application clients.

Source: B&FT









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The Police have arrested Twelve people who are members of an organized crime syndicate involved in a series of carjacking, robbery and murder incidents across three regions of the country.



The arrests follow a sustained, intelligence-led operation by a special police team which mounted surveillance on the activities of the gang between July 2022 and January 2023 in the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Eastern Regions.



The suspects, Prince Opuni, Kwabena Kyei Barfour, Jeffrey Dwomoh alias Jeff, Clifford Opoku alias Spider, Samuel Adom, William Ansah, Bernard Adu Gyamfi, Anthony Tawiah alias Wizzy, Andrew Kwame Owusu, Musah Sulley, Yaw Acheampong, Charles Lotherford, operate with guns, attack their victims and take over their cars which they then sell to others.



Investigations into the activities of the syndicate revealed that the suspect, Jeffery Dwomoh, shot and killed one of his victims, during one of the carjacking expeditions at Brofoyedru near Ahenema Kokoben.



During the operation, the police recovered ten (10) vehicles, believed to have been snatched by the gang from their victims. The police also retrieved two foreign pistols, one revolver with ten (10) rounds of 38 special ammunition and a Rugger foreign pistol with eleven (11) rounds of 9mm ammunition, together with a cash sum of Ten Thousand and Ten Ghana Cedis (GH10,010.00).



All twelve (12) suspects are in Police custody and efforts are underway to arrest one other suspect who, police have reason to believe, facilitates double vehicle documentation for the syndicate.



Police are in touch with most of the victims who are assisting the investigation and efforts are underway to contact the remaining victims.



We wish to commend the Police team who demonstrated resilience and patriotic commitment during the entire period of the operation, a Police statement stated.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Pope Francis has celebrated one of his biggest masses, in DR Congo's capital, Kinshasa.



It is more than 37 years since a pope visited the mineral-rich but conflict-ridden country.



Estimates say around a million gathered for the open-air mass at N'dole airport, on the second of the pontiff's six-day visit to Africa.



Around half of DR Congo's population is Catholic - the largest Catholic community in Africa.



Speaking at the mass, the Catholic leader called for peace in DR Congo, saying warring sides should forgive one another and grant their opponents a "great amnesty of the heart".



He went on to espouse the benefits of cleansing one's heart of "anger and remorse, of every trace of resentment and hostility".



Wednesday's mass was tipped to be one of the pope's largest-ever masses, second only to one held in the Philippines in 2014, according to Christopher Lamb, the Rome correspondent of the Catholic magazine The Tablet.



In an interview with the BBC's Newsday radio programme, he said Catholicism was growing in Africa: "This is the future of the church and the growth of the Catholic Church in Africa really is so important to the future of Catholicism."



On Tuesday, the Pope met President Felix Tshisekedi and delivered a speech condemning historical exploitation of Africa's resources, which he described as "economic colonialism".



He also addressed DR Congo's plight, as minerals have played a key role in more than three decades of armed conflict there: "Hands off the Democratic Republic of the Congo! Hands off Africa! Stop choking Africa, it is not a mine to be stripped or a terrain to be plundered."



However, a planned visit to the eastern city of Goma has been cancelled for security reasons. The eastern part of DR Congo is facing escalating violence as security services fight against armed militia groups.



According to the United Nations, some six million people have been forced to flee their homes in DR Congo.



That is one of the largest populations of displaced people in the world, alongside places like Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria and Ukraine.



Most of the displaced are in the eastern provinces of South Kivu, North Kivu and Ituri.

Source: BBC









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Presidential hopeful for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwabena Agyei Agyapong, says the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, should have left office seven months ago.



This comment by the presidential hopeful is in line with the current economic crisis and the issues surrounding Ghanas controversial domestic debt exchange program.



In October 2022, the Majority Caucus in Parliament also asked for Ken Ofori Atta to be fired from his job as Finance Minister. The majority MPs made the announcement to the media in Parliament on Tuesday, October 25, 2022.



The signatures of the legislators of the NPP are backing the call on the president to sack his finance minister and his deputy.



Addressing the media on the issue, MP for Asante Akyem North, Andy Appiah-Kubi, said they have been compelled to go public with their demands because several appeals to the Presidency through the leadership have failed.



The 80 NPP MPs who addressed the media disclosed that their position is consistent with those of the colleagues who were not present at the time of the press engagement.



In an exclusive interview on Atinka, presidential hopeful for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwabena Agyei Agyapong, who reacted to the call for the removal of Ofori Atta from office, mentioned that although he has no personal issues with the finance minister, the economic health of Ghana is paramount.



He revealed that confidence is an unquantifiable product and that once the public loses trust in the economy, getting it back will be difficult.



I have asked the president to do something to stop our currency from going down. Some serious decisions have to be taken. I completely disagree with the president on his position on the finance minister.



I have said this before, and it does not mean that I have a personal issue against the finance minister. I think he should have left 7 months ago, in my personal view, Kwabena Agyei Agyapong told Ama Gyenfa Ofosu Darkwa.





Source: happyfm









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The Bui Power Authority (BPA) has been advised to expedite its rate of recovering a $614, 373,274.36 debt owed it by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

This is because the money owed the power generator has been indicated to be adversely affecting its ability to operate effectively and deliver on its mandate.



The Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, Dr James Klutse Avedzi, gave the advice when the Ministry of Energy and its agencies took their turn before the committee to answer queries raised by the Auditor General for the year 2022.



The indebtedness will not go out completely at any point in time, it will continue because every day there is production, sale and repayment by the buyer, so what is more important is the rate at which the debt is being recovered, he stressed.



Infractions



According to the report, the ECG owed the authority $386 million as at the end of December 31, 2019, which increased to $614, 373,274.36 by the end of 2022.



The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the BPA, Kofi Dzamesi, explained that the authority was not gaining any receivables from the ECG despite trying its best to generate more power for the country.



He added that last year, the BPA generated more power than any year in the history of the authority since it was commissioned.



We generated about 1,540 gigawatts and our profit margin for last year should be hitting around $70 million, yet we are not getting anything, he lamented.



Recommendation



The PAC Chairman equally urged the Ministry of Finance to take more steps to ensure that all government agencies settled the debts they owed one another.



They should ensure that at least, they settle some of the debt the ECG owes other agencies like Bui and VRA because they buy the power from these two sources, he said.



The Minister of Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, also recommended that steps should be taken to ensure the ECG was financially viable as it continued to deal with Independent Power Producers (IPPs).



Charging in dollars



Dr Avedzi also urged agencies in the energy sector as well as other government agencies to refrain from charging their fees in foreign currencies, particularly, the United States dollars.



Our currency is Ghana Cedi, ECG will sell the power and collect cedis and they will now go chasing to buy dollars in order to pay, he said.

Source: graphiconline.com









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The Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) has called for a reduction in the number of presidential staffers, ministers of state, and other government appointees to reduce public expenditure.

That, the party said, would be an indication that the government was committed to reduce the pressure on the public purse and set the tone to revive the economy.



Raft of measures



The National Chairman of the PPP, Nana Ofori Owusu, who made the call in an interview with the Daily Graphic, said the government should reduce the number of ministers to 14, deputy ministers to less than 35; cut the executive cost by a minimum of 60 per cent and that of the Jubilee House staff by 60 per cent.



He further urged the government not to start any new project and complete all old ones, as well as suspend all non-essential projects, including the National Cathedral Project.



According to him, if the government wants a buy-in of the citizenry in its efforts to revive the economy, then it must show its commitment towards cutting expenditure.





He said these commitments on the side of the government to reduce expenditure should be made public for the citizenry to appreciate and rally their support towards the economic recovery efforts.



These are the things that we need as a country now, Nana Owusu Ofori stated.



The PPP National Chairman noted that as part of measures to resuscitate the ailing economy, there should also be a ban on the importation of non-essential goods reduction in taxes to encourage domestic production and restoration of indigenous financial institutions whose licenses were wrongfully taken away.



He said the Bank of Ghana should refuse to provide forex to importers of non essential goods.



Alliance



Nana Ofori Owusu stated that discussions into an alliance with political parties for the 2024 elections to defeat tyranny, tribal or family hegemony, nepotism, incompetence and winner takes all governance was underway.



Our objective is to work with like-minded political parties to pursue inclusiveness, support Ghanaian enterprise, reform our democracy and put Ghana on the path of economic independence, he said.



This alliance, he said, will become the voice of the voiceless, work to create jobs for the unemployed, rule of law and care for the people of Ghana.



Good governance



Good governance is critical to nation building. It is as a result of this, the PPP believes the following: election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs); no Member of Parliament should become a minister of state or be on government boards and the like; free compulsory continuous basic education from Kindergarten to Senior High School, uninterrupted; total separation of the Minister of Justice from Attorney General, he reiterated.











Source: graphiconline.com









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"The marriage is legal according to Islam, that was the reason Hisbah Commander in Rano Local Government Area supported and took part in the wedding rites."

The Kano State Hisbah Board has concluded its investigation of Khadija Rano, who was alleged to have dissolved her marriage to marry her daughter's suitor.

This is contained in a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the Board, Lawan Ibrahim, on Tuesday in Kano.

According to the statement, "presenting the report, chairman of the committee who doubles as Deputy Commander in charge of operations of the Board, Malam Hussain Ahmed, said the committee had found out that the marriage was legal and had fulfilled all the necessary criteria."

Mr Ahmed said Ms Khadija was divorced by her husband and had observed the three months waiting period (iddah) prescribed by Islam, later married a man whom her biological daughter had earlier rejected.

The Deputy Commander dismissed allegations that she was seeing her present husband while married and instigated her husband to divorce her to marry her daughter's suitor.

"The marriage is legal according to Islam, that was the reason Hisbah Commander in Rano Local Government Area supported and took part in the wedding rites.

The Commander General of the Board, Harun Ibn-Sina, has commended the committee for discharging its responsibilities.

Mr Ibn-Sina said the committee members were carefully selected due to their vast knowledge of Islamic teachings and societal orientation.

He said the general public should desist from spreading fake news and avoiding misconceptions on issues regarding Islam.

He urged them to seek knowledge as Islam was a religion that had jurisdictions regarding marriage, family life and all other related issues of human endeavour.

(NAN)
An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a trader who caused harm to a Good Samaritan to six months in hard labour.



Isaka Adamu, 21, hit the head of Samuel Lawson with a stick, making him unconscious when Lawson prevented him from administering his personal idea of justice on a suspected thief.



Adamu simply admitted the offence when he was put before the Court on Monday and he was handed the jail term.



Police Inspector Wisdom Alorwu told the Court presided over by Ms Adelaide Abui Kaddey that Mr Lawson, the complainant, was a security man with UCS Security Company at Dzorwulu whilst Adamu, the convict, was a trader and an Ivorian living around Abossey Okai Central Mosque.



He said on January 21, 2023 the complainant was on duty at Omni Bank, Abossey Okai when he spotted Adamu, chasing a young man with a stick towards his duty post at about 04:10 hours.



Inspector Alorwu said when the complainant confronted Adamu as to why he was chasing him, he claimed the young man had stolen his iron rod of which the complainant indicated that he saw nothing in his hand.



The complainant tried to advise Adamu to stop pursuing the alleged thief, but he did not listen till the alleged thief ran into a group of people for safety, the Court heard.



According to the prosecution, the defendant became offended by the complainants obstructionism and attitude and, without any provocation, struck the complainant in the head with the stick in his hand before fleeing.



He said the complainant fell unconscious and was rushed to Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for treatment.



A security guard on duty nearby who witnessed the incident gave the convict a chase, arrested and subsequently handed him over to the Police for investigation, Inspector Alorwu said.



He said during investigations, Adamu admitted the offence, but indicated that he did not intend to hit the complainants head.



After thorough investigations, the convict was charged with the offence, Prosecution said.

Source: GNA









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A 23-year-old German-Iraqi woman sought out a lookalike on Instagram and murdered her with a friend in order to fake her own death, prosecutors in Bavaria believe.



When the blood-covered body of a young woman was found last August in a parked Mercedes in Ingolstadt, southern Germany, reports initially identified the victim as Sharaban K, a Munich-based 23-year-old beautician with Iraqi roots.



Even though some members of Sharaban Ks family had identified the body, an autopsy report the next day raised questions over its identity. The victim was eventually named as Khadidja O, an Algerian beauty blogger from Heilbronn in the neighbouring state of Baden-Wurttemberg, also 23.



With long black straight hair, a similar complexion and heavy makeup, the two women looked strikingly alike, police said, leading the German press to refer to the case as the doppelganger murder.



Along with a 23-year-old Kosovan, named as Sheqir K, Sharaban K was detained on remand by Bavarian police on 19 August 2022, though authorities did not publicly speculate about a motive until this week. The victims and accused have been referred to by their first names and an initial as is customary in the German legal system.



Investigations have led us to assume that the accused wanted to go into hiding because of a family dispute and fake her own death to that effect, Veronika Grieser of the Ingolstadt state prosecutors office said on Monday morning.



Police say several women bearing her resemblance had been contacted by Sharaban K, operating on social media sites under numerous aliases, in the week before the murder. By making various promises she tried to bring about meetings, which was initially unsuccessful, Grieser said.



But Khadidja O had agreed to meet, lured by what Suddeutsche Zeitung reported to be a cosmetics offer. By car, Sheqir K and Sharaban K allegedly picked her up from her apartment on the day of the murder. In a stretch of woodland between Heilbronn and Ingolstadt the accused pair are alleged to have made up a pretext for the Algerian woman to step outside the vehicle and stabbed her to death.



The crime weapon has not been found, but the evidence is overwhelming, a police spokesperson, Andreas Aichele, told the tabloid Bild. The victim was killed with over 50 thrusts of the knife, the face completely disfigured.



Prosecutors allege the pair then lifted the victim on the backseat of their Mercedes and drove to Ingolstadt, parking the car in a quiet residential area by the banks of the Danube, where it was discovered by Sharaban Ks parents shortly before midnight on 16 August 2022.



Though investigations were ongoing and further witnesses were still to be interviewed, arrest warrants against Sheqir K and Sharaban K were issued on 26 and 27 January, the spokesperson for the Ingolstadt prosecutor said. The pair face life sentences if convicted.



You dont get a case like this every day, especially with such a spectacular twist, Aichele told Bild. On the day we found the body there was nothing to prepare us for this development.









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Residents of Hobor, near Kwaku Panfo in the Ga South Municipality of the Greater Accra Region, have appealed to the Ghana Armed Forces to investigate the alleged involvement of some military officers in the murder of a 29-year-old man in the community.



The Assembly Member of Hobor Electoral Area, Mr Peter Adonu, said some six suspected military officers were alleged to have shot and killed Alfred Awuku over land litigation between Golden Exotics Limited and the Ashifra Family.



The unidentified military men stormed the area and ordered some indigenes of Kwaku Panfo, who were grading a piece of land, to stop work.



Awuku was said to have been shot from behind by a military officer during a struggle with another military man, who attempted to arrest the Chief Priest (Wulomo) of Kwaku Panfo.



The Assembly Member said he was aware of the land litigation between the Ashifra Family and Golden Exotics Ltd but could not tell who hired the military officers to protect the land.



He said the Amanfrom Police Command was called in to restorepeace and provide security.



The Chief of Kwaku Panfo, Nii Quashi Amponsah, called for justice on the death of their relative and urged the Ghana Armed Forces to investigate the case.



Meanwhile, the Kasoa Divisional Police Command has arrested a military officer, Sergeant Gideon Asemanyi of the 48 Engineering Regiment, for allegedly stripping naked, a civilian at Gomoa Tuansah in the Gomoa East District of the Central Region.



Police sources say the military officer accused the victim, Amos Fosu, of demolishing his fathers building foundation.



Fosu denied the allegation of any involvement in the said demolition.



He said his wife was traumatised after he was stripped naked in public.



Sgt. Asemanyi has been granted bail and the Military Police of the GAF have sent him to Accra for investigations.





Source: GNA









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With Ghanas dedication to Moving Beyond Aid and expanding its local digital economy, there has been a lot of noteworthy achievements throughout the years.



Notable among these include:



 Ghana recording the highest internet penetration rate (53%), as well as the highest e-Connectivity Index (86.43), in the West African Sub-region, in 2022.



 Ghanas close to 19 million unique mobile subscribers, equivalent to 67 percent of the population, which is significantly higher than the Sub-Saharan African average of 44 percent.



 Ghana toping African countries with the fastest internet speed in the latest global ranking as well as its significant investments in rural network coverage through its Rural Telephony Project which has helped increase the communication coverage rate in underserved communities from 83% to 95% by providing affordable ICT infrastructure.



Huawei is proud to have contributed to many of these achievements including the governments Rural Telephony and Digital Inclusion Project. Through this project, Huawei deployed 2,000 base stations in rural areas and provided voice and data services to 3.4 million people, 2,000 schools, and 200 rural clinics.



All of these achievements have paved way for Ghana to transition towards a flourishing digital economy; with the younger generation being the main driving force behind this progress. However, it is undeniable that the demand for digital-skilled talents in Ghana exceeds its supply.



Research suggests that by 2030, 50 percent of all jobs and 75-80 percent of the formal sector jobs in Ghana will require essential digital skills as a prerequisite. This reality hurdles young people from fully fulfilling their potential in the digital era. To bridge this gap, Huawei, as a world-leading ICT company and a long-time partner of the Ghanaian Government, is committed to improving the digital skills capacity of more Ghanaians by introducing the LEAP digital talent program - which promotes the 'Leadership', 'Employability, 'Advancement', and 'Possibilities' of people by equipping them with sufficient digital skills.



Under the LEAP program, we are aiming to provide ICT training to a hundred thousand (100,000) people from 2022 to 2024 in Ghana, together with our partners from industry and academia.



In addition to providing world-class training lessons and certificates to policymakers, young graduates and ICT professionals while improving the digital literacy skills of the public, Huawei is also dedicated to enhancing the hands-on experience of the programs beneficiaries. It is against this backbone that we established the Ghana ICT Talent Development Centre (GITDeC) in Ghana, to boost the career readiness of the youth interested in joining the ICT industry and equip them with hands-on experience in the real-world environment.



The Ghana ICT Talent Development Centre has been set up to offer training in the field of telecommunications equipment installation, standardized quality control, EHS (Environmental, Health, and Safety) compliance, and the use of digital delivery platforms. All of these courses are designed based on the demands of real-world jobs.



There will be full-time qualified instructors and skilled engineers on-site to guide and support the trainees. There is no need to fear the wind when your roots are deep, says an African proverb. At Huawei, we believe that the LEAP program, will widely and deeply spread the roots of digital prosperity in Ghana.



This initiative strongly advocates for putting people, especially the youth, at the centre of the spotlight and investing immensely in people with the ultimate goal of realizing the growth of the youth, their communities and societies, as well as their beloved country. With this approach, economic advancement is inevitable. We also see the launch of the Ghana ICT Talent Development Centre as a clarion call for more collaborations. The goals of ICT talent development and adequate digital skills provision cannot be achieved by an individual. It takes a village to raise a child, as the saying goes.



We must therefore closely collaborate with government, industry, and academia, as well as encourage more domestic and international resources, expertise and partnerships. This will enable us build an ecosystem which is open to everyone and from which all parties can benefit.



We firmly believe that, with a strong supply of digital talent and an extensive collaboration among stakeholders, the full bloom of Ghanas digital future would be within reach.

Source: Mr. Tommy Liang, CEO, Huawei Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The General Overseer of the Global Revival Ministries, Rev. Dr. Robert Ampiah-Kwofi has described the immediate past Minister for Trade and Industry, Hon. Alan Kyerematen as a man with integrity at a Thanksgiving service in Accra.



According to the revered man of God, Alan Kyeremanten's unblemished integrity makes him a rare industry player in a politically tainted system.





Addressing thousands of congregants in Accra, Rev Ampiah Kwofi heaped kind words on the former Trade and Industry Minister.



"I am struck by the fact that Alan Kyerematen has served under former President J.A Kufuor and H.E President Akufo Addo, he has served under different leadership and yet I havent heard bad thing about him.



And if your enemies have nothing against you, then you are a man of integrity" , Rev. Ampiah Kwofi told the stakeholders present.



Hon Alan Kyerematen made a name for himself as the longest serving Trade and Industry Minister with over 10 years of experience in the industrial space.



He has accounted for such projects like 1D1F and other industrialization based projects.



Mr Kyeremanten has declared his intention to contest in the upcoming NPP Presidential Primaries slated for the last quarter of 2023.



Special guests present at the thanksgiving service are the Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon. Abena Osei Asare, Subin MP Eugene Boakye Antwi, MP for Ngelehshi Amanfrom Sylvester Tetteh, Former minister for Tourism, Arts and culture Catherine Afeku, prophet salifu Amoako, Prophet Isaac Owusu Bempah,the founder and leader of Glorious Word Power Ministry International and other dignitaries.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Former Communications Minister during the John Mahama regime, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, has hinted that former President, John Dramani Mahama will officially declare his stand with regards to the NDCs flagbearership for election 2024.



According to him, the former President made this statement in a meeting with the National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, and some executives and members of the UK and Ireland chapters of the NDC in London.



... I will announce my political future next month, President John Dramani Mahama declares in London, reads Dr Omane Boamahs Facebook post.



The former President is in London for some international engagements. He gave a lecture at Chatham House on Friday, January 27, 2023, on Africas Strategic Priorities and Global Role where he expressed optimism about the future of Ghana and Africa in general.



I encourage you not to lose hope in Ghana and Africa because it is far more useful to look forward to the future with hope than to brood over the present with despair. I am an eternal believer in the potential and positive energies of Africa and her youth, he stated.









Source: gbc









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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Dennis Miracles Aboagye says President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will fulfil his 'Agenda 111' promise to Ghanaians.



He assured the populace that the project will surely be completed within the specified period.



Under the 'Agenda 111' project, the President intends to build district and Regional hospitals to ameliorate the health challenges in the country.



The project which was announced to commence in August last two years and all the hospitals completed within 18 months seems to have halted as not much on its progress is known to the public.



The hospitals which will cost $16.88 million each was announced by the President in April 2020.



Also, the Minority in Parliament on Wednesday, January 25, 2023 toured the Adeiso project site and found that it has been overrun with weeds and huge stones.



Hon. Kwabena Minkah Akandoh, a Ranking Member on Parliament's Health Committee, told the media that the contractor abandoned the project after pocketing $1.3 million.



But the Director of Local Government Services at the Office of the President, Dennis Miracles has explained why it seems there is no progress, revealing that some of the places earmarked for the construction of the hospitals have technical issues but the authorities are addressing them to ensure the project comes off successfully.



He mentioned a place like Madina and disclosed that there is a dispute over the land that the government has acquired, and at Tema West, they found no land.



He further revealed that there is nothing on the Adeiso project site because the land is rocky and the authorities are looking at alternatives to commence the project.



"Challenges exist but if you don't set out to do it, how can you confront the challenges? If every time you give excuse for not doing something, how can we develop the nation? We should get into it. We will face the challenges and then once we face the challenges, we fix it and then we deliver," he told Kwami Sefa Kayi while speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show.



Dennis Miracles asked Ghanaians not to fall for the deception by the Minority in Parliament that the project is a "scam".





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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An aspiring flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen formally informed, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II of his intention to contest the flagbearership of the NPP.

The immediate past Minister of Trade and Industry was at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region yesterday to also seek for his blessing as he pursued his ambition to become the presidential candidate of the NPP.



The courtesy call on the Asantehene forms part of activities marking Mr Kyerematen homecoming to the Ashanti Region.



Mr Kyerematen also received a rousing welcome from his teeming supporters on his arrival in the region.



Homecoming



Addressing the Asantehene, his chiefs and elders at the Manhyia Palace, Mr Kyerematen said as a son of the land, he deemed it appropriate to come home and to meet all the stakeholders to sell his vision to them and get their support to embark on his journey.





He also said the Ashanti Region was the heartbeat of the NPP and Manhyia Palace was where it all started from, so it was just right that he came to where the seed of the party was sown to seek the blessing of the elders.



He told the Asantehene and his elders that he was only going to continue the good works started by his father, Dr Alex Atta Yaw Kyerematen, who was the first Director of the Kumasi Centre for National Culture.



He said while serving in government, he got the approval of the President to initiate a lot of policies that were changing the lives of the many Ghanaians.



Prominent among them was the One District, One Factory initiative, which saw as many as 296 factories being established across the nation with the Ashanti Region having 47 of such factories.



With the support of the World Bank, he said the Ashanti Region would soon host the biggest industrial park and economic zone in Ejisu to provide jobs for people in the region and Ghana in general.



He called for the support of all and sundry, particularly party delegates, to enable him to win the flagbearer position and lead the party in the next general election as presidential candidate of the NPP.



Alan Kyerematen (right), responding to cheers, after exchanging pleasantries with the Asantehene



Blessing



The Asantehene asked Mr Kyerematen to continue to let his good upbringing guide him in his work to continue to perform well in all his endeavours and his works would be what people would use to judge him.



According to the Asantehene, leaders were elected by God and if it has not been ordained by God, one can never become a leader.





As such, he assured him of both his personal support and that of the Golden Stool in his endeavours and was hopeful that he would find favour with the delegates to elect him as the flagbearer of the party.



Floodgate



The Asantehene said he was aware that his visit would open the floodgate for other candidates to also come to seek his blessing for the contest.



According to the Asantehene, his wish was for the best candidate with the interest of the country at heart to win the slot and guide the party to the elections in December 2024.



Guidance



Otumfuo pledged his readiness and availability to offer advice and guidance whenever called upon to.



He advised the presidential candidate hopeful to sell himself to the people by telling them about his plans and vision for the country and not for the NPP alone.



Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Former Member of Parliament(MP) for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini has said that it will be a terrible mistake for the former President and flagbeaerer of the NDC, John Dramani Mahama to be contested for the flagbearership slot of the party.



According to him the former President must be allowed to run unopposed as the party remains united solidly behind him for victory in 2024.



Speaking on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he explained that this is not the time for the NDC to be experimenting on who to lead the party because former President John Mahama has built a solid record as a President for the party.



"If you check the records of the former President, it remains unchallenged so any new person who will be elected as flagbearer will be campaigning on those achievements and records."



"Why don't we then as a party allow the former President go unopposed to enable him have enough time to campaign on his own record?" he quizzed.



"Ghana needs somebody like former President John Dramani Mahama who has led the country before and was able to manage the economy well to come back to put the country right back on track. The NPP government is gradually collapsing the economy and the only person who has the Midas touch to turn things around is John Mahama," he added.



He said the former President stands the chance of winning the 2024 elections than any other person who the NDC will mistakenly elect as flagbearer of the party.



Watch Video Below





Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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UK based Kumawood Actress, Eunice Oheneba Asiedu has disclosed her horrific experience with her husband just six months into their marriage.Eunice said she noticed theres danger ahead when her husband did a no show on their wedding night.Although she was worried about how her husband left her to spend their first night together as couple alone, she hoped for better days.According to Miss Asiedu, she experienced the shock of her life 6 months after their marriage.She narrated how her husband upon a misunderstanding threw his wedding ring into the toilet and called for a separation.Despite the turbulence in her marriage, her plight escalated after she gave birth to 3 children. The birth of the third child also brought about its issues.She went days struggling to feed herself and the children because her husband and father of her children has refused to help.The actress also disclosed how her husband sends her packing at the slightest opportunity yet she never left.However, what made her finally accepted that it is over was when he requested that she sums up her losses as a result of their marriage for a compensation.The Actress seized the opportunity to engage in menial jobs in order to feed herself and her family.She later enrolled in School where she studied Care Management. That, she said has been her saviour and second chance.She is currently a professional Care Manager and owner of a production studio in Ghana. Eunice made these revelations in an interview with Emelia Brobbey on her show, Okukuseku.VIDEO-















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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"So because he has nothing to show for his four years in office, he had to excuse himself," the PDP candidate said.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Lagos, Abdulazeez 'Jandor' Adediran, on Tuesday, said that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu failed to attend The Platform Nigeria debate held on Sunday because "he has nothing to show for his four years in office".

Mr Adediran said Mr Sanwoolu's absence from the debate was planned to help him avoid answering critical questions bordering on the arrested development the state witnessed under his watch.

"If a governor of Lagos State who is supposed to be the chief security officer of the state is saying that 'I am not safe standing by a citizen of the state' for whatever reason, then that speaks volume of what the people of Lagos should expect," the Lagos State PDP governorship candidate said on Arise TV's programme Morning Show.

"He is telling all of us that we are not safe under his watch because even he is not safe in a closet where the debate is going to happen."

Mr Adediran remarked that before it eventually held on Sunday, the debate had been shifted about four times on the ground that Mr Sanwoolu cited various reasons for not attending.

"He was looking for something to ride on so that he won't be part of the debate," he said of Mr Sanwo-Olu.

"Because that debate he had shifted about four times saying he wanted to commission the two bus stop rail line. He wants Buhari to come and commission the deep sea port. What is your own with the deep sea port? We are just a landlord with some percentage and all that. So because he has nothing to show for his four years in office, he had to excuse himself."

Earlier on Saturday, Mr Sanwo-Olu's handlers had announced that the governor would not attend the debate. The decision came as a reaction to a viral video wherein some supporters of the opposition party unleashed mayhem on some residents of the state.

A video widely circulating on Sunday showed about twelve hooligans shooting in a Lagos neighbourhood, with one of them holding an axe. Part of it depicted a Toyota Sienna car appearing to be a campaign vehicle of the PDP governorship candidate driving into the street with one of the armed men opening a front door and shoving his bag inside.

"Following advice from competent sources, including elders and respectable Lagosians, we will henceforth shun any forum that may require us being together with PDP and its agents of violence," a statement issued on Saturday by the Lagos State Government said.

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But on Tuesday, Mr Adediran claimed that Mr Sanwo-Olu's absence was orchestrated to shield him from being questioned at the debate.

"If you want him to come to the debate, he will come and explain how he did a budget of N812 billion in 2020 with 120 per cent budget performance at the end of the year according to him. He will come and explain how he did a budget of N1.25 trillion in 2021 and how that recorded a performance of 85.7 per cent in that year," Mr Adediran said on the television programme.

"He will come and explain how he had a budget of 2022 of N1.758 trillion with a performance of 77.9 (per cent) in the second quarter of that year. Yet you still have a poverty rate from 4.5 per cent in 2019 when you took over and now 8.5 per cent today. You still have unemployment rate of 14.6 (per cent) when you took over and now 37.16. So he will have a lot to come and explain so he had to dodge the debate."

The PDP candidate went further to disclose that his running mate, Funke Akindele, was chased out of the market she went to campaign and speak to people by thugs.

He alleged that he had had a similar experience when he went to Oworonshoki, an area in the state, adding that the government is doing it "to scare us off the road."

Earlier in the month, during a rally in the Somolu Local Government Area of the state, Mr Adediran said he would run a government that will have the interest of ordinary people at heart and eradicate hooliganism and thuggery within the state.
B.C. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, from left to right, Carolyn Bennett, federal minister of Mental Health and Addictions, and B.C. Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Jennifer Whiteside stand together during a news conference in Vancouver, on Monday, January 30, 2023. Decriminalization of people with small amounts of illegal drugs for their own use has become a reality in British Columbia, but substance users and researchers say the move is expected to make little immediate difference because of a toxic drug supply that is killing people. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
The world is full of obvious things that many choose not to observe. Such as the fact that, despite all its cries of alarm about this or that country being a threat to peace and stability, it is the United States that is the most gung ho and habitual destroyer of both.

This has been once again laid bare by the reckless talk from Washington of a coming "war" between China and the United States over Taiwan.

According to reports, Michael McCaul, the new chairman of the House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee, said on Sunday that the odds of a conflict with China over Taiwan "are very high". His remarks came two days after a rabidly bloodlusting memo by US Air Force General Mike Minihan was made public. In it, Minihan said he believed that the US would fight a war with China in the next two years, directing all troops under his command to undertake firing practice "with the full understanding that unrepentant lethality matters most. Aim for the head."

Considering that the US has been constantly stoking tensions across the Taiwan Straits through such tricks as colluding with pro-independence forces on the island, selling arms to it and hollowing out the one-China principle with various political stunts, it is not hard to deduce that the US military is actually gunning for such a conflict, or at least hyping it up for a bigger budget.

Meanwhile, those politicians in Washington heralding an imminent war with the Chinese mainland over Taiwan already have their eyes on 2024 and are early players in the "let's show who's the toughest on China" game the two parties always play in the run-up to a presidential election.

US President Joe Biden has said on more than one occasion that the US does not seek a new Cold War, does not seek to revitalize its alliances against China, does not support "Taiwan independence", and has no intention to have a conflict with China.

Yet, at the same time, there can be no mistaking the subtext of the message the US is sending, which is that it will have no qualms about sacrificing world peace and stability in order to maintain its hegemony.

Nonetheless, US officials hyping up the possibility of a war with China should take some time to reflect upon their warmongering words and the potential consequences of emboldening the secessionists on the island. No one should underestimate Beijing's determination to resolve the Taiwan question and realize China's complete reunification, nor believe that it can be intimidated.

But, having said that, nor should they ignore its consistency in stating that national reunification by peaceful means is the preferred choice, as it best serves the interests of the Chinese nation as a whole, and works best for the long-term stability and development of the country as a whole.
Mr Buhari inaugurated various projects in the states visited.

President Muhammadu Buhari has returned to Abuja after official visits to Dakar, Senegal, as well as five states of the federation where he inaugurated several developmental projects in the affected states.

The states are Bauchi, Lagos, Katsina, Kano and Jigawa.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that before departing for Lagos on 23 January, Mr Buhari had attended political rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi, Bauchi State.

The president departed Lagos for Senegal on Tuesday after a two-day official visit to the state where he inaugurated some developmental projects.

While in Lagos, the president inaugurated the Lekki Deep Sea Port and the Imota Rice Mill which are projected to create more than 300,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Mr Buhari also inaugurated the Bestaf Lubricant at MRS Holdings Company Limited, Apapa, as well as the historic first Phase of the Blue Line of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit, and the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History on Tuesday.

The first phase of the Lagos Blue Rail Line, taking a ride from the Marina Station to National Theatre Station, executed by the state government, which spans 13 kilometers, has five stations - Mile 2, Suru-Alaba, Orile Iganmu, National Theatre and Marina.

The Nigerian leader arrived Senegal on 24 January. to attend the 2nd Dakar International Conference on Agriculture.

The high-level Dakar 2nd Summit hosted by President Macky Sall of Senegal and the chairperson of the African Union was held under the theme "Feeding Africa: Food Sovereignty and Resilience."

The conference, which seeks to create favourable conditions toward achieving food security in Africa, was convened jointly by the government of Senegal and the African Development Bank.

In his goodwill message to the Feed Africa Summit of Heads of State and Government on Wednesday in Dakar, Mr Buhari welcomed the provision of 538.05 million dollars for the first phase of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) for Nigeria programme.

The facility was provided by the African Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

Mr Buhari held bilateral meeting with the President of Ireland, Micheal Higgins, on the sideline of the 2nd Dakar International Conference on Agriculture.

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Mr Buhari, who returned to Nigeria on Wednesday night, embarked on another official visit to Katsina State on Thursday.

While in Katsina, the president inaugurated developmental projects across the state and visited the Emir of Daura, Farouk Umar Farouk.

Mr Buhari inaugurated the Muhammadu Buhari Meteorological Institute undertaken by the Ministry of Aviation, the Darma Rice Mill in Batagarawa and the Katsina State General Hospital.

He also inspected ongoing work on the first flyover in Katsina, which had reached 90 per cent completion in the Government Reserved Area.

The president also hosted the Presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu, who was accompanied by some progressive governors, at his country home Daura, Katsina State.

Mr Buhari had on Monday and Tuesday visited Kano and Jigawa States, respectively, where he inaugurated Federal and State Governments' projects.

During his one-day official visit to Jigawa on Tuesday, the president visited four local government areas to inaugurate projects.

The projects included the Hadejia Valley Irrigation Scheme at Auyo, Birnin Kudu Specialist Hospital, Malam Alu Integrated Agro-Allied Farm, Birnin Kudu, and the dualised Unity-Pentagon-Fanisau Road.

At the farm, the president unveiled a 50.3 metres flag pole, described as the tallest in the country by Faruk Aliyu.

The president also had an aerial view of some of the roads, infrastructure, bridges and places affected by the flood disaster in September 2022, which affected many parts of Jigawa, before returning to Abuja on Tuesday evening.

(NAN)
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MSNBCs Nicolle Wallace played a round-up of investigators and prosecutors saying that beyond a reasonable doubt, Trump committed crimes.

Video:

.@NicolleDWallace plays a round-up of prosecutors and investigators saying that beyond a reasonable doubt Trump committed crimes. pic.twitter.com/3NVcqtM9FD  Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) January 31, 2023

Wallace said,  Let me pull back the curtain for a minute and talk about why were starting here. In a normal moment, the extraordinary to hear a former president take the fifth amendment, which is his right, his privilege against incriminating himself. Its a story we werent positive that was even the top story today, but I want to play this for all of you. This is people not like me, former political actors or people in the news, these are lifelong prosecutors, people who run investigations into Trump saying that beyond a reasonable persons assessment and based on our investigation he committed crimes. 

Nicolle Wallace then asked Andrew Weissmann why if there is so much evidence against Trump nothing ever happens to him.

Weissmann answered, I mean, so, look, there has been such a long period where it appears that Donald Trump is circling the drain, but everyone has heard that over and over again and theyre not seeing accountability. Now when he was president it is important to know he could not under Department of Justice guidelines be prosecuted. That didnt, however, prevent either Manhattan or Georgia at the state level from bringing a case, and you do see signs of life, particularly in Georgia, that they are pursuing it. Now that he is no longer the president, I do think that youre seeing a whole series of ways that he is being held to account.

It matters that there is video of Trump taking the fifth hundreds of times, because there is ample evidence elsewhere that Donald Trump committed crimes.

In hindsight, Donald Trump was saved from prosecution for years by being in the White House, and before he became president, Trump never had national scrutiny on his business dealings and behavior.

The video released by AG James shows Trump looking weak, and it could be the final blow that wrecks his self-made myth.
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House Oversight Committee ranking member Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) sent a letter to the Secret Service demanding any documents related to people who had access to Trump and Pences homes.

Rep. Raskin wrote:

The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating former President Donald Trumps and former Vice President Mike Pences mishandling of sensitive, highly classified documents. Last August, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) retrieved thousands of government documents from former President Trumps Mar-a-Lago Club, including hundreds of documents with classified markings, after he rejected multiple requests to

voluntarily turn the records over to the federal government.

Just last week, news reports revealed that attorneys for former Vice President Pence discovered approximately a dozen documents with classified markings at his home in Carmel, Indiana. Given that the U.S. Secret Service provided protection for Mr. Trump and Mr. Pence during the time they stored classified

materials at their respective residences, the Committee is seeking information from your agency regarding who had access to former President Trumps Mar-a-Lago Club and former Vice President Pences personal residence since leaving office.

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The Secret Service does not maintain visitor logs to private homes, so what Raskin is asking for is any documents that would show who had access to the homes, because those people could also have access to government documents and classified information.

House Republicans are going to attempt to make the Biden classified documents situation a major scandal, while ignoring Trump and Pence. House Republicans should be joining with Democrats to investigate all of these instances of classified documents being found in private homes.

The Biden and Pence situations appear to be different from Trumps. Biden and Pence seem to have inadvertently ended up with documents in their homes. There is a case to be made that Trump knowingly stole documents, lied, and refused to give them back.

Rep. Raskin is not about to allow Republicans to play games and minimize Trump and Pence while attacking President Biden.
Every February 1, Rwanda marks Heroes Day in an annual event to pay tribute to the people who exemplified and defended the highest values of patriotism and sacrifice for the wellbeing of the country and its citizens.

This year's theme is 'Our Heroism, Our Dignity'.

Various musicians in Rwanda who spoke to The New Times shared their thoughts on what the day means to them and the message that Rwandans should learn from it.

Ruti Joel

For me, Heroes Day reminds me that there are people who worked hard for us to be who we are today. Our heroes are a big inspiration in every sector including the music industry, and we will continue to try our best to walk in their path.

Producer Clement Ishimwe

This day reminds me to not ever take my country for granted because there are heroes who paid the ultimate price for it to be where it is today. It also reminds me to do everything I can to raise my country's flag in everything I do.

Noopja, CEO and founder of Country Records

The day for me is a task that we all have to make sure that what our heroes fought for is protected. Some of them lost their lives while liberating our country.

As a country that is no longer at war, I feel that it is my task, and my fellow youth, to save our country from other wars which don't require bullets to stop them like ignorance, laziness, drugs, and myopic thinking. Together we can achieve more.

Etienne Ishimwe, Member of The Target Band

As a Rwandan and musician, Heroes' Day means a lot to me because of the great work done by the heroes that we remember. They are the main reason we work in peace and security.

We are building our country without any obstacles and we appreciate them for that.

Mariya Yohana

All Rwandans should celebrate this day and let it sink in their bloodline. We have the best examples to look at, from our great grandparents who fought to build this peaceful nation we have.

God loves Rwanda so much. We strongly believe that He will provide some future heroes from our young generation. They are doing great and with that, they are leaders of the future nation and heroes are promised.

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Alex Muyoboke

Our heroes rescued our families and they lost their lives in the process and now we are enjoying the fruits of their sweat and living in a peaceful country.

I wish artistes could compose songs in honor of our heroes just like they always do amazing songs in other categories. It's so sad to see the ignorance of anyone who takes this day for granted. People like this have no idea of where they are going.

Let's build a peaceful country that we will not only live in but also a country we will leave for our future generations.

Alyn Sano

Heroes' Day means a day that was fixed for us to celebrate and recognise all Rwandans who did heroic acts.

The message that this day should leave to Rwandans is that we should make our heroes proud! They did not sacrifice for us to fight, become jealous of one another or anything disharmonious. We owe it to them to love our country and its poople.
Aiken, SC (29801)

Today

Mostly cloudy this morning. A few showers developing during the afternoon. High near 75F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 55F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Standing 16 feet and overlooking a small pond, a new water wheel created by Strom Thurmond High School students was recently installed at the Old McDonald Fish Camp in North Augusta.

The wheel was created by nine welding students in the high school career center over the fall semester. The idea came after welding instructor Bill Cheatham met with the fish camp owner Jay Bass.

All I did was tell them the dimensions and he measured the area for how big the dimensions were for the area that we wanted it, Bass said.

We do a lot of community projects and we have done things for the town of Edgefield and we have done projects for farmers all over South Carolina. Weve got things everywhere, Cheatham said. They learn all the processes but they have to learn how to fabricate and cut things and put them together and weld them.

Bass, a Strom Thurmond graduate, was pleased with the work that the students created and with the added details of the cutout man and whiskey barrels.

I am very proud of it. They did an awesome job, Bass said.

Seniors Tristen Puckett and Sarah Wates enjoyed the challenges of creating the aluminum water wheel from scratch with their classmates.

It means a lot to me because I want to go into welding and there are not a lot of girls that do welding, so it is just a really good opportunity to have, Wates said.

Although he has no plans to be a welder, the project held a special meaning to Puckett.

My grandpa always did this, so me doing this and showing him how I can do it made a big impact on me because it showed him that I can do it, too and it made him really proud of me, Puckett said. When he saw it, it was really cool.

Junior Ben Blythe, who also works at the Fish Camp as a hushpuppy cook, found the project to be important.

I thought it was kind of ironic that I started working on the wheel two weeks or so after I started working there, he said. They were talking about working on a big project and then it was revealed that it was the wheel.

Cheatham explained the hard work the students is not always a straight path to success.

When it doesnt work out like they want it, you just slow them down a bit and talk to them and go show them some things and if they get on a project and they get discouraged, take them off and go on another project and let them start something else and then they can come back to it, Cheatham said. They all work together well.

These kids can come back and say that I did that right there and built that and take pride in it, Bass said. I think they did, judging where they were when they installed it.
Moncks Corner, SC (29461)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 82F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 59F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
The state bridge work will close the southbound lane of I-77 from 9 p.m. on April 14 through April 23 between mile marker 0 at I-26 and mile marker 5 at Bluff Road. Read moreBuckle up for more detours as I-77 South shuts down for bridge repairs near Columbia
The Greenville Housing Fund has closed on a 212-unit apartment complex that will be used for affordable and workforce housing, a $31 million sale that marks the nonprofit's largest acquisition to date.

Century Plaza Apartments, previously known as The Ivy, sits on Century Drive in the Overbrook neighborhood near Green Charter Middle School, according to a statement from the organization.

Housing Fund CEO Bryan Brown said the units at the complex range from one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartments to townhomes with up to three bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Rents at the complex will range from just under $800 a month to roughly $1,600 a month at the larger homes.

Bryan said his organization is partnering with the Greenville Housing Authority to accept federal housing vouchers. About 50 of the units, or close to a quarter of the complex, will be occupied by voucher recipients.

Brown said that while the apartments were affordable before the acquisition, the Greenville Housing Fund taking ownership guarantees the preservation of that affordability and expands the area's supply of desperately needed voucher-eligible homes.

"Somebody might be paying $200 a month and the voucher pays the difference," he said. "That's how we reach down to at or below 30 percent of area median income."

The Housing Fund is planning just under $5 million in renovations to about half of the units, the exterior siding and windows, and the clubhouse and gym.

The nonprofit purchased the complex with assistance from Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP, Greystone Affordable Development, and the city of Greenville. Brown said the collaborative effort to make the purchase a reality exemplifies the kind of cooperation that is needed to address Greenville's affordable housing crisis.

"Having access to that kind of firepower in terms of financing and construction development is a testament to our partnership ability and the ability to bring in the best, first-class partners in the country," he said.

The acquisition brings the total number of units the Housing Fund has helped create or preserve with partner organizations to 1,048 since it was formed in 2018, a major milestone for the nonprofit, Brown said.

"I'm not sure people are aware of that impact and what that means for accessible, quality housing in the city of Greenville for everyone who needs it," Brown said.
GREER  Three airlines at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport are adding seats to preexisting routes, while a fourth has discontinued its service to the Upstate.

United will soon phase in larger aircraft for three of its routes. On March 4, flights to Denver, Houston and Chicago will split from using 76-seat Embraer 175 and instead use either Boeing 737s, Airbus 319s or Airbus 320s.

Specifically, fights to Denver will be operated by 126-seat Airbus 319 and 166-seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Houston flights will be on 150-seat Airbus 320 and 179-seat Boeing 737-900. Chicago will swap its three 76-seat aircraft for two 126-seat Airbus 319. While the route to Newark/New York will not add larger planes, it will add a third Embraer 175.

These changes increase United's number of seats by 48 percent, Tom Tyra said, airport director of communications. The number of United daily departures will remain the same, just on bigger jets.

On March 4, Delta will add a second daily flight to Detroit on a 110-seat Boeing 717. It will also trade its current Boeing 737 for a larger one to be used for flights to Atlanta.

Available seats at the Upstate airport will be 18.4 percent higher in March than one year prior.

Starting in January, Florida-based Silver Airlines increased service from GSP to Orlando and Tampa from two times a week to three. The 47-seat flights are offered on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays through Aug. 31 with the possibility to be extended through the end of the year, Tyra said.

The market has been responding positively to the Orlando and Tampa flights, Tyra said, since they were added to the airport line-up in March 2021.

"We're hoping that's a good sign moving forward as we kind of continue to put distance between us and the pandemic," Tyra said. "We will hopefully see some other announcements at GSP in later 2023."

American Airlines announced late last year its plan for two additional nonstop daily flights from GSP to New York's LaGuardia Airport while Columbia added one daily flight there. The flights will start May 5.

As of Jan. 9, Contour Airlines pulled out from the Upstate airport, nearly two years since it announced it would offer nonstop flights to Nashville.

The decision was not due to lack of demand, Tyra told The Post and Courier. Rather, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded Contour Airlines routes in a subsidized program called Essential Air Service where it pays airlines to fly planes from small communities to larger ones.

Routes Online reported in September that Contour will operate eight of these types of routes such as from Charlotte to Lewisburg, W.Va. and Shenandoah Valley, Va.

Tyra said the Greenville-Spartanburg market was not included in the government program, calling the subsidized routes potentially a "better deal" for Contour. The Post and Courier reached out to Contour Airlines for further comment but had not received a response as of the afternoon of Jan. 31.

The Tennessee-based airline flew one 30-seat Embraer 145 regional jet a day for five days a week to Nashville, starting in mid-November 2021 until the end of 2022 when its schedule reduced to two flights a week. The route was suspended on Jan. 9.

While it only operated for a little more than a year, the Nashville route "stimulated more passengers," Tyra said. The airport is marketing the route to other airlines and is "hopeful that we will see this route at GSP again in the future." He said there is also a chance Contour could one day be back if it grows its fleet.
Kigali was not surprised by DR Congo's move to expel Rwandan military officers who were working at the East African Community regional force headquarters in the Congolese city of Goma.

Speaking to The New Times on Tuesday, Brig Gen Ronald Rwivanga, spokesperson of the Rwanda Defence Force, said the officers had already arrived in Rwanda.

The Congolese armed forces' spokesperson, Maj Gen Sylvain Ekenge, said in a statement on Monday, January 30, that Kinshasa asked the regional force to repatriate Rwandan officers from Congolese territory due to "security reasons."

ALSO READ: Kagame: 'Congo leaders cannot make Rwanda the scapegoat'

"They were based in Goma and they have been recalled back," Rwivanga said, adding that Rwanda was "not surprised" by their expulsion.

Citing other incidents like the expulsion of the Rwandan ambassador in Kinshasa in October 2022, Rwivanga said it was normal for DR Congo to expel people.

ALSO READ: South Sudan deploys 750 troops to DR Congo

The EAC regional force was deployed in November 2022, with some 900 troops from Kenya, and tasked to facilitate regional efforts to restore peace in eastern DR Congo. Kinshasa did not allow Rwandan troops into the regional force but had accepted only two Rwandan officers in the regional force's headquarters in Goma.

Commenting on the expulsion, Amb. Macharia Kamau, Kenya's former Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said it was "hugely unfortunate."

"This is not consistent with the aspirations of the Nairobi and Luanda peace processes," Kamau tweeted.

ALSO READ: EAC force hails M23 withdrawal

Ekenge said Rwanda recalled its soldiers serving under the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM), another Goma-based mechanism tasked to investigate cross-border security incidents under the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).

ALSO READ: Peace talks top priority for EAC force in Congo: Kenyan General

The EJVM was launched in 2012 and had military experts from the ICGLR's 12 member states.

Rwivanga said that there was no statement to the effect that Rwandan officers serving under the EJVM were also asked to leave. He said they were still in Goma.

ALSO READ: Kagame: 'Congo leaders cannot make Rwanda the scapegoat'

Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels in eastern DR Congo, allegations Kigali dismisses. Rwanda has, for several months, denounced the cooperation of the Congolese army with the genocidal FDLR militia based in eastern DR Congo near the Rwandan border.

President Paul Kagame recently said that "the presence of genocidal forces on our borders is a serious matter of national security."

Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya's former president and facilitator of the East African Community-led peace process for DR Congo, on Tuesday, January 31, convened an urgent meeting with the bloc's technical team to review the worsening situation in the country's east.

The meeting was necessitated by the "deteriorating security situation in eastern DR Congo, particularly in Ituri and North Kivu provinces, where serious escalation of fighting and targeted killings is reported to be taking place," Kenyatta's office said in a statement.

ALSO READ: DR Congo ignored Luanda agreement - Minister Biruta

ALSO READ: Luanda summit calls for FDLR disarmament, M23 withdrawal

Kenyatta "expressed deep concern to the serious violation of the Nairobi Principles and the Luanda Agreement" that was signed in November 2022. He also called for "urgent return to dialogue and consultation in order to promote trust and confidence among the parties to the conflict and alleviate suffering of people."

While the M23 rebels started implementing the resolutions of the Luanda summit by withdrawing from some of their positions, Kinshasa totally ignored the regional peace efforts.

The biggest roadblock to peace in the region is Kinshasa's refusal to implement existing roadmaps. The latter, which include the Luanda roadmap and the Nairobi process, demand that DR Congo disarm all armed groups and engage in dialogue toward a sustainable solution.

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Besides Kinshasa aligning itself with FDLR - a Rwandan genocidal militia formed by remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi - it also continued to alienate the M23 rebels, thereby reducing the prospects for peace. The FDLR which is now integrated in the Congolese army poses an existential security threat to Rwanda and the region.

In October 2022, Human Rights Watch reported that between May and August 2022, the Congolese army with a coalition of Congolese militia as well as the FDLR fought against the M23 rebels in North Kivu province.

Human Rights Watch received credible information that the Congolese army provided more than a dozen boxes of ammunition to FDLR fighters in Kazaroho, one of their strongholds in the Virunga National Park, on July 21.

One FDLR fighter told Human Rights Watch that he witnessed four transfers of ammunition. "It's the government [troops] that would always provide us with ammunition," he said. "They also gave us uniforms and boots."
A New York-style, family-owned pizzeria in downtown Simpsonville will have more seating once the construction of its new rooftop dining area is complete.

The Slice's rooftop will have a bar, place for live music and add 55 seats, allowing the eatery to serve 150 at a time. Construction is expect to start in February once the design is finalized.

The rooftop is anticipated to open in spring 2023.

Adding a rooftop experience to our pizzeria and expanding space for people to gather is an investment into the community that we love and call home, said partner and general manager Mike Baldassarra said in a statement.

The Slice, located at 134 S. Main St. in Simpsonville, reopened to the public in July 2022 after closing earlier in the year for renovations like the addition of a new pizza master oven. Once the restaurant reopened, it was joined by The Pasta Addict, which formerly had a spot in the food collective Gather GVL in the West End of downtown Greenville.

Peace Center study gauges economic impact

From Broadway shows to ballets, Greenville's Peace Center has spent the past three decades on South Main Street, drawing more than 6 million patrons total.

In a study commissioned by the performing arts center, the University of South Carolina Moore School of Business found the Peace Center has an about $80.6 million impact on Greenville County annually.

This number is calculated by "economic contributions of the Peace Center's current and future operations, the newly planned capital investment that will expand the total operation capacity, and the additional local spending activity introduced by non-local residents attending the Peace Center," the study said.

Since its completion in the 1990s, the Peace Center has had an estimated $957.7 million impact through 2022 on the county and nearly a $1.1 billion impact on all of South Carolina, the study found.

The study projects that dollar amount will increase to $1.5 billion on the county and $1.7 billion on the state once the planned expansions underway on its 6-acre campus are complete.

In September, the Peace Center announced a planned multimillion-dollar expansion to create opportunities for a wider range of performing arts by adding a flat floor music club, a listening room, an artist dorm and a recording studio to its campus.

N.C.-based federal credit union to expand its Upstate footprint

A Winston-Salem, N.C.-based federal credit union announced on Jan. 26 its plans for four new branch locations in the Upstate in the next three years, bringing the total up to six branches locally once complete.

More details are expected to come out over the next few months about Truliant Federal Credit Union's rapid expansion. The business expects to have more than 10 locations in the Upstate once it is done expanding.

Truliant is a nonprofit institution that provides financial guidance and services to its users. It has a decadeslong history in Greenville, getting its start in the area because of its partnership with the JPS Textile Group. Its first branch opened on Airport Road until it relocated in 2016 to Pelham Road.

The federal credit union opened its second local branch at 6 State Road in Cherrydale Point in November. This year, the company will open Easley and Greer locations.

Last year, the company also opened a 19,000-square-foot regional office in downtown Greenville in October at 110 W. North St. The Upstate operations will be managed from that location, which includes an on-site training center.

This expansion makes the Upstate the fourth regional concentration of Truliant branches with other regions are the Charlotte-Metro area, the Piedmont Triad area of North Carolina and southwestern Virginia.

Thats all for this week. Email your thoughts, tips, releases and newsy bits to smirah@postandcourier.com.
Summerville, SC (29483)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 83F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low 59F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Terrorist groups continue to pose a major threat for America and its allies -- even if U.S. policymakers have shifted most of their focus to Russia and China. Read moreWe can't ignore the terror threat from Somalia -- or the southern border
Mount Pleasant, SC (29464)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 78F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. Low 61F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 81F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low 61F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Charleston County's long-awaited "Housing Our Future" plan details the county's pressing need for affordable homes and apartments and presents many potential ways the county and local governments could help.

A final draft of the plan was made public Jan. 31 and will be the subject of 11 meetings and an online survey to collect comments which could help steer the direction the plan eventually takes.

The offering is short on specific recommendations but lays out a menu of options, including ways to fund housing efforts  all of them different taxes, fees or government funding.

The (County) Council can sort of pick from the buffet, if you will, and decide how they want to approach it," said Josh Dix, chairman of the county-appointed Housing Committee that reviewed the plan before its release.

Thorny questions about those funding options will be on the table, as will the always-controversial subject of zoning regulations and incentives that could help or thwart development.

Charleston County previously dedicated more than $20 million in federal funds to housing initiatives. Some of that money has already been spent, and the Housing Our Future plan has been seen as one way of deciding how to best spend the rest.

Some of the initial money went to funding a county home-repair program with $3 million, and to spending $2.47 million to buy 18 vacant homes from the county Housing Authority.

The housing plan had been expected in 2022 but was delayed, and while it was being finalized the county's affordable housing expert, Darrell Davis, who had been leading the effort, resigned after 14 months on the job. He said that his efforts to directly engage with County Council had been thwarted by staff.

The delays in December prompted the Charleston Area Justice Ministry to protest outside the county administration building, calling for the plan to be released.

Its very thorough, very comprehensive and puts out a great blueprint for how Charleston County could make a difference in affordable housing," said Ann Birdseye, a member of CAJM's Affordable Housing Steering Committee. Were very glad that it includes the housing trust fund, which weve been pushing for."

If you go The Housing Our Future plan is online at charlestoncounty.org/hof, and public comments will be accepted through March 1. There are also 11 public meetings scheduled to review the plan and provide comments. The dates, times and places are: Noon-3 p.m. Feb. 6, Public Services Building, 4045 Bridge View Drive, North Charleston

5:30-7:30 p.m. Feb. 6, Otranto Road Library, 2261 Otranto Road, North Charleston

Noon-2 p.m. Feb. 7, Baxter-Patrick James Island Library, 1858 S. Grimball Road, James Island

5:30-7:30 p.m. Feb. 7, Main Library, 68 Calhoun St., Charleston

11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Feb. 13, Kiawah Town Hall, 4475 Betsy Kerrison Parkway, Johns Island

6-8 p.m. Feb. 22, 5605 Katy Hill Road, Wadmalaw Island

1-3 p.m. Feb. 23, Buckshots Restaurant, 100030 U.S. Highway 17, McClellanville

6-8 p.m. Feb. 23, Awendaw Town Hall, 6971 Doar Road, Awendaw

6-8 p.m. Feb. 27, Wiltown Community Center, 5779 Parkers Ferry Road, Adams Run

5:30-7:30 p.m. Feb. 28, Johns Island Library, 3531 Maybank Highway, Johns Island

5:30-7:30 p.m. March 1, Wando Library, 1400 Carolina Park Blvd., Mount Pleasant

The idea is to create a fund with dedicated yearly revenue supporting it that would be a reliable resource for ongoing housing efforts.

We hope that (the plan) leads to action because its been a hot topic and a crisis for a long time," Birdseye said. Were hoping that the housing trust fund is something that can be done quickly."

Development of the Housing Our Future plan started just over a year ago, with consultants Development Strategies and Boudreaux Group working along with county staff. A county-appointed Housing Committee reviewed the plan before the draft was released for comment.

It's not just about money, Dix said.

There are lot of different items that can be done and it extends beyond a dedicated funding stream," he said. Reducing the bureaucracy in terms of getting (building) permits would be big."

Much of the 134-page plan is dedicated to quantifying the county's affordable housing problems  generally, homes and apartments that are financially out of reach for many residents  and the need for solutions. Among some potential solutions listed are:

Establish a Housing Trust Fund and a dedicated source of funding. That's something the county's Housing Committee has advocated, and so has CAJM. One potential source of funding, a property tax increase that could be put before voters in a referendum, was rejected by County Council in 2022 and a previous referendum was narrowly rejected by voters in 2020.

Refine zoning and land-use regulations to "maximize housing development opportunities." That suggestion could prove controversial, considering that some Charleston-area communities have used zoning and development regulations to restrict or entirely prevent housing development, as residents complain about growth and traffic.

Establish tax abatement programs to preserve affordable housing and give relief to low-income homeowners.

Expand education and down-payment programs for homebuyers.

Consider a community land trust model where nonprofit organizations own the land on which homes sit, taking the cost of land out of the home price.

Look at the potential for developing affordable housing on land the public already owns, through local governments. The report notes, for example, "there are an estimated 6,200 acres of vacant land owned by various public entities" in the county and "116 acres of County-owned vacant parcels are within a half mile" of the planned Lowcountry Rapid Transit bus line.

The Charleston County School District has already been discussing the possibility of building affordable housing for teachers on vacant land owned by the district. Land costs are a large part of the reason new housing is very expensive, and leasing public land for housing development is a potential solution.

In the next step, the Housing Our Future Plan will go through a month of public review and comment, online and at 11 in-person meetings, ending March 1. Those meetings and the public input received will help as the draft of the plan is turned into a final product awaiting county action.
Rwandans, and friends of Rwanda will on Wednesday, February 1, mark Heroes Day, a day on which the country pays tribute to its nationals who demonstrated the highest values of patriotism and sacrifice for the well-being of the country and its citizens.

Unlike last year when celebrations were held virtually owing to restrictions brought by the Covid-19 pandemic, this year's celebrations will be marked on the national level and in the local communities.

The day will feature activities including discussions under the theme "Our heroism, our dignity", according to the Chancellery for Heroes, National Orders and Decorations of Honor (CHENO).

"Being a hero doesn't require age, the Nyange students are a good example to prove it," said Deo Nkusi, Executive Secretary at CHENO.

In 1997, infiltrators, commonly known as Abacengezi, forced their way into ES Nyange school, in Ngororero District, killed a watchman and then tried to isolate and slaughter Tutsi students. But the students in the school defied the killers' orders to separate along ethnic lines. The students stood their ground, despite the risk, and told the attackers that none of them deserved to die. The angry militia opened fire, indiscriminately. Six students died on the spot and about 40 others sustained injuries.

ALSO READ: The lessons we should draw from Nyange heroes

For Nkusi, heroic values have long been portrayed in Rwanda, and the challenge is to uphold this legacy, particularly among the youth.

"Rwandans' heroism is not just recent, it is an endless sequence."

The country has progressively identified brave men and women who have loyally and exceptionally served their country in different capacities and whose deeds inspired many across generations.

ALSO READ: Rwanda's leading lights who exemplified heroism

National heroes are recognized based on three categories - Imanzi, Imena, and Ingenzi. Imanzi are supreme heroes who demonstrated outstanding achievements occasioned by supreme sacrifice, outstanding importance and example.

This category, which only has two people, the late Maj Gen Fred Rwigema and the Unknown Soldier, can only be awarded posthumously.

Heroes in the Imena category are recognised for their extraordinary acts for the country marked by sacrifice, high importance and example. The Ingenzi category comprises heroes who are still alive. Unlike the other categories, a list of the Ingenzi heroes has not yet been published.

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On why heroes are placed in different categories, Tito Rutaremera, a veteran politician, explained that the culture of categorizing heroes dates back when the king would award his soldiers based on their achievements.

"Of course we had those who were exceptional. That is why you will see some in Imanzi, Imena and Ingenzi."

"But that is not our struggle today," added Rutaremara who also doubles as chairperson of the Rwanda Elders Advisory Forum (REAF).

"Today the call is upholding this same legacy. This battle lies entirely in the hearts of young people, whom I believe have no excuse looking at the platforms that the government has provided," he said.

According to CHENO, President Paul Kagame is expected to preside over the celebrations by laying a wreath at the National Heroes' Mausoleum, after which several visits will be paid to families who lost their loved ones.

In the build up to the main event, however, CHENO says, several concerts have been planned both in the capital and beyond.

Rwanda's diplomatic missions abroad have also planned events - during the week - to mark the celebrations.
A McClellanville man who has been jailed since 2021 on allegations he shot a sheriff's deputy was found incompetent to stand trial as a result of mental illness, court records show.

A circuit judge's Jan. 23 order states Joseph Jackson lacks the competency to stand trial on an attempted murder charge for the foreseeable future. The order follows a medical evaluation that diagnosed the 74-year-old man with delusional disorder, dementia and a history of post-traumatic stress disorder.

South Carolina statute states a defendant is not competent to stand trial if the person "lacks the capacity to understand the proceedings against him or to assist in his own defense as a result of a lack of mental capacity."

Jackson has been jailed without bond since April 24, 2021, when he is said to have shot a Charleston County sheriff's deputy outside his rural home in McClellanville.

Deputies were attempting to serve Jackson with an arrest warrant after he failed to register as a convicted sex offender, according to an affidavit. Jackson allegedly told law enforcement to get off his property before firing a gun, striking a deputy in the arm.

More than a year later, the defendant was transferred from his jail cell to a bed in the state psychiatric hospital, court records indicate. A judge had ordered Jackson committed to the S.C. Department of Mental Health for 60 days in an attempt to restore his capacity to stand trial.

The state facility, G. Werber Bryan Psychiatric Hospital, offers a couple hundred beds in Columbia for criminal defendants to undergo forensic evaluation and competency restoration. Defendants can wait months for an available bed, though a bill passed into law by the Legislature in 2022 allows restoration to occur in detention centers or hospitals on an outpatient basis.

Jackson appears to have waited four months for an available bed in Columbia.

A state forensic psychiatrist interviewed Jackson toward the end of his hospitalization Nov. 9 and determined the septuagenarian was still not competent to stand trial, according to a report filed in court.

Jackson, who said he is a Vietnam War veteran, told the evaluator that law enforcement and Satan are conspiring against him, the report states. He said he was falsely accused of being a sex offender, and he refused to acknowledge his court-appointed public defender.

The evaluator found Jackson had a "basic factual understanding" of the charges against him but lacks a "rational understanding" of the proceedings and the ability to work with an attorney to prepare a defense.

Jackson was discharged from the hospital back to detention after his 60-day commitment expired. The law changed last year to extend commitment for restoration to 180 days. Jackson remains in jail as of Jan. 31.

The judge's January order directs the solicitor's office to initiate judicial proceedings within 14 days in probate court. There, a judge can review the evidence and determine if Jackson requires further treatment and under what terms, including but not limited to involuntary hospitalization.

The 9th Circuit Solicitor and Public Defender both declined to comment on Jacksons case but said the criminal justice system is ill-equipped to treat mental illness.

Scarlett Wilson, the solicitor, said mental illness among defendants is a "serious issue."

Nearly 20 percent of residents inside the Charleston County jail have been diagnosed with a serious and persistent mental illness, according to the Charleston Dorchester Mental Health Center.

Wilson said her office is a proponent of mental heath court, which is designed to adjudicate on mentally ill criminal defendants who have been charged with a misdemeanor or non-violent felony offense. There are currently five mental health courts across the state, including in Charleston County.

The solicitor acknowledged the vast majority of people suffering mental illness do not commit violent crimes.

"If the crime is serious, we do all we can to prosecute the case," she said.

Ninth Circuit Public Defender Cameron Blazer said mental health resources are "chronically under-resourced," creating a crisis within jails.

"Local jails have become holding facilities for the most profoundly ill and vulnerable people, she said. "Jail is not a place to get well."

Blazer said she advocates for a "complete overhaul" of mental health care within the community.
As the S.C. Senate voucher debate dragged into its second week last Wednesday, former Senate Education Chairman Nikki Setzler, a Democrat, and current Chairman Greg Hembree, a Republican, proposed inserting language into the bill that mirrors language senators came up with last year to protect taxpayers against one of the abuses weve discovered in the charter school governance system.

And with the exception of a single question from a senator who had misunderstood the proposal, there was no debate, just quick, unanimous approval.

That brief moment of unanimity in the contentious debate over the plan to pay parents to abandon our public schools should serve as a powerful reminder that the Legislature still has more work to do to close a loophole that allows failing charter schools to keep taking taxpayer money long after lawmakers intended them to close.

Unlike private schools, charters are fully public schools. Charters dont have to follow all the regulations that regular public schools do. The idea is that if we free them of some of that red tape, well get greater parental involvement and innovations that are too often stifled in the regular public schools. Its a great idea that works sometimes. And sometimes it doesnt.

The language senators inserted into the voucher bill was taken from a state budget proviso that says people who serve on the board of a charter school cant work for a company that provides services to the charter school. Its modified slightly so it applies to private schools and organizations that provide tutoring or other services that would be paid for by taxpayers under S.39.

Weve had that problem in some of the charter school situations where the service companies also have ties with authorizers et cetera," Mr. Setzler explained, "and this simply prevents a conflict of interest if youre gonna do business this way.

It doesnt seem terribly likely that this sort of conflict would create as large a problem in the voucher program as it could create in the charter program, since the state would merely be subsidizing the tuition of individual students at private schools, whereas it pays for charter schools in their entirety. But it was wise of senators to recognize the potential for problems.

It would be wiser still for them to abandon the voucher bill and concentrate on improving the schools we own, but instead they gave the bill tentative approval Tuesday, and in any event that isnt the point of this editorial. The point of this editorial is to remind lawmakers that the anti-conflict-of-interest language for charter schools was merely a stopgap measure until they had time this year to address the even larger problem with a few charter schools: authorizer shopping.

Before charter schools can open, they have to be approved by an authorizer, or sponsor, which is supposed to close the schools if they arent meeting state financial and economic requirements. (And yes, itd be great to close failing traditional schools as well, but unlike charters, which provide extra capacity, we cant close regular public schools unless we have other regular public schools to send all the students to.)

When lawmakers passed South Carolina's charter school law in the last century, they envisioned local school districts and a state charter school district acting as sponsors, but they did add a provision, designed to allow a special teaching program S.C. State University was considering, to let colleges act as authorizers. Unfortunately, once the state charter school district signaled that it was about to close a few schools that werent doing a good enough job educating students, the private Erskine College declared itself an authorizer, and took over those charters to keep the schools alive. And then when Erskine started asking troubling questions about some of its schools, a second private school, Limestone College, declared that it was also an authorizer and entered into conversations about taking over those schools charters.

Although Limestone has said its waiting to see what Erskine does, the proliferation of independent authorizers is worrisome; if the charter schools had applied to switch authorizers when they suspected Erskine was about to act against them but before it put them on notice, they could have escaped any accountability.

Without authorizers that can hold them accountable, charter schools are just private schools  funded entirely by taxpayers.

Sen. Hembree says that although the two colleges have been voluntarily cooperating with state efforts to ensure that charter schools are meeting state requirements, he believes we still need to close off the potential for schools that run into problems to escape accountability. Hes right.

S.126 would prohibit any more charter authorizers unless theyre approved by the S.C. Education Department; current law merely requires them to register, without meeting any basic standards or receiving any oversight. The bill also would spell out the circumstances under which charter schools could switch authorizers. Most importantly: They couldnt switch when their current authorizer is in the process of revoking their charter.

S.126 isnt anti-charter school; to the contrary, wed argue that it encourages good charter schools, by ensuring that the states limited resources dont keep flowing to schools that cant serve students as well as the better schools. Its a law weve needed for years, and a law we shouldnt have to wait even longer to see passed.
COLUMBIA  While President Donald Trump's campaign event last weekend inside the S.C. Statehouse was certainly unique, that's not a reason to bill him for using the public building to launch his latest White House bid, according to state officials.

The former president came to Columbia on Jan. 28 to announce his leadership team in a state with outsized influence in picking presidential nominees. The Statehouse was the second stop of his campaign kickoff following an appearance in New Hampshire at that state's annual GOP meeting.

Trump critics have questioned why he was allowed to hold the event at South Carolina's Capitol and whether his campaign reimbursed taxpayers for the time and expense for an event worked by at least 200 state officers. For the latter, the short answer is no.

According to the agency that approves events on Statehouse grounds, Trump's request to reserve space was handled like any other application, and that includes not charging fees.

The Department of Administration "does not charge any person or group rent, and that would apply to all candidates or committees seeking to use the Statehouse grounds," spokeswoman Brooke Bailey said.

She pointed to state law that allows public buildings to be used for political meetings and campaign events as long as they're available to all candidates on similar terms. Furthermore, she said, there is no state law giving her agency authority to charge Statehouse rental fees for any reason.

Her agency absorbed $3,000 in costs to put out barriers around the grounds for crowd control, which is a normal expense for events that require extra security, she said.

Trump's organizers, Virginia-based Event Strategies, filled out the agency's standard application. Trump's name is nowhere on it. But the planner described the event as a "press conference/rally" to be attended by an expected 500 people "to exemplify the strong support from elected officials in the state as we approach the one-year mark to South Carolina's Republican presidential primary," the application reads.

While attracting far less public attention than Trump, other candidates to reserve space inside the Statehouse for campaign purposes in the past year include former congressman Joe Cunningham, who announced an endorsement last June ahead of winning the Democratic gubernatorial primary, and former Rep. Jerry Govan, D-Orangeburg, who last March announced his decision to enter the race for superintendent. Both ultimately lost their bids.

Those campaign events were tiny gatherings in comparison, requiring nothing special in terms of security or public operating hours.

Non-campaign gatherings that have required a large police presence and blocked streets include the 2015 dueling same-day rallies by the Ku Klux Klan and New Black Panther Party  application approvals the administration agency later explained to incensed legislators as a free speech issue, and the 2019 teachers' rally that attracted an estimated 10,000 people.

The NAACP's annual King Day at the Dome, which includes a march down Main Street to the Statehouse, is often a de facto campaign event for Democratic presidential contenders. In 2020, the eight candidates who marched arm-in-arm before giving speeches from the Statehouse steps included U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, as well as the winner, President Joe Biden.

The Statehouse has also hosted other former presidents inside. The senior President George Bush addressed a joint assembly of the Legislature in February 1989, while President George W. Bush did the same in April 2005. Unlike Trump, both were sitting presidents at the time.

But the uniqueness of Trump's situation doesn't mean his campaign should pay, said a spokesman for Gov. Henry McMaster, a Trump supporter who was at the former president's side for the leadership announcement.

"Anybody can apply for a permit to have an event on the Statehouse grounds for any reason  political or otherwise  and nobody in recent memory has been charged a fee," said McMaster spokesman Brandon Charochak. "There simply isn't any reason for that precedent to be broken for President Trump's recent visit to the state."

How much state law enforcement absorbed Jan. 28 in security costs is unknown. State agencies supplying security for the event, in addition to federal officers protecting the former president, included the State Law Enforcement Division and the Department of Public Safety. Its Bureau of Protective Services division is responsible for Statehouse security. SLED did not respond to questions on how many of its officers worked the event.

The Public Safety agency had 185 total officers, from its three divisions, on Statehouse grounds Jan. 28. Costs for their time won't be available until that pay period is complete, and officers' work hours are finalized, said Kyle McGahee, an agency spokesman.

Additionally, 19 officers with the Department of Natural Resources assisted, but they were already scheduled to work that day. The agency incurred no costs in shifting their assignments, said DNR spokesman Stephen Fastenau.

It's the duty of state law enforcement to maintain safety and provide public protection "for any and all events in the Statehouse and on the capitol complex," McGahee said. "Per our normal practice, no event organizers were charged by the department for this event."

While some have questioned whether Trump's event broke fire codes inside the Statehouse, McGahee said the crowd did not exceed capacity, and the Columbia fire marshal was on hand to ensure the gathering remained in compliance. No one needed to be turned away for capacity issues, he said.

The event's invitation-only policy likely explains why. The invitation emailed to lawmakers, GOP organizers and others specified it was "non-transferable" and did not extend to a "plus one," except in approved extenuating circumstances. Those admitted, including reporters cleared ahead of time, had to show identification.

McGahee declined to give a crowd estimate, but according to the Administration Department application, the maximum number of people allowed on the second floor between the House and Senate chambers  where Trump spoke  is 300. Some people watched from the third-floor balcony.

One condition for approval on the application form is that an event can't "interfere with the publics free access to the grounds or to and through the Statehouse." While the Trump event didn't officially start until the Statehouse's normal 4 p.m. Saturday closing time, the entire building was closed to the general public all day for security reasons.

Asked about the un-met condition, Bailey said nothing on the application indicated access would be limited. Security details were worked out between the Department of Public Safety and U.S. Secret Service according to federal protocols after the event was approved, she said.

It did not, however, mark the first invitation-only event inside the Statehouse.

In the last five years, at least 32 requests for a wedding ceremony on Statehouse grounds have been approved. That included for 23 outside-only weddings, two reserving the first-floor lobby, one reserving both the first- and second-floor lobbies, and six weddings spread across spaces inside and out, Bailey said.
A court ruling late Wednesday keeps an abortion pill available, clarifying the U.S. abortion landscape but not settling it. The decision overrules another judge's ruling from last week that would have halted prescribing of the drug mifepristone starting Saturday. Wednesday's decision comes with catches, and either side could appeal it to the Supreme Court. Other court and legislative action underway could shape abortion access in individual states. Nebraska lawmakers have advanced a ban on abortions after cardiac activity can be detected, and Florida could pass a similar measure as early as this week. Iowa's top court is considering whether tighter restrictions can be put into place there. Read moreLatest ruling on pill shifts US abortion landscape again
COLUMBIA  A Republican state senator from Charleston added drama to the S.C. Supreme Court election with allegations repeated this week that House Republicans effectively decided the race behind closed doors before it had even begun.

Sen. Sandy Senn said in a Jan. 25 floor speech and also in an email sent to constituents Jan. 30 that House Republicans held "alleged secretive" informal polls of the race before legislators were legally allowed to pledge their support to candidates.

She further charged the House members pressed to have both of the women in the race back out when it became clear in unofficial surveys they would not succeed against the lone male candidate, S.C. Court of Appeals Judge Gary Hill.

"The smartest candidate in the whole race dropped out  and she, in my opinion, wouldve been neck and neck right now had she stayed in that race," Senn said on the Senate floor last week, referencing candidate Stephanie McDonald, an Appeals Court judge Senn supported.

"We should be embarrassed," Senn said.

McDonald worked at Senn's Charleston law firm more than a decade ago.

Senns allegations are simply not true and unwarranted, House Speaker Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, said in a statement.

Premature pledging did not take place in any House caucus meetings, the speaker said, adding that McDonald and the other candidate who dropped out, appeals Judge Aphrodite Konduros, were free to make their own choices about continuing their candidacies.

Other House Republicans pointed to Senn not getting her choice on the court as being behind her comments.

Shes been upset from the start. She had a candidate she wanted to win, and her candidate has withdrawn, said House Majority Leader Davey Hiott, R-Travelers Rest. Shes got a right to say what she wants to say.

The state Supreme Court race to replace retired Justice Kaye Hearn has attracted attention after the court struck down the state's six-week abortion ban as unconstitutional. Many anti-abortion Republicans see the election as an opportunity to put a conservative justice on the court who will be more receptive to abortion restrictions or would overturn the court ruling.

In her speech, Senn said anti-abortion legislators discounted McDonald due to the judge's association with her. Senn was an outspoken opponent of strict abortion restrictions proposed last year.

McDonald and Konduros dropped out of the Supreme Court seat race the same day pledging began, leaving Hill as the only candidate. In the past, Supreme Court candidates tended to drop out if they believed they didn't have enough support, but that usually only happened after a few days of pledging.

Hill did not immediately return a request for comment. Konduros could not be reached for comment. McDonald said in a brief Jan. 31 telephone conversation with a reporter that she is not involved with Senn and was unaware of her allegations; McDonald previously told The Post and Courier she dropped out because she didnt think the votes were going to be there, so this seemed like the best thing to do.

Senn called Hill a good judge and a nice man in her email but lamented that with his likely election, South Carolina will become the only state in the country with no women on its Supreme Court. She asserted that secret polls and the women candidates ensuing withdrawals meant legislators wont have to justify voting in an all-male court to their constituents.

Several House Republicans said they wanted the best person for the job, and arrived at the conclusion that it was Hill. Some have praised him in recent days as a strict constructionist who wont engage in judicial activism.

Rep. Anne Thayer, R-Belton, said she supported Hill because lawyers from Anderson and Greenville reached out to her praising Hill.

Being a female, I dont feel like we had to replace that seat with a female, she said. I feel like we needed to replace it with the most qualified candidate.

Members of the House Republican Caucus discussed the Supreme Court race at their regularly scheduled meeting on the morning of Jan. 17, according to several members who attended the meeting or had knowledge of it. None would comment on the specifics of the discussion or address if a poll had been taken, citing caucus confidentiality rules.

Those who were in the meeting, if theyre being honest, they need to deny it if its not true, Senn said in a Jan. 31 interview. She said she had been told a poll had taken place by people in the meeting.

Several attendees rejected Senns characterization of the meeting as backroom politicking.

Representatives shared what they had learned about the candidates from their conversations with them and various hearings without pledging, Rep. Bill Taylor, R-Aiken, said.

It was one of the most enlightening, thorough briefings, he said. It didnt seem sinister to me.

Additionally, legislators always talk about the judicial races amongst themselves, short of conducting polls, said Rep. Chris Wooten, R-Lexington.

I know that the majority of people in this room and that room, Wooten said, gesturing toward the Senate chamber, knew that Gary Hill was the favorite pick even before any meeting took place.

Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, said the candidates quick withdrawals indicate a poll of some kind had been taken and accused Republicans of hiding behind the confidentiality pledge.

Theres no way two qualified candidates couldve been bullied out of the race on the supposition they were going to lose unless you had some sort of tally of how people were going to be voting that was taken prior to the commitment deadline, he said.

Even saying you favor one particular candidate is a commitment and would have been illegal before noon on Jan. 17, Hutto said.

Informal polls are a very obvious evasion of the rules around pledging, said Lynn Teague, the vice president for issues at the League of Women Voters of South Carolina. It is a distinction without a difference and should not be permitted.

Senn also alleged that Republican House leadership backed Hill in part because hardline House Freedom Caucus members preferred him and they were threatening an attempt at rerunning the entire Supreme Court election.

Both the House Republican leadership and the Freedom Caucus vehemently denied that was the case.

Senn is as wrong on this as she is in her voting record, the Freedom Caucus said in a statement. The judicial screening process lacks transparency and judicial candidates being coerced to withdraw is exactly whats wrong with the system.

Republicans like Rep. Neal Collins of Easley and Rep. Micah Caskey of West Columbia, often at odds with the Freedom Caucus, said they had come to support Hill independently.

The Supreme Court race, expected to be settled Feb. 8, has renewed calls for reforms to the judicial selection process. Many in the Legislature support expanding the candidates to all those deemed qualified rather than the three forwarded by a screening commission. Gov. Henry McMaster last week called for judges to be appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate in his State of the State address.

The speaker will be proposing judicial reform bills later this session, Hiott said.

I have never understood why we do it this way, the Pickens County Republican said.
SPARTANBURG  A Spartanburg County Detention Center inmate has died in what has become a string of deaths inside the facility in the past four months.

Casey Michelle Tate, 33, died at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center Jan. 31 at 3:55 a.m., Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger said in an email. Tate was being held at the Spartanburg County Detention Center, which is run by the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office.

Tate was being treated at the hospital for a number of natural processes, Clevenger said. The death investigation doesn't show foul play, but he said he's awaiting further testing before a final cause of death is released.

"We dont have any comment while the Coroners Office still has an active investigation," said Lt. Kevin Bobo, spokesperson for the Sheriff's Office.

The State Law Enforcement Division is investigating Tates death, SLED spokesperson Renee Wunderlich said.

Tates death marks the fourth inmate death since October in the facility. Three people died within the span of one month in October and November 2022.

A recent investigation by SLED found no criminal acts in the death of John Edward Miller, who died Oct. 28, 2022, six days after suffering cardiac arrest at the facility.

But documents received two weeks ago through a public records request by The Post and Courier revealed that Miller didn't receive medical attention for at least 20 minutes after a deputy saw him collapse in his cell.

The Sheriff's Office has declined to comment on that case citing "potential pending litigation."

In a separate incident, Lavell Najah Lane was arrested, charged with pedestrian in the roadway and taken to the facility. He was held there for about six hours before a deputy found him unresponsive in his cell, according to a report of inmate death filed with the South Carolina Department of Corrections.

According to a Dec. 21, 2022 media statement from Clevenger, Lanes official cause of death was neuroleptic malignant syndrome, which is a disorder most often caused by an adverse reaction to antipsychotic medications.

On Nov. 1, 2022, Ronald Edward Watkins died at the facility. Clevenger said in the media statement that his cause of death was a blood clot in an artery related to cardiovascular disease. Other significant conditions included obesity, hypertension and alcohol use.

As of Jan. 23, SLED was still investigating the deaths of Lane and Watkins.
SPARTANBURG  Two have been arrested after authorities said they sold vehicles with fake VINs and titles.

Guillermo Fanjul, 33, and Ronald Maxi Arias Santos, 27, were charged Jan. 27 with two counts each of obtaining money under false pretenses at a value of $10,000 or more, according to arrest warrants from the State Law Enforcement Division released Jan. 31.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau requested SLEDs assistance in the investigation Jan. 26, according to a SLED news release. The case is active and ongoing.

Both were arrested and booked in Spartanburg County Detention Center, according to the news release. The case will be prosecuted by the 7th Circuit Solicitors Office.
Today we celebrate and commemorate our national heroes. The men and women who, through their selfless acts, laid the foundation for the country we now call home.

We celebrate the lives of the thousands of young men and women who died liberating this country from genocide and sectarianism.

ALSO READ: Rwanda's leading lights who exemplified heroism

We celebrate Maj Gen Fred Rwigema, who died leading his troops in battle. We remember King Mutara III Rudahigwa, Felicite Niyitegeka, Michel Rwagasana, Agathe Uwiringiyimana and the brave young Nyange School students who stared death right in the eyes and refused to blink or back down from their belief in a united Rwandan people.

ALSO READ: Fred Gisa Rwigema: A Portrait of a Trans African hero

ALSO READ: King Rudahigwa's death remains a mystery

On this day, we mustn't forget people like the late Dr. Paul Farmer, Howard Buffett, Dafroza Ghautier and the two Ghanaian UNAMIR commanders, Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Joseph Narh Adinkra and Maj. Gen. Henry Kwame Anyidoho, who refused to leave thousands of innocent civilians defenseless in the face of forces out to annihilate them.

ALSO READ: Agathe Uwiringiyimana: A heroine unfortunate to have lived in evil era

I believe that all these men and women, Rwandans and friends of Rwanda, have a testimony to share with the newest generation of young people. This age bracket, between 5-25 years of age, is probably the only generation in our nation's history, if I'm not mistaken, that has enjoyed over two decades of relative peace, stability and growth. And while it is my belief that this peace and development is directly linked to the acts of the national heroes, I also believe that we, as a society, haven't done enough to bring our national heroes to life for this very generation.

ALSO READ: Felicite Niyitegeka 'was always a heroine'

Yes, we commemorate these heroes every year with a national holiday and a ceremony led by the President. But I fervently believe that we haven't even begun to scratch the surface on the story telling element of commemoration and remembrance. And it's not as if we don't know how to do it. All we need to do is take a leaf out of the American book. I don't think anyone would argue that they are the best in the world at harnessing storytelling and myth-creating for the national 'good'.

The Americans have taken storytelling to a level that we must aspire to. The majority of the world (and many younger Americans I bet) learnt about US civil rights leader, Malcolm X, not from a book but rather an autobiographical movie about him that starred Denzel Washington. The same could probably be said about Fred Hampton, the young Black Panther leader killed by the Chicago Police, whose story is being kept alive through movies such as 'Judas and the Black Messiah' starring Daniel Kaluuya.

Hollywood has kept the memories of World War I and II, the Civil Rights Movement, their fight for independence from the British and other seminal moments in American history alive by telling the stories of their national heroes through the medium of television and cinema. In addition to Hollywood, writers, artists, graphic designers and cartoonists have used their talents to bring to life American heroes as well.

This has not only kept the memories of the heroes - some who died over a century ago - alive, it has also ingrained in young American minds a respect for, and willingness, to commit acts of heroism as well. Acts of heroism, in their psyche, have become almost as American as apple pie.

What I find most interesting is just how much money and resources the US government has spent on this kind of storytelling. According to public documents, between 2008 and 2021, it spent $ 1.2 billion on movie production and distribution. If you look at the numbers in more detail, you'll find out that the Department of Defense (the military) spent the most, $721 million in total. Their space agency, NASA, was the second biggest spender, at $124 million. With all this money spent it is little wonder that their kids want to grow up and become soldiers and astronauts. It is in this vein that I call upon our own Ministries of Defense, Education as well as National Unity to create well-funded programs to fund the arts. And most especially television and cinema.

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The visual medium that is cinematography is, in my humble opinion, the most effective storytelling tool in the world. Far more effective than radio and even the written word. We only have to look at the impact of the best produced movie on the fight for Kigali, 'The 600: The Soldiers' Story'. This movie, released in 2019, brought to life the sacrifices that were made by the 600 RPA soldiers that were holed up in the CND building (now Parliament). I remember watching the movie and feeling so very proud of those young men. Not only did I feel proud of them, but I felt represented by them. This movie not only further cemented my personal bond with the uniformed men of then, but also the uniformed men and women of today.

This kind of bond is what well-funded art can do. And that is what our national heroes deserve. To be brought back to life once again. We need their stories told and retold over and over again. Not just to celebrate them, which they so richly deserve, but to enrich ourselves as well.

The writer is a socio-political commentator
Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya's former president and facilitator of the East African Community-led peace process for DR Congo, on Tuesday, January 31, convened an urgent meeting with the bloc's technical team to review the worsening situation in the country's east.

The meeting was necessitated by the "deteriorating security situation in eastern DR Congo, particularly in Ituri and North Kivu provinces, where serious escalation of fighting and targeted killings is reported to be taking place," Kenyatta's office said in a statement.

Fighting broke out last week between the Congolese armed forces, FARDC, and the M23 rebels in North Kivu, forcing Kenyatta to express concerns about the broken cessation of hostilities, as demanded for in the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes.

After reports of ethnic violence targeted at the Hema community in Ituri and Banyamulenge in South Kivu, on January 24, UN special advisor on genocide prevention Alice Wairumu Nderitu, issued the second statement in less than three months warning of genocide in the country.

Since 2017, the Banyamulenge community has been a target of ethnic cleansing despite numerous petitions calling for the international community to intervene and stop the continued brutal killings in South Kivu Province.

Following Tuesday's consultation with the EAC technical advisors, in Nairobi, the facilitator called for calm and immediate cessation of hostilities.

Kenyatta "expressed deep concern to the serious violation of the Nairobi Principles and the Luanda Agreement" that was signed in November 2022. He also called for "urgent return to dialogue and consultation in order to promote trust and confidence among the parties to the conflict and alleviate suffering of people."

While the M23 rebels started implementing the resolutions of the Luanda summit by withdrawing from some of their positions, the Congolese government totally ignored the regional peace efforts.

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Kenyatta called on regional leaders and the international community to lend their support to the regional efforts to restore peace and stability in eastern DR Congo.

By and large, the biggest roadblock to peace in the region is Kinshasa's refusal to implement existing roadmaps. The latter, which include the Luanda roadmap and the Nairobi process, demand that DR Congo disarm all armed groups and engage in dialogue toward a sustainable solution.

Instead, besides Kinshasa aligning itself with FDLR - a Rwandan genocidal militia formed by remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi - the Congolese government also continued to alienate the M23 rebels, thereby reducing the prospects for peace.

In October 2022, Human Rights Watch reported that between May and August 2022, the Congolese army with a coalition of Congolese militia as well as the FDLR fought against the M23 rebels in North Kivu province.

The FDLR which is now integrated in the Congolese army poses an existential security threat to Rwanda and the region.

Human Rights Watch received credible information that Congolese army members from Tokolonga's 3411th regiment provided more than a dozen boxes of ammunition to FDLR fighters in Kazaroho, one of their strongholds in the Virunga National Park, on July 21. Two months earlier, dozens of FDLR and CMC/FDP fighters took part in a large counteroffensive with government soldiers in the area around Rumangabo and Rugari.

One FDLR fighter told Human Rights Watch that he witnessed four transfers of ammunition. "It's the government [troops] that would always provide us with ammunition," he said.

"They also gave us uniforms and boots."
Femi Otedolas Geregu Power recorded a drop in post-tax profit of 50.5 per cent for 2022 as revenue tumbled steeply and finance costs soared almost seven times, eating away at earnings, the audited financial statements of the power-generating firm showed Wednesday.

At N47.6 billion, the company posted one-third less revenue than it reported one year prior as gas supplies to the firm stopped mid-July on account of a nationwide force majeure declared by Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited, its major supplier, on Trans-Forcados pipeline, shrinking the income earned from energy sold and capacity charge.

The company earned N157.3 million from other income as foreign exchange gain realised relative to N1.7 billion a year earlier but saw finance income rise more than seven times to N7.7 billion, helped by a surge in interest income on bank deposits and related party receivables.

Geregu Power debuted on the stock exchange in Lagos in early October, listing 2.5 billion ordinary shares, 95.6 per cent of them held by the billionaire mogul, Femi Otedola.

The firm incurred N3.7 billion in impairment loss on financial assets, 401.4 per cent higher than the figure a year ago.

Administrative expenses modestly jumped to N4.8 billion from N4.7 billion.

In December, Afreximbank initiated talks with Geregu Power to purchase a stake in it ultimately making it a strategic investor.

Pre-tax profit shrank 48.6 per cent to N15.2 billion; profit after tax slumped to N10.2 billion, from N20.6 billion, signalling a slide of more than a half.

Net profit margin, the metric that measures how much of revenue has turned to profit, stood at 21.4 per cent.

Meanwhile, the electricity company said in a separate document on Wednesday it will pay shareholders a dividend of N8 per share translating to a payout of N20 billion for the year under review.

That implies it will dip into its reserves to complement the dividend payment shortfall.

Mr Otedola will earn N19.1 billion from the dividend payment if the proposal goes through.

On Wednesday, shares in Geregu Power gained 8.5 per cent in Lagos, bringing the share price to its all-time high of N201 per unit.

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There were large crowds and long queues at cash points and banking halls in major cities across Nigeria earlier in the week despite the extension of the deadline for the exchange of old naira notes for the new designs of the Nigerian currency.

PREMIUM TIMES reporters who visited banks and ATM points on Monday and Tuesday observed that Nigerians continue to lament the scarcity of the new notes amid poor banking operations.

While the scarcity of the new notes worsened cash transactions for many traders in local markets, poor network and other technical issues stifled online transactions in stores, restaurants, and shopping malls in major cities.

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, had on Sunday announced a 10-day extension of the deadline for the acceptance of old naira notes as legal tender after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, Katsina State.

The announcement came two days before the expiration of the deadline the bank issued for the phasing out of the old N200, N500, and N1, 000 denominations of the naira notes.

Last October, the CBN had announced the banks resolve to redesign, produce, and circulate the new notes. Mr Emefiele said the redesign of the currency was to help manage the money supply and tackle currency counterfeiting and terrorism, among other concerns, in the country.

The circulation of the new banknotes started on 15 December with the old notes scheduled to cease to be a legal tender after 31 January.

But the development has generated heated debates among the general public, as Nigerians lamented the scarcity of the new notes.

With the extension of the deadline on Sunday, many Nigerians expected that the chaos generated by the policy would be resolved and normalcy would return to the banks.

However, a survey by PREMIUM TIMES reporters across Nigeria revealed that the chaos persists despite the CBNs extension of the deadline.

Abeokuta

On Monday and Tuesday, PREMIUM TIMES reporter observed long queues at branches of Stanbic IBTC Bank, First City Monument Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), and Access Bank in Oke-Ilewo, a commercial area in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

A security man in one of the banks said majority of the customers were there to deposit old notes and get the new notes. He added that the other customers who were at the bank for regular transactions did not join the queues for new notes.

Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES, Adeyanju Abiola, an artisan, said he had visited two banks and collected some money but he was not given new notes.

I have been to two banks this week to collect money for our cooperative. The last one I went to, we collected one million naira but only N50,000 was in new notes. The bank staff are even very lackadaisical, its either they dont have it or they are intentionally being inhumane, Mr Abiola said.

Tobiloba Adefarasuin, a graduate, said she was at the bank to deposit some old notes for her grandmother.

She does business with her money and in most cases doesnt have a business with the bank. But to avoid losing money over the deadline, I came here to deposit all her money into the account but met this crowed here, she lamented.

Many who wanted to withdraw did not still get the new naira notes, so what is happening?

Rejection

A pharmacy in Ijaye, Best Deal Supermarket, posted on its doors a message that it would not accept old notes in exchange for goods and services.

Best Deal Supper market will no longer accept the old notes (N200, N500, N1000) as legal tender for purchases as from 27th January, 2023. This is with respect to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy on old notes, the note reads.

Customers can pay with new approved notes or make us of other cashless payment options available (POS or transfer), the message stated.

Meanwhile, when a PREMIUM TIMES reporter offered two old N500 notes as alms in Isale Igbehin area of the state capital earlier on Sunday, four beggars rejected the alms.

Although chaos has reduced in cash points in the capital city, crowds remain in banks as residents lament scarcity of the new naira notes

Lagos

In Lagos, the nations commercial nerve centre, banking halls and ATM points were crowded as frustrated Nigerians sscrambled o get cash for daily transactions.

In Opebi, long queues were observed at Keystone Banks ATM points at about 6 p.m. on Tuesday. In the same neighborhood, there were similarly long queues at Zenith Banks cash machines. A PREMIUM TIMES reporter at the bank observed that the ATMs ran out of cash for a while, after which the machines were reloaded and the queues grew.

ATMs at the Zenith Bank branch in Opebi were empty Tuesday morning and remained so till evening. Sterling bank ATMs in the area were seen dispensing the new N1000 notes in the morning even though there were long lines of customers waiting to take cash. Similarly, an Access Bank branch in the area had large crowds at its ATM points waiting to withdraw money just like Stanbic IBTC branchs ATMs.

At Agege Road in Ogba, the GTB branch facing the Nigerian Institute of Journalism recorded a short queue at its ATMs in the morning of Tuesday just like the FCMB ATMs beside the branch. Around 3:45 p.m., no queues were witnessed at the ATMs of First Bank along the same road.

There were long queues at Zenith Banks ATMs on Acme Road, Ogba, in the morning as well as the ATMs of the Union Bank branch on Metalbox Road, Ogba.

In Ojodu, long queues were recorded at major banks and ATM points Monday morning.

Abuja

In Abuja, the nations capital city, crowds beseiged both the banking halls and the ATM galleries of the major banks.

On Monday, the UBA branch in Garki offered to pay over the counter customers in lower denominations (N100, N500 and N20) and not more than N5,000 could be withdrawn.

A customer told this newspaper that the decision suggested low money supply at the banks.

I was there wondering how long it would take before it got to my turn, until I was told that the limit was N20,000. I just left the queue, said Jennifer Nnadozie, a business woman.

POS agents who claim they buy the money from bankers now charge more on withdrawals to make up for the extra cost in the capital city, this newspaper observed Tuesday.

POS agents who charged N200 on every N10,000 withdrawal raised their charges by requesting N100 for every N1,000 withdrawn.

I had to make use of the POS guy beside my shop to withdraw N5,000 so I could have cash with me even though I was not so happy parting with my N500 like that, Mrs Nndozie said.

North-west

In Katsina State, a PREMIUM TIMES reporter who went round the city on Tuesday gathered that most of the Automated Teller Machines in the banks did not dispense cash. In the banks where there was money, only few machines were dispensing.

On Kano Road, from the newly constructed Kofar Kaura underpass to Steel Rolling Roundabout, only one ATM dispensed cash. While all four machines were dispensing money at the GT Bank, only two were dispensing at Fidelity Bank while the gate to the second branch of the Access Bank was shut.

A resident, who simply gave his name as Isa, while waiting for his turn at an ATM in Fidelity Bank, said he had spent five hours on the queue.

I joined the queue here to get money, when it reached my turn, I put my card but they said (it was) unable to dispense cash. I wanted to withdraw from the other machine since I had been standing there but these people, Wallahi, they said I would not withdraw. Look at the queue. In fact, this is not even a queue, how I wished you came here around 12p.m., he said.

An ATM attendant at First Bank around Kofar Kaura Phone Sellers market said ATM points dispense only N20,000 to an individual daily. Two other residents interviewed corroborated the statement.

Look at this long queue, just for you to reach and get N20,000 that cant even take me a day, Anas Abubakar said while on a long queue at a First Bank branch.

At about 5:28 p.m. at the GT Bank in the area, a PREMIUM TIMES reporter was asked to document his name in a long list and was awarded a tally that read Number 48.

When you write your name, just go and wait when its your turn, the ATM attendant will call you, a security staffer of the bank told this reporter.

Most of the POS operators in the metropolis have also increased withdrawal charges.

Abdul Jani, a journalist in Katsina, told PREMIUM TIMES he was charged N1000 to withdraw N10,000 and N2000 for N20,000.

Another POS operator beside Hamada Carpet on GTA expressway, Hamza Sani, said they increased the withdrawal to make up for what they go through before getting the money.

When you go to an ATM, you can only withdraw N20,000. If youve different accounts, then you can withdraw a lot but it means more charges and sometimes we settle some banks staff too. So, its not deliberate, he said.

Another resident, Bishir Biro, lamented the unavailability of the new naira notes.

I swear to God Im yet to see the N200 note. Ive spent all my old Naira notes and now Ive nothing with me. How do you expect me to tell an Okada man to give me his account number for me to send him N200? They didnt do this policy very well and the added ten days are not enough, he said.

A poultry farm attendant, Bello Dan Alhaji, said he has been unable to withdraw and spend his salary because of scarcity of new naira notes.

They paid us on Friday but Im yet to get my money. Its in my account but for what use? I went to three different POS but they all dont have the new Naira notes. Everyone keep saying he would give me the old notes and nobody will accept it now, he lamented.

Other states

In many parts of the North-west, residents are lamenting the biting effect of the naira redesign policy, especially in rural areas.

In Talata Mafara, a commercial city in Zamfara state, a POS operator, Fahad Aminu, said he has since abandoned the business till further notice.

I now open the kiosk and sit or gist with my friends because where would I see the money, he told this newspaper in a telephone interview.

When it started, I went to all the banks in this town but they kept saying they dont have new Naira notes I should go and return late. If Im in Talata Mafara and I cant get it (naira notes), where would I get it in the whole of Zamfara State?

Maryam Galadima, a civil servant in Talata Mafara, also lamented how the unavailability of the new naira notes is taking a toll on their lives.

I went to get money from my account, joined a queue for close to three hours but could only get N10,000. When the line reached me, the bank people said money would soon finish so I must withdraw N10,000 instead of N20,000. Ive even spent it that day and now Ive nothing with me, she said.

In Sokoto, Ishaq Abdullahi, a graphic designer and journalist, said he was stunned when he went to withdraw N2,000 but was charged N300.

She (POS operator) was the only one who has money in the area, and it was even a miracle that I got the money in her stand, he said.

He told PREMIUM TIMES over the telephone that most ATMs are no longer active because they also dont have the money.

There is a big POS operator around Rima Radio in the city centre. Anytime you go there youll get money but the place has been under lock for three straight days because he doesnt have the money.

Mr Abdullahi said only few ATMs dispense cash in the city.

North-east

In Nigerias North-east, the ripple effect of the policy has been most intense on rural dwellers and commodity traders.

A PREMIUM TIMES reporter in Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State, observed that residents wake up early to meet long queues while other travel long distances to the city centre to make withdrawals.

Goni Abubakar, a resident, told this newspaper he traveled about 200km from Geidam town to Damaturu. But when PREMIUM TIMES spoke to him on the queue at about 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, he was still on the queue at the Jaiz Bank branch in Damaturu, the state capital.

Mr Abubakars intention was to go back to Geidam but he couldnt make the over 3 hours journey back to his base.

I came all the way from Geidam this morning to Damaturu. Look at me here confused. I have (not) withdrawn any money and it is almost 5 p.m. now. Which one will I think of now. The money or where I am going to sleep. I will have to sleep here until i get the money, he said.

Look at the problem people are facing here, old people, women with children. Some people are sleeping here. Even me, I will have to sleep here today to get the money. The government needs to make this money available to all.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the culture of women forming a separate queue in public places has now been disregarded due to the chaos.

Amina Musa said she came to the Jaiz Bank branch in Damaturu since 6 a.m. but hasnt been able to withdraw cash.

Honestly, we are going through hardship. The men are not giving the women any consideration to withdraw. We plead with the men to consider us because of the house work we have at home but they refuse. We have to wait and follow the queue. I came here since 6 a.m., she said.

South-south

On Wednesday, Richard Inoyo, the Country Director of Citizens Solution Network, Calabar, Cross River State, told this newspaper that its been a terrible day.

He said: Today as early as 6 a.m., people were already at the bank to use the ATM. They waited at the bank till 8:10 a.m before the bank started loading money at the ATM. By the time the bank finished loading money at Access Bank it was already 8:34 for people to start withdrawing it.

Let me tell you something, you cannot withdraw more than N20, 000 per day. From every card you hold you can only withdraw N20, 000. And if you have more than one card due to the BVN connection to your card they will not allow you to withdraw more than N20, 000 or withdraw from any other account. You will just have to withdraw from only one account.

The policy itself is a very absurd policy. In the real sense, they said the policy is targeted at the poor but obviously the reverse. Right now people are queuing on the line just to get their own money and sadly enough you cannot withdraw more than N20,000 in an economy where at least 35 per cent of those who trade in the retail market basically depend on physical cash for transaction, so that is where we find ourselves.

Mr Inoyo recounted his experience at a Pharmacy store and how poor network stifled the transaction.

In Cross River State now, I can put it to you that the policy is not working, he said.

For Collins Oscar, CEO, Made in Akwa Ibom Corporation, which runs two large supermarkets in Uyo, there has been a reduction in sales.

He said: We also have a POS stand around here but the queue is so massive so even with their money they still suffer to even withdraw it because they run out of cash and to get cash is so difficult. This has been our experience it reduce our daily turnover to almost 50 per cent because you have the buying power but you are restricted.

In Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa, a resident who declined to have his name mentioned told PREMIUM TIMES that there is a huge challenge with the implementation of the policy due to sabotage on the part of some POS agents.

In the South-east, traders also complained of the impact of the policy on their businesses and daily operations.

For Sylvanus Ukpong, CEO of Emem Farms Ltd in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, the policy has impacted his operations negatively.

He said: I went to First Bank in Uyo to withdraw N120,000 to buy feeds for my poultry farm, the bank officials refused, they said theres an instruction from the CBN that banks shouldnt pay money from the counter, that all withdrawals should be done via ATM.

The bank told me the highest amount my company can withdraw from ATM is N20,000. The feed sellers said they prefer cash, not electronic transfer of fund, because they too needed physical cash. I left in frustration.

We had no other option except to give the birds starter feeds, instead of layers, and that completely affected our egg production. Today we had only 27 crates of eggs instead of 60.

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In this interview he granted the BBC Hausa service as monitored by PREMIUM TIMES, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, explains why he has been seeking to be the president of Nigeria. He also speaks on his relationship with his main rival, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, his take on the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC and other issues.

Mohammed Babangida translated the interview.

Excerpts:

Question: Youve been contesting for this seat (president). Why do you want to be the president of Nigeria?

Atiku: My ambition is to ensure I use the experience I have in public service and politics to help in the development of this country. But most importantly, what has been disturbing me, just as I use to tell my children, I have a lot of children and I have given them the education they deserve, both religious and conventional. Most of my children have been to some other countries but I also ensure that they all return to Nigeria to live here. So, I use to think what sort of a country will my children find themselves in the future? When I think of the situation and the future generations, it motivates me to keep contesting to see if God will give me the chance to be the president.

Question: So when you become president, what do you hope to do different from what was done, for instance, during the PDP years?

Atiku: I will focus on five major issues. First, insecurity that is bedeviling every part of the country. I will unite the country by running a just and fair government. There is also the issue of the economy and education. The last one is looking at how some responsibilities and functions can be handed over to states and local government councils in the country because when you look at it, the federal government has taken over government dealings. So, these five things are what I will prioritise if elected the president of the country.

Question: But how do you think you can use these priorities to solve the problems of the country, because every candidate will say he would do these things youve mentioned? What style would you use in ensuring these priorities work differently?

Atiku: Well, the difference is that I have done it before and people have witnessed what I have done. Did the others (presidential candidates) do anything like me? Can they say they have done something like me?

Question: Lets take the issue of insecurity in the North-west for instance. How do you intend to tackle it?

Atiku: I will first increase the number of security agents, increase their weapons and other equipment, increase their salaries. These are things I intend to do immediately I become president.

There is also a decision I am thinking of taking which is to look at the possibility of allowing states to have their own security agencies. We will however monitor the activities of the states to make sure they didnt use the state security agents to intimidate the opposition.

Question: What you intend to do require funding and it is obvious there is no money in the country. Even the countrys foreign reserve is dwindling and the debt profile of the country is also huge, reading around N16 trillion. Where do you intend to get the money to do these things you have mentioned?

Atiku: Something good about the debt is that you can sit and discuss with those you are owing to reach agreement on the mode of payment. You can seek for an extension period to pay when your economy bounces back

Secondly, the moment we tackle the issue of insecurity, we will turn to inviting foreign businesses to come and invest in the country which can boost our economy and reduce the poverty level.

Question: (cuts in): You are talking of foreign businesses when the naira is always falling down while dollar keeps rising.

Atiku: (Cuts in) This depends on the efforts made by the government at a particular time. For instance, this government did something we believe is wrong. The naira has three to four rates but we believe this is wrong. They should let the market decide the rate of the naira and not the government to decide that.

Question: On education, the UNICEF said about 20 million children in the country are out of school with majority of them in the northern part of the country. How do you intend to tackle this issue?

Atiku: They are 12 million of such children in the north. To be honest with you, the states and local governments dont use the money we send to them from the federal government for the education sector. So, what I will do is to ensure that states and local governments that collect money from the federal government use it to provide education.

Question: There is the incessant strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). This disagreement between ASUU and the federal government, how would you tackle it?

Atiku: I will sit with them because I didnt see any problem with doing that. I have been running a university for over 20 years now and not for once did our staff go on strike. Why do you think so,? I believe its because we pay them their salaries and allowances as at when due.

Question: But your university is a private one thats expensive and its only for the children of the privileged.

Atiku: Even at that. Even the public universities, there was a federal scholarship board but I dont think its there now. So, I will revive that board to provide loans for students that cant sponsor their education.

Question: Lets talk about health. There is lack of medical doctors and its said that every one medical doctor takes care of 2,000 persons. Some of them are leaving the country in huge number. If you are elected, what would you do to solve the problem of medical doctors leaving the country to practice in other countries?

Atiku: If you could recall, some years back before we started this dispensation in 1999, we had these sort of problems when our medical doctors were leaving the country for Saudi Arabia and others. But when PDP came, we rehabilitated hospitals, built several others and increased their salaries, they all returned. If the government is serious, it will do things right.

Question: So you mean you can bring them back if you are elected?

Atiku: By Gods grace. First, ensure there is a conducive environment for them to practice. Hospitals should be well equiped and their salaries standardised.

Question: But you the wealthy people go overseas to seek for medical attention

Atiku: What do you mean by wealthy people?

Question: The rich people and those in position of authority. Some go outside the country to treat headache

Atiku: No. I am not one of them. Yes, I go overseas but not to treat headache (laughs). May be once after six months or a year I go out for medical check up or when I fall down I got wounded on my leg. Yes, I went overseas then and I was treated and I returned.

Question: Lets talk about politics now. There is the issue of G-5 governors in your party. Dont you think you have a problem being that those governors are from the subregion where PDP is considered to be strong?

Atiku: Well, every party has its own peculiar issues. We are discussing with them and most of them are neither here nor there. This will not affect our chances because we believe with the way they (INEC) are planning to conduct the elections now, because it is not like in the days that a governor would be the one to decide who win or not. The Act has changed that and now election is decided by the electorate.

Question: The candidates of LP and NNPP are seen as capable of hindering your success. Many believe it would have been better if you were together with them.

Atiku: Even if everyone in this country promises to elect you, youll not be at peace until when you are elected.

Question: But these ones, Peter Obi and Kwankwaso, do they scare you?

Atiku: No. No. Im not afraid of them. They dont make me jittery.

Question: Is there any possibility of any of them joining you before the election?

Atiku: Why not? It is very possible because this is all politics.

Question: Are you reaching out to them now or you are just feeling the possibility of them..

Atiku: We are discussing with them.

Question: Who do you think among the two will easily join you?

Atiku: Any of them can join us.

Question: Tinubu is your friend. You people started together and you had one political godfather, Shehu YarAdua. But youre now locking horns. Some may believe he (Tinubu) knows your political strategies, dont you think it will affect your chances?

Atiku: I am not afraid of that. I dont think he can do that. In fact, I have never feared anyone in politics.

Question: What makes you think you will win?

Atiku: What motivates me is that the APC administration has failed to deliver and everyone knows that. People need change.

Question: You have been accused of bribery and corruption on different occasions.

Atiku: It is all allegations. Let them bring evidence if they have it.

Question: Would you declare your assets?

Atiku: How? .. I write down my assets in asset declaration. If they say I should give it to journalists for scrutiny I can give it to you people.

Question: But you on your own, you will not give it to us to explain how much you have, may be your number of cars and houses?

Atiku: It is just a document. If you want to see it you can go to the officials in charge if they can give you.

Question: The current administration shut down land borders. Taking into consideration that you are a retired Customs officer, what action would you take?

Atiku: Nigeria is the leader of ECOWAS and the first rule of ECOWAS said there should be free trade between the West African countries. No country should shut down such trade without discussion on the reasons for the action. This government when it came, it didnt discuss with any country. They just went ahead to shut down the borders.

One of the things I promised to do is to reopen all land borders in the country because we have Customs officers and other security agents on these borders. So anything that is contraband or require payment, they will take care of that. But we will open land borders and allow people to continue running their business.

Question: But the federal government said it did this to support local farmers and to stop contraband from entering the country?

Atiku: Then why do we have border officials?

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Some elements in the Presidential Villa want the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, to lose the 25 February election, the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has said.

Mr El-Rufai, who spoke on Wednesday morning on Channels Televisions Sunrise Daily programme, said those people backed a different aspirant in the APC presidential primaries but the aspirant did not win the ticket.

The governor said the unnamed people are now hiding behind President Muhammadu Buhari to pursue their interests.

I believe there are elements in the villa want us to lose the election because they didnt get their way; they had their candidate. Their candidate did not win the primaries.

They are trying to get us to lose the election, and they are hiding behind the presidents desire to do what he thinks is right, he said.

Citing the issues of petrol subsidy and the recent redesign of the naira by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr El-Rufai said the president had the right to make the change to the national currency but it does not make any political or economic sense.

This petroleum subsidy, which is costing the country trillions of naira, was something that we all agreed would be removed. In fact, I had a discussion with the president and showed him why it had to go.

Because how can you have a capital budget of N200 billion for federal roads and then spend N2 trillion on petroleum subsidies? This was a conversation I had with the president in 2021 when the subsidy thing started rising. He was convinced. We left. It changed. Everyone in the government agreed, and it changed.

The second example I will give is this currency redesign. You have to understand the president. People are blaming the governor of the central bank for the currency redesign, but no. You have to go back and look at the first outing of Buhari as president.

He did this; the Buhari, Idiagbon regime changed our currency and did it in secrecy with a view to catching those that were stashing away illicit funds. It is a very good intention. The president has his right. But doing it at this time within the allotted time does not make any political or economic sense, Mr El-Rufai said.

While campaigning at a rally in Ogun State last week, Mr Tinubu had also said the scarcity of petrol and new naira notes was aimed at frustrating his presidential bid.

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Nigerias Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has commenced a process to introduce private agents for the processes of applications for relevant immigration documents such as citizenship and residency permits, business permits and formation of statutory marriages, among others.

This is contained in a fresh advertorial published on page three of the Tenders Journal of 23 January, and signed by the ministrys Permanent Secretary, Shuaibu Belgore.

The new process, when approved, would empower the private agents to impose service charges on applicants, and that personal applications may no longer be processed.

But this new move by the Minister is against the act establishing the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) which places the responsibility of processes of issuance of international passports, residency permits, and visas, among others, at the doorstep of the NIS and its comptroller general as the accounting officer.

It is also against the Ministers avowed commitment to eradicating middlemen in the process of relevant documents such as international passports. Mr Aregbesola has never insisted on the introduction of technology to limit human interface in the application and acquisition from relevant agencies under his watch.

But an aide to the minister, Sola Fasure, has defended the policy, describing it as part of the ministrys efforts at ensuring improved coordination, accountability, and efficiency.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson at the NIS, Tony Akuneme, denied knowledge of the development, saying he was yet to be briefed on the matter by the management.

However, an insider at the ministry, who does not want to be quoted for fear of sanctions, has described the new initiative as fraudulent and a channel to find food for the boys.

New process

In the advertorial, which was titled: Selection of Licensed Agents for the Processing of Applications Related to the Grant of Business Permits, Expatriate Quota, Formation of Statutory Marriages, Citizenship/Residency Permit and Licensing of Public Places of Worship Request for Expression of Interest (Eoi), interested bidders are expected to submit their applications on or before Tuesday, 7 February.

The notice further states that the application documents shall be opened also on 7 February at the expiration of the deadline for submission.

According to the notice, the tasks for the successful agents shall be to facilitate and seek approvals on behalf of their clients for expatriate quota related matters, citizenship applications, licensing of public places of worship, as well as applications for the formation of statutory marriages.

The Agents will be charged with the responsibility of verifying the information provided and ensuring all requirements are satisfied while ensuring their clients meet the conditions of their permits. They would also have reporting obligations to the Ministry, it added.

Similar failed past attempt

It is not the first time Mr Aregbesola is attempting to commercialise the services provided by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

In 2021, the former Osun State governor introduced middlemen in the processes of passport processing with the launch of what he called: Passport Express Centres.

At the inauguration of the pioneer office of the express centre in the Maitama area of Abuja, Nigerias Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in 2021, it was announced that applicants in need of international passports in 24 hours would pay a service charge of N30,000 while those in need of the documents in 48 hours would pay N20,000.

However, following the criticism of the process by many Nigerians, who described the move as exploitative, President Muhammdu Buhari ordered its cancellation and that the NIS should be entirely responsible for issuance processes.

ALSO READ: Aregbesola links incessant jailbreaks to climate change

The President had cited the security implications of exposing the nations travel documents to too many middlemen and the need to protect its sanctity and integrity.

What law says

The Immigration Act 2015, which repealed the Immigration Act, Cap. I1, LFN, 2004, and the Passport (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, Cap. P1, LFN, 2004], sets out the provisions for matters relating to immigration, passports, visas, resident permits, work permits, and the prohibition of smuggling of migrants into and from Nigeria, and for the protection of and provision of remedies and assistance to objects of smuggling of migrants offences in Nigeria.

Though the minister serves as the Chairman of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Service Board (CDCFIB) which is in charge of the policy direction of the agency, the NIS establishing Act in Part 1, Section 2, empowers the Comptroller General of Immigration to oversee the day-to-day running of the organisation.

The Act states in part: The Comptroller-General shall subject to directives by the Minister on matters of policy, be charged with the responsibility for the day-to-day administration of this Act or any other enactment conferring immigration duties upon him, including the performance of those duties specified in Section 2 of this Act.

But investigations by PREMIUM TIMES revealed that the Minister is executing this without carrying along the NIS leadership.

Minister defends action

In a telephone interview with the ministers media aide, Mr Fasure, he said there is a department of Citizenship at the ministry that is responsible for such matters and that it is within the purview of the minister to take make such decisions that can improve services rendered.

He said: As I have said, the new process is to help the applicants to perfect their applications. That is all.

Asked about the cost of the new services by the agents, Mr Fasure said the details are not out yet and that he could not comment on such aspects for now.

When Mr Fasure was also asked about the timing of the new policy he said it is only a coincidence with the period the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is winding down.

I think it is just the maturation that is now seen but many processes must have gone into it. So it could only be by coincidence, he said.

NIS unaware

In a telephone interview with the NIS Public Relations Officer, Tony Akuneme, he was unaware of the development and would not be able to comment on the matter.

He urged the reporter to forward a copy of the advertorial to him for onward delivery to the management of the agency for appropriate response.

However, since the document was forwarded to Mr Akuneme as advised he was yet to respond as of the time of filing this report.

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Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has failed to meet the January deadline, which he set for the unveiling of his preferred presidential candidate for the 2023 election.

PREMIUM TIMES in November last year reported how Mr Wike assured his supporters that he was going to adopt a presidential candidate for them to vote for in next months presidential election.

He repeated the promise in December last year saying he was going to campaign for his preferred presidential candidate in all parts of the country and that nothing will happen.

So, all of you who have been in suspense, who have been saying all kinds of things, abusing me, wait, January is here, Mr Wike said while commissioning a flyover in Port Harcourt.

The deadline elapsed on Tuesday (yesterday) but the governor of the oil-rich Rivers State was yet to make good his promise.

Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Chris Finebone confirmed to this newspaper, Wednesday morning, that the governor was yet to unveil his preferred candidate.

He hasnt done it yet but he will do it, Mr Finebone said, appealing for patience from Nigerians.

Mr Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), fell out with the party leadership after the presidential primary which he lost to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

The governor also fell out with Atiku, the PDP presidential candidate for reneging on the alleged promise to ensure the exit of the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, so that a southerner can lead the party for the sake of a regional balance.

Atiku and Mr Ayu are both northerners.

Mr Wike now leads the G5, a group of PDP governors who are aggrieved with Mr Atiku and the PDP leadership.

Governor Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpaeazu (Abia) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo) are the other members of the G5.

Members of the G5 who were appointed into the Atiku presidential campaign council, withdrew their membership and boycotted its inauguration.

The quintet had in November last year, in Abia State, said they would support a southern presidential candidate for the 2023 election, a decision they said was in line with the agreement reached in the southern governors forum that Nigerias presidency should come to the south in 2023.

Governor Ortom of Benue State, a G5 member, openly backed the endorsement of the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Mr Ortom in a statement from his spokesperson, Terver Akase, said Mr Obi possesses all the qualities of a leader who will be a true president of this country by guaranteeing justice and fairness for all Nigerians.

The governor said if he were not a member of the PDP, would have led Mr Obis campaign across Nigeria.

Mr Wike promised to provide logistics support for Mr Obi whenever the LP candidate would campaign in Port Harcourt.

After Mr Obis campaign in Port Harcourt in December, Governor Wike said he provided vehicles and security for the campaign in the state, TVC news reported.

It is not clear who Mr Wike will unveil as his choice presidential candidate among the two main presidential candidates from the south  Mr Obi and former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

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The Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has dissociated the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, from some of the policies of the current administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr El-Rufai, during an interview on Channels Television on Wednesday, said the decision of the Buhari administration to redesign the Naira and mop it up in a very short period could ignite voters to reject the ruling party at the 25 February presidential election.

The governor noted that all the blames for the redesigning of the Naira should not go entirely to the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, noting that Mr Buhari has a history of redesigning the currency with the intent to check illicit funds.

He also faulted the administration for failing to implement the removal of petroleum subsidy and restructuring of the country, noting that those actions are inconsistent with the manifesto of the APC. He, however, blamed all these on elements within the presidential villa, who lost at the presidential primaries.

This is not the policy of our candidate (Bola Tinubu), this is the policy of fifth columnists. They want to bring us down, they want to bring this country down.

We have held the conversation (subsidy removal) at the National Economic Council. It was Buhari himself that made the decision that this subsidy will hurt the poor. It is not about national conversation. Everyone agrees but the president took that decision that is why our presidential candidate, in the same political party, says I will remove it. It is not a party position. It is a personal decision of the president.

The people in the villamost of them are not (members of our party). I believe there is. I believe there are elements within the villa that want us to lose the elections because they did not get their way. They have their candidate, but their candidate did not win the primaries. I believe they are trying to get us to lose the election. They are hiding behind the presidents desire to do what he thinks is right.

People are blaming the Central Bank Governor, but you have to go back to the first outing of the president. He did thisBuhari /Idiagbon regime changed our currency and did it in secrecy with the view to catching those with illicit funds. It is a good intention, very clean intention but doing it at this time just does not make any political, economic sense, he said.

Crack within the APC

Over the past couple of weeks, there has been an increase in bickering within the upper echelon of the ruling party since the commencement of the redesigning of N1,000, N500 and N200 currency notes by the CBN.

During a campaign rally in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Mr Tinubu took a swipe at the policy and the scarcity of petroleum products in the country. Speaking in Yoruba, he said the policies were targeted at him.

Many interpreted the outburst as a sign of cracks between Messrs Tinubu and Buhari, particularly in the face of the perceived lukewarm attitude of the latter to the campaign of the former.

Despite being the chairperson of the APC presidential campaign council, Mr Buhari has only attended four of the campaign rallies.

Also, the Kano State governor, Umar Ganduje, a very close ally of Mr Tinubu, recently wrote a letter to Mr Buhari ahead of his visit to Kano State, stating disquietness in his state against the administration over the naira redesigning.

Although the president later visited the state after the extension of the deadline for the legality of the old naira notes, there were reports that some angry youths allegedly stoned the convoy of the president.

Also, recently, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who contested the primaries against Mr Tinubu, said the naira redesigning will curb illicit election financing.

Mr Osinbajo, an erstwhile ally of Mr Tinubu, has refused to join the campaign train. Coincidentally, Mr Tinubu made the statement in the home state of the vice president, Ogun. It was in the same state he made the famous Emi lokan speech during the primaries. In that speech, he reminded Messrs Buhari and Osinbajo of his role in their emergence as president and vice president respectively.

Those sabotaging reforms not punished.

Mr El-Rufai revealed some of the actions taken to reform the country, notably the removal of petroleum subsidy and restructuring. He stated that on several occasions the actions are not taken despite an agreement with the president.

He accused the defunct Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) of sabotaging the removal of the subsidy regime.

When we came into office, the price of oil collapsed to $26 per barrel. That was when we thoughtI was one of the persons that led the governors to the president that this is the time to deregulate the market because the price of oil was so low. That was when it was moved up to that price of N144.

The whole idea was that the government would hand it off. If the price moves up slightly, then you adjust it slightly. But who sabotaged it? The NNPC made an announcement and linked it to the president as if it was the president that fixed the price.

We submitted the report, the president agreed with it, and action was supposed to be taken. Some bills were even drafted and sent to the National Assembly. It did not get the traction it needed.

He added that There are some things that we sit with the president and agree on, and he says this will get done and it does not get done. And those that refuse to get them done dont get punished.

With Mr El-Rufais comment, the ruling party appears to be heading to the general elections with a divided house.

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Naira maintained stability against the United States dollar at the Investors and Exporters window on Tuesday, amidst poor circulation of the newly designed naira notes in the country.

According to data published on FMDQ website, where forex is officially traded, the local unit closed the days market at N461.50 per $1 on Tuesday, the same rate it was exchanged for in the previous session on Monday.

Within this period, the domestic currency rate soared to an intra-day high of N446.00 and stooped to a low of N462.00 per dollar before settling at N461.50 at the close of business.

The official window opened at N461.50 and closed at the same rate but had $85.04 million posted as foreign exchange turnover recorded within the period.

Similarly, the currency exchange rate remained unchanged at the parallel market on Tuesday amidst intensified efforts by the anti-graft agencies and the State Security Services (SSS) to curb newly designed naira notes hawking by street marketers and mobile cash point operators as Nigerians scramble for new notes withdrawal.

In recent weeks, Nigerian citizens and commercial banks across the country have been lamenting over their inability to access the newly designed naira notes.

While this subsists, many Nigerians on social media have expressed reservations about the circulation of the new notes, with many fuming that they are yet to see or feel the new naira notes.

Others have also complained of hoarding on the part of the commercial banks, while some mobile cash point vendors are said to be exploiting the situation by hawking the new note.

In Abuja and Uyo, currency dealers said the hard currency was exchanged at N750.00 per dollar and sold at N755.00 to a dollar on Tuesday, as against the N748.00 per $1 mark it was exchanged for in the previous market on Monday.

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A senator of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Ibikunle Amosun, has publicly declared his support for the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Biyi Otegbeye, in Ogun State.

Mr Amosun, who is the current senator for Ogun central district, is the immediate past governor of the state.

In 2019, he had also backed another partys candidate after Dapo Abiodun defeated his preferred aspirant in the APC primaries.

Governor Abiodun is seeking reelection on the ticket of the APC but Mr Amosun has again refused to back him.

The candidate the former governor backed in 2019, Adekunle Akinlade, is now the running mate to Ladi Adebutu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

But Mr Amosun has this time endorsed Mr Otegbeye and announced the decision during an interview with BBC Yoruba.

He attended the campaign flag-off rally of the ADC candidate at the Ake Palace Ground in Abeokuta on Wednesday.

READ ALSO:

He said although he will campaign and vote for the presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu, he will work against Mr Abiodun in favour of Mr Otegbeye.

The senator stepped down for Mr Tinubu at the 6- 8 June 2022 national convention of the APC.

More to follow.

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The APC presidential campaign council says Arise TV and ThisDay newspaper misrepresented some comments of the partys presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, during his campaign rally in Calabar, Cross River State, on Tuesday.

A statement on Wednesday signed by the director of media and publicity, Bayo Onanuga, APC PCC, said Mr Tinubus comments about the economic mismanagement of the country were directed at the PDP and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and not President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr Tinubu had told the party faithful and supporters who gathered at the venue of the rally not to follow the PDP and Atiku because they do not know the road, the statement noted.

The campaign council said it was not unmindful of the antics of Thisday and Arise News to deliberately misrepresent our candidate and accentuate anything they think will project Asiwaju Tinubu in a bad light since the beginning of this electioneering circle.

The statement noted that the futile attempt to misrepresent Mr Tinubu by  the mischievous PDP media did not detract from his central message.

The APC, and its leadership, Mr Buhari are strongly united behind Mr Tinubu, the statement emphasised, even though the Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-rufai, in an earlier report by this newspaper said there were some elements in the presidential villa who do not want Mr Tinubu and the APC to win the 25 February presidential poll.

The APC PCC and the duo of ThisDay and Arise TV, owned by Nduka Obaigbena, have constantly been at loggerheads since the campaign season began over the refusal of Mr Tinubu to attend the debate and town hall engagements for presidential candidates organised by TV station.

Read the full statement below:

TINUBU DIDNT ATTACK PRESIDENT BUHARI AT HIS CALABAR RALLY

We find it important to correct the misrepresentation of the statement of our candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the campaign rally in Calabar yesterday by a section of the media especially Thisday Newspaper and its broadcast arm, Arise News.

While addressing the mammoth crowd of party supporters and people of Cross Rivers State that came to listen to his message of Renewed Hope at U.J Esuene Stadium, Asiwaju Tinubu urged the people not to vote for Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar because of their litany of failures while in power for 16 years.

The reference to exchange rate was not in any way an attack on the Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress administration but an attempt to capture how the economic mismanagement of the PDP created forex crisis in the country since 2015.

Anyone who followed the entire sequence and context of what Asiwaju said at the rally in Calabar will know he directed his missiles against PDP and Atiku. Lets we forget, the PDP left the forex reserve at $28 billion by May 2015, when Buhari took over despite unprecedented revenue from crude oil.

Even with the massive oil theft and low price of crude, until recently, President Buhari had built up the reserve to about $38 billion. The PDP in 1999 met the exchange rate at N85 to one US dollar in 1999 and left it at N230 in 2015.

The futile attempt to misrepresent Asiwaju Tinubu by the mischievous PDP media did not detract from his central message.

Our candidate explicitly said the people should not follow PDP and Atiku because they dont know the road.

Asiwaju Tinubu could not have meant President Buhari does not know road, having celebrated, numerous times, the achievements of the Buhari administration. Tinubu had also said at campaign fora he would build on the achievements, when elected on 25 February.

It is simply illogical that the same Asiwaju would attack the Buhari administration of not knowing the road.

In contrast, throughout this campaign up till now, Asiwaju Tinubu has consistently said PDP and all the opposition parties put together do not know the road to prosperity for Nigeria. He also said the competing candidates do not have the track record he amassed as governor of Lagos.

As the frontrunner in the race, he has promised to implement his robust Action Plan that will bring socio-economic prosperity to our country.

We are not unmindful of the antics of Thisday and Arise News to deliberately misrepresent our candidate and accentuate anything they think will project Asiwaju Tinubu in a bad light since the beginning of this electioneering circle.

We want to state categorically that all the machinations of the opposition elements to put a wedge between President Muhammadu Buhari and Asiwaju Tinubu will fail.

READ ALSO:

APC, its leadership and President Buhari are strongly united behind our presidential candidate.

All the sponsored innuendos, invented and imaginary discord in APC which the failed PDP and their media organs hope to cash on to win the coming election will blow up in their faces.

Bayo Onanuga

Director, Media and Publicity

APC Presidential Campaign Council

February 1, 2023

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Roger Winter at the independence ceremony for South Sudan in Juba on July 9, 2011.

Roger Winter, an American writer and philanthropist who risked his life by travelling to Rwanda during the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi passed on at 80, on January 25.

He was a recipient of two national heroes' medals, namely the National Liberation Medal (Uruti) and Rwanda's Campaign Against Genocide Medal (Umurinzi) in 2010.

ALSO READ: Roger Winter: Remembering a true friend

In 1994, Winter was the first foreigner to arrive at sites of mass massacres such as Nyarubuye and continued to act as an ardent and vocal eyewitness to what was happening in the Genocide. In 1999, he wrote in the LA Times about U.S. failure to stop the Genocide.

He is also known for his decades-long passionate advocacy he made for the people of Sudan that eventually contributed to South Sudan's independence in 2011.

Louise Mushikiwabo, the Executive Secretary of La Francophonie, tweeted a eulogy saying, "RIP Roger Winter, a man of great humanity. I met him in the early 90's fresh out of University of Delaware, then a few years later, as one of the very first people in America to ring the alarm bell on the Genocide."

"May the peace you sought for others surround you in your new dwelling, dear Roger!" she added.

Julianna Lindsey, Country Representative of UNICEF, said "I remember Roger Winter well from my grad school internship at the US Committee for Refugees in 1996. He supported young people and was a passionate advocate. May he rest in peace."

In 2010, as the recipient of "URUTI" Rwanda's National Liberation Medal and "UMURINZI" Rwanda's Campaign Against Genocide Medal, and below is the full citation as delivered by President Paul Kagame:

Citation

From your days as an ardent campaigner in the American Civil Rights movement, where you went against the grain of what was expected of a white man at the time, to your current role as pro bono advisor to the leader of Southern Sudan and advocate for the Sudan People's Liberation Movement in the United States, you have consistently been driven by your commitment to just causes.

As the Head of the US Committee for Refugees, you were moved by the plight of Rwandan refugees many of whom committed suicide after being expelled from Uganda by then President Milton Obote and found themselves at Rwandan borders closed by President Juvenal Habyarimana.

You dedicated yourself to informing the American public and the rest of the world about the root cause of this crisis.

Throughout the RPF armed struggle, and during the genocide, you communicated frequently to the press; organized briefings for American civil society, Washington think-tanks, policy makers and intelligence; and appeared before the United States Congress on many occasions to share your expert knowledge of the situation in Rwanda.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Rwanda Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

You also generously provided facilities for members of the RPF in the United States to meet and disseminate much needed information.

In the 100 days of genocide, at the risk of your own life, you visited the RPF liberated zone several times, was the first foreigner to arrive at sites of mass massacres such as Nyarubuye, and continued to act as ardent and vocal eyewitness to what was happening.

You mobilized journalists from major American media to visit Rwanda and report on the crisis, and rallied humanitarian organizations to assist survivors.

After the genocide you remained engaged with Rwanda, marshalling support for reconstruction and creating a network of friends for Rwanda.

Your contribution to the struggle against injustice, your consummate efforts in raising awareness of genocide in Rwanda and your tireless endeavor to draw support in its aftermath is simply incalculable and will always be appreciated by Rwandans.

And so today, in a special tribute to you, I, Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, by the virtue of the authority vested in me, do hereby award Roger Winter "URUTI", Rwanda's National Liberation Medal and "UMURINZI", Rwanda's Campaign Against Genocide Medal.
The senator representing Ogun central district, Ibikunle Amosun, says he is opposing the reelection bid of Governor Dapo Abiodun because he abandoned the development path his administration laid.

Mr Amosun is Mr Abioduns predecessor as governor and is also in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) but is canvassing votes for the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Biyi Otegbeye.

While Mr Otegbeye is from Ilaro in Ogun West Senatorial District, the governor is from Ogun East Senatorial District.

Mr Amosun attended the flag-off rally of the ADC candidate at the Ake Palace Ground in Abeokuta, the state capital, on Wednesday.

He had earlier declared his support for Mr Otegbeye during an interview with BBC Yoruba and vowed to work against Mr Abiodun, a long-time friend turned political foe.

Addressing the rally, Mr Amosun said, This is my anointed candidate (raising Mr Otegbeyes hand up). I am APC, but for the governorship election, I am going to support and also work assiduously for the candidature of Biyi Otegbeye and his deputy, Tunde Awonuga.

Mr Amosun said for justice, equity and fairness, the next governor of the state needs to come from Ogun West Senatorial District, which has never produced a governor since the creation of the state.

The former governor said his successor derailed from the development path his administration laid.

The good works we started during my tenure must continue and this is why I am supporting Biyi Otegbeye. Everybody knows me, I dont hide behind one finger and evil thrives when good men refuse to talk.

You know me, I am APC. But this election that is coming, I support the presidency coming to the South and that is why I am supporting Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that is why all the Amosun political family are supporting Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

There are two reasons why I am doing what I am doing. The first one is based on equity, justice, and fairness. Ogun state is almost 50 years now, since and nobody from Ogun West has been governor. Some characters are saying Yewa dont have good people, I know they have. Yewa has good children that can do it. He (Otegbeye) is a lawyer, he has been tested and trusted.

The second reason that is very important is that, Ogun State must not derail. We have set the path of development for Ogun State, we must not allow it to be derailed.

Mr Amosun, as a sitting governor, had opposed the election of Mr Abiodun after the latter defeated his anointed aspirant, Adekunle Akinlade, in the APC governorship primaries.

Mr Amosun campaigned for Mr Akinlade who ran as the candidate of another party but lost the general election to Mr Abiodun.

READ ALSO:

Mr Akinlade is currently involved in this election as the deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Kunle Somorin, did not pick up his call or respond to a text message seeking his comment for this report.

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Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) has signed an agreement with China Sinoma International Engineering to build a six million tons per annum cement plant in Itori, Ogun State.

The agreement was signed by the Chairman of Dangote Cement Plc, Aliko Dangote alongside the Group Executive Director, Strategy, Capital Projects & Portfolio Development, DIL, Devakumar Edwin, while China Sinoma Engineering was represented by its Group President, Yin Zhisong, and the companys Chairman, Liu Renyue.

Mr Dangote speaking at the signing ceremony, said that new integrated cement plant at completion will strengthen the local production capacity of Dangote Cement, bringing its local capacity to 41.25 million tons per annum and total African capacity to 57.6 million tons per annum.

He said the Itori Cement Plant will also increase Nigerias capacity to export cement, thereby enabling more diversification and foreign exchange inflows for the economy.

According to Mr Dangote, the project is further expected to develop the domestic economy through creation of thousands of indirect and direct jobs and drive economic development in the Itori axis.

Ancillary businesses, he stated will be drawn to the axis, who will be seeking to take advantage of the location of the cement plant to provide goods and services to staff, contractors and other stakeholders.

He added that constructing the new cement plant is in line with Dangote Groups vision of producing locally goods that were formally imported despite the abundance of raw materials for local production of such goods.

He described Sinoma as a strategic partner who has been instrumental to the success of key projects in Dangote Group. He said, We are comfortable working with your company. You have handled some of our key projects and I am positive that this project will be completed as scheduled.

Group President of China Sinoma Engineering, Yin Zhisong, expressed satisfaction with the commitment and determination of the Dangote Group in building cement plants across Africa. He said: It is an honour for us to build another cement plant for Dangote Group. We are proud and happy to be on this journey with the company again.

When operational, the plant is expected to have two Lines x 6,000 TPD Clinker Production with an installed daily total capacity of 12,000 TPD of Clinker production. It is expected to be completed within 27 months with best-in-class equipment in the cement industry, sourced from Europes major equipment suppliers.

The plant will have its own captive power plant to generate electric power for use by cement kilns and other production processes.

The Itori Cement Plant will be Dangote Cements fourth plant constructed as a green field project in Nigeria, the rest are Obajana, Ibese and Okpella Plants.

Dangote Cement is Africas leading cement producer with 51.6Mta production capacity across Africa with Nigeria accounting for 35.25Mta.

Obajana plant in Kogi state, Nigeria, is the largest in Africa with 16.25Mta of capacity across five lines; Ibese plant in Ogun State has four cement lines with a combined installed capacity of 12Mta; Gboko plant in Benue state has 4Mta; and Okpella plant in Edo state has 3Mta.

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Nigerias chief of defence staff, Lucky Irabor, Tuesday warned that the petrol scarcity across the country had become a security concern and nobody is indispensable in bringing a solution to the problem.

Mr Irabor, an army general, stated this at a meeting between oil regulators, security chiefs and petroleum marketers.

The challenge of availability of fuel across the country has risen to a proportion that it had become a concern for the defence and security of our country, he said. The government is not handicapped and I need to indicate that there are alternatives and nobody is indispensable.

At the event, facilitated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the oil industry regulators engaged the marketers and security agencies to find ways of addressing the lingering fuel crisis in the country.

The engagement was attended by Mr Irabor; Inspector-General of Police Usman Baba and Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Hameed Ali.

Others in attendance were the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed and the leadership of oil marketers including the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN).

Also at the meeting were the leaders of the Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) among others.

The Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPCL, Mele Kyari. said the fuel distribution crisis was of a monumental proportion, which had taken a different dimension.

Mr Kyari decried the fact that Nigerian fuel was being smuggled to other countries and could only be done either by the people in the industry or those connected or buying from the operators including in marine containers.

We have evidence that some of our customers are actually smuggling the vessels to other countries but we will get to the root of this and appropriate agency will deal with it, he said.

We are not dealing with a supply problem, as we speak we have 831 million litres in marine and in various depots we have 738 million litres that are documented in platforms of the industry regulators. We do not have AGO problem for truck movement.

Any time the evacuation figure goes beyond 60 million litres in the country, we have a problem. Early in 2022 due to the contamination fuel, evacuation came down to 56 million then we had a crisis, then we ramped up and achieved normalcy.

In October 2022 when the flooding happened, trucks could not go to destinations particularly south to north, so evacuation went beyond 60 million and since then we have done possible things to keep it above.

Therefore, there is no shortage of fuel in the market, they may be in the wrong destination, he said.

He said there were changes in some dynamics, transportation issues, logistics on vessels and handling charges which arrived at an ex-depot price of Lagos  N172, Warri/Oghara  N183, Calabar  N185 and Port Harcourt  N180 but no one kept to this.

Instead, we had a countered submission of N186, N192, N198 while some depots range from N172 to N260 as ex-depot price. There is simply no way independent marketers will buy and not sell at prices seen across the country.

This is the reality we are dealing with and the end results are queues. if it is not handled at the depot level, it cannot be controlled at the station level, he said.

Mr Kyari also decried the fees and levies imposed on the product that was not supposed to be which added up to the overall pain of Nigerians.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Kyari said the issues on pricing were receiving attention to avoid Nigerians being exploited, while a framework was being put in place to monitor products to get to their actual destination.

With the volume that we are pushing into the market and understanding we are reaching with the marketers not to sell with greed, it will ease the situation. We regret the situation and apologise to Nigerians, Mr Kyari said.

In his remarks, Mr Irabor said the involvement of the defence and security establishment shows that the resolution of the crises in the oil and gas sector was paramount.

I believe that the solution lies within the remit of the framework that you will be establishing and if there is no solution, I pray it did not get to a level where the alternative will be activated, the CDS warned.

Also speaking, Mr Baba described the situation as an issue of being patriotic and increasing the monitoring process of the oil distribution which posed a major problem.

And if the distribution process has loopholes to be exploited there is an alternative to increase the level of monitoring and supervision and to that effect, it is our role to assist the NNPCL in monitoring process for lead way, the IGP said.

In his remarks, Mr Ahmed said NMDPRA had sanctioned seven erring depots two weeks ago to serve as a deterrent and also had the mandate to suspend any licence from operating without hesitation.

He urged the oil stakeholders, including IPMAN, to collaborate with them to tackle the ongoing constraint which bordered around pricing and logistics. He frowned at speculations that the authority was not sanctioning depots.

MOMAN President, Adetunji Oyebanjo, who explained that the industry did not invest appropriately in things needed across the value chain for distribution, described the situation as a critical one which had allowed sharp practices.

DAPPMAN President, Winifred Akpani, while pledging commitment, expressed dissatisfaction over the distribution and supply chain, adding that it was needless giving products to marketers who exploit and would not get them to stations.

Mr Akpani also appealed to the federal government to deregulate the product.

IPMAN President, Chinedu Okoronkwo, however, urged the NNPCL to designate certain depots for its members to manage, monitor and load, to ease the distribution problems.

PREMIUM TIMES has reported on the petrol scarcity across Nigeria with many filling stations not selling and others selling far and above the approved N165 price per litre.

In Lagos, Katsina and other states, filling stations sold the product at about N300 per litre.

The scarcity has led to the rise of the black market (roadside traders), who sell petrol for as high as N500 per litre and N700 per litre in states like Ondo.

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President Muhammadu Buhari has returned to Abuja after official visits to Dakar, Senegal, as well as five states of the federation where he inaugurated several developmental projects in the affected states.

The states are Bauchi, Lagos, Katsina, Kano and Jigawa.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that before departing for Lagos on 23 January, Mr Buhari had attended political rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi, Bauchi State.

The president departed Lagos for Senegal on Tuesday after a two-day official visit to the state where he inaugurated some developmental projects.

While in Lagos, the president inaugurated the Lekki Deep Sea Port and the Imota Rice Mill which are projected to create more than 300,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Mr Buhari also inaugurated the Bestaf Lubricant at MRS Holdings Company Limited, Apapa, as well as the historic first Phase of the Blue Line of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit, and the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History on Tuesday.

The first phase of the Lagos Blue Rail Line, taking a ride from the Marina Station to National Theatre Station, executed by the state government, which spans 13 kilometers, has five stations  Mile 2, Suru-Alaba, Orile Iganmu, National Theatre and Marina.

The Nigerian leader arrived Senegal on 24 January. to attend the 2nd Dakar International Conference on Agriculture.

The high-level Dakar 2nd Summit hosted by President Macky Sall of Senegal and the chairperson of the African Union was held under the theme Feeding Africa: Food Sovereignty and Resilience.

The conference, which seeks to create favourable conditions toward achieving food security in Africa, was convened jointly by the government of Senegal and the African Development Bank.

In his goodwill message to the Feed Africa Summit of Heads of State and Government on Wednesday in Dakar, Mr Buhari welcomed the provision of 538.05 million dollars for the first phase of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) for Nigeria programme.

The facility was provided by the African Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

Mr Buhari held bilateral meeting with the President of Ireland, Micheal Higgins, on the sideline of the 2nd Dakar International Conference on Agriculture.

Mr Buhari, who returned to Nigeria on Wednesday night, embarked on another official visit to Katsina State on Thursday.

While in Katsina, the president inaugurated developmental projects across the state and visited the Emir of Daura, Farouk Umar Farouk.

Mr Buhari inaugurated the Muhammadu Buhari Meteorological Institute undertaken by the Ministry of Aviation, the Darma Rice Mill in Batagarawa and the Katsina State General Hospital.

He also inspected ongoing work on the first flyover in Katsina, which had reached 90 per cent completion in the Government Reserved Area.

The president also hosted the Presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu, who was accompanied by some progressive governors, at his country home Daura, Katsina State.

Mr Buhari had on Monday and Tuesday visited Kano and Jigawa States, respectively, where he inaugurated Federal and State Governments projects.

During his one-day official visit to Jigawa on Tuesday, the president visited four local government areas to inaugurate projects.

The projects included the Hadejia Valley Irrigation Scheme at Auyo, Birnin Kudu Specialist Hospital, Malam Alu Integrated Agro-Allied Farm, Birnin Kudu, and the dualised Unity-Pentagon-Fanisau Road.

At the farm, the president unveiled a 50.3 metres flag pole, described as the tallest in the country by Faruk Aliyu.

The president also had an aerial view of some of the roads, infrastructure, bridges and places affected by the flood disaster in September 2022, which affected many parts of Jigawa, before returning to Abuja on Tuesday evening.

(NAN)

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The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu, has asked Igbos not to vote for presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart, Atiku Abubakar, in the forthcoming 25 February election.

Mr Tinubu spoke on Tuesday during the APC presidential campaign rally in Awka, Anambra State, South-east Nigeria.

The rally was broadcast live on TVC News, a Lagos-based television station, and monitored by PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, told the crowd that Mr Obi was unfit to be president because he is a stingy person who prioritised saving money rather than developing the state while he was governor.

Mr Stingy refused to use the states money to help its people. He sacrificed your welfare and wellbeing so that he can boast that he saved money. But what good is saving money if you refuse to save your own people? he said, without mentioning Mr Obis name.

That type of man is a danger to those unfortunate enough to be subject to his misrule. Such a man was ill equipped to be your governor. Do not make him your president, Mr Tinubu stated.

Mr Obi, served as the governor of Anambra State between 2006 and 2014 under the platform of All Progressives Grand Alliance.

The LP candidate has been noted for his penchant for making savings. He has been described by many as stingy due to his perceived prudence in managing public resources.

At the rally, Mr Tinubu claimed that Mr Obi lives in Lagos State because he (Obi) is guilty of not developing his home state.

I made similar progress when governor of Lagos. Meanwhile, one of my opponents is a former governor of your state. But he does not live among you. He lives in Lagos, he said.

I live in Lagos because I am pleased with the progress we made in turning Lagos into one of Africas biggest economies. My opponent, however, refuses to live among you because he feels guilty for not giving you the development and growth you deserved from him, the former governor added.

Mr Tinubu, a Muslim, referred to an incident in the Bible where Simon Peter, one of the disciples of Jesus Christ, denied him (Christ) three times, after Christs arrest by Jewish authorities.

He said like the Biblical Peter, Mr Obi would deny and fail to fulfil his promises to the people.

The man who left here, he calls himself Peter Obi. We read in the Bible that before the cock crows, he will deny Jesus Christ. Is it not true? So how can he keep his promise to you? He cannot prove a point. Has Bola Tinubu not proved a point? Did I close any market? Did I kill anyone? Im a thinker and a doer, Mr Tinubu said.

Atiku, PDP are all liars

Mr Tinubu also criticised the PDP candidate, Mr Atiku, and his party, accusing them of telling lies to Nigerians.

The PDP candidate served as Nigerias vice-president between 1999 and 2007.

We are not like PDP that forgot your rail line. They are liars. When you hear Atiku use the word and say Wallahi talahi, what is in his head is na lie I lie. Anytime you hear him say, Walahi talahi, just reply and say, na lie I lie, he said.

For 16 years, PDP lied that they will give industrialisation, but instead they sold our assets to themselves and they called it privatisation. Privatization to their own pockets. They privatised the industry to their pockets, the former governor alleged.

Continuing, Mr Tinubu said: Atiku said he is the candidate of the north. Is that not a dog whistle? Is that not a division among us? Anambra people lived well, in prosperity and joy with me in Lagos. I started paying WAEC fees, I didnt discriminate whether you are Igbo, Christian or anybody, I paid for everybody, he claimed.

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Hope Manzawet is a student of the University of Abuja studying Agricultural Science. She also owns a fish farm in the Nigerian federal capital city.

Ms Manzawet started farming in 2019 alongside her father. She continued to manage the business after the death of her father in November 2021. She has since been in charge of the farm that has nearly 1000 fish.

In this episode of our Women In Agriculture series, Ms Manzawet tells PREMIUM TIMES the challenges she faces as a student and a farmer.

PT: How did your journey into agriculture practise start?

Ms Manzawet: My journey through agriculture has not been easy. I grew up knowing that my parents as civil servants were also farmers. I never wanted to go into farming because of the mindset I had about farming. But after my secondary school I was given admission to study Agriculture in the university, though I applied for Medicine/Surgery. So I wasnt happy when I started my first year in university. Obviously, it was not what I wanted, so I was counselled by some professors in my department but after giving it a second thought, I changed my mind and my mindset and I began to love agriculture. My fish farm is in my house. I have two constructed ponds.

PT: Why are you combining farming and education?

Ms Manzawet: I find agriculture very lucrative because it has helped me in every way. I am into fish farming. I have good knowledge on everything that entails catfish production, from day old down to maturity stage. And I have made lots of profit from it which has gone a long way in sorting out my bills.

PT: Tell us the challenges you face as a student and a farmer?

Ms Manzawet: Sometimes I am not able to take care of my fish farm properly because of my studies. Trying to meet up my educational goals and taking care of my fish farm has been a major challenge.

PT: Do you get support from your family?

Ms Manzawet: Yes, I get the maximum support from my family. Whenever I am in school, they take care of the fish.

PT: Tell us how you were able to raise capital for farming as a student?

Ms Manzawet: I could not raise capital so I depended on my father. When I got admission, I partnered with my dad to start the fish farming business. So my dad started funding the business then I was taking care of the fish. We didnt share the profit since he still took care of most of my bills, school fee, and feeding. My dad died later on but the business is still ongoing. When we started, my dad funded it.

Then we made the first sales and re-invested the profit in the business. Initially, we bought 500 fingerlings then we increased it to 650 fingerlings after the first sales. Subsequently, after the death of my father, we started taking a little from the profit but we never touched the capital. We calculate all the expenses before touching the profit. This is because we want the business to continue.

PT: Association comes with incentives such as loans etc, do you belong to any farmers association?

Ms Manzawet: No, I dont belong to any farmers association. But I know there are associations. I have not joined because of certain reasons like time to attend their meetings and paying dues (not a major problem).

PT: Insecurity is a major challenge farmers face in Nigeria. Have you faced issues of insecurity?

Ms Manzawet: No, I havent been faced with an issue of insecurity. The fish pond is in my house and the compound is fenced.

PT: The Nigerian government has always rolled out support for farmers as a way to ensure food security in the country. These support come in different forms through loans or inputs. Have you ever received support from the government ?

Ms Manzawet: I havent gotten any support from the government. I hear in the news they make provision for agriculture but I have never taken out time to do serious follow up on such benefits.

PT: Market is a big deal for farmers. Do you have a market for your produce?

Ms Manzawet: I have clients already, I sell my fish from home and I sell in bulk. Once the fishes are ready for harvesting, I put calls across to various people (clients) who will always purchase.

PT: You will be graduating soon, what plans do you have for the farm?

Ms Manzawet: After university I want to build more ponds and increase the fish population. I want to expand the business.

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Media and freedom advocates have called on Nigerian security agencies to ensure the safety and protection of journalists as Africas largest democracy holds its general election next month.

The experts spoke at a media freedom symposium organised by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) in collaboration with the Canada Fund for Local Initiative (CFLI). Speakers from across various sectors participated in the event which was held on Tuesday in Abuja.

The Executive Director of CJID, Tobi Oluwatola, said the dialogue was put together to get experts perspectives on Security, Media and Safety in the purview of the 2023 general elections. Mr Oluwatola said the conversation is part of CJIDs mission of using journalism innovation to promote democratic accountability and sustainable development.

Nigeria holds its general elections in February and March  the seventh since the restoration of democracy in 1999.

The role of journalists is enshrined in the constitution, Mr Oluwatola said, adding it is important they (journalists) are protected especially at a time the citizens will be deciding their leaders.

This position was further reinforced by the keynote speaker, Umaru Pate, who said the 2023 elections will hold in a context of existential trials like widespread corruption and rise in populism politics and desperate political behaviours.

Mr Pate, a professor, said from previous experiences, the tension and violence in the country often impact media freedom and safety of journalists in many forms of personal and organisational risks: legal, financial, psychological, verbal and physical risks such as kidnapping, arrest, censorship, threats, fear, intimidation, harassment, impunity, attacks on media houses, assault, arson, assassination, raids and the confiscation of gadgets and publications.

A senior journalist with PREMIUM TIMES, Chiamaka Okafor, also shared this view when she spoke at a panel during the event. Ms Okafor was harassed in the course of her work observing the 2019 Kogi gubernatorial election.

Sharing her experience, she said her only offence was taking pictures some people find offensive and in search of safety, Ms Okafor had to take a 3-hour bike journey from Kaba in Kogi West to Lokoja, the capital of the state to avoid being attacked.

One of the challenges journalists face is how the powerful in the society use their power to torment journalists, she said.

Similarly, Mboho Eno of the CJID said they have had numerous cases of journalists being manhandled and harassed during election observation. Mr Eno said journalism is not a crime. Instead, journalists who monitor elections are doing so within the ambit of the law, he said.

We have proper identification, Mr Eno said, Therefore, our movement should not be restricted, and our assignment should not be hindered.

In his reaction, Peter Afunanya, the spokesperson of Nigerias secret police, the SSS, said some of the experiences shared by journalists were being exaggerated.

However, he said, the duty of the SSS at all times is to prevent crime and provide intelligence to other agencies.

Mr Afunanya said journalists have a critical role to play by providing information to the public but they must do so in the most professional way. He said security officials who are meant to protect the citizens face more danger than journalists.

He added the SSS comprises good officials and that the agency is doing more to strengthen its activities to ensure the safety and protection of citizens during the election season.

In agreement with Mr Afunanyas point, Umaru Gwandu, the spokesperson of the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, said the government through the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (OAGF) is committed to a free, fair, credible and violent-free election.

Mr Gwandu said the government respects and is fully aware of several pieces of legislation that guarantee freedom of the press. He said it is not surprising the number of attacks on journalists has been on a steady decline.

Quoting data from the CJIDs Press Attack Tracker, Mr Gwandu said attacks on journalists have gone down from 68 in 2019 to 30 in 2021.

In her submission, the Director of Programmes at YIAGA, Cynthia Mbamalu, said security agencies must begin to see journalists as their partners in democratic processes such as election coverage.

To achieve this, Ms Mbamalu said, there is a need to train security agents that will be deployed to election grounds.

The training of security personnel must also include a human rights perspective that approaches elections first as a civil process, which includes stakeholders that have equal rights to participate, she added.

Ms Mbamalu called on the government to increase the welfare of security agents.

In the same vein, Dele Alake, the media and communications adviser of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, said the ruling party has made arrangements to ensure the security of journalists covering the party during the election.

We will increase the number of security details to ensure that some security agents are around the journalists to protect and ensure they are safe, he said.

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The Supreme Court on Wednesday slated 6 February for judgement in the legal dispute over the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial ticket for the Yobe North Senatorial District.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, is the incumbent occupier of the seat. He had sought to clinch APCs ticket for reelection to the Senate after his failed attempt at the partys presidential ticket last year.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja in November last year affirmed Mr Lawans rival, Bashir Machina, as the partys valid candidate for the senatorial district.

But while Mr Lawan decided not to pursue the case further at the Supreme Court, the APC took on the mantle of appealing against the Court of Appeals judgement challenging the nomination of Mr Machina as the partys candidate for the senatorial district.

The APC is insisting that Ahmad Lawan, the Senate President, is the authentic senatorial candidate for the Yobe North Senatorial District for the forthcoming general election.

Arguments

At Wednesdays hearing of the appeal, the APCs lawyer, Sepiribo Peters, argued that the primary election of the APC held on 28 May 2022 which produced Mr Machina breached the Electoral Act.

Mr Peters contended that Danjuma Manga who conducted the said primary election was not nominated by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

He told the five-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Centus Nweze that the APC cancelled the primary poll on account of the irregularities observed during the exercise.

The primary election was supposed to be held on 27 May but took place on 28 May, Mr Peters said.

He argued that the other primary held on 9 June was conducted by the APC NWC, and produced Mr Lawan as the partys authentic flagbearer for the 25 February poll.

Mr Peters urged the Supreme Court to uphold his arguments and declare Mr Lawan as the APCs senatorial candidate for Yobe North senatorial seat.

Counter-argument

But Mr Machinas lawyer, Sarafa Yusuff, prayed the Supreme Court to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit.

Mr Yusuff said, The APC did not challenge Mr Machinas suits at both the trial and lower courts.

In his arguments, he pointed out that Mr Manga who conducted the primary election where Mr Machina emerged was a member of the NWC-appointed Committee to carry out the exercise.

After taking arguments of the lawyers, the court panel led by Centus Nweze, fixed 6 February for judgement.

Background

The APC had approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja seeking to nullify the judgement of a lower court that declared Mr Machina as APCs candidate for Yobe North.

But delivering judgement on the appeal, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal in Abuja led by Monica Dongban-Mensem, who is the president of the court, held that the appeal was an abuse of court process.

Mrs Dongban-Mensem had held The lower court was right when it held that the purported primary election held on 9 June was not monitored by INEC.

The appellate court affirmed Mr Machinas candidacy for the poll.

It will be recalled that Mr Lawan desperately sought to secure the partys senatorial ticket to return to the National Assembly after he lost out in the APC presidential primary election last June.

Mr Lawan did not participate in the original APC Yobe North primary held on 28 May, because he was contesting to be the partys presidential candidate.

READ ALSO:

This newspaper reported that despite Mr Machinas victory at the 28 May primary, the leadership of the APC forwarded Mr Lawans name as a candidate for the district.

Determined to sustain his candidacy for the election, Mr Machina lodged a suit at the Federal High Court in Damaturu, Yobe State.

He prayed the court to declare him as the authentic candidate of the APC.

INEC had refused to recognise either Mr Lawan or Mr Machina insisting it would only announce a court-recognised candidate as the authentic flagbearer of the party for the district.

It recognised Mr Machina following the 28 November 2022 verdict of the Court of Appeal in Abuja affirming him as the partys candidate

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Senate President Ahmad Lawan has expressed optimism that the 2023 general elections would be the best ever in Nigeria.

Mr Lawan expressed the optimism on Tuesday in Abuja when he received a delegation of the European Union election observers and former Kenyan Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, who paid separate courtesy visits.

Receiving the EU delegation led by Thomas Boserup, Deputy Chief Observer, the Senate President said: The general elections this year will be probably the best. This is because we worked so hard in the National Assembly to produce a very good document to guide the electoral environment in Nigeria.

The amendment to the Electoral Act was signed into law by Mr President last year and the INEC has been given ample opportunity and a great deal of latitude to introduce technology in the elections.

The introduction of BVAS (Bimodal Voter Accreditation System), I think will go a long way in ensuring that election fraud, manipulations are reduced to the barest minimum.

We believe that has been one of the serious issues that bedevilled our elections previously.

The thing that motivates us more is what we have been able to give to INEC. I think INEC is a princely institution. We have always prioritised INEC. We believe that INEC shouldnt be in want. Where INEC makes a request, we believe we should always give INEC what our country can afford.

Where we are able to give everything, we should do so. If we have to meet INEC halfway, we must have a strong reason to doing so. This is because we dont want any excuse from INEC.

We want INEC to perform very well. We want the elections in 2023 to be very credible and very transparent and with the introduction of BVAS, we believe we can achieve that feat.

Your (EU) statement in 2019 was very helpful. We believe that the stability of Nigeria is the stability of Africa and indeed, the stability of the world. And what you are doing is not only to stabilise our political or electoral process but to ensure that other countries copy us.

Also while receiving Kenyan former Prime Minister and his delegation, Mr Lawan re-echoed similar sentiments about the 2023 polls.

He commended Mr Odinga for his role in ensuring that Kenyan democracy is peaceful and stable.

He said: Election periods are normally periods that are described as uncertain, especially in developing countries and Africa in particular.

Many things are suspended. Everybody will tell you after the elections are over. Why? Because people fear that elections will bring violence and so much uncertainty.

I think we need to continue to work to ensure that our elections are peaceful, credible, that the integrity test that we need to push our elections should give us every hope and give our people every hope that their votes count.

But we have to work hard to ensure that people dont see election periods as periods of violence.

I want to commend you and congratulate you for working to ensure Kenyan democracy is peaceful and stable.

I must commend you for the stance you took in the recent election outcome in Kenya. You are an African patriot and you are an African democrat and a leader.

In 2022, the National Assembly passed the Electoral Act (amendment) which Mr President signed and we introduced so many innovations.

We gave INEC so much powers and for it to introduce technology in the elections so that we reduce subjectivity, possibility of rigging and some unwholesome attitude of some politicians or their agents.

And we believe that the 2023 elections will have the best and highest quality of election processes than the previous ones.

Our hope is that the outcome will be a reflection of the will of Nigerians.

Earlier, Mr Odinga said Nigeria and Kenya have maintained a long-standing relationship.

He expressed delight in his further knowledge about the uniqueness of the Nigerian National Assembly in relation to the Kenyan parliament.

Mr Odinga was in Nigeria at the instance of the Management of the Leadership newspapers for its Annual Conference and Awards which was held in Abuja on Tuesday.

(NAN)

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President Muhammadu Buhari is not favouring any presidential candidate and is instead committed to a free and fair election, information minister Lai Mohammed said Wednesday.

Mr Mohammmed spoke in Abuja at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting.

The minister was responding to a journalist who asked him to respond to the claim by the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, that some officials at the Presidency did not want Bola Tinubu, the candidate of the ruling party, to win this months presidential election.

One thing I can assure you is that no matter what, this administration is focused, determined to ensure free and fair elections. But I think with this administration the most important person is Mr President and I think he has shown by words and indeed that he is dedicated to free, fair and credible election, he said.

And fair, free, credible elections actually means not favouring anybody, not disadvantaging anybody. And everywhere he goes he makes that very clear even as recently as Friday when he was in Daura, he said the same thing.

Mr Mohammeds explanation appears to contradict previous statements by the presidency that Mr Buhari was committed to supporting Mr Tinubu and other APC candidates in the general elections.

On Wednesday, Mr Mohammed added that he is not aware that anybody in the presidency was working against Mr Tinubus interest.

If theres anybody working against a candidate, we dont know officially, Mr Mohammed said.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the statement by Mr El-Rufai Wednesday morning that some officials of the presidency did not want Mr Tinubu to win the presidential election.

Division in APC

In the past weeks, there has been an increase in bickering within the APC particularly over fuel scarcity and redesigning of the currency.

During a campaign rally in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Mr Tinubu took a swipe at the policy and the scarcity of petroleum products in the country, claiming that the policies may have been targeted at him.

Not a few interpreted it to mean there is a misunderstanding between Mr Buhari and Mr Tinubu, considering the presidents perceived lukewarm attitude to the campaign of the APC flag bearer.

Although, he is the chairperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, the president has only attended four of the campaign rallies.

Also, Governor Umar Ganduje, a very close ally of Mr Tinubu, recently wrote a letter to Mr Buhari ahead of his visit to Kano State, informing the president about the disquietness in his state following the naira redesigning.

Mr Buhari subsequently visited Kano after the extension of the deadline for the legality of the old naira notes. There were unconfirmed reports that some angry youths pelted his convoy.

Also, recently, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who contested the primaries against Mr Tinubu, was also reported to have said the redesigning of the Nigerian currency would curb illicit election financing.

Mr Osinbajo, a former ally of Mr Tinubu, has not joined the campaign train.

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This coastline is part of a small island off the coast of Antarctica, seen from above on a special commercial flight operated by Antarctica Flights and Qantas.

Cape Town, South Africa  Climate activists in South Africa are protesting a refueling stop by a Russian ship that they say is ignoring a ban on exploring oil and gas in Antarctica.

Protest organizers Greenpeace Africa and Extinction Rebellion say the seismic tests the Akademik Alexander Karpinsky has been conducting in Antarctica for the past 25 years are harmful to marine life like dolphins and whales.

They also say that fossil fuels should stay in the ground if the world is to prevent catastrophic global warming.

The ship's operator, Polar Marine Geosurvey Expedition, a subsidiary of Russia's state-owned mineral explorer RosGeo, insists it is not exploring for oil and gas in Antarctica but simply conducting research.

South African environmental lawyer Cormac Cullinan isn't convinced and says it's vital everyone sees the importance of fighting global warming.

"It's incredibly Important from a climate change perspective because the oceans there absorb a lot of the Co2 from the atmosphere but it's also part of regulating the world's climate and, also the currents and the weather system. But it's also very much affected by climate change because the ice is melting," he said.

Cormac says it's problematic that there isn't a government for Antarctica but instead an agreement signed in the 1950s, called the Antarctic Treaty System, where 29 countries have decision-making powers.

"Decisions are made by consensus and over the last years, when they tried to declare more marine protected areas, countries like Russia and China block them so it's not really going anywhere," he said.

He says terms of the treaty are only binding on the people who've signed up to them. And he says policing compliance is almost impossible because there's no international police force dedicated to this task.

"If there is a big enough dispute, it could be referred to the International Court of Justice. But you know in a situation like this, often countries won't take on another country like Russia because they think Russia may retaliate in other ways," he said.

Cullinan is working on a Declaration for the Rights of Antarctica which environmentalists hope will be launched towards the end of this year or early in 2024. He says among other things, they hope it will make it possible for lawyers to represent Antarctica in courts of law.

"Certainly, if you think how important human rights are in the world. Even though you know governments violate rights all the time, just the fact that we've got agreed standards of behavior."

He says a similar rights-of-nature declaration is being worked out for the Amazon rain forest which spreads across several countries.

Meanwhile, in Cape Town, Greenpeace Africa volunteer Elaine Mills says her organization is working on a letter of demand to send to the government.

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"The one is that Alexander Karpinsky and other vessels like it are not allowed into South Africa. The second is that the Alexander Karpinsky and vessels like it have to prove that they are engaged in genuine scientific research before they are allowed entry into our ports. The third one is that we want the parties to adopt a treaty that no hydrocarbon extraction will ever be allowed within the Antarctic region," said Mills.

Contacted by VOA, the South African Ministry and Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment did not provide comment.

South Africa announced Tuesday that it will host representatives of its partners in the BRICS bloc, namely Russia, China, India and Brazil, in Limpopo province on Wednesday and Thursday.

Naval exercises with Russia and China are also planned in February, a few days before the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has promised to address the recurring erosion menace in Anambra State if elected Nigerias president in 2023.

Mr Tinubu spoke on Tuesday during the APC presidential campaign rally in Awka.

The APC candidate said he would tackle the problem of erosion in the state the same way he tamed the Atlantic Ocean surge in Lagos State, where he served as governor between 1999 and 2007.

You know me, the Lagos boy. I tamed the Atlantic Ocean. The same way, we will check erosion in Anambra, he said.

Anambra, more than other states in the South-east, has been bedevilled by erosion menace. The state governor, Charles Soludo, has repeatedly described the state as the erosion capital of Nigeria.

Creating jobs, industrial hubs

Mr Tinubu also promised to create massive jobs for teeming unemployed youths in Anambra by creating industries in the state.

Im here today to publicise the promise of development we made, the exploration and industrialisation Anambra is known for, he said.

Well make the value of your property one thousand times your investment. Well create jobs for our youth, industrialise and make the state one of the economic centres. You will have industrial hubs, Mr Tinubu stated.

Vote for me like you voted Soludo

The former governor of Lagos State, during the rally in Anambra, appealed to residents of the state to vote for him because their governor, Mr Soludo, was not contesting for president in 2023.

Charles Soludo, your son is not contesting with me or against me, Mr Tinubu told the crowd of Igbos at the rally.

Hes still my friend. I salute his vision. Hes a brilliant man. He has the brain. He is a thinker. He knows the way. We will work together inclusively, the APC candidate said of Mr Soludo.

When I become the president, Soludo will be one of those that will advise us; who will bring prosperity back to you, he added.

Mr Tinubu urged the people to vote for him in 2023 the same way they voted for Mr Soludo as governor.

So, the way you voted for Soludo is the way youll vote for Bola Tinubu, he said.

Mr Soludo was overwhelmingly voted for during the 2021 governorship election in the state.

The Anambra governor won in 19 of the 21 local government areas in the state, after polling 112, 229 votes to defeat his closest rival, Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Vote for me because I put your son in govt

The former governor told the people that they should vote for him because he (Tinubu) put an Igbo man from the state in the government of President Muhammadu Buhari without considering his tribe and religion.

Whether you read newspapers or not; whether you watch television or not. I brought your son (and) made him my friend and put him in government. I didnt say hes not a Muslim. (Hes) Ben Akabueze. Hes today from Lagos Economic Planning and Budget. He is the national economic adviser to Buhari., Mr Tinubu said.

Mr Akabueze, a pastor, was first appointed as a Special Adviser Planning to Mr Buhari on 15 February 2016, and later redeployed and appointed as Director-General (DG) of Budget Office of the Federation on 10 June 2016.

READ AlSO:

He was earlier appointed in 2007 as the commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget by Lagos State Government. He held the position till 2015.

In May 2020, Mr Buhari announced the extension of Mr Akabuezes appointment as DG of the budget office. With the extension, his tenure as the DG will lapse by 10 June 2024.

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The Nigerian government has faulted the new 2022 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) released by Transparency International (TI) which indicates corruption level has not improved in Nigeria in the last year.

The new 2022 CPI released on Tuesday shows Nigeria maintained its 24 out of 100 points. But despite the lack of improvement in the points scored, Nigeria moved four steps from its previous years position of 154th position to 150th out of the total 180 countries assessed.

Displeased with the assessment, however, Nigerias Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said Wednesday that the government is not fighting corruption to impress TI or to earn the bodys favourable corruption ranking.

The minister who spoke at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja said the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is fighting corruption because it believes without doing so, therell be no growth either in terms of the economy or even political.

Re-echoing the governments response to the previous 2021 CPI released in January last year, Mr Mohammed said TI was unaware of the administrations efforts to fight corruption.

He said: With regards to the Transparency International rating of Nigeria, our position is the same. We are not fighting corruption because we want to impress Transparency International or any organization whatsoever, Mr Mohammed said.

Were fighting corruption because we believe if we do not fight corruption, therell be no growth either in terms of the economy or even politically.

Therefore, what we do and what were putting in place to fight corruption is not because we want to be rated by anybody. If, for instance, what were doing catches the attention of Transparency International and improves and gives us better marks, so well go.

However, I can assure you that we do not know what template TI is using. Whatever template theyre using is clearly oblivious of what this administration is doing, to fight corruption.

Fighting corruption not about number of arrests

According to the minister, fighting corruption is not primarily about how many people have been arrested, the number of persons put on trial in court, or the number of convictions recorded.

Mr Mohammed cited as an example of the administrations anti-corruption efforts to include allowing the National Sovereign Investment Fund to manage Abacha loot that was returned from the United States, the United Kingdom and other European countries.

The initiative, according to the minister, largely prevented the returned loot from being stolen or re-looted.

He said the administration has been proactive in fighting corruption and it would not worry about rating, while also applauding the efforts of anti-corruption agencies including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Commission (ICPC), for what he described as their impressive performance,

I am proud to say that we have been more proactive in fighting corruption and people are not willing to see what we have put in place in fighting corruption. And thats why I gave that example of putting money aside and how those funds are being used. Again, the courage of this administration even to expose high-ranking officials of administration who have run foul of the law, is evidence of our determination and courage to fight corruption.

So, we are not really worried or bothered about rating of the TI, because we know that everything we do is to ensure that we fight corruption the best way we know how to do. Like I said, if TI are not seeing this, then again, I think they have to change their template. But again, were not fighting corruption to impress them.

TIs partner in Nigeria, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), released the report in Abuja early Tuesday.

Despite maintaining its previous score of 24 out of 100 points in the 2021 assessment, Nigerias position went up to 150th in the new index compared to its 154th position out of 180 countries assessed in the 202 rankings.

There has been no change in country scoring between 2021 and 2022. In the country comparison for the 2022 CPI, Nigeria ranks 150 out of 180 countries compared to 154 on the 2021 CPI results, CISLACs executive director, Auwal Musa, said in a statement announcing the new ranking on Tuesday.

READ ALSO:

Mr Musa said while the index does not show specific incidences of corruption in the country, it indicates the perception of corruption in Nigeria.

The index is impartial, objective and globally acknowledged as the most widely used cross-country parameter for measuring corruption, he said.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed the recent bombing of its facility in Ojoto, a community in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigerias south-east.

The INEC spokesperson, Festus Okoye, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the gunmen bombed the commissions facility in the council area on Wednesday and also attacked a Police Divisional Headquarters in Nnobi, another community in the council area, killing a 16-year-old boy and injuring a 15-year-old girl during the attack.

Mr Okoye, a lawyer, said the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Anambra State, Elizabeth Agwu, reported the attack to the commission.

The INEC spokesperson said the building was substantially damaged in the attack.

All furniture and other items were destroyed, including non-sensitive materials recently delivered in readiness for the 2023 general election, he said.

Among the items lost to the inferno are 729 ballot boxes, 243 voting cubicles, 256 election bags, 11 mega phones, one electric power generator and large quantities of indelible ink and liquid gum, Mr Okoye added.

The spokesperson, however, said the Permanent Voters Cards kept in the commissions fireproof cabinet were not affected during the attack.

Similarly, no sensitive materials have been delivered to the local government area office.

He said the attack appeared to have been coordinated given that a police facility in Nnobi was also attacked by the gunmen.

2023: No cause for alarm

INEC said despite the attack, the commission would still go ahead with the 2023 general elections as planned.

Despite this despicable incident, the commission wishes to reassure the people of Idemili South Local Government Area that contingency arrangement will be made to replace the (destroyed) materials and the Presidential and National Assembly elections will proceed on 25th February 2023 as scheduled, to be followed two weeks later by the House of Assembly election, Mr Okoye said.

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Whats most important is that I left NIPSS with a renewed commitment to service and reinvigorated patriotism towards making Nigeria a much better place for our children and those yet unborn. It was former President Goodluck Jonathan who, I believe, said if only 20% of the policy recommendations from NIPSS were to be implemented by government, Nigeria would be much better than it is today. However, I doubt if NIPSS is well funded enough to deliver on its mandate.

Upon completing my PhD studies over a decade ago, I decided not to undertake any training course that would span over one week. One to five days course? Okay! Anything more? Count me out. This was because I was mentally drained! The academic rigour, mental intensity and lonely journey of the PhD had left me brain-fagged. Luckily, I bagged a faculty position almost immediately and delved straight into the academia. I was happy to carry on with teaching, researching, publishing, conference attendance and community service; but to attend capacity building sessions scheduled to last more than five days at a time? Definitely not for me!

Fast-forward to February 2022, when by the sheer grace of God and providence of the Presidency, I got nominated to attend the Senior Executive Course 44, 2022 at the prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru, on the outskirt of Jos, the capital of Plateau State. The news came with great excitement, but with slight trepidation of how I would cope through a 10-month programme. Somehow, I managed to console myself that as an academic, it would be an easy ride; besides as the name implied  Senior Executive Course, it would be a relaxing, stress-free, halcyon-days course, in a serene environment. A sort of working vacation, if you like! But I was in for a rude shock. In fairness, the environment was, no doubt, clement and serene enough to stimulate intellectual acuity, but the volume of the academic work was definitely more than many bargained for. It was a grueling 10 months of learning, unlearning, relearning, reflecting, brainstorming and more. In this piece, I have taken some time to document a few thoughts and reflections from my journey to NIPSS from February to December 2022.

Think Nigeria First: One of the major highlights of the Senior Executive Course for me was the conscious focus of the entire institutional mandate, course content and structure, and even choice of facilitators, all hammering on the need to always put Nigeria first. It was more like a sing-song or cliche of sort, that in whatever we do, going forward, we must consciously put Nigerias best interest at the heart of lifes work and impact. Participants were charged to think, speak, act, work, and if you like, dress, in the best interest of Nigeria. This is a trend I have also observed from other senior MNIs, that theres an unflinching sense of national pride, loyalty and patriotism that attending NIPSS instills. Leadership of Self First, Before Others: It is often said that, to be a leader, you must first lead yourself. This statement comes alive at NIPSS. As you resume on the Course, youre instantly struck by a quasi-regimentation that seeks to shape everyone into size, irrespective of whatever position of influence you occupied before reporting. Discipline, punctuality, moral uprightness and rectitude are some of the values harped on. Punctuality is considered an essential part of assessment, as we were made to rise early, come out for the daily morning drills at 6 a.m., and be seated at plenary at least 15 minutes before lectures commence. We had to adhere to the dress code, which required that if I had to put on a native attire, it had to be with the full compliments of a matching hat, and if I chose to go western, then it had to be in proper suit and tie. Policymaking, Not A Walk In the Park: Policymaking is tasking, arduous and time consuming. It isnt something thats done in a hurry or some quick fixes put together to address an issue. You must engage in rigorous research, gather all the available data and facts on a matter, distill what the core issues really are, inquire into how the issue has been addressed in other climes, then engage in deep critical analysis and reflection; before coming up with policy options, with their respective implications. For SEC44, our theme focused on strengthening local governance in Nigeria, vis-a-vis the challenges, options and opportunities. As a course, we visited seven strategic national institutions, 14 states, six African countries and six countries outside Africa. I was privileged to be part of study group two, which visited the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and undertook study tours to Katsina and Oyo States, as well as to India and Ethiopia. We didnt go there to merely visit the Taj Mahal or indulge in tales of Queen Shebas love affair with King Solomon; but to interact with public officials and stakeholders in a bid to address our theme. Imagine spending long hours interacting with stakeholders, conducting focus groups and gathering data during the day; then conducting data analysis and group reflections after dinner. Think Homegrown Solutions: Theres a great emphasis on homegrown solutions at NIPSS. In other words, solutions and recommendations proffered have to be rooted in: understanding our common historical past as a nation; seeking to harness existing local opportunities; and taking cognisance of our cultural values and heritage. It was clearly highlighted that a good policy that works well in one country may not work in Nigeria, even if we share a common socio-demographic configuration. Let me digress a little. With the benefit of hindsight, I often remember the arguments made for and against the introduction of mobile money in Nigeria a little over a decade ago, as part of CBNs financial inclusion strategy. I recall attending an event at the time, where I listened to someone giving a talk on how mobile money will be the next big thing in Nigeria, citing our population size and the successes achieved by MPesa in Kenya. However, the subsequent years proved the speaker wrong, as Nigerias mobile money policy did not really take root as it was initially designed. In my opinion, two reasons are mainly responsible for this poor uptake. The first was that technology evolved so quickly, such that Nigeria transitioned from physical banking to online and mobile banking. The implication of this technological leap was that if you had a smart phone, you could simply download the bank app, and become your own mobile money agent. Secondly, (and again this is my personal view) the policy did not clearly delineate roles for commercial banks versus telcos. As such, we found ourselves in a situation where everyone wanted a slice of the pie, with almost all banks and mobile telecoms companies setting up their own mobile money platforms, and in the process, they were ready to frustrate other platforms who stood in their ways of success. Therefore, CBN had to return to the drawing board to redesign the policy to suit our context and complexities. This illustration highlights my point on why we need to develop homegrown solutions or properly adapt imported solutions to suit our local context. Managing Diversity As A Critical Leadership Skill In Policymaking: NIPSS is a microcosm of the larger Nigerian macrocosm. It is perhaps one of the few places in Nigeria with the kind of diversity comparable to that of the National Assembly. Its a melting pot of people from different backgrounds, spheres of the society, faiths, ethnic considerations and all. You name it. We even had a self-acclaimed traditionalist! With this sort of assortment behooves a greater responsibility for being able to manage diversity. This is essentially how the real world of policymaking looks. You would have to work with people of varying and intersecting interests, inclinations and perspectives; and its your responsibility as a leader to manage these intersections intricately and amicably to achieve your policymaking goal. We must learn to respect what others hold dear, no matter how mundane they may seem to us; and practice emotional intelligence at its peak. A Nigeria of People and Systems: NIPSS is reputed for the calibre of its facilitators drawn from the creme de la creme of the different sectors of the country. From the in-house experts and directing staff to the guest faculty and visiting lecturers, SEC participants were toasted to some of the brightest and most lucid minds in Nigerias public service, military, foreign service, private sector, civil society and academia, amongst others. I particularly enjoyed the Diplomacy and International Relations Series, facilitated by the likes of Ambassadors Joe Keshi and Sola Enikanolaye; as well as the series on the economy, human rights and society led by Professors Pat Utomi, Joy Ezeilo, Jibrin Ibrahim and Abdu Hussaini. I also enjoyed the defence and public policy series facilitated by General Leo Irabor and Professors Tunji Olaopa, Fatai Aremu, OJ Para-Mallam and Dung Pam Sha. This was my single most important reason for seeking to attend NIPSS. I really wanted to learn how Nigerias policy landscape worked and how to develop good strong public policies for our nation. I was glad I did! Dont Just Tell Us What To Do, Tell Us How, Who and When To Do It: At NIPSS you dont just proffer solutions or recommendations to the government or policy makers and walk away; you must go two steps further to provide implementation strategies. In other words, you must state specifically what needs to be done, identify who should be responsible for taking action and when action should be taken. We dont make statements like Government should create an enabling environment; a statement which has become ubiquitous amongst some academics. It isnt enough to simply say the Federal Government should do this or that, you must tell us what practical action steps can be taken to achieve that recommendation. Tell us the public official or institution who should be held responsible for taking action and give us a timeline for the implementation. I found this approach really interesting. Bonds Beyond Blood: This is perhaps why membership of the prestigious National Institute is viewed somewhat as a cult. What would you gain from keeping 90 adults together for 10 months? You would gain a lifetime sorority built by chords of mutual understanding, trust, commitment and loyalty towards one another, irrespective of tribe, tongue, faith or vocation. Bonds fastened through pressure gained from long hours of group work and sleepless nights, rapid fire, crisis games, study tours within and outside Nigeria. We brainstormed, argued, raised our voices at each other, often almost at the point of fisticuffs, but settled afterwards, all with good intentions  to deliver better reports and presentations. Eventually, we learnt to tolerate one anothers weaknesses, and leverage each others strengths to succeed. How would you explain studying together from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., with tea, coffee, biscuits and kolanuts on the sidelines? How will I ever forget Baba Rector, who had so much wisdom nuggets and practical lifehacks to share; Bultubul, who had a queer way of spicing up conversations; Dr Kay, who seamlessly assumed responsibility as the mother of our study group; Group Captain Garba, the extremely dedicated and reticent hardworker; Dr Ladi, who wanted all our deliverables to be prim and proper; Dr Obi, the groups baby-boy and archetypal civil servant, who understands civil service rules like the back of his palm. Also, the wriggling Cinderella, Dr Elsie, nicknamed PhD Dagger for her multiple doctorates; and Akinze, the Otelemuyen personified, who had a unique way of signaling when hed had enough and needed to go catch some rest. Not forgetting our star boy, the officer and gentleman, CP Frank; the fierce advocate of attitudinal change, Col Bello; the baritoned and ever-vocal Comptroller Dera; and our Chair for life, Col CY. For any of these folks, and others within the larger SEC44 circle, I would break an arm and a leg; and I have no doubt theyll do the same for me if the need arises. Becoming A Voice For A Better and Brighter Nigeria: Before being nominated to attend the Senior Executive Course at NIPSS, it is expected that participants ought to have attained certain heights and leadership capacities in their respective careers and institutions. However, coming to NIPSS further amplifies that capacity to lead, especially around designing and managing public policy reforms. It also comes with the added responsibility of becoming a voice that speaks consciously for a better and brighter Nigeria. We take no prisoners on people talking down on Nigeria, we face them fair and square! A Lifetime Commitment To National Service: Once you attend NIPSS, youve signed up for a lifetime commitment of service to our dear country, Nigeria. This unparalleled 10-months immersive senior executive policy leadership course equips you with the framework to understand the concept and nation called Nigeria, its myriad of developmental challenges, and how to be part of the solution. Ultimately, the National institute has placed on our shoulders the huge burden to ensure by all means that Nigeria works for every citizen, as articulated in its motto  Towards a better society.

In conclusion, Im pleased that I went, I saw, I learnt, I made new friends and I successfully earned the prestigious mni insignia to my name; but thats not all. Whats most important is that I left NIPSS with a renewed commitment to service and reinvigorated patriotism towards making Nigeria a much better place for our children and those yet unborn. It was former President Goodluck Jonathan who, I believe, said if only 20% of the policy recommendations from NIPSS were to be implemented by government, Nigeria would be much better than it is today. However, I doubt if NIPSS is well funded enough to deliver on its mandate. As the nations foremost thinktank, more attention and funding need to be channeled towards NIPSS to enable the Institution take its rightful place in our nation, and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other institutions of its ilk, such as Chatham House, Wilson Center and Center for Global Development, amongst others.

Bell Ihua is executive director at Africa Polling Institute and professor of practice in opinion research at Coal City University, Enugu. He can be contacted via email: bihua@africapolling.org

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Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the forthcoming general elections on Tuesday promised to provide security across Nigeria.

Speaking at a campaign venue alongside his #Obidient team in Yola, the capital of Adamawa State, on Tuesday, Mr Obi told the people that he and his running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmad, are seeking to govern Nigeria because they have the capacity to unlock the potentials in Nigerians.

A society that is bedevilled by injustice cannot move forward, a country whose leaders use ethnic and religious sentiments to deceive and grab political power cannot develop because they get it at the expense of character, competence and known record of performance, he said.

The Labour Party presidential candidate and his team, led by the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, visited three key cities in the state including Yola, Numan and Mubi towns.

According to a statement issued by the party, Mr Obi had several types of engagements, town hall meetings and rallies with a cross section of the communities all declaring their unalloyed support for Obi and the LP.

The statement noted that without a secured environment, the party cannot actualise its policy of moving Nigeria from consumption to production and pulling the people out of poverty.

During his remarks, Mr Obi told the people that the insecurity that has affected the state and now spreading to all parts of the country is a consequence of long neglect of the basic needs of the people, which he and his running mate are coming to correct.

He explained that the vast arable land in the north remains the a potential that he and his team will turn around for a new Nigeria.

Nigeria has no business being the poverty capital of the world with all the potentials of human and natural endowment freely given to us by God, he noted.

The LP Presidential flag bearer told the youths that they will engage them and ensure quality education where their parents will not be under severe stress to educate them.

For us, education is an investment and we will do everything to educate the populace because without education we cannot pull people out of poverty which is our goal if given the mandate, he said.

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The Kano State Hisbah Board has concluded its investigation of Khadija Rano, who was alleged to have dissolved her marriage to marry her daughters suitor.

This is contained in a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the Board, Lawan Ibrahim, on Tuesday in Kano.

According to the statement, presenting the report, chairman of the committee who doubles as Deputy Commander in charge of operations of the Board, Malam Hussain Ahmed, said the committee had found out that the marriage was legal and had fulfilled all the necessary criteria.

Mr Ahmed said Ms Khadija was divorced by her husband and had observed the three months waiting period (iddah) prescribed by Islam, later married a man whom her biological daughter had earlier rejected.

The Deputy Commander dismissed allegations that she was seeing her present husband while married and instigated her husband to divorce her to marry her daughters suitor.

The marriage is legal according to Islam, that was the reason Hisbah Commander in Rano Local Government Area supported and took part in the wedding rites.

The Commander General of the Board, Harun Ibn-Sina, has commended the committee for discharging its responsibilities.

Mr Ibn-Sina said the committee members were carefully selected due to their vast knowledge of Islamic teachings and societal orientation.

He said the general public should desist from spreading fake news and avoiding misconceptions on issues regarding Islam.

He urged them to seek knowledge as Islam was a religion that had jurisdictions regarding marriage, family life and all other related issues of human endeavour.

(NAN)

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Gunmen have bombed an office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ojoto Community, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigerias south-east.

The latest incident happened at about 1:45 a.m. on Wednesday, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

Sources from the community told this newspaper that the gunmen, in their numbers, stormed the INEC office in four unmarked Toyota Sienna vehicles and threw improvised explosive devices in the area.

The level of damage at the INEC office could not be ascertained as of the time of this report.

The gunmen were said to have also attacked a Police Divisional Headquarters in Nnobi, another community in the council area.

It was gathered that a 16-year-old boy was killed by the gunmen while a 15-year-old girl sustained a gunshot injury during the attack on the police facility.

The police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the two separate attacks in a statement on Wednesday.

Mr Ikenga, a deputy superintendent of police, said the 16-year-old boy killed by the gunmen is a relative of a serving police officer in the facility. He did not give the identity of the 15-year-old girl who was injured during the attack.

She has been taken to the hospital where she is receiving treatment, he said of the injured female victim.

The police spokesperson said the gunmen attacked the INEC facility with petrol bombs and other explosives.

Mr Ikenga said the gunmen also attacked a residential building in the police facility.

He, however, said the police have reinforced security deployment in the state following the attacks.

The situation is being monitored, he assured.

Not the first time in South-east

Although the attacks on INEC offices have been happening across the country, the commission has recently become a target of attacks across the South-east.

The attacks have raised fears regarding the 2023 general elections in the region.

Several police facilities and INEC offices have been attacked recently across the region.

The attacks on INEC facilities and security agencies around the South-east and the South-south have been attributed to the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

But the group has repeatedly denied its involvement in the attacks.

IPOB is leading the agitation for an independent state of Biafra, which it wants to be carved out from the South-east and some parts of the South-south.

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Petrol is now selling at N700 per litre at unofficial sale points in Akure and neighbouring towns in Ondo State, as the scarcity of the product bites residents and travellers harder.

Most of the major marketers were not selling the product as of Tuesday night while independent marketers were accused of hoarding or routing sales through the unofficial points where prices are arbitarily fixed.

PREMIUM TIMES investigation revealed that filling stations on the outskirts of Akure were selling at N500 per litre on Saturday, with motorists scrambling to buy even at the price.

A fuel station at Oda town did a quick sale in the early hours of Monday, selling at N450 per litre, but stopped selling after claiming that its stock was exhausted as the crowd became overwhelming.

With the product not available at the filling stations, taxi and okada riders have turned to the black market to access the product.

Seyi Moyinoluwa, a tricycle driver, said he bought the product at the black market and pass the extra cost on to his commuters.

The cost of fuel had also increased transport fares across the city, pushing fares up by over 100 around the state.

A black market operator who refused to give his name said he bought the product from a filling station at N500 under very difficult circumstances.

If I tell you how I got the fuel, you will pity me, he said. That is why I cannot sell less than N700. Yesterday, we even sold N800 per litre. We are suffering and we can only blame the government.

ALSO READ: NNPC assures INEC of petrol supply during elections

Fuel queues have persisted in filling stations across the country in the last two weeks, including Lagos and Abuja, even though citizens are yet to be told the real cause of the problem.

The NNPC had blamed the surge in queues in Lagos and Abuja on ongoing road infrastructure projects around Apapa and access road challenges in some parts of Lagos depots.

But fuel marketers say it was caused by high prices imposed by fuel depot owners who store the product for the NNPC.

The scarcity has also assumed a political dimension with a presidential candidate alleging that fifth columnists at the presidency created an artificial scarcity to frustrate his presidential bid.

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Soldiers belong to Somali National Army (SNA) on parade during a pass-out ceremony held in Baidoa, Somalia on November 6, 2019.

Washington  The Somali government has sent thousands of military recruits to nearby countries for training to strengthen the army for its war against al-Shabab militants, according to the national security adviser for the Somali president.

In an exclusive interview on January 26 with VOA Somali, Hussein Sheikh-Ali said Somalia has sent 3,000 soldiers each to Eritrea and Uganda in the past few weeks. He said an additional 6,000 recruits will be sent to Ethiopia and Egypt.

"We want to complete making 15,000 soldiers ready within 2023," Ali told VOA in the one-on-one interview in Washington where he met with U.S. officials to seek more support for Somalia.

The news comes as a report by the Mogadishu-based think tank Heritage Institute for Political Studies (HIPS) cast doubt that the government will meet its December 2024 deadline to have 24,000 soldiers ready to assume security responsibilities when troops from the African Transitional Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) are scheduled to leave.

"This timetable is ambitious because the Somali security services are unlikely to be fully autonomous by then, nor is it likely that al-Shabab will have been militarily defeated," the report said.

"The deadline and the fact the army is in a war while at the same time they are being rebuilt ... we argue it's a tight deadline," said Afyare Elmi, executive director of HIPS and the report's coauthor. "It will be difficult to meet."

The report noted that in November, the Somali government asked ATMIS to delay the first drawdown of 2,000 soldiers by six months, from December 2022 to June 30, 2023.

Ali said the delay was requested because the troops Somalia is expecting to take over from ATMIS are in training abroad. He also said the government doesn't want to disrupt military operations against al-Shabab in central Somalia, as the areas ATMIS troops would vacate will have to be taken over by Somali forces.

The Somali government recently brought home most of the 5,000 soldiers who were trained in Eritrea. Ali defended the decision to send more recruits there, calling the plan "transparent." He said the government is ahead of its training schedule.

He said the government will have 24,000 troops trained and fully equipped by next year.

"There is no reason for ATMIS to stay or to continue to stay in Somalia," he added.

Ali also made a bold prediction that the government will defeat the militant group by next summer.

"Our ... primary goal is that in the summer of 2024, before June or July, that there will be no al-Shabab person occupying a territory in Somalia. You can note that down," he said.

Financial challenges

The Somali army, working with local clan militia, succeeded in taking several towns and villages in central Somalia from al-Shabab in 2022.

Despite these successes, Somali security forces have other challenges, including financial constraints, and capability and training gaps, the HIPS report said.

The Somali parliament recently approved its biggest-ever budget for 2023 at $967 million, but domestic revenue is very low, and two-thirds of the budget comes from external support. That budget allocates $113 million for the national army.

"To date, the Somali authorities alone cannot afford the army they want," the report said.

Elmi said building an army without a budgetary plan could result in an unsustainable situation.

"An army is more than paying a salary. So many expenses come with it," he said.

"We have only emphasized sustainability. We are not specifying a number. We are saying they must be affordable. That affordability is coming from the capacity of the state."

Capability gaps

The report said ongoing military operations highlighted two major capability gaps for the Somali National Army (SNA). It says the troops suffered from many casualties over the years from improvised explosive devices, lack of equipment and armored personnel carriers, and a shortage of explosive ordnance disposal teams.

The report said Somali army units trained by the United States, known as Danab (Lightning), and Turkey, known as Gorgor (Eagle), are now "reasonably well equipped," but the regular army units are only marginally better equipped than the Ma'awisley, the local clan militias supporting government forces.

"This inequality is so pronounced that officials now talk about the SNA being effectively two armies -- one that is mobile, and one that is largely stationary," the report says.

The report also highlights struggles in generating and deploying "hold" forces that can stabilize newly recaptured areas.

"There is an important difference between pushing al-Shabab forces out of areas and holding them long enough to deliver a real peace dividend to the local inhabitants," it said.

The report further said al-Shabab made stabilization efforts much harder by destroying schools, medical facilities, wells and other important infrastructure.

Security and intelligence experts say it's the responsibility of other government agencies such as police, intelligence and regional paramilitary forces to relieve the army in stabilizing recovered territories.

"To hold the areas seized, to defend themselves and to go forward and seize more territory is difficult for them, both quantity and quality," said Brigadier General Abdi Hassan Hussein, a former intelligence officer and former police commander of Puntland region.

Hussein said the capacity of Somali soldiers has been affected by a decades-long international weapons embargo on Somalia. He said the United Nations and other stakeholders must look into the issue.

"If the stakeholders do not play a role in this fight and it fails, [peace] will be far away," Hussein said.

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Al-Shabab strategy

Al-Shabab is unwilling to fight the government's war. It wants to fight its own war and is trying to draw the government into its war, experts on the militant group said.

The militant group has been using an older strategy to withdraw from territories as government forces and local militias approach. But the group's fighters are not going far, according to former al-Shabab official and defector Omar Mohamed Abu Ayan.

"They are not defending the towns, which they used to do," said Abu Ayan. "Instead of moving further away, they are hovering around in the forests nearby the towns, and then they send suicide bombers back into the town."

Abu Ayan also said al-Shabab started withdrawing its money from banks after the government froze funds and shut down hundreds of accounts suspected of having links to the group.

"They developed hostility towards the banks," he said. "They also called the companies and businesses and asked them to give the money they were supposed to pay them several years in advance, so that they can accumulate more money. They have also reduced their expenses."

The Somali government announced that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is hosting the heads of states from the "front-line" countries of Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti this week to discuss the war against al-Shabab. Defense ministers and army chiefs from the four countries met in Mogadishu on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday's summit.
NYC Frozen Yogurt Brand Set to Debut in Boston, Florida and Jersey City with Newly Refreshed Store Model

NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- New York City's leading self-serve frozen yogurt shop, 16 Handles, will open new locations across the East Coast this spring as part of four recently signed franchise agreements. These franchise deals mark a significant step forward for the brand outside of New York and part of the latest growth strategy under CEO Neil Hershman, 16 Handles' largest franchisee who recently acquired the brand in August of last year.

The first Boston location is expected to open in spring of 2023. The franchisees, Luka and Margaret Dow, are eager to debut 16 Handles in the market, where everyone from college students to young families can indulge in a wide variety of sweet treats. Luka comes from food and beverage background, and Margaret a retail background, and the couple were looking into franchise opportunities in their local community. When they discovered 16 Handles, they decided it would be a perfect fit for the metro Boston area.

"Bringing a 16 Handles to Boston is exactly what Margaret and I envisioned since we saw the city's need for more tasty frozen dessert options," said Luka Dow. "16 Handles is not only a quality product, but also a quality experience. My wife and I are excited to bring this business to Boston in hopes of spreading happiness and becoming more involved in the community."

16 Handles is also expanding to Naples, Florida at 3367 Pine Ridge, Suite 103. Naples franchisees Alex Nicholas and Jib Reagan were immediately drawn to the brand's innovation and the chance to better their community.

"The franchise support has been excellent. I admire that Neil is an experienced operator, so he will understand what Jib and I are experiencing as we open our stores," said Nicholas. "I used to live in New York for 15 years, and the first 16 Handles I ever stepped foot in was the East Village store. I told myself if the brand ever expanded nationally and if it aligned with my life, then I would jump on the opportunity."

Nearby in Englewood, Florida, 16 Handles investor, co-owner and comedic YouTuber, Danny Duncan will open his first location at 505 W Dearborn Street. Duncan also currently serves as the brand's Chief Creative Officer.

The other recently signed agreement is for expansion in Jersey City, New Jersey. The new franchise partner, Tamara Hamilton has lived in New York City for 12 years where she became an avid 16 Handles customer. Hamilton is looking forward to opening her first business and offering Jersey City a new, tasty dessert spot for everyone to enjoy.

"Previously working in the finance and construction industry, the pandemic made me realize I wanted to start a new career, be my own boss and open a business in Jersey City," said Hamilton. "I wanted to open a place that people can come in to feel good and leave happy. There are so many local families here and 16 Handles has the most welcoming atmosphere to stay and make memories while having a delicious treat."

16 Handles sets itself apart with modern store design, an exclusive and addictive product lineup, and an unparalleled customer experience. The menu features 16 different soft serve flavors, 50+ toppings and sauces, as well as a variety of frozen novelties such as cakes, take-home pints, and Do gourmet edible cookie dough. The brand is also expected to announce further multi-unit expansion across the East Coast and Texas in the coming months.

"16 Handles offers something for everyone, and our new operator-first approach to franchising and turn-key modular store design is proving to be successful," said Neil Hershman, CEO of 16 Handles. "We are excited to expand across the East Coast, and our corporate team is already hard at work helping to plan stores and train new franchise partners!"

To learn more about 16 Handles and its franchising opportunities, visit https://16handles.com/.

About 16 Handles

16 Handles opened its first store in Manhattan's East Village in 2008, becoming the first self-serve frozen yogurt shop in New York City. Since then, the brand has expanded to over 30 locations with a menu that includes frozen yogurt, ice cream, vegan soft serve, endless toppings, drinks, and other treats & snacks. Each shop's full menu is available in store and via the 16 Handles app. In addition to creating irresistible desserts, 16 Handles works closely with local and national organizations in partnerships and fundraisers. For more information, visit 16handles.com.

Media Contact: Mia Rusch, Fishman Public Relations, [email protected] or 847-987-2199

SOURCE 16 Handles
Two Disruptive Platforms Connect to Solve Healthcare Staffing Challenges.

ATLANTA, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As the workforce crisis continues in healthcare and upwards of 40% of frontline workers prefer to work in a gig environment, the healthcare industry has struggled to find an effective workforce management solution. For this reason, Charles Mann, Accushield founder and a former senior living operator, and Curtis Khan, BookJane founder and a former staffing agency founder, have spent the last year developing a fully-integrated mobile-first solution to address staffing shortages, agency transparency, and high turnover in senior living communities, skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, and other healthcare organizations. Mann and Khan's combined experiences and diverse perspectives brought them together to create Flex, the first kiosk-based workforce scheduling solution designed to provide flexibility, personal autonomy, and balance in the changing healthcare landscape.

Flex combines a top workforce scheduling platform with the industry's leading kiosk-based sign-in and entry management system for visitors, staff, and third-party healthcare providers. The collaboration will provide long-term care providers with a simple and unique alternative to traditional management of staff scheduling, call-outs, and time and attendance tracking.

"As a former senior living operator, I know first-hand how difficult it can be to stay on top of scheduling. It's sometimes brutal, and I'll be the first to admit that calling a staffing agency to fill a last-minute shift is the "easy button." In my experience, the call-out technologies in the market today garner low staff utilization, hence the continued increase in staffing agency spending across the country. At times we must think like a staffing agency and utilize the same technology that agencies use to recruit, engage, schedule, and retain talent. This is exactly what the Flex workforce scheduling solution offers," Mann says.

Launching today in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom under the Accushield brand, Flex offers the following benefits:

Automatic shift fulfillment

Instant call-out alerts to fill urgent shifts, including the ability for shifts to be shared with multiple locations

Use of the Accushield kiosk as a "smart" time and attendance platform for internal and agency staff to clock in and out

A mobile-first, gig-friendly application and platform that empowers workers to browse, self-schedule, and accept shifts directly from their phones

End-to-end scheduling, including the ability to build and publish team schedules in minutes

A staffing agency marketplace designed to create pricing transparency, competition, and invoice oversight

A single dashboard that builds, manages, and accesses schedules

Instant communication with the entire staff.

Combining these two successful platforms streamlines multiple staffing functions into one dynamic solution that raises the bar on automation and ease of use.

"Flex is incredibly simple and can take less than a week to implement. The platform saves administrative time and effort so our clients can get back to what matters mostdelivering quality care and services to residents," says Khan. "If staff agencies have no problem filling shifts, then neither should our clients. The Flex workforce scheduling solution provides operators with an easy way to leverage internal talent to create an in-house gig economy that mirrors agencies' ability to fill shifts."

Built on a cloud-based platform, Flex allows users to create and post open shifts in minutes so that staff, who are notified immediately, can respond through the Flex mobile app. Employees at nearby partner locations can also be notified about open shifts in case extra help is needed outside the core internal team.

"The existing workforce management systems are no longer working, and the gig economy is taking the healthcare industry by storm," says Khan. "Times have changed, and companies must think differently about workforce scheduling. We created Flex to simplify the scheduling process while at the same time providing broader, more customized options that reduce costs. As we looked to deliver Flex's technology in an expedited manner, we found that Accushield's large (6,000+ facilities) geographic footprint in the healthcare industry was just the right platform.

Access to Flex's full feature set is available to all Accushield customers through its mobile app. For more details, go to https://www.accushield.com/solutions/flex/

About Accushield

Accushield is a healthcare technology company. Our onsite hardware and software provide visitor/staff management, infection prevention and control, and advanced safety compliance via automation and reporting. https://www.accushield.com.

About BookJane

BookJane is a visionary company that, through its workforce management technologies, addresses the inefficiencies in finding certified service professionals on a timely basis in the US, Canada, and the UK.

Media Contact:

John Leavitt - [email protected]

SOURCE Accushield
AHMEDABAD, India, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Adani Group responded to unsubstantiated allegations and misleading narrative by Hindenburg Research in over 400-page response, raising questions against the ulterior motives of Hindenburg that has conveniently ignored the Indian judiciary and regulatory framework.

Adani Group's Response: https://www.adani.com/Newsroom/media-coverage

The response covers its governance standards, credentials, creditworthiness, best practices, transparent conduct, financial & operational performance and excellence. The Hindenburg report was made to profiteer at the cost of our shareholders and public investors. It is neither 'independent' nor 'objective' but manipulative to create a false market in securities to book wrongful gain, which is a securities fraud under Indian law.

Of the 88 questions posed by Hindenburg, 68 refers to matters already disclosed by the Group companies in their annual reports available on their websites, offering memorandums, financial statements and stock exchange disclosures from time to time. 18 questions are pertaining to public shareholders and third parties (and not the Adani portfolio companies), while the balance 5 are baseless allegations based on imaginary fact patterns.

The report claims to have undertaken a "2-year investigation" and "uncover evidence", but it comprises only selective and incomplete extracts of information already in the public domain for years. We take serious objection to Hindenburg that chose to mislead the investors, watchdogs and policy makers at a time when Adani Enterprises Ltd has launched country's largest FPO.

The Group is deeply committed to its stakeholders and is thankful to them for standing with us over the past 30 years. Shockingly, Hindenburg's attack on the trust of the Group's stakeholders undermines its commitment to 'Growth with Goodness'.

EXTRACTS OF ADANI GROUP'S RESPONSE TO HINDENBURG

Our Response to the Allegations

None of the 88 questions is based on independent or journalistic fact-finding. Nonetheless, we have responded to all these questions, to the best of our ability.

Disclosed, discredited and disproven allegations : Allegations 1-3, 27-31, 72-80 present no new findings. These are dredge-up allegations judicially disproven; disclosed by us to our investors and regulators.



Multiple false narratives created around certain diamond exports, whose matters were closed by the Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) in our favour. This decision was further confirmed by the Supreme Court twice. It has been deliberately ignored and concealed in the Hindenburg report.





: Allegations 1-3, 27-31, 72-80 present no new findings. These are dredge-up allegations judicially disproven; disclosed by us to our investors and regulators. Multiple false narratives created around certain diamond exports, whose matters were closed by the Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) in our favour. This decision was further confirmed by the Supreme Court twice. It has been deliberately ignored and concealed in the Hindenburg report. Baseless allegations around transactions which are compliant with law, fully disclosed and on proper commercial terms : Allegations 9, 15, 19, 24, 25, 32, 33, 35, 40-51, 53-61, 81-83 are again a selective regurgitation of disclosures from the financial statements of Adani entities. These disclosures have already been approved by third parties qualified and competent to review them.





: Allegations 9, 15, 19, 24, 25, 32, 33, 35, 40-51, 53-61, 81-83 are again a selective regurgitation of disclosures from the financial statements of Adani entities. These disclosures have already been approved by third parties qualified and competent to review them. Misleading claims around offshore entities being allegedly "related parties" without regard for applicable law and standards : Allegations 4, 36, 37, 38, and 39 refer to offshore entities. These are reckless statements without any understanding of Indian laws around related parties and related party transactions.





: Allegations 4, 36, 37, 38, and 39 refer to offshore entities. These are reckless statements without any understanding of Indian laws around related parties and related party transactions. False suggestions based on malicious misrepresentation of the governance practices in Adani portfolio: Allegations 34, 62-71 use selective information to make insinuations, when in fact, the Adani portfolio has instituted various corporate governance policies and committees like Corporate Responsibility Committee comprising independent directors who keep Board of Directors informed about the ESG performance of businesses.





Allegations 34, 62-71 use selective information to make insinuations, when in fact, the Adani portfolio has instituted various corporate governance policies and committees like Corporate Responsibility Committee comprising independent directors who keep Board of Directors informed about the ESG performance of businesses. Manipulated narrative around unrelated third-party entities : Allegations 5-8, 10-14, 16-18, 20-23, 26 and 52 seek information on our public shareholders. Shares of listed companies on Indian stock exchanges are traded on a regular basis. The listed entity does not have control over who buys / sells / owns the publicly traded shares in the company.



Hindenburg has raised questions over offer for sale undertaken by Adani Green Energy Limited in 2019 while maliciously ignoring that the OFS procedure in India is a regulated process implemented through an automated order book matching process on the platform of the stock exchange.





: Allegations 5-8, 10-14, 16-18, 20-23, 26 and 52 seek information on our public shareholders. Shares of listed companies on Indian stock exchanges are traded on a regular basis. The listed entity does not have control over who buys / sells / owns the publicly traded shares in the company. Hindenburg has raised questions over offer for sale undertaken by Adani Green Energy Limited in 2019 while maliciously ignoring that the OFS procedure in is a regulated process implemented through an automated order book matching process on the platform of the stock exchange. Biased and unsubstantiated rhetoric: Allegations 84-88 are biased statements in the garb of questions about our willingness to respond to criticism. We have the right to seek judicial remedy before Indian courts when such interests are threatened.

Portfolio Credit Highlights

Adani Portfolio companies have successfully executed an industry beating expansion plan over the past decade. The companies have consistently de-levered with portfolio net debt to EBITDA ratio coming down from 7.6x to 3.2x (Please see Chart A below), EBITDA has grown 22% CAGR in the last 9 years and debt has only grown by 11% CAGR during the same period.

Equity Injection in the Adani Portfolio

Adani Portfolio has raised USD 16 Bn equity under a systematic capital management plan for all the Portfolio companies over last 3 years as a combination of primary, secondary and committed equity from marquee investors like TotalEnergies, IHC, QIA, Warburg Pincus, etc.

Banking Relationships

The portfolio has developed deep bank relationships with institutions like JP Morgan, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Citi, CreditSuisse, UBS, BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank, Barclays, Standard Chartered, MUFG, DBS and Emirates NBD among others. This has strengthened access to diverse funding sources and structures. Successful syndication of the banking transactions has resulted in de-risking of the banks in volatile markets like Holcim's Indian cement business acquisition with international banks.

Accounting Process, Centralized ERP governance mechanism and Reporting system

Internal Financial control process and governance mechanism is facilitated and monitored by the group based on five key pillars:

a. Centralized ERP Governance Mechanism and Reporting System

b. Periodic internal and external reviews of various processes

c. Issuing Corporate guidelines and ensuring their adherence

d. Appointment of competent and reputed statutory auditors for all verticals

e. Capacity building programs for facilitating the controls

The Group ensures highest standards of governance and reporting by all businesses across all verticals. Adani Business Excellence Team (ABEX) is a centralized team handling accounting and financial controls of all companies. These processes have received six sigma and ISO awards.

Robust mechanism for scrutiny and audit, many CFOs have donned new roles within Group

Adani Group companies have a very strong audit process to prevent any deviations from regulatory obligations and highest legal standards. The Audit Committee of each of the listed verticals comprises 100% Independent Directors. The Statutory Auditors are appointed to the Board of Directors on recommendation by the Audit Committee and are from global big 6 or are regional leaders.

Hindenburg has trivialised the change of CFOs. Many CFOs are still part of the organisation in other capacities. Some have left after retirement or to pursue their own entrepreneurial endeavours and continue to work in our association.

We reaffirm that Adani Group is in complete compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and continue to retain all our rights to pursue remedies to safeguard our stakeholders before all appropriate authorities. We reserve all our rights to respond further to any of the allegations or contents of the Hindenburg report or to supplement this statement.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1716106/Adani_Group_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Adani Group
NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the first day of Black History Month, the Advanced Placement Program delivers its long-planned release of the official framework for the AP African American Studies course. The official framework has been under development for nearly a year. It replaces the preliminary pilot course framework under discussion to date, and defines what students will encounter on the AP Exam for college credit and placement.

Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9123951-the-college-board-announces-ap-african-american-studies-course-framework/

"This course is an unflinching encounter with the facts and evidence of African American history and culture," said David Coleman, CEO of the College Board. "No one is excluded from this course: the Black artists and inventors whose achievements have come to light; the Black women and men, including gay Americans, who played pivotal roles in the civil rights movement; and people of faith from all backgrounds who contributed to the antislavery and civil rights causes. Everyone is seen."

AP African American Studies is an interdisciplinary course that draws from a variety of fieldshistory, literature, the arts, geography, scienceto explore the vital contributions and experiences of African Americans. As with all AP courses in the humanities, this is a course that offers direct engagement with evidence and events.

To develop this course framework, the AP Program consulted with more than 300 professors of African American Studies from more than 200 colleges nationwide, including dozens of historically Black colleges and universities, along with dedicated high school teachers across the country. The course focuses on the topics where professors shared a strong consensus on the essential events, experiences, and individuals crucial to a study of African American history and culture. This process was completed in December 2022.

No states or districts have seen the official framework that is released, much less provided feedback on it. This course has been shaped only by the input of experts and long-standing AP principles and practices.

"This moment is historic and builds on the labors of so many scholars from a wide variety of racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds who have built this field for over a century," said Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University. "Never before have high school students had the opportunity to engage with African American history and culture in such depth and coherence. The course begins with ancient African kingdoms and traces a path from slavery to freedom. It focuses on key periods such as the American Revolution, the Civil War, Reconstruction, the rise and fall of Jim Crow segregation, and the civil rights movement. The course provides students with a firm foundation of facts and evidence about this extraordinarily rich saga of American history."

Dr. Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, Victor S. Thomas Professor of History and of African and African American Studies at Harvard University and past president of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, and an advisor on the course, said, "One of the breakthroughs of this course is that it is interdisciplinary. By drawing not only on history but also the arts and social sciences, the course explores how African American culture has shaped our country for centuries. It inspires students to see the complexity in history and to think analytically. High school students and their teachers as well as college faculty have long been looking forward to this course."

Dr. Robert J. Patterson, Professor of African American Studies at Georgetown University, is co-chair of the committee of professors and teachers who developed this course for the AP Program. "The AP African American Studies course offers an unparalleled breadth of content and depth of skills that surpass what many introductory college-level African American Studies courses can accomplish within a semester or quarter, including the introductory courses that I have taught previouslyand the one I will teach in fall 2023," he said. "Since its inception, the development of the AP African American Studies course has been an on-going, iterative process that calls upon the expertise of teachers, professors, and experts who understand the key concepts, themes, and methodologies of African American Studies, and this refining process, which is a part of all AP courses, has operated independently from political pressure."

The official framework is different from the preliminary pilot course framework in three important respects:

New topics added: Despite an overall reduction in the breadth of the course, the monthslong review by 300 African American Studies professors nationwide added a small number of topics to address important subjects that were not adequately represented in the pilot version. Primary sources: The official course framework only requires the careful analysis of core historical, literary, and artistic works. As stated in the principles for AP courses published in March 2021 : "AP courses ground such studies in primary sources so that students can evaluate experiences and evidence for themselves." Hence, consistent now with every other AP course, there is no required list of secondary sources. Student projects: The official course framework dedicates time for students to explore topics in greater depth through a research project at the end of the course that counts as part of their AP Exam score. Students pursue their own interests and choose their topic; they can return to areas they studied earlier in the course or address contemporary topics that are not part of the required course framework. These projects allow in-depth examination of contemporary issues rather than rapid, superficial coverage of them at the end of the course.

"I want to thank the remarkable community of educators who have contributed their expertise to this course," said Dr. Brandi Waters, Senior Director and Program Manager of African American Studies in the Advanced Placement Program and lead author of the framework. "We're thrilled to see this rich, inspiring course come to life for students across the country."

About AP

The Advanced Placement Program (AP) enables willing and academically prepared students to pursue college-level studieswith the opportunity to earn college credit, advanced placement, or bothwhile still in high school. Through AP courses in 38 subjects, each culminating in a challenging exam, students learn to think critically, construct solid arguments, and see many sides of an issueskills that prepare them for college and beyond.

SOURCE The Advanced Placement Program
Khartoum  The trial of Mohamed Adam (better known by his nickname Tupac) and three other young men who were detained in January last year on charges of killing a police brigadier during anti-junta demonstrations in Khartoum, will resume next month.

Lawyer Eman Hasan, head of the defence team for murder accused Mohamed Adam, Musab El Shareef, Mohamed El Fateh, and Ahmed El Fateh, told Radio Dabanga yesterday that the court ruled that trial sessions will resume on February 12, after the court files returned from the Court of Appeal.

She said that the Court of Appeal has annulled the orders of the court judge against the director of Kober Prison, where the accused were tortured.

Hasan informed Radio Dabanga last week that the trial sessions were delayed because the case file, which also included the criminal case lodged against the director of Kober Prison, contained a mistake in the one of the dates.

The Court of Appeal, dealing with an appeal against the case of the prison director, first withheld the file, and then sent the complete file back to the court to correct the error.

She said that the delay "causes severe damage to the defendants and their families".

The defence team submitted a request to the Court of Appeal to separate the case file of the young accused from the criminal proceedings against the director.

"The procedure against the director of Kober Prison is a separate judicial measure that does not require the request for the entire file," she said. "This happened in bad faith."

Trial history

Adam, Mohamed El Fateh, Musab El Shareef, and Ahmed El Fateh were detained on January 14 2022 on charges of killing a police officer and were subsequently subjected to torture in detention, including severe beatings and electric shocks and were denied medical aid.

The trial officially started in May but was postponed in June, when the protesters' poor treatment inside Kober Prison sparked controversy, not only because of the torture the teenagers were subjected to but also because of inconsistencies in the police statements.

The authorities hold them responsible for the killing of Brig Bereima during the protests. Various Sudanese, however, reported on social media that Brig Ali Bereima was killed a week before. Others tweeted that the police officer was killed in the early morning of January 13, while the demonstrations started much later that day.

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Lawyers also pointed to inconsistencies in the police statements issued on two consecutive days

In January, Eman Hasan told Radio Dabanga that the two detainees were questioned about the sources of funding behind the protests and about members of resistance committees, but not about the police brigadier they were accused of stabbing to death.

Adam's lawyers and rights groups say that is where he was tortured and interrogated about the protest movement for three weeks, before eventually giving a false confession. He was suspended from his feet. He was subjected to continuous beatings, and he was deprived of water. The plaster was removed from his broken leg without medical supervision.

Resistance committees

In another criminal case against eight members of resistance committees in Khartoum charged with the murder of an intelligence officer, the court at the Institute of Judicial Sciences heard two witnesses from Military Intelligence on Monday.

Member of the defence team Mo'taz El Madani told Radio Dabanga that one of the witnesses said that he was beaten by demonstrators until he fainted. The second witness said that he saw one of the accused carrying a stick, but that he fled after his colleagues were beaten. The lawyer explained that the two testimonies have no weight because the two witnesses did not witness the crime. The court has decide
Strategic Growth Continues at Rapid Pace with Acquisitions of American Portfolios, Infinex Financial, and Ongoing Advisor Recruitment

PHOENIX, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Advisor Group, one of the nation's largest networks of independent wealth management firms, reported full-year 2022 new additions of $84.2 billion in total client assets and the addition of more than 1,800 financial advisors through acquisitions and recruitments to the firm.

Jamie Price, President and CEO of Advisor Group, said, "Our commitment to generating the right type of growth that delivers value to all of the advisors in our network is at the forefront of all we do, and we look forward to continuing to participate in shaping the evolving independent wealth management space."

Successful Strategic Partnerships and Acquisition

The acquisition of New York-based American Portfolios Financial Services, which was completed in November, added approximately $33 billion in assets to the network. The deal further positioned Advisor Group as a leader in the independent wealth management industry and broadened its national footprint.

In May, Advisor Group announced the acquisition of Infinex Financial Holdings and its more than 750 financial professionals who oversee approximately $30 billion in client assets. Infinex supports more than 230 community-based bank and credit union programs across the U.S. and expands Advisor Group's multi-channel capabilities.

"We are honored that these two well-respected and highly sought-after organizations chose to build on their success as part of Advisor Group. We are also thrilled to see incredible success in our recruiting efforts," added Mr. Price.

Recruitment Success

In addition to the acquisitions, Advisor Group continued to attract high-quality advisors and practices across the network. As of December, nearly $21 billion in client assets were added to the firm through recruiting efforts.

"Despite the volatile economic environment, individual advisors, OSJs and firms continue to gravitate to Advisor Group's compelling value proposition," said Greg Cornick, President of Advice and Wealth Management at Advisor Group. "Our increasing scale allows us to invest even more into our business to provide best-in-class solutions for our advisors and an elevated service experience for their clients. In addition, over the past year, our strategic vision continued to attract seasoned industry executives to the firm who are dedicated to supporting and empowering the best financial advisors in the business."

In 2022, Advisor Group attracted financial professionals from numerous independent groups overseeing billions in assets. The largest included Gallagher's Retirement Plan Consulting Practice, with more than $6 billion in assets, The Private Wealth Management Group with more than $1 billion in assets and Ironbridge Wealth Counsel with over $800 million.

About Advisor Group

Advisor Group, Inc., a portfolio company of Reverence Capital Partners, is the nation's largest network of independent wealth management firms, serving approximately 10,000 financial professionals. The firm is mission-driven to support the strategic role that financial professionals can play in the lives of their clients. Cultivating a spirit of entrepreneurship and independence, Advisor Group champions the enduring value of financial professionals. For more information visit https://www.advisorgroup.com .

Securities and investment advisory services are offered through the firms: FSC Securities Corporation, Infinex Investments, Inc., Royal Alliance Associates, Inc., SagePoint Financial, Inc., Triad Advisors, LLC, and Woodbury Financial Services, Inc., broker-dealers, registered investment advisers, and members of FINRA and SIPC. Securities are offered through American Portfolios Financial Services, Inc. and Securities America, Inc., broker-dealers and members of FINRA and SIPC. Advisory services are offered through Arbor Point Advisors, LLC, American Portfolios Advisors, Inc., Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management, Inc., Securities America Advisors, Inc., and Triad Hybrid Solutions, LLC, registered investment advisers. Advisory programs offered by FSC Securities Corporation, Royal Alliance Associates, Inc., SagePoint Financial, Inc., and Woodbury Financial Services, Inc., are sponsored by VISION2020 Wealth Management Corp., an affiliated registered investment adviser. Advisor Group, Inc. is an affiliate of these firms. 20 E. Thomas Rd., Ste. 2000, Phoenix, AZ, 85012. 866.481.0379.

Media Inquiries

Joseph Kuo / Donald Cutler

Haven Tower Group

[email protected] or [email protected]

424 317 4851 or 424 317 4864

SOURCE Advisor Group
Relationship Will Grow the Valued Brand's Amazon.com Presence

INWOOD, N.Y., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Albert Scott (www.albertscott.com), the leader in Amazon e-commerce management, announced the agreement to promote the products of Sunshine Nuts (www.sunshinenuts.com) on Amazon.com. Sunshine Nuts cashew products are noted worldwide for their tastiness. Sunshine Nuts has built a premier franchise while bringing jobs and opportunities to the people of Mozambique.

Sunshine Nut Company

Albert Scott's Revenue Team will manage cost-effective, targeted marketing campaigns, on and off-Amazon, to bring new buyers to their products. Albert Scott's ListingBaby division (www.listingbaby.com) will enhance the product presentations and Amazon Brand Stores for Sunshine Nuts.

"We are excited to help Sunshine Nuts grow their customer base and sales on Amazon.com. The customer reviews on their products sold on Amazon are uniformly a perfect five. Their products have phenomenal consumer acceptance and are available in thousands of stores. It is a fantastic opportunity for Albert Scott to assure that the Sunshine Nuts products receive the presentation and growth on Amazon.com that they have well-earned. Their social mission is also unparalleled. In Mozambique, the Sunshine Nut Company is involved in improving the lives of smallholder farmers and orphans, and 90% of their distributed profits are reinvested back into the community," says David Greenblatt, Albert Scott CEO. "We have grown sales for many well-respected grocery brands on Amazon.com, and we feel it as a privilege to work for Sunshine Nuts."

"We have built a world-class line of cashew nut products with many unique blends using our custom shell-to-roast-to-package method. We are overwhelmed by the positive responses from our consumers! The effort of building Sunshine Nuts has also transformed our own lives. We have built a modern food factory in Mozambique with an all-African staff producing the best tasting cashews under the sun," says Don Larson, Founder and CEO of Sunshine Nuts. "Albert Scott E-commerce Management was initially recommended to us by our consultants in the grocery products industry. Working with them to promote our brand will bring our superb products to more Amazon customers around the world."

About Albert Scott: Albert Scott, LLC, represents many of the world's leading brands on Amazon.com. Through its highly-developed infrastructure, Albert Scott provides listing, marketing, and retail services for brands. All the Albert Scott Amazon professionals focus on growing brand revenue on Amazon.com. The Marketing group uses on-Amazon and off-Amazon media to quickly establish a customer base, to grow reviews and to build product sales rank. The ListingBaby builds listings that focus on closing sales using advanced Enhance Brand Content (EBC, A+ listings), Premium listings, Brand Stories and sophisticated Amazon Brand Stores.

About Sunshine Nuts: Sunshine Nuts creates cashew nut products from select farms in Mozambique. They are always fresh, flavorful, crispy and tasty, made in a peanut-free environment. Sunshine Nuts is simultaneously helping orphanages and other community organizations throughout Mozambique. They have an all-African staff producing cashew products sold today in retail establishments around the world.

Media Contact:

Yoni Lebovits

Albert Scott, LLC

347-388-9725

[email protected]

SOURCE Albert Scott, LLC
$250,000 investment to drive scalability of circolution's smart reusable food packaging solution

ZURICH, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Amcor (NYSE: AMCR, ASX:AMC), a global leader in developing and producing responsible packaging solutions, has announced a $250,000 investment into smart reusable food packaging start-up circolution, the third winner of Amcor's Lift-Off initiative. Launched in April 2022, Amcor Lift-Off targets breakthrough, state-of-the-art technologies that will further advance Amcor's goal to make the future of packaging more sustainable.

Founded in Frankfurt, Germany, in 2019, circolution's smart reusable packaging solution builds on Germany's existing bottle-deposit system, offering fast-moving consumer goods brands a simple pay-per-cycle service that delivers a significant reduction in carbon footprint per manufacturing cycle versus standard single-use packaging. circolution has developed an innovative model which provides a complete circular service: smart reusable packaging, reverse logistics, data analytics and impact measurement. Available in a range of shapes, sizes and materials, the 'packaging as a service' solution requires no upfront investment and has been designed to be fully compatible with existing supply chain and scaled operations standards.

Frank Lehmann, vice president of Corporate Venturing and Open Innovation at Amcor, said: "We are delighted to be in a position to support circolution at this early stage, and see great synergies with both our existing products and other investments as we work toward a circular system for packaging.

"Amcor is passionate about supporting the development of a circular economy, and innovation is essential to achieving our goals. Collaboration and investment drive progress, and it is this ethos that led to the formation of the Amcor Lift-Off initiative. Our team continues to discover the most impressive innovative start-ups across the industry, and we look forward to seeing what fruits this latest partnership will bear."

Amcor is already working to provide the lid-sealing solution for circolution's first product in the coffee, cacao, and powder sector, launched in 2022, using Amcor's recyclable AmFoil AluFix peelable can lidding. This investment highlights Amcor's efforts to make all products either recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025.

Alessandro Marchiaro, co-founder, Financing and Big Data at circolution, said: "We are very happy to win Amcor as the first ticket in our funding round. After having successfully launched in 2022, and begun to scale-up our operations, Amcor's expertise and funding will be invaluable. We're excited to take this important step."

circolution is the third company to secure funding through Amcor's Lift-Off initiative, which offers packaging start-ups up to $250,000 investment to help scale their innovations. Earlier this year, Amcor announced seed-funding for Nfinite Nanotechnology and Bloom Biorenewables Ltd, and further investments are expected to be announced in the coming months.

Amcor continues to be a leader in identifying and evolving strategic start-up investment opportunities, exploring the potential for joint operations and collaborative development. The Corporate Venturing team fosters start-ups and innovative companies' journeys by sharing Amcor's world-leading research and development expertise. Recent activity includes strategic investments into enabling the global deployment of PulPac, ePac Flexible Packaging and PragmatIC Semiconductors.

To learn more about Amcor's corporate venturing, visit amcor.com/about/ventures. To learn more about circolution, visit circolution.com.

About Amcor

Amcor is a global leader in developing and producing responsible packaging solutions for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, medical, home and personal care, and other products. Amcor works with leading companies around the world to protect their products and the people who rely on them, differentiate brands, and improve supply chains through a range of flexible and rigid packaging, specialty cartons, closures, and services. The company is focused on making packaging that is increasingly lighter weight, recyclable and reusable, and made using an increasing amount of recycled content. In fiscal year 2022, 44,000 Amcor people generated $15 billion in annual sales from operations that span 220 locations in 43 countries. NYSE: AMCR; ASX: AMC

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SOURCE Amcor
WEST CHESTER, Pa., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- American Philanthropic is adopting a new name and a new lookand renewing its commitment to strengthening civil society. AmPhil has always focused on providing like-minded organizations with hands-on help as well as strategic analysis. This brand refresh will help us better connect with the people we serve, and distill our core values and principles.

AmPhil's founding vision was to do the hard work of helping clients execute the practical advice we offered. Beyond that, we sought to help people flourish in the space between family and governmentthe space Alexis de Tocqueville described as "civil society."

American Philanthropic has a new name and a new lookand a renewed commitment to strengthening civil society. Tweet this

Our simpler, snappier name reflects our resolve to convey this mission more compellingly and transparently going forward. If we can connect with organizations that share this mission, we can make our country and our communities better places.

Our founder and CEO, Jeremy Beer, sums up the spirit of AmPhil: "Not only do we want to do good work at a fair price, we want to marry strategy with execution. That's what we've done as American Philanthropic, and that's what we'll continue to do as AmPhil. We're honored to be a small part of what our clients are doing to strengthen civil society."

About AmPhil: AmPhil's mission is to strengthen civil society by providing solutions that help mission-driven enterprises flourish. Rather than peddling secret methods or shortcuts, AmPhil helps its clients grow by doing the right things the right way, consistently over time.

SOURCE AmPhil
Emerging national network of machine tool workforce development centers aims to revitalize American manufacturing

KNOXVILLE, Tenn, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI) announced today it is expanding America's Cutting Edge (ACE), a national initiative aimed at revitalizing U.S. manufacturing, to three locations in Florida. Those schools include the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering at the University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville, Polk State College in Winter Haven, and Indian River State College in Fort Pierce.

America's Cutting Edge is helping revitalize American manufacturing Tweet this America's Cutting Edge logo

ACE, which now has regional machine tool training centers in Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia, provides free online and in-person training in the machine tool industry--training that's essential to America's national security and continued economic vitality.

According to UF Mechanical Engineering Professor Sean Niemi, ACE is part of a strategic economic direction for the state of Florida. "COVID showed that the state was overly dependent on tourism," Niemi said. "So now the state is focused on growing manufacturing and expanding the aerospace and defense industries. As someone who teaches mechanical design courses and enjoys manufacturing, I'm excited to see all the elements I'm passionate about coalesce in the ACE program."

ACE is comprised of two parts. The first is an online requirement that covers an introduction to Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining and 3D modeling using Fusion 360. Additional courses in metrology, composites, and cybersecurity are being added. Upon completion, students become qualified to advance to a week-long, hands-on lab training "bootcamp." Bootcamps provide opportunities for eligible students to learn in a high-intensity environment through hands-on, in-person trainingall at no cost.

Launched in 2020, ACE is a public-private partnership established between the Department of Defense's Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) program and the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Managed by IACMI, ACE aims to close the skills gap and restore American dominance in machine tool technology and innovation. Through ACE, a national CNC machining training program was developed by University of Tennessee, Knoxville, (UT) Professor Tony Schmitz. More than 3,400 people from all 50 states are engaged in online training and more than 225 have completed in-person bootcamps.

As a University of Florida graduate, Dr. Schmitz is pleased with the growth of ACE and excited to see it expand to Florida. He commented, "The ACE CNC machining and metrology modules exist, in large part, because I completed my graduate studies at the UF Machine Tool Research Center. It's so nice to see this connection truly come full circle. They are now part of a machine tool evangelizing community, and we want nothing less than eliminating the shortfall in the manufacturing workforce that exists today."

UF will serve as an ACE hub, working with spokes across the state to expand machine tool training centers in Florida. One of those spokes, Polk State College, has already embedded ACE into its CNC operator curriculum and has provided nine participants with hands-on training. "Polk State College in partnership with ACE provides the resources and opportunities for students to create innovative and technologically advanced CNC projects on equipment that mirrors the needs of our local employers," said Jamie Rowan, manager of Polk State's Corporate College. "Industry is already coming to us to machine parts previously impossible without a 5-axis CNC machine."

Bill Solomon, dean of Indian River State College School of Workforce Education, added, "IRSC is the workforce training engine for Florida's Treasure Coast, and our partnership with IACMI expands our ability to engage students earlier and open their minds to the rewarding, well-paying, and creative careers in the machine tool industry. We anticipate that as middle and high school students go hands-on in ACE bootcamps and discover their new talents and abilities, they will help IRSC and our economic development partners create a new narrative around careers in the skilled trades."

"Machining and machine tools are at the foundation of America's manufacturing capability and its global competitiveness," said IACMI Workforce Director Joannie Harmon. "We have a critical workforce skills gap in this country when it comes to machine tool resources. The training component of ACE is intended to help our nation recover, advance, and sustain technical and manufacturing positions  all to enable a strong, resilient, and responsive U.S. industrial base."

ABOUT IACMI

IACMI  The Composites Institute is a 130-plus member community of industry, universities, national laboratories, and federal, state, and local government agencies working together to accelerate advanced composites design, manufacturing, technical innovation, and workforce solutions to enable a cleaner and more sustainable, more secure, and more competitive U.S. economy. IACMI is managed by the Collaborative Composite Solutions Corporation (CCS), a not-for-profit organization established by The University of Tennessee Research Foundation. A Manufacturing USA institute, IACMI is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Manufacturing Office, as well as key state and industry partners.

SOURCE IACMI - The Composites Institute
Partnering with Intel 471 enables AmiViz to assist regional enterprises with more accurate tracking and better-informed threat landscape reporting

DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AmiViz , the Middle East region's first enterprise B2B marketplace, today announced that the company has entered into a new partnership with Intel 471, the premier provider of cyber threat intelligence for leading intelligence, security and fraud teams across the globe. Intel 471 has been onboarded to the AmiViz B2B Platform and can be accessed by resellers through their mobile app.

Intel 471 delivers rich cybersecurity insights and reporting to provide its portfolio of companies with industry-leading cyberthreat intelligence solutions. Commenting on the new partnership, the COO of AmiViz, Ilyas Mohammed said, "We are glad to partner with Intel 471, and having them in our portfolio will greatly enhance our scope in the area of cybersecurity offerings."

"Companies of all sizes are increasingly vulnerable to cybercrime, which can inflict considerable financial losses and other irreparable corporate damages. We are confident in the capabilities of Intel 471 that will be able to protect the enterprises and Government entities in the Middle East from today's most prevalent cyber risks and threat insights," Ilyas added.

The partnership with AmiViz will enable Intel 471 to roll out its channel program in the Middle East and help it to connect with a larger base of channel partners specializing in cybersecurity products and solutions on the marketplace.

"To deliver on Intel 471's mission of providing our customers with premier cyberthreat intelligence we of course rely on building and incorporating cutting-edge machine learning and technology into our solutions, but just as important is the human intelligence that helps better inform our data and provide richer insights," said Richard Betts, general manager, Sales EMEA/APAC. "Though our partnership with AmiViz, we're now able to provide this deep level of insight, reporting and protection to companies in the Middle East region."

Both companies will also work closely to enable channel partners on Intel 471. AmiViz will help conduct technical and sales workshops, support proof of concept, extend pre-sales, implementation, and first-line support to its partners across the region.

"Over the last decade, the Middle East has been home to some of the fastest growing tech hubs in the world. Growth speed at this scale is certainly encouraging from an economic standpoint, because some security solutions aren't scaled in equal measure, it can leave businesses and enterprises vulnerable to cybercrime and threats," said Abdulaziz Koujan, senior regional director, META. "Our partnership with AmiViz now provides these thriving hubs with a deeper and richer level of cyberthreat intelligence without inhibiting growth."

About AmiViz

AmiViz is the first B2B enterprise marketplace focused on the cybersecurity industry in the Middle East, designed specially to serve the interests of enterprise resellers and vendors. Driven by innovation and AI-powered technology, the platform provides a unique collaboration platform through a mobile application on iOS and Android, as well as a web-based platform to enterprise resellers, consultants, system integrators, channel partners, and vendors.

AmiViz offers a one-of-a-kind consumer-style e-commerce platform with a fusion of human touch, offering products and services catering to localized market conditions and regulations across the Middle East. For more information, visit www.amiviz.com .

About Intel 471

Intel 471 empowers enterprises, government agencies, and other organizations to win the cybersecurity war using near-real-time insights into the latest malicious actors, relationships, threat patterns, and imminent attacks relevant to their businesses.

The company's TITAN Platform collects, interprets, structures, and validates human-led, automation-enhanced results. Clients across the globe leverage this threat intelligence with our proprietary framework to map the criminal underground, zero in on key activity, and align their resources and reporting to business requirements. Intel 471 serves as a trusted advisor to security teams, offering ongoing trend analysis and supporting your use of the platform. Learn more at https://intel471.com .

Media Contact

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SOURCE Intel 471
WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Arab Center Washington DC recently released the results of the 2022 Arab Opinion Index, the eighth in a series of public opinion surveys conducted across the Arab world.

Questions probed a number of issues regarding quality of life in the Arab world; assessments of US foreign policy; normalization with Israel; democracy and political participation; religion and public life; and opinions on the war in Ukraine.

52% of Arab citizens believe that their countries are headed in the wrong direction, compared to 42% who say that they are headed in the right direction. Of those who report that things are headed in the wrong direction, 40% attribute this to economic reasons.

Regarding the war in Ukraine, 44% of respondents agree that Russia's aggression is unjustified, compared to 19% who say that it is, and 37% who say that they do not know, or declined to answer.

An overwhelming majority of Arabs (84%) disapprove of their countries establishing diplomatic relations with Israel. Respondents cited Israel's expansionist policies, as well as its treatment of the Palestinians, as reasons for their opposition to diplomatic relations with Israel. 76% of respondents agree that the Palestinian cause concerns all Arabs, and not just the Palestinians alone.

71% of Arabs stated that they believe that democracy is the most suitable system of governance for their countries, while only 38% support a system where military officials rule.

Khalil E. Jahshan, Executive Director of Arab Center Washington DC, said that "It is striking to see the large gap between Arab public opinion and Arab public policy on many subjects included in the survey." Dana El Kurd, Non-resident Fellow at Arab Center Washington DC, stated, "Over the years we've conducted this survey in the Arab world we see quite a bit of support for democracy as a system of governance because it implies accountability and protection from government overreach."

The 2022 Arab Opinion Index is based on findings from face-to-face interviews conducted between June and December 2022 with 33,300 individual respondents in 14 Arab countries: Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Tunisia. The survey was conducted by the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies in Doha, Qatar.

An Executive Summary of the findings is available at: http://arabcenterdc.org/ArabOpinion

SOURCE Arab Center DC
MIAMI, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Arrington Capital announced that Bhavik Patel has joined the firm, bringing decades of derivatives, trading and risk management experience to complement the expanding team at Arrington Capital. Mr. Patel was previously Chief Product Officer and Head of Derivatives Business at BitMEX, an early crypto exchange and derivative trading platform, where he assisted the founding team at an early stage on the design of what would be a leading flagship perpetual swap product.

Bhavik Patel brings decades of derivatives, trading and risk management experience to the expanding team at Arrington. Tweet this Bhavik Patel joins Arrington Capital as Chief Investment Officer

"I look forward to bringing my financial markets experience to Arrington Capital, a digital asset management and venture firm, where we will grow and expand the liquid side of the organization," said Mr. Patel. "I am equally as thrilled to utilize my background in designing sophisticated financial products in the digital asset space, to support our 200+ portfolio companies that are at the forefront of building financial infrastructure of the future."

"As the crypto markets mature and converge with traditional markets, it is critical to bring a mature and sophisticated perspective to our trading strategy. Representing just one pillar of how we deliver value to our investors, our liquidity and trading business will be elevated to a higher degree with Bhavik's leadership and institutional knowledge," said Michael Arrington, founder of Arrington Capital. "We are honored to have Bhavik join us and we look forward to new strategies and offerings he will bring to our investors."

Mr. Patel's prior experience also includes UBS's APAC Derivatives Strategist, where he was responsible for generating and publishing cross-asset tactical and systematic trade ideas. He was the APAC touchpoint for content driven dialogue with a wide variety of clients (volatility funds, long-short investors, tail funds).

Prior to UBS in Hong Kong, Bhavik had a number of trading and risk management roles in London at a mix of European investment banks. He has a Masters in Mathematics from the University of Oxford.

About Arrington Capital

Arrington Capital is a digital asset management firm primarily focused on blockchain-based capital markets. The firm, founded in 2017 by TechCrunch and CrunchBase founder Michael Arrington and TechCrunch CEO Heather Harde, has invested in hundreds of startups around the world. Arrington Capital is a seasoned, international team composed of Silicon Valley veterans and operators with deep venture capital experience and crypto native roots. Arrington Capital's first fund was Arrington XRP Capital, and has expanded to multiple funds over time, including the Arrington Algo Growth Fund and the Arrington Moonbeam Growth Fund . For more information on Arrington Capital, visit https://www.arringtoncapital.com/ .

SOURCE Arrington Capital
SOLAR 2023: Transforming the Energy Landscape for All

BOULDER, Colo., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Registration is now open for the American Solar Energy Society's 52nd Annual National Solar Conference, SOLAR 2023: Transforming the Energy Landscape for All. SOLAR 2023 will be a net zero emissions event. The conference will take place at the University of Colorado Boulder in Boulder, Colorado, and be accessible virtually on an easy-to-use online platform. ASES is holding the hybrid conference in the interest of bringing together stakeholders from around the world. SOLAR 2023 will elevate public, institutional, and governmental awareness of the critical role solar energy is playing in the global energy landscape. Register by May 15th to receive early bird discounts on conference passes, events, workshops, and tours.

Join ASES in beautiful Boulder, Colorado this summer for their 52nd Annual National Solar Conference.

There are five days remaining to submit a proposal to present at SOLAR 2023. There are a variety of presentation options to share your research, programs, projects, operations, personal actions, visions, etc. These include regular session oral presentations (10-12 minutes), shorter sessions (5 minutes), posters (2-3 minute oral presentation), an interactive outdoor display, and a hands-on workshop.

Track 1: Decarbonizing the Building Sector

Track 2: Smart Grids from Nano to Micro

Track 3: Applications of PV and Solar Thermal

Track 4: Life Cycles and Impacts

Track 5: Educating & Engaging Stakeholders

Track 6: Equitable Energy Ownership and Access  Policy, Regulation, and Investment

Submit abstract no later than February 6, 2023.

A Message from the Conference Chair, Dale Miller

Associate Teaching Professor, Environmental Studies Dept., University of Colorado Boulder

I am honored and excited to be returning as the Conference Chair. At the SOLAR 2021 conference in Boulder, we began focusing on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at ASES as an organization and in the conference call for participation, making room for and inviting presentations, discussions, and speakers on historical social justice aspects of the energy sector and empowering a more inclusive energy future. This focus continued in 2022 in Albuquerque and will also continue at the SOLAR 2023 conference in Boulder, helping to let the light shine on energy justice and inclusion.

Like attendees of this conference, the American Solar Energy Society is dedicated to helping America toward the goal of 100 percent renewable energy, decreasing the use of fossil fuels, and increasing the use of renewable energy sources, in order to have a positive impact on the larger issues of global warming and climate change, and energy justice. The growing awareness and acceptance of the connections between human energy production and climate change have brought a corresponding emotional response many people call "climate anxiety" among veterans in the field, and in particular among younger people.

Climate anxiety or eco-anxiety, like any anxiety disorder, can have a paralyzing effect on sufferers, wherein they might believe nothing can be done, or not enough is being done, to solve the climate crisis. Each new extreme eventsuch as the December 2021 Marshall fire here in Boulder County that saw 100 mph winds drive a small grass fire through semi-rural and suburban neighborhoods destroying over a 1000 homes and buildings in only a few hoursbrings more anxiety and fear. Around the world, changes in climatein particular global warmingare affecting changes in weather, producing more frequent and extreme droughts, flood events, hurricanes, heat and cold waves, and more. All of this, and a general belief that governments and elected officials are not doing enough to combat climate change, intensify climate anxiety.

The journal Nature published the results of a 2021 survey of 10,000 young people ages 1625 in 10 countries around the world. The study found that about 2/3 of the young people surveyed reported that climate change makes them feel sad, afraid, and anxious; and over 1/2 reported that climate change makes them feel angry, powerless, and guilty. Nearly 1/2 said climate change was affecting their daily lives. Fewer than 1/3 felt optimistic. Nearly 2/3 of the young people felt governments were not acting quickly or forcefully enough. *

I would argue that these same feelings are felt by many people around the world older than 1825 years old. Weather and climate are complex, but scientists generally agree that the burning of fossil fuels is a major contributor. Young people want to see change in policy, action, and implementation of solutions to the climate crisis they feel.

The American Solar Energy Society and participants and attendees of SOLAR 2023: Transforming the Energy Landscape for All, are actively trying to support the transformation of energy production and consumption.

ASES has committed to getting 100+ young people involved in the conference through scholarships to the conference and internships and volunteer opportunities to present, attend, or work at the conference and become a part of the transformation.

I hope to see many young people and you in Boulder in August 2023!

*Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02582-8

SOLAR 2023, the Annual Conference of the American Solar Energy Society

Boulder, Colorado, August 811

The University of Colorado Boulder

About the American Solar Energy Society: Established in 1954, the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that advocates for sustainable living and a 100% renewable energy future via in-depth reporting, educational events, webinars, and conferences that cultivate community and power progress. ASES integrates the perspectives of science, industry, policy, and citizens via the award-winning Solar Today magazine, the e-newsletter [email protected], monthly Webinars, the ASES National Solar Conference, and the National Solar Tour. Learn more at ases.org.

SOURCE American Solar Energy Society
By Wang Xinyuan

In the context of the accelerated evolution of the world pattern, the situation in the Asia-Pacific region was stable in general in 2022. However, obsessed with Cold War mentality, the US deeply meddled in the Asia-Pacific region, which posed an impact on the regional stability. Looking forward to 2023, power manipulation, camp confrontation, military deterrence, and zero-sum concepts will continue to produce a negative impact on the security and stability of the Asia-Pacific region. Asia-Pacific countries will face challenges in managing crises and conflicts, protecting security and order and enabling common development.

First, geo-political game increases security risks. The US released the National Security Strategy in 2022. The report is full of Cold War mentality and zero-sum game thinking. It deliberately exaggerates geopolitical conflicts and great power competition and intends to create camp confrontation in the Asia-Pacific region. Based on this, the US will uphold the strategic tone of great power competition in 2023, continue to project resources to the Asia-Pacific region, and strengthen multiple alliance systems. The US-led NATO is also gradually expanding its cooperative relationship with so-called "Asia-Pacific partners" to expand its influence in the Asia-Pacific region. In April 2022, Japan, the ROK, Australia, and New Zealand were invited to participate in the Meetings of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs , and then the senior military officials of the four countries were invited to participate in the Military Committee in Chiefs of Defense Session . In the future, the involvement of NATO member countries may bring about a destructive impact on the security structure of the Asia-Pacific region and aggravate geopolitical tensions.

Second, military wrestling exacerbates the security dilemma. In January 2022, Japan and Australia signed the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) on the joint training and disaster response of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) and the Australian Defense Force(ADF). The agreement made it more convenient and smoother for the two countries to deploy troops to each other and conduct security cooperation. In December 2022, the Japanese government officially issued a new version of the three security documents including the National Security Strategy (NSS), National Defense Program Guidelines (NDPG) and Medium-Term Defense Program (MTDP). These documents clearly stated that Japan will develop a "counterattack capability" that can directly attack enemy missile bases. Japan will greatly increase its defense budget and adopt a number of new measures to strengthen its defense capabilities, according to the documents. Analysts pointed out that in the next few years, Japan's defense force will be radically strengthened under the impetus of the new security documents, and the security and stability situation in the Asia-Pacific region will face a serious test.

Finally, games in the non-military field strike joint cooperation. In May 2022, US President Joe Biden officially launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) during his visit to Japan. Analysts said that the core goal of the US-led IPEF is to ensure, strengthen, and maintain its economic dominance in the region, and thereby revitalize the US economy. In 2023, the Biden administration may continue to build exclusive "modular, topical alliances" in the fields of economy, trade, technology, environmental protection, and climate change, draw some Asia-Pacific countries to its side, or even force them to take sides.

At present, the Asia-Pacific region has become an important growth pole for global economic development and one of the most dynamic regions in the world. Countries in the Asia-Pacific region have an urgent desire for peaceful development, prosperity and stability. In the face of turbulences caused by US-led Western countries, Asia-Pacific countries should maintain strategic rationality, and uphold the principles of mutual respect, accommodating concerns, equal dialogue, and peaceful consultations to resolve conflicts and differences. Countries in the Asia-Pacific should remain committed to regional common security, abandon the "small circle" thinking, create a new sustainable security framework, build conditions for unleashing market opportunities, growth opportunities, and cooperation opportunities, and move towards the goal of building an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future.
Khartoum / Giessan, Blue Nile  The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), Volker Perthes, has strongly condemned the killing of an aid worker in Sudan's Blue Nile state, saying that "such acts will not diminish the resolve of the United Nations to continue supporting the people and the government of Sudan in their quest for peace and stability".

On 27 January 2023, a contractor for Addition Organisation for Disaster and Development (ADD), a local NGO and UN partner, was killed and an ADD staff member was injured after their vehicle came under fire at a checkpoint in Blue Nile

"I am deeply saddened by the news of the killing of a peacebuilding adviser who has been working for the United Nations. I express my deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues," Perthes said in a statement published yesterday.

The UNITAMS statement confirms that the at the time of the killing, the victims were on their way to carry out peacebuilding activities in Giessan as part of a UN project to support post-conflict recovery, conflict resolution and conflict prevention in Blue Nile state.

"I am profoundly distressed by the loss of life of a peacebuilding adviser, who, together with the UN, was committed to building bridges between communities. Aid workers must be respected and protected," Perthes says.

In his statement, he calls on the Sudanese authorities to take swift action to identify the perpetrators of this attack and bring them to justice, and reaffirms that "such acts will not diminish the resolve of the United Nations to continue supporting the people and the government of Sudan in their quest for peace and stability".
Featuring new PureGEL technology for softer-than-ever landings and 20% more FF BLAST PLUS ECO cushioning for the most comfortable running experience

BOSTON, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ASICS is announcing the launch of the GEL-NIMBUS 25 running shoes, the most comfortable running shoe*, designed to help everyone experience the uplifting power of running on the body and mind. Rated by runners as the best in comfort in an independent test by The Biomechanics Lab in South Australia, the GEL-NIMBUS 25 offers more cushioning and softer landings for the most comfortable running experience.

The GEL-NIMBUS 25 features new PureGEL technology which is softer than previous GEL technology, creating soft landings. The PureGEL technology which is not visible from the outside is strategically integrated in the midsole to deliver enhanced shock absorption and smoother transitions.

Designed to provide improved underfoot comfort, the shoe comes with new lightweight and energetic FF BLAST PLUS ECO cushioning, featuring 20% more foam compared to previous iterations. The foam is made from at least 20% bio-based material from renewable sources such as leftover waste from sugarcane processing.

A new soft, yet breathable and stretchy knit tongue and collar construction deliver an easier step-in and a more adaptive fit, helping the shoe to feel like an extension of the foot and make each stride more comfortable and smooth.

Laura Bolgen, Senior Manager Global Product Line, Performance Running Footwear at ASICS said: "Following ASICS design philosophy, we use athlete wear testing, biomechanical research, sustainable methods and decades of craftmanship to create products that feel best for both body and mind. For the development of the GEL-NIMBUS 25, we set the bar very high. We knew that our ambitious goal of 'creating the most comfortable running shoe' was one that would require even more design and development work as well as internal and external testing and consumer validation. As a team, we're incredible proud of what we've been able to accomplish throughout the 18+ months of tireless development work, and we hope that every runner will feel the difference that this uniquely comfortable GEL-NIMBUS model has to offer."

Independent comfort test by The Biomechanics Lab, South Australia.

ASICS Global commissioned Dr. Chris Bishop PhD from The Biomechanics Lab in South Australia to design and deliver an independent study to compare the comfort of the new GEL-NIMBUS 25 shoe to three leading competitor shoes and its predecessor, the GEL-NIMBUS 24. The research study explored three primary research questions, including, most importantly: Is the GEL-NIMBUS 25 a more comfortable running shoe than the four comparator shoes tested?

100 runners (52 men, 48 women) were recruited for this study, which took place over an eight-week period. Study participants ran in all five pairs of shoes which were made to be completely unrecognizable, so no brand or design biases came into effect. The test participants had to run on an instrumented treadmill at a pace of 10km/hour for three minutes, and were asked to rate the comfort of each shoe based on various comfort related criteria, including heel cushioning, forefoot cushioning, shoe stability and forefoot flexibility.

An independent statistical analysis of the results using three different measurement models was conducted and the results were clear: The GEL-NIMBUS 25 model was rated as the most comfortable running shoe.

Dr. Chris Bishop PhD, podiatrist and adjunct research fellow at the University of South Australia explained: "Comfort is a perception factor which is not a biomechanical variable and it's not the same for every individual. However, the results of this study were conclusive: the GEL-NIMBUS 25 shoe was statistically the most comfortable running shoe tested."

The GEL-NIMBUS 25 is available for men and women from ASICS retail, online stores and specialists running outlets globally from February 1, 2023 for $160 USD.

Is this really the most comfortable running shoe? Comfort is subjective, so judge for yourself. Try ASICS latest product innovation and tell us how running in ASICS makes you feel. To find out more about the GEL-NIMBUS 25 shoe, please visit asics.com.

SOURCE ASICS
This major milestone will result in tangible, positive impacts for the planet and local communities

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Aspiration, the leading climate action company, has announced a major milestone of over 101 million trees planted to date across its portfolio of reforestation projects. In partnership with Eden Reforestation Projects along with Aspiration's community of enterprise, business, and consumer customers, these reforestation projects will help restore over 83,000 hectares of degraded forest habitat in Kenya, Mozambique, Madagascar, Honduras, and the Philippines.

Restoring ecosystems and developing communities

Aspiration has partnered with Eden to reforest thousands of hectares of degraded landscapes and restore ecosystem function, all while supporting local communities through employment and natural resource restoration. On average, Eden employs over 1,400 local community members each month at Aspiration-funded sites, providing a verified, equitable source of income in areas where employment opportunities can be limited.

"Eden is not just planting trees, but growing trees," said Andrew Kinzer, Africa Area Director at Eden. "People always think of tree planting as a one-time event, but in fact, we are restoring an entire ecosystem, which takes time, dedication, and resources to do well."

To ensure each project is delivering tangible, positive impacts for local communities, Aspiration conducts annual site visits to evaluate restoration progress and provides continued support in project design and implementation. In addition to the monitoring Eden conducts, Aspiration also monitors all restoration sites remotely with a suite of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools and satellite imagery to track forest growth, health, carbon biomass, and detect any threats to the habitat.

Why this matters

"Working with high-quality partners like Eden not only helps Aspiration deliver on our commitment to plant 1 billion trees by 2030," said Oliva Albrecht, Chief Executive Officer at Aspiration, "these partnerships ensure that our restoration projects are designed and implemented with the utmost care and consideration for the land and the communities we work within. As of December 2022, Aspiration has already funded the future planting of over 140 million trees. We are thrilled to celebrate the milestone of having planted 101 million of those trees with Eden."

Across the globe, over 420 million hectares of forested land has been lost since 1990 due to increased timber logging, mining, and urban or agricultural expansion (source: FAO ). Deforestation directly contributes to climate change and has a negative impact on the human condition and wildlife habitats. Planting trees and restoring forests are some of the best ways to mitigate the impacts of climate change and contribute to healthy, stable ecosystems that support people and wildlife.

About Aspiration

Aspiration is a high-impact climate finance company working at scale to help enterprises, consumers, and investors achieve their climate goals. Founded in 2013, the company sources, monitors and invests in carbon removal projects across the globe to generate high-quality carbon credits. Every project in Aspiration's portfolio is held to the most rigorous standards, ensuring each drives tangible, positive impact for people and the planet. Aspiration is a Certified B Corp, a member of Project Drawdown, 1t.org, Climate Pledge and many other critical industry groups dedicated to accelerating climate action. For more information, visit Aspiration.com or Aspiration.com/business.

Contact

Aspiration

[email protected]

SOURCE Aspiration
LONDON, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlantic Nickel ("Atlantic Nickel" or the "Company") and Appian Capital Advisory LLP ("Appian") are pleased to announce another record year of operational and financial performance at the Company's Santa Rita nickel sulphide mine ("Santa Rita" or the "Mine") located in Bahia, Brazil.

Santa Rita is one of the very few long-life nickel sulphide mines in operation globally, boasting 34 years of mine life producing between 20-35 ktpa NiEq contained in concentrate. Based on an NI 43-101 technical report completed in 2021, the operation mines an open-pit with a minimum 8-year life and an NPV8 of US$570m, and transitions to an underground sublevel caving operation for another 27 years with an NPV8 of US$812m. Capital expenditure for the underground is expected to be fully funded out of operating cash flow.

Separately, Appian owns Mineracao Vale Verde ("MVV") and its Serrote copper-gold mine in Alagoas, Brazil ("Serrote"), which completed construction ahead of schedule and under budget and achieved first production in 2021. In 2022, its first full-year of ramp-up, MVV achieved 105% nameplate capacity with no additional capital expenditure and generated US$60m in EBITDA. A fuller MVV operational update will be covered in a separate release.

Atlantic Nickel 2022 performance highlights

Industry leading ESG and safety performance with a Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate of 0.18 over the last 12 months (compared to 0.20 in 2021)

Strong financial growth with US$210m of EBITDA (2021 US$127m ) on US$406m of revenue (2021 US$289m )

Production of 117kdmt of nickel concentrate (2021 107kdmt) containing 15.9kt of nickel (2021 14.5kt), 5.0kt of copper (2021 4.7kt) and 291t of cobalt (2021 266t) in addition to gold, platinum and palladium by-products

C1 cost of US$4.22 /lb Ni maintains the Company's position as a consistent first quartile producer

Hedging program secures forward pricing of > US$13.00 /lb on a significant share of payable nickel produced through the end of 2023

Paulo Castellari, CEO of Appian Capital Brazil commented:

"2022 was a fantastic year for Atlantic Nickel. The quality of the asset and the expertise of our team has delivered excellent financial and operational results.

Importantly, we continue to lead the industry on safety and environmental standards, with a particular emphasis on providing the best-in-class safety culture and awareness at Santa Rita. As one of the leading nickel sulphide mines globally, with a C1 cost position maintaining the Company's position as a consistent first quartile producer, we are able to continue to deliver significant returns for our investors.

We look forward to continuing the development of the underground expansion at Santa Rita, as we capitalise on the site's full potential."

Safety

Santa Rita continues to operate as one of the safest operations globally with a Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate ("LTIFR") of 0.18 achieved over the last 12 months, an improvement on the strong LTIFR performance of 0.20 in 2021[1]. The Company's Visible Felt Leadership program resulted in over ~4,400 incident prevention safety measures, helping to convey safety as a top priority of Atlantic Nickel's management. Over 170,000 man-hours of safety, health and environmental training were conducted in 2022 which have contributed to the best-in-class safety culture and awareness on site at Santa Rita.

Operational update

Significant improvements in performance were delivered in 2022, including:

6.6Mt of ore mined from the open pit alongside 30.6Mt of waste, reflecting record mining rates and excellent progress on stripping

6.6Mt of ore fed to the mill, reflecting the highest annual throughput achieved since operations at Santa Rita first began back in 2009

Ore fed to the mill at average feed grades of 0.30% NiS and 0.10% Cu

80.8% NiS recoveries were achieved at the plant

117kdmt of concentrate produced at average concentrate grades of 13.6% Ni and 4.2% Cu with cobalt, gold, palladium and platinum by-products

The first quartile C1 cost performance of US$4.22/lb Ni, net of by-product credits is driven by:

Mining costs of US$3.36 /t mined

/t mined Processing costs of US$6.14 /t processed

/t processed Site general and administrative costs of US$1.46 /t processed

/t processed Downstream charges and transportation costs of US$1.77 /lb payable Ni

/lb payable Ni By-product credits of US$1.49 /lb payable Ni

All-in sustaining cost performance of US$8.41/lb Ni, net of by-product credits is also driven by:

Corporate general and administrative costs of US$1.13 /t processed

/t processed Royalties of US$0.64 /lb payable Ni

/lb payable Ni Sustaining capital expenditure of US$3.29 /lb payable Ni, reflecting excellent progress on dam construction and capitalized stripping

Financial update

Over 2022, 12 shipments of concentrate were made to the Company's offtake partners resulting in revenue of US$406m with average realized commodity prices of US$12.23/lb Ni and US$3.70/lb Cu. EBITDA and capital expenditure for the period was US$210m and US$100m, respectively. This builds on the record financial performance in 2021, when Atlantic Nickel posted US$127m of EBITDA on US$289m of revenue.

In response to the highs witnessed in the nickel and copper markets in March of 2022, Atlantic Nickel initiated an opportunistic hedging program. The following non-deliverable forward contracts were entered into to sell throughout 2022:

5.7kt, or 12.6mlb, of nickel at an average forward price of US$13.17 /lb

/lb 1.8kt, or 4.0mlb, of copper at an average forward price of US$4.52 /lb Cu

Realized gains from these contracts, which amounts to US$35m, are excluded from the US$210m of EBITDA achieved in 2022.

Further, as of the date of this press release, the following contracts have been entered into to sell throughout 2023:

6.8kt, or 15.2mlb, of nickel at an average forward price of US$13.07 /lb

/lb 1.2kt, or 2.6mlb, of copper at an average forward price of US$4.35 /lb

Progress on the underground expansion

The Company remains firmly committed to advancing the underground project. Over US$17m was invested in 2022 towards the execution a 35,000m drill program and progressing studies which will be required to declare a reserve.

An underground variability sampling campaign has been conducted in 2022. 45 samples were prepared consisting of 40 variability samples and 5 composites, with each composite representing a different 5-year period in the underground mine plan. Locked cycle test on the 5 composites resulted in NiS recoveries ranging from 84.8% - 90.6%, supporting the prospect of even higher plant recoveries when processing feed with higher NiS grade from the underground operation.

Atlantic Nickel is continuing the development of the underground expansion in 2023 and aims to deliver a Prefeasibility Study by the end of the year.

Lastly, the Company continues to advance its regional exploration with its primary focus being the drill out and declaration of a resource at Palestina, the most advanced open pit exploration target. Palestina sits approximately 25 km from Santa Rita with easy access to Santa Rita's existing processing infrastructure.

About Appian

Appian Capital Advisory LLP is the investment advisor to long-term value focused private equity funds that invest solely in mining and mining related companies.

Appian is a leading investment advisor in the metals and mining industry, with global experience across South America, North America, Australia and Africa and a successful track record of supporting companies to achieve their development targets, with a global operating portfolio overseeing nearly 5,500 employees.

Appian has a global team of 58 experienced professionals with offices in London, Toronto, Lima, Belo Horizonte, Montreal and Sydney.

For more information, please visit www.appiancapitaladvisory.com, or find us on LinkedIn or Instagram

About Atlantic Nickel

Atlantic Nickel is the owner and operator of Santa Rita, an open-pit nickel-copper-cobalt sulphide operation located in Bahia, Brazil. Santa Rita is an operating open pit mine that is planning to transition to underground mining to extend its mine life to 34 years. The mine benefits from US$1bn of prior investment and has a plant capacity of 6.5 Mtpa. One of the largest open pit nickel sulphide mines in the world, Santa Rita is a high-quality asset operating at a first quartile cost position. It is one of a few remaining nickel sulphide mines globally that can offer additional supply towards the production of Class I nickel products and so has exposure to the high-growth potential of the electric vehicle industry.

[1] The industry average LTIFR was 1.53 in 2020, as reported by Global Data

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1720474/Appian_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Atlantic Nickel; Appian
Convenient, affordable, nonstop daily flights debut at Wilmington Airport

One-way fares to five sunny Florida destinations start at $49

Avelo hires 50 ILG-based Crewmembers in first 90 days

WILMINGTON, Del., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Avelo Airlines takes flight for the first time today from the Delaware Valley's most convenient and easiest airport  Wilmington Airport (ILG). Avelo Airlines' inaugural flight will depart for Orlando at 10:00 a.m. ET  the first of five nonstop Florida destinations Avelo begins serving this week.

The opening of Avelo's fourth base at ILG today unlocks a new era of convenient, affordable and reliable air service for the Delaware Valley region. Very low one-way fares starting at $49* are available at AveloAir.com.

Avelo Airlines Chairman and CEO Andrew Levy said, "Delaware Valley  it's time to say Hello, Avelo! Last October, we announced our plans to bring convenient, affordable and reliable air service to the Delaware Valley region. The strong booking trends we are seeing across all five Florida routes make it abundantly clear that people throughout this four-state region are excited about the faster and easier way Avelo will get them to The Sunshine State. We're equally excited about the Wilmington-based team we are building, as well as the opportunity to support ILG's neighboring communities and contribute to Delaware's economic growth."

U.S. Senator Tom Carper said, "Like so many Delawareans, I am excited to say hello to Avelo as the airline returns commercial service to Wilmington Airport. Keeping our local airports safe, convenient, and operational is an all-hands-on-deck effort, and I welcome Avelo Airlines' commitment to our region. This commercial air travel presence will support our local economy, create good-paying jobs, and help maintain a nurturing environment for business growtha win-win-win for the First State."

Delaware Governor John Carney said, "We are excited to welcome Avelo Airlines to Delaware. Avelo provides passengers from our region an affordable and convenient way to travel. Recent investments in Wilmington Airport's infrastructure will lead to an effortless travel experience. Thank you to Avelo for choosing Delaware."

New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer said, "Avelo Airlines at the Wilmington Airport provides a low cost/low stress alternative to travel. We are excited our residents will have more options when planning their trips and look forward to even more growth and places to visit."

Delaware River and Bay Authority (the airport operator) Executive Director Thomas J. Cook said, "We're excited that Avelo Airlines has chosen to bring its low-fare, quality service to the residents and visitors to the Delaware Valley region. We believe Avelo's decision to schedule daily flights here illustrates our airport's appeal to the low-cost airline community. If you're looking to avoid the hassles of a big city airport, Wilmington Airport is for you."

Avelo's new ILG base will enable nonstop flights to five popular Florida destinations: Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Fort Myers (RSW), Orlando (MCO), Tampa (TPA) and West Palm Beach (PBI). Avelo will fly to Fort Lauderdale on Thursdays and Sundays; Fort Myers on Mondays and Fridays; Orlando on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays; Tampa on Thursdays and Sundays; and West Palm Beach on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

To commemorate today's base opening, Avelo is operating a special inaugural flight to Orlando International Airport  Central Florida's most convenient and popular airport. Avelo's Chairman and CEO will welcome Customers aboard with a commemorative boarding pass before joining the flight himself.

Officials from Avelo and the Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) will celebrate the occasion with a Delaware Air National Guard and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) color guard ceremony; a ceremonial flyover by a Delaware State University Aviation Program student piloting a Piper Arrow aircraft  for 130 years DSU has been one of America's premier Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU); and a water salute performed by the ILG Fire and Rescue Team as Avelo's first flight taxis to the runway.

The University of Delaware mascot YouDee the Blue Hen and Delaware State's Too-Fly Hornet will also be on hand to greet Customers and participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of Avelo's jetliner.

The Delaware Valley's Best Airport

Wilmington Airport offers a refreshingly smooth, simple and friendly alternative hometown airport experience. ILG's adjacency to multiple major highways makes it the Delaware Valley's most convenient and travel-friendly airport for two million people residing in portions of four states: Delaware, Southeastern Pennsylvania / Philadelphia, South Jersey and the northern Eastern Shore of Maryland. The combination of terminal-adjacent parking just steps from the airport entrance, a swift TSA screening process, and the ability for Customers to claim their checked bags as soon as they step inside the terminal from their arriving flight, make departing and arriving at ILG the region's most relaxing and seamless travel experience.

Avelo is basing one Boeing Next-Generation (NG) 737-700 at ILG. The airline has hired approximately 50 part-time and fulltime Crewmembers (employees) based at ILG, including Airport Customer Service, Aircraft Technical Operations and Maintenance, Flight Attendants, Pilots and Supervisors. Avelo is considering adding a second 737 later this year  enabling additional destinations and more ILG-based jobs. Candidates can learn more about current and future career opportunities by visiting AveloAir.com/Careers.

America's Affordable and Convenient Airline

Avelo was founded with a vision to help its Customers save money and time. Since taking flight on April 28, 2021, Avelo has flown nearly 1.7 million Customers on nearly 14,000 flights.

In addition to offering Customers everyday low fares on every route, Avelo Customers can always change or cancel their itineraries with no extra fees. Avelo also offers several unbundled travel-enhancing options that give Customers the flexibility to pay for what they value, including priority boarding, checked bags, carry-on overhead bags, and bringing a pet in the cabin.

Additionally, the American-made Boeing 737 jets Avelo flies offer a more spacious and comfortable experience than the small regional aircraft currently operating at most of the airports Avelo serves. Customers who value an advance seat assignment can choose from several modestly priced seating options, including seats with extra leg room, as well as pre-reserved window and aisle seating. One third of seats on Avelo aircraft are available for Customers who appreciate the comfort of extra legroom.

With the addition of Wilmington, Avelo now serves 34 destinations across the U.S. The airline has unlocked a new era of convenience, choice and competition in air travel by flying unserved routes to primarily underserved communities across the country. At least one airport on every Avelo flight is a small hometown airport  making every Avelo journey easier and more enjoyable.

At Avelo, every flight is also nonstop. This connection-free travel experience not only provides Avelo Customers with a faster and simpler travel experience, but also minimizes delays, cancellations and lost bags. In fact, Avelo has established itself as one of America's most reliable airlines with a flight cancellation rate of 1% and an industry-leading checked bag handling performance.

Avelo is distinguished by its Soul of Service culture. The culture is grounded in Avelo's One Crew Value which promotes a welcoming and caring experience. By caring for one another and owning their commitments, Avelo Crewmembers focus on anticipating and understanding Customer needs on the ground and in the air.

About Avelo Airlines

Avelo Airlines was founded with a simple purpose  to Inspire Travel. The airline offers Customers time and money-saving convenience, low everyday fares, and a refreshingly smooth and caring experience through its Soul of Service culture. Operating a fleet of Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft, Avelo serves 34 popular destinations across the U.S., including its five bases at Los Angeles' Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR), Southern Connecticut's Tweed-New Haven Airport (HVN), Orlando International Airport (MCO), the Delaware Valley's Wilmington Airport (ILG) and Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU). For more information visit AveloAir.com or the Avelo Newsroom at AveloAir.com/Newsroom.

About the Delaware River and Bay Authority

The DRBA, a bi-state governmental agency created by Compact in 1962, owns and operates the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry, and the Forts Ferry Crossing. The DRBA also manages corporate and aviation properties through its economic development powers  two airports in New Jersey (Millville Airport and Cape May Airport) and three in Delaware (Wilmington Airport, Civil Air Terminal and Delaware Airpark). All DRBA operating revenues are generated through the bridge, ferry and airport facilities. For more information, visit www.drba.net.

Media Contacts:

Avelo Airlines

Jim Olson

312-219-0647

[email protected]

Wilmington Airport (ILG)

Jim Salmon

609-774-0052

[email protected]

* Very low, one-way fares starting at $49 include government taxes and fees. The $49 fare must be booked by February 15, 2023, for travel completed by June 19, 2023. Fares are available on a limited number of flights and seats. Additional fees for carry-on and checked bags, assigned seats and other optional services may apply. A $20 charge per seated traveler applies to all bookings or changes made through Avelo's Customer Support Center. For full terms and conditions, please see Avelo's Contract of Carriage.

SOURCE Avelo Airlines
TORONTO, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AXA XL has appointed Patrick Lee as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Canada. Based in Toronto, Mr. Lee joins Canada's executive leadership team effective February 1st, 2023.

Commenting on the appointment, Country Manager Renato Rodrigues said: "It is great see one of our own team members step into this position. Patrick is a great new addition to our leadership team here in Canada and will bring tried-and-true management to our finance team."

Mr. Lee joined AXA XL Canada's finance management team as Finance Manager in 2018. In 2021 he was promoted to Senior Finance Manager and now takes on the CFO role from Ryan Ho. Before joining the company, Mr. Lee served in several assurance roles at PwC Bermuda. He is a graduate of the University of Waterloo where he obtained a Bachelor of Accounting and Financial Management and a Master of Accounting.

Follow AXA XL on Twitter and on LinkedIn.

ABOUT AXA XL1 AXA XL1, the property & casualty and specialty risk division of AXA, provides insurance and risk management products and services for mid-sized companies through to large multinationals, and reinsurance solutions to insurance companies globally. We partner with those who move the world forward. To learn more, visit www.axaxl.com ABOUT AXA XL1 INSURANCE AXA XL1 Insurance offers property, casualty, professional, financial lines and specialty insurance solutions to mid-sized companies through to large multinationals globally. We partner with those who move the world forward. To learn more, visit www.axaxl.com

1AXA XL is a division of AXA Group providing products and services through four business groups: AXA XL Insurance, AXA XL Reinsurance and AXA XL Risk Consulting.

SOURCE AXA XL
MIDVALE, Utah, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Bamboo Insurance, a multifaceted insurance organization delivering a customer-driven experience through ease and innovation, today announced the launch of its homeowners coverage in Arizona. Not only will they introduce sensible and affordable homeowners coverage options to residents of The Grand Canyon State, but also enhanced underwriting structures, convenient technology, and exceptional support.

Arizona homeowners and agents will experience Bamboo's reimagined approach to insurance, that includes a commitment to simplicity, transparency, and customer advocacy. Because of its customer-driven methods, unlike other companies, Bamboo doesn't cut out support resources to save money. Bamboo customers in Arizona will gain access to the organization's superior support, like its experienced team of insurance advocates and trusted 24/7 claims service.

"The launch of our Arizona product represents an exciting milestone in our expansion outside of California," said John Chu, Bamboo Founder and CEO. "By leveraging our proprietary underwriting models and easy to use technology platform, we're able to offer customizable coverage, for the right price, to the Arizona market."

Since 2018, Bamboo has established a niche for providing reliable, affordable homeowners coverage in disrupted markets. In states like Arizona that are susceptible to extreme weather conditions, finding dependable insurance is becoming increasingly difficult. By leveraging advanced analytics and proprietary underwriting models, Bamboo's able to offer a refreshing new coverage option for Arizona residents that's both reliable and affordable.

"When we started Bamboo, the vision was to push the insurance industry forward by providing quality products and coverage to our insureds," said Jonathan Vitale, Bamboo Co-Founder and Vice President of Sales. "We paired that with a big emphasis on leveraging technology to deliver to our agents an industry-leading quoting platform that is focused on speed, ease of use, and simplicity. We're thrilled to be able to bring that experience to Arizona."

Arizona homeowners can start their quote by calling (833) 922-6266. Independent agents can learn more about offering the product by emailing [email protected].

About Bamboo Insurance

We're a growth-oriented insurance organization on a mission to deliver an easy and innovative insurance experience with an unwavering focus on customer advocacy. We're using data and technology to simplify the insurance process, while enhancing transparency for our partners and policyholders. For more information on Bamboo Insurance, visit our site at www.bambooinsurance.com.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Bamboo Ide8 Insurance Services (Bamboo) is Managing General Agency licensed to sell property-casualty insurance products; NPN 18657046; AZ License #3000209096; CA License #0M31082. All policies are issued by Sutton National Insurance Company. Sutton National: NAIC #25798.

Bamboo Insurance Media Relations

Becca Powell

Director of Marketing

[email protected]

SOURCE Bamboo Insurance
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of America Corporation today announced the Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend on Bank of America common stock of $0.22 per share, payable on March 31, 2023 to shareholders of record as of March 3, 2023.

The Board also declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $1.75 per share on the 7% Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, Series B. The dividend is payable on April 25, 2023 to shareholders of record as of April 11, 2023.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 67 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,900 retail financial centers, approximately 16,000 ATMs and award-winning digital banking with approximately 56 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and approximately 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts.

Investors May Contact:

Lee McEntire, Bank of America

Phone: 1.980.388.6780

[email protected]

Jonathan G. Blum, Bank of America (Fixed Income)

Phone: 1.212.449.3112

[email protected]

Reporters May Contact:

Bill Halldin, Bank of America

Phone: 1.916.724.0093

[email protected]

Christopher P. Feeney, Bank of America

Phone: 1.980.386.6794

[email protected]

SOURCE Bank of America Corporation
Twenty new Beko refrigerator models with HarvestFresh keep vegetables fresh for 30 days and preserves vitamin content

LAS VEGAS, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Committed to offering the industry's healthiest, most sustainable kitchen and home appliances, Beko Home Appliances, the U.S. subsidiary of Arcelik, is launching a most-ever 40 new cooking, cooling and cleaning products at the 2023 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) through Feb. 2, 2023 in Las Vegas, to cement its reputation as the world's most environmentally responsible appliance brand.

Beko refrigerators with HarvestFresh utilize a three-color light system that simulates the 24-hour natural sun cycle to preserve essential vitamins and minerals in fresh vegetables for longer.

The new refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers and cooking products are part of the Beko Healthy Kitchen, a consortium of people, products and partnerships introduced at KBIS 2022 to explore the intersection of personal and planetary health in the American home. The record U.S. product launch represents a natural extension of the brand's 67 years of sustainability leadership in Europe.

Taking center stage in Beko's redesigned KBIS Booth (W3401) is HarvestFresh, Beko's proprietary crisper technology featured in its 20 new-for-2023 refrigerator models that keeps vegetables fresh for 30 days and preserves essential vitamin content to provide the industry's most tangible health and sustainability benefits.

Beko is also previewing the Wann Family Net Zero Case Study House, a 4,300-sq.ft. net-zero personal residence being built by tech and gaming icon Michael Wann in Southern California to feature the world's first two Beko Healthy Kitchens when it debuts in early 2023.

"We're bringing the Beko Healthy Kitchen to life in 2023 with the launch of more Beko appliances targeting health, wellness and sustainability than ever before  including refrigerators that preserve vegetables and essential vitamin content; dishwashers that clean better using less water and electricity; and washers with tubs made from recycled water bottles," said Beko Home Appliances President Zach Elkin.

A global appliance manufacturer with a product presence in 400 million homes in 140 countries, Beko operates under the premise that healthy living is only possible on a healthy planet.

Details on the products and partnerships being presented at KBIS 2023:

Beko 39 Series Tall Tub Dishwashers Equipped with CornerIntense   7 New Models Launching in 2023 . Beko's CornerIntense replaces the 90-year-old circular-motion spray arm with a rectangular-motion arm that disperses water and detergent to every square inch of the washtub, including the hard-to-reach corners, for 50% less water and two-thirds the energy . These models offer an EverClean Filte r that is rinsed automatically to remove food residue and debris with every cycle; a DeepWash zone with water-adjustable jets for tall and odd-sized items; and the auto door-opening SelfDry system.

Beko's CornerIntense replaces the 90-year-old circular-motion spray arm with a rectangular-motion arm that disperses water and detergent to every square inch of the washtub, including the hard-to-reach corners, . These models offer an r that is rinsed automatically to remove food residue and debris with every cycle; a zone with water-adjustable jets for tall and odd-sized items; and the auto door-opening SelfDry system. Beko 30" and 36" French-Door Refrigerators with HarvestFresh  20 New Models Launching Earth Day, April 20, 2023 , in Counter-Depth Bottom-Mount and 3- and 4-Door French-Door configurations . HarvestFresh O is a groundbreaking innovation that takes Beko's EverFresh+ food preservation technology a step further through a three-color light system that simulates the 24-hour natural sun cycle to preserve essential vitamins and minerals found in fresh vegetables for longer.

 . O is a groundbreaking innovation that takes Beko's EverFresh+ food preservation technology a step further through a three-color light system that simulates the 24-hour natural sun cycle to preserve essential vitamins and minerals found in fresh vegetables for longer. Beko 24" Front-Load Washer with RecycledTub and Beko 24" Ventless Dryer  First National Availability of Washer and Dryer Tandem. Beko's newest washer features the world's first washtub made entirely from 60 recycled plastic water bottles. By combining this technology with AquaTech and SteamCure features offering greater washing performance, Beko is offering the most sustainable, purpose-driven washer on the market.

 Beko's newest washer features the world's first washtub made entirely from 60 recycled plastic water bottles. By combining this technology with AquaTech and SteamCure features offering greater washing performance, Beko is offering the most sustainable, purpose-driven washer on the market. Beko Cooking Appliances (Slide-In Range, Built-in Microwave Oven, 30" Speed Oven and Cooking Accessories)  Launching Spring and September 2023 . Beko is introducing a new 30" Slide-in Range in gas, dual-fuel, and electric configurations to replace the current line, effective July 2023 ; and a 30" Speed Oven with convection cooking and five cooking modes on Labor Day 2023.

For more information, visit the Beko Booth (W3401) at KBIS 2023 or the Beko KBIS landing page (https://www.beko.com/us-en/kbis). Media can access the Beko KBIS 2023 (EPK), containing brand and product media materials and high-res photography, by clicking here.

About Beko U.S.

Beko U.S., Inc. is the American subsidiary of the global household appliances company Arcelik. Committed to the premise that healthy living is only possible on a healthy planet, Beko specializes in cooking, cooling, and cleaning products that empower homeowners to live healthier, more sustainable lives. The brand has received numerous accolades for protecting the environment, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s highest honor for energy efficiency each of the past six years and a Good Housekeeping 2021 Sustainable Innovation Award in the Smart Sustainable Home Appliance category. For more information, visit www.beko.com/us-en.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Bob Ochsner or Alex Torres

Truth for Beko U.S., Inc.

(949) 233-0984

SOURCE Beko Home Appliances U.S.
Be at the forefront of the next big thing in investing: psychedelics. Don't miss the opportunity to join the top minds in the industry at the leading psychedelics investing conference, hosted by Benzinga, on April 13 in Miami. Network with key players, gain valuable insights and discover the most promising investment opportunities in the psychedelics space. Limited spots are available: register now to secure your place at this exclusive event before it's too late.

DETROIT, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The second Benzinga Psychedelics Capital Conference , the premier gathering of psychedelics industry leaders and forward-thinking investors, is returning to the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, in Miami Beach, Florida, on April 13, 2023.

Enjoy exclusive opportunities for curated networking and unparalleled access to private deal flow at an event hosted by Benzinga, the leader in financial news and data for the psychedelics industry.

Psychedelics Conference

Join Benzinga for a day full of unique networking opportunities, exclusive industry insights and a chance to be in the room with the leaders taking psychedelics to the next level.

The Speakers

The Benzinga Psychedelics Capital Conference will feature a suite of the top minds in the psychedelics space.

Past keynote speakers have included Kevin O'Leary, chairman of O'Shares Investment Advisers and host of ABC's "Shark Tank," and Klee Irwin, CEO of natural products giant Irwin Naturals.

Other big speakers featured last year were:

Tim Schlidt , Co-Founder and Partner of Palo Santo

Rob Barrow , CEO of MindMed

Dustin Robinson , Managing Partner of Iter Investments

Lindsay Hoover , Partner of JLS Fund

Dr. Joseph Tucker , CEO of Enveric Biosciences

Natalie Ginsberg , Global Impact Officer of MAPS

"We've seen cannabis businesses raise hundreds of millions of dollars at our Cannabis Capital Conferences and it's exciting to once again open this possibility to businesses working to develop and establish psychedelics as the new paradigm shift in mental health treatment," says Chief Zinger Jason Raznick.

Click here to register for the full in-person Benzinga Psychedelics Capital Conference experience, featuring networking, one-on-one meetings, access to investors and more.

Secure your spot now and also gain full access to the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference happening at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach on April 20-21, 2022. Dual event passes are available.

Why Attend The Benzinga Psychedelics Capital Conference

The Benzinga Psychedelics Capital Conference is a natural spinoff from the now-classic Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conferences, which have already featured numerous panels and presentations from key representatives of the psychedelics space, including leaders from:

MindMed

Enveric Biosciences

Mydecine

Novamind

Numinus Wellness

NeonMind Biosciences

Entheon Biomedical

Cybin

After 15 extremely successful cannabis editions in Toronto, Chicago, Detroit, New York and Miami, the Benzinga Psychedelics Capital Conference will feature all the core components of a classic Benzinga event, including keynotes, panel discussions, fireside chats, networking spaces, company presentations and investor and celebrity appearances.

"Benzinga has always held a keen interest in emerging industries and we believe psychedelics is another sector poised for growth. We're thrilled to welcome the executives, investors and analysts at the forefront of this exciting industry to Miami on April 13. We're even more excited to give our audience the platform to engage with these leaders directly," says Patrick Lane, executive vice president of partnerships at Benzinga.

SOURCE Benzinga
Efforts by the nurses to convince hospital administration to address these concerns and to recruit and retain needed staff (AJH nurses are the lowest paid nurses in the region) to ensure quality patient care have fallen on deaf ears as patients experience delays in care and excessive wait times to be seen in the hospital's busy emergency department

This delivery will occur one year from the date when the nurses first submitted a similar petition, with no solutions taken by management during the intervening 12 months, resulting in more than 90 nurses (28%) of the nursing staff leaving the facility between 2021 and 2023

NEWBURYPORT, Mass., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday, Feb. 2 at 12:30 p.m. a delegation of registered nurses at Beth Israel Lahey Anna Jaques Hospital (AJH) will deliver a petition signed by 80 percent of nurses calling on the hospital's administration to address a "worsening staffing crisis" at the Newburyport-based community hospital that is compromising nurses ability to provide the care their patients expect and deserve. Editor's Note: The delegation will gather outside the main entrance to the hospital at 25 Highland Ave in Newburyport to meet with members of the media who wish to learn more about this issue, and members of the media are invited to join the nurses as they attempt to deliver the petition to the hospital's Chief Nursing Officer Richard Maki, MHSA, RN.

The petition reads in part: "We RNs and co-workers are struggling to provide the best care to the people of this community we love, and we are failing" and provides a list of issues that need to be addressed, including the fact that "nurses at Anna Jaques are the lowest paid in the Merrimack Valley and are leaving for surrounding hospitals where conditions like staffing and compensation are much better."

The full text of the petition and the nurses concerns, which was signed by 270 of the 339 (80%) nurses on staff at the hospital, can be found at the end of this release. The nurses chose Feb. 2 for the delivery as it falls on the one-year anniversary of the nurses' effort to deliver a similar petition in Feb. 2022. Nurses outrage has only grown as in the 12 months between the two petition deliveries, nothing tangible has been done to address their concerns or to stem the exodus of nurses leaving the facility. In fact, between 2021 and 2023 95 nurses have left AJH, a loss of 28% of the nursing workforce, with the largest proportion of that number being newly graduated nurses  the hope for the future of the hospital's nursing workforce.

"Thursday being Groundhog Day is symbolic of our senior administration's continued refusal to value its nurses. For over a year, they have refused to work with us in good faith to do what is needed to retain the staff we need to care for this community," said Margaret Mirecki, RN, a frontline nurse on the hospital's Cardiac Care Step-down Unit and a member of the nurses local bargaining unit with the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA). "Our efforts have fallen on deaf ears, while conditions at our hospital continue to deteriorate, and patient safety becomes increasingly more difficult to achieve and maintain."

The petition delivery is just the latest effort by nurses to convince hospital management to address a host of serious issues impacting the quality and safety of care at the hospital. This included the nurses going public in November, sounding the alarm about the safety of patient care at the facility due to the lack of needed staff in a number of departments and the recent decisions by the hospital administration to terminate its designation as a trauma center, to close the hospital's pediatric unit and the periodic closure of the hospital's Computer Tomography (CT) scanning service.

These conditions have resulted in excessive wait times for patients in the hospital's busy emergency department, delays in patient care as overburdened nurses and other staff struggle with excessive patient loads, and the unnecessary need to transfer patients to other facilities at a time when the medical transport services in the region are already strained. It has also caused an exodus of many types of staff who are burnt out from the conditions and those seeking positions in better staffed, higher paying facilities.

The nurses are also concerned about the recent announcement that Mark Goldstein, AJH President and CEO will be leaving in April, with no announcement of a successor. As such the nurses will be appealing to the hospital's Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer to take whatever steps are needed to address the ongoing crisis at the hospital.

"Anna Jaques has a long and proud history of serving Newburyport and surrounding communities, and nurses and all of our fellow staff members have played a vital role in that effort," said Walter Keenan, RN, a emergency department nurse at AJH and member the nurses local bargaining unit negotiating committee with the MNA. "We hope by delivering this petition to our administration and educating the public about these issues, our administration will finally be convinced to work with us to better protect our patients and the communities we all are here to serve."

Full Text of Anna Jaques Nurses Petition

To the Anna Jaques Administration:



We are in a worsening staffing crisis at Anna Jaques. We RNs and co-workers are struggling to provide the best care to the people of this community we love, and we are failing. The Hospital is losing staff and is not recruiting. We need executives to listen to us and to manage solutions.

Nurses at Anna Jaques are the lowest paid in the Merrimack Valley and are leaving for surrounding hospitals where conditions like staffing and compensation are much better.





Management says they don't have to talk to us about that because we are mid-contract. And so, more resign, and management does not have alternative solutions.





RNs who work elsewhere also won't come here from surrounding hospitals with better staffing and are safer places to practice for RNs worried about their licenses.





In the interim, management needs to negotiate a temporary extra shift bonus with our Union to encourage RNs to pick up shifts here, instead of at surrounding hospitals. Instead, management let the last agreement lapse, and since has refused to agree to an MOA that is equal to our sister hospitals, and that would show they care about retaining current staff.





Management constantly breaks the Union contract by offering bonuses and deals under the table to some, instead of bargaining with the Union to offer a fair and equitable agreement for all nurses.





AJH executives cut ties with Salem State's RN program, saying they no longer want SSU students for clinicals, and told the school that one of our most highly respected co-workers could no longer be a clinical instructor here. We lost the opportunity to recruit those new nurses! An unforced error.





RN program, saying they no longer want SSU students for clinicals, and told the school that one of our most highly respected co-workers could no longer be a clinical instructor here. We lost the opportunity to recruit those new nurses! An unforced error. We need to see the promised resources that were supposed to come from the merged BI Lahey System. We have seen only worsening staffing and supply issues.





Since August when most CT techs resigned, we have gone days on end without CT services with management refusing to offer written protocols, presumably because they don't want to admit that CT is closed. Instead we find out when there is CT by Post It notes on the department window!

The failure to support clinical staff is ruining the culture of care that AJH is known for- as evidenced by the loss of staff, the closing of Pediatrics, renouncing our trauma center designation, while hiring an unprecedented number of temps (nursing, rad/ CT techs, Respiratory Therapy, etc.) instead of making this a hospital where staff want to come for careers. We call on the administration to support all staff.

MassNurses.org  Facebook.com/MassNurses  Twitter.com/MassNurses

Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 25,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.

SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association
Khartoum / Cairo  A delegation of 70 leaders of the Forces for Freedom and Change-Democratic Block (FFC-DB), will depart for Cairo to participate in the inter-Sudanese dialogue workshop brokered by Egypt for the Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue, prominent FFC-DB member has confirmed.

Mustafa Tambour, a former member of the holdout Sudan Liberation Movement under the leadership of Abdelwahid El Nur (SLM-AW), told Radio Dabanga that "delegates from a large number of political groups - with the exception of the FFC-Central Council - will participate in the Cairo workshop that will be launched on February 1".

The FFC-CC is leading the current political process in cooperation with the other signatories of the Framework Agreement, which is to end with a Final Agreement with the junta, after which the military will withdraw from politics to make way for a civilian government. The coalition one month ago refused to "flood the political process" with parties "that are not interested in democracy", such as the FFC-DB.

He explained that the importance of the workshop lies in "bringing together different political forces, and because Egypt has the best chance of mediating between the Sudanese parties and managing a comprehensive Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue, given its strategic relations with Sudan".

Regarding the AU-IGAD-UNITAMS Trilateral Mechanism that is brokering the political process, Tambour called "its approach to dealing with the political crisis incorrect, its identification of the parties inaccurate, which has contributed to increasing tension".

On January 19, the Mechanism agreed with the FFC-CC that it would take over the organisation of the conferences on the Juba Peace Agreement (JPA) and governance in eastern Sudan from the Framework Agreement signatories.

Tambour played down the importance of the conference on the JPA, that will start in Khartoum today. "It does not have any value because the participating parties have nothing to do with the JPA and are not interested in discussing it."

He said that the rebel members of the FFC-DB will definitely take part in the workshop on the JPA in Juba in mid-February. The South Sudanese team that mediated the negotiations that lead to the signing of the JPA in October 2020 has invited the signatories to a workshop "to develop a clear road map for the implementation of the JPA protocols".
All-day forum is dedicated to "Celebrating the Resilience of Black Health"

NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time in its history, Black Health Matters (BHM) is bringing its nationally recognized, award winning, health summit series to the city of Atlanta, Georgia. Now entering its second decade of delivering vital health education to Black Americans, BHM creates interactive events where attendees can get their health questions answered and have access to several top health and wellness experts  all focused on helping them cultivate healthier lifestyles for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Black Health Matters brings it's Hybrid Summit & Expo to Atlanta!

On February 11th, 2023, the Black Health Matters Winter Health Summit & Expo will take place at the Loudermilk Conference Center, 40 Courtland St. N.E., Atlanta, GA, from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM EST. Themed "The Resilience of Black Health," this event is free and open to the public and guests can attend either virtually or in person. The day will be chock full of engaging educational panels, workshops, music, fitness sessions, free health screenings, and immunizations. Medical clinicians, along with specialists in health, wellness, and chronic illness, join enthusiastic celebrity guests ready to bring health awareness to the community. FREE giveaways and prizes will also be distributed throughout the day. To register and see more about the topics and speakers, go to bit.ly/bhmhealthsummitandexpo

"Every day is a great day to start setting yourself up for a healthier tomorrow", said Roslyn Young Daniels, publisher of Black Health Matters. "Whether in need of a doctor or a workout buddy, our Summit and Expo will provide you with information and resources that will enrich your knowledge of health and well-being. Each of our sessions are designed to concentrate on issues pertaining to modern healthcare, its advancements and how people of color can benefit."

SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS

Informative presentations by the nation's leading experts on women's health, clinical trials, shingles, lung cancer, and mental health and well-being.





A noteworthy lineup of hosts, presenters and panelists, including Contessa Metcalfe , MD, MPH, Married to Medicine Cast Member; Cynthia Bailey , Actress, Reality Star, Entrepreneur and Summit Co-Host; Ed Lover , Rapper, Actor & V-103 Radio Host and Summit Co-Host; MJ Collier, MD , National Radio Personality and Medical Consultant; Kimberly Williams , PhD, Executive Director of the Georgia State Medical Association; Sheri Prentiss , MD, MPH, CSP, Chief Medical Officer and Public Health Lead of CIEN+; and Julianne Adams , Birt, MD, Founder and CEO of Radiant Women's Health.





Married to Medicine Cast Member; Actress, Reality Star, Entrepreneur and Summit Co-Host; Rapper, Actor & V-103 Radio Host and Summit Co-Host; , National Radio Personality and Medical Consultant; Executive Director of the Georgia State Medical Association; Chief Medical Officer and Public Health Lead of CIEN+; and Founder and CEO of Radiant Women's Health. Antonio Martez , Grand Chapter Co-Chair of Health and Wellness of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. , will be presented with the Black Health Matters Champion Health Advocate Award and DaShaun Johnson , Fitness Expert (aka "The Guru of Abs") will be presented with the Black Health Matters Champion Health Impact Award.





, Grand Chapter Co-Chair of Health and Wellness of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. , will be presented with the Black Health Matters Champion Health Advocate Award and , Fitness Expert (aka "The Guru of Abs") will be presented with the Black Health Matters Champion Health Impact Award. Free on-site health screenings, immunizations and boosters for COVID and flu, and tests for HIV and Hepatitis C, mental health, and more will be offered.





DaShaun Johnson , aka "The Guru of Abs" will kick the day off by leading an energizing 30-minute workout session.





, aka "The Guru of Abs" will kick the day off by leading an energizing 30-minute workout session. The first 250 attendees will be treated to a complimentary breakfast and lunch.

The Black Health Matters Winter Summit & Expo is sponsored by a topnotch list of sponsors and non-profit organizations, including GSK, CISCRP, Boerhinger Ingelheim, Vertex, The American Cancer Society, and The American Red Cross. The American Red Cross is working to help to improve health outcomes of diverse populationsespecially those battling sickle cell diseaseby encouraging blood donations from Black Americans.

Media partners include WSB-TV Atlanta, WAOK News & Talk Radio Atlanta, Upscale Magazine, Rolling Out Magazine, and V-103 The People's Station.

ABOUT BLACK HEALTH MATTERS

Black Health Matters (BHM) is the nation's foremost health, wellness and chronic disease interactive digital platform dedicated to improving health outcomes among African Americans. Its content is shared through its active social channels and weekly newsletters. Launched in 2012 and rooted in Black communities, its mission is to improve health literacy, which includes addressing health care, health policy, health equity, and health disparities for positive outcomes. Founder Roslyn Young Daniels serves as BHM's President and CEO. To learn more, visit www.blackhealthmatters.com.

SOURCE Black Health Matters
TORONTO and CHICAGO, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - BMO Financial Group (TSX: BMO) (NYSE: BMO), and its subsidiaries BMO Financial Corp. and BMO Harris Bank N.A. (together, "BMO"), announced today it has completed the acquisition of Bank of the West from BNP Paribas (XPAR: BNP).

BMO's acquisition of Bank of the West brings nearly 1.8 million customers to BMO and extends its banking presence through more than 500 additional branches and commercial and wealth offices in key U.S. growth markets. As the 8th largest bank in North America by assets, BMO now has a strong position in three of the top five U.S. markets, a footprint in 32 states, expanded national specialty commercial businesses and a digital banking platform helping customers make real financial progress in all 50 states.

Until conversion of the banks' systems, expected in early September 2023, customers will continue to be served through their respective BMO and Bank of the West branches, websites and mobile applications. In the coming months, BMO will provide Bank of the West customers with key information about how the combined bank will serve them, including the plan for the conversion of their accounts.

More information is available at: BMO Receives Regulatory Approval to Acquire Bank of the West

About BMO Financial Group

Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a highly diversified financial services provider - the 8th largest bank, by assets, in North America. With total assets of C$1.14 trillion as of October 31, 2022, and a team of diverse and highly engaged employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, BMO Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking information

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements. All such statements are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of, and are intended to be forward-looking statements under, the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and any applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements in this document may include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to plans for the combined operations of BMO and Bank of the West, and the financial, operational and capital impacts of the transaction, and include statements made by our management. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as "will", "would", "should", "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "project", "intend", "estimate", "plan", "goal", "commit", "target", "may", "might", "schedule", "forecast" and "could" or negative or grammatical variations thereof.

By their nature, forward-looking statements require us to make assumptions and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific in nature. There is significant risk that predictions, forecasts, conclusions or projections will not prove to be accurate, that our assumptions may not be correct, and that actual results may differ materially from such predictions, forecasts, conclusions or projections. We caution readers of this document not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, as a number of factors  many of which are beyond our control and the effects of which can be difficult to predict  could cause actual future results, conditions, actions or events to differ materially from the targets, expectations, estimates or intentions expressed in the forward-looking statements.

The future outcomes that relate to forward-looking statements may be influenced by many factors, including, but not limited to: the anticipated benefits from the proposed transaction, such as it growing our U.S. operations are not realized in the time frame anticipated or at all as a result of changes in general economic and market conditions, interest and exchange rates, monetary policy, laws and regulations (including changes to capital requirements) and their enforcement, and the degree of competition in the geographic and business areas in which Bank of the West currently operates; the business of Bank of the West may not perform as expected or in a manner consistent with historical performance; the ability to promptly and effectively integrate Bank of the West; diversion of management time on transaction integration-related issues; increased exposure to exchange rate fluctuations; and those other factors discussed in the Risks That May Affect Future Results section, and the sections related to credit and counterparty, market, insurance, liquidity and funding, operational non-financial, legal and regulatory, strategic, environmental and social, and reputation risk, in the Enterprise-Wide Risk Management section of the BMO 2022 Annual Report, all of which outline certain key factors and risks that may affect our future results and our ability to anticipate and effectively manage risks arising from all of the foregoing factors. We caution that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all possible factors. Other factors and risks could adversely affect our results. Investors and others should carefully consider these factors and risks, as well as other uncertainties and potential events, and the inherent uncertainty of forward-looking statements.

We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by the organization or on its behalf, except as required by law. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is presented for the purpose of assisting shareholders and analysts in understanding the proposed transaction and may not be appropriate for other purposes.

SOURCE BMO Financial Group
Integrated services with digital marketing agency, Ready North, solidifies Brightfind's position as a full-service digital experience solution for member-based organizations.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Specialized digital design and web development agency, Brightfind, is pleased to announce its integrated services with Ready North, a pioneering digital marketing agency specializing in strategic B2B solutions. Effective today, the two companies will offer augmented services in the form of custom, full-service marketing projects that go beyond traditional web design and digital marketing.

Brightfind is a well-recognized and trusted partner in the association and non-profit space for creating outstanding digital experiences using modern design, best-in-class personalization, and seamless integrations. As a result of unified services, Brightfind customers will benefit from expanded resources devoted to the strategic development and implementation of content marketing, SEO, conversion rate optimization, marketing automation, CRM implementation, and more.

Additionally, newly appointed joint CEO Becky Breeden will leverage over three decades of experience in digital communications, strategy, consulting, and management to lead Brightfind and Ready North in developing innovative, forward-thinking offerings for their clients. Breeden previously served as Brightfind's Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining Brightfind, Breeden held roles with Adage Technologies, fusionSpan, and Ellipsis Partners, as well as working as a consultant digital strategist for Brightfind from 2016-2019. Breeden's early career was spent as a journalist before moving into the non-profit technology space. There she worked as a marketing and communications manager with several associations before focusing on technology solutions.

"The demand for strategic, ongoing digital and content marketing solutions in the associations and non-profit sectors is stronger than we've ever seen," shared Breeden. "To meet that need, Brightfind and Ready North see an unmistakable opportunity to offer better, more comprehensive outcomes for our clients by combining our complementary specialties."

A diversified senior leadership team supports Breeden, Brightfind, and Ready North, including Chief Technology Officer Ashish Gururani , Director of Client Success Shannen Laur , Director of Delivery Jason Moss , Director of Marketing and Communications Ashley Sams , and Director of Operations Elizabeth Juran .

Ready North and Brightfind are sister companies under Blue Cypress , a family of companies committed to serving purpose-driven organizations.

Learn more about Brightfind's solutions here: brightfind.com .

ABOUT

Brightfind and Ready North are members of the Blue Cypress family of companies, which is committed to serving purpose-driven organizations. Learn more at bluecypress.io.

CONTACT

Ashley Sams

[email protected]

(216) 812-3961

SOURCE Brightfind
Award-winning New Zealand vodka solidifies its presence across the U.S.

CHICAGO, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Broken Shed Vodka , New Zealand's award-winning, premium vodka, is now the fastest growing vodka brand in the U.S. for two consecutive years. According to data provided by the 2022 Liquor Handbook, Broken Shed had a 71.4 percent increase in overall case depletion within the country from 2020 to 2021, the highest growth rate in its vodka class.

Broken Shed is on track to sell 20,000 cases nationwide by March 2023, the end of the company's fiscal year, and retain its current title of being the fastest growing vodka in the U.S.

Broken Shed Vodka is the Fastest Growing Vodka Brand in the U.S. for 2nd Year in a Row Tweet this

"To be recognized as the fastest growing vodka brand in the world's largest market is a clear indicator of how many people across the U.S. are discovering the crisp, clean and smooth taste of Broken Shed," said Paul Criscuolo, Chief Commercial Officer, Broken Shed Vodka. "During the more than four decades that I've been working in the distilled spirits industry, I've never seen consumers react as favorably to a product as they do with their first sip of Broken Shed. We're thrilled to see Broken Shed Vodka continue to expand into new markets across the U.S. year after year and look forward to the growth to come."

"The increase in sales and growing demand for Broken Shed is a direct result of the successful efforts from our distributors, sales and tasting teams as well as our integrated marketing and advertising over the last few years, featuring our "Vodka of Tomorrow" campaign in the U.S.," said Jean-Marie Heins, chief marketing officer for Broken Shed Vodka.

The "Vodka of Tomorrow" campaign highlights that Broken Shed is what vodka can be, made sustainably without additives, sweeteners or GMOs, and pays tribute to the vodka's home country by highlighting that, thanks to being in the time zone where each day begins, it's already tomorrow in New Zealand.The campaign resulted in over 16.6 million impressions and generated record sales less than a year after the campaign launched in 2021.

November 2022 was the second highest sales month in Broken Shed Vodka's history largely due to the company's partnership with Help Our Military Heroes, Inc. (HOMH) that provides funding for customized and fully accessible, ramp entry vehicles for veterans.

Broken Shed is available in 30 U.S. markets which now includes Florida and Texas - both added in the last two months and expects to add New York and South Carolina later this year. Broken Shed's top three markets continue to be North Carolina, Connecticut and Tennessee. Globally, Broken Shed is in New Zealand, Australia and Samoa.

To learn more about what makes Broken Shed Vodka New Zealand's premium vodka and where it's sold across the U.S., visit BrokenShed.com

About BROKEN SHED VODKA

Broken Shed Vodka  2023 is based in Wanaka, New Zealand. Distilled, crafted and bottled in New Zealand ever since its inception in 2009, its vodka draws upon the country's pristine natural aquifers and spring waters, made without any hint of gluten, additives, sugars or GMOs. Since entering the U.S. market in June 2012, Broken Shed Vodka has won a legion of loyal fans, and an impressive collection of awards. Broken Shed Vodka started in a 'broken' down old shed on Lake Wanaka where the formula was originally crafted and produced.

Broken Shed Vodka, 40 percent ABV, Distilled from Whey, imported to the USA by Broken Shed Imports, Manhasset, NY. Broken Shed Vodka is produced by Broken Shed Limited., Wanaka, New Zealand.

Broken Shed Limited is a private limited company based in Wanaka, New Zealand and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Yes Whey LLC. Yes Whey LLC is a limited liability company based in Glenview, Illinois. Drink Responsibly.

Media Contact:

Marla Cichowski

[email protected]

SOURCE Broken Shed Vodka
Bronwyn Brophy has an impressive track record as a leader of global Life science and Medtech businesses. The Board of directors find Bronwyn Brophy to be an exceptional candidate to effectuate Vitrolife's strategy to reach the company's full potential and thereby create increased shareholder value.

GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Bronwyn Brophy is Irish and has extensive experience of leading positions in Global Life Science and Medtech companies such as Thermo Fisher Scientific, Medtronic and Johnson & Johnson. The last years within Thermo Fischer Bronwyn Brophy was heading the Immunodiagnostics Division globally and before that served as President of the EMEA region.

Bronwyn Brophy will join the company at the latest on 1 August 2023.

As notified 12 September 2022, Thomas Axelsson will leave his position as CEO. This is expected to occur 31 March 2023. At that time Jon Sigurdsson, today Chairman of the board, will assume the position as interim CEO until Bronwyn Brophy starts her appointment. Consequently, the board of directors has appointed the current board member Henrik Blomquist as chairman of the board until the annual general meeting 27 April 2023.

Jon Sigurdsson, chairman of the board, says: "I am very pleased that we have been able to assign Bronwyn Brophy as CEO. She has an extensive experience of developing businesses and has a wide international experience which is important for Vitrolife. Again, I would like to thank Thomas Axelsson for an excellent job done for Vitrolife and for our great cooperation."

Bronwyn Brophy comments the appointment: "I am very honored to the appointment as new CEO of Vitrolife. I believe the company has a very exciting future with great growth potential with strong distributors and global partners".

Contact persons:

Thomas Axelsson, CEO, phone: +46 31 721 80 01

Patrik Tolf, CFO, phone: +46 31 766 90 21

This information is information that Vitrolife AB is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and the Securities Markets Act. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 8.15 am CET on February 1, 2023.

This is a translation of the Swedish version of the press release. When in doubt, the Swedish wording prevails.

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/1031/3706827/1818881.pdf Bronwyn Brophy is appointed new CEO of Vitrolife AB (publ)

SOURCE Vitrolife AB (publ)
New models feature active mutual funds from Capital Group with passive ETFs from other firms

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Capital Group, home of American Funds, has launched 12 active-passive model portfolios featuring Capital Group as the strategist. The models will be comprised of American Funds' actively managed mutual funds and passively-managed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) from Vanguard, Schwab, and BlackRock. As the strategist, Capital Group will select the passive ETFs in each model and manage the allocations.

"As the needs of financial professionals and investors continue to evolve so has the way we think about delivering our investment solutions to them," said Kris Spazafumo, head of portfolio solutions and services at Capital Group. "We know that financial professionals are increasingly creating active-passive portfolios for their clients because they want both a low-cost, tax-efficient portfolio with the potential for excess returns."

The latest series of active-passive model portfolios from Capital Group - including growth, growth and income, preservation and income, and retirement income strategies - have been designed to help financial professionals balance the demands of investment management with the need to scale their businesses and deepen client relationships.

Spazafumo added, "These models were designed to allow financial professionals to scale their practice and free them up to spend more of their valuable time helping clients plan for their financial goals. Like our existing all-active models, the new active-passive portfolios will leverage Capital Group's objective-based investment philosophy, which emphasizes a strategic approach to portfolio construction."

An area of strategic focus for the firm, Capital Group's model portfolios business has more than tripled in assets under management since 2018. This brings the total number of model portfolios available nationally from Capital Group to 31. The new models  nine of which will be core and three which will be retirement-income focused -- include:

Capital Group Active-Passive Global Growth Model

Capital Group Active-Passive Growth Model

Capital Group Active-Passive Moderate Growth Model

Capital Group Active-Passive Growth and Income Model

Capital Group Active-Passive Moderate Growth and Income Model

Capital Group Active-Passive Conservative Growth and Income Model

Capital Group Active-Passive Conservative Income and Growth Model

Capital Group Active-Passive Conservative Income Model

Capital Group Active-Passive Preservation Model

Capital Group Active-Passive Retirement Income Model - Enhanced

Capital Group Active-Passive Retirement Income Model - Moderate

Capital Group Active-Passive Retirement Income Model - Conservative

To learn more about Capital Group's suite of model portfolios, visit capitalgroup.com/modelportfolios.

About Capital Group

Capital Group, home of American Funds, has been singularly focused on delivering superior results for long-term investors using high-conviction portfolios, rigorous research, and individual accountability since 1931.

As of December 31, 2022, Capital Group manages approximately $2.2 trillion in equity and fixed-income assets for millions of individuals and institutional investors around the world. Capital Group manages equity assets through three investment groups. These groups make investment and proxy voting decisions independently. Fixed-income investment professionals provide fixed-income research and investment management across the Capital organization; however, for securities with equity characteristics, they act solely on behalf of one of the three equity investment groups.

Media Contacts:

Sarah Christiansen

(213) 615-3052

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(213) 615-5787

Investments are not FDIC-insured, nor are they deposits of or guaranteed by a bank or any other entity, so they may lose value.

Investors should carefully consider investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. This and other important information is contained in the fund prospectuses and summary prospectuses, which can be obtained from a financial professional and should be read carefully before investing.

Model portfolios are provided to financial intermediaries who may or may not recommend them to clients. The portfolios consist of an allocation of funds for investors to consider and are not intended to be investment recommendations. The portfolios are asset allocations designed for individuals with different time horizons, investment objectives and risk profiles. Allocations may change and may not achieve investment objectives. If a cash allocation is not reflected in a model, the intermediary may choose to add one. Capital Group does not have investment discretion or authority over investment allocations in client accounts. Rebalancing approaches may differ depending on where the account is held. Investors should talk to their financial professional for information on other investment alternatives that may be available. In making investment decisions, investors should consider their other assets, income and investments. [Include only for AF models on our website: Visit capitalgroup.com for current allocations.]

All Capital Group trademarks mentioned are owned by The Capital Group Companies, Inc., an affiliated company or fund. All other company and product names mentioned are the property of their respective companies.

This content, developed by Capital Group, home of American Funds, should not be used as a primary basis for investment decisions and is not intended to serve as impartial investment or fiduciary advice.

American Funds Distributors, Inc., member FINRA.

SOURCE Capital Group
CINCINNATI, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Capital Tactics Inc., a transaction advisory firm based in Cincinnati Metro market, today announced the sale of Meister International to Power Grid Components, Inc., a Shorehill Capital portfolio company. Shorehill is based in Chicago, IL. Meister is a distributor of electrical infrastructure components. The transaction expands Power Grid's national presence in the electrical component industry and affords Meister additional growth opportunities as a strategic fit with Power Grid. The transaction closed in November 2022.

Standoff Insulator

Capital Tactics, advisor to Meister, guided negotiation of the transaction elements, including deal structure, executive contracts and facility leases, and provided due diligence guidance to facilitate successful completion of the transaction.

Brian Reed, Managing Director of Meister, said "Meister's breadth and depth of products and channel relationships complement Power Grid's, making this a natural fit for both companies. The combined companies provide a more complete set of solutions."

Rick McClure, President and CEO of Power Grid, added, "Meister is a well-respected name in the industry and an important strategic expansion for us. This transaction intensifies our relationships into key customer and product sets."

Lisa Benzinger, Senior Advisor of Capital Tactics, commented "This transaction illustrates the principle that, under the right circumstances, one-plus-one-equals-three, and ensures a continued growth trajectory for both Power Grid and Meister."

About Power Grid Components, Inc.

Power Grid is a leading supplier of high-quality mission critical electrical products used in electric power grids. The company was formed to acquire companies that supply products used in the North American electric power grid.

About Meister International

Meister has been distributing high-quality porcelain insulators and porcelain bushings to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and users of switchgear, transformers, and bus-duct around the world since 2003.

About Capital Tactics Inc.

Capital Tactics, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, provides buy-side and sell-side transaction advisory services to industry, private equity firms, and entrepreneurs. Services include guidance in Mergers and Acquisitions, Capital Raising, Due Diligence, and Financial Management. Capital Tactics was founded by Dino Lucarelli, CPA, a former public company Chief Financial Officer and industry veteran in corporate finance and management.

For more information contact Dino Lucarelli, at (859) 250-4140, or [email protected] or Lisa Benzinger, Senior Advisor at (859) 866-5453 or [email protected].

SOURCE Capital Tactics Inc
The former BlackRock and Goldman Sachs executive will oversee the firm's

business management functions, including Finance, Human Resources,

Legal & Compliance, Branding & Communications, and Technology

SINGAPORE, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Singapore-headquartered asset management firm, CBC Group ("CBC"), is pleased to announce the appointment of Todd Slattery as Chief Operating Officer, with immediate effect. Based in New York, Todd will primarily oversee the firm's business management functions; and join the Group's Management Committee.

Todd brings to CBC over 20 years of experience in business management for global asset management firms. In his capacity as Chief Operating Officer, Todd will be instrumental in strengthening CBC's global operational capabilities, as the firm continues its strong momentum in asset growth and value creation through its unique and diversified product strategy.

Commenting on the appointment, Fu Wei, Chief Executive Officer of CBC Group, said, "We are excited to have Todd join our firm and senior leadership team. His wealth of experience and expertise will add depth to our strategic deliberations and enhance our ability to operate effectively in an increasingly complex global environment. We look forward to working closely with him to drive synergies across our operational capabilities, supporting our mission to deliver greater access to quality and affordable healthcare for our communities in Asia and beyond."

"I was drawn to CBC by the strength of its investment teams with their sharp focus on, and deep expertise in, the healthcare space. I am inspired by the meaningful work that CBC and our portfolio companies are doing to widen accessibility to healthcare, and I look forward to contributing my training and experience to help achieve our shared vision of borderless healthcare for all," added Todd Slattery.

Prior to joining CBC, Todd worked for over 11 years with BlackRock as COO for the firm's global client business in the Americas region and, beginning in 2015, for BlackRock Alternatives, where he built operating infrastructure to support the platform's solutions and strategic clients. Previously, Todd spent over 11 years with Goldman Sachs Asset Management, including as COO for insurance asset management and global distribution, after co-leading its finance and planning function. He began his career in investment banking, with a focus on information services M&A at Citigroup/Salomon Smith Barney, and telecom and media financings at PaineWebber.

The appointment of Todd Slattery brings CBC Group's Management Committee membership to nine executives, based across Asia Pacific and North America:

FU Wei, Chief Executive Officer

Matthew CHANG, Chief Executive Officer, RMB Fund Cluster

Mohamed EL BEIH, Chief Strategy Officer & Global Head, Investor Relations

Meng JIANG, Head, Venture Capital

Hans KANG, Chief Executive Officer, Healthcare Infrastructure Platform

Lan KANG, Head, Joint Value Creation

Dr. Michael KEYOUNG, Head, Private Credit

Sean LU, Head, MedTech & Services

Todd SLATTERY, Chief Operating Officer

About CBC Group

Headquartered in Singapore, CBC Group is Asia's largest healthcare-dedicated asset management firm, focused on platform-building, buyout, private credit, venture, and real estate, across the healthcare space, including pharmaceutical, biotech, medical technology, and healthcare services.

We are committed to creating lasting value by integrating global innovations and talents. Partnering with the world's top entrepreneurs and scientists, our unique "investor-operator" approach has empowered leading healthcare companies to widen access to affordable medical care, catalyse innovations, and improve efficiency in fulfilling unmet medical needs worldwide.

For more information on CBC Group, please visit www.cbridgecap.com.

Connect with us on LinkedIn (CBC Group).

SOURCE CBC Group
Stock Market Symbols

GIB.A (TSX)

GIB (NYSE)

cgi.com/newsroom

MONTREAL, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - CGI (TSX: GIB.A) (NYSE: GIB) announced today that its Board of Directors has authorized the renewal of its Normal Course Issuer Bid ("NCIB"), subject to approval by the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX").

CGI's management and Board of Directors believe that the purchase for cancellation of the Company's Class A subordinate voting shares ("Class A Shares") is a proper use of funds, and the NCIB will provide the flexibility to purchase Class A Shares from time to time as the Company considers it advisable, as part of its efforts to increase shareholder value.

At the close of business on January 24, 2023, there were 211,962,333 Class A Shares outstanding, of which approximately 89% were widely held (representing a public float of 187,693,946 Class A Shares as calculated in accordance with the rules of the TSX).

Under the terms of the NCIB, subject to TSX approval, the Company may purchase for cancellation on the open market through the facilities of the TSX and the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") and through alternative trading systems in Canada, as well as outside the facilities of the TSX pursuant to exemption orders issued by securities regulators, up to 18,769,394 Class A Shares, representing approximately 10% of the Company's public float as of the close of business on January 24, 2023. The average daily trading volume of the Class A Shares on the TSX for the six-month period ended December 31, 2022 was 325,910 (the "ADTV"). Consequently, and in accordance with the requirements of the TSX, the daily purchase limit under the NCIB on the TSX will be 81,477 Class A Shares, representing 25% of the ADTV. All Class A Shares will be purchased at their market price at the time of acquisition, except for purchases effected outside the facilities of the TSX pursuant to exemption orders issued by securities regulators which will be at a discount to the market price as provided in such exemption orders. All Class A Shares purchased under the NCIB will be cancelled.

Repurchases of Class A Shares under the renewed NCIB may commence on February 6, 2023 and will end on the earlier of February 5, 2024 or the date on which the Company has either acquired the maximum number of Class A Shares allowable under the NCIB or otherwise decided not to make any further purchases for cancellation under it.

Under its current NCIB that commenced on February 6, 2022 and will end on February 5, 2023, the Company received the approval of the TSX to repurchase for cancellation up to 18,781,981 Class A Shares. As at January 24, 2023, CGI has repurchased 6,449,173 Class A Shares by means of open market transactions, through the facilities of the TSX, other markets and through alternative trading systems in Canada, and by way of private agreements under issuer bid exemption orders issued by securities regulators, at a weighted average price of $101.84 per Class A Share, for a total consideration of $656,763,789.

CGI has implemented an automatic share purchase plan with its designated broker in connection with the NCIB in order to allow, if deemed advisable by the Company, for share purchases for cancellation during self-imposed blackout periods.

About CGI

Founded in 1976, CGI is among the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world. With 90,250 consultants and professionals across the globe, CGI delivers an end-to-end portfolio of capabilities, from strategic IT and business consulting to systems integration, managed IT and business process services and intellectual property solutions. CGI works with clients through a local relationship model complemented by a global delivery network that helps clients digitally transform their organizations and accelerate results. CGI Fiscal 2022 reported revenue is $12.87 billion and CGI shares are listed on the TSX (GIB.A) and the NYSE (GIB). Learn more at cgi.com.

Forward-looking information and statements

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other applicable United States safe harbours. All such forward-looking information and statements are made and disclosed in reliance upon the safe harbour provisions of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws. Forward-looking information and statements include all information and statements regarding CGI's intentions, plans, expectations, beliefs, objectives, future performance, and strategy, as well as any other information or statements that relate to future events or circumstances and which do not directly and exclusively relate to historical facts. Forward-looking information and statements often but not always use words such as "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "anticipate", "foresee", "plan", "predict", "project", "aim", "seek", "strive", "potential", "continue", "target", "may", "might", "could", "should", and similar expressions and variations thereof. These information and statements are based on our perception of historic trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other assumptions, both general and specific, that we believe are appropriate in the circumstances. Such information and statements are, however, by their very nature, subject to inherent risks and uncertainties, of which many are beyond the control of CGI, and which give rise to the possibility that actual results could differ materially from our expectations expressed in, or implied by, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include but are not restricted to: risks related to the market such as the level of business activity of our clients, which is affected by economic and political conditions, additional external risks (such as pandemics, armed conflict, climate-related issues and inflation) and our ability to negotiate new contracts; risks related to our industry such as competition and our ability to develop and expand our services, to penetrate new markets, and to protect our intellectual property rights; risks related to our business such as risks associated with our growth strategy, including the integration of new operations, financial and operational risks inherent in worldwide operations, foreign exchange risks, income tax laws and other tax programs, our ability to attract and retain qualified employees, to negotiate favourable contractual terms, to deliver our services and to collect receivables, to disclose, manage and implement environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives and standards, as well as the reputational and financial risks attendant to cybersecurity breaches and other incidents, and financial risks such as liquidity needs and requirements, maintenance of financial ratios, interest rate fluctuations and the discontinuation of major interest rate benchmarks and changes and changes in creditworthiness and credit ratings; as well as other risks identified or incorporated by reference in this press release, in CGI's annual and quarterly MD&A and in other documents that we make public, including our filings with the Canadian Securities Administrators (on SEDAR at www.sedar.com) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (on EDGAR at www.sec.gov). Unless otherwise stated, the forward-looking information and statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and CGI disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information or forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. While we believe that our assumptions on which these forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are based were reasonable as at the date of this press release, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking information or statements. Furthermore, readers are reminded that forward-looking information and statements are presented for the sole purpose of assisting investors and others in understanding our objectives, strategic priorities and business outlook as well as our anticipated operating environment. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Further information on the risks that could cause our actual results to differ significantly from our current expectations may be found in the section titled Risk Environment of CGI's annual and quarterly MD&A, which is incorporated by reference in this cautionary statement. We also caution readers that the above-mentioned risks and the risks disclosed in CGI's annual and quarterly MD&A and other documents and filings are not the only ones that could affect us. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial could also have a material adverse effect on our financial position, financial performance, cash flows, business or reputation.

SOURCE CGI Inc.
Stock Market Symbols

GIB.A (TSX)

GIB (NYSE)

cgi.com/newsroom

Revenue up 12.3% in constant currency and EPS excluding specific items* up 10.7%

Q1-F2023 performance highlights1

Revenue of $3.45 billion , up 11.6% year-over-year or 12.3% year-over-year in constant currency;

, up 11.6% year-over-year or 12.3% year-over-year in constant currency; Adjusted EBIT of $554.1 million , up 6.3% year-over-year, for a margin of 16.1%;

, up 6.3% year-over-year, for a margin of 16.1%; Net earnings of $382.4 million , up 4.1% year-over-year, for a margin of 11.1%;

, up 4.1% year-over-year, for a margin of 11.1%; Net earnings excluding specific items* of $398.2 million , up 7.8% year-over-year, for a margin of 11.5%;

, up 7.8% year-over-year, for a margin of 11.5%; Diluted EPS of $1.60 , up 7.4% year-over-year;

, up 7.4% year-over-year; Diluted EPS excluding specific items* of $1.66 , up 10.7% year-over-year;

, up 10.7% year-over-year; Cash from operating activities of $605.3 million , representing 17.5% of revenue;

, representing 17.5% of revenue; Bookings of $4.04 billion , for a book-to-bill ratio of 117.0%; and

, for a book-to-bill ratio of 117.0%; and Backlog of $25.01 billion or 1.9x annual revenue.

* Specific items in Q1-F2023 include: $15.8 million in acquisition-related and integration costs, net of tax; Specific items in Q1-F2022 include: $2.0 million in acquisition-related and integration costs, net of tax.

Note: All figures in Canadian dollars. Q1-F2023 MD&A, interim condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes can be found at cgi.com/investors and have been filed with both SEDAR in Canada and EDGAR in the U.S.



MONTREAL, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - CGI (TSX: GIB.A) (NYSE: GIB)

Q1-F2023 results

"CGI began fiscal year 2023 with positive momentum, delivering sustained double-digit increases in both constant currency revenue growth and EPS accretion," said George D. Schindler, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our ongoing investments continued to deliver value for all of our stakeholders, notably in our strong positioning as a trusted partner for clients' digitization priorities, which contributed to generating over $4 billion in bookings during the quarter, of which one-third were new business. CGI's operational and delivery discipline also contributed to strengthening our robust balance sheet, enabling us to continue driving our build and buy profitable growth strategy."

For the first quarter of fiscal 2023, the Company reported revenue of $3.45 billion, representing a year-over-year increase of 11.6%. Revenue grew by 12.3% year-over-year, when excluding unfavorable foreign currency impacts.

The number of CGI consultants and professionals worldwide has increased to approximately 90,250, representing a year-over-year increase of 10.1%.

Adjusted EBIT was $554.1 million, up 6.3% year-over-year, with an EBIT margin of 16.1% compared to 16.9% for the same period last year, and stable sequentially, as we continue integrating recent acquisitions and return to expected levels of business travel.

Net earnings were $382.4 million, up 4.1% compared with the same period last year, for a margin of 11.1%. Diluted earnings per share, as a result, were $1.60 compared to $1.49 last year, representing an increase of 7.4%.

Net earnings were $398.2 million, when excluding acquisition-related and integration costs, net of tax. This represents an increase of 7.8% year-over-year, and a margin of 11.5%. On the same basis, diluted earnings per share increased by 10.7% to $1.66, up from $1.50 for the same period last year.

Bookings were $4.04 billion, up $0.43 billion on a year-over-year basis, representing a book-to-bill ratio of 117.0%. As of December 31, 2022, the Company's backlog stood at $25.01 billion or 1.9x annual revenue.

Cash provided by operating activities was $605.3 million, or 17.5% of revenue, representing an increase of $121.0 million on a year-over-year basis, mainly due to the 5-day sequential decrease in our DSO.

Financial highlights Q1-F2023 Q1-F2022 Change In millions of Canadian dollars except earnings per share and where noted





Revenue 3,450.3 3,092.4 357.9 Growth 11.6 % 2.4 % 920 bps Constant currency growth 12.3 % 6.8 % 550 bps Adjusted EBIT 554.1 521.5 32.6 Margin % 16.1 % 16.9 % (80 bps) Net earnings 382.4 367.4 15.0 Margin % 11.1 % 11.9 % (80 bps) Net earnings excluding specific items* 398.2 369.4 28.8 Margin % 11.5 % 11.9 % (40 bps) Diluted earnings per share (diluted EPS) 1.60 1.49 0.11 Diluted earnings per share excluding specific items* 1.66 1.50 0.16 Weighted average number of outstanding shares (diluted) 239.4 246.8 (7.4) Net finance costs 18.1 25.6 (7.5) Net debt 2,503.8 2,687.9 (184.1) Net debt to capitalization ratio 24.1 % 27.8 % (370 bps) Cash provided by operating activities 605.3 484.3 121.0 As a percentage of revenue 17.5 % 15.7 % 180 bps Days sales outstanding (DSO) 44 45 (1) Return on invested capital (ROIC) 15.5 % 15.3 % 20 bps Return on equity (ROE) 20.6 % 20.3 % 30 bps Bookings 4,035 3,604 431 Backlog 25,011 23,577 1,434



* Specific items in Q1-F2023 include: $15.8 million in acquisition-related and integration costs, net of tax; Specific items in Q1-F2022 include: $2.0 million in acquisition-related and integration costs, net of tax.



During the first quarter of fiscal 2023, the Company invested $93.3 million back into its business and $10.3 million (at a weighted average price of $102.81) under its current Normal Course Issuer Bid to pay for and cancel 100,100 of its Class A subordinate voting shares, which were purchased, or committed to be purchased, but not cancelled as at September 30, 2022.

Return on invested capital (ROIC) was 15.5%, an improvement of 20 basis points when compared to the prior year.

As at December 31, 2022, net debt stood at $2.50 billion, down from $2.69 billion at the same time last year. The net debt-to-capitalization ratio stood at 24.1% at the end of December 2022, down 370 basis points when compared to the prior year.

With cash of $1.3 billion on hand at the end of December 2022, and a fully available revolving credit facility, the Company has $2.8 billion, excluding funds held for clients, in readily available liquidity to pursue its Build and Buy profitable growth strategy.

To access the financial statements  click here (PDF)

To access the Q1-F2023 MD&A  click here (PDF)

Normal Course Issuer Bid

On January 31, 2023, the Company's Board of Directors authorized the renewal of its Normal Course Issuer Bid, which, subject to approval by the Toronto Stock Exchange, allows for the purchase for cancellation of up to 18,769,394 Class A subordinate voting shares over the next 12 months, representing approximately 10% of the Company's public float as of the close of business on January 24, 2023. The current program will terminate on February 5, 2023 and repurchases of Class A subordinate voting shares under the renewed program may commence on February 6, 2023. For further information, please refer to the Company's press release regarding the renewal of its Normal Course Issuer Bid.

Q1-F2023 results conference call

Management will host a conference call this morning at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Standard time to discuss results. Participants may access the call by dialing +1-888-396-8049 or +1-416-764-8646 Conference ID: 63308479 or via cgi.com/investors. For those unable to participate on the live call, a podcast and copy of the slides will be archived for download at cgi.com/investors. Participants may also access a replay of the call by dialing +1-877-674-7070 Passcode: 308479, until March 2, 2023.

Annual General Meeting of Shareholders

This morning the company will hold its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders. The meeting will be held at 11:00 a.m. (EST) via live webcast at www.icastpro.ca/if5mwv (Password: CGI2022).

About CGI

Founded in 1976, CGI is among the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world. With 90,250 consultants and professionals across the globe, CGI delivers an end-to-end portfolio of capabilities, from strategic IT and business consulting to systems integration, managed IT and business process services and intellectual property solutions. CGI works with clients through a local relationship model complemented by a global delivery network that helps clients digitally transform their organizations and accelerate results. CGI Fiscal 2022 reported revenue is $12.87 billion and CGI shares are listed on the TSX (GIB.A) and the NYSE (GIB). Learn more at cgi.com.

1Non-GAAP and other key performance measures

Non-GAAP financial metrics used in this press release: Constant currency growth, adjusted EBIT, adjusted EBIT margin, net debt, net debt to capitalization ratio, ROIC, net earnings excluding specific items, net earnings margin excluding specific items, and diluted EPS excluding specific items. CGI reports its financial results in accordance with IFRS. However, management believes that these non-GAAP measures provide useful information to investors regarding the company's financial condition and results of operations as they provide additional measures of its performance. These measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and are therefore unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers and should be considered as supplemental in nature and not as a substitute for the related financial information prepared in accordance with IFRS. Additional details for these non-GAAP measures can be found on pages 3, 4 and 5 of our Q1-F2023 MD&A which is posted on CGI's website, and filed with SEDAR at www.sedar.com and EDGAR at www.sec.gov.

Key performance measures used in this press release: bookings, book-to-bill ratio, backlog, DSO, net earnings margin, and ROE. The composition of these measures can also be found on pages 3, 4 and 5 of our Q1-F2023 MD&A.

Forward-looking information and statements

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other applicable United States safe harbours. All such forward-looking information and statements are made and disclosed in reliance upon the safe harbour provisions of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws. Forward-looking information and statements include all information and statements regarding CGI's intentions, plans, expectations, beliefs, objectives, future performance, and strategy, as well as any other information or statements that relate to future events or circumstances and which do not directly and exclusively relate to historical facts. Forward-looking information and statements often but not always use words such as "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "anticipate", "foresee", "plan", "predict", "project", "aim", "seek", "strive", "potential", "continue", "target", "may", "might", "could", "should", and similar expressions and variations thereof. These information and statements are based on our perception of historic trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other assumptions, both general and specific, that we believe are appropriate in the circumstances. Such information and statements are, however, by their very nature, subject to inherent risks and uncertainties, of which many are beyond the control of CGI, and which give rise to the possibility that actual results could differ materially from our expectations expressed in, or implied by, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include but are not restricted to: risks related to the market such as the level of business activity of our clients, which is affected by economic and political conditions, additional external risks (such as pandemics, armed conflict, climate-related issues and inflation) and our ability to negotiate new contracts; risks related to our industry such as competition and our ability to develop and expand our services, to penetrate new markets, and to protect our intellectual property rights; risks related to our business such as risks associated with our growth strategy, including the integration of new operations, financial and operational risks inherent in worldwide operations, foreign exchange risks, income tax laws and other tax programs, our ability to attract and retain qualified employees, to negotiate favourable contractual terms, to deliver our services and to collect receivables, to disclose, manage and implement environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives and standards, as well as the reputational and financial risks attendant to cybersecurity breaches and other incidents, and financial risks such as liquidity needs and requirements, maintenance of financial ratios, interest rate fluctuations and the discontinuation of major interest rate benchmarks and changes in creditworthiness and credit ratings; as well as other risks identified or incorporated by reference in this press release, in CGI's annual and quarterly MD&A and in other documents that we make public, including our filings with the Canadian Securities Administrators (on SEDAR at www.sedar.com) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (on EDGAR at www.sec.gov). Unless otherwise stated, the forward-looking information and statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and CGI disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information or forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. While we believe that our assumptions on which these forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are based were reasonable as at the date of this press release, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking information or statements. Furthermore, readers are reminded that forward-looking information and statements are presented for the sole purpose of assisting investors and others in understanding our objectives, strategic priorities and business outlook as well as our anticipated operating environment. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Further information on the risks that could cause our actual results to differ significantly from our current expectations may be found in the section titled Risk Environment of CGI's annual and quarterly MD&A, which is incorporated by reference in this cautionary statement. We also caution readers that the above-mentioned risks and the risks disclosed in CGI's annual and quarterly MD&A and other documents and filings are not the only ones that could affect us. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial could also have a material adverse effect on our financial position, financial performance, cash flows, business or reputation.

SOURCE CGI Inc.
Khartoum  The Supreme Court of Sudan has reportedly issued a decision to release Abdelraouf Abuzeid Mohamed Hamza, who was sentenced to death in 2009, together with three others, for their involvement in the murder of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) employees John Granville and his Sudanese driver Abdelrahman Abbas Rahama during the first hours of 2008.

Abdelmalik Abuzeid, Abdelraouf's brother, wrote on his Facebook page on Monday: "My brother Abdelraouf is free by a decision of the Supreme Court".

John Granville and died in a hail of bullets in the early hours of January 1, 2008, when gunmen opened fire on their car as they left a New Year's Eve party in the Sudan capital Khartoum. They were both employees of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Four days after the murder, the Ansar Al Tawhid (Supporters of Monotheism) claimed responsibility via a post on a website used by Islamists. In September, five Sudanese men admitted their roles in the killing.

In June 2009, four suspects were sentenced to death by hanging. One year later, they broke out of Kober prison. A Sudanese police officer was killed during the escape. Hamza was recaptured three weeks later. Another was killed in Somalia in May 2011.The US government voiced its conviction that the convicts escaped their maximum-security prison 'with inside help'.

Islamist militant Gusei El Jani was subsequently received a 12-year sentence for assisting the killers, but he was granted early release in April 2016, to which the US Embassy in Khartoum voiced it's 'concern'.

As reported by Radio Dabanga at the time, the US Department of State's Rewards for Justice Program has authorised rewards of up to $5 million each for information leading to the capture of the two men still at-large, Abdelbasit El Haj, and Mohamed Mekkawi.
CHICAGO, Jan. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Choreo, LLC ("Choreo" or "the firm") today announced it has completed a previously announced agreement to acquire GreerWalker Wealth LLC, an entity affiliated with GreerWalker LLP.

The acquisition brings Choreo's assets under management and advisement to approximately $14.8 billion1. GreerWalker Wealth, which is based in Charlotte, North Carolina, has approximately $275 million in assets. The deal represents a second expansion of Choreo's footprint in the Southeast. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

"Completing this acquisition builds on our strong momentum of success over the past year as we continue developing this firm into a destination of choice for advisors nationwide," said Michael Radford, CPA, Managing Director at Choreo. "Our partnership with GreerWalker LLP also aligns with our mission of helping to solve the complex tax, wealth, financial and estate planning needs of clients."

As part of the deal, Choreo and GreerWalker LLP have established an ongoing strategic partnership to help accelerate growth for their respective businesses and create new opportunities for their financial professionals and clients. The GreerWalker Wealth advisor team will report to Mr. Radford, who is also based in Charlotte.

"Our two firms have complementary business models and philosophies that make this partnership a natural fit," said John Norman, CPA, Managing Partner at GreerWalker LLP. "We look forward to leveraging Choreo's full suite of technology and operations expertise to better serve our clients."

With the completion of this acquisition, GreerWalker Wealth's clients can continue working with the professionals they know and trust, receiving the same financial planning and wealth management services they always have.

The announcement follows other notable deals in 2022 by Choreo to acquire wealth management firms, including Cherry Bekaert Wealth Management and Enso Wealth Management. In all, it's the third acquisition by Choreo since Parthenon Capital, together with Choreo management and advisors, purchased the company from one of the largest CPA and professional services firms in the country in February of 2022.

1Approximate post-close number ; also includes assets related to the two other previously announced acquisitions of Enso Wealth Management and Cherry Bekaert Wealth Management expected to add $2.8 billion in assets under management and advisement upon closing of those transactions. As of April 30, 2022, $11.8B constitutes Choreo's regulatory assets under management or advisement. As of September 30, 2022, GreerWalker Wealth managed approximately $275M of assets.

About Choreo, LLC

Choreo is an independent firm focused on redefining the RIA's place in the wealth advisory industry. Passionate about improving the well-being of clients, their families and their communities, Choreo operates out of 28 locations across the country. Choreo's experienced advisors define, design and build solutions for their clients' financial and related needs so they can focus on what matters most to them. Originally launched over 20 years ago as a subsidiary of one of the largest CPA and professional services firms in the country, Choreo serves over 3,600 families with approximately $11.8 billion of assets under management or advisement (as of April 2022). For more information, visit choreoadvisors.com.

Choreo, LLC is a limited liability company that provides investment advisory services, financial planning, and other wealth management services to individuals and businesses. Choreo, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration as an investment adviser does not imply any skillset of the wealth manager and/or its advisors.

About GreerWalker LLP

GreerWalker LLP provides tax, accounting, and advisory services focused on the needs of privately held middle-market companies and their owners throughout the US and around the globe. Through their affiliate, GreerWalker Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor, they offer customized wealth planning for every stage of life. Their affiliate GreerWalker Corporate Finance LLC offers exit planning and merger and acquisition services to complete the business life cycle. With over 120 associates, they are one of the ten largest CPA firms in their region and among the top 200 CPA firms in the United States. They have repeatedly been recognized as one of the nation's "Best of the Best" accounting firms by Inside Public Accounting based on their overall superior financial and operational performance. For more information, visit GreerWalker.com.

About GreerWalker Wealth LLC

GreerWalker Wealth LLC is registered as an investment adviser. As of September 30, 2022, the Firm served high net worth individuals and retirement plans with approximately $275 million under management or advisement. GreerWalker Wealth LLC offers to its clients (individuals, high net-worth individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, etc.) portfolio management services, financial planning services, financial consulting services, and retirement plan services. For more information, visit GreerWalker.com.

Media inquiries

Joseph Kuo / Michael Dugan

Haven Tower Group

424 317 4851 or 424 317 4852

[email protected] or [email protected]

SOURCE Choreo, LLC
CHICAGO, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Civil Drones Market Size is Projected to Reach USD 72.41 Billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 24.41% from 2023-2030, as per the 7th report edition published by Cognitive Market Research. In the current market scenario, civil drones are called the future of Indian farming.

Major findings during the study of the Civil Drones Industry:

Civil drones have gained huge popularity in various businesses. Hence, a wide array of civil drones used in various industries is stimulating the growth of civil drones' market across the globe

Increasing use of civil drones in the agricultural sector is expected to be one of the most significant application areas for civil drones. In agricultural land, drones are now used for implementing different types of tasks, which include spraying fertilizers, aerial surveillance, crop monitoring, land inspection, mapping, inspecting for damaged or rotting crops, and many more

Multi-rotor civil drones are leading the worldwide market as it is one of the easiest and cheapest options for aerial photography and surveillance. This type of drone has more than one motor, which helps to provide better control of the aircraft during the flight

Fixed-Wing Hybrid Drones type is expected to register the fastest CAGR during the forecast period as it uses the advantages of batteries as well as fuel to maximize their power and efficiency

North America dominates the market of civil drones with a market share of around 36.56% in 2022 due to the rise in the adoption of Commercial Drones and the presence of crucial drone manufacturers in the U.S.

dominates the market of civil drones with a market share of around due to the rise in the adoption of and the presence of crucial drone manufacturers in the U.S. APAC region is anticipated to show the highest growth rate in coming years due to intensifying use of commercial drones in various end-use industries

Snapshot:

Civil Drones Market 2022 Global Revenue (USD Billion) USD 15.24 Billion CAGR  (2023-2030) 24.41 % Key Type Share Multi-Rotor Drones:33.59% Key Application Share Films and Television:27.54% Key Size Share Medium: 42.17% Key Regional Share North America: 36.56%

Access Full Report: https://www.cognitivemarketresearch.com/civil-drone-market-report

Civil Drones Market Growth and Trends:

Drones are evolving beyond their military applications and are becoming powerful business tools in the consumer market. The global market for civil/commercial drones is increasing exponentially, with more organizations using this technology for different purposes. The drone is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. It consists of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes a ground-based controller and a communications system. The rise in the use of civil drones in the agriculture industry is stimulating high adoption of drones. It has been observed that India's agricultural sector has not kept pace with new technology, and it still depends highly on its traditional methods. However, start-ups specializing in drone technology are trying to change that and encouraging farmers to use drones to monitor the health of crops and spray them with fertilizer and pesticides. This trend has usually come amid the federal government's ambitious plan to make India a drone hub by 2030.

As the regulations regarding drones have evolved, the civil drone market is headed for new heights in the business world. The technology has already surpassed manned aircraft in endurance, range, safety, and cost efficiency, but there is still massive room for research and development. It has been estimated that in no time, businesses will move to the Drone-as-a-service model as the cost of commercial drones is comparable to the price of expensive cars. Companies can now hire drones to survey a broad region, keep an eye on crops or livestock, or even build a temporary mobile network using floating towers.

Current Trends of Manufacturers in the Civil Drones Market:

January 2023

Microdrones has updated the md4-1000 and md4-3000 platforms

Microdrones has updated the md4-1000 and md4-3000 platforms and received an official Remote ID Declaration of Compliance from the FAA. The team at Microdrones ensured all newly manufactured UAV systems fulfilled the final rule on remote identification before the compliance dates set by the FAA. Therefore, distributors and customers who purchase new drone surveying equipment from Microdrones can be assured that all new drones meet the new standards set by the FAA.

May 2021

YUNEEC International and ATL Americas, has announced full FAA Remote ID compliance in its hexacopter H520 Series:

Yuneec released H520E and H520E-RTK with extended range, higher processing power, and RTK.

Civil Drones Market Segmentation:

 Civil Drones Market - Product Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 20182030)

Multi-Rotor Drones

Fixed-Wing Drones

Single-Rotor Drones

Fixed-Wing Hybrid Drones

 Civil Drones Market  Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 20182030)

Agriculture

Construction

Films and Television

Mapping & Surveying

Others

 Civil Drones Market  Size Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 20182030)

Small

Medium

Large

 Civil Drones Market  Sales Channel Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 20182030)

Online

Offline

 Civil Drones Market  Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018  2030)

North America (U.S., Canada , Mexico )

(U.S., , ) Europe ( Germany , France , UK, Italy , Spain , Russia , Rest of Europe )

( , , UK, , , , Rest of ) Asia Pacific ( China , Japan , India , South Korea , Australia , Southeast Asia , Rest of APAC)

( , , , , , , Rest of APAC) Latin America ( Brazil , Argentina , Columbia , Rest of Latin America )

( , , , Rest of ) Middle East & Africa (GCC, Saudi Arabia , Turkey , Egypt , Rest of MEA)

 List of Key Players of Civil Drones Market

3D Robotics, Inc.

DJI

Dronevolt

ECA Group

INSITU

Intel Corporation

Precision Hawk, Inc.

Teledyne FLIR LLC

Guangdong Cheerson Hobby Technology Co. Ltd.

Guangzhou Walkera Technology Co. Ltd.

Horizon Hobby LLC

SkyTech Drone Sp. z o. o.

Yuneec International Co. Ltd.

Parrot Drone SAS

WLtoys

Jianjian Technology Co. Ltd.

Access Full Report: https://www.cognitivemarketresearch.com/civil-drone-market-report

Other Related Reports Published by Cognitive Market Research:

Global Aircraft Management Service Market to Reach USD 1.06 Billion by 2029

The global aircraft management service market is expected to hit USD 1.06 Billion by 2029 at a growth rate of 6.75%. Aircraft management refers to all the services provided by a company that operates aircraft and allows its clients to enjoy all of the benefits of aircraft ownership without the hassles of daily administrative, regulatory, and operational concerns. Aircraft maintenance is a highly regulated area to ensure optimum flight performance, and passenger safety, extending the life of the aircraft and eliminating flight failures. The aircraft owners also need to comply with international regulatory standards from FAA and ICAO , which require timely assessment of the aircraft requiring aircraft services. Hence, high regulatory requirements for aircraft services drive the growth of the aircraft management services market.

Global Military Drone Market to be Worth USD 18.74 Billion by 2029

Global military drone market to be worth USD 18.74 Billion by 2029 at a growth rate of 7.01%. Military drones are either guided autonomously, by remote or by both means. They carry some combination of sensors, electronic receivers, and transmitters. They are used for strategic and operational reconnaissance and also for battlefield surveillance. High government funding for military operations is enhancing the market for the military drone.

Other Related Reports:

Global Film Camera Market to Hit USD 312.55 Million by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 3.74%

Global Drones Market to Reach USD 89.08 Billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 22.48%

Global Aerial Imaging Market to be Worth USD 8.63 Billion by 2029 growing at a CAGR of 13.74%

Access Other Published Reports on Aerospace & Defense Industry

About Cognitive Market Research

Cognitive Market Research has evolved as one leading market research and consulting firm and it provides services across multiple domains. Cognitive Market Research gathers and analyzes data about customers, competitors, distributors, and other market actors and forces operational across the value chain. As a market research company, we follow a complete process of gathering information about the target market and end-use industries to verify the complete journey of the product or service in the global market. It helps our readers understand the demand and viability of their product/service and how it might perform in the real world and help them to build business strategies accordingly.

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How to Contact Us:

Nicolas Shaw

Global Sales Manager

Cognitive Market Research

Phone: +1 312-376-8303

Email: [email protected]

Web: https://www.cognitivemarketresearch.com

Database Subscription: Athenaeum Subscription

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1989016/Cognitive_Market_Research_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Cognitive Market Research
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- CLL Society made significant progress last year in providing critical information and support for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL), while advocating for all immunocompromised people and ensuring that lifesaving COVID-19 therapies are readily available for those who need them most. The nonprofit also launched a groundbreaking program to support underfunded research that aims to solve complications of CLL/SLL, advance care and treatment, and search for a cure.

CLL Society made significant progress last year in providing critical information and support for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL), while advocating for all immunocompromised people and ensuring that lifesaving COVID-19 therapies are readily available for those who need them most. CLL Society Logo

"Thanks to our dedicated supporters, we were able to take monumental steps forward last year, improving the lives of those living with CLL/SLL today and providing a more hopeful future," says Carly Boos, executive director of CLL Society. "This progress has positioned us for an even stronger 2023, and we're off to a great start."

Boos says CLL Society's expanded efforts in research come at a critical time, as there have been many advancements in CLL/SLL treatments over the past decade but much work remains. There are an estimated 200,000 people in the U.S. living with CLL or SLL, which are slow-growing blood cancers, and there are about 20,000 newly diagnosed cases each year.

In January 2022, CLL Society launched its Young Investigator Award program. Each year, a $150,000 grant will be awarded to a junior faculty member and/or postdoctoral fellow who shows promise for becoming a future leader in solving the unmet needs of the disease. Dr. Christine Ryan, a senior hematology/oncology fellow specializing in CLL/SLL and lymphomas at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, was the first recipient of the Young Investigator Award last January.

"We are proud to provide substantive support for bold scientists who represent a new generation of leaders in advancing care and treatment," says Dr. Brian Koffman, a physician, CLL patient and cofounder, executive vice president and chief medical officer of CLL Society. "We're grateful to our Research Review Committee for overseeing the rigorous selection process for the Young Investigator Award program."

Koffman says CLL Society also has played a key role in advocating for the immunocompromised over the past year as the pandemic has evolved and much of society has moved on from wearing masks and other protections. Koffman and his team were successful in asking the NIH, CDC and FDA to broaden the definition of who is immunocompromised, to include more blood cancer patients and all those with CLL/SLL regardless of their treatment status. "We have advocated for cancer patients with Congress and various agencies, encouraging government health officials to consider the needs of those who are most vulnerable to COVID-19 when making decisions about testing and therapeutics," he says, adding that CLL Society also led an effort that has evolved into the International COVID-19 Blood Cancer Coalition (ICBCC). "We know the pandemic is not over and our education and advocacy are critical."

In addition, CLL Society has expanded its virtual support groups for people living with CLL/SLL or caring for someone who has it. There are now 41 support groups with more than 3,000 members, representing a 32 percent increase over 2021. The groups provide learning opportunities, patient-friendly and physician-reviewed information, and the opportunity to discuss anxieties and concerns. Also in 2022, CLL Society enhanced its outreach through the ask-the-expert program, webinars, Facebook Live educational events and topic-specific support groups. There was increased interest in these events, which attracted thousands of participants throughout the year. The organization launched an improved website last spring, making the site easier to find and adding more critical information for those who are newly diagnosed.

To ensure the CLL/SLL community continues to be armed with the latest information, CLL Society is preparing to host a webinar called "ASH 2022 Comes to You," highlighting research presented at the ASH (American Society of Hematology) Annual Meeting, held in December in New Orleans. Koffman and other experts will explain the potential impact on future treatment options. Topics include the role of combination therapies, comparing existing BTK inhibitors, new options to treat double refractory disease and information about Richter's Syndrome, a rare complication of CLL/SLL. The webinar will be held at 3 p.m. ET on Feb. 9, and free registration is available at https://cllsociety.org/ash-2022-comes-to-you/.

Boos says CLL Society has made great strides toward achieving the goals of its five-year plan, including expanding its reach and providing needed funding for research. "All of this is made possible by the abundant support we receive from donors big and small, as well as from our incredible team  the Board of Directors, Medical Advisory Board, Expert Medical Council, Patient Advisory Board, Industry Advisory Council, patient volunteers and our staff," she says. "We're grateful for everyone who advanced our mission in 2022, and we are well on the way to helping even more people in the CLL/SLL community in 2023 and beyond."

About CLL Society

CLL Society is a leading authority for chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients, families, caregivers and medical professionals. Founded in 2013 by Dr. Brian Koffman, a physician, CLL patient and advocate, and Patricia Koffman, a caregiver and advocate, the nonprofit organization addresses the unmet needs of the chronic lymphocytic leukemia and small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) community through patient education, advocacy, support and research. CLL Society is a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. To learn more, visit https://cllsociety.org/.

Media Contact:

Rachel Shaykin

Mekky Media Relations

847-331-5861

[email protected]

SOURCE CLL Society
Area's Only Locally Sourced Farm Store Opens April 1

CHESTER, N.J., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Jefferson Township area residents will soon have convenient and year-round access to fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables produced at Alstede Farms , a family-owned and operated farm that has nourished New Jersey families for 40 years. Alstede Fresh at Lindeken Farms will open on April 1, according to Kurt Alstede, founder of Alstede Farms. Additional details, including hours of operation, will be announced soon.

Located at 54 State Route 15 and Berkshire Valley Road in Jefferson Township, Alstede Fresh at Lindeken Farms will offer seasonal locally-grown fruits and vegetables direct from the Alstede farm fields in Chester. There will also be apple cider, home-baked pies, dairy products, cider donuts, jams, jellies, and soups; as well as other grocery items. Families can also purchase Christmas trees in December, sign up for the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, and access free online recipes for healthy meals, and snacks.

The farm store is Alstede Farms' fourth location and, according to Alstede, the area's only locally sourced farm store. "We can't wait to share with families the goodness of what we grow," said Alstede. "That we make this goodness accessible to everyone, every day, matters to us. We look forward to being an important part of the local community."

With the opening of the farm store on Route 15, Alstede Farms is continuing a tradition started 73 years ago by the Stanlick family when it opened Lindeken Farms in 1949. Alstede Fresh at Lindeken Farms ' current retail space was formerly occupied by Lindeken Farms which, for generations improved families' quality of life by providing a steady supply of locally grown produce.

Major building renovations and an architectural refresh are underway to better reflect the Alstede Farms brand, but "the spirit of the building remains," said Alstede. "Our family and our team members are proud to continue Lindeken Farms' tradition and keep the Stanlick legacy alive in the community."

Alstede is a first-generation farmer who started Alstede Farms in 1982. His wife, Mary Thompson-Alstede comes from a family that has farmed in Chester for more than 100 years. Alstede's children inherited a passion for farming and plan to remain in the business while completing their college degrees and using their talents and gifts as second-generation farmers.

Alstede Farms' original retail store is located on their family farm at 1 Alstede Farms Lane in Chester. Two farmstands  Alstede Fresh at Mendham/Chester (378 Route 24, between Mendham and Chester) and Alstede Fresh at Bridgewater (831 US-206, Bridgewater Township)  operate seasonally, from April to November.

Alstede Farms is best known for its 300+ varieties of fresh produce harvested on 800 acres of preserved farmland in Morris County. The farm offers the area's largest selection of pick-your-own fruits and vegetables, including blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, apples, pumpkins, peppers, tomatoes, and more. A tractor-drawn hay wagon transports customers to and from the farm fields. The farm is also Home to the Blooming Giants, 12 acres of land growing successive plantings of sunflowers. Visit https://www.alstedefarms.com/ .

SOURCE Alstede Farms
RALEIGH, N.C., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Curi Holdings, Inc. (Curi) and Constellation, Inc. (Constellation), two of the nation's leading providers of medical professional liability (MPL) insurance, have signed an agreement to merge. Combined, the two organizations will build on their legacies of mutual ownership, client service, and innovation while creating a national brand that seamlessly delivers the products, services, and valued advice that healthcare providers need to thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape.

With more than $2 billion of consolidated assets and generating nearly $400 million in revenue, the merged company will serve more than 50,000 physicians, healthcare providers, and organizations across the U.S. The combination, with minimal geographic overlap between the two companies, positions the merged organization to continue meeting its member-owners wherever they are in their own evolutionary journey.

"We couldn't be more excited to announce this merger with Constellation," said Curi CEO Jason Sandner. "Trends in the healthcare industry over the last decade call for partners who can deliver services to healthcare providers at a national scale and in a more diversified way. Curi expects to be that partner, and this merger allows us to continue fulfilling our mission for another 50 years and beyond."

Curi and Constellation are mission-driven companies with long-standing commitments to excellence in serving the physician community and healthcare businesses. Both organizations are committed to disciplined underwriting, proactive risk mitigation and supportive claims management, underscoring a deep commitment to defending good medicine. Recent investments in complementary service lines, such as wealth management, industry analytics, and technology platforms, have also strengthened both companies' portfolios, positioning them as leaders in the MPL space and beyond.

"This merger represents the joining of two like-minded companies, both with a vision to provide superior products and services to healthcare providers and organizations across the nation," said Constellation President & CEO Ryan Crawford. "We're bringing together a group of people, products, and services that will continue to deliver unwavering care for our collective customers."

Sandner of Curi will remain as CEO of Curi Holdings, Inc. Crawford of Constellation will serve as CEO of the merged insurance business. The ten directors serving on each company's board at closing will come together in equal representation to govern the merged organization.

The merger of the two companies is expected to close in the second half of 2023, upon regulatory and member approvals. Following the merger, the insurance company subsidiaries of Curi and Constellation will continue to operate under the consolidated mutual holding company, such that the policies held by their insureds will remain in force.

To learn more about each business, visit curi.com and ConstellationMutual.com.

About Curi

Curi (curi.com) is a full-service advisory firm that serves physicians and medical practices. Equal parts fierce physician advocates, smart business leaders, and thoughtful partners, Curi's advisory, capital, and insurance offerings deliver valued advice that is grounded in client priorities and elevated by their outcomes. From data-driven advisory services to private wealth offerings, to tailored insurance solutions and beyond, Curi delivers performance that is time-tested and trustedin medicine, business, and life. Curi holds an "A" (Excellent) financial strength rating from AM Best.

About Constellation

Constellation (ConstellationMutual.com) is a growing portfolio of MPL insurance and partner companies working Together for the common good. Formed in response to the ever-changing realities of healthcare, Constellation is dedicated to reducing risk and supporting physicians and care teams, thereby improving business results. Constellation holds an "A" (Excellent) financial strength rating from AM Best.

Transaction Advisors

Curi is being advised in this transaction by Piper Sandler & Co. and the law firm Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan LLP. Constellation is being advised in this transaction by Janney Montgomery Scott LLC and the law firms Taft Stettinius & Hollister, LLP and Stinson, LLP.

Forward-looking statements made in this press release, such as those related to the merger, potential post-merger performance, growth opportunities, integration, and our expectations and intentions that are not historical facts, reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements, including without limitation, statements about the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction, including potential benefits to members and policyholders and future financial results; our ability to address a changing market or manage risk; the receipt of any required regulatory and member approvals and completion of other closing conditions; our ability to integrate the merger parties' businesses, operations and employees; general competitive, economic, political, insurance and reinsurance business market conditions; and judicial, legislative, regulatory and other governmental developments, as well as management's responses to these factors.

SOURCE Curi
$1.6 billion credit union chooses CFS for its expertise in credit union vertical

SAN DIEGO and WEST CHESTER, Ohio, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- CUSO Financial Services, L.P. (CFS), a subsidiary of Atria Wealth Solutions, Inc. (Atria) today announced a multi-year agreement with Kemba Credit Union (Kemba) to support and grow its wealth management program, Kemba Investment Services. Established in 1934, Kemba now operates 12 branches throughout the greater Cincinnati area, serving more than 125,000 members with nearly $1.6 billion in assets.

"When it came time to search for a new broker-dealer, we focused on finding a firm that specializes in our commitment to deliver service excellence to every member. That's exactly what we found with CFS," said Dan Sutton, CEO of Kemba. "CFS delivers high-touch, personalized support, making it easier for us to engage in more meaningful interactions with our members."

"We are thrilled that Kemba chose CFS because of our cultural match and 25-year track record of successfully helping credit union members navigate the most important financial decisions in their lives," said Valorie Seyfert, President and Co-founder of CFS. "Our new partnership is centered around exceeding Kemba's members' expectations for transparency, exceptional service and forward-thinking technology."

"The team at Kemba cares deeply about their members and takes a hands-on approach in every area of their financial institution," said Tami Cain, CFS Executive Director of Business Development. "We couldn't be more excited to work with Dan and the entire Kemba team to help build a premier wealth management program for Kemba and their clients. Our proven track in building and growing these programs from the ground up was a primary driver in their decision to partner with CFS."

During the implementation of the credit union's new managed program, CFS worked with Kemba executives to place two seasoned financial professionals. According to the pair, the credit union's reputation and member-first culture alongside CFS' collective tools, frictionless technology and award-winning platform made CFS and Kemba the clear choice as the next step in their careers.

"At the end of the day, our members are why we exist," said Sutton. "CFS positions us to consistently deliver an even greater level of personalized support so we can become more connected to them than ever before, all while building a world class investment program."

About CUSO Financial Services, L.P.

CUSO Financial Services, L.P. (CFS) and Sorrento Pacific Financial, LLC (SPF) are full-service broker-dealers and subsidiaries of Atria Wealth Solutions. Each broker-dealer is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as both a broker-dealer and investment advisor and are members of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). Established in 1997, CFS and SPF specialize in placing and supporting investment programs within financial institutions. From their headquarters in San Diego, the companies provide customized investment and insurance solutions to over 200 banks and credit unions across the country with over $40 billion in assets under administration and deliver expertise in key areas, including retirement services, wealth management, advisory solutions and insurance products for individuals and business customers.

Credit unions and banks have contracted with CFS and SPF to make non-deposit investment products and services available to credit union members and bank customers. For more information, visit cusonet.com. For more information about Atria Wealth Solutions, visit atriawealth.com.

Kemba Credit Union

Founded in 1934, Kemba Credit Union serves the financial needs of over 125,000 members living and working in Southwestern Ohio and the Tri-State area from its 12 branches. With nearly $1.5 billion in assets, Kemba's mission is to enrich the financial lives of its members, employees and communities they serve. For more information, visit kemba.com.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Haven Tower Group

Julian Arenzon

424 317 4861

[email protected]

SOURCE CUSO Financial Services, L.P.
NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- FITFCK, a dating brand for gym enthusiasts, proudly welcomed a panel of investors - all aged under 40 - to their recent angel syndicate. FITFCK connects like-minded gym lovers through fitness dating events & soon to be released dating app.

There is a new breed of young hybrid entrepreneurs looking for opportunities to join exciting companies. FITFCK connects like-minded gym lovers through fitness dating events & soon to be released dating app.

BBC featured Founder Jamie Wykes-Hobday - has been backed by an impressive support network. The company recently welcomed OnlyFans founder Tim Stokely, who invested at a 3m+ valuation as well as gaming YouTubers Sam Harry ("Chaotic") and Martin Wood ("SXVXN"), who will support the brand as they enter the content creator space.

The high-calibre, young investors bring a wealth of experience. With the syndicate boasting a combined 3m+ social presence - it's clear the brand will benefit from more than capital. But where has this wave of investors come from?

FITFCK investor and multiple-business owner James Vogle commented: "Business is changing. There is a new breed of young hybrid entrepreneurs looking for opportunities to join exciting companies. FITFCK's combination of technology, community, and clear passion for fitness makes them an attractive opportunity. Not only is there a sense of community among FITFCK's users, this sense of community is mirrored amongst their angel syndicate. I'm proud and grateful to be a part of it."

Wykes-Hobday, added: "I'm thrilled to have James onside. He, like all of our investors, brings unique experience which is going to help the brand take steps towards the end goal of becoming the largest omni-channel community for dating, relationships and casual".

"The majority of our investors are connections of the team or have come through referrals. This has naturally created a sense of community."

When millennials - came of age following the global 2007 financial crisis, the group were reluctant to invest. But the pandemic and associated lockdowns nurtured a new enthusiasm among younger investors. Research shows 'generation Z' or 'millennial' categories are 66% more likely than 'baby boomers' to invest in 2023.

With socially-minded millennials influencing markets, it is clear they will continue to change trends. Will FITFCK be their next investment? If you ask us - you bet. FITFCK's strong sense of community will attract socially-minded, passionate investors. With time - the most important tool in investing - onside, what better way to build wealth than investing in a company leading the way in the fitness space?

Media Contact Name: Pure Marketing Group

Phone Number: 44 7554 967 887

E-mail: [email protected]

Website URL: PureMarketing.ai

SOURCE FITFCK
Credit Union accepting applications for 18th Annual Scholarship Program

ATLANTA, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Community Credit Union started accepting entries for its annual scholarship program today, which awards $25,000 in total scholarships to five students to assist with tuition, housing, books and other education related expenses. With more than $9 billion in assets, Georgia's largest credit union will award scholarships based on applicants' academic achievements, community involvement and essays on the following topic:

Delta Community continues to keep a pulse on emerging trends to ensure we're offering our members innovative options to help them reach their goals in an ever-changing financial environment. What emerging trends or technologies have most impacted your goals for the future and how?

"Our annual scholarship program is an investment in the next generation of community leaders," Delta Community's CEO Hank Halter said. "We consider it a real privilege and responsibility to help motivated students afford higher education, so they can acquire the knowledge and skill in their chosen fields of study to develop rewarding careers and contribute positively to society."

Applicants must be Delta Community members seeking a first-time undergraduate degree and enrolled full-time at an accredited U.S. college or university during the 2023-2024 fall semester. Students must complete the Delta Community 2023 scholarship application online by 11:59 p.m. (EST) on March 1, 2023, in order to qualify, and the award recipients will be announced on April 5, 2023.

As part of its dedication to community education, Delta Community offers two scholarship programs, as well as hundreds of free classes in metro Atlanta through its award-winning Financial Education Center, school sponsorships and community organizations.

About Delta Community Credit Union

Delta Community Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative with a mission of providing better service and value on the products consumers use to manage household expenses and save for the future. Founded in 1940, Delta Community is Georgia's largest credit union with more than 480,000 members, 29 metro Atlanta branches and three out-of-state branch locations. It welcomes anyone living or working in metro Atlanta as well as employees of more than 130 businesses including Chick-fil-A, Delta Air Lines, RaceTrac and UPS. Visit www.DeltaCommunityCU.com to open an account or follow the Credit Union on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DeltaCommunity and Twitter at @DeltaCommunity.

SOURCE Delta Community Credit Union
The partnership aims to further enhance healthcare and innovation in the Kingdom as part of Saudi Vision 2030

CORALVILLE, Iowa , Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital Diagnostics  maker of IDx-DR, the first-ever FDA-cleared, fully autonomous AI system for the diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy  announced today a strategic partnership with Tamer Healthcare  an integrated healthcare and wellness firm with more than 100 years of established business in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia  to further enhance healthcare and innovation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The strategic partnership initially focuses on the distribution of Digital Diagnostics flagship product, IDx-DR, for the detection of diabetic retinopathy (including macular edema) with plans for future artificial intelligence (AI) technology development and expansion. The Saudi Arabian population represents one of the world's most acute needs for such innovative technology, with over 8 million people at risk of vision loss due to diabetes.

Tamer Healthcare and Digital Diagnostics will also work together with the goal of developing additional AI healthcare applications in conjunction with the Saudi Localization Plan.

"This long-term partnership aims to further enhance healthcare and innovation in the Kingdom as part of Saudi Vision 2030," said Dana Cooney, VP of International Sales at Digital Diagnostics. "Most importantly, this partnership signifies Digital Diagnostics' commitment to foster investment in the Kingdom by developing innovative healthcare solutions rooted in AI that create access to affordable and high-quality care for the people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia."

"We look forward to leveraging this partnership to facilitate the advancement of healthcare innovation for the benefit of the nation," said Dr. Yasser Khattab, CEO of Tamer Healthcare. "Deploying new technology in tandem with a company that has successfully developed and deployed this type of system will help expedite the process in the Kingdom and foster continued local innovation and technology solutions."

About Digital Diagnostics Inc.

Digital Diagnostics Inc. is a pioneering AI diagnostics company on a mission to transform the quality, accessibility, equity, and affordability of global healthcare through the application of technology in the medical diagnosis and treatment process. The company, originally founded by Michael Abramoff, MD, PhD, a neuroscientist, practicing fellowship-trained retina specialist, and computer engineer, is led in partnership with co-founders John Bertrand and Seth Rainford.

Digital Diagnostics is paving the way for autonomous and assistive AI diagnosis to become a new standard of care, contributing to democratizing healthcare and closing care gaps. The company works closely with patient advocacy groups, federal regulators, and other quality of care and ethics-focused stakeholders to enable the adoption of autonomous AI. Digital Diagnostics IDx-DR system does not replace a full - comprehensive seven-point - eye exam. For more information and the latest news follow: https://digitaldiagnostics.com/

About Tamer Group

Tamer Group is an integrated healthcare and wellness Group in Saudi Arabia, the Middle East and North African region, offering a portfolio of products and services that contribute to personal wellness and public health. Today, the full extent of the company's manufacturing and distribution services includes pharmaceuticals and vaccines, medical devices, nutrition and baby health, as well as a digital platform, e-commerce and logistics capabilities. Tamer Group has over 4,000 employees and is owned by the third generation of the family, run with a board of diverse external members embracing full corporate governance and stewardship. For more information: https://www.tamergroup.com .

SOURCE Digital Diagnostics
- World-Renowned Aesthetic Dermatology Clinic Adds to MSP's Presence in Florida -

TORONTO, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - MedSpa Partners Inc. ("MSP") is proud to welcome Dr. Shino Bay Aguilera and his team to its top-tier North American medical aesthetics platform. Based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Shino Bay Cosmetic Dermatology & Laser Institute has been providing award-winning medical aesthetics care to patients for nearly two decades.

Dr. Aguilera's pioneering approach to aesthetics combines cutting edge medical techniques with a deeply spiritual devotion to helping patients not just look their best, but feel their best. His personal and professional accomplishments have been recognized through numerous accolades and awards throughout his life, including being named "Best Young Citizen of Panama" at the age of 15, chief resident physician for both of his medical school residency programs, and director of the non-surgical program of Beauty Through Science, considered to be the most prestigious congress of leading practitioners of aesthetic medicine. Aiding Dr. Aguilera in his patient care, training, and research efforts is the outstanding team of medical professionals and patient experience experts at Shino Bay Cosmetic Dermatology & Laser Institute.

Speaking on his decision to join MedSpa Partners, Dr. Aguilera shared, "Like most of my colleagues, I had been approached by many companies in the last year who wanted to buy my clinic. And while they were all making generous financial offers, none of them felt like the right partner. When you put so much time and hard work into creating something, it feels like your baby  and I was not ready to trust my baby with a group that didn't feel like a perfect fit with what I wanted for my practice and team moving forward. But when I met MedSpa Partners, it felt like the stars aligned. They had the right team, physician partners I respect and trust, and  most importantly  the right energy. In everything I do, I want to be part of something great, and that is what MedSpa Partners is doing."

MSP CEO Dominic Mazzone commented, "Rarely in life do you get to be truly surprised or truly inspired, but in my first meeting with Shino I experienced both. While his credentials as a dermatologist, surgeon, key leading mentor, and clinical researcher are nearly unparalleled, they only begin to describe the innovation and leadership that he brings to the practice of aesthetic medicine. Shino views what we do in medical aesthetics as part of a fully holistic approach that emphasizes the importance of inner beauty as much as outer. We look forward to learning from Shino and his team and working with them to share their expertise throughout MSP as he joins our premier group of leading practitioners of aesthetic medicine."

About MedSpa Partners Inc.

MedSpa Partners is acquiring North America's leading Medical Aesthetics clinics, with the goal of allowing our industry-leading partners to achieve their personal and professional aspirations by creating world-class customer experiences through support, collaboration, and community. MSP is a portfolio company of Persistence Capital Partners, the leading private equity fund exclusively focused on high-growth opportunities in the healthcare field. Additional information on MSP is available at www.medspapartners.com, or contact:

SOURCE MedSpa Partners Inc.
analysis

President Cyril Ramaphosa and other regional leaders are calling for a 'swift, transparent and comprehensive investigation' into the assassination of activist Thulani Maseko.

Southern African leaders have urged Eswatini to "urgently initiate" its delayed national political dialogue and to "conduct a swift, transparent and comprehensive investigation" into the recent murder of prominent human rights lawyer and political activist Thulani Maseko.

Maseko chaired Eswatini's Multi-Stakeholder Forum, a group of opposition political parties and civic organisations which had been assembled to articulate the demands of democrats in the national political dialogue that King Mswati had agreed to in 2021 but which he has not yet launched.

The regional leaders discussed the crisis in Eswatini at a special summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in Windhoek on Tuesday. They met as the troika of the SADC's security organ which deals with security crises in the region.

The organ is currently chaired by Namibian President Hage Geingob. Ramaphosa and Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, the other members of the troika, attended the meeting, as did SADC chairperson Felix Tshisekedi, president of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Swazi Prime Minister Cleopas Dlamini, Lesotho Prime Minister Samuel Matekani and Mozambican Defence Minister Cristovao Chume also...
The digital marketing agency recognizes its 10th anniversary with strategic leadership changes

ATLANTA, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Dragon Army, a storied Atlanta digital marketing agency recognized for its award-winning work, has promoted Jenn Leahy from President to CEO as part of strategic leadership changes. Leahy, a skilled and experienced business development executive, has been with Dragon Army since its launch and has led agency growth for most of her tenure. As CEO, she will oversee the next phase for the company, including streamlining its offerings, extending its talent pool, and nurturing its culture.

"I joined Dragon Army knowing Jeff had an incredible vision for the company. Ten years later I am honored and excited to have the opportunity to further refine and bring it to life for our team and our partners. I'll continue to drive our growth forward toward greater impact."

Leahy's promotion comes as part of a larger executive team restructuring at Dragon Army. Founder and former CEO, Jeff Hilimire, is becoming the Executive Board Chair. He will continue to contribute to the company's business development and long-term vision.

"I've had the great fortune to work with Jenn Leahy for over ten years. She's a growth-minded, purpose-driven leader and absolutely the right person to lead this company forward," said Jeff Hilimire. "She's had the greatest impact on Dragon Army's ability to live into our Purpose of inspiring happiness. I'm extremely confident that she will continue to help our dragons inspire happiness in each other, with our clients, and with the broader Atlanta community."

In 2013, Dragon Army launched as a mobile gaming studio and has since evolved into a strategic digital solutions agency that employs the theories and mechanics that make digital games continually engaging. They produce digital products and experiences that drive business outcomes for some of the most beloved brands in the world, including The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Air Lines, Chick-fil-A, and Great Clips.

Learn more about Leahy and Dragon Army at dragonarmy.com or contact us at [email protected].

About Dragon Army

Dragon Army is a digital marketing agency recognized for its award-winning work. Founded as a mobile game studio in 2013, the company has become a sought-after partner for some of the most powerful B2C and B2B brands in the world. They design, build, and maintain complex, stunningly engaging, and useful digital products and solutions.

Contact: Dorothy Miller-Farleo, Dragon Army

Phone: 404.626.0976

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Dragon Army
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The twenty-first century space race is on and while NASA prepares its next moon landing and mission to Mars, Dragon Glassware is excited to cheer the NASA team on from the ground with the launch of their new Astronaut Glasses!

Space exploration continues to expand, and the last few years have shown NASA isn't slowing down anytime soon. With the announcement of NASA's Artemis missions and upcoming moon landing , the space age is upon us once again.

The new officially licensed Astronaut Glasses feature a double walled design in the shape of an astronaut inside the glass. These colorful iridescent glasses prominently feature the NASA symbol and Artemis badge on the astronauts suit, making them a one-of-a-kind glass that is the perfect piece to add to any space explorers collection.

"With Artemis missions, NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon, using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before. We will collaborate with commercial and international partners and establish the first long-term presence on the Moon. Then, we will use what we learn on and around the Moon to take the next giant leap: sending the first astronauts to Mars." - NASA

While only a select few will get to actually explore space, we can't help but watch from the sidelines and what better way than with our favorite celebratory drink served in an Astronaut Glass from Dragon Glassware.

The new officially licensed Astronaut Glasses feature a double walled design in the shape of an astronaut inside the glass. These colorful iridescent glasses prominently feature the NASA symbol and Artemis badge on the astronaut's suit, making them a one-of-a-kind glass that is the perfect piece to add to any space explorer's collection.

The Astronaut Glasses are available for purchase on dragonglassware.com and Amazon.com. Please contact Priscilla Manzo [email protected] regarding sample or affiliate requests.

SOURCE Dragon Glassware
Baron Education Announces 2023 Scholarship Opportunity

DENVER, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As an education company committed to preparing students for their future, "DriveSafe Driving Schools" recognizes the importance of education in helping individuals reach their greatest potential. To demonstrate their commitment, both programs will award a $1,500 scholarship that can be used to enhance a student's education, in any capacity.

To compete for the scholarships, students must complete a short application and submit a qualifying entry of either an essay (250-500 words) or video (4 minutes or less) in response to the prompts below:

Students applying for the DriveSafe Scholarship are asked to respond to the following question:

"How has learning to drive helped you in ways you didn't expect?"

Students submitting videos as their entry must use one of the following platforms: YouTube, Vimeo, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat or TikTok, and use the corresponding scholarship hashtags either: #DriveSafeScholarship OR #CollegeDriveScholarship in their posts.

**Please make sure links are publicly accessible.

High school, undergrad, and trade school students, local to Colorado, are eligible to apply. Entries must be submitted by April 2, 2023. Winners will be announced May 1, 2023.

Baron Education is excited to offer these opportunities, and thanks everyone for participating.

About DriveSafe  As the largest and only AAA Approved Driving School in Colorado, DriveSafe provides comprehensive drivers education to prepare teens and adults to be safe drivers for life. Whether students enroll in classroom or online courses, take driving lessons, participate in defensive skills training, or complete their license test at one of our 12 locations, they know that DriveSafe has been trusted by more than 140,000 families in Colorado. For more information, visit DriveSafeColorado.com.

About CollegeDrive  CollegeDrive helps students achieve educational success, through a variety of services. Whether they need preparation for the SAT or ACT, help with academic challenges, or college consulting services, CollegeDrive is here to help. Since its inception in 2010, CollegeDrive has been trusted by more than 10,000 families and has grown into a local educational leader. For more information, visit CollegeDrive.com.

Contact: Katherine Leadbetter

Phone: 720-496-2243

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE DriveSafe Driving Schools
Spotlight Session Will Highlight How AI Can Improve Persistent AF Patient Outcomes

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- CathVision, a medical technology company developing innovative electrophysiology solutions to enhance clinical decision-making in the EP lab, today announced the ECGenius System will be featured in a Spotlight Session at the 28th Annual International AF Symposium in Boston, February 2-4, highlighting emerging technologies in cardiac electrophysiology.1

ECGenius System, the company's innovative EP recording technology and proprietary hardware amplifier, acquires high-fidelity, low-noise cardiac electrograms to help electrophysiologists improve the diagnosis and treatment of complex atrial arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation (AF). ECGenius System received FDA clearance in May 2022 and has since been evaluated at renowned hospitals throughout the United States during a limited market release.

"ECGenius System was designed as a solution to a problem EPs in every lab are facing." Tweet this

On Friday, February 3, at 8:35 a.m. ET, Dr. Suneet Mittal will share a brief overview of his experiences with CathVision's ECGenius System and discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) based algorithms can positively impact cardiac ablation procedures when high-quality electrogram (EGM) data is the foundation for analyses. Dr. Mittal will review how the CARDIALYTICS AI algorithms incorporate machine learning to automate EGM analyses, such as to identify pulmonary vein (PV) isolation.2 He will also demonstrate how data from the ECGenius System, in comparison to legacy EP systems, impacts the performance of AI algorithms.

Session Details:

Spotlight Session II: Friday, February 3

8:309:30 AM ET

"The ECGenius Next Generation EP Recording System"

Dr. Suneet Mittal

"ECGenius System was designed as a solution to a problem EPs in every lab are facing  decision-making based on low-quality signals from EGMs," said Mads Matthiesen, CEO of CathVision. "As EPs evaluate ECGenius in comparison to data from legacy ECG systems, the advantage is clear. ECGenius System delivers clean unfiltered data that improves the performance of AI algorithms. If the data that informs decisions is precise, clean, high-quality data, algorithms will be transformative in cardiac care."

ECGenius System is commercially available in the United States. For more information about ECGenius System, CARDIALYTICS, or to meet with CathVision at AF Symposium, please contact us here and connect on LinkedIn.

About CathVision

CathVision is a medical technology company that develops electrophysiology solutions centered around an innovative EP recording system and AI-powered analytic tools. Committed to empowering physicians to make more informed clinical decisions in the EP lab, CathVision is redefining the necessity of exceptional cardiac electrical signals to diagnose, characterize, and treat the most common heart rhythm disorders. CathVision was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Denmark with a U.S. office in Minnesota.

Follow CathVision on: Twitter and LinkedIn

1ECGenius System is cleared for sale in the US. Not approved for sale in the rest of the world.

2CARDIALYTICS is not cleared for sales.

SOURCE CathVision
NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Emigrant Partners ("EP") announced it has made a strategic, non-voting minority investment in SteelPeak Wealth ("SteelPeak"), an independent wealth management business headquartered in Los Angeles, CA managing $2.0B in assets for over 1,700 clients. EP's partnership will provide SteelPeak with capital and strategic resources to support the firm in its next phase of growth.

"We are thrilled to welcome the SteelPeak team to the Emigrant Partners network. We were thoroughly impressed with their client engagement model, proprietary investment management capabilities, and organic growth engine. SteelPeak is well-positioned for future growth with a strong base in the Southern California market, and a growing presence in attractive wealth markets such as Dallas and Miami," said Karl Heckenberg, CEO and President of Emigrant Partners.

Reza Zamani, CEO of SteelPeak, added, "We were very deliberate in our selection process for a strategic partner  the cultural fit and alignment on our future vision was paramount, and maintaining our independence was essential. EP checked all the boxes. We believe they will help us to realize our growth objectives, across organic, M&A, and advisor recruitment, faster. I look forward to working closely with the EP team for years to come."

"At this stage of our growth, we are looking to continue to enhance our capabilities for our clients and expand our footprint," commented Maziar Esmailbeigi, SteelPeak's CIO. "EP has a proven track record of helping their partner firms differentiate and deliver client outcomes to a broader, national client base."

"We believe that our clients, employees, and partners will benefit from this partnership with EP. I am eager to work with the Emigrant Partners team to access their suite of valuable resources, while continuing to provide best in class service to our clients," commented Ali Zamani, CFO of SteelPeak.

DeVoe & Company served as SteelPeak's exclusive financial advisor.

SteelPeak Wealth

SteelPeak Wealth is a leading independent RIA providing bespoke wealth management services for high-net-worth individuals and families. Headquartered in Los Angeles, CA and founded by experienced professionals Reza Zamani, Maziar Esmailbeigi, and Ali Zamani, the SteelPeak Wealth team provides exceptional financial management rigor and acumen with a personal touch. For more information, visit www.steelpeakwealth.com.

Emigrant Partners, LLC

Emigrant Partners is a specialist capital and advice partner that makes minority, non-voting investments into wealth and alternative asset management businesses. EP is currently partnered with 19 firms overseeing over $86 billion in aggregate AUM and AUA. EP crafts tailored, flexible solutions for each of its partner firms, and critically, allows partner firms to retain control over their strategy, investment decisions, and day-to-day operations. EP is owned by Emigrant Bank. More information is available at www.emigrantpartners.com.

Media Contacts:

Emigrant Partners: Lucy O'Brien, PRCG, [email protected]

Reza Zamani, SteelPeak Wealth, [email protected]

SOURCE Emigrant Partners
Acquisition Expands the Breadth of Small Business Insights Equifax Can Provide in Canada and Worldwide

ATLANTA, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Equifax  (NYSE: EFX) today announced the acquisition of The Food Industry Credit Bureau, the leading provider of credit information for the food industry in Canada, from Profile Credit. This acquisition expands the breadth of commercial credit insights available to Equifax customers in Canada and worldwide, making differentiated data insights on over 90 percent of the Canadian food industry available.

Profile Credit An Equifax Business

"Small businesses are the foundation of the global economy. With this acquisition, we are bringing powerful new insights on businesses in Canada's food sector to Equifax customers," said Mark W. Begor, CEO of Equifax. "Strategic, bolt-on M&A is central to the EFX2025 growth strategy as we broaden our capabilities and position Equifax for strong future growth. Profile credit's Food Industry Credit Bureau is one of 13 acquisitions totalling more than $3.5 billion that Equifax has completed over the past 24 months. We are maximizing our investment in the Equifax CloudTM to rapidly integrate acquired solutions into the Equifax portfolio, helping our customers to drive innovation and growth through unique access to our enhanced data, insights and analytics."

Based in Montreal, The Food Industry Credit Bureau from Profile Credit works in partnership with over 1,000 companies, such as food and beverage service providers, meat and poultry processing, and distribution to provide up-to-date credit data on over 200,000 businesses. The bureau has one of the most comprehensive platforms for bringing together members of the agri-food industry to solve collectively for the challenges and specific dynamics of the sector.

"The combination of Profile Credit's Food Industry Credit Bureau and Equifax creates the largest source of commercial credit information in Canada, complementing our market-leading position in consumer credit," said Sue Hutchison, President of Equifax Canada. "The Canadian agri-food industry employed 2.1 million people and generated around 6.8 percent of Canada's gross domestic product in 2021. As the food supply chain becomes increasingly global, the integration of insights into Canadian agri-food businesses across sectors benefits customers worldwide, enabling them to make the decisions needed to minimize risk and maximize profitability."

"Over the last three decades, Profile Credit has achieved its leadership in credit information for the food space by enabling our clients to have the data they need at their fingertips," said Jean Gauthier, Founder and President of Profile Credit. "Food is at the heart of the global supply chain and strong data makes it much easier to make the quick, critical decisions needed to be profitable. As part of Equifax, the Profile Credit food industry credit bureau will have access to expansive global capabilities and cloud-native data, products, decisioning and analytical technology for the ongoing development of new products and solutions that can help our customers make credit decisions with confidence."

The Profile Credit credit bureau business is now part of Equifax Canada. The acquisition is not anticipated to have a material impact on 2023 Equifax financial results.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. All statements that address operating performance and events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future, including statements about the expected financial and operational benefits, synergies and growth from the acquisition of Profile Credit's Food Industry Credit Bureau and our ability to integrate this business and its products, services, technologies, IT systems and personnel into our operations, and similar statements about our outlook and our business plans are forward-looking statements. We believe these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made. However, forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and our present expectations or projections. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those described in our 2021 Form 10-K and subsequent SEC filings. As a result of such risks and uncertainties, we urge you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date when made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

ABOUT EQUIFAX INC.

At Equifax (NYSE: EFX), we believe knowledge drives progress. As a global data, analytics, and technology company, we play an essential role in the global economy by helping financial institutions, companies, employers, and government agencies make critical decisions with greater confidence. Our unique blend of differentiated data, analytics, and cloud technology drives insights to power decisions to move people forward. Headquartered in Atlanta and supported by more than 14,000 employees worldwide, Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region. For more information, visit Equifax.com .

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Tiffany Smith for Equifax

[email protected]

SOURCE Equifax Inc.
GUILDFORD, England, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Eseye, a pioneer of integrated cellular IoT connectivity solutions, today announced that it has been positioned by Gartner as a Visionary in the 2023 Magic Quadrant for Managed IoT Connectivity Services Worldwide for its advanced offering.

Gartner conducted rigorous, fact-based market research and identified 19 providers and operators for this year's Magic Quadrant and recognised Eseye as a Visionary. Vendors are positioned into four quadrants based on their Ability to Execute and Completeness of Vision.

Visionaries have a clear view of the market's requirements and direction. The IoT industry looks to Eseye as a futurist and key thought leader in the field. Eseye has celebrated several ground-breaking technology market firsts in recent years. From the inception of ZigBee to pioneering multi-IMSI SIM technology and developing an advanced eUICC eSIM localisation solution which solves the challenges of IoT permanent roaming in challenging regions such as Turkey, Brazil, and the USA.

In May 2022, Eseye launched the Infinity IoT Platform and was the first to offer true commercial flexibility from operators with its 'Bring Your Own Contract' capability so that customers can take all their negotiated carrier rates through to a single platform. In the past twelve months, Eseye's products and services won ten industry accolades, including 'IoT Product of the Year' for Infinity at the Computing Technology Product Awards.

What differentiates Visionaries is their ability to focus on providing a broader continuum of value to meet future market needs and effectively upsell and cross-sell within their installed base through trust and the extension of recognisable, iterative value.

Eseye's entire business strategy is to enable secure, reliable, and cost-effective device-to-cloud connectivity for IoT communications so its customers and partners can focus on the applications and data that deliver business value. In January 2023, Eseye launched its first-to-market AnyNet SMARTconnect solution  an innovative, flexible, agnostic on-device connectivity plug-in software that meets the need for secure, scalable, and resilient global connectivity. Supplied as an independent plug-in software module, AnyNet SMARTconnect codifies Eseye's expertise into powerful and flexible device connectivity software that partners and customers can easily integrate into any IoT or connected device. It promises to slash development time by up to nine months and cut engineer costs by building connectivity intelligence and optimisation straight into the IoT device.

James Moar, Principal Analyst at Kaleido Intelligence comments "In order to truly thrive through the IoT, today's connected enterprises need agile and adaptable connectivity support, as regulations and challenges surrounding scale increase deployment and management complexity. Eseye's sophisticated connectivity solutions, from the AnyNet eSIM's powerful connectivity offering to the innovative capabilities of SMARTconnect show that they are one of the providers most able to meet tomorrow's challenges."

Eseye's customers are clear about the benefits and expertise they have accessed through partnering with the company: "We chose Eseye as our connectivity partner because we are really confident in the service they provide. Ultimately, we want to work with class-leading software providers and the advanced technology Eseye offers is far beyond what anyone else in the market can provide," praised Gary Kirkland, Chief Technology Officer at InstaVolt, an EV charging innovator.

Nick Earle, CEO, remarked on Eseye's success, "We are exceptionally proud of our position as a Visionary in the 2023 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Managed IoT Connectivity Services. We think this placement reflects the exceptional business growth we've celebrated in the past year. With revenue up 30% and a record number of activations and connections, we are well ahead of the overall growth of the IoT market.

Earle adds "Our customers continue to be our driving force and a source of inspiration. In the past year, we supported Telli Health in launching the first-ever eUICC-certified remote patient monitoring (RPM) device on Verizon's award-winning 4G LTE network in the United States. This marked a huge step forward for not only Telli Health but the global RPM market.

Furthermore, in July 2022 Rogers Communication experienced a network outage in Canada, and our customer AmericanPharma Technologies was impacted. Our pioneering SMARTconnect connectivity software ensured that their devices stayed alive and recovered connectivity within 30 minutes, while most other IoT devices remained offline for the full 19 hours. Our team's customer-centric approach and adept problem-solving skills mean we continue to deliver unmatched business value and support, so our customers have a competitive advantage in their markets."

With its solid customer base, including four of the Global Fortune 10, and rising demand for its market-leading IoT Design and Engineering Services expertise, Eseye is poised for a highly successful year ahead.

Are you evaluating Managed IoT Connectivity Services providers? View a complimentary copy of the 2023 Gartner Magic Quadrant report to learn more about Eseye's strengths and cautions at https://iot.eseye.com/gartner-magic-quadrant-2023-pr/

Additional resources

Explore Eseye's offering here https://www.eseye.com/iot-solutions/

Watch this video from CEO, Nick Earle : https://eseye.wistia.com/medias/vxoxzpcb17

: https://eseye.wistia.com/medias/vxoxzpcb17 Follow Eseye on LinkedIn and YouTube

Gartner disclaimer

Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Managed IoT Connectivity Services, Worldwide, 30 January 2023, Pablo Arriandiaga, et al.

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally, MAGIC QUADRANT and PEER INSIGHTS are registered trademarks of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product, or service depicted in its research publications and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designations. Gartner's research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Gartner Peer Insights content consists of the opinions of individual end users based on their own experiences with the vendors listed on the platform, should not be construed as statements of fact, nor do they represent the views of Gartner or its affiliates. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in this content nor makes any warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this content, about its accuracy or completeness, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

ABOUT ESEYE

Eseye empowers businesses to embrace IoT without limits. We unlock the full potential of IoT, free from the complexities of global cellular connectivity.

We have everything you need to move from initial concept to global deployment. We do this through seamless IoT connectivity, technical device services, and versatile hardware backed by round-the-clock support. All with an intense focus on enabling our customers to drive business value, deploy differentiated experiences, and disrupt their markets  without limits.

Together, our AnyNet+ eSIM technology, Infinity IoT Connectivity Platform, and partner ecosystem connect millions of devices across 190 countries. We bring together over 700 networks for 100% global coverage  and our flexible technology platform means our customers are ready for whatever else the future holds.

Global brands that trust us to deliver include Costa Express, Bosch, Amazon, Siemens, and Philips. Find out more at www.eseye.com

SOURCE Eseye
TORONTO, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Everybody Loves Languages Corp. ("ELL") (TSX-V: ELL) (OTC: LMDCF) (FSE: LIMA), www.everybodyloveslanguages.com, an edtech language learning edutainment and content development company, is pleased to announce the launch of its first Hollywood film-based AcadeMe language learning program called English For Success+ ("EFS+").

ELL fast-tracked the delivery of its market-defining AcadeMe program in record time in response to the overwhelmingly positive feedback it has received for the product as institutions seek faster and more engaging ways to teach a second language. AcadeMe turns Hollywood films into powerful academic tools, immersing students into movie scenes where iconic figures and events come to life, providing students with more exciting and fun ways to learn another language.

The user experience is similar to watching Netflix, but with students practicing tasks while enjoying the movie. For example, students can virtually converse with the movie character Spiderman mid-scene while improving and perfecting their language skills. To reward students for finishing a specific task, the teacher can unlock the entire movie for the learner's enjoyment.

EFS+ is the company's first commercial product to integrate the exclusive AcadeMe lessons as an extension of its popular English for Success ("EFS") language program. EFS+ is a comprehensive online language learning solution that includes a massive library of lessons and resources of more than 2,000 hours of learning, incorporating state-of-the-art technologies, movie-based lessons for enhanced engagement, a vast library of content, and advanced data analytics. EFS+ offers institutions a scaled solution to manage classes and programs that vary in size, program length, and objectives.

"At Everybody Loves Languages, we continuously strive to accelerate innovation to maintain our competitive edge, as well as be among the first to introduce groundbreaking products that satisfy market needs," said Gali Bar-Ziv, CEO of Everybody Loves Languages. "We can now bring a solution to the market that stands apart and takes learning engagement to the next level. AcadeMe is a true game-changer for the edtech industry and we are excited to roll out additional products integrated with AcadeMe in the coming months. Innovations like AcadeMe support our objective of driving a near-term acceleration of growth."

About Everybody Loves Languages Corp. ( TSX-V: ELL) (OTC: LMDCF) (FSE: LIMA ):

Everybody Loves Languages Corp. is an edtech language-learning and content development company empowering language educators to easily transition from traditional teaching methods to digital learning by integrating education, edutainment, and technology.

The company provides online and print-based solutions through two distinct business units: Everybody Loves Languages Inc. and Lingo Learning Inc. Everybody Loves Languages is a state-of-the-art technology platform that delivers personalized learning experiences in classrooms and online. Its programs provide innovative SaaS-based eLearning solutions, including online and offline content, a learning management system, assessments, real-time reports, speech recognition technology, and white-label tools. At the same time, Lingo Learning is the content development arm and co-publishes print-based English language learning materials in China.

Everybody Loves Languages has established successful relationships with key government and industry organizations internationally, with a presence in LATAM and China, and continues to expand its product offerings and extend its market reach.

Follow Everybody Loves Languages on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everybodyloveslanguages

Twitter: [email protected]

YouTube: Everybody Loves Languages (ELL)

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elltechnologies

Portions of this press release may include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of securities laws. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, or other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results, performance, or expectations implied by these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management's current expectations and involve certain risks and uncertainties. Actual results may vary materially from management's expectations and projections and thus readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Everybody Loves Languages has tried to identify these forward-looking statements by using words such as "may," "should," "expect," "hope," "anticipate," "believe," "intend," "plan," "estimate" and similar expressions. Everybody Loves Languages' expectations depend upon general economic conditions, the continued and growth in demand for its products, retention of its key management and operating personnel, its need for and availability of additional capital and other uncontrollable or unknown factors. No assurance can be given that the actual results will follow the forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by securities laws, Everybody Loves Languages undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events, changed circumstances or any other reason. Certain factors that can affect the Company's ability to achieve projected results are described in the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators available on 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

SOURCE Everybody Loves Languages Corp.
HOUSTON, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --

What's the online conference about?

Nerd Up: Scale Up

On February 22, 2023, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Central Time (CT), we will host an online conference for developers of all kinds. Titled "Nerd Up: Scale Up," the event will focus on the best ways we can scale desktop, mobile, and web applications as well as websites.

Who will be speaking at the Nerd Up: Scale Up online conference?

Adrian Twarog

A YouTuber, developer, designer, and entrepreneur, Adrian has created products that are helpful for developers. These include a book about design and an AI tool for generating images, marketing copy, articles, and more. At the conference, Adrian will be talking about AI's role in the scalability of applications and websites.

Topic: OpenAI: Creating Chatbot Applications

Giorgo Boa

A full-stack developer at Claranet Italia and author of the VsCode Jira plugin, Giorgo will discuss Quik in the upcoming conference. Qwik is a development framework for improving the performance of applications, which is handy for those looking for scalable technologies.

Topic: A Qwik Integration to File Management

Chris Bongers

Chris Bongers , web team lead of daily.dev, will explain the basics of microservices architecture, an architectural pattern that consists of loosely coupled, independently deployable, and highly maintainable and testable set of services. Chris will also discuss how microservices architecture helps improve scalability.

, web team lead of daily.dev, will explain the basics of microservices architecture, an architectural pattern that consists of loosely coupled, independently deployable, and highly maintainable and testable set of services. Chris will also discuss how microservices architecture helps improve scalability. Topic: Designing for Scale: Optimizing Microservices

Ian Lotinsky

The VP of Product, Engineering, and Design at Image Learning (IL), Ian has broad experience in B2C, B2B, EdTech, and B2NGO. At the conference, Ian will showcase IL Classroom, a popular and successful digital-first curriculum for educators.

Topic: IL Classroom and Filestack: Powering LMS

Gil Fink

The CEO of sparXys as well as a web development expert and Google Developer Expert (GDE), Gil will give an informative presentation about design systems and how they relate to web development and component libraries.

Topic: A Design System Story

Patty O'Callaghan

Patty, tech lead at Charles River Laboratories, Google's Women Techmakers ambassador, and Google Developer Groups organizer in Glasgow , will explain how we can use AI to improve existing systems.

, will explain how we can use AI to improve existing systems. Topic: Using AI To Improve Existing Systems

Ready to Nerd Up and Scale Up?

Registration has already started! To save your seat for the free online conference, click here. We're looking forward to seeing you there! The event is sponsored by Filestack.

Media Contact:

Kegan Blumenthal

512-226-8080

[email protected]

SOURCE Filestack
Honor from national military support organization recognizes workplace and supplier diversity opportunities for veterans and their families

AKRON, Ohio, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- For the eighth year in a row, FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) has been designated as a Military Friendly Company by Military Friendly, a national organization supporting the U.S. military and its veterans.

In Military Friendly's 2023 survey, published annually by G.I. Jobs magazine, FirstEnergy received three awards: bronze recognition as a 2023 Military Friendly Employer, designation as a 2023 Military Spouse Friendly Employer and ninth on the list of 2023 Top Ten Military Friendly Supplier Diversity Programs. The awards recognize FirstEnergy's recruitment, hiring, training and development practices for veterans and their families.

"We believe military veterans possess unique skills and experiences that make them highly-qualified candidates for a number of opportunities with our company, and we reward those skills and the discipline developed in the service through a comprehensive compensation and benefits program," said Christine L. Walker, FirstEnergy's senior vice president, chief human resources officer and Corporate Services. "On behalf of the nearly 950 past and present service members of the United States' armed forces that are employed by FirstEnergy, we are honored and grateful for this recognition from Military Friendly."

This is the 13th Military Friendly Employer award for FirstEnergy in the past 14 years and the second consecutive year being named as a Supplier Diversity award winner. FirstEnergy has also received past recognition from U.S. Veterans magazine as a Top Veteran-Friendly Company and Top Supplier Diversity Program.

In addition to the company's support of its veterans through recruitment, hiring, development and comprehensive benefits packages (including active-duty benefits), FirstEnergy's employees have established a companywide Veterans and Allies Employee Business Resource Group (EBRG) with several local chapters to positively influence veterans both inside and outside the company. Since its inception, Veterans and Allies has raised over $100,000 for organizations that support active military and veterans, organized donation events for active military members overseas and veterans at local veterans' hospitals and volunteered with many organizations that directly and indirectly impact veterans.

For more on FirstEnergy's commitment to active-duty and military veterans, visit https://www.firstenergycorp.com/careers/military.html.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp or online at www.firstenergycorp.com.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.
Central Bank governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele yesterday assured that no Nigerian would lose money due to the Naira redesign policy of the government. He added that the policy was in the overall interest of Nigeria's economy.

This is just as the speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, assured Nigerians that the option of reviewing the deadline to redeem the old currency was not foreclosed.

Emefiele gave the assurance during a meeting with the ad-hoc committee interfacing with the apex Bank and the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Commercial Banks on the deadline for the swap of old Naira notes.

He added that subject to the provision of Section 20(3) of the CBN Act, Nigerians would be given the opportunity to redeem the face value of the Naira in their possession after the currency would have lost its legal tender status on February 10, 2023, deadline only at the CBN.

"Nigerians will not lose their money," he declared, just as he sought the cooperation of the National Assembly to ensure the success of the programme.

While reeling out the steps taken by the bank to ensure the effective distribution of the new banknotes, he disclosed that about N1.9 trillion had so far been collected since the commencement of the exercise.

According to him, the currency redesign policy had so far recorded about a 75 per cent success rate given the fact that many of those in the rural and underserved locations across the 36 states of the country have had the opportunity of swapping their old banknotes for the new series of the banknotes.

Emefiele, who was accompanied to the meeting by all the four deputy governors at the bank, disclosed that the bank had deployed about 30,000 super agents to work with the bank's staff currently in the hinterland to ensure that the underserved and vulnerable members of the society are adequately catered for.

The CBN Governor also disclosed that the CBN was working closely with relevant agencies of the federal government to ensure full compliance with the CBN guidelines issued to the deposit money bank for the seamless distribution of the new banknotes.

However, while speaking on the report of the committee, Gbajabiamila said if the pressure on Nigerians to redeem the old currency had not subsided when the deadline elapsed, the CBN would be opened to another review.

"This is very key, and it is not included in the report. But I heard the CBN has not foreclosed the option of another review," Gbajabiamila said.

Speaking earlier, the chairman of the Special Ad-hoc committee, Hon Ado Doguwa, expressed the support of the House of Representatives for the cashless policy of the bank, stressing that the House would assist the CBN in achieving its mandate in that regard.

Dogowa welcomed the submission of the CBN Governor and stressed the need for more collaboration.

Meanwhile, the Ogun State team of the CBN for the ongoing nationwide sensitization programme on the newly redesigned Naira notes yesterday laid the blame for the current scarcity of the newly redesigned Naira notes being experienced across the state on commercial banks, saying the apex bank has done the needful.

The team, led by CBN's deputy director, Banking Supervision Department, Kayode Makinde, specifically declared that most of the commercial banks in the state are the ones frustrating the apex bank's efforts at ensuring that the newly redesigned Naira notes circulate round in the society.

Makinde, who spoke during an interview session at the Mowe - Ibafo axis of Obafemi - Owode local government area when he led a delegation of the CBN on an inspection tour of facilities of some of the commercial banks, noted that officials of some of those banks were deliberately flouting the CBN's directives regarding how to dispense the newly redesigned Naira notes.

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The deputy director, who along with other members of his team inspected the bank vaults in places visited, disclosed that most officials in the affected banks kept substantial amount of the new Naira notes in their bank vaults without loading them in the Automated Teller Machines (ATM) as instructed by the CBN.

The CBN team had visited commercial banks in Sagamu, Mowe - Ibafo axis of Obafemi- Owode local government area before proceeding to Ijebu Ode, Ago Iwoye and the Ijebu Igbo areas of the state where the team compelled heads of operations of each of the commercial banks visited to open their vault to ascertain that the new Naira notes received at each of the branches were dispensed to customers in accordance with the CBN's laid down rules.
Gem Security provides the world's first holistic approach for Cloud TDIR bridging the gap between cloud complexity and security operations

TEL AVIV, Israel, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Gem Security today emerged from stealth, launching its Cloud TDIR (Threat Detection, Investigation and Response) platform and announcing $11 million in Seed funding led by Team8.

The adoption of cloud infrastructure is increasing and diversifying the attack surface for organizations. 90% of all organizations use more than one cloud provider[1]. As Gartner notes[2], the expansion in attack surface is rarely paralleled with coverage by detection and response initiatives, leaving organizations unaware of a variety of threat vectors. 79% of companies have experienced at least one cloud data breach in the last 18 months, with 43% of companies reporting ten or more[3].

While there is no lack of solutions for detection and response, legacy approaches fall short of providing a solution for the cloud era. The proliferation of cloud services across infrastructure, platforms, and software has fragmented the security landscape. Collecting and correlating the explosion of associated telemetry is both challenging and inadequate.

Gem Security goes beyond this, helping organizations act on Gartner's recommendation to implement a continuous, risk-based program to manage their threat exposure. Gem Security offers a platform that leverages existing infrastructure and solutions while offering unique automated detection, investigation and response capabilities purposely-built for cloud environments.

Gem Security supports all major infrastructure platforms - AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and Kubernetes. Furthermore, Gem's platform integrates with leading platforms like identity providers, source code repositories and secrets managers, leveraging the additional data for context analysis. Gem Security is already working with companies ranging from mid-market to Fortune 500.

"Most cloud security solutions focus on building a wall that is as tall as possible to make sure the bad guys stay out. That sounds good in theory. In practice, however, no wall is ever going to be tall enough. We offer a more realistic approach, starting from the fact that cloud environments are and will remain imperfect. If it's perfect, it's only for five minutes, and then it's going to be imperfect again.

Minimizing the potential for intrusion is only half the story. When someone jumps over the wall, we don't just raise an alarm. Gem's platform will empower your team to find and stop the intruder, automating your incident response and ensuring there is no escalation. Where others end, we begin", said Gem Security Co-Founder & CEO Arie Zilberstein.

Zilberstein co-founded Gem Security with CTO Ron Konigsberg and VP Product Ofir Brukner. Gem's founders are all security industry veterans, having spent years in the trenches responding to large-scale breaches in the cloud. They previously held key roles in elite Israeli Intelligence Corps Unit 8200 as well as Sygnia, an Incident Response and cybersecurity company working with global top tier organizations.

Gem Security's holistic approach for Cloud TDIR bridges the gap between security operations and cloud complexity. Lessons learned from years of experience working in some of the most demanding cloud environments in the world have been leveraged in building Gem's comprehensive platform, enabling organizations to:

Prepare . Optimizing coverage via a continuous Cloud Incident Readiness dashboard

. Optimizing coverage via a continuous Cloud Incident Readiness dashboard Detect . Combining real-time cloud-native threat detection based on TTPs (Tactics, Techniques & Procedures) and behavioral analytics

. Combining real-time cloud-native threat detection based on TTPs (Tactics, Techniques & Procedures) and behavioral analytics Investigate . Enriching context across the entirety of cloud infrastructure for instant root cause analysis

. Enriching context across the entirety of cloud infrastructure for instant root cause analysis Respond. Isolating risks swiftly using cloud-native entity quarantine capabilities

"Gem is redefining the cloud security operations game", said ADM Michael S. Rogers, Former Director of the NSA. "Security organizations today struggle to find cloud experts, and the complexity of cloud environments is leaving teams blind to emerging attacks. Gem empowers security operations with a simple, automated, and efficient approach that allows organizations to respond faster and minimize the impact of attacks in the cloud".

"Cloud migration brings new opportunities to enterprises, but also entails quite a few challenges and risk, including the need to adapt existing solutions to the new cloud infrastructure" said Nadav Zafrir, Managing Partner at Team8 Group and former head of Israel's elite technology Unit 8200. "We are thrilled to team up with Gem's talented founders, who have gained years of experience in incident response at Sygnia, our portfolio company, and to support their mission to build the next generation of cloud security. Gem's unique platform offers a first-of-its-kind solution to deal with the inevitable attacks on cloud environments, and is based on an intuitive, automatic, and efficient approach that allows organizations to identify cloud security events in real-time; investigate them based on behavior analysis and threat intelligence; respond quickly, and enable isolation of the threat. All this - to minimize the impact of cloud attacks."

About Gem Security

Gem Security is a rapidly growing Cloud TDIR platform provider that bridges the gap between security operations and cloud complexity. Headquartered in New York and Israel, Gem Security is funded by global investors, led by Team8. For more information, visit gem.security .

About Team8

Team8 is a venture group that builds and backs the most innovative technology companies in the fields of fintech, cyber, data, and digital health. We leverage deep domain expertise, cutting-edge technology, and first-hand company-building experience to partner with entrepreneurs in founding globally-successful companies, while also investing in early-stage companies that are active in the group's fields of interest. For more information, visit www.team8.vc .

[1] Flexera 2022 State of the Cloud Report

[2] Gartner Predicts 2023: Enterprises Must Expand From Threat to Exposure Management

[3] Vital Technology Group Cloud Security Threats in 2022

SOURCE Gem Security Ltd.
BOSTON, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Given the rapid increase in forecast demand for Li-ion batteries, there has been significant growth in the number of gigafactories being planned and announced over the past 2-3 years. IDTechEx analysis shows that current plans and announcements for new cell production capacity will reach 3 TWh by 2030. While this would not meet forecast demand, the relatively short time period needed to build new cell production factories allows time for the additional investment and expansion needed to meet forecast demand from EVs. Nevertheless, continued growth is required.

Capacity by location. Source: IDTechEx  Li-ion Battery Market 2023-2033: Technologies, Players, Applications, Outlooks and Forecasts

China and Asia have dominated the cell and battery manufacturing market, but the industry is seeing a shift toward the localization of Li-ion battery manufacturing. As the demand for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage increases, countries are recognizing the benefits of having local battery manufacturing capabilities. This helps to ensure the security of supply and reduce dependence on imports, as well as creating jobs and supporting local economies. Europe is expected to grow its share of manufacturing capacity to 22% by 2027, up from approximately 11% in 2021, while US manufacturing capacity is expected to grow to 18% of global capacity from approximately 7% in 2021.

Much of this growth has been driven by incumbent manufacturers such as CATL, BYD, LG Energy Solution, SK Innovation, and Samsung SDI. Auto OEMs in Europe and the US are also looking to enter into joint ventures to secure supply and expertise in this critical component for EVs. For example, Ford and SK Innovation, GM and LG, and Samsung SDI and Stellantis have entered into agreements for production in the US, while in Europe, ACC was formed between Saft and PSA Group, Northvolt and VW have also into partnerships for cell production.

Start-ups and early-stage companies are also looking to enter the market, especially in Europe but also the US. Northvolt, Freyr, iM3NY, Verkor, InoBat, Phi4Tech, and Italvolt are just some examples of younger companies and ventures looking to enter the battery race. Difficulties in acquiring the equipment and tools for manufacturing lines, starting-up operations and managing scrap rates, and purchasing the raw materials and components, will all impact when new factories come online and the volume of cells manufactured. Some projects have been delayed and project cancellations are also a risk. Britishvolt's troubles in the UK can serve as a warning as to the difficulty of creating a cell and battery manufacturing company from the ground up. Competing with the Asian giants will be challenging. Many of these established companies have enjoyed decades of experience, access to strong domestic markets, especially in China, access to capital, and have developed customer relationships. This can make it challenging for smaller companies or new entrants to establish a foothold in the market and could impact the outlook for European-based manufacturing in particular. Nevertheless, the rapid growth expected and required from the Li-ion industry requires a broad set of players across various regions to be capable of manufacturing the Li-ion batteries that will underpin much of the electric vehicle industry and be key to the adoption of increasing levels of renewables.

To find out more on the Li-ion market, please see the IDTechEx report "Li-ion Battery Market 2023-2033: Technologies, Players, Applications, Outlooks and Forecasts".

This report forms part of the IDTechEx energy storage portfolio. To find out more, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/Research/ES.

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/scl/fo/n2x8az7ivv7xu371l43s1/h?dl=0&rlkey=d2a36nngl3bamhr39k3nvk4bc

Media Contact:

Lucy Rogers

Sales and Marketing Administrator

[email protected]

+44(0)1223 812300

Social Media Links:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/IDTechEx

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/IDTechEx

Facebook: www.facebook.com/IDTechExResearch

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1993966/IDTechEx.jpg

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/478371/IDTechEx_Logo.jpg

SOURCE IDTechEx
The immersive tech experience will take place from March 24th-March 26th at The Altman Building in New York City

The organization will also host an Opening Night Celebration and Fundraiser on March 23rd

NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Girls Who Code, a nonprofit working to close the gender gap in tech, announced CodeFair , a three-day event from Friday, March 24th  Sunday, March 26th at The Altman Building in New York City. The immersive tech experience invites the public to play, discover, code, and engage their imagination using technology's most thrilling innovations. From discovering the Metaverse to coding your aura and becoming a safer cyber citizen, guests will find endless opportunities to nurture their passions while learning computer science fundamentals. The organization will kick off CodeFair with an Opening Night Party and Fundraiser , including an awards ceremony and VIP event access, on March 23rd at The Altman Building.

Girls Who Code's "CodeFair" is a three-day immersive experience at the intersection of technology and culture. Tweet this Girls Who Code's CodeFair is a three-day, immersive tech experience that invites the public to play, discover, code, and engage their imagination using technologys most thrilling innovations.

Created in celebration of Girls Who Code's 10th Anniversary, CodeFair was designed to mirror the organization's ambition, creativity, and unprecedented scale  and honor the 500,000 students, 115,000 alumni, and dozens of partners that make up the Girls Who Code community. Over the last ten years, Girls Who Code has changed the culture of what a computer scientist looks like and does and has inspired an entire generation to seek out the thriving jobs of the future. They remain on track to close the gender gap in entry-level tech jobs by 2030. Looking ahead, CodeFair also marks the beginning of a new goal to reach 1 million students in the next decade of work.

"We're so thrilled that our vision for CodeFair is finally becoming a reality, and can't wait to celebrate our 10th Anniversary with our community, our friends and family, and beyond," said Dr. Tarika Barrett, CEO of Girls Who Code. "At Girls Who Code, we want to do more than close the gender gap in tech. We also want marginalized groups to know that computer science can be a space where they belong  a space that can be creative, fun, and bold. CodeFair is our way of showing the world that anything is possible when we work to create a tech industry that reflects the diverse world we live in today."

The CodeFair experiences include:

The Metaverse Disco , inviting guests to step into the metaverse via VR headset and enjoy an upbeat dance party with others in the Girls Who Code community.

, inviting guests to step into the metaverse via VR headset and enjoy an upbeat dance party with others in the Girls Who Code community. The Encryption Mantra Cafe teaches attendees about Cybersecurity relevant to their personal protections, like how to build a strong password and create a custom cipher using a personalized mantra.

teaches attendees about Cybersecurity relevant to their personal protections, like how to build a strong password and create a custom cipher using a personalized mantra. Girls Who Code Cyber HQ exposes daily vulnerabilities to cyber attacks with real-life scenarios. Through games and fun activities, attendees will gain the skills to protect themselves and others, while becoming cybersecurity experts.

exposes daily vulnerabilities to cyber attacks with real-life scenarios. Through games and fun activities, attendees will gain the skills to protect themselves and others, while becoming cybersecurity experts. Girls Who Code Gaming Activation will expand on the Girls Who Code Girls Campaign, the first gallery of video game characters coded by girls and the call to action for students is to Code the Next Generation of Video Game characters.

will expand on the Girls Who Code Girls Campaign, the first gallery of video game characters coded by girls and the call to action for students is to Code the Next Generation of Video Game characters. ColorCode Your Vibe captures aura photos and codes custom color palettes that attendees can use for personal branding, avatar building, or inspiration for their next nail color.

captures aura photos and codes custom color palettes that attendees can use for personal branding, avatar building, or inspiration for their next nail color. Female Forward NFT Empowered Art Studio inspires guests to take a stand by creating meaningful artwork. In collaboration with a female-led NFT studio, attendees will display their designs in poster format while getting a firsthand glimpse into the NFT minting process.

inspires guests to take a stand by creating meaningful artwork. In collaboration with a female-led NFT studio, attendees will display their designs in poster format while getting a firsthand glimpse into the NFT minting process. The Possibility Screen is an interactive centerpiece featuring workshops, generative art, curated content, brand activations, performances, and more.

"Girls Who Code began with one classroom of twenty girls and has grown into a global movement of activism, sisterhood, and empowerment," said Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code and CEO of Moms First. "I can't think of a better way to celebrate these past ten years than with CodeFair, an event that honors how far we've come and how much we can achieve when we center girls and young women as the future of tech."

"It's been a privilege to witness Girls Who Code's commitment to expanding access to tech education for the most vulnerable students," said Carol Donovan Juel, Girls Who Code Board Chair, Executive Vice President, and Chief Technology and Operating Officer at Synchrony. "There are so many avenues into the tech world, and so many ways to appreciate how tech can benefit our lives. CodeFair is a tremendous opportunity for our students and the broader public to experience these possibilities firsthand, and I couldn't be more excited."

CodeFair was made possible by generous support from Accenture, Bank of America, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, MetLife Foundation, Raytheon Technologies, and Synchrony.

Additional 10th Anniversary support was provided by: Akkodis and Hired, Bharat Anand and Anju Nohria, Boston Consulting Group, Paul Daugherty, Greg Gunn, Carol Donovan Juel, Liberty Mutual Insurance, LSEG Foundation, Lyda Hill Philanthropies, Pluralsight, Leyla Seka, Juan A. Sabater, Marissa Shorenstein, The Sonali and Hari Fund, Andrea and Jason Spero, TransPerfect, The Travelers Companies, Inc., and The Wenig Family Charitable Fund.

Additional Event Information:

Location

The Altman Building

135 West 18th Street

New York, NY 10011

CodeFair Opening Night Celebration and Fundraiser

Thursday, March 23, 2023

6:30 - 9:30 pm ET; doors open at 6 pm ET

Click here to purchase tickets.

CodeFair Public Hours

Friday, March 24 | 10 am - 8 pm ET

Saturday, March 25, 2023 | 11 am - 8 pm ET

Sunday, March 26, 2023 | 11 am - 5 pm ET

Click here to purchase tickets.

About Girls Who Code

Girls Who Code is an international nonprofit organization working to close the gender gap in technology, and is leading the movement to inspire, educate, and equip students who identify as girls or nonbinary with the computing skills needed to pursue 21st-century opportunities. Since launching in 2012, Girls Who Code has served 500,000 students through in-person and virtual programming, and 115,000 of our alumni are college or career-aged.

Girls Who Code has sparked culture change through marketing campaigns and advocacy efforts, generating 14 Billion engagements globally. In 2019, the organization was named the #1 Most Innovative Non-Profit on Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies list, and in 2022 was named one of NonProfit Times' Best Nonprofits to Work For. Follow the organization on social media @GirlsWhoCode.

SOURCE Girls Who Code
DUBLIN, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Coffee Pods Market - Forecasts from 2022 to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global coffee pods market is projected to witness a compound annual growth rate of 5.75% to grow to US$26,787.331 million by 2027 from US$1,8106.528 million in 2020.

Companies Mentioned

Starbucks Corporation

Luigi Lavazza SpA

Dunkin Brands (DD IP Holder LLC)

(DD IP Holder LLC) The Kraft Heinz Company

Keurig Green Mountain, Inc.

Nestle SA

The demand for coffee pods has surged because of the gradual change in consumer preferences to have innovative and ready-to-use products and rising urbanization. Coffee is one of the most imperative and traded agricultural products or commodities globally. According to the data given by The International Coffee Organization in 2017, 70% of the total production of coffee was exported worldwide, and it was worth USD 19 Billion.

The sector gave employment to more than 125 million people worldwide and had a retail market value of USD 83 billion in 2017. Coffee is cultivated on 12.5 million farms worldwide, out of which smallholder farms play an imperative role. 67-80% coffee cultivation of total coffee cultivated land are smallholder farms situated in developing countries, including countries with low human development index.

The coffee pod-based product will have a significant role in the market's growth because it is readily available and can be brewed or used for household, industrial and other purposes. The coffee pods refer to the making of coffee like those of teabags. It is available in filter paper, small pouches, and other types of packaging material. It is also a single-use coffee container because only one coffee can be prepared from a pod.

It simplifies the brewing process by eliminating additives and additional flavours, which helps in the reduction in time to make coffee, and it also simplifies the overall process. The pod pack covers the sachet in a tight airfoil, and then it is dipped with nitrogen, which helps preserve the aroma and flavour of the freshly ground beans until the pouch or a sachet is opened. It is widely popular in the food services business like bars, cafes, hotels, and restaurants because of its productive and superior quality. It doesn't require any substantive capital to train staff and other purposes.

Sustainable Coffee Pods will have an imperative role in the market's growth.

Over the past few years, consumption and the use of coffee have surged at an exponential rate. There are many choices from multiple brands that provide up-to-the-scratch coffee pods, which will have an imperative role in the overall market growth.

Nevertheless, there are major environmental concerns that have hindered market growth. Major manufacturers and producers have adopted various sustainable practices to comply with environmental regulations and standards. There has been a rise in adopting Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) by producers and coffee pod makers. According to the International Coffee Organization data, 34.5% of the total coffee production was under VSS Compliant in 2016. The VSS was introduced to reduce emissions, conserve biodiversity, and enhance worker safety and health standards, while also providing various economic benefits to the producer.

This ensured that the demand would rise and increase investments in more sustainable production. At least 3 million metric tons of coffee produced were VSS Compliant with a value of USD 7.2 billion, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 2016.

There have been various concerns expressed by manufacturers and regulators regarding coffee pods. Manufacturers are spending a considerable sum of capital on innovation in packaging that provides sustainable solutions. The demand for compostable coffee pods has risen in recent years because of the use of organic materials, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and avoiding extra coffee waste.

Market Segmentation:

By Type

Hard Pods

Soft Pods

By Caffeine Content

Regular

Decaffeinated

By Flavor

Regular

Unflavored

By Distribution Channel

Offline

Online

By Geography

North America

USA

Canada

Mexico

South America

Brazil

Argentina

Europe

Germany

Spain

United Kingdom

France

Middle East and Africa

and Saudi Arabia

South Africa

Asia Pacific

China

Japan

India

South Korea

Taiwan

Thailand

Indonesia

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/8kanln-coffee?w=5

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

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SOURCE Research and Markets
The addition of the Bogota-based agency brings more than a decade of industry-leading experience in a strategic market possessing a rapidly growing healthcare sector

NEW YORK and BOGOTA, Colombia, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Health Marketing & Communications (GHMC), the largest and most robust network of independent healthcare agencies worldwide, today announced the addition of Monodual Libera Ideas, a Colombia-based strategic communications and consulting firm, as its newest member. The partnership strengthens the ties GHMC has established in Latin America, while providing exceptional on-the-ground knowledge and capabilities for healthcare clients.

Monodual Monodual Team Photo

Since its founding in 2011, Monodual has focused on creating and executing high-impact projects. With its membership in GHMC, Monodual will continue to be a driving force in understanding the ever-changing field of the healthcare industry, while creating insights that translate into strategic results.

"We are thrilled to welcome our new Colombian agency partner, Monodual, to the Global Health Marketing & Communications family," said GHMC President Tim Goddard. "Monodual's values, innovative approach and diverse capabilities in the healthcare sector are unmatched in this important Latin American market. We look forward to collaborating with the Monodual team to deliver world-class integrated healthcare solutions to our clients in the region and beyond."

Colombia is an important strategic market for GHMC and the healthcare industry. The country has the second largest population in South America, and its pharmaceutical sector is expected to continue to experience strong growth of 7% year over year, reaching more than $6 billion by the end of 2026. These factors, combined with a talented workforce, make Colombia a hub for science, technology and innovation.

"Becoming part of GHMC's partner agencies around the world and having exclusive representation in Colombia is the result of extensive work aligned to the agency's growth to significantly support the healthcare industry to ensure our clients get the best global experience combined with unparalleled execution," said Director Juan David Sanchez. "We are excited to be part of a global community of top agencies and will undoubtedly bring our knowledge to the Latin American region and to the entire world."

Monodual will work hand-in-hand with other leading GHMC agencies in South America, including Paradigma in Argentina, Strategika in Chile and Tino in Brazil, sharing resources to help clients both locally and globally.

About Global Health Marketing & Communications (GHMC)

GHMC is the largest and most robust network of independent healthcare agencies worldwide, dedicated to improving outcomes through the delivery of dynamic, health-driven experiences that drive meaningful global change. With more than 700 health-specialist communications professionals spanning more than a dozen disciplines, from patient engagement to advertising to clinical trial recruitment, the agencies that make up the partnership share a belief in insights-driven strategies and a commitment to collaboration. Today, GHMC has capabilities and reach into more than 60 countries. For more information, visit www.GHMCNetwork.com or follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Monodual

We are Monodual, a consulting and strategic communications firm that unleashes powerful ideas that contribute to the progress of humanity.

More than 50 collaborators in Colombia. More than 10 sectors and more than 110 brands in 10 years generating trust.

For more information, visit www.monodual.com or follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn .

SOURCE Global Health Marketing & Communications
DUBLIN, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Process Analytical Technology Market Size and Share Analysis by Technique, Measurement, End User, Offering - Global Industry Revenue Estimation and Demand Forecast to 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The process analytical technology market is expected to hit USD 13,626.5 million by 2030

Further, the PAT's key advantage is that quality is integrated into the final output rather than being checked before it is released. It aids in reducing batch rejection, shortening manufacturing cycle times, and boosting automation.

Rising Importance of PAT in Pharmaceutical Industry

The pharmaceutical manufacturers category holds the largest share, of 67%, in the market. This is due to the growing importance of PAT in the pharmaceutical industry's process development and scaling-up of asymmetric syntheses of chiral compounds, including active medicinal components.

Moreover, the category of biopharmaceutical manufacturers is predicted to register the fastest growth rate. This is a result of the growing biotechnology sector and increasing requirement for biochemical analysis brought on by the acceptance and introduction of several biologic medications.

A Sample Can Be Examined at Various Stages Using Spectroscopy

In 2022, the spectroscopy technique accounted for the largest share, 52.2%, in the market, and this category is predicted to maintain the fastest rate in the years to come. This is explained by the rise in pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical R&D efforts and the accompanying process optimization in technology.

In addition, spectroscopy aids in determining a sample's atomic structure and the molecular structure of the muscle, monitoring the concentration of dissolved oxygen in freshwater and marine environments, researching the emission lines of distant galaxies, modifying the structure of drugs to increase their space exploration, identifying proteins, efficiency, and respiratory gas analysis in hospitals.

The most popular spectroscopic method has also been molecular spectroscopy. Due to its extensive applications and rising demand in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical sectors, the category is predicted to enjoy significant expansion in the future years.

Rising Government Investment in Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Sectors in APAC

Geographically, APAC will grow at a 19.6% CAGR in the coming years attributed to the existence of several USFDA-approved pharmaceutical businesses, burgeoning biotechnology sector and expanding usage of analytical technologies, high R&D spending, increase in the frequency of various diseases that results in the rise in consumption of biologic and pharmaceutical medications and increase in healthcare spending.

Moreover, the European region is set to advance at an 18.2% rate in the future years. Despite maturing, the region's need for PAT products is mostly driven by the existence of large analytical technology businesses, a growing emphasis on quality, the expansion of the biotechnology sector, and rising R&D spending by pharmaceutical firms.

Market Dynamics



Trend

Outsourcing of manufacturing processes to contract manufacturing organizations

Drivers

Rising R&D expenditure by drug manufacturers and investment by governments of emerging economies

Growing adherence to QbD principles

Increasing focus on quality and manufacturing process efficiency improvement

Technological advancements in analytical device industry

Impact analysis of drivers on market forecast

Restraints

High cost of PAT implementation

Lack of skilled professionals

Impact analysis of restraints on market forecast

Opportunities

Increasing use of analytical instruments in bioprocesses

Growing demand for PAT in emerging markets

Company Profiles

PerkinElmer Inc.

Shimadzu Corporation

Carl Zeiss AG

Mettler-Toledo International Inc.

Emerson Electric Co.

Danaher Corporation

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

Agilent Technologies Inc.

Bruker Corporation

ABB Ltd.

Malvern Panalytical Ltd.

Sartorius Stedim Biotech S.A.

HORIBA Ltd.

AMPTEK Inc.

Waters Corporation

Key Topics Covered:

Chapter 1. Research Background

Chapter 2. Research Methodology

2.1 Secondary Research

2.2 Primary Research

2.3 Market Size Estimation

2.4 Data Triangulation

2.5 Currency Conversion Rates

2.6 Assumptions for the Study

Chapter 3. Executive Summary

Chapter 4. Voice of KOLs

Chapter 5. Introduction

5.1 Definition of Market Segments

5.1.1 By Technique

5.1.1.1 Spectroscopy

5.1.1.1.1 Molecular

5.1.1.1.2 Mass

5.1.1.1.3 Atomic

5.1.1.2 Chromatography

5.1.1.2.1 LC

5.1.1.2.2 GC

5.1.1.2.3 Others

5.1.1.3 Capillary electrophoresis

5.1.1.4 Particle size analysis

5.1.1.5 Others

5.1.2 By Measurement

5.1.2.1 On-line

5.1.2.2 In-line

5.1.2.3 At-line

5.1.2.4 Off-line

5.1.3 By Offering

5.1.3.1 Products

5.1.3.1.1 Analyzers

5.1.3.1.2 Sensors and probes

5.1.3.1.3 Samplers

5.1.3.2 Services

5.1.4 By End User

5.1.4.1 Pharmaceutical manufacturers

5.1.4.2 Biopharmaceutical manufacturers

5.1.4.3 Contract research and manufacturing organizations

5.1.4.4 Others

Chapter 6. Global Market Size and Forecast

6.1 Overview

6.2 Market Revenue, by Technique (2017-2030)

6.2.1 Global Spectroscopy-Based PAT Market Revenue, by Type (2017-2030)

6.2.2 Global Chromatography-Based PAT Market Revenue, by Type (2017-2030)

6.3 Market Revenue, by Measurement (2017-2030)

6.4 Market Revenue, by End User (2017-2030)

6.5 Market Revenue, by Offering (2017-2030)

6.5.1 Global PAT Products Market Revenue, by Type (2017-2030)

6.6 Market Revenue, by Region (2017-2030)

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/hk6joc

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Media Contact: Laura Wood | +353-1-481-1716 | [email protected]

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Research and Markets
BEIJING, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As media sources around the world have paid so much attention to infection surges in various metropolises or first-and-second-tier cities in China and governments at all levels have attached great importance to anti-epidemic work in rural areas, a review on how numerous small cities in China overcome the infection peak and spent the Spring Festival holidays makes up the final piece of puzzle on how China managed to go through the latest round of infections since its optimization of the policy regarding COVID-19 management.

During this year's Spring Festival holidays, the Global Times reporters visited several small and mid-sized cities across China and talked to medical professionals serving in various capacities in large- and small-scale medical facilities and local residents to learn more about the epidemic situation in their cities, the preparations made by hospitals to best deal with a surge in infections, and the contingency plans set in place for medical treatments and the ultimate weathering of the COVID wave.

Fighting with surges

Li Sha, a nurse with the pneumology department of the People's Hospital in the city of Linfen of North China's Shanxi Province spent most of her Spring Festival holidays working.

"Although the inpatient wards for COVID infections and related pneumonia and other respiratory diseases have reduced from the peak period's eight wards to four, we 19 nurses were working in three shifts and each one needed to take care of more than 10 patients," said Li.

While many of Li's friends chose to enjoy the holidays in tourist cities as this was the first Spring Festival during which the government did not encourage people to remain where they were in three years, Li did not even find a chance to have dinner with her 3-year-old son.

Actually, she and other medical staff in Linfen have been kept busy for more than a month as China gradually optimized the management of COVID-19 since mid-December 2022 and infections rapidly increased in this fourth-tier city with more than 3.91 million residents.

Although many infected residents with mild symptoms chose to recuperate at home, the number of patients seeking medical assistance at emergency clinics and getting hospitalized surged suddenly in mid-December. As one of the designated hospitals for COVID-19, the People's Hospital where Li works had to expand the wards and dispatched doctors and nurses from other departments to assist Li's pneumology department.

The hospital once ran out of some medicines including ibuprofen but such problems were soon solved with pharmaceutical productivity having been boosted across the country. Patients who get pneumonia caused by COVID-19 infections usually need medical treatment in the hospital for around two weeks and some with severe underlying conditions may stay longer, according to Li.

Before the infection peak, medical staff, especially doctors treating respiratory illnesses in the hospital had regular exchanges with experts from local health authorities and key provincial hospitals. Such exchanges and guidance have only grown stronger since December with a focus on offering early treatment to patients with serious symptoms.

After working like spinning tops for nearly two weeks, Li and other medical staff in the hospital saw a gradual decline in patient numbers. "Some patients with mild symptoms chose to go home for the Spring Festival. Some with basic diseases including tracheitis stayed and have been well taken care of by doctors and nurses who worked as usual," said Li.

A similar decline in patient numbers was also seen in a local hospital in Yichang, Central China's Hubei Province, as the number of patients visiting the fever clinic has been falling over recent days. The Global Times learned from the hospital that the peak of COVID infections had passed, with the daily patients dropping from about 585 who had fever in mid-December to a handful at present.

"During the peak period, we received about 400 patients every day," a local doctor surnamed Chen told the Global Times.

"There are much fewer patients now than we expected. I think one reason is that those with mild symptoms choose to stay home for recovering instead of going to the hospital," the doctor said.

Also, the clinics in the villages had been preparing for a possible resurgence during the holidays, and planned to transfer their patients to our hospital, Chen noted. "We scheduled sufficient medical staff to receive such patients from the villages, but the situation now is much better than we thought," the doctor said.

Embracing a new year

What happened in Linfen and Yichang - two third-tier cities in China, is a blueprint for what happened in most of cities across China. With the efforts by local governments and medical workers, these cities have managed to go through the infection peak smoothly.

According to data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the recent wave of the COVID-19 epidemic peaked in late December 2022 and then maintained an almost uniform decline across all provinces, which was similar in both urban and rural areas. The number of outpatients, severe cases in hospital, and deaths in hospital were all trending downward. By late January 2023, the overall nationwide spread of the virus had decreased to a lower level, relieving pressure on the country's medical system.

The decline of infections does not mean the end of anti-epidemic work, especially in small and mid-sized cities as health authorities and public health analysts have warned of potentially more rounds of infection surges that may be caused by new variants.

Li told the Global Times that the hospital has also made some preparations, including storing some necessary medicines and further perfecting tiered diagnosis and treatment. Both hospital and medical staff have gained rich experience in dealing with infection surges.

Uncertainties and worries for the future fade away as hustling and bustling return to small and mid-sized cities. Honking cars can be heard as traffic has now returned to normal, the railway stations near the hospital restarted welcoming people coming back to their hometown and bid farewell to travelers, and the scenic spots in the city and parks were packed with residents who enjoyed leisure time with their loved ones.

Li planned to take her son on a trip outside the province once she got some vacation time so that the boy, who was born at the end of 2019 and had been restricted at home for most of his young life, can have a real adventure out in the real world.

The city of Yichang in Hubei also saw thriving signs after the infection peak. Some local residents in Yichang reached by the Global Times said that during the infection peak - around mid- to late-December, the streets in the city's downturn area were almost empty as many infected with COVID-19 stayed home for self-quarantine.

"I stayed home for more than a week," a 59-year-old local resident surnamed Wu told the Global Times. "But now, everyone in my family has recovered so we were able to enjoy a happy family reunion."

During the Spring Festival holidays, hundreds if not thousands of visitors swarm the World Peace Park in the downtown area of the city to enjoy the New Year Lantern Festival with their family and friends. Some lanterns representing famous figures such as Wang Zhaojun - one of China's four ancient beauties - and Qu Yuan, a Chinese poet and politician widely known for his patriotism, lit up the city skyline.

Both air and rail passenger numbers surged during the Spring Festival holidays in Yichang. According to local statistics, the Sanxia Airport in the city handled 492 flights during the 7-day period, an increase of 24 percent year-on-year with 51,000 passengers passing through the facility.

Small red lanterns were hung on tree branches across the city, illuminating the dark night sky. They are considered symbols of good luck, bringing happiness and health to the Year of the Rabbit.

"I really enjoy this festive atmosphere which has not been palpable in the last few years," a man surnamed Hou in his 30s told the Global Times at the event. "The normal days are really back," he said.

SOURCE Global Times
Groundworks to Implement a Broad-based Equity Ownership Program for its More Than 4,000 Employees

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. and NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Groundworks, LLC ("Groundworks" or the "Company"), a leading foundation repair and water management services company, and KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced a significant investment in Groundworks as part of a new strategic partnership with KKR. Cortec Group ("Cortec"), Groundworks' current growth partner, will remain an important shareholder in the Company and member of the board of directors.

Founded in 2016, Groundworks has more than 4,000 employees operating in 33 states providing residential foundation and water management solutions, including foundation repair, basement waterproofing, crawl space repair and encapsulation, plumbing, gutter installation, and concrete lifting services. The Company's brands have served over one million customers in the United States.

"In 2016, Groundworks embarked on a bold vision of building the nation's leading foundation repair and water management services company by investing and rewarding our incredibly talented tradesmen and tradeswomen," said Matt Malone, Founder & CEO of Groundworks. "KKR is the ideal strategic partner as we enter the next chapter of evolving this industry given their experience and strong track record in supporting growth-oriented companies, extensive global resources, and our shared culture and values. The strategic partnership enables Groundworks to further invest in our predominantly blue collar workforce with equity sharing programs that will allow every colleague to participate in the success they help to create."

"Groundworks provides essential and highly technical services to homeowners across the country, with a differentiated business model and focus on customer excellence," said Felix Gernburd, Partner at KKR. "We're thrilled to support Matt and the entire Groundworks team as they continue to build on their industry-leading position."

As part of this transaction, Groundworks will expand its equity ownership program to make all employees owners of the Company. This strategy is based on the belief that employee engagement is a key driver in building stronger companies. Since 2011, KKR portfolio companies have awarded billions of dollars of total equity value to over 50,000 non-management employees across nearly 30 companies. The new ownership program is aligned with Groundworks' values and focus on honoring the nation's tradesmen and tradeswomen.

"Cortec is extremely excited about Groundworks' new strategic partnership with KKR, through which we will collectively continue what Matt and the team began building in 2016," said Dave Schnadig, Cortec's Co-President. "Not only will Groundworks further its leadership at its existing branches, the Company is also exceptionally well positioned to enter new markets and broaden its service offering, both organically and via acquisitions."

KKR is making the investment primarily through its North America XIII Fund. The transaction, which is subject to receipt of required regulatory approvals and satisfying other customary closing conditions, is expected to close in the first quarter of 2023.

Harris Williams LLC served as exclusive financial advisor and Paul Hastings LLP served as legal counsel to Groundworks. Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and William Blair & Company, LLC served as buyside financial advisors and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP served as legal counsel to KKR.

About Groundworks

Groundworks, headquartered in Virginia Beach, Va., is the nation's leading and fastest-growing foundation and water management solutions company. Groundworks Companies provide residential foundation and water management solutions, including foundation repair, basement waterproofing, crawl space repair and encapsulation, plumbing, gutter installation, and concrete lifting services. Groundworks' combined brands have helped over one million homeowners protect and repair their most valuable asset, their home. Groundworks operates over 50 offices and has been named for six years in a row to the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies, Qualified Remodeler Top 500, BBB integrity award, and Best Places to Work. For more information about Groundworks, visit www.Groundworks.com, and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

About KKR

KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR's insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR's investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR's website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co.

About Cortec

Founded in 1984, Cortec focuses on investing in and helping management build entrepreneur- and family-owned middle-market business-to-consumer and business-to-business products and services companies in consumer, healthcare, and other attractive end markets. Cortec partners with owners and management teams who want to work with Cortec to drive growth and improve business fundamentals. More information about Cortec can be found at www.cortecgroup.com.

SOURCE Groundworks
HONG KONG, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Harbour City, Hong Kong's largest shopping mall, partners with the renowned Italian Cracking Art group to host its debut Eco-public art exhibition in Hong Kong on its 30th anniversary. From now till 28 Feb 2023, 90 animal sculptures made from regenerated plastic are on display across 8 different locations in Harbour City, indoors and outdoors. These vibrant installations certainly shine a light on the bustling mall.

Cracking Art animal sculptures in regenerable plastics at Harbour City Shopping Mall The rainbow-hued penguins at observatory deck enjoy the splendid Victoria Harbour views Visitors are welcome to interact with the vibrant animal sculptures in different photogenic spots

Placing eye-catching animal sculptures in unexpected urban spaces, Cracking Art aims to arouse people's attention to the intense relationship between nature and artificial plastic through public art and inspire a community-wide conversation about the importance of sustainability and environmental conservation. Cracking Art has hosted exhibitions in over 300 influential cities around the world including New York Central Park, Duomo di Milano, Four Seasons Hotel in Florence and Xintiandi in Shanghai. The artists have created 14 types of animal sculptures in their collection, with each species chosen for its strong symbolism about the species itself and their relationship with nature. Eight of them are displayed in this exhibition, including Beagle, which is the unfortunate dog breed which has been picked for animal testing; Penguin, which has been the great sufferer of global warming; Crocodile and Sea Turtle, which are two of the oldest creatures on Earth.

In addition to the unexpected encounters with Rabbit, Elephant, Penguin, Beagle, European Cat, Sea Turtle, Bear and Crocodile by Cracking Art in Harbour City, visitors are welcome to print the exclusive Personalised Photo Postcard for FREE.

To continue the mission of Cracking Art Group of minimizing waste and reducing the environmental impact, the sculptures will be returned after the exhibition and will be displayed in other cities.

Customer Enquiry: (852) 2118 8623 / www.harbourcity.com.hk #HarbourCity #CrackingArt #HCart @harbourcity @crackingart

Download Releases & Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/mcmgsuxi59c61z9/AADHazVEWeTObXD1kbLsW0Sha?dl=0

SOURCE Harbour City Estates Limited
Hardee's is bringing a fun twist to its made-from-scratch biscuits with the launch of the new Cherry Biscuit this Valentine's Day

FRANKLIN, Tenn., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nothing says love like Made from Scratch Biscuits! Just in time for Valentine's Day, Hardee's is bringing back fan-favorite Heart Shaped Biscuits and introducing a tart twist with the new Cherry Filled Biscuit. Both will be available for a limited time in February at participating Hardee's restaurants during regular breakfast hours.

Hardees Celebrates Valentines Day with the Return of Heart Shaped Biscuits filled with a New Cherry Flavor

"Hardee's is all about quality comfort, and we are thrilled to deliver a twist on that for Valentine's Day," said Jean Leathersich, Director of Culinary for CKE Restaurants, Inc. "Bringing back our popular Heart Shaped, Made from Scratch Biscuits, and introducing indulgent Cherry Filled Biscuits, gives our devoted breakfast fans even more to be excited about this year."

Heart Shaped Biscuits will be available Feb. 11-14 and can be ordered individually or added onto any breakfast menu offering. Cherry Filled Biscuits will be available Feb. 8 - March 14 and can be ordered individually for $2.99 or as part of a combo for $4.99.

Additionally, when new or existing Hardee's My Rewards members order any two eligible Made From Scratch biscuits in the Hardee's app or online ordering platform between Feb. 11-14, they will receive an offer through their My Rewards account for one free Cherry Filled Biscuit with minimum $1 purchase, redeemable within 10 days of receipt on their next digital breakfast order through the My Rewards app or online ordering platform. Additional terms apply.

For more news, follow Hardee's on social media, and for promotions, download the Hardee's My Rewards app.

Twitter: @hardees

Instagram: @hardees

Tiktok: @hardees

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hardees

About CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc.

CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc. ("CKE"), a privately held company based in Franklin, Tennessee, runs and operates Carl's Jr. and Hardee's, two beloved regional brands, known for one-of-a-kind premium and innovative menu items such as 100 percent Black Angus Thickburgers, Made from Scratch Biscuits and Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders. With both a US and international footprint, Carl's Jr. Restaurants LLC and Hardee's Restaurants LLC have over 3,900 franchised or company-operated restaurants in 44 states and 42 foreign countries and U.S. territories. For more information about CKE, please visit www.ckr.com or its brand sites at www.carlsjr.com and www.hardees.com .

SOURCE CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan has expressed optimism that the 2023 general elections would be the best ever in Nigeria.

Lawan expressed the optimism on Tuesday in Abuja when he received a delegation of the European Union election observers and former Kenyan Prime Minister, Raila Odinga who paid separate courtesy visits.

Odinga was in Nigeria at the instance of the Management of the Leadership newspapers for its Annual Conference and Awards which held in Abuja on Tuesday.

Lawan said that the National Assembly had worked very hard to provide necessary support to INEC and enacted the needed legislation to guide the electoral environment for the polls.

Receiving the EU delegation led by Thomas Boserup, Deputy Chief Observer, the Senate President said:

"The general elections this year will be probably the best.,this is because we worked so hard in the National Assembly to produce a very good document to guide electoral environment in Nigeria.

"The amendment to the Electoral Act was signed into law by Mr President last year and the INEC has been given ample opportunity and a great deal of latitude to introduce technology in the elections.

"The introduction of BVAS(Bimodal Voter Accreditation System), I think will go a long way in ensuring that election fraud, manipulations are reduced to the bearest minimum.

"We believe that has been one of the serious issue that bedeviled our elections previously.

"The thing that motivates us more is what we have been able to give to INEC. I think INEC is a princely institution. We have always prioritise INEC. We believe that INEC shouldn't be in want. Where INEC makes a request, we believe we should always give INEC what our country can afford.

"Where we are able to give everything, we should do so. If we have to meet INEC half way, we must have a strong reason to doing so. This is because we don't want any excuse from INEC.

"We want INEC to perform very well. We want the elections in 2023 to be very credible and very transparent and with the introduction of BVAS, we believe we can achieve that feat.

"Your (EU)statement in 2019 was very helpful. We believe that the stability of Nigeria is the stability of Africa and indeed, the stability of the world. And what you are doing is not only to stabilize our political or electoral process but to ensure that other countries copy from us."

Also while receiving Kenyan former Prime Minister and his delegation, Lawan re-echoed similar sentiments about the 2023 polls.

Lawan commended Odinga for his roles in ensuring that Kenyan democracy is peaceful and stable.

He said: "Election periods are normally periods that are described as uncertain especially in developing countries and Africa in particular.

"Many things are suspended. Everybody will tell you after the elections are over. Why? Because people fear that elections will bring violence and so much uncertainty.

"I think we need to continue to work to ensure that our elections are peaceful, credible, that the integrity test that we need to push our elections should give us every hope and give our people every hope that their votes count.

"But we have to work hard to ensure that people don't see election periods as periods of violence.

"I want to commend you and congratulate you for working to ensure the Kenyan democracy is peaceful and stable.

"I must commend you for the stance you took in the recent election outcome in Kenya. You are an African patriot and you are an African democrat and a leader.

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"In 2022, the National Assembly passed the Electoral Act(amendment) which Mr President signed and we introduced so many innovations.

"We gave INEC so much powers and for it to introduce technology in the elections so that we reduce subjectivity, possibility of rigging and some unwholesome attitude of some politicians or their agents.

"And we believe that the 2023 elections will have the best and highest quality of election processes than the previous ones.

Our hope is that the outcome will be a reflection of the will of Nigerians."

Earlier, Odinga said Nigeria and Kenya have maintained a long standing relationship.

He expressed delight on his further knowledge about the uniqueness of the Nigerian National Assembly in relation to the Kenyan parliament.(NAN)
The new grant fund supports HCAP's commitment to quality jobs, providing portfolio company employees access to financial hardship assistance

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- HCAP Partners, a California-based private equity firm and nationally recognized impact investor, is proud to announce the launch of its Employee Assistance Fund in partnership with Canary, a technology platform designed to provide individuals with money at pivotal moments in their lives. The fund will provide financial assistance in the form of grants to HCAP Partners V, L.P. portfolio company employees who are facing unexpected expenses or hardship due to unforeseen circumstances.

HCAP's Employee Assistance Fund is designed to provide a safety net for its portfolio companies' employees and their families during difficult times and can be used to cover expenses such as unexpected medical bills, childcare, and other essential needs. The Fund is a charitable vehicle seeded by the HCAP team and presently made available to all current and future HCAP Partners V, L.P. portfolio company employees. Portfolio company employees can request up to $1,500 per year for eligible financial hardship events via a website hosted by Canary.

"The ongoing wellbeing of our portfolio company employees is foundational to their personal lives and career development as well as the economic success of the businesses we invest into," commented Tim Bubnack, Managing Partner of HCAP Partners. "We are pleased to provide this additional resource to the employees of our portfolio who may be experiencing difficult situations in their lives. The HCAP Employee Assistance Fund is an important part of our ongoing work with portfolio companies via our Gainful Jobs Approach to offer living wages, support wealth creation, provide opportunities for advancement, cultivate inclusive workplaces, and promote employee health and wellness."

Canary's platform will provide a confidential, easy-to-use online portal for portfolio company employees to apply for assistance and track the status of their application. Canary's team of experts will also be available to provide support and guidance throughout the process.

"We are excited to partner with HCAP  a leader in investing in quality jobs for frontline and low- to moderate-income workers  on launching this first-of-its-kind pooled employee assistance fund within the private equity industry. The fund gives employees at HCAP portfolio companies quick and dignified access to emergency grants in times of financial hardship," said Rachel Schneider, Founder & CEO of Canary.

The Employee Assistance Fund is just one of the many ways that HCAP Partners is working to improve job quality standards. HCAP is considered among the first private equity firms to develop and successfully implement a quality jobs platform across every portfolio company within a Fund. This platform, called the Gainful Jobs Approach, is an operational impact framework that includes active portfolio engagement to identify and implement workplace initiatives aimed at creating and maintaining high-quality jobs.

About HCAP Partners

HCAP Partners is a diversely owned private equity firm specializing in provide mezzanine debt and private equity for underserved, lower-middle market companies throughout California and the Western United States. The firm seeks to invest $3 million to $25 million in established businesses generating between $10 million and $100 million in revenues in the healthcare, software, services, and manufacturing industries. HCAP Partners has invested in over 60 companies since its founding and through ongoing, active engagement with portfolio companies provides value-added resources to help optimize performance and increase enterprise value. The firm has been recognized as an ImpactAssets 50 fund nine years running and, through its Gainful Jobs Approach, works to facilitate a positive impact on underserved businesses, their employees, and their communities through active portfolio engagement. For more information, please visit http://www.hcap.com/.

About Canary

Canary is helping the 21st-century social net evolve to reflect the future of work. We exist to ensure that individuals can access emergency support with dignity in times of financial need, giving them the peace of mind and confidence to recover quickly. Canary is Co-Founded by financial experts and operators Rachel Schneider, Canary's CEO, Kimberly Gartner, advisor, and Aliza Gutman, advisor, all alumni of the Financial Health Network. You can learn more at https://workwithcanary.com/.

Contact:

Jennifer Neivert

HCAP Partners

[email protected]

(858) 259-7654

SOURCE HCAP Partners
-- Heartland Dental today supports more than 2,700 doctors in more than 1,700 offices across 38 states and the District of Columbia

EFFINGHAM, Ill., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Heartland Dental, the nation's largest dental support organization, enters 2023 with confidence after achieving strong growth in 2022, adding 151 practices to its network of supported practices through the Company's de novo and affiliation programs. Last year, the company collaborated to open 84 de novo locations and affiliated with 67 newly supported practices, ending the year with supporting more than 2,700 doctors in more than 1,700 offices across 38 states and the District of Columbia.

Pat Bauer, Heartland Dental President and Chief Executive Officer, shared, "We have repeatedly outperformed our overall growth numbers, which can be attributed to our unique value proposition of being doctor-led, the trust that doctors place in our resources, and the dedication of our network of business and support professionals. Our outlook for Heartland Dental's long-term growth is very optimistic, as we continue to be focused on our mission to help doctors and their teams deliver the highest quality dental care to the communities they serve."

Continuing to build the strongest affiliations in the industry

Heartland Dental continues to affiliate with diverse dental practices across the nation, expanding the company's portfolio across general and specialty dentistry. Affiliations closed in 2022 spanned Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, and Florida.

Rise of De Novos

In 2022, Heartland Dental collaborated to open 84 state-of-the-art de novos  a company record  in growing markets with dental care needs, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Colorado, and Iowa. The Company will continue to invest in high demand areas, already opening their first de novo in Idaho early this year.

Heartland Dental remains dedicated to the company's doctor-led support model

Heartland Dental was established by a dentist, for dentists and the Company's doctor-led culture and business model enables their supported doctors to focus on the clinical aspects of their practice while not having to worry about the day-to-day non-clinical administrative workflow.

In 2023, Heartland Dental is seeking to build upon the success of 2022 by affiliating with regional dental support organizations (DSOs), group practices and individual doctors who are passionate about dentistry, may offer dental specialties, are located in high-growth markets, and looking to take their practice(s) to the next level.

"As the healthcare industry deals with a complex external environment, our footprint and vast network of supported doctors benefit from the combined strength of being a Heartland supported doctor. Our dedicated support teams work tirelessly on doctors' behalf to provide world-class continuing education, negotiate the best pricing on supplies and labs and partner with payors, so doctors can focus on what matters most  their patients," said Mark Greenstein, Executive Vice President and Chief Growth Officer for Heartland Dental. "Whether a doctor is looking for work-life balance, growth, or preparing for retirement, Heartland Dental has much to offer. We are focused on serving our doctors' needs and are constantly advancing our level of support services."

For more information on Heartland Dental's support services, visit heartland.com/the-doctor-difference.

About Heartland Dental

Heartland Dental is the nation's largest dental support organization providing non-clinical, administrative support services. What started from the entrepreneurial spirit of Rick Workman, DMD, with his single dental practice, has evolved into affiliating with over 2,700 doctors in over 1,700 locations across 38 states and the District of Columbia. The company is majority owned by KKR, a leading global investment firm. For additional information, please visit heartland.com.

Media Contact

Jessica Thompson, Vice President, Communications + Content

[email protected]

SOURCE Heartland Dental
Sourced component got Estero's West Bay Jasmine South Tower operational in just days

ESTERO, Fla., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- HELIXintel, a Buffalo-based software company that helps companies manage their properties and equipment, saved the day for residents at the West Bay Club in Estero, Fla. After the deadly Hurricane Ian storm landed, HELIXintel jumped into action to support the Jasmine Bay tower when one of the tower's main circuit breakers was ruined in the flooding. Although other service providers told the facility team that it could take months to repair, HELIXintel was able to source, deliver and replace a circuit breaker component that is no longer in production. Thanks to the extensive HELIXintel network, West Bay acquired a replacement part and became operational in a matter of days. Once placed in service, power, HVAC and running water were restored to hundreds of tower residents.

"HELIXintel saved the day for us when our electrical systems were severely compromised due to Hurricane Ian." Tweet this Hurricane Ian flood waters wreaked havoc on West Bay Club's 21-story West Tower in September. Fortunately, they had HELIXintel to help them source an obsolete circuit breaker that allowed them to restore power in just a couple days. (Photo courtesy of West Bay Club)

"HELIXintel saved the day for us when our electrical systems were severely compromised due to destruction caused by Hurricane Ian. Within days their platform allowed us to source a critically needed but discontinued circuit breaker part," said Will Rego, Jasmine Bay's Community Association Manager. "Using their platform was key for us to re-establish power, HVAC, elevators, and water supply for 108 units in our 21-story Jasmine Bay South tower. HELIXintel's platform bridged a massive gap between the expected lead time for the part versus what our residents expected, which was to successfully restore full power to Jasmine Bay South as soon as possible. Their platform made all the difference in having electricity and water within days and saving residents from relocating or taking shelter away from West Bay. They found the part in Texas, and even with having to coordinate with FPL to disconnect power temporarily for re-installation of the circuit, we were up and running within 48 hours! It was a real lifesaver for West Bay residents and gave them a greater respect for the HOA for being on top of things."

Troon Prive manages West Bay Club and specializes in homeowner association management, private residence clubs, estate management and associated hospitality venues. They relied heavily on HELIXintel to successfully complete this project.

"We are uniquely positioned to help companies of all sizes and industries recover faster from the catastrophic effects of natural disasters helping them to source equipment parts needed for facility repairs," explained Eliot Powell, HELIXintel's CFO and West Bay Club resident. Our task management tool also helps with tracking, assigning, and scheduling tasks internally and externally. We understand the importance of cutting delays and expenses that interrupt daily operations and we offer effective solutions. I knew HELIXintel would be the perfect resource for the HOA in helping to replace the circuit breaker."

"The aftermath of Hurricane Ian was a very difficult time for so many of the residents at The West Bay Club", said Ricardo Catarino, Senior Vice President at Troon Prive. "We were fortunate to have the HELIXintel company expertise in the procurement of a very much needed breaker for a 21-story high-rise. In the very demanding job of protecting community assets, it is a relief having a partner such as HELIXintel."

HELIXintel's interactive platform empowered building management to swiftly locate and rush-deliver the part to the building. Let HELIXintel help you. For businesses and communities in immediate need or those who want to learn more about preparedness for the next hurricane or disaster, please visit HELIXintel .

About HELIXintel

HELIXintel provides a user-friendly digital platform to help businesses of any size and industry organize, track, and care for their facilities and equipment. As a full-service comprehensive system for facility management and maintenance, HELIXintel matches businesses to qualified manufacturers, suppliers, and contractors to ensure access to the best pricing and service available nationwide. The platform also serves vendors with a unique ecosystem to showcase their brand and offering. Visit www.helixintel.com to learn more.

Organization

Tia Dabney

HELIXintel Marketing& Communication

[email protected]

SOURCE HELIXintel
56% annual spend is with small businesses, the highest of any Central Virginia locality

HENRICO, Va., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Henrico, Virginia was named one of the Best Places for Black Entrepreneurs, according to Smart Asset. The Richmond metro area, which includes the locality, placed eighth out of fifty-seven of the largest metro areas in the country. Metrics included number of Black-owned businesses, start-up survival rate, median Black household income, percentage of businesses with sales exceeding $250,000, and more. Since 2007, Henrico has spent $1.3 billion with small, women- and minority-owned (SWaM) businesses and they account for 56% of its annual spend.

"It is our mission and our honor to grow the economy for all," says Anthony Romanello, Executive Director of the Henrico Economic Development Authority (EDA). "Here, we pay just as much attention to our hundreds of small businesses as we do our six Fortune 1000 headquarters, which is why more than half of our locality's dollars are with SWaM businesses each year.

"Entrepreneurs deserve our attention and respect. They help people buy their first car  their first home. They support families, introduce new technologies, increase our competitiveness, and keep our economic engine running. In fact, they're a huge reason why two of our communities were named a Best Place to Live in the U.S.  small business owners are crucial to Henrico's vibrancy and success."

A 2019 report by the Small Business Administration revealed that small businesses deliver 43.5 percent of America's gross domestic product (GDP). Meanwhile, 2020 research by the Metropolitan Policy Program of the Brookings Institution discovered that if Black businesses could reach the same average of employees employed as non-Black businesses, it would create approximately 1.6 million jobs.

"As we move through Black History Month and transition into Women's History Month, I think it's a great time to remind everyone that the wellbeing of our SWaM businesses should be our concerns every month," says Kayla Coleman, Business Manager of the Henrico EDA. "We give our support not simply because we believe this is a business issue. It is a people issue. It is an economic mobility issue, and it is an issue of opportunity and equality."

The recognition by SmartAsset comes two years after the Henrico EDA announced a revamped approach to assisting its SWaM businesses. New methods to facilitating supplier diversity included: conducting one-on-one meetings with companies to discuss supply chain needs, providing resources to access goods and services by SWaM businesses, and hosting periodic webinars to educate Henrico businesses on the SWaM certification process.

This refreshed focus on supplier diversity also earned the Henrico EDA a 2022 National Association of Counties Achievement Award, which recognizes groundbreaking programs and initiatives in various service categories.

"We set a goal of earning a national reputation as a place where business owners from all cultures and backgrounds can thrive," continued Romanello. "By collaborating as a community, we've achieved it in just two short years. People are coming here to achieve success and live their best. I can't wait to see what more we can accomplish together."

About the Henrico EDA

Located in the heart of the Eastern Seaboard, Henrico is an AAA-bonded county adjacent to Virginia's capital city of Richmond. The EDA is your single point of contact for business development

and site selection services. Find properties and run reports with our GIS tool, HenricoProperties.com . Learn more about White Oak Technology Park, a master-planned high-tech manufacturing center, at whiteoaktechpark.com . Visit Henrico.com for the latest news and to sign up to receive our Property Now and Henrico Now newsletters.

SOURCE Henrico EDA
AUSTIN, Minn., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hormel Foods Corporation, (NYSE: HRL), a Fortune 500 global branded food company, has been named one of the World's Most Admired Companies, by Fortune magazine.

"We are extremely proud to be included on this prestigious list," said Jim Snee, Hormel Foods chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer. "For 132 years, Hormel Foods has brought innovation, beloved brands and outstanding value to our consumers, customers, communities and shareholders. This honor is well-deserved recognition for the great work being done every day by our 20,000 inspired team members."

Corporations featured on the Most Admired List are rated by executives, directors and analysts in their respective industries based on nine criteria, including investment value, quality of management and products, social responsibility, people management and ability to attract talent. A company's score must rank in the top half of its industry to be included on the list of companies with the strongest reputations. Fortune collaborated with Korn Ferry to determine the industry groupings by using the Fortune 1000 listing and the Global 500 listing. The Fortune World's Most Admired Companies list identifies the companies that enjoy the strongest reputations within their industries and across industries.

"Fortune congratulates all of the companies whose competitors and peers recognize their achievements and voted them onto the 2023 Fortune World's Most Admired Companies list, as well as the top 50 All-Stars, who have been named the best of the best by the broader business community in a challenging year," said Fortune Editor in Chief Alyson Shontell.

Hormel Foods has a longstanding reputation as one of the most successful food companies in the world, and in 2022 received numerous honors and accolades, including being named one of America's Most Trustworthy Companies and one of America's Most Responsible Companies by Newsweek; recognized as one of the World's Top Female-Friendly Companies by Forbes and one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by 3BL Media; and was recently names to the Investor's Business Daily annual list of the 100 Best ESG Companies.

Read the Hormel Foods company spotlight here.

See the full 2023 list here.

ABOUT HORMEL FOODS  Inspired People. Inspired Food.

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $12 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
New threats call for next-gen security solutions as Hornetsecurity unveils new technologies to counter rise in phishing attacks and malicious links

Hornetsecurity Security Lab discovers fake QR codes are a growing threat to email safety

Also launches Mailbox Migration Tool and new Partner Program

LONDON, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading cybersecurity provider Hornetsecurity has today launched two new tools  the QR Code Analyzer and Secure Links - to combat growing cyber threats. These launches come in response to a rise in fake QR codes and the ongoing threat of phishing, which represents 40% of all cyber threats.

Hornetsecurity has also released a new automated mailbox migration solution, which helps partners efficiently and securely deploy and operate Microsoft 365 in the cloud for their customers  and remain safe from cyberattacks. In addition, the cybersecurity specialist has simplified its partner program to enable partners to work on projects and MSP business equally and centrally.

QR code phishing

Research from Hornetsecurity's Security Lab has discovered that cybercriminals are using QR codes in emails to obtain confidential data. To counter this latest threat, Hornetsecurity is expanding its Advanced Threat Protection and 365 Total Protection Suite for Microsoft 365 with the launch of its QR Code Analyzer. This unique technology determines whether QR codes link to malicious sites when scanned.

The launch of Hornetsecurity's 'Secure Links' functionality will also help limit cyber-attacks, especially ransomware attempts. This new service runs all email links through a secure analyzer before enabling the recipient to safely open the link. Both new technologies provide businesses and their employees with extra reassurance that their email communications are safe.

Hornetsecurity CEO, Daniel Hofmann, said: "Hornetsecurity is committed to pre-empting and responding to new cybersecurity threats and customer concerns. Phishing attacks and fake QR codes are on the increase, so we are pleased to launch unique technologies that will combat these ever-growing threats. The QR Code Analyzer and Secure Links tools will benefit businesses by fighting cybersecurity attacks in a safe, reliable and cost-effective way."

Migrate mailboxes in a safe and efficient way

In response to challenges that Hornetsecurity partners have faced in transferring mailboxes from on-prem to Microsoft 365 cloud, the cybersecurity specialist has developed the Mailbox Migration Tool. This new offering enables Hornetsecurity partners to automatically migrate customers securely, efficiently and with major time-savings  in turn, enabling them to provide peace of mind by offering full security for Microsoft 365 via 365 Total Protection.

New simplified partner program

Hornetsecurity has also created a new simplified partner program. The newly adjusted program aims to unify partner levels and includes both managed service (MSP) and project business. These updates make entry barriers negligible, so partners can provide Hornetsecurity's services with minimal effort and investment.

Hornetsecurity COO, Daniel Blank added: "Hornetsecurity has listened to our partners' needs, which has led to the launch of our efficient and safe Mailbox Migration Tool, at the same time as our new partner program is rolled out.

"This launch package is just the start of what will be a busy 2023 for Hornetsecurity as we monitor, learn and respond to new sophisticated cyberattacks, and continue to keep our customers' data safe from ever-present threats."

Further information

For more information on Hornetsecurity's new cybersecurity tools, please visit Advanced Threat Protection and Mailbox Migration Tool .

Hornetsecurity is hosting a webinar on February 16, 2023 , about the latest product updates to their growing solutions portfolio.

Media contact:

Please email: [email protected]

About Hornetsecurity

Hornetsecurity is a leading global provider of next-generation cloud-based security, compliance, backup, and security awareness solutions that help companies and organizations of all sizes around the world. Its flagship product, 365 Total Protection, is the most comprehensive cloud security solution for Microsoft 365 on the market. Driven by innovation and cybersecurity excellence, Hornetsecurity is building a safer digital future and sustainable security cultures with its award-winning portfolio. Hornetsecurity operates in more than 30 countries through its international distribution network of 8,000+ channel partners and MSPs. Its premium services are used by more than 50,000 customers.

SOURCE Hornetsecurity
Imperial Ridge Renewables will help CRE owners reduce capex while adding renewable energy to properties, starting with Solar Covered Parking Program

BOULDER, Colo., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Imperial Ridge Real Estate Capital, a national, private commercial real estate capital provider based in Colorado, today announced the launch of Imperial Ridge Renewables (IR Renewables), a financing and development arm dedicated to helping commercial real estate owners add renewable energy to their assets without upfront capital.

"Working with Imperial Ridge Renewables is about much more than realizing energy cost savings down the road," said Mark Boyer, President and CEO of Imperial Ridge Real Estate Capital. "With the cost of construction and development right now, every opportunity to minimize costs without impacting your NOI is valuable. We provide immediate savings, helping commercial property owners eliminate line items, such as carports, while also adding lasting value to their development."

With its flagship Solar Covered Parking Program, IR Renewables will work with real estate owners to add covered parking to their assets without having to bear the heavy capital expenditure on their balance sheet. The program provides owners with an opportunity to provide an additional benefit to tenants, meet zoning requirements and potentially create a new revenue stream by monetizing new, shaded parking spots.

"We understand the imperative to ensure our built environment is powered by more resilient energy sources, as well as the realities developers and owners face in today's economy," added Boyer. "Our team brings the knowledge and experience to help owners maximize asset value while enhancing the quality and sustainability of their developments. This model ensures owners can provide clean energy to their tenants through the added solar panel technology without having to manage it themselves."

The IR Renewables team brings expertise in renewable energy, commercial real estate development and lending. IR Renewables will self-finance projects across the country up to $5 million or 5MW, making them an ideal partner for a variety of multifamily, hospitality, office and life sciences properties that need onsite covered parking facilities.

Imperial Ridge Real Estate Capital, the parent company of IR Renewables, acts as a single source for a mix of commercial real estate financing solutions. Working with clients in the commercial real estate industry nationwide, the firm customizes the capital stack for each project to maximize asset value while enhancing the quality of the built environment. To date, the firm has placed over $300 million of debt, in combination with C-PACE, across eight states covering every major asset class.

In addition to its Solar Covered Parking Program, IR Renewables will leverage its self-financing capabilities to support real estate owners looking to add traditional rooftop solar and other forms of renewable energy. To learn more about opportunities to work with IR Renewables, please visit www.imperialridgecap.com/renewables.

About Imperial Ridge Real Estate Capital

Imperial Ridge Real Estate Capital is a private commercial real estate capital provider based in Colorado. The firm acts as a single source for a full suite of commercial real estate debt products, including C-PACE all designed to maximize the value of assets for commercial real estate owners, developers and asset managers nationwide. Imperial Ridge provides combined mortgage loan products aimed at meeting the unique needs of each transaction and better addressing an ever-changing marketplace. To learn more, please visit www.imperialridgecap.com.

Media Contact:

Kristen Lakey

720-726-6823

[email protected]

SOURCE Imperial Ridge
DUBLIN, Jan. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Industrial IoT Market by Component, Industry Verticals and Geography - Global Forecasts to 2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The research report titled provides in-depth analysis of Industrial IoT market across five major geographies and emphasizes on the current market trends, market sizes, market shares, recent developments, and forecasts till 2029.



The global Industrial IoT market is expected to reach $276.79 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 16.0% during the forecast period of 2022-2029.



Rising investment towards Industry 4.0, government encouragement to promote industrial automation, and high productivity & efficiency requirement are the major factors driving the growth of this market. Additionally, industrial IoT for predictive maintenance and an increase in the number of data centers are expected to offer significant opportunities for market growth. However, the lack of standardization and high capital & operating expense can restrain the growth of this market up to a certain extent.



Based on component, the market is segmented into hardware, platform, services, and connectivity. In 2022, the hardware segment is expected to account for the largest market share of the Industrial IoT market. Factors such as consistent engagement of the industrial sector in improving efficiency, reducing costs, and increasing Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) through better access to information from real-time solutions attribute to the growth of this segment. However, the platform segment is expected to grow with the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The rising adoption of industrial IoT platforms by the various industry verticals to improve operational efficiency, along with the growing need for superior monitoring technologies, is driving the growth of this segment.



Based on industry vertical, the market is segmented into agriculture, manufacturing, retail, energy & utility, oil & gas, aerospace, transportation & logistics, telecom, and other industry verticals. In 2022, the manufacturing segment is expected to account for the largest market share of the overall Industrial IoT market and is expected to grow with the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The growth of this segment is attributed to the growing need for centralized monitoring and predictive maintenance of assets, increasing smart factories, the advent of Industry 4.0, and the increasing adoption of autonomous robots for industrial automation.

With the increasing number of networked sensors across production and supply chains, manufacturers are entering a new generation of systems that enable automatic and real-time interactions among machines, systems, assets, and things. The pervasiveness of connected devices is ?nding applicability across multiple segments of the manufacturing and supply chain throughout the value chain.

Market Dynamics

Market Drivers

Rising Investments in Industry 4.0 Technologies

Government Initiatives to Promote Industrial Automation

Growing Need to Improve Productivity and Efficiency

Market Restraints

Lack of Standardization

High Capital & Open Requirements

Market Opportunities

Use of Industrial IoT for Predictive Maintenance

Proliferation of Data Centers

Market Challenges

Vulnerability Issues with IoT Devices

Lack of Skilled Professionals

Technology Trends

Rising Popularity of IIoT Digital Twins

Emergence of Edge Computing

Industry Trends

Rising Adoption of Smart Manufacturing-as-a-Service

Scope of the Report:



Global Industrial IoT Market, by Component

Hardware

Network Components

Sensors & Actuators

Others

Platform

Services

Professional Services

Managed Services

Connectivity

Global Industrial IoT Market, by Industry vertical

Agriculture

Precision Farming

Livestock Monitoring

Smart Greenhouse

Fish Farming

Smart Irrigation

Manufacturing

Surveillance & Safety

Quality Management

Resource Optimization

Inventory & Warehouse Management

Machine Inspection & Maintenance

Production Planning

Energy Management

Smart Robotics

Retail

Operations Management

Asset Management

Customer Experience Management

Energy & Utility

Predictive Maintenance

Remote Monitoring

Worker Safety & Security

Distribution Management

Asset Management

Oil & Gas

Predictive Maintenance

Remote Monitoring

Worker Safety & Security

Distribution Management

Asset Management

Aerospace/Airline

Performance Management

Energy Management

Predictive Maintenance

Passenger Experience Management

Transportation & Logistics

Smart Ticketing & Toll

Parking Management

Traffic Management

Passenger Information

Freight Information

Telematics

Others

Telecom

Asset Management

Remote Monitoring

Others

Other Industry Verticals

Key Topics Covered:



1. Introduction



2. Research Methodology



3. Executive Summary



4. Market Insights



5. The Impact of COVID-19 on the Global Industrial IoT Market



6. Global Industrial IoT Market, by Component



7. Global Industrial IoT Market, by Industry Vertical



8. Industrial IoT Market, by Geography



9. Competitive Landscape



10. Company Profiles (Business Overview, Financial Overview, Product Portfolio, Strategic Developments)



11. Appendix



Companies Mentioned

ABB Ltd.

The General Electric Company

Emerson Electric Co.

Intel Corporation

Cisco Systems Inc.

SAP SE

IBM Corporation

Honeywell International Inc.

Amazon Web Services Inc.

Siemens AG

Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd

Rockwell Automation Inc.

PTC Inc.

Dassault Systemes SE

Robert Bosch GmbH

KUKA AG

Microsoft Corporation

Schneider Electric SE

Advantech Co. Ltd.

C3.ai Inc.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/blmquq-iot?w=5

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

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Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

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SOURCE Research and Markets
NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The industrial lighting market size is forecasted to increase by USD 3,014.53 million from 2022 to 2027, at a CAGR of 6.34%, according to the recent market study by Technavio. The growth of the market will be driven by the growing adoption of energy-efficient lighting technologies, enforcement of the Minamata Convention on mercury, and growing demand from the automotive sector.

Charts & data tables about market and segment sizes for a historic period of five (2017-2021) years have been covered in this report. Download The Sample Report

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Industrial Lighting Market 2023-2027

Technavio has extensively analyzed 15 major vendors, including Acuity Brands Inc., Advanced Lighting Technologies LLC, Dialight Plc, Eaton Corp. Plc, ELBA SA, Emerson Electric Co, Hubbell Inc., IDEAL INDUSTRIES Inc., Iwasaki Electric Co. Ltd., Leedarson IoT Technology Inc., Legrand SA, LG Innotek Co. Ltd., LSI Industries Inc, Luminus Inc, Nichia Corp., OSRAM GmbH, Panasonic Holdings Corp., Savant Systems Inc., Schneider Electric SE, and Signify NV

To get detailed insights about vendors and their offerings, buy the report

Key benefits for industry players & stakeholders 

The report offers information on the criticality of vendor inputs, including R&D, CAPEX, and technology.

It also provides detailed analyses of the market's competitive landscape and vendors' product offerings.

The report also provides a qualitative and quantitative analysis of vendors to help clients understand the wider business environment as well as the strengths and weaknesses of key market players. Data is qualitatively analyzed to categorize vendors as pure play, category-focused, industry-focused, and diversified; it is quantitatively analyzed to categorize vendors as dominant, leading, strong, tentative, and weak.

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Customer landscape - Analysis of price sensitivity, adoption lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria by Technavio

One of the core components of the customer landscape is price sensitivity, an analysis of which will help companies refine marketing strategies to gain a competitive advantage.

Another key aspect is price sensitivity drivers (purchases are undifferentiated, the purchase is a key cost to buyers, and quality is not important), which range between LOW and HIGH.

Furthermore, market adoption rates for all regions have been covered.

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The market is segmented by type (LED technology and traditional technology) and application (new installation, replacement installation, and retrofit installation).

Segmentation by type (inclusion/exclusion)

Inclusion

LED Technology:

The led technology segment was valued at USD 4,016.03 million in 2017 and continue to grow by 2021. The major reasons for this tremendous growth are the energy-saving characteristics of LEDs, their decreasing cost, and compatibility with the existing lighting fixtures. The penetration of LEDs in Japan grew significantly after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, leading to a severe energy crisis in the country. In addition, the European Commission has decided to ban low-voltage halogen lamps, which will further drive LED penetration during the forecast period.

Related Reports:

The industrial and commercial LED lighting market is projected to grow by USD 41.56 billion with a CAGR of 17.44% during the forecast period 2021 to 2026. Furthermore, this report extensively covers the industrial and commercial LED lighting market segmentation by product type (LED lamps and LED fixtures) and geography (Europe, APAC, North America, Middle East and Africa, and South America).

The led lighting market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 7.35% between 2022 and 2027. The size of the market is forecast to increase by USD 34.82 billion. This led market research report extensively covers market segmentation by application (residential, commercial, outdoor, industrial, and others), product (luminaries and lamps), and geography (APAC, Europe, North America, Middle East and Africa, and South America).

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What are the key data covered in this industrial lighting market report?

CAGR of the market during the forecast period

Detailed information on factors that will drive the growth of the industrial lighting market between 2023 and 2027

Precise estimation of the industrial lighting market size and its contribution to the market in focus on the parent market

Accurate predictions about upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

Growth of the industrial lighting industry across APAC, Europe , North America , South America , and Middle East and Africa

, , , and and A thorough analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information about vendors

Comprehensive analysis of factors that will challenge the growth of industrial lighting market vendors

Industrial lighting market scope Report Coverage Details Page number 167 Base year 2022 Historic period 2017-2021 Forecast period 2023-2027 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 6.34% Market growth 2023-2027 USD 3,014.53 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 5.19 Regional analysis APAC, Europe, North America, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution APAC at 51% Key countries US, China, Japan, Germany, and UK Competitive landscape Leading Vendors, Market Positioning of Vendors, Competitive Strategies, and Industry Risks Key companies profiled Acuity Brands Inc., Advanced Lighting Technologies LLC, Dialight Plc, Eaton Corp. Plc, ELBA SA, Emerson Electric Co, Hubbell Inc., IDEAL INDUSTRIES Inc., Iwasaki Electric Co. Ltd., Leedarson IoT Technology Inc., Legrand SA, LG Innotek Co. Ltd., LSI Industries Inc, Luminus Inc, Nichia Corp., OSRAM GmbH, Panasonic Holdings Corp., Savant Systems Inc., Schneider Electric SE, and Signify NV 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:

1 Executive Summary

1.1 Market Overview

Exhibit 01: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Overview



Exhibit 02: Executive Summary  Data Table on Market Overview



Exhibit 03: Executive Summary  Chart on Global Market Characteristics



Exhibit 04: Executive Summary  Chart on Market by Geography



Exhibit 05: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by Type



Exhibit 06: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by Application



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 2022

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2022-2027

Exhibit 14: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 15: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 16: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 17: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

4 Historic Market Size

4.1 Global industrial lighting market 2017 - 2021

Exhibit 18: Historic Market Size  Data Table on Global industrial lighting market 2017 - 2021 ($ million)

4.2 Type Segment Analysis 2017 - 2021

Exhibit 19: Historic Market Size  Type Segment 2017 - 2021 ($ million)

4.3 Application Segment Analysis 2017 - 2021

Exhibit 20: Historic Market Size  Application Segment 2017 - 2021 ($ million)

4.4 Geography Segment Analysis 2017 - 2021

Exhibit 21: Historic Market Size  Geography Segment 2017 - 2021 ($ million)

4.5 Country Segment Analysis 2017 - 2021

Exhibit 22: Historic Market Size  Country Segment 2017 - 2021 ($ million)

5 Five Forces Analysis

5.1 Five forces summary

Exhibit 23: Five forces analysis - Comparison between 2022 and 2027

5.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit 24: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers  Impact of key factors 2022 and 2027

5.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit 25: Bargaining power of suppliers  Impact of key factors in 2022 and 2027

5.4 Threat of new entrants

Exhibit 26: Threat of new entrants  Impact of key factors in 2022 and 2027

5.5 Threat of substitutes

Exhibit 27: Threat of substitutes  Impact of key factors in 2022 and 2027

5.6 Threat of rivalry

Exhibit 28: Threat of rivalry  Impact of key factors in 2022 and 2027

5.7 Market condition

Exhibit 29: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2022 and 2027

6 Market Segmentation by Type

6.1 Market segments

Exhibit 30: Chart on Type - Market share 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 31: Data Table on Type - Market share 2022-2027 (%)

6.2 Comparison by Type

Exhibit 32: Chart on Comparison by Type



Exhibit 33: Data Table on Comparison by Type

6.3 LED technology - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 34: Chart on LED technology - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 35: Data Table on LED technology - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 36: Chart on LED technology - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 37: Data Table on LED technology - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

6.4 Traditional technology - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 38: Chart on Traditional technology - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 39: Data Table on Traditional technology - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 40: Chart on Traditional technology - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 41: Data Table on Traditional technology - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

6.5 Market opportunity by Type

Exhibit 42: Market opportunity by Type ($ million)

7 Market Segmentation by Application

7.1 Market segments

Exhibit 43: Chart on Application - Market share 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 44: Data Table on Application - Market share 2022-2027 (%)

7.2 Comparison by Application

Exhibit 45: Chart on Comparison by Application



Exhibit 46: Data Table on Comparison by Application

7.3 New installation - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 47: Chart on New installation - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 48: Data Table on New installation - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 49: Chart on New installation - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 50: Data Table on New installation - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

7.4 Replacement installation - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 51: Chart on Replacement installation - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 52: Data Table on Replacement installation - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 53: Chart on Replacement installation - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 54: Data Table on Replacement installation - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

7.5 Retrofit installation - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 55: Chart on Retrofit installation - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 56: Data Table on Retrofit installation - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 57: Chart on Retrofit installation - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 58: Data Table on Retrofit installation - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

7.6 Market opportunity by Application

Exhibit 59: Market opportunity by Application ($ million)

8 Customer Landscape

8.1 Customer landscape overview

Exhibit 60: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria

9 Geographic Landscape

9.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 61: Chart on Market share by geography 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 62: Data Table on Market share by geography 2022-2027 (%)

9.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 63: Chart on Geographic comparison



Exhibit 64: Data Table on Geographic comparison

9.3 APAC - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 65: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 66: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 67: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 68: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 69: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 70: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 71: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 72: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.5 North America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 73: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 74: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 75: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 76: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 77: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 78: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 79: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 80: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.7 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

and - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 81: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 82: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 83: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

and - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 84: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.8 China - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 85: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 86: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 87: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 88: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.9 US - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 89: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 90: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 91: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 92: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.10 Japan - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 93: Chart on Japan - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 94: Data Table on Japan - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 95: Chart on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 96: Data Table on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.11 Germany - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 97: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 98: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 99: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 100: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.12 UK - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 101: Chart on UK - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 102: Data Table on UK - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 103: Chart on UK - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 104: Data Table on UK - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.13 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 105: Market opportunity by geography ($ million)

10 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10.1 Market drivers

10.2 Market challenges

10.3 Impact of drivers and challenges

Exhibit 106: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2022 and 2027

10.4 Market trends

11 Vendor Landscape

11.1 Overview

11.2 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 107: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation

11.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 108: Overview on factors of disruption

11.4 Industry risks

Exhibit 109: Impact of key risks on business

12 Vendor Analysis

12.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 110: Vendors covered

12.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 111: Matrix on vendor position and classification

12.3 Acuity Brands Inc.

Exhibit 112: Acuity Brands Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 113: Acuity Brands Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 114: Acuity Brands Inc. - Key news



Exhibit 115: Acuity Brands Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 116: Acuity Brands Inc. - Segment focus

12.4 Advanced Lighting Technologies LLC

Exhibit 117: Advanced Lighting Technologies LLC - Overview



Exhibit 118: Advanced Lighting Technologies LLC - Product / Service



Exhibit 119: Advanced Lighting Technologies LLC - Key offerings

12.5 Dialight Plc

Exhibit 120: Dialight Plc - Overview



Exhibit 121: Dialight Plc - Business segments



Exhibit 122: Dialight Plc - Key offerings



Exhibit 123: Dialight Plc - Segment focus

12.6 Eaton Corp. Plc

Exhibit 124: Eaton Corp. Plc - Overview



Exhibit 125: Eaton Corp. Plc - Business segments



Exhibit 126: Eaton Corp. Plc - Key news



Exhibit 127: Eaton Corp. Plc - Key offerings



Exhibit 128: Eaton Corp. Plc - Segment focus

12.7 IDEAL INDUSTRIES Inc.

Exhibit 129: IDEAL INDUSTRIES Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 130: IDEAL INDUSTRIES Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 131: IDEAL INDUSTRIES Inc. - Key offerings

12.8 Leedarson IoT Technology Inc.

Exhibit 132: Leedarson IoT Technology Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 133: Leedarson IoT Technology Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 134: Leedarson IoT Technology Inc. - Key offerings

12.9 Legrand SA

Exhibit 135: Legrand SA - Overview



Exhibit 136: Legrand SA - Business segments



Exhibit 137: Legrand SA - Key news



Exhibit 138: Legrand SA - Key offerings



Exhibit 139: Legrand SA - Segment focus

12.10 LG Innotek Co. Ltd.

Exhibit 140: LG Innotek Co. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 141: LG Innotek Co. Ltd. - Business segments



Exhibit 142: LG Innotek Co. Ltd. - Key news



Exhibit 143: LG Innotek Co. Ltd. - Key offerings



Exhibit 144: LG Innotek Co. Ltd. - Segment focus

12.11 Luminus Inc

Exhibit 145: Luminus Inc - Overview



Exhibit 146: Luminus Inc - Product / Service



Exhibit 147: Luminus Inc - Key offerings

12.12 Nichia Corp.

Exhibit 148: Nichia Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 149: Nichia Corp. - Product / Service



Exhibit 150: Nichia Corp. - Key offerings

12.13 OSRAM GmbH

Exhibit 151: OSRAM GmbH - Overview



Exhibit 152: OSRAM GmbH - Business segments



Exhibit 153: OSRAM GmbH - Key offerings



Exhibit 154: OSRAM GmbH - Segment focus

12.14 Panasonic Holdings Corp.

Exhibit 155: Panasonic Holdings Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 156: Panasonic Holdings Corp. - Business segments



Exhibit 157: Panasonic Holdings Corp. - Key news



Exhibit 158: Panasonic Holdings Corp. - Key offerings



Exhibit 159: Panasonic Holdings Corp. - Segment focus

12.15 Savant Systems Inc.

Exhibit 160: Savant Systems Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 161: Savant Systems Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 162: Savant Systems Inc. - Key offerings

12.16 Schneider Electric SE

Exhibit 163: Schneider Electric SE - Overview



Exhibit 164: Schneider Electric SE - Business segments



Exhibit 165: Schneider Electric SE - Key news



Exhibit 166: Schneider Electric SE - Key offerings



Exhibit 167: Schneider Electric SE - Segment focus

12.17 Signify NV

Exhibit 168: Signify NV - Overview



Exhibit 169: Signify NV - Business segments



Exhibit 170: Signify NV - Key news



Exhibit 171: Signify NV - Key offerings



Exhibit 172: Signify NV - Segment focus

13 Appendix

13.1 Scope of the report

13.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist

Exhibit 173: Inclusions checklist



Exhibit 174: Exclusions checklist

13.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 175: Currency conversion rates for US$

13.4 Research methodology

Exhibit 176: Research methodology



Exhibit 177: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 178: Information sources

13.5 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 179: 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 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

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UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
Acquisition Further Expands Infinite Electronics Portfolio of Brands in Europe

IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Infinite Electronics, Inc., a global portfolio of leading in-stock connectivity solution brands, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Cable Connectivity Group (CCG) from Torqx Capital Partners and TKH Group NV. Headquartered in the Netherlands, CCG's brands operate across Europe, with offices and production and distribution facilities in Netherlands, Germany, Italy, France, Belgium, Poland, and China.

Infinite Electronics Inc. Completes Acquisition of Cable Connectivity Group

"The addition of CCG to Infinite Electronics' brand portfolio will further expand our footprint in Europe and better position us to meet customer demands for cable connectivity solutions," said Infinite Electronics President and CEO, Penny Cotner. "Together, we share an aligned value proposition of working urgently to provide the products and real-time support customers need. We look forward to harnessing our shared capabilities to accelerate growth and success."

Serving the global industrial and electronics markets, CCG's brands are leading suppliers of cables, ready-to-connect cable systems and accessories. They are comprised of the following brands: TKD, KC Industrie, Capable, Schrade Kabeltechnik, Jobarco, Pantaflex, and ConCab.

"Infinite Electronics and CCG have many similarities, such as customer-driven values and ambitious global growth plans," said Wouter-Jan van der Wurff, CCG's CEO. "Joining Infinite Electronics' portfolio is an exciting achievement and provides CCG's brands a unique opportunity and the leverage to accelerate business growth globally."

This acquisition further establishes Infinite Electronics' presence in Europe and comes after the company announced earlier this month that it acquired Bulgin Ltd., a UK-based leading developer and manufacturer of innovative harsh environment connectivity solutions. These acquisitions are the latest milestones in Infinite Electronics' rapid growth over the past six years.

About Infinite Electronics, Inc.:

Infinite Electronics has a global portfolio of leading in-stock connectivity solution brands. Infinite's brands help propel the world's innovators forward by working urgently to provide products, solutions and real-time support for their customers. Backed by Warburg Pincus, Infinite's brands serve customers across a wide range of industries with a broad inventory selection, same-day shipping and 24/7 customer service. Learn more at infiniteelectronics.com.

About CCG :

Cable Connectivity Group (CCG) is active in the production, distribution and assembly of specialty cables and cable connectivity solutions. The Group comprises the operating companies Jobarco BV, Pantaflex BV and Capable BV (in The Netherlands), TKD Kabel GmbH, ConCab GmbH and Schrade Kabeltechnik Germany (in Germany), Schrade Kabeltechnik Poland, KC Industrie Srl (in Italy), TKD Polska Sp. z o.o (in Poland), Schrade Kabeltechnik Sp. z o.o., TKD Italia Srl (in Italy), and TKD Cable Co., Ltd (in China).

About Torqx Capital Partners:

Torqx invests in medium-sized companies with significant value creation potential. Situations include growth-, buy-and-build-, performance improvement-, turnaround- and transformational investments across a range of industries including manufacturing, distribution and services. Torqx acquires majority positions based on a partnership with co-shareholders and management teams, offering the companies smart capital, network, expertise and talent to support implementation of their plans and achieve their full potential. The Torqx team consists of 14 highly experienced and skilled investment professionals who look beyond spreadsheets and understand what it takes to build businesses and increase momentum. Torqx currently manages over  350 million in committed capital and is backed by reputable international institutional investors and the Torqx team itself. For more information, please visit www.torqxcapital.com.

About TKH:

Technology firm TKH is focused on high-end innovative technologies in high growth markets within three business segments: Smart Vision systems, Smart Manufacturing systems and Smart Connectivity systems. Through a combination of technologies, TKH offers superior solutions that support to increase the efficiency, safety and security of its customers. The technologies are offered together with software to create smart technologies and one-stop-shop solutions with plug-and-play integrated technologies. TKH operates on a global scale. Its growth is concentrated in Europe, North America and Asia. Employing 6,160 people, TKH achieved a turnover of  1.5 billion in 2021. For more information, please visit www.tkhgroup.com.

Press Contact:

Katee Schalau

17792 Fitch

Irvine, CA, 92614 USA

SOURCE Infinite Electronics, Inc.
Rabat  The Minister of Economy and Finance Nadia Fettah met on Tuesday in Rabat with Sarvesh Suri and Cheick-Oumar Sylla, respectively Director of Infrastructure for Africa and Director for North Africa and the Horn of Africa at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), who are on a working visit to Morocco from January 30 to February 04, 2023.

On this occasion, Fettah thanked the IFC for the efforts and support provided by this institution to develop the Moroccan private sector and strengthen its role as a driver of investment and job creation.

The Minister also highlighted the efforts made by the government, under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, in the main areas of cooperation with the IFC, including Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), advanced regionalization and the operationalization of the Mohammed VI Investment Fund.

In this regard, she emphasized the Kingdom's significant potential in the field of renewable energy and the considerable opportunities that the sector offers for the development of PPP projects, capitalizing, in particular, on the IFC expertise and support.

Fettah also stressed the crucial role that the Mohammed VI Investment Fund, through its various thematic funds, in accelerating and consolidating the investment efforts undertaken by Morocco.

For their part, the Director of Infrastructure for Africa and the Director for North Africa and the Horn of Africa at the IFC commended the quality of cooperation relations between their institution and Morocco, framed by a Memorandum of Understanding, signed in June 2021.

In this context, Cheick-Oumar reiterated the IFC readiness to support the reforms deployed by Morocco in the priority areas agreed in the Memorandum of Understanding.

For his part, Sarvesh welcomed the reform momentum undertaken by Morocco, highlighting the key positioning of the Kingdom on the African level in terms of green energy potential development.

In addition, the two parties expressed their common desire to strengthen collaboration between the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the IFC, to ensure the success of the Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the IMF, scheduled for October 2023 in Marrakech.
Payne has more than 20 years of experience as a nonprofit leader

BOSTON, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Invest in Others Charitable Foundation ("Invest in Others"), a nonprofit dedicated to furthering and amplifying the charitable work of financial professionals and their firms, announced today that it has appointed R. Barkley Payne to serve as its new executive director succeeding Megan McAuley.

With more than 20 years of experience leading nonprofit organizations, Payne joins Invest in Others after an eight-year tenure as executive director of the American Medical Association Foundation, where he was responsible for managing the day-to-day operations, grant-making programs and financial health of the American Medical Association's charitable arm in support of community health initiatives and medical education and leadership programs.

"I'm excited to welcome Barkley to Invest in Others and to offer him my full support as we transition to his leadership," said John Hyland, Board Chair at Invest in Others. "We are grateful for Megan McAuley's invaluable contributions over the past decade while leading Invest in Others through a period of remarkable growth and change. Looking forward to our 20th anniversary and beyond, we believe Barkley is the right choice to lead our organization, helping us add to our donor base, diversify our grant programs and recognize financial leaders who are making a difference in their communities nationwide."

At Invest in Others, Payne will oversee operations and implement strategies to improve the organization's programs, fundraising, marketing and administrative functions.

"I want to offer my thanks to the Invest in Others Board of Directors for placing their trust in me," said R. Barkley Payne, Executive Director at Invest in Others. "This is truly a unique organization that is providing vital resources to local charities serving some of our most vulnerable communities. I look forward to building on their great work by expanding our fundraising efforts and creating even greater visibility within the advisor community."

Before the American Medical Association Foundation, Payne spent 12 years as the executive director of the American Dental Association Foundation. Previously, he was vice president of strategic philanthropy for the Orthopedic Research and Education Foundation. In 2021, he earned the Association Foundation Group's (AFG) Leadership Award in recognition of his work in strengthening the national association professional community. Payne served as AFG president in 2015.

Payne is a past president of the Western Kentucky University Alumni Association Board of Directors and serves on the Board of Directors for Access to Care, a health care program serving low-income uninsured individuals in suburban Cook County (Illinois). He is also a long-time member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Association Forum of Chicagoland, Chicago Council of Planned Giving, Medical Society Fundraising Network and the Chicago Health Executives Forum.

About the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation

The Invest in Others 501(c)(3) Charitable Foundation is supported by the financial services industry to amplify the charitable work of financial advisors, employees, and their firms. Invest in Others is a catalyst to channel philanthropy and volunteerism to where it is needed most.

For more information, visit investinothers.org or follow Invest in Others on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Media Contact:

Alyssa Suffredini, Director of Marketing

Invest in Others Charitable Foundation

[email protected] | 617.429.2009

SOURCE Invest in Others Charitable Foundation
Autoplay, Kryptonic Haze and Peaches and Cream Milkshake IPA round out new offerings available in PA, NJ and DE

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Iron Hill Brewery is reimagining its 2023 packaged beer offering with a focus on year-round IPAs with big flavor.

New beers Autoplay, a Tropical American IPA, Kryptonic Haze, an Imperial Juicy IPA and Peaches and Cream, a Milkshake IPA are currently rolling out to store shelves in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Beer lovers can use Iron Hill's Beer Finder to locate the nearest convenient Iron Hill retailer. These beers will also be available at Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant locations starting in February.

Iron Hill Brewery is reimagining its 2023 packaged beer offering with a focus on year-round IPAs with big flavor. The new beers include Autoplay (a Tropical American IPA), Kryptonic Haze (an Imperial Juicy IPA) and Peaches and Cream (a Milkshake IPA).

"New beers can often take a brewery years to develop," says Mark Edelson, Iron Hill Brewery co-founder and certified beer geek. "So releasing three at the beginning of the year is no small task. With 20 brewery locations, our team of award-winning brewers can make test batches simultaneously and compare notes. By the time an Iron Hill beer hits the shelves at your local retailer, you know that it has the fingerprints of some of the most decorated brewers in the country."

Refreshing and easy-to-drink, Autoplay Tropical American IPA's ripe guava, juicy peach and passion fruit flavors offer the perfect pairing for everything from casual dinners to music festivals to road trips and everything in between. At 5.6% ABV customers can hit play and keep them coming. Autoplay rounds out Iron Hill's core offering with a non-hazy option for those looking for a crisp, clean IPA.

Kryptonic Haze Imperial Juicy IPA (9% ABV) is a big beer with out-of-this-world flavor. A massive addition of American hops gives this beer an intense, juicy tropical fruit aroma and unique tropical flavor profile. With rave reviews from customers who got to taste early trial versions at several Iron Hill brewery locations, this is a market-driven evolution of their offering that will sit comfortably in the full beer portfolio.

Peaches and Cream Milkshake IPA (7% ABV) is the first beer available this year in Iron Hill's new Milkshake IPA series. Highlighting familiar seasonal flavors, customers can expect nostalgia, comfort and a little decadence in every sip. Peaches and Cream Milkshake IPA offers flavors of fresh peach, silky vanilla and warm graham cracker crust.

For more information about Iron Hill Brewery and its beers, visit IronHillBrewery.com .

SOURCE Iron Hill Brewery
RENO, Nev., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Itronics Inc. (OTC:ITRO) announced today that it has received a confidential intellectual property asset valuation report from Fallingst Technologies LLC.

Fallingst Technologies is a leading technology advisory, asset management and IP valuation & lending services firm that works closely with 'smart tech' companies that are focused on bringing transformational ideas and technologies to the marketplace, particularly the emerging markets. "The firm's independent third-party IP valuation services help clients take advantage of non-dilutive lender and investor financing opportunities," said Joseph Hopkins, CEO of Fallingst.

"The work program is designed to include a comprehensive IP asset valuation to be followed by a funding event," said Dr. John Whitney, Itronics President. "The valuation work has been completed and work is now commencing to establish a project that can be funded using the IP valuation as a security component of the financing. Itronics' business is based on use of its portfolio of proprietary 'Zero Waste Energy Saving Technologies'. Completion of this work is expected to significantly increase the value of the Company."

"We would like to thank our investors for their continued support," said Dr. Whitney. "Our portfolio of 'Zero Waste Energy Saving Technologies' is making the world cleaner and greener and is now being positioned to accelerate the Company's drive to profitability."

About Itronics

Headquartered in Reno, Nevada, Itronics Inc. is a 'Zero Waste Energy Saving Technology' Company that produces GOLD'n GRO multi-nutrient liquid fertilizers, silver bullion, and silver-bearing glass. The Company's environmentally friendly award winning GOLD'n GRO liquid fertilizers are used extensively in agriculture in California.

Follow Itronics on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itronicsinc

Follow Itronics on Twitter: https://twitter.com/itronicsinc

VISIT OUR WEB SITE: http://www.itronics.com

Contact us (775-689-7696 )

("Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press release contains or may contain forward-looking statements such as statements regarding the Company's growth and profitability, growth strategy, liquidity and access to public markets, operating expense reduction, and trends in the industry in which the Company operates. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those more fully described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changes in risks, uncertainties or assumptions underlying or affecting such statements, or for prospective events that may have a retroactive effect.)

Contact:

Paul Knopick

888-795-6336

[email protected]

SOURCE Itronics Inc.
Curated by Jeffrey Deitch and supported by K11 Art Foundation, it will feature works by genre pioneers including Jean-Michel Basquiat, CRASH, Fab 5 Freddy, OSGEMEOS, Keith Haring, Lady Pink, and Lee Quinones.

20 March 2023 to 14 May 2023

'City As Studio is the most extensive exhibition on the history of street art to be presented in China. The exhibition features major works by the innovators in street art from New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Paris, and Tokyo. It provides an immersive introduction to this vital movement which continues to resonate today.'

 Jeffrey Deitch, Curator of City As Studio

'Jeffrey has been at the forefront of the institutional acceptance of street art, and we're delighted to be working with him to bring this landmark exhibition to China. The cultural innovation embodied by works that defined a generation, street art's global artistic influence and its ability to powerfully engage diverse audiences is reflective of our wider mission.'

 Adrian Cheng, Founder of K11 Art Foundation

HONG KONG, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Curated by Jeffrey Deitch, City As Studio, China's first major exhibition of graffiti and street art opens at K11 MUSEA this Spring. Running from 20 March to 14 May 2023 to coincide with Art Basel Hong Kong, the monumental exhibition will feature over 100 works by more than 30 artists, showcasing the breadth and depth of the graffiti and street art scene across generations, styles and geographies.

K11 MUSEA presents City As Studio, Chinas first major exhibition of graffiti and street art 16B_Keith Haring LA II, Untitled, 1983, Spray paint in wood, 45.3 x 124.0 inches. Photo  Adam Reich. LA II ARTWORK  LA II KEITH HARING ARTWORK  KEITH HARING FOUNDATION. Courtesy of K11 Colle K11 KAF

City As Studio traces the global history of graffiti and street art from its emergence in the subway yards and parking lots of 1970s New York to its rise as a worldwide phenomenon. It begins with the movement's pivotal innovators such as Fab 5 Freddy, FUTURA and Jean-Michel Basquiat who were part of the dialogue and the Downtown art scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s, and goes on to highlight artists such as Barry McGee, Mister Cartoon and OSGEMEOS, and the groundbreaking styles they created in San Francisco, East Los Angeles and Sao Paulo. The exhibition also documents the emergence and evolution of artists such as KAWS and AIKO who represent a younger generation of New York street artists.

Highlights include Basquiat's Valentine (1984), on loan from the personal collection of Paige Powell, alongside works by other seminal artists such as The Bomb (1983) by CRASH and Untitled (1983), a spray painting by Keith Haring spanning three metres. Portraits such as Keith Haring (Red) (2010) and Basquiat (Red) (2010) by Shepard Fairey demonstrate how early practitioners of the genre continue to inspire younger artists, while FUTURA's work El Diablo (1985) - part of KAWS' personal collection - exemplifies the intergenerational dialogue and influence between street artists working today. JR's work Eye Contact #13 (2018) evokes old school rail yards as model trains on tiny tracks move back and forth, creating an optical illusion on each run. Examining how the movement shaped other genres, the exhibition will also display works such as Charlie Ahearn's film Juanito, which captures the story of his twin, sculptor John Ahearn making casts of people in Bronx and immortalising them in plaster. Elsewhere, works by AIKO and Lady Pink will explore how female artists responded and contributed to a genre traditionally dominated by men.

City As Studio will also present a series of compelling photographs by leading figures such as Gusmano Cesaretti, Henry Chalfant and Martha Cooper that document the artistry and urban impact of street artists in the 1970s and 80s.

Jeffrey Deitch has been involved with modern and contemporary art for nearly five decades as an artist, writer, curator, dealer, and advisor. During his tenure as Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA), Deitch presented some 50 exhibitions and projects and published extensively about graffiti and street art. An advocate of graffiti art since the 1980s, Deitch brings curatorial expertise and a wealth of knowledge to City As Studio, which is a culmination of years of research. The exhibition looks back on half a century of development, traversing generations to uncover the past as a way to discover what the future has in store for the movement.

To accompany the exhibition, K11 Art Foundation will present a diverse range of events and activities, including talks, screenings, audio guides, docent-led tours, and an education corner featuring online learning resources and an interactive graffiti tagging activity, and more-for visitors across all ages and seek to enrich the exhibition viewing experience and deepen understanding of street art online and offline. To further enrich the visiting experience, a special edition of TOOF cards with fun art facts printed on the back will be introduced to inspire visitors as they navigate the exhibition.

- Editor's Notes - About City As Studio Date 20 March to 14 May 2023 Time 12 pm to 8 pm Venue Address 6F, Kunsthalle, K11 MUSEA Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui Website https://www.k11artfoundation.org/en/article/city-as-studio/ Ticketing General Ticket HK$100 / Concession Ticket HK$50



About Jeffrey Deitch

Jeffrey Deitch has been involved with modern and contemporary art for more than 40 years as an artist, writer, curator, dealer, and advisor. A 1974 graduate of Wesleyan University, Deitch went on to receive an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School in 1978. Before opening his own art advisory firm in 1988, Deitch was a Vice President of Citibank where he developed and managed the bank's art advisory and art finance businesses. In the 1970s, Deitch served as Assistant Director of the John Weber Gallery in New York and as Curator of the De Cordova Museum in Lincoln, Massachusetts. Best known for his vanguard commercial gallery, Deitch Projects, Deitch produced more than 250 projects by contemporary artists during the gallery's existence from 1996 through 2010. There, he championed artists such as Tauba Auerbach, Vanessa Beecroft, Cecily Brown, Barry McGee, Yoko Ono, and Kehinde Wiley. In 2014, Rizzoli published Live the Art, a major monograph detailing the history of Deitch Projects.

Deitch has been active as a critic and curator since the mid-1970s. Deitch's first important curatorial project was Lives, a 1975 exhibition about artists who used their own lives as an art medium. He coauthored a monograph on Keith Haring, published by Rizzoli in 2008, and wrote the introduction to Jean-Michel Basquiat, 1981: The Studio of the Street, published by Charta in 2007. From 2010 to 2013, Deitch served as Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles, where he organized major solo exhibitions of work by Urs Fischer, Weegee, and Kenneth Anger and curated thematic group shows including The Painting Factory: Abstraction After Warhol and Art in the Streets, which had the highest attendance in the museum's history.

Deitch has now reestablished his art advisory firm and his art gallery, operating in both New York and Los Angeles. Recent exhibition projects include an outdoor museum of street art on Coney Island, New York; Overpop, presented at the Yuz Museum, Shanghai in 2016-2017; and Jean-Michel Basquiat at Museo Delle Culture, Milan in 2016-2017. Deitch's book on new figurative painting, Unrealism, was published by Rizzoli in the fall of 2019. City As Studio will open at K11 MUSEA with the support from K11 Art Foundation in Hong Kong in March 2023.

Social Media

Please join the conversation on Instagram (@k11artfoundation), and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/K11ArtFoundation/), with hashtags #K11ArtFoundation

#CityAsStudio #JeffreyDeitch #Graffiti #StreetArt

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ABOUT K11 MUSEA

Hong Kong's Silicon Valley of Culture, K11 MUSEA, is the latest cultural-retail destination in Victoria Dockside located on the harbourfront of Tsim Sha Tsui. Inspired by 'A Muse by the Sea', K11 MUSEA is designed to enrich new consumers' daily lives through the power of creativity, culture and innovation. A destination 10 years in the making, K11 MUSEA opened its doors in August 2019 to usher in a new era of cultural-retail which speaks to the growing consumer demand for immersive experiences in art, culture, nature and commerce.

About K11 Art Foundation

Founded by Adrian Cheng in 2010, K11 Art Foundation is a non-profit organisation in Hong Kong dedicated to fostering the development of Chinese contemporary art. In pursuing our mission, we are committed to supporting artists through K11 Art Foundation's exhibitions, artist residencies, and educational programmes. We also actively establish partnerships with leading art and cultural institutions around the world, collaborating with curators and other industry specialists to create impactful cross-cultural exchange and contribute to the expanding global contemporary art discourse.

Over the years, K11 Art Foundation has collaborated with the Royal Academy of Arts, Serpentine Galleries, and the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London; Centre Pompidou, Palais de Tokyo, and Musee Marmottan Monet, Paris; Fundacio Gala-Salvador Dali, Figueres; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New Museum, The Museum of Modern Art, and MoMA PS1, New York; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing; and Videotage, British Council Hong Kong, Design Trust, and Asia Art Archive, Hong Kong, among others.

www.k11artfoundation.org

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1993877/K11_MUSEA_presents_City_As_Studio__China_s_first_major_exhibition_of_graffiti_and_street_art_Horizon.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1993925/16B_Keith_Haring__LA_II__Untitled__1983__Spray_paint_in_wood__45_3_x_124_0_inches__Photo___Adam_Reic.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1994015/K11_Musea.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1994001/K11_Art_Foundation.jpg

SOURCE K11 Group
SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Kinderhook Industries, LLC ("Kinderhook") announced today the sale of VESTA Modular ("VESTA" or the "Company") to McGrath RentCorp ("McGrath" or the "Company") for a cash purchase price of $400 million.

Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Southfield, MI, VESTA is a leading provider of temporary and permanent modular space solutions across a diverse base of end markets and applications. The Company operates two divisions - (i) modular space leasing whereby it leases units from its owned fleet of over 6,000 units to customers across a range of end markets and (ii) modular project installation whereby it facilitates the design, construction, and installation of modular spaces. VESTA's core end markets include education, industrial, construction, government, municipalities and retail sectors. In addition to its Southfield, MI headquarters, VESTA operates strategically placed branches in some of the nation's fastest growing markets - Atlanta, GA; Elkhart, IN; Houston, TX; Dallas, TX; Miami, FL; Nashville, TN; Riverside, CA; and Sacramento, CA.

"We are grateful for the successful partnership we forged with Kinderhook over the past two years and are proud of what we have accomplished during that period," said Dan McMurtrie, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of VESTA. "McGrath is a highly-respected leader in our sector with a tremendous culture and core values that align with those of VESTA. We believe that our employees will thrive under their leadership."

"Kinderhook is thrilled with this outcome for VESTA, its employees, and our limited partners," said Rob Michalik, Managing Director at Kinderhook. "Our investment in VESTA highlights the key tenets of Kinderhook's investment strategy  partnering with world class management teams to create industry leading companies. We thank the VESTA team for their hard work over the past two years and look forward to the great accomplishments to come from the combined VESTA and McGrath teams."

"Over the course of two years, the VESTA Team completed five add-on acquisitions and invested heavily in organic growth nearly tripling the size of its modular fleet and adding five new branch locations," said Sam Keenan, Principal at Kinderhook. "These investments coupled with outstanding leadership across the VESTA organization created a launching pad from which the business achieved outsized growth in a short period of time. McGrath's approach to growth aligns well with VESTA and we are excited to see what they will do in the future with this business."

Oppenheimer & Co. acted as exclusive financial advisor and Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal counsel to Kinderhook and VESTA in the transaction.

About Kinderhook Industries



Founded in 2003, Kinderhook Industries, LLC is a private investment firm that manages $5.4 billion of committed capital. We have made in excess of 375 investments and follow-on acquisitions since inception. Kinderhook's investment philosophy is predicated on matching unique, growth-oriented investment opportunities with exceptional financial expertise and our proprietary network of operating partners. Our focus is on middle market businesses with defensible niche market positioning in the healthcare services, environmental / business services, and automotive / light manufacturing sectors. We have a track record of successfully and consistently building industry leaders.

For more information, please visit: www.kinderhook.com

About VESTA Housing Solutions LLC

Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Southfield, MI, VESTA is a leading provider of temporary and permanent modular space solutions across a diverse base of end markets and applications. The Company operates two divisions - (i) modular space leasing whereby it leases units from its owned fleet of over 6,000 units to customers across a range of end markets and (ii) modular project installation whereby it facilitates the design, construction, and installation of modular spaces. VESTA's core end markets include education, industrial, construction, government, municipalities and retail sectors. In addition to its Southfield, MI headquarters, VESTA operates strategically placed branches in some of the nation's fastest growing markets - Atlanta, GA; Elkhart, IN; Houston, TX; Dallas, TX; Miami, FL; Nashville, TN; Riverside, CA; and Sacramento, CA

For more information please visit: www.vestamodular.com

About McGrath Rentcorp

McGrath RentCorp is a leading business-to-business rental company in North America with a strong record of profitable business growth. Founded in 1979, McGrath's operations are centered on modular solutions through its Mobile Modular and Mobile Modular Portable Storage businesses. In addition, its TRS-RenTelco business offers electronic test equipment rental solutions, and its Adler Tank Rentals business provides environmental containment solutions for hazardous and nonhazardous liquids and solids. The Company's rental product offerings and services are part of the circular supply economy, helping customers work more efficiently, and sustainably manage their environmental footprint. With over 40 years of experience, McGrath's success is driven by a focus on exceptional customer experiences. This focus has underpinned the Company's long-term financial success and supported over 30 consecutive years of annual dividend increases to shareholders, a rare distinction among publicly listed companies.

Headquartered in Livermore, California. Additional information about McGrath and its businesses is available at: mgrc.com and investor.mgrc.com.

SOURCE Kinderhook Industries
Awarding Nearly $300,000 in the Past 17 Years, Making Dreams Reality for Students and Educators

MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Kinecta Federal Credit Union announces its annual Youth Scholarship and Teacher Grant Program is now accepting applicants. Applications are open through March 1, and Kinecta will award eight $2,000 scholarships to students and six $2,000 grants to teachers. The student scholarships will go towards recipients pursuing their higher education and the teacher grants will help recipients enhance their classrooms. This program is reflective of Kinecta's commitment to supporting the communities it serves.

"It's a true joy for us, at Kinecta, to be able to recognize, reward and support deserving students and outstanding teachers in our communities each year," said Kinecta Community Foundation Executive Director, Latrice McGlothin. "We believe in the importance of education, and I am proud of Kinecta's ability to continually give back."

Application Guidelines

Youth Scholarships:

24 years of age or younger

A high school senior applying to be, or has already been accepted, as a full-time student at an accredited college or university. Or a full-time student continuing at an accredited college or university.

Funds will be paid directly to the recipient's college/university.

Teaching Grants:

Current pre-kindergarten educators

Current K-12th grade teachers

Recipients must use grant funds to purchase supplies or fund a classroom project. Funds will be paid directly to the recipient's school/school district.

Over the past 17 years, Kinecta has awarded nearly $300,000 to students to help make their future brighter while also providing grants to 30 teachers to fund projects, purchase supplies and bolster classroom instruction. To view the scholarship recipients and more information, click here.

For more information about Kinecta, and its community activities, please visit www.kinecta.org/community.

About Kinecta Federal Credit Union

Headquartered in Manhattan Beach, California, Kinecta Federal Credit Union is the country's 35th largest credit union, with assets of $6.6 billion and more than 270,000 members from coast to coast. Banking the Southern California area for more than 80 years, with additional branches in New York, New Jersey, Northern California and Florida, Kinecta offers its members a full range of financial products from banking, lending and insurance to wealth management services. Kinecta has been recognized by the Mortgage Bankers Association as a recipient of its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Residential Leadership Award, and received the Best of Show award granted by the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Technology Council. Forbes awarded Kinecta as a top-ranked credit union in California on its America's Best Credit Unions in Each State 2022 List. Kinecta has 31 locations, and its members can use a network of more than 5,800 shared branches and access over 85,000 fee-free ATMs nationwide. For more information on Kinecta, visit the website and LinkedIn.

During 2022, Kinecta, its subsidiaries, and employees donated over $1,200,000 to charitable causes, volunteered over 6,300 hours and participated in over 200 community events. To learn more about Kinecta's community outreach programs and activities, visit kinecta.org/community.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Ryann Checchi, Interdependence PR

[email protected]

708-420-4776

SOURCE Kinecta Federal Credit Union
Grocer opens new spoke also serving Miami, Florida and surrounding areas -- celebrates 90 new associates

MIAMI, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), America's grocer, today announced the opening of a new spoke facility in South Florida. Joined by the local community, Kroger celebrated the expansion of the delivery service and welcomed 90 new associates. This facility opening means customers can access Kroger's incredible selection of fresh items, unique Our Brands products and favorite national brands, as well as individualized offers for the groceries most important to their families  all delivered directly to their door by a friendly, professional Kroger associate.

Kroger Delivery van (PRNewsfoto/The Kroger Co.) Kroger Delivery associate

"We are thrilled to connect more Floridians to the Kroger Delivery shopping experience, which brings thousands of digital coupons, valuable fuel points* and the freshest products directly to customers' doors," said Bill Bennett, Kroger Vice President, and Head of E-commerce. "Whether they are using the Kroger app or browsing our weekly ad at Kroger.com, customers can enjoy fresh, high-quality, affordable groceries delivered by best-in-class uniformed drivers."

The 60,000-square-foot spoke facility will work in conjunction with the Groveland, Florida fulfillment center. All orders are picked at the products' peak freshness within the Groveland facility. Associates carefully assemble orders and place them in climate-controlled vehicles to travel to Miami, serving communities between Port St. Lucie in the north to Homestead in the South, on both the east and west sides of I-95. Once the orders arrive, they are checked and placed on refrigerated delivery trucks that deliver directly to customers' doors, ensuring cold and frozen products remain at the perfect temperature from the supplier to the customer's refrigerator. Learn more about pursuing a career at Kroger here.

"We've been working closely with the Kroger team since they started looking to expand to South Florida and knew this was a geography that would offer significant growth potential," said James Kohnstamm, EVP, Miami-Dade Beacon Council. "From a customer standpoint, we have over a million households and hundreds of new residents relocating to Miami each week. From a workforce standpoint, we have a deep bench of talent with expertise in cold chain and logistics management, as well as multiple startups dedicated to driving innovation in the trade and logistics space."

Local customers can get more value when purchasing their favorite items using Boost by Kroger Plus, the annual grocery delivery membership that can save customers up to $1,000 per year on fuel and grocery delivery. Eligible customers can try the Boost membership with a free 30-day trial and subscribe for as little as $7.99 a month. Additionally, new customers can enjoy $15 off their first three orders.

Kroger Delivery Explained

The expansion to South Florida, including Miami represents an extension of a collaboration between Kroger and Ocado Group, a world leader in technology for grocery e-commerce. In 2018, the companies announced a collaboration to establish a delivery network that combines artificial intelligence, advanced robotics and automation in a bold new way, bringing first-of-its-kind technology to America.

The delivery network relies on highly automated fulfillment centers. At the hub sites, more than 1,000 bots move around giant 3D grids, orchestrated by proprietary control systems. The grid, known as The Hive, contains totes filled with products and ready-to-deliver customer orders. As customers' orders near delivery times, bots retrieve products from The Hive and present them at pick stations for items to be sorted for delivery, a process governed by algorithms that ensure items are intelligently packed. For example, fragile items are placed on top, bags are evenly weighted, and each order is optimized to fit into the lowest number of bags, reducing plastic use. Bags are also recyclable, reflecting Kroger's commitment to its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste commitment to rid its communities of hunger and waste.

Kroger's end-to-end cold solutions keep groceries fresh once loaded into a customized refrigerated delivery van, which can store up to 20 orders. Powerful machine learning algorithms optimize delivery routes, considering factors such as road conditions and optimal fuel efficiency. Vans may travel up to 90 minutes with orders from the hub and spoke facilities to make deliveries. Associates at the spoke facility will deliver orders within their service area, adding ZIP codes as demand grows.

Kroger currently operates customer fulfillment centers in Monroe, OH, Groveland, FL, Forest Park, GA (Atlanta), Pleasant Prairie, WI, Dallas, TX, Romulus, MI (Detroit) and Aurora, CO with additional customer fulfillment centers slated for California, Frederick, MD, Phoenix, AZ, Cleveland, OH, Charlotte, NC, as well as South Florida and the Northeast.

*Customers in Jacksonville, Miami and Tampa can order fresh groceries for delivery at Kroger.com or on the Kroger app, set up a Kroger loyalty account, and earn points to save on fuel at participating Shell stations.

Media Assets

To download Kroger Delivery photography and video, visit here .

About Kroger

At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are Fresh for Everyone and dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit. We are, across our family of companies, nearly half a million associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through a seamless shopping experience under a variety of banner names . We are committed to creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site .

About Ocado Group

Ocado Group is a UK based technology company admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange (Ticker OCDO). It provides end-to-end online grocery fulfillment solutions to some of the world's largest grocery retailers and holds a 50% share of Ocado Retail Ltd in the UK in a Joint Venture with Marks & Spencer. Ocado has spent two decades innovating for grocery online, investing in a wide technology estate that includes robotics, AI & machine learning, simulation, forecasting, and edge intelligence.

SOURCE The Kroger Co.
Mobile and desktop reference tool defines more than 100 terms.

CHICAGO, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Latham & Watkins LLP1 is pleased to announce the launch of The Book of Jargon  eDiscovery, a comprehensive digital glossary of more than 100 terms developed for the business, academic, and legal communities. The convenient reference tool demystifies the legal terminology, acronyms, and slang of eDiscovery, a highly technical but critical capability leveraged in most if not all litigation.

Defining terms from "asymmetrical production" to "unstructured data," Latham's newest Book of Jargon transforms the vocabulary of this specialized area of discovery into language that is more accessible and easy to understand, especially for those navigating the complex legal and technical challenges present in eDiscovery.

Sean Berkowitz, Global Chair of Latham's Complex Commercial Litigation Practice, noted: "The documents and intel generated through eDiscovery are critical in every dispute, and it's imperative that litigators understand the lingo and terminology  not only for themselves, but also for their clients and other parties. Our practices are stacked with talented litigators and trial lawyers who bring deep knowledge of the intricacies and value of eDiscovery, and this know-how powered the development of this handy reference tool."

Members of Latham's Complex Commercial Litigation Practice represent companies, financial institutions, private equity firms, and individuals in their most significant and high-stakes disputes. Teams are tailored to the specific characteristics of each matter, drawing on a global lineup of seasoned litigators and trial lawyers to match the industry, claims, subject matter, client goals, and venue at play. Regardless of the nature of the dispute, Latham adopts a trial-ready strategy from the outset to achieve the best result for the client, in whatever form success takes. Latham lawyers combine their experience with a fluency in the market dynamics that are influencing industries around the world, including financial services, technology, energy, and life sciences.

Partner Matthew Salerno led the Book of Jargon project along with key contributions from other Latham lawyers and litigation staff members who tapped into decades of experience to compile the roster of frequently used eDiscovery terms and their definitions. "Our goal with this resource is to help attorneys, companies, and other parties involved in disputes better understand what is an essential part of the litigation process," said Salerno.

The Book of Jargon  eDiscovery is available as an online resource, a PDF, and a free mobile app in the App Store and on Google Play. It can also be accessed on the firm's website under the Complex Commercial Litigation Practice page.

Other topics in Latham's Book of Jargon series include: Blockchain, Crypto & Web3; Emerging Companies; Environmental, Social & Governance; European Capital Markets and Bank Finance; Global Mergers & Acquisitions; Healthcare & Life Sciences; Hedge Funds; International Arbitration; Master Limited Partnerships; Oil & Gas; Patent Trial & Appeal Board; Project Finance; Real Estate & REITs; Restructuring & Special Situations; and US Corporate and Bank Finance.

About Latham & Watkins (lw.com)

Latham & Watkins delivers innovative solutions to complex legal and business challenges around the world. From a global platform, our lawyers advise clients on market-shaping transactions, high-stakes litigation and trials, and sophisticated regulatory matters. Latham is one of the world's largest providers of pro bono services, steadfastly supports initiatives designed to advance diversity within the firm and the legal profession, and is committed to exploring and promoting environmental sustainability.

Contacts

Sean Berkowitz, Complex Commercial Litigation Practice Global Chair, +1.312.777.7016

Matthew Salerno, Complex Commercial Litigation Partner, +1.212.906.4738

SOURCE Latham & Watkins
New funding enables LeafLink to expand its suite of offerings for its industry-defining wholesale cannabis platform

Ryan G. Smith named Executive Chairman, Artie Minson promoted to President and Chief Executive Officer, Karan Gupta hired as Chief Technology Officer

NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- LeafLink , the leading wholesale cannabis platform, announced it has secured a $100 million Series D financing led by CPMG, L2 Ventures and Nosara Capital, alongside participation from existing investors. The investment will be funded in two tranches. LeafLink has implemented a series of executive leadership changes to drive the Company's evolution.

Since its founding in 2016, LeafLink has grown to become a significant partner of brands and retailers in the legal cannabis industry, serving approximately 50% of the U.S. wholesale cannabis industry across 30 markets. The Series D investment enables LeafLink to support its customers' evolving technology and operational needs through enhanced platform functionality.

LeafLink is evolving its executive leadership team with the following changes effective February 1, 2023:

Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer Ryan G. Smith will be elevated to Executive Chairman . Smith will focus on long-term strategic initiatives, innovation, customer relationships, and government relations.

. Smith will focus on long-term strategic initiatives, innovation, customer relationships, and government relations. President & Chief Operating Officer Artie Minson has been appointed President & Chief Executive Officer . Minson will oversee day-to-day strategy and execution of the business.

. Minson will oversee day-to-day strategy and execution of the business. Karan Gupta has joined LeafLink as Chief Technology Officer. Gupta will lead the Company's engineering efforts. Prior to joining LeafLink, Gupta served in technical leadership roles for more than a decade, most recently as Chief Technology Officer at Shift Technologies.

Gupta will lead the Company's engineering efforts. Prior to joining LeafLink, Gupta served in technical leadership roles for more than a decade, most recently as Chief Technology Officer at Shift Technologies. Co-Founder and current Chief Technology Officer Zach Silverman has transitioned into a Senior Advisor role. Silverman will continue providing counsel and guidance to LeafLink's management team and Board of Directors.

"Despite recent headwinds, the cannabis industry is poised for significant growth in the years ahead. Since the Company's inception, our team has built solutions that solve some of the industry's most critical problems. The Series D financing provides us with a strong balance sheet that will enable continued innovation alongside our customers," said Ryan G. Smith, Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors at LeafLink. "I'm proud to have served as CEO since LeafLink's founding and am excited to transition into the role of Executive Chairman where I'll remain deeply committed to LeafLink and the industry as a whole. I look forward to supporting and empowering the team in their roles."

"I'm honored to serve as LeafLink's next CEO and look forward to working with Ryan, our employees, and our Board of Directors as we continue to deliver best-in-class technology solutions for our customers. As states across the U.S. continue to legalize cannabis, we're looking forward to growing our partnership with the industry. Our continued goal is to help brands and retailers scale their businesses while operating safely, efficiently and in compliance. Since joining the LeafLink team, I've been amazed at our team's commitment and ability to deploy industry-first solutions for our customers. I'm incredibly excited about broadening our platform's capabilities and deepening our customer relationships in the next phase of the Company's growth," said Artie Minson, incoming President and CEO of LeafLink.

About LeafLink

LeafLink, the cannabis industry's leading B2B technology platform, is standardizing how thousands of brands, distributors, and retailers manage their operations. The Company's industry-defining tools streamline the way legal cannabis businesses create, manage, pay for, and ship their orders. LeafLink's marketplace currently processes approximately $5 billion in annual transactions, representing an estimated 50% of legal U.S. wholesale cannabis commerce.

LeafLink is backed by leading venture capital firms and strategic investors, including Casa Verde Capital, CPMG, Founders Fund, Interplay, L2 Ventures, Lerer Hippeau, Nosara Capital and Thrive Capital. LeafLink has raised more than $230 million of equity to date as well as a $250 million credit facility to provide liquidity to the cannabis supply chain. Learn more at https://LeafLink.com/ .

Media Contact:

Patrick Messenger, Director of Communications & PR

[email protected]

SOURCE LeafLink
TEANECK, N.J., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Leica Camera North America introduces Leica SL Storytellers, a collective of visual artists whose tapestry of moments, from the everyday to the extraordinary, craft stories that celebrate the human spirit.

Leica SL Storytellers - Sheila Pree Bright Leica SL Storytellers - Cheriss May

Visual storytelling allows us to communicate complex ideas and emotions through a medium that is accessible and engaging for most people. At the heart of Leica lies a legendary camera that has become synonymous with the brand: the Leica M. The Leica M-System exudes innovation and has continuously evolved, enabling its users to capture decisive moments in time. However, while the Leica M cameras allow us to slow down and focus on the art of crafting a photograph, the Leica SL-System was engineered from the ground up with a purpose.With its advanced technology, high-speed performance, and versatility, the Leica SL-System offers photographers the ability to capture stunning imagery and tell their stories in new and dynamic ways.

Photography has the power to spark conversations, and the storytellers behind the lens choose the narrative to record and share with the world. From everyday moments to magical milestones, the moments that comprise our world deserves to be witnessed.

The Leica SL Storyteller series begins with the work of accomplished photographers Cheriss May and Sheila Pree Bright, capturing their journey with the Leica SL-System to convey their unique perspectives. Sheila Pree Bright is known for her ability to bring power to quiet moments, capturing the subtleties and nuances of everyday life. Cheriss May's social commentary on civil rights and black culture in America shine a light on the important issues of identity and representation.

Discover the driving force behind our Leica SL Storytellers and how their unique points of view spark conversations, connect with the community, and ultimately tie back to a single camera system: the Leica SL2.

About Leica Camera

Leica represents a union of craftsmanship, design and experience. It is a beautiful collision of art and engineering, and the future of form and functionality. Leica Camera, headquartered in Wetzlar, Germany with a second production site in Vila Nova de Famalicao, Portugal, is an internationally operating, premium-segment manufacturer of cameras and sport optics products. The legendary status of the Leica brand is founded on a long tradition of excellence in the supreme quality and performance of cameras and lenses, and the iconic images that artists and photojournalists everywhere captured with them. For more information about Leica visit https://leicacamerausa.com/, or follow the brand on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Press Contact

For all inquiries and information:

Nike Communications Inc.

Phone: 212-529-3400

Email: [email protected]

Internet: www.leica-camera.com

SOURCE Leica Camera USA
Iten  The UK government will construct a Sh2.3 billion irish and sweet potato factory in Iten, Elgeyo County.

The facility, with a processing capacity of 60,000 tonnes, was launched yesterday by the British high commissioner to Kenya Jane Marriot.

The factory will process fresh and frozen irish and sweet potatoes, guaranteeing over 10,000 farmers steady prices in the county and the region.

Ambassador Marriot said at least 5,000 direct jobs will be created by the new plant.

In the next five-year, she expects additional 10,000 jobs to be created besides producing a new seed variety, which has the potential to double farmers' yields.

"The factory which is the first potato processing factory in the region will reduce post-harvest losses and provide ready off take of potatoes, guaranteeing steady farm prices for over 10,000 smallholder potato farmers in Elgeyo Marakwet county and the region thus transforming the lives of thousands of smallholder farmers," she said.

The factory, which is a partnership between the UK government and Select Fresh Produce Kenya Limited, will be implemented through the UK's Sustainable Urban Economic Development Programme (SUED) in collaboration with the Iten municipality.

"Our county is the second in potato production in the country after Nyandarua but the farmers have little to show for their efforts as most of the money goes to middlemen while they earn very little," Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisley Rotich said.

Fresh Produce Kenya CEO Eunice Mutua said her factory will work closely with local farmers to ensure that what they produce meets international standards.

She said the factory will be the first in the country and the third in Africa after Egypt and South Africa to process irish and sweet potatoes for the European market.

Mutua called on farmers in the country to support the factory by ensuring that they supply adequate raw materials.
RESTON, Va., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Leidos (NYSE:LDOS), a FORTUNE 500 science and technology leader, today announced the availability of version 2.0 of its Zero Trust Readiness Level (ZTRL) tool suite. ZTRL is designed to accelerate Zero Trust adoption across the government in accordance with Executive Order 14028 and OMB memorandum M-22-09.

"Zero Trust is a multi-year journey with important ramifications for government agencies and the future of cybersecurity", said James Carlini, Chief Technology Officer at Leidos. "As organizations race to keep pace with the rapidly evolving threat landscape, ZTRL version 2.0 helps them to rapidly and methodically implement Zero Trust capabilities in an optimized way."

ZTRL simplifies Zero Trust adoption for government organizations, consolidating a six-to-nine-month planning process into less than 60 days. ZTRL 2.0 also adds continuous reporting, capability planning automation, and customizable dashboards that drill into plans and progress towards meeting the criteria set out by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Zero Trust Maturity Model and the Department of Defense's Chief Information Officer (CIO) Zero Trust Strategy released in November 2022.

Leidos is a leading full-spectrum provider of cybersecurity tools to the federal government. The company's cybersecurity experts manage some of the largest, most critical networks in the federal Government. ZTRL 2.0 leverages this experience as well as proof points collected from over 250 products in the Leidos Zero Trust Proving Ground in addition to the latest tools from partners including Zscaler US Government Solutions, LLC, Palo Alto Networks, and Cisco.

For more information, visit Leidos.com/zerotrust.

About Leidos

Leidos is a Fortune 500 technology, engineering, and science solutions and services leader working to solve the world's toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, civil, and health markets. The company's 44,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $13.7 billion for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Certain statements in this announcement constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These statements are based on management's current beliefs and expectations and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. These statements are not guarantees of future results or occurrences. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the "Risk Factors" set forth in Leidos' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, and other such filings that Leidos makes with the SEC from time to time. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Leidos does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect the impact of circumstances or events that arise after the date the forward-looking statements were made.

SOURCE Leidos
DENVER, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Leiters, a trusted FDA-registered 503B outsourcing provider of compounded sterile preparations and pharmacy services, announced today that it has renewed its corporate partnership with EyeConnect International (ECI) in support of their digital ophthalmic clinical knowledge-sharing platform for ophthalmologists world-wide.

EyeConnect International's mission is to create an interactive, online worldwide community of ophthalmologists dedicated to the advancement of the ophthalmology practice and the improvement of patient care.

"We are honored that Leiters recognizes the value of peer-to-peer education," said David Karcher, Board Member, EyeConnect International and former Executive Director, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS). "We look forward to working with Leiters as we build our global online community and grow into the preferred ophthalmic knowledge-sharing platform."

Leiters provides a wide range of ophthalmic medicines and services to ophthalmology providers and is committed to providing healthcare professionals and their patients with the highest quality ready-to-adminster sterile preparations.

"Partnering with EyeConnect International extends our commitment to ophthalmologists, health care systems, and their patients," said Timothy Askew, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Leiters. "We are delighted to announce this partnership and look forward to collaborating with EyeConnect International on new and innovative ways to extend the reach of their global knowledge-sharing platform."

To learn more or register for access to the EyeConnect International Platform, please visit www.eyeconnectinternational.com

About Leiters

Leiters is a trusted FDA-registered 503B outsourcing provider of high-quality compounded sterile preparations and pharmacy services. It is committed to providing healthcare professionals and their patients with critically needed outsourced medications. Its team of experts in sterile pharmaceutical manufacturing, repackaging and compounding provide a sophisticated understanding of what it takes to elevate quality and consistency of supply in pharmaceutical outsourcing. Leiters combines a highly experienced team, with robust automated processes, in a state-of-the-art outsourcing facility, to ensure delivery of the highest quality medicines. All sterile preparations are produced under the Human Drug Outsourcing Facilities under 503B of the FD&C Act (503B Guidance) and follow Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). To learn more about how Leiters is Compounding Health please visit www.leiters.com.

Contact:

Kari Cashmore, Leiters

(720) 414-7216

[email protected]

About EyeConnect International (ECI)

EyeConnect International (ECI) is a global ophthalmic clinic networking platform. It serves as a respected digital peer to peer resource for sharing knowledge and staying up to date, allowing physicians worldwide to network with one another and establish invaluable connections. ECI was established when the EyeConnect platform, which was sponsored by American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), was discontinued. ECI's mission is to create an interactive, online worldwide community of ophthalmologists dedicated to the advancement of the ophthalmology practice and the improvement of patient care. For more information, visit www.eyeconnectinternational.com

Contact:

William G Myers, M.D., EyeConnect International

(707) 348-2020

[email protected]

SOURCE Leiters
BOSTON, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lendica, a Boston-based financial software company, announces new integrations for its growing line of embedded finance products.

Background

Lendica offers businesses a borrowing experience from the comfort of their favorite operating software. Tweet this

Lendica is an embedded finance company that is building an automated lending machine. The company embeds instant-decision, B2B payment and lending products to promote faster funding and better rates. Lendica has added Shopify and Salesforce integrations to its growing list of digital headquarters, defined as ERP, POS, Marketplace or other applications where operators spend the majority of their time managing their business.

The Boston-based fintech has spent the last several years building software to automate all functions of the lending ecosystem. Lendica's iBranch, short for integrated branch, is a full-service lender made accessible directly from a business's digital headquarters. Lendica's underwriting software, Lens, allows applicants to seamlessly share data  several times more than traditional lenders can process - and uses advanced modeling to quickly and more accurately predict default. The company is growing more than 10% month over month and adding new integrations in industries like chemicals, food and beverage, and restaurants.

Lendica's Co-founder/CEO, Jared Shulman, CFA, spent time at a private credit hedge fund researching fintech and marketplace lenders. "Five years ago, we began to observe a sea change in borrower behavior." shares Shulman, "Businesses had noticeably shifted their borrowing preferences away from banks and towards software businesses like Amazon and Toast. We founded Lendica to optimize the borrowing experience for small and medium-sized businesses from the comfort of their favorite operating software."

Enter Salesforce and Shopify

Lendica's integrations are now available from two of the largest business applications - Shopify and Salesforce. Customers can use Lendica's PayLater and FundNow products to delay payments to their vendors or speed up collection from wholesale accounts with just a few clicks.

These B2B lending transactions can be critical for businesses looking to scale during economic slowdowns. This is especially the case for businesses with complex supply chains like manufacturers, wholesalers, and CPG brands - many of which experience top line growth but still need better access to capital. Ascent Solutions, an ERP built on Salesforce with several hundred startup and SMB customers, is an early embedded-finance adopter.

"We work with customers that have grown from fledgling startups to publicly traded companies," explains James Gaines, CTO at Ascent Solutions. "In advance of rapid growth phases, good funding sources are not always readily available for many companies. Lendica's Salesforce integration was easy to install and has a beautiful UIwe're excited to add it to the Ascent Financial Package (AFP). Soon, business leaders will be able to leverage fairly-priced financing products directly from Ascent Solutions in Salesforce with the click of a button."

Lendica's proprietary underwriting engine is behind the seemingly simple, instant-decision loan offers. "Business datasets are chaotic," states Jerry Shu, Lendica's Co-founder/CTO. "The power of Lendica's Lens is its ability to input many different datasources and fit them to a universal schema, or Token. This allows us to underwrite a business based on their real-time revenues and costs instead of bank balances and transactions. Lendica can be plugged into any operating software, whether Salesforce, Shopify or an independent ERP, and leverage the same Token."

For businesses powered by Shopify, Lendica's PayLater extension allows B2B wholesalers and distributors to offer seller terms at checkout. The easy to install tool adds flexible financing options right at the purchase point - often increasing order sizes and welcoming back repeat customers.

To learn more about Lendica's Salesforce and Shopify integrations, please visit golendica.com. To learn more about Ascent Solutions, please visit ascenterp.com.

SOURCE Lendica Corp
NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Loan Servicing Software Market by Application, Deployment, and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2023-2027 report has been published by Technavio. Market growth is estimated to accelerate at a CAGR of 10.72% and register an incremental growth of USD 2,130.07 million during the forecast period. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of growth opportunities at regional levels, new product launches, the latest trends, and the post-pandemic recovery of the global market. Download PDF Sample Report.

Regional analysis

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Loan Servicing Software Market 2023-2027

By region, the global loan servicing software market is segmented into North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and the Middle East and Africa. North America will account for 49% of the market's growth during the forecast period. The adoption of digital borrowing and lending funds is driving the growth of the regional market.

Company profiles

The loan servicing software market report includes information on the key products and recent developments of leading vendors, including:

Black Knight Inc: The company offers loan servicing software solutions such as Mortgage Servicing Platform.

The company offers loan servicing software solutions such as Mortgage Servicing Platform. Constellation Software Inc: The company offers loan servicing software solutions such as Constellation Financial Software.

The company offers loan servicing software solutions such as Constellation Financial Software. Cyrus Technoedge Solutions Pvt. Ltd: The company offers loan servicing software solutions such as Loan Management Software.

The company offers loan servicing software solutions such as Loan Management Software. DownHome Solutions: The company offers loan servicing software solutions such as DownHome Loan Manager.

The company offers loan servicing software solutions such as DownHome Loan Manager. Fidelity National Information Services Inc: The company offers loan servicing software solutions such as FIS Commercial Loan Servicing.

The company offers loan servicing software solutions such as FIS Commercial Loan Servicing. Financial Industry Computer Systems Inc

Fiserv Inc.

Graveco Software Inc.

LOAN SERVICING SOFT Inc

Nortridge Software LLC

Nucleus Software Exports Ltd

Oracle Corp.

To gain access to more vendor profiles available with Technavio, buy the report!

Market dynamics

The market is driven by factors such as the rising demand for efficiency in lending operations, the rise in adoption of cloud-based loan servicing software offerings, and the rising cost of loan servicing. However, the data privacy and security issues associated with cloud-based products and services are hindering market growth.

Competitive analysis

The competitive scenario categorizes companies based on various performance indicators. Some of the factors considered include the financial performance of companies over the past few years, growth strategies, product innovations, new product launches, investments, and growth in market share, among others. Request a Sample

Market segmentation

By application , the market is segmented into banks, credit unions, mortgage lenders, brokers, and others . The bank segment accounted for the largest share of the market in 2021.

, the market is segmented into . The bank segment accounted for the largest share of the market in 2021. By geography, the market is segmented into North America , Europe , APAC, South America , and the Middle East and Africa . North America held the largest share of the market in 2021.

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Contract Life-cycle Management (CLM) Software Market by Component, Deployment and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2023-2027: The contract life-cycle management (CLM) software market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 18.8% between 2022 and 2027. The size of the market is forecast to increase by USD 2,922.58 million. The pricing strategies of vendors are notably driving the market growth, although factors such as high implementation and maintenance costs may impede the market growth.

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What are the key data covered in this loan servicing software market report?

CAGR of the market during the forecast period

Detailed information on factors that will drive the growth of the loan servicing software market between 2023 and 2027

Precise estimation of the size of the loan servicing software market and its contribution to the parent market

Accurate predictions about upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

Growth of the loan servicing software market across North America , Europe , APAC, South America , and Middle East and Africa

A thorough analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information about vendors

Comprehensive analysis of factors that will challenge the growth of loan servicing software market vendors

Loan Servicing Software Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 163 Base year 2022 Historic period 2017-2021 Forecast period 2023-2027 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 10.72% Market growth 2023-2027 USD 2130.07 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 10.36 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution North America at 49% Key countries US, Canada, Japan, UK, and France Competitive landscape Leading Vendors, Market Positioning of Vendors, Competitive Strategies, and Industry Risks Key companies profiled Abrigo, Applied Business Software Inc, Black Knight Inc, C Loans Inc., Constellation Software Inc., Cyrus Technoedge Solutions Pvt. Ltd., DownHome Solutions, Fidelity National Information Services Inc., Financial Industry Computer Systems Inc, Fiserv Inc., Graveco Software Inc., LOAN SERVICING SOFT Inc, Nortridge Software LLC, Nucleus Software Exports Ltd, Oracle Corp., PCFS Solutions, Q2 Holdings Inc., Shaw Systems Associates LLC, and Sopra Banking Software Market dynamics Parent Market Analysis; Market growth inducers and obstacles; Fast-growing and slow-growing segment 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.

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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 Deployment



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 2022

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2022-2027

Exhibit 14: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 15: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 16: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 17: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

4 Historic Market Size

4.1 Global loan servicing software market 2017 - 2021

Exhibit 18: Historic Market Size  Data Table on Global loan servicing software market 2017 - 2021 ($ million)

4.2 Application Segment Analysis 2017 - 2021

Exhibit 19: Historic Market Size  Application Segment 2017 - 2021 ($ million)

4.3 Deployment Segment Analysis 2017 - 2021

Exhibit 20: Historic Market Size  Deployment Segment 2017 - 2021 ($ million)

4.4 Geography Segment Analysis 2017 - 2021

Exhibit 21: Historic Market Size  Geography Segment 2017 - 2021 ($ million)

4.5 Country Segment Analysis 2017 - 2021

Exhibit 22: Historic Market Size  Country Segment 2017 - 2021 ($ million)

5 Five Forces Analysis

5.1 Five forces summary

Exhibit 23: Five forces analysis - Comparison between 2022 and 2027

5.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit 24: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers  Impact of key factors 2022 and 2027

5.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit 25: Bargaining power of suppliers  Impact of key factors in 2022 and 2027

5.4 Threat of new entrants

Exhibit 26: Threat of new entrants  Impact of key factors in 2022 and 2027

5.5 Threat of substitutes

Exhibit 27: Threat of substitutes  Impact of key factors in 2022 and 2027

5.6 Threat of rivalry

Exhibit 28: Threat of rivalry  Impact of key factors in 2022 and 2027

5.7 Market condition

Exhibit 29: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2022 and 2027

6 Market Segmentation by Application

6.1 Market segments

Exhibit 30: Chart on Application - Market share 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 31: Data Table on Application - Market share 2022-2027 (%)

6.2 Comparison by Application

Exhibit 32: Chart on Comparison by Application



Exhibit 33: Data Table on Comparison by Application

6.3 Banks - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 34: Chart on Banks - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 35: Data Table on Banks - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 36: Chart on Banks - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 37: Data Table on Banks - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

6.4 Credit unions - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 38: Chart on Credit unions - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 39: Data Table on Credit unions - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 40: Chart on Credit unions - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 41: Data Table on Credit unions - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

6.5 Mortgage lenders - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 42: Chart on Mortgage lenders - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 43: Data Table on Mortgage lenders - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 44: Chart on Mortgage lenders - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 45: Data Table on Mortgage lenders - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

6.6 Brokers - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 46: Chart on Brokers - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 47: Data Table on Brokers - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 48: Chart on Brokers - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 49: Data Table on Brokers - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

6.7 Others - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 50: Chart on Others - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 51: Data Table on Others - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 52: Chart on Others - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 53: Data Table on Others - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

6.8 Market opportunity by Application

Exhibit 54: Market opportunity by Application ($ million)

7 Market Segmentation by Deployment

7.1 Market segments

Exhibit 55: Chart on Deployment - Market share 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 56: Data Table on Deployment - Market share 2022-2027 (%)

7.2 Comparison by Deployment

Exhibit 57: Chart on Comparison by Deployment



Exhibit 58: Data Table on Comparison by Deployment

7.3 Cloud-based - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 59: Chart on Cloud-based - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 60: Data Table on Cloud-based - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 61: Chart on Cloud-based - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 62: Data Table on Cloud-based - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

7.4 On-premise - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 63: Chart on On-premise - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 64: Data Table on On-premise - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 65: Chart on On-premise - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 66: Data Table on On-premise - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

7.5 Market opportunity by Deployment

Exhibit 67: Market opportunity by Deployment ($ million)

8 Customer Landscape

8.1 Customer landscape overview

Exhibit 68: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria

9 Geographic Landscape

9.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 69: Chart on Market share by geography 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 70: Data Table on Market share by geography 2022-2027 (%)

9.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 71: Chart on Geographic comparison



Exhibit 72: Data Table on Geographic comparison

9.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 73: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 74: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 75: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 76: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 77: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 78: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 79: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 80: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.5 APAC - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 81: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 82: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 83: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 84: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 85: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 86: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 87: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 88: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.7 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

and - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 89: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 90: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 91: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

and - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 92: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.8 US - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 93: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 94: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 95: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 96: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.9 UK - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 97: Chart on UK - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 98: Data Table on UK - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 99: Chart on UK - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 100: Data Table on UK - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.10 Japan - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 101: Chart on Japan - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 102: Data Table on Japan - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 103: Chart on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 104: Data Table on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.11 Canada - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 105: Chart on Canada - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 106: Data Table on Canada - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 107: Chart on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 108: Data Table on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.12 France - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 109: Chart on France - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 110: Data Table on France - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 111: Chart on France - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 112: Data Table on France - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.13 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 113: Market opportunity by geography ($ million)

10 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10.1 Market drivers

10.2 Market challenges

10.3 Impact of drivers and challenges

Exhibit 114: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2022 and 2027

10.4 Market trends

11 Vendor Landscape

11.1 Overview

11.2 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 115: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation

11.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 116: Overview on factors of disruption

11.4 Industry risks

Exhibit 117: Impact of key risks on business

12 Vendor Analysis

12.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 118: Vendors covered

12.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 119: Matrix on vendor position and classification

12.3 Abrigo

Exhibit 120: Abrigo - Overview



Exhibit 121: Abrigo - Product / Service



Exhibit 122: Abrigo - Key offerings

12.4 Applied Business Software Inc

Exhibit 123: Applied Business Software Inc - Overview



Exhibit 124: Applied Business Software Inc - Product / Service



Exhibit 125: Applied Business Software Inc - Key offerings

12.5 Black Knight Inc

Exhibit 126: Black Knight Inc - Overview



Exhibit 127: Black Knight Inc - Business segments



Exhibit 128: Black Knight Inc - Key offerings



Exhibit 129: Black Knight Inc - Segment focus

12.6 Constellation Software Inc.

Exhibit 130: Constellation Software Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 131: Constellation Software Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 132: Constellation Software Inc. - Key offerings

12.7 Cyrus Technoedge Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

Exhibit 133: Cyrus Technoedge Solutions Pvt. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 134: Cyrus Technoedge Solutions Pvt. Ltd. - Product / Service



Exhibit 135: Cyrus Technoedge Solutions Pvt. Ltd. - Key offerings

12.8 DownHome Solutions

Exhibit 136: DownHome Solutions - Overview



Exhibit 137: DownHome Solutions - Product / Service



Exhibit 138: DownHome Solutions - Key offerings

12.9 Fidelity National Information Services Inc.

Exhibit 139: Fidelity National Information Services Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 140: Fidelity National Information Services Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 141: Fidelity National Information Services Inc. - Key news



Exhibit 142: Fidelity National Information Services Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 143: Fidelity National Information Services Inc. - Segment focus

12.10 Financial Industry Computer Systems Inc

Exhibit 144: Financial Industry Computer Systems Inc - Overview



Exhibit 145: Financial Industry Computer Systems Inc - Product / Service



Exhibit 146: Financial Industry Computer Systems Inc - Key offerings

12.11 Fiserv Inc.

Exhibit 147: Fiserv Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 148: Fiserv Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 149: Fiserv Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 150: Fiserv Inc. - Segment focus

12.12 LOAN SERVICING SOFT Inc

Exhibit 151: LOAN SERVICING SOFT Inc - Overview



Exhibit 152: LOAN SERVICING SOFT Inc - Product / Service



Exhibit 153: LOAN SERVICING SOFT Inc - Key offerings

12.13 Nortridge Software LLC

Exhibit 154: Nortridge Software LLC - Overview



Exhibit 155: Nortridge Software LLC - Product / Service



Exhibit 156: Nortridge Software LLC - Key offerings

12.14 Nucleus Software Exports Ltd

Exhibit 157: Nucleus Software Exports Ltd - Overview



Exhibit 158: Nucleus Software Exports Ltd - Business segments



Exhibit 159: Nucleus Software Exports Ltd - Key offerings



Exhibit 160: Nucleus Software Exports Ltd - Segment focus

12.15 Oracle Corp.

Exhibit 161: Oracle Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 162: Oracle Corp. - Business segments



Exhibit 163: Oracle Corp. - Key news



Exhibit 164: Oracle Corp. - Key offerings



Exhibit 165: Oracle Corp. - Segment focus

12.16 PCFS Solutions

Exhibit 166: PCFS Solutions - Overview



Exhibit 167: PCFS Solutions - Product / Service



Exhibit 168: PCFS Solutions - Key offerings

12.17 Shaw Systems Associates LLC

Exhibit 169: Shaw Systems Associates LLC - Overview



Exhibit 170: Shaw Systems Associates LLC - Product / Service



Exhibit 171: Shaw Systems Associates LLC - Key offerings

13 Appendix

13.1 Scope of the report

13.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist

Exhibit 172: Inclusions checklist



Exhibit 173: Exclusions checklist

13.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 174: Currency conversion rates for US$

13.4 Research methodology

Exhibit 175: Research methodology



Exhibit 176: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 177: Information sources

13.5 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 178: 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
BOSTON, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Loanspark announced the launch of their new co-branded lending service that equips organizations with the expertise, support, and digital tools they need to provide business funding products.

The new fintech service champions customer-inspired financing solutions by helping B2B firms design lending programs that address their clients' need for capital while generating additional business revenue. It's based on a win-win approach that cements fruitful B2B relationships and promotes mutual prosperity.

The Best SMB Financial Growth Partner

Loanspark founder and CEO Michael Barnett envisions a world where all businesses have equal financial opportunities and easy access to capital. True to that vision, Loanspark partners with B2B businesses to provide funding solutions to their customers, breaking the market dominance of bureaucratic "big money" lenders.

"We strive to accomplish this by providing tailored business lending products and services that deliver value for our clients' SMB customers and thus help to ensure the health and growth of business communities everywhere," Michael says.

A co-branded partnership with Loanspark gives aspiring alternative lenders an edge by eliminating entry barriers into the financial industry. Loanspark brings all the digital resources and expertise needed to design, build, and host meaningful funding offers for specific SMB communities. This arrangement means any business can become a value-added lender to its customers.

Loanspark handles all the logistics of developing and running a new lending service on behalf of its co-branded partners. And once the product is delivered, the partner markets it under their own brand name as a new commercial lending solution.

Sustainable Business Growth with Loanspark

CEO Michael Barnett wants to change the way business lending is done. Michael states, "There is a need for change in the lending space. It's our collective responsibility to make funding more accessible to SMBs and engage all B2B businesses willing to participate." He adds, "Loanspark can position any B2B business to provide funding to its customers as a value-added service."

These are the fundamental values that set Loanspark apart in the embedded finance space:

Commitment to advocating for SMB success

20+ years of experience in the commercial lending industry and customer advocacy

Strong motivation to standardize the messy business lending processes

Keen interest in driving equitable financing

A one-stop financial marketplace experience

About Loanspark

During his 20-year career in the commercial lending space, CEO Michael Barnett witnessed the struggles SMBs and startups endured when seeking business capital. Following this, Michael set out on a mission to make funding accessible to all entrepreneurs, and that's how Loanspark was born. Loanspark simplifies the needlessly complicated business lending process for borrowers and lenders through a financial ecosystem that fosters mutual growth. Michael says, "We make the process easy: your customers grow, you grow!"

SOURCE Loanspark, LLC
NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --

SUMMARY NOTICE OF PROPOSED CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENTS

If you entered into a European Government Bond Transaction from January 1, 2007 through and including December 31, 2012 ("Class Period"), your rights may be affected by pending class action settlements and you may be entitled to a portion of the settlement fund.

This notice is to alert you to proposed settlements reached with JPMorgan and State Street (collectively, the "Settling Defendants") in In re European Government Bonds Antitrust Litigation, No. 1:19-cv-2601 (VM) (S.D.N.Y.) and the creation of a settlement fund totaling $13,000,000. JPMorgan and State Street also agreed to provide cooperation in connection with Plaintiffs' continued prosecution of claims against the non-settling defendants. The settlements with JPMorgan and State Street will resolve the claim against them in the action. JPMorgan and State Street deny any liability, fault, or wrongdoing in connection with the allegations in the action. Litigation remains ongoing against the non-settling defendants.

The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (the "Court") authorized this notice. The Court appointed the law firms listed below to represent the Settlement Class:

Vincent Briganti LOWEY DANNENBERG, P.C. 44 S. Broadway, Suite 1100 White Plains, NY 10601 Kristen M. Anderson SCOTT+SCOTT ATTORNEYS AT LAW LLP 230 Park Ave., 17th Floor New York, NY 10169



Gregory S. Asciolla DICELLO LEVITT LLC 485 Lexington Avenue, Suite 1001 New York, NY 10017 Todd A. Seaver BERMAN TABACCO 425 California Street, Suite 2300 San Francisco, CA 94104

Who Is a Member of the Settlement Class?

Subject to certain exceptions, the Settlement Class consists of all persons that purchased or sold one or more European Government Bond(s) in the United States directly from a defendant (or a direct or indirect parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or division of a defendant, or any of their alleged co-conspirators) from January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2012.

"European Government Bonds" means euro-denominated sovereign debt or bonds issued by European governments (e.g., Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain).

If you are not sure if you are included in the Settlement Class, you can get more information, by visiting www.EuropeanGovernmentBondsSettlement.com or by calling toll-free 1-877-883-7336 (for callers outside the United States and Canada: 414-961-7813).

What Is This Lawsuit About?

Plaintiffs allege that defendants, including JPMorgan and State Street, agreed to fix prices and depress yields for European Government Bonds. Specifically, Plaintiffs allege that defendants collusively bid above the market price for European Government Bonds at auctions in the primary market through a process known as "overbidding." Plaintiffs further allege that defendants profited from this misconduct by selling bonds purchased at auction at artificially inflated prices to investors in the secondary market. Plaintiffs also allege that defendants agreed to widen bid-ask spreads in the secondary market for European Government Bonds, thereby charging investors increased prices for purchases and paying investors decreased prices for sales of bonds. Plaintiffs assert claims under federal antitrust law.

What Do the Settlements Provide?

To settle the claims in this lawsuit, JPMorgan agreed to pay a total of $13,000,000. JPMorgan and State Street also agreed to provide cooperation in connection with Plaintiffs' continued prosecution of claims against the non-settling defendants. If the settlements are approved, the settlement amount, plus interest earned and less any taxes, notice and administration costs, Court-awarded attorneys' fees and litigation expenses, any service awards for Plaintiffs, and any other expenses approved by the Court will be divided among all Settlement Class Members who submit valid claim forms.

Will I Get a Payment?

If you are a member of the Settlement Class and do not opt out, you will be eligible for a payment under the Settlements if you file a valid claim form. Claim forms must be submitted online at www.EuropeanGovernmentBondsSettlement.com on or before 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on April 26, 2023 OR mailed so that they are received by April 26, 2023.

What Are My Rights?

If you are a member of the Settlement Class and do not opt out, you will release certain legal rights against Settling Defendants and the other Released Parties, as explained in the Court's detailed notice and the settlement agreements, which are available at www.EuropeanGovernmentBondsSettlement.com. If you do not want to be a member of the Settlement Class with respect to these settlements, you must opt out by April 10, 2023. You may object to these settlements, the plan of distribution, application for an award of attorneys' fees and litigation expenses, and/or service awards for Plaintiffs by April 10, 2023. Information on how to opt out or object is contained in the Court's detailed notice, which is available at www.EuropeanGovernmentBondsSettlement.com.

When Is the Settlement Hearing?

The Court will hold a settlement hearing at the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse, 500 Pearl St., Courtroom 15B, New York, NY 10007, on June 2, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. to consider whether to finally approve the settlements, plan of distribution, application for an award of attorneys' fees and litigation expenses, and any service awards for Plaintiffs. You or your lawyer may ask to appear and speak at the hearing at your own expense, but you do not have to.

For more information, call toll-free 1-877-883-7336 (for callers outside the United States and Canada: 414-961-7813) or visit www.EuropeanGovernmentBondsSettlement.com.

**** Please do not call the Court or the Clerk of the Court for information about the settlements. ****

Source(s):

Lowey Dannenberg, P.C.

Scott+Scott Attorneys At Law LLP

DiCello Levitt LLC

Berman Tabacco

SOURCE Lowey Dannenberg, P.C., Scott+Scott Attorneys At Law LLP, DiCello Levitt LLC and Berman Tabacco
Lukka has appointed Former Mckinsey Partner, Ian Hurst, as their First Head of Europe.

LONDON, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lukka, the leading institutional crypto data and software provider, has brought on former Lukka Advisory Board Ian Hurst as their newly created Head of Europe. Prior to his role and advisory position at Lukka, Hurst was a partner at Mckinsey & Company, where he was a longstanding leader in their Financial Institutions Practice. After his time at Mckinsey, he went on to IBM as General Manager of Global Financial Services, where he was responsible for overall relationships with major financial services firms around the world.

Hurst, who is based in London, will work closely with Lukka's other leaders to further expand business in European markets. In addition, his experience as a global financial leader will allow him to position Lukka as a front-runner in the region's developing crypto financial markets.

"I am thrilled to shift from my advisor role to taking on the Head of Europe position and guiding Lukka as we continue our European expansion. There is a lot of potential for Lukka to facilitate institutional involvement in digital assets in the region and I am looking forward to leading the business toward those opportunities." Ian Hurst, Head of Europe.

This announcement comes on the heels of Lukka announcing its European office opening in Zug, Switzerland, along with closing a significant deal with Swiss company Bitcoin Suisse, signaling the company's intention to further grow their European reach.

About Lukka:

Founded in 2014, Lukka serves the most risk mature businesses in the world with institutional data and software solutions. Lukka bridges the gap between the complexities of blockchain data and traditional business needs. Its customers include both Traditional and Crypto Asset Exchanges and Trading desks, CPA & Accounting Firms, Fund and Financial Auditors, Fund Administrators, Miners, Protocols, individuals, and any other businesses interacting with crypto assets. All of Lukka's products are created with institutional standards, including AICPA SOC Controls and ISO standards, which focus on accuracy and completeness. Lukka is a global company headquartered in the United States.

For information about Lukka, visit https://lukka.tech/

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1994107/Lukka_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Lukka
IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today reported total January sales of 22,967 vehicles, an increase of 9.0 percent compared to January 2022. With 24 selling days in January, compared to the same the year prior, the company posted an increase of 9.0 percent on a Daily Selling Rate (DSR) basis.

CPO sales totaled 4,605 vehicles in January, an increase of 48 percent compared to January 2022.

Sales Highlights

Best-ever January sales of CX-30 with 5,065 vehicles sold.

Best-ever January sales of CX-9 with 3,170 vehicles sold.

Mazda Canada, Inc., (MCI) reported January sales of 3,142 vehicles, a decrease of 10.0 percent compared to January last year.

Mazda Motor de Mexico (MMdM) reported January sales of 6,591 vehicles, an increase of 89.7 percent compared to last year.

Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, California, and oversees the sales, marketing, parts, and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Colombia through approximately 795 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada Inc. in Richmond Hill, Ontario; operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City; and operations in Colombia are managed by Mazda de Colombia in Bogota, Colombia. For more information on Mazda vehicles, including photography and B-roll, please visit the online Mazda media center at News.MazdaUSA.com.

Follow MNAO's social media channels through Twitter and Instagram at @MazdaUSA and Facebook at Facebook.com/MazdaUSA.

























































Month-To-Date

Year-To-Date

































January January YOY % % MTD

January January YOY % % MTD







2023 2022 Change DSR

2023 2022 Change DSR































Mazda3 1,577 3,470 (54.6) % (54.6) %

1,577 3,470 (54.6) % (54.6) %





Mazda 3 Sdn 1,012 1,430 (29.2) % (29.2) %

1012 1,430 (29.2) % (29.2) %





Mazda 3 HB 565 2,040 (72.3) % (72.3) %

565 2,040 (72.3) % (72.3) %































Mazda6 0 256 (100.0) % (100.0) %

0 256 (100.0) % (100.0) %































MX-5 Miata 724 386 87.6 % 87.6 %

724 386 87.6 % 87.6 %





MX-5 356 135 163.7 % 163.7 %

356 135 163.7 % 163.7 %





MXR 368 251 46.6 % 46.6 %

368 251 46.6 % 46.6 %































CX-3 - 0 - -

- 0 - -





CX-30 5,065 1,818 178.6 % 178.6 %

5065 1,818 178.6 % 178.6 %





CX-5 9,833 12,604 (22.0) % (22.0) %

9833 12,604 (22.0) % (22.0) %





CX-9 3,170 2,512 26.2 % 26.2 %

3170 2,512 26.2 % 26.2 %





CX-50 2,589 0 - -

2589 0 - -





MX-30 9 33 (72.7) % (72.7) %

9 33 (72.7) % (72.7) %































CARS 2,301 4,112 (44.0) % (44.0) %

2,301 4,112 (44.0) % (44.0) %





TRUCKS 20,666 16,967 21.8 % 21.8 %

20,666 16,967 21.8 % 21.8 %































TOTAL 22,967 21,079 9.0 % 9.0 %

22,967 21,079 9.0 % 9.0 %

























































*Selling Days 24 24





24 24





























































SOURCE Mazda North American Operations
WINNIPEG, MB, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Medicure Inc. ("Medicure" or the "Company") (TSXV: MPH) (OTC: MCUJF), a company focused on the development and commercialization of pharmaceuticals and healthcare products for patients and prescribers in the United States market, announced today that Gerald McDole, a member of the Board of Directors, has resigned from his position, effective January 31, 2023. Mr. McDole was originally appointed a director on January 16, 2004.

"On behalf of the Board and senior leadership team, I would like to thank Gerry for his long-standing years of service to the Company, stated Albert Friesen," Chair of Medicure's Board of Directors. "His experienced guidance and reasoned strategic insights greatly benefited Medicure throughout the years and we were blessed to have someone of Gerry's character and integrity in a governance position."

The Company also announces that it has granted stock options (the "Options") to certain directors, officers and employees of the Company to purchase a total of 1,205,000 common shares at a price of $1.25 per common share. The Options are exercisable for a period of ten years and have been granted in accordance with the terms of the Company's current stock option plan. The grant of Options is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

About Medicure Inc.

Medicure is a pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of therapies for the U.S. cardiovascular market. The present focus of the Company is the marketing and distribution of AGGRASTAT (tirofiban hydrochloride) injection and ZYPITAMAG (pitavastatin) tablets in the United States, where they are sold through the Company's U.S. subsidiary, Medicure Pharma Inc. Medicure also operates Marley Drug, Inc. ("Marley Drug"), a pharmacy located in North Carolina that offers an Extended Supply drug program serving all 50 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. Marley Drug is committed to improving the health status of its patients and the communities they serve while reducing overall health care costs for employers and other health care consumers. For more information visit www.marleydrug.com. To learn more about The Extended Supply Generic Drug Program call 800.286.6781 or email [email protected]. For more information on Medicure please visit www.medicure.com. For additional information about AGGRASTAT, please visit www.aggrastathdb.com or refer to the full Prescribing Information. For additional information about ZYPITAMAG, please visit www.zypitamag.com or refer to the full Prescribing Information.

To be added to Medicure's e-mail list, please visit:

http://medicure.mediaroom.com/alerts

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 Information: Statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "believes", "may", "plans", "will", "estimates", "continues", "anticipates", "intends", "expects" and similar expressions, may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. federal securities laws (such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are hereinafter collectively referred to as "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements, include estimates, analysis and opinions of management of the Company made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors which the Company believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances. Inherent in forward-looking statements are known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors beyond the Company's ability to predict or control that may cause the actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, and as such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Such risk factors include, among others, the Company's future product revenues, expected results, including future revenue from P5P, the likelihood of receiving a priority review voucher from the United State Food and Drug Administration, expected future growth in revenues, stage of development, additional capital requirements, risks associated with the completion and timing of clinical trials and obtaining regulatory approval to market the Company's products, the ability to protect its intellectual property, dependence upon collaborative partners, changes in government regulation or regulatory approval processes, and rapid technological change in the industry. Such statements are based on a number of assumptions which may prove to be incorrect, including, but not limited to, assumptions about: general business and economic conditions; the impact of changes in Canadian-US dollar and other foreign exchange rates on the Company's revenues, costs and results; the timing of the receipt of regulatory and governmental approvals for the Company's research and development projects; the availability of financing for the Company's commercial operations and/or research and development projects, or the availability of financing on reasonable terms; results of current and future clinical trials; the uncertainties associated with the acceptance and demand for new products and market competition. The foregoing list of important factors and assumptions is not exhaustive. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements or the foregoing list of factors, other than as may be required by applicable legislation. Additional discussion regarding the risks and uncertainties relating to the Company and its business can be found in the Company's other filings with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities or the US Securities and Exchange Commission, and in the "Risk Factors" section of its Form 20F for the year ended December 31, 2021.

AGGRASTAT (tirofiban hydrochloride) injection, ZYPITAMAG (pitavastatin) tablets, and Marley Drug are registered trademarks.

SOURCE Medicure Inc.
WESTWOOD, Kan., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Midwest Transplant Network (MTN), a Kansas-based organ procurement organization (OPO), has partnered with Specialist Direct, a leading telehealth solutions provider, to utilize its telepathology, telecardiology and teleradiology services to accelerate the diagnostics of organ and tissue donations. In addition, MTN selected Specialist Direct to provide telehealth and training support services for its recently launched in-house Donor Care and Surgical Recovery Unit (DCU).

"As the demand for organ and tissue donations continues to grow, Midwest Transplant Network is adopting telehealth solutions to help expedite the screening process so that organ transplants can be done sooner," said Melissa Ott, Senior Director, Organ Procurement Services at MTN. "We are pleased to be working with industry leader Specialist Direct to further our mission of connecting and saving lives with organ donations. Their innovative services have greatly contributed to a more seamless transplantation process for our patients and their medical teams."

MTN can allocate organs faster to those in need by using telehealth services to streamline the organ screening and transplant process. Specialist Direct's team of U.S. board-certified pathologists, cardiologists and radiologists interpret digital diagnostic studies, providing advanced diagnoses with improved speed and accuracy. Its SDI Cloud platform facilitates real-time sharing of images, which provides cost and time-efficiencies within the organ transplantation process.

Specialist Direct played an integral role in the creation of MTN's DCU which was recently opened to help alleviate burdens on local hospitals by providing highly specialized care from expertly trained staff members to organ donors and potentially more organs for those awaiting organ transplants. MTN is the 12th OPO in the country with a donor care unit/donor recovery center that is not based within a hospital. MTN partnered with Specialist Direct to help design sections of its facility and train its team of medical professionals to expand their in-house capabilities. Specialist Direct also provides cloud-based technology that enables MTN's DCU to remotely connect with its specialists as well as with surgeons across the country.

"It is rewarding to be working with Midwest Transplant Network to support their goals of helping donors and patients achieve successful organ transplantation outcomes," said Scott Rombach, Founder and CEO of Specialist Direct. "At Specialist Direct, our top priority is to deliver the highest level of clinical care and services, combined with a strong focus on customer support to help OPOs more effectively allocate organ donations to those who need them."

Specialist Direct is the market leader and standard of care in delivering telehealth solutions for the OPO community. By delivering OPO diagnostic best practices, the company is committed to support the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) in achieving 50,000 annual transplants by 2026.

ABOUT MIDWEST TRANSPLANT NETWORK

Midwest Transplant Network has been connecting lives through organ donation since 1973. As the federally designated not-for-profit organ procurement organization (OPO) for Kansas and the western two-thirds of Missouri, Midwest Transplant Network provides services including organ procurement; surgical tissue and eye recovery; laboratory testing; and 24-hour rapid response for referrals from hospital partners. Midwest Transplant Network ranks in the top 10% in the country among OPOs, which reflects the organization's quality, professionalism and excellence in partnerships throughout the region. For more information, visit mwtn.org.

ABOUT SPECIALIST DIRECT

Specialist Direct telehealth solutions provide real-time access to the world's top medical specialists to deliver superior patient outcomes. The company's diagnostic solutions for organ procurement organizations and transplant hospitals facilitate increased organ recovery rates and save lives. Its services include telecardiology, telepathology, telepulmonology and teleradiology. For more information visit specialistdirectinc.com.

Media Contact: Specialist Direct Public Relations

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 888.317.0776

specialistdirectinc.com

SOURCE Specialist Direct
Rabat  Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, said Tuesday that Morocco's industrial exports should reach 360 billion dirhams in 2022.

Replying to an oral question at the House of Councillors on "The outcome of the 2014-2020 Industrial Acceleration Plan", Mezzour recalled that the volume of industrial exports had not exceeded 160 billion dirhams in 2013, before the Plan was launched, highlighting a progression of about 200 billion dirhams in 9 years.

This Plan has achieved a "very positive" outcome by exceeding its goal of creating 500,000 jobs, said the Minister, adding that this scheme has, in addition, to create integrated industrial ecosystems, support competitiveness, strengthen the confidence of Moroccan and foreign investors in the Moroccan industry and enhance the Kingdom's attractiveness as a destination for industrial investment.

In response to another question on "Strengthening trade with African countries," Mezzour said that the volume of trade with African states would reach more than 65 billion dirhams in 2022, noting that these exchanges have more than quadrupled during the period 2001-2021, from 10 billion dirhams to 46 billion dirhams in 2021.

Nevertheless, the ambitions are not yet achieved at this level, he said, stressing the existence of a set of projects to consolidate trade and partnership with African countries, including the African Continental Free Trade Area, and the Dakhla Port, called to become, after its completion in 2027, a high-level gateway to Africa to improve access to African markets and accessibility of the African product to world markets.
Mimo Monitors tapped by Lenovo to collaborate on Smart Collaboration business

CHICAGO, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Mimo Monitors (www.MimoMonitors.com), the global experts in small touchscreen displays and a leader in conference room hardware, are pleased to share that they are now partnering with Lenovo as a supplier of multiple touchscreen controllers as part of Lenovo's Smart Collaboration business. Mimo Monitors, long considered a leader in the conference room space and found in conference rooms all around the world, is thrilled to provide their market expertise and cutting-edge engineering to Lenovo.

Mimo Monitors is thrilled to be partnering with Lenovo as a supplier of multiple touchscreen controllers as part of Lenovos Smart Collaboration business.

"When looking for a partner in the Smart Collaboration business, we sought out Mimo because of their impressive pedigree and knowledge of how to create an optimal product that fills an important need in the conference room space," said Bryan Thomas, Director of the Smart Office Business Group at Lenovo. "True to Mimo's DNA, they've created the ideal conference room solution, leveraging their cutting-edge technology and forward-thinking engineering while working in lockstep with our team."

Mimo Monitors has a reputation for being an innovator and in the conference room space, anticipating needs well in advance of the market. Over the last few years they have launched attention-getting and award-winning products such as the Mimo Myst Link, the first AV-over-IP controller with HDMI capture, and have been pioneers in bringing haptics into the conference room.

"Lenovo has a reputation for innovation and excellence, so we were thrilled to be asked to partner with them on their Smart Collaboration business," said David Anderson, CEO and President of Mimo Monitors. "We look forward to continuing and growing our synergistic relationship with Lenovo and providing premium products that fill an important need to customers, together."

To learn more about Mimo Monitors's video conferencing solutions visit: https://www.mimomonitors.com/collections/10-inch-monitors/products/mimo-myst-link-av-over-ip-display

About Mimo Monitors:

Mimo Monitors (www.mimomonitors.com) was founded in 2008 to provide customers and partners with personalized customer service and the best quality small footprint small displays, touch screens, and tablets at the best value. Striving to provide customers with a technical partnership to develop customized solutions with leading edge technologies, Mimo Monitors has grown into a leading supplier of touch solutions for a wide variety of markets and Fortune 500 companies such as Google, Hertz, and VeriFone. From interactive POP digital signage, to desktop and mounted control panels, to point of sale systems, hands-on kiosks, and portable applications, our unique single USB connection allows for a myriad of innovative applications.

SOURCE Mimo Monitors
IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Minew, a leading provider of advanced IoT technologies, and InPlay Inc, a provider of innovative wireless connectivity SoC technology, are proud to announce their strategic partnership that promises to revolutionize the IoT market. This collaboration has resulted in the launch of two new, game-changing Bluetooth LE tag products, the T3 Disposable Tag and i6 Disposable Tag, which are set to set a new benchmark for affordability and performance in the IoT industry.

The $1 price tag represents a major milestone in the IoT industry and promises to transform the supply chain and inventory management processes for businesses of all sizes. Tweet this Minew and InPlay Partner to Launch Game-Changing $1 Bluetooth LE Tag Products, Revolutionizing IoT Industry

Leveraging InPlay's award-winning NanoBeacon technology and Minew's extensive expertise in the IoT industry, these new Bluetooth LE tags are designed to deliver an exceptional solution that balances affordability with dependable performance. The $1 price tag represents a major milestone in the IoT industry and promises to transform the supply chain and inventory management processes for businesses of all sizes.

The impact of these new products on the RTLS (Real-Time Location Systems) and active RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) markets is expected to be significant. The lower cost will allow more companies to adopt these cutting-edge technologies, streamlining their processes and driving greater efficiency. And with the low power feature of the NanoBeacon technology, businesses can rest assured that their IoT service will be reliable and cost-effective, even with such an aggressive pricing strategy.

Minew and InPlay have combined their decades of experience and expertise to deliver a product that is both affordable and of the highest quality. The innovative design and performance of these Bluetooth LE tags are sure to disrupt the IoT market and provide customers with a reliable, cost-effective solution for their IoT needs.

"We are beyond excited to partner with InPlay on this groundbreaking project," said Johnson, co-founder of Minew. "Their NanoBeacon technology is truly remarkable, and we have no doubt that the $1 Bluetooth LE tag will disrupt the IoT industry. We can't wait to see the impact it will have!"

"InPlay is honored to collaborate with Minew on this transformative project," said Jason Wu, cofounder, and CEO of InPlay Inc. "Combining our innovative technology with Minew's expertise in the IoT industry has resulted in a product that exceeds expectations. The $1 Bluetooth LE tag is poised to revolutionize the market, and we can't wait to see customers' reactions!"

The T3 Disposable Tag broadcasts standard iBeacon data at regular intervals. It features a long transmission distance of up to 328 feet (100 meters). Its dimensions are 31.1305.5 mm. and it has a keychain hole design for wearing on a keychain or lanyard. The i6 Disposable Tag stands out with its ultra-thin design of only 3.5 mm, with the same transmission distance of 328 feet (100 meters). Its tiny size of 36.523.53.5 mm allows for easy attachment to assets using double-sided tape. These products aim to provide an affordable and convenient solution for real-time location tracking and traceability, making them ideal for various applications.

To learn more about InPlay's NanoBeacon technology, please visit https://inplay-tech.com/in100. For detailed information on the two new Bluetooth LE tag products, please visit https://www.minew.com/product/i6-ultra-thin-tag/ and https://www.minew.com/product/t3-disposable-tag/.

This announcement marks a major step forward for both Minew and InPlay and signals a new era for the IoT industry. With the launch of these new products, businesses can now enjoy the benefits of cutting-edge IoT technologies at an unprecedented price point. We look forward to seeing the impact of these new products in the market and are confident that they will be well-received by customers and industry experts alike.

About Minew

Minew is a professional turnkey supplier providing complete customized IoT solutions from concepts and ideas to physical products. Minew has over a decade of experience working on RF products manufacturing, completing more than 500 OEM/ODM projects involving concept, hardware, software design, and production. Minew commits to connecting the world with our wireless products and technologies including but not limited to Bluetooth Low Energy, Bluetooth Mesh, AoA, RTLSRFID, GPS, UWB, LTE Cat-M1, NB-IoT. More information can be found at https://www.minew.com/.

About InPlay Inc

InPlay Inc is a fabless semiconductor company whose mission is to provide highly scalable, low-latency, low-power wireless communications technologies that unlock the vast potential of the VR/AR, healthcare and wireless industrial IoT markets. The company was founded by a group of wireless engineers experienced in wireless and mobile communication systems with unique technologies in RF, analog mixed-signal circuits and low-power circuit design. InPlay has a research and development team in Irvine, California, with operations and business development in both the United States and China. More information can be found at https://www.inplay-tech.com.

Media Contact:

[email protected]

+86 (755) 2103 8160

Emmy Chang

InPlay Inc

[email protected]

+1-949-378-6361

SOURCE InPlay Inc.
NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Moroccanoil, the iconic global leader in argan oil-infused beauty, is thrilled to announce Moroccanoil The Collective, the brand's first-ever three-day international community event! Hosted at Resorts World Las Vegas, the first integrated resort built on the Las Vegas Strip in over a decade, this event will be held from Sunday, September 10 through Tuesday, September 12 with enrollment open as of, February 1, 2023. This event will build brand loyalty and community, bringing together Moroccanoil professionals* to learn, network, and collaborate with their industry peers and Moroccanoil Ambassadors.

MOROCCANOIL INTRODUCES MOROCCANOIL THE COLLECTIVE 2023

The event programming will include:

Artistic and Business Education Sessions taught by influential industry professionals

Networking events for the Moroccanoil international family of stylists

Artistic Presentations from Moroccanoil Artistic Director Kevin Hughes and Global Creative Director Antonio Corral Calero .

and Global Creative Director . Moroccanoil will also host its first-ever Global Hair Competition; details to be announced on March 1 and will culminate in the naming of a winner at the event.

"Our global family of professionals has always been at the heart of the Moroccanoil brand, it's our salon community that helped spread the word of our first product, Moroccanoil Treatment. Since then, so many of our launches and efforts have been to support their craft," says Moroccanoil Vice President of Global Education, Robert Ham. "This is why we are so excited to host Moroccanoil The Collective, celebrating our professional roots and bringing together our community for a weekend of inspiration, education, and hair."

Moroccanoil was built on innovation, and since its inception, the brand has strived to be a leader in the creative and professional community. Over the years, it has increased its professional offerings from products and classes to building out the Moroccanoil Academy where stylists are provided hands-on training. Moroccanoil recently expanded its portfolio to include its biggest launch yetthe Professional Haircolor Collection, strengthening the brand's long-standing commitment to salon professionals.

Join the movement and register immediately for early access packages at MoroccanoilProfessionals.com/The-Collective! Early access packages are only available until April 30.

*Note: This event is available to all hairstylists 21 and above.

EARLY ACCESS PACKAGE PRICING*:

Education Experience Sunday  Tuesday | $1,200 Includes access to: Opening Reception Artistic & Business Sessions Networking & Artistic Presentation Celebration Dinner & Global Hair Competition Finale Closing Party

Total Experience Sunday  Wednesday | $1,700 (Single); $2,700 (Double) Includes Access To: 3-night stay at Resorts World Las Vegas Moroccanoil Swag Bag Welcome Pool Party Opening Reception Artistic & Business Sessions Networking & Artistic Presentation Celebration Dinner & Global Hair Competition Finale Closing Party

Premium Experience Sunday  Wednesday | $2,000 (Single); $3,000 (Double) Includes Access To: 3-night stay at Resorts World Las Vegas Moroccanoil Premium Swag Bag Early Access Class Registration VIP Seating at Events $50 Gift Card to Pop-Up Shop Welcome Pool Party Opening Reception Artistic & Business Sessions Networking & Artistic Presentation Celebration Dinner & Global Hair Competition Finale Closing Party

*Pricing Available February 1  April 30

ABOUT MOROCCANOIL

Inspired by the Mediterranean, the Moroccanoil brand comes to life through our iconic turquoise packaging and a signature fragrance, for an exotic experience that transports the senses. Our first product, the original Moroccanoil Treatment, pioneered oil-infused haircare and created the worldwide buzz on argan oil. At the heart of our brand is the stylist community that inspires us to create effective and easy-to-use products. And today, our goal remains unchanged: to continue pioneering innovation in beauty, while using our platform to make a difference, through our PETA Beauty Without Bunnies Certification as a cruelty-free brand, certifying that we never test our products on animals, as well as other efforts to give back.

Moroccanoil hair and body products are available at fine salons and retailers, spas, and online in over 70 countries worldwide. Visit us at Moroccanoil.com. For daily inspiration, follow @Moroccanoil on Twitter and Instagram; subscribe to our beauty tutorials on YouTube, and find us on Facebook!

SOURCE Moroccanoil
CLEARWATER, Fla., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The team at the Center for Advanced Valve and Structural Heart Care at BayCare's Morton Plant Hospital achieved another first when they used the minimally invasive Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedure to treat a patient suffering from aortic regurgitation.

The team led by Joshua Rovin, MD, FACS, cardiovascular surgeon and medical director of the center, and interventional cardiologist Lang Lin, MD, performed the procedure as part of the JenaValve Align Trial using the Trilogy heart valve system.

Interventional cardiologist Lang Lin, MD, and cardiovascular surgeon Joshua Rovin, MD, FACS, led the team that was the first in Florida to use TAVR to treat aortic regurgitation.

The team has been using the minimally invasive TAVR procedure to treat patients with aortic stenosis since 2012, when Morton Plant became the first hospital in the Tampa Bay area to offer TAVR. The Align trial is the first use of a TAVR valve designed to treat primary aortic regurgitation in a native valve by the Morton Plant team.

Aortic stenosis is the narrowing of the aortic valve, which restricts blood flow to the heart. In patients with aortic regurgitation or aortic insufficiency, blood pumped from the left ventricle leaks back into the heart because the aortic valve doesn't close properly. The heart must work harder and harder to pump the blood out. If left untreated, both conditions may cause fatigue, chest pain and shortness of breath, and could lead to heart failure.

TAVR has given thousands of patients suffering from aortic stenosis a better quality of life and a longer life. Instead of opening the chest, the minimally invasive TAVR procedure allows doctors to enter the femoral artery through the groin using a catheter to guide an artificial valve to the heart. The artificial valves used to treat aortic stenosis work by anchoring to calcium or scar tissue. Those valves do not work well for patients with aortic regurgitation that frequently lack calcium to anchor the valves. Their only option has been open heart surgery, which may not be an option for many patients.

This Align trial seeks to change that. The design of the JenaValve allows physicians to place a new valve inside the leaky one by clipping it onto the leaky valve's original leaflets without using any sutures.

"For more than a decade our multidisciplinary team has continued to explore new offerings so we can help more and more patients who are suffering from valve disease but are not candidates for invasive surgeries," said Dr. Rovin. "The opportunity to participate in the JenaValve Align trial allows us to treat an entirely new group of patients who previously had no hope for treatment with a valve that is specifically designed to treat aortic regurgitation."

The JenaValve has been approved for commercial use in Europe but is not yet approved in the United States and is currently being used as part of a clinical trial.

BayCare also has structural heart programs at St. Joseph's Hospital's Heart and Vascular Institute in Tampa and Winter Haven Hospital's Bostick Heart Center in Winter Haven.

For more information on the Center for Advanced Valve and Heart Care at Morton Plant Hospital: https://baycare.org/hospitals/morton-plant-hospital/services/heart-and-vascular/valve-and-structural-heart-care

About BayCare Health System

BayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 15 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. Inpatient and outpatient services include acute care, primary care, imaging, laboratory, behavioral health, home care, and wellness. Our mission is to improve the health of all we serve through community-owned, health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. For more information, visit w ww.BayCare.org.

SOURCE BayCare Health System
Narrated by and starring Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee, Eric Roberts, along with Skyler Adams; First screening set for Oxford Film Festival

JACKSON, Miss., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Yoknapatawpha Productions LLC and Coffee House Films proudly announced the first screening of "Faulkner: The Past Is Never Dead" scheduled for the upcoming Oxford Film Festival in Oxford, Mississippi, on March 3, 2023. The first feature-length documentary to examine the nuanced legacy of Nobel Prize-winner William Faulkner, "The Past Is Never Dead" goes where other documentary filmmakers have feared to treadinterweaving the complexity of Faulkner's work, his life, and his often contradictory views on race.

New Documentary Explores the Complex Racial Legacy of One of Americas Most Important and Beloved Writers: Faulkner: The Past Is Never Dead

"I wasn't sure if I or other modern audiences could relate to Faulkner," said documentary writer-director, Michael Modak-Truran. "There were things he said that I didn't like and still struggle to completely understand. But during my research into Faulkner's life and work, I understood how critical Faulkner is to our current moment. All while crafting unforgettable characters and stories, Faulkner's literature embraces the complexity of race relations in America, which echoes eerily today. The documentary team and I think it is incredibly special and poetic that the first audience to see 'The Past Is Never Dead' on a large screen will be in the place where Faulkner lived and found inspiration."

The Past Is Never Dead: Synopsis

Born to a family of segregationists, Faulkner is famous for confronting his own views about Black Americans and racial inequality. His Black characters are routinely depicted with a specificity unlike those written by his white contemporaries. Through his work, Faulkner starkly examines issues of race relations, equality, and civil rights. But how much Faulkner was able to escape his own demons, and exactly how modern audiences should approach the still problematic subject of race, is at the heart of "The Past Is Never Dead." The documentary serves as an important springboard for discussion, reengaging Faulkner fans in a whole new way while enticing new readers to experience Faulkner's brilliance for the first time.

Narrated by and starring Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee Eric Roberts as William Faulkner, "The Past Is Never Dead" applies a hybrid storytelling technique to weave multiple narrative elements together. Using re-enactments set in both Faulkner's homes and the surrounding North Mississippi community, interviews with leading Faulkner scholars from around the world, animations of the author's drawings, along with an unforgettable score by multi-platform artist, Osei Essed, featuring an original song written and performed by Gareth Dunlop and Lee Rogers, the film completely immerses viewers in Faulkner's world.

"This film has been a labor of love for us over the course of many years," said documentary producer, Anastasia Lampton Triplett. "Michael and I started interviewing Faulkner scholars in 2017. And while it started small, it was an exciting journey that grew quickly along with our amazing team. This movie is important because by embracing hard conversations as a community, we can start chipping away at our societal faults. Faulkner can help us with that. His work is more relevant today than ever before."

For up-to-the-minute screening dates, times, and locations, follow the documentary discussion on social media: Facebook, Instagram, IMDB, and www.williamfaulknerfilm.com

Media Contact:

Anita Modak-Truran

1-601-201-5783

[email protected]

SOURCE Yoknapatawpha Productions
Local lawyers representing survivors of sexual abuse back petition/HB1 to "finally empower the overpowered"

BALTIMORE, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- It appears to be a new day in Annapolis, and support is now building online through an online grassroots petition endorsing passage of Maryland's "long overdue", proposed HB 1, the Child Victims Act of 2023 . Baltimore-based survivor-advocate attorneys from Jenner Law (Baltimore) and Grant & Eisenhofer (Wilmington, DE), who represent survivors of childhood sexual abuse, are praising all forms of citizen engagement, the latest of which is the petition on the non-profit change.org platform, directed at the state's political leadership.

"We commend the petition's author, David Lorenz, of the state's chapter of Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests (SNAP), who is among the countless courageous survivors forcefully speaking out in support of this urgently needed statute of limitation legislative reform to finally provide a real pathway to justice for victims of all forms of sexual abuse in our state," said attorneys Robert K. Jenner (Jenner Law) and M. Elizabeth ("Beth") Graham (G&E). "As the petition states, it is critical that these survivors  regardless of their age (presently, a victim cannot file a civil claim after the age of 38)  under a new state law be able to hold fully accountable those responsible  individuals and entities alike -- for their catastrophic, life-shattering injuries." They noted that numerous other states have taken similar action, some eliminating altogether a time limit for filing sexual abuse claims.

The attorneys also lauded the extensive, public education and advocacy efforts of the independent Justice for MD Survivors and Crime Victims Resource Center .

Mr. Lorenz also notes in the petition narrative that "previous attempts to correct this Maryland statutory injustice" were defeated due to fierce opposition by the Maryland Catholic Conference spending millions of dollars of parishioners' donations. He added, "But, thankfully, it's a new day in Annapolis; there's a new Governor and new Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee , and survivors of all ages may finally be able to hold accountable all those responsible for their life-shattering injuries."

SOURCE Jenner Law
Brands and agencies will get the insights needed to make more informed strategy optimizations, improve performance, scale reporting, and fine-tune measurement.

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Skai , a leading marketing platform, announced today its partnership with retail search and sales analytics company Analytic Index . Combining Skai's advanced automation and optimization with Analytic Index's Ecommerce Analytics bridges a known gap for agencies and brands looking to dominate retail media and retail search.

Commerce data is more valuable than ever, but not always available natively from retailers. Analytic Index provides organic and paid search, market share, shelf, and competitive intelligence for brands and agencies selling on Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Kroger. Unlike many of its competitors, Analytic Index delivers a holistic solution inclusive of all categories, relevant keywords, and items, without the requirement of seeding first-party data. This is a huge boon to agencies, meaning their analytics are available immediately without data collection and ramp time.

Integrating these key data points and insights as inputs to Skai's activation and optimization platform, advertisers can improve their programs by leveraging multi-retailer performance data, competitive intelligence, and category insights with no setup time or categorization requirements. Paired with Skai's cross-retailer automation and optimization, this intelligence offers a clear advantage in highly competitive marketplaces.

"While competition remains strong, privacy regulations continue to increase, and the consumer journey becomes more complicated, advertisers rely on data to reach customers," said Nich Weinheimer, Executive Vice President, Strategy at Skai. "But, retailers don't provide the full picture in their native platforms, so our partnership with Analytic Index fills in the blanks, making it easy for Skai advertisers to access both the commerce intelligence they need and the omnichannel marketing solutions to capitalize on it."

"We spent a long time scoping out best-in-class partners, and Skai presents the best of retail ad tech with its technology platform, global coverage, and ecommerce expertise," said Nathan Rigby, Co-Founder of Analytic Index. "We are confident that Skai and Analytic Index will be a transformative combination to accelerate brand and agency success."

About Skai

Skai (formerly Kenshoo) is a leading omnichannel marketing platform that uniquely connects data and performance media for informed decisions, high efficiencies, and optimal returns. Its partners include Google, Meta, Amazon Ads, TikTok, Snap, Walmart Connect, Instacart, Roundel, Criteo, CitrusAd, Pinterest, Microsoft, Apple Search Ads, and more.

For over 15 years, Skai has been trusted by an impressive roster of brands, including Pepsico, Michaels, Reckitt, Daimler, LG, and Vodafone. The company is headquartered out of Tel Aviv, with seven international locations, and is backed by Sequoia Capital, Arts Alliance, Tenaya Capital, Bain Capital Ventures, Pitango, and Qumra Capital. Visit skai.io for more information.

About Analytic Index

Analytic Index is a next-generation data platform that empowers brands and agencies to measure and optimize retail media and organic search across online retailers (Amazon, Walmart, Target, Kroger). These actionable insights empower brands and agencies to accelerate sales and profitability through benchmarking performance, improving organic and paid search effectiveness, and measuring overall impact and returns on investment. Analytic Index provides holistic insights across all departments, relevant keywords, and performance items, making it an ideal competitive intelligence tool. Learn more at www.analyticindex.com .

SOURCE Skai
Development to Create Hundreds of Jobs, Re-Invent a Portion of

the Red Hook Waterfront with a New Public Park, And Help Accommodate

New York's Growing Movie and TV Industry

Samson Stages Currently Has Production Facilities in Brooklyn That Services Projects Including Those Starring Ryan Reynolds and Bruce Springsteen

Renderings Can Be Seen Here.

BROOKLYN, N.Y., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Samson Stages today announced the expansion of its movie and TV operations by creating a 330,000 square foot building with new studios and soundstages on the waterfront in Red Hook, Brooklyn. The development is located at 744 Clinton Street, the current site of Sunshine Lighting. The $400 million project will create hundreds of jobs, re-invent a portion of the waterfront including the addition of a new public park, and help accommodate New York's growing movie and TV industry.

Designed by BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group, the new Samson Stages Red Hook Studio is envisioned as a dynamic vertical village, where the building structure is created from the stacking of eight stages.

In addition to the eight stacked stages, there will be green terraces across both levels. Parking will be available within the depth of the building and Clinton Street will include a lobby entrance and cafe. The waterfront will have an intimate, unique space for the building's users as well as the public.

Samson Stages currently owns and operates production facilities on Hicks Street in Brooklyn working on a wide array of projects including those starring Ryan Reynolds and Bruce Springsteen.

"This project is truly transformational, and I am excited to highlight the renderings and begin construction on the brand new soundstages and studios. The new addition to Samson Stages will create jobs, will give the neighborhood a new waterfront park, and will continue to make New York the center of TV and film production," said Sam Geiger, Co-Founder and CEO of Samson Stages.

"New York has become a leader when it comes to the TV and movie scene. To put it simply: the expansion of Samson Stages is the right project at the right time," said Charles Sobel, Co-Founder of Samson Stages and Principal at Vanta Developers: https://vantadevelopers.com

"Being a native New Yorker who has spent 22 years in this business, it's exciting to see how the industry has grown. This new facility will be a reflection of that excitment, will feature the newest technology, and will give back to the Red Hook community," said Rich Barbadillo, partner at Samson Stages.

For more information: SamsonStages.com

SOURCE Samson Stages
NEWARK, N.J., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Newark Board of Education announced that a student at the Newark School of Data Science & Information Technology was named to the Honor Society of the National Educational Equity Lab (Ed Equity Lab), an education justice nonprofit that works to bridge the gap between high school and college for students from low-income communities. Honorees are scholars whose academic performance was in the top 20 percent of all scholars nationwide taking dual credit Ed Equity Lab courses, from schools including: Howard University, Stanford University, Princeton University, Wesleyan University, Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown University, Cornell University, Brown University, Spelman College, Barnard/Columbia University and Arizona State University.

"These scholars' success in rigorous college courses reinforces the fact that talent is evenly distributed, opportunity is not. We aim to change that. Talented students from under-resourced high schools belong in the best matched schools for them, including our nation's top universities," said Leslie Cornfeld, Founder and CEO of the National Education Equity Lab. "Together with our high school and university partners, we're empowering thousands of talented students around the country to show what they're capable of, and to build the skills, credentials and the confidence to succeed in higher education and beyond."

The Newark School of Data Science & Information Technology partnered with the National Education Equity Lab to offer a college-level dual enrollment Intro to Computer Science course through Stanford University. The scholar, tenth grader David Sawacha, will be honored at a virtual ceremony today featuring university professors, high school teachers, district leaders, National Ed Equity Lab board and CEO Leslie Cornfeld.

"We are extremely proud of David whose dedication and commitment exude excellence and demonstrates a model of focused determination of the students in Newark Public Schools," stated Superintendent Roger Len. "Now everyone knows what we have known all along  our students can and do excel at the very highest levels."

Former US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, an Ed Equity Lab board member, called this effort "game changing" for students. "Democratizing access to higher education in our nation has never been more critical. Efforts like this help us do just that."

Media Contact:

Nancy Deering

Acting Director Communications Department

[email protected]

SOURCE Newark Board of Education
OSLO, Norway, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nordic Nanovector ASA ("Nordic Nanovector" or the "Company") announces that Ludvik Sandnes, former Chairperson of Nordic Nanovector, has been appointed interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Company as from 1 February 2023. Ludvik Sandnes will no more attend the Oncoinvent Board. Malene Brondberg, current interim CEO and CFO, will transition out of the Company, as previously announced on 9 December 2022.

Ludvik Sandnes commented "I have been asked by the board of Nordic Nanovector to become the interim CEO and CFO of the company. As a former chairman of the board, I know the company's history and operations, many shareholders, employees and founders quite well. In today's difficult stock market environment, the Board has concluded it will not be possible for Nordic Nanovector to raise new capital in the short term. Therefore, the Board, together with myself and our financial advisors, Carnegie, will assess the strategic options that may be open to the company and put forward any recommended proposals for resolution by the company's shareholders in the coming months. Our key goal is to ensure Nordic Nanovector's continued operation and to position it for future growth for the benefit of the current organisation, employees and shareholders".

The current Board of Directors, consisting of Jon Magne Asmyr (Chairperson) and Tina Bjrnlund Bnsdorff, will continue until the next Annual General Meeting on 26 April 2023, when a proposal will be made for the election of an additional new Board member to replace Eddie Berglund who resigned on 19 January 2023.

Nordic Nanovector confirms that its stand-alone cash position at end December 2022 is expected to be approximately NOK 98m. Further commitments related to the closure of PARADIGME during 2023 and transaction costs related to the proposed APIM transaction brings the uncommitted net cash level to be approximately NOK 60m. This is in line with previous communication.

Nordic Nanovector further confirms that it will report its Q4 2022 and full year results in line with the Oslo Brs regulations on 28 February.

The Company continues to minimise costs wherever possible, with six full time employees now remaining in the Company.

For further information, please contact:

IR enquiries

Jon Magne Asmyr, Chairperson of Nordic Nanovector

+ 47 926 19 683

[email protected]

International Media: Frazer Hall / Mark Swallow (MEDiSTRAVA Consulting)

+44 203 928 6900

[email protected]

About Nordic Nanovector

Nordic Nanovector is committed to develop and deliver innovative therapies to patients to address major unmet medical needs and advance cancer care.

Further information can be found at www.nordicnanovector.com

SOURCE Nordic Nanovector
Agadir  The second edition of the High-Level Conference on the Blue Belt Initiative (BBI) was held on Tuesday in Agadir, under the chairmanship of the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fishing, Rural Development and Water and Forests, Mohammed Sadiki.

Organized on the sidelines of the International Halieutis Fair, this meeting brought together more than 270 participants, representing 32 countries including 24 delegations led by ministers from Africa, Europe and the Middle East and international organizations.

It is a platform for South-South cooperation for fisheries and aquaculture as an essential component of the blue economy.

Since its inception at COP22, this initiative, which aims to strengthen the capacity of participating countries for sustainable management of their fisheries and aquaculture resources, has been encouraged and supported by many countries and organizations to promote cooperation, sharing and exchange of experiences between countries.

In his opening remarks, Sadiki stressed the important role of fisheries and aquaculture products in food security, noting that the BBI is an appropriate cooperation instrument to implement actions to achieve food security, especially in the context of the fight against climate change and the ocean emergency.

He added that the BBI is an important platform for collaboration and support to national, regional and continental blue and marine strategies. It also helps coastal States to transform their fisheries activities towards sustainable exploitation modes.

This year's Conference provided an opportunity to take stock of the progress made since the first Conference in 2019, particularly in terms of cooperation agreements and projects implemented in member countries.

Participants also discussed challenges and directions to strengthen BBI in the coming years. They emphasized the need for effective governance and harmonization of actions.

On the sidelines of this event, cooperation agreements were signed by Morocco with the Republic of Liberia, the Republic of Benin and the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire to support these countries in the scientific and technical field through oceanographic exploration campaigns by the Moroccan scientific boat. It is expected to continue to expand this cooperation to other member countries of the initiative.
Accomplished partnership executive, Gary Leonard, and sales leader, Eric T. Nichols, escalate company's focus on revenue growth

ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- NovaCHARGE Inc. today announced the hiring of Gary Leonard as Vice President, Strategic Partnerships and Alliances, as well as Eric T. Nichols as Vice President, Sales - North America. Their experience and leadership deepen the bench as CRO Daniel Middleton builds the first-class sales team necessary to best serve customers and expand nationally.

Mr. Leonard brings a storied career in growing revenues via partnerships and alliances for global brands such as Nokia and Alcatel-Lucent. Working with standout technology brands such as Dell Technologies, VMWare, and Google Cloud, he was instrumental in growing partnerships and alliances from start-up to sales that led to several hundred million dollars in revenue.

Leonard is recognized as a trusted advisor to outside alliance partners as well as internal teams. His deep understanding of telecom, networks, and cloud-based technologies is an exceptional complement to NovaCHARGE's EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) solutions portfolio.

Eric T. Nichols is a highly collaborative multi-channel sales leader with experience in growing both startups and Fortune 500 companies. A multi-discipline thinker and leader, he is adept at collaborating with all areas of a business, including marketing, product management, operations, finance, and more.

During his career, he has consistently achieved 3-to-5x year-over-year revenue growth by building strong, mutually beneficial relationships. His experience in technology ranges from launching EquipmentShare's heavy-equipment technology sales division to growing the Verizon Wireless "Internet of Things" (IoT) partner revenue over $1M and 100K connected devices in 12 months.

Oscar Rodriguez, Chairman and CEO, made these comments when Leonard and Nichols recently joined the NovaCHARGE team, "Gary and Eric are the perfect complement for NovaCHARGE. They are customer-centric technologists and can evangelize our strengths of open standards, smart network software in our ChargeUP solution, best-in-class chargers, and unsurpassed reliability."

About NovaCHARGE, Inc.

NovaCHARGE, founded in 2008, is a technology company empowering seamless EV charging for all. As a market leading EVSE supplier along with our NextGen network ChargeUP, we are constantly driving our solutions to unlock new possibilities without compromise. Our strict adherence to open standards ensures interoperability and longevity, while providing certifiable reliability. NovaCHARGE has delivered thousands of successful solutions for commercial, municipal, state, and utility organizations across the United States. NovaCHARGE is headquartered in Orlando, Florida.

For more information, visit www.NovaCHARGE.net.

CONTACT:

Tami Timperio, VP Marketing, NovaCHARGE

[email protected]

SOURCE NovaCHARGE
LONDON, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- We are proud to announce that our commitment to serving traders has again earned us top broker rankings in this year's awards season.

OANDA has won the 'Most Popular Broker' award at the 2022 TradingView Broker Awards. The win represents the third consecutive year that OANDA has been recognised by the TradingView community and demonstrates how winning accolades begins with winning client satisfaction.

Voted Most Popular Broker" by TradingView

TradingView is one of the world's largest and fastest-growing social networks for traders, boasting more than 30 million registered users around the world.

Kurt vom Scheidt, Chief Operating Officer with OANDA, said, "We are honoured to receive this prestigious award from the TradingView community. This shows our dedication to serving our clients through a leading platform, transparent pricing, and fast execution to empower them to trade at their best."

Commenting on the awards, Pierce Crosby, General Manager with TradingView said, "TradingView users are big fans of OANDA, and it shows! OANDA has won awards before with us, but this specific award  Most Popular Broker  speaks for itself. Traders choose OANDA. We're excited to see OANDA continue to rise on TradingView and are super excited to see all the new features that are coming in 2023."

Rated 'Best in Class' by ForexBrokers.com

OANDA was also recognised as 'Best in Class for Ease of Use' and 'Best in Class for Research' by ForexBrokers.com at their 2023 Annual Awards.

"For an active trader, platform usability is integral to performance and a great trading experience, and research is essential to developing an effective trading strategy. Being recognised in these two categories is a testament to our focus on clients' needs" vom Scheidt commented.

About OANDA

Founded in 1996, OANDA was the first company to share exchange rate data free of charge on the Internet, launching an FX trading platform that helped pioneer the development of web-based currency trading five years later. Today, the OANDA group, which includes OANDA Corporation and other subsidiaries of OANDA Global Corporation, provides online multi-asset trading, currency data and analytics to retail and corporate clients around the globe, demonstrating an unrivaled expertise in foreign exchange.

With regulated entities in nine of the world's most active financial markets, OANDA remains dedicated to transforming how the world interacts with trading, enabling clients to trade global market indices, commodities, treasuries, precious metals and currencies on one of the fastest trading platforms in the market. For more information visit https://www.oanda.com/group/ or follow OANDA on LinkedIn .

About TradingView

TradingView is the world's most popular network of traders and investors  powered by real-time data and market-leading analysis software. Use its platform to follow global assets, find trading ideas, chat with others, spot trends, and place trades directly with brokers. Have a look by visiting www.tradingview.com or downloading the free TradingView mobile apps for iOS and Android. For your website or business, visit https://www.tradingview.com/widget/.

About ForexBrokers.com

ForexBrokers.com, an industry-leading source for online brokers, is wholly owned by Reink Media Group. A Michigan-based company founded in 2009, Reink Media Group owns and operates multiple finance-based websites. The organization strives to provide pertinent resources, tools, and education for successful self-directed investing. For more information, please visit www.forexbrokers.com or the company's website at www.reinkmedia.com .

SOURCE OANDA
Receive up to 25% off on first purchase for the first 5,000 boards

OKdo is the exclusive manufacturer of the ROCK SBCs while leveraging RS' global distribution channels

OKdo and Radxa collaborate to provide power and versatility in a familiar form factor for engineers, developers, educators, inventors and entrepreneurs

LONDON, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- OKdo, the leading provider of next-generation computing solutions, announces the launch of the ROCK 5A in partnership with Radxa. The ROCK 5A is a powerful, versatile and easy-to-use single board computer (SBC) that is designed to meet the demands of engineers, developers, educators, inventors and entrepreneurs. Starting February 1st, OKdo will offer discounted pricing for the newly announced series of boards; limited to the first 5,000.

The ROCK 5A will be offered at:

OKdo ROCK5A SBC Available Now! (PRNewsfoto/OKdo)

4GB - market price $99 , special introductory price $74

, special introductory price 8GB - market price $119 , special introductory price $94

, special introductory price 16GB - market price $159 , special introductory price $134

The ROCK 5A takes the highly sought-after key functionality of its powerful predecessor, the ROCK 5B, and fits it on the industry's common SBC form factor. Some of its key features include 8k output, an octa-core processor and an AI accelerator. Additionally, it is the only SBC on the market in this form factor that comes with 16GB of memory.

The ROCK 5A will run Linux v5.10 Kernel, supporting Ubuntu, Debian, openFyde OS, Armbian, RebornOS, Android 12 and later. Customers can download the software from OKdo.com and find additional community support by leveraging the 1.5 million members of the DesignSpark community.

Operating at a professional grade, the combination of such power, versatility and support makes the ROCK 5A an excellent option for embedded processes spanning EV charging, automatic manufacturing, digital signage, agricultural tech and more.

"Since the launch of OKdo's family of ROCK boards, the market has been responding very well in a variety of verticals including consumer, industrial and agriculture segments. I am thrilled to add yet another member to the ROCK family and anticipate fast adoption with new and existing customers. The ROCK 5A is the perfect blend of power, versatility and affordability," said Richard Curtin, Co-Founder and CTO of OKdo.

"We are excited to introduce the next generation of low-cost, high-performance and compact credit card-sized ROCK 5A single board computer in global collaboration with OKdo. We believe the ROCK 5A already has entry level desktop PC performance without worrying about power consumption and heating issues. We can't wait to see the community and developers make amazing applications based on the ROCK 5A SBC," said Tom Tang, President of VamRS Technology.

For those eager to get their hands on a next-generation SBC, the ROCK 5B is in stock at OKdo and RS for immediate shipment. Sharing key features such as the 8k output, octa-core processor, power on/off and built-in Real-Time-Clock, the 5B levels up the power with the RK3588 Rockchip.

Bringing the ROCK series to market provides a new and reliable solution to an industry still in the grips of a global chip shortage and supply chain pressures. OKdo recognizes that the time for significant change is now and that the enablement of widespread IoT adoption will be instrumental in a more sustainable future. The ROCK SBCs and CMs are another timely arm of an ecosystem of services OKdo has developed to revolutionize product development and operational excellence. For more information on ROCK 5A, please visit the OKdo website.

About OKdo

OKdo is a global technology company from RS Group plc which is disrupting single board computer (SBC) and IoT segments. Offering a unique combination of hardware, software, development support, manufacturing services and community projects, it is the world's first business uniquely focused on meeting the rapidly evolving needs of SBC and IoT customers, from makers and entrepreneurs to industrial designers, educators and resellers.

About RS:

RS Group plc is a leading global omni-channel industrial product and service solutions provider to customers who are involved in designing, building and maintaining industrial equipment and operations, safely and sustainably. We stock more than 700,000 industrial and electronic products, sourced from over 2,500 leading suppliers, with operations in 32 countries, shipping over 60,000 parcels a day.

www.okdo.com | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1993998/OKDO_ROCK5A.jpg

SOURCE OKdo
ATLANTA, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Operation HOPE, Inc., the nation's largest non-profit dedicated to financial empowerment for underserved communities, today announced that Joann Massey will be joining its Senior Leadership team as Senior Vice President of the 1 Million Black Businesses Initiative (1MBB).

Joann Massey named SVP at Operation HOPE to lead its national 1 Million Black Businesses Initiative (1MBB).

Massey most recently served as the City of Memphis' Director of Business Diversity & Compliance. In this role, she was responsible for counseling clients on business expansions, acquisitions, procurement opportunities and navigating community and government ecosystems. Massey is also the Founder & Principal of Lewis Massey Associates, LLC, a boutique consulting Firm, where she previously served in a consulting role to help build Operation HOPE's Government Relations.

"Joann's track record proves that she is committed to helping business owners and advocating for economic justice," said Brian Betts, Operation HOPE President and Chief Financial Officer. "Joann is a familiar and trusted face within the HOPE family. We welcome her to the team and look forward to supporting her efforts to grow our 1MBB initiative, which provides much-needed resources to Black businesses nationwide."

Massey is a recognized community leader with accolades such as the Memphis Business Journal's Top 40 Under 40 and Leadership Memphis Executive, among others. She holds a certificate in Economic Development from Harvard University's Executive Education Program and a Certified Compliance Administrator certification from Morgan State University. She is also an MBA alumna of Benedictine University, where she graduated summa cum laude with a concentration in Finance. Massey holds a dual Bachelor of Business Administration and Finance degree from LeMoyne Owen College, an Historically Black College & University (HBCU).

About Operation HOPE, Inc.

Since 1992, Operation HOPE has been moving America from civil rights to "silver rights" with the mission of making free enterprise and capitalism work for the underserveddisrupting poverty for millions of low and moderate-income youth and adults across the nation. Through its community uplift model, HOPE Inside, which received the 2016 Innovator of the Year recognition by American Banker magazine, Operation HOPE has served more than 4 million individuals and directed more than $3.2 billion in economic activity into disenfranchised communitiesturning check-cashing customers into banking customers, renters into homeowners, small business dreamers into small business owners, minimum wage workers into living wage consumers, and uncertain disaster victims into financially empowered disaster survivors. Operation HOPE recently received its eighth consecutive 4-star charity rating for fiscal management and commitment to transparency and accountability by the prestigious non-profit evaluator, Charity Navigator. For more information: OperationHOPE.org. Join the conversation on social media at @operationhope.

Media Contact

Lalohni Campbell

Per/Se Media Group, for Operation HOPE

[email protected]

SOURCE Operation HOPE, Inc.
The Vision Care company joins forces with the global nonprofit to fight avoidable blindness around the world

NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, eye care nonprofit Orbis International announced a renewed partnership with Vision Care company HOYA, which will commit its support over the next three years to improve health through vision for all. The support will focus on helping school children get access to eye care in low- to middle-income countries and on training eye care professionals around the world through Cybersight, Orbis's award-winning telemedicine and e-learning platform.

A simple pair of spectacles is often all it takes to open a world of opportunities to someone. Tweet this HOYA Vision Cares support will bolster Orbiss work to provide eye screenings for children across India. During the COVID-19 pandemic, HOYA provided critical funding to help the Orbis India team transition to door-to-door screenings when school-based screenings could not take place. Photo: Rishang Mangaonkar

Over the next three years, HOYA's generous contribution will enable Orbis to screen more than 500,000 children and provide more than 15,000 eyeglasses as part of the REACH (Refractive Error Among Children) program in India. REACH aims to reduce visual impairment due to uncorrected refractive error (a vision problem that makes it hard to see clearly) among school-going children and provide a sustainable and scalable solution to a shortage of care for this issue. Orbis develops teams of ophthalmic personnel and supports them with digital and clinical equipment to perform screenings and provide spectacles. The teams also provide referrals for children who require further examination and treatment to an Orbis partner hospital or to the nearest Vision Center.

"A simple pair of spectacles is often all it takes to open a world of opportunities to someone," said Dr. Rishi Raj Borah, Country Director, Orbis India. "Our partnership with HOYA Vision Care has been instrumental in bringing eye health services within children's reach and enabling them to realize their potential. We are excited to continue this partnership to further expand our outreach and impact, and touch many more lives over the next few years."

India is home to the largest number of blind children in any one country and to 9.3 million children with visual impairment. Considering the majority of vision impairment cases is completely avoidable, the REACH program is instrumental in helping children see, and has great potential outside of India, too.

"Improving vision over a lifetime, that is our mission at HOYA Vision Care. And for that reason, we are excited to partner with Orbis, in India and beyond. This partnership takes us another step in the direction of closing the vision health gap, enabling everyone to experience the gift of sight," said Alexandre Montague, CEO, HOYA Vision Care.

HOYA Vision Care will also work with Orbis to support Vision Centers in India, which make eye care accessible in rural communities. Vision Centers are eye health clinics that are strategically located in communities that do not have easy access to other eye health facilities. Vision Centers offer affordably priced care for low-income individuals, and free care for those who cannot pay. HOYA's support will directly impact four Vision Centers and the three partner hospitals associated with them. HOYA also plans to support further expansion of Vision Centers in the future.

HOYA Vision Care's partnership will also benefit Cybersight, Orbis's award-winning telemedicine and e-learning platform. Cybersight gives eye care professionals in areas with the greatest need free virtual access to training, knowledge and other resources to better help their patients. HOYA's contribution to Cybersight will focus on myopia (nearsightedness) and help to reach thousands of eye health professionals in areas with a high prevalence of myopia, such as China and parts of Southeast Asia, with the skills they need to provide quality care to their patients.

HOYA Vision Care has partnered with Orbis since 2021 and was a key player in the REACH team's ability to pivot to a new and innovative door-to-door screening model when schools were closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

HOYA Vision Care and Orbis are continuing to work together to expand their collaboration across many other geographies to ensure everyone, everywhere has access to quality eye care.

About Orbis

Orbis is a leading global non-governmental organization that has been a pioneer in the prevention and treatment of avoidable blindness for over four decades. Orbis transforms lives by delivering the skills, resources and knowledge needed to deliver accessible quality eye care. Working in collaboration with local partners, including hospitals, universities, government agencies and ministries of health, Orbis provides hands-on ophthalmology training, strengthens healthcare infrastructure and advocates for the prioritization of eye health on public health agendas. Orbis operates the world's only Flying Eye Hospital , a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft, and an award-winning telemedicine platform, Cybersight . For the past ten consecutive years, Orbis has achieved Charity Navigator 's coveted four-star rating for demonstrating strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency, placing Orbis in the top 3% of U.S. charities. For the past two years, Orbis has earned GuideStar 's platinum Seal of Transparency. In 2022, Orbis earned "accredited charity" status from the Better Business Bureau by meeting all 20 of their standards for charity accountability. To learn more, please visit orbis.org .

About HOYA Vision Care

For over 60 years, HOYA Vision Care has been a passionate and global leader in optical technology innovation. As a manufacturer of high quality, high performing eyeglass lenses, HOYA continuously aims to bring the best possible vision care solutions to Eye Care Professionals and their patients around the world. The company supplies lenses in 110 countries with a network of over 17,000 employees and 43 laboratories around the globe.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Orbis International

Jenna Montgomery

Manager, Global Communications and Marketing

[email protected]

HOYA Vision Care

Anneke Sneevliet

Global Brand Director

[email protected]

SOURCE Orbis International
DENVER, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Palantir Technologies Inc. ("Palantir,"NYSE: PLTR) and Palantir Technologies Japan K.K. today announced a $50 million, five-year expansion of its work with SOMPO Holdings ("SOMPO") and its group companies including SOMPO Japan, the company's insurance business. This expansion will enable the roll out of critical workflows across 10,000+ salespeople within SOMPO Japan, further developments of SOMPO's Real Data Platform ("RDP"), and many other critical growth opportunities across SOMPO Holdings.

Thousands of users across SOMPO use Palantir Foundry as the backbone of the company's projects to realize digital transformation and work within the RDP, designed to improve security, health, and wellbeing in Japan and beyond. Within SOMPO Japan, use of Foundry to-date has been focused on improving profitability for the commercial insurance business, and supporting disaster response. One workflow alone has already delivered significant value in terms of underwriting profits to SOMPO Japan, and is now being rolled out to 10,000+ salespeople across the Japanese insurance business. The organization's disaster response work has also delivered substantial results  streamlining traditionally labor-intensive efforts such as exchanging information with inspectors and processing claims into reusable workflows across disasters that can now be executed in days.

Within SOMPO Care, Foundry is used by hundreds of care staff across nearly 300 long-term care facilities to connect hundreds of recipient parameters into flexible and recipient-specific long-term care plans. SOMPO has also recently started to use Foundry to enable secure government reporting, replacing highly manual and CSV-based email sharing with an automated and live-updating workflow that connects SOMPO care providers with critical government regulations, funding requirements, and more.

"As Palantir's most important partner in Japan, we SOMPO will continue to expand our efforts in DX to increase our own operational efficiency and profitability and in creation of RDP, by using Foundry," says Mikio Okumura, Group COO, Director, President and Representative Executive Officer, SOMPO Holdings. "In parallel, SOMPO will promote DX for Japanese companies, government agencies, and society through Palantir Technologies Japan, which was jointly established by SOMPO and Palantir."

"Our work with SOMPO is the combination of a visionary customer, a critical and time-sensitive challenge, and profound technology," says Palantir CTO, Shyam Sankar. "The expansion of our work across more of SOMPO Care, into SOMPO Japan and elsewhere, is emblematic of our joint ambition with SOMPO to support Japan as a global leader."

SOMPO has evolved from a traditional insurance firm, founded in the late 19th century, to a digitally transformed, multinational company that actively partners in research and develops real solutions to critical challenges, such as the nation's aging population. Since 2019, SOMPO has used Foundry as the backbone of its RDP solution. RDP is a collaborative ecosystem designed to improve patient care, increase resiliency, modernize real-world operations, and create a connected healthcare infrastructure that enables collaboration between research institutions, government agencies, and private industry in Japan and abroad.

About Palantir Technologies Inc.

Foundational software of tomorrow. Delivered today. Additional information is available at https://www.palantir.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements may relate to, but are not limited to, Palantir's expectations regarding the amount and the terms of the contract and the expected benefits of our software platforms. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time those statements are made and were based on current expectations as well as the beliefs and assumptions of management as of that time with respect to future events. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond our control. These risks and uncertainties include our ability to meet the unique needs of our customer; the failure of our platforms to satisfy our customer or perform as desired; the frequency or severity of any software and implementation errors; our platforms' reliability; and our customer's ability to modify or terminate the contract. Additional information regarding these and other risks and uncertainties is included in the filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Except as required by law, we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise.

Media Contacts

Lisa Gordon

[email protected]

SOURCE PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES INC.
FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- PHX MINERALS INC., "PHX," (NYSE: PHX), today announced that it has closed on the two previously announced sales of its legacy non-operated working interest wellbores in the Arkoma Basin and the Eagleford Play to separate buyers for a total of $10.7 million.

The Arkoma Basin divestiture represents 151 non-operated legacy working interest wellbores with a purchase price of approximately $5.1 million and removes approximately $0.2 million in asset retirement obligations from the Company's balance sheet. The Eagleford Play divestiture consists of 106 non-operated legacy working interest wellbores with a purchase price of approximately $5.6 million and removes approximately $0.7 million in asset retirement obligations from the Company's balance sheet.

On a pro forma basis, PHX has 563 gross legacy non-operated working interest wellbores remaining.

About PHX Minerals Inc.

PHX Minerals (NYSE: PHX) is a natural gas and oil mineral company with a strategy to proactively grow its mineral position in its core focus areas. PHX owns mineral acreage principally located in Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, North Dakota and Arkansas. Additional information on the Company can be found at www.phxmin.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Words such as "anticipates," "plans," "estimates," "believes," "expects," "intends," "will," "should," "may" and similar expressions may be used to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical fact and reflect PHX's current views about future events. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements relating to: the Company's ability to execute its business strategies; the volatility of realized natural gas and oil prices; the level of production on the Company's properties; estimates of quantities of natural gas, oil and NGL reserves and their values; general economic or industry conditions; legislation or regulatory requirements; conditions of the securities markets; the Company's ability to raise capital; changes in accounting principles, policies or guidelines; financial or political instability; acts of war or terrorism; title defects in the properties in which the Company invests; and other economic, competitive, governmental, regulatory or technical factors affecting properties, operations or prices. Although the Company believes expectations reflected in these and other forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company can give no assurance such expectations will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause the results to differ materially from those expected by the Company's management. Information concerning these risks and other factors can be found in the Company's filings with the SEC, including its Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, available on the Company's website or the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date hereof, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update the forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE PHX Minerals Inc.
BARTLESVILLE, Okla., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Voice of the Martyrs announced the launch of its new mobile app today. Through free multimedia resources, compelling content and daily prayer updates, this new VOM App is designed to draw believers into closer fellowship with persecuted Christians living and serving in the world's most difficult and dangerous places to follow Christ.

Pray, Watch, Listen, Read and Share Stories of Persecuted Christians with the new VOM App from The Voice of the Martyrs. Tweet this The new VOM App features a section dedicated to daily prayer requests from persecuted Christians in restricted nations and places hostile toward the Gospel. Users can stay informed about global events impacting persecuted Christians through regularly-updated prayer requests and learn ways to specifically pray.

The VOM App features a section dedicated to daily prayer requests from persecuted Christians in restricted nations and places hostile toward the Gospel. Users can stay informed about global events impacting persecuted Christians through regularly-updated prayer requests and learn ways to specifically pray.

The VOM App offers a range of free resources. Users can browse a library of inspiring e-books and audiobooks and watch VOM's virtual video events, such as the "Imprisoned for Christ Virtual Event," a special production highlighting three Christian workers falsely accused, arrested and imprisoned for their faith.

Users will also have access to watch full-length feature films about ministry cofounders Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, such as "Tortured for Christ" and "Sabina: Tortured for Christ, the Nazi Years."

One of the special sections in the new VOM App will bring users up close and personal with persecuted Christians through in-depth interviews and entire episodes of VOM Radio with host Todd Nettleton.

Christ-centered families will discover engaging and age-appropriate resources for children and students, while church leaders can help believers explore what Scripture says about Christian persecution through Bible study materials and group study videos.

"VOM is committed to fellowship; connecting Christians in free nations with members of our persecuted family. We will not let them suffer in silence and we will not let them serve alone. This app will help believers everywhere get and stay connected with our persecuted sisters and brothers around the world," said Nettleton.

"The writer of Hebrews instructs us to, 'Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body," said Nettleton. "The new VOM App is a practical tool to help each of us follow that scriptural mandate."

The new VOM App is available in both iOS and Android platforms. Read an overview of the new VOM app, review a full list of features or download at vom.org/app .

SOURCE The Voice of the Martyrs
ISTANBUL, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Coalition for Digital Africa announced another major initiative aimed at strengthening the Internet infrastructure across the continent. This latest initiative will focus on enhancing five existing Internet exchange points (IXPs), to improve Internet access by making it faster and more affordable, thus positively impacting Internet users in the regions they are placed in.

Internet Society ICANN

The Coalition for Digital Africa is an initiative created by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) that aims to bring more Africans online by supporting the development of a robust and secure Internet infrastructure in Africa. IXPs enable the exchange of Internet traffic locally and are essential for any region aspiring to participate fully in the global Internet economy. The initiative is supported by a grant from ICANN and will be implemented by the Internet Society (ISOC).

Using an assessment tool developed by ISOC, five IXPs will be identified based on their potential to make a high impact on the respective local and sub-regional markets. The Internet Society will work to create a clear plan for growth and development, tailored to the regions' interests to strengthen the Internet in Africa. A local manager will be identified and recruited for each IXP, to be responsible for implementing the action plan and achieving measurable project targets while receiving training and support from ISOC.

"Well-managed IXPs open new worlds of possibilities, with modest investment, by improving local Internet services and reducing their costs," said Sally Costerton, Interim President and CEO of ICANN, which launched the Coalition for Digital Africa in December 2022.

Research from the Internet Society shows that IXPs improve the end-user experience through lowering the costs of Internet access and stimulating the development of local Internet ecosystems and cross-border interconnection.

"IXPs make Internet access cheaper and more reliable. They are a critical resource in making sure the Internet is for everyone," said Andrew Sullivan, President and CEO of ISOC. "The Internet Society is grateful for this investment by ICANN that will help bring Internet access to more people throughout the continent."

Details of the IXP project were announced during a webinar on 30 January. The initiative is another in a series of initiatives aimed at improving accessibility to the Internet under the auspices of the Coalition for Digital Africa.

The Coalition for Digital Africa comprises governments, regional and international organizations, and the local Internet community. Conceived by ICANN, the Coalition for Digital Africa is an alliance of like-minded organizations committed to building robust and secure Internet infrastructure to bring more Africans online. More information is available at www.coalitionfordigitalafrica.africa.

About ICANN

ICANN's mission is to help ensure a stable, secure, and unified global Internet. To reach another person on the Internet, you have to type an address  a name or a number  into your computer or other device. That address must be unique, so computers know where to find each other. ICANN helps coordinate and support these unique identifiers across the world. ICANN was formed in 1998 as a not-for-profit public-benefit corporation and a community with participants from all over the world.

About the Internet Society

Founded in 1992 by Internet pioneers, the Internet Society is a global non-profit organization working to ensure the Internet is for everyone. Through its community of members, special interest groups, and 130+ chapters around the world, the organization defends and promotes Internet policies, standards, and protocols that keep the Internet open, globally connected, and secure. For more information, please visit: Internetsociety.org.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1656167/Internet_Society.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1993377/ICANN.jpg

SOURCE THE INTERNET SOCIETY
-Josh Emmett takes on featherweight title Feb. 11, 2023, his well-groomed package key to clean fight-

STERLING, Ill., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Men's grooming leader Wahl is doing something that's never been done before  becoming the FIRST BRAND EVER to sponsor an athlete's package. In advance of his upcoming title fight in Australia on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, professional MMA fighter Josh Emmett knows he's at risk of injuring his package, but it won't be from grooming. While millions of men dread the potential pain of pruning 'down under,' Josh Emmett faces fear head on by trusting the Wahl Manscaper.

"When I first heard that Wahl wanted to sponsor my package, I was like, 'you want to do what?'," said Josh Emmett. Tweet this When Wahl decides to sponsor Josh Emmett's balls  going below-the-belt can be a clean fight. Protect your package with the Wahl Manscaper. Josh Emmett is poised to dominate Down Under as Wahl sponsors his balls in advance of his title fight in Australia on Feb. 11, 2023. With his Wahl Manscaper, a well-groomed package is key to a clean fight.

"When I first heard that Wahl wanted to sponsor my package, I was like, 'you want to do what?'," said Josh Emmett, "But I was on board if it meant letting more guys know that injury doesn't have to be part of their grooming routine. There's enough to worry about and cleaning up your package shouldn't be one of them."

According to Emmett, the Wahl Manscaper is key to being fearless  when grooming below the belt. The trimmer's integrated protection system prevents injuries, promising guys 'No Nicks. No Cuts. No Fear.'

"For the majority of men, grooming the hair down there means sweating out what should be a routine, fear-free experience," said Steven Yde, division vice president for Wahl. "That's why we tapped a century's worth of industry expertise to develop the category's first 100% safe below-the-belt grooming tool."

What makes the Wahl Manscaper different?

When it comes to safety, nothing on the market can compete with the Wahl Manscaper. Men want the best equipment when working on their equipment, so Wahl spent years of research and development to address every comfort concern, including the following unique features:

A wrap-around safety guard eliminates snag points, and combined with its rounded edges, the potential for nicks and cuts is eliminated. The other guys' guard has gaps that allow for snagging, and sharp teeth that poke your valuables.





eliminates snag points, and combined with its rounded edges, the potential for nicks and cuts is eliminated. The other guys' guard has gaps that allow for snagging, and sharp teeth that poke your valuables. There's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to trimming down under, so the Wahl Manscaper  's adjustable dial offers 20 different cutting lengths.





's offers 20 different cutting lengths. Wahl's patented finely-ground stainless-steel safe-touch blades stay sharp for years, ensuring guys will never hit a painful snag when trimming their terrain.





stay sharp for years, ensuring guys will never hit a painful snag when trimming their terrain. Power and endurance are important, so the Wahl Manscaper  has lithium-ion technology that runs an industry-best 100 hours ; plus, a fuel gauge that indicates how much run time is left.





has lithium-ion technology that runs an ; plus, a fuel gauge that indicates how much run time is left. Fully waterproof, the trimmer can also be used in the shower and easily rinsed clean.

The Wahl Manscaper has a MSRP of $59.99, and is currently available at WahlUSA.com or major retailers including Walmart.com. Besides the flagship below-the-belt trimmer, other grooming tools in the Manscaper lineup include a beard trimmer, hair clipper, shaver and more. For more information about the Wahl Manscaper, or for grooming tips visit WahlUSA.com or follow @WahlGrooming on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.

About Wahl Grooming

Celebrating its 104th anniversary, Wahl continues to help men look and feel their best with innovative products manufactured to define and elevate the men's grooming category. The company set the standard with the first-ever practical electric hair clipper in 1919, and later strengthened its leadership with the world's first battery-powered facial hair trimmer. It's this continued commitment to excellence that has solidified Wahl's place as the world's go-to brand for men's grooming solutions. For more information, visit WahlUSA.com. The Wahl Manscaper is a registered trademark of Wahl Clipper Corporation. All rights reserved.

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SOURCE Wahl
By Zhong Sheng

Since the meeting between leaders of China and the United States in Bali, representatives of the two parties diplomatic security teams and the financial, economic and trade teams have made several communications to follow up on the major issues discussed by the two heads of state and implement the consensus reached by them. The international community generally hopes that China and the US will work together to find the right way to establish good state-to-state relations, add stability to the volatile and intertwined world, and play a major role in promoting the recovery of the global economy after COVID-19, coping with climate change, and resolving regional hot issues.

In recent years, the US diplomatic policy towards China has always been based on the belief that China is a so-called strategic competitor, which has led to the ever-lasting dilemma of China-US relations and also brought destabilizing factors to world peace and development. Stephen Roach, a senior researcher at Yale University, recently warned that if the dispute between the US and China keeps going, the ability of both sides to solve major global problems will be severely constrained. The US should understand that there is competition in the world all along, but the competition should be based on mutual learning and trying to outdo each other to make common progress, rather than vie to have a side lose and die. In all, its not a wise choice to engage in blind anti-China operations.

Mutual respect has been an important experience accumulated in the China-US exchanges, and also a basic prerequisite for the return of bilateral relations to the right track. China and the US are two major powers with different histories, cultures, social systems and development paths. There are differences between the two countries from the past to the present, and the future, but they should not be an obstacle to the development of China-US relations. One of the most important things for the two countries to get along with each other is to recognize and respect the differences, instead of trying to change or even subvert the other's system. The US has to understand the point with accuracy, avoid allowing ideological prejudice to coerce its policy towards China, and practically implement its commitment to "respecting China's system and not seeking to change it" with concrete actions, rather than talk the talk but not walk the walk.

No conflict, no confrontation, and peaceful coexistence is a line that both China and the US must hold, which are the most basic common interests of the two countries. China unswervingly pursues an independent foreign policy of peace and always adheres to the foreign policy goals of upholding world peace and promoting common development. Some people in the US havent got rid of the Cold War mentality, and regard China as an imaginary enemy with Chinese development. This has turned out to be a major obstacle to the peaceful coexistence between the two major powers, and the US must overcome it as soon as possible. Adherence to the basic norms of international relations and the three China-US joint communiques is the key to controlling and preventing conflicts and differences between the two parties, and also serves as the most important protection and security net for the China-US relations. Once China and the US come into conflict or confrontation, whether it is a cold war, a hot war, a trade war, or a science and technology war, the interests of both sides and other countries across the world are ultimately doomed to be impaired.

The Taiwan question is at the very core of China's core interests, the bedrock of the political foundation of China-U.S. relations, and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations. The US is supposed to abandon the obsessiveness to contain China; instead, it should try to implement its commitment to not seek a new Cold War, not seek to revitalize alliances against China, not support "Taiwan independence," not support "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan," and has no intention to have a conflict with China.

Win-win cooperation has been the true narrative of China-US relations over the past half a century and is also the common goal that both sides should continue to strive to achieve. In addressing various global challenges, China-US cooperation is the common expectation of the international community. Henry Paulson, former US Treasury Secretary, recently pointed out in an article on US Foreign Affairs that the world would be a very dangerous and less prosperous place if the US and China couldnt maintain stable bilateral relations and cooperate on issues of common interest.

It is the common expectation of the people of the two countries and the people of all other countries in the world that China and the US will find the right way to establish good state-to-state relations. The two sides should, in the spirit of being responsible for history, the world and the people, establish a tone of dialogue rather than confrontation, mutual benefits rather than a zero-sum game in communications, and take practical actions to push the China-US relations back to the track of healthy and stable development, so as to benefit both countries and the world.
Rabat  The House of Councillors approved Tuesday unanimously a bill supplementing Article 11 of Dahir No. 1.58.250 on the Moroccan Nationality Code.

In a presentation of the bill, Minister of Justice Abdellatif Ouahbi said that this proposal, emanating from the Istiqlal group of unity and egalitarianism of the House of Representatives, is part of "the implementation of the constitutional text" which enshrines the official character of the Amazigh language, noting that it is "inconceivable" today to require knowledge of the Arabic language only to obtain Moroccan nationality.

Under this amendment, "adequate knowledge of Arabic and Amazigh, or one of them" will be one of the conditions for naturalization required by the Dahir, he said.
The joint accelerator, run by SOSA, the open innovation company, supports Costa Rican companies in developing advanced manufacturing solutions for their international expansion goals while receiving guidance from industry experts and key stakeholders.

NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With the growing demand for innovative industrial solutions, PROCOMER, SOSA, and the National Learning Institute (INA), as a strategic partner, have launched a joint acceleration program to equip scaling Costa Rican advanced manufacturing companies with tools to gain a foothold for growth in the industry 4.0 market.

In an environment where industry 4.0 has a market size of USD 65 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 218 billion by 2027, the first PROCOMER-SOSA collaboration is geared to drive Costa Rican industry 4.0 companies into the U.S.'s commercial environment.

During the 16-week accelerator, seven Costa Rican companies from various industrial sectors such as electronics, metal mechanics, automation, and others, participate in a series of business-oriented workshops and mentor sessions. Each is being coordinated and customized for successful introduction and expansion to the U.S. market.

Costa Rica is home to a total of 450 companies offering ICT products and services, such as digital transformation, process automation, and technology integration, among others. Of those 450 companies, 56 (12%) represent the sub-sector of the ICT industry, specializing in Industry 4.0 technologies, including cybersecurity, IoT, blockchain, and others.

PROCOMER, The Export Promotion Agency of Costa Rica, is an esteemed supporter of Costa Rican companies and a prominent player in trade promotion worldwide. PROCOMER's partnership with SOSA allows seven innovative Costa Rican companies to dynamically engage in the New York City ecosystem, a renowned hub that amplifies companies' challenges and successes.

"Our goal at SOSA is to expose industry 4.0 innovative technologies to manufacturers and a wide variety of corporations ready to take that next step to achieve growth and transformation" states Uzi Scheffer, CEO at SOSA.

According to Pedro Beirute, PROCOMERs CEO, "PROCOMER, is an organization in charge of accelerating the entry of high-tech services into international markets, through innovation programs working with allies and partners. It is also responsible of creating and consolidating export companies that bring employment and well-being to the entire country. We encourage Costa Rican companies to consolidate business in the United States, which is one of the largest markets in the high-tech industry and our main destiny for exports", he said.

If you are interested in engaging with the cohort, please contact [email protected]

ABOUT PROCOMER

The Export Promotion Agency of Costa Rica (PROCOMER) is a non-state public entity responsible for promoting Costa Rican exports. PROCOMER has been established as the support pillar for Costa Rican companies; we are an inclusive institution that generates businesses with a purpose. https://www.procomer.com/

ABOUT SOSA

SOSA works with innovation teams and business units in corporations (like LG, HP, Schneider Electric, RBC, Swiss Re) and governments (like Costa Rica, Brazil, Australia Canada, and Taiwan). SOSA scouts and validates startups and technologies to bring clients the solutions they need to solve acute problems, identify opportunities, or build new products. https://www.sosa.co/

ABOUT INA

INA is a state entity that provides technical and vocational education and a key player in the Law for the Development Banking System, supporting Costa Rica's business sector. INA also works with other ecosystem stakeholders to foster companies' growth. INA joined PROCOMER in this advanced manufacturing accelerator project, contributing 90% of the total cost.

SOURCE SOSA
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Council of Engineering Companies, California (ACEC California) and the ACEC California Scholarship Foundation, in partnership with public sector agencies and private companies, will be celebrating twelve engineering projects next week at ACEC California's Engineering Excellence Awards banquet. These honor award projects are being recognized for demonstrating an exceptional degree of innovation, complexity, achievement, and value. The winner of the Golden State Award, an honor bestowed for the best overall project, will be announced during next week's event.

"These ACEC California engineering firms are being honored for bringing an outstanding degree of innovation, accomplishment, and value," said Brad Diede, Executive Director of ACEC California. "Californians deserve reliably built infrastructure that includes structurally sound buildings, dependable drinking water supplies, and safe and efficient transportation systems as well as safe bicycle and pedestrian routes. Our firms are committed to continually building a better California, as exemplified in these award-winning projects."

Photographs of award-winning projects can be found at https://www.acec-ca.org/page/2023EEAWinners

San Diego Honor Award Projects:

Kleinfelder and McMillen Jacobs Associates (Now Delve Undergroud) provided professional engineering and construction services for the Courthouse Commons Tunnel Project. This 328-foot-long, three-story underground transfer facility shaft is used to transport inmates from the Downtown San Diego Central Jail to the new Superior Courthouse. Kleinfelder providing comprehensive geotechnical services for design of the tunnel  including serving as the project's Geotechnical and Earthquake/Seismic Engineer of Record  as well as instrumentation and monitoring, geologic mapping, and special inspection and materials testing; and McMillen Jacobs (now Delve Underground)providing design of the transfer facilities shaft and engineering services during construction. Holland Partner Group is developing the Courthouse Commons site for the County of San Diego under a design-build contract. In addition to the tunnel project, the overall redevelopment encompasses three city blocks, including a 37-story mixed-use tower.

Moffatt & Nichol performed all preliminary engineering, led the environmental review and permitting, and completed final engineering for the San Elijo Lagoon Restoration Project contracted by the City of Encinitas. The San Elijo Lagoon Restoration project encompasses restoration to improve the physical conditions of hydrology, hydraulics, and elevations for increased habitat function and value. The project was developed to restore and maintain the lagoon ecosystem through hydrologic augmentation for the benefit of native estuarine and brackish marsh wildlife and vegetation.

Los Angeles Region Honor Award Projects:

Atlas Technical Consultants was contracted by the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) as the prime consultant to provide structural inspection services. Atlas successfully implemented new technologies and innovations in engineering practices, that included the use of tablets for data collection and photogrammetry scanning in tunnels and the use of artificial intelligence software to identify, quantify and size the defects, generate 3D models, and orthomosaics.

HDR was contracted by the Union Pacific Railroad for the 125-year-old Narlon Bridge is perched between ancient sand dunes. The 720-foot-long, 80-foot-tall structure suffered from advanced corrosion from the moisture and chloride-rich air. The joint project between Union Pacific and LOSSAN restores full speed train operation across the San Antonio CreekUsing a "light" approach, the HDR team modified the traditional CM/GC process for time and budget, substituted virtual meetings, forwent co-location and opted for remote coordination. Their 3D LIDAR scan provided a unique viewpoint into acomplex bridge geometry. The single, longer outtage reduced impacts, risk, schedule and costs. Meanwhile, an innovative multi-coating system will keep the bridge functional for the next century.

HNTB Corporation was contracted by the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering in collaboration with Los Angeles architect Michael Maltzan and Danish bridge architect Dissing+Weitling for the City of Los Angeles's new viaduct, dubbed "the Ribbon of Light". The design was selected by the City's Bureau of Engineering through an international design competition. Construction was led by contractors Skanska and Stacy and Witbeck, a joint venture, and managed by T.Y. Lin International Group. The bridge employs a series of 10 pairs of sculptural arches, recalling the iconic beauty of the original 1932 bridge while seamlessly connecting Los Angeles's Art District with the Boyle Heights neighborhood. It's designed not only as a transportation link supporting vehicular traffic, pedestrians and cyclists but also as a community destination, served by a future 12-acre park below the viaduct; the viaduct also can be closed to traffic on special occasions for community celebrations and parades.

P2S Inc. was contracted by the Port of Long Beach as the prime consultant for the design of the new facility and is the engineer of record for the Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Telecommunications systems. This state-of-the-art building is operated by the Long Beach Container Terminal (LBCT) at the Middle Harbor Terminal (MHT) of POLB. As the first fully automated container terminal in the United States, LBCT sets an example of how shipping facilities can increase terminal efficiency while utilizing zero emissions technology. The BXB utilizes LBCT's Battery Exchange System to provide automated battery charging and exchanges of Automated Guided Vehicle batteries. This project is a key component of the automatic characteristics and zero emissions goals of MHT by reducing air pollution emissions from cargo movement for the residents of San Pedro Bay.

PACE Advanced Water Engineering served as the engineer-of-record and part of the PERC Water Team under the Kiewit Design-Build-Operate Team to design the AWTF, a contribution to the City of Santa Monica's Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project (SWIP). The new 1.0 MGD AWTF treats a mixture of raw wastewater from the City's sewer collection system, as well as stormwater harvested from the City's stormwater drainage system for groundwater augmentation via direct injection. This alternative source of water diversifies and increases the resiliency of the City's water supply portfolio by reducing its dependency on imported water.

Walter P Moore for the YouTube Theater project. The YouTube Theater is an intricate element of Hollywood Park, a 300-acre mixed-use development in Inglewood, CA, being developed by Los Angeles Rams Owner/Chairman E. Stanley Kroenke. In its inaugural year, the venue hosted nearly 100 events and over 300,000 fans with acts such as Alicia Keys, Eddie Vedder and the Earthlings, Sebastian Yatra, Aespa, and Jon Pardi. YouTube Theater is one of three venuesincluding American Airlines Plaza and SoFi Stadiumunder a single ETFE roof canopy. During the construction of YouTube Theater, the project team overcame a myriad of challenges, including building the venue near a fault line and directly below the two primary flight approach paths to Los Angeles International Airport, just three miles away. The venue is not only underneath the same ETFE roof canopy as SoFi Stadium, but it is also integrated with 11 roof canopy columns. This integration was made possible by creative engineering experimentation and non-linear time-history analysis of the integrated structure. In addition to exemplary structural engineering solutions, the venue features advanced technology, as well as patron and artist premium amenities that make it a destination venue.

San Francisco Region Honor Award Projects:

Biggs Cardosa Associates, Inc. for the Warm Springs BART Pedestrian West Access Bridge & Entry Plaza. Biggs Cardosa was contracted by the City of Fremont as the prime consultant to provide engineering design for this project, which extends above rail lines to connect the new Warm Springs BART station to the city's Innovation District, a major new employment center and residential area. The bridge navigates a highly constrained site and consists of two sections, a truss span and a cable-stayed bridge, in order to offer the iconic look of a cable-stayed bridge while avoiding high voltage power lines directly overhead. Biggs Cardosa solved multiple seismic stability challenges posed by the two-section bridge and developed a highly detailed construction staging plan that allowed for partial fabrication of the bridges in the shop and assembly of the truss bridge in the field, enabling contractors to lift the truss from the assembly location over rail tracks and raise the truss to the right elevation, all while maintaining a safe clearance to the high voltage lines just overhead and the BART station immediately adjacent..

BKF Engineers for the Bayfront Expressway Pedestrian & Bicycle Overcrossing in Menlo Park. Meta hired BKF as prime consultant to provide civil engineering and Caltrans permitting coordination and to lead the subconsultant design team. The overcrossing is based on an iconic architectural design by Gehry Partners. Biggs Cardosa Associates provided structural design. The overcrossing spans a busy expressway, giving residents a safe connection to the Bay Trail and to a public park Meta created as an amenity. The bridge spans consist of angled, sloping, overlapping built-up steel girders and cross beams supporting composite concrete on a metal decking system of varying width, topped by chain link railings of varying heights and inclination angles. Because of the complex geometries, no two main connections on the overcrossing structure are alike.

Kimley-Horn for the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge Metering Lights System Upgrade Project. Kimley-Horn was the System Manager and System Designer for the replacement of the existing mainline metering lights system for the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge, which had been in operation for over 40 years. The project is a partnership between the Bay Area Toll Authority and Caltrans to modernize the metering lights system and improve regional traffic operations. The Kimley-Horn team provided an innovative solution to improve mobility in one of the most congested corridors in the country. The new SFOBB mainline metering upgrade provides a world-class transportation network that serves the entire traveling community who cross the bridge daily. These enhancements also provide direct benefits to rideshare and transit buses who receive priority in metering rates. The system is more reliable and responsive to changing conditions on weekdays and weekends, resulting in improved system performance, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, TMC operator efficiency, and cost savings.

KPW Structural Engineers, Inc., dba Salas O'Brien Structural Engineers for Gilead Sciences' new Wellbeing Center. Salas O'Brien was contracted by Flad Architects, the prime consultant on the project, to provide structural engineering design and consulting services for the unique Foster City Campus. The sustainability target achieved was LEED Platinum and WELL Gold, which included systems for energy and water efficiency and the environmental impact of the project execution. The Wellbeing Center is designed to foster wellness by including many amenities for employees in a single site. Additionally, the 60,000sf facility includes fitness, yoga, and relaxing green areas for quiet reflection. A fully equipped medical services area provides employees with various services ranging from physical therapy to mental health counseling. The project showcases the value, ingenuity, and sustainable approach for a project with owner priorities and teamwork in mind.

ACEC California is a 60 plus year-old, nonprofit association of private consulting engineering and land surveying firms. As a statewide organization, we are dedicated to enhancing the consulting engineering and land surveying professions, protecting the general public and promoting use of the private sector in the growth and development of our state.

SOURCE American Council of Engineering Companies, California
As part of the first QUANTRON Tech Day, Quantron AG presented its results from the past year as well as its plans for 2023

In spite of the continuing difficult economic situation, the company recorded a turnover of around 13 million euros in 2022

in 2022 For 2023, a sales revenue guidance of around 45- 60 million euros is planned with a target order volume of 360 vehicles

is planned with a target order volume of 360 vehicles R&D investment in new products increased by 80% in 2022 compared to the previous year. Another 100% increase planned for 2023

Announcement of the successful closing of the A-round with up to 45 million euro

AUGSBURG, Germany, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- QUANTRON, specialist for emission-free passenger and freight transport, announces the successes of the 2022 financial year as well as the forecast for the current financial year. The technology company, founded in 2019, thereby confirms its continuing course of success.

Andreas Haller, Founder and Executive Chairman of Quantron AG (PRNewsfoto/Quantron AG)

In 2022, despite the ongoing challenges  such as geopolitical crises in Europe  Quantron AG was able to achieve a turnover of around 13 million euros. This corresponds to an increase of approx. 25% compared to the previous year. Due to the continuously increasing demand for emission-free solutions for passenger and freight transport, the company is aiming to achieve an order volume of around 360 products for 2023. This corresponds to a potential sales volume of around 45-60 million euros as turnover guidance.

The company has placed a strong emphasis on the use and development of new technologies as shown by the 80% increase in R&D spending compared to 2021. In 2023, a doubling of spending compared to last year is planned, focussing on H2-powered fuel cell trucks.

The ambitious development goals are also reflected in the targeted number of personnel. This increased by 89% in 2022. In 2023, QUANTRON aims to increase the size of the workforce, consisting of experts and specialists in the areas of engineering, e-mobility, after-sales and digital solutions, by 30% to around 150 employees.

Michael Perschke, CEO of Quantron AG reported: "In 2023, we want to establish ourselves as a technology company and set standards in the field of emission-free transport of people and goods. This also includes intensifying our focus on the development of our ecosystem, Quantron-as-a-Service, which is a unique offer to all of our customers and minimises the risk of the technology change to zero-emission vehicles via a holistic solution that covers vehicles, energy supply and infrastructure. We are also proud of having successfully closed our A-Round with up to 45 million euro cash-in."

Andreas Haller, Founder and Executive Chairman of Quantron AG added: "I am extremely proud of the performance of our team which has enabled us to achieve our ambitious goals. Looking back at the start of QUANTRON, the way the company has developed has been incredible. I am confident that we can continue this rapid positive development in 2023 and successfully implement QUANTRON's internationalisation strategy."

Images are available in both low and high resolutions here: Quantron AG press releases (https://www.quantron.net/en/q-news/press-releases/)

About Quantron AG

Quantron AG is a platform provider and specialist in sustainable mobility for people and goods; in particular, for trucks, buses and vans with all-electric drive trains and H 2 fuel cell technology.. As a high-tech spin-off of the renowned Haller KG, the Augsburg/Bavaria-based company combines more than 140 years of commercial vehicle experience with the very latest e-mobility know-how, and positions itself globally as a partner to existing OEMs.

With the Quantron-as-a-Service Ecosystem (QaaS), QUANTRON offers an overall concept that includes all facets of the mobility value-added chain: QUANTRON INSIDE includes a wide range of new vehicles as well as conversions for existing and used vehicles from diesel to battery and hydrogen-electric drives with the highly innovative QUANTRON INSIDE technology. With a Europe-wide network of 700 service partners, QUANTRON CUSTOMER SOLUTIONS guarantees digital and physical after-sales solutions along with a range of services for maintenance, repairs and spare parts, telematics and in-cloud solutions for remote diagnosis and fleet management. Customers receive individual advice on, among other things, tailored charging and tank solutions, rental, financing and leasing offers. Training courses and workshops are also offered in the QUANTRON Academy. In the future, QUANTRON ENERGY will realise the production of green hydrogen and electricity as a platform. To this end, Quantron AG has teamed up with a number of strong global partners. At the same time, this Hydrogen Alliance is also an important building block for the QUANTRON POWER STATION, the supply of vehicles with the necessary green charging and H2-tank infrastructure.

QUANTRON stands for the core values RELIABLE, ENERGETIC, BRAVE. The team of experts at the innovation driver for e-mobility is making a significant contribution to sustainable, environmentally friendly passenger and freight transport.

Visit Quantron AG on our social media channels on LinkedIn and YouTube . More informationen available at www.quantron.net

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1919591/Quantron_Logo.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1993897/Andreas_Haller_Quantron_AG.jpg

SOURCE Quantron AG
Rs. 21715 Crore revenue for Q3FY23, 31% YoY

Rs. 622 Crore operating profit, 14% YoY

CHENNAI, India, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Redington Limited (NSE: REDINGTON), today announced its financial results for Q3FY23, which ended on December 31, 2022. Another record quarter of sales and operating margin performance. At Rs. 21715 Crore overall global revenues have been the highest ever for any quarter growing by a strong 31% YoY and at Rs. 622 crores, it has registered highest ever operating profit with a 14% YoY.

Supported by solid execution across businesses and geographies, Redington continues to gain share and secure new opportunities in the markets they compete in. The company emphasized that this record performance is an outcome of continued investments in improving their technology capabilities, building deeper partner relationships, making breadth of offerings more comprehensive and innovations in business model.

Redington's mission is to reduce Technology Friction  the expensive gap between speed of innovation and rate of adoption of tech. It leverages its core strengths of technology, innovations and partnerships to cater to technology demand for hybrid workplaces, digital transformation across verticals, distributed infrastructure for hybrid cloud, data driven insights and deploying and securing borderless networks. It continues to improve its technology and services ecosystem, expand its portfolio with products and offerings to address customer requirements across sectors. Further, Redington is empowering its partners and customers to access and deploy a wide range of technology options through its digital distribution model and a cloud platform that simplifies and streamlines subscription, annuities and renewals.

"In Q3FY23, our focus on digital transformation, combined with our core strength in innovations, technology and partnerships enabled us to fast-track the customer journey of tech adoption by reducing redundancies that cause technology friction. It has been our constant endeavor to innovate business models  whether it is creating a frictionless digital distribution platform or offering everything as a service for products and solutions for enterprise, mid-market and consumer segments. These provide a variety of choices while deploying state-of-the-art technology for greater competitiveness and efficiency and productivity gains. During the quarter we also strengthened our portfolio in emerging segments of solar and Industry 4.0" said Mr. Rajiv Srivastava, Managing Director, Redington Ltd.

Redington continues to work closely with its vast network of channel partners to simplify the procurement, supply chain and adoption of technology products for Enterprises, MSMEs, start-ups and consumers in all the 37 markets where it operates.

*The detailed Financial Report for Q3FY23 can be accessed here: https://www.bseindia.com/xml-data/corpfiling/AttachLive/e8003c11-c7f7-4544-b4b1-3169e7c7b71e.pdf

Safe Harbor

Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements. The business involves various risks, and uncertainties that could result in the actual results to differ materially from those indicated here. All forward looking statements made herein are based on information presently available to the management of the Company and the Company does not undertake to update any forward looking statement that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company.

About Redington Limited:

Redington Limited, an integrated technology solutions provider and a Fortune 500 company, enables businesses in their digital transformation journeys by addressing technology friction  the gap between innovation and adoption. With presence across 38 markets through 60 subsidiary offices, over 290+ brand associations, and 40,000 channel partners, Redington enables seamless and end-to-end distribution for all categories of IT/ITeS, Telecom, Lifestyle, and Solar products in India, Singapore, South Asia, Middle-East, Africa and Turkey. Through its concentrated focus on technology, innovations, and partnerships, Redington is one of the most trusted distributors of products, services, and solutions across the world.

For more details, please visit https://redingtongroup.com/india/

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1824727/Redington_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Redington (India) Limited
MODESTO, Calif., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Save Mart Companies, a Kingswood Capital Management, LP portfolio company, announced today the appointment of industry veteran Robert G. Miller ("Bob") to its Board of Directors, signaling the companies' commitment to growth.

"Bob's expertise and passion for the grocery industry is legendary along with his unparalleled track record of being a growth-focused leader," said Shane Sampson, Executive Chairman of the Board, The Save Mart Companies. "For decades, Bob has built great companies by always being people and community focused as well as mentoring countless individuals including myself, and I am excited to once again collaborate with him and further advance the company's success together."

Industry Veteran Robert G. Miller Has Joined the Board of Directors of The Save Mart Companies Tweet this

"I am incredibly grateful and honored to join The Save Mart Companies Board of Directors at a time when there is so much opportunity in the grocery industry for growth," expressed Bob Miller, Board Member, The Save Mart Companies. "This company and its people exemplify the hard-working and passionate spirit of running great stores and serving their communities."

The industry luminary began his career at 16 years old as a bottle sorter at his local Albertsons store and quickly moved to courtesy clerk, department manager and ultimately store manager. In 1979, he became an executive trainee and continued his rapid career trajectory to become Executive Vice President in nine years. Miller left Albertsons for Fred Meyer where he was CEO from 1991 to 1999 and merged the company with Kroger, where he served as Vice-Chairman and COO. Bob was the Chairman and CEO at Rite Aid from 1999 to 2003 and the Non-Executive Chairman at Wild Oats. In 2006, he returned to Albertsons, growing the company from a strong regional chain of a few hundred stores to over 2,300 stores in over 30 states through acquisitions and mergers with Supervalu and Safeway, serving as CEO and Board Chairman and most recently Chairman Emeritus. Bob was appointed Non-Executive Chairman of Supervalu Inc., from 2013 to 2014. He is most proud of his role as store manager, which drives the grocery industry by serving communities and developing others.

Bob's lifelong dedication to serving customers, improving people's lives, and providing opportunities has not gone unnoticed and the accolades and awards are numerous. Highlights include an Honorary Doctorate degree from Portland State University in 1998, the Horatio Alger Award in 2012, an honor given to individuals whose courage and determination allow them to succeed in their field despite significant early life challenges and recognizes their strong commitment to philanthropy, the first Boise State Champion of Commerce Award in 2014, and The Shelby Report Food Industry Hall of Fame in 2018. Bob was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree by Boise State University in 2018.

About The Save Mart Companies

The Save Mart Companies, a Kingswood Capital Management, LP portfolio company and a California-based grocer, operates approximately 200 Save Mart, Lucky California, and FoodMaxx stores in the California Central Valley, Bay Area, and Northern Nevada. In addition to its retail operation, the Company also operates SMART Refrigerated Transport and is a partner in Super Store Industries ("SSI"), which owns and operates a distribution center in Lathrop, and the Sunnyside Farms dairy processing plant in Turlock. Proud to be California's largest regional, full-service grocery chain throughout the region, the Company and its 14,000 team members take extra care to help provide customers with the freshest foods for their families at affordable prices.

CONTACT: The Save Mart Companies [email protected]

SOURCE The Save Mart Companies
Sanctuary heralds its arrival in the global financial capital with official opening of corporate office in midtown Manhattan

INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Sanctuary Wealth, home to the next generation of elite advisors, proudly announces the official opening of its New York City office at 510 Madison Avenue. The grand opening of the Manhattan office was officially marked with a ribbon cutting ceremony on January 31, 2023, attended by partner firms and members of the executive team.

L to R: Michael Longley, Robert Walter, Jim Dickson, Vince Fertitta, Mary Ann Bartels, Paul Sullivan

"New York City is the world's financial capital and the New York Metropolitan area, including northern New Jersey, is a hugely important growth market for Sanctuary Wealth. We couldn't be happier to establish a strong Sanctuary presence here to add to our growing national network," said Jim Dickson, CEO and Founder of Sanctuary Wealth. "The New York tri-state area is also a great and largely untapped market for our advisors. We have a strong pipeline and will be adding more teams in this market and around the country in the coming months."

In recent years many financial firms have moved from Wall Street and into midtown's skyscrapers. The Sanctuary Wealth New York office at 510 Madison Avenue will house, in addition to Managing Director Paul Sullivan, the offices of several members of the leadership team including Chief Investment Strategist Mary Ann Bartels, Managing Director, Chief Compliance Officer Miles Edwards, Head of Alternative Investments Patrick McGowan, Director of Strategic Relationships Oksana Poznak, and Compliance and Regulatory Attorney Alexandria Dolph. The new office will also have several offices and a conference room specifically reserved for partner firms across the country to use for meetings with clients and prospects or while in the city for other business.

"I'm excited about the opening of Sanctuary Wealth's newest office in the heart of midtown New York City. Our growth in the Northeast over the past 12 months has been extraordinary and by establishing an office with executive presence, we expect to accelerate the growth of partnered independence in this market," added Paul Sullivan, Managing Director, Sanctuary Wealth. "Sanctuary Wealth has now opened offices in two of the wealthiest zip codes on the East Coast, Manhattan and Miami. Best of all, Sanctuary Wealth's partner firms have full access to both offices."

About Sanctuary Wealth

Sanctuary Wealth (sanctuarywealth.com/) is the advanced platform for the next generation of elite advisors, who have the entrepreneurial spirit to build and own their own practices and desire the freedom to deliver the tailored service their clients deserve. Sanctuary Wealth's ecosystem of partnered independence provides a complete technology and operations platform, as well as support from a community of like-minded advisors and the resources of invaluable affiliated businesses. Currently, the Sanctuary Wealth network includes partner firms in 28 states across the country with approximately $25 billion in assets under advisement. Sanctuary Wealth includes the fully owned subsidiaries; Sanctuary Advisors LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser, Sanctuary Securities, Inc. a FINRA member broker-dealer as well as Sanctuary Alternative Holdings, Sanctuary Asset Management, Sanctuary Insurance Solutions, Sanctuary Global, and Sanctuary Global Family Office.

CONTACT: Michaela Morales

JConnelly

973 224 7152

[email protected]

SOURCE Sanctuary Wealth
Leading producer of chilled, frozen and ready-made chicken products to adopt Infor CloudSuite Food & Beverage as a platform for growth

STOCKHOLM, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Infor, the industry cloud company, today announced that Scandi Standard has chosen Infor CloudSuite Food & Beverage to consolidate and standardize its core processes such as purchasing, processing, logistics and finance. The suite will be delivered as a multi-tenant cloud solution powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Scandi Standard is a leading producer of chilled, frozen, and ready-made chicken products in the Nordics and Ireland, as well as selling eggs in Norway. In its production, Scandi Standard cares about the highest standards for quality, innovation, and sustainability. Scandi Standard has operations in five countries and sales in over 40 through subsidiaries such as Danpo, Den Stolte Hane, Kronfagel, Manor Farm and Naapurin Maalaiskana. Scandi Standard's existing business systems lacked the industry adaptation needed to ensure that the ERP (enterprise resource planning) solution could support all core processes in a harmonized way within the group and contribute to further increasing the ability and pace of change in the business. With a standardized platform, Scandi Standard also sees an opportunity to more quickly introduce new technologies into the group and future-proof its development.

"Our value chain is quite similar in all markets where we operate, which means that we see an opportunity to standardize our processes as far as possible in the industry-adapted solution that Infor has," says Goran Matz, Scandi Standard's group CIO. "The move to a new business system is, to a large extent, a process of change. With an industry-specific business system in the cloud, the introduction is facilitated while at the same time we get support with updates and best practices for the food industry."

After a procurement process, the group chose Infor CloudSuite Food & Beverage. A multi-tenant cloud deployment was a deciding factor in Scandi Standard's decision, ensuring the business can benefit from continuous updates with minimal administrative burden on the internal IT team.

"For our core processes such as purchasing, logistics and finance, there is really no reason for us to do anything differently than other companies in our industry do, but rather is something we see can be harmonized advantageously within the group where possible," Matz says. "With Infor, we now get the uniformity we were looking for with a supplier of an ecosystem and a future-proof product."

Learn more about Infor CloudSuite Food & Beverage: https://www.infor.com/products/cloudsuite-food-and-beverage

About Scandi Standard

Scandi Standard is the leading producer of chicken-based food products in the Nordic region and Ireland. The company produces, markets and sells ready-to-eat, chilled and frozen products through its operations in five countries and sales in over 40 through subsidiaries such as Danpo, Den Stolte Hane, Kronfagel, Manor Farm and Naapurin Maalaiskana. Eggs are also produced and sold in Norway. Scandi Standard are approximately 3,000 employees with annual sales of more than SEK 10 billion. For more information, please visit www.scandistandard.com.

About Infor

Infor is a global leader in business cloud software specialized by industry. We develop complete solutions for our focus industries. Infor's mission-critical enterprise applications and services are designed to deliver sustainable operational advantages with security and faster time to value. Over 60,000 organizations in more than 175 countries rely on Infor's 17,000 employees to help achieve their business goals. As a Koch company, our financial strength, ownership structure, and long-term view empower us to foster enduring, mutually beneficial relationships with our customers. Visit www.infor.com.

Media contact

Richard Moore

Infor PR Manager, EMEA

+447976111243

[email protected]

Copyright 2023 Infor. All rights reserved. The word and design marks set forth herein are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Infor and/or related affiliates and subsidiaries. All other trademarks listed herein are the property of their respective owners. www.infor.com

SOURCE Infor
MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Scoular, a global supply chain company, today launched a new name for its food ingredient business that showcases its capabilities in providing innovative ingredients to customers. The new name  Scoular Food Innovation  reflects the company's food industry expertise and experience supplying on-trend ingredients to meet growing consumer demand.

"Scoular has long been a reliable partner delivering leading-edge food ingredients," said Brian Hansen, Scoular General Manager for Food Innovation. "The new name highlights the experience our customers get when working with usaccess to custom, innovative ingredients, solutions, and services."

The Scoular Food Innovation team focuses on delivering ingredients that provide superior function, texture and flavor. Scoular's exclusive new functional chickpea flour, for example, offers gelling, emulsifying, and foaming attributes that can replace eggs in bakery applications. The combination of consumers' growing desire to have an alternative to animal-based products along with egg prices nearly doubling over the last two years has food companies seeking effective egg-replacement solutions like Scoular's functional chickpea flour.

Scoular Food Innovation:

Carries the backing of Scoular's global supply chain network and financial stability, with the 130-year-old company posting over $9 billion in sales and ranking as the 48th largest private company in the U.S.

in sales and ranking as the 48th largest private company in the U.S. Maintains long-term relationships with numerous top global food companies because of its experienced team, deep portfolio of high-quality, plant-based non-GMO and organic ingredients and commitment to strict food safety standards and on-time delivery.

Leverages an in-house research and development team to create and commercialize innovative product formulations.

To learn more, watch this video. Or visit Scoular.com/Food, email [email protected] or call (612) 851-3737.

About Scoular

Scoular is an employee-owned, over $9B agribusiness leading the way since 1892. With headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska, we buy, sell, store, handle and process grain and ingredients by leveraging our global networks and expertise in international trade and transportation. Employing 1,400 people in more than 100 offices and facilities in North America and Asia, we provide safe and reliable solutions to farmers, grain processors, renewable energy producers and manufacturers of animal feed, aquafeed and pet food as well as food, beverages and supplements.

Contact: Melissa Matczak, Director, Corporate Communications Phone: 402-344-1325  Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Scoular
New coordination program launches to help employees thrive.

CHERRY HILL, N.J., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Sena Health, in collaboration with its benefit consultant Conner Strong & Buckelew, has launched a new program at Bancroft to improve the health and well-being of their team members. The new initiative has Sena Health Coordinators available live 24/7/365 by text, phone, or video to answer any questions and attend to any healthcare needs that arise with Bancroft Staff.

Sena Health Coordinators will assist Health Plan-enrolled Bancroft Staff in navigating health and wellness services, allowing team members to decide the best way to use their benefits to make their lives healthier and easier, and enable them to receive the right care, at the right time, at the right place, by the right provider.

"Sena Health will help all employees enrolled in our medical plan with their health and wellness needs  whatever they may be," said Jim Carlino, Chief Human Resources Officer at Bancroft. "I'm excited to introduce this new benefit that will support physical, emotional and financial well-being as part of our ongoing efforts to improve the lives of our staff."

"We at Sena Health are excited to be working with Bancroft on this new, innovative program. We commend Bancroft for taking this important step to help its Plan Members navigate the complex healthcare system and support their individual health goals," said Dr. Anthony Wehbe, Founder of Sena Health.

About Sena Health

Sena Health provides employee health and wellness benefits coordination, enables healing at home for many medical conditions that would typically require a hospital stay, and assists medical groups and hospitals with healing at home program launch services with staffing and technology to support each patient. Sena has a strong growth trajectory, providing advisory services to developers of advanced at-home care across six states.

About Bancroft

Bancroft is a leading regional nonprofit provider of specialized services for individuals with autism, intellectual or developmental disabilities and those in need of neurological rehabilitation. Programming includes special education, vocational training and supported employment, structured day programs, residential treatment programs, community living programs, and behavioral supports. For more information, visit bancroft.org . For Bancroft's recent news and topic expert visit the Newsroom .

About Conner Strong & Buckelew

Conner Strong & Buckelew is among America's largest insurance brokerage, risk management and employee benefits brokerage and consulting firms. The firm is an industry leader in providing high-risk businesses with comprehensive solutions to help prevent losses, manage claims, and drive bottom-line growth.

For more information, please contact us at 609-888-6039 or [email protected]

SOURCE Sena Health
NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Sentinel Capital Partners, a private equity firm that invests in promising midmarket companies, today announced the sale of Apex Companies, a leading provider of end-to-end environmental consulting and engineering solutions, to Morgan Stanley Capital Partners. Sentinel Capital Partners will maintain a minority position in Apex post-closing. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Apex, headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, is a leading environmental consulting and engineering firm specializing in a broad range of environmental and infrastructure needs. Apex serves a large and diverse client base spanning both the public and private sectors and a broad range of end-markets, including energy, industrial, manufacturing, real estate, retail, and telecom. An established leader in stormwater compliance and environmental services, Apex also offers a robust portfolio of services in water infrastructure and resources, compliance and assurance (including ESG consulting), health and safety, transportation, and civil engineering. Apex has over 1,100 professionals operating across 50 nationwide offices and also has the largest stormwater management and compliance practice in the country.

"We've had an excellent partnership with Sentinel over the past four years," said Dave Fabianski, chief executive officer of Apex. "Sentinel's support and guidance have helped us achieve our strategic growth initiatives and their commitment to our people has been absolutely first rate. We appreciate their partnership and the way the Sentinel team engaged with our team."

Sentinel acquired Apex in November 2018 and since then has completed four successful add-on acquisitionsthe Health Safety and Environmental Consulting Business of Bureau Veritas, which included solutions across safety, ergonomics, sustainability, compliance, and management systems; CME Engineering LP and CME Operations LP, regional service providers in civil, mining, water, and environmental engineering serving clients across the Mid-Atlantic; Environmental Partners, a regional leader of engineering services across New England; and Retention Pond Services, a regional leader in stormwater compliance, maintenance and repair services in the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and Midwest.

"Apex's management and employees are highly talented and committed, and we have greatly enjoyed working alongside them. This team has established Apex's nationwide reputation as a leader in water resources and environmental compliance, has built an impressive track record, and has well positioned Apex to continue its impressive growth trajectory," said Michael Fabian, a Sentinel Partner. "Our investment in Apex also reflects Sentinel's ongoing commitment to ESG."

Sentinel has extensive experience investing in infrastructure and environmental engineering and consulting businesses. In addition to Apex, prior investments in the sector include: a current investment in TranSystems , a provider of engineering, architectural, and design consulting solutions; and a prior investment in Trinity Consultants , a provider of air quality consulting and compliance services. Apex is Sentinel's fourth exit in the last 12 months. The other three are Captain Ds , the leading seafood quick service restaurant brand; Altima Dental , a leading dental support organization in Canada; and Nekoosa , a leading manufacturer of specialty paper and film products used in the graphics and commercial print markets.

Robert W. Baird & Co., Houlihan Lokey, and AEC Advisors served as financial advisors to Apex.

About Sentinel Capital Partners

Sentinel specializes in buying and building midmarket businesses in the United States and Canada in partnership with management. Sentinel targets aerospace and defense, business services, consumer, distribution, food and restaurants, franchising, healthcare, and industrial businesses. Sentinel invests in management buyouts, recapitalizations, corporate divestitures, and going-private transactions of established businesses with EBITDA of up to $65 million. Sentinel also invests in special situations, including structured capital solutions, balance sheet restructurings, and operational turnarounds. For more information about Sentinel, visit www.sentinelpartners.com.

About Apex Companies

Apex is a multidisciplinary consulting and engineering firm with a robust portfolio of capabilities in water, environmental, infrastructure, health and safety, and compliance and assurance. Apex is highly regarded for its technical expertise, rapid response, operational integrity, and exceptional client satisfaction. Apex operates in all 50 states and maintains a highly capable and diverse team of scientists, engineers, consultants, technicians, and information management specialists.

Contact: Roland Tomforde

Broadgate Consultants

212-232-2222

SOURCE Sentinel Capital Partners
press release

1. The Extra-Ordinary Organ Troika Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), hereafter called Summit, was held on the 31st January, 2023.

2. Summit was officially opened and chaired by His Excellency Dr. Hage G. Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia, in his capacity as the Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.

3. Summit was attended by the following SADC Heads of State and Government and/or their representatives:

Namibia: His Excellency Dr Hage G. Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia, and Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.

Zambia: His Excellency Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia, and Incoming Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.

South Africa: His Excellency Mr. Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa, and Outgoing Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.

Democratic Republic of Congo: His Excellency Mr Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chairperson of SADC.

Lesotho: Right Hon. Ntsokoane Samuel Matekane, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho.

Eswatini: Right Hon. Cleopas Sipho Dlamini, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Eswatini, representing His Majesty King Mswati III.

Mozambique: Hon. Cristovao Artur Chume, Minister of National Defense of the Republic of Mozambique, representing His Excellency Mr. Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President of the Republic of Mozambique.

4. Summit was also attended by the Chairperson of the SADC Ministerial Committee of the Organ (MCO), Ministers from Organ Troika Member States, namely Namibia, South Africa and Zambia, the SADC Executive Secretary and Head of the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM).

5. Summit observed a Moment of Silence in honour of SAMIM personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty and expressed condolences to the Governments of the Kingdom of Lesotho, Republics of Botswana and Zambia, and the United Republic of Tanzania and the respective families at the loss of their citizens.

6. Summit reiterated the call for Member States to urgently respond to requests for critical capabilities to enhance the operational capability of the SADC Mission in Mozambique.

7. Summit noted the on-going investigations being undertaken by SAMIM leadership following a disturbing video clip circulating on social media depicting what appears to be SAMIM personnel burning deceased people and reiterated that the public will be informed once the investigations are completed, as communicated by the Chairperson of the Organ in his statement issued on 11 January 2023.

8. Summit commended the Government and the People of the Kingdom of Lesotho for conducting peaceful and successful elections and congratulated the Revolutionary for Prosperity Party and the Right Hon. Ntsokoane Samuel Matekane, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho

9. Summit welcomed the commitment made by Right Hon. Ntsokoane Samuel Matekane, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho to prioritise the implementation and completion of the comprehensive national reforms process, and approved the Action Plan for the Lesotho Reform Oversight Committee to monitor the finalisation of the reforms process in the Kingdom of Lesotho.

10. Summit urged the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini to urgently initiate the process of the National Dialogue and urged all stakeholders in the Kingdom of Eswatini to remain calm and participate peacefully in the National Dialogue.

11. Summit condemned all killings and damage to property in the Kingdom of Eswatini, reiterated SADC's condemnation of the killing of Mr. Thulani Rudolf Maseko, a leading human rights lawyer and political activist in the Kingdom of Eswatini, who, at the time of his death, was Chairperson of the Multi-Stakeholder Forum, and urged the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini to conduct a swift, transparent and comprehensive investigation into the killing of Mr. Maseko.

12. Summit noted with deep concern the unstable security situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and strongly condemned the upsurge of conflicts and activities of armed groups, including M23 rebels and the support provided to the armed groups by foreign forces.

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13. Summit resolved to initiate dialogue amongst the Member States of different Regional Economic Communities (RECs) that have deployed forces in the DRC with a view to establish and implement mechanisms for the effective coordination of their interventions in the DRC.

14. Summit adopted the draft African Union Declaration on the USA proposed 'Countering Malign Russian Activities in Africa Act' and urged Member States to communicate SADC's position, and reaffirmed the stance of Non-Alignment on conflicts outside the continent and the region at multilateral fora.

15. Summit commended His Excellency Dr Hage G. Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia, and Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, for his leadership to galvanise concerted efforts towards the attainment of lasting peace and stability in the region.

Done on: 31st January 2023

Windhoek, Namibia
More than 78% of respondents say they want a "new experience" more than economic benefit

Worldwide Coliving Membership (WCM), which is operated and established by SK D&D Episode has published its first project, the Flexible Living Trend Report 2023 Vol. 1

Survey of coliving space residents in 5 countries for the purpose of understanding their perceptions, satisfaction, and use of services

Prioritization of "new experience" over economic benefit  high levels of trust in coliving spaces operated by corporations

SEOUL, South Korea, Jan. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With SK D&D Episode, the Flexible Living Trend Report 2023 Vol.1, Life in Coliving Space, on global trends in coliving has been published by Worldwide Coliving Membership (WCM).

WCM is an international private organization of coliving brands and coliving operators from around the world that is established and led by Episode. Currently 7 companies in 7 members' countries, including the United Kingdom, Spain, Japan, the Philippines and Australia have joined as members and are engaged in activities to networking towards promoting and developing coliving culture, sharing insights and partnerships. And, it plans to expand its coverage to continents around the world by securing more than 20 additional members in year 2023.

As part of the effort, WCM carried out this survey project to acquire and analyze information on residents' lives and their satisfaction with spaces and services to gain insights into a better urban life. The survey was administered to 462 participants living in 5 different countries (South Korea, Japan, Spain, the Philippines and Australia). The survey was conducted online with questions asking residents' views on coliving as well as their satisfaction levels. Additionally, the survey probed participants' interest in sustainability and their views on environmental practices.

According to the report, residents of coliving spaces prioritize "new experiences" over economic factors. Out of all respondents, 78.8% said they wanted 'new experiences' such as the space provided by colivng and hobbies through the communal spaces, which was higher than the who cited 'cost reduction(57.6%)'.

Residents cited "communal areas" as the biggest advantage of coliving. In particular, 81% of respondents who had experience using communal spaces said that they have had a "new experience" through using communal spaces in coliving housing. And, more than half of the residents(58%) said that coliving made them feel closer to their neighbors. Many residents of EPISODE said that they had new experiences through community programs and communal spaces while building closer local networks, leading to positive evaluations and analysis.

Also, 86.6% of respondents said that the fact that the coliving space is managed by a corporation not by an individual had a positive impact in their living experience. The reasons for this were excellent management of facilities, financial safety, along with effective communication, and differentiated residential services.

A spokesperson for SK D&D said, "While better urban lifestyle and a more sustainable life are common interests of all individuals. This survey has been of great help in understanding the common values or differences of residents of different cultural and social backgrounds."

"Moving forward, Episode will continue to make efforts to conduct various kinds of research to deduce what users value and reflect that in our spaces and services," the spokesperson added.

The report was published as a digital document and the full version can be viewed on the Episode's official website.

Also, Episode was recognized with a 2021 Coliving Award for Best Coliving Operator. The company has also been recognized in various international settings for sustainable marketing and design by winning silver at The Content Council 2022 Pearl Awards and platinum at The2022 MarCom Awards.

Episode operates WCM to encourage coliving brands, operators and residents around the world to interact and provide advantage of discounts and benefits from global coliving operators. Participating operators in different countries including Campus Perth in Australia, Coimpact Coliving in Spain, EPISODE in Republic of Korea, Gravity Coliving in the United Kingdom, MyTown in the Philippines, POHA House in Germany and Share house 180 in Japan have currently been joined in the membership.

*SK D&D Episode official website

Korean: https://www.epsd.co.kr/

English: https://www.epsd.co.kr/en/

SOURCE SK D&D
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Auto-makers have exhibited increased traction to cut battery's carbon footprint, encouraging solid-state battery industry players to propel environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals. Solid state batteries (SSBs) store more energy, provide greater safety and charge faster compared to liquid lithium-ion batteries. Since a few batteries are required, SSBs can boost energy density per unit, making the technology highly sought-after in the EV landscape. SSBs could propel the ESG performance with several watchdogs vouching for the batteries. According to Transport & Environment (T&E), solid state batteries can minimize the carbon footprint of EV batteries by two-fifths. With solid state batteries poised to be used in EVs by 2025, battery manufacturers have furthered their investments in the ESG ecosystem.

The sustainability of battery supply chains has become pronounced as companies seek to reap upsides from using SSBs. These batteries promise to attain the Paris Agreement, boost energy access and economic value and foster decarbonization. Companies could shift to a circular value chain to enhance their economic and environmental footprint and by harvesting end-of-life values from batteries. With investors looking for companies with better ESG scores, stakeholders could focus on deploying SSBs in electric vehicles. Stakeholders are bullish towards safe working conditions and have exhibited respect for human rights by keeping the child and forced labor at bay. Private companies and public stakeholders are expected to expedite the share of renewable energies in the value chain.

Discover more regarding the practices and strategies being implemented by industry participants in the Solid State Battery Industry ESG Thematic Report, 2023, published by Astra ESG Solutions

Environmental Perspective

The growth of SSBs is likely to foster green energy and e-mobility as stakeholders strive to minimize their carbon footprint. The European climate group has pitched for incentives for the production of batteries with a lower carbon footprint in the new EV battery regulationsEU governments and MEPs are negotiating the final text of the regulation. In December 2020, the European Commission reportedly tabled a proposal for the modernization of the regulatory framework for batteries and bolstering the sustainability of EU battery value chains.

Although SSBs are at a low technology readiness level, strong demand from EV manufacturers to offset initial costs and propel sustainability could augur growth. The need for intensive actions against climate change and to bring the automotive sector to greenhouse gas neutrality has become an enabler for technological advances and buoyant policies. For instance, Toyota Motor Corporation issued Challenge 2050 to underpin the creation of a more sustainable and inclusive society. The company aims to reduce CO2 emissions from new vehicles by 30% by 2025 and 90% by 2050.

Solvay has a bullish plan to achieve carbon neutralityscope 1 and 2before 2040 for all businesses barring soda ash. The audacious goal is underpinned by an investment program of approximately 2 billion (USD 2.05 billion). The next-generation power source for EVs will continue to be sought to underscore the environmental profile. In July 2022, Nikkei, in partnership with Patent Result, inferred that Toyota had a massive lead in the solid-state battery patentswith 1,331 known patents.

Social Perspective

Industry partners have prioritized social contributions activities to enrich society and communities. In February 2022, Samsung SDI established a sustainable business management committee to propel ESG efforts. The company is gearing up for a full transition to renewable energy by 2050. The battery firm stood first with around 70% score, partly due to bullish efforts to propel work environment, diversity and human rights. In April 2022, Samsung SDI set out Safety Environment Management Policy to create safe and healthy corporate values, implement environmentally friendly management and form an external green community. In 2021, the company appointed around 299 CAs to take the organizational culture to the next level through team member development, fair appraisal, better collaboration, enhanced work efficiency and open communication.

Amidst occupational accidents becoming pervasive and denting the economy and employees' health, stakeholders have responded with buoyant policies. In May 2021, the firm operated the "Eradicating Serious Accidents Task Force" to bolster safety and keep occupational injuries at bay. The South Korea-based company has expedited labor-management communication to enhance the work environment and protect labor rights. In 2020, around 1,193 issues were reportedly submitted and addressed with robust follow-up measures.

The diversity of directors has come to the fore as a driver of social portfolio for efficient decision-making and supervision. In 2020, Samsung SDI appointed four independent directors on the basis of expertise in areas, including law/human rights, electrical and electronics industry, accounting/tax and labor policy/relations. The company has placed no limitations on the basis of religion, gender, race, nationality, ethnicity or cultural background.

Companies have also prioritized the ESG committee to underpin sustainability. In 2021, Solvay rolled out its first employee share purchase program to propel the feeling of ownership among employees. Moreover, 98 of its 105 sites have observed a security vulnerability self-assessment (SVSA). It has also rolled out "Solvay One Dignity" to eradicate discrimination, providing equal opportunities for every employee. The company also announced the introduction of its first employee stock ownership plan. Moreover, in 2021, Solvay introduced a ten-year "STAR Factory Program" to cash in on digital and data science and make all plants STAR factory certified by 2030.

Get more insights about how key industry participants like Toyota Motor Corporation, Solvay SA, Samsung SDI Co. Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH are identifying, analyzing and mitigating ESG risks and ensuring compliance

Governance Perspective

Well-established and emerging players have reinforced governance, ethics and transparency to create a sustainable value for all stakeholders. Companies have raised the bar in ESG performance to pursue their sustainability vision. The repercussion of unsound governance could expand beyond the realm of financial results, prompting financial bodies to mandate governance disclosure reports. With environmental and climate issues placed at the top of agendas, governance practices and disclosures could underscore a culture of sustainable value creation.

The ESG scoring model of Grand View Research has ranked Solvay second to nonewith a 70% scorein corporate governance. The top rank is mainly due to its efforts to foster governance practices with an emphasis on independent directors. In 2021, the company had 64% independent directors and the stand-alone ESG committee made a new carbon neutrality ambition recommendation to the board. The board backed the introduction of an employee share purchase plan providing Solvay personnel the chance to buy company shares at a 10% discount.

Is your business one of participants to the Solid State Battery Industry? Contact us for focused consultation around ESG Investing, and help you build sustainable business practices

Prominent companies have underscored the focus on sound governance, the ratio of independent directors, compliance training and taking disciplinary actions for corruption. Around 12,598 Samsung SDI employees completed ethics and compliance training, while there were 26 compliance review activities in 2021. The company appoints a chair of the BOD among directors to boost the flexibility of BOD operations and enhance directors' accountability. The South Korean firm rolled out the Samsung Compliance Committee in February 2020 to propel compliance oversight and control at the company's seven primary affiliates. In 2021, it amended all guidelines managed by the compliance team and provided training and reviews to alert employees about the risk of regulatory non-compliance.

Forward-looking companies are assessing risks, opportunities and issues pertaining to sustainability amidst the expanding footprint of solid state batteries. With longer ranges and quicker charging times, SSBs could be the game changer for the electric vehicle manufacturers and other stakeholders. In January 2022, Toyota announced its first vehicle to use SSBs would be hybrid and would go on sale by 2025. Meanwhile, in June 2022, Solid Power announced it would be shipping solid state battery cells to BMW and Ford by the year-end for validation testing. Prevailing trends allude to a robust growth outlook in the ensuing period. The global solid state battery market is expected to witness around 36% CAGR from 2021 through 2028. Policies and approaches toward ESG could dictate the growth trajectory as automakers seek massive EV battery breakthroughs.

Browse more ESG Thematic Reports from the Utilities Sector, published by Astra - ESG Solutions

About Astra  ESG Solutions by Grand View Research

Astra is the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) arm of Grand View Research Inc. - a global market research publishing & management consulting firm.

Astra offers comprehensive ESG thematic assessment & scores across diverse impact & socially responsible investment topics, including both public and private companies along with intuitive dashboards. Our ESG solutions are powered by robust fundamental & alternative information. Astra specializes in consulting services that equip corporates and the investment community with the in-depth ESG research and actionable insight they need to support their bottom lines and their values. We have supported our clients across diverse ESG consulting projects & advisory services, including climate strategies & assessment, ESG benchmarking, stakeholder engagement programs, active ownership, developing ESG investment strategies, ESG data services, build corporate sustainability reports. Astra team includes a pool of industry experts and ESG enthusiasts who possess extensive end-end ESG research and consulting experience at a global level.

For more ESG Thematic reports, please visit Astra ESG Solutions, powered by Grand View Research

Need expert consultation around identifying, analyzing and creating a plan to mitigate ESG risks related to your business? Share your concerns and queries, we can help!

Contact:

Michelle

Sales Specialist, USA

Astra ESG Solutions - Powered by Grand View Research, Inc.

Phone: 1-415-349-0058

Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519

Web: https://astra.grandviewresearch.com/

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/astra-esg-solutions/

SOURCE Astra ESG Solutions
Deployment Proven Hyperscale Interconnects with 56G PAM4 Signaling

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- (TSXV: SEV) (OTCQB: SPVNF) Spectra7 Microsystems Inc. ("Spectra7" or the "Company"), a leading provider of high-performance analog semiconductor products for broadband connectivity markets, announced that it will be showcasing server and switch connectivity at this year's annual DesignCon Conference Exhibition being held in Santa Clara, California from February 1-2, 2023. Spectra7 will be showing Active Copper Cables with the Company's GaugeChanger chips from cable partners Molex, Amphenol and Luxshare, with Broadcom's Tomahawk 4 switch and Broadcom's BCM957508-P2100G Network Interface Card (NIC).

As switches and servers move to higher bandwidth ports utilizing 56G PAM4 signaling, passive copper cables cannot serve all lengths needed. Instead of deploying optical interconnects that are much higher power and more costly, data center operators are looking to Active Copper Cables (ACCs) to serve this growing need. The use of 56G PAM4 signaling is growing significantly for Hyperscale data center interconnects. Total 56G PAM4 interfaces are expected to continue to increase, reaching over 150 million interface shipments by 2024.1

Spectra7's GaugeChanger is an innovative technology that allows copper to extend much longer lengths without the cost and power penalty of optics or DSP-based retimed copper solutions. It works equally well at 25G NRZ, 56G PAM4 and 112G PAM4 signaling, enabling new connector standards of 100, 200, 400, 800Gbps and 1.6Tbps.

DesignCon is the premier high-speed interconnect and system design conference attended by engineers from around the world. Spectra7 will be exhibiting in booth #509.

ABOUT SPECTRA7 MICROSYSTEMS INC.

Spectra7 Microsystems Inc. is a high-performance analog semiconductor company delivering unprecedented bandwidth, speed, and resolution to enable disruptive industrial design for leading electronics manufacturers in data centers, 5G infrastructure, virtual and augmented reality, and other connectivity markets. Spectra7 is based in San Jose, California with a design center in Cork, Ireland and technical support location in Dongguan, China. For more information, please visit www.spectra7.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 NOTES

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements". All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including, without limitation, the expectation that use of 56G PAM4 interfaces will increase, the Company's strategy, plans, objectives, goals and targets, and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words "believe", "expect", "aim", "intend", "plan", "continue", "will", "may", "would", "anticipate", "estimate", "forecast", "predict", "project", "seek", "should" or similar expressions or the negative thereof, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only the Company's expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. Additional factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially include, but are not limited to the risk factors discussed in the Company's annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2021. Management provides forward-looking statements because it believes they provide useful information to investors when considering their investment objectives and cautions investors not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and other cautionary statements or factors contained herein, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect subsequent information, events or circumstances or otherwise, except as required by law.

NOTE:

1 650 Group Market Research

For more information, please contact:

Matt Kreps

Darrow Associates

214-597-8200

[email protected]

Spectra7 Microsystems Inc.

Bonnie Tomei

Chief Financial Officer

669-212-1089

[email protected]

Spectra7 Microsystems Inc.

John Mitchell

Public Relations

650-269-3043

[email protected]

SOURCE Spectra7 Microsystems Inc.
Bhatia brings expertise in scaling and leading global enterprise firms as Spruce continues rapid growth

NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Spruce Technology, Inc., an award-winning consulting firm with over 15 years in the marketplace, today announced the appointment of Girish Bhatia as Executive Consultant. Bhatia joins Spruce with decades of experience leading global organizations, having founded and built GCOM Software Inc., and Rapid Application Developers, LLC, as well as having held an executive leadership position at companies such as CGI Inc. As Spruce continues to experience a period of rapid growth and seeks to further expand its footprint, Bhatia's proven track record of scaling organizations will help drive the company's efforts.

"I have known the executive management team of Spruce for 15+ years and have very high regards for their capabilities and ability to execute. I look forward to working with the Spruce team to continue its exponential growth and leadership in delivering mission critical solutions for its customers," said Girish Bhatia, Executive Consultant of Spruce.

"On behalf of all members of Spruce, congratulations and a warm welcome to Mr. Girish Bhatia. Mr. Bhatia brings more than 25 years of experience to our business, including leading, building, and scaling organizations, and will help Spruce expand in new markets as well as strengthen Spruce's position in existing markets. I have known Mr. Bhatia for over 15 years and am confident together we will accomplish great things leveraging his expertise and dedication to the public sector," said Srini Penumella, CEO of Spruce.

About Spruce Technology

Headquartered in Clifton, New Jersey, Spruce's client-focused, personalized approach has enabled tremendous growth. Spruce has built a network of strategic alliances and partnerships with industry leaders with whom they have delivered successful projects for many Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies across North America. As a technology consultancy, Spruce focuses on understanding the goals and challenges of their clients first and foremost. For more information, please visit https://www.sprucetech.com/

Media Contact

Kristen Mazza, [email protected]

SOURCE Spruce Technology Inc
HOUSTON, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- St. Luke's Health and its academic affiliate Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) are back in-network with Cigna, adding the insurer to a large group of in-network carriers . The agreements pave the way for more than 66,000 Cigna patients to receive their healthcare at hospitals in the St. Luke's Health network or with a Baylor doctor. The effective date for St. Luke's Health is March 1, 2023, and BCM's date was January 9, 2023. Patients can begin making appointments for in-network services now; please ensure the appointment happens on/ after March 1, 2023.

St. Luke's Health continues to work to quickly reach an agreement with Cigna LifeSOURCE, the transplant network, to ensure coverage for transplant-related care.

"The new contract is good news for thousands of families across Southeast Texas who are Cigna-insured and rely on St. Luke's Health for their care," said St. Luke's Health CEO T. Douglas Lawson. "It allows us to continue to provide the essential high-value, high-quality care that our patients and their families expect from us."

The newly signed contracts bring to an end a long period during which St. Luke's Health hospitals and BCM physicians were out of network with Cigna. "Termination of our previous contract was a difficult decision," said Lawson, "but it was necessary to address the financial sustainability of St. Luke's Health. These are challenging economic times for everyone, and our new agreement ensures that our patients again have the option of choosing great healthcare at great value without significantly affecting their insurance rates."

"We appreciate our patients, providers, employers and others who have supported our efforts during this period of termination," said Lawson.

Cigna-insured patients who have questions about their healthcare options at St. Luke's Health should contact a Cigna representative at the number on the back of their insurance card.

St. Luke's Health is a trusted and highly regarded resource in the greater Houston and Southeast Texas medical communities. With an integrated health network dedicated to delivering advanced, compassionate medical care, St. Luke's Health physicians perform cutting-edge research while adhering to a Christian ministry of healing. In addition to its unique academic and community partnerships with Baylor College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, and the Texas Heart Institute, St. Luke's Health is nationally recognized as having some of the best physicians and hospitals in the country.

St. Luke's Health's clinically integrated network of care includes sixteen high-quality short-term acute care hospitals, five free-standing emergency departments, and two express care/urgent care centers across greater Houston, Bryan/College Station, and Lufkin and East Texas. With more than 362 employed and 1,585 aligned providers delivering exceptional care, St. Luke's Health employs more than 21,000 employees, providers, and volunteers who deliver safe, high-quality, compassionate care through a comprehensive network of academic and community partners.

SOURCE St. Lukes Health
MONTREAL, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - It has been almost four years since Stars and Stripes , an independent news publisher serving the US military community, went live with Pelcro's subscription management platform. And since joining in 2019, the publication has multiplied its subscriber base by nearly five times. To continue on their growth trajectory, Stars and Stripes approached Pelcro again to help them design a brand new UI for their paywall, which was an important step in an effort to support their growth with a new modernized brand experience and an improved user journey.

Stars and Stripes Launches New UI (CNW Group/Pelcro Inc.)

It was also important for Stars and Stripes to communicate to their readers where their subscription fee goes and who it supports. Pelcro made it a priority to insert messaging on the new UI that Informed readers that their subscription money supports the publication's mission to deliver news and information to the military community worldwide.

Why Change The Paywall's User Interface?

Stars and Stripes acknowledged that even though their old paywall was functioning well, it needed to be updated to meet industry marketing and design standards. For instance, the old UI felt slightly dated and lacked messaging that would entice readers to subscribe. The old UI also consisted of a two-button modal that invited readers to either subscribe or login, missing information about the plans or value propositions. So, working with Pelcro, Stars and Stripes requested a custom-made, paywall UI designed to delight their loyal subscriber base.

"From our past experiences with launches on our website, usually, things go through a bit of turbulence before they stabilize. However, this was not the case with Pelcro's new paywall UI; it went smoothly with no problems whatsoever since the moment of its deployment." Watch to Learn More

- Chris Verigan, Director of Engagement at Stars and Stripes

What Was Included in The New UI?

With the new UI, readers are confronted with a smart page-wide metered paywall that provides a countdown and notifies readers of the number of free articles left. When the "Subscribe" button is selected, the viewer is prompted to evaluate the purchase options.

It was necessary to elevate the brand experience by using modern fonts, colors and images that match the website's new look and feel. As seen in the modal above, the paywall is designed to look like a banner advertisement. The modal is set up to answer frequently asked questions and clarify details about the offerings, allowing readers to make a more informed decision without visiting any other page on the website or reaching out for support. As a result, this new experience is expected to increase conversions and retention rates significantly.

"For the past three years, we've had the great pleasure of working side by side with the amazing team at Stars and Stripes. This year, we are excited to have empowered the launch of a newly designed paywall to increase conversions by creating an even faster and more seamless user experience than before."

- Andrew Morris, Director of Client Relations at Pelcro

About Stars and Stripes

Stars and Stripes has published a newspaper continuously since World War II. Their unique military coverage first became available online in 1999. Today, Stars and Stripes operate as a multimedia news organization. They publish the Stars and Stripes print newspaper edition Monday through Thursday with a special Weekend Edition on Friday. In addition, they also publish several weekly and monthly publications and numerous special supplements. On any given day, readers and visitors number about 1.4 million.

About Pelcro

Pelcro is an all-in-one platform for businesses selling digital memberships, subscription boxes, magazines, newspapers, video content, and everything in between. Through Pelcro, you can leverage out-of-the-box user flows for authentication, authorization (Paywalls), payments, shipping, and more. You can also utilize the robust APIs and SDKs we offer on web and mobile for ultimate flexibility. To learn more about Pelcro, Book a Demo with one of our representatives for an exclusive one-on-one product tour, or get started with your free trial right away and see for yourself.

SOURCE Pelcro Inc.
BOSTON, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Unruly Studios, the leading education company that combines coding and active play in classrooms, is ecstatic to announce the winners of its latest coding challenge, So You Think You Can Code!

Schools competed by submitting short videos of students showing off their dance moves, musical prowess, and coding skills. The winning submissions impressed judges by coding Unruly Splats in a variety of unexpected ways to create music, team dance routines, and even a recreation of a Harry Styles song.

The Unruly Studios "So You Think You Can Code" Challenge

"We were blown away by the display of talent in this competition," said Bryanne Leeming, CEO and Founder of Unruly Studios. "We really wanted students to get creative with this challenge. The schools ran with the prompt and created some amazing videos that demonstrate how combining learning to code with music and dance can help inspire the next generation of artists and technologists."

Throughout the month of December, dozens of schools across the US and Canada participated in the So You Think You Can Code challenge. Here are the winning videos (drum roll please!).

For the first time ever, Unruly Studios invited an esteemed panel of judges to help evaluate submissions based on demonstrated teamwork, coding excellence, creativity, and overall performance. The judges were Jonathan Jones, Cornerback for the New England Patriots; Dr. Beth Marcus, Sr. Principal Technologist at Amazon; and Jonathan Lee, Billboard Producer/Grammy Nominated Sound Engineer.

In addition to the musical challenge, schools had the option to participate in a two-day Stomp-etition with the goal to reach a collective goal of 2 million "stomps" on their Unruly Splats. In 48 hours, schools racked up 3,314,300 stomps, raising $6,000 for the Jonathan Jones Next Step Foundation to combat food insecurities for children.

Unruly Studios hosts regular international coding challenges that spark the competitive spirit of students and teachers alike, helping to inspire a love of computer science. To learn more about how your school or district can participate in future coding challenges, visit www.unrulysplats.com .

About Unruly Studios

Unruly Studios is the creator of Unruly Splats , the first STEM learning tool that combines coding with active play. Unruly Studios' vision is to create an electronic playground that makes learning more playful, collaborative, and inclusive. The team is made up of experts in cognitive science, toy manufacturing, education, and technology who bring broad industry experience from Scratch, Hasbro, Mattel, Nickelodeon, iRobot, Disney, and MIT Media Lab.

Media Contact:

Charlotte Ward

530-563-6860

[email protected]

SOURCE Unruly Studios
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Reset Summer Camp for Digital Detox & Life Skills, now in its sixth year, is expanding to Canada. In the summer of 2023 Reset will open on the campus of Bishop's University in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada just east of Montreal.

Founded in 2018, Reset is the first of its kind, offering a clinical, therapeutic summer camp program for teens suffering from excessive screen-time overuse, social-media, and gaming addiction. Since the pandemic Reset is also driving a special focus on social engagement and general Life Skills.

Summer Camp for Digital-Detox & Life Skills expands to Canada Tweet this Reset Summer Camp featured on the TODAY Show

"None of our kids are really excited to attend camp." says Michael Jacobus, Executive Director, "but after they have been here for a few weeks, they begin to adjust back to the kids they were before their tech addictions."

Since the advent off COVID, screen-addiction has only gotten worse and social skills have faltered. Reset offers a 4-week summer camp program that includes group and individual therapy, socialization, life skills all in a good old fashioned summer camp environment.

This summer the California camp runs from July 2 - July 30 and the Canadian camp runs from July 9 - August 6. Both programs close with a Family Workshop Weekend for parents and siblings.

For more information or to start your application process, visit: www.resetsummercamp.com

Media Contact:

Michael Jacobus,

+17757713191,

[email protected];

SOURCE Reset Summer Camp
With an increase in divorce filings in Q1, SupportPay offers its first-of-its-kind

employee benefit for free for a limited time to help companies provide support and bridge the gap in benefits for single and divorced working parents.

NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SupportPay, the only co-parenting fintech solution with an employee benefits program, today announces that its benefits program will be available for free to help working parents before, during, and after divorce. Between February 1-28, working parents, HR leaders, and benefits professionals can register to receive access to SupportPay's solution for three months. The trusted payment platform helps working parents manage child support and/or alimony payments, track shared child expenses, coordinate custody schedules, and streamline communication between parents through its web and mobile app.

SupportPay, the only co-parenting fintech solution with an employee benefits program, today announces that its benefits program will be available for free to help working parents before, during, and after divorce.

Studies conducted by law firms show that divorce rates can rise by one-third after the holiday season, explaining why the month of January is often referred to as "Divorce Month." However, SupportPay is coining the term "Divorce Quarter" as divorce filings peak in the first quarter of the year. In fact, a study conducted by the University of Washington, which analyzed divorce filings in Washington State, found they peaked in March.

To support working parents who may be struggling with life after divorce or separation, SupportPay is offering its unique and innovative benefits program for three months at no cost. Employees often remain silent about this type of needed support from their employer out of discomfort, the stigma surrounding being a single parent, and a lack of existing offerings. The demand for single-parent benefits is much higher than commonly assumed, and SupportPay is helping to bridge that gap.

"The number of single, divorced, and co-parents that are often overlooked in today's competitive benefits ecosystem still surprises me," said Sheri Atwood, founder and CEO of SupportPay. "Because of this, we are extending our unique benefit to businesses and their employees free of charge during Q1, resulting in improved financial well-being and mental health for employees, while also generating a clear return on investment for employers. By introducing an initiative that supports working parents, businesses are committing to a larger initiative that is making sure everyone is supported and thriving in today's workplace."

A survey from Good Housekeeping in partnership with SupportPay found that divorce greatly impacts employees and also ripples through the entire company. Employees going through a divorce experience lost productivity for more than one year (81%), increased absenteeism (73%), and a decline in health and financial well-being (67%). Additionally, the survey found that 70% of the workforce is impacted by divorce at any given time. SupportPay's innovative solution is specifically designed to reduce the financial stress associated with divorce and separation, while improving productivity, reducing turnover, and facilitating the process toward a healthy co-parenting relationship.

SupportPay's first-ever benefits program was successfully launched in August 2022, and companies like Hearst Corporation and several other Fortune 500 companies have partnered with SupportPay to provide employees and their co-parents with access to the platform.

To register, please visit https://supportpay.com/benefit-program-offer .

About SupportPay

Over $900B is exchanged each year between parents who are raising children together but living apart. SupportPay is the first and only co-parenting app to automate and manage child support payments, expenses, custody, and communication. In addition to its online, iOS, and Android app, SupportPay offers its platform as an employee benefit by partnering with companies to provide access to employees who are impacted during and after divorce. SupportPay is a HearstLab portfolio company, whose mission is to close the gap in venture capital funding for women. They are also a participant in the Morgan Stanley Multicultural Innovation Lab Accelerator, an accelerator program that invests in early-stage, high-growth companies led by women and multicultural entrepreneurs. SupportPay is a subsidiary of Smart Family Tech, Inc., a software company focused on delivering solutions that make family life easier. The holding company also includes the co-parent scheduling and communication platform, WeParent, which was acquired in November 2021 and is included as part of the employee benefit. For more information on SupportPay, visit www.supportpay.com .

SOURCE SupportPay
NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The WNET Group, parent company of America's flagship PBS station THIRTEEN, has named Tamisha M. Chestnut Vice President, Human Resources, reporting to the president and CEO. She succeeds Charlene Shapiro, who will retire after 14 years as Vice President at The WNET Group.

Chestnut brings over 20 years of experience and will serve as a member of the senior management team, responsible for developing and executing human resource strategy in support of the overall business plan and strategic direction of The WNET Group.

"Tamisha has worked across various industries and diverse cultures in global HR and in academic settings to align strategic business initiatives and has a broad functional background that is invaluable," said Neal Shapiro, president and CEO, The WNET Group. "We welcome her experience in leading organizational transformations and her commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion as a key member of the leadership team."

She will oversee all HR activities including employee engagement and retention, succession planning, talent management, performance management, employee relations, training, compensation, and benefits. She will be responsible for monitoring the hybrid workforce and evolving policies, practices, and procedures as needed; ensuring compliance with all federal and local regulations; and partnering with the Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer.

Since 2000, Chestnut has worked in global human resources for leading companies in technology, financial services, investment banking, and fashion including IBM, Deloitte, Morgan Stanley, BlackRock, and Hugo Boss. From 2013-2017, she was the director of human resources at Mitchell Titus, the largest minority-controlled accounting firm in the United States, where she led human capital management through a firm-wide business transformation and oversaw recruiting, compensation/reward programs, talent management, and leadership development.

Prior to that, from 2009-2011, she was vice president, human resources and diversity at BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager based in New York City. Recently, she has guided leadership and designed, developed and delivered strategic human capital planning initiatives at some of the most elite independent college-preparatory schools in New York. Most recently, she served as the inaugural director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at The Ursuline School in New Rochelle, where she was responsible for developing and executing cultural competence and inclusion-focused educational programming.

"I am honored to join The WNET Group, an organization I've long admired for its rich history of programming and educational content. I look forward to supporting my new colleagues, advancing innovative human capital planning, and promoting an inclusive workplace culture," said Chestnut.

Chestnut holds a master's degree from Mercy College and is a graduate of Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia, where she studied broadcast journalism. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and Jack and Jill of America, Inc. She serves on the Board of Directors of Girls, Inc. of Westchester County, New York, and has been a member of the Board of Trustees at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York, New York, for almost 10 years.

About The WNET Group

The WNET Group creates inspiring media content and meaningful experiences for diverse audiences nationwide. It is the community-supported home of New York's THIRTEEN  America's flagship PBS station  WLIW21, THIRTEEN PBSKids, WLIW World and Create; NJ PBS, New Jersey's statewide public television network; Long Island's only NPR station WLIW-FM; ALL ARTS, the arts and culture media provider; newsroom NJ Spotlight News; and FAST channels Arts TWG+ and PBS Nature. Through these channels and streaming platforms, The WNET Group brings arts, culture, education, news, documentary, entertainment and DIY programming to more than five million viewers each month. The WNET Group's award-winning productions include signature PBS series Nature, Great Performances, American Masters and Amanpour and Company and trusted local news programs MetroFocus and NJ Spotlight News with Briana Vannozzi. Inspiring curiosity and nurturing dreams, The WNET Group's award-winning Kids' Media and Education team produces the PBS KIDS series Cyberchase, interactive Mission US history games, and resources for families, teachers and caregivers. A leading nonprofit public media producer for more than 60 years, The WNET Group presents and distributes content that fosters lifelong learning, including multiplatform initiatives addressing poverty, jobs, economic opportunity, social justice, understanding and the environment. Through Passport, station members can stream new and archival programming anytime, anywhere. The WNET Group represents the best in public media. Join us.

SOURCE The WNET Group
Nairobi  The number of retail investors participating in Unit Trusts has risen significantly over the past decade driven mainly by the use of technology that has seen market players attract more clients, a new report shows.

According to the CMA Q4 Soundness report, the number of retail investors in capital market products rose to 300,000 as of September 2022 from 84,000 in September 2012.

This has led to a 5- fold increase in Assets Under Management (AUM) by CISes to more than Sh155 billion as at the end of the quarter under review, compared to the corresponding period in 2012.

CMA notes that the increase in retail investors has also been fueled by the approval of more fund managers and asset classes under umbrella Collective Investment Schemes (CIS).

In recent times, a number of firms in the markets have leveraged technology to avail capital markets-related products to investors.

Four of these firms were admitted and successfully graduated from the CMA Regulatory Sandbox, they include Chumz App, Innova Limited, FourFront Management, and Hisa App.

According to the market regulator, digitalization and the use of social media has reshaped the way financial products are marketed and distributed and this has eased access to a broad range of financial products, particularly by retail investors.

"Robo advisers, online brokers (digital brokers), investment apps, and web portals have multiplied the opportunities for retail investors to invest and trade in securities," said CMA.

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Despite the increased investment from digitalization, CMA noted that various risks have emerged arising from the fast-paced nature of continuous innovation, the use of emerging digital technologies, and the complexity of capital markets products and services that has not been accompanied by a proportionate increase in financial consumer education.

CMA tasked the capital market players to learn how they can market their products online without causing investor harm.

The Authority committed to continue supporting fintechs that seek to promote the uptake of capital markets products, especially by domestic retail investors.

Overall, in the quarter under review, local investors at the NSE hit 2 million while foreign Investors were 14,877. Investors from East Africa stood at 9017.

The equity turnover ratio in Q4 reduced by over 29 per cent, from 0.84 per cent to 1.08 per cent, reflecting lower market liquidity.

"Foreign investors who account for a significant contribution to equities turnover shied away from the Kenyan capital markets as they chased yields in safer jurisdictions," CMA noted.

The foreign net equity outflow during the quarter however reduced to Sh4.87 billion compared with the Sh6.97 billion recorded in the previous quarter.
Taos's customers get 30% faster provisioning, 40% cost savings, and 40% better resiliency, earning the company an 82+ NPS scorean extraordinary feat in the managed cloud services space.

SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Frost & Sullivan assessed the managed cloud services industry and, based on its findings, recognizes Taos an IBM Company with the Global Company of the Year Award. The company is the cloud advisory and managed services partner of choice for some of the world's most innovative and technologically sophisticated organizations, including Netflix and Boeing. Recently, Taos acquired several customers seeking to recover in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, which struck Florida in September 2022. It preserves its competitive edge through a highly selective and rigorous hiring process, Taos TIV. The 2- to 3-hour dynamic technical interview assessment determines gaps in foundational and emerging technologies, prior experience across infrastructure competencies, troubleshooting ability, and critical thinking.

Taos

View the full blog post: https://www.frost.com/awards/taos-platform-engineering-services-to-drive-growth-for-the-next-wave-of-global-cloud-transformation/

Taos is an AWS Advanced Consulting Partner, Azure Gold Partner, and a Google Cloud Premier Managed Services Partner. The company's agnostic services and broad partner ecosystem enable it to stay focused on delivering customer needs. Taos's 30-year proprietary framework enables it to recruit the best technologists in the business. Its managed services business spans the entire digital transformation lifecycle, offering:

Monitoring and event management

Incident and change management

Workload and provisioning services

Systems administration and patching

Back-up monitoring services

Anisha Vinny, a Frost & Sullivan senior industry analyst, noted, "Taos's consistent corporate focus on the next frontier of emerging technologies is its distinct competitive advantage, pointing to the fact that it guarantees cloud-native companies at least 30% savings year-over-year in a written contracteven companies that offer outcome-based SLAs rarely give specific and aggressive assurances."

Taos registered a 46% increase in revenue after IBM acquired it in 2020 to fortify its hybrid cloud offering strategy, leading to enhanced financial performance and growth. Synergies from the IBM acquisition have enabled Taos to participate in broader digital transformation projects that comprehensively address customers' needs, increasing its average deal size from $400,000 pre-IBM to $1,500,000. Taos's professional services thrive in the managed and professional services environment, running enterprise IT projects to completion. Its initial FinOps assessment utilizes 5 different cloud economics tools that yield insights on discounts and savings plans, overprovisioned compute, and other inefficiencies, delivering consistent savings for cloud-native companies.

"Taos's emerging technology edge has enabled it to become a partner-of-choice for the most technologically sophisticated companies. Its FinOps practice has quickly become the fastest growing business aspect, growing at 150% YoY, to become another big source of competitive differentiation," added Vinny. With its strong overall performance, Taos earns Frost & Sullivan's 2022 Global Company of the Year Award in the Managed Cloud Services industry.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents a Company of the Year award to the organization that demonstrates excellence in terms of growth strategy and implementation in its field. The award recognizes a high degree of innovation with products and technologies, and the resulting leadership in terms of customer value and market penetration.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in various regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analyses, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

About Frost & Sullivan

For six decades, Frost & Sullivan has been world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders, and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models, and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion.

Contact:

Lindsey Whitaker

P: 1.210.477.8457

E: [email protected]

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1993449/Taos_Award.jpg

SOURCE Frost & Sullivan
Only national homebuilder recognized for dedication to diversity and inclusion in the workplace

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- For the fifth consecutive year, Taylor Morrison (NYSE: TMHC) earned a spot as the only U.S. homebuilder on the 2023 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI)a list of publicly traded global companies distinguished for their transparency in gender reporting and efforts to prioritize equality.

"With Taylor Morrison not only excelling in women representation in the new-home construction industry, but also against the gender-equality index's global averages, it's clear we've made meaningful strides when it comes to the gender part of equality and inclusion in the workplacebut we can't stop there," said Taylor Morrison Chairman and CEO Sheryl Palmer. "In 2023, we're committed to increasing the racial and ethnic makeup of our workforce, addressing gaps in representation and fostering an unmatched sense of inclusion within our industry."

This year's index is comprised of 70 questions related to pillars of leadership and talent pipeline, gender pay and equal pay parity, inclusive culture, anti-sexual harassment policies, and external brand. Taylor Morrison scored above average among more than 480 companies and exceled in several metrics of the 2023 GEI, including:*

Of all companies included in the 2023 GEI, only 41 companies, or 8 percent, including Taylor Morrison , have a woman CEO.

, have a woman CEO. Women represent 46 percent of Taylor Morrison's total workforce, compared to the 43 percent GEI index average.

total workforce, compared to the 43 percent GEI index average. Women make up 44 percent of Taylor Morrison's board, compared to the 32 percent GEI index average.

board, compared to the 32 percent GEI index average. Women make up 66 percent of Taylor Morrison's revenue-producing roles, compared to the 41 percent GEI index average.

revenue-producing roles, compared to the 41 percent GEI index average. Women represent 33 percent of Taylor Morrison's senior management, compared to the 30 percent GEI index average.

senior management, compared to the 30 percent GEI index average. Taylor Morrison is among 44 percent of Bloomberg GEI companies that assess gender balance in machine learning to prevent algorithms from perpetuating gender biases.

As more companies aim to build inclusive work environments where all employees can thrive, Taylor Morrison recently expanded its family-forming benefits, in addition to its established paid parental leave and provided adoption assistance, to include fertility treatment and surrogacy allowances. Team members enrolled in any of Taylor Morrison's medical plans are now eligible for up to $20,000 in fertility benefits covering a range of treatments such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF), intrauterine insemination (IUI), fertility testing and restorative treatments. Taylor Morrison is also newly introducing financial support for surrogacy assistance.

2023 marks the eighth reporting cycle of the Bloomberg GEI, which sets the standard for transparent data reporting by giving companies the opportunity to disclose their commitment to gender equality and workplace gender-related practices. Those included on this year's index scored at or above a global threshold established by Bloomberg to reflect disclosure and achievement or adoption of best-in-class statistics and policies.

The 2023 GEI consists of 484 global companies, a 16 percent increase from last year, across 11 sectors and 54 industries, headquartered in 45 countries and region. For more information on the Bloomberg GEI, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/gei.

*Represents data submitted by Taylor Morrison for the 2023 GEI for fiscal year 2021 and averages provided by Bloomberg for their 2023 GEI.

About Taylor Morrison

Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Taylor Morrison is one of the nation's leading homebuilders and developers. We serve a wide array of consumers from coast to coast, including first-time, move-up, luxury and resort lifestyle homebuyers and renters under our family of brandsincluding Taylor Morrison, Esplanade, Darling Homes Collection by Taylor Morrison and Yardly. From 2016-2023, Taylor Morrison has been recognized as America's Most Trusted Builder by Lifestory Research. Our strong commitment to sustainability, our communities, and our team is highlighted in our latest Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report on our website.

For more information about Taylor Morrison, please visit www.taylormorrison.com.

CONTACT: Erin Kristick

(480) 840-8108

[email protected]

SOURCE Taylor Morrison
Gift from the Milliman Giving Fund made up entirely of employee donations, continues Milliman's role as lead financial sponsor of popular math tutoring program

SEATTLE, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Milliman, Inc., a premier global consulting and actuarial firm has re-affirmed its commitment to The Actuarial Foundation's Math Motivators Tutoring Program with a three-year, $600,000 gift. Serving as lead financial supporter of the innovative, nationwide tutoring program, this is the second large, multi-year gift from the Milliman Giving Fund. Milliman's generous investment will help change the trajectory of students who have lost confidence in their math abilities or want to improve their grades or test scores, helping these young people achieve the long-term benefits of academic success.

"Milliman's employee and retiree-funded Milliman Giving Fund is pleased to renew its support for the Math Motivators program," said Milliman CEO Dermot Corry. "Milliman aspires to protect the health and financial well-being of people everywhere, and our commitment to the Math Motivators program is an important embodiment of that mission. And the generosity of our community doesn't stop with donations. Milliman volunteers have donated more than 2,000 hours of tutoring in the last three years."

Serving more than 1,000 students in grades 312 annually, Math Motivators pairs students from underserved communities with professionals and college students with strong mathematics backgrounds. In-person and virtual tutoring is offered, including math tutoring for advanced subjects and SAT and ACT preparation. Since launching in 2016, the program has served thousands of students nationwide. This academic year, Math Motivators is partnering with 60 school or community organizations located in 35 cities and through our Virtual Tutoring Center we are serving students from over 50 additional schools.

The Math Motivators program has also expanded to include tutoring in financial literacy, using our new Money Mentors materials. With a model similar to that of the Math Motivators program, our volunteers tutor and mentor students to empower them to make conscious choices about their financial resources and help them to plan for a secure future.

Millman's generous grant will be used in a multifaceted approach to continue the expansion of the Math Motivators Tutoring Program; including the implementation of multi-tiered support for students by launching programs in middle schools that feed into existing high schools; increasing outreach to underserved high school students by partnering with federal outreach and student services programs; and expanding support of multi-language learners by actively recruiting bilingual or multi-lingual tutors, especially Spanish speakers. These new initiatives are expected to triple the reach of these essential tutoring services over the next three years.

"We are honored to continue our partnership with Milliman and humbled by their financial promise to the Math Motivators Tutoring Program," said Jason Leppin, executive director. "Milliman's commitment of financial resources, as well as thousands of volunteer hours by their employees who serve as math tutors annually, has helped Math Motivators become a significant force in the fight against math learning loss. Milliman's commitment will enrich the lives of thousands more students by helping them reach their academic potential and become tomorrow's leaders."

About Milliman

Milliman is among the world's largest providers of actuarial and related products and services. The firm has consulting practices in healthcare, property & casualty insurance, life insurance, and financial services, and employee benefits. Founded in 1947, Milliman is an independent firm with offices in major cities around the globe. For further information, visit milliman.com.

About The Actuarial Foundation

The Actuarial Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, is the philanthropic institution of the industry in the United States. Since 1994, the Foundation has promoted lifelong math education and financial literacy through its learning resources and scholarships. The mission of the Foundation is to enhance math education and financial literacy through the talents and resources of actuaries. The Foundation's vision is an educated public in pursuit of a secure financial future. For more information, please visit www.actuarialfoundation.org.

SOURCE The Actuarial Foundation
The Math Translator, the world's only comprehensive video lecture resource tailored specifically to the OpenStax math textbooks, announces strategic partnership with OpenStax, addressing student demand for high-quality video instruction.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Math Translator, who provides an extensive collection of textbook-aligned video instruction specific to the OpenStax math textbooks, is announcing a partnership with Rice University-based OpenStax, a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing access to education for all students by providing free, high-quality, peer-reviewed, openly licensed textbooks. With hundreds of lecture videos and thousands of homework exercise videos aligned to each section of each chapter in every book, The Math Translator will help OpenStax address student demand for high-quality video instruction in mathematics.

"The continued growth of the education industry into the digital space is necessitating that educators find solutions to the challenges facing online learners," said Melissa McNickle, CEO and the professor behind The Math Translator videos. "Learning mathematics in an online environment can be particularly challenging because mathematics is a language, and as such it requires that both verbal and written elements be present in the pedagogy. Video instruction is a transformative and essential tool for teaching and learning mathematics online."

As the demand for online learning resources continues to grow, the partnership between OpenStax and The Math Translator will enable university and community college faculty, as well as homeschool parents, to provide their students with the video content necessary for successful learning in math in the online environment. Affordable subscriptions include monthly, quarterly, semesterly, and yearly options.

"At OpenStax, we believe education is a public good," said Daniel Williamson, Managing Director of OpenStax. "As such, digital accessibility remains a critical aspect of our work. The Math Translator's like-minded commitment to providing video resources for digital mathematics instruction aligned to high-quality OpenStax content makes them an ideal ally. We look forward to the many ways they will elevate the learning experience for students."

To learn more about The Math Translator, register for a free webinar on February 8th, 2023 at 9am PST.

About OpenStax

OpenStax is a nonprofit educational initiative out of Rice University with a mission to improve educational access and learning for everyone. Through partnerships with philanthropic foundations and alliances with educational resource companies, OpenStax is breaking down the most common barriers to learning and leading the open source movement.

About The Math Translator

The Math Translator provides comprehensive video instruction support for the Prealgebra, Elementary Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, College Algebra, Algebra and Trigonometry, and Precalculus OpenStax textbooks. The video library contains 322 comprehensive 1-hour lecture videos, 4,074 homework support videos for every other odd homework problem in each book, and written solutions manuals for the practice tests in each book. This product can be used as a lecture source for online and/or hybrid instructors. For only $9.99 a month, students have access to the entire video library. Instructors using the website in their courses receive free logins.

The Math Translator

Media Contact:

Melissa McNickle

[email protected]

www.themathtranslator.com

SOURCE The Math Translator
DUBLIN, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "2022 The Next Wave of No-Alcohol Beverages in the U.S." report from Beverage Marketing has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This report from Beverage Marketing Corporation scrutinizes the always-changing marketplace by identifying and quantifying emerging and niche non-alcoholic beverage categories, discussing companies of growing significance and describing what could be the next big thing. It also looks at the consumer market drivers and other factors impacting innovation, functionality and new product development.

The answers you need

In an industry where innovation is a constant, this report provides in-depth analysis of ways innovation is changing the beverage landscape through the emergence of new categories and brands. It also provides an overview of defining trends spurring developments in new categories. It also looks at the fast-growing liquid refreshment beverage companies, discusses their performance and indicates what makes them noteworthy.

Questions answered include:

What new categories are enlivening the U.S. beverage market?

How big are these emerging sectors and why are they worthy of being on your radar?

What trends characterize the various up-and-coming beverage types entering the marketplace?

Which companies enjoy the backing of industry veterans and strong financial resources, and which do not?

Which beverage companies and brands show the most promise for success in the competitive U.S. marketplace?

Which companies could become takeover targets in the near future?

This report features

Get a comprehensive overview of several fledgling beverage segments, some of which are poised to become the next big thing. For added market perspective, the entrepreneurial brands that comprise the burgeoning beverage categories are anchored in the context of more-established beverage market.

To provide context to the research findings, the report discusses factors that have led to the development of new beverage segments despite the relative maturity of the packaged beverage market as a whole.

Backed by Beverage Marketing's reliable, all-sales-channel-inclusive data, readers get a thorough understanding of key facets of emerging beverage markets including:

Analysis of industry trends and quantification of emerging non-alcoholic beverage categories and sub-segments.

Discussion of the types of companies driving innovation - from the traditional large beverage companies to entrepreneurs.

Insight from our up and coming market research analysts' on the factors driving innovation into new beverage types.

Analysis of niche and emerging segments including high-end water, cannabis-infused beverages, premium sodas, dairy alternatives, premium ready-to-drink teas, coconut water, essence waters, kombucha, cleanses, ready-to-drink protein drinks, functional beverages, probiotics, energy drinks, premium kids' beverages, ready-to-drink coffee and more.

Discussion of companies with distinctive brands in each nascent and new segment.

Our up and coming beverage companies market research analysis takes on the brands to watch in the various non-alcohol sectors and what they are doing to differentiate themselves. It also discusses the strengths of various emerging brands and categories and the challenges they'll face going forward.

Companies/brands covered may include:

Apres

Argo Tea

AriZona

Bang Energy

BioSteel

Bulletproof Coffee

C4

Califia Farms

Calypso Lemonade

Celsius

Cheribundi

Evamor

GT's Living Foods

GoodBelly

Guayaki

Harmless Harvest

Health-Ade

High Brew

Hint Water

Humm Kombucha

Inko's

Karma Wellness Water

Kitu Super Coffee

La Croix

Lifeway

Mamma Chia

MatchaBar

Neuro

Oatly

Olipop

OWYN

Protein2O

Purity Organic

Q Tonic

Ready Nutrition

Reed's

Sambazon

Soylent

Sparkling ICE

Suja

Sweet Leaf/Tradewinds

Trimino

Vita Coco

Voss

Zevia

Zola Acai and more

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/39461q-the-next?w=5

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Research and Markets
The Progress Project by Hyundai Provides Financial Support to Black-Owned Local Businesses Near Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America  a New Dedicated EV and Battery Manufacturing Plant in Bryan County, Ga.

SAVANNAH, Ga., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of Black History Month, Hyundai Motor America is kicking off the Progress Project for the second year. The Progress Project by Hyundai provides financial assistance to black-owned small businesses in a region. This year, the area of focus is Savannah, Georgia  home to Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, a new dedicated EV and battery manufacturing plant currently being built in Bryan County.

Vanessa Perez, Hyundai Motor America, Jesse Dillon, vice president of business development, Savannah Economic Development Authority, Brandon Ramirez, director, corporate social responsibility, Hyundai Motor America, Elbi Elm, owner, The Culturist Union, Latecka Moore-Early, owner, Luxe the Salon, Michael Roberson, owner, Savannah Sauce Company, Angela Hendrix, vice president of marketing and public relations, Savannah Economic Development Authority in Savannah, Ga. on January 24, 2023.

"Hyundai's global vision is progress for humanity, which means giving back to the community where we live and work," said Brandon Ramirez, director, corporate social responsibility and external relations, Hyundai Motor America. "Hyundai is proud to support small businesses through the Progress Project, as we celebrate and honor the achievements of the African American community during Black History Month."

Today, Hyundai selected three Savannah-based small businesses each receiving donations of $15,000. The reward recipients are as follows:

The Culturist Union: A multi-functional coffee shop and artisan marketplace that hosts events, forums, and all things community for creatives in Savannah . The organization will use the donation to create an accessibility ramp at the entrance to ensure that everyone can enjoy the space, no matter their abilities. Luxe the Salon: An upscale salon with a relaxing ambiance that specializes in natural hair, luxe, and hair extensions in Savannah . The salon will use the donation to update the store's equipment, furniture, and other features, augmenting the overall customer experience. Savannah Sauce Company: A community-centered company that makes delicious sauces, jams, and other locally sourced products in Georgia , inspired by the Savannah kitchen of owner Mike Roberson's grandmother, Henrietta Smith . The company will create a new ice cream flavor from one of the jams.

"It is remarkable to see the impact Hyundai Motor America is already making in our local communities and I'm especially excited about the Progress Project," said Savannah Economic Development Authority President and CEO Trip Tollison. "The three businesses chosen to receive the donations represent different areas of the service industry that keep our communities running. This is only the beginning of the community-wide impact Hyundai will create, and I look forward to seeing what's to come in the future."

Throughout February, join Hyundai on social media to learn more about the stories of the passionate individuals behind these businesses.

Hyundai Motor America

Hyundai Motor America focuses on 'Progress for Humanity' and smart mobility solutions. Hyundai offers U.S. consumers a technology-rich lineup of cars, SUVs, and electrified vehicles. Our 830 dealers sold more than 724,000 vehicles in the U.S. in 2022, and nearly half were built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. For more information, visit www.HyundaiNews.com.

Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok

SOURCE Hyundai Motor America
Female scientists receive fewer grants and as much as 38% less in funding than their male counterparts

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected women researchers, causing them to fall even further behind

CARY, N.C., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The V Foundation, a top cancer research charity, today announced the establishment of a new grant program specifically aimed at increasing female representation and female-led innovation in cancer research. A Grant of Her Own: The Women Scientists Innovation Award for Cancer Research is one of the very few gender-specific grant programs designed to address gender inequities in cancer research funding. Awards will be given to outstanding female researchers at different stages in their careers, and the V Foundation will fund at least $8 million in grants.

"By providing self-identified female investigators the necessary resources to begin and sustain impactful research and careers, A Grant of Her Own: The Women Scientists Innovation Award for Cancer Research will help address systemic gender disparities which have long existed and were further widened during the pandemic. These factors have kept women from fully contributing to the field of cancer research," said Susanna F. Greer, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, V Foundation.

Persistent Gender Disparities Exist in The Field of Scientific Research

Compared to their male counterparts, women are paid less in comparable academic positions, receive lower startup funds for research with women scientists at some major institutes receiving 38% less in funding, and receive fewer awards from National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant programs at all points in their careers.

Additionally, female researchers shoulder an inequitable load as caregivers which was made even more apparent during the past few years of the pandemic. A survey of researchers found that female scientists and those with young children experienced a substantial decline in time devoted to research due to COVID-19. Given that time is of the essence in research, especially for scientists in the early stages of their careers, the losses experienced during the pandemic could have lasting effects on the number of women represented in cancer research.

To counter the historical gender disparities and pandemic-related career setbacks women researchers have experienced, the V Foundation will be awarding two separate grants as part of the inaugural A Grant of Her Own: The Women Scientists Innovation Award for Cancer Research:

The V Scholar Award will be awarded to early career investigators whose research increases our understanding of cancer biology or translational-type research that improves cancer detection, prevention, treatment, and survivorship; winners will receive $600,000 in funding over three years.

will be awarded to early career investigators whose research increases our understanding of cancer biology or translational-type research that improves cancer detection, prevention, treatment, and survivorship; winners will receive in funding over three years. The Translational Research Award will be awarded to investigators who pursue cancer research that moves a novel strategy from the laboratory to a human clinical trial or uses specimens from a clinical trial to develop biomarkers or mechanisms; winners will receive $800,000 in funding over four years.

"These female-specific grants expand on the V Foundation's work to level the playing field by providing funds to support the research of all-star women scientists and those of color whose contributions are desperately needed to help us accelerate Victory Over Cancer," said Shane Jacobson, CEO, V Foundation. "This year marks the 30th anniversary of the V Foundation, and from day one we have always been committed to female-led cancer research."

V Foundation grants are awarded to researchers nominated by National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Cancer Centers and other exceptional research institutions and then selected by the Foundation's Scientific Advisory Board. Institutional nominations for A Grant of Her Own: The Women Scientists Innovation Award for Cancer Research must be submitted to the V Foundation by February 15, 2023; candidate applications are due to the Foundation on March 16, 2023.

To learn more, contact the Research and Grants Team at [email protected].

About the V Foundation for Cancer Research

The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, legendary North Carolina State University basketball coach and ESPN commentator. The V Foundation has funded over $310 million in game-changing cancer research grants nationwide through a competitive process strictly supervised by a world-class Scientific Advisory Committee. Because the V Foundation has an endowment to cover administrative expenses, 100% of direct donations is awarded to cancer research and programs. The V team is committed to accelerating Victory Over Cancer. To learn more, visit v.org.

SOURCE V Foundation
DUBLIN, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Viral Clearance Market (2022-2027) by Method, Product, Applications, 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 Viral Clearance Market is estimated to be worth USD 532.9 million in 2022, and is expected to reach USD 1,114.46 million by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 15.9%.

Market dynamics are forces that impact the prices and behaviors of the stakeholders. These forces create pricing signals which result from the changes in the supply and demand curves for a given product or service. Forces of Market Dynamics may be related to macro-economic and micro-economic factors.

There are dynamic market forces other than price, demand, and supply. Human emotions can also drive decisions, influence the market, and create price signals. As the market dynamics impact the supply and demand curves, decision-makers aim to determine the best way to use various financial tools to stem various strategies for speeding the growth and reducing the risks.

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 Viral Clearance 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 Viral Clearance 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 Viral Clearance 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

Growing Government Support for Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Industries

Possibility of Cell Culture Contamination

Increase in the Prevalence of Chronic Diseases

Rising Number of New Drug Launches

Restraints

High Costs Associated With the Manufacture of Biosimilar Products

Time-intensive Drug Development Process

Opportunities

Increasing Pharmaceutical Outsourcing

Strong R&D Investments in the Life Sciences Industry

Challenges

Dearth of Skilled Professionals

High Degree of Consolidation to Act as a Major Barrier for New Entrants

Market Segmentation



The Global Viral Clearance Market is segmented based on Method, Product, Applications, End-user, and Geography.

By Method, the market is classified into Pasteurization and Solvent Detergent Method.

By Product, the market is classified into Kits & Reagents, Services, and Viral Inactivation Systems & Accessories.

By Applications, the market is classified into Blood & Blood Products, Cellular & Gene Therapy Products, Stem Cell Products, Tissues & Tissue Products, and Vaccines & Therapeutic.

By End-user, the market is classified into Academic Research Institutes, Contract Research Organizations, and Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies.

By Geography, the market is classified into Americas, Europe , Middle-East & Africa , and Asia-Pacific .

Companies Mentioned

Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Avance Biosciences Inc.

Becton, Dickinson and Co.

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.

Charles River Laboratories International, Inc.

Clean Cells Inc.

Danaher Corp.

Eppendorf SE

Eurofins Scientific SE

F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.

General Electric Co.

HiMedia Laboratories

Lonza Group AG

Merck Group

Novogene Co. Ltd.

Parker Hannifin Corp.

Pfizer Inc.

PromoCell GmbH

Rad Source Technologies, Inc.

Sartorius AG

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/6yy9pg-viral?w=5



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

SOURCE Research and Markets
INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Thompson Thrift, a full-service real estate company engaged in multifamily, mixed-use, retail, industrial and commercial projects across the country, earned national recognition today as a winner of a 2023 Top Workplaces USA award, which recognizes the top organizations across 60 markets.

Top Workplaces USA celebrates organizations with 150 or more employees that have built great cultures. Over 42,000 organizations were invited to participate in the Top Workplaces USA survey, now in its 15th year. Winners of the Top Workplaces USA list are chosen based solely on employee feedback gathered through an employee engagement survey, issued by Energage.

"This award is due to the hard work each of our team members have contributed over the years to make Thompson Thrift a great place to work, and we are honored and humbled to be recognized," said Paul Thrift, CEO of Thompson Thrift. "We are committed to a continued pursuit of excellence so that we can make an even greater positive impact on our team members in the years to come."

Results are calculated by comparing the survey's research-based statements, including 15 Culture Drivers that are proven to predict high performance against industry benchmarks.

"Earning a Top Workplaces award is a badge of honor for companies, especially because it comes authentically from their employees," said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. "In today's market, leaders must ensure they're allowing employees to have a voice and be heard. Top Workplaces do this, and it pays dividends."

Since its founding more than 30 years ago, Thompson Thrift has invested more than $4 billion in real estate developments in 21 states. The company and its leaders are frequent recipients of distinctions and awards conferred by regional and national organizations that reflect the company's ongoing commitment to creating environments of excellence in both the community and the workplace.

About Thompson Thrift Real Estate Company

Thompson Thrift is an integrated full-service real estate company with offices in Indianapolis and Terre Haute, Indiana, Houston and Phoenix. Three business units drive Thompson Thrift's successThompson Thrift Residential which is focused on upscale Class A multifamily communities and luxury leased homes, Thompson Thrift Commercial which is focused on ground-up commercial development, and Thompson Thrift Construction, a full-service construction company. Through these business units, Thompson Thrift is engaged in all aspects of acquisition, development, construction, leasing, and management of quality multifamily, mixed-use, retail, industrial and commercial projects across the country. We are passionate about our customer's success and strive to ensure our projects not only meet the needs of our customers but also the communities we serve. For more information, please visit www.thompsonthrift.com

Contact:

Jennifer Franklin

Spotlight Marketing Communications

949.427.1385

[email protected]

SOURCE Thompson Thrift
2013 AND 2020 AGED EXTRA SHARP WHITE CHEDDARS JOIN THE DAIRY CO-OP'S SPECIALTY VINTAGE PORTFOLIO

TILLAMOOK, Ore., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) proudly announces the release of Tillamook Maker's Reserve 2013 and 2020 vintages into the brand's storied Maker's Reserve program. Every year, TCCA introduces a 10-year (2013) and a three-year (2020) aged extra sharp white cheddar into its specialty line of Tillamook Maker's Reserve cheeses. These vintages join the 2012, 2017, 2018, and 2019 varieties in the Maker's Reserve portfolio.

Tillamook County Creamery Association Introduces Newest Makers Reserve Aged Cheddars Tillamook County Creamery Association Introduces Newest Makers Reserve Aged Cheddars Tillamook County Creamery Association Introduces Newest Makers Reserve Aged Cheddars Tillamook County Creamery Association Introduces Newest Makers Reserve Aged Cheddars

Jill Allen, Director of Product Excellence, TCCA, has been involved with the Maker's Reserve program since its inception. In her role, she leads the sensory tasting team to identify the flavors, textures, and aromas that elevate a cheese vintage to "Maker's Reserve worthy" status. Allen also creates flavor maps of the Maker's Reserve cheese vintages, while working closely with the TCCA chef to develop exceptional food and beverage pairing recommendations for these elite cheeses.

"Our Maker's Reserve Cheddars reflect an outstanding recipe, unusually good ingredients, and of course, the all-important factortime," said Allen. "It is truly a special cheddar that ages and transforms into a unique tasting experience. Just as special as these vintages are the people making them  a team that uses pride, passion, and patience to produce award-winning cheeses with an unforgettable flavor, year after year."

Following a long, natural aging process, Allen and her team of tasting experts gather to grade every batch of cheese, measuring it against the TCCA's signature flavor profile to choose the best-of-the-best batches to become Maker's Reserve. Only a select few batches make the cut for this exclusive vintage program, which has earned awards and honors in some of the most prestigious cheese competitions, including the American Cheese Society, the U.S. Champion Cheese Contest, the World Champion Cheese Contest, and the International Cheese Awards.

Tillamook Maker's Reserve latest vintage tasting notes:

Tillamook Maker's Reserve 2013: The first taste of Maker's Reserve 2013 gives hints of sweet cream and rich buttery brioche, while savory notes of toasted nuts help round out the flavor. This vintage features a luxurious, flaky texture with big crystals that add to the tasting experience of this long-aged cheddar. Pair this vintage with Porter beer, champagne, fruit spritz, fresh strawberries, and grilled vegetables for the ultimate tasting experience.

The first taste of Maker's Reserve 2013 gives hints of sweet cream and rich buttery brioche, while savory notes of toasted nuts help round out the flavor. This vintage features a luxurious, flaky texture with big crystals that add to the tasting experience of this long-aged cheddar. Pair this vintage with Porter beer, champagne, fruit spritz, fresh strawberries, and grilled vegetables for the ultimate tasting experience. Tillamook Maker's Reserve 2020: The Maker's Reserve 2020 brings an herbaceous, rich creamy aroma that gives way to notes of woodsy wild mushrooms and crispy dark bread. A smooth, rich texture punctuates the experience, with a slightly dry, short-bodied finish. This cheese will pair well with a lager or sparkling drink, such as prosecco or sparkling apple juice. Add candied hazelnuts and prosciutto to round out the tasting with something sweet and savory.

The 2013 and 2020 vintages can be purchased in the Tillamook Creamery in Tillamook, Ore., the Tillamook Market at the Portland International Airport (PDX) and at shop.tillamook.com. The 2013 vintage will be sold  exclusively  at Whole Foods Market stores across the country beginning in February.

To find additional vintages within the Maker's Reserve line up, visit tillamook.com/where-to-buy. To learn more about Tillamook's Maker's Reserve program and discover the perfect pairings for each vintage, visit tillamook.com/makersreserve.

About Tillamook County Creamery Association

Founded in 1909 as a farmer-owned cooperative, Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) recently achieved the distinction as a Certified B Corporation (B Corp) and prides itself on its commitment to bringing to market the most consistent, best tasting, highest quality dairy products made in the most natural way possible. Guided by the belief that everyone deserves real food that makes them feel good every day, Tillamook produces internationally recognized, award-winning cheese as well as exceptional ice cream, butter, cream cheese spreads, yogurt, and sour cream, made with unwavering values that never sacrifice or compromise quality for profit. TCCA is owned by a group of farming families, primarily based in Tillamook County, Oregon. TCCA operates production facilities in Tillamook and Boardman, Oregon and employs more than 900 people throughout the state. The Tillamook Creamery is one of the most-visited attractions in the state of Oregon, attracting more than one million visitors each year. For more information on TCCA and Tillamook, visit Tillamook.com.

Media Contacts:

Jenna Faller, FleishmanHillard

[email protected]



Jenna Cerruti, Tillamook

[email protected]

SOURCE Tillamook County Creamery Association
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Chief Niyi Adebayo, has said that the promise by President Muhammadu Buhari to take at least 100 million Nigerians out of poverty cannot happen overnight but will take some time to happen.

Adebayo, who was reacting to journalists' questions at the presentation of the scorecard of the administration in the area of trade and investments since coming into office in 2015, said that the level of poverty that the Buhari administration met on inception office, was widespread and also requires some strong economic policies and programmes to make the necessary impact.

The minister said that even though millions of Nigerians have been taken out of poverty through the various economic policies and programames initiated by the administration, many Nigerians were still gripped by poverty but would gradually be taken out.

Chief Adebayo said: "With regards to that question of 133 million being multidimensionally being poor despite President Buhari's promise to take 100 million Nigerians out of poverty, I want to say that Rome was not built in a day.

"This is because as we all know, President Buhari came and identified a very serious problem and has tried to find a solution to it. This administration has started finding a solution to the poverty level it met on the ground. We are growing higher GDP more than even some advanced economies of the world. So, this administration is working in the right direction in terms of good policies and programmes it has put in place. We believe strongly that with the expected growth will come employment that will take more and more Nigerians out of poverty as promised by Mr. President," Adebayo said.

The minister boasted that under his watch, Nigeria has made tremendous progress in the development and export non-oil products, which are currently doing very well in the international market.

The minister listed some of the products that have boosted Nigeria's exports to include ginger, sesame seeds, urea fertilizer and hibiscus.

"You will be amazed that with regards to non-oil products exports, we are doing very well especially in agricultural products. For instance, ginger and sesame were our largest-selling non-oil export followed by ginger. These are products that very popular especially in Europe. Another product that has overtaken the two of them now, is urea fertilizer which has become the largest selling non-oil product internationally.

"However, we continue to try to market more of our products ready and available in the international market despite many challenges. For instance, Nigeria was the largest exporter of hibiscus to Mexico because they use it in their pharmaceuticals and for drinks. But because we had quality issue, they stopped importing from Nigeria. This was why we reviewed our standards to improve the quality of our export products to meet international standards. We are doing very well in this regards, which is why there is an increase in the level of our non-oil exports.

"It is not true that Nigeria's exports are credited to other African countries. It is fake news. You will be surprised that the amount of export from Nigeria compared to what is coming from Ghana is almost four or five times the size of what goes out from Ghana. Social media has a way of coming out with stories that are not verified or verifiable. I can assure you that the figure we have shows that exports from Nigeria are credited to Nigeria and we are making the requisite revenues from those exports.

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On what the ministry is doing to ensure that agricultural produce get to where they are mostly needed on time without perishing, Chief Adebayo, said that the government had begun arrangements with the African Development to set up agro-processing facilities for that purpose.

The minister said, "We do not only want to export our produce but we also want to add value to the produce before exporting them. That is why we have embarked on the building of agro-processing centres in the country. We have gone into partnership with the African Development Bank which is funding the various states with regards to setting up special largescale agro processing zones.

"And, as a ministry, we have embarked on setting up small and medium scale processing zones in various states with a view to harnessing the produce that cannot get into the market. We take them to the processing centres for storage for processing for export".
Thrilling new series transports viewers into the world of rivers, sharing their beauty and power while introducing the people and wildlife who depend on them for survival

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today a new television series, hosted by river conservationist, hydrologist and speaker, Tillie Walton, highlighting the importance of wild rivers, airs across the nation. The series, Wild Rivers with Tillie, sends viewers on a journey of water - the life force that connects all people, cultures, and ecosystems.

Tillie Walton to Debut First Television Series: Wild Rivers with Tillie

In this first season, Tillie leads audiences down some of the finest, remaining wild rivers of the Westvisiting places few have ever seen. From world-renowned icons to hidden gems, Tillie's unscripted adventures showcase the people and wildlife who depend upon these hardworking, and oftentimes, threatened river systems.

"Rivers can be considered the veins and arteries of our planet. They contain the magic of water, which we are all made of and connects us to each other," says Tillie. Her love of rivers began after high school when she guided commercial whitewater expeditions through the Grand Canyon and on other rivers around the world. "The river is where I have felt most at home and connected to myself, to nature, and to others. I want to share that feeling and my passion for rivers with as many people as possible."

The series is produced and directed by Emmy Award-winning creator Dan Duncan. Dan has been at the helm of a handful of nationally distributed programs, including Producer/Director of The Desert Speaks, and the internationally distributed series In The Americas with Dave Yetman.

Wild Rivers with Tillie will air on public television stations nationwide this spring; check your local listings. For more information on Tillie go to the Wild Rivers with Tillie website https://wildriverswithtillie.org/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wildriverswithtillie/.

Tillie Walton Tillie is an award-winning river conservationist, hydrologist, river guide, environmental planner and speaker. Her love of rivers was inspired by over 15 years of guiding whitewater expeditions through the Grand Canyon and on other rivers around the world. Tillie is the recipient of the 2018 River Hero Award and has been instrumental in creating large river restoration projects. She has been a guest co-host for several episodes of the Emmy Award-winning PBS program In the Americas with David Yetman.

Tillie is a voice for the river and works to amplify the voices of those who depend on it. She loves sharing her passion for water and hosts a highly sought-after annual river expedition through the Grand Canyon with diverse groups of influential leaders. These trips educate and build awareness of the importance of rivers, and inspire innovative collaborations between change-makers from many walks of life.

American Public Television (APT) is the leading syndicator of high-quality, top-rated programming to the nation's public television stations. Founded in 1961, APT distributes 250 new program titles per year and more than one-third of the top 100 highest-rated public television titles in the U.S. APT's diverse catalog includes prominent documentaries, performances, dramas, how-to programs, classic movies, children's series and news and current affairs programs. Doc Martin, Midsomer Murders, America's Test Kitchen, AfroPoP, Rick Steves' Europe, Legacy List with Matt Paxton, Lidia's Kitchen, Kevin Belton's New Orleans Kitchen, Simply Ming, The Best of the Joy of Painting with Bob Ross, among others. To find out more about APT's programs, visit APTonline.org.

Media Contact:

Samantha Schneider

Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis

[email protected]

SOURCE Wild Rivers with Tillie
Tredence emerges as a leader in the data engineering and data science services category among 16 global specialist analytics providers.

SAN JOSE, Calif. and BANGALORE, India, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tredence , the global data science and AI solutions company, has been recognized as a 'Leader' in the Information Services Group's (ISG) Provider Lens - Analytics Services 2022 report. ISG is a leading independent global technology research and advisory firm. The report spotlights Tredence as a category leader in two categories: Data Engineering Services and Data Science Services.

ISG Provider Lens 2022 Quadrant

ISG rated Tredence as a 'Leader' for its deep domain-led analytics offerings backed by accelerators and strategic cloud partnerships. In addition, ISG spotlights Tredence's robust data engineering services and data science offerings designed to equip enterprises with reduced cost of ownership, erased technical debt and long-term sustainability in data initiatives.

Tredence adopts a last mile AI strategy to help Fortune 100 Chief Data Officers (CDOs) understand the economic value of data and the importance of leading a data-driven organization. The company excels at solving the last-mile AI problem by bridging the critical gap between insight creation and value realization.

"In the current business climate, enterprises are turning to trusted analytics experts to modernize their data environments. Blending data engineering, sector knowledge and industry partnerships is critical to framing adaptive analytics strategies. To that end, Tredence has built strong capabilities that aid enterprises in establishing data analytics Centres of Excellence (CoE), driving large-scale data transformation initiatives and building decision intelligence systems for faster decision-making," said Sumit Mehra, Co-founder & CTO, Tredence. "We are honored to be recognized as a global leader in analytics services by ISG. We continually focus on partnering with enterprise CDOs to help them leverage the combinatorial power of AI, analytics, and the cloud to realize value at the last mile."

Tredence offers a deep bench of analytics capabilities, including industry-specific accelerators integrated with a robust cloud-first strategy that connects data producers with data consumers across the data lifecycle. In addition, the company has partnered with Microsoft Azure, Databricks, Snowflake, AWS, and Alation to build joint value propositions for clients in retail, CPG, telecom, travel & hospitality, and industrial manufacturing.

"Tredence's strength lies in building industry-specific AI and analytics solutions. It enables enterprises to discover the roadblocks to data analytics adoption, leverage their deep domain knowledge to create growth opportunities and manage the entire data modernization adoption lifecycle. Tredence builds industry expertise at the intersection of functional capabilities. It also invests in accelerators and solutions that can operationalize modern data platforms and AI in the cloud," said Prashant Kelker, Chief Strategy Officer, ISG.

Last December, Tredence announced its Series B funding round of $175 million from Advent International. The fresh capital will help Tredence strengthen its vertical and domain expertise, IP and accelerator repository, channel partner development and operational excellence. The company was also recently recognized as the Databricks Partner of the Year for Retail & CPG and a Microsoft Analytics Partner of the Year finalist.

Visit the website to learn more about how Tredence modernizes data analytics while deriving value from data to accelerate business or download the full report.

About Tredence

Tredence is a global data science solutions provider focused on solving the last mile problem in AI. The 'last mile' is the gap between insight creation and value realization. Tredence is Great Place to Work-Certified and a 'Leader' in the Forrester Wave: Customer Analytics Services. Tredence is 2000-plus employees strong with offices in San Jose, FosterCity, Chicago, London, Toronto, and Bangalore, with the largest companies in retail, CPG, hi-tech, telecom, healthcare, travel, and industrials as clients.

For more information, please visit www.tredence.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

About ISG

ISG (Information Services Group) is a leading global technology research and advisory firm. A trusted business partner to more than 700 clients, including 75 of the top 100 enterprises in the world, ISG is committed to helping corporations, public sector organizations, and service and technology providers achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm specializes in digital transformation services, including automation, cloud and data analytics; sourcing advisory; managed governance and risk services; network carrier services; technology strategy and operations design; change management; market intelligence and technology research and analysis. Founded in 2006 and based in Stamford, Conn., ISG employs more than 1,300 professionals operating in more than 20 countriesa global team known for its innovative thinking, market influence, deep industry and technology expertise, and world-class research and analytical capabilities based on the industry's most comprehensive marketplace data.

For more information, visit www.isg-one.com

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1993875/ISG_Provider_Lens_2022_Quadrant.jpg

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1773052/Tredence_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Tredence Inc
Programs include fully funded college degrees, career development

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Trilogy Health Services announces an expanded education and career services program that provides the opportunity to pursue a college degree at little or no cost to its employees.

Trilogy is now partnering with Guild to offer a best-in-class education experience that includes a curated catalog of fully and partially funded tuition for education and skilling programs, and reimbursement for select programs. All active full-time and part-time benefits-eligible employees who have been employed by Trilogy for at least six months can apply for programs.

"Trilogy is continuing its mission to become the best place our employees have ever belonged. Guild's education and career services program provides more than simply a chance to go to school, it provides the opportunity to learn high-demand skills and reimagine what their careers could be," Trilogy's Chief Human Resources and Inclusion Officer Priscila Mattingly said. "We are committed to investing in our employees, developing the future leaders of the senior care industry at Trilogy."

With support from Guild, employees can connect to a curated marketplace of learning providers, including colleges and universities, in a variety of programs including business, finance, nursing, and technology, as well as professional certifications, high school completion classes, and more.

"The Guild team is thrilled to partner with Trilogy Health Services to support career opportunities for their team of incredible servant-leaders," Hanna Patterson, Senior Vice President of Healthcare and Applied Learning at Guild said. "Trilogy's work is deeply impactful on seniors and their families. The organization's investment in education and skilling will help to create pathways into much-needed healthcare roles and to set their hardworking teams up for the jobs of the future."

Guild complements Trilogy's dedication to continuing education and career development. In addition to Guild, Trilogy offers Registered Apprenticeship Programs, including tracks for clinical, culinary, hospitality, and life enrichment as well as a Mentor program, Administrator in Training and Nurse Director in Training programs, and CNA certification.

About Trilogy Health Services

Trilogy Health Services is an industry-leading operator of nearly 130 senior living communities throughout four states, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. The company has the honor of providing over 10,000 seniors with world-class clinical support, innovative lifestyle programs, and a culture built on the tenets of servant leadership and hospitality. Trilogy employs over 14,000 team members, is a certified Great Place to Work, one of Glassdoor's Top 100 Best Places to Work, and was named one of FORTUNE's Best Places to Work in Aging Services. To learn more about Trilogy Health Services, visit www.trilogyhs.com. To learn about job openings at Trilogy, visit www.trilogyjobs.com

About Guild

Guild's Career Opportunity Platform enables forward-thinking employers to invest in their employees, unlocking life-changing opportunities for personal and professional growth through education and learning programs, career development and one-on-one coaching. Guild partners with the nation's largest employers  including Walmart, Chipotle, Discover, Hilton, Macy's, Target and The Walt Disney Company  to create cultures of opportunity that will help them attract and retain top talent, and build the workforce of the future. Using Guild's Career Opportunity Platform full of real-world education and learning programs, employees at those companies can gain the skills, knowledge and guidance they need to build a brighter future for themselves and their families  all without paying for tuition or career services on their own. For more information, visit https://www.guildeducation.com

SOURCE Trilogy Health Services, LLC
RAISES FULL YEAR GUIDANCE

BERWYN, Pa., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Triumph Group, Inc. (NYSE: TGI) ("TRIUMPH" or the "Company") today reported financial results for its third quarter of fiscal 2023, which ended December 31, 2022.

Third Quarter Fiscal 2023

Net sales of $328.9 million

Operating income of $35.0 million with operating margin of 11%; adjusted operating income of $35.7 million with adjusted operating margin of 11%

with operating margin of 11%; adjusted operating income of with adjusted operating margin of 11% Net income of $11.0 million , or $0.08 per diluted share; adjusted net income of $8.3 million , or $0.12 per diluted share

, or per diluted share; adjusted net income of , or per diluted share Cash flow from operations was breakeven; free cash use of $5.0 million

Proactively pursuing comprehensive de-leveraging plan to strengthen the balance sheet

Fiscal 2023 Guidance

Raising net sales to a range of $1.30 billion to $1.35 billion , up from prior guidance of approximately $1.3 billion

to , up from prior guidance of approximately Updating GAAP earnings per diluted share to a range of $1.59 to $1.79 , down from prior guidance of $1.66 to $1.86 due to additional share count from the warrant distribution

to , down from prior guidance of to due to additional share count from the warrant distribution Raising adjusted earnings per diluted share to a range of $0.48 to $0.68 , up from prior guidance of $0.40 to $0.60 , on increased sales volume

to , up from prior guidance of to , on increased sales volume Cash used in operations of ($30.0) million to ($40.0) million ; free cash use of ($55.0) million to ($65.0) million , improved from prior guidance of ($60.0) million to ($70.0) million

"We are pleased to have generated 21% organic sales growth in our continuing operations during the quarter as a result of ramping commercial OEM production rates, accelerating MRO demand, and recovering military volumes," said Dan Crowley, TRIUMPH's chairman, president, and chief executive officer. "As our supply chain catches up to increasing customer demand, we expect to see strong cash generation next quarter. We remain on track to meet our updated cash flow guidance as we increase profitability year over year."

Mr. Crowley continued, "While our top-line growth is encouraging, improving our capital structure remains a priority. To that end, we recently provided stockholders with a pro rata distribution of warrants as a step towards deleveraging while we prepare to refinance our 2024 debt maturities. We continue to actively explore financing options and are confident that our comprehensive approach, underscored by the strength in our business and improving markets' conditions, will position TRIUMPH well for the future and benefit all of our stakeholders. TRIUMPH is on track to deliver profitable growth and increase shareholder value."

Third Quarter Fiscal 2023 Overview

Excluding divestitures and exited programs, sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2023 were up 21% organically from the prior year period due to increases in commercial narrow-body production and commercial MRO and partial recovery of military rotorcraft volume.

Third quarter operating income of $35.0 million includes $0.7 million loss on sale of assets and businesses, primarily from true-up adjustments on prior divestitures. Net income for the third quarter of fiscal 2023 was $11.0 million, or $0.08 per diluted share. On an adjusted basis, net income was $8.3 million, or $0.12 per diluted share due to debt extinguishment loss of $1.4 million and warrant issuance costs of $0.9 million.

TRIUMPH's results included the following:

($ millions except EPS)

Pre-tax

After-tax

Diluted EPS

Loss from Continuing Operations - GAAP

$ 11.4



$ 11.0







GAAP EPS Numerator Adjustments:

















Warrant related items



(5.7)





(5.7)



























GAAP EPS Numerator

$ 5.6



$ 5.3



$ 0.08

Loss on sale of assets and businesses, net



0.7





0.7





0.01

Debt extinguishment losses



1.4





1.4





0.02

Warrant issuance costs



0.9





0.9





0.01

Adjusted Income from Continuing Operations - non-GAAP *

$ 8.7



$ 8.3



$ 0.12



The number of shares used in computing diluted earnings per share for the third quarter of 2023 was 68.5 million.

Backlog, which represents the next 24 months of actual purchase orders with firm delivery dates or contract requirements, was $1.59 billion, up 12% from fiscal year end, after adjusting for the impact of the Stuart divestiture. This increase was primarily on commercial narrow body platforms.

For the third quarter of fiscal 2023, cash flow used in operations was breakeven.

Outlook

The Company's outlook reflects adjustments detailed in the attached tables.

The Company expects net sales for fiscal 2023 will be $1.30 billion to $1.35 billion, up from prior guidance of approximately $1.3 billion.

The Company expects GAAP fiscal 2023 earnings per diluted share of $1.59 to $1.79, down from prior guidance of $1.66 to $1.86 due to additional share count from the warrant distribution, and adjusted earnings per diluted share of $0.48 to $0.68, up from prior guidance of $0.40 to $0.60 on increased sales.

The Company expects fiscal 2023 cash used in operations of ($30.0) million to ($40.0) million and approximately $25.0 million for capital expenditures, resulting in expected free cash use of ($55.0) million to ($65.0) million, improved from prior guidance of ($60.0) million to ($70.0) million.

Conference Call

TRIUMPH will hold a conference call today, February 1st, at 8:30 a.m. (ET) to discuss the third quarter of fiscal 2023 results. The conference call will be available live and archived on the Company's website at http://www.triumphgroup.com . A slide presentation will be included with the audio portion of the webcast, and the presentation has been posted on the Company's website at http://ir.triumphgroup.com/QuarterlyResults . An audio replay will be available from February 1st to February 7th by calling (877) 344-7529 (Domestic) or (412) 317-0088 (International), passcode #2140903.

About TRIUMPH

TRIUMPH, headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, designs, engineers, manufactures, repairs and overhauls a broad portfolio of aerospace and defense systems, components and structures. The company serves the global aviation industry, including original equipment manufacturers and the full spectrum of military and commercial aircraft operators.

More information about TRIUMPH can be found on the Company's website at www.triumphgroup.com .

Forward Looking Statements

Statements in this release which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements under the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements of expectations of or assumptions about financial and operational performance, revenues, earnings per share, cash flow or use, cost savings and operational efficiencies and organizational restructurings. All forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties which could affect the Company's actual results and could cause its actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, the Company. Further information regarding the important factors that could cause actual results to differ from projected results can be found in Triumph Group's reports filed with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022.

FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED) ON FOLLOWING PAGES

FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)



TRIUMPH GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES (in thousands, except per share data)





Three Months Ended



Nine Months Ended





December 31,



December 31,

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

2022



2021



2022



2021

Net sales

$ 328,855



$ 319,249



$ 985,839



$ 1,073,291

Cost of sales (excluding depreciation shown below)



240,201





232,328





720,663





788,341

Selling, general & administrative



44,269





42,416





156,432





152,775

Depreciation & amortization



8,624





11,659





27,115





40,035

Restructuring costs









4,649





2,851





13,031

Loss (gain) on sale of assets and businesses, net



720











(103,163)





13,629

Operating income



35,041





28,197





181,941





65,480

Interest expense and other, net



36,361





32,319





100,726





105,060

Debt extinguishment loss



1,441





1,935





1,441





11,624

Warrant remeasurement gain



(5,537)











(5,537)







Non-service defined benefit income



(8,576)





(14,400)





(25,725)





(23,127)

Income tax expense



400





1,105





3,900





4,106

Net income (loss)

$ 10,952



$ 7,238



$ 107,136



$ (32,183)

Earnings (loss) per share - basic:























Net income (loss)

$ 0.17



$ 0.11



$ 1.65



$ (0.50)

Weighted average common shares outstanding - basic



65,066





64,621





64,969





64,486

Earnings (loss) per share - diluted:























Net income (loss)

$ 0.08



$ 0.11



$ 1.53



$ (0.50)

Weighted average common shares outstanding - diluted



68,454





65,096





66,346





64,486



(Continued) FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)

TRIUMPH GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES (dollars in thousands, except share data)

BALANCE SHEETS

Unaudited

December 31,

2022



Audited

March 31,

2022

Assets











Cash and cash equivalents

$ 116,409



$ 240,878

Accounts receivable, net



179,371





178,663

Contract assets



108,646





101,828

Inventory, net



400,467





361,692

Prepaid and other current assets



18,449





19,903

Assets held for sale









60,104

Current assets



823,342





963,068

Property and equipment, net



162,278





169,050

Goodwill



507,714





513,722

Intangible assets, net



76,503





84,850

Other, net



27,455





30,476

Total assets

$ 1,597,292



$ 1,761,166

Liabilities & Stockholders' Deficit











Current portion of long-term debt

$ 3,108



$ 3,268

Accounts payable



166,501





161,534

Contract liabilities



40,492





171,763

Accrued expenses



160,014





208,059

Liabilities related to assets held for sale









57,519

Current liabilities



370,115





602,143

Long-term debt, less current portion



1,605,069





1,586,222

Accrued pension and post-retirement benefits, noncurrent



259,671





301,303

Deferred income taxes, noncurrent



7,444





7,213

Other noncurrent liabilities



43,056





51,708

Stockholders' Deficit:











Common stock, $.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized, 64,995,466

and 64,629,279 shares issued



65





64

Capital in excess of par value



957,093





973,112

Treasury stock, at cost, 0 and 14,897 shares









(96)

Accumulated other comprehensive loss



(455,208)





(463,354)

Accumulated deficit



(1,190,013)





(1,297,149)

Total stockholders' deficit



(688,063)





(787,423)

Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit

$ 1,597,292



$ 1,761,166



(Continued) FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)

TRIUMPH GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES (dollars in thousands, except share data)





Nine Months Ended December 31,





2022



2021

Operating Activities











Net income (loss)

$ 107,136



$ (32,183)

Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in

operating activities:











Depreciation and amortization



27,115





40,035

Amortization of acquired contract liability



(1,832)





(3,645)

(Gain) loss on sale of assets and businesses



(103,163)





13,629

Curtailments, settlements, and special termination benefits loss, net









20,046

Other amortization included in interest expense



4,857





7,502

Provision for credit losses



495





247

Warrants remeasurement gain



(6,435)







Share-based compensation



6,420





7,664

Changes in other assets and liabilities, excluding the effects of

acquisitions and divestitures:











Trade and other receivables



(8,579)





30,060

Contract assets



(14,667)





(7,538)

Inventories



(39,829)





(5,165)

Prepaid expenses and other current assets



839





3,716

Accounts payable, accrued expenses, and contract liabilities



(63,014)





(201,476)

Accrued pension and other postretirement benefits



(25,647)





(42,195)

Other, net



4,013





(678)

Net cash used in operating activities



(112,291)





(169,981)

Investing Activities











Capital expenditures



(12,274)





(15,817)

(Payments on) proceeds from sale of assets and businesses



(6,160)





220,550

Investment in joint venture









(2,101)

Purchase of facility related to divested businesses









(21,550)

Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities



(18,434)





181,082

Financing Activities











Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt



35,000





107

Retirement of debt and finance lease obligations



(21,877)





(379,021)

Payment of deferred financing costs









(400)

Premium on redemption of First Lien Notes



(1,287)





(9,108)

Repurchase of shares for share-based compensation

minimum tax obligation



(3,490)





(3,135)

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities



8,346





(391,557)

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash



(2,090)





(3,287)

Net change in cash and cash equivalents



(124,469)





(383,743)

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period



240,878





589,882

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

$ 116,409



$ 206,139



(Continued) FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)

TRIUMPH GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES (dollars in thousands)





Three Months Ended



Nine Months Ended





December 31,



December 31,

SEGMENT DATA

2022



2021



2022



2021

Net sales:























Systems & Support

$ 285,278



$ 236,281



$ 814,119



$ 743,475

Aerospace Structures



43,606





82,968





171,769





329,863

Elimination of inter-segment sales



(29)











(49)





(47)





$ 328,855



$ 319,249



$ 985,839



$ 1,073,291

Operating income:























Systems & Support

$ 42,994



$ 40,567



$ 119,557



$ 114,213

Aerospace Structures



5,022





(3,512)





8,645





11,316

Corporate



(12,085)





(6,266)





60,159





(52,385)

Share-based compensation expense



(890)





(2,592)





(6,420)





(7,664)





$ 35,041



$ 28,197



$ 181,941



$ 65,480

Operating margin %























Systems & Support



15.1 %



17.2 %



14.7 %



15.4 % Aerospace Structures



11.5 %



(4.2) %



5.0 %



3.4 % Consolidated



10.7 %



8.8 %



18.5 %



6.1 %

























Depreciation and amortization^:























Systems & Support

$ 7,419



$ 7,821



$ 22,447



$ 24,765

Aerospace Structures



691





3,105





3,059





12,678

Corporate



514





733





1,609





2,592





$ 8,624



$ 11,659



$ 27,115



$ 40,035

Amortization of acquired contract liabilities:























Systems & Support

$ (442)



$ (938)



$ (1,832)



$ (3,633)

Aerospace Structures





















(12)





$ (442)



$ (938)



$ (1,832)



$ (3,645)























































FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)

TRIUMPH GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

(dollars in thousands)

Non-GAAP Financial Measure Disclosures

We prepare and publicly release quarterly unaudited financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. In accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") rules, we also disclose and discuss certain non-GAAP financial measures in our public releases. Currently, the non-GAAP financial measures that we disclose are Adjusted EBITDA, which is our net income before interest, income taxes, amortization of acquired contract liabilities, curtailments, settlements and special termination benefits, legal settlements, gains/loss on divestitures, gains/losses on warrant remeasurements, share-based compensation expense, depreciation and amortization; and Adjusted EBITDAP, which is Adjusted EBITDA, less pension & other postretirement benefits. We disclose Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP on a consolidated and Adjusted EBITDAP an operating segment basis in our earnings releases, investor conference calls and filings with the SEC. The non-GAAP financial measures that we use may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. Also, in the future, we may disclose different non-GAAP financial measures in order to help our investors more meaningfully evaluate and compare our future results of operations to our previously reported results of operations.

We view Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP as operating performance measures and as such we believe that the U.S. GAAP financial measure most directly comparable to it is net income. In calculating Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP, we exclude from net income the financial items that we believe should be separately identified to provide additional analysis of the financial components of the day-to-day operation of our business. We have outlined below the type and scope of these exclusions and the material limitations on the use of these non-GAAP financial measures as a result of these exclusions. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP are not measurements of financial performance under U.S. GAAP and should not be considered as a measure of liquidity, as an alternative to net income, income from continuing operations, or as an indicator of any other measure of performance derived in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Investors and potential investors in our securities should not rely on Adjusted EBITDA or Adjusted EBITDAP as substitutes for any GAAP financial measure, including net income or income from continuing operations. In addition, we urge investors and potential investors in our securities to carefully review the reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP to net income set forth below, in our earnings releases and in other filings with the SEC and to carefully review the U.S. GAAP financial information included as part of our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and our Annual Reports on Form 10-K that are filed with the SEC, as well as our quarterly earnings releases, and compare the U.S. GAAP financial information with our Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP.

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP are used by management to internally measure our operating and management performance and by investors as a supplemental financial measure to evaluate the performance of our business that, when viewed with our U.S. GAAP results and the accompanying reconciliation, we believe provides additional information that is useful to gain an understanding of the factors and trends affecting our business. We have spent more than 25 years expanding our product and service capabilities partially through acquisitions of complementary businesses. Due to the expansion of our operations, which included acquisitions, our net income has included significant charges for depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP exclude these charges and provide meaningful information about the operating performance of our business, apart from charges for depreciation and amortization. We believe the disclosure of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP helps investors meaningfully evaluate and compare our performance from quarter to quarter and from year to year. We also believe Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP are measures of our ongoing operating performance because the isolation of non-cash income and expenses, such as amortization of acquired contract liabilities, depreciation and amortization, share-based compensation and non-operating items, such as interest and income taxes, provides additional information about our cost structure, and, over time, helps track our operating progress. In addition, investors, securities analysts and others have regularly relied on Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP to provide a financial measure by which to compare our operating performance against that of other companies in our industry.

(Continued)

FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)

TRIUMPH GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

(dollars in thousands)

Set forth below are descriptions of the financial items that have been excluded from our net income to calculate Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP and the material limitations associated with using this non-GAAP financial measure as compared to net income:

Gains or losses from the sale of assets or businesses may be useful for investors to consider because they reflect gains or losses from sale of operating units. We do not believe these earnings necessarily reflect the current and ongoing cash earnings related to our operations.

Warrants remeasurement gains or losses and warrant-related transaction costs may be useful for investors to consider because they reflect the mark-to-market changes in the fair value of our warrants and the costs associated with warrants issuance or settlement. We do not believe these earnings necessarily reflect the current and ongoing cash earnings related to our operations.

Consideration payable to a customer related to a divestiture may be useful for investors to consider because it reflects consideration paid to facilitate the ultimate sale of operating units. We do not believe these charges necessarily reflect the current and ongoing cash earnings related to our operations.

Non-service defined benefit income (inclusive of certain pension related transactions such as curtailments, settlements, early retirement or other incentives) may be useful to investors to consider because they represent the cost of post-retirement benefits to plan participants, net of the assumption of returns on the plan's assets and are not indicative of the cash paid for such benefits. We do not believe these earnings (expenses) necessarily reflect the current and ongoing cash earnings related to our operations.

Amortization of acquired contract liabilities may be useful for investors to consider because it represents the non-cash earnings on the fair value of below market contracts acquired through acquisitions. We do not believe these earnings necessarily reflect the current and ongoing cash earnings related to our operations.

Amortization expense and nonrecurring asset impairments (including goodwill, intangible asset impairments, and nonrecurring rotable inventory impairments) may be useful for investors to consider because it represents the estimated attrition of our acquired customer base and the diminishing value of tradenames, product rights, licenses, or, in the case of goodwill, other assets that are not individually identified and separately recognized under U.S. GAAP, or, in the case of nonrecurring asset impairments, the impact of unusual and nonrecurring events affecting the estimated recoverability of existing assets. We do not believe these charges necessarily reflect the current and ongoing cash charges related to our operating cost structure,

Share-based compensation may be useful for investors to consider because it represents a portion of the total compensation to management and the board of directors. We do not believe these charges necessarily reflect the current and ongoing cash charges related to our operating cost structure.

Depreciation may be useful for investors to consider because they generally represent the wear and tear on our property and equipment used in our operations. We do not believe these charges necessarily reflect the current and ongoing cash charges related to our operating cost structure.

The amount of interest expense and other we incur may be useful for investors to consider and may result in current cash inflows or outflows. However, we do not consider the amount of interest expense and other to be a representative component of the day-to-day operating performance of our business.

Income tax expense may be useful for investors to consider because it generally represents the taxes which may be payable for the period and the change in deferred income taxes during the period and may reduce the amount of funds otherwise available for use in our business. However, we do not consider the amount of income tax expense to be a representative component of the day-to-day operating performance of our business.

Management compensates for the above-described limitations of using non-GAAP measures by using a non-GAAP measure only to supplement our GAAP results and to provide additional information that is useful to gain an understanding of the factors and trends affecting our business.

(Continued)

FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)



TRIUMPH GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

(dollars in thousands)

The following table shows our Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP reconciled to our net income for the indicated periods (in thousands):





Three Months Ended



Nine Months Ended





December 31,



December 31,

Adjusted Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation,

Amortization, and Pension (Adjusted EBITDAP):

2022



2021



2022



2021

Net income (loss)

$ 10,952



$ 7,238



$ 107,136



$ (32,183)

Add-back:























Income tax expense



400





1,105





3,900





4,106

Interest expense and other, net



36,361





32,319





100,726





105,060

Debt extinguishment loss



1,441





1,935





1,441





11,624

Warrant remeasurement gain



(5,537)











(5,537)







Pension charges





















20,046

Consideration Payable to customer related to divestiture















17,185







Loss (gain) on sales of assets and businesses, net



720











(103,163)





13,629

Share-based compensation



890





2,592





6,420





7,664

Amortization of acquired contract liabilities



(442)





(938)





(1,832)





(3,645)

Depreciation and amortization



8,624





11,659





27,115





40,035

Adjusted Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation

and Amortization ("Adjusted EBITDA")

$ 53,409



$ 55,910



$ 153,391



$ 166,336

Non-service defined benefit income (excluding

settlements)



(8,576)





(14,400)





(25,725)





(43,173)

Adjusted Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation

and Amortization, and Pension ("Adjusted EBITDAP")

$ 44,833



$ 41,510



$ 127,666



$ 123,163

Net sales

$ 328,855



$ 319,249



$ 985,839



$ 1,073,291

Net income margin



3.3 %



2.3 %



10.9 %



(3.0) % Adjusted EBITDAP margin



13.7 %



13.0 %



13.0 %



11.5 %































Three Months Ended December 31, 2022











Segment Data

Adjusted Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation,

Amortization, and Pension (EBITDAP):

Total



Systems &

Support



Aerospace

Structures



Corporate/

Eliminations*

Net income

$ 10,952



















Add-back:























Non-service defined benefit income



(8,576)



















Income tax expense



400



















Warrant remeasurement gain



(5,537)



















Debt extinguishment loss



1,441



















Interest expense and other, net



36,361



















Operating income (loss)

$ 35,041



$ 42,994



$ 5,022



$ (12,975)

Loss on sales of assets & businesses, net



720

















720

Share-based compensation



890

















890

Amortization of acquired contract liabilities



(442)





(442)













Depreciation and amortization



8,624





7,419





691





514

Adjusted Earnings (Losses) before Interest, Taxes,

Depreciation and Amortization, and Pension

("Adjusted EBITDAP")

$ 44,833



$ 49,971



$ 5,713



$ (10,851)

Net sales

$ 328,855



$ 285,278



$ 43,606



$ (29)

Adjusted EBITDAP margin



13.7 %



17.5 %



13.1 %

n/a







Nine Months Ended December 31, 2022











Segment Data

Adjusted Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation,

Amortization, and Pension (EBITDAP):

Total



Systems &

Support



Aerospace

Structures



Corporate/

Eliminations*

Net income

$ 107,136



















Add-back:























Non-service defined benefit income



(25,725)



















Income tax expense



3,900



















Warrant remeasurement gain



(5,537)



















Debt extinguishment loss



1,441



















Interest expense and other, net



100,726



















Operating income

$ 181,941



$ 119,557



$ 8,645



$ 53,739

Gain on sales of assets & businesses, net



(103,163)

















(103,163)

Consideration payable to customer related to

divestiture



17,185











17,185







Share-based compensation



6,420

















6,420

Amortization of acquired contract liabilities



(1,832)





(1,832)













Depreciation and amortization



27,115





22,447





3,059





1,609

Adjusted Earnings (Losses) before Interest, Taxes,

Depreciation and Amortization, and Pension

("Adjusted EBITDAP")

$ 127,666



$ 140,172



$ 28,889



$ (41,395)

Net sales

$ 985,839



$ 814,119



$ 171,769



$ (49)

Adjusted EBITDAP margin



13.0 %



17.3 %



16.8 %

n/a



(Continued) FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)

TRIUMPH GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES (dollars in thousands)

Non-GAAP Financial Measure Disclosures (continued)



Three Months Ended December 31, 2021











Segment Data

Adjusted Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation,

Amortization, and Pension (EBITDAP):

Total



Systems &

Support



Aerospace

Structures



Corporate/

Eliminations*

Net income

$ 7,238



















Add-back:























Non-service defined benefit income



(14,400)



















Income tax expense



1,105



















Debt extinguishment loss



1,935



















Interest expense and other, net



32,319



















Operating income (loss)

$ 28,197



$ 40,567



$ (3,512)



$ (8,858)

Share-based compensation



2,592

















2,592

Amortization of acquired contract liabilities



(938)





(938)













Depreciation and amortization



11,659





7,821





3,105





733

Adjusted Earnings (Losses) before Interest, Taxes,

Depreciation and Amortization, and Pension

("Adjusted EBITDAP")

$ 41,510



$ 47,450



$ (407)



$ (5,533)

Net sales

$ 319,249



$ 236,281



$ 82,968



$ 

Adjusted EBITDAP margin



13.0 %



20.2 %



(0.5) %

n/a







Nine Months Ended December 31, 2021











Segment Data

Adjusted Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation,

Amortization, and Pension (EBITDAP):

Total



Systems &

Support



Aerospace

Structures



Corporate/

Eliminations*

Net loss

$ (32,183)



















Add-back:























Non-service defined benefit income



(23,127)



















Income tax expense



4,106



















Debt extinguishment loss



11,624



















Interest expense and other, net



105,060



















Operating income (loss)

$ 65,480



$ 114,213



$ 11,316



$ (60,049)

Loss on sales of assets & businesses, net



13,629

















13,629

Share-based compensation



7,664

















7,664

Amortization of acquired contract liabilities



(3,645)





(3,633)





(12)







Depreciation and amortization



40,035





24,765





12,678





2,592

Adjusted Earnings (Losses) before Interest, Taxes,

Depreciation and Amortization, and Pension

("Adjusted EBITDAP")

$ 123,163



$ 135,345



$ 23,982



$ (36,164)

Net sales

$ 1,073,291



$ 743,475



$ 329,863



$ (47)

Adjusted EBITDAP margin



11.5 %



18.3 %



7.3 %

n/a





























(Continued)

FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)

TRIUMPH GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

(dollars in thousands)

Non-GAAP Financial Measure Disclosures (continued)

Adjusted income from continuing operations, before income taxes, adjusted income from continuing operations and adjusted income from continuing operations per diluted share, before non-recurring costs have been provided for consistency and comparability. These measures should not be considered in isolation or as alternatives to income from continuing operations before income taxes, income from continuing operations and income from continuing operations per diluted share presented in accordance with GAAP. The following tables reconcile income from continuing operations before income taxes, income from continuing operations, and income from continuing operations per diluted share, before non-recurring costs.





Three Months Ended

December 31, 2022





Pre-Tax



After-Tax



Diluted EPS

Income from continuing operations - GAAP

$ 11,352



$ 10,952







GAAP EPS Numerator Adjustments:

















Warrant related items

$ (5,730)





(5,730)



























GAAP EPS Numerator:

$ 5,622



$ 5,222



$ 0.08

Adjustments:

















Loss on sale of assets and businesses, net



720





720





0.01

Debt extinguishment loss



1,441





1,441





0.02

Warrant issuance costs



899





899





0.01

Adjusted income from continuing operations - non-GAAP

$ 8,682



$ 8,282



$ 0.12







Nine Months Ended

December 31, 2022



Fiscal 2023 Diluted

EPS Guidance



Pre-Tax



After-Tax



Diluted EPS





Income from continuing operations - GAAP

$ 111,036



$ 107,136











GAAP EPS Numerator Adjustments:





















Warrant related items

$ (5,730)



$ (5,730)



































GAAP EPS Numerator:

$ 105,306



$ 101,406



$ 1.53



$1.59 - $1.79 Adjustments:





















Gain on sale of assets and businesses, net



(103,163)





(103,163)





(1.55)



(1.42) Restructuring costs



2,851





2,851





0.04



0.04 Consideration payable to customer related to divestiture^



17,185





17,185





0.26



0.24 Debt extinguishment loss



1,441





1,441





0.02



0.02 Warrant issuance costs



899





899





0.01



0.01 Adjusted income from continuing operations - non-GAAP

$ 24,519



$ 20,619



$ 0.31



$0.48 - $0.68





Three Months Ended

December 31, 2021





Pre-Tax



After-Tax



Diluted EPS

Income from continuing operations - GAAP

$ 8,343



$ 7,238



$ 0.11

Adjustments:

















Restructuring costs



4,649





4,649





0.07

Debt extinguishment loss



1,935





1,935





0.03

Adjusted income from continuing operations - non-GAAP

$ 14,927



$ 13,822





0.21







Nine Months Ended

December 31, 2021





Pre-Tax



After-Tax



Diluted EPS

Loss from continuing operations - GAAP

$ (28,077)



$ (32,183)



$ (0.50)

Adjustments:

















Loss on sale of assets and businesses, net



13,629





13,629





0.21

Restructuring costs



13,031





13,031





0.20

Pension charges



20,046





20,046





0.31

Debt extinguishment loss



11,624





11,624





0.18

Adjusted income from continuing operations - non-GAAP*

$ 30,253



$ 26,147



$ 0.41



(Continued)

FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)

TRIUMPH GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

(dollars in thousands)

Non-GAAP Financial Measure Disclosures (continued)

Adjusted Operating Income is defined as GAAP Operating Income, less expenses/gains associated with the Company's transformation, such as restructuring expenses, gains/losses on divestitures, impairments of goodwill and other assets. Management believes that this is useful in evaluating operating performance, but this measure should not be used in isolation. The following table reconciles our Operating income to Adjusted Operating income as noted above.





Three Months Ended

December 31,



Nine Months Ended

December 31,





2022



2021



2022



2021

Operating income - GAAP

$ 35,041



$ 28,197



$ 181,941



$ 65,480

Adjustments:























Loss (gain) on sale of assets and businesses, net



720











(103,163)





13,629

Restructuring costs









4,649





2,851





13,031

Consideration payable to customer related to divestiture















17,185







Adjusted operating income - non-GAAP

$ 35,761



$ 32,846



$ 98,814



$ 92,140



Cash provided by operations, is provided for consistency and comparability. We also use free cash flow as a key factor in planning for and consideration of strategic acquisitions and the repayment of debt. This measure should not be considered in isolation, as a measure of residual cash flow available for discretionary purposes, or as an alternative to operating results presented in accordance with GAAP. The following table reconciles cash provided by operations to free cash flow.





Three Months Ended

December 31,



Nine Months Ended

December 31,



Fiscal 2023

Guidance $ in millions

2022



2021



2022



2021





Cash used in operating activities

$ 0.1



$ 15.5



$ (112.3)



$ (170.0)



$ (40.0) - $ (30.0) Less:



























Capital expenditures



(5.1)





(8.3)





(12.3)





(15.8)



~ $ (25.0) Free cash use

$ (5.0)



$ 7.2



$ (124.6)



$ (185.8)



$ (65.0) - $ (55.0)





























































SOURCE Triumph Group
'One-of-a-Kind' Practice Celebrates Milestone Year, Launches New Client-Centered Site, troutmanpepperstateag.com

NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Troutman Pepper's nationally recognized State Attorneys General practice celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. The practice has become a go-to for clients seeking assistance with state attorneys general enforcement, litigation, and compliance matters, and is one of only five ranked nationwide by Chambers USA in the category. View an interactive site showcasing what makes it one of a kind.

Troutman Pepper's national State Attorneys General practice celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.

"We are proud to be one of the most established state attorneys general-focused practices in the country and at the forefront of the major issues state AGs are pursuing," said Partner Ashley Taylor, co-lead of Troutman Pepper's State AG practice. "Our successful track record spans key industry sectors, including financial services, privacy, health care and pharmaceuticals, and tobacco."

"From matters relating to fair advertising and marketing, privacy and data security, consumer lending, product safety, and environmental protection, we help clients avoid pitfalls and overcome challenges all while working toward favorable resolution," said Partner Clayton Friedman, State AG practice co-lead. "As Troutman Pepper celebrates two decades of delivering state AG guidance, we are grateful to our clients and excited about the value we can bring them in the years to come."

The practice comprises more than 30 attorneys, including numerous former state AG officials, with team members handling AG investigations involving all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. In addition to the practice's expertise across venues and bench strength, clients benefit from its carefully cultivated relationships with AGs and senior staff across the country and related ability to stay in front of the shifting regulatory landscape to navigate changes in enforcement priorities.

"Troutman Pepper has established itself as a market-leading firm for clients facing governmental investigations and enforcement actions initiated by state attorneys general," said Partner John West, chair of the firm's Business Litigation department. "Clients across industries come to us for help in these pressing matters, and time and time again, our one-of-a-kind practice delivers."

Troutman Pepper is active with the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), Attorney General Alliance (AGA), the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA), and the Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA). Learn more about the firm's State AG practice and access timely thought leadership and useful tools at troutmanpepperstateag.com.

About Troutman Pepper

Troutman Pepper is a national law firm with more than 1,200 attorneys strategically located in 23 U.S. cities. The firm's litigation, transactional, and regulatory practices advise a diverse client base, from start-ups to multinational enterprises. The firm provides sophisticated legal solutions to clients' most pressing business challenges, with depth across industry sectors, including energy, financial services, health sciences, insurance, and private equity, among others. Learn more at troutman.com .

SOURCE Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP
TrustRadius announces the best technology for customer relations, feature set, and value

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- TrustRadius, the most-trusted B2B technology decisioning platform, announced the winners of the Winter 2023 Best of Awards in categories for Best Feature Set, Best Value for Price, and Best Relationship. Winners are selected based on data from user feedback on the attributes most important to their business needs.

TrustRadius 2023 Best of Award Badge

"These aren't pay-to-play awards. We recognize the products with genuine positive feedback from real customers. It's the key to being the destination where tech buyers make confident decisions," said Vinay Bhagat, TrustRadius Founder, and CEO.

Even in the same category, products can be quite different. They might serve varying use cases, fill unique market niches, or have different strengths or standout features. Depending on a buyer's criteria, they might find one product or another to be a better fit. Many technology companies struggle to communicate their points of differentiation with buyers. The goal of our awards is to show why products are preferred. Showing this information in an award format makes it easier for buyers to make a purchase decision based on what's important for them in achieving their business goals.

"Last year, our awards earned 5.6 million views on product profiles across our site. These recognitions not only benefit our vendor partners through increased exposure but also help elevate buyer confidence by making it clear which products are preferred in the market and will solve their business challenges," Bhagat said.

TrustRadius Winter 2023 Best of Award winners

Technology providers have an opportunity to win all three categories. The Best Value and Best Feature Set Awards are based on the highest percentage of respondents who gave high ratings to the product's feature set and value for the price. The Best Relationship Award is earned by measuring collective data from reviewer insights: "Would Buy Again," "Implementation Expectations," and "Sales and Marketing Promises." The following products demonstrated excellence in their value for price, feature set, and/or customer relationships:

Miro Interactive Whiteboard wins Best Value for Price

Miro is a visual collaboration platform that allows users to work together in real-time on a shared digital whiteboard. It features a wide range of tools for drawing, sketching, diagramming, and prototyping, as well as integrations with other popular collaboration and productivity software. With Miro, teams can brainstorm, plan projects, design prototypes, and more, all in one place. Users can also join video chats or share real-time comments and feedback on boards to keep projects moving forward. 98% of reviewers say Miro delivers a good value for the price.

IBM Robotic Process Automation wins Best Feature Set

IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) helps organizations automate repetitive, tedious tasks. Data entry and document processing are two of the most common use cases. IBM RPA is designed to work in tandem with human employees, allowing them to focus on more complex and creative tasks while the software handles routine work. It is typically used in industries such as financial services, healthcare, and manufacturing to streamline processes, improve efficiency, and reduce errors.

"IBM RPA earned a Winter 2023 Best of Award for Feature Set as a direct result of user feedback on TrustRadius," says Megan Headley, VP of Research at TrustRadius. "Reviewers on TrustRadius highlight IBM RPA's bot scheduling capability, intuitive bot-building interface, and overall positive impact on productivity."

SAP Concur wins Best Relationship

SAP Concur is a cloud-based travel and expense management platform designed to help organizations streamline and automate the process of tracking and reimbursing employee spending. The platform includes features for booking travel, tracking expenses, creating and approving expense reports, and reconciling corporate credit card charges. SAP Concur also integrates with other financial systems, including accounting software and corporate credit card providers, to help organizations manage their expenses more efficiently. SAP Concur aims to reduce the time and effort required to manage employee expenses and to provide organizations with better visibility and control over their spending.

"SAP Concur has earned a Winter 2023 Best of Award for Best Relationship in the Expense Management category on TrustRadius," said Megan Headley, VP of Research at TrustRadius. "This award is based entirely on feedback from SAP Concur's customers. On TrustRadius, 95% of SAP Concur reviewers said they would buy the product again. Additionally, reviewers highlight the software's ease of use, excellent support, and good approval workflow."

About the Winter 2023 Best of Awards

To qualify for a Winter 2023 Best of Award, vendors must have a minimum of 10 reviews on their TrustRadius product profile during the last six-month time period (in this case, July 1 to December 31, 2022). The timeliness of the feedback ensures we have an accurate gauge of current customer sentiment. To make the winner's list, vendors must be ranked in the top three per award type in their technology category.

Starting this week, the Winter 2023 Best of Award winners' TrustRadius product profiles and category pages will begin displaying badges signifying wins for Best Feature Set, Best Value for Price, and Best Relationship. This is part of our ongoing dedication to helping buyers make confident decisions and offering technology providers a way to engage their target audience.

"TrustRadius is founded on the principle of transparency," said Megan Headley, Vice President of Research. "That's why we require reviewers to write in-depth reviews, on average around 400 words each, all of which are vetted for authenticity by our team of researchers."

Learn more at TrustRadius.com.

About TrustRadius

TrustRadius delivers the most credible technology decisioning platform, helping buyers confidently make decisions with comprehensive, vetted product information and customer-generated content. Technology providers are empowered to tell their unique stories, engage high-intent buyers, and gain customer insights. Founded by successful entrepreneurs and headquartered in the technology hub of Austin, Texas, TrustRadius is backed by Mayfield Fund, LiveOak Venture Partners, and Next Coast Ventures.

SOURCE TrustRadius, Inc.
Acquisition of French Orthopedic Medical Device Company to Fast-Track Tyber's Growth in European Healthcare Market

BETHLEHEM, Pa., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tyber Medical LLC has acquired 100 percent of the capital of ADSM-Synchro Medical, a French orthopedic medical device company, specializing in the development and distribution of implants dedicated to treating surgical forefoot pathologies. Founded in 2010, ADSM has become a market leader in the European medical device industry with products like the ToeGrip Classic, the first hammer toe implant of its kind developed with PEEK material.

The acquisition of ADSM will play a key role in strengthening Tyber Medical's international presence and fueling its global growth strategy with a wider range of product options in the MIS bunion, PEEK hammertoe and screw fixation arenas. With the integration of ADSM's EXray, ToeGrip and TigerTrack platforms into its private label spine, extremity and trauma portfolio, Tyber Medical is now positioned to better serve its partners in Europe. In addition to offering a more robust product portfolio, the purchase of ADSM adds another EU notified body, providing multiple pathways to accelerate certification of Tyber Medical's full product portfolio under Europe's new Medical Device Regulation (MDR).

Acquiring ADSM will accelerate certification of Tyber's product portfolio under Europe's new Medical Device Regulation. Tweet this

"The addition of ADSM's product lines to our portfolio will create new avenues of growth within our overall product offering for our OEM partners," said Tyber Medical Chief Commercial Officer James Abraham. "The wealth of expertise and product innovation delivered by the ADSM team, extends our international market opportunity with our OEM customers and greatly accelerates our MDR product approval strategy."

In 2020, ADSM was the first company to be audited in France by TUV Rheinland, in accordance with MDR, and was the first orthopedic device company to be fully certified in 2021. ADSM currently has received Class I, Class IIa and Class IIb MDR approval.

"Tyber Medical is excited to welcome the ADSM team, as well as the incorporation of the ADSM products into our rapid-access private label model for the spine, extremity and trauma markets," said Tyber Medical Chief Executive Officer Jeff Tyber. "ADSM's strong experience and existing Class I, Class IIa and Class IIb MDR approval of their screw-based technology is key to accelerating our global market access strategy."

Luigi Bivi, founder and President of ADSM, will continue in his strategic role as president to support the ADSM team in growing Tyber Medical's European organization. "I am excited for the ADSM team to join the exceptional Tyber family," said Bivi, who brings extensive European market expertise to support the growth of Tyber. Bivi was formerly Vice President, Sales of Smith & Nephew Europe.

About Tyber Medical LLC

Tyber Medical LLC, is a leading orthopedic medical device manufacturer providing rapid access to FDA-cleared and CE-marked private label, portfolio-enhancing, regulatory-approved orthopedic implants for the spinal, extremity, and trauma markets. Tyber Medical provides customers with a quick and seamless path to market. Since it was founded in 2012, the company has released more than 50 spine, extremity, and trauma systems. Tyber Medical aims to develop and utilize differentiated technologies to make advanced orthopedic implants.

Contact: Damien Sibilla, Tyber Medical

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Tyber Medical
Global Consumer Products Executive Brings Over Four Decades of Beverage and Ingredients Experience to Universal

RICHMOND, Va., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Corporation (NYSE: UVV) today announced the appointment of Arthur J. Schick, Jr., retired Vice President of Proprietary Flavors within the Beverage Concentrate Division of PepsiCo, Inc., to the Company's Board of Directors. Mr. Schick's appointment is effective April 1, 2023, at which time the Board will expand to nine directors, eight of whom are independent.

"We are thrilled to welcome Art Schick to our Board of Directors," said George C. Freeman, III, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Universal Corporation. "Art is an experienced, well-respected global consumer products executive with in-depth knowledge of the food and beverage industry, and he has deep-rooted expertise and knowledge of the ingredients industry from the top down. He brings tremendous value to Universal, with over four decades of experience in ingredients, strategic supplier development, procurement, operations, international supply chain management, and product research and development. As we continue to grow our plant-based ingredients business, his breadth of experience in the ingredients and value-added supplier space represents a terrific and invaluable addition to our Board. Art's appointment demonstrates Universal's continued commitment to the success and future growth of our ingredients platform, and we look forward to benefiting from his strategic insights and perspective."

Mr. Schick is a 35-year veteran of PepsiCo, Inc., a $79 billion global leader and publicly traded food and beverage company. While at PepsiCo, he served his last 17 years as the Vice President of Proprietary Flavors within the Beverage Concentrate Division. In that role, Mr. Schick led PepsiCo's organization that manufactured all proprietary flavors for the company's global beverage brands, and led the global sourcing strategies and supply chain management for the organization. Mr. Schick also spent over a decade as a contributing board member for the Flavor Extract Manufacturers Association ("FEMA"), the premier national association of the U.S. flavor industry, serving as FEMA's President in 2013. FEMA supports the industry in flavor ingredient safety and in regulatory and legislative guidance and advocacy. It is comprised of flavor manufacturers, flavor users, flavor ingredient suppliers, and others with an interest in the U.S. flavor industry. Mr. Schick currently serves as President of Alpha Sierra Global, LLC, a company providing strategic and operational consulting to companies focused on consumer products, flavor compounding and ingredients. Throughout his distinguished career, Mr. Schick has a proven track record of delivering high-level operating performance across global manufacturing sites and demonstrating expertise in international supplier development and supply chain management.

"When presented with the opportunity to serve on Universal's Board of Directors, I was impressed with the Company's long and successful history in international tobacco operations and I was excited about the tremendous upside potential for the Company as it expands its plant-based ingredients platform," said Mr. Schick. "Universal already has a strong foundation and sustainable strategy to position itself as a leader in the ingredients space. I look forward to working with my fellow directors and the Company's management team as Universal charts its course for a bright future."

Universal Corporation (NYSE: UVV), headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, is a global business-to-business agri-products supplier to consumer product manufacturers, operating in over 30 countries on five continents. We strive to be the supplier of choice for our customers by leveraging our farmer base, our commitment to a sustainable supply chain, and our ability to provide high-quality, customized, traceable, value-added agri-products essential for our customers' requirements. We find innovative solutions to serve our customers and have been meeting their agri-product needs for more than 100 years. Our principal focus since our founding in 1918 has been tobacco, and we are the leading global leaf tobacco supplier. Through our plant-based ingredients platform, we provide a variety of value-added manufacturing processes to produce high-quality, specialty vegetable- and fruit-based ingredients as well as botanical extracts and flavorings for the food and beverage end markets. For more information, visit www.universalcorp.com.

SOURCE Universal Corporation
OnPoint's Refer a Friend campaigns have raised more than $296,250 for six non-profit organizations since 2018

PORTLAND, Ore., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- OnPoint Community Credit Union today kicked off its Refer a Friend non-profit campaign to benefit one of the region's oldest civil rights and social service organizations.

OnPoint selected Urban League of Portland for the campaign that runs February 1 through March 31. Refer a Friend provides members with the opportunity to support local community organizations while introducing friends and family to OnPoint's full range of financial services.

Urban League of Portland is recipient of OnPoints membership campaign

Founded in 1945, the Urban League of Portland invests in and provides programs for areas that affect the social and economic security of Black families in Oregon and SW Washington. Those include:

Multicultural Senior Center, a Northeast Portland activity center that provides healthcare and preventative services, transportation and community connections

activity center that provides healthcare and preventative services, transportation and community connections Workforce development, including job fairs and skills training

Academic support for middle schoolers, such as paid internships

Advocacy and civic engagement to influence public policy and legislation to promote racial equity

"Our programs have played a crucial role in improving the civil rights and social justice for Oregon and Southwest Washington's Black community since our founding," said Julia Delgado, Vice President, Urban League of Portland. "The support from OnPoint and its members will enable us to build upon our work and continue providing services and programs to help our region's Black community achieve equality in education, employment, health, economic security and quality of life."

$50 for referring members, $50 for new members, $50 for the Urban League

OnPoint's Refer a Friend incentivizes OnPoint members year-round to recommend the credit union to their friends, family or business associates by giving $50 to both the new and referring member when an account is opened. At select times throughout the year, OnPoint donates an additional $50 to local non-profits for each new account opened through Refer a Friend.

"We must continue to come together to remove barriers and actively create opportunities for underrepresented communities," said Jo Davis, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program Manager, OnPoint Community Credit Union. "We are proud to build on our support of the Urban League of Portland through our Refer a Friend program and advance its critical work in our fight for racial equity in Oregon and Southwest Washington."

OnPoint's last Refer a Friend campaign, held in September/October 2022, raised more than $33,850 for JoyRx | Children's Cancer Association. Since the beginning of the Refer a Friend program in 2018, OnPoint has donated $296,250 to six organizations through eight different campaigns. OnPoint members who are interested in learning more can visit www.onpointcu.com/rates-rewards/refer-a-friend/, or stop by their local OnPoint branch.

In November 2022, OnPoint announced donations of $2.3 million to more than 377 non-profits in Oregon and Southwest Washington, with more than $695,000 pledged to organizations focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. Visit www.onpointcu.com/community-giving to learn more about OnPoint's support of local organizations like the Urban League of Portland.

ABOUT ONPOINT COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION

OnPoint Community Credit Union is the largest credit union in Oregon, serving over 500,000 members and with assets of $9.1 billion. Founded in 1932, OnPoint Community Credit Union's membership is available to anyone who lives or works in one of 28 Oregon counties (Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Crook, Curry, Deschutes, Douglas, Gilliam, Hood River, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Morrow, Multnomah, Polk, Sherman, Tillamook, Wasco, Washington, Wheeler and Yamhill) and two Washington counties (Skamania and Clark) and their immediate family members. More information is available at www.onpointcu.com or 503-228-7077 or 800-527-3932.

ABOUT URBAN LEAGUE OF PORTLAND

Empowering Black communities in Oregon and Southwest Washington since 1945. Urban League is one of Oregon's oldest civil rights and social service organizations, empowering African-Americans and others to achieve equality in education, employment, health, economic security and quality of life. We do this by investing in stable housing; through workforce development; community health; education and well-being; for our youth, adults and seniors. Our culturally specific programs and services, combined with our powerful advocacy and civic engagement, empowers Black communities to thrive across Oregon and SW Washington.

SOURCE OnPoint Community Credit Union
BANGALORE, India, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Urology Devices Market is segmented by Type - Instruments, Consumables and Accessories, Urology Devices, by Application - Hospitals and Clinics, Dialysis Centers. Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023 - 2029. It is published in Valuates Reports under the Medical Devices & Equipment Category.

The global Urology Devices market was valued at USD 29300 million in 2022 and is anticipated to reach USD 39810 million by 2029, witnessing a CAGR of 4.0% during the forecast period 2023-2029.

Major Factor Driving The Growth Of the Urology Devices Market

The urological devices market is anticipated to grow as hospitals invest in new facilities, equipment expansion, and new centers. Additionally, rising demand for MIS robotic systems is anticipated in the next few years, which is anticipated to drive the growth of the urology devices market.

The prevalence of urological cancer is rising, the population is aging quickly, urology devices are becoming more advanced technologically, and healthcare costs are rising. These are the main causes fueling the rise of the urology devices market.

Browse The Table of Contents And List of Figures At https://reports.valuates.com/reports/QYRE-Auto-23W9675/global-urology-devices

TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF THE UROLOGY DEVICES MARKET

Testicular cancer is becoming more common; it typically strikes younger males between the ages of 15 and 35. Thus the increase in testicular cancer is expected to drive the growth of the urology devices market. Although the majority of the time the exact etiology of testicular cancer is unknown, other medical disorders, such as polycystic kidney disease for kidney cancer and chronic inflammation for bladder cancer, can be risk factors. Only a small portion of these tumors are hereditary. Using a device with a tiny light or camera, a cystoscopy or ureteroscopy examines the kidney, bladder, and ureter.

Medical device makers are expanding their production capacities to create effective and secure urological equipment in response to the rising prevalence of urologic disorders. A common yet serious issue with urinary disorders is urinary incontinence, which occurs when a patient loses control of their pee. Urinary incontinence is a frequent medical disease that affects women in addition to the elderly.

The urology devices market is growing as less invasive procedures become more widely used and as the number of patients with problems with the urinary tract system rises. For the diagnosis and treatment of urological problems, manufacturers are creating high-quality urology tools. Furthermore, a common yet serious issue with urinary disorders is urinary incontinence, which occurs when a patient loses control of their pee. Urinary incontinence is a frequent medical disease that affects women in addition to the elderly. These factors are expected to drive the growth of the urology devices market.

There is no doubt that the COVID-19 outbreak has raised people's stress levels. Throughout the world, stress urinary incontinence is a health issue that is frequently encountered. In people with severe kidney disorders, stress can cause acute respiratory distress. This syndrome may worsen kidney impairment already present. As a result, patients with COVID-19-infected urology-related illnesses increased the demand for dialysis procedures in hospitals as well as in-home care settings. As a result, manufacturers of urology devices have enhanced the availability of urology tools to effectively handle urological crises in diverse care facilities.

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UROLOGY DEVICES MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS

The market sector for instruments in urological devices is the most profitable. The main reasons fueling the expansion of the instruments segment are technological improvements, the introduction of new and sophisticated urology equipment, and the rising prevalence of renal illnesses.

During the forecast period, the segment for hospitals, ASCs, and clinics are anticipated to hold the biggest market share. They have a number of benefits, such as improved and more focused testing capacities, effective billing and collection procedures, technologically upgraded urological instruments, and decreased test prices. Additionally, the growth in the number of ASCs, coupled with the growing number of surgical procedures performed in ASCs, is expected to drive the demand for urology devices in this end-user segment.

From 2022 to 2030, the Asia Pacific is anticipated to have considerable growth due to a number of factors, including greater awareness of renal and urinary problems, rising healthcare spending, and improved healthcare infrastructure in the region.

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Market By Region

North America

Europe

Asia-Pacific

Latin America

Middle East & Africa

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Key players

Fresenius Medical Care

Siemens AG

Karl Storz

Boston Scientific

Baxter

C R Bard

Olympus

Richard Wolf

Intuitive Surgical

Dornier MedTech

Cook Medical

Stryker

Medtronic Inc

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- The global Neurological Biomarkers market was valued at USD 6170 million in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 13690 million by the end of 2027, growing at a CAGR of 12.0% during 2021-2027.

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- Microfluidics Market is projected to reach USD 7397 million by 2028 from an estimated USD 3496.8 million in 2022, at a CAGR of 13.3% during 2023 and 2028.

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- Genome Editing Market is projected to reach USD 6739.8 Million by 2028, from USD 3513 Million in 2021, at a CAGR of 9.3% during 2022-2028.

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- Cell Culture Market accounted for USD 16,107.7 million in 2019 and is expected to reach USD 36,926.8 million by 2027, registering a CAGR of 10.9% from 2020 to 2027.

- DNA Sequencing Market size was USD 13380 million and it is expected to reach USD 48700 million by the end of 2027, with a CAGR of 20.4% during 2021-2027

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- Single use Bioprocessing Market is projected to reach USD 6956.3 million by 2027, from USD 3905.3 million in 2020, at a CAGR of 10.1% during 2021-2027.

- Digital PCR Market generated D508.8 million in 2020 and is projected to reach D1,139.9 million by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 9.1% from 2021 to 2028.

- Orphan Drugs Market is projected to reach USD 241610 million by 2027, from USD 122720 million in 2020, at a CAGR of 9.7% during 2021-2027.

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- Biometrics market is projected to reach USD 39030 million by 2028, from USD 15900 million in 2021, at a CAGR of 13.2% during 2022-2028.

- Fiducial Markers market is estimated to be worth USD 104.8 million in 2022 and is forecast to be a readjusted size of USD 131.4 million by 2028 with a CAGR of 3.9% during the review period

- Dialysis Market was valued at USD 91,205.0 million in 2020 and is estimated to reach USD 129,756.8 million by 2028, registering a CAGR of 4.7% from 2021 to 2028.

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Nairobi  The Council of Governors (CoG) is on Wednesday set to meet with the National Treasury and the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) over equitable revenue share to counties.

This comes just a week after another meeting led by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua bore no fruits as CRA, Governors and the National Treasury failed to agree on the share for the 2023-2024 financial year.

During the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC), Governors demanded Sh425 billion, an amount countered by the CRA which recommended Sh407 billion.

The National Treasury on its part said it can only increase the current amount of Sh370 billion to Sh380 billion.

Following the disagreement, the DP said that the county Chiefs will soon meet with President William Ruto in Naivasha so as to discuss the way forward.

The meeting will also address the transfer of functions to counties.

The 19th Ordinary session of the IBEC also deliberated on the late disbursement to counties of Equitable Revenue Share from the National Treasury amounting to sh 103,111,993,876 billion.

On this, Gachagua said that the national government is committed to ensuring timely disbursements.

He said that a technical team from Treasury, the CoG and the CRA was agreed upon to streamline any areas on shareable revenue for the 2023/24 FY and submit a report in a week's time.

The Controller of Budget Margret Nyakango who was also present also raised the issue of pending bills, with most being accrued from previous administrations.

Nairobi leads with the highest pending bill both eligible and ineligible.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- After announcing their cashback METAL Credit Card last year, U.S. Eagle announced their partnership with the Veterans Integration Centers (VIC) and Paws and Stripes to support the ongoing needs of disabled veterans in the state of New Mexico.

This card provides unlimited cashback, credited directly to the member's account while also helping disabled veterans in their community through the 'Mettle' donation effort.

Members will continue to receive cashback each time they use this their METAL card. The donation is fully funded by U.S. Eagle per purchase with proceeds directly benefitting VIC and Paws and Stripes.

"This is a way we are able give back to our local veterans here in New Mexico. We are honored to work with the Veterans Integration Centers and Paws and Stripes to assist both of their missions supporting those who have served our country," said Marsha Majors, President and CEO of U.S. Eagle Federal Credit Union.

"People have a choice of cards to use when they're doing their everyday purchases. If they use the METAL card, they'll be helping veterans," said Brock Wolf, CEO of the Veterans Integration Centers.

"Most Americans really want to support our veterans but in the state of New Mexico specifically, we have so many. One in eight households has a veteran living in it," explained Lindsey Kay, Founder and Executive Director of Paws and Stripes. "It's not just about helping our veterans; it's about how we're helping those that are all a part of our community and thus we're helping our whole community."

For more information about the Mettle donation effort, visit www.useagle.org/mettle

For information and to apply for a U.S. Eagle Visa METAL Card, visit EagleMETAL.org.

To learn more about the Veterans Integration Center, visit www.nmvic.org.

To learn more about Paws and Stripes, visit https://www.pawsandstripes.org.

About U.S. Eagle

U.S. Eagle Federal Credit Union is the state's first member-owned credit union. Founded in 1935, U.S. Eagle offers a full suite of financial products and services with locations in Albuquerque, Bernalillo, Farmington, and Santa Fe. With assets of more than $1.5 billion, more than 90,000 members, and as a four-time Forbes Best-In-State Credit Union award recipient, U.S. Eagle is where people mean more.

Contact: Franchesca Conner,

505-681-3414

[email protected]

SOURCE U.S. Eagle Federal Credit Union
NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ValueBlue, a leading provider of innovative SaaS solutions in the digital transformation market, today announced that it will fulfill its goal to launch a corporate social responsibility program in Q1 2023.

The CSR initiative will kick off with a sponsorship of Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), the leading global charity dedicated to protecting whales and dolphins with a focus on ending captivity, stopping whaling, and creating healthy seas. ValueBlue has pledged to donate 1% of quarterly new business sales to the charity.

ValueBlue to Launch Corporate Social Responsibility Program, Partnering with Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) ValueBlue

The cause is near and dear to ValueBlue founder and CEO Wilko Visser, whose home country, The Netherlands, has an intimate relationship with ocean life as a seaside nation. When Visser founded ValueBlue in 2011, initially as a consultancy, he took inspiration for the name from the business guidebook Blue Ocean Strategy, detailing the role of innovation in new market areas. ValueBlue's core enterprise SaaS product is named BlueDolphin.

"Growing up in The Netherlands, I was inspired by how magnificent dolphins are, just off our coastline in the North Sea. The nature of a dolphin is very similar to what we strive for with our product 'BlueDolphin,' to be an intelligent collaboration platform with an accessible and pleasant appearance. I have spent a dozen years building ValueBlue into a successful business, and it is only natural that we launch our CSR program with a charity that resonates with our company and its 'transformational' ethos," said Visser.

About ValueBlue

ValueBlue is the company behind BlueDolphin, the digital transformation platform that helps CXOs and Architects to plan their transformation, collaborate on execution, and manage the process based on real data insights. BlueDolphin accelerates Business Transformation through agile collaboration for over 175 organizations across the globe, such as Watson, Randstad, and Wyndham Hotel Group. With offices in EMEA, the USA, and APAC, ValueBlue has enjoyed significant year-over-year growth over the past four years. For more information, please visit ValueBlue.com.

Media Contact

Sarah Thorson

[email protected]

Firecracker PR

1-888-317-4687 ext. 705

SOURCE ValueBlue
WhatsApp Integration opens up brands to a trusted channel for customer support.

BOSTON, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Vee24, the leader in person-to-person digital customer experience solutions, is proud to announce the recent launch of its asynchronous messaging integration. This new feature allows brands to engage with their customers via WhatsApp, the world's most popular messaging service.

Vee24's digital platform enables customer-centric teams to grow online sales, deliver better customer service, and build brand loyalty through the power of high-definition video chat, text chat, AI-enabled chatbots, co-browsing, screen sharing, online appointment setting, and now asynchronous chat. Brands can add a link to WhatsApp on their website and social media channels, which allows customers to send their inquiries to their customer service agents.

The initial launch of the integration with a Beta customer showed promising results. WhatsApp for customer service offering launched days before Black Friday and immediately saw above the expected volume of incoming messages. Customers were delighted to connect directly with the company via a trusted communication channel, and agents could assist multiple customers at once.

The WhatsApp Integration seamlessly pairs the expanded customer experience with the agent interface our clients use today. Customers can start an inbound message conversation anytime via their WhatsApp account. Messages go directly to the agent hub, allowing product experts to handle multiple conversations simultaneously. Agents are then able to wrap-up calls with surveys, which feed into the comprehensive reporting suite.

"This is a very exciting launch," said Tomer Azenkot, CEO. "The WhatsApp integration not only delivers a great customer experience in a preferred medium but also helps streamline call centers since agents can assist multiple customers. Vee24 also offers the advantage of allowing call center supervisors to view customer conversations, have private conversations with agents, and see agent stats in real-time, which will be soon available for our WhatsApp clients. It's an efficient, easy-to-use system for all involved."

About Vee24

Vee24 helps leading brands deliver great person-to-person customer experiences that accelerate their digital business. Vee24's digital customer experience platform  powered by high-definition video chat, text chat, AI-enabled chatbots, co-browsing, screen sharing, online appointment setting, and more  enables customer-centric teams to grow online sales, deliver better customer service, and build brand loyalty. Brands can seamlessly connect their virtual and in-person experience using this omnichannel customer engagement platform. Vee24 is headquartered in Boston, MA with European headquarters in Macclesfield, England. Vee24 customers include leading industry brands in the retail, automotive, and financial services sectors.

For more information:

Jeff Barovich, Vee24, [email protected], 617-356-8285

www.vee24.com

SOURCE Vee24
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ventech Solutions is proud to partner with ADvancing States to give five states technical assistance for a select number of American Rescue Plan Act Home and Community-Based Services (ARPA HCBS) initiatives. As part of the ARPA HCBS Technical Assistance Collective, Ventech Solutions will deliver this technical assistance in specific areas, giving states what they need to successfully execute their own ARPA HCBS initiatives.

The five selected statesAlabama, Colorado, Delaware, Michigan and Wisconsinwill receive assistance in the following specified areas:

Alabama will receive assistance in standardizing case management systems across departments as well as building a new service package to better serve children in foster care.

will receive assistance in standardizing case management systems across departments as well as building a new service package to better serve children in foster care. Colorado will receive assistance in building a long-term plan for sustaining a significant investment in ARPA HCBS initiatives and evaluating which pilot programs should be continued.

will receive assistance in building a long-term plan for sustaining a significant investment in ARPA HCBS initiatives and evaluating which pilot programs should be continued. Delaware will receive assistance in designing and implementing HCBS innovation pilot grants for providers, advocacy organizations or other entities.

will receive assistance in designing and implementing HCBS innovation pilot grants for providers, advocacy organizations or other entities. Michigan will receive assistance in expanding Medicaid eligibility consistent with new guidance and designing a multifaceted long-term care public education campaign that encourages pre-crisis planning and adheres to national best practices for long-term care needs.

will receive assistance in expanding Medicaid eligibility consistent with new guidance and designing a multifaceted long-term care public education campaign that encourages pre-crisis planning and adheres to national best practices for long-term care needs. Wisconsin will receive assistance in implementing a data collection and monitoring framework for assisted living facilities as well as assistance for other initiatives to support the state's older adults, people with disabilities and their caregivers.

Ventech Solutions is pleased to work with ADvancing States and the five selected states to help them reach their goals to improve services for their most vulnerable residents.

About Ventech Solutions

Ventech Solutions is a technology and health care solutions provider that leverages emerging technologies to deliver a wide range of enterprise services, including cloud modernization, infrastructure, data, security and service integration support. Ventech Solutions leads and manages some of the most critical technology transformation initiatives for the public sector that empower government agencies to achieve their missions. For more information, visit www.ventechsolutions.com.

Media Contact

For more information, contact Media Relations at [email protected].

SOURCE Ventech Solutions, Inc.
Founded by Fifth Generation Farmers, Venterra Farms Combines Indoor Grow Technology with Outdoor Sustainability for High-Quality, Eco-Friendly Cannabis Products

VENTURA, Calif., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- California cannabis company Farming First, LLC ("The Company") today announced the launch of Venterra Farms, a sustainably grown cannabis brand on a mission to cultivate joy. Founded by farmers who have been working the land off the Central Coast of California for five generations, the Venterra Farms is dedicated to producing the highest quality cannabis products while also being mindful of the environment.

"Venterra Farms is rooted in the belief that cannabis should be grown with care and attention." Tweet this Introducing Venterra Farms, a new cannabis brand from Farming First, LLC.

The Company's proprietary "hybrid farming" approach combines the best of indoor growing technology with the sustainability and cost efficiency of sun-grown outdoor cultivation. The result is an enhanced version of premium 'light-dep' cannabis.

"We are excited to bring our passion for farming and commitment to sustainability to the cannabis industry with our first consumer brand, Venterra Farms," said Jered Micheli, Director of Agriculture at Farming First. "Venterra Farms is rooted in the belief that cannabis should be grown with care and attention. Our unique approach is about more than just producing high-quality cannabis. It's about creating a better future for the local environment and future generations."

Powered by Farming First, positioned to become California's largest contiguous outdoor cultivation operation, Venterra Farms' product line includes a range of cannabis strains with high terpene expression and a full spectrum of cannabinoids, each carefully selected and grown to provide the perfect combination of aroma, taste and effects.

Initial product offerings include jarred flower, pre-rolls and vape pens in the following strains: Wedding Cake, Peanut Butter Breath, Lemon Cherry Gelato, and Apples & Bananas. Additional details include:

Jarred Flower : Hand-harvested, slow-cured sun-kissed nugs that feature the perfect balance of taste, aroma and effects.





Hand-harvested, slow-cured sun-kissed nugs that feature the perfect balance of taste, aroma and effects. Pre-rolls: Single source, field-fresh flower carefully hand-harvested, slow-cured, and packed into individual tubes. No trim or fillers included.





Single source, field-fresh flower carefully hand-harvested, slow-cured, and packed into individual tubes. No trim or fillers included. Vape Pens: Discrete and conveniently rechargeable, these pens are designed to preserve flavor. Cannabis derived terpenes means all ingredients come directly from cannabis for a 'true to plant' experience. The company extracts their own material to make the vape pen oils.





Discrete and conveniently rechargeable, these pens are designed to preserve flavor. Cannabis derived terpenes means all ingredients come directly from cannabis for a 'true to plant' experience. The company extracts their own material to make the vape pen oils. Gummies: Full spectrum gummies, crafted with a combination of Indica and Sativa hybrid strains containing a full spectrum of cannabinoids such as CBN and CBG in each gummy. Available in four bold fruit flavors at 5MG THC per gummy.

In addition to using sustainable farming practices, Venterra Farms is deeply committed to giving back to the community and will donate a portion of its profits to organizations that support sustainable farming and environmental conservation.

The habitat plan for the company includes incorporating setbacks from native waterways to protect water quality, designated areas for preserving and restoring native grasses and plants, and the protection of a rare black walnut tree. Additionally, the use of solar power and upcycled water demonstrate the company's commitment to reducing their environmental impact and promoting conservation.

Venterra Farms is now available at select dispensaries throughout California. For more information on Venterra Farms, visit https://venterrafarms.com/

ABOUT VENTERRA FARMS

Venterra Farms is a sustainably grown cannabis brand powered by Farming First and founded by farmers who have been cultivating the land off the Central Coast of California for five generations. Using a unique hybrid farming methodology that combines the best of indoor growing technology and cost efficiency with the sustainability of sun-grown farming, the company is dedicated to producing high-quality cannabis products while minimizing its environmental impact. In addition to its commitment to sustainability, Venterra Farms also gives back to the community by donating a portion of its profits to organizations that support sustainable farming and environmental conservation.

ABOUT FARMING FIRST

Founded in 2019, Farming First is the creator of the cannabis "hybrid farming" methodology. As a cannabis cultivator, processor, and distributor in the heart of California's Central Coast, Farming First focuses on bringing best-in-class farming and sustainability practices to the state's cannabis industry. With 134 acres of rolling cultivation, Farming First possesses entitlements for what will become the largest contiguous outdoor cultivation operation in California. The Company offers a plethora of options for the cannabis industry: single-source bulk wholesale cannabis; white-labeling; co-packaging; and custom farming contracts for specific needs, including dried and cured flower, fresh frozen, unique phenotypes, cannabinoid specific strains and more. Harnessing the natural resources of California's Central Coast, Farming First supplies some of the state's leading cannabis brands, in addition to having its own recently launched portfolio of brands. The team includes fourth- and fifth-generation farmers who know the land and are committed to growing high-quality sun-grown cannabis in the most sustainable way possible.

Media Contact:

Alice Moon

Trailblaze

[email protected]

SOURCE Farming First, LLC
Newly appointed CFO with significant experience in medical technology and public / private financing

Insulin Pump system Kaleido to expand commercial roll out in Europe

UTRECHT, Netherlands, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ViCentra B.V., the company behind Kaleido, one of the world's smallest, lightest and most precise Insulin Pump systems for treating people with type 1 Diabetes, is pleased to announce the appointment of Leo Toole as Chief Financial Officer and provides a corporate update on its expansion pathway of Kaleido into key European markets in 2023.

Leo Toole brings a wealth of experience in senior finance roles with more than 25 years' experience in medical technology, pharmaceutical, and FMCG sectors. Leo was previously CFO of hVIVO plc, a UK contract research organization publicly listed on AIM & Euronext (HVO), specializing in testing infectious and respiratory disease products, and was a key member of the team that turned around the Company's financial position from 2020 to 2022. Prior to this, Leo was CFO of Sigmoid Pharma Ltd, an Irish specialty pharma company developing drugs for ulcerative colitis, which completed a c$60m financing in 2018. Leo's other experiences include his role at BiancaMed Ltd, an Irish medical device company sold to ResMed Inc in 2011 and senior finance roles in Procter & Gamble across Europe.

Frans Cromme, Chief Executive Officer of ViCentra, said: "We are delighted to welcome Leo at this pivotal time of Company development and growth. Leo has experience in both large corporate organizations and small entrepreneurial ventures and understands financial market dynamics having successfully led multiple private and public financing events. His expertise will serve us as we seek additional funding and expand our operations to bring our CE-marked product Kaleido to thousands of people with Type 1 diabetes."

Leo Toole, Chief Financial Officer of ViCentra, commented: "I am excited to join ViCentra during this period of great change and Company growth. I am extremely impressed by this disruptive technology that will help combat the increasing prevalence of diabetes. I look forward to contributing to ViCentra's excellent leadership team as we drive the European expansion of Kaleido and prepare for US entry."

ViCentra's flagship product Kaleido is one of the world's smallest, lightest and most precise insulin pump systems and can be uniquely tailored to the person using it. The tiny pump combines the freedom of a patch pump with the versatility of a conventional pump and uses unique micro-pulse technology to deliver accurate and consistent dosing of insulin. It is available as a manual and automated insulin delivery system.

ViCentra has successfully scaled its manufacturing capacity to enable the launch of Kaleido into multiple European geographies and is expanding its commercial team. Kaleido is currently available and growing in the Netherlands and France and will be launched in Germany, the world's second largest diabetes market, in 2023.

About ViCentra

ViCentra B.V., with headquarters in Utrecht, the Netherlands develops, manufactures and markets next generation insulin pumps and other products to treat people with diabetes. The company flagship product is the Kaleido insulin pump which is CE marked and is commercially released in European countries. It is one of the world's smallest, lightest and most precise insulin pump systems, waterproof, available in 10 bright colours and is available both as a manual and an automated insulin delivery system. ViCentra was founded in 2013 and is backed by INKEF Capital, EQT Life Sciences, Health Innovations, Invest-NL, Partners in Equity and Kreos Capital. More information about ViCentra can be found at www.hellokaleido.com.

SOURCE ViCentra
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Vision Films Inc. ("Vision") announces the US and Canadian VOD and DVD release of documentary American Royalty on February 22, 2023. From directors Daniel and Stephen Fisher and their company Fisher Films, the film presents a comprehensive history of the 102-year-old American institution highlighting the ebb and flow of its relevancy since 1921.

Miss America Pageant Documentary 'American Royalty' Movie Poster

Synopsis : For over a century, the Miss America Pageant has been a symbol of beauty, glamour, and inspiration, funding women's education, serving in multiple philanthropic organizations, and admired globally for its contributions. Experience the history, influence, controversy, and evolution of this iconic institution through the resolve of the women and men who fight to retain its legacy and future.

Trailer: https://youtu.be/1tzURiKqTVw

Featuring Former Miss Americas Kimberly Clarice Aiken, Kylene Barker, Dorothy Benham, Ericka Dunlap, Pamela Anne Eldred, Judith Anne Ford, Debbye Turner and a myriad of executives and volunteers spanning the pageant's history.

Lise Romanoff, CEO/Managing Director of Vision Films shares, "The Miss America Pageant is an iconic brand and tradition that has been a part of the American consciousness for over 100 years. Audiences will be riveted by the fair and balanced perspective this documentary presents, including the good, the bad, the beautiful, and sometimes difficult issues behind the scenes."

Filmmakers Daniel and Stephen Fisher say, "We hope this documentary will challenge any preconceived notions people have of this iconic organization. We have set out to highlight both the positive and negative aspects of what this organization has done for women over the past 100 years. It has been a privilege and honor to bring this production to life. We have learned so much and met so many amazing people throughout the process. We appreciate every person who has taken the time to sit down with us and share their stories and experiences in this program. We can't wait to share 100 years of Miss Americas story with audiences everywhere."

American Royalty will be available on all major streaming and cable platforms in the US and Canada on February 22, 2023 followed by DVD at major online retailers in March.

About Vision Films

Vision Films is a leading independent sales and VOD aggregator specializing in the licensing, marketing, and distribution of over 800 feature films, documentaries, series from some of the most prolific independent film producers in the world. Led by Lise Romanoff, Managing Director/CEO Worldwide Distribution, Vision Films releases 2-4 films a month across Theatrical, VOD, DVD, and television platforms. visionfilms.net

Contact:

Andrea McKinnon

(818) 415-9442

[email protected]

SOURCE Vision Films, Inc.
Ersek will Serve as Special Advisor to the CEO and Advisory Board Member

VIENNA, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- waterdrop, the fast-growing hydration scale up on a mission to encourage people to drink more water to live a healthier and more sustainable life, is thrilled to welcome Hikmet Ersek. Ersek will serve as special advisor to the CEO and advisory board member to help navigate the brand's fast paced growth and worldwide expansion. Headquartered in Vienna, Austria, waterdrop has been shaking up the beverage industry since 2016, thanks to its innovative waterdrop Microdrink and global hydration platform. The company's goal is to change the fundamentals of an obsolete ecosystem by promoting responsible consumption of tap water and avoiding the outdated idea of bottling and shipping unsustainable and mostly unhealthy beverages.

Hikmet Ersek is a global business leader with over 35 years of experience in the financial and technology industry. He is well-known for his successful tenure as CEO of Western Union, where he led the company's digital transformation and worldwide expansion, positioning the iconic brand as a household name across 200 countries. Ersek, based in Colorado, also serves as a board member and advisor to public and private companies.

"I am excited to join waterdrop as a special advisor and member of the advisory board," said Hikmet Ersek. "I am impressed by the company's innovative hydration products and their commitment to creating a healthier and more sustainable environment. I am looking forward to advising the waterdrop team to accelerate their international development and establish their position as the leading global hydration brand, appreciated by customers worldwide."

The fast growing hydration brand is already operating in Europe, CEE, Singapore, and recently entered successfully in the U.S. market. The company will be launching in several additional regions in the coming months. With this move, waterdrop plans to accelerate its growth in new international markets and will establish its position as a global hydration leader.

"I am humbled and delighted to receive the support of a business leader like Hikmet Ersek," said Martin Murray, CEO & founder of waterdrop. "We share our Austrian roots but also a common goal of creating a healthier and more sustainable environment on a global scale. Hikmet's experience and knowledge will be invaluable as we continue to navigate the ever-changing landscape of the beverage industry. We look forward to working with him to achieve our goals and drive the company forward. We want to make waterdrop the leading global hydration brand and spread our core message "Drink More Water'' worldwide.

The brand also recently welcomed Novak Djokovic as an investor and long-term global brand ambassador highlighting the importance of committed brand ambassadors as well as transforming ATP tournaments plastic-bottle free with innovative hydration benches. Increasingly daring and anchored in its Austrian heritage, waterdrop has been the official hydration partner of the legendary Hahnenkamm races since 2022: one of the most challenging and spectacular Alpine ski races in the world. With these partnerships, the young company is determined to become an essential actor in the global hydration landscape.

About waterdrop

"Our mission is to encourage you to Drink More Water so you can live a healthier, longer and more sustainable life." says Martin Murray, Founder and CEO of waterdrop

The fast-growing hydration brand headquartered in Vienna, Austria, has been shaking up the beverage industry since 2016 with its innovative waterdrop Microdrink and global hydration platform. The company's mission is to encourage people to drink more water in a more sustainable way. Its sugar-free, naturally flavored cubes, which dissolve in water and enrich it with natural fruits, plants, and vitamins, have been praised by consumers for their hydration-boosting properties.

waterdrop significantly reduces plastic use and CO2 emissions. The 98% saving in plastic compared to traditional bottled drinks is achieved through the individual recyclable packaging of each cube: the plastic contained in a single cap of a traditional bottle is equivalent to 10 Microdrinks. The brand is developing through a whole hydration ecosystem.

In partnership with Plastic Bank, waterdrop pledges to collect one plastic bottle for every 12-pack sold, meaning consumers can not only drink more sustainably, but they can also support waterdrop's cause for a better future for the environment.

Founded six years ago, the company has grown to more than 2 million online customers, currently has over 300 employees, is listed in more than 20,000 retail outlets and operates more than 40 own stores in Europe, in the USA and in Singapore. Learn more on www.waterdrop.com

SOURCE waterdrop
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Wilson Center has announced the establishment of a new cross-cutting initiative aimed at shaping conversations and proposing meaningful policy reforms to strengthen American leadership in the era of great power competition. Named the Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition, or WISC, the new initiative was made possible by a generous transformational multi-year commitment from the Wahba Foundation.

Sadek Wahba, PhD, is a member of the Wilson Center's Global Advisory Council and National Cabinet, and will serve as Chair of WISC's Steering Committee. A member of President Biden's National Infrastructure Advisory Council, Wahba earned a doctorate degree in economics from Harvard University and began his career as an economist for the World Bank. Former Congressman, businessperson, and university leader Mark Kennedy will serve as WISC's Director.

"With the competition between America and its allies and authoritarian rivals playing an increasingly central role in foreign policy, WISC is a natural extension of the Wilson Center's long-term mission and work," said Ambassador Mark A. Green, Wilson Center President and CEO. "We are deeply appreciative of Sadek's support, and are confident his experience and insights will help WISC make an important contribution in this crucial area of foreign policy."

"With the US facing rival powers seeking to bend the global order, it is important that we engage in the coming era of strategic competition grounded in the international rules-based system the world fought so hard to develop and maintain," said Wahba. "We should seek to cooperate whenever possible, but compete vigorously when we must."

WISC will foster collaboration across the Wilson Center's well known programs, and offer analysis and recommendations to help policymakers create strategic opportunities in areas such as technology, trade, infrastructure, energy, and global supply chains. WISC scholars will also offer ideas on ways to strengthen international collaboration and economic security.

"Succeeding in strategic competition is the animating imperative of our time and the goal of WISC," said Mark Kennedy, the Director of the new program. "It is an honor to lead such meaningful work in partnership with the many scholars and experts of the Wilson Center."

Kennedy brings a unique mix of skills and experience. He is a President Emeritus of the University of Colorado and an appointed civic leader supporting the Secretary of the Air Force. He served as a US Congressman for Minnesota, a member of the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations, and a senior executive at one of America's largest retailers.

Contact: Ryan McKenna

Phone: (202) 691-4217

[email protected]

SOURCE Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
DUBLIN, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Pharmaceuticals & Medicine Manufacturing - Industry Market Research Report" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Over the five years to 2019, pharmaceutical manufacturers have benefited from an aging population in developed economies and a growing middle class in emerging economies, which provided a larger customer base for operators in the Global Pharmaceuticals and Medicine Manufacturing industry. Many manufacturers also tapped into regional demand for pharmaceuticals that may differ from developed markets.

Furthermore, the growing global middle class provides additional growth opportunities, given increased access to pharmaceutical products and higher per capita expenditure on medicines. Many manufacturers expanded their global presence to tap into regional market needs and develop relationships with government entities that can accelerate drug approval or implement high reimbursement rates.

Nevertheless, patent cliffs have continued to hamper industry revenue. When blockbuster drugs lose patent exclusivity, the market is inundated with low-cost generic drugs. Over the five years to 2024, industry revenue is forecast to grow amid an anticipated persistence of global economic health.

The industry comprises companies that manufacture biological, medicinal and pharmaceutical products in various forms, including ampoules, tablets, capsules, vials, ointments, powders, solutions and suspensions. The overall pharmaceutical market can be segmented into prescription-based, or ethical products, and over-the-counter medications. Industry products are predominantly distributed via wholesalers and are then sold via pharmacies or distributed in hospitals.

This report covers the scope, size, disposition and growth of the industry including the key sensitivities and success factors. Also included are five year industry forecasts, growth rates and an analysis of the industry key players and their market shares.

Key Topics Covered:

ABOUT THIS INDUSTRY

Industry Definition

Main Activities

Similar Industries

Additional Resources

INDUSTRY AT A GLANCE

INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE

Executive Summary

Key External Drivers

Current Performance

Industry Outlook

Industry Life Cycle

PRODUCTS & MARKETS

Supply Chain

Products & Services

Demand Determinants

Major Markets

International Trade

Business Locations

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Market Share Concentration

Key Success Factors

Cost Structure Benchmarks

Basis of Competition

Barriers to Entry

Industry Globalization

MAJOR COMPANIES

OPERATING CONDITIONS

Capital Intensity

Technology & Systems

Revenue Volatility

Regulation & Policy

Industry Assistance

KEY STATISTICS

Industry Data

Annual Change

Key Ratios

JARGON & GLOSSARY

A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes

Johnson & Johnson

Pfizer Inc.

Novartis AG

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/mwe4ne



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

SOURCE Research and Markets
Nairobi  Detectives in Nakuru have rescued a female university student who was kidnapped five days ago.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives say Daisy Chebet Barno, a fourth-year student at Egerton University was kidnapped by three men in Kabarak, Nakuru County on January 26 and taken to an unknown destination.

"Unknown to Daisy, her friend Faith Mwende who is also her coursemate at the Nakuru town campus had conspired with her boyfriend and other thugs to kidnap Daisy and demand a ransom from her supposedly well-to-do family," the DCI said Tuesday.

On the day of her kidnapping, the victim had been invited for late lunch by Mwende's boyfriend Simon Akuteka, 39, who lives with his wife in Rwanda.

After being convinced that Mwende would be joining them later, detectives say, she obliged and got into Akuteka's car, which they later learnt belonged to a car hire agent based in Nairobi.

Once in the car, Akuteka drove towards Kabarak after excusing himself to pick a parcel. However, along the way, he stopped the car suddenly and two men got into the vehicle.

The trio informed Daisy that she had been kidnapped and demanded a ransom of Sh600,000 from Daisy's family.

"They drove to Ruiru at around OJ restaurant where they took a 2 bedroomed Airbnb and locked Daisy in one of the bedrooms. Mwende who had since joined them took the other bedroom where they made merry with her partner after Daisy's family sent an initial Sh50,000," the DCI stated.

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Unknown to the thugs, detectives who had received a distress call from Daisy's family were closely monitoring their movements as they operated between Thika, Murang'a, Kajiado, and Ruiru during the day, in a bid to outwit the officers.

But the sleuths based at the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau went after the suspects before pouncing on them Monday night at the apartment.

According to the agency, a brief altercation ensued as the sleuths introduced themselves to the thugs after they defied orders to surrender and engaged the officers in a fistfight.

Following the successful raid also supported by detectives drawn from DCI Nakuru and Ruiru, all four suspects were arrested and Daisy was rescued.

"Preliminary investigations have revealed that the main suspect Simon Akuteka is a fugitive who has several cases of stealing motor vehicles pending before the court in Nairobi and Kisumu," the DCI said.

The second suspect John Mbau, 38, also has similar motor vehicle theft cases pending before several courts.

Detectives are also holding Faith Mwende who is believed to have conspired against her friend and course mate as they commence investigations on the matter.

One cello tape, a rope, assorted mobile phones, several sim cards, and the identity card of the victim were recovered from the said suspects.
DUBLIN, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global TIL Therapies Market : Distribution by Target Indication, Key Players and Key Geographical Regions: Industry Trends and Global Forecasts, 2023-2035" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The report features an extensive study of the current market landscape and future opportunity for the players focused on the development of TIL therapies. The report answers many key questions related to this domain.

Over the years, various studies have validated the successful use of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in treating patients diagnosed with refractory diseases. TILs are a heterogeneous population of mononuclear lymphocytes that comprise of T-cells, B-cells, NK cells and macrophages isolated from the tumor.

These lymphocytes selectively mediate the elimination of tumor cells. Ongoing and planned clinical research initiatives in this direction are driven by encouraging results achieved in past trials, which were mostly focused on various solid tumors.

Driven by the ongoing pace of innovation in this field, sufficient financial support from investors and encouraging clinical trial results, the TIL therapies market is likely to witness significant growth in the foreseen future.

Key Market Insights

This report features an extensive study of the current market landscape and future opportunity for the players focused on the development of TIL therapies. The report answers many key questions related to this domain.

Need for TIL therapies for the Treatment of Various Types of Cancer

Modified tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL)-based interventions have emerged as a viable and potent option to selectively eradicate the tumor population, with minimal side effects. Till date, several clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy and therapeutic superiority (over conventional treatment options) of TIL therapies.

Their tumor-cell killing efficiency is attributed to the fact that they are pre-sensitized to cancer specific antigens. Additionally, this emerging class of biologics is believed to possess the potential to cater to the unmet pharmacological needs, across both oncological and non-oncological disorders, even those where small molecule drugs have proven to be inadequate.

Current Market Landscape of TIL therapies

Over 75 TIL immunotherapies are being evaluated across different stages of preclinical / clinical development, either as monotherapies or in combination with other drugs. Both industry and non-industry players have demonstrated keen interest in the development of novel TIL-based cell therapies.

Further, melanoma emerged as the most popular target indication in this domain. More than 95% of the therapy candidates that are being developed to target a wide range of disease indications are autologous in nature.

Rising Interest in TIL therapies

A growing interest in TIL therapies is reflected from the increase in the partnerships focused on R&D of such therapies. Several investors, having realized the opportunity within this upcoming segment of T-cell immunotherapy, have invested USD 2.7 billion, across 30 instances, since 2013.

Further, in the last 10 years, close to 95 clinical trials evaluating TIL therapies have been registered across different geographies. Mostly driven by the need for effective treatment options for cancer, the TIL therapies pipeline is expected to steadily grow over the coming years. Moreover, clinical success is likely to draw in investments that are likely to support the ongoing and anticipated therapy development initiatives.

Market Size of the TIL therapies Market

With a growing focus on the development pipeline and encouraging clinical results, the market is anticipated to witness an annualized growth rate of 40% in the next decade. Specifically, in terms of target indication, the market is anticipated to be driven by therapies being developed to target melanoma and head and neck carcinoma.

Additionally, close to 90% of the market is anticipated to be captured by players based in North America and Europe, in 2035. Overall, we are led to believe that the global TIL therapies market is poised to witness significant growth in the foreseen future.

Who are the Key Players in the TIL therapies Market

Examples of key players engaged in this domain (which have also been captured in this report) include Bristol-Myers Squibb, CAR-T (Shanghai) Cell Biotechnology, Cellectis, Incyte Corporation, Instil Bio, Iovance Biotherapeutics, Lytix Biopharma, Phio Pharmaceuticals and Prometheus Laboratories.

Key Topics Covered:

1. PREFACE

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

3. INTRODUCTION

4. TIL-BASED THERAPIES: MARKET LANDSCAPE

4.1. Chapter Overview

4.2. TIL-based Therapies: Overall Market Landscape

4.2.1. Analysis by Type of Developer

4.2.2. Analysis by Phase of Development

4.2.3. Analysis by Therapeutic Area

4.2.4. Analysis by Key Target Indications

4.2.5. Analysis by Source of T-Cells

4.2.6. Analysis by Route of Administration

4.2.7. Analysis by Dosing Frequency

4.2.8. Analysis by Target Patient Segment

4.2.9. Analysis by Type of Therapy

4.2.10. Most Active Industry Players: Analysis by Number of TIL-based Therapies

4.2.11. Most Active Non-Industry Players: Analysis by Number of TIL-based Therapies

4.3. TIL-based Therapies: Overall Developer Landscape

4.3.1. Analysis by Year of Establishment

4.3.2. Analysis by Company Size

4.3.3. Analysis by Location of Headquarters

5. CLINICAL TRIAL ANALYSIS

5.1. Chapter Overview

5.2. Scope and Methodology

5.3. TIL-based Therapies: Clinical Trial Analysis

5.3.1. Analysis by Trial Registration Year

5.3.2. Analysis by Trial Registration Year and Enrolled Patient Population

5.3.3. Analysis by Trial Status

5.3.4. Analysis by Trial Registration Year and Trial Status

5.3.5. Analysis by Trial Phase

5.3.6. Analysis by Trial Phase and Enrolled Patient Population

5.3.7. Analysis by Target Patient Segment

5.3.8. Analysis by Type of Sponsor / Collaborator

5.3.9. Analysis by Study Design

5.3.10. Most Active Industry Players: Analysis by Number of Registered Trials

5.3.11. Most Active Non-Industry Players: Analysis by Number of Registered Trials

5.3.12. Word Cloud Analysis: Emerging Focus Areas

5.3.13. Analysis of Clinical Trials by Geography

5.3.14. Analysis of Enrolled Patient Population by Geography

6. KEY OPINION LEADERS

6.1. Chapter Overview

6.2. Assumptions and Key Parameters

6.3. Methodology

6.4. TIL-based Therapies: Key Opinion Leaders

6.4.1. Analysis by Type of Organization

6.4.2. Analysis by Affiliated Organization

6.4.3. Analysis by Qualification

6.4.4. Analysis by Geographical Location of KOLs

6.4.5. KOL Activeness versus KOL Strength

6.4.6. Most Prominent KOLs: Analysis by RA score

6.4.7. Most Prominent KOLs: Comparison of RA Score and Third-Party Score

7. TIL-BASED THERAPY PROFILES

7.1. Chapter Overview

7.2. LN-144 / Lifileucel (Iovance Biotherapeutics)

7.2.1. Therapy Overview

7.2.2. Clinical Trial Information

7.2.3. Clinical Trial Endpoints

7.2.4. Clinical Trial Results

7.2.5. Estimated Sales Revenues

7.3. LN-145 (Iovance Biotherapeutics)

7.3.1. Therapy Overview

7.3.2. Clinical Trial Information

7.3.3. Clinical Trial Endpoints

7.3.4. Clinical Trial Results

7.3.5. Estimated Sales Revenues

7.4. ITIL-168 (Instil Bio)

7.4.1. Therapy Overview

7.4.2. Clinical Trial Information

7.4.3. Clinical Trial Endpoints

7.4.4. Clinical Trial Results

7.4.5. Estimated Sales Revenues

7.5. LTX-315 (Lytix Biopharma)

7.5.1. Therapy Overview

7.5.2. Clinical Trial Information

7.5.3. Clinical Trial Endpoints

7.5.4. Clinical Trial Results

7.5.5. Estimated Sales Revenues

8. PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS

8.1. Chapter Overview

8.2. Partnership Models

8.3. TIL-based Therapies: Partnerships and Collaborations

8.3.1. Analysis by Year of Partnership

8.3.2. Analysis by Type of Partnership

8.3.3. Analysis by Year of Partnership and Type of Partnership

8.3.4. Analysis by Type of Partner

8.3.5. Most Popular Products: Analysis by Number of Partnerships

8.3.6. Most Active Industry Players: Analysis by Number of Partnerships

8.3.7. Most Active Non-Industry Players: Analysis by Number of Partnerships

8.3.8. Analysis by Geography

8.3.8.1. Intercontinental and Intracontinental Agreements

8.3.8.2. International and Local Deals

9. FUNDING AND INVESTMENT ANALYSIS

9.1. Chapter Overview

9.2. Type of Funding

9.3. TIL-based Therapies: Funding and Investment Analysis

9.3.1. Analysis by Year of Investment

9.3.2. Analysis by Amount Invested

9.3.3. Analysis by Type of Funding

9.3.4. Analysis by Type of Investor

9.3.5. Most Active Players: Analysis by Number of Instances

9.3.6. Most Active Investors: Analysis by Amount Invested

9.3.7. Analysis of Amount Invested by Geography

9.3.8. Most Active Investors: Analysis by Number of Funding Instances

10. PATENT ANALYSIS

10.1. Chapter Overview

10.2. Scope and Methodology

10.3. TIL-based Therapies: Patent Analysis

10.3.1. Analysis by Patent Publication Year

10.3.2. Analysis By Patent Application Year

10.3.3. Analysis by Geography

10.3.4. Analysis by Type of Player

10.3.5. Analysis by CPC Symbols

10.3.6. Word Cloud Analysis: Emerging Focus Areas

10.3.7. Leading Players: Analysis by Number of Patents

10.3.8. TIL-based Therapies: Patent Benchmarking

10.3.9. Analysis By Patent Characteristics

10.3.10. TIL-based Therapies: Patent Valuation

11. CASE STUDY: CELL THERAPY MANUFACTURING

11.1. Chapter Overview

11.2. Overview of Cell Therapy Manufacturing

11.3. Cell Therapy Manufacturing Models

11.4. Scalability of Cell Therapy Manufacturing Processes

11.5. Types of Cell Therapy Manufacturers

11.6. Key Challenges Related to Manufacturing of Cell Therapies

11.7. Important Factors for Cell Therapy Manufacturing

11.7.1. Characterization

11.7.2. Cost of Goods

11.8. Automation of Cell Therapy Manufacturing Process

11.9. Cell Therapy Manufacturing Supply Chain

11.10. Comparison of Player Having In-House Capabilities and Contract Manufacturers

11.11. Regulatory Landscape

11.12. Future Perspectives

12. COST PRICE ANALYSIS

12.1. Chapter Overview

12.2. Factors Contributing to the High Price of Cell / Gene Therapies

12.3. Pricing Models for T-Cell Immunotherapies

12.4. Reimbursement related Considerations for T-Cell Immunotherapies

13. MARKET FORECAST AND OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS

13.1. Chapter Overview

13.2. Scope and Limitations

13.3. Key Assumptions and Forecast Methodology

13.4. Global TIL-Based Therapies Market, 2022-2035

14. COMPANY PROFILES

14.1. Chapter Overview

14.2. Cellectis

14.3. Cellular Biomedicine Group

14.4. Iovance Biotherapeutics

14.5. Lytix Biopharma

14.6. Phio Pharmaceuticals

15. CONCLUDING REMARKS

16. EXECUTIVE INSIGHTS

17. APPENDIX I: TABULATED DATA

18. APPENDIX II: LIST OF COMPANIES AND ORGANIZATIONS

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/n6zw07-til?w=5

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SOURCE Research and Markets
Xilica x Sennheiser Room Kits will feature new Sennheiser TeamConnect Ceiling Medium for scaling audio from the smallest meeting space to the largest collaboration venue

TORONTO and WEDEMARK, Germany, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Xilica and Sennheiser today announce the launch of a new IT-centric audio bundle that allows the vendors to span the full breadth of collaboration space with the introduction of the Xilica x Sennheiser Small Room Kit. Following on from the popular Xilica x Sennheiser Medium Room Kit and Large Room Kit, both featuring Xilica audio systems with a Sennheiser TeamConnect Ceiling 2 beamforming microphone array, the latest addition includes the newly-released Sennheiser TeamConnect Ceiling Medium (TCCM), announced to the market at Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2023.

Available to view on Xilica's stand at ISE 2023 (#2-Q400), the new Xilica x Sennheiser Small Room Kit provides the ideal pre-designed room audio system for smaller spaces: meeting rooms, classrooms and collaboration spaces that don't require the sizeable coverage of a TeamConnect Ceiling 2, but still demand flexibility and freedom when presenting, reconfiguring room layout or involving multiple speakers simultaneously. The IT-centric solution, based entirely around Category 5 cable and Power-over-Ethernet, is the new entry-level bundle in Xilica & Sennheiser's joint SKUs, which continue to include the Medium and Large Room Kits.

Comprising a Sennheiser TeamConnect Ceiling Medium, a Xilica Solaro QR1-UC PoE-powered digital signal processor, two Xilica Sonia C5 Category-cable based in-ceiling speakers, and a Xilica Sonia Amp PoE++ amplifier with integrated network switch, the Small Room Kit requires only a single network cable to the ceiling for the full in-room audio system. Using existing network infrastructure, the Xilica Sonia Amp supplies power to the TCCM and relays audio over the Dante protocol back to the system's Xilica QR1-UC DSP. Deploying the Xilica x Sennheiser Small Room Kit eliminates the need for traditional copper cable, messy termination, time-consuming system design and programming, and validation testing  which is completed by Xilica and Sennheiser using their in-house laboratories to ensure compatibility with Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Webex by Cisco.

The full breadth of the Xilica x Sennheiser Room Kit range allows busy enterprises, higher educational institutions, and governments to standardise on single product assortment for spaces of all sizes and scale up or down to meet the needs of specific rooms. Streamlining training, deployment, and ongoing management, the Xilica x Sennheiser Room Kits include voice-based camera tracking via Xilica technology with any common Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) camera, integrated mute and status sync for popular UC platforms, and pre-built modules to ensure easy setup while leveraging Xilica HearClear acoustic echo cancellation technology.

Additionally at Integrated Systems Europe 2023, Xilica has announced that Sennheiser SpeechLine wireless digital microphone products are now natively supported in its systems  offering additional control options, assurance, and functionality for end-users and system integrators leveraging both product lines.

Xilica x Sennheiser Room Kits are available at select distribution partners worldwide. For more information, visit www.xilica.com or www.sennheiser.com, or visit the brands at ISE 2023.

About the Sennheiser brand

We live and breathe audio. We are driven by the passion to create audio solutions that make a difference. Building the future of audio and bringing remarkable sound experiences to our customers  this is what the Sennheiser brand has represented for more than 75 years. While professional audio solutions such as microphones, meeting solutions, streaming technologies and monitoring systems are part of the business of Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG, the business with consumer devices such as headphones, soundbars and speech-enhanced hearables is operated by Sonova Holding AG under the license of Sennheiser.

www.sennheiser.com

www.sennheiser-hearing.com

About Xilica

Xilica creates collaboration products that help unlock the power of human connection. Built on decades of reimagining how people use technology, Xilica's solutions bridge the distance between individuals, teams, ideas and organisations  unleashing the power of understanding to transform business and society for the better. Through our focus on the enterprise, education and government markets, Xilica and its partners touch the daily lives of people in more than 100 countries. To learn more about Xilica's solutions, visit www.xilica.com.

SOURCE Xilica Corporation
ST. GEORGE, Utah, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Zion Healing, Inc. (ZHC), the only behavioral health and substance abuse Franchisor of its kind, announced today that James Amos would join the Company's board of directors.

Zion Healing Center Corporate Office. 368 East Riverside Drive #8. St. George Utah, 84790. 833-446-3733

Mr. Amos is the former CEO of Mailboxes Etc. (MBE), now The UPS Store, and a 2012 inductee into the International Franchise Association's Hall of Fame. Under his leadership as Chairman and CEO, MBE became the world's largest and fastest-growing franchisor of retail business, communication, and postal service centers, with over 5,000 locations worldwide, with master licensing agreements in more than 80 countries. In 2001, Amos was instrumental in orchestrating the sale of MBE to United Parcel Service and executing the most extensive re-branding in the history of a retail system from MBE to The UPS Store.

A former Marine Corps captain and Veteran of split combat tours in Vietnam, Amos received 12 decorations, including the Purple Heart and Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. He is the author of several books, including The Memorial, Focus or Failure: America at the Crossroads; The Transparent Leader; Corporate Giants; Above and Beyond; You Can Do It; The Entrepreneurs' Creed; and Living An Uncommon Life. He is also the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Franchising and co-author of The Tasti D-Lite Way.

ZHC Inc. CEO and Founder Robert Beatty stated: "Words cannot express the gratitude and excitement I have for Jim's acceptance and appointment to our board. Being a Veteran myself and adding Jim's decorated experience will be a tremendous asset as we roll out our nationwide Franchise expansion plan and Veterans behavioral health initiative. I have been seeking this level of mentorship some time."

Jim Amos stated: "I am very pleased to accept this appointment to the Board of Directors of ZHC. In all my years of franchise history, ZHC is one of the most exciting opportunities I have come across. The Veteran's initiative to build ZHC clinics adjacent to VA hospitals, providing critically needed services is very near and dear to my heart. For over 30 years, I have worked on Veterans' causes, and this initiative is one of the most promising I have ever seen. I am honored to be a part of such a great cause and fantastic Company".

About Zion Healing, Inc.

ZHC grants behavioral health Franchise's to medical professionals and entrepreneurs seeking to enter the rapidly growing mental health industry. ZHC provides treatment of mental health and substance abuse, utilizing proprietary education, therapy, and cutting-edge technology, including Neurofeedback and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, (TMS). ZHC is 20 franchise area development contracts in place with over 64 locations in progress.

Further information contact:

Rod Goodman

[email protected]

208-818-0466

Website: www.zionhealing.com

SOURCE Zion Healing Inc.
Dodoma  The government decision to shift its headquarters to Dodoma has received a positive response as there is an increased influx of embassies and international organisations setting up offices in the country's capital.

The French Embassy yesterday joined the fray by opening its offices in Dodoma, being the third foreign mission to do so after Germany and China. There also a good number of international organisations joining the move, thus fostering promising partnership in all fields.

Gracing the event, Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Dr Stergomena Tax opened the French Embassy offices here yesterday, saying the move has opened a new chapter for cooperation between the two countries.

"We are gathered here to witness another milestone, marking another chapter in the Tanzania-France relations by inaugurating the offices. We greatly appreciate the role played by the Embassy, in building a case, for opening this office" said Dr Tax.

The opening of the offices is indeed a significant stride to both countries' relations and a commitment to take the diplomatic relations to greater heights.

Since the government made a decision to move its headquarters to Dodoma, it has continued to encourage embassies and international organisations to establish their offices in Dodoma as it guarantees to facilitate the smooth relocation.

Dr Tax urged the diplomatic community to honour the government's call to open up embassies in Dodoma as it has allocated plots, and handled title deeds to all embassies and international organizations. She also said that best infrastructures and social services are in place with many more coming.

The government has also invested heavily to ensure that Dodoma is well equipped with quality basic social services and adequate infrastructure (hard and soft infrastructure).

She assured that the government will provide the needed facilitation to embassies and international organisations for a smooth relocation.

"Dodoma will be just what you wish to see. I am sure that the opening of the France's Liaison Office, is a step towards a full-fledged France Embassy in Dodoma, this step sends an encouraging message to other countries and organisations" she insisted.

Adding "I am pleased to learn that the newly opened office here in Dodoma, will not only accommodate the Embassy, but also one of our Development Partners, the French Development Agency (AFD)."

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AFD support is directed to core and strategic sectors that continue to contribute to the country's development goals, including in water and sanitation, energy, education, health and agriculture sectors.

Dr Tax said they have also observed an increase in French companies interested in investing in the country where in 2022, Tanzania received a large investors mission from France under Mouvement Des Entreprises De France - International (MEDEF) International and Business France.

The sixth phase government under President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan has on different occasions expressed commitment to strengthen relations with the international community, and to improve the business and investment environment.

In February 2022, France President Mr Emmanuel Macron and Dr Samia both renewed and reaffirmed their commitment to continue strengthening and deepening the strong historical ties of friendship and cooperation.

Earlier, French Ambassador to Tanzania, Nabil Hajlaoui, said the establishment of these new offices marks France's commitment to strengthening its ties with Tanzania and will help to maintain a strong dynamic of diplomatic, economic and development cooperation.

"Our new office in Dodoma is a milestone in our bilateral relations with Tanzania. Building on a growing relationship that has seen major developments in 2022, which culminated with President Samia's visit to Paris, our countries signed significant cooperation projects worth 259 million Euros.

Tanzania is also highly praised by French tourists and travel operators. French tourists outnumbered other nationalities in 2022, reaching more than 52 000 French visitors in Tanzania.
Mogadishu, Feb 1 : African Defence Ministers on Tuesday began a two-day meeting in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, to boost stabilisation efforts in the country.

Somalia's Minister for Information, Culture and Tourism Daud Aweis Jama said the Ministers from frontline states -- Djibouti, Kenya and Ethiopia -- are expected to adopt a common position on regional security and the fight against al-Shabab extremists in Somalia.

"The Defence Ministers meeting is discussing the completion of the operations to liberate the areas where al-Shabab are still operating, the coordination of the important support of the frontline countries and how to help the security forces in the operations," Aweis told journalists in Mogadishu.

The Minister said the meeting, which is also being attended by Chiefs of Defence forces, including military commanders from troop-contributing countries, will come up with a unified strategy for counterterrorism. He added the Ministers are discussing the strengthening of security cooperation, speeding up operations against the al-Shabab terrorist group and operations of the African Union Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).

Tuesday's meeting is a prelude to Wednesday's regional summit which Presidents from the three countries will attend, Xinhua news agency reported.

The summit will be chaired by President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who will present the general security situation in Somalia, especially the operations against the al-Shabab and the best ways the frontline forces can tackle the threat of terrorism and flush them out of Somalia.

Uganda was the first country to deploy troops under the African Union peace support operations in Somalia in 2007. Other troops-contributing countries include Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya.

The ATMIS is the largest peace support mission in Africa and has been mandated by both the African Union and the United Nations to reduce the threat posed by the al-Shabab and support peace and reconciliation efforts toward a secure and stable Somalia.
Ramallah/Gaza, Feb 1 : US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to the West Bank prompted outrage among many Palestinians, who demonstrated on Tuesday to express their opposition to the US top diplomat's presence in the Palestinian territory.

The protesters, both in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, raised the Palestinian flags and chanted anti-US slogans, accusing it of being biased toward Israel and all its violations of Palestinian rights, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The matter is very simple. Blinken came here to pressure the Palestinian leadership to not adopt any decision against the security cooperation with Israel," said Nael Salama, who took part in a protest in the West Bank city of Ramallah carrying a banner of "The US is criminal as long as it supports Israel".

"We came here to deliver our message to Blinken that he is not welcome in our country as his administration's full bias towards Israel and its practices against the Palestinian people," Issam Baker, the coordinator of the national and Islamic forces in Ramallah, told Xinhua.

He emphasised that the US administration used "double standards" in dealing with the Palestinian issue, adding that it will "only lead to further continuation of the cycle of violence".

Since the start of 2023, Israeli forces have killed at least 35 Palestinians, making January one of the most deadly months in the West Bank in recent years. Most casualties occurred during Israeli military raids, which Israel says aimed to detain Palestinian militants.

In retaliation, a shooting attack launched by a Palestinian gunman outside a synagogue in an Israeli settlement in East Jerusalem claimed the lives of seven people on Friday night.

Ahmed Abu Dalfa, a protester in the Gaza Strip, told Xinhua that Blinken's visit will not bring benefits to the Palestinian people because Washington is "abandoning" its promises to Palestine.

Earlier on Tuesday, Blinken held a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Palestinian presidential headquarters in Ramallah after his meetings with Israeli leaders on Monday.

Blinken urged both the Palestinians and Israelis to calm tensions while reiterating Washington's "ironclad" commitment to Israel's security.

Following his meeting with Blinken, Abbas said that the Israeli government "is fully responsible for the current tension and violence in the Palestinian territories" because it has undermined the two-state solution and violated the signed agreements.

Abbas also accused the international community of failing to end Israel's military occupation of the Palestinian territories and its settlement policy in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Sao Paulo, Feb 1 : At least seven people were killed and another 22 injured on Tuesday when a tour bus heading for Iguazu Falls overturned in the southern Brazilian state of Parana, police said.

According to Parana's Federal Highway Police, the bus carrying 54 persons had departed from Florianopolis, capital of Santa Catarina state, on its way further south to Foz do Iguacu, a Brazilian town bordering Argentina and Paraguay.

The bus operated by the Viacao Catarinense company veered off the BR-277 Highway and plunged down a hill in the central Parana town of Fernandes Pinheiro, the police report said.

Among the fatal victims were an Argentine mother and her three-year-old daughter, the local fire department told reporters.

Local authorities have opened an investigation to determine the cause of the accident, which involved another vehicle, Xinhua news agency reported.

A surviving passenger, Alexandro de Oliveira Gamaro, said he spoke with the bus driver after the crash and the driver admitted to having fallen asleep.
Washington, Feb 1 : A proposal to jointly produce jet engines in India was among many new discussed and announced at the inaugural meeting of the India-US initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) here on Tuesday by the two sides led respectively by their National Security Advisers Ajit Doval and Jake Sullivan.

Talks covered a wide range of cooperation from technologies regarding space -- and the training of an Indian astronaut at a US NASA facility and AI to increased cooperation between the scientific establishments of the two countries and US support for India's efforts to produce semiconductors.

The iCET initiative was announced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden in 2022 May to elevate and expand strategic technology partnership between the two countries and defence industrial cooperation between the governments, businesses and academic institutions.

"The US and India affirm that the ways in which technology is designed, developed, governed and used should be shaped by our shared democratic values and respect for universal human rights," said a White House factsheet issued on the outcomes of the inaugural meeting.

General Electric (GE), the American engineering giant, has submitted a proposal to the US government to jointly produce jet engines that could power jet aircraft operated and produced indigenously by India, the White House noted, and added that the US government, whose go ahead will be necessary for this kind critical dual-use technology, has committed to an expeditious review of this application.

GE's major military business centres around the F110 engine in Air Force and export F-15s and F-16s; F404 and F414 engines in the Air Force T-7, Saab Gripen fighter, Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet and Navy EA-18G Growler; and the T408 engine in the Marine Corps CH-53K, according to the Air and Space Forces magazine.

The two sides decided to develop a new bilateral Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap to accelerate technological cooperation between both countries for the joint development and production, with an initial focus on munition-related technologies, and other systems, apart from the jet engine.

A new implementation arrangement for a Research Agency Partnership between the National Science Foundation and Indian science agencies was signed to expand international collaboration in a range of areas -- including artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and advanced wireless -- to build a robust innovation ecosystem between our countries, the White House said.

The two sides also agreed to set up a joint Indo-US Quantum Coordination Mechanism with participation from industry, academia and government to facilitate research and industry collaboration.

India and the US will also work together to develop common standards and benchmarks for trustworthy AI drawing from global efforts and promote collaboration on High Performance Computing (HPC) -- using supercomputers and clusters of computers for high-speed computing.

A key area of cooperation under this new initiative will be semiconductors. The White House fact -sheet said the two countries will enhance "bilateral collaboration on resilient semiconductor supply chains; supporting the development of a semiconductor design, manufacturing, and fabrication ecosystem in India; and leveraging complementary strengths, both countries intend to promote the development of a skilled workforce that will support global semiconductor supply chains and encourage the development of joint ventures and technology partnerships on mature technology nodes and packaging in India".

Increased cooperation in the area of space will include the training of an Indian astronaut as NASA's at Johnson Space Centre. The fact-sheet noted the ongoing visit of ISRO Chairman to the US to meet his American counterpart, and a return visit to India by the NASA Head later in the year.
New York, Feb 1 : The US will provide advanced training for an Indian astronaut and the two countries will cooperate on planetary defence against dangerous asteroids and comets, according to the White House.

Strengthening cooperation in human space flight through an exchange that includes advanced training for an Indian astronaut at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, was among the initiatives launched at the inaugural meeting of the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) in Washington on Tuesday, the White House said.

National Security Advisers (NSA) Ajit Doval of India and Jake Sullivan of the US led the iCET meeting at which space, scientific, defence and commerce officials participated.

Another initiative at the iCET meeting was to include planetary defence in the agenda of the US-India Civil Space Joint Working Group (CSJWG), according to the White House.

The US planetary defence programme monitors asteroids and comets to identify those that can potentially cause harm to the earth and issue warnings and develop actions to mitigate their effect.

Cooperation with the US on manned space flight would be a departure for India, which has so far relied on the Soviet Union and, after its dissolution, with Russia.

India, which plans to send astronauts as early as next year on board the Gaganyaan spacecraft, has been training four astronauts in Russia under an agreement with that country's Glavkosmos organisation.

While astronauts from several countries, including Saudi Arabia, have flown on NASA space missions, none from India have.

The only Indian citizen to have been in outer space is Rakesh Sharma, a former Air Force pilot who flew on a Soviet Soyuz mission in 1984.

Other initiatives from the iCET meeting, according to the White House, include strengthening bilateral commercial space partnerships through the US Commerce Department and the Indian Department of Space.

Earlier, Indian and US space officials held two days of discussions on several areas of cooperation at a two-day meeting of the CSJWG on Monday and Tuesday covered collaboration in human space flights, Earth and space science as well as global navigation satellite systems, spaceflight safety and space situational awareness, and policies for commercial space activities, according to the State Department.

The meeting was co-chaired by Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Jennifer Littlejohn and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Associate Administrator Karen Feldstein on the US side and by Shantanu Bhatawdekar, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Scientific Secretary on the Indian side.

A highlight of the NASA-ISRO cooperation is the Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission, planned for next year.

It is expected to systematically map Earth, using two different radar frequencies to monitor resources such as water, forests and agriculture.

It will provide information about ecosystems, the Earth's surface, natural hazards, sea level rise and the cryosphere, the frozen parts of the earth, with applications in forestry, agriculture and ecology.

According to NASA, it will also help with providing prompt responses to natural and human-created disasters.

NASA head Bill Nelson and Executive Secretary of the National Space Council Chirag Parikh gave the welcoming remarks for the meeting and ISRO Chairman S Somanath and Taranjit Singh Sandhu spoke.

While no Indian citizen has been on US space missions, four Indian-Americans have.

Those who flew on NASA missions are Kalpana Chawla, who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003, Sunita Williams and Raja Chari.

Sirisha Bandla flew on a very brief private-sector Virgin Galactic test flight in 2021.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @arulouis)
Bengaluru, Feb 1 : Malayalam superstar Dulquer Salmaan has appreciated the gesture of superstar Yash and thanked him for his hospitality during his shoot in Karnataka's Mysuru.

Mysuru is the hometown of Rocking star Yash. Dulquer stated, "He is the kindest and best host. He sent me and my team more food than we could eat when we were both filming in Mysuru."

Addressing Dulquer, Yash had posted that "the next time you are back in my hometown, a native cuisine spread will await you."

The fans of both superstars are celebrating the friendship, mutual respect for each other. Yash's fans have appreciated his simplicity and friendly nature.

Late Kannada superstar Puneeth Rajkumar was also appreciated by south superstars for his gestures towards hosting them in Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka. Many had remembered Puneeth's gesture of sharing great food with them.

-- Syndicated from IANS
A court in the United States has awarded the family of Ugandan activist Esther Nakajjigo, 25 US$ 10.5 million( about shs40billion) after she died from injuries caused by a falling unsecured metal gate that pierced through her car and severed her head, killed her instantly in 2020.

Nakajjigo's budding career as a celebrated human rights activist a was cut short in 2020 while on a trip with her husband Lodovic Michaud to Utah's Arches National Park when she was decapitated by a metal gate that swung into the couple's car as they exited the park.

The family sued the US government for compensation.

Whereas in their suit, the family sought $140 million in damages over negligence by the national park, the ruling by Federal US judge, Bruce S. Jerkins in Salt City indicated that the court had awarded $9.5 million to Nakajiggo's husband and $ 1 million to Nakajiggo's parents - $700,000 to her mother and $350,000 to her father.

The federal judge described the case as unusual since neither the victim nor complainants were US citizens.

"The husband is a French citizen, employed in and a resident of the United States. The parents are citizens of Uganda, a poor and heavily populated African nation, formerly part of the British empire. The deceased, Esther Nakajjigo was a citizen of Uganda, but at the time of her death, a United States resident, newly married to Plaintiff Ludovic Michaud," Jerkins said.

"What remained of her(Nakajjigo) in the front seat and floor of the car was gruesome and overwhelmingly shocking."
Jerusalem, Feb 1 : US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has concluded his visit to Jerusalem and the West Bank, with little progress made in de-escalating the Israeli-Palestinian tensions, experts said.

Blinken's trip, during which he met with leaders of the Jewish state's new right-wing government and the Palestinian Authority (PA), came amid escalating violence between the two sides, reports Xinhua news agency.

Since the start of 2023, Israeli forces have killed at least 35 Palestinians, making January one of the most deadly months in the West Bank in recent years.

Most casualties occurred during Israeli military raids, which Israel says aimed to detain Palestinian militants.

In retaliation, a shooting attack launched by a Palestinian gunman outside a synagogue in an Israeli settlement in East Jerusalem claimed the lives of seven people on January 27.

On Monday, Blinken held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem and other senior officials before travelling on Tuesday to the West Bank city of Ramallah to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

In both places, Blinken urged de-escalating the tensions and renewed the call for a two-state solution to the conflict.

"The rising tide of violence has resulted in the loss of many innocent lives on both sides," he told reporters in Jerusalem on Tuesday before he left for the US.

"All sides must take steps to prevent further escalation of violence." The top US diplomat's trip failed to offer any new initiative to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Michael Milshtein, an expert from the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at the Tel Aviv University, told Xinhua.

Milshtein said the Israeli government was hopeful that Blinken will exert pressure on Abbas to renew the security coordination between the PA and Israel.

The PA decided on January 26 to end security coordination with Israel in response to an Israeli military raid in the West Bank city of Jenin, in which Israeli forces killed 10 Palestinians.

The security coordination has led to the arrests of some Palestinians who were allegedly planning attacks against Israelis.

In a statement issued after meeting with Blinken, Abbas made no indication he was going to resume the coordination.

He accused Israel of violating Palestinians' rights, promoting annexation of the West Bank, and demolishing Palestinian homes -- moves that pose further hurdles to achieving a peace deal.

"We have found that the Israeli government is responsible for what's happening these days," the President said.

Assaf Meydani, a professor at the Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy and Strategy of the Reichman University in Herzliya, told Xinhua that "negotiations between Israel and the PA in the current situation is impossible, even the US knows it".

On the other hand, Blinken's visit also had limited impact on the Israeli side, which has a new hawkish government that is unlikely to dial down its position against the Palestinians.

"The situation inside Israel makes the current government go to more 'extreme' to ensure its survival for the longest possible period, and therefore it will continue to escalate, and in return, there will be a Palestinian reaction," said Ghassan al-Khatib, a political science professor at the Birzeit University in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

The visit, which marked the first meeting between Blinken and Netanyahu since the latter returned to office in December as the leader of a new right-wing government, was seen as part of Washington's efforts to navigate through the differences between the Biden administration and the new Israeli government.

His trip followed the visits to Jerusalem by Biden's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and CIA Director William Burns earlier in January.

Al-Khatib also noted that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is not a priority for the US as its attention is occupied by "other internal and external issues." The Palestinians have repeatedly called on Washington, as Blinken promised in 2021, to reopen the US consulate for Palestinians in Jerusalem and the PLO office in Washington.

They also urged the US to pressure Israel to preserve the status quo in Jerusalem and stop Israeli unilateral measures or withholding Palestinian tax revenue dues.

The last round of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks ended without progress due to deep differences on several key issues in March 2014, since which Washington has made no real push to renew the stalled peace process despite the recurrent violence and conflicts.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : Delhi Police have apprehended two accused, including a juvenile, for allegedly stabbing a Class 12 student to death in Southeast Delhi's Kalkaji area.

According to a senior police officer, at 2.30 p.m. on Monday, an information was received at the Kalkaji police station that a youth, named Mohan (18), a resident of JJR camp in Okhla Phase-II, was admitted to the Poornima Sethi Multi Speciality Hospital with stab injury on his chest.

Accordingly, a case under Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code was registered on the basis of DD entry in view of the serious nature of the injury.

"The youth was later declared dead, following which Section 302 (murder) was added to the FIR. Mohan was a student of Class 12 at a local government boys' school," the officer said.

During investigation, police found that on January 28, there was a minor scuffle between Mohan and his school friends with the students of another school near Govindpuri metro station.

"On Monday, a group of students from another school planned to settle their score and reached near Hansraj Sethi Park. They had come prepared to assault them. As soon as the victim and other students reached near Hansraj Sethi Park, they were assaulted by the other group," said the official.

The victim was hit and stabbed with a knife in the chest. "On Tuesday one of the accused Shiva Chaudhary (18) and a 15-year-old juvenile were apprehended," said the official, adding that further investigation of the case is in progress.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : The Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved the Budget 2023-24 ahead of it being tabled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament.

Before the cabinet meeting, Sitharaman along with Minister of States Pankaj Chaudhary and Bhagwat Karad met President Droupadi Murmu.

"Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, MoS Dr Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad, MoS Shri Pankaj Chaudhary and senior officials of the Ministry of Finance called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan before presenting the Union Budget 2023-24," the President tweeted.

This is the fifth Budget presentation by the Union Finance Minister.

She will lay a statement of the estimated receipts and expenditure of the government for 2023-24 in Parliament.

The Finance Minister will also lay out statements of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, 2003, on medium-term fiscal policy cum fiscal policy strategy and on macro-economic framework.

Sitharaman will further introduce the Finance Bill 2023 in the Lower House.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Bengaluru, Feb 1 : A 3.5-year-old toddler was raped and killed in Bengaluru, police sources said on Wednesday, adding that the accused has been arrested.

According to the sources, the 26-year-old accused and the girl child's mother were in a relation for a year and the latter was living with him after she left her husband.

Preliminary investigations revealed that he committed the crime under the influence of marijuana.

The toddler was found dead on Monday night after which the police had lodged a suspicious death case.

The post-mortem reports later confirmed that the girl was raped and killed.

The police immediately arrested the accused and after being interrogation, he confessed to the crime.

The woman worked in a garment factory.

Taking advantage of her absence, the accused raped and beaten the child to death.
Perth, Feb 1 : Australia's nuclear regulatory agency has joined the search for a radioactive capsule missing in the outback.

In a statement, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) confirmed that it has started working with authorities in Western Australia (WA) to locate the capsule, reports Xinhua news agency.

The 8 mm caesium-137 capsule, which is part of a gauge used to measure the density of iron ore, was reported missing along a route in remote WA in January, prompting a radiation alert for a large part of the state and an emergency search.

Authorities have started retracing the route of the capsule which went missing while being transported from a mining site to a storage facility in Perth.

The ARPANSA said it has sent a deployment team with specialized car-mounted and portable radiation detection equipment to help with the search.

"This equipment and expertise form part of ARPANSA's national radiation protection and emergency response capability," the agency said in a statement.

"The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) has also sent deployment teams of radiation services specialists, detection and imaging equipment to assist in the search," the statement said.

Members of the public have been warned to stay at least five metres away from the capsule if they find it, with direct contact likely to cause radiation burns or sickness.
Ramanagar, Feb 1 : Prohibitory orders have been clamped in the surrounding areas of Mekedatu Sangama near Kanakapura town as the farmers gear up to perform the ground breaking ceremony themselves condemning the delay in implementation of the Mekedatu project.

Various farmers' organisations and associations, parties have come together to stage a protest in Kanakapura Town in Ramnagar district and later reach Mekedatu Sangama to perform a ground breaking ceremony.

The organisations, Kasturi Karnataka Janapara Vedike, Nava Nirmana Vedike, KRS party and others have come together to perform the ground breaking ceremony for the Mekedatu project to stage their protest.

The agitators alleged that the state government is showing delay in implementation of the project, which is crucial to ensure drinking water to Bengaluru and surrounding regions.

The protestors are also taking out a march in Kanakapura town. The police have beefed up the security in the Mekedatu Sangama region and sources said the agitators will be taken into custody, if they tried to violate the curfew orders.

The district administration of Ramnagar has issued curfew orders to manage the law and order situation. Tamil Nadu is objecting to the implementation of the Mekedatu project. Ruling BJP government has assured implementation of the project.

Opposition Congress party had taken out Mekedatu Padayatra demanding speedy implementation of the project.
New York, Feb 1 : Indian-American Republican leader Nikki Haley plans to announce the launch of her 2024 presidential campaign by February 15, according to a report.

Haley, 51, who served as South Carolina governor for six years, will formally declare her candidacy for the White House at an event in Charleston, South Carolina, on February 15, with an invitation soon going out to her supporters, the Post and Courier reported.

The confirmation she is entering the race came on January 31 from a member of Haley's inner circle, the newspaper said.

Haley, who will join former President Donald Trump in the race, had earlier said she would not challenge if he ran again.

Earlier this month, Haley told Fox News that the US cannot have a second term under Joe Biden as president and that she can be the "new leader" who can take the country in a new direction.

Haley, who served as ambassador to the UN during Trump's administration, had said that she is still working things out on any potential presidential run.

"I think, stay tuned. Well, I'm not going to make an announcement here," the 51-year-old leader said when asked about her presidential bid.

The next US presidential election is scheduled to be held on November 5, 2024.
Amaravati, Feb 1 : Phone tapping allegations by two MLAs have rocked Andhra Pradesh's ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).

A day after senior leader and MLA from Venkatagiri constituency Anam Ramanarayana Reddy alleged that two of his phones were being tapped as well as those of this his personal assistants, MLA from Nellore Rural constituency, Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy hinted at leaving the party.

After making the sensational allegations that his phone is being tapped, Sridhar Reddy addressed a news conference in Nellore on Wednesday.

He declared that he would not contest the next elections on a YSRCP ticket, adding that he would lodge a complaint with the Union Home Ministry.

Stating that he suffered humiliations out of respect for Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and worked for the party with sincerity, Sridhar Reddy made it clear that he would not tolerate suspicions.

He also remarked that phone tapping was not possible without orders from the Chief Minister He claimed that four months ago, an Indian Police Service (IPS) official had told him that his phone was being tapped but he did not believe this as he was not indulging in any illegal business or anti-party activity.

"About 20 days ago, I found evidence that my phone was being tapped," he said.

He also asked the chief minister what would be his reaction if the BJP government at the Centre taps his phone or that of government advisor (political affairs) Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy or YSRCP Parliamentary Party leader Vijayasai Reddy.

The MLA said it was unfortunate that without seeking clarification from him, some party leaders stated that he leveled the allegations as he was trying to defect to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and that a new incharge would be appointed.

Sridhar Reddy challenged the ruling party leaders to prove that his phone was not tapped.

On Tuesday, Ramanarayana Reddy, also a former minister, had alleged that his movements were being closely watched and his phones tapped after he had flagged the mafia activities in Nellore about one-and-half years ago.

The veteran leader said he feared a threat to his life.

Following Ramanarayana Reddy's allegation, YSRCP stripped him of the party in-charge post.

He was replaced by Nedrumalli Ramakumar Reddy, son of former Chief Minister Nedrumalli Janardhan Reddy.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : The government will launch a programme in a mission mode to eliminate sickle cell anaemia by 2047, announced Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the Union Budget 2023-24 in the Parliament on Wednesday.

"A mission to eliminate sickle cell anaemia by 2047 will be launched that will entail awarness creation, universal screening of 7 crore people in age group of 0-40 years in affected tribal areas, and counselling through collaborative efforts of central ministries and state governments," she said.

The Finance Minister further announced that the facilities in select ICMR labs will be made available for research by public and private medical college faculty, and private sector research teams for encouraging collaborative research and innovation.

She announced that the new programme to promote research and innovation in pharmaceuticals will be taken up through centres of excellence and the industry will also be encouraged to invest in research and development in priority areas.

"Dedicated multidisciplinary courses for medical devices will be made available in institutions to ensure skilled manpower for futuristic medical tech and high end manufacturing and research," she added "As many as 157 new nursing colleges will be established in the core locations," Sitharaman announced.
Mumbai, Feb 1 : The trailer of the upcoming Yami Gautam Dhar-starrer film 'Lost' was unveiled on Wednesday. It shows the actress playing a crime reporter who is on a relentless search for the truth behind the sudden disappearance of a young theatre activist played by Tushar Pandey.

The film follows her search for truth as a local politician played by Rahul Khanna continues to obstruct her findings.

The trailer showcases a battle between what's right and what's the ultimate truth, and represents a search for lost values of empathy and integrity. The film also stars Pankaj Kapur, Neil Bhoopalam and Pia Bajpiee.

Yami said "I am excited that the film is finally releasing, and the audiences will get to see a character which is so close to my heart. It is an ode to many journalists who go to great lengths in search of the truth while also walking that fine line which threads the very integrity of media & humanity." She further mentioned, "The movie represents a higher quest and a search for lost values of empathy while raising the right questions. Whoever has watched the film so far, had a very positive and overwhelming response to it, so I am eagerly waiting for the release now, to see how the audiences enjoy the film." The film has been directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury of 'Pink' fame, and has been screened at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival 2022, Atlanta Indian Film Festival 2022 and 53rd International Film Festival of India.

Pankaj Kapur said, "'Lost' is a story about the struggles and repercussions the crime reporters have to go through. Portraying the role of a crime reporter's grandfather was invigorating as it took me closer to the challenges they face day in day out. But the beauty of the character is the warmth and the bond he shares with his granddaughter (played by Yami) and becomes her source of continuous strength and resilience." The film, produced by Zee Studios, Namah Pictures, Sam Fernandes and Indrani Mukherjee, will stream in Hindi on February 16 on ZEE5.
Naira closed at N461.50 per $1 at the spot market on Tuesday, the same rate it traded in the previous session on Monday.

Naira maintained stability against the United States dollar at the Investors and Exporters window on Tuesday, amidst poor circulation of the newly designed naira notes in the country.

According to data published on FMDQ website, where forex is officially traded, the local unit closed the day's market at N461.50 per $1 on Tuesday, the same rate it was exchanged for in the previous session on Monday.

Within this period, the domestic currency rate soared to an intra-day high of N446.00 and stooped to a low of N462.00 per dollar before settling at N461.50 at the close of business.

The official window opened at N461.50 and closed at the same rate but had $85.04 million posted as foreign exchange turnover recorded within the period.

Similarly, the currency exchange rate remained unchanged at the parallel market on Tuesday amidst intensified efforts by the anti-graft agencies and the State Security Services (SSS) to curb newly designed naira notes hawking by street marketers and mobile cash point operators as Nigerians scramble for new notes withdrawal.

In recent weeks, Nigerian citizens and commercial banks across the country have been lamenting over their inability to access the newly designed naira notes.

While this subsists, many Nigerians on social media have expressed reservations about the circulation of the new notes, with many fuming that they are yet to see or feel the new naira notes.

Others have also complained of hoarding on the part of the commercial banks, while some mobile cash point vendors are said to be exploiting the situation by hawking the new note.

In Abuja and Uyo, currency dealers said the hard currency was exchanged at N750.00 per dollar and sold at N755.00 to a dollar on Tuesday, as against the N748.00 per $1 mark it was exchanged for in the previous market on Monday.
Mumbai, Feb 1 : Priyanka Choudhary, Shalin Bhanot and Archana Gautam have joined co-contestant Nimrit Kaur Ahluwalia in the finale week of 'Bigg Boss 16'.

In the episode, the voice of Bigg Boss announced nominations between the existing teams in the house -- Mandali and Priyanka Chahar, Shalin Bhanot and Archana Gautam. In the task, the housemate had to make a total of 27 minutes of time while talking to designer Ken.

First went Archana where Ken interacts with her and she is shown tweets shared by the fans and after a while is asked to count and put nomination names in the box at the given time. Later, Sumbul is called, who took more time than the others.

Once the task was over, the voice of Bigg Boss said that Sumbul and Shalin were the important contestants for the nomination and due to them one of the teams won and the other lost.

Sumbul took 17 minutes and Shalin took just 7 minutes. His team was much closer to 27 minutes. The Mandli were left shocked and upset with Sumbul.

The final score of the task for the Mandli team was 36 minutes while Team B took 34 seconds so Team B won the task.

Currently, those who are nominated, include Shiv, MC Stan, Nimrit Kaur and Sumbul.

Latest updates on Bigg Boss Season 16
Chennai, Feb 1 : The Director of Shah Rukh Khan-starrer 'Jawan', Atlee Kumar and his wife Priya Mohan have announced the arrival of their baby boy.

The duo shared their happiness on social media platform, Instagram announcing that it is a baby boy.

Both Atlee Kumar and Priya Mohan lay on a bed and hold tiny shoes in their hands and in the backdrop it was written,' it's a boy. They were also smiling before the camera.

The husband and wife captioned the post: "They were right (heart eyes emoji). There is no feeling in the world like this (black heart emoji). And just like tat our boy is here! A new exciting adventure of parenthood starts today! Grateful. Happy. Blessed." South Indian actor Kalyani Priyadarshan who is the daughter of ace director Priyadarshan congratulated the couple and said: "He is going to have so much love surrounding him. Congratulations." Atlee also shared a video featuring his wife Priya and wrote in Instagram stories: "Little boy we loved you from the very start, you stole our breath, embraced our hearts. Our life together has just begun, you're a part of us, cute little one. Welcome more." The young director is making his Bollywood debut with the Shah Rukh Khan movie, 'Jawan'. The movie produced by Shah Rukh Khan's production company, Red Chillies have also South Indian lady superstar, Nayanthara and noted actor Vijay Sethupathi among others.

The movie is slated for a release on June 2.

Atlee aka Arun Kumar was an assistant director under south Indian hit filmmaker, Shankar. He has assisted Shankar in his movies, Enthiran and Nanban.

His debut movie in Tamil was Raja Rani featuring Nayanthara, Ariya, and Naziya and he won the Tamil Nadu state award for the best dialogue writer. His movies Theri, Mersai, and Bigil featuring Tamil superstar Vijay were super hits.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : Airbnb presents a round-up of key trends that have emerged in India and how travellers are embracing new forms of travel. New data reveals that international travel saw a strong recovery in 2022, with Indians searching for the most iconic cities around the world with Airbnb. The most searched-for destinations internationally by Indian guests as of Q3 2022 included:

Dubai

London

Paris

Toronto

New York

Domestically, the interest for exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations has been seeing a spike.

Image Source: IANS News

The top 5 off-the-beaten-path trending destinations in India include:

Madhapur, Telangana

Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu

Vellore, Tamil Nadu

Cherrapunji, Meghalaya

Pimpri-Chinchwad, Maharashtra

Image Source: IANS News

In India, hospitality is deeply rooted in the diversity found in local culture, cuisine, lifestyle preferences, and the way we welcome people into our homes. Delhi, Goa, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Himachal Pradesh are topping the charts when it comes to hospitality, with the highest share of 5-star reviews from guests on Airbnb.

Data also revealed that guests chose to enjoy city life as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata were the most searched-for domestic destinations by Indians in 2022.

In 2022, travellers found themselves sitting poolside or catching rays on a sandy beach. Both of these water-related Categories came in at the top spots amongst Indian travellers, with Tropical, Iconic City, and National Parks also making appearances.

The Top 5 Hosts in India with the highest number of bookings** in 2022 were from Mumbai (Maharashtra), New Delhi (Delhi), Guwahati (Assam), Goa, and (Hyderabad) Telangana.

Amanpreet Bajaj, Airbnb's General Manager for India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, said, "The past year was about the revival and recovery of the travel industry. This year is expected to see travellers taking much-awaited international trips as well as exploring lesser-known destinations in India and around the world. People are preparing their bucket lists for the year, and this growing appetite for travel is a positive sign. Our Hosts are excited to welcome guests from across the world and make their stays memorable. We at Airbnb are committed to working with local Hosts across the country, as well as the Government stakeholders across states and at the center, to help ensure local communities can take advantage of this travel revolution."

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)

-- Syndicated from IANS
Chennai, Feb 1 : The Tamil Nadu education department is planning to take the best performing teachers and officials on annual foreign trips.

This is following the state school education minister, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi taking 68 Class 11 government school students to Dubai and Sharjah for a four-day trip. The students had performed well in a state-level online quiz competition conducted by the government.

Sources in the education department told IANS that the government would be earmarking a separate fund in the budget for the expenses.

For the purpose, a detailed selection method will be formulated to choose the best teachers and officials.

A senior official with the state school education department told IANS that as far as the teachers are concerned punctuality, attendance, novel methods in teaching that would help and enable students to perform well would be considered for selection.

The officials will be selected on the basis of the best outcome while discharging their duties.

Sources in the education department told IANS that 20 teachers are likely to be included in the list while the number of officials is yet to be finalised.

The education department would constitute a separate panel to select the ideal foreign destination and the officials would visit these places and engage in an exchange programme with institutions in those countries that would share achievements with the visitors from the state.
Chennai, Feb 1 : The Union Budget for 2023-24 is a disappointing one for the Indian medical devices industry as the expectations and assurances given earlier have not been fulfilled, Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AiMeD) Forum Coordinator Rajiv Nath said on Wednesday.

According to him, the FY24 budget has given a cold shoulder to the domestic medical devices industry.

The only positive announcement was plans for skilling of manpower for manufacturing of medical technologies, he said.

"It is highly disheartening that against industry's expectations and assurance by the various government departments, the government has not announced any measures to help end the 80-85 per cent import dependence forced upon India and an ever-increasing import bill of over Rs 63,200 crore," Nath said.

Though Prime Minister Narendra Modi urges India to become Atmanirbhar in medical devices, the medical devices imports continued to grow at an "alarming" level by 41 per cent in FY22. India imported medical devices worth Rs 63,200 crore in 2021-22, up 41 per cent from Rs 44,708 crore in 2020-21, as per data from the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Nath said.

He said, sadly, the government didn't even implement the recommendations made by the Parliamentary Committee on Health.

"If the government implements even 70 per cent of the recommendations, we could have seen a reversal on the import dependence and growth of the domestic industry," he added.
Bengaluru, Feb 1 : Leaders of ruling BJP in Karnataka, including Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and his cabinet colleagues, on Wednesday, hailed the Union budget 2023-24, while the opposition termed it "promises" to fool the people.

The first budget of Amrit Kaal presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is futuristic, growth oriented and has laid a strong foundation for India@100 in 2047. It has focused on every sector and will benefit every section of society giving an impetus to the Aatmanibhar Bharat vision, Dr K. Sudhakar, State Minister for Health, said.

"I thank PM Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for central assistance of Rs 5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra Project.

This will immensely benefit the people of Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga, Tumkur and Davangere districts by providing irrigation facilities to farmers and recharging the groundwater table to provide -drinking water in drought-prone taluks of these districts," he said.

"The Economic Survey 2023 tabled in the Parliament on Tuesday showed that the central and state governments' budgeted expenditure in the health sector reached 2.1 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2022-23.

This is in the direction of the vision of National Health Policy - 2017, which has envisaged increasing the government's health expenditure to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2025. The share of government's health expenditure in total health outlay has increased from 28.6 per cent in 2014 to 40.6 per cent in 2019.

Thanks to Ayushman Bharat, the out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) as a share of total health expenditure has come down to 48.2 per cent in 2019 from 64.2 per cent in 2014," he said.

The budget proposal to establish 157 new nursing colleges in co-location with the existing 157 medical colleges established since 2014 is a welcome move to address the increasing human resource needs in the healthcare sector, he said.

The special focus on promoting millets will not only ensure better nutrition and health among citizens but will also boost our fight against climate change. This is a great step towards ensuring food and water security for our future generations, Minister Sudhakar stated.

Karnataka Minister for Power, Kannada and Culture V. Sunil Kumar described the Union budget as balanced and prepared keeping the interests of the middle class in mind.

Seven priority zones have been identified as 'Saptahrshi' against the backdrop of Azadi Amrit Mahotsav. To ensure green revolution, the PM Pranam scheme has been announced. The proposal to invest Rs 6,000 crore will play an important role in development of the coastal region, Minister Sunil Kumar explained.

The target set for the state governments to produce five MMT green hydrogen by 2030 and decision to invest Rs 25,000 is welcome. This has increased the responsibility of the states, he explained.

Meanwhile, JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy dubbed the Union budget 2023 as a lure to fool people. "It seems the projects have been announced to fool people in the election year," he said.

The projects announced would be implemented only after a change of government at the centre. "I had written a letter long ago to consider projects announced in the budgets as national projects. When will the programmes announced in the election year be implemented? Kumaraswamy questioned.

People know how much of the announced fund for the Upper Bhadra project would be given to the state once BJP is defeated in the state.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Sitaraman for announcing Rs 5,300 crore funds for the Upper Bhadra project of the state in the union budget 2023.

He further stated that the Finance Minister has given priority to the drought-prone regions of the state.
Patna, Feb 1 : After Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2023-24 in the Parliament on Wednesday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said that he is not aware of it.

Instead, the Chief Minister, who is in Supaul district as part of his 'Samadhan Yatra', asked state Finance Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary whether his expectations for Bihar has been fulfilled in the Budget.

"I am not aware of it (Budget). I did not listen to the Budget speech as I am doing the Samadhan Yatra. I had listened to the Budget speech last year, but as our Yatra was pre-scheduled, I could not listen to the Budget speech this time. I will analyse it when I return to Patna," Kumar said.

Chaudhary, who was standing some distance away from Nitish Kumar, then came forward and said, "We had put forward our grievances before the Union Finance Minister during our meeting, but our demands were not met in the Budget speech. The people of Bihar were expecting a lot of things from the Budget, but the Centre again cheated the state."
New Delhi, Feb 1 : The realty industry on Wednesday termed the Union Budget 2023-24 as balanced which is likely to boost demand in the housing sector.

The enhanced allocation for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana by 66 per cent to over Rs 79,000 crore is certainly a boost for affordable housing, which was flagging due to increased input costs and also because the buyers in this segment, mostly from the unorganized sector, were still reeling under the impact of the Covid pandemic, said Anuj Puri, chairman of the ANAROCK Group.

It is another step towards the government's Housing for All mission, he added.

"Changes in the income tax slabs, including exemption for income up to Rs 7 lakhs under the new tax regime and the new tax slabs, will doubtlessly benefit the middle class. However, whether the housing sector will get a collateral boost remains to be seen. The new tax regime offers no benefits that taxpayers can avail of under any Sections, including Section 80C - the previous home loan tax benefits," Puri said.

Anshuman Magazine, Chairman & CEO, India, South-East Asia, Middle East & Africa, CBRE, said: "Measures such as an increased outlay for affordable housing, enhanced focus on tourism and development of unity malls in key cities across the country would give a fillip to the real estate sector, which will be further aided by the tax relief to citizens which should boost consumption appetite.

"Moreover, the sustained attention on manufacturing and improvement of urban infrastructure is likely to boost the I&L sector and at the same time spur economic activity and job creation." Manoj Gaur, President of CREDAI NCR, said that through the Union Budget, the Centre continues to focus on the empowerment of youth, women, OBCs and farmers.

"An increased capital outlay for a third year in a row to Rs 10 lakh crore amounting to 3.3 per cent of the GDP, a hike of 66 per cent to over Rs 79,000 crore for PM Awas Yojana and the Rs 9,000 crore Credit Guarantee Scheme for MSMEs, will have a positive multiplier effect on economic growth," he added.

Harsh Bansal, Chairman of the CII Delhi Panel on UD, RE & Infra, said that one of the direct impacts on real estate would be through increased demand as the Finance Minister increased the income tax rebate to Rs 7 lakhs, which will help demand in the affordable housing segment; also, the new tax regime means that people will have more disposable income at hand leading to increased demand in all real estate segments.

"For housing, the government outlined its priority by announcing the bumper increase in PM Awaas Yojana outlay by 66 per cent to Rs 79,000 crore; additionally, the Finance Minister announced support to various states to help develop sustainable cities for tomorrow," he added.

Navin M. Raheja, Chairman and Managing Director of Raheja Developers, said that the budget also nudges the states and cities to take up urban planning, and we expect this to lead to planned real estate development in the country.

"It will also improve living standards in cities and provide developers with an opportunity to provide a better home."
Hyderabad, Feb 1 : Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI) has hailed the Union Budget 2023-24 as a growth-oriented budget and termed it "very good if not excellent." The industry and trade body welcomed increase in capital expenditure on infrastructure and providing more money in the hands of people with income tax rebate.

FTCCI industry development committee chairman Srinivas Garimella said that it is the best budget in the last 5-6 years and he gave a rating of 7 out of 10. He said that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman balanced fiscal prudence with some good schemes for the general public.

He said that the budget is growth-oriented as the government proposed infrastructure spending which the industry expected. He pointed out that the capital outlay expenditure has doubled to 3.3 per cent of the GDP from 1.6 per cent.

"For SMEs, credit guarantee scheme has been extended. The collateral free credit given is Rs 1 crore. We had demanded that it be increased to Rs 5 crore. The details are yet to be announced," he said.

FTCCI president Anil Agarwal said that the Finance Minister's emphasis was on seven pillars including inclusive development, reaching the last milestone, capital expenditure on infrastructure and railways, emphasis for tier-II and tier-III cities development, green growth and skilling.

Since this was the last full-fledged budget before election year, the Finance Minister has come out with her trump cards very well laid out. She brought down the fiscal deficit to 5.9 per cent from 6.4 last year.

However, the industry body feels that this is not such a great move as they have not heard about the disinvestment plan or target of asset monetisation. Balancing it with 5.9 per cent fiscal will be a difficult task.

"Big ticket infrastructure we all have been waiting for is a very well balanced move. Railways, highways and all have enough allocations this year. I hope that the government will take them on a faster track and spend the money," said V. S. Sudhir, chartered accountant and a member of the managing committee of FTCCI.

He feels that capex by the central government and strictures made for state governments to spend will have a multiplier effect for the next 5-6 years.

He said for the development of domestic industry, a lot of changes were proposed with basic customs duty being reduced in some cases and exempted in some cases especially for green initiatives.

"Tax buoyancy has come slightly in terms of indirect tax but not rationalisation of taxes which we were expecting. We have to wait post-budget." Ease of doing business has been looked at very carefully by the Finance Minister She has reduced compliance burden to a large extent.
Sydney, Feb 1 : After an early morning accident that took place in the Australian state -- Tasmania, the Crash Detection feature in the iPhone 14 alerted police instantly, allowing the victims to receive help immediately.

A four-wheel drive truck towing a horse float collided with a tree stump in Tasmania at 1.45 a.m. on Monday, reports ABC News.

The Crash Detection feature alerted the nearby police, who arrived on the scene within eight minutes despite the passengers' unconsciousness.

Five persons were taken to the hospital, ranging in age from 14 to 20, and one person with serious injuries was flown to Melbourne by air ambulance, according to the report.

As a result of the automatic crash alert sent by one of the two occupants' mobile phones, Inspector Ruth Orr said that police responded quickly because they were already near the scene for "an unrelated matter".

"But in a case where people had lost consciousness in a crash like this, it is certainly something that alerts police quickly," Orr was quoted as saying.

In December last year, the Emergency SOS via satellite and Crash Detection feature of the iPhone 14 helped rescue two people involved in a serious car crash in the US.

According to MacRumors, the incident occurred on the Angeles Forest Highway in the US state of California's Angeles National Forest, with a vehicle careening over the side of a mountain and falling approximately 300 feet into a remote canyon.
Zanzibar  Zanzibar President Hussein Mwinyi yesterday directed the agricultural ministry to collaborate with all stakeholders to boost production of horticultural produce in the country for domestic and export markets.

Dr Mwinyi also announced major reforms in his initiative to spur the horticulture industry to meet domestic and export markets.

"We have to work hard to meet the domestic demand and explore the immense opportunities in the export markets," Dr Mwinyi said at the official launch of the ultra-modern horticultural knowledge hub, the first of its kind in Zanzibar.

It has been constructed by The Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA) through the European Union and Finland's Food and Forest Development (FFD) financial support.

Dr Mwinyi vowed to improve infrastructure and services to unleash the horticulture potential, further describing the Isles market for horticultural products as huge, with over 90 per cent of all domestic production consumed internally.

Quantifying the size of the domestic market, President Mwinyi said the islands' 1.9 million population needs 276,000 tonnes of vegetables and fruits annually for each islander to consume 146 kilogrammes as per the World Health Organisation and UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) recommendations.

The estimated 500,000 tourists who visit Zanzibar annually demand over 2,000 tonnes of vegetables and fruits annually worth over 1.6bn/- per 2021 pricing, the president said.

He hyped consumption of vegetables and fruits as inevitable for the good health of wananchi, push for aggressive public awareness campaign in production, processing and consumption of the nutritional produce.

Besides being the key source of quality nutrition, Dr Mwinyi said, horticulture is important to the Zanzibar economy.

"Horticulture is one of the priority industries, owing to its great importance to our economy. We have several measures in store to spur the industry to meet the domestic market and the surplus for export," he underlined.

Elaborating, he reaffirmed the government commitment to support the money-minting sub-sector through creation of enabling business environment; increased productivity, construction of irrigation infrastructure and markets, research and extension services.

"Indeed, the private sector has a unique role to play in developing horticulture in Zanzibar," Dr Mwinyi said, appreciating the great work that TAHA has so far performed in the islands.

Equally, he instructed the ministry responsible for agriculture to finalise the Zanzibar horticulture development strategy, to spearhead the mission of transforming the industry in the Isles.

Responding to TAHA concerns, Dr Mwinyi said the government is already working on them. He said the new investor--Dubai National Travel Agency (DNATA)--at Amani Abeid Karume International Airport (AAKIA) is soon embarking on construction of a modern logistic centre that will have cold storage facilities to support horticultural produce business.

He further ordered airport and port authorities to have green belts for the handling of perishable goods. "Logically, you cannot have horticulture produce, which are perishable, going through the normal procedures at airports and ports--they need their own special treatment," he argued.

TAHA Board Chairman, Engineer Zebadiah Moshi was grateful to the Zanzibar government for according his organization health cooperation since its inception in 2012, making it easier to unleash the horticulture potential.

"It's our commitment to cherish our valued partnership with the Zanzibar government in order to realise huge horticulture development in Zanzibar together," Eng Moshi said.

He also thanked TAHA development partners such as USAID, United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP), United Nations Women (UN-WOMEN), Trade Mark East Africa, SIDA, EU and FFD, among others.

Speaking at the ceremony, TAHA Chief Executive Officer Dr Jacqueline Mkindi said the organisation has registered great successes since it made debut in the islands in 2012.

She said Zanzibar was importing 80 per cent of her vegetables and fruits but the organisation has since reduced the imports to 26 per cent as per 2021 records.

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Dr Mkindi said the Arusha-headquartered TAHA has connected 8,000 Zanzibar farmers to domestic and export markets, developed the marketing infrastructure and constructed deep wells for irrigation farming. "We are proud of the increased use of farm inputs and productivity," Dr Mkindi said.

She however decried difficulties in the transportation services, saying facilities at the ports and airports don't support the export business of perishable goods.

"It's our humble request to the government to involve horticulture stakeholders in the port expansion projects because we have our unique needs," she said.

The imposing building whose construction European Union financed through the Agri-Connect project will besides hosting TAHA offices facilitate knowledge sharing among farmers and other horticulture stakeholders in the islands.
Mumbai, Feb 1 : It seems that contestants will take out their personal grudges in a task to win back Rs 50 lakh prize money in the upcoming episode of 'Bigg Boss 16'.

In a promo shared by the channel Colors, contestants Shiv Thakare, Nimrit Kaur and MC Stan were seen torturing the opposite team, which includes Shalin Bhanot and Archana Gautam to get the Rs 50 lakh prize money.

The voice of Bigg Boss hands over the duty to the "mandali" to make a decision about who will perform the task. Nimrit pitches to perform the task.

Shiv warns Sumbul that this task may be their last chance for the ticket to the finale, and she then decides to not perform.

In the task, the nominated contestants Shiv, Nimrit and MC Stan were seen splashing cold water on Shalin, Priyanka and Archana to get back the Rs 50 lakh prize money.

Shiv then applies hair removal cream on Shalin's face which makes the latter furious.

They are then seen putting ice packs on the back of their necks.

Latest updates on Bigg Boss Season 16
Mumbai, Feb 1 : The Indian stock markets on Wednesday opened on a positive note and went up after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for FY24 but then came down.

This even though the economists and majority of the industry captains gave a thumbs-up for the budget proposals.

The Sensex of the BSE opened at 60,001.17 points, after closing at 59,549.90 points on Tuesday. Itx touched a high of 60,773.44 points and a low of 58,816.84 points.

Similarly at the NSE, the Nifty opened at 17,811.60 points, after closing at 17,662.15 points. It touched a high of 17,972.20 points and a low of 17,353.40 points during the day.

While the Nifty closed at 17,616.30 points, down by 0.26 percent, the Sensex closed at 59,708.08 points, up by 158.18 points.
San Francisco, Feb 1 : Tech giant Microsoft has announced that it will bring a new look to its Teams Rooms on Windows consoles and front-of-room displays, by the end of this quarter.

"To make Teams Rooms even easier to use, we're aligning key elements of the user interface across the Windows and Android ecosystems," the tech giant has said in a blogpost.

With the upcoming update, users will first see the "vivid new ambient screens" and a re-designed calendar on consoles and front-of-room displays.

Moreover, users will get improved visual cues throughout the experience that will make it easier and more intuitive to interact with the console.

On the calendar, users will be able to scroll down to see the schedule for the entire day.

The update will also bring improved buttons on the console which will allow users to quickly access the most used features, including a button for 'Meet' to start a new meeting from the room, a button for 'Call' which will allow users to make a call to a phone number or add a person from the directory, and much more.

"For enhanced customisation, your organisation will have a wider range of ambient screens to choose from than before, with five exciting new themes added to the eight themes currently available," the company said.

"Users will be able to customise the Front Row view, including visibility of the meeting chat, and choose which meeting component is displayed on the left and right panel," it added.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Feb 1 : For better targeting of tax concessions and exemptions, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman capped deduction from capital gains on investment in residential houses under sections 54 and 54F to Rs 10 crore.

Another proposal with similar intent is to limit income tax exemption from proceeds of insurance policies with very high value, she said.

Vishal Yeole, Vice President, Business Advisory Services, Waterfield Advisors said the Budget has proposed to limit the maximum deduction under Section 54 and Section 54F to Rs 10 crore.

Till now, there was no such limit and typically, high-net-worth individuals (HNIs) and Ultra high-net-worth individuals (UHNIs) would utilize this avenue to reduce their Capital Gains tax liability. The original intent of these exemption sections always had been to incentivize the Housing Sector and mitigate the shortage of housing. It was felt that the exemptions were not achieving the intended purpose and it is now proposed to substantially limit the arbitrage available on capital gains tax arising to HNIs/UHNIs, Yeola said.

As per the Finance Bill, the existing provisions of section 54 and section 54F of the Income-tax, 1961 (the Act) allows deduction on the Capital gains arising from the transfer of long-term capital asset if an assessee, within a period of one year before or two years after the date on which the transfer took place purchased any residential property in India, or within a period of three years after that date constructed any residential property in India.

For section 54 of the Act, the deduction is available on the long-term capital gain arising from transfer of a residential house if the capital gain is reinvested in a residential house.

In section 54F of the Act, the deduction is available on the long-term capital gain arising from transfer of any long term capital asset except a residential house, if the net consideration is reinvested in a residential house.

The primary objective of sections 54 and section 54F of the Act was to mitigate the acute shortage of housing, and to give impetus to house building activity. However, it has been observed that claims of huge deductions by high-net-worth assessees are being made under these provisions, by purchasing very expensive residential houses.

It is defeating the very purpose of these sections. In order to prevent this, it is proposed to impose a limit on the maximum deduction that can be claimed by the assessee under section 54 and 54F to Rs 10 crore. It has been provided that if the cost of the new asset purchased is more than Rs 10 crore, the cost of such asset shall be deemed to be Rs 10 crore. This will limit the deduction under the two sections to Rs 10 crore.

(Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at Sanjeev.s@ians.in)
Mumbai, Feb 1 : A 62-year-old woman was killed in a massive fire that engulfed several small garment manufacturing units in Dharavi here on Wednesday, the BMC Disaster Control said.

The blaze was noticed around 1.p.m on Wednesday in four-five cloth producing units and spread quickly to two buildings of two floors standing adjacent to each other, sparking panic in the thickly congested locality.

The woman was trapped in the ground floor bathroom of one of the units and was rushed to the Sion Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

The victim has been identified as one Usha Londhe, 62, said the BMC, and more details are awaited.

The Mumbai Fire Brigade is fighting the conflagration which was confined to the electric wiring and installations, bundles of textile garments and machineries.
Hyderabad, Feb 1 : Mahankali Srinivas Rao, CEO of T-Hub, India's leading innovation and startup catalyst, on Wednesday hailed various initiatives announced in the Union Budget 2023-24 to promote startups.

He said that the Union Budget's elaborate focus on building a digital economy and technology-enabled development is extremely encouraging.

"As mentioned during the budget, star-ups have emerged as growth drivers for our economy showcasing the immense potential of India's startup ecosystem. It's evident from the government's decision to extend the date of incorporation for income tax benefits from March 31, 2023 to March 31, 2024, which will empower the startup sector, foster entrepreneurship significantly, and give rise to a new generation of founders," he said.

MSR, as the CEO is popularly known, thanked the government for extending the benefit of carrying forward losses on change of shareholding to 10 years of incorporation from 7 years. He said this would help startups adjust initial losses.

He believed that initiatives like National Data Governance Policy, Skill India Digital Platform, and upskilling policies announced will address the industry-academia widening gap and nurture entrepreneurship at the grassroots level.

"We are also happy to note that the government had allocated Rs 283.5 crore for the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme and the budgetary allocations for the Fund of Funds for Startups stood at Rs 1,000 crore, this will help in nurturing innovation and encouraging private investments in the startup ecosystem," he said.

"The government has taken a series of steps to promote startups in the country, the budget highlights special incentives Under the Startup India initiative, Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS) scheme, Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS), and Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) encouraging capital at various stages of the business cycle of start-ups," he added.

The T-Hub CEO feels that these initiatives will serve as a successful catalyst for the country's economic growth. "We are excited for India's economic growth this year and looking forward to start-ups playing a pivotal role."
Gandhinagar, Feb 1 : Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, welcoming the Union budget 2023-24, said that it mirrors Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Amrit Kal', addressing the inclusive growth of all sections of the society and country.

Patel said: "This budget is going to meet the aspirations of the poor, marginalised, middle class, of each section of the society. There is something which will help in inclusive growth of the country." "The Finance Minister has increased 66 per cent fund allotment for the Prime Minister Awas Yojana, which will give shelter to lakhs of people, whose dream of having their own house would be difficult to build on their own." The Budget has taken care of the agriculture sector, considering the marginalised farmers and cooperative sector. The Chief Minister feels that this will play an important role in doubling farmers' income.
Kolkata, Feb 1 : Keeping in mind polls for the three-tier panchayat system in West Bengal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will attend two rallies in two districts in West Bengal on February 12. Out of the two rallies, the first one will be at Suri in Birbhum district and the second one will be at Arambagh.

State BJP sources said that the Union Home Minister will be arriving in Kolkata on the night of February 11.

"He will be staying at a hotel in Kolkata that night. On February 12 morning, he will be first attending a meeting with senior state BJP leaders in Kolkata. From there, he will first go to Suri in Birbhum district and attend the first rally there at around 11.30 a.m. After that, he will attend the second rally at Arambagh in Hooghly district at around 2.30 p.m. He will fly back to New Delhi that evening only," said a member of the BJP's state committee in West Bengal.

Commenting on the reason of choosing Suri, he said that organisational structure of Trinamool Congress in Birbhum district has received a setback following the imprisonment of the party's district president there for his alleged connection with the multi-crore cattle smuggling scam.

"At the same time, the internal feud within the ruling party is maximum in Birbhum currently. Our state leadership feels that this is the right time to take advantage of the dwindling organisational pattern of the ruling party in Birbhum and for that reason Suri had been the first choice as the rally venue," the state committee member said.

Arambagh was chosen as second venue because, the results of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls showed that BJP candidate there, Tapan Kumar Roy was defeated by Trinamool Congress' Aparupa Poddar by a paltry margin of just 1.142 votes.

"With a bigger push in the organisation activities of our party there, there is a high possibility of bagging that seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. So, we have deliberately chosen Arambagh as the venue of the second rally to be attended by the Union home minister," the state committee member said.
Mumbai, Feb 1 : India Inc. has hailed the Union Budget 2023-2024 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman here on Wednesday.

Hinduja Group Co-Chairman Gopichand P. Hinduja said that when "India is the lone shining star in the world facing threats of recession", the Finance Minister has delivered a perfectly focused growth-oriented budget with massive capital investment outlays at 4.5 per cent of GDP while staying on track with the fiscal deficit reduction plan.

Hinduja lauded the holistic, sustainable and inclusive approach taken covering every element of infrastructure and capability building and making the best use of the world-class digital public infrastructure, and "clearly reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi's long-term vision for India and it aims to engage with and carry every section of society towards the goal of a self-reliant and strong India".

Tata Capital Ltd. MD & CEO Rajiv Sabharwal said that the Budget includes several measures for inclusive socio-economic development, its 7 priorities plus a greater sector in the financial sector and infrastructure and investment are steps in the right direction.

"The Capex increase of 33 per cent and a capital outlay of Rs 2.40 lakh crore for Railways is a bold move to create jobs and improve the infrastructure development. Strong agricultural credit outlay, support measures, ease of doing business, and digitisation drive across various sectors will improve multiple clusters within the economy," said Sabharwal.

Godrej & Boyce Executive Director & CEO Anil G. Verma termed it as a 'balanced and inclusive budget' which will further push growth, and the renewed thrust on investments in infrastructure will drive the productivity of the economy and generate employment.

"Measures to improve rural incomes and reduce personal income tax rates will deliver more disposable income in the hands of people, driving consumption. This will likely generate a virtuous cycle of fresh investments leading to higher employment, incomes and productivity, further spurring consumption. The key to realisation of the planned outcomes is effective implementation," said Verma.

Realtor Lodha Group's Managing Director & CEO Abhishek Lodha said "the Budget has unleashed the forces of growth in the country" while continuing to support India's middle-class in improving their prospects and realise dreams of a better life.

"The government has not only focused on creative, productive capital expenditure and growing our infrastructure. But, it also puts money in the hands of the hardworking Indian consumer. With both these steps together, it will unleash and sustain India's growth trajectory and help it overcome the challenging global conditions," feels Lodha.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : Leading industry players on Wednesday welcomed several fresh initiatives in the Union Budget 2023-24, especially setting up 100 5G labs and opening the centres of excellence (CoEs) for artificial intelligence (AI).

With the 5G roll-out now gaining momentum in India, the Centre announced plans to set up 100 labs in the top engineering institutions to develop 5G apps and services.

"With the ongoing 5G rollouts in India, the government's decision to establish 100 5G application Labs is a timely move to spur innovation in developing the 5G ecosystem and India relevant use cases," said Manoranjan Mohapatra, CEO, Comviva.

There is a great opportunity to combine 5G and AI to improve network speed, responsiveness, and efficiencies, he added.

Arvind Bali, CEO, Telecom Sector Skill Council, said that the annual demand in telecommunications and 5G have increased by 33.7 per cent (in September 2022).

"There was a demand for 1.3 million workers in FY22-23 which is growing each year and new use-cases including cloud computing, robots, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are also seeing a sharp rise in hiring. We believe the initiatives will be beneficial to close the country's growing demand supply gap of technical talent workforce," Bali added.

In the ChatGPT era, the Finance Minister announced the government will open three centres of excellence for artificial intelligence (AI) at top educational institutions.

Matthew Foxton, India Regional President and Executive Vice-President, Branding & Communications, IDEMIA, said that the adoption of a unified KYC process, utilising Digilocker and Aadhaar as the primary means of identity verification, "is a positive step forward and will increase financial accessibility for marginalized communities".

According to Rajiv Bhalla, Managing Director, India & Vice President APAC, at Barco, the country has the potential to be a world-class infrastructure centre, moving toward net zero carbon emissions by 2070 and "setting up the AI-based solutions in health, education, and sustainable cities will give additional push towards the extensive use of technology".
By Hua Zhang

While the Ukraine crisis is still fermenting, the US cannot wait to stir up another regional conflict. Mike Minihan, US Air Mobility Command commander, predicted in a recent memo that Washington will engage in a war with Beijing over the Taiwan question in the next two years. His sensational remarks were soon echoed and affirmed by McCaul, the new chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, in a TV program.

Some Americans already predicted earlier that a conflict will break out between China and the US over the Taiwan question in 2027. Now Mike Minihan and his like have moved the deadline forward to 2025, indicating how eager these war-lusting politicians are to wage new conflicts in order to fish in troubled waters.

Chris Hedges, the Pulitzer-winning journalist who used to work for the New York Times, hit the nail on the head by saying that instigating wars in the world to mitigate its own domestic political problems is an old trick played by the US.

War, a monster that most countries want to avoid, is a darling for American elites. This is mainly because of Americas unique geographical location  located far from the geopolitical hotspots on the Eurasian continent, it has been able to directly or indirectly engage in large-scale wars many times and profited from them without worrying about the war spreading to its doorstep. The two world wars are prime examples. The US, always having a flair for jumping on the right bandwagon, found its way into the winning camp in both wars, and vaulted itself to be the strongest power in the world with its industrial production and foreign trade soaring on the waves of the wars.

American elites are more than happy with the fact that they have taken all the advantages out of the war without ever losing a penny. Especially as the military-industry complex that grew during WWII has gradually gripped power, America has increasingly become the biggest warmonger in the world. Incomplete statistics show that from the end of WWII in 1945 to 2001, there were 248 armed conflicts occurring in 153 regions across the globe, 201 of which, roughly 81% of all, were initiated by the US.

But this war-oriented approach has got less effective and popular in the new century. The Iraqi War waged by the US on the excuse of fighting terrorism and biochemical weapons made it pay a hefty price of 50,000 casualties. The false charges it spun for starting the war, its stop-at-nothing bullying without UN authorization, and its barbarities of killing the innocent and abusing prisoners in Iraq all rendered the image of a democracy and human rights defender that Washington had worked so hard for so long to keep up a pathetic joke.

The Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies (ACRPS) based in Doha, capital of Qatar, published a poll that showed 81% of the correspondents thinking Americas Middle East policy has threatened regional security and stability. The Afghan War that America started in the name of wiping out al-Qaeda protracted for 20 years on top of costing an astronomical amount of money. To free itself of this gigantic burden, Washington made an abrupt and hastened withdrawal, leaving its NATO allies and the Afghan government on the line and making its security commitment to allies worthless.

The many domestic problems that are currently plaguing the country cannot be solved through a war either. The country is looking at an astounding rich-poor gap, with 17 million children living in hunger and more than 30 million citizens without medical insurance; infrastructure nationwide is clapped-out, with 43,586 bridges having served 68 years on average and tens of billions of dollars needed for repair and reinforcement; the abuse of drugs and guns leaves over 100,000 people dying of overdose and 40,000 of gunshot every year; and racial discrimination has only worsened, with the George Floyd case repeating itself over and over, hate crimes on the rise, and people of African and Asian origin living on tenterhooks. Moreover, the federal government has exceeded its debt cap more than once, constantly sounding the alarm of debt default, credit downgrading and government shutdown.

Under such circumstances, the government should have spent more energy and invested more resources to solve its complex domestic woes. Yet what we see is Americas military spending rising year by year and on track to reach US$813 billion in the fiscal year of 2023, ranking far on top in the world and well over the combined military expenditure of nine other nations, including China and Russia. In comparison, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have each been allocated a little over US$10 billion, and the budget for improving public security at home is just over US$30 billion.

Clearly, the American politicians that pride themselves on speaking for the people and generals who claim to defend the country have long been reduced into military conglomerates puppets. Their clamoring for war is less to cure America of its ills than to satisfy their own desires and line their pockets.

Editors note: The author is a commentator for china.com.cn. This article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
press release

Through Presidential Decree number 43/2023, of 31st January, naming Her Excellency Manuela Roka Botey as Prime Minister of the Government, Charged with Administrative Coordination. Furthermore, the three Vice Prime Ministers of the Government are to continue in their posts.

The former Deputy Minister for Education, Manuela Roka Botey has, through Presidential Decree, been appointed Prime Minister of the Government, Charged with Administrative Coordination, replacing Francisco Pascual Obama Asue. She becomes the first Equatoguinean woman to hold the position.

Roka Botey was Vice-rector of the National University of Equatorial Guinea and Sister Militant in the Baney PDGE District Monitoring Commission.

Furthermore, the three Vice Prime Ministers of the Government have been confirmed in their posts: Clemente Engonga Nguema Onguene, First Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Education, University Teaching and Sports; Angel Mesie Mibuy, Second Vice Prime Minister of the Government, Charged with Parliamentary Relations and Legal Affairs, and Alfonso Nsue Mokuy, Third Vice Prime Minister, Charged with Human Rights.

Equatorial Guinea Press and Information Office
New Delhi, Feb 1 : The Union Budget has designated green growth as one of the seven themes with thrust on ecosystem development for green hydrogen, infrastructure strengthening for utility-scale renewable energy power, pushing India towards net-zero target, environmental experts said on Wednesday.

They said the focus on green growth, as one of the seven priority areas in the Union Budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament, will lend a fillip to the transition towards decarbonisation, and achieving the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the larger net-zero goals.

Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI, said the green growth being a priority area in the Union Budget is reflective of the efforts undertaken across sectors to achieve the net-zero targets set for 2070.

"The outlay of Rs 19,700 crore for the National Green Hydrogen Mission and the annual production target of 5MMT by 2030 will serve as an impetus to the decarbonization process and reduce the dependence on fossil fuels. So is the provision of Rs 35,000 crore for priority capital investment towards energy transition and net-zero objectives." Madhav Pai, Interim CEO, WRI India and Program Executive Director (Sustainable Cities and Transport), said the inclusion of green growth as a Budget priority in the form of allocations for energy transition, emphasis on battery storage, and green credit announcement offers encouragement for the environmental sector.

"The Urban Infrastructure Fund is a welcome move with the potential to contribute toward building resilience in our cities, while the agricultural accelerator, the emphasis on millets and, particularly, support for MSMEs promise a just transition. We are yet to see the details for how some of this will pan out, particularly the green credit programme, but we are headed in a positive direction." Echoing a similar view, Subrahmanyam Pulipaka, CEO, National Solar Energy Federation of India, said: "Overall, we appreciate the government's green growth specific approach to the Budget which will not only help us realise our climate goals and targets but also make India home to one of the largest energy transition programs in the world." As the last full budget before national elections in 2024 and heading into India's G20 presidency, IISD Policy Advisor Balasubramanian Viswanathan said the Sitharaman's speech consolidated the government's position on energy and climate.

"The government clearly identifies green growth as one of the pillars of development, announcing support measures for storage and renewable energy evacuation infrastructure. This is a welcome move as India tries to rapidly increase the share of renewables in the grid. The Minister of Finance also pledged Rs 35,000 crore in support for net zero and energy transition objectives, although the details of the plan are yet to be seen. Upon inspection of the petroleum ministry budget, an equivalent support of Rs 30,000 crore as capital support for oil-marketing companies (OMCs) and Rs 5,000 crore for strategic petroleum reserves were found.

"While controlling energy prices and ensuring energy security is critical, India must ensure that financial support is directed towards low-carbon technologies." On climate, Ulka Kelkar, Director, Climate Program, WRI, said for the Budget allocation of Rs 35,000 crore (or about $4 billion) to start catalysing the nearly $30 billion of energy transition finance required annually by India for its net-zero future, three types of measures will be needed -- risk guarantees to reduce the cost of capital for low-carbon investments in the country; demand aggregation measures as has been done for LED lighting and electric buses; and viability gap financing for hydrogen electrolysers and offshore wind as has been announced for battery storage.

"The allocation for pumped hydro as energy storage is timely. Of all renewable energy options, rooftop solar PV needs the least land and creates the most jobs per MW - targeted support and innovative business models can unlock its full potential." On greening the electricity sector, Ashwini Swain, Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research (CPR), said the Budget allocations for renewable energy evacuation and energy storage are useful to enable India's renewable energy transition, but enhanced support for distributed energy resources will be critical to inclusive transition, promoting rural productivity, and thus, achieving the vision for Amrit Kaal -- an empowered and inclusive economy.

"Central allocations to build transmission systems for evacuation of 13 GW RE from Ladakh and provide viability gap funding for 4 GWh (or 1 GW capacity) battery storage will give an impetus to stagnated RE deployment pace in India. Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) was envisioned as a significant component in India's 2022 targets and will remain critical to India's energy transition." Enhanced support for off-grid solar and PM-KUSUM schemes, though from a low baseline, is a good step, said Swain.

--IANS vg/vd

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Rajkot, Feb 1 : A police team from Gujarat's Rajkot has arrested fake currency notes case prime accused Ramesh Babu Kasturi from Hyderabad, an official said on Wednesday.

Kasturi was arrested by the Telangana Police from Hyderabad in September 2022, but later released on bail and was back to printing fake currency notes.

The A Division Police Sub Inspector B.H. Parmar and his team had brought Ramesh Babu Kasutri on transit remand from Telangana and he was produced before a Rajkot court on Wednesday and it granted police 10 days remand, said police sources.

On January 20, Rajkot police had unearthed fake currency rackets, when two persons attempted to deposit fake currency with face value of Rs 2.50 lakh with an 'Angadia Pedhi' (traditional courier service) for money transfer. In this connection, police had arrested five persons, including one from Pune.

Kasturi and his sister K Rameshwari entered into fake currency notes printing, post pandemic, as they were in a financial crisis. Then, Telangana Police believed that the duo must have infused fake currency with a face value of at least Rs 60 to 70 lakh in the market, said sources.
Guwahati, Feb 1 : The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on Wednesday said that the northeastern region is set to gain substantially from the Budget 2023-24 presented in the Parliament by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

CII North East Council Chairman Pradeep Bagla said that in the agriculture sector, by making available quality planting materials especially for millets, agri accelerator fund to support agri start-ups, young entrepreneurs with innovative solutions will benefit and encourage aspiring start-ups, entrepreneurs and farmers in the northeast.

CII North East Council immediate past (former) chairman Abhijit Barooah, welcoming the Budget, said the announcement of setting up of 157 new nursing colleges in co-locations with 157 medical colleges launched since 2014 will also enable India to reap demographic dividends.

Indian nurses, especially from the northeastern states, are in demand across the world, and the region will benefit with identification of a few such colleges in the region, he told the media.

Barooah said that the upgradation of Self Help Groups (SHGs) in terms of support in procurement of raw materials and skilling will provide strong dividends to the northeast economy.

He said that the energy sector overall has generated major focus and northeast with four oil refineries is expected to gain in view of the allocations of Rs 19,700 crore to the National Hydrogen Mission with the focus of enhancing hydrogen production capacity of 5 metric million tonnes by 2030 and the net zero and green commitments of the country.

The government announcement on the promotion of tourism in mission mode in 2023 will help the northeast.

Additionally, the announcement for development of destinations in totality would help the region by introducing newer destinations in the northeast tourism map, the CII North East Council leader said.

Barooah said that with substantial numbers of Eklavaya Model Residential Schools in the region the proposed enhancement in the number of teachers and support staff will improve the quality of education in the far-flung regions of the northeast.

With major strengths in the handloom and handicraft sector, the announcements on supporting artisans both in terms of capacity building and market linkages will empower this transformative and mass-driven sector in the northeast.

The CII North East Council in a statement said that the increased credit target of Rs 20 lakh crore for the agriculture sector with focus on animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries will fuel growth and enhance farmers' incomes.

Further, the support and focus accorded to natural farming will boost the organic outlook of the northeastern states, it said.

The National Data Governance Policy for startups is a great initiative in order to provide access to anonymous data and the setting up three AI CoEs in partnership with the private sector in India will boost AI start-ups in the country and the northeastern region.
Seoul, Feb 1 : South Korea is looking to test-launch a new "high-power" ballistic missile in the near future in a move to bolster deterrence against evolving North Korean military threats, a media report said, citing an informed source.

The country has been working on the development of the missile, known as Hyunmoo-5, as a core asset of its deterrence capabilities, Yonhap news reported on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, speculation emerged that the state-run Agency for Defense Development may test-fire it at its Anheung test site in Taean, 150 km southwest of Seoul, on Friday due to a navigational warning applicable to nearby waters for Friday and Saturday.

But the defence ministry said there is no plan for any maritime live-fire training Friday, apparently hinting the plan for the missile test might have been cancelled or delayed.

The missile is known to be capable of carrying a warhead weighing 8-9 kg with a thrust of 75 ton-force, and of descending at a speed of Mach 10 after reaching an apogee.

Its maximum range remains unknown, but observers said that it may be able to fly 3,000 km or farther -- a distance covered by an intermediate-range missile.

The missile, if fielded, is expected to serve as a centerpiece of Seoul's Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR), an operational plan to incapacitate the North Korean leadership in a major conflict.

KMPR is a pillar of the three-axis deterrence structure that includes the Kill Chain pre-emptive strike platform and the Korea Air and Missile Defense system.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said that this first budget in Amrit Kaal is envisioning a prosperous and inclusive India in which the fruits of development will reach all sections and citizens, especially our youth, women, farmers, OBCs, SCs, and STs.

He said driving the nation to Atmanirbharta, this budget will equip India with new-age infrastructure, decline in imports and strengthen our energy sector with a futuristic approach.

Gadkari said Inclusive Development, Reaching the Last Mile, Infrastructure and Investment, Unleashing the Potential, Green Growth, Youth Power, and Finance Sector; this budget adopts the above 7 priorities which complement each other and act as a Sapt Rishi. He said 'Janbhagidari' through 'sabka saath, sabka prayaas' is essential; our vision for the Amrit Kaal includes a tech-driven & knowledge-based economy, with strong public finances and a robust financial sector.

Gadkari said the government's efforts since 2014 have ensured a better quality of life for all citizens. The per capita income has doubled to 1.97 lakh rupees and the Indian economy has moved to become the 5th largest from the 10th in the last 9 years.

The Minister said digital Public Infrastructure for Agriculture will be built as open source, open standard, inter-operable public goods which will enable inclusive farmer-centric solutions, and support for agri-industry as well as start-ups.

Gadkari said he would like to thank Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for proposing Rs 20,700 crore investment in the renewable energy sector, Rs 19,700 crore for the National Green Hydrogen Mission, and enforcing the provisions for a Vehicle Scrappage Policy for a sustainable and energy-efficient future.
New York, Feb 1 : Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal has been named Ranking Member of the US House Judiciary Committee's panel on Immigration, making her the first immigrant to serve in a leadership role for the subcommittee.

Jayapal, 57 -- who represents Washington's 7th Congressional District in US House of Representatives -- will succeed Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren to serve on the Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement.

"As the first South Asian woman elected to the US House of Representatives and one of only two dozen naturalised citizens in Congress, I am honoured and humbled to serve as the Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement," Jayapal said in a statement.

In the US, a ranking member is the most senior member of a congressional or state legislative committee from the minority party.

"I came to this country when I was 16, alone, and with nothing in my pockets. After 17 years on an alphabet soup of visas to become a US citizen, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to live the American Dream, a dream that is out of reach for too many immigrants today." Jayapal, a Democrat, said that in her new role she will focus on the country's broken immigration system around dignity, humanity, and justice.

Her appointment comes as the immigrant visa backlog in the US increased by nearly 9,000 in the month of January, according to the Department of State's National Visa Center (NVC).

The number of people scheduled for green card interviews increased by nearly 3,000 from December 2022 to January.

The NVC scheduled 36,167 interviews in January, compared to 33,406 in December.

The White House is looking into the recommendations to reduce the adjudication and processing of Green Card applications to just six months and remove all the backlogs by April 2023.

The fight to reform immigration laws has been a core tenet of Jayapal's work in Congress.

She has introduced multiple landmark bills and resolutions including her Roadmap to Freedom Resolution, Access to Counsel Act, Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act, and Protection of Kids in Immigrant Detention Act, among others.

Before coming to Congress, Jayapal was a longtime organizer and activist for immigrants' rights.

Post 9/11 attacks, she started OneAmerica (formerly Hate Free Zone), the largest immigrant rights organisation in Washington State that successfully sued the Bush Administration to prevent the deportation of more than 4,000 Somalis.

She was the founding co-chair of the We Belong Together campaign to mobilize women in support of common-sense immigration reform to keep families together and empower women.

She was also arrested during a civil obedience demonstration protesting the Trump Administration's zero humanity family separation policy.

The Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement will be chaired by Rep Tom McClintock, and has jurisdiction over immigration law and policy, naturalization, border security, refugee admissions, non-border immigration enforcement, and other various issues.

It was previously known as the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : Customs duty on silver has been increased from about 10.75 per cent to 15 per cent to bring it at par with duty on gold.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in her Budget speech for 2023-24: "Customs Duties on dore and bars of gold and platinum were increased earlier this fiscal. I now propose to increase the duties on articles made there from to enhance the duty differential. I also propose to increase the import duty on silver dore, bars and articles to align them with that on gold and platinum." Ghazal Jain, Fund Manager- Alternative Investments, Quantum AMC said in the precious metals space, custom duty on silver was increased from about 10.75 per cent to 15 per cent to bring it at par with duty on gold. Despite that, domestic silver prices saw an up move of only 1.5-2 per cent reflecting lower domestic demand for the metal.

Domestic gold prices were trading at a discount of close to 2 per cent for most of January. This was partly due to market anticipation of a reduction in custom duty on gold in Budget 2023-24.

But the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman maintained the status quo with duty standing at 15 per cent plus GST. As a relief reaction, prices moved up by about 1 per cent as the discount evaporated. But while the short-term price distortions prevailing in the market may have been taken care of, the longer-term structural issue remains unaddressed, Jain said.

M.P. Ahammed, Chairman, Malabar Gold & Diamonds said the gems & jewellery industry is, however, disappointed with the budget not resorting to the reduction in import duty. The increase in the duty for silver is expected to push up the price of the precious metal. The move to not impose any capital gains on the conversion of physical gold to electronic gold receipts and vice versa will help further gold monetization.

Aditya Modak, Co-founder, Gargi by P N Gadgil & Sons said the gold import duty has remained the same, while they expected it to go down by 2.5 per cent. On the other hand, the import duty on silver has increased by 2.5 per cent, affecting the fashion jewellery market due to the price hike of sterling silver.

Modak said on the other hand, the reduction in surcharge on super-rich taxpayers will give positive sentiment to investments. Also, the increase in the Income Tax limit will increase the disposable surplus income of the middle class, which will be good for tourism, discretionary spending, and luxury FMCGs.

Colin Shah, MD, Kama Jewellery said the hike in basic customs duty on articles made from gold bars and import duty on silver will lead to a rise in the final price of locally made jewellery and maybe challenging for the local refineries.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : After the Delhi government had proposed three dates - February 3, 4, and 6 - for the election of Mayor, and Deputy Mayor, Lt Governor V.K. Saxena has approved February 6 for the same, an official statement said on Wednesday.

"LG has approved February 6, as suggested by Dy CM Manish Sisodia and recommended by CM Arvind Kejriwal for holding the adjourned first meeting of the MCD and asked for the election of Mayor, Dy Mayor and the 6 Member Standing Committee to be held," the Raj Niwas statement said.

The capital city is yet to elect the Mayor and Deputy Mayor after two previous meetings on January 6 and 24 were adjourned without holding the exercise, following a ruckus between BJP and AAP councillors.

Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party has moved the Supreme Court over the repeated adjournment of mayoral polls in the capital city. In its suit, AAP had demanded the time-bound urgent mayoral election and has also sought the prohibition on voting by aldermen as per law.
Hyderabad, Feb 1 : Union Minister for Tourism, Culture and Development of North Eastern Region, G. Kishan Reddy has said that Union Budget 2023-24 prioritises growth, development and inclusiveness.

He said the Budget mooted new tax reform, focused on infrastructure, tourism, agriculture and measures for the youth, women empowerment and farmers.

In his reaction to the Budget presented in the Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, he said personal income tax relief for salaried class are reflective of a growth-driven budget and India's aspirational future.

Kishan Reddy said that the Prime Minister has been India's biggest brand ambassador in promoting Tourism and that the Budget 2023 reflects his vision. "Tourism, identified as 1 of 4 key transformative opportunities for 'Amrit Kaal', has been provided a package to develop 50 tourism destinations," he said.

"The tourism sector receives a massive boost through today's Union Budget. 'Dekho Apna Desh' gets a well-deserved spotlight in today's Union Budget, highlighting the importance of domestic tourism and boosting the local economy," he said.

Reddy revealed that allocation by various ministries of the government of India to the north east has increased by 30 per cent from Rs 72,540 crore to Rs 94,680 crore.

"Additionally, DoNER budget has more than doubled from Rs 2,755 crore to Rs 5,892 crore with PM-DEVINE allocation increasing 5x to 2,200 crore," the Union Minister tweeted.

He thanked the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister for 13 per cent higher outlay in the ministry for culture budget which now stands at Rs 3,399.65 crore.

He revealed that the Bharat Shared Repository of Inscriptions - Bharat SHRI with digitisation of 1 lakh ancient inscriptions will be set up in the Epigraphy museum to be established at Hyderabad.
Chennai, Feb 1 : Credit rating agency ICRA Ltd on Wednesday said the large debt funded capex programme of Adani Group remain a challenge, and some of them are discretionary in nature.

The rating agency also said it would continue to monitor and review the ratings based on the movement in credit metrics of the Adani Group's rated entities and impact of the latest events on their financial flexibility.

In a note titled 'Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited: Update on Material Event', ICRA said on January 24, the US-based Hindenburg Research published a report, containing several adverse observations regarding accounting practices, related-party transactions, concentrated shares ownership by few overseas investments firms and share price movement of Adani group of companies including Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZL).

Subsequent to the release of this report, the share prices of all the listed Adani group companies including APSEZL have witnessed a steep decline, ICRA said.

On January 29, Adani Group released their detailed response to the observations made by Hindenburg, refuting the allegations and stating that most of the observations relate to matters that have been duly disclosed by the Adani portfolio companies in the past.

"While the large debt funded capex programme of the group remains a key challenge, ICRA notes that some of the planned capex is discretionary in nature and can be deferred depending on the liquidity position," the credit rating agency said.

ICRA is monitoring the impact of these developments on its rated portfolio in Adani group, especially the financial flexibility of the group with key monitorables being access to domestic and international capital markets and banking channels, pricing of debt, tightening of debt covenants, recall or acceleration of debt facilities and refinancing.

While the ICRA-rated Adani group entities do not have any immediate refinancing requirement, it is expected for some of the entities from FY2025 onwards, the rating agency said.

"However, comfort is drawn from the high visibility on cashflows for these entities supported by the long tenure of the off-take contracts in case of Adani Transmission Ltd (ATL), favorable demand prospects, dominant market position and long-term customer contracts for APSEZL and favourable economics of conversion in the CGD (city gas distribution) sector for Adani Total Gas Ltd (ATGL) and the strong liquidity position maintained by the group," ICRA said.
Azam have suffered a 1-0 defeat from Al Hilal in an international friendly match at Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday evening.

The match was Al Hilal's second signal testing as they expect to play Simba at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in the city on Sunday.

Mohamed Rahman is the one who has made the difference after scoring at the stroke of half-time as his short range strike went unopposed behind Azam's net.

The first half saw Azam enjoying the lion's share but missed numerous scoring options in between.

In their first friendly duel, Al Hilal were held to a 1-1 draw by Namungo at the same venue as the visitors had to come from behind to level the scoreboard.

However, after facing Simba, the Sudan giants will jet off to South Africa to take on Mamelodi Sundowns in their first CAF Champions League group stage encounter.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed WhatsApp to give wide publicity in the media that users aren't bound to accept its 2021 privacy policy and also WhatsApp's functionality would not be affected till the new data protection bill comes into effect.

In May 2021, WhatsApp, in a response to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology's letter, had assured that the messaging service will not limit functionality for its users if they do not accept the new privacy policy update.

A five-judge constitution bench headed by Justice K.M. Joseph observed that giving wide publicity to the WhatsApp undertaking would benefit those who have not agreed to the terms of its 2021 privacy policy. The top court asked WhatsApp to give advertisements in five newspapers regarding its undertaking given to the government.

The bench - also comprising Justices Ajay Rastogi, Aniruddha Bose, Hrishikesh Roy, and C T Ravikumar - said: "We further direct that WhatsApp will give publicity to this aspect to the customers of WhatsApp in five national newspapers on two occasions." The bench said it has recorded the stand taken in the response to the government and "we record the submission of the senior counsel for WhatsApp that they will abide by the terms of the letter till next date of hearing".

The apex court noted that it Centre's counsel has brought to its notice that a digital personal data protection bill 2022 is about to be placed before the Parliament, and it is there contention that bill would cover most of the aspects which are subject matter of petitions before this court and the matter may be taken up at a later stage. This request was echoed by WhatsApp counsel too.

However, the petitioners' counsel vehemently contested this aspect and submitted that law should not come in the way of addressing issues raised in the petitions before the apex court. The petitioners' counsel said the stand by WhatsApp for its customers in Europe stands in stark contrast with its stand taken here, and urged the court to hear the matter. The petitioners' counsel stressed that the privacy policy should have an option to opt out from data sharing.

After hearing day-long arguments, the apex court passed an interim direction in a batch of petitions challenging the privacy policy of WhatsApp and scheduled the matter for further hearing on April 11.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal represented WhatsApp and senior advocate Arvind Datar represented Meta. Senior advocates Shyam Divan and K.V. Viswanathan represented the petitioners' along with other counsel.

The top court was hearing petitions, which included a plea filed by two students, Karmanya Singh Sareen and Shreya Sethi, against the contract entered into between WhatsApp and its parent Facebook to provide access to calls, photographs, texts, videos, and documents shared by users. The petitioners claimed it is a violation of their privacy and free speech.
Chandigarh, Feb 1 : Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday said the Union Budget 2023-24 disappointed farmers, rural poor and youth, besides failing to do anything to revive the agricultural and the industrial sector in Punjab.

Reacting to the Budget, the SAD President said farmers were promised that their agriculture income would be doubled.

"Far from doing anything to realise this goal, the government has not ensured assured government procurement for all foodgrains on minimum support price (MSP)." He said similarly the Union government had failed to fully implement its promise to ensure houses for all by 2022.

"Youth have also not got 16 crore jobs as promised at the rate of two crore jobs per year." Speaking about the Union Budget vis-a-vis Punjab, Badal said farmers were disappointed that new funds had been earmarked for diversification of crops in the state.

"This is necessary to tackle the problem of groundwater depletion. Similarly nothing was done for border farmers who are farming under adverse conditions." Speaking about the government thrust on millets, Badal said this would succeed only if all millet crops were procured as per remunerative MSP.

He said Punjab's industry was going through a lean phase and the state was witnessing migration of industries to other states. "It's unfortunate that the Union government has not done anything to incentivise industry in Punjab. Earlier also, Punjab lost out when hill states were given tax cuts." Badal also said it was unfortunate that no institution or major project had been given to Punjab in the Union Budget.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : The Chairman of Indian Banks' Association (IBA), A.K. Goel, said on Wednesday that the Union Budget 2023-24 has given a thrust to propel the domestic growth engines, while focusing on unleashing internal strength of the economy.

All the seven priorities of the Budget, such as inclusive development, reaching the last mile, infrastructure and investment, unleashing the potential, green growth, youth power and financial sector, are focused on improving the existing infrastructure and introducing new things with a view to reap the benefits for the betterment of the country, said Goel, who is also the MD & CEO of Punjab National Bank.

As the external world braces for recession, the Budget is banking on encouraging domestic demand and public investments (from unity malls to roads and coastal areas to highways to affordable houses) to propel growth.

As states have to play a key role in public investment and capex, continuation of 50-year interest-free loan to state governments is very positive for capex and equitable economic growth, he said.

Moreover, 100 transport infrastructure projects identified for end-to-end connectivity for ports, coal, steel and fertiliser sectors, proposal to build urban infrastructure in Tier 2 and 3 cities through the Urban Infrastructure Development Fund are expected to create multiplier effect on the economy, he added.

The government's resolve to stick to the gliding path of fiscal deficit and to bring it down to below 4.5 per cent of the GDP by FY26 is quite positive for the economy, Goel said.
Gurugram, Feb 1 : Sleuths of the cybercrime (east) of Gurugram Police arrested a Gujarat-based couple for allegedly duping a Gurugram resident in an alleged cyberbullying case, the police said.

According to the police, on May 5, 2020, the victim filed a police complaint claiming that he received a message on May 4 on his WhatsApp, to which the photo of one of his friends was attached and the accused in the message said, his wife's sister was admitted in the hospital in critical condition and asked for Rs 50,000.

Trusting his words, the victim transferred the amount to a bank account mentioned by him.

Later the victim came to know that someone had cheated him by creating a fake ID on WhatsApp and a case was registered against the accused at Cyber Crime Police Station (East), Gurugram.

Following lead inputs, the police nabbed the couple from a Delhi hotel on Tuesday.

The accused have been identified as Rakshit Patel and Neha Patel, a resident of Vadodara in Gujarat.

During interrogation, the accused disclosed that they used to steal people's photos from various social sites, post those photos on WhatsApp, send messages to the same person's friends and relatives and get money transferred to their bank account.

"The accused are on three days' police remand for further questioning. The investigation is on," Subhash Boken, spokesperson of the Gurugram Police said.
Mumbai, Feb 1 : Top farmers leaders from the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Lok Sangharsh Morcha (LSM) on Wednesday launched a blistering attack on the Union Budget 2023-2024, saying it will "enrich the rich industrialists and destroy the country's agriculture" in the coming times.

AIKS national Joint Secretary Dr Ajit Navale said that contrary to the promises of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to adouble farmer incomes by 2022, there has been a steady decline in the peasants' earnings from all fronts, to barely Rs. 27 per day, as per official data.

Shiv Sena-UBT's farm face Kishore Tiwari slammed the Modi government saying it has again let down the tillers and pushed them to "despair" as the corporates in farming continue to prosper thanks to the government's industry-friendly policies.

LSM President and activist Pratibha Shinde said that after destroying the country's economy and handing it over to the big industrialists, the Bharatiya Janata Party government is now targetting the agriculture sector by compelling the distressed farmers to hand it over to the huge companies entering this sector.

Navale said that farmers incomes from crop production has plummeted to a jaw-dropping Rs 27/day, indebtedness is increasing as prices of agricultural commodities are reducing and input costs rising, and again belied all expectations the peasants had from the government.

Tiwari said that owing to the faulty policies of the Modi regime in the past 9 years, the number of farmers suicides has touched an all-time record of 325,000, and still counting, the tall promise of doubling farmers' incomes is nowhere near implementation and remains another 'jumla'.

Reeling off data, Shinde fumed at the manner in key schemes for the ryots have seen unpleasant cuts in outlay/funds - Pradhan Mantri Bima Yojana (12 per cent), PM Kisan Yojana (13 per cent), National Kisan Vikas Yojana (31 per cent) and Krishi Unnati Yojana (two per cent).

"The schemes related to MSP are completely canceled including the MIS-PSS scheme and PM-Asha scheme which are given to farmers for basic price and market intervention, besides this 18 per cent cut in the Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee Scheme which is related to agriculture and labour. Yes, the PM hails it as the first Amrit Kaal era welfare budget for rural farmers and the middle class," Shinde said.

Referring to the promotion of natural farming , mango cultivation on coasts, Rs 10,000-crore for cow husbandry, etc, Dr Navale said that these announcements ignored the basic issues like fair prices for agro-produce, debt relief, supplementary crop insurance schemes, compensation for losses suffered in calamities and other problems that trouble the farmers.

Tiwari referred to the problems of cotton and soya farmers who expected some relief but that was not given in the budget, leaving the country's food-givers high and dry once again.

Navale also touched upon the problems of sugar producers, milk farmers particularly with cooperative milk producers shutting down, and the need to make the edible oil industry self-sufficient given the high import bills of Rs 1.17 lakh crore, and the painful neglect of the irrigation and power supply to agriculture.

"Given the recent Oxfam report that the richest 1 per cent of Indians own 40 per cent of the country's wealth and half the population owns only 3 per cent, measures are needed to increase the purchasing power of the people, the workers, the middle-class, etc. Instead, the Budget will again help make the rich even richer," fumed Tiwari.
Chandigarh, Feb 1 : Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Wednesday said much against the expectations of the masses, the Union Budget disappointed all sections of society and actually proved to be a "classic jumla" of the BJP in the Centre.

"Since it was going to be the last Budget of the BJP government, not just in the current term but for a long time to come, we hoped that the Finance Minister will give some nice parting gift to the people of the country, but she has proved to be quite disappointing," Warring said while reacting to the Union Budget.

He asked the Union Finance Minister and the BJP government to spell out how it helps the common man. "What matters is how it helps in ameliorating the sufferings of the common man, which it has grossly failed to address," Warring remarked, while pointing out that the Budget has no proper provision which could spur some hope for employment and income generation, particularly in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic.

He criticised the Budget saying it has failed to address the concern of Punjab, particularly agriculture. The cursory glance on the Budget suggests that the "agriculture sector remains the least and the last" priority for this government, he said.

--IANS vg/vd

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Kochi, Feb 1 : Two engineering students, who drove on a two wheeler from Karnataka to Kochi and stole an expensive puppy from a pet shop here last week, have been nabbed by the Kerala Police from the neighbouring state's Udipi, an official said.

The incident occurred on Sunday when the two young students - Nikhil and Shreya - arrived a popular pet shop here. They came looking to buy a cat, and when they found that no one was attending to them while they were looking at the various pets, they picked a puppy, and put it inside a helmet and left the shop.

The pet shop owner later realised that they had been robbed of a 45 day old puppy worth Rs 25,000, when they checked the CCTV visuals, and subsequently informed the police.

Later after their act became news, it was found out that they did a similar act at another pet shop when they took packed food for pets.

However, while engaging in another shop lifting act, they were caught but managed to get away after they paying the money.

When this shop lifting became news in the TV news channels which clearly shows the two youths, the police also swung into action and they traced the shop lifters and also the puppy.

The police from Kochi will be bringing both Nikhil and Shreya here.
Jaipur, Feb 1 : FICCI Rajasthan has welcomed the Union Budget 2023-24 presented in the Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday, terming it as a progressive and growth-oriented Budget.

Randhir Vikram Singh, Chairman, FICCI Rajasthan State Council, and CMD, Mandawa Hotels, said, "There is something for everyone in this Budget. The impetus on tourism promotion and augmenting infrastructure in border villages under the Vibrant Villages Programme will have a positive impact on the sector. These would help build on the tremendous initiatives taken by the state government for the development of the tourism sector." "The effort to make India a global millets hub will also have a positive effect on Rajasthan which is a leading producer of millets. Similarly, setting up of an Agriculture Accelerator Fund will promote entrepreneurship in rural areas. Increase in infrastructure outlay by 33 per cent will have a multiplier effect on the economy. The increase in personal income tax rebate limit to Rs 7 lakh in the new tax regime and increase in exemption limit to Rs 3 lakh would provide relief to the taxpayers and stimulate demand," he added.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : The Supreme Court has sought Centre's reply on the possibility of entering into mutual agreements with the US in matters connected with child custody disputes due to an increase in the number of cases.

A bench of Justices S.K. Kaul and A.S. Oka said: "We also feel that even though India may not be a party to the Hague Convention, there may be possibility of entering into mutual agreements with the US as a number of such cases is increasing on account of Indian residents staying in the US. We issue notice to the Union of India, Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs for the said purpose returnable on February 6, 2023".

The apex court passed the order while holding a US resident guilty of civil contempt for failing to bring back his child to India on the order of the court in May last year.

The bench noted that the contempt petition filed by the woman, who married in 2007, is an outcome of an unfortunate matrimonial dispute and "as it happens in every such dispute, the child is the worst sufferer".

"The breaches committed by the respondent are wilful as can be seen from his conduct. As a result of the breaches committed by the respondent, the petitioner has been deprived of the custody of her son (who is 12 years old) though she is entitled to the custody in terms of the order dated May 11, 2022. Therefore, the violations made by the respondent are of a very serious nature." The top court noted in its order the man came to Ajmer in June last year and took his son with him but failed to bring him back to India.

According to the terms of settlement recorded in the custody order, the child would continue to live at Ajmer and complete his education up to Class 10 and later, he may go to his father in the US. The parties had agreed that until the child completes his education, he would visit Canada and the USA with his father every year for a month in June.

The bench said: "We, therefore, hold the respondent guilty of civil contempt. However, the respondent will be heard on the question of sentence on the next date." The CBI had submitted that a notice dated December 27, 2022 has been issued to the man, who was present in the court proceedings held on January 16 through virtual mode, asking him to appear before the agency on January 31. "Learned counsel submits that if the respondent does not appear, steps will be taken under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the USA which is in force since October 3, 2005. The respondent being quite aware of this issue now, is expected to appear on January 31, 2023 before the concerned authorities, failing which, necessary orders would enure from the authorities," said the bench, in its order, while fixing the matter for hearing on sentence on February 6.
Bhubaneswar, Feb 1 : The Orissa High Court's retired judge, Justice J.P. Das will monitor the Crime Branch investigation into Health Minister Naba Das's murder.

Following a request from the state government, the High Court on Wednesday appointed retired judge Das to monitor the investigation of the Crime Branch, sources said.

Meanwhile, the state government on Wednesday suspended the minister's personal security officer Mitrabhanu Deo from service for alleged dereliction of duty.

The action came after it transferring Jharsuguda SP Rahul Jain, Brajarajnagar sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Gupteswar Bhoi, Brajarajnagar police station IIC Pradyumna Kumar Swain, and Gandhi Chowk police outpost's in-charge Sashi Bhusan Podha.

The government has already dismissed accused ASI Gopal Das from services.

The crime branch which is inquiring into the incident has taken Gopal on four-day remand and started interrogating him. Besides, the CID is also interrogating the family members of ASI Das.

On the other hand, opposition BJP and Congress continue their demand for CBI probe and court monitored SIT probe, respectively.

Police ASI Gopal Das killed the minister by firing a bullet near Gandhi Chhak of Brajarajnagar in Jharsuguda district on January 29 when the minister was on his way to attend a public function.
Tunis/Tunisia  Newly appointed Minister of Education Mohamed Ali Boughdiri has pledged to maintain the stability of the education sector and lead the Ministry, in consultation with all stakeholders.

Boughdiri took office after he was sworn in by President Kais Saied at the Carthage Palace on Tuesday.

The Minister was quoted by a statement from the department as saying he plans to address issues through dialogue and will invite all relevant parties and social partners ahead of initiating the necessary reforms.

Boughdiri commended the efforts of the former minister of education and his staff to ensure the success of the educational process, despite the hardships faced by the sector.
Bengaluru, Feb 1 : Welcoming Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's announcement of a grant of Rs 5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra Project in Karnataka, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said it will irrigate over 1 lakh hectares of land in the drought-hit and dry stretches in the central region of the poll-bound state.

The Finance Minister in the Union Budget presented earlier on Wednesday declared the Upper Bhadra Scheme a national project.

Bommai said: "The Upper Bhadra Project has been one of the important irrigation projects of the state and it will irrigate over one lakh hectares of land in drought-hit and dry land in central Karnataka." "Besides, it is also a drinking water project that will benefit lakhs of villages. The state had forwarded a proposal to the Union government to declare this project as a national project and I am happy that a grant of Rs 5,300 crore has been announced. This is the first national project among the several irrigation projects of the state," Bommai said.

The Centre has also approved the detailed project report of the Kalasa Banduri Project of utilising water from the Mahadayi river.

The Kalasa Banduri Project is expected to end drinking water woes in the northern Karnataka region, but successive governments have kept the project on the backburner.

According to political analysts, with the announcement on the Upper Bhadra Project, the ruling BJP will manage to impress the voters in both north and central Karnataka.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had assured the implementation of the project during his recent visit to Belagavi.

The announcement assumes significance as elections are scheduled to be held in two months in Karnataka.

The regions are considered as the bastions of the BJP.
Guwahati, Feb 1 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma praised the Budget 2023-24 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Parliament on Wednesday.

"The record allocation of Rs 13 lakh crore in infrastructure will hugely boost the economy," he said.

According to Sarma, the budget will help create new job opportunities.

Sarma has thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for nearly doubling the allocation of funds under PM-DevINE to revitalise infrastructure growth in the northeast.

He said: "The Amrit Dharohar scheme will ensure optimal use of wetlands in our region. Glad that the budget focused on tribal & indigenous communities with schemes like PM-PVTG for last mile development." The Chief Minister further said the budget as a whole has been truly inspired by Narendra Modi's clarion call of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' and will have a net positive impact on all sections of society.

He tweeted: "Under PM @narendramodi ji's leadership, Bharat has witnessed transformational socio-economic and spiritual changes. Per Capita Income has more than doubled since 2014 and India is one of the fastest growing economies in 2023."
Chennai, Feb 1 : The Communist Party of India's (CPI) Tamil Nadu unit on Wednesday said that the Union Budget was aimed at the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and was discriminating against the state.

CPI state Secretary, R. Mutharasan, in a statement, said the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had not provided GST compensation that was due to Tamil Nadu.

Noting that the Union Budget had announced an assistance of Rs 5,300 crore to the Upper Badra project in Karnataka meant for sustainable micro irrigation, he said that while the GST compensation that was due for Tamil Nadu was not provided, sanctioning a project in Karnataka was pure discrimination for political reasons. The BJP is in power in neighbouring, poll-bound Karnataka.

Mutharasan also said that an announcement of Rs 9,000 crore for the micro, small and medium enterprises was very meagre as the MSME sector was the backbone of the country's economy and also on self-reliance.

He said that the budget had neglected the welfare of 93 per cent of workers in unorganised sectors like the construction workers and migrant workers.

The CPI leader also said that the budget had deceived the people and had shown a green flag to corporate sector that was close to the Union government.

Meanwhile, in a related development, opposition MPs from Tamil Nadu protested in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Parliament against the Union budget not providing funds for the AIIMS in Madurai.

MPs Manickam Tagore, Vijay Vasanth, Karti Chidambaram, A. Chellakumar, S. Gnanathiraviam, S. Venkitesan, and Kani K. Navas participated in the protest.

AMMK General Secretary and former MLA, T.T.V. Dhinakaran said that the budget did not look into the growing unemployment as also slow economic growth. He however said that the income tax ceiling exemption was a good measure.
New York, Feb 1 : A US court has ruled in favour of an elderly Sikh who had accused a Northern California sheriff's office of inadequately investigating racist threats against him in 2021.

Rouble Claire, 66, had sued the Sutter County Sheriff's Office as well as the Sutter County for inadequately probing hate-based threats against him, US-based advocacy group Sikh Coalition said.

"This settlement is a step forward for my own peace of mind, but more importantly, it will hopefully help to ensure that nothing like my experience ever happens to anyone in Sutter County again," Claire said.

On May 11, 2021, Claire was accosted by a woman at a store in South Butte Market, who started shouting profanities and slurs at him.

Threatening to "ram" him with her car, she then got into the vehicle and sped towards him before swerving away at the last minute.Later that day, another individual connected to the woman in the first incident wrote the word "SAND N*GGER" in chalk on the sidewalk outside Claire's house and on his driveway, and called him "n*gger" when he went outside, the court heard.

The Sutter County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) failed to properly investigate either incident that day, the Sikh Coalition said in a release.

It further said that the officers tampered with the evidence of the crimes by attempting to wash away the hateful slurs on Claire's driveway before taking photographs.

The SCSO then refused to reopen the investigation for many months, the advocacy group for Sikhs said.In May 2022, Claire filed a 41-page civil lawsuit against deputies of the Sutter County Sheriff's Office, Sutter County, and the women accused of racist threats.

"I think this is a very significant win not just for Mr Claire, but for the community. This is an acknowledgment that something was mishandled, that in fact something did go awry and Mr Claire did not receive the justice that he deserves," attorney Gina Szeto-Wong, co-counsel of the civil case, told abc10 channel.

The Sikh Coalition is urging the Sutter County District Attorney's Office to investigate the case and file criminal charges.
Srinagar, Feb 1 : Major Gen Girish Kalia took over the commander of the elite Vajr Division in the Kashmir Valley from Major Gen Abhijit S. Pendharkar, army said on on Wednesday.

Commissioned on December 14, 1991 in the Madras Regiment, Kalia, an alumnus of Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, has attended all important career courses at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, the Army War College, Mhow, and the National Defence College, New Delhi.

His higher qualification includes MSc andA M Phil in Defence and Strategic Studies.

"The General Officer has vast operational experience having served in intense counter-insurgency/counter-terrorist operations in North East and Jammu and Kashmir," army said.

For his distinguished service, he has been awarded GOC-in-C Northern Command Commendation Card in 2001, GOC-in-C Southern Command Commendation Card in 2009 and Vishisht Seva Medal in 2020 while commanding a brigade on the Line of Control.

"The General Officer brings with him a rich experience of various command, staff and instructional appointments including the command of an infantry battalion as part of an infantry brigade and Strike Corps on the Line of Control, and Defence Attache in Egypt. He was tenanting an important appointment at Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff prior to assuming the Command of the prestigious Vajr Division," army said.
Hanoi, Feb 1 : The locally-made vaccine against African swine fever (ASF) is expected to be distributed nationwide this month in Vietnam, local media reported on Wednesday.

In early January, the first four batches of the vaccine produced in 2022 were tested and met the quality requirements, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported, citing the vaccine producer company AVAC Vietnam.

The pilot injection of 600,544 pigs was conducted at 545 farms, and 5,958 samples were taken for testing. The results showed that 93.34 per cent of the samples met the technical requirements, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the VNA report.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien requested the vaccine producer to continue evaluating the immunity level of the vaccine after injection, and give strict guidelines and recommendations for livestock farmers.

He asked relevant units to have detailed technical reports on the administering process of 600,000 doses of the vaccine, so that the ministry can make accurate assessments before it is to be used on a large scale, VNA reported.

ASF is an infectious swine disease that first appeared in Africa in 1921 with a mortality rate of up to 100 percent.

In 2022, the country reported nearly 1,200 ASF outbreaks in 52 cities and provinces, leading to the culling of nearly 55,000 pigs.
Colombo, Feb 1 : Commenting on Sri Lanka's debt restructuring process, visiting US Under-Secretary for Political Affairs, Victoria Nuland, complained on Wednesday that while India has made strong commitments for the cash-strapped island nation to unlock the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) $2.9 bailout package, what China has offered so far is not enough.

The US Under-Secretary made this remark while on an official visit to Sri Lanka to mark the 75th anniversary of US-Sri Lanka relations.

"India has made strong commitments that it will provide credible assurances that the IMF is looking for. What China has offered so far is not enough. We need to see credible and specific assurances that they will meet the IMF standards of debt relief," Nuland said, while responding to a question raised by journalists that India has given an assurance to the IMF on Sri Lanka's debt restructuring but China has failed to do so.

"We all as major creditors of Sri Lanka had been working with the IMF. As the largest bilateral creditor of Sri Lanka, we are sad that China will provide credible and specific assurance regarding its readiness to join the rest of us in meeting IMF standards regarding debt restructuring. So we are increasingly seeing that all the rest of the Sri Lanka's creditors coming forward with their assurances. Now all eyes are on China to do the same," Nuland stressed.

"We want to see the IMF agreement as quickly as possible. That's what Sri Lanka deserves, that's what Sri Lanka needs with the United States prepared to do its part while our Paris Club partners are also prepared to do their part," Nuland stated.

Facing a crucial economic crisis, Sri Lanka is awaiting the IMF's four-year bail out of $2.9 billion but it requires assurances from the major creditors, including China, Japan and India.

On January 20, India had formally informed the IMF of its assurance for Sri Lanka to get the bailout package. However, China's Export-Import Bank has offered only a two-year moratorium on its debt. Yet China's assurance is not sufficient for the IMF to release the much-needed bailout package for Sri Lanka.
Jaipur, Feb 1 : Rashtriya Loktantrik Party chief Hanuman Beniwal on Wednesday termed the Union Budget 2023-24 an illusion of figures and said that Rajasthan has been left disappointed.

Beniwal, who is also the Nagaur MP, said that the expectations related to the state of Rajasthan have been ignored by the Centre. He said that the government is talking about promotion of millets, which is a good thing, but bajra, which is one of the highest quality grains among millet, is not even being procured at MSP! He said that nothing was mentioned in the budget about farmer loan waiver, making law on MSP and making a permanent road map for employment.

Beniwal also said that Karnataka was given a special package for drought while no announcement was made for eastern Rajasthan, and no announcement was made in the budget on other issues including declaring the canal project as a national project.

Demanding a caste census, Beniwal also said that the rebate on income tax which has been increased from Rs 5 to Rs 7 lakh, under the new tax regime, should be increased to Rs 10 lakh.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : Nakul Anand, Chairman of FAITH, the apex body of tourism and hospitality industry associations, said the Union Budget could have announced more direct support measures for the two sectors.

The Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality of industry (FAITH) has for a long time been demanding infrastructure status for tourism and hospitality and that the two sectors be treated on a par with merchandise exports.

It has also been calling for enhanced support from the government for global marketing, a "positive guidance on GST issues for tourism" and enhanced tax / financial support mechanisms to tourism MSMEs, which constitute more than 95 per cent of the sector.

FAITH appreciated Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's support for tourism being a transformative engine for job creation to be developed on a mission mode powered by a public-private partnership along with states and the Budget's focus on 50 tourism destinations and infrastructure.

The Federation noted that the Budget was coming on the back of a recovery from the pandemic, so it was an opportunity to strengthen the tourism, travel and hospitality industry and enable India to reclaim its global inbound tourism share, besides adding value to domestic tourism and boosting employment.

Similar mixed feelings were also expressed by Rajiv Mehra, President, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO). He appreciated the proposal to develop 50 additional airports / heliports and the allocation Rs 79,000 crore for 100 last-mile railway projects, besides the boost to be given to the Dekho Aapna Desh and Swadesh Darshan Scheme; the development of tourism Infrastructure in villages, especially in border areas; and the assured focus on One District One Product.

But he also pointed out that "some of our members who do outbound tourism will have to close their business", now that the Tax Collection at Source (TCS) is proposed to be raised from 5 per cent to 20 per cent. "This," he said, "needs to be rolled back immediately." He also emphasised that none of IATO's long-standing demands, such as rationalisation of GST, exemption of GST on foreign exchange earnings and refund for international tourists of the tax charged on shopping under the Tax Refund to Tourist (TRT) Scheme, have been addressed. For the last demand, Mehra pointed out, there's already a provision in the GST Act.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : Farmers' body Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Wednesday expressed shock and bewilderment at the Union Budget 2023.

"While it is universally known that farming and farmers have been economically neglected by the BJP-led Union Government, the SKM had expected that after the sustained and determined protest of the farmers at Delhi, the party in power would appreciate the importance of the farm sector and the need to secure income and future of the rural farming community, who form the bulk of India's population. Instead, the Union Budget 2023 is the most anti-farmer budget," it said in a statement It said that the allocation on agriculture and allied sectors has been reduced from 3.84 per cent (BE 2022) to 3.20 per cent (BE 2023) of the total budget and the allocation on rural development has also been reduced from 5.81 per cent (RE 2022) to 5.29 per cent (BE 2023) of the total budget.

"With such massive reductions, the intent of the government is clear: to squeeze out the lifeblood from farming sector and thereby the farmers of India. Union Budget 2023 also hides more than it reveals but the truth is glaring and cannot be camouflaged. Union Budget 2023 is silent on doubling farmers Income. There were no figures given in the Budget," it added.

SKM said that Union Budget 2023 is silent on the status of minimum support price (MSP) on crops as per recommendation of M.S. Swaminathan Commission and what shall be done to ensure that farmers get legal guarantee of MSP.

"While the government has irrationally resisted the demands of farmers for MSP and its guarantee, this Budget has removed even the fig-leaf with which the govt was trying to cover its meagre efforts to ensure that farmers get MSP. Flagship schemes like PM-Asha have seen a steady decline in allocation," it said.

The farmers' body claimed that the Price Support Scheme (PSS) and MIS (Market Intervention Scheme) was reduced from Rs 3,000 crore to Rs 1,500 crore in 2022 and this year it is an unimaginable Rs 10 lakh. "In effect, the govt has buried ASHA, PSS and MIS and with that the fate of farmers getting MSP has been buried." About PM Fasal Bima Yojna, the SKM said that in 2022, the allocation was Rs 15,500 crore but this year it has been reduced to Rs.13,625 crore.

"The government is drastically hacking the allocation for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) that provides critical income support to rural workers. In 2022, the budget allocation was Rs 73,000 crore but in the face of rural joblessness and restless demand, the government was forced to spend Rs 90,000 crore. Since the general economy and especially the rural economy is still in deep crisis, it is unbelievable that the government has hacked down the allocation of MNREGS to Rs 60,000 crore, a dramatic cut of Rs 30,000 crore," it said.

SKM claimed that the Government is grandly announcing new funds like Agriculture Accelerator Fund even as earlier announcements have been forgotten and lost. "It may be recalled that the government had announced with much fanfare the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund of Rs 1 lakh crore; after 3 years it was found that only 10 per cent of this fund had been actually disbursed," it claimed.

"SKM demands that the government stops fooling farmers and seriously focuses on resolving the critical issues of farmers like legal guarantee of MSP, crop insurance, reduction of input costs and steady availability of inputs," it added.
Community identified land to build a school four years ago in Tshikhudini

"I wake up around 4am, preparing my two grandchildren in grade R for school," says Florah Mashathini from Tshikhudini village in Limpopo. "If I do not wake up that time, the children will not make it for the buses to school."

Mashathini, aged 60, then walks with her grandchildren to the bus stop, a kilometre away.

There are about 400 primary school learners using scholar transport to get to the nearest school in Folovhodwe, ten kilometres away. The 65-seater buses are full when they leave the village at around 6am. There is standing room only for some. Six buses transport primary school learners and another five buses take secondary school learners.

Tshikhudini, 70km south-east of Musina, needs its own primary school. But the Vhembe East district education office has been silent since it asked for recommendations for a site for the school in 2019, after parents requested a primary school.

The Musina municipality and the Manenzhe tribal council confirmed the need for the school in letters to the district in June 2019.

"We have been following up with the Vhembe East district office but it keeps giving us empty promises," said traditional leader Vha Musanda Vho Tshikhudo Piet Munyai.

Mike Maringa, Limpopo Department of Basic Education spokesperson, said parents must follow up with the district office and escalate the matter to the province in writing.

Stephanus Tshinyelo, a community leader, says the village was established around 2003 and now has more than 1,000 households. There are also two more recently established villages nearby - Tshipale and Munungufhala.

"The number of learners from this area will increase and this warrants a school in the area. There is a five-hectare piece of land that we have identified for building a primary school," said Tshinyelo.
Bengaluru, Feb 1 : United States-based filmmaker Ajay Sarpeshkar's sci-fi thriller "Mandala: The UFO Incident", which has generated curiosity among the audience is all set for a pan-India release.

The film follows an Indian American on a quirky adventure as his rocket scientist girlfriend gets abducted by a UFO. With all fingers pointed at him and without evidence, all he has is the support of an eccentric retired investigative journalist.

With a background in engineering and technology, Ajay Sarpeshkar will debut as a director with Mandala, the first film of a planned multi-film series.

The film stars veteran Indian actors Anant Nag and Prakash Belawadi as well as rising stars Sharmiela Mandre, Samyukta Hornad and Kiran Srinivas.

After last year's Hindi mythological superhero blockbuster Brahamastra, Mandala is another ambitious film riding the local superhero wave within the Indian cinema industry.

The film's extensive special effects have been post-produced in world-class facilities in Singapore, France and the USA.

Ajay said "With this film, I wanted to kick-off the under-explored sci-fi genre in the Indian film industry. I'm grateful to have great actors come together to create this start to the franchise.

"I hope this and subsequent films will inspire the younger minds to space exploration, science and technology, while also making them curious about their heritage and culture." He adds, "I'm excited to have Platoon-One recognize the potential of this film and come onboard to release it world-wide. Shiladitya Bora and his team have a keen eye for indie gems and I'm glad to have them as partners in this exploration." Platoon Distribution, the distribution wing of boutique film studio Platoon One Films, has ventured into Kannada film distribution with this movie.

Mandala will be releasing in cinemas in India and the US on March 10.
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 1 : Kerala's ruling CPI-M-led LDF and the opposition Congress-led UDF on Wednesday slammed the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, but the state BJP hailed it as a revolutionary one which will spur growth in the country.

State Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal, who will be presenting his third budget on Friday, said there is nothing in it for Kerala.

"It's a disappointing day for Kerala as there is practically nothing and what's most surprising is in the various Central schemes, we have practically got nothing and the allocation from the divisive pool of the Centre also is appallingly poor. Overall things are disappointing," he said, adding that nothing beyond the usual rhetoric, there is nothing at all.

Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan said apart from the regular juggling of figures there is nothing in it.

"The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme has been strangulated and there is nothing in for those who have lost everything during the pandemic. There is nothing in it for the small scale industries, farmers, or the self-employed. Nothing is there also for the unemployed. It's a depressing one," the Congress leader said.

On the other hand, state BJP President K.Surendran said the budget has touched every sector and will spur growth in the country.

"Pedal will be put on the development engine and it will spur growth as a staggering Rs 10 lakh crores has been earmarked for infrastructure development which in turn will create huge employment opportunities," he said.

Leading bankers in Kerala hailed the 'pro-growth' budget saying the key proposals in the budget will prop up the overall economic growth significantly.

They feel that the infrastructure-led push in capital expenditure in the budget along with increasing the income tax exemption to Rs 7 lakh per annum under the new tax regime will spur demand and employment simultaneously.

Federal Bank Ltd Group President and Chief Financial Officer Venkatraman Venkateswaran said the budget is an infrastructure spending oriented budget with 7 priorities set by the FM.

"The budget unveiled tax cuts and set the virtuous cycle of job creation. Out of the overall growth agenda, specifically looking at banking sector, there are two major proposals. First, on agricultural credit, the target is hiked to Rs 20 lakh crore, which will help drive rural growth. Additionally, the revamped credit guarantee scheme for MSMEs, with infusion of Rs 9,000 crore into the corpus, will enable additional collateral free credit guarantee of Rs 2 lakh crore," he said.

South Indian Bank Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Murali Ramakrishnan said opening of new PM Jan Dhan accounts this year will benefit common man in a big way.

"Effective implementation of schemes like opening of 47.8 crore PM Jan Dhan bank accounts will benefit common citizens. With the establishment of the Urban Infrastructure Development Fund (UIDF), we expect infrastructure in tier 2 and tier 3 cities receiving a significant boost," he said.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the Union Budget 2023-24 in Parliament on Wednesday announced a major push for the healthcare sector. She announced the establishment of 157 new nursing colleges in co-location with the existing 157 medical colleges, established since 2014, in her budget address.

Sitharaman also announced the launch of a Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission which will entail awareness creation and universal screening of 7 crore people in the age group of 0-40 years in the affected tribal areas.

However, the healthcare industry has given a mixed response to the budget. "While the budget on the whole is positive, I wish healthcare was given a greater push. Promoting health insurance strongly, greater SOPs to private health care would have helped," said Dr Nandakumar Jairam, Independent Healthcare Consultant & Former Chairman, NABH.

"The impact of the budget on the healthcare industry, particularly the healthcare delivery side, doesn't appear to be substantial. Whilst some impact-producing features like sickle cell anaemia, attaching nursing colleges to medical colleges, and a focus on AI are very welcome, the opportunity for transformation seems to have been missed", said Dr Narottam Puri, Advisor, FICCI Health Services & Advisor.

Terming the budget good, Dr Ajay Swaroop, Chairman, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital said, "We are very pleased that this year allocation of funds for health care has been increased. Starting of 157 nursing colleges will help in shortening gap in students for nursing care". He added that some incentive should have also been given to charitable hospitals, some focus on funding and incentive for doing telemedicine and research.

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a common blood disorder with over 20 million patients living with SCD in India posing a considerable health burden, said Dr Archna Dhawan Bajaj, Delhi based fertility expert, adding that the mission to eliminate sickle cell anaemia by 2047 with entailing awareness creation and universal screening of 7 crore people is a most welcome step. There is a lack of awareness towards SCD resulting in high disease burden in various parts of our country. Spreading awareness about this disabling disease is the need of the hour for the country, Dr Bajaj said.

The budget has various encouraging initiatives that will help in the growth of the economy. The government has taken well-defined initiatives towards the health and wellness sector which is the need of the hour. We laud the proposal for a multidisciplinary course for medical devices for skilled manpower as it will ensure the availability of skilled manpower for futuristic medical technologies and high-end manufacturing and research, said Deepshikha Sharma, CEO, Sharp Sight.

Meanwhile, lauding the government for announcing establishing 157 new nursing colleges, Probal Ghosal, Executive Chairman of Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals, said that it will fill the dearth of skilled healthcare workers especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. The government has also proposed a multidisciplinary course for medical devices for skilled manpower. However, he added, some areas like GST rationalization in healthcare, gap funding on infrastructure in building hospitals in Tier 2 cities, should also have been addressed in the budget.

"We appreciate the tone of the budget that focuses on training of teachers and nurses. We hope that the government prioritises mental health and at least 20 percent of the health budget should go towards mental health. We urge that those diagnosed with mental illnesses may be given a lifetime corpus for treatment to allow them to function in society and get treatment", Priya Vandrevala of Vandrevala Foundation that caters to mental health.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : The Union Budget 2023-24, which was presented in the Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday, allocated Rs 5.94 lakh crore for the defence sector, marking a hike of 13 per cent over previous year's layout of Rs 5.25 lakh crore.

The Union Budget 2023-24 envisaged a total outlay of Rs 45,03,097 crore. Of this, the Ministry of Defence has been allocated a total budget of Rs 5,93,537.64 crore, which is 13.18 per cent of the total Budget.

This includes an amount of Rs 1,38,205 crore for defence pensions. The total defence budget represents an enhancement of Rs 68,371.49 crore (13 per cent) over the Budget of 2022-23.

The capital budget for BRO was enhanced by 43 per cent to Rs 5,000 crore; at Rs 23,264 crore, allocation to DRDO increased by 9 per cent, while iDEX got Rs 116 crore, an enhancement of 93 per cent over 2022-23, to further foster innovation.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh termed the Union Budget as growth-oriented, saying it will help achieve the government's goal of making India a $5 trillion economy within a few years.

"The armed forces have to be battle-ready to meet any eventuality. Towards that end, non-salary revenue outlay has been enhanced significantly from Rs 62,431 crore in Budget Estimates (BE) 2022-23 to Rs 90,000 crore in BE 2023-24, representing a 44 per cent jump. This expenditure is expected to close critical gaps in the combat capabilities and equip the forces in terms of ammunition, sustenance of weapons & assets, military reserves etc. This Budget has also sustained the thrust on modernisation and infrastructure development of the defence services, by continuing an upward trend in capital outlay," the Budget document read.
Guwahati, Feb 1 : The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry's (FICCI) northeast chapter on Wednesday suggested a Gujarat's GIFT City-like industrial zone in the region to attract business and investment from the neighbouring countries.

FICCI Northeast Advisory Council Chairman Ranjit Barthakur suggested that the government can consider establishing a similar model of GIFT City in the northeast with the goal of attracting business and investment from Southeast Asian countries, including the ASEAN region.

"This would give a major boost to India's Act East Policy," he said.

He also applauded the government's decision to extend Rs 20 lakh crore in agriculture credit, target sectors like animal husbandry, dairy, and fisheries, and launch initiatives like the Horticulture Clean Plant Programme to increase the production of high-value crops. "This will provide a much-needed boost to the livelihoods of farmers in the region and help ensure food security for the country," Barthakur told the media.

Praising the allocation for the Amrit Dharohar scheme, he said: "Preserving our biodiversity is extremely important and wetlands are a major component of our biodiversity particularly in the northeast. These efforts will help in achieving the net zero target and also facilitate more green job creations in the long run." The FICCI Northeast Advisory Council has lauded the Union Budget 2023-24 as a forward-thinking budget that prioritises inclusive growth. "The Budget takes a comprehensive approach to development, and the proposed investments in key areas like infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, education, manufacturing, and digitalisation are a positive step forward," said Barthakur.

The budget's focus on improving infrastructure, including roads, railways, ports, airports, and urban transport, is expected to drive job creation and enhance connectivity in the northeast region.

According to Barthakur, the 33.4 per cent increase in the capital investment outlay is particularly noteworthy.

"This will be a major boost to the economy nationwide, but particularly in the northeast where we see a significant emphasis on infrastructure. We are confident that these investments will lead to a significant improvement in the quality of life for the people in the region." Welcoming the green initiatives outlined in the budget, Barthakur said that the government's commitment to sustainable growth and reducing carbon emissions is commendable.

The increased allocation for the National Clean Energy Fund and tax incentives for electric vehicles are important steps in supporting the growth of renewable energy and promoting clean technologies," he said.

"Improved access to healthcare services will have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of the people in the northeast region, and this is a key priority for the FICCI Northeast Advisory Council," said Barthakur.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : From setting up an Agri-tech startup fund to hiking agricultural credit, Union Budget 2023 brought multiple announcements for welfare of the farm sector.

The Union Budget has allocated Rs 1,15,531.79 crore to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare for all Centrally sponsored schemes as against Rs 1,10,254 crore in the previous budget.

The budget this year talked about setting up an Agriculture Accelerator Fund that will aim at bringing innovative and affordable solutions for challenges faced by farmers. "It will also bring in modern technologies to transform agricultural practices, increase productivity and profitability," Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday.

The minister in her budget speech announced that the agriculture credit target will be increased to Rs 20 lakh crore with focus on animal husbandry, dairy, and fisheries.

The budget proposed setting up of 10,000 'Bhartiya Prakritik Kheti Bio-Input Resource Centres' over the next three years for natural farming. "Over the next three years, we will facilitate 1 crore farmers to adopt natural farming. For this, 10,000 Bio-Input Resource Centres will be set-up, creating a national-level distributed micro-fertiliser and pesticide manufacturing network," Sitharam said in her speech.

The budget also proposed a new scheme to provide incentives for the adoption of alternative and natural fertilisers, and setting up of 500 bio-gas plants across the country.

Anil Kumar SG, Founder & CEO, Samunnati said, "Agri credit target of Rs 20 lakhs crore, Agriculture Accelerator Fund to agri-startups and entrepreneurs to bring the much needed support to the start-up ecosystem, and creating decentralised storage infrastructure are significant steps that will certainly have multiplier effect on the agri sector." However, many farmer leaders suggested that the budget has been a bit disappointing for farmers. AIKS National Joint Secretary Ajit Navale said that contrary to the promises of the government to double farmer incomes by 2022, there has been a steady decline in the peasants' earning.

Lok Sangharsh Morcha (LSM) President Pratibha Shinde said that after destroying the country's economy and handing it over to the big industrialists, the BJP government is now targetting the agriculture sector by compelling the distressed farmers to hand it over to the huge companies entering this sector.

Reacting to the budget, Agriculture economist Devinder Sharma tweeted, "A lot of people were expecting the focus of the Budget 2023 to be on agriculture. But they must be disappointed."
Patna, Feb 1 : A Class 12 student fell unconscious in the examination hall on Wednesday after finding himself the lone male among 500 girl students in Bihar's Nalanda district, his family said.

The student was identified as Manish Shankar Prasad, 17, who went to the Brilliant Convent School Sundargarh to give the mathematics examination.

His relatives claimed that he was the only male student at the centre. When he saw a large number of female students, he became nervous and collapsed on the floor. The school administration came to his aid and admitted him in the Sadar hospital for treatment. He regained consciousness after a few hours, his father Sacchidanand Prasad, said.

Another relative blamed the Bihar Intermediate Council for allotting him the examination centre dedicated for female students.

"There were more than 500 girls students in the examination center. The school administration has given the seat to my nephew in the main hall of the school surrounded by a large number of girls. Manish failed to handle the situation after saw a large number of girls and fell unconscious," his aunt said.

The intermediate (class 12 board) examination started in Bihar on Wednesday and cheating has been reported in several districts including in Nalanda, neighbouring Nawada, Munger, Banka, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Araria and other districts. Videos in this regard went viral at several examination centers.
Amaravati, Feb 1 : Actor-politician Pawan Kalyan on Wednesday made a scathing attack on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, terming him the richest Chief Minister in the country facing graft charges.

The Jana Sena Party (JSP) leader ridiculed the Chief Minister's recent remark that there is a class war going on in the state between the poor and the capitalists.

In a series of tweets laced with sarcasm, Pawan hit out at Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Pawan remarked that it is an irony that the richest CM in India with graft charges, who encourages bauxite mining in Araku, talks about 'Class War' like Comrades Charu Mazumdhar, omrade Tarimela NagiReddy, and Pucchalipalli Sundarayya.

"Oxymoron (Noun) - Meaning - A Combination of Contradictory words. Ex - Andhra Pradesh is a State with Poor People run by the Richest CM of the Country Trivia - Our CM's wealth is more than those of all the other CMs combined; AP CM, A "CLASS" apart!" was how Pawan Kalyan began his series of tweets.

"In Andhra Pradesh there are no Classes, All People have been made as Slaves to the Fiefdom of YCP. From Land to Sand, From Liquor to Mines, from Forests to Hills, From Paper to Red Sandalwood every penny generated from AP is in the hands of the Richest CM, Truly CLASSic!," he wrote.

"YCP made the Poor in AP to remain content with mediocrity; their lives, dignity, hardwork are sold out for few hundreds of doles Middle Class is the most neglected in AP; YCP treats them as TAX Paying Mute Servants The Investors exit AP This is YCP's "Master - CLASS"!," went on the actor politician.

"Who needs Davos when YCP can bring the galaxy of investments to Andhra; Our IT and Industries Minister has already inaugurated Noodles Centre and Chai Points, now only waiting for the IT Companies to be set up. Another CLASS Act!," the JSP leader taunted minister Gudivada Amarnath.

The minister hit back at Pawan, making some personal attacks on him to cite some examples of oxymoron.

"Hope you or someone around you with an elementary knowledge of economics will be able to explain: 1) How was Andhra Pradesh able to grow its GSDP at 11.43% in FY22 - faster than any other state in the country? 2) How did Andhra Pradesh jump nine positions in per capita income levels, from 18th all India in 2019 to 9th in 2021? 3) How did our state top the Ease Of Doing Business rankings for 3 years in a row?," tweeted the minister.

"These are statistics that central government datasets cite, and a reality that all of Andhra Pradesh's people toiled to realise. Are you discrediting the truth and their hard work with your baseless allegations and questions?" he added.
Hyderabad, Feb 1 : Janata Congress party President Amit Jogi on Wednesday called on Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao here.

The son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, along with his party leaders, held a meeting with KCR.

According to the Chief Minister's Office, Jogi discussed with CM KCR Telangana's development, political developments taking place in the country, and national affairs.

He was curious to know about the aims and objectives of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), and KCR explained these to him.

Jogi, who felt the need for alternative political forces in national politics, welcomed the formation of the BRS national party. He congratulated KCR for setting the Telangana governance as a role model for the country in a short time and working hard to make Telangana at the forefront of the country in the fields of welfare and development.

He also presented the autobiography of his father to KCR.

Janata Congress Party has three MLAs in the Chhattisgarh Assembly.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) on Wednesday said the Union Budget 2023-24 is a roadmap of nation building with continued focus on massive public expenditure on infrastructure, sustainable economic growth, encouraging consumption demand while staying on course of strict fiscal prudence.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman earlier on Wednesday presented the Budget in the Parliament.

According to Sumant Sinha, the president of ASSOCHAM, 30 per cent jump in the capital expenditure to Rs 10 lakh crore clearly demonstrates the government resolve to help India remain the fastest growing economy in the world, despite global headwinds "The Centre is also incentivising the states to increase their capital spend as well on public infrastructure, taking the effective Centre's capital investment to Rs 13.7 lakh crore or 4.5 per cent of the GDP," he said.

Deepak Sood, the Secretary General of ASSOCHAM described the Budget for 2023-24 a growth-oriented as it navigates the global storm with a bold, focussed and people-centric approach incentivising the middle class to spend more through income tax relief, private sector to crowd in investment along with the government's large spend and ease of doing business.

"The Budget delivers a perfect 10 upon 10 when it comes to maintaining prudence, keeping the path of fiscal prudence with a fiscal deficit of 5.9 per cent of the GDP in a trying global economic environment," said Sood.

He said the Budget continues with a thrust on 'Make in India' encouraging value addition through customs rationalisation while remaining committed to further improving Ease of Doing Business.

The chamber which has been seeking relief to the MSMEs expressed gratitude to the government for giving several incentives to the small businesses and the start-ups.

"The extension of the credit guarantee scheme for the MSMEs without collaterals, with a Budget provision of Rs 9,000 crore would give additional strength to the MSMEs to be at par with the large corporates. It would enable collateral-free guaranteed credit of Rs 2 lakh crore with a reduced cost of credit of one per cent. This is a big relief to the MSMEs," said the ASSOCHAM.

"The boost to the housing sector through PM Awas Yojna would have a positive spin off while the farm sector has committed public investment to the Agriculture Accelerator Fund and specific programmes for the animal husbandry, and fisheries," it said.

"This budget reinforces the growth vision set by the government last year and will help the country continue its journey on the growth path," the ASSOCHAM added.
opinion

Court records are not being filed promptly online, and key documents go missing

The records on the Constitutional Court website are a crucial resource for lawyers, academics, journalists and the public. But in recent years record-keeping has been neglected and key documents are sometimes missing.

Reliable, up-to-date information on the Constitutional Court's website is all-important to ensuring transparency, participation, and accountability in the Court's work.

When first established, the Court appeared to be leading the way in effective online record-keeping. Justice Dikgang Moseneke was so in awe of the Court's website when he first joined the Court, he described it as a "marvel". But the zeal for innovation has seemed to wane. Worse, there are signs of neglect.

Until recently, pleadings in a case would be uploaded to the Court's website soon after being filed. Interested observers could read the documents well before the hearing date. This made it possible to identify hot-button issues in the forthcoming term and to analyse submissions ahead of hearings. Such access is of obvious interest and benefit to litigators, academics, journalists and court commentators. Records of this type are also useful to members of the public who have an interest in attending hearings and following the work of the country's highest court.

There has, however, been an unexplained retreat from the Court's established practice. Submissions in forthcoming cases are now made available only a few days before the matter is heard (if then). This makes it difficult to preview the issues that the Court is set to determine. As I write, the Court's first term for 2023 is due to begin in just a few days. Yet submissions in the first case to be heard were only uploaded on Monday. There is no information available on any other matters on the court roll.

To be fair, the Court does issue a summary of a case the day before it is due to be heard. These are also posted on the Court's Twitter account. This is welcome, but these case-by-case alerts do not afford court watchers an opportunity to engage with the issues that the Court has listed in its upcoming term.

Making matters worse, the Court's 'case flow' records have been stagnant since June 2022. This means that the status of new applications filed before the Court has not been publicly updated in seven months. The most recent report on the status of reserved judgments across the judiciary is over a year old. As a colleague and I have observed in a recent study, the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the Court's case flow records leaves much to be desired. Yet these records are the public's only glimpse into the bulk of the Court's work (as most applications are decided in chambers, with a relatively small proportion set down for hearing). When these records are not provided, or left woefully outdated, the public's access to the Court's decisions is inadequate.

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Documents go missing

In addition to records not being updated timeously, there are gaps in the online case filings. Whereas obvious omissions used to be rare, it is no longer surprising if the record of a case is incomplete. This is alarming, as the Court's website serves as a digital archive of all the cases heard by the Court. If the original filings are destroyed, or go missing, the case documents may be lost altogether.

Worryingly, the delays and gaps in its online records mirror what appears to be a general decline in the Court's case management systems. In recent years, there have been several disquieting reports of applications and submissions filed before Court going missing. Last year, for example, justices were left scrambling in at least two cases where they had not been supplied with all relevant submissions. In one case, the Court had to "rescind" its judgment shortly after delivery. In another, the matter was delayed and ultimately postponed. Embarrassing and costly, such incidents threaten to undermine public confidence in the country's highest court.

It is encouraging that the Court's new leadership (Chief Justice Raymond Zondo and Deputy Chief Justice Mandisa Maya) have recognised the need to improve aspects of its functioning. Ensuring that the Court's online records are accurate and regularly updated is a modest, but important, intervention that will advance the constitutionally-mandated values of responsiveness, openness and accountability. These are, after all, values that the Court has a duty to uphold.

Nurina Ally is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Public Law at the University of Cape Town. She writes in her personal capacity. Views expressed are not necessarily those of GroundUp.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : BJP MP Manoj Tiwari has accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of propagating "false information" on allocation for the national capital in the Union Budget.

Tiwari dubbed the AAP government a 'lying machine', and said that Kejriwal's tweet that the Central government has given only Rs 358 crore in the budget is "false and misleading".

"The truth is that there is a direct provision of Rs 1,168 crores for Delhi in the Union Budget presented today, while Rs 2,285 crores have also been given to the Delhi Metro. Since 2015, the Central government has given Rs 22,800 crores for the development of Delhi and Rs 26,000 crores for the metro," the former state BJP chief said.

He further said that the Kejriwal government "actually needs money from the Centre for the advertisement of AAP, and not for development schemes".
New Delhi, Feb 1 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought reply from Centre on a 2010 'Gajah Report' recommendation on conferring statutory status to a proposed body National Elephant Conservation Authority (NECA) for the preservation of elephant corridors.

A bench headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said, "In the recommendations submitted in Gajah report, there was a recommendation to the effect that 'Project Elephant' be converted into a statutory agency." The top court was hearing a plea by activist Prerna Singh Bindra.

According to the government, the elephant population has reached 29,964 (as per the census 2017) in India, the elephant habitats are being consolidated across India, and the Elephant Reserves area has been increased.

The government emphasised that it is deeply committed to protect the safety of the elephants and continued to take various steps to prevent their death including electrocution. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati represented the central government in the apex court.

The bench, also comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and J.B. Pardiwala, added that the task force has proposed that the new body may be termed as the 'National Elephant Conservation Authority' (NECA). It further suggested that amendments can be introduced to effectuate the conferment of a statutory status on the authority.

"Since the proposal would envisage requisite legislative amendments, this is something of which would be appropriate for the Ministry of Environment and Forest and Climate Change to respond," it said.

During the hearing in the matter, the bench also sought a status report on setting up of the central project elephant monitoring committee for the purpose of monitoring and implementation of relevant directions and guidelines in connection with the protection of elephants.

In a written response, the Central government said: "Continuous efforts have been made to minimise the human elephant conflict and also to ensure the welfare of captive elephants in India." After hearing arguments, the apex court directed the Ministry and the Central Electricity Authority to facilitate an inspection of the protected areas to avoid electrocution of elephants.

The bench gave Centre four weeks' time to file a response in a PIL filed by activist Bindra.

The petitioner had contended that the electrocution is one of the major reasons for deaths of elephants and sought a direction for insulation of high voltage power transmission lines passing through protected areas, elephant reserves, identified elephant corridors and known areas of elephant movement.
Guwahati, Feb 1 : Assam Congress Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi termed the budget presented by the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as a good budget.

Speaking to reporters here, he said: "BJP has prepared this budget with an eye on the Lok Sabha election. But I should say this is a good budget as the Central government tried to provide some relief to the middle-class by slashing the income tax slabs. People were overburdened with the high taxes and the Centre has tried to address that issue in this budget." The Congress MP also praised the union budget for giving emphasis on combating climate change and termed it to be a futuristic step.

"The Union budget has some good provisions to deal with the environment issue by aiming to achieve zero carbon emission. That is why I called this budget futuristic. This is a good initiative which may benefit not only India but also the whole world," he said.

However, Bordoloi criticised the Central government for having a higher fiscal deficit in the budget.

He said: "A fiscal deficit of 5.9 per cent is quite high and although the government claimed that it would try to bring it down, they have not shown any proper direction into it." The Congress leader also claimed that the union budget has ignored the development of the northeastern region.

"The unemployment has been on the rise in this region, but the union budget has nothing for the youths here," he said.
Bengaluru, Feb 1 : The Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) President B.V. Gopala Reddy on Wednesday dubbed Union Budget 2023-24 as an overall developmental and infrastructure oriented Budget.

FKCCI welcomes several initiatives expressed by the Finance Minister in the areas of millets, health sector, tourism industry, ease of doing business, and the income tax slabs, he said.

He mentioned about the credit guarantee scheme for the MSME support earlier also the scheme was there but there was a delay in reaching the beneficiary.

This time, an additional corpus of Rs 9,000 crore has been announced for MSME credit guarantee, but we have to wait and see how fast it will reach the beneficiary.

The government has given support to millet-based products which exclusively benefits Karnataka with the Central assistance of Rs 5,300 crore to Upper Bhadra Project.

In addition to that, ancillary industries in millet-based products should be supported, he said.

The support given to the Tourism Industry is commendable like 50 tourism destinations being selected through challenge mode, setting up of unity mall in the state capital or tourist destination, setting up of tourism centres in border villages FKCCI welcomes this move, he said.

The FKCCI president suggested an exclusive port connectivity for Karnataka. Till now, the state is using either Krishnapatnam Port in Andhra Pradesh and Chennai Port from Tamil Nadu, he said.

"The certain compliances being removed in Ease of Doing Business is most welcome by FKCCI. These series of measures will unleash the potential of our economy," he added.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : Aiming to discourage cheap imports from China and encourage domestic manufacturing, Customs duty on imitation jewellery has been enhanced from 20 per cent to 25 per cent in the Union Budget 2023-24 that was presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday.

Budget 2023-24 has a slew of measures to give boost to exports and help accelerate growth of manufacturing in the country. The indirect tax simplification and rationalisation has a clear export-oriented focus.

Following are highlights for the export and manufacturing sector: The Department of Commerce's recommendation on lab-grown diamond (LGD) has been accepted whereby a research grant of Rs 242 crore over a period of five years to IIT Madras has been approved. This will enable indigenisation of the manufacturing process of LGD.

Further, reduction of duty on LGD seeds from 5 per cent to 'nil' has also been accepted which will result in reducing the cost of production of LGD growers and make our LGD exports globally competitive. The recommendation of the Department of Commerce for creating separate HS codes for LGD has also been accepted. It would enable tracking the international trade in lab-grown diamonds.

Customs duty on articles of precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum has been increased from 20 per cent to 25 per cent, thereby increasing the duty differential to 10 per cent over gold/silver/platinum bars. This will boost domestic manufacturing in the sector and result in import substitution.

Customs duty on imitation jewellery has also been enhanced from 20 per cent to 25 per cent, which will discourage cheap imports from China and encourage domestic manufacturing.

The reduction in import duty on fish meal from 15 per cent to 5 per cent will make the shrimp industry more competitive in the country and boost exports. Fish meal constitutes 40 per cent of the cost of production of shrimps. This will also prevent incidence of juvenile fishing which is used for fish meal in domestic production and will thereby improve our marine fish stock availability.

The recommendation of the Department of Commerce for increase in import duty on compound rubber from 10 per cent to 25 per cent has also been agreed to. This will reduce the import of compound rubber in the country and boost demand and prices for natural rubber produced in India. This will go a long way in supporting our natural rubber farmers and further increase its production in the country.

The Budget has identified the financial sector as a priority sector. Measures to enhance business activities in GIFT IFSC, comprehensive review of existing financial sector regulations and support for digital payments will promote India's financial services exports in the long run.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : The budget allocation for FY 2023-24 in the scheme of PM SHRI has increased by Rs 2,200 crore, 122.22 per cent from Rs 1,800 crore in 2022-23 to Rs 4,000 crore in 2023-24.

Under this scheme, there is a provision of setting up more than 14,500 PM SHRI Schools (PM Schools for Rising India) by strengthening the existing schools from amongst schools managed by the Central government, state, UT government and local bodies.

According to the ministry of education, the duration of the scheme is proposed to be from 2022-23 to 2026-27.

More than 20 lakh students are expected to be direct beneficiaries of the scheme.

Schools under PM SHRI will showcase the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 and emerge as exemplary schools over a period of time, and also offer leadership to other schools in the neighbourhood by providing high-quality education in an equitable, inclusive and joyful school environment that takes care of the diverse background, multilingual needs, and different academic abilities of children and makes them active participants in their own learning process as per the vision of NEP 2020.

The budget allocation for FY 2023-24 in the Flagship Scheme of PM Poshan has also increased by Rs 1,366.25 crore which is 13.35 per cent more from Rs 10,233.75 crore in 2022-23 to Rs 11,600 crore in 2023-24.

Union Minister for Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan has lauded the Union Budget 2023-24.

He said it is an inclusive, people-centric and growth-stimulating budget.

He said that this 'Amrit Kaal' Budget includes everyone, empowers the poor and middle class, reaches the last mile and brings cheers to all.

Expressing his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, he said that giving a boost to education, skill development, entrepreneurship, R&D, digital infrastructure, green growth and job creation, the Budget draws a meticulous blueprint for India at 100 and lays a solid foundation for transforming India into a technology-driven knowledge-based economy.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : Weeks after the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) listed Lashkar-e-Taiba's (LeT) deputy chief Abdul Rehman Makki as a global terrorist, the Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday listed him as a UN-listed terrorist. As per the MEA, the order comes into effect immediately.

Makki is the brother-in-law of Hafiz Saeed, the chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawa.

"The order comes into effect immediately," said the Ministry of External Affairs.

The government said it has learnt that Makki was serving as head of a few groups under LeT.

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that the ministry has welcomed the decision of the UN Security Council (UNSC).

"Makki was given many roles by the LeT. He was also raising funds to spread terrorist activities. Listing him as a terrorist will be effective to stop his terrorist activities," said Bagchi.

On January 17, the UNSC's 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee had added Makki, who was involved in raising funds, recruiting and radicalising youths to resort to violence and planning attacks in India, including the Mumbai terror attacks, to its list of designated terrorists.
Agartala, Feb 1 : Putting rest to all speculations, influential tribal-based party Tipra Motha Party (TMP) on Wednesday announced it would contest alone in the February 16 Tripura Assembly elections.

The TMP has fielded candidates in 41 seats - 20 in tribal reserved and remaining in general and Scheduled Caste reserve seats.

TMP chief and former royal scion Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman said that his party would contest the elections without alliance with any party.

Claiming the BJP and the Congress were getting support from leading industrialists and the CPI-M from the Kerala government, Deb Barman, in social media posts, urged the people to donate funds for the TIPRA or TMP.

"A small party on a Bigger Mission is seeking your support. Come Forward and Donate to TIPRA ! Remember, every contribution counts ! Note: We are not accepting any donation through any other account or UPI number" he said in a tweet.

However, CPI-M Tripura state Secretary and Central Committee member Jitendra Chowdhury, while addressing an election rally in southern Tripura on Tuesday, said that talks are on with the TMP or TIPRA for seat adjustments.

TMP or TIPRA supremo earlier held a series of meetings with the ruling BJP's ally Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) for a seat adjustment but the IPFT leaders supporting the TMP's demands did not forge any alliance with Deb Barman's party. The IPFT, since 2009, has been demanding to make the areas under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) as a full-fledged state while the TMP or Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) since 2021, has been demanding elevation of the TTAADC areas by granting of 'Greater Tipraland State' or a separate state under Article 2 and 3 of the Constitution.

The ruling BJP, CPI-M led Left, Congress, and the Trinamool Congress, though strongly opposing the demands of both IPFT and the TMP or TIPRA, have tried a lot to make seat adjustments or forge an electoral alliance with the TMP or TIPRA. However, the TMP or TIPRA did not field any candidate in the Sabroom assembly seat from where CPI-M's Chowdhury is contesting.

In 2018, the BJP contested 11 tribal seats while its ally IPFT contested nine and won 9 and 8 seats, respectively, while the remaining two went in favour of the CPI-M, which has earlier strong base both among the tribals and the scheduled caste communities.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : Hours after its shares crashed at the bourses, the Adani Group on Wednesday evening decided to call off its Rs 20,000 crore follow-on public offer (FPO), saying that money would be returned to the investors.

The decision was taken after a meeting of the company's Board.

"The Board of Adani Enterprises Ltd decided not to go-ahead with the fully subscribed follow-on public offer (FPO). Given the unprecedented situation and the current market volatility, the company aims to protect the interest of its investing community by returning the FPO proceeds and withdraws the completed transaction," a statement issued by Adani Enterprises said on Wednesday.

Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani said, "The Board takes this opportunity to thank all the investors for your support and commitment to our FPO. The subscription for the FPO closed successfully yesterday. Despite the volatility in the stock over the last week, your faith and belief in the company, its business and its management has been extremely reassuring and humbling. Thank you." The statement, however, added that on Wednesday, the market was unprecedented, and "our stock price has fluctuated over the course of the day. Given these extraordinary circumstances, the companya's Board felt that going ahead with the issue would not be morally correct. The interest of the investors is paramount and hence to insulate them from any potential financial losses, the Board has decided not to go ahead with the FPO".
New Delhi, Feb 1 : Having failed to meet the disinvestment target of Rs 65,000 crore for the current fiscal, the government on Wednesday scaled down the target for 2023-24 to Rs 51,000 crore.

The disinvestment target was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the union budget on Wednesday.

For 2023-24, the budget has pegged disinvestment revenue at Rs 51,000 crore.

In addition to this, around Rs 10,000 crore is expected to come from monetisation of government assets in the current year and well as in 2023-24.

The current financial year (2022-23) is the fourth year in a row that the government has missed the disinvestment target.

The government has managed to collect only Rs 31,100 crore through minority stake sale in state-owned PSUs, out of the Rs 65,000 crore disinvestment target for this fiscal.
Tunis/Tunisia  Moody's Investors Service on Tuesday downgraded to Caa2 from Caa1 the long-term bank deposit ratings of Amen Bank, Banque de Tunisie (BT), Banque Internationale Arabe de Tunisie (BIAT) and Societe Tunisienne de Banque (STB).

Concurrently, Moody's has confirmed at Caa1 the long-term bank deposit ratings of Arab Tunisian Bank (ATB). Moody's also changed the outlook to negative from rating under review on the long-term bank deposit ratings of all five Tunisian rated banks.

"Tuesday's rating action concludes the review for downgrade initiated on October 4, 2022", Moody's said.

The rating actions on the banks follow Moody's downgrade of Tunisia's government long-term issuer ratings of Caa2 with a negative outlook on January 27, 2023.

Concurrent to today's rating action, Tunisia's ceilings have been lowered to B2 for the local-currency ceiling and Caa1 for the foreign-currency ceiling.

RATINGS RATIONALE

The main driver of Tuesday's rating downgrades for Amen, BT, BIAT and STB is the continuously uncertain operating conditions in the country, exacerbated by the absence to date of a comprehensive financing package to meet the government's large funding needs, which raises the default risk of the country, the rating agency inidcated.

"A new IMF programme has yet to be secured, despite reaching staff-level agreement in October 2022, aggravating an already challenging funding position and compounding the pressures on Tunisia's foreign exchange reserve adequacy. Very tight domestic and external funding conditions and the Tunisian government's challenging debt-service profile elevate refinancing risks."

Moody's assesses that weak governance and significant social risks in part account for Tunisia reaching such a critical juncture.

The second driver is the Tunisian banks' direct government exposure to treasury bills and bonds which has increased to around 57% as a proportion of shareholders' equity as of August 2022 and exposes the banks to increasing asset and solvency risk.

Unlike the other four rated Tunisian banks, ATB's bank deposit ratings have been confirmed, driven by affiliate support uplift from Arab Bank PLC (deposit rating Ba2 positive, ba2 BCA), its majority shareholder.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Wednesday arrested an air passenger from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport here for possessing 3,360 gram cocaine valued at Rs 33.60 crore.

A DRI official said that they got a specific intelligence tip off that an Indian national arriving from Addis Ababa to Mumbai by Ethiopian Airlines flight might be carrying a narcotic substance.

The DRI intercepted that passenger following the tip-off.

"On examination of his luggage, 16 small soap boxes were recovered. On thorough examination of soap boxes, the officials observed that something is concealed beneath the wax like layer of the soaps. Officers removed the outer wax layer and found a soap bar wrapped in a transparent plastic. The officers scratched the soap cake and a powdery substance was found concealed. The same was tested with a narcotics field testing kit and tested positive for cocaine," the official said.

The DRI said: "Net weight of the recovered substance was 3,360 grams valued at Rs 33.60 crore."
New Delhi, Feb 1 : The Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, on Wednesday came down heavily on the Union Budget 2023-24, claiming that the Budget has been made only to benefit the super-rich in the country and has nothing to offer to the 'Aam Aadmi'.

It (the Budget) will only immerse the country into additional debt which may rise up to Rs 15 lakh crore, Sisodia said.

"It is just another 'jumla' by the BJP-led Central government. Till 2014, the Central government had a debt of Rs 53 lakh crore. But during the two successive terms of the BJP-led government, the country came under a debt of Rs 150 lakh crore, and this Budget will further immerse the country in additional Rs 15 lakh crore debt," said Sisodia while commenting on the Budget that was presented in the Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday.

Sisodia also accused the Central government of throwing rhetorics in every Budget.

"We have listened to many such false promises in the past, like the introduction of bullet trains or the promise of doubling farmers' income or creating 60 lakh jobs. There was no mention of the status of these in the Budget or about future plans for employment creation," he said.

Talking about Delhi's allocation in the Budget, Sisodia said, "People of Delhi continue to be treated as outcast by the Central government. Despite our repeated requests, Delhi's share in the Central pool of taxes continues to be frozen at Rs 325 crore for the past two decades. Only Rs 325 crore has been allocated to Delhi, although Delhi contributed Rs 1.78 lakh crore in direct taxes in FY 22." He added that every state gets a share of 42 per cent from the central pool of taxes, but Delhi's share has not been increased despite repeated requests.

"The Centre gives only Rs 611 per person to Delhi from its share of taxes. However, it gives Rs 64,524 cr to Maharashtra (Rs 4,963 per person), Rs 80,183 crore to Madhya Pradesh (Rs 9,216 per person) and Rs 37,252 crore to Karnataka (Rs 5,247 per person). Delhi's sahre is the lowest across India," Sisodia alleged.

"Whenever the Central government ministers are asked about their work in the field of education, they boast about NEP 2020. It has been three years since the policy was presented. It recommends that the government should spend at least 6 per cent of the budget on education.

"Forget that, the Central government has instead reduced the budget for education. They talk about inclusive growth, but unemployment is not an agenda for them. Today, the unemployment rate in the country has reached 8.3 per cent, and in the urban areas, 10 per cent of people are unemployed," Sisodia said.
Ahmedabad, Feb 1 : The police on Wednesday arrested a woman and her paramour for allegedly killing her 13-year-old son in Gujarat's Bharuch.

The arrested persons have been identified as -- Mamtadevi Yadav, and her paramour (brother-in-law) Bhagvat Singh.

On January 24, they approached the police in Ankleshwar complaining that Yadav's son had gone missing from Ankleshwar GIDC area and also informed them that the boy was last seen with his father on his bicycle.

Police started searching for the boy and found his decomposed body on Monday evening near a water body and later sent the body for postmortem.

On Tuesday, the postmortem report revealed that the boy died due to choking, and there were injury marks on his neck.

During investigation, Singh admitted that he killed his nephew.

Singh further stated that he and Mamtadevi had been having an affair for the last eight years and both had decided to marry but Yadav's son and husband -- Satyaprakash were "coming off as obstacles".

Police said Singh told them that Mamtadevi and he had planned to kill her son first and later Satyaprakash so that they can marry.
Agartala, Feb 2 : The CPI-M led Left Front and the Congress late on Wednesday night announced that both parties would withdraw their candidates fielded against each other in the February 16 Tripura elections, as per their seat-sharing agreement.

The Left parties, led by the CPI-M, on January 25 announced the names of 47 candidates leaving 13 seats to their new ally Congress while dropping eight sitting MLAs.

Congress leaders were upset over the paltry allotment of seats by the Left parties. On January 28, Congress announced 17 candidates.

On the last day of filling of nominations on Monday, both the Left parties and the Congress have fielded candidates against each other in many seats. On late Wednesday night, the CPI-M, in a statement, said that they would withdraw their additional candidates fielded against the Congress candidates and urged the Congress leaders to reciprocate.

Congress spokesman and party's state General Secretary Prashanta Bhattacharjee told IANS late on Wednesday night that their candidates, fielded against the Left party nominees, would be withdrawn on Thursday.

Thursday is the last day of withdrawal of candidatures. Congress leader and the party's lone MLA in Trpura, Sudip Roy Barman, had said that they had first demanded 27 seats, and then 23 seats from the Left parties.

According to the Congress candidates' list, Roy Barman would seek re-election from the Agartala constituency while state party President Birajit Sinha would contest from Kailasahar.
Phnom Penh, Feb 2 : Cambodia continued to pursue an independent foreign policy that upholds its core interests, guarantees sovereignty and peace, and boosts economic ties, Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn said.

Sokhonn, who is also a Deputy Prime Minister, made the remarks on Wednesday while briefing the National Assembly's Commission on Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, Information and Media on "Cambodia's Foreign Policy in the New Context of World Order".

"Over the last five years, the world has continued to evolve to an international system with a global, multipolar and complicated nature," he added.

"This evolution has led to profound, rapid, uncertain and precarious transformations." On international and regional contexts, he highlighted the rivalry of superpowers with a myriad of security, economic and development alliance and initiatives across the regions, and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Xinhua news agency reported.

On domestic front, he cited Cambodia's successful control of Covid-19, great accomplishments of its ASEAN chairmanship in 2022, active and sincere endeavours in the capacity of ASEAN Chair and Special Envoy to address the Myanmar issue.

Sokhonn also underlined a set of foreign policies to which the kingdom will continue to adhere, in light of the fierce competition and uncertainties in the international relations.

Among them are the upholding of Cambodia's core interests in compliance with the constitution; a proactive diplomacy to guarantee sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence, peace and socio-economic development; the implementation of an independent foreign policy in line with the objectives and principles of the charters of the UN and ASEAN; and the strengthening of economic ties with both existing and new partners.
The new AtlasRoofing.com website We went through an extensive discovery process to understand what people are looking for when they go online to research and choose a shingle brand. Jeff Key, director of marketing for Atlas

Atlas Roofing Corporations Shingles & Underlayments Division is excited to announce the debut of its redesigned website, AtlasRoofing.com. The refreshed site follows an update to the companys corporate website, Atlas-ARC.com, in 2022, when the company celebrated its 40th anniversary and released a rebranded version of the Atlas logo.

The updated site focuses on a significantly improved user experience for asphalt shingles, roofing accessories, and warranty options for both homeowners and roofing professionals.

The redesign includes:



Updated content, including new products and colors

Improved navigation and an intuitive search structure, allowing contractors and homeowners to quickly and easily find what theyre looking for

A more streamlined interactive design of the Choose Your Shingle, Why Atlas, and Color Consideration pages, bettering the homeowner-user experience when selecting a new Atlas roofing system

An enhanced Shingle Selection Tool, offering filters based on product line, color, and features, plus a Favorites save option

Personalized/branded content from professional contractor and TV host Sherry Holmes

A revamped version of the Asphalt Life blog

Choosing new roofing materials can be a daunting experience for both homeowners and roofing professionals alike, explains Jeff Key, director of marketing for Atlas. We went through an extensive discovery process to understand what people are looking for when they go online to research and choose a shingle brand. We used that information to design our new site, and we believe our customers will appreciate the modern look and feel, as well as the intuitive features and ease of use of the site.

To check out the new website and explore everything Atlas has to offer, visit AtlasRoofing.com.

###

About Atlas Roofing Corporation

Atlas is an innovative, customer-oriented provider of asphalt shingles, roof underlayments, rigid expanded polystyrene and polyiso insulation, geofoam, cold chain, protective packaging, lost foam, and cutting-edge coated and paper facers and underlayments for a diverse set of markets. Atlas has grown from a single asphalt shingle manufacturing facility to 36 facilities in North America with worldwide product distribution. Products from the company's four major divisions, Polyiso Roof & Wall Insulation, Shingle & Underlayment, Molded Products, and Web Technologies, are manufactured in state-of-the-art facilities and shipped from its network of manufacturing plants and distribution facilities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

For more information about Atlas Roofing Corporation, please visit Atlas-ARC.com.
This course fulfills an unmet need  the need for a universal and comprehensive tool to educate oncology APs in the safe prescribing of cancer therapy

The Advanced Practitioner Society for Hematology and Oncology (APSHO) is proud to announce the launch of the APSHO Cancer Therapy Prescribing Course (CTPC). This comprehensive, online course consists of 19 self-paced, interactive educational modules designed to prepare the advanced practitioner (AP) to safely prescribe and manage cancer therapeutics. The Cancer Therapy Prescribing Course provides peer-reviewed, advanced education in the treatment and management of the hematology/oncology patient through the course of cancer therapy and includes safe prescribing recommendations, treatment access devices, the prevention and management of infusion reactions, patient education, and clinical trial prescribing.

This course fulfills an unmet need  the need for a universal and comprehensive tool to educate oncology APs in the safe prescribing of cancer therapy, commented APSHOs Executive Director Wendy Vogel, MSN, FNP, AOCNP, FAPO. We believe that APs should practice at the top of their professional scope; this course, in conjunction with appropriate mentorship by the cancer institution, will enable them to do so."

Briana Hoffner, MSN, AOCNP, FAPO, BroadcastMeds Chief Medical Officer, noted, APSHOs Cancer Therapy Prescribing Course was developed by an expert, dedicated, multidisciplinary group of APs, including pharmacists, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners. The course encompasses all of the required educational domains for the safe prescribing of cancer therapy.

The CTPC will offer 25 credits/hours of CE-certified education for nurse practitioners, pharmacists, physician assistants, and advanced practice nurses. The course will be housed online in APSHOs new AP Academy, found online at apsho.org/page/apacademy, along with other educational opportunities.Learn more about APSHO at APSHO.org.

About APSHO

The Advanced Practitioner Society for Hematology and Oncology (APSHO) is a society for advanced practitioners: nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, clinical nurse specialists, and other oncology health-care professionals. The mission of APSHO is to promote oncology patient care that is high quality, cost effective, and delivered through collaborative practice models by optimizing the role of the advanced practitioner as an integral member of the care team.
This year promises to be an exciting year of evolution for ProofID  we have a strong foothold in the marketplace from which to grow and the right talent in our team to make it happen, explains Tom Eggleston, CEO, ProofID.

ProofID has unveiled four new members on its executive leadership team.Scott Leiper serves as non-executive Chairman, and Heather Chatten, John Iandolo and Krishnendu DasGupta join the team with three newly created roles as chief people officer, chief revenue officer and senior VP of managed services, respectively. Former chairman, Gareth Noonan remains on the board of directors and takes up the newly created role of chief strategy officer.

In May 2022, Maven Capital Partners invested 15 million in ProofID to accelerate its growth ambitions and an integral part of the strategy was focussed on creating the right team for the challenges ahead. Moving forward the new hires bring a complementary set of skills to the company.

 Scott Leiper has 30 years' experience helping IT companies sustainably grow and develop leadership teams. He was previously COO of Amor Group where he helped double the size of the business and sell it to Lockheed Martin. As chair of Incremental Group, he worked with the team to build a 40 million revenue business which was acquired by Telefonica in March 2022 for up to 175 million.

 Heather Chatten began her HR career with Unilever and has extensive experience of employee relations and engagement, remuneration and benefits, recruitment and organisational development. She and has an MBA from Manchester Business School and has been working with ProofID since 2019 on a consultancy basis but has joined full time to lead the companys efforts to attract, develop and retain talent to support growth plans.

 John Iandolo has held leadership roles for over 25 years in IT businesses. Prior to joining ProofID, he worked predominantly in private equity backed businesses. He has a track record of growth, innovation, and strategic change management through high-performance teams

 Krishnendu DasGupta has significant experience in setting up managed services teams in new geographies and establishing full cycle operational processes for service delivery to large global enterprises. He spent 14 of his 25+ years in the industry working for Cisco.

In December, ProofID announced strong growth for FY2022 - annual turnover grew to 16.6 million for the year to September 30, 2022, a 36% increase in turnover on FY2021 when revenues reached 12.2 million.

This year promises to be an exciting year of evolution for ProofID  we have a strong foothold in the marketplace from which to grow and the right talent in our team to make it happen, explains Tom Eggleston, CEO, ProofID.

With Maven Capitals financial investment and a team of highly skilled individuals, it feels like we have the world at our feet  Im truly excited to work alongside such a great bunch of people to take ProofID to the next level.

Pic: Scott Leiper  New Non-Executive Chairman - ProofID

ENDS...

About ProofID

ProofID is an identity security partner, integrator and service provider. As a proven identity specialist, ProofID is committed to delivering pain-free, secure and seamless digital user experiences however complex the project. Trusted by Tier 1 enterprises and mid-market businesses around the world to design, deliver and manage IAM services. ProofID has successfully deployed industry leading technologies into all market sectors with dynamic workforce needs and seamless customer engagements. ProofIDs highly skilled team has been awarded the highest technical accreditations by all their chosen partners including Ping Identity, earning Global Delivery Partner of the Year Award for 5 consecutive years and ideiio Channel Partner of the Year for 3 years.

For more information visit http://www.proofid.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/proofid-ltd

Twitter: https://twitter.com/proof_id

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/proofidltd
The United States Navy Memorial will present former Robert Work, Deputy Secretary of Defense, United States Marine Corps veteran, and National Security professional with the 2023 Lone Sailor Award.

The Lone Sailor Award is given to Sea Service veterans who have excelled with distinction in their respective careers during or after their service.

Secretary Work has served our country his entire life, from a military family member, to a junior officer, to the most senior levels of the Department of the Navy and Defense, and continues to have a major impact on our national security, said retired Navy Rear Admiral Frank Thorp, President, and CEO of the Navy Memorial. His service has had a profound impact on our nation, including on those he has led at the individual level and the institutions with whom he has shared his intellectual expertise.

Bob Work was the thirty-second Deputy Secretary of Defense, serving alongside three Secretaries of Defense across two administrations from May 2014 to July 2017.

In 2001, he retired as a Colonel in the United States Marine Corps after 27 years on active duty. He subsequently was a Senior Fellow and then Vice President and Director of Studies at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA). In May 2009, he was confirmed as the thirty-first Under Secretary of the Navy in the first Obama administration. Mr. Work stepped down as the Under Secretary in March 2013 to become the Chief Executive Officer for the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). He remained in that position until he assumed the role of Deputy Secretary of Defense in May 2014.

He currently is the President and Owner of TeamWork, LLC, which specializes in defense strategy and policy, programming and budgeting, military-technical competitions, revolutions in war, and the future of war. He is a Senior Fellow/Counselor for Defense at the Center for a New American Security, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, the MITRE Corporation, and the Telemus Group.

He sits on the Board of Directors of Raytheon Technologies and several smaller high-tech firms. Most recently he was Co-Chair of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence and is now a member of the Board of the Special Competitive Studies Project.

Mr. Work holds a B.S. from the University of Illinois; an M.S. from the University of Southern California; an M.S. from the Naval Postgraduate School; and a Masters in International Public Policy from the Johns Hopkins Universitys School of Advanced International Studies. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the International Institute of Strategic Studies.

Mr. Work will join an impressive list of men and women who have distinguished themselves by drawing upon their military experience to become successful in their subsequent careers and lives while exemplifying the core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment.

His award will be presented during a celebratory gala dinner in Washington, D.C. hosted by the U.S. Navy Memorial in September 2023.

To learn more about the Lone Sailor Award and see past recipients, visit http://www.NavyMemorial.org. If youre interested in attending or becoming a sponsor of the 2023 dinner, contact Kendra Greenwaters at kgreenwaters@navymemorial.org or 202-380-0726.

---

The US Navy Memorial is a not-for-profit, 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to Honor, Recognize and Celebrate the men and women of the Sea Services, past, present, and future; and to Inform the public about their service. The Navy Memorial is located at 701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004.
MaterialsXchange (MX) is a B2B e-commerce and digital marketplace that matches lumber buyers and sellers across the United States and Canada through its online platform. MaterialsXchange continues to be leading the charge for the digital revolution taking place in commodity lumber and panels. There is nothing that compares to the speed, efficiency, and simplicity of MX when buying or selling these products. Steve Coppola, Vice President, LENCO Supplies.

MaterialsXchange (MX), the leading digital marketplace to efficiently buy and sell lumber, panels, and other building material (LBM) products, announces the launch of its new e-commerce platform. The updated marketplace, available at materialsxchange.com, offers a streamlined ordering process where suppliers can list products either as an ask or a bid and buyers can receive alerts or order products directly. The technology, powered by Mickey, is designed to make the process for buying or selling wholesale and large-order LBM easier and more efficient  with live, real-time order tracking and pricing transparency.

LBM suppliers can list their products easily, and the MX platform will auto-fill product descriptions and variants making the entire inventory setup fast and frictionless. Suppliers can also view all pending and shipped orders in one place, send invoices and receive automatic payouts, and directly connect with buyers looking for their specific items. The new platform also provides a one-stop shop for buyers to source exactly what they need, place an order and see real-time shipping prices and delivery updates.

MaterialsXchange has been, and continues to be, leading the charge for the digital revolution taking place in commodity lumber and panels, said Steve Coppola, Vice President, LENCO Supplies. There is nothing that compares to the speed, efficiency, and simplicity of MX when buying or selling these products. Where else can you name your price, and quite literally have all of the shopping, paperwork, and shipping done for you...all with the click of a button? LENCO Supplies is excited to see where MX leads the industry now and into the future, both in lumber and panels as well as other products.

Since launching in 2020, our focus has been on making it easier for LBM buyers to source the products they need on a single, digital platform, said Mike Wisnefski, President, MaterialsXchange. With our new updated platform, were making it even easier for buyers and sellers to transact  all with complete transparency and at the click of a button. No longer do orders need to be handled in an antiquated way, but now the entire experience  from accepting digital payments via ACH, to automated sales tax calculation and remittances  makes the MX platform the easiest place for LBM transactions to take place.

This new platform will disrupt the way the industry has done business  and were hearing from users that is what they had been asking for all along, said Ashley Boeckholt, Chief Revenue Officer, MaterialsXchange. Sellers can also offer risk-free terms via our payment processing partner Balance, making it a win-win for both sides of the transaction.

In September 2022, MaterialsXchange joined forces with Mickey, a tech company that builds B2B e-commerce platforms and marketplaces. MX leveraged Mickey OS, the tech companys backend operating system, to rebuild the platform and offer a truly automated and streamlined ordering experience.

Mickeys Chief Technology Officer, Weston Stewart-Tennes, said, Rebuilding the MX platform to provide a better and more robust UX was paramount, and we believe that both suppliers and buyers will find the updated marketplace even easier to use. LBM buyers can learn more about the products theyre ordering  including all of the traditional lumber variants  along with the delivered price. With MX there are never hidden fees or surprise surcharges and buyers can receive updates on the delivery of their order  24/7. We believe the technology powering the new MX platform will continue to disrupt this antiquated industry.

The MaterialsXchange platform currently lists softwoods and panels  from Alder to Elm, as well as OSB and other LBM products. With the sites ask/bid pricing structure, when a buyer negotiates a price and its matched  the transaction occurs instantly. The prices are real-time market prices and buyers will see a complete and transparent final order that includes shipping and handling and taxes.

About MaterialsXchange

MaterialsXchange (MX) is a B2B e-commerce and digital marketplace that matches lumber buyers and sellers across the United States and Canada through its online platform. The team at MaterialsXchange is modernizing the inefficient, call around'' structure of buying and selling lumber with its digital marketplace. Sellers on MX list their wood products daily, offering lumber buyers total price transparency as they bid, in real-time, on what is available. When their prices match, a transaction occurs instantly. Updating the process further, MaterialsXchange transfers the funds electronically and arranges the delivery via truck or rail. In 2022, MaterilasXchange joined forces with Mickey, building one of the largest and most efficient lumber platforms on the market today. For more information, visit https://materialsxchange.com/.

About Mickey

Mickey is a technology company that builds e-commerce marketplaces and platforms for commodities and other wholesale products. Launched in 2019  with an initial focus on forest products  the company built Mickey OS, an operating system that can be integrated into a supplier's website to handle all aspects of a commodity e-commerce transaction (including order and payment processing, inventory management, and logistics). In 2021, Mickey launched Mickey Energy, a natural gas trading division and in 2022, the company merged with MaterialsXchange, a B2B e-commerce and digital marketplace for lumber building materials. Since its founding, Mickey has raised more than $10M and more information can be found at http://www.Mickey.io.

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Addis Abeba  About 20 workers of Dangote cement factory who were kidnapped by unidentified gunmen were released on Monday 30 January after paying a ransom ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 birr each "on their own", a source close to the matter told Addis Standard on conditions of anonymity. Some who were unable to pay the amount were released on a promise to pay later, according to the source.

The workers were kidnapped on 26 January at around 4:30 PM local time while they were on duty to renovate a broken water pump station where the company obtains water for its production. The station is located some 25 km away from Muger town, a town where the manufacturing plant is located at.

A company spokesperson told Reuters in an emailed statement on Monday that "they were later released unharmed."

Dangote cement, located in Adea Berga district of East Shewa zone in Oromia regional state, had previously been targeted for same kidnapping when, in December last year gunmen kidnapped 30 employees of the company who were traveling on a company bus in the same vicinity. The gunmen released the victims after the company had paid a ransom of between 100,000 to 200,000 birr for each victim. AS
nano3Dprint, a next-generation additive manufacturing solutions provider, today announced that it has entered into a collaboration with the Billi Research Lab, whose objective is to improve patient quality of life by developing breakthrough technologies and solutions to address unmet clinical needs. The Billi Research Lab is supported by the Luskin Orthopaedic Institute for Children (LuskinOIC).

The collaboration will enable Dr. Billi and his team to utilize nano3prints 3D printing technologies to build integrated microcontroller systems for sensor-embedded devices that will benefit children served by LuskinOIC. Some of the devices currently under development include scoliosis braces, smart casts and Ponseti braces, which are used to treat clubfoot.

Were looking forward to utilizing nano3Dprints B3300 Dual-Dispensing 3D Printer to further our research and development of wearables, fusion sensors and smart textiles. Current additive technologies are not versatile enough to allow us to build the complex, multifunctional devices required to provide modern and truly disruptive healthcare, said Dr. Fabrizio Billi, Director of the Musculoskeletal Devices and Technologies Development Group.

The Billi Research Lab's smart cast project will, among other things, deliver real-time details about the fracture healing process, providing early warning of compartment syndrome, a dangerous condition in which swelling inside the cast limits blood flow to the limb, thereby causing tissue necrosis.

nano3Dprints B3300 will be used to 3D print the smart cast's electronic package, including sensors that are printed directly on supports easily embeddable in the cast structure. The 3D printed circuits and sensors will allow complete integration and intelligent distribution of battery and wiring, eliminating the need for external wiring and obtrusive components. Moreover, the embedded circuit will allow for the connection of a multitude of sensors where necessary.

Dr. Billi added that a similar system could be made for the Ponseti brace with an electronics bar attached to - or replacing - the bar that connects the shoes. Similar electronics could be integrated into the "ribs" of an advanced scoliosis brace.

Dr. Billi and his team also hope to 3D print sensors directly on living tissues like bone, cartilage, tendons, and skin in a process already in progress and which has shown promise. Monitoring mechanical and physiological parameters directly on the tissue would allow our team to significantly advance our understanding of health status and tissue response to treatment, said Dr. Billi. More importantly, they will be able to obtain the necessary biofeedback to move from developing therapeutic devices to developing theranostic devices.

Ramsey Stevens, nano3Dprint CEO, said that the collaboration supports the companys goals of advancing medicine through new technologies. "We're excited to collaborate with Dr. Billi as he pioneers new medical devices to enhance patient care. One of our primary objectives is to improve research and development via multi-material 3D printing that ultimately leads to improvements across many sectors," Stevens said.

For additional information, visit nano3Dprint at https://nano3dprint.com.

About nano3Dprint:

nano3Dprint offers next-generation additive manufacturing solutions that enable printing of fully-realized electronic devices with seamless integration of micro-to-nanoscale materials. With its electronics printer lineup, nano3Dprint is upleveling legacy 3D printing systems to allow users to invent, design, test, research and manufacture rapidly, easily and accurately.

About Luskin Orthopaedic Institute for Children:

Founded in 1911 as Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital, Luskin Orthopaedic Institute for Children (LuskinOIC) is solely focused on pediatric musculoskeletal orthopedics. Its mission is to provide outstanding care for patients with musculoskeletal disorders and through the support of the Luskin Orthopaedic Institute for Children Foundation, to provide care for children regardless of ability to pay and advance care worldwide for all musculoskeletal patients through medical education and scientific research.

About Billi Research Lab:

The Billi Research Lab is led by Dr. Fabrizio Billi, Director, Co-Director, Orthopaedic Research at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. Its mission is to improve the quality of life of patients by developing breakthrough technologies and solutions to address unmet clinical needs.
Fang Consulting Logo Without the regulatory support that Fang Consulting provided, we would not have been able to obtain 510(k) authorization from the FDA with only one round of questions that we were able to clear up in fifteen minutes, Gregg Giza, Global Product Director of ThermaSolutions said.

Fang Consulting is extremely happy to announce that it has assisted ThermaSolutions in receiving 510(k) authorization for their new HurriChem device.

ThermaSolutions developed the HurriChem, a unique aerosolization tool used in abdominal surgery procedures.

Our team at Fang Consulting helped organize the 510(k) submission resulting in the HurriChem device receiving authorization with only one request for additional information from the FDA, to clarify three simple questions.

ThermaSolutions, based in St. Paul, Minnesota, is the global leader in Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy Technology. ThermaSolutions has been developing innovative medical devices since 1999, seeing their experienced team grow to 20 people as of early 2023.

Without the regulatory support that Fang Consulting provided, we would not have been able to obtain 510(k) authorization from the FDA with only one round of questions that we were able to clear up in fifteen minutes, Gregg Giza, Global Product Director of ThermaSolutions said.

Fang Consulting is a Regulatory Affairs and Engineering Services company based out of Roseville, Minnesota specializing in medical device consulting. Since 1999, Fang has helped countless companies navigate the complicated regulatory affairs processes in getting medical devices authorized by the FDA.

Contact us at 612.230.9909 to learn more and see if our consulting services can help your company with any FDA related issues.

Contact Gregg Giza, ThermaSolutions Global Product Director at 612.968.0454 to learn more about their Hyperthermic Medical Technologies and if the HurriChem device or any others could be a solution for your business.
Quantum's VPLite45/40 trailers have an industry-leading gaseous capacity of approximately 472,000 standard cubic feet and weigh less than 59,000 pounds fully loaded. "We are excited to continue and expand our relationship with CORE and Manticore in 2023." - Steve Toelke

Quantum Fuel Systems (Quantum), a fully integrated alternative energy company, has been selected by Permian Global, Inc. d/b/a CORE Automated Fueling Solutions (CORE), to deliver six of its industry-leading virtual pipeline trailers for natural gas. The trailers will be delivered to CORE, a leading CNG provider in West Texas, in Q3 2023.

With this contract, Quantum will provide CORE with its VPLite45/40 trailers, which have an industry-leading gaseous capacity of approximately 472,000 standard cubic feet and weigh less than 59,000 pounds fully loaded. The trailers are certified for use in the U.S. and are the leading choice for customers needing a smaller, lighter trailer that is easily maneuvered in tight areas. CORE will utilize the trailers in their work with Manticore Fuels, LLC (Manticore Fuels), an affiliate company that is one of largest frac fuel providers in the West Texas market.

We are excited to continue and expand our relationship with CORE and Manticore in 2023, said Steve Toelke, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Infrastructure at Quantum. Its always an honor to be a part of a customers growth and success. Having CORE repeatedly select our trailers to support their extensive mobile, low carbon energy distribution fleet shows the true value of our products and our commitment to customers.

CORE is expanding to meet the burgeoning needs of our customers for reliable, safe, and lower carbon energy, said Brent Bruner, Senior Vice President, Natural Gas and Manufacturing at CORE. Our two-year relationship with Quantum has enabled us to build one of the largest fleets in West Texas that can deliver compressed natural gas to our customers in the region. The additional Quantum VPLite45/40 trailers will further increase the capacity of our network to ensure that our oil and gas, and industrial customers in West Texas receive a safe, secure supply of low carbon energy they can depend on.

About Quantum Fuel Systems LLC

Quantum Fuel Systems LLC is engineering the future of alternative fuel storage by designing, developing and bringing innovative transport trailers, and industry-leading Type 4 cylinders for hydrogen, CNG and RNG to market. Quantum is at the forefront of the industry with decades of experience in gaseous fuel storage and systems solutions. Learn more at http://www.qtww.com

About Permian Global, Inc. d/b/a CORE Automated Fueling Solutions

CORE is a leading fuel technology and software solutions provider for the energy and industrial sectors. CORE is a market leader in Automated Fueling Solutions and has a rapidly growing presence in CNG Fueling Services in the greater Permian Basin region. Learn more at http://www.corefueling.com

About Manticore Fuels, LLC

Manticore Fuels is a leading fueling services provider in West Texas and New Mexico providing white glove diesel & CNG fueling services, automation services, and rental services to the energy sector. Learn more at http://www.manticorefuels.com
At Harding Mazzotti we like to think big, and youd be hard pressed to find an attorney in the Massachusetts area with a bigger more accomplished resume than Kathys."

Harding Mazzotti LLP, a personal injury law firm based in New Yorks Capital Region, is pleased to announce its expansion into the Massachusetts market through the acquisition of the ODonnell Law Firm. The new office, located at 170 Main Street Tewksbury, Massachusetts 01876, will become the firms 14th location.

Headquartered in Albany, New York, Harding Mazzotti has served clients for more than two decades in New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts and recovered more than $1 billion for victims of personal injury, vehicle injury, work-related injury, medical malpractice, and other related practice areas.

Harding Mazzottis Tewksbury practice will be led by experienced local personal injury attorney Kathleen Kathy ODonnell. Shes practiced law for more than 40 years and has won her clients prominent settlements. A trial attorney with a proven record of success in the courtroom, her advocacy skills draw on her commitment to making a difference for her clients and the community at large. Kathy works for people, not for corporations. She has taken on insurance companies, big businesses, cities, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

At Harding Mazzotti we like to think big, and youd be hard pressed to find an attorney in the Massachusetts area with a bigger more accomplished resume than Kathys, said Paul Harding, managing partner and one of the founding members of the firm. We know there are great law firms in the area, but HM saw an opportunity to expand in this market, partner with Kathy, and we are confident that well make our mark and support the Massachusetts community by winning cases for our clients who need us in this community.

I have worked with the lawyers at Harding Mazzotti for over 20 years. They are bright, innovative, down to earth, and community oriented. They represent injured people when they are most vulnerable. Said Kathy ODonnell of ODonnell Law Firm. Their firms motto is, when given the choice, choose kindness. The motto is based on how they approach every person they deal withtheir clients, other lawyers, and members of the community. Our firms share the same values of hard work and dedication to our clients and to our community. The ODonnell Team is excited to join forces with this great law firm and we look forward to a bright future with them.

Kathy has held executive and leadership positions with major legal associations in Massachusetts. She is past President of the Massachusetts Bar Association, the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, and the Greater Lowell Bar Association. Lawyers and law firms from throughout the country seek Kathy's advice on cases they are handling and on trial and insurance issues. Kathy has been asked to speak to Congress and to numerous state legislatures about auto insurance issues and about the impact changes to automobile laws will have on consumers and on people hurt in automobile collisions.

Harding Mazzotti is led by partners Paul B. Harding, Victor L. Mazzotti, and Rosemarie Riddell Bogdan. The firm employs more than 40 experienced attorneys and more than 120 support staff who have fought and won difficult cases, including medical malpractice lawsuits, defective drug recalls, defective medical devices, and more. HM was recognized on the Best Lawyers Best Law Firms 2021, 2022 & 2023 list by U.S. News & World Report, is on the Top 100 National Trial Lawyers list by The National Trial Lawyers, as well as the Top 25 Motor Vehicles Trial Lawyers list, Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyers list, and Top 25 Mass Tort Trial Lawyers list.

For more information, visit 1800law1010.com.

About Harding, Mazzotti LLP

Harding Mazzotti LLP is a personal injury law firm based in Albany, New York, with multiple locations throughout New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts, including Tewksbury and Pittsfield. For more than two decades, the Heavy Hitters have been dedicated to protecting the rights of those wrongfully injured as a result of negligence, securing more than $1 billion for victims of personal injuries, vehicle injury, work-related injury, defective medical devices, medical malpractice, and more. The Harding Mazzotti personal injury team consists of more than 40 experienced attorneys and more than 120 support staff who have served thousands of clients throughout NY, VT, and MA. For more information, visit 1800law1010.com.
We advocate for change within the Black Church for the black queer community, ultimately, our goal is to bridge the gap, and this event is a significant step in our journey during this annual Black History month.

In partnership with Union Theological Seminary Center for Community Engagement & Social Justice (CCESJ) Pride in the Pews will host The State of the Black Church: Reconciling Communities and Reimagining Inclusion 1-day, in-person symposium event on Friday, February 24, 2023, 9 am  5 pm Est; at The Union Theological Seminary of New York, 3041 Broadway, New York, NY, 10027.

850,000 Black LGBTQ+ people identify as religious. Yet, out of the eight historically Black Christian denominations, none of them are LGBTQ+ affirming. For this reason, CCESJ, and Pride in the Pews along with black faith leaders, activists, churchgoers, and academia, are gathering for this 1-day symposium to address this issue.

"We advocate for change within the Black Church for the Black Queer community," says Rev Karmen Smith, Executive Director of CCESJ and author of Holy Queer: The Coming Out of Christ. "Ultimately, our goal is to bridge the gap, and this event is a significant step in our journey during this annual Black History Month, a celebration of our triumphs, struggles, and civil rights."

Speaking of civil rights, we can all point back to history when Bayard Rustin, an openly gay (LGBTQ+) black man, acted as a key adviser to Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. during the movement. Rustin was instrumental in the organization of the March on Washington. Unfortunately, due to the criticism over his sexuality, Rustin was typically kept out of the spotlight and utilized only as an engineer of change in positions where he was not widely visible to the public. Today, these are the same issues the black queer community faces regarding the State of the Black Church.

The panel discussions will include the Public Square public policy, legislation, grassroots organizational topics, movement-building, pastoral leadership, congressional relations, and advocacy. Through truth-telling, courageous, open dialogue, and uncandid conversations, CCESJ and Pride in the Pews seeks to spur collective action and create healing pathways that lead to the inclusivity of the LGBTQ+ community in black faith-based spaces.

Speakers include Rev. Don Abram, Rev. Naomi Washington-Leapheart, Very Rev. Kelly Brown Douglas, Rev. Fred Davie, Rev. Dr. Brianna K. Parker, Rev. Carmarion Anderson-Harvey, Bishop Keith McQueen, Pastor Kristian Smith, Kim Daily, Pastor William Anthony Ellis Jr., Rev. Quincy James Rineheart, PhD Candidate, Rev. Stephen J. Thurston III, Rev. Dr. Timothy Adkins-Jones, Bishop Clarence Laney to name a few.

Sponsors: This event is made possible by: United Church of Christ, Wake Forest University, Chicago Theological Seminary, The Open Church of Maryland.

For more info, please visit https://www.ccesjunion.org/ | Tickets | Support & Donate

About: Center for Community Engagement and Social Justice (CCESJ)

Building on Union Theological Seminary's nearly 200-year social justice legacy, the CCESJ is a hub to nurture and equip next-generation leaders and to support bold initiatives that reimagine the work of justice. For more information, please visit https://www.ccesjunion.org/.

Media & Press inquiries: Contact Amore Philip | AOPR | 929-229-5512 |
Everything Legendary Launches Plant-Based Taco Bar at Bowie State University Everything Legendary is rapidly developing a reputation of providing good tasting plant-based food that appeals particularly to young adults, said Wade Henley, associate vice president of auxiliary services. 

Everything Legendary, creators of plant-based food with legendary flavor, announced today that it has a new agreement with Bowie State University (BSU) to provide gourmet, plant-based food in campus dining facilities beginning in February. Founded by Historically Black College and University (HBCU) graduates, its the companys first agreement with an HBCU or any other institution of higher learning.

We are pleased to be working with BSU and believe it is just the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship, said Duane Myko Cheers, Everything Legendary co-founder. BSU is just the beginning. Our goal is to work with colleges and universities across the United States to provide them with plant-based food.

Both Duane Myko Cheers and co-founder Danita Claytor are HBCU graduates. Cheers graduated from Morgan State University while Claytor earned her undergraduate degree from BSU.

Everything Legendary is rapidly developing a reputation of providing good tasting plant-based food that appeals particularly to young adults, said Wade Henley, associate vice president of auxiliary services. Options are important to students at BSU and Everything Legendary will provide them and others on campus with choices to ensure that they have a pleasant dining experience.

In less than two years, the company has grown from a family kitchen operation to a nationally-recognized brand with a strong retail footprint, three manufacturing facilities and a legendary rock star team to take the company to the next level.

The rapid rise of Everything Legendary, the nations fastest growing plant-based meat company, began in early 2021 when the founders were making burgers by hand in their kitchen at home. In just 15 months, they went from zero to 4,000 national grocery store shelves including retailers such as Whole Foods, Safeway, ACME Markets, Target, Sprouts, Kroger, Ralphs, Kings, and Balduccis, with additional placements coming this year.

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We have been very successful with our grocery store expansion. In 2023, we are focusing on food service expansion and HBCUs are up first, said Cheers. We are HBCU graduates and live this culture. We know what it is like to live on a campus with limited plant-based options. Through our relationship with BSU, we are excited to raise the bar by offering healthy, plant-based options to the students and faculty on campus. This is just the beginning.

In support of this initiative, Everything Legendary will be leveraging their partnership with Live Nation to offer events, prizes, and concerts exclusively for students at BSU. There are also plans for Everything Legendary to launch in 50 additional colleges and universities in the spring of 2023, with a focus on HBCUs.

The Washington Post has reported that African Americans are the fastest growing group of plant-based consumers. However, there are very few black-owned companies producing plant-based products, said Danita Claytor, co-founder of Everything Legendary. We want to inspire the next generation of African American plant-based entrepreneurs to go after their dreams. We are grateful to partner with all the illustrious HBCUs, especially my alma mater, BSU.

About Bowie State University

Bowie State University (BSU) is an important higher education access portal for qualified persons from diverse academic and socioeconomic backgrounds, seeking a high-quality and affordable public comprehensive university. The university places special emphasis on the science, technology, cybersecurity, teacher education, business, and nursing disciplines within the context of a liberal arts education. For more information about BSU, visit bowiestate.edu

About Everything Legendary

Everything Legendary, founded by Duane Myko Cheers and Danita Claytor, is leading the flavor revolution with a line of healthy, plant-based ground and burger patties. Inspired by Mom, created by a chef, and taste-tested by the community, Everything Legendary is a black-owned company that goes above and beyond the impossible to deliver food with legendary flavor and superior quality. Everything Legendary can be found at retailers nationwide, in restaurants and on their website. For recipes, tutorials, product information and more, visit https://golegendary.com Join the movement. Connect with Everything Legendary on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
The prestigious title was awarded to Abruzzo, as the organizers explained, because "the region is rich in tradition and imbued with innovation, a hidden gem for the most passionate oenophiles". The prize is given by the prestigious international magazine Wine Enthusiast to the most interesting nominees in several categories within the wine world.

Wine Enthusiasts recognition was a tribute to an uncontaminated territory, as described by the president of the Consorzio Tutela Vini d'Abruzzo, Alessandro Nicodemi, during the Wine Star Awards ceremony, which took place on Monday in the splendid setting of the majestic Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. He noted "hills of a thousand shades of colors and dotted with ancient villages, where the landscape has always been dominated by vines, set between the Adriatic Sea and the massifs of the Gran Sasso of Italy and the Majella. Within a few kilometers, imposing mountains and a stunning sea, naturally create the pedoclimatic conditions that are favorable to the cultivation of the vine ". These are the ideal conditions allowing hundreds of increasingly competitive companies to contribute daily to elevate the wines and vines of Abruzzo in the world wine scene.

"Abruzzo wine is represented by a multiplicity of companies, from families to cooperatives, explained President Nicodemi, and all of them are dedicated to producing quality wines, strongly responsible for environmental sustainability and highly dynamic in reading and interpreting the needs of today's market, without denying their traditions and origins".

In addition to the recognition of its natural beauty, the link between culture, people, local food, and music played an important role, making Abruzzo "an ambitious destination for sustainable travel", as the judges of the Awards underlined.

This achievement was also possible thanks to the project called Abruzzo Wine Experience, which enhances tourist routes, capable of combining the uncontaminated cultural and landscape beauty, with the hospitality of our wineries. The project has been carried out by the Consortium, who worked closely with the Regional Administration, to promote Abruzzo as a new wine tourism destination", concluded Nicodemi.

The recognition as Wine Region of the Year by Wine Enthusiast comes after a great deal of enhancement and promotion carried out over the years by the Consortium. The activities will continue in this direction, with an intense annual program of initiatives abroad, starting with the United States. The US market is one of the target countries, the second for imports of Abruzzo wines, with a share of over 14% of the total value of regional wine exports. From February 1st to February 9th, the Consortium will already be present with masterclasses and walk around tastings in Las Vegas, Charleston, Miami, Dallas and Houston.

About Consorzio Tutela Vini dAbruzzo:

The Consorzio Tutela Vini dAbruzzo (Consortium for the Protection of Wines of Abruzzo) is a non-profit association, made up of all the entities forming part of the control DOC and IGT system, which aims to protect, enhance and take care of the interests relating to the controlled designations of origin of the regional territory, activities that the Consortium carries out, day after day, with the utmost determination. That same determination which its 210 members  grape growers, winemakers and bottlers, always closely focused on quality  put into their work: from the care of the vineyard to the scrupulousness in the transformation of the grapes, diligence in aging to attention to customer requirements.

There is no region in Europe like Abruzzo where more than 30% of the territory is protected by four parks (three national and one regional) and a dozen nature reserves and protected areas. It is therefore no coincidence that the Consortium, which has been protecting one of the most authentic resources of the territory for years, has chosen the eagle as its symbol: an animal with a strong protective instinct, as tenacious as the people of Abruzzo.

For more information, visit https://www.vinidabruzzo.it/en/il-consorzio/
As partners, CPARF and the CP Research Network will continue to work toward a crucial element of their missions: enhancing everyday life for people with cerebral palsy.

Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation (CPARF) and the Cerebral Palsy Research Network have formally partnered to advance science to transform the lives of people with cerebral palsy.

As the worlds most common lifelong physical disability  and one of the most underfunded  cerebral palsy affects approximately one million people in the US. CPARF works to close critical gaps by amplifying cerebral palsys position in the research, technology, and care landscapes, chiefly within the US. The CP Research Network advances similar aims as the largest and most comprehensive network of hospitals and community members working together to improve health outcomes for people with cerebral palsy.

The partnership between CPARF and the CP Research Network will benefit all people with cerebral palsy, parents, caregivers, and medical professionals by ensuring that proven science makes its way into practice throughout the country sooner.

This represents an exciting step forward for the entire cerebral palsy community, said Paul Gross, the CP Research Networks President and Chief Executive Officer. We will be able to implement change more quickly and on a larger scale by investing more in our research infrastructure and expanding funding for the CP Research Networks projects under development, allowing us to find the answers that people with cerebral palsy and their families seek.

CPARF and the CP Research Network remain jointly dedicated to improving quality of life for people with cerebral palsy. Individuals need and deserve to fully participate in society. Science, innovation, and implementation all play key roles in that, shared Michael Pearlmutter, CPARFs Executive Director. Alongside our research, CPARF operates Remarkable US, a disability tech startup accelerator to advance cutting-edge technology to help people with cerebral palsy and other disabilities. Through this partnership, these startups will have access to esteemed institutions at the forefront of the disability space, facilitating crucial feedback and testing by people with lived experience, as well as clinical trials that will help get these products to market.

As partners, CPARF and the CP Research Network will continue to work toward a crucial element of their missions: enhancing everyday life for people with cerebral palsy.

Researchers and community members can join leaders of both organizations to learn more about the partnership for a webinar on Monday, February 13, 2023, at 6:00 pm ET. The webinar will also be recorded for later viewing. Registration is open at this link: https://bit.ly/CPResearchPartnershipWebinar

About Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation

Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation funds US-based research to change whats possible for people with cerebral palsy, implements proven science, and advances innovation to benefit all people with disabilities. Learn more at http://www.cparf.org or contact info@cparf.org.

About the Cerebral Palsy Research Network

The Cerebral Palsy Research Network aims to optimize the lifelong health and wellness of people with cerebral palsy and their families through high-quality research, education, and community programming. Learn more at http://www.cprn.org or contact info@cprn.org.
CHC New President and CEO Jean C. Accius, PhD "This is an era of unprecedented opportunity, and I look forward to continuing to grow CHCs impact, relevance and revenue," said Dr. Jean C. Accius.

CHC: Creating Healthier Communities, a national nonprofit that removes the barriers to good health and equity, today announced Jean C. Accius, PhD as its new president and CEO.

After an extensive search over the past six months with an abundance of incredibly strong candidates, were proud to welcome Dr. Jean Accius as CHCs new president and CEO, said Adam Rothschild, CHC board chair.

Dr. Accius previously served as Senior Vice President of Global Thought Leadership for AARP, the nations largest nonprofit advocating for solutions that advance equity and foster greater health security so everyone can live longer and healthier lives. Accius was instrumental in establishing AARP as a global convener and thought leader, elevating bold solutions and innovative programs, and forming strategic partnerships across industries to scale for impact and accelerate the pace of change. Prior to that, he held other senior roles at AARP and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

I was drawn to CHCs powerful mission and dedicated board and staff team, said Dr. Jean C. Accius. Its an incredible honor to join CHC at this significant time, just as the organization has completed a successful evolution to health equity. This is an era of unprecedented opportunity, and I look forward to continuing to grow CHCs impact, relevance, and revenue. Together, well break down the barriers to good health and equity and create resilient communities where everyone can thrive.

Leading CHC has been the highlight of my 40-year nonprofit career, said Thomas G. Bognanno, president and CEO at CHC. As I retire, I couldnt be prouder of our board of directors and staff team and what weve accomplished together at CHC. Im excited to welcome Jean as CHCs new leader and am confident he will take our organization to new heights as we enter our seventh decade addressing critical health issues and advancing health equity.

We were fortunate to have such consistent, steady leadership from Tom who served CHC faithfully before announcing his retirement, said Rothschild. This enabled us to work together through an intentional succession process that will ensure CHC continues to flourish. Jean is an inspiring, impactful leader, personally and professionally dedicated to our mission. Im incredibly grateful to Kevin Clayton, CHCs former board chair and the head of social impact and equity at the Cleveland Cavaliers for leading the Board Search Committee. This successful appointment was a unanimous decision and is a testament to the committees integrity and diligence throughout the process.

Accius has published numerous journal articles and research reports and is a sought-after speaker and presenter. His impressive educational credentials include a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration from American University; Master of Science in Aging Studies, Social Gerontology from Florida State University; Bachelor of Science in Business Administration also from Florida State University; as well as various certifications and Executive Education from notable institutions including Stanford Graduate School of Business, Georgetown McDonough School of Business, Harvard University School of Public Health and more. Accius is a certified director with the National Association of Corporate Directors and a fellow with the Executive Leadership Council.

His official start date will be Monday, February 27, including joining that weeks CHC Board of Directors meeting. To ensure a smooth transition and demonstrate his full support for the new CEO, current CEO Thomas G. Bognanno will remain with CHC through March 31.

ABOUT CHC: CREATING HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES

CHC: Creating Healthier Communities brings nonprofits, businesses, and communities together to improve community health. Our focus is health equity, addressing underlying issues and removing barriers so everyone can thrive. Our work is driven by community needs, and we direct programs, resources, and support where they have the greatest impact. Together with partners, weve been creating healthier communities for more than 65 years. Join us at chcimpact.org or @chcimpact.
The significance of their commitment to compassionate care has not gone unnoticed by their current patients and will be welcomed by the incoming wave of new patients we anticipate in the coming years. -- Confluent Healths President and CEO Dr. Larry Benz.

Confluent Health is proud to announce its newest partnership with MOTION PT Group (MOTION), a physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy company with 59 clinic locations across Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, and New York.

In 2015, MOTION had a vision to provide transformative care to patients of all ages, said Ed Miersch, CEO of MOTION. As we grew our company, we searched for clinical and administrative leaders who are passionate about quality patient care and the overall patient experience. We are excited to partner with the like-minded and highly successful team of the Confluent family of companies. Together, we will support our mission to deliver compassionate care and empower more patients to live their fullest lives.

This partnership will allow MOTION to continue providing patients with what is deemed the MOTION experience, including their hallmark of 1:1 care. The partnership will also allow the company to maintain its existing branding while gaining access to Confluent Healths established ecosystem of management services as well as education and musculoskeletal health resources. Support services include efficient community outreach, digital innovations, value-based care pathway models, and marketing and finance tools. Resources include best in brand physical therapy partnerships, such as the PTPN network, as well as continuing education programs and staff development opportunities with Evidence in Motion, a nationally recognized residency, fellowship, and certification education provider in physical and occupational therapy programs.

While MOTION has demonstrated their ability to expand patient access to care since their formation 8 years ago, theyve done so while also remaining value-driven, always focusing on consistent care that delivers noticeable results, complimented Confluent Healths President and CEO Dr. Larry Benz, PT, DPT, FAPTA. The significance of their commitment to compassionate care has not gone unnoticed by their current patients and will be welcomed by the incoming wave of new patients we anticipate in the coming years.

Urgency for clinical preparedness comes off the back of results from The PT First Study, announced at the American Physical Therapy Associations Private Practice 2022 Annual Conference & Exhibition in Aurora, Colorado in November. Findings revealed a growth trajectory in patient demand for physical therapy services that isnt currently supported in the field. The Survey also found the savings associated with removing barriers to physical therapy and involving the practice in a patients recovery, creating a 42% savings in total cost of care.

With their highly effective clinicians and scalable operational model, MOTION is well-positioned to serve a rapidly growing population of musculoskeletal and chronic pain patients. We look forward to this alliance and its assurance of expanding together while treating an increase in patients that need our expertise, said Benz.

The partnership brings Confluent Healths national footprint to 609 private practice clinics in 35 states.

For more information on MOTION, visit motionptg.com. To learn more about Confluent, visit GoConfluent.com.

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About MOTION PT GROUP

MOTION PT Group (MOTION) is a physical therapy practice group with outpatient locations in Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts and New York. As a proud member of the Confluent Health family, MOTION positively impacts patients' lives by delivering the best care and results through proven research, innovative treatments and technologies. For more information, visit motionptg.com.

About Confluent Health

Confluent Health is a family of physical and occupational therapy companies. We are transforming healthcare by strengthening private practices, developing highly effective clinicians, innovating new services and technology to improve the quality of care for patients, and lowering costs via more effective treatment, workplace wellness, and injury prevention. For more information, visit goconfluent.com or find us on Facebook at @confluenthealth.
Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is hosting a summit of leaders from several neighbouring countries - Kenya's William Ruto, Djibouti's Ismail Omar Guelleh and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed - to discuss the regional fight against islamist insurgents Al-Shabaab.

Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Wednesday hosted a summit of leaders from several neighbouring countries to discuss the regional fight against islamist insurgents Al-Shabaab.

The meeting in Mogadishu involved the Somali leader along with Kenya's William Ruto, Djibouti's Ismail Omar Guelleh and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

The four are due to discuss a coordinated military offensive against the Al-Qaeda linked group, which has been waging an insurgency in the troubled Horn of Africa nation for more than 15 years.

Stringent security restrictions are in force in the Somali capital, including the suspension of all commercial flights into Mogadishu.

After taking office in May last year, President Mohamud declared an "all-out war" on the jihadists, rallying Somalis to help flush out members of the islamist group..

In recent months, the army and local clan militia have retaken territory from the militants in an operation backed by US air strikes and an African Union force known as ATMIS.

But the jihadists, who were driven out of the capital by African Union troops in 2011, have frequently staged attacks.

Defence ministers and security chiefs of the four countries met in Mogadishu on Tuesday to prepare for the summit.

African Union troops on the frontline

"This collaboration is expected to lead to the quick liberation of the country from the renegades who have been dealt heavy blows on the battlefield in the past few weeks," the Somali government said on Tuesday.

Al-Shabaab remains entrenched in the countryside from where they have carried out numerous attacks both in Somalia and in neighbouring countries.

In the deadliest attack since the offensive was launched last year, 121 people were killed in two car bomb explosions at the education ministry in Mogadishu in October.

The terror group has also been active in eastern Kenya, which is a contributor to ATMIS, the African Transitional Mission in Somalia.

The 20,000-strong African Union force, formerly known as AMISOM, has a more offensive remit than its predecessor.

The force is drawn from Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya, with troops deployed in southern and central Somalia.

Its goal is to gradually reduce troop numbers to zero by the end of 2024 with security to be assumed by Somalia's army and police.
Connecticut Innovations (CI), Connecticuts strategic venture capital arm and the leading source of financing and ongoing support for Connecticuts innovative, growing companies, today announced that it invested $10 million in early-stage companies and fund of funds during the second quarter of its 2023 fiscal year, ending December 31, 2022.

In terms of investment breakdown, CI invested approximately $4 million in companies in the technology sector and $3 million in healthcare companies. The remaining funds were distributed across climate tech, consumer and venture funds.

The investments leveraged an additional $36.8 million in outside capital. CIs largest investments of the quarter went to Hally Hair, Holisto and Populi.

Although CI has anticipated market shifts, its critical for us to stay on track with expanding and supporting our portfolio, said Matt Storeygard, senior managing director of investments. We will continue actively deploying capital and seeking new investment opportunities.

The resilience of the early-stage companies we work with is remarkable, said Peter Longo, senior managing director of investments. Regardless of the environment, every day we work with companies that are growing, and we are here to assist with capital, talent acquisition services and customer introductions, which help them succeed in the state.

CI had 47 angels invest $5.8 million across 23 qualified Connecticut businesses through the Angel Investor Tax Credit program. Additionally, there were 24 angels who invested $2.1 million in two cannabis social equity companies.

In FY23, CI has invested $18.9 million and leveraged $133.5 million YTD.

About Connecticut Innovations

Connecticut Innovations (CI) is Connecticuts strategic venture capital arm and the leading source of financing and ongoing support for Connecticuts innovative, growing companies. CI provides venture capital and strategic support for early-stage technology companies, financial support for innovation and collaboration, and connections to its well-established network of partners and professionals. For more information, please visit http://www.ctinnovations.com.


Far from Being a Fairy Tale: an intimate look into the highs and lows of three relationships that each held unique lessons. Far from Being a Fairy Tale is the creation of published author Delia Morales, a native of Puerto Rico who was raised in New York City. She went to the Inter-American University in Puerto Rico where she majored in English education and graduated in 1983. She worked as an English school teacher for thirty-one years.

Morales shares, What Delia really wanted and needed in her life was the feeling of being wanted and loved by a prince charming like she would find in a fairy tale. A prince charming who would take over her heart and turn her life around. A prince charming that every girl dreams and desires at one point in her life. Her goal was to live a fairy tale, in other words, a happily ever after. As she was growing up, she was always daydreaming and visualizing all these things, but was her happily ever after and handsome prince ever there?

Let me tell you the amazing story of a girl named Delia, an avid reader of fairy tales whose favorite fairy tale was Cinderella, so Cinderella she wanted to be. Its a compelling story of how her love life all begins. In New York, she meets this guy named Miguel, and when meeting him, she sees in Miguel an actual prince charming, the one she had always wanted. After six months of having a relationship with him, her heart gets broken when he tells her he has to return to Puerto Rico. A year after; she decides to follow her dream and goes to Puerto Rico in search of Miguel, her prince.

There, she encounters two other men in her life, Alejandro and Marcos. She experienced her first kiss with Alejandro, but was it the kiss she had always desired? The kiss that takes you to heaven and back and only found in fairy tales. Later, she meets Marcos, but was he the real prince charming? She was looking for her happily ever after, and as the story develops, you will discover all the adventures Delia had with these three men in her life.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Delia Moraless new book will bring readers a deeply personal story of love, family, and self-discovery.

Consumers can purchase Far from Being a Fairy Tale at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Far from Being a Fairy Tale, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Franklin County Sweets: An Evening of Dessert pairs delicious sweets with retro fun. The main course of this event is dessert and includes a variety of cookies, carrot cake, cheesecake, pecan pie, chocolate cake with chocolate icing, and panna cotta with fresh fruit topping. Desserts are served with a choice of coffee or tea and finally espresso and dark chocolate.

Franklin County Visitors Bureau invites the public to celebrate Valentines Day with friends, family, or a special someone at Franklin County Sweets: An Evening of Dessert on February 10, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM. This sweet event serves dessert as the main course and is held at the Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center on the second floor, overlooking the square and downtown Chambersburg.

The evening opens with complimentary beverages, cheese, and starters in the lobby of the 11/30 Visitors Center to give participants a chance to meet other dessert lovers. The main course of this event is dessert and includes a variety of cookies, carrot cake, cheesecake, pecan pie, chocolate cake with chocolate icing, and panna cotta with fresh fruit topping. Desserts are served with a choice of coffee or tea and finally espresso and dark chocolate.

Throughout the evening, the Franklin County Visitors Bureau will highlight the Sweet Trails of Franklin County, in particular ice cream, pie, and candy; share the sweetest Franklin County spots for selfie-taking, and hand out retro Valentine cards. Franklin County Sweets: An Evening of Dessert concludes with Sweet Bingoguaranteed to be both fun and tasty.

Eating sweets creates a neurochemical response that makes feelings of happiness, satisfaction, and pleasure. So, it makes sense to give a sweet treat to someone specialshare Franklin County Sweets: An Evening of Dessert with your special someone(s). Tickets are $35 per person and can be purchased online here.

The Franklin County Visitors Bureau invites all to explore history, arts and architecture, recreation, natural beauty, fresh foods, and the warm hospitality of communities like Chambersburg, Greencastle, Mercersburg, Shippensburg, and Waynesboro. Franklin County PA is located just north of the Mason- Dixon Line and is an easy drive from Washington DC, Philadelphia, and New York. For more information, visit ExploreFranklinCountyPA.com or contact the Franklin County Visitors Bureau at 866.646.8060 for information and 11/30 Visitors Center activities.


Infinite Electronics Inc. Completes Acquisition of Cable Connectivity Group The addition of CCG to Infinite Electronics brand portfolio will further expand our footprint in Europe and better position us to meet customer demands for cable connectivity solutions, said Infinite Electronics President and CEO, Penny Cotner

Infinite Electronics, Inc., a global portfolio of leading in-stock connectivity solution brands, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Cable Connectivity Group (CCG) from Torqx Capital Partners and TKH Group NV. Headquartered in the Netherlands, CCGs brands operate across Europe, with offices and production and distribution facilities in Netherlands, Germany, Italy, France, Belgium, Poland, and China.

The addition of CCG to Infinite Electronics brand portfolio will further expand our footprint in Europe and better position us to meet customer demands for cable connectivity solutions, said Infinite Electronics President and CEO, Penny Cotner. Together, we share an aligned value proposition of working urgently to provide the products and real-time support customers need. We look forward to harnessing our shared capabilities to accelerate growth and success.

Serving the global industrial and electronics markets, CCGs brands are leading suppliers of cables, ready-to-connect cable systems and accessories. They are comprised of the following brands: TKD, KC Industrie, Capable, Schrade Kabeltechnik, Jobarco, Pantaflex, and ConCab.

Infinite Electronics and CCG have many similarities, such as customer-driven values and ambitious global growth plans, said Wouter-Jan van der Wurff, CCGs CEO. Joining Infinite Electronics portfolio is an exciting achievement and provides CCGs brands a unique opportunity and the leverage to accelerate business growth globally.

This acquisition further establishes Infinite Electronics presence in Europe and comes after the company announced earlier this month that it acquired Bulgin Ltd., a UK-based leading developer and manufacturer of innovative harsh environment connectivity solutions. These acquisitions are the latest milestones in Infinite Electronics rapid growth over the past six years.

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About Infinite Electronics, Inc.:

Infinite Electronics has a global portfolio of leading in-stock connectivity solution brands. Infinites brands help propel the worlds innovators forward by working urgently to provide products, solutions and real-time support for their customers. Backed by Warburg Pincus, Infinites brands serve customers across a wide range of industries with a broad inventory selection, same-day shipping and 24/7 customer service. Learn more at infiniteelectronics.com.

About CCG:

Cable Connectivity Group (CCG) is active in the production, distribution and assembly of specialty cables and cable connectivity solutions. The Group comprises the operating companies Jobarco BV, Pantaflex BV and Capable BV (in The Netherlands), TKD Kabel GmbH, ConCab GmbH and Schrade Kabeltechnik Germany (in Germany), Schrade Kabeltechnik Poland, KC Industrie Srl (in Italy), TKD Polska Sp. z o.o (in Poland), Schrade Kabeltechnik Sp. z o.o., TKD Italia Srl (in Italy), and TKD Cable Co., Ltd (in China).

About Torqx Capital Partners:

Torqx invests in medium-sized companies with significant value creation potential. Situations include growth-, buy-and-build-, performance improvement-, turnaround- and transformational investments across a range of industries including manufacturing, distribution and services. Torqx acquires majority positions based on a partnership with co-shareholders and management teams, offering the companies smart capital, network, expertise and talent to support implementation of their plans and achieve their full potential. The Torqx team consists of 14 highly experienced and skilled investment professionals who look beyond spreadsheets and understand what it takes to build businesses and increase momentum. Torqx currently manages over  350 million in committed capital and is backed by reputable international institutional investors and the Torqx team itself. For more information, please visit http://www.torqxcapital.com.

About TKH:

Technology firm TKH is focused on high-end innovative technologies in high growth markets within three business segments: Smart Vision systems, Smart Manufacturing systems and Smart Connectivity systems. Through a combination of technologies, TKH offers superior solutions that support to increase the efficiency, safety and security of its customers. The technologies are offered together with software to create smart technologies and one-stop-shop solutions with plug-and-play integrated technologies. TKH operates on a global scale. Its growth is concentrated in Europe, North America and Asia. Employing 6,160 people, TKH achieved a turnover of  1.5 billion in 2021. For more information, please visit http://www.tkhgroup.com.


Were eager to kick off 2023 with this fantastic conference and build off of the successful conference season we had in 2022. After the momentary pause in in-person events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, last year proved that conferences like SHARE are much-needed assets to the mainframe community.

Tampa-based global software vendor Infotel Corp announces its sponsorship of SHARE Atlanta 2023, one of the leading tech conferences in the enterprise IT community.

At the Hyatt Regency Atlanta from March 5-8, 2023, technology professionals from across the globe will gather to attend educational technical sessions focusing on topics like DevOps, security, IT operations, multiple virtual storage, and professional development.

Were eager to kick off 2023 with this fantastic conference and build off of the successful conference season we had in 2022, said Jeff Castella, vice president for Infotel Corp. After the momentary pause in in-person events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, last year proved that conferences like SHARE are much-needed assets to the mainframe community. These events allow us to continue lasting relationships with clients and partners, learn valuable skills from the best minds in the industry, and promote the mainframe platform to the next generation of technologists.

Infotel will be in booth 126 to discuss how to leverage software solutions to improve service delivery and control costs on IBM z/OS.

Whats New from Infotel at SHARE Atlanta?

Digital transformation and mainframe modernization initiatives are the biggest topics of conversation for enterprise IT professionals today and managing these projects with limited resources is going to require the right technology.

We understand how strapped for time DBAs and systems administrators are when it comes to managing their organizations ever-increasing workloads and modernization projects. Whats more, we know these professionals are often facing budget constraints as well.

Infotel is committed to providing the highest quality mainframe automation and information management products at the best possible price, so that already overworked and under-resourced IT staff can tackle their workloads with ease. Our solutions are designed with DBAs and developers in mind to save costs and reduce workload, providing users with greater bandwidth to focus on more strategic initiatives within their enterprise.

At SHARE Atlanta, Infotel will proudly feature the latest version of their DB/IQ PackMan solution, compatible with the latest IBM Db2 version 11.5.8, the first cloud-native database built to power low-latency transactions and real-time analytics at scale.

Additionally, Infotel will be showcasing its latest data governance product package, created to streamline compliance with the constantly evolving web of local, regional, and global regulations. Included in this data governance product package are Infotels newest software releases: Arvitam and deepeo.

Arvitam guarantees immutable, high-volume data archiving, which can span years, decades, and beyond. For companies subject to complex regulations, Arvitam can streamline data compliance with hundreds of international standards, including ISO 14721 - OAIS and NC Z 42-013 to enable digital archiving with strong legal proof of evidence  all on one platform. Arvitam protects confidential records with a digital safety deposit box to ensure long-term, tamper-proof retention of digital assets.

Deepeo is Infotels digital anonymization solution for enterprises needing to streamline the management of GDPR and other data protection regulations. Deepeo can help streamline large volumes of unstructured data, oftentimes scattered across diverse data centers. Deepeos agents can be deployed on multiple types of databases from Oracle to SQL servers to Db2 and PostgreSQL, and are easily customizable to any clients specific needs.

Infotel encourages conference attendees to stop by their booth in the exhibition hall to learn more about these latest solutions or talk with one of their technology specialists about how they can help with large enterprise modernization and compliance initiatives.

About SHARE

SHARE Inc. is an independent, volunteer-run association providing enterprise technology professionals with continuous education and training, valuable professional networking, and effective industry influence. Twice each year, SHARE gathers the leading subject matter experts, vendors, and business visionaries in enterprise IT for a week of education and innovation. More information about SHARE Atlanta 2023 can be found at https://www.share.org/Events/SHARE-Atlanta-2023/Registration.

About Infotel

Infotel Corp., based in Tampa, Florida, is a software vendor and IT consulting firm specializing in data performance and optimization solutions across both distributed and mainframe platforms. For more than 40 years, Infotel has delivered proven solutions to help clients improve their data management systems. For more information on Infotel Corp., please visit http://www.insoft-infotel.com.


It is such an honor to be recognized with this distinguished award from Find Local Doctors, says Dr. Kabaei.

At Robotic Hip and Knee Replacement LA, Dr. Farzin Kabaei and his team use a multi-disciplinary approach to knee, hip and shoulder treatments at his state-of-the-art medical center in Los Angeles, California. He has been selected by Find Local Doctors for this honor as a result of his many five-star ratings and excellent reviews from satisfied patients across multiple online sources. Find Local Doctors is a user-friendly online directory that helps consumers connect with skilled physicians in their area. In many of Dr. Kabaeis reviews, patients have commented on his surgical skill and the top-notch professionalism that he provides.

Dr. Kabaei is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, specializing in hip, knee and shoulder joint disorders and offers advanced treatment options at his clinic. Dr. Kabaeis credentials and experience in this specialized field have made him one of the top knee and hip surgeons in the country. Patients from around the globe travel to see Dr. Farzin Kabaei for cutting-edge procedures using his expert knowledge of the Mako robotic joint replacement system. His experience and deep understanding of the robotic system's capabilities, make him a highly sought-after surgeon, allowing patients to receive same-day knee and hip joint replacement surgery. Dr. Kabaei is a renowned expert in robotic hip and knee replacement surgery, but he also offers innovative treatments for knee, hip and shoulder issues, including combining regenerative medicine, interventional treatments and surgical options.

It is such an honor to be recognized with this distinguished award from Find Local Doctors, says Dr. Kabaei.

More about Dr. Farzin Kabaei:

Dr. Kabaei received his undergraduate degree in neuroscience from UCLA and his medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. His orthopedic residency training was completed at Montefiore/Einstein Medical Center with fellowship training at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He is board certified by the California Medical Board of Examiners and the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery. Dr. Kabaei is considered an expert in the treatment of patients with orthopedic trauma and complex joint problems from arthritis, previous trauma, infection, and childhood deformities. Additionally, he has specialized training in robotic hip and knee surgery and is an associate at DOCS Orthopedic Hospital, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Providence St. Johns in Santa Monica. His cutting-edge practice, Robotic Hip and Knee Replacement LA, is located at 8436 West 3rd Street Suite 800 in Los Angeles.

For more information about Robotic Hip and Knee Replacement LA or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Farzin Kabaei, please call (310) 792-9300 and visit http://www.robotichipandkneereplacementla.com.


It feels like an easy decision to partner with and provide support to an organization built on compassionate care, community engagement and advocacy for humane treatment," said Mike Morse, attorney and founder of MMLF.

Mike Morse Law Firm and Michigan Humane Announce Multi-Year Partnership Agreement In New Three-Year Arrangement, Animal Welfare Nonprofit Names Mike Morse Law Firm, Official Adoption Partner for 2023-2025

Mike Morse Law Firm, Michigans largest personal injury law firm, is pleased to announce its new three-year partnership agreement with Michigan Humane, the oldest and largest nonprofit animal welfare organization in the state. Specific financial terms of the deal are undisclosed, but in recognition for the firms generous annual support, Michigan Humane has named Mike Morse Law Firm (MMLF) its Official Adoption Partner for 2023-2025.

As the Official Adoption Partner, MMLF will support Michigan Humanes effort to achieve an ongoing 100-percent adoption rate for the thousands of healthy and treatable animals that come through its doors annually. To further aid in pet adoption awareness, MMLFs partnership will support regular, on-air, pet features with metro-Detroit television stations, monthly social media spotlights of adoptable animals and sponsorship of the Spotlight Dog kennel at Michigan Humanes Mackey Center in Detroit, which houses and highlights a dog in special need of a family.

Additionally, on May 20, 2023, MMLF will host the third annual, Meet Your Best Friend at the Firm pet adoption event at its headquarters in Southfield, Mich.; and will sponsor Michigan Humanes first ever, Meet Your Best Friend at the Shelter event at its adoption center locations on Sept. 8-9, 2023. MMLF also will serve as Silver Sponsor of the Michigan Humane annual Day of Giving Telethon, and as an ongoing supporter of Michigan Humanes Cruelty Investigation and Rescue team.

Safe, loved and well-cared for pets are an integral part of our wellbeing and quality of life. At MMLF, we are moved by Michigan Humanes tireless dedication to building a more humane community by touching the lives of nearly 100,000 families and their pets, said Mike Morse, attorney and founder of MMLF. It feels like an easy decision to partner with and provide support to an organization built on compassionate care, community engagement and advocacy for humane treatment.

At Michigan Humane, we know firsthand what is needed to support the people and pets in our community. We simply cant do it alone, said Michigan Humane President and CEO, Matt Pepper. We rely on the support of generous community partners, like Mike Morse and his team at MMLF, to continue to do what we do every day. Thanks to this important partnership, thousands of animals will now know the healing power of having a home.

About Mike Morse Law Firm

Mike Morse Law Firm has been protecting the rights of Michigan auto accident and injury victims for more than three decades. They are Michigan's largest personal injury firm, specializing in auto, truck, pedestrian and motorcycle accidents, as well as Social Security disability claims. The MMLF team are experts in Michigan's No-Fault Act. Since opening its doors, the firm has won more than one billion dollars for its 35,000-plus clients. Mike Morse Law Firm handles cases statewide, with headquarters located in Southfield, Mich. More information is available at 855MikeWins.com.

About Michigan Humane

Michigan Humane, founded in 1877, is the oldest and largest nonprofit animal welfare organization in the state. Michigan Humane is dedicated to helping the animals of southeastern Michigan, whether in our shelters, our veterinary clinics, or out in the community. Michigan Humane operates seven facilities dedicated to caring for animals and their families throughout metro Detroit; adoption partnerships with Premier Pet Supply, Petco, and PetSmart; and a Cruelty Investigation Department and a Statewide Animal Response Team. Learn more at michiganhumane.org.
New benchmark data released today from NFP, a leading benefits consultant, highlights opportunities employers have when administering their leave policies. Among a variety of insights, data from NFPs inaugural Leave Benchmarking Study (the study) shows that employers using outdated leave management practices may be leaving money on the table if they are not coordinating their maternity leave offerings with short-term disability (42% of companies surveyed do not) and state provided medical leave benefits (63% of companies surveyed do not).

These insights provide valuable guidance for HR practice leaders on leave policy best practices and compliance as workforce dynamics continue to evolve. With the support of its benchmarking data, NFP consults with employers to help them create more competitive benefit offerings for current and prospective talent, enhance the overall workforce experience, and find the right balance of flexibility for employees.

Despite efforts to ensure compliance, many employers are finding it a challenge to create comprehensive leave policies. Hybrid, remote and dispersed workforces have only added to the challenges, said Maria Trapenasso, Human Capital Solutions national practice leader, NFP. With HR leaders taking on more and more within their organizations, it can be difficult to stay on top of regulatory complexities, avoid missed financial opportunities, and provide the support employees need. Our Leave Benchmarking Study is designed to start conversations with these leaders and work toward enhancements that can make a meaningful difference for their people and ultimately the overall performance of their organizations.

The study also provides data to help employers better understand how their leave policies compare to those of their peers. NFPs data can inform and provide support for policy refinements that enhance an organizations ability to attract and retain talent.

The survey found maternity and parental leave are top priorities for many employers. Most employers offer leave for birth of a child (94%), with slightly less doing so for adoption (88%) and foster care (72%). Further, only 25% of employers differentiate between primary and secondary caregiver leave, a clear indicator that this type of policy is more complex to administer than first thought, observed Trapenasso. Employers should seek counsel when using this type of policy because it is complex, and they need to ensure compliance.

Nearly three-quarters (74%) of employers said they offer no amount of family caregiver leave. Theres a large workforce demographic in the sandwich generation responsible for taking care of their children and elderly parents at the same time. Its vital for employers to realize the importance of providing their employees with paid leave to care for their loved ones of every age, said Trapenasso.

Employers have also adjusted their bereavement leave policies in response to cultural shifts that have broadened

the definition of family. The study found nearly one-quarter of bereavement leave policies allow an employee to take time off for a miscarriage or failed in vitro fertilization (24%). Additionally, some employers offer bereavement leave allowances for any close relations (32%) and the death of a pet (7%).

Some other notable findings from the survey are that 45% of employers offer Juneteenth as a paid company holiday, more than three-quarters (77%) offer the same amount of PTO to exempt and non-exempt employees, and 61% provide more than five paid sick days per year.

Overall, the study shows that recent shifts in employee attitudes have triggered many employers to align their leave policies with the needs of their workforce, corporate values and peer standards. Administering employee leaves can be complex, particularly if required to comply with multiple state leave regulations. But there are ways to streamline policies to make them efficient and compliant at the same time, concluded Trapenasso.

The full report and whitepaper can be found here. Additional insights from an industry webinar are available here.

About the Leave Benchmarking Study

NFP conducted a benchmarking study to identify the leave management practices that drive policy across various US industries. To gather this information, NFP commissioned Hanover to conduct a nationwide quantitative benchmarking study to further understand organizational practices and offerings. The survey of 257 NFP clients, who have participated in creating and updating their companys leave management policies, gathered data related to maternity/parental leave, holidays, paid time off, family caregiver leave, bereavement leave, sabbaticals and leave administration. NFP has compiled the results of this study and created a report to provide insight to HR practice leaders on leave policy trends, best practices and compliance.

About NFP

NFP is a leading property and casualty broker, benefits consultant, wealth manager, and retirement plan advisor that provides solutions enabling client success through the expertise of over 7,400 global employees, investments in innovative technologies, and enduring relationships with highly rated insurers, vendors and financial institutions. NFP is the 9th best place to work for large employers in insurance, 7th largest privately-owned broker, 5th largest benefits broker by global revenue and 13th largest broker of US business (all rankings according to Business Insurance).

NFP recently launched its new Human Capital Solutions practice to provide its clients with expert solutions for their most complex HR challenges.

Visit NFP.com to discover how NFP empowers clients to meet their goals.
"Our platforms provide an engaging experience and a unique advertising opportunity for corporations, small businesses, and those desiring to reach this market."

With February marking Black History Month, The Patricia Green Group, a public relations agency, introduces you to Donna Baxter Porcher, Founder & CEO of Soul Pitt Media. When she launched her business, Donna leveraged her background as a former rap artist, a member of Generation X, and a Tech Diva. A University of Pittsburgh graduate, entrepreneur, wife, and dog mom with a moral mindset, Donna knew early that digital communication was the future while not forgetting the importance of print. Her award-winning print magazine and community website attract corporate and small business advertisers looking to connect with the Black community. Read the following interview and learn more.

1. Why did you launch Soul Pitt Media?

I am passionate about providing a positive and accurate representation of the Black community, particularly in Pittsburgh. As a college freshman, I saw the need for a platform that served the Black community and provided a voice for their stories and experiences. I started the website from my basement apartment as a hobby to teach myself web design and began documenting Black Pittsburgh online. Years later, I realized how much others could use this information, made the site public, and registered my business around 2000.

Adapting to the digital age was a wise decision; my online presence grew tremendously. Jet Magazine was my inspiration with respect to its editorial format. Yet the publication struggled with declining circulation and advertising dollars and needed to adapt more quickly to the digital age. Not doing so ultimately led to its downfall. In response to market interest, I published a magazine and made it close to the size of Jet as a nod to the legendary publication. I allied with a network of distribution partners consisting of small mom-and-pop shops, salons, community centers, and grocery stores. Readers access my magazine free of charge and enjoy a tangible experience when visiting our distribution locations.

2. What is unique about your company?

Soul Pitt Media is unique in its commitment to promoting pride and excellence in the Black community through storytelling and education on issues impacting quality of life. We provide a platform for the voices and experiences of the Black community, which mainstream media often underrepresents. Our market reach extends throughout Western Pennsylvania and beyond. Our growing online presence allows us to reach wider audiences. Additionally, our print circulation reaches a multitude of people in the region. We provide positive representation and information on healthcare, education, and employment opportunities for the Black community.

3. What do advertisers and sponsors gain through affiliation with Soul Pitt Media?

Soul Pitt Media understands the intricate relationship between brands, content, and African-American consumers in Western Pennsylvania. As a result, our platforms provide an engaging experience and a unique advertising opportunity for corporations, small businesses, and those desiring to reach this market. Our relationships with socially responsible advertisers and sponsors enable us to offer readers access to valuable information and resources from organizations that share our commitment to promoting positive change in Black communities. For example, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) provides our readers with access to interviews with Black doctors in our print and podcast platforms, which can help to promote health education and awareness in the community.

4. Please share how and why Pittsburgh's Heinz History Center recognized Soul Pitt last year.

DaNia Childress, Associate Curator for African American History at the Smithsonian-affiliated Senator John Heinz History Center, reached out to me to record an oral history interview of my entrepreneurial journey. That journey to Soul Pitt began when I moved from Johnstown to Pittsburgh for college.

Fifty issues of Soul Pitt later, on September 7, 2022, we delivered one copy of each to DaNia Childress. The public can access those copies of Soul Pitt in the African American collection of The Thomas & Katherine Detre Library & Archives at the Heinz History Center, Western Pennsylvania's preeminent source for researching the region's rich history. Soul Pitt will continue to add to this collection as new issues are published. God blessed me with LEGACY, and I am so thankful that the Heinz History Center realizes the historical value of our publication.

5. Would a Soul Pitt Magazine supplement be a good fit for smaller Pennsylvania markets?

Yes, a Soul Pitt Quarterly would be a good fit for smaller Pennsylvania markets, especially Central Pennsylvania. However, to make this happen, the distribution must be increased, which means potential advertisers in that area of Pennsylvania. Having a media voice for the underrepresented in two parts of the state brings Blacks together around shared concerns.

6. Where do you see Soul Pitt Media in the future? Will the company contribute to revitalizing your hometown, Johnstown, Pennsylvania?

I see Soul Pitt Media as a leading media platform for the Black community in Western Pennsylvania and beyond. Our immediate goal is to continue to grow and expand our reach across the state through storytelling and multimedia content. Growth and revitalization include my hometown, Johnstown. Our focus is positive representation and education that promotes community pride.

To learn more, visit thesoulpitt.com.
Ignite For Revival: a potent clarion call to readers in need of finding that spark that leads to spiritual connection. Ignite For Revival is the creation of published author Rev. Dr. Wilson Rugira, who is a theologian and a preacher. Over the years, he has served as a lecturer at different theological universities in Central and Eastern Africa. He had focused his research on hermeneutics and biblical studies. He is the senior pastor of the Philadelphia churches (EEPVR) and served as CEO of Ebenezer International Ministry in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Rev. Dr. Rugira shares, Revival is when you agree to let yourself be led and judged by the Word of God and the action of the Holy Spirit until you are in turmoil. Revival is when our actions are placed on the divine scale and when the believer discerns the time we live. Revival is the transition from sleep to wakefulness, cessation of anesthesia, coma. Revival is the resumption activity after an interruption, like spring, harvesttime, and renewing of life. Are our actions the result of our communion with the Lord, the works that the Lord has prepared in advance to glorify the Lord? The Lords return is near, and revival prepares Christians to meet God, for we are not to be cold nor lukewarm but boiling for the Lord.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Rev. Dr. Wilson Rugiras new book is a testament to the authors passion for bringing believers back to Christ.

Rev. Dr. Wilson shares in hopes of encouraging readers to be active and committed in their faith practices.

Consumers can purchase Ignite For Revival at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Ignite For Revival, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Year on from launch of major Amnesty report, almost 220 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces

South Africa and Namibia among countries who've expressed concern that Israel's treatment of Palestinians constitutes apartheid

'Apartheid is a crime against humanity, and it is frankly chilling to see the perpetrators evade justice year after year' - Agnes Callamard

The Israeli authorities must dismantle the system of apartheid which is causing immense suffering and bloodshed, Amnesty International said today, a year on since Amnesty launched a major campaign against Israel's overarching system apartheid.

Since Amnesty's campaign launch, Israeli forces have killed almost 220 Palestinians, including 35 last month (January 2023) alone. Unlawful killings help maintain Israel's apartheid system and constitute crimes against humanity, as do other serious and ongoing violations such as administrative detention and forcible transfer.

Recent deadly attacks have underscored the urgent need for accountability in the region. On 26 January, Israeli forces carried out a raid on Jenin refugee camp and killed ten Palestinians, including a 61-year-old woman. On 27 January, seven Israeli civilians were killed when a Palestinian gunman opened fire in Neve Ya'akov, an Israeli settlement in occupied East Jerusalem.

In response to this attack, Israeli authorities have stepped up collective punishment against Palestinians, carrying out sweeping mass arrests and threatening punitive home demolitions.

Amid these violations, there is growing international recognition that the Israeli authorities are committing apartheid. Palestinians have long called for an understanding of Israel's rule as apartheid, and organisations such as Al-Haq, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights and Al Mezan have been at the forefront of advocacy on this issue.

Last year, two UN Special Rapporteurs concluded that the Israeli authorities were committing apartheid, and the number of states at the Human Rights Council referring to Israeli apartheid doubled from nine in 2021 to 18 in 2022. Notably, South Africa and Namibia are among the states who have expressed concern that Israel's treatment of Palestinians constitutes apartheid. Several international and Israeli human rights organisations have also called for an end to apartheid, including Human Rights Watch, B'Tselem and Yesh Din.

The Israeli authorities have gone to great lengths to suppress and discredit findings of apartheid, with particularly serious consequences for Palestinian human rights defenders. Last August, the Israeli authorities raided the offices of seven leading Palestinian NGOs after branding them "terrorist entities" and outlawing them. In December, Salah Hammouri, a field researcher at prisoners' rights organisation Addameer, was stripped of his Jerusalem residency and deported to France after spending nine months in administrative detention.

Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International's Secretary General, said:

"The devastating events of the past week have exposed yet again the deadly cost of the system of apartheid."The international community's failure to hold Israeli authorities to account for apartheid and other crimes has given them free rein to segregate, control and oppress Palestinians on a daily basis, and helps perpetuate deadly violence."Apartheid is a crime against humanity, and it is frankly chilling to see the perpetrators evade justice year after year."Israel has long attempted to silence findings of apartheid with targeted smear campaigns, and the international community allows itself to be cowed by these tactics. "Until apartheid is dismantled there is no hope of protecting civilian lives, and no hope of justice for grieving families in Palestine and Israel."We call on states to end all forms of support for Israel's violations, and to break with years of complicit inaction by holding the Israeli authorities to account."

Daily evidence of apartheid

On 1 February 2022, Amnesty released a 280-page report showing how Israel enforces an institutionalised system of oppression and domination against Palestinians wherever it has control over their rights: in Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and against displaced refugees by denying their right to return. It showed how Israeli laws, policies and practices are enacted with the overarching aim of maintaining a Jewish demographic majority, maximising control of land and resources to benefit Jewish Israelis to the detriment of Palestinians.

Last year went on to become one of the deadliest years for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, with some 153 Palestinians - including dozens of children - killed by Israeli forces, mostly in the context of increased military raids and arrest operations. Amnesty research found that 33 Palestinians - including 17 civilians - were killed by Israeli forces during their August offensive on Gaza, and that at least seven civilians were killed by rockets launched by Palestinian armed groups.

Meanwhile, incidents of Israeli settler violence against Palestinians increased for the sixth consecutive year in 2022, with attacks including physical assaults, damage to property and destruction of olive groves. The Israeli authorities have condoned and facilitated this violence, including by arresting the Palestinians who are under attack, providing armed escorts to settlers, or simply by looking on from the sidelines while Palestinians have been attacks and had property destroyed.

Following the Neve Ya'akov shooting attack, the Israeli authorities have appeared to incite further violence against Palestinians by announcing plans to expedite gun licences "in order to enable thousands of additional citizens to carry weapons". Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has already pledged to massively expand illegal settlements across the Occupied Palestinian Territories, also said the government was planning to "strengthen settlements".

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Settlement expansion

All Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal under international law, and Israel's long-running policy of settling civilians in occupied territory amounts to a war crime. Increased settlement expansion will put countless more Palestinians at risk of forcible transfer - a crime against humanity which Israeli authorities have committed on a systematic basis. Last May, a Supreme Court ruling authorised the forcible transfer of more than 1,150 Palestinians from Masafer Yatta in the West Bank. In the past year the Israeli authorities also scaled up plans to demolish the unrecognised village of Ras Jrabah in Israel's Negev/Naqab region and displace its 500 Palestinian-Bedouin residents, while last month the Bedouin village of Al-Araqib was demolished for the 212th time.

Ignoring the UN

In May this year, Israel's human rights record will come under scrutiny through the Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council. Amnesty has written to the Israeli authorities urging them to engage with this process, but they have yet to submit to the review process. The Israeli authorities have ignored most of the recommendations during the previous UPR cycle in 2018. For example, despite being urged repeatedly over the years, and then again in 2018, to end administrative detention, Israel is currently holding more than 860 Palestinians without charge or trial - the highest number in 15 years.
SignatureCare Emergency Center Mural at 3209 Montrose Blvd., Houston, TX 77006 The mural was designed for the community. We want them to admire and enjoy it. That is exactly why we created it so the community can enjoy it.

SignatureCare Emergency Center has unveiled a mural aimed at honoring Houstonians and the companys employees who worked tirelessly in the last few years to help their communities weather the effects of COVID and medical challenges.

Called Stronger Together, the mural was created by Houston Muralist Sebastien Boileau and can be seen on the side of SignatureCare Emergency Center ER in Montrose, Houston, TX, at 3209 Montrose Blvd., Houston, TX 77006 (Google Map).

Mr. Boileau said he created the beautiful mural to show the strength of Houston residents and the diversity that makes the city of Houston special.

This mural represents the strength that Houstonians can display towards each other during tough times but also the beautiful diversity that makes this city so special, he said in Houston, TX.

Dr. Christopher Langan, MD, an Emergency Medicine Physician and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of SignatureCare Emergency Center said the mural is an effort to show the companys appreciation to the community, for choosing SignatureCare for all their familys emergency medical needs.

For nearly a decade, the community chose SignatureCare Emergency Center as the ER they go to for all their familys medical emergencies. We want to show them that we appreciate them so much, he said.

Dr. Langan said that these last few years have been tough for the community with COVID and other emergencies but the community stood strong together.

These last few years were not easy on anyone bit it has been wonderful to see the community come together time and again when the situation called for us to come together. We as a community are resilient and strong, he added.

He urged Houstonians to stop by and enjoy the mural anytime they are around Montrose or in Downtown Houston area.

The mural was designed for the community. Its like an icon in the center of our city of Houston. We want them to admire and enjoy it. That is exactly why we created it so the community can enjoy it, he said.

About SignatureCare Emergency Center

Houston, TX-based SignatureCare Emergency Center owns 24-hour emergency centers throughout Texas, including Atascocita/Humble, Killeen, Austin, College Station/Bryan, Paris, Midland, Odessa, Texarkana, Spring, and Lewisville, TX. We also have nine ER locations in the Houston area, including in Montrose, Houston Heights, Cypress/FM 1960, Copperfield, Memorial City, Westchase, Bellaire, Mission Bend/Sugar Land, and Stafford.
Wells Fargo South Florida Branch Banking Region Director Hector J. Ponte volunteered for The Education Fund Teach-A-Thon, teaching third graders about saving and budgeting. Through the Teach-A-Thon, we seek to educate the community about the teaching profession and show teachers that we support their efforts. Join us by donating to show teachers we care!

Miami-Dade, like the rest of the US, is in need of teachers. The Education Fund and Wells Fargo are challenging the business community to take action that will help them better support the teaching community and understand the role teachers play in our local schools.

The Teach-A-Thon challenge puts business executives in the shoes of teachers to gain first-hand experience about why successful teacher retention and recruitment strategies are critical to student achievement. Additionally, The Education Fund is asking the entire community to participate in a campaign to "Have a Heart & Support Our Public School Teachers. The goal is to raise tens of thousands of dollars during the month of love. These dollars will be used to support classroom instruction and make teachers jobs just a little easier.

At least once a year, I get to bring financial health guidance to a local classroom as I step into the role of a teacher via The Education Funds Teach-A-Thon, said Wells Fargo South Florida Branch Banking Region Director Hector J. Ponte. I have served on the Board of Directors of The Education Fund for more than 20 years and Ive seen firsthand their efforts to support our local teachers as they face the many challenges that come with their profession. And as the son, spouse and father of current and former public school educators, I am incredibly proud to advocate for this organization along with the support of my employer, Wells Fargo.

The Teach-A-Thon is a five-month education campaign that aims to foster awareness about the teaching profession and raise money to help teachers get the supplies and equipment they need for classroom instruction. The teaching profession may be the only one where professionals are asked to fund their own work. The Teach-a-Thon seeks to lessen this load. Community members can help by joining The Education Funds Have a Heart campaign, demonstrating their support of teachers by donating during the month of Valentines Day at http://www.educationfund.org/teachathon. The campaign ends on 2/28/23.

Already, more than 180 volunteers called Public School Champions, are reaching out to their networks to ask friends and colleagues to participate. These business executives traded in their briefcases for lesson plans, stepping into the shoes of a teacher to understand more about the teaching profession. They are teaching science, history, math, finance, and language arts from pre-K to high school in the third-largest school district in the country.

The 2022-23 Teach-A-Thon features business professionals from Wells Fargo, Assurant, Kaufman Rossin, and dozens of other companies throughout the community. Serving as Public School Champions are executives including Hector Ponte from Wells Fargo, Mabel Morrison from Assurant, Nick Tootle from Kaufman Rossin, Jackie Martinez from Humana, Pablo Pino from TD Bank, Ralph Pagano from The Naked Taco, Richard Milstein from Akerman, Bill Hanson from Bill Hanson Catering, Wendy Kallergis from GMBHA, and many others.

Public school teachers are essential to guiding our youth and shaping their futures -- and ours! Yet, current trends show many teachers are leaving the profession and not enough are entering it. Through the Teach-A-Thon, we seek to educate the community about the teaching profession and show teachers that we support their efforts. Join us by donating to show teachers we care! said Linda Lecht, president of The Education Fund.

The Education Fund will celebrate the 2022-23 Teach-A-Thon and those that participated at the Taste of Education, an annual culinary event on Tuesday, February 28 at Hialeah Park featuring the gourmet creations of students in Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

To donate to the Teach-A-Thon, visit educationfund.org/teachathon. Purchase tickets to the Taste of Education at EducationFund.org

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About The Education Fund: The Education Funds current initiatives, including Food Forests for Schools, Ideas with IMPACT, Teach-A-Thon, Ocean Bank Center for Educational Materials, and For The Love of Art Annual Charity Auction, bring innovative methods to our schools; inform the community about public education; and encourage private sector investment in public education. The Education Funds work with the private sector has resulted in more than $72 million raised to improve education for public school students and teachers in Miami-Dade County. Visit Educationfund.org.
Chris Carpenter, DVM, founder & president of Vet Set Go, with past Become a Veterinarian Camp Contest" winners. The 2023 online essay contest opens Wed, Feb 1, with entries due by Fri, March 31 Vet Set Go and VCA are expanding the 2023 essay contest to be the biggest yet: The contest will award 45 students from across the U.S.  an entire class  a scholarship prize package to attend Vet Camp. The contest opens February 1 and runs through March 31, 2023.

To help aspiring young veterinarians start now to pursue their dream, Vet Set Go and VCA Animal Hospitals are inviting rising sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students to enter the seventh annual Vet Set Go Become a Veterinarian Camp Contest 2023. The contest opens on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, and runs through March 31, 2023, with online essay submission available at Vet Set Go (http://www.VetSetGo.com).

Winners of the online essay contest will receive a scholarship to attend the Auburn University Junior Vet Camp from June 18 - 23, 2023, at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, one of the nations premier veterinarian schools.

Vet Set Go and VCA are expanding the 2023 essay contest to be the biggest yet: The contest will award 45 students from across the U.S.  an entire class  a scholarship prize package to attend Vet Camp.

Vet Set Go is proud to offer young aspiring veterinarians an even greater opportunity this year to access the in-person, hands-on veterinary experience they are craving, said Chris Carpenter, DVM, founder and president of Vet Set Go. We know what its like to have a future veterinarian in your home and are honored to provide this once-in-a-lifetime scholarship opportunity for 45 teens and tweens to explore their dream.

The prize package is valued at $1,200 and includes tuition, materials, and room and board at the world-renowned Auburn Junior Veterinary Camp in Auburn, Alabama. Transportation to the camp is the responsibility of the winners. The contest opens on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, at 8 a.m. EST, and runs for two months, with online essay submission available at Vet Set Go. The contest ends on Friday, March 31, 2023, with all essays due by 11:59 p.m. EST. Winners will be notified of their free Junior Vet Camp experience by May 15, 2023.

Those of us in veterinary medicine experience the joy that comes with getting to know pet owners and pets over a lifetime. Vet Set Go plays a critical role in connecting young people to these fulfilling careers, said Todd Lavender, DVM, president of VCA Animal Hospitals. Im proud of our growing partnership with Vet Set Go and excited that were able to send a whole class of students to Junior Vet Camp in 2023. This work is one way were helping the next generation of professionals grab hold of their dreams and supporting our commitment to taking care of the future of veterinary medicine.

Vet Set Go has been connecting and mentoring aspiring veterinarians since 2006 and launched the camp scholarship contest in 2017. Since then, Vet Set Go has given away more than 25,000 copies of its award-winning, roadmap-to-becoming-a-veterinarian book to students, and connected hundreds of thousands of teens and tweens to vet-related resources, activities and volunteer opportunities.

The Vet Set Go Become a Veterinarian Camp Contest is open to students entering sixth through eighth grade in fall 2023. With the help of a parent or guardian, students enter the contest using the official entry form available Wednesday, February 1, at Vet Set Go. Student entrants are asked to complete a short online essay (300 words or less) that addresses at least one of these topics:



Why they want to be a veterinarian

Why they love animals

What they have done to get animal experience or learn more about science

I was 11 years old when I decided to become a veterinarian. I still remember how badly I wanted to get out and work with animals and veterinarians, but that experience was so hard to find at that age, adds Dr. Carpenter. Thats why I started Vet Set Go 16 years ago. We understand future veterinarians like no other organization and are committed to helping them find opportunities to explore their dream. The Become a Veterinarian Camp Contest is a great example of the many ways we help future veterinarians. We understand them like no one else.

During the camp, contest winners will learn about veterinary medicine first-hand in Auburn University classrooms, laboratories, and outdoor facilities. Curriculum includes learning about surgery, food animals, wildlife, anatomy, parasitology, and first aid, as well as gaining valuable mentoring about veterinary science careers.

To learn more about the Become a Veterinarian Camp Contest 2023 or to enter between February 1 and March 31, 2023, visit http://www.vetsetgo.com.

ABOUT Vet Set Go

Vet Set Go is the first and only web community dedicated to helping teen and tween aspiring veterinarians explore their passion. Founded by Dr. Christopher Carpenter in 2006, Vet Set Go encourages future veterinarians to pursue their dream and shows them how they can start today through such resources as its award-winning Vet Set Go book and the online Vet Academy shadowing courses. Vet Set Gos Vet Volunteer app is the best way for students to find local volunteer opportunities while tracking their volunteer hours for veterinary college applications. Vet Set Go also introduces STEM subjects to aspiring veterinarians through online courses like Introduction to Animal Anatomy and free case study articles on the website. Proceeds from Vet Set Go sales help aspiring veterinarians through events like the Become a Vet Camp Contest and Vet Set Go book giveaways to students in need. For more information, visit http://www.vetsetgo.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

ABOUT VCA ANIMAL HOSPITALS

A leader in veterinary care, VCA Animal Hospitals is committed to taking care of the future of veterinary medicine. We are a family of hometown animal hospitals determined to positively impact pets, people and our communities. From general practice to emergency and specialty care, VCA delivers world-class medicine and hometown care to more than four million pets each year. We invest in cutting-edge tools, training and technology that enable Associates across our national network of hospitals to lead the industry today and into tomorrow. Among our talented 35,000 Associates are nearly 7,000 veterinarians  including 430 who are board-certified specialists  nearly 4,000 credentialed technicians and over 10,000 veterinary assistants  all dedicated to giving pets the very best in medical care.

As part of the Mars Veterinary Health family of brands, VCA is taking care of the future of veterinary medicine to help achieve the Mars Petcare PurposeA Better World for Pets. To learn more about VCA, visit: http://www.vca.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

ABOUT Auburn Junior Veterinary Camp

The Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine offers the Auburn Junior Veterinary Camp on its campus in Auburn, Alabama each summer for youth entering the sixth- through eighth-grade who are interested in the veterinary medicine profession. Faculty, technicians and second-year veterinary students provide unique veterinary coursework and experiences for campers in laboratories, classrooms and outdoor facilities in one of the nations premiere veterinary schools. Over the course of its 125-year plus history, the Auburn University has produced more than 6,400 veterinarians and more than 500 specialists and researchers.

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The OACVB is a tremendous organization that does exceptional work for our industry and were honored to have once again earned their recognition this year, said Phillip S. Smith, President & CEO of the WCCVB.

The Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau (WCCVB) received two STAR Awards for its destination marketing efforts last Wednesday afternoon at the Ohio Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus (OACVB) Annual Conference.

Presented annually by the OACVB, the STAR (State Tourism Achievement Recognition) Awards serve to honor outstanding efforts made by Ohio-based convention and visitors bureaus in the marketing and promotion of their respective tourism destinations.

The OACVB is a tremendous organization that does exceptional work for our industry and were honored to have once again earned their recognition this year, said Phillip S. Smith, President & CEO of the WCCVB. Our staff works hard every day to spread the word of Warren County and to grow the Ohios Largest Playground brand, so its always wonderful to have that effort commended.

The WCCVB won first place honors for its online blog  Stories From The Playground - as well as a new series of print advertisements it debuted in 2022.

Previously, the WCCVB also earned seven RUBY (Recognizing Uncommon Brilliance Yearly) Awards at the Ohio Travel Associations 2022 Ohio Conference on Travel this past October.

Tourism is the leading industry in Warren County, as the region welcomes more than 12 million visitors annually, generating an economic impact of $1.45 billion and supporting nearly 12,000 tourism-related jobs.

About the Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau:

Warren County is Ohios Largest Playground! With easy access from Interstates 71 and 75, visitors to Warren County can enjoy more activities within a 30-mile radius than anywhere else in Ohio. The Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau is a professional destination marketing and management organization whose mission is to strengthen the community by advancing economic growth and vitality through tourism and overnight stays by encouraging significant participation by visitors in the local tourism economy. Tourism is the leading industry in Warren County. More than 12 million yearly visitors drive an economic impact of $1.45 billion and nearly 12,000 tourism-related jobs. For additional information, visit OhiosLargestPlayground.com or call 513-204-1900.

Warren County is Ohios Largest Playground!

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Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is hosting a summit of leaders from several neighbouring countries - Kenya's William Ruto, Djibouti's Ismail Omar Guelleh and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed - to discuss the regional fight against islamist insurgents Al-Shabaab.

Somalia has suspended all flights both local and international to and from Mogadishu on Tuesday.

The government said the flight suspension was made for security reasons as the capital hosts a key meeting on the war against Al-Shabaab.

The defense ministers and army chiefs of the neighbouring countries - Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti are expected to arrive in the city for the summit.

The frontline states are part of the AU mission in Somalia that helps the government in the fight against Al-Shabaab militants.

Somalia president Hassan Sheikh is set to open the conference which will focus on ways to cooperate in averting Al-Shabaab threat after the militants were defeated in ongoing offensive launched last year.

AU troops are now preparing to exit Somalia as their mandate expires next year following 15 years mission.

The troop contributing countries are Burundi, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti. The EU-FUNDED mission failed to remove Al-Shabaab from entire Somalia since 2007.
Stevan Nikolic founded Adelaide Books in 2017 as an imprint of Adelaide Literary Magazine with the motto, we dont publish classics, we make them. But for dozens of authors, Adelaide didnt only not make classicsit failed to deliver on a range of services promised in the publishers contract.

Complaints range from lack of royalty statements, delayed publication dates, little to no editing of books, failure to follow through on various marketing promises, requiring authors to order 45 books up front for $653, and lack of communication. A number of authors have filed complaints with the New York State Attorney General accusing Adelaide with breach of contract.

To help Adelaide authors compare notes, Richard Wise created the facebook group Adelaide Books, Authors Forum in March 2020. Wise had signed a contract with Adelaide in 2019 but, unhappy with Adelaides service and believing Adelaide had failed to live up to the terms of its contract, successfully fought to get his publishing rights back. The Facebook forum, limited only to Adelaide authors, currently has about 105 members.

Adelaides behavior also prompted Writer Beware, a Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association blog, to post a warning about the company, and the Alliance of Independent Authors to issue a Watchdog Advisory. In addition, a number of Authors Guild members who are also part of Wises Facebook group told the Guild about their problems with Adelaide. The Guild reached out to Nikolic last spring on behalf of its members, but had not received a response until shortly after Nikolic received questions from PW about an upcoming story about his company.

In his initial response to PW, Nikolic said that, because of losses Adelaide suffered during the pandemic, he stopped accepting new contracts in October 2021 and laid off his small staff. Since that time, Nikolic said, he has worked to fulfill the agreements he had with about the 60 remaining contracts. As of early 2023, he said, he had fulfilled 45.

Similar to many hybrid publishers, Adelaide pays no advances, but offers a 20% royalty rate on revenue. Authors can also pay for additional marketing services. Adelaide promises to publish an authors book in paperback and as an e-book, and to offer the book for sale on Amazon and other online platforms, as well as provide distribution to bookstores. The company also has an operation in Lisbon, Adelaide Books Portugal, and offers to do Portuguese and Spanish translations. Complaints from authors charged that Adelaide failed to act on many of the services promised in the contracts they had signed with the publisher.

Authors Guild CEO Mary Rasenberger told PW in her recent meeting with Nikolic that he promised to begin paying outstanding royalties in February, give rights back to all authors who request them, refund money for books bought by authors who never received the copies, and give authors their digital files. According to Rasenberger, Adelaide has contracts with about 450 authors. She also noted that while the Guild could negotiate with Nikolic on behalf of Guild members, she hoped he would also provide the same remedies to all authors.

Nikolic got in over his head. He took on way too many authors for a tiny staffnow reduced to him alone, Rasenberger said, noting that with the size of the staff Nikolic had, he only had the ability to publish a handful of books at most. Nikolics behavior in making so many false promises to so many authors is truly egregious. These writers put a lot of time and money into these books, and have had their expectations dashed. Publishers like Adelaide that prey on writers trying to get published are a growing threat, and at the AG we are determined to hold them accountable. (Earlier this month, the Guild coordinated a lawsuit brought against Authors Place Press, which charged the publisher with failing to fulfill its contractual obligations by refusing to pay or properly account for royalties.)

One of Nikolics authors, while appreciative of the Guilds efforts, believes that Nikolic owes his authors more. "His agreeing to pay royalties, return files, et cetera won't cure the other issues we authors have concerning loss of time, delays, non-communication, and no e-books for some authors for over a year or not at all, said author Libby Belle.

Adelaides business address remains in New York City, though Nikolic is currently living in Lisbon, where his wife, Adelaide, owns a bookstore; an article in a Portuguese magazine says the store features titles published by Adelaide Books. Nikolic told PW he moved to Lisbon because the financial losses from his book business made it unaffordable for him to live in the U.S.

Nikolic said he intends to honor his commitments to the Guild, and said he plans to accept new manuscripts once he resolves all outstanding issues with his current contracts.
The hand-held iSpyDx device enables users to rapidly detect pathogens in food, water and plant samples in less than 40 minutes. High-tech startup OmniVis, which has developed and markets the device, received $100,000 from the Purdue Ag-Celerator, an agriculture innovation fund. (OmniVis photo)

OmniVis, which makes hand-held devices to detect pathogens, will use the funding to launch a field pilot

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  OmniVis, which focuses on the speed, accuracy and economics of pathogen detection, has received $100,000 from the Purdue Ag-Celerator, an agriculture innovation fund.

OmniVis makes iSpyDx hand-held devices that rapidly detect pathogens in food, agriculture and water samples. The devices perform to laboratory method standards but do not require special equipment or training.

CEO and co-founder Katherine Clayton said OmniVis is interested in detecting pathogens related to food safety to protect the consumer, grower and everyone along the food production and distribution chain. The Ag-Celerator funding allows OmniVis to establish a field pilot for iSpyDx.

OmniVis knows what a top-notch agricultural program Purdue has, along with amazing support from the state, Clayton said. The funding will help us to test our solution in real-world settings and make more connections in the agricultural community. We see the Ag-Celerator as an incredible opportunity to work with amazing talent in the agricultural community across Purdue and the state of Indiana.

In 2022, OmniVis was named in the fifth annual Most Fundable Companies list by Pepperdine Universitys Graziadio Business School. Other co-founders are:

Tamara Kinzer-Ursem, associate head for academic programs and the Marta E. Gross Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. Kinzer-Ursem pitched OmniVis during the Ag-Celerator Demo Day event in December.

Jacqueline Linnes, the Marta E. Gross Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, and director of the College of Engineering Honors Program.

Steven Wereley, professor of mechanical engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering .

Ag-Celerator, created in 2015, is a $2 million innovation fund designed to provide critical startup support for Purdue innovators who bring Purdues patented intellectual property or Purdues know-how technologies to market. The fund is operated by Purdue Ventures with assistance from the Purdue University College of Agriculture, the Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization and the agricultural industry.

Purdues culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in agriculture supports students, faculty, staff and alumni who want to strengthen the industry, said Bernie Engel, senior associate dean of research and graduate education. Ag-Celerator investments are a resource that can help them bring their work to market.

Riley Gibb, director of business development at Purdue Ventures, said, Ag-Celerator funding has impacted several startup companies that bring Purdue innovations to the market, including preparing them for further investment. We are excited by the advancements being developed by OmniVis and are excited for its growth.

Previous recipients of Ag-Celerator investments are AkanoCure Pharmaceuticals Inc., Heliponix, Insignum AgTech, JUA Technologies International LLC, Karyosoft LLC, Krishi LLC, LeafSpec AgTech, NanoBio Designs, Ongenia LLC, Phicrobe LLC, Progeny Drone Inc., Rogo Ag LLC, Verility Inc., VinSense LLC and ZeaVaxx. Applications for the spring 2023 funding round are due February 15.

About Purdue Ventures

Purdue Ventures manages multiple pools of capital in collaboration with the Purdue University entrepreneurial ecosystem and local corporations, enabling Purdue startups to improve the world. It has invested over $12 million since its formation.

To support various technologies coming out of the university as well as student or alumni founders, Purdue Ventures manages three funds, each with a different investment focus. Ag-Celerator funds startups looking to commercialize Purdue IP or Purdue know-how technologies related to or impacting agriculture. The Foundry Investment Fund is a side-car fund that supports life science innovation by making up to 30% of institutional capital investments made in Purdue-affiliated startups. The Purdue Startup Fund is a partnership between Purdue Research Foundation and University Development Office that supports innovation commercialization through early-stage investments.

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: Steve Martin, sgmartin@prf.org

Sources: Katherine Clayton, kclayton@omnivistech.com

Bernie Engel, engelb@purdue.edu

Riley Gibb, rtgibb@prf.org
Issam Mudawars research on heat transfer could enable space habitats to be built in extreme environments like the moon. (Purdue University photo/John Underwood)

Experiments to complete scientific understanding of how reduced gravity affects boiling and condensation

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  With temperatures on the moon ranging from minus 410 to a scorching 250 degrees Fahrenheit, its an understatement to say that humans will need habitats with heat and air conditioning to survive there long term.

But heating and cooling systems wont be effective enough to support habitats for lunar exploration or even longer trips to Mars without an understanding of what reduced gravity does to boiling and condensation. Engineers havent been able to crack this science  until now.

Every refrigerator, every air conditioning system we have on Earth involves boiling and condensation. Those same mechanisms are also prevalent in numerous other applications, including steam power plants, nuclear reactors and both chemical and pharmaceutical industries, said Issam Mudawar, Purdue Universitys Betty Ruth and Milton B. Hollander Family Professor of Mechanical Engineering. We have developed over a hundred years worth of understanding of how these systems work in Earths gravity, but we havent known how they work in weightlessness.

A team of engineers at Purdue led by Mudawar, who is collaborating with NASAs Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, has spent 11 years developing a facility to investigate these phenomena.

The facility is called the Flow Boiling and Condensation Experiment (FBCE). Initial designs were tested on Zero Gravity Corporations (Zero-G) weightless research lab, a specially modified Boeing 727 that flies parabolic maneuvers to create the reduced gravities on the moon and Mars as well as the weightless conditions in space.

Following in-flight testing, NASA Glenn and the agencys Biological and Physical Sciences Division assisted Mudawars team in creating a smaller version of the experiment to fit into the Fluids Integrated Rack on the International Space Station. After passing NASA safety and readiness reviews, FBCE launched to the space station in August 2021 and has since helped researchers to begin to unlock the mystery of how boiling and condensation work in the extreme environments of space.

These answers are in data the team is collecting from two sets of FBCE experiments taking place on the station. Last July, the facilitys first experiment finished gathering all the data that Mudawar says scientists need to understand how reduced gravity affects boiling. In the coming months, the equipment for the second experiment will launch to the orbiting laboratory as part of a Northrop Grumman commercial resupply services mission for NASA (NG-19) to gather data on how condensation happens in a reduced gravity environment.

Both experiments making up the facility will remain in orbit through 2025, allowing the fluid physics community at large to take advantage of this data.

We are ready to literally close the book on the whole science of flow and boiling in reduced gravity, Mudawar said. Astronauts on the moon will need air conditioning systems, refrigeration systems and many other systems that all require boiling and condensation. Because of the new understanding weve received from data showing how these phenomena are influenced by reduced gravity, we are able to provide guidance into how to size the equipment, how to design it effectively and how to predict its performance.

The researchers are preparing a series of research papers unpacking data the FBCE has collected on the International Space Station, adding to more than 60 papers they have published on weightlessness and fluid flow since testing their facility on Zero-G flights at the beginning of the project.

Answering decades-old questions

The papers we have published over the duration of this project are really almost like a textbook for how to use boiling and condensation in space, Mudawar said. For more than 60 years, since the beginning of spaceflight, the field has known that boiling and condensation would be ideal for space, but previous attempts to study these concepts in microgravity hadnt been successful.

Each decade the National Academies publishes a report that guides NASA, the White House and Congress on areas of research to prioritize for funding over the next 10 years. In the 2011 report, numerous scientists recommended that the role of gravity in controlling vapor-fluid behavior be considered as one of those priorities for space exploration. The FBCE project was created in response to the decadal report.

The farther missions are from Earth, the more likely that the spacecraft for those missions will need nuclear power. Compared to other types of processes that enable heating and cooling in space, boiling and condensation are much more effective at transferring heat for these nuclear-powered vehicles and habitats. Boiling and condensation would also allow heat, ventilation and air conditioning systems to be more compact and lightweight.

Since the 1970s, Mudawar has been working to make it possible to use boiling and condensation to tackle energy transfer and temperature control challenges for a wide range of systems. Examples include high-temperature turbine systems, supercomputers, data centers, avionics, hybrid vehicle power electronics, hydrogen fuel cells, metal alloy heat treating, particle accelerators and fusion reactors.

The largest experiments of their kind

According to Mudawar, FBCE is the first set of experiments to provide data that is extensive and systematic enough for developing the models engineers need to design all sorts of space systems using boiling and condensation in reduced gravity.

We now have a basis for comparing and contrasting data for both Earth gravity and reduced gravity in pursuit of modeling tools that can be applicable to a broad range of gravities, Mudawar said.

Mudawar and his students have been developing three sets of predictive tools over the past 11 years based on FBCE data. One set of tools puts the data into the form of equations that engineers can use to design space systems. Another set identifies fundamental information about fluid physics from the data, and the third set is computational models of the fluid dynamics.

All together, these models would make it possible to predict which equipment designs could operate in lunar and Martian gravity.

FBCE is NASAs largest and most complex experiment for fluid physics research. Between February and July last year, the facility successfully conducted 234 tests, yielding nearly 3,800 data points and an equal number of high-speed video records.

More than 35 engineers and technicians from different teams across NASA Glenn have worked on this project, helping turn design concepts from Mudawar and his students into a facility that could be installed into the space station. These teams included Glenns FBCE Engineering, Safety and Mission Assurance, Science, Software, and Technician teams, and Fluids and Combustion Facility Operations teams.

Fifteen past and current Purdue PhD students have assisted Mudawar on all aspects of collaborative work with NASA. Two Purdue doctoral candidates, V.S. Devahdhanush and Steven Darges, assisted in monitoring the experiments on the space station via a dedicated workstation set up at Purdue. The Purdue team also provided recommendations for refinement of operating conditions for subsequent tests to continuously improve science yield per test.

Data from the FBCE would benefit not only space systems, but also technology on Earth. Using lessons they learned about boiling from this data, Mudawar and his team invented a new charging cable design for electric vehicles that would allow them to charge in less than five minutes. Todays most advanced charging cables take more than 20 minutes to charge an electric vehicle. A patent application for this fast-charging cable invention has been filed through the Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization.

The amount of data coming out of the FBCE is just absolutely enormous, and thats exactly what we want, Mudawar said.

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: Kayla Wiles, 765-494-2432, wiles5@purdue.edu

Source: Issam Mudawar, mudawar@ecn.purdue.edu
HUMAN rights activists have called on Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders to be mindful of the victims of unresolved conflicts in the region, the majority of whom are women and children.

In a statement yesterday, the Southern African People's Solidarity Network (SAPSN) reminded the leaders about the human rights and governance crisis in Eswatini.

"We urge SADC leaders to take robust measures to bring King Mswati III to the table for an SADC-led national and inclusive multi-stakeholder dialogue to pave the way for a multi-party democratic dispensation in the kingdom of Eswatini," the SAPSN said.

They further demand justice and accountability for the "brutal murder" of human rights defender Thulani Maseko and the release of SADC Fact-Finding Mission Reports of 2021.

Following political and civil unrest in Eswatini in July 2021, the SADC Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security deployed a ministerial fact-finding mission to analyse the situation.

The SAPSN issued their statement following the conclusion of the SADC Extraordinary Troika Summit in Windhoek on Tuesday.

President Hage Geinghob, the current chairperson of this SADC organ, convened the troika meeting to discuss the political and security situation in the region.
Michael Allio / Instagram

By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 01/31/2023



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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 Michael Allio has shared a big update on Danielle Maltby 's plan to move to Ohio, where he and his son James live.In early December, Michael revealed on Instagram Stories that Danielle would be leaving Nashville, TN, and making the move to Ohio in two or three months.Danielle proceeded to let fans know she was apartment hunting and looking for a job as a nurse near Michael's stomping grounds.During recent Q&A session on Instagram, one of Michael's followers asked for an update on Danielle's move."I guess it's been a little while since I gave you guys an update on what's going on with us," Michael acknowledged, according to BachelorNation.com."It's been crazy busy! Next week I am going to Nashville to help Dani move and see all her friends. We're doing a little last hurrah."Michael continued, "Then the following weekend, she's moving to Cleveland! She found an awesome place and got an awesome job. It's all looking good. This is going to be an awesome year!"Michael said he's doing "really good," even though he just dealt with the four-year anniversary of his late wife Laura Ritter-Allio's death from breast cancer in 2019."I'm excited about the future with everything that's going on. As you know, the other day I posted about it being four years since Laura passed. It's been difficult," Michael explained."It's been a crazy four years, regardless of whatever it looks like on social media."Michael honored Laura last week by posting a slideshow of photos from their wedding and past together, including one picture of the pair as teenagers and another image of James as a toddler celebrating his birthday with a big cake."I assure you that my days are a roller coaster. If I do make them look so easy, I'm sorry about that. That gives a false idea of what real life is," Michael shared."It's hard looking back and remembering all the moments. I'm trying to do as much as I can to keep Laura's legacy alive so that James and so many others have something to hold on to and remember her by. She was so worth remembering."Michael wrote of Laura on the four-year anniversary of her passing, "I've been staring at my computer for the last two hours trying to think of the right words for how I'd like to honor Her on this special day."Michael admitted his body was "paralyzed" and his mind "adrift" as her attempted to write the proper caption for his Instagram post."As I sit idle... aimlessly staring at the frozen, snowy ground outside my office window. Confusion sets in, as sixteen years of memories and a lifetime worth of 'what ifs' flash before my eyes like a blinding strobe light set in the darkest of rooms," Michael wrote."It hurts to remember, but instead of looking away, today, I'm forced to look within. Laura is and will always be a part of me... just like she will be a part of the countless others that had the privilege of calling her friend. Like so many others, when she left, we lost an irreplaceable piece of ourselves."Michael pointed out that while a piece of his heart -- as well as "a parcel of protected land" -- will forever be reserved for Laura, he realizes it's possible to find happiness and love again."[But] there are somethings in life that are sacred and not ours to give away. I hope this message is confusing to you. For me, that means you've never had to experience deep loss and debilitating grief like we have. I hope you never have to. For those that have, please know that even though you may feel 'lonely' -- you are not alone," Michael wrote, adding that people should ask for help and support whenever needed."Above all, never forget that life is beautiful. Laura knew this better than anyone. Our time on this earth is precious so don't waste it on the things or the people that do not matter. Reach out to someone you know that you've lost touch with. Make the call. It's never too late or for that matter too soon to rebuild a bridge that may have been burned."Michael said "life is more fulfilling when you travel light," and so people should "ditch the weight of the past by making things whole again.""Laura taught me that and ya know... she was right. James and I miss you so much darling. I hope you're proud of me because none of this has been easy without you. I know one day we'll see you again, but until then... enjoy the show," Michael concluded.Michael spent Christmas 2022 with Danielle and his family in Akron, OH, before the couple traveled to Wisconsin to spend part of the holiday with her family.The couple then enjoyed a sexy evening out for New Year's Eve in Chicago, IL, with Danielle's friends.On last summer, Michael was romantically interested in Sierra Jackson , but he ultimately determined something was "missing" between them and he was unable to let his walls down for her following the 2019 death of his wife, Laura Ritter-Allio, from breast cancer.But when Danielle -- who lost her fiance Nick Haag to a drug overdose in 2011 -- stepped foot on the Paradise beach in Mexico, Michael seemed ecstatic and affectionately called her "Dani."They had spoken via DMs on Instagram and become friends prior to filming the show but claimed they had never met in person.Michael and Danielle were able to connect quickly over their similar losses and traumas. The pair slowly got to know each other and never expressed interest in dating anyone else on the show.Michael and Danielle chose to leave together as a couple before overnight Fantasy Suites. They both determined they weren't ready to get engaged, especially because Danielle had yet to Michael's young son James.However, Michael revealed on the reunion show in November that James loves Danielle and never wants her to leave when she's visiting.Danielle also confirmed she adores the little boy and can't wait to be a bigger part of his life.Michael also announced on the reunion show that he's "in love" with Danielle and she has changed his life for the better. Danielle is only the second woman whom Michael has ever said, "I love you," to.Danielle shared how she was planning to move to Ohio in order to progress their relationship naturally. However, she noted they didn't want to live under the same roof as to not rush things or involve James in their relationship too early."Maybe she'll live in Cleveland so James and I will have a little city spot we can go to on the weekends," Michael gushed to his followers in a December Instagram Q&A."I'm just so excited. Long distance is difficult, but we've made the best of it and this next chapter and upcoming year is one I am so looking forward to. She's the best!"Interested in more The Bachelor news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook Group
Pope Francis in his popemobile at Ndolo Airport in Kinshasa in 2023.

Presiding over a Mass in the Congolese capital Kinshasa on Wednesday, Pope Francis urged the nation's people to forgive those who have harmed them and denounced the "poison of greed" driving conflicts in Africa.

An estimated 1 million people flocked to hear Pontiff speak on the airfields of Ndolo airport - many who had spent the night waiting and who danced and cheered waving banners as he did a loop around the airport in his popemobile.

The crowd cheered again when the Pope greeted them in Lingala, one of four national languages that is widely spoken in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The 86-year-old told the crowd to go beyond ethnic and regional divides in fostering peace, and he condemned "terrible forms of exploitation, unworthy of humanity" in the DRC, where vast mineral wealth has fuelled war, displacement and hunger.

'Stop choking Africa'

"Hands off the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Hands off Africa. Stop choking Africa: it is not a mine to be stripped or a terrain to be plundered," Francis said.

The DRC has some of the world's richest deposits of diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, tin, tantalum and lithium.

As well as conflict, mining has been linked to inhumane exploitation of workers, including children, and environmental degradation.

"It is a tragedy that these lands, and more generally the whole African continent, continue to endure various forms of exploitation," the Pope said.

The eastern DRC has been plagued by violence connected to the long and complex fallout from the 1994 genocide in neighbouring Rwanda.

Rwanda denies accusations it's supporting the M23 rebel group fighting Congolese troops in the east.

The Pope did not name Rwanda in his address or take sides in the dispute.

The first papal visit since St John Paul II's trip in 1985 is dedicated to peace and reconciliation. Following on from the DRC, the Pope will visit South Sudan.

The six-day trip was originally planned for July 2022 but was postponed after Francis suffered problems with his knee.
Local man still dealing with cleanup site: bill now more than $600,000
Georgia Square Mall has gone from a thriving center for local retail to a deserted shell of its former glory. For long-time locals, the mall's businesses' employees and current Athens residents, memories and speculation about the mall's future mix. Next month, Athens Mayor and Commission will vote on a plan to redevelop the mall into a mixed-use property, and as a result, slash the mall's square footage.
analysis

The death of former Kenyan education minister Professor George Magoha, 71, closes a vibrant chapter in education policymaking and leadership. It was a chapter marked by unmatched commitment to educational reforms, but equally coloured by controversy and missteps.

Magoha was the cabinet secretary for education from 2019 to 2022. He also served as the chairman of the Kenya National Examinations Council from 2016 to 2019.

He was forceful and uncompromising, both under President Uhuru Kenyatta and during the transition to William Ruto.

His impact is unmistakable in higher education, basic education, and in national examinations in Kenya.

For example, Magoha captured the public imagination when he took over the helm of the Kenya National Examination Council in 2016. This followed massive examination fraud. Sophisticated syndicates involving examination officials, school heads and teachers had taken over the conduct of examinations. This had led to massive exam leakages, to the detriment of disadvantaged schools and students.

Magoha replaced the top officials of the council, and ensured their acolytes in the field and schools were dismissed. He and his diverse team visited examination centres on inspection and invigilation sessions, often excluding council officials. At the end of his three-year tenure the examination cartels had been vanquished and exam credibility restored.

However, Magoha's hands-on management style, while laudable, veered into micromanagement. This left many field education officers hamstrung in the execution of their duties. Rather than focus on policy initiatives and oversight, the purview of cabinet secretaries, his visit to schools on inspection and implementation tours left field officers with little to do.

In addition, he attempted to micromanage the University of Nairobi by usurping the role of the university council in reforms and appointments. His efforts were only thwarted by the judiciary following a mutual settlement.

Magoha's public service embodied contradictions. He showed Kenyans what commitment to educational leadership was. And what it was not.

University of Nairobi

Magoha's long career in education included teaching at the University of Nairobi's Medical School. Trained in Nigeria, Ghana, Ireland and the UK, he rose rapidly through the ranks from an assistant lecturer to professor. He held a number of administrative appointments. These included chair of the surgery department, dean of the school of medicine, principal of the college of health sciences, deputy vice-chancellor of finance and administration (2002-2005), and finally, vice-chancellor from 2005 to 2015.

Internal efficiency was his mantra. As the vice-chancellor, he transformed the institution from an inefficient, fully state-funded university to an efficient state-owned university largely funded by private sources.

When he took over as the deputy vice-chancellor (finance and administration) and as vice-chancellor, the university was in a financial crisis. State grants had continued to decline even as student enrolment increased. At the same time income-generating activities remained weak.

He oversaw the growth of private revenues and the creation of the University of Nairobi Enterprise and Services to manage all income-generating activities.

By 2003 the highly successful self-sponsored programme had 22,000 students and generated Ksh. 3 billion (US$130 million).

His efficiency-oriented management style saw him introduce performance targets for both teaching and non-teaching staff. Prior to this staff had worked without performance contracts and the attendant evaluations. As a vice-chancellor he introduced a system of contract renewal based on performance, the right-sizing of units (departmental mergers and letting go of redundant staff) and the rapid result initiatives (where services were delivered at the agreed timeline).

He was also deeply concerned by the rising tide of student strikes. To govern student affairs, he devised a consultative leadership style under which student leaders had direct access to his office. He invested in a system of direct consultation with students to discuss issues of immediate concern. As a result the university experienced the lowest levels of student disruptions during the 10 years of his leadership.

Overseeing change

Magoha oversaw the implementation of Kenya's new competence-based curriculum learning in 2017. In the midst of criticism and concerns, he was unyielding as its chief advocate, declaring the new system was there to stay.

His messianic approach saw him travel to schools to inspect the construction of facilities to show progress. It also included addressing stakeholders to soften resistance.

Magoha will also be remembered for efficiently spearheading school reopening and reforms amid a devastating COVID-19 pandemic. Almost one year after closure, he ordered the reopening of schools on the recommendation of a task force he had established. He personally supervised their reopening despite protests and concern. He never second guessed his decision, stating:

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We are confident that we will remain on the right trajectory to finding the winning formula that will ensure our learning institutions are safe for learners and teachers.

Achilles heel

Notwithstanding his successes, Magoha had vulnerabilities. His extensive commercialisation of the University of Nairobi elicited questions about the quality of academic learning in self-sponsored programmes.

Early 2016, the state moved to shut down the programmes and abolish branch campuses in the university and in all public universities.

Magoha also lacked the moderate temperament required for high profile public office. In a fit of anger he publicly humiliated a county director of education, calling him a "fool" and kicking him out of his entourage.

This resulted in his being stripped of his human resource powers by the public service commission.

Ishmael Munene, Professor of Research, Foundations & Higher Education, Northern Arizona University
PHOTOS: Curate Zach Baker prepares his dish, Dueling Divers, which features seared scallops, smokey house bacon jam, Bromley Farm micro greens, and squid ink Zach Baker plates his dish, Dueling Divers, which features seared scallops, smokey house bacon jam, Bromley Farm micro greens, and squid ink r Zach Baker's dish, Dueling Divers, which features seared scallops, smokey house bacon jam, Bromley Farm micro greens, and squid ink risotto, s Zach Baker presents a dish of sous vide venison with a raspberry gastrique, roased leeks, mashed potatos, and Bromley Farm microgreens, the So Zach Baker's dish of sous vide venison with a raspberry gastrique, roased leeks, and mashed potatos, at the Southern Vermont Arts Center, Thur A chandelier created by glass artist, Robert DuGrenier, at the Southern Vermont Arts Center, Thursday, January 19, 2023. Stewart Cairns - Manc A chandelier created by glass artist, Robert DuGrenier, at the Southern Vermont Arts Center, Thursday, January 19, 2023. Stewart Cairns - Manc A chandelier created by glass artist, Robert DuGrenier, at the Southern Vermont Arts Center, Thursday, January 19, 2023. Stewart Cairns - Manc Christmastime, painted by Luigi Lucioni in 1951, at the Southern Vermont Arts Center, Thursday, January 19, 2023. Stewart Cairns - Manchester Journal A detail of American Icon #3, 2021, by Dona Mara Friedman, at the Southern Vermont Arts Center, in Manchester, Thursday, January 19, 2023. Ste The painting entitled Nocturne by A.T. Esbee, at the Southern Vermont Arts Center, in Manchester, Thursday, January 19, 2023. Stewart Cairns -

Authors note: Do we locals ever act as tourists at home? A tourist dives into some of the best spots of a place, eager to experience what it has to offer. Too often, we locals  OK, Ill speak for myself  too often I settle into a routine and skip the places tourists travel hours to seek out. I decided to be a tourist in the Northshire, and see what I was missing. This article is part of an occasional series.

MANCHESTER  Im grumpy about names. Im not big on acronyms  so Southern Vermont Arts Center becoming SVAC makes me grumpy. Add to that SVACs restaurants name  CurATE  which seems like a vicar with a stiff collar  and I become even grumpier. The problem with names wouldnt be a big deal, except I suspect SVAC CurATE isnt pulling in locals.

And thats too bad.

Tourists, however, seem aware of this little secret: the Arts Center offers a terrific selection of paintings and excellent food in a cozy setting. If youre wanting a weekend evening out  or a Sunday brunch  is a mile or so out of town too far to venture?

For people who havent been to the Arts Center, heres a quick overview. You wind up a hillside, noting large art objects which may or may not engage you, depending on your status (passenger or driver) and ability to appreciate, while moving, outsized art plunked on land. At the hilltop you park, and two stately buildings draw your attention. The Elizabeth de C. Wilson Museum (more grumpiness) is off to the right; the Yester House (wonderful name!) a few steps farther, off to the left. The Wilson now houses Gail Winburys large-scale abstract paintings, an exhibit running until Feb. 25.

Running next (March 4 to April 23) will be Art from the Schools, a great chance to glimpse the creations flowing from 1,000 local students, grades pre-K-12, including homeschoolers.

The Yester House holds an exhibition space and the dining area. Upon entering, do yourself a favor and look up. Behold! There, floating overhead, is a chandelier crafted by glassblower Robert DuGrenier, resident of Townsend. The chandelier consists of 240 orbs, each lit by LED bulbs, able to shift color with a click of a remote, fading from emerald green to cobalt blue. Schoolchildren, who regularly visit, stand underneath, according to Executive Director Anne Corso, and cry out magic, magic, make it turn! calling on the lights to change. The childrens favorite is rainbow, saved for the grand finale.

For those who do move beyond the chandelier, currently on display  and for sale  are the works of 275 artists, most from Vermont, who are members of the Arts Center. Thats the beauty of the members show, says Corso. Theres something for everyone  small, large, realistic, abstract, drawings, paintings, photography  a little bit of everything.

One artist, for example, is A. T. Esbee, whose Nocturne #1 in mixed media captivated my friend Margaret. Esbees other work, Nocturne, on the other hand, appealed to me  its horizontal ochre lines giving way toward the top to a slash of gold. (An A. T. Esbee online has a faint footprint, a Pinterest account of exactly 0 followers  suggesting either especially poor promotion skills or a healthy disregard for them. Im also taken with the naming of the paintings, reminiscent of George Foreman naming all his male offspring George. Why not?)

Dona Mara Friedman in American Icon #3 (2021) highlights a barns angular lines, taking a familiar Vermont image and moving it toward the abstract.

In the dining area, Christmastime, (from the permanent collection) painted by Luigi Lucioni in 1951, suggests Norman Rockwell in its cozy holiday images. The dining space itself is inviting. Divided light in windows and French doors gives the room an older feel, even though it has undergone renovation.

Church Street Hospitality (Publick House, Dorset Inn and others) oversees the restaurant. I was lucky to visit when chef Zach Baker, normally of Barrows House, was cooking in what was billed as a pop-up. (Julie Heins, the usual chef, was away.) Baker, with Marc Roppolo as sous chef, cooked one of his dishes from Barrows  Dueling Divers, which features seared scallops, smoky house bacon jam, Bromley Farm micro greens, and squid ink risotto. Baker gave the scallops a light crust, and the flavors sparked as finely as colors and shapes displayed throughout Yester House. Baker also prepared sous vide venison with a blackberry gastrique, roasted leeks and mashed potatoes  a happy party of flavors, the venison tender and not gamey (with a profile closer to prime rib).

Colleen Palmer, manager of Church Street Hospitality, singled out a drink she invented: the Curatini (Grey Goose, Pama, fresh lemon, splash of Grand Marnier). And heres something unexpected on a brunch drinks menu at an arts restaurant: Bloody Good Time  $44  Big Ol Bucket of Bloody Marys. Vermont News & Media does not have a budget to send a reporter to personally verify the claim of the title. However, it is just one small indication that the Southern Vermont Arts Center may surprise you with what it has to offer.
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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.
Dodoma  EXISTING trade barriers between Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have no relations with the country's withdrawal of its membership from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Mbarouk Nassor Mbarouk informed the National Assembly on Tuesday that various customs challenges between Tanzania and other countries have continued to acquire solutions day after day.

He was responding to a question posed by Momba Legislator, Ms Condester Sichwale (CCM), who wanted to know the country's plan of reinstating its membership in COMESA, taking into account the challenges facing Tanzanian traders who want to grasp market opportunities in other countries, citing an example of the Congolese one.

"The government has taken concrete measures to ensure traders from Tanzania do not incur any challenges while trading with neighbouring DR Congo," said Ambassador Mbarouk.

According to him, the initiatives includes establishment of Tanzania-DR-Congo Joint Permanent Commission (JPC), indicating that the commission met in September last year to deliberate on the various trade matters.

In her supplementary question, Ms Sichwale wanted to know whether the government has conducted any research to determine if the country has been affected positively or negatively from its COMESA withdrawal.

The deputy minister indicated that before withdrawing from its membership, the country was certified there would not be any adverse effects from its decision.

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In his response to the main question, Ambassador Mbarouk said Tanzania was among countries which established COMESA in 1994 and withdrew its membership in 2000 because of being a member in both the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC).

He stressed that the government's decision was reached after making sure that the country was not going to face any negative economic effects.

Elaborating further, the Ambassador said that in the 2018 COMESA, EAC and SADC countries had agreed to form a tripartite arrangement; therefore Tanzania has continued to collaborate with countries under COMESA through the arrangement.

He, however, said that in 2021, Tanzania ratified the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) that also allows the country to continue cooperating with COMESA countries.

"The objective of establishing the COMESA was to promote a common market... this means that the existence of the tripartite arrangement contributes to eradicating the challenges," he said.
The President of the Republic, H.E. Dr. George Manneh Weah said he has faithfully, diligently, and compassionately executed the mandate of the Liberian people since his election in 2018.

Delivering his Annual Message, the last of his first term, to the National Legislature on Monday, January 30, 2023, President Weah announced how, in spite of the negative forecast that greeted his ascendency to mantle of leadership in 2018, he has accomplished quite a lot, against all the odds.

"The naysayers and the prophets of doom are perplexed by the progress that we have made," the President said, adding: "Those who have eyes to see will bear witness to how hard we have toiled in fulfillment of the constitutional mandate that was given to us by an overwhelming majority of the Liberian people."

"Together over the past five years, we have fought a good fight," the Chief Executive continued. "Collectively, we have undeniably managed to preserve the peace of the nation, which has become the ultimate goal of all of our national undertakings. And for this, the government alone can not take the credit."

The President acknowledged that every Liberian played a pivotal role in the government's success story, in various ways, no matter how large or small.

He said in spite of the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the downturn in the world's economy, Liberia continues to make giant strides in the attainment of our major development objectives

"We have endeavored to mitigate the exogenous shocks that have come our way, and in doing so, we have remained resilient as a United People," Dr. Weah said.

President Weah once more assured Liberians that because they have shown him unprecedented love, he would in return not fail them, stressing, "This standard of care and carefulness will continue under my watch."

He promised to always work diligently, assiduously, and passionately, to justify the confidence that has been imposed in him by the people.

He said that though the deadly COVID 19 pandemic may have delayed, it certainly did not derail the government's development agenda.

According to him, the government will, during the next few months leading up to October of this year, continue to accelerate, continue to build on the momentum, and continue to deliver.

Based on these milestone achievements, President Weah informed Liberians that he will be going to them shortly to ask them to renew, for a second time, the mandate they gave him six years ago.

He described it a mandate to "continue the good work we have delivered; a mandate for continuity and stability; a mandate for transformation; a mandate for development and growth; a mandate to consolidate and secure the peace, a peace that we - with your help - have perfectly preserved."

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"This second mandate will enable us to consolidate the gains we have made in these last few years and ramp up the trajectory of growth, development, and prosperity for Liberia," he opined

The President urged all Liberians, regardless of political affiliations, religious beliefs, or ethnic origins, to join him, to together wrestle back the years lost to civil conflict and war, and restore Liberia to its rightful place in the comity of nations, to a higher place of peace and prosperity.

He wooed Liberians, stating empathically: "We can do this, and we must all do it together. We will be coming to meet you in your towns, in your villages, in your districts, in your clans, and in your cities, so that together, we can build a strong partnership for Liberia's progress."

President Weah noted that from all indications, his government has done its part in delivering on most of the promises made while similarly preserving the nation's peace and nurturing its democratic values.

The President indicated that the country is on an irreversible trajectory of sustainable growth that will necessarily and inevitably lead it to progress as a nation and prosperity as a people.

"When we came before you to ask you for our first mandate, we promised to bring you Change for Hope. Now, after going with you on the journey thus far, you have seen the Change," he recounted.

"We now want to assure you that this is the change that you can count on. The challenge and legacy that I would like to leave for the younger generation is that you should not just FEEL leadership, but that you should also claim it."

The Chief Executive encouraged all Liberians to seize the day, the moment, and the opportunity because that this is their time.
editorial

Liberians go to the polls on October 10th, exactly nine months from now in Presidential and General Elections to elect a new President and members of the Legislature or retain incumbent President George Manneh Weah and his ruling Coalition for Democratic Change.

The upcoming elections would be the second to be conducted by Liberians themselves since 1997. The 1979 Elections that brought jailed former President Charles Ghankay Taylor to power were conducted by the regional bloc, ECOWAS, while the former United Nations Mission in Liberia or UNMIL spearheaded elections in 2005 and 2011 respectively.

The 2017 elections, perhaps the most enviable in recent history, was conducted under the administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who was on her way out, having completed two successful terms thus, ushering in the first peaceful transition from one democratically-elected President to another in more than 70 years.

Liberians have a lot to gain in terms of peace and respect how they conduct themselves now to October, and beyond in consolidating the democratic dividends of constitutional rule and stability.

Already, the National Elections Commission has released timetable for the conduct of biometric voter's registration, which runs from 20th March to 19th April, in phase one while second phase is scheduled from 21st April to 11th May, 2023.

It is time for the NEC, incumbent President Weah and members of the opposition to prepare adequately ahead of the polls to avoid last minute's mistakes that may have the propensity of reversing the hand of the clock.

Elections are democratic exercises and everything should be done by all sides to keep them so for the general good, for the best path is always the path of justice, peace and unity.

Politicians should tailor their messages, keeping in mind that they have a seared duty to keep the sanctity of the State they seek to govern, which happens to be the common patrimony.

Therefore, electorate should go beyond campaign T-shirts, banners and flyers to critically examine candidates and their messages in reaching a determination who to cast their votes for and entrust their future to for the next six years.

This would not be difficult if Liberia becomes the utmost objective for going to the polls other than selfish, narrow interests that soon melts away.

===30==
Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodian Federation of Unions, gestures after being released from Prey Sar prison in Phnom Penh on Nov. 12, 2021.

Prominent Cambodian labor leader Rong Chhun has announced he is joining the opposition Candlelight Party, saying he wants to help it to win upcoming national elections.

Rong Chhun, 53, is the President of the Cambodian Federation of Unions and holds several top labor roles in the country, alongside being a former member of the National Election Committee.

Speaking on Tuesday, he said he hopes to help the party compete in the election which takes place on July 23, 2023, adding that he supports its platform of freedom, human rights, justice and democracy.

He said he will be resigning from several labor positions in the coming days to focus on campaigning.

Rong Chhun also said that although he is joining a political party, he will continue to advocate for the rights of teachers and other workers throughout Cambodia.

I am still able to help whenever the workers and the teachers reach me  Being a politician does not change my goal of helping the people.

Sok Eysan, a spokesperson for the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party, said that he wasnt surprised by Rong Chhuns decision, noting that the labor leader often expresses views in opposition to the government.

The spokesperson also dismissed Rong Chhuns suggestion that he will be able to help the Candlelight Party make gains in the upcoming elections.

Candlelight spokesperson Kimsour Phirith, on the other hand, said he believes the party will benefit from Rong Chhuns experience, adding that he may be given a high-ranking position in electoral leadership.

Rong Chhuns decision comes amid a wide-ranging crackdown by authorities against the Candlelight Party, with Prime Minister Hun Sen repeatedly attacking his opponents in public forums. Three senior members of the party have been sued by authorities, and one has been arrested on what many observers see as politically motivated charges.

In 2020, authorities sentenced Rong Chhun to two years in prison for criticizing the governments failure to address disputes over the countrys shared border with Vietnam in 2020.

Political analyst Em Sovannara told RFA that Rong Chhuns decision is good for pro-democracy forces in Cambodia.

[This] wakes up the democrats and those who want to join the opposition party; they shouldnt be afraid [to run for election], he said.

Translated by Samean Yun. Edited by Nawar Nemeh and Joshua Lipes.
One group says more than 100 people have been detained, with some likely already released and under surveillance.

Calls are growing among overseas rights groups, universities and student campaigners for authorities in China to release people  many of them young graduates of overseas universities  detained for taking part in the November 2022 "white paper" protests.

The overseas-based Chinese Human Rights Defenders network estimated that more than 100 people have been detained for their role in at least 68 protests that took place across 31 Chinese cities in late November to early December.

>>List of detained protesters

"At the time of this press release, there are names of 30+ people who were taken into custody; we estimate that at least 100+ people have been detained, and some of them have been simply released or released on 'bail pending trial," the group said in a statement on its website updated on Jan. 20.

Even detainees released on bail are likely to remain under close police surveillance for one year, it said.

Credit: RFA screenshot from Twitter

Among the detainees was University of Westminster photography graduate Xin Shang, arrested for taking part in a protest at Beijing's Liangmaqiao, where he was filmed reciting Shakespeare's sonnet "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day" to police officers, Human Rights in China executive director Zhou Fengsuo said via his Twitter account.

"Xin Shang is innocent, free Xin Shang!" Zhou tweeted.

Deep concern

Xin wasn't the only protester to be drawn to the movement after graduating from a university outside China.

Faculty at the Center for East Asian Studies at the University of Chicago have called for the release of alumna Qin Ziyi, who was among those detained.

"[We] are aware that people, including a former student of the University of Chicago, have recently been detained in China due to their participation in peaceful protests where people held blank sheets of paper to express dissent to the governments Zero Covid policy," the department said in a statement on its website.

"We express our deep concern for the well-being of Qin Ziyi and all those who have been detained and hope they will speedily be released," it said.

In London, Goldsmiths University told the London Tab student newspaper that it is "concerned" about the detention of its alumna Li Siqi.

"We are aware of deeply concerning reports about the detention of a former Goldsmiths student in China for taking part in a peaceful vigil to remember the victims of the Xinjiang fire," a spokesman for the university told the paper, referring to a fatal lockdown fire in an apartment building in the autonomous regions capital of Urumqi.

We condemn in the strongest terms the suppression of free speech and urge the relevant authorities to immediately release individuals who were detained in relation to the vigil," he said.

Only one voice

A Chinese postgraduate student in Washington, D.C. who gave only the surname Wu for fear of reprisals said overseas study often broadens the horizons of Chinas international students.

"In China, there is only one voice, and it is difficult for anyone to think independently of that voice," Wu said, referring to the official government line. "Studying abroad exposes you to different voices, and the more people know about the stuff that is blocked by the Chinese government, the more likely they are to do something different."

"The Chinese narrative teaches that protests are bad and will lead swiftly to arrest, and that people aren't allowed to gather together to express their opinions," Wu said. "But once you experience living outside China, you find that it's very common and healthy to have different political voices being heard."

U.S.-based rights activist Yang Zhanqing called for more overseas schools of the detained protesters to speak out on their behalf, and call for their release.

"Their arrests are abnormal and illegal, and these schools have the kind of credibility and a public platform that could help get them released," Yang told RFA.

"That way the deeds [of the Chinese government] will be exposed, and more people will pay attention to what they do next," Yang said.

Deprived of rights

Students from the University of New South Wales in Australia recently set up a petition on Change.org calling on their university to speak out for the release of alumna Li Yuanjing, who has been detained for more than a month and will "probably face lengthy imprisonment" for her role in the protests.

"We, current students and alumni of the University of New South Wales, are writing to express our grave concern about the safety of the A4 Revolution protesters in China, and call on UNSW to support its alumna," the petition said, referring to the blank sheets of A4 printer paper held up by protesters at the time.

Students from the University of New South Wales in Australia have launched a petition on Change.org calling on their university to speak out for the release of alumna Li Yuanjing, who has been detained for more than a month. Credit: RFA screenshot

"Many protesters have been taken away by the police on suspicion of 'gathering to disrupt public order'," the petition said. "Some have even been deprived of their rights to access official legal documents or see their lawyers."

"Although a few have been released on bail, the majority of them have been formally arrested, still held in detention and possibly facing heavy sentences," it said, calling the crackdown "shocking and unacceptable."

"The trend of repression continues at the time of writing," it said.

While Chinese Human Rights Defenders said it had gathered dozens of names of confirmed detainees, some reports were harder to verify, as "family members are reluctant to go public out of the fears for retaliation from the Chinese government."

"Since the Chinese government has not publicized nor allowed any press to report about these cases, and also threatened families to keep silent, the cases of detentions described below probably indicate the tip of the iceberg," the group said, warning that detainees "are at high risk of enforced disappearance and torture."

Stepping up pressure

It called on the international community to step up pressure on the ruling Chinese Communist Party while the local authorities were still deciding whether to prosecute detainees, adding that there is a 99.99% conviction rate in China's judicial system.

A protester scuffles with police during a rally for the victims of the Urumqi fire as well as a protest against China's harsh COVID-19 restrictions in Beijing on Nov. 28, 2022. Credit: AFP

The New York-based Human Rights Watch called on Beijing to immediately release and drop all charges against everyone detained for participating in the protests, which were sparked by the lockdown fire in Urumqi, but which also saw calls for Chinese leader Xi Jinping to resign and call elections.

"Young people in China are paying a heavy price for daring to speak out for freedom and human rights," Human Rights Watch's senior China researcher Yaqiu Wang said in a statement on the group's website.

Attending a vigil and calling for authorities to respect human rights are not crimes, she said. The crackdown on protesters only revealed Beijings deep fear of the power of the countrys young people.

The police have also threatened lawyers who tried to provide legal assistance to the detained protesters and suspended a group chat the lawyers use on the Chinese social media app WeChat, the statement said, adding that the authorities have harassed friends of detained protesters who provided them support.

Weibo and WeChat accounts that showed support for the protests were suspended, while a WeChat account that merely posted a picture of a blank paper was permanently removed, Human Rights Watch said.

Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Malcolm Foster.
China's internet censors have deleted a desperate account of violence and psychological pressure at a school known for gaining top scores in the annual university entrance examination, as young people told similar stories of institutional violence in interviews with Radio Free Asia.

The article titled: "Save us! A Hengshui No. 2 High School student speaks up," was deleted after it appeared on the Zhihu platform, but remains visible on overseas websites.

"The team is currently investigating the content of the online report ... We will take the matter seriously according to the law and regulations," the government said via its official Weibo account.

The article details a litany of physical and mental abuse suffered by students at the school, where students have previously taken their own lives.

"I am currently on leave of absence due to depression and am in hospital with a diagnosis of a broken toe on my left foot," said the article, a copy of which was posted to the overseas-based China Digital Times website.

"This school engages in corporal punishment at will, seriously beating and verbally abusing students, and forcing them to stand [in stress positions] against the wall with no time limit," the post said.

"I have seen a classmate sent flying ... by a single kick from an enraged class teacher ... for not doing their cleaning duties when it was their day," said the post, which claimed to be written by a boarding student at the prestigious secondary school.

"I've seen another student pressed up against the wall by the chest for turning up a second late to our 15-minute mealtime," it said.

Another high-schooler from Henan province, student A, who asked to remain anonymous said the issue of bullying and abuse in schools is so widespread that he had set up a social media group to provide support for student victims, that now has hundreds of members from all over the country.

"They are basically high school students and college students from all over the country," he said.

When students at his school had tried to complain, they were subjected to retaliation by the principal, then warned by their class teacher not to use the local education bureau hotline.

"The homeroom teacher said they didn't think it would be safe to call the reporting line, because the school can also call up the police station [and find out who it was]," student A said.

Even when complaints started to trickle out onto social media, and some phone calls were made to report abuses, nothing changed. "The municipal education bureau still did nothing about it in the end," he said.

"I want a better human rights situation for high-schoolers in mainland China, but I also want democracy and constitutional government for the whole country," he said. "This is my personal wish and vision."

The Hengshui model

The Zhihu article was met with widespread recognition by online commentators, with posts referring to the "Hengshui model" of hothousing students by fair means or foul to get the best possible scores in the college entrance exams.

"This model has blossomed everywhere and has many imitators," columnist Zhang Feng wrote in an article on the overseas-based news site Neiwen. "Yet society is unlikely to pay much attention to this cry for help because it is nothing new."

Zhang said private, high-pressure senior high schools are used to target enrollment from poorer, rural locations, where they skim off the most promising students from state-run junior high schools.

A similar scenario is being played out in his hometown in Henan province, where students have accused schools of "not caring whether they live or die, and all for the sake of grades," he wrote, adding that college entrance exam results are the be-all and end-all for such schools.

Like student A, the deleted Zhihu post also said the authorities clamp down hard on anyone who complains publicly about their treatment at the school.

"Anyone posting negative information about the school online is immediately expelled, while they can find the phone numbers of anyone who reports them to the [local] education bureau," it said. "That's why students daren't say anything."

The post detailed further abuses of children, who it said are routinely assaulted by staff for minor infractions of discipline such as being narrowly late for their next timetabled event.

Verbal abuse is also the norm at the school, with screams of "you're all a waste of space," "moron" and other epithets commonly hurled at students, the post said.

Human rights lawyer Wu Shaoping said such treatment is illegal under Chinese law.

"High school students are still minors, so they are protected by legislation," Wu said. "It seems as if the Hengshui model of school management just does away with that law."

The post isn't the first time the school has been in the public eye, with three students taking their own lives there between 2014 and 2015, leading it to install safety nets on the roof of the teaching blocks.

Teachers themselves are put under huge pressure by management, who turn a blind eye when they pass on that pressure to the students, the post said.

"The school's goal isn't to teach or to educate but to attract more students and bring in more money," it said.

Weibo user @yeyeyeye said they are also an alumnus of the school.

"The management is a law unto itself, and ... the teachers whip students with their belts," the user wrote. "They make them run with tires on their backs, reduce their rations to nothing but plain rice or buns, or nothing at all."

"All messages, letters and phone calls are monitored by the teachers, so the truth can't get out," the user wrote.

Internet addiction boot camp

Meanwhile, reports were emerging of extreme bullying and abuse of young people at a military-style boot camp designed to wean them off "internet addiction" and other social ills.

The Zhongmu county government said it had set up a joint investigation team to probe the allegations of horrific physical abuse made by an inmate at the Yashensi education camp in Henan's Zhongmu county, which promises to treat "internet addiction" among young people.

A student who has been to a similar camp in Guangdong province said there was a culture of violence and abuse there, too.

"You need to ask permission even if you want to get water to drink or go to the toilet, and the instructors usually don't allow it," student B, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, told Radio Free Asia. "I wasn't even allowed to phone home."

"They make you run between eight and 15 kilometers a day, and do at least 300 push-ups, 300 sit-ups and at least 500 squats," student B said.

"There was a lot of cruel corporal punishment including the airplane [stress position]."

Student B said the camp had been shut down following complaints about its treatment of young people. Calls to the listed number rang unanswered during office hours on Tuesday.

Lawyer Wu Shaoping said neither the boot camps nor the Hengshui model of schooling is likely to end anytime soon, given the level of collusion between local governments and companies running the schools.

"This management model is spreading all over the country," lawyer Wu Shaoping said. "It has become particularly serious during the past five or six years."

Twitter user @PigeonMaBond commented: "Chinese people are only now starting to get it. [Remember] how many people were defending the Hengshui model 10 years ago," while Twitter-based Marxist commentator Ma Aiguo said the Hengshui model was a "deformed bourgeois model of education ... that doesn't treat people as people but as tools and commodities."

Translated by Luisetta Mudie.
Social media comments hit out at a review from The New York Times, saying the West is 'rattled' by China's success.

CCTV says 'Wandering Earth II' [depicted in this movie poster] 'is set to lift Chinese cinema to new heights.'

The U.S.$163 million Lunar New Year blockbuster movie Wandering Earth II is seen by many in China as the bleeding edge of nationalistic futurism, aligned with ruling Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping's vision of a Sinocentric world led by his personal brand of political ideology, and more than able to take on U.S.-led notions of individualistic heroism and freedom.

Executive producer Fu Ruoqing said the show, which boasts a plethora of jaw-dropping special effects in its vision of a China-led planet trying to avoid being swallowed by a dying sun, offers a story in which the world is saved by Chinese scientists.

"[In the film,] Chinese scientists showed that we have the capability of and there is possibility of 'wandering' with the Earth [to escape destruction]," Fu said in a recent interview with state broadcaster CCTV.

"In fact, it is concerned with the concept of 'a community with a shared future for mankind'," Fu said, quoting one of Xi's political buzzwords verbatim.

Fu said the movie was "a milestone in China's history of film," boasting slick science fiction as well as showcasing China's "values."

CCTV said the movie "is set to lift Chinese cinema to new heights, and shares a strong message for the need for greater global cooperation during troubled times."

In that respect, the movie appears to be an appropriate successor to The Wandering Earth (2019), which was based on a novella by sci-fi master Liu Cixin about Chinese taikonauts trying to save the Earth from an unstable sun  a theme that echoes the plot of Liu's "Three-Body Problem" trilogy.

Set in a far-distant future, where the dying sun threatens to extinguish all life on Earth, the film shows an attempt to relocate the planet to orbit a safer star.

Overseas reception

While its sequel Wandering Earth II  which wasn't penned by Liu  enjoyed box-office takings of more than 500 million yuan (U.S.$73.7 million) on the first day of its release in China over the Lunar New Year holiday, it has been slightly less well-received by overseas critics, garnering a low score of 30% in a review from The New York Times, prompting ire on Chinese social media.

"What they are afraid of, and what they try to slander, is exactly what we must insist on," wrote Weibo user Gongli_22 from Guangdong, in a reaction to the New York Times review, which was trending as a hashtag on the social media platform this week. "Propagandists can no longer sit idly by."

Movie commentator Lang Yanzhi said the movie has been subject to "constant attacks and slander," especially in the Western media and by "pro-Western forces."

"Clearly, The Wandering Earth II is more than just a movie: it's rather a symbol of great influence," Lang wrote on Jan. 23.

User @Looking_at_the_scenery_from_the_clouds said "they're rattled," with a laughing emoji.

"Earth II is all about Chinese self-confidence, and the export of Chinese values, which is fantastic," the user wrote.

@Wuhan_Jinxiao agreed, writing on Jan. 31 that the movie is being criticized because "it is strong."

"It uses hard power to prop up a grand narrative that China will lead the whole of humanity in the future, which arouses strong panic among anti-China forces," the user said.

Director Guo Fan [left] and American actor Michael Stephen Kai Sui attend a promotional event for the original 'The Wandering Earth' in Qingdao in China's eastern Shandong province, Feb. 17, 2019. Credit: AFP

Meanwhile, user @chaitaibenzun likened the New York Times review to the dumping of Japanese propaganda materials out of planes in China during World War II.

"China's blood is up ... but they only want stuff that is in line with the West," the user wrote, while @Film_and_television_variety_show_king wrote on Jan. 28: "If the enemy is fearful, then we're doing something right. A successful cultural export."

Many users said they were blown away by the special effects, particularly the scenes involving a space elevator, while others complained about its length.

@Han_Dongyan said the review was evidence enough that the movie had done its job in wielding influence overseas, while @Observer_Network merely commented "Sour grapes!" amid dozens of similar comments.

"It really blew me away in the theater," a Shanghai film and TV worker who gave only the surname Liu told Radio Free Asia. "I think the online reviews were right  especially about the space elevator at the beginning. That was so cool."

"I think overall the investment was money well spent because the sets were really cool," he said, adding that the plotting was likely the movie's weakest point.

A huge stumbling block

Former Hollywood Producer Chris Fenton, author of a book about the movie industry in China, said production values have improved in leaps and bounds in the Chinese film industry, but blamed the weak plot-line on the government's insistence that it illustrate the Communist Party's "core values."

"In the West, the system works for the people; but in China, the people work for the system," Fenton said. "Until recently, collectivism and a group mentality have been the dominant philosophy."

"The idea of true individualism, freedom of creative expression, has been very limited, [while] the process of storytelling is heavily censored and policed, which is a huge stumbling block to translating original ideas on the international stage," he said.

Chinese writer Liao Yiwu poses during a photo session in Paris on April 02, 2019. Credit: AFP file photo

Germany-based writer Liao Yiwu was less circumspect.

"I regarded 'The Wandering Earth' as a propaganda project of the Communist Party, using writers like Liu Cixin to package nationalism and authoritarianism within the sci-fi genre," Liao told Radio Free Asia. He said the problems have persisted with the movie's sequel, which he likened to "a promotional film."

Online commentators have pointed out that one of the characters appears to have been modeled on late premier Zhou Enlai, while a Chinese Communist Party emblem is still being worn by a Chinese representative millions of years into Earth's future, and the initials CCP appear on another character's shirt.

"This is a nationalist commercial blockbuster packaged with ideas of so-called world unity and common human life," wrote Twitter user "Mr Li."

Another blogger said the entire movie was dominated by "straight male" characters, with the few female characters reduced to instrumental roles, while foreigners are either "in the way" or "stupid."

Weibo influencer Pingyuan_Gongzi_Zhao_Sheng wrote that "The Wandering Earth 2" is less concerned with freedom, human rights or "listening to your inner voice" than about "mutual assistance, responsibility and unity."

"People who have been brainwashed by American universal values for a long time will definitely not like it," the user wrote, in a comment that was retweeted more than 6,000 times.

Translated by Luisetta Mudie.
In this 2016 file photo, a woman uses a mobile phone as she walks past the Arch of Triumph in Pyongyang, North Korea.

Authorities in North Korea have arrested a family of four after one of them was caught making banned telephone calls to her child in South Korea, a punishment that residents say is excessive, sources in the country told Radio Free Asia.

While it is illegal for North Koreans to maintain contact with any family members who have escaped to the South, staying in touch with them through the use of cellular phones on the Chinese network is fairly easy in the areas near the Chinese border.

If they are caught, in most cases they can bribe the police to look the other way, and if that does not work, then its usually only the caller who gets arrested.

But now it appears that their families will also be considered guilty by association, and residents are nervous that they too could be punished for the actions of others, a resident of the northeastern province of North Hamgyong told RFA on condition of anonymity for security reasons.

In my neighborhood close to the border, there have been occasional incidents where people have gotten arrested on charges of making telephone connections with South Korea, said the source. But this is the first time Ive witnessed an entire family being taken away.

According to the source, authorities caught the mother in the act of calling her child who escaped to the South.

On the 21st, [she] was arrested on the spot when she was caught making a call far away from her home, the source said. The people saw police drag the three other family members out of their home and arrest them, even though they were not present at the scene of the call.

As news spread of their arrests the residents became increasingly nervous, according to the source.

They said that authorities have escalated to a new level by arresting the entire family, said the source. They are blaming the authorities for being too harsh.

The source said that the harsh measure may have been to make an example of the family, because this is the first time they caught someone calling South Korea this year.

This is meant as a warning to the other residents that the entire family will be severely punished if they are caught talking on the phone with South Korea, the source said.

Impoverished and autocratic North Korea is highly wary of the cultural influence and soft power of the prosperous and democratic South and works hard to keep its people from contacting southerners or consuming South Korean movies, television and music.

News of the North Hamgyong arrests has reached neighboring Ryanggang province, and a source there, who declined to be named, told RFA that authorities have been beefing up surveillance to stop people from calling outside the country.

To make a phone call on the Chinese network, you have to go out of the city to get to the highlands, which can take two hours, said the second source. Inspectors  are frequently monitoring the movements and travels of defectors families.

Though the term defector is widely used in colloquial speech to refer to anyone who escapes from North Korea, human rights organizations prefer to use that term only for those who were in the military or government when they escaped. They refer to others as either refugees or escapees.

The arrest in North Hamgyong was because an inspector had been assigned to track the whereabouts of all of the family members, and tipped off police when the mother left to make the call, the second source said.

In the past, the [authorities] entrusted the monitoring of the residents' movements to the head of the neighborhood-watch unit, the second source said. However, starting this year, people who cooperate with the authorities are selected from among the residents of the same neighborhood. They are now used as the watchdogs.

People caught calling the South are to be charged with leaking internal secrets, according to the second source.

The number of neighborhood-watch unit leaders, informants, and security teams who follow the direction of the State Security Department and the Social Security Department to inspect residents movements has increased significantly, the second source said. Neighbors are suspicious and wary of each other.

While the exact number of illegal phone users in North Korea is unknown, the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights, which interviewed 414 North Koreans in the South, reported that 47 percent of them were in constant contact with their families in the North in 2018. Of those, about 93 percent said they called their families on the phone.

In the same survey, 62 percent said they had sent money to North Korea. Based on their answers, the center estimated that refugees in the South who send money to North Korea do it about twice per year, sending around 2.7 million South Korean won (U.S. $2,190) each time.

Each time they had to pay an average broker fee of almost 30 percent.

According to South Koreas Ministry of Unification, around 33,000 North Koreans have settled in South Korea since 1998, but arrivals have decreased significantly since 2020, likely due to border restrictions in North Korea and China during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Translated by Claire Shinyoung Oh Lee. Edited by Eugene Whong and Paul Eckert.
But some say providing arable land to poor families around forests would be better approach.

An official from the US Forest Services International Program and officials from the Lao Department of Forest Inspection pose for a photo after signing the agreement in Laos, Jan. 25, 2023.

The United States has agreed to provide funding and equipment to Laos to help combat illegal logging in its national protest forests, an official at the U.S. Embassy in Laos said.

Officials from the U.S. Forest Services International Program and the Lao Department of Forest Inspection signed a memorandum of understanding on Jan. 25, the embassy official, who did not want to be named, told RFA.

Their activities will focus mainly on preserving protected forest land in Champassak province in southwestern Laos, according to a post about the MOU on the embassys Facebook account.

Illegal logging has contributed to a range of environmental issues, including deforestation and biodiversity loss. It also reduces natural resources that nearby communities rely on and can lead to human rights abuses, violence and displacement.

But some Laotians involved in forest protection say the measure doesnt get to the heart of the long-standing problem, and that a better solution would be to parcel out arable land to some of the offenders  people who live near protected forests. Many villagers in remote areas are poor and partially or completely landless, prompting them to encroach on state land such as national parks or forests.

Since the establishment of national protected forests in 1993, many poor landless families in Laos have encroached on these areas, which are rich in natural resources. Villages around the national protected forests have been growing quickly, so that there is not enough land for everyone to farm, Lao forestry officials said.

We still see a lot of illegal logging and illegal wood trade in the national protected forests in the province, committed by some villagers who live near the forests, a Lao project coordinator involved in U.S.-Laos cooperation project against illegal logging and trade told RFA, referring to Champassak province. Like others quoted in this report, he declined to give his name so he could speak freely about the project.

Under the agreement, the United States and Laos will work together to enact law enforcement strategies to reduce illegal logging and trade, especially in Champassak, home to two national protected forests near the Cambodian border  the 110,000-hectacre Dong Hua Sao National Protected Forest and the 240,000-hectare Xe Pian National Protected Forest.

The amount of US. funding and equipment for the 2023-2025 project has not been specified, an official from the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said.

The aid will be used to strengthen our law enforcement, forest inspection and patrol, said the project coordinator.

Drones, computers and cameras

The U.S. forestry agency will provide computers, cameras and GPS drones so Lao forestry officials can monitor protected forests in Champassaks Pathomphone, Khong and Mounlapamok districts near the Cambodian border, the project coordinator said.

The United States also will provide expertise and instruction to Lao authorities so they can step up law enforcement at the district and village levels, though American officials will not be involved in the actual on-the-ground crackdowns on illegal activities, he said. Lao officials will be responsible for this and for taking legal action against forest intruders.

Champassak has been a hotbed of illegal encroachment and logging on national protected forestland. In 2021, authorities in Khong district discovered that more than 300 families in a dozen villages had cleared nearly 400 hectares of land in Xe Pian National Protected Forest to farm and graze livestock.

The villagers cut down the trees and sold them, despite a central government decree that has banned all logging and trade, a Lao forestry official said.

Legal logging in Laos is only allowed in areas under development where roads or hydropower dams are being built.

Though the U.S. assistance will be helpful, it may not be the best solution to the land encroachment issue, which could be reduced by allocating some parcels to landless farmers living in the vicinity of protected forests, the forestry official said.

Many people live near the provinces protected forests and still engage in illegal logging, especially in the Dong Hua Sao National Protected Forest, he said.

The locals cut down the trees, and then sell them to businesspeople, he said.

An official from the Dong Houa Sao National Protected Forest agreed.

Before, we patrolled the forests on foot, so we couldnt cover much territory, he said. Now that well have drones, well be able to cover the whole area. Well see right away where the illegal logging takes place and go there immediately.

Translated by Max Avary for RFA Lao. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster.
Life has gone from bad to horrific for many in the country since the militarys February 2021 coup.

Pictured here are Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing and other members of the State Administration Council, the formal name of the government that the military installed a day after overthrowing a democratically elected parliament in Myanmar. Thousands have been killed and more than 1.2 million people displaced in the chaos triggered by the militarys coup.

Two years ago, the Myanmar junta ousted a democratically elected government in a coup, claiming election irregularities that military regime leaders have failed to prove. In the months since, the militarys efforts to consolidate power has created a calamity that has left thousands dead and forced more than 1.2 million citizens from their homes.

Conditions in the country have gone from bad, to worse, to horrific for untold numbers of innocent Myanmar people, Tom Andrews, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, said in a recent speech urging member countries to take action to address the crisis.

The Myanmar military is committing war crimes and crimes against humanity on a daily basis, including sexual violence, torture, the deliberate targeting of civilians, and murder.

In September, for example, military helicopters swept over Tabayin township in Sagaing to mount a surprise attack on a local school.

Junta leaders later claimed the facility was providing shelter for resistance fighters, but villagers said that wasnt true.

The helicopters opened fire in daylight, during school hours, killing 13 people, including seven children  leaving bodies scattered among notebooks and backpacks with images of popular cartoon figures.

Phone Tayza, a 7-year-old boy, was among those killed. His mother found him moaning in pain, suffering from severe wounds to his head, hand and thigh.

Its a scene that has recurred with heartbreaking regularity since the coup.

In total, military attacks have killed 265 children in Myanmar over the past two years, 59 of whom were 9 years old or younger.

In December, Khant Phyoe Thu, 9, was shot and killed by junta troops as he tried to escape his Wae Daunt village in Sagaing with his family. That day, more than 900 villagers fled when a column of 80 soldiers attacked, believing that a People's Defense Force militia was operating there.

At least 1.2 million people have been forced to flee their homes due to the post-coup fighting  roughly 2% of the countrys population. A similar percentage of Americans forced to flee would equal the population of Tennessee.

Some displacements are only for a day or two. But others are on the run for weeks or longer. They often lack adequate housing, food and medical care, aid groups say. Immunizations have decreased significantly since the coup, putting children at risk of dying from otherwise preventable diseases like measles and polio.

In addition to the 1.2 million people internally displaced, the United Nations said in October that at least 70,000 Myanmar refugees had left the country entirely, where they remain vulnerable to labor exploitation and other abuses.

More than half of the people counted as internally displaced live in Sagaing, an agriculturally rich region in northwestern Myanmar that has become a hotbed of resistance to the regime.

In its ruthless counterinsurgency campaign, military forces have also burned more than 48,000 homes in Sagaing, around 75% of the total number of homes set ablaze throughout Myanmar.

On two occasions, RFA Burmese Service reporters have acquired video evidence that appears to show evidence of torture committed by the hands of junta soldiers. One cell phone apparently belonging to a soldier contained a video in which soldiers boasted about killing people and included photos of them posing next to blindfolded and bound victims; another shows a brutal interrogation in Kayah state.

Deputy Information Minister Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun said the military would investigate the first incident, but no results have been announced.

Despite the brutality, the military has been unable to bring the people to heel.

The people in this region are now fighting the regime with a persistence and courage never seen before, Tint Swe, a former lawmaker for Sagaings Pale township, told RFA earlier this year.

An ethnically diverse country, Myanmar is no stranger to conflict. Ethnic armed organizations have fought the majority-Burman military for greater autonomy for decades. But the post-coup fighting might be unique in its breadth.

Myanmars military has clashed with Rakhine, Chin, Kachin, Shan, Karenni and Karen forces and also dozens of pro-democracy militias where the fighters are Burmans.

Thousands of junta forces have reportedly been killed, but the militarys superior arsenal of heavy artillery and attack planes and helicopters bought from Russia and China has largely kept its enemies away from the militarys power center of Naypyitaw.

Of the 7,858 clashes between military and opposition forces, only one has taken place within the borders of the heavily guarded capital. The disparity in weaponry has led to calls for no-fly zones and the sale of surface-to-air missiles to resistance fighters, but theres been little action on either front.

Outgunned democracy proponents have also tried to resist through mass protests and a workers strike known as the Civil Disobedience Movement, or CDM, drawing a predictably harsh response from junta leaders.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), 17,481 political prisoners have been arrested since the coup  with 13,680 still detained. Among the prisoners are leaders of the deposed National League for Democracy, which won landslide elections in 1990, 2015 and 2020.

Political opponents and other democracy activists have been sentenced to absurdly long prison sentences . Kyaw Thet, 30, was given 225 years, and Hnin Maung, 36, was given 95 years. They were also sentenced to death, meaning they could face execution in coming months.

Win Myint Hlaing, a 52-year-old former NLD lawmaker, was sentenced to 148 years in prison following his conviction on eight terrorism charges. Both men were members of a militia opposing the military.

Former State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, who is 77, is now serving a 33-year sentence that is only expected to grow as the junta stacks up the charges against her.

In June, the junta executed a former lawmaker and three other democracy rights activists, drawing international condemnation. Tom Andrews, the U.N. rapporteur, called the executions premeditated murders committed without even the pretext of due process of law.

Veteran activist Ko Jimmy was one of the four executed, accused of threatening the public tranquility. He was a celebrated author and poet who had spent 20 years in prison in Myanmar under a previous military regime for his fight for freedom.
Federated States of Micronesias President David Panuelo (left) meets with U.S. Secretary of States Antony Blinken at the State Department in Washington on Sept. 29, 2022.

The Federated States of Micronesia, an island nation in the militarily strategic western Pacific, will receive a substantial increase in U.S. financial assistance over the next two decades, its president said.

Micronesia has agreed to funding of U.S.$2.8 billion, an increase of about 75%, and a U.S.$500 million injection to a trust fund, Micronesian President David Panuelo said in a statement Tuesday.

This is how we can provide better pay to doctors and nurses employed at the state level, all while better supplying our public education and health infrastructure throughout the nation, he said.

The Federated States of Micronesia along with Palau and the Marshall Islands, under agreements known as compacts of free association, allow the United States to have military control of their territories in exchange for economic assistance and the right for their citizens to live and work in the U.S.

The funding arrangements are up for renewal and analysts have said the outcome of the negotiations will be an important signal of Washingtons commitment to the Pacific region as China presses for greater influence with Pacific Island states.

Home to about 200,000 people, the three countries comprising dozens of islands are spread across a vast area of ocean between the Philippines and Hawaii and are part of the U.S. militarys capacity to project power in the Pacific and East Asia.

Palau in January signed a memorandum of understanding with the United States government that would double its economic assistance compared with a U.S. offer it rejected in 2020. The agreements are subject to approval by the U.S. Congress.

Panuelo said the Federated States of Micronesia is yet to sign a memorandum of understanding with the United States but aims to do so by mid-February.

He said he met U.S. officials including the White Houses Indo Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell in Washington in late January and came to a preliminary agreement so that funding would be included in the next U.S. federal government budget and not delayed for a year or longer.

BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated news service.
Analysts say the law will have a negative impact on Tibetans ability to communicate.

Chinese authorities imposed a new cyber law in Tibet that went into effect Wednesday, with the government announcing tougher punishments for anyone creating public disorder by engaging in separatist acts.

The law, initially passed in 2016, is designed to strengthen digital surveillance and censorship in the region, with the new requirements allowing authorities to target Tibetans for online activity deemed critical of Chinese rule in the region.

Dawa Tsering, the director of the India-based Tibet Policy Institute, told RFA that there are no proper guidelines on which the Chinese government has grounded these regulations in Tibet.

Anyone that the Chinese authorities deem to have impaired Chinas national security and public interest can be punished under this law, Tsering said. There is a lot of ambiguity.

The law itself does not specify the type of violations that would get individual Tibetans in trouble with authorities, raising fears that Chinese police would use it to target anyone having cultural, social, or religious conversations related to Tibet.

Though the law is meant to protect and honor the Tibetan human rights, culture, history, natural resources and environment, the ambiguity of these regulations will negatively impact Tibetans, Sangay Kyab, a researcher at the Tibetan Center for Human Rights, told RFA.

[The laws] will leave room for Chinese authorities to arrest and detain them on simple but also uncertain charges.

Article 11 of the law states that anyone seen to be posing a threat to national security and public interest, deemed to be anti-socialist, or seen as engaging in separatism by maintaining any association with Tibetan independence groups or individuals will face punishment.

Those who share related photos, speeches, campaigns, books or videos, or who support these activities can also be targeted.

Tibetans inside Tibet are going to suffer even more so under the guise of this cyber security law, Gonpo Dhondup, President of Tibetan Youth Congress, said.

And the law is also a strategic move by the Chinese government to disconnect Tibetans inside Tibet with those in exile.

Translated by Tenzin Dickyi. Edited by Nawar Nemeh and Josh Lipes.
President George Manneh Weah has declared power theft as major crime that will be liable for prosecution for would-be violators.

Delivering his sixth and final Annual Message for his first six years term Monday, 30 January 2023 at the Capitol, President Weah threatened violators with prosecution, stressing that stealing power is illegal and criminal.

"We are working to enforce this law, and I must use this opportunity to inform all Liberians and communities that stealing power is illegal and criminal," he said.

"And the Government will not hesitate to prosecute those who are in violation of the law," President Weah stressed.

Over the years, the Liberian government has been battling against the issue of power theft. Last year, the Weah regime appointed General Services Agency (GSA) Boss Madam Mary Broh to head a special task force mandated to clear Monrovia and its surrounding of illegal power connections.

In late November 2022, the management of LEC through the Government of Liberia, other partners, and community leaders, officially launched the "Anti-Power Theft Campaign" aimed at calming down on the illegal stealing of electricity.

The LEC had said power theft is a major driver of commercial loses at the corporation.

This alarming loss, the LEC said, amounts to 46 million US dollars monthly and poses a serious problem in having the entity provide adequate services to its numerous customers.

Theft of power within communities is also seriously hampering the sustainability of the corporation and its ability to expand current grid networks across the country.

The task force has busted several homes and businesses that were engaged in power theft.

According to President Weah, his government will remain vigilant against power theft.

At the same time, Mr. Weah recounted progress made so far aimed at combating the Liberia Electricity Corporation's (LEC's) loss of resources due to power theft.

He said the progress is made through the country's power theft law that makes stealing power a criminal offence.

Weah appreciated the anti-power theft force for tirelessly working to ensure that power theft is combated, and reduced in the country.

"Electricity is not free," he said, adding: "we must all be a good citizens and pay for current we consume."

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Additionally, President Weah announced that his administration will work with the Legislature to increase civil servants' salaries above the minimum wage bill beginning this fiscal year 2023.

Weah stressed that it is totally unacceptable and unlawful that thousands of civil servants will be paid below the minimal wage bill.

Highlighting the issue of gender equality, President Weah urged the 54th Legislature to speedily pass the Gender Equity bill to boost women participation in public elected offices.

The bill, sponsored by the Women's Legislative Caucus and Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor, among other things, seeks to compel political parties to include more women in key positions within their respective parties.

Meanwhile, there are currently ten women lawmakers out of the 103-member 54th Legislature of the Liberia.

Out of that number, eight are in the 73-member House of Representatives and two in the Liberian Senate that comprises of 30 members in total.
Le Anh Tu will serve a 5-year term for his part in the abduction of Trinh Xuan Thanh.

Le Anh Tu (center, right) on trial for his involvement in the the kidnapping case of Trinh Xuan Thanh in Berlin, Germany .

The Berlin High Court has sentenced Le Anh Tu to five years in prison for his part in the kidnapping of a former Vietnamese provincial official.

Tu, 32, was living in Prague before the July 2017 kidnapping of Trinh Xuan Thanh in a Berlin park. He fled to Vietnam, and was arrested five years later on his return to the Czech Republic.

This trial lasted three months, Berlin-based freelance journalist Hieu Ba Linh told RFA after Monday's sentencing. The court sentenced defendant Le Anh Tu to five years in prison on two counts. The first crime is espionage. The second is participating in the kidnapping of Trinh Xuan."

Linh observed the entire trial from the courtroom and said the prosecution presented a lot of evidence to prove Tu participated in the kidnapping. The evidence showed that Tu tailed Trinh Xuan Thanh and his partner Do Thi Minh Phuong when she arrived from Hanoi to meet him. He was also the driver who brought the two to the Vietnamese Embassy after they were kidnapped by the Vietnamese secret service.

The prosecution said he also drove another vehicle in a convoy taking the two from Brno in the Czech Republic to the Hotel Borik in Bratislava.

In the Slovakian capital, Vietnamese Public Security Minister Nam To Lam was waiting for him, the court heard.

Hotel Borik is owned by the Slovak Government. There, To Lam's delegation met with the Slovak Ministry of Interior to talk. Actually, this talk was just a step towards bringing Trinh Xuan Thanh back to Vietnam, Linh said.

To Lam borrowed a Slovakian plane to get out of the Schengen area and fly to Moscow. The meeting with the Slovak Ministry of the Interior was aimed at bringing Trinh Xuan Thanh out of the Schengen area."

Le Anh Tu is the second defendant convicted by a German court for participating in the kidnapping. The first was Nguyen Hai Long, who was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison in 2018.

Reporter Hieu Ba Linh said Long received a lighter sentence because he pleaded guilty to "participating in the kidnapping of Trinh Xuan Thanh" and admitted to "working for the Vietnamese intelligence agency," while Le Anh Tu and his lawyer denied the crime.

In the case of defendant Le Anh Tu, from the very beginning, the court suggested to plead guilty and the court also said that it would consider a lower sentence if he pleaded guilty. However, Le Anh Tu did not agree to plead guilty," Linh said.

Le Anh Tu's lawyer said Tu played a passive role in the kidnapping because he was only the driver.

However, the prosecution presented evidence that Tu was in direct contact with Lt. Gen. Duong Minh Hung of the Vietnamese police, who came from Vietnam to Berlin to lead the kidnapping.

Thanh was vice chairman of Vietnams Hau Giang province before being investigated in 2016 for "deliberately violating State regulations, causing serious consequences," He fled to Germany and applied for asylum before being prosecuted.

A year later, Thanh appeared on Vietnamese television saying he had returned to Vietnam to turn himself in. Vietnamese authorities never said how he returned from Germany.

Hieu Ba Linh said, although two people have been convicted of his kidnapping it is very unlikely Thanh will be released by Vietnamese authorities and returned to Germany.

He said during Tus trial, the court wrote a letter requesting the German Foreign Ministry to update it on Thanh's status in Vietnam. The ministry said one of its officials met Trinh Xuan Thanh privately on the sidelines of a trial in Hanoi in which he was a witness, but offered little hope to the court.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that so far there is no indication that Vietnam will release Trinh Xuan Thanh, Linh said.

Last November, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz brought up the case during a meeting with Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Hanoi but nothing came of the talks.

RFA emailed Trinh Xuan Thanh's personal lawyer, Petra Isabel Schlagenhauf, to request comment but did not receive a reply.

Translated by RFA Vietnamese. Edited by Mike Firn
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and his Serbian counterpart, Aleksandar Vucic, have launched the construction of a gas pipeline that will link the two countries and help ease the region's dependence on Russian supplies, which have become less reliable amid Moscow's war against Ukraine.

Attending a groundbreaking ceremony in the Bulgarian town of Kostinbrod on February 1, the two leaders shook hands where one end of the 170-kilometer link -- 109 kilometers of which will run through Serbia -- will be built.

"This is a big thing, a European project. We will supply other countries via our country," Vucic said.

The link, which will have a capacity of 1.8 billion cubic meters of gas annually, will allow gas from Azerbaijan to flow all the way to Western Europe, while also giving Serbia access to liquefied natural gas coming through from ports in Greece.

"It gives new opportunities to the region through real diversification and security of deliveries," Radev added.

In a show of the link's regional importance, European Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson also attended the ceremony. The 85.5-million-euro project will receive 25 million euros from the European Investment Bank (EIB), as well as 49.6 million euros in co-financing by the European Union. Serbia will supply the rest of the funding needed to complete the pipeline.

Even before the effect of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine on gas supplies to Europe, Bulgaria and Serbia have tried to diversify from a deep reliance on Russian supplies.

In 2009, the two countries were hit hard by a dispute between Russia and Ukraine over pricing that slashed deliveries and left many in Europe cold over the winter.

Sofia then moved quickly to establish a link with Greece to begin accepting supplies from Azerbaijan.

That gas pipeline is part of a broad EU initiative called the Southern Gas Corridor, which aims to reduce Europe's dependence on Russian gas. The main source of supply would be the Shah Deniz gas field located in the Caspian Sea, in territory belonging to Azerbaijan.

While Bulgaria has been critical of Moscow's war in Ukraine, Serbia, a traditional ally of Russia, has maintained good relations.
The Bulgarian National Assembly has approved legislation declaring the 1932-33 famine caused by the policies of the Soviet government led by Joseph Stalin a genocide.

The decision came in a 134-25 vote on February 1 on a resolution backing the combined proposals of the Democratic Bulgaria and GERB parties.

The resolution says that any "denial, justification, or underestimation of this genocide flouts the memory of the millions of people who perished." It also calls for the last Saturday of November to be declared a day of honor and remembrance for the victims of the famine, known as the Holodomor.

Members of the far-right Vazrazhdane (Revival) party and Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) parliamentary groups, which often take pro-Russian positions, spoke against declaring the resolution.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed gratitude to Bulgaria for declaring the Holodomor a genocide, saying on Twitter that the move "commemorates millions of Holodomor victims and restores historical justice."

Bulgarias gesture of solidarity "will always be remembered in Ukraine," he added.

Kyiv has urged the international community to officially declare the Holodomor a genocide as Ukraine confronts Moscow's ongoing full-scale invasion.

The Holodomor took place as Stalin's police units forced peasants in Ukraine to join collective farms by requisitioning their grain and other foodstuffs.

Historians say the failure to properly harvest crops in Ukraine in 1932 under Soviet mismanagement was the main cause of the famine.

It is estimated that up to 9 million people died as a result of executions, deportation, and starvation during the Stalin-era campaign.

The Bulgarian National Assembly's move comes six weeks after the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly to recognize the famine as a genocide.

The resolution passed on December 15 called it an "artificial famine" caused by "a deliberate policy of the Soviet regime."

Kostadin Kostadinov, leader of the Vazrazhdane in the Bulgarian General Assembly, acknowledged that there was "a massacre by starvation of millions of people" in the Soviet Union in 1932-33, but he said the goal was not based on the victims' ethnicity, rather their class.

Borislav Gutsanov of the BSP opposed the proposal being put to a vote.

Earlier on February 1, the Vazrazhdane and BSP groups left the assembly hall, while their colleagues marked the day of appreciation and respect for the victims of the communist regime in Bulgaria.

With reporting by AFP
Welcome back to The Farda Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that tracks the key issues in Iran and explains why they matter. To subscribe, click here.

I'm RFE/RL correspondent Golnaz Esfandiari. Here's what I've been following during the past week and what I'm watching for in the days ahead.

The Big Issue

A gunman stormed the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran on January 27, killing one guard and wounding two others. Iran said the attack was motivated by personal reasons, but Baku described it as a terrorist attack.

The incident led Azerbaijan to temporarily suspend its operations at its embassy in Tehran and evacuate its staff from the country. Iranian media said the attacker, who was arrested, was an Iranian man married to an Azerbaijani woman. The attacker was quoted as saying that his wife disappeared after entering the Azerbaijani Embassy.

Why It Matters: The incident has further strained relations between the neighbors, who have a history of tensions. Azerbaijan has long been suspicious of Irans ties with Armenia, Bakus archenemy. Meanwhile, Tehran has increasingly expressed concern about Azerbaijans deepening relations with Israel, Tehrans regional foe. Earlier this month, Baku appointed its first-ever ambassador to Israel, which is a major arms supplier to Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan has also long complained of Irans alleged mistreatment of its sizable ethnic Azeri minority. Tehran has accused Baku of fomenting separatist sentiment in the Islamic republic.

Analyst Habib Hosseinifard told RFE/RLs Radio Farda that the embassy attack has led to an overflow of tensions.

Iran claims some of Israels actions against the country are organized from inside Azerbaijan. In addition, Iran also accuses Azerbaijan of inciting the countrys Azeri minority, while Baku accuses Tehran of strengthening extremist Shiite groups inside Azerbaijan. All of these have increased tensions, particularly in the past two years, he said.

What's Next: Since the embassy attack, Iran has attempted to ease tensions with Azerbaijan. But Baku appears to have upped the ante by announcing on January 31 the arrests of what it said were seven members of an Iranian spy network in Azerbaijan.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijans Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov said in a January 31 statement that suspension of a diplomatic missions operations in any country is a serious matter" and that Baku has let Tehran know that "we do not trust Iran with respect to ensuring the security of our embassys employees.

The statement came days after Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi told Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev in a phone call that the governments of Iran and Azerbaijan will not allow bilateral relations to be affected by the suggestions of those who wish ill on the two nations, according to the Iranian governments website.

Stories You Might Have Missed

Analysts say a suspected Israeli drone strike on a military site in Iran is part of a new effort to contain the Islamic republic. There has been a series of incidents inside Iran during the past year, including sabotage and cyberattacks, assassinations, and the mysterious killings of members of the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, as well as scientists and engineers. Tehran has blamed some of the incidents on Israel.

Meghdad Jebelli, the brother of Iran's state TV chief Peyman Jebelli, spoke to Radio Farda about his decision to leave Iran and seek asylum in Canada. Meghdad Jebelli left his homeland soon after Iran's downing of a Ukrainian passenger jet that killed all 176 people onboard, including his 29-year-old nephew. Jebelli said "real justice will only be achieved when the perpetrators of the crimes of the past 44 years are punished, in reference to the clerical regime that came to power following the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

What We're Watching

A group of Iranian lawmakers have submitted a draft bill to curb unprofessional comments posted on social media by influential figures, including celebrities. The proposed legislation prescribes prison terms of up to 15 years and fines for those found guilty. Supporters of the draft bill have said it will punish those who undermine national security. But critics have labeled it the suffocation bill.

What's Next: The proposed legislation is an attempt by the authorities to further crack down on dissent amid ongoing anti-regime protests that have rocked the country since September. The demonstrations are the biggest threat to the clerical regime in years.

The antiestablishment protests have attracted support from all corners of Iranian society, including celebrities. Several well-known figures have been summoned or arrested in recent months by police after showing support for the demonstrations.

Until next time,

Golnaz Esfandiari

If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here. It will be sent to your inbox every Wednesday.
TBILISI -- Jailed former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who is being treated in a private clinic in Tbilisi for health problems, has asked for "the opportunity for adequate treatment" during a court hearing on having his sentence suspended so he can be transferred abroad for more intensive care.

The imprisoned ex-president has been treated at the Vivamedi facility since May 2022. Doctors said earlier this month that Saakashvili contracted a mild form of COVID and therefore does not need treatment in intensive care.



Saakashvili, who was Georgian president from 2004 to 2013, is serving a six-year sentence for abuse of power, a charge that he and his supporters say was politically motivated.



His medical team says his health has worsened significantly since he went to prison in October 2021 and staged repeated hunger strikes to protest his incarceration. He is also currently on trial on separate charges of violently dispersing an anti-government rally in November 2007 and illegal border crossing.



He has rejected those charges as well, calling them trumped-up, and his legal team is seeking to have the trial postponed for health reasons.



"I gave Georgia all my knowledge and creativity...the only thing I ask for is to give me the opportunity for adequate treatment," he told the court on February 1 via video link from the clinic where he is being treated.



During his address to the court, which was severely hampered by technical issues, Saakashvili lifted his hospital dress to reveal his emaciated physical condition. The judge quickly stopped the video transmission and asked the former president to appear only fully clothed.



The court hearing came a day after Saakashvili's associates said the former president had been transferred to an intensive-care unit, a claim hospital personnel rejected.

Saakashvili's mother, Giuli Alasania, said earlier in the day that her son, who was diagnosed with COVID several days ago, "again fell unconscious" overnight and that his body temperature had risen to 39 degrees Celsius.

Medical personnel did not confirm her statement and hospital director Nino Nadiradze told RFE/RL's Georgian Service that the former leader had not been moved.



On January 28, Vivamedi's chief physician, Zurab Chkhaidze, told journalists that Saakashvili had dramatically reduced food consumption and was rejecting medical treatment. Chkhaidze then called on Saakashvili's relatives to convince the ex-president to obey the doctors' recommendations.



In early December, Saakashvili's legal team distributed a medical report that said he had been "poisoned" with heavy metals while in custody and risked dying without proper treatment.



But Georgian officials have raised doubts about how critical his health situation is.
Seventeen-year-old Akerke Suleimen sings at the Altyn Orda market in Almaty to raise money for a spinal operation she needs abroad. After two months, the Kazakh teenager has managed to save about half of the sum she needs. Meanwhile, her mother keeps dressing her warmly and handing her the microphone.
The United States has imposed Russian-related sanctions on 22 individuals and entities in multiple countries that the U.S. Treasury Department says are part of a global network set up to evade previously announced sanctions targeting Russias defense industry.

The Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed the new sanctions on February 1, designating individuals and entities in the network, which OFAC said supports Russias military-industrial complex.

The actions are part of a strategy to target sanctions evasion efforts around the globe, expose facilitators, and ultimately limit Russias access to revenue needed to wage its war in Ukraine, the department said in a news release.

Russias desperate attempts to utilize proxies to circumvent U.S. sanctions demonstrate that sanctions have made it much harder and costlier for Russias military-industrial complex to re-supply [Russian President Vladimir] Putins war machine, said Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo.

The network is led by Russian- and Cypriot-based arms dealer Igor Zimenkov, who has worked closely with his son, Jonatan Zimenkov, within the network to enable Russian defense sales to third-country governments, the department said.

The network has engaged in projects connected to Russian defense capabilities, including supplying high-technology devices, since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the Treasury said.

Certain members of the network have also supported sanctioned Russian defense entities Rosoboroneksport and State Corporation Rostec, which the Treasury said are key parts of Russias military-industrial complex.

Igor Zimenkov maintains close relationships with people associated with Rosoboroneksport and has provided information to Rostec personnel abroad, while Jonatan Zimenkov has maintained powers of attorney for companies in the Zimenkov network on behalf of his father, according to the Treasury.

They have additionally been involved in multiple deals for Russian cybersecurity and helicopter sales to South American countries and have engaged directly with Rosoboroneksports potential clients to enable sales of Russian defense materiel, according to the department.

Igor Zimenkov has also supported the Belarusian military-industrial complex by facilitating sales efforts in Latin America of Belarusian defense entity State Owned Foreign Trade Unitary Enterprise Belspetsvneshtechnika (BSVT). BSVT was previously designated for its links to the government of Belarus, as well as for operating in the defense and related materiel sector of the Belarus economy.

Among the members of the network were front companies used to funnel money within the network. These companies, which were also designated for sanctions, are based in Singapore, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Uzbekistan, and Israel. Several people associated with the companies also were designated.

The sanctions designations freeze any assets under U.S. jurisdiction held by the individuals and entities. They also inhibit their access to global financial markets and bar people based in the U.S. from dealing with them.

With reporting by Reuters and AFP
Pakistan has handed over two top commanders of the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to the Afghan Taliban, which has been mediating peace talks between the sides, as part of efforts to revive negotiations with the militant group, sources told RFE/RLs Radio Mashaal.



Muslim Khan and Mehmood Khan were recently transferred from a military detention facility to the custody of the Afghan Taliban in Pakistans northwestern tribal belt, said sources with knowledge of the matter.



The move came as a delegation of senior Pakistani military officials arrived in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on May 9 for talks with the TTP leadership, said sources with knowledge of the negotiations.



As a confidence-building measure, the TTP agreed a temporary cease-fire from May 10 to 15, according to a decree issued by the TTP leadership and seen by RFE/RL. The militant group had announced a unilateral truce from April 29 to May 9 to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan and the start of the Eid al-Fitr holiday.



The talks between the Pakistani delegation and the TTP are being mediated by the Afghan Taliban, which has close ideological and organizational ties with the TTP. The Afghan militant group is also a longtime ally of Islamabad, its main foreign sponsor.



The negotiations came as the TTP, also known as the Pakistani Taliban, has intensified its attacks in Pakistan since a monthlong cease-fire expired and peace talks collapsed in December.



Since then, Islamabad has sent secret delegations to Afghanistan to hold talks with the TTP on reviving the expired truce and resuming talks over a negotiated end to the TTPs 14-year insurgency in Pakistan, where thousands of people have been killed in militant attacks and clashes between the TTP and the military.



The TTP has demanded the release of 102 commanders and fighters in Pakistani prisons. Pakistan had released most of the TTP prisoners but had been reluctant to free Muslim Khan and Mehmood Khan.



The TTP has also demanded the implementation of Islamic Sharia law in Pakistans tribal belt, a demand that observers said the government would likely reject.



The two commanders will be released from the custody of the Afghan Taliban once the TTP agrees a permanent cease-fire with Islamabad, said a source with knowledge of the negotiations.



Muslim Khan was a top Pakistani TTP leader from the Swat Valley in northwestern Pakistan. In 2016, a Pakistani military court sentenced him to death. A former spokesman for the militants, he was convicted of killing 31 people, including civilians and security personnel.

In the same year, Mehmood Khan, also a TTP leader from Swat, was convicted of kidnapping two Chinese engineers for ransom and sentenced to 20 years in prison.



The pair are likely to be officially pardoned by Pakistani President Arif Alvi before they are handed over to the TTP, sources said.



The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military's media wing, did not respond to an e-mail from Radio Mashaal seeking comment. Pakistans Foreign Office could also not be reached.



In January, Pakistan sent a secret delegation to Afghanistan to hold talks with the TTP leadership. The delegation held several days of talks with TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud and members of the extremist groups leadership council in Afghanistans southeastern province of Paktika, said sources with knowledge of the discussions.

Made up of mostly Pashtun tribal elders, the Pakistani delegation also visited Kabul, where they met senior members of the Haqqani network, a key Afghan Taliban faction. The network is a U.S.-designated terrorist organization.



The Talibans interior minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, the head of the Haqqani network, has been the key facilitator for the talks between Islamabad and the TTP.



Intensifying Attacks



Efforts to revive the peace talks came as the TTP has intensified its attacks against Pakistani security forces.



Riven internally, debilitated by the death of successive leaders, and forced from its strongholds, the TTP was seen for years as a largely spent force. But the group has reemerged over the past two years, unifying squabbling factions and unleashing a wave of deadly attacks.



Pakistan recorded at least 294 militant attacks in 2021, a 56 percent increase compared to the previous year, according to the Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS). Most of the attacks were attributed to the TTP.



Pakistan has not witnessed a respite in TTP attacks since the new year.



On April 14, the TTP claimed that it had killed seven Pakistani soldiers in an attack in the countrys restive North Waziristan tribal region. On March 30, at least three Pakistani soldiers and as many attackers were killed in a firefight in northwestern Pakistan, in an attack claimed by the TTP.

A massive Pakistani Army offensive in 2014 drove out many TTP militants from Pakistan and across the border to Afghanistan, where their leadership resides.



Islamabad has accused the Afghan Taliban of failing to expel the TTP or prevent it from using Afghan territory for carrying out attacks in Pakistan.



On April 16, Pakistan carried out unprecedented air strikes in eastern Afghanistan, killing dozens of people. Pakistan said it was targeting the TTP. The air strikes provoked unusually harsh exchanges, with the Taliban issuing threats against Islamabad, its longtime ally.

Observers said the Talibans takeover of Afghanistan in August has further galvanized and strengthened the TTP.



The withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan in August has also significantly reduced U.S. air strikes in the region, allowing the TTP to operate more freely, experts said.



TTP fighters have also obtained sophisticated weaponry, including U.S.-made firearms, which their Afghan allies seized from Afghanistan's former armed forces.
Dozens of police officers protested in Peshawar on February 1 to demand the government conduct a full and transparent investigation of a suicide attack on a mosque earlier this week that killed 101 people and injured 221 others.

The attack on January 30 killed mostly police officers in the Sunni mosque located inside a high-security police facility.

The police who protested on February 1 gathered in front of the Peshawar Journalists' Center and were joined by civil and political activists.

Sajid Ali, one of the protesters, told RFE/RL that the police officers were compelled to protest to put pressure on authorities and because police officers are dying amid this terrorism and insecurity.

Ali Daraz, another protester, said police officers want answers about how the explosives got into the compound and said he believes there were at least two suicide bombers because of the amount of destruction. Daraz added that there have been complaints for years about a lack of equipment to fight terrorists.

"It seems like there were many explosives used there because even two suicide bombers could not cause that much destruction," he told RFE/RL.

The attack in Peshawar, capital of the volatile Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, which borders Afghanistan, was one of the deadliest that targeted Pakistani security forces in recent years.

The interim government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has formed a team to investigate the attack, including how a major security breach could happen in a compound that houses intelligence and counterterrorism bureaus.

Eyewitnesses told Radio Mashaal that suicide bombers standing in the first row in the compound's mosque behind the imam detonated explosive vests as worshippers gathered for the afternoon prayers in the Police Line Mosque on January 30.

A commander for the Pakistani Taliban known as Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) initially claimed responsibility for the attack, but hours later, TTP spokesman Muhammad Khurasani denied involvement, saying it was not the group's policy to target mosques, seminaries, and religious places.

Ibrahim Kamil, a participant in the protest and a leading member of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, told RFE/RL that a number of policemen are now feeling insecure about their own security.

There have been dozens of attacks in recent years, but the January 30 attack was a different incident because "people who protect us are facing so much danger in their own mosque."

Kamil added that the investigation should determine how the assailants got past checkpoints to enter the building and the mosque.

With reporting by AFP
The Russian government did not wait for the trial of Olesya Krivtsova, a 19-year-old student in the northern city of Arkhangelsk, to even begin before adding her to its list of terrorists and extremists..

The designation on January 10 came as Krivtsova spends her second month under house arrest, facing the possibility of more than 10 years in prison on charges of justifying terrorism and discrediting the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

The worst possibilities whirl in my head, Krivtsova told Current Time in an interview from her home. I understand perfectly well that I might be imprisoned. Im trying to reconcile myself to that possibility.

Krivtsovas Kafkaesque case began on December 26, when police showed up to search the apartment she shares with her husband.

Olesya didnt see the search, her mother, Natalya Krivtsova, told RFE/RL. They removed her from the apartment 10 minutes after they arrived.

While the search was being conducted, a police officer stood over Krivtsova, intimidating her with a sledgehammer, her mother said. Later, an officer of the Interior Ministrys anti-extremism center told her and her husband separately that the visit was a greeting from the Wagner mercenary group.

Just a couple of weeks previously, the Kremlin-connected Wagner group released a brutal video in which convicted murderer Yevgeny Nuzhin, who had been recruited from prison to fight in Ukraine, was branded a traitor and killed by having his skull crushed with a sledgehammer. That video was titled The Hammer Of Revenge.

Since Russias unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, thousands of anti-war dissenters have faced prosecution and persecution under hastily passed laws that criminalize deliberately spreading what the state claims is false information about the war or discrediting the armed forces. Krivtsova herself was fined 30,000 rubles ($425) in April for posting anti-war stickers in public.

'Destroying A Person's Life'

During the initial court hearings after Krivtsovas arrest, it became apparent the case against her was based on denunciations from fellow university students who participated in a closed university Telegram chat that RFE/RL was able to view.

At the hearing, they mentioned two names of people that I knew who were in that chat. They were discussing how best to submit a denunciation -- to the police or the [Federal Security Service], she told Current Time, the Russian-language network run by RFE/RL in collaboration with VOA.

I knew them before, she added. I had fairly congenial relations with one. We occasionally ran into each other and chatted. The other witness once helped me carry a heavy bag. The weirdest thing is that one of them sent me a copy of the chat.

She added that her lawyers have not been given copies of any denunciations that may have been filed.

In October, participants in the chat were discussing Russias invasion of Ukraine when one of them posted screenshots from Krivtsovas Instagram stories in which she reposted the Ukrainian authorities recommendations on how Russian soldiers should surrender and photographs of killed Ukrainian civilians.

This is illegal, one participant wrote. Maybe a case should be opened?

A few moments later, the same participant wrote: I wrote to the commander. He has friends in the [security] organs and will consult them.

Someone then posted a screenshot of a post by university lecturer Aleksei Feldt, who wrote that denunciations dont make one a patriot, and the participants began discussing it.

I think denunciations and ratting on someone are two different things, one wrote. Ratting on someone is done for personal reasons.

What we have here is an illegal act. I think we are obligated to speak up, especially since we know what they do to our boys who surrender, added another, apparently referring to unsubstantiated Russian propaganda claims that Russian prisoners are routinely abused in Ukrainian custody.

Denunciation is the obligation of a patriot, wrote a third. And even better -- exposure in the media. Bullying works better than the Interior Ministry.

Olesya takes these criminal charges as a difficult trial she must endure. The main thing is that she wasnt broken and isnt being broken."

Krivtsova said she believes the students were motivated by ideological convictions.

I think they all believe their actions were appropriate and fair and that I should be punished in accordance with the law, she said. I believe they are guided only by such ideas.

People infused with a militaristic ideology can easily seek out dissidents because they think dissent might lead to the armys defeat or the presidents defeat or the countrys, she said. So they think they are denouncing for the sake of good. At least in their own minds.

But even if you are ideological, even if you are ready to defend your country by such means, you can probably find another way, she added. Destroying a person's life because of their views -- in this case, pretty innocuous ones -- is immoral.

Mystery Tickets

Two days after her arrest, Krivtsova faced a custody hearing, during which the court ordered her to remain under house arrest pending trial.

A week later, police detained her again. They requested a new custody hearing, claiming in court that two one-way train tickets to border areas of Russia had been purchased in her name and arguing that she was a flight risk. Krivtsova denies buying the tickets, adding that she would not be able to do so because she does not have a valid internal passport.

During the hearing, defense lawyers asked for records from the state railway showing when, where, and how the alleged tickets were purchased and for the opportunity to question any witnesses. The judge denied their request.

In the end, the court rejected the prosecutions request that she be held in custody, instead adding restrictions to her house arrest preventing her from using the Internet.

She did not violate the terms of her house arrest and did not hinder the investigation, Krivtsovas mother said. Olesya takes these criminal charges as a difficult trial she must endure. The main thing is that she wasnt broken and isnt being broken.

Olesya didnt do anything wrong, she said. She is not guilty of anything. She has nothing to be sorry for.

Written by RFE/RL correspondent Robert Coalson based on reporting by RFE/RLs North.Realities. Current Time correspondent Kirill Belov-Belikov also contributed to this report.
The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) has said that President George Weah has failed in his commitments to fight corruption in the country and that it is high time that he wakes up to make some meaningful strides against the menace.

CENTAL Executive Director, Anderson Miamen, said via his social media handle it is so sad that the system keeps letting Liberians down despite numerous cries for "true accountability" for corruption and many excesses committed by unscrupulous individuals and groups in the past and now.

"The government needs to wake up and do far more. Liberia and Liberians are yearning for true accountability for corruption. The Government must answer to their cry, sooner rather than later," the head of CENTAL, which is the local chapter of Transparency International (TI), said. "President Weah needs to shake up in dealing with impunity for corruption, as he has so far failed in this Commitment."

Miamen accused the President of shielding corrupt officials while going after people who are pushing for reforms in the country.

Though he failed to pinpoint a specific instance or anyone that is being shielded by President Weah, the head of the corruption watchdog noted that the presidency is not leading by example on corruption.

"President Weah is the main reason why the County is doing very poorly in the fight against Corruption, thus leading to negative public perception about the government's commitment to the process," he asserted.

While a few good things might be happening in the fight, Miamen noted that they are negligible and not good enough, given the scale of the problem at hand and the efforts and commitment needed to holistically and genuinely deal with corruption.

Liberians, he added, cannot continue to see more sugar-coated words and speeches from President Weah than real actions in dealing with Corruption. "He is the main reason why public sector corruption is on the rise in Liberia. He is the main reason why citizens believe that the government is doing very little to tackle corruption.

Liberia is currently ranked at 29 on Transparency international's Corruption Perception Index, though the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) government has slightly improved the score from 32 in 2018 when it came to power.

Additionally, CENTAL's last two State of Corruption Reports show that 90% of Liberians believe Corruption is very high in Liberia. Besides, the latest (2022 edition of the state of corruption report) shows that 26% of citizens now have confidence in the Executive to fight against corruption compared to 30% in the immediate past report.

So far, CENTAL said, the President has failed in his anti-corruption commitment to the Liberian People. He has passed a few more laws but lacks the willpower to implement them in addition to the ones he met on the books.

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The President is often accused of coming in defense of his officials when they are accused and are being investigated for corruption.

What the country currently needs the most, according to Miamen, is to deal with the culture of impunity for corruption, using administrative and other sanctions. Sadly, the President is not looking in this direction.

Transparency International's 2021 Corruption Index (CPI) has ranked Liberia among the poor-performing countries in the fight against corruption. Out of 180 countries captured, Liberia ranked 136, with a score of 29, climbing just one step above the 2020 ranking of 28.

The CPI ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption on a scale of zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).

Liberia ranks 136/180 and remains further down the table, joining the list of countries significantly declining on the CPI. With the exception of Saint Lucia which has 15 points and Syria, 13 points globally, only Liberia has fallen 12 points since 2012, the report indicated.

The country attained its highest score of 41 in 2012 but has since failed to perform any better -- an indication that Liberia's improved performance then was largely due to the passage of key laws and the establishment of public integrity institutions.

However, it pointed out that the Country has since failed to make these institutions and laws work, as the laws are not enforced and public integrity institutions are not fully supported morally and financially to satisfactorily deliver.
VILNIUS -- Western sanctions against Russia have been "very effective" in cutting off Russia's war machine, a U.S. official asserted, amid growing questions about Moscow's ability to circumvent the measures.

In an interview with RFE/RL, Robin Dunnigan, a deputy assistant U.S. secretary of state, said the economic sanctions imposed after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 were putting pressure on Moscow, and "we will see the results of that in the coming months and years."



Russia's economy has been squeezed by the Western sanctions, contracting around 2.7 percent in 2022, according to Western estimates, but not as badly as some Western governments had hoped. Russia continues to export oil and gas, despite Europe all but cutting itself off, and that's allowed Moscow to bring in sizable revenues.



The International Monetary Fund predicted Russia's economy will expand just 0.3 percent in 2023, which is an improvement from earlier forecasts of a contraction up to 2.3 percent.



The Russian economy has also held up surprisingly well due to long-standing conservative fiscal policies and revenues from natural-resource sales overseen by President Vladimir Putin that filled public coffers and its rainy-day funds, including ample reserves of both gold and Chinese yuan.

Some experts say Moscow has as least three more years of funding to continue the war at the current pace of operations.



Russia has also managed to circumvent many of the restrictions on dual-use technologies, such as semiconductors, through increased trade with countries like China. China, India, and other countries have also stepped in to replace supply chains for consumer goods like smartphones, appliances, and cars and trucks.



In the interview, Dunnigan also accused Belarus, which has provided logistical support for Russian troops, of being an "accomplice" in the war.



"I do not think that Belarusians want a war against Ukraine to be waged from their country. Therefore, I do not think that he represents the will of his own people," she said. "And I think that's tragic. I think that the consequences for the Belarusian people, who did not want to have anything to do with it, are truly terrible."



She said the United States continued to press Belarus for free and fair elections. Strongman leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka claimed reelection to the presidency in 2020, sparking months of unprecedented streets protests and further isolation from the West.



Dunnigan was scheduled later to travel to Poland to meet with Polish officials about the situation in Belarus.
Vladimir Sorokin is among the best-known Russian authors of the last 50 years, a leading postmodernist whose works have been translated into dozens of languages. For years, the 67-year-old has divided his time between Germany and Moscow, although he has remained outside Russia since the Kremlin launched its large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

In the 1990s, he became known for his trenchant depiction of the traumas inflicted by the experience of Soviet totalitarianism. Poet Yelena Fanailova has said of him: He hears underground water.

It cant be a coincidence that the main symbol of this insane war is the Latin letter Z for zombie."

In 2002, he became one of the first targets of Russian President Vladimir Putins system when activists of the nationalist, pro-Putin Walking Together movement burned his books as allegedly pornographic.

His 2006 novel, The Day Of The Oprichnik, is a dystopia that depicts Russia in 2027 as a medieval dictatorship isolated from the world by a Great Wall of Russia.

Three days after the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Sorokin published a scathing indictment of Putin, who he said is the determined enemy of Western civilization -- the hatred for which he lapped up in the black milk he drank from the KGBs teat.

RFE/RL Russian Service contributor Andrei Arkhangelsky spoke with Sorokin about the war, the forces driving it, and its consequences for Russian society and culture.

RFE/RL: In your interviews, you describe the system of Russian President Vladimir Putin as archaic in the tradition of the medieval Tsar Ivan the Terrible. But maybe it is actually some unexpected, monstrous permutation of postmodernism?

Vladimir Sorokin: No, I still think it is archaic. It is stronger than postmodernism because the state machinery exists according to models constructed in the 16th century. The present power vertical does not significantly differ from the pyramid of power created by Ivan the Terrible. Of course, it isnt made of brick and wood, but rather of glass and concrete.

But we are all to blame, of course -- not just Putin and his team.

RFE/RL: You once said that the corpse of the Soviet world was not buried in the 1990s but rather continued to rot in the corner all these years. Now that corpse has stood up and started killing. How is that possible? What kind of creature is this?

All us Russians will have to drink from a bitter cup.... We are all to blame, of course -- not just Putin and his team."

Sorokin: A zombie. And, as zombies do, it came back to life, but not as a human. During the era of [Russian President Boris] Yeltsin, it was shoved into a corner and covered with sawdust. They hoped it would rot away on its own. But no. It turned out to be alive - in an infernal, otherworldly sense. It was brought back by champions of imperial resentment, both on television and in real life. They hooked it up to electrodes, and, to use an expression, the corpse got up off its knees. Now it is destroying foreign cities and threatening the world with nuclear weapons. It cant be a coincidence that the main symbol of this insane war is the Latin letter Z for zombie.

In effect, we didnt manage to bury this power pyramid of Ivan the Terrible back in the 1990s. It just took on a new facade and remained standing. But, as in the 16th century, there is one ruler at the top exercising total power. And below him there are the oprichniki (the notorious political police force created by Ivan the Terrible) and innumerable loyal serfs.

RFE/RL: The war in Ukraine has nullified the efforts of millions of our countrymen who wanted to live in a new way. All the efforts of the last 30 years -- since Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachevs perestroika -- have been in vain. It feels like our entire conscience existence has been for nothing. Dont you feel this way?

Sorokin: Of course, that is an ontological question, but it wasnt all in vain. If only because we are still alive, and we can talk about all this. There is a sufficient number of Russians with common sense who understand that the inertia of five centuries was too strong. It turned out that a small group of democrats in the 1990s was not able to stop this machine. Perhaps because they included many former communists. It wasnt like in Germany in the late 1940s or in Czechoslovakia in the 1990s. We didnt have a Vaclav Havel, unfortunately. Germany suffered complete military defeat, and the victors decided everything. They dug the grave for the corpse of Nazism, and German anti-fascists threw it in.

In the 1990s, most of the countries of the former Soviet bloc managed to bury totalitarianism. But the Soviet Union collapsed of its own unsustainability. Im not talking about economic or political questions, but the basic necessities of life. I remember back in 1979, I was working at the magazine Smena. I had a colleague who lived in [the Moscow suburb of] Sergiyev Posad and rode a commuter train into work. He told me how one Saturday morning his little son woke up and said, Papa, Id like some smoked sausage. So, what could he do? He got on the train and went to Moscow for some smoked sausage.

That was in 1979, just outside of Moscow. It wasnt in 1949 or 1929. People were still traveling to Moscow from the provinces to buy womens shoes or smoked sausage. Such a system is unsustainable, especially if is launching spaceships while not being able to provide basic essentials to its population. That is why it collapsed -- not because of some machinations of the CIA. Not because it lost a war. That is why it came back to life. No one dug the grave of Soviet communism for us.

RFE/RL: Isnt there in this war a bit of the Freudian idea of the unconscious death drive of the entire regime? The Putin system existed more or less fine for 22 years. People were living a little bit better than they did in Soviet times. But for some reason they needed to destroy everything, including themselves.

The Soviet man couldnt even choose what cigarette to smoke....The state crushed the individual, and he lashed out at his relatives and neighbors. We have a deeply traumatized society, and now this trauma has taken the form of war."

Sorokin: This idea is going around, and a lot of people are talking about it. They die, but we go to paradise -- this aphorism of Putins has now become state policy. But the first thing that was killed off was common sense. The stuff our officials are saying on television -- to say nothing of what the propagandists spout -- is beyond the realm of normal thinking. It is pure paranoid schizophrenia. I think psychiatrists and social anthropologists will be analyzing all this for years.

RFE/RL: Why do people go along with this mass suicide? Where does this collective loss of the basic self-preservation instinct come from?

Sorokin: I was a boy in the 1960s, and outwardly those were quite prosperous years. There were no mass repressions. People werent living in terror that someone would come in the night and take them away. But inside everyone there was a particle of this fear -- and violence as well. It broke through occasionally -- in the household, on the trains, in shops. After all, what is the essence of the Soviet project? It is not a crime against humanity but against humans as a species. A blow to each individual. Soviet man was forcibly deprived of all choices.

Inner freedom is, in fact, freedom of choice. That is the main characteristic of Homo sapiens. A person can choose to live or not. Animals cannot. But the Soviet man couldnt even choose what cigarette to smoke. The stupid, unmotivated malice of people like Martin Alekseyevich (a character in Sorokins 1983 novel The Norm) is essentially the reaction of people to this lack of choice. I saw such ugliness as a child -- in everyday life, in families, on the streets. It came out in everything. The state crushed the individual, and he lashed out at his relatives and neighbors. We have a deeply traumatized society, and now this trauma has taken the form of war.

It always happens that literature is the first to bear responsibility for war, although it doesnt kill anyone. Such a reaction is natural in wartime -- once-beloved books become the language of the enemy."

RFE/RL: The war has forced us to rethink our entire Russian culture. Much has been written about the guilt of Russian literature, which is seen as militaristic and imperial by nature.

Sorokin: I do not agree that Russian literature is militaristic. [Poets Aleksandr Pushkin and Mikhail Lermontov] wrote in the first half of the 19th century when imperial bellicosity was the norm everywhere. But is there militarism in [Leo] Tolstoy? He hated war in general, condemned it as madness and contrary to human nature. Id exclude our three bearded men (Fyodor Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and Anton Chekhov) from this list. And [Ivan] Turgenev, too. They are not militarists.

I remember seeing footage from Kyiv after the invasion showing a portrait of Pushkin in a garbage can. This is normal. Ukrainians have every right to feel this way. Pushkin is the image of the tsarist empire. But not Tolstoy or Turgenev.

RFE/RL: One Ukrainian intellectual who grew up on Russian literature told me he threw everything -- including Bulat Okudzhava and Josef Brodsky -- into the trash on February 24. He wanted to break his last link to the Russian world. To me, the saddest thing is that we cant blame him.

Sorokin: We cant, because he is right. Just as the French and the Dutch who threw German books into the garbage in the 1940s, saying, Our children will never learn Hitlers language, were right. But the war ended, and Goethe and Thomas Mann are read today in France and Holland. They are studied in universities. It always happens that literature is the first to bear responsibility for war, although it doesnt kill anyone. Such a reaction is natural in wartime -- once-beloved books become the language of the enemy.

RFE/RL: Heres an unpleasant question: Are Russians collectively or individually responsible? Are we all responsible for the war?

Sorokin: Yes, I think both. Undoubtedly, as a Russian, I share the collective responsibility for the unleashed war. But I also have to ask myself what it was specifically that I didnt do to prevent it. So it is for every normal person, I think. And this guilt is going to grow.

All us Russians will have to drink from a bitter cup. Everyone will have to carry a stone upon their backs -- how big and how heavy is for each person to decide for themselves. But we are all to blame, of course -- not just Putin and his team. As in the Stalin years, the regime relied on the fact that there are millions of people like Stalin and Putin -- with the same consciousness, the same ethics, the same vocabulary.

Translated by RFE/RL correspondent Robert Coalson. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
U.S. authorities have arrested a 21-year-old Air National Guardsman in connection with the investigation into the leaking of top-secret defense and intelligence documents that have been circulated online, Attorney General Merrick Garland said on April 13.

Garland identified the guardsman as Jack Teixeira, who will be charged with the unauthorized removal of classified national defense information in one of the biggest U.S. security breaches in years.



Heavily armed federal agents arrived at Teixeira's home in the U.S. state of Massachusetts during the afternoon of April 13 and took the man -- wearing a T-shirt and shorts -- into custody without incident," Garland said.



The identification of a 21-year-old Guardsman with a relatively low rank has quickly raised questions about how he could have had access to such highly classified documents.



The U.S. Air Force National Guard, without confirming his identity, said, We are aware of the investigation into the alleged role a Massachusetts Air National Guardsman may have played in the recent leak of highly classified documents.



U.S. President Joe Biden sought to allay concerns about the leak of the classified documents, which supposedly reveal details about the military capabilities of some U.S. allies and adversaries.



The Department of Justice opened a formal criminal probe into the matter after it was referred to the case by the Pentagon, which continues to assess the damage done by the release.



The Washington Post reported on April 12 that the person who allegedly posted the documents on a small chat group on the Discord social media platform was a gun enthusiast in his 20s who worked at a military base. The daily based its reporting on interviews with two unnamed members of the group. The documents were posted months ago without attracting attention until The New York Times reported on them.



Theres a full-blown investigation going on, as you know, with the intelligence community and the Justice Department, Biden told journalists in Dublin on April 13 before the arrest was announced. And theyre getting close.

Biden, who is in the middle of a four-day visit to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, said that he was not concerned about the leak because there is nothing contemporaneous that Im aware of.

The White House said earlier in the day that Biden did not discuss the matter with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak when the two met in Northern Ireland earlier this week.



The number of documents leaked, some of which were reportedly marked top secret, is not clear.



They purportedly include sensitive disclosures about Ukraine, South Korea, Israel, and others. The Biden administration fears the leak could cause lasting damage to U.S. relations with key allies and strategic partners.

The Discord group allegedly included people from Russia and Ukraine, The Washington Post reported, and was focused on a mutual love of guns, military gear and God. The social media platform itself is popular with players of online games.



The man who posted the documents, who went by the online handle OG, allegedly told group members he sometimes worked in a secure facility at the base that prohibited cell phones and other electronic devices.

Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar said on Ukrainian television on April 12 that the risk of leaks is very minimal because only a very narrow circle of people is aware of Ukrainian military planning.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.
Tunis/Tunisia  With a Corruption Perceptions Index score of 40/100, down four points, Tunisia ranked 85th globally in the Transparency International's 2022 annual report released Tuesday.

The organisation I Watch explained this decline by several factors, including "the closure of the premises of the National Authority to Combat Corruption (INLUCC) for over a year and a half on a decision of President Kais Saied.

Based on this report, Tunisia ranked 8th in the MENA region. It is preceded by the United Arab Emirates (27th), Qatar (40th), Saudi Arabia (54th), Jordan (61st), Bahrain and the Sultanate of Oman (69th) and Kuwait (77th).

Tunisia is ahead of Morocco (94th), Turkey (101st), Egypt (130th) and Libya (171st).

In the top of the ranking are Denmark (90th), followed closely by Finland and New Zealand with a score of 87 out of 100. These countries are considered by the NGO to be "strong democratic institutions committed to the respect of human rights."

Somalia, last (180th) with 12/100, Syria and South Sudan (178th) with 13/100, 3 countries involved in long-standing conflicts, remained at the bottom of the CPI ranking, according to Transparency International.

The CPI ranks 180 countries and territories on a scale ranging from zero (0?=?high corruption) to 100 (100 =?no corruption), based on the degree of perceived corruption in the public sector.

Since its inception in 1995, the Corruption Perceptions Index has become the leading global indicator of public sector corruption.

It ranks 180 countries and territories on this criterion, using data from 13 external sources, including the World Bank, the World Economic Forum, private consulting and risk management firms, think tanks and others.
.... "The report speaks to the Liberian Government's inability to address the entrenched culture of impunity and enforcing existing anti-corruption laws and policies," Anderson Miamen, Executive Director of CENTAL said.

Liberia has ranked on top of countries that are yet to make significant progress in the fight against corruption.

The assessment from Transparency International, comes just a day after President George Weah told Liberians that the fight against corruption crimes remains paramount concern, saying his administration has strengthened the fight against corruption.

But the global corruption watchdog, Transparency International, paints a picture of endemic corruption, which is not being rooted up, as Liberia now ranks 142 out of 180 countries in its 2022 corruption perceptions index.

This ranking means Liberia has now joined the list of countries that had significantly declined on the index while being placed among the worst declining countries globally.

And with the exception of Saint Lucia, only Liberia has fallen 15 points since 2012. Also, in West Africa and the Mano River Union, Liberia is the only country that has declined by 6 points over the last five years.

Since the country attained her highest score of 41 in 2012, it has been in free-fall on the index, topping the list of countries with stagnated and declining anti-corruption efforts and now has a score of 26 in 2022.

"The report speaks to the Liberian Government's inability to address the entrenched culture of impunity by adequately funding public integrity institutions, fully enforcing existing anti-corruption laws and policies, and taking drastic actions against hi officials accused and investigated for corruption," said Anderson Miamen, the Executive Director of the Center for Transparency and Accountability (CENTAL), which is the national chapter of Transparency International.

"Importantly, this year's poor result should serve as a wake-up call to the President that his efforts are not good enough, as they have only taken the country backward in its anti-corruption drive," he said.

The index report on the Weah administration draws upon the assessment of the government's ability to enforce integrity mechanisms; independence of anti-graft institutions; the effective prosecution of corrupt officials among others.

And the Transparency International Report has corroborated the finding of the CENTAL 2022 State of Corruption Report, which revealed that 90% of Liberians think corruption level is high in the country, with confidence in the executive branch of government to fight against corruption declining from 30% in 2021 to 26% in 2022.

"Liberians have heard more words and promises from the President and other public officials than genuine efforts in the fight against Corruption in the country," Miamen said. "This has to change if the country's extremely disappointing performance has to be reversed. Massive improvement in score and performance, and not stagnation and further decline, is what the country needs, going forward."

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This year's global index results, according to Transparency International, underline how intertwined paths of democracy, security and development in Sub-Saharan Africa are eroded by corruption - particularly during a time of global crises.

Liberia, like many Sub-Saharan African countries, scores an average of 32 out of 100 marks, indicating another year of stagnation on the Index. Seychelles, Botswana, and Cabo Verde, as the least corrupt countries in Africa. While Burundi, Equatorial Guinea, South Sudan, and Somalia perform the lowest.

Its ranking measures perceived public-sector corruption using a scale on which 100 is seen as very clean and zero is very corrupt. This year's results reveal that a majority of the 180 countries analyzed are showing little to no improvement in tackling corruption. The global average remains unchanged at a score of 43 out of 100 for the eleventh year in row. Denmark (90) tops the index this year, with Finland and New Zealand following closely, both at 87. The highest-scoring region is Western Europe with an average score of 60. The lowest-scoring region is Sub-Saharan Africa 32.
"Nigeria has no business being the poverty capital of the world with all the potentials of human and natural endowment...," the LP candidate said.

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the forthcoming general elections on Tuesday promised to provide security across Nigeria.

Speaking at a campaign venue alongside his #Obidient team in Yola, the capital of Adamawa State, on Tuesday, Mr Obi told the people that he and his running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmad, are seeking to govern Nigeria because they have the capacity to unlock the potentials in Nigerians.

"A society that is bedevilled by injustice cannot move forward, a country whose leaders use ethnic and religious sentiments to deceive and grab political power cannot develop because they get it at the expense of character, competence and known record of performance," he said.

The Labour Party presidential candidate and his team, led by the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, visited three key cities in the state including Yola, Numan and Mubi towns.

According to a statement issued by the party, Mr Obi had several types of engagements, town hall meetings and rallies with a cross section of the communities all declaring their unalloyed support for Obi and the LP.

The statement noted that without a secured environment, the party cannot actualise its policy of moving Nigeria from consumption to production and pulling the people out of poverty.

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During his remarks, Mr Obi told the people that the insecurity that has affected the state and now spreading to all parts of the country is a consequence of long neglect of the basic needs of the people, which he and his running mate are coming to correct.

He explained that the vast arable land in the north remains the a potential that he and his team will turn around for a new Nigeria.

"Nigeria has no business being the poverty capital of the world with all the potentials of human and natural endowment freely given to us by God," he noted.

The LP Presidential flag bearer told the youths that they will engage them and ensure quality education where their parents will not be under severe stress to educate them.

"For us, education is an investment and we will do everything to educate the populace because without education we cannot pull people out of poverty which is our goal if given the mandate," he said.
Weather Alert

...National Weather Service Cold Water Safety Message... ...Please check with state and local authorities regarding guidelines for allowed activities... * Very warm air temperatures today in the mid and upper 70s are expected. This may cause people to underestimate the dangers of the cold water temperatures which are currently only in the 40s across Lake Champlain, and in the 30s and 40s in the regions' smaller lakes and rivers. * The cold water temperatures can quickly cause hypothermia to anyone immersed in the water. According to the US Coast Guard, when the water temperatures are below 50 degrees, the chance of immediate incapacitation due to cold shock is extremely high. Anyone on small boats, canoes or kayaks should plan accordingly if recreating this weekend and use extreme caution to avoid this threat. Paddle smart from the start and always wear your life jacket!
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IN SHORT: The race for Nigeria's presidency is tight with the February election only weeks away. So it would be unusual for one camp to praise a rival, as Facebook posts claim.

A post shared on Facebook in Nigeria attributes a quote to Festus Keyamo, spokesperson for the presidential campaign council of Nigeria's governing All Progressives Congress (APC).

The post reads: "Peter Obi just landed in kafanchan, the northern headquarters of Obidients. 'We never knew Peter Obi will turn the country around' - Festus Kayemo."

Attached to the post are two photos, one showing a helicopter in the air with people below who appear to be cheering, and the other a drone photographed from below.

Festus Keyamo, whose last name was misspelt as "Kayemo" in the post, is also Nigeria's junior minister for labour and employment.

Kafanchan is located in the southern part of Kaduna state in northern Nigeria and is an area plagued by killings and terrorism.

Nigerians pick a new president on 25 February 2023.

Peter Obi is running for the presidency on the Labour Party ticket. His supporters often refer to themselves as "Obidients".

The same quote attributed to Keyamo was seen on Facebook here and here.

But did Keyamo make this statement, which would be a compliment to a rival? We checked.

'Lies and fake news,' says Keyamo

We found no reports in any local news organisation about such a statement from the APC campaign spokesperson.

We reached out to Keyamo. He said: "It is fake news. As zero hour approaches, the Obi people have resorted to lies and fake news to take them into Aso Rock."

Aso Rock is the seat of the Nigerian presidency.

In the months leading up to the general elections several false quotes attributed to key political figures have emerged, some of which Africa Check has debunked. This statement was not made by Keyamo and joins the list.
IN SHORT: While many young people on the African continent are keen to make a life in the United States, they would be advised to steer clear of this "registration portal".

"UNITED STATES Visa Lottery Application Form 2022/2023 Is Out," reads a message posted on Facebook and WhatsApp, and circulating in African countries.

"The U.S DV Visa Lottery online Application Form 2022/2023 registration exercise is the quickest way for all foreigners interested in immigrating legally to live, Study and work in UNITED STATES," the message reads.

It further states that the "Resident Card Lottery" programme, also known as the "Diversity Immigration Visa Lottery", is a chance for 45,000 people from all over the world to become permanent and legal residents of the United States.

It claims that this will enable them to live, work and study in the country.

"Interested Applicants are to visit Online Registration Portal. The Winners Will Be Drawn From Random Selection And There Is No Cost To Register," it instructs.

It then links to a website where people can supposedly apply for the visa lottery.

The diversity immigrant visa programme, or DV program, often called the green card lottery, is a legitimate effort run by the US state department. It has strict criteria for applicants, and the application window is usually only open for a month or so, in October and November of each year.

However, fraudsters pretending to represent the US government are so prevalent that the department dedicates a webpage to advice on how to avoid being scammed.

So is this website legit? We checked.

Engagement bait scam

When clicking on the link, our computer antivirus programme immediately warned us that this was a malicious link.

We opened the link nevertheless to find out if the offer is legit.

It asks the applicant to fill in their name, phone number, email address, country of origin and to specify their gender.

Suspiciously, regardless of whether you fill in these details correctly, mismatch the details or just click "apply" without entering any details, you still get a message of congratulations and are led to the next stage.

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The stage asks for English language proficiency, employment status and age.

After filling in the details, a message pops up which reads: "You may get the U.S.A Resident Card Lottery Form" with only one step, kindly click the "SHARE TO CONTINUE" button below to share this information with 15 friends or 5 groups on WhatsApp so That They Can Aslo Benefit."

Applicants have also been warned that if they do not complete the "sharing to WhatsApp" step correctly, they will not get the US green card registration form.

This is an example of engagement bait. These are usually social media posts that ask people to interact by liking, commenting or sharing. It increases the post's reach but there is no reward. They may also attempt to steal valuable personal information.

To help protect yourself against online fraudsters, read our guide to Facebook scams and how to spot them. And only follow links you can verify, particularly when it comes to official government processes like visa applications.

Ronald Ibrahim produced this report as a mentee under Africa Check's mentorship programme funded by the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF).
IN SHORT: Threatening remarks have been attributed to Hauwa Atiku-Uwais, daughter of Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the opposition People's Democratic Party and a former vice president. But they are false, an aide told Africa Check.

A post shared on Facebook in Nigeria attributes a threatening quote to Hauwa Atiku-Uwais, the daughter of Atiku Abubakar.

Abubakar is one of the frontrunners in Nigeria's 25 February presidential election and the candidate for the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP). He was vice president from 1999 to 2007.

The post includes a portrait of Atiku-Uwais and the quote: "My dad has been a VP, and he knows the capacity and powers of the president. He will wipe [sic] Wike into shape, because let's not forget at the end of it all my dad is a Fulani man, a very wicked Fulani man, when he decides to deal with you he'd deal with you."

Atiku-Uwais is an entrepreneur and philanthropist. Nyesom Wike is the vocal and influential governor of the southern Rivers state. He lost to Abubakar during the PDP primary election in May 2022 and is part of a group of governors who have been unhappy with that result.

Wike has boycotted most of the party's campaign and said he will announce his preferred candidate early in 2023.

The five governors have demanded that the national party chairperson Iyorchia Ayu steps down as he is from the same region as Abubakar.

But did Atiku-Uwais really say that her father would "deal with" Wike and whip him into shape?

'Hauwa Atiku-Uwais never said what was attributed to her,' says Abubakar office

We searched Atiku-Uwais's Twitter account and found no evidence of this statement.

There have also been no reports in the local media of her saying anything related to Wike.

This is because the former vice president's daughter has never made such a statement, Abubakar's media adviser Paul Ibe told Africa Check.

"Hauwa Atiku-Uwais never said what was attributed to her," Ibe said. "Like her father, Mrs Atiku-Uwais is an apostle of non-violence who will never speak nor manifest violence."

There is no evidence that Atiku-Uwais made any statement about how her father Atiku Abubakar would respond to Rivers state governor Nyesom Wike.
Mimas, a small moon of Saturn, is heavily cratered and lacks the typical characteristics of an ocean-bearing moon, such as the active surface of Enceladus. However, measurements of Mimas, made by NASAs Cassini mission, are best explained by an ocean under a relatively thick ice shell. In new research, a duo of planetary scientists tried to understand how this ice shell and ocean may have changed with time by modeling the formation of Mimas largest impact basin, Herschel.

Mimas is the innermost, and smallest (radius = 198.2 km, or 123 miles), regular moon of Saturn.

The moons surface is heavily cratered, and it is easily identified by the large Herschel impact basin.

Tectonic activity on Mimas is sparse, and there is no evidence of past or present volcanism.

In the waning days of NASAs Cassini mission to Saturn, the spacecraft identified a curious libration, or oscillation, in Mimas rotation, which often points to a geologically active body able to support an internal ocean, said Dr. Alyssa Rhoden, a researcher at Southwest Research Institute.

Mimas seemed like an unlikely candidate, with its icy, heavily cratered surface marked by one giant impact crater that makes the small moon look much like the Death Star from Star Wars.

If Mimas has an ocean, it represents a new class of small, stealth ocean worlds with surfaces that do not betray the oceans existence.

Dr. Rhoden and Purdue University graduate student Adeene Denton wanted to better understand how a heavily cratered moon like Mimas could possess an internal ocean.

They modeled the formation of the Hershel impact basin using iSALE-2D simulation software.

The models showed that Mimas ice shell had to be at least 55 km (34 miles) thick at the time of the Herschel-forming impact.

In contrast, observations of Mimas and models of its internal heating limit the present-day ice shell thickness to less than 30 km (19 miles) thick, if it currently harbors an ocean.

These results imply that a present-day ocean within Mimas must have been warming and expanding since the basin formed.

It is also possible that Mimas was entirely frozen both at the time of the Herschel impact and at present.

However, the authors found that including an interior ocean in impact models helped produce the shape of the basin.

We found that Herschel could not have formed in an ice shell at the present-day thickness without obliterating the ice shell at the impact site, said Denton, who is now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Arizona.

If Mimas has an ocean today, the ice shell has been thinning since the formation of Herschel, which could also explain the lack of fractures on Mimas.

If Mimas is an emerging ocean world, that places important constraints on the formation, evolution and habitability of all of the mid-sized moons of Saturn.

Although our results support a present-day ocean within Mimas, it is challenging to reconcile the moons orbital and geologic characteristics with our current understanding of its thermal-orbital evolution, Dr. Rhoden said.

Evaluating Mimas status as an ocean moon would benchmark models of its formation and evolution.

This would help us better understand Saturns rings and mid-sized moons as well as the prevalence of potentially habitable ocean moons, particularly at Uranus.

Mimas is a compelling target for continued investigation.

The results were published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

_____

C.A. Denton & A.R. Rhoden. Tracking the Evolution of an Ocean Within Mimas Using the Herschel Impact Basin. Geophysical Research Letters, published online December 26, 2022; doi: 10.1029/2022GL100516
President Eduardo Penalver and Vice President of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion Natasha Martin, JD, share this message with the community to celebrate and illuminate Black History Month:

As we welcome the beginning of Black History Month, Seattle University affirms and celebrates the rich, vibrant and diverse diaspora that is the Black community. Black History Month offers us an opportunity to not only reflect on the historical and continued injustice and inequity placed on the Black community, but also to celebrate and honor its excellence, beauty, joy and ingenuity. To our Black students, faculty, staff, administrators and alumni: We see you and we appreciate all you bring to our university and the larger community.

As the recent events in Memphis remind us, we must not forget how the structures on which our society is built continue to perpetuate and enable historical and ongoing oppression. We must acknowledge the racism and violence targeted at the Black community, whether in the form of hate crimes or in acts of police brutality. And we must remember that the racial lines that divide us from one another, and enduring anti-black racism in particular, originate in a shared failure to recognize the full humanity of others.

As a university, we have the important responsibility to educate about the hard truths of the past to bring forth a more hope-filled future. As we continue to fight against anti-blackness and systemic racism, including violence targeted at the Black community, we must look backward and forward. One recent expression of holding these dual truths is the blessing and installation of 10:22am in the Chapel of St. Ignatiusa painting by local artist Hiawatha D. that honors the lives of four little Black girls killed in the 1963 racially motivated bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. The painting and its installation are a living testament to our shared history and the power of education in our Jesuit and Catholic tradition, offering a path toward deeper understanding, healing and reconciliation.

Fostering inclusion means amplifying voices from a variety of perspectives. We have invited two of our colleagues to share their stories and reflections on what Black History Month means to them. In line with our LIFT SU principles, we believe that hearing and affirming the diverse experiences among us offers a path toward solidarity and a common purpose. We offer deep gratitude to Alex Booker, Campus Minister for Religious Diversity, and Dean Cynthia Dillard, the leader of our College of Education, for sharing their stories and perspectives and trust that you will receive their words with openness.

Alex Booker

Campus Minister for Religious Diversity

Black History month is multivalent for me. On one hand I enjoy the focus on contributions of Black people across the globe in spite of the ever-present reality of anti-Black racism. As James Weldon Johnson says, We have come over a way that with tears have been watered, we have come treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered and we should be proud of not only the fact that we have survived, but in many cases, we are thriving.

On the other hand, I despise the way in which the powers-that-be have used symbolic gestures like honoring Black History Month, Juneteenth and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Day as recompense for the material pains and losses that Black people continue to suffer through since being brought to this foreign land.

So, with this tension I say, happy Black History Month. As we celebrate the beauty that is the full African diaspora that has been produced in this country and across the globe, I implore us to stay vigilant and energized in our fight for justice that is ongoing and as needed as it has always been.

Cynthia Dillard, PhD

Dean, College of Education

How do I lead and mentor? By looking back. By engaging what the Akan people of Ghana call Sankofa, turning my full self toward the past to bring forward what I need in the present. But I also Sankofa to create and build spaces today that center the ways of being and knowing of Black people and others that has been ignored and excluded: We are the ones who can heal this world, including our education.

As Dean of the College of Education at Seattle University, my entire life has prepared me for this moment. At this innovative, progressive, Jesuit university, our mission is forming the whole personbody, mind and spiritin service of justice. As Dean, I see (re)membering this mission as the spirit of our work in our College, the critical work of preparing teachers, counselors, school leaders and other educational professionals who are guided by this spirit of justice. I am blessed to build with talented faculty, staff and students at SU and to (re)turn here to Seattle where I grew up. This homecoming has been the sacred full circle moment that I wish for everyone: A (re)turn to a place firmly centered in who I am and whose I am, as a Black woman of the world, a Black feminist scholar in education and a teacher of Black history, culture and knowledge. I do this because it fills my cup so that I can be free and can teach others how to be free, too.

**

Writer James Baldwin stated, History is not the past, it is the present. We carry our history with us. We are our history. As Black history is American history, this month and beyond, let us embody a fuller sense of history in our actions, recommit to a new reality informed by the hard and beautiful truths of our shared history and reframe narratives that reflect the contributions and sacrifices of those in the Black community. Let us continue together to work toward creating a university and world that are fueled by the power of our differences.

Eduardo M. Penalver, President

Natasha Martin, Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion

Resources and Renewal to Inclusion

Visit the Office of Diversity and Inclusion to view a range of Black community educational resources, as well as Zoom backgrounds to use to support and celebrate Black History Month.

Here is a sampling of some upcoming events both on campus and in the Seattle area:

Seattle University events

February 22, 6 p.m.: Black Man in a White Coat: a Doctor's Reflections on Race and Medicine Discussion

Events in and around Seattle

February 1-28: Call to Conscience Black History Month Museum

Learn more about these and other events and resources in honor of Black History Month.
THEMATIC ISSUES

Children and Armed Conflict

Expected Council Action

As Council president in February, Malta will convene a briefing on children and armed conflict that will focus on prevention of grave violations against children. (The six grave violations are child recruitment and use; killing and maiming; abductions; rape and other forms of sexual violence; attacks on schools and hospitals; and the denial of humanitarian access.) Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict Virginia Gamba is expected to brief. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, Dr. Najat Maalla Mjid, and a civil society representative may also brief.

Malta plans to prepare a summary of the briefing as an outcome of the meeting.

Background and Recent Developments

Over the years, the Council has discussed on several occasions the links between the protection of children and conflict prevention, including by considering how conflict prevention strategies can contribute to the prevention of violations against children. A key product in this regard is resolution 2427, adopted unanimously on 9 July 2018, through which the Security Council provided a framework for the prevention of grave violations against children in armed conflict situations.

Resolution 2427which was initiated by Sweden, the then-Chair of the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflictwas adopted during the Councils 2018 annual open debate on children and armed conflict, held under the theme Protecting Children Today Prevents Conflict Tomorrow. It expressed the Security Councils commitment to consider and use the UN systems tools to ensure that early warning of potential conflicts translates into early, concrete preventive action, including towards the goal of protecting children by or in coordination with the most appropriate United Nations or regional actor. The resolution recognised the cross-border effects of violations against children and encouraged regional and subregional organisations to develop and expand initiatives to prevent such violations. Among other matters, resolution 2427 emphasised the need for a strong focus on combatting poverty and inequality to prevent and protect children from violations in the context of armed conflict. The resolution cited several elements that are crucial to preventing recruitment of children, such as ensuring access to education and the strengthening of effective age assessment mechanisms to prevent underage recruitment.

This resolution built on language contained in a 31 October 2017 presidential statement authored by Sweden. In this statement, the Council acknowledged that its products (such as resolutions and presidential statements), as well as the conclusions of the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, contribute to preventing and responding to violations against children, including through promoting the signing of action plans by parties to armed conflict and encouraging parties to conflict to take necessary steps to be de-listed from the annexes of the Secretary-Generals annual report. The importance of action plans in preventing violations against children was also highlighted during a 7 May 2018 Arria-formula meeting titled Ending and Preventing Grave Violations against Children through Action Plans: Best Practices from African States.

In 2022, as the children and armed conflict mandate marked its 25th anniversary, Gamba highlighted on several occasions the need to continue promoting the mandates preventive aspects. Addressing a 7 October 2022 meeting of the General Assemblys Third Committee, she said: [n]ow as ever, the best solution to protecting children remains the prevention of violations in the first place.

An 18 January 2022 study issued by the Office of the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict (Office of the SRSG CAAC) to mark the 25th anniversary notes that the adoption of resolution 2427 has increased the offices opportunities to engage with relevant actors on the prevention of violations. Among the offices initiatives is the promotion of prevention plansa strategy or statement adopted at the highest levels of a government, regional, or subregional organisation that addresses specific trends and patterns, such as cross-border violations, and mobilises resources for preventing violations against children. The Office of the SRSG CAAC has been conducting outreach on prevention with regional organisations such as the African Union (AU), the League of Arab States (LAS), and the European Union (EU). In the case of the AU, the office has engaged with the authorities in the Central African Republic (CAR), Mali, and Sudan to promote the signing of prevention plans.

The Council convened for its annual open debate on children and armed conflict on 19 July 2022. Gamba presented the main findings of the Secretary-Generals annual report on children and armed conflict, dated 23 June 2022. The report recorded 23,982 grave violations against children in 21 country situations and one regional situation (the Lake Chad Basin) and noted an alarming increase in abductions, which increased over 20 percent in 2021, compared to 2020. It added three new situations of concern with immediate effectEthiopia, Mozambique, and Ukraineand called for enhanced monitoring capacity in the Central Sahel region. (For more, see our Whats in Blue story of 18 July 2022.)

At the debate, several members highlighted the situation of children in specific countries, with many focusing their remarks on Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Ukraine. Some members welcomed the Secretary-Generals decision to add the new situations of concern. In this regard, the UK noted that information gathered by the UN and other organisations operating on the ground attests to the serious protection needs of children in those countries, adding that establishing monitoring and reporting mechanisms could build an even stronger evidence base, which will allow parties to identify actions needed to prevent grave violations against children. Albania highlighted the links between accountability and prevention, arguing that holding perpetrators to account increases the cost of non-compliance with international law and may deter future violations. Gabon for its part said that early warning mechanisms in conflict environments can help detect situations in which children are at risk and prevent opportunistic networks from forming.

Developments in the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict

On 30 January, Malta assumed the chairmanship of the working group, with Ecuador serving as vice-chair. During Norways term as chair (2021-2022), the working group adopted eight sets of conclusions, on the Secretary-Generals reports on the CAR, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Iraq, the Philippines, Sudan, South Sudan, and Yemen. Six sets of conclusions (Afghanistan, Mali, Myanmar, Nigeria, Somalia, and Syria) remain pending, as Council dynamics complicated negotiations on several of these situations over the past two years.

Key Issues and Options

It seems that in convening Februarys meeting, Malta aims to facilitate discussion on guidelines for operationalising the preventive provisions of resolution 2427. An option for the Council would be to consider a product outlining steps for the UN system, member states and regional organisations to promote the implementation of resolution 2427 and advance the prevention of violations against children.

A related issue for the Council is how to promote the full use of existing toolssuch as the conclusions of the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict and the annexes of the Secretary-Generals annual reportsince ensuring accountability for current violations can deter and prevent other violations from occurring. In this regard, the Council needs to have the Secretary-Generals annual reports serve as an effective tool in supporting the implementation of the children and armed conflict agenda. Members have raised concerns that the credibility of the Secretary-Generals reports will diminish if parties that have not stopped committing violations against children are nonetheless taken off the annexes.

Council members could call for the consistent and transparent application of the criteria for listing and de-listing parties, which were set out in the Secretary-Generals 2010 annual report. That report said that a party would be de-listed if the UN had verified that it has ceased commission of all the said grave violations for which it was listed.

Members may also consider other ways of furthering the implementation of resolution 2427. One proposal outlined in the 18 January 2022 study is to enable the children and armed conflict mandate to strengthen its proactive engagements with parties to conflict, including by relying on existing data from the UN country task forces on monitoring and reporting on grave violations against children (CTFMR) and early warning systems in situations not on the children and armed conflict agenda. This could facilitate swift addition of new situations of concern to the Secretary-Generals annual report and allow the agenda to play an early warning role, according to the study. Another option in this regard is for the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict to request periodic horizon scanning briefings from UNICEF and or civil society organisations to receive information about emerging situations of concern.

Members may also wish to reflect on ways to strengthen cooperation with regional and sub-regional organisations to prevent violations against children. Council members can consider requesting briefers at the Councils periodic meetings on cooperation between the UN and regional organisations to describe steps taken by their respective organisations to prevent violations against children, such as the adoption of prevention plans.

Council Dynamics

There is strong support overall for the children and armed conflict agenda among Council members. However, there may be some sensitivities in discussing the prevention of violations. The negotiations on resolution 2427 were difficult, in part because of objections raised by China and Russia regarding language on prevention and sustaining peace. These members, which often highlight the importance of respecting member states sovereignty, were apparently not convinced that the Council is the most appropriate place for such discussions. It seems that language in resolution 2427 stressing that conflict prevention remains the primary responsibility of states and that UN efforts should support the prevention roles of national government may have helped alleviate these members concerns. In this vein, China and Russia may also be particularly uncomfortable with discussing early warning in country situations not on the children and armed conflict agenda.

It seems that divisions in the Council over issues such as Myanmar and Syria have filtered down to the subsidiary body level, resulting in protracted negotiations before consensus can be reached on some conclusions in the working group. The direct involvement of some members in conflict situations such as Ukraine has also complicated the working groups activities. It seems that in the past two years, agreement on some of the conclusions on country situations in Africa has been delayed, including because of concerns raised by the African members of the Council (Gabon, Ghana, and former Council member Kenya) about references to the relevant countries governments. It remains to be seen how the advent of the five new elected Council membersEcuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, and Switzerlandwill affect these dynamics, not least as Mozambique is now included as a situation of concern in the Secretary-Generals annual report.

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ASIA

DPRK (North Korea)

Expected Council Action

In February, the Chair of the 1718 Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Pascale Baeriswyl (Switzerland), is scheduled to brief Council members in closed consultations on the 90-day report on the Committees work.

Key Recent Developments

The DPRK conducted a record number of missile tests in 2022, leading to a significant escalation of tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

This trend appears set to continue in 2023. On 1 January, the Republic of Korea (ROK) military announced that the DPRK had fired a short-range ballistic missile from Pyongyang. The missile travelled approximately 400 kilometres before landing in waters off the DPRKs east coast. The test was the fourth carried out by the DPRK in the space of two weeks.

During the sixth plenary meeting of the Workers Party of Korea (WPK), which ran from 26 December to 31 December 2022, DPRK leader Kim Jong-un reportedly called for a mass production of tactical nuclear weapons, an exponential increase in the DPRKs nuclear arsenal, and the development of a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system whose main mission is quick nuclear counterstrike. In a 1 January statement, the ROKs defence ministry said that the DPRK will meet its end if it uses nuclear weapons and that it must realise that the only way to improve the lives of its people is through denuclearisation.

This exchange of rhetoric came less than a week after five drones from the DPRK crossed into ROK airspace on 26 December 2022. In response to the incursion, the ROK scrambled jets and attack helicopters and unsuccessfully attempted to shoot down the drones. ROK surveillance aircraft also flew over the DPRK and photographed military installations. The ROK military subsequently apologised for failing to bring the drones down, while ROK President Yoon Suk-yeol warned that the ROK could withdraw from a 2018 inter-Korean military agreement if the DPRK violates ROK airspace again. Among other matters, the agreement calls for an end to all hostile acts and a no-fly zone around the border between the DPRK and the ROK.

On 11 January, Yoon told officials from the ROKs defence and foreign ministries that the ROK could consider obtaining its own nuclear weapons, reportedly saying its possible that the problem gets worse and our country will introduce tactical weapons or build them on our own. On the same day, ROK Defence Minister Lee Jong-sup announced that the ROK is planning tabletop exercises with the US in February and May on operating means of extended deterrence under the scenario of the DPRKs nuclear attacks. Yoon later appeared to resile from his 11 January comments, telling The Wall Street Journal that the ROKs realistic and rational option is to fully respect the [non-proliferation treaty] regime  Im fully confident about the US extended deterrence.

Increased tensions throughout the region appear to have prompted Japan to increase its defence spending. In late November 2022, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio reportedly instructed Japans defence and finance ministers to boost spending on defence to two percent of GDP by 2027. On 16 December 2022, Japan adopted a new national security strategy that includes plans to develop a pre-emptive strike capability and obtain cruise missiles. Japans budget for the 2023/24 fiscal year, which was announced on 23 December 2022, outlined record levels of military expenditure.

At a 21 November 2022 open briefing on the DPRK, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield (US) announced that the US intended to pursue a presidential statement on the DPRKs weapons programmes. It seems that a draft of the presidential statement was circulated by the US on 15 December and discussed by all Council members during an informal meeting on 16 December. It appears that China and Russia both raised concerns regarding the consequences of issuing a presidential statement during the 16 December meeting. At the time of writing, no further drafts have been circulated and no further rounds of negotiation have been scheduled.

On 9 December 2022, after Council members discussed the human rights situation in the DPRK under any other business, 31 member states issued a joint statement regarding human rights in the DPRK. Among other matters, the statement described several examples of human rights violations in the DPRK and urged all Council members to support an open briefing in 2023 where we can discuss the human rights violations and abuses committed by the DPRK, the implications for peace and security, and explore ways to incorporate human rights into the peace and security diplomacy in the Korean Peninsula. Among current Council members, Albania, Ecuador, France, Japan, Malta, Switzerland, the UK, and the US were signatories to the statement.

On 23 January, the White House announced the appointment of Julie Turner as the US special envoy for human rights in the DPRK. Turner is currently the director of the Office of East Asia and the Pacific in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor at the US Department of State. The appointment marked the first time the post has been filled since 2017.

In a 22 December 2022 statement, Thomas-Greenfield said the US can confirm that the DPRK has completed an initial arms delivery to the Russian private military company known as Wagner for use in Ukraine and accused Wagner of giving the DPRK funds it can use to further develop its prohibited weapons programmes. On 20 January, John Kirby, a spokesperson for the US National Security Council, announced that the US had provided information regarding Wagners arms transfers from the DPRK to the Panel of Experts assisting the 1718 DPRK Sanctions Committee. On 26 January, the US formally designated the Wagner Group as a transnational criminal organisation.

The DPRK continues to experience high levels of food insecurity. According to the World Food Programmes State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Report 2022, an estimated 10.7 million peoplemore than 40 percent of the populationare undernourished and require humanitarian assistance.

In remarks delivered during the 12 January open debate on the promotion and strengthening of the rule of law in the maintenance of international peace and security, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the DPRKs nuclear weapons programme as a clear and present danger and said that the onus is on the DPRK to return to the negotiating table.

On 30 January, Council members discussed the DPRK under any other business. The meeting was requested by the US and was called to give Council members an opportunity to take stock of developments on the file over the past year and discuss possible options for the Council. There was no briefer during the meeting.

Key Issues and Options

The record number of missile tests conducted by the DPRK in 2022 has created a significant issue for the Council. Sanctions evasion is another important issue, as is the overall effectiveness of the sanctions regime, particularly given that the DPRK is widely believed to have increased its nuclear arsenal since the regime was introduced in 2006 and has shown little inclination to scale back its weapons programmes. The DPRKs ongoing refusal to engage in denuclearisation dialogue and the humanitarian situation in the country are also problems facing the Council.

In light of these issues, the Council could issue a product that condemns the recent missile tests, urges member states to comply with existing Council resolutions, and calls on the DPRK to return to the negotiating table. Council members may also wish to consider convening a private briefing with humanitarian organisations focusing on the DPRK. Such a meeting could provide an opportunity to better understand the humanitarian problems facing the country and discuss potential strategies for addressing them.

If the DPRK continues to test ballistic missiles or conducts another nuclear test, the Council could consider updating and strengthening the 1718 DPRK sanctions regime to exert further pressure on the DPRK.

Council Dynamics

The Council remains sharply divided over the DPRK. The P3 (France, the UK, and the US) and other like-minded members regularly condemn its ballistic missile tests and argue that they destabilise the Korean Peninsula and increase tensions throughout the region. These members are generally supportive of using sanctions to manage the threat posed by the DPRK and often urge the country to engage in dialogue and abandon its weapons programmes, while emphasising that it is responsible for escalating tensions.

China and Russia, on the other hand, blame the US for heightening tensions and accuse it of not doing enough to incentivise the DPRK to participate in denuclearisation talks. China and Russia have also contended that sanctions should be eased because of their impact on the humanitarian situation and continue to express their support for a draft resolution circulated by China in October 2021 that would provide sanctions relief to the DPRK if adopted. Other Council members, including Brazil and Gabon, have expressed apparent concerns about the overall efficacy of the 1718 DPRK sanctions regime.

The US is the penholder on the DPRK.

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"I believe there are elements in the villa that want us to lose the election because they didn't get their way; they had their candidate. Their candidate did not win the primaries."

Some "elements" in the Presidential Villa want the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, to lose the 25 February election, the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has said.

Mr El-Rufai, who spoke on Wednesday morning on Channels Television's Sunrise Daily programme, said those people backed a different aspirant in the APC presidential primaries but the aspirant did not win the ticket.

The governor said the unnamed people are now hiding behind President Muhammadu Buhari to pursue their interests.

"I believe there are elements in the villa want us to lose the election because they didn't get their way; they had their candidate. Their candidate did not win the primaries.

"They are trying to get us to lose the election, and they are hiding behind the president's desire to do what he thinks is right," he said.

Citing the issues of petrol subsidy and the recent redesign of the naira by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr El-Rufai said the president had the right to make the change to the national currency but it does not make any political or economic sense.

"This petroleum subsidy, which is costing the country trillions of naira, was something that we all agreed would be removed. In fact, I had a discussion with the president and showed him why it had to go.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

"Because how can you have a capital budget of N200 billion for federal roads and then spend N2 trillion on petroleum subsidies? This was a conversation I had with the president in 2021 when the subsidy thing started rising. He was convinced. We left. It changed. Everyone in the government agreed, and it changed.

"The second example I will give is this currency redesign. You have to understand the president. People are blaming the governor of the central bank for the currency redesign, but no. You have to go back and look at the first outing of Buhari as president.

"He did this; the Buhari, Idiagbon regime changed our currency and did it in secrecy with a view to catching those that were stashing away illicit funds. It is a very good intention. The president has his right. But doing it at this time within the allotted time does not make any political or economic sense," Mr El-Rufai said.

While campaigning at a rally in Ogun State last week, Mr Tinubu had also said the scarcity of petrol and new naira notes was aimed at frustrating his presidential bid.
SECURITY COUNCIL AND WIDER UN STRUCTURE

EU-UN Cooperation

Expected Council Action

In February, the Security Council will hold its annual meeting on strengthening EU-UN cooperation under the agenda item Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations in maintaining international peace and security. Maltas Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade Ian Borg is expected to chair the meeting. Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, is expected to brief.

No formal outcome is anticipated.

Background and Key Recent Developments

For at least the past decade, the relationship between the EU and the UN has continued to develop. The Council has maintained the practice of holding annual briefings on cooperation between the EU and the UN since 2010, although these briefings were not held in 2012 and 2018. Since 2013, Council members have also held annual informal meetings with members of the EU Political and Security Committee.

In 2014, the Council adopted a presidential statement on EU-UN cooperation. Among other things, the statement welcomed the EUs cooperation with the UN and its contributions towards the maintenance of international peace and security, along with its involvement in international negotiations and mediation processes.

In July 2022, emphasising the universality of the principles of the UN Charter, the EU adopted its priorities for 2022-2023, which include, among other things, upholding the UN Charter and the rule of law, addressing the global consequences of the Russian aggression against Ukraine and promoting sustainable development and human rights.

During the Councils 14 December 2022 open debate on New Orientation for Reformed Multilateralism, EU Ambassador Olof Skoog noted that the basic principles of the UN Charter remain at the core of renewed multilateralism, which includes a commitment to maintaining international peace and security, upholding international law, promoting sustainable development, defending and promoting human rights, and respect[ing] obligations arising from mutually agreed commitments and treaties. He further shared the EUs commitment to supporting African-led Peace Support Operations and ongoing discussions to use UN assessed contributions for operations authorized by the UN Security Council.

In remarks on 7 July 2022, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres noted that the EU and the UN share in-depth cooperation not only on peace and security, sustainable and inclusive development, and human rights, but also on addressing the challenges emerging from COVID-19 and climate change.

During the last Council briefing on EU-UN cooperation on 16 June 2022, Borrell highlighted the EUs contributions towards complementing the UNs effort with regard to crisis management, implementing arms embargoes, countering piracy, peacebuilding, and peace-making, among others. In addition, he stressed the need to strengthen multilateralism in respect of climate change and fighting pandemics.

The EU has been heavily involved in efforts to preserve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Irans nuclear programme. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy serves as the coordinator of the Joint Commissioncomposed of the parties to the agreement, which at present are China, France, Germany, Russia, the UK, and Iranand oversees the implementation of the JCPOA. In the aftermath of the US withdrawal from the agreement in May 2018, the coordinator has been leading the diplomatic efforts to negotiate the return of the US to the JCPOA and seeking to ensure full implementation of the agreement by all parties.

In early August 2022, the EU put forth a compromise text in an attempt to restore the JCPOA. This text laid down the necessary steps for the US to return to the JCPOA and for Iran to resume full implementation of the agreement. In the latest Council briefing on the JCPOA on 19 December 2022, Ambassador Silvio Gonzato, the deputy head of the EU delegation to the UN, noted that since the submission of the compromise text, developments have added significant new layers of complications that makes it increasingly difficult to reach a deal. Moreover, he said that the EU Council has decided that any transfer of certain combat drones and missiles to or from Iran without prior permission by the UN Security Council is in violation of Resolution 2231 [which endorsed the JCPOA]. (For more, see our Whats in Blue story of 18 December 2022).

In response to Russias invasion of Ukraine, the EU has issued a wide range of measures against Russia and Russian officials, including freezing assets, imposing travel bans, disconnecting Russian financial institutions from SWIFT (the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication), and imposing export controls on dual-use goods and technologies that have both civilian and military applications. In the most recent round of sanctions, introduced on 16 December 2022, the EU imposed bans on, among other things, the export of drone engines, transactions with the Russian regional development bank, and investments in the Russian mining sector. At the time of writing, the EU has imposed restrictive measures against a total of 1,386 individuals and 171 entities as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Cooperation between the EU and the UN is especially evident in Africa. The EU considers Africa a geopolitical priority. The EU provides training for security forces and assists in security sector reform in the Central African Republic, Mali, and Somalia. On 15 October 2021, the EU launched a new military training mission in Mozambique (EUTM Mozambique) to help address the situation in Cabo Delgado, where violence perpetrated by non-state actors has displaced hundreds of thousands of people. The EU also contributes to the salaries of the personnel of the UN-authorised AU Mission in Somalia.

In a 10 November 2022 Council briefing on counter-terrorism in Africa, Benedikta von Seherr-Thoss, the managing director for common security and defence policy and crisis response at the European External Action Service (the EUs diplomatic service), emphasised that the EUs strategic partnership initiatives with the UN in Africa, such as EU-UN Global Terrorism Threat Facility and Global Counter Terrorism Forum, have created important synergies between the UN and EU missions on the ground.

EU member states provide a significant collective contribution to the UNs regular budget (38 percent) and more than two-fifths of the budget for UN peacekeeping operations. At the time of writing, the EU has deployed around 4,000 personnel in 18 EU-led CSDP missions, of which seven are military operations. (CSDP refers to the EUs Common Security and Defence Policy.)

Council Dynamics

Presently, two Council membersFrance and Maltaare EU members. The UK, which has not been a member of the EU since 31 January 2020, has occasionally joined EU members in making joint statements. Albania has been an official candidate for EU accession since June 2014, having applied for EU membership on 28 April 2009. The first intergovernmental conference between the EU and Albania was held in July 2022, which opened the accession negotiations.

At the June 2022 briefing on EU-UN cooperation, Russia said its relations with the EU were tunneling below rock bottom. The relationship between the two deteriorated precipitously following Russias invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. In response to the joint declaration signed by the EU and NATO on 10 January, which aims to strengthen and expand the strategic partnership between the two organisations, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted that the Joint Declarationhas reaffirmed the EUs full subordination to the bloc, which is a military instrument being used to ensure US interests. Russia is expected to criticise the EUs use of sanctions and its supplying of arms to Ukraine at the annual meeting.

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MIDDLE EAST

Iraq

Expected Council Action

In February, the Security Council is expected to receive a briefing from the Special Representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, on recent developments in the country and on the Secretary-Generals latest reports on UNAMI and the issue of missing Kuwaiti and third-party nationals and missing Kuwaiti property. A representative of civil society may also brief the Council. Both reports were provided to Council members in late January.

UNAMIs mandate expires on 31 May.

Key Recent Developments

The political deadlock that gripped Iraq following the 10 October 2021 parliamentary election has ended. On 27 October 2022, the Iraqi parliament voted to approve the cabinet nominated by new Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, the preferred candidate of the Shiite Coordination Framework (SCF), a loose coalition of Shiite political parties with ties to Iran. The vote marked the final step in the government-formation process, which lasted for more than 12 months and saw the emergence of a sharp divide between Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadrs movement and the SCF.

Two weeks earlier, on 13 October 2022, the parliament elected Kurdish politician Abdul Rashid as president. In the hours preceding the vote to elect Rashid, the parliament building, which is located in Baghdads heavily fortified Green Zone, was targeted by a rocket attack in which at least five people were wounded. Two days after Rashid was elected, al-Sadrs movement announced that its members would not participate in the new government.

The new governments ministerial programme, which outlines the priorities it will pursue, was also approved by parliament on 27 October 2022. According to media reports, the ministerial programme notes that al-Sudanis government will amend the legislation that governs elections in Iraq and hold early parliamentary elections within a year. Several analysts have noted that the pledge to schedule early elections appears to be an attempt to appease al-Sadr, who reportedly demanded that parliament be dissolved and early elections held while his supporters occupied the Green Zone throughout much of August.

On 14 November 2022, at least two people were killed and another ten wounded when ballistic missiles and drones launched by Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) struck the bases of Kurdish-Iranian opposition groups in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. On 21 November 2022, Tasnim, a semi-official Iranian news agency linked to the IRGC, reported that the IRGC had attacked three areas in the Kurdistan Region with missiles and drones, killing at least 26 members of Kurdish-Iranian opposition parties. The following day, on 22 November 2022, Council members discussed the attacks under any other business at the request of France, the UK, and the US. These attacks followed a series of Iranian strikes against Kurdish-Iranian groups in north-eastern Iraq in late September 2022, including a 28 September 2022 attack that killed at least 13 people and wounded 58 more.

On 29 November 2022, al-Sudani met with Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran. In a joint news conference following the meeting, al-Sudani reportedly said that Iraq will strengthen its security cooperation with Iran and prevent the use of Iraqi lands to threaten Irans security.

The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) continues to pose a threat in Iraq. On 18 December 2022, at least nine federal police officers were killed in a bombing near the village of Safra, approximately 30 kilometres southwest of Kirkuk. In a 20 December 2022 press statement, Council members condemned the attack and expressed their support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq, among other matters. It appears that negotiations concerning the press statement were uncontentious.

On 20 December 2022, senior leaders from Bahrain, Egypt, France, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) attended the second session of the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership in Amman. According to media reports, the conference focused on stability in Iraq. In a statement issued at the conclusion of the conference, the participants reaffirmed the continuation of efforts to step up cooperation with Iraq, in support of its security, stability, and sovereignty and expressed their support for Iraqs efforts to develop its constitutional democratic process. On 27 January, France and Iraq signed a series of strategic agreements intended to boost cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the energy and public transportation sectors.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal reported on 15 January, al-Sudani expressed support for the ongoing presence of US troops in Iraq, saying that we think that we need the foreign forces and that elimination of ISIL needs some more time. A week earlier, on 8 January, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was shot down above al-Asad airbase in western Iraq, which currently houses US troops.

On 18 January, 580 residents of the al-Hol camp in north-eastern Syria were repatriated to a rehabilitation camp in northern Iraq. Following a visit to al-Hol in September 2022, General Michael Kurilla, the head of US Central Command (CENTCOM), described the camp as a humanitarian catastrophe and a literal breeding ground for the next generation of [ISIL].

Women, Peace and Security

On 10 October 2022, the Informal Experts Group (IEG) on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) met to discuss the situation in Iraq. IEG members were briefed by UNAMI Deputy Special Representative for Political Affairs and Electoral Assistance Claudio Cordone, accompanied by members of UNAMI, the UN Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Daesh/ISIL (UNITAD), and the UN Country Team. Participants discussed, among other issues, womens participation in political processes in Iraq; the countrys second national action plan (NAP) on WPS; violence and intimidation against women human rights defenders; accountability for conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV); and the situation of children conceived as a result of rape, and their mothers. UN Women, as the secretariat of the IEG, recommended that the IEG co-chairs and Council members support the implementation and resourcing of Iraqs second NAP on WPS and urge the government to ensure accountability for attacks against women activists and human rights defenders during protests in 2019 and 2020. Among other recommendations, UN Women also called for encouraging and supporting actors interacting with survivors of CRSV in Iraq to follow a do-no-harm and survivor-centred approach, including by applying the principles contained in the Global Code of Conduct for Gathering and Using Information about Systematic and Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (Murad Code). The meeting was the sixth time the IEG discussed the situation in Iraq.

Key Issues and Options

A key issue for the Council is reinforcing the importance of maintaining stability and security in Iraq and respecting the countrys sovereignty and territorial integrity. Depending on how the situation evolves, Council members may wish to consider issuing a product that addresses issues of concern to them, such as the threat posed by ISIL or the need to resolve political disputes through dialogue and within the applicable legal framework without resorting to violence.

If other member states resume carrying out attacks on Iraqi territory, the Council could adopt a product that condemns those attacks and reiterates the Councils support for Iraqs sovereignty.

Council and Wider Dynamics

Council members are generally unanimous in their support for UNAMI and their desire to see positive developments in the Iraqi political process and Iraqi-Kuwaiti relations.

Despite this general consensus, divisions have emerged among Council members in relation to Council products regarding the strikes carried out by Iran in the Kurdish region of Iraq in September and November last year. Following the September attack, it appears that the US circulated a draft press statement condemning the attack and reiterating the Councils support for the stability, sovereignty, and security of Iraq. Although the draft apparently enjoyed broad support among Council members, it seems that Russia opposed including in the draft any reference to Iran, as well as details regarding the attack and text that described it as a flagrant violation of Iraqs sovereignty. It appears that Russia also argued that the draft should reflect the arguments raised by all parties and, on that basis, sought to add language noting the IRGCs claim that the attacks were carried out in response to threats from Iranian-Kurdish groups in the Kurdistan Region. Russias proposed amendments were resisted by other Council members, including the US, who apparently contended that echoing self-defence claims made by a party to a dispute in the absence of a formal report to the Council under Article 51 of the UN Charter would undermine the credibility of the Charter. Consensus could not be achieved, and the draft press statement was not issued.

A similar draft press statement was also circulated by the US after the November attack. Russia again opposed including any reference to Iran in the text, and the draft failed to achieve consensus. Russia subsequently put forward a presidential statement regarding the attacks. It seems that Russias draft went through several iterations, none of which referenced Iran. Early versions of the draft presidential statement apparently also omitted details regarding the attacks. It appears that these details were added to the draft after concerns were raised by other Council members; however, Russia also proposed including language referring to the January 2020 strike that killed Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the IRGC Quds Force. This proposal was opposed by other Council members, and agreement on the text could not be reached.

Regional dynamics continue to affect Iraq, as demonstrated by Irans recent attacks in Iraqi Kurdistan and the influence of countries in the region on domestic politics. The Iraqi government routinely declares that it does not wish to become a theatre for Iran-US tensions, while Turkiyes military operations in northern Iraq remain ongoing.

The US is the penholder on Iraq issues in general and the UK is the penholder on Iraqi-Kuwaiti issues.

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AFRICA

Libya

Expected Council Action

In February, the Security Council will hold a briefing, followed by consultations, on the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

The mandate of UNSMIL expires on 31 October 2023.

Key Recent Developments

It has been over one year since the postponement of national elections planned for 24 December 2021 and seven years since the signing of the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA). The leadership stand-off continues between incumbent Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah, elected in February 2021 to head the interim Government of National Unity (GNU), and former Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha, who was elected interim prime minister by the House of Representatives (the Libyan legislature based in Tobruk) on 10 February 2022. The protracted political stalemate contributes to the countrys political, economic, and security instability.

According to the Secretary-Generals latest UNSMIL report, dated 9 December 2022, only minimal progress has been made towards agreeing on a pathway to elections despite the resumption of talks between Speaker of the House of Representatives Aguila Saleh and President of the High State Council Khaled Mishri. The two met in Cairo on 5 January. In a statement following the meeting, UNSMIL strongly encourage[d] the two chambers to now swiftly reach a complete and final agreement including on the contentious issues to finalize the steps required to take the country to inclusive national elections within a specific timeframe.

On the security track, UNSMIL continues to support the work of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission, including to facilitate implementation of the 2020 ceasefire agreement. The Secretary-Generals report said that the agreement continues to hold, although the security situation remained tense throughout the country. UNSMIL also continued to support the establishment of an effective Libyan Ceasefire Monitoring Mechanism. The Joint Military Commission met on 15 and 16 January, during which UN Special Representative for Libya Abdoulaye Bathily announced the launch of joint work between the international ceasefire monitoring team and Libyan monitors in Sirte. On the economic track, the Secretary-Generals December report noted that efforts to implement reform and reunification measures for the Central Bank of Libya, recommended by the UN-facilitated international audit, have remained stalled since May 2022 because of ongoing divisions within the Central Bank.

The humanitarian and human rights situations remain alarming as violations against migrants and refugees continue with impunity, including arbitrary detention in inhumane and degrading conditions in both official and unofficial centres managed by state and non-state actors, the report said. The report also states that Libyan security agencies and affiliated armed groups continued to target civil society actors with hate speech and incitement to violence, while UNSMIL continued to receive reports of threats, hate speech and arbitrary arrests and detentions.

On 22 January, there was a consultative meeting of Arab Foreign Ministers in Tripoli, which Bathily also attended. According to media reports, the meeting was attended by five of the 22 member states of the Arab League, including neighbouring Algeria and Tunisia.

Bathily last briefed the Council on 16 December 2022. He urged the Council, its members and all those with convening power to support UNSMILs efforts to bring Libyan political leaders back to the negotiating table and prevent a further deterioration of the situation. (For more, see our Whats in Blue story of 15 December 2022.)

On 20 December 2022, Council members issued a press statement that expressed their deep concern at the persistent political deadlock in Libya and disappointment at the lack of progress. The statement expressed strong support for Bathily and reiterated calls on all Libyan parties and key stakeholders to engage in dialogue with him. It also highlighted the need for progress in relation to the security, economic and human rights situations, among other things.

Sanctions Committee-Related Developments

At the briefing on 16 December 2022, India made a statement in its capacity as then-chair of the 1970 Libya Sanctions Committee, covering the period from 31 August 2022 to 16 December 2022. Among its activities during this period, the committee approved a request for exemption in relation to the arms embargo; extended for a fourth time the six-month exemption request granted for humanitarian purposes to three individuals on the committees list; and received an eighth communication from the focal point for delisting, in connection with the delisting request of a listed individual. That process is still ongoing.

Key Issues and Options

Key issues remain the precarious political, economic, and security situations linked to Libyas uncertain electoral path. A related concern for the Council will be how to foster common political ground between the two rival governments so they can agree on a constitutional framework to pave the way for Libyas long-delayed elections. Council members could consider holding a closed Arria-formula meeting with Libyan civil society representatives to help generate ideas for promoting dialogue between the rival political factions in Libya and supporting an inclusive political process leading to elections. Another concern remains the alarming human rights situation.

Council Dynamics

Council members have repeatedly stressed the urgent need for a Libyan-led inclusive political process and the holding of elections. Members have noted the precarious security situation, including that the protracted political stalemate continues to generate security threats, and continued to call for progress not only on the political track but also on the security and economic tracks. Many members have also highlighted the deteriorating living conditions across the country and the humanitarian and human rights conditions, including the situation of migrants and refugees. As well, some members remain concerned about the situation of women and girls, including survivors of gender-based and conflict-related violence.

At the briefing on 16 December 2022, the UK (penholder on Libya) highlighted reports of increased restrictions and decreased operating space for civil society organisations. Then-Council member Kenya (speaking on behalf of the three African members) emphasised that the peace process must be truly Libyan-led and -owned adding that the international community should refrain from dictating solutions. In its statement, Russia expressed the view that Libyan politicians themselves are not very interested in finding a compromise and that the role of the United Nations is more relevant today than ever before. In this regard, Russia called on UNSMIL to step up its activity as an impartial and neutral mediator in moving forward while expressing its readiness for close cooperation and a substantive exchange of views with Bathily.

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Overview

In February, Malta will hold the presidency of the Security Council.

Malta is expected to organise two signature events. One of these is a ministerial-level open debate on sea-level rise and its implications for international peace and security. Maltas Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade Ian Borg is expected to chair the meeting. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Ambassador Csaba Korosi (Hungary), the President of the UN General Assembly, are among the briefers.

There will also be a briefing on children and armed conflict that will focus on the prevention of violations against children. Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict Virginia Gamba is expected to brief. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, Dr. Najat Maalla Mjid, and a civil society representative may also brief.

Aside from these two signature events, Malta will convene a meeting on EU-UN cooperation. Borg is expected to chair the meeting. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell is the anticipated briefer.

To mark the one-year anniversary of the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Malta intends to convene a debate on 24 February. Borg is expected to chair the meeting.

Middle East issues on the programme include:

Syria , monthly meetings on the political and humanitarian situation and on the chemical weapons track;

Yemen , renewal of financial and travel ban sanctions, the monthly meeting on developments, and a briefing by the chair of the 2140 Yemen Sanctions Committee;

The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question , the monthly meeting on developments; and

Iraq , meeting on the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) and the issue of missing Kuwaiti and third-party nationals and missing Kuwaiti property.

African issues on the programme of work in February are:

Somalia , meeting on the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) and briefing by the chair of the 751 Al-Shabaab Sanctions Committee;

Libya , meeting on the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL);

Central African Republic , meeting on the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA); and

Sudan , renewal of the mandate of the Panel of Experts assisting the 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee.

The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) is the one Asian issue expected to be on the programme, as the chair of the 1718 DPRK Sanctions Committee is expected to brief Council members in February.

The Council is also expected to hold a briefing on the Secretary-Generals biannual strategic-level report on the threat posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as Daesh).

Malta has signed on to the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) commitments and intends to highlight this issue during its presidency.

Other issues could be raised in February depending on developments.
THEMATIC ISSUES

Sea-Level Rise

Expected Council Action

In February, the Security Council will convene a ministerial-level open debate on sea-level rise and its implications for international peace and security, one of the signature events of the Maltese Presidency. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Ambassador Csaba Korosi (Hungary), the President of the UN General Assembly, are among the briefers. Maltas Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade Ian Borg is expected to chair the meeting. No formal outcome is anticipated.

Background

Since the Security Council first discussed climate change, peace and security at the thematic level in April 2007, Council members, other member states, and Secretariat officials have frequently raised the security threat of rising sea levels in open debates and other public Council meetings. In particular, they often note the existential threat rising sea levels pose to many small island developing states. They have also observed that sea-level rise can cause displacement, destroy infrastructure, and undermine livelihoods.

On 20 July 2011, the Council adopted its only formal outcome on climate change, peace and security, a presidential statement drafted by Germany that said the negative effects of climate change could in the long run exacerbate some existing threats to international peace and security. Among its other elements, the presidential statement expressed concern that possible security implications of loss of territory of some States caused by sea-level-rise may arise, in particular in small low-lying island States.

In July 2015, the Security Council held an open debate on Peace and Security Challenges Facing Small Island Developing States, convened by New Zealand. The meeting focused on such issues as transnational crime and piracy, the illicit exploitation of natural resources, and climate change. Then-UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi of Samoa, Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller of Jamaica, and Jean-Paul Adam, Finance Minister of Seychelles, briefed during the meeting. In his briefing, Ban asserted, Rising sea levels, dying coral reefs and the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters exacerbate the conditions leading to community displacement and migration. They threaten to increase tensions over resources and affect domestic and regional stability.

Council members have held two Arria-formula meetings on the adverse effects of sea-level rise, on 10 April 2017 and 18 October 2021. The first, on Security Implications of Climate Change: Sea-Level Rise, was organised by Ukraine in cooperation with Germany. The briefers were Ambassador Harald Braun, Germanys Permanent Representative to the UN; former Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the human rights of Internally Displaced Persons, Walter Kalin; and Major General Munir Muniruzzaman, the President of the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies. The briefers noted that rising sea levels place the existence of small island states in jeopardy, risk undermining the livelihoods of populations in low-lying areas, and may adversely affect the stability of states through large-scale transborder migration.

The second Arria-formula meeting, on Sea-Level Rise and Implications for International Peace and Security, was organised by Viet Nam, Ireland, Niger, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tunisia and was co-sponsored by several non-Council members, including the Dominican Republic, Mauritius, the Netherlands, Saint Lucia, and Tuvalu. The briefers were Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Khaled Khiari; Valerie Masson-Delmotte, Co-Chair of Working Group I at the UN International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which assesses the physical science of climate change; and Coral Pasisi, Senior Adviser to the Director General of the Sustainable Pacific Consultancy. The briefers noted that climate change and sea-level rise are becoming increasingly grave challenges to the physical integrity of states and the security and livelihoods of their people. Pasisi called for enhanced and more easily accessible international financing for climate adaption and resilience for Pacific Island states, as well as legal protections for people displaced by climate change.

Council members most recently met to discuss climate change at the thematic level on 29 November 2022, convening an Arria-formula meeting on Climate, Peace and Security: Opportunities for the UN Peace and Security Architecture. Kenya and Norway (then co-chairs of the Informal Expert Group on Climate and Security) co-convened the meeting with Albania, France, Gabon, Ghana, Ireland, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Germany and Nauru (the co-chairs of the Group of Friends on Climate and Security) and then-incoming Council members Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland also co-sponsored the session. Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas Miroslav Jenca was the keynote speaker. Also making remarks were three panel discussants: Mely Caballero-Anthony, professor of international relations and presidents chair of international relations and security studies at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (virtual participation); Hafsa Maalim, associate senior researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI); and Michael Keating, executive director of the European Institute of Peace (EIP) (virtual participation). Several briefers and Council members noted the importance of integrating climate action into efforts to build and sustain peace. Many members also called on donor countries to enhance climate financing for developing countries during the meeting.

Key Issues and Options

One key issue is how to promote a better understanding among members states of sea-level rise as a threat to international peace and security. This could include:

enhancing awareness of the threat that rising sea levels pose to the physical existence of small island developing states,

exploring the ways in which coastal erosion and infrastructure damage resulting from rising sea levels undermine livelihoods and create socio-economic tensions; and

discussing the potential for rising sea levels to lead to widespread displacement that can adversely affect international peace and security.

Another key issue concerns the practical policy measures that could be employed to address the multi-faceted risks of rising sea levels. In this regard, the Council could discuss how coastal communities and small island developing states can most effectively adapt and build resilience to the negative effects of sea level rise.

An additional issue is how the Council can encourage and collaborate with other UN entities, regional and sub-regional organisations, and civil society actors to address security risks resulting from rising sea levels, including by supporting policies that build climate resilience and adaptation.

One possible option would be to invite one or more representatives from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the Peacebuilding Commission, or the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) to brief on policies and activities addressing sea-level rise and on ways in which synergies can be created among different parts of the UN system in this regard.

Another possible option after the debate would be for Malta to compile and disseminate a summary of the statements as an official UN document, highlighting the key points of the meeting.

Council Dynamics

Members continue to recognise the severity of the climate crisis and emphasise the need for global action to address this crisis. While united over the need to combat climate change, members continue to be divided over whether the Security Council should play a role in this respect and under what circumstances. Most Council membersincluding many of the new members (Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, and Switzerland)support Council involvement. Nonetheless, differences remain. China, Russia, and Brazil have traditionally had concerns about the Councils approach to climate change, which they view as primarily a sustainable development issue rather than a threat to international peace and security. These members consistently express concerns about Council encroachment on other UN entities and processesmost notably the UNFCCCthat are designed to deal with the adverse effects of climate change.

During this months open debate, members are likely to emphasise the threat that rising sea levels represent for the survival of small island developing states. They may also discuss the importance of supporting adaptation and resilience measures for small island developing states and other developing countries with low-lying coastal areas. The importance of promoting climate adaptation and resilience through peacebuilding and climate financinga prevalent theme in Council discussions in 2022may remain a focus of Council meetings on climate change in 2023. Some members may also discuss the negative effects of rising sea levels on human security in this months debate.

Mozambique, Switzerland, and the UAE are the co-chairs of the Informal Expert Group on Climate and Security.

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AFRICA

Somalia

Expected Council Action

In February, the Security Council will hold a briefing, followed by consultations, to discuss the situation in Somalia. Acting Special Representative for Somalia and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) Kiki Gbeho, AU Special Representative and head of the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) Souef Mohamed El-Amine, and a civil society representative are the anticipated briefers.

Key Recent Developments

The fight against Al-Shabaab, a terrorist group affiliated with Al-Qaeda, remains a major focus of the Somali government. With the support of ATMIS, the Somali National Army (SNA) and allied clan militias have taken the lead in a major offensive operation against Al-Shabaab since June 2022. The US Africa Command has also supported the operation with air strikes targeting the group. Furthermore, recent media reports indicate that Turkiye has deployed its Bayraktar TB2 attack drones to provide strike capability and reconnaissance support to the offensive operations.

The federal government has succeeded in dislodging Al-Shabaab from some of its strongholds in central Somalia. On 17 January, the federal government announced the capture of three townsHaradhere, Galad, and El Dherin Galmudug state, which were said to have been under the control of Al-Shabaab for more than a decade. Offensive operations have yet to start in south Somalia, where Al-Shabaab still maintains a strong presence. In addition to the efforts on the security front, the federal government is also targeting Al-Shabaabs finances and ideology.

However, the group is continuing to wage counterattacks against the SNA and allied clan militias in which, in some instances, it has reportedly succeeded in recapturing areas recently taken by the government and perpetrated reprisal attacks against civilians. A 29 October 2022 attack by Al-Shabaab in Mogadishu claimed the lives of 100 people and injured more than 300. In a 1 November 2022 press statement, Council members condemned the attack and welcomed the efforts of the Somali federal government to counter the threat posed by the group.

The offensive operations by the SNA and allied clan militias are being carried out against the backdrop of a dire humanitarian situation. According to OCHA, about 5.6 million people face acute food insecurity in Somalia. But relief efforts have hitherto prevented famine, which had been projected to unfold from October to December 2022. OCHA still warns that famine is a strong possibility if ongoing relief efforts are not sustained and the coming rainy season, expected from April to June, produces less precipitation than anticipated.

Although relations between the federal government in Mogadishu and the countrys regions had shown signs of improvement after the 2022 Somali elections, new tensions have emerged. The president of South West State, Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Lafta Gareen, has been accused by the opposition of trying to extend his term, which is expected to end this year. (A precedent was created last year when the Jubaland state parliament extended President Ahmed Islam Madobes term by one year.) The political tension in Baidoa, the capital of the South West State, turned violent in December 2022, resulting in several deaths and injuries. It seems that Lafta Gareen, a close ally of Somalias former president, Abdullahi Mohamed Farmaajo, is not keen to support the offensive operations because of fears that it may affect his ability to remain in office.

There have also been allegations that Puntlands president, Said Abdullahi Deni, may seek to extend his term beyond its constitutional limit in 2024. In a 9 January statement, Puntland declared its intention to act independently until the new Somali constitution is completed because of growing tensions with Mogadishu over the distribution of power between the federal government and the federal member states. Since 2017, Somalia has been undergoing a constitutional review process to adopt a new federal constitution. Although this process was to be completed within two years, it has been significantly delayed. The Somali federal government has made the finalisation of the constitutional review process one of its priorities.

The situation in Las Anod, a disputed area between Puntland and the breakaway region of Somaliland, was another source of tension recently. The assassination of a local opposition politician led to violent protests against the Somaliland government in December 2022 that resulted in several deaths and injuries and forced the withdrawal of Somaliland troops from the area. Deni reportedly issued a statement expressing Puntlands readiness for a political or military solution to address the Las Anod situation. In addition, the speaker of Somalias lower house of parliament, the House of Representatives, appointed a 10-member committee to assess the situation. Somalilands President Musa Bihi has warned the Somali federal government and Puntland against interfering in Somalilands affairs. In a 1 January statement, UNSOM, ATMIS, and other bilateral and regional partners expressed concern about the violence in Las Anod and called for calm and restraint, encouraging the de-escalation of tensions through dialogue.

Women, Peace and Security

In a 25 November 2022 statement on the occasion of the start of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence global campaign, Gbeho said that the ongoing humanitarian crisis and conflict in the country have displaced large sections of the population and put women and girls at greater risk of violence, including sexual violence. Gbeho called for a more gender-inclusive humanitarian response and for creating a safe environment for women and girls. The statement also says that the UN in Somalia urges the Parliament to adopt the 2018 Sexual Offences Bill, which will offer greater protection of the victims of sexual violence across the country.

Sanctions-Related Developments

On 17 November 2022, the Security Council adopted resolution 2662, renewing the 751 Al-Shabaab sanctions regime for one year. The Council also renewed the mandate of the Somalia Panel of Experts until 15 December 2023. Eleven members voted in favour of the resolution and four abstained (China, Gabon, Ghana, and Russia). (For more, see our Whats in Blue story of 16 November 2022.) In February, the Chair of the 751 Al-Shabaab Sanctions Committee is expected to provide a 120-day briefing to the Security Council. At the time of writing, it was not yet clear who would chair the committee this year, the allocation of subsidiary body chairs has not been finalised.

Key Issues and Options

The offensive operations against Al-Shabaab are a key issue for Council members. They may welcome the progress made in these operations and underscore the need to consolidate the security gains through the implementation of the Somalia Transition Plan (STP) and the National Security Architecture (NSA), which have been developed to facilitate the gradual handover of security responsibilities to the Somali security forces. In this regard, Council members expect to hold a meeting in March on the transition with the participation of Somalia, the AU, the EU, and ATMIS troop-contributing countries.

The other major issue that could draw the attention of Council members is the growing tension between the Somali federal government and some of the federal member states, which could undermine the recent progress on the security front. Council members may, therefore, encourage Somali political stakeholders to ease tensions and resolve differences through dialogue.

The dire humanitarian situation in Somalia continues to be a major concern. A possible option is to invite a representative from OCHA to brief the Council on the current situation and the ongoing relief efforts.

Council Dynamics

Recent Council negotiations on Somalia, particularly the renewal of UNSOMs mandate and the extension of the 751 Al-Shabaab sanctions regime, were difficult. China has been critical of Somalia, allegedly because of its position at the UN Human Rights Council in support of a discussion about the human rights situation in the Chinese province of Xinjiang. China abstained on the vote when the Security Council renewed UNSOMs mandate for another year on 31 October 2022. The extension of the 751 Al-Shabaab sanctions regime was also divisive, with four members abstaining on the vote on 17 November 2022. Some of these members supported Somalias request for the lifting of the notification requirement related to the arms embargo imposed under the 751 Al-Shabaab sanctions regime.

When the Security Council considered the AUs request in December 2022 to extend the operational timelines for the drawdown of ATMIS by six months, France was in favour of a shorter extension. In its explanation of vote during the adoption of resolution 2670, France stressed that it had agreed to the six-month extension on an exceptional basis.

The three African members (A3) (Gabon, Ghana, and Mozambique) continue to appeal for adequate, sustainable, and predictable financing for ATMIS, highlighting the funding shortfall the mission is facing. There has not been agreement on this issue among Council members, but it is likely to be raised again in March when Council members meet with Somalia, the AU, the EU, and ATMIS troop-contributing countries.

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Status Update since our January Forecast

West Africa and the Sahel

On 10 January, the Council held an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on West Africa and the Sahel (S/PV.9238). The briefers were the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel and Officer-in-Charge of the UN Office of West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Giovanie Biha, and the President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Omar Alieu Touray. Biha presented the Secretary-Generals 3 January report on West Africa and the Sahel (S/2022/1019). At the time of writing, Council members were negotiating a presidential statement on the region proposed by Ghana and Switzerland. The Council was also expected to renew the mandate of UNOWAS, through an exchange of letters with the Secretary-General, by 31 January.

Colombia

On 11 January, the Security Council held an open briefing (S/PV.9240), followed by closed consultations, on Colombia. Special Representative and head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia Carlos Ruiz Massieu briefed on recent developments and the Secretary-Generals latest 90-day report on the mission (S/2022/1004). The Council was also briefed by Armando Wouriyu Valbuena, a representative of the Special High-Level Instance for Ethnic Groups (IEANPE). The IEANPE was created by the 2016 Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace between the government of Colombia and the former rebel group Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-Ejercito del Pueblo (FARC-EP) to monitor the implementation of provisions related to the agreements ethnic chapter. Vice President Francia Marquez of Colombia represented her country at the meeting.

At the same meeting, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2673, expanding the mandate of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia to monitor the implementation of the chapter on comprehensive rural reform and the ethnic chapter of the 2016 agreement.

On 13 January, Council members issued a press statement on Colombia (SC/15175). In it, they welcomed the renewed momentum for making progress on the implementation of the peace agreement, including advancements made on such issues as rural reform. Members reiterated that tackling violence remains vital for the consolidation of peace in Colombia, adding that the adoption and implementation of a public policy for dismantling criminal organisations and their support networks would be a significant step towards violence reduction.

Rule of Law

On 12 January, the Council held a ministerial-level open debate on the Promotion and strengthening of the rule of law in the maintenance of international peace and security: the rule of law among nations (S/PV.9241). Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa chaired the meeting, which was one of the signature events of Japans presidency. The briefers were Secretary-General Antonio Guterres; President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Joan E. Donoghue (via videoconference); and Dapo Akande, professor of public international law at Oxford University. 60 member states participated in the meeting under rule 37 of the Councils provisional rules of procedure. The head of the EU delegation to the UN, Ambassador Olof Skoog, and Ambassador Riyad Mansour of the Observer State of Palestine also took part in the meeting.

Afghanistan

On 13 January, the Council held a private meeting on Afghanistan. Japan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) requested the meeting, citing the Talibans recent edict banning women from working for NGOs in the country. The briefers were Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) Roza Otunbayeva, Executive Director of UNICEF Catherine Russell, and President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) David Miliband.

Council members also issued a press statement regarding a terrorist attack in Afghanistan on 12 January (SC/15173).

On 27 January, the Council convened for closed consultations on Afghanistan. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed briefed regarding her recent visit to Afghanistan. The meeting was requested by France, Japan, and the UAE.

The Middle East, including the Palestinian Question

On 5 January, the Security Council convened for an open briefing on The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question (S/PV.9236). The meeting was requested by China, France, Malta and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) following the 3 January visit to the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount site by Israeli National Security Minister and leader of the far-right Otzmah Yehudit party, Itamar Ben-Gvir. Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Mohamed Khaled Khiari briefed. He said that [w]hile the visit was not accompanied or followed by violence, it is seen as particularly inflammatory given Mr. Ben-Gvirs past advocacy for changes to the status quo. (Under an agreement reached after the 1967 Six-Day War, only Muslims are allowed to pray at the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount site.)

On 18 January, the Security Council held its quarterly open debate on The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question (S/PV.9246). Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland briefed. He said that, against a backdrop of increased political tension and a stalled peace process, [t]he violent trends that dominated the last months of 2022 continue to take a devastating human toll. Among other issues, Wennesland stressed the need for courageous political leadership to generate momentum to transform the current dynamics and urged both sides [to] refrain from provocations and unilateral stepsincluding at the Holy Sites in Jerusalemthat undermine stability and the ability to achieve a negotiated peace.

On 27 January, Security Council members convened for closed consultations on The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. China, France, and the UAE requested the meeting following the 26 January Israel Defense Forces raid in the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank during which nine Palestinians were killed. The meeting also focused on the 27 January terror attack near a synagogue in East Jerusalem during which seven Israelis were killed by a Palestinian shooter. Wennesland briefed.

Haiti

On 24 January, the Security Council held an open briefing (S/PV.9247), followed by closed consultations, on Haiti. Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti and head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) Helen La Lime briefed on recent developments and the Secretary-Generals latest 90-day report on BINUH (S/2023/41). Canada, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti participated under rule 37 of the Councils provisional rules of procedure.

Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace

On 26 January, the Security Council held an open debate (S/PV.9250) on Investment in people to enhance resilience against complex challenges under the Councils peacebuilding and sustaining peace agenda item. The Council heard briefings from Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed; the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), Ambassador Muhammad Abdul Muhith (Bangladesh), and Diago Ndiaye, President of the Network on Peace and Security for Women in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Japan prepared a concept note for the meeting, which was one of its signature events during its January Council presidency (S/2023/19).

Mali

On 27 January, the Security Council held its quarterly briefing, followed by closed consultations, on Mali (S/PV.9251). Special Representative and head of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) El-Ghassim Wane and Aminata Cheick Dicko, President of Protection Sahel, briefed. Discussion focused on the UNs internal review of MINUSMA, submitted to Council members on 16 January (S/2023/36). The review contained options on MINUSMAs future configuration, force levels and uniformed personnel ceiling. Additionally, the Council considered the Secretary-Generals quarterly report, dated 6 January, on Mali and the activities of MINUSMA (S/2023/21).

Cyprus

On 30 January, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2674 renewing the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) for another year, until 31 January 2024. The resolution affirms the Councils readiness to review the implementation of the resolution after six months and to consider any adjustments or other action as necessary, taking into account the advice of the Secretary-General. The resolution requests the Secretary-General to submit two reports on two occasions: two on his good offices, on 4 July and 3 January 2024, and two on the implementation of the resolution extending UNFICYPs mandate, on the same dates.

UNRCCA (Central Asia)

On 30 January, Special Representative and head of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) Natalia Gherman briefed Council members regarding the UNRCCAs activities in closed consultations. Gherman apparently updated Council members on the UNRCCAs work pertaining to counter-terrorism; the women, peace and security agenda; transboundary water management; and its engagement with regional organisations, among other matters. The situation in Afghanistan and the 2022 border clashes between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan were also discussed. This was Ghermans final briefing on behalf of the UNRCCA, as she was recently appointed Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED).

Working Methods

A note by the president of the Security Council on the chairs and vice-chairs of subsidiary bodies for 2023 was issued on 31 January (S/2023/2). The incoming members began discussing the vacant positions after the elections in June and quickly agreed on a list of preferences for the subsidiary body vacancies. However, the process stalled because permanent members were opposed to a footnote that indicated that Japan, one of the incoming members, would chair the Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Matters (IWG) in 2024, when the current chair leaves. The note that was issued does not include the footnote. At a discussion of this issue during under any other business on 27 January, Albania, as the chair of the Working Group, read out a joint statement from the elected members (E10) voicing support for Japan as chair in 2024. Ecuador, as the coordinator of the E10 for January, transmitted a letter from the E10 (S/2023/68) reiterating their unanimous support for Japan as chair in 2024 and conveying the expectation that the Security Council would take note of the positions of the current members and the new members to be elected in 2024.
AFRICA

Sudan

Expected Council Action

In February, the Security Council is expected to renew the mandate of the Panel of Experts assisting the 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee, which is due to expire on 12 March. In accordance with resolution 2620 of 15 February 2022, the Council is supposed to review the Panels mandate and take appropriate action regarding its extension before 12 February.

The mandate of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) expires on 3 June.

Background and Key Recent Developments

Sudan faces ongoing challenges, including those resulting from the military coup detat of 25 October 2021. On 5 December 2022, a broad range of civilian political forces and the military signed the Sudan Political Framework Agreement, intended to pave the way for a two-year, civilian-led transition ahead of elections. The agreement did not contain specific deadlines for the transition process, however, and was opposed by several groups. Its signing was welcomed by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Friends of Sudan (Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, the US, and the EU). In an 8 December 2022 press statement, Council members also welcomed the agreement.

In a Council briefing on 7 December 2022, Special Representative for Sudan and head of UNITAMS Volker Perthes described the Framework Agreement as an important breakthrough, adding that critical contentious issues still needed to be addressed, including matters related to security sector reform, transitional justice, and implementation of the 2020 Juba Peace Agreement.

On 8 January, the signatories to the Framework Agreement under the facilitation of the Trilateral Mechanismthe AU, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and UNITAMSlaunched the final phase of talks aimed at reaching a political agreement, which at the time of writing was ongoing. The talks are expected to result in roadmaps on issues to be considered in a final political agreement.

Insecurity, including intercommunal clashes, armed conflict, and criminality persist across several areas of the country. At the end of December 2022, violence in South Darfur reportedly claimed dozens of lives and displaced hundreds. Humanitarian needs are at record levels since the military coup, with an estimated 15.8 million peopleabout one-third of the populationprojected to need humanitarian assistance this year, according to OCHAs Humanitarian Needs Overview for 2023. There are 3.7 million internally displaced people and 926,000 refugees in Sudan, the overview indicated.

On 15 February 2022, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2620, extending the mandate of the Panel of Experts assisting the 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee until 12 March 2023. As in previous years, it expressed the intention to take appropriate action regarding the further extension of the mandate by 12 February. In January, the Panel of Experts submitted its final report as requested in resolution 2620. (The report was not yet publicly available at the time of writing.) The resolution also expressed the Councils intention to consider by 31 August 2022 establishing clear, well-identified, and realistic key benchmarks in respect of the sanctions regime, as well as its readiness to consider adjusting measures to respond to the situation in Darfur given the evolving situation on the ground. (For more, see our Whats In Blue story of 14 February 2022.) However, the Council was not able to reach agreement on these benchmarks, see more below.

On 25 January, the Council received the semi-annual briefing of ICC Prosecutor Karim Asad Ahmad Khan on the courts Darfur-related activities. He informed the Council that the government of Sudan is not meeting the requirements for cooperation set out in resolution 1593, including by restricting access to documentation and witnesses.

Women, Peace and Security

On 16 November 2022, the Informal Experts Group (IEG) on Women, Peace and Security held a meeting with the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, and the Senior Women Protection Advisers from six UN peacekeeping and special political missions, including the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in the Sudan (UNITAMS). The Senior Women Protection Adviser from UNITAMS said that conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) continued to be of grave concern in Sudan while remaining dramatically underreported. The UNITAMS Senior Women Protection Adviser briefed on situations of concernsuch as the ongoing intercommunal violence in Darfurand measures put in place by the Sudanese institutions and the UN system to monitor and respond to CRSV. She also recommended the urgent establishment of protection programmes for witnesses, victims and women human rights defenders.

Human Rights-Related Developments

The newly appointed UN expert on human rights in Sudan, Radhouane Nouicer, conducted his first official visit to Sudan from 28 January to 3 February. At the time of writing, he was expected to hold a press conference in Khartoum on 2 February. Findings from the visit will contribute to the High Commissioners comprehensive report on the situation in Sudan at the 53rd session of the Human Rights Council in June. (Nouicer was appointed in December 2022, replacing Adama Dieng who stepped down from the position in October 2022.)

Key Issues and Options

An immediate issue for the Council is renewing the mandate of the Panel of Experts. Another issue is whether it is feasible to consider reviewing the sanctions measures on Darfur, as signalled in past resolutions that renewed the mandate of the Panel of Experts. A further issue is whether agreement can be reached on establishing clear, well-identified, and measurable key benchmarks to guide the Council in reviewing the sanctions measures, an intention expressed by the Council in resolutions 2455, 2508, 2562, and 2620.

The most likely option is for the Council to renew the mandate of the Panel of Experts for an additional 13 months, as is the norm.

Council members could also have a frank conversation on possible benchmarks in a closed, informal setting with representatives of the government of Sudan and UN Secretariat officials.

Council Dynamics

Council members divergent views over the utility of the Sudan sanctions regime have in turn affected the Councils ability to agree on benchmarks for adjusting the regime. The decision to establish benchmarks has been contentious for some time, particularly their scope. Resolution 2562 of 11 February 2021 requested a report on the issue from the Secretary-General by 31 July 2021. The report recommended four key benchmarks and related targets, namely progress on political and economic governance issues, transitional security arrangements in Darfur, the National Plan for Civilian Protection, and transitional justice and accountability.

Resolution 2562 expressed the Councils intention to establish benchmarks by 15 September 2021, the first time the Council had introduced a target date for its action. The US, as penholder on Sudan sanctions, circulated a draft presidential statement in September 2021 that endorsed all the key benchmarks and related targets proposed in the Secretary-Generals 31 July 2021 report. While this was acceptable to some members, other members, such as China and Russia, apparently expressed the view that the benchmarks adopted by the Council should focus only on the situation in Darfur. According to these members, some of the benchmarks contained in the Secretary-Generals report went beyond this scope. Members were, therefore, unable to agree on the proposed draft presidential statement.

Resolution 2620 expressed the Councils intention to consider establishing benchmarks by 31 August 2022. In August 2022, the US circulated a draft resolution that expressed the Councils readiness to review the sanctions measures in the light of progress achieved by the government of Sudan on the benchmarks and related targets as outlined in the Secretary-Generals report of 31 July 2021that is, the four benchmarks that had been recommended, but which the Council had not yet endorsed. During negotiations, it seems members such as China, India, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and the African members asserted that the Council should only endorse those benchmarks that pertained to Darfur, and not all four benchmarks, as proposed by the penholder. Apparently, some of these members took the view that only the second benchmark, relating to transitional security arrangements in Darfur, was applicable, while others believed that the third benchmark, on the protection of civilians, was also relevant. As in September 2021, members were unable to reach agreement, and a text was not put to a vote.

The UK is the penholder on Sudan, and the US is the penholder on Sudan sanctions. Ambassador Harold Adlai Agyeman (Ghana) chairs the 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee until December 2023.

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MIDDLE EAST

Syria

Expected Council Action

In February, the Security Council will hold its monthly meetings on political and humanitarian developments in Syria and on the use of chemical weapons in the country.

Key Recent Developments

On 9 January, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2672, confirming the extension of the Syria cross-border aid mechanism for an additional six months until 10 July. (Through this mechanism, humanitarian assistance is delivered to Syria from Turkiye via the Bab al-Hawa crossing without requiring the consent of the Syrian government.) The resolution encourages Council members to convene informal interactive dialogues every two months to review and follow up on the implementation of the resolutions provisions, including progress on early recovery projects. It also requests the Secretary-General to produce a special report on humanitarian needs in Syria no later than 10 June, one month prior to the expiration of the authorisation. (For more, see our Whats in Blue story of 8 January 2023).

On 8 January, a UN inter-agency cross-line delivery (that is, across domestic conflict lines from Syrian government-held areas into areas outside government control) was conducted. It involved a convoy of 18 trucks carrying nearly 600 metric tons of humanitarian suppliesincluding food, water, sanitation items, health kits, medicines, educational materials, and dignity kitsfrom Aleppo to Sarmada. This was the fifth cross-line delivery since the adoption of resolution 2642 in 2022 and the tenth since the adoption of resolution 2585 in 2021.

In his 21 December 2022 Council briefing, UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen called upon the parties to hold further dialogue towards identifying and implementing the step-for-step initiative. (Through this initiative, Pedersen is asking the Syrian government, the opposition, regional states, and other stakeholders what concessions they might make in exchange for reciprocal actions from others on such matters as abductees, detainees, and missing persons; humanitarian assistance and early recovery projects; conditions for the voluntary, safe and dignified return of refugees; and the restoration of better socioeconomic conditions). At the media stakeout following the Council briefing, Pedersen indicated that Russia continues to express concerns about Geneva as the venue for the talks, questioning Switzerlands impartiality because of its support for EU sanctions on Ukraine. At the time of writing, no progress had been reported in convening the next meeting of the Constitutional Committee.

On 28 December 2022, the defence ministers of Russia, Turkiye, and Syria held tripartite talks in Moscow. According to media reports, the meeting focused on ways to resolve the Syrian crisis, the problem of refugees, and joint efforts to combat extremist groups in Syria. The meeting was the first high-level meeting between Syria and Turkiye since the outbreak of war in Syria in 2011. According to a 12 January Reuters article, Turkeys Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced that he could meet with Syrias Minister of Foreign Affairs, Faisal Mekdad in early February.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation with Erdogan on 16 January. The press release subsequently circulated by the Executive Office of the Russian President noted that the presidents discussed ways to normalise relations between Turkiye and Syria, including Ankaras initiative to launch consultations with the participation of Russian, Turkish and Syrian representatives. Also on 16 January, Pedersen met Cavusoglu. In a Twitter post, following the meeting, the Office of the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria said that they discussed regional developments and all aspects related to the crisis in Syria, including the need for a political solution in line with Council resolution 2254.

On 24 January, Pedersen met the Syria envoys of the P3 Council members (France, the UK, and the US) and Germany in Geneva. In a joint statement, released after the meeting, the representatives of France, Germany, the UK, and the US expressed their intent to engage with the regional partners and opposition under the framework of resolution 2254, including step-for-step process.

On 24 January, Pedersen also met the Syrian Negotiations Commission (SNC) President Badr Jamous and Hadi Albahra, an SNC member who serves as co-chair of the Syrian Constitutional Committee, in Geneva. (The SNC represents the political opposition to the government.) According to a tweet by the Special Envoys office, the meeting focused on the latest developments related to the Syrian crisis and moving the political process forward in line with resolution 2254.

The humanitarian and economic situations in Syria continue to deteriorate, and the humanitarian response plan for Syria remains significantly underfunded. According to OCHA, some 15.3 million Syrians (over 69 percent of the population) will require humanitarian assistance in 2023. OCHA reports that at the end of 2022, the humanitarian response plan for Syria was 47.5 percent funded.

An outbreak of cholera has exacerbated the already dire humanitarian situation. According to OCHAs 15 January 2023 situation report, between 25 August 2022 and 7 January, 77,561 suspected cholera cases had been reported, including 100 deaths attributed to the disease. In addition, the report announced that a total of 6,561 suspected cases and seven associated deaths had been reported in camps for the internally displaced in northeast and northwest Syria.

Adedeji Ebo, Director of the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs and Deputy to the High Representative, briefed the Council on the Syrian chemical weapons track on 5 January. Adedeji expressed regret that all efforts by the OPCW [Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons] Technical Secretariat to organize the next round of consultations between the DAT [Declaration Assessment Team] and the Syrian National Authority continue to be unsuccessful. He also apprised the Council that the OPCW Technical Secretariat had shared its intention to send a reduced team to conduct limited in-country activities in Syria with the government, which he noted has welcomed this intention.

On 27 January, the Investigation and Identification Team (IIT) of the OPCW released its third report, which provides the findings of the investigations conducted from January 2021 to December 2022 on the 7 April 2018 Douma incident. The report concluded that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the Syrian Arab Air Forces were the perpetrators of the chemical weapons attack in Douma on 7 April 2018.

On 25 January, the Council convened a briefing, followed by consultations, on the political and humanitarian situations in Syria. Pedersen and OCHA Acting Director of Operations and Advocacy Ghada Eltahir Mudawi briefed. Pedersen told the Council that in February he is scheduled to hold meetings with Mekdad and the Government nominated Co-Chair of the Constitutional Committee, Ahmad Nabil Kuzbari, in Syria. Mudawi highlighted the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country and called for enhanced donor support, including to respond to cholera and winterization needs.

Human Rights-Related Developments

In a 10 November statement following a 12-day visit to Syria, UN special rapporteur on unilateral coercive measures and human rights Alena Douhan called on sanctioning states to lift all unilateral sanctions against Syria without authorization of the UN Security Council, warning that their use was not justified under international law. In an 18 November press release, High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk condemned the heinous killing of two young Egyptian girls at Al-Hol camp, a displacement camp in northeastern Syria in an area controlled by Kurdish-led forces. According to the press release, the UN Human Rights Office has verified that since the start of 2022, at least 42 people have been killed at the Al-Hol camp, where at least 53,000 people are held, more than half of whom are children. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based human rights monitoring organisation, claims that in December 2022, 133 civilians were killed in Syria, including 22 children and 15 women.

Key Issues and Options

The key issue for the Council remains the impasse in the political process. One option for the Council would be to hold a private meeting with Special Envoy Pedersen and other member states with influence over the parties in Syria to discuss recent developments in his step-for-step initiative. (A private meeting is a closed, formal meeting format; unlike closed consultations, non-Council member states are allowed to participate in this format.)

The Council could also consider adopting a presidential statement that expresses support for the Special Envoys efforts to reinvigorate the political process and encourages donors to enhance their support for the Syria humanitarian response plan.

A related issue is addressing the growing humanitarian needs in Syria. Council members could consider inviting representatives of Syrian humanitarian aid organisations to engage with them to explore avenues for improving aid delivery mechanisms in Syria.

An additional option would be a Council visiting mission to the Bab al-Hawa crossing on the Syria-Turkiye border. During such a visit, Council members could meet with the UN and other officials responsible for implementing and overseeing the cross-border aid delivery mechanism to get a better understanding of its inner workings and its role in addressing the countrys humanitarian crisis.

Council Dynamics

Syria remains a divisive file. China and Russia are supportive of the Syrian government, emphasising the need to respect the countrys sovereignty and territorial integrity and drawing connections between unilateral coercive measures on Syria and the challenging humanitarian situation in the country. In contrast, the P3 (France, the UK, and the US) and other like-minded members criticise the government for violating international humanitarian law and human rights law and not engaging meaningfully in political dialogue.

In his explanation of vote following the Councils unanimous adoption of resolution 2672, Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia (Russia) noted that Russias affirmative vote should not be considered as support for the Syria cross-border humanitarian aid mechanism in its current form. He argued that the approach to humanitarian assistance had been politicised and that a new six-month extension in July will be borne out only if the approach of the members of the Security Council towards the provision of humanitarian assistance to Syria changes fundamentally. He also called the unilateral sanctions imposed on Syria by Western countries criminal.

Brazil and Switzerland are the penholders on humanitarian issues in Syria.

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EUROPE

Ukraine

Expected Council Action

In February, the Security Council is expected to hold a high-level debate on the situation in Ukraine to mark the one-year anniversary of Russias invasion of the country. Additional meetings on Ukraine are possible, depending on developments on the ground.

Key Recent Developments

Hostilities remain concentrated in eastern Ukraine as Russian forces continue to conduct ground attacks near the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region. After weeks of heavy fighting, Ukraine confirmed on 25 January that its troops had withdrawn from the city of Soledar, a town roughly 15 kilometres north of Bakhmut. Fighting has also been reported in the southern Zaporizhzhia region and near the cities of Svatove and Kremmina in the Luhansk region.

Russia has continued to launch air and missile assaults targeting civilian infrastructure across Ukraine. The attacks have triggered massive blackouts and a reduction in water supplies throughout the country. On 14 January, a Russian missile hit a residential building in the southeastern city of Dnipro, killing at least 45 civilians, including six children. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the assault in a 16 January statement, emphasising that attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international humanitarian law and must end immediately. The latest Russian missile barrage on 26 January, which targeted sites throughout Ukraine and reportedly led to 11 civilian deaths, came one day after the US and Germany agreed to deliver tanks to Ukrainea development described by Russias ambassador to Berlin, Sergey Nechaev, as having taken the conflict to a new level of confrontation.

In a 5 January press briefing, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric confirmed that the UN was disbanding the fact-finding mission concerning the 29 July 2022 incident at a detention facility near Olenivkaa village in the eastern Donetsk region that is controlled by Russian-backed separatistsin which over 50 Ukrainian prisoners of war were reportedly killed. Dujarric cited the absence of conditions required for the deployment of the mission to the site as the main reason for its disbandment. The fact-finding mission had been announced on 3 August 2022, following requests from the governments of Russia and Ukraine.

At a 12 January press stakeout, Ukrainian First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova said that Kyiv had decided to postpone the tabling of a draft General Assembly resolution on accountability, which member states had been negotiating since December 2022, until later this year. She said that Ukraine would instead prioritise a draft General Assembly resolution that would seek to enshrine the ten-point peace formula that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had proposed during a Group of 20 (G20) summit on 15 November 2022. The peace formula includes calls for nuclear safety, food and energy security, the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, restoring Ukraines territorial integrity, the release of all prisoners and deportees, and the establishment of a special tribunal to prosecute Russian war crimes.

On 13 January, the Security Council held an open briefing on the situation in Ukraine, which Albania and the USthe co-penholders on political issues in Ukrainehad requested with the aim of receiving a comprehensive update on the political and humanitarian aspects of the war. At that meeting, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo said that the war in Ukraine has created a humanitarian and human rights catastrophe, traumatized a generation of children and accelerated the global food and energy crises, warning that the damage could pale in comparison with the consequences of a prolonged conflict. DiCarlo acknowledged, however, that the prospects of a peaceful settlement to the war remains elusive, noting that the logic that prevails is a military one, with very little, if any, room for dialogue.

On 20 January, Russia convened an Arria-formula meeting titled The systematic war of Ukraine against the residents of Donbass: 2014 and Onwards. The briefers included Arnaud Develay, a French attorney; Enrique Refoyo, a Spanish political scientist; and Maya Pirogova, a social activist from the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. At that meeting, several membersincluding Albania, France, Switzerland, and the USaccused Russia of spreading false narratives and disinformation, which they view as part of a broader strategy to divert the international communitys attention from Russias violations of the UN Charter. In a 21 January tweet, Russian Deputy Permanent Representative Dmitry Polyanskiy described the meeting as eye opening for the wider UN membership and criticised Russias Western ex-partners for being closed-minded.

Human Rights-Related Developments

On 17 January, the Security Council held an open briefing on Ukraine under the Threats to International Peace and Security agenda item, requested by Russia. The Council was briefed at that meeting by Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights and head of the UN Human Rights Office in New York Ilze Brands Kehris and Metropolitan of Volokolamsk Anthony, chairman of the Department of External Church Relations of the Patriarchate of Moscow. Kehris said that the armed attack by [Russia] against Ukraine and the ensuing hostilities have brought the most severe forms of human rights and international humanitarian law violations. As at 17 January, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) had recorded more than 7,000 civilians killed and more than 11,000 injured since 24 February 2022, with the actual figures being much higher, she added. During the briefing, Kehris also highlighted concerns over restrictions to freedom of religion and freedom of association across Ukraine.

Key Issues and Options

The overarching priority for the Council is to promote a solution to the conflict and facilitate dialogue among the parties to that end. Meanwhile, a key issue for the Security Council is how to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. Periodic briefings from Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths or other OCHA officials could help keep the Council informed of the humanitarian situation on the ground. Council members may also wish to call on Russia and Ukraine to facilitate the UNs unimpeded access to areas close to the frontlines where needs are acute. On 18 January, the UN announced plans to increase the number of inter-agency convoys providing aid to areas near the frontlines.

Another key issue for the Council is how to promote the safety and security of nuclear facilities in Ukraine. On 20 January, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that it was expanding and intensifying activities to help prevent a nuclear accident during the ongoing conflict, setting up several permanent expert missions at Ukraines nuclear plants. Efforts continue by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi to establish a nuclear safety and security protection zone around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Council members may wish to ask for a briefing by Grossi on this topic.

Another important issue for the Council is how to ensure the effective implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI). At the 13 January briefing, US Permanent Representative Linda Thomas-Greenfield accused Russia of deliberately slowing down the inspection of vessels, creating a backlog of dozens of ships. In an 18 January note to correspondents, the UN urged all parties to work to remove obstacles for the reduction of the backlog and improve operational efficiencies within the [Joint Coordination Centre] of the BSGI. The note also confirmed that the shipment of Russian ammonia through Ukraines portsa key aspect of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by Russia and the UN on 22 July 2022had not yet begun. Negotiations on exporting Russian ammonia through the Togliatti/Yuznhy pipeline in Ukraine are ongoing. Council members may wish to convene a meeting with UN Coordinator for the BSGI Abdullah Abdul Samad Dashti and UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan. They may choose a private, informal format, such as an informal interactive dialogue, to allow for a frank discussion about the challenges of implementing the BSGI and the MoU.

Council Dynamics

The Security Council remains starkly divided on the situation in Ukraine. Russia continues to justify its invasion, which it refers to as a special military operation, while several Council membersincluding Albania, France, the UK, and the UScondemn Russia for what they consider to be an unprovoked war.

At the 13 and 17 January briefings, four of the five members that started their two-year Council terms in JanuaryEcuador, Japan, Malta, and Switzerlandexplicitly condemned Russias invasion of Ukraine, describing it as a violation of international law and the UN Charter. Mozambique, the other new member, did not do so; during the past year, it has consistently abstained on General Assembly votes condemning Russias actions in Ukraine.

At the 13 January briefing, Ecuador expressed regret over the partial application of Article 27(3), which says that on decisions under Chapter VI and under paragraph 3 of Article 52 of the UN Charter, a party to the dispute shall abstain from voting at the Security Council. Ecuador also announced that it will assume the role of co-penholder on humanitarian issues, together with Francea role previously held by Council member Mexico, which ended its Council term in 2022.

Japan condemned the transfer of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Iran to Russia, joining the P3 (France, the UK, and the US) in expressing support for a UN investigation into a possible violation by Iran of resolution 2231 of 20 July 2015, which endorsed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Irans nuclear programme.

Switzerlandalong with the majority of Council membersemphasised the need for a recommitment to dialogue and diplomacy in search of a peaceful settlement to the war. In this regard, the United Arab Emirates urged the international community to encourage the parties to meet at the negotiating table, including by providing incentives in the form of a post-war vision that is just and sustainable.

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In an exclusive, RFI reports that Iyad Ag Ghaly met with representatives of armed groups in the North, signatories of the 2015 peace agreement. The interview(s) took place at the end of last week, near Kidal.

The leader of Support Group for Islam and Muslims, linked to al-Qaeda, does not want to form a formal alliance, but wants to jointly move against the Islamic State group, according to the report on allAfrica FR.

Ghaly is said to have met with Alghabass Ag Intallah: head of the HCUA, member of the CMA (former separatist rebels) and the CSP (which brings together the armed groups of the North who signed the 2015 peace agreement concluded with the Malian state, all tendencies).

For more, go to Iyad Ag Ghaly meets the signatory groups of the peace agreement near Kidal.
MIDDLE EAST

Yemen

Expected Council Action

During February, the Council is expected to adopt a resolution renewing the Yemen financial and travel ban sanctions, which expire on 28 February, and the mandate of the Yemen Panel of Experts, which expires on 28 March. (The targeted arms embargo established by resolution 2216 in April 2015 on the Houthi rebel group is open-ended.)

The Council will also hold its monthly meeting on Yemen in closed consultations, with UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg and a representative of OCHA. The chair of the 2140 Yemen Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Ferit Hoxha (Albania), may also brief. The head of the UN Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA), Major General Michael Beary, is also expected to brief during consultations.

Key Recent Developments

Grundberg has continued his mediation efforts to restore the truce agreement between the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebel group, while Omani-facilitated talks since October 2022 between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia on a comprehensive plan to end the war have also reportedly continued. Despite the truce agreements expiration on 2 October 2022, major fighting has not resumed, and elements of the agreementthe re-opening of the Sanaa airport to civilian flights, and fuel imports through Hodeidah porthave continued. Houthi drone attacks in October and November 2022 targeting Yemeni government oil terminals, however, have halted oil and gas exports, depriving the government of key revenue sources.

From 16 to 17 January, Grundberg visited Sanaa, where he met with Houthi officials, including the President of the Supreme Political Council, Mahdi al-Mashat. This was Grundbergs first trip to the city since late September 2022 during the unsuccessful negotiations to renew the truce. It also followed visits by Omani delegations to Sanaa in December 2022 and in January, and Grundbergs talks with Yemeni government officials in Riyadh from 4 to 5 January and Omani officials in Muscat from 10 to 11 January.

Grundberg briefed the Council from Sanaa on 16 January. We are currently seeing an intensification of regional and international diplomatic activity to resolve the conflict in Yemen, he said. He thanked Saudi Arabia and Oman for their efforts, alluding to the parallel Houthi-Saudi talks. Grundberg called this recent diplomatic activity a potential step change in the trajectory of this eight-year conflict. He emphasised, however, that a sustainable solution to the war would require an inclusive intra-Yemeni dialogue.

Despite the nine-month lull in fighting since the truce agreement in April 2022the longest sustained decrease in hostilities since the conflict escalated in March 2015Yemen still faces immense humanitarian needs. The 2023 Yemen Humanitarian Needs Overview, released by OCHA on 20 December 2022, estimates that 21.6 million people will require humanitarian assistance and protection services in 2023, a slight decrease from the 23.4 million people in need in 2022. Of these 21.6 million individuals, 17.3 million are estimated to need food and agricultural assistance (a decrease from 19 million in August 2022), 20.3 million will need access to critical health services, and 15.3 million will require support to access clean water and basic sanitation. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths, briefing at the 16 January Council meeting, reiterated the scale of these projected needs during his statement.

There are concerns that the Houthis and the Yemeni government are preparing for a return to major hostilities. The US announced that it had intercepted a fishing vessel in the Gulf of Oman on 6 January that was smuggling more than 2,100 assault rifles on a maritime route historically used to traffic illicit cargo from Iran to the Houthis. This was the third interdiction of weapons since November 2022 by the US Navy that it said were destined for the Houthis from Iran.

Sanctions-Related Developments

The 2140 Committee had been scheduled to discuss the Yemen Panel of Experts final report on 27 January. The meeting was cancelled because the Council had yet to agree on its annual letter naming the chairs of its subsidiary bodies. (Ambassador Hoxha, who chaired the 2140 Committee in 2022, is expected to remain as the chair when the Council agrees on the annual letter.) Last years resolution 2624, which renewed the Yemen sanctions regime on 28 February 2022, was noteworthy for its reference to the Houthis as a terrorist group and for adding the Houthis as an entity to the Yemen sanctions list, subject to the measures of the targeted arms embargo. (Resolution 2216 already subjected the Houthis to the arms embargo by prohibiting the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of arms to, or for the benefit of, Houthi officials under Council sanctions, which includes Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi.) The sanctions regimes renewal followed intensive Council negotiations. Several Council members were concerned that designating the Houthis as an entity subject to the asset freeze measures could cause private sector actors, such as banks and food importers, to cease operations in Yemen to avoid violating the sanctions. This resulted in the Council limiting the scope of the designation to the arms embargo. Another controversial issue was over strengthening the resolutions language on maritime interdictions to enforce the arms embargo. This proposal, made by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was not included in the final text (For more, see our Whats in Blue story of 28 February 2022.) In 2022, the 2140 Committee added three more Houthi officials to the Yemen sanctions list, bringing the number of individuals and entities sanctioned under the regime to 13. Meanwhile, the current Panel of Experts operated with only four of its five members as Council members failed to approve candidates, proposed by the Secretariat, to serve as the regional expert.

Key Issues and Options

A key issue for the Council is how to support efforts to restore the truce and establish a formal ceasefire and political process. During last years failed negotiations to renew the truce, the Houthis demanded that their military and security forces be included in Grundbergs proposal to resume state employee salary payments, which prevented an agreement. Omani-facilitated talks between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia is a related initiative parallel to Grundbergs efforts. Council members could stress the importance of coordinating these diplomatic activities with the Special Envoy and recall the importance of an inclusive political process under UN mediation for a sustainable resolution to the conflict.

The humanitarian situation continues to be a key issue. In addition to enormous humanitarian needs, relief efforts face significant challenges from increasing interference and access constraints and a dangerous security environment. The Houthis enforcement of mahram over the past year, requiring women to be accompanied by male guardians, is also negatively affecting aid operations. Land mines and explosive remnants of war have become an increasing issue of concern, emerging as the leading cause of civilian casualties in the truce and post-truce period. Members may call on all parties to the conflict to facilitate the safe, rapid, and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief to all civilians in need, and to protect humanitarian personnel and assets in line with their obligations under international humanitarian law. They could also recall that obstructing the delivery of humanitarian aid constitutes a violation of the Yemen sanctions regime.

Key issues regarding the renewal of the Yemen sanctions regime include how to stem the flow of arms to the Houthis and hamper the groups ability to finance its military activities; protect humanitarian space; and make sure the sanctions support the UN-led mediation.

Members are also likely to continue monitoring progress towards starting the salvage operation for the FSO Safer oil tanker, which is moored off Hodeidah port. In September 2022, the UN-facilitated plan to transfer the oil from the decrepit ship to a temporary vessel received the donor commitments required to conduct this phase of the operation. The operation has not started, however, as the UN says that it must now first secure the crude carrier that will permanently replace the FSO Safer.

Council Dynamics

Council members remain supportive of UN-led mediation efforts and want the parties to restore the truce. In their 5 October 2022 press statement, they criticised the Houthis maximalist demands, which had prevented the extension and expansion of the truce agreement in October 2022.

Despite the Councils general unity on Yemen, the sanctions renewal has the potential to be complicated. The UAEan elected Council member that is a member of the Saudi Arabia-led coalition battling the Houthismay, as during the negotiations on resolution 2624, seek a number of changes that it believes could strengthen the sanctions regime. Last year, China opposed the new maritime interdiction language, while France, the UK, and the US were among those countries worried about the potential effects on the humanitarian situation if the designation of the Houthis included the asset freeze measures. For Russia, a long-standing red line has been identifying Iran as supplying the Houthis with arms in the Councils Yemen products. Brazil is the lone remaining country in the Council among the four members that abstained during the vote on resolution 2624. It did so largely over concerns about the resolutions calling the Houthis a terrorist group in the absence of an agreed legal definition of terrorism.

The UK is the penholder on Yemen.

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Iraq: UNITAD Briefing

On Monday (5 December), the Security Council will convene for a briefing on the UN Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes committed by ISIL/Daesh (UNITAD). Special Adviser and Head of UNITAD Christian Ritscher is expected to brief.

UNITAD was created by resolution 2379 of 21 September 2017, which requested that the Secretary-General establish an investigative team to support Iraqs domestic efforts to hold the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Daesh) accountable by collecting, preserving, and storing evidence in Iraq of acts that may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Resolution 2651, which was adopted on 15 September, extended UNITADs mandate until 17 September 2023.

As Special Adviser and Head of UNITAD, Ritscher is responsible for developing UNITADs investigative strategy and promoting accountability for international crimes committed by ISIL, among other matters. During his briefing, Ritscher is expected to present the main findings of the ninth annual report on UNITADs activities, which was issued on 7 November. The briefing will be the third delivered to the Council by Ritscher since his appointment on 7 September 2021.

Council members are likely to be interested in hearing Ritschers analysis of UNITADs core investigative work. According to the ninth annual report on its activities, UNITAD continued to advance its investigations into international crimes committed by ISIL in Iraq during the reporting period, including by preparing one additional case assessment report on crimes against the Christian community. The report notes that the evidence collected by UNITAD to date has bolstered preliminary findings that ISIL committed crimes against humanity and war crimes against Christians in Iraq, including forcible transfer, persecution, sexual violence and slavery, forced conversions, and intentional destruction of cultural heritage. In this context, UNITAD has also identified prominent members and leaders of ISIL who participated in an attack against three predominantly Christian towns in Nineveh Plains in August 2014. Some members may welcome the completion of this case assessment report during tomorrows meeting.

Ritscher is likely to provide an update regarding UNITADs other lines of investigation, including its work investigating crimes against the Sunni, KakaI, Shabak, and Shia Turkmen communities. With the completion of the case assessment report on crimes against the Christian community, UNITAD has now completed six case assessments. The five assessments finalised during previous reporting periods focused on addressing crimes committed against the Yazidi community in Sinjar from August 2014; the mass killing of military cadets and personnel from Tikrit Air Academy in June 2014; crimes committed by ISIL in and around Badush prison near Mosul in June 2014; the Al-Rawi network and facilitation of ISIL financing; and the development and use of chemical and biological weapons by ISIL in Iraq. The report also notes that case assessment reports to be completed in the next few months address the destruction of cultural heritage by ISIL in Iraq; ISIL leadership and hierarchical structure in Mosul and Tal Afar; and crimes committed by ISIL against other communities in and around Sinjar.

Another possible topic of discussion is the work of UNITADs specialised units, which have been investigating sexual and gender-based crimes, crimes against children, and the financing of Daesh. During the reporting period, UNITAD greatly expanded its evidence base against the money service business networks that provided material support to ISIL and drew substantive links between such networks in Iraq and those based throughout the wider Middle East and Gulf region. UNITAD also continued to devote significant resources to its investigation of sexual and gender-based crimes against the Yazidi community and has significantly advanced its investigation into crimes carried out against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people by ISIL.

Ritscher might discuss UNITADs ongoing cooperation with Iraqi authorities. At present, the international crimes that UNITAD is mandated to investigate have not been directly incorporated into Iraqs legal system. As a result, offenders who have engaged in conduct that contravenes international criminal law are usually charged with terrorism offences. Under Iraqi law, the death penalty can be imposed for these offences and, in accordance with UN best practices, this has prevented UNITAD from sharing evidence regarding potential violations of international criminal law with Iraqs government.

Despite this hurdle, UNITAD has nonetheless pursued several initiatives that are designed to facilitate information sharing with Iraq in other areas. The report notes, for example, that UNITAD has focused on negotiating a memorandum of understanding with Iraqi authorities that would enable UNITAD to share its information to support UN sanctions application packages. In addition, UNITAD has continued to utilise a pre-existing modality that allows it to share information concerning the financing of ISIL with select investigative judges. Some Council members might welcome these initiatives at tomorrows meeting. Other members, however, may argue that Iraq bears primary responsibility for determining how to prosecute those who have committed crimes on its territory and encourage UNITAD without delay to share with Iraq all the evidence it has collected.

Ritscher may mention UNITADs ongoing support to domestic legal proceedings in jurisdictions outside Iraq in his briefing tomorrow. The report says that sixteen member states have requested assistance from UNITAD with respect to ongoing investigations and prosecutions, several of which are anticipated to lead to judicial proceedings. It also notes that UNITADs ability to collect testimonial evidence from witnesses, together with its capacity to identify corroborating internal ISIL documentation from digital battlefield evidence, has provided significant assistance to national investigative authorities.

Ritscher may update Council members on UNITADs efforts to transition from investigation to case-building. According to the report, an increased focus on transitioning from investigation to case-building defined UNITADs work during the reporting period and UNITAD will now dedicate its efforts to promoting evidence-based trials and large-scale accountability for ISIL. The report also describes case-building and information sharing as a new phase of operational work for the team and refers to several examples of UNITADs work in this area, including the delivery of training on international humanitarian law and international criminal law to more than twenty investigative judges across Iraq during November.

UNITADs fieldwork is also likely to be discussed during tomorrows meeting. According to the report, UNITAD continued to support the excavation of ISIL mass grave crime scenes in Iraq and the return of remains identified by DNA analysis to the families of victims. Some Council members may commend UNITAD for its work in this area in their statements tomorrow.
Yemen: Briefing and Consultations

On Monday morning (16 January), the Security Council will hold an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on Yemen. Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths are expected to brief. Major General Michael Beary, the head of the UN Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA), is expected to brief Council members in consultations.

More than three months have passed since the truce agreement between the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebel group expired on 2 October 2022. The failure to renew the agreement followed last-minute Houthi demands that their military and security personnel be included in an initiative to pay the salaries of state employees as part of Grundbergs plan to renew the truce. Despite the truces expiry, major fighting has not resumed and elements of the agreementthe re-opening of Sanaa airport to civilian flights and fuel imports through Hodeidah porthave continued.

Grundberg is likely to inform the Council about his latest efforts to re-establish the truce agreement. These have been taking place against the backdrop of Omani-facilitated talks since October 2022, between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia (which leads a military coalition in support of the Yemeni government), reportedly aimed at ending the war. The Special Envoy met on 5 January in Riyadh with the President of the Yemeni governments Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), Rashad Al-Alimi. On 11 January, Grundberg concluded a visit to Muscat, where he met with Omani senior officials. Oman had sent a delegation to Sanaa on 21 December 2022 to meet with Houthi leaders. A second Omani delegation, accompanied by Houthi chief negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam, arrived in Sanaa on 10 January.

It seems that the Special Envoy is expected to travel this weekend to Sanaa, from where he will brief the Council via videoconference on Monday. This will be Grundbergs first visit to Sanaa since late September 2022, when he travelled there during negotiations on the truces renewal. At Mondays briefing, Grundberg may therefore be able to update members about his engagement with the parties and their perspectives on restoring the truce agreement.

While fighting since the truces expiry has been limited in scoperecent clashes have been reported in Marib, Lahij and Taiz governoratesGrundberg may observe that the situation is unlikely to be sustainable unless a formal truce agreement and political process are restored. Council members are expected to reiterate their support for the Special Envoy. They may further express support for the efforts of regional actors and emphasise the importance of coordinating these efforts with those of Grundberg. Members are likely to reiterate their calls for the parties to exercise restraint, and to restore the truce agreement with the perspective of restarting a political process. Some may further highlight that only an inclusive political process under UN mediation can provide for a sustainable solution to the conflict.

Griffiths is expected to underscore the severity of the humanitarian situation that is presented in the 2023 Yemen Humanitarian Needs Overview. The report, released on 20 December 2022, estimates that 21.6 million people will require humanitarian assistance and protection services in 2023, a slight decrease from the 23.4 million people in need in 2022. Of the 21.6 million individuals who will require assistance this year, 17.3 million people are estimated to need food and agricultural assistance (a decrease from 19 million in the second half of last year), 20.3 million people will need access to critical health services, and 15.3 million people will need support to access clean water and meet basic sanitation needs. Griffiths may note that last year, relief efforts reached 10.5 million people on average every month, although the Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan was only about 57 percent funded. He is likely to encourage donors to continue support for humanitarian operations in Yemen and to fill the funding gaps for the response efforts.

Griffiths is expected to highlight that continued access impediments are significantly affecting aid delivery. These include bureaucratic restrictions, especially in Houthi-controlled areas, as well as security incidents, which have been more common in government-controlled areas. In addition, Griffiths is likely to raise the matter of Yemens economy. As OCHA regularly highlights, the economy is the main driver of the countrys humanitarian needs. The humanitarian situation in Yemen, which largely relies on imported food and goods, was further exacerbated during 2022 by the pressures on international supply chains stemming from the war in Ukraine that increased global food and energy prices.

Council members are likely to underscore their concern about the restrictive operating environment for humanitarian actors. They may stress that humanitarian access must be guided by needs on the ground. Members are also expected to express concerns about the Houthis enforcement over the past year of mahram, which requires that women be escorted by male relatives, a policy that the UN reports has affected relief efforts. Council members may also repeat calls for the Houthis to release two UN aid workers who were detained in Sanaa in November 2021 and the Yemeni employees of the US embassy in Sanaa who have been detained since October 2021. Five UN staff members who were kidnapped in February 2022 in Abyan governorate in southern Yemen also remain missing.

Council members are also likely to raise the issue of the FSO Safer oil tanker, which is moored off Hodeidah port and could cause a major environmental catastrophe if its oil leaks or an explosion occurs. Members may note that the funding for the first phase of the UN-facilitated plan to remove the oil from the ship has been secured since September 2022, and they are likely to call for the rapid implementation of the plan.

General Beary is expected to report on his ongoing engagement with the parties and regional states. Amid reports that the parties may be preparing to return to a new round of fighting, Beary may report on UNMHAs continued work to strengthen its de-escalation functions and access to front lines in southern Hodeidah governorate.

Beary might also highlight the threat posed by landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW). According to the Civilian Impact Monitoring Project (CIMP)a monitoring mechanism which collects open-source data about the Yemen wars effects on civilians ERWs caused 111 fatalities in Hodeidah between January and November 2022. The problem was highlighted last month, when an UNMHA armoured vehicle carrying General Beary struck a landmine on 6 December during a field visit in the Al Hali district of Hodeidah. There were no casualties.

Later this month, the 2140 Yemen Sanctions Committee is scheduled to hold a meeting with the Yemen Panel of Experts to discuss the panels final report. The report, which was reportedly submitted to the committee at the end of last year, has not yet been made public. At Mondays briefing, some Council members may refer to the latest announced arms interdiction by the US, which said that it had intercepted a fishing vessel in the Gulf of Oman on 6 January that was smuggling more than 2,100 assault rifles on a maritime route historically used to traffick illicit cargo from Iran to the Houthis. The supply or transfer of arms to the Houthis is a violation of the Councils arms embargo against the group.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan has announced a new commission to assess the performance of Tanzania's embassies abroad.

She made the revelation on Tuesday at the Chamwino State House in Dodoma when launching the commission for Criminal Justice Institutions tasked to assess and recommend how to improve justice.

She said after two or three weeks, the next commission to be launched will focus on the Foreign Affairs and the main assignment will focus on performance of the country's envoys and their qualifications.
analysis

After securing its gas enterprises, Rwandan security forces now guard Cabo Delgado's lucrative graphite and ruby mines.

The number of Rwandan soldiers and police fighting terrorism in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province increased from 1 000 in 2021 to 2 500 by the end of 2022. In December last year, they were placed in the province's southern Ancuabe District, a strategic deployment that protects the multimillion-dollar ruby and graphite industries which had been temporarily halted due to the insurgency.

The heightened security has made areas with abundant natural resources safer - but what about the rest of Cabo Delgado? Are civilians living there better off?

When Rwandan troops were sent to Cabo Delgado's northern districts for the first time in July 2021, they had a broad mandate to help restore Mozambican state authority. But their focus on protecting natural resources seems more specific than that of the Southern African Development Community Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM), which was deployed at the same time.

Towards the end of 2022, terrorists made inroads into Cabo Delgado's relatively safe southern region

Rwandan security forces were assigned to the districts of Palma - home of Africa's fourth largest natural gas reserve - and Mocimboa da Praia, a hub for liquified natural gas development. SAMIM forces by contrast were sent to districts with no ongoing extractive industries.

Districts in Mozambique's northern Cabo Delgado province

Rwanda's troops immediately engaged in combat with the insurgents and achieved notable success, ejecting them from their main bases and the towns they occupied. Those fighters expelled by the Rwandans from Palma and Mocimboa da Praia dispersed and settled in the dense forests of the central and western districts of Macomia, Muidumbe and Nangade - areas later assigned to SAMIM forces.

These three districts were the main sites of attacks on civilians and clashes with security forces throughout 2022. In the last quarter of that year, terrorists began making inroads into Cabo Delgado's relatively safe southern region. Attacks were launched in the districts of Ancuabe, Namuno, Chiure and even reached the neighbouring province of Nampula.

As part of the incursion into southern Cabo Delgado, Gemrock - one of three ruby mines in the province - was attacked, resulting in the region's entire operations being temporarily halted. The graphite industry in the Balama district also suspended activities due to fear of attacks on transport lines from the mine to the country's ports.

The gemstone and graphite industries are vital to Mozambique's economy. Montepuez Ruby Mining ranks among the country's biggest taxpayers, and Syrah Resources has an agreement to supply Tesla with raw materials produced in Cabo Delgado.

The biggest mystery remains the source of financing for Rwanda's expanding Cabo Delgado mission

The southward expansion of attacks threatened the natural resource exploitation in the region, as had happened with gas enterprises in Palma. No foreign troops were present in Cabo Delgado's southern districts, and Mozambique's defence and security forces could not contain the growing threat.

Authorities then turned to Rwanda to protect the country's gemstone and graphite industries. Rwandan President Paul Kagame visited Maputo and sealed an agreement with his counterpart Filipe Nyusi for Rwandan forces' to deploy in southern Cabo Delgado. Two months later, troops were in place, opening a new position in the Ancuabe district.

Although the legal status of SAMIM's presence in Cabo Delgado is public knowledge and widely discussed, the terms governing Rwandan forces are veiled in secrecy. The nature of the agreements between the two countries is unknown, as are the powers assigned to Rwanda's forces. The biggest mystery remains the source of financing for Rwanda's expanding Cabo Delgado mission. Kagame insists that Rwanda is paying its own way.

Some research has suggested that Rwanda's goal is to 'protect the gas exploration, liquefaction and logistics projects in the Rovuma Basin.' But the opening of a new southern front adds gemstones and graphite to the list of assets Kigali seeks to protect.

The opening of a new southern front adds gemstones and graphite to the assets Kigali seeks to protect

From its new position in Ancuabe, Rwanda's forces are conducting regular patrols along the EN14 highway, covering the Ancuabe, Montepuez and Balama districts. Their presence has improved security in the region. Vehicles that previously needed defence and security force escorts between Pemba and Montepuez are now travelling without protection. Graphite transport along the EN14 has resumed, and the gemstone industry is operating relatively safely.

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However, Cabo Delgado's south appears to be another island of safety for the benefit of Mozambique's natural resources (rather than its people) - something authorities' have always prioritised. Terror attacks continue in the central and western districts where gas and mineral reserves are less abundant. There, SAMIM forces are trying to keep the civilian population safe without the help of Rwandan or Mozambican security forces.

Since the insurgency started, Mozambique's focus has been primarily on protecting Cabo Delgado's natural resources, with human security relegated to the background. The government now has Rwandan troops as its partner in this quest.

Effective coordination between the Rwandan forces, SAMIM and the Mozambique Defence Force is still lacking. Until that is achieved, safety for the people of Cabo Delgado will remain elusive.

Borges Nhamirre, Consultant, ISS Pretoria
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman 7 priorities of the Budget for fiscal 2022-2023 at 11 am today at the Parliament in New Delhi.

The 'Saptrishi' of the Budget 2023, according to FM Nirmala Sitharaman are:

Inclusive development

According to the Finance Minister, the government's Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas policy has benefitted many sections, including women, SCs, STs, OBCs, and other underprivileged groups. Agriculture will benefit from an open source, open standard, and interoperable digital public infrastructure.

Agricultural startups will be encouraged through the establishment of an accelerator fund. In addition, modern technology will be introduced to transform agro practices. Providing innovative and affordable solutions to farmers' present-day challenges is the idea.

The government will launch an Atmanirbhar Clean Plant program to boost availabiltiy of disease-free, quality planting material, she says. The Minister claimed that India is at the forefront of popularizing millets, which improve food security and farmer well-being.

We grow several types of Shree Anna, such as Jowar, Raagi, Bajra, Ramdana, Cheena and Saama These have a number of health benefits and have been an integral part of our food for centuries, she added.

Reaching the last mile

Building on success of Aspirational District program, we have recently launched the Aspirational Blocks program, covering 500 blocks for saturation of government services.

In order to improve the economic conditions of particularly vulnerable groups, PM-Primitive Vulnerable Tribal Group Development Mission was launched. Safe housing, clean water, road, and telecom connectivity will be provided. An Amount of 15,000 crores was allocated to implement this across three years.

The FM also said that 38,800 teachers and support staff would be recruited for 740 Eklavya residential schools, which serve 3.5 lakh tribal students.

Infrastructure and investment

The capital investment outlay is being increased steeply by 33 percent to Rs 10 lakh crore, which would be 3.3 percent of GDP.

A 35.4% increase in the outlay to Rs 7.50 lakh crore was made in FY 2022-23. In the previous year, it was Rs 5.54 lakh crore.

The amount will be almost three times what was spent in 2019-20.

Unleashing the potential

Financial sector

Credit guarantee for the MSMEs. The revamp schemes will take effect from 2023 through an infusion of Rs 9,000 crore in the corpus. This will enable another collateral-free credit of Rs 2 lakh crore. Further the cost of credit will be reduced by around 1 percent.

Green growth

India is moving forward firmly to achieve the net zero target. The recently launched national green hydrogen with an outlay of Rs 19,700 crore will facilitate the transition of the economy to low carbon intensity and reduce dependency on fossil fuel imports. Our target is to reach an annual production of 5 MMT by 2030. This budget provides for Rs 35,000 crore capital investment towards energy transition and net zero objective and energy security by the Ministry of petroleum and natural gas, the FM declared.

The FM said four transformative opportunities can be used in Amrit Kaal to enhance economic empowerment. The finance minister said the digital public infrastructure for agriculture will be built as open source, open standard and interoperable public good. Infrastructure growth has been offering multiplier effects in the economy. Under the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP), over 89,151 projects worth Rs 141.4 lakh crore are under various stages of implementation.

The government has also launched the National Monetisation Pipeline with an investment potential of Rs 9 lakh crore.

Green credit programs for encouraging behavioral change will be notified under the environment protection act.

This will incentivize environmentally sustainable and responsive action by companies, individuals, and local bodies in mobilizing additional resources for such activity.

Youth power

The government has formulated the National Education Policy.

There will be a launch of the PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana 4.0 to skill lakhs of youth. In addition to drones and 3D printing, the scheme will cover new age courses.

There will be 30 Skill India International centers in various states.

The FM also announced the launch of a unified skill platform for India. To provide stipends to 47 lakh youth in three years, direct benefit transfer under a Pan-India national apprenticeship scheme will be rolled out. This is a developing story, stay tuned for more information.

Rajiv Bhalla, Managing Director, India & Vice President APAC, at Barco said, Indian economy is heading towards a bright future, the 'Saptrishi' of the Budget 2023 prioritizes on inclusive development, reaching last mile, unleashing potential, green growth, youth power. Announcement around adding 50 tourist destinations as a whole package and focusing holistically on physical as well as virtual connectivity, tourist guides, high standards for food streets and tourists security through an app to enhance tourist experience, is a significant step that will unlock growth and job opportunities in the sector. The Budget is perfectly aligned with Barcos aim to make India a popular tourist destination with visible impact, allowing people to enjoy compelling entertainment experiences. Further, Budget has focused on overall growth & sustainability as India has the potential to be a world-class infrastructure centre, moving toward net zero carbon emissions by 2070 & setting up the AI based solutions in health, education, and sustainable cities will give additional push towards the extensive use of technology.
San Mateo, CA (94402)

Today

Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 59F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low 47F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.
President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers a keynote address during the opening ceremony of the World Science Forum in Cape Town, December 6, 2022.

analysis

January was a busy diplomatic month for South Africa. The country hosted Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and US treasury secretary Janet Yellen. Josep Borrell, vice-president of the European Commission, was also in town.

The biggest talking point, though, has been Lavrov's visit, which met with criticism in the west. Similarly, the South African-Russian-Chinese joint maritime exercise, Operation Mosi, scheduled for February off the South African Indian Ocean coast. Critics have slammed South Africa's hosting of the war games in the light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

South Africa has been reticent to criticise Russia openly for invading Ukraine. The country abstained during each vote criticising Russia at the United Nations. Some have read this as tacit support of Russia.

The visits and South Africa's position on Russia's invasion of Ukraine have put the spotlight on the country's foreign policy.

I follow, study and have published extensively on South Africa's foreign policy. In a recent publication, Ramaphosa and a New Dawn for South African Foreign Policy, my co-editors and I point out that South Africa's voting pattern in these instances should be read in the context of its declared foreign policy under the stewardship of President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Like his predecessors, Ramaphosa's policy encompasses at least five principles:

pan-Africanism

South-South solidarity

non-alignment

independence

progressive internationalism. The governing ANC defines this as

an approach to global relations anchored in the pursuit of global solidarity, social justice, common development and human security, etc.

Evolution of South Africa's foreign policy

In the era of Nelson Mandela, the first president of democratic South Africa, the country, once a pariah state, returned to the international community. Under him, the country saw a significant increase in its bilateral and multilateral relations.

Read more: History may explain South Africa's refusal to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine

It enjoyed global goodwill and Mandela was recognised for his outspoken views on international human rights abuses. His involvement in conflict resolution efforts in, for example, Timor Leste (East Timor) and Africa also received international acclaim. The UN declared 18 July Nelson Mandela International Day.

Mandela's tenure was followed by the aspirational era of President Thabo Mbeki's African renaissance. Mbeki's foreign policy aspired to reposition Africa as a global force as well as to rekindle pan-Africanism and African unity.

His successor Jacob Zuma's era could be described as indigenisation of South Africa's foreign policy, driven by the values of ubuntu (humanness). In giving effect to ubuntu - equality, peace and cooperation - as a foreign policy principle, South Africa gravitated towards the global south, rather than just Africa. Yet the continent remained a focus of South Africa's foreign policy.

Ramaphosa's foreign policy

South Africa's foreign policy under President Cyril Ramaphosa has shifted to a strong emphasis on economic diplomacy. This is joined by a commitment to "progressive internationalism".

Progressive internationalism formed the basis for South Africa's vocal position on UN reform, global equity and ending the dominance of the global north. The global north could view this as challenging to its hegemonic power and dominance in the UN.

This has challenged South Africa's declared foreign policy principles. It maintains strong economic and political relations with the global north. But it also maintains strong relations with the global south (including Cuba, Venezuela and Russia). For this, it has been criticised by the west.

South Africa's quest for global status in line with its declared foreign policy principles continues under Ramaphosa. It has adopted several roles to achieve this: balancer, spoiler and good international citizenship.

As a balancer, it has attempted to rationalise its relations with both the north and south in accordance with the principles of non-alignment and independence. As a spoiler, it has failed to condemn, for example, China for its poor human rights record, claiming it is an internal Chinese matter. This could be read as an expression of its south-south solidarity with China. Its role as a good international citizen has made it an approachable international actor. It has promoted the rule of international law and upholding international norms. This speaks to its progressive internationalism principle.

At home and abroad

The Ramaphosa era set off in 2018 with less emphasis on foreign policy. But by the time the COVID pandemic broke out in December 2019, his foreign policy really came to the fore as he led both the South African and African pandemic responses.

South Africa has been attempting to capitalise on the geostrategic changes in the balance of forces on the world stage. Blatant realpolitik has returned. During the past year, for example, the country has conducted joint multilateral military exercises with several states, most notably with France (Operation Oxide), a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

South Africa's soft diplomacy has made some inroads at UN agencies and through its cultural diplomacy. But this has not necessarily resulted in material gains - such as more leadership in multilateral organisations.

Moreover, its gravitation towards strong non-western military powers such as Russia, China and India has met with western disappointment. Its foreign policy position of solidarity, independence, non-alignment and progressive internationalism has not translated into material foreign policy benefits either, such as increased foreign direct investment as envisaged by Ramaphosa's economic diplomacy.

Trade with states such as China, Turkey, Russia and India has increased. But it is not enough as the country requires massive investment to update infrastructure and start new development projects in line with Ramaphosa's vision of a "new dawn" for South Africa.

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The post-pandemic international political economy has also adversely affected the country. This has been amplified by the economic impact of the Ukraine crisis . Massive Western financial commitments are directed towards Ukraine. This leaves South Africa in a vulnerable economic position as it needs foreign development assistance.

Looking forward

As our South African Foreign Policy Review volume 4 has shown, Ramaphosa's "new dawn" has been deferred. This as his party and government jump from crisis to crisis. This kind of instability often seeps into the diplomatic landscape. Investors are aware of the investment risks posed by state capture and power crises.

Globally, the age of soft power has somewhat waned since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. South Africa needs to be proactive - not only reactive - to emerging international geostrategic conditions.

Read more: Russia in Africa: can it offer an alternative to the US and China?

Besides its current leadership of the BRICS bloc (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa), the country needs to be bolder. It should, for example, campaign for a fourth term on the UN Security Council, and for leadership in multilateral organisations. In these, it can actively achieve its foreign policy objectives in support of the country's national interests.

Jo-Ansie van Wyk, Professor in International Politics, University of South Africa
The Jamaican financial firm at the centre of an embezzlement scandal that ensnared Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt placed the blame on a single employee, who the company alleges also defrauded 39 other clients and even sought a loan from Bolts management team to help cover up her scheme.

Stocks & Securities Ltd. said in an emailed statement that Bolts management had approached the firm on January 11 to report that an SSL employee had gone to their office and confessed that she had falsified statements and stolen their clients money. She also allegedly requested a loan to help pay back other victims, according to SSL, which didnt identify the employee.

Usain Bolts lawyers said their client was missing more than $US12 million from his account. Credit: AP

Despite the confession, she apparently still believed that she could borrow the money from the Bolt management group to repay the other SSL clients, the Kingston-based firm said. SSL said that a company disciplinary panel recommended that the employee be dismissed for negligence and gross incompetence.

Last month, Bolts lawyers said their client was missing more than $US12 million ($17 million) from his account. SSL said its still evaluating its total losses, but said that the vast majority of clients have not been affected by fraud. The firms insurance policy includes coverage for employee dishonesty and forgery with coverage up to $US1 million, and efforts are also being made to have the staffer commit to restitution, SSL said.
Since 1952, there has been a mystery playing out in theatres around the world. Two mysteries, actually. One is the story of The Mousetrap, a whodunit written by best-selling crime writer Agatha Christie. The second is how, for the most part, no one has spoiled any of the big twists and turns of a play that has just turned 70.

The production itself has a storied history. It started out as a radio play commissioned as a birthday present for Queen Mary in the 1940s. From there, its success inspired a short story, and finally the play itself  which is now the longest running West End Show in history. This month, the production arrives back in Melbourne as part of a tour around Australia.

Alex Rathgeber, Laurence Boxhall, Anna OByrne, Tom Conroy & Adam Murphy in a scene from The Mousetrap. Credit: Brian Geach

The story kicks off when a young couple open up a bed and breakfast, explains Laurence Boxhall, who plays the character Christopher Wren.

Its their opening days of the guest house when all of these all these interesting characters show up. He pauses to think. Theyre all very different, and all very mysterious ... I cant be any more vague if I tried, he adds with a laugh. You dont want to be the guy that after 70 years ruins The Mousetrap.
Perhaps thats why the case feels somehow loosely connected to the #MeToo movement - though really, there are very few even remotely similar incidents with which it can be bracketed. When the story broke, many drew comparisons with the fatal shooting of Brandon Lee during the making of The Crow in 1993. That film, Rusts producers will have surely noted, was released just seven months later, and Lees death became part of its mythology.

But in that case, the relevant district attorney said he had found no evidence of wilful and wanton negligence, and no criminal charges were filed. Nor was the man holding the weapon also a producer, whose job involved maintaining a safe and disciplined set.

The actor who fired the shot on The Crow, Michael Massee, withdrew from the business for a year. Baldwin, by contrast, has remained staunchly in the public eye, making three further features. One is another project from one of Rusts producers, Anjul Nigam - an action thriller called 97 Minutes, shot in Hampshire last year and slated for release next month - while the others were Italian-made Christmas comedies, Kid Santa and Billies Magic World. There was of course also the flatteringly lit interview on CNN last August, in which the actor protested his innocence and heaped blame on Gutierrez-Reed and Halls.

Will the charges leave Baldwin un-castable in Hollywood? Truth is, the Hollywood work for which he was known - the half-suave, half-sharklike character turns stretching from Beetlejuice to Motherless Brooklyn - had essentially petered out by 2020 anyway. And one last Boss Baby voice gig aside, hes since found himself in the churn-and-burn video-on-demand ecosystem of which Rust was (and apparently may yet still be) a part.

Whatever happens now, up to and including prison, there are corners of that system that would welcome him back: just look at Kevin Spacey and Johnny Depp, both still gainfully employed post-disgrace. The career Baldwin would have lost was already over. But if cinema still has places for Depp and Spacey, you had better believe it can find one for him too.
Dear Edward



Apple TV+

Jason Katims rarely misses. The American playwright turned television creator zeroes in on the emotional tangles that we carry into our everyday lives: Friday Night Lights and Parenthood both enjoyed lengthy runs with heartfelt conversations and domestic obligations to the fore. His new Apple TV+ series adds an accelerant to his patented approach, charting the fallout from an air crash disaster that leaves the sole survivor  a 12-year-old boy  as adrift as the many loved ones trying to comprehend their sudden loss.

Colin OBrien and Taylor Schilling in Dear Edward

Found in the debris, Edward (Colin OBrien), has lost his parents and brother, ending up with his aunt, Lacey (Taylor Schilling), who finds herself trying to parent a devastated boy after going through a string of miscarriages. Arrayed in a church basement support group, Dee Dee (Connie Britton) has to come to terms with the unknown second life her husband had been living, while Adriana (Anna Uzele) feels compelled to carry the legacy of her grandmother, an indomitable Black Congresswoman.

Dear Edward is an almighty tug on the heartstrings. You can watch it as a cathartic experience, expertly arranged across 10 episodes that build slowly but surely, or wallow in the tearjerking punctuation. Its a sly reflection of whats happening on the screen  the characters face being overwhelmed, and so does the audience. The first episode expertly sets up the storylines, but subsequent instalments add extra strands so that faces in the support group start to gain definition. Theres even a smidge of Hot Priest action mid-season.
analysis

Over half of Zambia's population lived below the national poverty line in 2015. In rural areas, where 89% of households are engaged in agriculture, the poverty rate was even higher, at 77% of the population.

The government runs several programmes of financial support for farmers. Some provide agricultural inputs directly to households.

Agricultural input subsidies can encourage adoption of modern inputs like fertilisers, improved seeds or agro-chemicals, by making them more affordable. Input subsidies can be price-based, packages of inputs or input vouchers provided at a subsidised cost to eligible farmers.

There is a vast body of research showing that these policies can raise farm outputs and incomes. But there are also reservations concerning their effectiveness. Low and middle-income countries, including in Africa, also have other transfer policies that may be more effective in reaching the poor. They can also lead to improved agricultural production, as is the case with social cash transfer programmes.

Agricultural input subsidies represent a transfer of income to the targeted households. But eligibility criteria - such as requiring minimum farm sizes or membership of farming cooperatives - may reduce the likelihood of such support reaching the poorest farmers. Price-based subsidies offer the greatest benefit to people who farm on a bigger scale.

Read more: Small efforts can protect farmers from pesticides. Insights from Zambia

Tax instruments are needed to fund inputs provided to farmers and cash transfers to households. But they, too, have impacts on poverty and inequality. That is why a comprehensive assessment of agricultural policies as a part of the broader tax-benefit system is needed.

Our study

To fill this gap, we used tax-benefit microsimulation to assess the distributional impacts of agricultural policies in Zambia. The tax-benefit microsimulation model for Zambia, MicroZAMOD, enables policymakers and researchers to analyse and compare the effects of different benefit policy scenarios on poverty, inequality and government revenues. The earlier version of the model was expanded by us to better capture the main impacts of agricultural policies on household incomes.

The results show that Zambian agricultural policies reduce the share of households whose consumption falls below the poverty line by 3-5 percentage points. Although this does not solves the poverty problem in the country, it is still a sizeable effect among developing countries. The magnitude of poverty reduction depends on whether only the policies' direct impacts are considered, or also behavioural impacts that lead to changes in agricultural production. We also examined whether it was possible to reach similar poverty reduction at a lower cost to the government.

Farming interventions in Zambia

The Zambian government has three key agricultural programmes:

The Farmer Input Subsidy Programme, introduced in 2002, represents farm input subsidies, or subsidised input vouchers or packs. It provides e-vouchers or input packs through direct distribution. This is subject to the farmer's own contribution. The aim is to enhance smallholder farmers' incomes, and food security at the household and national levels.

The Food Security Pack, established in 2000, is a social protection programme aimed at vulnerable, but viable, smallholder farmers. It consists of a package of inputs and a part of the crop is recovered by the community as a pay back.

The Food Reserve Agency buys farmers' produce at set prices. This provides market access and stabilises prices. Its core aim is to manage strategic food reserves.

There have been a number of impact studies of these programmes. But, until now, there has been no systematic assessment of the agricultural policies as a part of the entire tax-benefit system in Zambia.

Read more: Tanzania's tomato harvest goes to waste: solar-powered cold storage could be a sustainable solution

In our analysis, we wanted to capture how these policies affected poverty. We took into account their productive impacts, established by earlier studies. We simulated the impacts of extending the number of beneficiaries of the Food Security Pack.

The value of the package to a farmer is about 2,400 Kwacha (about US$130). Beneficiaries are households whose heads are not employed. They must also belong to categories of vulnerable households. These include being headed by females, children, terminally ill persons, unemployed youths or old people. Eligibility also requires them to be cultivating between 0.5 and 2 hectares of land, and having adequate labour.

Read more: Farming in South Africa: 6 things that need urgent attention in 2023

Until around 2020, the coverage of Food Security Pack was very low. In 2020 we modelled it to have 55,000 recipient households. In the 2022-23 farming season, the government goal is to reach 290,000 recipients, having already expanded the programme to 263,000 households in 2021-22.

The results of our simulations indicate that expanding the coverage of the package to 292,000 beneficiaries would reduce Zambia's poverty headcount ratio by 0.9 percentage points, in comparison to the lower number of recipients (55,000).

Part of the reduction in poverty stems from the benefit's impact on households' agricultural production. The Gini index, which measures income inequality, is also slightly reduced. This means lower inequality as a result of the package's expansion. The cost of extension is estimated to amount to about 430 million Kwacha. Because of the targeting criteria, the household beneficiaries are mostly rural, agricultural households cultivating less than five hectares of land (Figure 1).

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Female-headed households and households with elderly members benefit relatively more. The Food Security Pack is, therefore, effective in reducing rural poverty and inequality in Zambia. It shows that provision of inputs to vulnerable households is more cost effective in achieving these impacts compared to the Farmer Input Support Programme that targets smallholders with less focus on vulnerability.

In the light of these findings the Zambian government's decision to expand the programme further is advisable.

Read more: Chickens from live poultry markets in Nigeria could be bad for your health - scientists explain why

Tax-benefit microsimulation is a useful tool to examine the economy-wide impacts of the entire taxation and social protection system. We have broadened its use with a more detailed analysis of agricultural policies. As the Zambian application shows, a joint analysis of agricultural and social support is key when designing well-targeted poverty reduction policies.

Mari Kangasniemi, a social protection officer in the Inclusive Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division in the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, contributed to the research and this article.

Jukka Pirttila, Professor of Public Economics, University of Helsinki
When relaxing at home with a loved one, settling in with a cup of tea or glass of wine or a big bowl of spaghetti, theres nothing better than turning to each other and saying tenderly, Do you think that youd survive that, or no?

Im talking, of course, of the experience of watching a zombie apocalypse show, which is a genre of TV that tends to inspire a lot of conversation. No matter how outlandish the premise, how unlikely it is that your neighbours might one day develop a taste for brains, its hard not to project yourself into that universe and figure out how youd escape supernatural danger. (In my house, the conversation generally turns to what job would you do in the apocalypse? which just shows how global financial crises and recessions have poisoned our millennial brains.)

Another apocalypse: The Last of Us.

The latest zombie show to prompt your dinnertime debate is HBOs The Last of Us, based on a 2013 video game of the same name. Your mileage may vary on live action screen adaptations of video games (though if you were one of the five people who went to see Super Mario Bros. in the cinema in 1993, theres no judgment here) but you should definitely make an exception for this one.

Starring Game of Thrones alumni Pedro Pascal (who will also be reprising his role in The Mandalorian on Disney+ in March) and Bella Ramsey (last seen in Amazon Primes Catherine Called Birdy), The Last of Us is largely set 20 years after a mass fungal infection kills vast swaths of the world or leaves them as violent hosts eager to spread the sickness to other people. Joel (Pascal), an ex-construction worker who has been hardened by the things hes had to do to survive, is tasked with smuggling 14-year-old Ellie (Ramsey) to a rebel group who believe that her physiology holds the key to a vaccine.
Tapped by Sir John

Mr Whitlam, in his book The Truth of the Matter, recounts the night Sir John Kerr made an unceremonious visit to Kirribilli House. Sir John, who was residing next door, tapped on the French window panes [at 8.30] and demanded admittance [The staff] asked him in and got him a bottle of scotch, writes Mr Whitlam. Sir John felt no inhibition about turning up at Kirribilli House because the lights were on and knocking off a bottle or two of my dutiable Scotch.

Cut-price overseas flights begin

Australias first 1,000 cut-price air passengers - the vanguard of a 20,000 exodus during the next two months - set off from Sydney, Melbourne and Darwin yesterday. As they left, the majority on the $568 low-season return to London, criticism mounted that there are not enough seats at the new fares to satisfy demand. Sydney travel agents described the passengers on yesterdays flights and those booked on all flights during the low season as the lucky ones.

Khomeinis heros welcome

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned to a vast heros welcome in Tehran today after 14 years exile, vowing to proclaim an Islamic republic within a few days. The 78-year-old Moslem leader told his welcoming committee his movement would be successful only when the roots of colonialism are pulled out. One of his aides told reporters on board the aircraft that after the proclamation of a provisional Government a referendum and elections would be held.
An ABC television broadcast and two online articles conveyed a series of defamatory meanings about former Australian special forces soldier Heston Russell, including that he was involved in shooting and killing an Afghan prisoner, a Federal Court judge has ruled.

Justice Michael Lees decision on the meaning conveyed by the publications, delivered on Wednesday, is a preliminary win for Russell and paves the way for a trial to determine whether the national broadcaster can rely on any defences.

Heston Russell leaves court with his barrister Sue Chrysanthou, SC, last year. Credit: Louie Douvis

Lee said 10 defamatory meanings were conveyed by an ABC television broadcast on November 19, 2021, an online article on the same day, and the November article with a linked article from October 2020.

The meanings included that Russell, as commander of November Platoon, was involved in shooting and killing an Afghan prisoner during an operation in Helmand province in mid-2012; that he habitually left fire and bodies in his wake when deployed in Afghanistan; and that he habitually and knowingly crossed the line of ethical conduct as a commando in Afghanistan.
An alleged fugitive who is accused of removing his electronic ankle bracelet and going on the run for three months is back behind bars in Sydney after he was captured in the Northern Territory last week.

Mark Horne, 32, was extradited to NSW after police allege he was found hiding inside the hull of a luxury yacht in a Darwin marina last week, when Australian Border Force officers conducted an outbound clearance ahead of its attempt to sail.

Mark Horne is back behind bars in Sydney after breaching his bail in October. Credit: NSW Police

Its alleged Horne was holding false documents and a large sum of Australian currency when he was found on January 25. He was subsequently arrested, and on Friday NSW Police successfully applied for his extradition. He arrived at Sydney Airport on Tuesday evening.

Wearing a grey hoodie and in handcuffs, Horne appeared via video link from Surry Hills police cells as a detention application was heard in Parramatta District Court on Wednesday. His lawyer, Hisham Karnib, said the application was not opposed.
Also arrested and charged in Sydney was a mid-ranking employee of the National Australia Bank, Chen Zhang. Others charged include an accountant and a lawyer. The NAB worked closely with the federal police and is one of several of the big four banks, along with second and third-tier lenders, to be targeted by the syndicate. AFP raided several addresses across Sydneys eastern suburbs on Wednesday. Credit: Nick Moir Houses bought by syndicate members and seized by the federal police included two luxury homes in Vaucluse and Bellevue Hill with a combined worth of $19 million, a $22 million tower in St Leonards and a $21 million five-storey property adjoining Pitt Street Mall in Sydney. Luxury goods including watches and handbags worth millions of dollars were also confiscated. Federal agents have also seized a 360-hectare plot of land in Cawdor, near Camden, which Ma bought for $47 million in August. Police intelligence suggests the syndicate had aspirations to develop the land into a small suburb, given its proximity to the planned Western Sydney international airport.

The AFPs Operation Avarus-Midas  named after the ancient Greek king who in mythology could turn objects into gold  has also cast fresh light on legislative and policy gaps that continue to be exploited by criminals, including weaknesses in the visa and financial system that have turned Australia into a soft target for organised criminals seeking to operate here or invest in real estate. Police allege the syndicate had a blue-chip property portfolio comprising Sydney mansions, a luxury city building and hundreds of acres of land near Sydneys second airport. Credit: Nick Moir The alleged transnational crime organisation, known as the Xin Money Laundering Organisation (MLO), exploited Australias migration system, with a senior syndicate figure being granted a significant-investor visa and another receiving Australian citizenship despite being a wanted fugitive. A third suspected syndicate member is a former federal government registered migration agent who facilitates visas for Chinese nationals. The Albanese government has already appointed former Victorian police commissioner Christine Nixon to investigate the exploitation of Australias migration system by criminals, after this masthead and 60 Minutes revealed how human trafficking, worker exploitation and drug syndicates were rorting the nations visa programs. The alleged role of a lawyer and ex migration agent, and, an accountant in the Xin MLOs operation, as well as its property purchases, will ramp up pressure on the federal government to introduce long-stalled Tranche 2 laws. The laws would force accountants, real estate agents and lawyers to face the same obligations as bankers and casinos to report suspected money laundering.

The ease with which the syndicate bought property also raises questions about the adequacy of the Foreign Investment Review Board in safeguarding Australian real estate and businesses from tainted overseas money. Sam Boarder, who runs the national security practice at McGrathNicol Advisory, said the booming operations of transnational organised crime had increased the urgency of proceeding with Tranche 2 reforms to anti-money-laundering laws. Suburb aspirations: the 360 hectares of land on Cawdor Road was bought by Zhaohua Ma for $47 million in August. Criminal syndicates are working around our existing countermeasures, he said. The national security risks from these criminal operations are immense, particularly if entangled with foreign government-backed influence platforms. The democratic world is still coming to terms with these massive flows of grey unregulated capital, which distort our real estate markets and introduce vulnerabilities into our economic and financial systems.

A shadow bank is born The origins of the Xin MLO lie in tycoon Alvin Chaus SunCity casino junket business, which gained infamy after this masthead and 60 Minutes exposed its involvement in large-scale money laundering at Australian casinos and its links to the Chinese triads, which are secretive and powerful criminal organisations. Jewellery was among the luxury items federal police seized. Credit: AFP The media exposure in 2019 and 2020, and subsequent scrutiny by various casino commissions of inquiry, led to the collapse of SunCitys Australian operations. But one of SunCitys key lieutenants, Steven Xin, pivoted from the casino trade to a service that allowed high-wealth Chinese nationals to shift funds into Australia and other attractive overseas investment destinations in defiance of Chinas capital-flight laws.

The AFP alleges Xin, who fled China, where he is wanted for running an illegal gambling enterprise, obtained Australian citizenship and partnered with Chinese businessman Zhouhua Ma to provide this service. The pair won the trust of international drug cartels and other crime syndicates seeking another service: the movement of dirty cash  that was earned in countries such as Australia  to China or other offshore locations. AFP officers at a home in Vaucluse on Wednesday. Credit: Nick Moir For a 4 to 10 per cent cut of every dollar moved, the Xin MLO would collect this suspected dirty cash and provide it to its Chinese customers  who did not have access to their Chinese funds  to fund real estate purchases and other acquisitions abroad. To pay back the syndicate, these customers would then instruct their Chinese bank to transfer the same amount of money to another Chinese bank account or shelf company that was secretly controlled by the Xin MLO.

Police allege these ghost accounts or shelf companies would then move the funds onto the criminal syndicates that had provided the original funds. Loading The money scheme also utilised casinos, cryptocurrency and daigou businesses to ensure no actual funds crossed international borders, evading international law enforcement detection. But it was also in breach of Australian counter-money laundering laws, which require all money-moving businesses to register with regulator AUSTRAC or face accusations of moving the proceeds of crime. Tracking the trail

Operation Avarus-Midas commenced after federal agents working on an earlier money laundering operation, codenamed Zanella, began arresting suspects who were carrying bags stuffed with millions of dollars in cash. Cash was seized in Operation Avarus-Midas. Credit: AFP Frustrated with their inability to catch more senior syndicate members, police sources said investigators devised a long-term plan to patiently track a money trail to the suspected syndicates upper echelons. While the syndicate engaged in counter-surveillance, including the use of encrypted phone devices, the federal police gradually built a picture of its operations in Australia and overseas. It meant police were monitoring in February 2022, when a mysterious company called Tara Global Pty Ltd purchased for $21 million a five-storey building at 119 King Street, adjoining Sydneys Pitt Street Mall.

The company funded the purchase with $7 million sent from two Hong Kong shelf companies to an account set up at the NABs Burwood branch by a woman who claimed to be a wealthy Chinese investor. She had reportedly arrived at the bank in a Lamborghini 4WD. Police allege that the woman who claimed to represent Tara Global was in fact Xins mother-in-law and that she was helping Xin and other MLO syndicate members invest their profits in Australian real estate. This building at 119 King St, Sydney has been seized by the AFP. Credit: Nick Moir After transferring the $7 million to Sydney, Tara Global then sought further funds from other Australian banks to complete the King Street purchase. The Commonwealth Bank declined Tara Globals $11 million loan application as it appeared suspicious, so the figures behind Tara Global contacted an alleged trusted insider at NAB, Chen Zhang. He gave them advice about making a fresh application with another financier, Latrobe Finance.

Police suspect this application was fraudulent. Zhang also allegedly gave the syndicate advice about getting further loans from NAB, but the bank froze Tara Globals accounts in September. The MLO was unfazed by the freezing of accounts given they had previously been able to start new accounts and obtain large loans, police sources allege. The case against Xin and his co-accused will allege that companies were routinely wound up and phoenixed into new corporate structures linked to new bank accounts as financial institutions froze existing accounts due to suspicions about the origins of funds. Federal police have seized cars as they dismantled the syndicate. Credit: AFP AFP Assistant Commissioner Eastern Command Kirsty Schofield described the alleged syndicate and others like it as providing the lifeblood of organised crime in Australia and internationally. This was a sophisticated, complex syndicate established to facilitate the movement of funds regardless of their origin, purpose or harm caused to the Australian community, Assistant Commissioner Schofield said.

Most of the nine suspects charged are facing serious money laundering and proceeds of crime offences relating to activity that allegedly took place between 2018 and 2022. Loading A sea of dirty funds A unique component of the federal polices investigation was the behind-the-scenes co-operation of NAB, whose top financial crime investigator is former AFP senior officer Chris Sheehan. Sources said Sheehan and a small team of bank investigators provided the AFP with critical data on the operations targets in one of the first examples of a public-private partnership in law enforcement. Typically, police have been too suspicious of corporate institutions to work with them. While the dismantling of the Xin syndicate and freezing of its property assets is significant given it involves the top levels of a major alleged organised crime operation, federal authorities are privately daunted by the scale of money laundering they are facing.

In June, this masthead revealed how police were tracking another suspected Chinese money laundering syndicate with headquarters in Victoria and NSW that moved hundreds of millions of dollars annually to China and elsewhere. The Chen Organisation counts as its customers a relative of Chinese President Xi Jinping, along with Asian triads and bikies, according to briefings from law enforcement officials. The ability of the syndicates to operate under the noses of the Chinese government has also raised questions about Beijings desire to deal with the problem. Officials in the United States have directly called out Beijings failure to combat money laundering trails that flow through Western countries. Australian authorities, including the AFP, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, AUSTRAC and the ATO, have recently ramped up efforts to target money laundering, but more than half a dozen sources say they are being hampered by the sheer scale of the problem, inadequate resources and the failure of Beijing to act.
He said Pell had risen through the ranks to become a giant of the Catholic Church in Australia. Fisher referred to persecuted Christians, noting John the Baptist, the apostles and Jesus himself all had their prison time. He said Pell described his own 404 days in jail as an extended spiritual retreat. Former prime minister Tony Abbott leaves Beppis restaurant in Darlinghurst after the funeral. Credit: Kate Geraghty [He was] imprisoned for crimes he did not commit, following a media, police and political campaign to punish him, whether guilty or not, Fisher said. Even after he was unanimously exonerated by the High Court of Australia, some continued to demonise him. But many appreciate the legacy of this most influential churchman in our nations history.

The late cardinals brother, David Pell, said his family had to be stoic against the relentless campaign to smear Georges life. Loading He also said the family had not been immune to the evil of child sexual abuse, and sympathised with victims. As a Catholic family brought up in Ballarat, we along with many other Catholic families had no idea of the evil curse that was perpetrated on the innocent children of unaware parents by secretive, deviant and manipulative criminals. Abbott was joined by conservative politicians including former prime minister John Howard, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and Federal Liberal MPs Matt Canavan and Dan Tehan at the cathedral.

Neither NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet nor NSW Labor leader Chris Minns attended. Loading The shouts of protesters could be heard above the hymns inside the cathedral during the funeral service, as tensions spilled over between anti-Pell protesters and the Catholic faithful. The first conflict came just before 10am, when protesters placed signs bearing slogans, including Pell burn in hell and Infernal lasting peace, at Hyde Park, which is opposite the cathedral on College Street. Their actions prompted several Catholic mourners to yell Take it down! Police ordered the protesters to remove the signs before they confiscated one of them.

But the protesters, who eventually walked further down to Taylor Square, did not deter the several thousand people gathered outside the church. Relying on two small screens that occasionally dropped out, the faithful and the curious stood quietly as they listened to eulogies. Joey Saab, a 26-year-old Catholic from Bankstown, said he was at the ceremony to unite the church after a period of division. Weve been praying for all the falsely accused and the children who have been abused, he said. The best thing you can do is pray. The cardinal was buried in a private ceremony in the St Marys Cathedral crypt, alongside other senior figures in the Catholic Church in Australia.

Protesters were given permission to gather opposite the cathedral after NSW Police withdrew a court challenge against the march organised by campaign group Community Action for Rainbow Rights. NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said the route agreed by police and organisers meant protesters would be able to march, but because of a buffer zone they would not intersect with mourners at the cathedral. An anti-Pell protest car drives through the streets of Sydney. Credit: Anthony Segaert Theres certainly a right to freedom of speech, and we respect that, but they need to respect the law. Its highly charged and emotional for people on both sides, and all sides, but we just ask that they treat each other with respect today, follow the rules, and hopefully no one will get arrested, Webb told 2GBs Ben Fordham.

Protest organiser Kim Stern said police attempts to block the groups from getting anywhere near the cathedral had been extremely frustrating. Before the protest, Stern said it would be loud, vibrant and very visible, and would denounce Pells strident and long-standing opposition to marriage equality, homosexuality and abortion rights. Pell had also faced allegations of covering up child sexual abuse. A man tries to remove ribbons from the St Marys Cathedral fence before the service. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer Its really great that were able to march up to the church to show that opposition, not just to the cardinal, but also to Peter Dutton, Tony Abbott, other people like that who are going to be in attendance, he told ABC TVs News Breakfast. Loading
The wife of the man who led a Queensland government integrity review is among a group of climate change protesters who have been banned from Brisbanes Parliament House.

Lee Coaldrake on Wednesday appeared in court for the first time as part of a 14-strong contingent from the Extinction Rebellion group who have been accused of disturbing state parliament.

Peter Coaldrake led a review into the culture and accountability of the Annastacia Palaszczuk governments public sector. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

They were arrested after allegedly holding a protest at a parliamentary sitting on November 30, 2022.

Magistrate Peter Saggers allowed bail for the 14 protesters on the condition that they do not enter to within the fenceline of Parliament House.
If throwing shade at cabana owners was an Olympic sport, thered be stiff competition among social media whingers who are battling it out for gold. While the top spot on a beachside podium should smell of zinc, saltwater and happiness  lately, its reeked of Sydneysider entitlement.

People are angrily referring to Bondi as tent city while others are lamenting the loss of Australias coastal image, suggesting weve adopted Europes ugly campsite beaches. And to be frank, I want to slip, slop, but mainly slap them out of it.

People soak up the sun at Balmoral Beach in Sydneys north, Credit: Nikki Short

Youve probably gathered Im a blue-and-white-striped cabana enthusiast. But I havent always been. My ability to assuredly tan without burning was a badge of bronzed honour for many years. Lets moonwalk back to 1983 because I hail from a generation that never wore hats when playing outside and who saw ultraviolet rays as a free instrument for sunbaking.

I became a teenager in the noughties and was very naughty indeed when it came to the sun. I would travel light when heading to our sandy shores. Thongs, a towel and melanoma in a bottle were all I needed. Yep, I used to lather in coconut oil from head to toe and traumatise my skin cells into a more aesthetically pleasing shade of brown.
press release

Government Minister Hassan Bouba Should Be Prosecuted for Alleged War Crimes

Last week, Hassan Bouba, the minister of livestock and animal health in the Central African Republic, gave a press conference while on a ministerial trip. He was in Ngakobo, a town in the Ouaka province. He spoke of increased violence by armed groups in the region, saying it was "unacceptable" and calling for "justice."

But he of all people should be facing justice.

Bouba helped lead the Union for Peace in the Central African Republic (Unite pour la Paix en Centrafrique, UPC), a rebel group that committed serious crimes across the Ouaka province for years. The authorities arrested him in November 2021 on war crimes and crimes against humanity charges brought by the Special Criminal Court, the country's hybrid war crimes court based in the domestic justice system. Later that month, national gendarmes escorted Bouba out of prison and took him to his home, which the Special Criminal Court described as an "escape."

Since then, he has remained a fugitive while serving as minister, becoming the embodiment of impunity in the country.

That Bouba gave a press conference in Ngakobo adds insult to injury. From 2014 to 2017, Human Rights Watch documented 246 civilians killed and 2,050 homes destroyed by Bouba's UPC fighters in the Ouaka province. These numbers are conservative; we could not verify hundreds of cases.

The UPC attacked camps for displaced people, including at Ngakobo. The mother of a child killed during an attack there in 2015 told us, "We all laid on the ground as the bullets whistled above us. It was a few minutes after the shooting started that I heard Junior say, 'I'm dying.' I saw that he was not breathing and had been shot in the head." The UPC also raped scores of women and girls.

Bouba should face justice for his alleged role in overseeing or failing to prevent serious crimes. There is a warrant for Bouba's arrest, and if he genuinely cared about justice, he would surrender to the authorities. The government's failure to support the Special Criminal Court and secure Bouba's arrest shows a lack of political will to enforce its stated commitment to justice. The government should rearrest Bouba on behalf of the victims of Ngakobo and many others who are entitled to see him held to account. Otherwise, justice would be the empty words Bouba assumes them to be.

Lewis Mudge, Director, Central Africa
Why some politicians won't be attending George Pell's funeral

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Billionaires and big companies poured cash into political parties last year in a boost led by mining magnate Clive Palmer, who dominated campaign finance by giving $117 million to his own party to secure a single seat in the Senate at the last election.

Palmers spending on the United Australia Party surpassed the donations made to each of the major political parties in the election year, intensifying a debate over caps on donations ahead of government reforms to campaign finance law expected this year.

Trevor St Baker, Anthony Pratt, Clive Palmer and Graeme Wood. Credit: Christopher Pearce, Jeremy Piper, Scott McNaughton, Louise Kennerley

Corporate donors appeared to have increased their support for Labor ahead of last years election, taking the partys total receipts to $124.2 million  a figure that includes other payments as well as donations  according to annual disclosures from the Australian Electoral Commission.

The Liberal Party collected total receipts of $105.7 million - compared to $165 million in the financial year of the 2019 election - while the Nationals gained $11.6 million, although the final figures remain subject to doubt because of the complexity of the paper-based AEC system and the way it combines receipts such as public funding with the private donations. The total receipts for the Greens reached $22.2 million.
Chairman of the embattled ClubsNSW George Peponis has held talks with the government amid the fallout over Tuesdays shock sacking of high-profile lobbyist and chief executive Josh Landis.

Landis was terminated as the public face of the powerful clubs lobby group after comments he made to the Herald linking Premier Dominic Perrottets religious faith to his push for gambling reform.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet brandishes the NSW Crime Commission report which recommended statewide cashless gaming to combat money laundering. Credit: Janie Barrett

The six-member board, led by Peponis, announced Landis exit with immediate effect amid a loud chorus of condemnation from the premier, senior MPs, religious groups and NSW Labor leader Chris Minns.

Perrottet said he spoke to Landis on Tuesday night, after the now former clubs boss issued a private and public apology to him for saying the premiers pursuit of cashless gaming cards was motivated by his conservative Catholic gut rather than evidence.
The pitch spun a great deal, OKeefe said. Steve played an amazing innings. Its just interesting over there, youve just got to get ahead of the game, and its very hard to get ahead in India. But thats the key. They very rarely give you an opportunity. And when you can sniff it, youve got to take full advantage of it. Youve got to try and find a way to accelerate the game, so youre so far ahead of them that theyre coming from well behind. India made better pitches for the remaining three Tests in 2017, which deteriorated as the game went on and wore the Australians out. Pune is the only victory Australia have achieved in India across 14 Tests on their past four tours.

Little wonder that during the past decade, India have lost just two of 42 Tests at home. Australia started the second Test well in Bangalore, bowling India out for 189, but failed to capitalise with a big lead and lost by 75 runs, then failed to bat big again during the third Test in Ranchi, grinding out a draw. Ranchi we made 450 and it didnt seem like enough, OKeefe said. It needed to be 650. We felt like we were 200 short there. And then they make 600 and were just trying to save the game. Personally the tour just wore me down by the fourth Test. Im not proud to admit it. I was a bit burnt out. I invested a lot of energy in the three games up to that point, bowling 77 overs in an innings in Ranchi.

Loading These guys just break you down mentally, physically, not by playing big shots and taking the game away from you, but by just slowly chipping away getting singles, getting off strike, their forward defence seemed impenetrable. At times, youre like I cant see a way of getting past... These guys were just bulletproof in their defence and had a way of manipulating the scoreboard to keep it moving, keep getting off strike and at times it felt like whatever plans you had were a bit redundant. Specific plans are more pitch related. It was more about how they approach the game, which was at times with a defensive mindset. Thats all they needed to do. Sixers relishing final at fortress SCG

The Sydney Sixers may have lost India tourist Steve Smith for Thursday nights Challenger final against the Brisbane Heat but they have returned to fortress SCG. The pitch rather than the players shape as the dominating factor, with the Sixers unbeaten in their past eight starts at the SCG, including five this year. Sean Abbott, the leading wicket-taker in the Big Bash this season, has been named in the team of the tournament. Credit: Getty images The Sixers look set to rely heavily again on their quality spinners, veteran Steve OKeefe and teenage Afghan leg-spinner Izharulhaq Naveed, exploiting what is expected to be a dry wicket. Despite a heavy loss against the Scorchers in Perth last Saturday in a top-two play-off that allowed the winner a direct path to this Saturdays final, opening bowler Sean Abbott was bullish about the Sixers chances against the Heat.

I think weve got a distinct home ground advantage when we play here (SCG) so those boys (Heat) are up against it tomorrow night, said Abbott, the leading wicket-taker in the Big Bash this season with 28 at an average of 14.07. Brisbane Heat put 220 on us earlier in the season so speaking on behalf of the bowling group, were pretty keen to come out and make a statement. OKeefe has the leading bowling average (14.00) and economy rate (6) for the Sixers this season, having taken 12 wickets from eight games. Its a tricky wicket there (SCG) and has been for a while, OKeefe told the Herald and The Age. And a lot of the time when we look at it, we dont know what its going to do. Steve OKeefe celebrates a wicket at the SCG. Credit: Getty Images
It was also supposed to have included a stop in Goma, in eastern Congo, but the surrounding North Kivu region has been plagued by intense fighting between government troops and the M23 rebel group, as well as attacks by militants linked to the Islamic State group. The fighting has displaced some 5.7 million people, a fifth of them last year alone, according to the World Food Program. Francis is visiting Congo and South Sudan, two countries that have been riven by poverty, conflicts and what he calls a colonialist mentality that has exploited Africa for centuries. Credit: AP Instead of travelling there, Francis will meet with a delegation of people from the east who will travel to Kinshasa for a private encounter at the Vatican embassy on Wednesday. The plan calls for them to participate in a ceremony jointly committing to forgive their assailants. Sylvie Mvita, a student in economics in Kinshasa, said the popes arrival would focus the worlds attention and television cameras on Congo and the fighting in the east to show how its suffering has been forgotten by the rest of the world.

This will allow the world to discover the atrocities of which our brothers in the east of the country are victims. And maybe for once, the little humanity that remains in some people will cause an awakening and the international community will not only be interested in what is happening in Ukraine but also in what is happening in this country, she said. Loading President Felix Tshisekedi voiced a similar line in his speech to the pope, accusing the international community of forgetting about Congo and of its complicit inaction and silence about the atrocities occurring in the east. In addition to armed groups, foreign powers eager for the minerals in our subsoil commit cruel atrocities with the direct and cowardly support of our neighbour Rwanda, making security the first and greatest challenge for the government, he said. Rwanda has been accused of  and has repeatedly denied  backing the M23 rebels operating in Congo.

Francis tough words at the start set the tone for the trip with which the pontiff aims to bring a message of peace, is a warning to the international community to not look the other way and a recognition that Africa is the future of the Catholic Church. The continent is one of the few places on Earth where the Catholic flock is growing, both in terms of practising faithful and fresh vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Loading And Congo stands out as the African country with most Catholics hands down: half of its 105 million people are Catholic, it counts more than 6000 priests, 10,000 nuns and more than 4000 seminarians  3.6 per cent of the global total of young men studying for the priesthood. That makes Francis trip, his fifth to the African continent in his 10-year pontificate, all the more important as the Jesuit pope seeks to reshape the church as a field hospital for wounded souls, where all are welcome, poor people have a special pride of place and rivals are urged to make peace.

Aid groups had hoped Francis six-day visit would shine a spotlight on the forgotten conflicts of Congo and South Sudan and their soaring humanitarian costs, and rekindle international attention amid donor fatigue that has set in due to new aid priorities in Ukraine. Francis answered their call, pointing the finger at the role colonial powers such as Belgium played in the exploitation of Congo until the country, which is 80 times the size of Belgium, gained its independence in 1960, and neighbouring countries are playing today. Loading Francis didnt identify Belgium or any neighbouring country by name, but he spared no word of condemnation, quoting Tshisekedi as saying there was a forgotten genocide under way. The poison of greed has smeared its diamonds with blood, Francis said. May the world acknowledge the catastrophic things that were done over the centuries to the detriment of the local peoples, and not forget this country and this continent.

We cannot grow accustomed to the bloodshed that has marked this country for decades, causing millions of deaths that remain mostly unknown elsewhere, he said. At the same time, he urged Congolese authorities to work for the common good and not tribal, ethnic or personal interests; and put an end to child labor and invest in education so that the most precious diamonds of Congo can shine brightly. Congolese faithful were flocking to Kinshasa for Francis main event, a Mass on Wednesday at Ndolo airport that is expected to draw as many as 2 million people in one of the biggest gatherings of its kind in Congo and one of Francis biggest Masses ever. Loading Banners emblazoned with the popes image carried messages including Pope Francis, the city of Kinshasa welcomes you with joy.

Some women wore colorful dresses and skirts made of pagne, a wax print fabric featuring images of Francis, the Virgin Mary or the Vatican keys, in a celebratory sign of welcome. Jean-Louis Mopina, 47, said he walked about 45 minutes to Kinshasas airport before the popes arrival on Tuesday. He has come like a pilgrim sent by God, Mopina said. His blessing will give us peace in our hearts. ___ Christina Malkia in Kinshasa, and Krista Larson in Dakar, Senegal, contributed to this report.
COVID vaccine manufacturers have a special responsibility because their products are a societal good and most were developed with public funding, said Thomas Frieden, the chief executive of the global health nonprofit Resolve to Save Lives and a former director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Loading Thats a lot of money that could do a lot of good, he said. He added that other large global health programs have budgets roughly equal to the amount the vaccine-makers are holding on to. The entire polio eradication effort costs about $US1 billion a year, and thats a huge infrastructure, he said. Gavi has reached settlements with Moderna, the Serum Institute of India and several Chinese manufacturers to cancel unneeded doses, surrendering $US700 million in prepayments, the documents show.

Another drug company, Novavax, is refusing to refund another $US700 million in advance payments for shots it never delivered. Loading Gavi and Johnson & Johnson are locked in a bitter dispute over payment for shots that Gavi told the company months ago it would not need, but which the company produced anyway. Johnson & Johnson is now demanding that Gavi pay an additional, undisclosed amount for them. Gavi had an indirect supply relationship with Pfizer; the Biden administration purchased a billion shots from it to donate through COVAX. The United States last year revised its deal with the company, converting an order for 400 million doses into future options. The company said it did not charge any fees to change the order. The terms of Gavis deals were kept secret because they were with private companies. There has been no public accounting of how much drug companies have earned from cancelled vaccines.

The documents say that the manufacturers collectively made $US13.8 billion in revenue on the vaccines that were distributed through COVAX. Almost 1.9 billion doses have now been shipped, to 146 countries. More than half were purchased directly by Gavi and the rest were donated by high-income countries. Loading Gavis settlements with Moderna and Serum took into account that the manufacturers had already incurred costs such as those for raw ingredients, according to the documents. In a deal to cancel more than 200 million doses reached late last year, Gavi agreed to allow Moderna to keep an advance payment it had made. In exchange, Gavi was released from having to make any additional payments for the doses, meaning they were cancelled at a cost substantially lower than expected, according to the documents. Moderna also issued Gavi a credit for $US58 million for future products, which is good until 2030. Gavi also made concessions to exit its deal with the Serum Institute of India. Gavi cancelled 145 million doses by allowing the company to keep money Gavi had paid in advance, to cover the cost of materials that had already been procured. Serum also gave Gavi a credit note of an undisclosed amount that the organisation can use to procure the many routine immunisations it buys from Serum each year.

Moderna and Serum declined to comment on the terms. Gavi and Johnson & Johnson are at odds over 150 million COVID vaccine doses that Gavi ordered but has been trying to cancel for months. An employee packs a box containing coronavirus vaccines at the Serum Institute of India in Pune. Credit: AP Gavi had been expecting a significant share of those doses to be distributed by the end of 2021, but Johnson & Johnson had delivered fewer than 4 million doses by then. (Gavis contract with the company did not require it to finish deliveries by that deadline.) When the company was finally ready to ramp up its deliveries last year, demand had plummeted. Gavis administrators alerted the company by mid-2022 that they would not need those doses and requested that it stop making new shots for COVAX, according to the documents.

Johnson & Johnson nevertheless continued to make the shots and sought to deliver them by late 2022, according to the documents. Now, as stipulated in the contract, the company wants Gavi to make additional payment and accept the vaccines. Gavi has proposed that the dispute go to mediation, but the company has until now refused to engage in meaningful negotiations, the documents say. Some of the disputed vaccines have expiration dates as early as mid-2023. Jake Sargent, a spokesperson for Johnson & Johnson, said the company had made the ordered doses available to COVAX and kept Gavi informed about production details. In negotiations with Novavax, Gavi is seeking a refund for $US700 million it spent on advance payments for shots. Gavi had been expecting Novavax deliveries to begin as soon as summer 2021, but the company bungled its vaccine production. As a consequence, Gavi did not proceed with placing the orders for the vaccines it had originally reserved. Novavax said this was a breach of contract and cancelled the deal, keeping the $US700 million.

The dispute is unresolved. In a statement, the company said it is hoping to negotiate a new deal to supply its vaccine to Gavi. Loading Some of the vaccine contracts that Gavi entered into were completely fulfilled. In one case, AstraZeneca issued Gavi a refund when final production costs were lower than expected. Had some vaccine manufacturers not been willing to renegotiate their contracts with Gavi, the costs to the organisation could have been much higher. Gavi would have been on the hook for $US2.3 billion for the doses it wanted to cancel, the documents show, but it saved $US1.6 billion by exiting those contracts. A spokesperson for Gavi, Olly Cann, said the organisation had made no new payments related to cancelled doses. He said the surrendered advance payments represented a fraction of what Gavi would have paid for finished doses.

Dr Seth Berkley, Gavis chief executive, declined to comment for this article. But in an interview in December about the future of the global COVID vaccination program, he said Gavi was paying less per dose than what it had initially planned for vaccine purchases and substantially less than high-income countries paid for their shots. Donations for COVID shots substantially inflated Gavis budget, and the lost prepayments for canceled COVID vaccines do not threaten its regular childhood-vaccination work. The contracts that Gavi has been trying to downsize were negotiated in the uncertain early months of the pandemic, in some cases before the vaccines had been shown to work. In a pandemic, I would want to err on the side of buying too many doses, rather than err on the side of not having enough doses, particularly given the fact that countries felt that there werent enough doses at the beginning, Berkley said. Wealthy countries, who ordered many more doses than they needed, have tried to offload their own surpluses onto COVAX, which has struggled to absorb them.

COVAX began deliveries to developing countries in 2021, but the early pace was glacial. When the program finally had vaccines, the shots presented challenges that weak health systems were ill-equipped to manage. Frustrated by the erratic supply, some public health agencies did little to create demand for the vaccines, while a tide of misinformation discouraged people from seeking them out. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the worlds least-vaccinated region, but reported COVID death rates in the region have been comparatively low, which has further eroded interest in the shots. We have so many offers of donations but we dont take them, because we dont want to have them expire here, said Dr Andrew Mulwa, who oversees the COVID response at Kenyas Health Ministry. We wonder, do we need to continue to spend money administering COVID-19 vaccines when we have other glaring disparities? Gavi is sitting on a stockpile of vaccines and expects millions more in donations from high-income countries that are seeking to shed their own oversupply. The organisation anticipates a maximum demand of 450 million doses this year  half of what COVAX shipped in 2022. This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
PHILIPSBURG:--- With work completed at Milton Peters College (MPC), Methodist Agogic Centre (MAC) Comprehensive Secondary Education, and St. Dominic High School, a total of six (6) schools have now been repaired through the Sint Maarten Trust Fund.

The programs scope of work includes fixing roofs, doors, and windows, as well as mold remediation, plumbing, and minor electrical work. The contractor also installed new aluminum shutters on doors and windows where necessary.

In the case of MAC, additional structural interventions had to be done to improve the schools resilience to natural disasters. This resulted in two of the schools buildings being more securely anchored to their concrete foundations using steel connectors that were specifically designed to help them resist high winds and heavy tremors.

A small ceremony took place on Wednesday, January 25 to symbolize the completion of the three schools. In attendance were Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs, Minister of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sport (ECYS) Rodolphe Samuel, members of the respective school boards, and personnel of the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB). Representatives of the contractor and supervising contractor were also present.

Thanks to NRPB for implementing safeguards, and contractors who have helped to raise the bar for reconstruction post-Irma and Maria, Building Back Better. Congratulations to MPC, St. Dominic, and MAC high schools on the needed repairs through this project. As an educator, it warms my heart to know that the students and teachers will finally be able to have their buildings fully working. Its also a relief for them to be able to get back to normal with their schools now repaired; handed over safer and more resilient to future disasters. Thank you for your patience during this process. It is the goal of this government to ensure all schools are properly prepared and look forward to the coming repairs of the next batch of schools as well as school gyms that are scheduled in the next phases, said Prime Minister Jacobs.

I am happy that this phase of the school repairs has come to completion. This means that we have three more schools in which the students can enjoy face-to-face instruction again. I would like to thank everyone in some way or the other who has made this possible. I look forward to the next phase of the school repairs, said ECYS Minister Samuel.

The Trust Funds school repair program is now entering its third stage. Thirteen (13) schools are slated for repairs in the next 18 months, with the work on the first six (6) of these schools scheduled to begin later in the first quarter of 2023. The repairs will continue in batches until they are all completed.

The 13 schools are MAC Browlia F. Maillard Campus, MAC John A. Gumbs Campus, the Hillside Christian Schools (Asha Stevens and Helmich Snijders Campuses), Seventh-Day Adventist School, Sister Borgia Primary School, Sister Magda Primary School, St. Dominic Primary School, St. Maarten Academy, St. Maarten Academy PSVE, University of St. Martin (USM), Sundial School, and the National Institute for Professional Advancement (NIPA).

In order to facilitate quality education, the buildings that surround our students and educators must be solid, safe, and secure. Through the Trust Fund and on behalf of the Government of Sint Maarten, we are ensuring that the foundations for education can be met in our primary and secondary schools. As we move into the final phases of the school repair program, I am proud to know that we are making strides to become a better, stronger, and more resilient nation, said NRPB Director Connor.

The Sint Maarten Trust Fund is financed by the Government of the Netherlands, managed by the World Bank, and implemented by the NRPB on behalf of the Government of Sint Maarten.
CPS closed on Friday. Reopens on February 5

PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- The Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department in the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA), would like to inform the general public, that its offices at the Vineyard Building Office Complex will be closed for clients and customers on Friday, February 3.

The closure is related to a Ministry of VSA activity.

CPS will resume its regular services during office hours on Monday, February 6th.
TANZANIA Investment is among three bills that have been signed into the laws, lawmakers told in Dodoma today.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan approved investment bill which aims at nurturing and increasing local participation in the economy.

The three bills were tabled and passed by MPs last year.

Speaker of the National Assembly of Tanzania, Dr Tulia Ackson announced that other bills asserted include the Personal Information Protection Bill and the Bill for Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 3) Act, 2022.

According to the Speaker the laws have already started working in accordance with the laws of the country.
Uzo Aduba has been tapped as the lead of Netflixs Shondaland murder-mystery drama The Residence, from writer Paul William Davies. Additionally, Liza Johnson (The Last of Us, The Diplomat) has been set to direct the first four episodes of the series. Davies, who serves as showrunner, executive produces with Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers.Using Kate Andersen Browers book The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House as a jumping off point, the eight-episode series is described as a screwball whodunnit set in the upstairs, downstairs, and back stairs of the White House, among the eclectic staff of the worlds most famous mansion. Its premise: 132 rooms. 157 suspects. One dead body. One wildly eccentric detective (Aduba). One disastrous State Dinner.Aduba will play Cordelia Cupp, a consulting detective for the Metropolitan Police Department. Cupp is an astute observer of human behavior, with a distinctive and  to some, unsettling  conversational style.
Occupied Boujdour, February 01, 2023 (SPS) - The Moroccan occupation forces subjected the Sahrawi citizen, Sidi Brahim Lahsini, to torture, after he protested on January 30, 2023, in front of a vehicle belonging to the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), in Al-Amal 02 neighborhood in the occupied city of Boujdour.

The Executive Office of the Association of the Sahrawi Human Rights Defenders in Western Sahara highlighted that the Sahrawi civilian Sidi Brahim Lahsini, was trying to protest against the continuation of the Moroccan occupation of parts of Western Sahara territories when he subjected to torture by the Moroccan forces and got serious injuries.

The Sahrawi citizen Sidi Brahim Lahsini was subjected to physical torture by the Moroccan occupation forces in the occupied city of Boujdour, because of his participation in the peaceful protests demanding the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination and independence and in solidarity with the victims of crimes against humanity committed against Sahrawi civilians in the occupied cities of Western Sahara.

In this context, the executive office of the Association of Sahrawi Human Rights Defenders in Western Sahara denounced these crimes against humanity committed by the Moroccan occupation forces, and expressed its absolute solidarity with the Sahrawi victim Sidi Brahim Lahsini and with all the Sahrawi victims, who suffer from the effects of physical and psychological torture.

The executive office called on the MINURSO to assume its responsibilities in conducting an urgent investigation into the physical torture of the Sahrawi civilian Sidi Brahim Lahsini, and to hold full responsibility for the Moroccan occupation forces and the MINURSO mission in this case.

SPS 110/T


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Prosecutors with the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) on Wednesday conducted searches in Bucharest City and the county of Ilfov in a case related to the issuance of administrative documents by the public administration, told Agerpres.

Judicial sources told AGERPRES that searches included Bucharest District 3 City Hall.

According to a DNA press statement, on Wednesday after getting a warrant, house searches were conducted in 17 locations in Bucharest and Ilfov County, including the main offices of a public institution. The remaining locations are residences of individuals or headquarters of commercial companies.

"Prosecutors with the National Anti-Corruption Directorate - the Section for Combatting Crimes Related to Corruption are conducting investigations in a criminal case concerning suspicions over the commission of criminal offences related to corruption in 2015-2021, in connection with the issuance of administrative documents by the public administration," according to DNA.
On January 31, 2023, the National Bank of Romania's foreign exchange reserves stood at EUR 50,202 million, as against EUR 46,636 million on December 31, 2022, BNR reported on Wednesday, told Agerpres.

During the month, EUR 4,754 million worth of inflows were reported representing changes in credit institutions' foreign currency-denominated required reserves with the BNR; inflows into the Ministry of Finance's accounts (including net nominal amounts of approximately USD 3,753 million from the Ministry of Finance issues of USD-denominated Eurobonds); inflows into the European Commission's account and other.

There were also EUR 1,188 million worth of outflows representing changes in credit institutions' foreign currency-denominated required reserves with the BNR; interest payments and principal repayments on foreign currency public debt and other.

The gold stock remained steady at 103.6 tonnes. However, following the change in the international price of gold, its value amounted to EUR 5,865 million.

On January 31, 2023, Romania's international reserves (foreign currencies and gold) stood at EUR 56,067 million, as against EUR 52,305 million on December 31, 2022.

In February 2023, the payments due on the foreign currency-denominated public and publicly guaranteed debt amount to approximately EUR 648 million.
The Bucharest Court of Appeal rejected, on Wednesday, the appeals filed by brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate against the decision of the trial court, which extended the arrest warrants issued on their behalf by 30 days, in the case in which they are being investigated for setting up an organized crime group, human trafficking and rape.

Two young women also remain in custody: Luana Alexandra Radu (a former police officer) and Georgiana Manuela Naghel (Andrew Tate's girlfriend), being accused of supporting the two in their criminal activity.In addition to a lawyer from Romania, the Tate brothers were advised in the courtroom by a lawyer from the USA, who over time defended several Hollywood stars, including Mike Tyson and Chris Brown.The presence of the lawyer did not impress the Romanian judges, who upheld the Bucharest Court's decision to extend until end of February the pre-trial arrest warrants on behalf of the two brothers.
The National Institute of Public Health (INSP) informs that, in the week of January 23 - 29, 39.8pct of the cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Bucharest and in the counties of Cluj, Timis, Brasov, Iasi, told Agerpres.

According to the weekly surveillance report, 50pct of the confirmed cases were recorded among non-vaccinated people.

Among the vaccinated who got sick, 49.2pct were either immediately after vaccination or more than six months after the last dose.

Also, 42.3pct of the total deaths were recorded in Suceava, Bihor, Cluj, Dolj and Mures.

85.2pct of the recorded deaths were in unvaccinated people.

According to INSP, from the beginning of the pandemic until now, 86.5pct of all deaths were recorded in people over 60, and 54.7pct of deaths in men.

Also, 93.7pct of the deceased had at least one associated comorbidity.
The number of building permits issued in 2022 in Romania decreased by 14.9% from 2021, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS).

In 2022, 43,660 building permits were issued for residential buildings.

Decreases were recorded in all development regions: Bucharest-Ilfov (-1,490 permits), Nord-Est (-1,296), Sud-Muntenia (-1,184), Vest (-996), Nord-Vest (-857), Centru (-656), Sud-Est (-594) and Sud-Vest Oltenia (-554), told Agerpres.

In December 2022, 2,691 building permits were issued for residential buildings (-15.4% from November 2022), of a total usable area of 834,425 sqm (-8.6%). Of the total permits for residential buildings, 68.7% were for the countryside.

Also in December 2022, there was a monthly decrease in the number of building permits issued for residential buildings (-488 permits). The decrease was reflected in all development regions: Bucharest-Ilfov (-155), Nord-Est (-103), Centru (-76), Sud-Est (-44), Sud-Vest Oltenia ( -40), Sud-Muntenia and Vest (-30, each) and Nord-Vest (-10).

In December 2022, 565 building permits were issued for non-residential buildings (+2.9% from November 2022), of a total usable area of 370,571 sq.m. (+48.6%). Compared with the previous month, in December 2022 there was an increase in the usable area of building permits issued for non-residential buildings (+121,157 sq.m.).

The increase is reflected in the following development regions: Sud-Muntenia (+102,555 sq.m.), Sud-Est (+46,734), Sud-Vest Oltenia (+32,518) and Nord-Est (+4,172). Decreases were reported in the following development regions: Vest (-34,591 sq.m.), Centru (-14,389), Bucharest-Ilfov (-11,881) and Nord-Vest (-3,961).

In December 2022, there was a decrease in both the number of building permits issued for residential buildings (-32.9%) and the total usable area (-20.6%), y-o-y.

The decrease in the number of building permits issued for residential buildings (-1,320 permits) was reflected in all development regions: Bucharest-Ilfov (-269 permits), Nord-Vest (-221), Vest (-217 ), Nord-Est (-160), Sud-Muntenia (-135), Sud-Vest Oltenia (-122), Centru (-119) and Sud-Est (-77).

In December 2022 as against December 2021, there was a decrease in the number of building permits issued for non-residential buildings (-8.4%) and an increase in the total usable area (+2.8%).

The increase in the usable area for building permits issued for non-residential buildings (+9,966 sq.m.) was reflected in the following development regions: Sud Muntenia (+92,010 sq m), Sud-Est (+28,355), Nord-Est (+4,106), Nord-Vest (+2,277) and Sud-Vest Oltenia (+1,584). Decreases were registered in the following development regions: West (-61,110 sqm), Bucharest Ilfov (-55,468) and Centru (-1,788).
Romania will remain fully committed to efforts to maintain a secure and stable climate in the Western Balkans, Defence Minister Angel Tilvar said on Wednesday during a visit to the EUFOR Althea Headquarters in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Defence Ministry informs in a release.

Angel Tilvar and Chief of Defense Staff, general Daniel Petrescu, met on Wednesday at the Camp Butmir military base in Sarajevo with the Romanian troops participating in the EUFOR Althea operation, with the Commander of the European Union Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Major General Helmut Habermayer (Austria), and with the Commander of the NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo, Brigadier General Pamela McGaha (US)."Placed among the top contributing countries to the EUFOR Althea operation, Romania will remain fully committed to efforts to maintain a secure and stable climate in the Western Balkans, a region of strategic importance for us. We are very proud of the exemplary way in which the Romanian personnel carry out their tasks and we will continue to be involved in this mission assumed by the European Union," Minister Angel Tilvar said, as cited in the release.In his turn, the Chief of the Defense Staff praised the constant military training process taking place within the EU mission to increase the cohesion and interoperability of the force in this theater of operations. General Petrescu brought to mind that, starting in May, the position of EUFOR Althea Chief of Staff will be filled by a Romanian.In the second part of the visit, the Defence Ministry's leadership met with the detachment made up of over 200 Romanian troops of the Althea force.The Romanian contingent participating in the EU operation in BiH has the largest share of the total Romanian troops deployed on foreign missions. General Daniel Petrescu underscored that Romania has one of the most substantial national military contributions to the EUFOR Althea force, and that the responsibility with which the Romanians carry out their mission reflects in the performance of the operation overall.
The government agenda right now is made by the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR); it is not made by the prime minister, as it is the result of a negotiation, and all adjustments will be discussed inside the ruling coalition, Senate acting chair Alina Gorghiu said on Wednesday, told Agerpres.

"It is very important what the prime minister said on Monday, after our meetings, and I repeat it now. The government agenda is not PSD's, it is not Chairman Ciolacu's, it is not Chairman Ciuca's, it is not of any minister; the government agenda is Romania's, it is an agenda that was voted in the Romanian Parliament with priorities, and it can be adjusted. The agenda can be nuanced, because part of the planks therein have been adopted, implemented, or achieved. As such, some of those planks for which each ministry has reached its limit - new ones will be introduced; adjustments, nuances will be provided, but it will not be a new government agenda; it will be the same agenda, but improved. Who will make this government agenda? It is the agenda of the coalition, because we are talking about PNL - PSD - UDMR," said Gorghiu.

She added that no government agenda is made exclusively by the prime minister, but is the result of talks, and all adjustments will be discussed inside the coalition. "It is very good that inside the parties there is talk of improvements in quality, labour and taxation," added Gorghiu.

Gorghiu was asked how PNL sees the measures announced by PSD regarding the government agenda and the priorities to be considered by Ciolacu when he takes over the rotating premiership.

She added that at Monday's meeting, PNL discussed keeping in place the flat income tax and not levying additional corporate taxes.
The General Inspectorate of the Border Police (IGPF) informs that on Tuesday, a number of 56,908 people entered Romania through border points, of whom 7,395 were Ukrainian citizens, told Agerpres.

According to a release sent to AGERPRES on Wednesday, approximately 120,000 people, Romanian and foreign citizens, with more than 37,400 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 3,443,915 Ukrainian citizens have entered Romania.

In the relevant areas - the border crossing points and the "green border," the border policemen discovered 51 illegalities (31 offenses and 20 contraventions) committed by both Romanian and foreign citizens, with the amount of fines enforced exceeding 24,700 RON.

Assets of an estimated value of approximately 172,000 RON were impounded.

On Tuesday, a number of 15 foreign citizens were not allowed to enter the country because they didn't meet the requirements stipulated by the law, while a number of 8 Romanian citizens were not allowed to leave the country for various legal reasons.
Patriarch Daniel received, on Wednesday, in a presentation visit, the ambassador of Georgia in Bucharest, Tamar Beruchashvili, on which occasion the "fraternal" links between the two Orthodox Churches were highlighted.

"Father Patriarch Daniel emphasized the traditional relations of friendship between the two countries, as well as the cooperation and fraternal ties between the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church of Georgia, exemplary inspired by the personality and work of the great Orthodox hierarch originally from Georgia, the Holy Hierarch Martyr Antim Ivireanul, the Metropolitan Bishop of Romania, a symbol of Orthodox solidarity, in difficult times", informs the Romanian Patriarchate's Sector of Church, Inter-religious Relations and External Church Communities.Patriarch Daniel and Tamar Beruchashvili emphasized the real contribution of the Orthodox Church in the life of the two countries and its importance in the development of culture, by promoting, in the past, church publications for different Orthodox peoples, as well as Christian philanthropy over time.In this context, the ambassador appreciated the encouragement given by Romania to the European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations of the Georgian people, including through the Declaration on the establishment of a Strategic Partnership between Romania and Georgia, signed in Bucharest in October 2022.The parties emphasized the need to intensify cooperation at the level of student exchanges and pilgrimages to the holy places in Romania and Georgia, for a better mutual knowledge.At the same time, Tamar Beruchashvili conveyed to Patriarch Daniel the greetings of Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia and the spiritual leader of the Georgian Orthodox Church Ilia II and thanks for the congratulations sent by the high hierarch on his 90th birthday.
President Klaus Iohannis will pay a two-day official visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan, in Baku, on Thursday and Friday, at the invitation of President Ilham Aliyev, on which occasion he will hold political consultations with his Azerbaijani counterpart on the development of bilateral cooperation in fields such as energy, transport, trade, investments, digitization, agriculture, education and culture, told Agerpres.

According to a press release of the Presidential Administration, during the visit, the President of Romania will open, together with the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Ministerial Meeting of the Consultative Council of the Southern Gas Corridor.

The visit of President Klaus Iohannis to Baku takes place in continuation of the very good talks held with President Ilham Aliyev, in Bucharest, on December 17, 2022, on the occasion of the participation of the two heads of state in the signing ceremony of the Agreement between the Governments of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and of Hungary regarding the Strategic Partnership in the field of green energy development and transport.

The same source specifies that the Republic of Azerbaijan is the first state in the South Caucasus region with which Romania raised bilateral relations to the level of Strategic Partnership, in 2009, both states confirming openness and interest in deepening their relationship, as well as developing strategic projects with regional impact.

"During the political consultations in Baku, the two presidents will discuss the further development of bilateral cooperation in areas such as energy, transport, trade, investments, digitization, agriculture, education and culture. In continuation of the discussions in Bucharest, which took place in December 2022, the two high ranked officials will discuss the current status of implementation of the regional interconnection projects such as the submarine power cable and the initiation of similar projects in the digital field. Another topic of discussion will be the expansion of cooperation on strategic initiatives between Europe and Central Asia, using the role of bridges between Romania and the Republic of Azerbaijan," the press release states.

At the same time, on the occasion of his participation in the official opening of the Ministerial Meeting of the Consultative Council of the Southern Gas Corridor, President Klaus Iohannis will express Romania's solidarity and commitment to ensuring European energy security by expanding cooperation with partners in the region and diversifying sources and transport routes for energy resources.
The Social Democratic Party promotes the principle of a solidarity tax on the incomes of large companies and supports the reduction of labour taxation and the increase of employees' incomes.

"PSD promotes, without reservations, the principle of a solidarity tax on the incomes of large companies because such a measure is absolutely necessary in the current context, in which the population and small companies face a substantial increase in prices. We cannot remain indifferent when we see that there are companies that speculate on the current economic situation and get rich at the expense of those who work hard," a press release sent to AGERPRES by PSD on Wednesday, reads.The solidarity tax, say the PSD representatives, is aimed exclusively at large companies, with revenues of over 100 million euros, which artificially reduce their profits, with the apparent aim of reducing their obligations to the state budget."These companies with very high incomes have the obligation to pay a profit tax equivalent to at least 1 pct of their turnover, as all small companies in Romania pay. PSD agrees with maintaining the 16 pct profit tax, but its value paid by large companies must not be less than 1 pct of their turnover," the statement reads.The social-democrats mention that at no time did they take into account "an increase in the tax on dividends"."PSD also supports the reduction of labour taxation and the increase of employees' incomes. The incomes of Romanians must increase so that everyone can have a decent living. It is not fair that the bill for the crises is paid by the citizens, while only some prosper. And for the Social Democratic Party the people and the Romanian economy come first. PSD's objective is to support the vulnerable population, with additional attention given to the active categories, namely low and medium income earners, who through work contribute the most to the country's economic development," the social-democrats say.The fiscal model, the PSD emphasizes, takes into account the reduction of taxes on these salaries, so that more money remains in the pockets of these employees."Last but not least, the PSD considers that the state must support SMEs, agricultural farms and critical infrastructure, mainly schools and hospitals, so that they can install their own energy production systems from renewable sources as quickly as possible. Romania has at its disposal 12 billion euros, European money, from the Modernization Fund, to achieve this objective," the press release adds.
he chairman of the Social-Democratic Party (PSD), Marcel Ciolacu, declared on Wednesday that he is convinced that the current governing coalition can continue its activity even after the 2024 elections, told Agerpres.

"We all saw how much Romania had to gain by having this political stability. It is obvious to everyone. That there are still many things to be done, I am firmly convinced. I still believe that this coalition can continue even after 2024," said Ciolacu at the Parliament Palace.

Marcel Ciolacu stated that the rotation in the government will take place when the time is right, and this will be decided by the coalition.

"I want a good and efficient Romanian government and I think that the analyses are done within the coalition. We start from a protocol that we respect. (...) Christmas is on the 25th, New Year's is on the 31st, my birthday is on the 28th - these are fixed. (...) We see how we set things up, so that we don't spoil something that works or reverse the priorities, because it is written in a protocol that the rotation is on the 25th (of May, ed. n.). we could finally see in Romanian politics some people for whom the priority is Romania and the responsibility they have in the positions they have. The rotation will take place when the coalition is established, when it is the most opportune moment for Romania and for the Government and for the Parliament. (...) This rotation between the prime ministers is done at the moment when all things are settled and discussed. If it is opportune to be earlier than May 25, it will be earlier, if it is opportune to be with a week - two weeks after the 25th, because certain milestones at the Parliament or the Government must be closed, it will be," Ciolacu said.

The PSD leader also said that there will also be a government reshuffle during the rotation of prime ministers.

"It's normal. There are people who keep this rhythm, people who can't resist this rhythm, it's something normal," Marcel Ciolacu pointed out.
The Senate and the Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday start their first ordinary parliamentary session of 2023, told Agerpres.

Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Marcel Ciolacu and acting Chair of the Senate Alina Gorghiu have convened the two legislative chambers for 16:00hrs and 12:00hrs, respectively.

According to the regulations, on the first day of the parliamentary session, in the plenary session of each Chamber, the members of the standing bureaus are elected - deputy chairs, secretaries and treasurers, with the exception of the chairs, who are elected at the beginning of the legislature.

The election of the leadership of the two legislative chambers is done at the proposal of the parliamentary groups, in accordance with their size, by political configuration and the negotiation of the floor leaders. The lists of candidates for the standing bureaus are fully subject to the vote of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate and are approved by an open vote of the majority of the lawmakers in attendance.

Featuring on the agenda of the new parliamentary session will be important bills for compliance with deadlines under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).

The leaders of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the National Liberal Party (PNL) have named an education bill and a bill to reform special pensions among their legislative priorities.

"The package of education bills is in fact the materialisation of the most important presidential project, 'Educated Romania', and we want to have them adopted in this parliamentary session and, of course, to materialise the commitment to reform in the area of education that this coalition has made, which is also an important landmark as far as the PNRR is concerned," says PNL spokesman Ionut Stroe.

The education bills have been approved by the PNL leadership and a meeting of the governing coalition will take place this week to agree on a timetable for their adoption, says PNL national leader Nicolae Ciuca, adding that these pieces of legislation have to be completed by early April, at the latest.

"The education bills are benchmarks in PNRR. We are under an obligation to approve them as soon as possible. From my point of view, they should be approved no later than late March, early April," according to Ciuca.

PSD national leader Marcel Ciolacu says the education legislation is a legislative priority with the Social Democrats, adding, however, that discussions of the bills have to continue with the prime minister and the finance minister as well as local administrations given the significant financial impact of the implementation of the new pieces of legislation.

The Senate and the Chamber of Deputies will also consider a bill on special state pensions.

"From our point of view, the special state pensions are our main priority, and we and the Justice Ministry are expected together to find a suitable constitutional form so that we may close this chapter of special pensions in Romania once and for all," says Ciolacu.

"There is a backlog that we have to work on in this parliamentary session," says Stroe.

PNL also says increasing from RON 2,000 to RON 3,000 the cap on state pension taxation as another priority.

Another bill considered by PNL regards holding local elections simultaneously with the general election. "From our point of view, there are enough reasons of a constitutional nature to promote such a bill. It will probably take shape in this parliamentary session, but not before it has been discussed in the coalition and agreed upon with the social-democratic partners and the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR)," says Stroe.

The lawmakers will also discuss other bills related to reaching PNRR milestones and ordinances adopted by the government.

In addition, it is to be expected that, in the case of the rotation of prime ministers between PNL and PSD this May, as provided for in the protocol of the governing coalition, several bills will be submitted for debate to the two chambers of Parliament to be included in the governing agenda.

PSD say that they are working on a new government agenda, and Ciolacu, who will take over the rotating position of prime minister, has hinted to reducing labour taxation and overtaxing companies with huge revenues.

At the same time, the Save Romania Union (USR) say they will table, on the first day of the parliamentary session, a new simple motion against Interior Minister Lucian Bode, considering the accusations of plagiarism related to his doctoral thesis.
Secretary of State with the Ministry of Education Florin Lixandru on Wednesday confirmed to AGERPRES that he no longer has any job duties to carry out, after a ministerial order repealed those he had, told Agerpres.

"I am currently in office, but I do not have any job duties to carry out. I was in charge with pre-university education and the relationship with the Parliament, but the order by which those attributions were assigned to me was repealed, at least for the moment, pending a discussion that should take place in the governing coalition this evening," said the Secretary of State.

He said that his duties were repealed for a "crime of opinion," more specifically for saying that the Education laws are far too important projects and that they must be debated "thoroughly, and not in a hurry."

"For a crime of opinion, today my duties were repealed. PSD's (Social Democratic Party) believes that the Education laws are far too important projects that need to be debated thoroughly, and not in a hurry! PSD will discuss with the coalition the establishment of an extended calendar for public analysis and adoption. There is enough time, the PNRR [National Recovery and Resilience Plan - editor's note] deadline for the Education Laws was established in the 3rd quarter of this year; in addition, including the European Commission recommends that the projects that include systemic reforms, therefore also those regarding the Education Law, should not be rushed to meet the deadline, but either qualitatively prepared/completed by the date of submission of the payment request, respectively by March 2024," Lixandru wrote on his Facebook page.

According to him, the analysis that PSD has done so far on the draft laws "conceived by the Ministry of Education highlighted the need to correct some key issues, essential for the future of our children."

Lixandru states that, regarding high school admission, PSD will not accept a formula "that drastically restricts" children's access to quality education. In his opinion, it is "at least debatable" whether high schools can have the right to organize their own admissions, because "it would increase the risk of unfair practice" of private lessons and "corruption."

At the same time, while referring to the baccalaureate tests, Florin Lixandru said that the PSD "regards with great reserve" the multiplication of exam tests, as proposed in the project.

"Eliminating teacher specialization from pedagogical high schools and changing teacher training is not a solution, especially given the acute lack of dedicated teachers. Special education, in our opinion, should also take into account the reality of the school's material base. Last but not least, the Education Law must also include provisions regarding children in the diaspora. If we still want Romanians to return home, we must find the right solutions for the integration of children born and raised in the diaspora," Lixandru also points out.

He stated that there were many changes to the Education Law, "without the expected effect."

"Only in the past 11 years, the Education Law has undergone 112 changes. The PSD insists that this time there should be a thorough debate! Romania can allocate the year 2023 to analyze with the whole society (interested factors from education, trade unions, but also with parents and student associations) the package of education laws and then to debate and adopt them in Parliament until the time comes to send the payment request no. 5, i.e. until March 2024 at the latest," explains the state secretary.
The Senate voted on Wednesday the composition of the Standing Bureau for the first ordinary session of this year, told Agerpres.

The members of the Standing Bureau were elected, besides the Senate President (who is elected in the beginning of the legislature or when the parliamentary majority changes), through secret electronic vote.

The senators were in favor for the composition of the Standing Bureau, announced by the group leaders from the Senate's tribune, by secret electronic vote with 103 votes cast in "favor", one against and one abstention.

The parliamentary group of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), with 48 members, has two positions of vice-president of the Senate, namely Robert Cazanciuc and Paul Stanescu, one secretary - Ion Mocioalca and two quaestors - Cristina-Mariana Stocheci and Marius Dunca.

The National Liberal Party (PNL) has 39 senators and is represented in the Standing Bureau by two vice-presidents - Alina Gorghiu, who exercises the President duties, and Sorin Mihai Cimpeanu, and one secretary - Roberta Alma Anastase.

The Save Romania Union (USR) PLUS group, with 22 members has one position of secretary of the Senate - Narcis Mircescu and one quaestor - Sergiu Vlad.

On behalf of the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR), with 9 members, Laszlo Attila takes one of the four quaestor positions of the Senate.

The Alliance for Romanians' Union (AUR), with 12 senators, is represented in the Standing Bureau by secretary Sorin Lavric.

In agreement with the provisions of article 27 of the Senate Regulation, the distribution of positions in the Standing Bureau is established in the beginning of each ordinary session, through negotiations between the representatives of the parliamentary groups, observing the weight of the number of senators of each group compared to the total number of senators.

Moreover, the parliamentary groups have in the current session the same group leaders as in the previous session: the PSD group - Radu Oprea, the PNL group - Daniel Fenechiu, the USR PLUS group - Radu Mihai Mihail, the AUR group - Claudiu Tarziu and the UDMR group - Leonard Turos.
Hundreds of lorries are waiting now to leave Romania through the main border crossing points in Arad County, with a long queue covering about seven kilometres on the pan-European highway before Nadlac II, told Agerpres.

Arad Border Police officers have told AGERPRES that a very large number of lorries came up at the border in a short time.

"There is a very large number of lorries at the checkpoints exiting the country in a very short time. At the largest crossing point, Nadlac II, checking is being performed on four lanes for heavy traffic, and the waiting time for formalities is approximately 180 minutes," according to spokesman for the Arad Border Police Andrei Dinca.

At Nadlac II, the lorries are waiting on the emergency lane of the highway over seven kilometres.

At Varsand, three check lanes are open for heavy traffic, and drivers are waiting at least 120 minutes to clear the border into the Schengen Area.

At Nadlac I, the situation is better, because the wait is about 30 minutes, as an exit road has opened for lorries.
Romania's ambassador to UNESCO, Simona-Mirela Miculescu, handed over, on Tuesday evening, to the director of the World Heritage Center, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, the nomination file of the Dacian Limes for inclusion in the World Heritage List, informs a press release from the representative of our country, told Agerpres.

The event took place with the participation of the coordinators of this file: Irina Iamandescu - deputy director of the National Heritage Institute, Felix Marcu - manager of the National History Museum of Transylvania and president of the Limes National Commission and Barry Gamble - international expert and consultant in cultural heritage.

The Dacian Limes represents part of the Borders of the Roman Empire file, which brings together the border elements of the Roman Empire, whose maximum expansion was reached during the second century, covering a distance of over 7,000 kilometers, the cited source reads.

Experts from the Ministry of Culture, the National Institute of Heritage, the National History Museum of Transylvania participated in the elaboration of the Dacian Limes file, in cooperation with the members of the Limes National Commission and representatives of other partner institutions, the release informs.

The file will be the subject of a technical evaluation by the International Council on Monuments and Sites, UNESCO's main evaluation body for cultural objectives proposed for entry on the World Heritage List, a decision on the registration to be made during the session of the World Heritage Committee in 2024.
The High Court of Cassation and Justice rejected on Wednesday as unfounded an appeal in cassation filed as an extraordinary relief by former Bucharest Mayor Sorin Oprescu who sought a retrial in the case in which he was sentenced to 10 years and 8 months in prison for corruption, told Agerpres.

The court also rejected the appeals in cassation filed by other convicts in this case.

On May 13, 2022 Sorin Oprescu was definitively sentenced to 10 years and 8 months in prison for bribe-taking, setting up an organized criminal group and abuse of office.

Specifically, Oprescu was accused of having received in September 2015, at his home Ciolpani, 25,000 euros from his subordinate Bogdan Popa, at the time head of the Cemeteries Administration; it was determined that the money was proceeds of corruption.

Oprescu fled Romania for Greece before the sentence was pronounced, but the Greek authorities refuse to extradite him.
The University Politehnica of Bucharest (UPB) organizes an early admission session, as of Wednesday, told Agerpres.

"The platform will be active as of 1 February. The early admission will be complete after the baccalaureate exam. Just like big European and American universities, it provides candidates the possibility to enroll in advance to one of our university's study programmes," rector of the University Politehnica of Bucharest Mihnea Costoiu told AGERPRES last Friday.

He mentioned that the actual enrollment is conditioned by the baccalaureate diploma.

"This registration is conditioned at the time of the actual enrollment by the possession of the baccalaureate diploma," Costoiu showed.

The UPB rector mentioned that the enrollment can be made online, as well as physically.

The following faculties will organise a written admission exam: the Faculty of Automatic Control and Computer Science and the Faculty of Electronic, Telecommunications and Information Technologies

The admission will be made through competition of file applications to the following faculties: Electrical Engineering, Energy, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, Industrial and Robotics Engineering, Biotechnical Systems Engineering, Transport, Aerospace Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, Engineering in Foreign Languages, Applied Sciences, Medical Engineering, Entrepreuneurship, Business Engineering and Management.
CLAYTON  Centene will pay $66.5 million to the state of Indiana, in the latest legal settlement over allegations that the company overcharged state Medicaid programs.

The Clayton-based health insurer reached a no-fault agreement with Indiana's attorney general to settle claims that the company's subsidiaries overbilled the state Medicaid program for pharmacy benefits management services.

Indiana is at least the 16th state to reach such an agreement, according to settlement documents and state attorneys general. Ohio and Mississippi were the first to publicly announce settlement agreements with Centene in 2021. At the time, Centene disclosed that it was in discussion with a group of plaintiffs, and had reserved $1.1 billion for potential future settlements.

Centene said in a statement Wednesday that the company respects the states it provides services for, and is committed to addressing their concerns.
Whats one thing that can make indulging in a decadent dessert even more pleasurable? Try pairing it with a sweet, fortified wine. My favorite is authentic Porto from Portugals Douro Valley. However, there are delicious port-style wines from other parts of the world, including Missouri. Fortified with high-proof grape spirits, these high-alcohol wines can stand up to a range of rich desserts and are delicious with certain cheeses.

Mount Pleasant Estate in Augusta is known for its port-style wines. The oldest winery in the Augusta American Viticultural Area, Mount Pleasant was established in 1859 by German brothers George and Frederick Muench. Although Prohibition forced the winery to close in 1920, the property was revived in 1966 when it was purchased by Lucian and Eva Dressel. It had remained in the Dressel familys hands until 2021, when it was sold to the Hoffman Family of Companies.

One of Mount Pleasants more unusual ports is its Tawny Port Library Vol. XXI. A library wine is comprised of portions of vintages held back by wineries to be re-released years later. The complex process used to make Mount Pleasants library port involves adding fortified wine from vintages dating back to the early 1990s to a master blend. This is the 21st bottling of this fortified wine.

Mount Pleasant Estate Tawny Port Library Vol. XXI, Augusta, MissouriBought  Southside Wine and Spirits, 4911 Hampton Avenue, in January for $28 for a 375 ml bottle.

Description  If youre used to rich, mahogany-hued tawny Portos, the color of this port-style wine will surprise you. Made from a grape known as Muench, named after the winerys founders, its a lighter shade, more of a golden amber. This is a flavorful port with a 19.5% level of alcohol. Sweet and savory, it tastes of butterscotch, caramel, roasted nuts and spices. Best enjoyed slightly chilled, it would pair with desserts made with nuts, chocolate and caramel as well as Stilton cheese and even Brie.

Follow Gail on Twitter @GailAppleson.
The An Arm and a Leg podcast is back. This season, host Dan Weissmann will tell stories about patients finding creative ways to fight back against outrageous bills.

This first episode of Season 9 updates a story from 2019 about a listener who got a $35 bill from a medical testing lab she had never heard of. Soon a follow-up bill arrived demanding $1,300 if she didnt pay right away.

This jump in price left her wondering: Can they freaking do that?!?

The answer: They can try. And they often get away with it.

But if patients have the time and moxie, they can propose a fair price and even take providers to court to force them to accept the counter offer.

The Host

Dan Weissmann

Host and producer of "An Arm and a Leg." Previously, Dan was a staff reporter for Marketplace and Chicago's WBEZ. His work also appears on All Things Considered, Marketplace, the BBC, 99 Percent Invisible, and Reveal, from the Center for Investigative Reporting.

Credits

Emily Pisacreta Producer Marian Wang Editor Ann Heppermann Editor Adam Raymonda Audio Wizard Click to open the transcript Transcript: Can They Freaking Do that?! (2023 Edition)

Note: An Arm and a Leg uses speech-recognition software to generate transcripts, which may contain errors. Please use the transcript as a tool but check the corresponding audio before quoting the podcast.

Hey there

I have to start with a big THANK YOU to everybody who supports this show. Its January, we wrapped up our big fund-raising campaign at New Years, and more than six hundred of you came through for us. We hit all our targets, including our stretch goal. Its huge.

Ill have a LOT of people to thank at the end of this episode, and I want to think about how to celebrate. Thanks to you, this year is off to an amazing start.

And for this first episode of 2023, Im going back to a story we first put out more than three years ago, in 2019.

Because: this story changed my whole conception of what this show can aim to do.

When I meet people today and tell them about An Arm and a Leg for the first time, this is the story I tell them about.

Because this is a story about legal rights I never suspected we had and how we can sometimes use them to fight back.

I learned a lot of other stuff while reporting this story  about surprise bills, and the role of private equity. It was early days for the show.

Were leaving out those parts out this time weve gone deeper on them in other episodes, and some of the underlying facts have changed.

Some things have gone out of date in good ways, thanks to the federal No Surprises Act, which took effect last year.

But the part about fighting back? Standing up for our legal rights? That holds up. And its ready for some follow-up.

OK, here it is:

Dan: Miriam visited a fertility clinic a couple years ago in Washington and DC where she lives, and she got some tests done. She was lucky. Her insurance actually covered fertility stuff, so she got the bill and her share was like 30 bucks. She paid it. Then this other envelope arrives from someplace she never heard of.

Not the fertility clinic or anyplace else shes ever been, and its hot pink. She thinks it looks fake. It says its a bill and they want 35 bucks for some lab work

and perhaps unwisely, Miriam ignores it.

Okay. Uh, definitely unwisely and there are a couple of follow ups also in hot pink envelopes. And on the one hand, Miriam looks more closely and they are connected to her visit to the fertility clinic on the other. The follow ups say this other thing. They say, Hey, pay up now, or This things going up, way up, up to about 1300 bucks from 35, which

Miriam: was so outrageous that I thought, this is definitely bullshit.

Bullshit. . Sorry, can I say that?

Dan: Yes, absolutely. Yeah. So Miriam does a dumb thing and ignores it and a follow up, and then in September she gets a note from a collections agency. They want that $1,300. And can they freaking do that? Can some lab send you a bill for 35 bucks outta nowhere and then be like, Hey, better pay now while were in a good mood.

Otherwise its gonna be $1,300. Is that even legal?

This is An Arm and a Leg, a show about why health care costs so freaking much, and what we can maybe do about it. Im Dan Weissmann. Im a reporter, and I like a challenge. So our job on this show is to take one of the most enraging, terrifying, depressing parts of American life, and bring you something entertaining, empowering and useful.

And whats more useful than knowing what our rights are?

Because as consumers. No idea. I mean, I get a bill from the electric company. Well, for one thing, its not a surprise. Ive been running the lights and its the same rates as last month, and everybodys paying basically the same rates as me, like whatever I owe this, but a hot pink envelope from some ancillary lab.

And then a follow-up saying theyre gonna take you for 1300, youd. Well, maybe they can freaking do that.

I mean, how would you even know? Who would you even ask? Well, now you can ask me and Ill go find out. This whole thing happened to Miriam a couple years ago. She ended up settling with the collections agency for like $217, which was a sixth of what they were asking for, but it was also six times that original $35 charge.

It still bugs her. Like was that even legal? What happened there? It is so messed up. So she wrote to me and I was. I really want to figure this out.

When I talked to Miriam, she actually had a theory about what I might find.

Miriam: It might just be illegal to have such a, a big jump from, um, what the original copay was to what it ended up being after I was late.

Dan: Yeah! I was off ready to test that theory out.

So, I made some calls. And I FOUND OUT SOME STUFF.

It took a minute. I started out calling national legal experts and policy nerds, and they were like, I dont really know. The law is complicated, it varies from state to state, blah blah blah

So then I started calling folks who help consumers challenge wild medical bills  like, for a fee, thats how they make a living. One of them was Braden Pan, his companys called Resolve Medical bills.

I described Miriams story to him, the pink envelope, the fine print that was like.

is for a charge of $1,287 for which you get a great discount and will take $35 from you if you pay by date.

Wow. . Okay.

Its like he was kind of impressed by how brazen this was.

And even though he didnt know the answer, he had some smart thoughts about what questions to start asking.

Braeden Pan: Im gonna tell you right now that Im not a lawyer. Yeah. Um, now I can tell you that the, the idea of what hospitals or clinics can charge for services that hasnt been settled.

Dan: In other words, he thought youd need a lawyer if you wanted to fight it, and you dont know how its gonna come out.

Braeden Pan: What might actually be going on with this company is they know this, they know that theres confusion out there about this, uh, that you need a lawyer to actually figure it out, whether or. Someone can can do this and for a thousand bucks its not worth it to hire a lawyer to tell you because theyre gonna charge you 1200 bucks just to tell you whether or not they can do this

Dan: Right, right.

So himself, Braden Pan wasnt so sure they were good answers here, but he pointed me to a couple of other people and they actually had some very hopeful answers. Some serious self-defense tools. You might wanna grab a pen. Well have that right after.

This season of an Arm and a Leg is a co-production of Public Road Productions and Kaiser Health News.

Thats a nonprofit newsroom that covers healthcare in America. Kaiser Health News is not affiliated with the giant healthcare provider, Kaiser Permanente. Well have a little more on Kaiser Health News at the end of this episode.

Sir, heres where we meet the folks who are going to give us our big strong weapons for fighting off totally unreasonable bills.

Lisa Berry Blackstock: My name is Lisa Berry Blackstock, and I have been a patient advocate since 1990.

Dan: Thats like almost 30 years. And I asked her, is there anything you can do in a situation like this when youre getting hit up for 1300 bucks for some stupid lab test? And she was like, well, You could take em to small claims court and you dont have to be a lawyer to do that.

I was like, wait, youve done this?

Lisa Berry Blackstock: Oh, I, Ive lost count. I cant tell you how many times Ive done it and in how many different, uh, counties.

Dan: Huh? So it works.

Lisa Berry Blackstock: Oh, it works. Its worked for me.

Dan: She says it works every single time. And heres something I learned in this conversation that I absolutely had not known.

When you go to court, it does not have to be to make somebody else give you. You can go to court and say, judge, this lab says I owe them 1300 bucks, but I have researched it and 35 bucks is fair. Im offering them 35. Would you please order them to take 35?

It takes a plan to do this and it takes work.

Lisa Berry Blackstock: You have to demonstrate in writing that you have made a good faith effort to resolve this to your best ability and that youve been unable to, and thats why youre asking the court to intervene.

Dan: And so youre asking the court basically to approve. A settlement offer that youre making. Correct?

Lisa Berry Blackstock: Correct.

Dan: Thats what Lisa Berry Blackstock says she does. Theres some serious homework involved. If you grabbed a pen earlier, heres where you start taking notes first. Lisa says, you call whoevers sending the bill and make them give you the billing codes for everything on the bill.

itemized. Each one has a five digit code called a C P T Code, C P T. And honestly, this sounds like it could be the hardest part. You gotta get them to cough up this information. You have a right to it, but getting it, once youve got that, you figure out what a fair price is in your area, and there are a couple of websites that actually can help you do this.

Lisa uses one from a group called Fair Health. The site is fair health consumer.org. You put in your zip code and that five digit medical billing code, they will tell you what the going rates are in your area.

And thats my basis of my offer. Its fair I, I mean, I have independently verified information.

Lisa Berry Blackstock: Its not a number that Ive made up and its not like youre trying to rip people off .

Dan: Then you write to whoevers billing, you use certified mail. So you get a signed receipt, you can prove they got it, and you say, heres what Im offering. Here is how I determine this number. I want to hear from you by date X, that you will accept it.

Otherwise

Lisa Berry Blackstock: I will be filing in small claims, you know, against you, and you can expect to receive a notice.

Dan: And youre saying generally if they get that, theyll be like, okay, Ill take it. Is that right?

Lisa Berry Blackstock: Yes. I mean, general, they, they look, they dont understand anything with billing other than raking people over the coals because thats what. is generally allowed across the country.

Dan: She says a lot of the time just sending the letter is enough, but sometimes she actually has to file Now, once Ive filed Yeah. And theyve been served. Yeah. Oh, then theyre, theyre falling all over themselves to make it go away. Because look, theyre used to sitting in an office sending out pieces of paper saying, send us 1300 bucks, or Well ruin your.

and getting 1300 bucks, or maybe getting a phone call and allowing themselves to be talked down to 200 without leaving their desk, they gotta send somebody to court. That person who would go to court could make more money by just accepting this offer and moving on to the next sucker,

Especially because, according to Lisa Berry Blackstock, theyd probably lose in court anyway.

Now, this was cool, but I didnt just wanna take one persons word for it. I found somebody else who had actually tried this thing. Somebody with a pretty good credential.

Christopher Robertson: My names Christopher Robertson. Im a professor and associate dean at the James E. Rogers College of Law

Dan: That was his job when we talked in 2019. Now hes a professor and associate Dean at the Boston University School of Law.

Anyway, I asked him, you can make these people accept a fair offer, and hes like,

Christopher Robertson: Yeah. Duh. You know, basic contract law, you know, the stuff we teach to first year law students every day purports to just make this a non-pro. Of course you dont have to pay a number that the other side just invented, um, , you know, this is, this is shooting fish in a barrel from a, from a contract law perspective.

Dan: Whoa, baby. The deal is you see a doc anywhere. You sign something in the business, they call it consent to treat. It says, yeah, examine me, poke, prod, whatever, and it says, Im gonna give you my insurance info and whatever the insurance doesnt pay, Ill pay. The thing Im signing doesnt say how much Ill pay because nobody knows exactly whats gonna happen at the doctors office or the er, wherever.

Anyway. I got a stomach ache. Maybe I ate something weird. Maybe I have an ulcer. So Robertson says, what Im signing is what lawyers call an open price contract. You know, normally a

Christopher Robertson: contract has a price in it, right? So if you want to go buy a car, your contract to buy the car has a price thats true of a washing machine or a, or a house.

But when there is no price in the contract, its called an open price contract.

Dan: The courts do not treat an open price contract as a blank check.

Christopher Robertson: If the court is gonna be called upon to enforce the contract to force someone to pay something, then the court has to figure out, well, what, what amount should I force them to pay?

It cant be just what one side says later.

Dan: In other words, courts would. An open price contract like your agreement with a medical provider does not mean the other side just gets to bill you for whatever they want, and Miriams case is special. Its got this other wrinkle, which is basically the lab said the price was 35 bucks, but if youre late, its 1300.

Thats why I was so interested in this case. And Robertson says, Miriam has the law on her side there too. He says, this involves something else. They teach first year law students

Christopher Robertson: literally on the very first day of contract law

Dan: When you breach a contract, courts dont treat that like a blank check either, and a late fee, its like a penalty for breaching a contract. The contract says you pay on date X. Miriam breached her contract by not paying on time. But Chris Robertson says theres a limit to what that penalty can be, and its gotta have some relationship to what the breach actually cost. The. .

Christopher Robertson: So thats a second reason. This strategy is completely legally frivolous to take a $35 charge and convert it into a thousand dollars plus.

Right. So yeah, they didnt get their $35 check in June when they wanted it. They might get it in July. Well, that doesnt cost them a thousand dollars. So the penalty cant be a thousand dollars . Even if they dont get it, its now September and they havent gotten it. Its still not costing him a thousand dollars.

Christopher Robertson: Exactly.

Dan: So hes like, yeah, line it up. Small claims court, that sort of thing can work. I can barely believe its this easy.

Im like, wait, why dont we do this more often??

Christopher Robertson: I mean, frankly, we shouldnt have to. We need a systematic solution to this. Uh, you know, we are all have day jobs, you know.

Frankly, a lot of people who are dealing with medical bills surprise, surprise, are sick, right? Yeah. Um, so , theyre busy trying to get well, uh, you know, theyre trying to fight their own battles and so, you know, waging their own legal battle is, is, is a huge distraction and requires a level of attention to detail that not everyone has or should be expected to have.

So thats why I really need more systematic solutions.

Dan: So Miriam might have had some options, but small claims court, its not exactly a blanket solution, especially cuz theres also the problem of scale. I mean, its one thing if youve got a lab hawking you for a thousand bucks. What if youve got a whole system of hospitals trying to rake untold numbers of patients over the coals for crazy amounts? Then youre not in small claims court anymore. Christopher Robertson has been there, like hes gotten involved in lawsuits trying to stop hospitals from doing that sort of thing, and he. It is not pretty.

Christopher Robertson: Its, its the utter, utter breakdown of law. I mean, when we tried to challenge these practices by hospitals, um, we bumped up into courts insisting that for every single charge, we affirmatively prove that the amount they made up is unreasonable. But proving that. Requires, you know, experts and accounting and economics, you could spend tens of thousands of dollars litigating every single one of these thousand dollars charges. And so thats why you really do need either class action or a more affirmative, you know, regulatory system to police this, this bad behavior.

Dan:But in an individual situation like Miriams, where shes actually healthy, shes only got one charge to fight off. You can fight back. Get your evidence together, find out the itemized billing codes, and use a website like Fair health consumer.org to figure out what a reasonable price would be. Make an offer, put it in writing. Send it certified mail. Give em a deadline to accept your offer or else tell em youll file in small claims court. . And if that doesnt make em play ball, actually do it. I ran all this down from Miriam and she was like,

Miriam: I wish I had known. Thats my main thing. I wish I had known that I had these other options. I wouldve totally gotten a letter, like if, even if I needed to notarize a letter, get it sent certified mail. I Im gonna take you to a small claims court. Okay. Maybe Ill, Ill give you 50 bucks. Thats my, thats my offer. Yeah. I wish I had done that.

Dan: YEP! Thats where we left things, a little more than three years ago.

I mean, weve followed up a little here and there:

We talked with a guy named Jeffrey Fox, who has made it kind of a hobby to use small claims courts to stand up for his rights. So when UCLA overbilled him, he was ready.

I mean, maybe we could all use a little of his readiness to fight. Heres how he describes conversations with their billing department.

Jeffrey Fox: One thing they always do is they always try to make it seem like their policies apply to you. Theyre like, well, no, our policy is blah, blah, blah. Im like, I dont care. Contract law, the concepts of contract law and what I actually owe you, what a court would say, I owe you is what applies. I remember saying, okay. Well, my policy is you pay me a hundred dollars every time you say something stupid. So does that apply to you? If it does you only about 400 bucks already. Wanna keep going?

Dan: Jeffrey didnt get paid on that improvised policy of his but he did get a judge to make UCLA give him a refund of more than two thousand dollars. That episode was called David vs Goliath, and well include a link to it wherever youre listening.

So weve come back to this approach to fighting back. But Ive been starting to think we havent come back to it nearly enough.

Especially since I got a note from a listener named Lauren with the heading: I sued a hospital in small claims court and lost

 which ended, I feel like I won. She wrote, the hospital spent way more money on lawyers fees than the total amount of my bill. They sent three lawyers to a preliminary hearing  and her bill wasnt even that high.

We talked  well have lots of details in our next episode  about what she had learned, and how she wanted to spread it around.

Lauren: I walked out of that thinking , do I , like, just put together a list of tips and leave it on peoples windshields that are parked outside of the er. how do I help other people do this?

If everybody that they screw stands up, they cant afford to pay a lawyer to defend against all of those.

Dan: I mean, its an INTERESTING idea. Not for everybody. But maybe a few more people than have tried it so far

Well pick up that idea next time.

Till then, take care of yourself.

This episode of An Arm and a Leg was produced by me, Dan Weissmann, with help from Emily Pisacreta. Ann Heppermann edited the original story.

Marian Wang edited this version and it looks like Marians parental leave from this show, coming up any minute now, will be permanent.

Marian, I cannot believe how much I am going to miss working with you. It has been such an honor and such a joy.

Daisy Rosario is our consulting managing producer. Adam Raymonda is our audio wizard. Our music is by Dave Winer and Blue Dot Sessions.

Gabrielle Healy is our managing editor for audience. She edits the First Aid Kit Newsletter.

Bea Bosco is our consulting director of operations. Sarah Ballema is our operations manager.

This season of an arm and a leg is a co production with Kaiser health news. Thats a nonprofit news service about healthcare in America, an editorially-independent program of the Kaiser family foundation.

KHN is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente, the big healthcare outfit. They share an ancestor: The 20th century industrialist Henry J Kaiser. When he died, he left half his money to the foundation that later created Kaiser health news.

You can learn more about him and Kaiser health news at arm and a leg show dot com slash Kaiser.

Zach Dyer is senior audio producer and Tarena Lofton is audience engagement producer at KHN they are editorial liaisons to this show.

Thanks to Public Narrative  Thats a Chicago-based group that helps journalists and non-profits tell better stories for serving as our fiscal sponsor, allowing us to accept tax-exempt donations. You can learn more about Public Narrative at www dot public narrative dot org.

And thanks to everybody who supports this show financially.

An Arm and a Leg is a co-production of KHN and Public Road Productions.

To keep in touch with An Arm and a Leg, subscribe to the newsletter. You can also follow the show on Facebook and Twitter. And if youve got stories to tell about the health care system, the producers would love to hear from you.

To hear all KHN podcasts, click here.

And subscribe to An Arm and a Leg on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

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Joe Holleman Joe Holleman is a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Joe Holleman 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

When it comes to fueling Donald Trumps presidential reelection ride, U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale, appears to be an early addition to the tank.

A story published in Politico states that Schmitt, Missouris former attorney general who was elected in November to the Senate, has thrown his support  without using the word endorsement  to the former president.

Hes very popular in Missouri, Schmitt said of Trump in an interview with Politico. Hes been somebody thats gotten the support of Missourians by big margins a couple times. He has my support.

When asked Wednesday for further comment, Schmitts office responded with generally the same words:

Hes extremely popular in Missouri, hes been somebody thats gotten the support of Missourians by big margins a couple of times, and I support him, the statement said.

When it comes to the states other GOP Senate member, Josh Hawley, Politico notes that he and other longtime Trump allies are not weighing in on the primary yet.

To that point, the story notes that most Republican U.S. senators are holding back from supporting any presidential candidate  given that the GOP field likely will include Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other possibilities, such as former Vice President Mike Pence; former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina; and South Carolinas former Gov. Nikki Haley.
Joe Holleman Joe Holleman is a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Joe Holleman 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

Billing himself a conservative activist, Will Scharf announced Tuesday night that he would run in the 2024 GOP primary for Missouri attorney general.

There are a lot of Republicans in Missouri, but few true conservatives, said Scharf, whose first foray into state politics was serving as the policy director for former Gov. Eric Greitens.

Scharf, 36, will face appointed incumbent Republican Andrew Bailey, who was named by Gov. Mike Parson to the post recently to fill the unexpired term of Eric Schmitt, who was elected in November to the U.S. Senate.

Claiming the outsider position in his upcoming campaign  I'm not backed by the special interests, the lobbyists or the insiders in Jefferson City  the Ivy League-educated Scharf said he plans to run a grassroots campaign ... like this state has never seen before.

Scharf made his remarks to a packed room of about 50 people at Kruegers in University City.

One of those attending was former state Sen. Bob Onder of St. Charles, who introduced Scharf and called him a conservative fighter and a brilliant legal mind.

After the announcement, when asked if his association with Greitens would be a negative or positive in the upcoming campaign, Scharf deftly replied that Greitens gave me a great opportunity to serve the people of Missouri, and now I want to serve the people of Missouri as attorney general.

Scharf joined Greitens staff in 2016. When Greitens resigned in 2018, Scharf worked in Washington and New York before coming to St. Louis in 2020 to work as an assistant U.S. attorney in the violent crimes division. He has a bachelors degree from Princeton University and a law degree from Harvard University.

All signs point to a spirited race in two years, as Bailey already has gained Parsons endorsement when he announced he would run for election to the states top legal post when it comes back on ballots in 2024.

Bailey, 41, had been Parsons general counsel for the last year and the deputy counsel for two years prior. Before joining Parsons office, he was the chief lawyer for the Department of Corrections.

More recently, Bailey played a key role in Parsons decision to demand a St. Louis Post-Dispatch journalist be prosecuted for reporting that a state website under the governors control had exposed Social Security numbers of Missouri teachers.

A Cole County prosecutors refused to press charges in the matter.

Updated Wednesday morning.
ST. LOUIS COUNTY  County Executive Sam Pages dormant crime commission will begin meeting later this month after halting operations during the pandemic.

The commission, called the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, first reconvened in September 2019 after about 40 years of inactivity. The council aims to create a countywide plan that improves law enforcement and criminal justice through approaches outlined in a county ordinance, including finding funding for public safety programs and monitoring county initiatives.

I look at the commission as an opportunity to work as one to address the countys top issue, the one that we invest the most in  public safety, Page said Wednesday morning.

Under a 1976 county ordinance, the commission is made up of the county executive, the county councils chair, the prosecuting attorney, the police chief, the director of justice services, the presiding judge, an elected municipal official and two county residents. Page noted that while the commission ceased meetings when the pandemic hit in early 2020, talks between departments did not.

As of Wednesday, commission members include: Page; Council Chairwoman Shalonda Webb; Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell; Police Chief Ken Gregory; Presiding Judge Mary Ott; director of Justice Services Scott Anders; Jennings Mayor Yolanda Austin; and St. Louis county resident Erin Kelley.

The commissions second resident position has not yet been filled, said Pages spokesman Doug Moore.

The 1976 ordinance outlines the commissions responsibility to coordinate all law enforcement and criminal justice activities in the county to prevent fragmentation of police, judicial and correction agencies.

Though the ordinance was passed almost five decades ago, county officials said in 2019 they did not have any record of the body ever holding a meeting. A Post-Dispatch story in 1976 said the countys board was set up, but the last mention of the body in the newspapers archives was in 1979.

Page said Wednesday, and also in 2019, that he was motivated to reconvene the commission after he walked around the scene in Jennings where 3-year-old Rodney March fatally shot himself and Page asked himself, Why is this happening?

Page said the commission will be guided by two major reports: a review of the county police department published in December 2020 by consultant company Teneo and an outside audit of the jail in July 2022 by Miami-based criminal justice consulting firm CGL.

Teneo found the police department did not have a comprehensive plan to address crime, causing crime rates to persist and leaving the department constantly in fire-fighting mode. And while CGL found the negative perception of the jail was unjustified and driven by media reports, it recommended ways to overcome what it saw as the facilitys biggest hurdle  low staffing.

Public safety is the overarching priority of good government, Page said, noting the county has committed another $47 million in federal funds to improve crime prevention, cyberterrorism, police training and evidence handling.

The commissions first monthly meeting will be at 10 a.m. Feb. 23.

We know there are too many guns on the street, and the efforts to put responsible gun control measures in place continue to be blocked by the NRA and their supporters in Washington, Page said. But we can have our own efforts here at the local level. We can hold gun owners who are not responsible accountable, and we can make sure that we are doing everything possible to make sure people are not obtaining guns illegally.
ST. LOUIS  Police on Wednesday identified the Ferguson man found shot dead in the city's Old North St. Louis neighborhood Friday night.

Demetrius Golliday, 18, was found by police Friday night in the 3200 block of North 19th Street. He had been shot and was pronounced dead at a hospital, police said.

Investigators have not identified a suspect, according to a police report.

Golliday lived in first block of Buckeye Drive in Ferguson.
JEFFERSON CITY  Republicans and Democrats clashed Wednesday as the GOP-led Missouri Senate, in its first major action of the year, took up a plan to ban critical race theory in public schools.

After about three hours of debate, the Senate adjourned for the day without taking a vote.

The legislation by Sen. Andrew Koenig, R-Manchester, follows increased pushback in recent years over school lessons dealing with race and gender concepts, and includes a requirement that schools send all curricula, syllabi and other materials to a public portal managed by the state.

Theyre teaching kids to treat people based on their race, Koenig said.

Its pretty racist to tell my Black kids that they cant make it in the world because they are somehow oppressed by white people, said Koenig, who is white and an adoptive father of Black children. And its equally as racist to tell my white ... kids that theyre oppressing my Black kids.

Noting that minority communities are disproportionately affected by poverty, Sen. Steve Roberts, D-St. Louis, asked, Why wouldnt we want our kids, our adults, to be educated in this so we can figure out how to address those problems?

What this legislation is trying to do is to prohibit those conversations, those dialogues from even happening  just to whitewash over it, Roberts said. I dont understand why, you know, folks in the majority feel like theyre victims.

The debate grew heated at times.

In one exchange, Sen. Barbara Washington, D-Kansas City, asked Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville, who supports the bill, to stop interrupting her during an inquiry into the proposed law.

If I was a white boy or a white man, you wouldnt be doing this, said Washington, an attorney who acknowledged she is loud, Black, female and highly educated.

At one point in a conversation with Koenig, Brattin brought up the Hitler Youth. He said Germans replaced school curricula with material centered on the Aryan race and Jewish hatred.

The legislation literally is prohibiting that  that sort of mentality that was actually taught to the  the Hitler Youth, Brattin said. I know that people are like man, that is crazy. No, its not crazy.

Its creating hatred towards another, Brattin said.

The legislation doesnt define critical race theory, but says no school employee shall compel a teacher or student to personally adopt certain viewpoints, including that individuals, by virtue of their race, ethnicity, color, or national origin, bear collective guilt and are inherently responsible for actions committed in the past by others.

Critical race theory centers on the idea that racism is systemic in the nations institutions and that they function to maintain the dominance of white people in society.

The legislation goes on to outline a number of parental rights, including being able to access curricula, the names of guest speakers at the school, and information about collection and transmission of student data.

It also sets up the Missouri Education Transparency and Accountability Portal allowing the public to access every school districts curriculum, textbooks, source materials, and syllabi.

Sen. Doug Beck, D-south St. Louis County, said, This doesnt get people more involved. This is gonna get special groups involved to try to stir up trouble in school districts.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education surveyed school districts and charter schools on critical race theory and the 1619 Project, a project by Nikole Hannah-Jones and The New York Times that centers slavery and Black people in American history, in July 2021.

Out of 555 districts and charters surveyed, 425 responded.

Of those, only the Kansas City School District reported any lessons about critical race theory instruction.

The University City school district reported one teacher using the 1619 Project in one unit. The Hazelwood School District reported the project being listed as a resource for fourth grade students, and said eighth graders are given a reading of two paragraphs from the 1619 Project describing the arrival of enslaved Africans in Jamestown.

For ninth graders, Hazelwood said, the 1619 Project is mentioned in a suggested learning activity where President Trump discusses the 1619 project and the 1776 project.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Updated at 5:52 p.m.
ST. LOUIS  Attorneys general in 20 conservative-led states warned CVS and Walgreens on Wednesday that they could face legal consequences if they sell abortion pills by mail in those states.

A letter from Republican Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey to the nations largest pharmacy-dispensing companies was co-signed by 19 other attorneys general, warning that sale of abortion pills would violate federal law and abortion laws in many states. Missouri is among states that implemented strict abortion prohibitions last summer after the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.

Bailey didnt specify what legal action he would take if the pharmacies begin selling abortion pills to Missourians by mail.

I will enforce the laws as written, Bailey said in a statement in response to questions from The Associated Press. That includes laws protecting the health of women and their unborn children. The FDA rule is in direct violation of federal law, and the unelected bureaucrats at the FDA have no authority to change Missouri law, either. The peoples elected representatives have spoken on the issue of abortion in our state, and we will fight to uphold that in court.

Nineteen states have imposed restrictions on abortion pills, but theres a court battle over whether they have the power to do so in defiance of U.S. Food and Drug Administration policy. A physician and a company that makes the pill mifepristone filed separate lawsuits last month seeking to strike down bans in North Carolina and West Virginia.

For more than 20 years, the FDA limited dispensing of the drug to a subset of specialty offices and clinics because of safety concerns. But since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency eased restrictions, eliminating the in-person requirement for the pill and allowing brick-and-mortar pharmacies to dispense it. At least one lawsuit filed by abortion opponents argues that the FDA has overstepped its authority in approving the abortion drugs.

A spokesman for Walgreens said the company is not currently dispensing mifepristone, although they are working to become eligible through an FDA-mandated certification process, requiring pharmacies to meet specific standards in shipping, tracking and confidentially storing drug prescribing records.

We fully understand that we may not be able to dispense Mifepristone in all locations if we are certified under the program, a statement from spokesman Fraser Engerman read.

Messages left with CVS were not immediately returned.

On Jan. 3, the FDA finalized a rule change that broadens availability of abortion pills to many more pharmacies, including large chains and mail-order companies.

The letter to the pharmacy giants said President Joe Bidens administrations endorsement of abortion pills by mail is an attempt to circumvent the right of states to protect women and children. It was co-signed by attorneys general in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.

The Missouri law was written in 2019 to go into effect if Roe v. Wade was ever overturned. It was implemented almost immediately after the Supreme Court decision was announced in June. The law makes it a felony punishable by five to 15 years in prison to perform or induce an abortion. Medical professionals who do so also could lose their licenses. The law says that women undergoing abortions cannot be prosecuted.

AP journalists Geoff Mulvihill in Philadelphia and Matthew Perrone in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.
JEFFERSON CITY  Missouri lawmakers debated legislation Wednesday that would allow more school personnel to carry hidden guns into classrooms as a line of defense against attackers.

The measure, sponsored by Rep. Chris Dinkins, R-Lesterville, would expand the states school protection officer program to any school personnel, ranging from custodians to school lunch workers.

Currently, the program offers security training resources for teachers or administrators who want to carry a firearm in school in a security capacity.

Dinkins told members of the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee that the proposal gives locally run school districts more flexibility to appoint more people beyond teachers and principals to protect students.

This mainly impacts rural communities. We dont even have police officers in some of our tiny towns, Dinkins said.

The program is largely focused on helping rural schools that dont have access to school security guards and where it can take law enforcement 45 minutes to respond to a call, supporters said.

The proposal requires any additional school protection officers to complete 112 hours of basic firearms training and an additional 18 hours every two years.

The debate over guns in schools has been underway in Missouri and other states for over a decade, but it has run into opposition from educators and some governors.

It comes after a 19-year-old killed a teacher, a student and wounded seven others last October at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in St. Louis. Police said they had previously responded to a call from the 19-year-olds mother to remove a gun from his possession, but they could not do so because Missouri lacks a red-flag law.

Rather than toughen gun laws and limit access to firearms, Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, has instead proposed $50 million for school safety grants in response to the shooting.

And, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is seeking a company to develop a special phone app that will help schools alert police to potential dangers.

As for Dinkins measure, a limited number of school districts have given teachers and administrators the ability to carry weapons on school grounds. At the end of the last school year, there were 42 teachers or school administrators across the state who were trained as school protection officers.

Brandt Shields of the Missouri School Boards Association told members of the committee that many of those schools are in areas where police protection is 30 minutes away.

This is one other tool in the tool box, Shields said, expressing support for the initiative

Scott Kimble of the Missouri Council of School Administrators said his organization also backs the proposal.

The measure is expected to be voted on by the committee at a later date.

The legislation is House Bill 70.
JEFFERSON CITY  Republicans who control the Missouri House rolled out one of their major policy goals of the 2023 session Wednesday, offering up a proposal to make it harder for voters to change the states constitution at the ballot box.

After a month of moving top priorities through the committee process, the effort marked the first time a significant bill was laid out before the full chamber this year.

At issue is GOP pushback against Missourians using the voting booth to legalize marijuana, expand health insurance to more low-income people and raise the minimum wage in recent years.

Republicans who control all levers of state government want to make it more difficult to get a measure on the ballot and tougher for it to pass in the wake of those progressive victories.

I believe the Constitution is a pretty sacred document, said Rep. Mike Henderson, R-Bonne Terre, who is sponsoring the change. Our Constitution should not really be for sale.

Henderson, who is the House speaker pro tem, said the current set-up results in out-of-state interests putting their financial backing behind major changes in state policy.

Many of these groups have no ties to our state, Henderson said. I feel like Missourians are being hoodwinked sometimes.

Hendersons plan would increase the threshold for passing an amendment to 60%, up from the current majority of those casting votes.

That threshold would have meant the defeat of ballot questions like legalizing recreational marijuana, which is going into effect next month after 53% of the voters approved it in November.

In all, an estimated 60 of the 132 ballot questions dating to the 1940s would have failed if the bar for passage was set at 60%.

Henderson backed off an initial plan to increase the signature threshold to place a question on the ballot from its current 8% of voters in two-thirds of the states congressional districts to 10% of voters in each of the states eight congressional districts.

The people of Missouri will decide whether we are right or wrong, Henderson said.

The measure received initial approval on a 106-50 vote. It needs one more vote to move to the Senate, where Republicans are working on their own version of the initiative.

Democrats argued Wednesday that the proposal would take away the peoples power and voice.

The clear argument here is the voters passed something we didnt like. So lets make the bar higher, said Rep. Kevin Windham, D-Hillsdale.

Its like a crowbar sticking in my eyeball, said Rep. Joe Adams, D-University City.

The maneuvering by GOP lawmakers comes as abortion rights supporters are considering a statewide referendum after watching election results in five other states  California, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana and Vermont  where abortion-rights groups won ballot measures.

Anti-abortion groups are playing defense by pressing lawmakers to act in order to preserve the states ban.

The Missouri Association of Realtors opposes the change and has threatened to bankroll an opposition campaign to the effort.

A similar plan died last year in the Missouri Senate after Democrats used their filibuster powers to stall discussion on the proposal.

Hendersons legislation is House Joint Resolution 43.
CLAYTON  Cannabis cafes could be allowed in unincorporated St. Louis County if county leaders approve a new zoning rule to be proposed on Tuesday.

Missouris new constitutional amendment legalizing recreational marijuana leaves it up to local governments to decide whether they will allow businesses where customers may consume cannabis on-site  a cafe that sells coffee and joints, for instance, or a bakery that sells pot brownies. St. Louis County would allow such businesses with certain conditions under the proposed ordinance revisions.

In Missouri, there are individuals already thinking about creating uses where cannabis can be used on-site, said Jacob Trimble, director of planning for St. Louis County. We want to be prepared.

The plan would only apply to unincorporated areas and has to get final approval from the county council, but it already has the green light from the county planning department and nine-member appointed planning commission. A bill introducing the plan went before the council Tuesday night, though it could be weeks before its finalized.

The new statewide constitutional amendment legalized opening businesses where customers consume cannabis, said John Payne, the campaign director who led the legalization initiative. But a city or county could decide not to allow them.

Amendment 3 empowers local governments to make those decisions, Payne said.

The countys proposal outlines regulations for marijuana consumption facilities and dispensaries that sell recreational pot. They have to be at least 1,000 feet from a school, child care center or church, and they must be at least 500 feet from another dispensary or package liquor store.

But those are just the initial requirements.

Any business or new dispensary selling recreational marijuana would have to first get individual approval from the county planning department and commission. Theyd go through public hearings where the community could express their opinions. And theyd have to get approval from the seven-member county council.

From our perspective, were sensitive to what the communities want, said Wayne Hilzinger, chair of the planning commission. Were certainly not promoting it, but under the constitutional amendment, its permitted. All weve done at this point is address it within the ordinances.

As soon as Monday, seven existing medical dispensaries in unincorporated county could begin selling recreational marijuana if the state approves their applications. It will be months before unincorporated county sees new dispensaries under a new state licensing process.

In November, 59% of St. Louis County voters supported Amendment 3. It passed statewide with 53% of the vote.

At a planning commission hearing in December on the proposed ordinance revisions, there were seven people present in favor of the plan and none against, according to county records.
ST. LOUIS  The attorney for a Missouri man facing lethal injection next week said Tuesday that he will ask the state Supreme Court to postpone the execution by three or four months to allow more time to investigate his innocence claim.

Leonard Taylor, 58, faces execution Feb. 7 for the deaths of his girlfriend and her three children in suburban St. Louis in 2004. Attorney Kent Gipson had asked St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell to request a hearing on Taylors claim that he was out of state when the killings occurred, but Bell on Monday said he wouldnt file such a motion.

Bell on Tuesday sent a letter to the Supreme Court in support of postponing Taylors execution to allow time for additional review of the victims times of death.

Gipson said he would ask the Missouri Supreme Court to postpone the execution date by 90 to 120 days so that experts can seek to determine how long the victims were dead before their bodies were found  a question at the heart of the case.

Taylor had an extensive criminal record and was the live-in boyfriend of Angela Rowe. Her relatives had not heard from her for several days and asked police to go to her home in Jennings. On Dec. 3, 2004, officers found the bodies of Rowe, her 10-year-old daughter Alexus Conley, 6-year-old daughter AcQreya Conley and 5-year-old son Tyrese Conley.

All four had been shot to death. Taylor was arrested days later in Kentucky.

What remains unknown is precisely when the victims were killed. Thats key to Taylors innocence claim as he boarded a flight to California on Nov. 26, 2004  eight days before the discovery of the bodies.

Gipson said authorities first believed the killings happened only a few days before the bodies were found, at the time when Taylor was in California. But at Taylors trial, medical examiner Phillip Burch said the killings could have happened two or three weeks before the discovery of the bodies.

Several of (Rowes) family members and a neighbor who had no reason to lie at all saw her alive after Leonard left town, Gipson said.

Meanwhile, Taylors adult daughter, Deja Taylor, claimed in a recent court filing that she and her father called Angela Rowe during his visit to California. Deja Taylor said she spoke with Rowe and one of the children. The court filing said Deja Taylors mother and sister corroborated her story.

The execution would be the third in Missouri in three months, all involving cases out of St. Louis County. Kevin Johnson was executed in November for killing a police officer in 2005. Amber McLaughlin was put to death Jan. 3 for killing a woman in 2003. It was believed to be the first execution of a transgender woman in the U.S.

The Post-Dispatch contributed to this story.
KINSHASA, Congo  Pope Francis on Wednesday urged Congo's people to forgive those who committed "inhuman violence" against them, celebrating a Mass for 1 million people and then hearing firsthand of the atrocities some of them have endured: a teenage girl "raped like an animal" for months; a young man who watched as his father was decapitated; a former sex slave forced into cannibalism.

Congolese from the country's east traveled to the capital, Kinshasa, to tell the pope of the horrific violence they suffered for years as rebel groups sought to gain territory in the mineral-rich region through attacks that forced about 5.7 million people to flee their homes.

Francis sat in silence as victim after victim came forward to tell their stories. He watched as they offered up at the foot of a crucifix a symbol of their pain: the machete used to maim and kill, or the straw mat on which they had been raped. When they knelt for a blessing, Francis placed his hand on their heads, or on the stumps of the arms that remained.

"Your tears are my tears; your pain is my pain," Francis told them. "To every family that grieves or is displaced by the burning of villages and other war crimes, to the survivors of sexual violence and to every injured child and adult, I say: I am with you; I want to bring you God's caress."

The intimate encounter at the Vatican Embassy in Kinshasa was an extraordinary moment of a pope seeking to console his flock and shine a spotlight on what Francis has called a "forgotten genocide" that barely makes the news. Despite being home to one of the largest United Nations peacekeeping operations in the world, eastern Congo has been mired in violence since the early 1990s as rebels and militias vie for control of mineral-rich territory.

"What a scandal and what hypocrisy, as people are being raped and killed, while the commerce that causes this violence and death continues to flourish!" Francis said of the foreign powers and extraction industries exploiting Congo's east. "Enough!"

Francis originally planned to visit the eastern province of North Kivu, where rebel groups intensified attacks in the past year, when his trip was initially scheduled for July.

But after the trip was rescheduled, the Vatican had to cancel the visit to Goma due to the fighting in Congo, where already some 26.4 million people face hunger, according to the World Food Program.

Instead, residents of the east came to Francis.

Ladislas Kambale Kombi, from the Beni area of eastern North Kivu province, told Francis of watching as men in military uniforms decapitated his father, placed his head in a basket and then took off with his mother, whom he never saw again.

"At night, I cannot sleep," he said. "It is hard to understand such wickedness, such near-animal-like brutality."

Bijoux Makumbi Kamala, 17, told of being kidnapped in 2020 by rebels in Walikale, in North Kivu province, as she went to fetch water. Through a translator, she said she was raped daily by the commander until she escaped after 19 months.

"It was useless to scream, because no one could hear me or come to my rescue," she said. She gave birth to twin girls and found consolation through the Catholic Church.

Those who told their stories to Francis gave their names at the start of their testimony.

Emelda M'karhungulu, from a village near Bukavu in Congo's South Kivu province, spoke through a translator of having been kept as a sexual slave for three months at age 16 by armed men who invaded her village in 2005. She said she was raped daily by five to 10 men who then forced their captives to eat the flesh of the men they had killed, mixed with animal meat and maize paste.

"That was our food each day; whoever refused they would behead and would feed them to us," she said. M'karhungulu said she eventually escaped one day when fetching water.

While forced cannibalism is not known to be widespread, the U.N. and human rights groups documented how it was used as a weapon of war in the early 2000s in parts of eastern Congo.

A statement prepared months ago by Desire Dhetsina was read aloud on his behalf; Dhetsina disappeared after surviving an attack Feb. 1, 2022, on a camp for internally displaced people in Ituri province, on Congo's northeastern border with Uganda.

"I saw savagery: People carved up like meat in a butcher shop; women disemboweled, men decapitated," Dhetsina reported. As his story was read to Francis, two women stood up and raised the stumps that remained of their mutilated arms.

Francis condemned the violence and urged the Congolese victims to use their pain for good, to sow peace and reconciliation. It was a message he also delivered earlier in the day at a Mass to the throngs at Kinshasa's Ndolo airport, where he cited the example of Christ who forgave those who betrayed him.
What is the justice system in the United States of America: a means to punish or a way to facilitate rehabilitation? Whatever the answer might be, the result is the same. Those found guilty serve their time and are released (unless serving life without parole). Unfortunately, its far more complicated.

President George W. Bush said, America is the land of the second chance, and when the gates of the prison open, the path ahead should lead to a better life. The reality is many formerly incarcerated people find their hopes of living a happy and productive life diminished by the many obstacles they face. Even though theyve paid their debt to society, their one bad decision continues to haunt them.

Imagine a young father getting released to his loving family after serving his time for drug charges. He is eager to return to work to support his family, to participate in his childs life and to contribute to his community. But he cant find work. Despite their need for employees, companies turn him away. He attempts to pursue higher education, but getting financial aid with a criminal record proves to be nearly impossible.

What next to fill his days? Volunteering at his childs school isnt an option. This man is now stuck, with no way to make a living, advance his education or make a meaningful contribution to his community. Fast forward 10 years, and he still faces many of the same uphill battles. His life is still devastated by one bad choice he made years ago.

One of my friends made some bad choices early in his adult life. He received a seven-year prison sentence for an intent-to-distribute charge and multiple possession charges. When released from prison, he vowed never to go back. He graduated from a Missouri university with a marketing and management degree, but he had to take on debt because he was ineligible for federal grants. He has continued to face obstacles to starting a career. Despite receiving an offer of employment from a mortgage company, attempting to buy a business, and trying to branch to other careers, he has repeatedly been turned down by human resource offices, banks and other employers because of his record.

Despite these difficulties, my friend considers himself lucky  he has been supported by his family. They were able to see him for the person he is and not just as a felon. He acknowledges many people arent so fortunate. And while he has left his crimes behind him and paid his debt, he still faces roadblocks to having the life he wants and deserves more than 20 years later. And we wonder why the recidivism rate is so high.

This isnt justice, this is a life sentence.

As a state, we can do better for those with past criminal records, along with their families. There is hope. State Rep. Phil Christofanelli and state Sen. Curtis Trent have filed legislation (House Bill 352 and Senate Bill 347) that would help people like my friend.

The Clean Slate initiative has been implemented in 10 other states with several others working to pass this legislation. Not only does it reduce recidivism, it helps the economy, creates safer communities and strengthens families. Approximately 1.9 million Missourians have some sort of interaction with our criminal justice system, and currently more than 500,000 Missourians would be eligible for expungement.

More than a half million families would benefit from this legislation, including potentially millions of children. Nearly 99% of those eligible are not aware of their eligibility, nor do they know how to navigate the laborious, confusing and expensive process without getting lawyers involved. This legislation is an important step to create viable pathways and second chances for thousands of Missourians.

Katie Sinquefield is an advocate for criminal-justice reform, serving on the board of the nonprofit Weldon Project.
Its a big deal when leading Missouri Republicans put their names behind legislation to curb gun access in any form. In this case, a state House bill backed by a top Republican would restrict minors from having guns without an adult present. Its amazing that state law doesnt already address such a commonsense restriction, but its nonetheless noteworthy that a bill is advancing to make that happen.

Current state law specifies no minimum age limit for carrying firearms, according to a St. Louis police spokesman. Perhaps lawmakers action was prompted by the horror of the Oct. 24 mass shooting at a St. Louis high school  by a 19-year-old former student. Or maybe its the daily news stories about young teens wielding guns while hijacking cars. Or perhaps it was the shooting incident in St. Louis in which three teenagers armed with Glock automatic and semiautomatic pistols opened fire on police and other teenagers outside the City Foundry.

Whatever the reason, its clear that lawmakers recognize the monster they created in 2016 when they passed a constitutional carry bill that helped expand minors access to dangerous firearms. It meant that police encountering a minor on the street carrying a firearm have extremely limited authority to take enforcement action against him.

A new restriction is now part of crime legislation introduced by state Rep. Lane Roberts, R-Joplin, after a bipartisan working group recommended inserting such a measure. Roberts was quick to acknowledge that Missourians are pretty fanatical in our defense of the Second Amendment. Nevertheless, he said in reference to minors with guns that this kind of conduct is not what the Second Amendment was meant to protect.

Though its been noted many times before, its worth repeating that the Second Amendment isnt about an unbridled right of Americans to carry firearms. The fanatics Roberts referred to conveniently ignore the words well regulated in the preamble to the Second Amendment. Those words mean exactly what they say, and they put the onus on lawmakers to impose gun restrictions wherever necessary.

Those fanatical Missourians need to hear the words well regulated more often from their Republican leaders to the point that the phrase becomes as much of a mantra as is the gun-rights portion of the Second Amendment. It takes courage for lawmakers to stand up to the fanatics, and Republicans like Long and those on the legislative working group deserve credit for taking steps  albeit baby steps like this one  to halt the states headlong descent into urban gun violence and death.

Aside from hunting or target practice at a gun range, we are hard-pressed to identify any circumstances in which a gun belongs in the hands of children  regardless of whether an adult is present. This extremely basic proposed measure deserves to advance so that sanity can prevail instead of mayhem on St. Louis streets.
Metas decision last week to spring former President Donald Trump from Facebook jail has been greeted by a surprisingly muted reaction from the media and the public. That may be because neither Trump nor Facebook itself has quite the cachet they both did two years ago, when he was banished from that platform and others for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. But both remain relevant and, in Trumps case, potentially dangerous. Facebook should proceed carefully and transparently.

Like it or not, there are solid arguments for allowing Trumps return. Following the decision to ban him the day after the attacks, the company said he wouldnt be allowed back for at least two years, and then only if the risk to public safety has receded. The first and arguably the second standard have been met. Even in the non-virtual world, most lawbreakers are eventually eligible for parole.

Trumps suspension was an extraordinary decision taken in extraordinary circumstances, Meta said in a statement last week. The normal state of affairs is that the public should be able to hear from a former President of the United States, and a declared candidate for that office again, on our platforms. Whatever your opinion about Trump, thats a difficult principle to dispute.

But Meta should more fully explain the new guardrails it says it will place around the former president to ensure he doesnt again use its platform to undermine democracy. Especially problematic is that, while Meta says it wont allow him to falsely cast doubt on the legitimacy of future elections, he can (and undoubtedly will) continue spreading his big lie about the legitimacy of the 2020 election that unseated him. The point of the lie is not just to relitigate that specific contest but also to poison Americans trust in electoral democracy generally.

Though Twitter was Trumps primary method of communicating with his base throughout his presidency, its no mystery why he wants back on Facebook: He needs small-dollar donors for 2024, and Facebook is especially well-suited for getting them. So it makes some sense that the multi-tiered guidelines Meta has set out for Trump include not just another banishment if he outright violates its standards but suspending his access to Facebooks advertising tools for misbehavior that stops short of that line.

It should embarrass every American that a former and possible future president has to be handled like a flailing toddler by social-media companies  but Trump more than merits that kind of handling. Evidence abounds on his Truth Social network that he has become even more irresponsible and malicious in his post-presidency than he was in office. If theres an upside to Trumps return to Facebook, its that letting Americans see that unfitness in real time could be just the final shove he needs out of political relevance.
Blending reality with virtual production on "1899"

1899, the hit multilingual multi-genre Netflix series, has thrilled and mystified viewers in equal numbers. 1899 has pushed filmmaking innovation as much as the limits of TV storytelling.

Fremont, CA( )

Ostensibly a period drama set on a 19th Century passenger ship crossing the Atlantic, 1899 quickly shatters that calm facade and goes full steam ahead into a storied world of parallel existences, nightmarish experiences, and general inscrutability. But audiences love it.

The show, from Dark creators Jantje Friese and Baran Bo Odar, offers high production values, rich period sets and costumes, sumptuous cinematography, exemplary acting, and mind bending visual effects. This was greatly helped by the fact that 1899 shared much of the creative talent behind Dark.

Nikolaus Summerer provided cinematography to his usual high standard on 1899, while color and sound post production was carried out at Basis Berlin, where colorist Steffen Paul handled the UHD HDR grade on DaVinci Resolve. They had both performed similar duties on Dark and earlier projects with Friese and Odar.

Virtual developments

To service the unique narrative needs of 1899, a vast 270 degree circular LED wall Volume was erected for filming with a turntable capable of rotating 360 degrees.

This virtual production environment allows real-time background replacement using CGI and pre captured content on the LED walls, to be motion tracked to the camera view and mixed with the live action on the stage.

However, this innovative in-camera methodology in no way spells the end for post production. VFX is still very much required, while color grading and finishing are more essential than ever.

In Virtual production, large parts of the image are created long before the shoot. You start with VFX, and the shoot comes last, says Steffen Paul.

Pauls involvement began during pre production and testing, producing a standard look for the color grade, a show LUT, to be applied to all the monitors and dailies used while producing 1899.

We hoped that one LUT for the entire production would be sufficient, he explains. This is especially relevant when setting up the color pipeline between all the different VFX vendors and the editing room. There is a lot of information you need to track  we didnt want the show LUT to be another variable in this setup.

The color pipeline had the latitude to evolve. The main look transform is locked from shooting on day one, but scene matching and exposure compensation and finding the right mood for a scene is just as important, says Paul. The dailies team at Panoptimo in Munich did a terrific job and had to take the initial heat on set.

After picture lock, the work at Basis Berlin began in earnest, beginning with a conform on a fully expanded DaVinci Resolve system.

The online and editing capabilities have improved so much in Resolve that it doesnt make much sense to do the conform elsewhere, says Paul. We used CDL conform color transformations in conjunction with ACES color management and the show LUT to create a starting point for the DI grading.

Paul feels virtual production requires more time in DI than traditionally shot scenes. Blending a physical set with atmospheric effects and a virtual backdrop was a particularly complicated process.

With the volume, you are constantly working on a way to blend foreground and background better, he explains. One of the things that separate the two is perceived sharpness. The LED wall often looks too soft, possibly because the actual resolution of those panels is limited. What helped with that were the sharpening tools on the Resolve Color page, especially Texture Pop, which lets you sharpen certain frequency bands without affecting others.

Control over contrast and color was also critical.

The Volume tends to reflect a lot of light if you illuminate it externally. This leads to somewhat muddy blacks that look quite off, especially in a scene with good blacks in the foreground, Paul explains. The spectrum of the light emitted by the RGB LEDs is not continuous and doesnt have a lot of energy in the orange part of the spectrum where skin tone resides.

Paul is a keen user of DaVinci Colorspace Transform Language (DCTL), which he uses to create custom transforms.

Its a great way of experimenting with your ideas about how color could be manipulated, he explains. Some of those transforms proved helpful in situations where we needed to adjust the contrast of the volume but where we couldnt isolate the background in a traditional way. I could change the contrast in a specific color region  usually only blue  to achieve the desired result.

In some interior scenes that play inside the cabins we felt at some point that it would be cool to see the sea, he continues. Naturally, those were shot in the studio without a backdrop. We made extensive use of the Match Move tool to place a faintly visible horizon in the distance where required. I think tasks like this will become even simpler with the surface tracker available in version 18 of Resolve.

The Flicker Addition plug-in in Resolve Studio also helped. I would have been lost without it, says Paul. There are so many instances of fire, people with lamps, flicker from monitors that people look at or flare guns that had to reflect back from the faces of the characters.

Some shots were a joy to work on. Worth mentioning are the scenes that play out in the ships lower quarters. The production designer Udo Kramer did a terrific job there, Paul recalls. But then there are scenes where you need to work harder, often with the help of the VFX department.

Mastering the mysteries

Final deliveries for 1899 were one IMF per episode according to Netflix specifications, delivered in UHD with Dolby Vision metadata and a Dolby Atmos mix.

From the grading timeline, we rendered the digital source master in ACES for QC and mastering, says Paul. The mastering team uses ColorFront Transcoder to encode the final IMF and all other deliveries. I think its great to have the grading and delivery process decoupled, so pre-deliveries can be sent out at any time without interfering with the grading timeline.

Paul feels that the various teams have achieved something unique together. The fans of Dark will certainly recognize the visual handwriting, and there is some similarity in how weve dealt with the color, he says. However, we tried to take it a step further this time. Its easy to fall into genres with your look; we didnt want that. 1899 starts as a historical drama and becomes a dark thriller, only to become a sci-fi piece. The look had to cater to all those genres, so we wanted it to feel historic and modern simultaneously. We like mystery and suspense, so everything is quite dark like you would expect.
Kemper Corporation (NYSE: KMPR) announced that its Board of Directors has elected Alberto J. Paracchini as a Director, effective February 1. The Board also announced that Robert J. Joyce has informed the Board of his intention to retire as director at the end of his current term, expiring May 4, 2023.

With a strong track record of nearly 20 years in financial services, Paracchini has served as Chief Executive Officer of Byline Bank since 2013. He has held executive positions with Banco Popular North America, BXM Holdings, Inc., Popular Financial Holdings and E-Loan. Paracchini has a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and Spanish from Marquette University, and an MBA with honors in finance and business economics from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He currently serves on the board for Junior Achievement of Chicago and is a member of the Cook County Council of Economic Advisors and The Economic Club of Chicago.

Were pleased to welcome Alberto to our Board, said Joseph P. Lacher, Jr., President, CEO and Chairman. His broad financial services knowledge and familiarity with a customer base similar to ours will enable him to provide invaluable guidance to Kemper as we move forward. In addition, his current role as CEO of Byline Bank gives him a deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges presented by the current economic climate.

Im honored by the opportunity to join Kempers Board and help advance the Kemper story, said Paracchini. With a history of delivering value for its stakeholders, the company is well-positioned for the future. I look forward to partnering with the Board and the dynamic leadership team to support the companys commitment to executing on its strategic goals.

Paracchini will be a member of the Boards Audit and Risk Committees. His appointment expands the board to 12 directors, 10 of whom are independent.

Joyce, who joined the Kemper Board in August 2012, served as chairman from November 2015 to May 2021, and as lead director from May 2021 to May 2022. He has served on numerous Board committees at Kemper. He retired in 2012 as Executive Chair of Westfield Group after having previously served as Westfields Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Bobs been an incredibly important member of the Board, providing leadership for over a decade, and we thank him for his dedicated service and outstanding contributions, said Lacher. In particular, his support and counsel in the roles of chairman and lead director have helped to transform the company and better enable us to achieve our strategic intent. Personally, his industry and leadership experience, personal strength, and integrity were invaluable to me as I took on the role of CEO at Kemper. Ill be forever grateful for his leadership, partnership and friendship. He will be missed.

My time on the Kemper Board has been a great honor and very fulfilling, Joyce said. Its been exciting to be part of Kempers journey, and I leave with great confidence in the leadership team, current directors, and managements long-term strategy for the company.

About Kemper

The Kemper family of companies is one of the nations leading specialized insurers. With approximately $13 billion in assets, Kemper is improving the world of insurance by providing affordable and easy-to-use personalized solutions to individuals, families and businesses through its Auto, Personal Insurance and Life brands. Kemper serves over six million policies, is represented by approximately 33,500 agents and brokers, and has approximately 10,100 associates dedicated to meeting the ever-changing needs of its customers. Learn more about Kemper.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201006001/en/

Investors: Karen Guerra, 312.668.9720, [email protected]



News Media: Barbara Ciesemier, 312.661.4521, [email protected]

Source: Kemper Corporation
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AECOM (NYSE: ACM), the worlds trusted infrastructure consulting firm, announced today that it has achieved the No. 1 ranking on Fortune magazines list of the Worlds Most Admired Companies in its industry for a third year, including ranking No. 1 in each of the lists nine criteria. This is the ninth consecutive year that the Company has been recognized on the list.

Sustaining our recognition as Fortunes Worlds Most Admired Company in our industry is only possible because of the strength of our employees50,000 talented professionals who are dedicated to our clients and our purpose of delivering a better world, said Troy Rudd, AECOMs chief executive officer. The ingenuity, technical excellence and agility of our teams continue to differentiate AECOM as the leader in our industry and we remain committed to their success as we deliver value for our clients, the communities we serve and our shareholders.

AECOM achieved numerous milestones throughout fiscal 2022 as it progressed its Think and Act Globally strategy, including the following highlights:

Extended track record of delivering on all financial targets for the year, which is expanding the competitive advantage and long-term earnings power of the business.

Invested in employees by enhancing its U.S. healthcare benefits to set a new standard in the industry and fostering a culture of greater work-life flexibility, increased global collaboration through Technical Practice Networks, and strengthened technical and professional development programs.

Furthered the breadth and impact of its Digital AECOM capabilities with market-leading products like PlanEngage, PlanSpend Fund Navigator and PipeInsights, as well as service offerings that are creating new ways of solving the worlds most complex infrastructure challenges.

Advanced leadership in ESG through its Sustainable Legacies strategy, including launching its ESG Advisory practice to help clients address their ESG risks, becoming one of the first companies to set new and more rigorous net zero targets approved by the Science-Based Targets initiative, and implementing its global Social Value policy and new ESG training programs.

"Thanks to our people, our greatest asset, we are honored to be recognized by Fortune as the Worlds Most Admired Company in our industry for the third consecutive year, said Lara Poloni, AECOMs president. As we maintain our focus on creating the best place to work, leading the digital transformation of our industry and making a positive impact in communities around the world, I am excited by our position to drive the growth of our business and deliver even more for our clients.

Fortune collaborated with Korn Ferry on this survey of corporate reputations and determined the best-regarded companies by asking executives, directors, and analysts to rate enterprises in their own industry on nine criteria, from investment value and quality of management and products to social responsibility and ability to attract talent.

The complete Worlds Most Admired Companies list and details on the methodology can be found on the Fortune website.

About AECOM

AECOM (NYSE: ACM) is the worlds trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle  from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy, and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $13.1 billion in fiscal year 2022. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005673/en/

Media Contact:

Brendan Ranson-Walsh

Senior Vice President, Global Communications

1.213.996.2367

[email protected]

Investor Contact:

Will Gabrielski

Senior Vice President, Finance, Treasurer

1.213.593.8208

[email protected]

Source: AECOM
Alipay+ expands its footprint across Asia with foodpanda with Malaysia becoming the 5th market where foodpanda accepts local e-wallet payment through Alipay+

Alipay+ has previously integrated foodpanda with other leading local mobile wallets in the region including GCash in the Philippines, TrueMoney in Thailand, bKash in Bangladesh and AlipayHK in Hong Kong SAR, China

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Alipay+ has further strengthened its partnership with Asias largest food delivery platform, foodpanda, to Malaysia. Through this partnership, foodpanda Malaysias customers can now enjoy convenient food and grocery deliveries by paying through Touch n Go eWallet, one of the leading mobile wallets in Malaysia.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230131005758/en/

Alipay+ has further strengthened its partnership with Asias largest food delivery platform, foodpanda, to Malaysia.

With contactless payments becoming more prevalent over the past few years, users of Touch n Go eWallet are now able to purchase food and daily essentials through foodpanda Malaysia, the countrys leading quick commerce delivery platform. Customers can also enjoy instant cash discount at checkout via Touch n Go eWallet when placing orders on foodpanda.

foodpanda Malaysia is committed to providing our customers with the convenience of having their food and daily essentials delivered right to their doorstep. We strive to be 1% better each time and add value to our customers experience. This time, it is to give them more options in payment methods, said foodpanda Malaysia Chief Executive Officer Sayantan Das.

We are proud to be partnering with Alipay+ and TNG Digital to enable the usage of Touch n Go eWallet on our platform. Leveraging our synergies as the leading quick commerce platform and the largest eWallet provider in the country, we are happy to play our role in encouraging the adoption of digital payment for the convenience and safety of millions of our merchants, riders and customers, he added.

The gross merchandise value (GMV) of the on-demand food delivery market in Southeast Asia is expected to reach US$49.7 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 14.1%, according to a 2022 report from research firm Frost & Sullivan. The GMV was estimated to be at US$15.2 billion in 2021, it said.

foodpanda Malaysias latest partnership with Touch n Go eWallet will tap into the eWallets more than 18 million registered users.

Commenting on the collaboration, Alan Ni, Chief Executive Officer of TNG Digital Sdn Bhd said, We are very excited to partner with foodpanda to give our users access to a seamless and convenient delivery experience in Malaysia.

Through Touch n Go eWallet, our users will be able to make payments for their orders with peace of mind knowing that their transactions are safe and secure, he added.

Introduced by Ant Group in 2020, Alipay+ is a suite of cross-border digital payment, marketing and merchant digitization solutions connecting global brands with mobile-savvy consumers worldwide. Currently, 16 global e-wallet partners backed by Alipay+ have covered more than 1.3 billion digital-savvy consumers, mostly in Southeast Asia.

Alipay+ Rewards is a new digital marketing platform developed by Alipay+ and partner e-wallets to help global brands better engage with consumers worldwide by offering incentives and exclusive services.

Malaysia is the fifth major market in Asia where Alipay+ and foodpanda have collaborated to provide services with leading local mobile wallets in the region. Prior to this latest partnership in Malaysia, other Alipay+ partner e-wallets, including GCash in the Philippines, TrueMoney in Thailand, bKash in Bangladesh and AlipayHK in Hong Kong SAR, China, have already supported payments on their respective local foodpanda platforms.

Jing Yin, General Manager of Acquiring Service and Global Strategic Accounts of Ant Group, said: Alipay+ is committed to helping merchants reach more than 1 billion global consumers and ensure easy and smooth payments of our e-wallet partners when consumers place orders on each platform.

We are excited to offer payment and marketing solutions to foodpanda Malaysia through the Touch n Go eWallet, and we are looking forward to partnering with foodpanda in more markets by bringing more designated benefits with our local e-wallet partners in the future.

About Alipay+

Alipay+ offers unified global mobile payment and marketing solutions that connect merchants with multiple e-wallets and payment methods from different countries and regions by collaborating with global partners. Consumers can conveniently use their preferred local payment methods while transacting seamlessly in a different market and be able to enjoy marketing solutions offered by the merchants through Alipay+. Alipay+ is developed by Ant Group, the owner and operator of Alipay, one of the worlds leading digital open platforms.

About foodpanda

foodpanda is a leading delivery platform in Asia Pacific dedicated to bringing consumers a wide range of food, groceries and more, quickly and conveniently. Powered by technology and operational excellence, foodpanda is spearheading the growth of quick-commerce (q-commerce) across the region with its network of retail partners, as well as pandamart cloud stores to provide more on-demand options beyond the millions of food delivery options. foodpanda operates in more than 300 cities across 11 markets in Asia Pacific - Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Pakistan, Taiwan, Philippines, Bangladesh, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar. foodpanda is a subsidiary of Delivery Hero, a global leader in the food delivery industry. For more information, visit www.foodpanda.com.

About TNG Digital Sdn Bhd

TNG Digital Sdn Bhd (TNGD) was founded by Touch n Go Sdn Bhd and Ant Group (Ant), parent company of Alipay, Chinas largest digital payments platform. Established in 2017, TNGD is the owner and operator of Touch n Go eWallet, Malaysias number one eWallet company, with more than 18 million registered users and over 1.2 million merchant touch points including DuitNow QR. Combining Touch n Gos strong domestic brand, dominance in toll, transit and parking use cases and nationwide user base, together with Ants deep domain expertise and leading the development of open platforms for technology-driven inclusive financial services, the Touch n Go eWallet provides financial services and payments services to both retail users and small to mid-sized businesses, across physical and online infrastructure. For more information, please visit www.touchngo.com.my.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230131005758/en/

Media Inquiries

Li Tao

Ant Group

[email protected]

Source: Alipay+
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 CattRe S.A. (CattRe) (Luxembourg). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

The ratings reflect CattRes balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

The ratings also consider, in the form of rating lift, AM Bests expectation that Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A. (Generali) will provide explicit support to CattRe if needed.

CattRes balance sheet strength benefits from its risk-adjusted capitalisation, as measured by Bests Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), which was at the strongest level in 2021. AM Best expects the companys risk-adjusted capitalisation to remain at the strongest level in the medium term. Limiting factors to the balance sheet strength assessment include the companys dependence on retrocession, its material exposure to Italian sovereign bonds and the potential for volatility in capitalisation metrics, driven by the companys small capital base.

CattRes operating performance has been broadly in line with managements expectations since Societa Cattolica di Assicurazione S.p.A. (Cattolica) launched the company in 2018. In 2021, the company reported a pre-tax profit of EUR 0.4 million and a combined ratio of 98% (2020: 88%), as calculated by AM Best. CattRes 2021 technical performance was negatively impacted by the Bernd flooding losses in Germany. In 2022, technical results are expected to improve. However, this improvement is expected to be offset by non-technical losses driven by market value reductions in the companys fixed income investment portfolio.

CattRe is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cattolica based in Luxembourg that focuses on reinsuring specialty lines. The company uses managing general agent (MGA) subsidiaries in Italy to source business. Additionally, CattRe reinsures business written by other subsidiaries of Cattolica in Italy. The company has seen strong growth since inception, with gross written premium amounting to EUR 111 million in 2021.

CattRe is regulated by the Luxembourg regulator, the Commissariat aux Assurances, and follows the Solvency II regulation. The company manages key risks through an effective control framework, which includes outsourced functions, such as underwriting controls at its subsidiary MGAs. AM Best expects that CattRe will benefit from the Generali groups well-developed control system framework.

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  2023 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/20230201005732/en/

Jose Berenguer, CFA

Senior Financial Analyst

+31 20 308 5429

[email protected]



Christopher Sharkey

Manager, Public Relations

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159

[email protected]



Dr. Angela Yeo

Senior Director, Analytics

+31 20 308 5421

[email protected]



Al Slavin

Senior Public Relations Specialist

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5098

[email protected]

Source: AM Best
Supporting the National Urban League and the Affiliate Movement

CAMDEN, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The American Water Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization established by American Water, the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company, and American Waters General Counsel Jim Gallegos announced today, a combined total donation of $200,000 to the National Urban League and the Affiliate Movement. The funding will enhance workforce development initiatives that help close the equality gap for African-Americans and other historically underserved groups throughout American Waters National footprint.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005856/en/

The American Water Charitable Foundation and members from American Waters Together We Stand Employee Business Resource Group present a contribution to National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial and team. (Photo: Business Wire)

The American Water Charitable Foundation is proud to partner with the National Urban League and the Affiliate Movement, supporting impactful initiatives and programs that help to prepare future leaders of tomorrow, said Carrie Williams, President, American Water Charitable Foundation. We remain committed to strengthening our inclusion, diversity, equity and equality principles by supporting organizations such as the Urban League, which helps uplift and empower those they serve. This donation is particularly meaningful as we begin the celebration of Black History Month.

Founded in 1910, the National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment, equality and social justice. The Urban League spearheads the development of social programs, public policy research and advocates for policies and services that close the equality gap.

The total donation will support the National Urban League and the following affiliates with their ongoing workforce development programs:

Chicago Urban League

Greater Sacramento Urban League

Northern Virginia Urban League

Shenango Valley Urban League, Inc.

Urban League of Essex County

Urban League of Greater Chattanooga, Inc.

Urban League of Greater Madison

Urban League of Lexington-Fayette County

Urban League of Metropolitan Saint Louis, Inc.

Urban League of Northwest Indiana, Inc.

We recognize the systemic inequities that have placed countless individuals in our communities at a disadvantage when it comes to accessing attainable and sustainable job opportunities, said Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League. This partnership with the American Water Charitable Foundation will help us reduce the societal gaps we all know exist and allow us to further our efforts to uplift and strengthen our communities.

Since 2012, the American Water Charitable Foundation has donated to worthy causes and organizations in communities served by American Water. Being a good neighbor and steward of the environment has always been central to the mission of American Water.

As a lifelong supporter and former board member of the Urban League of Greater Madison, Wisconsin, I am delighted the American Water Charitable Foundation is partnering with this esteemed organization, said Jim Gallegos, EVP, General Counsel, American Water. This partnership strengthens our continued commitment to being an impactful corporate citizen while helping build better communities where we live, work and operate.

At American Water, members of our Employee Business Resource Groups (EBRG) play a vital role in our continued commitment to being an inclusive, diverse and equitable workplace for all while also helping to enhance our partnerships locally.

Promoting a diverse and inclusive work environment, at all levels within the company, is at the core of American Waters Together We Stand EBRG, said Tiffanie Duncan, Labor Relations Business Partner and Co-Chair, Together We Stand EBRG, American Water. Our EBRG looks forward to supporting this new partnership with the Urban League through service-based projects in underserved communities throughout American Waters National footprint.

Learn more about American Waters Inclusion, Diversity & Equity strategy here.

About American Water Charitable Foundation

The American Water Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides a formal way to demonstrate the companys ongoing commitment to be a good neighbor, citizen, and contributor to the communities where American Water and its employees live, work and operate. For more information, visit amwater.com/awcf and follow the American Water Charitable Foundation on Facebook.

About American Water

With a history dating back to 1886, American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs approximately 6,500 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and regulated-like drinking water and wastewater services to an estimated 14 million people in 24 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable, and reliable water services to our customers to help keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and diversityataw.com. Follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

About The National Urban League

Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, the National Urban League spearheads the efforts of its local affiliates through the development of programs, public policy research, and advocacy. Today, the National Urban League has 90 affiliates serving 300 communities in 37 states and the District of Columbia, providing direct services that impact and improve the lives of more than two million people nationwide.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005856/en/

Media:

Alicia Barbieri

Manager, Corporate Communications

American Water

(856) 676-8103

[email protected]

Teresa Candori

Senior Director, Media Relations and Communication

National Urban League

(212) 558-8362

[email protected]

Source: American Water
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. & TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Arizona Sonoran Copper Company Inc. (TSX:ASCU | OTCQX: ASCUF) (ASCU or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has filed and been receipted for a preliminary short form prospectus in connection with its bought deal offering of 15,000,000 common shares in the capital of the Company (the Common Shares) at a price of C$2.00 per Common Share (the Issue Price) for gross proceeds to the Company of C$30,000,000 (the Offering), as further described in the press release of the Company dated January 25, 2023. In connection with the Offering, the Company has entered into an underwriting agreement with Haywood Securities Inc., as lead underwriter and sole bookrunner, together with a syndicate of underwriters including Canaccord Genuity Corp., Stifel GMP, BMO Capital Markets, CIBC World Markets, Cormark Securities Inc., iA Private Wealth, Raymond James Ltd., RBC Capital Markets, Scotiabank and TD Securities Inc.

The Offering is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals including the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange and the securities regulatory authorities.

The securities offered in the Offering have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, United States persons absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Neither the TSX nor the regulating authority has approved or disproved the information contained in this press release.

About Arizona Sonoran Copper Company (www.arizonasonoran.com | www.cactusmine.com)

ASCUs objective is to become a mid-tier copper producer with low operating costs and to develop the Cactus and Parks/Salyer Projects that could generate robust returns for investors and provide a long term sustainable and responsible operation for the community and all stakeholders. The Company's principal asset is a 100% interest in the Cactus Project (former ASARCO, Sacaton mine) which is situated on private land in an infrastructure-rich area of Arizona. Contiguous to the Cactus Project is the Companys 100%-owned Parks/Salyer deposit that could allow for a phased expansion of the Cactus Mine once it becomes a producing asset. The Company is led by an executive management team and Board which have a long-standing track record of successful project delivery in North America complemented by global capital markets expertise.

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of ASCU to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including forward looking statements in this news release regarding the timing and completion of the Offering, the receipt of necessary stock exchange and securities regulatory authority approvals for the Offering, the use of proceeds of the Offering and future plans of the Company. Factors that could affect the outcome include, among others: timing of review by the stock exchange and securities regulatory authorities, ability to satisfy other conditions to closing of the Offering, managements discretion regarding the use of proceeds of the Offering, future prices and the supply of metals; the results of drilling; inability to raise the money necessary to incur the expenditures required to retain and advance the properties; environmental liabilities (known and unknown); general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; results of exploration programs; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; political instability, terrorism, insurrection or war; or delays in obtaining governmental approvals, projected cash operating costs, failure to obtain regulatory or shareholder approvals.

Although ASCU has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and ASCU disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005763/en/

For more information

Alison Dwoskin, Director, Investor Relations

647-233-4348

[email protected]



George Ogilvie, President, CEO and Director

416-723-0458

[email protected]

Source: Arizona Sonoran Copper Company Inc.
PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today, Delaware Enhanced Global Dividend and Income Fund (the Acquired Fund), a New York Stock Exchange-listed closed-end fund trading under the symbol DEX, announced that the Acquired Fund will make final distributions in connection with the reorganization of the Acquired Fund into arbdn Global Dynamic Dividend Fund (the Acquiring Fund), a New York Stock Exchange-listed closed-end fund trading under the symbol AGD (the Reorganization). The final distribution will be payable March 3, 2023 to common shareholders of record on February 24, 2023. The final Acquired Fund distributions will consist of substantially all of the Acquired Funds undistributed tax-exempt interest income, ordinary income and capital gain net income, if any, earned and anticipated to be earned through the close of business on March 10, 2023. In early 2024, common shareholders of the Acquired Fund will receive a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year 2023 that will tell shareholders how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.

The final distribution is as follows:

FUND ESTIMATED DIVIDEND PER SHARE Delaware Enhanced Global Dividend and Income Fund $0.0509

The final distribution is being made in connection with an Agreement and Plan of Acquisition (the Plan of Acquisition) providing for (i) the acquisition by the Acquiring Fund of substantially all of the assets of the Acquired Fund, in exchange for newly issued common shares of the Acquiring Fund; (ii) the distribution of such newly issued common shares of the Acquiring Fund to holders of common shares of the Acquired Fund; and (iii) the dissolution of the Acquired Fund thereafter. The Plan of Acquisition was approved by shareholders at the Special Meeting of Shareholders held on December 12, 2022, and the transaction is currently anticipated to close on or about March 10, 2023 at approximately 5:00 pm ET. Following completion of the acquisition, the Acquired Fund will be delisted.

About the Acquired Fund

Delaware Enhanced Global Dividend and Income Fund, a diversified closed-end fund, is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The Funds investment adviser is Delaware Management Company (Investment Adviser), a series of Macquarie Investment Management Business Trust, which is a subsidiary of Macquarie Management Holdings, Inc. (MMHI). MMHI is a subsidiary, and subject to the ultimate control, of Macquarie Group Limited. Macquarie Asset Management is a global asset manager that aims to deliver positive impact for everyone. Trusted by institutions, pension funds, governments, and individuals to manage more than $US508 billion in assets globally,1 we provide access to specialist investment expertise across a range of capabilities including infrastructure, green investments & renewables, real estate, agriculture & natural assets, asset finance, private credit, equities, fixed income and multi asset solutions.

The Fund's primary investment objective is to seek current income, with a secondary objective of capital appreciation. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests globally at least 80% of its assets in a combination of dividend-paying or income-generating securities across multiple asset classes, including but not limited to: equity securities of large, well-established companies; securities issued by real estate companies (including real estate investment trusts and real estate industry operating companies); debt securities (such as government bonds; investment grade and high risk, high yield corporate bonds; and convertible bonds); and emerging market securities. The Fund also uses enhanced income strategies by engaging in dividend capture trading; option overwriting; and realization of gains on the sale of securities, dividend growth, and currency forwards. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives.

Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest: (1) at most 60% of its net assets in securities of US issuers; (2) at least 40% of its net assets in securities of non-US issuers, unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by the Manager, in which case, the Fund would invest at least 30% of its net assets in securities of non-US issuers; and (3) up to 25% of its net assets in securities issued by real estate companies (including real estate investment trusts and real estate industry operating companies). In addition, the Fund utilizes leveraging techniques in an attempt to obtain higher return for the Fund.

1 As of September 30, 2022

Other than Macquarie Bank Limited ABN 46 008 583 542 (Macquarie Bank), any Macquarie Group entity noted in this press release is not an authorised deposit-taking institution for the purposes of the Banking Act 1959 (Commonwealth of Australia). The obligations of these other Macquarie Group entities do not represent deposits or other liabilities of Macquarie Bank. Macquarie Bank does not guarantee or otherwise provide assurance in respect of the obligations of these other Macquarie Group entities. In addition, if this press release relates to an investment, (a) the investor is subject to investment risk including possible delays in repayment and loss of income and principal invested and (b) none of Macquarie Bank or any other Macquarie Group entity guarantees any particular rate of return on or the performance of the investment, nor do they guarantee repayment of capital in respect of the investment.

 2023 Macquarie Management Holdings, Inc.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201006098/en/

Investors

Computershare

866 437-0252

delawarefunds.com/closed-end

Media contact

Lee Lubarsky

347 302-3000

[email protected]

Source: Macquarie Investment Management
Dr. Kahanes extensive experience in healthcare organization leadership bolsters Sukis position in 2023

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Suki, the leader in voice artificial intelligence (AI) technology for healthcare, announced today that Dr. Stephen Kahane has joined Sukis board of directors, bringing decades of experience as an operator and operating advisor with a focus on sales, marketing, product and customer success.

Kahane currently serves as executive advisor at New Mountain Capital, where he has been a renowned advisor and investor to select portfolio companies such as Datavant, Cloudmed (now R1), and Signify Health, which have all generated impressive investor returns. Prior to 2023, Dr. Kahane spent eight years at athenahealth, serving as Executive Vice President and President, Client Organization. During that time, the company grew revenues from ~$250M to over $1.3B.

AI-powered voice technologies are the future of healthcare and can address physician pain points, specifically administrative overload and burnout, which impacts patient care, outcomes and financial performance, said Kahane. Suki is a true innovator in this space, and Im thrilled for the opportunity to work closely with the leadership team of such a forward-thinking company.

Suki Assistant leverages advanced natural language processing and machine learning algorithms and architecture to facilitate physician documentation, information retrieval, ICD-10 coding, and other tasks. A groundbreaking study conducted by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Innovation Lab showed that physician users of the Suki Assistant realized a 72% reduction in their median documentation time per note  or 3.3 hours per week, per clinician.

Kahanes support will boost Sukis outlook for 2023, as the company continues to roll out updates and upgrades to its flagship product line.

Dr. Kahane is one of the best healthcare commercial leaders in the country, said Punit Soni, founder and CEO of Suki. We are excited to have him join our ranks as a board member and believe this is a part of the continued evolution of Suki as a powerful, high-growth company with some of the best talent across technology and healthcare domains.

Early in his career, Kahane served as medical director and development director of IT at Johns Hopkins Medical Institution and was on the faculty of the medical school. Dr. Kahane completed his residency and received his M.S. in computer science from Johns Hopkins and his M.D. with AOA Honor Society credits, Phi Beta Kappa, Summa Cum Laude honors from Emory University. Currently, he is serving on the Advisory Board to the Dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Engineering.

For more information about Suki Assistant, click here.

About Suki

Suki is a leading technology company that provides AI-powered voice solutions for healthcare. Its mission is to reimagine the healthcare technology stack, making it invisible and assistive to lift the administrative burden from physicians. Its flagship product is Suki Assistant, an AI-powered, voice assistant that helps physicians complete documentation and other administrative tasks 72% faster on average. Suki also offers its proprietary voice platform, Suki Speech Platform (SSP), to partners who want to create a best-in-class voice experience for their solutions. SSP uses the latest in natural language processing and machine learning to provide industry-leading accuracy and natural and fast voice experience. Suki is backed by premier investors such as Venrock, First Round, Flare Capital Partners, March Capital, and Breyer Capital. To learn more, visit suki.ai, or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005091/en/

Innsena for Suki

[email protected]

Source: Suki
PARIS LA DEFENSE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News:

The annual combined shareholders meeting of Elior Group (Paris: ELIOR)  whose shares are listed on Euronext Paris - will take place on Thursday, February 23, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. at centre de conference Verso, 52 rue de la Victoire, 75009 Paris.

The statutory notice of meeting (in French only) was published in Frances official legal journal (BALO) on January 16, 2023.

In addition, in accordance with applicable regulations, the statutory notice of meeting which includes the agenda, proposes resolutions and information on how to participate in and vote at the Meeting  are available for consultation since January 16, 2026, on the Companys website at www.eliorgroup.com (under Investors/ Annual Shareholders Meeting).

The information on total number of voting rights and shares in the capital on the date of the statutory notice of meeting is available on the Companys website at the above-mentioned address, from todays date.

All the documents and information relating to the annual shareholders meeting are made available to shareholders at the Companys head office at 9-11 allee de lArche  92032 Paris La Defense Cedex, France, in accordance with applicable regulations.

Subject to the limits and timeframes provided for by applicable laws and regulations, shareholders may ask that these documents be sent directly to them by submitting a written request to Uptevia  Assemblee Generale  Les Grands Moulins de Pantin - 9, rue du Debarcadere  93761 Pantin Cedex - France, or by fax (+33 (0)1 40 14 58 90).

About Elior Group

Founded in 1991, Elior Group has grown into one of the world's leading operators in contract catering and support services and has become a benchmark player in the Business & Industry, Education, Health & Welfare and Leisure markets. With strong positions in five countries, the Group generated 4.45 billion in revenue in fiscal 2022. Our 97,000 employees feed over 3 million people on a daily basis in 20,250 restaurants on three continents and offer services on 2,400 sites in France. Innovation and social responsibility are at the core of our business model. Elior Group has been a member of the United Nations Global Compact since 2004, reaching the GC Advanced Level in 2015.

For further information please visit our website at http://www.eliorgroup.com or follow us on Twitter (@Elior_Group)

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005640/en/

Elior Group

Source: Elior Group
The industrys first to integrate components for hydrogen inventory management, it is ideal for high-flow customers generating hydrogen from MW-size electrolyzers or developing roadside dispensing stations

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Fluitron LLC, an established developer and manufacturer of industrial-grade gas compression systems, today announced the achievement of a significant milestone with the introduction of a commercialized one (1) ton-per-day hydrogen gas processing system at 520 bar. The industrys first to integrate components for hydrogen inventory management systems, it is ideal for high flow customers generating hydrogen from MW-size electrolyzers or developing roadside dispensing stations.

Available for global markets immediately, the system compresses and transfers hydrogen from a low-pressure source to high pressure gas distribution tube trailers, which deliver Fuel Cell Grade Hydrogen to dispensing locations. Much more cost efficient than conventional stick-built systems, this packaged system leverages the strong synergies between Fluitron Compressors and Bethlehem Hydrogens engineering excellence.

Becoming an industry-leader in the hydrogen field requires an intense focus on development of simple, cost-effective solutions for our customers, said Tom Joseph, VP of Business Development of Fluitron LLC. The increased compressor capacity and integrated tube trailer filling system sets a new bar for the industry with regard to lowering installed capital costs. This system clearly demonstrates our commitment to continuously exceed market expectations as we add new processes, systems, and products to our product line offerings.

About Fluitron

Fluitron is a global leader in precision technology for clean energy. With over 45 years of experience, Fluitron has grown to become a trusted partner for industrial gas compression technologies. Setting the bar in creating equipment that safely handles hydrogen and other specialized gases, Fluitron has the expertise to deliver the technology critical to your mission. For more information, www.fluitron.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230131006199/en/

Media Contact:

Wilson Craig

Mindshare PR

+1 408-516-6182

[email protected]

Source: Fluitron LLC
ROANOKE, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Foot Levelers, the worlds leading provider of custom-crafted flexible orthotics serving multi-disciplinary professionals and clinicians, today announced that Jamie Greenawalt, a veteran champion of optimizing overall wellness and addressing foot health, was named president, effective immediately. Building on her recent responsibilities as senior vice president of business development and decades of experience at Foot Levelers overseeing customer support, technology, marketing, sales and educational development, she also brings seasoned expertise with global business operations that will drive operational and financial performance excellence on a worldwide level. Greenawalt has served the World Bank in Washington D.C. in their agriculture, food and nutrition security programs, as well as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO) in Rome.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005215/en/

Jamie Greenawalt (Photo: Business Wire)

Announcing the appointment, Kent S. Greenawalt, who continues as chairman and CEO, says, Over the years, Jamie has proven to be an innovative, knowledgeable and thoughtful executive leader, and has earned the respect and admiration of not only our employees, but also industry professionals who seek out her perspectives on the profession. The ongoing growth of Foot Levelers has been largely achieved through her dedication to expanded partnerships with academic institutions, healthcare organizations and healthcare providers. She is recognized as a consensus builder who understands the importance of meaningful business development and creating revenue based upon global needs.

Greenawalt is a third-generation member of this family business that has dedicated itself to advocating for chiropractors and their treatments to help patients around the world. Her grandfather Dr. Monte H. Greenawalt founded Foot Levelers over 70 years ago and created an organization that has been in the forefront of a preventative course of treatment that aligns with the chiropractic professions emphasis on proactive and natural care.

This appointment is truly an honor for me and further confirms my decision three years ago to leave a position that took me across the world, including Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia where I worked alongside governmental and private sector entities on implementing strategies to advance access to basic health care and sustainable nutritious food, says Ms. Greenawalt, noting that her duties also included empowering and educating female business owners on securing credit and financial stability. This opportunity to lead Foot Levelers in sustainable growth for the years ahead aligns with my successful record of unifying diverse groups to achieve results on a global scale. This invaluable perspective applies to the multitude of activities that will advance the many segments of our customer community.

Greenawalt has been receiving weekly chiropractic care for nearly 40 years and firmly believes that these treatments, along with proper nutrition, contribute to her quality of life and continued health.

Every day I wake up and think about how we can help support chiropractic care, and expand it to the masses, she shares. I have grown up witnessing the life-changing benefits of chiropractic care and its contribution to overall wellness through my association with Foot Levelers. In the words of Kent S. Greenawalt, The best is yet to come.

Ms. Greenawalt holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Missouri. She earned an undergraduate degree in Global Studies and Environmental Science at the University of the South (Sewanee) and was named a Distinguished Young Alumni in 2017. She is passionate about giving back to the community and has served on numerous boards, including Women LEAD, Give to the World and North Cross School alumni board.

About Foot Levelers

Foot Levelers, the worlds leading provider of hand-crafted custom orthotics, has been serving healthcare professionals since 1952. Stabilizing orthotics help properly support the back, knees, hips, pelvis, and even neck by providing a balanced and symmetrical foundation. Foot Levelers orthotics are proven to reduce LBP by 34.5%. Visit www.footlevelers.com; and follow on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram (@FootLevelers).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005215/en/

Media:

Nicole Dufour

CPR Communications

[email protected]

201.641.1911 x 54

Source: Foot Levelers
WILLEMSTAD, Curacao--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Grupo Arribada, N.V. is the new designation for the holding company that gathers the well-known Morpho Travel Experience, N.V. and Cafe Britt, S.A. businesses, along with the newer subsidiaries Delika (DCR Gourmet Imports, S.A.), and Conceptos Gastronomicos S.A. Previously known as Grupo Britt, N.V., this Latin American group is privately owned by some 200 shareholders, many of whom currently work for the Company. Grupo Arribada has direct investments in 13 countries in the travel retail, coffee, and food industries.

With combined revenue of approximately US$225 million for FY 2022, and a planned CAPEX investment for 2023 of US$25 million, the Company decided to search for a name that could accommodate all its business areas currently operated through four subsidiaries, as well as future growth opportunities. The Companys revenues for 2022 were approximately 26% above pre-pandemic 2019 revenues, while its EBITDA grew approximately 47% in the same period.

Arribada is a Spanish word meaning arrival by sea, and it refers to the synchronized, large-scale nesting of some species of sea turtle. In Costa Rica, the leatherback sea turtle (Tortuga Baula) and the green sea turtle (Carey) among others, arrive by the thousands to specific beaches in the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Its one of those awe-inspiring wonders of nature, an event that makes you realize the importance of preserving our natural environment, each arribada lasts only three or four days at the most, and a couple of months later there will be a massive hatching of little turtles frenetically moving towards the ocean, mentioned Pablo Vargas, Executive Chairman of Grupo Arribada.

In addition to the sustainability reference, the name has other connotations, the turtles act in a synchronized way; they might stay for several days in the ocean in front of a beach, then suddenly, there is a trigger and the arribada takes place. Its inspiring for us, because they act harmoniously as a group, each turtle travels thousands of kilometers to the same beach it once hatched itself, knowing its destination back to a specific beach on the planet, guided by an internal compass. We, as a team and group of companies, want to be like that. Such teamwork and focus are especially important when a business goes through the type of accelerated growth our subsidiaries are experiencing this year, concluded Mr. Vargas.

About the Company

Grupo Arribada is a holding company based in Curacao, that carries out its operations through the following subsidiaries:

Morpho Travel Experience, N.V., dedicated to serving travelers through more than 230 destination shops, cafes, restaurants and other food outlets in airports, parks and resorts. Cafe Britt, S.A., a coffee roaster known for its sustainability initiatives, gourmet coffee and chocolate products. Delika (Gourmet Imports S.A.), a gourmet food importer and distributor, based in Costa Rica. Conceptos Gastronomicos, S.A., and operator of cafes and restaurants.

The privately held Grupo Arribada, founded in 1985, is owned by some 200 shareholders, mostly from Latin America, including many who are current company employees. The Company has direct investment in 13 countries, as follows: Curacao, Costa Rica, Chile, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, Panama, the United States of America, New Caledonia, and Antigua and Barbuda; the total combined revenue of its subsidiaries for 2022 was approximately US$225 million.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201006110/en/

[email protected]

www.grupoarribada.com

Source: Grupo Arribada
The trusted global agency for open-source defense intelligence lands veteran leader to drive Janes strategic direction and growth in the US through top executive search firm

RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Benchmark Executive Search, an award-winning search firm, announced today the placement of Sam Gordy as President of Janes US. He will be responsible for Janes continued growth in the US market and will develop and execute a comprehensive strategy focused on accelerated organic and inorganic growth. The position reports to Blake Bartlett, Chief Executive Officer based in the United Kingdom.

Janes has an unmatched legacy of more than 120 years. They have adapted, expanded, and developed its unique tradecraft while transitioning from a traditional military publisher to the leading global agency for open-source defense intelligence. The Janes stamp of trust means supplying their customers with timely, validated, unbiased and relevant intelligence in a world crowded with increasingly unreliable information. Now Janes is expanding their presence in the US government market.

To fill the key role of President of US based in the Washington DC area, Janes trusted that Benchmarks deep industry experience, reputation and proven track record of success would result in recruiting a high-impact executive. Benchmark came so highly recommended by senior executives in the US that when we had critical and urgent needs to hire a proven product leader and federal sales leader, they delivered. I had no hesitation in engaging Jeremy King and Benchmark again for the President US search, said Blake Bartlett, CEO of Janes. Benchmarks professionalism, attention to detail, access and ability to attract outstanding candidates is world-class. Once again, they delivered.

Gordy has over 35 years of experience working with Defense, Intelligence and Civilian government customers  both in the United States and overseas. Gordy has had an extensive career, starting off as an active-duty intelligence officer with the US Navy. He also worked with IBM, as General Manager of the US Federal and Industries and most recently served as Chief Operating Officer and President of the Federal Market with BigBear.ai. Gordy has served on the Board of Directors of the Professional Services Council and currently serves on AFCEAs Intelligence Committee.

I am really excited to be joining at this stage of Janes transformation, said Sam Gordy. Janes is a well-respected data organization and has made some great inroads here in the US. Im looking forward to working with the team to push that vision and mission even further.

"Sam Gordy brings a distinguished track record of results, leadership, deep national security experience and mission expertise to Janes. We look forward to following his progress," said Benchmark President Jeremy King. To find out how Benchmark can help your organization assess talent and recruit exceptional executives, board members and advisors, visit www.BenchmarkES.com.

About Benchmark Executive Search:

Benchmark's mission is to help keep America and its allies safe. We build high impact leadership teams and boards that achieve extraordinary results for our clients. Our partners have decades of executive search experience for the most innovative VC/PE backed private companies. We specialize at the intersection of national security, cybersecurity, and innovative capabilities. Benchmark builds long-term collaborative partnerships with individuals and organizations to develop high quality executive connections and lasting executive placements.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005932/en/

Jeremy King

703-728-8506

Source: Benchmark Executive Search
TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- JEOL Ltd. (TOKYO: 6951) (President & CEO Izumi Oi) announces its launch of the FIB-SEM system JIB-PS500i on February 1, 2023.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230123005841/en/

FIB-SEM System "PS500i" (Photo: Business Wire)

With the finer structure of advanced materials and advancing complexity of processes, evaluation techniques such as morphological observation and elemental analysis require higher resolution and precision. In the preparation of samples for transmission electron microscopes (TEM) in the semiconductor industry as well as in the battery and materials fields, "higher precision" and "thinner sample" are required.

This product is a combined system of the FIB (Focused Ion Beam) system that can process with high accuracy and the SEM (scanning electron microscope) of high resolution to satisfy these needs.

Main Features

The FIB column enables processing with a large-current Ga ion beam up to 100nA. The high-current processing is particularly effective in preparing cross section samples for large-area imaging and analysis. In addition, the FIB column is set to a shorter working distance. Along with a newly-developed power supply, it has led to greatly improved processing performance at a low accelerating voltage. A newly-developed super conical lens system is built into the SEM column, greatly improving the image resolution at a low accelerating voltage. This superb imaging is very useful to check the end-point milling status of lamella specimen using the SEM. The JIB-PS500i adopts a large specimen chamber and a newly-developed specimen stage, increasing the stage movement range, and thus accommodating a large specimen.

In addition, a newly-developed STEM detector that can be used with the stage tilt at 90 degrees, allows for a seamless transition from the TEM specimen preparation to STEM observation. For the operating GUI, the SEM center, which has been well received in the JSM-IT800 series of high-resolution scanning electron microscopes is employed, enabling full integration of EDS analysis. A double tilt cartridge and a dedicated TEM holder allows for more precise alignment while making specimen transfer between TEM and FIB easier.

Sales target

50 units/year

Product URL: https://www.jeol.com/products/scientific/fib/JIB-PS500i.php

JEOL Ltd.

3-1-2, Musashino, Akishima, Tokyo, 196-8558, Japan

Izumi Oi, President & CEO

(Stock code: 6951, Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market)

www.jeol.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230123005841/en/

JEOL Ltd.

Science and Measurement Instruments Sales Division

TEL: +81-3-6262-3567

https://www.jeol.com/contacts/products.php

Source: JEOL Ltd.
Lightweight 2/7 oz. washable jewelry

KIRYU, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- 000 (Triple Ou), a factory brand of 145-year-old embroidery manufacturer Kasamori Corporation (called Kasamori Corporation below; head office: Miyoshi-cho, Kiryu, GUNMA), is a brand of 3D jewelry made of thread. If you have any problems with jewelry, we would like you to try our jewelry.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230130005255/en/

Skin-friendly Thread Jewelry light weight only 2/7 oz [000 (Triple Ou)] (Photo: Business Wire)

Test marketing schedule

Spring 2023 test marketing in the United States

For more information, visit: https://media.000-triple.com/thread-jewelry/

Press Kit: https://cutt.ly/w9jaqhL

YouTube: Jewelry made only with thread by Triple Ou

https://youtu.be/5t68ktSzzqg

Product: SPHERE PLUS 80

[Colors] Garnet, Amethyst, Aquamarine, Diamonds, Emerald, Moonstone, Ruby, Peridot, Sapphire, Tourmaline, Topaz, Lapis Lazuli

SIMPLE DESIGN

The Sphere Plus necklace features a random chain of small and large balls of thread. The simple design allows you to wear it on any occasion, and it will add a touch of color to your everyday fashion.

You can fasten the clasp between the thread balls wherever you like.

Lightness only 2/7oz

The lightness makes you forget you are wearing it.

The first word from every customer is always light!

Friendly for skin

Our goal is to create jewelry that everyone can wear. Gentle to the skin and comfortable for the user.

Washable & Triple protect

Thread jewelry can be washed at home. Regular maintenance will ensure long-lasting beauty.

Furthermore, we have developed our own Triple Protect Coating, which has three functions for yarn.

1 water repellency

2 oil repellency

3 stain resistance

We are Triple Ou.

In business since 1877, Kasamori has been an innovative embroiderer who combines a variety of production processes to produce a fresh new style of embroidery.

In 2010, Kasamori launched a jewelry collection that is made only of thread with embroidery technique under 'Triple Ou' label.

We make your everyday fashion comfortable and fun with thread and our artisanal skills.

Thread Jewelry: 000 (Triple Ou)

https://media.000-triple.com/thread-jewelry/

Kasamori Corporation

1-3-3 Miyoshi-cho, Kiryu, GUNMA, JAPAN

CEO: Satoru SAKURAI

TEL: +81-277-44-3358

FAX: +81-277-44-3387

E-Mail: [email protected]

Instagram: @tripleo_official_global

Youtube: https://youtu.be/5t68ktSzzqg

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230130005255/en/

Media inquiries:

Subject: Thread Jewelry

e-mail: [email protected]

Supervision of staff : Yoichi KATAKURA

TEL +81-955-43-2221 / FAX +81-955-43-2580

Source: Kasamori Corporation
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- LiveRamp (NYSE: RAMP) announced today the launch of a new partner solution for AWS Clean Rooms by Amazon Web Services (AWS). This solution allows customers to use LiveRamps transcoding and identity resolution capabilities within AWS Clean Rooms, reinforcing LiveRamps commitment to help businesses improve their customer intelligence through more accurate and secure data collaboration.

Last November, at AWS re:Invent 2022, AWS Clean Rooms was announced as a new analytics service that helps companies across industries and their partners easily and securely analyze and collaborate on their collective datasetswithout sharing or revealing underlying data. LiveRamps embedded transcoder and identity resolution solutions for AWS Clean Rooms launching today allow brands, agencies, and publishers to effectively connect and enrich disparate first- and second-party data sources, improving their ability to build, reach and convert high value audiences across media channels.

Support for AWS Clean Rooms gives customers a powerful approach to more effective media measurement and planning, fueled by access to new audience insights from key partners. Our continued work with AWS allows LiveRamps person-based identifier to be used as a key to connect data and drive more impactful audience modeling and planning for global clients, ensuring they can extend the utility of data safely and securely, said Katrina Cho, Head of Cloud Partnerships, at LiveRamp.

LiveRamps foundational identity solutions for AWS Clean Rooms provide complementary features, including identity resolution technologies that increase volume and accuracy of connections between brands and their media partners. LiveRamps identity technologies in AWS Clean Rooms allow for durable, collaboration-specific identifiers that increase the accuracy of record-level analytics and decrease risk of consumer personal identifiable information (PII) or brand-specific customer IDs exposure.

Were delighted to bring our mutual customers the capability to more securely collaborate with one another in AWS Clean Rooms to derive insights, deliver more personalized customer experiences, and more effectively measure marketing outcomes leveraging LiveRamps market leading identity resolution capabilities, said Adam Solomon, Head of Worldwide Data Collaboration & Interoperability Solutions at AWS. Our customers are motivated to protect consumer data and improve addressability and measurement across channels and touchpoints. We are confident that LiveRamps breadth of adoption across the advertising industry combined with the large community of AWS customers and partners actively seeking to collaborate in AWS Clean Rooms will set the stage for a new and more durable paradigm of interoperability.

AWS Clean Rooms makes it easier for customers and their partners to analyze and collaborate on their collective datasets to get audience insights, advertising measurement, and advertising attribution without sharing or revealing underlying data with one another. With many companies storing data on AWS, including leading brands, media publishers and their collaborators, AWS Clean Rooms now makes it easier for AWS customers to work with each other without needing to move data out of AWS or load it into another platform.

AWS Clean Rooms is a featured service for AWS for Advertising & Marketing, a comprehensive set of purpose-built AWS services, AWS solutions, and 150+ AWS Partner offerings to help customers innovate faster, operate efficiently, and interoperate together across five solution areas: audience & customer data management, privacy-enhanced data collaboration, ad intelligence & measurement, ad platforms, and digital customer experience. For more information on AWS for Advertising & Marketing, visit https://aws.amazon.com/advertising-marketing.

LiveRamp is an AWS Clean Rooms launch partner. LiveRamps latest advancement in supporting AWS customers is available today in AWS Marketplace. Customers can learn more about how to use LiveRamp with AWS Clean Rooms immediately here: [https://partner-directory.liveramp.com/partners/aws].

About LiveRamp

LiveRamp is the data collaboration platform trusted by forward-looking global companies to connect customer data from anywhere to everywhere. The category-defining pioneer with decades of expertise in online-offline identity resolution, LiveRamp is setting the new standard for a 360 customer view in the modern data stack through secure, privacy-first collaboration within companies, across companies, and between companies and their media and marketing partners to personalize and improve the customer journey. For more information, visit www.liveramp.com.

Learn more about LiveRamps embedded identity transcoding and identity resolution solutions on the AWS Marketplace or reach us at [email protected] today.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230131006177/en/

Christine Travis

[email protected]

Source: LiveRamp
WATCH: Pete Davidson Finds Himself in a Hairy Situation when his Proxy Steals the Spotlight in The Stand-In"

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- MANSCAPED, the global leader in mens grooming, and Brand Partner, Pete Davidson, today debut an all-new commercial highlighting the companys highly anticipated and just-launched electric beard hair trimmer, The Beard Hedger. Starring a heavily bearded and aptly named Pete Davidson in his breakout performance alongside comedy icon, and sparsely bearded, Pete Davidson (yes, you read that right), the dynamic duo combine their strengths in this lighthearted and laugh-out-loud spot.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005351/en/

The Beard Hedger Pro Kit by MANSCAPED: Pete and Fake Pete Approved. (Photo: Willie Petersen)

Pete Davidson is known for many things, but growing a full bushy beard isnt one of them, said Marcelo Kertesz, Chief Marketing Officer of MANSCAPED. So, with Pete lacking a bit in the facial hair department, we took a uniquely playful approach, creating a spot rife with authenticity and irony for The Beard Hedger  our latest and most exciting product launch to date.

The banter between Pete and who we are calling Fake Pete was a fun and seamless way to introduce the standout qualities of the device, while also reiterating the companys dedication to providing men with products for every self-care need...even if our Pete isnt the best face for this campaign, added Kertesz.

The ad, titled The Stand-In and conceptualized by global creative agency Innocean, opens with Pete introducing The Beard Hedger, MANSCAPEDs newest product: a state-of-the-art facial hair tool that made its formal debut on January 17th. Pete, who sheepishly admits that he cant grow a full beard in the commercial, brings in another, shaggier, Pete Davidson, a. k. a. Fake Pete, to properly explain the premium features of the one-of-a-kind beard-sculpting machine. Think: rotary zoom wheel with 20 length settings, titanium-coated, rust-resistant t-blade, waterproof capabilities, sleek two-toned design, and so much more.

As the bearded stand-in takes the stage, Pete is asked to leave as only talent is allowed on set. Fake Pete uses his baritone voice to perfectly deliver his lines and is met with applause and laughter by the surrounding director and team. With a slightly bruised ego, real Pete disagrees with the crowd and suggests Fake Pete let the beard do the talking. The back-and-forth between the two Petes is rounded out with a cheeky, MANSCAPED-style innuendo just before the commercials end.

Launched today, this feel-good Pete Davidson x MANSCAPED commercial is available for your viewing pleasure on MANSCAPEDs YouTube channel and social media accounts. You can catch the new spot on your television as it rolls out on national broadcast stations in the coming days.

Credits

This production came to life on behalf of the team at MANSCAPED:

Founder & Product (CEO): Paul Tran

CMO: Marcelo KerteszSVP, Marketing: Ryan Fiore

VP, Marketing: Joey Kovac

VP, Integrated Creative: Henry Arlander

Executive Creative Director: Charlie Wolff

Executive Producer: Keith Cecere

Director, Global Marketing: Jessica Carlson

Senior Copywriter, Andrew Nackerud

Director of Content: Chris Gronau

Project Manager: Monica Lim

In collaboration with:

Writer/comedian: Dave Sirus

Contributing partners included: creative agency Innocean Worldwide Europe GmbH, production company Lathien Pictures, director Judah Miller, and photographer Willie Petersen.

About MANSCAPED

Founded by Paul Tran in 2016, San Diego, California-based MANSCAPED is the global mens lifestyle consumer brand and male grooming category creator trusted by over seven million men worldwide. The product range includes a diversified line of premium tools, formulations, and accessories designed to introduce and elevate a whole new self-care routine for men. MANSCAPEDs collection is available globally in 39 countries via direct-to-consumer on manscaped.com and on Amazon in more than 100 countries worldwide. Retail placement includes Target, Best Buy, Macys, Walgreens, and Military Exchanges in the U.S., Hairhouse and Woolworths in Australia, and Tesco in Ireland. For more information, visit the website or follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Tumblr and YouTube.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005351/en/

Allison Frazier

Director of Communications, MANSCAPED

[email protected]

Source: MANSCAPED
CALGARY, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Pembina Pipeline Corporation ("Pembina") (TSX: PPL; NYSE: PBA) announced today that none of Pembina's Cumulative Redeemable Minimum Rate Reset Class A Preferred Shares, Series 25 ("Series 25 Shares") (TSX: PPL.PF.E) will be converted into Cumulative Redeemable Floating Rate Class A Preferred Shares, Series 26 of Pembina ("Series 26 Shares") on February 15, 2023.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230131006142/en/

After taking into account all the conversion notices received from holders of its outstanding Series 25 Shares by the January 31, 2023 deadline for the conversion of the Series 25 Shares into Series 26 Shares, less than the 1,000,000 Series 25 Shares required to give effect to conversions into Series 26 Shares were tendered for conversion.

About Pembina

Pembina Pipeline Corporation is a leading energy transportation and midstream service provider that has served North America's energy industry for more than 65 years. Pembina owns an integrated network of hydrocarbon liquids and natural gas pipelines, gas gathering and processing facilities, oil and natural gas liquids infrastructure and logistics services, and a growing export terminals business. Through our integrated value chain, we seek to provide safe and reliable infrastructure solutions which connect producers and consumers of energy across the world, support a more sustainable future and benefit our customers, investors, employees and communities. For more information, please visit pembina.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230131006142/en/

Investor Relations

(403) 231-3156

1-855-880-7404

e-mail: [email protected]

www.pembina.com

Source: Pembina Pipeline Corporation
DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Posterity Health, the only virtual Male Fertility Center of Excellence that offers personalized care, educational resources, and effective treatments, continues its rapid expansion into the Southeast Region, which includes Georgia and Tennessee. With this growth, Posterity Health is proud to welcome reproductive urologist, Dr. Matthew Pollard, to lead the new region. Dr. Pollard is immediately accepting new patients.

Posterity Health offers a combination of virtual visits, at-home diagnostics and in-person consultations to help assess and improve a males fertility status.

We are excited to expand into the Southeast and remain laser focused on our mission to provide male fertility care to every couple trying to conceive, said Pam Pure, CEO of Posterity Health. With only 200 Male Fertility specialists in the country, Posterity Healths team of reproductive urologists coupled with our unique Digital Health Platform will provide males in Georgia and Tennessee with immediate access to male fertility care. We are thrilled about the opportunity to work with the top fertility centers and OBGYNs in these regions. Our goal is to help every couple find their best path to pregnancy.

Services in the Southeast Region include the Male Fertility Assessment for males who want to assess their fertility status and the Male Fertility Workup, which is designed for males with an abnormal semen analysis and includes a personalized treatment plan. Posterity Health also provides a portfolio of Mens Health solutions including vasectomies, vasectomy reversals, varicocele repairs, testosterone therapy, hormone management, as well as a Second Opinion service.

Dr. Matthew Pollard is a renowned certified reproductive urologist and is fellowship certified in male reproductive medicine. Dr. Pollard obtained his MD from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He completed his urology residency training with the Department of Urology at the University of California Los Angeles and spent an additional year completing a fellowship in Male Reproductive Medicine and Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

It's a privilege to join Posterity Health, said Dr. Pollard. Im excited to focus my practice on providing excellent male fertility care with an emphasis on making a difference in men's health.

Dr. Pollard is dedicated to helping men grow their families while expanding access to care through cutting-edge technology, networking, and advocacy. Using his platform to improve awareness of mens health issues, Dr. Pollard is an active member of the legislative advocacy community and serves on boards and committees at both the local and national level, including Nashville Academy of Medicine Board of Directors, Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA) Legislative Committee, and SMSNA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.

Posterity Health has a technology driven patient experience. The company offers its male patients and their partners access to its Digital Health Platform, which is designed to support and improve male factor infertility. It is customized to connect and communicate with males to answer their questions, provide education on the role they play in the conception process, and define the most common male fertility diagnoses and treatments. Dr. Barrett Cowan, Chief Medical Officer, explains that Male factor infertility impacts over 50% of couples who are having trouble conceiving. Its more common than people think and its often treatable once identified. The addition of Dr. Pollard allows us to help more couples and reinforces our commitment to provide the expertise required to help each couple determine their best path to pregnancy."

About Posterity Health

Posterity Health is the only Male Fertility Center of Excellence. The company provides an extensive portfolio of technology-enabled male fertility services, including at-home diagnostics, virtual visits and in-person consults focused on improving a mans fertility status. The company seeks to educate, engage, and treat men, shifting the burden of conceiving from solely the woman and creating a unifying experience for the couple.

Posterity Health is committed to making male fertility management a core part of mens health. To learn more, visit www.posterityhealth.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005429/en/

For media inquiries please contact:

[email protected]

Source: Posterity Health
PERTH, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rio Tinto expresses its gratitude to the Western Australias Department of Fire and Emergency Services for coordinating the successful search effort to locate a missing capsule lost while in transit from the companys Gudai-Darri iron ore mine in the Pilbara, Western Australia.

Rio Tinto would also like to thank the specialist search crews from the Australian Defence Force, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, as well as all other support agencies, for their crucial role in the search and recovery efforts.

Rio Tinto Iron Ore Chief Executive Simon Trott said, We are incredibly grateful for the hard work of everyone involved in finding the missing capsule.

While the recovery of the capsule is a great testament to the skill and tenacity of the search team, the fact is it should never have been lost in the first place. Id like to apologise to the wider community of Western Australia for the concern it has generated.

We are taking this incident very seriously and are undertaking a full and thorough investigation into how it happened.

This sort of incident is extremely rare in our industry, which is why we need to investigate it thoroughly and learn what we can to ensure it doesnt happen again. As part of our investigation, we will be assessing whether our processes and protocols, including the use of specialist contractors to package and transport radioactive materials, are appropriate.

Notes to editors

The device involved is an industrial gauge which is commonly used in the mining industry. In this instance it was being used at our Gudai-Darri mine site to measure iron ore feed in the crushing circuit of the fixed plant.

The capsule is small (6mm diameter, 8mm long), round and stainless steel, and forms part of a level sensor (gauge) that is used in some fixed plant assets.

The gauge, packed by a specialist radioactive materials handler, was collected by a transport contractor from the Gudai-Darri mine site on 12 January.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005476/en/

Please direct all enquiries to [email protected]

Media Relations, UK

Matthew Klar

M+ 44 7796 630 637

David Outhwaite

M +44 7787 597 493

Media Relations, Americas

Simon Letendre

M +514 796 4973

Malika Cherry

M +1 418 592 7293

Media Relations, Australia

Matt Chambers

M +61 433 525 739

Jesse Riseborough

M +61 436 653 412

Investor Relations, UK

Menno Sanderse

M: +44 7825 195 178

David Ovington

M +44 7920 010 978

Clare Peever

M +44 7788 967 877

Investor Relations, Australia

Tom Gallop

M +61 439 353 948

Amar Jambaa

M +61 472 865 948

Rio Tinto plc

6 St Jamess Square

London SW1Y 4AD

United Kingdom

T +44 20 7781 2000

Registered in England

No. 719885

Rio Tinto Limited

Level 43, 120 Collins Street

Melbourne 3000

Australia

T +61 3 9283 3333

Registered in Australia

ABN 96 004 458 404

riotinto.com

Category: Pilbara

Source: Rio Tinto
Barcelona event will feature keynote presentations from SolarWinds executive leadership team, product strategy sessions, and technical and sales accreditation training

CORK, Ireland--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- SolarWinds (NYSE: SWI), a leading provider of simple, powerful, and secure IT management software, today announced it will host its annual Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) Partner Summit 2023 in person in Barcelona, Spain, February 13  17. The event is part of a series of Partner Summits SolarWinds is hosting across Europe, Asia, and North America.

At the EMEA Partner Summit, SolarWinds will share updates to its partner program, the latest product strategy and innovations, and how partners can grow their business with SolarWinds solutions, including the companys new observability offerings. In-person attendees will also be able to improve their sales expertise with the SolarWinds Sales Expert (SSE) accreditation training and SolarWinds Certified Professional (SCP) trainings.

Last year, SolarWinds announced the launch of the SolarWinds Transform Partner Program, which is designed to support and drive growth for the companys valued global channel partners. The program provides SolarWinds partners with several benefits, including financial incentives, performance rebates, enablement and training programs, an enhanced Partner Portal, and new marketing and sales support.

Since launching our Transform Partner Program, we continue to listen to feedback and adapt so we can set every partner up for successwhether theyre new, existing, or specialized, said Laurent Delattre, vice president of Europe, Middle East, and Africa sales, SolarWinds. As we continue to transform, the EMEA SolarWinds Partner Summit is the forum to hear about our strategy and focus on the channel business. Partners will learn how SolarWinds can help accelerate digital transformation for their customers, increase sales velocity, and fuel growth.

EMEA Partner Summit 2023

After being held virtually for the last two years, SolarWinds is excited to host networking activities at the Partner Summit that allow partners to meet with SolarWinds executives and product experts and other partners from their region. SolarWinds will also celebrate its partners achievements during an exclusive SolarWinds Partner Awards Ceremony.

Available to join virtually, the Partner Summits executive plenary session will include keynote presentations led by the SolarWinds leadership team:

Sudhakar Ramakrishna, President and CEO

Rohini Kasturi, EVP, Chief Product Officer

Chad Reese, President, Americas Sales and Global Channel

Laurent Delattre, VP, Europe, Middle East, and Africa Sales

Register here for the live virtual stream of the executive plenary session and take the opportunity to hear from our exceptional lineup of executive speakers about our strategy and focus on the channel business in 2023.

The SolarWinds EMEA Partner Summit will take place February 13  17 in Barcelona, Spain. If you wish to attend the event in person, please email us at [email protected], and well review your application.

Additional Resources

Connect with SolarWinds

#SWIevents

#SolarWindsPartners

#SolarWindsPartnerSummit

About SolarWinds

SolarWinds (NYSE: SWI) is a leading provider of simple, powerful, and secure IT management software built to enable customers to accelerate their digital transformation. Our solutions provide organizations worldwideregardless of type, size, or complexitywith a comprehensive and unified view of todays modern, distributed, and hybrid network environments. We continuously engage with technology professionalsIT service and operations professionals, DevOps and SecOps professionals, and database administrators (DBAs)to understand the challenges they face in maintaining high-performing and highly available IT infrastructures, applications, and environments. The insights we gain from them, in places like our THWACK community, allow us to address customers needs now, and in the future. Our focus on the user and our commitment to excellence in end-to-end hybrid IT management have established SolarWinds as a worldwide leader in solutions for observability, IT service management, application performance, and database management. Learn more today at www.solarwinds.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements, which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the benefits and growth opportunities of SolarWinds channel strategy. These forward-looking statements are based on management's beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts and may be identified by terms such as aim, anticipate, believe, can, could, seek, should, feel, expect, will, would, plan, intend, estimate, continue, or similar expressions and the negatives of those terms. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties described more fully in documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risk factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2021 filed on February 25, 2022, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2022 filed on August 5, 2022 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2022 filed on November 8, 2022. All information provided in this release is as of the date hereof and SolarWinds undertakes no duty to update this information except as required by law.

The SolarWinds, SolarWinds & Design, Orion, and THWACK trademarks are the exclusive property of SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC or its affiliates, are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and may be registered or pending registration in other countries. All other SolarWinds trademarks, service marks, and logos may be common law marks or are registered or pending registration. All other trademarks mentioned herein are used for identification purposes only and are trademarks of (and may be registered trademarks of) their respective companies.

 2023 SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC. All rights reserved.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005030/en/

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Samantha Browning

Wildfire

Phone: +44 0208 408 8000

[email protected]

Nik Koutsoukos

SolarWinds

Phone: +1-512-682-9530

[email protected]

INVESTOR CONTACT:

Tim Karaca

SolarWinds

[email protected]

Source: SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC.
Expands the Firms European Fund Administration and Corporate Services

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Standish Management, LLC, the leading independent provider of fund administration services to alternative capital funds, today announced it has launched depositary services through its Luxembourg subsidiary, Standish Management (Luxembourg) S.a r.l. Standish made its depositary services operational after receiving authorization from the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF), which oversees Luxembourgs financial sector. The addition of depositary services to Standishs fund administration and corporate services offerings enables the firm to seamlessly service clients across all Luxembourg regulatory and administration requirements.

Bob Raynard, CEO of Standish, commented, The ability to provide our clients a one-stop solution in Luxembourg has been a focus of ours for some time and we are thrilled to have received authorization from the CSSF to offer depositary services. These services are required by EU law and will enable our Luxembourg clients to efficiently market their funds in Europe.

Mark Coppin, Regional Director at Standish Management, added, We are delighted to offer our clients this valued service line, providing a high-quality solution and giving the market increased choice of service providers. We are now authorized for depositary services in both the UK and Luxembourg and able to meet all our clients depositary needs.

About Standish Management

Standish Management is an employee-owned global provider of specialized fund administration services for Managers and General Partners of Private Equity Funds, including Buyout, Venture Capital, Energy/Infrastructure, Real Estate and Fund-of-Funds. Founded in 2007, Standish has grown to more than 900 employees serving 300+ clients and 2,500+ funds. Standish has over $500 billion in assets under administration. Standish is based in San Francisco with major offices in Boston, New York, Dallas, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, Seattle, Silicon Valley, Denver, Austin, Raleigh, Luxembourg, Cayman Islands, Miami and Portland.

For more information, visit www.standishmanagement.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005051/en/

Jeff Fox, The Blueshirt Group

[email protected]

415-828-8298

Source: Standish Management
Data management innovation, integration with Snowflake, and a new Free Plan accelerate growth at TimeXtender

AARHUS, Denmark & BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- TimeXtender users are now able to leverage Snowflake as a storage target for the Modern Data Warehouse (MDW), alongside SQL and Synapse.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005639/en/

Snowflake is a cloud-based data warehouse platform designed to make it easy and cost-effective to store and analyze data of all sizes, allowing businesses to quickly gain insights and make data-driven decisions. Snowflake's unique architecture leverages the cloud to provide an elastic solution with near-infinite scalability, making it a popular choice for modern data warehousing and analytics projects.

For the first time ever, users can deploy a TimeXtender data warehouse to non-SQL data storage, while taking advantage of all the powerful data warehousing features that Snowflake offers, said Heine Krog Iversen, TimeXtenders Founder and CEO. Support for Snowflake as a storage target offers a modern, scalable, cloud-based solution for storing and analyzing vast amounts of data, which contributes to our goal of helping users become data-empowered.

TimeXtender also announced a new Free Plan, which allows users to try their holistic data integration solution, without committing to a paid plan. Users are now able to thoroughly evaluate the TimeXtender product to determine if it is a good fit for their needs, at absolutely no cost.

Details of TimeXtenders new Free Plan:

Free Access : The Free Plan allows users to experience what it's like to build data solutions 10x faster with TimeXtender, without any up-front cost.

: The Free Plan allows users to experience what it's like to build data solutions 10x faster with TimeXtender, without any up-front cost. Full Functionality : While there are a few limitations, the Free Plan still provides access to all TimeXtender features and capabilities, giving users a great sense of the product's potential.

: While there are a few limitations, the Free Plan still provides access to all TimeXtender features and capabilities, giving users a great sense of the product's potential. Knowledge & Support : When users sign up for the Free Plan, they will receive support from TimeXtenders Knowledge Base, Training Courses, and Community Forum, where they can ask questions, share information, and connect with other TimeXtender users.

: When users sign up for the Free Plan, they will receive support from TimeXtenders Knowledge Base, Training Courses, and Community Forum, where they can ask questions, share information, and connect with other TimeXtender users. Easy Upgrades: Once users have started with the Free Plan, they can easily upgrade to a paid plan if they need more advanced features or support.

With the introduction of our new Free Plan, TimeXtender is making it easier than ever for users to experience the full power of our holistic data integration solution, without any financial commitment, said Micah Horner, TimeXtenders Product Marketing Manager. You dont have to take our word for it. Now, you can test drive the TimeXtender product yourself and make an informed decision about whether it's the right fit for your needs - all at no cost.

Full details about TimeXtenders new Free Plan and Snowflake integration can be found here: https://www.timextender.com/who-we-are/announcements/unleash-your-data-superpowers-with-timextenders-new-free-plan-snowflake-integration

About TimeXtender

TimeXtender is a holistic, metadata-driven solution for data integration. TimeXtender provides all the features you need to build a future-proof data environment capable of ingesting, transforming, modeling, and delivering clean, reliable data in the fastest, most efficient way possible.

You can't optimize for everything all at once. That's why we take a holistic approach to data integration that optimizes for agility, not fragmentation. By unifying each layer of the data stack, TimeXtender empowers you to build data solutions 10x faster, while reducing your costs by 70%-80%.

We do this for one simple reason: because time matters.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005639/en/

Micah Horner

[email protected]

Source: TimeXtender
Family-forming leader welcomes experienced professionals to expand corporate benefits program and offer partners premium community resources and support

SARATOGA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ARC Fertility, a pioneer in innovative fertility treatment options, today announced the hiring of two new executive specialists for its leadership team. Diana Lazuka and Linda Larison will help ARC provide elite services to its network of partner clinics and interface with corporate clients to ensure easy access to the best fertility and family-forming treatments available.

As we expand, we are always keeping an eye out for how to help our partner clinics thrive, says ARC Fertility founder and CEO, Dr. G. David Adamson. Everyone at ARC is excited to have Diana and Linda meet our partners and corporate benefits customers in the months to come. They will be valuable additions to our team and are sure to improve the overall experience that ARC Fertility provides as we all continue growing and flourishing together.

Diana Lazuka has joined ARC as National Sales Executive for the Employer Program, where she will be connecting with employers and broker consultants throughout the United States to provide their workers with access to family-forming benefits. Diana came to ARC Fertility from IVFMD, where she spearheaded business development. She was previously Director of Practice Growth and Development at Fertility Specialists of Texas and served as Fertility Account Manager at SMP Pharmacy Solutions.

Linda Larison has been hired as National Manager for Clinic Partnerships, where she will focus on working with ARC Fertility partner clinics at over 250 locations throughout the United States. She will also identify and bring on board new top-tier practices to join the ARC Fertility family. She previously served as Business Development Manager for NxGen MDx, spent nearly four years in business development roles at Progenity, and was the Clinic Manager in the REI/OBGYN Department at the University of Kansas Medical Center for almost a decade.

About ARC Fertility

ARC Fertility was founded in 1997 from a passion to increase access to affordable high-quality reproductive care for everyone. We accomplish our mission through our national network of top-tier fertility clinics that deliver fertility and family-forming employer benefits, as well as evidence-based treatment packages and financing directly to patients. ARC Fertility has helped tens of thousands of people create the family of their dreams.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005687/en/

Media contact:

Richard Berman

(647) 294-8372

[email protected]

Source: ARC Fertility
Investment funds managed by Morgan Stanley Capital Partners (MSCP), the middle-market focused private equity team at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, have acquired Apex Companies (Apex or the Company), a leading provider of end-to-end environmental consulting and engineering solutions, from Sentinel Capital Partners (Sentinel). MSCP is partnering with the current management team led by CEO Dave Fabianski, who will continue to lead the business. Sentinel Capital Partners will maintain a minority position in the Company post-closing.

Apex, headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, is a leader in consulting and engineering services across a broad range of environmental and infrastructure needs. The Company serves public sector clients at the federal, state, and municipal levels, as well as thousands of private sector clients across retail, industrial, real estate, technology, financial services and energy end markets. An established leader in stormwater compliance and environmental services, Apex also offers a robust portfolio of services in water infrastructure & water resources, compliance & assurance (including ESG consulting), health & safety, transportation, and civil engineering.

Apexs solutions serve clients and communities across a broad range of environmental and infrastructure needs, and seek to ensure that corporations, government agencies and municipalities achieve and maintain regulatory compliance. In addition to being a highly respected provider of environmental services, Apex is also a leader in the attractive and high-growth stormwater compliance industry, said Eric Kanter, Managing Director and Head of Industrials at MSCP. We believe the companys record of expansion, both organically and through accretive M&A, has generated substantial momentum for continued growth. We are excited to partner with Dave and the Apex leadership team to drive continued success in Apexs core service offerings and to pursue strategic M&A that adds additional geographic presence, service capabilities and customer diversity.

Dave Fabianski, President and CEO of Apex, stated, Partnering with MSCP provides us with a tremendous opportunity to access additional capabilities and resources that we believe will help us further enhance our value proposition and service offering. Together with MSCP we will accelerate our strategic growth pursuits in water, environmental, infrastructure, and ESG, while expanding our investment in Apexs people, culture, and digital strategies. The outlook in our industry has never been better, and we are excited to partner with the MSCP team for our next chapter of growth.

MSCPs acquisition of Apex represents its second investment in environmental services, following the acquisition of Alliance Technical Group in 2021, and is an area where the team has deep institutional knowledge and domain expertise. It also is in line with MSCPs and Morgan Stanleys broader commitment to ESG.

Latham & Watkins served as legal counsel to MSCP, and Harris Williams and Raymond James served as MSCPs financial advisors. Carlyle and Churchill Asset Management acted as the administrative agents, bookrunners and arrangers on the financing.

About Morgan Stanley Capital Partners

Morgan Stanley Capital Partners, part of Morgan Stanley Investment Management, is a leading middle-market private equity platform established in 1986 that focuses on privately negotiated equity and equity-related investments primarily in North America. Morgan Stanley Capital Partners seeks to create value in portfolio companies primarily in a series of subsectors in the business services, consumer, healthcare, education and industrials markets with an emphasis on driving significant organic and acquisition growth through an operationally focused approach. For further information about Morgan Stanley Capital Partners, please visit www.morganstanley.com/im/capitalpartners.

About Morgan Stanley Investment Management

Morgan Stanley Investment Management, together with its investment advisory affiliates, has more than 1,200 investment professionals around the world and $1.3 trillion in assets under management or supervision as of December 31, 2022. Morgan Stanley Investment Management strives to provide outstanding long-term investment performance, service, and a comprehensive suite of investment management solutions to a diverse client base, which includes governments, institutions, corporations and individuals worldwide. For further information about Morgan Stanley Investment Management, please visit www.morganstanley.com/im.

About Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a leading global financial services firm providing investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services. With offices in 41 countries, the Firm's employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions, and individuals. For more information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com.

About Apex

Established in 1988, Apex is a multidisciplinary consulting and engineering firm with a robust portfolio of capabilities in water, environmental, infrastructure, health & safety, compliance & assurance, construction management, and transportation. The Company is highly regarded for its technical expertise, rapid response, operational integrity, and exceptional client satisfaction. Apex operates in all 50 states and maintains a highly capable and diverse team of scientists, geologists, engineers, consultants, technicians, and information management specialists.
Wolfspeed, Inc. (NYSE: WOLF), the global leader in Silicon Carbide technology and production, today announced plans to build a highly-automated, cutting-edge 200mm wafer fabrication facility in Saarland, Germany. The companys first fab in Europe will be its most advanced, creating a breakthrough innovation Silicon Carbide development and production facility in the European Union to support growing demand for a wide variety of automotive, industrial and energy applications. The Wolfspeed facility is planned as part of a collaboration within the IPCEI for Microelectronics and Communication Technologies framework, and is dependent upon state aid approval from the European Commission. IPCEI funding is intended to support technology development and initial deployment within this project. ZF Friedrichshafen also intends to support the new construction by making a sizable financial investment as part of a new strategic partnership announced separately.

The European fab announcement is an important part of the companys broader $6.5 billion capacity expansion effort, which includes opening of the companys 200mm Mohawk Valley device fab in April 2022, and the construction of The John Palmour Manufacturing Center for Silicon Carbide, a 445-acre (180 hectare) Silicon Carbide materials facility in North Carolina, which will expand the companys existing materials capacity by more than 10x. The first phase of construction for the materials facility is slated to be complete by the end of FY2024.

This new fab represents a big step forward for both Wolfspeed and our regional customers, as we enhance the ecosystem for semiconductor production and innovation, said Gregg Lowe, President and CEO of Wolfspeed. Silicon Carbide devices offer greater energy efficiency and are essential in the global shift toward sustainable electrification. This new facility will be crucial to supporting our expansion in a capacity constrained industry that is growing very rapidly, especially across the EV marketplace. It was important for us to have a facility located in the heart of Europe, near many of our customers and partners, to foster collaboration on the next generation of Silicon Carbide technologies.

The announcement was made at an event on the 35-acre (14-hectare) site of the planned fab, a former coal-fired power plant in Saarland, Germany. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was in attendance to welcome Wolfspeed to the region, as well as Robert Habeck, Vice Chancellor of Germany and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, and Saarland Minister-President Anke Rehlinger. Representing the new partnership, ZF CEO Holger Klein, and Stephan von Schuckmann, Member of the ZF Board of Management also joined in the announcement. Wolfspeed also announced today a strategic partnership with ZF that includes an investment in Wolfspeed as well as a joint Silicon Carbide R&D facility in Germany, which is part of the same IPCEI framework. Fab construction is anticipated to begin in the first half of 2023, subject to approval by the EU Commission.

This project is a great transformation driver and a job engine for a traditionally industrial region. Furthermore, it bundles important know-how in Europe and contributes to the implementation of the European Green Deal by reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions, said Saarland Minister-President, Anke Rehlinger. Were proud to have Wolfspeed, and have our region play such a vital role in advancing Silicon Carbide semiconductor innovation.

The fab will be designed for groundbreaking manufacturing processes to produce the future generation of Silicon Carbide devices. The new fab will also employ innovative sustainability measures, including high percentages of recycled water and a reduced emission footprint, which will serve as a model for more sustainable fabs in the future. The fab will employ more than 600 people when fully operational.

The adoption of Silicon Carbide power devices is rapidly growing across multiple markets, including renewable energy and energy storage, electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, industrial power supplies, traction and variable speed drives. Silicon Carbide enables smaller, lighter and more cost-effective designs, converting energy more efficiently to enable countless new clean energy applications.

About Wolfspeed, Inc.:

Wolfspeed (NYSE: WOLF) leads the market in the worldwide adoption of Silicon Carbide and GaN technologies. We provide industry-leading solutions for efficient energy consumption and a sustainable future. Wolfspeeds product families include Silicon Carbide materials, power devices and RF devices targeted for various applications such as electric vehicles, fast charging, 5G, renewable energy and storage, and aerospace and defense. We unleash the power of possibilities through hard work, collaboration and a passion for innovation. Learn more at www.wolfspeed.com.

Twitter: @Wolfspeed

LinkedIn: @Wolfspeed

Wolfspeed is a registered trademark of Wolfspeed, Inc.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains forward-looking statements by Wolfspeed involving risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that may cause Wolfspeeds actual results to differ materially from those indicated. Actual results may differ materially due to a number of factors, including the risk that Wolfspeed does not receive receiving funding from the European Unions Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) framework; that Wolfspeed may encounter delays or other difficulties in constructing and/or ramping up production in this new device factory on time, at the projected costs, with the anticipated job creation and to the extent of the anticipated production levels or at all; risks associated with the transition of high volume production from 150mm to 200mm wafers; the continued pace of the transition to using Silicon Carbide devices in electric vehicles and other industrial uses; Wolfspeeds ability to develop and design Silicon Carbide devices that will continue to improve performance in broad markets; the risk that Wolfspeed may be unable to manufacture its products with sufficiently low cost to offer them at competitive prices or with acceptable margins; the risk that demand for Silicon Carbide will not grow as Wolfspeed expects; the rapid development of new technology and competing products that may impair demand or render Wolfspeeds products obsolete; and other factors discussed in Wolfspeeds filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 26, 2022, and subsequent filings. For additional product and company information, please refer to www.wolfspeed.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005034/en/

Wolfspeed



PR contact:



Melinda Walker



+1 818-261-4585



[email protected]

IR contact:



Tyler Gronbach



+1 919-407-4820



[email protected]

Source: Wolfspeed, Inc.
By Nivedita Balu and Akash Sriram

(Reuters) - Apple Inc is expected to report its first decline in quarterly revenue in nearly four years after strict COVID-19 curbs in China rapped the economy and related protests upended iPhone production at its biggest supplier Foxconn.

Investors will look for details on how Chief Executive Tim Cook is trying to bolster demand in a weak economy that has prompted mass layoffs in the tech industry, a move Apple has so far avoided thanks to frugal hiring during the pandemic.

"With supply chain challenges largely normalized, we now believe Apple is entering a period of slower demand due to macro factors," said Cowen analyst Krish Sankar, adding that he expects 2% fewer iPhone units to be sold in 2023.

The world's biggest public company is expected to report on Thursday that iPhone sales fell about 5% for the all-important holiday quarter, according to Refinitiv. The last time iPhone sales slipped was in the August-October period in 2020, months into the COVID-19 pandemic.

GRAPHIC: Apple's iPhone revenue set to fall for the first time since the pandemic Apple's iPhone revenue set to fall for the first time since the pandemic (https://www.reuters.com/graphics/APPLE-RESULTS/xmvjkrkgxpr/chart.png)

UBS analysts expect iPhone sales to have held up better in the United States than China and Europe, as the economies reeled from the impact of COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war.

Some demand for the iPhone will likely be pushed into the current quarter after supply restrictions in the first quarter and some demand lost due to lack of product availability in the holiday period, BofA analyst Wamsi Mohan said.

The services business, a key growth engine for the company and home to Apple's music and video streaming services, is set to post its lowest revenue growth for the holiday quarter - another fallout of consumers limiting spending.

GRAPHIC: Apple's revenue is set to fall for the first time in nearly 4 years Apple's revenue is set to fall for the first time in nearly 4 years 9https://www.reuters.com/graphics/APPLE-RESULTS/zjvqjwjqmpx/chart.png)

THE CONTEXT

The disruption at the world's biggest iPhone plant in Zhengzhou, China triggered a rare warning from Apple in November and limited stocks of its higher-end iPhone 14 models during what is typically its biggest sales quarter, powered by product launches and the holidays.

Greater China, including Hong Kong, is key to Apple's fortunes, contributing roughly a fifth to annual revenue. The Cupertino, California-based tech behemoth had in 2019 pared its total sales forecast due to an economic slowdown in the country following the Sino-U.S. trade war.

Analysts, however, expect a much-faster recovery this time as factories have restarted in China and Apple diversifies its production footprint with plants in India.

"Commentary from luxury goods companies indicates China is rebounding quickly, which implies Mar-qtr Chinese iPhone sales should be better than expected," Evercore ISI analysts said in a note.

FUNDAMENTALS

** Revenue estimated to have fallen 2% in the last three months of 2022, Apple's first fiscal quarter.

** IPhone sales likely fell for first time since 2020, while services business rose 6%.

** Analysts expect net income to have dropped 10.4%; earnings per share of $1.94

** Apple's shares fell about 27% in 2022 and have gained nearly 10% in January

WALL STREET SENTIMENT

** Since October, analysts have lowered some forecasts on Apple for the first quarter

Metric Estimate in Oct. Latest estimate

Earnings per $2.13 $1.94

share

Revenue $127.88 billion $121.20 billion

Gross Margin 42.80% 42.95%

iPhone revenue $73.07 billion $68.29 billion

Mac revenue $10.28 billion $9.63 billion

Services $21.95 billion $20.67 billion

revenue

Free cash flow $41.50 billion $32.7 billion

(Reporting by Nivedita Balu and Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Sayantani Ghosh and Sriraj Kalluvila)
FORT CHIPEWYAN, Alberta, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Terry Hui of Concord Pacific and Chief Allan Adam of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN) are pleased to announce the successful completion of commissioning for three solar farms in their ACFN-Concord Solar Partnership portfolio. ACFN, including Councillor Tim Flett, recently visited Vancouver to discuss their plans for renewables and the possibilities of future business collaborations with Concord Pacific. Brought online between June and October 2022 and officially opened with traditional Indigenous blessings and a ceremony at the end of 2022, these facilities will significantly increase Albertas production of renewable energy, help Canada address its climate change goals, and reduce stress on Albertas electricity market, which experienced periods of record high pricing last year.



The Coaldale, Monarch and Vulcan solar farms are just the first $145-million step in the partnership between Concord Pacifics wholly owned subsidiary Concord Green Energy and ACFN Green Energy. ACFN independently delivered their direct equity participation of $32M to create the largest direct Indigenous solar project investment completed so far in Canada. Additionally, 50 per cent of the labour was provided by the local Blood Tribe and a number of Indigenous subcontractors also contributed to the success of the project.

Collectively, the three photovoltaic solar farms in southern Alberta cover approximately 480 acres and have 67.6 MW AC (106 MW DC ) generating capacity. It is expected that the project will deliver an annual output of 150 gigawatt hours (GWh) to the Alberta power grid as a merchant operation. With the 2023 completion of battery storage now under construction, the three facilities will capture about 26 GWh of electricity annually increasing the renewable energy benefits of the project. Additional information about the projects storage capabilities will be announced this spring.

For the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, whose 1,280 members reside primarily in Fort Chipewyan, Fort McMurray, Edmonton and Fort Smith, the partnership with Concord Green Energy is part of its economic diversification strategy toward economic self-sufficiency and creating long-term revenue streams that align with their environmental goals and values. While the Nation owns a major energy services company supporting the Canadian oilsands and is an active player in recent infrastructure powerline and pipeline joint ventures, it has also been heavily impacted by climate change, the oilsands industry and industrial water use and dams on its rivers.

ACFN has proven to be a valuable partner. They have the sophistication and financial ability in handling large and complex transactions, typically undertaken by institutional investors. We appreciate their foresight in creating a strong balance sheet with income-generating assets for future generations, said Terry Hui, President and CEO of Concord Pacific. Building green power has been central to Concord Pacifics commitment to sustainable development. These projects are a valuable additions to our portfolio of over 20 large-scale renewable energy projects currently in operation and development. Partnering with leading First Nations like ACFN will play an important role in our investment strategy, particularly as it relates to our focus on renewable energy.

The Chipewyan Dene see the impacts of climate change getting worse every year, said Chief Allan Adam of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation. We accept that the oilsands industry is an important part of our economy and creates jobs and revenue for our people, but the world is changing, and everyone has to use clean energy that doesnt pollute and cause climate change to spin out of control. ACFN is pleased to partner with Concord Pacific in these solar investments to create a long-term revenue stream that aligns with our environmental responsibilities and values.

In 2018, ACFN completed a Green Energy Business Investment Strategy as part of its sustainable community energy and economic development and diversification planning. The Nation co-owns a 2.6 MW solar farm on the isolated community grid at Fort Chipewyan that opened in 2019 and is currently implementing over a dozen other clean energy projects, including hydroponics food production and energy efficiency retrofits.

Clean renewable electricity is now the least-cost option for Alberta consumers, added Jason Schulz, Executive Director, ACFN Strategic Advisory Services and Director, ACFN Green Energy. It also helps Alberta meet its climate change goals and is a critical part of ACFNs business diversification strategy that we will continue to develop. With the completion of this monumental solar project in Alberta and these recent talks with Concord Pacific about renewables, we feel energized for the future.

Concord Pacific has an ongoing commitment to environmental responsibility in all aspects of its operations. For more than 30 years, Concord Pacific has built green buildings and large-scale sustainable communities that leverage density and proximity to public transportation, green spaces and community amenities to minimize travel and energy use. Through Concord Green Energy, Concord Pacific has emerged as a leader in the clean energy sector over the past 12 years through numerous hydro, solar, and wind projects in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Alberta.

Collectively, Concord Green Energy projects currently generate enough energy to power every residence in Vancouvers core. Concord Green Energy has royalty agreements with the Squamish Nation on the Skookum Run of River project in Squamish and with both the Squamish and Lil'wat Nations on Concords Wedgemount Run of River in Whistler. Concord Pacific also has real estate development relationships related to the St. Pauls hospital site with BCs Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.

ACFN and Concord acknowledge, respect, and sincerely appreciate that these solar farms are located on the traditional lands of the Blackfoot people within Treaty 7 Territory. The partnership is embarking on programs to give back to Treaty 7 Indigenous communities and others near their projects by supporting education and training to better incorporate the benefits of clean energy systems on their housing, community buildings and other facilities. These facilities will also generate significant ongoing municipal tax revenue, as well as lease revenues to the owners on whose private land they are located.

For additional background, select photos and video: http://bit.ly/3HJvBlO

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4483a01a-2b06-4dfd-b241-8d117a4bb32c
Con 54 votos a favor, el #PlenoDelCongreso no aprobo el texto sustitutorio de los proyectos de ley 1897, 1918, y otros, respecto a la reforma constitucional para el adelanto de elecciones generales complementarias en diciembre del 2023. pic.twitter.com/kzcfrRSU9Y
CINCINNATI, Ohio, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blue Water Vaccines Inc. (BWV or Blue Water Vaccines or the Company), a biopharmaceutical company developing transformational vaccines to address significant global health challenges, today announced a collaboration with AbVacc, Inc. (AbVacc) for the joint development of vaccine candidates targeting monkeypox and Marburg virus disease (MVD).

Both candidate vaccines will utilize BWVs norovirus shell and protrusion (S&P) virus-like particle (VLP) platform, which allows for the presentation of multiple antigens on the surface of either the S or P particle of a norovirus backbone. BWV previously announced plans to explore a novel monkeypox vaccine candidate using this platform and under this agreement, AbVacc & BWV plan to work collaboratively to optimize the vaccine design and conduct preclinical immunogenicity and efficacy studies. In addition to monkeypox vaccine development, AbVacc will utilize its extensive expertise in MVD to develop a novel vaccine targeting Marburg virus using BWVs VLP platform.

AbVacc, a recent spin-off of Integrated BioTherapeutics Inc. (IBT) developing rationally designed vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, is currently developing a monoclonal antibody for treatment of MVD, IBT-T03, with discovery and preclinical development supported by multiple government grants. In May 2021, IBT was awarded a $16.3M contract from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to support manufacturing and a Phase 1 clinical trial for IBT-T03H. Leveraging this background in MVD, AbVacc & BWV will seek to identify Marburg antigens to be presented within BWVs VLP platform and optimize a potential vaccine candidate.

As various epidemics continue to emerge around the world, there has never been a better time to invest in the creation of preventative vaccines, said Joseph Hernandez, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Blue Water Vaccines. We strongly believe in the versatility of this platform and are honored to partner with the esteemed research team at AbVacc to push these candidates forward toward clinical development.

The Blue Water Vaccines VLP platform is certainly an exciting opportunity for us to use our expertise in rational antigen design and preclinical development and contribute to the discovery of vaccines in high unmet need areas, said Dr. M. Javad Aman, President and Chief Executive Officer of AbVacc. We look forward to developing a long-lasting relationship with BWV and to advancing treatments to help patients around the world.

While MVD and monkeypox are the initial targets for vaccine development under the collaboration, the partnership may expand to include other disease areas of interest identified by BWV and AbVacc.

MVD is caused by either Marburg virus or Ravn virus, both from the same family as Ebola viruses, and can cause outbreaks with high transmission and fatality rates. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Marburg spreads through human-to-human transmission via direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated surfaces. Case fatality ratios of MVD can reach up to 88%, and there are no vaccines or antiviral treatments approved for MVD, indicating a severe unmet need for preventative and therapeutic options.

According to the WHO, monkeypox is a virus transmitted to humans from animals, with clinical symptoms like those seen in smallpox patients. Human-to-human transmission can result from close contact with respiratory secretions, skin lesions of an infected person, or recently contaminated objects. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been about 30,000 reported cases of monkeypox in the United States and about 84,000 cases globally since 2022. There are two vaccines approved for prevention of monkeypox disease in the United States, but limited availability of either vaccine resulted in increased spread of monkeypox within the U.S. and internationally.

About AbVacc

AbVacc, Inc., a recent spin-off of Integrated Biotherapeutics, is a private Delaware Corporation with laboratory and offices in Rockville, MD. AbVaccs mission is to use structure-guided rational design for discovery and development of next generation smart vaccines and monoclonal antibodies. Funded by the U.S. Government and Novo Holdings, AbVaccs portfolio includes vaccines and antibodies for serious emerging infectious diseases such as methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA), C. difficile, B. anthracis, filoviruses Ebola, Sudan, and Marburg, Nipah virus, and Influenza at mid-to-late preclinical stages, and several more candidates in early discovery stage. AbVaccs MRSA vaccine (IBT-V02), indicated for prevention of recurrent skin and soft tissue infections, is nearing clinical trials with IND filing expected in late 2023. The vaccine has been supported by over $25M investment from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, CARB-X, and Novo Holdings.

About Blue Water Vaccines

Blue Water Vaccines Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing transformational vaccines to address significant health challenges globally. Headquartered in Cincinnati, OH, the company holds the rights to proprietary technology developed at the University of Oxford, Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center, St. Jude Childrens Hospital, and The University of Texas Health San Antonio. The Company is developing a universal flu vaccine that will provide protection from all virulent strains in addition to licensing a novel norovirus (NoV) S&P nanoparticle versatile virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine platform from Cincinnati Childrens to develop vaccines for multiple infectious diseases, including norovirus/rotavirus and malaria, among others. Additionally, Blue Water Vaccines is developing a Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) vaccine candidate, designed to specifically prevent the highly infectious middle ear infections, known as Acute Otitis Media (AOM), in children, and prevention of pneumonia in older people at risk for contracting pneumococcal pneumonia, a significant unmet medical need. The advantage of this technology includes a serotype independent mucosal immunity that prevents colonization in the upper respiratory tract as well as systemic immunity that can confer serotype independent against invasive pneumococcal disease. The Company is also developing a Chlamydia vaccine candidate with UT Health San Antonio to prevent infection and reduce the need for antibiotic treatment associated with contracting Chlamydia disease. For more information, visit www.bluewatervaccines.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as anticipate, believe, forecast, estimate, expect, and intend, among others. These forward-looking statements are based on BWVs current expectations and actual results could differ materially. There are a number of factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, risks related to the development of BWVs vaccine candidates; the failure to obtain FDA clearances or approvals and noncompliance with FDA regulations; delays and uncertainties caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic; risks related to the timing and progress of clinical development of our product candidates; our need for additional financing; uncertainties of patent protection and litigation; uncertainties of government or third party payor reimbursement; limited research and development efforts and dependence upon third parties; and substantial competition. As with any vaccine under development, there are significant risks in the development, regulatory approval and commercialization of new products. BWV does not undertake an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement. Investors should read the risk factors set forth in BWVs Registration Statement on Form S-1, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on August 29, 2022 and periodic reports filed with the SEC on or after the date thereof. All of BWVs forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by all such risk factors and other cautionary statements. The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date thereof.

Media Contact Information:Blue Water Media RelationsTelephone: (646) 942-5591 Email: [email protected]

Investor Contact Information:Blue Water Investor RelationsEmail: [email protected]

Source: Blue Water Vaccines Inc.
San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Endeavors has announced it has earned the 2023 Top Workplaces USA award, issued by Energage, a purpose-driven organization that develops solutions to build and brand Top Workplaces. The Top Workplaces program has a 15-year history of surveying more than 20 million employees and recognizing the top organizations across 60 markets for regional Top Workplaces awards.

"Being awarded a 2023 Top Workplaces USA is a big deal and we recognize that its only achievable because of our employees - the people who are the heart behind our organization," shared Jon Allman, CEO of Endeavors. We are made up of people who know no limit to love. No matter who is in need, they reach out their arms to help.

Endeavors is a service organization made up of over 1,800 in-person and remote employees based in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina, and Puerto Rico. Endeavors ranked in the Top 4% for compensation, Top 14% for Benefits, Top 18% for Work-Life Flexibility, and Top 22% for Meaningful Work in the field of Human and Social Services.

We are deeply grateful for the tremendous work Endeavors employees do each day, Endeavors President and COO, Chip Fulghum added. Our people are the heart and soul of our mission and we are incredibly blessed to have people who are so dedicated to compassionately serving those in need.

Top Workplaces USA celebrates organizations with 150 or more employees that have built great cultures. Over 42,000 organizations were invited to participate in the Top Workplaces USA survey. Winners of the Top Workplaces USA list are chosen based solely on employee feedback gathered through an employee engagement survey, issued by Energage. Energage surveyed over 650 Endeavors employees to get their feedback.

Results are calculated by comparing the surveys research-based statements, including 15 Culture Drivers that are proven to predict high performance against industry benchmarks.

Earning a Top Workplaces award is a badge of honor for companies, especially because it comes authentically from their employees, said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. That's something to be proud of. In today's market, leaders must ensure theyre allowing employees to have a voice and be heard. That's paramount. Top Workplaces do this, and it pays dividends.

As a faith-based organization, our values drive our decisions and actions and allow us to engage with purpose in the communities in which we serve, said Endeavors Chief Human Resources Officer, Danny Hernandez. We value our employees and know that without them, our mission cannot be accomplished.

###

About Endeavors

Headquartered in San Antonio, Endeavors is a national service organization that has been assisting vulnerable populations since 1969. Endeavors offers an array of services and programs supporting children, families, migrants, Veterans and those struggling with mental illness, disabilities, disasters or emergencies. Endeavors serves people in crisis with personalized services. For more information, visit endeavors.org.

About Energage

Making the world a better place to work together.TM

Energage is a purpose-driven company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into useful business intelligence and credible employer recognition through Top Workplaces. Built on 16 years of culture research and the results from 27 million employees surveyed across more than 70,000 organizations, Energage delivers the most accurate competitive benchmark available. With access to a unique combination of patented analytic tools and expert guidance, Energage customers lead the competition with an engaged workforce and an opportunity to gain recognition for their people-first approach to culture. For more information or to nominate your organization, visit energage.com or topworkplaces.com.

Attachments

Kimberly Harle Solis Endeavors [email protected]

Source: Endeavors
eureKARE welcomes Dirac Biosciences as first company into its biomedical start-up studio

Innovative gene circuit technology has the potential to detect and treat cancerous and other diseased cells

Luxembourg, Belgium, and Paris, France  1 February 2023: eureKARE, an innovative investment company for disruptive synthetic biology applications, welcomes Dirac Biosciences, the first company to be supported and housed in its biomedical start-up studio in Brussels, Belgium. Dirac Biosciences is applying advanced synthetic biology tools to create next generation therapeutics.

Gene circuits allow cells to be programmed in very specific ways, enabling a targeted response to specific activity happening inside a cell or in its external environment. Diracs circuit technology enables the building of next-generation therapeutics that could adapt to changing states of disease. This means that they would have the ability to become active in very specific contexts and tailor the treatment delivered within the body in real-time.

Dirac Biosciences has been co-founded by eureKARE, the Technical University of Darmstadt (TUDA), Germany, and Prof. Dr. Heinz Koeppl from the Centre for Synthetic Biology of TUDA. The Centre is well recognized in the European synthetic biology community for excellent and relevant science in this emerging and disruptive field, with special expertise in advanced computational tools and models.

Diracs initial focus is on oncology. According to World Health Organization and World Cancer Research Fund International reports, in 2020, 18.1 million people were diagnosed with cancer and nearly 10 million lost their lives to it. In Europe, the overall economic impact of cancer is estimated to exceed 100 billion annually and mortality is set to increase by more than 29% by 2040. Unless decisive action is taken, this clinical and economic burden will grow. These figures support why early cancer detection and appropriate therapy are key public health priorities in the 21st century.

In this context, Dirac Biosciences is developing an innovative synthetic biology-based technology with two major goals: (1) To create a computational platform for the rapid design of gene circuits for different targets or cancer types; (2) To build circuits that can detect cancer early in the development of the disease and to increase the specificity of anti-cancer therapy. The companys cutting-edge gene circuits aim to sense cancer biomarkers associated with poor prognosis and metastasis development and treat only diseased cells. Dirac Biosciences technology would include several competitive advantages, including the capacity to design next-generation therapeutics that address cancer in a faster and more cost-efficient way as well with a low toxicity profile due to the ability to distinguish between healthy and diseased cells.

eureKAREs Biomedical Start-up Studio

eureKAREs biomedical start-up studio is focused on creating the next generation of cell and gene therapies using disruptive synthetic biology tools and approaches. The studio in Belgium is part of eureKAREs synthetic biology studio network, a new model of start-up creation and development which nurtures high-quality European synthetic biology. It acts as a catalyst, enabling scientists to transform their discoveries into ground-breaking businesses. eureKARE aims to nurture young innovations into successful companies, empowering scientists with the right resources, access to funding, as well as both academic and scientific know-how.

Alexandre Mouradian, Chairman, Founder, and Chief Executive Officer of eureKARE, commented: Welcoming the first company into our biomedical start-up studio in Belgium marks a significant milestone for eureKARE. These synthetic biology concepts hold real potential for the treatment of cancer and other diseases of major concern. The strength of the science and potential of the project leaders behind this company is a testament to our studio approach where we source untapped European innovation and nurture it into successful business.

Dr. Georges Rawadi, Chief of Biotech Studio Development at eureKARE, commented: Our start-up studio strategy enables us to act as a bridge between academia and industry to transform innovation into companies. I am delighted to be working alongside Dr. Heinz Koeppl from TUDA to provide the necessary support to progress this great project and realize its full potential. Todays news reflects the momentum at eureKARE and I look forward to supporting future companies across our start-up studio network.

Prof. Dr. Heinz Koeppl, Director and Founding Member of the Centre for Synthetic Biology at TUDA, commented: The significant support we have received from eureKARE and TUDA is evidence of the importance  and even urgency  of equipping medicine with novel and disruptive tools that improve disease diagnosis, therapy and prognosis. The long-term vision I have for Dirac Biosciences is to design, test and optimize synthetic biology-based therapeutics by using advanced computer modeling and data-driven AI-based techniques, to make it ever faster and more effective.

- Ends -

About eureKARE

eureKARE is an investment company focused on financing and developing synthetic biology innovation across Europe. Driven by the belief that synthetic biology holds the key to many of the worlds most pressing health and environmental challenges, eureKAREs experienced team is focused on harnessing untapped leadership in the field to build the companies of the future. eureKARE is championing a new model of start-up creation and development to create a dynamic ecosystem of early and later-stage ventures through its network of biotech studios. eureKAREs studios act as a bridge between academia and industry, helping to catalyze the commercialization of innovations while giving young startups access to all the ingredients they need to grow, prosper, and bring benefits to society.

Contacts

eureKARE SA

Michelle Wilson-Andre, Head of Communications

[email protected]

Consilium Strategic Communications  Media Relations

[email protected]m





Please click here for the press release in French
ICG Enterprise Trust plc (the Company)

1 February 2023

Transaction in Own Shares

The Company announces that on 31 January 2023 it bought back 10,000 of its own shares, to be held as treasury shares, at an average price of 1146 pence per share.

Further details are set out below:

Number of shares held as treasury shares following this purchase: 4,587,425

Total shares in issue excluding treasury shares following this purchase: 68,325,575

The Company has bought back these shares under the authority granted by shareholders at its Annual General Meeting in June 2022, which permits the Company to repurchase a maximum of 14.99% of its ordinary shares. The actual number of shares repurchased by the Company will depend on market conditions. This authority lasts until the next shareholder authority granted (expected to be at the Annual General Meeting in 2023), or until expressly revoked by shareholders.

The above figure 68,325,575 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency Rules.

No maximum consideration payable has been determined by the Company, but the Company is unable to pay a price for any shares pursuant to the buyback which would equate to a premium to the net asset value. It is the Companys current intention to hold any shares bought back in treasury.

The Company has instructed Numis Securities Limited as its broker in respect of its buyback transactions. This arrangement is in accordance with the UKLA Listing Rules and the Companys general authority to repurchase shares.

Analyst / Investor enquiries:

Chris Hunt

Shareholder Relations, ICG

+44 (0) 20 3545 2020

Andrew Lewis

Company Secretary, ICG

+44 (0) 20 3545 1344

Media:

Clare Glynn,

Corporate Communications, ICG

+44 (0) 20 3545 1395
TORONTO, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Immutable Holdings Inc. (NEO: HOLD; OTCQB: IHLDF) (Immutable Holdings or the Company), a publicly-traded blockchain holding company, is pleased to announce that after a successful application process, the Company's subordinated voting shares (the Shares) began trading on the OTCBQ Venture Market (the OTCQB) at the opening of the market on February 1, 2023, under its current OTC Pink Market stock symbol "IHLDF.

The OTCQB, which is a U.S. trading platform operated by OTC Markets Group Inc., offers investors transparent trading in entrepreneurial and development stage companies. The OTCQB is recognized by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as an established public market providing public information for analysis and value of securities. To be eligible, companies must be current in their reporting and must undergo an annual verification and management certification process. Becoming an OTCQB-listed issuer introduces additional international compliance and disclosure standards for Immutable Holdings. The potential benefits of trading on the OTCQB include efficient market standards, as well as increased transparency, liquidity and visibility within the U.S. investment community.

Immutable Holdings Shares will continue to be listed and trade on the NEO Exchange under the symbol HOLD, and will continue to trade on the Frankfurt Exchange under the symbol B8X0. Existing United States shareholders are not required to exchange certificates representing their Shares or take any other action as the Shares which were previously quoted on the OTC Pink Open Market will now be quoted on the OTCQB.

Investors or other interested parties in the U.S. can obtain real-time quotes for Immutable Holdings, as well as access the Companys most current news and information at www.otcmarkets.com.

About Immutable Holdings Inc.

Immutable Holdings is a collection of businesses within the digital assets ecosystem on a mission to build businesses and products that increase the awareness, access, and adoption of digital assets. Founded by Jordan Fried, a founding team member of multibillion dollar Hedera Hashgraph network, Immutable Holdings already boasts tens of millions under management and a portfolio of businesses and brands built on the blockchain ecosystem, including NFT.com, Immutable Asset Management, and 1-800-Bitcoin. For further information regarding Immutable Holdings, visit https://immutableholdings.com/ and see the Companys disclosure documents on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

For media inquiries and further information, contact:

Billy Baxter, Head of Corporate Development & OperationsEmail: [email protected]

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION:

This news release contains certain statements which constitute forward-looking statements or information under applicable securities laws, including without limitation, statements regarding the potential benefits of listing on the OTCQB. Such forward-looking statements are subject to numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond the Companys control, which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, changes to applicable laws or the regulatory sphere in which the Company operates, general economic and capital markets conditions, stock market volatility and the other risks disclosed in the Companys annual information form dated March 31, 2022 and other disclosure documents available on the Companys profile at www.sedar.com. The foregoing is not an exhaustive list of factors that may affect the Companys forward-looking statements. Other risks and uncertainties not presently known to the Company and/or not specifically referenced herein could also cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed in its forward-looking statements.

Although the Company believes that the forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, they are based on factors and assumptions, based on currently available information, concerning future events, which may prove to be inaccurate. As such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, as no assurance can be provided as to future plans, operations, results, levels of activity or achievements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and, except as required by applicable law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or to revise any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Source: Immutable Holdings Inc.
PLANO, Texas, Jan. 31, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Integer Holdings Corporation (the Company, Integer) (NYSE: ITGR) today announced that it has priced an offering of $435 million aggregate principal amount of 2.125% convertible senior notes due 2028 (the Convertible Notes). The offering was upsized from the previously announced offering size of $375 million aggregate principal amount of Convertible Notes. The Company granted to the initial purchasers of the Convertible Notes an option to purchase up to an additional $65 million aggregate principal amount of the Convertible Notes for settlement within a 13-day period beginning on, and including, the first day on which the Convertible Notes are issued. The offering is expected to close on February 3, 2023, subject to customary closing conditions.

In connection with the pricing of the Convertible Notes, the Company has entered into privately negotiated capped call transactions with certain financial institutions, including one or more of the initial purchasers of the Convertible Notes and/or their respective affiliates (the option counterparties). The cap price of the capped call transactions will initially be approximately $108.59 per share, which represents a premium of approximately 65% over the last reported sale price of the Companys common stock of $65.81 per share on January 31, 2023, and will be subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments.

The Company anticipates that the aggregate net proceeds from the offering will be approximately $422.2 million (or approximately $485.4 million if the initial purchasers of the Convertible Notes exercise their option to purchase additional Convertible Notes in full), after deducting the initial purchasers discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by the Company. The Company intends to use approximately $30.5 million of the net proceeds from the offering to pay the cost of the capped call transactions. If the initial purchasers of the Convertible Notes exercise their option to purchase additional Convertible Notes, the Company expects to use a portion of the net proceeds from the sale of the additional Convertible Notes to enter into additional capped call transactions with the option counterparties. The Company intends to use the remainder of the net proceeds from the offering to repay borrowings and any accrued and unpaid interest under the Companys term B loan (the TLB Facility) under the Companys credit agreement, and any prepayment premium, penalty or other amount, if any, due in connection with such repayment, and for general corporate purposes, including the repayment of other debt. The Companys repayment of the TLB Facility will reduce its exposure to floating rate debt and bring more predictability to its cash interest expense obligations.

The Convertible Notes will be senior unsecured obligations of the Company, and will accrue interest at a rate of 2.125% per annum, payable semi-annually in arrears on February 15 and August 15 of each year, beginning on August 15, 2023. The Convertible Notes will mature on February 15, 2028, unless earlier repurchased, redeemed or converted. Prior to November 15, 2027, the Convertible Notes will be convertible only upon satisfaction of certain conditions and during certain periods, and thereafter, the Convertible Notes will be convertible at any time until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately preceding the maturity date. The Convertible Notes will be convertible, on the terms set forth in the indenture, into cash up to the aggregate principal amount of the Convertible Notes to be converted and cash, shares of the Companys common stock or a combination of cash and shares of the Companys common stock, at the Companys election, in respect of the remainder, if any, of the Companys conversion obligation in excess of the aggregate principal amount of the Convertible Notes being converted. The conversion rate will initially be 11.4681 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount of Convertible Notes (equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately $87.20 per share of Common Stock). The initial conversion price of the Convertible Notes represents a premium of approximately 32.5% to the $65.81 closing price of the Companys common stock on January 31, 2023. The conversion rate will be subject to adjustment in certain circumstances. In addition, following certain corporate events that occur prior to the maturity date or the Companys delivery of a notice of redemption, the Company will increase, in certain circumstances, the conversion rate for a holder who elects to convert its Convertible Notes in connection with such a corporate event or notice of redemption, as the case may be.

The Company may not redeem the Convertible Notes prior to February 20, 2026. The Company may redeem for cash all or any portion of the Convertible Notes, at its option, on or after February 20, 2026, if the last reported sale price of the Companys common stock has been at least 130% of the conversion price then in effect for at least 20 trading days (whether or not consecutive) during any 30 consecutive trading day period (including the last trading day of such period) ending on, and including, the trading day immediately preceding the date on which the Company provides notice of redemption at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Convertible Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date.

If the Company undergoes a fundamental change (as defined in the indenture governing the Convertible Notes), subject to certain conditions, holders may require the Company to repurchase for cash all or part of their Convertible Notes at a repurchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Convertible Notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the fundamental change repurchase date.

The capped call transactions are expected generally to reduce potential dilution to the Companys common stock upon conversion of any Convertible Notes and/or offset any cash payments the Company is required to make in excess of the principal amount of converted Convertible Notes, as the case may be, with such reduction and/or offset subject to a cap.

In connection with establishing their initial hedges of the capped call transactions, the Company expects the option counterparties or their respective affiliates to purchase shares of the Companys common stock and/or enter into various derivative transactions with respect to the Companys common stock concurrently with or shortly after the pricing of the Convertible Notes. This activity could increase (or reduce the size of any decrease in) the market price of the Companys common stock or the Convertible Notes at that time. In addition, the option counterparties or their respective affiliates may modify their hedge positions by entering into or unwinding various derivatives with respect to the Companys common stock and/or purchasing or selling shares of the Companys common stock or securities of the Company in secondary market transactions following the pricing of the Convertible Notes and prior to the maturity of the Convertible Notes (and are likely to do so on each exercise date for the capped call transactions or following any termination of any portion of the capped call transactions in connection with any repurchase, redemption or early conversion of the Convertible Notes). This activity could also cause or avoid an increase or decrease in the market price of the Companys common stock or the Convertible Notes, which could affect holders of the Convertible Notes ability to convert the Convertible Notes and, to the extent the activity occurs following conversion of the Convertible Notes or during any observation period related to a conversion of the Convertible Notes, it could affect the amount and value of the consideration that holders of the Convertible Notes will receive upon conversion of such Convertible Notes.

The Convertible Notes will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws. The Convertible Notes were offered only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A under the Securities Act.

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 these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About IntegerInteger Holdings Corporation (NYSE: ITGR) is one of the largest medical device outsource (MDO) manufacturers in the world serving the cardiac, neuromodulation, vascular, portable medical and orthopedics markets. The Company provides innovative, high-quality medical technologies that enhance the lives of patients worldwide. In addition, the Company develops batteries for high-end niche applications in energy, military, and environmental markets. The Companys brands include Greatbatch Medical, Lake Region Medical and Electrochem.

Contact InformationTony BorowiczSenior Vice President, Investor Relations716.759.5809[email protected]

Forward-Looking StatementsSome of the statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

You can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as outlook, projected, may, will, should, could, expect, intends, plans, anticipates, believes, estimates, predicts, potential, project, or continue or variations or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions. Actual events or results may differ materially from those stated or implied by these forward-looking statements. In evaluating these statements and the Companys prospects, you should carefully consider the factors set forth below.

Although it is not possible to create a comprehensive list of all factors that may cause actual results to differ from the results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or that may affect the Companys future results, some of these factors and other risks and uncertainties that arise from time to time are described in Item 1A Risk Factors of the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K and in its other periodic filings with the SEC and include the following:

operational risks, such as the duration, scope and impact of global supply chain issues, the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and the COVID-19 pandemic, including the evolving health, economic, social and governmental environments and the effect of the pandemic on the Companys associates, suppliers and customers as well as the global economy; its dependence upon a limited number of customers; pricing pressures that the Company faces from customers; its reliance on third party suppliers for raw materials, key products and subcomponents; the competitive labor market and its ability to attract, train and retain a sufficient number of qualified associates; the potential for harm to its reputation caused by quality problems related to its products; the dependence of its energy market-related revenues on the conditions in the oil and natural gas industry; interruptions in its manufacturing operations; its dependence upon its information technology systems and its ability to prevent cyber-attacks and other failures; and its dependence upon its senior management team and technical personnel;

strategic risks, such as the intense competition the Company faces and its ability to successfully market its products; its ability to respond to changes in technology; its ability to develop new products and expand into new geographic and product markets; and its ability to successfully identify, make and integrate acquisitions to expand and develop its business in accordance with expectations;

financial risks, such as the Companys significant amount of outstanding indebtedness and its ability to remain in compliance with financial and other covenants under its senior secured credit facilities; economic and credit market uncertainties that could interrupt its access to capital markets, borrowings or financial transactions; financial and market risks related to its international operations and sales; its complex international tax profile; and its ability to realize the full value of its intangible assets; and

legal and compliance risks, such as regulatory issues resulting from product complaints, recalls or regulatory audits; the potential of becoming subject to product liability or intellectual property claims; the Companys ability to protect its intellectual property and proprietary rights; its ability and the cost to comply with environmental regulations; its ability to comply with customer-driven policies and third party standards or certification requirements; its ability to obtain necessary licenses for new technologies; legal and regulatory risks from its international operations; and the fact that the healthcare industry is highly regulated and subject to various regulatory changes.

Except as may be required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements in this press release whether to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes in future operating results, financial conditions or prospects, or otherwise.

Source: Integer Holdings Corporation
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nevada Exploration Inc. (NGE or the Company) (TSX-V:NGE; OTCQB: NVDEF) announces that it intends to complete the share consolidation (the Consolidation) of its common shares (Common Shares) on the basis of twenty-five (25) pre-Consolidation Common Shares for one (1) post-Consolidation Common Share. The Consolidation was approved by the Companys shareholders at a meeting duly held on January 24, 2023 and disclosed in the Companys news release dated January 25, 2023. The proposed Consolidation will change the number of outstanding Common Shares from 169,121,620 to 6,764,865.

The Consolidation is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (Exchange). The record date for the Consolidation will be set subsequent to receipt of Exchange approval for the Consolidation.

The Company will issue a further news release confirming the record date and the effective date for the Consolidation. The Consolidation is expected to become effective mid-February, 2023.

About Nevada Exploration Inc.

Led by an international team of explorers, NGE is applying modern technology to systematically explore for the undiscovered second half of Nevadas gold endowment waiting to be uncovered within Nevadas valley basins. NGE is advancing a portfolio of gold exploration projects, primarily focused on three district-scale Carlin-type gold projects, including its flagship South Grass Valley project, located in close proximity to the Nevada Gold Mines of the Cortez Complex.

For further information, please contact:

Nevada Exploration Inc.Email: [email protected]Telephone: +1 (604) 601 2006Website: www.nevadaexploration.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 Statement on Forward-Looking Information:

This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively, forward-looking information) within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including, without limitation, expectations, beliefs, plans, and objectives regarding projects, potential transactions, and ventures discussed in this release.

In connection with the forward-looking information contained in this news release, the Company has made numerous assumptions, regarding, among other things, the assumption the Company will continue as a going concern and will continue to be able to access the capital required to advance its projects and continue operations. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies.

In addition, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Companys actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are the risks inherent in mineral exploration, the need to obtain additional financing, environmental permits, the availability of needed personnel and equipment for exploration and development, fluctuations in the price of minerals, and general economic conditions.

A more complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company is disclosed in the Companys continuous disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulatory authorities at www.sedar.com. All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law.

Source: Nevada Exploration Inc.
MONTREAL, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Opus One Gold Corporation (OOR: TSXV) (Opus One Gold or the Company), is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement (the Offering) for gross proceeds of up to C$500,000 from the sale of units of the Company (PP Units). Each PP Unit shall be issued at price per PP Unit of $0.02 and shall be comprised of one common share of the Company (a PP Share) and one common share purchase warrant (a Warrant), with each Warrant entitling the holder to acquire one Share at an exercise price of $0.05 per Share for a period of 24 months following the closing of the offering.

The Units will be offered by way of the accredited investor exemption under National Instrument 45-106  Prospectus Exemptions in all the provinces of Canada. The PP Units, Shares and Warrant Shares will be subject to a four-month hold period in Canada following the closing of the offering.

In accordance with TSX Venture Exchange policies, the Company is relying on a minimum price exception in order to issue securities at less than $0.05 per listed security. As such, the Company will not issue more than 100% of its issued and outstanding Shares pursuant to the offering.

The gross proceeds from the issuance of the PP Units is estimated as follows:

5 months to June 30, 2023 Use of proceeds Management (CEO &CFO) $ 85,000 Professional fees 18,000 Shareholder communications 20,000 Regulatory fees 10,000 Office and administration 10,000 Working capital and potential acquisitions 357,000 $ 500,000

In connection with the Offering, the Company may pay finders fees and issue finder warrants to arms length finders, consisting of: (i) cash finder's fees of up to 5 per cent of the gross proceeds of the offering; and (ii) finder warrants in an amount equal to up to 5 per cent of the number of FT Units issued pursuant to the offering, exercisable at a price of $0.05 per common share for a period of two years following the closing date.

Closing of the offering is scheduled to occur on or about February 20, 2023 and is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange and other customary closing conditions. There can be no assurances that the offering will be completed on the terms set out herein, or at all, or that the proceeds of the offering will be sufficient for the uses of proceeds as set out above.

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 the release.

ABOUT OPUS ONE GOLD CORPORATION

Opus One Gold Corporation is a mining exploration company focused on discovering high quality gold and base metals deposits within strategically located properties in proven mining camps, close to existing mines in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt, north-western Quebec and north-eastern Ontario - one of the most prolific gold mining areas in the world. Opus One holds assets in Val-d'Or and Matagami areas.

For more information, please contact:

Louis MorinChief Executive Officer & Director Tel.: (514) 591-3988

Michael W. Kinley, CPA, CAPresident, Chief Financial Officer & Director Tel: (902) 402-0388

[email protected]

Visit Opus Ones website: www.OpusOneGold.com

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated content, commencement and exploration program results, the ability to complete future financings, required permitting, exploration programs and drilling, and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.

The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, the state of the financial markets for the Company's equity securities, the state of the commodity markets generally, variations in the nature, the analytical results from surface trenching and sampling program, including diamond drilling programs, the results of IP surveying, the results of soil and till sampling program. the quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, variations in the market price of any mineral products the Company may produce or plan to produce, the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required, including TSX Venture acceptance, for its planned activities, the inability of the Company to produce minerals from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its projected growth, to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies, and other risks and uncertainties. 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.

Source: Opus One Gold Corporation Inc.
New York, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PHI Group, Inc. (n/k/a Philux Global Group Inc.,www.philuxglobal.com, PHIL), a diversified holding company currently sponsoring PHILUX Global Funds, developing the Asia Diamond Exchange project (ADE), engaging in mergers and acquisitions and investing in select opportunities that may have potential for high growth, is pleased to update our shareholders and investors regarding the progress of the Asia Diamond Exchange project in Vietnam.

In spite of the resultant ramifications caused by the Covid-19 pandemic that have affected our Asia Diamond Exchange development program, we have been able to accomplish remarkable milestones with respect to forging unprecedented relationships with and getting support from major global diamonteers, international diamond exchanges, rough diamond supplying countries and companies, worldwide investors, the Vietnamese central and provincial governments and the Kimberly Certification Process authority which make it possible for us to move forward with the plans to establish the Asia Diamond Exchange in Vietnam to serve the rough, polished and laboratory-grown diamond markets. The Company plans to hold a press conference in Vietnam as soon as practical to officially announce the participation of international partners in this program.

We have been working with the provincial leaders of Quang Nam Province and Chu Lai Open Economic Zone Authority in Central Vietnam and Dong Nai Province in Southern Vietnam to prepare and complete the required documents for the licensing process in order to construct the Asia Diamond Exchange buildings and other supporting facilities. We are also pleased and encouraged to see the recent progress at the Long Thanh International Airport project and the visit of His Excellency Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the site on January 29, 2023. According to the plan, phase 1 of the project will build a runway (No. 1) 4,000m long, 75m wide and a system of taxiways and aprons to ensure the operation of aircraft, meeting the capacity of 25 million passengers/year and 1.2 million tons of cargo per year. The total investment of phase 1 is over 109,111 billion VND (approximately USD 4.5 Billion), expected to be completed and put into operation in 2025.

We have submitted an application for investment registration to build the rough diamond portion of the Asia Diamond Exchange (ADE) in Bau Can  Tan Hiep Industrial Park, Long Thanh District, Dong Nai Province, Vietnam and have received very supportive response from the People's Committee of Dong Nai Province - Industrial Parks Management Board, No. 513/KCNDN-T, with guidance regarding the development and investment of this project. We plan to develop a total area of 1,000 hectares adjacent to the Long Thanh International Airport for the Asia Diamond Exchange (ADE) project and the industrial park and logistics center with an investment amount of approximately USD 5 billion in the first phase. We have the commitments of a number of major international investors that have agreed to provide capital for this and other projects we are currently undertaking.

On other notes, the Company is currently in the process of closing an investment package of USD 250 million and have received consent from Tin Thanh Group (TTG) to extend the closing the acquisition of TTG until this investment package is consummated. The Company expects to file the 10-Q report for the quarter ended September 30, 2022 in the coming days to become current with the US Securities and Exchange Commission as a fully-reporting company and also file the 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2022 quickly thereafter.

About PHILUX Global Group

PHI Group (n/k/a Philux Global Group Inc., www.philuxglobal.com, (PHIL) primarily focuses on PHILUX Global Funds, a group of Luxembourg bank funds organized as Reserved Alternative Investment Fund (RAIF) (www.philuxfunds.com), and building the Asia Diamond Exchange (ADE) in Vietnam. The Company also engages in mergers and acquisitions and invests in selective industries and special situations that may substantially enhance shareholder value.

Safe Harbor Act and Forward-looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as may, future, plan or planned, will or should, expected, anticipates, draft, eventually or projected, which are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors.

Contact:Philux Global Group Inc.Email: [email protected]Tel: +1-714-793-9227

Source: PHI Group, Inc.
VANCOUVER, Wash., Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Papa Murphys Take n Bake Pizza announces the return of the HeartBaker Pizza nationwide beginning today through Tuesday, February 14, 2023.

Each year, pizza fans look forward to the return of the HeartBaker Pizza. Its made with Papa Murphy's fresh dough, made-from-scratch daily, topped with traditional red sauce, 100% whole-milk Mozzarella cheese that's grated fresh daily (or Dairy-Free cheese in available markets), and the option of adding premium pepperoni, all for only $11 ($14 in Alaska).

Guests can also choose to bring home our Sweetheart of a Deala HeartBaker Pizza and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.

Valentines Day is always a fun time of year. We love being a part of your traditions and the special moments made at home, said Tracey Ayres, VP of Brand and Innovation for Papa Murphys. What better way to show your love than with a delicious HeartBaker Pizza and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough this Valentines Day.

For more information about the HeartBaker Pizza or the Sweetheart of a Deal, visit PapaMurphys.com.

About Papa Murphys Papa Murphy's International ("Papa Murphy's") is a franchisor and operator of the largest Take 'n' Bake pizza brand in the United States, with a mission to "Change The Way You Pizza." Papa Murphy's exists to enrich every day with unconventional moments of happiness, not only because our take n bake pizzas are made-to-order daily using only the freshest ingredients, but also providing exceptional service at over 1,161 franchised and corporate-owned locations across the U.Splus locations in Canada and the UAE. With the core values of Quality, Service, Integrity, Teamwork as our guide, Papa Murphy's offers guests a convenient, unparalleled experience for creating the best at-home meal experience. Along with fresh pizzas, Papa Murphy's offers hand-crafted salads, sides, and desserts to complete your meal and please your palate. Order online at papamurphys.com or from our official Papa Murphy's app everywhere, and find us on your favorite delivery apps in select markets.

Media Contact: Lisa McNairy [email protected] 262-497-7166

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4d0dbaba-bc1b-439d-87ee-53906ccdcf7c

HeartBaker Pizza HeartBaker Pizza

Source: Papa Murphys International
It should be noted that the term for granting guarantees for new FAE-Texco credits expires on June 30, 2023, and then it was set to be valid for six years, but now, with the amendment, it will be valid for 78 months.

#ConPunchePeru??????reactivaremos las mypes. La medida permitira la ampliacion, hasta el 30 de junio del ano 2023, del plazo para las reprogramaciones de los creditos otorgados en #ReactivaPeru, FAE Turismo; asi como el otorgamiento de creditos a traves del FAE-Texco. pic.twitter.com/Y1Etzbti8b
ROMEOVILLE, Ill., Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nanophase Technologies Corporation (OTCQB: NANX), a leader in minerals-based and scientifically-driven health care solutions across beauty and life science categories  with innovations that protect skin from environmental aggressors and aid in medical diagnostics  today announced that Solesence Beauty Science will make their debut as an exhibitor at MakeUp in Los Angeles on February 16-17, 2023, alongside the unveiling of Beauty Now, an accelerated launch program for brands.

MakeUp in Los Angeles is a business facilitator that orchestrates a friendly and intimate BtoB event gathering the most dynamic and creative suppliers with the most successful skincare and makeup brands, in THE city embodying beauty: Los Angeles! according to the event website. Solesence Beauty Science, a leader in inclusive, mineral-based beauty products for skincare and makeup brands, will be exhibiting at MakeUp in Los Angeles for the first time, following a successful exhibition at MakeUp in New York in 2022.

Solesence will debut Beauty Now, an accelerated path to market that enables brands to launch products on a faster timeline and get to market this summer. The program invites brands to choose from a curated selection of its white label, SPF-infused beauty products, including award-winning Multi-Cultural Magic SPF 50+, Lip Oil SPF 40+, One & Done SPF 40+, and Clean Mineral UV SPF 50+.

In addition to the new accelerated launch program, Solesence will showcase its full suite of market-ready, white label products that embrace self-expression, health care, and self-care, blurring skin care with color cosmetics while providing best-in-class UV and environmental protection. Two new cosmetic products will be revealed at MakeUp in Los Angeles, including a brand-new, bold hue of Lip Oil SPF 40+, and Soft Glow SPF 50+, a featherweight fluid that balances glowing skin with a streamlined beauty routine. Both new formulas feature Solesence award-winning Kleair technology and are available through the white label program.

After an excellent experience at MakeUp in New York last Fall, we are excited to make our debut at MakeUp in Los Angeles to showcase our newest skin health products and programs. Our Solesence Beauty Now program is designed to help brands make an immediate impact in the market with some of our hottest white label skincare and makeup products  all featuring our patented technologies to deliver our core skin health benefits to the end consumer. Our team, led by our VP of Brand Partnerships, Ed Sieracki, our VP of Licensing and Retail Partnerships, Jennifer Bayon, and our Managing Director of Product and Component Development, Yoana Dvorzsak, looks forward to an inspiring event in LA as we all work together to drive the industry forward, commented Kevin Cureton, Chief Operating Officer.

About Solesence Beauty Science

Solesence, LLC, www.solesence.com, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nanophase Technologies, is changing the face of skin health with patented, mineral-based technology that is embraced by leading performance-driven and clean beauty brands alike. Our patented products for brands transform the way mineral actives look, feel and function  enabling textures never-before-seen in the mineral space and inclusivity never-before-seen in the sun care space. Solesences innovative formulations offer best-in-class UV protection, unparalleled free radical prevention to protect against pollution, and enhanced antioxidant performance.

About Nanophase Technologies

Nanophase Technologies Corporation (OTCQB: NANX), www.nanophase.com, is a leading innovator in minerals-based and scientifically driven health care solutions across beauty and life science categories, as well as other legacy advanced materials applications. Leveraging a platform of integrated, patented, and proprietary technologies, the Company creates products with unique performance, enhancing consumers health and wellbeing. We deliver commercial quantity and quality engineered materials both as ingredients and as part of fully formulated products in a variety of formats.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains words such as expects, shall, will, believes, and similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements in this announcement are made based on the Companys current beliefs, known events and circumstances at the time of publication, and as such, are subject in the future to unforeseen risks and uncertainties that could cause the Companys results of operations, performance, and achievements to differ materially from current expectations expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the following: a decision by a customer to cancel a purchase order or supply agreement in light of the Companys dependence on a limited number of key customers; uncertain demand for, and acceptance of, the Companys engineered materials, ingredients, and fully formulated products; the Companys manufacturing capacity and product mix flexibility in light of customer demand; the Companys limited marketing experience; changes in development and distribution relationships; the impact of competitive products and technologies; the Companys dependence on patents and protection of proprietary information; the resolution of litigation in which the Company may become involved; the impact of any potential new government regulations that could be difficult to respond to or too costly to comply with while remaining financially viable; the ability of the Company to maintain an appropriate electronic trading venue; and other factors described in the Companys Form 10-K filed March 31, 2022. In addition, the Companys forward-looking statements could be affected by general industry and market conditions and growth rates. Except as required by federal securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements to reflect new events, uncertainties, or other contingencies.

Media Contact:

Emma Harper

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (630) 686-1574

Investor Relations Contact:

Phone: (630) 771-6736

Source: Nanophase Technologies Corporation
TORONTO, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- St Charles Resources Inc. (St Charles or the Company) is pleased to announce that, further to its news release of September 8, 2022, the Company has entered into a business combination agreement (the Business Combination Agreement) dated January 31, 2023 with Eastern Resources OOD (Eastern Resources), Eastern Resources (UK) Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company incorporated under the laws of England to give effect to the Proposed Transaction (as defined below), (St Charles UK Subsidiary) and the shareholders of Eastern Resources (the Eastern Resources Shareholders, and together with the Company, Eastern Resources and St Charles UK Subsidiary, the Parties). The Business Combination Agreement is in respect of a proposed business combination transaction pursuant to which the Company, through St Charles UK Subsidiary, will acquire all of the issued and outstanding securities of Eastern Resources (the Proposed Transaction).

It is anticipated that the Proposed Transaction will constitute the Companys Qualifying Transaction as defined in and in accordance with Policy 2.4  Capital Pool Companies of the Corporate Finance Manual of the TSX Venture Exchange (the TSXV). All currency references herein are in Canadian currency unless otherwise specified. The Company following the completion of the Proposed Transaction is referred to as the Resulting Issuer.

About Eastern Resources

Eastern Resources is a private gold exploration company incorporated under the laws of Bulgaria with its head office located in Sofia, Bulgaria. At the time of closing of the Proposed Transaction, the capital of Eastern Resources will consist of 35 issued and outstanding common shares (the Eastern Resources Shares). Eastern Resources is and has been since incorporation focused on mineral exploration projects in Bulgaria. Eastern Resources material mineral and exploration projects consist of the Kostilkovo gold property (Kostilkovo Gold Project) and the Kutel gold property (Kutel Gold Project).

Eastern Resources has four shareholders: Seefin Capital OOD, as represented by Mr. Sean Hasson, Balkan Mineral & Discovery EOOD, as represented by Mr. Danko Zhelev, GEOPS-Bolkan Drilling Services EOOD, as represented by Mr. Vasil Andreev and Dundee Resources Limited a wholly owned subsidiary of Dundee Corporation.

Eastern Resources controls 100% of two quality epithermal gold projects located in the Bulgarian portion of the Western Tethyan Belt: the Kutel Gold Project and the Kostilkovo Gold Project. Management of Eastern Resources believes that its assets show potential for high-grade, good-metallurgy and low-sulfidation epithermal gold mineralisation.

The business of the Resulting Issuer will be primarily focused on the exploration of the Kutel Gold Project, the Kostilkovo Gold Project, and acquisition of additional properties in line with its focused exploration strategy.

Summary of the Proposed Transaction

Pursuant to the terms of the Business Combination Agreement, St Charles UK Subsidiary has agreed to purchase all of the issued and outstanding securities of Eastern Resources from the Eastern Resources Shareholders in exchange for the issuance of 952,380 Resulting Issuer common shares (the Resulting Issuer Shares) for every one (1) Eastern Resources Share (as defined below) held by each Eastern Resources Shareholder. Eastern Resources Shareholders will receive, in the aggregate, 33,333,300 Resulting Issuer Shares, representing 54.92% of the issued and outstanding capital of the Resulting Issuer, on a non-diluted basis. The purchase price payable by St Charles, on behalf of St Charles UK Subsidiary, to the Eastern Resources Shareholders will be deemed to equal approximately $95,238 per Eastern Resources Share so acquired by St Charles UK Subsidiary, for an aggregate purchase price of $3,333,330. The Business Combination is intended to constitute a Qualifying Transaction, such that upon completion, Eastern Resources will be indirectly held by the Resulting Issuer through St Charles UK Subsidiary.

It is intended that immediately following the completion of the foregoing steps, an aggregate of approximately 60,693,300 Resulting Issuer Shares will be issued and outstanding. The Proposed Transaction, as currently anticipated, will not be subject to approval of the securityholders of the Company. No concurrent financing is anticipated to occur in connection with the Proposed Transaction. It is currently expected that the Resulting Issuer will continue to operate under the name St Charles Resources Inc..

The following table sets out the expected share capital of the Resulting Issuer on a non-diluted basis after giving effect to the Proposed Transaction:

Category of Security Number Percentage Resulting Issuer Shares held by former St Charles Shareholders 27,360,000 45.08% Resulting Issuer Shares issued to former Eastern Resources Shareholders pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement 33,333,300 54.92% Total Resulting Issuer Shares 60,693,300 100%

The Resulting Issuer Shares to be issued pursuant to the Proposed Transaction will be issued pursuant to exemptions from the prospectus requirements of applicable securities legislation. Certain Resulting Issuer Shares to be issued pursuant to the Proposed Transaction are expected to be subject to restrictions on escrow under the policies of the TSXV, including the securities to be issued to Principals (as defined under TSXV policies), which will be subject to the escrow requirements of the TSXV.

Completion of the Proposed Transaction is conditional upon, among other standard conditions for a transaction of this nature: (i) completion of two NI 43-101 compliant technical reports in respect of the Kutel Gold Project and the Kostilkovo Gold Project that are acceptable to the TSXV and the Company; (ii) the delivery of audited and pro forma financial statements of Eastern Resources and St Charles that are compliant with TSXV policies; (iii) Eastern Resources delivering a title opinion for each of the Kutel Gold Project and the Kostilkovo Gold Project; (iv) receipt of all required consents and approvals for the Proposed Transaction and the Business Combination Agreement; (v) Eastern Resources delivering a sponsor report satisfactory to the TSXV; (vi) if required by the TSXV, Eastern Resources delivering an independent valuation satisfactory to the TSXV; (vii) the TSXV approving the Kostilkovo Gold technical report and the Kutel Gold technical report; (viii) the TSXV providing its conditional approval for the Proposed Transaction; and (ix) no material adverse changes occurring in respect of either the Company, St Charles UK Subsidiary or Eastern Resources.

There can be no assurance that all of the necessary regulatory and third party approvals will be obtained or that all conditions of closing will be met.

Upon closing of the Proposed Transaction, it is anticipated that the Resulting Issuer will be listed as a Tier 2 mining issuer on the TSXV, with Eastern Resources as the Companys primary operating subsidiary.

Summary of Proposed Directors and Officers of the Resulting Issuer

Subject to TSXV approval, the proposed board of directors of the Resulting Issuer will be reconstituted to consist of six (6) directors, which includes James Crombie, an existing director and officer of the Company. Accordingly, all other existing directors and officers of the Company will resign upon the closing of the Proposed Transaction.

In addition to the proposed directors and officers of the Resulting Issuer disclosed in the Companys news release dated September 8, 2022, it is expected that Vanessa Cook will be appointed to the board of the Resulting Issuer at or immediately following the closing of the Proposed Transaction.

Ms. Vanessa Cook, Independent Director (Toronto, Canada)

Ms. Vanessa Cook is a CPA, CA with over 22 years of business experience in accounting and finance. Ms. Cook graduated from Dalhousie University with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. Since then, she has worked with a variety of public and private companies in the mining, insurance, risk consulting, and technology industries, which have included the roles of Controller, Director of Finance, and Vice President of Finance. Ms. Cook spent nine years combined in financial reporting at Dundee Precious Metals and Corsa Coal. She is currently the Vice President of Finance at PomeGran Inc., a private broadband internet service provider.

Filing Statement

In connection with the Proposed Transaction and pursuant to the requirements of the TSXV, the Company intends on filing a filing statement on its issuer profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com), which will contain relevant details relating to the Proposed Transaction, the Company, Eastern Resources and the Resulting Issuer.

Trading Halt

Trading of the Companys common shares has been halted as a result of the announcement of the Proposed Transaction and the Company expects that trading will remain halted pending closing of the Proposed Transaction.

Other information relating to the Proposed Transaction

The Proposed Transaction will not constitute a Non-Arms Length Qualifying Transaction within the meaning of Policy 2.4 of the TSXV. The Proposed Transaction is not a related party transaction as such term is defined by Multilateral Instrument 61-101  Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions and is not subject to Policy 5.9 of the TSXV.

In connection with the Proposed Transaction, McMillan LLP is acting as legal counsel to the Company and Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP is acting as legal counsel to Eastern Resources.

Additional information concerning the Proposed Transaction, the Company, Eastern Resources and the Resulting Issuer is contained in the Companys news release dated September 8, 2022 and will be contained in the filing statement to be filed by the Company in connection with the Proposed Transaction, which will be available in due course under the Companys SEDAR profile.

About St Charles Resources Inc.

St Charles Resources Inc. is designated as a Capital Pool Company under TSXV Policy 2.4. The Company has not commenced commercial operations and has no assets other than cash. The Companys objective is to identify and evaluate businesses or assets with a view to completing a Qualifying Transaction as defined in and in accordance with Policy 2.4  Capital Pool Companies of the Corporate Finance Manual of the TSXV. Any proposed Qualifying Transaction must be approved by the TSXV and, in the case of a non-arms length Qualifying Transaction, must also receive majority approval of the minority shareholders. Until the completion of a Qualifying Transaction, the Company will not carry on any business other than the identification and evaluation of businesses or assets with a view to completing a proposed Qualifying Transaction.

For further information regarding the Company and the Proposed Transaction, please contact James Crombie, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Company, at 514-825-4222.

For further information regarding Eastern Resources and the Proposed Transaction, please contact Sean Hasson, at +359 2 989 2361.

Completion of the Proposed Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, TSXV acceptance and if applicable pursuant to TSXV requirements, majority of the minority shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Proposed Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Proposed Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the Proposed Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Proposed Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative.

The TSXV has in no way passed upon the merits of the Proposed Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

iA Capital Markets, subject to completion of satisfactory due diligence, has agreed to act as sponsor in connection with the transaction. An agreement to sponsor should not be construed as any assurance with respect to the merits of the transaction or the likelihood of completion.

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 Information

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, intends, or believes, or variations (including negative and grammatical variations) of such words and phrases or state that certain acts, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved.

Forward-looking information in this press release may include, without limitation, statements relating to: the completion of the Proposed Transaction and the timing thereof, the proposed business of the Resulting Issuer, references to the potential of the Kutel Gold Project and the Kostilkovo Gold Project, the completion of NI 43-101 technical reports, the proposed directors and officers of the Resulting Issuer, completion of satisfactory due diligence, TSXV sponsorship requirements, shareholder and regulatory approvals, and future press releases and disclosure.

These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including risks regarding the mining industry, commodity prices, market conditions, general economic factors, managements ability to manage and to operate the business, and explore and develop the projects of the Resulting Issuer, and the equity markets generally. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance of each of the Company and Eastern Resources may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward-looking statements. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements as well as future results. Although each of the Company and Eastern Resources believes that the expectations reflected in forward looking statements are reasonable, they can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, each of the Company and Eastern Resources disclaims any intention and assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise.

Source: St Charles Resources Inc.
Ottawa, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadian Association of University Teachers - Laurentian University filed for insolvency protection under the Companies Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) on February 1, 2021. Two years later  after job losses, program cuts, and plummeting enrollment  the people most affected are speaking out about the personal costs of a corporate bankruptcy process.

Dr. Valerie Raymond, a former professor in the French studies department, was informed she would lose her full-time, permanent position days before giving birth to her first child.

The stress, anxiety and fear that this loss brought on at that point in my pregnancy are indescribable, she said. The CCAA process the university used robbed my family of our financial security when I not only lost my maternity leave, but also was denied the appropriate severance pay that was owed to me.

Born and raised in Sudbury, Dr. Raymond is now back at Laurentian, working as a contract employee. I found it very difficult to go back to this same institution that destroyed my career and denied me my approved, paid maternity leave, she said. I returned because Im still passionate about teaching and this French-language program is so important to our community. Im teaching the same courses as before, only at a much lower pay grade, without any health benefits for me or my family and, of course, without any job security.

Faculty at all stages of their careers have paid dearly for the callous choices made by Laurentians former leadership, said Fabrice Colin, President of the Laurentian University Faculty Association. The effects continue to reverberate through the community and economy in Sudbury and across Northern Ontario. And, even though we were promised change by the federal government, we have yet to see action. The CCAA must be fixed before this happens to another community.

Rather than lose his job outright, Dr. Frank Mallory, a former chair of the biology department, was pressured to retire.

For the sake of his students and his children, he accepted. At the time I was supervising seven graduate students. Im still working for free so that my remaining two students can complete their studies, he said. I had four young children, so I needed the benefits promised if I retired, even though it meant giving up my salary, my life insurance, my sabbatical, and free tuition for my kids.

In response to the situation at Laurentian, the Liberal government promised to exclude public post-secondary institutions from the CCAA. Two years later, that change has yet to materialize.

In early December, NDP MP Charlie Angus introduced a private members bill (C-309) in the House of Commons to remove all public institutions from the CCAA. Earlier, Senator Lucie Moncion proposed a bill in the Senate (S-215) that would exclude public post-secondary institutions from the CCAA. CAUT has urged the government to make a similar commitment in Budget 2023.

The CCAA is a corporate tool that was never intended to be used by public institutions like Laurentian, said David Robinson, executive director of CAUT. We now know that the university administration had other options, including provincial assistance, but chose instead to let their staff and students pay for the cost of gross financial mismanagement.

Canadian Association of University Teachers 6137265181 [email protected]

Source: Canadian Association of University Teachers
HAMPTON, N.H., Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Unitil Corporation (Unitil or the Company) (NYSE: UTL) (unitil.com) today announced the planned retirement of Todd R. Black, Senior Vice President, effective May 1, 2023, capping a successful career spanning 35 years in the utility industry.

Unitil has been a wonderful place to build a career for the last 25 years and I am truly proud of our accomplishments during that time, Mr. Black said. Unitil is a special company with incredibly talented people, and I look forward to their continued success.

Mr. Black has served as Unitils Senior Vice President, External Affairs and Customer Relations, since September 2009. Mr. Black joined Unitil in 1998 and has served in various management roles including, from 2003 to 2009, President of Usource Inc. (the Companys former energy brokering and consulting subsidiary). Prior to joining Unitil, Mr. Black worked for various utility and energy companies and is an alumnus of the University of New Hampshire (UNH). He is also Chairman of the Board of Directors at Normandeau Associates (a provider of science-based environmental consulting services), Vice-Chairman of the Advisory Board at the Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics at UNH, a member of the Executive Board of Directors at the New Hampshire Business and Industry Association, and a former member of the Board of Trustees at the University System of New Hampshire.

Id like to thank Todd for all he has done during his many years of dedicated service, and for developing the strong team of professionals who will lead the Company into the future. He will be greatly missed after his long and distinguished career at Unitil, Thomas P. Meissner, Jr., Unitils Chairman, CEO and President said.

About Unitil Corporation

Unitil Corporation provides energy for life by safely and reliably delivering natural gas and electricity in New England. We are committed to the communities we serve and to developing people, business practices, and technologies that lead to the delivery of dependable, more efficient energy. Unitil Corporation is a public utility holding company with operations in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Together, Unitils operating utilities serve approximately 108,100 electric customers and 87,500 natural gas customers. For more information about our people, technologies, and community involvement please visit unitil.com.

For more information please contact:

Todd Diggins  Investor RelationsPhone: 603-773-6504Email: [email protected]

Alec OMeara  Media Relations Phone: 603-773-6404 Email: [email protected]

Source: Unitil Corporation
Reno, NV, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The early pandemic years overlapped with some of Californias worst wildfires on record, creating haunting, orange-tinted skies and wide swathes of burned landscape. Some of the impacts of these fires are well known, including drastic declines in air quality, and now a new study shows how these wildfires combined with midwinter drought conditions to accelerate snowmelt.

In a study published Jan. 20 in Geophysical Research Letters, a DRI-led research team examined what happens to mountain snowpacks when sunny, midwinter dry spells occur in forests impacted by severe wildfire. The researchers found a substantial increase in wildfires burning in Californias snowy landscapes throughout 2020 and 2021, when large blazes like the Dixie, Caldor, and Creek fires concentrated in snow zones. Using a 2013 midwinter dry spell as comparison, they found that similar weather in the winter of 2021-2022 led to 50% less snow cover. The compounding impacts of wildfire on snow melt include an increase in sun exposure due to loss of forest canopy, and a reduction in the snows ability to reflect sunlight.

Its already established that wildfires are accelerating spring snow melt, but we wanted to know what happens when you add a long winter dry spell on top of that, said Arielle Koshkin, M.S., a Ph.D. student now at the Colorado School of Mines who co-led the study as part of her masters research at DRI and the University of Nevada, Reno. The Caldor fire burned in our backyard, it was so close to where we live and work. So, the following winter, we wanted to investigate what it looked like.

Satellite data showed that compared to the 2001-2019 average, 2020 and 2021 saw a nearly ten-fold increase in wildfires burning in Californias seasonal snow zones. What that implies is that there's this increasing overlap between the fire and snow and there's all these cascading and compounding impacts on the system and especially the hydrology, said Ben Hatchett, Ph.D., a climatologist at DRI who co-led the study with Koshkin. This huge increase of fire activity in California snowy regions is exactly what we expect to see more of going forward.

A strong winter drought followed during the winter of 2021-2022, when Tahoe City experienced a 46-day long midwinter dry spell (the second-longest since reliable records began in 1917; the long-term median is 22 days without precipitation). A comparable midwinter drought following a wet start to the winter occurred in 2013, giving the researchers the ability to compare and contrast the impacts under more typical conditions with those that occurred in a severely burnt landscape.

In 2013 and 2022, we had very similar weather patterns, but we didn't see notable melt in 2013. And in 2022, we also did not see melt in unburned areas, Hatchett said. So that gives two lines of evidence suggesting that it's the fire and not the meteorology that's driving this.

Forests where severe wildfires have burnt the tree canopy have more exposed snowpacks, which enhances the melting caused by sunny days and warm nights (another recent DRI study examined the snowmelt impacts of spring heatwaves). Snowmelt is further exacerbated by the loss of the snowpacks albedo, or the natural power of white snow to reflect, rather than absorb, the suns radiation. Particularly in the winters immediately following a wildfire, snow is dusted with the black carbon of burnt vegetation, which can accelerate snowmelt rates by up to 57%.

The enhanced snowmelt was so pronounced within the perimeter of the Caldor fire that the researchers found a total of 50 fewer days with snow cover in the winter of 2021-2022  the lowest number of snow cover days on record.

Following a wildfire, there are two timescales of interest: right after the fire, the loss in albedo really dominates, said Hatchett. But impacts from the loss of canopy last for decades, maybe longer if the forest does not recover.

The enhanced snowmelt midwinter creates challenges for forecasting water availability from the natural snowpack reservoir. During the winter months, water managers need to leave room in reservoirs to prevent flooding; this means that earlier snowmelt may not be captured for later use in the dry season. Studies like this provide water managers with the tools to make more accurate predictions of the timing and magnitude of snowmelt.

The fires have made major landscape disturbance that we're not taking into account in our forecasting abilities, Koshkin said. I think this study is showing that wildfire impacts are huge, and we need to implement this into our ability to understand how water runs off the landscape. It's part of our world and it's increasing and it's going to affect more snowy places. So, its important to make sure that we understand the outcomes in our models and management plans.

Koshkin plans to expand on this research for her Ph.D. studies by examining regional variation of fire impacts on snow. She notes that how wildfire impacts snowmelt in the Sierra Nevada may look different in Colorado or Idaho, due to different weather and snowpack conditions.

The researchers emphasize that the wildfire impacts seen in this study are the result of high-severity wildfires, and not lower-severity burns like prescribed fires. This study really highlights the importance of bringing fire back onto our landscape in the sense that we need fire  good fire is the answer to our wildfire problem, Hatchett says. Bringing a more natural regime of fire, through prescribed and cultural fire, back onto our landscape will help reduce the likelihood of future severe fire.

We can recognize that this could be our new normal, Koshkin said, but we also have the ability to adapt and manage and mitigate as much as possible.

More information:

The full study, Midwinter dry spells amplify post-fire snowpack decline, is available from Geophysical Research Letters: https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL101235

Study authors include: Benjamin Hatchett (DRI), Arielle Koshkin (DRI/UNR), Kristen Guirguis (Scripps Institution of Oceanography), Karl Rittger (CU Boulder), Anne Nolin (UNR), Anne Heggli (DRI), Alan Rhoades (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab), Amy East (USGS), Erica Siirila-Woodburn (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab), W. Tyler Brandt (Scripps Institution of Oceanography), Alexander Gershunov (Scripps Institution of Oceanography), and Kayden Haleakala (Scripps Institution of Oceanography/UCLA).

###

About DRI

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is a recognized world leader in basic and applied environmental research. Committed to scientific excellence and integrity, DRI faculty, students who work alongside them, and staff have developed scientific knowledge and innovative technologies in research projects around the globe. Since 1959, DRIs research has advanced scientific knowledge on topics ranging from humans impact on the environment to the environments impact on humans. DRIs impactful science and inspiring solutions support Nevadas diverse economy, provide science-based educational opportunities, and inform policymakers, business leaders, and community members. With campuses in Las Vegas and Reno, DRI serves as the non-profit research arm of the Nevada System of Higher Education. For more information, please visit www.dri.edu.

Attachments

Elyse DeFranco DRI 8056175072 [email protected]

Source: DRI
CHICAGO, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Manufacturing enterprises will more easily be able to progress toward achieving Net Zero and reaching their ESG (environmental, social, governance) goals, thanks to a new strategic collaboration between Wolters Kluwer Enablon and Makersite. The two industry leaders will help organizations manage Net Zero ambitions through decarbonizing supply chains. This involves data collection, modelling, reporting, planning, forecasting, and operational execution across all three Scopes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The ability to provide auditable and actionable insights for Scope 3 GHG emissions has been the missing piece in Net Zero ambitions, said Laurent Dechaux, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Wolters Kluwer Enablon. Working with Makersite makes it easier to track these insights related to upstream and downstream activity from within an organizations supply chain. When paired with our existing Scope 1 and Scope 2 capabilities, we can provide a more complete view of GHG emissions throughout the supply chain.

Enablon is the worlds leading provider of integrated software solutions for risk and compliance, engineering and operations, ESG, and sustainability. Makersite, a Germany-based startup, is a world leader in bringing sustainability and cost insights into the early-stage design process of product manufacturing. The two companies will work to provide consistent and consolidated reporting for clients to reach the shared goal of achieving Net Zero.

Driving decarbonization, decreasing costs

With Enablons strong Net Zero Program Management and Net Zero Implementation capabilities and Makersites cloud-based Product Lifecycle Intelligence solution, large companies can drive decarbonization of their operations and supply chains while also decreasing operational, material, and energy costs.

Makersites cloud-based AI solution combines data from the Enablon Vision Platform  now live with Version 9.4  with more than 140 data sources, and then automatically generates digital twins of every product and process used by an organization and its value chain. These digital twins provide granular insights across more than 40 criteria, including GHG emissions, supply risk, costs, health & safety, and regulatory compliance.

Decarbonization has become the single biggest driver of innovation and disruption in the market. Capital deployment, regulations and competition are the key drivers for adoption, and the only thing thats holding things back is a scalable way to measure and capitalize on opportunities to decarbonize, said Neil DSouza, Founder and CEO, Makersite. Collaborating with Wolters Kluwer Enablon will help take Makersites breakthrough technology to a massive base of customers, and the joint proposition will accelerate progress towards a low-carbon future for our customers.

The award-winning Enablon Vision Platform brings together EHS, risk, and operations in a single user interface. This linkage provides greater transparency in the workplace, breaking down silos and allowing for operations and risk personnel to have greater insight and visibility into key business functions. Hundreds of industry-leading enterprises and millions of users worldwide rely on Enablons solutions to reduce environmental impact, minimize risks, increase worker safety, prevent incidents from happening, and achieve regulatory compliance. For more information, click here.

About MakersiteMakersite is revolutionizing the manufacturing industry with its ground-breaking AI technology that powers sustainable product and supply chain decisions at scale. Founded in 2018 by CEO Neil D'Souza, the Stuttgart-based company has a team of over 45 employees across Europe and Asia and a customer portfolio that includes major companies such as Microsoft, Schaeffler, Cummins, and Vestas. The software as a service platform automatically creates digital twins of products and their supply chains. With that, product development, procurement, and experts can analyze products, suppliers, and materials across the dimensions of sustainability, cost, risk and regulations. Turning complex analysis from months into minutes. To learn more, visit makersite.io.

About Wolters Kluwer Wolters Kluwer (WKL) is a global leader in professional information, software solutions, and services for the healthcare; tax and accounting; governance, risk and compliance; and legal and regulatory sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with specialized technology and services.

Wolters Kluwer reported 2021 annual revenues of 4.8 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 20,000 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands.

For more information, visit www.wolterskluwer.com, follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

Media Contact:Astrid Greve-SpencerGlobal Director, Corporate Affairs and Communications Wolters Kluwer Enablon M: +1.708.427.8429E: [email protected]

Source: Enablon
FILE PHOTO: Signage is seen at the Federal Trade Commission headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 29, 2020. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. healthcare firm GoodRx Holdings has agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle allegations that it failed to notify customers that it shared personal health information with Alphabet's Google, Meta's Facebook and others, the Federal Trade Commission said on Wednesday.

Under the terms of the settlement, GoodRx will be barred from sharing user health data with other companies to use for advertising.

"Digital health companies and mobile apps should not cash in on consumers extremely sensitive and personally identifiable health information," said Samuel Levine, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, in a statement.

GoodRx, which had more than 55 million people use its website or app in the past six years, is a platform that offers drug discounts while collecting health information from users and their pharmacy benefit managers.

GoodRx promised users it would never share health information with advertisers but gave information to Google, Facebook, Criteo and others, the agency said in their complaint.

GoodRx said in a statement the issue in the settlement was resolved three years ago before the agency began its probe.

"We do not agree with the FTCs allegations and we admit no wrongdoing. Entering into the settlement allows us to avoid the time and expense of protracted litigation," the company said in a statement.

The settlement is the first under the FTC's Health Breach Notification Rule, the agency said.

Under the settlement, the company is also required to put limits on how long it keeps personal and health information, and to publicly post the retention schedule, the agency said.

(Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Josie Kao)
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 1, 2023) - ArcPacific Resources Corp. (TSXV: ACP) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that further to the Company's news release dated January 27, 2023, announcing a non-brokered private placement of 15,000,000 units (the "Units") at a price of $0.10 per Unit (the "Private Placement"), the Private Placement has been over subscribed by an additional 2,000,000 Units.

The Private Placement closed today with the issuance of 17,000,000 Units for gross proceeds of $1,700,000. Each Unit consists of one common share (each a "Share") in the capital of the Company and one common share purchase warrant (each a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional Share in the capital of the Company at a price of $0.20 per Share for a period of thirty-six months from the date of issuance. All securities issued in the Private Placement are be subject to a four-month and one day hold period in accordance with Canadian Securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange.

In connection with the Private Placement, the Company paid finder fees of $45,440 cash and it issued 454,400 broker warrants ("Broker Warrants") on gross proceeds raised by eligible arm's length parties. Each Broker Warrant is exercisable to acquire one Unit of the Company at a price of $0.10 per Unit on the same terms noted above.

Certain insiders of the Company participated in the Offering for an aggregate total of $40,000 in Private Placement. The participation by such insiders is considered a "related-party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company has relied on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 in respect of related party participation in the placement as neither the fair market value (as determined under MI 61-101) of the subject matter of, nor the fair market value of the consideration for, the transaction, insofar as it involved the related parties, exceeded 25% of the Company's market capitalization (as determined under MI 61-101).

The Company did not file a material change report more than 21 days before the expected closing of the Private Placement as the details of the participation therein by related parties of the Company were not settled until shortly prior to closing of the Offering and the Company wished to close on an expedited basis for sound business reasons.

The gross proceeds of the Private Placement will be used to fund exploration expenditures on the TL Nickel Project, claim maintenance on other properties, to clean up the Company's balance sheet and for general working capital. Closing is subject to several prescribed conditions, including, without limitations, approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

About ArcPacific Resources Corp.

ArcPacific Resources Corp. (TSXV: ACP) is a Canadian based exploration company. ArcPacific owns 100% interest in the LMSL Copper Gold & Silver Project in British Columbia, Canada, in the prolific Quesnel Trough which is world renowned for its copper and gold endowment. The Company also holds other highly prospective exploration projects in Canada including its TL Nickel Project in Labrador, 50 kilometers form Voisey's Bay mine, and the Blackdome gold project in British Columbia. The Company is focused on creating shareholder value through new discoveries and strategic development of its mineral properties and is exploring additional business opportunities. For further information, please visit http://www.arcpacific.ca.

The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and ArcPacific Resources Corp. 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.

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.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Adrian Smith, CEO and Director

Contact 1-778-331-3816

Adrian Smith [email protected]

Not for Distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or for Dissemination in the United States.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/153292
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 31, 2023) - Copland Road Capital Corporation (CSE: CRCC) ("Copland Road"), Broomloan Road Capital Corp., Edmiston Drive Capital Corp., Bothwell Road Capital Corp., Goram Capital Corp. and James Bell Capital Corp. (collectively, the "SpinCos" and each a "SpinCo", and together with Copland Road, the "Companies") announced today the completion of the Companies' plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement") under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia).

As a result of the Arrangement, Copland Road shareholders of record as of January 31, 2023 (the "Shareholders") received one new Copland Road common share and one-fourth (1/4) of one common share of each SpinCo (each, a "SpinCo Share") for each common share of Copland Road held by such Shareholder immediately before the completion of the Arrangement (the "Effective Time"). Copland Road retained 1,253,253 of SpinCo Shares held by Copland Road prior to the Effective Time and each of the SpinCos reserved 68,750 SpinCo Shares for issuance pursuant to restricted share units of Copland Road when such units vest and/or are converted into common shares of Copland Road as the case may be pursuant to the terms of such restricted share units. As of the Effective Time, each of the SpinCos has 4,054,750 SpinCo Shares outstanding rather than 3,342,000 SpinCo Shares outstanding as previously disclosed. The additional SpinCo Shares were issued following the completion of Copland Road's private placement on January 27, 2023.

Upon completion of the Arrangement, Copland Road has a total of 10,931,000 common shares and 137,500 restricted share units outstanding. Copland Road common shares will continue to be traded under the symbol CRCC on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the following new CUSIP and ISIN:

CUSIP: 21740D102

ISIN: CA21740D1024

For more information on the Arrangement, please see Copland Road's management informational circular dated November 14, 2022 (the "Circular"), which has been filed on Copland Road's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

Prior to the Arrangement, Copland Road owned 4,054,750 Class A Common Shares of each SpinCo, or 100% of the SpinCo Shares. Immediately after giving effect to the Arrangement, Copland Road beneficially owns 1,253,253 SpinCo Shares, representing approximately 30.91% of the SpinCo Shares.

The SpinCo Shares are held for investment purposes. Copland Road has a long-term view of the investments and may acquire additional securities including on the open market or through private acquisitions or sell the securities including on the open market or through private dispositions in the future depending on market conditions, reformulation of plans and/or other relevant factors.

Copland Road and each SpinCo are located at 217 Queen Street West, Suite 401, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 0R2. A copy of the early warning report with respect to the foregoing will appear on each SpinCo's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and may also be obtained by contacting Copland Road at (647) 242-4258.

For further information, please contact:

Bruce Langstaff, Executive Chairman

[email protected]

(647) 242-4258

Cautionary Statements

Certain statements included herein are forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: "anticipate", "intend", "plan", "goal", "seek", "believe", "expect", "future", "likely", "may", "should", "will" and similar references to future periods. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ, materially from the Companies' expectations are disclosed in the Companies' documents filed from time to time with the CSE (in the case of Copland Road), the British Columbia Securities Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission, and the Alberta Securities Commission. The Companies have no obligation to update such forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.

Neither the Canadian Securities Purchase nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Purchase) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

//NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES//

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/153148
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 1, 2023) - Plurilock Security Inc. (TSXV: PLUR) (OTCQB: PLCKF) and related subsidiaries ("Plurilock" or the "Company"), an identity-centric cybersecurity solutions provider for workforces, is pleased to announce the appointment of Blake Corbet to its Board of Directors.

Mr. Corbet is a seasoned veteran with over 25 years of investment banking and corporate executive experience, having previously served in senior management roles at financial institutions including Salomon Brothers, CIBC World Markets, Haywood Securities and PI Financial. During his tenure as an investment banker, he specialized in the technology sector. Mr. Corbet is currently the Chief Corporate Development Officer at BBTV Holdings, a leading media and technology company.

Furthermore, Mr. Corbet will draw from his expertise in corporate finance, M&A and capital markets to provide guidance to Plurilock management on executing strategic initiatives. Plurilock has granted an option for Mr. Corbet to purchase an aggregate of 300,000 common shares at an exercise price of $0.15 per share, which will vest over four (4) years from the grant date. The stock options are granted for a ten (10) year term from January 31, 2023.

"We are delighted to appoint Blake Corbet to our Board of Directors," said Robert Kiesman, Chairman of Plurilock. "Mr. Corbet has extensive experience in the Canadian capital markets and technology sector and will bring forth his industry expertise to assist Plurilock in implementing its growth strategy. In 2020, he assisted Plurilock with its go-public process and as a result, he has in-depth knowledge of our technology and our business model. We look forward to continuing our efforts in scaling up the company under his expert guidance."

Grant of Stock Options

Pursuant to Plurilock's Stock Option Plan, the Company has granted stock options to certain officers, employees and consultants of the Company to purchase an aggregate of 3,609,667 common shares in the capital of the Company at an exercise price of $0.15, which is a premium to the closing price of $0.13 on January 31st, with vesting periods of up to four (4) years from the date of grant. The stock options are granted for a ten (10) year term from January 31, 2023. Additionally, in connection with the Stock Option Plan, some officers and employees have volunteered to reduce their salaries.

About Plurilock

Plurilock provides identity-centric cybersecurity for today's workforces. The Plurilock family of companies enables organizations to operate safely and securely while reducing cybersecurity friction. Plurilock offers world-class IT and cybersecurity solutions through its Solutions Division, paired with proprietary, AI-driven and cloud-friendly security through its Technology Division. Together, the Plurilock family of companies delivers persistent identity assurance with unmatched ease of use.

For more information, visit https://www.plurilock.com or contact:

Ian L. Paterson

Chief Executive Officer

[email protected]

416.800.1566

Roland Sartorius

Chief Financial Officer

[email protected]

Prit Singh

Investor Relations

[email protected]

905.510.7636

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") related to future events or Plurilock's future business, operations, and financial performance and condition. Forward-looking statements normally contain words like "will", "intend", "anticipate", "could", "should", "may", "might", "expect", "estimate", "forecast", "plan", "potential", "project", "assume", "contemplate", "believe", "shall", "scheduled", and similar terms. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, actions, or developments and are based on expectations, assumptions, and other factors that management currently believes are relevant, reasonable, and appropriate in the circumstances. Although management believes that the forward-looking statements herein are reasonable, actual results could be substantially different due to the risks and uncertainties associated with and inherent to Plurilock's business. Additional material risks and uncertainties applicable to the forward-looking statements herein include, without limitation, the impact of general economic conditions, the success of the Company in obtaining new or extended contracts or orders; the Company's ability to maintain existing customers or develop new customers; the Company's ability to successfully integrate acquisitions of other businesses and/or companies or to realize on the anticipated benefits thereof; and unforeseen events, developments, or factors causing any of the aforesaid expectations, assumptions, and other factors ultimately being inaccurate or irrelevant. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect the Company's forward-looking statements. Many of these factors are beyond the control of Plurilock. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as at the date hereof, and Plurilock undertakes no obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Risks and uncertainties about the Company's business are more fully discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in its most recent Annual Information Form. They are otherwise disclosed in its filings with securities regulatory authorities available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/153289
Moody's has maintained our rating, but the outlook has been changed. What does it mean?" . What does it mean?" Contreras said.





"So, what we will do now is continue coordinating with the rest of the rating agencies to tell them that there is a recovery plan, that there is an exit route towards institutional and political improvement. I think that defining the date of the elections will be key to helping maintain stability again," he added.





The Cabinet member recalled that the Executive Branch had already submitted a proposal to Parliament, which must be discussed because it is essential to define the date of the next general elections.





This is going to make rating agencies calm down a bit, and our objective, as the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), is that in the following months we can reverse the outlook from downward to stable," he pointed out. "As a summary, any source that generates uncertainty in the country must be removed." he pointed out.





The government official emphasized that Moody's rating agency has reaffirmed Peru's rating at BBAA1, which is equivalent to saying BBB+ by other rating agencies.





Our rating has not been revised down; what Moody's has done is say that they could revise it down, that is important (to be known). What does it mean? That even in a context like the current one, Peru remains strong and resilient. So, the fact that new elections are called should indeed lead us to action, try to once again carry out institutional improvements so that Moody's does not lower our rating in the next review," What does it mean?So, Contreras indicated.





"It is a warning that we are considering. I had the opportunity to meet with the head of Moody's in London; I explained to her the situation in Peru. I think all these factors have helped Moody's understand that Peru is still a strong economy, a sound economy that has just left a coup behind; it is important to mention that," he added. . I think all these factors" he added.





Minister Contreras said that what was reported by Moody's will not have any impact in terms of investment. Nonetheless, measures must indeed be taken.





"What could affect us is a rating reduction, which has not occurred. First, we have coordinated with Moody's itself, explaining to them (officers) what is happening and that we are bolstering the reactivation," he concluded.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 1, 2023) - Thena Natural Wellness, an emerging natural skincare company, is proud to announce the launch of their latest line of plant-based, gentle, high-performing products that help achieve whole-body wellness. The evolving company specializes in targeting the root causes of most common skincare concerns using a scientifically backed, holistic approach that effectively maintains or repairs the skin's protective barrier as well as improves the skin's texture and appearance, gently and visibly restoring its youthful vibrance (without toxic chemicals or harmful side effects).





Plant-based, Gentle, High Performance Natural Skincare for Whole-body Wellness

Thena Natural Wellness's goal is to provide the best natural skincare products that bridge the gap between beauty and well-being. The company's broad range of products are inclusively designed to elevate the self-care routine across the entire body, including the face, body, scalp, hands, feet, lips, eyes, and more. Consumers can select products that specifically address their individual concerns, whether those concerns be dry or sensitive skin, rosacea and facial redness, hyperpigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles, uneven skin texture, eczema, dermatitis, scalp psoriasis, acne and oily skin, autoimmune-challenged skin, stress relief, hemorrhoids and postpartum care, pregnancy and baby skincare. As a result, consumers enjoy a streamlined experience with maximum efficiency, simplifying their skincare routine while avoiding that sometimes-difficult choice between achieving health and beauty. Thena offers both non-fragranced as well as products combining skincare with aromatherapy for holistic healing, skin nourishment and anti-aging.

Thena Natural Wellness's approach to formulation is focused on maintaining, restoring, and strengthening the function of the skin barrier. To achieve this goal, the company expertly blends nature with science using the latest cutting-edge technology to unlock the power of natural skincare. Each product contains a precise blend of 15 to 45 carefully selected, gentle, natural, and clinically effective ingredients that work together to address the six root causes of a weakened skin barrier: immunity, nutrients, aging, lifestyle, stress, and environmental factors. Each of Thena's formulations contains nutrients, vitamins, antioxidants, and barrier-strengthening properties to synergistically nourish, repair, and protect the epidermis at the cellular level.





The Wellness Beauty for Healthier Skin

Thena Natural Wellness's products undergo extensive and rigorous testing by third-party labs and dermatologists to assess and ensure their efficacy and safety (even for those with highly sensitive skin). All products are manufactured in small batches to maintain the highest efficacy and free from toxic chemicals such as parabens, sulfates, phthalates, mineral oils, artificial fragrances and colors.

About the Company - Thena Natural Wellness

Thena Natural Wellness innovates clean and high-performance skincare solutions that provide extensive benefits for a wide variety of skin conditions, types, ages, and genders. The company's mission is dedicated to being the go-to brand for wellness-oriented lifestyle conscious consumers who look for natural and gentle lifestyle choices that promote healthy, better skin and the overall health of their bodies.

For further information about the products, visit: https://thena.biz

Media Contacts

Name: Erica Reid

Website: https://thena.biz/

Email: [email protected]

Phone number: 347-687-3960



Address: 400 Wellington Street West, Suite 1007, Toronto, M5V 0B5, Ontario, Canada

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/152840
Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - January 31, 2023) - TrustBIX Inc. (TSXV: TBIX) (OTCQB: TBIXF)("TrustBIX" or the "Company")is pleased to announce that, subject to regulatory approval, the Company intends to complete a non-brokered private placement ("Private Placement") of up to 14,285,714 common shares in the capital of the Company ("Common Shares") at a price of $0.035 per Common Share for gross proceeds of up to $500,000.

"TrustBIX will use the Private Placement funds for working capital and growing our business," said Hubert Lau, CEO.

About TrustBIX (TSXV: TBIX) (OTCQB: TBIXF)

As an innovative leader, TrustBIX provides agri-food traceability and chain of custody value solutions. The Company's goal is to create a world where we trust more, waste less and reward sustainable behaviour by addressing consumer and agri-food business demands. The proprietary platform, BIX (Business InfoXchange system), is designed to create trust without compromising privacy through innovative, blockchain-derived use of technology and data. By leveraging BIX and its unique use of incentive solutions, TrustBIX delivers independent validation of food provenance and sustainable production practices within the supply chain - Gate to Plate.

ViewTrak Technologies Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary, provides a suite of hardware and software solutions to the livestock industry in Canada, United States, Mexico and China, such as Auction Master Pro, Market Master, Feedlot Solutions and pork grading probes.

The Company's Insight technology offers an edge-to-enterprise supply chain solution that brings asset situational awareness to dealers, equipment fleets, and civil construction managers. The platform allows for the tracking, protection, and identification of movement of assets using self-powered and self-reporting cellular tags and cloud-based suite of tools.

For more information, visit www.trustbix.com, or follow TrustBIX on Twitter @TrustBIX_Inc, LinkedIn TrustBIX and Facebook @TrustBIXInc.

Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains certain forward-looking information and reflects the Company's present assumptions regarding future events. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, levels of activity, performance, and/or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.

Certain statements contained in this document constitute forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. When used in this document, the words "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "intend", "plan", "propose", "anticipate", "believe", "forecast", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions used by any of the Company's management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the Company's internal projections, expectations, future growth, performance and business prospects and opportunities and are based on information currently available to the Company. Since they relate to the Company's current views with respect to future events, they are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update any such factors or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments except as required by applicable securities legislation, regulations or policies.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Hubert Lau

President and CEO

Telephone: (780) 456-2207

Email: [email protected]

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 of accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/153074
GREEN BAY, Wis., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE: ASB) announced today that Andy Harmening, President and CEO, and Derek Meyer, Executive Vice President and CFO, will meet with investors during the BofA Securities Financial Services Conference in New York, NY on February 14-15, 2023 and will make a presentation during the conference on February 14, 2023 at 3:20 p.m. ET. Interested parties can access a live webcast of the presentation through the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at http://investor.associatedbank.com. A replay of the presentation will be accessible for 90 days after the presentation date.

Management will also meet with investors during the KBW Winter Financial Services Conference in Boca Raton, FL on February 16-17, 2023.

In March, Management will present at the RBC Capital Markets Financial Institutions Conference in New York, NY at 10:40 a.m. ET on Wednesday, March 8, 2023 and will meet with investors throughout the conference. Interested parties can access a live webcast of the presentation through the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at http://investor.associatedbank.com. A replay of the presentation will be accessible for 90 days after the presentation date.

First quarter investor materials will be made available prior to these events and can be accessed through the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at http://investor.associatedbank.com.

ABOUT ASSOCIATED BANC-CORP

Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE: ASB) has total assets of $39 billion and is the largest bank holding company based in Wisconsin. Headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Associated is a leading Midwest banking franchise, offering a full range of financial products and services from more than 200 banking locations serving more than 100 communities throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota. The company also operates loan production offices in Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio and Texas. Associated Bank, N.A. is an Equal Housing Lender, Equal Opportunity Lender and Member FDIC. More information about Associated Banc-Corp is available at www.associatedbank.com.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements made in this document which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This includes any statements regarding management's plans, objectives, or goals for future operations, products or services, and forecasts of its revenues, earnings, or other measures of performance. Such forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "plan," "estimate," "should," "will," "intend," "target," "outlook," "project," "guidance," or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on current management expectations and, by their nature, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Factors which may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in such forward-looking statements include those identified in the Company's most recent Form 10-K and subsequent SEC filings. Such factors are incorporated herein by reference.

Investor Contact: Ben McCarvilleVice President | Director of Investor Relations920-491-7059 | [email protected]

Media Contact: Jennifer KaminskiVice President | Public Relations Senior Manager920-491-7576 | [email protected]

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/associated-banc-corp-to-attend-three-first-quarter-2023-investor-events-301736695.html

SOURCE Associated Banc-Corp
Former legal business industry leader at Accenture will accelerate growth of contract lifecycle management services and financial services offerings

NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Deloitte announced today that Jonathan Jones has joined its Legal Business Services team as a managing director based in New York. Jonathan, who formerly served as a risk and compliance senior industry leader at Accenture, brings over 20 years of experience working for and with large institutions to mature their contracting operations and their treatment of legal data. His knowledge in banking, technology and legal operations as well as in developing core process and technology transformations will help accelerate the growth of Deloitte's rapidly expanding practice while offering enhanced data insights for clients.

"With the pace of change in contract lifecycle management (CLM) transformation accelerating as companies seek out better processes, technology and skills to enhance their supply chains, and speed up time to revenue, CLM is finally getting the strategic investment attention its impact merits," said Mark Ross, principal and co-leader, Legal Business Services, Deloitte Tax LLP. "Jon brings incredibly deep CLM credentials in both technology as well as legal managed services that will be instrumental in enhancing our clients' contracting transformation efforts. We are thrilled to have him join our leadership team."

"The strength of Deloitte's Legal Business Services team along with its proven record on successful client focused delivery made joining this team the natural choice," said Jon Jones. "I'm excited for the opportunity to drive value to our clients while furthering the evolution of the client lifecycle management industry's maturity."

Prior to joining Deloitte, Jon served as the general manager of strategic partnerships at Accenture where he developed a global partnership with a strategic technology ecosystem to drive faster and cleaner adoption of emerging technology with core customer relationship management (CRM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), and contract lifecycle management (CLM) platforms. He also served as the practice head of client lifecycle management. In this role, Jones built a practice that focused on reimagining the way financial institutions can onboard clients with speed and accuracy at its core lessening the impact of legal and regulatory requirements.

"Deloitte's multi-disciplinary capabilities combined with the deep CLM experience and credibility that our Legal Business Services specialists possess are what truly differentiates our CLM offerings to clients," said Don Fancher, principal and co-leader, Legal Business Services, Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP. "Jon is a proven industry leader with the vision for both future state operational process and technology strategy, providing practical solutions to strategic business needs. More specifically, Jon's in-depth financial services knowledge and experience working with alternative legal services providers will be instrumental in continuing to navigate the industry and the regulatory environment in which it operates."

Deloitte U.S. firms do not practice law or provide legal advice.

About DeloitteDeloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including nearly 90% of the Fortune 500 and more than 7,000 private companies. Our people come together for the greater good and work across the industry sectors that drive and shape today's marketplace  delivering measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in our capital markets, inspire clients to see challenges as opportunities to transform and thrive, and help lead the way toward a stronger economy and a healthier society. Deloitte is proud to be part of the largest global professional services network serving our clients in the markets that are most important to them. Building on more than 175 years of service, our network of member firms spans more than 150 countries and territories. Learn how Deloitte's approximately 415,000 people worldwide connect for impact at www.deloitte.com.

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ("DTTL"), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as "Deloitte Global") does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the "Deloitte" name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms.

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SOURCE Deloitte
Acquisition Expands the Breadth of Small Business Insights Equifax Can Provide in Canada and Worldwide

ATLANTA, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Equifax (NYSE: EFX) today announced the acquisition of The Food Industry Credit Bureau, the leading provider of credit information for the food industry in Canada, from Profile Credit. This acquisition expands the breadth of commercial credit insights available to Equifax customers in Canada and worldwide, making differentiated data insights on over 90 percent of the Canadian food industry available.

"Small businesses are the foundation of the global economy. With this acquisition, we are bringing powerful new insights on businesses in Canada's food sector to Equifax customers," said Mark W. Begor, CEO of Equifax. "Strategic, bolt-on M&A is central to the EFX2025 growth strategy as we broaden our capabilities and position Equifax for strong future growth. Profile credit's Food Industry Credit Bureau is one of 13 acquisitions totalling more than $3.5 billion that Equifax has completed over the past 24 months. We are maximizing our investment in the Equifax CloudTM to rapidly integrate acquired solutions into the Equifax portfolio, helping our customers to drive innovation and growth through unique access to our enhanced data, insights and analytics."

Based in Montreal, The Food Industry Credit Bureau from Profile Credit works in partnership with over 1,000 companies, such as food and beverage service providers, meat and poultry processing, and distribution to provide up-to-date credit data on over 200,000 businesses. The bureau has one of the most comprehensive platforms for bringing together members of the agri-food industry to solve collectively for the challenges and specific dynamics of the sector.

"The combination of Profile Credit's Food Industry Credit Bureau and Equifax creates the largest source of commercial credit information in Canada, complementing our market-leading position in consumer credit," said Sue Hutchison, President of Equifax Canada. "The Canadian agri-food industry employed 2.1 million people and generated around 6.8 percent of Canada's gross domestic product in 2021. As the food supply chain becomes increasingly global, the integration of insights into Canadian agri-food businesses across sectors benefits customers worldwide, enabling them to make the decisions needed to minimize risk and maximize profitability."

"Over the last three decades, Profile Credit has achieved its leadership in credit information for the food space by enabling our clients to have the data they need at their fingertips," said Jean Gauthier, Founder and President of Profile Credit. "Food is at the heart of the global supply chain and strong data makes it much easier to make the quick, critical decisions needed to be profitable. As part of Equifax, the Profile Credit food industry credit bureau will have access to expansive global capabilities and cloud-native data, products, decisioning and analytical technology for the ongoing development of new products and solutions that can help our customers make credit decisions with confidence."

The Profile Credit credit bureau business is now part of Equifax Canada. The acquisition is not anticipated to have a material impact on 2023 Equifax financial results.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTSThis release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. All statements that address operating performance and events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future, including statements about the expected financial and operational benefits, synergies and growth from the acquisition of Profile Credit's Food Industry Credit Bureau and our ability to integrate this business and its products, services, technologies, IT systems and personnel into our operations, and similar statements about our outlook and our business plans are forward-looking statements. We believe these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made. However, forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and our present expectations or projections. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those described in our 2021 Form 10-K and subsequent SEC filings. As a result of such risks and uncertainties, we urge you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date when made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

ABOUT EQUIFAX INC.At Equifax (NYSE: EFX), we believe knowledge drives progress. As a global data, analytics, and technology company, we play an essential role in the global economy by helping financial institutions, companies, employers, and government agencies make critical decisions with greater confidence. Our unique blend of differentiated data, analytics, and cloud technology drives insights to power decisions to move people forward. Headquartered in Atlanta and supported by more than 14,000 employees worldwide, Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region. For more information, visit Equifax.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Tiffany Smith for Equifax[email protected]

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SOURCE Equifax Inc.
ST. LOUIS, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Graybar, a leading distributor of electrical, communications and data networking products and provider of supply chain management and logistics services, has been named a 2023 Top Workplaces USA award winner by Energage. This marks the third consecutive year Graybar has been named to this prestigious list.

"We are very proud to be named as a national top workplace for three years running," said Kathleen M. Mazzarella, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Graybar. "What makes this award so special is that it is completely based on feedback from our employees. Their pride in our company underscores the value of our employee ownership culture, which is based on teamwork, innovation and stewardship."

Top Workplaces USA celebrates organizations with 150 or more employees that have built great cultures. More than 42,000 organizations were invited to participate in the Top Workplaces USA survey. Winners of the Top Workplaces USA list are chosen based solely on employee feedback gathered through an employee engagement survey, issued by Energage. Results are calculated by comparing the survey's research-based statements, including 15 Culture Drivers that are proven to predict high performance against industry benchmarks.

"Earning a Top Workplaces award is a badge of honor for companies, especially because it comes authentically from their employees," said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. "That's something to be proud of. In today's market, leaders must ensure they're allowing employees to have a voice and be heard. That's paramount. Top Workplaces do this, and it pays dividends."

To learn more about Top Workplaces, visit topworkplaces.com. To learn more about career opportunities at Graybar, visit www.graybar.com/careers.

Graybar, a Fortune 500 corporation and one of the largest employee-owned companies in North America, is a leader in the distribution of high quality electrical, communications and data networking products, and specializes in related supply chain management and logistics services. Through its network of more than 300 North American distribution facilities, it stocks and sells products from thousands of manufacturers, helping its customers power, network, automate and secure their facilities with speed, intelligence and efficiency. For more information, visit www.graybar.com or call 1-800-GRAYBAR.

Media Contact: Tim Sommer(314) 578-7672[email protected]

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SOURCE Graybar
BOSTON, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - The John Hancock closed-end funds listed below declared their monthly distributions today as follows:

Declaration Date: February 1, 2023Ex Date: February 10, 2023Record Date: February 13, 2023Payment Date: February 28, 2023

Ticker Fund Name Distribution Per Share Change From Previous Distribution Market Price as of 1/31/2023 Annualized Current Distribution Rate at Market HPI Preferred Income Fund $0.1235 - $17.64 8.40 % HPF Preferred Income Fund II $0.1235 - $17.35 8.54 % HPS Preferred Income Fund III $0.1100 - $15.64 8.44 % PDT Premium Dividend Fund $0.0975 - $13.24 8.84 % HTD Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund $0.1380 - $24.44 6.78 %

John Hancock Premium Dividend FundPremium Dividend Fund (the "Fund") declared its monthly distribution pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan (the "PDT Plan"). Under the PDT Plan, the Fund makes monthly distributions of an amount equal to $0.0975 per share. This amount will be paid monthly until further notice.

Distributions under the PDT Plan may consist of net investment income, net realized long-term capital gains, net realized short-term capital gains and, to the extent necessary, return of capital.

The Fund may also make additional distributions (i) for purposes of not incurring federal income tax on investment company taxable income and net capital gain of the Fund, if any, not included in such regular distributions and (ii) for purposes of not incurring federal excise tax on ordinary income and capital gain net income, if any, not included in such regular monthly distributions.

The Board may amend the terms of the PDT Plan or terminate the PDT Plan at any time.

John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund

Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (the "Fund") declared its monthly distribution pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan (the "HTD Plan"). Under the HTD Plan, the Fund makes monthly distributions of an amount equal to $0.1380 per share. This amount will be paid monthly until further notice.

Distributions under the HTD Plan may consist of net investment income, net realized long-term capital gains, net realized short-term capital gains and, to the extent necessary, return of capital.

The Fund may also make additional distributions (i) for purposes of not incurring federal income tax on investment company taxable income and net capital gain of the Fund, if any, not included in such regular distributions and (ii) for purposes of not incurring federal excise tax on ordinary income and capital gain net income, if any, not included in such regular monthly distributions.

The Board may amend the terms of the HTD Plan or terminate the HTD Plan at any time.

*****

A portion of a Fund's current distribution may include sources other than net investment income, including a return of capital. Investors should understand that a return of capital is not a distribution from income or gains of a Fund. As required under the Investment Company Act of 1940, a notice with the estimated components of the distribution will be sent to shareholders at the time of payment if it does not consist solely of net investment income. Such notice will also be posted to the Funds' website at www.jhinvestments.com. The notice should not be used to prepare tax returns as the estimates indicated in the notice may differ from the ultimate federal income tax characterization of distributions. After the end of each calendar year, investors will be sent a Form 1099-DIV informing them how to report distributions received during that year for federal income tax purposes.

Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined by the United States securities laws. You should exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Fund's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

An investor should consider a Fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing.

About John Hancock Investment ManagementA company of Manulife Investment Management, we serve investors through a unique multimanager approach, complementing our extensive in-house capabilities with an unrivaled network of specialized asset managers, backed by some of the most rigorous investment oversight in the industry. The result is a diverse lineup of time-tested investments from a premier asset manager with a heritage of financial stewardship.

About Manulife Investment ManagementManulife Investment Management is the global brand for the global wealth and asset management segment of Manulife Financial Corporation. We draw on more than a century of financial stewardship and the full resources of our parent company to serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. Headquartered in Toronto, our leading capabilities in public and private markets are strengthened by an investment footprint that spans 18 geographies. We complement these capabilities by providing access to a network of unaffiliated asset managers from around the world. We're committed to investing responsibly across our businesses. We develop innovative global frameworks for sustainable investing, collaboratively engage with companies in our securities portfolios, and maintain a high standard of stewardship where we own and operate assets, and we believe in supporting financial well-being through our workplace retirement plans. Today, plan sponsors around the world rely on our retirement plan administration and investment expertise to help their employees plan for, save for, and live a better retirement. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulifeim.com.

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SOURCE John Hancock Investment Management
ABB E-mobility, H2 Green Steel and Meva Energy have the potential to accelerate sector-wide decarbonisation across the hardest-to-abate sectors

LONDON, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Just Climate, an investment business created by Generation Investment Management to address the net-zero challenge at scale, has today announced three investments in ABB E-mobility, H2 Green Steel and Meva Energy. All three companies reflect Just Climate's approach of investing in scalable solutions with transformational potential that can help to deliver sector-wide decarbonisation in hard-to-abate industries. Just Climate was created by Generation Investment Management, a pioneer in sustainable investing, with the aim of identifying and investing in those businesses that can generate the highest positive climate impact while generating attractive risk-adjusted returns.[1]

ABB E-mobility is a Swiss-based global leader in electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions. Around 24% of all emissions come from the transportation sector, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), which has traditionally been hard to decarbonise. Just Climate's investment in ABB E-mobility will help decarbonise road transport by accelerating the deployment of its solutions ranging from smart chargers for the home to high-power chargers for highway stations of the future, solutions for electrification of fleets and opportunity charging for electric buses and trucks. Just Climate believes backing this business will have a significant impact on emissions abatement in a hard-to-decarbonise sector.

H2 Green Steel is an industrial start-up based in Sweden which aims to accelerate the decarbonisation of the steel industry  one of the hardest-to-abate industries, responsible for more than 7% of emissions, according to the IEA. By replacing coal traditionally used in steelmaking with green hydrogen powered by renewable electricity, the company aims to reduce emissions of steel by as much as 95%. Just Climate's investment forms part of H2 Green Steel's Series B fundraising announced in October 2022, the proceeds of which will be used to develop the company's first of kind, large scale, green steel plant in northern Sweden, the Boden Project.

Meva Energy, also based in Sweden, provides an innovative gasification technology to generate renewable energy for manufacturing sectors. Just Climate will support Meva Energy as it scales the technology and rolls it out more broadly to provide a clean, practical and cost-efficient solution to a widely spread network of mid-scale industries that currently rely on fossil fuels to power their industrial processes and operations. Through Meva Energy's partnerships with two industrial players of scale, IKEA and SOFIDEL, the business has the potential to play a catalytic role in a sector-wide transition.

Clara Barby CBE, Senior Partner of Just Climate, said: "We established Just Climate to accelerate commercialisation of solutions for the hardest-to-abate emissions  for the benefit of people, the planet, and our clients. Some solutions will come from new businesses, others from large incumbents. Our first investments demonstrate this range and have the potential to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns through outsized greenhouse gas emissions abatement in the next ten years."1

Shaun Kingsbury CBE, Chief Investment Officer of Just Climate, said: "Our first investments will accelerate commercialisation of 95% decarbonised steel, a natural gas substitute based on wood waste from other industrial processes, and electric charging solutions for a wider range of road transport that requires high- powered charging. All three solutions bring to life our thesis of investing in transformational solutions for the highest-emitting, hard-to-abate sectors while delivering attractive risk-adjusted returns for our investors."1

Bjorn Rosengren, CEO of ABB, said: "We are delighted to see investors sharing our strong confidence and trust in the E-mobility business growth story. Furthermore, ABB remains committed to our strategy to separately list the business subject to constructive market conditions, while remaining the majority owner."

Henrik Henriksson, CEO of H2 Green Steel, said: "Those who have invested in our company are all at the forefront of enabling the change required to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement. Just Climate is no exception. They believe in our business case as well as our purpose to accelerate decarbonisation of heavy polluting industries. Being among the first green impact investments of Just Climate shows the impact our company will have on some of the dirtiest industries today."

Niclas Davidsson, CEO of Meva Energy, said: "As an innovative greentech company we are really happy to achieve this big financing milestone from a climate-led, global investor. This important step forward significantly increases our ability to deliver impactful and sustainable biosyngas plants to the manufacturing industry. Just Climate's investment to back our technology and its impact potential is a strong statement of confidence as well as a sign of shared values and commitments. We are very positive about the global growth opportunities that this new partnership will bring."

Media Contact

Richard Campbell [email protected] +44 7775 784 933

About Just Climate

Just Climate is an investment business dedicated to climate-led investing to address the net-zero challenge at scale. Our ambition is to identify and invest in high-impact solutions for climate mitigation, as well as to catalyse and multiply capital to scale them. We seek to harness the power of institutional capital to accelerate, and to set a new standard for, climate-led investing.

Just Climate LLP is an appointed representative of Generation Investment Management LLP, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. For further information, please visit www.justclimate.com or 'Just Climate' on LinkedIn.

About Generation Investment Management

Generation Investment Management LLP is dedicated to long-term investing, integrated sustainability research and client alignment. It is an independent, private, owner-managed partnership established in 2004 and headquartered in London, with a US presence in San Francisco, with more than $40 billion of assets under management and supervision. For further information, please visit www.generationim.com.

About ABB E-mobility

ABB E-mobility is enabling the way to a zero-emission mobility future as a global leader in EV charging solutions. They are a partner of choice for the world's biggest electric vehicle OEMs and nationwide EV charging network operators, offering the widest portfolio of EV charging solutions from smart chargers for the home to high-power chargers for the highway stations of the future, solutions for the electrification of fleets and opportunity charging for electric buses and trucks. With ~1,500 employees around the world, ABB E-mobility has sold more than 1 million electric vehicle chargers across more than 85 markets, over 50,000 DC fast chargers and more than 1 million AC chargers.

About H2 Green Steel

H2 Green Steel (H2GS AB) was founded in 2020 with the ambition to accelerate the decarbonisation of the steel industry, using green hydrogen. Steel, which is one of the world's largest carbon dioxide emitters, is the company's first business vertical. The founder and largest shareholder of H2 Green Steel is Vargas, which is also co-founder and one of the larger shareholders in Swedish battery maker Northvolt. H2 Green Steel is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, with its first green steel plant under development in Boden, northern Sweden. www.h2greensteel.com

About Meva Energy

Meva Energy is an innovative company that provides clean energy solutions to its customers in the manufacturing industry. Meva Energy's technology focus is thermochemical conversion of solid biomass residue. Meva Energy's proprietary and award-winning technology is able to convert solid residue to renewable gas and it is the world's only conversion technology having full acceptance of fine fraction feedstocks such as saw dust or fibre residue. Due to the stability and simplicity of the conversion process, the Meva Energy system is able to produce renewable gas at the same cost levels as fossil gas. Meva Energy is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden. Learn more at https://mevaenergy.com

[1] Although Just Climate seeks to deliver the highest positive climate impact and attractive risk-adjusted returns, this is an aspiration and there is no guarantee this goal will be achieved.

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SOURCE Just Climate
ADDISON, Texas, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Methodist Hospital for Surgery, a national leader in specialized surgical services, will celebrate its 50,000th surgery since the hospital opened in December 2010. In just over a decade, Methodist Hospital for Surgery has become the premier hospital in the fields of spine and total joint surgery  setting new standards of care for Dallas-Fort Worth and beyond.

The hospital's 50,000th surgery was performed in January, and the hospital will host a celebration of the milestone in February.

The hospital's 50,000th surgery was performed in January, and the hospital will host a celebration of the milestone in February.

"Methodist Hospital for Surgery takes pride in providing outstanding clinical care with compassion and empathy for our patients," says Trey Klawiter, President of Methodist Hospital for Surgery. "Fifty thousand (50,000) is just a number. What is important is that we have had the honor and privilege to positively impact the lives of 50,000 people in North Texas and beyond."

Methodist Hospital for Surgery has reached many milestones in just over a decade in operation, having been named one of The Dallas Morning News' Top 100 Places to Work and awarded Blue Cross Blue Shield's Center Distinction in spine and hip/knee replacement, and multiple 5-star ratings from CMS in overall hospital quality.

The hospital also received the Orthopaedic Center of Excellence designation from DNV in 2022. The Orthopaedic Center of Excellence designation affirms an organization's excellence in providing diagnostic services, surgical services, and therapies related to orthopaedic care.

"It's hard to believe that we have reached the 50,000 surgeries milestone in just over a decade," says Patti Griffith, Chief Nursing Officer of Methodist Hospital for Surgery. "This achievement is a direct result of the commitment to excellence that our physicians and staff have made in providing function-restoring, life-enhancing care every single day."

Methodist Hospital for Surgery was founded by a leading group of surgeons with the vision of delivering world class orthopedic and spine care to patients in an environment of healing, where every patient is treated individually with staff who are experts in the fields of orthopedics and spine surgery. Methodist Hospital for Surgery also offers ENT, Podiatry, wound care, hyperbaric therapy, imaging, and physical therapy services.

"It's a joy to be at a hospital at the forefront of the surgical field and doing cutting edge work to better help our patients," says Dr. Robert G. Viere, a spine surgeon at Methodist Hospital for Surgery. "Not only are we reaching patients here in North Texas, but many are coming to our hospital from around the world to get the excellent, reliable care that they keep hearing about."

"I can't think of a more passionate group of surgeons to be a part of," says Dr. Jason S. Taub, a neurological surgeon. "These guys have dedicated their careers to providing unparalleled service to our patients, and we get to see the fruits of our labor every day when patients leave our hospital transformed by our services."

About Methodist Hospital for Surgery

Methodist Hospital for Surgery is a joint venture involving area physicians, Methodist Health System, and ValueHealth. The hospital meets the needs of both inpatient and same-day surgical patients who need highly specialized spine, joint, and orthopedic surgery. Methodist Hospital for Surgery is an independent, legal entity separate from Methodist Health System, Methodist Charlton Medical Center, Methodist Dallas Medical Center, Methodist Mansfield Medical Center, Methodist Richardson Medical Center, and Methodist Hospitals of Dallas.

Learn more at www.methodisthospitalforsurgery.com

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SOURCE Dallas Methodist Hospital for Surgery
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- MIT Solve, an initiative of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a mission to drive innovation to solve world challenges, announced today the 2023 Global Challenges and the Indigenous Communities Fellowship.

Solve invites anyone from anywhere in the world to submit a solution to this year's Challenges by 12 pm ET, May 9, 2023. The 40 Innovatorsincluding eight new Indigenous Communities Fellowswill form the 2023 Solver Class, and pitch their solutions during Solve Challenge Finals on September 17-18, 2023 in New York City. These selected teams will share over $1 million in available funding, take part in a nine-month support program, and join the Solve community made of cross-sector social impact leaders, to scale their solutions.

Solve's 2023 Global Challenges are:

For its second year, Solve will select a cohort of entrepreneurs among the 2023 Solver Class to join the Black & Brown Innovators in the US Program. The program offers culturally-responsive support and partnership opportunities, and selected teams will participate in Solve's annual US Equity Summit.

In addition to the Global Challenges, Solve is also opening applications for the 2023 Indigenous Communities Fellowship. The Fellowship, which looks for Native innovators in the US and its territories, has now expanded eligibility to Canada.

"Every year we are inspired by people's ingenuity and their determination to solve the most pressing issues of our time," says Hala Hanna, Acting Executive Director of MIT Solve. "We are excited to shine a spotlight on the most promising ones and grateful for our supporters who will help scale their impact."

Interested applicants can learn more and apply online at solve.mit.edu/challenges.

To date, the funding available for selected Solver teams and Fellows includes (see Challenge pages and terms of service for more details):

MIT Solve Funding - $400,000 with a $10,000 grant to each Solver team and Fellow selected

- $400,000 with a $10,000 grant to each Solver team and Fellow selected The GM Prize supported by General Motors - up to $150,000 across up to six solutions from the Learning for Civic Action Challenge, the Climate Adaptation & Low-Carbon Housing Challenge, and the 2023 Indigenous Communities Fellowship

- up to $150,000 across up to six solutions from the Learning for Civic Action Challenge, the Climate Adaptation & Low-Carbon Housing Challenge, and the 2023 Indigenous Communities Fellowship The AI for Humanity Prize supported by The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation - up to $150,000 to solutions that leverage data science, artificial intelligence, and/or machine learning to benefit humanity, selected from any of the 2023 Global Challenges

- up to $150,000 to solutions that leverage data science, artificial intelligence, and/or machine learning to benefit humanity, selected from any of the 2023 Global Challenges The GSR Foundation Prize supported by GSR Foundation - up to $200,000 to innovative technology solutions from any of the 2023 Global Challenges, with a focus on solutions that use blockchain to improve financial inclusion

- up to $200,000 to innovative technology solutions from any of the 2023 Global Challenges, with a focus on solutions that use blockchain to improve financial inclusion Living Forests Prize supported by Good Energies Foundation - up to $100,000 across up to four solutions that help restore ecosystems or increase the use of sustainable forest products, selected from the Climate Adaptation & Low-Carbon Housing Challenge

Those interested in sponsoring a prize should contact [email protected].

Additionally, Solve Innovation Future will offer investment capital to Solver teams selected as a part of the 2023 class. To date, Solve Innovation Future has deployed over $1.3 million to more than 13 for-profit Solver team companies that are driving impact toward UN Sustainable Development Goals, and has catalyzed nearly seven times its investment in additional investment capital towards the Solver teams.

The Solve community will convene on MIT's campus for its flagship event Solve at MIT May 4-6, 2023 to celebrate the 2022 Solver Class. You may request an invitation here. Press interested in attending the event should contact [email protected].

About MIT SolveSolve is an initiative of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a mission to drive innovation to solve world challenges. Solve is a marketplace for social impact innovation. Through open innovation challenges, Solve finds incredible tech-based social entrepreneurs all around the world. Solve then brings together MIT's innovation ecosystem and a community of members to fund and support these entrepreneurs to drive lasting, transformational impact. Solve has catalyzed over $60 million in commitments for Solver teams and entrepreneurs to date. Join Solve on this journey at solve.mit.edu.

Stay Connected

Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Media ContactMaya BingamanOfficer, Communications & Content[email protected]

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SOURCE MIT Solve
Juzgado Supremo de Investigacion Preparatoria declara infundada cuestion previa planteada por #PedroCastillo para anular investigacion en su contra por presunto delito de rebelion (alternativamente conspiracion) porque supuestamente no se le realizo antejuicio politico. pic.twitter.com/XHTBeZvmZH
Transportation Leaders Applaud as Winners Include Caltrain, BART, VTA, SMART

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) members and Bay Area transit leaders this afternoon thanked state legislators, Gov. Gavin Newsom and California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) Secretary Toks Omishakin for their leadership in advancing a new generation of Bay Area transit investment through the more than $2.5 billion of grants awarded by CalSTA today through the state's Transit and Intercity Rail Capital program (TIRCP).

Among the grants awarded in the latest round of TIRCP funding are $375 million to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) to help finance the BART extension to be built by VTA from the current terminus at the Berryessa/North San Jose station through downtown San Jose to Santa Clara; $367 million for Caltrain to complete the ongoing electrification of the Caltrain corridor between San Jose and San Francisco; $250 million to BART for its Core Capacity initiative to boost service frequencies through the Transbay Tube linking San Francisco and Oakland; and $34 million to the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District to extend the SMART corridor north to Windsor.

"Metro areas around the state compete fiercely for TIRCP grants," explained MTC Chair and Napa County Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza. "The Bay Area chose to focus on a small number of projects that already are either under construction or set to begin construction soon, and that also have already earned commitments of federal dollars. This focus was reinforced last fall when MTC adopted a new Major Projects Advancement Policy, which specifically identified VTA's Silicon Valley BART extension, Caltrain electrification and the BART Core Capacity effort. This strategic approach paid off, as Bay Area investments received 85 percent of the $1.2 billion in TIRCP funds available for projects outside Southern California. In addition to Gov. Newsom and Secretary Omishakin, the state Legislature deserves a lot of credit for using some of last year's budget surplus to beef up the TIRCP program."

Caltrain Executive Director Michelle Bouchard echoed Pedroza's thanks to the Bay Area legislative delegation, Gov. Newsom and Director Omashakin, also adding appreciation for the work done by CalSTA Undersecretary Mark Tollefson and Chief Deputy Secretary Chad Edison, among others. "We appreciate that the state recognizes the importance of Caltrain Electrification and we are excited to now have the funding necessary to complete the project in 2024. Electrification of Caltrain will be a transformative experience for our riders, with more frequent service and enhanced amenities. Not only will it significantly decrease greenhouse gas emissions, it is a major advancement for transit in the Bay Area, connecting communities to a transportation network they deserve."

Santa Clara County Supervisor and MTC Commissioner Cindy Chavez noted the importance of today's grant awards for the South Bay. "Bay Area commuters throughout Santa Clara County and the South Bay will be rejoicing over this significant state matching grant to help bring BART to downtown San Jose and Santa Clara. This will make getting around the Bay Area easier and help alleviate bumper-to-bumper traffic congestion. Today's grant would not have been possible without the strong leadership of the Bay Area's legislative delegation in crafting the historic transportation package in last year's budget deal."

MTC is the regional transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area.

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SOURCE Metropolitan Transportation Commission
New 10-year agreement to provide more efficient, secure, timely access to patient information

HALIFAX, NS, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The province of Nova Scotia, in collaboration with Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) and IWK Health (IWK), announced today a new 10-year agreement has been signed with Oracle Cerner to implement an integrated electronic care record across the province for the more than one million Nova Scotians. This technology can help improve the way health professionals use and share patient information.

The new modernization known in Nova Scotia as "One Person One Record" (OPOR), is intended to provide clinicians easier access to real-time health information anywhere and allow healthcare workers to spend less time at the computer and more time with their patients.

Like much of the world, Nova Scotia has dealt with health care challenges such as emergency department long wait times and provider waitlists. Real-time digital charting in Oracle Cerner's technology at the point of care can help clinicians more quickly and more easily access important patient information including the most recent and historical laboratory data and diagnostic imaging results as they are making decisions on the next steps for care.

"The availability of a single information system that supports our care providers in delivering safe, more timely, and connected services should improve the quality of care received by patients and families while making their journeys more seamless," said Dr. Krista Jangaard, president and CEO, IWK Health.

Health professionals in acute care facilities in Nova Scotia can use a digital closed-loop medication management process to help reduce prescribing errors, ensure allergy information is available, enable electronic prescription verification with pharmacy, and better documentation for auditing. This improvement to patient safety helps providers make sure the right medication is prescribed and given to the right patient, in the right dose, at the right time, and with the right documentation.

"The approval of OPOR is a great day for healthcare in Nova Scotia," said Dr. Matthew Clarke, emergency physician, Central Zone. "This legacy project will help ensure an integrated and standardized healthcare experience regardless of where patients are in the province. As a provider, it will give me immediate access to the information and support I need, so I can focus on providing safe, high-quality care for my patients."

Dr. Christy Bussey, medical executive director and hospitalist, Central Zone, added, "OPOR will provide the foundation of digitally enabled health care in Nova Scotia. OPOR will connect our clinicians and patients across the province as we have not done before, improving patient safety, access, efficiency, and flow. It will foster health care system transformation and help propel us forward as a magnet for health care providers."

Population health solutions provided by Oracle Cerner will help provide a continued focus on proactive health maintenance. The tools can help the health system know and predict what will happen within a population, engage the person, their family, and the care team to take action, and manage outcomes to improve health and care. Once fully implemented, Cerner's patient portal will be available, allowing Nova Scotians easier access to their own health information and the ability to connect directly with their caregivers.

"Hospitals and health systems across the globe are facing many challenges that more intuitive and predictive technology can assist with," said Brian Sandager, vice president, Oracle Health, Canada. "We are excited for this opportunity to help Nova Scotia improve health care across their region. Our work together will help clinicians use a more open, intelligent, interoperable platform to care for the population of Nova Scotia and provide a more holistic approach to health care for patients."

Oracle Cerner has been a trusted partner of Nova Scotia's health system for 30 years, providing laboratory and radiology information systems. Oracle Cerner will integrate biomedical devices from across the province into the patient's record  including vitals monitors, IV pumps, and fetal monitoring devices, as well as use voice recognition software to improve physician workflows and allow for fully integrated voice recognition across multiple devices and platforms.

About Oracle Cerner

Oracle Cerner's health technologies connect people and information systems at thousands of contracted provider facilities worldwide dedicated to creating smarter and better care for individuals and communities. Recognized globally for innovation, Oracle Cerner assists clinicians in making care decisions and assists organizations in managing the health of their populations. The company also offers a connected clinical and financial ecosystem to help manage day-to-day revenue functions, as well as a wide range of services to support clinical, financial, and operational needs, focused on people. For more information, visit Cerner.com, Oracle Cerner Perspectives, connect on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or join the discussion on Oracle Cerner's podcast Perspectives on Health & Tech.

About 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.

TrademarksOracle, Java, and MySQL are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation.

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SOURCE Oracle Cerner
LIMASSOL, Cyprus, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Praxis Tech Ltd announces the launch of their latest product, Hosted Payment Fields. This innovative solution allows businesses to securely collect sensitive payment information from customers, without the need for being PCI-DSS compliant.

Their latest product ensures that businesses are able to maintain their own cashier with their own UI while accessing Praxis' hosted payment fields - and thus gaining access to more than 525 PSPs worldwide.

The solution, while reducing the risk of fraud and enhancing merchant's customer relationships, enables merchants to expand into new markets and broaden their customer base without needing to entirely replace their existing cashier or payment page.

Praxis' Hosted Payment Fields enables merchants to store their payment information on secure, PCI-compliant servers while streamlining the checkout process. In addition, Praxis merchants can now improve overall user experience by eliminating the need for customers to fill out long and complicated forms.

Some benefits that businesses can expect from using Praxis' Hosted Payment Fields include:

Enhanced security: by hosting payment fields on secure servers, businesses can reduce the risk of fraud and protect their customers' sensitive information.

Improved customer experience: the streamlined checkout process provided by Praxis' Hosted Payment Fields leads to increased conversions and customer satisfaction.

Increased flexibility: Hosted Payment Fields can be easily integrated into any website, regardless of platform or language. Allowing a business to maintain its own cashier with the Praxis implemented Hosted Payment Fields.

Cost-effective: Hosted Payment Fields eliminates the need for businesses to invest in expensive PCI-compliant infrastructure, reducing costs and increasing profitability.

Easy to use framework: merchants have access to full customization while also being able to track user behaviour and adjust accordingly for increased conversions.

Co-Founder, Amit Klatchko explained: "We are confident that Hosted Payment Fields will provide businesses with the security, flexibility, and ease of use they need to succeed in today's competitive online marketplace."

He went on to explain that "Praxis' current growth trajectory is a steep one. We've just brought on our new CIO, Guy Karsenti, who is rapidly pushing our tech team from strength to strength. We'll be making some huge announcements regarding our product in the coming months."

Praxis Tech Ltd is a Payment Technology Software company, helping companies simplify global expansion & optimize their payments infrastructure. They have grown exponentially over the past few years and are a top payments orchestration platform for merchants looking to grow their business, expand into new global markets and integrate with multiple payment solutions.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1993285/Praxis.jpg

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SOURCE Praxis Tech Ltd.
The round, led by Solvay Ventures, is joined by existing investors including Finindus and happens in parallel with Tau's commercial breakthrough with automotive customers

TURIN, Italy and BERLIN, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Technology company Tau has concluded a series-B round raising 9 million with Solvay Ventures as a lead investor. Solvay Ventures is joined by existing shareholders including Finindus, a Belgium-based joint venture of ArcelorMittal and the Flemish Region, as well as management and private individuals.

Tau has established itself as an innovative supplier to the automotive industry by setting a new global standard in winding wire for e-mobility. Its wire addresses the industry's demand for the next generation of electric motors with a reduced carbon footprint, using less resources and improving the electric vehicles' efficiency, range and recharge time, notably through superior resistance to partial discharge and accommodating voltages of 800V and higher.

Recently, Tau reached an important commercial milestone when its wire products completed diligent validation processes of several automotive OEM and Tier 1 suppliers in Europe, Asia and North America. The company is currently ramping up capacity, providing early adopters with immediate competitive advantages, and is preparing industrial scale carbon-neutral winding wire production in Italy with the goal to start worldwide deliveries by 2024.

"Through the use of specialty polymers, Tau's innovative technology enables higher performance electric motors, key to the accelerating adoption of electric vehicles", says Peter Vanlaeke, Partner at Solvay Ventures.

"We are delighted to add Solvay Ventures as one of our key investors as we move into this new phase for our business. Strengthening the ties between the different parts of the value chain is critical to help accelerate solutions like Tau's winding wire and the impact it will have on the energy transition", says Francesco Taiariol, CEO and co-founder of Tau.

"Since our initial investment mid 2021 we have seen excellent progress of this leading-edge technology towards full scale industrial manufacturing and market acceptance by world renowned automotive players. We are thrilled to have Solvay Ventures on board - adding more insights - to strengthen our network and to complement the existing core investors", says Hans Maenhout, investment director of Finindus.

About Tau

Tau is a technology company at the core of energy transition, decarbonization of energy and electrification of transport. Its patented technologies reconcile the necessity of sustainable, resource-minimizing manufacturing with the power, reliability and performance that electrification requires to enable smaller, greener, longer-lasting and more powerful motors, transformers and generators. Tau focuses on carbon-conscious protective coatings for high-performance and standard copper, aluminium and steel wires.

Visit www.tau.group or follow Tau on Twitter and LinkedIn

About Solvay Ventures

Solvay Ventures is the Venture Capital fund of Solvay. Solvay Ventures invests in breakthrough technologies in advanced materials, devices and business model innovation. Operating since 2005, Solvay Ventures is currently investing out of a 80 million global evergreen fund. Solvay Ventures targets early stage investment opportunities (Seed through Series B) with a focus on startups addressing better use of resources, energy transition, increased well-being, and digital age. Beyond capital, Solvay Ventures looks to leverage the resources at Solvay to help accelerate technology and market adoption.

Visit www.solvay.com/en/innovation/solvay-ventures or follow Solvay on LinkedIn

About Finindus

Finindus is a Belgium-based investment company funded by ArcelorMittal and the Flemish Region and is linked to OCAS, a world class metal research centre with campuses in Zelzate and Zwijnaarde (Belgium). Finindus provides early stage and growth financing (both equity and debt) to innovative technology companies active in the field of materials (including material processing), sustainable manufacturing and industry 4.0. Finindus invests across Europe, with Flanders as a home base and sweet spot, and across the globe for investment opportunities in technologies at the centre of our core domains and in line with the strategic interests and areas of expertise of our shareholders.

Visit www.findindus.be or follow Finindus on LinkedIn

Contact: Elizaveta Shlenskaia, [email protected], +39 (329) 142-4549

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1993608/Tau_Group_Logo.jpg

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SOURCE TAU Group
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, Jan. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dominican Republic (the "Republic") announced today the aggregate principal amount of bonds listed in the table below (the "Existing Bonds") that has been validly tendered and accepted for purchase pursuant to its previously announced offer to purchase for cash the Existing Bonds (the "Offer"), pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions described in the offer document dated January 24, 2023 (the "Offer Document"). The Offer expired as scheduled at 8:00 a.m. (New York City time) on January 31, 2023. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the meaning ascribed to them in the Offer Document.

Holders of Existing Bonds validly tendered and accepted for purchase by the Republic will receive the total of the fixed price per DOP1,000 principal amount indicated in the rightmost column in the table below (the "Purchase Price") plus accrued and unpaid interest on such Existing Bonds up to, but excluding, the Settlement Date (as defined below) ("Accrued Interest"). The Purchase Price and Accrued Interest will be converted to U.S. dollars at the exchange rate of DOP56.6207 per US$1.00 (the "Applicable Exchange Rate").

The Maximum Purchase Price for all Existing Bonds accepted for purchase is DOP37,221,000,000 (or U.S.$657,374,423 at the Applicable Exchange Rate). The Tendered Aggregate Purchase Price of the Existing Bonds validly tendered is DOP37,221,000,000 (or U.S.$657,374,423 at the Applicable Exchange Rate). Since the Tendered Aggregate Purchase Price does not exceed the Maximum Purchase Price, all Existing Bonds validly tendered pursuant to the Offer have been accepted for purchase, and, accordingly, there will be no proration.

The following table indicates the aggregate principal amount of Existing Bonds that have been validly tendered and accepted pursuant to the Offer.

Title of Existing Bonds ISIN / CUSIP Aggregate Principal Amount Tendered(1) Aggregate Principal Amount of TendersAccepted Aggregate Principal Amount RemainingOutstanding Purchase Price(2) 8.900% Bonds due 2023 USP3579EBZ99 / P3579EBZ9 (Reg S) US25714PDX33 / 25714P DX3 (144A) DOP37,221,000,000 DOP37,221,000,000 DOP2,779,000,000 DOP1,000

(1) Information regarding the aggregate principal amount of Existing Bonds tendered is based on information received from the Tender and Information Agent (as defined below). (2) Per DOP1,000 principal amount of the Existing Bonds validly tendered and accepted for purchase. Holders whose Existing Bonds were validly tendered and are accepted for purchase pursuant to the Offer will also receive Accrued Interest. Holders whose Existing Bonds were validly tendered and are accepted for purchase pursuant to the Offer will be paid in U.S. dollars as described herein and in the Offer Document.

The Republic also announced the pricing of DOP62,282,770,000 new 13.625% Bonds due 2033 and US$700,000,000 new 7.050% Bonds due 2031 (together, the "New Notes Offering"). The Offer is conditioned, among other things, on the concurrent (or earlier) closing of the New Notes Offering. The Republic intends to use a portion of the net proceeds from the New Notes Offering to purchase the Existing Bonds accepted for purchase. The New Notes Offering was made solely by means of offering memoranda relating to the New Notes Offering, and neither this announcement nor the Offer Document constitutes an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any such new bonds.

The settlement of validly tendered and accepted Existing Bonds is expected to occur on Friday, February 3, 2023, subject to change without notice (the "Settlement Date"). Holders of validly tendered and accepted Existing Bonds will be entitled to receive for such Existing Bonds the Purchase Price and Accrued Interest, which will be converted into U.S. dollars at the Applicable Exchange Rate and paid in U.S. dollars on the Settlement Date if the conditions of the Offer are met.

The Offer Document may be downloaded from the website of Global Bondholder Services Corporation (the "Tender and Information Agent") at https://www.gbsc-usa.com/dominican/ or obtained from the Tender and Information Agent or from any of the Dealer Managers at the contact information below. Questions regarding the Offer may be directed to the Dealer Managers at the below contact information.

The Dealer Managers for the Offer are:

Citigroup Global Markets Inc. 388 Greenwich Street, 4th Floor Trading New York, New York 10013 United States of America Attn: Liability Management Group Collect: +1 (212) 723-6106 Toll-Free: +1 (800) 558-3745 Email: [email protected] J.P. Morgan Securities LLC383 Madison Avenue New York, New York 10179United States of AmericaAttn: Latin America Debt Capital Markets Collect: +1 (212) 834-7279Toll-Free: +1 (866) 846-2874

The Tender and Information Agent for the Existing Bonds is:

Global Bondholder Services Corporation65 Broadway  Suite 404New York, New York 10006United States of AmericaAttn: Corporate Actions

Banks and Brokers call: (212) 430-3774Toll free +1 (855) 654-2014Email: [email protected]

By facsimile:(For Eligible Institutions only):+1 (212) 430-3775/3779

Confirmation:+1 (212) 430-3774

By Mail: By Overnight Courier: By Hand: 65 Broadway  Suite 404 New York, New York 10006 United States of America 65 Broadway  Suite 404 New York, New York 10006 United States of America 65 Broadway  Suite 404 New York, New York 10006 United States of America

Important Notice

This announcement is for informational purposes only. It is not complete and may not contain all the information that you should consider before tendering Existing Bonds. You should read the entire Offer Document.

This announcement is not an offer to purchase for cash or a solicitation of invitations for offers to purchase for cash any Existing Bonds. The distribution of materials relating to the Offer and the transactions contemplated thereby may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions. The Offer is being made only by the Offer Document and in those jurisdictions where it is legal to do so. The Offer is void in all jurisdictions where it is prohibited. If materials relating to the Offer come into your possession, you are required to inform yourself of and to observe all of these restrictions. Each person accepting the Offer shall be deemed to have represented, warranted and agreed (in respect of itself and any person for whom it is acting) that it is not a person to whom it is unlawful to make the Offer pursuant to the Offer Document, it has not distributed or forwarded the Offer Document or any other documents or materials relating to the Offer to any such person, and that it has complied with all laws and regulations applicable to it for purposes of participating in the Offer. Neither the Republic nor the Dealer Managers accepts any responsibility for any violation by any person of the restrictions applicable in any jurisdiction.

The materials relating to the Offer, including this announcement, do not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer or solicitation in any place where offers or solicitations are not permitted by law. This announcement and the Offer Document do not constitute an offer to buy or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. In any jurisdiction in which the Offer is required to be made by a licensed broker or dealer and in which any Dealer Manager or any of its affiliates is so licensed, it shall be deemed to be made by the Dealer Managers or such affiliates on behalf of the Republic.

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SOURCE The Dominican Republic
Baylor Scott and White Lawsuit Against Dr. McCullough Dismissed

MIAMI , Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A 2021 lawsuit filed by Baylor Scott and White Health system against world-renowned internist, cardiologist, and COVID-19 expert Dr. Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH, has been dismissed by the 191st Judicial District Court, Dallas County, Texas. Associate Judge Tahira Khan Merritt granted the nonsuit and dismissed with prejudice all claims asserted or that could have been asserted in the case. Dr. McCullough stated, "This is a strong victory for freedom of speech and fair balanced publication and media presentation of clinical data as it has emerged over the course of the pandemic crisis. My analyses and conclusions have been accurate, consistent, and have always been my own, not those of any institution."

About Dr. McCullough

Dr. McCullough is an internist, cardiologist, epidemiologist, and the Chief Scientific Officer of the Wellness Company. He manages common infectious diseases as well as the cardiovascular complications of both the viral infection and the injuries developing after the COVID-19 vaccine in Dallas TX, USA. Since the outset of the pandemic, Dr. McCullough has been a leader in the medical response to the COVID-19 disaster and has published "Pathophysiological Basis and Rationale for Early Outpatient Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Infection," the first synthesis of sequenced multidrug treatment of ambulatory patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 in the American Journal of Medicine and subsequently updated in Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine. He has dozens of peer-reviewed publications on the infection and has commented extensively on the medical response to the COVID-19 crisis in The Hill, America Out Loud, NEWSMAX, Victory Channel, Real America's Voice, ABC, and FOX NEWS Channel. Dr. McCullough testified in the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and co-moderated two U.S. Senate Panels on COVID-19 therapy and vaccines. He testified in the Texas Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, Colorado General Assembly, New Hampshire Senate, Pennsylvania Senate, and South Carolina Senate concerning many aspects of the pandemic response. Dr. McCullough has had three years of dedicated academic and clinical efforts in combating the SARS-CoV-2 virus and in doing so, has reviewed thousands of reports, participated in scientific congresses, group discussions, press releases, and has been considered among the world's experts on COVID-19.

CONTACT: Chris Alexander, [email protected]

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SOURCE The Wellness Company
ATMORE, Ala., Jan. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- UB Community Development, LLC (UBCD), a community development partner of United Bank, announced that it provided $13.5 million in New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) allocations toward the silicon metal manufacturing facility in Selma, Alabama, owned by Globe Metallurgical Inc. (GMI).

UB Community Development, a subsidiary of United Bancorporation of Alabama, Inc., Announces $13.5 Million in New Markets

GMI is a subsidiary of Ferroglobe PLC, a leading global producer of silicon metal, silicon-based and manganese-based specialty alloys. The NMTC allocation has enabled GMI to acquire and upgrade equipment. The NMTC will be used to assist the refurbishment of two older silicon furnaces and update existing infrastructure, including foundations, material handling equipment, on-site power facilities, utilities, and rail access. The two-furnace operation in Selma has a total annual capacity of 22,000 tons of silicon metal.

Congresswoman Terri Sewell, of Alabama's 7th Congressional District, whose home is in Selma, added, "I am delighted to see the increased investment in the GMI Selma operation. The New Markets Tax Credit enhances the economic opportunity for many families and businesses in the area. The product from GMI also supports U.S.-based manufacturing for critical strategic materials which feed our nation's supply chain for semi-conductors, solar energy products, military energy storage, as well as steel, aluminum and chemical."

The 170,000-square-foot manufacturing facility was shuttered in 2018 due to low prices caused by a flood of imported silicon metal. The facility employs roughly 100 skilled workers and will contribute to the local community directly through good-paying jobs, and to surrounding businesses supporting the operation.

Alex Jones, President of UB Community Development, LLC, stated, "Being able to assist GMI in returning the Selma facility to production and employing 100 workers from the Selma community is exactly why NMTCs exist. Furthermore, supporting job creation in Alabama's communities is our mission and this project was 100% in our wheelhouse."

GMI provides on-site job training in partnership with the Alabama Workforce Training Center (AIDT) for electricians, welders, millwrights, and mechanical and maintenance engineers. The allocation from the NMTC program will help make the plant more competitive in the global marketplace.

About UB Community DevelopmentUB Community Development's strong history and experience in New Markets Tax Credit transactions, coupled with our passion for improving the communities around us, make UBCD Alabama's premier financial partner for economic and community development. Through our NMTC projects, Community Facilities Lending Program and Community Housing Capital Fund, UBCD is working with community development partners in the fields of healthcare, education, manufacturing, public works, affordable housing and more. For more information about UB Community Development, visit our website at www.UBCommunityDevelopment.com.

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SOURCE United Bancorp
OnPoint's Refer a Friend campaigns have raised more than $296,250 for six non-profit organizations since 2018

PORTLAND, Ore., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- OnPoint Community Credit Union today kicked off its Refer a Friend non-profit campaign to benefit one of the region's oldest civil rights and social service organizations.

OnPoint selected Urban League of Portland for the campaign that runs February 1 through March 31. Refer a Friend provides members with the opportunity to support local community organizations while introducing friends and family to OnPoint's full range of financial services.

Founded in 1945, the Urban League of Portland invests in and provides programs for areas that affect the social and economic security of Black families in Oregon and SW Washington. Those include:

Multicultural Senior Center, a Northeast Portland activity center that provides healthcare and preventative services, transportation and community connections

Workforce development, including job fairs and skills training

Academic support for middle schoolers, such as paid internships

Advocacy and civic engagement to influence public policy and legislation to promote racial equity

"Our programs have played a crucial role in improving the civil rights and social justice for Oregon and Southwest Washington's Black community since our founding," said Julia Delgado, Vice President, Urban League of Portland. "The support from OnPoint and its members will enable us to build upon our work and continue providing services and programs to help our region's Black community achieve equality in education, employment, health, economic security and quality of life."

$50 for referring members, $50 for new members, $50 for the Urban League

OnPoint's Refer a Friend incentivizes OnPoint members year-round to recommend the credit union to their friends, family or business associates by giving $50 to both the new and referring member when an account is opened. At select times throughout the year, OnPoint donates an additional $50 to local non-profits for each new account opened through Refer a Friend.

"We must continue to come together to remove barriers and actively create opportunities for underrepresented communities," said Jo Davis, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program Manager, OnPoint Community Credit Union. "We are proud to build on our support of the Urban League of Portland through our Refer a Friend program and advance its critical work in our fight for racial equity in Oregon and Southwest Washington."

OnPoint's last Refer a Friend campaign, held in September/October 2022, raised more than $33,850 for JoyRx | Children's Cancer Association. Since the beginning of the Refer a Friend program in 2018, OnPoint has donated $296,250 to six organizations through eight different campaigns. OnPoint members who are interested in learning more can visit www.onpointcu.com/rates-rewards/refer-a-friend/, or stop by their local OnPoint branch.

In November 2022, OnPoint announced donations of $2.3 million to more than 377 non-profits in Oregon and Southwest Washington, with more than $695,000 pledged to organizations focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. Visit www.onpointcu.com/community-giving to learn more about OnPoint's support of local organizations like the Urban League of Portland.

ABOUT ONPOINT COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION

OnPoint Community Credit Union is the largest credit union in Oregon, serving over 500,000 members and with assets of $9.1 billion. Founded in 1932, OnPoint Community Credit Union's membership is available to anyone who lives or works in one of 28 Oregon counties (Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Crook, Curry, Deschutes, Douglas, Gilliam, Hood River, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Morrow, Multnomah, Polk, Sherman, Tillamook, Wasco, Washington, Wheeler and Yamhill) and two Washington counties (Skamania and Clark) and their immediate family members. More information is available at www.onpointcu.com or 503-228-7077 or 800-527-3932.

ABOUT URBAN LEAGUE OF PORTLAND

Empowering Black communities in Oregon and Southwest Washington since 1945. Urban League is one of Oregon's oldest civil rights and social service organizations, empowering African-Americans and others to achieve equality in education, employment, health, economic security and quality of life. We do this by investing in stable housing; through workforce development; community health; education and well-being; for our youth, adults and seniors. Our culturally specific programs and services, combined with our powerful advocacy and civic engagement, empowers Black communities to thrive across Oregon and SW Washington.

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SOURCE OnPoint Community Credit Union
FILE PHOTO: A woman stands in front of the logo of Snap Inc. on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) while waiting for Snap Inc. to post their IPO, in New York City, NY, U.S. March 2, 2017. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

By Sheila Dang and Nivedita Balu

(Reuters) - A rise in a key advertising metric for Snap Inc that reported an otherwise insipid quarter could bode well for Facebook owner Meta Platforms and Alphabet, analysts said on Wednesday.

Shares of the Snapchat owner fell 13% on a dour revenue forecast, which the company blamed on a weak economy and stiff competition. But Snap's direct response advertising business, which is key for market leaders Meta and Google, was a bright spot.

Sales from the business rose 4% in the fourth quarter, Snap said.

"Snap is impacted by the reality that it has significant brand advertising exposure (which is getting hit harder than direct response)," said Evercore ISI analyst Mark Mahaney.

Headwinds for Meta and Google could be notably less severe, he said.

Alphabet's Google, the world's largest digital advertising platform, has long fared better than other ad-dependent companies because brands deem ads on Google searches crucial to driving website visits or other consumer actions.

Meta has said the bulk of its revenue also comes from direct response advertising. Facebook and Instagram reach billions of users, turning them into a key part of the marketing strategies of many brands.

Snap's direct response performance was a more positive takeaway for Meta than Alphabet, said CFRA Research analyst Angelo Zino, pointing to Meta's progress with measurement, optimization and artificial intelligence enhancements on its platform.

GRAPHIC: Snap underperforms other social media stocks (https://www.reuters.com/graphics/SNAP-STOCKS/movakljjwva/Pasted%20image%201675256553494.png)

Snap's shares were trading at $10 on Wednesday. The company's weak outlook pulled down shares of Meta and Pinterest, which also earns revenue by selling digital advertising.

Analysts expect Meta to post a 6.5% fall in December-quarter revenue when it reports results later on Wednesday, its third consecutive quarter of decline, according to Refinitiv.

Alphabet will report results on Thursday, and analysts expect revenue to be unchanged from a year earlier.

Snap's challenges, including privacy changes on Apple Inc devices that have made it harder for marketers to collect data, are not unique to the company. But it has the "added challenge of being a small player," said Jasmine Enberg, principal analyst at Insider Intelligence.

"Advertisers are turning to tried and true platforms."

GRAPHIC: Snap expects its first ever revenue decline (https://www.reuters.com/graphics/SNAP-RESULTS/mypmokoaypr/chart.png)

(Reporting by Sheila Dang in Dallas and Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Dhanya Ann Thoppil and Shinjini Ganguli)
TICKERS: OCG; OCGSF; MRG1

Source: Streetwise Reports (1/31/23)

This junior explorer says it has hit its highest equivalent silver assay to date at its flagship project in Colombia.



Outcrop Silver & Gold Corp. (OCG:TSX.V; OCGSF:OTCQX; MRG1:DB) announced Monday that it has hit its highest equivalent silver assay to date at its flagship Santa Ana project in Colombia.

Hole DH317 in the Las Abejas shoot in the El Dorado vein system intersected 3.05 meters of 3,975 grams equivalent per tonne silver (g/t Eq Ag), including 0.63 meters of 16,690 g/t Eq Ag.

Chen Lin, an asset manager and author of the What is Chen Buying? What is Chen Selling? newsletter, is bullish on silver as it will be vital in the green economy transition. He has called drill results from the company "spectacular even before Mondays numbers.

"They will have a resource estimate in early 2023 to confirm they have one of the highest-grade silver deposits in the world, Chen wrote on Jan. 3.

The company said more than 60 kilometers of vein zones have been identified across Santa Ana.

Chen Lin, an asset manager and author of the What is Chen Buying? What is Chen Selling?, called drill results from the company "spectacular."

Outcrop Chief Executive Officer Joseph Hebert said the Las Abejas shoot was discovered in 2021, and he was very happy with the assay results released Monday.

"We have drilled generally shallow in this area, he told Streetwise Reports. "These results are related to identifying the depth we should hit this shoot.

Research Capital Corp.'s Stuart McDougall has rated Outcrop a Speculative Buy with a target of CA$0.75 per share.

Silvers Expanding Demand

In his forecasts for 2023, Chen has been bullish on silver, just one of the elements that will be needed in large amounts as the economy attempts to switch gears from fossil fuels.

"I like silver, and I am preparing for a run of silver similar to two years ago, Chen wrote on Jan. 13.

The Silver Institute has predicted that global silver demand will reach a new high of 1.21 billion ounces in 2022, up 16% from last year. Industrial demand is on course to grow to 539 million ounces (Moz).

"Developments such as ongoing vehicle electrification (despite sluggish vehicle sales), growing adoption of 5G technologies, and government commitments to green infrastructure will have industrial demand overcome macro-economic headwinds and weaker consumer electronics demand, the report said.

Research Capital Corp.'s Stuart McDougall has rated Outcrop a Speculative Buy with a target of CA$0.75 per share.

The global silver market is forecasted to record a second consecutive deficit between supply and demand this year, the Institute said. At 194 Moz, it will be a multi-decade high and four times 2021s level.

But investors also love the precious metal because of its versatility, wrote Vishal Toora on Equity.guru.

"Silver bulls love the metal because you get the best of both worlds, Toora wrote. "You get an investment which follows the monetary metal but also has an industrial usage.

The Catalyst: Resource Estimate Nearly Ready

Results from Santa Ana keep smashing the companys records at the project, which Hebert said bodes well for the future. "It tells us we havent hit the best (hole) yet, he said.

Santa Ana has been mined back to at least 1585 and was once the largest colonial silver mine in Colombia. It now covers 36,000 hectares. Spanish Royal Archives reports said the area had 14 mines producing an average of 4,000 g/t Ag over an average of 1.4 meters, with some mines finding as much as 17,000 g/t Ag.

While Outcrop is readying its maiden resource estimate for the first quarter, it continues to identify and drill new targets. Three rigs are drilling 1,700 to 1,900 meters per month, Hebert said.

"We should have another great year of drilling," Herbert wrote.

The company said mineralization as Las Abejas remained open at depth, and surface work suggested more shoots would be discovered in the El Dorado vein system.

The drilling continued to support findings that "top of ore within prospective veins is about 750 meters below absolute elevation, or 150 meters below the surface of Las Abejas.

"Today, we know better at what depth (below top of ore) we should target veins, Hebert said.

"Mineralization still generally is seen to come to surface, but the sweet spot of both width and grade is generally at a consistent depth from shoot to shoot.

Great Year of Drilling

The company also announced this month that two core holes drilled in the Megapozo vein connected areas of high-grade mineralization. It said the mineralization has a footprint of more than 350 meters by 380 meters and remains open to the northwest and southeast.

The Megapozo vein is an average true thickness of 0.80 meters at a weighted average grade of 1,068 g/t Eq Ag over 19 holes.

In Heberts annual letter to shareholders on Jan. 18, he said less than 10% of Santa Anas potential has been tested.

"We should have another great year of drilling, with three core rigs turning continually to drill high-grade mineralization of 13 shoots to depth and laterally and drilling our best new greenfield targets, he wrote.

Ownership and Share Structure

Streetwise Ownership Overview* Outcrop Silver & Gold Corp. (OCG:TSX.V; OCGSF:OTCQX; MRG1:DB) *Share Structure as of 1/20/2023

Mining financier Eric Sprott owns about 14% of Outcrop, management, and directors own about 12%, and the rest is held by high-net-worth investors and retail, the company said.

The company is followed by Research Capital Corp.s Stuart McDougall wrote and Gwen Preston of The Maven Letter. Click "See More Live Data" in the data box above to read more.

Outcrop has a market cap of CA$58.43 million with 194.7 million shares outstanding and 146 million of them free-floating. It trades in a 52-week range of CA$0.315 and CA$0.295.

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Disclosures:

1) Steve Sobek wrote this article for Streetwise Reports LLC. He or members of his household own securities of the following companies mentioned in the article: None. He or members of his household are paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None.

2) The following companies mentioned in this article are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: Outcrop Silver & Gold Corp. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security.

3) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports.

4) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the decision to publish an article until three business days after the publication of the article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of Outcrop Silver & Gold Corp., a company mentioned in this article.
Destaco que, en marco del programa #ConPunchePeru, esta semana se lanzaran nuevas medidas para la reactivacion de la economia de las regiones, en particular en las que albergan lugares de mayor vulnerabilidad y alta conflictividad social. pic.twitter.com/VZp2wZJdE1
FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii  About 700 gallons of diesel fuel spilled Sunday at a mountaintop observatory on Maui operated by U.S. Space Forces Indo-Pacific, the Air Force said Tuesday.

The spill occurred at the Maui Space Surveillance Complex, which tracks satellites and space debris using several telescopes atop Haleakala, a dormant volcano.

Due to a mechanical issue, a diesel fuel pump for an on-site backup generator failed to shut off Sunday night, the Air Force said in a news release.

At about 8 a.m. Monday, maintenance personnel discovered the failure and shut off the transfer pump, the Air Force said.

About 700 gallons of fuel was released, but the service did not indicate where the fuel had settled on the 10,000-foot summit.

The Air Force said Wednesday that no further information was available.

Fuel-spill experts from the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center were on their way to Maui as of Wednesday morning to assess the site and begin remediation efforts.

The Hawaii Department of Health and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency were notified of the spill, the Air Force said.

We understand the importance of being good stewards of the environment and will work with necessary state and federal officials as we begin clean-up efforts, Brig. Gen. Anthony Mastalir, commander of U.S. Space Forces Indo-Pacific, said in the news release.

The spill comes at a fraught time for the military in Hawaii.

A fuel leak on Oahu from the Navys World War II-era Red Hill underground fuel storage facility in late 2021 contaminated drinking water for thousands of residents living in military communities on and near Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

In the fall, while Navy officials were preparing to drain the Red Hill tanks for the sites permanent closure, a toxic firefighting foam compound was accidently released at the facility.

Critics, such as Sierra Club Hawaii, argued the military has too large a footprint in the state, with the risks outweighing the benefits.

We, along with many Kanaka Maoli groups, have had concerns for many years about impacts from the military and civilian operations at Science City at the top of Haleakala, Lucienne de Naie, chair of the Sierra Club Maui Group Executive Committee, said in an emailed statement, using the Hawaiian language term for indigenous Hawaiians.

There have been reports of various impacts that were not fully addressed, and we continue to have concerns about the appropriateness of industrial scale operations in a very sensitive ecosystem that is regarded by Kanaka Maoli as a sacred place.
The worlds skies will be a little less sexy starting next year.

The Air Force on Sept. 1, 2024, will retire its fleet of KC-10A Extenders, aerial refuelers that can also transport troops or cargo, an Air Force news release said. The KC-10, which entered service in 1981 and has been operated by the 70th Air Refueling Squadron at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., since 1994, is known as Big Sexy by aircrews due to its sleek and graceful wing design.

A more capable aircraft may never be built compared to the KC-10A Extender, Chief Master Sgt. Donald P. Davis, chief boom operator with 70th ARS, said in the release. The range, fuel delivery and cargo capability are second to none.

The 59-plane fleet will be retired to make way for the KC-46A Pegasus, which will begin to arrive at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., this year.

The Air Force has contracted 128 KC-46s as of Jan. 30, according to a news release from Boeing. While the fleet will be larger, the Pegasus has less carrying capacity than the Extender. The KC-10 can carry 170,000 pounds of cargo and 356,000 pounds of fuel with a maximum takeoff weight of 590,000 pounds, compared with 212,299 pounds of fuel and 65,000 pounds of cargo for the KC-46, according to Air Force fact sheets.

The KC-10 was used during the 1991 Gulf War, and flew more than 1,300 missions in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the fact sheet.

Probably the one thing I am going to miss the most is the view in the back, said Staff Sgt. Jared M. Breaux, a boom operator with 70th ARS, in the Air Force release. Not having that window back there to just look out of and to have that contact.
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan  Police in Iwakuni city on Monday recommended Japanese prosecutors charge a Marine there with drunken driving, theft and other offenses stemming from an incident in December, a police spokesman said Tuesday.

Police allege the unnamed 20-year-old man broke into a local dealership, stole a car and crashed it into another vehicle, leaving its occupants with minor injuries, the spokesman said by phone. Government spokespeople in Japan are often required to speak to the media only on condition of anonymity.

Police identified the accused only as a 20-year-old male, but Iwakuni city has said a Marine working at the base was suspected in the incident.

A spokesman for MCAS Iwakuni, near Hiroshima, declined to identify the Marine unless hes indicted.

We can confirm that a servicemember is accused of various violations of Japanese law, Maj. Gerard Farao told Stars and Stripes by email Tuesday. We, unfortunately, cannot share additional information while the Japanese legal process is ongoing.

Police say the Marine broke into the dealership while intoxicated around 7:14 a.m. Dec. 3, drove away in a car worth about $41,000, and rear-ended another vehicle at an intersection in Asahi machi. The other driver and a passenger suffered minor injuries, including a sprained neck, the police spokesman said.

The Marine left the accident scene without reporting it to police, according to the spokesman.

The Marine spent nearly two hours with the owner of the stolen car on Thursday, the local Chugoku newspaper reported the next day. In addition to apologizing, he promised to pay for any damages, the report said.

The servicemember and his command are fully committed to cooperating with Japanese authorities, Farao said.

Police referred the Marine to the Yamaguchi District Prosecutors Office in Iwakuni and recommended charges of intrusion upon a structure, theft, negligent driving resulting in injuries, drinking and driving and failing to report the accident, the police spokesman said.

Police also recommended the Marine be severely punished, the spokesman said.

We take all criminal allegations seriously and will evaluate further appropriate actions after all Japanese legal proceedings have concluded, Farao said. We understand that this case is of significant interest to our Japanese hosts and neighbors, we will make every effort within our legal limits to keep the public informed as soon as information becomes releasable, which is after the formal indictment of the servicemember by the Japanese authorities."
WASHINGTON  The Navys warships have been spending less time at sea and more time under costly and lengthy repairs since 2011, according to a government watchdog report released Tuesday.

A review of 151 surface warships by the Government Accountability Office showed worsening maintenance delays, more breakdowns requiring repairs and a rising number of working ship parts removed and used elsewhere due to parts shortages in the industry supply chain.

We have made dozens of recommendations to address these issues, but the Navy has yet to fully implement them all, the agency wrote.

Navy officials argued in the report that a decrease in time at sea is not necessarily bad and does not always reflect a ships inability to perform its mission. They also explained the allocation of steaming hours, or a ships hours at sea, is driven by budgetary concerns and the cost of fuel.

But the Government Accountability Office said persistent ship sustainment issues have prevented the Navy from reaping the full benefit of its forces and contributed to significant readiness challenges during the past decade.

Congressional lawmakers have pressed the service to build a fleet powerful enough to counter China as it expands its influence in the Indo-Pacific region and eyes a possible invasion of Taiwan. Chinas Navy is now the largest in the world, according to the Pentagon, while the U.S. Navys 293-vessel fleet falls short of the 350-ship force desired by some lawmakers.

Navy officials told the GAO that significant maintenance backlogs influenced their decision last year to seek the recommissioning of nine ships before the end of their service life. Congress has routinely stepped in to prevent certain early vessel retirements, most recently the guided-missile cruiser USS Vicksburg.

Congress is willing to build more ships than the Navy, Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., wrote in an editorial last year. Wittman was named vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee last week.

Maintenance delays per ship have multiplied since 2011, increasing from five days on average to an average of 19 days in 2021. Maintenance costs grew by $1.2 billion during the same period, according to the report.

Navy officials said growth in the magnitude of previously planned work and the discovery of the need for new work caused maintenance delays for all nine surface ship classes reviewed by the agency.

The Navy spent about $17 billion during fiscal 2020 to operate and sustain the 10 ship classes assessed in the report, a $2.5 billion increase from fiscal 2011. The selected ship classes represent about half of the Navys ship battle force.

Though the Navy has added 33 ships to those classes since 2011, the number of hours at sea declined and became more expensive, according to the report.

The GAO said the services growing reliance on pulling working parts from ships for installation in ships under repair contributed to the higher costs. Cannibalization of parts increases workloads, lowers morale and takes expensive weapons systems out of service for long periods of time, according to the report.

The Arleigh Burke-class of destroyers saw seven more cannibalizations per ship in fiscal 2022 than in fiscal 2011. The 68 ships in the class also had 19 more serious failure reports per ship than a decade ago, according to the report. Maintenance costs increased by $661 million for the Arleigh Burke class.

Analysts with the Government Accountability Office said the Navy has generally agreed with their recommendations to improve ship sustainment but is failing to fully or accurately track operational and materiel availability. The Navy also needs to establish measures to manage depot maintenance backlogs, better track data on maintenance periods and take steps to ensure new ships are reliable, the agency wrote.
ANTA, Peru (Tribune News Service)  As anti-government protests spread across the Peruvian highlands last month, Remo Candia Guevara, a 42-year-old community leader in this rural farming town, grew increasingly anguished.

National police had repeatedly shot into crowds of unarmed protesters, killing dozens. Candia blamed President Dina Boluarte.

Shes an assassin, Candia said in a video interview with a local journalist on Jan. 10. Many young people have died, cut down by her bullets.

The next day, Candia and thousands of others marched through the streets of Cusco, a nearby city known for its Inca ruins and narrow, colonial-era streets. As they clashed with police, gunfire erupted and Candia fell to the ground, bleeding from his stomach. He died at a hospital that night.

His death and others have further fueled the protests, which in recent days have spilled from the impoverished, largely Indigenous Andes to the cosmopolitan, coastal capital, Lima. With South Americas fifth-largest economy paralyzed by highway roadblocks, the country finds itself at an agonizing political impasse.

The demonstrations began in December after the arrest of then-President Pedro Castillo, whose campesino roots had inspired many poor Peruvians. Facing allegations of graft and fighting for his political survival, he had managed to fend off two impeachment attempts by right-wing lawmakers. But when he announced plans to dissolve Congress and install an emergency government, a move widely condemned as an attempted coup, even many allies turned against him. He was taken into custody and removed from office.

Protesters demand that Boluarte, who was Castillos vice president, resign and that Congress schedule new elections this year.

She says she wont step down  and has compared the protesters to terrorists. Congress, which has so far refused her proposal to hold elections in October, is expected to take up the issue again on Wednesday.

But as the body count rises, with 58 dead and more than 1,000 injured, the movement has morphed into a mass rebellion clamoring not just for a new government but broader political, economic and social change.

This is the product of years and years of accumulated indignation, said Raul Pacheco, an anthropologist at the National University of St. Anthony the Abbot in Cusco. Its about much more than an election.

The roots of the widespread discontent are self-evident: Gaping inequality, entrenched corruption and a tumultuous political system that has seen three Congresses and six presidents rotate through power over the last five years.

Polls show Peruvians have the lowest level of satisfaction with democracy in Latin America. Former President Alberto Fujimori, the strongman who ruled in the 1990s, is in prison for graft and human rights violations. Five more former leaders, including Castillo, are being investigated on suspicion of corruption.

But there is another grievance at play, one especially present in the Andes, where many feel that the Spanish conquest of the Inca empire was just the beginning of a long history of racist subjection of Indigenous people.

The deaths of Candia and other protesters from the region have only deepened that view.

They dont see us as humans, said his sister, Marilia Candia Guevara, 36. Our lives arent worth as much as theirs.

Weve always been fighting for our rights, she added. Of course were exhausted.

Long before dawn broke on a recent damp morning, villagers throughout the Cusco region began heaving boulders, branches and old car tires onto the highways that connect the towns nestled high in the Andes with the rest of Peru.

Men and women, many wearing brightly embroidered traditional hats and skirts, would stand guard at these homemade blockades all day, stopping vehicles from passing.

There isnt any other strategy, said Mario Turpo Orozco, a leader in the town of Urcos, where he and others had blocked a road leading to Lima. We cant permit these racists to continue governing.

The blockades, which authorities say are underway in nearly half of the countrys provinces, have snarled trade and tourism.

The ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu, usually crowded with visitors, is closed indefinitely. The countrys biggest mines warn they may have to halt operations. Officials say Perus economy and infrastructure have taken a $1.3-billion hit and analysts warn that the country may be heading for recession.

Protesters say the economic distress makes their point.

Peru is highly dependent on the Andes region, with its rich mineral deposits, extensive agriculture and the archaeological jewels that draw 4 million tourists to the country annually. Yet the region and its people have long been neglected.

Weve been abandoned by the state, said Turpo, 60, who said there are villages near his community that lack water and electricity. Schools are scant and of poor quality, he said. A promised hospital in Urcos never arrived.

The pandemic only highlighted the failures of the government, he said. So many people died in Urcos, villagers had to build a new cemetery. Peru had one of the highest COVID death rates in the world, with vaccines, oxygen and hospital beds in short supply.

In 2021, a presidential candidate burst on the scene promising to change all of that.

A former teacher and union leader from a rural mountain town, Castillo campaigned in a farmers hat and promised no more poor people in a rich country.

His victory over Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of Perus imprisoned former autocrat, was heralded as a resounding rejection of the political establishment.

Castillo governed chaotically, filling posts with unqualified political allies and drawing allegations that his family members were profiting off official contracts. His supporters insist that he was the target of a witch hunt, with Congress launching a series of campaigns to remove him shortly after he was sworn in.

What angered them most were the insults lobbed at Castillo by the Lima elite. Rafael Lopez Aliaga, the conservative mayor of the capital, called him a donkey. On TikTok, people made fun of his country accent. Wealthy Peruvians smashed pinatas of his likeness at birthday parties and weddings.

Javier Torres Seoane, the director of Noticias Ser, a news site focused on coverage of the southern Andes, said many identified with the discrimination Castillo faced.

Despite the fact that it was a bad government for the people, people still consider him one of theirs, Torres said.

Remo Candia Guevara certainly did.

Like the former president, Candia was proud of his traditions. He wore capes sewn by his mother and participated in ritual dances that merged his familys Catholic and Quechua traditions. An accountant and leader of a campesino association by day, he spent evenings and weekends working on a hillside plot in Anta where corn, wheat and quinoa grew.

Candia and his family were not Castillo fanatics, his sister said. But when they attacked him it felt like an attack on all of us.

So when police responded to protesters with bullets, Candia, a father of two who dreamed of bringing a playground to his community, joined the demonstrations.

After his funeral, which filled Antas central square with hundreds of mourners, roadblocks in the area multiplied. Anger at the president spread, with the words Dina Asesina appearing on the side of a mountain, spelled out in white rocks.

And a group of hundreds of protesters made its way to Lima, joining a wider migration of people from across the Andes who had brought their fight to the capital in hopes of finally being heard.

Helard Sonco Villanueva stepped off a bus in Lima on Jan. 19, a knapsack slung across his back.

Hed come from Juliaca, a southern city on a high mountain plateau near Lake Titicaca. Sonco, a 30-year-old engineering student, had been at a protest there when thousands of demonstrators tried to take over the citys airport. Police opened fire, killing 18.

Sonco watched two of his university classmates die, as well as Marco Antonio Samillan Sanga, a medic who was shot while aiding a protester who had inhaled tear gas.

There was so much dust and bullets, Sonco said. It was the most tragic moment of my life.

He thought to himself: If we dont rise up now, we never will.

In Lima, Sonco and protesters from other parts of the country sheltered for several days at the National University of Engineering. They moved elsewhere after police used a tank to break down the gate at a nearby public university and detained hundreds of protesters.

Human rights officials have roundly condemned the governments response to the demonstrations.

We have never seen anything as brutal as what were seeing now, said Mar Perez, a lawyer for the National Human Rights Coordinator, a nonprofit made up of 78 Peruvian rights groups. Security forces, she said, are using weapons of war.

With thousands of protesters massed in Lima, a dangerous daily ritual has begun.

Every afternoon, protesters from the mountain provinces gather downtown, sharing stew cooked in giant pots and chanting anti-government slogans.

Vendors sell flags (I love you Peru, thats why I defend you) and plastic glasses to protect against the tear gas that is to come.

Then the police arrive and the clashes begin.

Gladys Lucano, a 60-year-old farmer and grandmother, has been there for the last two weeks, facing off nightly with police.

They call us terrorists, Lucano said, noting that the word carries heavy connotations in a country that was menaced for years by the communist Shining Path guerrillas.

But we are just citizens, she said. We dont have anything to defend ourselves with. The real terrorist is the president.

Lucano never expected to be in the middle of the biggest protest in Perus recent history. But after seeing so many men that looked like her sons killed by security forces, she felt compelled to join.

Let them kill me, she said as she walked into a scrum of protesters facing off with police. Im here for my kids, for my grandchildren, for the future of Peru.

Some Peruvians, particularly those in the capital, share the contention of Boluarte and right-wing lawmakers that the protesters are to blame for the violence. New elections, they say, will only deepen the political chaos.

But a poll this week shows that most of the country now backs the protesters demands.

The Institute of Peruvian Studies survey found that 74% of the country believes Boluarte should resign, 89% disapprove of Congress and 73% want new elections this year. Significantly, support for the government has dipped even in Lima.

There is a growing sense that Boluarte, whose only government experience before becoming vice president was at a regional office of an agency that issues identity documents, is in over her head.

And although few here believe that her resignation will solve everything, many agree that it is a needed first step. Early elections wont end all of our problems, said Perez, the human rights lawyer. But at least we could have a moment to breathe.

Back in the town of Anta, Candias family has agonized over the political situation while also mourning their loss.

How many more of us are going to die? his sister asked. Or will they eliminate all of us?

She was sitting with her mother in the familys dimly lighted adobe home.

In the corner, flowers and candles decorated an altar that they had made to Candia featuring a photo of him posing proudly in traditional dress, his red vest decorated with images of birds and flowers.

Marilia said her only wish is that her brothers death ends up meaning something  that it is a part of a bigger story of change.

Despite everything, she said she felt something like hope.

Special correspondent Adriana Leon in Lima contributed to this report.

2023 Los Angeles Times.

Visit at latimes.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Get2Know event, integration event for repatriates and expats from different countries

YEREVAN, JANUARY 31, ARMENPRESS. Since 2012, Repat Armenia has been promoting repatriation, supporting individuals and families in their integration and soft-landing process, and fostering a pro-repatriation environment.

ARMENPRESS spoke with Repat Armenia Co-founder and Executive Director Vartan Marashlyan, Communications Coordinator Ishkhan Saakyan and Kristine Baroyan, a repatriate from Russia on the organizations priorities, results and programs.

Vartan Marashlyan moved to Armenia from Russia in 2010. He served as Deputy Minister of Diaspora for 2.5 years. Realizing the importance of repatriation, Marashlyan with 11 like-minded diasporans and repatriates decided to establish the Repat Armenia foundation in 2012.

The initial idea was to create an informational platform that would provide potential repatriates with practical and useful information on the different aspects of repatriation and integration from those who moved to Armenia. However, we understood very soon that we should also create an institution with a dedicated staff that would work individually with everyone, including those who just started thinking about repatriation. Thus, Repat Armenia was established after 12 months of hard work and immediately started working with the influx of Syrian Armenians. Marashlyan said.

Repat Armenia Director Vardan Marashlyan, Programs Manager Marianna Chobanyan

Repat Armenia clearly realizes that repatriation is a complicated process. No one makes such a decision at once. It is crucial to experience Armenia through visits, exploration, internships, networking events, social gatherings, volunteer opportunities and educational programs before making the decision of repatriating.

When it comes to professional opportunities, Marashlyan stated that while there are sectors that are developing and provide competitive salaries, their number and the field of activity are still limited. Covid-19 has made the world global with more people working remotely, which creates a perfect opportunity for repatriation and immigration to Armenia. The inflow of professionals from Russia in 2022 was a vivid example of it. Currently, there is a growing demand for professionals in IT, project management, marketing and sales, export promotion and hospitality in Armenia. More and more local companies are willing to expand their target new markets, creating new professional opportunities for repats.'' he said, when referring to the challenges in building a career in Armenia.



Networking event with program participants

Repat Armenia is open to cooperation with public and private institutions in Armenia and the Diaspora. It also pays special attention to creating and supporting a viable community of repats and expats to facilitate full integration in Armenia.

Repat Armenia has also launched Armenian repatriates network with over 12000 members. It is an ecosystem where potential repats and expats can discuss, issues and concerns, as well as get tips, recommendations and advice from experienced repats on moving logistics, housing, education for their children, healthcare and much more.

The Repat Armenia team has a focus on employment support and doing business in Armenia and professional networking. In 2022, Repat Armenia provided personal consultations on employment to over 400 applicants; organized 35 integration events with a collective 650 participants, 148 community members subscribed to our medical insurance package and 470 others have become part of our online membership program.



Speed Recruiting event with Dexatel, organized to help the repats to find a job in Armenia

In 2021-22, we implemented a pilot Employment Support Program for our compatriots from Lebanon, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. 58 selected participants moved to Armenia through the program, and 48 are currently residing in Armenia, all of them are employed or self-employed, including those who set up their own businesses. All participants received employment support with 818 HR Consulting, have taken part in organized Armenian language courses, received air ticket compensation and rent subsidy for three months. Repat Armenia Co-founder and Executive Director Vartan Marashlyan said.

Yearly Repat Armenia receives around 1000 requests for repatriation and integration assistance. Most applicants are between 25-40 years old with strong educational and professional backgrounds from Russia, Lebanon, the United States, Iran, Canada, France, Syria and other countries.

It is difficult to say how many people have repatriated to Armenia since 2012 because Armenia still has not adopted a law on repatriation and does not provide a special status to repatriates. According to our estimation, around 3000 Armenians move to Armenia annually on a voluntary basis. As we have mentioned, usually it takes time to move to Armenia, Repat Armenias team also provide face-to-face consultations to people who are in their early stages of repatriation. In some cases, it takes years. We were pleasantly surprised to witness a stronger interest in repatriation after the 2020 Artsakh war, which proves that our compatriots are committed to a nation building process, especially when our homeland is in danger. Marashlyan said.

Repat Armenia Communications Coordinator Ishkhan Saakyan is a repatriate himself. He came to Armenia ten years ago. Saakyan considers repatriation to be a difficult process and says that each repatriate has their own issues. Everyone can contact us through our website at repatarmenia.org, our social media channels or by visiting our office. We launched the new Repat Armenia website in 2022, which will allow applicants to apply for our integration support online, and will include information on employment; our integration support comprises 45 % of our applications. As soon as an inquiry is received, my colleagues and I quickly respond to all questions or set up consultations online or in the office. For in-depth specific questions, we provide reliable contacts of service providers in different fields.  Saakyan said.



Discovery Tour

In order to contribute to the integration of repatriates, Repat Armenia organizes various events enabling the repatriates to get to know one another, communicate and make friends. Sightseeing tours are also organized. Moreover, Repat Armenia holds Speed Recruiting events, involving short interviews between the Armenian HR companies, employers and the applicants, increasing the chances of the repatriates to find a job.



Meet&Greet with Invest in Armenia

Kristine Baroyan is a repatriate born in Stepanavan. She was four when her family moved to Russia. She returned to Armenia to attend a wedding with friends and then decided to obtain an Armenian passport and find a job in the meantime. She applied to Repat Armenia upon learning about the organization.



Repat Armenia team and participant Ani Harutyunyan in the airport

I was invited for an interview during which they got to know my professional skills and requirements, they gave me useful advice on specificities of finding employment and only about a week later I passed an interview with my present-day employer. Two days later I received a job offer from them and I made my final decision on staying in Armenia. I work in the IT sector, Kristine said.



Get to Know event for repat community

Kristine Baroyan says she loves the Armenian nature, the peoples attitude and their hospitality. I was surprised by the kindness of people. There are everyday things, which seemed strange to me, but as time passed I adapted and understood why people think this or that way. Kristine Baroyan said.



Kristine Baroyan

Angela Hambardzumyan

Photos by Repat Armenia
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YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan  Andrew Hakun, 52, a Navy veteran and father of two boys, died in February 2021 after a long, agonizing wait for surgery following a heart attack at this base in western Tokyo, according to his widow and medical records.

Nearly two years later, Hakuns death is one example that Defense Department civilian employees raise when they talk about losing access to medical care at U.S. military bases in Japan. Not that Yokotas 374th Medical Group could have saved his life, but that access to medical care at Japanese hospitals and clinics is unpredictable, they say.

U.S. military personnel in Japan are living in a country with excellent health care service if you can get to it, his widow, Cathy Hakun, 57, of Woodbine, Md., told Stars and Stripes by phone Friday. Anybody on that base who has to go through urgent care is running an unsurvivable risk.

The Defense Health Agency, under a congressional mandate, imposed limits effective Jan. 1 on DOD civilian employees access to most health care at military bases in the Indo-Pacific region. Appointments for immediate medical needs are available only after active-duty service members, their families and other higher-priority individuals are scheduled.

Urgent care and some other services, such as labor and delivery and exams for employment and sports, are still available. Health care at military hospitals in Japan is reserved for those covered by Tricare Prime, the top tier of the military health care plan.

The director of DHAs Indo-Pacific region, Army Maj. Gen. Joseph Heck, in October advised DOD civilians in Japan to look for health care providers in the communities around U.S. military bases.

During recent town hall meetings, critics of the DHA changes said health care for DOD civilians in Japan has always been hit or miss, that providers can refuse service and often require large, upfront payments for care.

Consequently, DOD civilians working on U.S. bases in Japan risk delayed medical treatment that could prove fatal, Cathy Hakun said. Her husbands death is a case in point, she said.

Ten tries

The couple, both civilian employees for the Department of Defense Special Representative in Japan, were on their second assignment to Yokota when Andrew Hakun awoke in distress at their on-base apartment, prompting his wife to call 911 shortly after midnight on Feb. 18, 2021, his widow said.

An ambulance arrived within 15 minutes, she said, but her husband was held at Yokotas urgent care clinic until 4:28 a.m. while attempts were made to transfer him to an off-base hospital, according to his medical records.

Calls were placed to more than 10 nearby hospitals before finding one in Hachioji, 7 miles from Yokota, that would accept him, according to his records.

Andrew Hakun arrived just after 5 a.m. in Hachioji, where Japanese doctors diagnosed him with papillary muscle rupture, acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic pulmonary edema, according to his records. He required emergency heart surgery that could not be performed in Hachioji, the records state.

Hakun went next to a hospital in Shinjuku, about 25 miles from Hachioji, but doctors there discovered severe brain damage due to the heart attack, according to the records, and his family was told heart surgery was no longer an option. He died two days later, his wife said.

COVID complications

The COVID-19 pandemic, at the time still infecting more than 15,000 people in Tokyo every day, factored into her husbands death, Cathy Hakun said. He first called Yokotas hospital on Jan. 28, 2021, complaining of breathing pain. He was instructed to report to a tent outside the hospital for a COVID-19 test rather than come to the urgent care clinic, she said.

The No. 1 time a man over 50 has a heart attack is in the morning and pain breathing is a sign of a heart attack, she said.

Persistent chest pain or pressure may be an early warning sign of a heart attack, according to the Mayo Clinic website. Most heart attacks occur between 6 a.m. and noon, according to WebMD.

After testing negative for COVID-19, Andrew Hakun on Jan. 30, 2021, consulted by phone with a Yokota doctor who suggested he come for an in-person checkup; but he decided against it, his wife said.

Thinking back on what happened Feb. 18, she said she should have driven her husband directly to an off-base hospital. He might have received more advanced treatment, faster, she said.

At Yokotas urgent care clinic, Andrew Hakun was in full blown cardiac arrest, his widow said. The staff provided him with aspirin and oxygen and watched, she said.

They knew it was a heart attack, she said. I felt bad for the uniformed medical personnel there. All they could do was watch him suffer.

Urgent care

Military urgent care centers arent typically as well equipped as hospital emergency departments, according to 1st Lt. Danny Rangel, a spokesman for Yokotas 374th Airlift Wing.

The urgent care staff are trained and prepared to provide stabilizing cardiac life support to our beneficiaries, he told Stars and Stripes in an email Aug. 12.

When medical cases exceed our capabilities, or the patient would otherwise benefit from a higher level of care, medical personnel work with various Japanese medical facilities to facilitate that care, Rangel said. The health and safety of our patients is our top priority, and the 374th Medical Group will continue to make every effort to provide the best possible care for all members and beneficiaries.

Rangel said transportation time for emergency patients to a Japanese facility can vary according to the patients condition. Other delays may result when local hospitals are full, a common occurrence during peak periods of the pandemic, he said.

Our medical staff works with off base facilities to provide the most appropriate and prompt care available in the Tokyo metropolitan area, he said.

Air Force regulations preclude Yokotas medical group from disclosing the results of investigations its required to undertake when patients are harmed, Rangel said.

Accordingly, we cannot comment on any specific case, but please know that the 374th Medical Group works tirelessly both internally and with our host nation partners to ensure the best possible outcomes for all patients in our care, he said.
CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa  A U.S. airman on Okinawa accused of stealing the equivalent of $8 from a vehicle in mid-January is also suspected of starting a tool shed fire the same night, a Japanese police spokesman said Tuesday.

Staff Sgt. Mason Laubach, 27, of Kadena Air Base, has been in Okinawa city police custody since his arrest at 7:54 a.m. Jan. 15, after a Chatan resident alleged Laubach took 1,000 yen from a vehicle, a spokesman for Okinawa prefectural police told Stars and Stripes by phone.

On Jan. 16, police forwarded a theft charge against Laubach to the Naha District Prosecutors Office, according to a spokeswoman there. She said police added an illegal entry charge on Monday that alleges Laubach had entered a two-story building a quarter-mile from the theft scene.

Prosecutors have yet to indict Laubach on any charge.

Laubach, still in jail, was also formally rearrested Monday on suspicion of illegal entry. Rearresting Laubach on a separate charge permits police to hold and interrogate him another 10 to 20 days.

Officers found items belonging to Laubach on the buildings roof, where a tool shed burned down that night, according to the city police spokesman. He said the fire is still under investigation.

The tools and drills inside the shed were a near total loss, a Nirai Fire Department spokesman said Wednesday.

Government spokespeople in Japan are routinely required to speak to the media only on condition of anonymity.

A Breathalyzer test on Jan. 15 measured Laubachs blood-alcohol content at 0.12%, four times Japans legal driving limit of 0.03%, the city police spokesman said.

Roughly 30 minutes before police received the theft report, the Nirai Fire Department responded to a possible fire in the same area, the fire department spokesman said. He said a witness reported lots of smoke and someone fleeing the area. The fire was out by 7:14 a.m.
A tiny but dangerous radioactive capsule that sparked an urgent, days-long search after it went missing in Western Australia has now been found, officials there said Wednesday.

Western Australia Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said in a news conference that the capsule was found by an emergency search team on Wednesday morning about 30 miles south of the mining town of Newman.

Authorities said they did not believe anyone had come into contact with the capsule or been harmed by the toxic substance inside it during the days it was lost in the remote Australian outback.

Here's the #radioactive #capsule in question, which was found 74kms south of Newman at 11am today. The capsule has a serial number, which has been used to verify that this is indeed the object that has been the focus of our search for the past week. https://t.co/fsCW0H88rW #WA pic.twitter.com/AkB78jqic8  DFES (@dfes_wa) February 1, 2023

The capsule  which is less than a third of an inch long  contains cesium-137, a radioactive material that emergency services warn can cause radiation burns or radiation sickness.

This is an extraordinary result, Dawson said, highlighting authorities relentless search over the past six days to find the capsule. The search group have quite literally found the needle in the haystack.

Rio Tinto, the mining giant that operates the mine from where the capsule was traveling when it was lost, thanked Western Australian authorities for locating it and said it would investigate what happened.

Cesium-137 is a radioactive material used in gauges for mining, one of the main industries in resource-rich Western Australia. Exposure to the material can cause increased risk of cancer, radiation burns, acute radiation sickness and potentially death, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Emergency services first publicly reported the capsule missing late Friday and issued a hazardous materials warning. But they said it could have been lost a couple of weeks before that. It departed Rio Tintos Gudai-Darri iron ore mine in Western Australia on Jan. 12 and was thought to have arrived at its destination, a suburb near Perth, the states most populous city, on Jan. 16. Its disappearance was discovered on Jan. 25 when it was missing from the package it was transported in, with the gauge inside broken apart with screws and a bolt missing, the department said.

Officials said they believe the capsule fell off the back of a truck while in transit. It was discovered Wednesday just 2 meters (6.5 feet) from the northbound roadside edge of the Great Northern Highway, according to Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm.

A search team from the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services were driving down the highway at about 40 miles per hour when specialized equipment picked up a radiation signal being emitted by the missing capsule, Klemm said. The search team then located the capsule with portable equipment, he added.

Now that the capsule has been located, it will be placed into a lead container to protect those tasked with transporting it from radiation and taken to a secure location near Newman overnight. Its ultimate destination is a WA Health Department facility in Perth, Klemm said. Authorities will survey the site where it was found to make sure no radioactive material leaked from the capsule  though Klemm said that was extremely unlikely.

The loss of the capsule sparked an outcry in Western Australia, with locals and officials questioning how radioactive material could have gone missing in the first place.

The outcry deepened when it emerged that the maximum single financial penalty for failing to properly store, package and transport radioactive material in Western Australia is about $700, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the capsule shouldnt have been lost, thats the first thing. And second, yeah of course that figure is ridiculously low.

Rio Tintos chief executive for iron ore, Simon Trott, apologized for the incident on Sunday and said the company was supporting the search. On Wednesday, he thanked authorities for locating the capsule and vowed to thoroughly investigate what happened.

While the recovery of the capsule is a great testament to the skill and tenacity of the search team, the fact is it should never have been lost in the first place. Id like to apologise to the wider community of Western Australia for the concern it has generated, Trott said in a statement.

This sort of incident is extremely rare in our industry, which is why we need to investigate it thoroughly and learn what we can to ensure it doesnt happen again, he added. As part of our investigation, we will be assessing whether our processes and protocols, including the use of specialist contractors to package and transport radioactive materials, are appropriate.

The Western Australia Department of Health said it would also be investigating the incident, and would submit a report to ministerial authorities.

Western Australia Chief Health Officer Andy Robertson said Wednesday that his department would be leading the investigation and said he had the power to prosecute anyone found responsible under the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act.

Robertson said officers from the Department of Health will conduct the investigation, working with other agencies, and will be looking at all aspects of this particular event, including the preparation of the gauge for movement, the transport of the gauge, its receipt, the notification of the department. He said the process will take a number of weeks.

Robertson praised the speed of the search process, adding that while the capsule was tiny and difficult to find, it had nonetheless posed a significant public health risk.

Western Australians can sleep better tonight, Dawson, the emergency services minister, added.
KYIV, Ukraine  Human Rights Watch said Tuesday that it had uncovered evidence that Ukrainian forces fired thousands of antipersonnel land mines into Russian-occupied territory in eastern Ukraine, in an apparent violation of Kyivs commitments not to use the weapons, injuring and maiming dozens of civilians.

The land mines were scattered in and around the eastern Ukrainian city of Izyum, the New York-based organization said in a news release. Russian forces seized and held the region from April until Ukrainian forces dislodged them in September.

Human Rights Watch called on Ukrainian authorities to investigate the allegations immediately.

[There was] a whole range of evidence that we believe, when you look at it in its totality, strongly suggest that Ukraine was responsible, Mary Wareham, advocacy director for the groups arms division, told The Washington Post.

Ukraines Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that it took note of the report, which it said would be duly studied by the competent authorities of Ukraine.

Ukraine, exercising its right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the U.N. Charter, fully implements its international obligations while Russian occupiers commit the war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide of the Ukrainian people, the Foreign Ministry said.

Investigators with Human Rights Watch visited the Izyum area shortly after the Russian withdrawal, the organization said, and interviewed more than 100 people, including victims, witnesses, first responders, doctors and Ukrainian deminers. The findings indicate that Ukrainian forces fired Uragan rockets carrying PFM land mines in nine locations.

The fist-sized, wing-shaped plastic weapons, also known as butterfly or petal mines, are often colored green or brown so they blend in with the ground. They can be triggered by pressure, such as a footstep on or nearby the unit.

Though they appeared to be aimed at Russian occupying forces, Human Rights Watch said, the mines were also found in civilian areas, landing in some cases near private homes houses or in yards. Local health care workers told investigators they had treated about 50 local people for injuries resembling those from antipersonnel mines.

About half of the injuries involved traumatic amputations of a lower leg or foot, injuries consistent with PFM blast mines, the organization said.

One deminer said the weapons are everywhere. Human Rights Watch said its investigators saw unexploded mines, remnants of mines, the metal cassettes that carry the mines in rockets, and blast signatures consistent with the amount of explosive contained in the weapons.

Deminers say it could take decades to clear the area of land mines and other unexploded ordnance.

Wareham said Russian forces have used more mines in more areas across Ukraine. Human Rights Watch has published three reports on Moscows use of land mines during the conflict. These include victim-activated booby traps, in which an explosive device is connected to a corpse and detonates when the body is moved.

But the organization said Russian use of mines doesnt absolve Ukraine of its responsibility.

Russian forces have repeatedly used antipersonnel mines and committed atrocities across the country, but this doesnt justify Ukrainian use of these prohibited weapons, said Steve Goose, director of the rights groups arms division.

Russia, unlike Ukraine, is not a signatory to the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty, which prohibits antipersonnel mines and requires countries to destroy their stockpiles. But Moscow is still in violation of international law, Human Rights Watch said, which bans antipersonnel mines because they do not discriminate between civilians and combatants.

Ukraine signed the treaty in 1999 and ratified it six years later. Officials in Kyiv have said that they destroyed more than 3 million mines that they inherited from the Soviet Union, but that more than 3 million PFM mines remain. Russia also has stockpiles of PFM mines.

The Defense Ministry told Human Rights Watch in November that it abides by its international obligations, including the prohibition on using antipersonnel mines, the organization said. But it did not address questions about PFM mine use in and around Izyum, saying that information on the types of weapons used by Ukraine . . . is not to be commented on before the war ends.

The report Tuesday reversed the organizations earlier findings that Ukraine had not used antipersonnel land mines.

Landmine Monitor, a publication that follows efforts to abolish land mines, and which Human Rights Watch helps edit, wrote in November that there is no independent confirmation . . . as of yet that Ukraine had used land mines and that a final assessment and attribution of use of PFM-type mines in Ukraine is not possible at this time.

The new findings were possible, Wareham said, because Human Rights Watch representatives were able for the first time to visit the location in person.

Wareham said the organization was glad to see Ukraines statement today committing to look very seriously at the findings, and that it hoped Kyiv would conduct a thorough investigation into what happened.
DEIR DIBWAN, West Bank (Tribune News Service)  Maisoon Ali, a Palestinian banker, has a message for visiting U.S Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken.

She wants him to understand and acknowledge that the vision of an independent Palestinian nation living alongside Israel  the two-state solution favored by most U.S. administrations for years  is dead and buried.

"It has been killed," said Ali, 56. "I can't even dream it. I don't see it.  This is what I want the secretary to hear."

Blinken, wrapping up a three-day visit to the Middle East on Tuesday, met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and other officials in the West Bank city of Ramallah, a day after extended consultations with Israel's prime minister, president and foreign minister.

Abbas, 87, had tough words for Israel, its continued occupation of Palestinian territories and the failure of the "international community" to stop actions by Israel to seize Palestinian-claimed land and thwart efforts by the Palestinian Authority to find justice in international forums  efforts that Washington firmly opposes.

At every turn in this visit, Blinken has reiterated his government's long-standing support for the two-state solution, even as its prospects seem more distant than ever  to both Israelis and Palestinians.

The far right that now governs Israel has long opposed independence for the approximately 4.5 million Palestinians who live in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

For the Palestinians themselves, rejection of the two-state solution has been a slower evolution.

In an independent Palestine next to Israel, which has insisted on keeping control of some of the future state's borders and airspace, "we would just have the name, Israel the power," said 80-year-old Mohammed Mustafa, another resident of Deir Dibwan, who lived in the U.S. for many years and said he fought for the U.S. military in Vietnam.

Years of failed, occasionally bad-faith negotiations, interspersed with periods of violence from both sides, have only achieved a modicum of sovereignty for Palestinians while Israel continued to permit tens of thousands of Jewish settlers to move into West Bank lands claimed by the Palestinians. The heavily guarded Israeli settlements have effectively made creating a contiguous state next to impossible.

"The two-state solution was killed by the Israelis," Ali said. "I know (Blinken) knows it's not working.  I look for the American government to take a stand and say it has been killed by Israel."

Ali was born in this affluent village near Ramallah, heavily populated with Palestinian Americans, and lived in the United States more than half her life. She holds a U.S. passport, but because of her Palestinian birth is barred from using Israel's airport and suffers other indignities, she said.

Opinion polls have shown support for the two-state vision declining steadily among Palestinians, reflecting frustration and a sense that a viable state will never happen. Instead, many Palestinians now support the so-called one-state solution, a single country with both Israelis and Palestinians but, importantly, one with equal rights for both communities. At the same time, a majority doubts Israel would ever grant such liberties to Palestinians.

One set of calculations behind that scenario suggests the higher Palestinian birthrate would eventually mean Palestinians would outnumber Israeli Jews. Failure to give the majority full rights would, in theory, be untenable, but so would the ability to maintain Israel's identity as a Jewish and democratic state.

The latest poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, conducted in December and released last week, showed support for a two-state solution that had been at roughly 43% for both Palestinians and Israelis in 2020 had fallen to 33% among Palestinians and 34% among Israelis.

It was the lowest level of support for the concept among Palestinians and Israelis since the poll was first conducted in June 2016, the head of the center, Khalil Shikaki, said in a statement announcing the survey.

"The hardening of attitudes is driven by deep concerns about the ultimate goals of the other side," he said. "Indeed, perceptions of the other have worsened significantly since mid-2017 and are currently at a low point, with the two sides a mirror image of one another."

After his meeting with Blinken, Abbas also blamed Israel for destroying the two-state solution and for stoking violence in the West Bank. But he said he was willing to work with the United States to open dialogue and "end the occupation."

Standing with Abbas at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah to read statements before the press, Blinken said improvements in the living conditions, prosperity and peace for Palestinians were "best realized" by a two-state solution.

But he also acknowledged the deteriorating possibilities.

"What we are seeing is a shrinking horizon for hope, not an expanding one," he said. "And that has to change."

The secretary of State said he was assigning two senior staff members, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf and Special Representative for Palestinian Affairs Hamy Amr, to stay behind and continue to work on defusing tensions. Though Blinken said the effort would build on ideas he and officials had come up with on the trip, the move might also reflect a lack of progress.

Blinken traveled into the West Bank in a convoy of armored vans and SUVs, driving on a well-maintained highway with walls on either side that tracks north from Jerusalem. Palestinians are not allowed to use the highway without special permission, even though it cuts through their land. Some exits are marked with red signs from the Israeli government that say, in three languages, "The entrance of Israeli citizens is forbidden."

Earlier Tuesday, Blinken met with the new Israeli defense minister, Yoav Gallant, in Jerusalem. Before Blinken arrived, a journalist asked Gallant how the security situation was going in the West Bank. He said Israeli forces were "doing what is necessary against terror."

After a Palestinian gunman shot and killed seven Jews on Friday at a synagogue near Jerusalem, the Israeli military has continued a campaign of raids and arrests in parts of the West Bank and Jerusalem. The synagogue shooting came 24 hours after a deadly attack by Israeli forces on the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank. Ten people were killed  most of whom Israel identified as Palestinian militants, but at least one a civilian woman in her 60s.

Blinken has not condemned the Jenin raid but on Tuesday lamented the deaths of "innocent civilians" and said both sides should refrain from unilateral actions.

It is unclear, however, what control the aging Abbas and the fractious Palestinian Authority have over events in the West Bank. Abbas is regarded by many Palestinians as an unpopular leader who has overstayed his time in office and become ineffective. He has held on to office more than a decade past his term and refused to hold elections. Meanwhile, he has clamped down on critical media, dissidents and opponents. Other militant groups not loyal to the Palestinian Authority have sprung up in the West Bank and are more willing to use force to press their cause.

Asked if he had confidence in Abbas to fight terrorism and effectively promote Palestinian statehood, Blinken said in a news conference at the end of his trip that he would focus on what the Palestinian Authority does rather than on the actions of individual leaders.

"We're focused on what the Palestinian Authority is doing both to work to improve the lives of the Palestinian people, as well as to engage responsibly with Israel on, first and foremost, defusing the current situation, the current cycle of violence; reducing tensions, not escalating them; calming things down, not ramping things up," Blinken said.

During his appearance with Abbas, Blinken urged the Palestinian Authority to strengthen its institutions and governance practices.

Riman Barakat, a Palestinian resident of East Jerusalem, does not have to deal directly with the Palestinian Authority. But she knows how dispirited its citizens have been left by officials' repression and incompetence. But Barakat, who runs the Palestinian program at a multiethnic cultural center on the line that divides Israel and the West Bank in Jerusalem, puts more blame on the Biden administration's nearly unconditional support for Israel.

"A lot of people have lost hope from different officials coming and going," she said. "With every new administration, the president has to come here, but nothing ever comes of it. There are no results. We will believe it when we see it."

Barakat said President Trump's decision to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and close the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem that catered to Palestinians was an enormous blow, because it ignored Palestinian claims to parts of Jerusalem.

"It was very violating," she said.

But worse, she said, is the Biden administration's unfulfilled promise to reopen the consulate.

"The bar for hope now is very low," she said.

2023 Los Angeles Times.

Visit at latimes.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan said he will conduct unannounced visits to military bases for inspections.

He made the first such visit on February 1.

The purpose of the visits is to review the course of service, the state of discipline and morale of troops, the conditions of the facilities, the furnishing of the frontline and course of ongoing construction works, Papikyan said on social media.

During the visits I will speak directly to troops to hear their concerns and issues. Those responsible will be held to account in strongest terms in case of reckless attitude towards service, non-statutory relationships, insufficient level of discipline and other flaws. Incidents happening as a result of improper attitude towards service, negligence and indiscipline must be completely ruled out. 2023 must be a year of correcting the mistakes, painstaking work and straightening the backbone of the army, Papikyan said.
In a 2,600-year-old embalming workshop, scientists have discovered the ingredients for making a mummy: the tars, fats, tree resins and oils ancient Egyptians used to preserve bodies and prepare them for the afterlife.

The findings, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, suggest that the substances used to make Egyptian mummies  at least at this workshop  were the product of a remarkably global supply chain, relying on trade with the Mediterranean, the rest of Africa and perhaps even Asia to source specific ingredients with antifungal and antibacterial properties.

This is really the fascinating part of it, said Mahmoud M. Bahgat, a biochemist at the National Research Center in Cairo and a member of the research team. If Egyptians went that far to get these particular natural products, from these particular countries and not other countries in between, it means they meant it, it was not just done as a trial and error. ... They knew about microbiology.

A handful of embalming manuals  along with chemical studies of select mummies  have long been the main windows into the mysterious and elaborate 70-day process of drying and preserving bodies. Then, in 2016, archaeologists unearthed an underground embalming workshop located a stones throw from the famous pyramids of Saqqara, the necropolis for the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis.

The site holds more than 100 vessels, including clay beakers and red bowls, some bearing labels explaining how the contents should be used in the mummification process: to put on his head or to make his odor pleasant or to protect the liver.

With these inscribed vessels, scientists could do chemical analyses of the residues inside to try to reconstruct their original contents. The result is a highly specific window into the mummy-making process.

What I love about archaeology is we have all these texts referring to mummification, but this one archaeological discovery gives us these huge insights you dont get from text, said Stuart Tyson Smith, an Egyptologist at the University of California at Santa Barbara who was not involved in the work. The physicality of it, these materials connected with it, gives us a real rich sense of this process of preserving the body.

The study provides a wealth of intriguing information about how ancient Egyptians were sourcing their embalming materials.

Natural bitumen, a tar-like substance, is thought to have come from the Dead Sea. Byproducts of juniper and cypress trees and resin from a flowering plant genus called Pistacia were likely sourced from the Mediterranean region. They also used resin from elemi, a tree that grows in rainforests in Africa and Asia.

Most intriguingly, the scientists found dammar resin, which comes from a family of trees that grows in forests in India and Southeast Asia.

The industry of embalming was momentum driving forwards early globalization, because it meant you really needed to transport these resins across large distances  from southeast Asia to Egypt, said study co-author Philipp W. Stockhammer, an archaeologist at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich. Stockhammer believes that this occurred through a trade network that traced from what is now southern India and through the northern gulf region to Egypt.

But Smith said he was not fully convinced of the dammar result, which was found on only one sample and is the only ingredient that required a trade route to Asia. After thousands of years the residues are old and degraded, so chemical analysis can give hints about what used to be inside the vessels, but not firm readouts. That leaves room for scientific debate about whether a residue is the chemical fingerprint of a particular plant.

Smith noted, for example, that some of the chemical analyses could have been interpreted as evidence that Egyptians were importing plants found in the present-day Americas. We know there was no cross-trade between old world and new world, so they rejected those as a hypothesis, Smith said.

The new study challenges other long-standing assumptions about ancient Egypt. In texts, antiu was long thought to be a word that meant myrrh. But five vessels labeled antiu at Saqqara actually contained a mixture of animal fat and oil or tar from cedar, juniper and cypress trees. Likewise, sefet is thought to refer to a sacred oil, but three vessels with that label contained animal fats combined with plant additives, suggesting it could be a scented unguent instead.

Sofie Schidt, an Egyptologist at the University of Tubingen in Germany, has studied an embalming manual from an earlier period dated to about 1450 B.C. She said that the finds will raise questions about how much the discoveries at Saqqara are specific to the site at one moment in time.

The composition of antiu, she said, is really nothing that is anywhere close to what we would expect. The question is, why do we find this discrepancy?

One option, she said, is that years of studies of the texts are simply wrong. But its also possible there is something unique about the vessels at this site, or that the ingredients used  or the word itself  evolved over time.

This new study is really important because it gives us some new very kind of tangible evidence, Schidt said. But it doesnt really match what we would expect to find, so what does it mean?
Ann McLaughlin Korologos, a labor secretary during the Reagan administration whose career in politics and public affairs included heading a counterterrorism panel that warned of security gaps in U.S. air travel over a decade before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, died Jan. 30 at a hospital in Salt Lake City. She was 81.

Her husband, Tom Korologos, a former U.S. ambassador to Belgium, said the cause was complications from meningitis.

Outside of politics, Korologos was an influential figure in business. She was often hailed as a glass-ceiling breaker for women as a member of corporate boards, including Microsofts, and of the Federal City Council that promotes development in Washington.

Her earlier marriage, to John McLaughlin, a former Jesuit priest who became a conservative stalwart and bombastic talk-show host, offered her added spotlight as half of a Washington celebrity couple.

When President Ronald Reagan nominated Korologos for the position of labor secretary in 1987, he worked in a joke about the slash-and-burn personality of her spouse: If shes handled John McLaughlin this long, she can handle anybody.

As labor secretary during the final year of the Reagan administration, Korologos (whose name at the time was Ann Dore McLaughlin) faced criticism from some fellow Republicans for her strong support for affirmative-action policies. But she remained within the GOP fold on most key issues such as opposition to federal mandates on parental leave and other labor regulations.

In one of her final acts in the Cabinet post, she issued a report that presciently outlined some of the critical issues ahead on immigration and a globalized economy.

The document focused on the needs to address labor market shortages through immigration and opportunities for minorities. The report also appealed for more government attention on training workers in jobs such as high-tech manufacturing to compete with rising Asian economies and other rivals.

But were on the slippery slope in the wrong direction, she told The Washington Post at the time.

In September 1989, she was appointed by President George H.W. Bush to head a special panel on aviation security, prompted by the 1988 bomb blast on Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, that claimed 270 lives.

The findings, presented to Bush in 1990, gave a worrisome picture of apparent shortfalls in security protocols by the Federal Aviation Administration and lack of coordination with intelligence agencies and other counterterrorism groups.

The seven-member commission placed much of the blame for the Lockerbie tragedy on what it termed a seriously flawed aviation security system that began with weak controls by Pan Am security in Frankfurt and London and was aggravated by a failure of the FAA to enforce its own safety rules.

Terrorists were able to place a bomb on Pan Am Flight 103 not because some one thing failed, the 182-page report said, but because the aviation security system failed.

Among the most stunning part of the report was its recommendations calling for greater emphasis on planning and training for preemptive or retaliatory miliary strikes against known terrorist enclaves in nations that harbor them.

The report provided the foundations for the Aviation Security Improvement Act of 1990, which gave the FAA more tools for threat assessments and mandated bomb-detection screening for baggage.

Two months after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, lawmakers in the House debated sweeping new security steps for air travel. Rep. James Oberstar (Minn.), the ranking Democrat of the House Transportation Committee, looked back on Korologoss committee for its far-reaching views on security measures.

It just has not been vigorously enforced, he said with deep understatement.

Ann Marie Lauenstein was born on Nov. 16, 1941, in Newark, as her father began work as a representative for a munitions-manufacturing company during World War II.

She graduated in 1963 from Marymount College in Tarrytown, N.Y., and she found her first job in the public-relations offices at ABC-TV.

An early marriage to William Dore, a stockbroker, ended in divorce. In 1968, she was the director of alumnae relations at her alma mater when she met McLaughlin, then a Jesuit priest giving a speech at the school. Two years later, he persuaded her to run his Republican campaign for a Senate seat in Rhode Island.

McLaughlin lost, but they both headed into Nixons orbit. McLaughlin was a speechwriter, and Korologos directed the press office for the reelection campaign.

With Nixons victory, she was rewarded with posts that included director of public affairs at the Environmental Protection Agency from 1973 to 1974. Korologos became a relentless defender of Nixon even as Watergate began to pull apart his presidency. McLaughlin, too, was such a staunch loyalist; he became known as the Watergate priest.

They also were at personal crossroads. I really had to face up to the fact that I loved Ann, he later said. McLaughlin left the priesthood, and they married in 1975.

After Nixons resignation in 1974, Korologos joined the chemical corporation Union Carbide as No. 2 in the corporate communications office. Reagans election in 1980 brought her back into politics, serving in roles including undersecretary of the interior before becoming labor secretary  confirmed by the Senate on a 94-0 vote in December 1987.

In 1996, she became chairman at the Aspen Institute think tank and served on boards including Nordstrom, the Rand Corporation and the Federal National Mortgage Association.

She also was drawn at times into defending McLaughlin, whose browbeating style on the PBS show The McLaughlin Group made him an easy target for critics and turned him into a front-line fighter in the political culture wars. Korologos stood by McLaughlin after a female office manager filed a sexual harassment suit against him. The case was settled out of court in 1989.

Im raising John McLaughlin, Korologos said in 1988 in response to a question about possible regrets about never having children of her own.

They divorced in 1992, and McLaughlin died in 2016. Survivors include her husband of more than 22 years; three stepchildren, Ann Bazzarone, Philip Korologos and actress Paula Cale Lisbe; eight grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

In 2007, Korologos purchased an art gallery in Basalt, Colo., that features contemporary Western art and artists influenced by the American West.

In the late 1980s as labor secretary, Korologos made a prediction about the decades to come that came true: More women and minorities, she said, would be getting university degrees and overtake White men in the college-educated workforce. A Pew Research Center analysis of government data in September found that women accounted for 50.7 percent of the college-educated labor force in the United States.

When a statistic gets to be 50 percent, its no longer a statistic, she once said. Its a way of life.
WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden on Tuesday directed the Pentagon to begin reviewing military pay and benefits to make certain service members are being paid fairly and can afford basic needs such as food and housing.

The study  known as the Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation  is conducted every four years to examine whether military pay and other benefits are suitable. Its goal is to make certain service members are being paid comparatively to what they would see in the civilian market and can afford necessities. The review is Bidens first as president.

Our great nation has the finest fighting force in the world and it remains our sacred obligation to take care of our men and women in uniform, Biden wrote in a memo ordering the review. Our service members deserve a 21st century military compensation system that recognizes and rewards their contributions, reflects the values of our nation, and incentivizes the next generation of men and women to serve.

The president outlined five areas of focus for the review:

 Compensation and benefits, including special pay, to ensure the Pentagon is appropriately paying service members, while also being responsible with taxpayer money.

 The basic pay table to ensure it strengthens economic security for troops, improving the Pentagons ability to recruit and retain service members.

 Compensation as it relates to future requirements in technology and other defense-critical fields.

 Formulas that are used to calculate the costs of housing, food and other necessities and cost-of-living allowances  including the militarys new Basic Needs Allowance  to make certain troops are food secure and able to afford suitable housing.

 Evaluate the militarys benchmark for compensation to learn how a shift toward dual-income households and other income factors might warrant foundational changes, including military spouse unemployment, frequent moves and the cost of child care.

The Basic Needs Allowance is a supplemental payment given to active-duty troops who have dependents and a gross income below 130% of federal poverty guidelines. The allowance was authorized last year by Congress and the first payments started going out this month. Troops can inquire about eligibility, but officials said each of the military services will proactively screen and notify troops who qualify for the supplemental income.

The order for the new pay and benefits review comes just weeks after the Pentagon announced the largest year-to-year increases in food and housing allowances in decades. The department said food allowances would increase 11% for 2023 and housing payments by an average of 12%.

The study will be the first since research in the past couple of years has found military families to be experiencing hunger disproportionately compared to nonmilitary families  something the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, views as a national security concern.

A 2019 survey by the U.S. Army Public Health Center and U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, for example, found 33% of 5,600 respondents at one military installation were marginally food insecure. For comparison, the Agriculture Department found among all U.S. households it is 18%.

In 2020, a Blue Star Families survey found 14% of about 4,500 enlisted active-duty family respondents reported low or very low food security, compared to 10.5% of all U.S. households, according to USDA data. Further, the Rand Corp. reported this month that roughly 25% of active-duty service members lack sufficient access to food, adding personnel and people who live on-base are especially at risk.

The higher rate of food insecurity among military personnel is surprising and needs to be better understood, according to the report by Rand, a California-based think tank.

In late 2021, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin voiced concern about hunger in military homes when he announced several moves to help troops and families who said they were fiscally compromised by the coronavirus pandemic. Hes also temporarily raised the housing allowance in more expensive areas and extended reimbursements for relocation expenses to areas with housing shortages.

I know that this is on the minds of our military communities, and it's certainly top of mind for me, Austin told reporters at the time. When it comes to making sure our people have enough to eat, we have created a new toolkit that will help leaders identify service members who are struggling and connect service members and their families to resources and support programs.

Those who have served our country shouldnt struggle to put food on the table or keep a roof over their head, Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said in a tweet earlier this month. I will keep fighting to expand the Basic Needs Allowance so our service members can make ends meet.

In calling for the review, Biden underscored military pay and benefits have a significant effect on recruiting. Each of the services have voiced concerns with recruiting difficulties in recent years  partly because fewer than 25% of young Americans between the ages of 17 and 24 qualify physically and academically to serve in the armed forces, according to Pentagon data. Previous compensation reviews have led to significant changes in military pay and benefits, such as raising hazard pay and using different criteria to calculate the housing allowance.

Biden ordered the review to begin immediately and be finished by January 2025.
WASHINGTON  President Biden's brusque refusal to fulfill Ukraine's request for F-16 jets has been greeted with skepticism at the Pentagon, where some officials, citing the administration's pattern of reversal after first rejecting other pleas from Kyiv, foresee eventual approval or a scenario where American allies provide the aircraft with administration approval.

The conjecture among U.S. defense officials follows the commander in chief's one-word response on Monday when a reporter asked outside the White House if he would send F-16s to Ukraine. "No," Biden replied.

One senior defense official, who, like some others interviewed for this report, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said that while the Pentagon's calculus was unlikely to shift soon, there remains a possibility that the discussion could be "M1-ed," a reference to Biden's recent commitment of M1 Abrams tanks after administration officials suggested for months that the sophisticated arms would be too complex for Ukraine to maintain.

Another senior defense official acknowledged that there is growing frustration in the Pentagon among those who want to do more to help Ukraine but find their views stymied by others who favor a more cautious approach. This official said that while Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and some of his senior staff were reluctant to approve the Abrams tanks and, weeks before that, the advanced Patriot missile system, Biden eventually did so.

A Pentagon spokesman, Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, said that the United States and its allies have provided near-term support to "sustain and bolster Ukraine's existing air capability" and that they are consulting with Ukraine on its long-term needs. The Pentagon said in April that some allies had agreed to provide spare parts for planes that Ukraine already had.

"The war remains fluid and dynamic, so the nature of our support will continue to adapt and evolve as necessary to give Ukraine the training, equipment and capabilities they require to be effective on the battlefield," Ryder said.

The Ukrainian request for additional fighter jets dates to the war's opening weeks, nearly one year ago. The country's air force then had a few dozen Soviet-designed MiG-29 fighters, bolstered by smaller numbers of Su-24, Su-25 and Su-27 jets. Ukrainian pilots have flown them sparingly while facing a complex array of Russian surface-to-air missiles, and some have been shot down.

An assessment of the air war over Ukraine by the Royal United Services Institute in London found that Russian pilots have remained "highly effective and lethal" against their Ukrainian counterparts, thanks to long-range missiles on their aircraft and superior technology overall. Ukrainian air defenses, infused with newer systems from the West, also have improved, prompting the Russian air force to keep its distance from the battlefield, the assessment found. It suggested that even a small number of Western fighter jets could have a significant deterrent effect, even while facing Russian air defenses.

In late January, Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, told a gathering of U.S. and European defense leaders in Germany that they must act quickly to supply his government with tanks, long-range missiles, air defense systems and F-16s. Days later, agreements were reached to send the tanks. Other requests, for now, remain elusive.

The Ukrainians want the F-16, in part, because there are more than two dozen nations that fly them, creating a large pool of potential donors, said David Deptula, a retired Air Force lieutenant general. Given the limited number of aircraft and spare parts available with the MiG-29, he said, Ukraine will need to adopt a Western aircraft at some point.

"What Ukraine needs is a game changer, and that's air power," said Deptula, the dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Power Studies. "We have to stop asking what will happen if we provide air power, and start asking what will happen if we don't."

If the Biden administration had begun training experienced Ukrainian pilots how to fly the F-16 last year, they would be using it in combat already, Deptula assessed. He estimated that a fighter pilot with training on other aircraft could learn how to operate the platform within a few months.

Another retired Air Force general, Herbert "Hawk" Carlisle, said he also favors sending F-16s to Ukraine and beginning pilot training, albeit starting with a small number of experienced pilots and assessing their performance before expanding the program.

Carlisle, who chairs the board of directors at the Stimson Center think tank, said Ukraine would also face challenges in maintaining the planes. But "it's not insurmountable." To ease such a burden up front, he said, he would recommend sending planes that have recently undergone significant maintenance.

Other analysts are wary of the Biden administration continuing to increase its involvement in the war. Daniel Davis, a retired Army officer and senior fellow with Defense Priorities, said that it is unreasonable to expect that Ukrainian pilots can master the F-16 in just a few months and that the continued threat of Russian air defenses makes it unlikely that the jets are a game changer.

"Even American F-16 pilots would struggle against Russian air defense," he said. "There's no reason to think that they're going to be impervious to that."

Davis said he does not believe the provision of F-16s alone would prompt Russia to escalate its war, but if Ukraine threatens to take back the Crimean Peninsula that Russia annexed illegally in 2014, Moscow could take drastic measures.

"This is a different set of rules, and if you don't realize that you're dealing with a nuclear power, you are putting us in danger," Davis said. "It's reckless to the highest degree."
Tighter restrictions applied by the Biden administration against migrants from Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua and Haiti along the southern border last month led to a precipitous drop in the number of people from those countries crossing into the United States illegally, according to three administration officials and preliminary data.

Illegal crossings by migrants from the four countries were down more than 95%, preliminary figures obtained by The Washington Post show.

Overall, the number of migrants stopped along the Mexico border last month fell to about 150,000, down from the record-high 251,487 tallied in December, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data and officials who were not authorized to discuss enforcement figures not yet finalized.

On Jan. 5, Biden officials announced moves to quickly expel 30,000 migrants per month from those four nations back across the border to Mexico, expanding their use of the Title 42 public health policy enforced since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Biden administration offset the enforcement push by a major expansion of programs known as parole allowing migrants from the four nations to enter the United States legally if they have a U.S. sponsor and complete an online application.

Biden officials are offering up to 30,000 migrants per month a two-year permit to live and work in the United States under the terms of the program, and say such legal pathways are successfully steering migrants toward a safer and more orderly option than the one offered by predacious smugglers.

About 6,000 Cubans, Haitians and Nicaraguans have been allowed into the United States through the new parole program since Jan. 5, according to the latest figures. A similar program offered to Venezuelans has resulted in more than 15,000 entering the country since it was launched in October, data show.

Department of Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas promoted the administrations carrot-and-stick approach in a speech Monday in Miami. This is the model that this administration is committed to implementing to build safe and lawful pathways for individuals who are seeking humanitarian relief in the United States, he said.

Mayorkass remarks came after a group of 20 states led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) filed suit in U.S. District Court on Jan. 24 saying Bidens expanded use of parole authority is unlawful. The plaintiffs say parole authority is meant to be used sparingly on a case-by-case basis, and not as a way to an alternative visa system.

This unlawful amnesty program, which will invite hundreds of thousands of aliens into the U.S. every year, will only make this immigration crisis drastically worse, Paxton said in a statement.

Biden officials say the enforcement component of the Jan. 5 deal with Mexico was contingent on a U.S. commitment to accept more migrants from the four nations through legal channels. If the Republicans lawsuit successfully blocks the parole expansion, administration officials say, it would imperil the tighter border controls and potentially unleash another migration surge.

It is incomprehensible to me why this lawsuit was filed when in fact it addresses the challenge that we have been encountering at our southern border, Mayorkas said in his speech. Why these states would oppose an enforcement program that is proving successful is beyond my comprehension.

The threat of expulsion to Mexico appears to have produced a dramatic swing since December, when thousands of Venezuelans, Cubans and Nicaraguans were crossing per day into El Paso, maxing out shelter space and leaving families sleeping on the streets in the bitter cold.

U.S. border agents encountered as many as 3,500 illegal entries per day by migrants from those countries prior to the Christmas holidays. That number has fallen into double-digits recently, with U.S. agents arresting fewer than 50 migrants daily from those countries several times during the past week, officials said.

January has historically been a slower month for illegal crossings, as some migrants forestall their journeys until after the holidays and professional smugglers take time off. January was the least-busy month of 2022, during a year when CBP officials made nearly 2.4 million arrests, eclipsing the previous high of 1.7 million set during Bidens first year in office.

The record migration surge from Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba during the past 18 months has presented Homeland Security officials with significant logistical challenges. All three nations are under U.S. economic sanctions, and strained diplomatic relations with their governments severely limiting DHS authorities ability to carry out deportation flights.

Mexican authorities have invited migrants who are expelled from the United States to seek humanitarian protection in Mexico, but they also have more latitude to make deportations to Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba.

One Cuban asylum-seeker who arrived in the U.S. through Mexico and was sent back across the border last month told the Univision network that Mexican authorities promptly placed him on a deportation flight to Havana.

Moises Izquierdo, 44, told the network his advice to other would-be border-crossers trying to reach the United States was dont even try it.

Dont put yourself in the hands of a coyote, he told the network, using the term for a smuggler, in a statement that echoed the Biden administrations public messaging campaigns.

U.S. officials continue to face numerous other challenges at the southern border. Mexican nationals once more rank at the top of illegal border crossers, with many seeking to evade capture and returning repeatedly if they are expelled under Title 42. CBP is detaining record numbers of migrants from Colombia, Ecuador and other nations whose citizens are generally not accepted by Mexican authorities under the public health policy.

In recent years migration levels have typically rebounded during the spring months when seasonal hiring picks up on U.S. farms and in other industries.

The White House announced Monday it plans to allow the public health emergency declaration to lapse in May, eliminating the legal basis for the Title 42 expulsion policy that the administration is relying on as its primary enforcement tool along the Mexico border.
American troops may be better-protected in the field from the ravages of mosquitoes thanks to some Gator aid.

Scientists at the University of Florida developed a device for the military that can ward off the insects for an entire month.

The device is a plastic tube about an inch long that slowly releases transfluthrin, a bug repellent that the Florida research team said is safe.

It doesnt stop with mosquitoes, researcher Nagarajan Rajagopal said in a university statement last week. We want to show that it will work with other insects, especially ticks, which pose a threat by causing Lyme disease.

The research was funded by a grant from the Pentagons Deployed Warfighter Protection program.

The military spends millions of dollars to protect troops from mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue virus, Zika and the West Nile virus.

New and improved solutions are needed because the list of safe and cost-effective bug killers is shrinking, a government website on the Deployed Warfighter Protection program said.

The Florida research team wanted a device that doesnt spray pesticide across an open area because dispersal poses a contamination risk to surrounding plants or bodies of water.

Over four weeks in 2021, they placed 70 tubes attached to fishing line at the opening of a large military tent, said a paper published in the January issue of Current Research in Parasitology and Vector-Borne Diseases.

They then released mosquitoes around the tent and measured how many entered.

The transfluthrin is a heavier-than-air molecule that was slowly dispensed from the devices to permeate the tent, the studys authors said.

It created a protected space where mosquito numbers were greatly reduced and minimized or eliminated, the scientists wrote, adding that the few mosquitoes that made it into the tent were unable to fly and thus were easily captured.

Future research will investigate whether the product would protect a space from mosquitoes for up to three months, Rajagopal said in the University of Florida statement.

U.S. Department of Agriculture scientists involved in the study believe the work can help military personnel and civilians alike.

The device has potential for other applications, including for hiking and fishing, Daniel Kline, a research entomologist for the agency, said in the statement.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Tribune News Service)  U.S. Sen. JD Vance said Wednesday that hes going to continue pressing the Biden administration over American military support for Ukraine after a right-wing media personality asked him to push the White House for a formal war powers vote as a form of congressional oversight.

Vance, a Republican who took office last month, talked about Ukraine during a Wednesday podcast interview with former Trump White House adviser Steve Bannon.

Is it time for the Senate, or a couple of people, to stand up and force Biden to come with a War Powers Resolution? And lay out the plan, lay out the objectives, lay out the strategy, what were prepared to do. And then lets vote, Bannon said.

Yeah, I think its exactly time to do that, Vance responded. And thats something I plan to work on over the next few months. If Ukraine is as important as the Biden Administration, and way too many Republicans say it is, then why isnt Europe stepping up and doing its job? Why are we footing the majority of this bill even today?

Bannon recently began pushing for the Biden administration to seek a War Power resolution, the formal process of consulting Congress while preparing for or declaring war. Bannon, a strident Ukraine critic who occasionally has praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, told Vance on Wednesday such a move would force the White House to be more specific with its plans.

Congress members across the political spectrum have pushed for votes on War Power resolutions to end U.S. military support in the ongoing civil war in Yemen, as recently as late December.

The conversation with Bannon shows Vance, when it comes to Ukraine, is continuing the same tack he took as a U.S. Senate candidate last year. As a candidate and now in his early days as a U.S. Senator, Vance has portrayed Ukraine as an expensive distraction from other domestic and foreign policy issues that also could result in a dangerous military escalation in Europe.

It was on Bannons show in February 2022 that Vance said he didnt care what happened in Ukraine. The sound bite ended up causing problems for him in the campaign after Russia invaded Ukraine shortly afterward and the rest of the Republican candidate field backed U.S. support for Ukraine. Vance still won the primary in May with the help of a key endorsement from ex-President Donald Trump.

Besides his comments to Bannon, Vance also has pushed for the Biden Administration to provide a detailed accounting of where the more than $27 billion in U.S. aid to Ukraine has gone. Its a major change in posture compared to Vances Republican predecessor, ex-Sen. Rob Portman, who was co-chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus and visited Ukraine as one of his final official acts in Congress.

In the Wednesday interview, Vance acknowledged his position on Ukraine may not be popular in all corners of Ohio.

A lot of people have a lot of sympathy for the Ukrainians, that the country should not have been invaded, Vance said. A lot of people in Ohio feel that very personally. Weve got a big Ukrainian population in Ohio. But I think even people who are sympathetic with the plight of the Ukrainians like I am, they dont think that this is Americas main concern.

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YEREVAN, 1 FEBUARY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 1 February, USD exchange rate up by 0.07 drams to 395.74 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 2.69 drams to 430.96 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.04 drams to 5.65 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 0.44 drams to 487.59 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 1.78 drams to 24478.42 drams. Silver price down by 8.09 drams to 292.57 drams. Platinum price stood at 16414.1 drams.
PHOENIX  U.S. Army veteran Richard Lucero held back tears under his dark-tinted sunglasses as he stood in Grant Park and watched Rep. Ruben Gallego (D), a fellow Latino veteran, kick off his U.S. Senate campaign as a crowd of several hundred supporters cheered him on.

To see someone like us? Oh my God, Lucero, 76, said, pausing as he choked up. It means a lot. It really means a lot.

Lucero is already sold on Gallego as the best candidate for the U.S. Senate seat that is up for election in 2024, but hes hoping that voters outside of the congressmans majority-Hispanic congressional district will support him, too. Hes going to fight for Arizona. But we have to do our part to get him there.

Though the election is 21 months away, Gallego is looking to build on the strong Latino support he has received in his Phoenix-area district  and he is not taking that support as a given. Arizona is home to about 1.2 million eligible Latino voters, who represent about one-fourth of the electorate, but hundreds of thousands are either not registered to vote or theyre on the rolls but dont vote, according to voter records and census data. Gallego wants to target Latino voters who typically dont participate and are disillusioned and distrustful of politicians.

They are right. We have let them down, Gallego said in an interview this past weekend. If youre a working-class Latino in this state and youre making maybe 20 bucks an hour, or your husband or partner makes 20 bucks an hour, and you have two kids, youre barely making it. And then politicians run every year and say, Im going to change it, and it doesnt change.

Gallegos run comes amid dissatisfaction among Democrats with incumbent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who last month announced she was leaving the Democratic Party and registering as an independent. The freshman senator has angered many of her constituents by withholding support for some Democratic proposals, including a provision in a coronavirus-relief package for $15 minimum wage and ending the filibuster to pass federal voting-rights legislation.

Sinema has not announced whether she will run for reelection, though many political insiders in Arizona expect she will, opening the door for a three-way general election race in the battleground state.

Interviews with more than a dozen Latino voters in the state illustrated deep frustrations with Washington. They said politicians have failed to respond to their everyday needs, including tackling the rising costs of prescription drugs, rent and groceries. They also expressed disappointment that Democrats seeking their votes make promises, like passing comprehensive immigration reform, that are never fulfilled.

Adriana Eseberre Arellano, 22, and her mother, Manuela Eseberre, 52, who both live in Phoenix, represent two different types of Latino voters that Gallego will need to excite in his campaign. Eseberre Arellano is a big fan of Gallego, but her mother isnt very familiar with him, saying she only knows hes a congressman.

Eseberre Arellano, who works in insurance, said Gallego needs to engage more Latinos in her parents age group, while appealing to younger people, like some of her friends, who feel that voting doesnt matter.

She credits the implementation of S.B. 1070, Arizonas anti-immigrant bill that was signed into law in 2010, as part of what prompted her to plug into politics at an early age. The law, which included a provision allowing police officers to ask for proof of citizenship, was viewed by many as targeting the states Latino population and was later partially struck down in the courts. The law energized a generation of young Latinos to organize at the grass-roots level for more political power and influence in the state.

Mis amigas who have been born here either never had to feel the fear of S.B. 1070 or never had undocumented parents, so they just tend not to care. When I talk to them about politics, they zone out. They dont vote, thats for sure, Eseberre Arellano said. Its hard to get people to care when they feel like it doesnt affect them.

Voters in this state are used to candidates, particularly Republicans, pressing messages calling for stricter border security and crackdowns on illegal immigration. Although candidates from both major parties have broadened their political dialogue in recent years to reach Latinos with messages about the economy, education and public safety, they have struggled to persuade a wide swath to vote.

More than 1.2 million Hispanic or Latino people in Arizona are within the citizen voting-age population, according to the Census Bureaus American Community Survey. About 900,000 registered voters in Arizona are Hispanic, according to data firm L2. And in 2020, about 570,000 Hispanic voters cast ballots in the state, L2 found.

Gallegos strategy to engage thousands of potential voters within Arizonas rapidly growing Latino population, spanning from the U.S.-Mexico border to the states urban areas, could help him compete with Sinema and other political opponents in a state that narrowly flipped key statewide races blue, Democratic leaders and organizers in the state say.

Adrianas mother doesnt keep up with politics much anymore. Rising costs are front of mind for her. Eseberres husband is retired and has to spend a lot on prescription drugs each month. And she is frustrated with how expensive groceries are. Just recently, she saw that a box of 60 eggs was going for $25 at Walmart, more than what many people make in an hour, she said.

The whole country is in this situation, and I honestly dont know if the people in government are focusing on the right issues like health and basic needs, said Eseberre, who works at an industrial laundry service.

Eseberre said she still makes it a point to vote, relying on her daughter for information about the candidates. She considers voting her duty after becoming a citizen in 2019. Our vote counts, and it has an impact, she said. If it didnt count, this state wouldnt be a blue state right now.

Democratic and Republican leaders and strategists alike agree that the growing number of Latino voters in Arizona has helped Democrats secure victories in recent cycles. President Biden won the state in 2020 by just over 11,000 votes, and last fall, Democrat Katie Hobbs was elected governor.

About 45% of Latino voters are registered as Democrats in the state, followed by 40 percent who do not identify with either party and 15% who are Republican, according to figures compiled by NALEO Educational Fund.

Gallegos rally at Grant Park, which is just south of downtown Phoenix, was part of a weekend of crisscrossing the state, with stops in Tucson, Flagstaff and across Indian Country. In Phoenix, Gallego spoke for about 10 minutes, peppering his speech with Spanish to an animated crowd. Como esta mi gente? he said after stepping onstage with J Balvins Mi Gente playing.

In his speech, the five-term congressman shared his story as a first-generation American, the son of a Colombian mother and Mexican father. He was raised by a single mother, didnt have his own bed until he arrived at his dorm at Harvard and went on to serve in the military.

He also took direct aim at Sinema, whom he supported in 2018. The problem with Kyrsten isnt that she left the Democratic Party, he said. The problem is she left and abandoned Arizona.

But he focused his message on his desire to restore hope for Arizonans that are struggling and to help them get ahead.

Whether youre a Democrat or Republican or independent, we all want the same thing. We want a better life for ourselves. We want a better future for our kids. Its just that simple. Everyone wants and deserves the American Dream, said Gallego, who stood in front of an American flag.

After the event, Gallego crossed the street to visit American Legion Post 41, of which he is a member. He said it was the first post he visited shortly after returning from his service in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Iraq War. There, in Arizonas first Hispanic post, he hugged and greeted some of the veterans and their wives, many of whom already knew him. Some had listened to him speak a few minutes earlier, while others were just arriving for the posts sold-out dance that evening.

Inside, Lucero pointed out a photo of Barry Goldwater, noting that the longtime Arizona senator and Republican nominee for president had been a member of Post 41. He added that former senator John McCain (R) also visited several times.

We didnt care if he was a Republican, he was a good person  and thats what Ruben is. Hes a good individual, Lucero said. Im hoping that the other party can see that in him.

Max Fose, an Arizona political consultant and former aide for McCain, said he hasnt seen Arizona Republicans make a concerted effort to engage with Latinos since McCain was on the ticket.

If you look at Democrats campaign tactics, from going door-to-door and their materials, its built in everything. Ads where one side is in English and the other is in Spanish, Fose said. I dont see that right now from [Republicans], definitely not from the party.

The Republican Party of Arizona did not respond to a request for comment.

Chuck Rocha, a senior adviser for Gallegos campaign, noted that a growing number of Latinos are registering with no party preference because they dont really feel like either party is really talking to them, so were going to come to them.

Were saying hes always fought to fully fund our military. Hes fought for his country. He wants security everywhere, and he also wants a $15 minimum wage and thinks we should have a child tax credit, Rocha said. You could do all of those things and not be left or right, but just be an Arizona public servant.

Longtime Latino leaders and organizers in the state said one of the biggest challenges Gallego and any political candidate courting Latinos has to grapple with is why some Latinos who are eligible dont bother to vote.

A lot of it has to do with the legacy that we have inherited, especially Mexicanos, of coming from a country where the vote is sort of bought and manipulated by the parties. Theres this lopsided legacy of the vote not being as honest and as ethically important, said Alfredo Gutierrez, a former Democratic state Senate majority leader who has dedicated much of his career in public service to increasing Latino voter participation.

Gutierrez expressed optimism that young Latinos are politically engaged and going door-to-door to get more people informed and involved. Several of the Latino-led grass-roots organizations, including LUCHA and Chispa Arizona, work year-round. Somos Votantes, an independent Latino-led group that operates in several battleground states, recently hired an Arizona state director in preparation for the 2024 election.

Were there to make sure that someone that feels that Democrats dont care too much about them or doesnt even know that much about Democrats are informed and engaged, said Emmanuelle Neza Leal-Santillan, a spokesperson for Somos Votantes. We want them to know that we matter, you know, that their voices matter, that their pain matters.

Yvonne Wingett Sanchez contributed to this report.
Sullivan, IN (47882)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 76F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some passing clouds. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable.
Marcus McMillan was previously jailed after 10 dogs were discovered in horrendous conditions during a drugs raid

This is the heartless hunter who has avoided jail for dealing cannabis and possessing illegal prescription pills.

Marcus McMillan dodged a spell behind bars last week after admitting having the Class C drug Lyrica and almost 2,300 in criminal cash.

The 27-year-old was caught with the drugs and money at a house on Belair Street in the Woodvale area of west Belfast in July 2020.

He was later charged with possession of a Class B drug with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of a Class B drug, possession of a Class C drug and possession of 2,299.67 in criminal property.

At the citys crown court last week, McMillan was handed a suspended prison sentence by Judge Paul Ramsey KC to allow him to continue to work with the Probation Service.

Judge Ramsey said it would be in his interest to allow him to continue to engage with the service and that an updated report from probation was positive.

McMillan was attending appointments with probation after sentencing in the case had been deferred from last year.

He added that McMillans engagement with probation had been interrupted by a prison sentence for a totally unrelated matter.

McMillan was sentenced to 18 months, suspended for three years, on all the charges to run concurrently, bar the charge of possession of criminal property which was left on the books.

The unrelated matter referred to by Judge Ramsey was, in fact, a raft of animal cruelty offences for which he was jailed for five months last September.

He found himself before Lisburn Magistrates Court after police discovered 10 dogs being held in horrendous conditions at a farm near Royal Hillsborough while raiding the premises on a drugs warrant last April.

One of the terriers was so badly injured it had to have its jaw surgically rebuilt while another had its nose missing.

The raid on the farmyard on the Drumlough Road, between Royal Hillsborough and Anahilt, found a combined total of more than 100 tablets of Pregablin (also known as Lyrica) and Temazepam along with just under 4,400 in cash.

A prosecution lawyer told his sentencing hearing many of the dogs had active infections, with one found with a hole between the inside of its mouth and the outside of its chin which appeared to be a recent wound.

Another had its lip ripped off by force, a second had a staple lodged in its head in a suspected attempt to hold a tissue wound closed and another was missing its nose.

The lawyer added there was no evidence of any of the dogs being given treatment or pain relief, with one of the animals found with injuries that would cause pain with every lick and bite.

She added that all of the dogs had since been re-homed except for two which were stolen from the sanctuary where they were being held.

When asked by District Judge Rosie Watters what caused the horrendous injuries, an animal welfare officer from the local council said they were caused by hunting but couldnt say for certain if they were caused by foxes or badgers.

McMillans barrister said he claims the injuries were sustained by hunting foxes and not badger baiting and said he has since expressed genuine remorse for what happened to the dogs.

In addition to jailing him for five months, Judge Watters also ordered him to pay a total of 6,048 in council costs.
Azerbaijani defense minister Zakir Hasanov will visit Turkey where he will watch, together with his Turkish counterpart, Hulusi Akar, the Winter 2023 military exercises that are taking place in the Turkish province of Kars, news.am informs, citing Azerbaijani media.

February 1, 2023, 16:02 Azerbaijan defense minister to head for Turkey

STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 1, ARTSAKHPRESS: Soldiers from Azerbaijan and 16 other countries are participating in the Winter 2023 military exercises, which began on January 18 and will end on Thursday.
Neil ODowd believed his boss was responsible for the murder of Michaela McAreavey during a psychotic episode

A 35-year-old man who stabbed his former employer 19 times during a psychotic episode in which he believed his boss was responsible for the murder of Michaela McAreavey has been found not guilty of attempted murder by reason of insanity.

The jury returned the verdict to Mr Justice Paul McDermott at the Central Criminal Court today in the trial of Neil ODowd.

Mr ODowd, of Tuscany Park, Baldoyle, was charged with the attempted murder of Paul Smith at The Elphin Pub on the Baldoyle Road in Sutton on January 28, 2021.

He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. He was also charged with assault causing harm and the production of knives during a dispute inside and outside the Elphin Pub on the same date.

His trial heard that Mr Smith, the manager of the pub, was stabbed repeatedly with three different knives, had glasses smashed over his head and was beaten with a mop handle.

The court heard a total of 19 stab wounds were inflicted on Mr Smith and following the incident he suffered a pseudoaneurysm in the artery of his heart which required surgery and a stent.

He told gardai that he had been standing in the middle of the lounge when Neil ODowd entered and began asking him questions like why he [Mr Smith] had gone to Mauritius on honeymoon. A detective garda gave evidence that Mr Smith had not gone to Mauritius on his honeymoon.

Mr Smith told gardai he then went to attend to a customer and as he went to the cash desk he noticed a large knife in Mr ODowds hand.

He said that when he asked Mr ODowd what he was doing, the accused said: You killed that girl in Mauritius before swinging the knife and stabbing him repeatedly.

Another employee attempted to intervene and the knife was knocked from the accuseds hands. Mr ODowd then proceeded to smash glasses over Mr Smiths head, the court heard.

The disturbance moved out to the car park but Mr ODowd stepped back into the pub where he picked up two steak knives.

He returned to the car park with a knife in each hand and proceeded to stab Mr Smith repeatedly.

Mr Smith attempted to protect himself with his hands but Mr ODowd continued to stab him repeatedly until the knives broke.

The court heard that in his statement to gardai, Mr Smith spoke incredibly sensitively about Mr ODowd and had described him as a good aul mate.

Dr Stephen Monks, a consultant forensic psychiatrist, told counsel for the prosecution, Fiona Murphy SC that Mr ODowd was labouring under the belief that the victim was involved in an unsolved murder and cover up.

He said that because of the severe impairment of Mr ODowds judgement, he should be found not guilty of the charge by reason of insanity.

The jury also heard from Dr Paul OConnell, a forensic consultant psychologist based at the Central Mental Hospital, who told Ms Murphy that the symptoms displayed by the accused were those of a mental illness consistent with paranoid schizophrenia.

He said it was his opinion that Mr ODowd was experiencing a psychotic episode at the time and it would be appropriate that a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity be considered by the jury.

Before the jury began their deliberations, Mr Justice McDermott said that in this case what was relied upon by the defence was a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.

He said that the facts in this case were agreed upon by all sides. He said that on January 28, 2021, Mr ODowd attended at the pub and stabbed Mr Smith with a knife that broke.

He then got two other knives and followed Mr Smith outside, where he repeatedly stabbed him until the blades broke, very seriously injuring him.

Mr ODowd went on to beat Mr Smith with a broom handle and had to be restrained by gardai.

Mr Justice McDermott said there was ferocity to the attack and Mr ODowd was only stopped by the intervention of the gardai, who pepper sprayed him. He said that it was a mercy to Mr Smith that none of those wounds entered a more significant organ in his body.

He told the jury to return a special verdict of not guilty by insanity if they were satisfied that Mr ODowd committed the acts but was suffering at the time from a mental disorder meaning he ought not to be held responsible as he did not know the nature and quality of the acts, he did not know what he was doing was wrong, or he was unable to refrain from the acts.

Mr Justice McDermott said that both forensic psychiatrists in the case agreed on the accuseds mental state.

He said that Dr Monks had said that the accuseds behaviour was indicative of an abnormal mental state and he had exhibited clear signs of psychosis.

He said that Dr Monks had given evidence that Mr ODowd did not know what he was doing was wrong, a view shared by Dr OConnell.

He said that both psychiatrists were satisfied that Mr ODowd was entitled to the special verdict.

We dont do trials by experts, but it would be perverse to ignore their opinions, said Mr Justice McDermott.

He said it was a very difficult situation for the victim, Mr Smith, who was very seriously injured, a fact that was not being ignored by the court.

He was the victim of an assault by someone who was very seriously ill at the time, he said.

As a matter of law, I cannot tell juries what to do but I am allowed to give a strong view, and it would be remiss of me if I did not say that the overwhelming evidence is that he was suffering from a mental disorder and did not know what he was doing was wrong, nor was he able to refrain from committing the acts.

The jury deliberated for 28 minutes before returning a unanimous verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.

After the verdict was given and the jury discharged by Mr Justice McDermott, counsel for the prosecution, Marc Thompson BL said that the defence had a short letter from a doctor saying that Mr ODowd has psychotic depression and is on medication, but he does not require inpatient care.

He said it would be best for a report to be prepared assessing if Mr ODowd currently fills the criteria for a mental health disorder before the court considered making a committal order.

Counsel for the defence, Nicola Cox BL said she mirrored the prosecutions remarks. She said Mr ODowd has been on bail with strict conditions to engage with his mental health team and there have been no adverse issues.

She said that it appeared that Mr ODowd is not labouring under a mental disorder at the current time.

Mr Justice McDermott said that the court had to have some evidence that there is an issue in relation to a mental disorder, and he put the matter back to February 15 to hear evidence as to Mr ODowds prognosis and his current regime of treatment.

Mr ODowd was remanded on continuing bail to that date.
Solicitor Caroline Fanning (49) described feeling petrified when security personnel arrived at her cabin after the ship activated its suicide prevention protocol

A woman has told a High Court jury she was falsely detained in the medical room of a cruise ship after making a sarcastic comment that there may be a suicide.

Solicitor Caroline Fanning (49) described feeling petrified when security personnel arrived at her cabin after the ship activated its suicide prevention protocol in the early hours of August 8, 2015.

Ms Fanning, of Foxrock Avenue, Dublin, has brought proceedings against travel agent Trailfinders Ireland Limited, with an office on Dawson Street, Dublin, over events she claims occurred while she and her 13-year-old daughter were on a package holiday on a cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.

Ms Fanning is suing for false imprisonment, assault and battery, defamation and breach of duty and contract. The jury heard that the claim of assault and battery relates to a security guard placing a hand her.

The defendant denies her claims and has lodged a full defence.

Opening the case today, her senior counsel, Barney Quirke, instructed by Conways Solicitors, told the jury Ms Fanning has a history of sea and motion sickness.

During a call with a Trailfinders representative in July 2015 she specifically requested a quiet cabin where there wouldn't be too much motion on board the Oasis of the Seas ship, which has capacity for more than 5,000 passengers.

Caroline Fanning. Photo: Collins Courts   Collins Courts

It was part of her case that she was let down in this respect and that there was a breach of contract, said Mr Quirke.

The court will hear Ms Fanning and her daughter were in their pyjamas when they were paraded past other passengers at about 9am on August 8 after being held in a medical room, he said.

She and her daughter were later disembarked and were given no refund or assistance in getting home, he said. There was no justification for what happened, he added.

In the witness box, Ms Fanning said she felt really sick during the night of August 8 and felt moving to a room less affected by the motion might assist. She called the reception during the night, but the woman who answered was quite hostile and unsympathetic.

The receptionist, Ms Fanning claimed, said the ship was full so she could not be moved during that night. She informed her out of the blue that someone could only be moved in a medical emergency.

Ms Fanning said she believed the woman was being sarcastic so she replied sarcastically: There might be one tomorrow and there may be a suicide.

I did not mean it. It was pure sarcasm, she told the jury, adding that the receptionist said she would have to trigger security protocol.

Ms Fanning said she was petrified when about five or six security guards knocked on her cabin door. They tried to escort her to a medical centre, but she was afraid she would have to leave her daughter alone in the room.

The security guards, she claimed, said they were following protocol, and a short while later a doctor came to examine her.

She and her daughter were shortly afterward brought to a medical room on a lower deck of the ship and a security guard was placed outside, she said, adding that the staff removed cutlery and knives from the room.

She was told the protocol could be lifted if she was cleared by a land-based psychiatrist in the morning, she said.

I felt like the whole situation had gotten totally out of control, she added.

Mr Quirke said the defendant will say only three security guards, including one female, attended Ms Fannings room. They will claim she made a comment about suicide to more than just the receptionist, he said.

He said the defendant will also contend that the events that occurred were reasonable, proportionate and in accordance with policies for the protection of life and safety of passengers.

Ms Fanning will continue giving evidence on Wednesday.
Leaving the school yesterday Mr Burke had nothing to say. He instead organised his father to collect him at the school building

Enoch Burke has now racked up 3,500 in fines after arriving at the Westmeath school he was dismissed from for a sixth day in a row.

Last Thursday he was informed by a judge that he would be fined 700 a day if he continued to disobey a court order to stay away from Wilsons Hospital School in Multyfarnham.

He was given a deadline of 2pm on Friday to obey the order.

Mr Burke has continued to show up at the school since his suspension last August in a row over his refusal to agree to call a trans student by their preferred name and pronouns.

The school then took a court action against him and he spent 108 days in prison for contempt of court when he refused to obey the ruling to stay away from the education facility.

Mr Justice Brian OMoore ordered his release from prison just before Christmas, commenting that Mr Burke was exploiting his imprisonment.

When Mr Burke started turning up at the school again after the Christmas holidays the school applied to have his assets sequestered, but Judge OMoore decided on the imposition of the 700-a-day fine instead.

That means that as of last night Mr Burke had racked up 3,500 in fines.

He was arrested for trespass on Tuesday last week when he turned up at the school following his sacking the week previously following a disciplinary hearing and when he was released from garda questioning he returned to the school again.

A file is being sent to the DPP on the trespass matter, and Mr Burke continues to turn up and spends the day outside the school because he is not allowed entry to the building.

Mr Burke says he has been wrongly dismissed and is being punished for his religious beliefs and his refusal to accept transgenderism.

Leaving the school yesterday Mr Burke had nothing to say. While on previous days he walked to the gate and delivered a statement before getting into the waiting car being driven by his father, he instead organised his father to collect him at the school building and was then driven out the gate.

On Monday as he left the school he had described as scurrilous the accusation by Judge OMoore that he exploited his imprisonment for contempt of court.

He said he was in a 12ft by 6ft cell for 108 days, behind a locked door, with one to two six-minute phone calls a day and one to two visits a week.

How do you exploit a situation like that? But yet the judge could say that and could get away with it. Judge OMoore needs to explain to the public how I was exploiting my imprisonment.

"Basically, if he feels that I was doing something wrong in my imprisonment he should explain that. The truth of the matter is I should never have been in prison, he said.

Yesterday the High Court allowed the school more time to file changes to its original affidavits on the matter of Mr Burkes suspension, including corrections as to who attended meetings at the school and whether the principal was present at them or not.
Self-described pervert Adrian Robinson (48) was confronted by members of a paedophile hunter group

Gardai have seized computer equipment from the home of a 48-year-old man who walked free from court after he confessed to grooming a decoy 11-year-old girl online and sending her images of his penis.

Video now in the possession of the PSNI shows self-described pervert Adrian Robinson being confronted by members of a paedophile hunter group in Northern Ireland on January 19 at Enniskillen bus station.

Robinson, from Avondale Court, Ballina, Co. Mayo, was confronted by members of the group after they were passed transcripts of conversations and images he had sent to a member of a UK group who had been posing online as an 11-year-old girl.

Video seen by the Sunday Worldalso shows how, after making a number of admissions to the group, Robinson was taken into custody by PSNI officers.

Police swooped after the paedophile hunters confronted Adrian Robinson at Enniskillen bus station

Robinson, who told his landlady he was travelling to Northern Ireland to attend a cookery course, appeared before Dungannon Magistrates Court last week where the court heard he had made further admissions while in police custody.

However, Judge Michael Ranaghan refused to allow charges against Robinson to proceed and released him from police custody after describing the case presented to him in court as a muddle.

Robinson was accused of attempting to sexually communicate with a female child for his own gratification on January 19 and attempting to meet her with the intention to commit a sexual offence, after a period of grooming.

A police officer told the court he believed the charges could be connected; however, a defence solicitor challenged this on the basis the offences allegedly occurred outside the jurisdiction in the Republic of Ireland.

The court heard Robinson was arrested following a confrontation with a group of individuals who were involved in encouraging his attendance at a meeting point in Enniskillen bus station having travelled from his Co. Mayo home. This was on the pretext of meeting an adult female.

The paedophile hunter group videoed the confrontation, during which Robinson fully admitted engaging online in an attempt to arrange sexual contact with an 11-year-old child.

Police believe the meeting with the adult female was, part of the grooming aspect.

The defence argued any alleged offending occurred in his clients home through decoys, and no child was involved.

He said: The role of the adult female was to lure my client into Northern Ireland and there is no connection between her and the fake child. Effectively, it was only through being encouraged to travel to Enniskillen that matters entered this (court) jurisdiction.

The paedophile hunter group is based in England and communication allegedly took place for a planned meeting with a child in March.

When District Judge Michael Ranaghan enquired who Robinson believed he was communicating with, the police officer replied: He was interacting with the false profile of an 11-year-old girl set up by the group in England who passed the information to the Northern Ireland branch. The confrontation was live-streamed on Facebook.

The defendant admitted trying to meet a child and being involved in that sort of behaviour.

Admissions were made on camera and again in police custody.

He admitted using Facebook Messenger and the communications were sexual in nature.

There were many references to meeting and staying in a hotel for the purpose of sex.

The officer said some communications to the decoy child contained images in which Robinsons genitals are visible.

Judge Ranaghan asked if police sought pre-charge advice from the PPS, to which the officer replied, Not that Im aware of.

Adrian Robinson

Branding the situation a muddle the judge said: The admissibility of the paedophile hunters footage would be very much in question.

I accept the defendant travelled to Northern Ireland but we dont have the basis on which he did.

I dont know what the connection is between the female and the alleged grooming of a child.

There are admissions at interview but that relates to a meeting in England in March.

After consideration he said: Its a confused picture to say the least. These are very serious charges and its up to police to convince me they can be connected, but I am concerned that I cannot do so.

Travelling to Enniskillen does appear to be a significant event but that was to meet an adult and I dont know where she falls into the picture.

Throwing out the charges, he concluded: The defendant shouldnt believe this is the end of the matter but for now as far as Im concerned, he is free to leave police custody.

Neighbours in Avondale Court in Ballina, an estate in which a large number of families with young children reside, said Robinson hadnt returned to his former address since the group live-streamed the video of the confrontation on Facebook.

He hasnt been back here and he wont come back because he knows hed be battered if he did, one neighbour said.

He was a lodger in the house.

The woman who lives there is in shock over the whole thing.

The gardai arrived the night after the video was posted and took away his computer.

We just hope the guards do a better job on it down here then the authorities did up the North.
An inquest heard that Aideen Gearns immediately rushed to a Cork hospital where her son, Andrew Gearns (29), subsequently died

A mother who called a prison to urge staff to keep a closer eye on her son after he made a disturbing telephone call to her was contacted just over five hours later and told that he had made a suicide attempt in his cell.

An inquest heard that Aideen Gearns immediately rushed to a Cork hospital where her son, Andrew Gearns (29), subsequently died.

The prison authorities indicated he was checked on 13 times on the afternoon of September 28, 2020.

However, at 4.40pm he was found unresponsive in his one-man cell in Cork Prison following a suicide attempt.

Despite desperate medical efforts to stabilise his condition, he died at Cork University Hospital on October 7, 2020.

Gearns, whose family said he was in a dark place, was not in a special observation cell during his time in Cork Prison.

Aideen Gearns told Cork Coroners Court that she received an alarming call from him on the day of his suicide attempt.

She thought she would never get him (Andrew) off the phone so she could tell the prison that he wasnt making any sense during the call.

I dialled the prison straight away. Whatever he was saying he believed it. (The nurse) told me they were aware of it and that they would keep a closer eye (on her son).

The inquest heard that trained service engineer Gearns called his mother when he first entered Cork Prison on September 22, 2020. He seemed perfectly lucid during the first call.

However, Ms Gearns said that on September 28 at around noon he called her and started telling her a confusing tale about having been slashed in the face whilst out for a walk in Blackpool in the city. He also stated that he had gone for tea in Mayfield in the northside of the city.

Ms Gearns said she initially didnt realise he was hallucinating as she had never before dealt with him in this state.

However, Ms Gearns said when she contacted the prison she was reassured by a nurse that he didnt have any injuries and they were aware of his condition. She hung up thinking that a closer eye would be kept on him.

Evan Gearns, Gearns younger brother, told the inquest that the father-of-two was very close to his mother.

The brown-eyed boy had such a good relationship with his mother that when they were younger if the siblings wanted something from her Andrew was elected to ask for it.

Mr Gearns told Coroner Philip Comyn his brothers life had derailed when he became addicted to drugs.

Evan said Andrew had cried the week before he was imprisoned for a minor offence and wanted to turn his life around.

His brother was lost and in a very dark place prior to his imprisonment, his younger sibling recalled.

But we thought he was in the best place and would be safe. He didnt want to be on drugs. He wanted help. We thought he would get the safe and proper medical treatment there.

Meanwhile, during his committal interview when he first entered prison Gearns said that he was without suicidal ideation and had no mental health difficulties.

Nurse Anna Lyons told the inquest that Gearns guaranteed his safety on two occasions during that interview on September 22 and denied any thought of self-harm or hurting himself.

Ms Lyons said he did not seem distressed or agitated and she did not think that he required special observation. She made Covid protocol checks on him on September 25 and 27.

He was physically well but on the second check he told Ms Lyons that he had been slashed and stabbed on an outing. A review with the GP was scheduled for the following day.

Ms Lyons said although he appeared to be hallucinating he was easily reassured. He knew where he was and appeared orientated and was scheduled for a GP visit and a check with a psychiatrist.

Ms Lyons said she had carried out a previous committal interview for Gearns in 2018 where she did place him on special observation because he had experienced suicidal ideation.

In 2018 he had made a suicide attempt a week before entering prison.

Barrister for the family, Elizabeth OConnell SC, asked Ms Lyons why Gearns own assessment of his suicide risk was the main reason why he was not placed in special observation.

Ms Lyons said she made her own clinical assessment in addition to receiving feedback from the prisoner.

Mr Comyn noted that there was glaring inadequacies in prison medical notes with clear differences between what was noted in the nursing notes and in the committal interview.

None of the differences were the fault of the individual nurse but were instead attributed to glitches in the system which are still being fixed.

The inquest also heard evidence from prison officer Paul Cleary who found Gearns unconscious in his cell at 4.50pm on September 28.

He checked on Gearns a number of times that afternoon and said he seemed to be suffering withdrawal symptoms but appeared not to be a threat to himself or others.

Mr Cleary was not aware that Gearns had any history of suicide attempts.

He said that Gearns seemed defensive and afraid. At one point during the day Gearns told him that people at the window were trying to fighten him. He also noted that the prisoner had not touched his dinner and when he asked him why he replied: How could I when my jaw is broken in five places?

Cork Coroners Court also heard a statement from Gearns partner, Amanda OCallaghan, that he was put on Benzodiazepines for pain relief in 2016 following a car crash. He became addicted to the drugs.

She said that when he was put in prison he rang her on September 25 sounding low.

The following day Gearns called Ms OCallaghan and said he had been attacked in Blackpool despite her knowing he was in prison.

The inquest continues.

Helplines: If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, click here for more information
Sixty-year-old Heaney is facing a new charge of breaching a Slavery and Trafficking Prevention Order

A convicted pimp accused of defying a ban on accessing sex websites failed today in a High Court bid to be re-released from custody.

Martin Heaneys application for bail was dismissed after a judge heard authorities are seeking to have him kept behind bars for a further year.

Sixty-year-old Heaney, originally from Maypole Park in Dromore, Co Down, is facing a new charge of breaching a Slavery and Trafficking Prevention Order (STPO).

In July 2022, the former taxi driver received a five-year sentence for a catalogue of offences against vulnerable young women exploited and coerced into controlled prostitution.

Due to time already served on remand he was released on licence at that stage, but made subject to an STPO for seven years. The order included a prohibition on accessing any sites advertising personal sexual services.

Less than a week later, Heaney was arrested again at his hostel accommodation in south Belfast for allegedly flouting that ban. Checks on his mobile phone revealed websites advertising strippers, kissograms and companionship services had been accessed, a previous court heard.

Police claimed he had shown complete disregard for the STPO by visiting sites similar to those used in the past to contact some victims.

At that hearing Heaneys lawyer insisted there was an innocent explanation for any content on his phone, with viewings through YouTube not believed to have breached the order.

His release on licence was revoked last August amid concerns that he may pose a risk to the public.

In court today Sarah Minford, prosecuting, indicated attempts are being made to ensure Heaney remains in prison for another year.

The applicant disagrees with this position and there is an oral (Parole Commissioners) hearing on February 22, she disclosed.

Defence barrister Peter Coiley argued that the licence revocation means Heaney has now served the equivalent of a 12-month sentence on the new charge without accruing any time on remand.

There seems to be an inexplicable delay in this matter being progressed, he said.

Counsel also claimed it was unusual for his client to be facing a potential Crown Court prosecution over a first alleged breach.

But Mr Justice Humphreys suggested Heaneys previous record could provide an explanation.

The litany of offences of exploitation of vulnerable women committed by this man - and he continues to serve a custodial sentence for that - might well fuel the prosecution decision as to how subsequent offending should be treated, the judge said.

Denying bail to Heaney, he held that the licensing regime situation rendered the case academic.

Mr Justice Humphreys added: One could see really, really serious difficulties in convincing this court that this is a suitable candidate for bail.

On the prosecutions case, he breached his STPO within three days of release.

Heaney previously admitted a total of 28 charges spanning a period from June 2011 to September 2019. Those offences included 10 counts of controlling prostitution in expectation of gain, 10 human trafficking charges and seven counts of voyeurism.

The victims had been lured into sex work and made to have unprotected sex with Heaney and other men.

Women were driven to meet customers on both sides of the border - with some incidents involving multiple clients on the same night.

Many of them were recorded engaging in paid sexual activity without their consent and one was instructed to continue working as a sex worker when she was pregnant.
The Dublin woman, in her 40s and a man in his 30s, of no fixed address, are each accused of sexually assaulting the woman

A WOMAN charged with sexual assault of another woman at a Luas stop in Dublin has consented to be held in custody for another two weeks pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The Dublin woman, in her 40s and a man in his 30s, of no fixed address, are each accused of sexually assaulting the woman at the Drimnagh stop in the early hours of January 26.

They did not apply for bail and were remanded in custody by Dublin District Court last week after they made no reply to the charges.

She faced her second hearing today.

Judge Brendan Toale noted from defence solicitor Eoin Lysaght that she consented to be further remanded in custody while gardai sought instructions from the DPP.

Read more Man and woman remanded in custody after being charged with sexual assault at Luas stop

The co-defendant is due to face court again tomorrow.

The pair, who have been granted legal aid, cannot be named to protect the complainant's identity and are yet to indicate how they will plead.

The complainant was brought to a Sexual Assault Treatment Unit in the capital for specialist treatment for her injuries.

The incident led to the closure of the platform at the Drimnagh stop on the Red Line inbound Luas service for several hours as gardai commenced the investigation.
The 39-year-old from Finglas claimed protestors are going to go through Finglas Garda Station at an anti-immigrant protest tonight.

Far right activist Graham Carey has been arrested this morning at his home by armed members of the Special Detective Unit (SDU).

He is currently being held at a south Dublin Garda station where he is being questioned under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.

It is understood that his arrest follows a lengthy investigation by SDU officers.

The 39-year-old, from Finglas, claimed protestors are going to go through Finglas Garda Station at an anti-immigrant protests tonight.

Carey, who previously protested outside Taoiseach Leo Varadkars home, has become a leading voice in the anti-asylum seeker protests which have sprung up across the city.

In the wake of rising tensions over the housing of refugees in the area, Carey has now taken to social media to tell gardai that they will need every f****** copper in the country ahead of protests due to take place in the northside suburb this week.

Carey in his new Twitter rant

Hundreds of people are expected an anti-asylum seeker protest due to be held in Finglas tonight.

Carey is one of Irelands best-known anti-vaxxers and was involved in protests outside the private addresses of politicians.

The Dubliner was making his most recent comments after a group of men entered a makeshift camp of homeless men on the banks of the Tolka in Ashtown, Dublin, and ordered the occupants to leave.

No arrests were made after the incident before 1pm on Saturday.

I will not ask these people again to listen to me, he declares.

I'm gonna say - do what has to be done lads.

"And I'm gonna sit back and fold me f****** arms and watch.

They're gonna go through that station if you don't get the f*** out by your own will, he said.

That's what they're gonna do and, no matter whether I'm there or not, they're going to be there.

"And they have it in their head to protect their own f******* children, to protect their daughters, to protect their mothers from dirty f******* rapists, that's what we're doing.

Now f*** the Garda, f*** the army, f*** the judges f*** the politicians, f*** them all.
Jane Hutch (66) who also known as Jenny, was found dead at Portland Place in the capitals north inner city on Friday, January 27

Feud victim Eddie Hutchs ex-wife, who was found dead in her Dublin home will be laid to rest after her funeral mass on Friday.

Jane Hutch (66) who also known as Jenny, was found dead at Portland Place in the capitals north inner city on Friday, January 27.

It is understood that gardai were called after a male relative became concerned and forced entry to the property.

However, sources say that it is believed that Ms Hutch died from a suspected heart attack and no foul play has been detected.

An update on her death notice on RIP.ie details that she will repose at Jennings Funeral Home on Amiens Street from 4pm to 6pm before funeral mass on Friday at 11.30am at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Sean McDermott Street, Dublin 1.

The service will be followed by burial at Glasnevin Cemetery (St Paul's Graveyard Section) in Dublin.

Jenny was the former wife of The Monks brother Eddie Hutch (59) who was murdered as part of the Hutch/Kinahan feud in his north-inner city home on February 8, 2016, in a revenge attack for the Regency Hotel shooting three days earlier.

Eddies younger brother The Monk is facing judgement at the Special Criminal Court on April 17 on the charge of the gun murder of Kinahan cartel gangster David Byrne in the Regency attack.

Eddie Hutch and his funeral procession

The RIP.ie page states that the death has occurred of Jane (Jenny) Hutch of Portland Place, (formerly of St. Josephs Mansions), Dublin 1, on January 27, suddenly at home.

Predeceased by her dear son Christopher (Bouncer), her parents Lizzy and Jem, brothers Tommy, Francis and Seamus and sisters Mary and Betty, it reads.

Jenny will be deeply missed by her loving sons Edward, Gavin, Alan and Ross, her treasured grandchildren Chris, Megan, Milan and London, sister Martha, brothers Paddy and Bebob, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews, a large extended family, lifelong friends with a special mention to Maureen, and good neighbours.

Rest in peace Jenny, it adds. Forever in our hearts. Always in our thoughts.

Numerous messages of condolence have been left include one that reads: So sorry Roslyn and Oscar on the passing of ur beloved Aunt Jenny may God's blessings be with her in heaven and may she rest in peace.

Another adds: Thinking of all jennys family and friends at this sad time. May she rest in peace.

My deepest sympathy on the death of Jenny, one person has written. The light if heaven to her may she rest in peace. Thinking of all the family at this time.

Another has added: Sorry to Jennys passing so suddenly condolences to her family and her sons who will miss her so much may she rest in eternal peace and look over her family at this difficult time.

sundayworld.com previously reported that Gerry Hutch is not expected to be released from custody for the funeral and will remain in a special security wing of Wheatfield Prison.

Despite this, gardai will organise a relatively discreet policing plan around the funeral in case hitmen from the cartel decide to target the event which is due to happen in the north inner city.

The woman had suffered from a number of underlying health conditions in recent years and had split from her husband Eddie Hutch many years before he was shot dead at his home by cartel hitmen.

A four-man hit team were involved in the Eddie Hutch murder while several other people are believed to have provided logistical support to the murder gang.

There have been no charges in the case despite the arrest of at least nine people.

It is understood that Eddie Hutch and his wife Jane had a turbulent relationship before they eventually split up.

One of their sons was due to go on trial last week in Dublin but this case has now been adjourned because of her death.

He is not being named here for legal reasons.

Her son Eddie Jnr (46) scooped 33,000 in prizes in 2015 on RTEs Winning Streak.

Another of their sons is Alan Hutch (39) who most recently received a sentence in 2019 for burglary and assault causing harm to a man at the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, Hammam buildings, Upper O'Connell Street on March 7 2018.

Gerry Hutch

During the sentence hearing his barrister said Alan Hutch was on protection in custody in a single cell and had formed certain views that the prison authorities were contaminating his food and water.

He handed a psychological report into court outlining his family circumstances. His upbringing was described as challenging, with Hutch witnessing violence inflicted on his mother, brothers and himself by his father.

He said that despite this, Hutch described missing his father and wishing he was around to steady the ship and get him back on the right path.

He said his client did not like to hear the phrase "dead man walking" but said it was something all members of the Hutch family had been faced with and it was something Hutch had to live with.

He outlined that Hutch's father, taxi driver Eddie Hutch, had been killed on the doorstep of his family home. Hutch received the news of his father's murder through a phone call while in custody.

In 2005, at an inquest into the death of her son Christopher Bouncer Hutch, Ms Jenny Hutch refused to accept the cause of death and appealed for his body to be exhumed and tested for poisons.

Bouncer Hutch was a close personal friend of cartel boss Daniel Kinahan at the time of his death.

"I've studied the Discovery Channel and rat poison doesn't show up in tests, she said.
They need to change the terms and conditions. I stopped driving because they introduced the charge. When I took on the job in Liffey Valley there was free parking

Protests at Liffey Valley shopping centre following the introduction of parking fees last year. Pic: Arthur Carron

Staff at Liffey Valley Shopping Centre are continuing to protest over parking fees that have been railroaded in, costing staff up to 600 per year.

A protest on Monday saw staff marching from the Jim Larkin Monument on OConnell Street to Hines head office on Sir John Rogerson's Quay. They are demanding a meeting with the owner, US investment group Hines, to discuss the terms and conditions.

In October, parking charges were introduced for staff and customers. Staff have been told to park in the temporary green car park which has room for 550 cars at a discounted staff rate of 2.50 per day. For full-time staff, this amounts to 600 per year.

Around 2,500 staff work at the shopping centre, and the discounted rate only applies for the green car park, which is also open to the public.

If staff dont get a space in the staff car park, they must park in the customer car park at a cost of 12.50 per day.

Some of these ladies started 25 years ago and are now in their early 60s. They have given their lives to Liffey Valley, said Natalie Reilly, who has worked at the centre for four years.

They need to change the terms and conditions. I stopped driving because they introduced the charge. When I took on the job in Liffey Valley there was free parking.

One of the main reasons I wont drive to work is because of the contract we have to sign. The way it was railroaded in was very unfair.

We are looking for them to sit down and talk to us and change the terms and conditions.

Ms Reilly said the majority of Liffey Valley staff are now parking in the surrounding retail units and walking up to the shopping centre to avoid the parking fees.

There are times that staff have gone in and it [staff carpark] has been full, she said.

The shopping centre has recently undergone a 30m refurbishment to enhance parking and public transport and increase the size of the car park.

However, Ms Reilly said public transport to Liffey Valley is miles away from what it should be.

Im all for sustainable travel and the environment, but the infrastructure is not there at the moment, she said.

Paying 2.50 for anybody that is working full-time, when the infrastructure is not there, its a lot of money. Its an extra 600-a-year.

Some of these people are 24 years working here. Every day people are coming to work thinking if I dont get a space, do I have 12.50 on my bank card? she added.

Frustrated staff said they are willing to pay a set yearly rate similar to The Square Shopping Centre in Tallaght, where staff pay 100 per year to park. However, this has been rejected by management.

There was no consultation with the staff, we were excluded from everything. That car park changed overnight and nobody cared, Ms Reilly said.

The majority of staff would live well over 10km and a lot of them live over 20km, she said.

Ms Reilly said staff are stressed and worried about the situation.

A lot of people are afraid to come out protesting. The way this was railroaded in, there was no respect given to the staff or the customers, she said.

A spokesman for Hines said the introduction of paid parking has been working well, and is in line with national and local authority transport policies and the South Dublin County Development Plan.

We are glad to note there is adequate parking to meet the demand for staff parking in the designated areas.

At all times since October we have been able to cater for all staff parking requirements in this area, said the spokesman.

"Staff working at the centre will not be charged more than the staff rate. It is worth noting that this is almost 40pc less than a daily bus fare.

The new bus plaza will open in the coming weeks which will see buses bring commuters right to the door of the centre to further enhance public transport connectivity.
In some ways, applying for a job in cannabis is like applying for a job in any other industry. In other ways, it's like nothing any job seeker has ever done before.

That's because the industry is brand new in the state and, though it is legal in New York, cannabis is still federally prohibited. That brings a host of complications and pitfalls, and has companies walking a legal tightrope that makes for some important distinctions job seekers should be aware of.

But it hasn't stopped companies for champing at the bit to get their piece of the pot pie, or the experts from predicting lucrative things to come. The cannabis industry could add nearly 51,000 jobs in New York State, earning $2.2 billion a year by 2027, according to cannabis education website Leafly. That includes both plant-touching and ancillary jobs supporting the market.

And because social justice has been such a big part of New York's efforts, those jobs are largely well paying  even entry level positions. Unions have been heavily involved in worker advocacy among cannabis employers, and each company by law must sign a labor peace agreement, saying they will not stand in the way of union organizing. Jobs in the state's medical marijuana industry average $65,000, according to job search site ZipRecruiter.

But starting a career in the industry is not as easy as simply searching "cannabis jobs" on the internet.

The trouble with cannabis

With cannabis still illegal by federal standards, it leaves even state-sanctioned cannabis businesses operating in a legal grey area that other companies don't want to touch. That puts them in danger of losing their insurances, their bank account, even their websites and payment processing systems.

Roughly 70% of cannabis-related businesses operate on a cash-only basis and don't have a relationship with a bank, estimates the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

A business using the term cannabis anywhere in its correspondence, name or online presence puts it at risk. That's why cannabis businesses will not usually use the words cannabis, marijuana, pot or weed in their job postings.

"They have life insurance, health insurance, all kinds of things that could interfere with that," said Tiffany Walters, founder of NYS Cannabis Connect, a resource hub for businesses and consumers.

But if you can't say cannabis, what should you say?

That's where keywords come in.

Keywords are crucial when it comes to searching and applying for jobs online, said Maggie Shea, a partner at staffing agency StaffBuffalo. Her company specializes in translating cannabis terms to the types of keywords those companies use and look for.

"You've got to get those keywords in there," she said.

If you're looking for a job at a grow operation, you'll want to use industry-specific words and phrases such as "hydroponic systems," "greenhouse operations" and "flowering schedules."

For jobs processing cannabis, try "clean room protocols," "potency testing" and "extraction."

Wannabe budtenders and dispensary workers should use terms such as "retail operations," "strain-specific knowledge" and "pipes and rigs."

The website MarijuanaResumes.com has an extensive list of terms that job seekers can use to search job listings or to match to their own skills.

"You're might already be doing all these things, this just makes it more corporate," Shea said.

Lacking experience? That's OK, so is the industry

New York's medical cannabis industry was made legal in 2016. Recreational cannabis became legal in 2021. Companies in the state know they cannot expect workers to have deep experience in a market that has technically existed for just barely a year, workforce professionals said.

"The Cannabis tech industry is still fairly new, so you don't have to have a cannabis tech background," said Anne Forkutza, head of strategic growth at Dutchie, a cannabis point-of-sale and ecommerce platform headquartered in Oregon.

"Don't just look at a company and write it off as you're not qualified because the cannabis tech industry is so young. There aren't a lot of people who have that experience," she said.

At Dutchie, there are software pros who came in knowing little about cannabis, and cannabis pros who came in knowing little about software. That will be the same across every facet of the industry, job experts said.

"You may have one part of the skills set we can upskill to be more valuable," Shea said.

Even if you don't have industry-specific experience, you likely do have skills that translate, she said.

"You might see people copying and pasting job descriptions from other states where cannabis has been legal. So they'll ask for two years' experience because they've had that time. So when you see stuff like that, don't be scared to apply anyways," Walters said.

Have black market experience? Careful how you list it

If you worked with cannabis while it was illegal, you have what's called "legacy" experience.

That is valuable and not something to be ashamed of, experts said. But you have to be careful about the way you present the information. Hiring someone with a resume that admits to illegal activity can have legal and insurance repercussions for a company, and expose it to unnecessary risk.

Cannabis companies say overwhelmingly that they want to know how much you know about cannabis. Just list it under "hobbies" instead of "job experience." And, once again, use those keywords.

"If you were cultivating cannabis during prohibition, you have a lot of skills that you acquired," Walters said. "You're doing all these things that are skills that can go on your resume. You just need to present what makes you attractive to an employer. So it's just understanding what your skills are and how you write them out."
Almost 2,500 people in the north Dublin region got opioid substitution prescriptions last year

A Dublin GP who specialises in addiction has said heroin can be lethal, as new figures show how more than 1,400 more people using the drug were treated last year than five years earlier.

Describing heroin as very dangerous, Dr Garrett McGovern told Newstalk that a lot of the dangers posed by the drug are due to the fact that its illicit.

Weve had many deaths over the years that havent actually been due to the drug but due to what its cut with - in other words, what its mixed with, he said.

And also, people will use it along with other CNS (Central Nervous System) depressants - such as alcohol.

Dr McGovern was speaking as it was revealed that more 1,400 more people were treated for heroin addiction last year than five years earlier.

In 2017, over 8,000 people received opioid-substitution prescriptions, under the medical card scheme.

By 2021, that figure had increased to 8,845.

Last year, according to Freedom of Information figures, it rose by over 600 to 9,484 by the end of November; almost one third of those treated were women and the remaining two thirds were men.

Almost 2,500 people in the north Dublin region got opioid substitution prescriptions last year.

Dr McGovern says heroin problems continue to be most common in marginalised communities.
Before you go to bed tonight hang a scarf or a cloth outside your door. Known as Bratog "

Conor McGregor has advised his hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram to hang a scarf or cloth outside their door as protection against headaches and sore throats, as part of a St Brigid's Eve tradition.

The Crumlin man posted a picture of himself at a church service alongside his son Conor Jnr with the religious message celebrating the eve of the Irish saint.

Saint Brigid's Eve tradition, he wrote. Tonight is Saint Brigid's Eve. An old Irish tradition.

Before you go to bed tonight hang a scarf or a cloth outside your door. Known as Bratog.

They say the saint will pass and bless them, he adds. And in the morning this special garment will protect the wearer from ill health and also has been known to cure headaches and sore throats.

Happy Saint Brigid's Day tomorrow.

He added a praying emoji alongside a shamrock and love heart.

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McGregor who suffered an injury to his buttocks after he was hit by a car last week, is not far off the mark when it comes to the tradition associated with the saint.

According to the National Museum of Ireland, people believed St Brigid crossed through the land on the eve of her feast day and gave blessings and protection to homes and farms where crosses were hung in her honour.

There were many regional styles and variations throughout Ireland with different materials used, it notes.

Families would recite prayers, bless the rushes or straw with holy water and then each make the crosses.

They would hang them over the door and around the home to welcome St Brigid. Many households kept the cross each year in the under-thatch of the house and you could tell how old a house was or how long the family had lived there by the number of crosses in the roof!
A golden ball spinning on a pole pursued by a swirling golden dragon in the village green is part of Taurangas Chinese New Year in February. Behind it a red lion leaps and weaves.

The entire Tauranga Historic Village will be lit up with lanterns creating a Han and Tang Dynasty Cultural Street while nine dancers, all fluidly moving to drumming and music, wrap a long colourful dragon body into a giant coil to try and trap the ball.

The local branch of the New Zealand China Friendship Society is excited to be bringing the Han clothes culture and traditional Chinese dance and musical performances together from noon until evening on February 4 for a bright and dazzling Lunar New Year festivity.

Chance to learn

NZ China Friendship Society Tauranga president Tina Zhang says its an opportunity for people to hop onto their time machine and learn about Chinese culture.

Are you interested in knowing what ancient Chinese people eat? What did they wear? What kind of customs and culture did they have? says Tina.

Would you love to experience the feeling of walking through the ancient streets with hanging lanterns to indulge the beauty of ancient China of thousands of years ago in the Han and Tang Dynasties?

The global celebrations are an explosion of light and sound, involving bell ringing, lighting firecrackers and watching traditional lion dances. Chinese families gather together for a reunion dinner on New Years Eve, and clean their houses to sweep away bad fortune on New Years Day.

Traditionally, kids would be given red envelopes stuffed with lucky money and positive wishes on New Years Day.

Chinese New Year takes place on a different date each year, because it is based on the lunar calendar. New Years Day normally falls between January 21 and February 20.

The Han and Tang dynasties were the periods when civil and military power and international prestige of China were the strongest, so people refer to the flourishing periods that occurred during these dynasties collectively as the Han-and-Tang dynasties. It was also during this period that paper-making was invented in China.

It is unclear when exactly the celebration of the New Year began in China. It is said to have originated during the Shang Dynasty of 1766BC-1122 BC.

The lion and dragon have a long history in Chinese culture.

Chinese people like to say we are dragon people, says Tina. So thats why at every Chinese New Year we have the dragon dance and the lion dance.

She imported the dragon costume from China.

Normally we would have a longer dragon. You would usually have 11 or 20 people; we have nine.

The dragon wants to catch the ball, so he always chases it.

The lion

The lion is a significant part of the Dragon and Lion Dance, which will start 8.15pm on February 4.

Following the dance there will be a lighting ceremony at 8.30pm with people dancing together.

Tina has lived in NZ for about 15 years, originally coming from her home city of Shen Yang in China to study here when she was about 20 years. She now teaches Chinese language and manages the Tauranga Chinese Language School in Bethlehem. Both Kiwi and Chinese children attend the school, and its open to anyone who wants to learn the language.

Tina says when she was talking with the Tauranga City Council Community Development advisor Haidee Kalirai in 2019, Haidee asked her why they dont have a Chinese New Year celebration.

The Chinese population has increased here so it would be good to let people know more about our culture, says Tina, who thinks there are about 2000-3000 Chinese living in the Tauranga region.

This New Years event will provide you with exciting cultural dance and traditional Chinese musical instruments performances through the day, interactive events and mini games loved by families and children, and a variety of food stalls selling different kinds of Chinese foods to satisfy your stomach.

Childrens activities, hand crafts, Chinese calligraphy, lantern riddles, ferrule, free candy floss, face painting, folk music, dance performances and the traditional Chinese wedding hydrangea thro and food stalls will also feature.

The Tauranga Chinese New Year Festival is next Saturday February 4, from 3pm-9pm at The Historic Village, 17th Ave, Tauranga. Admission is free.
The ministers who overhauled the health system and ushered in the Three Waters reforms were demoted in the shake-up.

Andrew Little lost the health portfolio and picked up defence while Nanaia Mahuta no longer has local government.

First term MP and former physician Dr Ayesha Verrall is now set to replace Little as Health Minister; a role she says she knows will be difficult.

"I'm under no illusions that health is a tough portfolio but I think that I'm gonna bring the same enthusiasm I always have to making improvements for the health of New Zealanders."

Joining Little on the slide down the rankings is Nanaia Mahuta, who had shouldered the bulk of the criticism about the government's agenda to reform water management.

Te Paati Maori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says she's disappointed to see the demotion and says Mahuta did everything she was asked to do in the face of fierce criticism.

"It wasn't just Jacinda [Ardern] that was at the revolting end of some racist and misogynistic abuse and I guess that's her reward for being committed and loyal and honourable to her party."

Wairarapa MP Kieran McAnulty is taking up the role of local government minister, after holding the associate role since last year, and was moved into cabinet in the reshuffle.

In a statement, Mahuta says the role is in excellent hands with McAnulty, who has shown an ability to bring a rural perspective across the sector.

While the prime minister had ruled out fully scrapping the Three Waters reforms, it was possible some changes would be made in the coming weeks and months.

"We're going to take a close look at the Three Waters reforms; certainly leaving open the possibility of a reset there," Hipkins says.

The PM ringfenced himself, his deputy Carmel Sepuloni, Kelvin Davis, Grant Robertson and Megan Woods as Labour's front bench.

Robertson remains the minister of finance, while Michael Wood now has an associate finance role and an entirely new portfolio - as minister for Auckland.

A lifelong Aucklander, Wood says the new role is more important than ever as the supercity navigates and recovers from this week's deadly floods.

"We need to make sure that we have a singular focus and point of accountability so that we can work with local government, business leaders, workers and community leaders to make sure Auckland pulls through this difficult period."

Labour list MP Jan Tinetti is made the new Education Minister while Phil Twyford - who has been a minister outside cabinet - wi dropped from the executive altogether.

MPs Ginny Andersen and Barbara Edmonds have been moved straight into cabinet, while Willow-Jean Prime, Duncan Webb, Rino Tirikatene and Deborah Russell were made ministers outside cabinet.

National's Christopher Luxon says it doesn't matter who came in, as the top five ministers under former prime minister Jacinda Ardern have been retained.

"When you look at the whole cabinet in its entirety it really is the same players that have been there for the last five and a half years, delivering worse outcomes for New Zealanders."

The cabinet reshuffle was formalised by swearing-in ceremonies at Government House this morning.

-Anneke Smith/RNZ.
A cow swept away in flood water when the deluge destroyed its paddock was carried by a river of water to the town centre.

Chased by a woman for an hour, it raced through the streets, before finally stopping at its eatery of choice, KFC.

The cow was one of several animals that got caught up in floods caused by heavy downpours in the Bay of Plenty region over Anniversary Weekend.

Te Puke resident Glandre Van Den Berg was shocked to see cows speeding by in the rapid floodwater in the early hours of January 29.

Glandre Van den Berg spotted three of the cows exit the water, but one ran away so she chased it. Photo: Supplied.

Four cows came through the water under the bridge on Raymond Avenue at such a speed it was something else. It was actually terrifying to watch. They managed to get out of the water behind my house, and three of them stayed there, but one got separated, so I ran after it.

Van den Berg chased after the cow for an hour and became breathless as the cow ran towards the town centre.

He was running down Jellicoe Street and then turned left towards KFC which is where he decided to come to a stop. He stood outside the door and mooed.

While Van den Berg was panicking at the time, now she sees the funny side.

I had actually called the police while I was chasing the cow as I was clueless what to do, so I was on the phone to them telling them it had stopped at KFC. I burst out laughing.

Animals were swept away in the flood water. Photo: Supplied.

An elderly gentleman also found the cows restaurant choice amusing.

He couldnt stop laughing either, and wondered why the cow went to a place meant for chickens, and that it should have gone to Maccas instead.

The cow was put in its paddock and eventually reunited with its owner Maya Sutter, who was looking for it along with eight others from her stock that had got out when the force of flood water bust the paddock fences.

It was very scary as my parents are still stuck in Australia as their flights got cancelled.

Paddocks in Te Puke were ravaged by the heavy rain and floods. Photo: Supplied.

With the help of other locals like Van Den Berg all nine cows were found safe and well.

We have had some amazing people turn up to help us in this time of need, and Im just still in disbelief that all my animals survived.

One neighbour offered to house the cows in his field until Sutter could clear up, which would take a while, she says.

Its going to be massive, unfortunately. The mud is knee-thigh deep in some places so not a lot we can do until it dries out.

Stock can often wander in extreme weather events. Photo: Ricky Wilson/Stuff.

Other animals were sadly not so fortunate. Gregg Lester found a dead pony at the same place the cows had managed to get out of the flood water.

It was by the creek that runs through Raymond Ave. People were awesome, helping to find out whose it was. Its owner had been looking for it, so sad for her loss.

Two other horse were badly injured.

Lester found other dead victims of the floods such as eels and fish including giant kokopu.

What to do if you find wandering stock

Call NZTA: Motorists can report any wandering stock by phoning 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)

Call Animal Control: Livestock of any kind wandering on a road is considered a number one priority for Animal Control (at local councils) because of the danger posed to road users.

Get the livestock somewhere secure if you can: Put them in the nearest paddock, if you can open a gate and make the situation safe quickly and easily. Try not to put a stallion in with mares or bulls in with heifers or cows.

Call police if the stock is immediately endangering the road and/or people.

- Annemarie Quill/Stuff.
A nurse at Auburn Community Hospital has received an award honoring her for her care and compassion.

Barb Hewitt, a pre-admission testing nurse at the hospital, has received a DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses from the DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Foundation.

Hewitt was nominated by patient Frank Magner, the hospital said in a news release.

"Barbara is exceedingly professional, kind and caring. When she greeted me at central registration I could tell immediately that she cared deeply about her profession as an R.N.," he wrote. "The questions she asked me and the answers she gave me were concise and to the point. Her depth of knowledge is astounding. Nurse Barbara's poise, demeanor and expertise are beyond reproach and are an example for others to follow!"

The award is presented once each quarter as a surprise, with a certificate for the nurse, a pin and a sculpture called "The Healer's Touch" representing the bond between nurses and patients.

"We are proud to be among the health care organizations participating in the DAISY award program. Nurses are heroes every day. It's important that our nurses know their work is highly valued, and the DAISY Foundation provides a way for us to do that," hospital Chief Nursing Officer Tammy Sunderlin said.

For more information, visit auburnhospital.org or daisyfoundation.org.
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About HBCUs

 Nine of the top 10 colleges that graduate most of the African American students who go on to earn Ph.D.s are HBCUs.

 More than 50% of the nation's African American public school teachers and 70% of African American dentists and physicians earned degrees at HBCUs.

 Over half of all African American professionals are graduates of HBCUs.
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Most school districts in the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES system would benefit from Gov. Kathy Hochul's 2023-24 state budget proposal that includes a record education aid increase.

Hochul, who outlined her executive budget plan on Wednesday, is asking the state Legislature for $34.5 billion in school aid, a $3.1 billion increase over 2022-23 levels.

For two Cayuga County school districts  Auburn and Moravia  that would result in a double-digit aid increase. The proposed budget would increase state aid for Auburn by 14.32%, from $54.1 million in 2022-23 to $61.8 million for the 2023-24 school year. The total includes $8 million more in foundation aid, the main source of funding for school districts. Moravia would get $18.4 million in aid, up from $16.6 million last year  a 10.31% increase.

Under Hochul's plan, state aid for the Skaneateles school district would rise by 8.17%, from $7.04 million to $7.6 million. Weedsport would receive 7.83% more in aid, from $11.1 million in 2022-23 to north of $12 million in 2023-24.

Hochul's budget proposes more school aid, bail law revisions New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has released a budget proposal that would increase state school aid by 10%, hike tuition for public universities and raise cigarette taxes to a nation-high $5.35 per pack. The $227 billion spending plan also includes a proposal to yet again revise state bail law, which is expected to be resisted by liberal state lawmakers. The proposal kicks off weeks of intense negotiations with state legislative leaders as they try to agree on a finalized budget by the April 1 deadline.

Other school districts would receive between 3 to 6% in state aid  Union Springs ($12.3 million, 5.59% increase), Jordan-Elbridge ($20.7 million, 5.13% increase), Southern Cayuga ($10.2 million, 4.07% increase) and Cato-Meridian ($17.1 million, 3.43% increase).

However, one Cayuga County school district would receive less state aid if this budget is adopted. Port Byron's aid would dip from $16.6 million in 2022-23 to $16.1 million in the proposed 2023-24 budget, a 1.34% decrease. The district would get $301,449 more in foundation aid, a 2.99% increase.

One factor that has affected Port Byron's state school aid levels over the past several years is a local resident's $42 million New York Lottery win in 2015.

District 2023-24 proposed 2022-23 aid % increase Auburn $61,878,338 $54,126,692 14.32% Cato-Meridian $17,134,021 $16,566,554 3.43% Jordan-Elbridge $20,707,570 $19,697,565 5.13% Moravia $18,401,022 $16,680,932 10.31% Port Byron 16,106,024 16,324,689 -1.34% Skaneateles $7,620,359 $7,044,480 8.17% Southern Cayuga $10,257,721 $9,856,805 4.07% Union Springs $12,318,580 $11,666,369 5.59% Weedsport $12,039,593 $11,165,801 7.83%

Hochul's budget proposal will be reviewed by the state Legislature. During budget negotiations, the state school aid number usually rises.

Last year, the state provided $31 billion in state aid, a new record. Hochul wants to break the record, she said, "because we have to."

"Our kids are still struggling," she said. "Our teachers have been through so much. We've lost a lot of teachers. We need to attract them. So, to get our kids back on track, we're going to invest $34.5 billion  the largest school aid increase ever  and a $2.7 billion increase in foundation aid, fully funding the formula for the first time in history."
anjan_c2007 Distinguished - BHPian



Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 7,508 Thanked: 16,033 Times

View My Garage





Re: Tata Motors denied permission to Porsche for using 'Safari' name on 911 Dakar So it is imperative that Tata has the international rights to used this model name that they have lawfully registered.



But there are many cars and bikes with similar model names from the older times as has been pointed out in some previous posts.



We had the 1940's Buick Super Eight, then the Standard Super 10 in the 1950's and later on by 1978, the Bajaj Super.



We have had a Baby Hindustan Tiger that was essentially the Morris Minor/1000 and also the Triumph Tiger bike.



Deluxe was a very common model name used by American car makers till the 1940's. And here we got the Ambassador Deluxe and the Premier Deluxe BE/BU/BUAC and so on.



We had an American Motors Corporation made Nash Ambassador and back here we had the Hindustan Ambassador.



American Motors Corporation had its AMC Matador car (1970-78). Here we had the Bajaj Tempo Matador.



At the international level we had the Austin Metro during the late 1970's. General Motors launched its Geo Metro (hatch and sedan) in the 1990's , essentially based on our Suzuki Esteem platform. This was when GM bought Suzuki Motors' shares and owned a stake in the latter.



And lastly, our Navy had Sea Harrier aircrafts made by British Aerospace. These Sea Harriers of the Indian Navy could land and take off vertically and were deployed on the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. And now we have the Tata Harrier.



Such similar model names could be many, but these were mostly confined to our Iron curtain era when there were hardly any exports. But now, with the ongoing globalisation, our cars get exported to competitive markets abroad. Hence, owning of such copyrights for car and bike model names by manufacturers is desirable and for the better.



But a point to be thought here is that whether any international car maker will seek permission from Mahindra to use its model names like TUV 300, XUV 300/400, XUV 500/700 and so on ? These come with the M&M trademark '0' and 'O' used as the trailing letter of the model name. Last edited by anjan_c2007 : 1st February 2023 at 16:40 .
gunin BHPian



Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Guwahati Posts: 239 Thanked: 2,756 Times

Re: Tuting, Gelling & Bishing village road-trip | Arunachal Pradesh Quote: ruzbehxyz Originally Posted by Thanks for sharing this wonderful piece of information of a wonderful place. This is the raw side of Arunachal. With more and more visitors visiting, I think facilitates will improve. But the fun is to stay in off-beat places like this, rather than places like Mechuka which is slowly getting commercialised. .



Quote: Yogi..Reeturaj Originally Posted by You always seem to end up from one exotic location to another mostly during festivities going on 

A wonderful ready reckoner on point for anyone looking for the offbeat as always. Lovely read Gunin.



Quote: Shubhendra Originally Posted by As usual very detailed with the required information.

And mother of coincidence, I recently started planning for a road trip to Mechuka, Tuting and Anini. And here comes your travelogue. Is May end a good time to visit above places by bike in 10 days?

I can remove Mechuka if required but would like to cover Anini and Tuting.



Quote: deepak_misra Originally Posted by Your travelogues are so interesting and informative. I do read all of them but have never commented or thanked you.

I have always wanted to visit the north east but have not had the drive since the desire first hit me 40 years back.

I do live the experience through your accounts.

Many Thanks



Quote: Dr.AD Originally Posted by Very nice travelogue @gunin! Your travel stories are always interesting and also inspirational. Arunachal Pradesh is a very beautiful state, but unfortunately for us living in southern parts on the country, quite a far away land. Thanks to your travelogues, we get to see the beauty of the place and can imagine the experiences while reading your travel stories and seeing your pictures. Very nice pictures too!



Thanks for taking efforts to write this report and sharing your experiences with us. Looking forward to reading more from you about the beautiful Arunachal Pradesh and the Northeast!



Quote: Secretariat Originally Posted by



Disappointed at Tuting not being a great place. I thought it would be another Mechuka. Evidently, the locals have not been as enterprising as the "Mechukans" ! But Gelling and Bishing, make up for it. Some trek to Bishing though - you are a fit young man



Can you actually walk up to the border from either place ? I presume not, and probably there may not be a defined border marker either - maybe the army patrols the area and that is it. A pity that there is a border; since these villages had much more contact with Tibetan villages in the past rather than Arunachal villages. Manmade boundaries cut them off long ago.



Is Yingkiong equally approachable from Along or Passighat ? Sad to hear that the roads up from Yingkiong remain in the same sorry state. With all the focus on the border, we hope this would improve some day.



Next on the cards, beyond Anini surely ! Wonderful. As always, your travelogues are priceless.You are bringing the most beautiful parts of India alive for all of us.Disappointed at Tuting not being a great place. I thought it would be another Mechuka. Evidently, the locals have not been as enterprising as the "Mechukans" ! But Gelling and Bishing, make up for it. Some trek to Bishing though - you are a fit young manCan you actually walk up to the border from either place ? I presume not, and probably there may not be a defined border marker either - maybe the army patrols the area and that is it. A pity that there is a border; since these villages had much more contact with Tibetan villages in the past rather than Arunachal villages. Manmade boundaries cut them off long ago.Is Yingkiong equally approachable from Along or Passighat ? Sad to hear that the roads up from Yingkiong remain in the same sorry state. With all the focus on the border, we hope this would improve some day.Next on the cards, beyond Anini surely !



Regarding the border, it is actually within walking distance from Gelling- it is opposite to the route to Bishing. ITBP organises a short trek up this route (Kepangla?) and it is a simple one hour hike. Permission from ADC is needed for this trek. People of the same community have remained separated because of the international border. Some villages like Bishing and Gelling are on the Indian side and some are in the Chinese territory.



I have consciously made an effort to stay as fit as possible and enjoy these places unreachable eve by a 4wd. Also, a fast growing kid at home keeps me on my toes.



Yingkiong is reachable from both Aalo and Pasighat with the latter route in a much better state. Tuting road will take some time but atleast work is going on now there.



With your wishes, we hope to go a little beyond Anini some day. Thank you once again. Thank you! You are right about facilities improving in the coming years. The road from Yingkiong to Tuting should be better in the next couple of years. One way to beat the tourist rush in places like Mechuka is to travel during the monsoon monthsThank you Reeturaj! I see you are no longer a newbie.Thank you. I think towards the end of May, you will encounter rains and the subsequent mud and slush in all the three routes you plan to do. Still, it is a good time as the areas will be fresh and a verdant green and rains really intensify in later months of July to September. 10 days from Pasighat will be very short for covering the three places. My suggestion is to first cover Anini and then move towards the next destination. Also, in May there will be only a few tourists even at Mechuka.Thank you! I am really glad for the kind words. I hope you get to materialize your dream of visiting this place some day.Thank you Dr.AD! It is always a pleasure to hear your feedback. I understand the amount of time and planning that must go into planning a trip from Southern India to here. And I do consider myself lucky to be able to visit such places with minimal planning and time. Thank you once again.Thank you Secretariat! I think your wishes are working for me. Regarding Tuting, the landscape is nowhere as brilliant as that of Mechuka. If not for Gelling and Bishing which turned out to be beautiful , I would have been disappointed with this trip. The treks from Tuting like the Tsitapuri one is very beautiful from the accounts I have heard though.Regarding the border, it is actually within walking distance from Gelling- it is opposite to the route to Bishing. ITBP organises a short trek up this route (Kepangla?) and it is a simple one hour hike. Permission from ADC is needed for this trek. People of the same community have remained separated because of the international border. Some villages like Bishing and Gelling are on the Indian side and some are in the Chinese territory.I have consciously made an effort to stay as fit as possible and enjoy these places unreachable eve by a 4wd. Also, a fast growing kid at home keeps me on my toes.Yingkiong is reachable from both Aalo and Pasighat with the latter route in a much better state. Tuting road will take some time but atleast work is going on now there.With your wishes, we hope to go a little beyond Anini some day. Thank you once again.
Chinas Science Ministry on Monday announced that the countrys first practical quantum computer was delivered to a user, which the agency didnt identify, a year ago.

The 24-qubit Wuyan system based on superconducting technology was built by Origin Quantum Computing Technology, a company founded in 2017 by two of the countrys leading quantum physicists, Guo Guoping and Guo Guangcan. A qubit in the quantum world performs functions akin to bits in the digital world.

With the on-premises installation of the Wuyan system, China became the third country, after Canada and the United States, to deliver a complete quantum computer system to a customer.

Some skeptics questioned the timing of the announcement.

Quantum technology has a high priority for national security in China. If this were something very important, I doubt it would be disclosed like this in a transparent way by Chinese authorities, explained Weifeng Zhong, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center of George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.

The fact that it was delayed for a year suggests that they realize now that its not important to national security, so theyre trying to use it to build Chinas image as a technology leader at a time when theyre trying to open up their economy to the rest of the world, Zhong told TechNewsWorld.

Important Step

However, Hodan Omaar, a senior AI policy analyst at the Center for Data Innovation, a think tank studying the intersection of data, technology, and public policy, in Washington, D.C., maintained the announcement shows that China has made an important step in its quantum development.

Overcoming technical challenges on the path toward large-scale quantum computers will depend on the ability to scale the number of qubits in quantum systems, much like modern classical computers have depended on the growth in the number of transistors in superconducting chips, Omaar told TechNewsWorld.

Investing in near-term quantum computing applications helps bolster the development of longer-term use cases of the technology, thereby helping to improve competitiveness, she added.

Skip Sanzeri, co-founder and COO of QuSecure, a maker of quantum-safe security solutions in San Mateo, Calif., called the announcement formidable because China is stating that they have a fully functional quantum computer, albeit the qubit count is low.

Nonetheless, error correction and noise reduction are two significant factors in ensuring that a quantum computer can process data and provide applications that we can rely on, Sanzeri told TechNewsWorld. By announcing that they have been able to get to this level shows that China is making progress towards larger quantum computers.

Bucking a Trend

The Wuyan system appears to be on par with other systems in the market, noted Heather West, a senior research analyst at IDC, an international market research company.

The fact that they sold a 24 qubit system to someone isnt that different from what were seeing elsewhere around the world, West told TechNewsWorld.

Delivering a standalone system like the Wuyan is actually bucking the current trend in the market.

Most quantum computers that people are accessing today are accessed through the cloud, explained Doug Finke, an analyst with Global Quantum Intelligence, an international market intelligence firm.

This Wuyan computer is being delivered to a customer in an on-premise situation, Finke told TechNewsWorld. On-premise has a lot of disadvantages. You have to worry about maintenance. You have to worry about spare parts. You have to worry about calibration.

In addition, he continued, quantum computing innovation is so fast that they become obsolete in about two years. So few people want an on-premise quantum computer. Theyre much more comfortable with the cloud.

Superconducting Challenges

The Wuyan system is built using superconducting chip technology, one of the earliest technologies for quantum computers. Since its introduction, other technologies have been explored. They include photonics, trapped ions, and neutral atoms.

At the moment, no one knows which technology will be the winner or if therell be a combination of technologies that will combine for efficacious quantum applications, Sanzeri said.

Superconducting is very difficult, he explained. It requires near zero Kelvin refrigeration.

The electrons used in superconducting quantum computers are very hard to manage due to very short coherence times, he continued. Thats why they must be cooled to such a low temperature.

Other methods are managing longer coherence times and a faster path to the desired goal of 1,000 error-corrected qubits, he added.

The million-dollar question is what technology will win the race to the fault-tolerant quantum computer, West said. There might not be one winner. There might not be one system that comes out on top. It might be that certain kinds of systems are better than others at solving certain kinds of problems.

Long View

Omaar countered that superconducting chips have a number of advantages over competing technologies.

First, superconducting qubits are solid-state electrical circuits that are easier to control because they are manipulated using microwaves, she said. Scientists can therefore use easily accessible commercial microwave devices and equipment in superconducting quantum computing applications.

Second, she continued, because preparing superconducting circuits is based on the existing method for fabricating semiconductor chips, the development of high-quality devices can leverage advanced chip-making technologies, which is good for manufacturing and scalability.

Despite developments like Chinas Wuyan system, the arrival of a quantum computer that can tackle problems beyond the capacity of silicon computers appears to be years away.

What quantum computers are going to be best for is solving complex, intractable problems beyond the scope of classical compute technology, West said. Those problems are years away from a quantum computer solving.

To get to that, we need at least a million qubits, she continued. Thats going to take a lot of work in scaling and stabilizing the qubits. Qubits are very sensitive to outside noise. As a result, the error rates are high in the technology we have.

Despite the exuberance exhibited by many, were still in the early days of quantum computing, added Richard Stiennon, founder and chief research analyst at IT-Harvest, a cybersecurity industry analyst firm in Birmingham, Mich.

There are many physical constraints on quantum computing that require precision in length of pathways  we are talking microns  and resistance to forces  footsteps can interfere with it. Supercooled chips just add to the complexity, Stiennon told TechNewsWorld.

I put it in the same realm as developing usable nuclear fusion as an energy source, he said. Hundreds of billions of dollars and decades to show a glimmer of progress.
TechSpot is about to celebrate its 25th anniversary. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust

A hot potato: QNAP is once again warning users about a security vulnerability impacting its network-attached storage (NAS) devices. The critical flaw could make remote attacks easier, hence owners are strongly recommended to install the latest firmware updates.

Taiwanese company QNAP recently disclosed a new security vulnerability in the operating system of its NAS devices, a dangerous flaw classified with a "critical" severity level, which could spell doom for remotely-accessible user data. Patches are already available, while users should always install the latest updates to keep their NAS storage units safe from cyber-criminals and ransomware gangs.

According to QNAP's official security bulletin, the flaw classified as CVE-2022-27596 affects QTS 5.0.1 and QuTS hero h5.0.1 NAS operating systems. If exploited, QNAP warns, the SQL injection vulnerability could allow remote attackers to inject malicious code. Potential attacks don't require authentication, so QNAP assigned the bug a CVSS score of 9.8 out of 10.

The company has already fixed the vulnerability, releasing the following updates for its NAS operating systems:

QTS 5.0.1.2234 build 20221201 and later

QuTS hero h5.0.1.2248 build 20221215 and later

Users are urged to install the updates by going through QTS/QuTS control panel while logged as administrators, or by downloading the update directly from QNAP website's download center. The Product Support Status page is also available to check for the latest updates available for every NAS model supported by the company.

Security company Censys identified 67,415 online hosts running a QNAP-based system, while obtaining the OS version number for just 30,520 of them; over 98% of the identified QNAP devices were vulnerable to the CVE-2022-27596 flaw. Very few devices were patched, with only 557 running QuTS Hero h5.0.1.2248 or later and QTS 5.0.1.2234 or later.

Censys said that 29,968 hosts are still affected by the vulnerability, with many of them residing in the United States and Italy. There is no published exploit or proof-of-concept yet, but whenever the code is released in the open the data of thousands of QNAP users will be in extreme danger.

It's "very likely" that CVE-2022-27596 could bring yet another successful ransomware campaign against user data stored on NAS devices reachable via internet. Censys said that the Deadbolt ransomware is already geared to target QNAP NAS devices specifically, so the cyber-criminals could use a future exploit or PoC to spread the same ransomware again.
Feb. 1, 1993

NILES  If you frequently cross the Route 38A bridge across Dutch Hollow Creek, you might be wondering why the state did such a rotten job replacing it.

There is no doubt you have hit a couple of bumps coming and going.

Jim Lawler, the Department of Transportation project engineer, said the state didn't do a bad job; it just didn't do the whole job  yet.

The bridge replacement project, begun in September, has a completion date of June 14, Lawler said.

The contractor worked hard to get the new bridge usable for the winter, but was up against the weather and couldn't put the top layer of pavement on after Oct. 15, Lawler said.

Rather than force motorists to take detours in the Niles winter, the state put in temporary ramps at both ends of the bridge and opened it up for traffic before the project was finished.

Lawler said the state will return in April and finish the bridge a month early, if things go well.

Until then, slow down  it's a bumpy ride.
What just happened? As expected, Samsung unveiled their latest Galaxy S23 smartphones at the Unpacked event in San Francisco this morning. What was more surprising, however, was that the company also showed off their new Galaxy notebook PCs at the same event, a sign that it wants to become a more serious player in the PC market.

As with many major tech vendors, Samsung has developed a regular cadence of updates for its major product lines. In a surprise to absolutely no one, the company unveiled their new Galaxy S23 smartphone series offering several nice incremental enhancements, a new 200 megapixel image sensor, a special speed-bumped version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, a modestly refined design, and a few new colors.

Samsung was also ready to unveil their latest Galaxy notebook PCs. While the company has held events for its PC launches in the past, it's never chosen to include PCs in its high profile, mainstream phone launches. Between that philosophical choice as well as the increased focus that the company placed on software tools to ease the process of using your phone alongside your PC (and tablet), it's clear Samsung is making a more serious effort at becoming a bigger player in this market.

Given the widely acknowledged challenges the PC market is expected to face this year the timing is not ideal. Still, Samsung has been an intriguing, though little-known entrant to the PC space for some time now. If they continue to follow through on the statement they made at this Unpacked Event, they could end up becoming a serious PC competitor in the premium market.

The company showed off a complete set of offerings in its third-gen Galaxy Book line with a few interesting Samsung-specific twists. Leveraging 13th-gen Intel Core processors across the board, Samsung now has lightweight traditional clamshell notebook designs in 14" and 16" (the Galaxy Book3 Pro), 2-in-1 convertible designs (the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360), and an Nvidia GPU-enhanced Galaxy Book3 Ultra. All four designs include a Samsung 3K resolution (2,880 x 1,800) Dynamic AMOLED 2X display running at 120 Hz that offers a very impressive color range and extremely low blue light levels, making the screens very easy on the eyes.

This display technology made its first appearance in Galaxy phones, so it's a good example of the kind of technology transfer between products that Samsung is uniquely able to do. Along the same lines, the company is using a version of the vapor chamber cooling technology from last year's S22 smartphone in its latest PC designs.

Moving forward, I'd also like to see Samsung do things like integrate the selfie camera from its phones into PCs, as well as make an integrated 5G modem standard across all models. Some models of the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 will apparently have optional sub-6 capable 5G modems in certain markets, but that configuration unfortunately won't be available in the US. These are the kinds of changes that I believe potential customers would expect from Samsung. In addition, they could make the hardware designs stand out from the crowd. Still, it's good to see them start to take steps in the direction of leveraging their mobile technology DNA into PC designs.

In addition to hardware, Samsung emphasized some of its own software and joint efforts with Microsoft and Google to make the process of using Windows-based PCs and Android-based phones together easier and faster.

Windows Phone Link continues to be preinstalled on all new Galaxy phones and the latest version adds a few new features, notably the ability to automatically turn on your Galaxy phone's mobile hotspot when a Galaxy Book3 is nearby. While this Instant Hotspot feature doesn't replace built-in 5G for a PC, it should work well in many situations. Samsung also discussed the ability to share open browser tabs from your Galaxy Phone to a PC, but it's unfortunately limited to working only with Samsung's own little used Internet browser on the phone.

Samsung demonstrated how their Multi Control and Second Screen features now let you use your Galaxy Book3 Pro's keyboard and mouse on nearby Galaxy phones and tablets and let you extend your PC screen wirelessly onto Android-based Galaxy tablets. Admittedly, they're probably not functions you're going to use all the time, but they are the type of handy little conveniences that can help bridge the usability gap between devices.

Finally, the company also debuted a new Expert Raw photo utility for the Galaxy S23 and other recent Galaxy phones that works in conjunction with the company's Quick Share utility on PC for easily transferring high-quality raw photos from the phone for editing in applications like Adobe Lightroom.

With prices starting at $1,249 for the 14" Core i7-equipped Galaxy Book3 Pro to $2,199 for the 16" Core i9 CPU and GeForce RTX 4070 GPU-equipped Galaxy Book3 Ultra, Samsung isn't going for the mainstream PC market with its latest offerings. These are premium devices with sleek, premium designs and high-end components.

For buyers seeking these kinds of machines, the Galaxy Book3 line presents an intriguing new option. More importantly, it seems to represent the start of a more serious effort to break into the PC market and that's something that's going to be interesting to watch.

Bob O'Donnell is the founder and chief analyst of TECHnalysis Research, LLC a technology consulting firm that provides strategic consulting and market research services to the technology industry and professional financial community. You can follow him on Twitter @bobodtech.
Why it matters: Thinking about buying an Alder Lake PC? If a new report turns out to be accurate, you might find one cheaper than expected. PC partners look set to benefit from an Intel reduction on the 12th-generation desktop and laptop processors, which would see the higher-end chips' prices slashed by over $100.

Citing industry sources, the report from Taiwanese publication DigiTimes (via Tom's Hardware) claims that Intel is in talks with specific PC vendors to cut Alder Lake prices by up to 20%, a move that comes after Intel increased the CPU prices in Q4 2022.

Like most tech companies, Intel is feeling the effects of a turbulent economy that has seen consumer demand for expansive products crash. The firm recently posted massive quarterly losses, cut employee wages and bonuses, and canceled expansion plans at R&D sites.

On top of all this, Intel is struggling to move high levels of inventory at a time when customers are cutting their stock levels as consumer demand wanes. Slashing the price of Alder Lake, which uses a hybrid core design, could be an effective way of selling off excess stock. DigiTimes does note, however, that customers who bought stock of the chips before the new year are furious about the price drop. But then don't we all feel that way when something we've just bought gets reduced.

[DigiTimes] Intel will cut 12th Gen CPU price as much as 20%https://t.co/FcZpu5JdjF



Here is price chart. I cut from new price. pic.twitter.com/sDt6Mf9dTj ---  (@harukaze5719) February 1, 2023

Twitter user Harukaze5719 has put together a table showing the Alder Lake chips' launch prices, their prices after the Q4 2022 increase, and how much they will be following the 20% reduction. Some of the higher-end models, like the excellent Core i9-12900 series and the Core i7-12700K (which this writer loves), will see their prices fall by more than $100.

A big caveat in all this is that these cuts will be for tray processors that are sold in bulk to high-volume manufacturers like Acer, ASUS, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, MSI, Lenovo, etc., who might not pass the full saving onto the consumer. Still, we can expect to see at least some reduction in Alder Lake system prices.
Over the years, the ways we make schedules have changed a lot, but they are still essential to the success of any business. What the Executives used to keep in handwritten calendars is now digital in a scheduling software.

Even though many companies, freelancers, consultants, and entrepreneurs know how important it is to schedule well, many still need to improve their methods. If you and your clients still need to message back and forth to find a time for an appointment that works for both of you, look into a business scheduling software. With the help of modern tools and programs, it is now possible to efficiently keep records, plan meetings, make reservations, and track busy schedules.

What Is a Scheduling Software?

Scheduling software is a computer program or application that runs in the Cloud or on a local computer. It is designed to automate specific employee scheduling processes, such as managing work schedules, employee communication, and time tracking.

What's the Best Scheduling Software?

With the right scheduling software, clients can make appointments with you, and you can avoid double bookings. Some tools offer advanced features that let you combine scheduling with other essential business tasks, such as taking reservations and processing payments.

Think about these top five companies for scheduling.

1 Square Appointment

The scheduling and appointment management software Square Appointments was developed specifically for smaller businesses. It facilitates the scheduling of appointments, management of calendars, processing of payments, and management of client information for businesses.

A single Cloud-based platform is required to utilize Square Appointments for appointment scheduling, customer communication via email and text, and various payment options. In addition to capabilities to manage appointments, the system also offers features for customer and team management, as well as integrations with other Square systems.

Features and Benefits

Easy to Use: Square Appointments is user-friendly and easy to navigate, making it easy for businesses to manage their appointments and client information.

Accepts payments: Square Appointments integrates with Square Payments, allowing businesses to accept payments for appointments and services directly through the app.

Customizable: Businesses can customize their appointment booking page to match their brand and preferences.

Automated reminders: Square Appointments sends automated email and text reminders to clients to help reduce no-shows.

Integrated with square point of sale: Square Appointments integrates seamlessly with Square Point of Sale, making it easy for businesses to manage appointments and sales in one place.

Accessible anywhere: Square Appointments can be accessed from any device with internet access, making it easy for businesses to manage their appointments while on the go.

Reporting and analytics: Square Appointments provides businesses with valuable data and insights, such as appointment history and client information, to help them make informed business decisions.

2 SimplyBook.me

SimplyBook.me's goal is to put customers in touch with service providers by making it easy for them to book services online, no matter what they need or where or when they need them. They aim to become the best worldwide One-stop Solution for small service companies and their customers, bringing them together in perfect harmony. The group has four offices worldwide, but its main office is in Cyprus.

SimplyBook.me is an appointment scheduling software that lets you send customers reminders before their scheduled appointments to cut down on double bookings and no-shows.

You can even ask for a deposit upfront to ensure no one backs out. You can use the platform to make intake forms that collect almost any kind of information, from text to images. SimplyBook.me is one of the best ways to set up appointments because it has all these features.

Features and Benefits

Let people book at any time: The company's goal is to help small, and growing businesses take bookings around the clock. They help their customers develop custom solutions for businesses of all sizes.

Add social media into your life: SimplyBook.me makes connecting with popular business pages on social media sites easy. You can make appointments through Instagram, Google, and Facebook.

Flexible appointment schedule management: Besides booking customers, the software can also set up appointments. Its alerts and notifications make sure that everyone has the latest information.

3 Vcita

Vcita is what you'd expect it to be: a business tool that lets customers get involved. With a mobile app and an education center, SMEs can stay competitive in a digital-first economy that is constantly changing.

Cloud-hosted applications help grow businesses and employees who need to keep track of their schedules but are too busy to do so independently. The features of vcita appointment scheduling software help you organize your appointments, consultations, and meetings. This saves you time and keeps you from having to contact your clients back and forth. Your customers can use the LiveSite client portal on any device to book appointments and services and make changes to them.

Features and Benefits

Get bookings anywhere: You can put the booking portal on your website, Facebook business page, or Google My Business page, among other places.

Business listings: It's also simple to send emails with booking forms attached.

There are many kinds of meetings: Make forms that let clients choose what type of meeting they want. In vcita, they can set up in-person meetings, phone conferences, and Zoom calls.

Handle assignments for staff: If you are in charge of a team, vcita lets you check the schedules and availability of your team members. Make sure that meetings and other activities are productive by giving them to the right people.

4 Calendly

Calendly is a dynamic, growing platform that helps over 10 million people and organizations manage their schedules. The solution ticks off scheduling on your to-do list so that you can get more things done with less work.

Calendly is one of the appointment scheduling software used by millions of teams worldwide to schedule meetings with just one click each week. You can plan, connect, and keep in touch with people simultaneously using a single platform for the whole meeting lifecycle.

Calendly works with Google, Office 365, and Outlook so that appointments only get booked once. Also, it automatically adds new events, bookings, and appointments to the calendars. The program is fun to use because the interface is modern and easy to understand. Email makes it easy to send reminders and confirmations tailored to your needs.

Features and Benefits

How to book a customer in three steps: Calendly, an appointment scheduling software, makes scheduling easier. Make rules about your business and availability, share your link, and let customers choose a time and event from your calendar.

Streamline your work: There is more than just a calendar on the platform. You can make a custom workflow that sends confirmations, messages, and other types of communication on its own.

Link up with different calendars: Sync two calendars to ensure you have no scheduling conflicts. You can combine up to six personal and business calendars into one for your business.

5 SyncThemCalendars

SyncThemCalendars is a Cloud-based software scheduling solution. It was designed to assist businesses as well as freelancers in the processing of multiple synchronizations between calendars. It also works on saving events on a private or personal calendar and blocking time based on events from other calendars. It creates copies of events from a shared calendar to a work calendar, too.

Users of the application or freelancers can organize their time and coordinate their work with multiple clients at the same time, thanks to the application. Users can define numerous synchronizations by selecting source and target calendars. Users can also apply rules, transfer and store data securely, and define multiple synchronizations.

SyncThemCalendars is a scheduling software that allows you to sync Google Calendars. It offers a month-to-month or annual subscription basis and customer support through live chat anytime.

Features and Benefits

Users can sync up to five devices with SyncThemCalendars

Control every aspect of the copied data with rich privacy settings

Uses technology that is both secure and reliable, so you can rest assured that all of the events on your calendar will be preserved and displayed correctly

SyncThemCalendars also lets you try it for free for 14 days

You can be sure that each of your calendars accurately reflects your availability at any given time by using SyncThemCalendars.

It is one of the most effective methods to sync two calendars to copy free and busy times from one calendar to another.

You are free to make any changes you like to the copied event to make it private, and you are also free to configure syncs in both directions to keep the two calendars in sync.

The service is very easy to configure, and it will only take five minutes to set up your first sync after completing the setup.

Fair Pricing

Customers of the scheduling software SynchThemCalendars can select either a monthly or an annual subscription plan. The starting price is $5 per month or $48 for the entire year. One user is included in the plan, and data can be continuously synchronized across multiple Google accounts. Additionally, users are allowed to perform up to five syncs.

They give you a free trial that lasts 14 days, and if you configure a sync, you should be able to evaluate the value of their service in minutes rather than days.

Overall Functionality of SynchThemCalendars

The ease of use and overall functionality of SynchThemCalendars are two of our favorite aspects of this program.

They also control every aspect of the data copied with rich privacy settings, which is beneficial because it means you won't have to overthink about privacy and security.

They are also fast and reliable scheduling companies that will assist your business, regardless of size. In addition to this, they provide you with reasonable prices for all of your scheduling requirements.

SynchThemCalendars is the only intelligent and straightforward solution for people who work with multiple calendars. Learn how to sync multiple calendars to display your availability and avoid scheduling conflicts with this software.

Do you wish to give it a shot? You can get started in just three easy steps:

Create an account using your primary Gmail address. After logging into your primary Gmail account, sign in to any additional Gmail accounts you want to sync with your primary account. You can easily set up your sync with just one click and customize it to meet your requirements.

Best Scheduling Software

Now, you know about some of the best scheduling software you can find online. But to make the right choice, you must first look at your organization's needs.

Before choosing the best and free scheduling software, here are a few things to keep in mind:

Number of Employees: If you work alone or run a small business with a small team, choose the free version, which already has good features. But if you run a company with a larger group, you should choose an enterprise plan, which gives you the most for your money.

Type of Business: Your business might need software for booking tickets, setting up appointments, or dividing tasks. Choose a platform that fits your scheduling needs instead of a tool with features you won't use.

Budget: Make sure your platform is affordable and gives you the best value for your money. Compare prices with other options to find the best deal. Look for free versions if you have a small team or simple needs.

Think about these points and look closely at each tool. There is no easy way to schedule meetings and other essential business tasks. The best thing you can do to make your business meetings run more smoothly is to use a schedule software.

When it comes to managing a company, time is one of the most precious resources. That's why a growing number of businesses are investing in scheduling software to improve productivity. We looked into some of the most reliable scheduling services, including SynchThemCalendars, that you might find helpful.

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced in its memo two weeks ago that a mass layoff was about to happen.

The tech boss said that the firm would invest more in AI, which might affect many employees inside the company.

At that time, Pichai clarified that around 12,00 workers would be affected. Although it's difficult, it's the only decision to make for the whole organization.

With the decision, some Google employees who will be terminated soon posted their stories on TikTok. It's a mix of sad and happy emotions for some of them.

Former Google Employees Vlog their Layoff Stories

According to a report by Gizmodo, some employees who will be laid off from Google posted their sentiments on TikTok.

While others will be staying in the company for good, some workers have a reason to vent their feelings towards the announcement.

Many former Google staff are vlogging their "layoff" journey on the video-sharing platform. They want the world to see how the company treats them despite their effort to contribute to their welfare.

As such, the subject "Day in the Life" of axed employees has become one of the most viral topics on TikTok. For years, this has been controversial on some social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook.

Anyone can feel extremely bad after a layoff, especially if they are the main providers of their families. Handling the situation is absolutely hard for the affected employees, and it might take some time for them to recover, as in the case of Nicola Tsai.

Related Article: Googlegeist Survey Reveals that Google Workers Are 'Increasingly Unhappy' About Compensation, Promotion, and More

'Daily Life' of a Laid-Off Individual

According to The New York Post, Tsai shared his journey on Google and how the layoff affected his daily life.

As a TikTok vlogger, she was fond of uploading happy moments on the platform. This time it was the other way around.

"So I woke up to this really ominous text from my boss and I honestly had no idea what it was going to be about so I called her the minute I woke up and saw this," Tsai said in a TikTok video on Sunday, Jan. 29.

Furthermore, her boss informed her of the situation and urged her to check her email for the news. She attempted to access her official Google mail but found out she could no longer access it.

That's the time when she started to cry and wipe away her tears. Tsai also uploaded screenshots of chats from other employees who were kicked out of Google.

New Moments to Cherish

While some treat getting laid off as a problem, some workers think that it's a blessing in disguise. Rebekah Moran, a Google worker who spent nine years working in the company, said she would have more time with her kids.

Moran said that she would meet her two-year-old son and her baby soon. She believed it was now the time to "flourish during uncertainty."

Read Also: Gmail Creator Claims ChatGPT's Growing Popularity Will Be Google's Downfall

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An experiment called PiNC (Plumes in Nearshore Conditions) is being conducted at a San Diego beach, turning the seawater pink.

This picturesque experiment studies how small freshwater outflows interact with the surf zone in the estuary and surrounding coastline at Los Penasquitos Lagoon, located within Torrey Pines State Beach and Natural Reserve.

The surf zone, also known as the breaker zone, is where waves break due to depth limitations and surf onshore as wave bores.

Researchers from UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the University of Washington are conducting the experiment funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

A Study in Pink

According to a press release from UC San Diego, the experiment aims to improve understanding of how freshwater plumes interact with the denser, saltier, and often colder nearshore ocean environment, particularly when encountering breaking waves.

The researchers will release a non-toxic pink dye into the estuary and track its movement with drones, sensors in the river mouth and surf zone, and a fluorometer-equipped jet ski.

The experiment will provide a comprehensive picture of the buoyant plume/wave mixing dynamics and will aid in quantifying material spread in the nearshore environment, including sediment, pollutants, larvae, and other vital materials.

Read Also: Earth's Inner Core May Have Paused or Reversed Over a 70-year Period, Study Suggests

The researchers chose the study site because it is a small river plume that discharges into the surf zone along a uniform stretch of coastline. The lagoon is a small estuary that is intermittently closed between the cities of San Diego and Del Mar.

The dye will be released during an ebb tide, when the water level falls, to ensure that it is carried out of the estuary and into the coastal ocean.

The dye will be visible for several hours after it is released, and small traces will be detectable for about 24 hours. Due to the active research, beachgoers are advised to recreate further south or north of the estuary on the release dates (if they don't want to look like flamingoes after a quick dip).

Importance of the Study

According to InterestingEngineering, materials like sediments and pollutants must travel through rivers and estuaries to reach the coastal ocean.

According to the same report, little is known about how these lighter, fresher plumes interact with the denser, saltier, and frequently colder nearshore ocean environment, mainly when the plumes come into contact with breaking waves.

This experiment offers a one-of-a-kind chance for scientists to examine how small-scale plumes interact with the surfzone and will yield important information for the field.

PiNC is supported by NSF award #1924005, and the California Department of Parks and Recreation's Natural Resources Division is funding supplementary data.

The experts say that Scripps Oceanography has successfully used pink dye in other nearshore experiments, including earlier work based at Imperial Beach and Huntington State Beach, as well as a global study tracking beach pollution dynamics close to the U.S.-Mexico border in 2015.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.

Related Article: Maritime Archaeologists Shed Light on a Mysterious Rotting Ship Found in the Graveyard of Shipwrecks

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The FBI has shut down the notorious group of cybercriminals Hive this week. The law enforcement agency has seized the website of the gang to stop its operation entirely.

FBI Catches Hive Ransomware Group

According to a report by Scientific American, the FBI has penetrated the system of Hive after many months. The organization only used decryption keys to unlock some of the stolen systems by the cybercriminals.

There came a time when the FBI dived deeper into the system until it encountered the website of the group. The agency destroyed its website to make sure that the gang would suffer from long-term impacts.

For some reason, it's interesting to know how Hive gets baffled about the control of its servers. While it's careful that someone can access its system, it does not have any second thoughts about those who can rent the services on a space.

Of course, the recent success of the FBI was not only done by itself. The organization also sought help from other law enforcement agencies in Germany and the Netherlands.

At the time, the Hive ransomware gang managed to extort over $100 million from over 1,500 victims. They attacked thousands of victims in more than 80 countries around the world.

Related Article: Hacker Group Hive Claims Ransomware Attack on Tata Power, Leaks Stolen Data

How Dangerous is Hive?

According to Gizmodo, there are seven reasons why Hive is a dangerous group of hackers and why you should avoid them at all costs.

Public Health Agency Hack in Costa Rica: The group has gained access to some of the health departments in Costa Rica in 2022. It forced some of the facilities to shut down, including the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS).

MediaMarkt Attack: One of the largest retail shops in Europe was reportedly under attack. Hive managed to get $240 million worth of ransom payment.

Ohio Healthcare System Hack: In 2021, Hive attacked Memorial Healthcare System, which is based in Ohio. The group stole confidential information from over 200,000 patients.

PGN Hack in Indonesia: Even a major energy provider in Indonesia could not escape Hive's vicious grasp in 2022. About 400 GB of data was reportedly stolen.

Bank of Zambia Attack: Hive's coverage was so that it also reached Africa to attack the Bank of Zambia. When the bank denied its payment request, it sent a picture of the male's sex organ to the hackers.

Massive IT Shutdown in Spain: Hive even shut down hundreds of IT systems in Navarro, Spain in May 2022.

Louisiana Healthcare Hack: Although the FBI was able to stop the extent of the damage during the 2022 attack, the hackers were able to retrieve confidential data from over 270,000 patients in the Lake Charles Memorial Health System. Apparently, not a single trace of malware was detected at that time.

Read Also: Increasing Number of Deepfake Voice Misuse Cases Attributed to ElevenLabs AI Beta Platform

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Anker now finally admits that its Eufy security cameras are not at all end-to-end encrypted all the time, contrary to what they told their customers.

The tech firm now vows to do better and rectify the security issue that comes with its security cameras.

(Photo : TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images)

CCTV cameras operate by Houses of Parliament in London on August 16, 2019.

Anker Eufy Security Cameras

The Eufy cameras of Anker were in hot water late last year after a security consultant shed a light on some of the alarming security issues these surveillance devices hold.

As per a recent report by Mac Rumors, security consultant Paul Moore revealed last November that the security cameras of Eufy, which Anker owns, were apparently sending footage to the cloud.

Sure, some users might want to save the videos in the cloud. But the problem is that these security cameras continue to do so even if users have already opted to disable the option that allows cloud storage uploads, Moore discovered.

What makes it even worse is that media players, such as the staple ones like VLC, could stream these videos live.

Moore, who is also a hacker, said that the free media player could easily connect to the stream of the media players. And to do so, you will only have to get hold of the unique address that the cloud servers of Eufy use.

Anker Admits Eufy Security Cameras Are NOT Encrypted

After previously dismissing that VLC media players could stream live footage of Eufy security cameras, Anker now admits that their devices are not actually end-to-end encrypted all the time.

The Verge reports that Anker has now come clean, admitting that its Eufy security cameras produced unencrypted live streams for its web portal. And given this, anybody with a media player like VLC could access it.

(Photo : screenshot from Anker Eufy Indoor Cam 2K Pan and Tilt)

Anker's home security camera, the Eufy Inder Cam 2K Pan and Tilt

Anker further admitted that their Eufy cameras failed to offer native end-to-end encryption.

Mac Rumors notes in its report that Anker has been telling their customers that these Eufy cameras always offer end-to-end encryption. So if you want a security camera that features more privacy, buyers typically pick Eufy due to its claim.

Read Also: Top 5 Best-Selling Amazon Home Audio Speakers: Oontz, Anker, Tribit, and More Products on Sale

Are Eufy Security Issues Now Fixed?

Anker says they have now fixed the security issue for their Eufy cameras that were discovered last year.

And as such, the tech firm now says that "the video streams can no longer be played on third-party media players such as VLC." It comes as it claims that video stream content has now been encrypted.

Furthermore, Anker says that "the eufy Security Web portal now prohibits users from entering debug mode, and the code has been hardened and obfuscated." It should be an added precaution to prevent prying eyes from streaming its video content.

Related Article: Must-have Anker Mobile Charging Essentials Now on Sale at Amazon

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Ukraine's call for advanced military aircraft may finally be answered by Poland, which could transfer some F-16 fighter jets. Although Ukrainian officials are encouraged by the "positive signals," Poland has stated that all decisions will be made in coordination with NATO allies.

US Confirms It Will be Sending M1 Abrams Tanks

According to the story by Interesting Engineering, the Russian aggression towards Ukraine has persisted for close to a year, resulting in Ukraine suffering losses, including some of its aircraft. In response, Ukraine has been appealing to its Western allies for more advanced jets to aid in their defense.

The United States has so far been hesitant to supply advanced weaponry to Ukraine, fearing escalation of the conflict. However, recently, the U.S. has relented and provided Ukraine with one of its most advanced air defense systems, and more recently, M1 Abrams tanks.

Poland Could Send F-16 Fighter to Ukraine

An article by The Guardian broke the news of Poland's plan to potentially deliver the F-16 fighters.

The F-16 fighter, one of the most formidable fighters in the world, was first flown nearly 50 years ago. It is a single-engine supersonic aircraft built under a consortium agreement between the U.S. and four NATO nations and is available in single-seat and two-seat models.

The F-16s delivered after 1981 are multirole and can perform precision strikes, night attacks, and beyond-visual-range interception missions, per the US Air Force website. The F-16, equipped with either Pratt & Whitney or General Electric engines, boasts a remarkable 27,000 pounds of thrust and can reach speeds of 1,500 miles per hour.

F-16 Fighters Strap Two 2,000-Pound Bombs for Surface Attacks

It is equipped with two 2,000-pound bombs for surface attacks, two AIM-9 and two AIM-120 for short and medium-range air-to-air combat, and a 20 mm M61A1 Vulcan gun that can fire up to 500 rounds.

The F-16's negative stability design provides exceptional maneuverability for the pilot and the ability to endure up to nine times the force of gravity more than any other fighter aircraft in combat. The F-16 features fly-by-wire technology that enables the pilot to operate the aircraft through the use of a side stick controller equipped with pressure sensors.

Read Also: NASA Picks 9 Cutting-Edge Space Technologies to Advance Commercial Flight Tests

Ukraine Could Greatly Benefit from the F-16 Fighters

The potential acquisition of the F-16 by Ukraine, if approved, could pit the aircraft against Russia's Sukhois and MiGs in the ongoing conflict. This addition to Ukraine's defense would add much-needed firepower and could potentially be seen as a significant victory for the country, which has been advocating for military support since the start of the conflict.

It's important to note that any such supply is expected to be restricted to defensive purposes only and is likely to come with conditions attached. The deployment is predicted to take place in the near future, closer to April.

Although the U.S. has been hesitant to supply advanced weaponry to Ukraine, recent events indicate that they may be willing to grant Ukraine's request, although not directly. President Biden is expected to travel to Poland soon, which could potentially lead to further developments in this matter.

Related Article: NASA Teams Up with Pentagon's DARPA to Build an Advanced Nuclear Thermal Rocket

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Feb. 1 marks the 20th anniversary of the tragic accident of the space shuttle Columbia, which killed seven astronauts. NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida paid its respects to the crew and other astronauts who lost their while performing their jobs during the agency's Annual Day of Remembrance.

"Different Kind of Observance"

A ceremony for the center's senior management and guests was held in the Space Mirror Memorial on Jan. 26 at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

"In a community that frequently commemorates the milestones and achievements made possible through the teamwork and contributions of so many, today is a different kind of observance, a day to recognize and honor those who lost their lives in pursuit of knowledge, and those losses are heavy," Kennedy Space Center Director Janet Petro said in a statement.

NASA lost some of its bravest astronauts twenty years ago on Feb. 1, when Columbia broke apart during its re-entry.

Today we remember those brave souls and the marks they left in astronomy; such as mission commander Rick D. Husband; pilot William C. McCool; payload commander Michael P. Anderson; mission specialists Kalpana Chawla and Laurel B. Clark; and Israeli Space Agency's payload specialist Ilan Ramon.

The seven astronauts were aboard Columbia when it took out on January 16, 2003, at 10:39 a.m. EST from Kennedy's Launch Complex 39A. The initial Spacehab Research Double Module was carried in the shuttle's payload bay.

Physical and biological sciences were the focus of the 16-day mission. The loss of the aircraft and crew occurred on February 1, 2003, during descent for landing at Kennedy at the height of 203,000 feet over north central Texas. This was due to a failure in the thermal protection system on the shuttle's left wing.

Read also: NASA Chooses TitanAir and a Pellet-Beam Propulsion Among 14 Concepts That Could Change Space Exploration for Good

Hard-Earned Lessons

The astronauts from Apollo 1 and the Challenger space shuttle were also honored during the ceremony.

NASA's associate administrator Bob Cabana said that they held a Day of Remembrance to pay respect to their fallen comrades.

He stresses that the unfortunate incidents from Columbia, Challenger, and Apollo shall serve as hard-earned lessons for the space agency so that they may never repeat in future space missions.

"We take time to pause and reflect, to remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, but also to inspire us to future human exploration," Thad Altman, AMF president and CEO, said during the event.

Altman said that they honor every individual involved in these missions - from the engineers, and astronauts, to the administrators - the lessons acquired from them shall serve as an inspiration for future missions.

Related Article: NASA Pays Tribute to Soccer King Pele with a Spiral Galaxy Brimming with Brazil's Colors

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Hypersonic missiles might not be valuable for the United States in the future.

(Photo : Photo by Scott Nelson/Getty Images)

A U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Division, 1st Battallion, 39th Field Artillery Regiment (1-39) Bravo Battery Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) vehicle fires a M28A1 practice rocket during exercises February 13, 2003 near the Iraqi border in northern Kuwait. The MLRS is used to target enemy air defenses and command and control sites from a distance of over 30 kilometers away.

This was revealed by the latest report of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

For the past years, hypersonic missiles have served the U.S. government in defending the country.

However, experts are now doubting the value of these defense missiles because of their tactical uses and unsolved technological challenges.

Hypersonic Missiles No Longer Worth It?

According to the National Defense's latest report, hypersonic missiles are used against anti-access and area-denial systems used by Russia, China, and other adversaries.

(Photo : Photo by South Korean Defense Ministry via Getty Images)

In this handout photo released by the South Korean Defense Ministry, South Korea's Hyunmu-2 ballistic missile is fired during an exercise aimed to counter North Korea's nuclear test on September 4, 2017 in East Coast, South Korea. South Korea's military said Monday it conducted a combined live-fire exercise in response to North Korea's sixth nuclear test a day earlier.

Also Read: NASA Teams Up with Pentagon's DARPA to Build an Advanced Nuclear Thermal Rocket

They could be launched outside the range of the mentioned systems. Since they have hypersonic speeds, they can reach targets in just a few minutes.

However, CBO revealed one issue with these super-fast missiles. Traveling faster than Mach 5 leads to one fundamental technological challenge, which is heat management.

Aside from this major issue, the new CBO report also revealed that scenarios, where hypersonic missiles are more useful than ballistic missiles, are limited.

This means that ballistic missiles are almost as effective as hypersonic missiles.

When it comes to costs, CBO claimed that hypersonic missiles are around one-third more expensive than ballistic missiles.

US Still Investing in Hypersonic Missiles

As of press time, the U.S. government is still investing in the development of hypersonic weapons.

One of these is the new scramjet-powered HAWC (Hypersonic Airbreathing Weapon Concept) missile.

Popular Mechanics reported that the U.S. Air Force successfully completed the final test for the new HAWC.

The data acquired from the final test is expected to influence the U.S. government's future hypersonic missile efforts.

You can click here to learn what happened during the experiment.

Other stories we previously wrote about defense:

Recently, sources claimed that a new high-energy laser beam, which can enhance drones' flight capabilities, is being developed by China.

We also reported that Israel launched its new Point Blank drone, which can be retrieved after destroying its target.

For more news updates about missiles and other defense techs, keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Electric carmaker Tesla Inc is considering setting up an assembly plant near a new Mexico City airport, which would serve as an export hub for the firm, Mexican presidential spokesman Jesus Ramirez said.

Ramirez said that Tesla could put a plant at an industrial park in development about 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the Felipe Angeles International Airport (AIFA), a new hub opened by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador last year.

"Tesla is looking at investing in that area to take advantage of AIFA," Ramirez told Reuters late on Monday, noting the site could serve as a base for the firm to export by air.

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He gave no further details, but the remarks follow recent comments by Ramirez to newspaper El Heraldo de Mexico about the prospect of a Tesla investment there.

"Tesla will invest there ... in an assembly plant, to export directly by air," Ramirez told the newspaper.

Separately, a Mexican official told Reuters that Tesla had been shown the site, but had given no indication of its plans.

Chief Executive Elon Musk has been eyeing a potential investment in the northern state of Nuevo Leon bordering Texas, according to media reports and officials who spoke to Reuters.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Ramirez told El Heraldo de Mexico that Tesla was aiming to invest in the T-MexPark, a major industrial park being built close to the Felipe Angeles airport.

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She demanded to separate from him and found all his money in the name of his mother. Shock at Moroccan Achraf Hakimi's divorce and Spanish wife

Galtier case: PSG "supports" his coach who says he is "deeply shocked" by the accusations

Beatriz Flamini's incredible statement after 500 days in a cave: "I didn't want to go out"

Kvyat will perform at the World Endurance Championship under the flag of Italy

The purchase of housing will fall by 30% in 2023 due to the rise in rates and the erosion of savings

The higher the rise, the more you buy, the luxury giants make a profit

Inflation fell to 3.3% in March due to the 'Ukraine effect' but food prices continue to rise by 16.5%

The Bank of Japan unveils new banknotes and introduces a hologram that looks like a moving portrait

The General Office of the State Council issued the Opinions on the Reform of the Independent Director System for Listed Companies

The independent director system ushered in a comprehensive reform in response to the five major concerns of the market

The new Housing Law extends the rent cap to all owners and reduces to five the houses of a large holder

Mishustin: Russia's economy has coped with the challenges of the pandemic and unprecedented sanctions

The first Hunan (Huaihua) RCEP Economic and Trade Expo was held in May

(Focus on the Expo) Japanese and Korean SMEs take advantage of the Expo to explore the Chinese market

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and private enterprises in the Chengdu-Chongqing region joined hands to carry out exchanges

topped search engines. How did the city of Merowe become the forefront of events in Sudan?

The Prime Minister makes promises and the Minister of Finance denies them. What is going on inside the Palestinian government?

Queen Maecena Jimena and her Victoria Cross next to the Holy Ark of Jerusalem with the linen of the first century that could wrap the head of Christ

Rospatent: Igor Nikolaev is not required by law to have a business to register a trademark

Bloomberg: Kyiv's European allies have lowered expectations from a possible counteroffensive by the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Former Pentagon adviser McGregor: Ukraine may disappear as a state by the end of the year

Naoko, Emma Nogueiro and the other women in Sanchez Drago's life (always younger and with short hair)

Alessandro Lequio breaks his silence: "It makes me sad that my son is once again the protagonist of today"

Political scientist Dudchak on Hersh's statement about Zelensky: there are probably a lot of such stories

Mass poisoning on MasterChef 11: "We're sorry. It is an absolutely exceptional case in these 11 years"

The sexist murder of an influencer shakes the Dominican Republic: her ex shoots her in the head three days after trying

10 restaurants to eat (very good) for less than 40 euros in Madrid

The pope says women are "generous" although there is some "neurotic"

"Can cause very serious complications": doctors - about the increase in the incidence of measles in Russia

The Future of Online Casinos and the Technologies That Will Shape It

The Bank of Japan unveils new banknotes and introduces a hologram that looks like a moving portrait

She demanded to separate from him and found all his money in the name of his mother. Shock at Moroccan Achraf Hakimi's divorce and Spanish wife

The athlete Beatriz Flamini leaves the cave where she has remained alone and isolated for 500 days

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With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer daily important automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information.

BYD begins selling ATTO 3s in Japan

Chinese automaker BYD began selling electric vehicles in Japan on Tuesday as it pursues its global ambitions to overtake more established carmakers, according to Nikkei Asia.

ATTO 3; photo credit: BYD

Schaeffler breaks ground on NEV core parts base in Chinas Taicang city

On Jan. 31, Schaeffler broke ground on a new energy vehicle (NEV) core parts base in Taicang, a county-level city under the administration of Chinas Suzhou city, according to a post on the WeChat account Taicang Fabu. Involving a planned investment of US$300 million, the project is set up to work on the R&D, production, and sale of the drive components for NEVs.

Former Lynk & Cos executive named CEO of GWMs WEY brand

Chen Siying, former Deputy General Manager of Lynk & Co Sales Company has joined Great Wall Motor to serve as CEO of the WEY brand and Marketing General Manager of the TANK brand, a local media outlet reported on Jan. 30.

NIO posts 11.87% YoY dip in Jan. 2023 deliveries

NIO Inc. (NIO or the company) announced today it delivered 8,506 vehicles in January 2023, which fell 11.87% year on year, and also tumbled 46.22% month on month.

XPeng faces YoY, MoM plunge in Jan. 2023 deliveries as result of seasonal slowdown

XPeng, a Guangzhou-based Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, delivered 5,218 vehicles in Jan. 2023, according to the companys announcement, tumbling 59.62% and 53.79% from the previous year and the previous month, respectively.

Li Autos Jan. deliveries jump 23.4% YoY, L7 to be launched on Feb. 8

Chinese new energy vehicle startup Li Auto announced on the first day of February that it delivered 15,141 vehicles in January this year, which represented a jump of 23.4% year-on-year.

Geelys ZEEKR delivers 3,116 vehicles in Jan. 2023

ZEEKR, the premium electric vehicle brand of Geely, delivered 3,116 vehicles in Jan. 2023, representing a year-on-year drop of nearly 12%, according to an announcement Geely Automobile Holdings Limited (Geely Auto) issued on Wednesday.

VOYAH delivers 1,548 vehicles in January 2023

VOYAH, the high-end new energy vehicle maker backed by Dongfeng Motor, delivered 1,548 vehicles in total during the first month of 2023, the company announced on February 1.

SoC supplier ORITEK closes Series A1 financing round

On February 1, Chinese SoC chip supplier ORITEK announced the completion of its Series A1 financing round, which raised for the company hundreds of millions of yuan.

Chery starts providing life-long vehicle warranties for car's first owners

On February 1, Chinas major automaker Chery Holding announced that starting from January 1, 2023, all purchase of its four mainstay brands vehicles will be entitled for a lifetime car warranty.

EVE Energy to plow 10.8 billion yuan in new battery manufacturing project in Jingmen city

EVE Energy Co., Ltd. (EVE Energy) announced on Jan. 31 its subsidiary EVE Power Co., Ltd. (EVE Power) planned to sign a contract with the administration committee of Jingmen Hi-tech Industries Development Zone to launch a new power & energy storage battery manufacturing project.

BAIC Group, BTL ink agreement to cooperate in chassis, car body, intelligent driving fields

On January 31, Beijing-based automaker BAIC Group inked a five-year strategic cooperation agreement with Bethel Automotive Safety Systems Co., Ltd. (BTL) to strengthen their collaboration in chassis, car body, and intelligent driving fields.

Geely-bakced AEROFUGIA sees AE200 flying car complete first flight in 2023

AEROFUGIA, the low-altitude transport solution developer backed by Geely Technology, saw its AE200 X01 flying vehicle complete a test flight on January 30.

Gotion High-Techs 2022 annual revenue estimated to surge up to 130.78% YoY

Gotion High-Tech announced on Tuesday its annual revenue was forecasted to reach 21.1 billion yuan-23.9 billion yuan ($3.126 billion-$3.541 billion) in 2022, which should surge 103.75%-130.78% from the previous year.
Beijing (Gasgoo)- On February 1, Chinese SoC chip supplier ORITEK announced the completion of its Series A1 financing round, which raised for the company hundreds of millions of yuan.

Photo credit: ORITEK

The fresh round was led by CMG-SDIC Capital, and also attracted such investors as a SAIC-backed fund, Sunic Capital, SND Ventures Group, Forebright Capital.

According to ORITEK, it has successfully sailed through two financing rounds in the past year, both of which raised for the company multi-hundred-millions of yuan. Upon completion of the new round, the companys list of investors has grown to include such named companies in the automotive industry as SAIC Motor, Joyson Electronics, Shanghai Baolong Automotive Corporation, and ArcSoft.

ORITEK is the first Chinese system-level SoC chip supplier focusing on the third-generation E/E architecture for smart vehicles. It was jointly established by its founding team and the Chinas Advanced Manufacturing Industry Investment Fund. The companys R&D team includes talents from leading chip design companies worldwide with an average experience of over 15 years.

Building on the third-generation E/E architecture (Zonal architecture), ORITEK provides serialized chips and solutions for intelligent vehicles. The companys Longquan 560 product series meets the requirements of the smart components on intelligent vehicles (CMS mirrors/smart headlights, etc.), smart domain controllers (ZCU), and the central computing unit for integrated drive/park chips.

In addition, its intelligent algorithms and flexible tiered delivery of software and solutions can greatly reduce the development cost and time for clients when developing new products.
Ochsner's STAR Summer Scholars Program provides students with a cost-free opportunity to explore the world of healthcare.
The lockup at Pine Prairie is one of eight prisons sold to The Geo Group in 2015 by Michael LeBlanc's firm, LCS Corrections. It's used to house people being detained by the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- EVE Energy Co., Ltd. (EVE Energy) announced on Jan. 31 its subsidiary EVE Power Co., Ltd. (EVE Power) planned to sign a contract with the administration committee of Jingmen Hi-tech Industries Development Zone to launch a new power & energy storage battery manufacturing project.

According to the announcement, the aforesaid project will involve a total investment of around 10.8 billion yuan ($1.6 million), 8 billion yuan ($1.185 billion) of which will be invested in fixed assets.

Photo credit: EVE Energy

Under the project, production lines capable of manufacturing 60GWh power & energy storage batteries per year and relevant auxiliary facilities will be built on an industrial-purpose land of around 1,000 mu (666,700 square meters) in the Hi-tech Industries Development Zone of Jingmen city, Hubei province.

EVE Energy said the new investment is conducive to expanding its production capacity of power & energy storage batteries, optimizing its industrial structure, providing customers with more products and solutions, and further promoting its development in the lithium-ion power battery market, as well as its influence and comprehensive competitiveness in the new energy vehicle industry.

China's annual power battery installed capacity in 2022 surged 90.7% year over year to 294.6GWh, according to data by the China Automotive Power Battery Industry Innovation Alliance (CAPBIIA). Among all domestic power battery makers, EVE Energy ranked sixth with an annual installed capacity of 7.18% (+145.9%), accounting for 2.44% of the countrys total volume.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size You dont think of Hugh Jackman going hard after a role  chasing down the director to say how keen he is  but thats exactly what one of Australias biggest Hollywood stars did for The Son. The rip-out-your-heart drama is French writer-director Florian Zellers follow-up to The Father, his intense 2020 film that featured Anthony Hopkins as an elderly man with dementia. Widely acclaimed, it won Oscars for best adapted screenplay and best actor. Its a really good ploy when an agent says theres an amazing role but theres a couple of other actors in talks for it, Jackman says drolly. That really motivates actors. The X-Men, Les Miserables and The Greatest Showman star, who has just finished a triumphant run starring in The Music Man on Broadway, knew Zeller had written The Son as a play  part of a trilogy that includes The Father and The Mother  about mental illness or disorders. Jackman at a screening of The Son in New York last October. Credit:Charles Sykes/Invision/AP I read it that afternoon, fell in love with it and felt an urgency to play it immediately, Jackman says. So I sent him an email. I just said, Listen, if youre dancing with someone else, Im not the kind of guy to cut in. But if youre not, Id love to play the part. So I just laid my cards on the table and we Zoomed the next day and he offered me the part, which was a huge relief to me.

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The role that so interested Jackman was playing a successful New York lawyer, Peter, who has such a promising life with partner Beth (Vanessa Kirby) and their new baby that he is considering a dream job working on a political campaign in Washington. Then former wife Kate (Laura Dern) arrives at his front door distraught and scared that their 17-year-old son Nicholas (little-known Australian Zen McGrath) has been skipping school for a month and having dark thoughts. Im a different parent, a different person, for making the film. I certainly lead with more vulnerability with my kids. Hugh Jackman Feeling abandoned, friendless and worried about his sanity, Nicholas wants to live with his father. But when Peter agrees Nicholas can move in, starting at a new school and seeing a therapist, the boy slides deeper into crisis. I dont know whats happening to me, he says through tears. Zeller, a successful playwright turned filmmaker, was surprised and touched by Jackmans humility and honesty when he wrote to him. I felt very strongly that he would be extraordinary in this part, he says. He was already so connected with the emotions that I wanted to explore. Jackman with Zen McGrath (left) and Laura Dern in The Son. Credit:Rekha Garton/Sony Pictures Classics Jackman, who also came on as executive producer to add his Hollywood clout to the production, saw The Son as a film that could start vital conversations about depression, anxiety and suicide.

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The script is so beautiful, he says. It so smartly talks about this issue of mental health, without giving answers, without giving easy fixes, and just really understanding what its like for a family going through these issues. Theres not a person reading this who doesnt know someone very close to them going through something like this. Its so prevalent, its such an epidemic. Its certainly something that I know. And I just felt this was a role that I rarely get offered and a level of writing and intelligence that was so incisive and beautiful and the kind of conversation we need to have as a society. Hugh Jackman and Vanessa Kirby in a scene from The Son. Credit:Rob Youngson/Sony Pictures Classics Dern, on another Zoom screen from Los Angeles, says Zeller has fleshed out the many sides to a mental health crisis. You dont read writing this beautiful, she says. He captured so many themes [about] navigating mental health crises  not just this boy and what hes going through but parents navigating their own histories. Hughs character is caring for the son but he is also the son. In one of the films most vivid scenes, Peter visits his political careerist father (Hopkins, returning from The Father before dementia). Over lunch it becomes clear that this distant, abrasive figure is still affecting Peters ability to be a good parent.

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Jackman calls it intergenerational trauma. Were a bridge between the way were brought up and the way we parent, he says. If you have children, and even if not, the way you interact with the world and the relationships you have, theres a lot we inherit without knowing it. I was thirsty for that kind of really sometimes harsh, sometimes uncomfortable look at what really goes on in the human experience. Hugh Jackman When I became a parent, there was a long list of things that I would definitely do differently  Im not going to do that, Im not going to do this. Then its amazing how often things come out of your mouth and you go, Oh, Im looking at that like my father. In some ways, that trauma can be like a wildfire that goes down between generations. Both actors say The Son was a very emotional film to shoot, especially with Zeller wanting them to draw on their own lives to play their characters. Thankfully the production company had professional help available for everybody, Jackman says. There were some scenes in particular that were very upsetting, and it wouldnt be unusual for a crew member just to take a couple of hours break to go off then come back. Director Florian Zeller and Hugh Jackman on the set of The Son. Credit:Jessica Kourkounis/Sony Pictures Classics Dern says it has been common after early screenings of The Son for audience members to come up afterwards to talk about their own experiences of mental illness.

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Even at the Venice Film Festival, when we were first showing the film, journalists would come in and speak to Hugh and me with their own stories, deeply emotional. [At other screenings] people have just been bringing their hearts and their own stories and wanting to talk about it, needing to talk about it, feeling safe to talk about it. Jackman, who also had to deal with his own fathers death late in the shoot in September 2021, says the film has changed him. Im a different parent, a different person, for making the film, he says. I certainly lead with more vulnerability with my kids. Prior to the film I was a little more feeling, I guess, that what kids mostly wanted was stability and strength. The idea that their parents have got the answers, they know where theyre going. Loading And what I realised, particularly with a 22- and a 17-year-old, is its OK to say, I dont know, or Im not a hundred per cent sure what to do here. Can we talk about it? And they seem to appreciate that. Jackmans raw performance had him nominated for a Golden Globe and, after Venice, he was considered an early chance of an Oscar nomination. He is super proud of the film and keen to praise McGrath, a now 20-year-old who had shot not much more than the little-known American miniseries Dig, an episode of the ABC comedy Utopia and the film Red Dog: True Blue before The Son. He submitted a filmed audition to win a demanding first major film role. He was there with his dad, Craig, who flew over from Melbourne, Jackman says. I just thought he did an amazing job because a lot of the scenes he had were incredibly emotional and really, really difficult. Almost all of them, pretty much.

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Northern Europe has Nordic-noir shows like The Killing and The Bridge, South Korea has K-dramas like Squid Game and Sky Castle, and the Brits have their BBC crime dramas, far too many to mention. Each of these genres are critically acclaimed and wildly popular, both in their home countries and internationally, helping export each nations culture and filmmaking prowess.

But what defines Australian television? Is it soaps like Home and Away and the recently cancelled-then-uncancelled Neighbours? The dramas of yore like SeaChange and the first season of Underbelly? Recent hits like the rebooted Heartbreak High? Or popular reality TV programs like The Block and Married at First Sight?

What defines Australian television drama? Is it productions like Home and Away?

The truth is very few of these shows, especially in recent years, have resonated strongly outside of Australia (Heartbreak High, turbocharged by international streamer Netflix, is one obvious exception). Even when they do break through, it tends to be in isolation rather than part of a cohesive and defined genre that tells a particular story about contemporary Australia. One Heartbreak High doesnt equate to our equivalent of K-drama, in other words.

So, whats going on? Why does it appear as though Australian TV is failing to punch through? And, perhaps most importantly, does it even matter?
Survivors of child sexual abuse and their advocates should have been allowed to quietly demonstrate on Wednesday outside Sydneys St Marys Cathedral, where Cardinal George Pell lay in state.

Ahead of the public viewing of the cardinals body, a small group calling itself Loud Fence tied blue, yellow, red, purple and orange ribbons to a gate as a symbol of solidarity and silent protest against the Catholic Churchs response to institutional child sexual abuse.

Victims tie ribbons outside St Marys Cathedral, Sydney, where George Pell lay in state. Credit: Louise Kennerley

Victim Paul Auchettl, who was sexually abused by a priest in Ballarat during the 1970s and whose brother later took his own life after also being abused, told reporters the ribbons signified that the church still had unfinished business with survivors and their families.

Ive come to Sydney to tie ribbons for people who are too sick to be here, and who arent alive any more, and for their families who are too angry to be here.
As people arrived one by one to put up ribbons at St Marys Cathedral over the past week, Ballarat child abuse survivor Paul Auchettl would quietly approach them. Every person had a story about their own experience of abuse at the hands of the Catholic Church, or stories of abuse suffered by someone they loved. Children would emerge from the faces of 60-year-old men and women, and Auchettl would guide them through the release that the tying of a ribbon would bring, like a contemporary shaman.

Survivor Paul Auchettl ties a ribbon at St Marys Cathedral. Credit: Louise Kennerley

Every day the fence would be picked clean of the presence of abused children that each ribbon represents. It was this removal that most deeply troubled Auchettl and his fellow Ballarat survivor Trevor Coad, who accompanied him to Sydney. Their seven-year ribbon campaign in their hometown, the epicentre of revelations in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, has progressed to some sort of understanding between campaigners and the church. But Sydney is different, years behind the rest of Australian Catholicism in coming to terms with a post-royal commission world. Auchettl was overwhelmed by the scale of the cathedral he had never visited, and is committed to forming connections between what he perceives as disparate and scattered victim-survivors in NSW.

Like many, I was disgusted by the history-erasing hagiographies that followed the death of Cardinal George Pell  declaring his actions to be saint-like; comparing him to a crucified Christ who had died at the hands of political correctness; claiming that he had gone to jail for having had the temerity to talk back to the culture. Akin to the worst, two-bit fairground magic act in history, these op-eds simply focused on the High Court setting aside Pells personal conviction for child abuse, and completely ignored his decades-long enabling of paedophile priests through a career-long inaction, as documented and summarised in the final royal commission report. Auchettl grew up with George Pell around the house, he knows Pells family, but even he fell victim to one of the priests that Pell allowed to continue with their criminal behaviour.
A former deputy principal who attempted to lure a 14-year-old girl for sex, unaware undercover police were posing as the teenager, claims he was intoxicated when messages were sent on a classified ads site, a court has heard.

Damian Scott Wanstall, 49, is awaiting sentencing in Parramatta District Court after pleading guilty to a charge of using a carriage service to procure a child under 16 for sexual activity.

Wanstall was the deputy principal and a maths teacher at Kellyville High School, in Sydneys north-west, when he was arrested on the street in Westmead and charged in December 2020.

Former Kellyville High School deputy principal Damian Scott Wanstall (centre) arrives at Parramatta District Court. Credit: Kate Geraghty

His case was listed for sentence on Wednesday. However, the court heard there was a dispute between the parties regarding the accuracy of the date stamp on messages from the classified ads personal chat site Locanto.
WASHINGTON  The FBI searched President Joe Biden's former office at the Penn Biden Center in Washington in November, according to a person familiar with the matter, at least a week after his personal lawyers first found classified records there from his time as vice president.

The discovery of the documents at the office blocks away from the U.S. Capitol led to a search of Biden's homes, including his residence in Wilmington, Delaware, where lawyers and federal agents found additional classified documents in December and January. It was not immediately clear whether the FBI search of Biden's office  which was conducted voluntarily, without a search warrant  uncovered additional classified documents beyond those found on Nov. 2 by Biden's attorneys. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a law enforcement action.

News of the FBI search is the latest uncomfortable development for Biden, who pledged to turn the page on the norm- and rule-breaking tenure of his predecessor, Donald Trump.

Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed a special counsel to lead an investigation into how the documents ended up at Biden's home and former office and whether any laws were broken. Trump is facing a far more perilous investigation by a separate special counsel after repeatedly refusing federal efforts to recover classified and official records at his Florida estate.

In the wake of the Biden disclosures, former Vice President Mike Pence said he found classified documents at his Indiana residence and the National Archives has requested that former presidents and vice presidents dating back to the Reagan administration search for any potentially classified or government records improperly in their possession.

Word of the November search of the Penn Biden Center was first reported Tuesday by CBS News, whose initial inquiries about the discovery of classified information at the Biden office sparked the first White House acknowledgement of their discovery.

The White House and the president's personal lawyers, who have faced criticism from Republicans and even some Democrats for their delayed and incomplete disclosure of information about the classified document discoveries, did not directly reveal the search or comment on the matter Tuesday. An FBI spokesman declined comment.

In a Jan. 21 statement acknowledging that FBI agents had searched and taken custody of classified records at the president's Wilmington home the day before, Bob Bauer, the president's personal attorney, said the search was consistent with the process described in the Statement we released on January 14 and followed after the personal attorneys discovery of the documents found at the Penn Biden Center.

The White House and Bidens personal attorneys have not revealed whether the FBI has already or will search Biden's home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. His lawyers previously searched that residence and said they did not identify any classified documents or government records there.

The University of Pennsylvania, which runs the Biden Center, did not respond to a request for comment.
Childrens charity Save the Children said Australias high rate of disengagement from education could be described as a national crisis, even before pandemic lockdowns. Loading COVID-19 threatens to turn this significant existing problem into a generational rupture, it told the inquiry. One parent group said that school refusal is happening as early as year 3. Catholic School Parents Australia told the inquiry that some parents had difficulty accessing specialist help such as psychologists, that schools often mistook a childs anxiety-driven inability to attend school for truancy and that parents could not work owing to the needs of a school-refusing child at home.

Helen Barrett, principal of specialist school the Tombolo Academy, said many of the students who came to her school in Hampton had suffered long-term school refusal in a mainstream school system that is ill-equipped to respond. Loading We took a new student who had only attended six days throughout the whole of year 7 just because he doesnt quite fit into the mainstream setting, Barrett said. Parents are often as broken and traumatised as the students by the time they enrol their child in the small alternative school, she said. The parents are often in tears when they come here because its like we are their last chance because theyve tried lots of different schools and the schools have said we cant help you.

But the Melbourne Graduate School of Education said some schools let disengaged students slip through the net because they might drag down their academic scores. There is little incentive for mainstream schools in todays narrow and competitive educational environment to attempt to take in and rehabilitate detached and disengaged young people because the consequences appear too negative, the schools Professor Jim Watterston and Megan OConnell said. If your child is showing signs of school reluctance or refusal: Talk with your child when they are calm, there is privacy and no distractions and try to understand the reasons for their behaviour.

Use active listening and open questions (that dont require a yes or no answer where possible).

When they open up acknowledge their feelings, express empathy even if you disagree with them and dont dismiss or minimise their feelings.

Address underlying causes, work collaboratively with your child, the school or other professionals

Work with your childs school, maintain a positive relationship with key staff.

Let your child know that attending school regularly is expected of them and is important for their mental health and wellbeing. If needed, support your child to strengthen their relationships with friends and teachers at school.

Praise and reward your childs effort, Be careful not to make your child feel guilty, as this can worsen anxiety or depression.

Seek professionals support early. Source: Parenting Strategies Thus, high-needs students often become collateral damage in the quest for higher academic performance and enhanced reputation. Federal Education Minister Jason Clare said he wanted to improve Australias worrying school refusal rates.

Thats why I have put this on the agenda for the next education ministers meeting this month, he said. Loading The Australian Secondary Principals Association said without a doubt there had been an increase in the number of young people who cannot attend school regularly and that the trend has been supercharged by COVID-19. Over the years we have seen a significant trend in the number of students unable to attend school due to high levels of anxiety and mental health issues, the association said. Schools also have not had the resources or the time to recover from the pandemic, or to invest in reflecting on lessons learned, and are struggling to resource the interventions now required to manage school refusal, it said.

Hurstbridge mother Kylie Hughes daughters are both making use of alternative options to finish their schooling. Her 15-year-old daughter Georgia swapped to an alternative school, Indie College, this year after starting to refuse school. Kylie Hughes with her daughters Ellen (centre), who is completing VCE over two years through virtual school, and Georgia, who has switched to an alternative school. Credit: Simon Schluter Georgia, who has autism and ADD, said from a sensory and focus perspective, mainstream school was not right for her. It definitely got much, much worse during online classes during COVID  then everything went back to being in person and that I think hit me pretty hard, she said.

She said her anxiety about going to school manifested in stomach aches and feeling too tired or unwell. Loading Hughes said as a parent she often felt unheard and that it was important for parents and students to keep an open mind about their options. I think that intervention, particularly in the public system, comes too late, particularly for kids who are disengaged. Theres very little support available for parents, the messaging we kept getting was, just keep sending her, she said. There were so many days that that was really hard because she was clearly distressed and we were distressed by her distress. I think particularly for children who have additional learning needs, the early support is so important.

She said: Thirty hours a week is a lot of time to be unhappy. Older daughter Ellen, who has heart and lung conditions as well as autism and ADHD, is completing VCE over two years through virtual school. The 18-year-old said alternative school options were of vital importance. Its excluding a very large portion of the population and expecting them to fit into a model that isnt for them, she said. Data from the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority shows Victoria has the highest attendance rate in the country, with students from prep to year 10 attending 87.7 per cent of all school days, compared with the national average of 86.5 per cent.

In Victoria, school refusal was given as the reason for student absence for 1.8 per cent of cases in government schools in 2021, up from 1.2 per cent in the three years prior. Victorian opposition education spokesman Matthew Bach argued in an opinion piece for The Age this week that: Government is not solely responsible for solving this problem. We also have to be clear on our responsibility as parents, and that is to show tough love and get our children to school. Loading But clinical psychologist and Deakin University associate professor Glenn Melvin said it was an oversimplification to say tough love was a solution. We need to look to empower parents rather than blame them for their approach. This is an issue that will bring very capable parents to a very stressed state.
A Melbourne mother with a history of medical fraud will go to jail after scamming $180,000 from Medicare, but her sentence has been delayed until a decision on whether her baby can go with her is made.

Sarah Ward, 31, was working as a receptionist at the Melbourne Digestive Clinic when she began putting through hundreds of dodgy Medicare claims for herself and her husband.

Melbourne County Court. Credit: Wayne Taylor

She made up to 80 claims a day between March 2019 and when she was caught in April 2020.

Over the year she submitted 781 false Medicare patient claims in her own name and 828 in the name of her husband before the clinics accountants tipped off Medicare and authorities.
La Lune, East Fremantle Theres something about romance and the French. It is, after all, the language of love. La Lune in East Freo is a bistro right down to its steak and frites bootstraps. Its the perfect place to huddle away with your paramour, drink French wine and chow down on bistro classics. The owners are switched on, super lovely and their wines are very good. Delicious and decadent. Credit: Robert Broadfield La Bastide, Shenton Park

Nothing says France like La Bastide. Its so authentic one expects to see a philosopher at a corner table smoking Gauloises and necking pastis. It is a restaurant for lovers. The food is impeccable and the vibe  its so left bank chic. Everyone wants champagne, on V Day especially pink ones, so kick off with a bottle of the 2015 Pol Roger Epernay Rose. They have lots of good wines by the glass, if you want to keep things tidy. The wine list is big and fabulous. Food wise, we recommend the duck breast (magret de canard) garnished with impossibly light and thin pommes dauphinoise and to begin, you cant go past their grilled asparagus polonaise with sorrel. The preparation is meticulous, and it shows in La Bastides duck breast. Credit: Rob Broadfield Bistro Guillaume, Crown Bistro Guillaume is the OG bistro for lovers. It ticks every box for an intimate, romantic experience. Beautiful decor, attentive, well-groomed floor crew, linen napkins, heavy cutlery and attentive table service. BGs menu is crowned by its signature roast chicken with Paris mash and taragon jus. Team it with a cress and blue cheese salad. And dont even think of going to Bistro Guillaume and not ordering the passionfruit souffle. Its the only souffle in town and it is superb. The only question for you is, do I want a quenelle of house made vanilla ice cream on top of the souffle or on the side. If you really want to show off, after dinner, book a room at Crown Towers, grab a bottle of champagne and watch a romcom with your BFF with benefits.

Santini, QT Hotel, Perth city Santini is simply proper and adult. Its casual and noisy sure, but its a little posh with great wine service, an impressive big city buzz and a menu you need in your life. Its also perfect for a Valentines Day twosome at one of their banquette tables. They make good wood fired pizza, but youre not here for pizza, youre at Santini for the best risotto in Perth, their creamy, dreamy squid ink risotto with flash seared squid, lemon and chilli. One problem. It will give you black teeth, so perhaps not the perfect big date night dish, but the ink stains quickly subside and you can move on. Also on our Santini favourites list is crispy lemon ricotta zucchini flowers with burnt honey dressing (amazeballs) and their Bistecca Fiorentina, a one kilogram monster T-Bone grilled in the Tuscan way. Afterwards retire to the bar or your room upstairs at the QT Hotel, or both. Try one of their boozy classics  old fashioned or whisky sour  or go for the Devils Brew, a fetching stir down of hickory smoked dark rum and salted caramel coffee vinegar.

Fleur at the Royal Hotel, Perth city Fleur also follows the French Bistro trend and yes, its romantic in a post punk kinda way. The cooking is exceptional. The service is modern, friendly and no-nonsense and, wait for it, the waiters have personality. The crown roast of duck breast is one of the finest roast duck dishes in Perth and  we love this bit  the whole crown roast is presented to you at the table before being taken away and sliced off the bone for service. The room is moody and just dark enough and their cocktails are very good. They make a mini-tini for those of us who want a martini but are well frightened about the effects of a full-size martini on ones sobriety. V Day evening is not the time to be getting, ahem, over-refreshed. You have bigger fish to fry. Balthazar, Perth city You want the ultimate? Weve got it for you. Balthazar. Where to begin? Romantic. Tick. Sexy food. Tick. Intimate seating and lighting. Tick. The service is quiet and very competent. You are surrounded by the restaurants impressive wine collection while eating the simple, clever food of chef Luke Wakefield, who consistently plates up elegant, refined dishes at this CBD favourite. For the record: were massive fans. Balthazar is the perfect place to quietly slip an engagement across the linen. And, please, dont get down on one knee. Its so bogan and American.

Nieuw Ruin, Fremantle Nieuw Ruin is a ring in. Its a Freo Bar and its noisy and full of cool kids who all look like bass guitarists or baristas. But theres something very sexy about this place. Sit at the bar with your bestie and order the best espresso martini in town, followed by a grazing dinner of some of the finest bar food youll eat in WA. Like all romantic spots, it has moody lighting and mellow vibes. The Elford, Mount Lawley Weve included this pub for no other reason than their anarchic media release. Its anti-Valentine, if you like. Their dystopian publicity goes like this: Valentines Day. We get it. Youre in love, or youre not in love. Either way, celebrating love on one set day a year seems so 20th Century. So, why not come and do some serious partying?
We mourn with you and the people of our country mourn with you, Harris told Nichols family. Harris said the beating of Nichols by police officers was a violent act that went against the stated mission of police to ensure public safety. It was not in the interest of keeping the public safe, because one must ask, was not it in the interest of keeping the public safe that Tyre Nichols would be with us today? Was he not also entitled to the right to be safe? So when we talk about public safety, let us understand what it means in its truest form. Tyre Nichols should have been safe, she said. Harris called on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice and Policing Act, which aims to combat police bias, the use of excessive force and racial profiling. We should not delay and we will not be denied. It is non-negotiable, Harris said.

The Reverend J. Lawrence Turner called Nichols a good person, a beautiful soul, a son, a father, a brother, a friend, a human being who was gone too soon and denied his rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, denied the dignity of his humanity, denied the right to see the sun set another day, to embrace his mother, hang out with his friends, hold his child, and the right to grow old. RowVaughn Wells and her husband Rodney Wells arrive for the funeral service for her son Tyre Nichols at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis. Credit: AP As we celebrate Tyres life and comfort this family, we serve notice to this nation that the rerun of this episode that makes black lives hashtags has been cancelled and will not be renewed for another season, Turner said. We have come and we shall overcome. In the three weeks since Nichols death, five police officers were fired and charged with murder. Their specialised unit was disbanded. Two more officers have been suspended. Two Memphis Fire Department emergency medical workers and a lieutenant were also fired. And more discipline could be coming. But Wednesday will be about Nichols, a 29-year-old skateboarder and amateur photographer who worked making boxes at FedEx, made friends during morning visits to Starbucks and always greeted his mother and stepfather when he returned home with a sunny, Hello, parents!

Nichols was the baby of their family, born 12 years after his closest siblings. He had a 4-year-old son and worked hard to better himself as a father, his family said. Nichols grew up in Sacramento, California, and loved the San Francisco 49ers. He came to Memphis just before the coronavirus pandemic and got stuck. But he was fine with it because he was with his mother, RowVaughn Wells, and they were incredibly close, she said. He even had her name tattooed on his arm. Friends at a memorial service last week described him as joyful and kind, quick with a smile, often silly. This man walked into a room, and everyone loved him, said Angelina Paxton, a friend who travelled to Memphis from California for the memorial service. Tyre Nichols was fatally beaten by police during a traffic stop in Memphis on January 7. Credit: AP

Sharpton gathered Nichols family and local activists Tuesday evening at Mason Temple Church of God in Christ in Memphis. The historic landmark is where the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his final speech the night before he was assassinated nearly 55 years ago. This is not about politics; its about justice, Sharpton said. People are coming from all over the world, and we are coming because were all Tyre, now. The deaths of Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, and Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of police sparked protests across the nation about racial injustice. The beating of Nichols, who was black, happened after police stopped him for an alleged traffic violation January 7. Video released after pressure from Nichols family shows officers holding him down and repeatedly punching him, kicking him and striking with him batons as he screamed for his mother. Nichols death was the latest in a string of early accounts by police about their use of force that were later shown to have minimised or omitted mention of violent encounters.
South Africa: Water dept boosts partnerships to speed up services

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has maintained its commitment to foster public-private partnerships in order to develop mega water and sanitation infrastructure projects in the country.

Addressing a virtual Portfolio Committee meeting on Tuesday, Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu, reiterated his commitment to ensuring effective implementation of public-private partnerships as a way to enhance and improve on the delivery of water and sanitation services in different parts of the country.

Mchunu reported that the department has partnered with mining houses in Limpopo and the Northern Cape to implement mega infrastructure projects.

The projects include, amongst others, the recently launched R24 billion Olifants Management Model (OMM) in Limpopo, which involves the construction of a bulk pipeline from De Hoop Dam to Olifantspoort, and from Flag Boshielo Dam to Mokgalakwena.

The OMM also includes water distribution infrastructure to 94 villages adjacent to the pipelines, which currently do not have access to consistent water supply.

Mchunu said an agreement has been signed between the department and the Labalelo Water Users' Association (LWUA), which stipulates that each party will fund 50% of the project, with LWUA as the implementing agent.

We are also negotiating with mining houses in the Northern Cape to implement a similar joint project to refurbish and expand the Vaal Gamagara Water Scheme, which will include distribution of water to communities. The scheme is expected to cost R10 billion and as such, an agreement is currently being finalised, Mchunu explained.

To expand partnerships with other sectors, Mchunu said the department is considering similar partnerships in the agricultural sector for the Vaalharts and Oranje Riet irrigation schemes.

The partnership with the agricultural sector aims to invest in the refurbishment and upgrades of strategic canal systems to sustain food production in the country.

Establishment of water partnership office

Meanwhile, the Minister announced that a Water Partnership Office, in collaboration with the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), has been established to support municipalities to enter into public-private partnerships for water services.

The Water Partnership Office serves as a special purpose vehicle to facilitate partnerships and manage joint accounts for specific funding for projects implemented through collaboration. The office also manages special programmes, such as water conservation and demand management (particularly reducing non-revenue water), water reuse, wastewater treatment improvement and seawater desalination, amongst others, Mchunu said.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2023-02-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
China has started issuing visas to Japanese citizens again, after suspending the process in January to hit back at COVID-19 measures imposed on Chinese travelers. The visa spat has had an impact on tourism in both countries.

Hu Jiying, vice-general manager at China Youth Travel Service told CGTN that since Sunday, when China began issuing visas for Japanese people again, they have been in contact with their customers.

The travel agency was monitoring media coverage for updates, and says the policy change came sooner than expected.

"People from both the Chinese and Japanese tourism industries are eagerly looking forward to the resumption of bilateral tourism exchanges. As Chinese President Xi Jinping said, amity between people is the key to sound relations between states. Inbound tourism is also called people-to-people diplomacy. We hope such 'people-to-people diplomacy' can resume soon to promote the bilateral relationship." Hu said.

On January 10, the Chinese embassy in Tokyo stopped issuing ordinary visas to Japanese citizens, after Japan's imposed new COVID-related entry restrictions targeting Chinese passengers. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed disappointment over Beijing's decision. Industry insiders say they didn't expect disputes over border management to impact tourism to Japan.

Last week, the Japanese embassy in China said its visa operations have returned to normal, following changes to the epidemic situation. It means Chinese citizens can enter Japan normally again.

But some say there's another meaning - a gesture of friendship, as Japan sees increased business, tourism and economic ties with China, a visa suspension is simply not realistic. 

According to China Youth Travel Service, its visa applications to Japan decreased in January due to the policy changes. Currently, only five year multiple entry visas, business visas and temporary visitor visas are being issued. And numbers are down significantly.

"In January, the Japanese embassy suspended some of its work, which caused a big impact on the visa processing of Chinese tourists to Japan. The harsh entry policy largely dampened the enthusiasm of Chinese tourists. Our data shows that inquiries and bookings have been greatly affected during this period." said Han Jie, President of CYTS Aoyou Technology Development Co., Ltd.

Before the pandemic in 2019, tourism contributed 7.3 percent to Japan's total GDP, according to the country's national tourism organization. In the same year, China was Japan's biggest source of tourists. Its travelers accounted for over one third of total visitor spending.

source: CGTN by Chen Xiaoshu
A memorial service will be held Saturday for a woman who was one of six people wrongfully convicted of killing a Beatrice woman in 1985.

Kathleen Ann Gonzalez, of York, passed away Jan. 10 while visiting Greeley, Colo. She was 62.

She left us too soon, and like all of us, she had seen burdens and hardships, her obituary reads. To get to know her was to be touched deeply by her resilience. She faced adversity that never really left her alone, yet she always refused to let it define her.

Gonzalez was one of the so-called Beatrice 6, a group awarded a total $28.1 million verdict against Gage County following a cold-case investigation that sent the six to prison for the brutal slaying.

Years after they were sentenced, DNA testing on blood and semen evidence left in Helen Wilsons apartment tied Bruce Allen Smith, who died in an Oklahoma prison in 1992, to her rape and murder.

By then, Gonzalez, Joseph White, Ada JoAnn Taylor, James Dean, Thomas Winslow and Debra Shelden had spent a combined 75 years in prison.

In 2008, state prosecutors said they believed the six had nothing to do with the crime. They were exonerated, and in 2009, sued Gage County for the reckless investigation that landed them in prison.

After a mistrial, a federal jury found enough evidence that then-deputy Burdette Searcey and then-reserve deputy Wayne Price had violated their rights, awarding them a combined $28.1 million.

The case made its way to the United States Supreme Court, which let the Nebraska federal jurys ruling stand.

White ultimately died in a workplace accident in 2011.

Gage County made its first payment to the Beatrice 6 in June 2019. The county is one payment away from having the judgment paid off. That payment is expected to be made in May.

The memorial service for Gonzalez will be held at Metz Mortuary in York on Feb. 4, at 2 p.m.
Cheyenne, WY (82001)

Today

Cloudy with snow. Temps nearly steady in the mid 30s. Winds N at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 90%. 1 to 3 inches of snow expected. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Cloudy with snow showers mainly during the evening. Low 26F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 60%.
Batavia, NY (14020)

Today

Sunny to partly cloudy. High 81F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low 53F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday advanced along party lines a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for transgender minors in Montana and impose other limitations for state facilities and funding and medical providers.

The vote was 7-4, with all Republicans on the committee supporting it and all Democrats opposed. In a hearing last week that stretched five hours, about 95 people spoke in opposition to the bill and about 45 supported it.

The legislation was amended before the vote on the request of the sponsor, Sen. John Fuller, R-Whitefish, though the committee did not discuss the contents of the amendment in detail before taking a similar party-line vote to add it to the bill.

The amendment added the word "knowingly" to language that said public facilities "may not be knowingly used to promote or advocate the use of social transitioning. Social transitioning is a process that can include using different names and pronouns or clothing and haircuts.

The amendment also added the word knowingly to a segment that limits public employees, such as teachers, from promoting the procedures or treatments the bill bans. And while the amendment removed the ban on social transitioning related to public employees and teachers, its not clear how they would be separated from the language on public facilities since those are their workspaces.

The amendment also extended definitions of medical procedures not allowed, provided more details on the definitions of sexes and added provisions intended to offer some allowances for individuals with intersex conditions.

I did ask the question  if there was any possible amendment that would make this unconstitutional bill better and make it constitutional. I believe this amendment doesn't fix or make better this unconstitutional bill, said Sen. Andrea Olsen, D-Missoula, before voting against the amendment and later the bill.

Sen. Susan Webber, D-Browning, told fellow lawmakers before her no vote that she wanted to recognize all the young people who testified against it by sharing deeply personal stories.

Its a hard thing to do and I applaud their courage, Webber said.

Webber told the committee she had concerns the bill would force parents into difficult situations.

Our children are all born equal, and if I had a trans child or grandchild, Im going to love that child as much as all my other children and grandchildren, Webber said. Theres nothing thats going to sway my love for those children.

Sen. Keith Regier, R-Kalispell and chair of the committee, countered Webber by saying the bill is basically saying wait until youre 18.

We have several prohibitions for minors on various things from alcohol to tobacco and this is just adding onto that. Wait until youre 18. If you're still so inclined, go for it, Regier said.

Olsen said the bill gets between parents, children and doctors.

While its called the Youth Health Protection Act, Olsen said it instead prohibits health care that studies have shown enhance minors well-being and lower the risk of suicide.

Research published in the Journal of Adolescent Health has shown hormone therapy lowers the risk of suicide and depression in transgender minors.

Parents are asking you to let them be the judge of whats in the best interest of their children, Olsen said.

However, Sen. Theresa Manzella said research shes reviewed and testimony from doctors who supported the bill led her to vote for it.

Sen. Daniel Emrich, R-Great Falls, said that he understood the state constitution allows for the rights of parents in every aspect of raising a child except if the state shows a compelling interest. He felt if this limitation enacted by the Legislature was not allowed it would also not be possible to prohibit at what age a person can buy firearms or drink alcohol.

If we look at a situation like this, and we see that the parent is not making decisions in the interest of the child, that it is the responsibility of the state to step in and say, Let that child make the decision once they can make that decision,' Emrich said.

The bill now moves to the Senate for debate before the full body.
2 Florida Lawmakers Call for Reform of State Legislatures Salaries, Structure

Two Florida lawmakers are floating the idea of increasing state legislators salaries, claiming the workload has increased in recent years with Floridas growing population.

The current annual pay rate for Floridas legislators is $29,697, where its remained since 2010. Legislative salaries reached $31,932 in 2007, but these were reduced in 2008 and 2009 (pdf).

Florida Statute 11.13 shows the annual pay rate for members of Floridas legislature was set at $18,000 on July 1, 1986, with annual adjustments based on the average percentage increase in the salaries of state career service employees for the fiscal year most recently concluded.

Republican state Rep. Spencer Roach said that in 1986, the average Florida legislator represented about 50,000 to 53,000 constituents.

Data released by the U.S. Census Bureau in December showed that Floridas population grew to 22.2 million in 2022, an increase of 1.9 percent from 2021, making it the fastest-growing state in the country.

Today, Roach said the average Florida legislator represents about 184,000 constituents.

Florida state Rep. Spencer Roach. (Courtesy of Spencer Roach)

When you add 100,000 more constituents, the workload has dramatically increased, Roach told The Epoch Times.

I very much think that the discussion needs to take place for us to start seriously discussing some reforms to the way we do business in governing the state of Florida, he said.

Democrat state Rep. Bruce Antone agrees.

Its time for a pay raise, Antone told The Epoch Times, suggesting that the Office of Program Policy Analysis should conduct a study to compare lawmaker pay rates in states with similar populations to support his position. He also wants to compare legislator salaries to those of other elected officials, like county commissioners and school board members.

Comparing Populations and Salaries

Florida is the third most populous U.S. state, surpassed only by California and Texas, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. New York ranks fourth.

Although the Florida Legislature is technically part-time, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) labels Florida as one of Americas 26 hybrid states with a gray legislature. Lawmakers in gray legislatures spend the equivalent of more than two-thirds of a full-time job being legislators, but the pay is usually not enough to allow them to make a living without having other sources of income, the NCSL says.

California legislators make $119,702 per year and New York legislators make $110,000. Both of these states have what are considered green legislatures, meaning they are full-time, well paid and have a large staff, the NCSL says.

Texas has a gray legislature, and its lawmakers earn only $7,200 annually.

Florida state Rep. Bruce Antone speaks at a gathering in Orlando, Fla., in 2019. (Courtesy of Rep. Bruce Antone)

To earn the annual $29,697, Floridas Legislature meets in session every year for 60 consecutive days.

Data from the Florida Legislatures Office of Economic and Demographic Research (pdf) for fiscal year 20202021 shows that Florida County Commissioners are paid an average of $63,000 per year and school board members make an average of $36,000 per year.

According to a 2021 report by New American Leaders (pdf), almost 78 percent of Florida lawmakers have a second income. Nearly 7 percent of the remaining lawmakers have incomes supplemented by Social Security, retirement, or investment income. For the last 15 percent, the $29,697 legislator salary is their only source of income.

Special Sessions

Roach also noted that special legislative sessions cost Florida taxpayers additional money.

In 2021, Gov. Ron DeSantis called for two special sessions, one regarding COVID-19 mandates and another to discuss the Seminole Tribe gaming compact.

In 2022, there were three special sessions. The first was in April to discuss congressional redistricting. The other two, held in May and December, were related to solving the states property insurance reform crisis.

Generally, special sessions last four days. According to Roach, round-trip airfare from his district to Tallahassee runs at about $1,500. Theres also the average cost of $200 per night for a hotel room and the $152 per diem, Roach said.

You do the math for one legislator and then multiply it by 160, he said.

Not a Part-Time Job

We can no longer do the job the people have hired us to do in the time theyve allocated for us to do it, Roach insisted. We cannot carry out the function of this state in 60 days, and were not doing it now. Thats not a part-time job.

While the original intent in the state was to create a citizens legislature, Roach said, the only people who can afford to do this with the current salary rate are the people who are independently wealthy, titans of industry, or retired.

While he has no problems with these people becoming legislators, Roach said the low salary prevents the average citizen from being heard in this process because they cant afford to serve, even if they want to.

Its a sentiment shared by Antone.

Youre either going to have retirees, big business owners, or attorneys who can afford to walk away from their business, Antone posited. Youre not going to have a citizen legislature thats diverse and includes people from all across the income spectrum. Youre not going to have the school teacher and small business owner up there. Youre just going to have folks who are wealthy or retired.

Roach said he doesnt have all the answers regarding a revised Florida Legislature, and he knows the idea of pay raises for politicians isnt popular.

But we need to start the discussion about reform, he said. Then the 120 members of the Florida House, 40 members of the Senate, and about 23 million citizens can have a say in what that might look like.
3 Bears Die of Cold in Plane Grounded at Belgium Airport

BRUSSELSThree sloth bears have died of cold after being left in a plane stranded by snow and ice in Liege airport, Belgian newspaper SudInfo reported on Monday.

A total of nine sloth bears were on the plane, which was en route from Peru to Qatar, before being stuck in transit at the airport in Liege, in Grace-Hollogne, Belgium, according to SudInfo.

We are going to look at what are the responsibilities and what sanctions should be taken in light of that, Walloon minister for animal welfare Celine Tellier told Bel-RTL radio.

Sloth bears, also known as honey bears or lippus, are listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. They are often captured to be trained as dancing bears.

By Marine Strauss
All Nations Must Collaborate to Avoid Catastrophic Conflict in Indo-Pacific: Australian Foreign Minister

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong speaks during a press conference after a joint meeting with her French counterpart at Quai dOrsay in Paris, on Jan. 30, 2023. (Stephane de Sakutin/AFP via Getty Images)

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has called on every country to consider what it can do to stop a catastrophic war in the Indo-Pacific.

Speaking at Kings Colleges Centre for Grand Strategy in London, Wong said the region mattered to everyone because it was where the reshaping of our world is being centred.

We must exercise agency. We are not bystanders in this story, she said on Jan. 31.

Wong noted that the largest military build-up in the world was currently happening on the doorstep of Australia.

North Korea conducted over 60 ballistic missile launches, while Beijing has militarised artificial islands in the South China Sea and signed a security agreement with the Solomon Islands.

The Chinese regime has also been accelerating the increase in its nuclear arsenal, among numerous other efforts to militarise the region and increase its presence.

If conflict were to break out in the Indo-Pacific, it would be catastrophicfor our people and our prosperity, Wong said.

And with the Indo-Pacifics centrality to global prosperity and security, the cost would extend far beyond us and reach into every region.

The foreign minister said she has directly put forward Australias view to her Chinese counterpart during her visit to Beijing in December.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong speaks to the media during a press conference following a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, on Dec. 21, 2022. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch)

Australia sees our investment in our future defence capabilities as essential for deterring conflict and maintaining a strategic balance in the Indo-Pacific, Wong said.

Our historic AUKUS partnership with the United Kingdom and the United States will help us maintain our capability in the Indo-Pacific into the future and complement our collective efforts to ensure regional stability and security.

The speech comes before Wong, and Defence Minister Richard Marles met their UK counterparts for the Australia-United Kingdom Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) on Feb. 1 and 2.

On the agenda is modernising the bilateral relationship, increasing climate change cooperation, building economic resilience, and promoting global security.

Marles also met with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Feb. 1, who commented on how full the agenda is between the two countries, with the AUKUS pact being a central aspect.

An announcement on the optimal pathway that Australia will take, with the support of the United States and the United Kingdom, to procure nuclear submarines is nearing.

What youll see is when we ultimately do announce the optimal pathway that weve been working on with both the United States and the United Kingdom, that what it really is, is a genuinely trilateral effort to see both the UK and the U.S. provide Australia with a nuclear-powered submarine capability, he said.

Marles previously called the partnership one of Australias most significant national security decisions in decades.

I think this is a huge moment in Australian defence history, Marles told The Age in January.

What I can say is that the body of work for both exercises is on track and, therefore, near completion.

Australia, France Deepen Pacific Engagement

AUKMIN comes after Wong and Marles met their French counterparts for the 2+2 meeting in Paris on Jan. 30.

Following discussions, the ministers hinted at a renewal of relations, which soured after the cancellation of the $90 billion (US$60 billion) submarine programme with French defence contractor Naval.

Both nations agreed to support Pacific priorities and strengthen military cooperation.

There is no more important place for this cooperation to be given expression than in the Pacific, where both France and Australia live, Marles told reporters.

Training is a real opportunity for France and Australia to work together to build the capability of the defence forces of Pacific Island countries.

(L to R) Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles, French Armies Minister Sebastien Lecornu, French Foreign and European Affairs Minister Catherine Colonna and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong pose prior their joint meeting at Quai dOrsay in Paris, on Jan. 30, 2023. (Yoan Valat/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Australia and France will also undertake the joint supply of 155-millimetre artillery shells to Ukraine as a sign of greater cooperation between both defence industrial bases.

Several thousand 155 millimetres shells will be manufactured jointly, Armed Forces of France Minister Lecornu said.

The agreement is expected to be a multi-million-dollar project, where Australia will supply the gunpowder.
Arkansas Bill Would Ban Students From Using Opposite-Sex Bathrooms, Changing Rooms

An Arkansas state House committee has advanced a bill that would require all school students to use the bathrooms that correspond to the biological sex listed on their birth certificates, with the bills sponsor insisting that children have a right to privacy and to feel safe in school bathrooms.

House Bill 1156 (pdf) would apply to public schools and open enrollment public charter schools. In addition to restrooms, the rule would also apply to other places at the school where individuals might be in various stages of undress. This includes changing rooms, shower rooms, and locker rooms.

Principals, superintendents, teachers, and administrative heads of schools who refuse to comply with the law could be subjected to a $1,000 fine and other potential sanctions by the states Professional Licensure Standards Board, the bill states.

Parents or legal guardians of students from these schools will have a cause of action against the schools if a student encounters a member of the opposite sex in multiple occupancy restrooms or changing areas.

Protecting Children

The bills critics insist that it would not solve any actual problems. However, its sponsor, Republican state Rep. Mary Bentley, disagrees.

She pointed out that the legislation will protect students. Bentley said that before filing the bill, she spoke to members of a local school board that implemented a similar policy in 2022.

The bill would also require schools to provide reasonable accommodation to students who are unwilling or unable to use the group restrooms and changing rooms of their sex. This could include individual bathrooms or changing rooms.

The bill has been criticized by Cathryn Oakley, state legislative director and senior counsel of Human Rights Campaign, a large LGBT civil rights group.

For states to be passing these kinds of bills at this point is really them issuing a challenge to the federal government and saying, We know that this is what you think the law says and were ready to do battle with you, Oakley stated.

Other Arkansas Legislation

The state of Arkansas has taken several steps to limit the influence of gender ideologies on children. In March 2021, Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed a bill banning biological male students from competing in female sports.

Arkansas was also one of the first states to enact a law prohibiting the medically-assisted gender transition of minorsalso known as gender-affirming careincluding administration of cross-sex hormones and elective surgeries to change the minors physical appearance.

The Arkansas Senate recently passed legislation seeking to restrict the location of drag shows. The bill was passed by the Republican-controlled Senate in a 296 vote along party lines. The proposal would classify locations that allow drag performances as adult-oriented businesses, which would prohibit such performances from occurring within 1,000 feet of schools.

If you need your child to be entertained by a big human in a costume, take them to the circus or something, the bills sponsor, Republican state Sen. Gary Stubblefield, said about the issue, noting that children viewing drag shows is a violation of their personal boundaries.

The drag show bill now goes to the Arkansas House, which is majority Republican.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
As Tensions Tighten, US Accuses Russia of Violating Nuclear Arms Accord

Military specialists walk past a Russian Topol intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at the exposition field in Kubinka Patriot Park outside Moscow on August 22, 2017. (Alexander Nemenov/AFP/Getty Images)

Tensions between the United States and the Russian Federation have been steadily increasing since the Kremlin launched its invasion of Ukraine in March 2022.

The strained relations are set to be further exacerbated following a report to Congress from the U.S. State Department claiming Russia is refusing to allow on-site inspections and not responding to the Biden administrations requests to discuss its alleged noncompliance with the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START).

Russia is not complying with its obligation under the New START Treaty to facilitate inspection activities on its territory, the State Department said in a Jan. 31 statement accompanying its Russia New START Noncompliance Determination. Russias refusal to facilitate inspection activities prevents the United States from exercising important rights under the treaty and threatens the viability of U.S.-Russian nuclear arms control.

New START, signed by the United States and the Russian Federation in February 2011, obligates both nations to maintain the same number of long-range nuclear weapons in their arsenals that they had in 2018 through the treatys February 2026 termination.

According to the Washington-based Center for Arms Control & Non-Proliferation, Russia has about 5,977 nuclear warheads with 1,588 deployed while the United States has 5,550 nuclear warheads, including 3,800 that are active.

New START is the latest iteration of five decades of strategic weapons accords between the worlds largest nuclear powers, beginning with 1972s Strategic Arms Limitation Talks.

The State Departments noncompliance report is sure to come up at a Feb. 1 briefing on New START sponsored by the Arms Control Association (ACS), said Tony Fleming, director for communications with the nonpartisan group based in Washington.

ACSs scheduled Challenges and Prospects for Further U.S.-Russian Nuclear Arms Control briefing will include comments from White House National Security Council Deputy Assistant Cara Abercrombie, who serves as deputy assistant to the president and coordinator for defense policy and arms control, and from Finlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador for Strategic and Arms Control Jarmo Viinanen, who is chair-designate of the 2023 Nonproliferation Treaty Preparatory Committee.

Panelists will include Steve Pifer, a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and William J. Perry fellow at the Center for Stanford Universitys Center for International Security & Cooperation; Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Senior Research Associate Hanna Notte; and Federation of American Scientists Nuclear Information Project Senior Research Associate Matt Korda.

In a Jan. 31 tweet, Notte called the briefing an important event and said she will speak about Russias refusal to meet with the U.S. regarding New START compliance and implications for the future of nuclear arms control.

Pifer in a Jan. 31 tweet said the State Departments non-compliance determination will also be on his mind during the briefing.

Panelists will discuss New STARTs contribution to U.S. and Russian security, its implementation [and non-compliance concerns], and prospects for future U.S,-Russia arms control, Pifer writes, adding Russia is not in compliance with obligations in New START Treaty to facilitate inspections and hold Bilateral Consultative Commission meeting.

These problems can be readily fixed, he added, but they raise concern about Moscows attitude toward treaty.

Apparently aware of the State Departments report to Congress, on Jan. 30, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti that it is a very possible scenario that the Kremlin could allow New START to expire in 2026 without reaching a new nuclear arms control agreement with the United States.

While non-compliance with the existing treaty is a pressing issue, ACS said time is also a factor in negotiating a new strategic arms accord between the two nations.

New START will expire in 1,100 days, on Feb. 5, 2026, ACS said. Unless Washington and Moscow begin serious negotiations on a new nuclear arms control framework, Russian and U.S. nuclear arsenals will be left unconstrained for the first time since 1972.

In its statement accompanying the non-compliance determination, the State Department said Russia has resisted its treaty obligation to convene a session of the Bilateral Consultative Commission to discuss its alleged non-compliance but added the door remains open to address and remedy the U.S. allegations.

Russia has a clear path for returning to full compliance. All Russia needs to do is allow inspection activities on its territory, just as it did for years under the New START Treaty, and meet in a session of the Bilateral Consultative Commission. There is nothing preventing Russian inspectors from traveling to the United States and conducting inspections, it said. The United States remains ready to work constructively with Russia to fully implement the New START Treaty.
At a recent Senate Committee hearing, Senate Bill 142 was introduced to add protections for consumers and developers who pay impact fees.

Fees are imposed by local governments on residents and developers to defray the infrastructure costs needed to support new development. Opposing the bill were strong lobbying groups. Cities clearly did not want the state overseeing their impact fee programs.

The Committee voted 6-3 approving SB 142 with one amendment. It passed the full Senate 35-14. The amendment supported by cities effectively gutted most of the consumer protections including state oversight. This left only a few safeguards and eliminated transparency. The cities would be allowed to continue business as usual.

Cities opposed

The League of Cities and Towns enlisted a large group of cities to testify at the hearing. There were about a dozen speakers opposed to the bill. League executive director presented arguments against the bill and claimed the state audits impact fees. There is no Montana agency that audits impact fees. Cities now collect $25 million in impact fees.

City abuses are well documented

Local control is a catch phrases used by cities which means let us do what we want and dont look over our shoulders. With tight budgets, its easy for cities to look for creative ways to fund operations using impact fees. Impact fees, however, were never meant to serve this purpose.

Some of the problems: Impact fee studies are not performed every five years as required by law. Some cities are raising fees above the proportionate costs. Cities hire consultants to calculate new impact fees but cities can override what was determined to be the maximum allowable fees. Costs are padded using phantom projects (never built). Some impact fee projects are so far into the future that todays residents will see little to no benefit. Once collected, fees are spent on unrelated projects.

Litigation is in progress

There is pushback from the development community that face excessive or illegal fees.

Whitefish now finds itself embroiled in litigation because of its impact fees. A class action lawsuit was filed in Federal Court against the citys impact fees, demanding millions of dollars in refunds.

The lawsuit alleges city management violated state and federal laws when it overcharged both residents and builders.

The federal judge ruled the class action can proceed as a Fifth Amendment violation of the plaintiffs rights.

Looming problems may be on the horizon

There may be a bigger problem with impact fees in the future. Only half of the states in the U.S. allow impact fees. Some of the development community in those states have fought back because of the abuses similar to what was found in Montana.

In North Carolina, developers filed suit against cities and won a major victory in the courts. In 2016, the North Carolina Supreme Court ruled all impact fees collected on future infrastructure illegal. Cities had to provide an immediate benefit to development, not a promise to do so in the future. A 2022 ruling by this court declared impact fees subject to the Fifth Amendment, providing citizens and development protections under the takings clause.

As a result of these rulings, many North Carolina cities have suspended impact fee collections. Twenty-eight cities and counties in North Carolina have settled impact fee class action claims. Between 2019  2020, seven of these claims were settled, all at nearly 100%.

What could that mean for Montana?

Montana cities could now be subject to the same constitutional challenges as North Carolina.

Montana cities are charging nearly double the water and sewer impact fees as North Carolina, yet developers in North Carolina rebelled against even these modest fees. With no oversight, cities will continue to stretch the limits or simply ignore Montana impact fee laws. If Montana residents or developers are pushed far enough by these abuses, they could follow in the footsteps of North Carolina developers.

A statewide court challenge or increasing class action litigation could result in cities facing tougher scrutiny and restrictions.

This in turn could hamper their ability to impose impact fees, resulting in significant loss of revenue and possibly massive refunds of previously collected fees.

That would be a lose/lose proposition for all of Montana.
Asked About Beijing Allegedly Funding Candidates, Feds Say Intel Must Be Protected

A woman walks past the Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council building in the parliamentary precinct in downtown Ottawa, on June, 30, 2020. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

The Liberal government wouldnt say in a document tabled in the House of Commons on Jan. 30 whether the Privy Council Office (PCO) or the Prime Ministers Office received information on the funding of federal candidates by Beijing, citing secrecy.

The government filed an official response after Conservative MP Arnold Viersen submitted a written question on the issue on Nov. 22.

That same day Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had said there has never been any information given to me on the funding of federal candidates by China.

Trudeau was reacting to reporting from Global News that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had been covertly funding candidates in past elections.

Has anyone in the Office of the Prime Minister or the Privy Council Office received such information, and, if so, (i) who received the information, (ii) on what date was the information received, (iii) why did that person not inform the Prime Minister? Viersen wrote in his order paper.

The response filed in an Inquiry of Ministry signed by Liberal MP Greg Fergus, who serves as parliamentary secretary to the prime minister, says that PCO receives intelligence from the Canadian intelligence community and formulates advice to Trudeau.

That intelligence comes from operational sources, is sensitive, and must be protected, says the document.

Commenting on specifics of operational intelligence would put operations at risk and would jeopardize Canadas access to valuable intelligence on national security threats.

The government response says the panel established to protect against foreign interference in elections, the Critical Election Incident Public Protocol, had determined there had been no threats to the integrity of the 2019 and 2021 elections.

It added a previous comment made by National Security and Intelligence Advisor Jody Thomas before the Commons defence committee last December.

We have not seen money going to 11 candidates, period, Thomas said.

In plain terms, this does not necessarily mean the government had not received reporting to that effect.

Part of a redacted document produced by PCOs Intelligence Assessment Secretariat (IAS) was published by Global News in December on the issue of CCP interference.

2. China/Canada: Subtle but Effective Interference Networks says a heading part of a Daily Foreign Intelligence Brief released on Feb. 21, 2020.

Directly under the heading is an assessment: Investigations into activities linked to the Canadian federal election in 2019, reveal an active foreign interference (FI) network [rest of sentence and paragraph redacted].

Conservative MP Michael Cooper had read from that document during a house affairs committee meeting on Dec. 13 and asked testifying ministers to comment.

I am not familiar with that specific report, but I certainly take at face value what our colleague has quoted, said Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic Leblanc.
Australia Announces First Sanctions on Burma Since 2021 Coup

Soldiers stand next to military vehicles as people gather to protest against the military coup, in Yangon, Burma, on Feb. 15, 2021. (Stringer/Reuters)

On the second anniversary of the military coup in Burma (also known as Myanmar), the Australian government has announced a raft of sanctions targeting Burmas military junta; these are the first sanctions implemented by Australia since the military coup in 2021.

Announcing the sanctions on Feb. 1, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Tim Watts said that the targeted financial sanctions would focus on individuals responsible for the egregious human rights abuses and entities that enabled the repression of the Burmese people.

This includes 16 members of the countrys military regimes governing State Administration Council (SAC), who the Australian government regards as key individuals responsible for the coup detat, as well as two Burmese military-controlled entities, Myanmar Economic Public Holdings Ltd (MEHL) and Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC).

Riot police officers detain a demonstrator during a protest against the military coup in Yangon, Burma, on March 19, 2021. (Stringer/Reuters)

Over the past two years, Australia, ASEAN, and international partners have repeatedly called on the Myanmar regime to engage in constructive dialogue and find a peaceful and durable resolution to the ongoing crisis, Wong and Watts said.

Despite these calls, the regime has continued its anti-democratic actions against the people of Myanmar, including violence and recent steps targeting opposition voices.

The military regime has responded violently to any form of political expression, including peaceful protests. There is evidence thousands of civilians, including children, have been jailed, tortured, or killed.

The ministers also called for the junta to restore democracy and hold credible elections in the country.

Australia will continue to closely monitor the regimes actions. We will be looking to see improvements for people on the ground and moves towards the restoration of democracy, including credible elections, the ministers said.

Sanctions Come After Release of Australian Advisor

These are the first sanctions to be implemented by the Australian government after the coup in 2021, which saw an Australian economic advisor to former Burmese leader Aung Sun Suu Kyi, Professor Sean Turnell, arrested in early 2021. He was sentenced to three years in jail in September for allegedly violating the countrys official state secrets act.

Prof Turnell is a former advisor to the ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi. (LinkedIn)

Turnell, who was released after 650 days in prison, is a highly regarded academic from Sydneys Macquarie University and was director of the Myanmar Development Institute in its capital Naypyitaw. His wife, Ha Vus, has stood by him, writing on social media he had done nothing wrong.

He has been vocal in his criticism of the Burmese military, which he believes is resistant to change and has become an entrenched influence in public service.

International Call For Democracy to Return to Burma

The sanctions come as the European Unions High Representative for Foreign Affairs and the Foreign Ministers of Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, the Federated States of Micronesia, Georgia, Ghana, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, Serbia, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States have called on the junta to restore democracy to the country.

In a joint statement, the ministers called for Burma to be returned to a democratic path.

The military overruled the democratic wishes of the people of Myanmar as expressed in the November 2020 General Election, when they seized power on Feb. 1, 2021, the minister said.

We reiterate our call for the return of Myanmar to a democratic path. The military regime must end violence and create space for meaningful and inclusive dialogue to allow for any democratic process to resume.

The ministers noted that there had been credible reports from Burma that the junta has been implementing an increasingly violent crackdown on any form of opposition, including peaceful protests, with reports that thousands of civilians, including children, have been jailed, tortured and killed.

Police in riot gear march to take a position to block demonstrators at an intersection during a protest in Mandalay, Burma, on Feb. 9, 2021. (AP Photo)

There are mounting reports that air strikes, bombardments and the mass burning of villages and places of worship have targeted civilians and civilian infrastructure, the minister said.

We call on all members of the international community to support all efforts to hold those responsible for human rights violations and abuses to account; to cease the sale and transfer of arms and equipment which facilitate atrocities; and to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of Myanmars people, including its most vulnerable communities.

In October, the junta allegedly used three military jets to drop bombs on A Nang Pa in Hpakant Townshipwhere hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the 62nd anniversary of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO)at 8.30 p.m. (local time).

The attack reportedly killed 50 people and wounded 100 more, Myanmar Now said, while the Associated Press put the death toll at 80. The Epoch Times could not independently confirm the figures.

KIOs spokesperson Colonel Naw Bu said the military regime in Burma had deliberately launched airstrikes on Hpakant to target civilians rather than the KIO army.

There was no fighting that had broken out between us and the military, Naw Bu told Myanmar Now. They bombed the event on purpose, knowing that there were many civilians there. This is inhumane and a war crime.

Aldgra Fredly contributed to this article.
Bail Granted to 4th Teen Among 8 Charged in Fatal Stabbing of Toronto Man

Police have identified Ken Lee, 59, as the Toronto man allegedly stabbed to death by a group of teenage girls on Dec. 18, 2022. (The Canadian Press/HO-Toronto Police Service)

Bail has been granted to a fourth girl who, along with seven other teen girls, is charged with second-degree murder in the swarming attack and fatal stabbing of Toronto man Ken Lee.

The girl, represented by defence lawyer Anne Marie Morphew, was granted bail on Jan. 31, reported CBC News. The girls identity is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA).

The teen faces several bail conditions, including that she must stay at home and cannot have access to the internet except for the purposes of schooling, meeting with lawyers, medical appointments, or counselling. The girl is also banned from contacting her co-accused, cannot have a cell phone, and is not allowed to leave the province of Ontario.

The eight teenage girls involved in the attackranging in age from 13 to 16allegedly stabbed Lee, 59, in the downtown Toronto area near York Street and University Avenue on Dec. 18.

The police previously described the assault as a swarming type of behaviour, which normally involves selecting a target to victimize. The police noted that the eight suspects are from various parts of the city and had probably met each other through social media. Police say it was unclear why the girls chose to meet and why they selected downtown Toronto as their destination.

On Dec. 29, one of the eight teenagers was first granted bail, while the bail hearing process began in early January for the other seven accused. Each of the teens has their own day in court to seek bail. All of the bail hearings are being heard at a Toronto courthouse.

Calls for Reform

A female witness who claimed to be Lees friend said he was attacked while defending her from the eight girls, who were trying to steal a bottle of alcohol from the woman, reported Global News. Lee was pronounced dead after being transported to the hospital, police said at the time.

He died a hero, said a Jan. 16 statement from Helen Shum, Lees sister. Shum is raising funds for Lees funeral.

Shum and her husband, Eric Shum, said theyve written to several federal, provincial, and municipal officials to call for changes to the YCJA, which applies to Canadian youth aged 12 to 17.

The youth criminal justice system is separate from the adult system based on the principle that youth are presumed to be less morally blameworthy than adults, according to a Government of Canada website on the YCJA.

Shum challenged the protection of the young offenders identity in Lees case under YCJA rules.

In this particular murder case, is the youth justice system really protecting the public? I have a lot of questions as to why we are protecting those criminals that committed murder, Shum said in her statement.

Why do we need to protect their privacy? Society needs to know who these perpetrators are; especially if they are attending school, she said.

As a parent, I would want to know if a perpetrator was in my childs school or my childs class.

Shums email was addressed to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons Mark Holland, Chief Justice David Lametti, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, and Toronto Mayor John Tory.

Shum also commended Fords call for bail reform after the recent murder of OPP Const. Grzegorz Greg Pierzchal by a suspect who was also granted bail.

For this crime of murder, the optics of allowing bail continue to demonstrate a weak YCJA system sending a message to young offenders that they can do anything and not be held accountable, Shum wrote.
Bipartisan Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Ban China from Buying US Farmland

Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) questions Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen during the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing titled The Financial Stability Oversight Council Annual Report to Congress, in Dirksen Senate Office Building on May 10, 2022 in Washington. (Tom Williams-Pool/Getty Images)

Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Tester (D-Mont.) on Feb. 1 introduced a bill to ban China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea from buying or leasing U.S. farmland and agricultural businesses.

The proposed legislation, named the PASS (Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security) Act of 2023, would require the president to report to Congress on any waiver granted to the prohibited countries. It would also make the secretary of agriculture a standing member of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), a federal panel that reviews foreign acquisitions for national security risks, and specify agricultural investments as falling under CFIUS jurisdiction.

While the legislation is the same as a version introduced last year, Rounds said that this years bill has more bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress and support from stakeholders.

The intent behind this particular legislation was to prohibit China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from establishing locations in the United States where they could monitor activity, specifically potential military activity, said Rounds in an emailed statement to The Epoch Times.

Rounds highlighted the value of farming and seed technology developed in the United States.

China has an interest in taking some of our advancements and using them in their country without acknowledging the patents that may accompany that material, which is made easier if they have a base of operation in the United States in which to obtain the material in the first place, he added.

A third-generation Montana farmer, Tester said in a statement that he was proud to sponsor the bill to ensure our farmers have a seat at the table when the government makes decisions impacting our national security. Tester added that he was not going to sit back and let our foreign adversaries weaken our national security by buying up American farmland.

Farmers harvest a field of corn on October 2, 2013, in South Dakota. China has interest in U.S. corn seed technology. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Agriculture is the lifeblood of South Dakotas economy, worth nearly $12 billion in 2021, according to the South Dakota Department of Agriculture & Natural Resources (pdf). As the states largest industry, agriculture leads tourismthe second-largest industry, estimated at over $4 billion in 2021by three times.

The South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) and South Dakota Sheep Growers Association (SDSGA) have endorsed the bill. Doug Sombke, president of SDFU, in a statement also encouraged other state farmers unions to support the bill.

The legislation is cosponsored by Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.). The House version, also introduced on Wednesday, is sponsored by Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), and Rick Crawford (R-Ark.).

Last month, CFIUS decided that it didnt have jurisdiction to review a land purchase related to a controversial Chinese corn mill project in Grand Forks, North Dakota. That project is located within 15 miles of the Grand Forks Air Force base, which houses sensitive drone, satellite, and surveillance technology, and has prompted significant pushback from Republican lawmakers and locals who say it threatens both national and economic security.

Both Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.) raised national security concerns before and after the CFIUS review.

On Tuesday, Grand Forks city mayor Brandon Bochenski announced that he plans to stop the project after the U.S. Department of the Air Force sent a letter to Hoeven and Cramer, saying, While CFIUS concluded that it did not have jurisdiction, the Departments view is unambiguous: the proposed project presents a significant threat to national security with both near- and long-term risks of significant impacts to our operations in the area.

That brought the controversial project to an end after a bumpy journey. The city announced the project in November 2021, approved the development agreement in July 2022, then paused construction in September 2022 in anticipation of the CFIUS review. After CFIUS decision in December, the project proceeded, only for the mayor to pull the plug this week.

As of Dec. 31, 2020, China owned 325,686 acres of U.S. agricultural land, according to the Department of Agriculture. While the acreage under Chinese ownership is slightly less than 1 percent of all foreign-held agricultural land, it represents a 20-fold leap from 13,720 acres in 2010.

But the relatively low percentage of Chinese ownership does not diminish the severity of the threat, according to Rounds, who said that thwarting the trend is important.

China is strategic in where they purchase farmland, sometimes near military bases, the senator said.

It is easier to address this situation now than after they have established a strong foothold in agricultural production areas.
Blinken and Yellen Must Address CCP Crimes on China Trip: GOP Letter

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) speaks during a rally before the arrival of former President Donald Trump at the Miami-Dade County Fair and Exposition in Miami, Florida, on Nov. 6, 2022. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

A group of Republican lawmakers is urging Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen to hold Chinas communist regime accountable during their upcoming trips to China.

Blinken and Yellen are both slated to visit China in the coming weeks, marking the highest level diplomatic visits by the United States to China since 2018.

A Feb. 1 letter drafted by GOP lawmakers to Blinken and Yellen warned that the pair should not allow their trips to become propaganda victories for communist authorities.

We urge you to use the trips to hold the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) accountable for its human rights violations, unfair trade practices, and increasing aggression in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, the letter said.

Anything less would be a concession to our countrys greatest threat.

US Must Avoid Propaganda Win for the CCP



The drafting of the letter was led by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and was signed by fellow Republican Sens. Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.), Ted Budd (N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.), Bill Cassidy (La.), Kevin Cramer (N.D.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Chuck Grassley (Iowa), Bill Hagerty (Tenn.), John Hoeven (N.D.), Pete Ricketts (Neb.), Eric Schmitt (Mo.), Rick Scott (Fla.), and Dan Sullivan (Ark.).

The letter singled out the CCPs ongoing human rights violations against ethnic and religious minorities in Chinas Xinjiang region, which the United States recognizes as genocide.

It said that the United States must hold the CCP regime accountable for its system of mass surveillance and internment, denial of individuals rights to peacefully practice their religion, and use of forced labor, sexual violence, forced abortion, and forced sterilization of women.

Moreover, the letter said, the CCP continues to deny basic human rights to other groups whom the regime deems a threat, such as Tibetans, Christians, and Falun Gong practitioners.

The sentiment of the letter echoed one drafted by Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) earlier in the week, which called on Blinken to shine a light on the CCPs atrocities.

The letter drafted by Rubio went beyond human rights issues, however, and also urged Blinken and Yellen to stand up to the CCP for the regimes efforts to wrongfully detain U.S. citizens, conduct industrial espionage and transnational repression schemes, and for its part in exporting precursor ingredients for fentanyl, which has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans.

You must make clear that the United States will not cooperate with a regime that uses hostages as bargaining chips, the letter said.

Ultimately, the letter warned that Blinken and Yellen must use their visits to ensure the CCP was held to account for its malign behavior, or else risk giving the regime another propaganda victory to use against the United States.

We respectfully request that you use your visits to impress the aforementioned points upon your PRC [Peoples Republic of China] counterparts, as well as convey that the United States will no longer tolerate such abuses against American citizens, American businesses, and American allies, the letter said.

If you fail to do so, we fear that these meetings will simply become a propaganda win for the CCP and bring no material benefit to the American people or our allies and partners.

The Epoch Times has requested comment from the State Department and the Treasury Department.
Boeing employees and executives watch the departure of the final 747 jet at 11 a.m. ET on Feb. 1, from the Boeing Future of Flight Museum at Paine Field in Everett, Washington.

The Epoch Times will livestream the event.
Brian Giesbrecht: Why the Indian Act Is Indeed a Racist Anachronism

A resident of the Blood Reserve, southeast of Waterton Lakes National Park, Alta., walks down a side road near Standoff, Alberta, in a file photo. (The Canadian Press/David Rossiter)

Commentary

Pierre Poilievre recently made headlines when he criticized the Indian Act, calling it racist and archaic. In fact, his remarks were not even controversial, because many indigenous leaders have said the same thing for more than half a century.

The Indian Act is indeed a racist anachronism that should have been consigned to the rubbish bin decades ago. No one defends it.

In fact, indigenous chiefs called for the abolition of the act decades ago. This was in the 1960s. The chiefs said it was shameful that a country that called itself enlightened and progressive could live with itself, while it had an apartheid system that treated indigenous people like children. They said it kept them in a ghetto.

They explained that most indigenous people lack the basics that most Canadians take for granted. They dont have the education or job skills, too many sit in jails, or are taken as children into child welfare systems, too many abuse alcohol, and live shorter, bleaker lives. In short, too many are part of a chronically unemployed and dependent underclass that lives short, bleak lives, and passes that dismal legacy on to their children.

And those chiefs were right. The Indian Act and reserve system is everything they said it was. Even in the 1960s, there was absolutely no excuse for hanging on to such a disgraceful systema system that did indeed keep status Indians in a ghetto.

With that in mind, then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and his young Indian Affairs minister, Jean Chretien, set out to get status Indians out of that ghetto. In their 1969 White Paper, the beginnings of a plan were outlined that would slowly, carefully, and expensively get rid of the Indian Act and its regressive reserve system.

But when the White Paper was presented, all hell broke loose. The chiefs called the plan that would make their people the equals of every other Canadian racist. The reality was that they refused to give up their perks.

This is why an angry Pierre Trudeau said, Well keep them in the ghetto as long as they want. He withdrew the paper and initiated the indigenous policy that has been basically the same for the last 50-plus years, namely: Send money, and dont touch the Indian Act.

That is where things sit today. Astounding sums of money are spent maintaining this gilded, but fundamentally rotten ghetto. Politicians pretend to be making significant changes to this stagnant system with countless expensive government programs. They also humour indigenous politicians by declaring the totally dependent, mostly dysfunctional reserves, to be independent nations. Chiefs call any criticism denialism.

But nothing has really changed since 1969, except that the money amounts have increased astronomically. Despite the fact that good people live in those communities, most reserves remain basically dependent human warehouses, rife with corruption and abuse.

And perhaps the most debilitating feature of these ghettos is the culture of permanent victimhood that now plagues reserves. Hysterical conspiracy theories about priests poisoning, murdering, and secretly burying thousands of residential school children now run rampant in these communities. Reserves are indeed the ghettos that the chiefs correctly described so long ago.

But Pierre Trudeau got one thing wrong when he angrily told the chiefs that they could stay in their ghetto. The chiefs themselves are not in a ghetto at all. They enjoy generous tax-free-salaries and expense accounts. Life is good for them. Neither are many other people who feed off this system.

And lest this last sentence be considered offensive, it should be noted that there are at least as many non-indigenous people as indigenous people who are dependent on this system. Entire universities, expensive law firms, and legions of indigenous affairs bureaucrats are doing very well because of it.

And they have no intention of letting it go.

There are many reasonable and progressive leaders within the indigenous community who can clearly see how the privileged position of the chiefs depends on the permanent marginalization of the underclass majority. However, those honest voices are drowned out by the influential figures in the leadership, who refuse to give up the many special perks the system offers them. The money always wins. Their voices are also ignored by reckless writers and activists, who advance their careers by pushing the grievance narrative. True reformers, like Winston Wuttunee and Shawn Atleo, never stood a chance.

So, Pierre Trudeau was prescient half a century ago when he told the chiefs that the marginalized indigenous underclass majority would continue to live in a ghetto. The dismal statistics that are well known attest to this.

But the question must be asked: What if those chiefs in 1969 had at least agreed to consider Trudeaus plan, and work with him to address their legitimate concerns? Would we now live in a country where more indigenous people had integrated into the mainstream, while keeping those parts of their indigenous identity that mattered most to them?

We will never know.

But it is hard to imagine how our leadersindigenous and non-indigenouscould have done much worse.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
The older and younger generations have more in common than you might think

In the 21st century, division has become as American as mom and apple pie.

Red states and blue states, left and right, black and white, male and female, rich and poor: Our culture teaches us to judge others by such criteria as skin color, where we went to school and the work we do, and the generation in which we were born. Instead of building bridges, some of our politicians, commentators, and academics work furiously to dig canyons.

The gulf between young and old receives less attention in the media than other issues, but it, too, is both real and unfortunate. At times, this generational misunderstanding can also be amusing. How many times have you heard folks 60 and older say, I dont understand young people today? At the same time, those 40 and under will complain, Boomers just dont get us.

Its too bad, really, because with all the mess and muddle of our national misunderstandings, both groups are missing opportunities to gain wisdom, better health, and personal growth.

A Few Stats

A study from Columbia University reports that 1 in 3 adults over the age of 50 feels lonely. Caring for an infirm spouse, retirement, the deaths of friends, and other factors can lead these men and women to feel socially isolated. In turn, they may neglect their health, remove themselves from activities, and turn on the television for company rather than ringing up a friend or family member.

Meanwhile, millennials, those born between 1981 and 1996, and the Gen Z Americans who follow them, exhibit even higher rates of isolation and social disconnection. Search online for Millennial loneliness or Generation Z loneliness, and articles, data, and polls appear declaring them the loneliest generations. Social media clearly hasnt replaced face-to-face friendships.

Given these figures and this common sense of isolation across the generations, might not a merger of these lonely hearts produce some happiness for young and old alike?

And Theres More

In addition to companionship, seniors and their younger counterparts can bring special gifts to each other.

From my grandfather, [I learned] good morals and the government of my temper, wrote the Roman emperor and philosopher Marcus Aurelius.

Most of us who are older can relate to the emperors gratitude. Like him, we may have learned any number of lessons from our elders, from telling the truth to cooking family favorites to changing a tire on the car. We remember a teacher who steered us through a rough patch, or an employer who inspired us to push harder and strive for excellence.

Examples of such mentors abound in literature and film. In Mark Helprins novel A Soldier of the Great War, for example, an elderly professor of aesthetics shares the learning of a lifetime with a 20-something Italian mechanic. In the movie Secondhand Lions, two crotchety old adventurers take a young nephew under their wing and raise him to manhood.

And the young? They repay the old for their lessons and their friendship in a coin that can be had nowhere else. Beginning in my early 50s, for 12 years, I worked full time teaching liberal arts to seminars of homeschoolers. I found joy in hearing the laughter of my students, watching their friendships and flirtations, listening to their dreams, and helping them learn and grow. Many of them took classes with me for four and five years, advancing, for instance, from a middle school writing course to advanced placement English composition. During this time, I became well-acquainted with them and with their families. Those years of working with teenagers were the happiest and most exciting of my working life.

When making these connections, both young and old act as teachers and pupils. The young instruct by their innocence and idealism, the old by experience and wisdom. Put them together, and you might find youve built the best classroom in the world, even if it meets at a kitchen table or in a local coffee shop.

Coming Together: Some Notes for the Older Gang

Suppose youre looking for companionship, or you just want to enjoy the company of some young people. One way to begin is by searching online for programs linking old to young, where youll find sites ranging from mentoring in elementary and secondary schools to working with volunteer outfits focused on intergenerational relationships.

Local organizations can also link you up with the young. One female acquaintance of mine, age 69, teaches a Sunday school for teens at a small church and finds that work a delight. A middle-aged college teacher mentors men in their 20s and 30s, mostly via the internet, on building stronger relationships with their peers.

Of course, such opportunities also lie closer to home. Teenage grandchildren, nephews and nieces in college, that 30-year-old you just hired in accounting, or that new guy on the construction crew who looks a little lostbefriending and guiding them can liven up your world.

Its All About Relationship

Interacting with a young grandchild, such as teaching them to ride a bike, is easy and enjoyable for both parties. To engage young adults, aim to engage them in activities and earn their trust. (Biba Kayewich)

Interacting with a 5-year-old grandchild is usually pretty basic. You slip them some treats, you teach them to ride a bike, and you tell them you love them. Its sweet, easy, and enjoyable.

To engage teens and young adults requires a different skill set. You must first earn their respect, and that only comes through relationship.

Suppose your granddaughter, a college junior home for the holidays, has hit the skids. Her grades are down, she looks as if she could use some sunshine, and at family gatherings she spends most of the time in a corner on the sofa, poking away at her phone. You might ask her if shes all right, but unless that relationship is strong, all youre likely to get in return is a shrug and a muttered, Im fine.

Discard that direct approach. Instead, invite that granddaughter into your kitchen to do some baking and cooking. Take her out shopping or out to supper at a restaurant. When she returns to school, give her a call on a regular basis.

This tactic of building trust and mutual respect applies across the board. If youre a supervisor, for example, and you want to have an impact on a younger employee, then show an interest in him. Ask about his aspirations and his life outside of work. When possible, collaborate rather than dictate.

Presence is everything in building relationships. The confidences will come later and in a natural way.

Listening Comes First

A friend of mine discovered that all of her younger co-workers had friends who were in therapy. Now, some of those friends undoubtedly have deep-seated issues, but most of them are probably looking for a listener, someone who will hear them without judgment or dismissal. We may be living in the great age of communication, but given the scale of loneliness cited above, apparently, a whole lot of people, old as well as young, have no one to listen to them.

So to reiterate: Be present. Listen. Dont interrupt and dont judge. Ask questions. Think before you speak.

Our country has lots of walls right now. Seniors, millennials, and the Gen Z crew can knock down some of these barricades, learn and grow together, and have some fun in the bargain.

Jeff Minick has four children and a growing platoon of grandchildren. For 20 years, he taught history, literature, and Latin to seminars of homeschooling students in Asheville, N.C. He is the author of two novels, Amanda Bell and Dust on Their Wings, and two works of nonfiction, Learning as I Go and Movies Make the Man. Today, he lives and writes in Front Royal, Va.
California Children Struggling to Recover From Pandemic Academically, Mentally: Report

First grade students prepare for class at St. Joseph Catholic School in La Puente, Calif., on Nov. 16, 2020. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)

California children are still struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic both academically and mentally, according to a recent report from research organization Children Now.

Children in California  have not bounced back from the pandemic, Children Now President Ted Lempert said in a Jan. 26 statement. Too many kids are not thriving today and were not thriving before the pandemic.

The 2023 California County Scorecard of Childrens Well-Being evaluates 40 areas of well-being among childrenincluding academic scores, health, and early childhoodfor each of the 58 counties in the Golden State.

The studys most alarming findings include few students meeting academic standards and many experiencing chronic depression and suicidal thoughts.

Students and parents wearing masks wait in line for the first day of the school year at Grant Elementary School in Los Angeles on Aug. 16, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

Roughly two-thirds of the states 13.5 million children fail to meet math and science standardsabout a 7 percent drop from the already low pre-pandemic levelswhile 57 percent cant read at their grade levels, down 6 percent from the 49 percent in the 201819 school year, according to the report.

Additionally, the report revealed only 83 percent of Californias teachers were fully credentialed and qualified amid a nationwide teacher shortage.

Another one-third of the states children reported experiencing chronic sadness or hopelessness, while 16 percent said they considered suicide, according to the study.

In Southern California, Los Angeles Countys academic scores largely mirrored the states numbers, while reporting an even higher number of children41 percentchronically feeling sad or hopeless and 13 percent with suicidal thoughts.

In Orange County, academic numbers were slightly better.

More than half of the countys third graders can read at their level, while 41 percent of fifth graders met science standards and 41 percent of eighth graders have satisfactory math performance.

However, Orange Countys rates of depression among children were at the statewide average, with 36 percent reporting chronic sadness or hopelessness and 14 percent with suicidal thoughts.

Students at Hewes Middle School leave for the day in Tustin, Calif., on Aug. 12, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

On the bright side, Californias graduation rate of 87 percent has slightly improved from 85 percent in 2019. Los Angeles and Orange counties rates also increased to 86 and 94 percent from 82 and 92 percent, respectively.

Lempert said the report was intended to be used as a guide for improvement.

We see where we must do better for children and their families, and the time is now for our leaders to use this information and act by prioritizing kids and their families, he said in the statement.

The director of Los Angeles Unifieds School Mental Health Department and the director of the Orange County Department of Educations Mental Health and Wellness Care Coordination didnt respond to a request for comment by press time.
After three years, the White House plans to end the COVID-19 emergency. House Republicans agree and are pushing a bill to do just that, but only sooner.

Many have been calling for Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) to step down. On Tuesday, Santos said he will step downbut not from his House seat.

Activists are calling on Secretary of State Antony Blinken to bring up human rights issues during a visit to China next week. Lawmakers are coming together to speak up for religious freedom around the world. Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) is calling to raise the issue of Chinas abysmal human rights abuses. We speak with the senator.

The Department of Justice is dropping probes into a retired Marine general. The general was accused of lobbying the U.S. government on behalf of Qatar.

Momentum in the housing market keeps fading. Home prices have been declining for five consecutive months, according to the latest data.
Cities and counties around North Dakota are on the verge of catching a break after a tough start to the winter snow season.

Local governments have been spread thin for weeks as they try to catch up with snow removal after a three-month stretch that saw three blizzards. Lawmakers in Bismarck and in Washington, D.C., are now working to get them help.

The effort includes Senate Bill 2183, which would provide up to $30 million in emergency snow removal grants to cities, counties, townships and tribal governments.

(It) would be a great help, Bismarck Public Works Director Steve Salwei said.

Local governments would need to show that their cost of snow removal from October through December exceeded 200% of the average cost of snow removal over the past five years to get aid under the bill, should it pass.

Sen. Terry Wanzek, R-Jamestown, brought up the idea of lowering the threshold to 150% at a hearing about the legislation, but it wasn't immediately amended.

Tough early winter

Roughly 53 inches of snow fell in Burleigh County from October through December, when the norm for that period of time is 21 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

Morton County received 48 inches of snow in that time span, compared to an average 17 inches.

A blizzard in November slammed Bismarck with 17.1 inches of snow, just shy of the city's all-time one-day snowfall record of 17.3 inches, according to the weather service. As much as 2 feet of snow was reported in Mandan.

Two blizzards followed in December. The first dropped 19 inches of snow over Bismarck over five days, and broke three daily precipitation records in the capital city.

The city of Bismarck spent nearly $1.5 million on snow removal from October through December. The average cost of snow removal over the past five years during that span is around $400,000.

We have had to shift around resources, Salwei said.

Public Works in December also hired contractors to haul snow out of the city due to the overwhelming amount.

Mandan spent $480,000 on snow removal from October through December. The city typically spends $250,000 to $300,000 for an entire winter, according to Public Works Director Mitch Bitz.

Mandan would not qualify for an emergency snow removal grant at the current 200% threshold.

Burleigh County spent nearly $1 million on snow removal from October through December, not including fuel costs. The average of the past five years for that span is $207,000.

Burleigh County doesn't have the manpower nor the equipment to do this on our own, Assistant County Engineer Daniel Schriock said during the bill hearing.

The county in January employed local contractors to aid in the snow removal. Costs for the contractors ranged from $25,000 to $30,000 per day -- money not included in the county budget.

Morton County "had record heavy snowfall in November and December, Assistant Emergency Manager Joel Rostberg said at a Jan. 12 meeting at which commissioners passed an emergency declaration.

The county applied for Federal Emergency Management Agency snow assistance but did not meet the criteria because it wasn't able to spend the just-over-$100,000 it needed over a 48-hour window to qualify.

Rostberg expressed frustration with the FEMA guidelines.

They set that 48-hour window, which is so tight," he said. "If they did it for a two- to three-week period, a lot of cities and counties would have met the federal guidelines."

Federal aid?

Gov. Doug Burgum on Dec. 9 declared a statewide disaster related to the November storm, which shut down schools, clogged roadways and knocked out power to thousands. The preliminary damage estimate was $1.7 million, according to Burgum's spokesman, Mike Nowatzki.

The unprecedented start to the winter season has strained resources at every level of government," Burgum said during his State of the State Address last month.

A statewide disaster declaration is a necessary step toward seeking a federal disaster declaration, which Burgum submitted on Jan. 10. If it's granted it would pave the way for federal aid.

U.S. Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer and Rep. Kelly Armstrong, all R-N.D., wrote to President Joe Biden on Jan. 12 in support of the state request.
Gordon Chang: US Generals Warning of War in 2025 Absolutely Needed

Gordon Chang, China analyst and author of "The Coming Collapse of China," in New York City on Jan. 3, 2023.(Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

A leading China analyst believes that a U.S. generals warning of war in 2025 is a much-needed wake-up call for the Biden administration and the American people.

Air Force Gen. Mike Minihan said that he anticipated fighting between China and the United States to break out by 2025, in a memo leaked in late January.

That prediction, though dire, is precisely what U.S. leaders need to hear, according to Gordon Chang, a senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute, an international policy think tank.

General Minihans comments are the shot-in-the-arm that is absolutely needed, Chang said in an email to The Epoch Times.

Unless we begin paying attention to Minihan, we will end up in a disaster of historic proportions.

For Chang, Minihans memo gives a much-needed sense of urgency to the ongoing competition and potential conflict between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which rules China as a single-party state.

Chang previously warned that the CCP is preparing for war through increased military manufacturing and streamlining the processes required to mobilize its military wing.

He hopes that Minihans memo will spur the American nation to see the threat clearly and act accordingly.

The Biden administration and the Pentagon lack a sense of urgency, Chang said. China is preparing for war at this moment, but Americans are determined to take it easy.

US Leadership Disagrees on Likelihood of War

U.S. military leadership previously warned that a CCP invasion of Taiwan could occur as soon as 2027, and could drag the United States into a catastrophic conflict.

Minihans memo truncates that timeline based on several factors including the fact that both the United States and Taiwan will be coming out of presidential elections at the beginning of 2025, and will likely be distracted from the threat posed by the CCP.

I hope I am wrong, Minihan said. My gut tells me we will fight in 2025.

[CCP leader Xi Jinpings] team, reason, and opportunity are all aligned for 2025.

For its part, the White House has played down the contents of the memo and urged that there is no reason for the competition between the CCP and the United States to spiral into war.

Weve addressed the challenges coming out of China here for quite some time, said National Security Council Coordinator John Kirby during a Jan. 30 interview with CNN.

The president believes that we should be in a competition with China and that it should not evolve into conflict. Theres no reason for it to.

Not everyone agrees with the White Houses assessment, however.

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said during a Jan. 29 interview with Fox News that he believes the generals prediction is accurate.

I hope [Minihans] wrong, McCaul said. I think hes right though, unfortunately.

We have to be prepared for this.
China and the World Trade Organization: A Misbegotten Alliance

Commentary

On Dec. 11, 2001, China became a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). This would have been impossible without U.S. support.

In retrospect, it was one of the worst decisions we ever made.

To be clear, the United States supported Chinas membership in the WTO and other international organizations based on its supposed commitment to market reform and compliance with the rules, even if this rise came at the expense of Western democracy, security, and common sense. We all too often turned a blind eye and shied away from talking directly about the Chinese regimes lack of transparency, reciprocity, and environmental standards; its human rights abuses and use of slave labor; and its countless violations of prior agreements and international law. Frankly, we thought (and hoped) that communist China would become a market-driven and, ultimately, a more democratic country.

This played into the hands of the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) well-honed economic warcraft doctrine. As a result of our naivety, we handed over priceless intellectual property by allowing access to our most prized research institutions. We also gave the CCP sophisticated process engineering for some of our most valuable products and technologies by building state-of-the-art plants in China. We then became dependent on China for key components and processed materials by outsourcing manufacturing, which enabled it to ransack small- and medium-sized firms in the industrial Midwest with its weapons of mass production.

This allowed China to buy up some of our countrys most valuable assets through forced technology transfers, theft, deception, strategic subsidies, talent poaching, cyber hacking, intimidation, and financial seduction. On top of that, we permitted China to access our low-cost capital markets without having to comply with standard accounting practices, which meant that it couldnt be audited. This allowed the CCP to finance the buildup of its surveillance and military state.

Now, were transferring massive amounts of data by permitting Chinas cloud and app companies free rein with our consumers, which enables them to keep track of the buying habits of American customers, let alone the rest of the worlds.

My Personal Perspective

Needless to say, my perspective on the CCPs techno-economic warcraft dates back to my upbringing in the American Midwest. My German American father instilled in me the values of honesty and hard work. My childhood experience of welding in my dads five-person machine shop gave me a love for manufacturing, where he would explain that small companies like his were the heart and soul of the U.S. economic engine, just like Germanys mittelstand. He taught me that the key to our two countries manufacturing prowess was fair competition, which drives productivity and raises the standard of living. His goal was to have me be better off than him and my children better off than me.

Over the years, it was painful to watch how Chinas weapons of mass production gutted the U.S. equivalent of the mittelstand manufacturing base. I witnessed firsthand its devastating impact on thousands of small- and medium-sized businesses, such as my fathers machine shop. I didnt understand it at first, but now I recognize that this was a result of Beijings economic warcraft strategy of using state subsidies, currency manipulation, dirty unregulated energy, and forced labor to manipulate competitive advantage.

During my 10 years as a vice president of General Motors, I saw the Chinese forced technology transfer playbook. I learned that building factories in China meant not only handing over blueprints, but also the engineering know-how of American companies.

Workers work at a product line of Buick Excelles at Jinqiao South Vehicle Plant of Shanghai General Motors Corp. on May 28, 2005. (China Photos/Getty Images)

After 30 years in Silicon Valley, I saw Beijings nonstop cyber hacking and intimidation. Ive been wooed by CCP officials and state-sponsored Chinese companies to do friendly joint ventures. I saw a flood of Chinese government money buy distressed companies with invaluable technology and stealthily invest in state-of-the-art startups. Ive even felt the pain of getting my companys crown jewels stolen by China, Inc. when Alibaba stole Aribas intellectual property.

Thats when I heard my dads voice: Keith, I believe in the free market, but when somebody comes into the market and doesnt play by the rules, the market is no longer free. Its a fools market.

With My CEO Glasses On

As a former CEO of public companies, I look at it this way: If Im competing against you, and I can steal your intellectual property; use slave labor; engage in bribes; subsidize my own companies; never have to be transparent; utilize unregulated cheap coal-fired power plants; dont have to be reciprocal with my home market, but at the same time force you to transfer your technology; and I can buy your companies, but you cant buy mine; I can hire your countrys bankers and lawyers, but you cant hire mine; I get access to your data, but you get none of mine; I can spread my propaganda in your country, but I dont let the truth into mine; your books have to be audited, but not mine; and I dont have to obey the law, or I am the lawthen Ill beat you every time.

This is what China has been doing to the free world for 40 years to give itself a strategic advantage, and there isnt a shred of evidence that Xi Jinping is going to slow down anytime soon. Globalization assumes that everybody plays fairly and that the benign economic forces that regulate international trade remove the need to take protective measures. But theres one major flaw with that rationale: It doesnt account for disruptive actors like the CCP. The level playing field that the rules-based international order and globalization depend on is gonethe very rules China promised to follow when it joined the WTO.

American CEOs Taking Off Rose-Colored Glasses

Many American CEOs are now beginning to take off their rose-colored glasses and are treating communist China not as we hoped it would be, but how it truly is. Chinas attempt to portray itself as a misunderstood and well-intentioned global partner has failed. Companies doing business with China have endured parasitic joint ventures, blatant intellectual property theft, a worldwide bullying spree, and the coerced collection of proprietary information that has been exploited for Chinas commercial advantage.

After Russian President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine, more than 300 of Americas most prominent corporations frantically curtailed their business in Russia. It doesnt take a doctorate degree in international affairs to understand the common threads that underpin the ChinaRussia partnership. Both governments are known for lawless behavior, duplicity, bullying, domestic oppression, coercive economic practices, and grave human rights abuses. Its also no surprise that the tech giants that form the backbone of Chinas surveillance statesuch as Huawei, Alibaba, Tencent, and Xiaomiare still happily doing business in Russia.

With Xis recent crackdown on private industry and the real possibility of an attack on Taiwan (which the CCP has refused to rule out), American corporate boards increasingly understand that doing business with, in, or for China represents tremendous risk. Boards have a fiduciary duty to their shareholders to mitigate such risks. Thats why many of Americas most respected board members are demanding a China contingency plan from their CEOs. They realize that a China risk mitigation plan isnt a drill.

CEOs know that they cant afford to get caught off guard on this one because the impact will be 10 to 20 times greater than the Russian experience. They understand that when that moment comes, if they arent ready, it will already be too late. When the dreaded becomes inevitable, theres no longer the need to fear it. CEOs must develop a plan and execute it.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
China Courting African Leaders While Trying to Quiet Alarm Over Indebtedness to Beijing

China's Minister of Foreign Affairs Qin Gang arrives at the Leon Mba International Airport in Libreville, Gabon, on Jan. 11, 2023. (Steeve Jordan/ AFP via Getty Images)

A recent visit to Africa by Chinas newly-appointed foreign minister, Qin Gang, has restoked fears of the Chinese Communist Party moving to supplant the United States as a principal foreign partner on the continent.

Qins five-nation Africa tour (Ethiopia, Angola, Benin, Gabon, and Egypt) from Jan. 916 came less than two weeks after his appointment.

Known for his tough talk against the West, President Xi Jinpings trusted aide insisted Africa must have a greater voice in the United Nations Security Council and other international bodies.

Africa should be a platform for international cooperation, not an arena for competition between major countries, Qin said at the inauguration of the Chinese-funded headquarters for the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in Ethiopias capital Addis Ababa.

For several decades now we have been fighting for a reform of the international system as a whole and particularly on behalf of the UN Security Council, he said.

Africa is the largest regional component of Chinas controversial $1 trillion Belt and Road initiative (BRI) to reset global commerce. But the scheme has received a backlash from African leaders who fume it is creating an unsustainable debt issue while enslaving the people of Africa.

Even worse, many of Chinas Belt and Road infrastructure projects have proven to be plagued by construction flaws.

Ugandas power generation company recently said it has identified 584 construction defects in a Chinese-built 183-megawatt Isimba Hydro Power Plant, citing failure by the China International Water and Electric Corporation to build a floating boom to protect the dam from water weeds and other debris triggered clogged turbines and power outages.

In Angola, occupants of the vast Kilamba Kiaxi social housing project are complaining about cracked walls, moldy ceilings, and poor construction of the infrastructure barely 10 years after moving in.

These visible cracks that have now become the hallmarks of Chinas global mega-projects in Africa and elsewhere around the world gave urgency to Chinas foreign ministers latest Africa trip, says Frank Gaffney, vice chairman for the anti-Beijing advocacy group Committee on the Present Danger: China (CPDC).

Gaffney, who concurrently serves as CEO of Save the Persecuted Christians and the Center for Security Policys executive chairman, told The Epoch Times in a zoom interview that China is intent on completing its colonization of Africa.

China has really nothing but contempt for the people of Africa, he said.

China is very much a prime example of racism to the extent that they can build all this stuff [BRI] and it turns out to have been poorly constructed, improperly engineered, unable to withstand the climate, he said.

It will just add further insult to the injury that is being inflicted by this Belt and Road operation.

But again, my principal concern is that long after the rail networks, the bridges, the ports or the airports, show that they were not well-built, or well-conceived for that matter, the Chinese will have nonetheless established themselves as the de-facto dominant power in these countries and there will be very little likelihood of getting out from under that common kind of dominance.

Stifling Chinese global dominance will entail two things, according to Gaffney.

The first will depend on whether the countries involved in the African continent will continue to tolerate Chinese colonial domination.

While the second is dependent on whether the Chinese will continue to have access to the U.S. capital markets which, according to Gaffney, are enabling its financing of the Belt and Road initiative programs.

And if that money were to cease to flow to China, I think it would be much more difficult for them to be making these seemingly attractive, Payday Loan offers to nations that have not yet succumbed to the invitation to participate in this colonial buildup by China, said Gaffney.

He also expressed concern over how Chinas Belt and Road Initiative scheme has been designed both for commercial and military purposes.

The Chinese are focused on picking up strategic assets for strategic resources or strategic territory from which to project power, he told The Epoch Times.

This is all to the benefit of China and not so much that of the nations in question and Africa.

But in due course, Gaffney thinks, the Belt and Road Initiative is bound to crumble, if only the United States stops assisting in its underwriting.

And hopefully the United Statesamong other Western nationswill offer the people of Africa an alternative without the very onerous strings attached that accompany the Chinese belt and road scheme.

During his visit to Ethiopia, Qin signed an agreement to partially forgive the countrys debt, stating that China is ready to help and support the people of Ethiopia after the conflict in Tigray, and urged the international community to increase the scale of humanitarian assistance to the nation.

He also visited the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he responded to allegations that China is creating a debt trap in Africa, saying that it is a false narrative, intentionally imposed on the cooperation between China and African states.

Meetings in Benin and Gabon indicated hopes to expand Chinas Belt and Roads infrastructure, mainly concentrated in eastern Africa, into western Africa.

While in Egypt, Qin discussed bilateral relations in various areas of mutual interest with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, as well as with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry.

Qin congratulated Angolas active mediation of regional hotspot issues when he visited the southern African nation.

Africa is facing economic competition from Europe, China, and the United States.

China has been struggling to compete for influence with the United Stateswhich hosted leaders from 49 African countries last monthas well as with former colonial powers such as Britain and France.

Last year, the European Union signed a $170 billion development package with the African Union in what was seen as a major effort to counter growing Chinese influence in Africa. But China has been Africas largest trading partner for more than a decade.

Chinese influence will remain strong in Africa for the foreseeable future because it has invested so much time, attention, and money there, and because it has co-opted many African elites through various means, according to Joshua Meservey, Research Fellow for Africa at the American conservative think tank, The Heritage Foundation.

But some African countries have become alarmed at how dependent they have become on Beijing, and are now trying to diversify partners, Meservey told The Epoch Times in an email.

There will also likely be a wave of defaults on Chinese loans or requests for debt forgiveness and restructuring coming from Africa, he said.

Unlike the United States and others, Beijing is loath to do large-scale forgiveness because it wants to get paid back. If it drives a hard bargain with African states that have grown accustomed to debt bailouts, it could hurt Chinese influence on the continent.

Meservey said the Chinese government is now less concerned with African natural resources than it used to be.

It is now focused on some key minerals such as cobalt but is arguably most desirous of securing African countries continued staunch support for Chinese foreign policy goals, which is hugely valuable for Beijing achieving its strategic interests in places like the United Nations, he said.

Gaffney of the anti-China advocacy group says the communist nations unrestricted warfare against the United States has happened because the latter has long been underwriting Beijing.

We are making it possible with this extraordinary financing [between $3 trillion and $6 trillion] that has been transferred from American investors and U.S. capital markets to Chinese companies, including some that are very directly involved in threatening us, helping the Chinese Communist Party enslave its own people and work towards enslaving the rest of the world as well, Gaffney told The Epoch Times.

He criticized the present administration for being so deeply compromised which only renders President Joe Biden a controlled asset of the Chinese Communist Party.

So that helps explain perhaps why were in these checks. Why are we not doing very well vis-a-vis China; why are we allowing them to best us in virtually every competition including the economic ones? he questioned.

But I still believe very strongly that in the event, we can get our act together.

For, he explained, the United States is a far more reliable, far more honorable partner for those in Africa especially, but also elsewhere around the world, than the Communists, and Marxists, and tyrants of Russia and China.
Chinese Aircraft, Warship Incursions Put Taiwan Military on Alert

Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert, and activated missile systems on Feb. 1 in response to the Chinese military sending almost three dozen aircraft and some warships near the island nations Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

Thirty-four Chinese military aircraft and nine warships around Taiwan were detected by 6 a.m.(UTC+8) today. R.O.C. Armed Forces have monitored the situation and tasked CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond these activities, Taiwans Ministry of National Defense wrote in a Feb. 1 tweet. Twenty of the detected aircraft  had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwans southwest ADIZ.

Such incursions are now almost a daily occurrence in the region, with Beijing carrying out such activities in an attempt to reinforce its military prowess.

The Chinese military sent a record 71 planes and seven ships toward Taiwan at the end of December 2022, the largest such military exercise last year.

On Jan. 25, four Chinese aircraft and three naval vessels were detected by the Taiwanese military. The incursion followed just days after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen wrote a letter to Pope Francis on Jan. 23, noting that constructive interaction with China is only a possibility if Beijing respects Taiwans freedoms and democracy.

Military Annexation, War

Beijing insists that Taiwan is part of Chinese territory, and the communist regime has asserted that it wont shy away from using force to annex the democratic, self-governing island.

On Jan. 11, Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office, said that Beijing was committed to smashing plots for Taiwan independence, according to The Associated Press. The malicious support for Taiwan independence among anti-China elements in a few foreign countries are a deliberate provocation.

Ma also warned that foreign politicians who interact with Taiwan are playing with fire. In recent months, politicians from the European Union and the United States had visited the island. In August 2022, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, the highest-ranking U.S. official in 25 years to do so.

Meanwhile, U.S. Air Force Gen. Mike Minihan, who heads the U.S. Air Mobility Command, warned about the possibility of the United States going to war with China in two years.

In a memo dated Feb. 1, Minihan points out that Chinese leader Xi Jinping secured a third term in October 2022 while both the United States and Taiwan are set to hold their presidential elections in 2024. The U.S. presidential election might offer Xi a distracted America, he notes.

I hope I am wrong. My gut tells me we will fight in 2025  Xis team, reason, and opportunity are all aligned for 2025. We spent 2022 setting the foundation for victory. We will spend 2023 in crisp operational motion building on that foundation, he said in the memo.

Chinas Taiwan Invasion

In October 2022, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that China intends to move against Taiwan on a much faster timeline than earlier estimates. Xi has become more repressive at home and more aggressive abroad.

U.S. policy on Taiwan has so far allowed the people of the island nation to really flourish while also avoiding any conflict with China. But thats changing as Beijing is speedily pursuing its unification push, he warned.

If peaceful means didnt work, then it [Beijing] would employ coercive means and possibly, if coercive means dont work, maybe forceful meansto achieve its objectives. And that is what is profoundly disrupting the status quo and creating tremendous tensions.

However, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan expressed hope on Jan. 5 that China can be deterred from launching an invasion against Taiwan and that the risk of a U.S. conflict with Beijing can be avoided with responsible stewardship.

Sullivan said the United States will need to follow through on commitments of the Taiwan Relations Act, which state that the country will provide defensive articles to Taiwan, besides maintaining direct diplomacy with the Chinese Communist Party.

He added that close coordination with allies in the region also will act as a deterrent to war.

Meanwhile, many Republicans are currently voicing support for the present House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to visit Taiwan after the regime in Beijing warned against such visits.
Chinese Christians Remaining in Thailand Seek US Asylum Amid Deportation Fears

A Christian group, which fled religious persecution in China in 2019 and sought refuge in Thailand, is now seeking asylum in the United States as they face possible deportation by the Thai government.

Some 60 members of the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church, also known as the Mayflower Church, left China in October 2019 to escape religious persecution from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

They sought asylum in South Korea but were rejected after three years of court proceedings. In August 2022, the group moved to Thailand on tourist visas and applied for refugee status with the United Nations High Commissioner.

The Thai government allegedly refused to renew their tourist visas, according to the U.S.-based Christian human rights organization 21Wilberforce, putting the group at risk of deportation to China, where their safety and freedom could be jeopardized.

Trent Martin, advocacy and training coordinator for 21Wilberforce, met with the church members and pastor in Thailand last month, where he learned the extent of the CCPs efforts to silence the church.

It was surprising to hear firsthand the lengths to which Chinas Communist Party is willing to go to silence a church that simply wants to peacefully worship God in a free land, Martin said in a blog post.

He said that the congregants had received threatening calls, messages, and pressure from the CCP to return to the mainland even when they were already living in South Korea.

Catholics pray at Our Lady of Sheshan Basilica Catholic church in Shanghai on May 24, 2013. (Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images)

Even while they are overseas in Thailand, they still fear the CCP will send agents to kidnap them or pressure the Thai authorities to deport them, he said.

Martin said the group is currently awaiting approval of their U.N. refugees status and applied for asylum in the United States, but the U.S. government has yet to respond to the request.

Even though a group of churches and a local resettlement group in the Tyler, Texas area have committed to financially and materially supporting all the asylum seekers resettlement to the United States, the U.S. government so far has not offered them humanitarian parole or a pathway to asylum, he said.

We are continuing to call on the U.S. State Department to maintain our proud tradition of being a refuge for those seeking freedom to worship, just as the first Pilgrims did in 1620, Martin added.

Unjust Actions

On Oct. 24, 2022, the Mayflower Church released a statement outlining the rationale behind its members decision to leave China.

It claimed that Christian churches across China faced varying degrees of persecution, defiance, and misunderstanding in their public worship and faith practices from government departments since the implementation of the CCPs Religious Affairs Regulation in February 2018.

Such actions include but are not limited to the tearing down of crosses and spring scrolls hung and posted in Christian homes, forcing and threatening churches to join officially-controlled religious organizations, forcing churches to fly national flags or sing praises of secular states and political parties, forbidding the minor children of Christians from entering churches and receiving education about their faith, and depriving and outlawing churches and believers from meeting freely, it said.

We believe that these unjust actions, which we have appealed to cease before the relevant public authorities, have brought Chinese society into a serious conflict between church and state.

The pillar of a demolished Catholic church is seen in Puyang, in Chinas central Henan Province, on Aug. 13, 2018. (Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images)

The church claimed that the CCP has continued to threaten its members with persecution since they left China and especially after they moved to Thailand.

But even if the persecution continues or intensifies, we will never betray our faith. If we lose our freedom during the persecution, our words and actions are not in accordance with the case statement and are not voluntary but must be the result of persecution, the church said.

According to Open Doors UK & Ireland, there are currently around 96.7 million Christians in China. The officially atheist communist regime has been cracking down on the faith by demolishing and raiding house churches for refusing to join the government-sanctioned Three-Self Church, arresting worshippers, and rewriting the Bible.

Gina Goh, International Christian Concerns (ICC) regional manager for Southeast Asia, said in a report: Xi Jinpings regime is fearful of many things; one thing being people with religious beliefs. They want to ensure Chinese citizens are loyal to the CCPs ideology and nothing else.

This fear translates into church crackdown, re-education camps for Uyghurs, and demolition of Buddhist statues. House churches are bracing themselves for potentially the worst clampdown since the Cultural Revolution, Goh added.

The CCP removed more than 900 crosses from state-run churches in the first half of 2020 in Anhui Province and threatened to shut them down if anyone disobeyed.

Jocelyn Neo contributed to this report.
Chinese Corn Mill Project in North Dakota to Be Terminated Over National Security Concerns

A sign opposing a corn mill in Grand Forks, N.D., stands near 370 acres recently annexed by the city for the project. Many residents don't want the project in the city because the owner, Fufeng Group, has reputed ties to the Chinese Communist Party through its company chairman. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)

A Chinese corn mill proposal in Grand Forks, North Dakota, on land thats located within 15 miles of the Grand Forks Air Force Base, is set to be terminated after the U.S. Air Force warned that the project poses a significant threat to national security.

Grand Forks Mayor Brandon Bochenski announced on Jan. 31 that he plans to stop the project by Fufeng Group, a large Chinese agribusiness, in response to a request from U.S. authorities.

The federal government has requested the citys help in stopping the project as geo-political tensions have greatly increased since the initial announcement of the project, Bochenski said in a statement.

The only remedies the city has to meet this directive is to refuse to connect industrial infrastructure and deny building permits. As mayor of the city of Grand Forks, I am requesting these remedies be undertaken and the project be stopped, pending City Council approval.

The move came not long after Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.) shared a Jan. 27 letter (pdf) from the Air Force stating that the branch has an unambiguous view that the the proposed project presents a significant threat to national security with both near- and long-term risks of significant impacts to our operations in the area.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum issued a statement on Jan. 31 supporting the decision.

As we said previously, our top priority is the security of our citizens and our nation. We joined with city leaders in asking the federal government for clarity on any national security implications related to the Fufeng project, and now we finally have that clarity, he said.

Given [the Air Forces] concerns, we support the decision by the City of Grand Forks to initiate steps to stop the project with Fufeng Group and will support the city in finding another partner for a corn milling operation.

Ben Grzadzielewski, a Grand Forks resident who has been leading a grassroots campaign against the project, said that the projects termination goes to show you that the people still have the ability to rise up and overcome.

If theyd listened to us in the beginning, it wouldve saved them a years worth of time and a lot of money, he told The Epoch Times.

The city of Grand Forks announced the Fufeng project in November 2021 and approved the development agreement in July 2022.

Fufeng USA, the U.S. subsidiary of Fufeng Group, will still own the 370-acre farmland they purchased in Grand Forks in the fall of 2021.

Fufeng USA officials didnt respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.

In December 2022, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), a federal panel charged with reviewing foreign acquisitions for national security risks, decided that it didnt have jurisdiction to probe the land purchase. Before that, the project had prompted significant pushback from Republican lawmakers and locals who said it threatened both national and economic security.

Both Sens. Cramer and Hoeven raised national security concerns before and after the CFIUS review.

As of Dec. 31, 2020, China owned 325,686 acres of U.S. agricultural land, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. While the acreage under Chinese ownership is slightly less than 1 percent of all foreign-held agricultural land, it represents about a 20-fold leap from 13,720 acres in 2010.

Many state officials have also sounded the alarm about Chinese ownership of U.S. farmland. As a result, some states are creating legislation to prohibit or restrict Chinese entities from buying U.S. agricultural land and businesses. These states include South Dakota, Florida, Texas, Virginia, Missouri, and Iowa.
More Interest Rate Increases Are Warranted, Says IMF

International Monetary Fund logo outside the headquarters building during the IMF/World Bank spring meeting in Washington on April 20, 2018. (Yuri Gripas/Reuters)

Australia is on track to dodge a recession but the International Monetary Fund says more interest rate hikes are warranted.

The IMF has slightly downgraded its growth expectations for Australia and anticipates growth slowing from 3.6 per cent in 2022 to 1.6 per cent in 2023, down a touch from the 1.7 per cent predicted in November.

Growth is then expected to recover to about 2.25 per cent over the medium term.

In its report card on the Australian economy, the IMF anticipated a gradual deceleration in inflation toward the Reserve Banks two to three per cent inflation target by the end of 2024.

While the country is in better shape than other advanced economies because of a robust post-pandemic recovery and strong commodity prices, a soft landing is not a given.

The IMF outlined several downside risks that threaten Australias economic prospects, including the uncertain global environment, the housing market correction weighing on consumption and a potential drop off in commodity prices.

In its regular assessment of the economy, the IMF said further interest rate rises were justifiable.

With a positive output gap, a tight labour market and high inflation, further monetary policy tightening, complemented by fiscal consolidation, is warranted, it said.

The agency said the government would need to keep spending contained in the medium term and phase in new spending programs gradually.

Any cost of living support should be targeted and temporary, the IMF said, such as extending low-income tax offsets or topping up payments for welfare and JobSeeker recipients.

The IMF also called for tax reform to make the system more efficient and equitable.

It recommended pushing ahead with stage three tax cuts to reduce the personal income tax burden and bolstering property taxes and the goods and services tax.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the report served as a reminder the Australian economy was in good shape.

Our economy has a lot going for it: historically low unemployment, good prices for our exports, and the beginnings of wages growth after a decade of stagnant wages, he said.

Dr Chalmers said the report card endorsed his governments economic management.

The IMF report acknowledges the governments spending restraint helps address the inflation challenge in our economy and avoids making the job of the Reserve Bank harder, he said.
In an incredible undercover video, Project Veritas has exposed a Pfizer executive, Jordon Walker, who describes mutating viruses under the moniker directed evolution to be able to monetize a remedymeaning, be both the problem and the solution.

Pfizer has not denied it. They have not distanced themselves from Jordon Walker or denied hes an employee. They have just quietly begun disabling comments, which, of course, chills free speech. And the major networks are quiet as mice.
Driver in California Cliff Crash That Injured 4 Is Charged

Emergency personnel respond to a vehicle over the side of Highway 1 in San Mateo County, Calif., on Jan. 1, 2023. (Sgt. Brian Moore/San Mateo County Sheriff's Office via AP)

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.The driver of a car that plunged off a treacherous cliff in northern California, seriously injuring himself, his wife, and their two young children, was charged Monday with attempted murder.

Dharmesh A. Patel, 41, also faces enhancements for great bodily injury and domestic violence in the Jan. 2 crash, San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said in a statement.

Witness statements from family and motorists, and video footage from the nearby Tom Lantos tunnels provided enough evidence to charge the father of two, Wagstaffe told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Patels wife, who remains hospitalized, was screaming about her husbands intentionality to paramedics after they rappelled down the 250-foot (76-meter) cliff to rescue the family, Wagstaffe said. He declined to share what she said.

We do believe the evidence establishes the necessary intent to kill, Wagstaffe told the newspaper.

Patels attorney, Josh Bentley, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Patel was scheduled to be arraigned Monday but Bentley asked for a delay until Feb. 9, which the judge granted. The judge also granted the prosecutions request for no bail and ordered that Patel stay away from his family.

Patel, a radiologist at a Southern California hospital, was seriously injured and taken to a hospital after the car went over the 250-foot (76-meter) cliff at Devils Slide, an area along the Pacific Coast Highway about 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of San Francisco that is known for deadly wrecks. On Friday, he was moved to jail.

Rescuers initially hailed the familys survival as a miracle. Firefighters had to cut open the Tesla Model Y to extract the family, including Patels 41-year-old wife, 7-year-old daughter, and 4-year-old son.

Patel was later arrested after California Highway Patrol investigators developed probable cause to believe this incident was an intentional act, the agency said.

Wagstaffe said his office was still trying to determine why Patel drove off the cliff. Patel has not spoken to investigators since the Jan. 2 crash, Wagstaffe said.

Were looking into what led up to this. Was there depression or anything else? Wagstaffe said. It wasnt just that he was trying to kill them, he was trying to kill himself too.
Ethics Committee to Probe Conflict-of-Interest Violation by Trade Minister Mary Ng

Economic Development Minister, International Trade Minister and Small Business and Export Promotion Minister Mary Ng speaks with the media, Jan. 11, 2023 in Mexico City, Mexico. (The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld)

A parliamentary committee voted Tuesday to examine a recent ethics ruling against International Trade Minister Mary Ng.

Conservative ethics critic Michael Barrett presented a motion proposing a study at the House of Commons ethics committee, saying Canadians deserve a full accounting of what transpired.

The motion passed by consensus, with the study to take place over two meetings.

It follows a ruling by the federal ethics commissioner in December that Ng violated the Conflict of Interest Act when her office awarded a $17,000 contract to a friend.

The Opposition Conservatives lodged the initial complaint and pounced on the finding against Ng as an example of the Liberals doling out deals to party insidersa suggestion Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government rebuffs.

Canadians need to know that the expenditures that the government is undertaking is done on their behalf and not to the benefit of any individual, Barrett said at the committee meeting Tuesday.

In his report, ethics commissioner Mario Dion concluded Ngs relationship with Amanda Alvaro, a co-founder of public relations firm Pomp & Circumstance, constitutes a friendship under the act.

Ng apologized after Dion published his report, saying she should have recused herself from the process that led to her office awarding Alvaros firm a contract in spring 2020.

The ethics committee plans to call Ng and Alvaro to appear as witnesses, and will seek documents about the work that was done.
Burleigh County's plan to renovate the Provident Building in downtown Bismarck has been put on hold.

The project would have prepared the building to be the next home of Burleigh County offices. Burleigh County Social Services currently occupies the first, second and fourth floor.

County administration and city of Bismarck officials have shared the City/County Office Building downtown since the 1980s, and concerns about space have grown.

The citys only growing (and) our countys only growing. That means our needs are growing, County Commission Chair Becky Matthews said at a commission meeting early last year.

Talks to move into the Provident Building began early last year as the county received over $18 million from the American Rescue Plan Act. The commission pledged to use $7 million of the federal funds to help pay for the move. JLG Architects was selected to design the renovation and was paid $292,163, according to County Deputy Finance Director Justin Schulz.

JLG presented an overview of the drawings and estimates for the potential renovation project during a Jan. 13 special meeting of the County Commission. Estimates came out to $9 million to $11 million. Schulz advised the commission that the added costs to the construction may not be in the best interest of the county budget.

The project would have renovated all six floors and the basement, replaced most of the air conditioning, and installed new windows for the entire building.

We need a functional building, not a Goldman Sachs building, County Commissioner Steve Schwab said during a regular commission meeting on Jan. 18. Right now I'm leaning towards doing nothing -- there's other priorities.

No vote or further action was taken at the meeting.

The County Commission will decide how to redistribute the ARPA funds, according to Schulz.

Matthews said: Our situation has changed and I'm glad we know that information before we moved any further.

The building was constructed in 1954 to serve as the headquarters of Provident Life Insurance Co. Burleigh County purchased it in 1995.
Family Says Sudan Freed Man Convicted of Killing US Diplomat

The flag-draped coffin of U.S. diplomat John Granville, 33, who worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development, is received by U.S. officials in Khartoum, Sudan, on Jan. 3, 2008. (Abd Raouf/AP Photo)

CAIROSudanese authorities have released a man convicted of the 2008 killing of a U.S. diplomat in a drive-by shooting in the capital, Khartoum, his family said Tuesday.

Abdel-Raouf Abu Zaid, designated a terrorist by the United States, was captured weeks after the shooting. He was convicted and sentenced to death for the killing of John Granville, an official with the U.S. Agency for International Development, and Granvilles Sudanese driver.

Abu Zaid spent most of the past 15 years behind bars in Kubar Prison in Khartoum and was released on Monday, according to his brother, Abdel-Malek Abu Zaid, who posted photos on social media showing the scene outside the prison following Abdel-Raoufs release.

Abdel-Malek would not elaborate but one of the daily newspapers in the country, the Sudani, reported that the Abu Zaid family had paid blood money to the slain drivers family. Under Islamic law, or Sharia, which Sudans judiciary follows, a convict can be pardoned if his victims family is financially compensated.

A spokesman for Sudans ruling military declined to comment on the case. Other officials could not be reached for comment.

The U.S. State Department said it was aware of the reported release of Abdel-Raouf Abu Zaid, designated a terrorist in 2013 by the U.S., and was seeking more information from the authorities in Khartoum.

We call for full accountability for the murders, of Granville and his driver, Abdel Rahman Abbas Rahama, the State Department said.

Earlier this month, Abu Zaids family apologized for the killing of Granville and his driver, saying in a video message: We, as a family, apologize and acknowledged Abdel-Raoufs mistake and he already admitted his mistake and expressed his regret and remorse for what has happened.

Three other men were sentenced to death along with Abu Zaid while a fifth man received a two-year sentence for providing the weapons used in the attack.

The four awaiting hanging broke out of prison in June 2010, killing a Sudanese police officer and wounding another in a shootout in Khartoums twin city of Omdurman, according to a Sudanese notice to the international police agency, Interpol.

Abu Zaid was recaptured weeks later and returned to Kubar Prison. The three other men were not recaptured. Local reports have said two of them later died in Somalia while the third is still living there.

In 2020, Sudans former transitional government of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok reached a deal with the Trump administration to stop any future compensation claims being filed against the African country in U.S. courts.

This came after Sudan paid $335 million to settle compensation lawsuits at U.S. courts related to the 1998 bombings of the U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, the deadly 2000 bombing of the USS Cole at Yemens southern port of Aden which killed 17 Marines, as well as Granvilles killing.

Granville, 33, was an official for the USAID. He was working to implement a 2005 peace agreement between Sudans north and south that ended more than two decades of civil war.

He was being driven home early in the morning on Jan. 1, 2008, from a New Year Eve party, when another vehicle intercepted his car and the gunmen inside opened fire on Granvilles vehicle, killing him and his driver, also a USAID employee. The attackers then fled the scene.
No Classified Documents Found in FBI Search of Bidens Rehoboth Beach Home: Lawyer

President Joe Biden boards Marine One at Gordons Pond in Rehoboth Beach, Del., on March 20, 2022. (Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

FBI agents found no classified documents during a planned search of President Joe Bidens beach residence in Delaware on Feb. 1, according to a lawyer who represents the president.

No documents with classified markings were found, Bob Bauer, the lawyer, said in a statement to news outlets.

U.S. officials were at the Rehoboth Beach house from about 8:30 a.m. to noon local time, according to Bauer.

The FBI and its parent agency, the Department of Justice (DOJ), declined to comment.

Consistent with the process in Wilmington, the DOJ took for further review some materials and handwritten notes that appear to relate to his time as Vice President, Bauer said.

Officials conducted the search with the Presidents full support and cooperation, Bauer had said earlier.

The house in Rehoboth Beach hadnt previously been searched, according to publicly available information.

Bidens home in Wilmington, Delaware, was searched in January, according to the DOJ and Bidens representatives. While there, agents took possession of various materials, including six items that consisted of documents with classification markings.

Those materials werent identified during a review by Bidens team.

In 2022, lawyers representing the president who were packing up his former office at the Penn Biden Center think tank in Washington discovered classified materials there, according to the White House. The discovery, which wasnt publicly disclosed until this year, triggered reviews at the Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach residences.

Multiple materials marked classified were found at the house in Wilmington, Richard Sauber, special counsel to the president, has said.

Biden and First Lady Jill Biden bought the six-bedroom Rehoboth home in 2017, local media reported.

U.S. Secret Service agents in front of Joe Bidens Rehoboth Beach, Del., home in a Jan. 12, 2021, file image. (Shannon McNaught/Delaware News Journal via AP)

The FBI reportedly searched the Penn Biden Center, where the initial tranche was located, shortly after the discovery. The bureau didnt dispute the reports.

In Wilmington, agents spent about 13 hours searching and had access to every room, according to Ian Sams, a White House spokesperson. The Department of Justice has described that effort as a planned, consensual search.

This was an unprecedented offer for DOJ to thoroughly search the personal family home of the President of the United States to ensure that any documents that should be in the possession of the government were in the possession of the government. And it reveals how seriously the President is taking this issue and how actively he is cooperating with the ongoing investigation, Sams said in a press call.

Sams on Feb. 1 declined to say whether U.S. officials had searched any other locations in the probe into Biden beyond the two homes and the Penn Biden Center.

Some of the documents Biden was holding date back to his time as vice president, while others are from his time as a U.S. senator.

While presidents have the authority to declassify materials, vice presidents and senators dont.

Materials with classified markings also have been discovered at the home of former Vice President Mike Pence in Indiana and at former President Donald Trumps home in Floridaincluding during the execution of a search warrant in 2022.

Pence has said the materials were inadvertently transported to his residence, while Trump has said he declassified the materials found at his resort.

Biden often retreats to one of his Delaware homes on weekends. He was at the Rehoboth Beach house as recently as Jan. 23.

Attorney General Merrick Garland, a Biden appointee, has appointed Robert Hur as special counsel to probe whether any person violated laws in the handling of the materials. Garland previously appointed Jack Smith as special counsel to investigate Trump.
Feds May Introduce Legislation Delaying MAiD Eligibility Expansion This Week

Minister of Justice David Lametti rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on June 2, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld)

The federal Liberal government is expected to introduce legislation as soon as Feb. 2 that would seek to delay the expansion of eligibility requirements for receiving medical assistance in dying (MAiD).

Canadas law governing who is eligible for receiving assisted suicide is set to change on March 17 to include patients whose only medical conditions are mental illnesses.

However, Justice Minister David Lametti and Mental Health Minister Carolyn Bennett said in December 2022 that the government would seek to delay that expansion in order to ensure Canadas health-care system is prepared for it.

Lametti previously said the Liberal government would be introducing legislation to delay the expansion as quickly as possible in the new Parliamentary session, but did not specify any dates.

Discussions are ongoing, Lametti said in reference to the expected legislation while speaking to reporters in Ottawa on Jan. 26. I wont negotiate in public.

However, The Canadian Press reports that the legislation could be introduced to the House of Commons as soon as Feb. 2.

MAiD can currently only be accessed by patients who are suffering from a grievous and irremediable medical condition, which consists of having a severe physical illness, being in an irreversible advanced state of decline, and experiencing unbearable suffering.

Lametti previously said the federal government had heard concerns from experts questioning if Canadas health-care system will be ready to accommodate MAiD requests for persons whose sole medical condition is a mental illness.

This is a very complex question, he said during a press conference on Dec. 15, 2022. Many are concerned about how this will impact them and their loved ones.

We are not making this decision in a vacuum. We are listening to what we are hearing and being responsive to make sure we move forward in a prudent way. We know we need to get this right in order to protect those who are vulnerable.
Florida Congressman Invites Good Samaritan to Attend State of the Union Address

Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) speaks during the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law hearing on Online Platforms and Market Power in Washington, on July 29, 2020. (Graeme Jennings/Pool/Getty Images)

Republican Florida Rep. Greg Steube announced on Monday that the Good Samaritan who called 911 after the lawmaker fell 25 feet from a ladder outside his home will be his official guest to attend President Joe Bidens State of the Union address next week.

While I will still be in Sarasota recovering from my injuries, it is my privilege to share that Mr. Darrell Woodie will be attending next weeks State of the Union as my official guest! Steube wrote on Twitter.

Mr. Woodie called 911 after witnessing my accident and is the epitome of a Good Samaritan! he added.

Steube sustained multiple injuries on Jan. 18 after falling from a 25-foot ladder while cutting tree limbs on his Sarasota property, Fox 13 News reported.

The lawmaker stayed overnight in intensive care and remained in the hospital for four days under medical supervision for a fractured pelvis, punctured lung, and several torn ligaments in his neck, according to a Jan. 23 post made to the congressmans Twitter account.

Woodie, a part-time field representative for Republican Florida Rep. Vern Buchanan, was working his second job as an Amazon delivery driver, the Herald-Tribune reported. He was leaving a home near Steubens property when he saw the fall and called 911.

According to the Tribune, when the dispatcher asked Woodie what caused the fall, he said, A branch hit the ladder, took him out.

When I saw Congressman Steube fall, I wanted to help him immediately, Woodie said in a statement released by Buchanans office, according to the Tribune. Its extremely fortunate that I was there to witness the accident and was able to call 911 and help get the Congressman the care he needed.

Steube, 44, is an Army veteran who served with distinction from 20042008 as an Airborne Infantry officer and in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps, according to his official website.

He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 representing Floridas 17th district, which extends down the west coast of the state from Sarasota to the Fort Myers area. This month marked the start of his third term.

On the day after the accident, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy appointed Steube to the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, according to a post McCarthy made to Twitter, adding that he is eager to get back to work!

Biden will deliver his second State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress on Feb. 7 starting at 9 p.m. ET.

From NTD News
Former ABC News Reporter Hit With Child Pornography Charge

The Department of Justice building in Washington on Feb. 9, 2022. (Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

A former investigative reporter for ABC News has been arrested and charged with transportation of child pornography.

Federal authorities found evidence that James Gordon Meek sent and received child pornography images, according to court documents unsealed on Feb. 1 after Meeks arrest in Virginia.

The evidence included an iPhone at Meeks home that showed the phone involved in child porn distribution through Kik, a messaging application, Tonya Sturgill Griffith, an FBI special agent, said in an affidavit supporting the criminal complaint. It also included approximately 100 images of child porn.

Meek, 53, has been charged with transportation of child pornography.

He faces at least five years, and up to 20 years, in prison if convicted.

A lawyer representing Meek did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

An ABC News spokesperson declined to comment.

The spokesperson said Meek left the company in April 2022 and is not employed by ABC.

Meeks last story for the outlet was published on April 14, 2022.

Meek started working at ABC in 2013. He has also been a reporter for the New York Daily News and an adviser for a U.S. House of Representatives panel.

Meek wrote and narrated a Hulu series called 3212 Un-redacted. The ABC documentary investigated the deaths of four U.S. Special Forces soldiers in Africa.

Tip From Dropbox

Dropbox, a company that provides people with ways to store and share images and other materials, discovered child porn in a Dropbox account on March 10, 2021, and alerted the FBI, according to the affidavit.

Dropbox said the user behind the account uploaded five videos, which the FBI later verified contained child porn.

The username associated with the account was James Meek.

IP addresses linked to the account were determined to be assigned to Meeks address in Arlington, authorities said.

A search warrant was executed at the residence on April 27, 2022.

Meek has not spoken publicly since that date. He posted on Twitter the day of the raid.

Search Uncovers Disturbing Evidence

During the search, authorities recovered the iPhone 8, which had multiple conversations featuring a user with the name Pawny4 engaging in sexually explicit conversations where participants expressed enthusiasm for the sexual abuse of children, according to charging documents. In two of the discussions, the user received and sent child porn images and videos.

Authorities found the number connected to the SIM card in the phone was the same number previously determined to be associated with Meeks Dropbox and Gmail accounts.

The device was named Bone Machine and the host name was, in part, James G. Meek.

Also found on the phone: health data for Meek.

Travel records obtained in the investigation showed Meek was in North Carolina in February 2020 and the iPhone contained evidence that Meek carried the phone with him while traveling from North Carolina to Virginia, authorities said.

Kik provided data to authorities that helped them connect the iPhone to the account used to distribute the child porn.

Other Evidence

An external hard drive seized from the Arlington residence provided further evidence to bring the charges, including images showing engagement in a Telegram thread where users posted child porn, according to court documents.

An account on Omegle, another communications platform, also showed Meek conversing with minors.

Additionally, a forensic review of the iPhone was said to reveal the existence of a Snapchat account.

A second phone in the residence was connected to the account. The user had spoke with at least one minor, according to authorities, and downloaded screenshots from the conversation included nude photographs.

Law enforcement officials identified the young girl, who told them Meek and other men contacted her on Snapchat and pressured her to provide sexually explicit pictures.

An Apple laptop computer found in Meeks living room contained another approximately 90 child porn images and videos, the criminal complaint affidavit stated, and another external hard drive contained additional materials.

The FBI was assisted by Department of Justice attorneys and the Arlington County Police Department, with the case being brought as part of an operation called Project Safe Childhood, the department said.

Pretrial Detention

In a filing after the arrest, an attorney representing Meek said that the court must find by clear and convincing evidence that no conditions other than detention will reasonably assure the safety of any other person and the community.

While there is a presumption in favor of pretrial detention in Meeks case, this is a rebuttable presumption, Eugene Gorokhov, the attorney, argued.

Gorokhov did not produce evidence in his clients favor but was laying the groundwork for presenting to the court evidence that Meek does not pose a danger to the community.

If Gorokhov successfully makes his case, Meek could go free pending trial.

No upcoming events were listed on the court docket.

A pretrial services bond report was entered, but was sealed.
Wall Street titan George Soros has spent millions to back district attorneys from coast to coast who refuse to enforce the laws they are sworn to uphold. The result is predictable and disastrousmajor American cities, from New York to Los Angeles and Portland to Philadelphia, are suffering from soaring crime rates. Those who can afford to leave are moving out, hollowing out tax bases, and thereby ensuring a cycle of poverty and crime.

In this hard-hitting new episode of Over the Target, Brendon Fallon and Lee Smith explore the motives behind Soross campaign against America.
Gmail Creator Warns ChatGPT Challenges Googles Search Engine Dominance

Screens displaying the logos of OpenAI and ChatGPT in Toulouse, southwestern France, on Jan. 23, 2023. (Lionel Bonaventure/AFP via Getty Images)

Gmails developer Paul Buccheit thinks that the new artificial intelligence (AI) bot ChatGPT could dethrone Googles online search capability.

Google may be only a year or two away from total disruption, Buccheit wrote in a tweet on Dec. 1, 2022, the day after San Fransisco-based tech company OpenAI launched its chatbot ChatGPT.

AI will eliminate the Search Engine Result Page, which is where they make most of their money, he wrote. Even if they catch up on AI, they cant fully deploy it without destroying the most valuable part of their business.

He went on to say that AI bots like ChatGPT will do to Google search what Google did to the yellow pages (a print telephone directory of businesses, organized by category, within a specific geographical location)render it obsolete.

The Washington Post explained how Google search works as compared to ChatGPT. Google works by crawling billions of web pages, indexing that content and then ranking it with the most relevant answers listed on top in whats called a search engine result page (SERP). In contrast, ChatCPT gives a single, immediate response based on its own search and synthesis of the information, which gives consumers what they need quickly without any scanning of other websites.

Google primarily makes its money through advertising, CNBC reported. The Google search engine, though free to use for consumers, is monetized.

According to data compiled by FourWeekMBA, 81 percent of Alphabets (Googles parent company) $257 billion in net sales came from paid advertising in 2021.

Google has spent several years working on chatbots of its own. One in particular, called LaMDA (or Language Model for Dialogue Applications), may even rival ChatGPT in its abilities, The New York Times reported. However, the Times noted, Google may be reluctant to deploy the new AI chatbot technology as a replacement for online search because it is not suited to delivering digital ads.

Google has a business model issue, CEO and cofounder of Vectara Amr Awadallah, who worked for Yahoo and Google in the past, told NYT. If Google gives you the perfect answer to each query, you wont click on any ads.

Google is designed with the purpose of Lets get you to click on a link, Sridhar Ramaswamy, who oversaw Googles ads and commerce business between 2013 and 2018, told The Washington Post. The goal of Google search is to get you to click on links, ideally ads, and all other text on the page is just filler, he said, adding that ChatGPTs system of generative search will disrupt Googles way of doing business in a big way.

According to Statista, Google is the most frequently used search engine worldwide, accounting for 84 percent of the global search market share as of December 2022. The second-place spot last year went to Microsofts Bing with a mere 9 percent.

However, Microsoft seems to be gearing up to take Google on. According to an announcement on Jan. 23, Microsoft has been a multiyear, multibillion-dollar investor in OpenAI since 2019. The tech giant has already invested $1 billion, moz.com reported, with possibly more billions on the way.

And Reuters reported that Microsoft is currently working on a version of its search engine Bing that integrates ChatGPT into its search, hoping to launch it by the end of March.

ChatGPT launched on Nov. 30, 2022, as a free prototype to the public. Within five days of its release, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced in a tweet that ChatGPT had already reached 1 million userssomething that took Netflix 3.5 years and Facebook 10 months to achieve, according to USA Today.

From NTD News
Gun Owners of America Vows to Fight New ATF Rule

GOA official says strategy includes repeal of NFA and defunding of Agency

Michael Vetter of WMD Guns in Stuart, Fla., displays some of the firearms his company offers that come equipped with pistol stabilizing braces during the 2023 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Nev. (Michael Clements/The Epoch Times)

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) has published its new rule outlawing pistols equipped with pistol-stabilizing braces. The rule gives owners of such firearms 120 days to destroy, register or surrender the now-illegal braces.

Aidan Johnston, director of Federal Affairs for Gun Owners of America, said he and his organization are taking a fourth option. They plan to fight back.

Every gun owner needs to decide how they will fight back against this rule, Johnston told The Epoch Times.

He said GOA lawyers would sue the government for an injunction against the law they consider unconstitutional. They are also working with members of Congress to repeal or nullify the rule using the Congressional Review Act (Act).

A pistol stabilizing brace is seen attached to the lower half of an AR-15 in this undated photo. (Michael Clements/The Epoch Times)

Under the Act, federal agencies that promulgate rules must submit those rules to both houses of Congress and the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Johnston said GOA is working to have House Republicans stop the rule using the Act. The Congressional veto of the rule must be signed by the president, which Johnston acknowledged could be a challenge.

Congress needs to use the Congressional Review Act to veto this rule, and Biden needs to sign that because thats what gun owners deserve, Johnston said.

They will work to repeal the National Firearms Act, which the ATF used to criminalize an object previously deemed legal. They are also pushing legislation to defund the ATF, which would close the agency.

A significant focus of their efforts will be passing the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today Act (SHORT Act).

Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) has introduced the bill to remove short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and certain other weapons from the definition of firearms for purposes of the National Firearms Act.

Up to 40 Million Impacted

The number of Americans impacted by the new ATF rule is difficult to determine. The ATF estimates that 3 million pistol braces have been sold. Second Amendment advocates say the number is closer to 40 million. Either way, the debate has many in the firearms community decrying what they consider an overreach of authority by unelected bureaucrats.

At issue is a device introduced in 2012 to assist shooters with disabilities and others who may need help shooting pistols built on the AR-15 and similar platforms. The stabilizing brace attaches to the rear of the pistol and the shooters forearm. This allows the shooter a steadier aim while holding the pistol with one hand.

In 2014 the ATF received requests from law enforcement and firearms dealers about the possible reclassification of pistols equipped with stabilizers as short-barreled rifles (SBR) under the National Firearms Act. Those who contacted the ATF were concerned that the brace could be used as a stock, allowing the shooter to shoulder the pistol like a rifle.

The NFA was written in 1934 to address gangland violence. The gangsters of that era often shortened the barrels of rifles and shotguns to make them more concealable. So, the government outlawed such weapons unless the owners paid a $200 tax and registered the gun.

The NFA defines an SBR as a weapon made from a rifle if such weapon as modified has an overall length of fewer than 26 inches or a barrel or barrels of less than 16 inches in length.

Attempts to Clarify Fail

In an open letter dated Jan. 16, 2015, the ATF indicated that the stabilizing brace alone did not reclassify the weapon as an SBR. Instead, the intent of the person who installed the brace was the determining factor.

In part, the letter reads, Any person who intends to use a handgun stabilizing brace as a shoulder stock on a pistol (having a rifled barrel under 16 inches in length or a smooth bore firearm with a barrel under 18 inches in length) must file an ATF Form 1 and pay the applicable tax because the resulting firearm will be subject to all provisions of the NFA.

This did little to settle the debate. The AR-15, reportedly the most popular rifle in the United States, is popular specifically because it can be modified to suit the shooters tastes. Various manufacturers sell kits and specialized parts for AR-15 owners to customize their firearms.

The confusion resulted in the ATF issuing, then withdrawing rules that didnt answer all the questions raised. The previous rule was published in 2020 and called for a worksheet to determine if the item in question constituted an SBR. The worksheet brought up a new set of questions and was scrapped until the most recent rule was issued.

The current rule is 293 pages and addresses a wide array of possible problems, including how imported pistols are handled and whether buffer tubesan essential part for the operation of many firearms in questioncould be considered a stock making the pistol an SBR. Johnston and other gun owners say they are fed up.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials are aware of reports of long-lasting problems following COVID-19 vaccination, an official recently disclosed.

With respect to reports of people experiencing debilitating illnesses, we are aware of these reports of people experiencing long-lasting health problems following COVID vaccination, Dr. Tom Shimabukuro, director of the CDCs Immunization Safety Office, said on Jan. 26.

In some cases, the clinical presentation of people suffering these health problems is variable and no specific medical cause for the symptoms have been found, Shimabukuro added. We understand that illness is disruptive and stressful, especially under those circumstances. And we acknowledge these health problems have substantially impacted the quality of life for people and have also affected those around them. And we hope for improvement and recovery, and we will continue to monitor the safety of these vaccines and work with partners to try to better understand these types of adverse events.

Shimabukuro was speaking during a Jan. 26 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) meeting that discussed COVID-19 vaccine safety and effectiveness.

Dr. Hayley Gans, a pediatrics professor at Stanford University Medical Center, had asked how federal authorities were tracking problems that have cropped up after vaccination and might not be amenable to rapid cycle analysis, or one way of monitoring vaccine safety.

Shimabukuro noted that any person, including health care workers, can submit reports of adverse events to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), which the CDC manages, and we accept all those reports without judging the clinical seriousness or how plausible the adverse event may be with respect to causation. Other systems also monitor safety beyond the rapid analysis, he added.

We take vaccine safety very seriously, Shimabukuro said.

Shimabukuros comments are unusual among federal officials, who have been reluctant to connect adverse events with the COVID-19 vaccines.

Brianne Dressen, who was injured by AstraZenecas COVID-19 vaccine, said that the response was welcome but wondered whether it was enough.

This was an unprecedented move but also was a carefully worded response. Instead of a little whisper in an FDA meeting, this really needs to be communicated to the medical community, Dressen, co-founder of the support group React19, told The Epoch Times in an email. They have said these very words to us privately so its good they are finally leaning in the right direction to start the conversation publicly, but is it too little too late?

Injured Americans have been begging these agencies for acknowledgement for over two years. This small utterance should have happened long ago. By now we should be openly discussing and researching these Covid vaccine reactions, she added.

Few Events Acknowledged

U.S. officials have only acknowledged a handful of serious adverse events as being caused by one or more COVID-19 vaccines.

Johnson & Johnsons vaccine causes a combination of low platelet levels and blood clotting known as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, the CDC says on its website. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines cause severe allergic shock, or anaphylaxis, as well as a type of heart inflammation called myocarditis.

The CDC and FDA primarily monitor safety by examining data from surveillance systems to see whether adverse events are happening at high rates.

Both agencies have withheld or delayed disclosure of the results of some of the monitoring.

Hundreds of events met the safety signal criteria in VAERS, according to CDC records recently obtained by The Epoch Times. The CDC pointed to studies showing research is being done on some of the signals. It has also said the CDC analyses were done to corroborate results from analyses the FDA performed and that the CDC analyses revealed no additional unexpected safety signals. The FDA has refused to release the results from its analyses. A lawsuit was filed for the records on Jan. 26.

Another system, called V-safe, features surveys sent to Americans who received a COVID-19 vaccine. The CDC knew that some serious events like myocarditis could be linked to the vaccines but chose to leave those events off of the surveys, newly disclosed documents showed.

Nicole G., a nurse who was injured by a Pfizer vaccine she received due to a vaccine mandate and asked that her full last name not be used, told The Epoch Times in an email that the CDC did not prioritize patient safety, pointing to the delay in conducting the VAERS analyses and the fact that vaccine recipients were not told about the adverse events authorities were expecting after vaccination.

The censorship around the COVID vaccine has left us suffering and dying in silence with limited access to treatment, the nurse said.

While Shimabukuro claimed that no specific medical cause was found for some of the injuries after vaccination, doctors have diagnosed Dressen, Nicole, and others with vaccine injuries, and medical literature has linked the vaccines with a range of issues.

Nicole called on the CDC to implement a plan to change the situation. You need to do more than hope, she said.

The nurse spoke during the public comment portion of the recent meeting, along with multiple others who said they were left injured by the vaccines.

The only thing more humiliating than losing my bodily function is your complete disregard for the vaccine injured, Danielle Baker, one of the speakers, said.

The CDC and FDA say that the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccines outweigh their risks for all ages. That includes the updated vaccines, which were authorized in the fall of 2022 without any clinical data and are set to replace the old vaccines soon.

I think that the reassuring thing has been the safety profile that we have seen with the bivalent boosters, it mirrors very well the original vaccine, Dr. Peter Marks, a top vaccine official at the FDA, said during the meeting.

In another portion of the meeting, Shimabukuro said the governments identification of a stroke signal for the bivalents demonstrated that the safety system works.

I think the public and the medical community should be confident that the government has the systems in place to rapidly detect potential safety problems and assess them, he said. And we place a priority on communicating in a timely and transparent manner.
Childrens mental health is the biggest concern among their parents, post-pandemic, according to a new study from the Pew Research Center.

The study was conducted between Sept. 20, 2022, and Oct. 2, 2022, among a nationally representative sample of 3,757 U.S. parents with children younger than 18, using the Centers American Trends Panel.

It found that 4 in 10 U.S. parents are extremely or very worried about their children struggling with anxiety and depression at some point, followed by 35 percent who are similarly concerned about their children being bullied.

These items trump parents concerns about certain physical threats to their children, the dangers of drugs and alcohol, teen pregnancy, and getting in trouble with the police, the study reads.

According to the center, 28 percent of parents are concerned about their children being kidnapped or abducted, 25 percent fret over their children being attacked or beaten, and 22 percent of parents are concerned about their children getting shot.

Just 14 percent are worried about their kids getting in trouble with the police, the study found.

The study follows reports of a growing mental health crisis among children, exacerbated further by the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought a swift move to remote learning and virtual connections formed among school students.

Suicide Rates Rise

In 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Childrens Hospital Association jointly declared a national state of emergency in childrens mental health, noting that the pandemic has further exacerbated a previously existing situation.

According to the coalition, which together represents more than 77,000 physicians and 200 childrens hospitals, rates of childhood mental health concerns and suicide rose steadily between 2010 and 2020, and by 2018, suicide was the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10 to 24.

Separate data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that suicide rates increased by 30 percent between 200018 but declined in 2019 and 2020.

However, it was still among the leading causes of death in the United States, with 45,979 deaths in 2020. It was the second leading cause of death for people aged 10 to 14 and 25 to 34 in that same year, according to the CDC.

Meanwhile, mental health-related visits to emergency departments (ED) among children between March 2020 and October 2020 soared, according to a separate CDC study.

That study found that mental health-related ED visits for children aged 5 to 11 increased by 24 percent in mid-March 2020 compared to the same period in 2019 and continued into October 2020. During that same time period, mental health-related ED visits among those aged 12 to 17 also increased by 31 percent, according to the study.

Rise in Social Media May Have Role

However, Dr. Katherine Williamson, a pediatrician and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, told CNN that doctors were already seeing a rise in the number of children dealing with anxiety and depression prior to the pandemic.

I would say over the last 10 years, since Ive been practicing as a general pediatrician, I have seen a shift both in the amount of patients and of all ages dealing with anxiety and depression. And their parents being concerned about this is a key issue, Williamson said. Even before the pandemic, we were seeing skyrocketing numbers of kids and adolescents dealing with mental health issues, and that has increased exponentially since the pandemic.

However, Duncan Young, CEO of Effective School Solutions, believes the decline in mental health among children may also be linked to the rise in technology and social media.

Multiple studies have found evidence suggesting a growing link between increased social media use and reports of depression symptoms.

Young told The Hill that the mental crisis among children has actually been probably 15 years in the making but appears to have grown with increased use of smartphones and social media websites among kids.
When Samuel Temgoua's aunt moved to the U.S. from Cameroon and found North Dakota to be a good place to live, his family followed in October 2018.

It wasnt like anything he had seen on TV. But Temgoua, now a Bismarck High School senior, said he understands why people choose to settle here.

When you move from a different country, you have to start from scratch. And if you go to a place where the cost of living is high, its difficult to start from scratch. Thats why it's easier for us to start building a life here, Temgoua said. It was really nice except for the weather. It is way too cold up here.

The son of Pierre Tsague and Suzanne Anafack, of Bismarck, is this week's Teen of the Week. Thirty-two high school seniors will be recognized by spring, at which time a Teen of the Year will be selected from the weekly winners to receive a $5,000 scholarship sponsored by MDU Resources Group.

Temgoua had an understanding of English grammar, but he could not speak English well when he came to North Dakota. One of his proudest achievements is mastering the language and exiting the English Learner program after just two years. He now confidently speaks French and English, and he also learned Spanish in school.

Counselor Julie Berg said Temgoua was motivated to learn English and assimilate into his new country and culture.

Samuel is a motivated, determined, thoughtful, inquisitive and loyal student, friend and family member, Berg said in a letter of recommendation. He is very academic-focused and has continued to challenge himself year after year.

Temgoua is involved in HOSA-Future Health Professionals and DECA -- a career and technical student organization -- and has earned awards in both. He took third place in the medical assisting event at the HOSA state leadership conference and took first place in the financial literacy project management event at the DECA state career development conference.

His win qualified him for the international DECA conference. Temgoua said he enjoyed traveling to Atlanta and competing at the next level. He said he is working hard to go again this year and win.

It was really nice to get out of North Dakota and see a little bit more of the country, he said. I also met a lot of people from all over the country and outside the country.

Temgoua has been working at Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center since April. He started as a mealtime assistant and now works as a certified nursing assistant. He sees being a CNA as a stepping stone to his ultimate goal of becoming a doctor.

Temgoua maintains a 3.9 weighted GPA. He will have completed five Advanced Placement classes and one dual-credit class by the time he graduates. When asked what motivates him, Temgoua said he wants to give back to those who have supported him such as his counselor, his teachers and especially his family.

Throughout my life, the people around me have been very helpful. So I set this expectation that I should be good enough to help others who helped me, he said. I think I can only do that by becoming the best of something  for example becoming the best medical doctor  so I challenge myself every day and do everything I can to help me get to that goal.
The rollout of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines should be immediately suspended, as they are causing an unprecedented level of harm, including the death of young people and children, said Retsef Levi, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

This is not a theory anymore, the professor told The Epoch Times, referring to findings that link the messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines with myocarditis, a potentially fatal inflammation of the heart. These are proven facts that basically undermine any sense of safety about these vaccines.

For more than 30 years, Levi has worked extensively in the areas of analytics and modeling, looking at risk management issues in the context of health systems and health policies. Mainly, analyzing data sets to see what they reveal about aspects like quality, safety, and risks.

Appearing on EpochTVs American Thought Leaders program in November 2022, Levi discussed his study that showed a correlation between a 25 percent rise in heart attack emergency calls among young, healthy Israelis in early 2021 and the countrys extensive mRNA vaccination efforts. While the study should certainly warrant an in-depth investigation, he argued, it will take more proof than just a correlation to put a stop to all those vaccine programs.

The main question that we need to ask ourselves is: Do we have enough evidence from this study and many other studies to say halt?' he said at that time.

In a video statement he shared Monday on Twitter, Levi said he has now seen a substantial amount of evidence that the risk of dying from myocarditis triggered by mRNA vaccines is outweighing the benefits those vaccines have to offer.

At this point in time, all COVID mRNA vaccination programs should stop immediately, he said in the six-and-half-minute video statement, which went viral with at least 1.5 million views in just a day.

By now, I believe that the cumulative evidence is conclusive and confirms our concern that the mRNA vaccines indeed cause sudden cardiac arrest as a sequel of vaccine-induced myocarditis. And this is potentially only one mechanism by which they cause harm, the professor said, pointing to his analysis of the Israel national emergency services data, which suggested a 25 percent increase in the cause of cardiac arrest diagnosis among Israeli youth in the first half of 2021, exactly when the government launched a massive vaccination campaign. Data from the UK, Scotland, and Australia replicate the data from Israel.

More Evidence

Levi pointed to two studies on postvaccination adverse heart effects among healthy young people. One study focusing on young students in Thailand identified one case of myopericarditis and four suspected subclinical myocarditis among 202 boys who received the second vaccine dose. The other study, from Switzerland, reported that nearly 3 percent of vaccinated or boosted young people developed mild damage to the heart muscle cells.

When compared to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions data on symptomatic myocarditis after vaccination (pdf), subclinical myocarditis observed in those studies appears to be several hundred times more common.

The risk of having major abnormal and negative cardiovascular symptoms after vaccination is between one in 30 and one in 50, Levi explained to The Epoch Times. Its unimaginable in terms of safety, especially in a population of young healthy people.

According to Levi, the concern that mRNA vaccine-induced myocarditis may ultimately cause death is also confirmed, citing a German study based on autopsy results. In that paper, German researchers reported ruling out all possible causes of death but myocarditis for multiple people who died suddenly at home after vaccination.

This is already beyond the decision of whether you need to stop the [vaccination] program or not, Levi told The Epoch Times. To put in perspective, we have pulled drugs off the market for much, much lower level of risk.

There is also another indication of the underlying mechanism of harm, and it has to do with the fundamental way the mRNA vaccine works, according to Levi.

To assemble an mRNA COVID vaccine dose, the spike of the COVID virus is first encoded in mRNA molecules, which are then wrapped into balls of fat called lipid nanoparticles before finally being sealed into a glass vial. In response to the jab, cells in the recipients body will produce proteins that resemble the spikes, triggering an autoimmune reaction.

The foundational assumption, to claim that these vaccines are safe, is that when you inject this vaccine, the mRNA, the spike, and the lipid stay in that muscle locally and disappear from the body, he explained. But we know now that this assumption is not truethe mRNA and the lipids are actually penetrating the blood system.

We dont know yet how exactly, but its more than just a negligible phenomenon, Levi added. All the organ systems in your body are exposed to major risks directly by the spike, which we know is the most toxic part of the virus.

A Deadly Gamble

The MIT professor further described the act of forcing people to get vaccinated as an unreasonable and dangerous gamble, especially given that the dominant version of COVID is causing significantly less severe illness than its predecessors did.

Essentially, taking now these shots is almost like a Russian roulette[its] just every time you take it, you take a gamble on what will happen, he told The Epoch Times. I think its insane to apply this kind of gamble to healthy people.

When asked about options going forward from a risk-management perspective, Levi replied that he believes that the best bet is to rely on natural immunity while focusing on early treatment of COVID infection. But a more important task for public health authorities, he said, has to be repairing the trust thats been broken during the pandemic.

I think that the number one concern at the moment is not about the COVID-19 vaccine, but actually about the trust that the public should have, the professor said. Its critical that the public should trust that what is being told and informed is based on transparency, honesty, and putting the interest of the well-being of people in the center of considerations.

I think that the last two years have broken it completely, he added. I think we have to restore it by being very transparent about what has transpired, and really change the systematic failures that weve seen.
House Oversight and Accountability Panel Told Pandemic Fraud Is Biggest Scam in US History

Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) speaks during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence in Washington on June 8, 2022. (Andrew Harnik-Pool/Getty Images)

When Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) asked if any of the three expert witnesses testifying before a congressional panel on Feb. 1 could name a single government director or supervisor who has been fired or demoted as a result of the estimated $500 billion lost to waste, fraud, and abuse in pandemic relief spending, none of them could do so.

Boebert was followed by freshman Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), who told the witnesses he was shocked to learn when preparing for this hearing that many of the COVID benefits, or at least some of them, were available on a self-certifying basis. Goldman, who prosecuted multiple cases of mortgage fraud during and following the 2008 economic crisis, called the government allowing benefit applicants to self-certify their eligibility a recipe for fraud.

These werent just any witnesses being questioned by Boebert, Goldman, and the other 47 members of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability (HCOA) about the hundreds of billions of tax dollars already known to have been stolen by bad actors in government, the private sector, and even overseas.

Committee members and witnesses agreed theres likely vastly more in losses that have yet to be discovered.

The trio of experts included Michael Horowitz, chairman of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) and the Department of Justices inspector general (IG); Comptroller General Gene Dodaro, who oversees the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress; and David Smith, assistant director for the Office of Investigations for the U.S. Secret Service.

Among them, they have nearly a century of experience battling waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government and elsewhere.

Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) opened the lengthy hearing, which was the panels first of the 118th Congress, by calling the lost billions the greatest theft of American taxpayer dollars in history. He also accused Democrats, who controlled the committee in the prior Congress, of conducting no oversight of the more than $5 trillion spent by Congress, former President Donald Trump, and his successor in the Oval Office, Joe Biden, to combat the COVID pandemic.

The pandemic, which originated in China, began in March 2020 and has killed more than 1 million Americans and 6 million people worldwide. The United States imposed unprecedented measures that all but brought the economy to a halt, costing millions of jobs, leaving legions of Americans struggling to pay for food and gas, and restricting normal outdoor life for months on end. The nation remains on official alert under a federally proclaimed Public Health Emergency (PHE).

Comer said the Democrats failure to conduct oversight of the pandemic trillions during the 117th Congress led directly to unprecedented levels of waste, fraud, and abuse.

We have seen reports that between $163 [billion] to $400 billion in Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits were paid out improperly. We have seen reports that between $76 [billion] to more than $100 billion in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury and Disaster Loans (EIDL) were lost to improper payments. We have seen reports that $266 billion in improper payments were made by Medicaid during the pandemic, Comer told the hearing.

That is why we are having our first hearing of the new Congress on waste, fraud, and abuse in pandemic spending programs. We will hold many more hearings on this important issue. We owe it to the American people to get to the bottom of the greatest theft of American taxpayer dollars in history.

We must identify where this money went, how much ended up in the hands of fraudsters or ineligible participants, and what should be done to ensure it never happens again.

Lead House impeachment manager Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) speaks on the fifth day of former President Donald Trumps second impeachment trial at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Feb. 13, 2021. (congress.gov via Getty Images)

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the ranking Democratic member on the Oversight panel, agreed that the pandemic spending programs have recently been proven shockingly vulnerable to impostors, hustlers, con men, big liars, outright fraudsters, and fakes, and that some of the programs developed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic have proven vulnerable to the relentless, deceitful and fraudulent designs of criminal predators when they decide to rip off the generosity of the American people.

He insisted that the shopworn bureaucratic language of waste, fraud, and abuse doesnt begin to capture the actual confidence games and organized criminal artifices and schemes that have targeted and exploited social programs built on the solidarity of the American people.

But Raskin pointed to a different villain as being responsible for the horrendous spending abuses.

Organized criminals and fraudsters took advantage of these circumstances and the solidarity of the American people by exploiting weaknesses in our IT systems, Raskin said. This problem was compounded by critical decisions made by the Trump administration that hamstrung pandemic relief anti-corruption oversight from the outset, crippling the governments ability to detect and combat fraud. Despite specific legislative instruction from Congress in pandemic relief bills, the Trump administration told agencies to ignore data reporting requirements.

He noted as well that the Oversight panels Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis held seven hearings focused on waste, fraud, and abuse in the pandemic programs.

The [subcommittee] recovered an improper $10 million Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. Less than three months later, the committee helped secure the return of $109 million from a nursing home chain that was not using the loan as Congress intended, Raskin said. In March 2021, we exposed how the Trump administrations mismanagement of small business relief programs and refusal to implement basic anti-fraud controls led to nearly $84 billion in potentially fraudulent loans.

Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz testifies at a hearing in Washington, on Dec. 11, 2019. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

Dodaro offered four reasons he believes account for the problem.

First, agencies should have been much better prepared in order to prevent fraud in the first place. He pointed to the passage in 2016 by Congress of the Fraud Reduction and Data Analytics Act that directed agencies to adopt dozens of reforms recommended by GAO. Agencies have been too slow to comply with the act, he said.

Secondly, the urgency in providing relief funds led to tradeoffs that limited the ability to achieve the accountability and transparency goals of the 2016 law. These tradeoffs included allowing self-certifications in applications, limiting the amount of supporting documentation that applicants had to apply  along with internal control weaknesses within the agencies made these programs much more susceptible to fraud.

Dodaro said the third cause in his judgment was the failure to make permanent the Center for Excellence in Analytics in the IG community created in 2008 during the Great Recession. The center is designed to enable the 72 congressionally chartered IGs to learn and apply extremely sophisticated data analytics to identify corruption. That center was terminated by the administration of President Barack Obama in 2015.

The fourth cause, according to Dodaro, is the fact the federal government has an underlying improper payment problem, payments that shouldnt have been made or that were made in the wrong amounts.

Dodaro said the improper payments problem is widespread in the government; its pervasive across the government.

Horowitz agreed that a major obstacle to PRAC and IGs finding problematic spending abuses is the lack of good data from agencies. He encouraged Congress to heed Dodaros advice and reinstitute the data analytics center.

Second, Congress should consider raising the jurisdictional amount in federal law from the current $150,000 to $1 million, so IGs can more effectively pursue smaller dollar frauds, Horowitz said.

Finally, Congress should consider extending from five to 10 years the statute of limitations for pandemic unemployment insurance fraud. He noted that Congress enacted such an extension last year for the PPP program.

Dodaro told the committee that the Department of Labor IG is opening 100 new UI corruption cases every week, but this problem is going to be here for a very long time.
Is Timekettle a National Security Threat?

Commentary

Republicans and Democrats dont agree on much. However, when the idea of a special House committee designed to focus on China was put forward, it received bipartisan support.

Thats because concerns over communist Chinas influence on and in the United States are at an all-time high. NBC News reported last year that Chinese spying in the United States is now so prevalent that the FBI launches an average of two counterintelligence investigations every 24 hours to counter the threat. Speaking to NBC, FBI Director Christopher Wray said that no country presents a broader, more severe threat to our innovation, our ideas and our economic security than China does, adding that Beijings espionage tactics have reached a new level that is more brazen and more damaging than ever before.

Nine months on from the interview, in November, the FBI warned that TikTok, an app used by at least 80 million Americans, could be spying on U.S. citizens, including government officials.

But what about other products or services that are made in China?

This brings us to Timekettle, a Chinese company that has, according to its website, been featured in TechCrunch, The New York Times, Techradar, and Mashable. Founded by Leal Tian and headquartered in Shenzhen, the Silicon Valley of China, the company sells wireless earbuds that, according to its website, offer a revolutionary interpretation experience for two or more persons wearing these devices.

The earbuds, intended for face-to-face interactions, translate a speakers words into 40 different languages in a matter of seconds. In this multicultural world where the dominance of the English language is being challenged, its easy to see why the demand for such a product is high. These devices work both online and offline, and can be used in boardrooms and classrooms, as well as when traveling to foreign lands. If customer reviews of their many models of earbuds are to be believed, Timekettle makes very decent products at very affordable prices. Besides translating into dozens of languages, the earbuds also offer the option of interpreting the words in 90 different accents.

Timekettle, it must be noted, also rolled out the Beta version of a chat translation service in May last year for both iOS and Android phones. Like the earbuds, it can translate conversations into 40 different languages. The company recently showcased its products at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2023), which was held in Las Vegas from Jan. 5 to 8.

A worker drives a lift during preparations at the Las Vegas Convention Center before the start of the CES tech show in Las Vegas on Jan. 2, 2023. (John Locher/AP Photo)

However, this is, first and foremost, a Chinese company, and in China, there is no such thing as a private company. More importantly, this is a Chinese company that makes high-tech products and sells them to customers around the world, including in the United States. One of those customers happens to be Danville Middle School in Schertz, Texas. Timekettles products appear to be particularly popular in schools, especially U.S. schools. A Timekettle press release from September last year suggests that many schools across the United States are using its translator earbuds. Besides Danville, per the press release, Ottumwa Community School District, a public school district serving the city of Ottumwa, Iowa, is a user of this award-winning product.

As cultural and linguistic diversity is incredibly high in the United States, its understandable why schools like Danville and Ottumwa would use a Timekettle-type product. There doesnt appear to be any other product on the market that offers such a unique translation service. However, in a time when concerns over Chinese spying have reached boiling point, important questions must be asked. What is done with the data? Can any other individuals listen in on conversations? Where are Timekettles servers located?

I reached out to the company for comment. At the time of publishing this piece, no response had been offered.

It might sound far-fetched, but concerns about eavesdropping headphones and rogue wireless earbuds are nothing new. Moreover, phones, laptops, and cameras that have been made in China have been accused of being spyware for Beijing. Why not high-tech devices that record conversations, from the inane to the significant (think important government meetings, academic conferences, etc.)? China, were told, has infiltrated the U.S. education system, where the earbuds appear to be particularly popular. Chinese spies routinely listen in on the conversations of people in foreign lands. One neednt be a card-carrying QAnon member to have concerns.

As a leading UK spy chief warned last year, cheaper technology from China might seem like a tempting offer, but such supposed bargains could prove to be a Faustian bargain of sorts, exposing nations to a host of security threats. Is Timekettle, like TikTok, a national security threat? Surely, this is a question that deserves to be asked and thoroughly explored by those in power.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
It Was Abuse Disguised as Art, Says Romeo and Juliet Actress Amid Teen Nudity Lawsuit

Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey in 1967 in the title roles of Franco Zeffirelli's film version of Shakespeare's "Romeo And Juliet." (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Franco Zeffirelli was a well-respected Italian stage and film director, producer, production designer, and politician. So when Zeffirelli, in his role as the director of the 1968 film Romeo and Juliet, allegedly told teenage actors Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting there would be no nudity shown, they said they believed him.

It turned out not to be true. Husseys bare breasts and Whitings buttocks were shown in the film, and now, 55 years later, the pair has filed a lawsuit against the films production company Paramount Pictures for sexual exploitation and distribution of nude images of minors.

California law temporarily suspended the statute of limitations for older claims of child sexual abuse until the deadline of Dec. 31, 2022, and the lawsuit was filed last Dec. 30 in Santa Monica, seeking damages in excess of $100 million.

The complaint claims Hussey and Whiting have suffered from mental anguish and emotional distress and lost out on job opportunities as a result of the films release.

Solomon Gresen, attorney for both Hussey and Whiting, would not discuss specifics of the case, but did say, We are both satisfied and gratified by the outpouring of love and support received.

Hussey and Whiting are in their 70s now, but at the time the movie was made, Hussey was 15 and Whiting was 16. Zeffirelli, who died in 2019, is not named in the lawsuit. Initially, Hussey and Whiting were to wear flesh-colored undergarments for the bedroom scene, but Zeffirelli reportedly told them the movie would fail if they didnt shoot the scene in the nude.

The Shakespeare adaptation was nominated for four Academy Awards, and won Oscars in the categories of Best Costume and Best Cinematography. The film, which had a budget of less than $1 million, made $38 million with its 1968 release.

Hussey later worked with Zeffirelli again, playing the role of the Virgin Mary in the 1977 television miniseries Jesus of Nazareth.

There have been subsequent film remakes of Romeo and Juliet, including the 1996 version starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes, and another in 2013. Neither of them involved nudity in the bedroom scene.

Hussey explained in a 2018 interview with Variety Magazine the nude scene in the 1968 version was needed for the film. But in a statement released on Jan. 24 through Tony Marinozzi, manager for both Hussey and Whiting, Hussey said, It was abuse disguised as art.

They are committed to transparency and seeing this through, Marinozzi said, even though the subject matter is traumatic and painful.

Zeffirelli also directed the 1981 film Endless Love starring Brooke Shields, who said in an upcoming Hulu docuseries Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields that she did not feel safe with Zeffirelli as the director, reported Deadline.

The physicality and the exploration of sexuality felt really dangerous to me, and I didnt trust the director to create a safe environment for me, said Shields, who was 16 when Endless Love was filmed.

Regarding the lawsuit filed by Hussey and Whiting, Shields told Deadline: It doesnt surprise me. It was a very different era in filmmaking and many different directors took liberties. Theyd tell the actors one thing, and then tell the studio another. They were in charge and they were the star really.

Criterion Collection has since purchased the rights to Romeo and Juliet from Paramount and has a planned release for Feb. 14.
Italy on Alert Amid Anarchist Attacks on Diplomatic Missions

MILANItalys government has increased security at its diplomatic missions around the globe in response to a crescendo of terroristic attacks by an informal anarchist network acting in solidarity with an imprisoned Italian militant, the foreign minister said Tuesday.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani cited nearly a dozen attacks since the end of November, ranging from vandalism to explosive devices that have caused damage to Italian diplomatic targets in Argentina, Bolivia, Germany, Greece, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland. No injuries have been reported.

It is obvious that there is an international solidarity [among anarchists] and therefore an attack against Italy, against Italian institutions, is being carried out across the world, Tajani said, adding that security was being raised at all Italian embassies and consulates as well as the foreign ministry.

Tajani said they believe the network includes both Italians and anarchists from other countries acting in concert. He referred to graffiti scrawled in Catalan on the building housing the Italian Consulate in Barcelona.

The most serious of the attacks was the firebombing of two cars at the residence of an Italian diplomat in Athens in early Decemberone car was torched, and Tajani said only the failure of the second bomb targeting a car inside the garage of the residence and near a gas line averted worse consequences.

The attacks and as well as a series of protests, including one planned Tuesday in Madrid, are in solidarity with Alfredo Cospito, who has been on a hunger strike since October to protest a strict prison regime reserved for terrorists and mafiosi. The 55-year-old militant is serving a 10-year sentence for shooting in the leg an energy executive for a state-controlled company and 20 years for a series of dynamite attacks in Italy.

Spanish Civil Guards speak with an Italian embassy employee at the gates of the Italian embassy in Madrid on Jan. 31, 2023. (Paul White/AP Photo)

An appeals court in Turin last spring toughened his prison conditions to include solitary confinement except for one hour a day and a strict limit of family visits. The regime is imposed on prisoners who are considered to pose a danger even from inside prison.

Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said that the fact of the attacks only reinforces the necessity of the regime in Cospitos case.

Cospitos lawyers are currently appealing the strict conditions.

In the meantime, Cospito has been transferred from Sardinia to a prison south of Milan, which Justice Minister Carlo Nordio said was best equipped to deal with the health challenges of the hunger strike.

In Italy, anarchists on Monday torched cars belonging to the TIM telecommunications company, scrawling slogans denouncing Cospitos treatment nearby. This weekend, a small group of his supporters clashed with police in Rome and two incendiary devices were lobbed in the parking lot of a police station in the capital. No one was injured.

By Colleen Barry
Kamala Harris Attends Tyre Nicholss Funeral in Memphis

Vice President Kamala Harris listens during a meeting in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, on Sept. 12, 2022. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Vice President Kamala Harris attended the funeral of Tyre Nichols, the 29-year-old FedEx worker who died three days after a violent interaction with police.

Harris was invited to the Memphis, Tennessee, funeral during her phone call with the victims mother, RowVaughn Wells, on Jan. 31, according to family attorney Ben Crumps statement to NBC News.

Vice President Harris and Ms. Wells spoke exclusively, and during this emotional time, the Vice President was able to console Ms. Wells and even help her smile, Crump said in a statement to the outlet.

Nicholss family also told reporters that Tamika Taylor, mother of Breonna Taylor, who died in an encounter with police three years ago in her Kentucky home, and Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd, would also be attending the funeral.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, leader of civil rights group National Action Network, was also in attendance at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis. The service, referenced as a celebration of life service, featured a group of percussionists and The Mississippi Blvd Celebration Choir, who sang We love you, Tyre.

In a statement following the release of the video footage showing Nicholss confrontation with police, Harris said the footage and images will forever be seared in our memories, and they open wounds that will never fully heal. She also said persistent police misconduct and excessive force in the United States must end now.

Video footage released on the night of Jan. 27 appeared to show the Memphis police officers kicking and hitting Nichols, who died three days later in a hospital.

Former President Donald Trump also spoke out to condemn the attack, telling The Associated Press, I thought it was terrible.

Trump spoke to reporters shortly after the bodycam footage showing the violent arrest and beating of Nichols was released.

He was in such trouble. He was just being pummeled. Now that should never have happened, Trump said.

The five former officers charged in the death of Nichols will be arraigned on Feb. 17, according to court records.

Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith were charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, and aggravated kidnapping, along with several other charges related to the traffic stop that resulted in Nicholss death.

The former policemenall of whom are blackwill be arraigned together at 10 a.m. at a court in Shelby County, Tennessee, according to several news reports. According to the documents, Judge James Jones will hear the case.

If convicted of second-degree murder, they may face up to 60 years in jail.
Laguna Beach Considers Banning Balloons in the City

A balloon is displayed out of a car as graduating Seniors from Wantagh High School drive by the front of the school in a Class of 2020 Parade on May 15, 2020, in Wantagh, New York. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

The City Council in Laguna Beach, California will vote next month on whether to ban all types of balloons in the city, due to threats they pose to the environment and residents safety after recent power outages and fires.

Pacific, Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison reported a combined 1,703 power outages in Southern California in 2021 due to incidents with metallic balloonswhich are those made with foil and mylar and are electrically conductive.

A collage of screenshots taken on June 3, 2022, shows an undated incident of metallic balloon-caused power line explosion. (Screenshot via YouTube/Long Beach Local News)

According to Laguna Beach city staff, balloons of all kinds are the most common form of floating garbage within 200 miles of American shorelines and are the second most dangerous debris for wildlife that may ingest them and become sick or die.

There have also been several incidents around Orange County involving such balloons, including in 2021, when mylar balloons collided with electrical poles in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa knocking out power for over 3,000 residents, according to Southern California Edison.

If approved, the citys ordinance would prohibit their sale, public use, and distributionhowever, they can still be be enjoyed on private property within Laguna Beach if they were purchased elsewhere.

The city has received mixed reviews from residents on the issue.

Dont go to the extreme of banning the sales of balloons or policing people who celebrate with balloons, Cheryl McKinney, a local business owner who, in part, sells them, wrote to the city on Jan. 23. Dont put thousands of people out of work and close businesses down.

The city does not have its own party supply store. But according to Jeremy Frimond, who works in the city managers office, local grocery stores that sell balloons said a ban would not be a problem.

They indicated it wouldnt be a significant impact on their business, he told the council during a Jan. 24 meeting.

Laguna Beach resident, Mark Christy wrote to the council on Jan. 20 saying he spends a lot of time along the citys shoreline and in the hills and has noticed the impact of helium balloons.

Mylar/foil balloons are the worst offender, but the latex balloons are also detrimental to the environment, and natures creatures, Christy wrote. There will be a learning curve and inevitable pushback, but it is the right decision for our environmentally proactive town.

The city is potentially following recent actions by the state to restrict foil balloons.

People partake in beachside activities in Laguna Beach, Calif., on October 15, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a new law last September which will phase out their sale and require manufacturers and retail outlets to only offer non-electrically conductive foil and latex balloons within the next few years.

The bill was sponsored by Assemblyman Bill Quirk (D-Hayward), in collaboration with San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E)a utility serving San Diego County and southern Orange County.

According to SDG&E, the utility recorded over 700 outages and 28 fires in its service area caused by foil balloons during the last six years.

Full compliance with state law is not expected until 2031.

According to Laguna Beach officials, if their ordinancewhich was first introduced in June 2022 by Mayor Bob Whalen and Councilman George Weisspasses, it would go into effect in nine months.

Other cities have taken such action.

Solana Beach and Encinitas banned latex and foil balloons filled with gas lighter than air in 2022. Burbank banned foil balloons in 2022, as did Glendale in 2020, and Hermosa Beach banned latex and foil balloons in 2019.
Man Suspected of Attempted San Diego Bank Robbery Turns Himself In

A customer uses an ATM at a Bank of America branch in Boston on Oct. 11, 2017. (Brian Snyder/Reuters)

SAN DIEGOA man suspected of attempting to rob a bank in National City surrendered to the Escondido Police Department, the FBI in San Diego announced on Jan. 31.

The attempted robbery occurred around 4:30 p.m. Jan. 18 at a Bank of America branch at 235 East Eighth Street, authorities said.

The man entered the bank and gave a teller a note demanding money, according to authorities. When the teller did not give the suspect any money, he left the premises on foot, according to officials.

FBI San Diego sent out a bulletin with the suspects picture, possibly leading to the suspect surrendering to police. His name was not immediately released.

People can report suspicious activities and crime by contacting local FBI office 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or submit a tip electronically at tips.fbi.gov.
Whoever can control the Department of Dirty Tricks is able to use it to remove all opposition, says Mike Benz.

He is the executive director of the Foundation for Freedom Online and a former State Department diplomat under the Trump administration.

The Twitter Files were just the tip of the iceberg, says Benz, who has been tracking the rise of the Wests censorship industry for years.

22 million tweets were categorized as misinformation for purposes of takedowns or throttling through [the Election Integrity Partnership], Benz said.

It wasnt just government individual takedown requests. It was government pressure  to create whole new categories of things to censor and then arming them with the artificial intelligence to then automatically scan and ban the new thought violations.

In this comprehensive two-part interview, Benz breaks down the major players in todays censorship regime and how tactics once used abroad were deployed to target Americans and so-called election delegitimization or COVID misinformation online.

Graphika was immediately working with NATOs essentially psychological warfare branchthe Hybrid Center of Excellencein January 2020  They had this sophisticated typography of what right-wing media was saying, what left-wing media was saying, what was being shared, the nodes and links between nodes of all the different narrative discourses on social media.

They will have a revolving door at the professional level. That is, people who are in government roles, for example, in Misinformation, Disinformation, and Malinformation at DHS, will get their next jobs at the German Marshall Fund or the Atlantic Councils Digital Forensic Research Lab  It is a career path. It is a path to power, Benz says.



WATCH PART TWO HERE

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Jan Jekielek:

Mike Benz, its such a pleasure to have you on American Thought Leaders.

Mike Benz:

Thanks for having me.

Mr. Jekielek:

Mike, in our conversations, you told me that you have a mission of fostering a free and open internet. Where are we at now? Youre basically saying that this is not the case here.

Mr. Benz:

Were very far removed from the days of what I consider to be the golden age of the internet between 2006 and 2016, when you had this combination of a mature social media ecosystem where people could share information, basically a pure information meritocracy. After that, the political turbulence of the events of 2016, instituted a revenge of the gatekeepers, an increasingly, incrementally more regimented system of censorship that we are now in the process of negotiating our opposition to.

Mr. Jekielek:

Youre saying that something profound happened in 2016 that changed the ecosystem dramatically. You said it was political turbulence, but what actually happened? How did the system change?

Mr. Benz:

There were two enormous and unexpected political events that year. In June 2016, you had Brexit. Brexit at the time was not just a small isolated domestic issue within the United Kingdom, it was viewed as an existential threat to the integrity of the European Union. Because at the time there was a fear that France would then go through Frexit with Marine Le Pens movement. Italy would go through Italexit with Matteo Salvinis movement. You would have Grexit in Greece, and Spexit in Spain. The EU would come undone, and NATO would fall apart. The entire rules-based international order would collapse if something urgent wasnt done about it.

And then, in quick succession, you had a candidate who at the time was an almost 20 to one underdog in the New York Times. On the morning of the 2016 election, you had Trump at about 5 per cent and Hillary Clinton 90 per cent, and a little bit left for the stragglers. But basically, it was this idea that this couldnt happen, and yet it did. And it seemed like everything was going to fall apart with the rules-based international order unless the information ecosystem was radically and permanently altered. Because both of these events were viewed as being internet elections, if you will.

Social media was the reason that Nigel Farage developed the popularity of the Brexit movement. It was through his viral YouTube speeches to the European Parliament. It was the domination of Twitter hashtags and Facebook groups that were responsible for Donald Trumps popularity at the base level. So, you had an organized effort to contain populism by containing the means through which populists could distribute their messaging and mobilize politically.

Mr. Jekielek:

Populist seems like a catchall term. Is it actually populists that were talking about?

Mr. Benz:

Thats their terminology. Its fair to use because it captures the idea that base level opposition to elite institutions can come from both the Right and the Left. Its not necessarily a Right-wing or a Left-wing thing. Left-wing populists like Bernie Sanders in the U.S. or Jeremy Corbyn in the UK were targeted with equal ferocity. Its just that they didnt come as close to power as Trump and the Brexit movement did.

Mr. Jekielek:

Why dont we just sketch out where we are today? You describe it as a whole of society effort, which just sounds massive and unbelievable. Youre saying that a lot of people are beginning to understand what this is. They might know, Oh, the Twitter files have exposed a lot of censorship. They might have themselves experienced something, but they cant necessarily see the whole picture. The whole of society, what does that mean?

Mr. Benz:

Thats actually the terminology of basically every mainstream censorship industry professional.

Audio:

Addressing disinformation requires a whole of society approach.

This information is not going to be fixed by governments acting alone. I think weve seen that a whole of society effort is really key to the solution.

This is a whole of society challenge.

A whole of society approach. This is a whole of society problem.

Mr. Benz:

This is something that is now such a well-worn phrase within the censorship industry, that they often apologize at conferences for using the term, because its so well worn at this point. What it means is four categories of institutions in society all working together towards the common goal of censorship. Youve got government, the private sector, civil society, and then news media and fact checking. So, lets break down these four elements.

Youve got DHS, FBI, DOD, the State Department, the National Science Foundation, the CIA, and National Endowment for Democracy. On issue-specific issues like Covid censorship, youve got HHS, NIH, CDC, and NIAID, all of these playing various roles at the government level.

Then, youve got the private sector, and youve got the tech platforms where the censorship actually occurs. That is where the button gets pressed, so to speak, or where the algorithms play out. Youve also got private sector censorship technology development, which is the private companies whose job is to create machine learning and artificial intelligence to incorporate the training data to create the tools that are used for the active censorship.

And then, youve got corporate social responsibility, the CSR money that pours into it from the private sector. In fact, theres a whole new impact investing angle, VCs investing in censorship companies, because theres such a gold rush into this field. On the civil society side, youve got universities, NGOs, activists, nonprofits and foundations.

And then finally, at the news media and fact checking level, youve got the politically like-minded within the media who are propped up by the government, by the private sector, and by the civil society so that they can manage public narratives about various issues and can amplify pressure for censorship, by creating negative press on the tech companies, for example. Youve got the fact checking conglomerates within those who flag the individual posts for the tech companies to manage. So, all four of those in concert have all been fused into basically the nucleus of a single atom.

Mr. Jekielek:

Its hard to conceive how all of this works.

Mr. Benz:

When they have disinformation conferences, there will be representatives from all four institutions there. They will negotiate what their own preferences and needs are, and they will talk with each other about doing favors for favors. They will work out common terminologies, and common problems that theyre having.

They will have a revolving door at the professional level. People who are in government roles in misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation at DHS will get their next jobs at the German Marshall Fund, at the Atlantic Councils Digital Forensics Research Lab, or at the Alliance for Securing Democracy. Stanford University has a fellowship there.

It is a career path; it is a path to power. Were now going on essentially year five or six of this industry being created, so its reaching a stage of maturity, as it would for a technology space or an energy space. Its becoming much more seamless as these roles become more interchangeable.

Mr. Jekielek:

What is it that unites these people, is it ideology?

Mr. Benz:

Different people are in it for different reasons. What I find most fascinating is the young people. Its my contention that censorship is the fastest growing major on college campuses for ambitious young people who want jobs in Washington DC, or in Silicon Valley. Often, a top career path was you would go to Georgetown, you would major in international relations, and you would aspire to get a job on the Hill, and then work your way up, and/or maybe youd start in finance and then transition over.

What has happened with the rise of the censorship industry, basically they dont call it that, you dont get your degree in censorship, youll get it in something like computational data science, advanced linguistics, the internet research lab, or the media lab. There are so many different ways to launder the concept, but essentially what theyre doing day-to-day in these majors and in these PhDs is they are fusing the social sciences with the computer sciences to help both Silicon Valley and big government control public discourse and control the political momentum of various ideas.

This puts young people right at the nexus of Google, Facebook, Washington DC, and Congress. So, you can shortcut making a tiny salary at the Hill out of Georgetown. You can take that pedigree into long term by going directly over to Googles content moderation team or public policy team and working directly with Congress there, or essentially working directly with congressional cutouts. It is a path to power that is stunning in both the salaries these folks make and in how glitzy it is.

You really do get the cocktail party invitations, you really do get access to a beautiful life, and you get impact. Youre not a sort of desk jockey whos correcting typos for the first five years of your career, youre in the action. So, I think its very exciting for people, and I think they become very intoxicated with the power, the god-like power, if you will, that total censorship capacity gives you.

Mr. Jekielek:

As Im listening to you speak, Im still having trouble imagining how in 2016 this whole industry suddenly launches or is created. Youre saying its not out of nothing. Youre saying its maturing at this time, and it happened without most people being entirely aware, even though they were aware that there was more censorship, especially if they were targeted, of course. But you never imagined it would be something so grand as what youre portraying here.

Mr. Benz:

These things were not on the front page of the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal. You pick it up in strange vibrations. For me, I came to it through the artificial intelligence space. I was an avid chess player as a kid, and I lived through that period when computers overtook humans in the capacity to play chess well.

I remember all the naysayers saying, Chess computers will never be able to beat Garry Kasparov, or There will always be this ability to have the purity of the human spirit pierce through the dead soul of a chess computer. And then, I remember the existential dread that came over the chess community when Garry Kasparov lost to Deep Blue, and it was like humans would never be able to compete against computers again. It was like this existential question, What do we do in a world where youve got no hope?

I remember in late 2016, when I first came across literature around the deployment of artificial intelligence for purposes of content moderation, it gripped me. I became fixated at the cognitive level on the existential threat that this posed. Every time I would try to have conversations with folks about it, both socially and politically, nobody took the concern seriously and laughed it off, in a very similar way that people did in 1996 before the Garry Kasparov match.

And so, for me, none of whats happened has been a surprise to me. I only wish that folks had taken the issue much more seriously before the infrastructure became consolidated. Because now, its like trying to stop a cancer once it has already metastasized into the brain and the lungs, its much harder to do. Its still essential to do, and thats what I consider to be my purpose.

Mr. Jekielek:

What is it that you saw exactly? What did you realize that no one else realized?

Mr. Benz:

The power of control over words was very similar to the power of control over chess pieces. The way chess computers work for algorithms is they condense everything into a number system, so that you can grade every aspect of a chess position on a number scale to spit out a clean number that tells you whos winning by and by how much. For example, if the computer says the position is -0.5, it means that the computer assesses the person whos playing the black pieces to be up by approximately half of a pawn.

When I started looking into what was being done with artificial intelligence and natural language processing and machine learning training models that were being developed, they were using a very similar system to map linguistically what was happening in the human language on social media. If someone was talking about a Trump policy, you could map the linguistic topography of that narrative and you could grade all the different words and slogans and memes and concepts into essentially what looked like a chess computer readout for whether you want to play knight to F3 or bishop to C5.

The power this gives you is to be able to automatically trip varying levels of interventions, as they call it, which means censoring things. If the threshold goes above 1.5, this thing just gets banned. If its between 1 and 1.5, were going to shadow ban it. If its between .5 and 1, were going to just affix a fact checking thing to it. It gives you perfect control over the ability to determine the popularity of a narrative.

Mr. Jekielek:

Let me talk about the Twitter files. Okay, weve known about censorship for a while. At the Epoch Times, weve experienced hit pieces, and the deplatforming and demonetization associated with such hit pieces. This is some of what weve been talking about here. But what the Twitter files revealed to me was that there is censorship happening.

The thing that really hit me at one point as we were looking at these dumps is there is the ability to shape the perceptions of a whole significant portion of society by just excluding information. This is what youre making me think of right now as you describe this chess analogy. But you say that the Twitter files are just kind of the tip of the iceberg?

Mr. Benz:

A very tiny tip of it. The fact is, my foundation, the Foundation for Freedom Online, had already covered a lot of the things that ended up coming out in the Twitter files. A lot of this was available just by listening to these folks involved in their own public meetings. A lot of these things were done on YouTube, or were added as Facebook videos, or were on their own websites. What the Twitter files revealed was basically the presence of censorship operatives at virtually every national security-related institution in the U.S. government, as well as in the intelligence and public health spheres.

There were Twitter files for the FBI, for the DHS, for the DOD, and for the State Department. I saw that at the State Department myself, everything from funding censorship-themed video games to promoting censorship of populist groups around the world, often with a conscious view of it having a boomerang effect on limiting the popularity of populist groups in the U.S. What the Twitter files tended to focus on, even in their most explosive cases, were one-off requests for censorship takedowns.

For example, the FBI would send a message to the Twitter Trust and Safety Team saying, Heres a batch of six or seven tweets that we dont like, and we want you to take down. They violate your terms of service, so you may want to take them down. That only captures the tiniest fraction of censorship that was actually done in each of the major geopolitical events that weve experienced in the past few years.

Look at these six or seven takedowns in the context of something like the Election Integrity Partnership [EIP], which had a formal partnership with the Department of Homeland Security to operate as their formerly designated disinformation flagger. 22 million tweets were categorized as misinformation for purposes of takedowns or throttling through the EIP.

Compare that to the six or seven tweets highlighted in a Twitter files dump. These are six or seven orders of magnitude, its not even the same ballpark. This is because it wasnt just government individual takedown requests, it was government pressure and coordination with the changing of the policies in the private sector themselves to actually coerce the tech companies to create whole new categories of things to censor, and then arming them with the artificial intelligence to then automatically scan and ban the new thought violations that they themselves had helped install. So, they did a one-two punch behind the scenes that the Twitter files still have not even come close to touching.

Mr. Jekielek:

How are you cataloging all this? Where are you discovering all this, and the evidence of this happening?

Mr. Benz:

What we just covered was stated very frankly and directly by an individual named Alex Stamos, who was the head of the Stanford Internet Observatory, the anchor entity of the Election Integrity Partnership.

Speaker One:

My suggestion is if people wanted to get the platforms to do stuff, first you got to push for written policies that are specific and that give you predictability. And so, this is something we started in the summer in August, is as Kate talked about, Carly Miller led a team from all four institutions to look at the detailed policies of the big platforms and to measure them against situations that we expected to happen. Now, were not going to take credit for all the changes they made, but we had to update this thing like eight or nine times, right? And so, like putting these people in a grid to say, Youre not handling this, youre not handling this, not handling this, creates a lot of pressure inside of the companies and forces them to kind of grapple with these issues because you want specific policies that you can hold them accountable for. The second is when you report stuff to them, report how its violating those written policies, right? So, theres two steps here, get good policies and then say, This is how its violating it. We will have our statistics, right? But I think we were pretty effective in getting them to act on things that they hadnt act on it before.

Mr. Benz:

The November 9th, 2022 report has about 20 to 25 embedded videos of censorship professionals confessing what they did. What I just cited here is how EIP, using DHSs clout and pressure on the backend, coerced the tech companies to create a new category of censorship called delegitimization, which was anything in the 2020 election that delegitimized public faith or confidence in mail-in ballots, early voting drop boxes, or ballot tabulation issues on election day. 100 per cent of their targets were Trump voters and Right-wing populist groups.

It was the tech companies that didnt want to do these policies initially, but they were coerced by EIP and EIPs friends in the legislature; Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren, Mark Warner, Adam Schiff, and this whole intelligence committee, foreign affairs committee faction, as well as from others in the DNC to put pressure on the tech companies to create the censorship category.

And then, he laid out in that video the two-step process, which is one; you get them to change the policies by putting them in the grid and threatening and then creating negative news media. And then two; you engage in this mass documentation and assist with the actual development of the capturing of all the violations of the new policies you just got put in. Now, the reason they do all these confessions on video is because you have to understand censorship is not just an industry, it is a mercenary business.

Everyone in the censorship industry is competing for the same pool of government grant funds and donor dollars. It is a competitive industry at this point, were not in 2018, 2019 anymore. It is a mature industry with many players in it. You need to stand out. You need to prove what a good mercenary you are, what a good censor you are, how effective you are at silencing the opposition to the donors and the grant organizations.

You need to brag about it on video, so that you are more qualified than your opposition and your competitors at getting more government grants. In fact, right after Alex Stamos made this confession, not just on video, but in a 292-page public report, he, and the lab that he partnered with, got a $3 million government grant from the Biden administration. They became government-funded for the first time ever right after he made that confession.

Mr. Jekielek:

So many things are coming out of what you just said. But the first one is that this is now actually a competitive market for censorship that youre talking about.

Mr. Benz:

It is an industry. It is a business subsidized by the federal government and by large entrenched commercial and political interests who all have varying investment in neutralizing opposition to their concerns, which can be done through censorship. Because social media is the great equalizer when it comes to creating social and political momentum.

Mr. Jekielek:

What is really interesting is what youre describing. Youre talking about it in the context of election integrity, you used that term. It also applies directly when it comes to Covid misinformation, similarly. Is it the exact same tools that are essentially being used in the same way?

Mr. Benz:

Actually, its funny you say that, because we just covered the Election Integrity Partnership, EIP. Its the entity that DHS formerly partnered with as their disinformation flagger. When the 2020 election ended, they had censored their 22 million tweets. They had 120 staffers censoring the Trump supporters for the 2020 election for DHS. There was no more election cycle until 2022, when they came back and partnered with DHS again for the midterms.

But in between then, they folded up briefly and then rebranded and renamed themselves as a new entity consisting of the same censorship entities. But instead of calling themselves EIP, they called themselves VP, the Virality Project. They did the exact same system of coordinating the government, the civil society, the private sector, and the news media and fact checking organizations.

Instead of doing election censorship, they did Covid censorship, but they did it with the exact same ticketing system. They had the exact same relationships with Facebook, with Google, with YouTube, with Twitter, with TikTok, with Reddit, and with the 15 different platforms they monitored. They had the same system of chopping conceptual opposition, which was in the election context, opposition to mail-in ballots and drop boxes and ballet tabulation. It then became censoring opposition to Covid origins, to vaccine efficacy, to mask mandates, or to narratives about Bill Gates or Anthony Fauci.

In fact, in their own after-action report, they detailed how they micro-targeted 66 distinct narratives about Covid and chopped all of them up into all of the different component claims. Then, they basically helped advise on the artificial intelligence censorship, helped the reporting and flagging, and coordinated the censorship army that was trained on censoring Covid. So, it was a seamless transition from election censorship to Covid censorship.

Mr. Jekielek:

So, basically, all you need to do this is to know what the correct view is. Is this what youre telling me? And then, you just basically engage the system, and youre good to go?

Mr. Benz:

Its an evolutionary process as well. One of the things that was onboarded several years ago into the censorship industry was this concept of subject matter experts on a narrative-by-narrative basis who can help do the linguistic mapping and monitoring the rise of new memes, and of new ways of talking about an issue, and then continually fold that into the censorship paradigm that youve established.

I do want to quickly say though, that I highlighted EIP turning into VP for Covid censorship after the 2020 election. But Covid started at the end of 2019, and actually the Covid censorship consortium began immediately, I mean really immediately.

For example, Graphika is one of the four component entities of the EIP censorship consortium that DHS partnered with. Graphika is essentially a U.S. Department of Defense-funded censorship consortium. They were initially funded to help do social media counterinsurgency work effectively in conflict zones for the U.S. military. Then, they were redeployed domestically both on Covid censorship and political censorship. Graphika was deployed to monitor social media discourse about Covid and Covid origins, Covid conspiracies, or Covid sorts of issues.

In January 2020, they began their first formal domestic campaign. COVID-19 didnt even have the name COVID-19. In January 2020, it was still called Coronavirus at the time. And yet, Graphika was immediately working with NATOs psychological warfare branch, the Hybrid CoE, Hybrid Center of Excellence in January 2020. Immediately, they were doing social media network graphs on Right-wing social media, and they did this along political lines.

They had this sophisticated topography of what Right-wing media was saying, what Left-wing media was saying, about what was being shared, the nodes and links between nodes of all the different narrative discourses on social media for the purpose of handing that to the government to say, Heres what people are saying, what should we do to stop it? So, the censorship set in right away.

Mr. Jekielek:

Youre reminding me of something I read that I wanted to get you to comment on, which is the foreign to domestic disinformation switcheroo. It sounds like youre touching on something about this, so what is that? I think its very important to this whole picture.

Mr. Benz:

This is so important for understanding the history and chronology of how we got here, and its something that many commentators to the Twitter files are discovering for the first time now. Matt Taibbi has spilled a lot of ink in the past several weeks talking about how shocking it is, the Russian disinformation predicate, how central that was in retrospect, as hes been writing about the normalization of domestic censorship. This is something Ive been screaming about for five years now.

What happened was before 2016, the idea of domestic censorship in the U.S. was not just rare, isolated, and frowned uponit was a sacred existential attack on everything American. Censorship was the one thing that really distinguished at the governmental and at the social contract level the United States of America from every other country on the face of the planet. No other Western democracies have a First Amendment.

We look at liberal democracies like Canada or the United Kingdom as being just like America in the Western tradition of governmental democracies. But what makes America distinct is that we have total free speech in this country, at least thats what it was billed as. Now, we are going directly from that into this system of mass domestic censorship, where if you challenge mail-in ballots in a Twitter post on a Thursday night, the Department of Homeland Security has an entire division sitting there who when they see your tweet will categorize you as conducting a cyberattack on U.S. critical infrastructure, because youve undermined public faith in the elections.

This is something that needed an intermediary step, and that intermediary step was the foreign predicate. Now, this is something that the U.S. foreign policy establishment has been doing since time immemorial, but essentially since the 1940s, when the national security state was established and consolidated with the 1947 National Security Act. The American foreign policy establishment basically came to a consensus opinion that if we want the 20th century to be the American century, were going to need a Department of Dirty Tricks. Were going to need to play rougher on the world stage than weve been used to.

We will still have constitutional protections for Americans, well still have free speech in America, and well still have due process in America. But were going to empower our foreign intelligence in our foreign influence capacities with much more ruthless and dirty capacities than we have at home. This is because its a tough world out there. The Bolsheviks are going to do it if we dont do it. There is this whole new order coming out of World War II that is going to need some tough love to consolidate.

Even in the 1960s, when there were opposition movements to the bipartisan consensus on several things, including on war and foreign policy, the counterintelligence division at the FBI often deployed this Department of Dirty Tricks to neutralize anti-war protestors, or some of the more stringent elements of the civil rights protest. Martin Luther King, for example, was targeted by the FBI formally because of his connection to Stanley Levison, who had these affiliations with communism.

And so, you could wiretap Martin Luther Kings phone, you could have COINTELPRO [Counterintelligence Program] write nasty telegrams, and death threat letters, because there was a foreign predicate. If you simply conflated the domestic with the foreign, then it wasnt really the classical type of deprivation of due process, this is just being really aggressive about countering Russian influence.

So, its a way of laundering, of bringing the Department of Dirty Tricks thats supposed to stay overseas and bringing it home. If you think of it as a war between two political factions, its a sneak attack by bringing in powers that arent supposed to be there for this game. They did that in the censorship industry through the creation of a Russian boogeyman that was said to have hacked the 2016 election, that was said to have interfered on U.S. social media, that was said to have created these sophisticated bot farms and troll farms and Facebook pages and this enormous network tapestry that magically disappeared right before the 2020 election.

Somehow, in 2016, it was said to be enormous. Of course, all the digital forensics were a total hoax. They were done by the same disinformation experts as Graphika and the Atlantic Councils Digital Forensics Research Lab that ended up becoming massively discredited in subsequent years when they completely made up results. They called real people Russian bots, and those people went on TV and read their name, rank, and serial number.

It was a hoax from the start, but it was a useful one, because it allowed the handoff of the censorship infrastructure on the foreign side to be grafted on to the domestic side. Weve talked about the Department of Homeland Security and how it became this hub within the U.S. federal government for coordinating whole society censorship.

At the time, before the Biden administration and for the 2020 election, the only thing that existed at the time to partner with EIP to outsource all this censorship, to coordinate the domestic censorship of the U.S. election in 2020, was technically a group within DHS called the Countering Foreign Influence Task Force.

The Countering Foreign Influence Task Force was technically the coordinating wing for censorship of you, and of people in Ohio talking about how it was a little weird that early voting drop boxes were open for six weeks before an election, and you can imagine what might go wrong with that. In the very first week Biden took office, this was in January 2021 before the calendar even hit the word February, one of the first courses of action that Bidens DHS did was they revamped the Countering Foreign Influence Task Force with the same personnel and the same staffers. They simply went from countering foreign influence to MDM, misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation as a general catchall, with no distinction between foreign and domestic. That way it could paper over the fact that they werent supposed to be operating on domestic soil.

Mr. Jekielek:

As youre describing all this, readers of The Epoch Times and viewers of this program just keep thinking Russiagate, Russiagate, Russiagate. Underpinning Russiagate was this idea that there were Russians who had hacked the election. In fact, theres still Americans that believe that Russians hacked the 2016 election. And then, there was the whole weaponization of the Pfizer warrants, which is what youre alluding to and what youre speaking about. Perhaps this is Matt Taibbis realization in the last few weeksno one imagined that the whole system could be somehow engaged in all of this at the same time. Does this make sense? Its still straining credulity that everyone, all these different institutions are working in lockstep.

Mr. Benz:

Unfortunately, real people with real names at real meetings were very cognizant of this. In fact, its my belief based on compelling evidence that Ive assembled that this is actually very conscious from the very start. Take for example, in early 2017, you had the foreign policy establishment trying to reconcile the fact that an essentially uniparty apparatus that had existed from Truman until Trump on foreign policy. It had this shared left-hand, right-hand understanding that there would not be any sort of partisan disagreement on foreign policy grounds.

We may disagree on whether it should be high taxes or low taxes, we may disagree on something like pro-life or pro-choice, or civil rights, but when it comes to what are we going to do about Venezuela, what are we going to do about Southeast Asia, theres not going to be any sort of intense existential Right or Left distinction. Because thats what keeps Washington unified, and part of that is because of the commercial interest around that.

But when populism emerged and became powered by social media, it threatened the very bedrock of those institutions, because now domestic manufacturing concerns may actually impede the political will of these multilateral institutions that form the basis of the consensus architecture. This is what happened when they were negotiating the response to the threat of social media in the very beginning.

Ill give an example. Ambassador Daniel Fried is one example of this. Now, I dont know Ambassador Fried, I assume hes a very nice person in his personal life. He has a certain grace with which he conducts diplomacy, but he was part of the architecture of the censorship industrys development on this Russiagate issue in a way that I find to be profoundly disturbing.

Ambassador Fried was a 40-year diplomat at the U.S. State Department. Hes on the board of the National Endowment for Democracy. In February 2017, he left the State Department in order to take his talents for coordinating government responses to sanctions. He was the sanctions coordinator for the Obama administration after the annexation of Crimea in 2014. After the Crimea referendum, he did the roadshow in Europe to get all the different NATO countries to pass what were for themselves painful sanctions on Russia over the Crimea annexation.

A lot of European countries didnt want to do these sanctions, because of the economic impact it would have on their own populations. But Ambassador Fried took his State Department and network clout to put pressure on Europe to do sanctions on Russia for purposes of this Crimea response. He then turned around after the 2016 election and took those same connections, those same power networks and organized all these disinformation conferences, these whole of society meetings and mobilizations. The same thing that he did on sanctions coordination, he did on censorship coordination.

He was a part of this network that helped pressure and contort the European regulatory climate to passing new censorship laws. Like, for example, Germanys NetzDG [Network Enforcement Act] passed in August 2017. Germany is the industrial powerhouse of Europe and when they passed NetzDG, it compelled Facebook and YouTube to adopt artificial intelligence censorship techniques in order to comply with $54 million fines for leaving various kinds of content on their platforms that violated this new German law.

And so now, Facebook and YouTube had to adopt all this new AI that had an immediate impact on that AI being redirected inward in the U.S. context, and in the UK context to counteract Brexit support. Now, Ambassador Fried was talking openly about this at his own disinformation conferences with European regulators, with national security officials, and with extremely important and influential people. At the time they were saying, Ambassador Fried, that sounds like a great idea, but its just not enough. The Russians are only one component of these populists. Theyve taken on a life of their own, and they seem to have their own independent interests. Ambassador Fried is in the room telling them, Listen, I understand, I understand. But in America, we cant just go from zero to one, we have to boil the frog.

Speaker Two:

As an old diplomat, the thing to do is to set up an informal mechanism, maybe formal, but start informally between the U.S., the EU key shareholders and bringing in the civil society. And then use that to have a conversation with the social media companies. Like weve got a lot of leverage, we can use it, and they will adjust, their culture is malleable. They will respond to the incentive structure that we set up if we do our job.

Mr. Benz:

If you do your thing in Europe, it will help the Trans-Atlantic Alliance merge towards a common set of norms and values with respect to social media speech. And in the creation of this counterintelligence infrastructure, it will naturally gravitate, as the Mueller investigation is ongoing, as pro-Trump groups are seen more and more as an arm of Russians themselves, it will be easier to simply consolidate those two concepts into one: Trump, Russia.

If you simply create a censorship infrastructure for Russia, as Trump gets merged into Trump, Russia, the two become one and the same. And then suddenly, no one is crying tears if a suspected Russian propagandist who happens to be some 17-year-old high school kid in Wisconsin who has an opinion about the border wall, when they get taken down as part of a 10,000-person roundup of suspected Russians, no one is going to cry tears, because at least youre aggressively dealing with a national security threat. So, they were aware of this. This is February 2017; this is right at the outset. We should be far past the spotter stage at this point.

This transcript has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Minister Says Alberta Will Further Protect Free Speech on Campus After University of Lethbridge Cancels Guest Professors Lecture

Frances Widdowson, a former associate professor in the department of economics, justice, and policy studies at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta, in an undated photo. (Courtesy of Frances Widdowson)

After controversy over the University of Lethbridges (U of L) decision to cancel a guest speakers public lecture on Feb. 1, an Alberta government minister has vowed the province will be taking further steps to protect campus free speech.

Demetrios Nicolaides, Albertas minister of advanced education, told The Epoch Times Tuesday that the U of Ls decision to cancel former professor Frances Widdowsons public lecture on Feb. 1 went against the provinces position regarding free speech on post-secondary campuses.

It should be for students, not university administrators, to make the final decision about whether to listen to a speech or not, said Nicolaides.

While the governments position should not be construed as agreement with any past comments made by Widdowson, added Nicolaides, the province will be announcing new steps to strengthen free speech on university campuses in the near future. He did not provide a date.

Nicolaides said that he only learned on Jan. 30 that controversial guest speaker Widdowson was scheduled to speak at U of L and was subsequently cancelled.

While past comments made by Widdowson are controversial, said the minister, he said it was important that universities and colleges foster a strong culture of free speech and diverse viewpoints, even when those viewpoints are deemed controversial, or even offensive, barring speech intended to incite hatred or violence of course.

Diverse Viewpoints

Widdowson told The Epoch Times that she was invited to speak by a philosophy professor at the school and planned her public lecture on the topic How Woke-Ism Threatens Academic Freedom.

Widdowson said she is adamant that she will be at the university as scheduled, offering a public lecture in the atrium, which is a public space. She said she will not capitulate to a woke mob.

If they do not want me to give that talk, they can remove me for trespassing and being a threat to the psychological sensitivity of all these activists, she said.

Widdowson has ongoing litigation underway against Mount Royal University, which terminated her from her position as a tenured professor in December 2021, allegedly after she organized a panel to discuss the topic Does Trans Activism Negatively Impact Womens Rights.

Widdowson invited feminist speaker and journalist Meghan Murphy to participate, as well as a transgender activist to participate in the event. Later, the professor was accused of being hostile to trans-identifying individuals.

Writer Meghan Murphy (2nd R) walks with security before speaking during a panel discussion on gender identity in Vancouver on Nov. 2, 2019. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press)

Widdowson also wrote a book in 2008 about aboriginal issues.

Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry: The Deception Behind Indigenous Cultural Preservation suggested that there was an industry built around the aboriginal peoples that failed to address the fundamental economic and cultural basis of native problems, leading instead to policies that offer a financial benefit to the leadership while entrenching the misery of most aboriginal people.

Widdowson said she has been fighting hard to promote her view that universities are academic institutions, where you should be able to discuss a diversity of viewpoints and critically analyze contentious topics.

Here we have a clear violation of the Chicago principles. They havent even pretended that theres some kind of violent threat on campus, said Widdowson.

Campus Speech

Alberta adopted the University of Chicago Statement on Principles of Free Expression, also known as the Chicago principles, in 2019, which states that universities must promote freedom of debate and protect it from potential restrictions.

Although members of the University community are free to criticize and contest the views expressed on campus, and to criticize and contest speakers who are invited to express their views on campus, they may not obstruct or otherwise interfere with the freedom of others to express views they reject or even loathe, state the Chicago principles.

Widdowsons lecture at U of L planned to cover four terrible cases of wokeism that threaten academic freedom, she said, describing circumstances where various individuals were cancelled or otherwise disrupted by the school.

U of L President Mike Mahon did not return requests for comment, but in a statement posted on the university website on Jan. 30 said that the school has received considerable input and must be attentive to the safety of our diverse community.

The university had previously, on Jan. 26, decided to allow Widdowsons lecture, issuing a statement that said: Members of the University community have the right to criticize and question views expressed on campus, but they may not obstruct or interfere with others freedom of expression. Debate or deliberation on campus may not be suppressed because the ideas put forward are thought by some, or even most, to be offensive, unwise, immoral, or misguided.

The university pledged to offer support to any members of the university community that the speech may personally adversely affect.

However, in a reversal on Jan. 30, Mahon said the university would now not provide space for the lecture to occur on campus, based on receiving input which confirmed that assertions that seek to minimize the significant and detrimental impact of Canadas residential school system are harmful.

The universitys president said that despite a 2019 commitment to free expression on our campus, there are limits to freedom of expression.

It is clear that the harm associated with this talk is an impediment to meaningful reconciliation, Mahon said.

On Dec. 19, 2022, Grand Prairie MLA Tracy Allard was appointed by Albertas Premier Danielle Smith to a new role as the provinces parliamentary secretary for civil liberties.

Smith said the new position would focus, in part, on protecting free speech rights on university and college campuses.
Press Release

February 1, 2023 Hontiveros: Will Maharlika "liability fund" doom future generations of Pinoys to even bigger foreign debt? Senator Risa Hontiveros today warned that the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) being pushed by the Marcos administration may instead become a "liability fund" that will balloon the nation's already enormous foreign debt and make life harder for present and future generations of taxpayers. During the Senate Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies hearing on the proposed bills creating the MIF, Hontiveros said that Filipinos will have to take on bigger foreign debts to establish the MIF, since no new source of funds for the project - which are not already dedicated to debt servicing or financing the annual budget - have been identified. "We should perhaps instead call the MIF the "Sovereign Liability Fund" as it will be effectively funded by liabilities. There is also no assurance that the cost of borrowing will be lower than the yield to be generated by the SWF," Hontiveros said. "The Philippines already has a high level of debt to finance government programs and no new sources of funds have come into consideration since the MIF discussions started. Instead of paying our debts, we are putting up an SWF, the effect of which is, the Philippines is borrowing more money for the SWF," she added. During the hearing, National Treasurer Rosalia De Leon said that the government intends to attract more equities so offshore and domestic investors, including those from the private sector, will have long-term placements in the MIF and share in the risks of the fund. De Leon said that the additional funding in the form of equities can later reduce the fiscal pressure on government and eventually lower the country's debt matrix. Hontiveros however pointed out that the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) are already able to use their investible funds as equity for investments aligned with national priorities, even without the MIF. "Why weaken Land Bank and DBP by de-capitalizing them in favor of the MIF? I see no additional service by the Maharlika Investment Fund that DBP and Land Bank cannot render," she added. What is missing, according to Hontiveros, "is a portfolio of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and other strategic projects that are already showing good revenue streams that can attract equity from abroad, so that the government does not have to borrow all the time." She also said that the MIF is sure to drastically expand the country's outstanding debt, which has already reached a record high of P13.644 trillion by the end of November 2022, due to government spending over the years outpacing revenue collections. The senator then noted that the additional foreign debt burden to be created by the MIF is contrary to the Marcos administration's own plan of bringing down the nation's outstanding debt- GDP ratio from 63.7% down to 55% by the end of 2028. "Taliwas ang dagdag utang na siguradong dadalhin ng MIF sa sariling plano ng pamahalaan na pababain ang foreign debt ng bansa. We would be better off strengthening existing economic and financial institutions and fulfilling our developmental aspirations," Hontiveros concluded.
Gov. Doug Burgum on Wednesday named a new information technology chief for North Dakota's state government.

The governor named Kuldip Mohanty, chief information officer of Chicago-based global insurance brokerage HUB International Ltd., as chief information officer for the state Information Technology Department.

The job is a Cabinet-level position. Mohanty begins Feb. 23.

He has nearly 30 years of IT experience in the private sector. He replaces Shawn Riley, who held the job from 2017-22 and left in December to join Bitzero International as its new CEO of American operations.

Kuldip brings a wealth of experience in modernizing services and transforming IT that will help the state of North Dakota become more efficient and responsive, serving citizens 24/7 with smart, easy-to-use systems, Burgum said in a statement. With his leadership of the outstanding team at NDIT, we look forward to building upon North Dakotas reputation as a national leader in cybersecurity as we reduce redundancies, improve services and enhance the security of citizens data.

Mohanty said in a statement: It is a great honor and privilege to serve the people of North Dakota. Im thankful to Gov. Burgum for the opportunity to lead the amazing team at North Dakota Information Technology. I look forward to building on the momentum and successes of NDIT and collaborating with all stakeholders to build a citizen-centric, frictionless customer experience.

Deputy Chief Information Officer Greg Hoffman has served as interim leader of the IT Department since December.

Riley resigned in October. He was the seventh Cabinet member to announce his or her departure in four months, including retirements.

The IT Department has a $275 million operating budget, over $500 million in projects and 479 full-time employees.

Mohanty's annual salary will be $238,000.
Minnesota Enshrines Most Extreme Abortion Policy Into State Law as Fundamental Right

Gov. Tim Walz (D-Minn.) signed the Protect Reproductive Options (PRO) Act on Tuesday, which enshrines what Republicans call the most extreme abortion policy into state law as a fundamental right.

Minnesota Republicans and pro-life groups have said the law means that the elective killing of an unborn child is legal, even in the third trimester, and that parents have no right to know about their daughters abortion.

The Democrat-controlled Minnesota state Senate passed the bill on Feb. 28 in a close vote of 3433, divided along party lines. The bills passage was quick, taking place in the opening weeks of the legislative session.

The PRO Act also prohibits local governments from enacting restrictions on abortion that are narrower than those established by the state.

Before signing the bill, Walz noted the legislation codifies existing protections for the right to an abortion in the state constitution in case a future state Supreme Court overturns the decision.

To Minnesotans, know that your access to reproductive health and your right to make your own health care decisions are preserved and protected, Walz said. And because of this law, that wont change with the political winds or the make-up of the Supreme Court.

The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), the Minnesota branch of the Democratic Party, gained control of the legislature and governors office in the 2022 midterms in a legislative trifecta for the first time since 20132014. They have a 7064 majority in the state House.

People participate in the March for Life rally in Washington, on Jan. 20, 2023. (Patrick Semansky/AP Photo)

Amendments Rejected

The passage of the bill faced opposition, with state Democrats defeating several amendments put forward by Republicans.

According to pro-life organizations, the amendments aimed to protect unborn children in the third trimester, ban partial-birth abortion, provide the option of anesthesia during painful dismemberment abortions, and ban sex-selection and other discriminatory abortions when an unborn child is thought to have Down syndrome.

Other rejected amendments sought to ensure that third-trimester abortions take place in a hospital and that abortion facilities be licensed by the state.

The Minnesota GOP said Democrats are pushing the most extreme pro-abortion legislation in the country while rejecting reasonable limitations aimed at protecting women and children.

As Democrats keep pushing this dangerous and extreme agenda through, they continue to vote down reasonable protections for women and childrenincluding guardrails like limits on late-term abortions or providing parental notification or consent, said Minnesota GOP Executive Director Mike Lonergan in a statement.

Lonegrain said the Democrats abortion agenda is extreme and out of step with Minnesota.

The Midwestern state has become a popular destination for women seeking abortions since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022.

Since the ruling, there has been a 13 percent increase in patients traveling to Minnesota from out of state seeking abortions, and a 40 percent increase in patients seeking second-trimester abortions.

Pro-life activists demonstrate in front of the U.S. Supreme Court after the Court announced a ruling in the Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization case in Washington on June 24, 2022. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Elective Killing  Perfectly Legal

Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL) criticized the law as extreme, inhumane, and harmful for allowing nearly unrestricted abortion for any reason on demand up to birth and without parental consent for minors.

It means that the elective killing of a human being in utero is perfectly legal even in the third trimester of pregnancy, when the child can feel excruciating pain and could live outside the womb, said the organizations Co-Executive Director Cathy Blaeser. It means that parents have no right to know when their teenage daughter has been taken to undergo an abortion.

She added that the governors absolutist abortion policy puts the state in the company of North Korea and China.

The pro-life state organization accused Democrats of downplaying the reality of elective late-term abortions, citing a poll that shows only 30 percent of Minnesotans think abortions should always be legal, 25 percent think it should have limitations, and 26 percent think it should be illegal except in rare cases of rape, incest, and to save the life of the mother. Only 12 percent thought abortion should always be illegal.

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser accused Democrats of being radically pro-abortion and competing to be the most extreme.

Seven in ten Americans want more protections for the unborn and less abortion, not more, Dannenfelser said in a statement, referring to a Marist Poll commission by the Knights of Columbus (pdf), which states that 69 percent of Americans support limiting abortion to the first three months of pregnancy.

Yet one after another, Minnesota Democrats blocked commonsense safeguards to protect unborn babies from excruciating pain; stop lethal discrimination against unborn children because of their sex, race, or disability like Down syndrome; end the abortion industrys exploitation of young girls; and many more, she continued.

She added the Democrats even voted down a ban on barbaric partial-birth abortions.

The passage of the bill makes Minnesota the first state to enact new statutory rights following the U.S. Supreme Courts decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

The Republican National Committee has urged all candidates, consultants, and political action groups to actively expose the Democrats abortion policies ahead of the 2024 elections and to adopt the GOPs stance.
MPs Vote Unanimously to Resettle 10,000 Displaced Uyghurs Fleeing Genocide by Beijing

Liberal MP for Pierrefonds-Dollard Sameer Zuberi speaks during a news conference on Feb. 1, 2023 in Ottawa. (The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld)

MPs have voted unanimously in favour of a motion that calls on the federal government to resettle 10,000 Uyghurs in Canada over the next two years, in an effort to support those fleeing an ongoing genocide by Beijing.

Introduced by Liberal MP Sameer Zuberi, the private members motion was passed in Parliament on Feb. 1 with a unanimous vote of 322-0.

What just happened was historic, Zuberi said in a press conference after the vote. This was the first time that cabinet pronounced itself on the issue of the Uyghurs.

The vote comes almost two years after the House adopted a motion on Feb. 22, 2021, that recognized the persecution against the Uyghurs by the Peoples Republic of China as an act of genocide.

The latest motion, M-62, calls on Ottawa to take further action to support members of the Uyghur community in China, as well as those living abroad, to escape Beijings persecution.

The motion urged Ottawa to recognize that Uyghurs and Turkic Muslims who have fled to other countries face harassment and intimidation by Beijing to return to China, where theyre at serious risk of mass arbitrary detention, mass arbitrary separation of children from their parents, forced sterilization, forced labour, torture and other atrocities.

M-62 further asked the government to acknowledge that many of the host countries are also facing continued diplomatic and economic pressure from China to detain and deport Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims, leaving them without a safe haven in the world.

Resettlement

Experts have estimated that one to three million Uyghurs are being arbitrarily detained in internment camps.

The Chinese authorities have previously denied the existence of such camps. Facing increasing international scrutiny, the regime shifted in August 2018 to frame such camps as vocational training facilities.

A facility believed to be a reeducation camp where mostly Muslim ethnic minorities are detained, in Artux, north of Kashgar in Chinas western Xinjiang region, on June 2, 2019. (Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images)

To address the ongoing persecution, M-62 asks the government to leverage the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canadas Refugee and Humanitarian Resettlement Program to expedite the entry into Canada of 10,000 Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims, over two years starting in 2024.

It also asks that following the adoption of the motion, a report be presented in the House within 120 sitting days detailing how to implement the refugee resettlement plan. MPs also voted unanimously on Feb. 1, to amend M-62, shortening this period to 100 sitting days.

The amendment, introduced by NDP MP Jenny Kwan, also asked the government to ensure corresponding additional immigration levels in the refugee streams so that other persecuted members in the global community seeking safety in Canada are not impacted by the expedition of the 10,000 Uyghurs to Canada.

Many People Sacrificed

Zuberi said there are approximately 1,600 documented cases of Uyghurs being deported or detained in third countries at the behest of Beijing since 1997, citing a report from the U.S.-based Wilson Center.

Whats happening to the Uyghur people is unacceptable, Zuberi said.

Mehmet Tohti, executive director of the Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project, said many people have sacrificed to pass the motion and to stand up to Beijing, including many of his own family members.

I received a phone call on Jan. 16 from Chinese security officials with the presence of my cousin, and I learned that my two sisters already died in concentration camps, and my three brothers disappeared, and that my mother also died, Tohti said at the press conference.

They (Chinese security officials) called me just to stop this initiative, he said.

Many people sacrificed. This is not easy. Doing advocacy against China is not easy, he added. Many of our community members in Canada, Uyghur-Canadians, sacrificed their family members just to speak up. And for this reason, we value this motion.
NATO Chief Condemns Chinas Bullying, Calls for JapanNATO Cooperation

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (L) and Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida shake hands after holding a joint media briefing in Tokyo on Jan. 31, 2023. (Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images)

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is condemning Chinas communist regime for bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan.

During a visit to Tokyo on Jan. 31, Stoltenberg said that its a critical moment for NATO and for Japan, and warned that China and Russia are leading an authoritarian pushback against international rules-based order.

He further stressed that Japan and other democratic nations should work together with NATO to prevent the erosion of the international rules-based order at the hands of the Chinese regime, and that the trans-Atlantic and IndoPacific regions are deeply interconnected.

China is substantially building up its military forces, including nuclear weapons, bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan, trying to control critical infrastructure and spreading misinformation about NATO and the war in Ukraine, Stoltenberg said.

China is not our adversary, but we must understand the scale of the challenge and work together to address it.

In an interview with Nikkei, Stoltenberg said that any attempt by China to unilaterally change the status quo with Taiwan would draw severe consequences.

Japan and NATO Seek Peace and Stability



Japan, which is one of the United States closest allies, has expanded its military ties with other IndoPacific nations in recent years, as well as with Britain, Europe, and NATO amid growing threats from communist powers in China and North Korea.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida welcomed NATOs engagement in the IndoPacific region and announced that Japan will open a delegation office at NATO and plans to regularly attend high-level council meetings and chiefs of defense meetings to promote closer communication between Japan and the alliance.

Kishida said that he and Stoltenberg also agreed to advance ties in areas such as cyberspace, space, disinformation, and critical and emerging technologies.

They also issued a joint statement saying that NATO and Japan view one another as reliable and natural partners, who share common values of freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, as well as strategic interests.

The statement also warns that China and Russias growing military cooperation, including drills around Japans territorial waters, could destabilize the region.

With regard to Chinas rapid strengthening of its military capabilities and expansion of military activities, we strongly encourage China to improve transparency and to cooperate constructively with international efforts for arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation, the statement says.

Similarly, the duo stressed the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and called on Chinas communist regime to desist from its aggressive provocations against Taiwan.

Our basic positions on Taiwan remain unchanged, and we emphasize the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element in security and prosperity in the international community, the statement says.

Japans government issued a new national security strategy in December, which outlined its intent to build up its military and deploy long-range missiles to preempt enemy attacks for the first time since World War II. Japan also plans to double its defense spending over five years and improve military ties with the United States.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
NDP Seeks to Probe Federal Contracts With Other Consulting FirmsNot Just McKinsey

New Democrat MP Gord Johns is bringing forward a motion to the committee to expand the scope of the study. Johns speaks during a news conference, Oct. 5, 2022 in Ottawa. (The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld)

The NDP is calling on a House of Commons committee to expand its study of federal contracts awarded to McKinsey & Company and include other consulting firms that have received large contracts.

New Democrat MP Gord Johns is bringing forward a motion to expand the scope of the study to include other firms including Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Accenture, KPMG, and Ernst & Young.

McKinsey has received attention in recent weeks after media reports highlighted the rapid growth of the companys work for Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus Liberal government.

Canadians are really upset to see that the Liberal government has given hundreds of millions of dollars to a private company instead of letting Canadas public service do the jobs we hired them to do, Johns said in a press release.

We need to get to the bottom of how much money has been spent in contracting with private companies, outside of McKinsey, under both the Liberals and Conservatives.

The government operations committee will hold its next meeting on the McKinsey contracts later today and will hear from Dominic Barton, the firms former global managing director.

The Liberal governments relationship with Barton has come under scrutiny amid questions about the extent of the firms influence on public policy.

Barton was the chair of an advisory council on economic growth for former finance minister Bill Morneau and later served as Canadas ambassador to China.

A researcher testifying before the committee on Monday called the focus on McKinsey a distraction.

Amanda Clarke, an associate professor of public administration at Carleton University, said the study should focus on the public services reliance on consulting firms overall.

The focus on outsourcing and contracting in the federal government is the broad enough umbrella to get at these issues and any given firm, Clarke said Monday.
Nebraska Police Fatally Shoot Man Who Opened Fire Inside Omaha Target Store

A U.S. Marshal is pictured on the scene of a reported shooting at a Target store in Omaha, Neb., on Jan. 31, 2023. (Chris Machian/Omaha World-Herald via AP)

A man armed with an AR-15-style rifle and more than a dozen loaded magazines was shot dead by Nebraska police officers after he reportedly fired shots inside a Target store in the city of Omaha, according to local authorities.

Todd Schmaderer, chief of police in Omaha, said the department received reports of an active shooting shortly before 12 p.m. in a Target located on 178th and West Center Road.

Calls started coming into our 911 center about an active shooter within Target, Schmaderer said. That initiated a heavy local, state, and federal response. You saw the police officers here. Everybody in this city responded to this call if they were able to.

Schmaderer said the suspect, who has only been identified as a white male in his 30s, was carrying 13 magazines. According to a subsequent investigation, he fired multiple shots upon entering the big box department store, although it wasnt immediately clear if he intended to fire at anyone.

Police said responding officers gave numerous loud verbal commands for the suspect to drop the rifle before an Omaha officer fired their service weapon, striking the suspect. The man was declared deceased at the scene by Omaha Fire Department personnel.

Following the confrontation with the suspect, officers conducted a thorough search of the store three times before declaring the scene safe, police said in a press release. Officers did not locate any victims of gunfire, and as of the time of this press release, no victims have arrived at local hospitals. During the search, officers located bullet casings inside the store.

Authorities said the suspect will be identified once next of kin have been notified.

Sheer Panic

The sound of gunfire sent panicked shoppers and employees scrambling for safety as police rushed to the scene.

Lauren Murphy, who was working at the store when the shooting transpired, had just started her break when she heard the shots. Murphy got a text telling her to either run or stay putso she hid in a bathroom stall, lifting her feet off the ground, and began texting her family and friends to say she loved them.

I was scared that this is how I might die at work, the 21-year-old Target employee said. I was just clutching onto the side of the toilet getting my feet off the ground, making sure I wasnt visible.

Target employees Lauren Murphy and Samuel Jacobsen speak to reporters after a man entered the Omaha, Neb., store where they worked with a gun and began firing before he was fatally shot by police on Jan. 31, 2023. (Josh Funk/AP Photo)

Another 21-year-old employee, Samuel Jacobsen, was filling a personal shopping order when he heard the first gunshot. But he wasnt sure what the sound was and continued to work.

My coworker ran by and she said, Hes got a gun, get out!' Jacobsen said. I was like, Oh, this is real. I have to get out, I have to get out.'

At least 29 calls to 911 came in around noon, and the citys police chief said officers were at the store within minutes. The first officers on the scene included Omaha police officers and a Nebraska State Trooper.

Brian Harper-Tibaldo, a Target spokesman, said in a statement obtained by The Associated Press that all shoppers and employees were safely evacuated from the store, which will remain closed indefinitely.

Omaha police are asking anyone who was at the scene during the shooting and has not yet spoken to investigators to call 402-444-4877 to share any information they may have.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From NTD News
New Chair Daines Boosts Hill Committees Voice in Republican Primaries

A photo released by Rep. Jim Banks' office on Aug. 9, 2022, shows former President Donald Trump and members of the committee at Trump's New Jersey residence. (Office of Rep. Jim Banks/Twitter)

The new leader of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) seems to be following through on his pledge to do more to build a Republican Senate majoritya move that could have significant downstream implications for former President Donald Trumps influence on the Grand Old Party.

Im looking forward to working with one of our top recruits this cycle, Jim Banks, to keep Indiana red in 2024, said the NRSCs new chair, Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), in a statement on the committees website after former Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels announced his decision not to run for the seat.

Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) in the Senate subway area of the Capitol before President Donald Trumps State of the Union address in Washington on Feb. 4, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Banks is seeking to fill the seat now held by Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.), who will run for Indiana governor in 2024.

Daines predecessor at the helm of Senate Republicans campaign arm, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), did not endorse candidates during the 2022 primaries.

The committees strategic maneuvers are playing out against the backdrop of Senate Republicans lackluster performance during the midterms.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) singled out Trumps endorsements in the cycle for criticism.

Our ability to control the primary outcome was quite limited in 2022 because the support of the former president proved to be very decisive in these primaries.

So my view was do the best you can with the cards youre dealt. Now, hopefully, in the next cycle well have quality candidates everywhere and a better outcome, he said to reporters in December.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) speaks during a news conference following a closed-door lunch meeting with Senate Republicans at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 24, 2023, in Washington. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Daines told Fox News in December that, as NRSC chair, he will work with Trump and other GOP leaders.

The Montana senator said the former commander-in-chief helped our party raise a lot of money and energized our base.

Against the candidate quality narrative, some have argued that Republican insiders did not do enough to support all of the men and women backed by Trump.

In November 2022, Arizona Senate candidate Blake Masters told Fox News Tucker Carlson that McConnells spending against Alaska Republican Senate primary candidate Kelly Tshibaka showed the longtime Kentucky lawmaker was incompetent.

Masters also criticized McConnell for the Senate Leadership Funds financial decisions in the run-up to Novembers election.

Republican J.D. Vance greets supporters in Columbus, Ohio, after winning the U.S. Senate race on Nov. 8, 2022. (Everitt Townsend)

The Super PAC opted to channel money away from Masters Arizona contest, which pitted the Silicon Valley venture capitalist against incumbent Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), a retired astronaut.

Had he [McConnell] chosen to spend money in Arizona, this race would be over, and we would be celebrating a Senate majority, he said.

For now, though, Rep. Banks (R-Ind.) success in garnering support from other Republicans doesnt exactly seem like a blow to Trumps influence on the GOPa party that the former president has significantly reshaped through his rhetoric on trade, immigration, and the Swamp of permanent Washington.

While the field looked more crowded in December, no other major contender emerged on the Republican side. Daines endorsement looks less risky.

Banks, a conservative congressman who supported Trumps 2020 presidential candidacy, invited the former president to campaign with him in a January 2023 interview with the Daily Mail.

In that same interview, he suggested that less conservative figures in the GOP were seeking to recruit a more moderate candidate.

The Indiana Republican has made headlines for his vision of a new anti-woke caucus in the Republican-controlled House.

Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), whose campaign was endorsed by Trump and supported by Donald Trump, Jr., has already announced his support for Banks.

He also declared his support for Trumps 2024 presidential bid.

The Epoch Times has reached out to Daines for comment.
New Mexico Candidate Indicted in Drive-By Shooting Case

Solomon Pena (C), a Republican candidate for New Mexico House District 14, is taken into custody by Albuquerque Police officers in southwest Albuquerque, N.M., on Jan. 16, 2023. (Roberto E. Rosales/The Albuquerque Journal via AP)

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.A political newcomer who lost his bid for the New Mexico statehouse has been indicted on charges of allegedly orchestrating a series of drive-by shootings at the homes of Democratic officials.

A Bernalillo County grand jury returned a 14-count indictment Monday against Solomon Pena, prosecutors said. The counts include criminal solicitation to commit shooting at a dwelling, shooting at a dwelling, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

The 39-year-old felon remains in custody after a judge last week ordered him to be held without bond pending trial.

Detectives identified Pena as their key suspect using a combination of cellphone and vehicle records, witness interviews and bullet casings collected at the lawmakers homes.

Authorities arrested Pena on Jan. 9, accusing him of paying for a father and son and two other unidentified men to shoot at the officials homes between early December and early January. The shootings followed his unsuccessful Republican bid for a district long considered a Democratic stronghold. He claimed the election was rigged.

No one was hurt, but the case reignited the debate over whether lawmakers should make it harder for people accused of violent crimes to make bail. Lawmakers during this legislative session also are considering a measure that would shield the home addresses of elected officials.

Solomon Pena listens as Judge David Murphy orders the defendant to remain behind bars during a court appearance in Albuquerque, N.M., on Jan. 23, 2023. (Roberto E. Rosales/The Albuquerque Journal via AP)

Prosecutors have outlined Penas previous time in prison and described him as the ringleader of a group that he assembled to shoot at peoples homes, saying ballistics testing determined that a firearm found in the trunk of a car registered to Pena was linked to at least one shooting. Another man was found driving that car and was arrested on an unrelated warrant.

Penas defense attorney has raised questions about the credibility of a confidential witness that shared information with authorities, saying some of the statements used in a criminal complaint were contradictory. She also argued her clients criminal history did not involve any violent convictions or crimes involving firearms and that he has not been in trouble with the lawother than two traffic citationssince his release from prison in 2016.

Court records show Pena was incarcerated for several years after being arrested in 2007 in connection with what authorities described as a smash-and-grab burglary scheme that targeted retail stores. His voting rights were restored after he completed probation in 2021.

By Susan Montoya Bryan
Oregon Kidnapping Suspect Dies of Self-Inflicted Gunshot

GRANTS PASS, Ore.A suspect in a violent kidnapping in Oregon died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound Tuesday night after being taken into custody following a standoff with law enforcement, a police spokesman said.

Grants Pass Police Department Lt. Jeff Hattersley told KTVL-TV that Benjamin Obadiah Foster, 36, died at a hospital hours after he was taken into custody in Grants Pass, Oregon.

Foster barricaded himself under a house as officers from four agencies concentrated in the area, set up a command post, and assembled a SWAT team while attempting to secure his surrender beginning Tuesday afternoon.

Just before 8 p.m., Hattersley said the situation had been resolved but did not immediately confirm whether Foster had been arrested. Police later confirmed Foster was in custody, but a little more than an hour later said he had succumbed to his injuries.

Hattersley said authorities received credible information that Foster had entered the home where a woman was found unconscious, bound, and near death on Jan. 24, The Daily Courier reported. She was hospitalized in critical condition.

As police gathered at the home where Foster was located, some area residents received a notification to shelter in place, the Daily Courier reported.

Law enforcement officers aim their weapons at a home during a standoff in Grants Pass, Ore., on Jan. 31, 2023. (Scott Stoddard/Grants Pass Daily Courier via AP)

Foster was spotted Tuesday morning walking a dog in the Grants Pass area, according to a Grants Pass Police Department Facebook post.

Last Thursday, law enforcement raided a property in the unincorporated community of Wolf Creek, but Foster, who had been staying on family property there, slipped away. Forested mountains surround the community, but investigators believe that instead of disappearing solo into the wilderness, Foster had help getting out of the area.

Grants Pass is a town of some 40,000 in southwest Oregon next to Interstate 5.

In 2019, before moving to Oregon, Foster held his then-girlfriend captive inside her Las Vegas apartment for two weeks. He initially was charged with five felonies, including assault and battery, and faced decades in prison upon conviction.

Foster reached a deal with Clark County prosecutors in August 2021 that allowed him to plead guilty to one felony count of battery and a misdemeanor count of battery constituting domestic violence.

A judge sentenced him to up to 2 1/2 years in a Nevada prison. But after the 729 days he had spent in jail awaiting trial were factored into his punishment, Foster was left to serve less than 200 additional days in state custody.
Paid Domestic Violence Leave Takes Effect in Australia

A staff member packs oysters at the Sydney Fish Market in Sydney, Australia, on April 14, 2022. (Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)

Millions of workers across Australia will now have access to paid domestic violence leave, while some others will have to wait until August as the new law comes into effect on Feb. 1.

Under the new legislation, employees at Australian businesses with a headcount of over 15 will receive ten days of paid family and domestic violence leave per year, starting from Feb. 1.

The new arrangement will replace the existing five days of unpaid leave under the National Employment Standards.

Apart from full-time workers, the legislation also covers part-time and casual employees.

Workers can take leave to deal with the impact of family and domestic violence while still receiving the full pay rates (including incentive-based payments and bonuses) that they would have earned if they were not on leave.

The leave renews every 12 months for employees and does not accumulate from year to year if they do not use it.

In addition, it will not appear on workers payslips to protect them from other risks.

Small businesses (with 15 employees or less) will have until Aug. 1 to implement the changes. This means unpaid leave is the only available option for their workers until this time.

The government said at least seven million employees working for large or medium businesses would be covered under the new law.

Response from the Government and Business Community

During a meeting with union workers and advocates on Jan. 31, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it was remarkable that until now, people subject to domestic violence had to choose between pay slips and physical safety.

This is a day, frankly, which we wish we didnt have to have, but we do, Albanese said.

No woman should ever have to choose between her job and her safety.

Let us hope that in putting in place this measure, its used less and less in the future.

At the same time, the prime minister said part of tackling domestic violence required people to open up and talk about the issue.

So this is a policy that is about women and their children, but its also about men. Its about changing behaviours. Its about sending that message, he said.

A member of the cleaning staff wipes down a table in the State Library of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, on June 1, 2020. (Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)

Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke said workers safety was the reason the government included casuals and loading rates in the new measure.

Normally, we dont give leave entitlements to casuals, but if you dont on this, then a whole portion of the workforce is going to have to choose between their safety and their pay, he said.

Meanwhile, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), the largest business association in the country, said it supported the new government policy.

ACCI supports family and domestic violence leave recognising that employers want to be able to assist and support employees suffering from family and domestic violence, a spokesperson told The Epoch Times.

The scourge of family and domestic violence is a serious and pervasive social problem, requiring a whole community response.

At the same time, the spokesperson said ACCI expected the impact of the legislation on local businesses would be minimal as many employers were already implementing paid domestic violence leave.

The State of Domestic Violence in Australia

A significant portion of the Australian population has experienced domestic violence.

According to the most recent Personal Safety Survey by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, one in six Australian women, or 1.6 million people, have experienced either physical or sexual violence, or both, by a current or a previous partner since the age of 15.

While men are less likely to appear in the headline as victims of domestic violence, around one in sixteen Australian men, or 548,000 people, have been subject to physical or sexual abuse by their partners since the age of 15.

Furthermore, 1.2 million people, or 6.6 percent of the population, reported having experienced violence from another family member.

People look at a petition during a March 4 Justice rally against sexual violence in Melbourne, Australia on Feb. 27, 2022. (William West/AFP via Getty Images)

During the first 12 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, 9.6 percent of women reported having experienced physical violence by their partners, while 3.4 percent said they were subject to physical abuse for the first time.

Around 42 percent of women saw an increase in the frequency or severity of physical violence from their partners.

Meanwhile, the survey found children to be more vulnerable to domestic violence as the impacts and outcomes of violence could be more serious or long-lasting for this group of population.

Around one in 14 Australians said they were subject to physical abuse by a family member when they were less than 15 years old, while one in 30 experienced sexual violence as a child.

Regarding support services, only 28 percent of male victims sought help, advice or support compared to 50 percent of women.

Australians seeking information and support about domestic violence can use the below contact details.

1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)

Lifeline 13 11 14

Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636
Peter Menzies: A Horrid Thing: Sen. Richards Withering Rebuke of Bill C-11

The Senate of Canada building and Senate Chamber are pictured in Ottawa on Feb. 18, 2019. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick)

Commentary

Canadas first wave of internet speech regulation was poised to pass in the Senate this week but not before it was rhetorically demolished by one of the nations leading authors.

The idea of any hierarchical politico deciding what a man or woman is allowed to write to fit a proscribed national agenda is a horrid thing, Sen. David Richards, a Liberal appointee from New Brunswick, told the Senate during third reading of Bill C-11, the Online Streaming Act.

Sen. David Richards

I am wondering if anyone on the staff of our Minister of Canadian Heritage understands this. In Germany, it was called the National Ministry for Public Enlightenment, and every radio station was run by Joseph Goebbelscomplete ideological manipulation in the name of national purity.

Bill C-11 is the first of three pieces of legislation being introduced under the watch of the Liberal government. It puts regulation of the global internet under the authority of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), which defines what qualifies as official Canadian content (CanCon). The other bills are the Online News Act, upon which the Senate is about to deliberate, and the Online Harms Act, which has yet to be introduced in the House of Commons.

When initially introduced, Sen. Richards, who has won Governor Generals Award for both fiction and non-fiction, two Gemini Awards for screenwriting, and the esteemed Giller Prize, gave the Online Streaming Act and the official CanCon establishment it protects a withering review.

Some years ago, I was at a dinner with some very important, famous people. One academic mentioned that he had given his entire life for Canadian literature, Richards told the Senate in June 2021. Others there applauded him for doing so. When I was writing my fourth novel, we sold our 20-year-old car to pay the rent; and my wife, to keep us alive, was selling Amway door-to-door in the middle of winter. I believe she gave her life for Canadian literature as well, but she didnt get to that dinner.

For that reason, in her honour, I will always and forever stand against any bill that subjects freedom of expression to the doldrums of governmental oversight, and I implore others to do the same. I dont think this bill needs amendments; I think, however, it needs a stake through the heart.

Bill C-11 pits Canadas approved CanCon producers, who have plied their trade for decades thanks to government funding, against the countrys market-based, unregulated creators who have blossomed on platforms such as YouTube. Notable success stories among the latter include musicians such as Drake, Shawn Mendes, and Justin Beiber, none of whom would qualify as official CanCon artists.

It also defines the internet as broadcasting and puts it under the control of the CRTCs government-appointed commissioners. They, through the Broadcasting Act, are empowered to assure content is of a high standarda term so loose and sweeping it permits censorship either directly or by proxy through the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council.

Richards took no prisoners this week in his assessment of its threat to freedom of expression.

I think, overall, we have lately become a land of scapegoaters and finger-pointers, offering accusations and shame while believing we are a woke society, he said.

Cultural committees are based as much in bias and fear as anything else. Ive seen enough artistic committees to know that. Thats what George Orwell says we must resist, is a prison of self-censorship. This bill goes a long way to construct such a prison.

Speaking of finger-pointers, just a day earlier Jenna Sudds, Liberal MP (Kanata-Carleton in Ottawa) and parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, was accusing Jordan Peterson of spreading, far-right, misogynistic rhetoric in my riding tonight.

Instead of condemning Petersons hate (hate speech is a Criminal Code offence), Pierre Poilievre is defending him, she said.

So there you have ita member of Parliament whose duty it is to uphold the Constitution, denouncing the leader of His Majestys Opposition for doing just that.

It just doesnt get much crazier than that.

Or wait, maybe it will. Petersons wildly popular YouTube channel will soon be within the CRTCs ability to regulate to ensure it meets the bureaucracys definition of high standard. Ms. Sudds may yet have her way.

At the other end of the country, the University of Lethbridge oxymoronically cancelled a lecture on How Wokeism Threatens Academic Freedom by Frances Widdowson, who had been fired from Calgarys Mount Royal University. Widdowson was denounced for pointing to educational benefits of Indian Residential Schools and for saying in 2020 that Black Lives Matter had ruined MRU.

Her cancelling led, in response, to Alberta Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides announcing the provincial government would be taking further steps to protect free speech on campuses.

Which brings us, in conclusion, back to this weeks cautionary words from Sen. Richards.

Alexandr Solzhenitsyns (book) In the First Circle was smuggled away from the Soviet Bloc.  One of the grand scenes in it is of a novelist, a favourite of Stalin, sitting down to write a novel and saying to himself, I will now write the truth. But feeling in his mind Stalins eye upon him, he decides that he cannot and says, The next novel will be the real one.

We live in dangerous times.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
House Bill 1311 may not be the best way to achieve its goal, but it certainly highlights a problem in the North Dakota House.

Rep. Vicky Steiner, R-Dickinson, and five other female Republican representatives are sponsoring the bill. It would require the House majority leader to name female members to chair two of the Houses 11 standing committees each session.

It also would require the appointees to hold anti-abortion views if the Republican Partys platform includes an anti-abortion plank. And it gives female representatives the opportunity to elect two women to Legislative Management which oversees the Legislatures work between sessions.

The bill faces an uphill battle after receiving a do-not-pass recommendation from the House Judiciary Committee on an 8-5 vote last week. Five of the seven women on the committee voted for it.

Some opponents of the bill argued it creates a gender-related quota which goes against conservative values. Committee Chairman Larry Klemin, R-Bismarck, suggested the lack of women chairs could be best addressed through the internal rules process.

While the bill appears doomed, the problem that it aims to tackle will still exist. The bill applies only to the House since the Senate has three women chairing committees. The Houses lack of women in leadership positions is obvious. A woman hasnt chaired a House standing committee since 2013. Legislative Management has included Republican female representatives only two out of the last 20 years.

What really rubs some Republican women wrong is that women with more experience have been passed over for junior legislators who are male.

Theres no doubt its a male-dominated Legislature. Only about a fourth of the legislators are women, which ranks the state in the bottom 10 nationally for female legislative representation, according to the Center for American Women and Politics.

There are a number of factors for the low number of women in the North Dakota Legislature. Not enough women being recruited to run for office ranks high among the reasons.

Steiner was blunt in her assessment of the last three Republican men in charge of the House. They pick their own team, their own inner circle of men who are their friends, Steiner said.

House Majority Leader Mike Lefor, R-Dickinson, said he seriously considered two women to chair committees, but they both opted to be on the House Appropriations Committee. Still, going 10 years without a woman chairing a House committee is a dismal record. Its one that male legislators should be aware of without a bill demanding fairness.

The Tribune editorial board expects the female sponsors of the bill didnt have high hopes of it passing. They wanted to issue a wake-up call to male House members that that they are fed up.

The Tribune believes the bill is flawed. For one thing, why require the women to be anti-abortion if its in the partys platform? Why not ask the women to support the entire partys platform? It seems out of place in the bill.

Opponents were correct when they said the bill goes against Republican principles that oppose gender-related quotas. And Klemin was right to suggest the internal rules process.

The question is whether Republican men will listen to the concerns of women. Will they give them a fair hearing and acknowledge they havent done enough to promote women into leadership positions? The past track record of the men doesnt bode well for the Republican women.

Its unfortunate because one former female legislator is revered by Republicans. Brynhild Haugland served in the House for 52 years. When she retired in 1990 she was the longest-serving legislative incumbent in the nation. She chaired the House Social Services and Veterans Affairs Committee for 38 years.

One of the Legislatures committee rooms is named after her. Hauglands contributions to the state were many. The Republican men in the House need to remember this and work with the women to adjust the rules.

Its not only fair and the right thing to do, but it will benefit the state.
Recognising A Better Way Forward for Australians

The Aboriginal Tent Embassy holds a family BBQ and entertainment in Canberra, Australia, on Jan. 26, 2023. (Martin Ollman/Getty Images)

Commentary

The federal Labor governments proposal to enshrine an Indigenous Voice to Parliament in the Constitution is the wrong way to recognise Aboriginal people or help those in need.

It is simply not true that Indigenous communities are not heard in the public arena.

What started with a trickle of Aboriginal voices, with the election in 1971 of Neville Bonner from Queensland to the Senate on behalf of the Liberal Party, has now steadily grown to 11 members of Aboriginal heritage in the 2022 Commonwealth Parliament.

Each member has a voice backed by voters via proper democratic processes, making them a legitimate representation of their electorate and people.

Any mechanism other than normal parliamentary processes undermines the Parliament and the voters right to choose their representatives.

So, what do we see in the Voice?

What we see is a second Voice, a second bite of the cherryfor one group only.

The proposal also smacks of paternalism without proof that it will help those who are desperately in need.

So, with the announcement of the No Case Committee on the referendum called Recognise a Better Way, there will be a showcase of many other voices, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, who will be in opposition to the governments misplaced and unnecessary proposal.

This picture shows the Opera House illuminated in the colours of the Aboriginal flag in Sydney on Australia Day on Jan. 26, 2023. (Robert Wallace/AFP via Getty Images)

There is also a lack of appreciation of the inherent problem from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who in the aftermath of the May 2022 election, said, I commit to the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full.

His Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney recently also claimed that not enshrining the Voice into Parliament would ignore the wishes of the more than 1,200 First Nations leaders who took part in nationwide consultations that led to the Uluru Statement.

Yet the Statement was composed by a small coterie and presented in Alice Springs to a gathering of just 250 delegates.

It is simply not the wish of a small proportion of the Aboriginal population that counts. It is those of all Australians that count.

In a referendum, that means a majority of votes in a majority of states.

Referenda rarely succeed, and for good reason. The last successful referendum in Australia was in 1977, where three of four propositions were carried.

Interestingly, a referendum on ensuring that Australian Senate and House of Representatives elections were held simultaneously gained 62 percent support nationally but failed in three states. The other successful referenda were essentially housekeeping.

The Voice proposal is not housekeeping; it seeks to upend the Parliament.

Enshrining a Voice Has Its Consequences

Just as non-party aligned independent senators can hold their support to win favours from a desperate government, so too could the Voice hold up legislation in the same manner.

Yet, while independent senators can be removed by voters, and often are, the Voice cannot be removed.

Imagine a future Labor-Greens bloc that wishes to block legislation from the Liberal-National Coalition.

It could run to the Voice and have them hold up legislation on all sorts of pretextslack of consultation, insufficient resources etc.and, if that fails, run to the courts.

Governments are under enough pressure to deliver for all Australians. The Voice will cost Australians forever.

Our Recommendations

Recognise a Better Way understands there is much to do in Aboriginal Australia. It has a three-point plan to recognise prior occupation and help those in need:

Recognise prior occupation of Aboriginal people in a preamble to the constitution. Prior occupation reflects history. The Albanese Voice proposal is a form of recognition of present people who already have a vote and many voices. Establish an all-party Parliamentary standing committee for native title holders. Legislation is unique to these citizens, and there is no awkwardness about identifying who is entitled. Native title holders, with few exceptions, are most in need. The Albanese Voice proposal fails to appreciate that most Aboriginals are doing well. Support Aboriginal community-controlled organisations. Aboriginal Australia is well organised, and politicians never stop consulting with these voices: but their governance must be improved. The Albanese Voice proposal adds another layer to a very crowded field.

Aboriginal Australians do not need more voices; a minority need a way into the wider society.

Written on behalf of Recognise A Better Way, the No Case Committee for the Voice referendum.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Reps. Thompson, Fitzpatrick to Reintroduce Bipartisan Background Checks for Guns Bill

Legislation would require National Instant Criminal Background Check System check on every firearm transfer, including private transactions

A researcher simulates a check done for the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) at the FBIs criminal justice center in Bridgeport, W. Va., on Nov. 18, 2014. (Matt Stroud/AP Photo)

Reps. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) announced on Feb. 1 that they would reintroduce the Bipartisan Background Checks bill. The bill is supported by more than 80 percent of voters, and Congress should act on it as soon as possible, Fitzpatrick said.

The devastating trend of mass shootings by dangerous, unstable individuals who are already ineligible from possessing a gun demands cooperation from both sides of the aisle. This legislation meets that demand, Fitzpatrick said during a press conference.

Fitzpatrick is the latest co-sponsor on the bill Thompson has been pushing since 2012.

The bill would expand the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) to include every firearm transfer. This would include private sales, loaning a firearm, or giving a gun as a gift. Any transfer would have to be handled by a federally licensed gun dealer who would perform the background check to ensure that the parties could legally own a firearm.

Thompson first introduced the bill after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, where a gunman killed 28 people and wounded two others, including 20 children.

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) speaks as Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies before the House Committee On Foreign Affairs on Capitol Hill on March 10, 2021. (Ting Shen-Pool/Getty Images)

Fitzpatrick said background checks are an effective tool in keeping guns out of the hands of individuals who shouldnt have them. He said the bills passage would make society safer and protect children.

We have no higher calling, no higher responsibility than to protect our children, he said.

Thompson echoed Fitzpatricks sentiments. He said the fact that the bill has had bipartisan support indicates how popular the idea is with voters. Thompson said more than 80 percent of Americans support universal background checks, including 72 percent of National Rifle Association members.

He blamed politics for stopping the bill in previous legislative sessions.

The only place in America where background checks are not bipartisan is a corner of the floor of the Senate, Thompson said.

Representatives of several gun control organizations were also on hand for the event.

Keenon James is the director of the Everytown Survivor Network for Everytown for Gun Safety. James, whose brother was shot and killed in 1993, said the bill would close loopholes in the law. He said the shooter in the 2015 mass shooting at a church in Charleston, South Carolina, obtained his gun through such a loophole.

Checks Called Common Sense

James said he knows of at least one website that hosted 1.2 million ads for gun sales with no background checks.

Background checks are common sense and constitutional and should be the law of the land. For gun violence survivors like me, the fight is personal, he said.

Christian Heyne, vice president for policy and programs for Brady, formerly the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, told the gathering that, as a gun violence survivor, he was gratified to see the bills reintroduction.

Its important to see this kind of bipartisan support right out of the gate, he said.

Heynes mother was shot and killed in 2005. He said the bill could prevent similar crimes.

Background Checks Foundation of Gun Laws

The Brady background check system is the foundation upon which all other gun laws can work, Heyne said.

Aidan Johnston, director for federal affairs for Gun Owners of America, said the NICS is dysfunctional and expanding it wont make anyone safer.

Given that the current commercial background check system falsely denies many law-abiding Americans their gun purchases every day and has been abused to create an illegal gun registry and more, its unthinkable to expand the system further. Gun Owners of America is completely opposed to this universal background check proposal, Johnston wrote in an email to The Epoch Times.

NRA spokesman Lars Dalseide sent the following statement in response to an email from The Epoch Times: So-called universal background checks will never be universal because criminals do not comply with the law. They cannot be enforced without a federal gun registry, will do nothing to prevent crime, and will turn otherwise law-abiding citizens into criminals for simply loaning a firearm to a friend or family member.

According to the website, the Charleston shooter legally purchased his firearm two months before the shooting. The loophole referenced is a provision that allows a gun dealer to complete a purchase even if the customers background check hasnt been completed within three days. This is to prevent government agencies from dragging their feet on background checks.

The website references the case of a New Jersey woman who was killed by an ex-spouse 40 days after she had applied for a weapons permit that hadnt been approved.

Information from the website also points out that all commercial firearms transfers, including online and gun show sales, currently require a background check.
Republican States File Lawsuit to Cease DACA Protections for Illegal Immigrants

Students and supporters rally in support of DACA recipients on the day the Supreme Court hears arguments in DACA case in Los Angeles, Calif., on Nov. 12, 2019. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Nine Republican states have filed a lawsuit asking a federal judge to end the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration program, aiming to phase it out over two years, and insisted that President Joe Biden overstepped his authority when he renewed it in 2022.

DACA allows illegal immigrants who arrived in the United States as children to receive a two-year renewable deferred action from deportation, making them eligible for a work permit. President Biden renewed the DACA program last year, transforming it into a federal regulation. The renewal was announced in August 2022. It came into effect on Oct. 31, with the regulation replacing former president Barack Obamas 2012 memo that initially established DACA.

In 2021, U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen declared the 2012 memo as unlawful, a decision upheld by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in 2022. The court decision prevented first-time DACA applications from getting approved by the Biden administration. However, it allows existing DACA beneficiaries to continue renewing their enrollment.

On Tuesday, nine Republican-led states asked Judge Hanen to strike down DACA by finding last years regulations unlawful. They also want the court to phase out the program over two years.

The Final Ruleas the latest manifestation of the DACA programis substantively unlawful for the same reasons as the DACA Memorandum. The Court should declare it unlawful and unconstitutional, vacate it in its entirety, and permanently enjoin its implementation (with a prudent transition for existing DACA recipients), the lawsuit stated.

The nine states that filed the lawsuit are: Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia.

Overstepping Authority

In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs argue that President Biden overstepped his constitutional authority by renewing DACA without getting approval from Congress.

This lawsuit is about the scope of executive power, not the wisdom of any particular immigration policy. No president can unilaterally override Congresss duly enacted laws simply because he prefers different policy choices, it said.

Bidens decision on DACA suffers from the same substantive flaws as Obamas earlier decision that was already found unlawful by this Court and the Fifth Circuit.

The lawsuit stated that roughly 14,000 aliens have used the DACA program to adjust their immigration status, thereby giving them a path to American citizenship which is contrary to law. Bidens renewal last year, called the Final Rule, continues this policy, it argued.

Back in 2017, the Trump administration had tried to terminate DACA, calling it unlawful. However, such attempts were thwarted by the courts.

DACA Beneficiaries, Criminal Elements

Some 800,000 people are estimated to be DACA beneficiaries. Roughly two-thirds of immigrants enrolled in the DACA program are estimated to be between the ages of 21 and 30.

The top countries of origin for DACA beneficiaries include Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, and South Korea. Mexico alone accounts for 81 percent of the beneficiaries.

Critics have accused DACA of allowing criminals into the United States. According to 2018 data from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, almost 8 percent of total DACA requestors were found to have arrest records. The arrests were for offenses like murder, rape, assault, and drunk driving.

Many of the people in DACA, no longer very young, are far from angels. Some are very tough, hardened criminals. President Obama said he had no legal right to sign the order, but would anyway. If Supreme Court remedies with overturn, a deal will be made with Dems for them to stay! former president Donald Trump stated in a tweet on Nov. 12, 2019.

In January, an illegal alien who had benefited from the DACA program was sentenced to life in prison for murdering three people in Springfield, Missouri, in 2018.
A recent New York Times article claimed that poetry is dead. The argument is not new, but since last month marked the 100th anniversary of T.S. Eliots The Waste Land, the modernists thought they would reiterate themselves. We stopped writing good poetry because we are now incapable of doing so, wrote the articles author, Matthew Walther.

Science and technology, Walther argues, have made it impossible to have a holistic relationship with nature. Since The Waste Land, poets have only described the fragmentation of human experience.

This is, of course, nonsense. Robert Frost and Dylan Thomas wrote inspiring poetry, and Eliots later Four Quartets is, in my opinion, a much better poem than The Waste Land. Speaking from experience, I can testify that formal poetry is undergoing a revival today. Thanks to the internet, its practitioners have circumvented gatekeepers in academia and legacy media to bring average people the kind of poetry they like to read. At the forefront of this movement, the Society of Classical Poets is promoting new, original works, the likes of which have not been seen since the 19th century.

Good literature and bad literature exert powerful influences upon private character and upon the polity of the commonwealth, Russell Kirk once wrote in Enemies of The Permanent Things (Arlington House, New York, 1969). Those who take a morbid view of poetry (and other art forms) are not likely to see humanity at large in a much better light. The result is, inevitably, the debasement of moral imagination.

As one of the 20th centurys most significant men of letters, Kirk had a good deal to say about the way thought and high culture affect society.

Desert Monk

Born in 1918, Russell Amos Kirk grew up in poverty. He would walk down train tracks as a child, hunting for bottles to sell to the local grocer for pennies. He had immaterial riches, though, in the form of books. His mother instilled in him a taste for classic literature that bore fruit when, in 1942, he was drafted into the Army and stationed in the Great Salt Desert of Utah. Isolated at a chemical weapons testing camp through the war, he found himself with abundant leisure time to turn toward the higher things.

As Bradley Birzer notes in his biography, Russell Kirk: American Conservative, Kirk compared himself to St. Anthony, the monk in the desert, and struggled against the demon of depression by reading everything he could. Kirks disgust for military bureaucracy, as well as his horror of the internment of Japanese Americans and the dropping of the atomic bombs, fundamentally shaped his belief in a minimalist government.

After the war, he taught at Michigan State University but loathed the activist faculty and decline in educational standards. He then attended graduate school at the University of St Andrews, arriving in Scotland with everything he owned packed in a suitcase. He wrote a dissertation on the intellectual history of conservatism while exploring ancient destinations around Europe.

6 Rules for Life

This dissertation became his most famous book, The Conservative Mind. Published in 1953, it became an unexpected bestseller. In it, Kirk identified the canonical conservative thinkers in Britain and America, beginning with Edmund Burke, and summarized their key ideas in a clear and distinct way. For this reason, he is considered the founder of the postwar conservative tradition.

Kirk selected figures to include in this canon based on how well he felt they preserved the ancient moral traditions of humanity. He extracted six principles from Burke that these authors expressed:

Every person is a divine being, and society should conform itself to a body of natural law. (Political problems are, at bottom, religious and moral problems, Kirk wrote.)

Human life is mysterious and shouldnt be homogenized through logical systems.

Social order: Equality of opportunity is good, but equality of condition results in servitude and boredom.

Personal freedom cant exist if people cant own things.

Reason cant guide us through every problem. We must rely on tradition and feelings to navigate circumstances.

Change is inevitable, but hasty innovations usually result in destruction rather than progress. Cautious adaptation is more stable.

Kirk also identified five schools of thought that pose a threat to society:

In the 18th century, French philosophers such as Voltaire and Diderot believed in shaping a new world according to reason.

Rationalism terminated in the emancipations of Rousseau and the French Revolution.

Jeremy Bentham theorized that actions are right if they benefit a majority.

Positivism (or Scientism): Auguste Comte thought everything in the world could be verified through logical and mathematical proofs.

Collectivistic materialism: Karl Marx thought private property should be abolished and society leveled.

In comparing the six principles to the five threats, one notices something. The former, though occasionally defended by individuals, are rooted in the wisdom of the species. The latter are the inventions of specific intellectuals. Since Kirks time, its possible to update his list. A sixth threat, postmodernismthe brainchild of Jacques Derrida that deconstructs binary categories, which has culminated in the transgender crazehas several points in common with the first five. They all fly in the face of natural law, ignore reality, and seek to sweep away the past through radical egalitarianism.

The greatest error perpetuated by these paradigms is that humanity has no limits, that each person is a wax tablet who can be molded into anything. The belief in human perfectibility always seems to coincide with a disdain for the imperfect average person. In application, these ideas betray a lack of respect for individual dignity and give rise to inhumane systems.

A New Conservative Renaissance?

Conservatives prefer the devil they know to the devil they dont know, as Kirk says. Conservatism isnt an ideology itself, but a disposition toward renouncing ideology. Its dilemma lies in reconciling individualism with community, and preventing its alliance with capitalism (such as communism, a materialistic system) from degenerating spirit and character.

Todays conservatives often look back to the 1950s as a golden age of American values. Kirk himself helped self-consciously create that image in a society that was emerging from the New Deal and contending with the specter of international communism. This prompts reflections upon our own time: In an era when the lefts fanaticism and internecine ferocity (as Kirk put it) is leading many moderate liberals to go over to the right, the balance of talent is shifting. There is some indication that we are seeing the beginning of a conservative renaissance today. A number of artistic movements, such as that occurring within poetry, are once again applying norms of truth, beauty, and goodness to combat the malaise of low aesthetic standards being promoted by elitist mainstream institutions.

Progressive ideologies, by the very fact that they erase the past, timestamp their own obsolescence. Just as hardly anyone calls themselves utilitarian or positivist anymore, the current proliferation of fashionable isms is sure to dissolve. All conservatives, though, (whether or not they realize it) remain Burkeansand Kirkians.
San Francisco Approves First Concealed Carry Permit Application Following Favorable Supreme Court Ruling

The San Francisco Sheriffs Office recently approved a concealed carry weapon (CCW) permit application, which allows individuals to carry concealed weapons, months after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the right is protected under the U.S. Constitution.

We can confirm we did approve our first CCW permit Friday, said Tara Moriarty, a spokesperson for the sheriffs office, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The applicant, Benjamin Zhang, is employed at an automobile shop in Tenderloin, a neighborhood plagued with drug dealings, which made him file for the permit. I was never a gun guy  but its getting alarming. Drug dealers moved up on my block now. I never saw that until recently, he told the outlet.

In June last year, the Supreme Court ruled in the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association (NYSRPA) v. Bruen case that Americans have the constitutional right to carry concealed firearms in public.

Since that judgment, this is the first time that the Sheriffs Office has approved an application from a resident to carry a concealed weapon.

Kostas Moros, an attorney with the California Rifle and Pistol Association, told Washington Examiner that the organization is pleased with the CCW approval.

Unfortunately, it took seven months since the Bruen decision for the first permit to be approved, and countless other applicants are still waiting, Moros said while pointing out that San Francisco is failing to meet a California law that requires permit applications to be processed within 90 days.

We intend to keep up the pressure on the county until all law-abiding applicants can get permits issued within a reasonable time frame, he added.

Supreme Court Judgment

On June 23, 2022, the Supreme Court decided to strike down New Yorks concealed gun permitting system in a 63 vote, noting that the Constitution protects the right to carry firearms for self-defense in public.

The majority opinion, written by Justice Clarence Thomas, pointed out that it makes no sense to deny American citizens the right to defend themselves outside of their homes.

Confining the right to bear arms to the home would make little sense given that self-defense is the central component of the [Second Amendment] right itself, Thomas wrote in the opinion.

After all, the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to possess and carry weapons in case of confrontation, and confrontation can surely take place outside the home  Many Americans hazard greater danger outside the home than in it.

The Supreme Court thereby ruled that states with strict gun laws cannot force citizens to show a special need for self-defense in order to procure permits that allow carrying concealed firearms.

Gun Carry Laws

The San Francisco Police Departments website for CCW application states that per the Supreme Court ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, the good cause requirement is no longer required and will not be considered by the department.

Democrat lawmakers from the state and city are said to be working to limit CCW permits, insisting that allowing people to carry guns will be dangerous to other people.

Catherine Stefani, who serves on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, intends to introduce legislation expanding the list of sensitive areas where people are not allowed to carry gunseven with a CCW permitshe told the San Francisco Chronicle.

I will say this, I felt safer in #Arizona which is a constitutional carry state aka no permits are required, than I do in San Francisco where only the police and criminals have guns, journalist Stanley Roberts said in a Feb. 1 tweet.

Meanwhile, other states are pushing ahead with pro-gun carry laws. On Jan. 1, Alabama enacted a law that allows residents to carry concealed firearms without requiring a permit.

On Jan. 30, Florida House Speaker Paul Renner (R-District 19) said that Republicans intend to file a bill that will give state citizens the right to carry concealed firearms without permits.
Schoolyard Scrap Over Funding Promise in State Election

Principal Bernadette Fabri along with students pose for a photograph at St Patrick's Primary School Parramatta in Sydney, Australia, on Feb. 18, 2021. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)

Labor has vastly underestimated how much it will cost to address historic underfunding for the 800,000 New South Wales (NSW) public school students, the state government says.

The opposition has promised to boost public school funding to 95 percent of a key benchmark by 2025, two years earlier than planned.

The partys $400 million pledge has been independently costed.

However, Education Minister Sarah Mitchell says the plan will cost $750 million per year.

Theyre already short-changing with the announcement theyve made, she told reporters.

Its not enough money. Theyre either being deliberately dishonest, or they dont understand how school funding works.

Labor called on Mitchell to release the working behind her estimates, saying its $400 million figure came from the independent Parliamentary Budget Office.

Mitchells office was contacted by AAP but did not immediately respond to a request for clarification.

Opposition Leader Chris Minns brushed off attacks about his economic credentials.

When it comes to debt, deficit, taxes and economic performance, any way you look at it, the performance of the NSW government has been dead last or the worst in living memory, he told reporters.

The benchmark Schooling Resource Standard is used to estimate how much total government funding a school needs to meet its students educational needs.

Created in the 2011 Gonski education review, the model seeks to have private and public students fully funded by 2029.

NSW public schools will this year receive 92 percent of the estimated funding required to meet students needs.

The eight-point gap equates to a $1.28 billion shortfall, or $1550 per student, senior economist Adam Rorris says.

Education has been a key issue in the NSW election campaign as students and teachers return to classrooms.

Both major leaders visited schools in western Sydney on Tuesday, spruiking separate commitments to make a COVID-19 school tutoring program permanent.

The coalition said its plan would cost $173 million, while Labor estimated it would cost $200 million over two years.

Labor also backed a coalition plan for universal access to preschool for four-year-olds while saying it could roll it out faster than 2030.

The $5.9 billion policy was the centrepiece of last years state budget.

The 10-year program was touted as a way to get women back into the workforce sooner and tackle the gender pay gap.
Second Man Pleads Guilty in Death of Teen Near Minnesota School

MINNEAPOLISA second man pleaded guilty Wednesday in the death of a 15-year-old outside a suburban Minneapolis school in a shooting that also seriously injured another teen.

Fernando Valdez-Alvarez, 19, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and first-degree assault. He made the plea two weeks before his trial was scheduled to begin.

Valdez-Alvarez was charged in the Feb. 1 shooting death of Jahmari Rice outside South Education Center in Richfield. According to court documents, Valdez-Alvarez admitted to killing Rice and injuring a 17-year-old student.

In December, Alfredo Solis, 20, was found guilty of second-degree assault but acquitted of second-degree murder and other charges in the shootings. Solis was sentenced to three years in prison.

Valdez-Alvarez is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 23.

All of those involved were students at the school. The shooting stemmed from a confrontation between the four students and another teen.

South Education Center has about 200 students and offers special education programs and an alternative school, according to the schools website.
Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) signaled on Tuesday that Senate Republicans would leave much of the negotiating on raising the debt limit and imposing budget reforms to their Republican colleagues who hold the majority in the House of Representatives. In comments to the press, Thune discussed how the Republican Senate minority will handle the partys agenda in a Congress with split control. While Republicans had held 50 Senate seats before the 2022 midterms, the party faced a net loss of one seat in the November elections, giving Democrats more clear control of the Senate. After the 2020 election, the Senate was split with 50 Republicans and 48 Democrats and two Independents who caucus with Democrats. In the split Senate, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) had to negotiate on a power-sharing agreement with the Republicans. The power-sharing agreement required Senate committees to be evenly split and forced Democrats to undergo additional procedural votes in order to pass certain legislation.

The loss of a Republican Senate seat in the midterms changes the composition of the Senate committees and allows Democrats to assert greater control over the committees. Thune acknowledged those changes reduce the Republican Partys power in the Senate and make it a more complicated process to give Republican senators their committee assignment choices. There are fewer Republican seats on a few committees, and we have a significant number of new members, Thune said.

Debt Limit

The United States recently hit its $31.4 trillion debt limit, forcing Congress to come to a vote on if and how they will raise the debt limit. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and House Republicans have called for spending reforms before they will agree to raise the debt ceiling any further. President Joe Biden has, by contrast, called for Congress to raise the debt limit without conditions. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the Republican-controlled House is trying to hold the debt limit hostage unless they can, again, cut Social Security, cut Medicare, cut Medicaid. On Sunday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told CBS News Face the Nation that cutting Social Security and Medicare was off the table. Regarding how Republicans plan to handle debt negotiations with changes to Social Security and Medicare off the table, Thune said Republican senators are giving McCarthy and the House Republicans as much space as possible to negotiate what they think is the best deal they can get with the White House. While Thune did not oppose McConnells call to keep Social Security and Medicare cuts off the table, he did say that the stance would limit what lawmakers could achieve in any potential budget reforms. Ive said before that, you know, we got to deal with the 70 percent of federal spending thats mandatory, Thune added. And that doesnt mean you have to cut programs. But it does mean that you got to make reforms and spending reforms that will translate into making those programs more sustainable for the long term. Thune expressed some hope that the Biden administration would do something to reform Social Security and Medicare because those programs are both headed for bankruptcy.

Ending the Pandemic

When asked if Senate Republicans would bring a vote to formally declare an end to the COVID-19 pandemic, Thune again said that the party had more power to make such a move in the House than in the Senate.

Republicans have repeatedly brought measures to formally declare the COVID-19 pandemic era public health emergency over. This month, Republicans in the House introduced two different measures to formally declare an end to the pandemic emergencyone by Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) and one by Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.).

The White House responded to the two Republican bills, stating it plans to keep the pandemic public health emergency declarations going until May 11. The White House argued that the effort of the Republican bills to end the pandemic declaration sooner than May would create wide-ranging chaos and uncertainty throughout the health care system and conflict with a Supreme Court case involving the use of pandemic-related restrictions in Title 42 as a justification for turning back migrants arriving at the U.S. border.

Thune noted the White House statement indicating it plans to end the public health emergency in May, saying its not clear that Republicans will be able to force a vote on the issue any sooner.

I mean, its imminent, its coming, Thune said. The question, I suppose is, could you do it sooner? And I think at some point, we all agree that, you know, again, its not entirely the case.

The House has ball control over there so they can determine when they vote on things. Thats a little harder for us to do, Thune said.

From NTD News
SAN SEBASTIAN, SpainJorge Mota Iglesias, City Councilman of San Sebastian, had never seen anything like Shen Yun Performing Arts before he attended a performance at the Auditorio Kursaa in San Sebastian on Jan. 31.

He noted the colors, the harmony, the music, but a deeper message came through. What has caught my attention the most is what is being transmitted to me: this prohibition of free circulation, of being able to express oneself freely in any aspect. I cannot conceive of it.

Although he was not familiar with Chinese culture, Mr. Iglesias was surprised that a major power like China has these prohibitions for its citizens, that they cannot move freely, that they cannot think. I was very unpleasantly surprised [by the lack of freedom in China.]

The communist regimes suppression of its citizens was difficult for Jorge. The act is beautiful but what they transmit is very hard to digest in a democracy, as is Spain, as is Europe.

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts was founded in 2006 by a group of leading Chinese artists who had fled the persecution of Chinas ruling communist party. Following the regimes violent takeover in 1949, Chinese traditional culture underwent a period of mass destruction.

Shen Yuns mission is, through dance and music, to revive the 5,000 years of divinely inspired culture of China. The artists aim to show the deeply spiritual culture of what was once known as the Land of the Divine, and Shen Yun cannot be seen in China.

He said Shen Yun should perform not only in all capitals of Spain, but also in all civilized cities, because democracy must always prevail over any imposition of totalitarianism. I think [democracy] is fundamental and what is being transmitted here is that there is no democracy [in China], that it does not exist.

Shen Yun Helps Us to Connect With the Divine

Aretuza Araujo Belem enjoyed Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Auditorio Kursaa in San Sebastian, Spain, on Jan. 31. (NTD)

Digital marketing entrepreneur Aretuza Araujo Belem thought Shen Yun was an incredible show.

She said, It moves to another dimension. Your soul, your spirit connects with that and you realize that we have to reconnect with that divine being on earth.

Ms. Belem was somewhat familiar with Chinese culture but what struck me the most is the form of purity, the energy that is transmitted, and the colors.

She was saddened by the injustice in China today with the injustice that they practice today with organ trafficking. Because you belong to a religion, that happens to you in China. Its horrible.

A story-based dance in this years program touched on the Chinese communist regimes persecution of people of faith, which includes live organ harvesting of prisoners of conscience.

Ms. Belem said the spirituality presented is super important. Humanity is going through a very deep change of consciousness. What has surprised me is the words that we can no longer express.

It makes us feel human and feel spiritual again, the elevated beings where we have come from.  Aretuza Araujo Belem

She said, This work of art is the language that people need for that great awakening of the consciousness of humanity, from being a human to being an elevated, spiritual being.

Shen Yun brings us that way of understanding our transformation today, of everything thats happening and whats to come. It makes us feel human and feel spiritual again, the elevated beings where we have come from.

She expressed how important it was for everyone to see Shen Yun. I realized now in the last part that it is super, super, super important because we had [in the audience] little children and older children. [The show] makes us understand what is happening with our transformation.

It is very important for everybody to see it because words are not going to work; just a stage play with the colors and with this energy that it transmits is how they connect with us.

Ms.Belem said Shen Yun helps everyone to understand and go through this great transformation.

Reporting by NTD.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006. Creative Director of Shen Yun Performing Arts, Mr. Li Honghi, has recently published How Humankind Came To Be in various media.
Shen Yun to Begin South Korean Tour of 14 Performances

Fans welcome Shen Yun at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea on Jan. 31, 2023. (Kim Guk-hwan/The Epoch Times)

BUSAN, South KoreaAfter three years of waiting, the people of South Korea will once again enjoy Shen Yun Performing Arts, the expressive art form of classical Chinese classical dance that dates back thousands of years.

Knowing Shen Yun artists would arrive on Jan. 31, dozens of fans dressed up and waited at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea.

A chorus of Welcome, We love Shen Yun, and Thanks for coming, greeted Shen Yun members, who were presented with flowers.

Fans said they cant wait to attend the performance, which will be held in Busan, Gumi, and Seoul from Feb. 2 to Feb. 19.

New York-based Shen Yun is the worlds premier classical Chinese dance company, and this year is set to visit more cities than ever before. With eight touring groups, the company will perform in more than 180 cities in the 2023 season.

This Is the Best Art in the World

Choi Yeong-cheon, a president of a primary school in Gimhae, was waiting for Shen Yun. She said she was touched by Shen Yuns soloist in 2008 when she first attended it. Since then, she has been a Shen Yun fan.

Shen Yun is great in many aspects, such as colors, costumes, music, choreography, and so on. This is the best art in the world, she said. Students will have better moral codes in their lives if they attend Shen Yun.

Lee Sang-cheon, a former director of Busan Daecheonri Elementary School, said Shen Yuns stories convey virtues, including honesty, kindness, endurance, etc.

A friend told me that the knowledge a child learned from one Shen Yun performance is more than the knowledge they obtained from school in 10 days, she said. Its a must-see for all ages.

Lee Sang-cheon, a former director of Busan Daecheonri Elementary School, waits for Shen Yun artists at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea on Jan. 31. (Kim Guk-hwan/The Epoch Times)

Song Eun-nui, a college student, said she enjoyed Shen Yun because the show delivers rich uplifting and inspiring information.

Im looking forward to attending Shen Yun, she said.

Shen Yun has a mission to show the beauty and goodness of China before communism. For 5,000 years Chinas civilization was built on values and virtues from the spiritual teachings of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.

Ready to Perform

Shen Yun artists were excited to see so many fans waiting for them at the airport. They said they are ready to perform for the Korean people.

Our performance has many contents of traditional culture, which Korean people are familiar with as well. I believe Korean audiences will enjoy our show, said Shen Yun Principal Dancer Du Zengmei. We hope our bright and beautiful show can bring people hope in these uncertain times.

Du mentioned that Shen Yun Performing Arts just successfully finished its tour in Japan. Japanese people are very reserved in general, but many audience members were moved to wait backstage to express their appreciation to Shen Yun artists.

For more information about Shen Yun in South Korea, please visit Shen Yuns website in Korean or in English.

Reporting by Epoch Times Staff in Busan, South Korea.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006
In a recent essay for the New York Times, American fashion designer Heather Kaye writes about raising her daughters in Shanghai and sending them to the Chinese public schools. Far from finding the schools backward and totalitarian, she expresses profound gratitude for the experience: As an American parent in China, I learned to appreciate the strong sense of shared values and of people connected as a nation. She even goes so far as to consider the Chinese government schools her co-parents, since they played such an important role in raising her children.

While Kaye concedes that the Chinese government could be a bit pushy at timesparticularly during the continual COVID lockdowns, which ultimately forced her family to moveshe insists that the Chinese schools were a welcome alternative to their American counterparts, which held periodic live-shooter drills and had to deal with paranoid parents who bristled at the idea of any government institution acting as a co-parent. It was in China that her toddlers learned to work hard, push themselves academically, and adopt good manners, all of which enabled them to be resilient, open-minded and independent and excel in the American schools as teenagers.

Although Kayes story is instructive and fascinating, especially for American educators and parents, she unfortunately draws the wrong conclusions from it. She shamelessly credits the Chinese school system and Chinese government for her daughters education when she should really be praising Chinese culture, more specifically the Shanghai culture.

For anyone who has read Amy Chua, Amy Tan, or even Malcolm Gladwell, the Chinese generally place a heavy emphasis on education. As Chua explained in her notorious essay Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior, Chinese parents demand good grades from their kids and will push them hard to get those grades. Quoting a study on the topic, she points out a deep-seated belief among Chinese parents that their children can be the best students, that academic achievement reflects successful parenting, and that if children did not excel at school, then there was a problem and parents were not doing their job. Whether out of love or pride (probably a mix of both), Chinese parents have few qualms about seeing their young children labor and struggle all hours of the day if its for school.

This prioritizing of academic achievement is amplified in urban elite centers like Shanghai where families compete aggressively to put their kids at the top of the class. From an early age, parents will bribe teachers, pay for tutors, and exploit every social connection they have to ensure that their child does well in school. If theyre successful, those children will reach the upper echelons of the Chinese government. Indeed, their behavior is not much different from that of aspiring elites in the U.S., something writer David Brooks notes in his rebuttal to Chuas essay: She does everything over-pressuring upper-middle-class parents are doing. Shes just hard core.

Coupled with an academic culture is the specific demographic of China, where the older generations greatly outnumber the young. In a typical Chinese household, a child is lavished with attention by an array of grandparents, aunts, and uncles who, because of Chinas disastrous one-child policy, are forced to invest all their hopes in him (or, less likely, her)a bit like the society in the underrated movie Children of Men. Thus, its only normal that they all pitch in for the childs upbringing and put pressure on him to be as successful as possible, so he can support his own parents when they retire.

Finally, Chinese pedagogythat is, relentless drill-and-kill rote memorization and teacher-centered learningis uniquely suited to young students. At this point in their cognitive development, it does little good to push advanced concepts and skills in place of establishing a firm foundation of retaining the basics. Theres also the important aspect of the Chinese language itself, which calls for readers to memorize pictographs (as opposed to phonemes) and introduces fundamental math concepts in its number designations. This is why Chinese children can give a specific number of how many words they know and why they tend to excel in math.

That being said, the composition of Shanghai classrooms in primary school is such that any style of teaching would be effective. Because the students and their families are so motivated, teachers are freed from the burdens of classroom management and differentiating material for kids with varying abilities. Instead, they can make extravagant demands on their students and assign hours upon hours of homework each week with little pushback. If American public school teachers tried anything close to this, they would be reprimanded and punished severely, if not fired altogether.

However, as the kids grow older, the American system, which itself is an adapted version of the liberal arts tradition, works better than the Chinese one. This is because American students are encouraged to learn more advanced skills of analysis, evaluation, and synthesis (otherwise known as higher-level thinking), whereas the Chinese students are still forced to double-down on rote memorization and direct application. This can be effective in subjects like math, but quickly becomes cumbersome in the other subjects. Consequently, most Chinese teenagers have to grit their teeth through the experience, desperately try to attend a university in the West or one of the handful of decent universities in China, and try not to burn out in the process.

All this is described at length in Lenora Chus excellent book Little Soldiers. Like Kaye, Chu lived in Shanghai and also made the decision to send her child to the local public schools. A writer by training, shes able to articulate the instruction of her own child, who was enrolled in pre-K and kindergarten, as well as that of other students whom she interviews.

While Chu attests to the same positives of the Shanghai system, shes also honest about the drawbacks. First, shes willing to note the massive stress and frustration experienced by many Chinese high schoolers. If they havent succumbed to some form of screen addiction or given up entirely, they are huffing and puffing in an unforgiving rat race. Added to a ridiculous study load are the obligations to parrot idiotic CCP propaganda and do favors for various corrupt educational gatekeepers.

Second, the uncompromising rigidity and strictness can be outright brutal for students with even minor learning struggles. For example, Chu observes one kindergarten class where a student is called a litany of insults on an hourly basis. Shame is employed regularly for kids who fail to pick up an idea right away or are even slightly overweight. This becomes tragic for those kids who end up internalizing these criticisms and start identifying as fat, stupid losers with few prospects.

Third, and most importantly, the rigor and structure of Shanghais education system is an almost completely localized phenomenon. Outside the city, the quality of the schools drops precipitously, worse than anything one would find in even the worst American school districtwhich is the main reason why Shanghai and other big cities are separated from the rest of China on the PISA exam. Chu relates how many parents try to be zoned for Shanghai schools by any means necessary, since the alternatives are ramshackle one-room schools crammed behind sweatshops where a teacher rattles off a lesson for the few students in the front row who can listen while the rest of the class flounders helplessly.

Like the American school systemindeed, like any school systemthe Chinese model has its strengths and weaknesses. Its main strengths are instilled by the culture: doing hard work, respecting teachers, and developing personal discipline. By contrast, its main weaknesses are instilled by the government: overwhelming pressure to conform, wildly disparate standards of quality, and a simplistic pedagogy that discourages advanced learning. Overall, this results in an industrious country with skyrocketing economic growth and rich cities, but also one with systemic oppression, impoverished rural areas, and little innovation.

In other words, what can be argued from Kayes experience is the exact opposite of what she posits in her essay: not more government involvement but more community involvement. Cultivating good study habits, moral behavior, and a healthy curiosity is something that primarily comes from cultural institutions like the family, neighbors, civic organizations, churches, and popular media. In most cases, a school can only reinforce what virtues already exist in the culture; it cannot create this out of nothing. The Chinese seem to understand this fact, but a growing number of Americans want to outsource all their responsibility to schools, only to become angry when they think the schools do too much (i.e., indoctrinate the students) or do too little (i.e., automatically pass them on).

Both the American and Chinese education systems would benefit from pedagogical reforms that reverse what they do with primary and secondary schooling: more rigor and drill in American elementary schools, and more freedom and critical thinking in Chinese high schools. Similarly, parents need to flip their attitude about public education: Americans can support their educators far more, and the Chinese can defer to their public schools far less. And if any of this really happens (one can always hope), it wont be because of government benevolence but because people themselves are finally treating their children and public education system with the seriousness they deserve.
Southern Democrats Rally for Atlanta to Host Partys 2024 National Convention

Democratic U.S. Senate candidates Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock hand out lawn signs at a campaign event in Lithonia, Ga., on Oct. 3, 2020. (Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)

More than 65 Southern Democrat politicians from 13 states signed a letter urging President Joe Biden to select Atlanta as the host city for the partys 2024 convention.

South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, Virginia Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, Tennessee Rep. Steve Cohen, Alabama State Party Chair Randall Kelly, Alabama U.S. Rep. Terry Sewell as well as Georgia Senators Jon Ossoff, and Raphael Warnock, signed the Jan. 30 letter in which Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Jaime Harrison was copied in.

Selecting the city of Atlanta will offer our nation a vision of America at its best, the letter states.

Atlanta served as the cradle of Americas civil rights movement. It stands as a beacon of LGBT rights in the Deep South. As the cultural and economic hub of Black America, the city embodies the American Dream in the 21st century.

Putting the Case

Atlanta is a finalist along with New York and Chicago.

Houstons mayor Sylvester Turner is the only politician from the Lone Star State who signed the letter after his city was eliminated from the selection process. Like Turner, Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval is the lone representative for Ohio.

We are now focused on maintaining this momentum into 2024 by assessing the strategies, tactics, and investments that helped us buck historical trends and expand our majority in the U.S. Senate, a feat that was cemented  with the reelection of Sen. Raphael Warnock in Georgia, stated the letter.

While the correspondence was a plea, the politicians boldly took credit for defeating former President Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election while noting that metro Atlantas favorable swing is responsible for everything the party accomplished since January 2021.

Democratic turnout in the state of Georgia is the single greatest reason that you and Vice President Harris are in the White House today instead of Donald Trump and it is the single greatest reason why Democrats have maintained a majority in the United States Senate, they said.

Sending a Message

While some pundits might argue that there is no correlation between a convention site and partisan performance in the ensuing election, holding the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Atlanta will have effects that reverberate far beyond Georgias borders, the Democrats said.

Selecting Atlanta in the aftermath of the 2022 election cycle will send a message to the base of our party that we will never take you for granted.

The coalition of former senators, congressmen, governors, mayors, and lawmakers, argued that hosting the 2024 convention in Atlanta is an opportunity for the DNC to embroil the GOP in financial expenditures.

Selecting Atlanta will inspire Democrats in other competitive Southern states to run, to organize, to fundraise, and to volunteer in what is now truly fertile Democratic territory, the letter concluded.

Selecting Atlanta will put Republicans on notice, making it abundantly clear to them that they will have to compete and allocate resources across every corner of the map if they want to keep pace with the gains we are making as Democrats.
Spate of Transit Violence Goes Beyond Mental Health Issues, Says Union Head

Criminal defence lawyer says young offenders are part of the problem

Police cars surround a TTC streetcar on Spadina Ave. in Toronto on Jan. 24, 2023, following a stabbing incident. (The Canadian Press/Arlyn McAdorey)

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) in Canada has seen an almost nonstop rash of violent incidents since the beginning of December, bringing attention to the long-standing problem of violence on transit systems nationwide.

Toronto Mayor John Tory has called for a national mental health summit to address the problem, and others have echoed that call.

The lack of spending on mental healthparticularly as we come out of the COVID-19 pandemicis painfully clear, Tory said in a Jan. 25 statement.

But some question whether these incidents can really be chalked up solely to mental health. Many of the recent incidents in Toronto involved young peoplesome swarming, others using BB guns or other methods of attack.

In the city of Toronto, these were young offenders who were congregating and then swarming victims. Im not sure we can categorize that as a mental health issue, Amalgamated Transit Union Canada President John Di Nino told The Epoch Times.

Criminal defence lawyer and commentator Ari Goldkind says its a cause for concern that consequences are practically absent for young offenders. He and Di Nino both said justice reforms may be in order.

If a 16-year-old is assumed to be responsible enough to drive a car, we have to assume a 16-year-old also knows enough to be truly held responsible  given the spike in violence and the organized and brazen type of violence, Goldkind told The Epoch Times.

Tory said in his statement that when people are suffering and unable to receive adequate support, frequently they are left on our streets, on our transit systems.

But Goldkind says that instead of talking about how the system fails to help people or is inept, the focus should be on the incredibly antisocial, violent, and small segment of young offenders who choose to commit these crimes.

Goldkind says he represents many young and violent offenders and advocates for them with all the tools available to him within the system. He notes, however, that our society needs to have serious conversations about the extent to which age or immutable characteristics, such as race, are used in determining sentencing or blameworthiness.

The cornerstone of the justice system should be proof beyond a reasonable doubt, he said. That ensures that only the guilty are convicted. He said the courts and Parliament should be more focused on that than the current identity Olympics.

Di Nino said judges should have to consider aggravating circumstances in which an assault on a transit worker has occurred. That means a judge should consider prior criminal offenses, association with a gang, or other such factors, and these might result in a more severe sentence.

Aggravating circumstances are very rarely used in this country, he said. In some cases, if it was understood what these penalties could look like, that may deter some of these offenders.

Many Problems, Many Potential Solutions

Many factors are behind the different types of attacks, Di Nino said. Some are related to addiction, some to the homeless retreating to transit facilities for warmth, and some to people being mentally ill.

To pinpoint one specific group is difficult, he said.

While the reasons for the attacks are varied, he said that in his opinion, one reason is transit cuts.

What used to be a 5-minute ride is now a 25-minute ride, he said.

With funding shortfalls, transit systems are cutting routes, leading not only to longer wait times but also to more crowded buses, he said.

Di Nino also says that a national transit task force has to be established to address the problems.

He said operators need to have more power and protection. In many transit systems, the drivers arent allowed to leave their seats when threatened or attacked; otherwise, its considered engaging, and they may be disciplined, he noted.

Thats absolutely asinine, he said.

Stronger shielding compartments around drivers would be helpful, too, he said. The union on Jan. 25 called for a greater police presence, among other measures. Di Nino supports the extra police who have been deployed to the transit systems, but he said its a short-term, Band-Aid solution.

Ive Never Seen a Spike Like This

The various transit systems across the country need to get better at reporting these incidents, Di Nino said. He knows that some 2,000 attacks on transit workers have happened annually for the past few years across the country, but most incidents arent recorded.

While Canadas urban centers have gotten more attention, he said that the problem seems to be spread fairly evenly across the country.

If youre living in a northern remote community and you have one assault a year, but you only have 10 drivers, well, the ratio then becomes the same, he said.

Di Nino has been union head since 2018, and before that, he had a 32-year career on the TTC. Ive never seen a spike like this before, he said.

The problem received attention in Alberta last month as well. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis retweeted pictures of a bus reportedly destroyed by a man high on meth. Smith and Ellis vowed to take action.

Martin Andersen, a professor of criminology at Simon Fraser University, has kept his eye on the transit situation in Vancouver for years. He agrees with Tory that mental health is a key cause, saying the decline in services over the past 40 years has led to many mentally ill people living on the streets and in transit facilities.

He told The Epoch Times he has seen peaks and valleys in the number of Vancouver attacks over the years. Why wasnt there a moral panic about this eight years ago when we had a similar peak?
Texas Family Demands Public Apology After SWAT Team Raids Wrong House

Early morning raid left family 'traumatized'

A Texas family has demanded that the Galveston Police Department issue a public apology after a SWAT team executed a botched raid on their home in the middle of the night.

We want a public and specific apology to the Rios family, said lawyer Tony Buzbee during a press conference Wednesday morning, adding that the police had the wrong suspect and the wrong house. Buzbee represents the homeowner and her family, as well as the wrongly-accused suspect who was the subject of the raid.

The botched raid was related to the murder of a 25-year-old man on Jan. 20. The search did not produce the alleged suspect, who was later cleared of charges.

During the search, officers determined the suspect was not located in the residence. Later, after performing the search, the department received new information contradicting the initial basis for the arrest, Galveston Public Information Officer Marissa Barnett told The Epoch Times in a statement.

Four days after the search, city officials were alerted to the incident when the story was picked up by a local newspaper.

The mayor and city managers office learned of the search and damage to the homeowners property on Friday, Jan. 26, through local news media, Barnett said.

After reading the story, city leaders placed Galveston Police Chief Doug Balli on 10-day paid administrative leave for failure of communication.

The family has also asked for compensation for damages incurred to the home during the raid.

Botched Raid

On Jan. 22, Erika Rios, her 16-year-old son, 18-year-old daughter, and her daughters friend were awakened at about 2 a.m. to the sound of SWAT team members announcing their arrival.

Rios told reporters that she and her children were traumatized by the events that took place that night.

I now do not feel safe in my home, Rios said during Wednesdays press conference.

The single mom told The Galveston County Daily News that she was sound asleep when the SWAT team started firing wooden pellets into her home.

I had taken melatonin, and I was in a deep sleep, Rios said. My children were trying to wake me up. They were terrified.

Thats when they started throwing flashbangs into our home, she continued. We later found 15 of them that had been used.

The teens were led outside with their hands in the air and barefoot. The windows had been broken out, so they walked across the shattered glass, Rios said, adding that they had to receive tetanus shots and take antibiotics for their injuries.

Rios said she was dragged outside, where she was handcuffed and detained in a police car along with her son.

We were all so confused, Rios told the newspaper.

The police were reportedly searching for Cameron Vargas, 17, who was charged in the shooting death of Malik Dunn, according to officials. Dunn, 25, was shot multiple times at a northwest Houston apartment complex on Jan. 20 and later died.

Charges were dropped a few days later after it came to light that an alleged eyewitness to the murder had falsely identified Vargas.

Rios said Vargas was her sons friend, and had been at their home prior to the raid, but he left before midnight and went home.

Cameron Vargas lives right down the street, and the police knew this, Buzbee said. Certainly, the lead investigator knew that because he knew the family.

Vargass mother, Terry Borell, also spoke to reporters on Wednesday.

We do not why he was even considered a suspect. Cameron is a hardworking, respectful young man. He does not run the streets. He likes to be at home, Borell said, adding that he is also due a public apology.

Officers allegedly broke all the windows in Rios home, including the windows on her garage door. Police also damaged a fence and the homes wiring, leaving the family without a way to warm their home, according to a GoFundMe page set up by Borrell.

Ive been left with traumatized kids, no heat in my home, and busted windows, all because they were for somebody who doesnt even live there, who was also innocent, Rios said in a previous report.

Investigations Launched

The citys human resources director and acting Chief of Police Andre Mitchell have opened internal investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident, Barnett said.

This type of issue is concerning to everybody, Mayor Craig Brown told KTRK News. Thats why we need to be very careful and determine what went on and what the details were, and what prompted this.

A claim for property damage to Rios home has been referred to the citys insurance company.

Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset told the Houston Chronicle that his office would also conduct an investigation to determine whether proper policy and procedures were followed.

You dont need to wait months for reports and reports and reports and reviews of reports and reports to do the right thing, Buzbee said. You can do the right thing now and avoid an unnecessary lawsuit.

The investigation into Dunns death is still ongoing.
Shen Yun Performing Arts World Companys curtain call at the Aichi Prefectural Art Theater in Nagoya, Japan, on the afternoon of Jan. 30, 2023. (Annie Gong/The Epoch Times)

NAGOYA, JapanShen Yun Performing Arts World Company finished its 32 performances in Japan on Jan. 30. In the past nearly-40 days, Shen Yun toured 10 cities and was welcomed by full houses everywhere.

At the first stop, the city of Hachioji, all tickets were sold out one month before the show. And at the last stop, Nagoya City, the organizer had to open the fourth floor to respond to the high demand.

I have noticed that almost all Shen Yun tickets were sold out in the past over one month in Japan, said Mr. Hayashi, an executive of a well-known Japanese TV channel, after attending Shen Yun at the Shinjuku Bunka Center in Tokyo on Jan. 24. The extremely high quality of the show attracted audiences and built up its excellent reputation.

Mr. Hayashi wished Shen Yun would come back to Japan next season. He predicted: Shen Yun will attract more audiences next year.

New York-based Shen Yun is the worlds top classical Chinese dance company, and has a mission to show the beauty and goodness of China before communism.

A Magnificent Show

Mr. Okachi Storu, the owner and president of a Buddhist products store, attended Shen Yun with his wife on Jan. 30. He said: Its a magnificent show. I enjoyed it a lot. I felt great!

Mr. Okachi said that he felt he was inside the stories that Shen Yun presented, which made him feel magical, surprised, touched, and appreciative.

Mrs. Okachi added, When the curtain opened, we were shocked by the scenes: the heavenly maidens danced inside the clouds. Its fabulous! The dynamic backdrop coordinates with the stage seamlessly. The dancers stepped out of the backdrop and then entered in it. Its magic!

The couple had high praise for the dancers.

The female dancers moved elegantly and gracefully. They controlled their force very well, even on their fingertips, not to mention their shoulders and bodies, said Mrs. Okachi.

Mr. Okachi said: The male dancers are valiant. They are majestic.

Mrs. Okachi said that the thing she most wanted to do was share the courage and inspiration that I received (from Shen Yun) with all my friends. I hope I can take them to attend Shen Yun.

Shen Yun was founded in 2006, and has quickly became a global phenomenon. The Shen Yun 2023 season will be its biggest yet, with its eight equally sized touring companies set to visit more than 180 cities across five continents.

Mr. Okachi Storu, the owner and president of a Buddhist products store, attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Aichi Prefectural Art Theater with his wife, in Nagoya, Japan, on Jan. 30, 2023. (Xiao Lei/The Epoch Times)

The Performance Is Formidable

Mr. Sugiura Manabu is a former director of a well-known Japanese large-scale electrical machinery company. He was surprised by the beauty of Shen Yun.

The performance is formidable! I feel grateful that I can attend the show and can sit in the front row, he said. The beauty is just what I expected. I was very moved.

Mr. Sugiura said that he kept on feeling a strong energy coming from the stage and orchestra pit.

No Words Can Describe the Beauty

All dancers have outstanding jumping abilities and extraordinary flexibility. They jumped very high, which showed what theyre capable of, said Ms. Seo Mitsuki, a former dancer of The Takarazuka Revue, a Japanese all-female musical theatre troupe.

She was amazed by the beauty of Shen Yun.

No words can describe the beauty, she said. The dancers have super skills and techniques, and the overall performance is superb.

As a dancer herself, Ms. Seo said she learned a lot from Shen Yun.

I want to learn more about how dancers use their backs, as well as the choreography. We dont know this type of choreography (in Japan). This is a great chance for me to learn, she said.

Each Shen Yun performance consists of nearly 20 vignettes, presented through highly-expressive art forms such as classical Chinese dance, original orchestral music performed live, soloists who sing in the bel canto tradition, animated digital backdrops, and more.

I Received a Very Good Thing

Ms. Sakakibara Miyuki, a director of a metal processing company, attended Shen Yun with her father Mr. Sakakibara Tatsuo, the former president of a dance studio, on Jan. 30. They appreciated Shen Yuns effort to revive the traditional Chinese culture and said they felt the divine nature in the show.

Ms. Sakakibara said she received the values that Shen Yun delivered, and felt I received a very good thing. Im one step closer to the divine being.

For 5,000 years, Chinas civilization was built on values and virtues from the spiritual teachings of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, and values like loyalty, propriety, wisdom, justice, and benevolencevalues that are universal and shared the world over.

Mr. Sakakibara was very touched by these values and Shen Yuns beauty.

Its a surprise that we can attend such a great performance in Japan. Its rarely seen, he said. Its more precious because its my child who brought me here to show her love. Im very happy. Today is a great day.

Ms. Sakakibara said, The Shen Yun dancers are awesome. They kicked their legs very high and kept on tumbling. I watched them with great excitement. I hope I can work hard to be the best, like what Shen Yun dancers do.

The father-daughter pair said they would tell all their friends about Shen Yun, and they couldnt wait to attend Shen Yun again.

Ms. Sakakibara Miyuki, a director of a metal processing company, attended Shen Yun Performing Arts with her father Mr. Sakakibara Tatsuo, at the Aichi Prefectural Art Theater, in Nagoya, Japan, on Jan. 30, 2023. (Wang Wenliang/The Epoch Times)

Reporting by Epoch Times Staff in Nagoya, Japan.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006
Trump Vows to Introduce Executive Orders Aimed at Preventing Left-Wing Insanity on Gender-Affirming Care

Former President Donald Trump addresses a crowd during a 2024 election campaign event in Columbia, S.C., on Jan. 28, 2023. (Logan Cyrus/AFP via Getty Images)

Former President Donald Trump has vowed to sign a string of executive orders if he is elected in 2024 targeting gender-affirming health care which he says will prevent the chemical, physical, and emotional mutilation of our youth.

Trump hit the campaign trail for the first time this week since announcing his 2024 bid for the White House in November 2022.

In a video posted to his social network on Jan. 31, the former president focused his attention on transgender health care, which allows children to undergo procedures related to modifying their gender, including taking various drugs or undergoing surgery.

Beginning his video, Trump said that the left-wing gender insanity being pushed on our children is an act of child abuse, very simple.

If reelected, Trump said he would revoke Joe Bidens cruel policies on so-called gender-affirming care which he called ridiculous, pointing to things such as doctors giving children puberty blockers, mutating their physical appearance, and ultimately performing surgery on minor children.

Trump pledged to sign an executive order instructing every federal agency to cease all programs that promote gender transitioning and the concept of sex and gender transition at any age. He also said he would call on Congress to stop taxpayer funds from being used on these procedures and pass a law banning gender-affirming care in all 50 states.

Gender-affirming surgeries have become a lucrative business, but raise ethical questions as research reveals problems with complications and quality of life. (UfaBizPhoto/Shutterstock)

DOJ to Probe Hospitals, Pharma Industry

It will go very quickly, he said of his planned actions.

Additionally, Trump vowed to ensure that any hospital that allows gender-affirming care no longer meets standards for Medicaid and Medicarea major source of financial support for hospitals and physicians. Those who do continue to provide such care will be terminated from the program immediately.

The Justice Department will also be ordered to investigate the pharmaceutical industry and hospitals to see whether they deliberately covered up horrific long-term side effects of sex transitions in order to get rich at the expense of vulnerable patients, Trump said, and he will support the creation of a private right-of-action for victims, allowing them to sue doctors who have unforgivably performed these procedures on minors.

The former president also pledged to follow through with a string of other actions aimed at banning gender-affirming health care, including ensuring that teachers at schools who suggest students may be transgender face severe consequences and promoting positive education at schools about the benefits of the nuclear family and the roles of mothers and fathers.

Trump would also call on Congress to pass a bill establishing that there are only two genders recognized under the U.S. governmentmale and female.

His plans will likely spark criticism from supporters of gender-affirming care for minors, including Democrats and LGBT advocates.

Multiple major medical organizations, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychological Association, have all voiced support for such care among minors.

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)

States Move to Ban Gender-Affirming Health Care

However, conservatives have become increasingly concerned about such care and how it impacts children, and states including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Utah have banned or rolled out restrictions blocking children from receiving gender-affirming health care within the past two years.

Those actions in Alabama and Arkansas are currently on hold as litigation plays out in court.

While advocates point to studies citing the benefits of providing gender-affirming health care to minors, such as a 2022 study published in JAMA Network Open which found that rates of moderate or severe depression and suicidal thoughts dropped significantly among transgender or nonbinary teens within 12 months of receiving puberty blockers or gender-affirming hormonesother studies show differing results.

One such study published on Jan. 11 found that a gender-affirming surgery called vaginoplasty led to pain that required medical attention within 12 months after the surgery in over half of the individuals who underwent the procedure.

Another study (pdf) looking at the long-term effects of sexual reassignment procedures found that those who underwent such surgeries had a higher risk of suicide.

That study looked at 324 sex-reassigned persons (191 male-to-females and 133 female-to-males) in Sweden between 1973 to 2003 and ultimately found that people with transsexualism, after sex reassignment, have considerably higher risks for mortality, suicidal behavior, and psychiatric morbidity than the general population.

Despite this, Democrat lawmakers have in recent years rolled out a string of bills aimed at promoting and protecting children who want to undergo gender reassignment procedures, including in states such as Florida and California.
Tustin High School Student Stabbed in Fight on Campus

TUSTIN, Calif.A Tustin High School student was stabbed in a fight Jan. 31 on campus and taken to a hospital in unknown condition.

The fight between two students occurred about 12:15 p.m. on the campus at 1171 El Camino Real, according to Tustin police Lt. Andy Birozy.

One of the boys was taken to a hospital, and the other boy was taken into custody, Birozy said. Officials did not release their ages or names because they are minors, he added.

When officers responded to the fight, school staff had detained one of the students, police said. School officials had students shelter in place, and once the fight was over students were released for the day, police said.
UK Defense Secretary to Investigate 77th Brigades Surveillance of COVID Lockdown Critics

UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace arrives to attend the government weekly cabinet meeting at Downing Street in London, on March 8, 2022. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Claims that the British armys information warfare unit, the 77th brigade, monitored lockdown critics on social media platforms are being investigated, according to UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.

On Jan. 30, in light of a new report from the civil liberties group Big Brother Watch, the UK government admitted that it monitored lockdown critics on social media platforms via its disinformation units during COVID but denied that it targeted individuals.

For its Ministry of Truth report (pdf), Big Brother Watch submitted numerous freedom of information requests and cooperated with UK citizens who submitted requests to demand copies of their data held by government disinformation units.

The report found that the monitoring and reporting of critics were done under the governments Counter Disinformation Unit in the Culture Department.

Big Brother Watch also disclosed a whistleblower testimony, which they claim confirmed the 77th Brigade collected posts on Twitter from UK citizens posting about COVID-19 and passed them to the government. The Epoch Times hasnt been able to verify these claims or the identity of the whistleblower.

Former Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union David Davis during a press conference in London on Jan. 15, 2019. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)

David Davis Monitored

Speaking in the Commons on Jan. 30, former Conservative Cabinet minister David Daviswho was monitored, according to Big Brother Watchcalled for the issue to be reviewed, with Wallace issuing an assurance that he had already instructed for it to be looked into.

I know him well enough that when he tells us that he gave clear instructions and guidelines to the Brigade to only operate foreign powers and extremists, he was telling the exact truth, Davis said.

Will he however review the issue and ensure that his guidelines have been followed in all cases?

Wallace replied that the brigade is not to be involved in regulating, policing, or even reporting opinion that it may or may not agree with.

Colleagues may have read reports this weekend about activity conducted by the Armys counter-disinformation unit in 77th Brigade, he said.

Online disinformation from foreign state actors is a serious threat to the United Kingdom, which is why during the pandemic we brought together expertise from  across Government to monitor disinformation about COVID.

77th Brigade is a hybrid unit of regular and reserve personnel that was established in 2015. It delivers information activities as part of broader military effects against hostile state actors and violent extremist organisations based outside the UK.

It uses publicly available data, including material shared on social media platforms, to assess UK disinformation trends.

The 77th

Big Brother Watch claimed that the British armys 77th, which has conducted operations against both the Taliban and al-Qaeda, collated posts on Twitter from British citizens about COVID-19 at the start of the pandemic, passing them to the Cabinet Office, though its understood that this ended by late 2021.

During COVID-19, the government used different units including the Rapid Response Unit, the Counter Disinformation Unit (CDU), and the Government Information Cell. Each had roles in tackling harmful narratives online, monitoring and flagging disinformation content to social media companies, and pushing official lines, the report stated.

The report found that the monitoring and reporting of critics were done under the governments Counter Disinformation Unit in the Culture Department.

In the report, figures who warranted attention from the CDU included Lockdown Sceptics founder Toby Young, talkRADIOs Julia Hartley-Brewer, and Mail on Sunday columnist Peter Hitchens.

Something Is Rotten

The report noted that author Laura Dodsworth found herself in a Cross Whitehall Weekly Counter Disinformation Report from June 2021 mentioning the launch of her book A State of Fear: How the UK Government Weaponized Fear During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Dodsworth told The Epoch Times by email that she believed that the report vindicated some of the anonymous sources and findings published in her book.

Something is rotten in a state when the surveillance apparatus is turned upon the innocent civilian, she wrote.

In a free and democratic country, propaganda and surveillance might be turned on enemy states and terrorists, but not on the population. The justification might be the war footing the government placed us on for a virus.

A government spokesman said that it did not target individuals or take any action that could impact anyones ability to discuss and debate issues freely.

PA media contributed to this report.
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla has made misleading and unsubstantiated statements on the merit of giving COVID-19 vaccines to young children, according to a case report published by a UK pharmaceutical watchdog on Jan. 27.

During an interview with the BBC published on Dec. 2, 2021, Bourla was asked whether he believed it was likely that 5- to 11-year-olds in the UK and Europe would be vaccinated against COVID-19 and whether it was a good idea.

The interview was published after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorised the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for young children, but the UKs medicines regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), didnt approve the product for the same age group until Dec. 22, 2021.

While acknowledging that it was up to the UK authorities to decide whether or not to approve and deploy the vaccines, Bourla replied, I believe its a very good idea.

He cited disruptions in education and the potential of developing so-called long-COVID, saying, so there is no doubt in my mind about the benefits completely are in favour of doing it.

Syringes in front of displayed Biontech and Pfizer logos on Nov. 10, 2020. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters)

Following complaints from UsForThema childrens welfare campaign group founded in response to the COVID-19 lockdownsa panel from the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) ruled that Bourlas statements breached a number of rules in the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) code of practice.

After Pfizer appealed against the ruling, an appeal board upheld five counts of breaches of three ABPI codes that require information and claims to be accurate, balanced, capable of substantiation, not raising unfounded hopes of successful treatment, and not be misleading with respect to the safety of the product.

The PMCPA described Bourlas statements as being of a strong unqualified nature. It also said they inferred there was no need to be concerned about potential side-effects of vaccination in healthy children aged 5-11 and that the implication was misleading and incapable of substantiation.

The PMCPA said it has received an undertaking from Pfizer to prevent similar breaches in the future.

Code breakers are charged for administrative costs, but the self-regulatory body does not have the power to impose fines or other legal sanctions.

Bourla was initially found to have also breached the code for promoting the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in the 511 age group when it was not authorised by the MHRA, but the appeal board overturned the ruling, agreeing with Pfizer that its CEO was asked a specific question and it was not unreasonable to talk about the issue in principle. The board also noted that two other COVID-19 vaccines were also under investigation for the age group.

The appeal board also overturned previous rulings that said Pfizer had failed to maintain high standards and brought discredit upon the industry.

Most Serious Rulings

Pfizer didnt respond to The Epoch Times request for comment. In a previous statement to The Telegraph in November 2022, when the newspaper obtained the unpublished ruling, a spokesman for Pfizer said the company was committed to the highest levels of integrity in any interaction with the public.

We are pleased the UKs PMCPA Appeal Board found Pfizer to have maintained high standards and upheld confidence in our industry, the two most serious rulings in this complaint from a UK campaign group, the statement reads.

In the UK, we have always endeavoured to follow the principles and letter of our industry Code of Practice throughout. We will review the case report in detail when we receive it, to inform future activity, it added.

Speaking to The Epoch Times on Tuesday, Ben Kingsley, head of legal affairs at UsForThem, said he was thrilled the regulator ultimately agreed with them that the Pfizer CEOs statements were misleading and unsubstantiated after the pharmaceutical giant opposed their claims with all of the resources at its disposal throughout the process.

Commenting on Pfizers previous statement on the ruling, Kingsley said the group found it quite surprising that Pfizer would consider the rulings about maintaining high standards and upholding confidence in the industry the most serious of all.

I think to the average member of the public, wed regard misleading us about the safety of their product to be plenty more serious than bringing the repute of the pharmaceutical industry down, he said.

So I think it tells you something about the mindset and the priorities of pharma executives that they regard the abuse of the industry as being a more serious matter than misleading the public.

(L-R) Professor Wei Shen Lim, chair of JCVIs COVID-19 subcommittee; Professor Jonathan Van Tam, deputy chief medical officer for England; and Dr. June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, attend a media briefing at Downing Street Briefing Room in London on Nov. 29, 2021. (Stefan Rousseau/WPA Pool/Getty Images)

In June 2021, the UK governments advisory body on vaccines, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), declined to recommend COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children aged between 12 and 15, given the marginal benefits young teens would get from the vaccines and the lack of long-term data on the side-effects, including myocarditis.

But the vaccines were later offered to the age group after UK chief medical officers made a recommendation based on wider considerations, including the disruption to childrens educationattributed by some to COVID-19 and by others to the political decision to make children who test positive stay out of school.

The JCVI later recommended a one-off non-urgent offer to vaccinate 5- to 11-year-olds. The offer ended in August last year.

In is most recent recommendation, the JCVI said under50s who are at lower risk of getting seriously ill with COVID-19 will soon be unable to get a booster shot. The offer of primary doses will also end for low-risk people in all age groups.
Ukraine Has Earned the Right to Be Defended, US Lawmaker Says

Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) talks to Ukrainian children at the House Triangle in Washington on Jan. 31, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)

Lawmakers of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus met with children, families, and wounded Ukrainian soldiers on Jan. 31 at the House Triangle in Washington to further show their support for Kyiv in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

The United States helps Ukraine, said Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), because democracy must prevail over tyranny.

We cannot let a sovereign democratic country get wiped off the face of the earth by a tyrant who has eyes on many others, he continued, adding that others who have their eyes on Taiwan are observing what the United States is doing.

The United States will use the same approach toward the Ukrainian people as it has in the past while fighting for democracy, Quigley said. In many respects, Ukraine has earned the right to be defended, he added.

Members of Congress and staff chat with Ukrainian veterans, children, and families at the House Triangle in Washington on Jan. 31, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) said he and Quigley will continue to advocate in Congress for the current administration to restore Ukraines borders.

Also, hold Russia accountable for atrocities, or genocide, and the war crimes that theyve committed.

Were going to push for every single dollar they need, humanitarian aid, and military aid in defense of military equipment, to defend their country, Fitzpatrick said.

Most House and Senate members want Ukraine to win, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said, the overwhelming majority of Americans support victory in Ukraine.

America Benefits

Although the United States charitably aids Ukraine, he continued, its also to the countrys benefit because a secure Europe is essential to Americas economic and national interests.

Pavel, a coordinator for the Ukranian-American partnership said it is Ukrainian week in Washington.

He brought a group of Ukrainian veteran soldiers, orphans, and children whose fathers died during the war for freedom and democracy, not just for Ukraine [but] for all democratic world.

Sasha, 12, one of the teenagers who lost her father, said she hopes other children in Ukraine wont have to go through what she did, and she wishes they will be happy with their families.

As reported by Reuters, President Joe Biden said on Jan. 30 that the United States will not supply Ukraine with F-16 jets.

Big Boost For Kyiv

After obtaining supplies of main battle tanks last week, Kyiv intended to push for Western fourth-generation fighter jets such as the F-16, according to an adviser to Ukraines defense minister on Jan. 27.

According to a Ukrainian air force spokesperson, training on such fighter jets would take roughly six months.

However, Kiev received a significant boost last week when Germany and the United States announced preparations to deliver heavy main battle tanks, breaking weeks of diplomatic gridlock.

Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, to allegedly defend itself from its neighbors links to the West.

The gathering was hosted by co-chairs of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, including Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), who serves on the House Appropriations Committee.

She told the Ukrainian children that the statue on top of the Capitol is the Statue of Freedom, and she looks eastshe looks east to victory in Ukraine.
Ukraine Pushes for Western Fighter Jets After Tank Deals

French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu (center R) and Ukrainian Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov pose during Reznikov's official visit at the French defense ministry in Paris on Jan. 31, 2023. (Julie Sebadelha, Pool via AP)

KYIV, UkraineUkraine won support Tuesday from Baltic nations and Poland in its quest to obtain Western fighter jets, but there were no signs that larger nations like the United States and Britain have changed their stance of refusing to provide warplanes to Kyiv after almost a year of battling Russias invading forces.

Ukraine needs fighter jets  missiles, tanks. We need to act, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said in the Latvian capital of Riga at a news conference with his Baltic and Polish colleagues. Those countries, which lie on NATOs eastern flank, feel especially threatened by Russia and have been the leading advocates for providing military aid.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov held talks with his French counterpart, saying they did not discuss specific fighter jets, but they did talk about aviation platforms to help Ukraines ground-to-air defense.

I dont know how quick it will be, this response from Western allies to Kyivs requests for fighter jets, Reznikov said. Im optimistic and I think it will be as soon as possible.

He also listed weapons Ukraine has sought in the past year, starting with Stingers, and said the first response was always, Impossible. Eventually though, he said, it became possible.

French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu, speaking with Reznikov, said there are no taboos on sending fighter jets. He also confirmed France is sending 12 more Caesar cannons in the coming weeks.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that France doesnt exclude sending fighter jets but set out conditions before such a step is taken, including not leading to an escalation of tensions or using the aircraft to touch Russian soil, and not resulting in weakening the capacities of the French army.

Reznikovs trip came a week after Western nations pledged to send Kyiv sophisticated modern tanks.

Several Western leaders have expressed concern that providing warplanes could escalate the conflict and draw them in deeper.

The UK government, among Kyivs staunchest supporters and military suppliers, said sending its fighter jets is not practical. Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks spokesman, Max Blain, said Tuesday that the UKs Typhoon and F-35 fighter jets are extremely sophisticated and take months to learn how to fly, although he didnt say London was opposed to other nations sending planes.

Asked Monday if his administration was considering sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, U.S. President Joe Biden responded, No.

On Tuesday, Reznikov was asked if Bidens no to F-16s was the final word.

All types of help first passed through the no stage, he said. Which only means no at todays given moment. The second stage is, Lets talk and study technical possibilities. The third stage is, Lets get your personnel trained. And the fourth stage is the transfer (of equipment).

Reznikov said Ukraine went through those stages before it got the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, the Bradley armored vehicles and 155mm artillery.

Remember the story of the German Leopardsthe answer was also no, he added. And now we have a tank coalition. Therefore I believe an airplane coalition is within reach. But first there should always be a leader. And thats why Im here.

Kyiv has repeatedly urged allies to send jets, callling them essential to challenging Russias air superiority and to ensure the success of future counteroffensives spearheaded by Western tanks.

The West also has ruled out providing Kyiv with long-range missiles able to hit Russian territory, citing potential escalation.

After months of haggling, Western allies agreed last week to send the tanks, despite the hesitation and caution of some NATO members.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz appeared to balk at providing fighter jets, suggesting Sunday the reason for the discussion might be domestic political motives in some countries.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Monday there are no taboos in efforts to help Ukraine but added that jets would be a very big next step.

Asked Tuesday about Western weapons supplies to Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov repeated the Kremlins view that NATO long has been directly involved into a hybrid war against Russia.

Following talks in Moscow with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, he said the Russian military will take all the necessary measures to derail the fulfillment of Western plans.

He said Shoukry conveyed a message from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken about Ukraine, which repeated calls from Washington for Russia to withdraw. Lavrov said Russia is ready to hear any seriousI want to underline this wordproposal aimed at comprehensive settlement of the current situation.

Both Ukraine and Russia are believed to be building up their arsenals for an expected offensive in the coming months after the war being deadlocked on the battlefield during winter.

The Russian armys self-propelled cannons fire at Ukrainian troops at an undisclosed location in this handout photo released on Jan. 31, 2023. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

Asked about Lithuanias call for fighter jets and long-range missiles for Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the comments reflected an aggressive approach taken by the Baltic nations and Poland, who are ready to do everything to provoke further escalation without thinking about consequences.

Croatia President Zoran Milanovic, meanwhile, criticized Western nations for supplying Ukraine with tanks and other weapons, arguing those deliveries will only prolong the war.

Early in the conflict, discussions focused on possibly providing Kyiv with Soviet-made MiG-29 fighter jets that Ukrainian pilots are familiar with. In March, the Pentagon rejected Polands proposal to transfer its MiG-29s to Kyiv through a U.S. base in Germany, citing a risk of triggering a Russia-NATO escalation.

Ukraine inherited a significant fleet of Soviet-made warplanes, including Su-27 and MiG-29 fighter jets and Su-25 ground attack aircraft. Switching to Western aircraft would require Ukrainian crews to undergo long training and raise logistical challenges over maintenance and repair.
Dramatic video captured on a home camera (below) shows a large boulder crashing into a home near downtown Honolulu in Hawaii Saturday night with such force, it looked and sounded like the house had been hit with a bomb. The powerful boulder, about 5' tall, broke through a wall, rolled down a hall, and nearly struck the homeowner standing inside her living room. But fortunately it missed, leaving the woman and three others in the house unharmed.

The family had just moved into the house a month ago.

From 9News.com:

Caroline Sasaki, the homeowner, said her family had just moved in earlier in the month, after tearing down and rebuilding the house on the property.  Sasaki and other neighbors told KHON2 that events like this were extremely uncommon, and questioned whether a local developer's project further up the hill  where the boulder came down from  was responsible. "We lived in this same location. We just knocked down the old house and rebuilt it; and it's never happened before, heavy rain and hurricane warnings nothing. So, no rocks ever came down," Sasaki told the TV station. "We've had some issues with them carving the mountain, and I don't know if that's the cause." Hawaii News Now said investigators had fielded reports from another homeowner complaining that a smaller boulder, approximately 2 feet by 2 feet, had struck his property's retaining wall. The uphill development's owner, Bingning Li, told Hawaii news outlets that his project and the boulder incidents were unconnected. He said protective measures put in place for his development actually mitigated the damage.

Click here for raw footage of the incident.

Front page thumbnail image: Mark van Dam / shutterstock.com
University of California Considers Cutting Graduate Enrollment to Cover Pay Raises After Strike

Union academic workers and supporters march and picket at the UCLA campus amid a statewide strike by nearly 48,000 University of California unionized workers in Los Angeles on Nov. 15, 2022. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

University of California (UC) officials warned graduate departments they may need to cut back on admissions in the upcoming school year to cover the cost of its new labor contract with academic workers, according to union leaders.

Some 48,000 UC academic workers, represented by the union United Auto Workers, resolved their two-month strike when new contracts were ratified with UC in late December.

Just a month later, according to the union, university officials allegedly told department heads that they would be responsible for covering the cost of the pay increasesand they may need to reduce graduate admissions next year.

Faculty at UCLAs Luskin School of Public Affairs was told in a recent email from their department chair, circulated by the UCLA Faculty Association, that there will be no assistance in paying these costs from levels of the university above the departmental level.

Union academic workers and supporters march and picket at the UCLA campus amid a statewide strike by nearly 48,000 University of California unionized workers in Los Angeles on Nov. 15, 2022. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

The email goes on to state that research centers will be responsible for covering the increased costs for graduate student researchers, and departments for new costs of teaching assistants.

Union leaders Rafael Jaime and Neal Sweeney said they had heard of possible cuts to the number admitted for advanced degree study and expressed concern in a Jan. 26 letter to UC President Michael Drake.

We are alarmed to hear reports that academic departments at the University of California are planning to reduce graduate enrollment for the 2023-2024 school year by up to 33 percent, the letter stated.

Additionally, according to the letter, they had heard UC is also considering eliminating or increasing the number of students in discussion sections, and reducing the size of research groups.

Reduced enrollment of graduate students is not only detrimental to undergraduate education, but it means fewer opportunities for graduate education, which is a pathway to high-income jobs for working class Californians, the letter stated.

The full fiscal impact of the labor agreements has not yet been reported by the UC. However, the agreements will raise the minimum pay for both academic student employees and graduate student workers from about $24,000 to $34,000.

Researchers and student employees protest at the University of CaliforniaSan Diego in San Diego, Calif., on Nov. 14, 2022. (Courtesy of Philip Zhu)

Meanwhile, the contract for postdoctoral scholars includes up to a 23 percent salary increase by October 2023, and that for academic researchers includes a pay raise of 4.5 percent in the first year, 3.5 percent for the second, third, and fourth years, and 4 percent in the fifth year.

According to its most recent headcount from 2021, UC had 28,610 teaching assistants and research assistants, 6,136 postdoctoral scholars, and 8,579 other academic workers.

Gov. Gavin Newsom recently pledged to give UC an annual five percent base budget increase for the next five years if the university agrees to improving graduation and enrollment rates. This amounts to a $216 million increase in UCs budget this year, as well as an extra $30 million as an incentive to boost enrollment among California residents.

Spokespersons for the UC Presidents Office, UC Board Regents, UCLA Faculty Association, several UCLA and UC Santa Barbara academic department leaders, and United Auto Workers President Rafael Jaime were not immediately available for comment by press time.
Unprecedented Rise in Whale Deaths Along East Coast Prompts Calls for Moratorium of Offshore Wind Farms

People walk down the beach to take a look at a dead whale in Lido Beach, N.Y., on Jan. 31, 2023. (Seth Wenig/AP Photo)

At least 18 whales have washed up dead on the U.S. east coast in recent months, prompting concern from a group of mayors in the state of New Jersey who have called for an immediate moratorium on offshore wind farms.

In a letter to New Jersey congressional lawmakers, the mayors said they stand united in their concerns about the unprecedented number of whales that have washed ashore recently.

They called for an immediate moratorium on all offshore wind activities, a key part of New Jerseys climate change strategy, until federal and state agencies can investigate the deaths and confidently determine that offshore wind activities are not contributing to them.

On January 12th, the 7th dead whale in 38 days washed ashore in Brigantine, New Jersey. The unprecedented number of whale standings coincides with ongoing activity from acoustic survey vessels for the development of offshore wind, the letter, dated Jan. 30, reads.

While we are not opposed to clean energy, we are concerned about the impacts these projects may already be having on our environment. We urge you to take action now to prevent future deaths from needlessly occurring on our shorelines.

A man takes pictures of a dead whale in Lido Beach, N.Y., on Jan. 31, 2023. (Seth Wenig/AP Photo)

Another Dead Whale Washes Up on New York Beach

The call for the moratorium came on Monday following reports that yet another humpback whale was found dead off the New Jersey and New York coastline.

The whale was discovered at around 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday on Lido Beach in Nassau County, Fox 5 NY reported, and was already dead by the time emergency crews arrived.

Local crews initially moved the marine mammala male measuring up to 40 feet and weighing 29,000 pounds, according to the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society (AMCS)further up the shore with the help of a payloader and excavator.

According to the AMCS, a team of biologistswhich includes researchers from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Wildlife Conservation Society, Center for Coastal Studies, Cornell University, and morebegan conducting a necropsy on Tuesday to understand what prompted the sudden death of the whale, and to rule out potential causes such as disease, toxins, emaciation, and human causes.

Once they are finished conducting examinations and have collected tissues and fluids, the whale, thought to be aged around 40 years old or more, will be buried on a selected site at the beach.

However, the group warned that the results of the necropsy may take several weeks or longer.

This is the 2nd humpback whale to strand in New York since December 1, the group said. NOAA Fisheries and our stranding network partners are actively investigating the humpback whale Unusual Mortality Event, which has been ongoing since 2016.

Members of multiple rescue organizations work to remove the body of a 21-foot, approximately 5,000-pound, killer whale that stranded itself on the beach in the area of Jungle Hut Park in Flagler County, Florida, on Jan. 11, 2022. (Courtesy of the Flagler County Sheriffs Department)

Gov. Murphy Calls Whale Deaths Tragic

Like the community that has been expressing concerns about recent whale deaths, the entire team share in sadness over the loss of these beautiful animals. Right now, we dont know the cause of death. Vessel strikes and entanglement in fishing gear are the largest known human threats to whales of all species, the group added.

AMCS also pointed to speculation about whether or not the whale deaths are linked to wind energy development but said that as of yet, there is no evidence to suggest offshore wind activities are contributing to the deaths.

Mondays whale death brings the total to at least eight dead whales that have washed up in the New Jersey and New York areas in recent months, according to the mayors letter.

However, Andrea Gomez, a spokeswoman for the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), told USA TODAY that Mondays discovery of the dead whale marked the sixth stranded humpback whale reported in New Jersey, and the 18th large whale stranding along the east coast since Dec. 1.

New Jersey-based Clean Ocean Action is also asking the federal government to probe the recent whale deaths to see if they may be linked to construction work or offshore wind farms.

Despite the rise in recent whale deaths, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said last month that the state wont be pausing offshore wind development, although the Democratic governor said the deaths were tragic.

According to a NOAA study that began in 2016 looking into the rising number of humpback whale deaths along the Atlantic coast from Maine through Florida, 180 whale strandings have been reported, of which 24 were in New Jersey and 35 in New York.
Urgent Care Clinics Due Soon Amid Health Reform Calls

Australian Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler speaks at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on July 28, 2022 . (Martin Ollman/Getty Images)

New urgent care clinics wont compete with existing practices, the health minister insists, as staff shortages continue to plague Australias medical sector.

Expressions of interest are being sought for the operation of seven centres in Western Australia designed to take pressure off emergency departments.

The Albanese government is planning to open 50 bulk-billed clinics across the nation and expects to have three Perth-based facilities open by July.

It comes amid calls from state and territory leaders, who will discuss a report by the Medicare task force at Fridays national cabinet meeting, for the Commonwealth to provide more hospital funding and increase rebates.

Health Minister Mark Butler said the urgent care clinics would stay open until 10 p.m. and alleviate pressures on hospitals by catering to walk-in patients.

The cases that are going to come to an urgent care centre are going to be dealt with somewhere, he told reporters in Perth on Wednesday.

They might not be life-threatening emergencies, but they are emergencies that have to be cared for, either in an existing GP practice or, more likely, in a hospital emergency department.

Some doctors might split their shifts between regular practice and urgent care, he added.

What weve been very clear not to do is to build new clinics that will be operating or setting up in competition with existing practices, he said.

Australian Medical Association WA president Mark Duncan-Smith cast doubt on whether the clinics would make a substantial difference to hospital bottlenecks.

They may have the unintended consequence of actually putting local GP practices out of business, he said.

The walking wounded-type patients that will go to urgent care clinics are already seen very quickly in emergency departments  they dont take up beds, they dont cause bed block and they dont cause ramping.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews urged the Commonwealth to increase bulk-billing rates, saying patients were winding up in hospitals after being failed by primary care.

Its not our job. Were essentially doing some of the federal governments work for them, he said.

WA Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said her state had the lowest number of GPs per capita of any state or territory.

As a result, we get the least amount of Medicare rebate, she said.

Its important that we increase that.

Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash said WA was facing a health workforce crisis, and the government had not explained how it would staff the new facilities.
US, South Korea Vow to Scale Up Joint Military Drills to Deter North Korean Threats

U.S. soldiers participate in a joint military drill between the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division Stryker Battalion and the ROK 25th Infantry Division Army Tiger Demonstration Brigade at a training field in Paju, South Korea on Jan. 13, 2023. (Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images)

The United States and South Korea agreed on Jan. 31 to scale up their joint military exercises in a bid to counter North Koreas military escalation.

In a joint statement, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup condemned North Koreas continued provocations and vowed to take a strong stance against any further military action.

The two allies planned to hold the deterrence strategy committee tabletop exercise in February to facilitate alliance discussions on deterrence and response options to deal with the North Korean nuclear threat, according to the statement.

We will further reinforce the alliance capability and posture and the combined defense through expanded execution of field training exercises and large-scale combined joint fires demonstration, Lee said at a joint press conference.

It was great seeing my  ROK counterpart, Minister Lee Jong-Sup to discuss our common commitment to security in the region & around the world. The U.S. will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the ROK, rooted in our shared values of democracy, freedom, & the rule of law. pic.twitter.com/3a8DpxoVVP  Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) January 31, 2023

There are about 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea, making it one of the largest U.S. troop deployments around the world. Austin said the U.S. fifth-generation aircraftF-22s and F-35sand a Ronald Reagan carrier strike group would participate in the joint drills.

We will do a number of tabletop exercises to ensure that were seeing things eye-to-eye, which we do anyway, but we want to make sure that no stone is left unturned, he said.

Austin reaffirmed the United States ironclad commitment to defending its Asian ally with the full range of U.S. defense capabilities, including our conventional, nuclear, and missile defense capabilities.

You heard us say that a number of times, but thats just not a slogan; it is what were all about. That commitment is ironclad, and our extended deterrence is at the heart of that commitment, he said.

The two nations held their largest combined military drills, known as Ulchi Freedom Shield, in August 2022, the first after years of downsizing their annual drills to facilitate denuclearization talks with North Korea in 2019 and also due to COVID-19 concerns.

Cooperation With Japan

The two leaders also agreed to strengthen trilateral security cooperation with Japan and to facilitate shared missile warning data following a summit agreement between the three nations last year.

To this end, they agreed to hold Defense Trilateral Talks at the earliest opportunity to discuss concrete measures on how to strengthen security cooperation among the three nations, the joint statement reads.

In November 2022, the three nations leaders held a trilateral meeting in Cambodia and vowed a strong and resolute response from the international community if North Korea launched a nuclear attack.

The U.S. State Department earlier said that the Biden administration sought to revitalize the trilateral format because they believed that the challenges in the Indo-Pacific would benefit from a seamless and unified trilateral approach.

A missile is fired at an undisclosed location in North Korea in an undated photo provided by the North Korean regime on April 17, 2022. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

North Korea fired an unprecedented number of missiles in 2022, one of which reportedly flew over Japan and triggered alerts warning citizens in the Hokkaido and Aomori prefectures to take shelter.

Earlier this year, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said the U.S. strategy of providing a nuclear umbrella or extended deterrence to South Korea isnt reassuring enough to guarantee public safety now that North Korea has developed its own nuclear weapons.

In the past, the concept of a nuclear umbrella or extended deterrence was preparation against the Soviet Union and China before North Korea developed nuclear weapons, and a way of the U.S. telling us not to worry because it will take care of everything, he said.

Now, it is difficult to convince our people with just that. The U.S. government understands this to some degree.

In August 2022, Yoon offered North Korea economic benefits in exchange for denuclearization steps, but the offer was rejected by the North Korean regime. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said there will be no denuclearization talks, negotiations, or bargaining chips in that process.

North Korea approved a law in September 2022 allowing it to conduct a nuclear strike automatically against any hostile forces posing an imminent threat. Kim vowed that his country will never give up nuclear weapons, even if North Korea is subjected to 100 years of sanctions.
Vice President Harris to Attend Beating Victim Tyre Nichols Funeral in Memphis

Vice President Kamala Harris listens during a meeting in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, on Sept. 12, 2022. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Vice President Kamala Harris will on Feb. 1 attend the funeral of Tyre Nichols, the 29-year-old Fed Ex worker and father of a 4-year-old son who died three days after a Jan. 7 traffic-stop beating by five Memphis police officers.

The funeral will be held at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis.

Harris spoke to Nichols mother, RowVaughn Wells, stepfather Rodney Wells, and family attorney Ben Crump on Jan. 31.

In a statement, Crump said that Harris was invited to attend the funeral during the phone call.

The city of Memphis released video of the violent encounter between police and motorist Tyre Nichols. (AP)

Vice President Harris and Ms. Wells spoke exclusively, and during this emotional time, the vice president was able to console Ms. Wells and even help her smile, Crump said.

Tamika Taylor, whose daughter died in Louisville three years ago in a police altercation, and Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd who died after an incident with Minneapolis police officers in 2020, will also be at the funeral, the Nichols family confirmed.

Rev. Al Sharpton, who heads the National Action Network civil rights organization, will deliver the eulogy, a news release reported.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a senior adviser for public engagement to President Joe Biden, and Mitch Landrieu, a White House senior adviser and infrastructure implementation coordinator who also served as mayor of New Orleans, will join Harris, according to the vice presidents press secretary.

Five Memphis police officers were fired and charged with second-degree murder among other offenses following Nichols beating and death. Video of the altercation was released publicly last week and showed that other people did not help Nichols.

On Jan. 30, two additional Memphis police officers and three emergency responders were fired in connection with Nichols death.

Six of the involved officers were part of the Memphis police departments Scorpion Unit, which was created to target violent criminals in high-crime areas.

Launched in November 2021, the unit featured three teams of around 30 officers. The name stands for Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods.

The unit was created to target violent offenders in high-crime areas of Memphis. It was disbanded after Nichols death.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump speaks at a news conference with the family of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tenn., on Jan. 23, 2023. (Gerald Herbert/AP Photo)

Nichols was pulled over at 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 7 for alleged reckless driving. He attempted to flee when police approached the vehicle but was caught and beaten, the video shows.

Nichols, who died three days after the assault, was black, as are the five police officers.

A grand jury indicted the five officersTadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith on Jan. 26. They were charged with second-degree murder and kidnapping, as well as official misconduct and official oppression.

Second-degree murder is punishable by 15 to 60 years in prison.

While each of the five individuals played a different role in the incident in question, the actions of all of them resulted in the death of Tyre Nichols, and they are all responsible, Steven Mulroy, the district attorney for Memphis, said after the grand jury indictment.

The five officers posted bail of between $250,000 and $350,000 and were released.

More Officers Sacked

On Jan. 30, the Memphis Fire Department said in a statement that it fired three employees after the release of video footage that showed Nichols arrest and the immediate aftermath.

An internal review discovered that emergency medical technicians Robert Long and JaMicheal Sandridge failed to conduct an adequate patient assessment of Mr. Nichols after they arrived, while fire Lt. Michelle Whitaker remained in her vehicle, the statement explained.

Handcuffed on the ground and leaning against a police vehicle, Nichols was left for 14 minutes without medical attention after Long and Sandridge arrived.

Long and Sandridge called for an ambulance to respond. An emergency unit was dispatched at 8:46 p.m. and arrived on the scene at 8:55 p.m., according to the fire department noted.

The emergency unit treated Nichols and transported him to St. Francis Hospital at 9:08 p.m.

Long, Sandridge, and Whitaker violated numerous [fire department] policies and protocols, and as a result, the three have been terminated, Fire Chief Gina Sweat said.

Their actions or inactions on the scene that night do not meet the expectations of the Memphis Fire Department and are not reflective of the outstanding service the men and women of the Memphis Fire Department provide daily in our community, Sweat added.

Ban on Chokeholds

Nichols death has brought back discussion about bipartisan police reform.

The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would establish a national registry of police misconduct to prevent officers from moving to another jurisdiction, was introduced in 2020 and again in 2021.

The proposed legislation would also ban racial profiling and religious profiling by law enforcement at the local, state, and federal levels as well as change qualified immunity, which critics believe shields law enforcement officers from accountability for actions.

According to a fact sheet, the act would also save lives by banning chokeholds and no-knock warrants and mandate deadly force be used only as a last resort.

The bill was pushed through the House, which at the time was controlled by Democrats, in 2020 and 2021. It did not have the same success in the Senate, which would need 60 votes to pass the legislation.

Biden signed a limited executive order on the second anniversary of Floyds death. That measure mandated a ban on chokeholds, an expansion of body-worn cameras, and a restriction on no-knock warrants among other guidelines for federal officers.

The president is unable to require local law enforcement to abide by his order.

Shame on us if we dont use [Nichols] tragic death to finally get the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act passed, Crump said.

Biden mentioned the proposed legislation last week. The Congressional Black Caucus has requested a meeting with Biden to facilitate negotiations.

We are calling on our colleagues in the House and Senate to jumpstart negotiations now and work with us to address the public health epidemic of police violence that disproportionately affects many of our communities, CBC Chair Steven Horsford wrote in a statement on Jan. 29.
Virginia School Where 6-Year-Old Shot Teacher Reopens With New Administration, Security Upgrades

Newport News community not satisfied

After increased security and a change to school administration, children at the Virginia elementary school where a first grader shot his teacher earlier this month returned to school Monday.

Richneck Elementary School in Newport News was closed for more than three weeks after a 6-year-old brought a handgun to school and allegedly shot teacher Abby Zwerner during class on Jan. 6. The 25-year-old teacher suffered gunshot wounds to her hand and chest.

First-grade teacher Abigail Zwerner inside her classroom at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Va., in a file photo. (Courtesy of the family of Abigail Zwerner via AP)

Briana Foster Newton, who was principal at the time of the classroom shooting, has been removed from her position. Newport News Public Schools district spokesperson Michelle Price told NBC news Monday that Newton is still employed with the district, but in a different capacity.

Last week, Price confirmed that the schools assistant principal, Ebony Parker, had resigned.

According to the schools website, Karen Lynch has been named interim school administrator at Richneck Elementary.

Lynch communicated the security upgrades to the school community via a website notice prior to Mondays start, saying that there would be police officers on campus and visitors to the school would be limited for the first week. Upon their return, the notice said, students would be given clear backpacks for their belongings, and parents were warned that students lunches would go through a metal detector.

Last Wednesday, the school board voted 51 to release school superintendent George Parker III from his duties following the events at Richneck.

This decision is based on the future trajectory and needs of our school division, school board chairwoman Lisa Surles-Law said in a press statement, calling Parker a capable division leader.

However, Zwerners lawyer, Diane Toscano said the shooting was preventable and happened because the schools administration failed to act on information and complaints from staff.

According to Toscano, in the hours before the shooting, school staff warned the school administration at least three times that the child had a gun and was threatening students.

Were they not so paralyzed by apathy, they could have prevented this tragedy this morning. I sent notice to the Newport News school board of the intent to file a lawsuit on Abbys behalf, said Toscano during a press conference last week, announcing Zwerners lawsuit against the school district.

Lawyer Diane Toscano reads a statement to media in Newport News, Va., on Jan. 25, 2023. (Mike Caudill/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)

Parents Call for Accountability, Discipline

During a Jan. 17 school board meeting, many in the community who spoke blamed the school districts poor discipline and lack of consequences for increased classroom disruptions, school violence, and shootings.

Andrew Hlavacek, a Newport News resident and former school board candidate, said the Richneck shooting was the third school shooting in the district in the last 16 months.

Father of four Doug Marmon said, we need to remove all members of Newport News public school executive leadership. He blamed a lack of accountability for students as a major reason for increased violence toward teachers.

Students need to be held accountable for their actions, regardless of age or circumstancesnot transferred to another school or placed in a different classroom. Equality in our schools should not include the suffering of the majority for the lack of discipline for the few, said Morman.

Kimberly Slaydon, a mother of three children in the district, said she quit her job because of the level of disrespect she experienced during her time as a school nurse. As a product of the Newport News public schools, Slaydon said todays schools are much different than the schools she attended in the 1990s and 2000s.

The buildings are the same; some of the teachers are the same; the students are not the same. We are not holding kids and parents accountable for their actions, because we need funding from the state and federal government to teach our kids, said Slaydon.

The Epoch Times reached out to the Newport News Public Schools for comment. A district spokesperson said the district cannot comment on personnel changes. When asked whether school discipline policies will be evaluated, the spokesperson cited physical security upgrades such as police and metal detectors, saying, The new security protocols are designed to enhance safety and security.
Will China invade Taiwan? To Brad Good, founder of theChinaDeclaration.com, the question is not will but when.

As an American who has lived in China on and off since 1988 and speaks fluent Mandarin, Good is indeed a China specialist. He joins Larry Elder to discuss his strategic plan to take down the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It starts by asking a simple question: Are you dedicated to bringing freedom from the influence of the CCP to people in China and abroad?

According to David Kupelian, the managing editor of WorldNetDaily, a culture war has already started in America, and its an all-out war against Americas children. How to win the war? David Kupelian sits down with Larry and lays out three ways to protect America from being destroyed by the far-left.

Once again, racial prejudice is blamed on Tyre Nichols death, even though hes beaten by five black cops.

However, statistics show that the police kill more unarmed whites than unarmed blacks. In the last five years, the police have killed 39 percent more unarmed whites than unarmed blacks. But when its an unarmed white, nobody gives a rip because it doesnt fit the narrative.

Joining Larry Elder to discuss this is Soledad Ursua, Venice Neighborhood Council board member, who also writes for the city journal, published by the Manhattan Institute.

The Larry Elder Show is sponsored by Birch Gold Group. Protect your IRA or 401(k) with precious metals today: http://larryforgold.com/
Reading, writing, 'rithmetic, and racism. Ohio officials are investigating the Dissident Homeschool Network which offers alternatives to public schools run by "Zionist scum."

From the Times of Israel:

These are the more than 2,500 members of the "Dissident Homeschool Network," a channel on the social network messaging app Telegram. The "dissidents" are a group of Nazi parents who share homeschooling lesson plans extolling the virtues of Hitler and white nationalism  while relying on a popular social media account run by a Jewish woman to provide ammunition for their hatred. The founders of the group were recently unmasked by a hate group monitor as a couple in rural Upper Sandusky, Ohio[] "We are so deeply invested into making sure that [our] child becomes a wonderful Nazi," the founder of Dissident Homeschool Network, who goes by the pseudonym "Mrs. Saxon," recently said on a neo-Nazi podcast to promote the group. She has been identified by the Anonymous Comrades Collective, an anti-Nazi group, as well as Vice News and HuffPost, as Katja Lawrence, a Dutch immigrant who currently lives in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. Lesson plans include teaching cursive by having students write out famous quotes from Hitler [see below] and American neo-Nazi George Lincoln Rockwell; building "math" classes around racist manipulations of urban crime statistics; and praising Confederate general Robert E. Lee as "a grand role model for young, white men."

While Ohio elected officials, including Governor Mike DeWine, publicly condemned the group, there's little to nothing anyone can do to prevent homeschoolers from teaching whatever dangerous rhetoric and misinformation they want.

image: screenshot/Telegram

(Thanks, Bob Pescovitz!)
That release could not be found.
The joint military task force operating in the Niger Delta region with the codename Operation Delta Safe, OPDS says they are winning the war against crude oil theft and militancy in the region.

The Commander, 16 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Sector 2, OPDS, Brigadier General Sadisu Yakasai, disclosed this on Sunday during the end of 2022 West African Social Activities, WASA in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa capital.

The Commander, 16 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Sector 2, OPDS, Brigadier General Sadisu Yakasai

Sadisu Yakasai said WASA was an annual event usually organized for officers, soldiers, and their families to interact, recalling that the history of the event dates back to 1901 when the Nigeria West Africa Frontier Force went to diverse cultural intervention of West African soldiers.

He also assured that troops would remain professional and apolitical throughout the 2023 general elections.

The year 2022 was eventful and highly successful for us in 16 Brigade in the Niger Delta. The war against crude oil theft and militancy is being progressively and steadily won.
Phuket air quality takes a hit

PHUKET: Air quality monitoring centres using data from Thailands Pollution Control Department (PCD) have reported unhealthy levels of PM2.5 particulates across Phuket yesterday and today (Jan 31-Feb 1),

environmenthealth

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 1 February 2023, 12:19PM

The Air Pollution Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) reported a red Unhealthy PM2.5 reading of 151 for the south side of Phuket Town at 10am today.

A warning of Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups PM2.5 reading of 122 was reported for the north side of Phuket Town at the same time.

A similar warning of Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups was reported for the Nai Harn area late yesterday afternoon.

At 11am today, air quality in Chalong marked a PM2.5 reading 134, also spurring an Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups warning.

The readings posted are based on data provided by the Division of Air Quality Data of the Air Quality and Noise Management Bureau, which operates under Thailands Pollution Control Department.

Warnings for Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups are marked with the advice, Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.

Similar readings and warnings have been issued by the Switzerland-based air-quality monitoring centre IQ Air, which also cites that its reports are based on data from the Pollution Control Department.

The Environment and Pollution Control Office 15 has yet to recognise an deterioration in air quality across Phuket in the past few days.

The PCD has previously repeatedly dismissed reports from outside agencies regarding Phukets air quality.

A Phuket-based environmental officer, who specifically asked not to be named, told The Phuket News in 2021, Do not believe what is seen on the visual website from somewhere else [sic] about Thailands air quality.

For the right information we advise all people, both Thai and foreigners in Thailand, to download the app Air4Thai, which is operated under the Pollution Control Department of Thailand, the officer said.

However, The Phuket News can confirm a light haze across the island over the past few days, corroborated by people across the island.

The Air4Thai app was launched by the PCD in 2019 following reports by independent air-quality monitoring agencies gaining traction. The agency never said it was to counter reports from outside sources, but the information presented by the app is directly controlled by the PCD.

Air4Thai today gives a Green reading for Phukets air quality, but does mark an increase in PM2.5 readings in recent days.

Meanwhile, the Phuket PCD office in recent days has also stepped up its announcements for people to avoid any burn-offs.

The good news is that all agencies forecast the air to clear tonight.
Phuket tour guide chief denounces report of B1mn drug extortion by police

PHUKET: Krit Thepbamrung, President of the Andaman Tour Guide Association, is calling for a tour guide in Phuket to come forward and clarify that his claim that an agency official had planted drugs on a Saudi tourist then extorted B1 million from him happened years ago.

tourismdrugscorruptionpolice

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 1 February 2023, 03:04PM

Krit Thepbamrung, President of the Andaman Tour Guide Association, made his appeal ealier today (Feb 1). Photo: PR Phuket

Mr Krit made his plea earlier today (Feb 1), in response to a tour guide in Phuket going on a national television show and saying that an official had carried out the B1mn drugs extortion.

Mr Krit said he looked into the report after it was brought to his attention.

This is old news.. This happened years ago, probably before the NCPO [came to power], he said.

This incident has caused damage to not just Phuket, but the entire country, Mr Krit said.

Reports like this should not be put into the current context without knowing what happened, when it happened, he said.

Therefore, the damage caused by this is enormous It may cause tourists from all over the world to feel that they do not trust to travel to Phuket or Thailand ever again, Mr Krit said.

If possible, I ask people involved in the matter to please come forward and clarify that it was a mistake, that the information came out like that, in order not to damage the reputation of Phuket and Thailand, Mr Krit added.
PM warns bad cops must go

BANGKOK: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has insisted that any police officers involved in extorting money from a Taiwanese actress during her trip to Thailand early this month must face legal action.

corruptioncrimepolice

By Bangkok Post

Wednesday 1 February 2023, 07:36AM

Charlene An. Photo: Instagram

Commenting about the impact on the tourism industry, Gen Prayut said any problem involving police extorting money from tourists must be fixed and rogue officers punished, reports the Bangkok Post.

If there is clear evidence pointing to them committing offences, they must face both disciplinary and legal action. Dont let the issue ruin the reputation of the whole police organisation.

There are still a lot of decent police officers, but we must get rid of rogue ones, the prime minister said.

The actress, Charlene An, complained via social media that she was stopped by police near the Chinese embassy at about 1am on Jan 4. She claimed she was kept there for two hours, but police later countered the claim, saying footage from security cameras showed she was there for 47 minutes.

According to her complaint, the officers told her that her visa on arrival was unacceptable and must be printed on her passport with an official emblem.

After being searched and having long conversations with police, and asking what she did wrong, the 33-year-old finally learned she had to pay for her freedom. She said she paid B27,000 and was freed.

The national police chief, Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas, said he apologised to people affected by the actions of police on duty at the time, adding most police are decent people dedicated to serving the public.

He had ordered the Metropolitan Police Bureau chief to find out the facts of the case as soon as possible.

Police investigators may go to Taiwan and Singapore to question people involved, but they would also be willing to listen to them through various channels, Pol Gen Damrongsak said, adding people might like to share their information with Interpol instead.

He said police involved in the alleged extortion admitted only to dereliction of duty for their failure to charge the actress for illegal possession of a vaping device. However, the officers denied they extorted B27,000 in exchange for her freedom at their early morning checkpoint on Jan 4.

A source said 14 officers were questioned over the case on Monday, and all denied taking bribes.

The national police chief said an investigative committee was still looking into the case. Pol Gen Damrongsak said the chief and senior officers of the Huai Khwang station would have to take responsibility for the case.

The Bangkok police chief should not be held responsible, he noted.

He said most police were out to serve and protect. He had ordered all units, including tourist and immigration police, to perform their duties transparently.

I would like everyone, including tourists, to have confidence in the police, Pol Gen Damrongsak said.

Pol Maj Gen Atthaporn Wongsiripreeda, commander of the Metropolitan Police Division 1, said investigators still needed more information from those involved in the case.

They can contact him to arrange a video call to be questioned remotely, he said.

Seven officers at Huai Khwang station were transferred to inactive posts at the operations centre of the Metropolitan Police Division 1 pending further investigation over the alleged extortion of the Taiwanese actress on Tuesday.

She posted on her Instagram account yesterday, expressing her gratitude to those who had given her encouragement, support and care to help me walk through this moment of traumatic darkness.

Thailand, your culture, people, food, will always be special to me. I look forward to a better experience on my future visits, she wrote.
A German beauty blogger identified as Shahraban K allegedly killed her doppelganger she found on Instagram to fake her own death. Shahraban reportedly enticed the other beauty blogger, Khadidja O, to meet up in Ingolstadt, Bavaria to talk shop. Then, Shahraban reportedly stabbed Khadidja in the face dozens of times to hide her identity. Shahraban then placed Khadidja's body in her own Mercedes and parked it near a friend's house who has been named as her accomplice. From The Independent:

Prosecutors believe Shahraban K wanted to run away from trouble at home. "After the investigation, it can be assumed that she wanted to go into hiding due to internal family disputes and fake her own death," Veronika Grieser of the Ingolstadt public prosecutor's office told German newspaper Bild.

Shahraban K, who was living in Munich, allegedly set up fake Instagram accounts and tried to arrange meetings with women who looked similar to her. She eventually found Khadidja O, a 23-year-old Albanian citizen, who lived about 100 miles away, police said.
Today

Cloudy skies. High 44F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 27F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.

Tomorrow

Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 51F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.
A federal judge in New York has refused to lift an injunction barring the state from issuing retail cannabis licenses in Western New York and four other regions across the state.

U.S. District Judge Gary Sharpe released a ruling Tuesday upholding his Nov. 11 injunction against the states conditional dispensary program after a Michigan company complained it was discriminatory.

The decision means that, for now at least, the injunction will continue to prevent the state from issuing dispensary licenses to applicants in the Finger Lakes, Central New York, Western New York, Mid-Hudson and Brooklyn regions.

Looking for a job in the pot industry? Don't say cannabis The cannabis industry could add nearly 51,000 jobs in New York State, earning $2.2 billion a year by 2027, according to cannabis education website Leafly.

Sharpe issued the injunction last fall after Michigan-based Variscite NY One challenged the state Office of Cannabis Managements rule to give preference for dispensary licenses to people who had been convicted of a cannabis crime in New York and have a significant presence in the state.

Variscite is 51% owned by an individual with a cannabis conviction in Michigan and no significant connection to New York. But the company says OCMs rule violates a federal policy called the dormant commerce clause, which prohibits states from passing legislation designed to bar imports or exports of legal goods to or from other states.

OCM had submitted motions asking Sharpe to either dismiss the injunction or limit it to the Finger Lakes region, which was the preferred area of operations Variscite cited on its application. The state argued that the order would unjustly block 54 dispensaries from being able to open in the other four areas where Variscites application would not even be considered.

The judge refused those motions on grounds that OCM did not provide substantial justification to overturn the injunction beyond its original objections back in November.

In seeking dismissal, defendants raise many of the same arguments asserted in their opposition to Variscites motion for a preliminary injunction regarding whether the law and regulations at issue violate the dormant Commerce Clause, Sharpe wrote.

The state also argued that Variscite would not suffer injury by being denied a cannabis license because that would depend on future events, including whether it would be selected for a license in the first place. Sharpe disagreed, writing, that the alleged injury is not the denial itself but the disadvantage [it]face[s] in obtaining a license due to the allegedly unconstitutional licensing scheme.

The injunction has thrown OCMs rollout of its cannabis program into disarray and created uncertainty in the five regions affected. It also raises questions about whether the federal commerce clause may invalidate individual state cannabis programs in general.

Besides its case in New York, Variscite is also challenging a California cannabis program designed to favor local vendors. A California federal judge ruled against Variscites claims in that state, and the case is headed for appeal, according to Law360 legal newsletter.
Moog Inc. is planning for more growth in Elma.

The manufacturer has proposed a $77 million expansion that would add a 150,000-square-foot building on its campus, primarily to support its aircraft group. The details were shared in documents filed with the Erie County Industrial Development Agency.

Scannell retiring as Moog CEO with company on solid footing Patrick J. Roche, Moog's chief operating officer, will succeed Scannell as CEO. Roche has been with Moog in different roles since 2000.

Moog doesn't expect to add jobs to its workforce as a result of the new building. But the manufacturer says its long-range plans call for two separate, additional buildings that would each create 100 production jobs.

Moog is seeking as much as $2 million in sales tax incentives from the ECIDA, plus an unspecified amount of property tax savings that would be the largest part of the overall incentive package. The project would create what the company is calling an Advanced Integrated Manufacturing Center.

About 80% of the space in the center would be used by the aircraft group's machining shop, which mainly is involved with military aerospace projects, the company said. The rest of the space would be used for offices.

Moog guides Artemis 1 mission into space The Elma-based motion control equipment maker supplied actuators and controllers for the powerful Space Launch System rocket that lifted off from Cape Canaveral in Florida.

Moog said its existing manufacturing space is cramped, and the new building would allow it to refurbish the existing machine shop space in its Plant 2 complex and expand its assembly and test areas, along with its development lab.

As part of the project, Moog said it expects to add new equipment that would make the aircraft group's performance more efficient by reducing lead times and improving quality.

Moog said it expects to complete construction of the center by mid-2024 and would shift the machine shop to the new facility in stages between mid-2024 and the end of 2025.

Moog said it envisions three phases to the AIM expansion project. Each of the two ensuing phases would add an additional 150,000 square feet of manufacturing space to the Elma complex. Moog said the second and third phases of the project are contingent on the completion of the first phase.

The ECIDA has scheduled a public hearing on the project at 10 a.m. on Feb. 7 at the Town of Elma courtroom, at 1600 Bowen Road.

Moog, Astronics to support new Army helicopter Moog Inc. and Astronics Corp. are part of the team that will support Bell Textron, which the Army picked over a rival bid to build a next-generation helicopter.

Moog is one of the region's biggest private-sector employers, with 3,500 workers at its Elma complex and other satellite locations in Niagara County and elsewhere.

The AIM center project is the latest in a series of expansions by Moog in Western New York. The company in March 2022 said it expected to create 500 new jobs through a $25 million expansion that will help it upgrade and expand its local facilities and add new equipment.

New York agreed to provide the company with up to $15 million in Excelsior tax credits if Moog meets its hiring targets for that project.

As part of that project, Moog said it would invest in high-tech equipment and machinery as part of the expansion for Moog's work on components it makes for the military's F-35 fighter jet and the V-22 tilt-rotor aircraft, along with equipment used on flight simulators and satellites.
NED BRISTOL is a retired editor of The Sun Chronicle who writes occasionally for the Opinion Page. Reach him at nedbristol@msn.com .
A principal at a private elementary school in Batavia is accused of sexually abusing one of his former students, according to the Genesee County District Attorney's Office.

Jason R. Clark, 42, a 20-year employee of St. Paul Lutheran Church and School who lives in Monroe County, has been indicted on two counts of course of sexual conduct against a child younger than 11, said District Attorney Kevin T. Finnell. The indictment was unsealed Monday.

Clark was a teacher when the alleged abuse took place over the 2014-15 and 2015-16 school years, Finnell said. He was named principal in 2019.

The child, a student of Clark's during that period, did not report what had happened until recently, Finnell said. The child's parents then contacted Batavia city police.

Clark had taught at St. Paul's since 2002, according to a cached version of his biography on the school's website. He most recently was listed as the school's principal, a second and third grade teacher and a physical education teacher for kindergarten through fifth grade.

That biography page has since been scrubbed from the school's website. Finnell said he understands Clark has been placed on administrative leave of some kind.

A message left at the school office was not returned Wednesday. Clark's attorney, Lorenzo Napolitano, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

As of now, no other students have accused Clark of abuse, Finnell said.
SEAN BERGEL, Wheeler, Baseball, Junior; Bergel struck out eight and allowed only five hits as Wheeler defeated Griswold in its season opener. Bergel walked just one batter and allowed two earned runs.

CAMI BROWN, Stonington, Softball, Junior; Brown finished 11 for 16 in four games for the Bears. Brown doubled four times, tripled twice and drove in nine runs.

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The world will likely breach the internationally agreed-upon climate change threshold in about a decade, and keep heating to break through a next warming limit around mid-century even with big pollution cuts, artificial intelligence predicts in a new study thats more pessimistic than previous modeling.

The study in Mondays journal PNAS reignites a debate on whether its still possible to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, as called for in the 2015 Paris climate agreement, to minimize the most damaging effects of climate change. The world has already warmed 1.1 or 1.2 degrees since pre-industrial times, or the mid-19th century, scientists say.

Two climate scientists using machine learning calculated that Earth will surpass the 1.5 degree (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) mark between 2033 and 2035. Their results fit with other, more conventional methods of predicting when Earth will break the mark, though with a bit more precision.

There will come a time when we call the 1.5C target for maximum warming dead, beyond the shadow of a doubt, Brown University environment institute director Kim Cobb, who wasnt part of the study, said in an email interview. And this paper may be the beginning of the end of the 1.5C target.

Stanford Universitys Noah Diffenbaugh, a study co-author, said the world is on the brink of the 1.5-degree mark in any realistic emissions reduction scenario. Avoiding a 2-degree rise, he said, may depend on nations meeting zero-emissions goals by the middle of this century.

The artificial intelligence-based study found it unlikely that temperature increase could be held below 2 degrees Celsius, even with tough emissions cuts. And thats where the AI really differs with scientists who had been forecasting using computer models that are based on past observations, Diffenbaugh said.

In a high-pollution scenario, the AI calculated, the world would hit the 2-degree mark around 2050. Lower pollution could stave that off until 2054, the machine learning calculated.

In contrast, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change figured in its 2021 report that the same lower-pollution scenario would see the world pushing past 2 degrees sometime in the 2090s.

Cornell University climate scientist Natalie Mahowald, who wasnt part of the Diffenbaugh study but was part of the IPCC, said the study makes sense, fits with what scientists know, but seems a bit more pessimistic.

Theres a lot of power in using AI and in the future that may be shown to produce better projections, but more evidence is needed before concluding that, Mahowald said.

Normally, climate scientists use a bunch of computer model simulations, some running hot and some cold, and then try to figure out which ones are doing the best job. Thats often based on how they performed in the past or in simulations of the past, Diffenbaugh said. What the AI does is more keyed to the climate system now, he said.

Were using this very powerful tool that is able to take information and integrate it in a way that no human mind is able to do, for better or for worse, Diffenbaugh said.

Each year, government climate negotiators at a United Nations summit proclaim that they have managed to keep 1.5 alive. But with the latest study theres a divide among scientists on how true that really is. Diffenbaugh said theres been so much warming already that it really doesnt matter how pollution is cut in the next several years, the world will hit 1.5, the AI figures.

Zeke Hausfather of the tech company Stripe and Berkeley Earth, who was not part of the study, agreed, saying its time to stop pretending that limiting warming to 1.5 degrees is possible. Some scenarios do see temperatures warming past the mark but then coming back down, something called overshoot.

Other scientists not involved with the study, such as University of Pennsylvanias Michael Mann and Climate Analytics Bill Hare and Carl-Friedrich Schleussner maintain 1.5 is still alive. They say one rapid decarbonization scenario that Diffenbaugh didnt examine shows the world can mostly keep under the threshold.

If the world can cut its carbon emissions in half by 2030 then warming can be limited to 1.5 degrees with a tiny overshoot and then reductions to get under the mark, Hare said.

Believing that the world can no longer keep warming below 1.5 is a self-fulfilling prophecy, Mann said. In the end its easy to overinterpret the significance of a precise threshold like 1.5C warming. The challenge is to limit warming as much as possible.

(AP)




A bill to revoke the citizenship or residency of terrorists who receive compensation from the Palestinian Authority for acts of terror passed in a first reading in the Knesset overnight Monday.

The bill, which was proposed and supported by members of both the coalition and opposition, was passed by an overwhelming majority of 89 MKs in favor versus eight MKs who opposed the bill.

According to the bill, Israeli citizens or residents who have been sentenced to prison for acts of terror and receive pay to slay payments from the Palestinian Authority, can be stripped of their Israeli citizenship or residency and be deported to the Palestinian Authority or the Gaza Strip.

The explanation for the proposal states: Many people who hold Israeli citizenship or residency actually receive monthly salaries from the Palestinian Authority as wages and compensation for committing acts of terrorism. These salaries gradually increase with the seniority of the prisoners. It is unthinkable that citizens and residents of Israel who not only betrayed the Israeli state and society but even agreed to receive payments from the Palestinian Authority as a reward for carrying out acts of terrorism and continue to benefit from them, will continue to hold Israeli citizenship or residency.

Coalition chairman Ofir Katz (Likud) said in the plenary: Today we are changing the equation. The celebration that existed until today of murdering Jews, receiving a salary from the PA, returning here and receiving candy is over. Anyone who votes against this law is a supporter of terrorism. In these difficult days, I think that a message goes out from here to the citizens of the State of Israel that we here  the opposition and the coalition  are united at this moment  at least in the face of terrorism, which reminds us who our real enemies are.

Israeli security officials said during a Knesset hearing on the bill on Monday that about 70% of terrorists currently imprisoned in Israel and receiving pay to slay payments have Israeli citizenship or residency.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
A 30-year-old Buffalo man was shot late Tuesday while sitting in a vehicle in a retail parking lot in the Grant-Amherst neighborhood, police said.

Northwest District officers responded to a call just before 11 p.m. at the shopping plaza at Amherst and Grant streets that includes Tops Markets and Burger King.

The shooting victim was taken to Erie County Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition late Wednesday morning.

No further details were provided. Police request anyone with information on the incident to call or text the department's confidential tip Line at 716-847-2255.




U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday said the United States will increase its deployment of advanced weapons such as fighter jets and bombers to the Korean Peninsula as it strengthens joint training and operational planning with South Korea in response to a growing North Korean nuclear threat.

Austin made the comments in Seoul after he and South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-Sup agreed to further expand their combined military exercises, including a resumption of live-fire demonstrations, and continue a timely and coordinated deployment of U.S. strategic assets to the region, according to their offices.

Austin and Lee also discussed preparations for a simulated exercise between the allies in February aimed at sharpening their response if North Korea uses nuclear weapons.

Austins trip comes as South Korea seeks stronger assurances that the United States will swiftly and decisively use its nuclear capabilities to protect its ally in face of a North Korean nuclear attack.

South Koreas security jitters have risen since North Korea test-fired dozens of missiles in 2022, including potentially nuclear-capable ones designed to strike targets in South Korea and the U.S. mainland.

South Korea and the United States have also been strengthening their security cooperation with Japan, which has included trilateral missile defense and anti-submarine warfare exercises in past months amid the provocative run in North Korean weapons tests.

In a joint news conference following their meeting, Austin and Lee said they agreed that their countries resumption of large-scale military drills last year, including an aerial exercise involving U.S. strategic bombers in November, effectively demonstrated their combined capabilities to deter North Korean aggression.

The allies had downsized their training in recent years to create room for diplomacy with North Korea during the Trump administration and because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We deployed fifth-generation aircraft, F-22s and F-35s, we deployed a carrier strike group to visit the peninsula, you can look for more of that kind of activity going forward, Austin said.

He said the U.S. commitment to protecting its allies with its full range of military capabilities, including nuclear ones, remains ironclad.

North Koreas ramped-up missile tests have been punctuated by threats to preemptively use its nuclear weapons in a broad range of scenarios in which it perceives its leadership to be under threat, including conventional clashes or non-war situations.

Tensions could further rise in coming months with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un doubling down on his nuclear ambitions.

During a political conference in December, Kim called for an exponential increase in nuclear warheads, mass production of battlefield tactical nuclear weapons targeting South Korea, and development of more powerful long-range missiles designed to reach the U.S. mainland.

Experts say Kims nuclear push is aimed at forcing the United States to accept the idea of North Korea as a nuclear power and negotiating badly needed economic concessions from a position of strength.

Nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and North Korea have been derailed since 2019 because of disagreements over a relaxation of U.S.-led economic sanctions against the North in exchange for steps by North Korea to wind down its nuclear weapons and missiles programs.

North Koreas growing nuclear arsenal and provocations have raised the urgency for South Korea and Japan to strengthen their defense postures in line with their alliances with the United States.

In an interview with The Associated Press this month, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said his government was discussing with the Biden administration joint military planning potentially involving U.S. nuclear assets.

In December, Japan made a major break from its strictly self-defense-only post-World War II principle, adopting a new national security strategy that includes the goals of acquiring preemptive strike capabilities and cruise missiles to counter growing threats from North Korea, China and Russia.

(AP)




A couple about to fly to Brussels via Ryanair on Tuesday was arrested instead after they allegedly abandoned their baby at the airport.

The couple was apparently unaware that they were required to purchase a ticket for their baby and when they were informed of the fact, they began arguing with the airport staff. At a certain point, the couple then allegedly left their baby behind in the stroller and proceeded to walk to passport control.

According to Channel 12 New report, flight attendants noticed the baby and quickly called the airport police. The police ran to locate the parents and detained them.

The couple was taken for questioning together with their baby.

The manager of Ryanair at Ben-Gurion said: All the employees today are in shock. Weve never encountered anything like this. We couldnt believe what we were seeing.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)




The U.S. Justice Department has requested documents from Tesla Inc. related to its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features, according to a regulatory filing.

To our knowledge no government agency in any ongoing investigation has concluded that any wrongdoing occurred, Tesla said in the filing Tuesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Austin, Texas-based electric vehicle maker cautioned that if the government decides to pursue an enforcement action, it could possibly have a material adverse impact on its business.

A message was left Tuesday seeking comment from the Justice Department.

Tesla is already facing multiple investigations by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for problems with its two driver-assist systems, Autopilot and Full Self-Driving.

Despite their names, Tesla still says on its website that the cars cant drive themselves. Teslas using Full Self-Driving can navigate roads in many cases, but experts say the system can make mistakes, which even CEO Elon Musk acknowledges. Were not saying its quite ready to have no one behind the wheel, CEO Musk said in October.

The systems have been under investigation by NHTSA since June of 2016 when a driver using Autopilot was killed after his Tesla went under a tractor-trailer crossing its path in Florida. A separate probe into Teslas that were using Autopilot when they crashed into emergency vehicles started in August 2021. At least 14 Teslas that have crashed into emergency vehicles while using the Autopilot system.

Including the Florida crash, NHTSA has sent investigators to 35 Tesla crashes in which automated systems are suspected of being used. Nineteen people have died in those crashes, including two motorcyclists.

Full Self-Driving went on sale late in 2015, and Musk has used the name ever since. It currently costs $15,000 to activate the system. That year, Musk said the company will have full autonomy in about three years.

In 2019 he promised a fleet of autonomous robotaxis by 2020, and he said in early 2022 that the cars would be autonomous that year.

Since 2021, Tesla has been beta-testing Full Self-Driving using owners who havent been trained on the system but are actively monitored by the company. Tesla said this month that 400,000 owners are participating.

Auto safety advocates and government investigators have long criticized Teslas monitoring system as inadequate. Three years ago the National Transportation Safety Board listed poor monitoring as a contributing factor in a 2018 fatal Tesla crash in California. The board recommended a better system, but said Tesla has not responded.

NHTSA has noted in documents that numerous Tesla crashes have occurred in which drivers had their hands on the wheel but still werent paying attention. The agency has said that Autopilot is being used in areas where its capabilities are limited and that many drivers arent taking action to avoid crashes despite warnings from the vehicle.

In addition, the National Transportation Safety Board determined in 2020 that Teslas system to make sure drivers are paying attention is not adequate, and it should be limited to areas where it can safely operate.

In premarket trading, Tesla shares slipped 1.3%.

(AP)




By this time four years ago, at least a dozen Democratic presidential hopefuls eager to make their case against Donald Trump had either visited Iowa or announced plans to soon visit the leadoff voting state ahead of the 2020 election.

Iowas campaign landscape is markedly different this year, with a Republican field seemingly frozen by Trumps early announcement of a 2024 campaign. So far, only former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson has visited this year, and U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina is making plans to stop by in the next few weeks.

Even Trump, the only declared candidate in the 2024 race right now, has been absent from Iowa, choosing instead to kickstart his campaign last weekend in New Hampshire and South Carolina, two other early voting states.

With Iowas first-in-the-nation GOP caucuses just a year off, the field of would-be White House candidates has largely been content to steer clear of bone-chilling Iowa  and, perhaps more importantly, avoid being the first candidate to announce a bid against the former president.

No one wants to be on a limb by themselves against Trump, said Alan Ostergren, a Republican lawyer in Des Moines who is involved in GOP politics. Theyll all break at some point. But no one wants to go first.

For now, the quiet in Iowa gives other contenders weighing campaigns  among them former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, all of whom campaigned in Iowa last year for GOP candidates  time to talk to potential donors, promote their new books and summon the mettle to take on Trump.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a leading GOP presidential prospect coming off a blowout reelection victory, is not expected to make any 2024 moves until the spring, after the Florida Legislature adjourns and he completes a national book tour.

As a warning to other potential competitors, Trump and his team have been lashing out at would-be rivals. The former president has dubbed DeSantis Ron DeSanctimonious and said that a DeSantis challenge for the 2024 GOP nomination would be a great act of disloyalty.

Trumps universal name recognition gives him space to stay away from Iowa for now, GOP operatives say, as his team charts a strategy thats expected to be more organized than his freewheeling 2016 campaign, which resulted in a second-place finish in the states caucuses.

Although he remains deeply popular within a core of the Republican Party, Trump is facing a number of investigations that could complicate his third bid for the White House. Among them are a criminal investigation over top-secret documents found at his Florida estate, a probe in Washington into his efforts to undo the results of the 2020 presidential election, an investigation in Georgia into his efforts to remain in the presidency after losing reelection, and more probes in New York.

Hes not looked at as someone who should automatically get the nomination. Hes no longer in office, and two years have gone by, said Steve Scheffler, Iowas Republican National committeeman, who has pledged to remain publicly neutral. Even though the base loves him and his policies, he may have to do more of what others have to do. I definitely think hes more vulnerable.

So far, Trump is the lone 2024 Republican with a paid presence in Iowa. Alex Latcham, the former regional political director for the Iowa Republican Party, now works for Trumps national team but still lives in Iowa. He is helping recruit an Iowa campaign director for Trump.

Unlike four years ago, around the time then-California Sen. Kamala Harris, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and then-South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, among others, were visiting Iowa, Democrats this year are standing to the side with the expectation that President Joe Biden will seek a second term. In any case, the Democratic National Committee is expected to strip Iowa of its leadoff voting status for the 2024 presidential nominating calendar, though Republicans plan to keep Iowa as its first-voting state.

Despite the relative quiet in Iowa so far this year, potential Republican candidates are still finding ways to make inroads with GOP activists in the state without setting foot there.

At the GOP legislative breakfast on Jan. 9, legislators and party officials flipped through a printed program that included full-page ads from Trump, Pompeo and Scott.

Thats in addition to the tens of thousands of dollars that they and others, including Haley and Pence, contributed to Iowa Republican candidates from their political fundraising organizations for their 2022 midterm election campaigns.

Without setting foot in Iowa, DeSantis, too, worked to sow goodwill last year with Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds by inviting her to meet in Florida.

Several would-be presidential candidates are expected to attend an annual spring fundraiser for the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition, a Christian conservative group, on April 22.

Hutchinson, the only 2024 GOP candidate to visit Iowa this year, made a low-profile visit to Iowa early this month, holding private meetings and speaking to a GOP state legislative breakfast. Scott is scheduled to speak at the Polk County GOP annual fundraising dinner on Feb. 22.

Gloria Mazza, chair of the Polk County Republican Party, said its only a matter of time before the behind-the-scenes maneuvering by potential GOP Trump rivals spills out into the open.

Its going to pop, but its hard to tell when. Its like a game of chess, Mazza said. Who is going to make the first move on him?

(AP)




A major social media booster of Donald Trump has waved sayonara to his support for the former president, saying that hes done with him and will instead shift his support to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Bill Mitchell, whose rabid and sometimes unhinged support for Trump often garnered him attention on Twitter, announced that he was done with the former president.

Mitchell first made headlines in 2016 when his unwavering support and boosting of Trump prompted a news article titled Donald Trumps most unrelenting social media surrogate.

Ok, thats it. Im done. Im off the #TrumpTrain, Mitchell wrote. I cannot in good conscience support a man who would tell lies about a great American to defend his own enormous ego.

Mitchell was referencing Trumps attacks on DeSantis which have no basis in objective reality.

I will work with every ounce of my being to help Governor DeSantis win the nomination and the presidency, he added.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)




President Joe Biden on Tuesday showcased a $292 million mega grant that will be used to help build a new rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River between New York and New Jersey, part of a broader effort to draw a contrast between his economic vision and that of Republicans.

The money is part of $1.2 billion in mega grants being awarded under the 2021 infrastructure law. The Democratic presidents trip to New York City on Tuesday came on the heels of his stop Monday in Baltimore to highlight the replacement of an aging rail tunnel there, where he pledged that government spending on infrastructure will boost economic growth and create blue-collar jobs.

The New York stop also gave Biden a chance to highlight his administration jumpstarting a project that languished during President Donald Trumps time in office. The yearslong modernization of the Hudson project started in 2013 but stalled as Trump battled with Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer over funding for the project.

This is one of the biggest, the most consequential projects in the country, Biden said. But we finally have the money, and were going to get it done. I promise were going to get it done.

The New York and Baltimore trips amount to a form of counterprogramming to the new House Republican majority. GOP lawmakers are seeking deep spending cuts in exchange for lifting the governments legal borrowing limit, saying that federal expenditures are hurting growth and that the budget should be balanced.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Biden are scheduled to meet Wednesday, with the Republican lawmaker intending to press his case for spending cuts even though White House officials say Biden wont negotiate over the need to increase the federal debt limit.

I dont think theres anyone in America who doesnt agree that theres some wasteful Washington spending that we can eliminate, McCarthy told CBS News on Sunday.

Mitch Landrieu, the White House senior adviser responsible for coordinating implementation of the infrastructure law, told reporters Tuesday that if Republicans are looking to take away money from projects, they ought to, I think, identify which projects they dont want.

And then you can have that discussion with the American people, Landrieu added.

Speaking at a political fundraiser in Manhattan following his speech about the Hudson tunnel, Biden called McCarthy a decent man but said the Republican made absolutely off-the-wall commitments to seal the support of the most conservatives members of his party. The event, hosted by by former hedge fund executive Jeffrey Weber, raised $1 million for the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Grassroots Victory Fund.

To some in the Biden administration, the Hudson Tunnel Project demonstrates what could be lost if spending cuts are put into place. In total, the construction is projected to result in 72,000 jobs, according to the White House.

The project will renovate the 1910 tunnel already carrying about 200,000 weekday passengers beneath the Hudson between New Jersey and Manhattan, a long-delayed upgrade after decades in which the government underfunded infrastructure.

We cannot lead the world in this century if we depend on infrastructure from early in the last one, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.

The grant would be used to help complete the concrete casing for an additional rail tunnel beneath the river, preserving a right of way for the eventual tunnel. In total, the project is expected to cost $16 billion and help ease a bottleneck for New Jersey commuters and Amtrak passengers going through New York City.

Biden made the case the project is critical far beyond greater New York.

If this line shuts down for just one day it would cost our economy $100 million, Biden said. And the current Hudson River rail tunnel can be a major chokepoint.

Other projects to receive mega grants include the Brent Spence Bridge, which connects Kentucky and Ohio; the Calcasieu River Bridge replacement in Louisiana; a commuter rail in Illinois; the Alligator River Bridge in North Carolina; a transit and highway plan in California; and roadways in Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Mississippi.

Not everyone has been pleased by the mega grant program. Some Republican lawmakers in Arizona say it gave preference to mass transit and repair projects over expansion and new construction.

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., noted that the northeast corridor produces roughly 20% of the U.S. GDP and that Biden was finally ushering in long-awaited modernization to an essential artery that moves countless people and goods through the heart of the U.S. economy. Booker called it poetic that Biden  who regularly commuted from his home in Delaware and Washington during his years in the Senate  was the one getting the project back on track.

This is a hallelujah moment, Booker said.

Schumer criticized Trump for slowing the project during his term as he feuded with the Democrats.

Get on the Joe Biden Express now because we are not stopping, Schumer said. For four years, the former president was shoveling you know what and now were going to put real shovels in the ground, wielded by real American workers.

(AP)




by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com

If someone were keeping tabs on these things, it is perhaps the Parnassah Segulah that has gone most viral of all other Segulos. Numerous Torah internet sites link to the parsha of the Mahn and explain that one will become wealthier if we recite this section (Shmos 16:4 until the Omer is one tenth of an Aifah) on Tuesday of Parshas BShalach. It must be said twice in the Hebrew and once in the Targum. But where does this Segulah come from? Is there truly anything to it? Is it of recent origin or does it date back for many centuries?

What is fascinating is that what is of recent origin is the Tuesday of Parshas bShalach aspect of it. The earlier sources recommended reciting it daily, and not just one day out of the year. Rabbeinu Bachya (Shmos 16:16) writes, it is a tradition in the hand of the sages that whoever recites the parsha of the Mahn each day is assured that he will not lose out in this world of his mezonos.

ORIGINS

The Tashbatz (Siman 184) actually cites the daily reading of it and its effect in the name of the Yerushalmi, and add the words, And I am the guarantor. The Tur (in OC Siman 1:5) also cites this tradition in the name of the Yerushalmi in Brachos. The Mishna Brurah (1:13) also cites this source. The problem is that it is not to be found in our version or any manuscript of the Yerushalmi.

To add to the mystery, the Sefer HaManhig in hilchos Shabbos (44) cites the source as a Yerushalmi in Yuma. Yet it is not in our Yerushalmi Yuma either.

The traditional answer that is often given when Rishonim refer to Yerushalmis that have disappeared is that the term is used loosely by the Rishon and that Yerushalmi often included Midrashim that were edited in Eretz Yisroel. This wont work here, because the Tur specifically refers to the Yerushalmi in Brachos. It must be then that the version of the Yerushalmi that the Tur had is lost.

WHY THE MAHN?

Why single out the miracle of the Mahn, more so than the other miracles we experienced? Rav Sadya Gaon in the introduction to his Emunos vDeyos explains that the Mahn was a miracle that was of a daily occurrence. The other miracles were more transient.

Although not mentioned by Rav Sadya, even after the forty year sojourn in the desert, the Mahn played an important role. The container of the Mahn (Tzintzenes HaMahn)was placed alongside the Aron in both the Mishkan and the Beis HaMikdash until the days of Yoshiahu the King, one hundred years before the destruction of the First Beis HaMikdash. It served as a reminder then too.

NOT FOUND IN SIDDURIM

The Aruch haShulchan points out that in his time, the Parshas HaMan was not found in the siddurim, if it ever was. He explains its absence in the siddur as stemming from the fact that the Parsha mentions a number of times the embarrassing detail that Klal Yisroel nagged and complained, and it would be improper to permanently place that in our Siddurim. Nowadays, many of the siddurim have printed it, notwithstanding the Aruch haShulchans ethos on the issue.

HOW IT WORKS

How does it work? Many of the meforshim explain that it serves to entrench within our minds that our prnassah, our sustenance  comes only from Hashem. It seems that the daily recital of the parsha of Mahn helps us eradicate within our minds and thoughts. The Mishna Brurah writes that it is not enough to merely say it. Its message must be fully imbibed within us.

Others write that the principle behind how it works lies in the fact that reciting it will build up our Bitachon in Hashem (Minchas Asher, for example). While some would explain that these are both two sides of the same coin, it seems to this author that they are in fact two separable concepts.

There seems to be a third method, taking a less mystical approach. The reading of the Parsha serves to calm a persons anxieties about struggling for Parnasah, and thus helps him focus better through the understanding that all is from Hashem. This seems to be the understanding of the Tzemach Tzeddek (Parshas HaMan, Shin 5644 referenced in index page 100).

The Shaivet Mussar (Chapter 40) cites in the name of the Mekuballim that it should be recited, as mentioned earlier, shnayim mikra vechad Targum  twice in the Hebrew and once in the Aramaic of Unkelus. The Noheg Tzon Yoseph (Siman 34), however, quotes the Shnayim Mikrah detail as having been first written by Rabbeinu Tam in his Sefer HaYashar. The Shlas father in his Yesh Nochlin also writes this. From the Shlas father, however, this is merely the ideal method to do so. From the Noheg Tzon Yoseph it seems that it will not be effective at all if not done shnayim Mikrah Echad Targum.

THE VARIANT BLESSING

What is also interesting is, thus far, our sources indicate that a person will simply not lose out or suffer a loss of Mezonos. In the Midrash Talpios (section on Havdallah) , however, it writes that the entire Parshas HaMahn is mesugal for success and wealth. The nature of the blessing is ratcheted up a bit.

WHEN SHOULD IT BE SAID?

Both the Beer Heitev and the Mishna Brurah indicate that it should be recited in the morning before the Korbanos are recited before Shacharis. The Otzros Chaim, however, cites the Rekanti in the name of the Zohar that it should be said after Shacharis, athough he does not actually source it. The most likely reference, however, is to the Zohar in Parshas Pinchas (226) dparnasa lo chazi lmishal elah basar tzlusah  that requesting for ones parnassah is only viable after praying. Since the rulings of the standard halachic Poskim generally outweigh the rulings of the mekuballim, it would seem that it would be preferable to follow the Mishna Brurah, but, as always, each person should consult his own Rav or Posaik, of course.

OTHER MINHAGIM

The Mishmeres Shalom (14:2), a Sefer written in Yiddish, states that Rav Pinchas Mikoritz cited the minhag and also added that one should further say the thirteen ikkarim of the Rambam each morning too.

THE TUESDAY OF BESHALACH MINHAG

So when exactly did the newer custom of reciting it on one particular Tuesday in the year arise? And who was it that promulgated the new twist on the Minhag? Some trace it to Rav Menachem Mendel of Riminov (1745-1815), one of the five main disciples of the Rebbe Elimelech of Lisensk. Others trace it to Rav Shalom of Stropkov (1855-1940) (See Yisroel VHazmanim, Rav Dovid Rossov p. 291). It is clear, however, that Rav Shalom was quoting the Riminover and did not make it up himself. The original Sfer of the Riminover is not easily accessible as only the first volume is readily extant.

IF ONES MINHAG IS NOT TO SAY IT

Most people, of course, do not have the minhag to say it on this day, and some remain firm in this Minhag. Rav Ovadiah also writes that this is not their minhag. There is a fascinating Rabbeinu Yonah in his Shaarei Teshuva (3:17) where he writes that it is a Torah Mitzvah to remember the falling of the Mahn. That being the case, it doesnt hurt to recite it if it will help us focus on this Mitzvah.

A CAVEAT FOR EVERYONE

Rav Shmuel Hominer in his Chumash Eved HaMelech (Shmos page 42) brings out a fascinating and yet obvious point. When reciting the Parshas HaMahn one should take care NOT TO RECITE IT AS A SEGULAH. Why? So that he will not be serving Hashem al menas lekabel pras  on condition of receiving reward. Lets not forget the yesodos of Yiddishkeit, the fundamentals of our serving Hashem  as found in Pirkei Avos.

The author can be reached at [email protected]




Iran and Russia have taken a key step toward linking their banking systems in a move that further boosts their cooperation in the face of Western sanctions, an Iranian official said.

At a signing ceremony on Sunday, Mohsen Karami, the deputy central bank governor, said banks in the two countries had connected their messaging networks following agreements reached over the past year, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

It was not clear whether those links would allow for the transfer of funds, and services were not yet available to bank customers. Karami said 100 banks in 13 other countries were connected to the network, without naming them.

There was no immediate comment from Russia or the United States, which has worked with its allies to isolate both countries.

In response to Russias invasion of Ukraine nearly a year ago, Western countries banned key Russian banks from the Belgium-based SWIFT financial messaging system, which daily moves billions of dollars around the world among more than 11,000 banks and financial institutions.

The Trump administration took similar action against Iranian banks as it reimposed crippling sanctions after withdrawing the U.S. from a nuclear agreement with world powers in 2018.

Cutting banks off from the SWIFT system severely limits a countrys ability to acquire foreign capital and trade internationally, and is among the toughest financial sanctions available.

Iran and Russia have strengthened ties following Russias invasion, with Iran supplying attack drones that have dive-bombed infrastructure and other civilian targets across Ukraine. After initially denying that it had armed Russia, in November Iran acknowledged the drones transfer, saying it took place before the war began.

Russias vast oil reserves and trade ties with China and India have thus far largely cushioned it from Western sanctions.

Iran has struggled for years in the face of similar sanctions linked to its disputed nuclear program. Its currency fell to an all-time low late last year, further hobbling the economy, draining peoples life savings and adding fuel to nationwide anti-government protests.

Efforts to revive the 2015 agreement, which lifted sanctions on Iran in return for strict limits and stepped-up surveillance of its nuclear activities, hit an impasse several months ago.

(AP)




Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine officially asked the states Legislature to expand vouchers for K-12 private school tuition, a move that if implemented would be highly beneficial for hundreds of Orthodox Jewish families.

Currently, families are eligible for the states EdChoice scholarships if they either live in the area of a low-performing school or if their income is below a certain level. For now, a family of four can qualify for the vouchers if their income is at or below $69,375, which is 250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

Under DeWines proposal, the income limit to be eligible for the scholarships would be raised to 400% of the poverty line, meaning that a family of four making up to $111,000 would be eligible for the vouchers.

This investment will allow more families than ever to take advantage of this scholarship and find the best school for their children, DeWine said in his State of the State speech on Tuesday.

EdChoice vouchers are given as checks paid directly to private schools to help cover students tuition and currently stands at $5,500 for K-8 students and $7,500 for students in grades 9-12.

See the image below for some context of how massive a proposal this is.

The announcement was hailed by Agudath Israel Ohio Director Yitz Frank, a longtime advocate for school choice in the state.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
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The Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Gharibashvili met with the Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration of Moldova, Oleg Serebrian.According to the press service of the Prime Minister, the main areas of cooperation between the two countries were reviewed. The successful cooperation of the respective agencies of the two countries in various directions was emphasized and readiness to further deepen the existing fruitful cooperation was expressed.The importance of peaceful conflict resolution was emphasized at the meeting.The head of the government once again confirmed the commitment of the Georgian government to the policy of peaceful resolution of the conflict. The Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova confirmed their strong mutual support in the issues of sovereignty and territorial integrity of the two countries.The conversation also touched on the process of integration of the associated trio countries into the European Union. Attention was focused on the implementation of the recommendations of the European Council, the steps are already been taken, and there is the action plan.The security environment and challenges of the region and the world were discussed at the meeting. The importance of joint efforts to overcome existing challenges was emphasized.According to the National Statistics Office of Georgia's preliminary assessment, in 2022, the economy of Georgia grew by 10.1 percent. In the updated data, it is noted that in December 2022, compared to December 2021, the volume of gross domestic product increased by 11 percent."In December 2022, compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, the following sectors made a significant contribution to growth: construction, processing industry, transport and warehousing, financial and insurance activities, trade, hotels and restaurants.A downward trend was observed in real estate-related activities, professional, scientific and technical activities and in the fields of electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply," Geostat writes.
A former Cheektowaga man will serve a year in jail for killing a bicyclist while driving under the influence of marijuana, according to the Erie County District Attorney's Office.

Prosecutors said the driver's license of 26-year-old Zaire N. Pittman also has been revoked as part of his sentence.

Pittman pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree vehicular manslaughter, a felony, and one count of driving while ability is impaired by a drug, which is a misdemeanor. Pittman pleaded guilty to the highest count in the indictment against him on Nov. 14.

The accident occurred about 11:30 p.m. on May 7, 2021, when Pittman struck Carolyn Carter, 54, as she rode her bicycle on East Ferry Street near Wohlers Avenue on Buffalo's East Side. She died at the scene.

On Tuesday, prosecutors requested that Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case impose a state prison sentence on Pittman.

District Attorney John J. Flynn Jr. commended the Buffalo Police Department Accident Investigation Unit for its work in this investigation. The case was prosecuted by Chief Paul J. Glascott and Assistant District Attorney Christopher M. McCarthy of the Vehicular Crimes Bureau.
I ordered a brand new 999 Apple iPhone 14 Plus from Amazon but when the package arrived it contained two candles and no sign of the mobile.

I was bemused at first, but now Im fuming as Amazon is refusing to refund me for the device.

A. B., Sussex.

Another ball of wax: A reader was left bemused when Amazon sent him two candles instead of the 999 iPhone 14+ he had ordered

Sally Hamilton replies: Your story had me reminiscing about the vintage Two Ronnies four candles TV sketch where hardware shop owner Ronnie Corbett thinks customer Ronnie Barker wants to purchase four candles when what he actually wants are fork andles  andles for forks.

The misunderstanding makes for brilliant comedy. But to order a 999 phone from Amazon and receive two candles instead  and have the firm wash its hands of your case  well, I can see why that got on your wick.

You explained that, as well as the phone, you had ordered a laptop from Amazon, with the two parcels delivered at the same time.

You provided the security code to the delivery driver that Amazon had emailed previously. The same code applied to both items. Such codes are required for high-value purchases to prove packages have been safely received by the right person.

When you opened the first package, all was fine: the laptop was as expected. The second, which should have been the phone, contained candles.

To put me in the picture fully, you told me your husband had in fact ordered candles separately from Amazon, as a gift for you but sent to him. He suggested this must have caused the mix-up.

But you were concerned because his Amazon account is different from yours and the offending candle package had your name and business details on the address label. And, in any case, where was the iPhone?

You contacted Amazon, which replied that it had delivered parcels of the correct weight and told you to file a police report. You tried, but the police werent interested, stating that it was a civil matter and you should speak to Amazon.

You phoned Amazon to try to resolve the impasse, but it told you to contact its customer services online. You got nowhere.

You reached a similar dead end with its social media and on Trustpilot, the customer reviews website, where you hoped it might pick up on your complaint.

Having hit a brick wall, you contacted me. You told me you are a clinical psychologist and have a strong view on how Amazons lack of a positive response made you feel disempowered as a consumer. Sadly, such treatment of customers by businesses is widespread.

Another reader, J. B. from Leicestershire, contacted me with a similar tale of intercepted Amazon parcels and the subsequent poor response by its customer services. The 459 Samsung tablet he ordered via the firm before Christmas was replaced by cake decorations.

As with your case, the correct passcode had been given on delivery. But the label on the package was wrinkled, as if it had been taken off another parcel.

When J. B. called Amazon to report this, an agent said he would be refunded upon returning the package. On the understanding that the original payment would soon be reimbursed, he ordered another tablet for a further 459.

Sadly, this was premature, as Amazon then refused to refund him. He appealed several times, in vain. An email escalating his concerns to Amazons complaints department was ignored. So, like you, he came to me.

When people buy something online, the retailer is responsible for its safe delivery, according to the Consumer Rights Act 2015. I felt both you and J. B. should be reimbursed.

I took both cases to Amazon, which agreed to investigate. Within a few days, it came back with some excellent news.

Although there was no explanation about what had gone wrong in either case, nor why the refunds had been refused, a spokesman says: Weve contacted the customers directly, apologised and processed a full refund.

Anyone in the same boat, or who receives damaged goods, should always contact the retailer immediately.

It also helps to collect evidence, including photographs of the packages that have been damaged or tampered with, and of whatever was substituted for a genuine order. If signing for a delivery that cant be opened in front of the courier, add the words not inspected, which could help if issues emerge on opening.

Opting for a delivery to be made to a safe place or a neighbour can make problems harder to resolve later. Consider requesting signed-for delivery only, particularly for high-value items. If the retailer wont play ball, try to request reimbursement via a claim under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, if the purchase was by credit card and the item cost between 100 and 30,000.

The card provider is jointly liable with the retailer if something goes wrong with a purchase.

If a debit card was used, consider raising a chargeback dispute  an informal arrangement offered by banks for customers who do not get the goods or services they have paid for.

Straight to the point I ordered a Zara necklace online for 29.99 but when it arrived it was too small. Zara will not offer me a refund as it claims the necklace I returned was broken, which is not true. S. H., Devon. Zara has contacted you and admitted that it made a mistake. It has confirmed that a full refund is on its way. *** I was scammed by a street trader who charged 821 to my card rather than 21. Santander says it cannot deal with my complaint without a receipt, but the trader did not supply one. K. B., via email. You have received a full refund via chargeback. A Santander spokesman says: We will typically request evidence of the agreed price at point of sale so it can be verified as being different from what was charged. After reviewing the case, we understand that this is unlikely to be possible. *** My flight from Zurich to London with British Airways on August 10 was four-and-a-half hours late. I put in a delay repayment claim, but heard nothing, so Ive submitted my claim to a dispute resolution service. R. H, via email. BA apologises for your experience. It had to follow the processes of the dispute resolution service, and has now paid 455.

Good to Go said no go to cancelled cruise claim

I booked a two-week holiday costing more than 3,000 with Cruise1st for my wife, and I arranged travel cover with Good To Go Insurance through the website Paying Too Much.

We were due to sail on May 14 2022, but three days before, my wife was taken to hospital with respiratory difficulties.

She was discharged later the same day, but the doctor advised against travel. I cancelled the cruise and told the insurer.

I was contacted by its claims handler, Global Response, with forms to complete, including one for our GP. A few weeks later our claim was denied because there was a discrepancy between the sailing date of May 14 and the policy start date of May 15.

As I had used the insurer for previous cruises, and always found it to be helpful and efficient, I did not check the small print as I should have.

H. W., Goring, Oxon.

Sally Hamilton replies: When rejecting your claim, the Good To Go claims manager pointed to a clause stating that, for a claim to be valid, the policy must cover the duration of the trip.

When buying the policy over the phone, you had mistakenly told the firm that it should start a day later than it needed to.

You didnt recall the details of this conversation but the company has a recording where you had stated the wrong start date. You accepted the facts. Nevertheless, you felt hard done by.

Good To Go was well within its rights to turn down your claim of 3,298 plus 60 for the confirmation from the GP that your wife was too ill to travel.

However, stating the wrong date by one day was not a deliberate act by you, as there was no gain to be had in choosing the following day for the policys inception. In a nutshell, you had tripped up.

Since you had purchased the cover via comparison service Paying Too Much, I went to it first to ask if it could help with the reassessment of your claim. It took a while to track down the decision-maker.

But once I did, I am happy to say she contacted Good To Go that day and it was quickly agreed that your claim should be met after all. Good on you, Good To Go.
Efforts to attract investment in British infrastructure were hit after two of the UK's biggest pension funds turned their backs on Sizewell C.

Ministers are tearing up old EU red tape that Chancellor Jeremy Hunt says will unlock 100billion in possible funding for major projects.

The most important of these is the 20billion Sizewell C nuclear power plant in Suffolk, which is being developed by the Government and EDF but will need billions of private funding.

Ministers are tearing up old EU red tape that Chancellor Jeremy Hunt says will unlock 100bn in possible funding for projects such as the 20bn Sizewell C nuclear power plant in Suffolk

But two of Britain's biggest pension funds  the BT Pension Scheme and NatWest  have told campaign group Stop Sizewell C and the Daily Mail they do not intend to back the project.

The Government has spent years trying to woo pension groups and institutional investors by introducing a new funding model that allows them to receive dividends during the construction process.

It is expected to go a step further by classifying nuclear as a green energy source in an upcoming eco-friendly financing strategy, which would make it easier for companies to win support to invest in power plants.

But an industry source said Sizewell C would still not be an appropriate investment for 'typical big-name UK pension schemes', as they see the risk of cost over-runs and delays being too high.

So far, other potential backers such as Nest and Legal & General have said they do not intend to fund the project.

But British Gas owner Centrica is thought to be considering taking a stake, while FTSE 100 savings and retirement firm Phoenix Group has said it is keen to back nuclear.

The source added that funding was more likely to come from North America and the Middle East, with Emirati sovereign wealth fund Mubadala already said to be in the mix.

Alison Downes, the head of campaign group Stop Sizewell C, said: 'Whatever the funding model, Sizewell C is highly controversial. It carries multiple risks, of time and cost overruns, reputation and technical problems.

'If the Government is forced to peddle it to foreign investors, it will make its justification in terms of 'energy sovereignty' even more of a joke.'
Shares in Darktrace fell to a record low after a notorious short-seller warned the cybersecurity group may have 'overstated' sales and profits.

In a blistering attack, Quintessential Capital Management (QCM) said it was 'deeply sceptical about the validity of Darktrace's financial statements'.

The New York-based hedge fund  run by Israeli former special forces paratrooper Gabriel Grego  even accused the London-listed company of doing business with 'shell companies in offshore jurisdictions manned by individuals with ties to organised crime, money-laundering and fraud'.

Shares slump: Darktrace has been accused of doing business with 'shell companies in offshore jurisdictions manned by individuals with ties to organised crime, money-laundering and fraud'

The 69-page report sent Darktrace shares down another 4.5 per cent, or 9.8p, to 210.2p following a near-13 per centslide on Monday when QCM disclosed its short position  or bet against the value of the stock.

The attack by QCM and share price slump will pile pressure on Darktrace chief executive Poppy Gustafsson, who co-founded the company in 2013 aged just 30.

Now 40 and one of the most high-profile female bosses in the FTSE 350, she remains plagued by links to co-founder Mike Lynch, the British billionaire facing fraud charges in the US over the sale of his separate software company Autonomy to Hewlett Packard.

In its report, QCM said Darktrace is still 'led or strongly influenced' by those connected to the Autonomy debacle.

Lynch remains a key shareholder with a stake of around 11.2 per cent controlled by him and his wife Angela Bacares, while 2.3 per cent is owned by Sushovan Hussain, Autonomy's ex-finance chief who was director at Darktrace until 2016 when he was convicted of fraud in the US.

Gustafsson was Autonomy's corporate controller for three years, while Eloy Avila, Darktrace's chief technology officer for the Americas, and chief strategy officer Nicole Eagan also previously worked at the firm.

The QCM report predicted Darktrace's sales momentum 'might be about to drop' as a number of contracts signed by the company before its listing in May 2021 looked set to expire without being renewed by 'disappointed customers'.

It added that several 'accounting anomalies' suggested problems with the firm's recognition of revenue and provided a 'potentially misleading picture' of its cash generation.

Accusing it of using marketing tactics to channel funds to partner firms as payment for 'apparently fictitious purchases', the hedge fund said: 'We would like to give our strongest possible warning to investors and believe that [Darktrace's] equity is overvalued and liable to a major correction, or worse.' QCM has taken a 0.86 per cent short position in the company, currently worth around 12.9million.

In response to the report, Darktrace said it has 'never been contacted' by QCM and has 'full confidence' in its accounting and financial statements.

'We have rigorous controls in place across our business to ensure we comply fully with IFRS accounting standards,' a spokesman added.

QCM is not the first short-seller to target Darktrace, with London-based hedge fund Marshall Wace taking out a 1 per cent bet against the firm while last year ShadowFall Capital claimed the group had overestimated the size of its potential market.

Grego previously caught the market's attention in 2015 when he targeted London-listed software firm Globo.

This led to the stock being suspended before the group's boss and chief financial officer resigned two days later.

Darktrace floated at 250p to much fanfare in 2021 in a drive to bring more home-grown tech firms to the London Stock Exchange.
KPMGS UK partners saw their pay rise to an average of 757,000 last year despite a series of multi-million pound fines for audit failures.

The Big Four accounting giant was castigated by regulators over its role in checking the books of Carillion and Rolls-Royce but overall trading was boosted by fees for advising on mergers and shake-ups.

Revenues for the year to September rose 16 per cent to 2.7billion, though profits were only up by 3 per cent to 449million as higher costs and fines took a bite out of the bottom line.

Pay rises: KPMG was castigated by regulators over its role in checking the books of Carillion and Rolls-Royce but trading was boosted by fees for advising on mergers and shake-ups

Pay for the firms 786 partners increased from 688,000 a year earlier. The wage bill for its 16,000 staff rose by 132million to 1.14billion after increases of between 2,000 and 4,000 were handed to staff in May.

UK chief executive Jon Holt was paid 2.7million in his first full year at the firm.

KPMGs lucrative consulting work led its growth over the year, with fees up 22 per cent to 811million, thanks to demand for digital transformation as companies change the way they work in the wake of the pandemic.

Fees for advice on merger and acquisitions, in a booming deals market, rose 24 per cent to 443million.

Revenues at the firms traditional auditing practice climbed more slowly, by 10 per cent, to 695million.

But it also delivered major headaches after being penalised by the Financial Reporting Council for a series of failures.

In July, the FRC fined KPMG 14.4million after it admitted to providing false and misleading information during spot checks on audits of Carillion  the construction firm that later collapsed  and outsourcing business Regenersis.

KPMG was also fined a combined 7.5million during the year over failings related to its audits of engine maker Rolls-Royce, drinks firm Conviviality and Revolution Bars.

The auditing group increased the size of its provision for future fines and legal claims from 144million to 179million.
Tesco has bought Paperchase following the beleaguered retailer's collapse into administration.

The supermarket giant swooped on the wreckage of the stationery brand after its collapse  but the deal only includes the name and intellectual property, not the stores.

That means the future of 106 shops in the UK remains in doubt along with 820 jobs.

Jobs threat: Tesco swooped on the wreckage of the stationery brand Paperchase after its collapse  but the deal only includes the name and intellectual property, not the stores

Jan Marchant, managing director of home and clothing at Tesco, said: 'Paperchase is a well-loved brand by so many, and we're proud to bring it to Tesco stores across the UK.'

She said the purchase will boost its plans to 'bring more brands and inspiration to the ranges we currently offer'.

The prospect of more than 800 job losses at Paperchase came as a shake-up at Tesco threatened 2,100 of its own staff.

Hot food counters and delis are being scrapped by Tesco at stores across the country as part of a wider cost cutting shake-up.

Begbies Traynor, the joint administrators for Paperchase, said a hunt for a buyer of the whole company including the shops proved fruitless.

The stationer had been in talks with prospective suitors for weeks, with PricewaterhouseCoopers hired to find a buyer.

Begbies Traynor said yesterday that 'no viable offers' were received for the company or its assets.

'However, this sale reflects the interest in the well-known and established brand and will enable the brand to continue in Tesco stores across the UK,' the insolvency practitioners added.

Paperchase outlets will remain open and trade as normal for now, with administrators promising 'further updates will be provided in due course'.

Buyout: Tesco's Jan Marchant (pictured) said Paperchase is a 'well-loved' brand

Retail investor Steve Curtis, who has been involved in Tie Rack and Jigsaw, snapped up the brand as recently as August, before it was put up for sale. He had hoped to see the retailer hit 150 stores over the next few years.

But the company collapsed yesterday after years of feeble sales.

Its stores in transport hubs were hammered by the pandemic, with many commuters still shying away.

Although Paperchase's brand and product range were strong, its notebooks and greetings cards were being sold in the wrong places, according to Sophie Lund-Yates, analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown.

Tesco's acquisition 'makes sense' as it has 'the ability to take the good side of Paperchase, which is its reputation and cult following, and inject some flexibility into the business model', Lund-Yates said.

'The strong brand presence of Paperchase makes it one of very few stationery providers that could prosper in a physical store setting, given enough of a chance.'

The brand shut 37 stores after falling into administration in 2021 as lockdowns took their toll.

In its heyday, Paperchase had concessions at Selfridges, Next and House of Fraser.
Probe: The CMA is investigating Farfetchs deal to buy a stake in Yoox Net-A-Porter

Regulators are probing a tie up between two online retailers that would create a one-stop marketplace for luxury goods.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating Farfetchs deal to buy a stake in Yoox Net-A-Porter, owned by Swiss luxury group Richemont.

Richemont, whose brands include Cartier and Montblanc, sold 51 per cent of Yoox to London rival Farfetch and businessman Mohamed Alabbar, who is from Dubai, in August.

As part of the deal Richemont secured a stake of around 13 per cent in Farfetch.

Richemont has been pushing since 2015 for a neutral online marketplace for luxury brands.

The deal paved the way for its creation. But it will need approval from the CMA, which is investigating whether it amounts to a merger
Big banks are now offering far better savings rates to existing customers - and it can take just minutes to get them.

With more than 600 billion parked in current accounts and easy-access accounts paying less than 0.5 per cent, you can easily get an interest boost with your bank.

Unlike when you open an account at a new bank, you probably won't need to go through ID checks because, as an existing customer, the bank already holds the vital information on you it needs.

Better rates: With more than 600bn parked in current accounts and easy-access accounts paying less than 0.5%, you can easily get an interest boost with your bank

Note that most of the banks have limits on how much money you can pour in at the top rate.

Here are the best offers...

HSBC

HSBC Online Bonus Saver pays 3 per cent on up to 10,000, against just 0.65 per cent on its Flexible Saver (this is rising to 0.9 per cent tomorrow). The 3 per cent account is open to its current account or savings account holders.

You only earn the 3 per cent in the months you don't make any withdrawals. In those you do, you'll earn 0.9 per cent.

By moving 10,000 into the Online Bonus Saver you can earn up to 300 interest over the course of the year, in contrast to just 90 if left in the Flexible Saver.

It also has a regular savings plan at 5 per cent on deposits of 25 to 250 a month. A 250 monthly deposit in the regular saver will pay you 81.25 interest over the year.

Barclays

It's Rainy Day Saver pays 5.12 per cent on up to 5,000 and gives you easy access to your money. Over this level you earn 0.5 per cent.

You can open an account if you are a Blue Rewards member  this comes with a 5 monthly fee and requires online banking.

Interest on 10,000 here is 215 over the year, minus the current account fee, or 165 more than leaving it in Barclays Everyday Saver at 0.5 per cent.

You can get the fee back by paying two direct debits from your current account each month.

Barclays also has a best buy, one-year fixed-rate cash Isa at 4 per cent, open to anyone and allows transfers in  10,000 here means 400 interest. This Isa also allows three withdrawals over the year, up to 10 per cent of the total pot.

Deposit limits: Most of the banks have limits on how much money you can pour in at the top rate

Halifax

Halifax Reward Bonus Saver pays 2.55 per cent to its Halifax Reward or Ultimate Reward current account holders. This costs 3 per month, but is free if you pay in more than 1,500 per month.

If you move 10,000 out of its Everyday Saver at 0.55 per cent, you will earn 200 extra interest in a year. You'll see 255 rather than 55.

But the better account comes with restrictions  you can only make a maximum of three withdrawals a year. Make any more and you only earn 0.35 per cent.

After a year, you need to move your money as it then changes to an Instant Saver account, which pays 0.55 per cent.

The bank offers a similar deal on its Isa Saver Bonus Reward. Its one-year Regular Saver pays 4.5 per cent on between 25 and 250 a month and is open to all.

Virgin Money

M Plus current account holders can make use of Virgin Money's savings account at 2.52 per cent. That's 252 interest on 10,000 versus 25 in its Everyday Saver at 0.25 per cent.

The bank also has the best one-year fixed-rate cash Isa at 4.25 per cent for its Virgin Money, Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank current account holders and 3 per cent on an easy-access Isa.

That would mean 425 interest on its fixed-rate Isa, and 300 on its easy-access.

Club Lloyds

Club Lloyds members can get 2.25 per cent with its Advantage Saver.

You are limited to making up to three withdrawals a year from this easy-access account. If you take out more, the rate drops to 0.3 per cent. Club Lloyds costs 3 per month, but is free if you pay in more than 1,500 per month.

You'll see 225 on 10,000, 175 more than leaving it in its normal Easy Saver or Standard Saver which pay 0.5 per cent.

It also pays 5.25 per cent on its Club Lloyds Monthly Saver on 25 to 400 a month, or 4.5 per cent on its standard Monthly Saver for other current account holders.

Bank of Scotland Vantage current account holders can also get the 2.25 per cent Advantage Saver, along with a Monthly Saver at 4.5 per cent.

Convenient: As an existing customer you probably won't need to go through ID checks because the bank already holds the vital information on you it needs

Nationwide

For fee-free Flexaccount holders, Nationwide has the Flex Instant Saver 2 at 2.25 per cent.

In an ordinary easy-access account with the building society, the best rate is 0.75 per cent on up to 10,000 and 0.8 per cent on 10,000.

You'll make 145 extra interest by moving 10,000 into the Flex Instant Saver 2.

Santander

Those with its new Edge current account can get 4 per cent on balances up to 4,000. This account comes with a 3 monthly fee.

You'll earn 124 interest over a year on the top amount. This compares with just 22 if you leave it in its Everyday Saver account.

Natwest/RBS

With the NatWest and RBS Digital Saver, which pay 5.12 per cent, you can only deposit a maximum of 150 a month. You can carry on saving and earn this rate until you reach the 5,000 mark.

If you put in 150 a month from your current account, you'll earn 49.70 interest in the year.

If you leave that 1,800 saved over the year in the banks' easy-access account, your interest will only add up to 11.70.

sy.morris@dailymail.co.uk
A 22-year-old Olean man was sentenced to 16 years in prison for stabbing, beating and choking his girlfriend in a violent attack in her home two years ago, the Erie County District Attorney's Office said Wednesday.

Prosecutors say Gabriel C. Melkioty attacked his girlfriend in her Town of Collins home just before 4 p.m. March 31, 2021, stabbing her numerous times with a pocket knife. Melkioty also beat the woman and strangled her until she passed out, according to the District Attorney's Office.

The woman woke up and called 911 after Melkioty left her home. She was treated at Erie County Medical Center, receiving stitches for her stab wounds.

Melkioty pleaded guilty on Nov. 30 to a single charge of attempted murder, the highest count in the indictment against him, on the morning that jury selection was set to begin in his trial.

In addition to the prison time, State Supreme Court Justice Deborah A. Haendiges on Tuesday sentenced Melkioty to five years of post-release supervision.

Haendiges also issued a final order of protection, on behalf of the woman and her children, that remains in effect until April 1, 2045.
A Buffalo woman accused of running over a state trooper as she drove through a police line during racial justice protests two years ago has pleaded guilty to a felony assault charge, the Erie County District Attorney's Office said.

Deyanna J. Davis, 33, took the guilty plea on Wednesday, the day jury selection in her trial was scheduled to begin in Erie County Court following more than a year of delays.

Trial of woman charged with driving into trooper during Buffalo protest delayed again The trial of a Buffalo woman accused of running over a state trooper as she drove through a police line during racial justice protests two years ago was delayed into 2023 as Deyanna Davis switched attorneys again.

Davis faces up to seven years in prison when she is sentenced on May 17, but attorneys on both sides agreed to a minimum sentence of 2 1/2 years in prison. She remains free pending her sentencing on a $200,000 bond previously posted in Buffalo City Court.

Davis admitted recklessly causing serious injuries to Trooper Ronald L. Ensminger Jr. when she drove through a police blockade at about 10 p.m. June 1, 2020, during a protest by a police station on Bailey Avenue in Buffalo.

The protest was one of several that took place in Buffalo and in cities across the country in the days and weeks following the release of cell phone video of the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis in 2020.

Protests in Buffalo that day were largely peaceful, but the scene became chaotic as the night progressed. Demonstrators marched from downtown to the Buffalo Police Department's Northeast District station on Bailey. People in the street threw rocks and bottles at police.

Buffalo police and state police, who were advancing south on Bailey, fired tear gas and pepper balls. Just before Davis ran over the trooper, a line of state police advanced further down Bailey, near the corner of Decker Street, a video of the incident showed.

Authorities argued that she deliberately drove into the line of Buffalo police and state troopers in riot gear, striking and badly injuring Ensminger. Police fired at her SUV as she drove through their ranks, shooting her twice.

Davis' attorney, Frank LoTempio III, said she didn't intend to hit the trooper and was on her way home from her mother-in-law's funeral when she wound up on Bailey, where the state police were.

"It was a very, very bad situation," he said. "She wasn't there for the protest. She ended up on that street and in a very bad situation. Lethal and nonlethal ammunition was being fired all over the place. It was chaos."

Regarding the plea, he said, "I think we reached a resolution that was fair and just."

Two Buffalo men sent to prison for gun possession Semaj Pigram, 27, and Walter Stewart, 30, were sentenced Thursday to 85 months and 58 months in prison, respectively, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

A former attorney for Davis previously said she panicked and sped through the line of police because one passenger, Semaj T. Pigram, was armed and fired shots into the ground or air from the back seat.

Pigram and another man who was in the SUV, Walter Stewart, later pleaded guilty to federal gun charges  for this and another incident  and were sentenced to prison.

Ensminger's injuries included a shattered pelvis and a broken leg, and he spent several weeks recovering at Erie County Medical Center.

Erie County District Attorney John Flynn said Ensminger consented to the plea agreement to the second-degree assault charge and to the sentencing commitment. Davis was originally indicted on a first-degree assault charge.

"I believe that justice has been done. She has admitted her wrongdoing," Flynn said.

Ensminger was forced to retire from the State Police due to his injuries and has sued Davis, the City of Buffalo and the Buffalo Police Department over the events of that night.

Ensminger's attorney Thomas J. Grillo Jr. told The News Wednesday night that his client was happy that the criminal matter has been resolved and that Davis has taken responsibility for her actions.

News Staff Reporter Maki Becker contributed to this report.
Russian forces are making incremental gains in their push to take territory in Ukraines eastern province of Donetsk, focusing on the town of Bakhmut north of the regional capital.

Having finally persuaded NATO countries to supply modern battle tanks, President Volodymyr Zelenskiys government is now lobbying hard for some of Ukraines neighbours and Western allies to supply fighter jets.

In Paris after meeting Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov, French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said there was no taboo about supplying Kyiv with fighter planes.

The United States and Britain have thus far rejected the idea but repeated their willingness to continue military support to Ukraine, which Russian forces invaded in February 2022 in what Moscow called a special military operation to protect Russian security and Russian speakers. The invasion has killed thousands of civilians, uprooted millions and reduced cities to rubble.

More recently Russia has characterised the conflict as confronting what it says is an aggressive and expansionist U.S.-led NATO military alliance.

The West has so far refused to send weapons that could be used to attack deep inside Russia for fear of starting a wider conflict although Moscow has denounced recent Western pledges of weapons as provocations.

The United States, which has provided Ukraine about $27.2 billion in military aid since Russias invasion, is preparing a $2.2 billion package of additional assistance. That is expected to offer Kyiv longer-range rockets for the first time and other munitions and weapons, two U.S. officials briefed on the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.

RUSSIA TARGETS BAKHMUT AREA

Ukrainian defenders in Bakhmut came under renewed fire as did Klishchiivka and Kurdyumivka, villages on the southern approaches to the town, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said in a statement on Tuesday night.

Bakhmut has suffered a relentless bombardment for months, as Russian forces resorted to the same destructive tactics they used to capture two cities further north  Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk  in June and July.

Russian forces on Tuesday made no headway in attempts to advance on Avdiivka, the second focal point of Russian attacks in Donetsk region, Kyivs military general staff said.

Russian forces also tried to advance near Lyman, a town further north in Donetsk region that was recaptured by Ukrainian forces in October, the military said.

Ukrainian military analyst Oleh Zhdanov said on YouTube that Russian forces in the area were regrouping and bringing in conscripts in what he called a conveyor of death.

We inflict as much damage as possible and they are forced to bring in new forces in order to keep up the constant attacks on our troops, he said.

Conscripts cannot keep up the pace of previous assaults  Their physical abilities are not up to the task and their motivation is a lot weaker.

Russia was reaching further west in Donetsk by firing on the town of Vuhledar and a half dozen other towns and villages, the Ukraine military said. Vuhledar is about 148 km (90 miles) southeast of the main fighting in and around Bakhmut.

Britains Ministry of Defence said the Russian force in the new Vuhledar assault was at least the size of a brigade, a unit typically comprising several thousand troops.

In neighbouring Luhansk region, a planned Ukrainian advance had slowed and an attack to liberate the town of Svatovo had been delayed due to bad weather, the military commander in the sector, Yuri Federenko, told Espreso TV.

Wagner mercenaries and special forces dressed in Ukrainian uniforms who could speak Ukrainian were active in the area, he said.

Reuters was not immediately able to verify the situation there or other battlefield reports.

DIPLOMATIC TENSIONS

In Washington, the United States said Russia was violating the New START nuclear arms control treaty between the two countries. U.S. President Joe Bidens administration has been eager to preserve the treaty but ties with Moscow are the worst in decades due to Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Russias refusal to facilitate inspection activities prevents the United States from exercising important rights under the treaty and threatens the viability of U.S.-Russian nuclear arms control, a State Department spokesperson said.

Also in Washington, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a staunch supporter of providing military aid to Ukraine, met with Republican lawmakers. The Republicans took over the House of Representatives from the Democrats at the start of this year and some hardline members among them have called for an end to U.S. military and other assistance to Ukraine, which amounts to tens of billions of dollars.

My mission is to demonstrate that Ukraine will win  and that there is no conceivable case for delay in further supporting the Ukrainians to win this year, Johnson said in a statement.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will discuss Russias war in Ukraine with Chinese officials during a Feb. 5-6 trip to China, the White House said on Tuesday.

A week after seeming to open the door for Russia and Belarus to compete at the 2024 Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it is standing by sanctions imposed against the countries over Russias invasion of Ukraine.

SOURCE: REUTERS
Nate McMurray, the former Grand Island supervisor who narrowly lost a congressional bid to Republican Chris Collins in 2018, will challenge County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz in the June Democratic primary.

After hinting last week that he was weighing an intraparty contest against the incumbent, McMurray told The Buffalo News late Tuesday that Poloncarz's expected quest for an unprecedented fourth term as the county strikes a deal for a new Buffalo Bills stadium (which McMurray opposes) prompted his new effort.

"He's been in office a long time, and executives are not supposed to have a lifetime position," he said, adding he will also campaign against the "status quo" that he claims has failed the region's best interest for generations.

"The status quo has become intolerable," he said. "We are now accustomed to mediocrity and failure, and we need change."

McMurray revealed to The News on Jan. 19 that he was considering a Poloncarz challenge, noting the deadly Christmas blizzard and subsequent bickering between the county executive and Mayor Byron W. Brown served as a turning point in his decision

The chilly relationship between Byron Brown and Mark Poloncarz gets frostier Questions linger about how the city and county can work better together to improve emergency response, and save lives, when Brown and Poloncarz don't engage in serious policy discussions at a high level.'

"The storm tipped it over for me," McMurray said then, "because of how quickly they were blaming each other, with no accountability. And how could they be so unprepared?

"Yes, it was a bad storm," he added. "But dozens of people don't die without a major failure of government."

Now he says he represents a significant number of voters who are tired of Poloncarz and resent his performance during the storm. He also thinks the Erie County Democratic Party is a "mess."

McMurray leveled sharp criticism at the incumbent's commitment of county funds to the proposed new stadium in Orchard Park. As part of a $1.4 billion proposal, Erie County has committed $250 million. McMurray labels it the "worst stadium deal in history."

"I can't believe how badly this has been handled," he said. "There is more money and less in return for any stadium, ever."

He declared plans for a new Tennessee Titans facility in Nashville as far superior to the deal arranged by Poloncarz and Gov. Kathy Hochul.

McMurray is widely viewed as a credible force in the Democratic Party, especially among left-leaning progressives attracted by his views throughout his campaigns. A lawyer in private practice, he previously worked for Delaware North Cos. and has also worked internationally. Still, he remains unwelcome in many establishment sectors of the party  a status McMurray appears ready to emphasize as he begins his challenge.

"The rank and file Democrats understand that I will tell the truth and be an independent thinker," he said, "though maybe not at the Board of Elections and Chairman Zellner."

He was referring to Jeremy J. Zellner, chairman of the Erie County Democratic Committee and the party's county elections commissioner. Zellner and the party are strongly behind Poloncarz this year, even though the county executive has not officially declared for a fourth term amid speculation that he may take an Albany post in the Hochul administration.

In past elections, McMurray has enjoyed strong support from organized labor, which can supply money and manpower for advertising and get out the vote efforts. This year, Peter DeJesus, president of the Western New York Area Labor Federation, said he expects unions to back Poloncarz. That does not appear to concern McMurray.

"Whether or not Peter and the unions are with me, when I get in office I will be with them," he said. "It's who I am."

McMurray said he will also seek support from the Working Families Party.

Designating petitions for county executive and all offices in New York State will start circulating at the end of this month. Republicans have not yet named a candidate, but former State Sen. Edward A. Rath III and County Clerk Michael P. Kearns, a Democrat who often runs on the GOP line, are discussing a potential candidacy with party leaders.
State bodies under the Department of Agriculture have expressed a wish to see more women on agricultural boards.

Currently, 27 per cent of farm workers nationwide are women.

However, only 13 per cent of farm owners are women.

The revelation comes as the first National Dialogue on Women in Agriculture is due to take place in County Laois later, and also coincides with St Brigid's Day, named after the famous Irish saint who has become a feminist icon in recent years.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue, has also said that he will refuse nominations to State boards for which he is responsible if women are not sufficiently represented on them.

He explained: "In the case of the 12 State Bodies for which I have responsibility, there is an under representation of women on these Boards, and I am reiterating the request of my predecessors in asking the Chief Executives of agri-business companies to support women within their companies expressing an interest in being appointed to the boards of State Bodies, and to encourage those who may not as yet have considered putting themselves forward."

Current government policy has a target of at least 40 per cent for representation of each gender on State boards.
Gardai have warned about the spread of disinformation as they issued an appeal over the assault of a woman in north Dublin last week.

The incident allegedly occurred near Cappagh Road in Finglas in the early hours of Friday.

Gardai have issued an appeal to find a taxi driver who took a man and a woman from a location in the south inner city that night.

The taxi is believed to have travelled to Finglas via the industrial estate in Ballycoolin.

The passengers in the vehicle are described as being a white woman with blonde hair, who was wearing high boots, a pink blazer and a black jacket.

The male passenger is white, aged in his 20s, of average height and build, and he was wearing a red top with blue jeans.

An Garda Siochana said it is aware of a significant volume of misinformation and disinformation in circulation with regards to this ongoing investigation.

Its statement added: For clarity, Gardai are following a definite line of inquiry and are not looking for anyone else at this time.

The taxi driver or anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Finglas Garda Station on 01 666 7500, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.

No arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing.
[February 01, 2023] Vanta Names Security Leader David Eckstein as CFO

Vanta, the leading trust management platform, announced today that it has appointed David Eckstein as its Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Eckstein will oversee accounting, finance and investor relations, reporting directly to Vanta's CEO Christina Cacioppo. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005316/en/ David Eckstein joins Vanta as Chief Financial Officer (Photo: Business Wire) "David's depth of financial experience and nuanced understanding of the security and technology industries will be instrumental to Vanta as we continue accelerating our market leadership in service of our mission to secure the internet," said Cacioppo. "His disciplined financial leadership coupled with a proficiency in navigating emerging industries and markets is a tremendous asset to Vanta as we embark on our next chapter of hypergrowth." Bringing nearly a decade of security experience to Vanta, Eckstein most recently served as CFO of Menlo Security, Inc., overseeing finance, accunting, human resources, recruiting, and legal. During his tenure, he raised over $200 million across three rounds of financing and helped the company expand to over 10 countries. Prior to Menlo Security, Eckstein was the Head of Finance for Cisco Cloud Security, via its $635 million acquisition of OpenDNS, where he served as Senior Director of Finance. Before OpenDNS, Eckstein was a Senior Finance Manager at Box where he focused on corporate finance, capital markets, investor relations and treasury.



Eckstein began his career as a technology, media and telecommunications banker at Barclays in New York. He obtained his BSBA from Washington University, and earned his MSc in Finance from the London School of Economics. "I'm thrilled to join Christina and the rest of the team to build on Vanta's strong foundation of operational rigor and capital efficiency," said Eckstein. "They have built an industry-defining platform that's reimagining how global companies monitor, improve and demonstrate their security and trustworthiness."

Last month, Vanta announced its acquisition of Trustpage to accelerate its enterprise momentum and transform trust into a marketable advantage for companies around the world. Vanta and Trustpage's combined solution provides a real-time, single source of truth for an organization's security posture that's verified to meet industry gold standards. By automating time-consuming and tedious workflows and improving customers' ability to communicate their security policies, Vanta helps customers quicken deal cycles and grow their business faster. In 2022, Vanta nearly doubled its customer base to serve over 4,000 companies across 58 countries, while expanding its global footprint with offices in Australia, Ireland and the U.S. Over the past year, Vanta raised $150 million in funding from leading investors Craft Ventures, Sequoia and Y Combinator and security industry pioneers like CrowdStrike, bringing the company's total amount raised to $203 million at a $1.65 billion valuation. About Vanta Vanta is the leading trust management platform that helps simplify and centralize security for organizations of all sizes. Over 4,000 companies including Autodesk, Chili Piper, Flo Health and Quora rely on Vanta to build, maintain and demonstrate their trust-all in a way that's real-time and transparent. Founded in 2018, Vanta has customers in 58 countries with offices in Dublin, New York, San Francisco and Sydney. For more information, visit www.vanta.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005316/en/

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[January 31, 2023] Stoneridge Announces the Appointment of Jim Zizelman as President and Chief Executive Officer

Jon DeGaynor to Resign as President & Chief Executive Officer NOVI, Mich., Jan. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Stoneridge, Inc. (NYSE: SRI), today announced the appointment of Jim Zizelman as president and chief executive officer and member of the Stoneridge Board of Directors, effective immediately. Stoneridge's current president and chief executive officer, Jon DeGaynor, has elected to resign from the Company and the Company's Board of Directors for personal reasons. Bill Lasky, chairman of Stoneridge's Board of Directors commented, "Jim joined Stoneridge in 2020 as president of the Control Devices division and has played an integral role in developing and executing on the strategic priorities, product development and technical vision for both Control Devices and Stoneridge more broadly. Jim brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, and we are fortunate to have a proven business leader and experienced executive step into the CEO role. The Board has the utmost confidence in the team's ability to advance Stoneridge's strategic priorities under Jim's leadership." "Jon has brought extraordinary energy and dedication to his role as president and chief executive officer of Stoneridge. During his tenure, Stoneridge has transformed its global portfolio, divested non-core businesses, and invested in key technologies, aligning he Company with the megatrends in the transportation industry. The Board thanks him for his time at Stoneridge and wishes him well in the future," continued Mr. Lasky.



Prior to joining Stoneridge, Mr. Zizelman was the vice president of engineering and program management for Aptiv, where he had overarching responsibility for the engineering function and supported the company's transition from Delphi. He spent more than 20 years leading a variety of technical and business teams for the Powertrain and Electronics divisions driving innovation, development and execution of all active safety, automated driving, and infotainment programs. He holds a bachelor's and master's degree in mechanical engineering from Case Western Reserve University.

Mr. Zizelman said, "I look forward to working closely with the Board, our senior leadership team, and our dedicated global teams. It has been a privilege working with Jon during Stoneridge's transformation and I look forward to building on our success as we continue to execute on our long-term strategy. Over the coming months, my focus will be on executing our strategic plan and ensuring a seamless transition for our customers, employees, and stakeholders." Rajaey Kased, most recently the vice president of sales and product line management for the Control Devices division, has been appointed president of the Control Devices division. During his three-year tenure with Stoneridge, Mr. Kased has demonstrated the leadership and strategic thinking that has helped advance the division's priorities. Mr. Kased brings 18 years of Tier 1 automotive business acumen and experience in engineering, strategy, and sales. Mr. Kased has both a bachelor's and master's degree in mechanical engineering from the University at Buffalo and a master's in business administration from the University of Rochester. About Stoneridge, Inc. Stoneridge, Inc., headquartered in Novi, Michigan, is a global designer and manufacturer of highly engineered electrical and electronic systems, components, and modules for the automotive, commercial, off-highway and agricultural vehicle markets. Additional information about Stoneridge can be found at www.stoneridge.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stoneridge-announces-the-appointment-of-jim-zizelman-as-president-and-chief-executive-officer-301735388.html SOURCE Stoneridge Inc.

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[January 31, 2023] Hall of AIME Recognizes Independent Mortgage Brokers at Second Annual Awards Event

For the second consecutive year, wholesale mortgage professionals from all over the country united to commemorate the successes of the independent mortgage broker community made by the most notable leaders in the industry at an exclusive invite-only luxury event. Hall of AIME, which took place January 26th through January 28th at the Naples Grande Beach Resort in Naples, Florida, was hosted by The Association of Independent Mortgage Experts (AIME), the premier non-profit, national trade membership association created exclusively for independent mortgage brokers. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230131006158/en/ The luxury beachside event commemorates over one hundred award winners, including nine Chairman Award winners, and three lifetime achievement inductees. The event commenced on Thursday with several invaluable Mastermind Sessions, showcasing star-studded mortgage industry panels of the mortgage industry's elite sharing their strategies and secrets to success, ending with a celebratory networking party. The event also hosted a silent auction and raffle, which raised almost $25,000 of funding for AIME's advocacy initiatives. The Hall of AIME award categories included Sparking Change, given to the preeminent wholesale brokers serving military, minority, and female consumers. The Impact awards were granted to members providing substantial improvements in education, leadership, culture, industry, and consumer protection, and the Visionary awards highlighted those that have trailblazed innovative new methods of lead generation and unique resources enlivening the wholesale mortgage sector. Of the one hundred wholesale mortgage professionals who were celebrated for their considerable career achievements, three key individuals were inducted into the sophomore class Hall of AIME. This year's inductees incude the President and Loan Originator at Barrett Financial Group, Trevor Barrett, Founding and Managing Partner of Empire Home Loans, Julie Yarbrough, and the CEO and President of Homepoint, Willie Newman.



"This year's Hall of AIME inductees have set the example that our entire community should aspire to," says Katie Sweeney, CEO of AIME. "They're trailblazers of the industry, who have utilized decades of mortgage experience and created impactful change to support borrowers, as well as the rest of the broker community. These inductees embody AIME's mission of protecting, supporting, and growing the wholesale channel - they're a credit to our industry, and we're all better for their influence." Friday hosted industry-leading and celebrity keynote speakers, including Katie Sweeney, CEO of AIME, featuring a groundbreaking announcement of the association's nationwide Super Bowl LVII ad campaign featuring AIME members representing the Broker-featured consumer website, Brokers Are Better. Other keynotes included a 2023 rallying cry for the broker community from Mat Ishbia, President and CEO of UWM; and, inspiring and forward thinking business practices from serial entrepreneur, Chairman of VaynerX, the CEO of VaynerMedia, and the Creator & CEO of VeeFriends, Gary Vaynerchuk. Additionally, panel sessions featured prominent wholesale mortgage experts, as top producers shared their key strategies for the year ahead. AIME's leadership also hosted an open Q&A focused on recent legislative wins and ongoing advocacy plans for the wholesale industry's representation on Capitol Hill.

"The broker channel has made great strides throughout the last year, and we must maintain that momentum in 2023. By launching our national Super Bowl campaign, we are bringing attention to the valuable services that brokers provide, from finding the best loan terms to taking the time to educate and answer questions," states Sweeney. "Our goal is to leverage the massive reach and creative clout of the Super Bowl to make consumers aware that brokers are a real and valuable option." AIME has grown itself and the broker channel exponentially in 2022; in 2023, AIME is setting its sights on expanding the reach of broker access to government programs across the country, increasing broker awareness as the best option for homebuyers and homeowners for their mortgage needs, and to continue to increase the total market share of the wholesale channel. AIME's Broker Action Coalition Political Action Committee (BACPAC) raised more than 300% of its initial donation goals, which directly contributed towards the advocacy wins for Brokers in Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, and California, with sights set to even the playing field between the Retail and Wholesale mortgage channels nationwide. "The second Hall of AIME was an incredible success," states Tom Ahles, President of Growth at AIME. "Those who attended weren't just honored and acknowledged, but we were all able to hone our skills, diversify our knowledge, and grow our network exponentially through networking with the elite in the industry. We've equipped ourselves, our peers, and our whole community with the tools to change the landscape of the mortgage industry in buyer's and borrower's favor." About the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts The Association of Independent Mortgage Experts (AIME) is a non-profit, national trade membership association created exclusively for independent mortgage brokers. With over 65,000 members, AIME is committed to establishing a community of independent mortgage experts by creating an association that empowers them with unparalleled technology, continued education, broker advocacy, and networking support necessary to successfully advise consumers nationwide with their residential mortgage needs. AIME operates with a growth-focused strategy, providing tools and resources to propel the wholesale channel beyond a 25% share of the mortgage market in 2023 and to a majority of the market within the next decade. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230131006158/en/

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[January 31, 2023] Riveron Study Reveals Optimistic Outlook for Corporate Development in 2023

Riveron, a national business advisory firm, announced today the results from the firm's biannual survey conducted in conjunction with The Corporate Development Officer (CDO) Forum, an executive networking organization. The survey asked more than 250 CDOs across the United States for their predictions of what trends will affect the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deal market and what pain points they will grapple with in the year ahead. The full results and commentary from the research study are available on Riveron's website: Corporate Development's 2023 Deal Outlook. Key Findings Include: 89% of CDOs plan to do the same or more deals in 2023, when compared to 2022

63% say agreeing on valuation and price will be the most difficult part of the M&A process, an increase of 50% in sentiment year-over-year

56% say culture clash is the top reason integrations fail

53% of respondents will look to divest in 2023

64% see the possible recession as an opportunity to acquire strategic distressed assets

60% are walking away from deals earlier in the process "2023 will bring with it challenging, unpredictable economic conditions, so it's essential for corporate development officers to be cognizant of market conditions and potential opportunities as they prepare their strategies for the year aead," said Josh Bier, a managing director for Riveron. "I was encouraged to see the survey respondents plan to do the same or more deals in 2023 and that the collective sentiment of CDOs indicates optimism despite ongoing uncertainty."



Within the report, five core themes stood out to CDOs: Deal appetite continues despite dynamic valuations and borrowing costs: Consistently, when asked what will drive their M&A activity in 2023, 95% of survey respondents stated their focus is on adding new capabilities, with a close second of 84% saying to increase market share. Divestitures are on the horizon: The current economic environment creates opportunities for management to examine their assets and operations in detail. Protecting value requires solving the culture-fit dilemma: Culture is often overlooked as a critical success element to the overall merger integration-perhaps because factors that comprise company culture are often intangible such as occasional perks, leaders' personalities, or the collectively perceived mood of meetings. Sidelined for now, ESG will only grow in importance: In the next two years, it is likely that mature ESG programs will help shape the due diligence process and priorities along with regulatory changes, shifts in investor priorities, and approaching supply chain considerations. At the core, it's about relationships: In the 2020 CDO Forum study, CDOs attributed 38% of their acquisitions to the competitive process and 62% to relationship-cultivated, as compared to 51% and 49%, respectively, in the 2023 survey. To learn more about the new research results or to find out how Riveron can elevate and expand possibilities across your organization, visit www.riveron.com.

About Riveron Riveron is a national business advisory firm specializing in accounting, finance, technology, and operations. We partner with our clients to elevate performance and expand possibilities across the transaction and business lifecycle. Our thoughtfully integrated, multi-disciplinary teams bring deep functional expertise, first-hand industry knowledge, and experience-based creativity and perspective to generate tailored solutions to address any challenge. Riveron is headquartered in Dallas, Texas and has offices across the country. About The CDO Forum The Corporate Development Officer Forum, founded in Minneapolis in 2019, is an informal peer-to-peer network for corporate development executives to discuss best practices and hot topics. Now boasting over three hundred members nationally, the Forum features a series of peer-driven events focused on current trends and networking. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230131006165/en/

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Gov. Kathy Hochul doubled down on an aggressive plan to curb home prices and build hundreds of thousands of new housing units across the state, but revealed few new details about the proposal in her annual budget address Wednesday.

The New York Housing Compact, first announced in Hochuls State of the State address three weeks ago, seeks to create 800,000 new housing units over the next 10 years at a cost of more than $300 million.

What will Hochul's 1% threshold for new housing mean for WNY cities and towns? For all of Erie County  which has 440,000 housing units, according to the U.S. Census Bureau  that means growth of 4,400 homes by 2026.

Under the plan, every upstate municipality must grow its existing housing stock by 1% every three years. In Erie County, that works out to roughly 4,400 new homes by 2026.

The compact is the largest of several proposed housing measures aimed at reigning in skyrocketing rents and home prices across New York, which Hochul blames on a shortage of safe, affordable housing.

In Erie County alone, median rents jumped by roughly a third between March 2018 and December 2022, according to real estate site Zillow. Median home listing prices in Buffalo jumped by more than a quarter over that period, to about $208,300.

Gov. Kathy Hochul's State of the State focuses on housing, crime, mental health In her first State of the State address as an elected governor, Kathy Hochul laid out a "groundbreaking strategy" to spur housing development across New York  one in which state government would seek to override local governments that prove resistant. Hochul is aiming to build 800,000 units of housing across the state over the next decade, and laid out a plan that almost certainly will face resistance from local governments and homeowners who dont want new development. Over the past decade, New York built just half the amount of Hochul's goal.

The whole objective is so families can stay in New York, kids can raise their own families where they grew up, and employers won't have to worry whether or not there are employees in the community, Hochul said.

"We have failed so far," she added. "No longer is failure an option."

The housing compact applies to every city, town and village in the state, but allows each municipality to choose its own strategy for bringing new housing online. Those strategies might include converting commercial space to apartments, Hochul said, or relaxing exclusionary zoning rules that ban multifamily housing or mandate minimum lot sizes.

Upstate municipalities that do not grow their housing stock by 1% every three years must adopt a remedial plan demonstrating that theyre working toward that target  or risk triggering a fast-track approval process that will allow developers to propose and build certain types of affordable housing without local oversight.

In some of Western New York's largest municipalities, homebuilders and developers are already on track to meet the new housing threshold, even without additional actions. Pending projects in Amherst by developers Paul Bliss and Severyn Development, for instance, will add hundreds of new housing units when completed  exceeding the roughly 580 units Amherst needs to build in the next three years under the housing compact.

Brendan Mehaffy, Buffalo's top planning official, also told the News in January that his department is in complete alignment with the governor's plan, which requires the city create 1,310 new units by 2026.

Meeting the new state thresholds may prove more difficult in smaller suburbs, however, where restrictive zoning rules, heightened construction costs and other factors have limited development.

Other housing proposals in Gov. Hochul's budget include:

 A new $250 million Infrastructure Support Fund, which would award grants to municipal infrastructure projects that support new housing construction, such as running new sewer and water lines.

 A new $20 million Planning Assistance Fund to support municipalities as they draft new zoning or planning rules to accommodate new housing.

 A new Homeowner Stabilization Fund, priced at $50 million in Hochuls State of the State address, which would fund critical home repairs in 10 target communities with large numbers of low-income homeowners of color.

 An allocation of $15 million to independent living facilities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, bringing the states total investment since 2016 to $125 million.

 An allocation of $1.1 million to the Homeless Veterans Housing program, which funds emergency housing, temporary shelter and home repairs and renovations.

 An allocation of $38.8 million per year to reduce the risk of lead exposure in rental properties.

 Expanded tax incentives for homeowners that create additional residential units on their properties, such as in-law suites or detached apartments.

 A new property tax exemption to support the development of affordable multifamily housing.

 The expansion of the states Tenant Protection Unit, which provides guidance and legal assistance to renters.

 The creation of a new State Housing Approval Board, which will have the power to approve affordable housing developments in cities and towns that fail to comply with the housing compact.

 The creation of a new Housing Planning Office within the states Homes and Community Renewal agency to support municipalities as they draft new plans and zoning rules.

 A proposal to require towns and cities to submit housing and zoning data for inclusion in a statewide database.

 Authority to appropriate state funds to New Yorks Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which provides back rent and utility payments to low-income households, in case federal funding dries up.

The governor's proposal will now head to the legislature for further negotiation.
[January 31, 2023]

Asia's post-Covid-19 e-commerce landscape according to DHL

SINGAPORE, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The pandemic has vastly shifted consumer shopping habits online, contributing to a global e-commerce industry that is worth USD 3.3 trillion, but are these Covid-19 shopping habits and attitudes here to stay? In this article by DHL, we share insights on the future of Asia's E-commerce landscape.

Even as countries recover from Covid-19, many Asian consumers still prefer to work from home, and the popularity of working remotely directly impacts the growth f e-commerce in the region. This growth means that consumers are expecting faster deliveries, with value-added services, such as flexible pick-up, return, repair, and assembly options. Businesses need to raise the bar by providing personalized hybrid shopping experiences by merging online and offline channels.







DHL has invested in automated, robotics-enabled micro fulfillment centers for greater efficiency and enhanced last-mile deliveries to support the long-term demand for these businesses. The future of Asia's complex e-commerce landscape lies in adapting to changing consumer behaviors and predicting tomorrow's new norms.

Read the article here: Has Covid-19 changed Asia's e-commerce landscape forever? | DHL Logistics of Things

SOURCE DHL
[January 31, 2023] Microsoft appoints Miki Tsusaka as New President of Microsoft Japan

TOKYO, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Microsoft is pleased to announce that Miki Tsusaka has been appointed as the new President of Microsoft Japan, effective today. Tsusaka will lead Microsoft Japan's engagement with its customers and business partners, and be responsible for all of its product, solution, service and support offerings in Japan. She reports to Ahmed Mazhari, President of Microsoft Asia. Tsusaka joins Microsoft from Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where she served as a Senior Partner and Managing Director. At BCG, she worked for clients across a wide range of industries in Japan and overseas, helping them to develop and implement growth strategies, improve profitability, redesign organization and promote digital transformation. She led the expansion of BCG's service areas and established strategic consulting groups specializingin marketing, sales and pricing strategy development. She also supported BCG's operations as a member of the Executive Committee for two three-year terms and served as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO).



Commenting on Tsusaka's appointment, Mazhari said, "We are extremely excited to welcome Tsusaka-san to Microsoft Japan. She has over 30 years of consulting experience working with clients in a wide range of industries both domestically and internationally. I am confident that her robust global experiences in supporting business transformation will propel Microsoft Japan's proposition to the next level as a leader of Japan's technology industry." Tsusaka takes over responsibilities from Ahmed Mazhari, who was the interim President of Microsoft Japan and will return his focus to his position as President of Microsoft Asia.

Tsusaka said, "I am delighted to be appointed President and Representative Director of Microsoft Japan. I decided to join Microsoft because I believe in the company's mission of empowerment and its tremendous growth potential in Japan. I look forward to working with the experienced leadership team, employees, and partners to help solve our customers' challenges and accelerate the digital transformation of Japanese society." For more information, please contact: Microsoft Japan

Maho Saito

[email protected] Edelman (Partner Agency for Microsoft Asia)

Ernest Lee / Ashley Jin

[email protected] Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://news.microsoft.com/. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft's Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at https://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-public-relations-contacts. SOURCE Microsoft Asia

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[January 31, 2023] Alipay+ extends foodpanda partnership to Malaysia where customers can enjoy more convenient food and grocery deliveries by paying through the Touch 'n Go eWallet

Alipay+ has further strengthened its partnership with Asia's largest food delivery platform, foodpanda, to Malaysia. Through this partnership, foodpanda Malaysia's customers can now enjoy convenient food and grocery deliveries by paying through Touch 'n Go eWallet, one of the leading mobile wallets in Malaysia. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230131005758/en/ Alipay+ has further strengthened its partnership with Asia's largest food delivery platform, foodpanda, to Malaysia. With contactless payments becoming more prevalent over the past few years, users of Touch 'n Go eWallet are now able to purchase food and daily essentials through foodpanda Malaysia, the country's leading quick commerce delivery platform. Customers can also enjoy instant cash discount at checkout via Touch 'n Go eWallet when placing orders on foodpanda. "foodpanda Malaysia is committed to providing our customers with the convenience of having their food and daily essentials delivered right to their doorstep. We strive to be 1% better each time and add value to our customer's experience. This time, it is to give them more options in payment methods," said foodpanda Malaysia Chief Executive Officer Sayantan Das. "We are proud to be partnering with Alipay+ and TNG Digital to enable the usage of Touch 'n Go eWallet on our platform. Leveraging our synergies as the leading quick commerce platform and the largest eWallet provider in the country, we are happy to play our role in encouraging the adoption of digital payment for the convenience and safety of millions of our merchants, riders and customers," he added. The gross merchandise value (GMV) of the on-demand food delivery market in Southeast Asia is expected to reach US$49.7 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 14.1%, according to a 2022 report from research firm Frost & Sullivan. The GMV was estimated to be at US$15.2 billion in 2021, it said. foodpanda Malaysia's latest partnership with Touch 'n Go eWallet will tap into the eWallet's more than 18 million registred users.



Commenting on the collaboration, Alan Ni, Chief Executive Officer of TNG Digital Sdn Bhd said, "We are very excited to partner with foodpanda to give our users access to a seamless and convenient delivery experience in Malaysia. "Through Touch 'n Go eWallet, our users will be able to make payments for their orders with peace of mind knowing that their transactions are safe and secure," he added.

Introduced by Ant Group in 2020, Alipay+ is a suite of cross-border digital payment, marketing and merchant digitization solutions connecting global brands with mobile-savvy consumers worldwide. Currently, 16 global e-wallet partners backed by Alipay+ have covered more than 1.3 billion digital-savvy consumers, mostly in Southeast Asia. Alipay+ Rewards is a new digital marketing platform developed by Alipay+ and partner e-wallets to help global brands better engage with consumers worldwide by offering incentives and exclusive services. Malaysia is the fifth major market in Asia where Alipay+ and foodpanda have collaborated to provide services with leading local mobile wallets in the region. Prior to this latest partnership in Malaysia, other Alipay+ partner e-wallets, including GCash in the Philippines, TrueMoney in Thailand, bKash in Bangladesh and AlipayHK in Hong Kong SAR, China, have already supported payments on their respective local foodpanda platforms. Jing Yin, General Manager of Acquiring Service and Global Strategic Accounts of Ant Group, said: "Alipay+ is committed to helping merchants reach more than 1 billion global consumers and ensure easy and smooth payments of our e-wallet partners when consumers place orders on each platform. "We are excited to offer payment and marketing solutions to foodpanda Malaysia through the Touch 'n Go eWallet, and we are looking forward to partnering with foodpanda in more markets by bringing more designated benefits with our local e-wallet partners in the future." About Alipay+ Alipay+ offers unified global mobile payment and marketing solutions that connect merchants with multiple e-wallets and payment methods from different countries and regions by collaborating with global partners. Consumers can conveniently use their preferred local payment methods while transacting seamlessly in a different market and be able to enjoy marketing solutions offered by the merchants through Alipay+. Alipay+ is developed by Ant Group, the owner and operator of Alipay, one of the world's leading digital open platforms. About foodpanda foodpanda is a leading delivery platform in Asia Pacific dedicated to bringing consumers a wide range of food, groceries and more, quickly and conveniently. Powered by technology and operational excellence, foodpanda is spearheading the growth of quick-commerce (q-commerce) across the region with its network of retail partners, as well as pandamart cloud stores to provide more on-demand options beyond the millions of food delivery options. foodpanda operates in more than 300 cities across 11 markets in Asia Pacific - Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Pakistan, Taiwan, Philippines, Bangladesh, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar. foodpanda is a subsidiary of Delivery Hero, a global leader in the food delivery industry. For more information, visit www.foodpanda.com. About TNG Digital Sdn Bhd TNG Digital Sdn Bhd ("TNGD") was founded by Touch 'n Go Sdn Bhd and Ant Group ("Ant"), parent company of Alipay, China's largest digital payments platform. Established in 2017, TNGD is the owner and operator of Touch 'n Go eWallet, Malaysia's number one eWallet company, with more than 18 million registered users and over 1.2 million merchant touch points including DuitNow QR. Combining Touch 'n Go's strong domestic brand, dominance in toll, transit and parking use cases and nationwide user base, together with Ant's deep domain expertise and leading the development of open platforms for technology-driven inclusive financial services, the Touch 'n Go eWallet provides financial services and payments services to both retail users and small to mid-sized businesses, across physical and online infrastructure. For more information, please visit www.touchngo.com.my. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230131005758/en/

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[January 31, 2023] APRIL Signs Partnership to Launch Community Conservation Programme in Riau, Indonesia

PANGKALAN KERINCI, Indonesia, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading sustainable fibre and product producer Asia Pacific Resources International Limited ("APRIL") has signed a memorandum of understanding ("MOU") with local community partners in Riau province, in Sumatra, Indonesia, to help set up a community-based conservation initiative which will support the protection of more than 30,000 hectares of forest areas. APRIL is a member of the Singapore-headquartered Royal Golden Eagle ("RGE") group of companies founded by Sukanto Tanoto. The partnership is part of APRIL's recently launched community conservation programme, which has received support from local and provincial Government authorities in Riau, and will contribute to the Indonesian Government's climate and biodiversity protection goals. Under the terms of the MOU, APRIL  through its operating arm, PT. Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper ("PT. RAPP")  will roll out the Community Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods Programme on a pilot basis in five villages in Riau. The five villages are Kelurahan Teluk Meranti, Pulau Muda, Kelurahan Pelalawan, Dayun and Penyengat. The new programme will help ensure the conservation of remaining natural forest within these community areas. The other parties to the newly signed agreement include the Riau Environment and Forestry Service and the Tasik Besar Serkap Forest Managemet Unit, both of which are state bodies, and the community-centred Teluk Meranti Forest Conservation Institute.



The new programme includes a series of community-based activities that will build the capabilities of communities as forest conservation partners. The programme has been set up as a concrete step to support the Indonesian Forestry and Land Use ("FOLU") Net Sink 2030 plan and the goals of the Riau Hijau ("Green Riau") initiative. Indonesia's FOLU Net Sink 2030 plan will drive the Government's goals for the forestry and land use sector to become a net sink (climate positive) by more than 140 million tons of CO 2 by the end of this decade, through reducing emissions from forest degradation and peatlands.

At the signing of the MOU, the Governor of Riau, (Gubri) Syamsuar, acknowledged the importance of the Programme and the collaboration between the different groups of stakeholders  including provincial and district Governments, the communities, and the NGO and private sectors  to bring it to fruition. "This MOU will support the national policy on reducing GHG emissions and will help improve forest and peat ecosystem sustainability, while also improving the socio-economic wellbeing of the community. In Riau, this will help our efforts to cut emissions and adapt to climate impacts as part of the country's National Determined Contribution (NDC). It is also a follow up action to the Government's Low Carbon Development initiatives," he said. Craig Tribolet, Head of Sustainability Operations, APRIL Group, said: "The goal of this Programme is to help protect forested landscapes and biodiversity in community areas. This is in support of local and national Government conservation and climate targets, and is aligned with our own sustainability commitments." The new programme is being supported by independent NGO Earthworm, which is advising on a number of technical issues relating to the participating communities. The partnership with the communities is part of APRIL's 2030 commitment to champion conservation in production-protection landscapes. The programme is also aligned with APRIL's commitments in its Sustainable Forest Management Policy 2.0, which highlights the importance of a landscape approach to the conservation of forest and peatland areas, while also incorporating other important environmental and social values. About APRIL APRIL is a leading producer of fibre, pulp and paper with plantations and manufacturing operations in Riau Province, Indonesia. We are committed to sustainability in our business and in the broader landscapes where we operate. Under our production-protection model, we adopted a unique 1- for-1 goal where we aim to conserve one hectare of forest for every hectare of plantation, and currently conserve and restore approximately 364,996 hectares of forests, including the largest peatland restoration project in Indonesia. For more information, visit www.aprilasia.com and follow Twitter @aprilpulp SOURCE RGE Group

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[January 31, 2023] F45 TRAINING SHAREHOLDER ALERT: CLAIMSFILER REMINDS INVESTORS WITH LOSSES IN EXCESS OF $100,000 of Lead Plaintiff Deadline in Class Action Lawsuit Against F45 Training Holdings, Inc. - FXLV

NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 31, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until February 6, 2023 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against F45 Training Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: FXLV), if they purchased or acquired the Companys shares pursuant and/or traceable to the Companys July 2021 initial public offering (the IPO). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas.

Get Help F45 investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-fxlv/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options. About the Lawsuit F45 and certain of its executives and others are charged with failing to disclose materil information in its IPO Registration Statement and Prospectus (collectively, the Offering Documents), violating federal securities laws.



On July 26, 2022, the Company disclosed that its CEO had resigned, that about 60% fewer exercise studios would be opening than previously stated, that a $250 million credit line was no longer available, and that it made significant cuts to its financial guidance including decreasing full-year 2022 revenue to just between $120 million and $130 million, compared to the prior guidance of $255 million to $275 million, and full-year Adjusted EBITDA between $25 million and $30 million, compared to the prior guidance of $90 million to $100 million. On this news, shares of F45 plummeted over 60%, from a close of $3.51 on July 26 to close at $1.35 on July 27, 2022, more than a 78% decline from its offering price of $16 per share on July 16, 2021.

The case is Kenzie Goer v. F45 Training Holdings, Inc., et al., No. 1:22-cv-01291. About ClaimsFiler ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations. To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.



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[January 31, 2023] GAOTU TECHEDU SHAREHOLDER ALERT: CLAIMSFILER REMINDS INVESTORS WITH LOSSES IN EXCESS OF $100,000 of Lead Plaintiff Deadline in Class Action Lawsuit Against Gaotu Techedu Inc. f/k/a GSX Techedu Inc. - GOTU, GSX

NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 31, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until February 28, 2023 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Gaotu Techedu Inc. f/k/a GSX Techedu Inc. (NYSE: GOTU, GSX), if they purchased the Companys American depository shares (ADSs) between March 5, 2021 and July 23, 2021, inclusive (the Class Period). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

Get Help Gaotu Techedu investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-gotu/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to iscuss your legal options.



About the Lawsuit Gaotu and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On July 23, 2021, Media sources reported that China was prohibiting tutoring for profit in core school subjects in order to ease the financial burden on families, which would be likely to have a negative effect on Chinas substantial private tutoring industry. On this news, ADSs of Gaotu fell 63.3% to close at $3.52 per ADS on July 23, 2021. The case is Zhang v. Gaotu Techedu Inc. f/k/a GSX Techedu Inc., et al., No. 22-cv-07966. About ClaimsFiler ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations. To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.



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[February 01, 2023] Atlantic House Investments Partners with Premialab

LONDON, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Premialab announced today that Atlantic House Investments has selected Premialab to enhance their data management, strategy due diligence, portfolio modelling, risk and performance reporting for systematic strategies. "After a careful evaluation process, we chose Premialab to be our preferred vendor. The nature of our funds, our investment policies and our clients demand granular, timely and high-quality data and analytics. We are confident that we found the right partner with Premialab to meet our requirements" said Tom Boyle, Fund Manager at Atlantic House. Atlantic House will leverage Premialab's platform, Premialab Pure Factors and transparency services for selection and due diligence of quantitative strategies available in the market. They can monitor current investments through Premialab's data connectivity to major investment banks and integrate Premialab's data and analytics into their portfolio management process. "We see growing demands from asset managers and asset owners for investment strategies that can mitigate downside risk and deliver returns uncorrelated with traditional asset classes. We facilitate this need with our technology at the cross-rods of buyside and sellside clients," said Adrien Geliot CEO at Premialab. "We are delighted to partner with Atlantic House and add to the growing number of UK institutional clients using our data and analytics to support their investment decisions" adds Neil Richards, Head of Business Development for EMEA, Premialab.



Learn more about Premialab Pure Factors About Premialab

Premialab is an independent platform providing data, analytics, and risk solutions on systematic, factor, and multi-asset strategies in collaboration with leading investment banks and institutional investors globally.

With offices in Paris, London, New York, Hong Kong, and Stockholm, the group has established strong partnerships with the top 17 investments banks, global asset managers, pensions funds & insurance companies. Please visit: www.premialab.com or connect on Twitter or LinkedIn for more information. About Atlantic House Investments

Atlantic House was formed in 2008, with an unwavering focus: to help clients solve their investment challenges by delivering clearly defined and better predictable outcomes. We understand that clients' financial goals are driven by the need to achieve a specific target outcome. That target is unlikely to significantly change regardless of the ebb and flow of markets or the performance of a benchmark. That's why we aim to create specific outcomes that help clients to confidently navigate investment challenges in ever-changing markets. Using our systematic and evidence-based investment methodology, combined with our extensive experience in derivative investing we have created a range of investment solutions. Each solution has been designed to help our clients achieve their long-term financial goals and shape a better, more predictable financial future. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/atlantic-house-investments-partners-with-premialab-301735105.html

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SolarWinds to Host EMEA Transform Partner Summit, Emphasizing Company's Growing Focus on Channel Partners

SolarWinds (NYSE:SWI), a leading provider of simple, powerful, and secure IT management software, today announced it will host its annual Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) Partner Summit 2023 in person in Barcelona, Spain, February 13 - 17. The event is part of a series of Partner Summits SolarWinds is hosting across Europe, Asia, and North America.

At the EMEA Partner Summit, SolarWinds will share updates to its partner program, the latest product strategy and innovations, and how partners can grow their business with SolarWinds solutions, including the company's new observability offerings. In-person attendees will also be able to improve their sales expertise with the SolarWinds Sales Expert (SSE) accreditation training and SolarWinds Certified Professional (SCP) trainings.

Last year, SolarWinds announced the launch of the SolarWinds Transform Partner Program, which is designed to support and drive growth for the company's valued global channel partners. The program provides SolarWinds partners with several benefits, including financial incentives, performance rebates, enablement and training programs, an enhanced Partner Portal, and new marketing and sales support.

"Since launching our Transform Partner Program, we continue to listen to feedback and adapt so we can set every partner up for success-whether they're new, existing, or specialized," said Laurent Delattre, vice president of Europe, Middle East, and Africa sales, SolarWinds. "As we continue to transform, the EMEA SolarWinds Partner Summit is the forum to hear about our strategy and focus on the channel business. Partners will learn how SolarWinds can help accelerate digital transformation for their customers, increase sales velocity, and fuel growth."

EMEA Partner Summit 2023

After being held virtually for the last two years, SolarWinds is excited to host networking activities at the Partner Summit that allow partners to meet with SolarWinds executives and product experts and other partners from their region. SolarWinds will also celebrate its partners' achievements during an exclusive SolarWinds Partner Awards Ceremony.

Available to join virtually, the Partner Summit's executive plenary session will include keynote presentations led by the SolarWinds leadership team:

Sudhakar Ramakrishna, President and CEO

Rohini Kasturi, EVP, Chief Product Officer

Chad Reese, President, Americas Sales and Global Channel

Laurent Delattre, VP, Europe, Middle East, and Africa Sales

Register here for the live virtual stream of the executive plenary session and take the opportunity to hear from our exceptional lineup of executive speakers about our strategy and focus on the channel business in 2023.

The SolarWinds EMEA Partner Summit will take place February 13 - 17 in Barcelona, Spain. If yo wish to attend the event in person, please email us at [email protected], and we'll review your application.







Additional Resources

Connect with SolarWinds

#SWIevents

#SolarWindsPartners

#SolarWindsPartnerSummit

About SolarWinds

SolarWinds (NYSE:SWI) is a leading provider of simple, powerful, and secure IT management software built to enable customers to accelerate their digital transformation. Our solutions provide organizations worldwide-regardless of type, size, or complexity-with a comprehensive and unified view of today's modern, distributed, and hybrid network environments. We continuously engage with technology professionals-IT service and operations professionals, DevOps and SecOps professionals, and database administrators (DBAs)-to understand the challenges they face in maintaining high-performing and highly available IT infrastructures, applications, and environments. The insights we gain from them, in places like our THWACK community, allow us to address customers' needs now, and in the future. Our focus on the user and our commitment to excellence in end-to-end hybrid IT management have established SolarWinds as a worldwide leader in solutions for observability, IT service management, application performance, and database management. Learn more today at www.solarwinds.com.

This press release contains "forward-looking" statements, which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the benefits and growth opportunities of SolarWinds' channel strategy. These forward-looking statements are based on management's beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts and may be identified by terms such as "aim," "anticipate," "believe," "can," "could," "seek," "should," "feel," "expect," "will," "would," "plan," "intend," "estimate," "continue," or similar expressions and the negatives of those terms. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties described more fully in documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risk factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2021 filed on February 25, 2022, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2022 filed on August 5, 2022 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2022 filed on November 8, 2022. All information provided in this release is as of the date hereof and SolarWinds undertakes no duty to update this information except as required by law.

The SolarWinds, SolarWinds & Design, Orion, and THWACK trademarks are the exclusive property of SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC or its affiliates, are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and may be registered or pending registration in other countries. All other SolarWinds trademarks, service marks, and logos may be common law marks or are registered or pending registration. All other trademarks mentioned herein are used for identification purposes only and are trademarks of (and may be registered trademarks of) their respective companies.

 2023 SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC. All rights reserved.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005030/en/
[February 01, 2023] Global Trust and Corporate Service Market Report to 2028: Featuring Intertrust, JTC, TMF Sapphire Midco and M&T Bank Among Others - ResearchAndMarkets.com

The "Global Trust and Corporate Service Market: Analysis By Alternative Asset, By Segment (Corporates, Funds SPV, High Net-worth Individuals, and Others), By Region Size And Trends With Impact Of COVID-19 And Forecast up to 2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global trust and corporate service market were valued at US$11.39 billion in 2022. The market value is expected to reach US$15.25 billion by 2028. The trust and corporate services provide a broad range of administration services to lend assistance to its clients to set up, structure, and manage their financial and investment decision. The trust and corporate service market is mainly focused on stable countries with high regulations. The market has been driven by a highly qualified workforce, high-value services, personal relationships between clients and service providers, and increased globalization. The factors that are expected to contribute to the market growth in the coming years include rising household wealth, greater corporate and tax regulation, as well as, more outsourcing of administrative services by private equities and real estate funds. The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of approx. 5% during the forecasted period of 2023-2028. Market Dynamics Growth Drivers Escalating Global GDP Per-Capita

Growing Global HNWI Wealth

Growing Opportunity in Pension Asset

High Client Retention Rate

Increasing Number of Sovereign Investors

Upsurge in Outsourcing Challenges Unstable Globalization and FDI

Failure of Client Relationship

Shuddering Global Consumer Confidence

Increasing Cyber Threat

Brexit Aftershocks



Market Trends Modifications in Regulations

Political and Economic Ambiguities

Trust and Good Corporate Behavior

Low Entry Barriers

Improvement and Advancement in Technology Infrastructure

Strong Culture of Excellence Companies Mentioned

Intertrust Group

JTC plc

TMF Sapphire Midco B.V. (TMF Group)

M&T Bank Corporation (Wilmington Trust)

Tricor Group

American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC

Vistra

Cafico International

Apex Group Ltd. (Sanne Group)

Ocorian

IQ EQ Group Holdings S.a r.l.

Vivanco & Vivanco Market Segmentation Analysis: By Segment: The report provides the bifurcation of the market into four segments: Corporates, Funds SPV, High Net-worth Individuals, and Others. Corporates held the major share of the market, whereas funds SPV is expected to be the fastest-growing segment in the forthcoming years. The demand for services by corporates has continued to rise in the past few years due to the high value-added administrative services and widely needed support services provided by trusts and corporate service providers, such as business advisory services and compliance services.

Funds Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV) have thrived over the historic period owing to global economic expansion and increased globalization, which urged the necessity for outsourcing fund administration along with the basic trust and corporate services and inclined the demand for funds.

By Alternative Asset: The market has been analyzed based on alternative assets. Alternative assets typically refer to investments that fall outside of the traditional asset classes commonly accessed by most investors, such as stocks, bonds, or cash investments. A surge in the global alternative assets market is attributed to the high performance of capital markets driven by accommodative monetary policies and substantial GDP Growth.

By Region: The report provides insight into the trust and corporate service market based on the regions namely, North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. North America held the major share of the trust and corporate service market in 2022. According to World Wealth Report, North America retained its commanding lead for HNWI population growth (13.2%) and wealth (13.8%) in 2021. The robust tech sector fuelled powerful wealth performance. Thus, the increase in the HNWI population is expected to positively contribute to the demand for trust and corporate services.

Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forthcoming years. In coming years, private equity and real estate funds are expected to see strong demand for trust and corporate services because of their industry's growth and the increasingly complex reporting requirements that spur outsourcing of fund services.

The increased need to comply with regulatory requirements is one of the key drivers supporting the trust and corporate service market growth in Europe. In the European trust and corporate service market, the UK held the highest share of the market in 2022 and it is also expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forthcoming years. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ligm4s-trust-and?w=4 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005522/en/

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[February 01, 2023] Westerwood Global Acquires NSTAR Global Services

DUBLIN, Ireland and GARNER, N.C., Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Westerwood Global (Westerwood), a leading provider of managed service solutions, and NSTAR Global Services (NSTAR), a leader in asset relocation, facility and equipment services, and workforce management solutions, announced today that Westerwood has acquired NSTAR effective February 1, 2023. Together, Westerwood and NSTAR will leverage their strengths to become the leading asset lifecycle management and workforce solutions partner to the semiconductor and related high technology industries.

The collective semiconductor industry expertise, breadth of capabilities, and customer centric culture at NSTAR is a perfect complement to our own here at Westerwood Global, commented Nigel Wenden, Westerwood Globals CEO. We are constantly evaluating our workforce development capabilities and how we can innovate, adapt, and evolve to provide value-added solutions to the market. As we look to the future, its clear that a combined Westerwood and NSTAR team can help us achieve our vision. Together, we will leverage our strengths to provide more comprehensive solutions and deliver what our customers need when they need it most. Westerwoods focus on quality, commitment to safety, respect for people, and dedication to customer support, are the core values that align perfectly with NSTARs, continued Wenden. We look forward to welcoming them in the coming weeks as we transition to this next chapter together. Joining Westerwood Global provides NSTAR with an expanded product portfolio and added levels of workforce talent, creating a unique opportunity to take the combined business to the next level, commented Darrell McDaniel, NSTARs President & CO. Westerwoods experience and expertise in managed workforce solutions and its broad geographic reach will allow us to immediately grow and enhance our capabilities, while maintaining the high-quality service our customers have come to know us for. Its an exciting milestone in the NSTAR journey and we look forward to what the future holds.



Workforce development and managed service solutions are rapidly becoming a vital element to meeting the growing talent shortage, particularly in high tech industries such as semiconductor. With the US semiconductor market experiencing unprecedented growth, one of the keys to achieving optimal success is a well-trained and qualified workforce. From fully managed technical services to direct hire, the combined company will have a wider range of offerings to meet customers lifecycle and workforce challenges. About Westerwood Global

Westerwood Global, established in 2000, is a leading provider of workforce development solutions and a trusted partner to high tech manufacturing industries. Our Managed Services and Technical Staffing capabilities provide a true value add for all outsourced requirements. With unrivalled knowledge, our management, engineers, maintenance and manufacturing technicians have a deep understanding and expertise in all the industries we serve. www.westerwoodglobal.com

About NSTAR Global Services

Since our founding in 2001, we have become the global leader in asset lifecycle management. We strategically partner with our clients to offer both flexible and customized solutions that meet any requirement. Our service offerings include: NSURESM asset relocation services, NSITESM facility services, NSHIELDSM equipment services and NSOURCESM direct hire services. With headquarters in Garner, N.C., and a training and asset lifecycle management facility in Boise, I.D., were proud to serve clients across a variety of high-tech industries. To learn more, visit www.nstarglobalservices.com. Media Contact:

Alyssa Lundeen

Kiterocket

+1.218.398.0776 | [email protected] Company Contact:

Geoffrey Stoddart

Global Business Development Director, Westerwood Global

+1.737.377.4463| Geoffrey.[email protected]



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Rep. Brian Higgins on Wednesday condemned the reported prison release of a man convicted of killing Buffalo native John Granville in 2008.

John Granville was a kid from Buffalo who set out to change the world through his contributions and compassion as a U.S. diplomat, Higgins said. Since his murder, the Granville family has endured 15 years of turmoil and heartbreak. The news of his killers release is infuriating and devastating to the many colleagues, friends and family who knew and loved John.

Higgins reached out to the U.S. State Department and the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs for information after reports that Abdelraouf Abuzeid, convicted of killing Granville, was released from a Sudan prison on Monday. Abuzeid was named a specially designated global terrorist by the U.S. in 2013.

For Sudan to now release one of his killers and allow him to walk free is an insult to Johns memory and a gross miscarriage of justice," Higgins said in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken. "I strongly urge the administration to condemn this action by the Sudanese Supreme Court, and respectfully request that you keep me and my office apprised of any additional information uncovered regarding this matter."

The State Department, in a statement Monday, said "The United States expresses our deep concern" over the release.

"We are deeply troubled by the lack of transparency in the legal process that related in the release of the only individual remaining in custody, and by the inaccurate assertion that the release was agreed to by the United States Government as part of the Sudanese government's settlement of victims' claims in connection with Sudan's removal from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list in 2020," the statement said.

Granville, who grew up in South Buffalo, and his driver, Abdelrahman Abbas Rahama, were killed after leaving a New Year's Eve party on Jan. 1, 2008, at the British embassy in Khartoum, Sudan. Two gunmen ambushed Granville's car, killing him and his driver in what was considered an act of terrorism against the United States.

Granville, who was 33 at the time, had been a Fulbright Scholar and Peace Corps volunteer before working for the U.S. Agency for International Development. The Canisius High School graduate was working to implement a 2005 peace agreement between Sudan's north and south that ended more than two decades of civil war at the time of his death, according to the agency.

Four men were convicted of the murders and sentenced to death in 2009, but the men escaped from prison in 2010 through a sewage pipe in what the Sudan Tribune called a Shawshank Redemption-style prison breakout. A man who helped them was pardoned in 2013 by former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. Abuzeid was recaptured in June of that year. Another was killed in Somalia in 2011, according to the State Department.

The State Department has offered a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest of the other two men, Mohamed Makawi Ibrahim Mohamed and Abdelbasit Alhaj Alhassan Haj Hamad, whose U.S. assets were frozen in 2013.

In March 2021, the U.S. received $335 million from Sudan to compensate for the 1988 U.S. embassy bombings in Africa, the 2020 attack on the U.S.S. Cole and Granville's murder. Jane Granville of Angola, John's mother, received $2.5 million.
[February 01, 2023] Quiq announces expansion into the United Kingdom and Europe bringing its conversational AI and digital messaging to new markets

Quiq, the technology company creating the future of conversations between businesses and their customers, today announced an expansion of its services to the United Kingdom and Europe to meet a growing international demand for digital messaging. This solution works with existing contact center systems and allows businesses to engage with customers on their channel of choice, improve CSAT, and reduce costs. With Quiq, brands can engage with their customers on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Apple Messages for Business, Google's Business Messages, SMS, web chat and other popular messaging channels. Quiq also announced the appointment of Ejieme Eromosele as General Manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). She will help lead the company's accelerated global investment in those regions, building an international commercial team and growing Quiq's partner ecosystem. "As economic headwinds lead businesses to search for more efficient and effective ways to serve their customers, Quiq stands out because of our unique ability to simultaneously decrease costs while also improving CX," said Mike Myer, Quiq's founder and CEO. "Shifting customer phone calls to digital channels will become increasingly important and deploying the next generation of smart conversational AI will break through the constraints of traditional contact centers." "In this environment I couldn't be happier to announce that Ejieme Eromosele will be leading our expansion into EMEA," Myer added. "A veteran customer-experience advocate, she has the wide range of experiences that make her a perfect match for this position." Quiq combines Cnversational AI and digital messaging with human agents into a platform to deliver an enterprise digital customer experience. Its expansion into the United Kingdom and continental Europe builds on its success in the United States and among multinational corporations.



Quiq's solution is uniquely suited to the United Kingdom and Europe because consumer use of messaging with businesses is more advanced there than in the United States, according to a recent McKinsey report. Companies in those markets face growing pressures to deliver great customer experiences more efficiently. That is just what Quiq provides. Three factors distinguish Quiq's software and explain why it offers such a powerful solution:

A seamless, AI-powered interaction that resolves 50 percent or more of routine inquiries using our virtual intelligent agent. It hands off conversations to agents as necessary, and then remains "in the loop" to provide context and agent assistance (improving customer satisfaction and reducing costs)

that resolves 50 percent or more of routine inquiries using our virtual intelligent agent. It hands off conversations to agents as necessary, and then remains "in the loop" to provide context and agent assistance (improving customer satisfaction and reducing costs) A messaging-centric asynchronous agent interface and conversation management model that allows agents to handle simultaneous conversations on various messaging channels and boosts agent productivity and satisfaction (thus improving agent retention)

and conversation management model that allows agents to handle simultaneous conversations on various messaging channels and boosts agent productivity and satisfaction (thus improving agent retention) A consolidated messaging and reporting architecture that removes the burden (and costs) of managing multiple messaging platforms and allows companies to manage and report on messaging as a unified interaction channel. Quiq already has several enterprise EMEA customers in consumer goods, hospitality and retail, such as Wella and Accor. The company also has recently seen a large increase in new business conversations with EMEA companies considering investing in business messaging and conversational AI. "I am honored to be working directly with our UK and EU-based customers to grow value for them and deliver better experiences for their customers," Eromosele said. "I am lucky to get to work with the world's best brands and leaders transforming customer experiences using human-first principles and technology. In doing so, I plan to deepen relationships with our existing partners, build important relationships with new ones and foster a community of leaders passionate about CX and world-class customer service." ABOUT QUIQ Founded in 2015, Quiq enables conversations between brands and their customers via messaging across WhatsApp, SMS, Facebook Messenger, Apple Messages for Business, Google's Business Messages and many other channels. More than 200 companies, including Overstock, Spirit Airlines, Terminix, and Blue Nile trust Quiq to connect them with their customers via messaging. Our team has deep roots in CS and CX, and big plans to transform customer communications. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005277/en/

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[February 01, 2023] Jackery Enters Australian Market to Power a Greener Future

The leading solar generator company is now serving Aussie consumers, bringing more green power solutions to those living down under FREMONT, Calif. , Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Jackery, the global leader in providing portable power stations and solar panels, strives to contribute to a more sustainable future, and its mission is to provide green energy to the world and empower global actions to protect the environment and reduce carbon emissions. Now, after a successful decade in the United States market, Jackery is ready to start a new chapter. Beginning in January 2023, the company took its first step into the Australian green energy market with select classic products available to Aussie customers through Amazon. Moving forward, Jackery's Australian website is launched today, February 1, 2023. Customers in Australia can now purchase the Solar Generator 1000 Pro and the Explorer 500 portable power station from Jackery through Amazon. The Jackery Solar Generator 1000 Pro includes a 1000 Explorer Pro portable power station and two SolarSaga solar panels. This best-selling product is fast-charging and convenient to take on the next outdoor adventure. The Jackery Explorer 500 is a lightweight portable power station that has earned its spot as one of the most affordable and efficient lithium portable power stations on the market. 10 Years of Sustainable Energy Innovation Jackery has spent te past decade developing a reputation as a global leader in solar power products. The company is a worldwide top-seller with over 2 million units sold. Its successes have been recognized in over 100 top media outlets including CBS News, and CNN. Last year, Forbes dubbed Jackery's solar generators "the Apple of portable power devices."



For over ten years, Jackery has been leading the solar industry with innovations that have made portable clean energy more affordable and accessible for consumers. The company is steadfast in its mission to contribute to a more sustainable future, and its achievements reflect this dedication. At the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the company launched two portable solar generators: the 3000 Pro and the 1500 Pro and won four CES Innovation Awards. Among the winning products was the Jackery LightTent-AIR, which won the Best of Innovation award.

Jackery is no stranger to winning awardsin 2022 the company's innovative products earned honors at IFA 2022 and ISPO 2022. It also took home two prestigious Red Dot Design Awards, highlighting the company's commitment to green energy innovation. Making a Contribution to Australia's Green Future As is also the case in much of the world, Australia currently faces an unprecedented energy crisis with supply issues causing pricing spikes that have affected everyone. Chris Bowen, the Australian Minister for Climate Change and Energy, has admitted that the country isn't sufficiently prepared for the current challenges, as well as those which it will face in the future. In the coming year, Australians could face energy price increases of up to 18 percent. Multiple factors have contributed to these price hikes, including COVID-19, the situation in Ukraine, supply shortages, and an overreliance on coal. Because the problem is so multi-faceted, the solution must be as well. Jackery aims to be a part of that solution. The company is committed to providing affordable, portable green energy products to consumers across Australia. Jackery products are more than just sustainable energy solutions. They are tools to help Aussies enjoy outdoor activities that remind them that the earth is worth protecting. The climate crisis is not a problem that can be ignored or taken lightly. Jackery understands that immediate action is needed to overcome the challenges that lie ahead; it's a part of their mission. This move to enter the Australian market is their next step in accomplishing that mission. About Jackery Jackery, the world's leading innovative portable power and green outdoor energy solution provider founded in California in 2012, is a global top-selling solar generator brand born with a vision to offer green energy to everyone, everywhere. Jackery launched the world's first outdoor portable power stations in 2016 and developed the world's first portable solar panels in 2018. Having introduced solar generators to the great outdoors, Jackery fulfills the power needs of every nature-lover, inspiring them to explore further and seek more extraordinary experiences than before. Expanding its footprint from the US to Europe, Japan, and China, Jackery has sold more than 2 million units globally since 2018, with its products consistently selected as Best Sellers on Amazon. The brand has so far received 40 prestigious international design awards, including the Red Dot Design Award, the iF Design Award, the A' Design Award and Competition, the Best of IFA Award and the CES Innovation Award. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jackery-enters-australian-market-to-power-a-greener-future-301735947.html SOURCE Jackery Inc.

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[February 01, 2023] Interest Media Earns 2023 Great Place to Work Certification

Interest Media, a leading data-driven, intent-based marketing company based in Kansas City, Missouri, has officially been certified by Great Place to Work as one of the best places to work in the United States. The prestigious award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at Interest Media. This year, 94% of employees said "Interest Media is a Great Place to Work" - 37 points higher than the average U.S. company. Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience, and the leadership behaviors proven to deliver market-leading revenue, employee retention and increased innovation. "Great Place to Work Certification isn't something that comes easily - it takes ongoing dedication to the employee experience," said Sarah Lewis-Kulin, vice president of global recognition at Great Place to Work. "It's the only official recognition determined by employees' real-time reports of their company culture. Earning this designation means that Interest Media is one of the best companies to work for in the country." Interest Media works hard at creating a fulfilling, close-knit work experience that puts a premium on maintaining a healthy work life balance. The company pays for 100% of employees' health insurance, including eye care, maternity leave and dental. They also offer unlimited paid time off and allow all their employees to work from home 100% of the time. Employees are encouraged to forge their own path and take th initiative to grow their careers as they see fit.



"Interest Media hires amazing people and then provides them the autonomy to become absolute rock stars," said Interest Media CEO, Matt Hoggatt. "I think it's important that we celebrate all our team members today and recognize that it's because of them, and the culture that they have helped shape here, that our company is receiving this inspiring recognition." Interest Media shows no signs of slowing down in 2023 and is currently hiring.

About Interest Media Powered by a proprietary owned and operated network of websites across the industry's most popular consumer verticals, Interest Media stands at the forefront of the intent-driven marketing industry. Through audience-focused, commercial interactions and unparalleled first-party data, Interest Media enables brands to engage and acquire the motivated customers they're looking for, thus cultivating trust and enhancing consumer intelligence. Learn more about Interest Media at: https://interest-media.com/ 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. About Great Place to Work Certification Great Place to Work Certification is the most definitive "employer-of-choice" recognition that companies aspire to achieve. It is the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience - specifically, how consistently they experience a high-trust workplace. Great Place to Work Certification is recognized worldwide by employees and employers alike and is the global benchmark for identifying and recognizing outstanding employee experience. Every year, more than 10,000 companies across 60 countries apply to get Great Place to Work-Certified. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005109/en/

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[February 01, 2023] Everybody Loves Languages Launches its First Product with Hollywood Movie-Based Learning Program AcadeMe

TORONTO, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Everybody Loves Languages Corp. ("ELL") (TSX-V: ELL) (OTC: LMDCF) (FSE: LIMA), www.everybodyloveslanguages.com, an edtech language learning edutainment and content development company, is pleased to announce the launch of its first Hollywood film-based AcadeMe language learning program called English For Success+ ("EFS+"). ELL fast-tracked the delivery of its market-defining AcadeMe program in record time in response to the overwhelmingly positive feedback it has received for the product as institutions seek faster and more engaging ways to teach a second language. AcadeMe turns Hollywood films into powerful academic tools, immersing students into movie scenes where iconic figures and events come to life, providing students with more exciting and fun ways to learn another language. The user experience is similar to watching Netflix, but with students practicing tasks while enjoying the movie. For example, students can virtually converse with the movie character Spiderman mid-scene while improving and perfecting their language skills. To reward students for finishing a specific task, the teacher can unlock the entire movie for the learner's enjoyment. EFS+ is the company's first commercial product to integrate the exclusive AcadeMe lessons as an extension of its popular English for Success ("EFS") language program. EFS+ is a comprehensive online language learning solution that includes a massive library of lessons and resources of more than 2,000 hours of learning, incorporating state-of-the-art technologies, movie-based lessons for enhanced engagement, a vast library of content, and advanced data analytics. EFS+ offers institutions a scaled solution to manage classes and programs that vary in size, program length, and objectives. "At Everybody Loves Languages, we continuously strive to accelerate innovation to maintain our competitive edge, as well as be among the first to introduce groundbreaking products that satisfy market needs," said Gali Bar-Ziv, CEO of Everybody Loves Languages. "We can now bring a solution to the market that stands apart and takes learning engagement to the next level. AcadeMe is a true game-changer for the edtech industry and we are excited to roll out additional products integrated with AcadeMe in the coming months. Innovations like AcadeMe support our objective of driving a near-term acceleration of growth." About Everybody Loves Languages Corp. (TSX-V: ELL) (OTC: LMDCF) (FSE: LIMA ):



Everybody Loves Languages Corp. is an edtech language-learning and content development company empowering language educators to easily transition from traditional teaching methods to digital learning by integrating education, edutainment, and technology. The company provides online and print-based solutions through two distinct business units: Everybody Loves Languages Inc. and Lingo Learning Inc. Everybody Loves Languages is a state-of-the-art technology platform that delivers personalized learning experiences in classrooms and online. Its programs provide innovative SaaS-based eLearning solutions, including online and offline content, a learning management system, assessments, real-time reports, speech recognition technology, and white-label tools. At the same time, Lingo Learning is the content development arm and co-publishes print-based English language learning materials in China.

Everybody Loves Languages has established successful relationships with key government and industry organizations internationally, with a presence in LATAM and China, and continues to expand its product offerings and extend its market reach. Follow Everybody Loves Languages on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everybodyloveslanguages

Twitter: [email protected]

YouTube: Everybody Loves Languages (ELL)

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elltechnologies Portions of this press release may include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of securities laws. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, or other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results, performance, or expectations implied by these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management's current expectations and involve certain risks and uncertainties. Actual results may vary materially from management's expectations and projections and thus readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Everybody Loves Languages has tried to identify these forward-looking statements by using words such as "may," "should," "expect," "hope," "anticipate," "believe," "intend," "plan," "estimate" and similar expressions. Everybody Loves Languages' expectations depend upon general economic conditions, the continued and growth in demand for its products, retention of its key management and operating personnel, its need for and availability of additional capital and other uncontrollable or unknown factors. No assurance can be given that the actual results will follow the forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by securities laws, Everybody Loves Languages undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events, changed circumstances or any other reason. Certain factors that can affect the Company's ability to achieve projected results are described in the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators available on 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 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/everybody-loves-languages-launches-its-first-product-with-hollywood-movie-based-learning-program-academe-301735785.html SOURCE Everybody Loves Languages Corp.

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[February 01, 2023] TENNECO'S POWERTRAIN BUSINESS ADDS HYDROGEN TO ITS STRONG ALTERNATIVE FUELS ENGINE-TESTING CAPABILITIES

Extensive testing capabilities established in Burscheid, Germany , and in Southeastern Michigan for internal combustion engines (ICE) powered by hydrogen (H 2 )

, and in for internal combustion engines (ICE) powered by hydrogen (H ) ICE expertise leveraged to support vehicle and engine manufacturers in a variety of ICE decarbonization approaches for sector-specific, CO 2 -neutral mobility solutions NORTHVILLE, Mich., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tenneco has established new test facilities for hydrogen-powered internal combustion engines at its Powertrain test centers in Burscheid, Germany, and Ann Arbor, Michigan. These two test cells specifically dedicated to hydrogen ICEs enhance the company's globally integrated ICE test capabilities, supporting original equipment (OE) engine and vehicle manufacturers as they decarbonize the ICE. By adding H 2 -engine testing, Tenneco is well-positioned to provide technology solutions that can help to accelerate the reduction of carbon emissions of future combustion engine generations to achieve global climate goals faster. "We support a pragmatic approach of complementary technologies that provide solutions for different transportation sectors," said Stefan Rittmann, Vice President, Engineering with Tenneco's Powertrain business group. "We contend it's not combustion-engine technology causing green-house gas emissions in the product-use phase; it is the fuel used in the ICE that defines the vehicle emissions. Therefore, green hydrogen, which is produced from renewable energies and carbon-free by nature, offers great potential for cleaner transportation, especially in sectors difficult to electrify, such as heavy-duty commercial vehicles, on- and off-highway applications, and the industrial and marine sectors." As a leading supplier of engine components  including pistons, piston rings, bearings, seals and gaskets, valves, valve seats and guides, and ignition devices  Tenneco leverages its comprehensive ICE expertise in various hydrogen and alternative-fuel project partnerships with engine and vehicle manufacturers. Tenneco's new test cells support manufacturers in their H 2 ICE concepts, testing prototype engines and components for durability, wear, emissions, fuel-efficiency and performance. "Using our knowledge about the influence of hydrogen on the combustion process and on the Powertrain Control Unit (PCU), we are able to address hydrogen-specific challenges like pre-ignition and H 2 -slip into the crankcase as well as the influence on tribology and materials," said Dr. Steffen Hoppe, Powertrain's Director Technology Rings & Liners, Tenneco. "The R&D from our H 2 test benches, along with support from our simulation tools like PRiME3D, can accelerate the development process and help our customers go to market with highly efficient H 2 combustion engines faster." "Tenneco is dedicated to being a good corporate citizen; you see it in our operations and in our products," added Troy Kantola, Powertrain's Engineering Director, Technical Services. "Our efforts to enhance our test sites reflect this in that now we are equipped to serve our customers' aspirations to reduce or eliminate entirely fuel-related CO 2 emissions as quickly as possible." Tenneco's new H 2 ICE test facilities provide a broad bandwidth of high-accuracy engine measurement capabilities, including: Light and heavy-duty engine testing up to 700kW

Eddy current and AC dyno

ECU connectivity, calibration and tuning:

dynamic engine operation; driving cycles / engine in the loop

H 2 supply up to 50bar and 90kg/h

supply up to 50bar and 90kg/h H 2 concentration measurement (exhaust and blow-by path)

concentration measurement (exhaust and blow-by path) Combustion Analysis

Emissions testing for HC, CO, CO 2 , NO X , FSN

, NO , FSN Gaseous emissions



Particulate number (PN) count / PN size distribution; Particulate Matter (PM)



Radioactive tracer for oil emissions

In-line oil consumption and oil emission analysis

Automated fuel map testing

Ignition parameter evaluation

Thermal shock testing

Precise overall real-time engine monitoring More related images can be downloaded here. About Tenneco Tenneco is one of the world's leading designers, manufacturers, and marketers of automotive products for original equipment and aftermarket customers. Through our DRiV, Performance Solutions, Clean Air and Powertrain business groups, Tenneco is driving advancements in global mobility by delivering technology solutions for light vehicle, commercial truck, off-highway, industrial, motorsport and the aftermarket. Visit www.tenneco.com to learn more. CONTACTS:







Lorrie Kinney Director Communications Tenneco Inc. +1 2482298256 [email protected] Stefan Zech Sr. Manager Communications Tenneco Inc. +49 172 697 3473 [email protected]

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tennecos-powertrain-business-adds-hydrogen-to-its-strong-alternative-fuels-engine-testing-capabilities-301735231.html SOURCE Tenneco Inc.

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[February 01, 2023] Slide Acquires Florida Renewal Rights and Intellectual Property From UPC Insurance

Slide Insurance, the full-stack insurtech focused on providing affordable, effective homeowners coverage, today announced it has acquired the exclusive renewal rights for over 91,400 Florida homeowners insurance policies from UPC Insurance, a property and casualty insurance company headquartered in Florida. The acquired policies represent $272 million in annual premium. The acquisition brings Slide's total in-force premium value to $560 million. Under the terms of the transaction, UPC will cancel most of the policies on February 1st, and Slide will immediately issue replacement policies using UPC's forms and rates. Thereafter, Slide will issue renewal policies using Slide's forms and rates, similar to what it did in the St. Johns transaction last year. Early this month, Slide also announced that it opened in Florida for new business for the first time. The company is the first Florida insurr to open for new business in 2023.



Slide also acquired UPC's intellectual property and a dataset of over $1 trillion Total Insured Value (TIV). Following the acquisition of the UPC policies, Slide will have a dataset of approximately $6 trillion in TIV and over 20 years of historical claims information. The UPC transaction bolsters its already-industry-leading focus on underwriting technology and predictive analytics. Big Data has been the company's key differentiator and a catalyst for both its strategy and stability since the company's inception. "We are accelerating our expansion in Florida given the rising demand from homeowners who need better, more affordable insurance options," said Bruce Lucas, CEO and co-founder of Slide. "The December legislation passed by the Florida Legislature has given us confidence that now is the time to expand our presence in the state. I firmly believe that these reforms will work. The reforms apply to all of the newly issued replacement policies, giving Slide a sizeable underwriting advantage over the legacy Florida market." Lucas also noted that, "UPC has impressive intellectual property and immense data that will add to our data-driven technological advantage."

These announcements come on the heels of a year of strong, strategic growth for the company. In just over a year, Slide closed a record-breaking $105 million Series A funding round, recruited more than 100 employees, and grew to over $600 million in revenue. Tampa Bay Inno also honored Slide with a 2022 Fire Award, recognizing its status as one of the leading tech companies in the region. Slide has an A, Exceptional, rating by Demotech, Inc. demonstrating its financial stability. About Slide Slide is a full-stack insurtech that makes it easy for modern consumers to choose the right coverage for their unique needs and budgets. Slide's cutting-edge technology leverages artificial intelligence and big data to hyper-personalize, optimize, and streamline every part of the insurance process. Based in Tampa, FL the company was founded in 2021 by Bruce and Shannon Lucas, insurance insiders with a deep understanding of how technology can be applied to achieve better underwriting outcomes. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230131006179/en/

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[February 01, 2023] Kentucky Utility Uses Past Lessons to Prepare for Devastating Tornado

A split second: that's all it takes for calm to turn into calamity. On December 10, 2021, residents of Mayfield, Kentucky settled into their homes, unaware of the destruction headed their way. In just three minutes, a devastating tornado touched down, claiming 22 lives and leveling nearly 500 homes and businesses. Weather emergencies are uncontrollable and, often, unpredictable. That's why preparation is key. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005096/en/ A tornado destroyed Mayfield Electric & Water Systems' main office along with hundreds of other businesses and homes, but the utility credits its emergency plan, advanced metering infrastructure and volunteers for a resilient recovery. (Photo: Business Wire) Mayfield Electric & Water Systems is no stranger to the uncertain nature of weather emergencies. A 2009 ice storm left 10,000 people without power. The City of Mayfield found themselves without an outage restoration plan and no way to communicate with staff. Just 12 years later, lessons learned from that moment were put to the test. General Superintendent of Mayfield Electric & Water Systems, Marty Ivy, created an emergency preparedness plan following the city's recovery from the ice storm. According to Ivy, this resource proved invaluable when he and his team faced devastation in the aftermath of the 2021 tornado. He implemented the utility's emergency preparedness plan to kickstart Mayfield's recovery effort. This started with ensuring that all employees and their families were accounted for and relocated to hotels in neighboring communities where they had electricity, running water and a temporary home. The next step was to evaluate the damage to the utility's equipment. Their main office was struck, computers and servers destroyed and the fleet of bucket and digger trucks completely wiped out. In total, the City of Mayfield suffered $45 million worth of damage. With a call for help, utilities, providers and volunteers from across the country gathered to rebuild the community, piece by piece. "It all happened so quickly," said Ivy. "On Friday, we had a compay of 42 employees. On Monday, we had 250 people helping us. From linemen to water operators and pipe fitters, people from all over the Tennessee Valley and Kentucky were there to pitch in."



Xylem engineers evaluated Mayfield's equipment and kept the Sensus FlexNet communication network connected to electricity and water meters while other employees participated in the massive cleanup effort. Xylem also partnered with Americares to set up a charitable campaign that yielded $28,000 in relief funds. "Everyone in the utility industry helps each other out," said Ivy. "One of the first groups to call and offer support was Xylem's Sensus. We've been a Sensus customer for 12 years now, and I consider them my friends."

Along with the help of their neighbors, Ivy attributes Mayfield's resiliency to having a plan in place and the use of the utility's advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system. "It's invaluable to have an AMI system," said Ivy. "We used ours to export visual graphs of our electric restoration progress. Knowledge is power, and we used this information to understand our remaining workload and to share status reports with the community." Within 30 hours, Mayfield's water system was fully operational and pressurized. The AMI system helped speed up the team's response to repair leaks in the tornado zone so they could tackle the biggest water issues first. The neighboring service provider, West Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation, pitched in to assist and just five days after the disaster, Mayfield had three circuits operational and restored power to the local hospital. By day seven, the substation was back online, and within one month, all power was restored to customers who could be reconnected to the grid. To learn more about Mayfield Electric & Water Systems efficient restoration and recovery read the full case study and check out how Xylem empowers resilience. Please join us in booth #2028 at DISTRIBUTECH International in San Diego, February 7-9 for product demonstrations and to hear more from our grid modernization subject matter experts. About Xylem Xylem (XYL) is a leading global water technology company committed to solving critical water and infrastructure challenges with innovation. Our 17,000 diverse employees delivered revenue of $5.2 billion in 2021. We are creating a more sustainable world by enabling our customers to optimize water and resource management and helping communities in more than 150 countries become water-secure. Join us at www.xylem.com. About Sensus Sensus, a Xylem brand, provides remotely-managed products and solutions that deliver the right data at the right time for investor-owned utilities, cooperatives, and municipalities. As part of Xylem's digital portfolio, our smart devices connect with a variety of communication technologies to help customers make timely decisions that optimize electric, gas, and water systems. Learn more at sensus.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005096/en/

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[February 01, 2023] PetroLedger Financial Services Adds Talent, Land Administration Services and New Oklahoma City Office Acquiring Associated Resources, Inc.

PetroLedger Financial Services, LLC. ("PetroLedger") today announced the acquisition of Oklahoma City-based oil and gas land management and accounting firm, Associated Resources, Inc. ("ARI"), as an expansion of its strategic transactional accounting services for the energy market. "We are thrilled to welcome Associated Resources to the PetroLedger family," said Chad Smith, Partner at PetroLedger. "The combination of their high-quality land services and our premier transaction accounting creates a full-service offering for our current and potential clients. This acquisition is a natural extension of our current business and will enable us to better serve our existing clients and continue to grow our business." "Land administration services is a natural progression for PetroLedger as our current and potential clients continue to ask for help to support their operational needs," continued Smith. "With our broad product offering, operators can be assured that in one-stop, all of their outsourcing needs will be met. Our industry is increasingly losing experinced professionals who are retiring, and due to concerns about the future of our industry, fewer young professionals see a career in oil and gas. PetroLedger is heavily investing in people, training, and technology while also opening offices in new markets. We are committed to supporting the hard-working individuals in our industry," concluded Smith.



"To find a buyer in PetroLedger who believes in the power of what we do and the people we work with was paramount in our decision to sell," said Brandan Ward, Partner at ARI. "We believe their attitude to put the client first by investing in their people honors the brand we built over the last 30 years. Our hard-working clients and friends in the oil and gas industry deserve a reputable and diligent partner to support all their needs, and now PetroLedger can do that across land administration." PetroLedger, headquartered in San Antonio, is a nationwide leader in providing transaction services for the oil and gas industry. We focus on people and process, making sure the right person is doing the right work at the right time. Supported by over 125 employees across the nation, we support a full suite of transactions services, gas plant settlements, division orders, mineral interest management and regulatory requirements. To learn more about our mission, vision and values, and see where PetroLedger can take your company, visit us at petro-ledger.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005399/en/

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[February 01, 2023] Aethon Energy Expands Executive Leadership Team

Aethon Energy Operating LLC ("Aethon") announced the appointment of Lola Oyewole as Chief Human Resources Officer, and Aaron Wimberly as Chief Health, Safety and Environmental Officer, effective immediately. Clayton McGratty was also promoted to Chief Administrative Officer from his previous role as Chief Communications Officer. "I am pleased to welcome Lola and Aaron to the Aethon team, who exemplify the very best in their areas of expertise, and to recognize Clayton for his significant contributions since joining Aethon in 2021," said Albert Huddleston, Chief Executive Officer and Partner at Aethon. "Our success is the product of an outstanding team, and I look forward to working with them in creating excellent business outcomes and social uplift through environmentally responsible energy development." "It is an important time to be investing responsibly in natural gas and energy more broadly, and welcoming Lola, Aaron and Clayton in their new roles will enhance and increase the scale of our business as a forward-thinking investor and operator," said Gordon Huddleston, President and Partner at Aethon. "As we continue to grow our platform and expand our leading footprint in the Haynesville Shale, we will benefit from the perspective, vision and results-oriented approach of our enhanced executive team." About Lola Oyewole

Ms. Oyewole has 20 years of experience in talent management, most recently serving as Vice President, Human Resources and Global Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Ocwen Financial Corporation. Prior to Ocwen, Ms. Oyewole served as Senior Director, Human Resources o Apollo Education Group, and held several HR leadership roles at GE Capital. She holds an MBA from Southern Methodist University's Cox School of Business, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Ball State University.



About Aaron Wimberly

Mr. Wimberly has over 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry across refinery and pipeline operations, management, and business development. Prior to joining Aethon, he served as Vice President and Department Head of the EHS Resources Group at EnLink Midstream, and previously held health, safety and environmental roles at Earth Consulting Group, Shaw Environmental, and Professional Technical Support Services. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture, Environmental Management Systems, with a concentration in Resource Conservation, from Louisiana State University Baton Rouge. About Clayton McGratty

Mr. McGratty joined Aethon in August 2021 as Chief Communications Officer. Prior to Aethon, he was Vice President, Communications at Standard Industries, and previously was Director and Head of Corporate & U.S. Communications at Tradeweb Markets. Earlier in his career, he represented a range of financial services, energy and economic development clients in previous roles at Makovksy, Intermarket Communications and MWW Group. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Rhetoric and Communications Studies from the University of Richmond.

About Aethon Energy

Aethon Energy is a private investment firm focused on acquiring, operating, and developing onshore energy assets across North America. Headquartered in Dallas, TX, Aethon has a 30-plus year track record of generating attractive returns for investors over multiple commodity price cycles. Aethon's vertically integrated strategy and large-scale development provide capital efficient growth, combined with disciplined risk management to support cash flow assurance. Today, Aethon is a leading, low-emission operator and the second largest private natural gas producer in the U.S. Please visit www.AethonEnergy.com for more information. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230131006220/en/

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[February 01, 2023] NEAM Limited Appoints New Managing Director

New England Asset Management Limited announces the promotion of Graham Kirk to Managing Director, NEAM Limited. William Rotatori, Non-Executive Director of NEAM Limited and Chairman & CEO of NEAM, Inc., commented, "We are thrilled to have Graham assume the leadership role for NEAM Limited as its Managing Director. Graham has been a significant contributor to the success of our business over the years and brings extensive knowledge and vital experience to the role. Under Graham's leadership, I am confident that NEAM Limited will continue to lead the way in serving the unique needs of our insurance company clients." Mr. Kirk commented, "After so many years with the company, I'm extremely excited to take on the lead of NEAM Limited's operations in the UK and Europe. This is an exciting time for the company, and I look forward to building on the solid foundation laid by my predecessor as we build out our team to support our growing client base at Lloyd's and within the wider European insurance market." Graham jined NEAM Limited in 2010 as Investment Accounting Manager and Financial Controller, moving to NEAM Inc. in 2016 as a Client Strategist and then back to NEAM Limited as a Senior Client Strategist in 2020 before becoming Managing Director in 2022. Prior to joining the Firm, he worked at Deloitte & Touche, Dublin, as a Senior Audit Manager, specializing in audit and internal audit services to banking, structured finance, and investment management clients. He previously held the position of Financial Controller in the Investment Banking Division of Morgan Stanley, London. Graham holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from University College Dublin, a Post Graduate Diploma in Accounting, is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland and is a CFA Charterholder. He has been employed in the investment industry since 2002.



New England Asset Management Limited ("NEAM Limited"; Dublin, Ireland) is a subsidiary of New England Asset Management, Inc. ("NEAM, Inc."; Farmington, CT, USA)(collectively, "NEAM"). NEAM provides investment advisory services primarily to insurance companies. NEAM Limited is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. NEAM Limited is authorized by the Central Bank of Ireland and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority. NEAM, Inc. is registered as an Investment Adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission. NEAM is a wholly-owned subsidiary of General Re Corporation. General Re Corporation, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., is a holding company for global reinsurance and related operations that operates under the brand name of Gen Re.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005634/en/

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The New York Civil Liberties Union announced Monday that it has filed a lawsuit against the agency that maintains the state's prison and parole system for denying access to records regarding misconduct by corrections officers inside the state prisons.

The Department of Corrections and Community Supervision is composed of 16,700 corrections officers across 44 prisons in the state, including eight in Western New York.

On Oct. 16, 2020, the Civil Liberties Union submitted a Freedom of Information Law, or FOIL, request with the Department of Corrections for access to public records NYCLU says are authorized to be disclosed under the Freedom of Information Law after the repeal of a statute that had for decades been used to bar disclosure of misconduct by corrections officers. New York State Civil Rights Law Section 50-A, before it was repealed, said that "personnel records used to evaluate performance toward continued employment or promotion  shall be considered confidential and not subject to public disclosure absent the officer's consent or a court order.

Despite the repeal of the law by former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on June 12, 2020, lawyers for the Civil Liberties Union say the Department of Corrections continues to withhold records related to grievances that have been filed by inmates, as well as certain investigations of officer misconduct in state prisons. The Civil Liberties Union also accuses the Department of Corrections of having redacted some of its reports without a proper explanation.

NYCLU Supervising Attorney Bobby Hodgson said in a statement Tuesday that the Department of Corrections is not allowed to withhold disciplinary records to which the public is legally entitled after the repeal of Section 50-A.

"Transparency is essential to law enforcement accountability, and New Yorkers have a right to complete information about officer misconduct that takes place in state prisons. We will continue to fight for a more complete production from DOCCS that would allow the public to evaluate the agencys investigation and discipline systems," said Hodgson.

The Civil Liberties Union said that statewide courts have rejected the vast majority of efforts to circumvent accountability and disclosure after the repeal of 50-A, including two decisions from the Fourth Department representing the first appellate-level decisions on the effect of 50-As repeal last November.

The NYCLU lawsuit was filed, with pro bono counsel from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, on Monday in Albany County Court, according to Hodgson. The document requests cover all Department of Corrections employees at all of its facilities, he said.

Hodgson acknowledged Tuesday that the Department of Corrections has released some of the documents requested by the Civil Liberties Union, though all of them were redacted in a way he said is not properly justified. In addition, Hodgson said, the Department of Corrections has withheld underlying disciplinary and investigation records in full, and withheld underlying complaint records.

A spokesperson from the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision replied by email Wednesday to a request for comment regarding the lawsuit. The spokesperson said the agency does not comment on possible or pending litigation.

The Civil Liberties Union has also filed lawsuits against the New York State Police, as well as police departments in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Freeport, Troy, Nassau County and Suffolk County for withholding public records.
[February 01, 2023] AITX CEO Steve Reinharz Expands Communications Reach

Detroit, Michigan, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions, Inc., (the Company) (OTCPK:AITX), a global leader in AI-driven security and productivity solutions for enterprise clients, today announced that the Companys CEO Steve Reinharz will conduct 2 highly visible media outreach campaigns this weekend.

On Friday February 3, 2023, Reinharz will be participating in a CEO roundtable webinar to discuss naked short selling, aka naked shorting. The webinar is being hosted by Genius Group Limited CEO Roger Hamilton. Naked shorting is the practice of short-selling a tradable asset without first borrowing the asset from someone else or ensuring that it can be borrowed. Naked short selling is illegal under Securities and Exchange Commission rules, but that hasn't stopped the practice, which Hamilton said affects far more companies than is generally known. I am looking forward to this timely conversation, said Reinharz. "It has been my objective since the beginning to be as transparent a CEO and organization as possible. Im eager to share my views with other CEOs working to protect their companys shareholder value." The CEO Roundtable - Naked Shorts Playbook can be viewed on YouTube Live at 12:30pm ET Friday February 3, 2023 at https://tinyurl.com/4nfvt4sb Sunday February 5, 2023, Reinharz will be conducting another session of his Ask Me Anything series. These hour-long live sessions, also presented on YouTube Live are designed to connect Reinharz with the growing AITX community. Questions are posed on the Companys Discord channel and via YouTube. Reinharz does not screen the questions and his responses are often insightful. Reinharz added, Lately Ive been stepping up the communications with the AITX community and new followers. The pace and volume of activity throughout the Company drives me to connect as much as possible, and were still accelerating the outreach. Theres much more coming. The AITX / Reinharz sk Me Anything can be viewed on YouTube Live at 12:00 ET Sunday February 5, 2023 at https://tinyurl.com/3ku9nbb5



AITX through its subsidiary, Robotic Assistance Devices, Inc. (RAD), is redefining the $25 billion (US) security and guarding services industry through its broad lineup of innovative, AI-driven Solutions-as-a-Service business model. RAD solutions are specifically designed to provide a cost savings to businesses of between 35%-80% when compared to the industrys existing and costly manned security guarding and monitoring model. RAD delivers this tremendous costs savings via a suite of stationary and mobile robotic solutions that complement, and at times, directly replace the need for human personnel in environments better suited for machines. All RAD technologies, AI-based analytics and software platforms are developed in-house. RAD has a prospective sales pipeline of over 35 Fortune 500 companies and numerous other client opportunities. RAD expects to continue to attract new business as it converts its existing sales opportunities into deployed clients generating a recurring revenue stream. Each Fortune 500 client has the potential of making numerous reorders over time.

CAUTIONARY DISCLOSURE ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

The information contained in this publication does not constitute an offer to sell or solicit an offer to buy securities of Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions, Inc. (the "Company"). This publication contains forward-looking statements, which are not guarantees of future performance and may involve subjective judgment and analysis. The information provided herein is believed to be accurate and reliable, however the Company makes no representations or warranties, expressed or implied, as to its accuracy or completeness. The Company has no obligation to provide the recipient with additional updated information. The reference to the $25 billion (US) security and guarding services industry as presented above is of no predictive value regarding our future results of operations. No information in this publication should be interpreted as any indication whatsoever of the Company's future revenues, results of operations, or stock price. About Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions (AITX)

AITX is an innovator in the delivery of artificial intelligence-based solutions that empower organizations to gain new insight, solve complex challenges and fuel new business ideas. Through its next-generation robotic product offerings, AITXs RAD, RAD-M and RAD-G companies help organizations streamline operations, increase ROI, and strengthen business. AITX technology improves the simplicity and economics of patrolling and guard services and allows experienced personnel to focus on more strategic tasks. Customers augment the capabilities of existing staffs and gain higher levels of situational awareness, all at drastically reduced cost. AITX solutions are well suited for use in multiple industries such as enterprises, government, transportation, critical infrastructure, education, and healthcare. To learn more, visit www.aitx.ai, www.stevereinharz.com, www.radsecurity.com , www.radgroup.ai, and www.radlightmyway.com, or follow Steve Reinharz on Twitter @SteveReinharz . ### Steve Reinharz

949-636-7060

@SteveReinharz Attachment Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions, Inc.



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[February 01, 2023] NWS Named North American Distributor for Ireland's KelTech IoE

Durham, N.C., Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Full-service telecommunications materials, logistics, warehousing and kitting company NWS has reached an agreement to become the North American distributor for KelTech IoE, a Dublin, Ireland-based telecommunications equipment and solutions provider. The deal, approved by both companies on Jan. 11, gives NWS a direct relationship with an up-and-coming manufacturer of innovative, energy efficient telecommunications equipment, including vaults and enclosures. The two companies expect to show together for the first time at the Connect (X) trade show being held May 8-10 in New Orleans. As part of the agreement, KelTech products will be stocked by NWS at its main distribution facility in Carrollton, Texas. This partnership deepens our relationship with a very forward-thinking telecom manufacturer, said Sam Clark, chief revenue officer of NWS. They are a leader in innovative active and passive equipment for wireless and wireline applications, with an emphasis on developing creative ways to achieve sustainability and net zero energy efficiency. We are excited about the new types of solutions that the addition of KelTech will bring to our customers. KelTech IoE looks forward to partnering and innovating with NWS in accelerating our business growth across the North American market, said Mark Kellett, CEO of KelTech. Their expertise allows them to quickly deliver equipment and support to carriers, project managers, and general contractors exactly when it is needed. A fast-growing solutions and logistics provider to carriers and telecommunications contractors, NWS produces and supplies a wide array of custom connectivity solutions, including bulk and custom fiber cable, and related installation material and equipment to wireless and broadband operators and contractors through offices and warehouses in North Carolina, Texas, and Illinois, as well as across Canada. The Durham, North Carolina-based company also ofers services in cell site development, inventory management, and material distribution.



Founded in 2012, NWS is a portfolio company of Grain Management, LLC, a leading Washington, D.C.-based investment firm focused on the global communications sector. Grain Management acquired NWS in 2021. Both NWS and Grain Management are Certified Minority Business Enterprises. In 2022, NWS was ranked third on the 2022 North Carolina Mid-Market Fast 40 ranking. The annual ranking recognizes companies based in North Carolina that have annual revenues in the range of $10 million to $500 million and a record of rapid revenue and employment growth over the past three years.

KelTech IoE, which Mark Kellett founded in 2019, is focused on developing, manufacturing, and supplying smart sustainable solutions that connect and power a sustainable world. The business has achieved notable global recognition from the global utilities industry, including the title of the Worlds Best Start-up, which it earned on Nov. 21 as one of 800 companies competing for the honor as part of the ambitious Free Electrons program. KelTech IoEs Dual Distributed Network (DDN) solution transforms last-mile communication network deployments through a symbiotic convergence of energy and data in a single integrated solution, resulting in a quicker, more cost effective and safer implementation. The company currently works with large clients across the telecom, construction, utility, and hospitality industries. KelTech IoEs head office is located in Dublin, with offices in the United Kingdom and United States as well as a presence in Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Australia. About NWS Since 2012, NWS has provided a wide array of mission-critical services to the wireless telecommunications industry. The company has established itself as a collaborative partner to carriers, general contractors, and tower/infrastructure owners through its expertise, quality of service, and ability to develop and deliver custom cabling solutions and equipment exactly when needed. By combining extensive industry knowledge, a flexible approach, and a disciplined focus on customer service, NWS is a proven partner in helping businesses tackle complex challenges and accelerate speed to market. Based in Durham, N.C., NWS serves businesses throughout the U.S. and in Canada, where it recently expanded its presence by acquiring Gap Wireless, in Mississauga, Ont., and JF TECH, in Blainville, Que. For more information, visit www.nwswireless.com . About KelTech IoE KelTech IoE provides smart and secure solutions for the communications infrastructure and property technology market. A global organization, with an unparalleled experience, the Dublin, Ireland-based company partners with clients to support the development and delivery of innovative communications networks and digital services. For more information, visit www.keltechioe.com .

Bill Elkin [email protected]

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[February 01, 2023] Varsity Healthcare Partners Adds Dr. Pat Basu to Its Senior Leadership Team

Varsity Healthcare Partners ("VHP", "Varsity" or "the Firm"), a lower middle market healthcare services private equity investment firm, today announced the addition of Dr. Pat A. Basu to its leadership team. Based out of VHP's Chicago office, Dr. Basu will lead the entirety of VHP's Operating Partner program in the role of Managing Partner, Varsity Operations, as well as support VHP's healthcare services investment activities as a Partner and Member of the Firm's Investment Committee. "Pat Basu has been a world-class leader of growth healthcare services organizations, as well as a skilled operator and developer of physician and executive leaders," said David Alpern, co-Founder and Managing Partner at Varsity Healthcare Partners. "Beyond his significant career achievements, Pat is a high energy, compassionate leader, who cares deeply about both team and organizational excellence. We strive for excellence at VHP and in that vein we are grateful and delighted to add someone of Pat Basu's caliber, experience and energy to elevate our Operating Partner program and our culture broadly." Dr. Basu joins Varsity from Cancer Treatment Centers of America ("CTCA"), a national network of oncology hospitals and outpatient care centers, where he served as President and Chief Executive Officer and led the company to a strategic transaction in 2022. Until that transaction, he also served as President and CEO of Brown Legacy Group, CTC's parent holding company and private investing platform for CTCA's owners' capital. Prior thereto, Dr. Basu led UnitedHealth Group's ("UHG") OptumCare division, the nation's largest value-based care business, overseeing 9,000 employees and 20,000 physicians managing integrated care delivery through a series of commercial and government capitated contractual arrangements. Prior to his tenure at UHG's OptumCare, Dr. Basu helped found and served as President, Chief Medical Officer for Doctor on Demand, the largest provider of telehealth patient visits in the U.S., enabling care delivery to more than 40 million patients in partnership with more than 700 employer/health plan partnerships. Previously, Dr. Basu served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Medical Officer for Virtual Radiologic ("vRad"), the nation's largest teleradiology platform, where he oversaw the Company's senior executive team, clinical leadership, and more than 1,000 employees, and led the Company's post-merger integration and key growth initiatives.eaH



Dr. Basu also previously served as a Presidentially appointed White House Fellow and Senior Advisor. He is a US Board Certified physician and practiced medicine at Stanford University and in private practice. Additionally, Dr. Basu holds a BA in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois, an MBA from Chicago Booth School of Business and a Medical Doctorate from University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. ABOUT VARSITY HEALTHCARE PARTNERS

Varsity Healthcare Partners (VHP) is a leading lower middle-market healthcare services private equity investment firm, targeting exclusively multi-site healthcare provider platforms or businesses providing outsourced services, technology, or tools to healthcare providers and/or payers. VHP's tactical investment strategy emphasizes identifying and transacting with growth-seeking, provider-owned or founder-owned companies, leveraging VHP's developed "buy and build" playbook to drive significant operational, managerial enhancement early in the life of each platform investment, followed by a well-resourced aggressive and multidimensional growth plan. VHP's unique tactical investment playbook and strong track record is complimented by VHP's distinct organizational culture, emphasizing highly collaborative engagement, strong professional accountability, and a commitment to excellence in work product and team performance. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005398/en/

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CBTS Listed Among North America's Leading UCaaS Providers in the 2022 Frost Radar Report

CBTS, a leader in IT solutions for communications, cloud computing, networking, security, and technology consulting, announces selection by Frost & Sullivan as a top quadrant company in hosted IP telephony services and UCaaS for the North American Market. This year marks the third year in a row that CBTS has topped the Frost Radar Report.

The 2022 Frost Radar Report, a trusted source of market research in the IT field, describes the innovations deployed by CBTS to maintain and accelerate growth. By leveraging experience across technologies such as the Cloud, infrastructure, communications, and other areas, CBTS creates custom solutions for its clients. Another differentiator is its use of third-party technologies ranging from Hosted Unified Communications via Cisco Webex Calling to Microsoft Teams Voice calling systems such as Direct Routing and Operator Connect.







Improved system uptime and enterprise-wide visibility.

Better network speeds and boosted data protection.

High scalability, with agile solutions to ramp up or down at a moment's notice.

Access to collaboration tools such as video calling, secure chat, and file sharing.

Decreased burden on IT departments.

"CBTS remains one of Cisco's top partners worldwide and a leading UCaaS provider for retail, healthcare, state and local government, and education (SLED) verticals. CBTS differentiates itself from competitors with its broad expertise and ability to tailor solutions to businesses' specific needs by employing a highly consultative approach," said Elka Popova, VP and Senior Fellow, Digital Transformation at Frost & Sullivan. "CBTS is poised for growth due to their commitment to their multiplatform UCaaS portfolio including Cisco Webex Calling and Microsoft Teams Voice."

Frost & Sullivan reports that integrating technology platforms that feature UCaaS, Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS), and other communication systems disrupts legacy communication workflows. Only by delivering efficient, integrated systems will providers be able to capitalize on next-generation communications systems. With offices spread across five countries, CBTS is uniquely positioned to help clients maximize the benefits of Unified Communications services. Demand for digital transformation is at an all-time high due to the impact of the global pandemic, and CBTS is well suited to meet that demand through its UCaaS offerings and portfolio of technology solutions.

"Our team is thrilled to be recognized by Frost & Sullivan for the third straight year," said Brandon Bowman, Senior Vice President of Strategic Services - Cloud, Communication, and Security practices at CBTS. "CBTS will continue to build partnerships and deploy our vetted methodology for managing large transformation projects. Whether through the vehicle of Microsoft Teams Voice or Cisco's Webex Calling, our deep experience in communications allows us to create highly customized solutions for each client."

About CBTS

CBTS serves enterprise and midmarket clients in all industries across the United States and Canada. CBTS combines deep technical expertise with a full suite of flexible technology solutions - including Application Modernization, Managed Hybrid Cloud, Cyber Security, Unified Communications, and Infrastructure solutions. From developing and deploying modern applications and the secure, scalable platforms on which they run, to managing, monitoring, and optimizing their operations, CBTS delivers comprehensive business outcomes for its clients' transformative business initiatives. For more information, please visit www.cbts.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005335/en/
[February 01, 2023] Wolters Kluwer Enablon and Makersite announce strategic collaboration to help enterprises reach ESG goals

CHICAGO, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Manufacturing enterprises will more easily be able to progress toward achieving Net Zero and reaching their ESG (environmental, social, governance) goals, thanks to a new strategic collaboration between Wolters Kluwer Enablon and Makersite. The two industry leaders will help organizations manage Net Zero ambitions through decarbonizing supply chains. This involves data collection, modelling, reporting, planning, forecasting, and operational execution across all three Scopes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The ability to provide auditable and actionable insights for Scope 3 GHG emissions has been the missing piece in Net Zero ambitions, said Laurent Dechaux, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Wolters Kluwer Enablon. Working with Makersite makes it easier to track these insights related to upstream and downstream activity from within an organizations supply chain. When paired with our existing Scope 1 and Scope 2 capabilities, we can provide a more complete view of GHG emissions throughout the supply chain. Enablon is the worlds leading provider of integrated software solutions for risk and compliance, engineering and operations, ESG, and sustainability. Makersite, a Germany-based startup, is a world leader in bringing sustainability and cost insights into the early-stage design process of product manufacturing. The two companies will work to provide consistent and consolidated reporting for clients to reach the shared goal of achieving Net Zero. Driving decarbonization, decreasing costs With Enablons strong Net Zero Program Management and Net Zero Implementation capabilities and Makersites cloud-based Product Lifecycle Intelligence solution, large companies can drive decarbonization of their operations and supply chains while also decreasing operational, material, and energy costs. Makersites cloud-based AI solution combines data from the Enablon Vision Platform  now live with Version 9.4  with more than 140 data sources, and then automatically generates digital twins of every product and process used by an organization and its value chain. These digital twins provide granular insights across more than 40 criteria, including GHG emissions, supply risk, costs, health & safety, and regulatory compliance. Decarbonization has become the single biggest driver of innovation and disruption in the market. Capital deployment, regulations and competition are the key drivers for adoption, and the only thing thats holding things back is a scalable way to measure and capitalize on opportuities to decarbonize, said Neil DSouza, Founder and CEO, Makersite. Collaborating with Wolters Kluwer Enablon will help take Makersites breakthrough technology to a massive base of customers, and the joint proposition will accelerate progress towards a low-carbon future for our customers.



The award-winning Enablon Vision Platform brings together EHS, risk, and operations in a single user interface. This linkage provides greater transparency in the workplace, breaking down silos and allowing for operations and risk personnel to have greater insight and visibility into key business functions. Hundreds of industry-leading enterprises and millions of users worldwide rely on Enablons solutions to reduce environmental impact, minimize risks, increase worker safety, prevent incidents from happening, and achieve regulatory compliance. For more information, click here. About Makersite

Makersite is revolutionizing the manufacturing industry with its ground-breaking AI technology that powers sustainable product and supply chain decisions at scale. Founded in 2018 by CEO Neil D'Souza, the Stuttgart-based company has a team of over 45 employees across Europe and Asia and a customer portfolio that includes major companies such as Microsoft, Schaeffler, Cummins, and Vestas. The software as a service platform automatically creates digital twins of products and their supply chains. With that, product development, procurement, and experts can analyze products, suppliers, and materials across the dimensions of sustainability, cost, risk and regulations. Turning complex analysis from months into minutes. To learn more, visit makersite.io.

About Wolters Kluwer

Wolters Kluwer (WKL) is a global leader in professional information, software solutions, and services for the healthcare; tax and accounting; governance, risk and compliance; and legal and regulatory sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with specialized technology and services. Wolters Kluwer reported 2021 annual revenues of 4.8 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 20,000 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.wolterskluwer.com, follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Media Contact:

Astrid Greve-Spencer

Global Director, Corporate Affairs and Communications

Wolters Kluwer Enablon

M: +1.708.427.8429

E: [email protected]



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[February 01, 2023] Axiom Real-Time Metrics Celebrates One Year at New Global Headquarters Located in Toronto

TORONTO, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Axiom Real-Time Metrics ("Axiom"), a premier provider of unified eClinical solutions and services focused on small-to-medium life science organizations is celebrating its one-year anniversary at their new Global Headquarters.

Axioms expansion into its new 65,000-square feet Global Corporate Headquarters in Toronto, Canada is the result of an incredible period of 5 years of exceptional growth.

I couldnt be more proud of the hundreds of data-driven studies that we have delivered across a wide spectrum of small-to-medium life science companies over the past several years, says Andrew Schachter, Founder and CEO. The collaborative shared vision that my leadership and team members engage in daily has always been to focus on constantly seeking to innovate in how trials get accomplished. The constant action of moving critical eClinical technology and essential services such Data Analytics forward requires a collaborative environment. Satellite, has contributed to this in many ways, said Schachter. The new office footprint delivers a 10,000-foot lounge and coffee bar, fresh fruit and snacks daily, 22 bordrooms, training facilities, an outdoor green space that enables teams to work outside in the summer and fall months, seating and offices for hundreds of team members.



"Our new Global Headquarters offers our team members strategic planning, collaboration and executional space to manage our clients' focused growing unified eClinical technology and study operational needs, Schachter adds. Growing with Axiom over the past 12 years has been an amazing journey for me. Being a part of a expanding team has been rewarding and looking back on where we came from in our first office to where we are now seems unbelievable. Having dedicated spaces to collaborate with team members makes meeting our clients needs that much easier. On top of the great places to work, the lounge area and coffee bar go a long way to promoting those spur of the moment discussions where creativity is often born," says Quinn Zarubick, VP Project Management and eClinical Operations.



As we celebrate and reflect on the first year at our new office, we are extremely proud and excited with our accomplishments. Thank you, Andrew for continuously driving the business forward that continues to support our growth. We enjoy collaborating in person across all teams in creative and well-designed meeting rooms. The office is one of many benefits of working at Axiom and assists us in fostering our corporate core values  Passion, Collaboration, Dynamic, Growth, Family, Diversity, Results  which are the backbone of our delivery and culture. We remain committed to our goals and more importantly our people and are looking forward to another successful year filled with growth and innovation, says Roslyn Arjoon, VP Client Growth & Access. PR Contact

Nidhi Patel

[email protected]

+1 437.225.7676



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[February 01, 2023] Wells Fargo Announces $50 Million Grant to NAACP

Today, Wells Fargo announced a $50 million grant to support the nation's largest civil rights and social justice organization in its continued efforts to advance racial equity in America. Wells Fargo's grant will both strengthen the NAACP's local units and support the organization's plans to develop a new national headquarters. The grant will assist NAACP local units and branches across America by increasing essential staff to implement and sustain meaningful programming and will support their work to grow strategic partnerships with key businesses in communities across the country. In addition, at the national level, the grant will support the NAACP's work on policy solutions used to address the needs of the communities it serves. "We're grateful to Wells Fargo for their donation, the single largest donation the NAACP has ever received from a corporation. These funds will go directly toward strengthening the NAACP's grassroots network of local units and branches across all 50 states, as well as the work of the national NAACP," said NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson. "All corporations play a critical role in our democracy. They must be engaged as allies in the fight to end discrimination - in our economy, in our justice system, across our society, and within their own services." Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf said the company is pleased to support the NAACP in creating a more equitable nation and in providing better access to economic opportunities for Black Americans. "Key to our shared goal to advance equity and economic opportunities for Black Americans is the work the NAACP local units and branches do to support communities on a highly local basis," Scharf said. "We value our longstanding relationship with the NAACP, and this grant is meant to strengthen thework we already do together to close economic gaps that have existed for far too long in our country."



The relationship between the NAACP and Wells Fargo spans more than 20 years. Since 1998, Wells Fargo's support of the NAACP has included the funding of the Financial Freedom Center, financial health programs, and homeownership/home preservation programs. Wells Fargo has also sponsored key NAACP events, such as the Women in NAACP Empowerment Brunch, the NAACP Image Awards, and the NAACP National Convention. About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a leading financial services company that has approximately $1.9 trillion in assets, proudly serves one in three U.S. households and more than 10% of small businesses in the U.S., and is a leading middle market banking provider in the U.S. We provide a diversified set of banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth & Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 41 on Fortune's 2022 rankings of America's largest corporations. In the communities we serve, the company focuses its social impact on building a sustainable, inclusive future for all by supporting housing affordability, small business growth, financial health, and a low-carbon economy. News, insights, and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories. Additional information may be found at www.wellsfargo.com | Twitter: @WellsFargo About NAACP The NAACP advocates, agitates, and litigates for the civil rights due to Black America. Our legacy is built on the foundation of grassroots activism by the biggest civil rights pioneers of the 20th century and is sustained by 21st century activists. From classrooms and courtrooms to city halls and Congress, our network of members across the country works to secure the social and political power that will end race-based discrimination. That work is rooted in racial equity, civic engagement, and supportive policies and institutions for all marginalized people. We are committed to a world without racism where Black people enjoy equitable opportunities in thriving communities. NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund - also referred to as the NAACP-LDF - was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but now operates as a completely separate entity. News Release Category: WF-DI View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005186/en/

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[February 01, 2023] America's Cutting Edge (ACE) Expands Machine Tools Workforce Training Centers into Florida

Emerging national network of machine tool workforce development centers aims to revitalize American manufacturing KNOXVILLE, Tenn, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI) announced today it is expanding America's Cutting Edge (ACE), a national initiative aimed at revitalizing U.S. manufacturing, to three locations in Florida. Those schools include the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering at the University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville, Polk State College in Winter Haven, and Indian River State College in Fort Pierce. America's Cutting Edge is helping revitalize American manufacturing ACE, which now has regional machine tool training centers in Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia, provides free online and in-person training in the machine tool industry--training that's essential to America's national security and continued economic vitality. According to UF Mechanical Engineering Professor Sean Niemi, ACE is part of a strategic economic direction for the state of Florida. "COVID showed that the state was overly dependent on tourism," Niemi said. "So now th state is focused on growing manufacturing and expanding the aerospace and defense industries. As someone who teaches mechanical design courses and enjoys manufacturing, I'm excited to see all the elements I'm passionate about coalesce in the ACE program."



ACE is comprised of two parts. The first is an online requirement that covers an introduction to Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining and 3D modeling using Fusion 360. Additional courses in metrology, composites, and cybersecurity are being added. Upon completion, students become qualified to advance to a week-long, hands-on lab training "bootcamp." Bootcamps provide opportunities for eligible students to learn in a high-intensity environment through hands-on, in-person trainingall at no cost. Launched in 2020, ACE is a public-private partnership established between the Department of Defense's Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) program and the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Managed by IACMI, ACE aims to close the skills gap and restore American dominance in machine tool technology and innovation. Through ACE, a national CNC machining training program was developed by University of Tennessee, Knoxville, (UT) Professor Tony Schmitz. More than 3,400 people from all 50 states are engaged in online training and more than 225 have completed in-person bootcamps.

As a University of Florida graduate, Dr. Schmitz is pleased with the growth of ACE and excited to see it expand to Florida. He commented, "The ACE CNC machining and metrology modules exist, in large part, because I completed my graduate studies at the UF Machine Tool Research Center. It's so nice to see this connection truly come full circle. They are now part of a machine tool evangelizing community, and we want nothing less than eliminating the shortfall in the manufacturing workforce that exists today." UF will serve as an ACE hub, working with spokes across the state to expand machine tool training centers in Florida. One of those spokes, Polk State College, has already embedded ACE into its CNC operator curriculum and has provided nine participants with hands-on training. "Polk State College in partnership with ACE provides the resources and opportunities for students to create innovative and technologically advanced CNC projects on equipment that mirrors the needs of our local employers," said Jamie Rowan, manager of Polk State's Corporate College. "Industry is already coming to us to machine parts previously impossible without a 5-axis CNC machine." Bill Solomon, dean of Indian River State College School of Workforce Education, added, "IRSC is the workforce training engine for Florida's Treasure Coast, and our partnership with IACMI expands our ability to engage students earlier and open their minds to the rewarding, well-paying, and creative careers in the machine tool industry. We anticipate that as middle and high school students go hands-on in ACE bootcamps and discover their new talents and abilities, they will help IRSC and our economic development partners create a new narrative around careers in the skilled trades." "Machining and machine tools are at the foundation of America's manufacturing capability and its global competitiveness," said IACMI Workforce Director Joannie Harmon. "We have a critical workforce skills gap in this country when it comes to machine tool resources. The training component of ACE is intended to help our nation recover, advance, and sustain technical and manufacturing positions  all to enable a strong, resilient, and responsive U.S. industrial base." ABOUT IACMI IACMI  The Composites Institute is a 130-plus member community of industry, universities, national laboratories, and federal, state, and local government agencies working together to accelerate advanced composites design, manufacturing, technical innovation, and workforce solutions to enable a cleaner and more sustainable, more secure, and more competitive U.S. economy. IACMI is managed by the Collaborative Composite Solutions Corporation (CCS), a not-for-profit organization established by The University of Tennessee Research Foundation. A Manufacturing USA institute, IACMI is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Manufacturing Office, as well as key state and industry partners. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/americas-cutting-edge-ace-expands-machine-tools-workforce-training-centers-into-florida-301736238.html SOURCE IACMI - The Composites Institute

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[February 01, 2023] Space Auto Sets Stage for Growth

DALLAS, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Space Auto , the new integrated software and marketing solution for auto dealerships, is excited to announce three new leadership hires, including two veterans of CarOffer. The company is also moving into a larger office space in Dallas to keep pace with its growing team and client base. As Space Auto rapidly expands, it expects to hire at least 15 new employees in the first half of the year. We are excited to take Space Auto to new heights and welcome new team members as our company grows. I am so happy to have an incredible, new marketing and sales team with on-the-street dealership experience and the perfect office to make our expansion possible, said Nick Askew, Space Auto Founder and CEO. Our all-in-one, flexible solution to software and marketing for car dealerships is changing the experience of car buying and more dealerships are signing on to enhance their sales success. Space Autos new leadership hires are: Jason Gluskin , Chief Marketing Officer. Jason brings over 20 years of marketing leadership experience to Space Auto. Jason has a deep passion for developing strategic marketing and communications programs that reach the right customer with a strong value proposition, in a cost-effective way. Jason has developed and executed successful, revenue-driving digital and offline media programs for industry leaders including: Blink/Amazon, SIRIUS XM, Live Nation & Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). He was also principal owner of MediaStar Marketing, a boutique marketing and media strategy consulting agency, for eight years. Jason obtained his undergraduate degree in business administration from the University of Vermont and a Masters in Integrated Marketing from New York University.





Jason brings over 20 years of marketing leadership experience to Space Auto. Jason has a deep passion for developing strategic marketing and communications programs that reach the right customer with a strong value proposition, in a cost-effective way. Jason has developed and executed successful, revenue-driving digital and offline media programs for industry leaders including: Blink/Amazon, SIRIUS XM, Live Nation & Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). He was also principal owner of MediaStar Marketing, a boutique marketing and media strategy consulting agency, for eight years. Jason obtained his undergraduate degree in business administration from the University of Vermont and a Masters in Integrated Marketing from New York University. Matthew Lance , Vice President of Finance & Operations. As an investor in CarOffer, an industry leader in the digital auction platform space, Matt helped launch one of the most successful startups in the automotive sector. Matt served as a Director, managing a multi-million dollar automotive trading facility, internal financial analysis and reporting, an internal fraud prevention team, and extensive stock analysis and financial comparison models of publicly traded competitors. Prior to that, Matt was a founder and executive at a successful New Zealand-based gold-mining company, where he is currently a board member. He also founded a hedge fund in the gold and silver-mining industry, which remains active today with millions in managed assets. Matthew holds an MBA in Finance from the University of St. Thomas Houston where he graduated Summa Cum Laude.









As an investor in CarOffer, an industry leader in the digital auction platform space, Matt helped launch one of the most successful startups in the automotive sector. Matt served as a Director, managing a multi-million dollar automotive trading facility, internal financial analysis and reporting, an internal fraud prevention team, and extensive stock analysis and financial comparison models of publicly traded competitors. Prior to that, Matt was a founder and executive at a successful New Zealand-based gold-mining company, where he is currently a board member. He also founded a hedge fund in the gold and silver-mining industry, which remains active today with millions in managed assets. Matthew holds an MBA in Finance from the University of St. Thomas Houston where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. Robert Mammucari , Director of Operations. Also a CarOffer veteran, Robert was National Sales Manager there before joining Space Auto. He has over 17 years of automotive experience, including positions as General Sales Manager and Sales Manager at multiple dealerships. Robert spent 13 years in the United States Marine Corps, where he held key positions as a Drill Instructor and Platoon Sergeant and served in Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq. Robert is also the recipient of the Navy Commendation Medal. He holds a Bachelor of Business Management from Oklahoma State University and an MBA from Southern Methodist University Cox School of Business.

Space Autos new office, which opens in February 2023, will be located at The Gild, 8350 N US 75-Central Expy. 1000, Suite 400, Dallas, TX, 75206. To learn more about Space Autos innovative software and marketing solutions, request a demo at www.space.auto .

About Space Auto

Space Auto is on a mission to reimagine the car buying journey by streamlining automotive retail tech and elevating the customer experience. From first click to close, Space Auto gives auto dealerships the tools they need to connect with customers, drive sales, and grow business  all in one space. The company offers Software (Website, Retailing, CRM) and Digital Marketing to both independent and OEM dealerships, including BMW, Nissan, Kia, Honda, GMC, Hyundai, and many others. Learn more at www.space.auto and follow Space Auto on LinkedIn , Instagram , and Facebook . MEDIA CONTACT:

LAZ PR

Lisa Lazarczyk

[email protected] or 617-838-7327



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[February 01, 2023] Abracon Welcomes Richard Diaz as Vice President of Global Operations

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 1, 2023 /CNW/ -- Abracon, LLC (Abracon), a leading global manufacturer of Frequency Control & Timing, RF & Antenna, and Inductor & Connectivity solutions, welcomes Richard Diaz as the company's new Vice President of Global Operations for Abracon, reporting to Tony Roybal, President & CEO at the company's headquarters in Spicewood, Texas. "Richard comes to Abracon with a strong track record of success, a determination to win, and a commitment to high-performance teams and operational excellence," said Tony Roybal, Abracon President & CEO. "As an experienced leader, Richard will work closely with Sr. Staff to drive operational performance to accelerate the execution of our global growth strategy." Most recently, Diaz held the role of Vice President of Operations and Supply Chain at Avnet. While at Avnet, he was responsible for material management, supply chain solutions, and business optimization efforts aligning with sales, finance, and IT to drive growth and improve profits. With over 25 years of experience in the electronic omponents industry, Diaz has held leadership roles in supply chain, pricing management, operations, sales, and business development. He received his bachelor's degree in Finance from Arizona State University and his MBA from the University of Phoenix.



"I am thrilled to be joining the Abracon team. Abracon is a broad-line industry leader in their space, has great technology, serving all segments, and is well aligned with key hyper-growth areas such as the automotive and industrial markets. As the electronics components market continues to grow, I look forward to working with the talented team at Abracon to drive industry-leading results to capitalize on the company's partnerships, technology, and strategy." About Abracon

Headquartered outside of Austin, Texas, Abracon enables global customers to design next-generation products by offering innovative and high-performance Frequency Control & Timing, Inductors & Connectivity, and RF & Antenna solutions. Abracon accelerates customers' time to market by focusing on technical expertise, service excellence, and providing reliable electronic components through a global distribution network. With service, quality, and technical knowledge at the company's core, Abracon empowers innovative connected technology in markets spanning data communication, transportation, industrial, medical, aerospace, defense, and beyond.

earn more at www.abracon.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/abracon-welcomes-richard-diaz-as-vice-president-of-global-operations-301736412.html SOURCE Abracon, LLC

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Incentivizing businesses is, admittedly, a political and economic minefield, but the recent decision to subsidize two fast food restaurants in Niagara Falls offers a moment of clarity  one that Albany needs to see clearly.

There was nothing illegal about using public tax dollars to bring A&W and Moes Southwest Grill to Rainbow Boulevard in the Falls. Indeed, the incentive complies with the mandate requiring restaurants and retail outlets benefiting from this incentive to support tourism or be located in distressed areas. Niagara Falls qualifies for both.

The problem is less that the Niagara County Industrial Development Agency granted these applications than in a poorly worded law that cleared the way. Its certainly fair to expect that tourists will patronize these restaurants, given their planned locations, but there is little reason to believe they will do anything to bolster tourism. The waterfalls are the reason to visit, not a root beer.

That tax breaks are needed to draw businesses to New York is no secret. This is a high-tax, over-regulated state; incentives are necessary just to compete. Its unfortunate but its a fact.

Still, the key is to deploy these benefits strategically. Funded by taxpayers, they create economic disparities among businesses in the same sector. In this case, as a local assemblyman observed, these two restaurants will have a notable advantage over their competitors.

Were putting existing business at a deep disadvantage, said Democrat Jon Rivera, whose 149th District covers parts of Buffalo, Lackawanna and Hamburg. There are restaurants within probably walking distance of that location that have been trying to grow and expand and find success. Theyre owned by local people, people who have called Niagara Falls home for all their lives.

Sen. Sean Ryan, D-Buffalo, joined Rivera in criticizing the IDAs decision. Referring to a 2013 update of the law that limited the use of these incentives, he said, The ban we enacted in 2013 had exceptions which were only intended to support projects that would provide high-paying jobs to help improve economically distressed areas, observing that the two restaurants would create just 20 full-time jobs.

Subsidizing fast-food restaurants is not a viable economic development strategy, he said.

Its especially not viable when the recipient acknowledges he would have built even without the incentive. That's what Muhammad Shoaib said about these two restaurants, which he and wife, Hina Qureshi, are planning to open.

But, as all politicians know  they do it, themselves  its human nature to make the most of any financial opportunity. In the end, this is about a poorly written law. The Legislature should tighten it up.

  

Whats your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing.
[February 01, 2023] Government of Canada announces $5.2 million to boost. B.C. clean technology sector

PacifiCan funding to Foresight Canada will establish an innovation network to help B.C. cleantech companies grow and create jobs VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 1, 2023 /CNW/ - British Columbia is home to some of the most innovative clean tech companies in the world. By linking up innovators and adopters, this sector will be well-positioned to grow while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and tackling some of the toughest climate-related challenges we face. Today, Parm Bains, Member of Parliament for Steveston  Richmond East, on behalf of the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan), announced $5.2 million in funding through PacifiCan, together with $2.3 million from the Province of BC, for Foresight Canada. Foresight Canada will use this funding to establish the BC Net Zero Innovation Network (BCNZIN), bringing together innovators, businesses and stakeholders to accelerate the development of competitive cleantech solutions, and moving them to market. Foresight will initially focus on solutions for B.C.'s forestry, mining and water sectors. Not only will this network accelerate the development and adoption of clean technologies, it will open up new markets and attract world-class talent to the province. This project is expected to spur growth in B.C.'s cleantech sector, creating 240 new jobs and attracting $280 million in investment. In addition to strong economic benefits, the project has a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 125 kilotonnes. The Government of Canada has committed to net-zero emissions nationwide by 2050. In B.C, PacifiCan is investing in the development and adoption of clean technology solutions to help meet this goal. Quotes



"The world is moving towards cleaner technologies and Canada has the opportunity to be a true global leadercreating good jobs for Canadians while helping the world meet climate change and other environmental goals. PacifiCan's support for this project with Foresight Canada is an important step in creating environmental solutions here in B.C." - The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada

"A sustainable, clean economy for our future is a priority for all British Columbians, but developing and launching the necessary technology can be a challenge for businesses, researchers and innovators. To tackle this, a new Net Zero Innovation Network will help support the adoption and growth of cleantech in B.C. This will help to meet our greenhouse gas reduction targets, drive economic growth, and enhance industrial competitiveness, positioning B.C. as a global leader in clean energy technology." - Adam Walker, Parliamentary Secretary for the Sustainable Economy. ""Foresight Canada is thrilled to launch the BC Net Zero Innovation Network (BCNZIN), made possible through funding contributions from PacifiCan, the Province of British Columbia, and other partners. This project will take cleantech innovation in British Columbia to the next level, allowing climate ventures and industry leaders from key sectors across the province to develop and scale critical climate solutions that attract capital, generate green jobs, drive exports, and accelerate domestic industry sustainability. Initiatives like this will significantly accelerate Canada's transition to a net-zero economy, and Foresight is excited to demonstrate this model in BC." - Jeanette Jackson, CEO, Foresight Canada Quick facts Foresight Canada brings together innovators, industry, investors, government, and academia to address today's urgent climate crisis and support the global transition to a green economy.

brings together innovators, industry, investors, government, and academia to address today's urgent climate crisis and support the global transition to a green economy. BC Cleantech Innovation Network was funded through PacifiCan's Regional Innovation Ecosystems program. This program aims to grow and nurture priority sectors across British Columbia , building an ecosystem that includes under-represented groups and allows those sectors to innovate and compete globally.

, building an ecosystem that includes under-represented groups and allows those sectors to innovate and compete globally. PacifiCan is the Government of Canada's regional development agency dedicated to British Columbians. PacifiCan promotes growth and diversification in British Columbia's economy by enhancing innovation, improving business competitiveness, and promoting inclusive growth. Associated links PacifiCan

Foresight Canada Stay connected

Follow PacifiCan on Twitter and LinkedIn Toll-Free Number: 1-888-338-9378

TTY (telecommunications device for the hearing impaired): 1-877-303-3388 SOURCE Pacific Economic Development Canada

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[February 01, 2023] Built Green Partners with Hudson Restoration to Offer Customers Eco-Friendly Options

Homeowners with property disaster damage may now choose certified, sustainable restorations EDMONTON, AB, Feb. 1, 2023 /CNW/ - When it comes to sustainable building, primarily, green innovation is adopted by new construction and, to a lesser extent, with renovations. In a national first, Hudson Restoration has partnered with Built Green Canada to provide Canada's first BUILT GREEN certified restorations for homes damaged by natural and mechanical disasters. Operating out of Southern Ontario, Hudson Restoration is a boutique and eco-friendly disaster restoration company that serves property owners and their insurance providers by offering remediation, restoration, and reconstruction services for high-value residential, heritage, and commercial properties. They are also continually improving their operations, with a focus on sustainability, which segued into the next step of their business plan: partnering with Built Green Canada, a non-profit that provides evidence-based, sustainable building programs and third-party certification to Canada's building sector. With this partnership, Hudson Restoration has guidance, support, and access to green building expertsto provide customers with more choice than ever before. Hudson Restoration knows that progressive homeowners want restorations completed with sustainability in mind, and take pride in helping them achieve their goals, right up to Net Zero Energy+one of several sustainability programs offered by Built Green Canada. What's more, Built Green provides disaster preparedness options, so homeowners can choose to improve their home's resiliency, helping reduce the need for future restorations. "Hudson Restoration's commitment to sustainability prompted another iteration of the BUILT GREEN programscustomized for restorations, and ultimately, opening another door for industry," says Jenifer Christenson, CEO at Built Green Canada. "As an organization keen to work alongside industry, we're grateful for their leadership and focus on offering customers greener, healthier restorations, verified through third-party certification." Christenson stated that Hudson's pursuit of sustainable restorations was a step ahead in the restoration space, so was keen on working with them. She says, "Given the increase and severity of natural disasters, largely due to climate change, the restoration industry has a big role to play in contributing to a healthier, more sustainable built environment. With disaster preparedness top of mind at Built Green, Hudson's reach out was serendipitous." "Historically, Built Green Canada focused on partnering with builders, renovators and developers," says Nick Hudson, Director of Operations at Hudson. "We've worked closely with the great folks at Built Green to reimagine the approach, to provide our customers with green certifications on their property damage restoration. We're extremely excited with where we've ended upand kicked off the New Year by offering this to homeowners and insurance companies who may have their own environmental goals!" Meanwhile, Built Green helps industry stay ahead of evolving regulations; the federal government's 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan1 provides a roadmap that outlines a sector-by-sector path for Canada to reach its emissions reduction targets, and Built Green Canada aims to help the building industry stay on-track. By 2030, emissions targets are for 40 per cent below 2005 levels, with a net-zero emission target by 2050. Industry is already showing sustainability leadership, as many voluntarily choose to construct better, more sustainable builds through programs including Built Green's, which enables industry to progress incrementallywhether working within energy-focused step code or incoming tier code. Built Green's programs align for ease of use, finding practical pathways forward and offering builders a competitive advantage. Given all builders now have energy performance requirements, Built Green's holistic approach differentiates those who go beyond code. About Built Green Canada: Since its founding in 2003, Built Green Canada has worked with builders, renovators, and developers to provide Canada's building sector with evidence-based, industry-informed sustainability programs, along with third-party certification options. To date, Built Green Canada has certified 45,860 single family, multi-family, and high density homes through their industry-leading sustainability programs. As of December 31, 2022, these certifications represent projects in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. About Hudson Restoration: Hudson Restoration is a leading boutique and eco-friendly disaster restoration company in Canada, providing remediation, restoration and reconstruction services for high value residential, heritage and commercial properties. Founded in 2009, Hudson has developed a reputation built on sophisticated levels of craftsmanship, communication and personal service, with an industry-leading, and ever deepening eco-friendly approach to help customers and insurance clients meet environmental and net-zero targets.







1 The Plan reflects input from over 30,000 Canadians, provinces and territories, Indigenous Peoples, industry and the independent Net-Zero Advisory Body. Other plans have been released including the Pan- Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change.

SOURCE Built Green Canada

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[February 01, 2023] LongRange Capital Completes Acquisition of Batesville Services

LongRange Capital ("LongRange"), a private investment firm focused on building and growing middle market businesses over the long-term, has completed its acquisition of Batesville Services ("Batesville"), a leading provider of quality death care products and services as well as innovative technology solutions, from Hillenbrand, Inc. (NYSE: HI). This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005714/en/ The company, headquartered in Batesville, Indiana, has been a leader in the industry for more than a century, and offers a wide selection of burial and cremation products, keepsakes, and technology solutions that support the needs of licensed funeral professionals and families across North America. Chris Trainor will continue to lead Batesville as CEO having served as its President since 2015.



"We are excited to close on our acquisition of Batesville and look forward to partnering with Batesville's talented associates and management team led by Chris to support and grow the business well into the future," said Bob Berlin, Managing Partner at LongRange. "Chris is a seasoned executive and we're confident that our partnership will enable Batesville to thrive, expand its service offerings, and build on its strong legacy." "I'm excited to continue leading Batesville as we begin our next chapter as a standalone business and with the support of LongRange to execute on our mission of helping families honor the lives of those they love," said Chris Trainor, CEO of Batesville. "I look forward to expanding our capabilities, accelerating our growth, and delivering innovative products and solutions to our customers."

About Batesville Batesville (www.batesville.com) is a recognized leader in the North American death care industry, offering a comprehensive portfolio of burial and cremation products, memorialization options and innovative technology solutions. For more than a century, Batesville has supported licensed funeral professionals in helping families honor the lives of those they love. A history of manufacturing excellence, product innovation, superior customer service and reliable delivery helped Batesville become - and remain - an industry leader. About LongRange Capital Founded in 2019, LongRange Capital was formed to take a longer-term approach to investing and building middle market businesses through a company-focused and customer-first philosophy. The firm's investment professionals have a long track record of demonstrated success and collectively bring 50+ years of investing experience. LongRange is currently investing a highly flexible, committed capital pool backed by long-term institutional holders. For more information, please visit www.longrangepartners.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005714/en/

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Let's start with a pet peeve . . .

So-called "local control" of police hinges on yet another false narrative. Kansas City has "local control" of the police given that mayor is an elected official and occupies a space on the police board. Moreover, all of the members of the police board are, in fact, Kansas City residents.

There are all kinds of lies about "local control" that the public believes without even a modicum of fact checking.

Some of the proponents of a COUNCIL TAKEOVER OF KCPD have even attempted to make a historically invalid comparison to the slave trade.

It's all kinda sad, really when most Kansas City residents know that Missouri state administration of the police board was a check & balance ENACTED BY KCMO RESIDENTS to protect against the Pendergast mob. This is an iconic part of local history that pundits would erase in order to push forward their agenda.

But the past is merely prologue . . . Here's a peek at what's happening now . . .

INSIDERS TELL TKC . . . MISSOURI GOP TAKING BACK STL "LOCAL CONTROL" OF POLICE IS NOT ONLY LIKELY BUT INTENDED AS A BIT OF A FLEX AGAINST KANSAS CITY AS WELL!!!



The FOP is behind this power move that won't be that hard to accomplish . . .

Again, the Missouri State GOP super-majority already has the votes and early word is that the Governor will sign off on the vote.

Big picture . . .

The power move should stall local politicking for KCMO "local control" for at least another decade.

In the meantime, what we've seen from STL local control is a dramatic spike in murder, rampant violence and no real solution for their problems provided by this political gambit.

Here's more perspective . . .



"Legislation would penalize and forever disqualify the St. Louis mayor or any city officer if they tried to hinder work of the new governor-appointed board of police commissioners."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Missouri Republicans push for state to take over control of St. Louis police department * Missouri Independent Kansas City is the only major city in the country where the city's elected leaders don't control the local police department - a state-appointed police board does. Up until 2013, St. Louis was in the same boat. However, the city gained local control of its police department after a 2012 statewide referendum.

Bill proposes a return to state control for St. Louis police The bill proposed by Rep. Nick Schroer, a Republican, would establish a board of police commissioners, including four St. Louis members appointed by the governor. ST. LOUIS - In the state of Missouri, there's a battle over a bill on who should control the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

Developing . . .


A quick roundup of some of the relevant crime reporting across the metro . . . And, as always, a bit of nice news at the end of the compilation . . . Check-it . . .



Homicide investigation begins after woman fails to check out of Olathe hotel OLATHE, Kan. - The death of a woman found inside an Olathe hotel is being investigated as a homicide. Olathe police said they found the body of Rhoda Morgan, 53, of Gardner, Kansas, inside a hotel on West 151st Street, just west of Interstate 35.

ATF Kansas City responds to shooting scene at Target in Omaha, Nebraska KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Kansas City assisted in responding to a shooting scene around noon Tuesday at a Target near 178th Street and West Center Road in Omaha, Nebraska.

'The goal is to be preventative': KCPD offers active shooter training to local LGBTQ bar A group of staff at Hamburger Mary's on Broadway Avenue in midtown gathered Monday afternoon around a fake torso spotted with fake blood stains, cuts and bullet wounds. Sitting where sequin-clad drag queens performed for brunchgoers sipping mimosas just a day before, Kansas City Police Department officer Rita Olson-Stawicki explained to the group how one would stop the bleeding and apply a tourniquet if the mannequin was a real person.

4th person charged with vandalizing Blue Valley High School press box with antisemitic, racist messages KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A fourth person has been charged with vandalizing the Blue Valley High School press box with racist, antisemitic and homophobic messages on Jan. 15. The Johnson County District Attorney's Office announced Tuesday that Wade R.

Kansas might tighten criminal penalties for kids, after loosening them 6 years ago The bill would bring back some penalties that were cast aside six years ago when Senate Bill 367 was passed.

Missouri lawmakers have another chance to create a violent offender registry According to state Rep. Lane Roberts, R-Joplin, individuals convicted of first- and second-degree murder would be placed on a list similar to today's sex offender registry. Roberts told The Heartlander his push comes after hearing a sinister story from one of his constituents before being elected to office.

Kansas City area police departments amending uniform rules to support the Chiefs Clay County Sheriff's deputies are used to wearing a lot of gear on the job.For the next two weeks, there's even more to wear.Until the Super Bowl, Kansas City Chiefs gear is part of the uniform code.Sheriff Will Akin made the call to temporarily let his deputies wear Chiefs hats while on duty and patrol.It's probably a good idea considering other parts of their uniforms look pretty close to Eagles green."Can't change that color.

Developing . . .


Right now the legacy of classic hottie Pam inspires our peek at pop culture, community news and top headlines.



Check TKC news gathering . . .

Waiting Game Revisited

First flight to depart new KCI terminal to Chicago KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The first flight to depart the new Kansas City International Airport terminal on Feb. 28 will land at Chicago Midway. Passengers on Southwest flight 904, bound for the Chicago Midway International Airport, will depart at 5 a.m. The nonstop flight is expected to be an hour and 35 minutes.

Parents Should Be Smart Enough To Know Otherwise

Blue Valley School District voters overwhelmingly approve no-tax rate increase bond issue KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A new middle school is just one of the projects planned after Blue Valley School District voters approved a $251.25 million no-tax increase bond issue. The results from the mail-in ballots were released Tuesday by the Johnson County Election Office.

Urban Living Space Hard Times

Kansas City non-profit reviewing concerns after apartment fire in historic Northeast neighborhood A local non-profit dedicated to affordable housing and combatting homelessness said it is "thoroughly reviewing" concerns raised last week after a fire at a property formerly owned by two members of its board of directors.Restart, Inc.

Metro Tragedy Aftermath

Man dies in fall from catwalk Monday at Clay County business KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Authorities are investigating after an employee fell "three to four stories from a catwalk, landing on rocks" in Randolph, Missouri. The Clay County Sheriff's Office confirmed Tuesday that it was investigating "an apparent fatal workplace accident," which occurred shortly before 5 p.m.

Hipster Drinking Games Almost Explained

Princess Bride pop-up features 24 cocktails pulled from the Kingdom of Florin Princess Bride pop-up by Apparition at Deep Roots. // Photo by Sherry Lockwood "Farmboy, fetch me that liquor." "As You Wish," Apparition's third pop-up bar at Deep Roots (4601 Shawnee Dr., Kansas City, KS), is where drink-smith Matt Smith has found his stride.

Icon Shares Humility

Pamela Anderson thinks she's a 'little funny-looking' and not a 'great beauty': 'Can't wait to see myself old' Pamela Anderson is getting real about how she sees herself. During a recent interview on the "Armchair Expert" podcast with Dax Shepard, Anderson spoke about her status as a sex symbol, revealing she never understood the conversation surrounding her appearance. "I never felt like I was any kind of great beauty, ever, no.

Prez Biden Handles Press

Biden grabs NBC reporter's hand as he steps underneath her umbrella to answer her question President Biden got up close and personal with NBC White House correspondent Kristen Welker as she asked him about his decision to end the federal COVID emergency. Biden announced Monday his administration is ending the public health emergency that was first put in place by the Trump administration at the beginning of the pandemic.

Money Talks

House GOP sets its expectations low for McCarthy-Biden debt meeting But the GOP is also entertaining hope that the president shows a shred of openness to taking its demands seriously, even as very few of its members specify what they want Biden to negotiate on. A rare Republican with a concrete proposal was Texas Rep.

Ramping Up Euro War

U.S. readies $2 billion-plus Ukraine aid package with longer-range weapons, officials say The United States is readying more than $2 billion worth of military aid for Ukraine that is expected to include longer-range rockets for the first time as well as other munitions and weapons, two U.S. officials briefed on the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.

Hollywood On Trial

Alec Baldwin is formally charged with involuntary manslaughter in the 'Rust' shooting New Mexico prosecutors on Tuesday formally charged Alec Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter in the fatal 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of their movie, "Rust." The announcement comes after First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said Jan.

Penning Plague Postscript

How will life change once the COVID-19 emergency ends? WASHINGTON - (AP) - The declaration of a COVID-19 public health emergency three years ago changed the lives of millions of Americans by offering increased health care coverage, beefed-up food assistance and universal access to coronavirus vaccines and tests.

Cowtown Booze News

Tap List | Big Year Ahead For New KC Breweries Before January ends, we figured now is a good time to provide an update on all of the exciting brewery developments coming up in 2023. There are several breweries we've written about in recent months that have made quite a bit of progress.

Kansas City Craves Winter Carbs

42 essential sweets in KC, from bonbons to apple fritters February is short but sweet. This month, we share our picks for the city's best bonbons and a lot of other unique sweets that are baked, dipped and drizzled to perfection.

Chill Tonight . . .

A cold night before warm second half of the week Hide Transcript Show Transcript NINE-DAY FORECAST SO YOU WILL KNOW FIRST, THIS IS FIRST ALERT WEATHER. KELLY: I NEED TO THE SUNGLASSES BUT I WAS STILL FREEZING. LARA: THE SUNSHINE WAS WELCOMED. IN MEXICO WARMER, IT IS REALLY COLD -- IT MAKES IT FEEL WARMER. TODAY IS COLD -- WARMER THAN YESTERDAY.

And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
More than a few quick hit news items for the midday that are still worth a peek . . . As pop diva goodness reignites our interest in current affairs . . .



Check TKC news gathering . . .

Diva Destined To Cowtown

Beyonce's Renaissance Tour coming to KC Sept. 18 Beyonce embarks on first solo tour since 2016. Beyonce confirmed the highly speculated Renaissance World Tour on Instagram today. Will Ticketmaster be able to handle this one? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Beyonce (@beyonce) It will be a 47-date tour beginning in Europe in May, then coming to North America July 8.

Calculating New KCI

Kansas City's long-awaited new airport is about to open-here are the numbers to know Kansas City's long-awaited new airport is about to open-here are the numbers to know.

Struggle Is Real

2023 Black History Month theme celebrates Black Resistance KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Each year the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) selects a theme for Black History Month. The Black Resistance highlights the "institutions and affiliations [that] have lobbied, litigated, legislated, protested and achieved success." To resist means to refuse to comply, to challenge the system.

Super Bowl Party Time Planned

Super Bowl parade would be Feb. 15 with rally ending at Union Station: city committee KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - As the Chiefs season approaches its end at the Super Bowl, city leaders have begun preparations for a potential celebration. During a Transportation, Infrastructure and Operations Committee meeting Wednesday morning, city leaders stated that should the Kansas City Chiefs win, the plan is for a parade to take place Wednesday, Feb.

Sound Of Success

Hot 103 Jamz! America's longest-running Black-owned radio station Kansas City radio pioneer Andrew Skip Carter started the nation's first Black-owned and operated station west of the Mississippi River, KPRS AM. Now the company he founded, Carter Broadcast Group, is looking back at 72 years of growth and contemplating a robust future.

More Diva Deets

Beyonce Announces 2023 Renaissance World Tour Saddle up because Beyonce is kicking off Black History Month with a bang. Queen Bey took to Instagram early Wednesday morning (Feb. 1) to announce that her long-awaited Renaissance World Tour 2023 will officially kick off this year.

Prez Biden Beach House Busted

FBI searches Biden's Delaware beach home in classified papers investigation Joe Biden's personal lawyer said on Wednesday the FBI was conducting a planned search of the president's home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, as part of its investigation potential mishandling of classified information. "Today, with the president's full support and cooperation, the Department of Justice is conducting a planned search of his home in Rehoboth, Delaware," the lawyer, Bob Bauer, said in a statement.

MAGA Takes 5th

Video of Trump deposition in New York fraud probe shows former president taking the Fifth, repeating "same answer" Newly released video obtained by CBS News provides the first look at former President Donald Trump's deposition last summer in the New York attorney general's civil fraud investigation. Trump sat for questioning under oath on Aug. 10, and the video shows him politely answering the opening questions from state Attorney General Letitia James.

Florida Teachable Moment

After DeSantis criticism, College Board unveils updated framework for AP African American studies The College Board on Wednesday released curriculum for its new Advanced Placement African American Studies course, excluding some of the content that infuriated Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). Why it matters: The outrage over the curriculum underscores the ongoing battles against critical race theory - a topic that is often conflated with teachings on systemic racism.

Vlad Attack Underway

Ukraine Braces for Major Russian Offensive Russia is preparing to launch a major new offensive against Ukraine in the coming weeks, a top Ukrainian security official said, adding to mounting concerns in Kyiv and the West that the Kremlin is preparing a renewed push to seize large areas of the country.

Plague

Protection Updated

The next generation of coronavirus vaccines: a graphical guide Vaccines against the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 have been given to billions of people to protect them from COVID-19, and have saved more than 20 million lives. But viral variants can evade some of the immunity provided by the original vaccines.

Scully Seeks Sexy Deets

Gillian Anderson wants to know your wildest sex fantasies: 'Tell me' She wants people to send her their seX-files. Ever dream of telling an A-lister your dirtiest secrets? Maybe not but here's your chance anyway. Gillian Anderson is inviting people to write letters detailing their wildest sexual fantasies for her new book on the female sexual experience.

Another Pandemic Postscript

Honoring Those Taken by AIDS, and Those Who Stepped Forward to Help On the last Sunday of February 1989, I was home eating a pre-church breakfast and giving the morning newspaper a quick read. I was startled to discover the news that my friend Ted Warmbold had died. We were students together at the University of Missouri School of Journalism and I later worked with him on the Gannett newspapers in Rochester, New York.

Winter Warmup Redux

FORECAST: Wednesday highs in the 30s, but warmer weather is coming Coats and sweaters are still necessary Wednesday, but by this weekend, we may be whipping out spring dresses and t-shirts due to warmer weather. High pressure today is still our dominant feature, even though it's beginning to transfer to the Tennessee River Valley. Expect mainly-clear skies, with a southerly flow developing through the day.

And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
Blogger Bill has done a great deal of KC's scholarship on the issue of faith life and the LGBT community but his analogy is a bit flawed if only given that LGBT "science" has always been sketchy and lacking any provable data.

Instead . . .

WEe've always thought about this aspect of the culture/religious war as an issue of liberty and/or conscience . . . Depending on your brand of superstition . . .

In the end everyone stands alone before the Creator in order to justify where they stick it amid a consensual relationship.

As always, Bill is far more thoughtful . . .



What science and sociologists are learning about issues of human sexuality should at least make religious leaders want to understand those lessons and see if they reveal distorted thinking behind certain expressions of doctrine. That's one of the things that happened to the Catholic Church after it recognized that its condemnation of Galileo for suggesting that Earth revolves around the sun -- and not the other way around -- was flawed. The church changed its teaching.



Will that kind of change happen in my lifetime with the Catholic condemnation of homosexuality as "objectively disordered"? Almost certainly not. And maybe never.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Is the pope really moving the church on LGBTQ+ issues? What are we to make of what Pope Francis said in an exclusive interview with the Associated Press released on Jan. 25, as reported in this National Catholic Reporter story? (And here is the original AP story.) "Being homosexual is...

Related reading . . .

Pope clarifies homosexuality and sin comments in note Pope Francis has clarified his recent comments about homosexuality and sin, saying he was merely referring to official Catholic moral teaching that teaches that any sexual act outside of marriage is a sin. And in a note Jan. 27, Francis recalled that even that black-and-white teaching is subject to circumstances that might eliminate the sin altogether.

Pope Francis calls for end to anti-gay laws and LGBTQ+ welcome Pope Francis has criticised laws that criminalise homosexuality as "unjust", saying God loves all his children just as they are, and calling on Catholic bishops who support the laws to welcome LGBTQ+ people into the church. "Being homosexual isn't a crime," Francis said on Tuesday in an interview.

Pope Francis' LGBTQ comments are not surprising but sincere, gay Vatican adviser says An openly gay advisor to the Vatican says he's not surprised by Pope Francis' declaration that "being homosexual isn't a crime." Juan Carlos Cruz, an internationally known Chilean advocate and survivor of clerical sexual abuse, told NPR the pope's remarks made for an "incredible day."

You decide . . .


Another local billionaire pretends to offer the illusion of transparency and because we live in a city run by development lawyers desperately searching for their next gig, nobody dares to call him on it . . . Check-it . . .



"At their second listening session they revealed that they evaluated 14 possible locations and narrowed it down to five. They did not specify which of the 14 initial areas remain in the running."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Royals narrow down possible locations for new ballpark district KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Tuesday night, Kansas City Royals executives provided some new information about their vision for a downtown ballpark district. At their second "listening session" they revealed that they evaluated 14 possible locations and narrowed it down to five. They did not specify which of the 14 initial areas remain in the running.

Royals ownership says it's down 4 to 5 locations for new stadium The Kansas City Royals are one step closer to building their new stadium.

Royals narrow 14 potential downtown stadium sites down to 5 KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Kansas City Royals say they have narrowed 14 potential downtown stadium sites to four or five. Brooks Sherman, the team's chief operating officer, made the announcement during the Royals' second listening session Tuesday on the proposed $2 billion project that would also include a surrounding ballpark district featuring shops, dining, hotels and apartments.

Royals say tailgating, plenty of parking planned for year-round downtown ballpark district As the Kansas City Royals deepen their efforts to bring baseball to downtown, the club aims to call up features fans love most - along with attributes from other ballparks and entertainment districts they don't yet know they've been missing, executives said Tuesday.

Developing . . .
'You can make a 25-year-old look 45 with a 15-minute procedure'  the pros, cons and risks of the latest celebrity cosmetic surgery craze
We live in a country with two faces. It has been a beacon of freedom and opportunity for people escaping lands where their voices and choices were silenced, either temporarily, by denial of rights, or permanently, by the taking of their lives. We also live in a country whose resident folk have taken people from nearby neighborhoods and indigenous homelands to family-breaking slave plantations, culture-killing reservations, isolated internment camps, criminal-building prisons, and mass graves. Fortunately, other resident folk have treated strangers and newcomers with kindness, understanding, generosity, and respect for their universal human needs, values and choices.

Feared newcomers and perceived lower status residents in U.S. states have been targets of the fear and anger of the generations that came before them. Those targeted faced discrimination and violence, including: physical and sexual assaults; medical experimentation and sterilization; hangings; and being shot in their own homes, schools, workplaces and health clinics. Resident folk have also restricted other resident folks personal, social and medical choices in areas as varied as housing, schooling, working, marrying, childbearing and end-of-life choices.

We live in a country where leaders voiced varying opinions as they developed a federal constitution to affirm individuals rights and create representative governance. Just as importantly, the constitution framers made the choice to include the right for states to amend the federal constitution. As long as our planet lives, each surviving generation can use its growing knowledge of human needs, healthy relationships, and scientific advancements in environmental, medical, and social sciences to make, amend, vote upon, and enforce laws of the land that promote human welfare and human rights. We create the foundation for future progress when we vote for competent federal and state candidates of good character.

Sandra Vedovato

Fredonia
Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data.
Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data.

'The aunt I never had': a 75-year-old English man's search of his family roots leads to unmarked grave in Toronto

Violet Bird,9, had just arrived in Scarborough, Ontario with her family in 1929 when she died of scarlet fever, writes Robin Bird
2 week itinerary for a fascinating Italy trip



(TRAVPR.COM) GREECE - February 1st, 2023 - The travel experts at Little Travellers work with clients to design a personalized custom italy travel itinerary, selecting each detail to fit the client's inclinations. From hotels and flights to must-see sights and hidden gems, Little Travellers takes care of all the details, so all clients need to do is enjoy the trip.

"At Little Travellers, we are not a classic travel agency. We do not cooperate with any of our recommendations in order to provide a fully custom experience," the founders said.

How it works

Planning an Italy trip will be a collaborative effort. Little Travellers starts the process by getting to know clients, what they like and dislike, how they enjoy travelling, and what the ideal vacation would be like for them using a detailed questionnaire. The team of experts creates a prospective travel plan, clients review it and make suggestions, and Little Travellers finalizes everything. All that's left is for clients to discover their chosen destination through a detailed plan, custom itinerary, and Google lists, with Little Travellers experts available for support if there are any concerns.

"Are you tired of standard holiday packages?" Little Travellers founders said. "Do it uniquely! Let's plan your fully customized Italy itinerary 14 days."

Plan a tour of Italy with Little Travellers

Clients who plan an Italy travel itinerary through Little Travellers receive a detailed PDF containing everything they need to know before travelling, and trip details like events, flights, hotels, transportation, restaurants, sightseeing, local tips, and more.

Little Travellers trip packages also include a mobile itinerary on the client's smartphone, which contains the trip PDF and:



- Navigation to all parts of the trip via Google Maps.

- Ability to access all bookings in one place to simplify check-ins.

- Covid rules to ensure clients enjoy their trip safely.

Little Travellers is a European trip planner. Our philosophy is to build from scratch fully customized plans on customer's needs, where all places and visits are planned in advance. The entire suggested day-by-day itinerary will be detailed in your smartphone, without the need for additional planning and guidance. Travel planning requires collaboration and a deep understanding of your needs and motivations. All the choices of visits, places, and activities will be based on your interests and preferences.

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Cold temperatures arriving this week should help out the ice fishing scene. However, it could limit the tributary action as some of the open water will probably ice up. Only two weeks until the Greater Niagara Fishing Expo Feb. 16-19. Lets hope the trout doesnt see his shadow this week.

Ice fishing update

Head into Northern New York for the most consistent ice action. NY Ice Team Pro Scott Brauer of Gasport reports he did a whirlwind tour last weekend and he found 80% of Honeoye and Silver lakes open, as well as 100% of Conesus Lake. Loon Lake could be an option after this most recent cold blast. Everything should lock up after this week. Caution is needed everywhere because you could be on push ice. This is when ice grows and then melts. The wind picks up and pushes the ice to one end of the lake. Sometimes it stacks up on top of each other and makes layers of thicker ice. There could be 6 inches of ice in one area, but take one step and you could be on new ice. Unfortunately, its hard to tell from the top what kind of ice youre walking on so please tell everyone to spud your way out for a few more weeks.

Heading to the east and north, Bobby Joe Frost of Alden reports Lake Colby has 11 inches of ice, and he caught some nice perch there. If you are looking for hard water, Lake Durant has 12 inches, Cranberry Lake has 10 inches, Tupper Lake has 10-plus inches, Black Lake has 8-plus inches, and Red Lake has 4-5 inches. The north end of Silver Lake has 4-6 inches and Case Lake was reporting 3-4 inches before the cold temperatures arrived. Frost said other ice fishing options are Goose Bay, Eel Bay, Saranac Lake, Raquette Lake, Blue Mountain Lake and Great Sacandaga Lake. Lake of the Isles was good for Vic Thibault of Burt. He caught perch in deep water using Hali jigs tipped with minnows or minnow heads through 10 inches of solid ice. He also caught a few pike while jigging. When he targeted the shallows, he caught mostly bluegills on small jigs and wax worms. He caught some pike on tip-ups. He had constant action on both days he fished.

Cold weather is making ice in Chaumont Bay off Lake Ontario. Roy Letcher of Burt reports decent yellow perch action, but you need to be careful where you go. Only a few places have been safe but that should expand with the frigid temperatures. He recommends following the Chaumont Hardware Facebook page for updates on conditions.

Mike Sperry, with Chautauqua Reel Outdoors, reports Chautauqua Lake seems to be starting but use caution. The south basin is locked up and there is thin ice in Bemus. A handful of fishermen were on the ice over the weekend, and he did hear of a few walleye and panfish fish catches. With that said, the ice is not very thick yet. Anyone venturing out should use extreme caution. It should be much better by the end of this week.

Lake Erie and tributaries

Guide Justin Warriner of North Tonawanda reports it is officially wintertime in Western New York with the arrival of the cold weather this week. Steelhead fishing is still holding strong, and more fish are moving in. Some days are better than others, but he is still putting fish to the bank. Beads and egg sacs have been working best, but jigs tipped with waxies are catching them as well. He thinks the Erie tributaries will start freezing up soon, which means less fishable water.

Danny Jankowiak of Buffalo is seeing a few fresh fish making it to the spawning grounds. He has even seen a few actively spawning. There have been some big fish in the systems this year and some of those are starting to head back. Use small nymph or egg patterns. Fish were hanging out toward the tails and have been sluggish as of late.

Bruce Kowalski of TAAR Outdoors in Lake View reports that with the colder temperatures, fishermen are dealing with slushy conditions at first light, but by midmorning conditions improve. Southtowns tributaries continue to produce good numbers of fish, with anglers using a bead or bag, a combination of both, and jigs.

Niagara River

Muddy conditions continue to prevail, giving shore fishermen an option to make some casts with spinners, spoons, jigs and egg sacs or egg imitations such as beads. A few lake trout and steelhead were being caught in the lower river, said Lisa Drabczyk with Creek Road Bait and Tackle in Lewiston. It will be cold and most, if not all, anglers will be staying warm this weekend. Things are expected to warm into the mid-30s by Sunday. More wind will not help matters any.

In the upper Niagara River, California Joe Pavalonis of Buffalo took over the lead in the Rudd category for the Capt. Bobs Outdoors Winter Derby, reeling in a 17-inch fish. He was casting a jig that was tipped with a sassy shad. He also caught a 13-inch perch from the same area to take over the lead in that division as well.

Lake Ontario and tributaries

The Oak Orchard River and smaller tributaries experienced some melt off and saw a slight bump in flow, according to Ron Bierstine with Oak Orchard Tackle at Point Breeze. The Oak has been slightly high and slightly stained. There were reports of decent steelhead action in the river last weekend, but with colder weather in the forecast, look for flows to drop and clear up a bit. Bierstine said there was 2-3 feet of visibility. Look for some icing up to take place, especially down river. Smaller streams also will experience some ice with the extreme cold.

Scott Feltrinelli with Ontario Fly Outfitters reports lots of anglers were out last weekend toward Rochester, but there were few fish. He only found scattered singles. Creek conditions were decent. Cold weather this week might ice things up a bit. Look for fish under or near the shelf ice. He found smaller tributaries have little to no flow right now. With the arrival of the colder weather, fish everything "low and slow."

One bright spot that Drabczyk pointed out was that tributary fishing off Niagara County was picking up. Matt Vogt of Newfane took a walk down a couple of tributaries and if the stream had water, it had fish. It appears there was another push of steelhead. Some locals around are still getting trout at Burt Dam, too. A lot of different presentations seem to work; it all depends on the day and conditions. Egg sacs, imitations and jigs under a float were all taking fish.

Big Chinook 1 Annual Awards

Chuck Booker of Amherst has announced his Big Chinook 1 Anglers of the Year. Selections are based on fishing proficiency and social media influence to promote sportfishing. The award winners for 2022 are: In-Line Spinner Award, Shane Stark of Newfane; Fly Fishing Award, Scott Belisle, Whitehaven, Pa.; Worn Spinner Award, Ken Coon, Boston; Ice Jig Spinner Award, Jeff Vetter, Williamsville; Youth Award (Fly), Bradley Dobbs, Philadelphia; Shop of the Year, Fishermen's Haven, Pa.; Kids Conservation Award (for picking up trash), Andrew and Colin Vetter, Williamsville; Stickbait Award, Chelsea Sieczkarek of Pendleton; Special Ice Jig Spinner Award, The Screaming Eagles High School Ice Fishing Team in Phillips, Wis.
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By Catarina Demony and Miguel Pereira

LISBON (Reuters) - Europe was entering an "inevitable" post-pandemic period of airline consolidation as legacy flag-carriers struggle to navigate through a competitive landscape, the chief executive of low-cost carrier Ryanair said on Wednesday.

"We are definitely, post-COVID, entering a four or five-year period of consolidation," Ryanair's Michael O'Leary told Reuters on the sidelines of a news briefing in Portugal's capital Lisbon.

Many of Europe's legacy airlines are finding it tough to effectively compete with budget carriers, hampered by weak balance sheets that could be made more robust by merging with rivals, analysts have said.

German airline Lufthansa offered last month to buy a minority stake in ITA Airways, the loss-making successor of Italy's Alitalia, saying the southern European country was a prominent market both for business travellers and tourists.

Lufthansa's bid has ignited talk of further potential sector consolidation as the industry seeks to plot a more profitable recovery after the easing of pandemic restrictions.

The Portuguese government, which owns TAP airline, has said it is considering an outright or partial sale of the business. Lufthansa, Air France-KLM and British Airways owner IAG are potential buyers, according to analysts.

Both the Portuguese and Italian governments should get a commitment from potential buyers that they would grow the airlines' traffic by 50% over a five-year period, O'Leary said.

"It is inevitable that AliItalia will be bought, TAP will be bought," O'Leary said. "And then I think it is likely that in the next couple of years easyJet and Wizz (Air) will also be taken out by the legacy carriers."

O'Leary said he believed the sector in Europe would move towards having four large airlines: Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, IAG and and Ryanair.

Ryanair on Monday posted a record after-tax profit for its October-December quarter and said bookings for Easter and summer flights were "very robust", boosted by demand from Asian travellers and a strong U.S. dollar.

(Reporting by Catarina Demony and Miguel Pereira; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
Former Police Commissioner Gary Griffith tells Tv6 News that the businessman who was killed during a car-jacking on Wednesday was among many who had received provisional approvals for a Firearm User's Licence but after 18 months had not received a permit to carry a licensed firearm. This, as the National Security Minister told the Express newspaper that the new Police Commissioner informed him that, a "robust and thorough assessment" of FUL applications was necessary.
The head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, has called on the EU countries take more active steps, including in the introduction of economic sanctions against Russia.

He said this at a joint meeting of the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs and Subcommittee on Security and Defense, which was devoted to the consideration of the Kyiv Security Compact.

Yermak presented his position via video link, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"The Kremlin wants to take revenge for the defeats it suffered this year. It is trying to win at any cost, as Putin has directly stated. In this situation, the expectation is false. The response is no longer enough, we have to be one step ahead. There is a need to increase sanctions pressure. A 3.5 percent drop in Russia's GDP is not enough to force Russia to stop the war. We will be grateful to the European Parliament for supporting the adoption of the tenth package of sanctions," Yermak said.

He said that the Kremlin is preparing a new strategic offensive and started another wave of mobilization. Russian generals will again send Russian troops to assault Ukrainian cities, as they did at Bakhmut. Their method of fighting has remained unchanged since the First World War - to pelt the enemy's positions with cannon fodder.

"In Russia, human life has never been valued, and soldiers are considered expendable there. But everyone should understand that anti-war protests will not start in Russia. Propaganda is still powerful there. The living conditions in a Russian province are so dark that the 'Ministry of Aggression' and the 'Wagner Company' have no shortage of recruits, despite the prospect of ending up in plastic bags. [...] That is why sanctions against Russian propagandists should also be strengthened, so that the TV does not get a victory over the fridge again," Yermak said.

He noted that in these conditions, an urgent task for the partner countries is to supply Ukraine with a wide range of weapons. These weapons are needed today, and they will be needed tomorrow in the right amount. To fulfill this mission, according to Yermak, the European defense sector must be rebuilt, to which, with the permission of the partners, Ukrainian enterprises can also be integrated.

"Let's be clear - time is not on our side at the moment. The longer the war lasts, the more resources it will need, the more lives it will take, and the more damage it will cause to the planet. That is why we must deal a decisive defeat to this imperial regime. Ukraine must fully restore its integrity and sovereignty within internationally recognized borders. For us, this is a prerequisite for a just peace," Yermak said.

Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine
Greece is not planning to join an international "tank coalition" and send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, as it needs them to support its own defense capabilities.

Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said this in an interview with the Nikkei agency, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"We have provided significant military support to Ukraine, [such as] armored personnel carriers, but we will not provide Leopard 2 tanks for the simple reason that they are absolutely necessary for our defense posture," he said.

He added that Greece is willing to support Ukraine, "but not at the expense of our own defense capabilities."

The Greek army has about 350 Leopard 2 tanks in service.

Photo: AA
Russia is preparing for a maximum escalation of the war in the near future, the main fights are yet to come.

Russia is preparing for maximum escalation. It is gathering everything possible, doing drills and trainingI can say that we are not excluding any scenario in the next two to three weeks, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov told Sky News in an interview.

He did not rule out the possibility that Russian president Putin attempts another attack from the north, south and east, as happened on 24 February 2022  maybe even to coincide with the anniversary.

At the same time, the NSDC Secretary said that Ukraine's military was preparing for all possibilities and this time around had significantly more support from western partners such as the UK than a year ago.

He expected about half of more than 320,000 soldiers mobilised by Russia last September to be involved in the second wave whenever it came.

Danilov noted that the main fights were yet to come.

"We went through an extensive difficult period, but I'm conscious the main fights are yet to come and they will happen this year, within two to three months. These will be defining months in the war," he stressed.

It is why Ukraine asks its western partners to send more lethal weapons and faster. In recent days, Kyiv has been insisting that the West sends fighter jets.

"It would be great if they were [RAF] Typhoon jets. F-16s are also good. Any help would be good," the NSDC Secretary said.

As reported, Ukraine seeks to obtain modern fighters  F-16 or F-15 of the US Air Force or their European analogs German Tornado or Swedish Gripen  to replace its Soviet-era aircraft.

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Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov has visited Ukrainian military personnel undergoing rehabilitation at the Percy military hospital in France.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said this in a post on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

"During their visit to France, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov and French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu visited Ukrainian military personnel who are undergoing rehabilitation at the Percy Hospital," the report reads.

The ministers talked to the soldiers and presented awards to Ukrainian defenders.

The French Defense Ministry has been organizing assistance to wounded Ukrainian soldiers since June last year.
Austria will allocate another five million euros to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund to help restore the country's energy infrastructure damaged by Russian drone and missile attacks.

Austria's Minister of Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology Leonore Gewessler told this to journalists, Ukrinform reports, citing APA.

"In freezing temperatures, millions of people are without electricity and often without heating or water supply. It is important to me that Austria makes a contribution here to support the Ukrainian civilian population," said Gewessler, who is with the Austrian president on a visit to Ukraine.

The minister added that in total, Austria had already contributed ten million euros to the fund.

She stressed that Austria should not stand by and watch as Russia's President Putin "uses winter as a weapon and specifically tries to hit the critical infrastructure in his brutal attacks on Ukraine."

"Russia's attack on Ukraine, in violation of international law, makes it clear to us that we must quickly stop importing fossil fuels, especially from Russia," Gewessler said.
Nato tanks and military vehicles before a live fire exercise in Latvia. (Reuters)

Nato is ready for a "direct confrontation" with Russia, a top admiral has warned.

Rob Bauer, chair of the Nato Military Committee, said "we are ready when asked if the US-led organisation was prepared for a confrontation with Vladimir Putin's regime amid the war in Ukraine.

But he stressed he did not think there would be a nuclear conflict between the two military powers as Putin was "not insane" and was still a "rational" person.

Bauer also told Portugal's RTP TV channel that Nato would only respond if Russia crossed a red line by invading a Nato member state.

Read more: Ukraine tanks: Russian TV host calls for military strikes on 'Nazi scumbag' Germany

Admiral Rob Bauer said 'we are ready' when asked if Nato was prepared for a confrontation with Russia. (Getty Images)

Bauer said Nato had started moving battle groups along the eastern front and had created four more battle groups following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

He said this was an important message for Moscow to show Nato's posture had changed.

It comes after Ukraine secured pledges from the West in January to supply main battle tanks to help fend off Russia's full-scale invasion.

Watch: Putin made big strategic mistake in underestimating us, says NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg

Ukraine will receive 120 to 140 Western tanks in a first wave of deliveries from a coalition of 12 countries, including the UK and US.

Nato member Germany was also part of the coalition after finally agreeing to send Leopard tanks last week.

Read more: 'This is Putin's goal for Ukraine': Shocking picture shows brutal aftermath of bombings

Russian president Vladimir Putin attends a meeting outside Moscow. (Reuters)

Since winning the pledge for tanks, Kyiv has pressed on with further requests for arms, including calls for jet fighters such as US F-16s.

But the West has so far refused to send weapons that could be used to attack deep inside Russia and US president Joe Biden responded with a flat "no" when asked by reporters if Washington would send F-16s.

Rishi Sunak's spokesperson said on Tuesday that London did not believe its own jets would be useful, and given that learning to fly them would take months, it would not be practical to send them to Ukraine.

Story continues

On Sunday, German chancellor Olaf Scholz also confirmed he would not be sending fighter jets to Ukraine.

He warned against escalating with Moscow, telling the Tagesspiegel newspaper: "There is no war between Nato and Russia."

Scholz added he would continue to talk directly to Putin.

Ukrainian servicemen ride atop an infantry fighting vehicle in Donetsk. (Reuters)

Front lines in eastern Ukraine have largely been frozen since November after Kyiv recaptured swathes of territory in the second half of last year.

But momentum has lately swung back towards Russia as it has made incremental gains for the first time since mid-2022.

Military experts say Moscow appears determined to push forward in the coming months before Kyiv receives hundreds of newly-pledged Western battle tanks and armoured vehicles for a counter attack to recapture occupied territory this year.

Kyiv says the Russian assaults of recent weeks have come at a huge cost, initially mostly relying on Wagner mercenaries, including thousands of convicts recruited from Russian prisons and sent into battle in waves with little training or equipment.

But Russia's call-up of hundreds of thousands of reservists late last year means Moscow has now been able to reconstitute regular military units exhausted or depleted earlier in the war.

Russia claimed on Tuesday to have captured a village just to the north of Bakhmut, a city it is trying to surround in a major push for what would be its biggest battlefield win in Ukraine since last summer.
The Cabinet of Ministers appointed Serhiy Zviagintsev as acting head of the State Customs Service, and Olha Shevchenko as acting head of the State Service on Food Safety and Consumer Protection.

Taras Melnychuk, the government's permanent representative in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, announced this on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

Temporarily, the duties of the head of the State Customs Service of Ukraine have been entrusted to Serhiy Borysovych Zviagintsev; [the duties of] the head of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection to Olha Petrivna Shevchenko," Melnychuk wrote.

According to him, the government dismissed Yuriy Sotnyk as first deputy head of the State Forest Resources Agency, Oleksandr Shchutskyi as first deputy head of the State Customs Service, and Andrii Lordkipanidze as deputy head of the State Service on Food Safety and Consumer Protection.

In addition, the Cabinet of Ministers removed Deputy Head of the State Customs Service, Ruslan Cherkasskyi, from office and initiated disciplinary proceedings.

As reported earlier, David Arakhamia, head of the "Servants of the People" parliamentary faction, announced the handing over of suspicion notices to high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Defense and the dismissal of the entire leadership of the State Customs Service.

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Federal President of neutral Austria Alexander Van der Bellen arrived in Kyiv on a visit on Wednesday.

"Arrived in Kyiv. After almost one year of war, Ukraine is not forgotten. Together with President Zelensky and the brave people of Ukraine  we stand for European values," Van der Bellen posted on Twitter.

Auf dem Weg in die #Ukraine, nach Kyjiw. 



Diese Reise ist eine Geste fur den Frieden, ein Zeichen der Solidaritat mit den Ukrainer:innen. pic.twitter.com/2moFN7cStg  A. Van der Bellen (@vanderbellen) February 1, 2023

In another video, filmed on a train on the way to Ukraine, the President of Austria said that he was going to Kyiv to show solidarity with Ukrainians who are repelling the Russian invasion: "The fact that this trip to Kyiv is taking place right after my official inauguration is a purposeful manifestation of solidarity and support for people in Ukraine."

According to the Austrian leader, he will meet with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

Van der Bellen is accompanied by the Austrian delegation which is bringing a specific aid package, "in particular, urgently needed generators."

"Yes, Austria is committed to military neutrality. But our position is by no means neutral. Ukrainians are fighting for their country and the future of their children, and we help them in this," the President of Austria emphasized.

Alexander Van der Bellen, who won the Austrian presidential election last October, was sworn in to begin his second six-year term on January 26.

Photo: @vanderbellen

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President Volodymyr Zelensky believes that Austria could help Ukraine with anti-drone systems, electronic warfare systems, demining, ambulances, and fire trucks.

"Austria sees what evil Russia has brought to our state and our people with its aggression. But Austria can help protect the lives of our people and all Europeans whose lives Russia is almost trying to destroy," Zelensky said at a press conference with President of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

He noted that Austria is a "neutral state in the military sense of the word", but "as a defender of life and our common European values" provides support to Ukraine.

The President noted that he had informed his Austrian colleague about the needs of Ukraine which his country could help meet.

"In particular, these are anti-drone systems, electronic warfare systems, other non-lethal equipment we would really like Austria to help us with significantly," the President noted.

Zelensky emphasized that anti-drone systems are not a weapon, but a "shield" and "protection".

He also pointed out the need for assistance in demining Ukrainian territory.

In addition, Zelensky noted the possibilities of Austria's assistance to Ukraine in the energy field, including with generators.

He also said that Ukraine needs 400-500 ambulances for de-occupied settlements and fire trucks for the State Emergency Service.

Zelensky believes that Austria can help Ukraine in solving humanitarian issues.

As reported, President of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen is visiting Ukraine on February 1.

Earlier, Austria announced that it would not send weapons to Ukraine.

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President of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen said that he came to visit Ukraine to show solidarity with Ukrainians and to show that neutral Austria cannot simply watch the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.

"The lives of all people in Ukraine have been completely different for almost a year after February 24. This terrible war, launched on the order of Putin, has changed everything. For you, all people in Ukraine, a terrible war is going on in a place that was once a safe home." Van der Bellen said at a joint press conference with the President of Ukraine in Kyiv on Wednesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The Ukrainian people are now fighting not only for their freedom but also for "our freedom" and "our common European values".

He added that he and the Austrian delegation visited Buch and Borodianka today. "What I saw struck me very much. The suffering and destruction, the injustice and cruelty of the war are particularly tangible there. We know such pictures from books and films, for example, about World War II, but now it is happening again," he said.

Read also: Austrian president visits mass burial site in Bucha

The President of Austria noted that he had never been silent about Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and spoke about it during his public speeches. Separately, he indicated his "personal disappointment with President Putin": "I did not consider possible what happened on February 24 in the center of Europe."

According to him, Russia's military goals are to make Ukraine its province.

He emphasized that neutral Austria cannot simply watch the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.

"It was important for me to come to Ukraine right after the start of my second term and assure you, Mr. President, and all Ukrainians of our solidarity. The Ukrainian people fight every day in unimaginable conditions resolutely for their freedom. But they defend also our freedom, our common European values  freedom and democracy. And so this war concerns all of us to some extent," he said.

Van der Bellen noted that Austria's neutrality does not mean that the country will stand aside and indifferently observe Russia's attack on Ukraine.

"Austria is a neutral country. But military neutrality does not mean that values are neutral. When one country in Europe attacks another, we will never remain indifferent. When the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of one state are attacked, we will never remain silent. And that's why today I want to clearly state that we, Austrians, stand resolutely in solidarity with Ukraine," he said.

He also assured that Austria will continue to provide Ukraine with humanitarian aid, and also pledged support for Ukraine's European perspective and assistance in the process of necessary reforms.

As reported, President of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday.

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President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine together with the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, visited one of Mykolaiv hospitals to talk to wounded Ukrainian defenders undergoing treatment.

This was stated on the presidents Telegram channel, Ukrinform reports.

Video: Zelensky/Official

"Together with Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen, we paid a visit to the wounded Ukrainian defenders in a hospital in Mykolaiv," the report reads.

As the president emphasized, "it is important for our warriors to be able to undergo not only physical, but also psychological rehabilitation."

Read also: Enemy launches artillery strikes on settlement in Mykolaiv region overnight

Zelensky also expressed his gratitude to medics who care about the health of our defenders.

As reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky is on a working trip to Mykolaiv region, where he held a meeting on the situation on the ground.

Photo: Ukrainian Presidents Office
| By Andrew Tie

Nearly 20 Baltimore-area homeschool students received an inside look at the pharmacy profession when visiting the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy on Jan. 20.

The idea for the visit came from Tecoya Farrakhan, PharmD 02, MBA, MS 21, CHC, and her husband, Karriem Farrakhan, PharmD 03, MBA, MS 21, whose two children were part of the cohort. The Farrakhans own a pharmacy staffing company, Primo Pharmacy Services, LLC, and a health and wellness transformation advisory and education company, Rootimentary Wellness, LLC.

We thought this would be a great opportunity for our elementary through high school kids to be exposed to opportunities in pharmacy, Tecoya said. People think about CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid  the traditional community visual of what pharmacy is  and theres so much more to the profession as well.

The families of the students, who range from elementary age through high school, frequently tap their connections to expose their children to different career options. Past industry spotlights have included entrepreneurism, cybersecurity, and agriculture, but Tecoya wanted to ensure health care and pharmacy were included as well.

Its always been this way  pharmacy is the underdog in health care, Tecoya said. Lots of folks dont think about us, so for that simple reason, we wanted to expose these children to pharmacy.

A Hands-On Approach to Pharmacy

The groups School of Pharmacy visit consisted of a lab tour, discussions with faculty, and interactive activities.

Jace Jones, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (PSC) and associate director of the Mass Spectrometry Center, first led a tour of the center and discussed the career of a lab scientist. Later, Andrew Coop, PhD, associate dean for academic affairs and professor of PSC, delved into the core question that drives a scientist  why?

Always ask questions, Coop advised the students. Just because someone says something, find out what they did to measure that. How did they come to their conclusions?

During the activity portion, JuliAna Brammer, MBA, director of PharmD admissions, led the cohort in creating a lip scrub, and Cherokee Layson-Wolf, PharmD, BCACP, FAPhA, associate dean for student affairs and professor in the Department of Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research, helped the students create an intravenous (IV) solution. The students also had a surprise visitor  Dean Natalie D. Eddington, PhD, FAAPS, FCP  who asked them about what they learned and their career aspirations.

For the Farrakhans, the visit was an educational enrichment opportunity for their children, but also a homecoming of sorts to reconnect with former professors and return to the place they met. After completing their PharmD degrees, both returned to UMSOP as part of the first class of the MS in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics program. Tecoya also served as White Coat Ceremony speaker for the PharmD Class of 2023.

We love the school for what it has brought to Karriem and I and our family, and we look forward to seeing the wonderful things the schools going to continue to do, Tecoya said. Every year it seems like theres something new that were proud to be a part of.
| By Brittney Brookins

The Live Near Your Work [LNYW] program is a terrific example of how the University can be in partnership with our surrounding communities, University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, said at a gathering to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the popular programs 2018 relaunch.

Jarrell and other University leaders were joined by LNYW grant recipients and program partners Jan. 26 at Suspended Brewing Company on Washington Boulevard in the Pigtown neighborhood, just west of the campus.

Robin Boston (right) of the Office of Philanthropy bought a house in 2018 with the help of the UMB Live Near Your Work grant.

LNYW is a homebuying assistance benefit for University employees that offers money toward the down payment and closing costs on homes in select West Baltimore neighborhoods. All participants must commit a minimum of $1,000 toward the down payment

UMBs original LNYW grant of $2,500 was rarely used by employees, so in 2018 University leaders committed $1.5 million to boost the outlay to $16,000 per eligible participant. In addition, participants are eligible to receive a matching grant of $2,500 from Baltimore Citys LNYW program.

Dawn Rhodes, DBA, senior vice president and chief business and finance officer, said her goal when relaunching the program five years ago was to have UMB truly be part of the community while also empowering University employees to be part of the communitys revitalization.

Homeownership is one of the ways that you can truly generate individual and generational wealth, Rhodes said. So we wanted to have a win-win situation: help revitalize communities that had lots of vacant homes and give benefits to our employees.

Robin Boston, an accountant in the Office of Philanthropy, was one of the first of the 68 employees who have benefited from more than $1 million in grants so far. Boston purchased her Hollins Market home in May 2018 and has boasted about the program ever since.

I went from renting to being a homeowner and establishing equity in my home. Buying a house was one of the best investments and best decisions I have made in my life, Boston said.

Like Boston, all LNYW participants go through homeowner counseling before purchasing their homes to learn about the neighborhoods, homebuying process, and additional grant opportunities. The homeowner education is provided by Live Baltimore, whose mission is to highlight Baltimore as a growing and vibrant city that attracts and retains a diverse population.

We sent staff to UMB to be in the office, provide homeownership education assistance, and pitch the great things about the neighborhoods that were included in the program, said Annie Milli, executive director of Live Baltimore. It is really an unprecedented level of partnership.

LNYW also is committed to supporting businesses in the community. The Jan. 26 celebration could have been held on campus, but the LNYW committee made a point to host the event at a venue in one of the programs targeted neighborhoods, which are Barre Circle, Druid Heights, Franklin Square, Heritage Crossing, Hollins Market, Mount Clare, Pigtown/Washington Village, Poppleton, Union Square, and Upton.

We want to pour into the community. We are a part of the community, Rhodes said. We want to do our business and spend our money in West Baltimore. That is why were here.

To learn more about UMBs LNYW program, visit this link.
| By Laura Lee

Recovering Carceral Feminist. Thats how Leigh Goodmark, JD, the recently named Marjorie Cook Professor at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, describes herself in her Twitter bio.

Leigh Goodmark, JD (center) poses with clients in the Maryland Carey Law Moot Courtroom.

At Goodmarks investiture ceremony, held Jan. 19 in the Ceremonial Moot Courtroom, Renee Hutchins, JD, dean, Maryland Carey Law, used different words to characterize the founder and director of the law schools Gender Violence Clinic.

Leigh is exactly what you want in a colleague, friend, and faculty member, she said in heartfelt unscripted remarks. She cares about our students and she cares about her clients in the most remarkable way.

Goodmark, who has been working with survivors of intimate partner violence for almost 20 years, enthralled an audience of professors, attorneys, students, and clients with a talk about her new book, Imperfect Victims: Criminalized Survivors and the Promise of Abolition Feminism, in which she amplifies the voices of survivors and proposes an alternative to incarceration.

The answer, says Goodmark, is abolition feminism  dismantling a criminal justice system that arrests and incarcerates victims of gender-based violence  and rebuilding it from the ground up.

Victims of intimate violence dont always conform to the stereotype of a meek, passive woman pitted against a monstrous perpetrator, she explained. Sometimes they fight back. Sometimes they do sex work. Sometimes they have mental health issues. And these imperfect victims face harsh treatment from the criminal justice system.

The well-attended talk earned praise from fellow professors including Max Stearns, JD, Venable, Baetjer & Howard Professor of Law, who joined the faculty in 2006. I've seen lots and lots of talks, he said. Goodmarks investiture lecture was one of the best I've ever had the privilege to watch. It was inspiring. It's no wonder her students and, of course, her clients love her.

Michael Pinard, JD, co-directs the law schools clinical program with Goodmark. He tweeted her talk was moving, reflective, and urgent. She took us to the future that needs to be.

Marjorie Cook Professorship

Goodmark joins Professor Emeritus Karen Rothenberg, JD, MPA, as the second Marjorie Cook Professor at Maryland Carey Law. Endowed in 1994 by the Marjorie Cook Foundation, the professorship seeks to further the organizations mission of fostering equality for women under the laws of the United States.

As a scholar, an educator, and an advocate, Professor Goodmark has done just that, said Hutchins. Tonight, we recognize the achievements of our incredible colleague, Leigh Goodmark, and celebrate her investiture as the Marjorie Cook Professor of Law, she continued.

The evening was particularly meaningful as it marked the kickoff of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Clinical Law Program, which Goodmark has co-chaired since 2019. Its an absolute pleasure to recognize the importance of the program at the same time that we are celebrating its leader, said Hutchins.

Celebrating 50 Years of Clinical Work

What began as a single juvenile court clinic in 1973 has blossomed to 18 clinics offered in 2023. With offerings ranging from public health to fair housing to intellectual property, Marylands Clinical Law Program has been ranked among the nations top 10 by U.S. News and World Report. Each year, faculty and staff supervise 150 students providing almost 75,000 hours of free legal services to the community. The combination of theoretical and practical experience prepares students to hit the ground running in their legal careers while also providing real help to clients who might not otherwise have legal representation.

Lindsay Hemminger 3L said her work in the Gender Violence Clinic resulted in a clients sentence being reduced from life to a 2025 release date. Successfully arguing a motion for sentence modification as a student attorney was an incredible experience that built her confidence. I really feel so much more competent going into my career after I graduate this spring because I've been given responsibilities that have pushed me to just figure out who I want to be as an attorney, said Hemminger.

Makes Us All Want to be Better

Goodmark, who joined the law school faculty in 2014, has earned a reputation as a passionate advocate for both her clients and her students. She elevates the practice of law in these incredible ways that make us all want to be better, said Hutchins.

Working with Goodmark in the Gender Violence Clinic was a highlight of Hayley Wolfs law school experience. As a third-year student, Wolf handled cases, interviewed clients, and visited prisons  tasks that Goodmark assigns to students with no hesitation.

I could go on all day about how wonderful she is," said Wolf. "Shes kind and approachable and very thoughtful in her responses. Most important, she doesnt hold your hand and wholeheartedly believes in her students and that were more than capable of doing the work.

Hemminger agreed. She doesnt give you all of the answers and encourages you to grapple with the pros and cons of different outcomes. She treats us like attorneys and encourages us to figure it out.

Released Jan. 31, "Imperfect Victims: Criminalized Survivors and the Promise of Abolition Feminism is available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book from the University of California Press.
The woman, who had pretended to be a man, started flirting with the victim over WhatsApp. (Images: Getty Images)

SINGAPORE - A 23-year-old woman pretended to be a man and got her 'girlfriend' to send nude pictures and videos, then later used those pictures to extort money from her.

According to The Straits Times, Janelle Phang Minxuan committed the crime under the alias 'Leon Ho Kai Jun'.

She was sentenced a four months' jail term on Monday (30 January) after pleading guilty to one charge each of cheating and criminal intimidation.

A gag order was issued by the court to protect the identity of the victim.

In addition to the extortion, Phang also deceived the victim into buying food and game credits for her, which the victim initially paid for using her own money, but later had to borrow from her father and sister.

The victim also had to pay $1,566 to her employer, after Phang made her quit her job without notice.

In total, the victim lost at least $4,705.64, the court was told.

Voice-changing app and WhatsApp used for communication

According to the report, Phang first started flirting with the victim in Sept 2020, whom she had met on the dating app Heymandi.

The pair would communicate daily on the messaging service WhatsApp, with Phang using a voice-changing app to make her voice messages sound like a man's as part of the ruse.

She had also used a man's photograph as her profile picture on both WhatsApp and Instagram, telling the victim that 'Leon' would care for her if 'he' was the only man in her life.

According to Deputy Public Prosecutor Shen Wanqin, Phang's plan was to deceive the victim, play with her feelings and get her to believe that she had fallen in love with 'Leon'.

The victim confessed her romantic feelings for 'Leon' in October 2020, and became 'his girlfriend' in November that year.

Despite initially promising to spend time in-person, Phang would later come up with various excuses not to meet.

For the purpose of extortion, Phang had asked the victim to prove her love by sending her nude pictures and videos over WhatsApp, but the victim expressed her discomfort as they had yet to meet in person.

Story continues

In February 2021, after repeated requests, the victim was pressured into sending two photos of her in underwear, followed by two nude videos over Instagram.

Phang later attempted to extort $1,000 from the victim in May 2021 by threatening to post the photos and images online and sending them to people who knew the victim.

This led to the victim officially blocking 'Leon' on social media.

She would later make a police report that a person known to her only as 'Leon' had threatened to distribute her nude photos.

The police then managed to establish Phangs identity and arrested her at her home.

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Authorities have identified a man who was killed recently in a fiery two-vehicle crash in central Nebraska.

Following an autopsy, the Nance County Sheriffs Office said that Riley Royle, 26, of Monroe, died Jan. 17 after crashing into a piece of farm equipment. The incident occurred just before 6 p.m. on Nebraska 22 near Genoa.

Investigators determined that Royle was driving a Chevrolet Suburban west on Nebraska 22 near 370th Avenue when it hit the rear end of a piece of farm equipment. The crash caused the Suburban to catch fire.

Passersby were unable to get Royle out of the vehicle because of the fire, investigators said. The driver of the farm equipment was transported to the Columbus Community Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
When the spotted lanternfly first arrived in Pennsylvania in Berks County in 2014, scientists and researchers had little information to work with about the invasive pest.

But a spotted lanternfly research group, including researchers from Penn State, have spent the past eight years studying the pest, now confirmed in 45 Pennsylvania counties, including Cumberland County.

Native to Asia, the spotted lanternfly was a new species in the U.S., said Julie Urban, research associate professor of entomology at Penn State.

Its a complex insect, and it takes a village to fully understand what we are seeing and how this can inform management, Urban said about the pest, which feeds on the sap of fruit and landscape trees, grapevines, and woody ornamental plants.

Penn State is part of the research group, funded by the U.S. Department of Agricultures Specialty Crops Research Initiative.

The USDA Agricultural Research Service, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Virginia Tech, the Northeastern IPM Center, the universities of Delaware and Rhode Island, and Temple, Rutgers and Cornell universities are also in the group.

Researchers are studying the pests flight behavior, where it might travel, and the conditions it needs to flourish; its feeding preferences; and the potential to disrupt the lanternfly female reproductive cycle. Scientists also are evaluating the effectiveness of biological control agents.

Educating the public about research discoveries falls to Penn State Extension educators, including Emelie Swackhamer and Amy Korman, who created a list of spotted lanternfly facts, which they talk about during their presentations:

Spotted lanternflies dont bite people, and they arent aggressive, Swackhamer said. They do cause damage to plants and present a nuisance, so dont adopt one for a pet, she said. It is widely recommended that they be dispatched upon sight.

The pest does not kill desirable landscape trees. It will kill grapevines and tree of heaven, which is a rapidly growing deciduous tree native to East Asia and a widespread invasive species across North America. Recent research led by Kelli Hoover, professor of entomology, has shown that heavy spotted lanternfly feeding has been shown to stunt the growth of saplings, including those of silver maple.

Spotted lanternflies damage grapevines by sucking out nutrients, reducing the plants ability to make energy through photosynthesis and starving it of the starch typically stored in roots for survival through winter. While heavy infestations of spotted lanternflies on grapevines  especially in successive years  can result in their death, most vines may be able to survive lighter infestations with few ill effects, according to a recent study published by Penn State scientists.

While the pest has not been shown to kill or damage stone fruit or nursery stock, commercial nurseries are required to inspect plants before shipping ensure that plants are free of spotted lanternflies before they are shipped.

Contrary to initial concerns that spotted lanternflies were impervious to controls, insecticides  including softer products such as insecticidal soap  have been shown to be effective in controlling the planthopper. A guide that details management techniques can be found on the Penn State Extension website at https://extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly-management-guide.

Spotted lanternfly population numbers fluctuate from year to year. Some residents of regions with previously sizeable lanternfly populations have reported fewer lanternflies in recent years. That has led some to speculate that the pests might be gone for good, but that is wishful thinking, Korman said.

Several factors are affecting spotted lanternfly populations, including the impact of natural predators and parasites, peoples efforts to reduce populations, the natural ebb and flow of insect populations and lack of food, she said.

Beneficial predators, such as praying mantis, spiders, wheel bugs and birds, have the potential to offer biological control, and a study led by Hoovers lab is investigating these predators impact on populations.

Pennsylvania regulatory measures require that businesses transporting materials must obtain a permit indicating employees have been trained on identification and removal, and that items have been inspected and are free of spotted lanternflies.

People can help stop the spread of the pest by inspecting items, especially those stored outside, before moving them and by destroying any egg masses and spotted lanternfly nymphs or adults upon discovery.

More information about identifying and controlling spotted lanternflies, reporting an infestation and complying with quarantine regulations is available on the Penn State Extension website at https://extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly.

Photos: Spotting spotted lanternfly
Broke Thespians Theatre Company rehearses lines and goes over cues for its production of "Love/Sick."
Minister for Economic Affairs Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Wednesday commended the role of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) for promoting green economic development across the globe

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Feb, 2023 ) :Minister for Economic Affairs Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Wednesday commended the role of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) for promoting green economic development across the globe.

The Minister said this while talking to Executive Director UNEP Ms Inger Andersen who called on him here at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, said a press release issued here. Secretary EAD and other senior officers from Economic Affairs Division attended the meeting.

The Minister welcomed her and commended UNEP role in developing and delivering solutions on critical issues of climate change, management of marine and terrestrial ecosystems and green economic development across the globe.

He apprised Andersen of the fact that Pakistan was a willing partner for climate sustainability and further assured her of full support and cooperation in this regard.

Minister for Economic Affairs highlighted the recent devastations caused by floods in Pakistan due to the climate crisis.

He also shared that Pakistan has to undertake the enormous task of reconstruction and rehabilitation of flood-affected areas.

Ayaz Sadiq shared that a great deal of arable land is still under water due to floods in Sindh which would negatively impact the aggregate agricultural productivity.

Executive Director UNEP Inger Andersen appreciated the role of Pakistan in levelling utmost efforts for climate conservation on a global level.

She also shared that the UNEP is fully cognizant of the massive annihilation caused by the 2022 floods in Pakistan.

Furthermore, she emphasized that UNEP aims at providing maximum support to Pakistan by opening a local office which would allow them to work closely with the Federal and provincial governments.
DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 02nd Feb, 2023) Emirates Cardiac Society announces the launch of the first of its kind conference in the GCC, Cardiovascular Disease in Women Conference in cooperation with the Saudi Group of Women Heart (Saudi Heart Association), by a group of experts and specialists to discuss the latest developments and research related to womens heart diseases. With the participation of specialists from the GCC: UAE, Saudi, Bahrain and Oman and Dr. Alaide Chieffo from Italy.

The two days event will take place at the Conrad Hotel on 3-4 February, the same time as International Womens Heart Disease Awareness Day which is held globally on the 3rd of February 2023. On the sidelines of the Womens Heart Disease Conference, awareness campaigns will be organized by the society throughout the year, in the shape of several virtual workshops to introduce and raise awareness of heart diseases, and several initiatives across UAE commercial centres and malls, where to measure blood pressure, body mass index, sugar and cholesterol as well as providing health tips and guidance about womens fitness and nutrition.

The CVD In Women Conference committee will include Dr. Juwairia Alali, the President of the Emirates Cardiac Society, Vice President Dr Abdullah Shehab and Scientific Committee Chairperson Dr Wael Al-Mahmeed and Head of Congenital and Genetic Heart Disease Working Group of Emirates Cardiac Society Dr Ghadeera Al Mansouri.

The President of the Emirates Cardiac Society and consultant Cardiologist, Dr Juwairia Alali, noted its importance to realize: CVDs are the leading cause of death among women worldwide. However, when comparing men to women with cardiovascular diseases, women strokes are often misdiagnosed or mistreated because their symptoms do not match the known heart diseases recognised by doctors as well due to insufficient awareness among women and society of the symptoms specific to women.

Many studies and research have shown several differences in the cardiovascular system related to sex (male or female), and would often affect the microscopic level and pose complex challenges to obtaining information about how women and men suffer from heart disease, such examples include:

 Women have smaller blood vessels and heart chambers

 Women have a lower number of red blood cells

 Postural changes (such as standing up quickly after lying down) affect women more than men, making them more likely to suffer a sudden drop in blood pressure or fainting

 Changing hormones: Hormonal changes that women experience during pregnancy, lactation, and the premenopausal period

Dr Ghadeera Saeed Al-Mansoori  Consultant Cardiologist said: Congenital heart defects are often diagnosed at birth and with the progress of surgical treatment, the category of adults with congenital heart defects increases.

 Complications of congenital heart disease in women lead to irregular heartbeats as well as heart failure, which means the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body.

Untreated childhood heart disease may cause high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries (pulmonary hypertension). Some congenital heart defects cause more blood to flow to the lungs, then the pressure riseseventually leading to heart muscle weakness and failure. Most Women with a simple congenital defect can complete the pregnancy successfully, but unfortunately, some women will struggle to complete a healthy pregnancy for both the child and mother. Therefore, always consult with your doctor regarding the risks and complications that may occur as well as any plans and care needed prior to your pregnancy.

Dr Abdullah Shehab Professor of Cardiology and Vice-President of the Emirates Cardiac Society said, Over the past decade, we were able to make massive progress in spreading awareness of cardiovascular diseases, as they are the main cause of death among women. There has also become greater awareness of the identification, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiovascular disease. We are keen now to focus on identifying the age stages and their risks of developing cardiovascular disease in women and working to prevent and spread.

Dr Wael Al-Mahmeed, Consultant Cardiologist More research is needed to identify the factors responsible for gender differences that have effects and constitute traditional risk factors, to understand them and work to improve the treatments for cardiovascular diseases. Al-Mahmeed added, It should also communicate with health sector officials and committees responsible for clinical treatments to design specific interventional treatments according to the patients sex.

Women should also be mindful that other factors pose a risk to their health, especially rheumatic immune diseases, and heart diseases during pregnancy, which can be identified during reproductive life and can contribute to the development of current risk assessment strategies for the Primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. This conference Is Organized by ICOM


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Los Angeles, Feb 1 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Feb, 2023 ) :Alec Baldwin was formally charged Tuesday with involuntary manslaughter over the accidental shooting of a cinematographer on the set of the low-budget western "Rust." Baldwin was holding the Colt .45 during rehearsals for the film when it discharged, killing Halyna Hutchins in October 2021.

New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies had already announced earlier this month that there was sufficient evidence to file criminal charges against the veteran US actor.

"Today we have taken another important step in securing justice for Halyna Hutchins," Carmack-Altwies said Tuesday. "In New Mexico, no one is above the law and justice will be served." In their statement of probable cause, investigators said Baldwin had been "distracted and talking on his cell phone to his family" during a firearms training session.

He only attended training for around 30 minutes, even though the session was scheduled to run for "at least an hour or more," they wrote, citing the film's armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed.

Gutierrez-Reed, who was responsible for weapons on set, was formally charged Tuesday with the same crime as Baldwin.

If convicted, they face up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine, but a firearm enhancement to the charge could take that sentence to five years.

Former "30 Rock" star Baldwin has repeatedly said he was told by the crew that the gun was not loaded, and that he did not pull the trigger.

Baldwin's attorney Luke Nikas has vowed to beat the charge, which he called a "terrible miscarriage of justice." Lawyers for Gutierrez-Reed said Tuesday that prosecutors had "completely misunderstood the facts" and had "reached the wrong conclusions." "We will fight these charges and expect that a jury will find Hannah not guilty," said Jason Bowles and Todd Bullion.

Separately, "Rust" assistant director Dave Halls, who handed Baldwin the weapon and told him it was "cold" -- industry speak for safe -- pleaded no contest to negligent use of a deadly weapon.

His plea agreement will be made public after a judge's approval.

Baldwin, a co-producer of the movie, and Gutierrez-Reed have both been charged with two alternative counts of manslaughter, each involving different levels of negligence.

Both counts entail a maximum 18-month jail term, but one of them -- involuntary manslaughter in the commission of a lawful act -- includes an added mandatory penalty of five years' jail because a gun was involved in the death.

New Mexico prosecutors will summon the accused to appear in court within a month of Tuesday's filing.
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Lima, Feb 1 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Feb, 2023 ) :Peruvian lawmakers on Tuesday once again failed to agree on a plan to bring forward elections in a bid to end weeks of deadly protests that have brought parts of the South American country to a standstill.

Peru has been embroiled in a political crisis with near-daily demonstrations since December 7, when then-president Pedro Castillo was arrested after attempting to dissolve Congress and rule by decree.

In seven weeks of demonstrations, 48 people -- including one police officer -- have been killed in clashes between security forces and protesters, according to the human rights ombudsman's office.

Protesters are demanding immediate elections, the dissolution of Congress, a new constitution, and the resignation of President Dina Boluarte, who as his vice president took over with Castillo gone.

Last month, lawmakers moved elections, originally due in 2026, up to April 2024, but as protesters dug in their heels, Boluarte called for holding a vote this year instead.

On Tuesday, lawmakers again failed to reach an agreement on a potential 2023 vote, and adjourned until Wednesday, after first rejecting Boluarte's proposal on Friday and then on Monday.

"The plenary session is suspended and will resume February 1 at 11:00 am (1600 GMT)," the legislative body's official Twitter account announced Tuesday evening.

As lawmakers debated Tuesday, demonstrators gathered for new protests in central Lima, only a few blocks from Congress.

The so-called Great March, called by union leaders and rural organizations, saw protesters chanting and waving banners reading "Dina resign now." For union leader Geronimo Lopez, a protest coordinator, the stalemate at the political level was indicative of a Congress "clinging to stay in office." "There is no political will to listen to the platform of struggle of the people," he said.

Roadblocks erected by protesters have caused shortages of food, fuel and other basic commodities in several regions of the Andean nation.

And early Tuesday, police gathered in large numbers to keep protesters out of the capital's airport.

The unrest is being propelled mainly by poor southern, Indigenous Peruvians who perceived Castillo, who is also from that region and has Indigenous roots, as an ally in their fight against poverty, racism and inequality.

Demonstrators amassed in towns of Peru's poor, rural south Tuesday -- the epicenter of the protests -- chanting "Dina, resign." - 2023 elections? - Nelson Calderon, a 30-year-old student from the southern city of Puno, told AFP that early elections alone would not fulfill protesters' demands.

"What do we solve with bringing forward elections if the people don't want to have anything to do with Dina Boluarte?" he asked in Lima.

A survey by the Institute of Peruvian Studies found 73 percent of respondents want elections this year.

If lawmakers again refuse to hold earlier elections, Boluarte has said she will propose a constitutional reform allowing a first voting round to be held in October and a runoff in December.

The main disagreement holding up a vote is whether a referendum on calling a constituent assembly to write a new constitution should be included in any bill bringing forward elections, a measure favored by leftist lawmakers such as congressman Edgar Tello, who said Peru's existing political model has failed.

Apart from those who have died in clashes, 10 civilians -- including two babies -- died when they were unable to get medical treatment or medicine due to roadblocks, according to the ombudsman's office.

The protest movement has also affected Peru's vital tourism industry, forcing the repeated closure of the world-renowned Machu Picchu Inca citadel ruins.

Peru's Las Bambas copper mine -- responsible for about two percent of global metal supply -- said Monday it would have to halt production from Wednesday unless the roadblocks were lifted.

Soldiers were on Tuesday guarding a section of the Pan-American Highway that connects several major cities and which they cleared of roadblocks with the help of police the day before.
PHILADELPHIA  Prosecutors have dropped the last of three sexual assault cases against a former Philadelphia police inspector due to the lack of testimony from a key witness.

The judge was told during a brief hearing Tuesday that efforts to locate the witness and persuade her to testify against former inspector Carl Holmes Jr., 57, had been unsuccessful, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Assistant District Attorney Clarke Beljean said that he couldnt put on a case without her testimony.

Holmes was charged in 2019 with sexual assault of three female officers after a grand jury probe concluded that he abused his power after mentoring female officers at the police academy and in other roles.

The charges came two years after the city settled a female detectives sexual harassment lawsuit involving him for $1.25 million.

Charges involving two of the women were withdrawn in early 2021.

Defense attorney Gregory Pagano has argued that Holmes is innocent and has been the victim of what he called a witch hunt. He urged the judge to force prosecutors to put on their trial without the testimony, saying his client was entitled to finality. The judge declined to do so but expressed doubt that the case would move forward.

Holmes, who has denied the allegations, showed little reaction to prosecutors motion to withdraw the charges, and he and his attorney declined to comment as they left the courtroom, the newspaper reported.
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Lima, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Feb, 2023 ) :Protesters who have brought parts of Peru to a standstill for weeks closed in on Lima's international airport Tuesday as lawmakers mulled bringing elections forward in a bid to end the deadly mobilization.

The South American country has been embroiled in a political crisis with near-daily demonstrations since December 7, when then-president Pedro Castillo was arrested after attempting to dissolve Congress and rule by decree.

In seven weeks of demonstrations, 48 people -- including one police officer -- have been killed in clashes between security forces and protesters, according to the human rights ombudsman's office.

Protesters demand immediate elections, the dissolution of Congress, a new constitution, and the resignation of President Dina Boluarte, who as his vice president took over with Castillo gone.

As Congress prepared for a second consecutive day of debate on a bill to bring the election forward, protesters gathered near the airport in the capital.

Police deployed in large numbers to keep them out.

Other demonstrators amassed in towns of Peru's poor, rural south -- the epicenter of the protests -- chanting "Dina, resign." The unrest is being propelled mainly by southern, Indigenous Peruvians who perceive Castillo as an ally in the fight against poverty, racism and inequality.

- Vote this year? - Roadblocks erected by protesters have caused shortages of food, fuel and other basic commodities in several regions of the Andean nation.

Last month, lawmakers moved elections, originally due in 2026, up to April 2024, but as protesters dug in their heels, Boluarte called for a vote this year instead.

Congress rejected her proposal late Friday.

On Monday, lawmakers again failed to reach an agreement after seven hours of discussions.

Proceedings were scheduled to resume Tuesday morning but were delayed to the afternoon.

If lawmakers again refuse to advance elections, Boluarte has said she will propose a constitutional reform allowing a first voting round to be held in October and a runoff in December.

According to a survey by the Institute of Peruvian Studies, 73 percent of citizens want elections this year.

- 'Dismay' - Tuesday's parliamentary debate would coincide with the appointed hour for fresh protests called by union leaders and rural organizations in central Lima under the slogan: "The Great March, Dina resign now".

For union leader Geronimo Lopez, a protest coordinator, the stalemate at the political level was indicative of a Congress "clinging to stay in office." "There is no political will to listen to the platform of struggle of the people," he said.

The Organization of American States on Monday expressed its "dismay" at reports of violence committed on both sides, urging peaceful protest and dialogue.

It also called in a statement for the "prompt holding of free, fair and transparent general elections with international electoral observation." Apart from those who have died in clashes, 10 civilians -- including two babies -- died when they were unable to get medical treatment or medicine due to roadblocks, according to the ombudsman's office.

The protest movement has also affected Peru's vital tourism industry, forcing the repeated closure of the world-renowned Machu Picchu Inca citadel ruins.

Peru's Las Bambas copper mine -- responsible for about two percent of global metal supply -- said Monday it would have to halt production from Wednesday unless the roadblocks were lifted.

Soldiers were on Tuesday guarding a section of the Pan-American Highway that connects several major cities and which they cleared of roadblocks with the help of police the day before.
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Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb 1 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Feb, 2023 ) :Ukraine will hold a summit with the European Union in Kyiv this week, the government announced Tuesday, as it expressed hope the conference will bring the war-battered nation closer to EU membership almost a year after Russia launched its invasion.

Kyiv also announced it expects to receive up to 140 modern battle tanks from its Western allies, and the prospect of more advanced weapons for Ukraine came from the United States.

In his evening address to the nation, President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was hopeful the summit, which will take place in the Ukrainian capital on Friday, will reflect a high "level of cooperation and progress" with the 27-member bloc, which Kyiv has long sought to join.

"We are waiting for news for Ukraine," Zelensky said.

Announcing the summit earlier Tuesday, Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said: "The fact that this summit will be held in Kyiv is a powerful signal to both partners and enemies."Ukraine gained EU candidacy status in June last year, several months after Vladimir Putin sent Russian troops rolling into Ukraine.

No details were provided on who would be attending the summit on the European Union side.
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Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb 1 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Feb, 2023 ) :Ukraine expanded a clampdown on corruption on Wednesday, launching coordinated searches of residences linked to a divisive oligarch and former interior minister as well as tax offices in the capital.

The searches came ahead of a key summit with the EU and appeared to be part of a push by Kyiv to reassure key military and financial donors in European capitals and Washington that Ukraine is tackling systemic graft.

"We are carrying out the task set by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and simultaneously delivering a global blow to the internal enemy," announced Vasyl Maliuk, the head of Ukraine's security service, the SBU.

"Every criminal who has the audacity to harm Ukraine, especially in the conditions of war, must clearly understand that we will put handcuffs on him." The searches have targeted influential billionaire Igor Kolomoisky and former interior minister Arsen Avakov, said the head of Zelensky's party David Arakhamia.

Law enforcement also raided tax offices in the capital and senior customs officials were fired, Arakhamia said.

Ukraine for years has suffered endemic graft but efforts to stamp out corruption have been overshadowed by Moscow's invasion last February.

Ukraine has now launched a new push to clean up its image to appease Western backers.

In the biggest political shakeup since the launch of Moscow's assault on Ukraine, authorities last week fired around a dozen senior figures, including defence officials and a top aide to the president's office.

The raids on Wednesday came two days before Zelensky was expected to host a summit with the European Union, which has urged reforms to facilitate deeper integration.

Investigators from the SBU released images of a search from the home of Kolomoisky who was barred from entering the United States over allegations of corruption and undermining democracy.
HOUSTON, United States, Feb1 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Feb, 2023 ) :US Vice President Kamala Harris will attend Tyre Nichols' funeral in Memphis, Tennessee, her office said Tuesday.

Family attorney Ben Crump said Nichols' mother, RowVaughn Wells, and stepfather, Rodney Wells, spoke by telephone with Harris for more than 30 minutes and invited the vice president to the service Wednesday.

"Vice President Harris and Ms. Wells spoke exclusively, and during this emotional time, the Vice President was able to console Ms. Wells and even help her smile," Crump said in a statement. "Mr. and Mrs. Wells are grateful for Vice President Harris reaching out to them during this heartbreaking time and for her sensitivity on the call." Crump said he will make a "call to action" regarding Nichols' savage beating death at the hands of five Memphis Police Department (MPD) officers who were subsequently fired and charged with murder.

Nichols was kicked, punched, pepper-sprayed and beaten with a police baton during a Jan. 7 traffic stop. Nichols died from his injuries Jan. 10.

The MPD released video footage of the deadly beating which has prompted protests and outrage across the US.

Demetrius Haley, Tadarrius Bean, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills, Jr. and Justin Smith were all charged with second-degree murder.

Two other officers, Preston Hemphill and another unnamed MPD officer, were "relieved of duty" for their involvement with the incident. Three Memphis Fire Department workers were also fired for their response to Nichols' beating.

US Sen. Cory Booker from the state of New Jersey is expected to introduce police reform legislation in the coming weeks, which could incorporate aspects of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, according to CBS news.
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Feb, 2023 ) :President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday called upon the Ulema and Mashaikh of the country to play their role in bringing positive social change, discouraging extremism, terrorism, and sectarianism.

The president, talking to a delegation of the Ulema Mashaikh Yakjehti Council of Pakistan (UMYC), that called on him at Aiwan-e-Sadr, urged their role for inculcating ethical and moral values in society, promoting the conservation of resources, national solidarity, religious tolerance, and inter-faith harmony and peace.

He urged Ulema to play their role to eliminate extremism, terrorism and sectarianism by highlighting the true teachings of islam in the light of the Quran, Sunnah and Ahadith of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

He said the challenges of terrorism and militancy in Pakistan required a comprehensive action plan, coupled with concerted efforts on the part of the Ulema in the areas of counter-extremism and counter-terrorism.

President Alvi said that it was the responsibility of religious scholars to disseminate the true teachings of Islam among the people, especially youth, to bring in social reforms, and promote virtues, ethics, and morality in society.

He said that Pakistan could achieve progress and its rightful place in the comity of nations through discipline, persistence, moral righteousness, and promoting social justice.

The president said that Ulema should make concerted efforts to remove divisions from society, and should promote unity and solidarity within the country.

He said that youth should be educated on tolerance, forgiveness, and peace as these were the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

The president said that Islam emphasized the conservation of resources and avoiding wastage. The Ulema should also help promote moderate, responsible and sustainable consumption of resources, especially fuel and energy, through their Friday sermons in the mosques.

The delegation was led by Chairman UMYC, Qari Hidayat Ullah Mirani, and consisted of Muhammad Younas Qureshi, Molana Gul Wali, Major Ehtasham Uddin Kiyani, Prof Abdul Ghaffar Shah Bukhari, Abdul Rahim Abbasi, Noor Elahi, Fahad Maqsood, Hameed Ullah Khan, Sheikh Mazhar Hussain, Sheikh Zia ur Rehman, Alama Mufti Mehmood Ahmed Tabasam, and Jamal Khan.
Four employees of DHL were detained under the investigation of the attempted assassination of the head of the Russian House in the Central African Republic (CAR) Dmitry Sytyi, a high-ranking source in the CAR police told Sputnik on Wednesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st February, 2023) Four employees of DHL were detained under the investigation of the attempted assassination of the head of the Russian House in the Central African Republic (CAR) Dmitry Sytyi, a high-ranking source in the car police told Sputnik on Wednesday.

On December 16, Sytyi was hospitalized in Bangui after an assassination attempt.

The police told Sputnik that the Russian diplomat received a parcel bomb and it exploded on a table in his cabinet, when he was going through the mail.

"As a result of the investigation four suspects were placed (in custody) under a detention warrant: three men and one woman. A trial is expected to be organized by the Bangui Prosecutor's Office," the source said.

The official clarified that all four are employees of DHL and plead not guilty.
CHISINAU (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 31st January, 2023) Former Moldovan President Igor Dodon on Tuesday sharply criticized the initiative of the current government to provide foreigners with the opportunity to acquire the country's agricultural land and urged citizens to prevent approval of the draft.

"The government of (Moldovan President) Maia Sandu has drafted amendments to the Land Code, giving the "green light" to the purchase of agricultural land in our country by foreigners. We must make every effort to stop these destroyers of the country," Dodon said on Telegram.

Moldovan farmers have already expressed their concern over the new initiative, but the authorities have ignored their discontent, the former president added.

"Moldova risks to remain without its own citizens and without agricultural land.

With Maia Sandu and the Party of Action and Solidarity in power, we can lose the main wealth of our state," Dodon said.

Moldovan laws prohibit the direct sale of agricultural land to foreigners or companies with foreign investments in their authorized capital. However, in order to receive the EU candidate status, Chisinau need to meet a number of conditions put forward by Brussels. Those include, in particular, providing foreigners with the possibility of land purchase.

The European Commission recommended granting an EU candidate status to Moldova on June 23, 2022. In October, Moldova held the first meeting of the EU integration commission, which discussed the need for reforms in various areas and called for the creation of 35 working groups to make local legislation correspond to European standards.
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MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st February, 2023) Finland increased the consumption of hard coalby 10% year-on-year in 2022 due to its growing use in electricity and heat production, the Statistics Finland agency said on Wednesday.

In 2018, the Finnish government announced its plans to ban the use of hard coal in the energy sector from 2029. However, due to the cessation of electricity imports from Russia, Helsinki re-launched some of the previously decommissioned coal-fired energy facilities in 2022.

"According to Statistics Finland's preliminary data, the consumption of hard coal increased by 10 per cent in 2022 compared to the previous year. The consumption of hard coal as a fuel in the generation of electricity and heat and in manufacturing amounted to 2,015 thousand tonnes ... In 2022, altogether 51 per cent less hard coal was consumed than on average in the 2000s," the agency said in a statement.

The consumption of hard coal increased the most in the second quarter of 2022, by 26% year-on-year. Hard coal reserves amounted to 1.49 million tonnes, which is 23% more than a year earlier, according to Statistics Finland.

The European Union has been looking for alternatives to Russian natural gas and oil as it has pledged to end dependence on the country's energy after Moscow launched its special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022. In particular, demand for coal, the largest source of electricity, significantly increased in many EU countries, including Finland, in 2022. It is expected to remain high in the coming years amid the global energy crisis. The EU member states are projected to increase coal production by 2.7 million tonnes in 2023, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in December last year.
Former Prime Minister of Moldova Vlad Filat said on Tuesday that the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has found that the corruption trial against him violated the right to a fair trial

CHISINAU (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 31st January, 2023) Former Prime Minister of Moldova Vlad Filat said on Tuesday that the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has found that the corruption trial against him violated the right to a fair trial.

Filat was deprived of his parliamentary immunity at a parliamentary meeting on October 15, 2015 at the request of the prosecutor general, and later, he was convicted of corruption. Filat appealed to the ECHR to prove that this process, as well as his placement in solitary detention, took place with violations of the law.

"Today, the ECHR announced the decision, establishing that there was no fair trial against me," Filat said at a press conference.

The former head of government claimed the fact that the hearings were not public led to the violation of many fundamental rights and freedoms.

Filat noted that the authorities could have rectified the situation, but decided not to intervene.

The ECHR ruled that the politician was entitled to compensation for moral damages amounting to 7,500 Euros ($8,100), Filat said.

"I was tried in an unfair trial in which I did not have the opportunity to prove my innocence. I was kept in inhuman and degrading conditions for 50 months," Filat added.

Filat served as the prime minister of Moldova from 2009 -2013. In 2016, he was sentenced to nine years in prison for abuse of power and passive corruption. In December 2020, he was granted early release.
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Residents of the Indonesian island of Pulau Pari have filed a complaint against the cement giant Holcim, demanding compensation for climate damage, in the first move of its kind in Switzerland, the NGO backing them announced Wednesday

Zurich, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Feb, 2023 ) :Residents of the Indonesian island of Pulau Pari have filed a complaint against the cement giant Holcim, demanding compensation for climate damage, in the first move of its kind in Switzerland, the NGO backing them announced Wednesday.

The case is part of a wider international movement asking major companies to assume their responsibilities in the face of climate change which affects the livelihoods of millions of people, especially in the Global South.

"For the first time, a Swiss company must answer for its role in contributing to climate change in court," said Swiss Church Aid (HEKS), a non-governmental organisation which advocates for climate justice.

The complaint, brought by four residents, requests that Holcim pay compensation for the damage already caused on the island and finance flood protection measures.

They also demand that the Swiss group rapidly reduce its carbon dioxide emissions.
After years of frostiness, U.S.-Turkey relations could be warming again.

With Russian aggression on the rise and the Middle East in a state of tumult, U.S. national security interests require in Turkey a partner that bridges the continents of Europe and Asia  an analysis that appears to complement Turkish national security needs.

The thaw started last October, when President Biden and Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed their interests as NATO members and trading partners. By April 2022, the Biden administration was already moving forward with a new U.S.-Turkey Strategic Mechanism, which would cement the nations joint stance against Russia following Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine.

These diplomatic achievements helped assuage concerns about a permanent Turkish tilt toward Russia. Turkey is a NATO ally. Yet some analysts had begun to question the viability of the partnership.

Turkish feelings were sore from the view that NATO hasnt always backed Turkey to the extent it should. When Ankara shot down a trespassing Russian fighter jet in 2016, NATO defended Turkeys right to self-defense. But when Putin threatened retaliation, NATOs secretary general merely issued a milquetoast request for calm and de-escalation.

Not long after, Turkey decided to buy advanced Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, defying both the United States and NATO. Washington responded by shutting off Ankaras supply of F-35 fighter jets.

But Russias attempted courtship failed. That was due to the priority Putin placed on his alliance with Syrian dictator Bashar Assad. The source of the rupture dates to a May 2017 deal between Russia, Iran and Turkey to establish four de-escalation zones in the Syrian civil war. The Turks thought the agreement could be the beginning of a mutually beneficial partnership.

But the ink had scarcely dried before Putin reneged and helped Assad seize the zones. Assad, aided by Russian airstrikes, then attacked Idlib, a vulnerable region home to some 30,000 Syrian rebels and 2.9 million civilians caught in the crossfire. Turkey demanded a cease-fire, but both Putin and Assad shrugged off the request.

Given this history of treachery, Putin shouldnt be surprised to find Turkey supporting Ukraine and warming to the United States. In February, at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys request, Ankara blocked Russian warships from entering the Black Sea. Meanwhile, with 25 million tons of grain foundering in Europes bread-basket, Turkey has helped Ukraine export food from three ports, including Odessa.

America should reward Turkeys gestures. That means rolling back the sanctions imposed after Ankaras purchase of Russias S-400s and supplying Turkey with F-35s. It means displaying greater sensitivity toward Ankaras concerns about the United States fighting alongside the Syrian Kurds Peoples Protection Units (YPG), which have ties to Ankaras primary enemy, the terrorist group known as the PKK. And it means pushing the U.S.-Turkey Strategic Mechanism.

Strengthening Americas partnership with Turkey could also help avoid a humanitarian catastrophe. Millions of Syrian refugees reside in Turkey, and more and more Turks have vocalized support for sending those refugees back. Guidance from American officials could ensure that, if Turkey does resettle refugees, its done with as much care as possible.

Accomplishing these goals will require a shared understanding of both sides legitimate security concerns. Building that trust will have massive payoffs.
His Excellency the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Mr. Hissein Brahim Taha, met on Tuesday, 31/1/2023, at the headquarters of the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah, with His Excellency Dr. Morissanda Kouyate, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, African Integration and Guineans Abroad, of the Republic of Guinea

Jeddah (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 01st Feb, 2023) His Excellency the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Mr. Hissein Brahim Taha, met on Tuesday, 31/1/2023, at the headquarters of the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah, with His Excellency Dr.

Morissanda Kouyate, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, African Integration and Guineans Abroad, of the Republic of Guinea.



During the meeting, the Guinean Minister stressed the importance his country attached to the OIC and its support for the efforts of the Secretary-General to achieve the OIC goals.

He also praised the OIC support for the political transition process in the Republic of Guinea.

For his part, His Excellency the Secretary-General commended the dialogue efforts in the Republic of Guinea, reiterating the OIC support for Guinea's efforts to enhance its stability and development
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Over a million worshippers turned out for a papal mass in DR Congo's capital Wednesday, organisers said, on the second day of Pope Francis's visit to the conflict-torn country

Kinshasa, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Feb, 2023 ):Over a million worshippers turned out for a papal mass in DR Congo's capital Wednesday, organisers said, on the second day of Pope Francis's visit to the conflict-torn country.

Many of the faithful in Kinshasa, a deeply observant megacity of some 15 million people, began to arrive at Ndolo airport on Tuesday night to assure themselves of a spot.

Francis entered the airport grounds aboard his popemobile and was greeted by singing and dancing crowds before the mass began at around 9:30 am (0830 GMT).

Organisers said that over one million people were on the airport tarmac.

Adrien Louka, 55, told AFP he had arrived before dawn.

"As our country has many problems, it is reconciliation that we are looking for and the Pope will give a message so that the countries around us leave us in peace," he added.

The attendees included Kinshasa residents as well as the Democratic Republic of Congo's president, Felix Tshisekedi, and leading opposition politicians.

Francis wished the crowd peace in Lingala, one of the DRC's four national languages and the everyday language of Kinshasa.

The pope delivered the rest of his homily in Italian -- which was translated into the DRC's official language French -- in which he urged the faithful "not to give in to divisions." The 86-year-old pontiff had arrived in the DRC on Tuesday, on the first leg of a six-day trip to Africa that will also include troubled South Sudan.

Huge crowds had also thronged the streets for a glimpse of the popemobile as Francis drove past.

- 'Massively plundered' - A former Belgian colony the size of continental western Europe, the DRC is Africa's most Catholic country.

About 40 percent of the population of some 100 million people follows the church of Rome, according to estimates.

Another 35 percent of the population is Protestant of various denominations, nine percent is Muslim and 10 percent Kimbanguist -- a Christian movement born in the Belgian Congo.

Official Vatican statistics put the proportion of Catholics in the DRC at 49 percent of the population.

During a speech to politicians and dignitaries in Kinshasa's presidential palace on Tuesday, Francis denounced the "economic colonialism" he suggested had wreaked lasting damage in the DRC.

"This country, massively plundered, has not benefited adequately from its immense resources," he said, to applause.

Despite abundant mineral reserves, the DRC is one of the poorest countries in the world. About two-thirds of Congolese people live on less than $2.15 a day, according to the World Bank.

- Meeting conflict victims - Francis is also due to meet victims of the conflict in eastern Congo in Kinshasa on Wednesday following the mega-mass.

After that, he will talk to representatives from charitable organisations.

The DRC's east has long been plagued by dozens of armed groups. Since late 2021, M23 rebels have also captured swathes of territory in North Kivu province, coming close to its capital Goma.

The trip to DRC and South Sudan had originally been planned for July 2022, but it was postponed due to the pontiff's knee pain that has forced him in recent months to use a wheelchair.

Security concerns were also said to play a role in delaying the trip, and a stop in Goma -- a city of over a million people on the border with Rwanda -- is no longer on the itinerary.

"I would have liked to go to Goma too, but with the war, you can't go there," Francis told reporters on the plane from Rome.

The Argentine pontiff, in his speech in Kinshasa on Tuesday, urged the need to address the conflict and said he supported regional peace efforts.

Francis also underlined the need for investment in education, and free-and-fair elections, among other issues.

On Friday, the pope travels to South Sudan's capital Juba.

This visit is Francis's 40th foreign trip since being elected in 2013.
Russia on Wednesday criticised comments by French President Emmanuel Macron, who refused this week to rule out delivering fighter jets to Ukraine, while warning against the risk of escalation

Moscow, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Feb, 2023 ) :Russia on Wednesday criticised comments by French President Emmanuel Macron, who refused this week to rule out delivering fighter jets to Ukraine, while warning against the risk of escalation.

"Forgive me but this is absurd," foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters during a press briefing.

"Is the president of France really certain that if arms, heavy weapons and aircraft are supplied to the Kyiv regime to conduct combat operations, this will not lead to an escalation of the situation?" she said.

"I refuse to believe that an adult person is guided by this kind of logic.

"Such statements only increase the already irrepressible appetite of the Zelensky regime," she said, referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Macron said Monday he would not rule out the delivery of fighter jets to Ukraine, telling Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the Netherlands that, "Nothing is excluded in principle".

But he also said that any arms would "not be escalatory" and should only be "to aid the resistance effort" rather than targeting Russia itself.

Ukraine is expecting to receive up to 140 modern tanks from its Western allies, and Zelensky is now urging the West to send fighter jets and long-range missiles.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st February, 2023) The Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria said in a statement that it has recorded no attacks on Syria's Idlib de-escalation zone by the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group (banned in Russia) in the past day.

"No violations of the ceasefire regime have been registered in the Idlib de-escalation zone over the past day," the center said.

The Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides and Control over the Movement of Refugees in the Syrian Arab Republic was established in February 2016.

Its tasks include the signing of agreements on illegal armed groups and individual settlements joining the regime of cessation of hostilities, as well as coordinating the delivery of humanitarian aid.

The armed conflict in Syria has been under way since 2011, with President Bashar Assad's forces fighting different insurgent groups, including terrorists, in separate areas of the country.
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The leaders of Somalia and neighbouring countries vowed at a summit on Wednesday to "make the final push" against Al-Shabaab as a wide-ranging offensive against the militants gathers pace

Mogadishu, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Feb, 2023 ) :The leaders of Somalia and neighbouring countries vowed at a summit on Wednesday to "make the final push" against Al-Shabaab as a wide-ranging offensive against the militants gathers pace.

Kenya's William Ruto, Djibouti's Ismail Omar Guelleh and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed attended the summit hosted by Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in the capital Mogadishu.

They discussed a coordinated military offensive against the Al-Qaeda linked group, which has been waging an insurgency in the troubled Horn of Africa nation for more than 15 years.

"The summit agrees to make the final push for joint operations in the areas that remain under the terrorists to completely liberate the whole of Somalia from Al-Shabaab," the leaders said in a statement released after the meeting.

In recent months, the Somali army and local clan militias have retaken chunks of territory from the militants in an operation backed by US air strikes and an African Union force known as ATMIS.

But Al-Shabaab still control parts of the countryside from where they have carried out numerous retaliatory attacks both in Somalia and in neighbouring countries.

The leaders pledged to pursue and destroy the jihadists in their strongholds across south and central Somalia in a "robust operational campaign" involving the four countries and "through military, finance and ideology".

"The time-sensitive campaign will prevent any future infiltrating elements into the wider region." The meeting comes a day after defence ministers and security chiefs of the four countries met in Mogadishu to prepare for the summit.

Security was beefed up in the city on Wednesday with movement restrictions, military patrols and all commercial flights suspended.

After taking office in May last year, Mohamud declared an "all-out war" on the jihadists, rallying Somalis to help flush out members of the jihadist group he described as "bedbugs".

But the jihadists who were forced out of the capital by African Union troops in 2011 have frequently retaliated against the latest offensive with bloody strikes.

Although forced out of Mogadishu and other main urban centres, Al-Shabaab remains entrenched in the countryside and have continued to demonstrate their ability to strike back with lethal force against civilian and military targets.

In the deadliest Al-Shabaab attack since the offensive was launched last year, 121 people were killed in two car bomb explosions at the education ministry in Mogadishu in October.

Last week, at least six people were killed in a four-hour Al-Shabaab siege at the mayor's office in central Mogadishu, days after seven soldiers were killed at a military camp in a town retaken by the army.

The group has also been active recently across the border in eastern Kenya, which is a contributor to ATMIS.

The 20,000-strong African Union force, formerly known as AMISOM, has a more offensive remit than its predecessor.

The force is drawn from Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya, with troops deployed in southern and central Somalia.

Its goal is to gradually reduce troop numbers to zero by the end of 2024 with security to be assumed by Somalia's army and police.

nur-ho/amu/lc
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The UN Security Council will convene a meeting on Ukraine on February 24, the council's program of work revealed on Wednesday

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st February, 2023) The UN Security Council will convene a meeting on Ukraine on February 24, the council's program of work revealed on Wednesday.

It will mark exactly one year since Russia's special operation started.
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WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st February, 2023) The United States is preparing to provide Ukraine with a new weapons package valued at more than $2 billion, which will include longer-range rockets for the first time, Reuters reported, citing two US officials familiar with the matter.

The US will provide Ukrainian forces with longer-range rockets despite previous concerns by the Biden administration about providing Kiev with systems capable of striking deep into Russian territory, the report said on Tuesday.

The package, expected to be announced as soon as later this week, will also include other weapons and munitions, the report added.

Most of the funding, $1.

725 billion, will come from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), which procures weapons for Ukraine from industry instead of pulling from existing US stocks, the report said.

The USAI funds will go toward buying Ground Launched Small Diameter Bombs (GLSDB), which can strike up to 94 miles (150km) away, the report said.

The longer range of the GLSDB could enable Ukraine to hit targets previously out of reach and help disrupt Russian forces further behind their lines, the report said.

The US continues to rebuff Ukraine's request for even longer range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), which have a range of 185 miles (297km), the report said.
During the Bonne Terre Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet Friday evening at the Knights of Columbus Hall, the Chamber had a surprise for the Bonne Terre Police Department.

Police Lt. Bill Stegall had just announced the three recipients of the Chamber's Hometown Hero Awards  Julie Burns, mother of the late BTPD Patrolman Lane Burns, accepted her son's award in his honor. Burns was gunned down last March while responding to a call at a local hotel.

The second person to receive the Hometown Hero award was Police Corporal Garrett Worley, who was critically injured on the same call.

The last person to receive the award was Sgt. Richard Mackley, who, just seconds behind the other two officers, pulled Worley to safety before rushing to aid Burns.

After the awards were distributed, Chamber Vice President Audra Caine asked Stegall about an upcoming trip to Washington D.C., and encouraged Stegall to tell the crowd a little more about it.

Stegall explained, when an officer is lost in the line of duty in Missouri, the state recognizes the officer at the Missouri Law Enforcement Memorial in Jefferson City. Stegall said a few of the officers will be driving to the capital city for the dedication.

In addition to attending the state memorial, Stegall added, the department would also like to attend the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington D.C., to honor the first year since Burns died in the line of duty. It will also be the first year Burns name is listed on the national memorial, he said.

Stegall said he had spoken to Bonne Terre City Administrator Shawn Kay about the possibility of officers attending the national memorial, and he said Kay told Stegall to give him an estimate on how much the trip would cost, prompting Stegall to joke about Kay falling out of his chair when he heard the number.

But after the last chamber meeting, Stegall said, the board came together and unanimously agreed to pay for the trip to Washington D.C. for the department.

Thank you to the chamber. They have decided theyre going to sponsor us going out there, said Stegall. We were in the process of looking at directions to go in, for fundraisers, time to find another hog to raffle off.

Everyone on the board voted unanimously, said Caine. We felt you all were amazing, you are a vital part of our community. We are ever so grateful for all of you.

Caine presented a check to Stegall from the chamber for $8,000 to be put toward the memorial travel.
Ensuring access to clean water is a constant challenge in a megacity like Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in some outlying districts, the State is simply unable to do so. In the commune of Kisenso, a parish run by the Missionaries of Africa oversees a water project which allows local people to access the precious resource without having to walk for miles.

By Xavier Sartre - Kinshasa, DRC

Kisenso is on the outskirts of Kinshasa. Perched on a still green hill, spared from the incessant and suffocating traffic of the Congolese capital due to the lack of streets passable by the majority of vehicles, this township keeps on seeing its population grow. But as is often the case in the megalopolis, basic infrastructure, such as a proper water distribution network, is lacking.

Faced with this shortcoming, the parish of Saint-Etienne, founded sixty years ago by missionaries from Africa, has taken matters into its own hands and set up a water pumping and distribution system, saving the inhabitants from having to travel for miles to get water.

This project is a great relief for the local population, who were struggling to get access to drinking water, says Father Michel Agoh, from Togo, the parish vicar. For him, it is normal for the Church to substitute the State in this matter.

The Church, as a mother, is interested in everything that contributes to the happiness and development of all men and women, he says, proud of this initiative that the Missionaries of Africa have been working on for six decades. When the whole population suffers from the lack of water and electricity, the whole social issue also concerns the Church. So we are in our role. Our goal is to have happy people and we are ready to sacrifice everything, as Jesus did, to achieve this, he adds.

The water pumps for the project in Kisenso

Miles of pipes

The water is drawn from a spring at the foot of Kisenso hill, a short half-hour walk away. The dirt path that takes one there is often kept in good condition by jute rice sacks filled with earth or sand, though the descent is sometimes steep. Along the two-kilometre path, water pipes lie on the surface or are suspended in the air for several metres. Leaks are not uncommon and building houses near the pipes can damage them.

Pablo, the projects technical manager, knows every metre of the network and its twenty-two fountains distributed throughout the neighbourhood. He leads us to the building that channels the spring, buried under the vegetation. Pumps and generators are installed there. There are many power outages. A system is therefore needed to compensate for the vagaries of the electricity network.

Some of the clear water is stored in a settling tank before being pumped up the hill to the parish site. There it is stored in large tanks before being redistributed to the fountains, Pablo explains.

Water vendors throughout the neighbourhood

Residents can buy water from the fountains, where a vendor opens and closes the tap on demand. They pay him 1,000 Congolese francs (50 euro cents) for 25 litres, a price that barely covers the costs of maintaining the network but which remains within the reach of a very poor population that often lacks sanitary facilities.

It is often women or children who go to the distribution point, carrying yellow jerry cans. The distribution of these water points throughout the country means that they do not have to go down to the source and walk several kilometres up a hillside carrying tens of kilos of water.

The hills of Kisenso

On the day Vatican News visits, there were few people. It rained the day before, so the private reservoirs have filled up. This means savings for the residents who do not have to go to the fountain. The parish of Saint-Etienne must now face competition from another network and the multiplication of individual boreholes.

But as Father Paschal Baphuol, the parish priest, points out, the water from the project is pure and 100% drinkable, and to abandon this project would be to expose the population to many diseases.

Moreover, because of the decrease in revenue, there are difficulties in renewing the machines, pipes, and cables that have been installed, and sometimes it becomes complicated to pay those who sell water, he explains.

While waiting for donations to buy better equipment and maintain the entire network, the parish, its three priests and two trainee seminarians continue their mission every day. This earns the community great respect despite the prevailing insecurity.

Kisenso is home to several gangs of young delinquents and criminals, the Kulunas. They scour the streets at dusk, armed with machetes. Attacks are numerous. The day before, a man was left for dead in front of the parish door.

But up till now, the Missionaries of Africa, thanks to their commitment to the population, have not had to suffer from this violence. It is the miracle of water.
The Pope's meeting with survivors, victims of the violence in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (VATICAN MEDIA Divisione Foto)

Pope Francis meets in Kinshasa with survivors from the war-torn eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and condemns acts of violence after listening to their harrowing testimonies.

By Christopher Wells

Survivors of the ongoing conflict in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo shared stories of brutal violence, including mass killings and mutilation, abduction and lost relatives, serial rape and sexual slavery, and displaced people living in overcrowded and unsanitary refugee camps.

But amid the horrors of war and natural disasters, those who took part in Wednesdays afternoon meeting with Pope Francis also spoke of forgiveness and hope, with one survivor expressing the hope of all: We want to leave behind this dark past and be able to build a beautiful future.

'I am close to you'

In his own remarks, the Holy Father said, We continue to be shocked to hear of the inhumane violence that you have seen with your eyes and personally experienced.

We are left without words. We can only weep in silence.

Pope Francis had originally intended to visit the eastern part of the country, but ongoing security issues made such a trip impossible. Instead, the Pope told the people of the region, I am close to you: your tears are my tears; your pain is my pain, adding, To every family that grieves or is displaced by the burning of villages and other war crimes, to the survivors of sexual violence and to every injured child and adult, I say: I am with you; I want to bring you Gods caress.

He went on to condemn, in the name of God  the armed violence, the massacres, the rapes, the destruction and occupation of villages, the looting of fields and cattle  as well as the murderous, illegal exploitation of the wealth of this country, and the attempts to fragment the country in order to control.

Pope Francis with one of the witnesses during the encounter with survivors

Listen to the cry of their blood!

The Pope made a heartfelt appeal to all people, and especially those that are fomenting war in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Listen to the cry of their blood, open your ears to the voice of God  and to the voice of your conscience: put away your weapons, put an end to war!

Enough! Stop getting rich at the cost of the poor, stop getting rich from resources and money stained with blood!

He then asked what we can do and where we can begin in order to promote peace. He proposed, in response, starting again with two ways of saying no and two ways of saying yes.



No to violence and resignation

First, he said, we must say no to violence, always and everywhere, without exception. At the same time, he insisted that saying no to violence means more than avoiding acts of violence; it involves eliminating the roots of violence, including greed, envy, and, above all, resentment. Addressing the survivors present at the meeting, Pope Francis said, I would like to ask everyone to behave as you, our courageous witnesses have suggested to us: Have the courage to disarm the heart.

Pope Francis went on to call everyone to say no to resignation. I once more invite all those living in the Democratic Congo not to give up but to commit themselves to building a better future, he said.

Even in the East, peace is possible! Let us believe this! And let us work for it, without delegating it to others.

Pope Francis speaks with survivors

Yes to reconciliation and hope

The Holy Father then spoke about the two ways of saying yes, beginning with saying yes to reconciliation. Once more addressing the survivors, praised their desire to commit themselves to forgiving one another and to rejecting war as a means of resolving differences.

The prophetic voice of Christianity, he said, means responding to evil with good, to hatred with love, to division with reconciliation. All these things, he continued, are more powerful than evil  because they transform reality from within, instead of destroying it from without.

Only in this way can we defeat evil, as Jesus did on the tree of the Cross, by taking it upon Himself and transforming it by His love.

Finally, the Pope highlighted the decisive yes, the yes to hope. Hope, he said, has a source, like a wellspring: Jesus. With Jesus, evil no longer has the last word over life, he said, pointing again to Jesus triumphing over death and the grave.

Brothers and sisters of the east of the country, this hope is meant for you, and you have a right to it, he said. Yet, he continued, it is also a right that must be earned by patiently sowing peace day after day. To sow peace is good for us, he explained, adding it sets us free from narrow concern for personal gain and gives us a reason for living each day; it seasons our lives with liberality and makes us more and more like God, the patient sower who sows seeds of hope.

Kinshasa, Meeting with victims of violence

Sowers of peace

He then thanked and blessed those who have worked, and even given their lives to sow peace, saying, They were sowers of hope, and their sacrifice will not be lost.

The Holy Father then concluded his address by emphasizing once again his closeness to the people of the East, and blessing all of them. May Jesus, our May Jesus, our brother, the God of reconciliation who planted the tree of life of the Cross in the heart of the darkness of sin and suffering, the God of hope who believes in you, in your country and in your future, bless you and comfort you.
This year's Zayed Award for Human Fraternity has been presented to Shamsa Abubakar Fadhil, a Kenyan community organiser and activist, and the Community of SantEgidio, a Catholic lay group.

By Joseph Tulloch

The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, now in its fourth year, was awarded by a panel of judges including politicians, Nobel Peace Laureates, and Catholic and Muslim religious leaders.

The winners

Shamsa Abubakar Fadhil, known as Mama Shamsa, is a Kenyan community mobiliser and peace-builder. She has run campaigns in Kenya and elsewhere in Africa to raise awareness of violence against women, and worked for the empowerment of women and young people.

A statement released on Tuesday by the Zayed Award committee said that she had been recognised for nurturing youth in Kenya and saving young people from lives of violence, crime, and extremism, by providing them with counselling, care, and training.

The Community of SantEgidio, meanwhile, is a lay Catholic association dedicated to humanitarian work.

The organisers said it was being recognised for its contribution to successful peace negotiations and conflict resolution through religious diplomacy and intercultural dialogue, the community services it provides in different parts of the world, and its Humanitarian Corridors initiative, which brings refugees from war-torn countries to Europe.

The prize

The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity has been awarded annually for the last four years in recognition of winners contributions to building a more peaceful and compassionate world through advancing the values of human fraternity and setting an inspiring example of promoting peaceful coexistence. It comes with one million dollars in prize-money.

The award was launched in 2019, to commemorate the historic meeting between Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Al-Tayyeb, during which they co-signed the Document on Human Fraternity.

At a press conference at Vatican News' headquarters earlier this month, Judge Abdelsalam, Secretary General of the Zayed prize, said that the award was proof that the Pope and the Grand Imam have managed to transform from the phase of looking for inter-religious dialogue to the actualisation of human and inter-faith dialogue between peoples on the ground.

The judges

One of the judges this year was Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization.

In reference to this years nominees, he said that instead of feeling I am part of those judging them, I feel the privilege of having seen their goodness  at one point I felt I was the one being judged!

Judge Abdelsalam added that By granting the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity to the Community of SantEgidio and Mama Shamsa, we hope to amplify their efforts and inspire other institutions and individuals around the world to play an active role in promoting the values of human fraternity.

Other members of the judging committee  including United Nations Under-Secretary-General Miguel Angel Moratinos, former Vice-President of Costa Rica Dr. Epsy Campbell Barr, and Nobel Peace Laureates Dr. Ouided Bouchamaoui and Kailash Satyarthi  also expressed their appreciation for this years winners.
A session of the plenary in which Peruvian lawmakers voted for early general elections.

Peruvian legislator recommend that elections be held in October of this year, but the move is unlikely to placate protestors.

By James Blears

Peru's Congress has recommended that elections be brought forward from 2026 to this coming October, in an attempt to quell ongoing protests.

Peruvian Legislators didn't approve of a proposal for a new President and a new Congress to be in place by January 1st next year.

Then there was a suggested compromise to move the elections up to this October. It was greeted with little enthusiasm. But embattled current President of Peru Dina Boluarte, who's under intense pressure to resign, warned them that if they didn't agree to this she would press for a total reform of the Constitution.

So, Congress has agreed to the amendment, by the bare minimum of sixty-six votes. It's still well short of the two thirds majority needed for final approval.

The crisis and the protests, which have killed more than fifty people and injured hundreds, began after then President Pedro Castillo attempted to dissolve Congress on December 7th.

It voted to impeach him, arrested him, and he's in prison facing charges of rebellion. Dina Boluarte, who was Vice President, was hurriedly voted into the top job.

But thousands of protesters are demanding her resignation and immediate elections. It's unlikely this latest attempt at a compromise will be enough to stem the unrest, which has reached the capital Lima, where one protester died in clashes over the weekend.
The communications minister for the DRC notes that millions of Congolese lined the streets to welcome the Pope, and praises his speech calling for peace.

By Joseph Tulloch

Patrick Muyaya Katembwe, Communications Minister for the Democratic Republic of Congo, has welcomed Pope Francis visit to the country in an interview with Vatican News.

He said the trip was historic and symbolic, and that the speech the Pope gave shortly after his arrival was exactly what the Congolese people were expecting".

DRC very happy to receive Pope

In a short message in English, Mr Katembwe said that the DRC was very happy to receive the Pope here.

In reference to the Pontiffs words on the subject of peace, delivered on the first day of his visit, he said that the speech he delivered yesterday was exactly what the Congolese people were expecting from him.

We hope that all those people he mentioned in his speech will work more to stop the war in DRC and to bring back security in the East especially, he added.

Popes remarks very clear

In further comments, made in French, Mr Katembwe called the Popes visit historic and symbolic, and noted that millions of Congolese lined the streets to welcome him.

Were very happy to have heard his speech yesterday, Mr Katembwe because he was very clear, and he said things in a very hard way, and we hope that those who listened to it, the ones who understood his message, will act for the return of peace to the DRC."
Gov. Mike Parson recently announced the Department of Economic Development (DED) had awarded a total of $261 million through the ARPA Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program to 60 recipients for projects that will expand and improve internet access statewide. Projects funded are expected to create more than 55,000 connections in locations that previously lacked adequate internet access, including parts of St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Washington, and Iron counties.

Were proud to announce the recipients of the Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program, which represents a major step forward in strengthening Missouris internet connectivity, Gov. Parson said last Monday. Our goal with American Rescue Plan Act funds is to make investments that have a lasting, positive impact for Missourians statewide. Today, we have accomplished that for broadband expansion, which is vital to supporting education, health care, business, and agriculture in todays economy.

The ARPA Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program, administered by DEDs Office of Broadband Development, was launched in August 2022 to invest in the expansion. The program awarded competitive grants to a wide range of applicants, including traditional internet providers and electric and telephone cooperatives. The program prioritized unserved and underserved areas. The money will be used to build new connections that will deliver symmetrical speeds of 100 Mbps upload and 100 Mbps download or greater.

One area company to receive grant funds is the internet service provider (ISP) Aptitude Internet LLC, serving St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve and Jefferson counties. The entity has been awarded a total of $13,902,206.53 for use in three projects.

Based in Farmington, Aptitude is expected to provide high-speed internet to more than 100 homes in the Winchester Hills and Buzzard Rock areas of south St. Francois County. A second project will offer the same service to more than 1,000 homes north of Farmington and south of St. Francois State Park, according to a news release issued Monday. The third will cover the area from south of De Soto to the northwest side of Lake Timberline.

The communications company noted many advantages should soon be available to the large group of residents for the first time. The potential south St. Francois County customers will have access to much higher internet speeds, allowing for new healthcare options and giving residents control in the form of new telehealth options for preventative care. This area will also see economic benefits, as well as an increase in property values, the company said.

The proposed projects is expected to also directly benefit students in the area, helping bolster their access to learning tools, online curriculum, and other advanced learning prospects.

Founder and CEO of Aptitude Internet Solutions, Cole Smith, mentioned the vast role that internet access has come to play in everyday life. Smith said bringing faster internet speeds to more people is precisely why he started the company.

Everyday, internet access is becoming increasingly vital, said Smith. So much of our communication, our shopping, paying bills, even learning, now takes place online. Without access to reliable internet, people in rural areasour families, our friends, people we grew up with are in danger of being left behind.

"Thats where we come in. Thats why I started Aptitude in the first place, and thats why were excited for the opportunity to provide internet to so many more homes and businesses across the state. This expansion is very much in our DNA.

Other area companies will receive grant funding to execute their plans to bring reliable, fast internet to local homes and businesses.

With service in Iron, Crawford, Washington, and Dent counties, Steelville Telephone Exchange Inc. is expected to receive $9,151,229.31 for two planned infrastructure projects.

Spectrum Mid-America LLC, by its manager, Charter Communications Inc., was awarded a total of $11,826,937 for completing three projects. The companys reach provides broadband for customers in Washington and Jefferson counties.

Missouri State Senator Elaine Gannon (R-DeSoto) mentioned the Broadband Infrastructure Grant in her Capitol Report this month.

Thanks to these grants, each county in the 3rd Senatorial District may enjoy improved connectivity and internet speed in the coming months, Sen. Gannon said.

Gannon represents Missouris District 3, comprised of St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Washington, Crawford counties, and part of Jefferson County.

Acting Director of the Department of Economic Development, Maggie Kost, described the broadband expansion as a critical priority and noted the impact that further-reaching broadband would have on economic development and the daily lives of area residents.

[This months] announcement is great news for Missouri businesses, communities, and families who need and deserve access to quality internet, said Kost. Broadband expansion is a critical priority, both for economic development and improving the lives of people across our state. Were grateful to partner with recipients of this grant program to bring more connections, and greater opportunities, to all Missourians.

B.J. Tanksley, director of the Office of Broadband Development, expressed appreciation for the efforts by many in making this months grant awards a reality.

Im incredibly proud of the hard work and careful consideration the Office of Broadband Development team contributed to the success of this grant program, said Tanksley. We truly believe these investments will be transformational for broadband expansion in Missouri. As we continue striving for a fully-connected future, we look forward to this programs results and appreciate the stakeholder support that helped make it possible.
Vietnams Key Economic Zones: Performance and Investments

Vietnam has four key economic regions (KER) in the north, south, central, and Mekong Delta areas. Each plays a pivotal role in Vietnams economic growth and development. Heres how they performed in 2022 in terms of trade and investment.

In 2022, Vietnam recorded over US$27 billion in foreign direct investment and over US$700 billion in imports and exports. This was a marked improvement on 2021 in which Vietnams economy suffered under the weight of prolonged pandemic related lockdowns.

The new investment and booming trade in 2022 went all over Vietnam but was mostly concentrated in Vietnams four KERs. Heres a breakdown of trade and investment in those regions last year.

Notably, the southern region retained its overall lead as an FDI magnet and trade powerhouse, followed by the northern. The remaining two regions didnt fare as well but still hold promise for investors looking for less mainstream areas to grow their operations.

Vietnams Northern Key Economic Region in 2022

The northern KER comprises seven cities and provinces, including Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Vinh Phuc, Bac Ninh, Hai Duong, and Hung Yen. This is a dynamic economic center and an important economic locomotive for the north.

Of the cities in the northern KER Hanoi contributed the most to the gross regional domestic product (GRDP), accounting for 47.22 percent. This was four times higher than Hai Phong. It also recorded a growth rate in the range of 9 to 13 percent.

In terms of import and export turnover, the Northern KER saw an increase of 7.84 percent compared to the year 2021. Notably, Bac Ninh recorded the highest trade turnover at US$83.4 billion, or 33.89 percent of the total for the region. Quang Ninh and Vinh Phuc also achieved year-on-year growth rates of 28.79 percent and 26.99 percent, respectively.

In terms of FDI, the northern KER attracted more than US$9.61 billion. With a growth rate of 18.1 percent, the regions newly registered capital investment totaled 37.43 percent of the whole country. The two provinces contributing the most to regional FDI were Quang Ninh and Bac Ninh, with 24.64 percent and 23.35 percent, respectively.

Hanoi accounted for more than half of the areas new projects but ranked fifth out of seven in terms of newly registered capital.

In 2022, Northern KER mainly attracted industrial projects but wants to attract high-tech, environmentally friendly projects in 2023. In fact, the northern KER is well known for electronics manufacturing with the bulk of both Apple and Samsungs operations located in the region.

Northern KER import and export turnover 2022 (US$ billion)

Provinces Import Export Total Increase (%) Contribution to KER (%) Hanoi 41.00 17.10 58.10 114.82 23.61 Hai Phong 21.40 24.90 46.30 104.99 18.81 Quang Ninh 4.40 4.10 8.50 128.79 3.45 Vinh Phuc 12.00 8.70 20.70 126.99 8.41 Bac Ninh 38.40 45.00 83.40 100.36 33.89 Hai Duong 8.30 10.40 18.70 106.86 7.60 Hung Yen 5.10 5.30 10.40 104.00 4.23 Total 130.60 115.50 246.10 107.84 100

Investments in Vietnams Northern Key Economic Region in 2022

Stavian Quang Yen Petrochemical

Stavian Quang Yen Petrochemicals has committed to investing US$1.5 billion in a polypropylene resin production project in Bac Tien Phong Industrial Park. It will have a scale of 600,000 tons of polypropylene per year.

Goertek Vina Science and Technology Company Limited (Goertek)

Goertek announced plans to develop a factory for manufacturing electronic equipment, network equipment and multimedia audio products in Que Vo Industrial Park, Bac Ninh province. The company has adjusted capital in the project from US$260 million to US$565 representing an additional US$305.7 million.

JD Future Explore V Limited

An e-commerce warehouse project being developed by JD Future Explore V Limited from Hong Kong in the Non-Tariff Zone and Nam Dinh Vu Industrial Park (Hai Phong City) will attract an estimated US$32 million of investment.

Vietnams Southern Key Economic Region in 2022

The southern KER includes eight provinces and cities: Ho Chi Minh, Binh Duong, Ba Ria- Vung Tau, Dong Nai, Tay Ninh, Binh Phuoc, Long An, Tien Giang. It is home to a large number of industrial parks, supermarkets, and commercial centers of many major retail groups.

Ho Chi Minh contributes 15.5 percent of Vietnams GDP and 46 percent of the southern KERs GRDP, which is three times higher than Binh Duong, the second-largest province in the region. In 2022, all eight provinces had growth rates ranging from 7 to 9 percent.

In terms of import and export turnover, the region recorded growth of 5.7 percent, of which Ho Chi Minh continued to lead with US$110.3 billion, contributing 41.47 percent to the region. Tien Giang and Tay Ninh also showed strong year-on-year growth of 42 percent and 23.6 percent, respectively.

As for FDI, Ho Chi Minh is still at the top of the whole region as well as nationwide. The city contributed 34.92 percent to regional FDI. In terms of capital, Ho Chi Minh accounted for 13.5 percent, 52.9 percent and 45.6 percent of the regional FDI inflow in new projects, capital increase, and capital contribution and share purchases, respectively.

Some other provinces that also recorded strong growth are Ba Ria  Vung Tau and Dong Nai.

Vietnams southern KER is also known for its manufacturing prowess with the bulk of both Nike and Adidas operations in Vietnam located in the region.

See also: Where Adidas Footwear and Apparel is Made in Vietnam

Southern KER import and export turnover 2022 (US$ billion)

Provinces Import Export Total Increase (%) Contribution to KER (%) Ho Chi Minh 62.80 47.50 110.30 105.05 41.47 Binh Duong 24.80 34.30 59.10 101.55 22.22 Ba Ria  Vung Tau 7.40 6.10 13.50 95.07 5.08 Dong Nai 18.90 24.60 43.50 107.67 16.35 Tay Ninh 6.27 7.60 13.87 123.62 5.21 Binh Phuoc 2.24 4.10 6.34 99.69 2.38 Long An 5.20 7.00 12.20 109.91 4.59 Tien Giang 2.50 4.67 7.17 141.98 2.70 Total 130.11 135.87 265.98 105.74 100

Investments in Vietnams Southern Key Economic Region in 2022

Lego

A new Lego factory in Binh Duong will utilize an investment of US$1 billion. This is the largest investment project by the Danish enterprise in Vietnam. It is expected to create 4,000 jobs when it becomes operational in 2024.

LOUVRE

LOUVREs high-class fabric production project in Thanh Thanh Cong industrial is being funded by the Libra International Investment Company from Singapore to the tune of US$210.

Coca-Cola Vietnam

Coca-Cola Vietnam factory project in Long An with an investment of 136 million USD. In a total area of 19 ha, the factory in Long An is expected to come into operation with a maximum capacity of 1 billion liters of product per year.

Pandora Group

Pandora Group, the worlds largest jewelry brand, in partnership with Vietnam  Singapore Industrial Park Limited Company (VSIP 3), intends to build a jewelry manufacturing facility in Binh Duong for around US$100 million.

Vietnams Central Key Economic Region in 2022

The central KER includes five provinces and cities: Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, and Da Nang. This is the third-largest economic region in Vietnam. This region has a vast seaport, which offers great potential for shipping and tourism.

The contribution of all five provinces to the GRDP is relatively even with an average of 20 percent. Da Nang is currently leading with a growth rate of more than 14 percent.

The central KER showed a growth rate of 17.1 percent in import and export turnover over the previous year. Particularly, Quang Nam which reached US$7.4 billion making it the regional leader, accounting for 35.6 percent of the regions total trade turnover.

As for FDI, Central KER received US$531, or 2 percent of Vietnam. With a 47.7 percent share of the total registered investment capital, Thua Thien Hue now leads the region. However, in terms of the total number of newly registered projects, Da Nang accounted for 47 of a total of 64 projects.

Central KER import and export turnover 2022 (US$ billion)

Provinces Import Export Total Increase (%) Contribution to KER (%) Thua Thien Hue 0.79 1.40 2.19 107.353 10.53 Quang Nam 3.27 2.14 5.41 138.718 26.01 Quang Ngai 4.90 2.50 7.40 109.467 35.58 Binh Dinh 0.50 1.70 2.20 112.245 10.58 Da Nang 1.50 2.10 3.60 116.505 17.31 Total 10.96 9.84 20.80 117.183 100

Investments in Vietnams Central Key Economic Region in 2022

KURZ Group

KURZ Group from Germany is set to establish a high-tech emulsification and thin film factory project in VSIP Binh Dinh Industrial Park. Its total investment will be some US$40 million.

Vietnams Mekong Delta Key Economic Region in 2022

The Mekong Delta region includes four provinces, namely Can Tho, An Giang, Kien Giang and Ca Mau. Located at the pole of the country and bordering the East Sea, the Mekong Delta is in an important geo-economic position.

All four provinces in the Mekong Delta have fairly equal contributions to GRDP, and growth rates range from 8 to 11 percent.

In terms of import and export turnover, the Mekong Delta KER accounts for 0.9 percent of the national total, of which Can Tho contributes the most. That said, An Giang and Ca Mau have shown momentous growth of 29.4 percent and 27.8 percent, respectively.

Can Tho, which is considered the center of the Mekong Delta, attracted US$185.96 million accounting for 86.3 percent of the total regional FDI inflow.

Mekong Delta KER import and export turnover 2022 (US$ billion)

Provinces Import Export Total Increase (%) Contribution to KER (%) Can Tho 0.57 1.71 2.28 38.00 35.24 An Giang 0.67 1.00 1.67 129.46 25.81 Kien Giang 0.16 0.80 0.96 106.67 14.84 Ca Mau 0.25 1.31 1.56 127.87 24.11 Total 1.65 4.82 6.47 68.76 100

Investments in Vietnams Mekong Delta Key Economic Region in 2022

VSIP Can Tho

The VSIP Can Tho project will utilize US$160 million. This project will enhance the infrastructure of Vinh Thanh Industrial Park  Phase 1 (VSIP Can Tho Industrial Park) for Vietnam  Singapore Industrial Park Limited Company (VSIP JV).

Sphere Denmark

Sphere Denmark is establishing a project to produce outdoor sportswear in An Giang. The total investment will be US$17 million.

Vietnams Key Economic Regions in 2023

Last year was a challenging year for attracting foreign investment due to the carry over effects of COVID-19 and the implications of political conflicts in the world. However, Vietnams KERs have demonstrated their significance to the economy. These areas are focusing on improving the business environment and quality of their facilities to attract international investors, especially those with cutting-edge and environmentally friendly projects.

See also: Vietnam FDI Tracker
The nomination of the U.S. special envoy for human rights in North Korea, along with new legislation, has revived hopes for Korean Americans who want to see family in North Korea whom they have not seen since their separation during the Korean War.

President Joe Biden nominated Julie Turner, a long-time State Department official, as the U.S. special envoy for human rights in North Korea on January 23. The position has been vacant for the past six years.



The Divided Families Reunification Act authorizes the special envoy to consult regularly with Korean Americans to make efforts to reunite them with their families in North Korea.

The Reunification Act was included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023, which Biden signed into law on December 23. The envoy is to create potential opportunities for reunions including video meetings.

This bill is our last hope because most of the divided family members are in their late 80s and 90s, and probably this is our last chance for the reunion, said Chahee Lee Stanfield, executive director of the National Coalition for the Divided Families (DFUSA).

Stanfield, 82, has not seen her father and brother in North Korea for more than 70 years. She began a grassroots effort in America in the mid-1990s to help Korean families living in the U.S. reunite with loved ones in North Korea.

Every day counts for us, and we are hoping that the special envoy will prioritize our issue and seek the reunion process including the video reunion as soon as possible, Stanfield said.

No travel after war

The Korean War, which began in June 1950, separated more than 10 million individuals from their families. The fighting ended in July 1953 with the signing of the Armistice Agreement ordering a temporary cease-fire and the division of the peninsula between North and South Korea.

Since their separation, families divided by the 38th parallel have been unable to travel to see each other due to the differences between the democratic Republic of Korea (ROK), as South Korea is known, and socialist North Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

From 1985 to 2018, the governments of the North and South authorized 21 family reunion programs. These allowed more than 24,500 divided families in both countries to meet either in person in Seoul, Pyongyang and Mount Kumgang or virtually.

However people like Stanfield, who moved from South Korea to America and became U.S. citizens, were unable to participate in the programs because diplomatic ties between Washington and Pyongyang do not exist.

There are more than 1.7 million people of Korean descent living in the U.S. As many as 10,000 Korean Americans were separated from their families in North Korea during the war, according to Wonseok Song, executive director of Korean American Grassroots Conference (KAGC).

Unfortunately, there is no reported information of the exact number of divided families residing in the United States, Song said. There are no mechanisms in the United States that formally track these families, and no terms that clearly define who may be considered family either.

California Republican Representative Young Kim, who cosponsored the bipartisan Reunification Act, is pushing for a system of identifying Korean Americans divided from their families in North Korea.

I want the special envoy  to identify the Korean Americans, some 10,000 of those still living in the United States, to coordinate better with our U.S. State Department and the South Korean government to include them in the next round of family reunification, said Kim during an interview with the VOA Korean Service this week.

The number is shrinking yearly due to deaths among the aging population who have now waited much of their lives to see their families in North Korea. About 3,000 elderly South Koreans with family ties to North Korea die each year, according to the Reunification Act.

A lifetime of hoping

Even though inter-Korean family reunion programs were temporary and held under strict surveillance by North Korean officials, Korean Americans have long hoped that similar programs would unite them with their families in the North.

Some, like Song Yoonchae, a white-haired 90-year-old in Los Angeles, thought he would return home when he boarded the SS Meredith Victory. He thought he was taking a brief voyage to escape the ravages of the war.

He recalled leaving behind his sister and two brothers to board the U.S. merchant freighter turned rescue vessel docked at the port of Hungnam in North Korea in December 1950.

My family and I were told we just need to stay on the ship for three days, said Song, who was 17 years old at the time, in The Three Days Is a Lifetime, a documentary produced by the VOA Korean Service. It captures the wrenching stories of Korean Americans yearning to meet their families in the North.

The ship carried tens of thousands of densely packed refugees to Port Jangseungpo on Geoje Island off the southern tip of South Korea. The rescue operation became known as the Miracle of Christmas as the ship unloaded the refugees on Christmas Eve.

Displaced by the war, Yoonchae began a new life in the South before moving to the U.S.

I consider the issue of bringing divided Korean American families together to be a human rights issue, said Robert King, who served as the U.S. special envoy for North Koreas human rights under the Obama administration. He was the last person to serve in the position.

The first step will be to get North Korea to talk with the United States, King continued.

An opening for dialog

Dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang has remained stalled since October 2019. Even though the Biden administration said efforts were made to engage in talks, North Korea has refused.

Evans Revere, a former State Department official with extensive experience negotiating with North Korea, said, In the absence of any dialogue with North Korea, with tensions rising on the Korean Peninsula because of Pyongyangs pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and with U.S.-DPRK and ROK-DPRK relations in a bad state, it is hard to imagine that there is any real prospect for progress in this important area.

Revere continued, Nevertheless, the existence of this legislation keeps open a potential area for U.S.-ROK-DPRK dialogue and cooperation if and when circumstances allow in the future.

North Korea launched more than 90 ballistic and cruise missiles last year while dismissing any prospects for talks with the U.S.

Wonseok Song of the KAGC said, While tensions do remain unfavorable between the two countries of the U.S. and North Korea, we at KAGC are hopeful that talks focusing on reunions will open. He added, The issue is dire to an aging population eager to make peace with their estranged loved ones.

Joeun Lee contributed to this report.
Australia Tuesday announced more sanctions against Myanmar and Iran. Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said repression and violence forced the government to act.

Australia joins the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom in imposing new sanctions on Myanmar. Analysts say the measures add to the pressure on Myanmars military authorities two years after it overthrew the civilian government effectively led by Aung San Suu Kyi, who has since been jailed.

Australia will target several members of Myanmars governing State Administration Council and two army-run corporations.

Speaking to reporters in London Tuesday, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said the measures were a response to the crushing of dissent in Myanmar.

After careful deliberation and consultation, Australia is imposing additional autonomous sanctions on those directly responsible for the military coup and ongoing repression and violence. This included targeted financial sanctions and travel bans on 16 individuals who are key figures in the military regime and targeted financial sanctions on two military-controlled entities, she said.



Canberra has also imposed sanctions on 16 Iranian law enforcement, political and military officials. Australia has also followed other Western countries in launching targeted financial penalties against four Iranian individuals and four companies that make or sell drones to Russia, which are believed to have been used against Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure.

The European Union and Britain are reportedly considering whether to declare Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the organization that enforces the governments policies, to be an extremist organization.

Wong said the Myanmar sanctions would stay in place until Canberra sees improvements for people on the ground and moves towards the restoration of democracy.
Australias foreign affairs minister is warning that all countries must maintain efforts to prevent a war in the Indo-Pacific. Speaking on an official visit to Britain, Penny Wong said the region is becoming more dangerous and volatile.

Australian officials say they want to reduce tensions in the Indo-Pacific region and promote peace.

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong Tuesday called on China and the United States to set broad limits on their strategic ambitions to prevent conflict.

Taiwan remains a potential flashpoint. Beijing claims ownership over the island. Last year, Beijing launched targeted military operations near Taiwan. Australia urged restraint and has warned that Chinas actions could lead to accidental conflict.

Speaking to reporters in London, Wong said peace in the region is a priority.

As a region, we know the sharp edge of strategic competition. We have experienced our situation becoming more dangerous and more volatile. We must always remember that if conflict were to break out in the Indo-Pacific it would be catastrophic, she said.

There has been no reaction, so far, from Beijing.



Analysts say Chinas territorial claims in the South China Sea and its trade and military ambitions in the South Pacific have also stoked tensions with its regional neighbors, including Australia.

There are signs that years of diplomatic friction between Beijing and Canberra are easing after high-level meetings in recent months but there remain areas of uncertainty.

In 2022, China signed a security accord with Solomon Islands, a strategically located, mostly Melanesian, chain of islands northeast of Australia.

A visiting American general has warned the U.S. and its allies, including Australia, would need to use everything in the cupboard to avoid a conflict over Taiwan.

U.S. Marine Corps Commandant General David Berger has held talks with senior military officials in Canberra.



Berger said the United States and its allies need to constantly innovate to deter China. He added that Washingtons strategy was underpinned by deterrence to prevent a conflict.

Australias military alliance with the United States dates back to the early 1950s.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles and Wong are in Europe for talks with key allies. An official visit to France has been followed by ministerial talks in Britain.
Pope Francis on Wednesday urged Congo's people to forgive those who have harmed them as he presided over a Mass before an estimated 1 million people who flocked to his first main event in Africa dedicated to peace and reconciliation for a country wracked by decades of violence.

Many of the Congolese faithful spent the night before the Mass on the vast airfields of Kinshasas Ndolo airport and passed the hours before Francis arrival singing, dancing and getting jazzed up for the first papal visit since St. John Paul IIs last trip in 1985.

They cheered wildly when Francis began a languid loop around the airfields in his open-sided popemobile, some of them running alongside or waving flags. Many of the women wore dresses and skirts made of pagne, a wax print fabric featuring images of Francis or other religious symbols.

Today I understand the enthusiasm of my grandmother when Pope John Paul II came, said Julie Mbuyi, a 45-year-old mother of two who was wearing a Francis-themed outfit. She was so excited to see him and the night before she couldnt close her eyes!

The crowd cheered again when the Argentine pope greeted them in Lingala, one of four national languages of Congo that is widely spoken in the capital, Kinshasa. And they listened attentively as he urged them in his homily to open their hearts to forgiveness, citing the example of Christ who forgave those who betrayed him.

He showed them his wounds, because forgiveness is born from wounds, Francis said. It is born when our wounds do not leave scars of hatred, but become the means by which we make room for others and accept their weaknesses. Our weakness becomes an opportunity, and forgiveness becomes the path to peace.

Referring to the decades of violence especially in Congo's east that has forced millions to flee their homes, Francis stressed that forgiving doesnt mean pretending that nothing bad has happened. But he said the act of forgiveness creates an amnesty of the heart.

What great good it does us to cleanse our hearts of anger and remorse, of every trace of resentment and hostility! he said.

The morning Mass was Francis first big event in Congo after he arrived on Tuesday and, in his opening speech to government authorities, condemned the centuries-long plundering of Africas mineral and natural wealth by foreign powers.

Later Tuesday, Francis was to meet with victims of the fighting in Congos east, where rebel groups have intensified attacks over the past year as they seek to expand their territory. The meeting was to feature testimonies of people who have suffered unspeakable atrocities.

Francis had originally planned to visit the North Kivu provincial capital, Goma, but had to cancel the stop due to the fighting that has forced some 5.7 million people to flee their homes, exacerbating a humanitarian crisis in Congo where already some 26.4 million people were facing hunger, according to the World Food Program.

When we heard that Pope Francis was no longer coming to our province of North Kivu, my husband and I decided to come all the way to Kinshasa to see and hear him, said Jeanne Kahota as she waited for Francis Mass to begin. She said she was old enough to remember John Pauls visit but wasnt able to follow it closely.

Thats why we said to ourselves that this kind of appointment doesnt happen every day, its exceptional and we didnt want to miss it again.

Roughly half of Congo's 105 million people are Catholic, according to Vatican statistics.

Fighting in eastern Congo, which has more than 120 armed groups, has simmered for years but spiked in late 2021 with the resurgence of the M23 group, which had been largely dormant for nearly a decade. The rebels have captured swaths of land and are accused by the United Nations and rights groups of committing atrocities against civilians.

Francis on Tuesday condemned the fighting and was to repeat his call for peace during his meeting with victims of the conflict. The appointment was to include a joint call for the victims to pardon their assailants, according to Vatican organizers.

The Vatican estimated that 1 million people were on hand for Francis' Mass, citing local organizers. The airport fields had a capacity of 1.5 million people and were not full by the time Francis' Mass began.

Among the faithful was Clement Londe, who travelled from Kisantu, a town in the province of Central Kongo, more than 150 kilometers from Kinshasa. He planned to participate in all of Francis events.

To my children and to the children who stayed in my city, I will bring them the message of the Holy Father, the message of peace and reconciliation," he said.
Beijing has reached "temporary herd immunity" and its COVID-19 outbreak is nearing an end, a city health official said Tuesday, in another sign China's virus wave is waning.



A torrent of cases has cascaded through the world's most populous nation since the ruling Communist Party abruptly ended its zero-COVID policy last month.

The surge packed hospitals and crematoriums in major cities including Beijing, though the scale of the outbreak is hard to verify given that official data is believed to represent a tiny fraction of the true number of cases



But there have been indications that the surge has started to tail off, with authorities saying last week that the number of daily Covid deaths nationwide had fallen by nearly 80% since the start of January.



Wang Quanyi, deputy director of Beijing's Center for Disease Control and Prevention, told local media on Tuesday that the city of 22 million had "established temporary herd immunity protection."



"This wave of infections in Beijing has already peaked and is now coming to an end," the Beijing News quoted Wang as saying.



The capital was "currently in a state of sporadic infections" with the virus exhibiting "relatively low risk of transmission," Wang said.



The number of people seeking treatment for flu-like diseases at major Beijing hospitals fell by more than 40% between January 23 and 29 compared with the previous week, the newspaper reported, citing official data.



A nationwide decline in the number of infections suggested that the end of the Lunar New Year holiday would "not have too much of an impact" as people returned to Beijing from other parts of the country, Wang said.



He added that the city would survey thousands of residents in February and March to establish how many had antibodies against COVID in their blood plasma.



The survey will "comprehensively assess Beijing's state of coronavirus infection" and "provide a reference for optimizing resource allocation in the future," Wang said.
Freddy Versluys does not like to be called an arms dealer. But he does have a big warehouse full of second-hand tanks for sale.

Standing next to dozens of German-made Leopard 1 tanks and other military vehicles in the chilly warehouse in eastern Belgium, Versluys stressed he is the CEO of two defense companies with a broad range of activities, such as making sensors for spacecraft.

But buying and selling weapons is part of his business, too. And it's the tanks that have brought him into the spotlight over the past few days, as he has engaged in a public battle with Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder over the possibility of sending them to Ukraine.

While other Western nations have pledged in recent weeks to send main battle tanks to help Ukraine repel Russia's invasion, Belgium has not joined that group, for one reason above all: It doesn't have any tanks left. It sold the last of them  a batch of 50  to Versluys's company more than five years ago.

Asked why he bought the tanks, Versluys, a silver-haired man in his mid-60s, said that was his company's business model  it bought unwanted military equipment in the hope that someone else would want it in future.

"There are still countries in the world who have these Leopard 1 tanks. So there's always a possibility either to sell spare parts or to sell additional tanks," he said.

"Of course, it's a gamble," he added. "Maybe tomorrow we will have to scrap them [or] 10 years later they can still be there."

Dedonder has said the government has explored the idea of buying back tanks to send to Ukraine. But she has blasted the prices quoted as unreasonable and extremely high. Tanks sold for 10-15,000 euros each are being offered for sale at 500,000 euros, despite not being operational, she has said.

The spat highlights a predicament faced by Western governments as they scramble to find more weapons for Ukraine after almost a year of intense warfare; arms they discarded as obsolete are now in high demand, and many are now in the hands of private companies.

Dedonder hasn't named Versluys's company, OIP Land Systems, in her accusations. But Versluys is sure he is her target. Dedonder declined a request for an interview.

Versluys has taken the unusual step of going public to dispute the minister's assertions, offering a rare insight into the workings of a business that often prefers to keep a low profile.

Versluys said his firm bought the 50 tanks for about 2 million euros and only 33 were useable. That would mean a unit price of 40,000 euros for 50 tanks, or some 60,600 euros for 33.

He said his selling price could range anywhere from several hundred thousand to close to a million euros but that would include work to refit the tanks, which he insisted could be highly expensive.

Replacing the system that controls the gunfire could cost 350,000 euros per tank, replacing asbestos in the engine could cost 75,000 euros, he said. Each tank had to be assessed individually.

"We still have to look at what is their actual status and what we have to spend on them to make them suitable," he said.

As part of his public offensive, Versluys has given journalists tours of his warehouse on the outskirts of the provincial town of Tournai. It resembles a military hypermarket, filled with lines of Leopard 1 tanks in dusty green and black camouflage and scores of other military vehicles, along with shelves stacked with spare parts and piles of webbing.

In his sales pitch, Versluys also emphasizes that refitted Leopard 1 tanks could be battlefield-ready in months, much more quickly than new models ordered today, which will take years to produce.

The Leopard 1 is the predecessor of the Leopard 2 tanks that Germany, Poland, Finland and other countries agreed last month to send to Ukraine. It is lighter than the Leopard 2 and has a different type of main gun. The models in Versluys's warehouse were last upgraded in the 1990s.

Yohann Michel, an analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank, said Leopard 1 tanks would not be as valuable on the battlefield as their successors.

But, he said, they could still be of some use in taking on older Russian tanks and in supporting infantry units, particularly if they were refitted to a high standard.

If Belgium does not buy back the tanks, another country could purchase them for Kyiv. Versluys said he had held discussions with several European governments about that option.

However, any export of Leopard 1s would require the approval from the Belgian region of Wallonia, where the company is based, and from Berlin, as the tanks were made by German firm KMW.

Versluys, who worked as an engineer in the Belgian military before going into business, is a smooth salesman.

While he does not like the "arms dealer" label, he said the weapons business is better than its reputation: "Contrary to what people say, it's quite a civilized market."
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up his visit to the Middle East on Tuesday with a visit to the occupied Palestinian territories. In a rare U.S. public criticism of Israel, Blinken told reporters afterward that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are an obstacle to peace. VOA's Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.
Editor's note: This story, originally published Feb. 1, is being reissued to clarify the characteristics of a potential funding arrangement between China and Cambodia for a railway in Cambodia.

PHNOM PENH  Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen is expected to visit Beijing this week seeking to finance a $4 billion high-speed railway line that will connect Cambodias capital with the economic hub on the Thai border.

The deal would be the latest symbol of the ironclad friendship between the two countries that has observers worried that Cambodias growing dependence on Chinese largesse could lead to a debt trap with long-term economic and geopolitical consequences.

I hope that my upcoming visit [to China] will produce more new projects which we will have to depend on friend China to develop Cambodia, including the high-speed railroad, Hun Sen said on January 14 in an annual meeting with journalists.

The prime ministers trip is slated to begin on Thursday.

After an earlier version of this article characterized the potential financing for the railway line as a loan, the government clarified Monday that it is seeking a build-operate-transfer (BOT) deal in which the debt would be repaid through revenue generated by the project. The government termed this financing as an investment.

A spokesperson for the Cambodian Foreign Affairs Ministry on Monday criticized VOAs original story, accusing VOA of being unprofessional and of misleading the public with political intent.

The [VOA] report was that the prime ministers visit, planned for next week, [Feb. 9] to China was aimed at looking into loans for the construction of a high-speed train project, said the spokesperson, An Sokkhoeun. This news is in contrast with the truth. The truth is that the project is not supported by any loans. The project will pay the way with investments in the form of BOT (build-operate-transfer).

The spokesperson termed VOAs reporting as dirty politics in regard to Cambodia-China relations.

The 382-kilometer rail line, with the speed of 160 kilometers per hour, has been studied by the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), according to the announcement of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport on January 23. The route runs from Phnom Penh to the Poipet area in the west.

It is envisioned to provide an economic boost to Cambodia, whose foreign debt now stands at almost $10 billion, 41% of which is owed to China, according to a Khmer document, Public Debt Statistical Bulletin, released by Cambodias Ministry of Economy and Finance in December last year.

However, it has become the latest flashpoint in the debate over whether Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) could ultimately trap countries in Beijings orbit, particularly if the economic returns dont materialize as predicted.

Continued dependence on any one nation is risky. You dont want to put all your eggs in one basket. Cambodia has been and continues to do this. Owing China nearly 50% of your public debt is not good, Ear Sophal, a scholar of Cambodias politics and development at Arizona State University's Thunderbird School of Global Management, told VOA Khmer.

It is absolutely too much and he [Hun Sen] is tying his political future to China. He has been for years and will continue full steam ahead, he added.

US warning

The United States government, locked in a global rivalry with China, has warned countries against taking on large debts under Chinas BRI infrastructure strategy.

Washington says the BRI initiative is a debt trap and can lead to countries losing control over vital infrastructure put up as collateral, pointing to Sri Lanka, which was trapped when Beijing gained control over its main port as debt repayment.

Hun Sens government argues that its borrowing remains under control. The Ministry of Economy and Finance said, according to last years Public Debt Statistical Bulletin, that Cambodias current foreign debt load of $9.47 billion (around 35% of a GDP of $27 billion) can safely increase to around $12.62 billion in 2023.

A report released by the Kiel Institute in Germany in 2019 estimated that Cambodia was the sixth-most-indebted country as a share of GDP among 50 recipients of Chinese government loans and private debt.

Cambodia and other Asian countries, like Laos and the Kyrgyz Republic were highly exposed, small economies that are in geographic proximity to China, researchers said.

By April 2019, 31 highways and eight bridges in Cambodia, totaling 3,000 kilometers in length, were Chinese-built and funded, according to a statement issued by the Chinese Embassy in Phnom Penh, which did not detail the total debt accrued for the projects.

One project  a toll road recently opened to traffic  cost a staggering $1.9 billion in loans financed by Chinese government which hired the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) to construct with a BOT (Build Operate Transfer) contract.

Sihanoukville has become a symbol of the risks and rewards of Chinese investment. While development and construction has skyrocketed, so, too, has crime and casinos.

One project  a toll road recently opened to traffic  cost $1.9 billion in financing from the Chinese government, which hired the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) to construct with a BOT (Build Operate Transfer) contract.

A double-edged sword

Downturns in Chinas economy have also stalled many projects in the coastal city, while dozens of families forced out of their homes to make way for the projects have protested to demand better compensation.

Academics Jing Jing Luo and Kheang Un wrote last year in Contemporary Southeast Asia that Chinas investment and aid were a double-edged sword for the Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP).

Chinas engagement can both strengthen and undermine the CPPs legitimacy: while it fuels economic growth, some Chinese investments have negative socio-economic repercussions on the Cambodian public and, thus, adversely affects the CPPs legitimacy, they wrote.

But if Hun Sen is concerned about the tightening financial ties with China, he isnt showing it.

In the past decade, dozens of large-scale infrastructure projects were built across rural Cambodia with Chinese loans and investment, while massive Chinese investment flowed into real estate in urban and coastal areas.

Earlier in January, Hun Sen said he also plans to sign a deal during his upcoming trip on a Phnom Penh-Bavet Expressway, with an estimated price tag of $1.63 billion.

And while both China and Cambodia have rejected suggestions of diplomatic quid pro quo, Hun Sen has been a reliable supporter of Chinas interests on the global stage, amid rising tensions over the South China Sea and Taiwan in the region.

In August last year, during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Phnom Penh, Hun Sen stressed that Cambodia is firmly committed to the one-China principle and holds that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory.

Cambodia resolutely opposes any words and deeds that infringe on China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and will continue to firmly support China in safeguarding its core interests, and stand firm together with the 1.4 billion Chinese people, read a release from the Chinese government.

Wang Yi said the cooperation between China and Cambodia has kept burgeoning and borne fruitful results, showing broad prospects for development.

The Chinese Embassy in Phnom Penh did not respond to an emailed request for comment for this story.

A call for transparency

Em Sovannara, a professor of political science at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said that the Cambodian government should be transparent about its debts and make sure the loans truly serve Cambodian peoples needs.

The Cambodian government, he suggested, should consider getting loans from other countries to balance out its foreign debts.

I want to see balanced loans taken from other countries like South Korea and Japan and other Western countries to China, he said.

CPP spokesman Sok Eysan said the Hun Sen government has clear principle in borrowing from other countries.

[Critics] say it is much, but it is now just 36% of Cambodias GDP, which the Cambodian government can control international debt and we have the ability to pay the debt. Nothing should cause worry, he said.

Hun Sen has praised Chinas no-strings-attached diplomacy as relations with the West have deteriorated over his crackdown on dissent and the accompanying legal assault on the political opposition.

Han Noy in Phnom Penh contributed to this report.
For more than a decade, Afghanistan was continuously ranked among the 10 most corrupt governments. But this year, the country has left its disreputable position, and the Taliban claim credit for it.

On Tuesday, Transparency International, a Berlin-based nongovernment corruption watchdog, released its latest annual corruption perception index, ranking Denmark as the least corrupt state in the world and Somalia 180th as the most corrupt.

Taliban-ruled Afghanistan is ranked 150th, a remarkable status upgrade from its 174th ranking in 2021. In 2011, at the height of U.S. military and developmental engagement in Afghanistan, the country was ranked 180th, next to North Korea and Somalia.

The improved ranking is surprising for a regime that has been widely condemned as deeply authoritarian and misogynistic because of its mistreatment of women and the press. But it does not give full credit to the Taliban for tackling Afghanistans chronic corruption ills.

Although there are multiple anecdotes of the demand for bribes being reduced and the Taliban consolidating their revenue collection, we do not have enough verified evidence of a systemic reduction in corruption in the country, Samantha Nurick, Transparency Internationals communication manager, told VOA.

The score change is not statistically significant and should not be interpreted as an improvement of the situation on the ground, she said, adding that gathering reliable information from inside Afghanistan was extremely challenging.

Since seizing power in August 2021, the Taliban have reportedly reduced bribery and extortion at least in some public services.

The Taliban have demonstrated the ability to greatly reduce corruption in Customs and at road checkpoints, William Byrd, a senior researcher at the U.S. Institute of Peace, told VOA.

Tackling corruption has provided financial lifelines for an isolated Taliban regime that faces crippling international economic and banking sanctions.

Last week, the World Bank released an upbeat assessment of the Taliban-run Afghan economy, saying exports were high, currency exchange was stable and revenue collection was strong in the first three quarters of 2022.

The Taliban say revenues from their robust tax collections reached $1.7 billion in the last 10 months, but they have not explained how and where they spend the meager national resources.

Shutting secondary schools and universities for girls and women, the Taliban have opened and financed thousands of new religious seminaries across Afghanistan only for boys and young men.

Last year, the Talibans acting defense minister said the regime was planning to build a 110,000-strong army.

Aid-driven corruption

For two decades, the Taliban fought the former U.S.-backed Afghan government, calling it inherently corrupt and inefficient.

The United States spent $146 billion to rebuild Afghanistan, including the countrys anti-corruption agencies, before the Taliban returned to power, according to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), a U.S. government entity that has investigated, reported and prosecuted numerous corruption cases involving Afghan and American contractors.

The United States failed to recognize the magnitude of corruption early on, empowered warlords and other corrupt actors and poured too much money into the country at a rate that it could not be absorbed, Shelby Cusick, a SIGAR spokesperson, told VOA in written replies.

Endemic corruption diminished public support for the former Afghan government, weakened its position in peace talks with the Taliban and culminated in its ignominious fall in August 2021.

Western donors have stopped development assistance to Afghanistan but have continued giving humanitarian aid to needy Afghans while bypassing Taliban institutions.

While corruption still permeates different layers of the public sector in Afghanistan and most citizens resort to bribery to receive basic services such as getting a passport, senior Taliban leaders show a will in tackling corruption.

Talibans current supreme leader  and those close to him  are more predisposed to emphasize on combating corruption, both moral and material, as he rarely dwells on worldly pleasures, said Malaiz Daud, a research fellow at the Barcelona Center for International Affairs.

The movement, undoubtedly though, has a serious corruption problem at the very highest level, he said.

The Taliban have called bribery in the public sector a criminal act, but other forms of corruption such as diversion of public funds, nepotistic appointments in public positions, access to information on government activities and the abuse of official powers remain prevalent across the country.
It was nearly a month ago when an anonymous user on the Charlottesville subreddit sounded the alarm. They said something that many people thought they would never hear again: Spudnuts are back!

Fans of the fried, glazed, potato-based doughnuts rejoiced. But those who have been praying for the return of the original Charlottesville Spudnut Shop might be disappointed.

The Belmont institution that sat on Avon Street for nearly 50 years before closing at the end of 2016 has not reopened.

Instead, two new businesses have stepped in to fill the hole.

The Bradbury Cafe on the Downtown Mall and Doshiers Donuts, a food truck that makes rounds throughout Central Virginia, are now both advertising their own Spudnuts.

Neither has any connection to the former franchise.

And both have claimed their products are a reproduction of the original and not the same. But that may not matter, legally speaking. Spudnuts have been a trademark of a company called Johnny Os Holdings LLC for years, according to legal documents.

Johnny Os, which has locations in Utah and New Mexico, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Daily Progress on Tuesday.

I am in no way trying to replace or recreate the original Spudnuts, Jason Mckown, pastry chef at the Bradbury, told The Daily Progress.

The Bradbury has partnered with locally based Harvest Moon Catering to make its Spudnuts, he said.

Our [spudnut] is a potato doughnut that I make from fresh Yukon gold mashed potatoes, Mckown said. The difference with our Spudnut and the Spudnut franchise was that they would get a mix to use.  They dont make that anymore.

Food truck operators Shawn and Kelly Doshier are both Charlottesville natives who met while working at another Charlottesville staple: Bodos Bagels. Shawn Doshier, who worked at Bodos for more than 11 years, said the Spudnut Shop inspired him and his wife to start their own food business. But no two recipes are alike, he said.

Everything we [make] is a potato flour doughnut, they have all-purpose flour in them as well, Shawn Doshier told The Daily Progress. Its a very similar recipe to Spudnuts. There are some differences, of course, because its no fun taking somebody elses product. This is something that took a while to actually bring together while finishing the recipe.

Mckown said he began perfecting his Spudnut recipe at the Bradbury about a month ago. Since then, the doughnuts have garnered an explosion of interest from the Charlottesville community, he said.

It comes as little surprise.

When the Spudnut Shop in Charlottesville closed roughly six years ago, it was not because business had dropped off. The store was doing well, owners Lori and Mike Fitzgerald said at the time.

Once part of a roughly 300-strong national chain, the Charlottesville franchise was one of the last Spudnuts in operation on the East Coast when it closed. Lori Fitzgerald inherited the business from her father Richard Wingfield, who had opened the shop in 1969 with his wife Fay.

Lori Fitzgerald told news outlets in 2016, when she and her husband decided to close the shop, that business was still healthy.

Sometimes you feel like its time to do something else, she told C-ville Weekly.

Lori and Mike Fitzgerald could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.

For those nostalgic for the days of Spudnut past and those who simply crave something sweet, the Bradbury Cafe and Doshiers food truck are here to help.

Doshiers has been parked at the Point Church in Charlottesville for the past three weekends and will return on the first Sunday of February.

The Bradbury sells its Spudnuts at its location downtown throughout the week  or until it sells out. As of Tuesday, the Bradbury Spudnut supply was already sold out, according to posts on social media.
Two mass shootings in California in one week have highlighted the complex mental health issues faced by older Asian Americans who may have been traumatized in their homelands and who  after building new lives in the United States  now find themselves facing additional challenges as they age.

Some first-generation Asian immigrants, especially those who emigrated from conflict zones, arrive with trauma issues that often go untreated during the push to find work, housing and a community, according to experts.

Depression and loneliness are major problems among elderly retired immigrants whose limited English skills impose limits on developing social circles of friends and acquaintances. Generational differences between the immigrants and their children, who are native or near-native Americans, create another layer of isolation for older immigrants, according to numerous studies.

Some Asian community leaders say more attention needs to be paid to the multifaceted mental health issues of older Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI).

Congresswoman Grace Meng tweeted, "I wonder how things could've been different had there been a strong mental health and social service network. Yes, it's about gun safety laws, yes, it's about stopping Asian hate, but also a generation of #AAPI elders with a life of unaddressed trauma."

Sylvia Chan-Malik, an associate professor in the departments of American and women's and gender studies at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, told VOA Mandarin that the mental health problems of AAPI elders were often neglected when they were younger because they were busy working. Upon retirement, the problems cannot be papered over by work.

"You might have a lot of trauma and even issues around depression and anxiety that you've never really dealt with because you were always working or trying to achieve something and trying to just move forward, Chan-Malik said. Then suddenly you don't have to go to work, you're at home, you are by yourself and you feel depressed or sad or unhappy in a way that you didn't.

Raymond Chang, president of the Asian American Christian Collaborative, said, many elderly people in the Asian American community struggle with the sense that they are a burden to their families economically.

Its so challenging and in a society that values 'production,' you're not able to produce as much the older you get, he said.

COVID pressures

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by a virus first identified in China, and the subsequent hate crimes against Asians during this period have increased the mental and economic pressure on AAPI elders.

According to a 2021 report from the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging, which is part of the National Institutes of Health, 59% of Asian American Pacific Islanders said the United States has become more dangerous for their ethnic group during the pandemic.

Chan-Malik pointed out that like other Americans, many AAPI elders go online for information, and algorithms may push content to them that heightens their sense of danger.

She added, "They take a very partisan, very ideological approach to thinking about what's happening in the world because their YouTube feed or whatever is being curated for them. The algorithm is just giving them more and more of the same viewpoint all the time."

Yet it can be difficult for AAPI elders to obtain effective mental health assistance. Part of this is due to the influence of Asian cultures that stigmatize mental health issues, experts say.

But in the U.S., where only 27.7% of all mental health care needs are being met, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, AAPI elders tend to seek help from family and friends rather than professional institutions.

A report from UCLA Medical Center says, "Embedded in collectivist culture and traditional views of body and mind as a unitary entity, older Asians  tend to [suppress or discount] psychological or emotional symptoms, which often makes it challenging to apply psychiatric diagnoses based on Western views."

Other restrictions on seeking timely treatment for mental health problems include health insurance limitations or the lack of insurance, immigration status and language preferences.

Reluctant to seek help

Compared with Americans of other ethnic backgrounds, Asian American Pacific Islanders are the least likely to seek mental health services, three times less than whites, according to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Kathleen Cameron, a senior director of the National Council on Aging, told VOA Mandarin that therapists who understand Asian languages are critical to providing better mental health treatment for older Asians. But, she said, language isnt the only issue.

"It's not just the language but understanding the undertones of what they're experiencing and being able to pull out what someone may be feeling, Cameron said, saying therapists could perhaps use body language and other cues to understand what people cannot articulate.

The January 21 Monterey Park shooting, which left 11 people dead and nine wounded, may have brought new trauma to AAPI elders because it took place in a popular Los Angeles-area dance hall  a familiar social space. Community centers, dance halls and churches are among the few settings where AAPI elders may feel comfortable expressing their emotions.

According to the New York Times, the Monterey Park ballroom where the shooting took place had parties almost every night where often more than 100 AAPI elders sang, danced and socialized. The ballroom was hosting a Lunar New Year celebration on the day of the shooting.

The other recent mass killing left seven people dead on two mushroom farms in the northern California enclave of Half Moon Bay.

Last May, an Asian man opened fire at a Taiwanese Presbyterian church in Southern California, killing one and injuring five. The church in Laguna Hills is one of the largest Taiwanese churches in the United States, with hundreds of members, and they were holding a welcome back event for a pastor who had been working in Taiwan for two years.

Chang said that since the church shooting last spring, his organization has discussed with federal officials how to strengthen security protection for the church. The challenge is that the protective measures may make AAPI elders feel uncomfortable.



"When you start putting security guards and metal detectors and armed guards at the front, what ends up happening is that strangers who are often looking to be friends feel like they're viewed with far more suspicion because they now seem more like a threat," he said.



After a spate of mass shootings and years of collective trauma in the Asian American community, Cameron worries that even more older Asian Americans either will not seek help nor receive appropriate treatment.



"For some Asian Americans, that's going to prevent them from maybe carrying on the things that they want to do or bring them joy in their life for fear that something might happen to them," he said.

Adrianna Zhang contributed to this report.
President Joe Biden met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy at the White House Wednesday afternoon, the first in-person sit-down between the two leaders since Republicans assumed control of the House of Representatives following the November midterm elections.

The pair discussed a range of issues, including the urgent need to raise the nations debt ceiling, the amount of money authorized by Congress for the government to borrow to meet existing spending obligations.

Biden made clear to McCarthy that it is their shared duty not to allow an unprecedented and economically catastrophic default, according to a statement released by the White House after the meeting. The United States Constitution is explicit about this obligation, and the American people expect Congress to meet it in the same way all of his predecessors have. It is not negotiable or conditional.

The U.S. hit the $31.4 trillion ceiling on January 19. Without an agreement, the country would for the first time go into default within a few months, potentially plunging the economy into a crisis.

Expectations of a breakthrough in the Biden-McCarthy session were low. Observers noted that because this was their first meeting, neither side had an incentive to look weak by arriving at a compromise too quickly.

McCarthy put an optimistic spin on the meeting.

"I told the president I would like to see if we can come to an agreement long before the deadline, and we can start working on other things, he told reporters at the conclusion of the meeting. I believe if we're able to get to an agreement, we could have a funding agreement for the next two years.

The White House has drawn a hard line on negotiations, maintaining that debt ceilings should be lifted without conditions.

Lifting the debt ceiling is a constitutional obligation for Congress, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during her briefing Wednesday, reiterating that the ceiling has been raised 78 times since 1960, including 49 times under Republican presidents and 29 times under Democratic presidents.

In a memo released earlier this week, National Economic Council Director Brian Deese and Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young said that in the meeting with McCarthy, Biden would seek a clear commitment that defaulting on the nations debt was off the table. They called on Republicans to present a detailed budget proposal specifying the spending cuts they were targeting.

McCarthy and House Republicans say they are aiming to slash "wasteful spending in Washington" as part of a deal to raise the debt ceiling but have not formally identified the programs they want cut. Republicans broadly say they are aiming to slash domestic programs and reduce some military spending while avoiding cuts to two social programs that voters from both sides of the aisle want protected: Medicare, the health insurance program for seniors, and Social Security, which provides payments to retirees and the disabled.

Under pressure

McCarthy is under pressure from members of the ultraconservative Republican Freedom Caucus who want to drastically limit the size, scope and reach of the federal government and budget, and reform Congress to make it easier to do so. Twenty lawmakers, most of whom are members of the caucus, withheld their votes for McCarthys speakership through most or all of 15 ballot rounds earlier in January until he pledged to fulfill their procedural and policy demands, including enabling just one member to call for a vote seeking his ouster.

Theres almost no evidence that McCarthy can control the Freedom Caucus, said Ruth Bloch Rubin, who teaches American politics at the University of Chicago. However, with 222 Republicans and 212 Democrats in the House, a bipartisan coalition to achieve the 218 votes needed to lift the debt ceiling is possible with just a handful of Republicans.

Judging from the speakership fight, [McCarthys] grip on the party is tenuous  but maybe not with the members most sympathetic to a bipartisan compromise, Rubin told VOA.

McCarthy insisted Republicans are very united.

"Our debt is too high. We have waste in our government. And we need to sit down together in a responsible way to put us on a path to balance, and at the same time, not put any of our debt in jeopardy, he said.

For many in Washington, the debt brinkmanship feels familiar. Republicans in Congress voted against increasing the ceiling under Democratic President Barack Obama in 2011 and 2013 but raised it three times under Republican President Donald Trump.

The government is expected to be able to keep operating until at least early June, but its not clear how long the Treasury Department can avoid defaulting on the debt. So, while its not time to panic on the debt limit yet, it is time for both parties to get serious and get to work, said Rachel Snyderman, senior associate director of business and economic policy for the Bipartisan Policy Center.

In a time of economic change and uncertainty, the last thing hardworking Americans need is political brinksmanship jeopardizing the full faith and credit of the United States, she told VOA.

A default could also lead to a global economic crisis, as many companies and foreign governments hold their capital reserves in U.S. Treasury notes. In 2011, the threat of default led to the downgrading of the U.S. governments credit worthiness and to major stock market crashes around the world.
FBI agents reported they found no new classified documents in a search Wednesday at U.S. President Joe Bidens vacation retreat in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, his personal lawyer said, although they did take some materials for further review.



The attorney, Bob Bauer, said in a statement the search at the blue-and-white three-story home lasted from 8:30 a.m. to noon in "coordination and cooperation with the president's attorneys" and had been planned.



"No documents with classified markings were found," Bauer said. He added, however, that as happened during a search last month at Bidens primary private residence in Wilmington, Delaware, agents retrieved some materials and handwritten notes that appeared to relate to his time as vice president that ended in early 2017.

Bauer said earlier that under the Department of Justices standard procedures, in the interests of operational security and integrity, it sought to do this work without advance public notice, and we agreed to cooperate. The search [Wednesday] is a further step in a thorough and timely DOJ process we will continue to fully support and facilitate.

The search at the home near the Atlantic Ocean followed earlier ones in which Biden aides late last year found a collection of documents with classified markings at a Washington research organization, the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement, where Biden occasionally worked after his vice presidential term ended, and at his primary private residence in Wilmington, Delaware.

The White House said at the time that no more classified documents were found at the Rehoboth Beach home.

The FBIs search of the vacation property came after an intensive, 13-hour search on January 20 at the Wilmington residence, where agents found documents with classified markings and took possession of some of Bidens handwritten notes.

Altogether, some 20 or more classified documents have been recovered by Bidens lawyers or the FBI agents at the Washington office and Wilmington home.

The January search came after U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland named a career prosecutor, Robert Hur, to investigate Bidens handling of the classified material, months after naming another prosecutor, Jack Smith, to investigate about 320 documents with classified markings found at Mar-a-Lago, former President Donald Trumps Atlantic Ocean retreat in Florida.

Last month, Trumps vice president, Mike Pence, said some classified material had been found at his home in Indiana.

Under U.S. law, all three officials were required to turn over the documents to the National Archives and Records Administration when their terms in office ended.

Biden and his lawyers have sought to downplay the probe, suggesting that a small number of documents had been retained inadvertently. But the fact that some documents were found at properties linked to him has stripped him of a political talking point against Trumps handling of documents related to his presidency, which Biden had assailed as irresponsible.



Trump has already declared his 2024 presidential candidacy, and Biden says he plans to seek a second term, which could lead to another contest between the two men after Biden defeated him in 2020.

Trump only reluctantly turned over dozens of documents after taking them to Mar-a-Lago when he left office two years ago, eventually forcing the government to secure a warrant for a court-approved search because it suspected Trump had not turned over all the materials in his possession. Agents recovered about 100 more in a search last August.
More Ukrainian officials are removed from their jobs as attacks intensify in the east. Plus the United States is accusing Russia of not living up to its obligations under a nuclear weapons treaty and a treatment for children suffering the psychological effects of war.
Iran ranked 147th out of 180 countries in a global corruption perception index, a watchdog group said in a report released Tuesday.

The Transparency International report also gave Iran a Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) score of 25.

A countrys score is the perceived level of public sector corruption on a scale of 0-100, where 0 means highly corrupt and 100 means very clean, the report said. A country's rank is its position relative to the other countries in the index. Ranks can change merely if the number of countries included in the index changes, it added.

Therefore, the rank is not as important as the score in terms of indicating the level of corruption in that country, the report said.

Countries with high CPI scores generally face fewer violent threats, the Transparency International report said.

The case of Iran, which has been stagnant on the CPI at its historical minimum of 25 for the past three years, illustrates this point: tensions in the country had been building as a result of the economic crisis, the impact of international sanctions and grievances over corruption, the 2022 report said.

It also said the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022 served as a catalyst for protests by womens rights activists and frustrated citizens. Amini, an Iranian Kurdish woman, was arrested for allegedly not wearing her hijab correctly. She died in police custody, sparking nationwide protests.

While the sexist laws and the unjust treatment of women in the country were at the core of the protests, the declining living conditions and corruption in government further fueled the anti-government messaging, the report found. As summarized by Human Rights Watch, In a country with mass repression, unfree elections and apparent corruption and mismanagement, Irans autocracy rules with all that remains: brute force.

At least 520 protesters have been killed and 19,400 others arrested in Iran since the protests began, following Amini's death on September 16, 2022. Iran has also handed down a number of death sentences and has executed at least four people.

Iran moved up three places, from 150 to 147, in the 2022 ranking, falling below countries such as Uganda (26), Mozambique (26), Madagascar (26), Liberia (26) and Cameroon (26).

The top five on the CPI list are Denmark (90), Finland (87), New Zealand (87), Norway (84) and Singapore (83). The bottom five are Somalia (12), Syria (13), South Sudan (13), Venezuela (14) and Yemen (16).

The annual Transparency International report has ranked 180 countries and territories around the world on a corruption scale since 1995 based on surveys with experts and businesspeople, Agence France-Presse reported.

The index scores are calculated using 13 different data sources that provide perceptions of public sector corruption from businesspeople and country experts. Sources include the World Bank, the World Economic Forum and private risk and consulting companies, The Associated Press reported.

The organizations mission is to stop corruption and promote transparency, accountability and integrity at all levels and across all sectors of society.

Some information for this report came from Agence France-Presse and The Associated Press.
The past year saw little progress in tackling global corruption due to greater violence and insecurity, according to the organization Transparency International's "Corruption Perceptions Index 2022." However, there are some encouraging signs that corruption is being successfully tackled in parts of Africa.

"Most of the world continues to fail to fight corruption: 95 percent of countries have made little to no progress since 2017," the report says. "Governments hampered by corruption lack the capacity to protect the people, while public discontent is more likely to turn into violence. This vicious cycle is impacting countries everywhere from South Sudan to Brazil."

Violence

For the sixth year running, South Sudan, Syria and Somalia are at the bottom of Transparency International's Corruption Perception index.

"South Sudan is in a major humanitarian crisis with more than half of the population facing acute food insecurity  and corruption is exacerbating the situation," the report reads. "A Sentry report from last year revealed that a massive fraud scheme by a network of corrupt politicians with ties to the president's family siphoned off aid for food, fuel and medicine."

Conflict and corruption create a vicious cycle, said Transparency International's Roberto Kukutschka.

"Having weak and corrupt police and defense sectors  including  other law enforcement organizations or institutions such as the courts or the judiciary itself  it is very unlikely that we will be able to tackle organized crime or the effects of organized crime and terrorism," Kukutschka told VOA.

Russia

The report says Russia's invasion of Ukraine last February exemplifies the threat that corruption poses for global security.

"Kleptocrats in Russia have amassed great fortunes by pledging loyalty to President Vladimir Putin in exchange for profitable government contracts and protection of their economic interests," the authors say. "The absence of any checks on Putin's power allowed him to pursue his geopolitical ambitions with impunity. This attack destabilized the European continent, threatening democracy and killing tens of thousands."

Brazil

Transparency International says perceived corruption worsened in Brazil under former president Jair Bolsonaro. His supporters attacked the parliament, supreme court and presidential palace following his election loss in January.

"It is much easier for corruption to occur when these checks and balances are weaker," said Kukutschka. "That's why one of our main recommendations this year and also in the past has been to really focus on establishing very clear separation of powers across the judiciary, the legislature and the executive whenever we have those three branches of power."

The index ranks 180 countries by the perceived level of corruption, using data from 13 external sources including the World Bank and the World Economic Forum.

Democracy

Denmark, Finland and Norway top the index. "Strong democratic institutions and regard for human rights also make these countries some of the most peaceful in the world," says the Berlin-based anti-corruption watchdog.

Several European countries are at historic lows, though, including Britain, which has slipped 10 places in the past five years following a series of political scandals. Qatar and Guatemala also have fallen to historic lows on the index.

Four other traditionally top-scoring countries  Australia, Austria, Canada and Luxembourg  saw a significant decline in their assessments, as VOA recently reported, while the U.S. scored 69, a "negligible" increase of 2 points, according to a Transparency International expert who called the rating "troubling."

African progress

Some African nations have made significant progress and are rising on the index, including Angola, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia and Senegal.

"Seven of the 24 countries that we see improving are actually in Africa, so this is one of the regions that is stuck at the bottom of the index, but where we also see progress happening," Kukutschka told VOA.

"Many of them have also ramped up their anti-corruption commitments. There's been a lot of work also within the framework of the African Union to have to fight against corruption," he added.
Hungary slid to bottom place among EU nations in a corruption index, with graft watchdog Transparency International on Tuesday alleging misuse by "political elites" of state and bloc funds.

Hungary has been embroiled in a long-running spat with Brussels over corruption and rule of law concerns that have led to the freezing of billions of euros of bloc funding.

In a bid to unlock the funds, Budapest committed to a range of legal and anti-corruption reforms, including the set-up of a watchdog that includes a Transparency International staff member.

Hungary replaced Bulgaria as the last among EU and Western European countries in the group's "Corruption Perceptions Index" report for 2022 launched on Tuesday.

The report noted "a decade of democratic backsliding and systemic deterioration of the rule of law at the hands of the ruling party."

"Evidence is mounting against political elites on their misuse of both state and EU funds," it said.

Budapest hit back at Transparency, pointing to a corruption scandal in Brussels that emerged last month with one of the assembly's vice presidents charged in connection with allegations of bribery.

"It is interesting that Transparency International did not investigate either the Brussels bureaucracy or the European Parliament," a government statement said.

The statement accused the watchdog of "belonging to the Soros network" referring to the 92-year-old Hungarian-born U.S. financier George Soros who Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban accuses of meddling in Hungarian and global politics.

The annual Transparency report ranks 180 countries around the world and territories on a corruption scale since 1995 based on surveys with experts and businesspeople.
The U.N. nuclear watchdog criticized Iran on Wednesday for making an undeclared change to the interconnection between the two clusters of advanced machines enriching uranium to up to 60% purity, close to weapons grade, at its Fordo plant.

The International Atomic Energy Agency found the change during an unannounced inspection on January 21 at the Fordo Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP), a site dug into a mountain where inspectors are stepping up checks after Iran said it would dramatically expand enrichment.

Fordo is so sensitive that the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers banned enrichment there. Since the United States pulled out of the deal in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions against Iran, the Islamic Republic has breached many of the deal's restrictions on its nuclear activities.

In a confidential report to member states seen by Reuters, the IAEA did not say how the interconnection between the two cascades of IR-6 centrifuges had been changed except that "they were interconnected in a way that was substantially different from the mode of operation declared by Iran [to the IAEA]."

In a public statement summarizing that confidential report, the IAEA said its chief Rafael Grossi "is concerned that Iran implemented a substantial change in the design information of FFEP in relation to the production of high-enriched uranium without informing the Agency in advance."

"This is inconsistent with Iran's obligations under its Safeguards Agreement and undermines the Agencys ability to adjust the safeguards approach for FFEP and implement effective safeguards measures at this facility."

The IAEA has had regular access to Fordo to carry out verification activities like inspections and it is in talks with Iran about stepping up those activities, the report said.

"The Agency and Iran have continued their discussions. The Agency has increased the frequency and intensity of its verification activities at FFEP. However, some other safeguards measures are still required and are being discussed with Iran," the report added.
Until last year, many countries in Western Europe had long-standing policies against sending weapons into war zones. Russias invasion of Ukraine quickly changed all that.

Those countries  most notably Germany, Sweden, and Norway  changed course, eventually donating several rounds of arms to help Ukraine fight a battle they see as decisive for Europes future.

But after nearly a year of fighting, and with Europe now struggling to produce enough ammunition for Ukraine and itself, the search is on for other sources of weapons.

Some are looking to Northeast Asia for help. During a trip this week that included stops in Seoul and Tokyo, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called for more military aid to Ukraine, noting the example set by European countries.

After the brutal invasion of Ukraine, these countries changed their policy, Stoltenberg said during an address in Seoul. If you dont want autocracy and tyranny to win, then they need weapons. Thats the reality.

South Korea and Japan have already given Ukraine non-lethal military gear, such as bulletproof vests and helmets. But neither country has sent weapons directly to Ukraine, in part because of the same types of legal restrictions that had limited many European countries.

Neither South Korea nor Japan have given any indication they will change their policies toward Ukraine, but Stoltenbergs comments suggest both countries may come under more Western pressure to provide military support, especially as the war grinds on.

South Korea circuitous approach

So far, South Korea has only indirectly supported Ukraines war effort. Instead of donating weapons, South Koreas government has approved the sale of South Korean-made arms to countries that are supplying the Ukrainian military.

Poland, a major arms supplier for Ukraine, last year agreed to purchase $5.8 billion in South Korean weapons, including tanks, howitzers, and ammunition. South Korean companies have inked smaller deals with Estonia and Norway, and are in similar talks with the United States and Canada.

These are being used to replace older weapons being sent by these countries to Ukraine, and there are credible reports that some of them will make their way to Ukraine, or are already getting there, said Ramon Pacheco Pardo, a Korea specialist at Kings College London.

South Korean officials have not announced any policy to enable the direct provision of weapons, though their language on the issue appears to be softening.

Asked Tuesday whether Seoul was considering arms exports to Ukraine, South Korean defense minister Lee Jong-sup said he and the NATO chief share the same sentiment on the need for the international effort in resolving the crisis.

During his meeting with Stoltenberg, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol mentioned a possible role in cooperation with the international community to help the Ukrainian people, but did not elaborate, according to a statement released by the South Korean presidential office.

Some foreign news reports saw those comments as a sign Seoul is open to changing its mind.

But a Seoul-based diplomat from a NATO country told VOA he did not expect a major shift from South Korea anytime soon, given Seouls close economic ties with Russia, as well as Moscows influence with North Korea.

I hope Im wrong, said the diplomat, who was not authorized to speak to the media.

Even with indirect South Korean support for Ukraine, Russia still is not happy. In March, Moscow placed Seoul on a list of unfriendly nations. In October, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned South Korea providing arms to Ukraine will destroy our relations.

Japans arms restrictions

There may be even less chance that Japan sends weapons to Ukraine.

Though Japan is gradually loosening its pacifist restraints, its legal restrictions on arms exports appear less flexible than those in South Korea.

Despite those barriers, Japan has become one of Ukraines staunchest supporters. It quickly joined Western sanctions against Russia, sent over a billion dollars in financial and humanitarian aid to Ukraine and its neighbors, and even delivered non-lethal military equipment to Ukraine  a step that until recently was unthinkable.

We now have a situation where Ukrainian soldiers on the frontlines are wearing Japanese Type 88 helmets and using Japanese drones as they fight and kill soldiers from a country neighboring Japan, said Jeffrey J. Hall, who teaches at Japans Kanda University of International Studies.

Russias invasion came as a major shock in Japan, which like Ukraine has threatening neighbors with nuclear weapons. As a result, the Japanese public broadly supports the governments approach to Ukraine, opinion polls suggest.

But handing the Ukrainians the tools to directly kill Russians, such as ammunition, would be much more controversial, said Hall.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also may have other priorities. Perhaps most notably, he must find a way to pay for a plan to double defense spending over the next five years without relying too heavily on unpopular tax hikes.

This puts Kishida in a politically shaky situation where he will want to avoid introducing any further policy changes that could hurt his approval ratings, Hall added.

Even if Japan eventually gave weapons to Ukraine, its potential impact may be less than that of South Korea, which has a much larger defense export industry.

Continued pressure?

As long as the war in Ukraine continues  and keeps sapping Western countries of their ammunition stockpiles  South Korea and Japan may face continued pressure to arm Ukraine.

Thats especially the case since both countries are led by conservative governments that have attempted to further align themselves with the West and deepen ties with NATO.

During his visits this week, Stoltenberg vowed closer ties with Japan and South Korea. While he expressed reluctance to offer specific policy advice, he warned that the security of Europe and Asia are connected.

We must keep supporting Ukraine, for as long as it takes, he said. Because if President Putin wins, the message to him and other authoritarian leaders will be that they can get what they want through the use of force.
Eleven Syrian soldiers were killed in the northwest part of the country during separate attacks carried out by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham jihadist group  known as HTS  on Wednesday, a war monitor reported.

"HTS fired shells and rockets at a Syrian military post, killing eight soldiers near Kafr Ruma in Idlib province," said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The monitor later reported that "three Syrian soldiers were killed by sniper fire" near Kafr Nabl in the same province, adding that HTS jihadists also were responsible.

HTS is headed by ex-members of Syria's former al-Qaida franchise.

Syrian state media did not immediately report either attack.

Rebels dominate

About half of the northwestern province of Idlib and areas bordering the neighboring provinces of Aleppo, Hama and Latakia are dominated by HTS and other rebel factions.

The Idlib region is home to about 3 million people, about half of whom are displaced.

Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told Agence France-Presse that since the end of 2022, the jihadists "have intensified operations against regime forces in Idlib ... in the context of a rapprochement between Ankara and Damascus."

He said exchanges of fire and clashes between regime forces and jihadist factions had killed more than 60 people since the start of the year, most of them pro-regime forces. One of the jihadists killed was a French national.

Ankara became a sworn enemy of Damascus when it began backing rebel efforts to topple the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at the start of the civil war.

Negotiations

But in late December the defense ministers of Turkey and Syria held landmark negotiations in Moscow  the first such meeting since 2011.

The disputed reconciliation has alarmed Syrian opposition leaders and supporters who reside mostly in parts of the war-torn country under Ankara's indirect control.

Assad said in January that a Moscow-brokered rapprochement with Turkey should aim for "the end of occupation" by Ankara of parts of Syria.

Turkey has military bases in northern Syria and backs some local groups fighting the regime and against Syrian Kurdish forces that it considers "terrorist" groups.

Ankara has never publicly backed hardline group HTS but is believed to coordinate with its forces.

Re-branding

HTS, which is sanctioned by the United Nations as a terrorist organization, formally broke ties with al-Qaida in 2016 and incorporated several smaller Syrian rebel factions in a major re-branding effort.

Widely seen as the strongest and best organized of Syria's rebel groups, it has presented itself as the mainstay of Syria's opposition.

With Russian and Iranian support, Damascus has clawed back much of the ground lost in the early stages of Syria's conflict, which erupted in 2011 when Assad's government brutally repressed pro-democracy protests.

The war has killed nearly half a million people since it broke out, displacing almost half of Syria's pre-war population.

Despite periodic clashes, a cease-fire reached in 2020 by Moscow and Turkey has largely held in the northwest.
Yonhap News Agency: Starting today, China will require nucleic acid tests for all travelers to China from the ROK. As we have learned, the requirement only applies to foreign nationals, including those of the ROK. Can you share more details?

Mao Ning: We are ready to work with countries to do as much as possible to facilitate normal cross-border travel. However, following the discriminatory measures adopted by certain countries that target Chinese citizens, we are compelled to respond accordingly in line with the principle of reciprocity.

CCTV: Not long ago, students of a Hungarian-Chinese bilingual school in Hungary wrote a letter to President Xi Jinping and his wife Madame Peng Liyuan to share their Chinese-learning experience and expressed their hope to study in Chinese universities and make contributions to the friendship between the two countries. Do you have any comment?

Mao Ning: Both China and Hungary have a long history and a splendid culture, and the people of the two countries enjoy a traditional friendship and increasingly close cultural exchanges. This heart-warming letter from the students of the Hungarian-Chinese bilingual school speaks to their enthusiasm for the Chinese language and carrying forward our enduring friendship. President Xi Jinping recently replied to the letter, in which he said he would like to give the students a thumbs-up upon hearing that the students have kept learning Chinese for a long time, and he encouraged them to learn more about China and become envoys for the China-Hungary friendship.

Language is the number one key to understanding a country. According to statistics, by the end of 2021, over 180 countries and regions have launched Chinese language education and more than 70 countries have included such programs into their national curriculum. A total of nearly 200 million people have learned or used Chinese outside of China. We welcome more people to get to know China and the Chinese culture better by learning the Chinese language.

Yomiuri Shimbun: The Japanese Embassy in China closed its visa service for a few days at the end of December last year because some staff members were infected with coronavirus. But the service has been reopened on January 4 this year. This is not consistent with what China said on January 30. Whats your response?

Mao Ning: China and Japan have resumed the issuance of ordinary visas. We are ready to work with the Japanese side to better facilitate normal cross-border travel between the two countries.

Bloomberg: Do you have any details to share on the expected visit by US Secretary of State Blinken to China?

Mao Ning: I have nothing to share at the moment.

AFP: NATO Secretary General said during his visit to Japan that NATO must remain united and firm in response to security threats from China. He added that What is happening in Europe today could happen in East Asia tomorrow. What is your comment?

Mao Ning: We have made our position clear multiple times on issues concerning NATO. While claiming to remain a regional defensive alliance, NATO has constantly sought to reach beyond its traditional defense zone and scope, strengthen military and security ties with Asia-Pacific countries and hyped up China threats. Such developments call for high vigilance among regional countries.

China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability. On hotspot issues, we have actively promoted peace talks and sought deescalation. NATO should think hard about what role it has played on security in Europe. The Asia-Pacific is not a battlefield for geopolitical contests and does not welcome the Cold-War mentality and bloc confrontation.

China News Service: According to the UNs recently-released World Economic Situation and Prospects 2023, Chinas economic growth is forecast to accelerate to 4.8% in 2023 while global economic growth is projected to slow to only 1.9%. The IMFs latest World Economic Outlook also raised Chinas economic growth forecast for this year to 5.2%. Do you have any comment?

Mao Ning: I have noted the reports. Recently, many international investment institutions have also raised their forecast for Chinas economic growth in 2023.

During the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023, participants shared the view that Chinas adapting of COVID response will notably reduce the likelihood of a global economic recession and that Chinas opening will contribute to world economic growth. I also noted that WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said that China is an engine of growth for the world economy.

We are fully confident in Chinas economic prospects. The vitality and potential of Chinas economy will be fully unleashed in 2023, making it a continued source of confidence and strength for the world economy.

Bloomberg: The UK House of Commons Defence Select Committee has talked about the possible expansion of AUKUS to include possibly India and Japan. Can you share the foreign ministrys view on this discussion around the possible expansion of AUKUS to include India and Japan?

Mao Ning: We always believe that any regional mechanism should be consistent with the trend of peace and development, beneficial to trust and cooperation between regional countries, and not targeted at or harmful to the interests of any third party. Despite being called a trilateral security partnership, AUKUS is essentially about fueling military confrontation through military collaboration. It is apparently driven by Cold-War thinking. It creates additional nuclear proliferation risks, exacerbates arms race in the Asia-Pacific and hurts regional peace and stability. China is deeply concerned and firmly opposed to it.

We urge the US, the UK and Australia to abandon their Cold-War and zero-sum mindset, honor their international obligations, and act in the interest of regional peace and stability.

TASS: The Japanese Prime Minister and NATO Secretary General issued a joint statement yesterday, saying they highlight with concern Russias growing military cooperation with China. What is your comment?

Mao Ning: I shared Chinas position on this just now.

China is committed to defending world and regional peace and stability. This is widely recognized. We call for an end to the China threat narrative and attempts to incite confrontation.

Japans military and security moves have been followed closely by its Asian neighbors and the international community. Japan needs to draw lessons from history, stick to the path of peaceful development and make sure it does not damage the trust between countries and hurt the peace and stability in this region.

Beijing Daily: It was reported that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Task Force visited Japan again from January 16 to 20 to review the disposal of nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station and the relevant report will be published within three months. However, the Japanese government unilaterally announced on January 13 that it will start discharging nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean around spring or summer this year. Do you have any comment?

Mao Ning: China is closely following Japans disposal of nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station. We support the IAEA and its Task Force in reviewing and assessing the disposal plan, and hope the Task Force will carry out its work in an objective, just and science-based way and strictly implement the IAEA nuclear safety standards in order to ensure absolute safety of the disposal of the nuclear-contaminated water. We look forward to the report of the Task Force and will take a close look at the report.

It is important to note that there is no precedent for discharging nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean as planned by the Japanese side, and the discharge will last as long as 30 years. Japan is yet to provide ample scientific and factual proof to support the validity of its plan and has not addressed the international communitys concerns over the legitimacy of the discharge plan, the reliability of data, the efficacy of the treatment system and the uncertainty of environmental impact. Last years review reports by the IAEA Task Force show that Japans discharge plan is not fully consistent with the IAEA safety standards.

We have noted with concern that in July last year, Japan officially approved the ocean discharge plan when the IAEA Task Forces review and assessment mission was still ongoing. Not long ago, the Japanese side announced unilaterally, ahead of the IAEA Task Forces review trip to Japan, that the ocean discharge would start in spring or summer this year. Such willful behavior cannot but put a question mark over Japans respect for the authority of the IAEA and its Task Force. Is Japan imposing a deadline on the Task Forces review and assessment process? Has Japan set its mind to executing its plan of releasing the nuclear-contaminated water into the sea regardless of what the final assessment says? Japan needs to offer responsible answers to these questions.

We once again urge the Japanese side to take seriously the legitimate concerns of all parties, dispose of the nuclear-contaminated water in a science-based, open, transparent and safe manner, place itself under strict monitoring and take credible steps to protect the marine environment and the health rights and interests of all those concerned. Japan must not start discharging nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean before having full consultation with neighboring countries and other stakeholders as well as relevant international agencies.

Bloomberg: You talked about your position on AUKUS, but my question was basically asking about the expansion or the possible expansion of AUKUS to include India and Japan. Could you speak to the proposition or the discussions around the expansion of AUKUS?

Mao Ning: We are seriously concerned about and opposed to AUKUS. We hope the US, the UK and Australia will honor their international obligations, and act in the interest of regional peace and stability.

AFP: Can you offer more information on the reported visit to Russia by the Chinese leader?

Mao Ning: I answered this question yesterday. I have nothing to share at the moment.

Bloomberg: Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in remarks that a conflict in the Indo-Pacific would be catastrophic. Can the foreign ministry comment on Penny Wongs statement about a possible conflict in the region? And also related to that, theres been discussion around the release soon or shortly of the design for the new fleet of nuclear submarines for Australia thats expected in the coming weeks. Does the foreign ministry have any comment about the progress or the apparent progress in the development of Australias new fleet of nuclear submarines?

Mao Ning: The Asia-Pacific is an anchor for peace and development, not a chessboard for major-country rivalry. China is committed to upholding regional peace and stability. We hope to see more efforts that serve regional stability and prosperity rather than introduce geopolitical conflict and bloc confrontation into the Asia-Pacific. China and Australia are both important countries in the Asia-Pacific. The sound and steady growth of China-Australia relations is in the fundamental interest of our two peoples and conducive to the peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific and beyond.

With regard to Australias development of nuclear submarines, we oppose anything that undermines the international nuclear non-proliferation regime. We think its important to guard against the risk of nuclear proliferation and avoid stoking arms race in the Asia-Pacific.
The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. on Wednesday to discuss affordable housing, among other business.

The board plans to discuss a draft of the Affordable Housing Grant Program. The program would provide grant funding to eligible housing developments.

In addition, Ian Baxter of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission is scheduled to present on the Central Virginia Regional Housing Partnership, which serves as an advisory board to address area housing needs.

Members of the public may attend in person at Lane Auditorium in the County Office Building at 401 McIntire Road in Charlottesville. Virtual options are also available.

For information about attending the meeting via Zoom or phone, visit https://www.albemarle.org/government/board-of-supervisors/public-meeting-participation-guide. Frequently asked questions and a link to the full agenda can also be found at the website.
Supporters of Myanmars pro-democracy movement are engaging in a nationwide boycott of all economic activity Wednesday to mark the two-year anniversary of the militarys overthrow of the civilian government.

Leaders urged merchants to close their shops and residents to stay home as part of a silent strike against the military junta over its February 1, 2021 ouster of Aung San Suu Kyi and her democratically-elected government. Photos posted on social media showed the streets of Yangon, Myanmars commercial capital, largely deserted.

Suu Kyis National League for Democracy party won the November 2020 general elections in a landslide over the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party. The junta claimed widespread electoral fraud in the elections as its reason for toppling the civilian government and invalidating the results. The civilian electoral commission denied the allegations before it was disbanded.

The coup immediately led to anti-junta demonstrations across Myanmar that has led to the deaths of more than 2,900 civilians and more than 18,000 arrested at the hands of the military, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an independent monitoring group. The unrest has also evolved into a deadly rural conflict between the military and armed forces assisted by several ethnic rebel groups who have been fighting for decades for greater autonomy.

Elected lawmakers who were barred from taking their seats after the 2021 coup have formed a shadow government, the National Unity Government, which has called for a national uprising against the junta. Suu Kyi, who led the civilian government as state councilor, is serving a combined 33 years in prison after her conviction in a series of trials on several criminal charges brought against her by the military.

The junta is expected to announce Wednesday whether or not it will extend a state of emergency or go forward with plans to hold general elections this year, which activists have already denounced as a sham.

The United States, Australia, Britain and Canada announced a new set of sanctions against Myanmars junta on the eve of Wednesdays anniversary, including the countrys military-approved election commission and military-backed corporations.

The most significant sanctions were imposed by Britain and Canada against companies who have supplied the junta with aviation fuel to carry out airstrikes against pro-democracy forces and their ethnic rebel allies in Myanmars countryside.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
Duwa Lashi La, the acting president of Myanmars opposition government in exile, the National Unity Government, or NUG, told VOA in a Zoom interview Tuesday it will not be possible to return to a democratic path through dialogue.

While seeking more official recognition for the NUG, he said outside financial, and even military, support will be needed. These highlights are from Duwa Lashi Las conversation with VOAs Ingyin Naing in Burmese. They have been translated into English and edited for brevity and clarity.

VOA: The Myanmar junta, formally known as the State Administration Council, or the SAC, said Tuesday the current situation in Myanmar is out of the ordinary. What does the opposition National Unity Government see as the next step by the junta since the term of the SAC is ending on February 1?

Acting President Duwa Lashi La: We have already determined that they will find a way to continue to hold power. The military claims that, according to the 2008 constitution, they can declare a state of emergency. The current situation being out of the ordinary means the military junta cannot rule the country as an ordinary government. We think the military feels it needs to stall for more time to maintain control.

VOA: How has the NUG, as a parallel government, been able to deliver government services to people on the ground? How much territory across the country is now under its effective control?

Acting President Duwa Lashi La: As we often say, more than half of our country is under the control of the National Unity Government and EAOs [ethnic armed organizations]. To be specific, the military junta no longer has control of 157 townships. At the moment, we are also starting to form local administrations. Prosecutors offices have been opened in 23 townships. Our justice department has also opened 25 offices and is appointing lawyers. One hundred eighteen judges have been appointed and are already dealing with public justice. Similarly, in education services and health services, the NUG government is continuing to work throughout the country. So far, education services are being provided to 95 townships. In the same way, we are taking care of health services in 198 townships.

VOA: The NUG does not accept the elections that the junta has proposed. What kind of other options do you have to change the country? Will you go with the armed resistance movement, which was officially declared in 2021, or will you go with dialogue?

Acting President Duwa Lashi La: To be honest, any country meets and discusses and then finds a solution. The dialogue path is less death and less bloodshed, but the army is selfish. We predict that, because they are hungry for power, they will do what they want. That is why it will be difficult for us to accept dialogue with the army in any way. In addition, the numerous crimes committed by the military are extremely offensive to the people who have suffered greatly. There will need to be justice in that regard. If the military leaves the political realm and hands over power to the people, they can still have some dignity. The country can be peaceful, and the army can also maintain respect. The main goal is an end to the suffering the people have been enduring for so long.

VOA: The CDM, the Civil Disobedience Movement, against this coup detat has gained momentum all over the country. NUG has announced that more than 3,000 people have defected from the army and the police. It has been reported that the NUG has supported the defectors. On the other hand, there is criticism that the assistance isnt enough. For example, when the defectors arrived in liberated areas, they face difficulties. There are also reports that the number of people who flee from the army has fallen. So, what are some of the challenges for NUG regarding the CDM?

Acting President Duwa Lashi La: As for CDMs, there are situations where we cannot go forward. The NUG has four or five task forces to work for defectors. Since we are in revolution, our budget depends mostly on the donations by the Myanmar people around the world. It is not enough to fully support all defectors and their families. The junta has started putting more pressure on these groups. Those who want to leave the army cannot leave when their networks [for communicating with the outside world] are suppressed. They do things like threaten their family members along with other kinds of coercion. Secondly, the situation is that the NUG is not able to provide enough financial support once they leave the military and come to our side. The defectors may then be reporting back to others inside the military about the situation, which might discourage them from also leaving. If we succeed in encouraging defectors, the army will be more likely to collapse from within, reducing the need for armed resistance, but currently, there are certain difficulties. I believe that if the international community provides more financial support, the military defection program will be successful.

VOA: You have recently asked the international community to provide anti-aircraft weapons in connection with the armys airstrikes. Have you received any response?

Acting President Duwa Lashi La: So far, there has been no international response. The reason is related to the lack of official recognition of the NUG as the official government of Myanmar by the international community There are also points to consider regarding the balance of power between the world's powerful countries based on the geopolitics. Therefore, Western countries might be reluctant to provide us weapons, with Myanmar located between China and India.

So, as of now, I have not received anything as requested. However, if they start thinking about it in an international context, we would appreciate it.

VOA: There are parts of the U.S. government supporting and helping the NUG, and there are some interactions, but there is still no official recognition of the NUG as a government by the U.S. So, are parts of the U.S. contribution effective?

Acting President Duwa Lashi La: According to the U.S. side, the Burma Act law does not include a weapons assistance program. We have asked for help in providing weapons, so it will be difficult for the U.S. to provide this. But other technical assistance, medical assistance; humanitarian aid; help with administrative work, is not without benefits for our revolution. It is beneficial, however, if possible  if the U.S. can provide anti-aircraft weapons, we believe that the situation in which people are suffering in Myanmar will be overcome much sooner. So, we are looking for a way to discuss this with the U.S. government.

VOA: According to the United Nations Security Councils first resolution on the Myanmar issue, next March or April, the junta will be reviewed to see if it is in compliance  ended all violence in the country and freed all political prisoners  or not. Do you think the resolution is effective in practice?

Acting President Duwa Lashi La: We welcome the resolution. We feel that the Security Councils resolution on Myanmar last December shows that the issue of Myanmar is being seriously considered. It is the first urgent decision taken by the United Nations regarding our country. It was very encouraging, as well, to see that there was no veto. The Security Councils resolution is not followed by the military junta at all. This is how they operate. No matter what the world says, they have a habit of doing whatever they want to do. Therefore, I hope that more pressure will be applied at the next Myanmar issue discussion on the failure of the military to comply with the resolution as a member of the United Nations.

VOA: China has veto power in the Security Council but did not use it for the Myanmar resolution. Regarding Chinas stance toward Myanmar, how is the relationship between the NUG and the Chinese government?

Acting President Duwa Lashi La: We also observed this with great interest. Because China abstained during the Security Council vote on the Myanmar resolution last December, we could sense Chinas positive attitude toward us. Even though we do not have formal diplomatic exchanges, we communicate and exchange information with China in other ways. We have a policy of keeping good relations with our neighbors, China, India and Thailand. Therefore, we have to make efforts to deal with the Peoples Republic of China as comfortably as possible. I believe that if China can act according to the resolution of the U.N. Security Council, they will cooperate with us. They can act both in their own interest and that of the Burmese people. In addition, I believe that if China puts pressure on the military junta, it will help us to be able to quickly move toward the democratic path that the people want.

VOA: Indonesia, which currently holds the position of ASEAN chair, made a statement on the issue of Myanmar affairs in early January, when it took office. Indonesia has said that he will engage with all stakeholders there. What is the prospect of ASEAN dealing with NUG officially?

Acting President Duwa Lashi La: As for ASEAN, we have been actively engaged. Even though it is not official, we always have contact and discussion. Countries like Malaysia have already made official announcements of support for the NUG. We hope to receive more support in the future from other ASEAN countries. Indonesia is a country that is similar to our country in that it has changed to a democracy from a military dictatorship. Therefore, they have sympathy for our situation. We have thought about how we can best cooperate with Indonesia during their time as leader of ASEAN, and the NUG foreign ministry has also prepared for this, and we are working on it. Indonesia has stated that it will assist with humanitarian aid despite obstacles in dealing with the junta. It would be a very good thing for their representatives to come to Myanmar and meet all stakeholders in person. I expect Indonesia will use its position as chair of ASEAN to pressure the junta to implement significant changes.
The leaders of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia met Wednesday in the Somali capital to discuss the ongoing fight against al-Shabab militants. The security summit took place amid an offensive by Somalia and its allies against the Islamist militants. Somalia in the past year has won significant victories against the group, which has also increased its counterattacks.

At least four mortar shells landed near the presidential palace in Mogadishu Wednesday, ahead of a meeting of heads of state and governments from the region.

There were no casualties reported in the attack, for which al-Shabab claimed responsibility.

The Frontline States Summit went ahead with Kenyan President William Ruto, Djiboutis president, Omar Guelleh, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia and the host, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

Earlier, Somalias information minister, Daud Aweis, told journalists in Mogadishu the leaders would discuss efforts by the Somali army and its clan militia allies to ensure peace in the region.

He said, the discussions here in Mogadishu will focus more on the operations of the Somali National Army in cooperation with the citizens with the aim of achieving lasting peace in the Horn of Africa and ensuring that the state of security in Somalia does not only end in Somalia but also extends to neighboring countries.

Kenya, Djibouti and Ethiopia contribute troops to the African Union Transitional Mission in Somalia, ATMIS.

However, security analysts say todays gathering explores more enhanced engagement among Somalias neighbors.

A communique from the meeting noted that the regional countries had agreed to mobilize resources to support the ongoing military operations in Somalia.

Matt Bryden is the founder of Sahan Research, a security and policy research group focusing on the Horn of Africa.

The meeting of the frontline states in Mogadishu today, and the heads of state is really an essential step in advancing the fight against al-Shabab independently of wider peace and security issues, such as the role of ATMIS and security cooperation, economic cooperation between these neighboring states, he said.

Bryden said the engagement among the regional states is long overdue, noting the regional bloc IGAD has previously called on member states to deal with al-Shabab as a regional problem.

Bryden said although al-Shabab is centered in Somalia, it has carried out deadly attacks throughout the region, especially Kenya, and has made incursions into Ethiopia and Djibouti.

So, this is about Somalia and its neighbors not simply cooperating on the conventional or counterinsurgency battle against al-Shabab inside Somalia. It is about investigating, identifying and disrupting al-Shabab's networks of financiers, facilitators and active supporters across the entire region, he said.

Following the conclusion of the summit, the leaders of the four countries said they had agreed to establish a joint coordination mechanism and jointly plan a decisive operational strategy against the Islamist militants.

The U.N. Security Council has set December 2024 as the exit date for African Union forces from Somalia. However, that milestone has been termed overly ambitious in light of inadequate preparation among Somali security forces and the current strength of al-Shabab.
Anti-corruption efforts in seemingly "clean" advanced economies have stalled even as Russia's invasion of Ukraine has brought to the fore that nation's role in fostering kleptocracy in recent decades, Transparency International said in a report on Tuesday.

While painting a grim picture of the global fight against corruption, the Berlin-based watchdog put the spotlight on countries that have historically scored high, meaning favorably, on its annual Corruption Perceptions Index.

Those countries remain among the "cleanest" in the world. But from Germany to France to Switzerland, most saw their CPI scores drop or stagnate last year.

Five traditionally top-scoring countries  Australia, Austria, Canada, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom  saw a significant decline in their assessments, Transparency International said.

The U.S. scored 69, a "negligible" increase of 2 points, but a Transparency International expert called the rating "troubling."

Even Denmark, ranked No. 1, was relegated to the "little or no enforcement" category in the fight against foreign bribery.

Cross-border corruption takes many forms, from countries allowing corrupt foreign actors to launder stolen funds through their economies to governments failing to punish companies that bribe foreign officials.

In recent years, investigators have uncovered myriad instances of corrupt money finding its way into Western economies, from nearly $2 billion worth of U.K. property owned by Russians accused of financial crime or with links to the Kremlin, to tens of billions of dollars laundered into Canada each year.

Transparency International said that while its Corruption Perceptions Index does not capture transnational graft, that form of corruption remains the advanced economies' "biggest weaknesses."

Russia's invasion of Ukraine "made it painfully apparent how inaction on transnational corruption can have catastrophic consequences," the report says. "Not only have advanced economies helped to perpetuate corruption elsewhere, but they have also enabled kleptocracies to consolidate, threatening global peace and security."

Gary Kalman, executive director of Transparency International U.S., said the U.S., thanks to the sheer size of its economy and financial secrecy rules, remains a "major facilitator of corruption internationally."

"If you take a bribe for a thousand dollars, you put that in your pocket. If you're trying to steal millions or billions, you need to find, as they say, 'a more sophisticated investment strategy,' and hiding it in an economy that's over 20 trillion dollars makes it a little bit easier to hide," Kalman said.

Transparency International is not the first organization to call out Western nations for aiding kleptocracy.

Last year, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the United States was arguably "the best place to hide and launder ill-gotten gains."

"And that's because of the way we allow people to establish shell companies," Yellen said.

Transparency International said there are signs that the U.S. and other nations are taking the problem seriously but more needs to be done.

In 2021, the U.S. Congress enacted the Corporate Transparency Act, which aims to end the use of anonymously owned companies for money laundering.

Facilitating the transnational corruption, Kalman said, are financial service providers who are not currently subject to anti-money laundering reporting obligations.

"These are the lawyers, the accountants, the money managers, the corporate formation agents, those that create trusts for wealthy people, investment advisers who are currently not covered by any anti-money laundering responsibilities," Kalman said.

To close the loophole, he said Congress should pass the Enablers Act, which was approved by the House of Representatives last year but fell short in the Senate.

A Justice Department task force created to seize Russian assets following Russia's invasion of Ukraine is increasingly targeting enablers and facilitators of sanctions evasions.

Earlier this month, the Justice Department announced criminal charges against two businessmen, one of them Russian and the other British, for facilitating the ownership and operation of a luxury yacht owned by a sanctioned Russian oligarch.

The $90 million, 255-foot yacht, owned by Viktor Vekselberg, was previously seized by Spanish authorities at the request of the U.S.

The U.S. is also a member of the multinational Russian Elites, Proxies, and Oligarchs (REPO) Task Force, which has seized billions of dollars in Russian assets.

"While some governments appear to have finally woken up to the problem that they had helped create, ending top-scoring countries' complicity in cross-border corruption originating from Russia and beyond  requires a long-term, concerted effort," Transparency International said.
Myanmar's military is increasingly turning to airstrikes with deadly results to try to crush stiff armed resistance two years after it seized power and plunged the country into a prolonged civil war, a human rights monitoring group said in a report Tuesday.

The military is heavily reliant on fighter jets and helicopter gunships supplied by its allies Russia and China, according to the organization Myanmar Witness and other experts. The group's compilation of 135 airwar incidents from July to mid-December shows the number of airstrikes has been on an upward trend since September.

As the Myanmar military struggles to exert control over areas of resistance, airstrikes have become a key part of their offensive, the report says. The military is putting the population of Myanmar in a precarious position, destroying homes, schools and places of worship  sites which should be safe for civilians.

According to a January statement by the National Unity Government, an underground group that calls itself the country's legitimate government and serves as an umbrella organization for opponents of military rule, 460 civilians, mostly children, have lost their lives in airstrikes.

Myanmar's army has defended its actions, saying they are being used against what it calls terrorist activities and legitimate military targets.

The army ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, 2021, and immediately was met with widespread public protests that security forces suppressed with lethal force. The futility of nonviolent protest drove opponents to armed resistance, which some U.N. experts and others have characterized as civil war.

According to the independent Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a watchdog group that tracks killings and arrests, 2,940 civilians have been killed by the authorities since the army takeover. The actual death toll is likely to be much higher since the group cannot easily verify casualties in remote areas and combat zones.

The army has long contended with ethnic minority rebel groups in frontier areas that are fighting for greater autonomy but now finds its forces stretched thin as it also battles pre-democracy guerrillas in Myanmar's heartland.

In many cases, ethnic rebels have teamed up with pro-democracy guerrillas in the loosely organized armed wing of the National Unity Government. They have effectively denied the military government control of large swaths of the country, undermining its claims to legitimacy. But they lack the resources to deliver a knockout punch on the battlefield.

Although the military is demoralized and has been losing control over many parts of the country, its increasing use of air power is a major challenge for the resistance, Christina Fink, a professor of international affairs at George Washington University, said at a January 19 online seminar organized by the Stimson Center think tank in Washington, D.C.

The military has an air force capability it didn't have 20 years ago, she said.

They have been able to purchase planes from both Russia and China. They've been able to get the training in Russia, for instance, and are now using those to great effect, Fink said.

Members of the Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian relief organization that offers hands-on medical assistance to ethnic minority villagers in Myanmar's border regions, were among the rare outside witnesses who were able to see the effects of an airstrike when a Myanmar jet fighter dropped two bombs on the village of Lay Wah in northern Karen state on January 12. They observed the bombing run from a distance and rushed to the village to offer assistance.

The bombs destroyed two churches and the school as well as other structures, the Rangers said in an account circulated to their supporters.

The victims included a 3-year-old and her mother, a Catholic deacon, another pastor, and a villager who was helping at the church and was disintegrated by the blast and only the stumps of his legs could be found.

David Eubank, a former member of U.S. Army Special Forces and founder of the Free Burma Rangers, told The Associated Press in a text message last week that since the 2021 takeover, Myanmar's military has come with a speed and a force we have never seen in our 30 years of humanitarian relief work here.

We witnessed the first airstrikes right after the coup d'etat in Karen state in villages around us, killing and maiming civilians, many of the women and children we treated in our clinic, said Eubank. Then last year, he saw almost daily airstrikes by Yak-130 and MiG-29 as well as K-8 jet fighters that bombed, strafed and rocketed villages and clinics.

I saw firsthand 10 people who were killed in different bombing events and came up on other areas where many more were killed before we arrived. We also saw Hind attack helicopters in February. Almost every day shooting rockets, and machine gun into villages, he said.

The opponents of military rule have virtually no access to sophisticated weapons to combat air attacks. Their supporters are urging an embargo on the sale of aviation fuel to Myanmar to stop the air attacks.

The European Union has imposed an arms embargo on Myanmar as well as a ban on equipment that can be used for internal repression or for monitoring communications. The United States bars any commercial transactions with Myanmar's military and its major cronies and agents.

These airstrikes have devastated families, terrorized civilians, killed and maimed victims. But if the planes can't fuel up, they can't fly out and wreak havoc, Amnesty International Secretary-General Agnes Callamard said in November. Today we are calling on suppliers, shipping agents, vessel owners and maritime insurers to withdraw from a supply chain that is benefiting the Myanmar Air Force.
The United States on Wednesday blacklisted more business officials linked to Russias war on Ukraine, targeting an arms dealer, his son and a group of proxy companies across Asia, Europe and the Middle East for trying to help Moscow obtain more weapons for its nearly yearlong fight.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury unveiled sanctions against Russian arms dealer Igor Zimenkov, his son Jonatan and companies connected to "the Zimenkov network" in Singapore, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Israel, among other countries.

"Russia's desperate attempts to utilize proxies to circumvent U.S. sanctions demonstrate that sanctions have made it much harder and costlier for Russia's military-industrial complex to resupply Putin's war machine," Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Treasury named 22 people and organizations it said were linked to the sanctions evasion network supporting Russia's military-industrial complex. Over the last year, Treasury said it had sanctioned more than 100 people and entities engaging in activities to circumvent international sanctions and export controls imposed on Russia.

The blacklisting blocks any U.S. accounts they may own and prohibits them from doing business in the United States and with Americans.

"Targeting proxies is one of many steps that Treasury and our coalition of partners have taken, and continue to take, to tighten sanctions enforcement against Russia's defense sector, its benefactors, and its supporters," Adeyemo said.

More arms mean more tension, says Russia

Meanwhile, Russia said Wednesday that supplies of long-range weapons to Ukraine would not deter Russian forces, but would increase tensions and escalate the conflict.

The comments from Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov came amid reports the United States is preparing a new round of aid that would include longer-range rockets to help Ukrainian forces fight off a Russian invasion.

Reuters reported that, according to two U.S. officials briefed on the matter, a weapon called the Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb with a range of 150 kilometers was part of the package expected to be announced as soon as this week.

Also expected to be included were Javelin anti-tank weapons, counter-drone and counter-artillery systems, armored vehicles, communications equipment, and enough medical equipment to support three field hospitals.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, tweeted Wednesday that each stage of war requires certain weapons. He said there is already a coalition of partners helping Ukraine obtain and train to use tanks, and that there are talks on longer-range missiles and attack aircraft supply.

Ukraines Defense Minister Oleskii Reznikov said Wednesday, a day after meeting with French officials, that he was grateful to France for providing howitzers, air defense missiles and armored vehicles, as well as fuel, equipment and training for Ukrainian soldiers.

Ukraine won a boost last week when the United States and Germany both promised to send tanks to Ukraine, after Germany hesitated for weeks over sending its advanced Leopard 2 tanks.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba estimated Tuesday that a dozen countries have now promised more than 100 tanks, which he described as the first wave of contributions.

Ukrainian officials have called on their Western allies to send fighter jets in order to better respond to the Russian attack, but so far, those calls have been met with wariness.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
Several hundred Myanmar pro-democracy protesters gathered outside their countrys embassy in Bangkok Wednesday, two years after a coup by a junta that has killed thousands of civilians in airstrikes and military massacres, and now wants to hold elections across a broken nation.

Shouting slogans, waving flags of Myanmars shadow National Unity Government and holding portraits of their jailed democracy heroine, Aung San Suu Kyi, the demonstrators made a loud but peaceful statement of their anger at a junta which seized power on February 1, 2021, throwing the country into violent chaos.

We are together, we are united, and I think the people will win in the end, said Aung Sen, a 25-year-old from Myanmars Sagaing region, who left the country after the coup.

Thailand hosts around 2 million migrant workers from Myanmar, according to the Labor Ministry, with their ranks boosted by people fleeing the coup for work and safety in the neighboring country.

Like many, Aung Sen vowed to boycott any elections held under junta rules, which critics say fall well below the standards of genuine democracy.

We will not vote in the junta elections or participate in anything with them until they free Daw Suu Kyi  our leader  and our friends, he added, using a title of respect for Suu Kyi.

Led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the junta seized power claiming that voter fraud drove the landslide November 2020 election win of Suu Kyis National League for Democracy party at the expense of military-aligned parties. The allegations have never been substantiated.

The military leader wants to end a nationwide rebellion and hold elections. But the election laws published last week say no parties or personalities linked to terrorist forces can take part  the government has labeled the pro-democracy resistance as terrorists, while Suu Kyi is behind bars.

Min Aung Hlaing has failed to convince the country of the armys right to rule and faces a stubborn, wide-ranging rebellion by an alliance of often young pro-democracy activists and well-armed ethnic rebel groups.

Suu Kyi, 77, has been jailed while rights groups say around 2,600 pro-democracy protesters have been killed by the junta since the coup, with thousands more detained including teachers, medical workers and minors.

Over 1 million people have been internally displaced since the coup, the United Nations says, with hundreds of thousands more fleeing for safety or work into neighboring countries.

Many of them are young men and women running from the threat of arrest or seeking to find an income for their families as Myanmars economy falls apart.

Im sad, lifes been hard since the coup, said Ko Ko, a 30-year-old who also fled to Thailand after the coup. Min Aung Hlaing is an awful man.

The coup wiped out a decade of small but incremental economic and democratic gains in a Southeast Asian nation that the military has controlled for the majority of the seven decades since independence from British colonizers.

Rights groups have urged the outside world, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to increase pressure on the military leadership.

Several Western nations introduced new sanctions  including on the provision of fuel for Myanmars air force  in a message timed with the coup anniversary.

A joint statement also released by the U.S. State Department on behalf of foreign ministers from the EU, U.K. and New Zealand, among many others condemned the juntas crackdown and demanded a return to genuine democracy.

There are mounting reports that air strikes, bombardments and the mass burning of villages and places of worship have targeted civilians and civilian infrastructure. Reports of torture and sexual violence by the security forces are widespread, the statement, published on the eve of the coup anniversary, said.

We reiterate our call for the return of Myanmar to a democratic path. The military regime must end violence and create space for meaningful and inclusive dialogue to allow for any democratic process to resume.

But in a sign of the complexity of forging a united diplomatic front on Myanmar, China has refused to condemn its ally at the U.N., Russia has increased arms sales to the junta, and companies from Singapore to the EU remain engaged with the junta-run economy.

While the juntas reign of terror continues, the people of Myanmars resistance never stops. advocacy group Fortify Rights tweeted. U.N. member states should support the people and deny the junta access to: Finance, Weapons, Political Legitimacy.

For those forced to flee, it has been two years of pain and loss watching their country burn and worrying about families left behind.

All dreams and plans are broken already, said one 29-year-old Myanmar self-exile in Thailand, requesting anonymity over emigration status concerns.

I feel guilty that I left the country but Im supporting the people from where I am [in] the safest way. I wont stop until the revolution wins.
Afghanistan's Taliban rulers Wednesday rejected allegations their territory was used in this week's mosque bombing in Pakistan, urging the neighboring country to thoroughly investigate such terror acts before blaming others.

Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi told a gathering in the capital, Kabul, that Pakistani officials should find a solution to their security challenges locally and desist from "sowing the seeds of enmity" between the two Muslim countries.

No group has claimed responsibility for Monday's bombing of a crowded mosque in the highly guarded provincial police headquarters in the Pakistani city of Peshawar. The ensuing blast killed more than 100 people, mostly police personnel, injured many more and demolished the upper story of the building.

Pakistani authorities were quick to blame the outlawed Pakistani Taliban, also called Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), for what they said was a suicide bomb attack and suggested the violence emanated from Afghanistan.

"We advise them to conduct a thorough investigation into the Peshawar bombing," Muttaqi said Wednesday. "Our region is used to wars and bomb blasts. But we have not seen in the past 20 years a lone suicide bomber blowing up roofs of mosques and killing hundreds of people."

Muttaqi echoed suspicions and questions being raised by critics in Pakistan in the wake of the large scale destruction caused by the blast.

The TTP, designated a global terrorist group by the United States, has long been conducting deadly terrorist attacks in Pakistan and its leadership allegedly directs the violence from Afghan sanctuaries. But the Pakistani Taliban has formally denied involvement in the Peshawar mosque bombing.

Moazzam Jah Ansari, the provincial police chief, told reporters Tuesday that a suicide bomber had entered the mosque as a guest, using up to 12 kilograms of explosive material earlier brought to the site in bits and pieces.

Investigators said Wednesday they had arrested several suspects in connection with the deadly bombing. Provincial police officials said they had recovered the remains of the attacker but shared no other details. They did not rule out the possibility that the bomber had internal assistance evading security checks.

Pakistan's military was frequently accused of sheltering Afghan Taliban leaders and fighters while they were waging insurgent attacks, including suicide bombings, against U.S.-led international forces in Afghanistan for almost two decades.

The Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021 as the U.S. and allied nations withdrew troops from the country.

Since then, Islamabad has deepened economic and trade cooperation with the cash-strapped Islamist Taliban leadership in Kabul to help it deal with financial troubles stemming from sanctions and international isolation of the Afghan banking sector.

However, a spate of recent terrorist attacks in Pakistan, mostly claimed by the TTP, has strained relations between the two countries.

Islamabad and the global community at large have not yet recognized the Taliban as legitimate rulers, mainly over human rights issues and their restrictions on women's access to public life and education.

U.S. officials are also skeptical of the Taliban's pledges against terrorism and continue to press them to prevent the use of Afghan soil for cross-border attacks. Taliban authorities reject the skepticism and so did Muttaqi while responding to the Pakistani allegations Wednesday.

"Don't point fingers at Afghanistan. If Afghanistan were a center of terrorism then it would also have hit China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran. Today, all these countries are safe and so is Afghanistan," asserted the Taliban foreign minister.
Three alleged al-Qaida militants were killed in a suspected U.S. drone strike in Yemen on Monday, local government officials said.

The attack was carried out on a car in Marib province, the scene of heavy fighting in 2021 in Yemen's long-running civil war, the officials said.

"Three al-Qaida members were killed in a strike by a drone that is believed to be American," a government official told AFP on condition of anonymity. "The three were in a car in Wadi Obeida when they were targeted by the suspected U.S. strike that killed them immediately."

A second Marib government official confirmed the strike on al-Qaida militants and the death toll. There was no immediate comment from Washington.

The United States considers al-Qaida's Yemen branch  al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)  among the most dangerous branches of the global jihadist network.

AQAP, and other militants loyal to the Islamic State group, have thrived in the chaos of Yemen's civil war, which pits the Saudi-backed government against Iran-allied Houthi rebels.

AQAP has carried out operations against both the Houthis and government forces, as well as sporadic attacks abroad.

Its leaders have been targeted by a U.S. drone war for more than two decades, although the number of strikes has dropped off in recent years.

Yemen has been wracked by conflict since 2015, when a Saudi-led coalition intervened to back the government after the Houthis seized control of the capital, Sanaa.

The conflict has since killed tens of thousands of people and triggered what the United Nations terms the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with millions of people displaced.
The U.N. special rapporteur for Myanmar warned Tuesday that two years after its coup, Myanmars military will try to legitimize its hold on power through sham elections this year, and he urged the international community not to recognize or engage with the junta.

They have been unsuccessful in securing legitimacy, Tom Andrews said of the military leadership during a news conference on the eve of the anniversary of the coup, which ousted the democratically elected National Unity Government.

So, what they are attempting to do is create this faux/fake election, in which it looks as if theres going to be a legitimate, democratically elected government formed so that the page can be turned and they will have the legitimacy after the so-called election that they are failing to get now, he said.

Andrews, an independent human rights expert whose mandate comes from the U.N. Human Rights Council, said the conditions for valid elections do not exist in the country, where opposition members are arrested, tortured and executed, the media is prohibited from doing its job, and it is a criminal act to criticize the military regime.

These are not the conditions for a free and fair election, these are conditions for a fraud that is going to be attempted to be perpetrated against the people of Myanmar, and a fraud the junta hopes that the international community will buy into, the special rapporteur warned.

He said the junta would try to spin a narrative to the population that the international community is accepting their regime, their power is inevitable, and opposition is futile.

The special rapporteur said he had sent his report to the Myanmar military rulers but has not received any response.

The military grabbed power on February 1, 2021, alleging massive election fraud in the November 2020 election, which saw Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy (NLD) secure 396 of the 498 contested parliament seats, while the militarys political party won only 33. The military was also guaranteed a bloc comprising 25% of the seats, enabling it to prevent any constitutional amendment.

Regional response

In April 2021, the 10-member ASEAN bloc came up with a "five-point consensus" plan to end the fighting and move to dialogue. Myanmar military chief Min Aung Hlaing agreed at the time to the package of proposals but has failed to implement it.

As a result of his actions and the juntas actions, and I think as a result of the continuing deterioration of conditions inside of Myanmar and the impact that has on the region, you have more and more ASEAN countries speaking out, Andrews said.

He cited Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines for criticizing the junta, reducing their diplomatic engagement with the State Administration Council and calling for a stronger stand by ASEAN on enforcing the five-point consensus.

Two years of a brutal crackdown have led to rising poverty and displacement. This year, 17.6 million people are projected to need humanitarian assistance in Myanmar.

That is in contrast to 1 million who were in need of aid before the coup, Andrews emphasized.

While several countries have imposed targeted sanctions on the military and its revenue sources, the special rapporteurs call for an international arms embargo has gone unheeded.
The trial to determine the fate of Charlottesvilles statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee has been postponed.

A one-day bench trial had been scheduled for Wednesday, but according to multiple sources the citys attorney Richard Milnor has fallen ill. The trial now is scheduled for Feb. 16.

We are obviously disappointed that the trial wont take place tomorrow, attorney Christopher R. Tate said in a statement on Tuesday. But an attorney is presently unwell and couldnt participate. These things happen. Weve been lucky enough to reschedule the case for the 16th of this month, and well be ready for trial then.

Tate represents the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center, the group the city gave the statue to in 2021, after it became a lightning rod for controversy when a series of efforts to have it removed in 2017 attracted the ire of white nationalists. The Unite the Right rally-turned-riot that year left one woman dead and led to the ultimate removal of all of the citys Confederate statues.

The Jefferson School has promised to melt down the Lee monument and use the bronze for another art installation, under its Swords Into Plowshares initiative.

But two would-be bidders on the statue, the Trevilian Station Battlefield Foundation and the Ratcliffe Foundation, have filed suit to stop that from happening. They have argued that the gift to the Jefferson School was illegal and that the bidding process violated state and local policies.

The Trevilian Station Battlefield Foundation of nearby Louisa County is an organization dedicated to preserving its namesake battlefield, the largest all-cavalry Civil War battle site in America.

The Ratcliffe Foundation of Tazewell County is a private organization that owns and maintains the Historic Ellenbrook Museum, which was the home of Confederate Gen. J.E.B. Stuart.

The two groups have filed an injunction to stop the statues destruction and relaunch the bid process.

Recent legal filings indicate both sides in the case have accused the other of misconduct. The citys defense lawyer has accused a lawyer for the opposition of uttering outright falsehoods, and the plaintiffs have accused the other side of spoliating evidence, that is deliberately, negligently or accidentally destroying it.

Tate said in his statement that the Jefferson School is ready to clear the air as soon as a trial can get underway.

Were prepared to tell the Court the true story of what happened with the Citys removal process and its donation to the Center, and were confident that well prevail once weve told it, he said.

Supporters of the Swords Into Plowshares program, who had planned a rally in front of the courthouse on Wednesday, also have rescheduled.

A new rally has been set for 9 a.m. on Feb. 16 in front of the Charlottesville courthouse at 315 E. High St.

For now, the statue of Lee remains in storage at an undisclosed location. A gag order signed in October prevents parties involved in the case from disclosing its exact location.
Senior U.S. defense officials are expressing optimism that a high-level visit to the Philippines will pay off, possibly with an agreement for expanded military cooperation and greater access to Philippine military bases.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who arrived in Manila late Tuesday sounded upbeat ahead of critical meetings Thursday with Philippine Defense Minister Carlito Galvez, Jr. and National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano, as well as with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.

I think its going to be a good day, Austin said Wednesday, during a visit to Camp Navarro, home to the Philippine militarys West Mindanao Command as well as to some 150 U.S. troops, including special operation forces, who have been advising the Philippines on counterterrorism efforts and training.

I look forward to not only meeting them tomorrow but establishing a long and productive relationship, Austin added.

Austins visit to the Philippines comes as the United States is increasingly focused on finding ways to help countries across the Indo-Pacific push back against increasingly aggressive Chinese behavior.

It also follows what senior U.S. defense officials have described as a pretty busy pace of high-level talks, including discussions late last month in Manila that involved about 200 U.S. and Philippines officials.

Those talks, as well as overtures by Marcos since taking office this past June, have helped mend ties between the long-time allies, strained after former President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to terminate the security agreement that allowed U.S. forces to remain in the Philippines.

Were very encouraged by the progress weve seen in the alliance and by what we see is really positive momentum under the Marcos administration thus far, a senior U.S. defense official told reporters Wednesday, following Austins visit to Camp Navarro.

A stronger alliance is important because it not only brings peace and stability, but it deters further crises or provocations in the region, the official added, speaking on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss the ongoing deliberations.

Senior Philippine officials are likewise striking an optimistic tone about an expanded U.S. military presence.

We are going to have definitely an announcement of some sort, a senior Philippines official told Reuters, noting Washington is pushing for access to as many as four or five more military sites under the auspices of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, signed back in 2014.

I just dont know how many would be the final outcome, the Philippines official said, requesting anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the talks.

Both U.S. and Philippines officials, though, pointed to the ongoing cooperation in Zamboanga, in the southern Philippines, as an example of how working together has benefited both countries.

The kind of work that youve been doing down here for a very long time is absolutely extraordinary. It makes your country more secure. It makes ours more secure, Austin told Philippine Chief of Defense, General Andres Centino.

The work between our special operations forces is really central to our relationship, our alliance, Austin said. I truly hope we can continue to build upon the kinds of things you guys have established down here.

Centino, likewise, called the contribution of U.S. troops, to both his forces counterterrorism operations, with resources like Gray Eagle drones, and to search and rescue missions, invaluable.

We cannot thank you enough, Centino told Austin. Theyve been doing very good job in supporting our operations.

Senior U.S. defense officials said Wednesday the hope is that some of the experience both countries have gained in countering terror groups, like Abu Sayyaf and Islamic State, can carry over into a broader mission aimed at helping the Philippines protect its territorial integrity from encroachment by China.

What were doing with the Philippines is working with them so that together as an alliance we can help ensure  they have the capability to defend their own sovereignty and prevent the kind of coercion that theyre facing on a day-to-day basis, said a second senior U.S. defense official.

What the Philippines is trying to do is uphold its rights and were trying to help them do that in the same way we are with other partners around the region, the official added.
The United States on Wednesday voiced alarm over Sudan's release of a man sentenced to death over the killing of an American development worker, denying there was any understanding between the countries.

Islamist gunmen shot dead John Granville, a 33-year-old U.S. Agency for International Development employee, along with his 40-year-old Sudanese driver Abdel Rahman Abbas in a hail of bullets on New Year's Day 2008.

Sudanese authorities on Monday freed Abdelraouf Abu Zaid, who was convicted over the killing, with his lawyer saying it was a court decision in line with a 2020 compensation package by Sudan to Washington for past terrorism.

"We are deeply troubled by the lack of transparency in the legal process that resulted in the release of the only individual remaining in custody," State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.

He said it was "inaccurate" that the United States had agreed to the release as part of the 2020 deal, which removed Sudan from a blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism dating from the dictatorship of Omar al-Bashir.

As part of the deal brokered by then premier Abdalla Hamdok, impoverished Sudan paid $335 million to American survivors and families of victims killed in past attacks.

Hamdok, a civilian heading a transitional government, was seeking to reintegrate Sudan into the international community but he was ousted the following year by the military, setting back relations with the United States, which froze $700 million in economic support.

Price said the United States was seeking clarity on the release of Abu Zaid and was offering $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of two other people suspected in the 2008 killings.
The United States opened an embassy in the Solomon Islands on Thursday in its latest move to counter China's push into the Pacific.

The embassy is starting small, with a charge d'affaires, a couple of State Department staff and a handful of local employees. The U.S. previously operated an embassy in the Solomon Islands for five years before closing it in 1993 as part of a global reduction in diplomatic posts after the end of the Cold War.

But China's bold moves in the region have the U.S. seeking to increase its engagement in a number of ways, such as by donating COVID-19 vaccines, bringing back Peace Corps volunteers to several island nations, and investing in forestry and tourism projects.

The opening of the embassy in the Solomon Islands comes as Fiji's new leader, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, appears to be reassessing some aspects of his nation's engagement with China. Rabuka told The Fiji Times last week he planned to end a police training and exchange agreement with China.

The U.S. State Department notified lawmakers early last year that China's growing influence in the region made reopening the Solomon Islands embassy a priority. Since then, the Solomons has signed a security pact with China, raising fears of a military buildup in the region, and the U.S. has countered by sending several high-level delegations.

The Solomon Islands switched allegiance from the self-ruled island of Taiwan to Beijing in 2019, threatening the close ties with the U.S. that date back to World War II.

"We are seeing this bond weaken as the People's Republic of China aggressively seeks to engage Solomon Islands' political and business elites, utilizing a familiar pattern of extravagant promises, prospective costly infrastructure loans, and potentially dangerous debt levels," the department said in a December notice to Congress that was obtained by The Associated Press.

A senior State Department official who insisted on anonymity to brief the media said the U.S. had been encouraged by the Solomon Islands' commitment to continue working with traditional security partners such as Australia and the U.S. but remained concerned about the secrecy surrounding the security agreement with China.

He said any type of militarization in the Pacific by China would be a great concern.

The official said the U.S. had yet to have deep conversations with the new Fijian leadership, so it was too early to tell if the move on policing signaled a change in direction for Fiji on China.

The Fijian government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and civil rights leader the Rev. Al Sharpton joined family members and friends Wednesday at the funeral of Tyre Nichols, whose death last month once again focused attention on police brutality.

Harris embraced Nichols' mother before addressing the congregation at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis, Tennessee.

The vice president said the police officers accused in Nichols' death took an oath to keep the public safe.

"This is a family that lost their son and their brother through an act of violence at the hands and the feet of people who had been charged with keeping them safe," Harris said. "Tyre Nichols should have been safe."

Both Harris and Sharpton urged Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, as Floyd's brother Philonise Floyd sat in the congregation.

The act, named for the Black man murdered by a white police officer in Minneapolis in 2020, contains several reforms, including prohibiting chokeholds and no-knock warrants and making it easier to bring charges against offending officers.

The Rev. J. Lawrence Turner, pastor of the Boulevard Christian Church, said Nichols, 29, was "a good person, a beautiful soul, a son, a father, a brother, a friend, a human being" who was gone too soon. Nichols grew up in California and moved to Memphis before the pandemic.

Friends last week described him as joyful and kind, quick with a smile and often silly.

Nichols' mother and stepfather, RowVaughn and Rodney Wells, had invited the families of others who had been killed by the police. Sharpton began the eulogy by recognizing them.

"We understand that there are concerns about public safety. We understand that there are needs that deal with crime," Sharpton said. "But you don't fight crime by becoming criminals yourself."

Five Black officers were fired and charged in connection with the death of Nichols, who was also Black. Two other officers were disciplined, and three emergency responders were fired.

The Memphis Police Department also disbanded a special unit that included six of the officers involved. The group had targeted violent criminals in high-crime areas.
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP)  Belarusia's authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko arrived in Zimbabwe to pomp and fanfare on Monday, in a visit that seeks to cement economic and political ties between the two countries that are both close allies of Russia.

Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa and hundreds of singing and cheering ruling party supporters welcomed Lukashenko at the main Robert Gabriel Mugabe airport in the capital, Harare. The leaders didnt speak to the press.

The visit, according to Zimbabwes foreign affairs ministry, is aimed at boosting strong cooperation in political, economic, mining, agriculture and disaster risk management between the two countries.

Belarus has provided Zimbabwe with farm equipment such as tractors, combine harvesters and trucks under a deal worth tens of millions of dollars following Mnangagwas visit to the Belarusian capital Minsk in 2019.

Zimbabwe, a close ally of Moscow's for decades, has refused to condemn Russian President Vladmir Putin for the Ukraine invasion, instead pledging neutrality and calling for dialogue in line with the position taken by many African countries. Belarus supports the Russian invasion.

Mnangagwa and Lukashenko have repeatedly been accused by internal rivals and the West of using arrests and other forms of harassment to stifle dissent and remain in power in their countries  allegations they deny.

Lukashenko has been in power since 1994. His term was renewed in 2020, in elections widely denounced as a sham. The vote triggered mass opposition protests, and Lukashenkos government responded with a violent crackdown on demonstrations with authorities arresting more than 35,000 and brutally beating thousands.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov visited Paris for talks with French leaders on Tuesday, pushing for fighter jets to help Kyivs fighters fend off Russias nearly year-long invasion.

Ukrainian officials have called on their Western allies to send the jets in order to better respond to the Russian attack, but so far those calls have been met with wariness.

When asked by reporters if France would consider sending fighter jets to Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that nothing is excluded but laid out multiple conditions before such a step could be taken. Those included that the equipment would not touch Russian soil, would not lead to an escalation of tensions and would not weaken the capacities of the French army.

U.S. President Joe Biden said Monday the United States would not supply its F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.

SEE ALSO:

France, however, has agreed to ship 12 more Caesar truck-mounted howitzers and new air defense equipment to Ukraine to bolster the fight against Russia, Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said Tuesday in Paris. The artillery pieces add to the 18 already delivered.

The move comes with France yet to commit to sending its main Leclerc battle tanks to Ukraine, after spending weeks pressuring Berlin to supply its Leopard 2 and allow allies to re-export the German-made tanks.

Alongside other Western mobile cannons such as the German Panzerhaubitze 2000, the Caesar was credited last year with helping Ukraine strike targets deep behind Russian lines, undermining Moscow's offensive.

The truck-mounted 155mm guns can fire a highly accurate volley at ranges of up to 40 kilometers and shift position before the enemy can locate them and fire back.

Lecornu said the new batch of howitzers would be delivered "in the coming weeks" and had originally been ordered by Copenhagen. Denmark has also pledged its entire existing 19-strong fleet of the French-made howitzers to the Ukrainian war effort.

Paris will also give Kyiv a Ground Master 200 radar capable of detecting enemy aircraft at distances as far as 250 kilometers, including low-flying drones.

Ukraine won a boost last week when the United States and Germany both promised to send tanks to Ukraine, after Germany hesitated for weeks over sending its advanced Leopard 2 tanks.

SEE ALSO:

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba estimated Tuesday that a dozen countries have now promised more than 100 tanks, which he described as the "first wave of contributions."

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki hinted Monday at the prospect of more upcoming pledges of military support for Ukraine, saying that any activity aimed at strengthening Ukraines defense powers is under consultation with our NATO partners.

Japan, South Korea

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stressed the wider potential effects of Russias invasion of Ukraine as he visited Japan on Tuesday, saying what is happening in Europe today could happen in East Asia tomorrow.

If President Putin wins in Ukraine, this would send a message that authoritarian regimes can achieve their goals through brute force, Stoltenberg told reporters at a joint news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Beijing is watching closely and learning lessons that may influence its future decisions.

Stoltenberg also welcomed Japanese sanctions against Russia and significant support for Ukraine.

His visit to Japan came a day after he called for South Korea to send direct military support to Ukraine. The Seoul government is a growing arms exporter and has a well-equipped, U.S.-backed military.

SEE ALSO:

Asked about the possibility of that support Tuesday, South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup told reporters in Seoul after meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that we are directing our close attention to the situation of Ukraine.

SEE ALSO:

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
Russia said Wednesday that supplies of long-range weapons to Ukraine would not deter Russian forces, but would increase tensions and escalate the conflict.

The comments from Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov came amid reports the United States is preparing a new round of aid that would include longer-range rockets to help Ukrainian forces fight off a Russian invasion.

Reuters reported that according to two U.S. officials briefed on the matter, a weapon called the Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb with a range of 150 kilometers was part of the package expected to be announced as soon as this week.

Also expected to be included were Javelin anti-tank weapons, counter-drone and counter-artillery systems, armored vehicles, communications equipment, and enough medical equipment to support three field hospitals.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, tweeted Wednesday that each stage of war requires certain weapons. He said there is already a coalition of partners helping Ukraine obtain and train to use tanks, and that there are talks on longer-range missiles and attack aircraft supply.

Ukraines Defense Minister Oleskii Reznikov said Wednesday, a day after meeting with French officials, that he was grateful to France for providing howitzers, air defense missiles and armored vehicles, as well as fuel, equipment and training for Ukrainian soldiers.

Ukraine won a boost last week when the United States and Germany both promised to send tanks to Ukraine, after Germany hesitated for weeks over sending its advanced Leopard 2 tanks.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba estimated Tuesday that a dozen countries have now promised more than 100 tanks, which he described as the first wave of contributions.

Ukrainian officials have called on their Western allies to send fighter jets in order to better respond to the Russian attack, but so far, those calls have been met with wariness.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
Four people are dead and a baby injured after a car reportedly traveling faster than 100 mph crashed head-on with another vehicle Monday night, Jan. 30 near Scio.

Police say a westbound silver Hyundai Elantra crossed into eastbound traffic when the driver, 20-year-old Travis Longo of Albany took a corner at a high rate of speed.

The car collided with an eastbound Kia Sorrento at milepost 4 on Highway 226, just east of Crabtree and rolled before coming to rest on its roof, according to an Oregon State Police news release.

Longo and his passengers, two 18-year-old Lebanon women, died at the scene.

Skye Huskey and Chloe Parker-Richmond, a Lebanon High School student, were among the dead.

We love all of our Warrior community and to lose any of them is hard, said Craig Swanson, high school principal.

Swanson said the high school canceled a staff meeting and someone read a statement to students about Parker-Richmonds death on Wednesday morning, Feb. 1.

Lebanon Community School District mobilized a crisis team that offered drop-in counseling for students and staff at the school.

The school populations thoughts and hearts were with the four people killed in Mondays wreck, Swanson said.

For us, the loss of one of our students is devastating for our school community, he said.

Swanson said he would leave it to Parker-Richmonds parents to talk about who the young woman was.

Thats their story to tell, he said.

In its statement, a school district staff member described Chloe as a sweet, sweet girl.

Be a foster parent

Allen Huskey on Facebook said he was out of town when he found out his daughter Skye had died.

He and his family adopted her last year after fostering her for four years, according to a public post on his Facebook account Wednesday.

I am not angry at whoever was driving, or even the situation that led to her death, Huskey wrote. I am angry that despite Skyes many challenges, she was not given the opportunity to figure out life to an old age.

According to Allen Huskeys post, he had minimal contact with Skye Huskey ever since she turned 18 over the summer. She ran away from home, he said, and he did not allow her to come home.

It was my opinion that she needed to realize the consequences of her choices, he wrote. That is a decision that I will have to live with my entire life.

He wrote that he had been meaning to meet up with his daughter for dinner some time after Christmas but never got around to it. Now he will never get that chance.

But Allen Huskey hopes the community will show support for him by donating time and money to foster care.

If you want to really help, do me a favor and donate money to Every Child Linn County in the memory of Skye Huskey, he wrote. They are an amazing organization thats sole purpose is to help the foster children in the area. Or better yet, volunteer in person to be a foster parent and be better at it than I was. Keep other children from having to live the hardships that Skye and so many other children like her endure.

A mother and daughter

Police said 29-year-old Jessica Petrime was the fourth person killed at the scene. She was traveling home to Scio when the Sorrento she was driving was struck by the silver car, according to family.

Husband Zach Petrime said he received a call that his baby was in the hospital, and on his way, he happened upon the wreck. He wouldnt describe the scene.

What he wanted to talk about was his wife.

Zach Petrime said he always got out of bed to intercept Jessie Petrime as she left for work at a veterinary clinic in Salem.

I would say bye. Id tell her I loved her. And thats what we did that morning, Zach Petrime said. We never separated on a bad note.

Medics transported Petrimes 8-month-old daughter to Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The girls right femur was broken in the crash, and posted photos show the baby in a cast from the waist down.

Petrime said the baby was transferred to Legacy Emmanuel Medical Center in Portland.

The baby was just starting to walk, Petrime said. Theyre staying with family, he said, after Petrimes daughter was released from the hospital Tuesday.

At home, Petrime said, simple objects, like plants, remind him of Jessie Petrime.

Youll be OK for a while, and then something brings it back, he said.

Petrime said the crash is something he thought only happens in books or in films.

But hes grateful, he said, that the pair separated on a positive note.

If I can give any advice to anybody, it would be that, Zach Petrime said.

Donors had raised more than $10,000 for the Petrime family by late-afternoon Wednesday, Feb. 1, about a day after a fundraiser posted at GoFundMe.

A Samaritan Health Services spokesperson confirmed the baby was transferred to another hospital that can provide a higher level of care.

The highway was closed for six hours while police investigated. The Linn County Sheriffs Office, Scio Fire Department and Oregon Department of Transportation assisted.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Albany Democrat-Herald.

A fatal Monday

Monday was a particularly harrowing day on Linn County roadways.

A 34-year-old Lebanon man died near Albany after crashing his car into a power pole on Scravel Hill Road on Monday morning. Later that day, a 23-year-old Stayton man died after a collision on Lyons-Mill City Drive after he crossed into the oncoming lane of traffic and hit another driver.

There was also a serious crash in Albany, where a 52-year-old man ran off the road near Southwest Queen Avenue and crashed into a canal. He is expected to make a full recovery, according to Albany police.

Law enforcement agencies throughout Linn County responded to multiple fatal crashes (Monday) impacting a significant amount of family, friends and community members, LCSO said in a news release about the crash near Lyons.

Our thoughts are with all those who suffer in the loss of those close to them. The Linn County Sheriffs Office wants to remind everyone to drive with care. Any reckless behavior will be investigated fully and those committing criminal acts will be held accountable.

Editors note: This story has been updated with the correct spelling of Jessica Petrimes last name and Chloe Parker-Richmond's preferred last name. This is a developing story. Check here for updates.
Best places to celebrate carnival in italy.

Italy marks carnival season each year with fancy dress costumes and masks, elaborate parades and food, with carnevale customs varying from region to region.

Traditionally carnival is the period of fun and festivities preceding the 40 days of fasting and prayer that Christians observe during the solemnity of Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday.

Carnevale 2023 begins officially on Sunday 5 February and ends with Shrove Tuesday on 21 February.

What are the origins of carnevale?

The origins of carnival can be traced back to the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia when the social order was reversed and slaves exchanged places with their masters.

Others suggest its origins date back to pagan rites and ceremonies to mark the passage from winter to spring.

Over the centuries, carnevale festivities were adapted to fit in with the Catholic liturgical calendar, concluding on Martedi Grasso, the day before Ash Wednesday.

As a result, carnevale does not have fixed annual dates and is determined by which day Easter falls each year (9 April in 2023).

The word carnevale is likely to have originated in Venice, the Italian city best associated with the festival.

The original meaning of the word is open to interpretation however many believe it is derived from the Latin expression carnem levare, literally meaning "to remove meat".

During carnevale season in Italy it is common to see children in fancy dress, festooning the streets of towns and cities with brightly-coloured confetti.

Here we take a look at some of Italy's best known destinations for celebrating carnevale.

Venice

Carnevale in Venice

Considered the Italian queen of carnival cities, Venice stages carnevale events along its canals and across its bridges and squares, attracting hordes of crowds each year.

Costumed visitors can enjoy spectacular water parades, allegorical floats, masked balls and night parades, as well as the Festa delle Marie pageant whose 12 contestants vie to be crowned the "most beautiful Maria".

Carnevale di Venezia dates back to the 14th century, maybe earlier, and over the centuries the event was frequently forbidden under various rulers.

Viareggio

Carnevale in Viareggio

One of Italy's best known carnivals, with a tradition dating to 1873, Carnevale is serious business in this coastal city in northern Tuscany.

Central to the carnival festivities are the Sunday parades along the seafront, featuring gigantic floats with enormous papier-mache caricatures poking fun at politicians and celebrities.

Viareggio is also home to the Burlamacco, a masked carnival clown created in 1930 by the futurist painter Uberto Bonetti.

For details of the 2023 celebrations see Viareggio Carnevale website.

Ivrea

Carnevale in Ivrea. Photo credit: Karta-Ivrea / Shutterstock.com.

This town near Turin in the northern Piemonte region is famed for its ancient carnival celebrations, particularly the Battle of the Oranges, essentially a huge food fight.

Staged during the final days of Carnevale, the spectacle evokes the defiance of the town's inhabitants who rose up against their tyrannical overlord in the Middle Ages after he attempted to rape a local woman on her wedding night.

According to tradition she reacted by beheading him, sparking a rebellion. This struggle for freedom is commemorated in the annual battle that pits aranceri orange handlers on foot - representing the people - against aranceri in carriages - representing the tyrant.

For details about the 2023 carnival see Storico Carnevale di Ivrea website.

Mamoiada

Carnevale in Mamaioda. Photo credit: Tore65 / Shutterstock.com.

One of Italy's most curious carnival celebrations can be found in Mamoiada, in the Nuoro province of Sardinia.

Instead of the colourful carnival floats normally associated with carnevale, the festival in Mamoiada features dancing participants in distinctive costumes with menacing-looking masks.

The dance is between the Mamuthones - dressed in black sheepskins, black wooden masks and heavy cowbells - and the Issohadores - wearing white masks, white and red costumes, and carrying a lasso rope with which they "catch" spectators.

For updates on the 2023 festivities see Comune di Mamoiada website.

Acireale

Carnevale in Acireale. Photo credit: solosergio / Shutterstock.com.

The most famous carnival in Sicily, the Carnevale di Acireale dates back to the late 16th century.

The popular event features both giant and miniature allegorical floats made of papier-mache and flowers, lighting up the Baroque centre of the Sicilian town.

The parade is known for its protagonists dressed in 17th-century style masks, that traditionally poked fun at the clergy and the aristocracy.

Carnival season in Acireale is full of folk music and dancing and culminates in the burning at the stake of Re Carnevale (King Carnival) followed by a spectacular fireworks display.

For details of 2023 events see Carnevale di Acireale website

Fano

The history of the carnevale in Fano, a town in the central Marche region, dates back to 1347, making it the oldest carnival in Italy along with Venice.

The colourful parade, led by a local masked character called Vulon, features giant allegorical floats accompanied by musicians playing wild arambita music on makeshift instruments.

The carnival is much loved by children as sweets and chocolates rain down on the crowds in the place of confetti during the parades on the three Sundays before Martedi Grasso.

For details of 2023 carnival celebrations see Carnevale di Fano website

Putignano

Carnevale in Putignano. Photo credit: vololibero / Shutterstock.com.

The town of Putignano in the southern Puglia region is known for its ancient carnival celebrations which begin officially the day after Christmas with an event in honour of S. Stefano.

The festivities continue with seven carnival Thursdays, starting after 17 January on the feast of S. Antonio Abate , with each event dedicated to various categories of local residents.

These include monsignors, priests, nuns, widows and widowers, mad people, wives and "cuckolds". The celebrations end with a carnival funeral on the night of Shrove Tuesday.

For details of 2023 events see Carnevale di Putignano website

Cover photo: Sara Corso / Shutterstock.com.
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Wednesday marks a day of teacher strikes across much of the UK, putting parents in the familiar pandemic-inspired role of homeschoolers-in-chief to their kids. Except this time, theres a magical automated assistant on hand to help. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Educators have been cautiously praising ChatGPT, the ultra-sophisticated chatbot from OpenAI, saying it could revolutionize education. One head teacher in Britain says it has triggered a rethink on homework, while another in Oregon has used it to create lesson plans and study guides.

The tools personalized responses are what make it so tantalizing as an all-knowing digital tutor. I recently used it to dig into the topic of enzymes, when my 12-year-old had questions that I had no hope of answering. When ChatGPT offered a dense, technical explanation, I asked it for simpler terms and an analogy.

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Sure! it replied. Think of a lock on a door. The lock is like an enzyme and the key is like the substrate molecule  It stretched the analogy further to describe the active site of an enzyme as the keyhole.

These were remarkable answers. We could have dug deeper into every facet of biochemistry if wed wanted. Unlike a human tutor, ChatGPT can be interrogated for as long as you like.

This holds huge potential for personalized, independent learning ... except that ChatGPT often gets things wrong, and it does a very good job of hiding that. When I tested one of my daughters English homework questions on the tool, it offered an eloquent list of examples, which on closer inspection included one that was wildly inaccurate. The main character had a turbulent relationship with his parents, the bot said, even though the characters parents were dead throughout the book.

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On another occasion, I used the tool to generate some linear equations for my daughter to practice. She was stumped when I asked the tool to generate the answers, which were different to the ones she had calculated. I asked ChatGPT for an explanation and it broke down its method in simple terms once again, sounding as authoritative as any real math tutor. But when I double-checked the answers on Google, it turned out ChatGPTs answers were wrong and my tweens were correct. Thus ended her mini-nightmare of failing math, and much of my initial enthusiasm for ChatGPT.

The New York City public school system, the largest in the US, has already banned its students from using ChatGPT, in part because of concerns about the accuracy of content. That is why recent comparisons of ChatGPT to a calculator for writing is a deceptive analogy, since calculators are always right and ChatGPT isnt.

How inaccurate is it? A spokeswoman for OpenAI said the company had updated ChatGPT over the last couple of months to improve its factual accuracy, but that it had no statistics to share. The tool also warns users, when they first open it, that it sometimes makes mistakes.

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Will it get more accurate? Yes, but its hard to say by how much. The large language model underpinning ChatGPT is made up of 175 billion parameters, which are settings that are used to make the models predictions, versus the 1.5 billion that its predecessor GPT-2 had. Its become accepted wisdom in AI that the more parameters are added to a model, the more truthful it becomes, and the correlation is real for GPT. It became substantially more accurate when all those parameters were added. Its rumored that the next iteration slated for release this year, called GPT-4, will have trillions.

The problem is, we dont know whether a huge jump in parameters also means a huge jump in trustworthiness. That is why students should use ChatGPT with caution, if at all, for the foreseeable future.

When I asked Julien Cornebise, an honorary professor of computer science at University College London, if he would ever trust it as a homework tool, he replied, Absolutely not, not yet. He pointed out that even when the system improves, we still wont have guarantees that it is truthful.

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Students should get used to corroborating any facts the system shares with other online information or with an expert. Albert Meige, an associate director focused on technology at consulting firm Arthur D. Little, says his own teenage daughter used it to help her with her physics homework  but he could validate the answers thanks to his PhD in computational physics. He recommends using the chatbot to help better understand questions being posed in homework. She discovered that she should not ask one single question, he says. It was an interactive process.

Use it to get feedback, concurs Cornebise. Thats what the star student will do.

Being a relatively small company, OpenAI can get away with spewing out the odd alternative fact. Alphabet Inc.s Google and Meta Platforms Inc. wouldnt be able to do the same. Google has its own highly-sophisticated language model called LaMDA, but is ultra-cautious about integrating a similar chatbot into its own search tool, likely in part because of the accuracy problem. Three days after it released an AI tool that could generate scientific papers, called Galactica, Meta took it down after scholars criticized it for generating untrustworthy information.

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OpenAI will be held to similarly high standards as the generative AI arms race heats up and chatbot technology gets integrated into search engines in the US and China.

Till then, use it with discretion and a healthy dose of skepticism, especially in education.

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This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Parmy Olson is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering technology. A former reporter for the Wall Street Journal and Forbes, she is author of We Are Anonymous.

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The worlds biggest democracy now has a brotherhood of billionaires. One of them gets into trouble, the others rally to save him. Thats one explanation for how Indian tycoon Gautam Adanis $2.5 billion share sale scraped through. No doubt the heavy lifting was done by a $400 million check from Abu Dhabi. But that was along expected lines  the Middle East royals have backed Adani in the past, too. The bigger surprise is how the other uber-rich came to the last-minute defense of their compatriot in the crosshairs of an American short seller.

Thanks to these ultra-high-net-worth individuals, people whore neither financial institutions nor small investors bid for 3.3 times the stock reserved for them as a class. Contrast it with the portion kept for retail: It saw only a 12% take-up rate. Even the Adani Group employees subscribed to just 55% of the shares earmarked for them. Mutual funds sat out the sale.

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A Delhi-based industrialist, three Gujarati pharmaceuticals billionaires and a steel magnate from Mumbai are among the share sales white knights, according to the Economic Times. (Individual subscriptions arent required to be disclosed. A spokesperson for Sajjan Jindal, the steel mogul whos named in the Economic Times article, said he wouldnt comment on the matter. Others didnt reply to emails. Bloomberg News reported participation by Jindal and Sunil Mittal, who controls Indias No. 2 wireless carrier, by citing people familiar with the matter.)

What makes the corporate czars support extraordinary is that it came through after a three-day, $68 billion rout in Adani shares. The New York-based Hindenburg Research accused the infrastructure giant last week of alleged stock manipulation and accounting fraud. The group has denied this as baseless and an attack against India itself.

That nationalistic spin bore fruit to the extent that the issue went through even though investors could have bought the stock cheaper in the secondary market. However, any relief may be temporary. Hindenburgs allegations are still out there, as are the short sellers bearish bets of undisclosed size in foreign markets. The Adani Group has already had to top up collateral for a $1 billion loan made by a group of banks including Barclays Plc, Bloomberg News reported Tuesday. It remains to be seen whether the jitters die down, or the locus of nervousness around the highly leveraged empire shifts from equity to debt.

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For now, though, the real message has come from the rescue team. We dont know its motives. Adanis proximity to Prime Minister Narendra Modi is no secret, even though the businessman says he hasnt sought or received any favors. Wealthy people anywhere want to be on the right side of their government. Besides, a prolonged Adani-Hindenburg battle can hurt all of India Incs valuations, at least in the short run. Whats more problematic is if these men  the names I have seen suggest its a mens-only club  genuinely believe that the best defense of their own long-term interests is to side with anyone from their tribe who comes under attack from a foreigner with 106 pages of allegations and 88 questions.

Then its a descent into what Arvind Subramanian, a former economic adviser to the Modi government, has described as Indias stigmatized capitalism, or the view that its private sector cant be trusted. The Adani-Hindenburg saga has already dented investor confidence. As the soon-to-be most-populous nation looks to make the best use of its 1.4 billion consumers and its young and hungry workforce, it needs to reassure the world of both its abilities and its intentions, something it did very successfully in the 1990s.

With some exceptions, wealthy business families were missing from the vanguard of the countrys post-socialist reforms. Talented middle-class youngsters came out of nowhere and went on to script large successes in everything from computer software to telecom. Multinationals like General Electric Co. and Citigroup Inc. made heavy use of the nations technically educated, English-speaking talent even when the local consumer was too poor to give them business. This professional class spawned a fresh crop of entrepreneurs. The new-age Indian business courted global investors by promising disclosures and transparency superior to what they could get in most other developing countries. The quality of domestic stock markets improved tremendously. India Inc. earned trust  at home and abroad.

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Continued capitalistic success requires much more of that same openness, competition, and continuous regulatory and institutional improvement. Otherwise a small group of bigwigs will, in the garb of nationalism, chase out innovative foreign firms and swallow or shut down domestic startups that threaten them. Thats why this apparent billionaire bromance is to be frowned upon. The impromptu national team may have came together as much for themselves as for Adani or New Delhi. And thats what should worry India.

More from Bloomberg Opinion:

 Adani Saga Puts Investor Trust in India in Doubt: Andy Mukherjee

 Adani Short Seller Hindenburg Opened a Pandoras Box: Shuli Ren

 Modi Will Shrug Off Gandhis Populist Challenge: Andy Mukherjee

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Andy Mukherjee is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering industrial companies and financial services in Asia. Previously, he worked for Reuters, the Straits Times and Bloomberg News.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

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The US has been trying to address the issue of housing affordability for years without much to show for it. And its right to be skeptical about the effectiveness of policy changes until results are visible in the numbers. For instance, the state of California, which arguably has the most acute housing affordability issues in the US, has seen no growth in the number of building permits issued in the state since the mid-2010s, and a high-profile law meant to make it easier to build duplexes has so far not borne much fruit .

Granny flats, also known as backyard cottages or  in the lingo of urban planners, accessory dwelling units (ADUs)  have established a better track record. Housing activists and reformers have evidence that theyve accomplished something meaningful with these ADUs, and years of progress in both Los Angeles and Seattle can be replicated all over the country. If the goal is build more housing now, ADUs might be the best place to focus over the next few years.

The biggest appeal of ADUs is that theyre a complementary form of housing that avoids some of the neighborhood character objections that come into play when developers propose higher-intensity projects like apartment buildings or high-rises. In fact, they often serve as solutions for the kinds of residents that tend to oppose the construction of more housing. But the advantages of ADUs are numerous: They allow older residents to age in place; they create options for multi-generational living; and they can provide a source of income for retired homeowners who dont want to move but have extra space on their property.

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Encouragingly, there is evidence that where communities have focused the most on removing barriers to building ADUs, the number of these new housing units is growing  even if it took a few years to really kick in. California passed a law in 2017 that encouraged ADU construction and by 2021, more than 20% of building permit applications in the state were for ADUs. Seattle passed legislation addressing ADUs and over the past three years, ADU production in the city has increased from 279 units in 2019 to nearly 1,000 in 2022.

Progress in some places serves as inspiration for others that are struggling with housing affordability  and thats almost everywhere these days. I serve on the Planning Commission in Brookhaven, Georgia, where I live, and as part of a zoning rewrite in 2018 the city decided to make ADUs a part of our housing affordability strategy. Unlike LA and Seattle, though, we have yet to see them gain traction in our community, which has led us to try to understand why.

Going through that process makes you appreciate how many hurdles can exist when youre starting from zero developers wont want to build ADUs unless there is community demand for them, but community demand doesnt necessarily exist until there is an awareness that ADUs are even an option  or that theyre an attractive option relative to alternatives. With fewer in-person meetings during the past three years on top of housing supply chain problems, it also has been more difficult to coordinate on new policies.

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Ultimately, all these problems have solutions. Its just about figuring out what the pain points are and addressing them, whether it means tweaking the zoning code, streamlining the permitting process, conducting community outreach or other steps.

There is a reason Im writing this column now instead of two years ago. Im optimistic that 2023 will be the best year yet for ADU awareness and growth. We now have municipal success stories to lead the way. For the first time since the onset of the pandemic the housing supply chain is loosening up, freeing resources for ADUs that over the past two years were absorbed by the boom in single-family housing construction.

And in an environment with higher mortgage rates than were used to, the granny flat provides a way to build housing that doesnt require a huge monthly mortgage payment. I spoke with a local developer who will build a 2-bedroom ADU for around $250,000, or a 1-bedroom for $200,000.

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These small homes can functionally add more housing supply than the one or two bedrooms that they contain. A downsizing retiree might be swapping out a mostly-empty 4- or 5-bedroom house in order to live in an ADU next to an adult child, for instance, freeing up that larger house for the younger household.

Time will tell if more ambitious housing reform proposals lead to the substantive change that activists seek, but in the meantime theres momentum behind ADUs and we can make the most of those opportunities right now.

More From Other Writers at Bloomberg Opinion:

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This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Conor Sen is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He is founder of Peachtree Creek Investments.

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Its not easy being a short-seller. The odds are stacked against you from the outset. Stocks tend to climb over time, so unlike peers who buy stocks before they sell, you dont have the tailwind of a rising market. Then you have to navigate a tricky risk-management dynamic: When youre right, your stocks go down but that diminishes position size and hence your potential return; when youre wrong, your position grows, heightening your risk. As a short seller, the maximum you can make on a stock is 100%, yet potential losses are uncapped.

If thats not enough, theres a stigma to taking the other side in a world where most people cheer for rising prices. In his recently published memoir, John Mack, former chief executive officer of Morgan Stanley, is clear about who he sees as the villains of the global financial crisis: These short sellers were destroying a storied franchise, built over almost three-quarters of a century of hard work and integrity.

Research firm Hindenburg Research has found itself subject to similar derogation after publishing a barrage of criticism against Indias Adani Group and disclosing a short position in securities linked to the group. In response, Adani branded the firm the Madoffs of Manhattan and argued that the report amounted to a calculated attack on India.

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Given the challenges, its no wonder high-profile short sellers have given up. In 2021, Bill Ackman announced his retirement from activist short-selling. That was after losing $1 billion on Herbalife Nutrition Ltd., which nevertheless went on to underperform the index. The moral of the story: Short selling is not a good way to make money, he wrote last week. But it does make for good documentaries.

Yet, the role short-sellers fulfill in maintaining efficient capital markets is an important one. They augment liquidity, since for every short seller there is a party on the other side of the transaction willing to pay the given price. And, importantly, they do help to detect fraud.

This last function is especially pertinent. In a recent paper, researchers from the universities of Toronto, California and Chicago estimate that on average 11% of large publicly traded firms are committing securities fraud every year. The authors reckon that in normal times only one-third of corporate frauds are detected; in aggregate, such deception destroys 1.7% of equity value per year, equivalent to $744 billion in 2020.

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While regulators, auditors and research analysts have a responsibility to combat cheating, they often lack the right incentives. Auditors are directly paid by the companies they oversee; regulators lack the resources that are available in the private sector; and research analysts dont necessarily see it as their job. It is an analysts job to sell ideas, one told a German parliamentary inquiry into the Wirecard AG scandal. Wirecard was one of my strongest recommendations.

With a profit incentive, short-sellers are uniquely placed. Unlike whistle-blowers, who can win a share of penalties the Securities and Exchange Commission imposes on proven fraud cases, short-sellers are outsiders and rely on public information. Armed with sufficient curiosity and tenacity, they can get paid well to dig where others dont want to.

But its a labor-intensive activity. Given the weight of interests on the other side, the burden of proof is high. An anonymous report that spotlighted fraud at Chinese coffee chain Luckin Coffee Inc. in early 2020 involved more than 1,500 individuals counting customers in 4,000 of the companys stores and recording more than 11,000 hours of video, according to the Wall Street Journal. Hindenburgs 100-page report on Adani was the culmination of a two-year investigation

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In its response, Adani said many of the points made by Hindenburg are already in the public domain  as they should be, given rules about insider information. Adani also highlights Hindenburgs profit motive as a conflict of interest: Hindenburg has not published this report for any altruistic reasons but purely out of selfish motives. Of course, the incentive also exists to feed the market with misinformation, and given the stocks slide since the report was released, Hindenburg has made money regardless. But if it is to be in business for the long haul, the firm is equally incentivized to protect its reputation.

Aligning incentives is difficult, but the role activist short-sellers play in keeping markets fair has wide benefits that shouldnt be discounted. There will always be cheerleaders for rising prices creating a market for over-optimistic projections and fake numbers. Its important to have a counterweight, however much it may be maligned.

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 Adani Saga Puts Investor Trust in India in Doubt: Andy Mukherjee

 Adani Short Seller Hindenburg Opened a Pandoras Box: Shuli Ren

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This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Marc Rubinstein is a former hedge fund manager. He is author of the weekly finance newsletter Net Interest.

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With democrats like Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who needs autocrats? Shame on Lula for pretending that Kyiv, NATO and the European Union are as much to blame for Russias genocidal war against Ukraine as the wannabe Tsar in the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin. Shame on Lula for doing nothing to help Ukraine.

Lula was sworn into his old job  he was already president between 2003 and 2010  only one month ago. That followed the four-year stint of right-wing populist Jair Bolsonaro  the Trump of the Tropics. A week after Lula took over, pro-Bolsonaro mobs even ransacked federal buildings in Brasilia, in a farcical reprise of the attack on the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. When Brazils institutions  and Lula  withstood that assault, much of the democratic world exhaled in relief.

One person who was particularly glad was German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Hes long been among those Western leaders whove tried hardest to transcend perceptions of the West and the rest by instead framing world politics as a contest between democratic and autocratic destinies.

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Were all delighted that Brazil is back on the global stage, Scholz beamed at Lula during his visit to Brasilia this week. You guys have been sorely missed. Lula spontaneously gave the chancellor a hug.

In particular, Scholz wants to broaden the alliance to support Ukraine and oppose Putin by including as many countries as possible in the Global South. Last year, for example, when he hosted the Group of Seven, a club of liberal democracies with large economies, he also invited India, Indonesia, South Africa and Senegal.

The same objective took him to South America this week. Once again, Scholz was reminded that the farther countries are from Europe, the less urgency they feel about the war in Ukraine. Chiles president, Gabriel Boric, was still relatively forthcoming. We will always defend multilateralism, the peaceful solution of conflicts and, above all, the validity of human rights, he said after meeting Scholz in Santiago. Argentine President Alberto Fernandez was more guarded, refusing to offer Ukraine any military assistance and only vaguely wishing for peace.

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But it was Lula who not only rebuffed Scholzs entreaties wholesale but also lost the plot entirely. Brazil has no interest in passing on ammunition so that it will be used in the war, Lula said at their joint press conference. Brazil does not want to have any participation, even indirect.

For a glimpse into Lulas reasoning, it helps to read his comments in an interview with Time Magazine last year. Its not just Putin who is guilty, Lula insisted. The US and the EU are also guilty  apparently for not being more categorical in ruling out Ukraines membership in NATO (which hasnt even been up for discussion since 2008).

But Lula had more to say. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy may strike most people as an inspirational leader defying a brutal invasion. Not Lula. The Brazilian president believes Zelenskiy is weird and behaves like a publicity hound flitting from one TV camera to the next, when he should instead be negotiating  presumably about Ukraines capitulation. This guy is as responsible as Putin for the war, he said.

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Come again? Its one thing for leaders to decide, on the basis of Realpolitik, that they should stay out of a conflict they consider  correctly or erroneously  irrelevant to their national interests. Its also fair for nations in the Global South to point to the long history of Western hypocrisy in picking which tragedies, where in the world and under which circumstances, to be idealistic about, and which to ignore or even condone.

But to adopt and rebroadcast Putins own propaganda narratives is beyond the pale. It was Putin alone who decided to attack Ukraine, and who has kept changing his reasons for doing so ever since  apparently, hes now fighting Satanism in Ukraine. He is an old-fashioned imperialist and dictator, bent on subjugating and colonizing a smaller neighbor, and breaching all international norms in the process.

One day, the tragic war in Ukraine will indeed end in negotiations. But its not for Lula, or anybody else, to tell a country fighting for its very survival that the time has come to take a seat at the table with the invaders. If Lula cant wrap his mind around the moral geometry in Ukraine, Europe and the world, he doesnt deserve to be taken seriously.

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This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Andreas Kluth is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering European politics. A former editor in chief of Handelsblatt Global and a writer for the Economist, he is author of Hannibal and Me.

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From stone tablets to atlases, cartographic innovations have long been an underappreciated mainstay in geopolitics and everyday life. Besides wayfinding, the use of maps underpinned World War II. Propaganda maps were used to influence popular opinion and mobilize troops. Instagrammers and TikTok-ers use them to get to the hottest restaurant. In their latest reincarnation, high-precision maps stand to change the future of navigation, logistics and spatial data-collection.

At the forefront is a little-known Japanese start-up  Dynamic Map Platform Co., or DMP. The firm, supported by government-backed funds,(1) has multibillion dollar mandates to support next-generation industries, and counts large domestic conglomerates like Toyota Motor Corp. amongst its shareholders.

DMP is creating and building a set of high-definition and three-dimensional maps that are far more accurate than the standard ones we know: Those on iPhones, applications like Waze and in-car navigation systems that use GPS. Its data can also be used for accurate drone flights.

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Data collection is key. The likes of Intel Corp.-owned Mobileye depend on crowdsourced information from participating manufacturers cars (they automatically and anonymously collect it). The Japanese firms strategy allows ownership and high precision. The data is exact  distances and locations within centimeters. Other mapping systems, routed in the World Geodetic System, tend to be approximate and rely heavily on sensors. Its hugely irritating when Google Maps gets thrown off in dense areas, or when it sends you in all sorts of directions and doesnt recognize U-turns.

In addition, sourcing data from others  like car manufacturers  risks running into privacy and storage issues. Or, that details from third parties become unavailable. Self-generated information tends to be more secure.

Creating these maps is a massive, technological endeavor. Using the global navigation satellite system, or GNSS, exact locations are determined. Then, vehicles equipped with sensors and cameras collect and generate point-cloud data  or a group of points, where each one has a set of Cartesian coordinates (think X-axis and Y-axis). The mapping system brings it all together and integrates the information. It picks up everything, including signs painted on roads, structures, curbs, lane linkages and edges, even before drivers have gotten to a spot.

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This may seem like too much deep-tech and a lot of unnecessary information, but mapping and data collection are increasingly at the center of navigation and security technology. At this years Consumer Electronics Show, one of the biggest tech events on the calendar, software-centric vehicles and autonomous-driving systems were all the rage. They have driven a boom in auto-tech and intelligent vehicles. These maps are integrated into drones, windshields and cockpits, taking passengers to their destinations seamlessly. In China, the rapidly expanding market for such cars is expected to grow to 960 billion yuan ($141 billion) by 2025. In the US, a team at the University of Texass Radionavigation Lab is tapping into signals from Elon Musks SpaceXs Starlink satellite to create a navigation technology thats free from the geopolitics of GPS, Russia, China and Europe.

High-definition and precision maps will eventually allow people to visually immerse themselves in a distant place. Increasingly, analysts and academics are using troves of satellite imagery and other geo-locating data to see whats happening thousands of miles away. Hedge funds use this too, to track activity at factories and warehouses. In recent months, open-source intelligence helped trace troop movements in Ukraine. Three-dimensional mapping systems like DMPs will eventually allow logistics firms to deliver packages through windows as society ages, by using 3D building and street maps, and navigate through warehouses. Itll also allow electric vehicles to be more efficient with precise information on gradients, lanes and chargers. The cartography of today is even more powerful than it was decades ago.

So far, DMP has data for over 30,000 kilometers (18,641 miles) of highways and motorways in Japan, around 640,000 kilometers in the US and more than 300,000 kilometers in Europe. In 2018, it acquired Ushr Inc., which counted GM Ventures and EnerTech Capital as investors at the time. Together, the two firms backed a $100 million into the expansion of high-definition coverage in North America, along with one of the Japanese government funds, JOIN. Meanwhile, last year, DMP and JOIN put in around $90 million to expand beyond North America and Japan. It has already signed up automakers and hopes to become a key tool for logistics and infrastructure providers. General Motors Co.s Cadillac models, including the CT6, XT6, and the Hummer, known for their semi-autonomous systems, have installed these maps

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As geopolitical tensions simmer, mobility innovation ramps up and people travel more, maps are all but essential. Crucially, data precision  and increasingly, its ownership  will matter and underpin further cartographic advances.

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(1) Japan Overseas Infrastructure Investment Corporation for Transport and Urban Development, or JOIN, and Innovation Network Corporation of Japan, or INCJ

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. She covers industrials including policies and firms in the machinery, automobile, electric vehicle and battery sectors across Asia Pacific. Previously, she was a columnist for the Wall Street Journals Heard on the Street and a finance & markets reporter for the paper. Prior to that, she was an investment banker in New York and London

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In Minneapolis, the video of Tyre Nicholss fatal beating at the hands of Memphis police officers triggered unwelcome flashbacks. Just two and a half years ago, the city erupted with riots after video emerged of George Floyds murder. In the aftermath, hopes that Minneapoliss troubled police department might be reformed fell apart as politics, polarization and mistrust eroded support for even modest improvements. For many in this scarred city, theres a feeling that nothing has changed.

As Memphis begins to grapple with the aftermath of its own tragedy, mistakes in Minneapolis can serve as a cautionary tale. The chance to fix a broken, violent system is rare. In order to use that opportunity effectively, advocates for reform need to embrace specific, actionable proposals, while lawmakers and other civic leaders avoid overpromising. If either side falters, mistrust and a missed opportunity are whats left behind.

The Minneapolis Police Department has had well-documented problems with its officers, including rampant racial discrimination, since the early 20th century. Despite these well-documented problems, at the time of Floyds murder neither the Minneapolis city council nor the mayor had a serious, specific plan to reform the department. So, during the angry summer of 2020, activists flooded the public square with calls to defund the police  and councilmembers pledged to fulfill that goal, despite most harboring hopes for a more nuanced approach. For the next 18 months the debate over defund overwhelmed any nuances, and led natural allies of police reform to back away for fear of being associated with a culture-war slogan.

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A year later, councilmembers introduced a complex ballot initiative that would have replaced the Minneapolis Police Department with a Department of Public Safety focused on public health solutions to crime. But the initiative left the specifics of how the new department would function, or even be organized, to a city council that had lost the trust of many since the Floyd riots. Despite widespread support for reform, the ballot initiative failed. Four of its strongest advocates on the council also lost reelection. There are many reasons for those failures, but  based on my experience accompanying pro-initiative canvassers in Minneapolis  a lack of specifics scared off many voters.

Fortunately, Memphis already has a comprehensive, highly detailed blueprint for police reform. In 2020, Mayor Jim Strickland drafted lawmakers, law enforcement leaders, faith leaders and civil rights activists to create Reimagining Policing. The report, released in 2021, includes specific recommendations on how to improve Memphis police department. Among the suggestions are regular mental and emotional health screenings and expanded collection and accessibility of police data, including by demographic and type of interaction.

These are worthy ideas that already command community support. Advocates of police reform should push the city to implement them and other recommendations immediately. Doing so will not only build consensus for more difficult reforms, but will create the perception that city leadership is capable of coming together and actually doing something. Minneapolis squandered its own chance.

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In the meantime, Memphis Police Chief CJ Davis has taken a positive step by disbanding Scorpion (Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods), the controversial police unit involved in Nicholss death. However, disbandment will prove to be a trust-destroying over-promise if the units practices are allowed to persist elsewhere in the department. That, too, is a lesson Minneapolis learned the hard way. In 2020 Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey claimed to have banned the use of no knock warrants in 2020. But that turned out to be incorrect, as the city learned after Amir Locke, a young Black man, was shot and killed during the execution of a no-knock warrant by Minneapolis police in 2022. Trust has yet to be fully restored.

For now, the most likely route to comprehensive reform of the Minneapolis Police Department is a negotiated settlement with the Department of Justice, which is currently investigating its practices. There are calls for Memphis to face a similar investigation, and it should. But in the meantime, Memphis shouldnt waste the opportunity to address its police problem with actionable proposals already embraced by the community. Thats the quickest route to needed police reform.

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

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 Tyre Nichols and Americas Police Problem: Francis Wilkinson

 Body Camera Video Couldnt Save Tyre Nichols: Stephen L. Carter

 Will Minneapolis Really Scrap Its Police Force?: Adam Minter

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Adam Minter is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Asia, technology and the environment. He is author, most recently, of Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2023 Bloomberg L.P.

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The Supreme Court returns to an issue that has divided it before: the use of mifepristone and when to defer to the FDAs authority.

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The success of Virgin Australias sharemarket listing will ultimately come down to the strength of post-COVID revenge travel, the affordability of airfares and the amount of cash people have for discretionary spending once higher interest rates really bite.

The airlines have been in financial clover over the past six to nine months as airfares have soared and demand was strong as people make up for lost trips during the pandemic. And this revenge travel looks set to continue for the rest of the financial year.

We have already been given the heads-up by Qantas that it will report a record-breaking half-year to December 2022. Rex has this week been crowing about its profitability and the new entrant Bonza lifted off on Wednesday.

Virgin Australia chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka. Credit: Dan Peled

Virgin, which has begun the countdown to its public offering on the Australian stock exchange, this week dripped a bit more information, via a staff memo, flagging that revenue for the December half will come in around $2.5 billion.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size The summer festivities continue into February, with Sydney providing a long list of festivals, theatre and live music for everyone to enjoy. International headliners are coming down under as part of world tours, while homegrown artists are selling out venues and making a name for themselves. New performances are hitting the stage from Belvoir St Theatre to the Sydney Opera House, and some old favourites are also returning. Theres something for everyone in Sydney this summer, but here are some of our highlights. St Jeromes Laneway Festival February 5 / Sydney Showground / General admission tickets $209 The six-city trans-Tasman concert returns to Sydney for the first time since 2020 with a spectacular line-up that includes Haim, The Jungle Giants, and Mallrat alongside many others. The 16+ festival offers both general admission and VIP tickets but if the price is a bit steep, there is also a long list of sideshows from artists such as Girl in Red and Finneas.

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Laneway Festival is returning for the first time since 2020. Credit:Edwina Pickles Live And Proud: Sydney WorldPride Opening Concert Loading February 24 / The Domain / Resale tickets $249.02 While its technically not a festival, the opening concert for Sydney WorldPride is basically a music festival, with a number of acts performing to celebrate the beginning of the mammoth cultural event. You can expect Australian icons like Kylie Minogue and Jessica Mauboy, along with international star Charli XCX. For The Love February 26 / Thomas Dalton Park (Wollongong) / Third release tickets $136.90

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Nestled in the middle of Sydney WorldPride celebrations, this fun and vibrant music festival is hitting up the Gold Coast, Wollongong, Melbourne, and Perth with headliner Charli XCX and dance icon Duke Dumont. Just an hour and a half south of Sydney, the festival is easily accessible by car or train, and other crowd favourites performing include Snakehips, Cosmos Midnight and Sonny Fodera. One Woman Show Loading February 1-19 / Sydney Opera House / Tickets from $55 Straight from Londons West End, Sydney expat Liz Kingsman is bringing her smash-hit One Woman Show to the Opera House for its international premiere. The highly anticipated show follows the travails of a chaotic 20-something in London, and has been awarded five stars by major British publications such as The Guardian and The Telegraph. This is one you do not want to miss! Comedian Liz Kingsman is bringing her One Woman Show to the Sydney Opera House.

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Night Time News Network National Nightly News, with Osher Gunsberg February 3,10,17/ Factory Theatre / Tickets $20 Bachelor host and Australian sweetheart Osher Gunsberg is hitting up The Factory Theatre with his satirical news show where the stories are real, and the news is made up. The 24-hour news cycle means that no two nights are the same, but it promises one thing will always stay true: sometimes, laughing while the world burns is an appropriate response. Bangarra Dance Theatre: Dance Clan February 7-18 / Studio Theatre at Bangarra / Tickets from $35 First Nations dance company Bangarra has been performing Dance Clan for 25 years, fostering a new generation of Bangarra storytellers, designers, dancers and choreographers. This year, three artists, Glory Tuohy-Daniell, Ryan Pearson and Sani Townson, will tell their stories in three original works, which are a beautiful display of self-expression and storytelling.

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Hairspray From February 5 / Sydney Lyric / Tickets from $65 The much-loved Broadway hit Hairspray returns to Sydney with well-known Australians taking on the iconic roles. Youll catch Shane Jacobson as Edna Turnblad (the role that John Travolta played in the 2007 movie), and Todd McKenney as Wilbur Turnblad, while Carmel Rodrigues is stepping into the role of the musicals lead, Tracy Turnblad, who dreams to dance on The Corny Collins Show. Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat From February 11 / Capitol Theatre / Tickets from $79 With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is set to be an experience to remember. Australian singer-songwriter Paulini is playing the role of the narrator, Euan Fistrovic Doidge is Joseph, and Trevor Ashley is Pharaoh. Joesph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is heading to Sydney in February. Credit:Daniel Boud

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Artist Louise Zhang still vividly recalls the moment in 2009 when she first saw her work in that years ArtExpress show at the Art Gallery of NSW.

Seeing it in the space like this with all the European masters who we study in school was a really big push, says Zhang, who has since forged a successful career with her multidisciplinary work.

Isabella Molinari (left), Sabry Beshir Mohamed (second from left), and Jim Dawes (fourth from left) have their work at ArtExpress this year, with previous exhibitors Jasper Knight and Louise Zhang. Credit: Janie Barrett

It gave me the encouragement and validation to be like, dont worry about making money or getting a job to survive. I felt really confident that I could pursue fine art as a degree.

Zhang was speaking on the eve of the 2023 show featuring the work of 43 HSC visual arts students. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the show, which in the past has featured big names including Julie Fragar, Tom Polo and Ben Quilty.
A Perth man has been rushed to hospital after an explosion at a Booragoon retirement village.

Emergency crews were called to the Parkland Villas incident on Marmion Street at 6.15am Wednesday, with residents five kilometres away in Bicton reporting they heard a loud boom.

The site of the explosion. Credit: 9 News Perth

A man, believed to be aged in his 40s, has suffered serious injuries, including burns, after a car exploded in a carport. He was taken to Royal Perth Hospital for emergency surgery.

His condition is not known.
November last year was a shocking time for the crypto industry. FTX, an enormous crypto exchange founded by Sam Bankman-Fried, and an associated crypto hedge fund called Alameda Research had collapsed, prompting investors to look around in fear at which company might topple next.

Robbie Ferguson, co-founder and president of Australias largest crypto start-up, the blockchain gaming company Immutable valued at $3.5 billion, had a reassuring message. Immutable does not hold any funds on FTX, nor has lent Alameda or FTX any assets, Ferguson posted on social media on November 12.

Robbie (left) and James Ferguson won a spot on rich lists last year off the back of their crypto company, which has partnerships with firms like TikTok. Credit: Louie Douvis

Theres no suggestion Ferguson was wrong, but the broader picture is more complex. A Cayman Islands foundation linked to Immutable had loaned Alameda 10 million digital tokens, variously valued between $US800,000 ($1.1 million) and $US1 million.

Fergusons older brother James, Immutables chief executive, is one of three directors of the Cayman Islands entity, which is called the Digital Worlds Foundation.
London: Vladimir Putin would never have invaded Ukraine if Britain had not voted for Brexit, Guy Verhofstadt said on Tuesday, on the third anniversary of Britains departure from the European Union.

Verhofstadt, the European Parliaments Brexit boss during UK-EU negotiations, told LBC: A united Europe, certainly on defence matters, would make an enormous difference. I think maybe that without Brexit, maybe there was no invasion. I dont know.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Credit: AP

A day earlier, he said he had a dream that the UK and Ukraine could join the EU in the next five years.

Lets hope that Britain can rejoin and lets hope that Ukraine can join and why not within five years? he said.
Southern England: James Cleverly says Australians need only look at his role as Britains first black foreign secretary and his boss, Rishi Sunaks elevation to prime minister, to know that the UK is confronting its colonial past.

Penny Wong used the example of her own grandmother working as a domestic servant for the British as she called on the UK to confront its imperial history if it is to be influential in the Indo-Pacific.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong with British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly. Credit: Getty Images

Wong, who is Malaysian-born, made the comments on her first visit to the Five Eyes and AUKUS partner since becoming foreign minister nine months ago.

Asked by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age if Britain had satisfactorily confronted its colonial past, Cleverly pointed to his own role as the UKs first black foreign secretary.
Boston, Massachusetts: Cyberattackers are increasingly targeting the Asia-Pacific region to expand their crimes, prompting calls for Australia to do more to safeguard critical infrastructure and businesses from costly extortion.

IBM security chiefs have warned that hackers, who have traditionally focused on North America, have pivoted towards Asia over the past two years, resulting in the average cost of data breaches soaring to record highs as they target supply chains, limit access to key services and increase the cost of goods.

Optus uses its store front in George Street Sydney to apologise to customers following a cyberattack and data breach last year. Credit: Nikki Short

According to IBMs latest figures, the average cost of each cyber breach globally hit a record $US4.35 million ($6.2 million) in 2022, up 2.6 per cent from the year. The average cost of a data breach in Australia reached to $US2.9 million over the same period, up 3.4 per cent, making it the 11th most costly country in the world for a cyberattack.

According to the tech giants data, last year Asia Pacific also became the most targeted region for the first time since records have been kept, with Australia, Japan and India the hardest hit.
Energy customers  many of whom say they are being crushed by gas and electricity bills that have doubled, tripled and even quadrupled in the last few months  accepted the Colorado Public Utility Commissions invitation to comment on skyrocketing energy prices.

It wasnt pretty for commissioners Tuesday, but it was well attended.

Dawn Fetzko, a customer, said she learned about the public meeting while watching the news.

We're working trying to earn a living and now trying to earn a living to pay our utility bill, she said. I know my utility bill went from $150 to a shocking $365 in one month.

It's no secret that everybody is drowning in Xcel bills across Colorado, Sabrina Padilla testified. I really hope that these stories today are really taken into consideration because there's thousands and thousands of people who do not have the courage to come up here today to express their struggles.

Commissioners have been receiving a flood of complaints about soaring bills, Chairman Eric Blank acknowledged.

In response, the commission held a Zoom listening session Tuesday, where they heard an outpouring of grief and anger  as well as pleas for help  from dozens who signed up for the meeting. Nearly 90 people attended the public comment session.

Commissioner John Gavan said it was probably the most people he's seen to speak at a commission public comment hearing.

On Monday, the Commission approved Xcel Energys interim application to bend its quarterly adjustment for natural gas costs downward  resulting in a roughly 15% bill reduction for both residential and small commercial natural gas customers, as well as lesser savings for other customers.

But that news didn't stop the complaints from the public Tuesday.

Thirty-nine people testified, but at least 88 signed up to speak.

Padilla, who works with the Chronic Care Collaborative described a heartbreaking story of a man who had to choose real discomfort just to get by.

I just spoke with an older gentleman on SSI who sits in his home all day in a winter jacket and has his heat all the way down to 60 degrees to keep his bill down, Padilla said. And he does that so he can wear his oxygen 24/7. He's sacrificing his body temperature to wear his oxygen to keep his bill down.

The Collaborative is an organization comprised of 50 different voluntary health organizations representing a wide range of chronic diseases which partners with Xcel and Black Hills Energy on helping disabled people with their energy bills.

"We hear the concerns about higher costs for everything  from groceries to gasoline to monthly energy bills  and we recognize the impacts these pressures have on our customers and on the communities we serve," according to a statement Wednesday from a Black Hills spokesperson. "At Black Hills Energy, we're continuing to support and empower our customers to use less energy through conservation and energy efficiency programs, while managing their monthly budgets with our Budget Billing option and energy assistance programs for those who need it."

Lakewood resident Eva Boyd excoriated the commissioners for what she said is their failure to look after the publics interests.

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I've been living here for about 26 years, Boyd said. January 2022s bill was $124. December 2022 was $194. The next one that I'm going to pay in February is $295, which to me is absolutely mind boggling.

Boyd added: You're supposed to be looking out for us. And somebody already said it here: You shouldn't be looking out for corporations.

Nichole Broach accused the commissioners of disrespecting attendees.

I have seen you guys smirk, chuckle, laugh and roll your eyes at people describing their issues here today, Broach said. This is unacceptable. Ms. Gilman had to tell you that it was not funny. I do not believe that you serve your people, you do not serve your community and you do not serve your state.

Andrea Rudowicz told the commissioners that she had a gas leak at her home. An Xcel repairmen told her that her neighborhood was known to have old gas regulators that leak when its cold.

The Xcel Energy employee informed me that our particular neighborhood had faulty old regulators that the employees were very much aware of and had told the supervisors, but nothing was done, Rudowicz said. If we're paying the high gas prices, I expect that our equipment is operating correctly. And I want to add that my particular meter wasn't the only one in my neighborhood.

Commissioners declined to engage in discussion or answer questions on the advice of the agency's attorneys.

Chairman Blank said that because the PUC is a quasi-judicial body and has proceedings before it now, commissioners cannot discuss or answer questions from the public without the potential for prejudicing the cases.

John Henry, a customer, suggested that utility executives should be present for future meetings to answer questions from the public.

I think it would be a very strong position to be in to have one or more executives on the next call so they can hear it and in some cases even put their feet to the fire and let them respond to some of the questions that have come out here in this session, said Henry.

Blank vowed to get a handle on this.

I just want to end with a personal comment to those of you who think I'm laughing at people's suffering, said Blank. I would just say I lost my wife to pancreatic cancer several years ago and I know what it means to experience hardship and I can just assure you I am not laughing at anyone suffering and that we're going to do whatever we can to try and get a handle on this.

Xcel officials warned customers for months 2023 bills would rise because of increased natural gas prices. Natural gas is an unregulated market, so ratepayer bills are adjusted based on gas cost increases or decreases. Utilities dont make any profit or charge interest on fuel pass-through costs, which can hit ratepayers hard if unusual weather and market conditions collide to drive up prices.

The Colorado Public Utilities Commission was created by the General Assembly in 1913 and took over regulation of power and gas utilities in 1961. Since then the authority of the PUC has varied with legislative changes.

Today, the PUC has at least some degree of jurisdiction over hundreds of fixed utilities and more than 10,000 motor carriers in Colorado.

It's current mission statement: "The Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) serves the public interest by effectively regulating utilities and facilities so that the people of Colorado receive safe, reliable, and reasonably-priced services consistent with the economic, environmental and social values of our state."
By Brooklyn Brown

This summer, Western Carolina University will offer a cold case homicide investigation class to students in the distance learning criminal justice program in collaboration with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations Cold Case Investigation Team. Students will investigate a complete cold case, including evidence and interviews, and present their findings to CCIT at the end of the course.

Jamie Vaske, a criminology and criminal justice professor, is an overseer in the process of implementing the course. Its gonna be delivered to our online distance learning students in criminal justice, Vaske said, We decided to start there because our distance learning program serves practitioners, so a lot of those individuals are already sworn law enforcement officers who understand evidentiary rules and confidentiality.

Though the class will begin in an online format, a residential course is a possibility for the future. The long-term goal is to deliver on campus, Vaske said. This opportunity will increase our connection to the SBI for potential employment for our students. The residential course could also bolster that connection for internships.

Special agent Chris Campbell from the SBI will be the instructor for the summer course. WCU joins four schools who have already collaborated with the CCIT on a course since 2020, including East Carolina University, Campbell University, St. Augustine University and NC State University. Each school has offered the course through different departments, from biology to criminology, allowing for a range of perspectives in case review.

Vaske believes the case will be an active one on the western side of the state, to be determined by Campbell and assistant special agent in charge Nate Thompson. The course will possibly include an SBI file and local file for the case.

Vaske also gives credit to Lisa Briggs, professor and director of WCUs emergency and disaster management, for paving the way to a collaboration with the SBI. Lisa Briggs has been working with the SBI for a long time. She really laid the groundwork to open them up to working with us.


Editor's note: Coloradans who are distressed with their skyrocketing energy bills have a chance to grab the Colorado Public Utilities Commissions ear today. The office, which regulates energy rates in Colorado, scheduled an hours-long virtual public comment period on "utility bill affordability" on Jan. 31. This is unprecedented, Commissioner John Gavin in the meeting earlier. I can't remember seeing this level of pain in the consumer community since the 1970s and the gas crisis, which I'm old enough to remember.

Watch the hearing here.

The meeting can be accessed at http://www.dora.state.co.us/pacific/Webcasts/a.html.

Comments cannot be given through the webcast however and registration is required to join the Zoom meeting, where comments may be offered.

Anyone interested in commenting should sign up here.

Register here to comment between 3-4:30 p.m.

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Register here to comment between 5-6:30 p.m.

Written comments may be submitted at any time using the PUCs online form which can be found here.

The PUC will also accept written comments by submitting them via the Commissions Electronic Filing System or by emailing [email protected].

In addition, written comments can be sent to the Commissions offices at Colorado Public Utilities Commission, 1560 Broadway, Suite 250, Denver, CO 80202 or by calling (303) 869-3490 to leave oral comments.
Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at 11:00AM

by Jason Adams

Let me just stop you right here, at the start, and admit that I am going to be terribly biased in this review of writer-director Laura Moss horror film birth/rebirth. Why? Do I know the director? Have I played ping pong with the cinematographer? Did the boom mic operator donate a kidney to my mum? No no nothing like that  its just the entirely sane fact that I love love love the actress Judy Reyes with all of my being and seeing her be given a leading role in a movie is too much for me to bear, qualitatively speaking.

Here at The Film Experience, within this safe space of actressexuals, I know I can admit this freely. But I just feel an upfront warning is due...

Because from way back with Scrubs all the way up through Claws most recently (Quiet Anne hive holla!) I have been waiting for this terrific talent to be given a movie in which she can shine, and birth/rebirth lets her do it and do it again for good measure. Blessings be unto the patient among us!

A twisted Franken fairy-tale about a mothers love being given disastrous free rein unto the afterlife, birth/rebirth stars Reyes as the maternity nurse Celie. A single mother who struggles with how much time shes forced to spend tending to other children when her wee beloved, the adorably precocious six-year-old Lila (A.J. Lister), is waiting at home for her every night or morning or minute she can spare in between shifts, Celie is tired. Celie is trying to sort out her shit. But she does it with a smile.



Meanwhile at the same hospital a doctor named Rose (the always delightful and underrated Marin Ireland) is attending to her patients from the opposite end of the spectrum. Basically Rose is a big old weirdo who stares at people as if theyre under a microscope  shed rather be attending to her pet science project at home than dealing one-on-one with anybody.

And one day these two womens paths get pulled into an ever spiraling orbit, a strand of DNA twisting straight down to hell, by a terrible accident. Doctor Rose has something Nurse Celie needs, and vice versa, and we watch as their codependency becomes a growth, tumor-like and sentient, between them.

Id rather not dive into spoilers of specifics, but birth/rebirth becomes an effortless and modernized spin on the oldest science-fiction fable in the book (think Hes alive ALIVE!!!! and youve got it) and it does so without an ounce of fat or an ounce of fear. It dives hard and headstrong into absolute awfulness, and its got two terrific actresses unafraid to dive in and get totally goopy with it. An absolute treat, slimy and delicious, this one. Oh and a shout-out to the wildly likeable Breeda Wool too, yet another personal fave, who shows up as a pregnant woman suddenly and terribly trapped inside circumstances well beyond her own control. I think we've got ourselves a new pregnancy horror classic here, folks!'

birth / rebirth premiered at Sundance and will stream on Shudder in the US. No date has yet been announced.
A bill that would prohibit Colorado governments from using nondisclosure agreements with its employees is scheduled for a state Senate committee hearing Thursday.

Senate Bill 23-53 aims to stop the states widespread practice of settling employee disputes, sometimes for hundreds of thousands of dollars, by requiring them to sign deals that ensure the details of the taxpayer-funded arrangements remain secret.

Critics of the practice say its little more than government efforts to prevent the airing of its dirty laundry; a method of silencing whistleblowers who call out misconduct or malfeasance from ever letting anyone know what happened in their cases.

The deals have the potential to bury evidence and prevent investigation of crimes, discrimination, sexual harassment and wage inequality. NDAs, as they are more commonly referred to, were part of the reason why investigations into the states judiciary scandal were hampered.

Proponents of the practice have said its an effective method of trimming the number of potential claims that would be filed if word of the settlements and their dollar amounts were to easily become public.

The Denver Gazette in November revealed how the state signed more than 80 settlement deals with employees since 2019 totaling more than $4 million in taxpayer payouts, each with an NDA, preventing them from discussing it with anyone.

Sponsored by Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, a Weld County Republican, the bill would also prevent the state, its 64 counties, cities, and school districts from requiring nondisclosure deals as part of government employment to prevent them from speaking about their jobs.

The only exception would be if the employees work with information that is required by law to be kept secret or private, such as security details or business information that is proprietary.

The public has a fundamental interest in transparency concerning the conduct of government, the bill currently reads. Nondisclosure agreements imposed on government employees  that effectively prohibit (them) from disclosing details about their government service obstruct these fundamental principles of government transparency and public accountability. The details of public business should not be hidden from public view 

The bill is scheduled to be heard before the Senates State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.

The Gazette uncovered dozens of examples where state employees agreed to the NDAs for payments of as little as $2,000, with little public record available to explain why. Several who spoke with the newspaper said they felt pressured to sign the deals.

At least 16 states already restrict NDAs. Although mostly in the private sector, the prohibitions extend to public employees. And NDAs are strictly prohibited in federal government. The usual exemptions for privacy, secrecy or other restriction thats codified in law apply.

It is Kirkmeyers second try at restricting the practice in Colorado.

She sponsored Senate Bill 21-23 in the 2021 legislative session. During committee hearings, Kirkmeyer said it was the continuing judiciary scandal in which a number of high-ranking Judicial Department employees had signed NDAs that prompted her to propose the legislation.

Although the bill ultimately died in a 3-2 vote that followed party lines, she said The Denver Gazette investigation into NDAs stirred her anew.

Attorney Casey Leier has represented a number of state employees in their grievances, often in cases where they allege misconduct, and said NDAs are problematic, especially in cases of sexual misconduct and harassment.

The public deserves to know when this illegal conduct is occurring, Leier told The Denver Gazette. The state can silence individual employees one by one, but the only way to stop discrimination or misconduct in the long run is to bring the root cause to light.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) is preparing a non-binding offer for Telenor Pakistan pitching up to US$1.2 billion for the unit, reported local newspaper The News.

Sources speaking to the publication said the PTCL board voted in favour of the acquisition of majority shares in the operator with management control.

Officials from the operator have apparently informed Prime Minster Shehbaz Sharif of intentions to acquire the Telenor unit, seeking his approval as well as Telenors board.

Etisalat, PTCLs parent company, will gain the funds through commercial loans. The deal was proposed to be done in US dollars as requested by Norway-based Telenor, reported The News

Another hurdle could be the outstanding balance of US$800 million which Etisalat has yet to pay the government as part of a resolution when it acquired shares in PTCL in 2006. The state also owns shares in PTCL - the operator that runs the Ufone brand in Pakistan.
Today

Mostly sunny and continued unseasonably warm; some high clouds increase during the day.

Tonight

Increasing clouds. There might be a stray shower closer to sunrise.

Tomorrow

Mainly cloudy and cooler with some showers likely mainly during the afternoon, but not a washout. There might be a rumble or two of thunder too.
BERN TWP., Pa.  The doors of the Berks County Residential Center are officially closed. People could be seen moving boxes and chairs out of the Bern Township facility on its last day Tuesday.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency operated the center in Berks County since 2001, housing asylum seekers. The county, who owns the building, said in November that the contract with the federal government was ending.

"It's something I, along with a whole lot of others, have worked for for a very long time," said U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA 4th).

The center had been the focus of protests and faced criticism for its treatment of asylum seekers.

Dean said she does not know what the plan is for the building or the employees going forward. The lawmaker talked with former Gov. Tom Wolf about the center multiple times in past years when they were considering to whom to lease the property.

"I suggested that it could be a very valuable resource center for those struggling with mental illness or substance use disorder or addiction," Dean said.

"Some have talked about a community center, very badly needed in that area," she added.

Celine Schrier of the local nonprofit Berks Stands Up took part in many demonstrations held outside the center, which faced criticism for its handling of migrants.

"I would love to see it become a serious and meaningful resource for the community at large," she said.

Schrier tells us during canvassing, people in the community also expressed interest in replacing it with an opioid epidemic treatment center or a mental health facility.

The county said it is working with affected employees and also with various county departments to review potential options for its future.

69 News previously reached out to ICE regarding the center's final days. There has been no response.
SHILLINGTON, Pa. - President Biden said May 11th will mark the end of the national emergency for addressing Covid and the public health emergency will be over.

Lawmakers have already ended some of the response elements that had been in place.

"The biggest implication of this is going to be the Covid vaccines, the testings, and the therapy also," said Dipak Patel, pharmacy manager for the Medicine Shoppe in Shillington.

Costs could be affected when the emergency declaration ends. "Currently those are covered 100% by the government, so everything is free," said Patel.

That may not be the case as of May.

"That's definitely going to decrease the amount of vaccinations," Patel added.

In January, the Medicine Shoppe administered 350 Covid vaccines. Of those, about 70 were not covered by insurance.

Patel said the cost of the shots will be upwards of $100 each, which will not only limit customers, but it will likely limit the number pharmacies will carry.

Testing will be affected as well.

The government-issued tests will go away and Covid tests may require a doctor's order to be covered by insurance. Otherwise, people may be paying out of pocket.

"Without insurance the rapid tests, it could be anywhere from $50 to $100," said Patel. "PCRs are even more expensive, so I don't see a lot of insurance covering that."

Pennsylvania's Health Department is reviewing the President's announcement. A spokesperson says there will be continued opportunities for free testing, and vaccine providers have a supply on-hand.
READING, Pa. - The Berks County District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday that one of the top targets of a major drug investigation is behind bars.

After receiving an anonymous tip from Crime Alert Berks County, members of the Berks County Sheriff's Office Warrants Division and the U.S. Marshal Fugitive Task Force arrested Arnaldo Rodriguez-Rosario Tuesday in the 600 block of South 18  Street in Reading.

Bail was set at $800,000 and Rodriguez-Rosario was committed to Berks County Jail.

In December of 2022, the district attorneys of Berks and Montgomery counties announced charges against twenty-seven defendants they allege were operating a large-scale drug trafficking organization in Berks, Montgomery and other surrounding counties. They named their investigation Operation Caribbean Snowfall.

Four of the twenty-seven charged have been apprehended. Officials say suspects Juan Ortiz, Miguel Cruz-Ortiz, Stephen Santiago and Roberto Cruz-Rodriguez are still at large.

Anyone with information on their whereabouts should contact the Berks County District Attorneys Detectives Office at 610-478-7171 or Crime Alert Berks County at 1-877-373-9913. All information will remain anonymous and confidential.
Northampton County Council has some catching up to do Thursday because it was not able to vote on anything at its last session.



Council's Jan. 19 meeting was uneventful because the agenda was not posted 24 hours in advance, as required by the state's Open Meeting law, known as "the Sunshine Act." The only thing council could vote on was adjourning.



On Thursday, council will go over a proposed LERTA - Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance - proposal for South Bethlehem. Pennsylvania's LERTA law allows municipalities to charge reduced taxes on new construction in deteriorated areas. That reduction does not apply to the land, and the tax break declines over a decade. After 10 years, the full tax is paid.



Southside LERTA District II could encourage the building of affordable housing, which is defined at the federal level as costing less than 30% of gross income.



Council will also take another look at a proposed health center for county employees and their dependents.



County Executive Lamont McClure said such a center would save millions of taxpayer dollars while providing good care for employees, and using the center would be an option. Staff members would keep their regular health care and providers. He has chosen Integrity Health of New Jersey as the provider.



Council has blocked the plan so far, saying competitive bidding should have been required. Some members have pointed out that the region already has two big health networks - Lehigh Valley Health Network and St. Luke's University Health Network - which could provide such a service.



Some business from Jan. 19 is also on the agenda, including a lease for the West First Street, Wind Gap, office of District Magistrate Joseph Depue. Council must approve all county leases.



Also from last month's light agenda are several McClure appointments to boards and commissions, and a personnel request from District Attorney Terence Houck.



County Council will meet at 6:30 p.m. in the government center on Washington Street in Easton. The meeting will also be broadcast on the county's YouTube channel.
The government of Guinea-Bissau is reportedly reviving plans to divest stakes in state-owned Guine Telecom and Guinetel.

As reported by news agency Lusa, the countrys Ministry of Transport and Communications revealed the details in an announcement regarding the countrys privatisation plans. The government owns 80% of Guine Telecom and an indirect 80% stake in Guinetel.

In 2013, Guinea-Bissaus government declared fixed-line monopoly holder Guine Telecom (Companhia de Telecomunicacoes da Guine-Bissau) and its mobile arm Guinetel to be bankrupt, and the firms were effectively shuttered.

In September 2021, we reported that both units had been issued with operating licences and were on track to be resurrected. Guinetels licence was awarded by regulator ARN (Autoridade Reguladora Nacional das Tecnologias de Informacao e Comunicacao / National Regulatory Authority of Information and Communication Technologies), while Guine Telecoms Single Individual Licence was issued by the countrys Communication Minister Augusto Gomes.

Gomes said at the time that allowing Guine Telecom to resume operations was due to the states desire for sovereignty in telecommunications, particularly concerning the security of communications and national data.
Dental work can cost thousands of dollars, and a Bethlehem dentist is hoping you'll help her find the right candidate for some free dental work.

Bethlehem Smiles is looking for a local veteran for Service with a Smile. Here's how the idea got started.

Dr. Jacquline Owens is a dentist in the Lehigh Valley and also a body builder. Back in 2021, she was in an online fitness competition for a fitness magazine. The winner was featured on the cover and got $20,000.

Owens made it into the top 1% of competitors. While folks were online voting for her, she noticed a lot of them were also donating to a program that builds homes for veterans.

Owens did not win, but she decided to keep up the charity work.

She created the program called Service with a Smile. Her practice is giving one veteran a complete dental makeover.

Any local veteran facing financial hardship and in need of significant dental care can apply.

Email ServiceWithASmile2597@gmail.com to apply. They'll send you a short Google survey to complete.

The survey is also available on their website.

Feb. 27 is the last day to apply.
The Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce has a tradition of giving back to the community through it's annual snow ball. Find out how you can get involved in this interview on 69 News at Sunrise.
Tunisias Ministry of Communication Technologies has announced plans to launch the second phase of its white spots (areas that are currently uncovered) coverage project.

This project aims to expand access to broadband internet in Tunisia. It will do this by highlighting priority deployment areas in an effort to close the digital divide between different areas of the country.

Phase one of the project involved coverage of so-called white spots in 94 areas, providing internet access for more than 164 schools, 59 basic health centres and 180,000 inhabitants. The first phase of the project also enabled the installation of 71 mobile phone base stations.

According to the Zawya news service, the ministry made a statement earlier this week in which it said that, following the completion of the first phase of this project in 2022, the second phase aims to extend coverage to 112 areas.

The ministry also said the number of mobile base stations owned by the three main operators will increase from 5,679 in 2021 to 5,903 by the end of 2022. The three operators  Ooredoo Tunisia, Tunisie Telecom and Orange Tunisie  also share 1,289 radio sites to improve access while reducing operating costs.

In its statement the ministry added that the number of 4G antennas in the country increased from 5,614 in 2021 to 6,560 antennas in 2022, with a penetration rate of around 65% by the end of 2022.

This growth seems to underline the concerns of the June 2022 announcement in which the state-owned incumbent Tunisie Telecom said it wanted to get rid of 3G to focus on 4G, a move driven, in part, by the rapid migration of many users from 3G to 4G.
Williamson, WV (25661)

Today

Light rain this morning. Thunderstorms likely by evening. Rain will be heavy at times in some storms. High 76F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall may reach one inch..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Cloudy skies after midnight. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
On a harsh winter day 40 years ago, a group of over 100 inmates at Waupun Correctional, which was Waupun State Prison at the time, took over two areas of the facility. They held authorities at bay for over five hours as correctional officers and inmates lived through a crisis that neither will ever forget.

Sam Schneiter, of Randolph, has worn many hats during his time working in the prison system and witnessed many events, including the death of Jeffery Dahmer. However, on Jan. 31, 1983, when a group of inmates took three officers, one lieutenant and 11 non-uniform staff in the prison hostage, he understood why you should never keep a photo on you of your loved ones when behind the walls.

They tell you not to, and when I worked corrections, you dont want to bring pictures in your wallet, because they will take that out and use that against you, Schneiter said. They will talk about who this is you will never see her or him again.

How it beganAn inmate from Cuba was placed in segregation a few days prior to the riots which was the catalyst of the events that occurred 40 years ago.

I dont even know what he did to get into segregation. When he was over there (in segregation) he hung himself, Schneiter said. Of course the rumors started that the staff hung him. Rumors in institutions are bad even when they are true.

Schneiter said shortly after 9 a.m. on the day of the riots, a group of inmates started taking control of the school and dorm that was in the prison. At the time, Schneiter was a second shift sergeant and was at home and got the call notifying him to go to the prison.

I headed in immediately from Randolph, Schneiter said. I was a member of the emergency response team at the institution.

At the time, the warden at Waupun State Prison had a lot of the staff members on the emergency response team. Schneiter said he was sent out with a large group of them to stand in the bitter cold in the yard as a show of force to the inmates who were in the second floor areas with the hostages.

Many other institutions responded as well, Schneiter said. Dodge Correctional, Fox Lake and Kettle Moraine were three I remember.

Law enforcement, including Dodge and Fond du Lac Sheriffs Office, Wisconsin State Patrol and the Waupun Police were outside the prison.

Planning started at a banquet

In the 1980s, the warden allowed banquets for different ethnic groups, Schneiter said. It was during the set-up for the banquet where the riot planning began.

It was later discovered that is when they planned the riot or take-over, Schneiter said. The banquet was the Saturday night before and the riot happened the next Monday.

The day of the riot

The inmates who caused the riot coordinated a plan to go into the offices the day of the riot and grab the staff.

They physically controlled them and pulled phone cords out of the walls so they couldnt communicate, Schneiter said. They did it all at once. They had it coordinated pretty well from how I understood it. They said, you arent going anywhere and barricaded the door.

Schneiter said they started to throw bookcases and other things around in the school area. There were two factions, those who wanted to avoid violence and those who wanted to create it.

You had the inmates clashing as well during this time, Schneiter said. A lot of chaos and lots of uncertainty. Staff faced verbal trauma and physical assaults. A lot of stuff was kept out of the papers, but it was a very bad situation. It was a big relief that no one was killed. However, there was a lot of stuff that happened.

A near miss for some

The dorm was located next to a hobby room and Schneiter said a rec hall was below the dorm, which is where the riot started.

As they were coming up the steps, the sergeant knew that he had to get out of there. The door was locked, but the inmates already crashed through the sergeants door while he was leaving that area to go to the hobby area. The sergeant locked the door and got the people out of the hobby area as well.

Taking back the prison

With daylight dwindling and an obvious tension building between the inmates who were keeping the hostages, an assault was planned on the school and the dorm. The school was entered first since that was where most of the hostages were being kept.

I did not enter at any time, Schneiter said. The first ones in were the ones who were there when the riot started. There was a fire started by inmates, but the inmates came out when the staff came in. There was no shots fired or confrontation.

Then the same thing happened in the dorm.

There were over 200 inmates involved, but many were forced to be there, and were taken to a holding area while the ones who arranged the riot were taken to a different area, Schneiter said.

Schneiter was assigned to stand guard in the holding area and stayed at the prison until around 5 a.m. He worked to get the inmates out of the cold and into a warmer area. However, it was a smaller area where the inmates were packed in the cells.

The inmates were not happy, Schneiter said. Some of them were in shock at what happened. They were traumatized as well with what happened.

Hostage reaction after the riots

Schneiter said he felt badly for those who were taken hostage and had no idea what would happen to them. Eventually, he ended up interviewing the hostages.

One person I interviewed was the major and he gave me a lot of the information, Schneiter said. The major was the one who was responsible for the emergency response teams.

The major held face-to-face negotiations and stood on the field while the inmates were in the windows above. He also was the one who requested and was given permission by the warden to advance on the rioters.

There were also negotiators talking to the inmates on the phone.

The lieutenant knew he was being taken hostage, Schneiter said. He could have stayed away.

The lieutenant said he could hear it was really bad by the screaming and noises coming from there, but there were women who were hostages, and he wanted to save them, Schneiter said. The hostages suffered from both mental and physical abuse.

They blindfolded them and bound their hands behind their backs and did various things to harass and threaten them to include rubbing a sharp instrument across their neck while verbally threatening them, Schneiter said.

They were constantly threatened to kill the staff there, Schneiter said.

I dont think their original intent was to harm people; they had a number of demands, Schneiter said. Many of those demands went to the wardens office and the governors office. There were no demands granted.

The inmates cut holes in the floor to get supplies and even threatened one of the staff with lighting up a gas tank that the staff member was strapped to, Schneiter said.

Some of the inmates who caused the riots did remain, but others were transferred out, Schneiter said.

They tried to split them up as much as possible, Schneiter said, the ones involved did end up getting a lot of extra time on their sentences.

GALLERY: WAUPUN PRISONS HIGHLIGHTED IMG_7412.JPG IMG_7413.JPG IMG_7415.JPG IMG_7416.JPG IMG_7417.JPG Waupun prisons highlighted IMG_7420.JPG IMG_7421.JPG IMG_7422.JPG IMG_7423.JPG IMG_7424.JPG IMG_7428.JPG IMG_7429.JPG IMG_7431.JPG
Members of the Legislative Black Caucus are hosting a series of events this month in honor of Black History Month, focusing on education, health, environmental justice and business concerns among Wisconsins Black community.

The series kicked off Wednesday with a screening at the state Capitol of the documentary Vel Phillips: Dream Big Dreams, which focuses on the first Black candidate to hold statewide office in Wisconsin.

February allows us the chance to celebrate our history in this great state, and I want to thank everyone for all their hard work to put the events this month together, said Rep. Dora Drake, D-Milwaukee, who chairs the nine-member caucus. I encourage people to make time and attend our events throughout the month.

Those include a minority-owned business conversation Friday in Milwaukee, and an online forum focusing on Black health and mental health will take place at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and Feb. 9. Putting a spotlight on health disparities between Wisconsins white and Black populations, a 2016 UW-Madison Population Health Institute report said the state was failing in its efforts to improve health-related quality of life for working-age adults who are African American.

On Feb. 14, there will be a blood drive at Milwaukees Vincent High School. On the 15th, there will be a lunch and lecture at the Capitol with Marquette University associate English professor Cedric Burrows, who teaches courses in Black rhetoric and social movements.

A Feb. 16 fair at the Wisconsin African American Womens Center in Milwaukee will focus on K-12 education resources, while other events between Feb. 20 and 24 will focus on criminal and environmental justice.

There will be a Day of Empathy from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 22 at the Capitol. On Feb. 23, there will be a panel on Wisconsin environmental justice in Black communities at the Urban Ecology Center at Riverside Park, beginning at 5 p.m.

An event highlighting the disparate impacts of climate change will be hosted from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 24 at the Capitol.

The events will conclude with a Black lobbying event between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Capitol.

7 honored

Members of the caucus also introduced on Wednesday a resolution proclaiming February 2023 as Black History Month and honoring seven people who have made measurable differences in their respective industries:

Marcia Anderson, a retired major general with the U.S. Army Reserve.

Elisterine Clayton, a 100-year-old Milwaukee resident who, along with her husband, Powell, played a role in building the citys historic Halyard Park community, home to one of the citys oldest Black middle-class neighborhoods.

Paul Higginbotham, the first Black judge to serve on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.

Torre Johnson Sr., the founder of X-Men United, a Milwaukee-based youth development basketball nonprofit.

Alonzo Robinson Jr., the states first Black registered architect and Milwaukees first Black registered municipal architect.

Dr. William Rogers, a historian and educator who helped form the Black Radio Network.

Gab Taylor, co-founder of Program the Parks and a member of Standing up for Racial Justice.

The topic of a Black History Month resolution has been a divisive one at the Capitol in recent years. The Republican-led Legislature declined to pass a resolution honoring Black History Month in 2021, but did pass a measure honoring the late conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, whose top-rated show was condemned by Democrats as misogynistic, xenophobic, homophobic and racist.

State Journal reporter Mitchell Schmidt contributed to this report.

Famous protests in US history and their impacts Famous protests in US history and their impacts 1688: Germantown Quaker petition against slavery 1773: The Boston Tea Party 1791: The Whiskey Rebellion 1848: The Seneca Falls Convention 1863: New York City draft riots 1874: The Womens Crusade 1911: Triangle Shirtwaist fire protests 1913: Suffrage movement 1932: Bonus Army march 1955: The Montgomery bus boycott 1960: The Greensboro sit-in 1963: March on Washington 1965: Selma to Montgomery march 1968: Holy Week Uprisings 1968: Bra 'burning' at Miss America pageant 1969: Stonewall Inn riots 1969: Vietnam War protest 1970: Sit-in at Ladies Home Journal office 1970: Kent State University anti-war gathering 1973: March for Life 1973: First Take Back The Night march in the US 1976: Marches for the Equal Rights Amendment 1979: National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights 1981: Solidarity Day march 1982: Anti-nuclear protest in Central Park 1986: Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament 1987: Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights 1992: Los Angeles uprising 1993: March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay, and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation 1995: Million Man March 1997: Million Woman March 1999: Seattle World Trade Organization protests 2000: The Million Mom March 2003: Iraq War protests 2004: March for Womens Lives 2006: The Day Without an Immigrant 2009: Tea Party protests 2010: Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear 2011: Occupy Wall Street 2013: First Black Lives Matter protests 2014: Peoples Climate March 2015: Armenian March for Justice 2016: Dakota Access Pipeline protests 2017: The Womens March on Washington 2017: The March for Science 2018: Womens March 2019: Telegramgate protests in Puerto Rico 2019: September 2019 climate strike 2020: Black Lives Matter
The Republican chair of the state Senates natural resources committee sounded optimistic Tuesday that the GOP-led Legislature and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers might find common ground in addressing Wisconsins ongoing battle with forever chemicals in the states ground and drinking water.

That could include Evers request for more than $100 million in increased spending on testing and other resources directed toward PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, said Sen. Rob Cowles, chair of the Committee on Natural Resources and Energy.

Without knowing all the fine points, I think we have a good chance of making it happen, whether its a separate bill or in the budget, Cowles, R-Green Bay, told reporters at the Capitol Tuesday.

Cowles has been one of the more vocal Republicans on the need to address PFAS in the state. Green Bay and groundwater and streams in several communities near his district are contaminated with PFAS from a nearby Tyco Fire Products testing facility in Marinette.

Cowles said the Legislature may consider additional actions related to PFAS  also known as forever chemicals because they do not break down in the environment and can accumulate in animal tissues and the human body.

Just as with any emerging environmental contaminant, there is more work to be done and thats why we are here today, he said.

Many of Cowles Republican colleagues, however, have been less enthusiastic. While the Legislature has restricted the use of PFAS-containing firefighting foam, other measures have largely fallen flat.

While crafting the current two-year spending plan in June 2021, the Republican-led budget committee rejected Evers request to spend $10 million annually to create a grant program for municipalities to investigate and respond to PFAS contamination. The committee did approve putting $1 million in annual funding into the committees supplemental fund for collecting and disposing of PFAS-containing firefighting foam  work that continues.

Every one of these environmental issues, it takes a while to get into the psyche of all the legislators, Cowles said.

PFAS are a group of synthetic chemicals used in numerous products, including food packaging, non-stick cookware and water-resistant fabrics. Their unique water- and fat-repellent properties have made them a key ingredient in foam used to fight oil-based fires. Some of the compounds have been linked to cancer and other health problems and have been identified in communities across the nation and Wisconsin, including Marinette, Wausau, La Crosse and Madison.

Christy Remucal, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at UW-Madison, said addressing PFAS can be very tricky. While the chemicals can be tested for and identified, there is not yet a way to conduct large-scale removal and destruction of the contaminant.

Remucal said preventing contamination at the source remains the most successful option at this time.

In his State of the State address last week, Evers called for $106 million in the upcoming budget to combat PFAS contamination. The money would go toward helping local communities, increasing staff and resources at the state Department of Natural Resources, and increasing PFAS testing, sampling and monitoring.

The states Natural Resources Board voted unanimously in December to approve a scope statement allowing the DNR to draft a rule adding PFOS, PFOA, PFBS and GenX chemicals to the list of contaminants regulated under the states groundwater law.

Groundwater standards would allow the DNR to hold polluters accountable and give private well owners with tainted water access to funding for treatment.

The scope statement sets parameters for the DNR to draft numeric standards, a process that typically takes about 2 years and requires approval of the governor, the Natural Resources Board and the Legislature. The DNR has not yet said what those numeric standards should be.
The University of Wisconsin volleyball team added a terminal outside hitter Tuesday when Temi Thomas-Ailara announced that she will join the Badgers as a graduate transfer from Northwestern.

The 6-foot-2 Thomas-Ailara, a three-time first-team All-Big Ten Conference and second-team All-American selection, led the Big Ten in total kills (502) and was second in kills per set (4.33) and hit a career best .252 in 2022. She led the way in conference matches with 338 kills and 4.63 kills per set.

Thomas-Ailara ranks fifth in Northwestern history with 1,546 career kills. She became the programs fourth player to be named an All-American and its first since 2012.

Thomas-Ailara, who will have one year of eligibility at UW, will join redshirt junior Sarah Franklin, junior Julia Orzol and sophomore Ella Wrobel in competing for playing time on the left side.

She is the second major roster addition for the Badgers from the transfer portal, joining 6-7 sophomore middle blocker Carter Booth from Minnesota.

Upon entering the transfer portal, Thomas-Ailara told SBNation, I feel like having a new environment and new experiences will help me grow as a person as well as a player.

She joins a UW team that is coming off a 28-4 season and won its fourth consecutive Big Ten title with a 19-1 mark.

The Glenwood, Illinois, native was first-team Under Armour All-American in 2018 at Marian Catholic High School. She is set to graduate this spring with a degree in biomedical engineering.

She led the Wildcats in kills in each of her four seasons and had a career-high 32 kills against American University in 2019. Her high mark last season was 26 kills against Nebraska.

Born Temitayo Oluwatoyin Thomas-Ailara, she is the daughter of two nurses who were born in Lagos, Nigeria, and came to the Chicago area about 25 years ago. She plans to play volleyball professionally and then pursue a career in health care.

Photos: Wisconsin volleyball team ousted in NCAA Elite Eight
Citizens enjoy Chinese calligraphy and painting works at Suzhou Art Museum in Suzhou City, east China's Anhui Province, during the Spring Festival holiday. [People's Daily Online/Miao Zijian]

"This is the first time I've been so close to large Chinese calligraphy works. They are breathtaking!" a citizen surnamed Zhou said to People's Daily Online during a recent visit to Suzhou Art Museum in Suzhou City, east China's Anhui Province.

As a calligraphy enthusiast himself, Zhou often does calligraphy at home. He visited Suzhou Art Museum during the Spring Festival holiday, and was deeply impressed by the artworks displayed there.

In a bid to enrich people's intellectual and cultural lives, Suzhou Art Museum has held several exhibitions of Chinese calligraphy and painting works during the Spring Festival holiday, according to a staff member at the museum.

"Several hundred people visited our museum every day during the Spring Festival holiday. The number peaked at nearly 1,000 on the first day of the first lunar month," said the staff member.

"Standing close to admire large calligraphy works of prestigious calligraphers is a precious form of enjoyment for me, and I hope I will get to enjoy more masterpieces of famous artists," Zhou said.

Citizens enjoy Chinese calligraphy and painting works at Suzhou Art Museum in Suzhou City , east China's Anhui Province, during the Spring Festival holiday. [People's Daily Online/Miao Zijian]

A citizen enjoys Chinese calligraphy and painting works at Suzhou Art Museum in Suzhou City , east China's Anhui Province, during the Spring Festival holiday. [People's Daily Online/Miao Zijian]

A citizen enjoys Chinese calligraphy and painting works at Suzhou Art Museum in Suzhou City , east China's Anhui Province, during the Spring Festival holiday. [People's Daily Online/Miao Zijian]

Citizens enjoy Chinese calligraphy and painting works at Suzhou Art Museum in Suzhou City , east China's Anhui Province, during the Spring Festival holiday. [People's Daily Online/Miao Zijian]

Citizens enjoy Chinese calligraphy and painting works at Suzhou Art Museum in Suzhou City , east China's Anhui Province, during the Spring Festival holiday. [People's Daily Online/Miao Zijian]

A citizen enjoys Chinese calligraphy and painting works at Suzhou Art Museum in Suzhou City , east China's Anhui Province, during the Spring Festival holiday. [People's Daily Online/Miao Zijian]

(Source: People's Daily Online)
BEIJING, Jan. 31 (Xinhua)  Chinese President Xi Jinping encouraged Hungarian youths to learn more about China and become envoys of the China-Hungary friendship in a recent reply letter.

In his reply to a letter from students of the Hungarian-Chinese bilingual school in the Central and Eastern European country, Xi said he and his wife were glad to hear from the Hungarian students during the Spring Festival of the Year of the Rabbit, and he still remembers chatting with teachers and students of the school in 2009.

Xi said he would like to give the students a thumbs-up upon hearing that the students have kept learning Chinese for a long time and are committed to making contributions to the China-Hungary friendship.

He emphasized that both China and Hungary have a long history and a splendid culture, and people of the two countries enjoy a traditional friendship and increasingly close cultural exchanges.

The students, Xi said, are welcomed to study in Chinese universities after graduation from high school, hoping that more and more Hungarian youths will love and study the Chinese language.

Xi also said that he hoped they have the opportunity to travel around the country, learn more about today's China as well as its history and culture, and strive to become envoys to carry forward and develop the China-Hungary friendship.

Founded in September 2004, the Hungarian-Chinese bilingual school is the only full-time school in Central and Eastern Europe that uses Chinese and the local language for instruction. Currently, the school has 12 grades and 20 classes with more than 530 students.

During his visit to Hungary in October 2009, Xi, who was then China's vice president, visited the school.

Before the Spring Festival, two students whose Chinese names are Hu Lingyue and Song Zhixiao, wrote a letter to Xi and his wife, Professor Peng Liyuan, on behalf of all students in the school, conveying their New Year's greetings. In their letter, they also spoke about what it felt studying Chinese in the school for 12 years, and expressed their willingness to study in Chinese universities and contribute to the Hungary-China friendship.

(Source: Xinhua)
Li Chunyan produces the special "vine tea" in Qing'an Village of Zhangjiajie, central China's Hunan Province, July 9, 2022. [Xinhua]

CHANGSHA, Jan. 30 (Xinhua)  Displaying a tea caddy in front of the smartphone, Li Chunyan enthusiastically introduced the special "vine tea" grown in the Wuling Mountains, to promote sales online.

Vine tea, or Ampelopsis grossedentata, is a medicinal plant, and locals call it "meicha." "We Tujia people affectionately refer to it as 'Tujia divine tea' since it has both edible and medicinal properties," said Li, a local of Qing'an Village in Zhangjiajie, a renowned tourist city in central China's Hunan Province.

"In addition to lucid water and lush mountains, Zhangjiajie is also known for its unique agricultural goods, like this snow-white vine tea in my hand...," Li introduced to the audience.

Over 10 years ago, Li and her husband both quit their jobs in more developed coastal areas to start a new business in their hometown. In 2015, the couple started to develop a vine tea base.

"We sowed 12 mu (about 0.8 hectares) the first year, and to our surprise, we earned over 100,000 yuan (about 14,800 U.S. dollars)," said Li.

Later, they established a company and encouraged other villagers to plant such tea together, gradually increasing the scope of their operation each year.

Li said that the sales of her company topped 20 million yuan in 2022, and more than 300 households in Qing'an Village now grow vine tea.

"I buy fresh leaves directly from the villagers, so they do not have to worry about sales. When it's the leaf-picking season, everyone can help pick leaves and make some extra cash without leaving their homes," Li said.

"I used to plant corn and peanuts, and can barely make ends meet. With the growth of the vine tea industry in the village, I can now earn money not only by picking tea leaves but also by planting them," said Hu Guoying, a Qing'an villager.

"Now, I have some savings, and my family recently moved into a new house," said Hu.

"Vine tea is now the dominant industry in Yongding District (where the village is located), playing a vital role in consolidating and expanding poverty alleviation achievements and in promoting rural revitalization," said Tian Liping, the secretary-general of the Zhangjiajie vine tea association.

According to Wang Xuejun, head of Yongding District, the district has become a major producing base of vine tea. Its vine tea industry now hires over 90,000 people and has an annual turnover of 2.2 billion yuan.

"We will continue to accelerate scientific and technological innovation, build brands and expand the market to pursue high-quality development of the vine tea industry," said Wang.

Li Chunyan introduces the special "vine tea" grown in the Wuling Mountains online to promote sales at a warehouse in Zhangjiajie, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 20, 2022. [Xinhua]

(Source: Xinhua)
Wang plays with a hearing-impaired girl who is receiving training at her center. [China Daily]

After success with hearing-impaired son, Wang Xinan focuses on aiding others like him

Wang Xinan, who taught her hearing-impaired son the communication skills he needed to excel academically, is offering assistance to families with disabled children in Changsha, Hunan Province.

Her life became more challenging soon after her son, nicknamed Chengcheng, was born in 2000.

At first, he looked and behaved just like any newborn, Wang said, gazing at the world around him with big, bright eyes and giggling when people played with him.

Twenty-two days after he was born, he was sent to the hospital to be treated for jaundice. After a 12-day stay, the baby boy seemed to have lost some of his vitality and didn't appear to respond normally to loud noises.

Wang was concerned, but her mother told her to give her son time to recover his energy.

A few months later, Wang recalled, a cup hit the ground next to Chengcheng while he slept. It didn't wake him.

In another incident that occurred during one of his naps, an iron plate fell outside, causing quite a bit of noise. Again, he remained asleep.

Wang eventually had a doctor examine Chengcheng further. When he was about a year old, he was diagnosed with severe hearing loss.

Wang was crestfallen. She remembers spending days crying and contemplating suicide.

"I didn't understand how my son had become hearing-impaired. I had undergone genetic screenings two or three times before giving birth, and there were no signs of my baby having a disability," said Wang, now 48.

"It was like doomsday. What could I do? I felt like I couldn't even breathe."

Wang Xinan poses with her son Chengcheng (L), her husband and a relative in a park in Changsha, Hunan Province. [China Daily]

Fortunately, she received tremendous support from her family, who reminded her that they loved her just like she loved her little boy. They encouraged her to focus more on educating Chengcheng, who was already showing signs of intelligence and strong observational skills.

Wang decided to let go of her grief and began teaching her son to read lips when he was just 18 months old. She hoped that one day he would be able to speak and receive an education like other children.

However, she had no idea where to start, so she began by reading books at the library about how to communicate with hearing-impaired children and practiced some of the methods she learned. When she couldn't figure out how to address certain problems, she would turn to doctors for help.

It's not easy to teach any child to pronounce words, let alone one with hearing loss. But Wang didn't give up. She bought Chengcheng a hearing aid, and taught him to watch her mouth and let him touch her throat as she spoke so he could feel the vibrations.

Within two months, Chengcheng could say a few easy words like "baba" and "mama", meaning "father" and "mother" in Chinese respectively.

A decorated wall at the rehabilitation center Wang set up in 2010. [China Daily]

Gradually, Chengcheng's ability to speak and read lips improved, and he was able to attend normal schools as he got older. He received a cochlear implant in 2012 when he was in junior high school, and eight years later, his impressive academic performance earned him admission to a university.

Wang decided to use the skills she learned to help other families with children like her son. In 2003, she launched a free workshop to teach children how to speak and read lips.

It didn't take long for her to attract both students and funds. Fortunately, she was able to establish close ties with many families.

"I'm very grateful that they helped me, both financially and mentally, to continue running my workshop," she said.

In 2010, Wang set up a rehabilitation center with funds and guidance provided by social organizations and the Changsha government. The center has attracted many certified teachers and is now the largest in the city serving the disabled.

So far, 3,000 families have received help, and 1,600 children with various disabilities have attended courses at the center. Nine have been admitted to universities.

"I believe every child at the center has a bright future and will enjoy a happy life," she said.

(Source: China Daily)
Pictured here is a 2022 location image where "Rust" was being filmed.
The annual Black History Month celebration hosted by the Chipola College Black Student Union will be held on campus in the Cultural Center, 6:30-9 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 17.

Guest speaker is Dr. Brian Turner. He is a licensed clinical psychologist and psychology department head at Xavier University in New Orleans, as well as an Associate Professor of Psychology and director of African American Diaspora Studies there. He is a former advisor for the BSU at the University of West Florida in Pensacola.

Additionally, Wayne Herring will share photos and experiences of visiting Ghana, lifestyle, cultural and economic facets. He is a retiree from the physical plant department at Chipola College.

BSU members will offer some poems and songs to round out the evenings presentations.

Dinner will be included at the free event, thanks to some long-time event sponsors, according to Chipola College BSU sponsor Dr. Willie Spires, Chipola dean of General Studies in charge of social and behavioral sciences and math and natural sciences.

This event would not be possible without the financial and moral support and contributions weve received over many years from businesses and local organizations Spires said. Theyve been very kind and giving for a long time, and we have the utmost appreciation for their contributions. They have made this important event more accessible.

More BHM events

-The annual Grand Ridge School Black History Program will be held Feb. 17 at 9 a.m. in the schools gym. Jackson County School Board member Chephus Granberry will be the keynote speaker. The public is invited to attend, but this year there is reserved seating for all Grand Ridge school alumni and former staff members. Call the school at 850-482-1273, ext. 41221, to RSVP, so staff can save a seat for you.

-The New Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, located at 3360 Garden View Road in Cottondale, will observe its annual Black Heritage Program on Sunday, Feb. 26, at 11 a.m. Dr. Henry Forward will be the speaker. Everyone is invited.
In his annual address to the Alaska Legislature, Gov. Mike Dunleavy identified successes from his first four-year term in office and called for action on a list of administration priorities, including more funding for a statehood defense program that has launched a series of lawsuits against the federal government.

Speaking Jan. 23 at the Capitol in Juneau, the governor also said he would work with state legislators to make Alaska the most pro-life state in the entire country.

Doing so, he said, would require affordable housing, improvements to education, economic opportunity and quality of life. Dunleavy also said it would be important to consider life from the moment of conception on.

He did not include a firm proposal for meeting any of those goals.

In June, following the U.S. Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the governor said he would introduce an abortion-related constitutional amendment this year. He has not yet done so, and officials in the governors office did not say whether he will introduce one.

Legislators generally praised the speech, saying they are optimistic that the governors second term will mark a change from the administrations often-combative relations with the Legislature in his first four years.

Overall a positive, forward-looking speech, but I guess the devils in the details, and I look forward to hearing the details, said Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage.

Though the governors pro-life message lacked details, other elements of his speech have already been introduced in his budget.

One of the administrations biggest pushes is an expansion of its statehood defense initiative, which funds lawsuits, frequently using hired attorneys, against the federal government.

When federal agencies are clearly wrong, when theyre misinterpreting the Statehood Act, ANILCA, or other laws governing our relationship with the federal government, we have an obligation to stop them, Dunleavy said, referring to the 1980 Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act that conserved much of the land in Alaska.

Speaker of the House Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla, said thats in line with the priorities of the House Republican-led coalition majority.

The administration has already requested and received millions of dollars that it has used for lawsuits on a variety of topics, and the governors newest budget requests $10 million more for the effort.

Legislators say theyre interested.

I think we need to continue to move forward and protect our natural resources to make sure we stay in business, said Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka and co-chair of the Senate Finance Committee.

The governor also requested $5 million to market Alaska as an area of opportunity for new businesses. The North to Opportunity program, as the governor termed it, is an existing effort the Dunleavy administration has already used to advertise Alaska to fishing companies, tourism businesses and aerospace ventures.

Shortly before the governors speech, a hundred-strong rally outside the state Capitol urged Dunleavy and lawmakers to increase the states per-student funding formula for public schools, known as the base student allocation.

That topic is expected to appear frequently in this years legislative session, but the governors speech did not mention it, and lawmakers noted its absence.

I wish he would have spoken more about education, said Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak. I dont think we heard much specificity about how we would solve that problem.

The Alaska Beacon is an independent, donor-funded news organization. Alaskabeacon.com.
Are you a railroad worker? Send us your statement opposing the move to outsource engine maintenance by filling out the form below. All submissions will be kept anonymous.

BNSF locomotives in Barstow, California [Photo: WSWS]

BNSF Railway plans to outsource a significant amount of its locomotive maintenance to nonunion contractors, the company announced in a letter last month. The move, which was announced on January 5, came barely more than a month after Congress intervened to impose a bipartisan anti-strike law against 120,000 railroaders across all seven major railroads, imposing a contract which several crafts had voted to reject.

The railroads have been pressing their advantage in the aftermath by carrying out significant attacks on workers. Only days after the law was passed, BNSF, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern announced pilot programs to reduce crew sizes from two to one. That move was in flagrant violation of promises made earlier last year that the long-sought-after reduction in crew sizes, which would create significant safety issues, would be shelved for the life of the new contract, which the rail unions had earlier hailed as a huge victory.

The latest move by BNSF to contract work out of the bargaining units covering locomotive maintenance workers is not only a flagrant contract violation, but also of the basic principles of collective bargaining. Even by the letter of the undemocratic Railway Labor Act, this clearly qualifies as a major dispute which workers would be entitled to strike over. As far as management, together with both Congress and the corrupt union apparatus which helped to block strike action last year are concerned, the contract is only binding upon workers, while the railroads are free to flout it whenever convenient.

BNSF justified the move by citing the entirely predictable arrival of winter weather, as well as the railroads substantial backlog of scheduled maintenance. This backlog, however, is due to years of job cuts which have fueled rising profits.

One railroad worker, who asked not to be named, said that the railroad has relied on Federal Items Only (FIO) exemptions from the federal government, which allows the company to reduce maintenance to a federally required minimum. A federal inspection item only locomotive (FIO) really is a 368 inspection mandated by the FRA [Federal Railroad Authority]; however, the way they work them is by not doing them. They load them up, make sure it makes 4500 horsepower, and off it goes, the rail worker stated.

Some crews would do two FIOs in one day, which is ridiculous. The management was desperate for power and didnt want to work on its own equipment, so they started the FIO thing last year. Now all this equipment is breaking down worse than ever, and they cant skimp it anymore given that the Federal Railroad Authority (FRA) mandates by the law that every locomotive get a full inspection. Now they are over their heads in required maintenance with not enough personnel to do it, so scab shops are the solution.

Typically management would get angry or play dumb when you would actually do a FIO the right way. They just wanted you to ignore all issues, as much as possible, and send it off. Management is evaluated based on its number of releases per day, not upon its quality of repairs, he concludes.

A railroad electrician explained these issues in further detail.

The problem is that BNSF is reporting to the STB, the Surface Transportation Board, that they have hired four hundred and fifty (450) some odd people across the system, but what they are not saying is what group of people have been hired, he said. We have lost a hundred and eleven electricians across BNSFs properties, and thats just on the electricians side. That has nothing to do with the machinists or the laborers that are there. The only people theyre able to hire right now are laborers, even at our new pay rate.

The problem is, that still with their increase in wages we cant hire anybody as an electrician that has an electrical background. Were the only industry that deals with DC and AC every single day. The only industry and yet were still so far behind in pay even with our entrance pay.

Theyre trying to take our units and contract them out because of our rate of pay. Its cheaper for them just to send it to a contractor. Well, the problem with that is, none of these people are electricians. None of them.

They [BNSF] went to Lincoln, Nebraska, which is one of our shops, they shut all their overtime down and they sent all of their parts to the contractors, so all the stuff thats needed to do this job they sent to the contractors instead of allowing our people to do the job.

Theyre asking for us to do as minimal work as possible on this equipment to get it out of here, but theres things wrong with them. We need to do this service, we need to do these things and they are not wanting to do it. We have projects that are open on almost every single unit thats on our system and we havent done projects since mid-year last year. Weve turned off projects completely.

Responsibility for this situation lies with the trade union bureaucracy, which ignored an overwhelming strike vote and kept workers on the job past the expiration of the legal restrictions on striking last September. Instead, using lies, intimidation and outright fraud, they sought to ram through a contract brokered by the Biden administration that was widely hated by workers. If BNSF is willing to openly flaunt even the terms of this contract, it is because they know the union apparatus will work to hold workers back.

Jeff Allred, System Council 16 chairman for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), announced that the union would be holding a strike authorization vote over the issues in a letter dated January 24. But the IBEW already ignored support for strike action and pushed through the contract for electricians in a ballot marked by widespread irregularities, including significant numbers of workers who never received ballots (Congress later intervened because the contract was rejected by workers in several other unions).

International Association of Machinists (IAM) members were the first to vote down the contract last fall, but the bureaucracy simply forced them to vote again on a nearly identical deal. On January 27, IAM District 19 president Kyle Loos issued his own letter, which carefully avoided the question of strike action. Instead, Loos said that the IAM was going to pursue the best legal action available. He added, Although this might not be popular, we are recommending that overtime be utilized to perform this work if necessary. In other words, Loos proposes as a solution offering up understaffed machinists for forced overtime, ramping up exploitation of IAM members to render contract work unnecessary.

The offensive by BNSF proves that, though Congress illegitimately voted itself the right to impose the contract, nothing has been settled as far as workers are concerned. The move to contract locomotive maintenance is only the tip of the spear. If this is allowed to go forward, the railroads will try to unilaterally impose many other concessions in the coming months and years.

The way forward for railroaders is to organize themselves independently of both management and the bureaucracy, building up the alternative structures necessary to give them effective control over their own fight. This means continuing the development of the Railroad Workers Rank-and-File Committee, which was founded last fall and played a leading role in mobilizing opposition to the contract.

A statement issued by a joint meeting of the RWRFC and workers in other industries, held as the anti-strike law was making its way through Congress, declared:

As representatives of rank-and-file rail workers, we declare that, as far as we are concerned, there is no contract, whether Congress passes legislation or not. Congress, one of the most hated institutions in America, has no right to override the democratic rights of workers. If the apparatus of the unions signs these agreements, they do so in violation of the express will of the rank and file. Therefore, railroad workers reserve the right to organize and prepare collective action.

It continued: The representatives of rank-and-file workers outside the rail industry pledge to use all means available to us to mobilize our coworkers to defend railroaders. Experience has proven that this is a battle that can only be won through the independent organization of workers themselves, outside of the control of the corrupt union apparatus. We cannot let railroaders fight Congress and corporate America on their own.

To contact the committee for more information, email them at railwrfc@gmail.com. Alternatively, fill out the form below.
Elchin Amirbayov, Assistant to the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan, has published an article in Newsletter, an American weekly online news magazine, Azernews reports.

"The South Caucasus is the crossroads between resource-rich Central Asia and resource-hungry European economy. Peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan will foster the prosperity not just of the Armenians and Azerbaijanis but of all Eurasia. The resounding victory of Azerbaijan in the Second Karabakh War of 2020 created a historic opportunity to turn the page, leave hostilities behind and normalize relations based on international law.

To seize this opportunity, the West must acquire a better awareness of the irrefutable facts on which the Azerbaijani views are based. Unfortunately, Armenia, its diaspora, and foreign supporters have recently launched a propaganda campaign designed to obscure these facts from view. The immediate goal of the campaign is to bring American and European pressure to bear on Baku. The longer-term goal is to scuttle the peace process that began in November 2020, when Armenia acknowledged its defeat in the war.

The disinformation campaign focuses on events along the Lachin Road, linking Armenia with the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, and it advances two main claims. First, that "blockade" of the road, which began on Dec. 12 by Azerbaijani environmental activists created a humanitarian disaster, endangering the lives of ethnic Armenians in Karabakh. Second, that it is part of a wider effort by Azerbaijan to deny the Karabakh Armenians their rights and security.

Let's take these misleading claims in turn, starting with the alleged humanitarian crisis. Humanitarian shipments, including medicines, food, and other essential goods, move easily into Karabakh. Local civilians facing urgent medical and other essential needs can leave for Armenia and return along the road.

To prevent any humanitarian crisis, Baku gives the International Red Cross unimpeded access to the road. It also allows free movement to Russian peacekeepers. Soldiers of Russia, Armenia's greatest ally, are better placed than any other international actor to reassure Yerevan regarding the physical security of Karabakh Armenians.

Which brings us to the second spurious claim, namely, that Azerbaijan is denying ethnic Armenians in Karabakh their rights. Understanding why this is a blatant falsehood requires historical context, though it is quickly told. During the First Karabakh War, which ended in 1994, Armenian forces occupied and ethnically cleansed Karabakh and other surrounding Azerbaijani territories of ethnic Azerbaijanis. They killed, raped, and tortured many hundreds of innocent civilians, driving over 800,000 people from their homes, often in the dead of winter, with the Khojaly massacre being the peak of this barbarity.

These crimes, committed with impunity and still awaiting justice, were well documented while they happened. In the wake of this, international law and every major power in the world reaffirms Karabakh as a sovereign Azerbaijani territory, and full restoration of effective Azerbaijani control of Karabakh is seen as the basis for a just and lasting peace. For this reason, UN Security Council Resolutions 822, 853, 874, and 884 all demand the "complete, immediate, and unconditional withdrawal" of Armenian forces from the territory of Azerbaijan. (Even now, 10,000 Armenia's troops remain in Karabakha time bomb threatening peace and stability).

The UN issued those orders in 1993. For nearly three decades Azerbaijanis waited patiently for the international community to implement them. Meanwhile, Armenia played for time, just as it is doing now: talking about peace, preparing for war, and spreading misinformation. Its forces looted Azerbaijani towns and villages, erasing every sign of Azerbaijani cultural heritage, and plundered its mineral resources.

By 2020, Azerbaijan's patience had worn thin. In the Second Karabakh War, it demonstrated its resolute determination to reclaim its stolen land.

In the Trilateral Statement of Nov. 10, 2020 (the agreement signed by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia that brought the Second Karabakh to an end), Armenia agreed to accept a new reality on the ground and build peace. Ever since, however, Armenia has misused the Lachin road to export from Karabakh to Armenia plundered Azerbaijani mineral resources; build up its military forces in Karabakh; infiltrate third-country nationals to erect new fortifications; and smuggle in landmines to continue its terror against Azerbaijanis.

These are not the actions of a country preparing for peaceand Azerbaijan is all too familiar with these tactics. It will not permit Armenia, once again, to ensnare it in interminable negotiations all the while preparing for war. As to the Lachin road, transparency of any movement along it must be immediately guaranteed.

Time is of the essence. A sane policy grounded in reality can still prevent new tragedies. Yerevan must stop relying on dreams and fantasies and deal with hard facts. Armenia and its allies must stop using the Armenians of Karabakh as pawns in a cynical game of power politics. If those involved in facilitating the peace process will read the realities accurately, they can help Armenia avoid the mistakes of the past and make peace of the brave".
Autoworkers across the Midwest have denounced the illegitimate run-off election being conducted by the United Auto Workers (UAW) and the court-appointed Monitor to choose the next UAW president.

The contest between incumbent President Ray Curry and longtime UAW International Rep. Shawn Fain is going ahead even though 90 percent of the 1.1 million active and retired members did not vote in the first round of the election, due to the deliberate disenfranchisement of voters by the UAW bureaucracy.

Lehman supporters at the Kokomo Transmission plant in Indiana [Photo: WSWS]

On December 19, Mack Trucks worker and socialist candidate for UAW president Will Lehman filed an official protest with the UAW Monitor, which provided a detailed account of how the entrenched leadership in the UAW, which had opposed a direct membership vote for top union officers, did as little as possible to inform the members about the first-ever direct election or to update mailing lists for the distribution of ballots.

The Monitor has not ruled on the protest and has allowed ballots to be sent out to UAW members even though the results of the first round have not been certified due to Lehmans challenge.

Supporters of Will Lehman are currently touring factories in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and other states to inform workers about the official protest and Lehmans demand for a rerun of the election or inclusion of all the candidates from the first round in the runoff.

Lehman supporter speaks to Kokomo Transmission worker [Photo: WSWS]

The vote was completely unfair, and they should all be on the ballot! a Stellantis worker at the Kokomo Transmission Plant in Indiana told WSWS reporters. I knew something was fishy when my dead neighbor got a ballot, another worker said. My father passed away too, and he still got a ballot. I have no faith that the UAW was sending ballots to an updated list of addresses. Thats ridiculous.

Its voter suppression, another Kokomo Transmission worker said. Its just like the Republicans are doing by gerrymandering the electoral districts. The UAW and management are working together. They didnt want members to vote the corrupt leaders out.

A second shift worker on her way into the plant told reporters, Every UAW member should have the right to vote. Asked what she thought about a runoff between two UAW executives who each received the votes of less than 4 percent eligible voters, she said, I think every UAW member should vote, that is so important. The members need to be involved.

If it was not for the workers, there would be no Chrysler, no FCA, no Stellantis, no matter what name we are. We are the ones that make this place run. Things are hard, prices have changed, and we really need to do better as a UAW membership.

After learning about Lehmans protest, one worker began to explain the basic facts of the challenge to his fellow workers as they waited for the turnstiles to be unlocked so they could go home.

As he walked into the parking lot, the worker said, The biggest thing is we should control, thats the bottom line. Weve never been able to have a say on who is in the International, whats done with anything, and there has been a bunch of crooked crap going on for years. Thats why theyre all being prosecuted now. So, Im all for it, he said, referring to Lehmans protest.

Another worker said he had no confidence in Curry or Fain and was glad Lehman was demanding a re-run of the election with all the candidates from the first round included.

We got a contract coming up this year, he said, and you got workers in here making $16-17 an hour. One paycheck is going for your mortgage, another is going for your car note and gas, and there is no way you can make it through the month. Why would you even want to come to work? The people at the top are making record profits and want to keep us down.

He said workers in the plant were facing constant abuse, and the UAW officials were not doing anything to oppose it. You got workers with 25 years and more being assigned as floaters. Theyre sent to any job, no matter how physically demanding. Now, you got a new electric vehicle battery plant being opened, and they want to keep it non-union so they can pit union and non-union workers against each other.

A janitorial worker told reporters, Weve been treated like crap for years. Ive been working here 10 years, paying dues to the UAW, and they dont do anything for us. Its not just here. I have friends at Caterpillar, and their contract is expiring at the end of February.

Another worker said, There is a huge disconnect between the upper echelon of the UAW and whats actually going on down on the floor. Its all backroom deals and handshakes. It starts on the local level, but it keeps right on going [to the top.] The corruption, they havent even touched it, the way its going on. Until the membership comes together, until everyone gets fed up enough, nothing going to change. Just like this, he said, referring to the first round of the elections, I had no idea because nobody tells us anything.

Kokomo workers spoke to reporters the same day as the Detroit Free Press published a glowing interview with Shawn Fain, who did not say a word about Lehmans protest or the suppression of votes by the UAW bureaucracy. Instead, Fain claimed there was momentum here in the runoff now that UAW members have seen their vote makes a difference. Fain started his career in the UAW bureaucracy at the nearby Kokomo Casting Plant and backed the massive wage and benefit cuts on Chrysler and GM workers which were imposed by the Obama administration and the UAW bureaucracy in 2009.

Speaking with Stellantis workers in Kokomo [Photo: WSWS]

More than 150,000 Stellantis, Ford and GM workers are heading into a major battle against the Big Three automakers and the Biden administration later this year, when their four-year agreements expire on September 14.

On Tuesday, GM announced record profits of $14.5 billion for 2022, beating Wall Street expectations. Stellantis, which made $8 billion in the first half of 2022, is expected to release its profits later. Ford, which will release in results on Thursday, is expected to double its annual profits to $2.5 billion.

Discussing Lehman protest with worker at Allison Transmission Plant in Indianapolis [Photo: WSWS]

Lehman supporters have been visiting factories where substantial numbers of workers voted for the socialist candidate, who has called for the abolition of the UAW bureaucracy and the transfer of power to workers on the shop floor through the building of a network of rank-and-file committees. In addition to Kokomo, the team traveled to the Allison Transmission Plant in Indianapolis and the Toledo Jeep Complex and Dana plants in Toledo, Ohio.

A young worker at the Jeep plant told reporters, The working class is being pushed to the margins, and the UAW is complicit in our exploitation. The billionaires own everything, and they try to divide the working class with race and everything else. If they can take away our rights, they can take away our lives, like the worker, Tyre Nichols, in Memphis. Im learning about socialism, and Wills vote shows theres support in the factories to fight this capitalist system.
Swallowing his concerns that the recent wave of violence could lead to a third intifada, or uprising, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken gave Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the go ahead to suppress the Palestinians as the two leaders discussed plans for operations against Iran.

Speaking at a press conference in Jerusalem after meetings Netanyahu and later with Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, Blinken made the usual ritual incantations of support for a two-state solutionmeaning a mini-Palestinian statelet of isolated Bantustans subservient to Israel. This was a policy rejected decades ago by the fascistic and racist forces in Israels newly installed government, to the extent of supporting the November 1995 assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, for signing the Oslo Accords in 1993.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands during a news conference, on January 30, 2023 in Jerusalem. [AP Photo/Ronaldo Schemidt]

Blinken all but acknowledged this and its catastrophic implications, saying What were seeing now for Palestinians is a shrinking horizon of hope, not an expanding one. And that, too, we believe needs to change as he tossed some loose change $50 million in new American funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency that provides aid to the Palestinian refugee campsat Abbass feet.

Blinken said he had heard deep concern about the current trajectory of escalating tensions between Israelis and Palestinians. But beyond calling on Abbas to restore the PAs coordination with Israels security services, abandoned after the Israeli massacre in Jenin, to refrain from pursuing cases against Israel in the International Criminal Court and appealing for a de-escalation he put forward no new proposals.

Neither did he exert any pressure on Netanyahu to rein in Israels security forces and settlers that have killed 32 Palestinians so far this year. Far from it, he declared that Americas commitment has never wavered. It never will.

Blinken just shrugged his shoulders, saying It is fundamentally up to them. They have to work together to find a path forward that both defuses the current cycle of violence and, I hope, also leads to positive steps to build back some confidence.

His de facto supportalong with the silence of the major European powersfor Israels brutal suppression of the Palestinians and its illegal occupation of their land since the 1967 Arab Israeli war is bound up with the dependence of US imperialism on Israel as the guardian of its predatory interests in the resource-rich region, and as its subcontractor in its covert war against Iran and its allies in Syria, Lebanon and Yemenunder conditions where Iran and Russia are forging ever closer relations.

Netanyahu, responding in an interview with CNN on Tuesday to a question about US concerns that expanding Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank could exacerbate tensions, pointed to the Trump administrations brokering of the Abraham Accords. The Accords had normalized relations between Israel and several Arab countries, led to increasing military, economic and technological ties and side-lined the Palestinian issue.

He said, I went around them (Palestinians), I went directly to the Arab states and forged with a new concept of peace I forged four historic peace agreements, the Abraham Accords, which is twice the number of peace agreements that all my predecessors in 70 years got combined.

Netanyahu added, When effectively the Arab-Israeli conflict (comes) to an end, I think well circle back to the Palestinians and get a workable peace with the Palestinians. By this he meant that the venal Arab bourgeois regimes would do nothing to defend the Palestinians and would be satisfied with an insincere pledge of a future settlementin which they can have all the powers that they need to govern themselves. But none of the powers that could threaten (us) and this means that Israel should have the overriding security responsibility.

Since taking office at the end of December, his government, stacked with fascists, racists and homophobes, is pursuing its coalition agreement that asserts its commitment to territorial expansionism, Jewish Supremacy and the mass repression of the Palestinians.

Netanyahu is doubling down on his governments attacks on the Palestinians, promising to strengthen the settlements in response to shooting attacks in Jerusalem including a suicide attack by a lone Palestinian on a Jerusalem synagogue Friday night, in which seven Israelis were killed, and the shooting of an Israeli father and son on Saturday by a 13-year-old Palestinian.

These shootings follow a wave of violence on the West Bank and in East Jerusalem, provoked by the escalating attacks over the last year by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), police and armed settlers that led to the death of 271 Palestinians, mostly in the West Bank, in 2022 and last Thursdays massacre during a raid on the West Bank city of Jenin that left 10 Palestinians dead, the deadliest such raid in years.

There were nearly 150 violent settler attacks on Palestinians across the West Bank over the weekend. On Monday, the IDF opened fire on a car supposedly driving suspiciously, killing the driver, 26-year-old Nassim Abu Fouda, in Hebron.

Netanyahu, speaking ahead of a cabinet meeting Sunday said, Our answer to terrorism is an iron fist and a powerful, swift and precise response. The iron fist included: the immediately sealing of attackers family homes, over and above Israels longstanding practice of demolishing the houses at a later date; the revocation of Israeli residency, citizenship and national insurance rights of families of terrorists that support terrorism and removing them to the territory of the Palestinian Authority; easing of restrictions on Israeli civilians carrying guns; bolstering military and police units; and the confiscation of weapons from Palestinians.

Netanyahu also called for legislation to allow the immediate dismissal of workers who have supported terrorism, without need for a hearing. While he did not say what measures he would take to strengthen the settlements, the IDF said on Saturday it had already moved an additional battalion to the West Bank.

The new proposals have sparked concerns that they will fuel the growing violence between Israelis and Palestinians and precipitate an all-out war, with Ramadan and Passover set to coincide in April.

At the same time, the government is stoking a constitutional crisis within Israel that has aroused mass opposition, with tens of thousands taking to the streets on four successive Saturday evenings in Israels major cities. It plans to neuter the judicial system by curtailing the High Courts ability to strike down laws, allowing parliament to override any such rulings, and doing away with the post of attorney general. This would pave the way to end Netanyahus corruption trial and facilitate more rapid settlement construction in preparation for annexing much of the West Bank.

The government is also set to introduce new legislation overturning the Supreme Courts decision to bar ultra-Orthodox Shas Party leader Arieh Dery from serving as both Interior and Health Minister. The court had ruled it unreasonable to appoint a person who has been convicted three times of offenses throughout his life, and he violated his duty to serve the public loyally and lawfully while serving in senior public positions. The legislation, if passed, will deny the court any authority to intervene in ministerial appointments.

Also planned, is the closing of Israels public broadcasting corporation and the muzzling of the media, restricting the publication of sensitive information as defined in the Privacy Protection Law. This would include data on the personality, intimate affairs opinions and beliefs of a person and thus ban any opinion recorded in a conversation. This would outlaw any statement casting doubt on the credibility of a prime minister charged with corruption.

Simcha Rothman, from the fascistic Religious Zionism Party and chairman of the Knessets Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee, has introduced legislation aimed at severely limiting workers' right to strike in key sectors such as electricity, water, transport, health, the stock exchange and the Bank of Israel, while making any sympathy strike illegal unless approved by a secret ballot of the unions members in which at least half the members voted.
In a blunt internal memo leaked to the media this week, Air Force General Michael Minihan predicted that the United States would be at war with China over Taiwan by 2025 and ordered his commanders to implement detailed preparations.

My gut tells me we will fight in 2025, Minihan declared, claiming that US and Taiwanese presidential elections in 2024 would provide China with the opportunity to act. In reality, it is US imperialism that is goading Beijing into war over Taiwan and actively planning and preparing for war against China, as the rest of Minihans memo clearly demonstrates.

General Mike Minihan [Photo: U.S. Air Force]

The memo continued: We spent 2022 setting the foundation for victory. We will spend 2023 in crisp operational motion building on that foundation. If you want to know what the operational motion I demand looks like, look at what Total Force Team Charleston did in January.

Minihan is the four-star general in charge of the Air Mobility Command (AMC) that oversees the US Air Forces huge fleet of transport and refuelling aircraft, and has some 110,000 personnel. His memo demanded stepped up training and drills.

On January 5, two dozen C-17 Globemaster IIIs took off from Joint Base Charleston in what was billed as the largest-ever launch of these huge transport aircraft from a single base. The drill was part of an exercise involving the Air Force, Army and Marines throughout the US southeast and included nearly 60 aircraft, counting F-16 fighters.

Minihan ordered his commanders to: Go faster. Drive readiness, integration, and agility for ourselves and the Joint Force to deter, and if required, defeat China. This is the first of eight monthly directives from me. The goal, he declared, was a fortified, ready, integrated, and agile Joint Force Maneuver Team ready to fight and win inside the first island chain.

The first island chain is off the Chinese mainland in East Asia, running through Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines. It is a key element of US strategic planning for war with China. Control of the first island chain would hem in Chinese aircraft and ships, paving the way for a naval blockade of China, and set the stage for a massive missile and air assault on mainland China, as envisaged in the Pentagons AirSea Battle strategy.

Minihans memo is not a general guideline, but contained specific orders to be further elaborated and met month by month. In February, all AMC personnel with weapon qualifications will fire a clip into a 7-meter target with the full understanding that unrepentant lethality matters most. Aim for the head. In March, all AMC personnel will set their legal and family affairs in orderin other words, be prepared for deployment at a moments notice.

Before being installed as head of Air Mobility Command, Minihan served in key positions in the US Indo-Pacific Command, including as deputy commander from September 2019 to August 2021.

The Indo-Pacific Command, which would constitute the front-line of a US war with China, is the largest of the US militarys commands, with some 375,000 personnel. As part of President Obamas pivot to Asia against China, 60 percent of the US militarys air and naval assets were to be deployed to the Indo-Pacific by 2020.

While Minihans internal memo starkly set out Washingtons agenda for war, he is not an isolated maverick within the US military, despite his blunt language. In 2021, Admiral Phil Davidson, as he was about to retire as chief of the Indo-Pacific Command, predicted war with China over Taiwan by 2027. The prediction is referred to in US strategic circles as Davidsons window.

Last October, the US Navys top officer, Admiral Mike Gilday, said his forces needed to prepare more urgently for a 2022 window or potentially a 2023 window. I cant rule that out. I dont mean at all to be alarmist by saying that, its just that we cant wish that away.

In comments to the media, an unnamed US Defence official dismissed the Minihan memo as not representative of the departments view on China. However, while not making specific predictions, Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Patrick Ryder last Friday reiterated that the US national defence strategy identifies China as the pacing challengein other words, the chief threat to US global dominance.

There is no doubt that even as the Biden administration is escalating the US-NATO war against Russia in Ukraine, it is preparing at breakneck speed for war with China. Not only is it consolidating its own military forces in the Indo-Pacific but it is strengthening its military alliances and strategic partnerships throughout the region.

Washington regards the war in Ukraine as the prelude to war with China over Taiwan. The US is deliberately undermining the One China policy, under which it de facto recognises Beijing as the legitimate government of all China, including Taiwan. In doing so, Washington is deliberately provoking Chinese military action, calculating that a war on Taiwan, which the US is heavily arming, will weaken and destabilise the Chinese regime.

The accelerating war with Russia and preparations for war with Chinaboth nuclear-armed powerstestifies to the incredible recklessness with which US imperialism is pursuing its geo-strategic goals of dominating the vast Eurasian landmass and its human and material resources. The willingness to risk a nuclear catastrophe also underscores the depth of the economic and social crisis confronting global capitalism and the fear in US ruling circles of the re-emergence of the class struggle.

Minihans memo is one more indication of the war timetable on which the Pentagon is operating. The general himself exemplifies the ruthlessness and bloodlust that is engrained in the US militarys top command after three decades of criminal wars and military interventions in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia.

In a keynote speech to a major aerospace convention last September, Minihan let loose with a shrill warning of war with China. We are not ready to fight and win inside the first island chain but we will be in a year, he said. As reported by Task and Purpose, Minihan is far from the first speaker at a service-wide conference to warn about the threat of China and the urgency to face it.

Minihan repeatedly told the gathering of some 16,000 registrants, including aerospace CEOs and high-ranking generals, that lethality was crucialkill or be killed. He boasted that the pile of our nations enemy dead, the pile that is the biggest, is in front of the United States Air Force. Revelling in the ability to kill with impunity, he declared: Lethality matters most, he said. When you can kill your enemy, every part of your life is better. Your food tastes better. Your marriage is stronger.

Such are the US military leaders. They have no qualms about sacrificing the lives of millions in wars to further the predatory geo-political and economic ambitions of US imperialism.
In response to freedom of information (FOI) requests by former federal parliamentarian Rex Patrick, multiple departments of the Australian Labor government have confirmed that they have made no representations to the US administration of President Joe Biden relating to Julian Assange.

The information, revealed in an article by Patrick on the Michael West Media website, is a damning indictment of the Labor government.

Anthony Albanese and Julian Assange [Photo: Twitter/@AlboMP, David G Silvers]

Since it was elected last May, Labor has said as little as possible on Assange. Its representatives, including Albanese, have hinted at backroom discussions with the Biden administration, but their content and purpose has remained entirely opaque.

These purported conferences have been used to justify the refusal to forthrightly defend the persecuted Australian journalist on the grounds that diplomacy is best conducted, in Albaneses words, without a megaphone.

In response to growing condemnations of these claims as a cynical dodge, Albanese made his most explicit comments on Assange since becoming prime minister last November. In response to a question from independent MP Monique Ryan, Albanese restated earlier declarations that enough is enough in relation to Assanges legal plight.

Albanese said: The government will continue to act in a diplomatic way, but can I assure the member for Kooyong that I have raised this personally with representatives of the United States government. My position is clear and has been made clear to the US administration that it is time that this matter be brought to a close.

Contrary to Albanese, many things remained decidedly unclear. What exactly was the government requesting of the US administration? Had it explicitly demanded an end to the US attempt to extradite and prosecute Assange for exposing American war crimes? Were these demands backed by any threats of retaliatory action if they were not met, and more?

Previous FOI documents obtained by lawyer Kellie Tranter in July, had highlighted these questions. Internal talking points from the office of Labors Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus had focussed solely on the prospect of a prison swap involving Assange. That would presuppose his extradition to the US and conviction on trumped-up Espionage Act charges carrying a maximum-sentence of 175-years imprisonment.

Assanges relatives and medical experts had long before warned that he would not survive being dispatched to the US.

The latest FOI request by Patrick paints an even grimmer picture of Australias role in the continued persecution of Assange.

Patrick wrote: In response to a Freedom of Information request to the Prime Minister for all correspondence or other records of communication sent after 23 May 2022 by or on behalf of the Prime Minister, the Hon Anthony Albanese MP, to United States President Joe Biden that related to Julian Paul Assange, his office has come up with nothing.

A bland, pro forma reply by the Senior Legal Advisor to the Prime Minister simply stated that there was no relevant material. Identical responses were also made by representatives of Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Attorney-General Dreyfus. They cover all of the key government ministries that would be engaged in any intervention on Assanges behalf.

MP Monique Ryan responded to the revelation by telling Michael West Media: If the Albanese Government was serious about working to secure an end to the US prosecution and Mr Assanges release, then he and his Ministers would have raised the matter formally, in writing, with their counterparts at the top levels of the US Government. It is now confirmed that they have not done so via any formal means.

Patrick added: The Albanese Government has been caught out saying something but not meaning it. They just want to appear that theyre doing something, when behind the scenes theyre doing very little, if anything much at all.

Some have suggested that such negotiations may be conducted in the first instance verbally, thus not leaving a paper trail. It is inconceivable, however, that any actual progress in ending the persecution of Assange would be made without some sort of written communication or commitment.

In reality, while spouting occasional, exceedingly vague and non-committal weasel-words of concern for Assanges plight, Labor is to all intents and purposes continuing the more than ten-year collaboration of Australian governments in the assault on the WikiLeaks founder.

Since Assange was expelled from Ecuadors London Embassy and arrested by British police in April, 2019, the justification for this collaboration has been the assertion that Australia is not a party to the legal process involving Assange, and thus can do nothing to halt it.

In a little reported comment during an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation earlier this month, Albanese restated this line in a particularly callous manner.

The host, James Valentine, stated: All right, a couple of other issues that listeners have raised, are we likely to see Julian Assange back in Australia anytime soon? We had three or four texts on this, people saying, Could you put pressure on the US to ask them to stop trying to get the extradition? Why cant the UK just release him? Isnt he Australias issue now?

Albanese replied: Well, hes not Australias issue, because its the US seeking to extradite someone under US law from the UK under UK law.

Only when Valentine pressed the matter with follow-up questions did Albanese trot out the talking points about diplomacy and enough being enough.

In other words, just as the previous Coalition government, Labor upholds the pseudo-legal extradition as a legal process that must be respected and that it cannot interfere with.

This line has become even more brazen, since it was revealed in late 2021 that the US Central Intelligence Agency had secretly plotted to kidnap or assassinate Assange in 2017, while he was an internationally-recognised political refugee in the Ecuadorian government. Only after those illegal plans failed or were abandoned was a frame-up indictment issued together with an extradition bid.

Some figures who support Assange, including Patrick, have pointed to Australias growing importance to US military and diplomatic operations around the world. This, they have claimed, provides the Labor government with leverage that it could utilise to pressure Biden to drop the charges and the extradition request.

This position is profoundly false. It serves to sever the fight for Assanges freedom, from the struggle against war, with which it is inextricably tied.

Since assuming office in May, Labor has accelerated Australias integration into advanced US preparations for an aggressive war against China. Every week brings announcements of new weapons purchases, together with diplomatic missions by Wong, Albanese and others aimed at furthering Washingtons confrontation with Beijing.

The inevitable and necessary corollary of this imperialist warmongering is the suppression of widespread anti-war sentiment. The persecution of Assange is the spearhead of this crackdown on civil liberties which always accompanies war. In other words, Labors support for stepped-up militarism and its tacit backing for the slow state murder of Assange are two sides of the same coin.

These attacks recall those which developed under the last Labor government headed by Julia Gillard and in office from 2010-13. It aligned Australia with the first stages of the US plans for war with China, the pivot to Asia, a massive military build-up throughout the region. At the same time, Gillard falsely accused Assange of having broken Australian laws and sought to strip him of his passport. Assange stated publicly that he thought the Labor government was secretly collaborating with the CIA and other American agencies in covert operations against WikiLeaks, including its Australian members.

More than ten years on and the turn to war, the development of authoritarianism and the crisis of global capitalism that underlie both are far more advanced.

That, together with the entire record, demonstrates that the fight for Assanges freedom can only go forward through an independent political movement of the working class against war, capitalism and those who represent it, including the Labor government.
Twelve NATO countries have pledged to send between 120 and 140 modern main battle tanks to Ukraine, in what Ukrainian Defense Minister Dmytro Kuleba said was the first wave of tank deliveries, with more to come.

The tank coalition now has 12 members, Kuleba said Tuesday in an online briefing. I can note that in the first wave of contributions, the Ukrainian armed forces will receive between 120 and 140 Western-model tanks.

The announcements make Ukraine, at least on paper, one of the most powerful militaries in the world, on par with the tank capability of some of the major NATO powers. The UK maintains 158 Challenger 2 main battle tanks on active duty, while France operates 222 Leclerc main battle tanks.

Last year, Ukrainian officials called on NATO members to provide it with 300 main battle tanks. At the time, this was seen as an enormous number even among defenders of the war. But with weapons surging into the country, it is likely to be the lower bound.

The figure of 140 tanks does not take into account the hundreds of tracked armored personnel carriers already in or heading to the country.

Last week, the Pentagon announced that 60 Bradley fighting vehicles had shipped from South Carolina, and that the vehicles are arriving in Europe this week.

But even the massive quantities of weapons streaming into Ukraine are only a down payment.

Reuters reported that the White House will announce a further $2 billion worth of weapons shipments to Ukraine, including a long-range missile capable of striking over 100 miles.

The weapons system, known as the ground-launched Small Diameter Bomb, is a rocket-launched maneuverable glide bomb with double the range of the HIMARS missiles Washington has already provided.

The deployment would mark a repudiation of Bidens pledge in May that We are not encouraging or enabling Ukraine to strike beyond its borders, and his declaration that Were not going to send to Ukraine rocket systems that strike into Russia.

In an interview with NPR on Tuesday, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov called for the US to send fighter jets to Ukraine.

Im sure thats absolutely realistic, he said. Reznikov discounted reported concerns among the NATO members over the escalatory character of such an action, declaring, What is impossible today is absolutely possible tomorrow.

Poland, Latvia and Lithuania have already publicly stated their agreement with this demand.

Ukraine needs fighter jets ... missiles, tanks. We need to act, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said Tuesday at a joint press conference in Riga with Latvian and Polish officials.

Because fighter jets and long-range missiles are essential military aid, and at this crucial stage in the war, where the turning point is about to happen, it is vital that we act without delay, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said in an interview with Lithuanian National Television.

He concluded, Those red lines must be crossed.

Asked about sending fighter aircraft to Ukraine at a news conference on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron declared, Nothing is excluded.

On Tuesday, the US accused Russia of being out of compliance with the New START treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the US and Russia.

The treaty limits the total number of warheads that the US and Russia may deploy. The complaint sets into motion a series of steps that could lead to the breakdown of the treaty, further inflaming nuclear tensions escalated by the war.

In 2019, the Trump administration withdrew from the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty, allowing the US to ring Russia and China with short-range nuclear weapons.

In the month since Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed a joint session of Congress, US-NATO involvement in the war has escalated enormously, first with the dispatch of the Patriot missile system, followed by the Bradley and Stryker fighting vehicles, and finally the Leopard and Abrams main battle tanks.

NATO war planners are seeking to continue this, with imminent plans to send Ukraine long-range missiles and active discussions about the dispatch of fighter jets to Ukraine.

Each of these new weapons systemsbringing with them enormous logistical, maintenance and training requirementswill even further entangle the US and NATO in the war and create the conditions for demands for further escalation, including the creation of no-fly zones and the direct deployment of US and NATO troops.
On January 30, the Memphis Police Department (MPD) released a public statement revealing that in addition to the five black cops now terminated and facing second-degree murder and other charges in the killing of Tyre Nichols, two more Memphis police officers involved in the young mans death were relieved of duty on January 8, 2023.



Nichols, a 29-year-old Fed-Ex worker, photographer and father, was savagely beaten by at least five officers with the Memphis Police Departments SCORPION unit on January 7. He died in the hospital three days later.

Last Friday, the MPD released over an hour of edited video footage of the police assault on Nichols, which triggered protests in numerous US cities.



In its statement on Monday, the MPD revealed the name of only one of the police officers who has been placed on leave, Preston Hemphill, 26.



In the body camera footage released on Friday, Hemphill, who is white, is seen drawing his pistol and pointing it at Nichols while the young man is in his car. Hemphill pointed his gun despite the fact that Nichols was unarmed, had made no aggressive moves and had committed no crime.



The footage shows that as police tried to wrangle Nichols out of his car, Hemphill put away his gun, pulled out his taser and tried to use it on the terror-stricken young man.



Nichols managed to momentarily escape the custody of the police. As he ran away, Hemphill did not give chase. Instead, he tried to shoot Nichols with his taser but missed.



Hemphills own body camera footage shows him putting away the device and telling his fellow cops at least twice, I hope they stomp his ass.



In this photo obtained from the Memphis Police Department's Facebook page, Preston Hemphill receives a certificate from Memphis Assistant Chief of Police Don Crowe after completing the training to join the department's Crisis Intervention Team on July 21, 2022. Police officials said Monday, Jan. 30, 2023, that Hemphill and another officer were relieved of duty in connection with the death of Tyre Nichols, widening the circle of punishment for the shocking display of police brutality after video showed many more people failed to help him beyond the five officers accused of beating him to death. [AP Photo/Memphis Police Department via AP]

It does not appear that Hemphill participated in the assault on Nichols after he was chased down and caught. However, it is unclear if he was one of several police officers who did not render any aid to Nichols when he lay handcuffed, limp and bleeding against the side of a police cruiser for over 20 minutes.



In Mondays statement, the MPD said Hemphill and the other unnamed officer have been under investigation for their actions and inactions since January 8. As of this writing, however, neither of the two has been fired or charged with an offense.



Also on Monday, the Memphis Fire Department announced that three employees who were dispatched to the scene of Nichols beating, including two emergency medical technicians (EMTs), had been fired for failing to properly assess Nichols condition.



In its statement, the Memphis Fire Department said EMTs Robert Long, JaMicheal Sandridge and Lt. Michelle Whitaker violated numerous MFD policies and protocols, and their actions or inactions at the scene did not meet the expectations of the Memphis Fire Department.



The footage released Friday showed that despite arriving on the scene at approximately 8:41 p.m., by which time Nichols was already bleeding profusely, the technicians did not render medical aid.



The funeral for Nichols will be held in Memphis on Wednesday, February 1. On Tuesday, Benjamin Crump, the lawyer for the parents of Nichols, confirmed that Vice President Kamala Harris had spoken with Nichols mother, RowVaughn Wells, on Tuesday. Crump also confirmed that Harris would attend the funeral service.



Harris is one of several prominent Democrats who will be attending the funeral. Last week, Crump confirmed that longtime Democratic Party operative and promoter of racial politics, Reverend Al Sharpton, will deliver the eulogy.



The Biden administration also announced that Tyre Nichols parents will be in attendance when President Biden delivers his State of the Union Address at the US Capitol on Tuesday, February 7.

All of this is a deeply cynical, orchestrated attempt to uphold the claim that endless police violence and killings in America are the result of systemic racism, when the facts of Tyre Nichols murderat the hands of black cops, members of a community policing unit established by the black police chief and funded and lauded by the Biden administrationundercut the racialist narrative and point to the more fundamental class issues that the ruling class seeks to cover up.

The Democratic Party and its wealthy upper-middle class allies have no problem exploiting the terrible grief of Nichols parents toward this end.

These issues include the role of the police as part of the repressive apparatus of the state to defend the wealth and property of the capitalist class; the vast and ever-growing economic chasm between the top 1 percent and the vast majority of the population, the working class; and the endless neo-colonial wars carried out by US imperialism, now developing into a direct conflict with Russia, which require ever greater attacks on the working class and police repression at home.

Under conditions of a growing offensive of workers in the US and internationally, one faction of the ruling class employs racism to divide the working class, while another, centered around the Democratic Party, uses racial politics for the same purpose.

Following the release of the MPD statement on Monday announcing the two police suspensions and ongoing investigations, Benjamin Crump insinuated on Twitter that the delay in publicly announcing the investigation into Hemphill was a manifestation of racism.



Why did it take so long for Memphis officials to reveal Ofc. Preston Hemphills identity and that he was reportedly relieved of duty weeks ago but not yet terminated or charged? Crump wrote, adding, Why was the white officer involved in the brutal attack of #TyreNichols shielded and protected?



Perhaps Crump should ask the black police chief of Memphis, whom he praised in a CNN interview on Tuesday for providing the blueprint for swift justice.



As the World Socialist Web Site has explained, while African Americans, Native Americans and Hispanics are disproportionately killed by police compared to their proportion of the population, every year a plurality of those killed by police are white men. What virtually all victims of police violence have in common is that they are working class or poor.



In its 2022 Police Violence Report, MappingPoliceViolence.us found that

the 1,192 people killed by police in the US in 2022 added up to more deaths than any other year in the past decade.

MappingPoliceViolence.us found that police were charged with a crime in only 9 of these cases. One percent of all killings by police.



While African Americans accounted for 26 percent of those killed by cops, 43 percent of all those killed identified as white. With few exceptions, police killings of white people are ignored by the mainstream press and the Democratic Party because they refute the racialist narrative of police violence.



In Wyoming, Ohio, this past Sunday, a father of two, 28-year-old Joe Frasure, a white man, was shot and killed by an unnamed and uncharged officer with the Wyoming Police Department.



According to family members, Frasure was at his deceased grandmothers apartment Sunday night to help his sister clear out the residence following her passing three weeks ago. Frasures brother told a local news outlet that once the police arrived, they shot his brother three times in the head. Referring to the police, he said he was tired of you guys killing people. Enough is enough.


The Google homepage on Wednesday features an animated portrait of Suong Nguyet Anh, the first woman editor in Vietnam.

The animated portrait of Suong Nguyet Anh on Google homepage on February 1, 2023.

On February 1, 1918, Nu Gioi Chung (Women's Bell) published its first issue, with Anh as the editor in chief.

She was born Nguyen Thi Ngoc Khue in 1864 in the southern province of Ben Tre. Her father was renowned poet and teacher Nguyen Dinh Chieu, and she started writing poetry at an early age.

When her father died when she was 24, she and her brother took over his school. She then moved to My Tho City, married and had a daughter.

Her husband dies within a few years, and she did not remarry.

She became the first woman editor in chief and started writing under the nom de guerre Suong Nguyet Anh, meaning "Widowed Nguyet Anh," for the Nu Gioi Chung newspaper about womens roles in Vietnamese culture and society.

Suong Nguyet Anh is remembered for her bright mind and personality, resilience in adversity and pioneering work as a women writer and editor who showed the way for future generations.

There are several streets named after her in Ho Chi Minh City and the tourism towns of Da Lat and Vung Tau.

U.S. guest artist Camelia Pham, who creates the Doodle that is only available in Vietnam, said she "got a lot of inspiration from the poems Suong Nguyet Anh wrote in response to various mens confessions of love for her."

Pham said: "I tried to find visual symbols in one of her most famous poems, which features apricot blossoms, to include in the illustration. I also mixed a flat graphic style with retro colors, which adds a sense of nostalgia while remaining modern.

"Suong Nguyet Anh was a feminist before the term 'feminist' really existed as she actively tried to smash the glass ceiling by having her own newspaper for women."

"I just want more people to know about Vietnamese women and their struggles (mostly regarding their battle with societal norms). Hopefully this will serve as an inspiration for generations to come."
An aerial view of Phu Quoc Island in southern Vietnam. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh

Photos of three foreigners begging near Duong Dong Market on Phu Quoc Island have gone viral on social media, prompting local authorities to step in to verify.

Huynh Quang Hung, chairman of island city, said he instructed the police to investigate, local media reported.

Photos show the three men with signs in Vietnamese saying: "Hello, we're from Russia. We've been traveling without money for the last five years. Please support our trips. Thank you."

A photo that went viral on social media shows three men with signs in Vietnamese asking for money to support their traveling.

This is not the first time foreigners have been seen begging on Phu Quoc, which they can visit for 30 days without a visa.

In 2017 a Russian girl was seen meditating on the sidewalk on Tran Phu Street in Duong Dong Town and asking for money.

Foreigners begging for money has stirred debate in Vietnam and other Asian countries over whether they deserve support or if they are just taking advantage of their hosts to enjoy a free vacation.

The Thai police last month arrested two Russian men who were soliciting alms in Surat Thani, around 650 km south of Bangkok, for illegally staying in the country.
The U.S. Department of States Rewards for Justice, or RFJ program, which is administered by the Diplomatic Security Service, is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction in any country of Mohamoud Abdi Aden and any other individual who committed, attempted or conspired to commit, or aided or abetted in commission of the 2019 attack on the DusitD2 hotel complex in Nairobi, Kenya.

On the afternoon of January 15, 2019, gunmen with the al-Shabaab terrorist group, armed with explosives, automatic weapons, and grenades, attacked the DusitD2 commercial center, a 6-building complex of shops, offices, and a hotel. At least 21 people, including one U.S. citizen, were killed in the assault.

Al-Shabaab, an affiliate of the al-Qaida terrorist organization, released live updates throughout the attack and issued a press release in which it stated that the attack was in response to guidance from now deceased al-Qaida leader Ayman Zawahiri.

Mohamoud Abdi Aden, also known as Mohamud Abdirahman, an al-Shabaab leader, was part of the cell that planned the Dusit2 Hotel attack. In October 2022, the Department of State designated Aden as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.

Al-Shabaab is responsible for numerous terrorist attacks in Kenya, Somalia, and neighboring countries that have killed thousands of people, including U.S. citizens. The terrorist group continues to plot, plan, and conspire to commit terrorist acts against the United States, U.S. interests, and foreign partners.

The Department of State designated al-Shabaab as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in March 2008. In April 2010, al-Shabaab was also designated by the UN Security Councils al-Shabaab Sanctions Committee.

Since its inception in 1984, the Rewards for Justice program has paid in excess of $250 million to more than 125 people across the globe who provided actionable information that helped resolve threats to U.S. national security.

More information about the Mohamoud Abdi Aden reward offer is located on the Rewards for Justice website at www.rewardsforjustice.net. Anyone with information on those responsible for the 2019 attack on the DusitD2 hotel complex should contact Rewards for Justice via Signal, Telegram, or WhatsApp at +1-202-702-7843, or via local tips lines at +254 71 87 12 366 in Kenya and +252 68 43 43 308 in Somalia. All information will be kept strictly confidential.
ELKO  A woman died and a man was injured in a travel trailer fire Tuesday night in Elburz.

Elko County Sheriffs deputies were called shortly after 9 p.m. to the scene about 18 miles east of Elko on a report of a structure fire. They found a trailer that was occupied by a man and a woman.

When the deputies arrived the camp trailer was fully engulfed in flames, stated the sheriff office. The male on scene advised that there was a female in the trailer and that she was unable to escape the flames.

Elko County Fire Protection District, along with Elko County Ambulance personnel, arrived on scene shortly after the deputies. Ambulance personnel began immediate care of the man to treat his injuries.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames but the woman did not survive. The man was transported by EMS to a burn unit in Utah.

The Nevada State Police Fire Marshals Unit is investigating the cause of the fire.

Names will not be released until next of kin has been notified.
LAS VEGAS  In recognition of Unclaimed Property Day on Wednesday, Feb. 1, the Nevada State Treasurers Office urges Nevadans to search and claim their unclaimed property.

Unclaimed property is any financial asset with no activity by its owner for a certain period of time, generally three years. This includes bank accounts, uncashed payroll checks, insurance checks, travelers checks, utility deposits, gift certificates, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, dividends, insurance policy benefits, or claim payments, safe deposit box contents, oil and gas royalties, court deposits and much more.

Throughout my time in office, the State Treasurers Office has returned nearly $184 million in unclaimed property back to Nevadans, said Treasurer Zach Conine. The state of Nevada is currently holding over $1 billion in unclaimed property. We encourage everyone to visit our website to see if were holding onto any unclaimed property which is owed to them.

Nevadas Unclaimed Property Program works with businesses who are holding funds owed to others to identify these funds and remit them to the State. Businesses are required to report to the Program every year, regardless of whether they have unclaimed property or not. Once the State has received the funds, the Program works directly with Nevadans to return their missing money.

When the Program receives unclaimed property, it is held in perpetuity by the State until its rightful owner can be found.

Nevadans are encouraged to search their name, a maiden name, or the name of their business or non-profit. The search is free and can be accessed on: www.claimitnevada.org.

For more information on the Unclaimed Property Division, visit www.nevadatreasurer.gov.
The Iowa City Press-Citizen has put together a visitors guide so that folks can spend less time on Google and Yelp and more time trying out local favorites.

Whether you're visiting the area for a University of Iowa Hawkeyes wrestling match, men's or women's basketball game, or the first girls wrestling tournament, or just in town, here is where to eat, drink, shop and have some fun in the Iowa City area.

11 places to eat in Johnson County, including wood-fired pizza, ramen and barbecue

Try the costillas de puerco en salsa, a main dish of pork ribs with Salvadoran sauce, from Mesa 503 at 2302 Muscatine Ave. in Iowa City.

Marquee Pizzeria serves pizza topped with staple ingredients, such as pepperoni, mushrooms or whatever else you may like, from a wood-fired oven.

Where: 920 E. Second Ave. #123, Coralville

Website: marqueepizzeria.com

Sushiya is a sushi bar offering nigiri, sashimi, udon noodles, rolls and more. It's five-star Google reviews have dozens of diners saying that they left more than satisfied.

Where: 745 Community Drive, North Liberty

Website: sushiyaia.com

Baroncini Ristorante Italiano is an upscale dining experience serving pasta that is made in-house daily. Try the linguini con gamberi for a slightly spicy, seafood-filled pasta dish.

Where: 104 S. Linn St., Iowa City

Website: baroncinirestaurant.com

La Regia Taqueria is a popular spot for Mexican food where folks can find al pastor tacos, birria tacos, enchiladas and fajitas at affordable prices.

Where: 436 Highway 1, Iowa City

Website: laregiaia.com

The Webster is an upscale restaurant offering an elevated dining experience with a menu folks wont find elsewhere. The menu often changes to reflect seasonal foods and ingredients. Expect pricier menu items.

Where: 202 N. Linn St., Iowa City

Website: thewebsteric.com

Oasis Falafel is another longtime Iowa City staple that serves falafels as well as chicken shawarma, beef kafta, baklava and all the humus youll likely crave again. Its a great to-go option as well.

Where: 206 N. Linn St., Iowa City

Website: oasisfalafel.com

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La Mexicana Grocery Store & Taqueria is another spot for Mexican food in the Iowa City area with dozens of positive reviews lauding it for its excellent tacos, burritos and margaritas.

Where: 1701 Second St., Coralville

Website: facebook.com/people/La-Mexicana-Grocery-Store-and-Taqueria

Ramen Belly is tucked away in the Peninsula Neighborhood in Iowa City with hot bowls of pork broth ramen, poke bowls and more. If you stop in, leave a signature or a doodle on the restaurants large chalkboard.

Where: 1010 Martin St., Iowa City

Website: ramenbelly.co

Wilsons Ciderhouse & Venue sits inside a reconstructed, century-old barn with a menu that features ingredients from local and sustainable farms and vendors. Between a thoughtful dinner menu and brunch, Wilsons Ciderhouse & Venue is another sit-down option located on a 90-acre apple orchard and farm.

Where: 4823 Dingleberry Road N.E., Iowa City

Website: https://www.wilsonsorchard.com/ciderhouse/about

Pops BBQ is one of those spots that, if youre nearby, youll catch a whiff of what's cooking. The barbecue joint serves brisket, pulled pork, smoked chicken and all the classic sides youd expect to accompany your barbecue.

Where: 130 N. Dubuque St., Iowa City

Website: https://www.popsbbqia.com/

Mesa 503 serves tasty El Salvadorian cuisine, including pupusas, enchiladas, tamales and more on the east side of Iowa City. Be prepared to take the food to go as the restaurant is small.

Where: 2302 Muscatine Ave., Iowa City

Website: mesa503.com

Four places to satisfy your sweet tooth for dessert

Heyn's Ice Cream in Iowa City serves flavors such as Monster Mash.

Cookies & Dreams offers giant, fresh-baked cookies with various flavors, from snickerdoodle cheesecake to sugar cookies covered in rainbow sprinkles.

Where: 901 E. Second Ave., Coralville

Website: idreamaboutcookies.com

DeLuxe Cake & Pastries has plenty of baked treats, from French macarons, cookies, croissants, baguettes and more, making it not only a dessert spot, but a great cafe for a light breakfast or lunch as well.

Where: 812 S. Summit St., Iowa City

Website: http://deluxeiowa.com/

The Eat Shop is the place to check out when youre looking for kolaches, ooey-gooey cinnamon rolls or classic cookies. If you visit on the weekend, check out the bakerys bagel bombs.

Where: 120 W. Main St., Unit 1, Solon

Website: theeatshop.com

Heyns Ice Cream has gluten-free, vegan and dairy-free options among the dozens of ice cream flavors, including the popular Monster Mash with vanilla ice cream, cookie dough, peanut butter and M&M's or the rich Chocoholic Delight with chocolate ice cream, fudge, brownies, and Heath Bar.

Where: 811 S. First Ave. in Iowa City and 25 E. Cherry St. in North Liberty

Website: heynsicecream.com

Seven bars in Johnson County to catch a drink or a mocktail

Customers sit at the bar at Big Grove Brewery & Taproom in Iowa City.

The Green House is a newly opened bar in Iowa City, decorated with more than 100 plants for a uniquely green-themed drinking experience.

Where: 505 E. Washington St., Iowa City

Website: facebook.com/thegreenhouseic

Georges Buffet is a local watering hole where you dont have to spend time pouring over a fancy menu of cocktails or worrying if two drinks will break the bank. Plus, it serves some incredible cheeseburgers if you get hungry.

Where: 312 E. Market St., Iowa City

Website: https://www.facebook.com/georgesbuffet.iowacity/

Head to 30hop for a restaurant with a rooftop bar and a view of the Iowa River Landing. Just be sure to call ahead to see when the rooftop bar opens.

Where: 900 E. Second St., Coralville

Website: 30hop.com

ReUnion Brewery recently opened up a new location in downtown Iowa City, meaning there are two locations to grab a beer from this local brewery in the metro area. Sours, IPAs, stouts  ReUnion Brewery has it.

Where: 516 Second St. in Coralville and 111 E. College St. in Iowa City

Website: reunionbrewery.com

Backpocket Brewing is located right in the Iowa River Landing, and just a hop and a skip from 30hop if youre looking to do some bar hopping.

Where: 903 Quarry Road, Coralville

Website: backpocketbrewing.com

Big Grove Brewery has locations in Iowa City and Solon, serving beers Iowans have come to know well over the years.

Where: 101 W. Main St. in Solon and 1225 S. Gilbert St. in Iowa City

Website: biggrove.com

The Unimpaired Dry Bar is a dry bar offering folks a place to grab a mocktail to indulge in without the added alcohol.

Where: 125 E. Burlington St., Iowa City

Website: unimpaireddrybar.com

Five places to shop, from books to vintage finds

Prairie Lights is the place to go for books in Iowa City. Here, owner Jan Weissmiller wears a mask while finding a book for a call-in customer in 2020.

Iowa River Landing is home to restaurants, bars and plenty of places to do some shopping, including Lululemon, Anthropologie and locally owned stores such as CIELO, which sells clothes, crystals, accessories and more.

Where: South of I-80, exit 242

Website: iowariverlanding.com

Coral Ridge Mall is less than five miles from the Iowa River Landing, and shoppers can find retailers such as Target, Barnes & Noble, HomeGoods, H&M, Sephora, and dozens more.

Where: 1451 Coral Ridge Ave., Coralville

Website: coralridgemall.com

The Iowa Artisans Gallery was founded in 1984 and specializes in selling art made by Midwestern craftsmen. Paintings, jewelry, home decor and more are just some of what can be found in this long-running downtown Iowa City shop.

Where: 207 E. Washington St., Iowa City

Website: iowaartisansgallery.com

Artifacts is a vintage resale shop selling just about every item you can think of, including salt and pepper shakers, belt buckles, furniture, books and more. Its easy to lose track of time at Artifacts with all the inventory to browse.

Where: 331 E. Market St., Iowa City

Website: artifacts-iowacity.com

Prairie Lights is an independent bookstore beloved by the Iowa City community and visitors alike for its curated selection of books and intimate atmosphere. It also hosts readings and author discussions and has a cafe to top it all off.

Where: 15 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City

Website: prairielights.com

12 spots for some fun in the Iowa City area, including the Stanley Museum of Art and Wilson's Orchard & Farm

The Stanley Museum of Art at the University of Iowa features paintings from Jackson Pollock, among others.

FilmScene is Iowa Citys independent, nonprofit cinema with two locations in downtown Iowa City that show current films playing in theaters and flicks youll have a hard time catching anywhere else.

Where: 404 E. College St. #100 and 118 E. College St. in Iowa City

Website: icfilmscene.org

Iowa Raptor Project, sponsored by the University of Iowa College of Education and Kirkwood Community College, displays birds of prey that cannot be released and is open to the public for an educational experience.

Where: 2095 Mehaffey Bridge Road N.E., Solon

Website: wild.education.uiowa.edu/iowa-raptor-project

The Englert Theatre is Iowa Citys historic theater that presents musicians, stand-up comics, dance and more all year.

Where: 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City

Website: englert.org

The University of Iowa Pentacrest Museums include the Old Capitol Museum and Museum of Natural History, featuring special exhibits, information on Iowas history and a gift shop.

Where: 21 N. Clinton St. and 17 N. Clinton St. in Iowa City

Website: pentacrestmuseums.uiowa.edu

Cryptiq Escapes is an escape room in Iowa City that accommodates both large and small parties, with themes such as hotel hostage rescue and scary cemetery.

Where: 1841 Lower Muscatine Rd.

Website: cryptiqescapes.com

The University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art is a visual arts institution free to the public with an array of contemporary art, African art and more. One of the museums most well-known pieces is Jackson Pollocks Mural.

Where: 160 W. Burlington St., Iowa City

Website: stanleymuseum.uiowa.edu

Double Tap is a bar in Iowa City with dozens of arcade games including Mario Kart, The Simpsons, Guitar Hero and many more.

Where: 121 E. College St., Iowa City

Website: paramountbarco.com/brand/double-tap-iowa-city

Riverside Theatre is a professional theater company in Iowa City that, on top of presenting its seasonal works, also showcases free Shakespeare in the park performances during the summer.

Where: 119 E. College St.

Website: riversidetheatre.org

SpareMe is a bowling alley and arcade located inside the Hotel Chauncey, featuring a dozen bowling lanes and a bar.

Where: 404 E. College St., Iowa City

Website: sparemeic.com

Lake MacBride State Park is Iowas largest state park and offers scenic trails for hiking and daytrips, two campgrounds and a lake.

Where: 3525 Highway 382 N.E., Solon

Website: iowadnr.gov/Places-to-Go/State-Parks/Iowa-State-Parks/Lake-Macbride-State-Park

Hancher Auditorium is the performing arts presenter at the University of Iowa, often showing renowned musicians, theater, lectures and more.

Where: 141 Park Road, Iowa City

Website: hancher.uiowa.edu

Wilsons Orchard & Farm is a 90-acre farm where folks can pick seasonal produce such as apples, raspberries or pumpkins. Visit the farm market or smokehouse for barbecue.

Where: 4823 Dingleberry Road N.E. #1, Iowa City

Website: wilsonsorchard.com

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's top restaurants, bars and things to do in 2023
A fundraiser for Patrick Clancy, the husband of Lindsay Clancy who stands accused of killing their children, has raised more than $900,000 since it was started four days ago.

Mr Clancy has asked the public to forgive his wife, who has been charged with two murders and injuring their infant child.

Almost 14,000 people have donated to the fundraiser, which was started on Friday to help him navigate the unimaginable tragedy that took place at the home in Duxbury, south of Boston, Massachusetts.

Organiser Matthew Glaser wrote that the funds are intended to help Pat pay for medical bills, funeral services and legal help.

This assistance is especially needed because Pat will be unable to work for the foreseeable future as he weathers this painful, life-altering tragedy, he added.

Ms Clancy, 32, was charged on Wednesday with murdering Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and trying to kill Callan, aged eight months, who passed away at a hospital on Friday. Following his death, Ms Clancy is expected to face upgraded charges.

Mr Clancy wrote in an update on Saturday that he forgave her, saying that the Massachusetts General Hospital nurse was loving and caring towards everyone.

Patrick Clancy, the husband of Lindsay Clancy, is pictured with the couples three children (GoFundMe)

I want to ask all of you that you find it deep within yourselves to forgive Lindsay, as I have, he wrote. The real Lindsay was generously loving and caring towards everyone  me, our kids, family, friends, and her patients. The very fibers of her soul are loving. All I wish for her now is that she can somehow find peace.

Mr Clancy said that their relationship diametrically grew stronger despite that Ms Clancys condition, which remains unclear, rapidly worsened.

Ms Clancy has previously written online about her mental health struggles following childbirth.

Lindsay Clancy (WCVB)

Officials are reportedly looking into if she was suffering from postpartum psychosis, the New York Post reported.

After leaving to pick up takeout food on Tuesday, he came back to find his kids unconscious, with obvious signs of trauma.

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Ms Clancy is alleged to have strangled the children while the father was gone. She then jumped out of a window in a failed attempt to take her life, police have said.

A lot of people have said they cant imagine and theyre right, theres absolutely nothing that can prepare you, Mr Clancy said. The shock and pain is excruciating and relentless. Im constantly reminded of them and with the little sleep I get, I dream about them on repeat.

Any parent knows, its impossible to understand how much you will love your kids until you have them. The same goes for understanding the devastation of losing them, he added.
Gov. Tina Kotek speaks Jan. 9 during a joint session of the Oregon Legislature.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek released her proposed budget for the 2023-25 biennium Tuesday.

As promised, it focuses new investments on increasing housing and reducing homelessness, improving access to mental health and addiction services, and education.

From the moment I was sworn into office, I promised to take on the biggest challenges facing families and communities across our state, and to deliver results, she said during a news conference.

Koteks new investments will be partially funded by diverting $765 million that would otherwise be added to the states $2 billion reserve fund.

Her total proposed budget is $32.1 billion. That includes general and lottery funds, but not federal and other funds. The current biennium budget is $29.3 billion.

That includes:

$13.5 billion for education, up from the current budget of $12.6 billion.

$10.8 billion for human services, up from the current $8.65 billion.

$4.4 billion for public safety and judicial, up from the current $3.3 billion.

$1.2 billion for economic and community development, down from the current $1.4 billion

$762 million for natural resources, down from $1.1 million.

$156 million for transportation, down from $199 million.

$31 million for consumer and business services, down from $56.1 million.

$1.2 billion for other spending, up from the current $1.1 billion.

Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, said the Senate would "take these recommendations seriously" and work with Kotek and Republicans "to pass a balanced budget that makes Oregon work for everyone."

Ways and Means co-chair Elizabeth Steiner, D-Portland, joined Wagner in the statement.

"I am glad we are aligned with the governor on the priorities that must be protected as we work to craft a balanced budget that funds the programs Oregonians urgently need while consolidating where we can to make sure the state is running effectively and efficiently, Steiner said.

Senate Republicans also issued a statement after the release of the proposed budget.

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"Im relieved to see that the governors proposed budget doesnt pull money from the kicker  its the right thing to do," Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp, R-Bend, said.

Housing 'one of the largest emergencies'

Kotek made it clear during her campaign and inaugural address that solving an ongoing housing and homelessness crisis would take priority during her administration.

It is one of the largest emergencies we have ever faced in Oregon, Kotek said, with at least 18,000 people in the state currently experiencing homelessness.

She declared a state of emergency on her first day in office and on Thursday outlined the details of a $130 million investment package she said would help "at least" 1,200 Oregonians experiencing homelessness move off the streets within a year.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek on Tuesday presents her proposed budget for the 2023-25 biennium.

The investment package would direct millions towards rent assistance and other eviction prevention services, create 600 additional low-barrier shelter beds across the state, provide prepaid rental assistance to rehouse unsheltered households, and support the Office of Emergency Management and Oregon Housing and Community Services in their emergency response.

Kotek's proposed budget builds on that, she said, by directing money towards reducing the number of unsheltered this year, rehousing people in the longer term, building and preserving more housing units across the state, and growing the number of homeowners.

Kotek is proposing a "significant investment" of $1 billion into affordable housing production and preservation.

That includes $770 million for the construction of affordable homes, $118 million for affordable housing preservation, $4 million to replace old manufactured homes and $2.2 million for the creation of a new Housing Production and Accountability Office to be jointly managed by the Department of Consumer and Business Services and the Department of Land Conservation and Development. The new office would focus on reducing land use and permitting barriers that prevent the development of more housing.

Other highlights include down payment assistance, rapid rehousing resources, long-term rent assistance, creation of a homelessness prevention program, and funding to maintain the operation of shelter beds in the state including the 600 new beds that the early investment proposal would add, if the legislation passes.

"The human suffering it [the housing crisis] causes the individuals, families and communities is absolutely unacceptable," Kotek said. "We must act now to provide immediate relief to unsheltered Oregonians and prevent thousands of families from becoming homeless."

Education proposal

Oregon's high school graduation rate is among the lowest in the nation. Kotek is proposing large investments in education.

They include:

$100 million to increase student literacy.

$20 million for literacy-focused summer programs.

$62.5 million to increase wages for early learning professionals.

$41.3 million to enhance employment-related daycare.

$5 million to co-locate early care and education with affordable housing.

$100 million to expand the physical capacity of early learning facilities.

$100 million in bonding to build early learning facilities.

$30 million for summer enrichment programs.

$18 million to increase investment in student success plans.

$1.4 million to implement ethnic studies.

$4.8 million for rural and small school technical assistance.

Mental health and addiction

Kotek also is recommending improvements in the state's mental health and addiction services.

Her proposed investments include:

$195.7 million to continue funding 2021 investments.

$40 million to increase residential and facility capacity.

$14.9 million in additional funding for jail diversion and enhanced civil commitment services.

$8.7 million to establish a substance abuse disorder treatment program at two state prisons.

$47.6 million for mobile crisis teams.

$60 million for behavioral health provider incentives.

More than $50 million in investments at the Oregon State Hospital.

Hospital investigation:Oregon State Hospital fails to prevent staff injuries

Kotek said her proposed new investments have not come at the expense of other priorities.

This proposal represents a balanced budget that includes investments in every agency to tackle other pressing issues across the state, Kotek said.

Those include investing in the states water supply, fixing the public defense crisis, supporting main street revitalization across rural Oregon, implementing a central climate change policy and making college more affordable, she said.

Tracy Loew covers the environment at the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips to tloew@statesmanjournal.com, 503-399-6779. Follow her on Twitter at @Tracy_Loew

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Kotek proposes spending $765M from reserves on homeless, other crises
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday urged the Department of Justice to cooperate with his Senate colleagues who have called for detailed information about the classified documents found at President Bidens Delaware home and former office in Washington.

McConnell emphasized that Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.), the Republican vice chairman on the panel, are unified in pressing the administration for more information about classified documents previously in Bidens and former President Trumps personal possession.

I think the bipartisan request of Chairman Warner and Vice Chairman Rubio is entirely reasonable, McConnell said, adding that what theyre asking for will not interfere with these ongoing criminal investigations.

I hope the administration will come up with a better answer than no, which is apparently [what] the chairman and vice chairman were told recently, he said. Their request to find out exactly what kind of documents were in improper custody seems to be squarely within their oversight mission on the Intel Committee.

Rubio told reporters on Tuesday that he would speak with Warner about what our next steps should be.

The ideal world is one in which the intelligence agencies recognize that we have oversight  that there really is no rational reason not to provide us insight into what those materials were, he said.

The senator added that if the intelligence agencies continue to block Congress access to the documents, well take measures to ensure that they understand our displeasure.

Rubio told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday that the Department of Justice has refused to share information about the classified documents found at Bidens and Trumps residences, citing agency probes into the handling of those documents.

Their answer is that it would imperil the investigation, Rubio said. Its a silly letter. Its a ridiculous letter. It doesnt even answer the question we asked.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Chinese buyers of Russian oil are seeking to avoid reputation damage, one analyst said. ALEXEI DRUZHININ/Getty Images

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg warned that a Russian victory in Ukraine could have global consequences.

If Putin wins, it would show countries like China that "brute force" works, he said.

"Beijing is watching closely. And learning lessons that may influence its future decisions," he warned.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday warned that a Russian victory in the war it launched against Ukraine would send a "dangerous" message to authoritarian regimes around the world.

"Beijing and Moscow are leading an authoritarian pushback against the international rules-based order. The Indo-Pacific faces growing challenges, from China's coercive behaviour to provocations by North Korea," Stoltenberg said at a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo, going on to characterize Russia's "brutal war of aggression against Ukraine" as not only a crisis for Europe but a "challenge to the world order."

"If President Putin wins in Ukraine, this would send a message that authoritarian regimes can achieve their goals through brute force. This is dangerous. Beijing is watching closely. And learning lessons that may influence its future decisions," the NATO chief said. "What is happening in Europe today could happen in East Asia tomorrow. So we must remain united and firm. Standing together for freedom and democracy."

Since Russia launched an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine last February, the subject of China's aggression toward Taiwan has been a constant point of discussion among leaders and top officials worldwide.

A visit to Taiwan by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last August prompted provocative Chinese military drills near the self-governing island democracy, leading to concerns about the potential for an invasion. Chinese military activities have continued, and recently, a US Air Force general suggested a fight could break out over the island as early as 2025. The DC-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies spent months wargaming such a situation, and the outcome was bleak.

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Stoltenberg on Tuesday said that China's behavior was a matter of serious concern.

"China is substantially building up its military forces, including nuclear weapons. Bullying its neighbors, and threatening Taiwan. Trying to control critical infrastructure. And spreading disinformation about NATO and the war in Ukraine," he said.

Beijing, which often sides with Moscow on geopolitical issues, has taken a relatively cautious approach to the Ukraine war as Western countries like the US have warned it against providing material support to Russia.

China has not condemned Russia's invasion, and Chinese state media has often echoed Russian propaganda critical of NATO. But Beijing also hasn't offered full-throated support for Moscow's war. During a meeting with Xi Jinping in September, Putin acknowledged that the Chinese leader had "question and concerns" regarding Russia's ongoing invasion.

China has continued to foster robust political and economic ties to Russia, providing Moscow a lifeline as it contends with crippling economic sanctions imposed by the West in response to the war. And Putin and Xi pledged in late December to deepen cooperation between their two countries.

At the time, Xi said China was ready "to increase strategic cooperation with Russia, provide each other with development opportunities, be global partners for the benefit of the peoples of our countries and in the interests of stability around the world," per the Associated Press.

"In the face of increasing geopolitical tensions, the significance of the Russian-Chinese strategic partnership is growing as a stabilizing factor," Putin said as Moscow and Beijing threaten the security structures in their respective regions.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Nobel-winning economist Paul Krugman Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

Paul Krugman criticized Brazil and Argentina's plan to create a common currency for trade.

"It's a nice opportunity to apply the theory of Optimum Currency Areas  which tells us that it's a terrible idea," he said on Twitter.

The plan could spread economic shocks between the countries who opt in, Krugman added.

The euro-like shared-currency project proposed by Brazil and Argentina is a "terrible idea", according to Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman.

A common currency would work for countries that are each other's top trading partners and are similar enough to avoid the threat of so-called "asymmetrical shocks", but the two South American nations don't fit the bill, according to him.

"I don't know who came up with this idea, but it surely wasn't anyone who knows anything about international monetary economics," Krugman said in a Twitter thread posted on Sunday. "But it's a nice opportunity to apply the theory of Optimum Currency Areas  which tells us that it's a terrible idea."

According to the optimum currency areas theory, a common monetary unit can boost economic efficiency only if the participating countries meet certain criteria.

Brazil sends only 4.2% of its exports to Argentina, which sends only 15% of its goods to the former. "Argentina sends more to Brazil, because Brazil's economy is larger  but still only 15%. And the two countries' structure of exports is very different," Krugman said.

While Argentina mainly exports agricultural products, more than half of Brazil's outward shipments are fuel and manufactured goods. "So shocks to the world economy [are] likely to cause big changes in equilibrium real exchange rate," he explained.

Krugman's remarks add to a slew of criticism that the countries' leaders  Brazil's new president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Argentine leader Alberto Fernandez  have faced after announcing their plans to start discussing the initiative in a joint statement published on January 21.

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The proposed currency, which Brazil wants to call the "sur" (south), would become the new medium of exchange between the two nations, and eventually other South American countries too, creating the world's second-largest currency bloc after the euro.

The idea is that a currency union would boost trade in the region and decrease dependency on the US dollar because conversion costs and exchange rate uncertainty would be eliminated.

But as Argentina's inflation edges closer to 100% amid the central bank's frantic money-printing to keep up with spending and with Brazil's debt pile mounting amid six-year high interest rates, Krugman and other critics of the plan worry that a common currency could threaten an already unstable economic environment and spread shocks between the countries who opt in.

Read the original article on Business Insider
No hair, dont care! Pete Davidson has a bold new look.

The comedian, 29, debuted his shaved head at the New York Knicks vs. Los Angeles Lakers basketball game at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, January 31. Davidson was all smiles as he showed off the buzz cut while sitting alongside Jon Stewart and Hasan Minhaj. (The Lakers beat the Kicks 129-123.)

Davidson teamed the dramatic do with black sunglasses, several metallic chains, a gold watch, a pair of argyle Happy Socks and a cozy gray velour tracksuit.

(L-R) Jon Stewart, Pete Davidson, and Hasan Minhaj attend the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks on January 31, 2023 in New York City. Michael Simon/Shutterstock

This wouldnt be the first time the Saturday Night Live alum chopped his locks. He previously debuted a low cut in December 2021. In addition to different lengths, Davidson isnt afraid to experiment with color. While hes a natural brunette, the Meet Cute star has dyed his crown blue, pink and platinum blond.

In July 2018, Davidson unveiled icy strands while out and about with then-fiancee Ariana Grande. He famously showed off sunny tresses again in May 2022 to match Kim Kardashians bleached hue.

Davidson and Grande began dating in May 2018 before he proposed in June of that year. After about four months, the pair called it quits. He then moved on with Kate Beckinsale, but their fling ended in April 2019. (Grande, for her part, is now married to Dalton Gomez.) Following Davidsons romance with Beckinsale, he dated Margaret Qualley (August 2019 to October 2019), Kaia Gerber (November 2019 to January 2020) and Phoebe Dynevor (April 2021 to August 2021).

The King of Staten Island star shocked fans when he was seen out on multiple occasions with Kardashian, 42  who split from husband Kanye West in February 2021  after her SNL hosting gig in October 2021. (During one sketch, the California native and the Guy Code alum shared a kiss in character as Jasmine and Aladdin, respectively.)

Davidson and Kardashian went Instagram official in March 2022 and made their red carpet debut as a couple at the White House Correspondents Dinner that May. They also attended the 2022 Met Gala together. After less than a year, however, Us Weekly confirmed in August 2022 that the former lovebirds parted ways. Its upsetting for both of them, but it is what it is, a source exclusively told Us at the time, adding that the duo will remain friends amid the split.

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Davidson briefly moved on with Emily Ratajkowski before sparking dating rumors with his Bodies, Bodies, Bodies costar Chase Sui Wonders in December 2022.

Pete and Chase had insane chemistry on set, a source told Us Weekly exclusively last month. As well as when the cameras werent rolling.

The Wake actress, 26, and the Big Time Adolescence star continued to fuel relationship speculation during a joint vacation to Hawaii. Photos published by Page Six in January showed Davidson kissing Wonders on a beach chair. The pair have not publicly addressed their status.
Could ChatGPT be your child's next tutor? AI experts, politicians weigh in

The artificial intelligence-fueled, text-generating chatbot, ChatGPT, has made its way to the halls of Congress

Massachusetts Rep. Jake Auchincloss' 100-word floor speech reintroducing the U.S.-Israel Artificial Intelligence Center Act was written by the bot, he said last week, The Associated Press reported.

Auchincloss said the technology's biggest impact could be on the education system.

"This is a complement to teachers, not a substitute," Auchincloss told ABC News. "The single thing I'm most excited about is the applications in education."

MORE: Member of Congress reads AI-generated speech on House floor

PHOTO: Rep. Jake Auchincloss attends the House Financial Services Committee hearing at the Capitol Building, December 8, 2021. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images, FILE)

Released by OpenAI -- an AI research laboratory -- ChatGPT, which stands for Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer, is designed to interact with users in a conversational way, according to OpenAI's website.

"The dialogue format makes it possible for ChatGPT to answer followup questions, admit its mistakes, challenge incorrect premises, and reject inappropriate requests," OpenAI also stated on its site.

Testing ChatGPT has gone viral on social media platofrms, with users performing tasks like writing poetry, creating music lyrics and debugging code with the text bot.

AI's use in pandemic-related learning losses

Auchinloss tols ABC News that AI can scale one-on-one tutoring for students who've suffered historic learning loss after schools shuttered during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"There's very strong evidence that one-on-one tutoring is a highly effective way to get kids educated, whether it's math, reading, [or] anything else" he said, adding, "the problem is it's never scaled, right? How do you make one-on-one scale? [You] make one-on-one scale with something like this. [The] video generation and text generation is not hard, they can have real-time conversations with kids."

However, some AI experts who spoke with ABC News expressed concerns about the chatbot tutor.

It "makes stuff up," said "Rebooting AI" author, Gary Marcus.

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"The systems aren't that reliable and I don't know if it's going to help kids to have stuff that's sort of 80% true and 20% false," Marcus explained, adding "it's predicting things that sound plausible and some things that sound plausible are true when it says them and some things that sound plausible are false and it says some of those, too. So, I worry about it being used as a tutor.

A spokesperson for OpenAI, told ABC News that the lab is constantly incorporating feedback and lessons learned from the research preview of the chatbot.

However, Auchincloss, who worked in tech for five years at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said that ChatGPT could aid teachers and tutors, though he said he sees a generational divide with how many view the chatbot.

MORE: What is ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence text bot that went viral?

PHOTO: The Dome of the U.S. Capitol Building is visible on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 23, 2023. (Andrew Harnik/AP)

Concerns that AI in schools can urge cheating, students not working

Meanwhile, others have cautions about the new AI technology's use in schooling.

"Students are endlessly creative about not doing work," Dr. Mark Schneider, director of the Institute of Education Sciences , told ABC News. "They spend more time thinking about how not to do something than they would spend doing the work," he said.

The OpenAI spokesperson told ABC News that the chatbot's developers don't want it used for "misleading purposes in schools or anywhere else."

"We're already developing mitigations to help anyone identify text generated by that system," the spokesperson added.

Marcus said he fears ChatGPT could even mass produce plagiarism at a scale we've "never seen before," saying education would suffer in the long run.

"Our traditional ways of evaluating students based on take home, open book, term papers, just won't really work anymore, because you're not really going to know whether the student really wrote that paper," he told ABC News. "Students will suffer for that because they're not really doing the mental exercise that we wanted them to do in writing the papers."

But Rep. Foxx, the House Education and the Workforce committee chairwoman, downplayed AI's affect on academic integrity because cheating has been around for decades.

"I think technology is good, but to me this is an age-old issue that faculty are going to have to figure out how to get around," she said. "And it may be a little bit challenging for them, but I think they'll figure it out," she continued.

PHOTO: Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona speaks during the 2022 CMA Foundation Music Teachers Of Excellence Awards Hosted By Kix Brooks at Marathon Music Works, Oct. 19, 2022 in Nashville. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images, FILE)

The former educator also said her committee does not expect to investigate ChatGPT in any upcoming hearings.

"We, in the federal government, don't have the job of monitoring cheating in education," Foxx said, adding, "the institutions must do that themselves."

Schneider and IES partnered with the National Science Foundation to award $20 million in funding to establish the AI Institute for Transforming Education for Children with Speech and Language Processing Challenges, but he is not sold on the "unreliable" chatbot. So far, he says, it's prone to mistakes and uses "boring prose."

"We used to do encyclopedias, then we did Wikipedia, now we're doing ChatGPT, but you need to know that this is not infallible," Schneider told ABC News.

MORE: Math test scores across the nation plummet since start of pandemic

AI in education: 'Risks' and 'opportunities'

Patrick Harris II, a humanities teacher and author at The Roeper School outside of Detroit, said he felt a weight lifted off his shoulders when he first started using the ChatGPT for planning lessons.

"I think educators should be open-minded to AI ChatGPT and how it could be helpful," Harris II wrote in a statement to ABC News. "They should experiment with it, as they would with any new technology. But also, they should know that it is still very imperfect, biased and needs humans eyes," he added.

OpenAI said it looks forward to working with educators on useful solutions, and other ways to help teachers and students benefit from artificial intelligence.

PHOTO: Author Gary Marcus is shown in Vancouver, B.C., in 2019. (Courtesy Gary Marcus)

Still, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona expressed AI skepticism.

"You know, obviously, there's a lot of risk out there," Cardona said. "But there's also a lot of opportunities. And I think what we need to do is embrace it and use it in a manner that helps our students be better prepared for life after school," he said in a comment to ABC News.

Schneider said humans should prepare for the future of AI.

"It may be the case that the chatbot will get better in my concerns about accuracy and reliability," he said. "But in the meantime, we need to start rethinking what kind of skills people need in a world where the chatbot is for real."

Could ChatGPT be your child's next tutor? AI experts, politicians weigh in originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
A man accused of torturing a woman who evaded police for a week is dead following an hourslong standoff, Oregon police said.

Benjamin Obadiah Foster, 36, was wanted for attempted murder, kidnapping and assault, police said.

The Grants Pass Police Department announced late Tuesday that Foster was in custody following a standoff. Lt. Jeff Hattersley, a spokesperson for the police department, confirmed to ABC News that Foster subsequently died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The standoff occurred after a man police believed to be Foster was spotted walking a small dog in the Grants Pass area Tuesday morning, the department had said. He was considered an "extremely dangerous suspect," the department warned in an update on Sunday amid the manhunt.

PHOTO: The Grants Pass Police Department released this image of Benjamin Foster. (Grants Pass Police Department)

Police began looking for Foster on Jan. 24, after responding to a home in Grants Pass for an assault. At the home, officers found a woman in critical condition who had been "bound and severely beaten into unconsciousness," police said.

The suspect had already fled the scene before officers arrived but was identified as Foster, of Wolf Creek, police said.

MORE: Man held hostage for hours and robbed at gunpoint after meeting woman from dating app

"It's essentially an all-hands-on-deck operation," Grants Pass Police Chief Warren Hensman told ABC News earlier this week. "We are laser-focused."

Hensman told reporters during a press briefing on Jan. 26 that they were still working on a timeline, but said the assault are believed to have occurred over a "protracted period of time." He would not elaborate on the nature of the suspect's relationship with the victim.

"The scene was horrific," Hensman told ABC News. "This is a bad man that needs to be captured."

PHOTO: The Grants Pass Police Department released this image of Benjamin Foster. (Grants Pass Police Department)

Amid the manhunt, authorities located Foster's car and executed a search warrant in a home in Wolf Creek last week. The suspect "evaded capture and likely received assistance in fleeing the area," police said.

"The investigation has revealed that the suspect is actively using online dating applications to contact unsuspecting individuals who may be lured into assisting with the suspect's escape or potentially as additional victims," police said.

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During the search of the home, a 68-year-old woman, Tina Marie Jones, was arrested for allegedly hindering prosecution. She remains in custody at the Josephine County Jail.

MORE: Timeline: Wisconsin man accused of financially preying on women he met on dating apps

The victim, identified by her family as Justine Siemens, was transported to an area hospital and remains on life support.

"She will survive this and as her family, we implore the nation to help bring her attacker to justice," her family said in a statement.

PHOTO: The Grants Pass Police Department released this image of Benjamin Foster. (Grants Pass Police Department)

Foster had been convicted on domestic violence charges for two assaults that occurred within the past five years in Las Vegas, court records show.

In 2019, he was accused of holding his then-girlfriend captive inside her Las Vegas apartment for more than two weeks and beating her, according to an arrest report obtained by ABC News. He was charged with four counts of battery and two counts of assault, though in August 2021 he pleaded guilty to two of the battery charges as part of a plea deal, online court records show. A judge sentenced him to up to 1.5 years in prison, with credit for the 729 days he had already spent in jail awaiting trial, according to court records.

In August 2021, he reached another plea deal in a 2018 domestic violence case and was sentenced to credit for time served for a misdemeanor battery charge, court records show.

MORE: Suspect who allegedly tried to abduct barista through drive-thru window arrested: Police

"Am I troubled by what I know already? The answer is yes," Hensman told reporters when asked about the prior Las Vegas cases. "We're laser-focused on capturing this man and bringing him to justice."

The Grants Pass Police Department was offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of Foster in the attempted murder case.

Man accused of torturing woman in Oregon dead following weeklong manhunt: Police originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
From delicious tapas to boozy sangria, there's a long list of reasons why Spice Road Table is one of the best restaurants at EPCOT. (Photos: Carly Caramanna/Terri Peters)

Walt Disney World's EPCOT is known for its World Showcase, where guests can visit pavilions themed around countries like Mexico, Japan and Norway while tasting foods and sipping drinks from each locale. But with 11 countries represented, the options for sit-down dining can feel a bit overwhelming, leaving many wondering which EPCOT restaurant is the best place to make a coveted dinner reservation.

As someone who writes about theme parks, holds an annual pass at Walt Disney World (WDW) and has been visiting the popular tourist destination for years, there's always a clear winner if I'm looking for a simple-but-delicious dinner at EPCOT. Located in the theme park's Morocco pavilion, Spice Road Table is a respite from the crowds, nestled along the waters of the World Showcase Lagoon (the body of water at the center of the World Showcase).

Red sangria and iced mint tea, both made with gin, at Spice Road Table. (Photo: Terri Peters)

Recently, I ended an evening at EPCOT with friends in my absolute favorite way: a dinner reservation at Spice Road Table. Reservations are the way to go for any sit-down dining experience at WDW, since it's hard to snag a walk-up table, and this Mediterranean restaurant is no exception. In the time surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, Spice Road Table stopped taking reservations, but as of Dec. 2022, it's now easy to reserve a spot through the My Disney Experience app, online or by phone. With the ability to guarantee a seat at one of our favorite spots back on the table (pun intended) we knew closing an evening of drinking margaritas in "Mexico" and riding Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind out with a relaxing sit-down dinner would be perfect.

And we were right. We walked into Spice Road Table and asked to be seated outside near the lagoon  the airy patio is perfect on those rare Florida nights when the weather is cool. (Even on hot days at EPCOT, it's worth sitting outside for the shade and the breeze.) We were quick to order sangria because Spice Road Table makes some of the best sangria on WDW property. The secret? Each variety contains not only wine, but a spirit, making each drink, which cost $14 for a glass or $39 for a pitcher, a bit boozier than some drinks found at EPCOT. The restaurant's red sangria is made with gin, while the rose variety contains pamplemousse (grapefruit) liqueur. There's fig-flavored vodka in the white sangria and the sparkling kind contains both pamplemousse liqueur and vermouth. If sangria isn't your thing, try an iced mint tea, which, like the red sangria, is made with gin. It's all delicious, and sitting by the water on a beautiful evening while relaxing with friends is the perfect respite from the throngs of park goers walking the World Showcase.

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Spice Road Table's hummus fries and spiced chicken. (Photo: Terri Peters)

There are no huge, food coma-inducing entrees at this WDW restaurant: Spice Road Table serves up a wide variety of tapas instead, which is best enjoyed family-style. We feasted on hummus fries, tiropitakia (cheese-filled phyllo dough pockets), spicy shrimp, crispy pomegranate-chili cauliflower, chicken and naan bread, complete with dipping sauces and marinated olives.

At just over $10 for most dishes, ordering a beautiful spread of tapas for our table and sharing it made for a perfect dinner. We were especially impressed with the high amount of plant-based dishes on Spice Road Table's menu, part of WDW's initiative to make vegan-friendly dishes more mainstream inside its parks and resorts.

From the patio at Spice Road Table, Spaceship Earth and the World Showcase Lagoon are on full display. (Photo: Terri Peters)

One of the best parts about Spice Road Table is the staff, who are always supremely kind and excited to welcome you into the restaurant. From the bartenders who make that delicious sangria to the hosts and hostesses who check you in for your reservation, stepping inside this waterfront dining experience is always feels like a vacation within a vacation, a vibe that keeps us coming back.

Spice Road Table is also among the sit-down restaurants at EPCOT that offer pre-fixe menus during the park's many annual festivals. Currently, during EPCOT International Festival of the Arts, festival goers can reserve seating for a meal at this and other restaurants, followed by reserved seating for the festival's Disney on Broadway concert series. Prices for these dining packages range from $35 to $95 depending on the restaurant, with Spice Road Table's offering landing at $47. As a Disney festival pro, this is my favorite way to make sure I get a good seat at in-park concerts that are a priority to me. In fact, I still reminisce about the time I had amazing seats to watch NSync member Joey Fatone perform at the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival after a delicious dinner at Spice Road Table. Worth it.

From crispy cauliflower to buttery naan, every tapas dish we ordered at Spice Road Table was perfect. (Photo: Terri Peters)

Another Spice Road Table tip? If you're anxious to try that boozy sangria, you don't need a dining reservation to do it. Simply walk up to the bar inside of the restaurant and order your drink of choice: There's no seating at this particular WDW bar, but every variety of the restaurant's sangria pairs perfectly with sipping and strolling around the countries of the World Showcase.

While Spice Road Table is not a high-end Disney dining experience, like the illustrious rooftop California Grill or the AAA Five Diamond Award-winning Victoria and Albert's, it's a more affordable way to enjoy the flavors offered WDW and give your feet a rest while you take in beautiful water views. For that reason, the experience was well worth the $150 price tag to my party of three.

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The head of the College Board defended its new Advanced Placement course on African American studies, weeks after Florida said it would ban the class.

The College Board on Wednesday released its official  and revised  framework for the course, and CEO David Coleman told USA TODAY that "at the College Board, we don't really look to the statements of political leaders.

"We look to the record of history."

About a week earlier, on Jan. 24, a spokesperson for Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis claimed on Twitter that the College Board will be revising the course for the entire nation due to the governors principled stand for education over identity politics.

The new framework does address many of the concerns Florida raised, and those topics are not included, or they are included only as optional project topics. But Coleman was firm that the changes to the framework have been in the works for a year.

Board shake-ups, threats to tenure and money: How conservatives are reshaping colleges

Why are colleges offering up more DEI degrees: Demand for diversity expertise is growing.

The course, which is 10 years in the making, already is being taught in 60 high schools. Next school year, it will be taught at approximately 500 high schools nationwide before being offered at any school interested in providing the course. It emerges at the same time as a racial reckoning in the United States and the debate over the teaching of critical race theory, a college-level concept about systemic racism.

"We hope that everyone will give (the course) a fresh look, a fresh read because we think that that people will be impressed with what they see there," he said. "What they'll find is an unflinching encounter with the facts and evidence of African American history and culture."

'Lacks educational value': Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis blocks high school African-American AP studies class

What do CRT and DEI really mean? Schools keep talking about critical race theory and 'diversity, equity and inclusion'

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Why is AP African American Studies in the spotlight?

Officials in Florida rejected the new AP course, arguing that the class for high school students does not comply with state law.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis addresses a crowd before publicly signing the Stop Woke bill in April 2022.

Florida education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. last month shared a list of concerns about the course, ranging from broad concepts to specific authors. DeSantis said the state rejected the course because it included the study of queer theory" and movements that advocate for abolishing prisons.

The decision quickly drew criticism inside and outside of the state.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called the move incomprehensible," responding to a question from USA TODAY "Lets be clear. They didnt block AP European history. They didnt block our art history. They didnt block our music history."

And last week, civil rights attorney Ben Crump said if Florida officials continue to reject the course, legal action could follow.

'Black history is not inferior': Black leaders object to Florida's 'culture war against African Americans'

Whats actually being taught in this class for teenagers? What can high school students expect to learn? USA TODAY analyzed the official framework for AP African American Studies.

Incomprehensible White House slams DeSantis administration for rejecting AP Black studies

Whats actually being taught in AP African American Studies

Brandi Waters, AP African American Studies' senior director, told USA TODAY the class is "an exciting course for students because it helps them to see a fuller picture of the world around them."

The course  which students can use to earn college credit depending on their scores on its exam and whether an institution accepts the class  is broken up into four units, each of which includes dozens of potential topics and assignments.

"So what (students are) really asking for when they asked for this class is the tools that the field of African American Studies gives them, which is this picture of how different communities are really interrelated," Waters said, "a diversity of lived experience and feeling like they now have more lenses through which to view American life and how disparate communities in America are connected to the broader world."

AP exam changes: Helpful for test prep, or more money for the College Board?

National Education Association president: Black history is American history. DeSantis is stealing our students' freedom to learn it.

The framework also includes a research project for students, asking them to analyze a topic or theme from the field of African American Studies. The document stresses that the project topics can be refined by local states and districts.

Here's how the class is laid out for educators and students:

Origins of the African Diaspora: This unit includes information on early African empires and kingdoms, before and during the transatlantic slave trade.

Freedom, Enslavement and Resistance: Students may learn about the slave trade, how slavery worked to assault the bodies, minds and spirits of enslaved Africans and their descendants, the abolition of slavery and more. It includes sources such as maps snowing the slave trade out of Africa, Frederick Douglass' speech What to the Slave is the Fourth of July and other materials.

The Practice of Freedom: This section includes the period known as Reconstruction in America, as well as Jim Crow laws and other political, social and cultural movements. Students might explore the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments to the Constitution, writings from W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington, or the Supreme Courts 1896 ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson, when the court ruled racial segregation was constitutional.

Movements and Debates: Students may learn about the Civil Rights Movement, housing discrimination against Black Americans, the Black Power Movement, feminist movements and diversity within Black communities. The course materials for the final unit include writings from Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and other political figures, in addition to Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison and others.

Mock slave auctions, racist lessons: How US history class often traumatizes, dehumanizes Black students

'History is messy': Some teachers worry 'critical race theory bills' threaten AP classes

The Florida Department of Education did not respond to a request for comment about the framework published Wednesday.

Coleman noted that the process of moving beyond the pilot materials of the course has taken a year and involved consulting with about 300 professors. He also said no state has seen the framework before it was released on Wednesday.

Contributing: Kathryn Varn, Tallahassee Democrat

Follow reporter Marina Pitofsky @marina_pitofsky. Email: mpitofsky@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Florida blocked AP African American Studies. What is in the class?
Penn State was hoping to land one more commitment in its Class of 2023 on National Signing Day, and it got it. Maryland offensive tackle Chimdy Onoh, who had reportedly been trending in Penn States favor, announced his commitment to the Nittany Lions on Wednesday as the traditional signing period opened for the Class of 2023.

Onoh ultimately committed to Penn State over offers from Michigan State, Ole Miss, and Rutgers (the other three schools in his final top four). Michigan State reportedly was the top threat to Penn State in the final stages of the recruiting process.

Onoh is rated as a four-star recruit by both 247Sports and On3, and both recruiting outlets have Onoh as a top-16 offensive tackle. The 6-5, 270-pound lineman should help provide some good quality depth on the offensive line, which was a focus of this recruiting cycle.

Onoh had originally committed to Old Dominion earlier in his recruiting process, but he backed off that commitment once receiving some attention from Power 5 programs. Rutgers was the first to show interest and Rutgers emerged as a leader until more offers came in. Penn State extended an offer in mi-December 2022 just before the early signing period, and Onoh included Penn State on his visit schedule in January before visits to Michigan State and Ole Miss leading up to the traditional signing period.

Onoh will join a recruiting class that attacked the offensive line with some big additions. Penn State secured commitments from Jven Williams from Pennsylvania, one of the top offensive lineman recruits in the nation, and Alex Birchmeier out of Virginia, the first commitment in Penn States Class of 2023.

List

Recruit snapshot: Will Penn State land four-star OT Chimdy Onoh?

List

Penn State's 2023 football commitment tracker

Related

Sean Clifford praised by Jeff Fisher after NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Crystal ball predicts signing day addition for Penn State's Class of 2023 Mitchell Tinsley turns strong NFLPA Bowl week into Shrine Bowl invite Looking ahead? Penn State lands first commit in Class of 2025 CBS Sports mock draft sends Joey Porter Jr. to AFC North

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Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion. Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Story originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire
A Ukrainian tank in Siversk near the front lines with Russia on January 21. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

When Russia attacked Ukraine in February 2022, their militaries operated many of the same tanks.

Ukraine upgraded many of its tanks before the war, but Russia also had newer, higher-quality tanks.

As the war approaches its one-year mark, several countries have pledge to give Ukraine new tanks.

A rare video from the frontlines shows one of Ukraine's upgraded Soviet-era tanks outperforming one of its newer Russian adversaries.

In the footage, published online in December, a Ukrainian T-64BV and a Russian T-72B3 tank fought a deadly duel in the east of the country. Despite being older, the Ukrainian armor took out its Russian adversary with a single long-distance shot.

A Ukrainian drone recorded the fight. On the outskirts of a destroyed town, the Ukrainian tank is advances down a road, straight toward the Russian tank.

Without stopping, the Ukrainian tank fires a round at its adversary. After a direct hit, the Russian T-72B3 explodes.

In technical terms, the tanks Russia has deployed are often newer and more advanced than the Ukrainian tanks they're facing, but the victory of the Ukrainian crew is a testament not only to the quality of their training but to the skill of their engineers and mechanics, who upgraded many of the older, Soviet-designed models into the tanks Ukraine is now fielding.

Update or buy new?

A tank turret is repaired at the Kyiv Panzer factory in August 2015. NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images

As Kyiv sought to modernize its military following Russia's 2014 attack, it had to decide between purchasing a battalion of new armor  about 50 tanks  or modernizing as many as four battalions of older tanks, which could be done for the same price, according to a Royal United Services Institute report on the first several months of the war.

It chose the latter and updated part of its T-64 and T-72 fleets. The modernization packages included digital radios, internal communications, navigation systems, thermal sights, and modified dynamic protection, among other upgrades. Since then, the West has helped Ukraine modernize more of its aging Soviet-era tanks.

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When the war began, however, the 2,800 "combat-ready tanks" in Russia's invasion force vastly outnumbered the Ukraine military's total of about 900 tanks, according to the report.

Ukrainian troops perform maintenance on tanks near the frontline in Donbas on January 18. Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Many of the tanks in those two forces were the same models and had similar vulnerabilities  one of which was demonstrated vividly in the early months of the war.

Soviet- and Russian-made tanks are designed for a crew of three  driver, gunner, and commander. Instead of a loader they have an automated loading system, which stores ammunition in the turret.

With limited protection in the turret and rounds stored elsewhere in the tank, enemy fire can more easily detonate the tank's ammunition, causing a "jack-in-the-box" effect that sends the turret flying sky-high.

Western tanks are designed with a sealed ammunition storage space and have fourth crew member who loads rounds into the gun.

More victories, better weapons

Ukrainian troops inspect a destroyed Russian tank near Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region in December. SERGEY BOBOK/AFP via Getty Images

Ukraine's requests for newer, more advanced Western-made tanks to replace its older, Soviet-era tanks  some of them older than the troops using them  are longstanding, but before the war, there were financial and logistical limits on the kinds of weapons Ukraine could acquire.

When the war began, pressure from Russia led Kyiv and its supporters to focus on weapons that were familiar to Ukrainian troops and could be used right away, such as Soviet-origin Mi-17 helicopters and T-72 tanks, or that would be easier to integrate, such as M113 armored personnel carriers, older air-defense systems, and low-tech drones.

But in late summer and the fall, Ukraine took the initiative, forcing Russian troops into retreat. The battlefield has largely stabilized, and Ukraine can now afford to send some troops to train for more complicated operations using more complex weapons.

Ukrainian troops this month began training for combined-arms operations  which require coordination between aircraft, ground troops, artillery, and armored forces  and have begun or will soon begin training on other weapons, including the US-made Patriot air-defense system and Western armored vehicles.

A Bradley armored vehicle headed to Ukraine is loaded onto a ship in North Charleston, South Carolina on January 25. US Transportation Command/Oz Suguitan

US-made Abrams, German-designed Leopards, and British-built Challenger 2 tanks are some of the more than 300 heavy tanks that have been promised to Ukraine in recent weeks.

Despite growing arguments about the relevance of tanks on modern battlefields, both Russia and Ukraine have employed tanks effectively and routinely rely on tanks to break their adversary's defenses, even with the proliferation of anti-tank weapons.

Ukraine claims to have destroyed or captured more than 3,000 Russian tanks, though Oryx, an open-source investigation outlet, has only visually verified about 1,600 of those.

As of January 25, the US has committed more than $27.1 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia attacked on February 24, 2022  a total of less than 5% of the US defense budget that has helped destroy thousands of Russian tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery pieces.

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a defense journalist specializing in special operations, a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), and a Johns Hopkins University graduate. He is working toward a master's degree in strategy and cybersecurity at Johns Hopkins' School of Advanced International Studies.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Seabourn Pursuit will sail Mediterranean, transatlantic, and Caribbean itineraries before its official launch this fall.

Courtesy of Seabourn

Before Seabourn officially launches the newest ship in its fleet, the luxury cruise line is offering travelers a sneak peek over the course of seven pre-inaugural itineraries.

Beginning in August, Seabourn Pursuit  the second expedition vessel in Seabourn's fleet, following the arrival of Seabourn Venture last year  will sail five trips throughout the Mediterranean before embarking on a transatlantic voyage in September and one Caribbean sailing.

In the Mediterranean, Seabourn Pursuit will visit such ports as Cinque Terre in Italy; St. Tropez in France; Malaga in Spain; and Casablanca in Morocco on seven- to eight-day sailings. The 12-day transatlantic crossing will depart from Portugal's Madeira and conclude in Miami, while the 10-day Caribbean sailing will make port in Barbados, Martinique, and Bequia in the Grenadines, among other stops.

Courtesy of Seabourn

"We are excited to offer our guests the chance to sail on our new ship, Seabourn Pursuit, and visit some of the very best destinations and hidden harbors along the Rivieras and Caribbean, Seabourn President Josh Leibowitz said in a statement. "As with every ship in our fleet, Seabourn Pursuit will invite guests to enjoy small-ship cruising as only Seabourn delivers it, with an intimate atmosphere that encourages guests to make meaningful connections, and a welcoming onboard team that is focused on delivering unforgettable 'Seabourn Moments.'"

Seabourn Pursuit will carry just 264 passengers in all-suite accommodations, plus 120 crew, including a 26-person expedition staff comprising naturalists, scientists, and historians. The ship will have exquisitely decorated public spaces, including lounges, the spa, and two dining venues, as well as water toys like submarines and kayaks.

After its pre-inaugural sailings on the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, and the Caribbean, Seabourn Pursuit will head south for expeditions across South America, including the Amazon, followed by a season in Antarctica.

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Rates start from $3,499 per person for a seven-day sailing, and you can book your trip here.



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Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.
President of the United States Joe Biden delivers his

President Joe Biden, pictured in Baltimore, informed Congress on Monday, Jan. 30, 2023 that he intends to end the COVID-19 emergency in May. Credit - Kyle MazzaSOPA Images/LightRocket Getty Images

President Bidens plan to forgive up to $20,000 in student loan debt was already in crisistied up in legal challenges that have already reached the Supreme Court.

But the Administrations announcement that it is ending the COVID-19 national and public health emergencies on May 11 could spell its doom, according to legal experts. The federal pause on student loan payments may also be in jeopardy.

At least 16 million Americans were approved for the program, but relief was put on pause by two separate federal court rulings, including by a judge from Texas who said the program was an unconstitutional use of power.

Bidens legal justification for forgiving student debt relied on the HEROES Act, which allows the Department of Education to modify provisions of student loan programs to alleviate financial hardship borrowers might face during national emergencies.

The plan, announced in August, would impact 40 million Americans. It would forgive up to $10,000 of student loan debt for most borrowers, and up to $20,000 for those who went to college on Pell Grants. Only those earning less than $125,000 per year are eligible.

In a November court filing, U.S. Department of Education Undersecretary James Kvaal outlined the Administrations argument, saying that unless the Administration is allowed to take action, there could be a large increase in the amount of federal student loan delinquency and defaults as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the Administrations decision to end the public health emergency puts the crux of the Education Departments argument at high risk, says Jed Shugerman, a professor who studies executive branch powers at Fordham Law School.

It is possible in the wake of an emergency, that one would have a program to deal with the fallout of an emergency, he says. The problem is that the program is not tailored to the emergency.

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In order to have the authority to forgive student loans, the Education Department agreed that it would have to show that recipients of the program faced a strong financial burden as a result of COVID-19. While nearly 17 million Americans were unemployed at the height of the pandemic, workers in other industrieslike streaming services or video conferencing businesses such as Zoomthrived. Since borrowers were not required to provide evidence of a financial burden when applying for student loan forgiveness, the Administrations argument is faulty, Shugerman says.

The only excuse for not actually having any step to show a causation or correlation from the emergency would be if the emergency was still happening, he adds.

The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments over student loan relief at the end of February.

What is the future of student loan forgiveness?

Experts tell TIME its increasingly likely the Supreme Court will strike down Bidens loan forgiveness plan in the following weeks.

The best path forward would be to create a new plan that could be justified under the Higher Education Act of 1965, which aimed to increase access to college and university, says Shugerman.

Implementing a student loan forgiveness plan under that statute, while a better fit, would take longer. But experts say Biden could still pass some sort of relief for borrowers by the end of his term if the Administration acts promptly.

Student loan payments likely to resume

Experts tell TIME that the student loan payment pause could also run out as a result of Biden ending the COVID-19 emergency.

Student loan payments have been paused since March 2020. Payments were set to resume 60 days after the Education Department was allowed to implement the student loan forgiveness program, or when litigation around Bidens student loan relief program ends.

I dont think it would be out of the question that if the case came down after May, the payment cost pause could extend a little bit longer, Luke Herrine, Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Alabama tells TIME. But the Biden Administration would have eliminated its justification for continuing to extend it much beyond what it takes to resolve the legal dispute.

Other measures to forgive student loans

In the meantime, the administration is already considering structural changes to student loan plans. In early January, the Education Department announced new proposed regulations that could cut monthly payments in half for the 10 million borrowers enrolled in an income-driven repayment plan.

Those changes are not yet confirmed, but if the proposal goes into effect, Black, Hispanic, American Indian, and Alaska Native borrowers could see their lifetime payments per dollar borrowed cut by 50%. An earlier initiative announced in April said the Department of Education would conduct a one-time account adjustment that would extend borrowers payment histories to include credit for partial and late payments. Eligible borrowers would automatically see the adjustment on their account.
As the nationwide debate about legalizing marijuana continues to grow, delta-8 THC products, products derived from hemp that can cause a "high" similar to, but apparently milder than marijuana, are becoming increasingly popular and easier to buy across the commonwealth.

Because of minimal state and federal regulations on the manufacture of these products, which can be legally purchased in Kentucky, some are skeptical about the safety of delta-8. Currently, delta-8 products are not FDA-approved.

"Delta-8 THC is one of over 100 cannabinoids produced naturally by the cannabis plant but is not found in significant amounts in the cannabis plant. As a result, concentrated amounts of delta-8 THC are typically manufactured from hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD)," according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

As Kentucky debates medical marijuana,McConnell's hemp push already lets people get high

Delta-8 is legal because the 2018 farm bill, which was supported by Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., federally legalized hemp and a wide range of its derivatives, including CBD and other cannabinoids.

And while delta-8 is a naturally occurring substance, there is a manufacturing element used to produce enough of the cannabinoid to create various products, which include things such as gummies, seltzers and vapes. As a result, these products can contain things such as residual solvents, heavy metals and mycotoxins, all things that can be potentially harmful for people to consume.

"I think one of the things the public may not understand is that the delta-8 ... in these products is synthetic," said Dr. Richard Sams, the scientific director at KCA Labs, a third-party analytical laboratory in Nicholasville. "It's not isolated from plants; it's produced by an acid-catalyzed conversion of CBD that's been isolated from hemp."

Michael Lemmons, a military veteran who lives in Louisville, has been using delta-8 products for years and said they have helped him to stop relying on prescription medications he felt were negatively impacting his physical and mental health.

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"I have no safety concerns regarding delta-8," said Lemmons, who specified he gets products only from 502 Hemp Wellness Center in Louisville.

But others aren't as confident in the unregulated but legal delta-8 market. At CBD Pure Hemp Oil in Prospect, store owner Daniel Barhorst takes a more cautious approach.

"I actually think there should be more regulation of the products of delta-8 that are being distributed out there," Barhorst said. "I think some of the products ... should definitely be FDA approved, so the FDA can actually qualify them."

With minimal state and federal regulations of delta-8, consumers may have a hard time determining if the product they want to consume is safe or not. Here are five things to know about the health and safety of delta-8 products:

Purchase delta-8 from a hemp dispensary or health-related business

Electric Ladyland is located at 2325 Bardstown Road in Louisville, Kentucky. Jan. 19, 2023

Delta-8 can be sold anywhere from a hemp dispensary to a CBD shop to a gas station. When looking for quality and purity standards, many shop owners say it is vital to purchase products from a reputable business where employees can discuss concerns or answer questions about the products.

"As with all food-based supplements, caution is needed when purchasing delta-8. Most of us would not purchase our vitamins at a gas station, and an easy way to avoid safety issues is to simply purchase from a legitimate hemp dispensary or other health-related business," said Nancy Roberts, co-founder of One Love Hemp Dispensary, which sells a variety of CBD, delta-8 and delta-9 products.

What to look for on delta-8 package labeling

Explainer cards showing the molecular structure of hemp derived products are seen on a display case at the Electric Ladyland store located at 2325 Bardstown Road in Louisville, Kentucky, on Jan. 19, 2023.

In November, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear filed an executive order that partially deals with the labeling and packaging of cannabinoid products. These products must adhere to 902 KAR 45:190, which includes packaging and labeling requirements for hemp-derived products.

Package labeling is required to be in size six font or larger and include: a statement of identity or common product name; the total quantity of units in the package; the ingredients of hemp-derived products; the manufacturer name; the total amount of cannabinoids per serving; suggested use instructions; expiration date; and a statement saying the product is within the federal legal limit of 0.3% delta-9 THC.

Oftentimes, delta-9 THC  the chemical primarily responsible for the mental "high" marijuana causes  is present in delta-8 products.

A pack of delta-8 gummies sits on the counter at the Electric Ladyland store, located at 2325 Bardstown Road, on Jan. 19, 2023

If you're planning to consume a CBD or delta-8 product, "look at the labeling, see if it's compliant," Barhorst said. "If it doesn't have a label on it, I wouldn't [consume] it, would you?"

Ask for lab testing results on delta-8 THC products

KCA Labs is a third-party analytical lab that tests Delta-8 products, located in Nicholasville, Kentucky.

Delta-8 THC products are not required to be tested by a laboratory for toxins, pesticides or other hazardous materials at any stage of production before products end up on shelves. Despite this, many companies such as DazeD8, a company that uses Kentucky hemp, voluntarily submit samples to labs, such as KCA Labs, to have products tested for quality and purity.

"Companies should have certificates of analysis available to verify the product is indeed what the package states," One Love's Roberts told The Courier Journal.

A certificate of analysis, or COA, is a lab report that shows consumers information such as the date the sample was received and tested, a batch number that can be matched to products in store, total cannabinoids, delta-8 THC percentage, foreign matter and more.

However, Sams with KCA Labs advises consumers to still be skeptical of those COAs. Testing is not standardized nor regulated, so companies can pick and choose testing that will make their products appear safe to consumers on a those reports.

KCA Labs is a third-party analytical lab that tests Delta-8 products, located in Nicholasville, Kentucky.

"We test only for what the client requests us to test for," Sams said. "If the client requests the tests for the cannabinoids and wants us to verify the amount of delta-8, for example, and doesn't request other tests, then we wouldn't be testing for residual solvents and heavy metals and those kinds of things."

Ryan Bellone, chief commercial officer of KCA Labs, said there is a greater need for testing regulation to help put higher-purity products on the market.

"There are some companies that are working toward trying to achieve the highest purity delta-8 with the lowest amount of byproducts or even the lowest amount of delta-9 THC present in the product, while other companies will make a lower purity product and be willing to put that out to market to make a buck," Bellone said.

What are some red flags for a delta-8 certificate of analysis?

KCA Labs is a third-party analytical lab that tests Delta-8 products, located in Nicholasville, Kentucky.

Many COAs come with QR codes so consumers can verify product contents on their phone. However, Bellone said if the QR codes are missing, thats a red flag a COA may have been tampered with.

Other red flags include if the company information of the original submitter of the sample is removed, if coloring and font differentiate from other parts of the COA, and if batch number information is missing.

"There are some companies that will go out there and they'll get one test and it'll be for a certain batch of material," Bellone said. "They may even leave the batch number off the submission to us and then they'll basically extrapolate those results to other batches that actually have not been tested."

But it's not all bad. As the lack of testing on delta-8 products continues to be largely unregulated, Sams notes KCA Labs is now seeing higher-purity products coming through the labs.

"We're beginning to see more of the better" products, Sams said. A year ago, we never saw compliant material.

Check dosage amounts on delta-8 THC products

A large selection of delta-8 gummies are on display at the Electric Ladyland store, located at 2325 Bardstown Road, on Jan. 19, 2023.

All delta-8 products should list the suggested dosage instructions as part of the labeling requirements. When consuming a delta-8 product, it is important to understand how much of the cannabinoid is being consumed and consider how that might impact you.

At One Love Hemp Dispensary, Roberts and her team offer THC serving-size information cards to customers. Roberts said the goal is to help educate people about best practices and how to avoid overconsumption.

"The No. 1 danger of delta-8 is uneducated and inexperienced consumers who do not respect responsible consumption," Roberts said.

Daniel Barhorst, owner of CBD Pure Hemp Oil in Prospect, Kentucky, looks at the coloring of his hemp oil-derived product. Jan. 19, 2023

Barhorst said it's important to discuss dosage when talking to customers.

"We always tell people to go under the suggested dosing," Barhorst said. "For instance, when we have a gummy, that is 25 milligrams, we suggest just taking half. I always tell people to go under the dosing to see how your body reacts to it."

Contact reporter Olivia Evans at oevans@courier-journal.com or on Twitter at @oliviamevans_

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Is delta-8 safe?: 5 things to know about edibles and vapes
Ukraine's call for a "fighter jet coalition" to provide planes so its forces can firmly control its airspace was on life support Tuesday after Britain apparently rejected the plan.

Also Tuesday, Ukraine mourned the death in combat of a former U.S. Navy SEAL, France promised to send more howitzers, and a Ukraine newspaper found evidence of over-the-top profiteering by European weapons dealers.

Max Blain, a spokesperson for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, said sending jets to Ukraine was not practical because his country's Typhoon and F-35 fighter jets "are extremely sophisticated and take months to learn how to fly.

A day earlier, President Joe Biden rejected the proposal, as did German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Asked if the U.S. decision was final, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters Tuesday: "We're focused on making sure that Ukraine is ready and able to to meet the threats that they're facing right now, as well as those in the future.''

Poland and the Baltic nations of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia -- all of them sharing a border with Russia or its ally Belarus -- expressed support for Ukraine's plan. Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said Ukraine needs fighter jets and "we need to act."

France has not ruled out sending fighter jets to Ukraine under conditions that would bar Kyiv from attacking Russian territory, President Emmanuel Macron said Monday. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said transferring jets should be discussed but that it would be a "very big next step."

Ukraine currently relies on old, Soviet-era jets.

Contributing: Francesca Chambers

Ukrainians soldiers participate in the farewell ceremony for US citizen Daniel W. Swift in Lviv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023.

Other developments:

Russias refusal to allow on-the-ground inspections to resume is endangering the New START nuclear treaty and U.S.-Russian arms control overall, the State Department told Congress on Tuesday. Russia unilaterally suspended its cooperation with the treatys inspection provisions in August 2022 to protest U.S. support for Ukraine in the war.

The International Ice Hockey Federation said Tuesday that it will prioritize safety concerns when deciding whether to allow Russia and Belarus in next year's world championships. Both are banned this year, but the International Olympic Committee is working on a plan allowing both nations to compete at next years Paris Games.

France said it will send 12 more truck-mounted howitzers to Ukraine. The French military also said 150 of its soldiers would train 2,000 Ukrainian troops in Poland this summer.

Human Rights Watch has called on Ukraine to investigate its use of land mines around Izium during the Russian occupation. Russian use of land mines doesnt justify Ukrainian use of these prohibited weapons, said Steve Goose, the group's Arms Division director.

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Ex-Navy SEAL Daniel Swift mourned in Ukraine

Ukrainians soldiers held a memorial ceremony Tuesday for American Daniel Swift in Lviv, Ukraine. Swift was a former member of the Navy SEALs who has been listed in official records as having deserted since March 2019. The Navy did not provide further information about his U.S. military record, but said, We cannot speculate as to why the former Sailor was in Ukraine. Swift was killed last week in Ukraine fighting against the Russian army.

Adam Thiemann  a former U.S. Army Ranger who previously fought in Ukraine  told Rolling Stone that during an operation in Bakhmut on the night of Jan. 14 and into the early morning of Jan. 15, Russian forces launched an anti-personnel rocket-propelled grenade at Swift and two other soldiers. Swift later died of his wounds.

At least five other Americans are known to have died fighting in Ukraine, according to State Department statements and reports from individual families.

Report: European arms dealers jacked up prices for Ukraine

European arms brokers drive prices up and charge excessive commissions when supplying arms to Ukraine, according to an investigation by the Kyiv Independent and other media outlets. The report alleges that the Estonian company Bristol Trust OU received about $2 million, or 30% of the deal, in commission for 12,500 grenades for shoulder-fired missile launchers last March. The report says the commission was three to six times the industry average.

Multiple arms brokers who spoke to the Independent on conditions of anonymity said they had raised prices for arms two to four times since Russia invaded Ukraine because of increased demand.

Ukraine expects up to 140 tanks in 'first wave' of contributions

Ukraine will obtain 120 to 140 modern tanks in the first wave of contributions from the West, Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Tuesday. Kuleba did not say when the tanks, including German-made Leopards, British Challengers and U.S. Abrams, would arrive.

The Ukraine military has suggested that the first tanks could arrive from Norway by the end of March. Norway owns 36 Leopard tanks but has not said how many it will send to Ukraine. Germany has said it hopes to begin transferring more than a dozen tanks to Ukraine by early April.

Kuleba said the tank donor coalition currently includes about a dozen countries and that Ukraine is trying to persuade more countries to join the group  and to get increased commitments from those already on board.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukraine live updates: Britain won't provide fighter jets
Idaho Fish and Game officials are hunting for answers about why coyotes have been chasing skiers at a resort, even biting one person.

Officials received reports this month that coyotes seen on Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort in North Idaho were chasing skiers as they skied down the slopes in what they describe as highly unusual coyote behavior.

One woman suffered minor injuries after a coyote bit her, officials said.

MORE: Pack of dogs attacks and kills young boy, injures mother

Workers from Idaho Fish and Game and resort staff are working together on a plan to trap and kill the coyotes in the interest of public safety.

Officials said the coyotes are exhibiting unusual behavior because they appear during the day, with two being spotted wandering a business district near downtown Sandpoint, located nearly 500 miles north of Boise.

PHOTO: A coyote looks up from hunting for food on the Idaho prairie. (STOCK IMAGE/Getty Images)

Officials said that one of the coyotes was captured and killed, while the other remains on the loose.

Coyotes are nocturnal animals and are not usually comfortable around people, making recent incidents unusual, Idaho Fish and Game said.

MORE: Polar bear kills mother, 1-year-old son after rampage through remote Alaska village

While an official cause of their behavior is unknown, officials said that its unlikely the coyotes have rabies and are most likely acting peculiarly because humans are feeding them.

When wild animals become habituated to human presence or food sources, they can behave uncharacteristically and become dangerous to people, Idaho Fish and Game said on its website.

Coyotes in Idaho chasing skiers, 1 woman bitten: Officials originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Dances With Wolves star Nathan Chasing Horse was arrested following a raid of his North Las Vegas home on Tuesday afternoon, the Associated Press reports.

The actor, best known for his role as Smiles A Lot in the Oscar-winning 1990 film (which also starred Kevin Costner), is accused of sexually abusing "young Indigenous girls over the course of two decades" and is reportedly thought to be the leader of a cult called the Circle, per the AP.

"Nathan Chasing Horse used spiritual traditions and their belief system as a tool to sexually assault young girls on numerous occasions," states a 50-page search warrant obtained by the AP. The filing also reportedly claimed that his followers viewed Chasing Horse as a "Medicine Man" or "Holy Person" who had the ability to communicate with higher beings.

Nathan Chasing Horse of Rosebud, South Dakota, and a member of the Sioux Tribe, leads the Color guard at the beginning of the grand entry into the coliseum. The 37th annual Denver March Pow Wow finished up today, March 20th, 2011

Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via Getty Images Nathan Chasing Horse

Chasing Horse, born Nathan Lee Chasing His Horse, was taken into custody at his home, where he reportedly lives with his five wives, following an in-depth investigation that began after authorities received a tip-off in October 2022.

Since then, Las Vegas police have identified at least six alleged victims  some as young as 13 years old  and discovered sexual allegations against Chasing Horse that police say date back to the early 2000s and span across several states including Montana, Nevada, and South Dakota.

In the Nevada warrant, Chasing Horse is accused of multiple sex crimes including sex trafficking, sexual assault of a child younger than 16, child abuse, filming sexual assaults, and receiving payment for arranging sex with victims. It also noted that Chasing Horse was previously banned from the Fort Peck Reservation in Poplar, Mont., due to allegations of sex trafficking in 2015.

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Other states like Georgia and Florida have modernized, well-run, and secure elections. They also have higher voter turnout, and they can figure out who won on election night.

Governor Lombardo is right, its time to update Nevadas election laws. Nevada should be up-to-speed with a timely and secure election process, following the lead of other states that experienced much higher midterm turnout than Nevada  most notably Florida and Georgia. Nevadans deserve to have trust in our vote-counting system, and Nevadans deserve to know who won on election night.

The Republicans of the Nevada Assembly have prepared bills to meet the Governors goal of streamlined, modern, and secure elections. This session, Assemblyman Hafen will present a bill that makes photo ID a requirement to vote in Nevada. Assemblyman Gray has prepared a bill that requires that ballots to be counted be received no later than 5pm on election day. Assemblyman Yureks bill calls for an election investigation unit to search for and expose any fraud. Assemblywomen Dickman, Kasama, and Hansen will also present bills to increase election integrity in Nevada.

According to polls, around 80% of Americans are in favor of requiring photo identification to vote. Despite the popularity of photo ID requirements, Nevada Democrats continue to harp on voter suppression rhetoric, saying that voting should be as convenient as possible, and that therefore we shouldnt require voters to present identification. But we agree with Governor Lombardo: We require people to have a valid form of ID to get on a plane, to operate a motor vehicle, or to purchase alcohol and cigarettes, but not to cast a vote in an election, this is illogical.

Under such reforms, voting in Nevada would be easy, accessible, and secure. Any Nevadan would be able to vote by presenting their drivers license and requesting a ballot, whether by mail or in person on election day. This would mitigate any chance of fraud or election interference, and increase voter confidence in our elections.

This would bring Nevada in line with some of the states that have much higher voter turnout. In Georgia, for example, mail-in ballots are not indiscriminately mailed to every single registered voter, voters are not automatically registered upon visiting the DMV, and ballot harvesting is illegal. To receive an absentee ballot in Georgia, voters must present ID.

Rather than suppress the vote as Democrats claim, these policies have been met with increased voter trust and voter turnout over the years. Georgias turnout in 2022 was 52.7% and Nevada was only 45.2% according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Despite Joe Bidens radical claim that Georgias secure election laws are a Jim Crow 2.0 of voter suppression, the University of Georgia found that African American voters in Georgia overwhelmingly approved of Georgias election laws and voting system. Governor DeSantis of Florida recently created a new police unit to combat election fraud, but again, this heightened security was met with higher voter turnout and participation in early and mail voting.

But for Nevada Democrats, progress means relying on understaffed county registrars to tediously perform signature verification, spending $14 million mailing ballots to nearly one million people who did not ask for them and did not end up voting, and allowing anyone to harvest and turn in as many ballots as they please without ever showing an ID. One columnist at the Las Vegas Review Journal has shown, in two elections now, that the Clark County registrar failed to set aside mismatched signatures more than half the time.

To be frank, it seems that the Democrats are still stuck in the COVID19 Dark Ages, while Republicans are fighting to update and streamline Nevadas election laws.

Speaker Steve Yeager recently said that these election reforms would be a non-starter for the Democrats, and that they refuse to scale back any of the mail in voting policies implemented during the pandemic. In his response to the Governors State of the State, Yeager doubled-down on the notion that voting should be as convenient as possible in Nevada. But is it convenient to wait for election results for a week after election day? Should we allow Nevada to be a national, and international embarrassment every two years, as we take weeks to deliver election results for the sake of convenience?

We believe that a secure and transparent voting process will strengthen voters faith in the system, which will increase voter participation. Nevada ought to be a state that wins praise for its streamlined elections, not a state that is forever stuck in the year 2020.
After two days of sleet, ice and freezing weather, a third round was headed to Arkansas Wednesday at noon.

An ice storm warning was issued by the National Weather Service that included Fort Smith and the Arkansas River Valley that takes effect at noon Wednesday, Feb. 1, and continued until noon Thursday, Feb. 2.

Schools in Fort Smith and the Arkansas River Valley remained on a remote learning plan Wednesday. Dangerous road conditions were not expected to improve with a high-temperature Wednesday near 33 degrees under cloudy skies.

On Tuesday, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper, Adam Wood, was driving east of Vian in Sequoyah County, Okla. when his dashcam recorded a tractor-trailer sliding out of control on Interstate 40.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper Adam Wood was working on I-40 in Sequoyah County Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023, when he witnessed a tractor-trailer slide on ice into a cable barrier near Little Vian Creek.

The big rig would have crossed the median into oncoming traffic, but thanks to a steel cable barrier, the truck and trailer stopped, and no other vehicles hit it.

This could have been so much worse! Trooper Adam Wood #959 captured this video on his dash cam this morning around 9:45 on I-40 one mile east of Vian in Sequoyah County. The semi driver was ticketed for traveling at a speed not reasonable and proper for the road conditions. pic.twitter.com/Y0F44vhdX3  OK Highway Patrol/DPS (@OHPDPS) January 31, 2023

Flights at airports in Fort Smith, Fayetteville, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Little Rock and Dallas were delayed or canceled due to the winter blast. All flights to Dallas from Fort Smith Regional Airport for Wednesday were canceled.

Power outages, that were a problem during the snowstorm of the previous week, had not been reported in western Arkansas or eastern Oklahoma Wednesday morning. But Oklahoma Gas & Electric officials told customers to prepare for the possibility of outages as more freezing drizzle is expected to weigh heavy on tree branches and power lines.

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Arkansas and Oklahoma transportation crews continued to monitor roadways. The Arkansas National Guard continued to assist Arkansas State Police assisting stranded motorists across the state.

Bob Oldham, Arkansas National Guard spokesman, said on Wednesday afternoon there were 65 guardsmen on duty assisting state police across the state.

"They're providing around-the-clock support to stranded motorists and doing their best to help make a positive difference for travelers in this inclement weather," Oldham said.

In Fort Smith, garbage collection service was postponed Wednesday.

Fort Smith Mayor George McGill canceled his state of the city address Wednesday that had been planned at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith.

An ice storm warning was issued Tuesday for parts of central and southern Arkansas, and icy roads were reported in West Memphis, Ark. and in Memphis, Tennessee as the storm affected millions as far south as Austin, Texas and in the Dallas metropolitan area where pileups on highways were reported.

State of emergency:Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders declares state of emergency due to ice storm

Winter storm:Bitter cold, waves of storms target nation's midsection; Texas, Gulf Coast states could see tornadoes: Updates

Fort Smith street conditions

Fort Smith police reported early Wednesday that icy conditions remained widespread in the city.

There were extremely icy conditions on State Highway 45 from Siegenthaler Road to Burrough. People were advised to avoid the area and find other routes.

Hilly streets remained slick Wednesday morning. Bridges and overpasses also remained slick and hazardous.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation and the Arkansas Department of Transportation reported treacherous conditions. Anyone who has to drive should take precautions and drive slow. People are urged to have their cellphones charged and plenty of warm clothes including hats, gloves and coats if traveling.

Fort Smight weather forecast

The National Weather forecast Wednesday morning showed the possibility of significant icing on roadways.

In Arkansas and Oklahoma, hilly terrains in southern Sebastian County, and in Sequoyah and Le Flore counties in eastern Oklahoma could be especially dangerous.

Check swtimes.com for updates.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas River Valley to see more wintry weather: Here's the latest
The expansive Little Sioux Scout Ranch in western Iowa will soon open to the public following the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation's more-than $7 million purchase of the land from the Mid-America Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

The council since the early 1970s had operated a camp there.

The Monona County tract in the Loess Hills just east of the Little Sioux River had served as a campground for the scouts since the early 1970s, and it was often one of the first places young scouts would go to experience the outdoors, according to INHF and the council. People throughout Iowa and Nebraska contributed to a fund to help make $2.8 million in repairs to the camp after a tornado ripped through in June 2008, killing a scout from Eagle Grove and three from Nebraska and injuring 48 others.

But attendance declined over the years, and in 2021, the Gilwell Foundation, which owns all the properties used by the Omaha, Nebraska-based council, "came to the difficult decision to sell the camp due to declining attendance," the INHF said in a news release.

It vowed in its news release to honor the memories of the four boys as part of its effort to preserve the land.

"In working on the sale with the council, INHF has agreed to do three things: Open the property to the public; maintain the memorial to four boys that died in a 2008 tornado on the property; and honor and share the history of LSSR as a scout camp," the organization said.

A public open house is tentatively scheduled for May 11.

Previously:A tornado took 4 teenagers' lives at an Iowa Boy Scouts camp. Here's how it reshaped survivors.

A memorial shelter at the Little Sioux Ranch for the four boys scouts who died when a tornado hit the land while they were camping there in 2008.

How INHF raised nearly $2 million

The nonprofit INHF purchased an option to buy the land in 2021. To help fund the $7 million purchase, it raised nearly $2 million ahead of the new year, which included a $500,000 donation from Crescent philanthropists Polina and Bob Schlott, a $500,000 donation from the Iowa West Foundation of Council Bluffs, $300,000 from the Gilchrist Foundation of Sioux City and $250,000 from the MidAmerican Energy Foundation.

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The support for this project has been amazing, INHF President Joe McGovern said in the release. Donors have told us they want to see this place protected  staying in one piece and not being developed  but theyre also excited to see it opened to the public eventually.

The organization is still accepting donations to support the purchase.

What type of terrain will visitors experience at Little Sioux Ranch?

The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation purchased the Little Sioux Ranch located in western Iowa from the Mid-America Council of the Boy Scouts of America in December 2022.

The INHF said the 1,776-acre property will be one of the largest privately owned nature parks in Iowa and features "globally unique" terrain, including old-growth oak woodland and remnant prairie. It also is home to a range of endangered plant and animal species, including the plains pocket mouse, the bullsnake and many types of butterflies, according to INHF.

With more than 25 miles of trails and a 20-acre lake, the grounds offer visitors opportunities for camping, hiking, fishing and hunting. As a part of the Loess Hills and as a state-designated bird conservation area, the property is also a haven for birdwatching, the INHF said.

More:32 photos: 10 years after the Little Sioux Scout Ranch tornado

What happened in the 2008 tornado?

On June 11, 2008, 96 scouts from Iowa, Nebraska and other surrounding areas were at the ranch on a camping trip organized by 24 youth leaders when storm sirens started blaring. They took shelter in cabins on the grounds designated as storm shelters as the thunderstorm spawned a deadly tornado with 165-mph winds.

The lodge where most of the campers took shelter was demolished, and scouts Aaron Eilerts, 14, of Eagle Grove, and Josh Fennen, 13, Ben Petrzilka, 14, and Sam Thomsen, 13, all of Omaha, were killed. Dozens more were injured and many survivors say they are left with emotional scars almost 15 years later.

A memorial for the four boys was erected on the grounds when the camp reopened the following May.

A memorial plaque for the four boys killed in a 2008 tornado sits at the Little Sioux Ranch in western Iowa.

This article has been updated to reflect how much donors contributed to fundraising.

Francesca Block is a breaking news reporter at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at FBlock@registermedia.com or on Twitter at @francescablock3.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Foundation purchases Little Sioux Scout Ranch, site of deadly tornado
When Republican members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday took to the floor of their chamber for an hour-long airing of grievances in support of a GOP-friendly cable news channel, one of them decided it would be appropriate to compare the satellite television carriage dispute to the murder of six million Jews during the Holocaust.

Eric Burlison, a freshman representative who was sworn in as the House member for Missouris 7th District less than a month ago, first compared DirecTVs decision to cease carrying the right-wing Newsmax channel to an aborted Department of Homeland Security effort to combat disinformation, and suggested the satellite television provider was abusing special privileges the government has granted it.

Late last month, DirecTV ceased carrying the signal of the pro-Trump outlet after the carriage agreement between Newsmax and the satellite provider expired. Newsmax, which previously granted DirecTV the right to carry the channel free of charge, had demanded a new agreement under which the company would be charged for the right to beam the channel into subscribers homes.

Instead, DirecTV chose to replace Newsmax with another right-wing channel, The First.

Carriage disputes between content providers and multi-channel video service distributors are not uncommon in the US. But in the weeks since the satellite network dropped their signal, Newsmax management and personnel have used their platform to accuse DirecTV and its parent company, AT&T, of censoring the channel because of its right-wing outlook.

Last year, AT&T also ceased carrying another right-wing channel, One America News, which had even fewer viewers but earned a place as a favourite of former president Donald Trump by broadcasting his lies about the conduct of the 2020 election.

Mr Burlison compared the fate of the two channels in his floor remarks.

These companies choose to silence conservative speech by first deplatforming or eliminating One America News and now they're going after Newsmax, he said.

He then compared the right-wing channels to the fate of Jews in Hitlers Germany, citing  but not quoting  a famous quote from German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemoller about the price of not speaking out against Nazism.

You know, there's a famous quote about what happened during the Holocaust when the Nazis first came for some, and people said nothing. And then eventually they'll come for you, he said.
Michelle Renee Lamb, 81, as an inmate at Topeka Correctional Facility, shown here at 815 S.E. Rice Road.

A convicted killer who has long sought gender-affirming surgery was moved from a men's prison to an all-women's prison in Topeka last week, at a time when prison inmates in the U.S. are increasingly being granted that procedure.

Michelle Renee Lamb, 81, became an inmate Friday in the central unit at Topeka Correctional Facility, according to Kansas Department of Corrections records.

Lamb, formerly known as Thomas Lamb, was previously an inmate at El Dorado Correctional Facility, a men's prison.

Lamb is serving three life terms for the 1969 aggravated kidnapping and first-degree murder of 24-year-old Patricia Sue Kemmerle and the 1970 aggravated kidnapping of 18-year-old Patricia Childs, both in Johnson County.

It wasn't clear Wednesday if Lamb had received gender-affirming surgery. Lamb didn't immediately respond to a message on the prison's communication platform seeking comment.

Randall Bowman, KDOC's executive director of public affairs, wouldn't discuss Lamb's specific situation.

"Due to patient privacy concerns, KDOC and the Governors Office cannot comment on the specifics of medical care for any one individual," he said.

KDOC officials don't make health care decisions, Bowman added.

He said that under KDOC's contract with its health care provider, Centurion, no one procedure affects the overall rate that agency pays for health care.

"Thus, the cost of one single medical procedure for a resident is not directly passed onto the taxpayers," Bowman said.

More:Kansas bill to criminalize transgender health care for youths. Here's what to know.

Inmates who sued won right to gender-confirmation surgery elsewhere

Transgender inmates in recent years have increasingly been granted gender reassignment surgery in the U.S.

In what was called a landmark decision, a federal judge last April ordered the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to arrange for gender dysphoria patient Cristina Nichole Iglesias to become the first person to receive gender reassignment surgery while in federal custody.

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Gender dysphoria is a sense of unease regarding a person's mismatch between their biological sex and gender identity that's so severe it may lead to depression and anxiety, with some turning to self-harm and suicide.

Courts have also ordered gender reassignment surgery to be provided to inmates in Wisconsin and Idaho, while California maintains a policy granting inmates access to that surgery.

More:Laura Kelly says it would have been a mistake not to respond with transgender athletes ad

Michelle Lamb sued seeking surgery

U.S. District Court records show Lamb in 2016 sued KDOC and its then-medical care provider, Corizon, alleging they violated Lamb's Eighth Amendment rights by failing to effectively treat Lamb's gender dysphoria in accordance with current medical standards and by housing Lamb in conditions that violated Lamb's constitutional rights.

Lamb had been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, the lawsuit petition said.

Lamb asked for more comprehensive treatment of that condition, access to more female items in prison, recognition by the corrections department of the legal name change to "Michelle Renee Lamb" made in 2007 and transfer to a female-only prison.

U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren in July 2017 issued a summary judgment denying Lamb's requests without a trial.

The state and Corizon were obligated to treat Lambs gender dysphoria but not in the specific manner Lamb preferred, Melgren wrote.

An appeals court upheld that ruling in 2018.

1970 kidnapping was aimed at financing gender reassignment surgery

Topeka Capital-Journal archives show that Lamb in January 1970 used a gun to kidnap Patricia Childs from the parking lot of an Overland Park shopping mall, then forced her to telephone her parents and demand ransom money, allegedly to pay for gender reassignment surgery for Lamb. Childs obeyed Lamb's order to tell her parents not to call police.

But Childs' father, Overland Park medical supply salesman Joseph J. Childs, called the police. Officers staked out the area involved as Joseph Childs met with Lamb the next day in a parking lot near Olathe, where Joseph Childs exchanged the money for his daughter.

When police moved in, Lamb led officers on a high-speed chase, which ended when Lamb's car struck a police car at a roadblock.

At Lamb's home, police found a purse and other property belonging to Kemmerle, who had been strangled to death the previous month before her nude, snow-covered body was found in a cornfield near Olathe.

Five days after being arrested, Lamb and another inmate  who had gotten possession of a gun while working as a jail trustee  captured a jailer and three dispatchers and locked them in a cell.

Lamb and the other inmate escaped, abducted a customer from a nearby cafe and left with him in his car but were subsequently captured at a roadblock.

In June 1970, Lamb was sentenced to three consecutive life terms in prison for the first-degree murder of Kemmerle and the aggravated kidnappings of Kemmerle and Patricia Childs.

In 1979, Lamb escaped from Lansing Correctional Facility but was recaptured after leading police on a high-speed vehicle chase.

In 1987, Lamb escaped from Larned State Hospital, stole a car from its owner at knife-point, then again led police on a high-speed chase before being captured.

After Lamb was denied parole in 2001, Lamb filed a libel suit contending a Kansas City Star reporter had made false and defamatory statements in an article published as Lamb's parole was being considered.

A federal appeals court ruled against Lamb in 2004, saying Lamb's actions had diminished Lamb's reputation to the point that Lamb had become "libel-proof."

Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Transgender inmate Michelle Lamb moved to Topeka Correctional Facility
Jan. 31JAY  Local and Maine State Police are investigating a shooting Tuesday at a residence at 31 Pleasant Drive in North Jay, Jay Police Chief Richard Caton IV said.

Caton was sitting in a police cruiser in front of what appeared to be a mobile home. Another cruiser was parked beside it. Yellow crime scene tape was around the yard blocking the home from being entered by anyone but law enforcement. The road is off state Route 4 nearly opposite Maxwell Road.

The person who was shot was alive when he or she was taken to a hospital to be treated, according to Caton.
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi named Rep. Ray Hull deputy speaker Tuesday, replacing the previous holder of the post, Rep. Charlene Lima, after she broke with party leadership on a number of issues.

Hull, a Providence Democrat and city police officer, is believed to be the first Black deputy speaker. The deputy speaker and speaker pro tempore fill in leading House sessions when the speaker leaves the chamber.

State Rep. Raymond Hull

Hull had been chairman of the House Municipal Government Committee. That committee will now be led by Rep. Stephen Casey of Woonsocket.

"Our state is facing numerous issues and challenges and I am eager to further serve the people of Rhode Island as their new Deputy Speaker, Hull said in a news release.

The naming of new leadership posts and committee chairmanships after elections every two years often reflects how particular lawmakers fall in and out of favor with the speaker.

More on this year's session:Abortion, housing, school funding and more thorny issues face RI lawmakers in 2023

Hull was part of former speaker Nicholas Mattiello's leadership team, but broke with him on truck tolls and became a member of a dissident Democratic House faction before Mattiello failed to win reelection in 2020. When Shekarchi was elected speaker in 2021, he brought Hull back into the fold.

Lima says she was too independent for current leadership

By her count, Lima said she has been kicked out of leadership at least three times since being elected to the House in 1992.

On this occasion, she said there was no single issue that caused a rift with Shekarchi.

"He made it clear I was too independent, too vocal about my independence and was not necessarily in line with his preferences," Lima said. "I never changed my stance on things, but Shekarchi did."

Lima was one of the more conservative members of Democratic House leadership, more in line ideologically with Mattiello than Shekarchi.

"Under Mattiello, [Shekarchi] would go along with more conservative issues, which I understand because he was on the team and thats what he had to do to move up," Lima said. "The only thing I was disappointed in is the speaker said he was being left out of things under Mattiello, and left me out."

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Lima joined a Republican effort to stop COVID masking in schools last year and she broke with leadership to vote against a ban on high capacity firearm magazines.

"The criminals say thank you," Lima said about the bill last year before it passed.

Rep. Charlene Lima, the deputy House speaker, took out this newspaper ad seeking opponents to run against fellow Democratic incumbent Brandon Potter.

She also supported a challenger to Democratic incumbent Rep. Brandon Potter in last year's election after taking out a newspaper advertisement seeking someone to run against him.

Now that she is no longer in leadership, there are fewer reasons for Lima to hold back speaking her mind.

"It is very liberating," she said.

Other House committee assignments

In other House assignments Tuesday, Rep. Arthur Corvese, D-North Providence, was named chairman of the Labor Committee, replacing Anastasia WIlliams, who lost her primary last year. Corvese had been the Rules Committee chairman, a position now held by Rep. Kathy Fogarty.

Rep. Susan Donovan, D-Bristol, replaces Casey as chair of the Health and Human Services Committee.

Rep. Jaqueline Baginski, D-Cranston, was named chair of the Innovation, Internet & Technology Committee replacing Deborah Ruggiero, who ran for lieutenant governor.

And Rep. Karen Alzate, D-Pawtucket, was named chair of the Special Legislation Committee, replacing Fogarty.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Rep Charlene Lima replaced as House deputy speaker by Shekarchi
ALBANY, N.Y.  New York Gov. Kathy Hochul might have a people problem.

The Democrat promised to build an administration of the best and brightest in the fallout of the toxic culture that led to her predecessors downfall. She pulled in top minds from across the city, state and nation to aid her rapid ascension and subsequent election.

But 17 months later, lawmakers and strategists say Hochul hasnt accessed the fundamental levers of power in both Albany and New York City Hall. And they say she should be past the learning curve over how to negotiate the treacherous New York political minefield as she looks to negotiate the roughly $220 billion state budget she is set to propose Wednesday.

The troubles were most evident in her choice for chief judge, Hector LaSalle  who she picked after warnings from political behemoths like labor and state Senate leadership that he would not be approved. She has continued to back LaSalle despite the Senates rejection on Jan. 18 , leaving many wondering whose advice Hochul is choosing over input from longstanding power players.



I don't know who they're talking to, Senate Labor Chair Jessica Ramos (D-Queens), a vocal opponent to LaSalles nomination, said in an interview. But I do think that before making major decisions, such as choosing a chief judge, that they should speak to stakeholders, especially those who protect the most vulnerable in New York, who really are at the mercy of whoever the chief judge in the state is.

There appears to be a dichotomy, however, between the rancor at the Capitol and with the public: Hochul hit record popularity in January with voters, a Siena College poll found last week.

And shell have an opportunity Wednesday to introduce her budget plan to reset the conversation in Albany on her fiscal priorities rather than the fallout from the LaSalle case, even as she threatens to sue over it.

The turmoil with lawmakers  Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said Tuesday she and the governor havent spoken since LaSalles rejection  tops off a series of perceived miscalculations in strategic relationship building that even her supporters have described as unforced errors.

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Theres still the residual effect from last Novembers election, which Hochul won but by the narrowest margin in decades that led to down-ballot losses. Even though Democrats were able to narrowly retain their supermajorities in the Senate and Assembly, the state party lost ground in a year when Republicans underperformed across the country.

Hochuls election campaign, which raised and spent nearly $60 million, lacked the outreach to key demographics that strategists considered standard practice for running a New York campaign.

Democratic advisers and legislators say they were ignored or turned down when they offered strategies to target boroughs and communities where she lacked support. She failed to rally labor and progressive movements until the final days of her campaign, when those groups became concerned her Republican opponent Lee Zeldin might have a real chance at beating her.

Now some top union leaders said they felt spurned when she tapped LaSalle for chief judge after they publicly logged their opposition, arguing a few of his decisions were anti-labor and anti-abortion rights, which he and Hochul deny.



Critics also point to her struggles in a first major decision in 2021: Her initial pick for lieutenant governor, Brian Benjamin, resigned shortly after being indicted on federal bribery charges, the result of previously reported connections that should have set off alarm bells during the vetting process.

People make the analogy of theyre playing checkers while everyone else is playing chess, said one Democratic strategist and legislative veteran. No. Theyre playing tic-tac-toe, and its just embarrassing.

But Hochul's office is quick to tout her accomplishments since taking office, and her ability to win over the Legislature  including getting lawmakers to approve a deal to fund the Buffalo Bills stadium, tweak controversial bail reform laws and remove Benjamin from the 2022 ballot in a messy workaround to state election law.



"Governor Hochul's senior staff bring decades of experience at the highest levels of local, federal, and state government and records of results, and it should not go unnoticed that they are predominantly women, Hochul spokesperson Hazel Crampton-Hays said when asked for comment.

Some of Hochuls Democratic detractors begrudgingly note Andrew Cuomo, despite his scandal-plagued tenure, was masterful at manipulating Albany to his whims after 40 years in the Capitol.

When Hochul took over, she promised to purge the state government of the individuals whod fostered Cuomo's culture of harassment and intimidation. That clean house effort  led by her then-chief of staff, Jeff Lewis  was aimed at reinvention, but in the process may have stripped away layers of institutional knowledge vital for navigating certain parts in state government, three longtime administration officials have noted.

Some who did remain, such as budget director Robert Mujica, have since departed. Top adviser and special counsel Jeff Pearlman, who also aided David Patersons transition from lieutenant governor to governor and was one of Hochuls first appointees, left her office late last summer to resume his role as director of the state Authorities Budget Office.

Pearlman, when reached for comment last week, said that he felt he fulfilled his transitional role and wanted to complete his work at the Authorities Budget Office.

There just came a point in time where you become the Maytag repairman, Pearlman said. The problems don't come to you. They come to the people that got hired to solve the problems."



Hochul, in an October interview with POLITICO, described her inner circle as including six people: State operations director Kathryn Garcia, secretary to the governor Karen Persichilli Keogh, policy head Micah Lasher, counsel Liz Fine, deputy chief of staff Melissa Bochenski and current chief of staff in Stacy Lynch.

Lewis moved to Hochuls reelection campaign in March 2022, and post-election has not yet returned to the governors office in any official capacity.

Its easy to characterize a mostly female staff as inexperienced or weak, but thats not the narrative Hochuls Democratic critics have pushed. They continue to praise those members of her team as brilliant experts in their fields with proven track records of success.

Garcia, the former New York City Sanitation Department commissioner, came in close second to New York City Mayor Eric Adams in the 2021 mayoral race. Persichilli Keogh was Hillary Clintons former New York state director and is well known as a savvy New York operative. Lasher worked as former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's chief Albany lobbyist and chief of staff to former attorney general Eric Schneiderman.

But that experience doesnt always translate to running a cohesive Albany operation.

Some of the procedures and traditions  those do not include intimidation and harassment  are there for a reason, past and current officials say. And there are specific aspects of working in Albany that arent transferable from working in other New York political realms  like knowing that Stewart-Cousins would never tell Hochul she didnt have the votes to approve LaSalle unless she had personally spoken to each of her members.

That sounds so simple. But if you haven't been through it before, and you're doing it for the first time? This is New York. This is punch you in the nose politics, said an administration official who has worked in Albany for more than three decades. You have to experience walking through and working in the Capitol  and it takes a couple of years to live it before you can do it.

Hochul and her team are also facing a new Albany that more recently stymied her predecessor as well one controlled completely by Democrats, where the old executive playbook pitting warring Senate and Assembly majorities against one another is defunct.



The factions to court arent as simple as Democrats versus Republicans, or even moderates versus progressives anymore.

Hochuls chief judge pick, for example, would have been the first Latino person to hold the position. That was not enough to persuade several further left Latino elected officials, who said the top seat on the Court of Appeals would mean nothing if LaSalles judicial track record didnt align with their progressive values.

There are new layers emerging in the Democratic party that require acknowledgment, if not full political realignment. The Working Families Party brought in necessary votes for Hochul in November, but it did not get so much as a shout out in the governors victory speech.

It is hard to pinpoint, but I think it's more than one thing and its all coming together at once, the official said of the frustration of watching Hochuls administration navigate the Capitol. I think it's the new political class. I think it's a little bit of Cuomo PTSD, and I think it's a little bit of the chamber not having the strength of the institutional people to guide them away from what we would think of as rookie mistakes.

Others in Albany with a longtime vantage that includes a host of unpredictable executives say theres no reason to be tied to how things should be.

I've been around a long time, said Sen. Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan). So I can tell you there's never been normal in Albany.
eureKARE

eureKARE welcomes Dirac Biosciences as first company into its biomedical start-up studio

Innovative gene circuit technology has the potential to detect and treat cancerous and other diseased cells

Luxembourg, Belgium, and Paris, France  1 February 2023: eureKARE, an innovative investment company for disruptive synthetic biology applications, welcomes Dirac Biosciences, the first company to be supported and housed in its biomedical start-up studio in Brussels, Belgium. Dirac Biosciences is applying advanced synthetic biology tools to create next generation therapeutics.

Gene circuits allow cells to be programmed in very specific ways, enabling a targeted response to specific activity happening inside a cell or in its external environment. Diracs circuit technology enables the building of next-generation therapeutics that could adapt to changing states of disease. This means that they would have the ability to become active in very specific contexts and tailor the treatment delivered within the body in real-time.

Dirac Biosciences has been co-founded by eureKARE, the Technical University of Darmstadt (TUDA), Germany, and Prof. Dr. Heinz Koeppl from the Centre for Synthetic Biology of TUDA. The Centre is well recognized in the European synthetic biology community for excellent and relevant science in this emerging and disruptive field, with special expertise in advanced computational tools and models.

Diracs initial focus is on oncology. According to World Health Organization and World Cancer Research Fund International reports, in 2020, 18.1 million people were diagnosed with cancer and nearly 10 million lost their lives to it. In Europe, the overall economic impact of cancer is estimated to exceed 100 billion annually and mortality is set to increase by more than 29% by 2040. Unless decisive action is taken, this clinical and economic burden will grow. These figures support why early cancer detection and appropriate therapy are key public health priorities in the 21st century.

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In this context, Dirac Biosciences is developing an innovative synthetic biology-based technology with two major goals: (1) To create a computational platform for the rapid design of gene circuits for different targets or cancer types; (2) To build circuits that can detect cancer early in the development of the disease and to increase the specificity of anti-cancer therapy. The companys cutting-edge gene circuits aim to sense cancer biomarkers associated with poor prognosis and metastasis development and treat only diseased cells. Dirac Biosciences technology would include several competitive advantages, including the capacity to design next-generation therapeutics that address cancer in a faster and more cost-efficient way as well with a low toxicity profile due to the ability to distinguish between healthy and diseased cells.

eureKAREs Biomedical Start-up Studio

eureKAREs biomedical start-up studio is focused on creating the next generation of cell and gene therapies using disruptive synthetic biology tools and approaches. The studio in Belgium is part of eureKAREs synthetic biology studio network, a new model of start-up creation and development which nurtures high-quality European synthetic biology. It acts as a catalyst, enabling scientists to transform their discoveries into ground-breaking businesses. eureKARE aims to nurture young innovations into successful companies, empowering scientists with the right resources, access to funding, as well as both academic and scientific know-how.

Alexandre Mouradian, Chairman, Founder, and Chief Executive Officer of eureKARE, commented: Welcoming the first company into our biomedical start-up studio in Belgium marks a significant milestone for eureKARE. These synthetic biology concepts hold real potential for the treatment of cancer and other diseases of major concern. The strength of the science and potential of the project leaders behind this company is a testament to our studio approach where we source untapped European innovation and nurture it into successful business.

Dr. Georges Rawadi, Chief of Biotech Studio Development at eureKARE, commented: Our start-up studio strategy enables us to act as a bridge between academia and industry to transform innovation into companies. I am delighted to be working alongside Dr. Heinz Koeppl from TUDA to provide the necessary support to progress this great project and realize its full potential. Todays news reflects the momentum at eureKARE and I look forward to supporting future companies across our start-up studio network.

Prof. Dr. Heinz Koeppl, Director and Founding Member of the Centre for Synthetic Biology at TUDA, commented: The significant support we have received from eureKARE and TUDA is evidence of the importance  and even urgency  of equipping medicine with novel and disruptive tools that improve disease diagnosis, therapy and prognosis. The long-term vision I have for Dirac Biosciences is to design, test and optimize synthetic biology-based therapeutics by using advanced computer modeling and data-driven AI-based techniques, to make it ever faster and more effective.

- Ends -

About eureKARE

eureKARE is an investment company focused on financing and developing synthetic biology innovation across Europe. Driven by the belief that synthetic biology holds the key to many of the worlds most pressing health and environmental challenges, eureKAREs experienced team is focused on harnessing untapped leadership in the field to build the companies of the future. eureKARE is championing a new model of start-up creation and development to create a dynamic ecosystem of early and later-stage ventures through its network of biotech studios. eureKAREs studios act as a bridge between academia and industry, helping to catalyze the commercialization of innovations while giving young startups access to all the ingredients they need to grow, prosper, and bring benefits to society.

Contacts

eureKARE SA

Michelle Wilson-Andre, Head of Communications

michelle.wilson@eurekare.eu

Consilium Strategic Communications  Media Relations

eurekare@consilium-comms.com





Please click here for the press release in French




* From the astonishing number of people killed every year because of gun violence to deaths due to police's lethal force, these tragedies speaking more than racism, police brutality and control of guns, but a fact that the culture of violence is deeply rooted in the Untied States.

* The United States has reported 3,507 deaths from gun violence in the first 30 days of 2023 with 51 mass shootings recorded, according to Gun Violence Archive, a website that tracks shootings in the country.

* The culture of violence has intensified since the 1980s and has found a privileged place in the cult of authoritarianism in the United States, said Henry A. Giroux, an American-Canadian scholar and culture critic.

The mass shootings in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay in California as well as Tyre Nichols' death from deadly law enforcement in Memphis, Tennessee, expose once again the violent root in U.S. culture.

From the astonishing number of people killed every year because of gun violence to deaths due to police's lethal force, these tragedies speaking more than racism, police brutality and control of guns, but a fact that the culture of violence is deeply rooted in the Untied States.

WIDESPREAD VIOLENCE

The state of California has been in sorrow due to a series of deadly shootings recently. On the Eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year, 11 people were killed in a mass shooting in Monterey Park in Los Angeles County. Two days later, another two shootings happened in the coastal northern California city of Half Moon Bay, leaving seven people dead and one critically injured.

A boy attends a candlelight vigil for victims of the shootings in Half Moon Bay in California, the United States, Jan. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

The United States has reported3,507 deaths from gun violence in the first 30 days of 2023 with 51 mass shootings recorded, according to Gun Violence Archive, a website that tracks shootings in the country.

"We have the highest rates of gun deaths in the world. We have more guns than people ... We have more than one gun for every man, woman and child in America. That is insanity," Paul Cole Padilla, an educational administrator, told Xinhua.

The over-used violence in the United States can also be seen in its police department.

Tyre Nichols, 29, was beaten by police after a traffic stop on Jan. 7 in Memphis, Tennessee, where they allegedly stopped him for reckless driving. The African American man died at a hospital three days after the confrontation, during which Nichols was punched and kicked while being restrained. He pleaded to go home and kept yelling "mom."

"What happened here does not at all reflect proper policing. This was wrong. This was criminal," said David Rausch, director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, who told reporters on Friday that he saw the video before it was released to the public and found it "absolutely appalling.

It is not racism but culturism driving this, it is a culture in law enforcement where it is OK to be aggressive to those they are supposed to serve, said Robert Sausedo, the head of Community Build Inc, a Los Angeles-based non-profit organization.

No race or ethnic group has a monopoly on violence. No group is immune to our society's obsession and love affair with guns. No group is exempt from mental health challenges or despair, said Naomi Ishisaka, The Seattle Times' assistant managing editor.

"We have to talk about this institutionalized police culture that has this unwritten law," Ben Crump, the lawyer for Nichols' family, said in a television interview.

"As much as those five officers killed Tyre Nichols, it was the police culture in America that killed Tyre Nichols," Crump said, calling for systematic change among all police officers regardless of the color of their skin.

LOOKING THROUGH CULTURAL PRISM

The culture of violence in the United States manifests on various fronts in the society.

America's culture of violence goes deeper than race, and the single-minded focus on race is not helping to resolve some of the problems, said Bill Maher, host of HBO political talk show Real Time.

Speaking on the tragedies from the mass shootings in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay to Tyre Nichols' death, Maher said "I guess what I'm asking is America's culture of violence -- it does go deeper than race, right?"

Police officers work on the scene of a mass shooting in Monterey Park, California, the United States, Jan. 22, 2023. (Xinhua)

"And I think this mono-focus we have on race is short-circuiting us trying to fix some of the realer problems," Maher added.

"Can American culture rethink itself -- can it transcend its belief that enemies are always out there, needing to be obliterated," said Robert C. Koehler, a Chicago-based journalist and nationally syndicated writer, adding that violence presents itself, in people's imaginations, games, movies and defense budget, as consequence-free, instantaneous and necessary.

The culture of violence has intensified since the 1980s and has found a privileged place in the cult of authoritarianism in the United States, said Henry A. Giroux, an American-Canadian scholar and culture critic.

"As society is increasingly militarized under neoliberalism, violence becomes the solution for everything. This is especially dangerous for those individuals who feel isolated and lonely in a society that atomizes everything," Giroux said.

American culture of violence is distinct in its scale and nature, noted Steven Beschloss, a U.S. writer, journalist and filmmaker.

Giroux said the ideological and structural conditions that nourish and legitimate violence have to be revealed both in their connections to power and in the systemic unmasking of those who benefit from such death-dealing conditions.

"We have to make sure that the culture not only respects the policy, but the culture respects the community. Policy means nothing if you have a culture that is rotten," Crump said.
Last week, former Georgia tight end Ryland Goede committed to play at Mississippi State as a graduate transfer.

On Wednesday, national signing day, Goede made it official, signing with the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Goede signed alongside his fiancee, Alexa Fortin, a former UGA volleyball player who is also transferring to the Bulldogs.

The Kennesaw, Georgia, native spent four seasons in Athens as a reserve tight end.

The Bulldogs have a loaded tight end group in their second-ranked 2023 recruiting class. Four-star Pearce Spurlin, the No. 2 tight end in the country, and four-star Lawson Lucky, the No. 8 tight end, have already enrolled at Georgia.

UGA is also trending for five-star Duce Robinson, the No. 1 tight end in the country.

Story originally appeared on UGA Wire
LUXEMBOURG, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Gcore , an international provider of cloud and edge solutions, introduces new, per-minute billing for its Streaming Platform. With the arrival of the simplified pricing plan starting from $0.001 per minute, startups and small businesses from a wide range of sectors  such as fintech, online education, entertainment, events, e-commerce and video gaming  can deliver streaming services to end users with more predictable costs, and outstanding performance.

Gcore Logo

Streaming online content on a global basis means solving a number of technical difficulties  these include ensuring sufficient scalability to handle high traffic volumes and deliver smooth streaming, and maintaining high-quality video and audio streaming across a variety of devices and connections. Customers of the Gcore Streaming Platform benefit from the company's long experience in tackling these challenges as an established provider of Content Delivery Network and streaming infrastructure services.

The simplified billing supports video streaming for up to 100 million viewers, with Gcore's Streaming Platform managing all technical stages  for instance, upload, recording, storage, delivery via CDN and playback.

Alexey Petrovskih, Head of Gcore's Streaming Platform, said: "The Gcore Streaming Platform offers free transcoding and a video streaming price as low as $0.001 per minute. This is possible thanks to several Gcore capabilities: first, we have our own infrastructure, including storage for video hosting and a CDN with over 150 points of presence; second, Gcore has its own transcoding technology, which means that, unlike competitors, we don't have to pay for third-party services."

The Gcore Streaming Platform supports low-latency streaming, live broadcasting of vertical and horizontal videos worldwide. Its adaptive bitrate means that even viewers with unstable internet connections can enjoy streaming broadcasts.Would-be customers can test Streaming Platform for free, and Gcore has provided a user-friendly, pricing calculator so that they can compare ongoing costs with rival services.

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About Gcore

Gcore is an international leader in public cloud and edge computing, content delivery, hosting, and security solutions. Gcore is headquartered in Luxembourg and has offices in Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Cyprus, and Georgia. It provides infrastructure to global leaders in an array of industries, including the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (Agence eSante), TEDx, Wargaming, and Avast. Gcore manages its own global IT infrastructure across 6 continents. Its network consists of 150+ points of presence around the world in reliable Tier IV and Tier III datacentres.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1992970/Gcore_Logo.jpg

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View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gcore-launches-simple-per-minute-video-streaming-for-up-to-100-million-viewers-301734857.html

SOURCE Gcore
Gigi Hadid attends the British Vogue X Self-Portrait Summer Party at Chiltern Firehouse on July 20, 2022 in London, England.

David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty

Gigi Hadid may be one of the most famous supermodel faces of the moment, but she's not following a super strict skincare routine.

In a new interview with WSJ. Magazine for its My Monday Morning series, the supermodel revealed that there's one thing she'll barely do in the beauty space  get a facial because she's "terrified" of it.

"I'm not much of a skincare guru," the Guest in Residence founder told the outlet, adding that she's only ever experienced the skincare treatment once in her life: "Before the last Met Ball," she confessed.

To prep her skin before the annual fashion gala  held on the first Monday in May at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City  she looked to a close friend who also works with her little sister and fellow model, Bella Hadid.

"I really trust them. But I just like to keep it simple," she noted.

Yet, her 2022 Gala costume was anything but. Hadid hit the carpet in a ruby red Atelier Versace look complete with a floor-sweeping bubble cape and corset latex bodysuit, worn in honor of the In America: An Anthology of Fashion exhibition.

RELATED: Gigi Hadid's Met Gala Looks Through the Years

The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating In America: An Anthology of Fashion  Arrivals

Getty

RELATED: Gigi Hadid 'Enjoys' Seeing Leonardo DiCaprio as Pair Leave Same NYC Restaurant: 'He's Romantic,' Says Source

What Hadid is building up these days is her wellness rituals, which she revealed includes visits to the chiropractor to "get recalibrated."

"Doing the job that I do, it can be very physical," she said, adding, "Oh, I guess a New Year's resolution [I have] is I'll try to treat myself to a massage a little more."

And a form of exercise for the multi-hyphenate? "Running after my 2-year-old," she admitted, referring to her daughter Khai, whom she shares with ex Zayn Malik.

"We walk a lot. We do yoga together. With lifting her and running around all day and going to the park, I get moving," she shared.

The 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes On Fashion - Arrivals

John Shearer/Getty Gigi Hadid

RELATED: Gigi and Bella Hadid Surprise with Edgy Spandex and Leather Looks to Met Gala 2022

Despite her minimalist approach to skincare, Hadid is certainly one to go all out fashion-wise at the Met Gala.

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The 27-year-old is a seven-time attendee at the star-studded affair. She made her debut in 2015 wearing a red DVF gown with sequin floral appliques and a thigh-high slit, in celebration of the institute's China: Through a Looking Glass exhibit.

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.

Since then, Hadid has really tapped into the fete's different dress codes with over-the-top costumes, including a head-to-toe metallic Michael Kors look for 2019's "Camp: Notes on Fashion" and an Old Hollywood ensemble in a strapless gown by Prada in 2021.
Johnson County is using a share of its federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to launch on-demand service for its paratransit system.

Johnson County's SEATS service will now offer same-day rides to Johnson County residents who do not have access to alternative forms of transportation. SEATS is the county's transit system that provides rides to senior citizens, people with disabilities and others who may otherwise find it difficult to keep doctor's appointments, shop at grocery stores or reach other vital destinations.

The county is allotting $673,000 over the next five years to the initiative. Previously, SEATS user had to schedule their rides up to 14 days in advance.

More:Iowa City gives Shelter House $1.1 million for eviction prevention and diversion program

Riders now will be able to schedule ride service from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, but must get a one-time referral through a local human services agency or Johnson Countys Mobility Coordinator before accessing the service.

How the new system will work

Using SEATS costs $5 each way. At the time of pickup, riders must provide either cash or an agency-issued ticket.

Once people are approved for the service, they can request rides by calling or texting the driver directly via a provided telephone number. Drivers are available to take reservations 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, except on recognized Johnson County holidays.

Approved human services agencies can purchase pre-paid single-trip tickets to distribute to clients directly from SEATS at 319-339-6128 or by emailing seatsarpa@johnsoncountyiowa.gov.

Who qualifies for SEATS on demand?

Johnson County residents are able to use this service if they meet at least one of the following criteria. They:

Reside outside of or are traveling to areas not served by public transit systems, including those offered by the cities of Coralville, Iowa City, North Liberty, and the University of Iowa.

Have applied for and are awaiting approval for paratransit service.

Are residents of North Liberty or unincorporated Johnson County without access to transportation.

Have limited English proficiency.

Are experiencing a barrier to accessing transportation.

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Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty, University Heights, Johnson County and the East Central Iowa Council of Governments all contribute funds to the system.

George Shillcock is the Press-Citizen's local government and development reporter covering Iowa City and Johnson County. He can be reached at (319) 214-5039, GShillcock@press-citizen.com and on Twitter @ShillcockGeorge

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Johnson County uses ARPA funds for SEATS paratransit expansion
Gov. Kim Reynolds is using federal money to clear a backlog of grants requested by Iowa veterans in need of financial assistance.

Reynolds said Tuesday that she'll use $440,000 from the American Rescue Plan to fill the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund, which helps veterans and their families with costs related to dental care, education and emergency needs such as vehicle and housing repairs.

The new money will go toward grants that the Iowa Commission of Veterans Affairs approved between March 3, 2021, and Nov. 3, 2022. The program was suspended after running out of money last fall.

We owe Iowas veterans a debt of gratitude and we must ensure that the services we offer them are available when needed," Reynolds said in a statement.

The Iowa Veterans Trust Fund is funded by the Iowa Lottery Authority up to $500,000 annually. Iowa lawmakers are considering ideas to increase the amount of money available in the fund after it was depleted last fall by increased demand.

House File 142 would allow the Commission of Veterans Affairs to draw $800,000 from the trust fund annually. That bill has cleared the House Veterans Affairs Committee and is eligible for floor debate.

A Democratic bill, Senate File 82, would immediately put another $500,000 in the trust fund and increase the fund's annual allocation to $1 million, beginning July 1.

Sen. Bill Dotzler, D-Waterloo, the bill's sponsor, thanked Reynolds for putting more money into the trust fund but said the solution is only temporary.

"Senate Democrats have a plan to shore up the trust funds finances long-term, and we look forward to working with the governor and Republican lawmakers to get it done," Dotzler said in a statement. "We should never turn away an Iowa veteran in need."

Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Kim Reynolds uses federal money to fill Iowa Veterans Trust Fund
WASHINGTON  Saying the steps the Biden administration took to bar mining in the Superior National Forest are not permanent, Rep. Betty McCollum on Tuesday reintroduced a bill that would offer permanent protections.

Last weeks historic action by Secretary Deb Haaland to officially withdraw more than 225,000 acres of federal lands and waters from mineral leasing is huge and welcome news, ensuring the pristine Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA) will remain intact and protected for 20 years, McCollum said in a statement. However, more work remains  these protections must be made permanent.

By withdrawing more than 225,000 acres of the Superior National Forest from sulfide mining, the Biden administration upended plans by Twin Metals Minnesota to establish a new copper, cobalt and nickel mine in the forest, which is part of the Rainy River Watershed that feeds the Boundary Waters 1.1 million acres of interconnected lands and streams.

Some places are simply too precious to mine, McCollum, D-4th District, said.

Haaland has the authority to impose the mining moratorium in the Superior National Forest for a maximum of 20 years, subject to renewal. Only Congress can legislate a permanent withdrawal.

McCollum said without permanent protection, this special place (the BWCA) is subject to political interference, which means a subsequent administration could lift the moratorium.

But McCollums legislation faces an uphill climb in the new, GOP-led House, where Rep. Pete Stauber, R-8th District, has been a main opponent of her bill and is now the chairman of a House panel with jurisdiction over mining issues. Stauber has also been sharply critical of the newly imposed mining moratorium, trolling President Biden  who has promoted the use of electric vehicles  in a tweet on Tuesday.Minnesota could have supplied the minerals for EV batteries, but unfortunately your Administration prefers minerals mined by child slaves at Chinese owned mines in the Congo, Stauber tweeted.

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McColllum tried to win House approval of her legislation in the last Congress, which was controlled by Democrats, but time ran out.

Taconite is mined in the Superior National Forest and the moratorium will not impact on those operations. But environmentalists argued that mining for minerals like copper, cobalt and nickel in the forest  which require deep extraction in an underground mine  would produce tailings that can be dangerous sources of toxic chemicals that would pollute the Rainy River Watershed, and the Boundary Waters.

The U.S. Forest Service agreed that sulfite mining in the Superior National Forest posed a risk to the BWCA.

The Forest Service also determined more than 350 species that depend on the ecosystem of the Superior National Forest and Boundary Waters would also be at risk. And it said the area withdrawn from mining includes all the land ceded to Lake Superior Tribes in 1854 by the federal government, so the moratorium is need to protect the treaty rights of the Bois Forte, Fond du Lac and Grand Portage bands to hunt, fish and gather wild rice in the area. It recommended the Interior Department issue the moratorium.

Twin Metals vows its plans for a new mine are safe and says the new metals that would be extracted are needed to boost clean technologies aimed at fighting climate change.

This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: McCollum reintroduces Boundary Waters bill
LAWRENCE, Kan.  Jalen Wilson had 20 points, Kevin McCullar Jr. added 16 points and 13 rebounds, and No. 8 Kansas avenged a loss to Kansas State just a couple of weeks ago with a 90-78 victory over the seventh-ranked Wildcats.

Dajuan Harris Jr. scored 18 for the Jayhawks (18-4, 6-3 Big 12), who built a 12-point halftime lead before coasting to their 17th straight home win over the Wildcats in the 10th matchup of top-10 teams in series history.

Kansas has rebounded nicely from a rare three-game skid that included the overtime loss to Kansas State, and made sure to avoid taking back-to-back losses in its storied home for the first time since the 1988-89 season.

Markquis Nowell scored 23 points and Keyontae Johnson had 22 to lead the Wildcats (18-4, 6-3), who were trying for their first regular-season sweep of their biggest rival in four decades. NaeQwan Tomlin added 11 points and David NGuessan had 10.

In their first meeting on Jan. 17, the Wildcats raced to a big early lead and controlled the game until late in the second half, when the Jayhawks forced overtime  only for Kansas State to win on Johnsons alley-oop dunk.

It was the Jayhawks who controlled the rematch.

They used a 16-7 run in the first half that included a technical foul on Kansas State coach Jerome Tang to build a 32-19 lead. And when Johnson answered with eight straight points for the Wildcats, and the lead was eventually trimmed to four, the reigning national champs pulled away again down the stretch.

It was 37-32 when Wilson hit back-to-back 3-pointers and Zach Clemence added one of his own. And by the time Wilson made two foul shots with about 10 seconds left, Kansas had built a 49-37 lead that it took to the break.

The Wildcats briefly got within six in the second half before the Jayhawks stretched their lead to as many as 16.

OFFICIATING OOPS

Johnson had to sit with two fouls just 2 1/2 minutes into the game. Only problem? The crew of John Higgins, Kip Kissinger and Marques Pettigrew gave one to the wrong player. By the time they corrected their mistake, the Wildcats leading scorer had unnecessarily ridden the bench for several minutes.

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SELLOUT  AND THEN SOME

For the first time in more than 15 years, more Kansas students redeemed tickets than there was space available inside Allen Fieldhouse. The overflow had to watch the game on screens in the adjacent Horejsi Family Athletics Center, where the Jayhawks play volleyball games. Those students also got refunds and concessions vouchers.

BIG PICTURE

Kansas States three losses in league play have been to ranked teams on the road: TCU, Iowa State and Kansas. And with a more forgiving second half to the Big 12 schedule, the Wildcats remain firmly in the conference title hunt.

Kansas got its mojo back with its win over Kentucky last weekend. This victory over another bunch of Wildcats was crucial because the road doesnt get any easier for the Jayhawks, who are in the midst of three straight games against teams ranked 13th or better.

UP NEXT

Kansas State returns home for another top-10 showdown Saturday against No. 10 Texas.

Kansas hits the road for the third time in four games against No. 13 Iowa State on Saturday.

No. 8 Kansas avenges earlier loss to No. 7 Kansas State, 90-78 originally appeared on NBCSports.com
Transparency Market Research

An increase in the incidence of chronic disorders across the globe is bolstering the portable ventilator market growth

Wilmington, Delaware, United States, , Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Transparency Market Research Inc.  The global portable ventilator industry was valued at US$ 856.4 Mn in 2021 and is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 5.7% during the forecast period from 2022 to 2031, according to the research report by TMR.



Portable ventilators are used to provide support to patients in intensive care units. These ventilators comprise batteries that can be transported conveniently within a hospital setting. Furthermore, these devices are small, lightweight, and require no external power. Better characteristics and efficiency over conventional mechanical ventilators are augmenting ventilator market demand.

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Portable Ventilator Market: Growth Drivers

The increase in the geriatric population has created significant business opportunities in the global portable ventilator market. The geriatric population is prone to chronic health conditions that require ventilator support for proper breathing. Thus, the market is likely to grow at a rapid pace during the forecast period.



Home healthcare settings became popular among the masses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Concurrently, there was an acute shortage of mechanical ventilators across the world. Portable ventilator sales gained traction during this period. Demand for portable ventilators in healthcare facilities for both long-term and short-term breathing assistance has increased, as the coronavirus infection continues to spread.



A rise in premature births has propelled the demand for portable ventilators. Additionally, government bodies across countries are focusing on the development of healthcare infrastructure, which is expected to boost market progress in the next few years.

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Key Findings of the Portable Ventilator Market

Based on product type, the portable ventilator segment is estimated to witness lucrative growth due to suitability in several settings, such as patient's homes, hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics. Concurrently, these ventilators are easy to use, operate, and monitor, which has made them popular among healthcare professionals.



In terms of application, the in-hospital transport segment is anticipated to lead the global market. Portable ventilators are easily movable and can be used while moving patients who require respiratory support to ICU or operation theatre. In-hospital transportation of patients has proven to be cost-efficient due to the use of portable ventilators. Hence, the segment is estimated to generate substantial revenue in the next few years.



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Portable Ventilator Market: Regional Outlook

North America is projected to lead the global portable ventilator industry during the forecast period due to innovations in the medical sector. Furthermore, extensive R&D has led to the introduction of novel products with enhanced features, which could propel market expansion. Early adoption of advanced medical technologies, rise in healthcare expenditure, and presence of leading players are anticipated to present immense opportunities in the market in North America.



The portable ventilators market in the Asia Pacific is driven by a rise in disposable income and an increase in spending on healthcare. Product innovations and a surge in cases of COVID-19 are likely to present significant opportunities in the region.

Portable Ventilator Market: Competitive Landscape

Leading players in the market are focusing on research & development activities that include technical developments, such as the creation of non-invasive, microprocessor-controlled portable ventilators. Significant advancements in the healthcare system have increased the scope of the portable ventilator market. Leading market players are also involved in strategic collaborations and promotion activities, which are likely to propel market expansion.

Key players operating in the portable ventilator market are:

GETINGE AB

Koninklijke Philips N.V

Hamilton Medical AG

Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA

Medtronic Plc.

ResMed Inc.

Vyaire Medical Inc.

Teleflex Incorporated and Smiths Medical Inc.

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Portable Ventilator Market: Segmentation

By Type

Portable Ventilator

Accessories

By Application

In-hospital Transport

Long-term Care

Mass casualty Critical Care

Others

By Region:

North America

The U.S.

Canada

Asia Pacific

China

Japan

India

South Korea

Australia

Indonesia

Rest of Asia Pacific



Europe

Germany

France

U.K.

Italy

Spain

Russia

Rest of Europe



Latin America

Brazil

Mexico

Rest of Latin America



Middle East & Africa

GCC Countries

South Africa

Related Healthcare Reports

About Transparency Market Research

Transparency Market Research, a global market research company registered in Wilmington, Delaware, United States, provides custom research and consulting services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insights for thousands of decision-makers. Our experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools & techniques to gather and analyses information.

Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.

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Willie Richardson, a champion for minority education and respected voice for racial equality in Salem for more than four decades, died Jan. 25.

She was 74.

A memorial service will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, at Trinity Covenant Church, 5020 Liberty Road S. Viewing will be from 4-8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3, at Virgil T. Golden Funeral Service, 605 Commercial St. SE.

Richardson was the first and still only Black person to serve on the Salem-Keizer Public Schools governing board and is the past president of Oregon Black Pioneers, whose board and staff posted condolences on Facebook:

"Willie's immeasurable impact on the organization, the city of Salem, and the state of Oregon will be felt for many generations."

Salem Art Association also posted condolences and celebrated Richardson's impact on its organization:

"At SAA, we got to know her both as an anti-racist advocate who pushed us to be more open and more inclusive in our shows and storytelling, as well as the proud owner and curator of hundreds of hats."

Willie Richardson models one of her trademark hats and smiles during a photo shoot with family friend Erich McVey on Nov. 6, 2019, in Salem, Ore.

Coincidentally, "Hattitude: Hats from the Hatboxes of Willie Richardson," is on exhibit at Bush Barn Art Center and runs through Feb. 26. The show features a sampling of her church hat collection, or crowns, once considered an essential Sunday accessory and often a staple of Richardson's fashion.

"It wasn't intended, but it is like a beautiful living memorial," Matthew Boulay, executive director of Salem Art Association, said. "It's so rare for somebody's life to be captured in this way, and then the timing of her passing, it really is a tribute. It really captures her personality."

Per Richardson's wishes, the presentation "An Evening with Hattitude" on Thursday, Feb. 2, will continue as planned but is sold out. Salem Art Association has since added special extended hours from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, and Wednesday, Feb. 1, to see the show.

At 6:30 p.m. both days, there will be a short program about Richardson and her impact on the organization and the community, with an opportunity for attendees to share stories.

Story continues

Close friends said Richardson had been dealing with ongoing health issues.

"Willie was a very private person," said Gwen Carr, who worked with Richardson on Oregon Black Pioneers. "She swore several of us to secrecy months ago."

Those who attended a Jan. 13 reception for the opening of the hat exhibit may have suspected her health was declining. Richardson used a wheelchair during the event.

"I feel so blessed with the timing of the show," Boulay said. "Her spirit lives on in so many ways, not just in the hats, but in her advocacy."

She got involved to advocate for her children

Richardson moved to Salem in 1978 with her husband, Thomas, and their three young children. She knew very little about the state or the city they would call home.

"I did not realize that I was coming into a place where for days on end, the only Black persons I was going to see was my family because there were so few," she said during a 2021 interview with the Statesman Journal.

A day in the life: Four stories of life as a person of color in Salem

Richardson quickly learned racism and discrimination were more subtle in Oregon. Where she came from, she said, you knew if someone disliked you because of the color of your skin because it was out in the open.

She grew up in the South. She lived through the Jim Crow laws, the Ku Klux Klan, segregated bathrooms and water fountains. While there were no uprisings and marches in her South Carolina hometown, she remembers riding a bus 25 miles past two white high schools to get to her school.

Her children were the only Black children in their classrooms when they arrived in Salem.

Richardson got involved right away in the community. She showed up anywhere there was a meeting, including the school board and city council.

"I am not necessarily a person who is going to be a major voice out there with a bullhorn at a rally," she once told the Statesman Journal. "I'm not a marcher. But I'll sure bust in a board meeting in a hot minute."

Recognizing Black history in Oregon

Richardson was elected in 1987 to the school board, advocating for her children and other minorities. She was named that same year as one of the 10 most influential women in Salem, second-youngest on the list at 37.

She also was on the Salem Human Rights Commission and worked for the state from 1978 to 1991, holding several positions.

She ventured into retail in 1993, opening Willie's Fashion Hats and More. The business evolved into a downtown retail shop for women's formal wear called A Time for Elegance.

Richardson around that time helped revive a dormant nonprofit started by a group including the late Jackie Winters. It was called Northwest Black Pioneers, and its mission was to research, recognize and commemorate the culture and heritage of Oregon's Black community.

Oregon was added to the name, Northwest eventually removed.

Willie Richardson of the Oregon Northwest Black Pioneers visits Salem Pioneer Cemetery, where her nonprofit organization placed a headstone for the 43 Black pioneers who are buried there.

One of the group's first visible projects was installing a large granite marker along the main drive of Salem Pioneer Cemetery to recognize Black individuals buried in unmarked graves. Many of them lived and worked in Salem at a time when there were exclusion laws making it illegal for Black people to reside in Oregon.

Richardson retired from retail in 2010 to spend more time on the mission of Oregon Black Pioneers. It continued to expand, presenting lectures and exhibits all over the state.

She was the long-time board president, serving alongside Carr, who held various board positions and said her friend was the perfect person to be the chief fundraiser.

"Willie was the type who could talk to anybody, college presidents, chairmen of the board, bank presidents," Carr said. "She was very persuasive. She could go anywhere and come out with a wad of cash."

Recruiting Black teachers to Salem-Keizer

Richardson has been just as persuasive with school superintendents, or at least she has had their ear on the subject of racial equality.

"She knew every one of them, marched in their office, and demanded accountability," Carr said.

Richardson fought not just for students but staff. She helped recruit Black teachers and administrators.

Cynthia Richardson, no relation to Willie, was one of those recruits. She joined the district in 1997 and has been a teacher and administrator and is now the director of the Office of Student Equity, Access, and Advancement.

"Her legacy is that she definitely is a pioneer, a Black pioneer who chose to come here, who chose to make this a community where African American/Black people could come," Cynthia said. "What she did is she taught us how to survive, how to navigate the system, and how to supportive of each other and grow and learn.

"She worked hard to remove barriers. She was an advocate for us and fought for us."

Capi Lynn is the Statesman Journal's news columnist. Send comments, questions and tips to her at clynn@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6710. Follow her work on Twitter @CapiLynn and Facebook @CapiLynnSJ.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Salem's long-time voice for racial equality Willie Richardson dies
People watch a gigantic rabbit-shaped lantern in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival at Taierzhuang ancient city of Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 30, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Sun Zhongzhe/Xinhua)

People perform the Taiping Drum dance in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival in Kazak Autonomous County of Aksay in northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 30, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Ma Xiaowei/Xinhua)

People enjoy light installations in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival at a scenic spot in the western coast economic zone in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 30, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Wang Peike/Xinhua)

Folk artists play "iron flowers", a performance of splashing molten iron to create fireworks, in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival at Goujiang Township of Bozhou District, Zunyi City of southwest China's Guizhou Province, Jan. 30, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Luo Xinghan/Xinhua)

Workers install lotus-shaped lanterns in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival in Dongjiuzhai Town of Zunhua, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 31, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Liu Mancang/Xinhua)

People enjoy "dragon lantern" in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival in Chengguan Township, Shibing County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Jan. 30, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Luo Hui/Xinhua)

People take part in a riddle-guessing activity in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival in Hengyang County of Hengyang City, central China's Hunan Province, Jan. 31, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Liu Xinrong/Xinhua)

People enjoy a traditional Chinese opera in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival in Zixing City, central China's Hunan Province, Jan. 30, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Li Ke/Xinhua)

People perform the donkey dance in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival at Taiji Township, Yongjing County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 30, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Shi Youdong/Xinhua)

People perform a lion dance in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival at Fengxiang Township, Anding District of Dingxi City in northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 31, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Wang Kexian/Xinhua)

Folk artists play "iron flowers", a performance of splashing molten iron to create fireworks, in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival at Liujiaxia Township of Yongjing County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 29, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Shi Youdong/Xinhua)

People perform a dragon dance in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival at Liulong ancient township in Dafang County of Bijie, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Jan. 30, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Luo Dafu/Xinhua)

Students in traditional Chinese costumes perform war drum in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival at Zhengding ancient town in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 31, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Liang Zidong/Xinhua)

Actors in traditional Chinese costumes perform war drum in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival at Zhengding ancient town in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 31, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Zhang Xiaofeng/Xinhua)

A boy enjoys a lion dance performance in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival at Liushahe Township, Fengrun District of Tangshan, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 30, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Zhu Dayong/Xinhua)

People perform a dragon dance in celebration of the upcoming Latern Festival in Kazak Autonomous County of Aksay in northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 30, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. The festival features family reunions, feasts, light shows and various cultural activities. (Photo by Ma Xiaowei/Xinhua)

This aerial photo taken on Jan. 31, 2023 shows people of Miao ethnic group in traditional costumes participating in a parade to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival in Huangping County, southwest China's Guizhou Province.

The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. (Xinhua/Yang Ying)

A villager of Miao ethnic group in traditional costumes participates in a parade to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival in Huangping County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Jan. 31, 2023.

The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. (Photo by Liang Wen/Xinhua)

People of Miao ethnic group in traditional costumes participate in a parade to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival in Huangping County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Jan. 31, 2023.

The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. (Photo by Liang Wen/Xinhua)

This aerial photo taken on Jan. 31, 2023 shows people performing dragon dance in celebration of the upcoming Lantern Festival in Zhuhui District of Hengyang City, central China's Hunan Province. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. (Photo by Cao Zhengping/Xinhua)

People perform lion dance in celebration of the upcoming Lantern Festival in Taiji Town of Yongjing County, northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 30, 2023. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. (Photo by Shi Youdong/Xinhua)

This aerial photo taken on Jan. 30, 2023 shows people performing dragon dance in celebration of the upcoming Lantern Festival in Kazak Autonomous County of Aksay in northwest China's Gansu Province. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 5 this year. (Photo by Ma Xiaowei/Xinhua)

Editor: GSY
Canton Mayor Thomas Bernabei, left, speaks with Michael E. Hanke, Aultman Health Foundation board member, after a tour of Aultman's Timken Family Cancer Center in Canton in June 2022.

Editor's note: This column has been corrected to note that Thomas Bernabei has been mayor of Canton for eight years.

Thomas Bernabei has been Canton mayor for eight years, and there is a horde of individuals who want to succeed him.

Do they know what it would take to be a mayor? Or, do they merely think they could just waltz into the office and mayor stuff just gets done?

I first met Bernabei years ago when I was NAACP president, and we had just sued the city because of the lack of minorities and females in the safety forces.

He was representing Canton as prime attorney in Judge Robert Krupansky's federal courtroom as he argued the citys case. I at first mistook him as a special high paid lawyer from New York or Chicago, as his demeanor seemed to indicate.

Ron Ponder

He did well with his arguments of a case that was obviously doomed on its merits.

As we negotiated a final settlement (who needs $6 million?) that called for an increase in the amount of minorities and females in the police and fire departments, he impressed both my attorney, Ed Gilbert and me. When I subsequently found out that he was a city attorney, I knew then that his future was whatever he wanted it to be.

Since that time, he has indeed made his mark on the city. Bernabei has held many public positions, both appointed and elected, and he brought all of those experiences, all of that talent that was honed by all of those positions he has held to the eventual position of Canton mayor.

He is a product of Cantons public school system, graduating from Lehman, attended the University of Akron, then Brown University Law School. He then served four years in the Army as a captain, with his last deployment being in Vietnam.

One of his chief lessons that he learned was a lesson of leadership.

Upon graduation from law school, he came back home and was hired to be an assistant law director for the Massillon Law Department, a job he remembers fondly as a good job, fun job and one that taught him more aspects of leadership.

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From that job in Massillon, Harry Klide, law director of Canton at the time, hired him as assistant law director on the civil side. Soon after, Klide was elected judge, and Scott Gwin became law director, replacing Klide, and Gwin soon went on to become a court of appeals judge.

When Gwin left, Bernabei was appointed law director by the Stark County Democratic Party, and subsequently, he ran for the position and was elected law director.

After 11 years there, he retired from the law directors position and became a private citizen.

For a short while.

Being a private citizen was not enough for Bernabei, so he ran for council at large in Canton andwas elected, where he served one term.

After that term ended, he was appointed interim executive director at SARTA, which at thetime, was facing a levy request of the citizens, and had a host of managerial issues that he doveinto.

After his successful tenure there, he was appointed service director for Canton under Mayor BillHealy, then he ran for Stark County commissioner and won. Then, he was elected mayor of Canton and started his administration in January 2016.

Whew!

A true Renaissance Man?

With all those experiences, what primary lesson did he learn as mayor that those vying for the position should know?

He said his successor should always place the good of the community ahead of their personal gain  create trustful relationships  make promises and keep them, but always in the best interest of people. When you do that, tough decisions become much easier to make."

His biggest challenge as mayor?

There are different challenges at different times," he began. Initially, when I came in as mayor, financial issues were the biggest challenge. We had to make those tough decisions, including having to enact layoffs, to bring fiscal stability and responsibility back to the city of Canton."

A second biggest challenge, according to the mayor, and a recent one, has been COVID.

It was important to us that we maintain our continuity of services," he said. "We did not shut down the government. All departments, such as sanitation, administration, police and fire, and health were still providing services, and I'm proud of the way our city employees responded and helped through the challenge of the pandemic."

A third challenge were the racial protests stemming out of the George Floyd/Black Lives Matters national protests. Out of the process, Canton police adopted better use of force policies and protesters were respectful of the community, without problems seen in other communities.

Approaching challenges include managing the opiate settlement money and PPV money.

I asked the soon to be ex-mayor what his biggest success was.

He responded, running government in an efficient manner throughout all the departments on a daily basis. It takes a team, from cabinet officers to department heads to employees, and it doesnt happen withoutall of them. I thank them!

And what are some of his successes?

We are proud of Centennial Plaza, the Hilton DoubleTree hotel, Amazon, the continuing development of downtown, HOF/HOFV, programming for the poor and disadvantaged," he said. "Upcoming, a Marriott Hotel at the Renkert Building site, Nationwide development, a fiber backbone network, a medical facility and food store in the Southeast quadrant.

When he first ran for mayor, he emphasized his focus on leadership. In his major campaign correspondence, he said, Leadership requires experience, proven job performance, intelligence, common sense, business acumen, work ethic, credibility and honesty."

He has proven that to be true, simply with his outstanding career performances. Will, or can, the next mayor, the one out of the horde who bests everyone else, do the same?

Voters will make that decision.

Now, he looks forward to whatever his next passion will be. Bebe will tire of seeing me at home after the first day  so there will be something, or lots of things! I will be here in Canton.

We will wait and see!

Ron Ponder can be emailed at ronponder1@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Tom Bernabei is about to ride off into the sunset. For the moment.
New US Marine units are taking position on 'key terrain' around Taiwan as tensions rise with China

US Marines exit a CH-53E helicopter during Balikatan 22 in northern Luzon in March 2022. US Marine Corps/Sgt. Melanye Martinez

The US and Japan said in January that a Marine Littoral Regiment will be set up in Japan by 2025.

A Marine Littoral Regiment will also hold a major exercise in the northern Philippines this spring.

Those moves reflect the US's focus on being able to operate around Pacific in a war with China.

US Marine Corps units designed to fight on remote islands will soon take position close to Taiwan, reflecting preparations by the US and its allies for a potential conflict with China over the island that Beijing claims as part of its territory.

This month, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III announced that a Marine artillery regiment based on the Japanese island of Okinawa would be reorganized as a Marine Littoral Regiment by 2025 and be outfitted with "advanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance" capabilities and anti-ship weaponry that is "relevant to the current and future threat environments."

That unit, the 12th Marine Littoral Regiment, is the second of three Marine Littoral Regiments planned for the Indo-Pacific region, the first of which was activated in March 2022 and is based in Hawaii. Within weeks of its activation, the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment was participating in the US-Philippine military exercise Balikatan.

Members of 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment in Hawaii in August 2022. US Marine Corps/Sgt. Israel Chincio

The exercise itself, held for the 37th time, "was nothing new," Col. Timothy Brady Jr., the regiment's commander, said at the Modern Day Marine conference in Washington DC in May 2022.

"What was new was the MLR was participating in it for the very first time as our inaugural deployment. What was also new was the key terrain that we actually operated in," Brady said.

In the past, Balikatan has taken place in the central Philippines, Brady said. "This time we were way up north, in Cagayan in northern Luzon, in areas like Aparri and ... looking more toward the Luzon Straits."

Brady's regiment will return to the Philippines in April for this year's Balikatan, which will be one of the largest ever and be based in Ilocos Norte, a province in northern Luzon overlooking the Bashi Channel, a strategically valuable waterway dividing the Philippines and Taiwan.

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Marine Littoral Regiments' return to Luzon and future presence in Okinawa illustrate the US military's increasing focus on being present and able to operate in and around the islands off of China's coast, which US officials see as vital to thwarting any Chinese move against Taiwan and in the wider Pacific.

New threat, new force

US Marines provide security for an amphibious landing during Balikatan 22 in northern Luzon in March 2022. US Marine Corps/2nd Lt. Erin Scudder

The Marine Littoral Regiment is an element of Force Design 2030, a plan to restructure the Corps developed under Gen. David Berger, who took over as commandant in July 2019.

As part of that plan, the Corps has shed "heavy things" like tanks and refocused on naval expeditionary operations  a shift epitomized by the MLR, which is meant to be mobile and hard to detect when operating from austere locations in maritime areas during times of tension or conflict and capable of coordination with other forces.

The Corps is still refining the regiment's design but says it will be composed of 1,800 to 2,000 personnel and be "task organized" around an infantry battalion and an anti-ship missile battery and be able to support smaller units as they disperse and conduct missions like long-range anti-ship strikes, arming and refueling aircraft, air-defense operations, and intelligence-gathering.

US Marines during an amphibious landing as part of Balikatan 22 in northern Luzon in March 2022. US Marine Corps/Lance Cpl. Madison Santamaria

The MLR is in keeping with the concept of "stand-in forces" that live and work within range of an adversary's weapons, like in Okinawa, and it reflects the Corps' emphasis on a new operating environment and a new threat  China's large, sophisticated military  after two decades of focusing on land-based operations against smaller, less capable foes.

"The current threats that are out there require you to be lighter, more mobile, and have a lower signature or you can't even start the fight," Gen. Eric Smith, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, said at a think-tank event in July.

The Corps has long used the Marine Air-Ground Task Force as its main formation. MAGTFs, as they're known, require organizing, training, and deploying air defense, artillery, infantry, and aircraft units, which can take weeks or months, Smith said in response to a question from Insider.

"You don't have six months when you have limited, unambiguous warning from a peer adversary, a pacing threat like China. You may have a number of days before you have to respond," Smith said.

US Marines deploy High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems in northern Luzon during Balikatan 22 in April 2022. US Marine Corps/Sgt. Melanye Martinez

The littoral regiment "must live, eat, sleep, breathe as a task-organized unit to be able to go tomorrow or tonight. That's the difference in a stand-in force, and that's exactly what 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment is designed to do and how they operated throughout Luzon" during Balitikan 2022, Smith added

During that exercise, Marines did amphibious landings in northern Luzon and trained with Philippine marines to conduct coastal-defense operations, including by providing "real-time targeting data" to High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems that were standing-in for the Corps' new Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System, a mobile anti-ship missile launcher.

During a recent exercise in Hawaii, members of the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment trained to defend a carrier strike group as it sailed through a strait by gathering data on and then firing a missile at an enemy vessel trying to block the strait  an experience the unit could draw on if it has to escort a carrier through the Philippine archipelago.

There could be similar drills during the upcoming Balitikan exercise, which will include operations on the islands of Fuga and Calayan off of northern Luzon and on Batanes in the Bashi Channel.

'Much clearer recognition'

US and Philippine Marines and Japanese troops during an amphibious exercise in the Philippines in October 2019. US Marine Corps/Cpl. Harrison Rakhshani

Japan and the Philippines are both US allies, but they have stepped up military cooperation with the US amid rising tensions with China, which has clashed with both countries over territory in the South and East China Seas.

Japan's military has focused more attention and resources on its southwest islands, one of which is only about 60 miles from Taiwan.

China's military is a frequent presence around the Senkaku Islands, which Japan controls but China claims, and frequently sends ships and aircraft through Japanese islands surrounding the Miyako Strait in order to reach the Pacific Ocean.

Japan's emphasis on security, including increased defense spending, is driven largely by "much clearer recognition on the part of both Japanese officials but also the public that, sort of by definition, a conflict over Taiwan would impact Japan" because of the proximity of Japan's islands, Christopher Johnstone, Japan Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said at an event Tuesday.

A Japanese Coast Guard vessel sails between a Chinese surveillance ship, top, and a Japanese fishing boat near the Senkaku Islands in April 2013. Thomson Reuters

The missiles China fired over Taiwan and into Japanese waters after Rep. Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei in August "really brought this into sharp relief," Johnstone said.

The Philippines has longstanding tensions with China over disputed islands in the South China Sea, where Chinese vessels often confront Philippine ships, but Manila's concern about the impact of tensions over Taiwan is also growing.

A Chinese firm's attempt to acquire parts of Fuga Island in 2019 raised alarms within the Philippine military, which blocked the deal. The firm's ostensibly sought economic opportunities, but a Philippine military official told The Financial Times it "really is about Taiwan, to deny us, and in extension the US, the use of those islands."

Manila and Washington are also discussing expanded access to Philippine military facilities. During a visit by Vice President Kamala Harris in November, the US said they had identified new sites for projects under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, which allows the US to build on Philippine bases and send troops for longer stays.

Chinese Coast Guard vessels patrol past Philippine fishing boats at the disputed Scarborough Shoal in April 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro

After high-level meetings this year  including a visit by Austin this week  "it's an open secret that there will be five new EDCA sites announced on top of the five that there already are," Greg Poling, director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said at an event this month.

"Some of them will probably be in northern Luzon, where they clearly only make sense for a Taiwan contingency," Poling added.

Increased attention by the US and its allies on the waterways around Taiwan will be welcomed by many in Taipei, which faces more pressure from Beijing, including intensifying Chinese military activity around the island.

"For Taiwan, if we are talking in military terms, we are not terribly worried about issues or incidents to our north because the US-Japan alliance is right there. Every ship, every aircraft passing through the Miyako straight will be monitored," which is a vulnerability for China, Alexander Huang, the US envoy of Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang, said in November.

"But for the Bashi channel and the waters between Taiwan and the Philippines, that's the key, that's the problem," and is where China's military has been most active, Huang said. "So we would like to see a stronger US-Philippine collaboration or the increase of the Filipino capability."

Read the original article on Business Insider
The US will accelerate its deployment of advanced weapons including fighter warplanes and bombers on the Korean peninsula, the countrys defence secretary Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday after arriving for talks in South Korea.

Washington is looking to bolster its joint training and operational planning with its ally as the region witnesses the rising threat of nuclear test and missile launches from North Korea.

The US defence secretary met with his South Korean counterpart Lee Jong-Sup in Seoul and pledged to further expand and bolster the level and scale of this years combined exercises and training, according to a statement from the US Department of Defense.

To this end, the two leaders concurred on the need to take into account changes in the security environment, including the DPRKs [North Korea] recent steps with respect to its nuclear and missile programmes, to strengthen combined exercises and training, including the upcoming combined bilateral exercises, the statement added.

The two leaders agreed to expand the scope and scale of combined field training exercises and to conduct a large-scale combined joint fires demonstration this year, it added.

Both the ministers vowed to continue to deploy US strategic assets in a timely and coordinated manner in the future.

Mr Austin and Mr Lee also spoke about an upcoming simulated exercise between the allies in February, which is aimed at sharpening their response if North Korea uses nuclear weapons.

Experts monitoring tensions in the region say North Korea has been building towards a full-scale nuclear test by conducting close to 100 short- and long-range missile launches last year.

The top US defence officials visit comes at a time when South Korea has publicly raised its concerns about Pyongyangs escalatory test launches as well as provocative statements from Kim Jong-un and his regime.

Dozens of missiles tested by the country in 2022 were confirmed to be nuclear capable and having the potential to strike targets as far afield as the US mainland.

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Reassuring the South of the USs continued military backing, Mr Austin said: We deployed fifth-generation aircraft, F-22s and F-35s, we deployed a carrier strike group to visit the peninsula, you can look for more of that kind of activity going forward.

The USs commitment to protecting its allies with its full range of military capabilities, including nuclear ones, remains ironclad, he added.

This weeks visit is expected to spark tensions in the coming months as Mr Kim had pledged to deliver on promises over North Koreas nuclear ambitions for 2023.

In an address at the end of last year, he had called for an exponential increase in nuclear warheads, mass production of battlefield tactical nuclear weapons targeting South Korea and the development of more powerful long-range missiles designed to reach the US mainland.

Analysts say Mr Kim is attempting to force the US to accept the idea of North Korea as a nuclear power and negotiate urgently needed economic concessions from a position of strength.
The UK's Electronic Travel Authorisation will be fully rolled out by the end of 2023.

Travelers to the United Kingdom will soon have to apply in advance and pay to enter the country when the Electronic Travel Authorisation visa waiver goes into effect later this year.

The UKs ETA system, which will be fully rolled out by the end of 2023, will require all non-visa foreign visitors (including those from the United States) to apply online in advance of coming, according to the governments ETA website.

The rollout of the ETA is part of the UKs effort to fully digitize its borders by 2025.

Our number one priority is the security of the UK border and by launching ETAs we can ensure that everyone wishing to travel to the UK has permission to do so in advance of travel and refuse those who pose a threat, the UKs Home Secretary Priti Patel said in a statement.

To apply, travelers will need to provide personal details, passport information, and security information. Applications will then be processed automatically and travelers should expect a response typically within 48 to 72 hours.

Alexander Spatari/Getty Images

The cost for the application was not immediately clear and was expected to be announced at a later date.

The ETA will first be rolled out to several Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and more.

The rollout of the ETA comes as Europe plans to implement its new European Travel Information and Authorisation System (or ETIAS) in November. That authorization will include a 7 fee and apply to foreign visitors 18 to 70 years old.

In the U.S., visitors must also apply for a similar authorization before coming: the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (or ESTA), which is available to travelers from countries granted a Visa Waiver Program. Last year, the fee for ESTA increased from $14 to $21, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

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Yakima City Government Reporter

Kate Smith is the city government & politics reporter for the Yakima Herald-Republic. She is passionate about connecting people to policy in storytelling that is thorough, fair and compassionate. In Yakima, she is following local elections, city council, budgets & audits, public health, housing & homelessness, public safety, utilities and more.
Crime and Courts Reporter

Donald W. Meyers is a multimedia journalist at the Yakima Herald-Republic covering crime and courts. He is also the writer behind It Happened Here, a weekly history column. Before coming to Yakima, Meyers covered a wide variety of beats at The Salt Lake Tribune, Daily Herald, and daily and weekly newspapers across New Jersey. He is also a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, serving as a regional officer in the organization as well as on the national Freedom of Information Committee.
Yakima County Government, Lower Valley Reporter

Hi, Im Phil Ferolito, longtime reporter with the Yakima Herald-Republic, where I have gained an array of experience from covering small city governments and school districts to big-picture issues concerning county government, crime and the Yakama Nation, a federally recognized tribe with important historical and cultural ties to the land. I began with the Herald-Republic in Oct. 2000 as a copy editor, designing pages, writing headlines and proof-reading stories. Over the years I have covered four Lower Valley municipalities, Granger, Toppenish, Wapato and Harrah, and the Yakama Nation. My goal always has been to shine a light in dark places and bring readers closer to concerning issues, important people, and other events in our community.
RFA/Health Care Access Reporter

Santiago Ochoa is a bilingual journalist covering health care access at the Yakima Herald-Republic in Yakima, Washington. Before joining the Herald, Ochoa reported for Flint Beat in Flint, Michigan, covering the citys Latino populationhealth care, education, community building and more, and winning top honors in the Michigan Press Associations feature category. He served as photographer and later editor for his college newspaper, The Michigan Times. When hes not working, Ochoa enjoys cross-country trips on his motorcycle, going to the movies, reading and skiing.
Dr. Jordann Loehr, an OB/GYN and Toppenish resident, sits inside a basement conference room in Yakima on Friday, Jan. 27. Loehr, along with other members of the Toppenish Maternity Workgroup, attended a commissioners work session meeting to talk about establishing a public hospital district in the Lower Valley.
By Azernews

Fatima Hasanova

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) heard public testimony on January 31, 2023, regarding Azerbaijan's request for the designation of additional provisional measures submitted in the case involving the application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) (Azerbaijan v. Armenia), Azernews reports per the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

The Court was requested to take "urgent action needed to stem the mounting casualties" as a result of Armenian forces' continued deliberate planting of landmines and explosive booby traps in civilian areas of Azerbaijan. The hearing followed Azerbaijan's second request for provisional measures, which was submitted on January 4, 2023. Some 282 Azerbaijanis have died as a result of mines or other explosive devices since the conflict in 2020 came to an end. The vast majority of these victims were civilians, including 3 journalists.

The request from Azerbaijan reflects new information showing that, contrary to its claims made to the ICJ in October 2021, Armenia continued to plant landmines on its territory after agreeing to the end of all hostilities under the November 2020 Trilateral Statement. Since August 2022, over 2,700 landmines made in Armenia in 2021 have been found there. Armenia has acted in a way that flagrantly violates its commitments under the CERD and other international laws.

Due to Armenia's campaign of ethnic cleansing and illegal occupation of Azerbaijan's territory, over 1,600 of these illegal landmines as well as booby traps have been placed in civilian areas where Azerbaijanis were forcibly removed 30 years ago, making it impossible for these displaced families and communities to return to their homes.

Azerbaijan has asked the ICJ to specify the provisional measures that Armenia shall immediately take all necessary measures to enable Azerbaijan to undertake the prompt, safe, and effective demining of the towns, villages, and other areas in the Lachin and Kalbajar districts, as well as other formerly occupied districts of Azerbaijan. This includes providing information about the location, quantity, type, and characteristics of landmines.

Azerbaijan also asked the court to order Armenia to immediately cease and desist from any further efforts, including the use of the Lachin road to lay mines and booby traps in areas where Azerbaijani civilians will return.

Earlier, on 7 December 2021, the Court granted Azerbaijan's first request for interim measures of protection against violations of the international convention on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination in force and instructed Armenia to take all necessary measures to prevent incitement of racial hatred directed against Azerbaijanis.

In the meantime, a group of Azerbaijanis picketed the Peace Palace in the Hague, Netherlands, calling for an unbiased position.

The Turkic Culture Association of Azerbaijan in the Netherlands, the Congress of Benelux Azerbaijanis, the Azerbaijan House in the Netherlands, the International Women's Club, the Motherland Union of Azerbaijani Women in Europe, the Coordinating Council of Azerbaijanis in the Netherlands and Belgium, and other activists from the Azerbaijani diaspora gathered outside the Peace Palace to call for a fair position.
BEIJING, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Zeng Yelu, now 33, produced a breakthrough with a brief but innovative equation he proposed and published in the journal Remote Sensing of Environment, that enables remote-sensing satellites to see forests, crops and other vegetation on Earth much more clearly.

This practical approach has significantly reduced the imaging uncertainty caused by varying observation angles when satellites move -- from about 30 percent to 5 percent. It has been selected as one of three main standard algorithms in the world that are widely used for fluorescence satellite angular correction.

The seemingly tiny improvement resulting from Zeng's work is expected to have a far-reaching impact on smart agriculture and global efforts against climate change.

Zeng, who works at the China Agricultural University (CAU), was named among the Innovators Under 35 Asia Pacific by MIT Technology Review in 2022 for using "satellites to collect glimmers of light from plants," and monitoring "every piece of land and every tree on Earth's surface."

Zeng and a wine specialist are pushing forward a smart grapevine planting project based on remote-sensing and Internet of Things at Helan Mountain's east foothill in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, a renowned wine region in the country, also known as China's Bordeaux.

"Water shortage is a challenge we have to cope with in this producing region," said Duan Changqing, a wine expert at CAU. "So we're exploring ways to make the irrigation more intelligent."

"The remote-sensing thermal infrared imagery provided by our model can more accurately detect the vineyard's temperature and evaporation, offering better clues as to whether the irrigation is sufficient or not," said Zeng.

"With a precision irrigation system capable of individually adjusting watering for each grapevine, the program can conserve water by about 20 to 30 percent and substantially save manpower," said Zeng.

Zeng's remote-sensing model can also be used to measure the plant's chlorophyll, photosynthetic rate and nitrogen, making precision fertilization possible.

"An excess of fertilizers can increase biomass but may not lead to better quality," said Duan. According to Zeng's plan, the grapevine's nutrients will be monitored in real time from the sky.

Unmanned vehicles, drones, and artificial intelligence techniques are to be combined with satellite imaging to monitor plant diseases, insect pests and fruit maturation, according to Zeng.

Also, Zeng's algorithm is helping scientists to better calculate the vegetation's carbon sinks.

As China presses ahead to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, and develop carbon marketing and trading, figuring out changes to forest carbon sinks is a necessity.

This equation can be used to quantitively describe the complex canopy structures that may influence the accuracy of optical and fluorescence remote sensing used in carbon sink monitoring, said Zeng.

Integrating this remote-sensing model with drone monitoring and field biomass measurement can reduce the workload and increase the efficiency, added Zeng, hoping that his algorithm will make a big contribution to the fight against global warming.

Editor: ZAD
LONDON, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Three years after the United Kingdom's (UK) departure from the European Union (EU), there is now a reasonable consensus that the effects of Brexit on the country's economy have been negative, and public support for it has been decreasing, a scholar has said.

"It's more an incremental, small, bit by bit, drip by drip effect on the British economy. But it's mainly been in one direction of being negative," Professor Iain Begg from the London School of Economics and Political Science has recently told Xinhua.

He said that the idea was "really unrealistic" that the massive new trade deals would compensate for not having the same access to the European market.

Brexit's effects have not been catastrophic, Begg said, adding "they've meant that we're paying a bit more for foreign goods. We are a bit more isolated from export markets because there's all the paperwork associated with trading across the European border now."

The vast majority of the 71 deals agreed since Brexit are rollover agreements with countries that already had trade agreements with the EU, according to an analysis published by the academic network UK in a Changing Europe in January.

Asked about the effects of Brexit over the past years, Begg told Xinhua that although the UK left the EU three years ago, "what we see now is the incomplete nature of the deal, both to leave and then to try to have cooperation for the future between the EU and the UK."

The professor said the still outstanding issues include the Northern Ireland Protocol that has not been resolved, and there is still unfinished business in a whole range of areas, notably a big part of the UK economy, such as financial services or the fishing industry.

The number of Leave voters, who think it was wrong for the UK to vote to leave the EU, has been steadily increasing since 2021, hitting a record 19 percent in November 2022, YouGov data showed.

Another YouGov survey in January asked some Leave voters why they changed their minds. The top reason, it found, is "just a general sense that things have gotten worse since Brexit." One in nine said they felt people were lied to about Brexit, or because it has not turned out how they expected when they voted back in 2016.

"With hindsight, the decision taken by the British people is one which was motivated primarily not by economic but by political considerations," Begg said.

In June 2016, the UK held a national referendum on quitting the EU. Fifty-two percent voted in favor.

"Whether it was a wrong decision or not to let the public decide is one question. There's also a second question about whether the referendum was the appropriate mechanism for taking that decision," the expert said.

Post-Brexit UK-EU ties have also elicited disputes. The one over the Northern Ireland Protocol, the rules governing post-Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland, has strained bilateral relations.

Begg told Xinhua that one reason for the conflicts between London and Brussels is that the deal is incomplete and the incompleteness means there are still things that need to be resolved. Another reason, he added, is the tone adopted by some former prime ministers, triumphalist about Brexit and antagonistic towards the EU.

"It's a mess in the sense that nobody quite thought through the consequences of both the overall decision and the much more detailed choices that had to be made to separate the UK from the EU," he said.

Editor: WXL
A rising star early in her research career, Vaswati Chatterjee, PhD, is already a highly in-demand scholar, presenter and consultant in the field of emergency management. Her dissertation work literally became textbook researchit was featured in Case Studies of Suburban Sustainability in 2020, just one year after she completed her doctorate in Public Administration and Management at the University of North Texas.

Dr. Chatterjees study focused on how urban planning policies adopted by local governments in Florida impact a communitys economic resilience in the face of natural disasters, and it earned her the Emerging Young Scholar award at the Southern Political Science Conference in 2019. I realize how powerful academic research can be when we integrate our knowledge with real-life challenges that our cities are facing, she says.

Dr. Chatterjee, an assistant professor of Public Administration, examines local government policies in disaster planning, mitigation and response. By conducting thorough analyses of these policies and their outcomes, she is able to gather empirical evidence that can help leaders prioritize their planning efforts.

My focus is specifically on city and local governments because they are uniquely suited to devise effective policy solutions that address some of the most pressing challenges of our society, Dr. Chatterjee says.

The Association for Pennsylvania Municipal Managementan affiliate of the worlds leading association of professional city and county managers and local government employeesinvited Dr. Chatterjee to present a workshop on Leadership During Crisis at its Executive Development Conference earlier this year. In addition to presenting at numerous professional conferences across the US, she has published findings in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction and the Journal of Emergency Management. Her most recent paper on the role of the private sector in emergency management appeared in the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Natural Hazard Science in September.

My hope is that this research can advance knowledge to help our community leaders more effectively prepare for disasters and better respond when disasters do strike, Dr. Chatterjee says.
Turkey is key to handling the energy supply crisis hitting Europe and Hungary, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said. The TurkStream pipeline remains the only east-west pipeline on the continent operating at full capacity, he said.

Diversification, a key concept for energy security in the future, is dependent to a large extent on Azeri resources which would also be delivered via Turkey, he said.



Talks are under way on increasing Hungarys access to Turkish gas lines to deliver Azeri gas that way, he said. Meanwhile, Europe would be unable to handle another global challenge, illegal migration, without Turkey, Szijjarto said.



Hungary is under significant pressure: Hungarian authorities have thwarted 260,000 attempts at illegal entry last year only, he said. He called on the international community to enable Syrian refugees in Turkey to return to their homelands.



That would be key to Turkeys peace, stability and calm, but also an important European measure against migration, he said. Elevating the level of cooperation between Hungary and Turkey would help Hungary tackle all three challenges, Szijjarto said.



The agreement could be signed at the next high-level meeting, he said. Responding to a question on the NATO integration of Finland and Sweden, Szijjarto said the Hungarian parliament will table the ratification document in February.



At the same time, he said he would not rush Turkey on the issue, as Hungary never rushes other countries on matters unrelated to Hungary. He called burning of the Koran at a Swedish protest was unacceptable.



The Swedish statement that the gesture was an act protected by the principle of free speech was stupid, he said. Countries looking to join NATO with Turkish support should act more carefully, he said.



Szijjarto: Hungary, Turkey to Step Up Cooperation



Hungary and Turkey are about to sign an agreement on priority strategic cooperation, Peter Szijjarto, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said on Tuesday, after talks with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu.



Szijjarto told a joint press conference that Turkeys role in tackling global challenges had grown in recent years. Regarding the war in Ukraine, he said that Hungary, as a neighbour of Ukraine, feels all negative effects of the war gravely and palpably, so it has a vested interest in peace.



Unfortunately, we must note that very few in the Transatlantic world  talk about or act for peace. Speaking of peace requires courage, as it brings on the relentless criticism from the liberal mainstream, which paints those involved as Putins allies, Russophiles and Kremlin propagandists, he said.



Referring to an agreement on restarting grain deliveries from Ukraine, Szijjarto said Turkeys successful mediation had shown that negotiation was the only way to end the war.



He said Attila Tilki, a lawmaker of ruling Fidesz and a member of a council within the Organisation of Turkic States that has recommended Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the Nobel Peace Prize. Erdogan, he added, was the only successful negotiator in respect of the war so far.



Orban Meets Turkish Foreign Minister in Budapest

Prime Minister Viktor Orban met Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Tuesday, to discuss further strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries, the PMs press chief said.



Hungary is committed to further strengthening economic ties with Turkey, and is working to increase trade volume to an annual 6 billion dollars, Bertalan Havasi cited Orban as saying.



Turkeys stability and security are key to Europes stability and security, Orban said at the meeting held in his office in Budapest, and he called on the European Union to support the country in handling challenges connected to migration.



Orban and Cavusoglu agreed that the international community should be striving for a speedy, peaceful end to the war in Ukraine. Cavusoglu arrived in Hungary at the invitation of Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.
Three vessels with 166,500 tonnes of food left Ukrainian ports on Tues after two-day break

Three dry cargo vessels corn and wheat left the ports of Ukraine on Tuesday, while on January 29 and January 30 not a single vessel could leave the ports of Ukraine due to adverse weather conditions, the Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) has reported.

"On January 31, three vessels left Ukrainian ports, carrying a total of 166,500 tonnes of grain and other food under the Black Sea Grain Initiative," the JCC said.

Two dry cargo ships Globe Danae (70,000 tonnes of corn) and Wei Hei (63,500 tonnes of corn) went to China. The ship Donna Judi with 33,000 tonnes of wheat is bound for China China.

"As of January 31, the total tonnage of grain and other agricultural products exported from three Ukrainian ports is 19,104,631 tonnes. A total of 1,382 voyages  692 inbound and 690 outbound  have been enabled so far," the JCC said.

Earlier, the Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine reported that due to the deliberate sabotage of ship inspections in the Bosphorus by the Russian side, the world market receives less than 2-3 million tonnes of foodstuffs every month. Ships have to wait two to five weeks for inspections, costing shippers millions.
YORK  Bart Beutler, 47, the man accused of killing Stacie Beutler in York on Monday night, previously served prison time in Arizona for second degree murder and attempt to commit armed robbery.

According to an April 12, 2007 story in the White Mountain Independent in Arizona, Beutler was arrested after an officer recognized him from a wanted poster as he was being sought by the Phoenix Police Department for double homicide, kidnapping, armed robbery and attempted armed robbery.

His criminal history, according to the Arizona Department of Corrections, shows the following convictions and sentencing dates: endangerment in May of 2002; aggravated domestic violence in February of 2006; attempt to commit armed robbery in September of 2007; and second degree murder in May of 2010.

Arizona Corrections data shows he was released from prison in October of 2019.

At 9:47 p.m., Monday, York Police officers were dispatched to 84 South Platte Avenue in York on the report of a shooting. When they arrived, they found Stacie Beutler, 46, unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

While the officers were at the scene, they received information about Bart Beutlers location and he was found at another house in York about 30 minutes after the shooting was initially reported. Beutler was taken into custody without incident, according to York Police Chief Ed Tjaden.

Beutler was arrested on suspicion of first degree murder, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony and possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person. Formal charges have yet to be filed with the court, as of Wednesday morning. He remains in custody at the York County Jail.

The Beutlers relationship remains vague, as far as their marital status. Chief Tjaden acknowledged they were romantically involved for a significant number of years and we know she willingly used his name. We have not confirmed a marriage or marriage license, so it may be a common law situation. We do know they were together and she took his name.

The matter remains under investigation.
YORK  Wednesday morning, York County Judge Lynelle Homolka set a $3 million, 10% bond for Bart Beutler, 47, of York, who is accused of killing Stacie Beutler, 46.

Beutler was heavily guarded by the York County Sheriffs Department and Correctional Services personnel as his first court appearance was held.

York County Attorney Gary Olson will be prosecuting the case, along with special prosecutor George Welch from the Nebraska Attorney Generals office.

Judge Homolka asked Beutler if he wanted Olson to read aloud the language of the complaint against him and he said he did. However, as Olson proceeded to read the language of the case, Beutler said he didnt want to hear it any longer. The judge had Olson proceed, with Beutler sighing heavily throughout the reading.

Beutler was informed of the charges against him and the possible penalties, which include:

 First degree murder, a Class 1 or Class 1A felony. If it would be determined to be a Class 1 felony and he was convicted, he could then be facing the possibility of the death penalty. If it was determined to be a Class 1A felony and he was convicted, he could then be facing the possibility of life in prison.

 Use of a firearm to commit a felony, a Class 1C felony that carries a possible maximum sentence of 5-50 years in prison upon conviction.

 Possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, a Class 1D felony that carries a possible maximum sentence of 3-50 years in prison upon conviction. Olson said the illegal firearm is a .40-caliber Smith and Wesson pistol.

When addressing the issue of bond, Welch asked that no bond be assigned. In one count, he is facing a possible maximum sentence of death. He was previously convicted of second degree murder in Arizona and he illegally possessed a pistol during the killing.

Judge Homolka said she considered the probable cause information, as well as Beutlers criminal history when setting the $3 million, 10% bond. She also set additional conditions of bond, including that he must sign a waiver of extradition, he cannot leave Nebraska, he must relinquish his passport if he has one, there can be no contact whatsoever with any of the victims family members, he cannot possess any firearms or ammunition, he cannot consume any alcohol or drugs and he must submit to chemical testing while out on bond.

The judge asked Beutler if he would be hiring an attorney, with him responding, I need one. I cant afford one. As she asked financial questions of Beutler, in order to determine if he could afford an attorney, he said, I have been doing temp jobs since I got here. My last full-time job was in Arizona. I have no source of income, nothing but debt. Stacie and I have a joint account, there might be 50 bucks in it. And I dont know anyone here.

Judge Homolka appointed the Nebraska Public Advocacy Commission to defend Beutler and set an election of preliminary hearing date for Feb. 15.

Following Wednesday mornings hearing, Beutler was returned to the York County Jail.
New Delhi: Shares in Indian tycoon Gautam Adani's conglomerate plunged again on Wednesday as a rout in his companies deepened to $84 billion in the wake of a U.S. short-seller report, with the billionaire also losing his title as Asia's richest person. Wednesday's stock losses saw Adani slip to 15th on Forbes rich list with an estimated net worth of $76.8 billion, below rival Mukesh Ambani, the chairman of Reliance Industries Ltd who ranks ninth with a net worth of $83.6 billion.

Before the critical report by U.S. short-seller Hindenburg, Adani had ranked third. The losses mark a dramatic setback for Adani, the school-dropout-turned-billionaire whose business interests stretch from ports and airports to mining and cement. Now, the tycoon is fighting to stabilise his businesses and defend his reputation.

It comes just a day after the group managed to muster support from investors for a $2.5 billion share sale for flagship firm Adani Enterprises on Tuesday, in what some saw as a stamp of investor confidence. The report by Hindenburg Research last week alleged improper use by the Adani Group of offshore tax havens and stock manipulation. It also raised concerns about high debt and the valuations of seven listed Adani companies.

The group has denied the allegations, saying the short-seller's narrative of stock manipulation has "no basis" and stems from an ignorance of Indian law. It has always made the necessary regulatory disclosures, it added. Shares in Adani Enterprises, often described as the incubator of Adani businesses, plunged 30% on Wednesday. Adani Power fell 5%, while Adani Total Gas slumped 10%, down by its daily price limit.

Adani Transmission was down 6% and Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone dropped 20%. Adani Total Gas, a joint venture with France's Total, has been the biggest casualty of the short seller report, losing about $27 billion.

"There was a slight bounce yesterday after the share sale went through, after seeming improbable at a point, but now the weak market sentiment has become visible again after the bombshell Hindenburg report," said Ambareesh Baliga, a Mumbai-based independent market analyst.

"With the stocks down despite Adani's rebuttal, it clearly shows some damage on investor sentiment. It will take a while to stabilise," Baliga added.

Scrutiny

Underscoring the nervousness in some quarters, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that Credit Suisse had stopped accepting bonds of Adani group companies as collateral for margin loans to its private banking clients. Deven Choksey, managing director of KRChoksey Shares and Securities, said this was a big factor in Wednesday's share slides. Credit Suisse had no immediate comment. Scrutiny of the conglomerate is stepping up, with an Australian regulator saying on Wednesday it would review Hindenburg's allegations to see if further enquiries were warranted.

Data also showed that foreign investors sold a net $1.5 billion worth of Indian equities after the Hindenburg report - the biggest outflow over four consecutive days since Sept. 30. Headaches for the Adani Group are expected to continue for some time.

India's markets regulator, which has been looking into deals by the conglomerate, has said it will add Hindenburg's report to its own preliminary investigation.

State-run Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) said on Monday it would seek clarifications from Adani's management on the short seller report. The insurance giant was, however, a key investor in the Adani Enterprises share sale.

Hindenburg said in its report it had shorted U.S.-bonds and non-India traded derivatives of the Adani Group.
New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday again took a digital tablet wrapped in a traditional 'bahi-khata' style pouch as she headed for Parliament to present Union Budget 2023-24 in a paperless format just like the previous two years. She posed for the traditional 'briefcase' picture outside her office along with her team of officials before heading to meet the President. She, however, was holding a tablet instead of a briefcase to present the Budget in a digital format.

With the tablet carefully kept inside a red cover with a golden-coloured national emblem embossed on it instead of the briefcase, she went straight to Parliament after meeting President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhawan. Sitharaman, India's first full-time woman Finance Minister, had in July 2019 ditched the colonial legacy of a Budget briefcase for the traditional 'bahi-khata' to carry Union Budget papers. She used the same in the following year, and in a pandemic-hit 2021, she swapped traditional papers with a digital tablet for carrying her speech as well as other Budget documents.

Her Budget for the fiscal year beginning April 2023 (FY2023-24) is the Modi government's 11th straight Budget since 2014 (including one interim Budget presented ahead of general elections in 2019). She was appointed as the finance minister when Narendra Modi swept to power again in the 2019 election and presented her maiden Budget on July 5, 2019. She used a red-cloth folder enclosed with a string and emblazoned with the national emblem to carry Budget documents.

The Budget for 2023-24 is Sitharaman's fifth straight Budget. Earlier, finance ministers in different governments, including her predecessors in the Modi government - Arun Jaitley and Piyush Goyal- used the standard Budget briefcase.

Before Sitharaman, a long-standing colonial tradition in connection with the Budget presentation was broken during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government when the then finance minister Yashwant Sinha presented the Budget at 11 am rather than at the traditional time of 5 pm. Since then, all the governments have been presenting the Budget at 11 am.

The tradition of carrying the Budget briefcase was a British legacy. The word 'Budget' originates from French word 'bougette', which means leather briefcase. The "budget case" tradition started in the 18th century when the Chancellor of the Exchequer or Britain's budget chief was asked to 'open the budget' while presenting his annual statement.

In 1860, the then British budget chief William E Gladstone carried his papers in a red suitcase with the Queen's monogram in gold. Budget briefcase came into being because Gladstone's speeches were extraordinarily long, and he needed a briefcase to carry his speech papers. However, in India, different finance ministers carried different briefcases with colours of red, black, tan or brown. India's first finance minister RK Shanmukham Chetty carried a leather portfolio to present the first Budget in 1947. TT Krishnamachari in the 1950s carried something that looked like a file bag. Jawaharlal Nehru carried a black briefcase.

As the finance minister, Manmohan Singh, who delivered the iconic 1991 economic liberalisation proposals, carried a black bag. Pranab Mukherjee, as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's finance minister, used a red briefcase similar to the Gladstone case of Britain. Piyush Goyal, who presented the interim Budget in February 2019, was the last finance minister to have carried a briefcase. He carried a red one to Parliament.

On Budget day, the finance minister of India poses with the Budget bag outside Parliament. In Britain, the Chancellor of the Exchequer poses with his suitcase in front of 11 Downing Street before the Budget speech. Soon after presenting her maiden Budget in 2019, Sitharaman had said that the bahi-khata was a break from the colonial legacy.

"Why did I not use a leather bag to carry budget documents. I thought it is high time we move on from the British hangover, to do something on our own. And well, easier for me to carry too," she had said. One of her predecessors, P Chidambaram of the Congress, had however scoffed at her choice in that year. "A Congress finance minister in future will bring an iPad," the former finance minister had said when asked to comment on the bahi-khata. And Sitharaman did just that in 2021 and 2022 and again this year.
New Delhi: For every rupee in the government coffer, 58 paise will come from direct and indirect taxes, 34 paise from borrowings and other liabilities, 6 paise from non-tax revenue like disinvestment, and 2 paise from non-debt capital receipts, according to the Budget documents for 2023-24. As per the Union Budget presented in Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday, Goods and Services Tax (GST) will contribute 17 paise in every rupee of revenue, while corporation tax will account for 15 paise.

The government is also looking to earn 7 paise out of every rupee from excise duty and 4 paise from customs duty. Income tax will yield 15 paise. The collection from 'borrowings and other liabilities' will be 34 paise, according to the Budget 2023-24. (Also Read: Union Budget 2023: Insurance Policies Where Premium is Above Rs 5 Lakh no More Tax Exempt)

On the expenditure side, the biggest outlay is interest payments at 20 paise for every rupee, followed by the states' share of taxes and duties at 18 paise. Allocation for defence stands at 8 paise. Expenditure on central sector schemes will be 17 paise out of every rupee, while the allocation for centrally-sponsored schemes is 9 paise. (Also Read: Union Budget 2023 LIVE: Check Full List of Products Turning Costlier and Cheaper After Nirmala Sitharaman's New Tax Proposals Announcement)

The expenditure on 'Finance Commission and other transfers' is pegged at 9 paise. Subsidies and pension will account for 9 paise and 4 paise, respectively. The government will spend 8 paise out of every rupee on 'other expenditures'.
New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will table the Union budget of 2023-24 in the Parliament on Wednesday (February 1), which is going to be a paperless budget like previous two times. The budget marks as the last full-term budget of the PM Narendra Modi-led government, hence, it is expected to be a populist budget.

The app was made available in 2021 so that lawmakers and the general public may easily view 14 budget-related documents. It was initially put in place to forbid physical contact in the legislature because to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is now also helping the government's goal of making India a digital nation. The application is free to download on Google Play and Apple App Store. The Budget app will get updated after the Finance Minister completes her presentation. The users will be able to download the links.

The public can download the whole budget paper from the "Union Budget Mobile App" mobile app. Additional aspects of the Budget application include Budget Highlights, Annual Financial Statements, Budget Speech, Budget at a Glance, and more. The application is free to download on Google Play and Apple App Store. The Budget app will get updated after the Finance Minister completes her presentation. The users will be able to download the links.

The Budget documents will be available in English and Hindi on the "Union Budget Mobile App" available on both the Android and Apple OS platforms after the completion of the Budget Speech by the Finance Minister in Parliament on 1st February, 2023. (4/5)  Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) January 26, 2023

You can check the official website of indiabudget.gov.in to get all updates of union budget 2023-24.

How to download Union Budget Mobile Application:
New Delhi: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday provided an outlay of Rs 35,000 crore to achieve energy transition and net zero objectives and listed green growth among seven priorities of the government.

"I come to the fifth priority -- green growth. Prime minister has given vision for LiFE, or lifestyle for environment. To spur a movement for environmentally conscious lifestyle, India is moving firmly for the panchamrit, the net zero carbon emission by 2070, usher in green industrial and economic transition. This budget builds on our focus on green growth," the finance minister said in her budget speech in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

For energy transition, she told the House that this budget provides for Rs 35,000 crore for priority capital investment towards energy transition and net zero objectives and an energy security by ministry of petroleum and natural gas.

Earlier in November, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had pledged to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2070 under the Paris Agreement at the United Nations climate conference COP26 in Glasgow, United Kingdom.

Modi had presented India's national statement at the Glasgow summit, listing out five commitments of India to combat climate change. He had also raised the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) of achieving 450 giga watt non-fossil energy capacity to 500 giga watt by 2030.

She also spoke about the recently launched National Green Hydrogen Mission with an outlay of Rs 19,700 crore, which will facilitate transition of economy to low carbon intensity, reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports and make the country adopt technology and market leadership in this sector.

"Our target is to reach an annual (green hydrogen) production of five MMT by 2030," she said.

She told that the House that government will provide viability gap funding for 4,000 MWh battery energy storage systems.

"To steer the economy on sustainable development path, battery energy storage systems with a capacity of 4,000 MWh will be supported with viability gap funding," she said.

She also informed the House that a detailed framework for pumped storage projects will be formulated.

About the renewable energy evacuation, she said that the inter state transmission system for evacuation and grid integration of 13 GW renewable energy from Ladakh will be constructed with an investment of Rs 20,700 crore, including the central government support of Rs 8,300 crore.

About green credit programme for encouraging behavioural change, she said a green credit programme will be notified under the Environmental Protection Act. This will intensify environmentally sustainable and responsive actions by companies, individuals and local bodies.

According Jimit Devani, Partner, Deloitte India, the outlay of Rs 35,000 crore is "a rocket ship" provided by the finance minister as the country heads for its net zero goal.

"A promising step in the right direction. FM provides various fiscal benefits to pump energy transition, battery energy storage via viability gap funding, renewable energy evacuation, green credit programme, biogas plant (Gobardhan scheme), biomass and natural farming," Devani said.

In January, 2022, the Union Cabinet had approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission with an initial outlay of Rs 19,744 crore, including an outlay of Rs 17,490 crore for the SIGHT programme, Rs 1,466 crore for pilot projects, Rs 400 crore for R&D, and Rs 388 crore towards other mission components.

The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy has been entrusted with the task of formulating the scheme guidelines for implementation of the respective components.

The mission is aimed at development of green hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 MMT (Million Metric Tonne) per annum with an associated renewable energy capacity addition of about 125 GW in the country by 2030 and to bring investment of over Rs 8 lakh crore in total investments.

It will also help creation of over six lakh jobs. The mission is also aimed at cumulative reduction in fossil fuel imports worth over Rs 1 lakh crore. It will help in abatement of nearly 50 MMT of annual greenhouse gas emissions.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said efforts are being made to ensure that Russia fails in its attempt at revenge.

"Today, as every day, I held several meetings with the military, with the intelligence leadership. We are working out in detail the situation in the main operational areas and, in the future, what the occupier is preparing for and how we are already responding to Russia's preparation for an attempt at revenge," he said in a video statement on Tuesday.

"We are directing our efforts so that Russia not only fails to win back on the battlefield, but so that the occupier loses its last hope for aggression in its attempts at revenge. The loss of Russia will make a reliable and lasting peace uncontested," he said.
New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced that the Centre will continue 50-year interest-free loans to state governments for one more year. She also said the enhanced capex of Rs 10 lakh crore for infrastructure development is at 3.3 per cent of the GDP. Presenting the Budget for 2023-24, she said the newly established infrastructure finance secretariat will assist in attracting more private investment.

An expert committee will also be set up to make infrastructure classification and financing framework suitable for Amrit Kaal, she added. On October 13 last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the Gati Shakti - National Master Plan, aimed at developing integrated infrastructure to reduce logistics costs.

All logistics and connectivity infrastructure projects, entailing investment of over Rs 500 crore, are routed through the NPG, constituted under the PM Gati Shakti initiative.

She also informed that the PM Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) scheme would benefit 3.5 lakh tribals.
New Delhi: The government on Wednesday proposed a cut in import duty on seeds used to make lab-grown diamonds with a view to boosting domestic manufacturing. In her budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that India is a global leader in the cutting and polishing of natural diamonds, contributing about three-fourths of the global turnover by value.

"With the depletion in deposits of natural diamonds, the industry is moving towards Lab Grown Diamonds (LGDs) and it holds huge promise. To seize this opportunity, I propose to reduce basic customs duty on seeds used in their manufacture," she said.

Gem and jewellery exporters had demanded a cut in the import duty.

The industry stated that the conventional source of rough diamonds across the world faces threats of deposit depletion, which also contribute to the exponential increase in the cost of extraction. Industries have thus found lab-grown diamonds to be a profitable alternative.

These lab-grown or man-made diamonds are grown inside a lab using cutting-edge technologies under specific parameters.

They have a similar physical appearance, chemical composition and optical qualities as natural diamonds.

An LGD is produced using a seed, which is a crucial raw material.

"It was a mixed budget for the gems and jewellery industry as the finance minister did acknowledge the potential of the LGDs for exports, and to create employment," Kama Jewelry fonder and Managing Director Colin Shah said.
New Delhi: Ahead of the presentation of Union Budget 2023-24 in the Parliament on Wednesday, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said that the budget will incorporate the expectations of every section of society and will stand on everyone`s expectations. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will table the Budget 2023 in Lok Sabha today at 11 am. This will be the Narendra Modi government's last full Budget in this term of the Parliament.

Speaking to ANI ahead of the Budget, MoS Finance said that the people's expectations would be reflected in the Budget which will be presented later today. "This is the budget incorporating the expectations of every section of society. Indian economy is on track due to the leadership of PM Modi and the supervision of Nirmala Sitharaman. (Also Read: FM Sitharaman Meets President Murmu Ahead of Union Budget 2023 Presentation)

The Economic Survey also suggests the same. The budget has been made keeping in view all sections of society and it will stand on everyone's expectations," Chaudhary said. MoS Finance Dr B Karad told reporters that all making are making progress, and cited the Economic Survey. (Also Read: Sitharaman, 6th Finance Minister to Present Union Budget 5 Times in a Row)

"Country has made good recovery from COVID. If we look at Economic Survey, all sectors are making progress. Compared to other countries, our economy is good. When PM took oath in 2014, India was 10th (in terms of economy), today it is 5th," he said."

Today, the Budget will be presented before the Parliament by FM at 11 am. Before that, under her leadership, my colleague Pankaj Chaudhary and Secretary will meet the President at 9 am. At 10 am, under PM Modi's leadership, a cabinet meeting will be held," the Minister added. This year's Budget holds much significance as the country is scheduled to have the next Lok Sabha election in April-May 2024.

The budget session of the Parliament began on Tuesday with President's address. This year's budget session is going to have 27 sittings till April 6 with a month-long recess to examine the budget papers. The first part of the session will conclude on February 13. Parliament will reconvene on March 12 for the second part of the Budget Session and conclude on April 6.

The Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday tabled the Economic Survey for the Financial Year 2022-23.
Mumbai: OTT giant Prime Video confirmed that prolific actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu will be starring alongside Varun Dhawan in the Indian instalment of the Citadel universe, the global-event series from Prime Video and the Russo Brothers AGBO. The untitled Citadel series based out of India is being helmed by renowned creator duo Raj & DK (Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK), who are the showrunners and directors. The local instalment is written by Sita R. Menon, along with Raj & DK. The streaming service also confirmed that the production is currently underway in Mumbai. After this, the unit will head to North India and then onwards to international locales like Serbia and South Africa.

As previously announced, Richard Madden (Bodyguard) and Priyanka Chopra Jonas (Quantico) will star in the first-to-launch series within the Citadel universe, which comes from the Russo Brothers AGBO along with David Weil (Hunters) and is set to premiere in 2023. Alongside Madden and Chopra Jonas, the first-to-launch Citadel series will also feature Stanley Tucci (The Hunger Games saga). Additional local-language Citadel productions are also in the works, including an Italian Original series starring Matilda De Angelis (The Undoing).

We are absolutely thrilled to be working with Samantha once again. She made her streaming debut with The Family Man Season Two, on Prime Video, and is one of the most talented artistes in the industry today. We cant wait for audiences to see her on-screen in a brand new avatar, along with Varun and the incredibly talented ensemble cast we have on board for this series, said Aparna Purohit, head of India Originals, Prime Video. The canvas for the Indian instalment of Citadel is larger than life but the treatment and texture is retro, rooted, and quirky. The series is being shot extensively across India and international locales. With Raj & DK steering this ship and a terrifically talented cast, we are confident that the series is going to be nothing short of a spectacle.

We are elated to work with Samantha once again after The Family Man. Once we had the script down on paper, she was an obvious choice for this character. We couldnt be happier to have her on board, said creator duo Raj & DK. We are thrilled to have started production on Citadel India. The first leg is being shot in India, before we move onwards to Serbia and South Africa. We have an amazing crew and a tremendously talented cast, which makes the creative process all the more exciting.

When Prime Video and Raj & DK approached me with this project, I decided to take it up in a heartbeat! After working with this team on The Family Man, it is homecoming for me, said Samantha Ruth Prabhu. The Citadel universe, the interconnected storylines between the productions across the globe, and most importantly, the script of the Indian instalment really excited me. I am thrilled to be a part of this brilliant universe conceptualised by the Russo Brothers AGBO. I am also looking forward to be working with Varun for the first time, on this project. He is someone who is full of life and cheer when youre around him.

Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK will also serve as executive producers, under their banner D2R Films. The series is produced by D2R Films and Amazon Studios, with AGBOs Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Mike Larocca, Angela Russo-Otstot, Scott Nemes, and David Weil (Hunters) overseeing production on the Indian Original and all series within the global Citadel universe. Josh Applebaum, Andre Nemec, Jeff Pinkner, and Scott Rosenberg serve as executive producers for Midnight Radio, on the untitled Indian Original and all series within the global Citadel universe.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today presented a budget that brought cheers to the middle-class, senior citizens and startups. While the government hailed the budget as forward-looking, the opposition has criticised it by terming it disappointing. Non-BJP states accused the BJP of cheating and ignorance. However, amid these allegations and counter allegations, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar hailed the Budget of the world's '5th largest economy'.

Jaishankar listed out 10 reasons why the world should welcome India's Budget 2023-24. The 10 reasons are:

1. India as stronger engine of global growth. Capital investment outlay increased by 33% to Rs 10 trillion (Now 3.3% of GDP).

2. Enhancing Ease of Doing Business. Includes KYC process simplification, Greater GIFT IFSC activities and establishing an EXIM Bank subsidiary for trade re-financing, PAN as Common Business Identifier, Central Data Processing Centre, Indirect Tax support for manufacturing, stronger Ease of Compliance and Income Tax benefit for Startups.

3. Better Logistics and Infrastructure. Highest ever railways outlay at Rs 240 billion, 100 critical transport infrastructure projects, 50 additional air connectivity projects and establishing Urban Infrastructure Development Fund.

4. Digital for Development. Promoting greater digital payments, National Data Governance Policy, establishing Data Embassies, creating Entity DigiLocker, Centers of Excellence for AI and National Digital Library for children and adolescents.

5. Strengthening Global Food Security. Making India Global Hub for Shree Anna (Millets), establishing massive decentralized storage capacity, promoting contribution of Cooperatives, increasing agriculture and fisheries credit, establishing Agriculture Accelerator Fund and building digital public infrastructure for agriculture.

6. Ensuring Global Health Security. Promoting Pharma R&D, ensuring HR for medical innovation & manufacturing, creating more medical research facilities and establishing 157 new nursing colleges.

7. Indian Participation in the Global Workplace. Expand opportunities through initiatives on skills & apprenticeship backed by National Apprenticeship Policy, stipend support to 4.7 million youth, creating 30 Skill India International Centres.

Finance Minister @nsitharaman ji presented the Budget of the 5th largest economy of the world today.



10 reasons why the world should welcome it:  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 1, 2023

8. Focus on Green Growth and Mobility. Investing in Energy Transition and Net Zero objectives, undertaking Green Hydrogen Mission,VGF support for Battery ESS and encouraging Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE). Also duty benefits for green mobility and renewable energy evacuation from Ladakh.

9. Stronger Gender Development: Modi Governments pro-women policy commits to taking 8.1 million Self-Help Groups of rural women to become enterprises and collectives.

10. Making India Tourism-ready. Focus on 50 destinations to be developed as complete package with digital support.

Jaishankar said, "Indias aspirations and targets are on a scale that will impact the world. Expect these developments to feature prominently in global conversations, including at G20."

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2023 today in Lok Sabha. This was the third time in a row that the government presented the budget in a paperless form. Highlights of the budget presented by the Union Finance Minister included big incentives under the new income tax regime. The IT rebate limit in the new regime has been increased fromRs 5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh and the new tax regime will be the default tax regime, the Finance Minister said. Capital expenditure outlay has been increased by 33 per cent to Rs 10 lakh crore, accounting for 3.3 per cent of the GDP.
The Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) has purchased 50 generators for the Ministry of Energy, 60 for hospitals and 51 for families of war veterans, the Foundation's press service has told Interfax-Ukraine.

Additional special large generators ordered by the Ministry of Energy were delivered to Ukraine last week. Brigades of the Ministry of Energy use such equipment when repairing the power system damaged by Russian missiles.

"Fifty special power generators with light masts were purchased to strengthen the ability of repair teams in Ukraine. While Russian terrorist troops continue destroying the energy infrastructure, Ukrainian power engineers are repairing networks day and night," CUF President Victor Hetmanczuk said.

In addition, 60 generators were purchased by CUF for Ukrainian hospitals. The distribution of these generators is now taking place jointly with NGO Initiative E+. The organization's employees have already delivered the generators to the hospitals most in need of assistance.

A total of 51 generators will be delivered to the families of war veterans through the international humanitarian organization Global Medic, which cooperates with the foundation in delivering food packages.

The generators is purchased and delivered as part of the work of the Ukraine Humanitarian Relief Committee, a joint project of the CUF and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC).

From January 2022 to December 2022, the humanitarian association provided assistance valued at CAD 22.9 million. More than 40,000 Canadians have donated during this time, according to CUF.
Ahmedabad: From the pedestal of a religious preacher having legions of followers, many among them politicians and businessmen, 'godman' Asaram's fall from grace continued as he was sentenced to life imprisonment on Tuesday in a rape case filed by his former disciple, the second such conviction after the 2013 Rajasthan minor girl rape case. A court in Gandhinagar also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on Asaram which will be paid as compensation to the victim who had filed a case against the 'godman' for raping her from 2001 to 2006 when she stayed at his ashram in the Motera area near Ahmedabad.

The disgrace is compounded by the fact that the 81-year-old self-styled godman is already serving a life sentence in a Jodhpur jail for raping a minor girl at his ashram in Rajasthan in 2013.

Asaram created an empire of Rs 10,000 crore within four decades

Asaram is believed to have created an empire of Rs 10,000 crore within four decades, starting from a humble hut on the banks of the Sabarmati river in the early 1970s to having over 400 ashrams across the country and the world till 2018.

Asaram was born in 1941 as as Asumal Sirumalani in Berani village of Sindh province in Pakistan.

After the Partition in 1947, he came to Ahmedabad with his parents, but studied only till Class IV, and was forced to drop out of school following the death of his father.

After doing odd jobs during his early youth, Asumal embarked on a "spiritual quest" towards the Himalayas, where he met his Guru, Lilashah Bapu, a documentary on his Website claimed.

It was this guru who christened him 'Asaram' in 1964 and "commanded him to carve his path and guide people", the documentary said.

'Sant Asaramji Bapu' set up 'Moksha Kutir' on banks of Sabarmati river near Motera

In the 70s, Asaram came to Ahmedabad and started doing penance on the banks of the Sabarmati river near Motera. Subsequently, he set up a 'Moksha Kutir' on the banks of the river.

Over the years, his popularity as 'Sant Asaramji Bapu' started going up, and the 'Moksha Kutir' became a full-fledged ashram.

Within four decades, he added around 400 ashrams in India and abroad.

'Godman' Asaram's fall from grace began in 2013

His fall from grace began when he was arrested in September 2013 for raping a teenage girl at his ashram near Jodhpur, leaving his disciples shocked.

"The victim in the case in Gandhinagar came from a humble background and could not muster the courage to come out against Asaram till 2013. It was after Asaram was arrested in a similar case in Jodhpur that the victim decided to approach the police against him," special public prosecutor RC Kodekar has said.

The prosecution had sought life imprisonment for Asaram on the ground that he was a "habitual offender," and cited the Rajasthan rape case.

Even today, the Motera ashram is flocked by Asaram's followers, who are still in denial mode and maintain that their 'guru' has been jailed on false charges.

Asaram is married to Laxmi Devi

Asaram is married to Laxmi Devi and they have two children - son Narayan Sai, who is also behind bars in a rape case, and daughter Bharti Devi.

Laxmi Devi and Bharti Devi were among the six accused acquitted by the Gandhinagar court on January 30, 2023, in the 2013 Ahmedabad rape case against Asaram.

Asaram ran into rough weather for the first time in 2008 when two cousin brothers who used to stay at the Gurukul of the ashram in Motera, were found dead under mysterious circumstances on the riverbed near the facility.

The Gujarat CID in 2009 booked seven followers of Asaram in the death case of the cousins.

The parents of the deceased duo had alleged their children were killed in Asaram's ashram in a black magic ritual.

After Asaram was arrested in the 2013 rape case, two Surat-based sisters, including the one who had stayed in the Motera ashram, came forward to speak about their alleged sexual exploitation at the hands of Asaram and his son Narayan Sai.

Surat Police on October 6, 2013, registered complaints filed by the two sisters - one against Asaram and another against his son Narayan Sai - of rape, sexual assault, illegal confinement and other charges. Sai is also lodged in Surat jail after his conviction in the rape case.
New Delhi: After the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) designated Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) deputy head Abdul Rehman Makki as a global terrorist, India added him to the list of UN-designated terrorists on Wednesday. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the order comes into effect immediately. The foreign ministry states that Makki is the deputy chief of LeT and a member of Shura. Notably, Abdul Makki is Hafiz Saeed's brother-in-law in the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JUD). His father's name is Hafiz Abdullah Bahwalpuri, and he has at least six aliases, according to the UN.

India lists Pakistan-based terrorist Abdul Rehman Makki as a UN-listed terrorist. pic.twitter.com/NJwDH6mdaM  ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2023

According to the media reports, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "We welcome the decision of the UN Security Council's ISIL and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee to list Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) terrorist Abdul Rehman Makki, who is also the brother-in-law of LeT leader Hafiz Saeed. Makki has occupied various leadership roles in LeT, including raising funds for the organisation."

"Threats from terrorist organisations in the region remain high and listings and sanctions by the UNSC, are an effective tool to curb such threats and dismantle terror infrastructure in the region," he added.

The developments came just days after China dropped its 'technical hold' on designating Abdul Makki as a global terrorist under the 1267 UN Sanctions Committee, leaving the country isolated in the Security Council.
Dehradun: Uttarakhand Minister Ganesh Joshi has sparked a controversy by saying that martyrdom is not the monopoly of the Gandhi family and that the assassinations of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were just "accidents". "I pity Rahul Gandhi's intelligence. Martyrdom is not Gandhi family's monopoly. India's struggle for Independence saw the martyrdoms of Bhagat Singh, Sawarkar and Chandra Shekhar Azad. What happened with the members of the Gandhi family were accidents. There is a difference between accidents and martyrdom," Joshi said.

"But one can speak only according to the level of one's intelligence," the minister told reporters in reply to a question about the Congress leader's concluding speech at the end of his Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar.

Joshi, who is a Minister for Agriculture, Farmers Welfare, Rural Development and Sainik Kalyan, also credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the smooth conclusion of Rahul Gandhi's Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir.

"The credit goes to the Prime Minister. If Article 370 had not been abolished under his leadership and normalcy had not returned to Jammu and Kashmir, Rahul Gandhi would not have been able to unfurl the national flag at Lal Chowk. BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi had unfurled the Tricolour at Lal Chowk when violence was at its peak in J&K," Joshi said.

Recalling the moments when he was informed about the assassination of his grandmother and father -- former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi -- over phone calls, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi had on Monday said the inciters of violence will never understand that pain.

"Those who incite violence, like Modiji, Amit Shahji, the BJP and the RSS, will never understand this pain. The family of an Army man will understand, the family of the CRPF personnel who were killed in Pulwama will understand, Kashmiris will understand that pain when one gets that call.
Bhopal: Firebrand BJP leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti has called for converting liquor outlets into cow shelters and linked the rise in cases of crime against women to the consumption of alcohol in her state. She also suggested that converting liquor outlets that are being operated in violation of rules into cow shelters will serve as a lesson for those people and bring down the crime rate.

The BJP leader, who ended her four-day-long stay at a temple in Bhopal, also announced the launch of Madhushala Me Gaushala (cow shelters in place of liquor outlets) campaign in support of her demand for a "controlled" liquor policy in the state.

MP | CM had told me that he'll announce the new liquor policy on Jan 31. I'll no longer wait for the new liquor policy but, day after tomorrow, I'll open cow shelters in liquor shops. I appeal to MP CM to come out of role of 'sevak' & become 'prashasak': Ex-MP CM Uma Bharti(31.1) pic.twitter.com/pjGMQ07Oi6  ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) February 1, 2023

The former Madhya Pradesh chief minister has recently spotted a temple located near a liquor shop in Ayodhya Nagar trisection in Bhopal and announced that she will stay there till January 31 to press the state government to announce a new liquor policy. Bharti concluded her stay at the temple on Tuesday after the state government delayed its liquor policy announcement.

Addressing the media later, Bharti claimed a liquor shop located near the famous Ram Raja Sarkar temple at Orchha in Niwari district, located around 350km from Bhopal, was illegal. "Without waiting for the liquor policy, I will start converting liquor shops, which are being run in contravention of rules, into cow shelters," she said. Bharti said she has told people to arrange for 11 cows to be put up outside the "illegal" liquor shop in Orchha. Will see who dares to stop me... Will feed these cows and arrange water for them at the liquor shop, said the former Union minister.

In a democracy, if there's a choice between bad & very bad, people choose the bad & the bad forms the govt. It's not a big deal to win elections & stay in power, but form a healthy society, provide protection to women, ensure bright future for children: Ex-MP CM Uma Bharti(31.1) pic.twitter.com/s1xM7Tg4GW  ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) February 1, 2023

In an apparent attack on her party, Bharti said that governments are being formed in the name of Lord Ram, but a liquor shop has been allowed to come up near the Ram Raja Sarkar temple in Orchha. She also quoted an unnamed report and stated that the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh is leading in crime against women and liquor consumption was one of the reasons for this disturbing trend.

Bharti also alleged that she was being trolled by a section of the BJP leaders over her drive against liquor consumption and linking it to her political ambitions. Bharti said she has held the post of CM, and served as a Union Minister, and now only the position of Prime Minister is left to be achieved, but very few politicians can occupy that top office. "Will I get that post (of PM) due to liquor prohibition agitation? A section of the BJP is spreading such things," she alleged.

(With Agency Inputs)
New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharalam presented her 5th union budget on the floor of the Parliament earlier today. This year's Budget presentation holds significance as it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s government's last full budget before the next parliamentary elections, slated for April-May 2024. She announced several big initiatives to boost the growth rate and the national economy. However, the opposition isnt happy with the union budget 2023-2024 at all and claims that the budget proves the government has no roadmap to build Indias future.

Also read: It's Amrit Kaal for PM Modi, not for Common People: AAP Hits Out at Budget 2023

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to share his view on the Union budget 2023-2024. In his tweet, he mentioned how the budget has no vision to create jobs.

Mitr Kaal Budget has:

NO vision to create Jobs

NO plan to tackle Mehngai

NO intent to stem Inequality



1% richest own 40% wealth, 50% poorest pay 64% of GST, 42% youth are unemployed- yet, PM doesnt Care!



This Budget proves Govt has NO roadmap to build Indias future.  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 1, 2023

Mitr Kaal Budget has: NO vision to create Jobs, NO plan to tackle Mehngai, NO intent to stem Inequality. The 1 percent richest own 40 percent of the wealth, 50 percent poorest pay 64 percent of GST, and 42 percent of youth are unemployed- yet, the PM doesn't Care! This Budget proves Govt has NO roadmap to build Indias future, Rahul Gandhis tweet read.

Further, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has also lashed out at Centre and has called Budget 2023 Amrit Kaal for PM Modi. Further, the AAP leaders said the Union Budget for 2023-24, presented by the finance minister in Parliament, does not have any provision for the country's farmers, soldiers, and youth. No provision for anyone in the budget.
NEET 2023: Thousand of medical aspirants continue to demand the postponement of the National Eligibility cum Entrance-Postgraduate (NEET PG 2023) exam by 2-3 months after the National Board of Examinations (NBE) announced the NEET PG 2023 exam date on January 6. A delegation of FAIMA (Federation of All India Medical Association) members met Union Minister of Health Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya on January 31, Tuesday, regarding the NEET PG 2023 postponement. The delegation will be meeting the Healthy Ministry in the next 2 days regarding exam postponement and a decision in this regard will be taken after that.

According to the doctors' associations, if the NEET PG 2023 exam date is postponed, candidates will have enough time to study for the test. Dr. Manish Jangra, Founder of FAIMA, who went to meet the Minister, said that he was trying his best to effect the postponement. Apart from the NEET PG 2023 postponement, the doctors are also demanding a revision of the internship deadline as many interns remain ineligible.

I had a meeting with all the officials of the ministry and will be meeting him too in 2 days. They are searching for every chance to postpone. The main hurdle being #TCS(online exam company) denied any vacant date for the exam before September. Otherwise, they were convinced. still will try my best, Dr. Manish Jangra, founder of, FAIMA tweeted.

The Union health ministry extended the deadline for MBBS internships to June 30 in response to several requests for extensions. However, because there is not enough time to prepare for the exam and there are months between the exam and counselling, the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA), the Indian Medical Association (IMA), and potential candidates have been pleading with the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to postpone the NEET PG 2023. #PostponeNEETPG2023 is trending on Twitter.

Twitter Reactions

Is there no centre available till September for conducting neet pg 2023?..If it get #postponeneetpg from march 5?.. What an excuse!!Think abt the aspirant plzzzz @TCS @MoHFW_INDIA @NBEMS_INDIA February 1, 2023

Meanwhile, doctors groups, students, and teachers have also raised concerns about the proposed draft regulations related to National Exit Test (NExT), which will be replacing the NEET PG exam.
New Delhi: BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh on Tuesday unfurled the national flag in national capital in the memory of people, who sacrificed their lives for the unity and integrity of the country. Addressing a massive gathering of people, Chugh paid his tributes to Praja Parishad martyrs in Jaurian village here. He said it has been a saga of sacrifices that has brought us to this stage where Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s message of progress and development has started reverberating again. He asked why it took 70 years for the Congress and its leaders like Rahul Gandhi to hoist the national flag at the Lal Chowk in Srinagar. Chugh added that Modi`s zero tolerance for terrorism has made it possible for Rahul and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to enjoy snowfall in the Kashmir valley.

The BJP National General Secretary was accompanied by former Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, Jammu and Kashmir BJP Vice-President Sham Lal Sharma, senior BJP leader Devender Singh Rana, Daljit Singh Chib and other party leaders in presence of representatives of social organisations and prominent locals.

Also Read: Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi Visit Kheer Bhawani temple, Hazratbal shrine in Jammu and Kashmir

While paying tributes to martyrs, Chugh said that the struggle to remove Articles 370 and 35-A continued for 70 years. He added that Jammu and Kashmir has a long history of struggle and movement. The pages of history are full of renunciation, austerity and sacrifice.

"When Sheikh Abdullah implemented the permit system to enter Jammu and Kashmir, the Praja Parishad raised the slogan -- `Desh mein do pradhan, do vidhan, do nishan: nahi chalenge, nahi chalenge`."

BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh says it was only because of PM Narendra Modi's zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism that Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra could enjoy snowfall in Kashmir Valley  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 31, 2023

"On January 11, 1953, two days before Lohri, the police opened fire on a procession in which more than 5,000 people were participating. More than 200 rounds were fired in which two people were killed and more than 70 were injured. On January 31, 1953, a huge crowd of protesting farmers gathered in Jyodia village. The farmers came out in huge numbers towards Jammu carrying the tricolour in their hands. The police opened fire on the agitators, in which seven people were killed, to salute whose sacrifice and spirit we all have gathered here," Chugh added.

He also criticised Rahul Gandhi for his party`s delay of 70 long years in hoisting the Tiranga at the Lal Chowk.

Chugh added that he (Rahul Gandhi) should be thankful to Modi-led BJP government that he could enter Jammu and Kashmir without permit and hoist the Tiranga at the Lal Chowk without any issue.

Nirmal Singh said that during the agitation, the people registered their protest against separate Constitution, separate flag, separate `Sadar-e-Riyasat` and the permit System, and the mission got accomplished with the Indian Constitution and the Indian tricolour fully extended to J&K during the BJP government`s term.
Famous writer Taslima Nasreen has accused Dr. Yatin Kharbanda, Senior Orthopedic Surgeon of Apollo Hospital, Delhi, of treating her wrongly. Taslima Nasreen told her story by tweeting one after the other in the last 24 hours. According to Taslima Nasreen, she reached Apollo Hospital on January 11 with complaints of knee pain, where Dr. Yatin Kharbanda told her that she had a hip fracture and to treat it, a hip replacement would be required.

She was admitted to the hospital for surgery on 13 January. Taslima Nasreen has alleged that she did not see any information about the hip fracture in the CT scan or X-ray. Despite this, the doctors got her hip replaced. According to Taslima Nasreen, she did not have any hip fracture and to suppress the case, the hospital had prepared a wrong discharge summary. According to the author, she could have been cured only with rest and painkillers, but the hospital did not give such advice. She Claimed, "If I die because of the complications of Total Hip Replacement, no one but Dr Kharbanda is responsible. After reaching Apollo hospital with knee pain, he did my THR within a few hrs. It's still a nightmare. He lied to me about Xray & CT findings."

If I die because of the complications of Total Hip Replacement, no one but Dr Kharbanda is responsible. After reaching Apollo hospital with knee pain, he did my THR within a few hrs. It's still a nightmare. He lied to me about Xray & CT findings.  taslima nasreen (@taslimanasreen) January 31, 2023

According to Taslima Nasreen, in return, she also paid a bill of 7,42,000 to the hospital. In a series of tweets, Taslima Nasreen alleged that she was not even given time to think and could not take a second opinion.

However, Apollo Hospital has denied all these allegations. According to the statement issued by the hospital, Taslima Nasreen had collapsed. She could not even walk and went to the hospital with this complaint. Considering her age, a hip replacement was the best treatment that was given to her. Although she was also advised physiotherapy as a follow-up, for which she did not return. The hospital advised her to do proper follow-up. Apollo Hospital has also made it clear in its statement that the doctor treating him has 30 years of experience and is an excellent senior doctor.

What is the truth in this case? It could be a matter of investigation, but Taslima Nasreen's case has also expressed the concern of the people on Twitter. People are openly writing about the alleged loot of private hospitals. How private hospitals keep doing unnecessary surgeries and tests, how patients are helpless in this series of loots. Thousands of such tweets started pouring in on Twitter after Taslima Nasreen's complaint.
New Delhi: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, along with other Opposition leaders, has shredded the Centre's Union Budget for 2023-24 and termed it as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's 'nirmam' budget. 'Nirmam' in Hindi translates to ruthless or stone-hearted. While speaking to reporters on Wednesday (Feb 1), he said that there is nothing in this budget for the youth of the country, farmers, women, tribals, or the scheduled castes. Baghel alleged that the Budget was made to woo the public for the upcoming Lok Sabha 2024 elections. Moreover, he claimed that the Budget did not allocate anything for the state of Chhattisgarh.

As quoted by the news agency ANI, Baghel said, "This can be called Nirmala Sitharamans nirmam budget. There is nothing in this budget for youth, farmers, women, tribals or scheduled castes. It was made purely focusing on the upcoming elections. There is nothing for Chhattisgarh in the budget."

This can be called Nirmala Sitharamans nirmam budget. There is nothing in this budget for youth, farmers, women, tribals or scheduled castes. It was made purely focusing on the upcoming elections. There is nothing for Chhattisgarh in the budget: Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel pic.twitter.com/y5YmsQMynQ  ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) February 1, 2023

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also expressed his disappointment with the budget. In his tweet, he mentioned how the budget has no vision to create jobs.

"Mitr Kaal Budget has: NO vision to create Jobs, NO plan to tackle Mehngai, NO intent to stem Inequality. The 1 percent richest own 40 percent of the wealth, 50 percent poorest pay 64 percent of GST, and 42 percent of youth are unemployed- yet, the PM doesn't Care! This Budget proves Govt has NO roadmap to build Indias future," Rahul Gandhis tweet read.

FM Sitharalam presented her 5th union budget on the floor of the Parliament earlier today. This year's Budget presentation holds significance as it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s government's last full budget before the next parliamentary elections, slated for April-May 2024. She announced several big initiatives to boost the growth rate and the national economy.

However, the opposition isnt happy with the union budget 2023-2024 at all and claims that the budget proves the government has no roadmap to build Indias future.
NEW DELHI: Congress MP Karti Chidambaram on Wednesday hailed the Union Budget 2023 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and said that the tax cuts announced by the government are a welcome step. Karti, who is son the former Finance Minister P Chidambaram said, I am a believer in a low tax regime. So, any tax cuts are welcome because giving more money into the hands of the people is the best way to boost the economy.

I am a believer in a low tax regime. So, any tax cuts are welcome because giving more money into the hands of the people is the best way to boost the economy: Karti Chidambaram, Congress MP pic.twitter.com/0Ea0vQGonb  ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2023

Karti Chidambarams party, however, didnt appreciate the Union Budget 2023. Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal slammed the Union Budget and said the government is not addressing the serious economic conditions in the country including the common man`s plight.

While talking to ANI, the Congress General Secretary said, "The government is not addressing the serious concerns of the country`s economic condition and the common man`s plight. This is my first reaction."

Stating that people are in a distressed mood in the country, he said, "The actual problem is whether the Budget is addressing the current economic issues including price rise, and unemployment. There is no income for the people. How can they benefit by increasing the tax limit?"

Notably, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced an increase in the income tax rebate limit from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh stating that the new tax regime will now be the default tax regime.

The Finance Minister also proposed to change the tax structure in this regime by reducing the number of tax slabs to 5 and increasing the tax exemption limit to Rs 3 lakh.

On personal income tax, the FM announced that "Tax for income of Rs 0-Rs 3 lakh is nil, for income above Rs 3 lakh and up to Rs 5 lakh will be taxed at 5 per cent, for income of above Rs 6 lakh and up to Rs 9 lakh will be taxed at 10 per cent and for income above Rs 12 lakh and up to Rs 15 lakh to be taxed at 20 per cent and above 15 lakhs at Rs 30 per cent.

"KC Venugopal also targeted the government for a poor track record of fulfilling promises. "You have to examine the past promises in the budget. How much have they been fulfilled? The government has promised lot many programmes for the farmers but nothing has been fulfilled. This government`s track record of fulfilling promises is very low. They may announce anything in the budget like their manifesto," he said.
Kolomoisky's house searched on Ukrtatnafta and Ukrnafta cases

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Bureau of Economic Security (BES) searched the home of oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky, the Ukrayinska Pravda publication reported, citing law enforcement sources.

According to the publication, the investigation concerns fraud in Ukrtatnafta and Ukrnafta: the waste of oil products worth UAH 40 billion and the large-scale customs payments evasion.

Last year, NABU searched Kolomoisky's home in the Ukrnafta case.

"Investigative measures are being taken," a source close to BES confirmed to Interfax-Ukraine.
New Delhi: Known for her love for Indian textiles, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman arrived in Parliament for the Union Budget 2023 presentation wearing a traditional temple border saree on Wednesday. Temple sarees are usually made of cotton, silk or a mix and worn for special occasions. Sitharaman opted for the red temple saree with a black border and intricate golden work on the Union Budget 2023 presentation day.

The beautiful saree also featured a star-like design. The colour we choose to wear on an important day can speak volumes about the message we are trying to convey. Red symbolises love, commitment, strength and bravery.

According to Hindu culture, red is often connected with Goddess Durga, the epitome of female strength and power. With a red digital tablet in hand, Sitharaman looked classic and elegant as she posed for photographs in front of the Ministry of Finance, Central Secretariat on Wednesday morning.

She completed her simple look with a small bindi and gold bangles. Sitharaman has been seen actively promoting traditional handlooms especially after she took charge as the Finance Minister in 2019.

#WATCH | Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman all set to present the #UnionBudget2023 at 11am today.



This is the BJP government's last full Budget before the 2024 general elections. pic.twitter.com/8CFywfihvq February 1, 2023

Her sartorial choice from the current and previous budget sessions proves that she is a staunch supporter of handwoven fabrics. For her first Budget presentation in 2019, Sitharaman chose to wear a simple pink Mangalgiri saree with a gold border.

Pink usually stands for women empowerment and Budget 2019 was all about `Nari tu Narayani`. Apart from making a statement with her simple saree, Sitharaman also caught the attention by ditching the colonial tradition of bringing ledger papers in a briefcase.

She carried the Budget documents in a traditional `bahi khata`. In 2020, Sitharaman opted for a bright yellow-gold silk saree. The yellow colour holds a valuable significance. It is believed to be a sacred colour which stands for prosperity.

During Union Budget 2021, FM Sitharaman wore a red and off-white silk Pochampally sari with ikat patterns around the pallu and a green border. Pochampally ikat is traditionally made in Bhoodan Pochampally, in Telangana, and is popularly known as the `silk city of India`. For Union Budget 2022, Sitharaman was seen dressed in a rust and maroon handloom saree.

The rusty brown tone of her saree was a combination of two colours, brown and red, that hold a deeper significance. While the colour brown is often associated with resilience, dependability, security, and safety, red signifies warmth, love and power. It was a Bomkai saree typically made in the Sonepur district of Odisha. Undoubtedly, Sitharaman`s sartorial choices have always displayed an array of handloom pieces from across the country.
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hailed the Union Budget 2023 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament. First budget of Amrit Kaal will build a strong foundation for building a developed India. This budget will fulfill dreams of aspirational society including poor people, middle-class people, farmers, he said in his address.

First budget of Amrit Kaal will build a strong foundation for building a developed India. This budget will fulfil dreams of aspirational society including poor people, middle-class people, farmers: PM Narendra Modi on #UnionBudget2023



(Source: DD) pic.twitter.com/AkrIl5pr1h  ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2023

The Prime Minister said that the Union Budget gives priority to the deprived sections of society, adding that it ''will fulfill the dreams of aspirational society, farmers, middle class.'' 'This year's Budget infuses new energy to India's development trajectory, the PM said.

The PM added that those toiling traditionally through their hands for the country are the 'Vishvakarma' and the creators of this country. "For the first time scheme related to training & support for 'Vishvakarma' has been brought into the budget," PM Narendra Modi said.

The Prime Minister also went on to suggest that the success of digital payments has to be replicated in the agriculture sector, stressing that "In Union Budget we have brought a scheme for digital agriculture infra.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman earlier announced several big initiatives to boost the growth rate and the national economy. Among other major initiatives, the FM announced new tax slabs for 2023-24, under which no tax would be payable for income up to Rs 7 lakh per annum under the new income tax regime. "Currently, those with an income of up to Rs 5 lakhs don`t pay any income tax. I proposed to increase the tax rebate limit to Rs 7 lakhs in the new tax regime," Sitharaman said in Parliament.

A tax of 5 per cent would be levied on total income between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 6 lakh, 10 per cent tax would be imposed on income between Rs 6 lakh to Rs 9 lakh, it would be 15 per cent on income between the range of Rs 9 lakh to Rs 12 lakh. On the income range of Rs 12 lakh to Rs 15 lakh, 20 per cent tax would be levied, while tax would be 30 per cent on income slab of Rs 15 lakh and above, the Finance Minister said.

She also announced that states and cities will be encouraged to take up urban planning. FM Sitharaman said that all cities and towns will be enabled for 100 per cent transition of sewers and septic tanks from "manhole to machine'' hole mode. Cities will also be encouraged to increase creditworthiness for municipal bonds, the Finance Minister said.

The world has recognised India as a ''bright star'' as the country is recording healthy economic growth despite global uncertainties, Finance Minister Sitharaman said as she began her Union Budget speech in Parliament. India's growth at 7 per cent in the current fiscal is the highest among major economies and the Indian economy is on the right track, she said in her Budget speech. In the 75th year of Independence, the world has recognised India as a bright star, the minister said, adding the world appreciates India's achievements.

The Budget 2023 marks the last Budget of PM Modi's government in the Parliament for this term. The Union Budget was presented by the government in paperless form like the previous two years. The government presented the first paperless budget in 2021.

However, Congress didnt appreciate the Union Budget 2023. Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal slammed the Union Budget and said the government is not addressing the serious economic conditions in the country including the common man`s plight.

While talking to ANI, the Congress General Secretary said, "The government is not addressing the serious concerns of the country`s economic condition and the common man`s plight. This is my first reaction."

Stating that people are in a distressed mood in the country, he said, "The actual problem is whether the Budget is addressing the current economic issues including price rise, and unemployment. There is no income for the people. How can they benefit by increasing the tax limit?"
New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced a major initiative for improving the Sewage System across the country. While presenting the Union Budget 2023-2024, the Finance Minister announced that states and cities will be encouraged to take up urban planning.FM Sitharaman said that all cities and towns will be enabled for 100 per cent transition of sewers and septic tanks from "manhole to machine'' hole mode. Cities will also be encouraged to increase creditworthiness for municipal bonds, the Finance Minister said.

The government launched the Smart Cities Mission on 25 June 2015. Hundred of smart cities had been selected through four rounds of competition from January 2016 to June 2018.

The world has recognised India as a bright star as the country is recording healthy economic growth despite global uncertainties, Finance Minister Sitharaman said as she began her Union Budget speech in parliament.

India's growth at 7 per cent in the current fiscal is the highest among major economies and the Indian economy is on the right track, she said in her Budget speech. In the 75th year of Independence, the world has recognised India as a bright star, the minister said, adding the world appreciates India's achievements.

The economy is pegged to grow by 7 per cent in FY23 (2022-23) and by 6.5 per cent (6.0-6.8 per cent) in FY24 as the global environment remains rife with uncertainty.
New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary on Wednesday (February 1, 2023) said that the Union Budget 2023-2024 will "meet the expectations" of every section of society. Speaking ahead of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presenting the Union Budget for 2023-24, Chaudhary said that Narendra Modi-led government has always worked in the favour of the people of the country.

"Union Budget 2023 will meet the expectations of every section of society. Modi govt has always worked in the favour of the people of the country," he told news agency ANI.

#UnionBudget2023 will meet the expectations of every section of society. Modi govt has always worked in the favour of the people of the country: MoS Finance Pankaj Chaudhary pic.twitter.com/I0EiNAIZiA February 1, 2023

Nirmala Sitharaman to present her fifth straight budget

FM Nirmala Sitharaman will on Wednesday present her fifth straight budget at a time when the economy is slowing due to global headwinds and specific sectors need attention.

The Union Budget for 2023-24 (April 2023 to March 2024) would be the first normal budget after the Covid-19 shock and amid global geopolitical developments.

#WATCH | Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman all set to present the #UnionBudget2023 at 11am today.



This is the BJP government's last full Budget before the 2024 general elections. pic.twitter.com/8CFywfihvq  ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2023

Hon'ble Finance Minister Smt @nsitharaman, MoS (F) Sh @mppchaudhary & MoS (F) Sh @DrBhagwatKarad with the CBDT Budget team on Budget eve.

Secretary, Revenue, Sh Sanjay Malhotra, Chairman, CBDT Sh Nitin Gupta & Member, CBDT Smt Pragya Saxena are also present.



#Budget2023 pic.twitter.com/q3HOhOLe46 January 31, 2023

The priority for the Budget is expected to be to maintain a reasonably high but stable growth in the medium term. Alongside, to establish fiscal credibility with a suitable incremental reduction in the fiscal deficit to GDP ratio.

This, notably, is the last Budget of the Narendra Modi 2.0 government.
Budget 2023: Government has allotted Rs 2.4 lakh crore for the Indian Railways in the recently presented Budget 2023-24. "Capital outlay of Rs 2.4 lakh crore provided for Railways is the highest-ever allocation since 2013-14," said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The Union Budget, also comprising the Railway Budget, has been presented on the floor of the Parliament on February 1.

Ahead of the Budget, passengers shared their expectation from the Union Budget 2023. "The Railways should see that train fares do not go up. Also, the fare increases over the last few years should be controlled. While the rate of platform tickets has been reduced from Rs 50 to Rs 10, we want it to be reduced further," said MD Sanjay, a passenger at Patna junction.

A capital outlay of 2.40 lakh crores has been provided for the Railways. This is the highest ever outlay and about 9x outlay made in 2013-2014: Honble Finance Minister @nsitharaman #Budget2023#AmritKaalBudget pic.twitter.com/aGVAZZXzbx  Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) February 1, 2023

The passengers also demonstrated a lot of enthusiasm and excitement around the Vande Bharat trains and the Bullet Train project. Many said Vande Bharat trains should ply from all capital cities of the country.

"The Railways still need to pay a lot of attention to the cleanliness of the trains. Also, the trains that were stopped at the time of Covid should be made operational again," said Rajan Kumar, another passenger.

Regular railway passengers also demanded an increase in the number of trains across the country. Students demanded that the Railways run separate trains to make it easier for them to appear for outstation exams. They said they often have to travel to other cities for sit for competitive or other exams and find it tough to book seats in regular passenger trains.

Passengers further said the Railway Budget should also focus on ensuring provision of better food in trains. Meanwhile, railway passengers in the national capital said they expect more budgetary funds to be allocated for passenger safety and cleanliness.

Deepak Sharma, a passenger at New Delhi Railway station, said, "I want the government to ensure passenger security and they should also invest more money in securing the railway network and making it less prone to accidents. The number and frequency of trains should also increase."

Bhawana Sharma, another commuter at New Delhi Railway station, said safety of women passengers and catering to their hygiene should feature prominently in the Budget.

With ANI inputs
Washington [US]: The United States and India on Tuesday formally established a high-level initiative on critical and emerging technologies or iCET. India`s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had a `fruitful discussion` with his US counterpart at the White House. In the discussions, there was a laser focus on aligning Washington and New Delhi`s strategic, commercial and scientific approaches specifically in the field of technology. Officials did announce several concrete steps that the initiative will be taking forward from the high-power meeting in Washington.

Jake Sullivan, in an interview with reporters, said that iCET would `serve both countries` deeper strategic interests, according to The Washington Post.

iCET has no explicit reference to China, but the Biden administration sees technology development vis-a-vis China as a zero-sum game that the U.S. cannot lose hence iCET could be an important way forward.

"The US-India defence and artificial intelligence dialogue is a multi-layered approach and China is one of the dimensions as it is a major challenge to New Delhi and the world," a senior administration official in Washington told reporters.

On whether there were any geopolitical concerns about China and Russia, Sullivan said, "A big part of the story is fundamentally about a bet on high tech and an industrial innovation policy. That`s at the core of the president`s entire approach to his presidency. So the China-Russia factors are real, but so is the idea of building a deep democratic ecosystem with high technology."

Sullivan acknowledged the geopolitical dimension of the initiative, saying, "The backdrop of geopolitical competition with China has been a feature of the US-India relationship now for more than a decade."

"There is much more about India`s rise and the US desire to participate in that rise. This is important with regard to China. I think that they`ve proven themselves time and again, to be a challenge for India and for the world. And I think working together as like-minded countries is a beneficial and necessary part of our Indo-Pacific strategy." the official added.

A key element of the initiative is semiconductor supply chain diversification, U.S. announced its plan is to help India grow its legacy chip-making capabilities while continuing the flow of top engineers that study and work in the United States, Sullivan said.

On Washington`s position on India`s semiconductor industry, senior administration officials said the US supports the Indian National Semiconductor Mission.

"We welcome the supply chain diversification that it would bring, as also the opportunities for research and development, cooperation, and talent exchange. It sends a very clear signal on our views about India playing a larger role in the global semiconductor, ecosystem and value chain. It is true that the United States has imposed controls on some of the most advanced chips for AI applications," he added.
Islamabad: Power supply to Turbat, Panjgur and Gwadar districts of Pakistan`s Makran division has been badly affected after Iran suspended power supply to these areas, Dawn reported.Power supply to Turbat, Panjgur and Gwadar was badly affected on Sunday and the situation remained the same on Monday. As per the news report, Iran supplies 100 Megawatt of electricity to the Makran division.

A spokesperson for the Quetta Electricity Supply Company (Qesco) on Monday said that Iran`s energy officials restored only 20MW of power for Makran after Pakistan officials contacted them for power restoration, as per the Dawn report."When we contacted Iran`s energy officials, they restored only 20MW of power for Makran," Dawn quoted a spokesman for the Quetta Electricity Supply Company (Qesco) as saying.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Afzal Baloch said that Makran is receiving only 20 MW out of 100 MW of electricity for the past 24 hours. Baloch stressed that Iranian officials have not given the reason for reducing 80 MW of electricity to Makran, as per the Dawn report. "Makran is getting only 20MW out of 100MW electricity for the last 24 hours," Dawn quoted Mohammad Afzal Baloch as saying.

Earlier on January 26, Gwadar Development Authority Director General Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Qambarani said that the region will receive 100 MW additional electricity from Iran from March 1, The News International reported. In a tweet, Mujeeb-ur-Rehman stated that Gwadar will receive a 24/7 power supply, which will help to boost industry, tourism and real estate business in Gwadar.

As per the news report, Pakistan and Iran signed an agreement for the supply of an additional 100 megawatts of electricity in June 2022. During his visit to Gwadar, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif instructed concerned authorities to complete the project in a short period of time, as per The News International report.

In June last year, the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) approved a 132 kV transmission line from Jiwani to Gwadar, according to the news report. The government will spend Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 2,322.940 million for the construction of a transmission line from Jiwani to Gwadar. As per the news report, Gwadar is dependent on imported electricity from Iran.
Peshawar: Social media users in Pakistan have expressed their grief, anger and shock with a number of prominent politicians turning up to take photos with coffins of those who died in one of the deadliest suicide attacks at a mosque in Peshawar. According to the latest reports, the death toll from the suicide attack has crossed 100 after rescue workers retrieved more bodies from the debris of the devastated mosque inside a major police facility.

Pakistans Twitter fraternity has ridiculed their local politicians for playing politics over the dead bodies of the victims and doing little to wipe out terrorism from the country. Expressing anger, several Twitter users accused the Pakistani establishment of creating a Frankenstein Monster which was now eating up its creator.

The Pakistani investigators are trying to find out how the bomber sneaked into the high-security zone in Pakistan's northwestern Peshawar city. According to them, the suicide bomber who was present in the front row during the Zuhr (afternoon) prayers on Monday blew himself up, causing the roof to collapse on the worshippers.

Policemen Among Victims

Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) spokesperson Mohammad Asim said that 100 bodies had been brought to the medical facility. Asim said 53 injured were currently being treated while seven had been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). He said that most of the injured were out of danger. Most of the victims were policemen. At least a deputy superintendent of police, five sub-inspectors and the mosque's prayer leader Maulana Sahibzada Noorul Amin were among the dead.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), known as the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the suicide attack, saying it was part of a revenge attack for slain TTP commander Umar Khalid Khurasani who was killed in Afghanistan in August last.

According to the Police Control Room Peshawar, more than two hundred injured were brought to the Lady Reading hospital. Capital City Police Officer, Peshawar (CCPO) Ejaz Khan told Geo TV that the head of the suspected suicide bomber was recovered from the blast site.

Suicide Bomber Identified

The suspected bomber was identified as 37-year-old Mohammed Ayaz son of Salim Khan from Mohmand agency. "It is possible that the attacker was already present in the Police Lines before the blast and that he may have used an official vehicle [to enter]," he said. "(The) CTD is investigating the case," he said.

High-Level Probe Into Peshawar Attack

A high-level investigation committee has been set up to look into the security lapses. A preliminary investigation report of the blast has been sent to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The bomber entered the highly secured mosque inside police lines where four layers of security were in place. Provincial Police chief Moazzam Jah Ansari said they are investigating the blast and how the bomber sneaked into the highly fortified mosque in the Police Lines area.

He expressed apprehensions that the bomber might have been residing in the police lines before the blast as there are family quarters too inside the police lines. Ansari admitted grave security lapses by the police and ordered a comprehensive investigation into the blast.

Ansari suspected that about 10-12 kg of explosives were used in the blast. Explosives in parts shifted to police lines as construction activities are in progress these days in police lines, he suggested.

President Arif Alvi, PM Sharif, and several world leaders have strongly condemned the attack. "I strongly condemn the heinous & cowardly blast that has taken place in Peshawar mosque. The perpetrators will be found and punished. Condolences to families who have lost an innocent member & prayers for the injured. Terrorism must be buried forever," Alvi tweeted.

Pakistan Taliban

The TTP, set up as an umbrella group of several militant outfits in 2007, called off a ceasefire with the federal government and ordered its militants to stage terrorist attacks across the country. The group, which is believed to be close to al-Qaeda, has been blamed for several deadly attacks across Pakistan, including an attack on army headquarters in 2009, assaults on military bases, and the 2008 bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad.

In 2014, the Pakistani Taliban stormed the Army Public School (APS) in the northwestern city of Peshawar, killing at least 150 people, including 131 students. The attack sent shockwaves across the world and was widely condemned.

Here are some of those social media reactions-

Politicians taking turns for a photo op with a coffin from #PeshawarAttack. Can you stoop any lower? pic.twitter.com/Nj67iniP5q  Dr. Asim Yousafzai (@asimusafzai) January 31, 2023

#PeshawarAttack reminds me of the warning (my father the Ex-President of #Afghanistan) gave Pakistan & supporters of #ExtremistsGroups in 1990 that its #StrategicDepth is shooting itself in the foot & those who promoted #Taliban in #Afghanistan will soon realize this too. My -1 pic.twitter.com/EuVOZyIrfo  Heela    (@HNajibullah) January 31, 2023

- Broken to see this picture and my heart is crying Condolences to all the families and victims.

Allah Pak lawahiqeen ko sabar ata farmae, ameen #PeshawarAttack pic.twitter.com/bvOLHaA88h  Hassan Ali (@RealHa55an) January 31, 2023

#PeshawarAttack was primarily a security failure of the ISI being the most resource-heavy govt int agency.

While the country is burning, DGI chooses to work from his camp office and live a playboy's life. COAS needs to appoint any other capable Lt Gen to replace him forthwith. February 1, 2023
Islamabad: Days after Pakistan witnessed a deadly attack on its security forces inside a Peshawar mosque, the country`s Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has admitted inside the National Assembly that it was a collective mistake to prepare the mujahideen to go to war with a global force. "We did not need to make Mujahideen. We created Mujahideen and then they became terrorists," Sanaullah said while addressing the country`s upper house of Parliament on Tuesday.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also speaking in the National Assembly said that the country`s National Security Committee will decide on the operation against terrorists. The Interior Minister also claimed that former Prime Minister Imran Khan`s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government had released members of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or Pakistani Taliban who were serving death sentences.

Sanaullah`s remarks came after the proscribed TTP on Monday claimed responsibility for the January 30 mosque attack in Peshawar which left 100 people dead and over 220 injured. The explosion occurred in the mosque`s central hall on Monday at around 1 pm after a suicide bomber blew himself up.

Pakistan`s Interior Minister admitted the belief that the TTP, formally called the Tehreek-e-Taliban-e-Pakistan, is an umbrella organization of various Islamist armed militant groups operating along the Afghan-Pakistani border. would lay down their arms and submit to the law was mistaken, as per Geo News.

Inside Pakistan`s National Assembly, there was a heated debate yesterday with members demanding major reforms to eradicate terror. After the Peshawar mosque blast, a faction of the TTP claimed responsibility for the attack but hours later a TTP spokesperson tweeted distancing itself from the claim and said their policy does not include targeting mosques.

Since November last year, terror attacks across Pakistan have been increasing after a peace deal between the TTP and the Pakistan government was called off by the proscribed group. The TTP was formed in the year 2007 by banding together of several armed groups who protested against Pakistan`s cooperation with the US in its war on terrorism. The TTP supported the Afghan Taliban`s fight against the US and The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Sanaullah stressed that it was incorrect to think that the TTP was separate from the Afghan Taliban. He said that the prior policy to resettle the Taliban could not bear fruit and led to the current situation in Pakistan. The Pakistan federal minister said that the incumbent government has changed its approach towards the Taliban. He condemned the terrorist attack in the mosque in Peshawar`s Police Lines and said that the suicide bomber aimed to target police personnel, Geo News reported.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also speaking in the National Assembly blamed Afghan refugees for the deteriorating security situation in Pakistan. He said that in the last 1.5 years around 4.5 lakh Afghans had entered Pakistan with valid documents but have not returned to Afghanistan.
Head of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction David Arakhamia announced the dismissal of the entire leadership of the State Customs Service of Ukraine.

"I will inform the public about the announced spring 'landings.' Today [on February 1]: searches in the Tax Office; delivery of notices of suspicion to officials of the Ministry of Defense; searches at Kolomoisky's at Ukrnafta; a whole series of covert investigative actions; searches at Avakov; searches at Stolar; dismissal of the entire leadership of the Customs Service," he said on his Telegram channel on Wednesday.

He said the country will change during the war.

"If someone is not ready for change, then the state itself will come and help them change," the parliamentarian said.
Ex-minister of internal affairs Avakov home searched in case on crash of State Emergency Service helicopter in Brovary

Employees of the Security Service of Ukraine and the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) conducted searches at the home of former Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Arsen Avakov.

This was announced by Avakov in a comment to the Ukrayinska Pravda publication.

"They finished the search concerning the helicopter crash. They looked at Airbus contracts signed six years ago. Of course, nothing was found. The contracts were approved by the government and parliament. They conducted searches correctly, although it was pointless. They formally worked out the version," Avakov said.

As reported, on January 18 morning a State Emergency Service helicopter carrying the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs crashed in Brovary, near a kindergarten. In particular, Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Denys Monastyrsky, his first deputy Yevhen Yenin, State Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Yuriy Lubkovych were killed in the crash.

In total, 14 people died, including 1 child, and 25 people were injured, including 11 children.
The State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has exposed the ex-head of a department of the Ministry of Defense of embezzling more than UAH 100 million of public funds, the SBU said.

"SBU officers exposed the former head of the Department of Public Procurement and Supply of Material Resources of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine on embezzlement of public funds," the SBU reports on its Telegram channel on Wednesday.

According to the investigation, the official purchased almost 3,000 bulletproof vests for the Armed Forces of Ukraine for more than UAH 100 million. However, according to several independent examinations, these products do not meet the requirements of class fourth body armor and do not properly protect Ukrainian soldiers, the SBU said.

According to the SBU materials, the official was declared suspected under several articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, namely: Part 1 of Art. 114-1 (obstruction of the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations); Part 5 Art. 191 (appropriation, embezzlement or possession of property by abuse of official position); Part 2 Art. 28 (commission of a criminal offense by a group of persons).

The sanction of the articles provides for punishment in the form of imprisonment for a period of five to eight years. The issue of choosing a preventive measure is being decided, according to the telegram channel.

In addition, the SBU said the service is investigating other officials in the security and defense sector who may be involved in illegal activities and harm state security. This is a set of measures aimed at strengthening the defense capability of our state.

Measures to expose the offenders were carried out by investigators of the Main Investigation Department of the SBU and employees of the Main Directorate for Countering Systemic Threats to the Government of the SBU under the procedural leadership of the Specialized Prosecutor's Office in the military and defense sphere of the PGO.
The State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has conducted a number of investigative actions as part of the investigation into the misappropriation of UAH 40 billion by the former management of PJSC Ukrnafta and PJSC Ukrtatnafta.

"As part of the investigative actions, the SBU, together with the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine, conducted a number of searches. They were carried out at the place of residence of the actual owners and top management of the financial and industrial group, which includes these companies, as well as at the addresses of the likely storage of oil products in different regions of Ukraine. According to the results of investigative actions of the top management of PJSC Ukrtatnafta, suspicions of committing criminal offenses were announced," the SBU press service said.

It is noted that ten episodes of criminal activity are documented within the criminal proceedings. In particular, this is the transfer of large consignments of oil products to affiliated companies, tax evasion, the creation of bad debts of the refinery and oil production plants, which led to the depreciation and decrease in the value of their assets.

According to the investigation, such criminal activity was carried out in the interests of the actual owners and beneficiaries of the companies.
By Azernews

Fatima Hasanova

Azerbaijan keeps getting messages of sympathy from foreign states and organizations over the act of terror against its embassy in Tehran, which killed one security officer and wounded two, Azernews reports.

In a formal letter to the Azerbaijani Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, the organization's top officials denounced the terrorist attack on the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran.

In the letter, the UNESCO Director-General sends her condolences to the government, the people, and the family of the deceased. He also wishes the injured a speedy recovery.

The letter also notes that Azerbaijan can fully trust the support of UNESCO's Secretariat.

On January 27, the head of the security guard of the Azerbaijani embassy in Iran was killed in the armed attack on the building.

"An individual with a Kalashnikov assault rifle attacked the security post and killed the head of the security guard. Two embassy guards were also wounded while preventing the attack. Their conditions are satisfactory. This treacherous attack is currently being investigated. The public will be provided with detailed extra information," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
MP Oleksiy Honcharenko says the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has dismissed the leadership of the State Customs Service of Ukraine.

"The Cabinet of Ministers fired the senior staff of the customs. Acting Head [Viacheslav] Demchenko and his deputies [Oleksandr] Schutsky and [Ruslan] Cherkasky have been dismissed," Honcharenko said in the Telegram channel.

There have been no official announcements of the dismissal yet.
Examinations in Brovary helicopter crash case have not yet been completed, the versions remain the same, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is fulfilling the instructions of the SBU and the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) as part of the investigation, the acting head of the Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko said.

"Our investigators and operational officers are part of the group [on the investigation of the helicopter crash] and, of course, we provided all the information that we have to the investigation." Klymenko told Interfax-Ukraine on Wednesday.

He said employees of the Interior Ministry, together with the SBU operatives and investigators, worked in the first days after the tragedy to inspect the crash site. "We examined and verified a huge amount of information. This also applied to video cameras and citizens who in one way or another testified about the crash... We hope and are interested in the fact that the investigation ends as soon as possible and we find out the causes of this helicopter crash," the acting minister said.

Commenting on the investigative actions of former head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov regarding the helicopters of the State Emergency Service, Klymenko said: "there are relevant criminal proceedings and law enforcement agencies are doing their job."

Answering the question about whether checks are being carried out on the Interior Ministry employees due to the version of a possible sabotage, he said: "We carry out the orders that we receive from the SBI and the SBU."

"We are still waiting for the examination. The examination, I think, will give the investigation answers to the questions that are before us," Klymenko said.

He said the SBI and the SBU are investigating the criminal proceedings on the fact of the helicopter crash, the procedural management is carried out by the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO).

"Examinations are still underway, so it's premature to talk about any version. All versions that have been announced remain working," the acting interior minister said.
Avakov about search on Brovary helicopter crash case: Nothing of interest for investigation was found

Former Interior Minister of Ukraine Arsen Avakov confirmed the fact that he had been searched within the framework of investigation proceedings on one of the working versions of the causes for a crash of the Ukrainian State Emergency Service's helicopter in Brovary, Kyiv region, on January 18.

"The investigation took interest in the contracts on the purchase of Super Puma (Airbus Helicopters H225) helicopters by the Interior Ministry. The investigators behaved properly although the reasonability for such an investigative action looks a bit stupid six years after the conclusion of the contract. Naturally, nothing of interest to the investigation was found," he said on the Telegram channel on Wednesday.

The ex-minister recalled that the contract between Ukraine and France on the supply of Airbus helicopters to the Interior Ministry of Ukraine was concluded within the framework of an intergovernmental agreement ratified by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in 2018. In addition, the contract was audited by the French government and treasury.

"These helicopters have saved and will save thousands of lives. And I am proud of being a part of this project," Avakov said.

As reported, employees of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) conducted searches at the home of former Interior Minister of Ukraine Arsen Avakov on Wednesday.

On January 18, 2023, in the morning, a State Emergency Service helicopter with the leadership of the Interior Ministry on board crashed in Brovary, near a kindergarten. In particular, Interior Minister of Ukraine Denys Monastyrsky, his First Deputy Yevhen Enin, State Secretary of the Interior Ministry Yuriy Lubkovych were killed in the crash.

In total, 14 people died, including one child, and 25 people were injured, including eleven children.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky believes that the Georgian authorities intend to kill former Georgian President and current citizen of Ukraine Mikheil Saakashvili.

As Zelensky told reporters at a press conference with Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen in Kyiv, right before their meeting, he was given photos of Mikheil Saakashvili's current condition.

"He was once the President of Georgia. Mikheil Saakashvili. They [photos] were handed over by David Arakhamia. I would like you to see what he looks like," the President of Ukraine said, publicly presenting the photo.

"I think that today the Georgian government is killing him. You know that they poisoned him and now, excuse me, they are killing him little by little," he stressed.

In this regard, Zelensky asked: "Georgia, its leadership, who are they for today?" "Are they neutral or are they for Russia? Since Russia treats its politicians in the same way as today the Georgian leadership treats not its politicians anymore, but the citizens of Ukraine. And so once again: are they neutral? Or are they for Russia? Or are they just against Ukraine, etc.?" the president said.

At the same time, he noted that Ukraine has great respect for the issue of the neutrality of a particular state, however, it does not understand Georgia's similar attitude towards Saakashvili.

"I would like the press to see what is happening: public torture of a citizen of Ukraine. I am not discussing the issue of why the former President of Georgia was arrested, what consequences Georgia's politics and democracy have. This is their internal issue. I'm talking about the arrest of a citizen of Ukraine, Mikheil Saakashvili, who is publicly tortured daily. And I think their goal is to kill him," Zelensky said.
The Austrian Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology will transfer EUR 5 million to Ukraine for the restoration of transformer substations, Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen said.

He said at a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv that their ministry would donate EUR 5 million for the restoration of transformer substations in Ukraine.
Zelensky invites Austria to become more actively involved in humanitarian demining in Ukraine

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has invited specialists from Austria to actively participate in humanitarian demining in Ukraine.

"Mine clearance is a global issue that is part of a point in the Peace Formula. There are many different challenges and they need to be overcome. And, of course, we see Austria as one of those states that can join the list of countries that will deal with humanitarian issues in the Peace Formula," he said.

In addition, according to him, Ukraine now needs support for the work of the State Emergency Service, which has a significant short

During the talks, Zelensky informed Alexander Van der Bellen about the situation at the front, about Russia's intentions to strengthen terror about the age of special well as about the urgent needs to resist Russian aggression.

In particular, about the protection systems against attack drones used by the Russian army, about electronic warfare systems and other non-lethal means with which Austria could significantly help.

According to the press service of the President of Ukraine, Zelensky thanked

Austria for humanitarian cooperation and assistance in the amount of almost EUR 200 million, and he noted the significant social support of Ukrainian internally displaced persons, assistance in the treatment and rehabilitation of Ukrainian children. Separately, he thanked Austria for the Neighbor in Difficulty assistance program.
The Defense Ministry of Ukraine has announced internal inspections after its former officials had been notified of suspicion.

"The Defense Ministry demonstrates openness and transparency in its activities and in every possible way assists law enforcement agencies in carrying out procedural measures... The system of the Defense Ministry has zero tolerance for corruption, and any information about its possible signs is carefully checked," the ministry said on its website on Wednesday.

If such facts are confirmed, the authorized agencies give a legal assessment, and the Defense Minister makes the necessary personnel reshuffles.

"The Acting Director of the Department for Public Procurement and Supply of Material Resources of the Defense Ministry was suspended from duty in December 2022 and dismissed in January 2023. Also on January 24, 2023, the Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine was dismissed by the relevant order of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine," it said.

As reported, the former Deputy Defense Minister as well as incumbent and former officials of the Defense Ministry were notified of suspicion on Wednesday.
Egypt and Turkey have agreed on a timeframe for upgrading diplomatic relations, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on Thursday during a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Ankara.
The suspect was relatively easy to find.
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on Tuesday warned Syrian opposition groups against "provocations" amid ongoing protests over normalization talks between Ankara and Damascus.

Akar pledged his country will not take any actions against the Syrian rebels, and urged them to remain calm and "act with this awareness," according to the semi-official Anadolu news agency.

The Turkish minister told reporters after a cabinet that the reconciliation efforts between the two neighboring countries were "in good faith" and aimed to improve bilateral times and promote regional peace.

"We hope that (the talks) develop through mutual negotiations and turn into a situation that will contribute to peace and stability for the region," Akar said.

Turkiye works to find a solution to the migration problem, he said, stressing the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland will be voluntarily in line with the decisions of the United Nations.

Syrian, Turkish, and Russian defense ministers, along with intelligence chiefs, met in Moscow on Dec. 28, 2022, marking the first high-level contact between Ankara and Damascus since the start of the Syrian conflict.

Last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he might meet his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad to foster peace and stability in the region.

The two leaders have not met since the outbreak of a civil war in Syria in 2011, as Turkiye has backed Syrian rebels politically and militarily during the 11-year crisis. Turkiye also hosts nearly 3.7 million refugees from Syria.

Syrian rebels fighting to topple al-Assad have been protesting the normalization talks between Ankara and Damascus.

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By Azernews

Fatima Hasanova

In a special police operation, 39 people involved in subversive activities under the guise of religion in Azerbaijan were identified and detained, Azernews reports per the Interior Ministry.

For the purpose of undermining the tolerance shaped in Azerbaijan, these people, posing as believers, spread propaganda in support of Iran on social media, took advantage of the country's religious freedom, and carried out assignments of the Iranian intelligence agencies.

With the aim of discriminating on a religious basis and inciting interreligious hatred, they used Iran's attributes as well as black flags with various inscriptions in Persian in social networks and at religious ceremonies in which citizens of Azerbaijan participate. They also spread confusion in society by gathering information and giving it to special services from whom they get assignments.

One of the detainees is the head of SalamNews Information Agency and InterAz television, Matlab Bagirov, alias Haji Matlab, who was also detained as a result of the special operations conducted by the Interior Ministry.

In total, 39 people were taken into custody during the police operations against the Iranian spy network. The SalamNews information agency and Interaz TV channel are among the locations, where the operations were conducted.
Chief of the General Intelligence Service (GIS) Abbas Kamel and his Jordanian counterpart Ahmed Hosni conveyed a message of support for the Palestinian cause in a meeting with President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on Tuesday.

The intelligence directors delivered a message of support and solidarity from Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Jordans King Abdullah II for Abbas, Palestine, and its people to achieve security and stability in all Palestinian regions.

The messages also voiced concern for security and stability in the region.

Abbas stressed the need for continuous coordination with the Egyptian and Jordanian sides in this regard, hailing the two countries efforts to stand by the Palestinian people and their just cause, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

The directors visit to Ramallah comes two weeks after the leaders of the three countries met in Cairo and called for a halt of Israel's illegitimate, unilateral actions that undermine the two-state solution and the chances for fair and comprehensive peace.

The visit also comes amid heightened Israeli-Palestinian tensions since the new far-right government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to power in late December.

On Friday, Israeli jets launched strikes against Gaza, escalating tensions and fears a few months after Israel launched one of its deadliest raids in years in the occupied West Bank in August.

Israels assault on Gaza comes amid violence it has perpetrated in the West Bank over the past days, killing many Palestinians, including a deadly raid on Jenin refugee camp on Thursday.

Israeli forces killed nine Palestinians and injured scores during the raid on Jenin camp. In response, a Palestinian gunman opened fire outside an East Jerusalem synagogue on Friday night, killing at least seven and wounding several people in one of the deadliest attacks on Israelis in years.

Palestinian officials called the Israeli raid on the camp a massacre and the Palestinian Authority announced suspending security coordination with Israeli in response.

Egypt has called for the Israeli and Palestinian sides to exercise maximum self-restraint after the Jerusalem shooting.

Egypt warned against slipping into a vicious cycle of violence that worsens the political and humanitarian situation and undermines efforts to achieve calm and all chances of reviving the peace process in a foreign ministry statement.

The Egyptian president stressed the need for both sides to refrain from unilateral measures as he received on Monday US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in the first leg of his Middle East tour that included Israel and Ramallah.

El-Sisi underlined to Blinken Egypt's constant stance on the need to reach a comprehensive and fair solution that guarantees the rights of the Palestinian people according to international standards in a manner that solves the conflict to allow peace, stability, cooperation, and growth.

Over the past years, Egypt has worked on maintaining calm between the Palestinian and Israeli sides. Israeli assaults on Gaza in 2021 and again on the West Bank in 2022 killed hundreds of Palestinians, with Egypt helping the two sides reach a ceasefire in both conflicts.

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Egypt will move three super-sized distillation towers to the Western Desert gas complex to boost its daily gas production capacity, by adding a fourth production line with a capacity of 600 million cubic feet per day, the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) said in a statement on Wednesday.

The move will boost the daily production capacity at the complex to 1.5 billion cubic feet.

The distillation towers will be moved by sea from El-Adabiya Port in the upper part of the Gulf of Suez on the Red Sea to El-Dekheila Port in the Mediterranean and then to the Western Desert, the statement said.

The three distillation towers belong to the state-owned Egyptian Natural Gas Company and were manufactured in Egypt by Petrojet, the state-owned construction arm of the countrys petroleum sector.

The towers include a 60.9 metre-long, 480-ton tower; a 51.3 metre-long, 340-ton tower, and a smaller tower of a total length of 17.35 metres and weight of 210 tons, the statement added.

The equipment was moved to El-Adabiya port given its ability to handle large-sized equipment and its specialisation in the transport of equipment related to petroleum industries, the statement explained.

Egypt, which is self-sufficient in natural gas thanks to major gas discoveries over the past few years, is also a major gas exporter and has been working to increase its gas exports to obtain foreign currency.

This comes in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war, which has put pressure on the local currency.

Egypt's gas export revenues have increased eight-fold since 2014, as the country aims to become a major gas supplier to the European continent, especially since the outbreak of the war.

Egypts petroleum exports hit a record high in 2022 at $18.2 billion, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek El-Molla said in January.

Egypts exports of natural gas also hiked by 171 percent in 2022 to $8.4 billion, up from $3.5 billion in 2021, according to data by the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources in late December.

Last year, Egypt exported eight million tons of natural gas, up from seven million tons the year before, the ministry added.

In December, Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi gave his directives to intensify exploration of new oil and natural gas areas to optimise the use of resources and maximise the added reserves of natural gas to meet the needs of the local market and exports.

Egypt seeks to raise its monthly revenues from natural gas to $1 billion in 2023, instead of $600 million, Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait said during the Euromoney Egypt Conference 2022 held in December.

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France's envoy on international support to Lebanon Pierre Duquesne, who is currently visiting Egypt, applauded on Wednesday Egypts efforts to establish a regional power grid.

The French diplomat is visiting Egypt to acquire firsthand information about talks pertaining to the previously signed agreement with Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon to export Egyptian natural gas to Lebanon via Syria, through the Arab Gas Pipeline, in a bid to help Lebanon in its longtime crippling electricity problem amid the country's worst-ever financial crisis.

France wishes to act with international partners in the region, most importantly Egypt, to achieve Lebanons best interests, Duquesne said in an interview with MENA.

In a separate interview with Reuters earlier on Tuesday, Duquesne revealed that Lebanon was still awaiting the World Banks approval to release a $ 300 million loan to finance the first 18 months of gas exports.

Since the end of its fifteen-year-long civil war in 1990, Lebanon has been suffering from a shortage of electricity that has only been expedited by its economic meltdown in 2020.

Egypt currently aims to become a major gas supplier to Europe in the wake of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict as well as a regional energy hub in light of the 13-fold increase in its gas export revenues since 2014, especially since the outbreak of the war.

Egypt had made large strides in the natural gas field since the discovery of the Zohr Gas Field in 2015, which allowed the country to achieve self-sufficiency in 2018.

The Lebanon project currently awaits execution since Egypts government seeks to guarantee that the U.S sanctions, banning exports to Syria and blocking investment there, will be waived to start exporting gas to Lebanon through Syria, Duquesne told Reuters, stressing that there are no technical or pricing issues.

The US began to enforce further economic sanctions against the Syrian regime and several of its leading figures through the so-called Caesar Act signed by US President Donald Trump in December 2019. The US has vowed to freeze the assets of anyone dealing with Syria, irrespective of nationality, making the Caesar Act unique in its impact on third parties punished for dealing with an individual state.

Egypt, which has achieved self-sufficiency in electricity since 2015 with a surplus of 25 percent, has recently announced an energy rationalisation plan to save 15 percent of the natural gas used for electricity generation for the purpose of export to bring in more foreign currency amid the spike in the price of oil and basic goods.

Duquesne's visit to Cairo precedes subsequent visits to Jordan, Lebanon, and the US.

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Samih Sawiris will play the piano accompanied by the Cairo Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ahmed El-Saedy in a grand charity concert in El Gouna on 4 February.

The concert will be the first appearance of the Egyptian business mogul. Founder of the exclusive Red Sea resort El Gouna, Sawiris is the executive chairman and CEO of Orascom Development Holding.

I am looking forward to this concert very much, El -Saedy told Ahram Online, underlining the soloist's great determination to perform with the orchestra.

Sawiris has been practising for the past six years, working very hard to meet the challenge, he added.

The Egyptian businessman was not playing the piano and over the past years he studied with a number of piano teachers, he noted.

The concerto is a combination of Maurice Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major which second movement is embedded in between the first and third movements composed especially for the occasion.

The 65-musician strong orchestra, all from the Cairo Symphony Orchestra, will perform at El Gouna stage. The evening will also include the Adagietto from Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 5 and Brahms' Symphony No. 2.

El-Saedy and Sawiris have a long history of cooperation, one that resulted in numerous concerts at the Red Sea resort, including those taking place during the El Gouna Film Festival, an event founded by Sawiris' brother, a businessman in his own right, Naguib Sawiris. The festival ran between 2017 and 2021.

"Samih Sawiris has a strong interest in music and culture at large. He supports numerous cultural projects," El-Saedy said, adding that the businessman's approach to culture reminds him of the classical music patrons who, over the many centuries of the Western classical music, financed orchestras and commissioned composers to create works that stood the test of time.

Some of those patrons also tried to play music or compose by themselves, as was the case with king Frederick II (1712-1786) of Prussia who played the flute in a self-founded chamber orchestra. He also composed many pieces, including four flute concertos, 121 flute sonatas (11 of which are lost), three symphonies, and three marches.

Much earlier, in England, kings Henry V (1386-1422) and Henry VIII (1491-1547), alongside Pope Lio X (1475-1521) were also known to compose small pieces and create some arrangements, many for the use of the Church.

Numerous other wealthy men (mostly representing nobility and clergy) considered music and arts in general to be an important part of cultural and human development, practising them abundantly and supporting the artists. Many of them played the piano, an instrument that was considered part of life in any noble household.

The proceeds from the Sawiris concert will be donated to the Sawiris Foundation's Schools for Egypt project. The fully sold out-concert tickets are priced at EGP 450 ($15).

El-Saedy is among the leading conductors in Egypt's classical music scene. He served as the Cairo Symphony Orchestra's principal conductor between 1991 and 2003, during which time he undeniably raised the artistic level of the orchestra. By the end of his term, the orchestras repertoire had included the most demanding classical compositions, which were performed in Egypt and internationally renowned concert halls.

The maestro returned as the orchestra's principal conductor and music director in 2014, a post which he holds until present.

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Egypt will announce next week a detailed plan to offer stakes of at least 20 [state] companies and likely more than that over the course of 2023, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said in a press conference after a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

The full plan for state stake sales will be announced following the next Cabinet meeting, Madbouly said. The Cabinet usually holds its weekly meetings on Wednesdays.

The 20 or more state companies, whose names will be announced soon, will be offered for the first time, he said, noting that the companies will be listed on the Egyptian Exchange (EGX) and also for strategic investors.

The companies will be offered on bourse to expand the participation of citizens in the ownership of these public institutions, he said.

Furthermore, Madbouly stated that offering the companies to strategic investors aims to restructure these companies, ensure expansion in new production lines  therefore increasing the capital of the existing companies  and add new job opportunities.

He said that the percentage of the companies shares planned to be offered will be specific and should be determined based on the nature of the companys business and activities.

The premier stressed that floating the companies is one of the strategic goals under the recently-announced State Ownership Policy Document.

The document, approved by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in December, charts a roadmap to determine the state's presence in economic activities and enhance the private sector's participation in public investments.

The ownership document states that Egypt seeks to raise the role of the private sector in the countrys economic activities from 30 percent at present to 65 percent within three years.

Boosting the role of the private sector in growth in parallel with reducing the size of the states footprint in the economy was one of the country's commitments and targets under the $3 billion 46-month loan approved by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Egypt offered the first state-owned company, tobacco monopoly Eastern Company, on the EGX under the IPO (Initial Public Offering) programme in March 2019.

The national plan to float state companies dates back to 2018, when Egypt announced the names of 23 state companies whose stakes will be offered, including Banque Du Caire and Middle East Oil Refining (MIDOR). However, the plan had been delayed due to the consequent global crises.

Meanwhile, the plan has regained urgency amid the economic impact of the Russia-Ukraine crisis, which has placed pressure on the Egyptian economy and local currency.

During the press conference, Madbouly announced granting nine golden licences to investors for establishing priority projects for the state. He also approved another four licences.

The golden licence, announced by El-Sisi in October, grants investors approval to buy/rent lands and operate and manage projects without the need to gain approval from multiple government bodies.

The Egyptian state is very keen to support the private sector at such a critical time, the premier stated.

He added that the Cabinet is coordinating on a daily basis with the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) to ensure the release of all goods from ports, noting that the situation at the ports has become stable and that the release of goods at ports is currently proceeding at a normal pace.

Late in January, the premier announced that the crisis of accumulated goods at ports has come to an end as the country had been working since December to release $9.5 billion worth of goods amid a shortage in foreign currency.

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The Discreet Charm of the Pillars of Society, which runs at Dramaten theatre, concluded its January runs (26-31). The play will also be performed on 1, 10, 18,19, 24, 25 and 28 February and on several nights in March.

With this play, El-Attar has become the first Arab writer and director to be commissioned by Dramaten  Sweden's national stage for "spoken drama," and one of its most iconic cultural institutions. The historical theatre was founded in 1788; it includes five stages which allow it to host a thousand shows every year.



Co-written by Swedish playwright and dramaturg Felicia Ohly, The Discreet Charm of the Pillars of Society is an exploration of love, politics, class and their intersection, exposed through two families' unraveling.

"The story begins when a Syrian woman meets a Swedish man. The two fall in love, and their well-to-do families meet for the first time at the couples wedding. The families are divided by race, gender, and religion, but a common passion unites them: the pursuit of wealth," reads the play's description.

Embedded in a fast-pace storytelling, the play captures the complexity and nuance of human relationships, but it also involves COVID, vaccine trafficking, and a lot of other exciting and intriguing events, says its director.



"In its depiction of the ultra-wealthy, El-Attars work breaks away from stereotypical representations of Syrians as refugees and instead reveals how global class relations can transcend race and other barriers, in pursuit of a mutual appetite for dominance," the production company Orient Productions' press release explains.



Its the people with power and money who are making the world run, El-Attar clarifies. He believes that the wealthy and powerful are the ones distracting people from the main issues."

The performance is performed in Arabic, Swedish and English and is also subtitled in these languages.





Director Ahmed El-Attar is an independent Egyptian theatre director, translator, playwright and cultural manager. He is the founder and general manager of Studio Emad Eddin, which is a unique project that offers rehearsals and training spaces to independent artists in the field of performing arts in Egypt.

He is also the founder and artistic director of Orient Productions, the Temple Independent Theatre Company, and the founder of D- CAF (Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival). The activities of D-CAF's eight edition started on 29 March and are ongoing until 21 April.

El-Attar was born in 1969 and studied at the French Catholic School Les Freres. He then went on to study theatre at the AUC. He obtained an MA in Cultural Management from the Paris III Sorbonne Nouvelle University in 2001.

In 2009, El-Attar was selected as a Chevening scholar as well as a Clore Leadership programme alumnus in the UK. He also participated in the National Strategies Programme in 2014-2015 in the United States.

In 2019, he was named Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by France.

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The leaders of Somalia and neighbouring countries vowed at a summit on Wednesday to "make the final push" against Al-Shabaab as a wide-ranging offensive against the militants gathers pace.

Kenya's William Ruto, Djibouti's Ismail Omar Guelleh and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed attended the summit hosted by Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in the capital Mogadishu.

They discussed a coordinated military offensive against the Al-Qaeda linked group, which has been waging an insurgency in the troubled Horn of Africa nation for more than 15 years.

"The summit agrees to make the final push for joint operations in the areas that remain under the terrorists to completely liberate the whole of Somalia from Al-Shabaab," the leaders said in a statement released after the meeting.

In recent months, the Somali army and local clan militias have retaken chunks of territory from the militants in an operation backed by US air strikes and an African Union force known as ATMIS.

But Al-Shabaab still control parts of the countryside from where they have carried out numerous retaliatory attacks both in Somalia and in neighbouring countries.

The leaders pledged to pursue and destroy the jihadists in their strongholds across south and central Somalia in a "robust operational campaign" involving the four countries and "through military, finance and ideology".

"The time-sensitive campaign will prevent any future infiltrating elements into the wider region."

The meeting comes a day after defence ministers and security chiefs of the four countries met in Mogadishu to prepare for the summit.

Security was beefed up in the city on Wednesday with movement restrictions, military patrols and all commercial flights suspended.

'All-Out War'

After taking office in May last year, Mohamud declared an "all-out war" on the jihadists, rallying Somalis to help flush out members of the jihadist group he described as "bedbugs".

But the jihadists who were forced out of the capital by African Union troops in 2011 have frequently retaliated against the latest offensive with bloody strikes.

Although forced out of Mogadishu and other main urban centres, Al-Shabaab remains entrenched in the countryside and have continued to demonstrate their ability to strike back with lethal force against civilian and military targets.

In the deadliest Al-Shabaab attack since the offensive was launched last year, 121 people were killed in two car bomb explosions at the education ministry in Mogadishu in October.

Last week, at least six people were killed in a four-hour Al-Shabaab siege at the mayor's office in central Mogadishu, days after seven soldiers were killed at a military camp in a town retaken by the army.

The group has also been active recently across the border in eastern Kenya, which is a contributor to ATMIS.

The 20,000-strong African Union force, formerly known as AMISOM, has a more offensive remit than its predecessor.

The force is drawn from Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya, with troops deployed in southern and central Somalia.

Its goal is to gradually reduce troop numbers to zero by the end of 2024 with security to be assumed by Somalia's army and police.

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Militants fired a rocket into Israel's south on Wednesday, the occupation army said, setting off sirens and raising already heightened tensions under the country's new ultranationalist government.





The rocket from the Gaza Strip was intercepted, according to the military. Israel usually responds to rocket fire with airstrikes, raising the possibility of further escalation.

Israel's rescue service said it received no reports of injuries except for a 50-year-old woman who slipped and fell while running to a shelter.

The action in Israel's skies Wednesday comes after Gaza's ruling Hamas group has threatened Israel over the combative stance of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has promised harsh treatment of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons.

From the occupied West Bank to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, many Palestinians revere prisoners as heroes for the Palestinian cause.

Ben-Gvir said the new rocket fire from Gaza won't stop him from implementing his punitive policies against Palestinian detainees. He called for an urgent Security Cabinet meeting to discuss a response.

Israeli violence against the Palestinians has spiked in recent days as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited with a call for calm.

An Israeli military raid on a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin last week killed 10. The next day, a Palestinian shooting attack in an east Jerusalem Jewish settlement killed seven people.

A separate east Jerusalem shooting over the weekend by a 13-year-old Palestinian wounded two Israelis.

Following the unrest, Tel Aviv approved a series of punitive steps against the Palestinians and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday vowed to strengthen Jewish settlements in the occupied part of the West Bank, under full Israeli control.

Hamas issued a statement Tuesday condemning alleged assaults by prison guards against Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, specifically female detainees.

The Israeli Prison Service said the problems started last Friday when it placed dozens of Palestinian prisoners in solitary confinement after they celebrated the Palestinian attack in east Jerusalem.

In an unrelated move, the prison service removed televisions from three cells in Israel's Ofer Prison near the city of Ramallah.

Amani Srahneh from the Palestinian Prisoners Club, a group representing former and current prisoners, said the "escalatory measures and this new Israeli government's policy of inciting against prisoners'' was creating "a very tense situation.''

* This story has been edited by Ahram Online

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Muhammed Bazza has been queueing for petrol under the blazing sun for four hours, while Alexander Okwori has spent the last two waiting at a cash dispenser.

And these days Awolowo, a main commercial artery of Lagos, Nigeria's megacity of 20 million people, is constantly blocked by traffic jams worsened by the waits for fuel, spelling further misery for residents.

From north to south, the country of about 215 million people is facing an even higher combination of problems than usual: petrol shortages and chaos at banks over a new currency swap, in addition to the chronic lack of water and electricity.

It's a volatile mix as Nigeria gears up for presidential and general elections next month, with President Muhammadu Buhari stepping down after the two terms allowed by the constitution.

Bazza said he had woken up at 4:30 am to try to avoid the petrol queues, but it didn't work -- Shortly after 10 am, and just 10 metres (30 feet) from the petrol pump, he was told to leave.

"It's over! No more fuel," the station attendant said.

"My day is wasted," Bazza told AFP. "Every day is the same problem, it's ridiculous."

While Nigeria is one of Africa's largest crude oil producers, it has almost no refining capacity and must import fuel from Europe and elsewhere.

"We are tired," Bazza said before driving off. "Everywhere people are fighting."

No cash

On the other side of the road, fifty or so people are huddled outside a bank, with more people continuously joining the crowd.

Like everyone else, Alexander Okwori is trying to get his hands on new bank notes unveiled last October to replace the old naira, with a January 31 deadline to make the swap.

But days before the deadline, only a few banks were distributing the new notes, leaving many Nigerians, who are overwhelmingly poor and without bank accounts, without access to cash.

Under pressure, the government agreed to push the deadline back to February 10, but on Tuesday many banks were still unable to distribute the new notes.

"No ATM are giving money. I went to 10 banks, there are no new notes," said Okwori, who wonders how he will manage to buy food for the day.

His anger has reached the point where he has no intention of casting a vote on February 25.

"To get my PVC (voting card), I have to queue again. For what? They (politicians) are all the same," the 21-year-old said.

The two main candidates vying to replace Buhari are Bola Tinubu of the president's governing party, and Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition group.

The two are old political hands, wealthy but also dogged by corruption suspicions in the minds of many voters.

'Getting worse'

Outside another petrol station on Awolowo, a queue has completely blocked the traffic, leaving Vanessa Ifejitah stuck in her car for three hours with her children on their way to school.

Wearing an elegant orange dress, the mother of two steps out of her car and starts shouting at military officers standing nearby.

"You are the cause of our problems!" she shouts, pointing at their vehicle parked in the middle of the queue, making things even worse for those trying to drive through -- so Ifejitah starts directing the traffic herself to sort out the mess.

"The queue is getting worse every day... I don't know what is happening in Nigeria," she says, getting back into her car, on the verge of tears. "My children are two hours late for school."

Less than a month before voting day, frustrations are growing across the country.

On Monday, protests broke out over the fuel shortages in Benin City in the south, according to local media.

Irate crowds also protested a recent visit by Buhari to Kano, the biggest city in the north, with many setting bonfires and hurling stones at police in a city traditionally one of the president's strongholds.

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Chad will open an embassy in Tel Aviv, four years after the countries restored diplomatic relations, Israel's Prime Minister's Office said Wednesday.

Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the embassy would be inaugurated on Thursday as part of Chadian President Mahamat Deby's state visit to Israel.

Netanyahu visited the central African state in January 2019 as part of Israel's push to establish diplomatic ties with Muslim states.

The following year Israel signed normalization agreements with Morocco, Bahrain, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates as part of the US-brokered "Abraham Accords.''

"These are relations we want to upgrade to new levels, to new heights, and your visit here to Israel and opening an embassy are an expression of that,'' Netanyahu said during a meeting with Deby.

Deby was declared head of state in 2021 after the military announced that his father had been killed by rebels after more than three decades in power.

He was greeted on the tarmac by Mossad intelligence agency chief David Barnea, the Prime Minister's Office said.

Deby's father and predecessor in office, Idriss Deby, visited Jerusalem in 2018. Chad had relations with Israel until 1972, when it terminated diplomatic ties under pressure from other Arab countries.

The desert country is one of the world's least developed states, according to the World Bank's Human Development Index, and its government has been accused of widespread human rights abuses and rigged elections.

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South Africa: Three arrested for possession of ARV medicine valued at R85 000

This story has been published on: 2023-02-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.

A 43-year-old police sergeant was amongst six suspects who were arrested on Monday for possession of a suspected stolen vehicle and two hijacked truck trailers in Clewer, Emalahleni. The South African Police Service (SAPS said Middleburg Flying Squad members received information about the truck, which was hijacked in Elsburg, Gauteng, i... See more
By Azernews

Sabina Mammadli

Iran has objected to the draft communiques and statements submitted by Azerbaijan to the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and to the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) immediately after the embassy attack, Azernews reports per the Foreign Ministry.

According to the ministry, following the terrorist attack on the embassy in Tehran on January 27, Azerbaijan has submitted to relevant international organizations and platforms documents for condemnation of the brutality as well as for the identification, and prompt punishment of the organizers and perpetrators of the act.

Notably, around 100 countries and the secretariats of a number of international organizations have condemned the terror act since January 27, emphasizing the need for punishment of the perpetrators.

The ministry noted that Iran has tried to prevent the terror attack from being widely exposed at the international level in the international organizations of which it is a member and in which decisions are based on consensus.

In addition, Iran has appealed to numerous countries for support of its position in the aforementioned organizations, but support for Iran's position was given only by Syria and India among the 120 countries in the Non-Aligned Movement.

The ministry stated that the three countries mainly relied on a claim that terror attacks in individual countries were not condemned by the Non-Aligned Movement before and bilateral issues between these countries were not brought to international platforms such as NAM. However, the ministry recalled that NAM has, in many cases, adopted a number of documents condemning the terror attacks that occurred in its member states and emphasizing the protection of diplomatic missions.

Further, the ministry expressed its condemnation of this provocative step of Iran, urging it to comply with its international obligations.

It was noted that Azerbaijan will use all relevant international platforms to widely condemn the terror act against its embassy and have perpetrators of the act punished.
Ukraine on Wednesday expanded a clampdown on corruption with coordinated searches of residences linked to a high-profile oligarch and former interior minister, and tax offices in the capital, a senior official said.

The head of President Volodymyr Zelensky's party, David Arakhamia, said that a house belonging to politically connected oligarch Igor Kolomoisky was searched, alongside that of former interior minister Arsen Avakov.

Tax offices were raided and customs officials were also fired, he said in a post on social media announcing the shake up.

"The country will change during the war. If someone is not ready for change, then the state itself will come and help them change," he added.

Ukraine for years has suffered endemic graft but efforts to stamp it out recently have been overshadowed by Moscow's nearly year-long full-scale war.

Last week, however, authorities fired around a dozen senior officials, including defence officials and a top aide to the president's office.

The moves on Wednesday come as President Zelensky was expected to host a summit with officials from the European Union, which has said corruption reforms are a prerequisite to deeper integration.

Ukraine has been under pressure too from key military and financial backers in European capitals and Washington to make progress on graft to continue receiving arms deliveries.

Investigators from Ukraine's security services, the SBU, released images of a search from the home of Kolomoisky, one of the country's richest men who was barred from entering the United States accusing him of corruption and of undermining democracy.

It said the search had been launched in connection with an investigation into the embezzlement of 40 billion hryvnia (about one billion euros) from two energy companies.

The SBU also said it had uncovered a scheme by the head of the Kyiv tax office over "multimillion-dollar" fraud schemes, accusing the official of abusing a position of authority.

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Russia on Wednesday criticised comments by French President Emmanuel Macron, who refused this week to rule out delivering fighter jets to Ukraine, while warning Tel Aviv against supplying arms to Kyiv.

"Forgive me but this is absurd," foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters during a press briefing.

"Is the president of France really certain that if arms, heavy weapons and aircraft are supplied to the Kyiv regime to conduct combat operations, this will not lead to an escalation of the situation?" she said.

"I refuse to believe that an adult person is guided by this kind of logic.

"Such statements only increase the already irrepressible appetite of the Zelensky regime," she said, referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Macron said Monday he would not rule out the delivery of fighter jets to Ukraine, telling Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the Netherlands that, "Nothing is excluded in principle".

But he also said that any arms would "not be escalatory" and should only be "to aid the resistance effort" rather than targeting Russia itself.

The Russian diplomat also warned Israel against supplying weapons to Ukraine after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was considering military aid for Kyiv and was willing to mediate in the conflict.

"We say that all countries that supply weapons (to Ukraine) should understand that we will consider these (weapons) to be legitimate targets for Russia's armed forces," he told reporters.

Ukraine is expecting to receive up to 140 modern tanks from its Western allies, and Zelensky is now urging the West to send fighter jets and long-range missiles.

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A cluster of rockets targeted a Turkish military base in northern Iraq on Wednesday, officials from northern Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdish region said. An Iranian-backed militia promptly claimed responsibility for the attack.

A Turkish defense ministry official said there was no damage or injury at the base but did not provide further details. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

According to a statement from the Iraqi Kurdish region's anti-terrorism department, at least eight rockets were fired at Turkey's Zilkan military base in Iraq's northern Nineveh province, with two hitting the base itself.

Turkey has been conducting military operations in northern Iraq since 2019, with both ground and air forces, to battle the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which has been waging a decadeslong insurgency against Ankara.

The PKK maintains training bases and sanctuaries in the Kurdish Iraqi region. Turkish troops have frequently launched airstrikes targeting the PKK.

Turkish military involvement in northern Iraq dates back more than two decades, and separately from its operations against the PKK, included also the war against the Islamic State group, which controlled much of the area, in 2014 and 2015, when Ankara was an ally in the U.S.-led anti-IS campaign.

Turkey has also set up several bases in the area _ much to the displeasure of Baghdad officials and some in the regional Iraqi Kurdish government, which has not officially condemned the Turkish troop presence. The facilities have occasionally been targeted in rocket attacks.

The Iraqi government has frequently condemned Turkey's military presence, often describing it as illegal.

Shortly after Wednesday's attack, the Islamic Resistance Ahrar al-Iraq Brigade _ which is part of Iraq's pro-government, Iran-backed umbrella group of Shiite militias called the Popular Mobilization Forces _ said it was behind the rocket fire.

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A powerful Tunisian trade union Wednesday condemned the arrest of one of its top officials, saying it was linked to President Kais Saied warning workers against striking for "political ends".

The arrest of Anis Kaabi, the UGTT's top official for highway workers, was "a blow to union work and a violation of union rights as well as international treaties", it said in a statement.

Saied has been accused of using the judiciary to silence his political opponents since he launched a dramatic power grab in July 2021.

The North African country is grappling with a deepening economic crisis and has seen a string of strikes in recent weeks, hitting the education and public transport sectors.

Earlier this week, workers at toll barriers on Tunisian highways went on strike for better pay, meaning tolls went uncollected for two days.

In its statement, the union called for Kaabi's immediate release, recalling the constitutional right to strike and saying his arrest had traumatized his family.

Kaabi's arrest came hours after Saied threatened "those who block roads", saying they "cannot remain unaccountable".

In a speech at a National Guard base in the capital Tunis, Saied said that "union rights are guaranteed under the constitution, but constitutional rights cannot be exploited for political ends".

The UGTT insisted that the strike was legal, and said Kaabi was facing prosecution for causing financial losses to the publicly-owned company managing the barriers, and thus to the treasury.

The UGTT, which jointly won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2015 for its role in the country's democratic transition, has around a million members working in every sector of the Tunisian economy.

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Pakistan's Peshawar was once known as ``the city of flowers,'' surrounded by orchards of pear, quince and pomegranate trees. It was a trading city, situated at the gates of a key mountain valley connecting South and Central Asia.

But for the past four decades, it has borne the brunt of rising militancy in the region, fueled by the conflicts in neighboring Afghanistan and the geopolitical games of great powers.

On Tuesday, the city with a population of about 2 million was reeling after one of Pakistan's most devastating militant attacks in years. A day earlier, a suicide bomber unleashed a blast in a mosque inside the city's main police compound, killing at least 100 people and wounding at least 225, mostly police.

Analysts say the carnage is the legacy of decades of flawed policies by Pakistan and the United States.

``What you sow, so shall you reap,'' said Abdullah Khan, a senior security analyst.

Peshawar was a peaceful place, he said, until the early 1980s when Pakistan's then-dictator Ziaul Haq decided to become part of Washington's cold war with Moscow, joining the fight against the 1979 Soviet invasion of neighboring Afghanistan.

Peshawar _ less than 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Afghan border _ became the center where the American CIA and Pakistani military helped train, arm and fund the Afghan mujahedeen fighting the Soviets. The city was flooded by weapons and fighters, many of them hard-line Islamic militants, as well as with hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees.

Arab militants were also drawn there by the fight against the Soviets, including the scion of a wealthy Saudi family, Osama bin Laden. It was in Peshawar that bin Laden founded al-Qaida in the late 1980s, joining forces with veteran Egyptian militant Ayman al-Zawahri.

The Soviets finally withdrew in defeat from Afghanistan in 1989. But the legacy of militancy and armed resistance that the U.S. and Pakistan fueled against them remained.

``After the Russian withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1980s, Americans abandoned mujahedeen, Americans even abandoned us, and since then we are paying a price for it,'' said Mahmood Shah, a former Pakistani army brigadier and a senior security analyst.

The mujahedeen plunged Afghanistan into civil war in a bloody fight for power. Meanwhile, in Peshawar and another Pakistani city, Quetta, the Afghan Taliban began to organize, with backing from the Pakistani government. Eventually, the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in the late 1990s, ruling until they were ousted by the 2001 American-led invasion following al-Qaida's 9/11 attacks in the U.S.

During the nearly 20-year U.S. war against the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan, militant groups blossomed in the tribal regions of Pakistan along the border and around Peshawar. Like the Taliban, they found root among the ethnic Pashtuns who make up a majority in the region and in the city.

Some groups were encouraged by the Pakistani intelligence agencies. But others turned their guns against the government, angered by heavy security crackdowns and by frequent U.S. airstrikes in the border region targeting al-Qaida and other militants.

Chief among the anti-government groups was the Pakistani Taliban, or Tahreek-e Taliban-Pakistani, or TTP. In the late 2000s and early 2010s, it waged a brutal campaign of violence around the country. Peshawar was scene of one of the bloodiest TTP attacks in 2014, on an army-run public school that killed nearly 150 people, most of them schoolboys.

Peshawar's location has for centuries made it a key juncture between Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. One of the oldest cities in Asia, it stands at the entrance to the Khyber Pass, the main route between the two regions. That was a source of its prosperity in trade and put it on the path of armies going both directions, from Moghul emperors to British imperialists.

A heavy military offensive largely put down the TTP for several years and the government and the militants eventually reached an uneasy truce. Peshawar came under heavy security control, with checkpoints dotting the main roads, and a heavy presence of police and paramilitary troops.

TTP attacks, however, have grown once more since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Kabul in August 2021 amid the U.S. and NATO withdrawal from that country. The Pakistani Taliban are distinct from but allied to the Afghan group, and Pakistani officials regularly accuse the Afghan Taliban of giving the TTP free rein to operate from Afghan territory.

Ahead of Monday's suicide bombing, Peshawar had seen increasing small-scale attacks targeting police. In another spillover from Afghanistan's conflict, the regional affiliate of the Islamic State group attacked Peshawar's main Shiite mosque in March 2022, killing more than 60 people.

Shah, the former officer, warned that more TTP attacks could follow and said that Pakistan needs to engage the Afghan Taliban and pressure them to either evict the TTP or ensure it doesn't launch attacks from Afghan territory.

``If we are to have peace in Pakistan, we should talk to TTP from the position of strength with help from the Afghan Taliban,'' he said. ``This is the best and viable solution to avoid more violence.''

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The United Nations announced Wednesday that one of its rights experts will visit the Guantanamo Bay detention facility later this month, in a first such visit after two decades of requests.

Fionnuala Ni Aolain, the UN special rapporteur on protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, will undertake a visit to the United States, starting on Monday.

"Between February 6 and 14, the independent expert will visit Washington and subsequently the detention facility at the US naval station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba," the UN said in a statement.

The expert, who is appointed by the UN Human Rights Council but is unpaid and does not speak for the United Nations, will issue a statement on her findings and recommendations following the visit.

In the following three months, Ni Aolain "will also carry out a series of interviews with individuals in the United States and abroad, on a voluntary basis, including victims and families of victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and former detainees in countries of resettlement/repatriation", the statement said.

In March 2022, Ni Aolain announced she had received a "preliminary invitation" from Washington to visit Guantanamo, explaining that the parameters for the trip were still under discussion.

The secretive US military prison once housed hundreds of suspected militants captured by US forces during Washington's so-called "war on terror" following the September 11 attacks by Al-Qaeda in 2001.

In October, the Pentagon said 35 detainees now remain at the facility, with 20 eligible for transfer and nine still facing charges in a military tribunal.

US President Joe Biden is under pressure to clear out uncharged prisoners at Guantanamo and move ahead with the trials of those accused of having direct ties to Al-Qaeda.

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The United States opened an embassy in the Solomon Islands on Thursday in its latest move to counter China's push into the Pacific.

The embassy is starting small, with a charge d'affaires, a couple of State Department staff and a handful of local employees.

The US previously operated an embassy in the Solomon Islands for five years before closing it in 1993 as part of a global reduction in diplomatic posts after the end of the Cold War.

But China's bold moves in the region have the US seeking to increase its engagement in a number of ways, such as by donating COVID-19 vaccines, bringing back Peace Corps volunteers to several island nations, and investing in forestry and tourism projects.

The opening of the embassy in the Solomon Islands comes as Fiji's new leader, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, appears to be reassessing some aspects of his nation's engagement with China.

Rabuka told The Fiji Times last week he planned to end a police training and exchange agreement with China.

The US State Department notified lawmakers early last year that China's growing influence in the region made reopening the Solomon Islands embassy a priority. Since then, the Solomons has signed a security pact with China, raising fears of a military buildup in the region, and the U.S. has countered by sending several high-level delegations.

The Solomon Islands switched allegiance from the self-ruled island of Taiwan to Beijing in 2019, threatening the close ties with the US that date back to World War II.

"We are seeing this bond weaken as the People's Republic of China aggressively seeks to engage Solomon Islands' political and business elites, utilizing a familiar pattern of extravagant promises, prospective costly infrastructure loans, and potentially dangerous debt levels,'' the department said in a December notice to Congress that was obtained by The Associated Press.

A senior State Department official who insisted on anonymity to brief the media said the US had been encouraged by the Solomon Islands' commitment to continue working with traditional security partners such as Australia and the US, but remained concerned about the secrecy surrounding the security agreement with China.

He said any type of militarization in the Pacific by China would be a great concern.

The official said the US had yet to have deep conversations with the new Fijian leadership so it was too early to tell if the move on policing signaled a change in direction for Fiji on China.

The Fijian government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Egypt-based fintech company MNT-Halan announced on Wednesday that it has secured a total of $400 million in finances, including $200 million in equity funding and $140 million in debt, making the company the best-funded start-up in the country.

The $200 million came from selling of an equity stake of at least 20 percent of MNT-Halan to the UAE-based private equity company Chimera Abu Dhabi, while the remainder $60 million were secured in primary capital from international investors that include the World Banks finance arm the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

According to the companys statement, with these investments, MNT-Halans valuation will surpass $1 billion.

Founder and CEO of MNT-Halan Mounir Nakhla said that as one of the regions premier and most progressive investors, Chimera Abu Dhabi brought a unique and dedicated understanding of its business.

Having the backing of Chimera Abu Dhabi is of significant support to the execution of our strategy. The timing of the transaction is also a testament to our ability to significantly increase our revenues and open new revenue streams while growing our bottom line, despite the macro-economic situation, according to Nakhla.

Meanwhile, CEO OF Chimera Abu Dhabi Seif Fikry noted that he is thrilled to be part of Egypts greatest fintech success story, adding that MNT-Halans upward trajectory and momentum reflect the management teams realisation of its extraordinary vision to transform a high touch business by seamlessly infusing an unparalleled proprietary tech platform while increasing product depth for its target customer segment.

MNT-Halan is a fintech company that provides digital banking services, including digital payment solutions such as mobile wallets and cards.

MNT-Halan has an unparalleled buy now, pay later (BNPL) E-commerce platform for home appliances and the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector.

Egypt came first in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in terms of the funds the regions startups secured in December with a total of $45.7 million, UAE-based startups accelerator Wamda said in its monthly report released in January.

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A committee of major oil producers recommended Wednesday to maintain the cartel's current reduced output strategy, as the global economic outlook remains uncertain and the war in Ukraine drags on.

The 13 members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) led by Riyadh and their 10 allies led by Moscow agreed last October to reduce output by two million barrels per day until the end of this year.

Collectively known as OPEC+, the group said at the time the move, the biggest cut since the height of the Covid pandemic in 2020, was due to "market considerations", but the US denounced it as a concession to Moscow.

Oil prices spiked following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

In a virtual meeting on Wednesday, the group's Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) "reaffirmed their commitment" to the strategy of a production cut.

The JMMC has no decision-making power but discusses market conditions and makes recommendations, which are then formally discussed and decided at the organisation's ministerial meetings.

Analysts have been widely anticipating a continuation of the status quo.

Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at trading platform OANDA, noting the "uncertainty around the global economic outlook also likely clouding their forecasts for demand."

Investors are eyeing an increase in demand after China, the world's largest importer of crude oil, lifted its "zero Covid" policy.

American West Texas Intermediate (WTI) currently hovers around $80 a barrel and Brent North Sea crude around $85, far from their peaks of more than $130 dollars reached in March after Russia invaded Ukraine.

The next JMMC meeting is set for April 3, according to a statement from the group. The group's next ministerial meeting is scheduled for June 4.

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The Orchestra Giovanile Erasmus has given a successful concert at the Luxor Temple on 30 January and is heading for two more performances in Cairo and Alexandria

The orchestra conducted by Elio Orciolo is scheduled to perform at the Gomhoreya Theatre on 1 February and Bibliotheca Alexandrina on 2 February.

In an evening dubbed The Italian Gala, the 55-musicians strong ensemble, which comprises 42 young Italian musicians from the Erasmus and over 10 Egyptian musicians, plays works by Paganini, Artunian, Donizetti, Bizet, Puccini and Monicone.

The soloists of the evenings are 14-year-old Mariam Abouzahra (violin), alonsgide Moustafa Gamal (trumpet), Sara Semilia (soprano) and Samuele Di Leo (tenor).

The youngest soloist, Mariam Abouzahra, a granddaughter of the Egyptian renowned actor Abdel-Rahman Abouzahra, plays the demanding first movement of Paganini's concerto no.1.

The Egyptian-Hungarian violinist has a large number of successes and concerts at renowned European venues under her belt. In 2022, she won the 'Golden Note' in a classical music competition organised by the Austrian TV ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation). Soon afterwards, she garnered the silver award at the Nutcracker International Television Contest for Young Musicians.

Mariam Abouzahra started playing violin at the age of three, following the example of her elder sister Amira, also a highly successful violinist. Both sisters have been performing extensively and winning many international contests. The Abouzahra sisters are also among the few young talents who are offered support by the Young Virtuosos Foundation.

Mariam is currently studying at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna under the tutelage of violin professor Dora Schwarzberg.

The Italian orchestra includes 12 young Egyptian musicians: Radwa Sameh (concert master), Huda Abdel-Azim (1st flute), Marwa Hamed (1st trombone), Iman Sayed Ragab (cello), Nora Ammar (percussion), Diaa El-Lithi (cello leader), Mohamed Said (bassoon), Amr Atef (violin), Mohamed Sakr (violin), Moustafa El-Herazi (viola from Bibliotheca Alexandrina Youth Orchestra) and Marwan El-Korashi (double bass from the Academy of Arts).

The Cairo and Alexandria concerts follow the orchestra's successful performance at the Luxor Temple on 30 January.

The Orchestra Giovanile Erasmus is an Italian Youth Orchestra; it is an extension of the Erasmus Orchestra founded in 2017 by the Italian Erasmus Plus (Erasmus+) organisation.

The Erasmus Orchestra uses music as a metaphor for integration, meeting and skills development beyond any linguistic, geographical and cultural barriers. The Orchestra also aims to promote the many Erasmus+ training and mobility opportunities for students in the Higher Artistic and Musical Education (AFAM) sector.

The orchestra's Egypt concerts are part of the study fair titled Study in Sicily. The fair is organized by the Italian Cultural Institute and Arabesque International, a cultural organisation founded and headed by Ahmed Abouzahra.

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By Azernews

Fatima Hasanova

Azerbaijani Defense Minister Col-Gen Zakir Hasanov and his Israeli counterpart Yoav Galant have discussed the bilateral military cooperation, Azernews reports, citing the ministry.

In a telephone conversation on February 1, at the initiative of the opposite side, the officials exchanged views on issues of bilateral military cooperation. Yoav Galant noted that Azerbaijani-Israel ties are based on friendship and mutual trust, and expressed satisfaction with the current relations between the countries.

Zakir Hasanov congratulated Yoav Galant on his appointment as the defense minister of Israel and expressed optimism for the future of military cooperation between the two nations.

The parties talked about the prospects for military-technical cooperation between the two nations as well as regional security issues.

Azerbaijan and Israel have been expanding bilateral cooperation over years. Cooperation between the two countries is based not only on economic partnership but also on traditional historical and cultural roots, as well as mutual respect and trust.

During the 44-day Second Karabakh War in 2020, Israel was among the first countries to express support for Azerbaijan's just position and territorial integrity. In addition, Israeli companies are involved in the restoration and reconstruction process in Azerbaijan's liberated territories.

In 2021, the two countries' trade turnover totaled $928.4 million.
The war in Ukraine and enhancing bilateral relations topped issues discussed during Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukris meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday accused the West of fomenting the conflict in Ukraine by supplying Ukraine with weapons, stressing that Russia will not tolerate leaving Ukraine to become a threat to its security.

In a press conference held in Moscow after a meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri, Lavrov said that supplying Ukraine with weapons is not conducive to peace in the region.

Referring to a message from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Shoukri conveyed, which asked Russia to stop action in Ukraine in order for negotiations to succeed, Lavrov described it as an incomplete proposal.

However, he added that his country welcomed any serious proposal for a settlement in Ukraine. I emphasise the word serious which means it includes all aspects of the issue, Lavrov said.

Lavrov expressed his dissatisfaction with the US as well as the Wests stand as reflected in the statement by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg during his visit to South Korea on Monday.

He regarded Stoltenbergs comments that Russia would have to be defeated in Ukraine and that the West would not allow Ukraine to lose because that would mean that Europe and the whole world lose as indicating that NATO has taken on the responsibility of defeating Russia on behalf of the world and that the Kyiv regime does not enjoy any independence.

He praised the balanced Egyptian stand on the crisis in Ukraine.

Commenting on the Egyptian stand on Ukraine, Shoukri said that Egypt is in favour of reaching a political and diplomatic agreement to end the military conflict and to deal with the crisis in a way that meets the interests of all parties.

We will keep following up on the development of the issue in the framework of our bilateral as well as multilateral relationship with the involved parties, he said.

Shoukris visit to Moscow came immediately following his meeting with Blinken on Monday during his two-day visit to Cairo on the first leg of his Middle East tour. The tour took him to the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel.

Commenting on the possibility of using the local currencies of the two countries in their trade exchange, Shoukri praised the volume of trade exchange with Russia and said that we are always after the best mechanisms to make the trade exchange easier and to benefit from it to the utmost. Using the Russian ruble is one of these mechanisms.

The two chief diplomats also discussed regional issues, including resolving the crises in Libya and Syria and the recent escalation in the occupied Palestinian lands. Both diplomats called for the resumption of peace talks in a way that protects the rights of the Palestinian people.

Shoukri said any settlement on the issue should be based on the two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

They also tackled the importance of improving Russias relations with Africa in light of the African-Russian conference due in June this year in St Petersburg.

Lavrov and Shoukri met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September 2022 when they discussed the implementation of a grain deal.

In July last year, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, and the United Nations struck a deal to provide a humanitarian maritime corridor for ships with food and fertiliser exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 2 February, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Africa must be at the centre of plans to deal with global food insecurity, participants at the Dakar 2 Summit in Senegal said this week.

Amid concerns about global food security on the back of climate change and the consequences of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the worlds attention is shifting to Africa and its potential as a global food basket for the rest of the globe, concluded the participants at the Dakar 2 Summit held earlier this week in Senegal.

They called Africas agriculture sector the new oil for the continent and the rest of the world, asserting that it was time for Africa to feed itself and the rest of the globe.

Over three days from 25 to 27 January, the summit, held under the chairmanship of President of Senegal and Chair of the African Union Macky Sall and co-organised by the Senegal government and African Development Bank (AfDB), discussed the theme of Feed Africa: Food Sovereignty and Resilience.

The high-level summit, held first in 2015, aims to develop a strategic roadmap for agricultural transformation in Africa to build a solid and sustainable agricultural sector for food security, youth employment, poverty alleviation, and rural transformation across the continent.

While gains have been made in recent years in agricultural growth in several countries, the continent remains over-dependent on food imports. Africa currently imports over 100 million metric tons of food, valued at $75 billion annually.

Over 283 million Africans go to bed hungry every day. This is not acceptable. No mother should ever have to struggle with the rumbling of the stomach of a hungry child, AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina said during the event.

Adesina noted that Africa can and must feed itself, as 65 per cent of the uncultivated arable land left in the world is in Africa. What Africa does with agriculture will determine the future of food, he said.

He added that recent disruptions in global food supplies had revealed Africas vulnerabilities on food. In order to mitigate the effects of the war in Ukraine on Africas food security, the AfDB has launched a $1.5 billion Africa Emergency Food Production Facility, which has approved operations for 34 countries.

The facility is now supporting 20 million farmers in Africa to produce 38 million metric tons of food worth $12 billion.

The AfDB also announced during the summit a commitment of $10 billion over the next five years to boost Africas efforts to end hunger and become a primary food provider for itself and the rest of the world.

It called on more than 34 heads of state, 70 government ministers, the private sector, farmers, development partners, and corporate executives to work out compacts that would deliver food and agriculture transformation at scale across Africa.

We have no choice, as time is not on our side. The population of Africa will rise to two billion by 2050, and they must be fed. We must take decisive actions now to secure their food supplies. Achieving this will require more productive, efficient, competitive, dynamic, and environmentally sustainable food systems, Adesina said.

We must strongly support farmers, especially smallholder farmers, the majority of whom are women, and get more young people into agriculture. And we must take agriculture as a business, not a development activity, and boost support to the private sector. We must make agriculture and agribusiness attractive to youth.

According to the AfDB, the size of the food and agriculture market in Africa will rise to $1 trillion by 2030.

Adesina said that agriculture must become Africas new wealth and efforts must be pushed forward towards reinforcing regional trade in food and agriculture, especially with the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, as well as promoting food and agriculture trade with the rest of the world.

Speaking to Al-Ahram Weekly, Adesina said that the AfDB was in talks with the Egyptian authorities about tackling food commodity shortages and supporting the countrys efforts regarding agricultural development.

Egypt is the worlds largest wheat importer with a total of 12 to 13 million tons imported annually.

According to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the prices of wheat and sunflower oil have escalated due to Egypts reliance on Russia and Ukraine for 85 per cent of its wheat supply and 73 per cent of its sunflower oil.

Egypt has launched its pioneering Nexus of Water, Food and Energy (NWFE) programme as a model to be followed on the continental and global level and comprising nine projects for a total cost of $14.7 billion. Five projects are in the food pillar part of the programme, costing a combined total of $3.3 billion over eight years (2023-2030).

Adesina told the Weekly that the bank has doubled its finances for Egypts NWFE programme from $1.6 billion to $3.6 billion.

EGYPTIAN PARTICIPATION: Egypt participated in the summit with a delegation representing the ministries of international cooperation and agriculture in order to indicate what regional partners and international financial institutions can do to support the country amid the ongoing economic crisis.

During a side event on Food and Agriculture Delivery Compacts, Egypt showed that the total cultivated area with wheat in the country had reached 1.5 million hectares and total national production increased to 10 million metric tons (MMT) in the last growing season 2021-22.

Nevertheless, total wheat consumption had reached 20.6 MMT in 2022, and the wheat gap had reached 10.6 MMT in the same season. The yield potential of newly developed wheat varieties in Egypt exceeded 7.5 tons/hectare.

The delegation shed light on the governments plan to achieve 70 per cent of self-sufficiency in wheat by 2030, in addition to the challenges that could hinder it from reaching such a goal.

These challenges include the impacts on food security of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the implications of rapid population growth, water scarcity, the limitation of arable land, soil degradation and the disaggregation of land ownership.

Climate change also poses other major threats such as salinisation, waterlogging, water shortages, and sea-level rises.

The plan, which is set to be executed under the NWFE programme, aims to add 10.6 million tons of wheat, 10.5 million tons of maize, 5.5 million tons of rice, and 1.5 million tons of sorghum to Egypts production.

It focuses on critical areas that need financing, including projects on improving wheat productivity, automation, and the upgrading of seed-processing units, as well as the improving of the wheat value chain and increasing storage capacity.

The plan is designed to be a public-private partnership (PPP) with 28 per cent to be covered by public investments, while the private sector would contribute the lions share of the investments at 72 per cent.

The Russia-Ukraine war has caused serious food challenges worldwide, as energy, fertilisers, and food prices have risen by 40 to 300 per cent, according to AfDB estimates.

Africa, which imports 30 million metric tons of food from Russia and Ukraine, has suddenly found itself with rising food prices endangering its already fragile food security. Food insecurity in Africa has been further worsened by climate change, which costs the continent between $7 and $15 billion annually.

The recent waves of droughts in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel, locust swarms, and the rising number of displaced people or refugees from climate change and conflicts have also aggravated the situation.

The summit concluded with the publication of the Dakar Declaration on Food Sovereignty and Resilience (Dakar2), which stresses that achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 on zero hunger cannot be achieved unless it is achieved in Africa.

It said that the AfDBs planned investment of $10 billion and a further $20 billion by several other partners in support of Africas agricultural transformation as catalysed by the Country Food and Agriculture Delivery Compacts could make a major difference.

According to the declaration, the summit participants agreed on establishing presidential delivery councils to oversee the implementation of the compacts discussed during the summit, supporting the implementation of these with time-bound and clearly measurable indicators for success, including concrete national policies, incentives, and regulations to establish an enabling environment for wider and accelerated investments across the agriculture sector.

The participants also reached a consensus on mobilising internal and external financing for these compacts from a broad range of bilateral and multilateral partners and the private sector and increasing financing from national budgets to support them in line with the Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods by allocating at least 10 per cent of public expenditure to agriculture.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 2 February, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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The Somalia-based jihadist group, Harakat Al-Shabaab Al-Mujahideen (HSM), has recently begun to escalate terrorist operations in Somalia and neighbouring Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. Meanwhile the Somali army and the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS, which replaced the African Union Mission in Somalia) have stepped up counterterrorist operations in response to Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohameds declaration of all-out war against Al-Shabaab when he came to power in May 2022. US forces also resumed strikes against HSM strongholds in central and southern Somalia after Washington decided to return to the counterterrorist battlefront in Somalia last year. The mounting terrorist activity aggravates the security dilemma in the country, threatening the future of the state and casting a shadow over security and stability in the Horn of Africa.

The Global Terrorism Index 2022 ranked Somalia the country most impacted by terrorism in Africa in light of Al-Shabaabs activities. The organisations attacks and bombings ranged across a broad area in southern and central Somalia, including such towns as Jowhaar, Beledweyne, Merca and Baidoa. It has resulted in the killing of dozens of civilians and officials. Some operations appear specifically intended to sow doubt about the governments ability to protect its own institutions. On 29 July 2022, the Minister of Justice of the Southwestern Somali State Hassan Ibrahim Lugbur, was killed in a terrorist bombing in Baidoa. On 7 August 2022, HSM fighters armed with mortar rifles, attacked the presidential compound in the capital, Mogadishu. A similar attack was carried out in the capital in January this year.

Al-Shabaab have also stepped up attacks against African Union forces in Somalia, in an attempt to intimidate the African countries taking part in ATMIS. In May 2022, HSM fighters attacked the Burundi forces base in northern Mogadishu, killing ten Burundi soldiers and wounding around 30. They also attacked the Ugandan base in the Wanlaweyn district in the Lower Shabelle region in southern Somalia. Kenyan forces taking part in ATMIS have come under attack in various parts of the country.

The terrorist movement has increasingly focused on soft targets. A salient example is the attack on Hayat Hotel in Mogadishu on 21 August, killing at least 22 civilians and injuring 30. Soft targets present opportunities for more frequent and more lethal strikes as they tend to be less protected and more populated. Also, the diversification makes it harder to predict where the terrorists will strike next.

HSM attacks outside Somalia have included an incursion into Ethiopia on 20 July 2022. Some 400 Al-Shabaab fighters infiltrated the Ethiopian Somali Region in an attempt to gain a foothold in that area. Ethiopian authorities claim they defeated the attackers. The jihadist organisation has also increased attacks across the Somali border with Kenya. On 2 August 2022 they launched a mortar attack against a Kenyan army base in the Konton area near Mandera in the North East region of Kenya, wounding several Kenyan soldiers. The assault followed two similar attacks, in June and July, against Kenyan military targets in Mandera and Garissa, which is also in the North East region.

On 19 January 2023, the Somali government announced plans to expand military operations in cooperation with some pro-government tribal militias as part of drive to contain the terrorist threat in southern and central Somalia. The armys efforts will continue to be backed by US airstrikes against HSM strongholds in those areas. However, they are clearly up against a relentless adversary, determined to continue with attacks against Somali government as well as regional and international targets, sending a message to the international community that it has the ability to recover, readjust and sustain its operations until it attains its long-term objective of staging a Somali iteration of the Taliban experience in Afghanistan.

The HSMs main goal is to overthrow the government in Mogadishu in preparation for establishing rule by Sharia Law as they interpret it. Escalation has the immediate tactical aim of wreaking attrition on the Somali army in the hope of curbing the frequency and intensity of the governments military operations against their strongholds in the south and centre of the country. Another purpose is to hamper the development of the Somali army and security forces which threaten the movements influence in the areas it controls.

The HSM has also set its crosshairs on the Somalian armys foreign supporters. Al-Shabaab leader Ahmed Diriye, also known as Abu Ubaidah, has vowed to defeat ATMIS troops and drive them out of Somalia before the end of their mandate in 2024. The surge in attacks against African forces are also intended to dissuade other African countries from sending troops to Somalia. In response to HMS threats, US Ambassador to Somalia Larry Andre has stated that Al-Shabaab would never gain control of Somalia and that the Taliban experience would not be repeated in the Horn of Africa.

In order to sustain itself and its operations, the HSM has sought to gain control over natural resources in the area, such as the oil and gas reserves in eastern Ethiopia. It also runs smuggling operations dealing in, for example, Somali coal and weapons from Yemen. Its revenues from such lucrative trade are reflected in the growth of its own armament capacities as well as its ability to recruit supporters, compounding the threat it poses to Somalia and international interests in the region.

Al-Shabaabs ambitions go beyond Somalia and, amid the shifting regional security situation, it hopes to raise its profile as a force to be reckoned with regionally. According to US intelligence sources, the HSM has between 7,000 and 12,000 fighters and spends about $24 million a year, about a quarter of its budget, on arms, explosives and drones. Not only is this growing force meant to signal to the international community that the movement is strong enough to spread to other countries in the area but it has also strengthened its influence within Al-Qaeda whose leadership cadres have been in flux since the death of Ayman Al-Zawahiri.

The organisations incursion into Ethiopia suggests that it plans to develop a larger regional terrorist network. Most likely, it was searching for allies within Ethiopia to strengthen its influence there, building strongholds in southeastern Ethiopia from which to launch strikes deeper into the Ethiopian interior. Establishing a foothold in Ethiopia could also give Al-Shabaab other staging grounds for attacks at Kenya and perhaps Uganda and South Sudan. The threat to security in the Horn of Africa is clear, which is exactly what Al-Shabaab wants. Destabilisation spreads fear and helps disseminate the message that others in the region are within the movements reach.

HSM is likely to try to escalate further both domestically and regionally in the coming period, with the aim of bolstering its bid to establish itself as the leader of all jihadist movements in East Africa, thereby strengthening its position within Al-Qaedas hierarchy. At the same time, it will continue its drive to weaken Somali and ATMIS forces. The growing threat to regional stability and security that Al-Shabaab poses jeopardises international strategic interests in the Horn of Africa, not least the international maritime routes and trade in the Red Sea.

Should the danger mount, it may necessitate an international intervention.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 2 February, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Then-President Donald Trump first declared the COVID-19 pandemic a national emergency on March 13, 2020. The emergencies have been repeatedly extended by Biden since he took office in January 2021 and are set to expire in the coming months. The White House said Biden plans to extend them both briefly to end on May 11.

Biden's announcement comes in a statement opposing resolutions being brought to the floor this week by House Republicans to bring the emergency to an immediate end. House Republicans are also gearing up to launch investigations on the federal government's response to COVID-19.

It comes as lawmakers have already ended elements of the emergencies that kept millions of Americans insured during the pandemic. Combined with the drawdown of most federal COVID-19 relief money, it would also shift the development of vaccines and treatments away from the direct management of the federal government.

The move to end the national emergency and public health emergency declarations would formally restructure the federal coronavirus response to treat the virus as an endemic threat to public health that can be managed through agencies' normal authorities.

President Joe Biden informed Congress on Monday that he will end the twin national emergencies for addressing COVID-19 on May 11, as most of the world has returned closer to normalcy nearly three years after they were first declared.

"An abrupt end to the emergency declarations would create wide-ranging chaos and uncertainty throughout the health care system -- for states, for hospitals and doctors' offices, and, most importantly, for tens of millions of Americans," the Office of Management and Budget wrote in a Statement of Administration Policy.

Congress has already blunted the reach of the public health emergency that had the most direct impact on Americans, as political calls to end the declaration intensified. Lawmakers have refused for months to fulfill the Biden administration's request for billions more dollars to extend free COVID vaccines and testing. And the $1.7 trillion spending package passed last year and signed into law by Biden put an end to a rule that barred states from kicking people off Medicaid, a move that is expected to see millions of people lose their coverage after April 1.

The costs of COVID-19 vaccines are also expected to skyrocket once the government stops buying them, with Pfizer saying it will charge as much as $130 per dose. Only 15 percent of Americans have received the recommended, updated booster that has been offered since last fall.

Once the emergency expires, people with private insurance will have some out-of-pocket costs for vaccines, tests and treatment, while the uninsured will have to pay for those expenses in their entirety.

Legislators did extend telehealth flexibilities that were introduced as COVID-19 hit, leading health care systems around the country to regularly deliver care by smartphone or computer.

The Biden administration had previously considered ending the emergency last year but held off amid concerns about a potential "winter surge" in cases and to provide adequate time for providers, insurers and patients to prepare for its end.

A senior administration official said the three months until the expiration would mark a transition period where the administration will "begin the process of a smooth operational wind-down of the flexibilities enabled by the COVID-19 emergency declarations." The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the announcement before it had been released.

More than 1.1 million people in the U.S. have died from COVID-19 since 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including about 3,700 last week. Case counts have trended downward after a slight bump over the winter holidays and are significantly below levels seen during the past two winters -- though the number of tests performed for the virus and reported to public health officials has sharply decreased.

Moments before the White House's announcement, Republican Representative Tom Cole accused the president of unnecessarily extending the public health emergency to take action on issues like forgiving some federal student loan debts.

"The country has largely returned to normal," Cole said Monday, introducing a Republican-backed bill calling for an end to the health emergency. "Everyday Americans have returned to work and to school with no restrictions on their activities. It is time that the government acknowledges this reality: the pandemic is over."
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has filed a request for a six-month visitor visa to stay in the U.S., indicating he may have no immediate intention of returning home, where legal issues await.

The application was first reported by the Financial Times, citing Bolsonaro's immigration lawyer, Felipe Alexandre. Contacted by The Associated Press, the lawyer's firm, AG Immigration, confirmed the report.

Bolsonaro left Brazil for Florida on Dec. 30, two days before the inauguration of his leftist rival, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The ceremony proceeded without incident, but a week later, thousands of Bolsonaro's die-hard supporters stormed the capital and trashed the top government buildings, demanding that Lula's election be overturned.

Authorities have launched an investigation into whether Bolsonaro played a role in inciting that uprising. It is just one of several probes targeting the former president that pose a legal headache upon his eventual homecoming and that could strip him of his eligibility in future races -- or worse.

For the first time in his more than three-decade political career as a lawmaker and then president, he no longer enjoys the special legal protection that requires any trial be held at the Supreme Court.

It has been widely assumed -- though not confirmed -- that Bolsonaro entered the U.S. on an A-1 visa reserved for sitting heads of state. If so, he would have 30 days from the end of his presidential term to either leave the U.S. or adjust his status with the Department of Homeland Security.
Imports of coffee beans hit an all-time high last year, in the latest sign of Koreans' unwavering love for the caffeinated drink.

Korea imported a record US$1.34 billion worth of coffee beans in 2022, up 42.4 percent compared to 2021, the Korea Customs Service said on Tuesday. It is double the amount of coffee imported in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic.

KCS said, "Not even the pandemic has been able to dampen coffee consumption here. Rather, it appears to have grown greatly after lockdown was lifted in April last year."
China now requires a PCR test on arrival from all incoming visitors on direct flights from Korea, the Chinese embassy in Seoul said Tuesday.

China had scrapped PCR testing and quarantine for incoming visitors on Jan. 8 but has revived the measure for Koreans only, even though many other countries have slapped COVID restrictions on Chinese visitors.

The move comes in retaliation after Korea halted short-term visas for Chinese visitors until at least Feb. 28 and requires both negative PCR tests and another test on arrival from long-term visa holders arriving from China amid a surge of COVID infections there. In Korea, by contrast, infections have dropped.
The U.S. on Tuesday agreed to send top-of-the-range U.S armaments stealth fighter jets and nuclear-powered aircraft carriers to South Korea more often to deter North Korean provocations.

The two countries' defense chiefs in a meeting also agreed to stage a new nuclear tabletop exercise in the U.S. in February and schedule Defense Trilateral Talks between South Korea, Japan and the U.S. as early as possible.

Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters in Seoul that North Korea has been carrying out an "unprecedented number of provocations" that violated international law and caused instability in the region last year.
KYODO NEWS - Feb 1, 2023 - 12:29 | All, World, Japan

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will visit Japan next week for talks with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the government said Wednesday.

The visit was announced at a time when Tokyo and Manila are arranging the deportation of four Japanese suspects believed to be behind a string of robberies across Japan.

During his five-day trip starting next Wednesday, Marcos and his wife are also expected to meet with Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said told a press conference.

Japan hopes the official visit by the Philippine president will help deepen bilateral relations, the top government spokesman said.

In early January, Macros expressed a wish to visit Tokyo, saying the Philippines is "seen as an important part of maintaining" regional security "in partnership with friends" such as Japan and other nations in the Indo-Pacific region.

Philippine Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, meanwhile, said Manila aims to resolve the issue of transferring the suspects in the high-profile criminal case as soon as possible and in time for the visit by Marcos to Japan.
KYODO NEWS - Feb 1, 2023 - 09:30 | World, All, Coronavirus

China will start requiring on Wednesday all visitors on direct flights from South Korea to take a PCR test upon arrival and will quarantine those testing positive for COVID-19, the South Korean Embassy in Beijing said Tuesday.

The measure, notified to the embassy by the Chinese government, is a stronger retaliatory step against the neighboring country, which extended its restrictions on issuing short-term visas for travelers from China through Feb. 28.

The embassy said details of quarantine measures for those testing positive, such as duration and costs, and when they will be terminated, remain unclear.

South Korea, Japan and several other countries have strengthened border controls for travelers from China, which reopened its borders and scrapped quarantine measures on Jan. 8 amid fears over widespread COVID-19 infections in the country.

On Jan. 10, Beijing halted visa issuances for Japanese and South Korean travelers, criticizing the entry restrictions on visitors from China as "discriminatory." But visa restrictions on Japanese citizens were lifted Sunday.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning expressed regret at a press conference Tuesday that some countries still adopt discriminatory entry restrictions against travelers from China.

"China firmly opposes this and has reasons to take necessary reciprocal measures," she said.

Related coverage:

China says ready to normalize cross-border travel

China lifts visa issuance restrictions on Japanese citizens
By Azernews

Fatima Hasanova

UK Minister for European Affairs Leo Docherty will pay a visit to the South Caucasus nations, Azernews reports.

During a meeting of the House of Commons of the Parliament, in response to questions from pro-Armenian MPs on the situation on the Khankandi-Lachin road and the alleged "blockade" of the road by Azerbaijan, the UK Minister of State for Europe and North America stated that Britain will work toward a peaceful resolution and the restart of negotiations.

"We insist on returning to negotiations and a peaceful settlement. In the coming months, I will go to the region for this purpose," he stressed.

Docherty emphasized that the UK will use every tool at its disposal to stop any outside influence from destabilizing the settlement of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

To recap, following discussions with the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent on December 3 and 7, 2022, Azerbaijani specialists from the Ministries of Economy, Ecology, and Natural Resources, the State Service for Property Issues under the Ministry of Economy, and AzerGold Company were to conduct primary monitoring on illegal exploitation of mineral deposits on Azerbaijani territory. However, the monitoring failed due to the provocation of ethnic Armenians.

After the Russian peacekeepers' failure to provide the necessary conditions for the Azerbaijani agency representatives to carry out their duties in the area, a group of eco-activists, NGOs, and public representatives have taken to the street in protest at the peacekeepers' repugnance to live up to their obligations in line with the November 10, 2020, peace deal to maintain peace and order in the region, and oust the Armenian troops from the region and prevent illegalities. However, time proved that the Russian peacekeepers are driven by the interests of Russia rather than the idea coming from the essence of the notion of peacekeeping as universally understood.
KYODO NEWS - Feb 1, 2023 - 19:57 | World, All

The China Coast Guard has put into operation its expanded fleet of around 150 vessels, with the refitting of around 20 vessels transferred from the country's navy almost completed, according to sources familiar with the matter.

With each ship weighing at least 1,000 gross tons, the Chinese coast guard now has more than twice the 70 large patrol vessels possessed by the Japan Coast Guard.

Photos obtained by Kyodo News confirmed a fleet of Chinese maritime patrol vessels, including some equipped with the same naval artillery seen on warships, anchored in eastern China's Zhejiang Province in late January.

It has been two years since China decided to allow its coast guard to use weapons when foreign ships involved in illegal activities in Chinese-claimed waters do not obey orders.

With the Chinese coast guard increasingly resembling a second navy, there are concerns that Sino-Japanese tensions over the Senkaku Islands, administered by Tokyo, could further escalate.

Chinese ships have repeatedly intruded into Japanese territorial waters around the uninhabited islets that Beijing claims and calls Diaoyu.

According to the obtained photographs, a total of nine vessels were moored in late January at a wharf in Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province, where the construction and refitting of coast guard vessels are being conducted.

The photos showed crew members moving about on deck and inspecting equipment, as well as several people in camouflage uniforms bringing in supplies.

While China does not disclose the number of its coast guard vessels, the Japan Coast Guard estimates the fleet totaled around 132 vessels as of December 2021.

According to the sources, around 20 vessels have since been added to the fleet since undergoing refurbishment, bringing to total to around 150. The ships have already been deployed for surveillance and training, the sources said.

Late last November, a Chinese coast guard vessel equipped with a 76-millimeter cannon -- the largest ever seen on such a ship -- entered Japan's territorial waters near the Senkaku Islands. The ship was also seen moored at a wharf in Zhoushan.

The Japanese government has become increasingly alarmed about the expansion of China's coast guard, and plans to strengthen security around the Senkakus by including the construction of three large patrol vessels in the supplementary budget for fiscal 2022.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in his policy speech last month also announced the deepening of cooperation between the Japan's coast guard and the Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Related coverage:

Japan to up coast guard budget 1.4-fold as Senkaku tensions rise

China boosting capabilities for "gray zone" operations: Japan report

China protests Japan vessels' evacuation near Taiwan during typhoon
KYODO NEWS - Feb 1, 2023 - 13:25 | All, Japan

Nobuo Ishihara, a former deputy chief Cabinet secretary who earned the moniker "shadow prime minister" while serving a record seven prime ministers from 1987 to 1995, has died, the government said Wednesday. He was 96.

Ishihara, who became the top bureaucrat in the Cabinet after serving as vice minister of the now-defunct Home Affairs Ministry, worked under every Japanese premier from Noboru Takeshita to Tomiichi Murayama.

He died Sunday due to multiple organ failure, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a press conference.

Ishihara served as deputy chief Cabinet secretary for seven years and three months, the third-longest on record, including for the 1993 coalition government under Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa that briefly interrupted the Liberal Democratic Party's grip on power since 1955.

During his time serving, he won the nickname of "shadow prime minister" due to enjoying having a big say in the handling of administrative affairs at times of convulsion on the Japanese political scene.

He worked with other bureaucrats and elected politicians in the Cabinet through several historic events in post-World War II Japan, such as the 1989 funeral of Emperor Hirohito, posthumously known as Emperor Showa, the country's introduction of consumption tax the same year and the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake.

Japan's Cabinet has three deputy secretaries under the law. One of the posts is typically taken by an elite bureaucrat and the two others by parliamentarians.

Ishihara, a native of Gunma Prefecture, entered a predecessor of the Ministry of Home Affairs in 1952 after graduating from the University of Tokyo.

Following his retirement from his government post, Ishihara ran in the Tokyo gubernatorial election in 1995 with the backing of the LDP and other major parties but lost to Yukio Aoshima.

Ishihara became an active speaker on political affairs in recent years, speaking in a parliamentary hearing in 2014 about his involvement in the drafting of a 1993 apology over women who served in wartime Japanese military brothels.

Ishihara also expressed his opinions at hearings by a government advisory panel, which was considering ways to alleviate the burden on former Emperor Akihito following an unusual video message in 2016 that hinted at his desire to abdicate.
KYODO NEWS - Feb 1, 2023 - 18:07 | All, Japan, G7

Japan is hoping to hold a Group of Seven summit online on Feb. 24, the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, government sources said Wednesday, as the Asian country is the chair of the G-7 this year.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is considering inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the video summit, the sources said. During the gathering, the G-7 leaders are set to confirm their unity in tackling Russia's aggression against its neighbor.

The virtual meeting would come as Japan is consolidating relations with other G-7 nations with speculation growing that Russia will launch a large-scale attack on Ukraine in the spring, while Kishida is paving the way for the success of the summit in Hiroshima in May.

It would be the first G-7 summit hosted by Kishida. A similar gathering was also held on Feb. 24, 2022, in which the leaders of the group agreed to impose punitive economic sanctions on Russia.

At the envisioned online summit, the G-7 countries of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, plus the European Union, are expected to reaffirm cooperation in supporting Ukraine, while condemning Russia, the sources said.

The G-7 major industrialized nations have lambasted Russia for attacking crucial infrastructure in Ukraine, including energy and water facilities, calling Moscow's actions "inhumane and brutal."

The leaders are also likely to discuss how to promote private sector support for the Eastern European country, the sources said.

In December, meanwhile, the G-7 members and Australia, one of the closest U.S. security allies, introduced a price cap on Russian crude oil to squeeze Moscow's key source of revenue as economic punishment for its ongoing war against Ukraine.

The G-7 leaders would exchange views on how to stabilize global energy markets, which have been rattled since Russia invaded Ukraine last year, with oil and natural gas prices skyrocketing across the world, the sources said.

In January, the United States, Britain, Germany and other nations decided to provide advanced battle tanks to Ukraine. Kishida will make a final judgement on whether to hold the G-7 video summit in consideration of the situation in Ukraine, they said.

Kishida, a veteran lawmaker representing a constituency in Hiroshima, is scheduled to host a G-7 summit in person for three days from May 19 in the western Japan city that was devastated by a U.S. atomic bomb in August 1945.

At the meeting, Kishida plans to pitch his vision of a world without nuclear weapons amid concern that Russia could use one against Ukraine in the war.

Kishida has also expressed willingness to consider visiting Ukraine for talks with Zelenskyy if the right conditions are met.

Among the G-7 countries, British, Canadian, French, German, and Italian leaders have already visited Ukraine since the war began. In December, U.S. President Joe Biden held a summit with Zelenskyy in Washington.

But a Japanese government official said that it might be difficult to arrange Kishida's visit to Ukraine for security reasons, as relations between Tokyo and Moscow have been sharply deteriorating for the past year.

Related coverage:

G-7 mulls foreign ministerial talks in Germany in Feb.

Japan eyes leaders' visit to Hiroshima shrine during G-7 summit

FOCUS: G-7 chair Japan should urge more nations to impose Russian sanctions
KYODO NEWS - Sep 16, 2022 - 17:06 | All, Japan, G7

Japan on Friday approved the venues for the Group of Seven ministerial meetings next year. The G-7 summit is scheduled to be held in Hiroshima, one of the two Japanese cities devastated by atomic bombs in the closing days of World War II.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida represents a constituency in the western Japan city.

The following is a list of the 14 venues for the G-7 ministerial meetings.

*

Foreign -- Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture

Finance -- Niigata, Niigata Prefecture

Science, technology -- Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture

Gender equality -- Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture

Internal affairs, security -- Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture

Digital technology -- Gunma Prefecture

Trade -- Osaka Prefecture

Education -- Toyama and Ishikawa prefectures

Health -- Nagasaki, Nagasaki Prefecture

Labor, employment -- Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture

Agriculture -- Miyazaki, Miyazaki Prefecture

Climate, energy, environment -- Sapporo, Hokkaido

Transport -- Shima, Mie Prefecture

Urban -- Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture
KYODO NEWS - Feb 1, 2023 - 18:10 | World, All, Japan

The Philippines is seeking to have local criminal charges against some of the four Japanese believed to be behind a string of robberies across Japan dismissed, a Justice Department spokesman said Wednesday, as the Southeast Asian country seeks to deport all four to Japan.

The pending charges have left it unclear whether the suspects can all be swiftly transferred to Japan from the immigration facility in Manila where they are being held.

Court hearings have been planned for Thursday and Friday based on a motion filed by the department, and there is a possibility that the court will drop the charges, the spokesman said.

However, the spokesman said he cannot say for sure when the suspects' repatriation will occur as it depends on the court's decision.

Also Wednesday, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla told reporters that the Philippines is seeking to deport all four suspects together at the request of Japanese authorities.

The minister told Kyodo News the previous day that Manila was considering deporting the four at the same time, while expressing hope to "solve the problem" by next Monday.

The Japanese government said Wednesday that Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will visit Japan from next Wednesday for talks with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

The four men are believed to have remotely coordinated a series of robberies in Japan that began last year. They are believed to have run the operation out of the immigration facility using an encrypted messaging app.

Japan has sought their transfer after police obtained arrest warrants on suspicion of theft in connection with a scam targeting elderly people in Japan.

Among the four, Yuki Watanabe was allegedly one of the leaders of the fraud group, which stole some 3.5 billion yen ($27 million) in around 2,300 cases between November 2018 and June 2020, according to police.

Related coverage:

Manila mulls deporting all 4 robbery suspects to Japan at once

Manila hopes to deport Japan robbery suspects by 2nd week of Feb.

Philippines willing to deport alleged robbery ringleader to Japan
KYODO NEWS - Feb 1, 2023 - 22:37 | Sports, Olympics, All, Japan

Prosecutors on Wednesday sought a 30-month sentence for the former chairman of a major suit retailer, who, along with two others, is charged with giving 28 million yen ($215,000) in bribes to a former Tokyo Olympics organizing committee executive to land a sponsorship deal.

Hironori Aoki, the 84-year-old former chairman of Aoki Holdings Inc., "used the Tokyo Olympics for self-interest and trampled the public value of the tournament," prosecutors said in a trial at the Tokyo District Court.

The case is among a series of bribery cases involving former organizing committee executive Haruyuki Takahashi over the Summer Games in 2021.

The games has also been hit by a major bid-rigging scandal over its test events involving a number of leading ad firms, including Dentsu Inc., for which Takahashi used to work. Prosecutors are now seeking to build a case against Dentsu officials for violating the antimonopoly law, according to a source close to the matter.

Aoki, his brother and the firm's former vice chairman Takahisa Aoki, 77, as well as former executive director Katsuhisa Ueda, 41, are accused of giving bribes between September 2019 and March last year to Takahashi, 78, who had influence over the committee's marketing division, charged with sponsorship selection.

The three requested Takahashi to select their company as an Olympics sponsor and get them a contract, which would include preferential rights over providing official outfits for the Japanese team's athletes, according to the indictment.

Takahashi was a former senior managing director of Dentsu, Japan's largest advertising agency, which had sent many of its employees to the committee's marketing division.

Due to Takahashi's order to the organizing committee, Aoki was given priority in the process of signing a sponsorship contract, the prosecutors said.

The prosecutors said Aoki's "hefty bribe-giving over a long period" was "an extremely malicious act," adding that the former chairman was "greedy and tenacious" in seizing every occasion to depend on Takahashi to land the sponsorship contract.

The three met former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, 85, who was chief of the organizing committee and won a favorable response from him. Mori had entrusted Takahashi with finding sponsors, the prosecutors said.

They sought an 18-month sentence for Takahisa Aoki and a one-year sentence for Ueda, seeing Hironori Aoki as the main offender who bears the "heaviest responsibility."

The defense team for the three asked for suspended terms, arguing the defendants did not earn personal benefits.

The three had admitted to the charges at the first hearing held in December last year.

In his closing statements, Hironori Aoki said, "I regret deeply. I apologize."

The ruling will be handed down on April 21.

In the widening scandal that has tarnished the image of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, Takahashi has been indicted four times on charges of receiving bribes totaling some 198 million yen through five routes in return for helping companies be selected as a sponsor or a marketing agent of the global event.

Concerning bid rigging, Tokyo prosecutors are considering pressing charges on Dentsu officials who worked for the games, as well as a former operations executive of the organizing committee, the source said.

Multiple Dentsu officials have recently admitted to rigging bids for contracts related to the events.

The former operations executive and Dentsu officials are suspected of creating and repeatedly updating a list of firms to use in arranging successful bidders of the test events, according to the source.

The test events were held from 2018 to 2021 for organizers to check for potential problems with operations, security and guiding audiences.

The investigation is being carried out in cooperation with the Japan Fair Trade Commission.

Related coverage:

Contracts in Tokyo Olympics bid rigging case totaled 40 bil. yen

Dentsu officials admit to Tokyo Olympic test event bid rigging

Ex-Tokyo Olympic exec in bribery scandal released on 80 mil. yen bail
By Dahee Kim, KYODO NEWS - Feb 1, 2023 - 10:46 | World, Feature, All

An anthology of nine short stories from as many Asian writers has been published in a project proposed by South Korean author Chung Se Rang to explore what she views as the stresses on relationships in today's world.

The collection, whose title loosely translates as "Disconnection," was released in both South Korea and Japan in early December, with the foreign-language stories translated.

Chung, a science fiction and fantasy author, wrote the South Korean story, while the Japanese work was contributed by Sayaka Murata, author of the international bestseller "Convenience Store Woman."

"In today's fast-changing society, the conflicts arising in human relationships have only gotten worse," Chung, 38, said in explaining the choice of the anthology's title. "It was a theme I wanted to explore."

Chung said the idea for an Asian collaboration grew out of a proposal from Japanese publisher Shogakukan Inc. for a novel to be jointly written by one South Korean and one Japanese author.

Chung, whose 2015 novel about a school nurse with psychic powers was turned into a Netflix series called "The School Nurse Files" in 2020, said she then expanded the idea to young writers from across Asia, thinking it would have greater impact.

The authors from South Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tibet, Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore have chosen diverse topics under the theme of disconnection, including change, conflict and death. Chung said she also wanted to show how the coronavirus pandemic has played a big part in the dismantling of relationships.

The other writers of the anthology are Taiwan's Lien Ming Wei, Hong Kong's Hon Lai Chu and Thailand's Wiwat Lertwiwatwongsa, China's Hao Jingfang, Singapore's Alfian Sa'at, Tibet's LhachamGyal and Vietnam's Nguyen Ngoc Tu.

Publication of the collection in the other countries is underway.

Chung, whose story addressed the breakdown of trust among close friends, said that while all the writers were initially "disconnected" from each other, the project provided a thread to link them, and readers, together at a time when people are feeling more isolated.

"It is interesting how the writers gained friendships and felt more connected though we all wrote about being disconnected," Chung said.

Although she is unhappy about the lack of opportunities to come into contact with Asian novelists of her generation, Chung said she "hopes that exchanges (in the literary world) will deepen so that we can meet in real life in the future."

Chung is not new to collaborative projects involving her country and Japan, and thinks they can be a learning experience for both peoples.

"South Koreans and Japanese are neighbors who are similar in some ways but also very different in others, and by using each other as a mirror, I think the people of both countries can get to understand themselves in more detail," she said.

Chung herself has been inspired by Japanese literature. She is a huge fan of Murata, who won Japan's coveted Akutagawa Prize for "Convenience Store Woman" in 2016 and is well known to South Korean readers.

Before working with Murata, Chung also had conversations with other Japanese writers such as Ryo Asai and Kikuko Tsumura that she said energized her and gave her new perspectives.

Starting with Han Kang's Booker Prize-winning novel "The Vegetarian," which was published in Japan in 2011, South Korean literature has been gaining popularity among Japanese readers.

Cho Nam Joo's "Kim Ji Young, born 1982" became a hit in Japan after selling more than 200,000 copies since 2018.

Six works of Chung's have been published in Japanese, including "The School Nurse Files" and "From Sisun." She also has a strong following in Japan.

Chung hopes to see friendly conversations between the two countries eventually spread to other fields outside of literature, including politics.

Ties between Seoul and Tokyo, complicated by Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula (1910-1945), have hit a fresh low since South Korea's top court in 2018 ordered victims to receive compensation for being forced to work for Japanese companies during World War II.

Since South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol took office, ties have shown some improvement, with the countries agreeing that pending history issues should be settled soon.

"Literature is the act of looking at others from a multilayered perspective. If we can understand each other more deeply, I think that a better flow (in bilateral relations) will begin," Chung said.
KYODO NEWS - Feb 1, 2023 - 13:41 | All, Japan

The man sought by police over a knife attack on Japanese sociologist Shinji Miyadai at a university campus in Tokyo last November apparently committed suicide the following month, police said Wednesday.

Miyadai, a 63-year-old academic known for his writing on girls dating for money and the now-defunct AUM Shinrikyo doomsday cult, was seriously wounded in the assault that took place on a path at Tokyo Metropolitan University's Minami-Osawa campus in Hachioji on Nov. 29.

The police intend to refer the case against the deceased suspect to prosecutors following further investigation.

The 41-year-old man is believed to have killed himself on Dec. 16, around two weeks after the incident, the police said. His mother, who lived with him, found him dead at their home in Sagamihara in Kanagawa Prefecture south of Tokyo the following day.

Police conducted a search of the home Wednesday.

Although the suspect left a note which included an apology to his family and friends for causing them difficulties, he did not outline a reason for killing himself or for the attack on Miyadai.

Police are continuing to investigate the suspect's motive in the case. He was not a graduate of the university, and Miyadai has said he has "no idea" who the suspect was.

Police had released a series of images of the suspect including one showing him riding a bicycle.

Investigators said earlier that they obtained DNA that appeared to be his from a plastic bottle he was seen throwing away in security camera footage about 2 to 3 kilometers from the scene.

Police had described him as a heavyset man in his 20s or 30s standing about 180 or 190 centimeters tall with short hair and dressed in a black jacket and pants.

He fled the scene after the attack and was being sought on suspicion of attempted murder. His identity has not yet been made public.

Miyadai sustained serious injuries across his body in the attack, and was released from hospital in December. Upon leaving care, he said that while he had "suffered serious physical damage," he was psychologically unscathed.

The sociologist rose to prominence in the mid-1990s with controversial work including books examining cases of high school girls and other young women entering paid relationships with older men. He has also been an active television and radio pundit, as well as a film critic.

Related coverage:

Assaulted sociologist Shinji Miyadai leaves hospital, ready to resume work

Sociologist Shinji Miyadai seriously hurt in Tokyo blade attack
KYODO NEWS - Feb 1, 2023 - 20:51 | All, Japan, World

Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg pledged Wednesday to continue imposing punitive sanctions on Russia over its war in Ukraine, around three months before Japan hosts the Group of Seven summit.

During their meeting in Tokyo, Hayashi and Stoltenberg also exchanged views on the security situation in the Indo-Pacific region, while agreeing on closer collaboration between Japan and the U.S.-led, trans-Atlantic alliance, according to the Foreign Ministry.

On Tuesday in Tokyo, Stoltenberg confirmed with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida that Japan and NATO will further cooperate in addressing "the changing strategic environment," with Russia and China bolstering their military ties recently.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning criticized NATO for strengthening security ties with Asia-Pacific countries and fabricating "China threats."

"The Asia-Pacific is not a battlefield for geopolitical competition, and the Cold War mentality and confrontation between camps are not welcome," she said.

Mao also urged Japan to "learn lessons from history, stick to the path of peaceful development and refrain from doing things that undermine mutual trust among regional countries and damage regional peace and stability."

NATO regards Japan, a U.S. close ally, as a partner nation. Tokyo has been reinforcing security relations with the 30-country alliance, especially since the launch of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 last year, although Kyiv is not a NATO member.

On Wednesday, Hayashi told Stoltenberg that it is meaningful for Japan and NATO, which share fundamental values, to "deliver a strong message" at a time of "this historical inflection point."

Stoltenberg stressed the importance of his organization and Tokyo working together in various fields including security, and expressed his hopes for Japan's leadership as this year's chair of the G-7 summit in Hiroshima in May.

The G-7 countries of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, plus the European Union, have imposed severe economic sanctions on Russia over its aggression against Ukraine.

Stoltenberg, a former Norwegian prime minister, started his four-day tour to East Asia on Sunday. He made a trip to South Korea for talks with President Yoon Suk Yeol before visiting Japan.

Related coverage:

Japan, NATO warn against Russia-China "growing" military proximity

Russia's war also prompting countries to defend against China: Biden

FOCUS: NATO's reference to China challenge a symbolic turning point
JERUSALEM/GAZA, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded his visit to Jerusalem and the West Bank on Tuesday, with little progress made in de-escalating the Israeli-Palestinian tensions, experts said.

Blinken's trip, during which he met with leaders of Israel's new right-wing government and the Palestinian Authority (PA), came amid escalating violence between Israelis and the Palestinians.

Since the start of 2023, Israeli forces have killed at least 35 Palestinians, making January one of the most deadly months in the West Bank in recent years. Most casualties occurred during Israeli military raids, which Israel says aimed to detain Palestinian militants.

In retaliation, a shooting attack launched by a Palestinian gunman outside a synagogue in an Israeli settlement in East Jerusalem claimed the lives of seven people on Friday night.

On Monday, Blinken held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem and other senior officials before traveling on Tuesday to the West Bank city of Ramallah to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

In both places, Blinken urged de-escalating the tensions and renewed the call for a two-state solution to the conflict. "The rising tide of violence has resulted in the loss of many innocent lives on both sides," he told reporters in Jerusalem. "All sides must take steps to prevent further escalation of violence."

LITTLE PROGRESS ACHIEVED

The top U.S. diplomat's trip failed to offer any new initiative to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Michael Milshtein, an expert from the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at the Tel Aviv University, told Xinhua.

Milshtein said the Israeli government was hopeful that Blinken will exert pressure on Abbas to renew the security coordination between the PA and Israel. The PA decided on Jan. 26 to end security coordination with Israel in response to an Israeli military raid in the West Bank city of Jenin, in which Israeli forces killed ten Palestinians.

The security coordination, which is criticized by many Palestinians, has led to the arrests of some Palestinians who were allegedly planning attacks against Israelis.

In a statement issued after meeting with Blinken, Abbas made no indication he was going to resume the coordination. He accused Israel of violating Palestinians' rights, promoting annexation of the West Bank, and demolishing Palestinian homes -- moves that pose further hurdles to achieving a peace deal.

"We have found that the Israeli government is responsible for what's happening these days," Abbas said.

Assaf Meydani, a professor at the Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy and Strategy of the Reichman University in Herzliya, told Xinhua that "negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the current situation is impossible, even the United States knows it."

On the other hand, Blinken's visit also had limited impact on the Israeli side, which has a new hawkish government that is unlikely to dial down its position against the Palestinians.

"The situation inside Israel makes the current government go to more 'extreme' to ensure its survival for the longest possible period, and therefore it will continue to escalate, and in return, there will be a Palestinian reaction," said Ghassan al-Khatib, a political science professor at the Birzeit University in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

The visit, which marked the first meeting between Blinken and Netanyahu since the latter returned to office in December as the leader of a new right-wing government, was seen as part of Washington's efforts to navigate through the differences between the Biden administration and the new Israeli government.

His trip followed the visits to Jerusalem by Biden's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and CIA Director William Burns earlier in January.

U.S. ATTENTION OCCUPIED ELSEWHERE

Al-Khatib also noted that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is not a priority for the U.S. as its attention is occupied by "other internal and external issues."

The Palestinians have repeatedly called on Washington, as Blinken promised in 2021, to reopen the U.S. consulate for Palestinians in Jerusalem and the PLO office in Washington. They also urged the U.S. to pressure Israel to preserve the status quo in Jerusalem and stop Israeli unilateral measures or withholding Palestinian tax revenue dues.

But the U.S. administration led by President Joe Biden has remained largely acquiescent regarding the escalation of Israeli violence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, while failing to fulfill any of its promises made either during the election campaign or in bilateral meetings with Palestinian officials, analysts noted.

Milshtein said that the U.S. does not prioritize the Palestinian issues anymore, adding the attention of Washington is occupied elsewhere, mainly its internal issues as well as the Ukrainian crisis.

Ziyad Abu Ziyad, a think-tanker and former Palestinian minister, said that the U.S. is not interested in ending the Israeli occupation or the conflicts in the region despite its talk of a two-state solution and positive steps to solve the Palestinian issue.

He added that it's time for anyone who bets on a U.S. solution to the Palestinian issue to "realize that this was nothing but a mirage."

The last round of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks ended without progress due to deep differences on several key issues in March 2014, since which Washington has made no real push to renew the stalled peace process despite the recurrent violence and conflicts between the Israelis and Palestinians. 
By Azernews

Fatima Hasanova

On February 1, Azerbaijani State Border Service Chief Col-Gen Elchin Guliyev had a phone conversation with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Azernews reports.

Elchin Guliyev congratulated Yoav Galant on his appointment as the defense minister of Israel.

The parties discussed opportunities for cooperation in all areas of shared interest, emphasized the high level of relations between the two nations, and exchanged opinions on how the bilateral relationship in the area of security and border protection was progressing.

Azerbaijan and Israel have been expanding bilateral cooperation over years. Cooperation between the two countries is based not only on economic partnership but also on traditional historical and cultural roots, as well as mutual respect and trust.

During the 44-day Second Karabakh War in 2020, Israel was among the first countries to express support for Azerbaijan's just position and territorial integrity. In addition, Israeli companies are involved in the restoration and reconstruction process in Azerbaijan's liberated territories.

In 2021, the two countries' trade turnover totaled $928.4 million.

The decision to establish an embassy in Israel in 2022 is regarded as the beginning of a new era in the bilateral relationship. The inauguration of the Azerbaijani embassy in Israel will elevate bilateral political ties and provide a powerful impetus for the growth of relations in all spheres, including travel and technology.
PARIS, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- French unions on Tuesday called for two more days of strike action on Feb. 7 and 11, to try to force the government to retract its pension reform plan announced earlier this month.

The French Interior Ministry said that more than 1.2 million people took to the streets across France on Tuesday, to express their anger against the controversial reform that will force employees to work until they are 64.

However, the CGT, France's largest union, said that 2.8 million people marched on Tuesday during the second day of general mobilization.

In the country's major cities, local authorities also registered more demonstrators than on Jan. 19. In Marseille, the Prefecture reported 40,000 demonstrators, compared to 26,000 on Jan. 19.

According to French daily Le Figaro, clashes took place between some demonstrators and police in Paris, and tear gas and smoke bombs were fired.

Police confirmed that 23 people were arrested during the demonstration in Paris for attacking security forces.

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said on social media that she had heard the "questions and doubts" of those who reject the reform.

However, while speaking on TV channel France 2 the country's Minister of Public Action and Accounts Gabriel Attal ruled out suspending the pension reform project.

"If we do nothing, we will have a big problem paying pensions in the years to come. There will be 20 million pensioners to pay," he said.

At the end of the demonstration on Tuesday evening, the CGT announced its intention to continue strikes at refineries on Feb. 6, 7 and 8.

This could cause production to halt at certain sites, Eric Sellini, coordinator for TotalEnergies, told Le Figaro.

On Jan. 10, Elisabeth Borne laid out details of the pension reform plan, which would progressively raise the legal retirement age by three months a year from 62 to 64 years by 2030, and put in place a guaranteed minimum pension.

Starting in 2027, people would have to work for 43 years to qualify for a full pension. 
A Palestinian man holds a flag during a protest against U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to the West Bank, in Gaza City, on Jan. 31, 2023. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to the West Bank prompted outrage among many Palestinians, who demonstrated on Tuesday to express their opposition to the U.S. top diplomat's presence in the Palestinian territory. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

RAMALLAH/GAZA, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to the West Bank prompted outrage among many Palestinians, who demonstrated on Tuesday to express their opposition to the U.S. top diplomat's presence in the Palestinian territory.

The protesters, both in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, raised the Palestinian flags and chanted anti-U.S. slogans, accusing it of being biased toward Israel and all its violations of Palestinian rights.

"The matter is very simple. Blinken came here to pressure the Palestinian leadership to not adopt any decision against the security cooperation with Israel," said Nael Salama, who took part in a protest in the West Bank city of Ramallah carrying a banner of "The U.S. is criminal as long as it supports Israel."

"We came here to deliver our message to Blinken that he is not welcome in our country as his administration's full bias towards Israel and its practices against the Palestinian people," Issam Baker, the coordinator of the national and Islamic forces in Ramallah, told Xinhua.

He emphasized that the U.S. administration used "double standards" in dealing with the Palestinian issue, adding that it will "only lead to further continuation of the cycle of violence."

Since the start of 2023, Israeli forces have killed at least 35 Palestinians, making January one of the most deadly months in the West Bank in recent years. Most casualties occurred during Israeli military raids, which Israel says aimed to detain Palestinian militants.

In retaliation, a shooting attack launched by a Palestinian gunman outside a synagogue in an Israeli settlement in East Jerusalem claimed the lives of seven people on Friday night.

Ahmed Abu Dalfa, a protester in the Gaza Strip, told Xinhua that Blinken's visit will not bring benefits to the Palestinian people because Washington is "abandoning" its promises to Palestine.

Earlier in the day, Blinken held a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Palestinian presidential headquarters in Ramallah after his meetings with Israelis leaders on Monday.

Blinken urged both the Palestinians and Israelis to calm tensions, while reiterating Washington's "ironclad" commitment to Israel's security.

Following his meeting with Blinken, Abbas said that the Israeli government "is fully responsible for the current tension and violence in the Palestinian territories" because it has undermined the two-state solution and violated the signed agreements.

Abbas also accused the international community of failing to end Israel's military occupation of the Palestinian territories and its settlement policy in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. 

Palestinians hold flags during a protest against U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to the West Bank, in Gaza City, on Jan. 31, 2023. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to the West Bank prompted outrage among many Palestinians, who demonstrated on Tuesday to express their opposition to the U.S. top diplomat's presence in the Palestinian territory. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians hold flags during a protest against U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to the West Bank, in Gaza City, on Jan. 31, 2023. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to the West Bank prompted outrage among many Palestinians, who demonstrated on Tuesday to express their opposition to the U.S. top diplomat's presence in the Palestinian territory. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians protest against U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to the West Bank, in Gaza City, on Jan. 31, 2023. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to the West Bank prompted outrage among many Palestinians, who demonstrated on Tuesday to express their opposition to the U.S. top diplomat's presence in the Palestinian territory. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)
* The Sanjiangyuan area, known as China's "water tower," contains the headwaters of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers. At an average altitude of more than 4,700 meters, Sanjiangyuan National Park is the world's highest national park covering a total area of 190,700 sq km.

* On Jan. 24, 2003, the State Council officially approved the establishment of the Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve in Qinghai. China began the pilot operation of Sanjiangyuan National Park in 2016, and in October 2021, the park received its official designation.

* This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve. After decades of painstaking exploration and practice, Sanjiangyuan embodies the historic reform and achievements of China's ecological civilization system.

XINING, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- On a piercing cold day just after the Spring Festival holiday, Nyedo and six of his fellow villagers mounted their motorcycles to start an early morning patrol.

Nyedo, a herdsman in Chumarle County, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Qinghai Province, has been patrolling the headwaters of the Yellow River for more than seven years.

Rangers patrol the core area of Sanjiangyuan National Park in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, April 21, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Long)

"Although it's freezing now, it's a good time to patrol the wetland and grassland, which are inaccessible in summer and autumn," said Nyedo.

The land Nyedo patrols was once the core area of the Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve, later designated as Sanjiangyuan National Park and now under strict protection.

The Sanjiangyuan area, known as China's "water tower," contains the headwaters of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers. At an average altitude of more than 4,700 meters, Sanjiangyuan National Park is the world's highest national park covering a total area of 190,700 sq km.



This photo taken on June 28, 2020 shows the Sanjiangyuan National Park in northwest China's Qinghai Province. (Sanjiangyuan National Park Administration/Handout via Xinhua)

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve. After decades of painstaking exploration and practice, Sanjiangyuan embodies the historic reform and achievements of China's ecological civilization system.

ARDUOUS EFFORTS

As an ecological conservator who grew up at the headwaters of the Yellow River, Nyedo has a keen understanding of the importance of ecology.

"The ecological environment and grassland here deteriorated when I was a child. My family had to travel as far as 2 km to find drinkable water," said Nyedo.

On Jan. 24, 2003, the State Council officially approved the establishment of the Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve in Qinghai. Two years later, the ecological protection and construction of the Sanjiangyuan area began.

Over the following decade, China accelerated preparations for the establishment of a national park system. It began the pilot operation of Sanjiangyuan National Park in 2016, and in October 2021, the park received its official designation.

This aerial photo taken on May 25, 2021 shows a view of Ngoring Lake at the Yellow River source area of the Sanjiangyuan National Park in northwest China's Qinghai Province. (Xinhua/Li Zhanyi)

"The Chinese government attaches great importance to the ecological conservation of Sanjiangyuan," said Li Xiaonan, director of the Qinghai provincial forestry and grassland administration, who has witnessed every step of Sanjiangyuan's ecological construction. "The successful operation of Sanjiangyuan National Park provides an excellent model for the country's national park construction," said Li.

Building up a national park means implementing the strictest protection for Sanjiangyuan's ecology.

Qinghai Province has optimized the functions of protected areas within the Sanjiangyuan National Park, including nature reserves, wetlands, scenic spots and natural heritage sites. The management bureau of Sanjiangyuan National Park was set up to assume responsibility for ecological protection and management, which had previously been scattered between the departments of forestry, environmental protection, water conservancy, agriculture and animal husbandry, among others.

A new ecological protection management system has been established in the four county-level areas where the national park is located, with the management bureau as the leader and the villages working under its guidance.

Grassroots officials in the national park said the ecological conservation in Sanjiangyuan has been strengthened with improvements to the system.

In this aerial photo, rangers patrol in the Sanjiangyuan National Park in Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, Oct. 20, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Long)

Last year, the Sanjiangyuan National Park invested nearly 320 million yuan (about 47.41 million U.S. dollars) in ecological protection and restoration projects. From 2016 to 2021, with a total investment of 6.7 billion yuan, the park carried out a series of infrastructure construction, ecological protection and restoration projects, said Wang Xiangguo, director of the management bureau of Sanjiangyuan National Park.

When delivering a government work report in January, Wu Xiaojun, governor of Qinghai, said that Qinghai has become the only province in China in which 100 percent of river sections show good water quality in national assessments. The share of days with good air quality has reached over 96 percent in the province, with the comprehensive vegetation coverage of grassland reaching 57.9 percent.

WIN-WIN RESULTS

The decades of arduous efforts have boosted local biodiversity as well as people's awareness of ecological protection.

Deng Haiping welcomed the Chinese Lunar New Year with the Tibetan antelopes in the wildlife rescue center in Hoh Xil. As a staff member of Hoh Xil management office under the management bureau of Sanjiangyuan National Park, he volunteered to stay on duty this Spring Festival. It was his third New Year's Eve in Hoh Xil.

This photo taken on April 20, 2021 shows Tibetan antelopes in the Sanjiangyuan area in northwest China's Qinghai Province. (Xinhua/Wu Gang)

Deng and his colleagues start patrolling the park at about 8 a.m. every morning, protecting the wild animals in the national park from illegal hunting. Besides the daily patrols, Deng now has another routine job -- feeding the Tibetan antelope calves that have been saved and sent to the rescue center.

"In the morning, we give them warm milk, and then patrol around the fence," said Deng. "Sometimes we hold the calves in our arms like a baby. We're really happy to see them thrive."

During the 1980s and 1990s, due to poaching sprees, the population of Tibetan antelopes in Hol Xil dropped to less than 20,000. Thanks to the country's active anti-poaching and biodiversity protection efforts in recent years, Hoh Xil is now home to more than 70,000 Tibetan antelopes. The status of Tibetan antelopes in China has been downgraded from "endangered" to "near threatened."

This photo taken on March 12, 2022 shows the view of Gyaring Lake at the Yellow River source area of Sanjiangyuan National Park in northwest China's Qinghai Province. (Xinhua/Lyu Xueli)

Since 2016, the Sanjiangyuan National Park has also integrated ecological protection with improvements to local people's livelihoods.

"As the ecology improves, our life will get better," said Samdrup, whose family has been herding cattle for generations in Namse Township of Yushu, through which the Lancang River flows.

Starting in 2019, the township piloted a franchise business model for tourism. Some herders, including Samdrup, began serving as ecology guides, taking tourists to watch wild animals and experience life in pastoral areas.

"With the ecological environment improved, wild animals, such as snow leopards and white-lipped deer, have often been recorded through the lens of cameras," Samdrup said.

Last year, Samdrup's family received three groups of tourists, and earned more than 10,000 yuan in just three months.

"In March, the first batch of visitors this year will come to my home. I have found some places where snow leopards often hang out. It will definitely be worth the trip for the shutterbugs," Samdrup said.

(Video reporters: Lyu Xueli, Liu Zexing, Han Fangfang, Zhao Yuhe; Video editors: Jia Xiaotong, Luo Hui, Wang Houyuan) 
An AG600M aircraft demonstrates its water-dropping function at the 14th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province, on Nov. 8, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)

BEIJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- China's indigenously-developed AG600 large amphibious aircraft has entered the airworthiness flight-test phase, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) announced on Wednesday.

Two AG600M airplanes, the firefighting model belonging to the AG600 aircraft family, have arrived at the flight-test center in Yanliang District in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, said the AVIC, the country's leading plane-maker.

This marked the official entry of the special-mission aircraft into the flight-test phase, which is a necessary step for it to obtain the type certificate, the AVIC added.

At the flight test center, the AG600M airplanes will firstly receive modifications needed to conduct the various flight tests.

A number of tests, including the static test and others, have also been initiated, said the AVIC.

An AG600M firefighting aircraft gathers water during a gathering and dropping water test in Jingmen, central China's Hubei Province, Sept. 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)

Codenamed Kunlong, or "water dragon" in Chinese, the AG600 aircraft family is being developed to serve emergency rescue missions. It can be used in forest firefighting, maritime search and rescue, and other critical emergency rescue missions.

A member of the AG600 family, the AG600M is specifically designed to combat forest fires. Its maximum take-off weight is 60 tonnes, with a water-carrying capacity of up to 12 tonnes and flight range of up to 4,500 km. It can conduct low-altitude flying at low speed, enabling it to drop water accurately on fire sites.

This year is key for the development of AG600 aircraft. Aiming to make progress toward securing the airworthiness certification, the aircraft will be subjected to a series of tests in 2023, said the Chinese developer.

These tests include the iron-bird test, lab validation test, static test, airworthiness validation flight test, and quality tests for airborne devices, and more.

The AG600 aircraft family made constant progress in 2022, in terms of both aircraft development and market exploration.

As vital aeronautical equipment in the emergency rescue system, the AG600 has attracted attention from the market.

It is expected that the firefighting model and emergency rescue model of AG600 aircraft will obtain certification in 2024 and 2025, respectively, according to the AVIC. 
BEIJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang sent a message of condolences to his Pakistani counterpart, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, on Wednesday over the severe terrorist attack in the country.

Saying that he was shocked to learn of the attack, which has caused heavy casualties, in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Qin said he strongly condemned the incident and would like to express deep condolences over the fatalities and offer sincere sympathies to the injured and the bereaved families. 
Palestinians hold national flags during a protest against U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to the West Bank, in Gaza city, on Jan. 31, 2023. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

RAMALLAH/GAZA, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to the West Bank prompted outrage among many Palestinians, who demonstrated on Tuesday to express their opposition to the U.S. top diplomat's presence in the Palestinian territory.

The protesters, both in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, raised the Palestinian flags and chanted anti-U.S. slogans, accusing it of being biased toward Israel and all its violations of Palestinian rights.

"The matter is very simple. Blinken came here to pressure the Palestinian leadership to not adopt any decision against the security cooperation with Israel," said Nael Salama, who took part in a protest in the West Bank city of Ramallah carrying a banner of "The U.S. is criminal as long as it supports Israel."

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (R) meets with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in the West Bank city of Ramallah, on Jan. 31, 2023. (Palestinian President Office/Handout via Xinhua)

"We came here to deliver our message to Blinken that he is not welcome in our country as his administration's full bias towards Israel and its practices against the Palestinian people," Issam Baker, the coordinator of the national and Islamic forces in Ramallah, told Xinhua.

He emphasized that the U.S. administration used "double standards" in dealing with the Palestinian issue, adding that it will "only lead to further continuation of the cycle of violence."

Since the start of 2023, Israeli forces have killed at least 35 Palestinians, making January one of the most deadly months in the West Bank in recent years. Most casualties occurred during Israeli military raids, which Israel says aimed to detain Palestinian militants.

A Palestinian protester rolls a burning tire during clashes with Israeli soldiers in the West Bank city of Hebron, on Jan. 26, 2023. (Photo by Mamoun Wazwaz/Xinhua)

In retaliation, a shooting attack launched by a Palestinian gunman outside a synagogue in an Israeli settlement in East Jerusalem claimed the lives of seven people on Friday night.

Ahmed Abu Dalfa, a protester in the Gaza Strip, told Xinhua that Blinken's visit will not bring benefits to the Palestinian people because Washington is "abandoning" its promises to Palestine.

Earlier in the day, Blinken held a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Palestinian presidential headquarters in Ramallah after his meetings with Israeli leaders on Monday.

Blinken urged both the Palestinians and Israelis to calm tensions while reiterating Washington's "ironclad" commitment to Israel's security.

Following his meeting with Blinken, Abbas said that the Israeli government "is fully responsible for the current tension and violence in the Palestinian territories" because it has undermined the two-state solution and violated the signed agreements.

Abbas also accused the international community of failing to end Israel's military occupation of the Palestinian territories and its settlement policy in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. 
French unions on Tuesday called for two more days of strike action on Feb. 7 and 11, to try to force the government to retract its pension reform plan announced earlier last month. #GLOBALink





Produced by Xinhua Global Service




BEIJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Wednesday once again urged Japan to respond to the legitimate concerns of all relevant parties and dispose of its nuclear-contaminated water in a scientific, open, transparent and safe manner.

According to media reports, the technical task force of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) visited Japan from Jan. 16 to 20 to review the country's plan to pipe nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station into the Pacific Ocean, and a report will be published within three months. However, the Japanese government unilaterally announced on Jan. 13 that it would discharge the nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean in the spring or summer this year.

In response to a related query, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a daily news briefing that China is paying close attention to Japan's disposal of the nuclear-contaminated water, and supports the IAEA and its technical task force in conducting the review and evaluation of this issue.

"We hope that the technical task force will uphold the principles of objectivity, fairness and science, implement the agency's nuclear safety standards strictly, and ensure the absolute safety of the disposal of the nuclear-contaminated water. We look forward to the review report from the technical task force and will study it carefully," she said.

There is no precedent for Japan's discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean, and this discharge process will continue for as long as 30 years. To date, the Japanese side has not provided sufficient scientific or factual basis for this, and has not resolved the international community's concerns about the legitimacy of its nuclear-contaminated water discharge plan, the reliability of its data, the effectiveness of its purification devices, and the uncertainty of the potential environmental impact, Mao stressed.

China has noted with concern that the Japanese side officially approved the plan to discharge the nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean last July, when the IAEA technical task force was still reviewing and evaluating it. Not long ago, on the eve of the IAEA's visit to Japan, Japan unilaterally announced that it would discharge the nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean during the spring or summer this year, Mao said.

Such reckless behavior raises questions about whether Japan values the authority of the IAEA and its technical task force. Is Japan determined to proceed with its unilateral discharge plan regardless of the outcome of the assessment? It is necessary for Japan to give responsible answers to these questions, she said.

China once again urges Japan to respond to the legitimate concerns of all relevant parties, dispose of the nuclear-contaminated water in a scientific, open, transparent and safe manner, consent to strict supervision, and earnestly protect the marine environment, health rights and interests of people of all countries, Mao said.

"Without full consultation with neighboring countries and other stakeholders, as well as with relevant international institutions, Japan should not start the discharge process arbitrarily," she added. 
SYDNEY. Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in the Western Australia state (WA) confirmed that the tiny silver capsule, which contained the radioactive substance Caesium-137, was found and safely controlled at about 11:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday.

"We successfully retrieved the radioactive capsule after searching hundreds of kilometers in the outback and the metro area over the last six days. The capsule was located just south of Newman on the Great Northern Highway. It was two meters from the side of the road," said Darren Klemm, Fire and Emergency Services commissioner.

Klemm told reporters that the vehicle was traveling at 70 km/h when specialist equipment picked up radiation emitted from the capsule, and the search team then used portable detection equipment to locate the capsule.

"The Australian Defence Force is currently verifying the capsule using its serial number. A 20-meter hot zone has been set up around the capsule and it will be placed into a lead container to shield from radiation. It will be stored in a secure location in Newman tonight before being transported to a WA Health Facility in Perth tomorrow," Klemm said.

Authorities had warned that the capsule posed a significant public health risk, warning that anyone who came too close or touched it without protection could suffer from radiation burns or sickness.

"Once the capsule has been secured, we will survey the site to ensure there is no contamination in the surrounding area," said Klemm.

"In extremely unlikely circumstance that the capsule leaks we will remediate the area."

Following that, the emergency services updated its public warning, saying that the radioactive substance in parts of Pilbara, Midwest Gascoyne, Goldfields-Midlands and Perth Metropolitan regions is controlled and contained.

According to the emergency department, the 6 mm by 8 mm capsule was packaged on Jan. 10 to be sent to Perth for repair before leaving the site for transport by road on Jan. 12.

The package holding the capsule arrived in Perth on Jan. 16 and was unloaded and stored in the licensed service provider's secure radiation store.

On Jan. 25, the gauge was unpacked for inspection. Upon opening the package, it was found that the gauge was broken apart with one of the four mounting bolts missing and the source itself and all screws on the gauge also missing.

Mining company Rio Tinto on Sunday apologized for losing the capsule and launched an investigation over the incident.

"We are taking this incident very seriously. We recognize this is clearly very concerning and are sorry for the alarm it has caused in the Western Australian community," said Rio Tinto Iron Ore Chief Executive Officer Simon Trott.

In an article published in the Conversation, Edward Obbard, senior lecturer in nuclear engineering from the University of New South Wales, noted that Caesium-137 is a dangerous but useful radioactive isotope that spits out electrons (or beta radiation) and high-energy photons (or gamma radiation), which can be used in some cancer treatments, for measuring the thickness of metal or the flow of liquids, and for calibrating radiation gauges.

The missing capsule has a radioactive load of 19 giga-becquerels, which means it emits about 19 billion high-energy photons per second, said the scholar, warning that the most danger would occur if the capsule was broken open.

"Caesium-137 has a half-life of just over 30 years, which means the source's radiation output will halve every 30 years until it disappears completely," said Obbard. 
By Azernews

Qabil Ashirov

Azerbaijani Deputy Defense Minister - Commander of the Land Forces, Lt-Gen Anvar Afandiyev met with the newly-appointed Consul-General of Turkiye to Ganja, Recep Oztop, Azernews reports, citing the Ministry of Defense.

At the meeting, the deputy minister touched on the bilateral military cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkiye and stressed that this cooperation is based on friendly and fraternal relations.

R. Oztop thanked him for the sincere reception and expressed confidence that bilateral cooperation will develop in the future.

During the meeting, an exchange of views on topics of mutual interest was held.
MOSCOW, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The United States, by its actions, has undermined the principles of implementing the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Wednesday.

Zakharova made the remarks at Sputnik Radio in response to the U.S. allegation that Russia violated the New START.

She said that Moscow remains committed to the treaty but does not see the same commitment from Washington.

"Do I need to remind, within the framework of the indivisibility of security, cooperation and everything written here, how the United States unilaterally withdrew from a huge number of agreements, how they were engaged in the so-called containment of Russia behind its back?" She asked.

The New START, the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty in force between the two nuclear superpowers, can be extended by a maximum of five years with the consent of the two countries. Russia and the United States officially extended the treaty by five years on Feb. 3, 2021. 
This photo taken with a mobile phone shows Wang Chaosheng netting fish at his pond in Sinan County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Jan. 11, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Jun)

GUIYANG, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- During the just-ended Spring Festival holiday, Wang Chaosheng has been busy keeping fish as his ponds welcomed new fry. He was glad to witness his new business flourish.

Living in Sinan County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, the 60-year-old ex-fisherman had spent 27 years fishing on Wujiang River, a tributary of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, China's "mother river."

In rural areas, most villagers used to rely on farming as the main means of income. But for Wang, the majority of the family income came from fishing.

After Wang completed the fish catching, the fresh wild fish soon sold out in the village if the amount was not huge. If he returned with a full load, he had to transport the fish to the county seat and sell them.

With a good hand for fishing and day-and-night hard work when he was younger, Wang could make 300,000 to 400,000 yuan (about 59,442 U.S. dollars) a year at most, with a maximum daily income of 10,000 yuan.

Things have changed with a 10-year fishing ban taking effect in pivotal waters of the Yangtze on Jan. 1, 2021, for ecological conservation and green development. Wujiang River flows through nearly half the townships of Sinan County. Before the fishing ban began, the county started measures to protect fishermen's welfare.

According to the local fishery department, since 2019, a total of 121 households of fishermen have bid farewell to fishing, most of which have switched to ecological fishkeeping.

Since then, Wang has started his new business, renting over 0.6 hectares of land to build ponds for fishkeeping. The ex-fisherman now keeps three ponds where four to five fish species live, such as grass carp and catfish.

Though Wang missed the old days of fishing, he could make sense of abandoning the boat since it "helps protect the environment" and gave him "a stable job" in one stroke.

The county fishery department provided high-quality fry for the fishermen who have changed jobs and built sales channels to help them sell fresh fish for cash.

Every morning and evening, Wang goes to the ponds to throw in some grass to feed the fish. The natural mountain spring water flows into fishponds, creating a natural environment for these creatures.

To ensure that fishkeeping continues to produce benefits, the county fishery department technicians often come to the village and guide in fish raising, changing water, and preventing related diseases.

Because of the high quality of the fish, Wang's fishponds attracted some fishing enthusiasts. There is no charge, and tourists only need to buy the fish on the hook according to the actual price -- 20 to 100 yuan per kg.

"I used to catch fish, and now I keep fish. I'm still doing my job," Wang smiled. 
BEIJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message of condolences to his Pakistani counterpart, Arif Alvi, on Wednesday over the severe terrorist attack in the country's northwestern city of Peshawar.

In his message, Xi said that upon learning of the severe terrorist attack, which has caused heavy casualties, in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, he would like to express deep condolences over the fatalities and offer sincere sympathies to the injured and the bereaved families on behalf of the Chinese government and people.

China opposes any kind of terrorism and strongly condemns the incident, Xi stressed, adding that China will continue to firmly support Pakistan's efforts in pushing forward its national counter terrorism action plan, safeguarding social stability and protecting people's safety.

Xi said China stands ready to advance anti-terrorism cooperation with Pakistan, and work together to maintain peace and security in the region as well as the world at large.

Also on Wednesday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang sent a message of condolences to Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. 
People present flowers to a newly unveiled historical marker titled "In Memory of the Victims of Military Sexual Slavery and Violence During the Second World War" in Paranaque City in Metro Manila, the Philippines on Aug. 25, 2019. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

"We urge Japan to finally acknowledge its war crimes against Asian nations and take the necessary steps toward a fair and long-overdue resolution of the 'comfort women' issue," said Lila Pilipina, a Philippine organization helping women forced into Japanese military brothels in their fight for justice.

MANILA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Surviving Filipino women sexually enslaved by Japan's World War II military has urged the Japanese government to acknowledge its war crimes, resolve the "comfort women" issue, and stop "warmongering."

"It is very unjust on the part of the Japanese government to continue ignoring the issue of Filipino comfort women who have suffered long enough, more than half a century in silence," Sharon Cabusao-Silva, the executive director of Lila Pilipina, told reporters.

Lila Pilipina is a Philippine organization helping women forced into Japanese military brothels in their fight for justice. There are only a few survivors, and most are in their 90s and sick.

Former Philippine "comfort woman" Narcisa Claveria, 91 years old, attends the unveiling ceremony of new historical marker titled "In Memory of the Victims of Military Sexual Slavery and Violence During the Second World War" in Paranaque City in Metro Manila, the Philippines on Aug. 25, 2019. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

Silva said Japan must recognize the trauma inflicted on the women by the Japanese Imperial Army.

"We urge Japan to finally acknowledge its war crimes against Asian nations and take the necessary steps toward a fair and long-overdue resolution of the 'comfort women' issue," the group said.

Lila Pilipina's call came when Japan was set to present its human rights report for the Fourth Cycle of the United Nations' Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights in the country.

"We are outraged that Japan has chosen to ignore once again the issue of its wartime military sex slavery of thousands of Asian women in the fourth human rights report it submitted to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC)," it added.

Former Philippine "comfort women" Estelita Dy (L), 90 years old, and Narcisa Claveria, 91 years old, present flowers to the new historical marker titled "In Memory of the Victims of Military Sexual Slavery and Violence During the Second World War" in Paranaque City in Metro Manila, the Philippines on Aug. 25, 2019. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

While declaring its achievements in various human rights areas, the Japanese government was utterly silent about the "comfort women" system which is also at the core of these issues, the group said.

The group added Japan "totally ignored" the recommendations made by other countries "for Japan to finally address this long-standing issue."

The group sounded the alarm over Japan's "aggressive actions toward war spending and production with the development of its missile and other defense capabilities."

The group also expressed alarm "by how Japan has militarized its Official Development Assistance programs in the Philippines through the sale of war material."

As living witnesses and victims of war, Narcisa Claveria and Estelita Dy said they experienced cruelty and hardships during World War II at the hands of the Japanese military.

A woman raises her clenched fist in front of a newly unveiled historical marker titled "In Memory of the Victims of Military Sexual Slavery and Violence During the Second World War" in Paranaque City in Metro Manila, the Philippines on Aug. 25, 2019. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

"We were abused, forced to wash and iron their clothes by day, and repeatedly raped at night by Japanese soldiers. That is why I reject war," Claveria told reporters.

"War is brutal; you will suffer even if you have not done anything wrong because they accuse you of doing something even if you did not," she added.

Estelita Dy said the new generation must not experience war. "We do not want the new generation to experience the atrocities of war; what we went through during the war, so we are against war," she told reporters.

During World War II, hundreds of thousands of women and girls from China, the Korean Peninsula, Southeast Asia and other countries and regions were forcibly conscripted by Japanese militarists as sex slaves and experienced horrific sexual violence, both mentally and physically.
Rescuers search for victims after a blast at a mosque in northwest Pakistan's Peshawar on Jan. 31, 2023. (Str/Xinhua)

ISLAMABAD, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Death toll of Monday's suicide blast in a mosque in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has risen to 100 with over 200 others injured.

Almost all of the victims were either policemen, non-uniformed staff of the police department, and their visitors or family members.

People attend a funeral of a blast's victim in Peshawar, northwestern Pakistan on Jan. 31, 2023. (Str/Xinhua)

Security personnel gather at the compound of a mosque after a blast in Peshawar, northwestern Pakistan on Jan. 31, 2023. (Str/Xinhua)

Rescuers carry the body of a victim from the blast site in northwest Pakistan's Peshawar on Jan. 31, 2023. (Photo by Saeed Ahmad/Xinhua)

Rescuers search for victims at the blast site in northwest Pakistan's Peshawar on Jan. 31, 2023. (Photo by Saeed Ahmad/Xinhua)

A boy weeps outside a hospital following a blast at a mosque in northwest Pakistan's Peshawar on Jan. 30, 2023. (Photo by Saeed Ahmad/Xinhua)

Security personnel inspect a mosque after a blast in Peshawar, northwestern Pakistan on Jan. 31, 2023. (Str/Xinhua)

People attend a funeral of a blast's victim in Peshawar, northwestern Pakistan on Jan. 31, 2023. (Str/Xinhua)
Magicians of Chinese descent, Dale Salwak (2nd R), producer of "China Week" and director of the Chavez Studio of Magic, and others pose for a group photo at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, Los Angeles, the United States, on Jan. 28, 2023. (Taylor Wong/Magic Castle/Handout via Xinhua)

"We have been talking about magics, a universal language. It's important that the Western world sees magicians from other parts of the world," says Dale Salwak.



by Xinhua writers Tan Jingjing, Gao Shan

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- A full house of audience watched solid coins vanish under poker cards and reappear, and experienced mind reading as they were inspired by the narratives of a young Chinese magician at the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, Los Angeles.

The 23-year-old Jeffrey Wang performed his breathtaking card trick just inches from the audience, as he welcomed them into a unique world of infinite possibilities.

Wang is among the 14 Chinese magicians that presented a "China Week," a week-long magic show from Jan. 23 to 29 at the Magic Castle, home of the Academy of Magical Arts and a clubhouse for magicians and magic enthusiasts, in celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year.

The pointy-headed Gothic Renaissance mansion looms in the hills above Hollywood. Hidden doors, private rooms, live performances, and even a mystical owl that opens a secret door from the foyer to the interior of the castle -- visitors are thrilled at the secrets hidden inside the most magical and exclusive venue in Los Angeles.

It was the first time the castle organized a "China Week" in celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year since its founding 60 years ago.

"I have had this idea (organizing "China Week") for many years," Dale Salwak, producer of "China Week" and director of the world-renowned Chavez Studio of Magic, told Xinhua.

He had been discussing the plan with Hu Jinling, another Chinese magician who participated in the magic show, and finally worked out the plan of presenting week-long magic performances by Chinese magicians during the Chinese Spring Festival.

Magician Jeffrey Wang performs during a "China Week" magic show at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, Los Angeles, the United States, on Jan. 28, 2023. (Taylor Wong/Magic Castle/Handout via Xinhua)

Hu, gold medal winner of the highest award of Chinese acrobatics -- the "Golden Chrysanthemum Award," said the "China Week" served as a great platform to strengthen exchanges between Chinese and Western magic communities.

Magicians from China and the United States spent half a year to make preparations for the "China Week," carefully selecting candidate performers and reviewing their performances, Hu told Xinhua.

"The 'China Week' is a window that shows the skills of Chinese magicians, and reveals the elegance of the Chinese culture. The Chinese magicians have integrated many elements of Chinese culture into their magic performances," said Hu, also deputy director of two associated organizations under the China Acrobats Association, a non-governmental organization of professional acrobats from across China.

"We have been talking about magics, a universal language. It's important that the Western world sees magicians from other parts of the world," Salwak said, adding that the Asia continent, particularly the Chinese mainland, has very rich and magical talent.

For many years, Salwak worked with his partners to bring representative Chinese performers to various conventions in the United States to broaden their opportunities overseas.

The Chinese Lunar New Year, also the Year of the Rabbit for 2023, is an appropriate occasion to bring together Chinese magicians, and let people in the Western world see their magical skills, Salwak told Xinhua.

For Wang, currently a senior at the University of Southern California (USC) majoring in math, performing at the Magic Castile offered him a great platform to show his talent and share experience with other magicians.

The young man showed great interest in magic in his childhood, and started learning magic performance at the age of six.

"I hope that through my performances, the Western audience could learn more about China and the profound Chinese culture," he told Xinhua.

Magicians of Chinese descent and Dale Salwak (5th R), producer of "China Week" and director of the Chavez Studio of Magic, pose for a group photo in front of the Magic Castle in Hollywood, Los Angeles, the United States, on Jan. 27, 2023. (Taylor Wong/Magic Castle/Handout via Xinhua)

Matt Felten, one of the audience sitting in a private theater at the castle for Wang's show, was cheered up by his performances.

"Wang was very brilliant, and he did a wonderful job in managing the audience," said Felten, who teaches courses on Acting Shakespeare as well as Magic and Performance at the USC.

Magicians of different countries have different styles and ways of presenting magic shows, said Felten, also a magician, adding it is a very good opportunity to experience the charm of Chinese culture through Chinese magicians' performances.

The "China Week" won cheers and applauses from the audience. The week-long show attracted more than 4,000 visitors.

"China has a long long history of circus, acrobatics and arts. The magic has involved and developed in China from those traditions," Salwak said.

"What I respect about the Chinese magicians is not only their self-discipline, their respect for the art, but also their incredible creativity, new ideas, and new expression of the old. You add that to the excitement of their personalities and the novelty of bringing their magic to the West," he told Xinhua.

"It's a winning combination all around," Salwak said. 
TEHRAN, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The parts and explosives used in a recent drone attack on a military plant in the central Iranian province of Isfahan were transferred into the country by "hostile" Kurdish groups based in the Iraqi Kurdistan region, semi-official Nour News agency reported Wednesday.

The groups transferred the parts of the micro air vehicles (MAVs) and the explosives used in Saturday night's attack through the northwestern border at the order of a foreign intelligence service to a workshop in a border city, said Nour News affiliated with Iran's Supreme National Security Council, quoting unidentified sources.

In August 2022, the Iranian Intelligence Ministry busted a "terrorist" group of "opposition Kurdish individuals," which had been organized by Israel to create an explosion in an industrial facility in Isfahan, according to Nour News.

Iran's Defense Ministry said early Sunday that a drone attack took place at about 11:30 p.m. local time (2000 GMT) on Saturday in one of its military plants in Isfahan, causing no casualties and only minor damage to the roof of a workshop in the plant.

Iran has identified the manufacturer of one of the drones used in the attack, Nour News reported Tuesday, without providing more details. 
by Marwa Yahya

CAIRO, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The United States is attempting to enhance its presence in the Middle East through visits and military cooperation. However, its influence on the region has been dwindling due to decades-long wars wreaking havoc on regional peace and development, its "unfair policies" on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and other factors, Egyptian analysts said.

DEMOCRACY USED FOR U.S. HEGEMONY

In the name of democracy and freedom, the United States has waged cruel wars in the Middle East, causing huge casualties and displacing a huge number of people. Observers believe U.S. military intervention has nothing to do with its so-called democracy, but aims for its own global and regional hegemony.

The "main reasons for the U.S. pursuit of rebuilding a new Middle East" are to benefit from the large oil reserves in the region, control international navigation lines, and secure Israel; and the United States has been trying to achieve its goals through falsely spreading the principles of democracy and freedom, Egyptian political expert Akram Hossam told Xinhua recently.

The United States is obsessed with maintaining a unipolar system by maximizing its military and political power. And its failed military intervention in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen has destroyed its image as a democracy, he said.

"The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq dealt a blow to U.S. democratic theories and showed that the Western power could use power and interventions unwisely to the extent it causes instability," he added.

The U.S. botched retreat from Afghanistan, as well as its military withdrawal from Iraq and Syria, signaled that Washington had stumbled over its Mideast policies, said Hamid Faris, an international relations professor at Misr University for Science and Technology.

The Mideast policies pursued by the current White House are of no difference from the former administrations. Despite the wars in the region, the United States has never achieved security, stability and prosperity as it had promised, Faris added.

BIASED MEDIATOR

Despite calling for a resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the United States as a one-sided mediator has no way to increase chances of securing a peace deal, according to analysts.

In the eyes of Palestinians, the United States has been flagrantly backing Israel's assaults. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, in particular, orchestrated the transfer of the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and cut aid for the main UN program for Palestinian refugees, Hossam said.

On Monday, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry discussed with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken the ongoing escalation of tensions between Palestine and Israel.

As part of his three-day Mideast trip, Blinken arrived in Israel on Monday to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before traveling to Ramallah to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday.

His visit seems to ease the tensions on the surface; nonetheless, assuming a weak and unfair mediating role, his country has not presented anything new to serve the Palestinian cause in the past few years, according to Hossam and Faris.

Faris described Washington as one of the struggling parties, but not a broker of a fair settlement based on the two-state solution.

Mokhtar Gobashy, vice chairman of Cairo-based Arab Centre for Political and Strategic Studies, doesn't expect the U.S. diplomat's visit to bring tangible results for the settlement of the decades-old Palestinian-Israeli conflict, though it "might lead to a surface calm for the interest of Israel."

Washington is reassessing its role in the Middle East amid changing geopolitical landscapes and "is keener now to return to fill in a political vacuum in the Middle East," Gobashy said. 
ALGIERS, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Regular flights between the Algerian and Chinese capitals will resume from Feb. 19 after a three-year suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Two regular weekly flights between Algiers and Beijing are scheduled every Thursday and Sunday, beginning on Feb. 19, 2023," Algeria Press Service quoted the spokesman of the Algerian company Air Algerie Amine Andaloussi as saying.

Andaloussi added that the state-run carrier offers promotional prices for tickets purchased before Feb. 28 for trips scheduled until Oct. 28. 
SYDNEY, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- More than 600 people in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) were charged with serious offenses after local police carried out a four-day operation targeting domestic violence offenders.

The NSW Police Force said on Tuesday that during the operation running from Jan. 24 to Jan. 27, 648 people were arrested, which included 164 of the state's most wanted domestic violence offenders.

In addition, police also detected various other serious offenses, including prohibited firearm and weapon possession, drug possession, and supply, with a total of 1,153 charges laid.

"In just four days, Operation Amarok saw police engage with 2,000 high-risk domestic and family violence offenders, sending a strong message to all previous and potential offenders that their predatory behavior will not be tolerated," said Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith.

Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon regarded domestic and family-related violence as the most challenging community issue.

"The NSW Police Force invests significant resources into responding to domestic and family violence; attending some 139,000 calls for assistance in 2022 - with more than 33,100 of those actual assaults and 17 domestic-related murders," Lanyon said, stressing that all people have a part to play in stopping the loss of lives due to this crime.

According to the latest personal safety survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2016, two in five Australian adults had experienced violence since the age of 15, while one in six women and one in 17 men experienced partner violence.

Another record of the bureau showed that there were 105 victims of family and domestic violence-related homicide nationally in 2021. 
The Foreign Ministry of Turkiye criticized a recent resolution passed by the U.N. Security Council, which extended the mandate of the global bodys peacekeeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), saying that it disregards the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will for a two-state settlement and insists on models that have already been tried and failed.

In a statement released Monday, the ministry said it fully supports the TRNC Foreign Ministrys stance regarding the resolution.

Despite the fact that they are not included in the reports of the United Nations Secretary-General, we observe that the council, detached from the realities on the ground and disregarding the will of the TRNC towards a two-state settlement, insists on settlement models that have been tried and have failed many times, the ministry said, adding that the situation is incompatible with common sense and goodwill and that the UNSC is unable to free itself from Greek Cypriot influence.

The ministry also said it rejects the resolutions articles regarding the closed city of Mara? (Varosha) and that Turkiye supports all activities carried out by the TRNC in the area.

We invite the Council to stop supporting the insincere attitude of the Greek Cypriot Administration, which aims to prevent Greek Cypriots who wish to return to their properties from doing so. We take this opportunity to emphasize once again that Mara? is TRNC territory, the ministry said.

The statement also noted that the TRNCs consent was not sought in the extension of the mandate, disregarding the goodwill of the TRNC authorities and that a permanent solution to the Cyprus issue needs to consider realities on the ground.

In this regard, we call on the Security Council and the international community, based on the fact that there are two separate people and two separate states on the Island of Cyprus, to reaffirm the inherent rights of the Turkish Cypriots, namely their sovereign equality and equal international status, and to recognize the TRNC, the ministry said.

The U.N. Peacekeeping Force placed barriers between the site and the walls to prevent access to Taksim Field from TRNC territory.
NEW DELHI, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least 14 people, including 10 women and three children, died when a fire broke out inside a multi-story building in India's eastern state of Jharkhand Tuesday night, local police confirmed over the phone.

A wedding was being held in the building in the state's Dhanbad area when the fire broke out, said the policeman.

"Nearly a dozen injured people have been admitted to a local hospital. A search operation has been carried out to find if any people are trapped. Fire fighting and rescue work is over," he added.

This was the second fire incident in the same area in the past four days. On Saturday, five people were killed in a fire inside a private clinic.

Describing the fire as "extremely heart-wrenching," Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren tweeted, "The district administration is working on a war footing, and treatment is being provided to all those injured. I am personally monitoring the developments." 
PHNOM PENH, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia continued to pursue an independent foreign policy that upholds its core interests, guarantees sovereignty and peace, and boosts economic ties, Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn said Wednesday.

Sokhonn, who is also a deputy prime minister, made the remarks while briefing the National Assembly's Commission on Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, Information and Media on "Cambodia's Foreign Policy in the New Context of World Order."

"Over the last five years, the world has continued to evolve to an international system with a global, multipolar and complicated nature," he said. "This evolution has led to profound, rapid, uncertain and precarious transformations."

On international and regional contexts, he highlighted the rivalry of superpowers with a myriad of security, economic and development alliance and initiatives across the regions, and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On domestic front, he cited Cambodia's successful control of COVID-19, great accomplishments of its ASEAN chairmanship in 2022, active and sincere endeavors in the capacity of ASEAN Chair and Special Envoy to address the Myanmar issue.

Sokhonn also underlined a set of foreign policies to which the kingdom will continue to adhere, in light of the fierce competition and uncertainties in the international relations.

Among them are the upholding of Cambodia's core interests in compliance with the constitution; a proactive diplomacy to guarantee sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence, peace and socio-economic development; the implementation of an independent foreign policy in line with the objectives and principles of the charters of the United Nations and ASEAN; and the strengthening of economic ties with both existing and new partners. 
CANBERRA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government has revealed its new plan to protect children from abuse and neglect.

The federal government on Tuesday released two 10-year action plans created with state and territory governments to improve the safety and wellbeing of Australian children.

The first plan aims to address the needs of all young people while the second focuses on indigenous families in a bid to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the youth protection system.

Under the First Nations Training Strategy, governments have agreed to increase investment in indigenous communities to boost the availability of support services.

Of 45,300 children in out-of-home care across Australia, 43 percent are indigenous despite making up only 3 percent of the population.

Releasing the new plan, Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth and Linda Burney, minister for indigenous Australians, said it was a historic moment.

"The number of First Nations children being removed from families remains out of control. It is so high and it is alarming and it must come down," Burney said.

"The plan focuses on early intervention and prevention measures at a child, family and system level, which is crucial to keeping more First Nations families together and safe."

Over its 10-year lifespan, the plan's goals include supporting the cultural needs of indigenous children in care, improving awareness of how the system works and putting indigenous self-determination at the center of the system. 
BERLIN, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Germany's labor market continues to show little signs of weakening amid the energy crisis. As is typical for this time of the year, the country's unemployment rate climbed slightly to 5.7 percent in January, the Federal Employment Agency (BA) said on Tuesday.

The number of jobless people in Europe's largest economy rose by 162,000 month-on-month to just under 2.62 million in January. The figure was 154,000 higher than a year ago, according to the BA.

The labor market remained "stable," BA chief Andrea Nahles said in a statement. "However, the effects of geopolitical and economic uncertainties continue to be evident."

Last year, Germany's total workforce grew to a new record high of 45.6 million employees.

According to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the immigration of foreign workers and the increased participation of domestic population "more than offset" demographic change on the country's labor market.

Despite this development, labor shortage in Germany has been increasing for years.

In mid-2022, the country's economy lacked more than half a million skilled workers on an annual average, according to the German Economic Institute (IW). Particularly in sales, daycare centers, social work and hospitals, the shortage is to increase even further.

To attract more workers from abroad, the German government decided to lower income thresholds for the Blue Card required for foreign nationals to work in the country.

Asylum procedures have also been accelerated and a so-called opportunity card for people with high potential is to be introduced. 
KIEV, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on Wednesday that he met French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss Ukraine's defense needs.

Describing the conversation as "frank and productive," Reznikov tweeted that the urgent operational needs of the Ukrainian army were on the agenda.

Reznikov, who arrived in France on Tuesday for a two-day visit, thanked Macron and the French people for their support for Ukraine.

In a separate tweet, the minister said he signed a memorandum with French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu and the Thales Group on the supply of MG-200 radars for Ukrainian air defenders. The radars, Reznikov said, will help the Ukrainian military to spot enemy drones and missiles, including ballistic missiles. 
KIEV, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday met with his visiting Austrian counterpart, Alexander Van der Bellen, to discuss bilateral cooperation and assistance for Kiev, the Ukrainian presidential press service said.

During the talks, Zelensky and Van der Bellen talked about energy, economic and humanitarian cooperation between the two countries, and the development of Ukrainian communities.

"We have also discussed the issues of our political cooperation in Europe and other international platforms," Zelensky told reporters after the talks.

Zelensky thanked Austria for pushing forward humanitarian ties and providing 200 million euros (about 219 million U.S. dollars) in assistance for Ukraine.

Zelensky also urged Austrian businesses to increase cooperation with their Ukrainian partners on the reconstruction and the modernization of Ukraine's energy sector.

For his part, Van der Bellen, who arrived in Kiev earlier in the day, said Austria will strongly support the Ukrainian people by all possible means, including through the provision of humanitarian aid. 
Corruption rankings upgrade, 120 tanks expected, no help from Brazil 1 February, 03:32 PM

Your slice of the top headlines in Ukraine. Daily. Wednesday, February 1st, 2023.

Thats according to a report by Transparency International, which noted that Ukraine gained one point on their scale. Algeria, Angola, Zambia, Mongolia, El Salvador, and the Philippines also have 33 points. Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Gambia, Indonesia, Malawi, Nepal, Sierra Leone are one point ahead of Ukraine  they have 34 points.

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According to Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, , the tank coalition of countries supplying main battle tanks to Ukraine already has 12 member countries. The diplomat said that Ukraine will receive Leopard 2, Challenger 2, M1 Abrams tanks and is also expecting France to deliver its Leclerc tanks.

Brazil has no interest in passing on ammunition so that it will be used in the war, Lula told reporters at a press conference in Brasilia alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Brazil does not want to have any participation, even indirect, Lula said.

According to preliminary estimates by experts from the Institute of Black Sea Strategic Studies, the growth will be from 15% to 35%, and the volume of exports will be from 3.4 to 4.2 million tons instead of 2.9 million tons in December 2022. This increase is believed to be fuelled by exports to India.

The former official was found guilty of embezzlement and misappropriation of property. Sus, who was the former deputy head of the department for investigation of particularly important cases in the field of the economy, and the head of the department for investigating crimes in the field of economy at the Prosecutor Generals Office, was detained at Boryspil International Airport on July 25, 2017.

Lanet filed a statement with the Antimonopoly Committee accusing 1+1 media, Media Group Ukraine, StarLightMedia, and the Inter Media Group of abuse  in particular, of having coordinated the package sale of popular and unpopular programs, coordinated their actions, and unilaterally terminated contracts with some providers.

The High Anti-Corruption Court also found that the Naftogaz Supervisory Board had consciously made the decision to award the bonus and was not subject to pressure from the official. The court also noted that during the five years of investigation in the case, members of the Supervisory Board, including its chairman, were never questioned.

The companys representatives have not yet commented on the situation. OnlyFans limited access to accounts for Russian and Belarusian models on Feb. 28, 2022. The decision was made due to Russias invasion of Ukraine. The company added it would not continue paid subscriptions to accounts from Russia and Belarus.

DFC will be working with Horizon Capital to invest in eCommerce, fintech, and technology companies in the country. The agency also outlined a plan to fund the expansion of Dobrobut private clinic network in Kyiv.

During a press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart, Oleksii Reznikov, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lekornu also said that France would send 150 its servicemen to Poland to train Ukrainian military. A total of 2,000 Ukrainian servicemen will undergo training by the summer.

The days long read: The issue of timing is key: My forecast for 2023

Historian Yaroslav Hrytsak lays out why Ukraines victory needs to come as soon as possible, and explains why more aid to Ukraine is needed to ensure that outcome.

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What the wars finale will be, and Hungarys destiny in the EU 1 February, 07:42 PM Budapest

The West, in the manner of truly civilized countries, after getting rid of Moscow's corruption, will begin a self-cleaning

The West does not know a lot about Putin, and this is the problem of Western civilization. Because somehow it happened that this civilization, to which we ourselves belong to, meaning the Western world, has, during the entire existence of Muscovy, and then the stolen-from-us name of Rus and the renamed Russia, been under a very strong informational (to use todays language), pressure.

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So, the lies about Muscovy did not begin from Putin, it began from the emergence of this state entity. The main idea was to lie to those who occasionally came to this Muscovy to give them the opportunity to see, to understand and to learn. All of Potemkins villages are a tradition. I advise you to read Astolphe de Custine.

This is a French count who came to Russia to learn how to arrange a system of monarchism in France properly. He believed that the Russian monarch is a cool uncle, and you can learn something from him. When he came back, he wrote a book that Russian spies bought in Paris and burned, because something was written there which turned the idea of Russia upside down. And nothing today has changed, unfortunately. Well, maybe after February 24 something has changed, but the fact that the West does not understand what Russia is, how it functions and why this is happening  is an absolute fact. And the field is not even plowed.

How long will the West draw conclusions about Russia? Every day of delay is the death of Ukrainian defenders, it is the loss of our lives which hits the closest. For someone in the West, this is a continuation of the theory "Maybe we can still not finish Russia off completely, but give it a chance to somehow be reborn, maybe some democracy will grow there someday, and similar nonsense, because there is no other way to call it. Because it is impossible to artificially grow democracy in a country that has never been democratic at all. This has never happened in history.

All societies went through certain stages of their development and gradually acquired certain features. It was not only during the times of Marxism-Leninism that it was said that Mongolia had jumped over capitalism and became socialist. More nonsense. The same cannot be done in Russia. Russia cannot be democratic by definition, because it must go through several generations of gradually getting used to everything that happens. And, unfortunately, some of our Western partners are continuing to brainstorm, in some strange, and, well, in a slightly twisted way.

I still hope that despite a very well-fed part of the Western establishment by the Russians in terms of corruption, most people are finally starting to see that there really exists a Russian Federation, and that there are those people who ran it and are running it now. Therefore, I hope that gradually, this process of insight will acquire its normal dimension and completion.

I heard about Hungary from European officials in Brussels, you know, like in the kitchens in Soviet times, language that was already unpleasant 4-5years ago. It was already said at the time that Hungary is behaving ab-normally, that the state is undermining the principles on which the Euro-pean Union is built, that it is violating human rights, that the level of corruption in it is beginning to exceed all possible and impossible limits, and so on. That is, all this was observed, but tolerated and, in fact, is tolerated to this day. Well, there are some reactions there - Hungary does not receive certain financial assistance from the European Union, but it seems to me that this is not at all the tactic that should be used.

Instead, our collective Western world should understand that it must unite not territorially, but institutionally  I mean, when institutions are truly based on values, not just on the covered territories. They covered a part of Eastern Europe and covered Hungary, which does not really want to profess these values. What should be done? It is necessary to change the statutory documents of the European Union, on which it was built, because the initial concept was only about accession. I'm sorry, but you need to have documents to get rid of them - if one of those countries that were accepted no longer meets this criteria, I think the European Union has a lot of work to do in this regard. Because this creeping over the territory without a proper assessment of the country that you had once accepted, and why things have led to erosion, and to the fact that these structures simply began to function weakly, that they do not per-form the functions they were supposed to perform. Therefore, I think that the West, in the manner of truly civilized countries, after getting rid of Moscow's corruption (and this is one of the very serious prerequisites for change), will need to start a self-cleanse. The same goes for changing the rules of the procedure whereby one country can block the opinion of the entire community  especially when this opinion is clearly borrowed from outside the European Union.

I think that the end of this war will be the end of the post-war (I mean WWII) era. It has already exhausted herself. We already have to move to a completely different coordinate system, where everything works on the basis of true respect for principles, and not respect for money, respect for corruption, backroom deals and so on. If this does not happen, we will have the same tragedies like we have today.

Some information has appeared - Hungary and Austria have agreed that they will not supply weapons to Ukraine. This is passed off as a very peaceful foreign policy. Why? Because in that Austria, if we take a closer look at how Russia worked there, we will find dozens of people sitting on the Kremlin's money.

Still, I do see the point of a collective position of the West  not in pulling out these individual Moscow collaborators, many of whom have spawned in Europe, but to eliminate the reason for why these collaborators appear: to ensure that this, pardon the pun, infection does not spread any-where else from the territory of the current Russian Federation.

Hungary is already being punished for its absolutely absurd position, and tools are being found to circumvent its veto. Europe is also not standing still and is looking for ways to fix this situation. But I repeat again: it seems to me that these are the consequences that come already after whole countries or the political elites of given countries start playing not European democracy, but totalitarianism. This is actually a threat to the European Union, because these ideas arent only spreading in Hungary.

We need to think about a systemic approach to get rid of the evil that the Russian Federation is. And under these circumstances we can think about the fact that there will be no more such relapses as we see today, these pseudo-pacifistic approaches, because they do not help to resolve the issue, but rather help the aggressor continue his aggression.

We are on the eve of the Ukraine-European Union summit. Here the question is no longer about our Western partners, but about ourselves, because the political will of the West to have Ukraine as a European partner and a member of the European Union has already been declared, written down  it has already voiced by everyone. What else do we want to hear from the West? Well, actually, we don't need to hear anything more. Now, instead of what we are traditionally used to - some statements - we need to move on to business. And these things have begun being done. But sometimes one gets the impression, and this is what our Western partners say quite often, that the matter has not come to an en:it was started, it reached the level of a conditional 90% and stopped, and10% still remains and can spoil the entire picture.

Well, for example, for how many months have we been discussing the issue of appointing judges to the Constitutional Court? Everything has already been discussed several times, it has been determined what and how to do it, the Venice Commission has provided relevant proposals.

And what do we see? We see that for some reason at the final stage, our native Verkhovna Rada stopped and made a decision - no, we will not give international experts who are independent and have no any private interests in Ukraine the right to have a decisive vote when it comes to the appointment of these court members. Do we want a new head, like the one walking around Vienna today? And do we have only one such anti-hero in our country? Where there not a lot of them ? Is everything so transparently clean there?

They want to help us and say, "Dear friends, your Constitutional Court must be a model of law, there can be no political instruments or any other influences. Nothing. It must be a transparently clear legal institution, because without it, your progress will be impossible if you do not have a functioning judicial system. It begins with the Constitutional Court."

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Representational Image. Photo: Pexels

When a woman went to the police station asking the police to take action against Krishna Bahadur Giri, also known as Siddhababa, for rape, the police did not file her report. Instead, they ridiculed her and asked her to stop spreading lies about the famed religious leader and asked her to leave. Following this, the woman went to the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police on November 24, 2019, to report the case, which has been one of the most recent well-known examples of sexual violence in Nepal.

Before she went to the CIB, Nepal Police official reached her door steps. She had hoped they were there to report the case, but instead, they tried to book her in a drug case. The aim of the police was to give her mental torture so she should not report the case and had reached her apartment acting as a businessperson.

Someone came to my apartment asking me to buy some soap, shampoo and powder. Following that, a team of police came in telling us we were buying and selling drugs, says the woman.

This is a prime example of how survivors of sexual violence in Nepal are treated when they go to the police. There are many such examples when they are harassed by the police, which is considered the starting point of the justice process. Throughout the process, they continue even bigger challenges on the way to justice.

The long road to justice

Rape-accused religious leader Krishna Giri aka Siddhababa is flanked by ministers Gyanendra Bahadur Karki and Sher Bahadur Kunwar, in Kathmandu, on Monday, July 18, 2022.

After registering a complaint against Siddhababa, the CIB ordered the Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu, to conduct a further investigation after examining the health of the survivor. Then, the case was sent to the Sunsari District Police Office.

As this was happening, Siddhababas followers were pressuring the survivor to withdraw the complaint. Even the police wanted her to do so.

Yet, after a few days, Sunari Police filed the complaint, but no action was taken. Even though there is a legal provision that does not allow reconciliation in rape cases, the police started putting pressure on the survivor and Siddhababa to reconcile.

When I went to see the incident report, Binod Sharma (then DSP) told me to forget what had happened and asked me to move on. He pressurised me to reconcile, says the survivor.



On May 12, 2019, Binu Yadav went to the womens cell of the Metropolitan Police Range in Kathmandu to report she had been raped by her boyfriend, Pradeep Kathayat. Police refused to file the case and instated asked the two to reconcile. That is what happened on June 2.

After the reconciliation, Yadav had to marry the man who she tried to file a complaint against. Following that, she was held hostage at Kathayats house in Ramechhaps Manthali where Kathayats uncle, Pawan, tried to rape her on April 20, 2022.

Ramechhap police also refused to file her complaint. She had to come to the Police Headquarters in Kathmandu to file the complaint. The process took a total of three months.

Yadav, after she was raped, became pregnant. Following that, she even got an abortion under the pressure of Kathayat on April 3, 2019. The police, despite knowing this, made her sign the reconciliation paper without reading it out to her.

They (the police) told me everything would be okay and asked me to sign the paper, says Yadav, Kathayats family was putting unnecessary pressure on her.

Following that, Yadav, who was held hostage in Kathayats house, had sent a message to then Ramechhap police chief Basant Pathak stating she was being beaten up by her family. She was pleading for help.

Forgetting the obligation to protect privacy as per the law regarding sexual violence in Nepal, Pathak showed the message sent by Yadav to her abuser. This made things even more difficult for her.

That made me stop trusting the police, says Yadav.

Problems with the police

File: Nepal Police Headquarters, Naxal

What can be seen from these examples is that if someone files a complaint against a high-ranking person and a person with political access, the police will not believe the words of the complainants. Due to this, the survivors feel discouraged to come out and tell their stories as they fear they will never be taken seriously.

Former Nepal Police DIG Hemant Malla agrees that the police do not side with survivors when it comes to complaints against high-ranking people with political access.

Our social structure and psychology wont allow us to stand against people in positions of power. This sadly has been adopted by many in the police force too, says Malla.

A recent example of this is the complaint of marital rape and domestic violence filed by Bhuwan Giris wife. Giri is the judge at Kapilvastu District Court. Like the cases mentioned above, the police refused to register this case as well.

In fact, the police have still not registered the case pressuring Giris wife to reconcile with her husband. On the contrary, police immediately registered a case filed by Giri accusing his wife of stealing Rs 26,000.

They tried to send me to jail before they registered my case, she says. I told them they could jail me, but they had to register my case before.

But the police have not registered her case even now. When asked, police officials in Kapilvastu say investigations are ongoing. She tried to seek help from the National Human Right Commission, Womens Commission and the Judicial Council. But, these bodies did not help her fully, she claims.

Failing to find help, on January 17, she staged a protest in front of the Supreme Court pleading for justice.

Reliving the trauma

Facts show the survivors of sexual violence in Nepal, who go to various agencies in search of justice, have to prove that they survived the crime every time. They have to live through the trauma and share it over and over again. Add social stigma and people passing comments, and most of the survivors feel a sense of shame and guilt, say some survivors.

Complaints are rarely registered on time. Every time I go to a place, the staff changes. I then have to repeat the same story again. I have to go to them at a time when they feel convenient, but even then I cant get any work done. When I have to repeat myself, its both traumatic and frustrating, says Yadav, fighting her case for the last four years.

Yadav feels that the past four years have been so frustrating that she feels all her tears have dried up.

When you tell the same story over and over again, you feel numb, she says.

Some psychiatrists say if a survivor has to repeatedly explain an incident that caused them trauma, that might lead to depression over time.

Realising this threat, a report prepared by the National Judicial Academy in 2013 suggested the adoption of a one-stop solution method in the justice process for women subjected to sexual violence in Nepal.

It is believed that the survivors medical examination, statement and all other necessary work should be done from one place, says Raju Prasad Chapagain, an advocate involved in the research.

In 2010, the bench of Supreme Court justices Balram KC and Bharat Raj Upreti also ordered the introduction of a one-stop solution for survivors of rape and other types of sexual violence in Nepal. The order states necessary technology, laboratories and experts should be arranged in the hospitals of each district, gradually in a planned manner to bring justice to the rape survivors.

The intensity of insensitivity

File image

Chapagain says that they suggested creating a one-stop solution for the survivors of rape and sexual violence in Nepal as they feel humiliated when they have to go to many places to express their pain repeatedly, which causes mental stress.

Nepals law also encourages the government to be responsible to the survivors, but various agencies seem to have turned a blind eye to it and have been insensitive.

For example, a woman from Janakpur who went to the District Police Office, Dhanusha, with a complaint of domestic violence complained that the police did not listen to her seriously.

I went to the police station with bruises and torn clothes. The female officer at the station told me these things happen and asked me to forget about it and go home, she says.

Following that, she went to the Womens Commission but did not receive good support from the commission either. Now, the survivor, who left home with her five-year-old daughter, does not have a place to live as she is finding it hard to sustain herself in Kathmandu.

If the police had registered my complaint, things would have been different I think, she says.

Former DIG Malla says that the police do not have people who understand the seriousness of issues such as violence against women and sexual violence in Nepal.

Yes, we do have a womens cell, but that is not as effective as it should be, he says.

Poor investigations

Police and people gather around five lifeless bodies of girls who drowned to death in Dhanusha.

The Siddhababa case is a strong example of the police investigating sexual violence in Nepal poorly. There is enough proof that the police registered the case only after torturing the survivor.

But as a high-ranking police officer was a devotee of the self-proclaimed saint, the police officers wife tried to trick the survivor into withdrawing the case.

But, she refused to do so and the police did not investigate the case effectively. That meant the survivors chances of winning went down significantly. The polices aim through the investigation was to prove Siddhababa was innocent and said the woman was mentally ill.

It is strange how the police took 29 statements to prove Siddhababa was innocent but only took two to prove the woman was correct.

Meanwhile, the police tried to defame the survivor by prominently including this on the charge sheet. Many argue this shows the infamy of the police. District Court, Sunsari acquitted Siddhababa on December 7, 2022, based on the same statement, which showed Siddhababa to be right and the survivor wrong.

The government attorneys office, which has the responsibility of defending the survivors in court, also does the exact opposite at times. Binu Yadav who filed a complaint against her husbands uncle for trying to rape her, found an initial reprieve as the court asked police to take the man into judicial custody.

The man then went to Patan High Court seeking a revision to the verdict. Wanting to know more, Yadav went to the government attorneys office. But she got no answer. Later she found that the man had been released on bail.

I have been there so many times but I still havent received the file of the verdict. I havent had the chance to read the verdict of a case, in which I am involved. How is this fair, she says.

This went against the Crime Victims Protection Act 2018, which has given survivors of sexual violence in Nepal the right to receive all information related to the investigation, prosecution and judicial proceedings of their case.

Judge Arjun Prasad Koirala of the Sunsari District Court showed how rash he was when deciding to acquit Siddhababa. Sources say, he did not even consider it necessary to listen to the argument of the government attorney and the survivor. He acquitted Siddhababa after hearing a one-sided debate.

Following this, the government attorneys office appealed for a revision to the verdict at Biratnagar High Court, which voided the Sunsari District Court verdict. After this, Siddhababa went to the Supreme Court appealing for a revision. The court did not support his appeal.

But, Siddhababa is free now as he has been seen sharing the stage with sitting ministers.

This was bound to happen as the justice system didnt show sensitivity to the survivor, says advocate and rights activist Mohna Ansari.

For the woman surviving this high-profile case of sexual violence in Nepal, these three years have felt like an eternity. Firstly, she was accused of being mentally ill. Then, she was (still is) vilified in society for destroying Hinduism. Every day for three years, she has been enduring some kind of pressure and torture from the perpetrators.

People have also been approaching her husband offering him money to withdraw the case.

They even told my husband that theyd arrange for us to stay abroad, she says.

As the time of the hearing nears, the police and Siddhababas people continue to threaten her as well.

They tell me anything can happen and try to scare me. They have also started to torture my kids at school, she says.

I feel I will have to fight this case until my last breath, she says.

Problems everywhere

Kathmandu District Government Attorneys Office

Ansari, a former member of the National Human Rights Commission, believes there is also a problem in the perspective of judicial institutions towards the survivors of sexual violence in Nepal.

Our justice system is still traditional. This causes more pain to the survivors. Moreover, our judicial institutions do not even show sympathy towards them, says Ansari.

Advocate Chapagain says that since the day she came out to seek justice, the woman has been subjected to many insults as time and again she has been obstructed during the process to seek justice.

During the hearing of her divorce case, Binu Yadav had to be humiliated by Badri Prasad Oli, the district judge of Ramechhap. An example of how unhelpful the justice system is for the survivors of sexual violence in Nepal is the case of Yadav being forced to drink poison in the courtroom.

Judge Oli called Yadav to his chamber and said, If it can be settled by making some transactions, there is no point in fighting a case like this.

On April 20, 2022, after Yadav said that she would not settle, Judge Oli said in the courtroom, You are beautiful. You are young. How can you seduce such a rich boy and do this, you will find any boy of your own race. I will make them give you compensation as part of the divorce and you can go to a higher court if you are not satisfied.

If when I had proof that I was being beaten and had been raped, the police and the court didnt help me. I drank the poison after I felt helpless, says Yadav, adding she will continue to fight this case until she can.

This story was translated from the original Nepali version and edited for clarity and length.
Photo: Freepik

With the governments decision to lift the luxury import ban, there are already new smartphones such as the iPhone 14 series, OnePlus flagships and other budget smartphones in the Nepali market. Also, with the start of the new year 2023, smartphone manufacturers are already releasing and teasing their new lineup of smartphones. So what can Nepal expect as far as new smartphones are concerned this new year?

Here is a list of some smartphone lineups set to get released in Nepal this year.

1. Samsung S23 series

Photo: Samsung

As always, Samsungs S series phones are the new smartphones that are always the main headlines of Samsung phones. The S series is one of the most awaited smartphones every year worldwide. In 2022, the Samsung S22 series including Samsung S22, Samsung S22+ and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra did pretty well in the international and Nepali markets. Now, in 2023, Samsung is releasing the Samsung s23 series all over the world and in Nepal.

There are a few leaks from unofficial channels about the Samsung S23 series. But, we will know about it in February when Samsungs S23 series new smartphones will get a global launch.

2. OnePlus flagships

Photo: Unsplash

The Chinese company OnePlus recently released the OnePlus 10 series in Nepal after the lift of the import ban. The new smartphones expected from OnePlus are probably its flagship series of OnePlus 11 and other mid-range smartphones. OnePlus 10T, also recently released in Nepal, is gaining popularity in the market. The other OnePlus mid-range phones will also be an addition to the flagship of OnePlus smartphones.

3. Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 series

Redmi Note 12 5G Photo: Xiaomi

One of the most famous Redmi phones overall in Nepal is the Note series. This year too, the Note 12 series will bring hype to Nepal. The Redmi Note 12 series new smartphones have already been released in India and are very soon to be released in Nepal. The Note 12 series has three phones including Redmi Note 12, Redmi Note 12 Pro and the Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus. In the past year, Redmi added another smartphone in its Note series as the premium mid-range budget smartphone as the Pro Plus variant.

Along with the Note 12 series, there will be a chance to see some budget smartphones from Xiaomi, which will also gain the market as Xiaomi always does. But for now, in early 2023, we will see the Redmi Note 12 series from Xiaomi.

4. Apple iPhone new series

Photo: Pixabay

The latest iPhone was released in September 2022 worldwide, but for Nepal, it was a bit late due to the import ban. The next launch of the Apple iPhone will be available in Nepal, which is probably going to be the Apple iPhone 15 series. Currently, Apples iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are all available in Nepal with different storage variants and price ranges.

5. Others

Photo: Samsung

There will also be other smartphones in the budget and mid-range category by other brands. Recently released Honor X9a has already been available in Nepal in the mid-range category. Similarly, Samsung, Realme and other brands budget-category and mid-range category smartphones will be available in Nepal. Flip phones from Samsung and other brands are also getting popular and their recent versions are also expected to enter the Nepali market.

Overall, 2023 will be a great year for smartphone enthusiasts in Nepal.
Turkmenistan's Ambassador to Italy Toily Komekov met with the General Director of the Italian Trade Agency Roberto Luongo.

During the meeting held at the headquarters of the agency, Komekov informed the head of the organization about the opportunities and potential of economic cooperation between the two countries, and also stressed the great potential for the development of trade and economic relations, in particular, between the private and public sectors of Turkmenistan and Italy.

Luongo expressed hope for organizing a visit of representatives of the business communities of Turkmenistan this year in order to familiarize them with the achievements of Italian companies in various fields of production. In particular, it was proposed to organize meetings with representatives of interested companies of the two countries to establish a dialogue.

Furthermore, he stressed that there is a great potential between Turkmenistan and Italy to strengthen cooperation in various directions.

The sides confirmed their readiness to continue the dialogue and make every effort to promote the development of bilateral relations in the economic sphere, as well as between business circles and private companies of the two countries.
An Indian tourist poses in front of the Annapurna base camp sign board.

Kathmandu, February 1

Tourist arrival in January, considered an off-season month, has given hope to Nepals tourism industry.

According to Nepal Tourism Board, 55,074 tourists came to Nepal.

Entrepreneurs in the tourism industry are taking this positively as winters are not considered tourist season in Nepal. The entrepreneurs say this number is good at a time when Chinese citizens have not been allowed to travel to Nepal.

Director of the board, Maniraj Lamichhane, says that the arrival seen in the current situation is encouraging.

Indians top the list of tourists entering the country followed by Americans, Australians and Bangladeshis.

Tourist arrivals in January:

Country Number of arrivals India 16,436 USA 6,561 Australia 3,441 Bangladesh 2,468

According to data, this is the highest number of tourist arrivals in January since the coronavirus pandemic. In January 2019, a total of 81,243 tourists had come to Nepal followed by 79,702 in January 2020.
Description

Bayside Historical Society welcomes local author and historian Sergey Kadinsky to the Castle for a presentation about his book, Hidden Waters of New York City. This book offers a historical survey of 101 hidden lakes, creeks, inlets, ponds, and reservoirs within the borders of New York City, including Fort Totten Pond, Crocheron Pond, Oakland Lake, and Alley Pond. These minor waterways serve a vital role in promoting sustainability and hold potential for revival that could offer cultural, economic and environmental benefits for the city. Learn how these hidden waterways impacted our past, what are their present conditions, and what are the plans for their future.

Admission is $10.00 for BHS members and $20.00 for non-members; purchase tickets on the BHS website at www.baysidehistorical.org/events-1/author-talk-with-sergey-kadinsky.
AHMEDABAD, India, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Adani Group responded to unsubstantiated allegations and misleading narrative by Hindenburg Research in over 400-page response, raising questions against the ulterior motives of Hindenburg that has conveniently ignored the Indian judiciary and regulatory framework.

Adani_Group_Logo

Adani Group's Response: https://www.adani.com/Newsroom/media-coverage

The response covers its governance standards, credentials, creditworthiness, best practices, transparent conduct, financial & operational performance and excellence. The Hindenburg report was made to profiteer at the cost of our shareholders and public investors. It is neither 'independent' nor 'objective' but manipulative to create a false market in securities to book wrongful gain, which is a securities fraud under Indian law.

Of the 88 questions posed by Hindenburg, 68 refers to matters already disclosed by the Group companies in their annual reports available on their websites, offering memorandums, financial statements and stock exchange disclosures from time to time. 18 questions are pertaining to public shareholders and third parties (and not the Adani portfolio companies), while the balance 5 are baseless allegations based on imaginary fact patterns.

The report claims to have undertaken a "2-year investigation" and "uncover evidence", but it comprises only selective and incomplete extracts of information already in the public domain for years. We take serious objection to Hindenburg that chose to mislead the investors, watchdogs and policy makers at a time when Adani Enterprises Ltd has launched country's largest FPO.

The Group is deeply committed to its stakeholders and is thankful to them for standing with us over the past 30 years. Shockingly, Hindenburg's attack on the trust of the Group's stakeholders undermines its commitment to 'Growth with Goodness'.

EXTRACTS OF ADANI GROUP'S RESPONSE TO HINDENBURG

Our Response to the Allegations

None of the 88 questions is based on independent or journalistic fact-finding. Nonetheless, we have responded to all these questions, to the best of our ability.

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Disclosed, discredited and disproven allegations : Allegations 1-3, 27-31, 72-80 present no new findings. These are dredge-up allegations judicially disproven; disclosed by us to our investors and regulators.



Multiple false narratives created around certain diamond exports, whose matters were closed by the Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) in our favour. This decision was further confirmed by the Supreme Court twice. It has been deliberately ignored and concealed in the Hindenburg report.





Baseless allegations around transactions which are compliant with law, fully disclosed and on proper commercial terms : Allegations 9, 15, 19, 24, 25, 32, 33, 35, 40-51, 53-61, 81-83 are again a selective regurgitation of disclosures from the financial statements of Adani entities. These disclosures have already been approved by third parties qualified and competent to review them.





Misleading claims around offshore entities being allegedly "related parties" without regard for applicable law and standards : Allegations 4, 36, 37, 38, and 39 refer to offshore entities. These are reckless statements without any understanding of Indian laws around related parties and related party transactions.





False suggestions based on malicious misrepresentation of the governance practices in Adani portfolio: Allegations 34, 62-71 use selective information to make insinuations, when in fact, the Adani portfolio has instituted various corporate governance policies and committees like Corporate Responsibility Committee comprising independent directors who keep Board of Directors informed about the ESG performance of businesses.





Manipulated narrative around unrelated third-party entities : Allegations 5-8, 10-14, 16-18, 20-23, 26 and 52 seek information on our public shareholders. Shares of listed companies on Indian stock exchanges are traded on a regular basis. The listed entity does not have control over who buys / sells / owns the publicly traded shares in the company.



Hindenburg has raised questions over offer for sale undertaken by Adani Green Energy Limited in 2019 while maliciously ignoring that the OFS procedure in India is a regulated process implemented through an automated order book matching process on the platform of the stock exchange.





Biased and unsubstantiated rhetoric: Allegations 84-88 are biased statements in the garb of questions about our willingness to respond to criticism. We have the right to seek judicial remedy before Indian courts when such interests are threatened.

Portfolio Credit Highlights

Adani Portfolio companies have successfully executed an industry beating expansion plan over the past decade. The companies have consistently de-levered with portfolio net debt to EBITDA ratio coming down from 7.6x to 3.2x (Please see Chart A below), EBITDA has grown 22% CAGR in the last 9 years and debt has only grown by 11% CAGR during the same period.

Equity Injection in the Adani Portfolio

Adani Portfolio has raised USD 16 Bn equity under a systematic capital management plan for all the Portfolio companies over last 3 years as a combination of primary, secondary and committed equity from marquee investors like TotalEnergies, IHC, QIA, Warburg Pincus, etc.

Banking Relationships

The portfolio has developed deep bank relationships with institutions like JP Morgan, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Citi, CreditSuisse, UBS, BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank, Barclays, Standard Chartered, MUFG, DBS and Emirates NBD among others. This has strengthened access to diverse funding sources and structures. Successful syndication of the banking transactions has resulted in de-risking of the banks in volatile markets like Holcim's Indian cement business acquisition with international banks.

Accounting Process, Centralized ERP governance mechanism and Reporting system

Internal Financial control process and governance mechanism is facilitated and monitored by the group based on five key pillars:

a. Centralized ERP Governance Mechanism and Reporting System

b. Periodic internal and external reviews of various processes

c. Issuing Corporate guidelines and ensuring their adherence

d. Appointment of competent and reputed statutory auditors for all verticals

e. Capacity building programs for facilitating the controls

The Group ensures highest standards of governance and reporting by all businesses across all verticals. Adani Business Excellence Team (ABEX) is a centralized team handling accounting and financial controls of all companies. These processes have received six sigma and ISO awards.

Robust mechanism for scrutiny and audit, many CFOs have donned new roles within Group

Adani Group companies have a very strong audit process to prevent any deviations from regulatory obligations and highest legal standards. The Audit Committee of each of the listed verticals comprises 100% Independent Directors. The Statutory Auditors are appointed to the Board of Directors on recommendation by the Audit Committee and are from global big 6 or are regional leaders.

Hindenburg has trivialised the change of CFOs. Many CFOs are still part of the organisation in other capacities. Some have left after retirement or to pursue their own entrepreneurial endeavours and continue to work in our association.

We reaffirm that Adani Group is in complete compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and continue to retain all our rights to pursue remedies to safeguard our stakeholders before all appropriate authorities. We reserve all our rights to respond further to any of the allegations or contents of the Hindenburg report or to supplement this statement.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1716106/Adani_Group_Logo.jpg

Cision

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/adani-group-hits-back-with-detailed-responses-to-hindenburgs-unsubstantiated-accusations-301735804.html

SOURCE Adani Group
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  The Arkansas House on Wednesday approved legislation preventing transgender people at public schools from using bathrooms that match their gender identity, while a legislative panel endorsed a measure restricting drag performances in the state.

The bills advanced through the majority-Republican Legislature two years after lawmakers approved restrictions on transgender youth, including a ban on gender-affirming care for minors that has been blocked by a federal judge.

Opponents of the bathroom bill said it's marginalizing transgender students who are already at high risk of bullying, and said it's a sign of misplaced priorities in the Legislature.

When I talk to my constituents, they worry about many things but I never hear anything about bathrooms," Democratic Rep. Tippi McCullough, the House minority leader and only openly gay member of the state Legislature, said before the vote.

The legislation approved by the House on an 80-10 vote applies to multi-person restrooms and locker rooms at public schools and charter schools serving prekindergarten through 12th grades. Teachers, principals and superintendents who violate the measure could face fines from a state panel, and parents could file lawsuits to enforce the restriction.

The bill now heads to the majority-Republican Senate. The Republican sponsor of the bill said she introduced it after being approached by members of the school board in the central Arkansas city of Conway, which enacted a similar policy last year.

Each child in our schools has a right to privacy and to feel safe and to feel comfortable in the bathroom they need to go to," Republican Rep. Mary Bentley said before the vote.

A wide-ranging bathroom bill was enacted in North Carolina in 2016 but rolled back a year later after it sparked boycotts and protests. Arkansas is one of several states where school bathroom bills have been proposed.

Similar laws have been enacted in Alabama, Oklahoma and Tennessee. Lawsuits have been filed challenging the Oklahoma and Tennessee restrictions. Bentley has cited a federal appeals court ruling upholding a similar policy at a Florida school district last year. Two other appeals courts have upheld transgender students' rights to use the bathroom corresponding with the gender identity.

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The bathroom bill won initial approval hours after a House committee advanced legislation restricting drag performances. The measure, which now heads to the House for a vote, would make Arkansas the first state to restrict drag shows.

Drag story hours  which feature drag queens reading books to children  and other events featuring drag performers have prompted protests by right-wing activists who see them as harmful to children.

The bill originally classified drag performances as adult-oriented businesses, the same category used for strip clubs and adult theaters, and banned them from public property. The legislation was amended Wednesday to remove the reference to drag shows, but appears to place the same restrictions on them by creating a new category of adult-oriented performances."

The new version of the bill defines adult-oriented performances as featuring someone nude or semi-nude and intended to appeal to prurient" interests, a term that's not defined in the legislation. It also defines such performances as featuring the purposeful exposure" of an anatomical area or prosthetic genitalia or breasts, or featuring a specific sexual activity.

Opponents said the bill, as amended, could go well beyond restricting drag performances.

At its core, its really trying to target the LGBTQ population and regulate speech affecting all of us and overstepping into the rights of parents to raise their own children," Holly Dickson, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas. The amendment didnt fix any of those fatal problems."
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - February 1, 2023) - Arrow Exploration Corp. (AIM: AXL) (TSXV: AXL) ("Arrow" or the "Company"), the high-growth operator with a portfolio of assets across key Colombian hydrocarbon basins, is pleased to provide an operations update including its 2023 capital budget, and changes in total voting rights (TVR).

Operations Update

Drilling Rig Arrives at Rio Cravo Este Multiwell Pad

The contracted 1,500 HP drilling rig has arrived at the multiwell pad at Rio Cravo Este (RCE). Arrow is poised to spud the first of three low risk infill wells, RCE-3, within the next five days. These wells are expected to take 12 days to drill and a further 10 days to bring on-stream. Arrow expects RCE-4 and RCE-5 will be drilled immediately following RCE-3. As previously reported, these infill wells have similar productivity potential to RCE-2 and RCS-1 which are currently producing 850 BOPD net combined, well above forecasted rates.

The Company is planning to drill two additional wells into the Gacheta Sandstone reservoir in the fault bounded RCE structure. RCE-2 tested rates exceeding 700 BOPD gross from the Gacheta Sandstone. Dedicated Gacheta wells would likely spud in Q4 2023 after three Carrizales Norte (CN) wells have been completed.

Carrizales Norte Operations

Arrow continues construction of the road, pad and cellars for the three planned CN wells. The road and pad are expected to be complete in mid-February and the wells are expected to be drilled immediately following RCE-5 and the mobilization of the rig to the new pad.

3D Seismic Project, Tapir Block

As previously reported, Arrow has commenced the 134 square kilometer 3D seismic project on the Tapir block. The 3D seismic project is scheduled to be completed in Q1 2023.

Workover Program

Arrow is continuing to recomplete existing wells that display additional production upside in unperforated zones. This program has been successful in both the RCE field and the Oso Pardo Field. The Company is also considering additional perforations on RCS-1 once RCE-3, RCE-4 and RCE-5 are completed and on production.

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Current Production and Cash Balance

Average January Corporate production was approximately 1,800 boe/d. Short term outages due to weather at Ombu and Pepper impacted production rates.

At December 31, 2022 Arrow's cash balance was approximately US$13 million.

2023 Capital Budget

The approved 2023 capital budget for Arrow totals US$32 million and is to be financed from current cash reserves and operating cash flow. The capital program includes the following:

- 134 km2 3D seismic program

- 10 well drilling program including1:

3 C7 wells at RCE, each expected to add initial 300-500 bbls/d net to Arrow





3 wells at CN, each expected to add initial 300-500 bbls/d net to Arrow





2 Gacheta wells at RCE, each expected to add initial 200-400 bbls/d net to Arrow





2 wells at Oso Pardo, each expected to add initial 300-500 bbls/d net to Arrow

- Infrastructure including:

Road and pad at CN





Water disposal well conversion at RCE

Total Voting Rights

The Company also announces that it has issued 2,191,555 Common Shares (the "New Common Shares") pursuant to the exercise of warrants issued at the Company's IPO in October 2021. All the New Common Shares issued during the month were issued under the Company's existing block listing.

Following the issue of the New Common Shares the issued share capital of the Company comprises 220,593,486 common shares with one vote per share. Therefore, this figure can be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which to determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency Rules.

1 expected production rates are indicative only and there is no guarantee the wells will be successfully drilled and put on production.

For further Information, contact:

Arrow Exploration

Marshall Abbott, CEO

+1 403 651 5995

Joe McFarlane, CFO

+1 403 818 1033

Brookline Public Relations, Inc.

Shauna MacDonald

+1 403 538 5645

Canaccord Genuity (Nominated Advisor and Joint Broker)

Henry Fitzgerald-O'Connor

James Asensio

Gordon Hamilton

+44 (0)20 7523 8000

Auctus Advisors (Joint Broker)

Jonathan Wright

Rupert Holdsworth Hunt

+44 (0)7711 627449

Camarco (Financial PR)

Georgia Edmonds

Rebecca Waterworth

Billy Clegg

+44 (0)20 3781 8331

About Arrow Exploration Corp.

Arrow Exploration Corp. (operating in Colombia via a branch of its 100% owned subsidiary Carrao Energy S.A.) is a publicly traded company with a portfolio of premier Colombian oil assets that are underexploited, under-explored and offer high potential growth. The Company's business plan is to expand oil production from some of Colombia's most active basins, including the Llanos, Middle Magdalena Valley (MMV) and Putumayo Basin. The asset base is predominantly operated with high working interests, and the Brent-linked light oil pricing exposure combines with low royalties to yield attractive potential operating margins. Arrow's 50% interest in the Tapir Block is contingent on the assignment by Ecopetrol SA of such interest to Arrow. Arrow's seasoned team is led by a hands-on executive team supported by an experienced board. Arrow is listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange and on TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "AXL".

Forward-looking Statements

This news release contains certain statements or disclosures relating to Arrow that are based on the expectations of its management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Arrow which may constitute forward-looking statements or information ("forward-looking statements") under applicable securities laws. All such statements and disclosures, other than those of historical fact, which address activities, events, outcomes, results or developments that Arrow anticipates or expects may, could or will occur in the future (in whole or in part) should be considered forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of the words "continue", "expect", "opportunity", "plan", "potential" and "will" and similar expressions. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release reflect several material factors and expectations and assumptions of Arrow, including without limitation, Arrow's evaluation of the impacts of COVID-19, the potential of Arrow's Colombian and/or Canadian assets (or any of them individually), the prices of oil and/or natural gas, and Arrow's business plan to expand oil and gas production and achieve attractive potential operating margins. Arrow believes the expectations and assumptions reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable at this time, but no assurance can be given that these factors, expectations, and assumptions will prove to be correct.

The forward-looking statements included in this news release are not guarantees of future performance and should not be unduly relied upon. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligations to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws.

Glossary

bbls/d Barrels of oil per day

boe/d Barrels of oil equivalent per day

NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION, PUBLICATION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO OR FROM THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO MIGHT CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/153065
ArrowStream, Inc.

Leading Foodservice Cloud Platform Partners with Manufacturers to Build Manufacturer Sales Enablement Solution

ChainConnect

ChainConnect

CHICAGO, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ArrowStream, Inc. ("ArrowStream"), the leading foodservice cloud platform for supply chain intelligence, today announced its first-ever manufacturer-focused solution for manufacturers to grow their revenue and partnerships. After years of leading the market with chain operator and foodservice distributor solutions, ArrowStream introduces ChainConnect to change the way foodservice manufacturers grow their direct contract agreement with multi-unit restaurant chain sales and expand their indirect distributor business.

Today, most U.S. and Canadian foodservice manufacturers participate in ArrowStream's collaborative applications that provide visibility to its vast network of 100k operator locations and 1,300 distributor locations. With ChainConnect, ArrowStream extends the same visibility that has become the gold standard for the rest of the industry to manufacturers. ChainConnect represents an essential new platform for manufacturer sales and accounts teams.

"We've always been a customer-first company," said Nick Hummer, Director of Product Management at ArrowStream. "Our team set out to understand the manufacturing industry's biggest challenges. Through countless conversations, we learned manufacturers weren't getting the complete picture of where their products ended up. We built ChainConnect alongside our partners to ensure it was a product that filled a critical gap for them and to provide manufacturers with a solution that other products on the market couldn't match."

ChainConnect is a manufacturer sales enablement solution that delivers up-to-date market data and insights from operators and distributors. Revenue teams, including sales and marketing, can identify unknown purchasers to increase revenue and expand distributor-partner relationships. Manufacturers can also easily monitor purchasing patterns and at-risk revenue with contracted customers.

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"ArrowStream's ChainConnect truly delivers on its promise to put high-quality, truly meaningful data at your fingertips," said Jerad Miller, Director of National Accounts at Handgards. "It's an unmatched tool in terms of visibility across all distribution for us, and it provides our team with a competitive edge in the marketplace."

While ChainConnect is designed for manufacturers, chain operators have already seen the value in working with manufacturers that implement ChainConnect. "When a well-informed manufacturer contacts us, it saves time and improves meeting effectiveness. Manufacturers who use ChainConnect are already aware of our requirements. It reduces administrative activity like pulling data and sending it back and forth. It also enables the supplier to drive compliance of their products within our supply chain," said Gary Nash, Sr. Director of Purchasing at Zaxby's.

Unlike other industry research and data insight products, ChainConnect data is updated daily. It closes the information gap by extending insights beyond the distribution warehouse to operator and restaurant locations. ChainConnect enables revenue teams from large scale foodservice manufacturers to emerging manufacturers alike, to quickly adjust to market changes and actively pursue new business with confidence.

ArrowStream's solutions are developed specifically for the foodservice industry and provide operators, distributors, and manufacturers with an intelligent network that drives efficiency and cost savings in an end-to-end solution for their partners.

For restaurant chain operators, foodservice manufacturers and distributors looking to improve their supply chain operations and partner collaboration, please request a consultation with one of our supply chain experts today.

About ArrowStream

ArrowStream, a Buyers Edge company, is the leading foodservice cloud platform for supply chain intelligence, with over 1,300 distribution locations, 10,000 manufacturers, and 275 leading brands across 100,000 restaurant locations tightly integrated into a single global network of applications and industry data. ArrowStream provides unparalleled levels of transparency, control, and actionable insight to mitigate risks, streamline operations, protect the brand, and optimize profitability. Find out more at www.arrowstream.com.

Contact Information:

Joe Ferrell

Sr. Director, Marketing

jferrell@arrowstream.com



Related Images













Image 1: ChainConnect









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

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Considering his status, only a brave financial prognosticator would tell investors to ignore some advice from Warren Buffet. That, however, is what Bank of America's Savita Subramanian currently recommends investors should do.

While the investing sage has often said that the best strategy for retail investors is to purchase and hold an index fund that keeps track of the S&P 500, Subramanian, who is the head of US equity and quantitative strategy at BofA, does not think that is the best way forward right now.

Funds tracking the bellwether index remain overcrowded, and the large-cap stocks best days are in the rear-view mirror, she says. What investors really should do to maximize returns is to lean into small-cap value stocks.

"I think what you want to do for the long haul is buy small-cap value [and] set it and forget it," the strategist opined. "We're at a good point right now where the small-cap value benchmark is at record cheapness versus large-caps."

With this in mind, we dipped into the TipRanks database and pulled out two names that fit a certain profile; both are small-cap members of the Russell 2000 index and both are rated as Strong Buys by the analyst consensus. Not to mention substantial upside potential is on the table here.

RAPT Therapeutics, Inc. (RAPT)

Small cap stocks with big upside potential will naturally lead us to the biotech sector. With a market cap of just under $990 million, RAPT Therapeutics is one such name. The clinical-stage biopharma's goal is a big one; to eradicate inflammatory and cancer diseases within our lifetime. This it intends to do by leveraging its proprietary drug discovery engine and develop small molecules that target the chemokine receptor CCR4 in both oncology and inflammatory conditions.

As with any small biotech company, its the pipeline that matters, and so far two of the companys drug candidates have advanced to clinical development.

On the inflammation side, the lead candidate is RPT193; In the Phase 1b study in patients with atopic dermatitis, RPT193 displayed a clinically meaningful improvement in a number of exploratory endpoints. The drug is currently undergoing testing in the ongoing Phase IIb study, with a data readout anticipated in 2H23.

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The lead oncology drug candidate, FLX475, is in development for various tumors and has now advanced to a two-stage Phase II study in which it is being assessed as both monotherapy and combo therapy (with Mercks Keytruda (pembrolizumab)).

For Guggenheim analyst Yatin Suneja, the bull-case rests mainly on the potential of RPT193. He writes: With solid biological rationale, a favorable oral profile with promising initial Phase Ib data and a relatively low bar for success in Phase IIb (does not need to be as potent as Dupi), we are optimistic for 193s success in atopic derm (we expect Phase IIb data in 2H23; a key value-driving potential catalyst for the stock) and asthma (Phase IIa starting in 1Q23).

If approved, Suneja went on to add, we estimate ~$2B in global peak sales for RPT-193 in atopic dermatitis (~$1.2B risk-adjusted), with additional upside potential driven by success in asthma and additional Th2 indications for 193 and by additional pipeline assets coming out of their discovery program.

Accordingly, based on the above, Suneja rates RAPT shares a Buy, while his $55 price target makes room for one-year gains of ~90%. (To watch Sunejas track record, click here)

All of Sunejas colleagues agree with his bullish thesis; based on a full house of Buys  7, in total  the stock earns a Strong Buy consensus rating. Going by the $43.50 average target, the shares are set to generate 12-month gains of ~50%. (See RAPT stock forecast)

Kura Oncology, Inc. (KURA)

Well stay in the biotech segment for our next small-cap stock. As the name suggests, Kura Oncology is another company targeting therapies for cancer; this it does by harnessing the power of precision medicines to target cancer cells selectively. The aim is to not only increase clinical benefit but to also focus on areas where the unmet need is greatest.

The pipelines candidates include treatments for solid tumors and blood cancers. The leading candidate is Ziftomenib (KO-539), a potent and selective menin inhibitor, which right now is being assessed in a Phase 1b clinical study (KOMET-001) for patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (including patients with NPM1 mutations or KMT2A rearrangements).

Tipifarnib, the company's second candidate, is a potent, selective and orally bioavailable farnesyl transferase inhibitor (FTI). This drug has been given Breakthrough Therapy Designation for the treatment of patients with HRAS mutant HNSCC. A Phase 1/2 study (KURRENT-HN) of tipifarnib together with the PI3K inhibitor alpelisib, to address bigger genetic subsets of HNSCC patients, is currently taking place. A Phase 1 study (KURRENT-LUNG) of tipifarnib combined with osimertinib in treatment-naive, locally advanced/metastatic, EGFR mutant non-small cell lung cancer has also been initiated.

The company also recently announced that the FDA has given the all-clear for the Investigational New Drug (IND) application of KO-2806, Kuras next-gen farnesyl transferase inhibitor (FTI), indicated to treat advanced solid tumors. The company expects to kick off a Phase 1 study in 3Q23.

Kura's pipeline has attracted the attention of Stifel's Bradley Canino. While the analyst highlights the potential pitfalls ahead, he sees reason to be optimistic.

We expect ziftomenib to be approved 1 year after Syndax in R/R NPM1m AML, which negatively impacts our initial ziftomenib forecasts, Canino said. However, we believe Kura has the ability to equalize its valuation and sales over time with the rapid development of ziftomenib combinations. We see first combination data, potentially in 2H23, as lifting the overhangs on KURA's stock about differentiation syndrome and competitive timelines. We still believe KURA's farnesyl transferase inhibitor (FTI) program is a small part of the valuation and requires patience, but are optimistic that early proof-of-concepts can be generated with select targeted therapies.

So, how does this all translate to investors? Canino rates KURA shares a Buy, while his $25 price target implies ~81% upside from current levels. (To watch Caninos track record, click here)

This is another stock getting the Streets full support; with a total of 6 Buys, the analysts view is that KURA is a Strong Buy. The average target is an exuberant one; at $28.67, the figure makes room for one-year share appreciation of 107%. KURA has a market cap just under $950 million. (See KURA stock forecast)

To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.
Contrive Datum Insights Pvt Ltd

According to a market research study published by Contrive Datum Insights, The Asia-Pacific region has had the most development in the market for battery manufacturing equipment, North American market is next in line to expand

Farmington, Jan. 31, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global Battery Manufacturing Equipment Market size was evaluated at USD 3.42 Billion in 2022 and is projected to hit around USD 30.84 Billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 31.63% from 2023 to 2030. The global demand for lithium-ion batteries is increasing for a number of reasons, including the popularity of electric vehicles and the growth of the energy storage industry. To accommodate the increased demand, battery manufacturers are devoting substantial resources to the development of eco-friendly cell technologies and the expansion of their building capacity.

Request Sample Copy of Report  Battery Manufacturing Equipment Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth Opportunities, Future Trends, Covid-19 Impact, SWOT Analysis, Competition and Forecasts 2022 to 2030 , published by Contrive Datum Insights.

As a result, the number of enterprises specialising in the production of batteries is rapidly increasing worldwide. In addition, automakers are expanding their production capacities to meet the rapidly growing demand for electric vehicles (EVs), and they are partnering with battery manufacturers to ensure a sufficient supply of lithium-ion batteries for their EVs (EVs).

Battery Manufacturing Equipment Market Recent Developments:

Samsung has been seen to step into the market from the production of batteries to end-user utilization of the devices along with other competitors such as Panasonic.

M&A and JVs are the various strategies adopted by companies in order to maintain a stable position in the market. Increasing research and development is seen in order to increase production as per the demand in the market.

In September 2022 , Durr Group, Manz AG, and GROB-WERKE GmbH & Co.KG have made a strategic partnership. Through this approach, they will jointly acquire and execute the projects involved in battery production facilities.

In May 2022, Shenzhen Yinghe Technology Co., Ltd. announced the launch of a new integrated machine set that saves time and cost and provides high speed in processes such as cutting and stacking. The integrated set of machines also improves the production capacity of battery production lines.

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Battery Manufacturing Equipment Market Segmentation Analysis:

The market for lithium-ion batteries has continuously expanded due to the growing predominance of electric vehicles in the automotive industry. Enterprises and industries will increasingly employ lead acid batteries in the near future. Due to the profitability of the previous model, this industry is experiencing an influx of competitors. The demand for these batteries has increased as the need for a consistent power supply to operate electronic devices has increased.

In response to the increasing popularity of electrically powered vehicles, the market for automotive batteries has reached new heights due to their extensive demand and supply chain. Due to the enormous variety of automobiles on the market, the different battery types produced by the industry have become necessary, depending on the expected power output of the product. Increasing global industrialization has benefited the industrial battery industry.

Regional Outlook:

The Asia-Pacific region has had the most development in the market for battery manufacturing equipment as a result of the high demand for electric vehicles caused by their recent introduction to the market and the rising cost of fuel. This is the situation due to the recent arrival of electric vehicles to the market.

Due to the significant demand for electronic gadgets and products associated with the country's rapidly advancing technologies, the North American market is next in line to expand. This is due to the fact that the North American market is next in line for market expansion.

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Scope of Report:

Report Attributes Details Growth Rate 31.63% from 2023 to 2030 Market Size in 2022 USD 3.42 Billion Revenue Forecast by 2030 USD 30.84 Billion By Type Lead Acid, Lithium Ion, Nickel Metal Hydride, Nickel Cadmium, Others By Applications Automotive Batteries, Industrial Batteries, Portable Batteries By Companies Duracell, Johnson Controls, NEC Corporation, GS Yuasa International, BYD Company, A123 Systems LLC, Hitachi Chemical Co.,, Panasonic Corporation, Samsung SDI Co.,, Toshiba Corporation, LG Chem, Contemporary Amperex Technology, Saft, Sony Corporation, Eveready Industries, and Others Base Year 2022 Historical Year 2017 to 2021 Forecast Year 2023 to 2030

Market Drivers:

The countries having the largest established production base for lithium-ion batteries are China, Japan, and South Korea. However, other regions, such as Europe and North America, are now aiming to reducing their battery dependence on Asia Pacific. As an automotive manufacturing powerhouse, Europe invites automotive battery manufacturers to locate factories in the region. According to an article published by PV Magazine in February 2022, the region is changing into a significant hub for battery manufacture, with plans to build 35 gigafactories.

Market Restraints:

Due to the growing number of battery applications, battery production equipment will be in great demand in the next years. To meet the growing demand for batteries, it has become necessary to construct new battery production equipment facilities in numerous locations of the world. Despite this, the cost of developing a facility for battery production machinery is rather high and necessitates substantial capital expenditures. Mixing, coating, calendaring, slitting, electrolyte filling, and assembly, to name a few, are performed by a variety of machinery contained in the battery manufacturing equipment.

Market Opportunity:

The components of a battery energy storage system are battery packs and modules. The technology stores energy from renewable energy sources, such as solar panels, wind, or even the electric grid, and then releases it as needed to generate electricity or conduct other grid-related tasks. Energy storage batteries are utilised during periods of low peak demand to store extra energy for delivery to end users during peak demand periods. The energy storage battery has been utilised extensively throughout the world, especially in the United States, Canada, Germany, France, China, and India, as well as other notable economies.

Battery Manufacturing Equipment Market Key Segments Covered:

Top Market Players:

Duracell, Johnson Controls, NEC Corporation,, GS Yuasa International, BYD Company, A123 Systems LLC, Hitachi Chemical Co.,, Panasonic Corporation, Samsung SDI Co.,, Toshiba Corporation, LG Chem, Contemporary Amperex Technology, Saft, Sony Corporation, Eveready Industries, and Others.

By Type

Lead Acid

Lithium Ion

Nickel Metal Hydride

Nickel Cadmium

Others

By Application

Automotive Batteries

Industrial Batteries

Portable Batteries

Regions and Countries Covered

North America: (US, Canada, Mexico, Rest of North America)

Europe: (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, UK, Nordic Countries, Benelux Union, Rest of Europe)

Asia-Pacific: (Japan, China, India, Australia, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Rest of Asia-Pacific)

The Middle East & Africa: (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, South Africa, Rest of the Middle East & Africa)

Latin America: (Brazil, Argentina, Rest of Latin America)

Rest Of the World

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County and state-focused philanthropic organizations have proven track record in improving mental health, food access, and general wellbeing for seniors and their families

CERRITOS, Calif., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- CCA Health California, a leading integrated healthcare organization with proven expertise in complex care coordination, has announced at total of $50,000 in philanthropic donations to organizations that aim to improve the mental and physical health of Californians: the Emergency Food Bank; Institute on Aging Friendship Line; Saratoga Area Senior Coordinating Council (SASCC); and Second Harvest of the Greater Valley.

CCA logo (PRNewsfoto/CCA Health California)

"We are thrilled to provide funding and support to four amazing charitable organizations that directly help our communities improve the health and well-being of local seniors," said Wil Yu, CCA Health California General Manager. "At CCA Health, we know how essential it is that older adults have access to healthy food and safe, affordable shelter. But it is equally critical that they have mental health resources and other avenues to maintain social lives and bonds, no matter their culture, or language. We feel confident that each of these organizations aligns with our philosophy and organizational mission and can't wait to see what we can accomplish together."

The Emergency Food Bank in Stockton aims to build a stronger community by providing a safety net of healthy food, nutrition education, and hope. Their Mobile Farmers Market (MFM) travels to over 60 sites distributing fresh fruits and vegetables to families with children and seniors, reaching up to 1,800 people per week. Educators provide nutrition education and food demos, reaching 25-100 people at 65 sites each month. "We realize the importance of nutrition education and teaching heads of households the concept "Food-as-Medicine," said Dr. Leonard O. Hansen, Emergency Food Bank CEO. "The donation made by CCA Health will allow our Nutrition Educators to continue to distribute fresh fruits and vegetables to food desert areas in San Joaquin County, and provide cooking demonstrations and nutrition education."

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Institute on Aging's Friendship Line is a 24-hour, toll-free crisis intervention hotline and a warmline for non-emergency emotional support calls. It is the nation's only accredited crisis line for people aged 60 years and older, and adults living with disabilities. Each employee is trained to screen for elder abuse and suicide, and CCA Health's donation will help fund translating resources so that materials can be inclusive to more residents. The Friendship Line is Institute on Aging's flagship program to prevent social isolation and loneliness, in addition to dozens of other programs designed to provide homecare services, comprehensive dementia support and connection to social support structures in order to help aging adults and adults with disabilities live life to the fullest. "Institute on Aging's Friendship Line will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year, which is a testament to the value of the services it provides," said Tom Briody, IOA President and CEO. "We're grateful to CCA Health for their support of this critical program, and look forward to continuing our work together."

SASCC has several core areas: The Saratoga Adult Care Center (an Adult Day Program), a senior center, an age-friendly community newspaper, and RYDE (Reach Your Destination Easily), a curb-to-curb transportation and local trip planning service for adults 65+ living in parts of Santa Clara County. CCA Health's donation will help fund the Saratoga Adult Care Center, a licensed facility that provides daytime care, stimulating activities, and nutritious meals to less-independent older adults, thus helping them live in their own homes for as long as possible, and offering respite for loved ones caring for them. "We are thrilled to accept this generous donation from CCA Health to support the Saratoga Adult Care Center," said Tylor Taylor, SASCC Executive Director. "This donation will allow us to make improvements to our center and program to better serve the needs of our participants, many of whom are experiencing dementia or physical impairments that keep them from being alone during the day. As a demographic of the population that's often deprioritized, support for them means the world."

Second Harvest of the Greater Valley (SHGV) is a member of Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger relief organization, and reaches more than 35,000 residents per month. CCA Health's donation will help fund their Senior Brown Bag program, which has been helping at-risk seniors throughout San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties for 46 years. Twice a month, volunteers fill bags with 15-18 pounds of supplemental groceries, including 7-9 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables. SHGV also offers home delivery to those that are homebound. "Our Seniors are so important to SHGV as they are what got the food bank started more than 40 years ago," said Keenon Krick, SHGV CEO. "Now more than ever, they need the assistance that programs like our Senior Brown bag provide as their strict budgets cannot keep up with the rapidly rising cost of living in California. Unfortunately, fresh and healthy foods tend to be the first thing they cut from their budgets, so our ability to assist them in acquiring those makes a difference and impacts their lives in a positive way."

CCA Health California is part of Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA), an integrated healthcare organization with a proven history of improving clinical outcomes and driving breakthrough complex care innovations. The organization's nationally recognized uncommon care model is proven to help individuals with significant needs live well in their homes for as long as possible.

About CCA Health California

CCA Health California operates Medicare Advantage plans in San Joaquin and Santa Clara counties, offering benefits and services designed for high-need populations. The plan works closely with IPAs and community organizations to coordinate high-quality, patient-centered care that addresses the social factors that impact care, and empowers individuals to make choices that align with their preferences and values. To learn more, visit ccahealthca.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

CONTACT: keli@greenbrier.partners

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SOURCE CCA Health California
SkyQuest Technology Consulting Pvt. Ltd.

The most recent report on the ceramics market provides detailed information on market estimates, growth dynamics, industry trends, and attractive business opportunities. SkyQuest used a cutting-edge methodological approach to compile the report, which included SWAT analysis, technological assessment, economic evaluation, product benchmarking, recent advances, and trustworthy forecasts.

Westford, USA, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Asia Pacific is projected to take a huge leap in terms of revenue share due to major steps by several governments to boost smart city projects. The growth of the building and construction industry, where ceramics are widely utilized in bricks, sanitary ware, and tiles, is predicted to be the main driver of the ceramics market . In addition, ceramics are also in demand in sectors including the automobile and healthcare industries. Biocompatible ceramics, often known as bio-ceramics, are applicable in the medical industry for tooth replacement, surgical bone implants, and bone reconstruction.

SkyQuest's global research shows ceramic witnessed a dollar sales growth of 8.4% to $3.245 billion (excluding flooring) in 2021 from $2.728 billion in 2020. Over the projected year, the range of ceramics applications in numerous sectors is anticipated to fuel market growth.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Ceramics Market"

Pages - 239

Tables - 93

Figures - 73

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Ceramics are non-metallic, inorganic solids generated through heating and cooling, similar to glass creation. Some materials are considered glass and ceramic because of their amorphous or non-crystalline nature. Like other materials, the kinds of atoms present, their types, and their configurations in the substance define the properties of ceramic materials. Materials from the mining and chemical sectors are used to make components, consumer goods, specialist industry and research materials, and construction materials.

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Prominent Players in Ceramics Market

Kyocera Corporation (Japan)

Coors Tek Inc. (US)

CeramTec GmbH (Germany)

Morgan Advanced Materials Plc (UK)

Saint-Gobain Ceramic Materials (US)

Ceradyne, Inc. (US)

McDanel Advanced Ceramic Technologies (US)

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (Japan)

Rauschert Steinbach GmbH (Germany)

ENrG Inc. (US)

Mantec Technical Ceramics Ltd. (UK)

Central Electronics Limited (India)

Maruwa Co.Ltd. (Japan)

Sensor Technology Ltd (UK)

PI Ceramics (Germany)

APC International Ltd. (US)

Sparkler Ceramics Pvt. Ltd. (India)

Browse summary of the report and Complete Table of Contents (ToC):

https://skyquestt.com/report/ceramics-market

Traditional Segment to Register Higher Growth Rate Thanks to Its Increasing Application Scope

The traditional category led the ceramics market with around 54.5% of the overall revenue in 2022. With the increased usage of traditional ceramics in producing clay bricks, tableware, and porcelain tiles, the segment has experienced rapid expansion in recent years. It is predicted to continue dominating the market throughout the projection period. Clay, feldspar, and silica (quartz) are the typical materials used to make ceramics. In various combinations, these minerals are utilized to manufacture ceramic tiles and other final ceramic goods.

Asia Pacific led the market in 2022, accounting for the dominant share in the ceramic market, thanks to increasing product penetration in the construction sector. Product demand in the region is expected to rise due to technological improvements in this industry and the growing need for better designs. China accounted for a major market in the Asia Pacific, owing to changing customer preferences for residential renovations and greater adoption of interior materials in commercial buildings such as business centers, malls, clubs, and restaurants.

Tiles Segment to Drive Substantial Revenue due to Huge Utilization in Commercial Projects

In terms of revenue, the tiles category dominated the market and accounted for 43% of it in 2022. Such growth can be attributed to rising commercial building construction activity globally. Ceramics are frequently used in medical hallways, corridors, operating rooms, health facilities, clinics, and other commercial settings like hospitality, healthcare, and retail. Typically, these tiles are employed to enhance commercial and cultural facilities' aesthetics and acoustic and thermal insulation.

North America is anticipated to grow substantially at a CAGR of 17.3% owing to rising consumer disposable income in several emerging nations in the region, which leads to the adoption of new construction technologies. In addition, urbanization, population growth, and remodeling projects in commercial and cultural districts to improve their acoustics are projected to boost product demand throughout the forecast years.

The value chain analysis of the ceramics market is extensively included in the market study, which vendors can use to their advantage during the forecast period. It is essential to comprehend the value chain from start to finish to maximize profit margins and assess business strategy. Additionally, the trustworthy information offered in our value chain analysis sector can help vendors save costs and enhance customer service.

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Key Developments in Ceramics Market

A worldwide renowned company known for its expertise in the ceramics and related products segments, Somany Ceramics Limited, is regarded as a leader in design and innovation. With the opening of its SOMANY Duragres Lounge in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, the company, which is a pioneer in the sector and is present throughout India, is starting to expand there (Saraswati Marble).

The acquisition of Technology Assessment and Transfer, Inc. by SINTX Technologies, Inc., an original equipment manufacturer of advanced ceramics, will further expand SINTX's capabilities in the aerospace, defense, and biomedical markets. The company's technology and goods include sophisticated fiber-reinforced ceramic-matrix composites, various technical ceramics, chemical vapor infiltration and deposition, and 3D printing of ceramic medical equipment and heat exchangers.

Momentive Technologies, a global supplier of advanced materials with its headquarters in Strongsville, Ohio, USA, announced that it has successfully acquired the crucibles division of CoorsTek. With the help of this acquisition, Momentive Technologies will be able to offer a full spectrum of crucible sizes to its semiconductor wafer and fabrication customers to meet their needs for advanced materials. Materials are melted and processed in crucibles at extremely high temperatures. For example, silicon material is carefully processed in quartz crucibles to create single- or poly-crystalline silicon ingots, which are eventually transformed into semiconductor wafers.

The Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturer's Association has announced intentions to introduce its region-focused ceramic tile brand, Tile of Spain, throughout the GCC. So it is with the response to rising demand for environmentally friendly living and working spaces in the area. The regional interior design market is developing as a growth driver, driven by a recovering economy and a growing need for sustainable living and working places.

Key Questions Answered in Ceramics Market Report

What is the projected market size and CAGR of the ceramics market?

What are the key driving forces and major hurdles for the global market?

Which segments are extensively studied during the market research?

Who are the most prominent players successfully operating in the global market?

Related Reports in SkyQuests Library:

Global Canopy Market

Global Artificial Turf Market

Global Aggregates Market

Global Wooden False Ceiling Market

Global Green Cement Market

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CNN in an interview he was ready to consider the role of a mediator in the Ukrainian crisis if all stakeholders ask him to do so.

"If asked by all relevant parties, Ill certainly consider it, but Im not pushing myself in," he said, adding that his countrys close ally, the United States, will also need to ask.

Netanyahu told CNN he had been asked to act as a mediator between Moscow and Kiev in the very beginning of the Ukrainian crisis.

The premier said he was an opposition leader at this point, but did not answer the question of who asked him. He also said the request was unofficial.
MONTREAL, Feb. 1, 2023 /CNW Telbec/ - CIMA+, one of Canada's largest privately owned consulting engineering firms, is pleased to announce the appointment of David Murray, P. Eng. as Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately.

CIMA+ logo (CNW Group/CIMA+)

Holder of a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Sherbrooke, Mr. Murray has been a partner at CIMA+ since 2008. He is currently the firm's Senior Vice President, Energy and Resources, where he oversees all operations for the Energy and Resources sector, comprised of more than 650 people across Canada. He is also currently serving as director of the CIMA+ offices in the Eastern Township region of Quebec. He will pursue his functions in this role until June 2023.

Committed to the promotion and advancement of the firm, Mr. Murray has been involved in various committees over the years, including the Governance and Ethics Committee, whose mission is to ensure the good practice of the profession at CIMA +. During the pandemic, he headed the committee that guided the development of internal policies and the implementation of the hybrid work environment for the firm's employees.

Mr. Murray has also been deeply involved with the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies  Canada (ACEC-Canada) for many years, most recently serving as Chair of the ACEC Board of Directors for the 2021-2022 term.

"At CIMA+, we are inspired by engineering and driven by people. Over the past two decades, David Murray has exemplified these values. David has devoted himself to the advancement of CIMA+, while volunteering in industry associations, such as the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies  Canada. I thank him for his commitment to our firm and our profession, and am pleased to announce David's nomination to the position of COO," said Denis Thivierge, P. Eng., President and CEO of CIMA+.

"I am truly honored to accede to the position of Chief Operating Officer. I look forward to working closely with our President and CEO Denis Thivierge and all the members of the executive committee. I thank the company leadership for the confidence they have placed in me and for the opportunity to pursue CIMA+'s ongoing commitment to grow its expertise and diversify its operations," remarked David Murray.

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About CIMA+

CIMA+ provides a variety of consulting engineering services, namely in the areas of buildings, infrastructure, transportation, energy and resources, project management, communication systems, and the environment. With an ever-growing presence, CIMA+'s team relies on decades of experience acquired across Canada to offer excellence in engineering projects. The search for excellence has been part of our DNA since our foundation in 1990. This commitment has allowed CIMA+ to rank among the largest private consulting engineering firms in Canada. Today, with more than 30 offices across Canada, CIMA+ employs 2,800+ people, over half of whom share ownership in the company.

At CIMA+ we believe that engineering exists to improve the lives of those around us. Sustainable solutions inspired by engineering help meet the many challenges of today and tomorrow. Because when you engineer for people, you also engineer for a better world. For more information, please visit cima.ca.

SOURCE CIMA+

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Fort Myers, Fla., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, LLC (FCS) is pleased to announce that Hitesh Patel, MD has joined its Executive Board, effective January 27, 2023.

Hitesh Patel, MD, a medical oncologist and hematologist for Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, joins the statewide practice's Executive Board, effective January 27, 2023.

Triple Board-certified in Hematology, Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine, Dr. Patel provides care to patients at two FCS clinic locations in Clearwater, Florida  Axelrod and Clearwater North McMullen Booth. He joined the statewide practice in 2011.

FCS President & Managing Physician Lucio Gordan, MD said, "Dr. Patel is highly regarded by his colleagues and patients as a skilled and compassionate cancer care expert and as a leader in the field. We appreciate his willingness to serving in this capacity to advance the delivery of world-class cancer care in a rapidly changing and challenging environment."

After receiving his medical degree from Kasturba Medical College in Karnataka, India, Dr. Patel completed Internal Medicine residency training at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY and a fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center at the University of South Florida College of Medicine in Tampa.

"We value our partnership with our Executive Board members, who play an integral role in ensuring that we fulfill our mission and maintain the highest ethical and clinical standards," said Nathan H. Walcker, FCS Chief Executive Officer. "Dr. Patel's insights and expertise will be a tremendous asset."

The FCS Executive Board provides strategic direction for the statewide practice, deriving clear objectives and goals to ensure its overall success. To learn more about the FCS Executive Board, visit: https://flcancer.com/physician-leadership/.

About Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, LLC: (FLCancer.com)

Recognized by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) with a national Clinical Trials Participation Award, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS) offers patients access to more clinical trials than any private oncology practice in Florida. The majority of new cancer drugs recently approved for use in the U.S. were studied in clinical trials with Florida Cancer Specialists participation.* Trained in prestigious medical schools and research institutes, our physicians are consistently ranked nationally as Top Doctors by U.S. News & World Report.

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Founded in 1984, Florida Cancer Specialists has built a national reputation for excellence that is reflected in exceptional and compassionate patient care, driven by innovative clinical research, cutting-edge technologies and advanced treatments, including targeted therapies, genomic-based treatment, and immunotherapy. Our highest values are embodied by our outstanding team of highly trained and dedicated physicians, clinicians and staff.

*Prior to approval

(PRNewsfoto/Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute)

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SOURCE Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute
New York, NY, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FOLK HERO, [INVNT GROUP]s brand strategy firm, is expanding its global operations into Europe and the Middle East, growing its storytelling reach across the region.

FOLK HERO is a modern brand studio, brand consulting agency, and leading expert in global brand storytelling. The firm has led award-winning brand strategy campaigns for Loro Piana, Intimissimi, Sales Force, Tezenis, Walmart Media Group, Nurosene and more.

Ben Mainwaring has been appointed Chief Strategy Officer of FOLK HERO.

As we continue to build on the strength of our global strategic offering, Ben brings great expertise in technology, purpose and innovation, that will help Folk Hero continue to successfully take brands into the future, said Rob Klingensmith, CEO of FOLK HERO.

Mainwaring brings over 20 years of brand marketing strategy, new product development, and commercial strategy experience, specializing in automotive, emerging technology and systems innovation.

Mainwaring will be based in INVNT GROUPs EMEA headquarters in London, supporting client work across the region.

Were thrilled to have this powerhouse resource on the ground in the EMEA region enhancing our capabilities for clients. Helping brands and organisations ensure that they are telling the best version of their brand story, and reaching the most relevant audiences is crucial, said Claudia Stephenson, Managing Director of INVNT GROUP EMEA.

Ben Mainwaring joins FOLK HERO after 8 years as Founder at Matter, delivering strategy and innovation to private sector and governments clients across the US, Middle East, and Africa.

I have known INVNT GROUP's leadership for over a decade and have been so impressed by how the business has grown, adapted, and innovated over the years. I am joining FOLK HERO at a pivotal time in the evolution of the GROUP - advancing the agencys brand strategy and storytelling power. I cant wait to make my own contribution to the agencys challenger mantra and broaden our offering to new markets and world-class clients," said Ben Mainwaring, Chief Strategy Officer of FOLK HERO.

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###

ABOUT FOLK HERO

Folk Hero, established by award-winning brand strategist Rob Klingensmith and part of [INVNT GROUP] The Global BrandStory Project specializes in bringing story strategies to the executive level, creating master brand narratives that act as brands operating and organizing principles. The firm helps its clients develop unusually compelling brand narratives, architecture, identity and tone-of-voice, all underpinned by a robust research methodology and deep understanding of contemporary consumer behaviors. For more information visit: www.folkhero.com

ABOUT [INVNT GROUP]

[INVNT GROUP] THE GLOBAL BRANDSTORY PROJECT was established as an evolution of the founding global live brand storytelling agency INVNT in 2008, with a vision to provide consistent, meaningful, well-articulated BrandStory across all platforms. With offices in New York, Sydney, London, Singapore, Dubai, San Francisco, Stockholm, Detroit, and Washington D.C.; headed by President and CEO, Scott Cullather, [INVNT GROUP] represents a growing portfolio of complementary disciplines designed to help forward-thinking organizations everywhere, impact the audiences that matter, anywhere. The GROUP consists of modern brand strategy firm, Folk Hero; creative-led culture consultancy, Meaning; production studio & creative agency, HEVE; events for colleges and universities, INVNT Higher Ed; digital innovation division, INVNT.ATOM; creative multimedia experience studio, Hypnogram; and the original live brand storytelling agency, INVNT. For more information visit: www.invntgroup.com

CONTACT: Jhonathan Mendez de Leon INVNT GROUP jmendezdeleon@invnt.com




NEW YORK, January 30, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The New Germany Fund, Inc. (NYSE: GF) (the "Fund") announced today that Leon Cappel will replace Valerie Schueler as the Funds portfolio manager effective March 1, 2023. Mr. Cappel currently serves as the Funds deputy portfolio manager and has been a member of the Funds portfolio management team since 2022. In addition, effective March 1, 2023, Alexander Lippert will replace Mr. Cappel as the Funds deputy portfolio manager.

Mr. Cappel joined the German equity team at DWS in 2019. He received a BSc and MSc in Business Chemistry from Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf.

Mr. Lippert joined the German equity team at DWS in 2022. He received a BSc in Economics from the University of Mannheim at HEC Lausanne.

For more information on the Fund, including the most recent month-end performance, visit www.dwsfunds.com or call (800) 349-4281.

Important Information

Closed-end funds, unlike open-end funds, are not continuously offered. There is a one-time public offering and once issued, shares of closed-end funds are sold in the open market through a stock exchange. Shares of closed-end funds frequently trade at a discount to net asset value. The price of the funds shares is determined by a number of factors, several of which are beyond the control of the fund. Therefore, the fund cannot predict whether its shares will trade at, below or above net asset value.

The New Germany Fund, Inc. is diversified, but primarily focuses its investments in Germany, thereby increasing its vulnerability to developments in that country. Investing in foreign securities, particularly of emerging markets, presents certain risks, such as currency fluctuations, political and economic changes, and market risks. Any fund that concentrates in a particular segment of the market or a particular geographical region will generally be more volatile than a fund that invests more broadly.

Investing in foreign securities presents certain risks, such as currency fluctuations, and risks of currency and capital controls, political and economic changes, and market risks. Any fund that concentrates in a particular country, geographic area or segment of the market will generally be more volatile than a fund that invests more broadly.

The shares of most closed-end funds, including the Fund, are not continuously offered. Once issued, shares of closed-end funds are bought and sold in the open market through a stock exchange. Shares of closed-end funds frequently trade at a discount to net asset value. The price of a funds shares is determined by a number of factors, several of which are beyond the control of the fund. Therefore, a fund cannot predict whether its shares will trade at, below, or above net asset value.

War, terrorism, sanctions, economic uncertainty, trade disputes, public health crises and related geopolitical events have led, and, in the future, may lead to significant disruptions in US and world economies and markets, which may lead to increased market volatility and may have significant adverse effects on the fund and its investments.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the laws of such state or jurisdiction.

Certain statements contained in this release may be forward-looking in nature. These include all statements relating to plans, expectations, and other statements that are not historical facts and typically use words like "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "intend," and similar expressions. Such statements represent managements current beliefs, based upon information available at the time the statements are made, with regard to the matters addressed. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such statements. Management does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements: (i) the effects of adverse changes in market and economic conditions; (ii) legal and regulatory developments; and (iii) other additional risks and uncertainties, including public health crises (including the recent pandemic spread of the novel coronavirus), war, terrorism, trade disputes and related geopolitical events.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

NOT FDIC/ NCUA INSURED  MAY LOSE VALUE  NO BANK GUARANTEE

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The brand DWS represents DWS Group GmbH & Co. KGaA and any of its subsidiaries such as DWS Distributors, Inc. which offers investment products or DWS Investment Management Americas, Inc. and RREEF America L.L.C. which offer advisory services. (R-094333-2) (01/23)

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Zion Market Research

[269 + Pages Research Study] According to a market research study published by Zion Market Research, the demand analysis of Worldwide Online Doctor Consultation Market size & share cap was valued at around USD 3824.10 million in 2021 and is estimated to grow about USD 15375.16 million by 2028, at a CAGR of around 26.10%.The global market for online doctor consultations is expected to expand as a result of an aging population and the rising incidence of numerous ailments, such as diabetes, orthopedic problems, cardiovascular diseases, and dermatitis.

New York, NY, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to Zion Market Research has published a new research report titled Online Doctor Consultation Market By Indication (Cardiology, Dermatology, Diabetes Consultation, Gastroenterology, General Physician, Gynecology, Neurology, Oncology, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Sexology, Stress And Mental Health, Weight Management, Others), By Consultation (Audio Chat, Video Chat), By Application (Disease-Specific, Health Assessment, Health Education, Medical Files Management, Online Reference Services, Remote Consultation), And By Region - Global And Regional Industry Overview, Market Intelligence, Comprehensive Analysis, Historical Data, And Forecasts 2022  2028 in its research database.

According to the latest research study, the demand of global Online Doctor Consultation Market size & share in terms of revenue was valued at USD 3824.10 million in 2021 and it is expected to surpass around USD 15375.16 million mark by 2028, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 26.10 during the forecast period 2022 to 2028.

What is Online Doctor Consultation? How big is the Online Doctor Consultation Industry?

Online Doctor Consultation Report Coverage & Overview:

A virtual consultation between a doctor and a patient via a video call program or app is called an "online doctor consultation." Because of its potential, it is becoming extremely popular. It makes service delivery quick and simple. It also helps to cut costs and save time and effort. Additionally, common conditions including acne, the flu, sinuses, bites from deer ticks, and urinary tract infections can be successfully treated with online doctor consultations.

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Get a Free Sample PDF of this Research Report for more Insights with a Table of Content, Research Methodology, and Graphs - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/online-doctor-consultation-market

(A free sample of this report is available upon request; please contact us for more information.)

Our Free Sample Report Consists of the Following:

Introduction, Overview, and in-depth industry analysis are all included in the 2022 updated report.

The COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak Impact Analysis is included in the package

About 269+ Pages Research Report (Including Recent Research)

Provide detailed chapter-by-chapter guidance on Request

Updated Regional Analysis with Graphical Representation of Size, Share, and Trends for the Year 2022

Includes Tables and figures have been updated

The most recent version of the report includes the Top Market Players, their Business Strategies, Sales Volume, and Revenue Analysis

Zion Market Research research methodology

(Please note that the sample of this report has been modified to include the COVID-19 impact study prior to delivery.)

Global Online Doctor Consultation Market: Growth Dynamics

It is anticipated that an increase in the senior population and a growth in the prevalence of several diseases, including diabetes, orthopedic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and dermatitis, will spur the global online doctor consultations market during the projected period. The major restraints to the online doctor consultation market are consumers still place more trust in in-person interactions and rural communities lack the information & resources necessary to receive such services. The market for online doctor consultations offers advantages like a larger consumer base and accessibility to specialized services even from remote places.

Directly Purchase a copy of the report with TOC @ https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/buynow/su/online-doctor-consultation-market

Report Scope

Report Attribute Details Market Size in 2021 USD 3824.10 million Projected Market Size in 2028 USD 15375.16 million CAGR Growth Rate 26.10 CAGR Base Year 2021 Forecast Years 2022-2028 Key Market Players Babylon Health, CallHealth, DocPrime, DocsApp, Eclinic, eVaidya Pvt. Ltd., iCliniq, LiveHealth Online, Lybrate, Phasorz Technology Private Ltd., Sanitas, Singularity Healthcare IT Systems Pvt. Ltd., VSee, YourDoctors.Online Key Segment By Indication, By Consultation, By Application, and By Region Major Regions Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East &, Africa Purchase Options Request customized purchase options to meet your research needs. Explore purchase options

Online Doctor Consultation Market: Segmentation Analysis

The global online doctor consultation market is segregated based on indication, consultation, application, and region.

Based on indication, the market is divided into cardiology, dermatology, diabetes consultation, gastroenterology, general physician, gynecology, neurology, oncology, orthopedics, pediatrics, sexology, stress & mental health, weight management, and others. Among these, the dermatology segment led the market in 2021 and is expected to maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period.

Based on the consultation, the market is classified into audio chat and video chat. In 2021, the video chat category dominated the global market. Based on application, the market is divided into disease-specific health assessment, health education, medical files management, online reference services, and remote consultation disease-specific health assessment is the most lucrative.

The global Online Doctor Consultation market is segmented as follows:

By Indication

Cardiology

Dermatology

Diabetes Consultation

Gastroenterology

General Physician

Gynecology

Neurology

Oncology

Orthopedics

Pediatrics

Sexology

Stress and Mental Health

Weight Management

Others

By Consultation

Audio Chat

Video Chat

By Application

Disease-Specific Health Assessment

Health Education

Medical Files Management

Online Reference Services

Remote Consultation

Browse the full Online Doctor Consultation Market By Indication (Cardiology, Dermatology, Diabetes Consultation, Gastroenterology, General Physician, Gynecology, Neurology, Oncology, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Sexology, Stress And Mental Health, Weight Management, Others), By Consultation (Audio Chat, Video Chat), By Application (Disease-Specific, Health Assessment, Health Education, Medical Files Management, Online Reference Services, Remote Consultation), And By Region - Global And Regional Industry Overview, Market Intelligence, Comprehensive Analysis, Historical Data, And Forecasts 2022  2028 Report at https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/online-doctor-consultation-market

Competitive Landscape

Some of the main competitors dominating the global Online Doctor Consultation market include -

Babylon Health

CallHealth

DocPrime

DocsApp

Eclinic

eVaidya Pvt. Ltd.

iCliniq

LiveHealth Online

Lybrate

Phasorz Technology Private Ltd.

Sanitas

Singularity Healthcare IT Systems Pvt. Ltd.

VSee

YourDoctors.Online

Key Insights from Primary Research:

According to the analysis shared by our research forecaster, the Online Doctor Consultation market is likely to expand at a CAGR of around 26.10 during the forecast period (2022-2028).

In terms of revenue, the Online Doctor Consultation market size was valued at around US$ 3824.10 million in 2021 and is projected to reach US$ 15375.16 million by 2028.

The restrictions on physical contact have greatly boosted the global online doctor consultation market.

By Indication, the dermatology category dominated the market in 2021.

By consultation, the video chat category dominated the market in 2021.

By application, the disease-specific health assessment category dominated the market in 2021.

North America dominated the online doctor consultation market in 2021.

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Key questions answered in this report:

What is the market size and growth rate forecast for Online Doctor Consultation industry?

What are the main driving factors propelling the Online Doctor Consultation Market forward?

What are the leading companies in the Online Doctor Consultation Industry?

What segments does the Online Doctor Consultation Market cover?

How can I receive a free copy of the Online Doctor Consultation Market sample report and company profiles?

Key Offerings:

Market Size & Forecast by Revenue | 20222028

Market Dynamics  Leading Trends, Growth Drivers, Restraints, and Investment Opportunities

Market Segmentation  A detailed analysis By Indication, By Consultation, By Application, and By Regions

Competitive Landscape  Top Key Vendors and Other Prominent Vendors

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(We tailor your report to meet your specific research requirements. Inquire with our sales team about customising your report.)

Regional Analysis:

The global online doctor consultation market is divided into geographic regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. Since video doctor consultations are already a popular practice in North America, the region is anticipated to dominate the global market for online medical consultations. Players in North American telemedicine benefit greatly from government monitoring support. According to the America Hospital Association, 65 percent of U.S. hospitals use video and other forms of technology to communicate with patients and practitioners who provide consultations. Consumers find video consultations on a computer, tablet, or smartphone more appealing. For instance, a 2015 American Well Telemedicine Consumer survey found that 64% of Americans were open to a video consultation with their physician.

By Region

North America U.S. Canada Rest of North America

Europe France UK Spain Germany Italy Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea Rest of Asia Pacific

The Middle East & Africa Saudi Arabia South Africa Rest of the Middle East & Africa

Latin America Brazil Argentina Rest of Latin America



Recent Developments

August 2020: Teladoc Health (US) and Livongo (US) partnered to improve online consultations by providing AI technology for quick diagnosis and consultation for Teladoc's customers throughout the world.

July 2020: To expand Teladoc's product and service offering and strengthen its position among hospitals and healthcare systems, the company sought to purchase InTouch Health.

March 2020: The Practo + health plan, which offers unlimited online doctor consultations, was introduced by Practo (India).

To know an additional revised 2022 list of market players, request a brochure of the report: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/requestbrochure/online-doctor-consultation-market

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Online Doctor Consultation Market?

Which key factors will influence Online Doctor Consultation Market growth over 2022-2030?

What will be the value of the Online Doctor Consultation Market during 2022-2030?

What will be the CAGR value of the Online Doctor Consultation Market during 2022-2030?

Which region will contribute notably towards the Online Doctor Consultation Market value?

Which are the major players leveraging the Online Doctor Consultation Market growth?

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OTTAWA, ON, Feb. 1, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, announced the appointment of the new Chairperson to the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB).

Following a merit-based selection process, Thomas J. Digby is appointed for a term of five years. Mr. Digby is a lawyer with expertise in intellectual property and has an extensive educational background in the Biological Sciences. He has over 25 years of experience working with the pharmaceutical sector and is highly knowledgeable regarding patented medicines.

The PMPRB is an independent quasi-judicial body established by Parliament in 1987 under the Patent Act. As an arm's-length organization of the government, the PMPRB reviews the prices patentees charge for patented drug products in the Canadian market. As part of their mandate, the PMPRB can work with patentees to achieve voluntary price reductions, or the Board can hold public hearings to determine whether a price is excessive, and if so, order price reductions or the offset of excess revenues.

The Government of Canada is committed to appointing highly qualified candidates to best serve the interests of Canadians and is committed to open, transparent and merit-based processes for selecting Governor in Council appointees. Appointees play a fundamental role in Canadian democracy as they serve on commissions, boards, Crown corporations, agencies and tribunals across the country.

Quotes

"The PMPRB plays an important role in protecting and informing Canadians on the price of patented medicines by reporting on pharmaceutical trends and ensuring that the prices in Canada are not excessive. I congratulate Mr. Digby on his appointment as the new Chairperson. His collective depth of knowledge and extensive experience in the field of generic and innovator medicines will be an asset to the Board."

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos

Canada's Minister of Health

Quick Facts

The PMPRB protects the interests of Canadian consumers by ensuring that the prices of patented medicines sold in Canada are not excessive. It does this by reviewing the prices that patentees charge for each individual patented drug product in Canadian markets. The Board can hold public hearings and order price reductions and/or the offset of excess revenues. The PMPRB regulates the list prices of patented medicines and does not have jurisdiction over prices charged by wholesalers or pharmacies, or over pharmacists' professional fees.

The PMPRB is also responsible for reporting on trends in pharmaceutical sales and pricing for all medicines and for reporting on research and development spending by patentees.

On July 1, 2022, amendments to the Patented Medicines Regulations (PMR) came-into-force. These amendments were designed to provide the PMPRB with new tools to protect Canadians from excessive prices for patented medicines. They include a new basket of comparator countries and reduced reporting requirements for medicines with lowest risk of excessive pricing.

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SOURCE Health Canada

Cision

View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2023/01/c9669.html
FILE PHOTO: A sign of China's e-commerce company JD.com is seen at CES Asia 2016 in Shanghai

By Stefanno Sulaiman and Sophie Yu

JAKARTA/BEIJING (Reuters) -China's JD.com is to close its e-commerce services in Indonesia and Thailand, retreating from Southeast Asia after a bruising year for China's retail and technology sectors.

JD.com will end its services in Thailand from March 3 and in Indonesia from the end of the same month, its local websites showed. Both units will stop taking orders on Feb. 15.

A spokesperson for JD.com said in a statement on Monday that the company will continue to serve global markets, including Southeast Asia, through its supply chain infrastructure.

The company, which did not give a reason for the closures, started its e-commerce operation in Indonesia under the name JD.ID in 2015 as a joint venture with Provident Capital, while the Thai platform was launched two years later with the country's largest retailer Central Group.

But JD.com failed to gain traction against larger players such as Alibaba Group's Lazada, Sea Ltd's Shopee and GoTo Group's Tokopedia.

The company, which also runs the omni-channel retail brand Ochama in Europe, said in November that "new businesses" - including units abroad as well as other ventures such as JD property - accounted for just 2% of total revenue in the third quarter.

In China, the company, like many of its tech peers such as Alibaba, has been battling a slowing economy and the impact of strict COVID curbs, which have prompted cost cutting and worker lay offs.

While JD.com has performed better than its peers, posting an 11.4% rise in third-quarter revenue, its chief executive has described the second quarter as the most difficult one since listing in 2014.

Nattabhorn Buamahakul, a Bangkok-based partner at Asia Group Advisors, said JD's exits reflected the highly competitive e-commerce landscape in Southeast Asia, especially Thailand.

"Online platforms don't only compete with each other but also local operators, small business which have risen as payments become simpler, using social media like TikTok and Instagram as customer touch points," she said.

Story continues

But Jeffrey Towson, a Beijing-based partner at TechMoat Consulting said JD.com had behaved more prudently than its competitors in Southeast Asia when it came to spending on marketing and subsidies, and he believed they were exiting without losing too much money.

"JD is now exiting the consumer side and focusing on Southeast Asian merchants, brands and logistics infrastructure that connect with Chinese consumers. That plays to their strengths," he said.

(Reporting by Stefanno Sulaiman in Jakarta and Sophie Yu in Beijing; additional reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng in Bangkok; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor, Stephen Coates, Kirsten Donovan)
LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2023 / The Company announces that on 31 January 2023 it purchased the following number of its ordinary shares of 20340/399pence each through Goldman Sachs International ("GSI") on the London Stock Exchange in accordance with the authority granted by shareholders at the Company's Annual General Meeting on 6 May 2022 (the "Purchase"). The Purchase was effected pursuant to instructions issued by the Company on 09 August 2022, as announced on 09 August 2022.

Date of purchase: 31 January 2023 Aggregate number of ordinary shares purchased: 6,540 Lowest price paid per share:  55.9800 Highest price paid per share:  56.3800 Average price paid per share:  56.1738

The Company intends to cancel the purchased shares.

Following the above transaction, the Company has 175,393,318 ordinary shares in issue (excluding 7,506,782 held in treasury).

These purchases are the last purchases to be made under the programme between the Company, on the one hand, and GSI, on the other hand, announced on 09 August 2022, and the programme has been completed in accordance with its terms.

A full breakdown of the individual purchases by GSI is included below.

Enquiries to:

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC:

Investor Relations: Stuart Ford (+44 (0)7823 828 739); Aleksandar Milenkovic (+44 (0)7469 905 720);

Joe Simpson (+44 (0)7976 862 072)

Media Relations: Amy Shields (+44 (0)7881 035 550); Dan Winter (+44 (0)7423 793 352)

Schedule of Purchases

Shares purchased: 6,540 (ISIN: GB00BHJYC057)

Date of purchases: 31 January 2023

Investment firm: GSI

Aggregated information:

London Stock Exchange Cboe BXE Cboe CXE Turquoise Number of ordinary shares purchased 6,540 Highest price paid (per ordinary share)  56.3800 Lowest price paid (per ordinary share)  55.9800 Volume weighted average price paid(per ordinary share)  56.1738

Detailed information:

Transaction Date Time Time Zone Volume Price (GBP) Trading Venue Transaction ID 31/01/2023 08:15:20 GMT 121 56.2600 XLON 703301574200655 31/01/2023 08:22:46 GMT 126 56.3800 XLON 703301574201600 31/01/2023 08:26:01 GMT 120 56.3400 XLON 703301574202061 31/01/2023 08:29:00 GMT 113 56.2800 XLON 703301574202348 31/01/2023 08:31:02 GMT 65 56.2600 XLON 703301574202534 31/01/2023 08:31:02 GMT 51 56.2800 XLON 703301574202538 31/01/2023 08:31:02 GMT 56 56.2800 XLON 703301574202537 31/01/2023 08:36:44 GMT 24 56.3200 XLON 703301574203314 31/01/2023 08:36:44 GMT 53 56.3200 XLON 703301574203313 31/01/2023 08:36:44 GMT 96 56.3200 XLON 703301574203312 31/01/2023 08:36:44 GMT 152 56.3200 XLON 703301574203315 31/01/2023 08:36:57 GMT 107 56.3200 XLON 703301574203329 31/01/2023 08:37:22 GMT 74 56.3000 XLON 703301574203381 31/01/2023 08:38:40 GMT 202 56.2800 XLON 703301574203627 31/01/2023 08:40:49 GMT 82 56.2600 XLON 703301574203847 31/01/2023 08:42:31 GMT 118 56.2600 XLON 703301574203986 31/01/2023 08:45:54 GMT 74 56.2800 XLON 703301574204238 31/01/2023 08:45:54 GMT 77 56.2800 XLON 703301574204244 31/01/2023 08:45:54 GMT 80 56.2800 XLON 703301574204243 31/01/2023 08:50:15 GMT 70 56.1800 XLON 703301574204911 31/01/2023 08:52:38 GMT 66 56.2200 XLON 703301574205201 31/01/2023 08:56:20 GMT 73 56.2000 XLON 703301574205461 31/01/2023 09:03:10 GMT 133 56.2400 XLON 703301574206206 31/01/2023 09:09:14 GMT 22 56.2200 XLON 703301574206713 31/01/2023 09:09:14 GMT 59 56.2200 XLON 703301574206712 31/01/2023 09:11:10 GMT 130 56.2200 XLON 703301574206920 31/01/2023 09:16:49 GMT 94 56.1400 XLON 703301574207277 31/01/2023 09:31:56 GMT 22 56.2200 XLON 703301574208355 31/01/2023 09:31:56 GMT 27 56.2200 XLON 703301574208357 31/01/2023 09:31:56 GMT 75 56.2200 XLON 703301574208356 31/01/2023 09:31:56 GMT 178 56.2200 XLON 703301574208351 31/01/2023 09:34:51 GMT 13 56.2200 XLON 703301574208634 31/01/2023 09:34:51 GMT 179 56.2200 XLON 703301574208633 31/01/2023 09:42:24 GMT 157 56.2400 XLON 703301574209311 31/01/2023 09:45:06 GMT 120 56.2600 XLON 703301574209519 31/01/2023 09:50:46 GMT 123 56.2200 XLON 703301574209944 31/01/2023 09:52:46 GMT 100 56.2200 XLON 703301574210012 31/01/2023 10:01:22 GMT 72 56.2000 XLON 703301574210674 31/01/2023 10:05:48 GMT 112 56.1800 XLON 703301574211153 31/01/2023 10:15:55 GMT 12 56.1600 XLON 703301574211971 31/01/2023 10:15:55 GMT 62 56.1600 XLON 703301574211970 31/01/2023 10:20:34 GMT 73 56.1800 XLON 703301574212381 31/01/2023 10:29:39 GMT 71 56.2000 XLON 703301574212981 31/01/2023 10:31:19 GMT 58 56.2000 XLON 703301574213096 31/01/2023 10:32:20 GMT 86 56.1800 XLON 703301574213196 31/01/2023 10:32:20 GMT 214 56.1800 XLON 703301574213192 31/01/2023 10:39:04 GMT 152 56.1200 XLON 703301574213726 31/01/2023 10:39:04 GMT 63 56.1800 XLON 703301574213720 31/01/2023 10:45:55 GMT 84 56.1000 XLON 703301574214172 31/01/2023 10:52:32 GMT 112 56.1000 XLON 703301574214604 31/01/2023 11:06:51 GMT 36 56.0800 XLON 703301574215763 31/01/2023 11:06:51 GMT 175 56.0800 XLON 703301574215762 31/01/2023 11:11:36 GMT 73 56.0600 XLON 703301574216094 31/01/2023 11:13:24 GMT 111 56.0200 XLON 703301574216195 31/01/2023 11:28:16 GMT 58 55.9800 XLON 703301574216993 31/01/2023 11:28:16 GMT 63 55.9800 XLON 703301574216992 31/01/2023 11:38:06 GMT 99 56.0400 XLON 703301574217701 31/01/2023 11:50:04 GMT 145 56.0400 XLON 703301574218539 31/01/2023 12:00:21 GMT 132 56.0400 XLON 703301574219193 31/01/2023 12:07:13 GMT 87 56.0200 XLON 703301574219714 31/01/2023 12:09:14 GMT 47 56.0200 XLON 703301574219868 31/01/2023 12:09:14 GMT 79 56.0200 XLON 703301574219869 31/01/2023 12:16:15 GMT 86 56.0200 XLON 703301574220256 31/01/2023 12:18:44 GMT 11 56.0200 XLON 703301574220535 31/01/2023 12:18:50 GMT 32 56.0200 XLON 703301574220547 31/01/2023 12:18:50 GMT 65 56.0200 XLON 703301574220546 31/01/2023 12:21:12 GMT 125 56.0200 XLON 703301574220679 31/01/2023 12:31:12 GMT 137 56.0000 XLON 703301574221309 31/01/2023 12:39:36 GMT 142 56.0200 XLON 703301574221814 31/01/2023 12:48:08 GMT 41 56.0200 XLON 703301574222518 31/01/2023 12:51:52 GMT 19 56.0200 XLON 703301574222730 31/01/2023 12:51:52 GMT 100 56.0200 XLON 703301574222731 31/01/2023 12:58:36 GMT 74 56.0400 XLON 703301574223118

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: InterContinental Hotels Group PLC





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/737632/InterContinental-Hotels-Group-PLC-Announces-Transaction-in-Own-Shares-Feb-01




ReportLinker

INTRODUCTION. Monkeypox is a viral disease, which is usually transmitted to humans from animals. The disease is known to have symptoms similar to those observed in smallpox patients, although it is considered to be clinically less severe.

New York, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Monkeypox Treatment Market: Focus on Therapeutics, Vaccines and Diagnostic Kits: Industry Trends and Global Forecasts, 2023-2035" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06414164/?utm_source=GNW

Monkeypox has recently emerged as a prominent orthopox virus affecting public health. In May 2022, multiple cases of the disease were reported in several non-endemic countries, thereby making monkeypox a disease of global concern. Consequently, in July 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared global monkeypox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). In fact, till date, over 84,000 cases of the disease have been reported, globally. In response to the monkeypox outbreak, active research and development efforts are underway to develop various therapeutics and vaccines for the treatment and prevention of monkeypox. Presently, more than 25 therapeutics / vaccines are commercialized / under development for the treatment and prevention of monkeypox. With the increase in the number of monkeypox cases globally, the demand for testing has also increased.



SCOPE OF THE REPORT

The Monkeypox Market - Distribution by Type of Product (Therapeutics and Vaccines), Drug Developers, Drug Candidates, Type of Diagnostic Kit (PCR Kits, Antigen Detection Kits and Antibody Detection Kits), Type of End User (Hospitals and Clinics, Diagnostic Laboratories and Other End Users) and Key Geographical Regions ( North America (US, Canada), Europe (UK, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Rest Of Europe) and Asia-Pacific (Japan, Australia)): Industry Trends and Global Forecasts, 2023-2035 report features an extensive study of the current market landscape and future opportunity for the players focused on the development of monkeypox therapeutics, vaccines and diagnostic kits. The report answers many key questions related to this domain.



Growing Demand for Monkeypox Therapeutics / Vaccines and Diagnostic Kits

Due to the surge in monkeypox cases in 2022, globally, there is a growing demand for monkeypox vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostic kits. With only a few therapeutics / vaccines currently approved or granted special access for the treatment / prevention of the monkeypox disease, the existing demand for effective monkeypox vaccines and therapeutics is still unmet. Additionally, the approved monkeypox vaccines are available at a high price, making it inaccessible to general population in developing countries, where the disease is endemic. In order to contain an outbreak, point-of-care (POC) testing is very critical to ensure timely isolation and enable contact tracing of infected individuals. Therefore, considering the demand for diagnostic solutions for monkeypox virus, and the associated financial opportunity, both large companies and start-ups are competing to gain a foothold in this market.



Current Market Landscape of Monkeypox Therapeutics and Vaccines

The current monkeypox therapeutics and vaccines landscape is fragmented, featuring a mix of several large, mid-sized and small companies, which are engaged in the development of a number of therapy and vaccine candidates against the monkeypox virus. It is worth mentioning that, till date, only six therapeutics / vaccines, including ACAM2000, IMVANEX / JYNNEOS / IMVAMUNE and Cidofovir / Vistide, have either received approval or been granted special access for the treatment / prevention of the monkeypox virus infection. Additionally, more than 20 monkeypox therapeutics and vaccines are in the development pipeline. Post the 2022 outbreak of the monkeypox disease globally, interest in this area of research has grown significantly.



Current Market Overview of Monkeypox Diagnostic Kits

At present, more than 165 diagnostic kits are available in the market for the detection of monkeypox virus. It is worth highlighting that over 75% of the monkeypox diagnostic kits use polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as the detection technique, followed by antigen detection kits and antibody detection kits. In pursuit of gaining a competitive edge, monkeypox diagnostic kit providers are presently undertaking various initiatives in order to expand their existing capabilities and augment their respective product portfolios.



Key Drivers in Monkeypox Therapeutics / Vaccines and Diagnostic Kits Market

More than 70 countries across the world reported cases of monkeypox, with the maximum cases being reported in non-endemic regions. This outbreak has posed the risk of monkeypox virus spreading beyond endemic areas. Consequently, governments have undertaken several initiatives to increase awareness about monkeypox disease. Big pharma players are carrying out initiatives to strengthen their respective product portfolios focused on monkeypox disease. The growing cases of monkeypox disease and availability of limited number of therapeutics / vaccines / diagnostic solutions are the key factors driving the growth of this market.



Market Size of Monkeypox Therapeutics and Vaccines

Due to the increase in incidence of monkeypox infections and the growing demand for monkeypox vaccines and therapeutics, the monkeypox market is anticipated to witness a steady growth in the foreseen future. Presently, close to 80% of the monkeypox therapeutics and vaccines market is captured by players based in North America and Asia-Pacific.



Market Size of Monkeypox Diagnostic Kits

The market for monkeypox diagnostic kits is anticipated to increase steadily in the foreseeable future due to the growing cases of the disease and the possibility of future outbreaks. Currently, over 60% of the diagnostic kits market is captured by players based in Asia-Pacific.



Key Players in Monkeypox Therapeutics, Vaccines and Diagnostic Kits Market

Examples of key players engaged in the monkeypox therapeutics and vaccines domain include (which have also been captured in this report) Bavarian Nordic and Emergent BioSolutions. Further, key players engaged in the monkeypox diagnostic kits domain include (which have also been captured in this report) ACON Laboratories, altona Diagnostics, Jiangsu Bioperfectus Technologies, Elabscience, Goldsite Diagnostics, Lansion Biotechnology, DNA Software and Hangzhou Testsea Biotechnology.



Amongst other elements, the report also includes:

An executive summary of the insights captured during our research. It offers a high-level view on the current state of the monkeypox market and its likely evolution in the mid-long term.

A general introduction to monkeypox virus, along with information on signs and symptoms of the disease, history of monkeypox outbreaks and details on transmission of disease from animals to humans and humans to humans. It also features an overview of the monkeypox disease diagnosis and current therapeutics / vaccines used for the treatment / prevention of the infection and a discussion on future prospects of this domain.

A detailed assessment of the current market landscape of monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines that are approved / under development, based on several relevant parameters, such as phase of development (approved, clinical and preclinical / discovery), type of product (therapeutic drugs and vaccines), type of molecule (small molecules and biologics), type of dosage form (tablets, capsules, liquids, powders and others), route of administration (oral, intravenous, percutaneous and subcutaneous). In addition, it provides details on monkeypox drug / vaccine developers, along with analyses based on their year of establishment, type of player (Industry and Non-Industry), company size (Small companies: ?50 employees, Mid-sized companies: 51-500 employees and Large companies: >500 employees), geographical location (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World) and leading players (in terms of number of therapeutics / vaccines in pipeline).

A detailed assessment of the current market landscape of monkeypox diagnostic kits, based on several relevant parameters, such as type of sample analyzed (lesion swab / rash exudate, serum, blood, respiratory samples, plasma, scab specimen and others), kit components (primer, probe, positive control, negative control, internal control, buffer, enzyme mix, reaction mix, PCR grade water and others), clade of virus detected (monkeypox virus  clade unspecified, West African clade, Congo Basin clade and orthopox virus  including monkeypox), detection method (Polymerase Chain Reaction and others), application area (clinical diagnostics and research), type of kit (DNA detection kit, antibody detection kit, antigen detection kit), quantity of sample required (2-10 L, 11-50 L, 51-100 L and > 100 L), turnaround time (5-30 minutes, 31-60 minutes, 61-90 minutes and > 90 minutes), limit of detection (100-200 copies/ mL, 201-500 copies/ mL, 501-1,000 copies/ mL and > 1,000 copies/ mL), number of tests per kit (15-50 tests/ kit, 51-150 tests/ kit, 151-500 tests/ kit and > 500 tests/ kit), shelf life (1-9 months, 9-12 months and 12-24 months) and storage temperature (ultra-low storage (-70C to -40C), frozen storage (-40C to 0C), chilled storage (2C to 8C), cool storage (8C to 15C), controlled ambient storage (15C to 25C) and incubator storage (25C to 60C)). In addition, it provides details on monkeypox diagnostic kits developers, along with analyses based on their year of establishment, company size (Small companies: ?50 employees, Mid-sized companies: 51-500 employees, Large Companies: 501 - 1,000 and Very Large companies: >1,000 employees), geographical location (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World), type of developer (Industry and Non-Industry), and leading players (in terms of number of kits provided).

A product competitiveness analysis of monkeypox detection kits based on various relevant parameters, namely supplier power (in terms of the experience of the developer) and product competitiveness (in terms of type of clade of virus detected, number of kit component(s), number of sample(s) used, turnaround time, number of tests per kit, storage temperature, kit shelf life, type of detection method, and type of kit).

Elaborate profiles of prominent players engaged in the development of monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines and diagnostic kits, featuring a brief overview of the company, details on its product portfolio and recent developments with an informed future outlook.

A detailed analysis of the recent partnerships inked between stakeholders engaged in this domain, during the period 2018-2022, covering supply agreements, product development agreements, asset acquisitions, distribution agreements, fill / finish agreements, research and development agreements, and technology integration agreements.

An in-depth analysis on various grants, received since the year 2003, by players engaged in this field based on year of award, support period, amount awarded, funding institute, type of grant application, activity code, type of study section, purpose of grant, prominent program officers, recipient organizations, popular NIH departments and location of recipient organizations.

A detailed analysis of more than 200 peer-reviewed, scientific articles related to research on monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines and diagnostic kits, over last five years, based on several relevant parameters, such as year of publication, type of publication, most popular journals, popular keywords, most active publishers, most popular affiliations, and distribution by geography.

A qualitative analysis of the five competitive forces, including threats for new entrants, bargaining power of drug developers, bargaining power of buyers, threats of substitute products and rivalry among existing competitors under an insightful Porters Five Forces framework.



One of the key objectives of this report was to estimate the existing market opportunity and the future growth potential of the monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines and diagnostic kits over the coming years. Based on multiple parameters, such as incidences of monkeypox, target population to be vaccinated / treated, cost of therapeutics / vaccines, we have provided an informed estimate on the evolution of the monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines market for the period 2023-2035. Similarly, we have estimated the monkeypox diagnostic kits market for the period 2023-2035 based on multiple parameters, such as incidences of monkeypox, testing population across the world, popularity of type of kits available and cost of kits. The report features the likely distribution of the current and forecasted opportunity across various types of products (therapeutics and vaccines), drug developers, drug candidates and key geographical regions (North America (US, Canada), Europe (UK, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Rest of Europe) and Asia-Pacific (Japan, Australia)) for monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines market. For monkeypox diagnostic kits market, the report features likely distribution of the current and forecasted opportunity across various types of kits (PCR Kits, Antigen Detection Kits and Antibody Detection Kits), type of end users (Hospitals and Clinics, Diagnostic Laboratories and Other End Users) and key geographical regions (North America (US, Canada), Europe (UK, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Rest of Europe) and Asia-Pacific (Japan, Australia))



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.



The opinions and insights presented in the report were also influenced by discussions held with senior stakeholders in the industry. The report features detailed transcripts of interviews held with the following individuals:

Willy Tozoke Laou Man Cheong (Business Director, Hunan Runmei Gene Technology)

John W Sharkey (Vice President, Business Development, GeoVax)

Horace Lee (Sales Manager, Firegene)

Alan Yu (Sales Manager, Hangzhou Testsea Biotechnology)



RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The data presented in this report has been gathered via secondary and primary research. For all our projects, we conduct interviews / surveys with experts in the area (academia, industry, medical practice and other associations) to solicit their opinions on emerging trends in the market. This is primarily useful for us to draw out our own opinion on how the market will evolve across different regions and technology segments. Wherever possible, the available data has been checked for accuracy from multiple sources of information.



The secondary sources of information include:

Annual reports

Investor presentations

SEC filings

Industry databases

News releases from company websites

Government policy documents

Industry analysts views



While the focus has been on forecasting the market till 2035, the report also provides our independent view on various technological and non-commercial trends emerging in the industry. This opinion is solely based on our knowledge, research and understanding of the relevant market gathered from various secondary and primary sources of information.



KEY QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Question 1: What are the first signs of monkeypox?

Answer: The first signs and symptoms of monkeypox include high temperature, headache, muscle ache, backache, swollen glands, chills, joint pain and exhaustion.



Question 2: What is the growth rate of monkeypox therapeutics and vaccines market?

Answer: Monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines market is anticipated to witness a decline over the next decade; this is likely to be the result of a dip in the number of monkeypox cases till 2035.



Question 3: What is the growth rate of monkeypox diagnostic kits market?

Answer: Monkeypox diagnostic kits market is expected to witness a decline over the next decade due to the dip in the number of monkeypox cases till 2035.



Question 4: Who are the key developers of monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines?

Answer: Examples of key players currently developing monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines include Bavarian Nordic, Emergent BioSolutions and KM Biologics and SIGA Technologies.



Question 5: Who are the key developers of monkeypox diagnostic kits?

Answer: Examples of key players currently developing monkeypox diagnostic kits include ACON Laboratories, altona Diagnostics, DNA Software, Elabscience, Goldsite Diagnostics, Hangzhou Testsea Biotechnology, Jiangsu Bioperfectus Technologies and Lansion Biotechnology.



Question 6: How many players are offering monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines and diagnostic kits?

Answer: Currently, more than 20 players are developing monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines. Additionally, over 120 players are involved in the development of diagnostic kits for monkeypox.



Question 7: What is the count of monkeypox diagnostic kits available in the market?

Answer: At present, more than 150 monkeypox diagnostic kits are available in the market. Moreover, close to 10 kits are currently under development for diagnosis of monkeypox.



Question 8: How many therapeutics and vaccines are approved for the treatment and prevention of monkeypox?

Answer: Presently, six therapeutics / vaccines have been approved or granted special access for the treatment / prevention of monkeypox.



Question 9: Which type of diagnostic kit accounts for the largest monkeypox market share?

Answer: In the current market, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based detection kits for monkeypox represent the largest market share.



Question 10: Which segment, in terms of type of product, accounts for the largest monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines market share?

Answer: At present, vaccines account for the largest market share, in terms of revenues, in the global monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines market.



CHAPTER OUTLINES



Chapter 1 provides an executive summary of the insights captured during our research. It offers a high-level view on the likely evolution of the monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines and diagnostic kits market in the short to mid-term and long term.



Chapter 2 provides a general introduction to monkeypox virus, along with information on signs and symptoms of the disease, history of monkeypox outbreaks and details on transmission of disease from animals to humans and humans to humans. Additionally, the chapter includes an overview of monkeypox disease diagnosis and current therapeutics and vaccines used for the treatment / prevention of the infection and a discussion on future prospects of the domain.



Chapter 3 includes a detailed assessment of the current market landscape of monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines that are approved / and are currently under development, based on several relevant parameters, such as type of phase of development (approved, clinical and preclinical / discovery), type of product (therapeutic drugs and vaccines), type of molecule (small molecules and, biologics), type of dosage form (tablets, capsules, liquids, powders and others), type of route of administration (oral, intravenous, percutaneous and subcutaneous). In addition, it provides details on monkeypox drug / vaccine developers, along with analyses based on their year of establishment, type of player (Industry and Non-Industry), company size (Small companies: ?50 employees, Mid-sized companies: 51-500 employees and Large companies: >500 employees), geographical location (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World) and leading players (in terms of number of therapeutics / vaccines in pipeline).

Chapter 4 includes detailed assessment of the current market overview landscape of monkeypox diagnostic kits that are developed and are currently under development, based on several relevant parameters, such as type of sample analyzed (lesion swab / rash exudate, serum, blood, respiratory samples, plasma, scab specimen and others), type of kit components (primer, probe, positive control, negative control, internal control, buffer, enzyme mix, reaction mix, PCR grade water and others), type of clade of virus detected (monkeypox virus  clade unspecified, West African clade, Congo Basin clade and orthopox virus  including monkeypox) , type of detection method (Polymerase Chain Reaction and others), type of application area (clinical diagnostics and research), type of kit (DNA detection kit, antibody detection kit, antigen detection kit and undisclosed), quantity of sample required (2-10 L, 11-50 L, 51-100 L and > 100 L), turnaround time (5-30 minutes, 31-60 minutes, 61-90 minutes and > 90 minutes), limit of detection (100-200 copies/ mL, 201-500 copies/ mL, 501-1,000 copies/ mL and > 1,000 copies/ mL), number of tests per kit (15-50 tests/ kit, 51-150 tests/ kit, 151-500 tests/ kit and > 500 tests/ kit), shelf life (1-9 months, 9-12 months and 12-24 months) and storage temperature (ultra-low storage (-70C to -40C), frozen storage (- 40C to 0C), chilled storage (2C to 8C), cool storage (8C to 15C), controlled ambient storage (15C to 25C) and incubator storage (25C to 60C)). In addition, it provides details on monkeypox diagnostic kits developers, along with analyses based on year of establishment, company size (Small companies: ?50 employees, Mid-sized companies: 51-500 employees, Large Companies: 501 - 1,000 and Very Large companies: >1,000 employees), geographical location (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World), type of developer (Industry and Non Industry), and leading players (in terms of number of kits provided).



Chapter 5 presents product competitiveness analysis of monkeypox detection kits based on various relevant parameters, namely supplier power (in terms of the experience of the developer) and product competitiveness (in terms of type of clade of virus detected, number of kit component(s), number of sample(s) used, quantity of sample required, turnaround time, number of tests per kit, limit of detection, storage temperature, kit shelf life, type of detection method, and type of kit).



Chapter 6 features elaborate profiles of prominent players engaged in the development of monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines, featuring a brief overview of the company, details on its product portfolio and recent developments with an informed future outlook.



Chapter 7 includes elaborate profiles of prominent players engaged in the development of monkeypox diagnostic kits, featuring a brief overview of the company, details on its product portfolio and recent developments with an informed future outlook.



Chapter 8 features a detailed analysis of the recent partnerships inked between stakeholders engaged in this domain, during the period 2018-2022, covering supply agreements, product development agreements, asset acquisitions, distribution agreements, fill / finish agreements, research and development agreements, and technology integration agreements.



Chapter 9 provides an in-depth analysis on various grants, received since the year 2003, by players engaged in this field based on year of award, support period, amount awarded, funding institute, type of grant application, activity code, type of study section, purpose of grant, prominent program officers, recipient organizations, popular NIH departments and location of recipient organizations.



Chapter 10 includes a detailed analysis of more than 200 peer-reviewed, scientific articles related to research on monkeypox therapeutics / vaccines and diagnostic kits, over last five years, based on several relevant parameters, such as year of publication, type of publication, most popular journals, popular keywords, most active publishers, most popular affiliations and distribution by geography.



Chapter 11 presents a qualitative analysis of the five competitive forces, including threats for new entrants, bargaining power of drug developers, bargaining power of buyers, threats of substitute products and rivalry among existing competitors under an insightful Porters Five Forces framework.



Chapter 12 features the likely distribution of the current and forecasted opportunity across various types of products (therapeutics and vaccines), drug developers, drug candidates and key geographical regions (North America (US, Canada), Europe (UK, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Rest of Europe) and Asia-Pacific (Japan, Australia))



Chapter 13 presents a comprehensive market forecast analysis, highlighting the future potential of the market till 2035. We have segregated the current and upcoming opportunity based on various types of kits (PCR Kits, Antigen Detection Kits and Antibody Detection Kits), type of end users (Hospitals and Clinics, Diagnostic Laboratories and Other End Users) and key geographical regions (North America (US, Canada), Europe (UK, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Rest of Europe) and Asia-Pacific (Japan, Australia))



Chapter 14 is a collection of interview transcripts of the discussions that were held with key stakeholders in the industry.



Chapter 15 is an appendix, which provides tabulated data and numbers for all the figures included in the report.



Chapter 16 is an appendix, which contains a list of companies and organizations mentioned in this report.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06414164/?utm_source=GNW



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Contrive Datum Insights Pvt Ltd

According to a market research study published by Contrive Datum Insights, Asia-Pacific market is anticipated to have the highest (CAGR) over the projection period, The existence of several industrial facilities in North America contributes to the sector's revenue growth

Farmington, Jan. 31, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global Patient Temperature Monitoring Market size was estimated at USD 3.9 Billion in 2022 and is expected to hit around USD 6.8 Billion by 2030, anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 6.37% from 2023 to 2030. Doctors can determine acute diseases, inflammation, infections, and immune system response by measuring a patient's temperature. It also helps determine the nature of the issue and the efficacy of the treatment. Various non-invasive techniques and instruments are utilised to examine the mouth, ear, armpit, rectum, and forehead, among other body parts. In contrast, readings of a patient's core temperature are typically obtained via invasive devices such as thermometers, probes, and electronic tablets.

Request Sample Copy of Report  Patient Temperature Monitoring Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth Opportunities, Future Trends, Covid-19 Impact, SWOT Analysis, Competition and Forecasts 2022 to 2030 , published by Contrive Datum Insights.

Also, states and municipalities in numerous regions and nations are implementing reopening plans. Due to this, the need for non-contact temperature assessment devices, which are used to check the temperature of different rooms without touching them, is increasing. These gadgets are utilised at schools, colleges, offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, restaurants, metro stations, and other public locations.

Patient Temperature Monitoring Market Recent Developments:

October, 2020, greenTEG, a medical technology company, received a waiver status to sell its COREmedical under the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), a policy which limits pre-market requirements for selected low risk devices, which were developed to aid the global battle against the Covid-19 virus. Moreover, COREmedical is for routine medical temperature screenings such as those conducted prior to admission in the hospital and intensive care unit.

April, 2020, Aranet, a technology company, launched new medical grade thermometer for hospitals globally battling COVID-19.

In September 2022, Signant Health debuted its cloud-based Temperatures Excursion Management (TEM) solution within its range of clinical supply chain management solutions.

Story continues

Patient Temperature Monitoring Market Segmentation Analysis:

The market for patient temperature monitoring consists of temperature monitoring equipment, handheld temperature monitoring devices, and invasive temperature monitoring devices. Table top temperature monitoring devices are additionally designated as non-invasive vital signs monitoring equipment.

Based on location, the market is divided into non-invasive and invasive temperature monitoring. Oral temperature monitoring, axillary and temporal artery temperature monitoring, and tympanic membrane temperature monitoring are subgroups of non-invasive temperature monitoring.

According to application, the market is segmented into pyrexia/fever, hypothermia, blood transfusion, anaesthesia, and others. By end-user, the market is segmented into hospitals and clinics, nursing homes, home care, ambulatory care centres, and others.

Regional Outlook:

In addition, the availability of cutting-edge medical facilities in hospitals and ambulatory surgical centres (ASCs) as well as government regulations that encourage the research and development of innovative monitoring technologies are anticipated to provide a major market boost. The existence of several industrial facilities in North America contributes to the sector's revenue growth.

In addition, the Asia-Pacific market is anticipated to have the highest (CAGR) over the projection period. This growth will be driven by factors such as rising healthcare costs, the prevalence of infectious diseases, an ageing population, and the positive contributions of both the public and private sectors to the total healthcare infrastructure. The expansion of ambulatory surgery centres and the infrastructure of hospitals in the Asia-Pacific region are two additional factors anticipated to drive the market for patient monitoring devices.

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Scope of Report:

Report Attributes Details Growth Rate 8.6% from 2023 to 2030 Market Size in 2022 USD 3.9 Billion Revenue Forecast by 2030 USD 6.8 Billion By Product Wearable Continuous Monitoring Sensors, Smart Temperature Monitoring Patches, Table-Top Temperature Monitoring Devices, Handheld Temperature Monitoring Devices, Invasive Temperature Monitoring Devices By Site Non-invasive Temperature Monitoring, (Oral Temperature Monitoring, Axillary & Temporal Artery Temperature Monitoring, Tympanic Membrane Temperature Monitoring), Invasive Temperature Monitoring, (Esophageal Temperature Monitoring, Nasopharynx Temperature Monitoring, Urinary Bladder Temperature Monitoring, Rectal Temperature Monitoring) By Applications Anesthesia, Hypothermia, Blood Transfusion, Pyrexia/Fever, Others By End User Hospitals & Clinics, Nursing Facilities, Home Care, Ambulatory Care Centers, Others By Companies Masimo, Microlife, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Terumo Corporation, Microlife Corporation, 3M, American Diagnostic Corporation, Braun (Subsidiary of Procter & Gamble), Cardinal Health, Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, Hill-Rom Holdings, Others, and Others Base Year 2022 Historical Year 2017 to 2021 Forecast Year 2023 to 2030

Market Drivers:

Each year, around 1% of the world's population is added. There is a correlation between population expansion and an exponential increase in the number of people living in a region, which facilitates the spread of infectious illnesses and viruses. SARS-COVID, tuberculosis (TB), malaria, pneumonia, dengue, HIV, and whooping cough will be the most prevalent infectious diseases and viruses in the world in 2021. It is anticipated that the prevalence of these diseases and viruses would increase globally. Children and the elderly are more likely than others to get these diseases.

Market Restraints:

The lack of awareness among physicians and other healthcare professionals about innovations integrated by manufacturers, as well as a shortage of educated and experienced employees who can successfully handle and process these devices, are the primary obstacles to their widespread use.

Market Opportunity:

Emerging economies such as India, Brazil, and Mexico are anticipated to offer large potential prospects to market participants in the patient temperature monitoring industry. To fulfil the increased need for temperature monitoring in developing nations, a number of manufacturers are emphasising strategic acquisitions and agreements/partnerships with regional/domestic firms for product distribution and manufacturing.

Patient Temperature Monitoring Market Key Segments Covered:

Top Market Players:

Masimo, Microlife, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Terumo Corporation, Microlife Corporation, 3M, American Diagnostic Corporation, Braun (Subsidiary of Procter & Gamble), Cardinal Health, Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, Hill-Rom Holdings, Others, and Others.

By Product

Wearable Continuous Monitoring Sensors

Smart Temperature Monitoring Patches

Table-Top Temperature Monitoring Devices Non-invasive Vital Signs Monitoring Devices Continuous Core Body Temperature Monitoring Devices

Handheld Temperature Monitoring Devices Mercury Thermometers Digital Thermometers Infrared Thermometers

Invasive Temperature Monitoring Devices

By Site

Non-invasive Temperature Monitoring Oral Temperature Monitoring Axillary & Temporal Artery Temperature Monitoring Tympanic Membrane Temperature Monitoring

Invasive Temperature Monitoring Esophageal Temperature Monitoring Nasopharynx Temperature Monitoring Urinary Bladder Temperature Monitoring Rectal Temperature Monitoring



By Application

Anesthesia

Hypothermia

Blood Transfusion

Pyrexia/Fever

Others

By End User

Hospitals & Clinics

Nursing Facilities

Home Care

Ambulatory Care Centers

Others

Regions and Countries Covered

North America: (US, Canada, Mexico, Rest of North America)

Europe: (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, UK, Nordic Countries, Benelux Union, Rest of Europe)

Asia-Pacific: (Japan, China, India, Australia, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Rest of Asia-Pacific)

The Middle East & Africa: (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, South Africa, Rest of the Middle East & Africa)

Latin America: (Brazil, Argentina, Rest of Latin America)

Rest Of the World

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Hospital Injectable Drugs Market - The Hospital Injectable Drugs Market is projected to grow from USD 38.7 billion in 2021, at a CAGR of around 4.8% during the forecast period. North America accounted for the largest market share in 2020 and is projected to grow at a solid CAGR during the review period. This can be attributed to the high adoption rate of advanced diagnostic equipment combined with the presence of key market players such as Kemper Medical, Inc. (US) and Chemyx, Inc. (US).

HIV Drugs Market  The global HIV drugs market size was valued at USD 30.89 billion in 2019, and is expected to reach USD 36.495 billion by 2027, and is growing at a CAGR of 3.8% during the forecast period from 2020 to 2027. On the basis of region, the global market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. North America is expected to dominate the forecast period, with a market size of USD 20.27 billion by 2020. The dominance of the region is attributed to the rising prevalence of HIV infection among the U.S. population. According to a 2021 study by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 1.2 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2018.

Poultry Drugs Market - The global Poultry Drugs Market size is projected to grow at a CAGR of 10% during the forecast period from 2022 - 2030. The poultry drugs market in North America is expected to grow over the forecast period of 2021-2030. Growth in major poultry producing countries such as Mexico and Canada, rising production rates in various regions owing to rising demand for meat products are factors that propel the growth of this industry.

Aerosol Therapy Market - The Global Aerosol Therapy Market Is Expected To Grow At A CAGR Of 5.5% From 2022 To 2030. Aerosols are suspensions of liquid or solid particles in a carrier gas and are used to treat respiratory-related diseases. North America is expected to dominate the market in this proportion. The Asia Pacific (mostly China and India) market is expected to grow at a relatively rapid pace during the forecast period.

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The Council of the European Union has appointed Dimitrios Karabalis, a Greek diplomat, as the new Head of mission for the EU Monitoring mission in Georgia, by the decision of the Political and Security Committee.

Karabalis is currently the Director for Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, South Caucasus, and Central Asia in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece, and his mandate as the Head of EUMM Georgia will run from 1 February until 14 December 2023.

The Greek diplomat succeeds Polish Marek Szczygie?, who has been in charge of the mission since 2020.

The missions mandate consists of stabilisation, normalisation and confidence building, as well as reporting to the EU in order to inform European policy-making and thus contribute to the future EU engagement in the region.
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MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Samsung Electronics Canada today unveiled the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Series, its latest flagship PC lineup, which features the Galaxy Book3 Ultra, Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 and Galaxy Book3 360. As Samsungs new premium PC, the Galaxy Book3 Ultra features ultra-high-performance computing; the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 and Galaxy Book3 360 feature a 2-in-1 convertible form factor with S Pen functionality1. The Galaxy Book3 Series is designed for those who need seamless multi-device connectivity and premium hardware to supercharge their productivity and creativity.



Today, were seeing an increasing number of people using multiple devices to perform efficiently. These new workflows are made possible thanks to our open and extensive Galaxy ecosystem, said TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. The latest Galaxy Book3 Series further enriches our connected offerings. It is tailor-made for Galaxy enthusiasts looking for the ultra-high computing performance and seamless connected Galaxy experiences to maximize their productivity and creativity.

Delivering the Most Seamless Samsung Galaxy Connected Experience Yet

The Galaxy Book3 Series offers a connected experience that is both intuitive and familiar. Including a wide range of on-the-go productivity features, such as Link to Windows / Microsoft Phone Link2 which allows users to enjoy seamless phone-to-PC connectivity across the OS. Link to Windows / Microsoft Phone Links Recent Websites3 lets you continue web sessions from your phone to PC  such as looking up the price of a flight on your phone and then booking it on your PC, while Instant Hotspot4 enables effortless connection to wireless hotspots with just one click.

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In addition, users can move seamlessly between multiple screens across different devices with no disruptions. The Samsung Multi Control5 feature lets you control your Galaxy PC, Galaxy Tab and now Galaxy smartphone with the Galaxy Book3 Series keyboard and trackpad, enabling you to copy, paste, or drag-and-drop between devices, while Second Screen6 turns your Galaxy Tab into an additional monitor with a single click. As well, since users often create content on multiple devices, the Galaxy Book3 Series makes the creative process easier. Now, users can take high quality photos using Expert RAW7 on their Galaxy smartphone, transfer them to the Galaxy Book3 Series automatically, and edit them on Adobe Lightroom8.

Onboarding to the new Galaxy Book3 Series is intuitive, fast and frictionless. Sign in to your Samsung Account on your Galaxy Book3 Series device just once and it will sync with the Galaxy services youve been using on other Galaxy devices thanks to Single Sign On9. You can even sign in to your favorite websites on the Galaxy Book3 Series easily using the information on your Samsung Pass10 account for mobile. Plus, transferring all your data and settings from your old Windows PC is simplified with Galaxy Book Smart Switch11, while Galaxy Book Experience provides an easy-to-follow guide to help new users get started.



Providing the Power to Perform

The Galaxy Book3 Series offers ultra high-performance computing with an upgraded CPU, GPU, display and more. The Galaxy Book3 Ultra features the latest 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processor12, making it the fastest Galaxy Book PC to date, as well as the NVIDIA RTX Geforce 4070 laptop GPU13 provides studio-grade graphics to enhance creative workflows and gaming experiences. For the first time, Samsungs Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display  first used in the Galaxy premium smartphone lineup display  is featured in the Galaxy Book3 Ultra. The 3K (2880x1800) resolution shows incredibly fine details, and the adaptive 120Hz refresh rate offers a smooth and slick viewing experience. The display is also VESA ClearMR and DisplayHDR TRUE BLACK 500 certified and has received SGS Eye Care Display certification for the guaranteed reduction of blue light. All these improvements empower users to perform multiple demanding tasks, watch rich and detailed content without loss of fidelity, and play high-spec games smoothly. Plus, depending on viewing needs, the 16-inch display14 features a 16:10 aspect ratio with the Galaxy Book3 Ultra.

The audio in the Galaxy Book3 Series is more refined, with a new quad speaker system that delivers clear, high notes and a rich bass sound. Studio quality dual microphones, along with AI Noise Cancellation15, clearly capture your voice and reduce background noise. And as video calls are now a part of everyday life, you can confidently join anytime and still look great with Studio Mode16, which offers improved visuals with lighting correction, auto framing, eye contact correction and smooth backgrounds.

Galaxy for the Planet

Samsung believes that technological innovation is essential in shaping a more sustainable future. Since the launch of the Galaxy S22 Series, Samsung has incorporated recycled materials not just in our plastic free packaging17, but also in the hardware of our new products. These are the first steps in our Galaxy for the Planet initiative, which includes our continued incorporation of recycled plastics and the creation of new materials in partnership with leading sustainability partners.

The Galaxy Book3 Series is built with select parts created from recycled18 Ocean Bound Plastic, including retired fishing nets. In addition, the Galaxy Book3 Series pushes the boundaries of eco-conscious design, reducing plastics and using recycled and sustainable materials in packaging19 and includes energy-conscious features like intelligent charging to optimize long-term battery life and reducing standby power consumption.

Canadian Availability

The new Galaxy Book3 Series uses a full aluminum frame for a premium look and feel  ensuring an enhanced user experience while preserving its light, sleek and flat design.

Galaxy Book3 Ultra (16-inch):

The Galaxy Book3 Ultra will be available will be available for pre-order in select markets beginning February 14, 2023, and for purchase starting February 22, 2023 in Graphite in the below variations:

16GB | 1TB Model: Available for $3,269 (our regular price)

16GB | 512GB Model: Available for $2,999 (our regular price)

Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 (16-inch):

The Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 will be available for pre-order in select markets beginning February 1, 2023, and for purchase starting February 17, 2023, at Samsung.com/ca, Samsung Experience Stores and major retailer partners across Canada in Graphite in the below variations:

16GB | 1TB Model: Available for $2,499 (our regular price)

16GB | 512GB Model: Available for $2,199 (our regular price)

Galaxy Book3 360 (13.3-inch):

The Galaxy Book3 360 will be available for pre-order in select markets beginning February 1, 2023, and for purchase starting March, 2023, at Samsung.com/ca, Samsung Experience Stores and major retailer partners across Canada in Graphite in the below variations:

16GB | 512GB Model: Available for $1,899 (our regular price)

8 GB | 256G Model: Available for $1,499 (our regular price)

For more information, please visit:

Galaxy Book3 Ultra: https://www.samsung.com/ca/computers/galaxy-book/galaxy-book3-ultra-16-inch-i7-16gb-512gb-np960xfh-xa1ca/

Galaxy Book3 Pro 360: https://www.samsung.com/ca/computers/galaxy-book/galaxy-book3-pro-360-16-inch-i7-16gb-512gb-np960qfg-ka1ca/

Galaxy Book3 360: https://www.samsung.com/ca/computers/galaxy-book/galaxy-book3-360-13-3-inch-i7-16gb-512gb-np730qfg-ka1ca/



Promotional Offers

Gift with Purchase - Galaxy Book3 Ultra

Canadians who pre-order a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra between February 14, 2023 and February 21, 2023 at an authorized Canadian retailer or carrier, at a Samsung Experience Store in Canada or online at samsung.com/ca/ are eligible to receive a Samsung Galaxy Buds2 gift20.

Gift with Purchase - Galaxy Book3 Pro 360

Canadians who pre-order a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 February 1, 2023 and February 16, 2023 at an authorized Canadian retailer or carrier, at a Samsung Experience Store in Canada or online at samsung.com/ca/ are eligible to receive a Samsung Galaxy Buds2 gift21.

Gift with Purchase - Galaxy Book3 360

Canadians who pre-order a Samsung Galaxy Book3 360 between February 1, 2023 and March 14, 2023 at an authorized Canadian retailer or carrier, at a Samsung Experience Store in Canada or online at samsung.com/ca/ are eligible to receive a Samsung Galaxy Buds2 gift22.

Double your storage, on us

Canadians can receive twice the storage for the same price when they purchase a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 between February 1, 2023 and February 16, 2023; that equates to $300 in savings off the MSRP of a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 36023.



Canadians can receive twice the storage for the same price when they purchase a Samsung Galaxy Book3 360 between February 1, 2023 and March 14, 2023; that equates to $300 in savings off the MSRP of a Samsung Galaxy Book3 36024.

Canadians can receive twice the storage for the same price when they purchase a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra between February 14, 2023 and March 2nd, 2023; that equates to $270 in savings off the MSRP of a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra25.

Peace of Mind with Samsung Care+

With a Samsung Care+ Plan, Canadians can experience a total care service for their new Samsung Galaxy Book3 Series laptop. Users will be protected for up to two years against physical or liquid damage and mechanical malfunction or defects, with a team of dedicated Galaxy experts available to help them get back on track.

Canadians who pre-order a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra device between February 14, 2023 and February 21, 2023 or complete the purchase of a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra device between February 22, 2023 and March 9, 2023, will receive a Samsung Care+ 2 Year Plan at 50% off, as applicable26.

Canadians who pre-order a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 device between February 1, 2023 and February 16, 2023 or purchase a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 device between February 17, 2023 and March 9, 2023, will receive a Samsung Care 2 Year Plan at 50% off, as applicable27.

Canadians who pre-order a Samsung Galaxy Book3 360 device between February 1, 2023 and March 14, 2023 and complete their purchase, will receive a Samsung Care 2 Year Plan at 50% off, as applicable28.

To learn more visit: http://pages.samsung.com/ca/promotions/English/Samsung_careplus_terms_conditions_EN.pdf

About Samsung Electronics Canada Inc.

Samsung Electronics Canada inspires Canadians to reach their full potential through a transformative ecosystem of products and services that deliver innovation and distinct design to every aspect of their connected lives. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, and wearable devices, tablets and digital appliances. In 2022, Samsung was ranked as one of Canada's "Most Reputable Companies" by Leger, named one of Canadas Top 100 Employers and placed first on Forbes 'The World's Best Employers' list. Dedicated to helping make a difference in the lives of Canadians, Samsung's award-winning corporate giving initiatives support public education and health-related issues in communities across the country. To discover more, please visit www.Samsung.ca.

Follow Samsung Canada at facebook.com/SamsungCanada, on Instagram @samsungcanada or on Twitter @SamsungCanada.

Device Specifications



Galaxy Book3 Ultra Specifications  Galaxy Book3 Ultra 16 Dimensions*29 355.4 x 250.4 x 16.5 mm

*Accuracy of numbers may vary depending on measurements used. Height varies depending on manufacturing process. Weight*30 1.79kg

*Weights vary depending on manufacturing process. OS*31 Windows 11

*Availability varies by region and carrier. Experience may vary by device. Display*32 16.0-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X (16:10 ratio),

400nits, Adaptive 120Hz Refresh Rate(48 - 120hz), 120% Colour volume (DCI-P3),

3K (2880x1800)

*400nit (Typ), 500nit (HDR) -VESA HDR 500 authentication, HDR Contents only. CPU* (Platform)33 13th Gen Intel Core i7 (Intel EVO)

*CPU specifications vary depending on model, country, or region. Graphic*34 NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU /

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU

* GPU specifications vary depending on model, country, or region. Connectivity*35

(WLAN) Wi-Fi 6E (Gig+), 802.11 ax 2x2

Bluetooth v5.1

*Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment. Wi-Fi 6E availability will vary due to OS version, country, location, network conditions, and other factors. Wi-Fi 6E wireless network routers required and sold separately. Colour36 Graphite

*Colour availability may vary by country and retailers. Memory*37 32GB (LPDDR5)

*Availability may vary by devices. Storage*38 512GB / 1TB SSD (PCIe) + expansion slot

*Availability may vary by devices. Camera/Mic FHD 1080p / Studio-quality Dual Mic Audio

(Speakers) AKG Quad Speaker (Woofer Max 5W x 2, Tweeter 2W x 2),

Smart Amp, Dolby Atmos Keyboard*39 3-row Numeric, Island Type with Backlit

*Keyboard layout may differ by market. Battery*40 76Wh (Typical)

*Typical value tested under third-party laboratory conditions. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Rated capacity is 4757mAh/73.8Wh. Adaptor

(Charging)41 100W USB Type-C Adapter

*Charger can power Galaxy devices that use USB Type-C port. Charger specification varies by model and regions. Authentication

(Security)42 Secured-core PC, Fingerprint on Power Key

*Secured-core PCs require specific configuration by the user to fully enable the highest level of protection against attacks. To use Windows Hello requires specialized hardware, including fingerprint reader, illuminated IR sensor or other biometric sensors and capable devices. Ports*43 Thunderbolt 4 (2), USB Type-A (1),

HDMI 2.0, microSD, Headphone/Mic

*Actual speed of USB can vary depending on user environment. Solution44 Galaxy Eco (Phone-Tab-PC-Wearable): Samsung Multi Control*, Second Screen **, Expert RAW (Auto Share)***, Quick Share & Private Share ****, Phone Link *****, Samsung Pass ******





Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 Specifications  Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 16 Dimensions*45 355.4 x 252.2 x 12.8 mm

*Accuracy of numbers may vary depending on measurements used. Height varies depending on manufacturing process. Weight*46 1.66kg / 1.71kg (5G model)

*Weights vary depending on manufacturing process. OS*47 Windows 11

*Availability varies by region and carrier. Experience may vary by device. Display48 16.0-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X (16:10 ratio),

Touch screen & S Pen capable (Pen in-box)

400nits, Adaptive 120Hz Refresh Rate (48 - 120hz),120% Colour volume (DCI-P3),

3K (2880x1800),

*400nit (Typ), 500nit (HDR) -VESA HDR 500 authentication, HDR Contents only. CPU (Platform) 49 13th Gen Intel Core i5 / Core i7 (Intel EVO)

*CPU specifications vary depending on model, country, or region. Graphic Intel Iris Xe Graphics

*Availability may vary by devices. Connectivity*50

(WLAN) Wi-Fi 6E, 802.11 ax 2x2, Bluetooth v5.1

*Wi-Fi 6E availability will vary due to OS version, country, location, network conditions, and other factors. Wi-Fi 6E wireless network routers required and sold separately. Colour*51 Graphite

*Colour availability may vary by country and retailers. Memory*52 16GB (LPDDR5)

*Availability may vary by devices. Storage*53 512GB / 1TB SSD (PCIe)

*Availability may vary by devices. Camera/Mic FHD 1080p / Studio-quality Dual Mic Audio

(Speakers) AKG Quad Speaker (Woofer Max 5W x 2, Tweeter 2W x 2),

Smart Amp, Dolby Atmos Keyboard*54 3-row Numeric, Island Type with Backlit

*Keyboard layout may differ by market. S Pen*55

(Stylus) In-box (8.2 x 7.7 x 144.84mm, 7.9g)

*Bluetooth is not available for S Pen. Battery*56 76Wh (Typical)

*Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Rated capacity is 4762mAh/73.9Wh. Adaptor

(Charging)57 65W USB Type-C Adapter

*Charger can power Galaxy devices that use USB Type-C port. Charger specification varies by model and regions. Authentication

(Security)58 Secured-core PC, Fingerprint on Power Key

*Secured-core PCs require specific configuration by the user to fully enable the highest level of protection against attacks. To use Windows Hello requires specialized hardware, including fingerprint reader, illuminated IR sensor or other biometric sensors and capable devices. Ports59 Thunderbolt 4 (2), USB Type-A (1),

HDMI 1.4, microSD, Headphone/Mic, nano SIM slot (Optional)

*Actual speed of USB can vary depending on user environment. Solution60 Galaxy Eco (Phone-Tab-PC-Wearable): Samsung Multi Control*, Second Screen **, Expert RAW (Auto Share) ***, Quick Share & Private Share ****, Phone Link *****, Samsung Pass ******







Galaxy Book3 360 Specifications  Galaxy Book3 360 13.3 CPU (Platform) 61 Intel 13th i7 (15/28W, EVO verified) Graphics Card Intel Iris Xe graphics

*Availability may vary by devices. Display62 15.6 FHD Super AMOLED (16:9), Colour Volume (DCI-P3) 120%, up to 500nit (HDR) Storage*63 256/512 GB,

*CPU specifications vary depending on model, country, or region. Memory*64 8/16 GB (LPDDR4x)

*Availability may vary by devices. Cam FHD 1080p Authentication

(Security)65 Secured-core PC, Fingerprint on Power Key



Audio

(Speakers) Stereo 2 x 2W, Dolby Atmos Ports66 TB4, USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, HP/MIC, microSD Dimensions*67 355.4 x 228.0 x 13.7 mm Weight*68 1.49kg Battery*69 68 Wh (20 hrs video playback, TBD)

*Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Rated capacity is 4762mAh/73.9Wh. S Pen*70

(Stylus) S Pen (EMR, optional)

*Bluetooth is not available for S Pen. Connectivity*71

(WLAN) Wi-Fi 6E (Gig+), 802.11 ax 2x2





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1 The S Pen included with Galaxy Book3 Pro 360, S Pen sold separately for Galaxy Book3 360

2 Users must link their Samsung Galaxy device to their Windows PC through Link to Windows on phone and the Microsoft Phone Link App on PC and follow the set-up prompts, including being signed into the same Microsoft account. Link to Windows is preloaded on select Samsung Galaxy devices. PC (Microsoft Phone Link App) requires Windows 10 or above. Microsoft Phone Link recommends Samsung Galaxy device to be on the same Wi-Fi network as the PC. Some mobile apps may restrict content to be shared on other screens. Some related features may vary by device.

3 'Recent Websites' is only available when using Samsung Internet app on Samsung Galaxy smartphone with One UI 3.1.1 or above (Samsung Galaxy S, Note, Z Fold, Z Flip) and Windows PC with Windows 10 20H1 or above. Requires latest app updates to Phone Link/Link to Windows/Samsung internet. Internet connection is required on both devices.

4 'Instant Hotspot' is only available on Samsung Galaxy smartphone with One UI 4.1.1 and BT capable Windows PC with Windows 11 22H2 or above. Requires latest app updates to Link to Windows / Phone Link.

5 Samsung Multi Control requires updated phones with One UI 5.1, tablets with One UI 4.1 or higher versions and works on Galaxy Book series devices released in 2021 or later with either Samsung Settings v1.5 (Intel) or Samsung Settings v3.3 (ARM). Some models may have limited feature support.

6 Second Screen requires Galaxy Tab S7, S7+ or S7 FE with One UI 3.1 or higher, or S8, S8+ or S8 Ultra. PCs with Wireless Display and Windows 10 v.2004 or higher are required.

7 Expert RAW must be downloaded separately from the Galaxy Store, for free, before use. Expert RAW app is available on Galaxy S23 series (S23 Ultra, S23+, S23), Galaxy S22 Series (S22 Ultra/S22+/S22), S21 Ultra, S20 Ultra, Z Fold4, Z Fold3, Z Fold2 and Note 20 Ultra. To automatically transfer images, Quick Share must be installed on the PC and users must log in with same Samsung account on both devices. (PC: Turn on Quick Share reception and Screen. Phone: Turn on Auto Share to PC or tablet in Expert RAW setting > Choose your PC)

8 To receive a 2-month complimentary trial offer (US$19.98 value) for Adobe Lightroom for Samsung (Offer), a valid form of payment, a Samsung device, a Samsung account and an Adobe ID are required. You must redeem this offer before February 10 2024. This Offer is non-transferrable and cannot be combined with any other offer. Limit one (1) Offer per person. Offer not available to existing Lightroom subscribers. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Lightroom subscription is subject to the Adobe Terms of Use ( https://www.adobe.com/legal/subscription-terms.html)

9 Single Sign-On works on apps including Quick Share, SmartThings, Bixby, Samsung Bluetooth Sync, Samsung Multi Control, Samsung Notes and Samsung Gallery.

10 Samsung Pass requires TPM (Trusted Platform Module) 2.0 and above, Windows 10 version 1903 or higher, Windows Hello. Available devices and browsers may be subject to change.

11 Data transferring via Galaxy Book Smart Switch requires all devices to be installed with Galaxy Book Smart Switch. Both PCs should be connected to the same network. Availability of Galaxy Book Smart Switch may vary depending on OS. There may be certain files that cannot be transferred, in which case user will be informed during program execution.

12 CPU specifications vary depending on model, country, or region.

13 GPU specifications vary depending on model, country, or region.

14 Screen size is measured diagonally as a full rectangle without accounting for the rounded corners. Actual viewable area is less due to the rounded corners.

15 Only supports VoIP apps including Zoom, WeChat, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and more. Internet connection is required.

16 Automatically activated when using the camera. Studio mode may not work correctly when 3rd party video call camera effects (backgrounds, face effects, etc.) are applied simultaneously. Auto framing feature requires face detection and may not work properly if user is wearing a face mask. Features may vary by environment, light condition, apps, device condition and other factors.

17 In-box components include the screen protector.

18 The recycled plastics consist of two plastic types: PA (Polyamide) material sourced from discarded fishing nets, and PC (Polycarbonate) material sourced from discarded water barrels. We incorporated recycled materials into the upper, front and rear case. Upper, front and rear case do not include internal circuits, boards or other components.

19 Galaxy S23 Ultra increases the presence of recycled materials from six internal components in the Galaxy S22 Ultra to twelve internal and external components. Recycled materials include plastic, glass and aluminum.

20 Some conditions apply. Offer is valid from February 14th 2023 to February 21st, 2023. Pre-order from any participating authorized Canadian retailer, Samsung Experience Store in Canada or online at https://www.samsung.com/ca/ any eligible Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra and receive a Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Gift with Purchase as a bonus upon completion of your purchase of a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra. Eligible Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra devices are as follows: NP960XFH-XA2CA regular price: $3269.99, NP960XFH-XA1CA regular price: $2999.99. Savings will be realized upon completion of your purchase of a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra purchase. While supplies last. No rain checks. Limit of one (1) Samsung Galaxy Buds2 per Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra purchased. The exact colour of the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 may vary depending on the availability as selected by Samsung in its own discretion. Open to Canadian residents only. Participating authorized Canadian retailers may vary and may sell for less. Cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion except where expressly permitted. Promotion may be cancelled or changed without notice.

21 Some conditions apply. Offer is valid from February 1st 2023 to February 16th 2023. Pre-order from any participating authorized Canadian retailer, a Samsung Experience Store in Canada or online at https://www.samsung.com/ca/any eligible Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360 and receive a Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Gift with Purchase as a bonus upon completion of your Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360. Eligible Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 are as follows: NP960QFG-KA2CA regular price: $2499.99, NP960QFG-KA1CA regular price: $2199.99. Savings will be realized upon completion of your Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 purchase. While supplies last. No rain checks. Limit of one a Samsung Galaxy Buds2 per Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 purchased. The exact colour of the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 received by the customer may vary depending on the availability as selected by Samsung in its own discretion. Open to Canadian residents only. Participating authorized Canadian retailers may vary and may sell for less. Cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion. Promotion may be cancelled or changed without notice

22 Some conditions apply. Offer is valid from February 1st 2023 to Mar 14th 2023. Pre-order from any participating authorized Canadian retailer, a Samsung Experience Store in Canada or online at https://www.samsung.com/ca/any eligible Samsung Galaxy Book3 360 and receive a Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Gift with Purchase as a bonus upon completion of your Samsung Galaxy Book3 360. Eligible Samsung Galaxy Book3 360 are as follows: NP730QFG-KA1CA regular price: $1899.99, NP730QFG-KA2CA regular price $1499.99. Savings will be realized upon completion of your Samsung Galaxy Book3 360 purchase. While supplies last. No rain checks. Limit of one a Samsung Galaxy Buds2 per Samsung Galaxy Book3 360 purchased. The exact colour of the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 received by the customer may vary depending on the availability as selected by Samsung in its own discretion. Open to Canadian residents only. Participating authorized Canadian retailers may vary and may sell for less. Cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion. Promotion may be cancelled or changed without notice.

23 Pre-order from February 1st, 2023 to February 16th, 2023; (the Offer Period) from a participating authorized Canadian retailer, a Samsung Experience Store in Canada or online at https://www.samsung.com/ca/ the following devices, and save: (i) $300 off the MSRP on a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 (NP960QFG-KA2CA) (now the same price as NP960QFG-KA1CA). Its like getting twice the storage at no additional cost! You must complete your purchase by February 16th, 2023. Selection and availability may vary. While quantities last. No rain checks. Offer is subject to change or cancellation without notice. Participating authorized Canadian retailers may vary. Offer provided by Samsung Electronics Canada Inc. Cannot be combined with any other offer except where expressly permitted.

24 Pre-order from February 1st, 2023 to March 14th, 2023, (the Offer Period) from a participating authorized Canadian retailer, a Samsung Experience Store in Canada or online at https://www.samsung.com/ca/ the following devices, and save: (i) $300 off the MSRP on a Samsung Galaxy Book3 360 (NP730QFG-KA1CA) Its like getting twice the storage at no additional cost! You must complete your purchase by March 14th, 2023. Selection and availability may vary. While quantities last. No rain checks. Offer is subject to change or cancellation without notice. Participating authorized Canadian retailers may vary. Offer provided by Samsung Electronics Canada Inc. Cannot be combined with any other offer except where expressly permitted.

25 Complete the purchase of a Galaxy Book3 Ultra between February 14th, 2023 and March 2nd, 2023; (the Offer Period) from a participating authorized Canadian retailer, a Samsung Experience Store in Canada or online at https://www.samsung.com/ca/ and save $270 off the MSRP on a Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra (NP960XFH-XA2CA) (now the same price as NP960XFH-XA1CA). Its like getting twice the storage at no additional cost! Selection and availability may vary. While quantities last. No rain checks. Offer is subject to change or cancellation without notice and is available to Canadian residents only. Participating authorized Canadian retailers may vary. Offer provided by Samsung Electronics Canada Inc. Cannot be combined with any other offer except where expressly permitted.

26 Either (i) pre-order from February 14th, 2023  February 21st, 2023 and complete your purchase, or (ii) purchase from February 22nd, 2023 to March 9th, 2023, a Galaxy Book3 Ultra Series (each an Eligible Galaxy device as listed below) and you can receive: One (1) Samsung Care+ 2 Year Plan at 50% off (before taxes) for your selected Galaxy Book3 Ultra device (promotional price: $139.50;Tier 3 Samsung Care+ Notebooks Plan regular price - $279). Offer available at participating authorized Canadian retailers and carriers, at Samsung Experience Stores in Canada, and online at Samsung.com/ca. While quantities last. No rain checks. Offer has no cash value, is not transferrable and cannot be switched once selected. Limit of one (1) Samsung Care+ 2 Year Plan at 50% off, as applicable, per Eligible Galaxy device purchased. Products must be purchased on the same invoice to qualify for the promotional pricing. Open to Canadian Residents only. Participating authorized Canadian retailers and carriers may vary. Samsung reserves the right to request a bill of sale to verify date and location of purchase. Samsung reserves the right to change or cancel the promotion without notice.

27 Either (i) pre-order from February 1st, 2023  February 16th, 2023 and complete your purchase, or (ii) purchase from February 17th, 2023 to March 9th, 2023, a Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 Series (each an Eligible Galaxy device as listed below) and you can receive:(i) One (1) Samsung Care+ 2 Year Plan at 50% off (before taxes) for your selected Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 device for $139.50 (Tier 3 Samsung Care+ Notebooks Plan regular price - $279).Offer available at participating authorized Canadian retailers and carriers, at Samsung Experience Stores in Canada, and online at Samsung.com/ca. While quantities last. No rain checks. Offer has no cash value, is not transferrable and cannot be switched once selected. Limit of one (1) Samsung Care+ 2 Year Plan at 50% off, as applicable, per Eligible Galaxy device purchased. Open to Canadian Residents only. Participating authorized Canadian retailers and carriers may vary. Samsung reserves the right to request a bill of sale to verify date and location of purchase. Samsung reserves the right to change or cancel the promotion without notice.

28 Pre-order from February 1st, 2023  March 14th, 2023 and complete your purchase of a Galaxy Book3 360 Series (each an Eligible Galaxy device as listed below) and you can receive: (i) One (1) Samsung Care+ 2 Year Plan at 50% off (before taxes) for your selected Galaxy Book3 360 device for $139.50 (Tier 3 Samsung Care+ Notebooks Plan regular price - $279). Offer available at participating authorized Canadian retailers and carriers, at Samsung Experience Stores in Canada, and online at Samsung.com/ca. While quantities last. No rain checks. Offer has no cash value, is not transferrable and cannot be switched once selected. Limit of one (1) Samsung Care+ 2 Year Plan at 50% off, as applicable, per Eligible Galaxy device purchased. Open to Canadian Residents only. Participating authorized Canadian retailers and carriers may vary. Samsung reserves the right to request a bill of sale to verify date and location of purchase. Samsung reserves the right to change or cancel the promotion without notice.

29 Accuracy of numbers may vary depending on measurements used. Height varies depending on manufacturing process.

30 Weights vary depending on manufacturing process.

31 Availability varies by region and carrier. Experience may vary by device.

32 400nit (Typ), 500nit (HDR) -VESA HDR 500 authentication, HDR Contents only.

33 CPU specifications vary depending on model, country, or region.

34 GPU specifications vary depending on model, country, or region.

35 Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment. Wi-Fi 6E availability will vary due to OS version, country, location, network conditions, and other factors. Wi-Fi 6E wireless network routers required and sold separately.

36 Colour availability may vary by country and retailers.

37 Availability may vary by devices.

38 Availability may vary by devices.

39 Keyboard layout may differ by market.

40 Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Actual battery life may vary depending on network environment, usage patterns and other factors.

41 Charger can power Galaxy devices that use USB Type-C port. Charger specification varies by model and regions.

42 Secured-core PCs require specific configuration by the user to fully enable the highest level of protection against attacks. To use Windows Hello requires specialized hardware, including fingerprint reader, illuminated IR sensor or other biometric sensors and capable devices.

43 Actual speed of USB can vary depending on user environment.

44 *Samsung Multi Control requires updated phones with One UI 5.1, tablets with One UI 4.1 or higher versions and works on Galaxy Book series devices released in 2021 or later with either Samsung Settings v1.5 (Intel) or Samsung Settings v3.3 (ARM). Some models may have limited feature support. ** requires Galaxy Tab S7, S7+ and S7 FE with One UI 3.1 or higher, and S8, S8+ and S8 Ultra. PCs with Wireless Display and Windows 10 v.2004 or higher are required. ***Expert RAW must be downloaded separately from the Galaxy Store, for free, before use. Expert RAW app is available on Galaxy S23 series (S23 Ultra, S23+, S23), Galaxy S22 Series (S22 Ultra/S22+/S22), S21 Ultra, S20 Ultra, Z Fold4, Z Fold 3, Z Fold 2, Note 20 Ultra. **** Available on Galaxy device with One UI 2.1 or later versions installed. Quick Share uses Bluetooth Low Energy and Wi-Fi Direct. The transferable type, number, capacity and expiry date of files as well as the number of simultaneous file shares in Private Share may be limited. *****Phone Link requires linking a Samsung Galaxy smartphone to a Windows PC through Link to Windows app on phone and 'Phone Link' app on PC and following the set-up prompts, including being signed into the same Microsoft account. ******Samsung Pass requires TPM (Trusted Platform Module) 2.0 and above, Windows 10 version 1903 or higher, Windows Hello. Available devices and browsers may subject to change.

45 Accuracy of numbers may vary depending on measurements used. Height varies depending on manufacturing process.

46 Weights vary depending on manufacturing process.

47 Availability varies by region and carrier. Experience may vary by device.

48 400nit (Typ), 500nit (HDR) -VESA HDR 500 authentication, HDR Contents only

49 CPU specifications vary depending on model, country, or region.

50 Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment. 5G availability will vary by market and model. Wi-Fi 6E availability will vary due to OS version, country, location, network conditions, and other factors. Wi-Fi 6E wireless network routers required and sold separately.

51 Colour availability may vary by country and retailers.

52 Availability may vary by devices.

53 Availability may vary by devices.

54 Keyboard layout may differ by market.

55 Bluetooth is not available for S Pen.

56 Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Actual battery life may vary depending on network environment, usage patterns and other factors.

57 Charger can power Galaxy devices that use USB Type-C port. Charger specification varies by model and regions.

58 Secured-core PCs require specific configuration by the user to fully enable the highest level of protection against attacks. To use Windows Hello requires specialized hardware, including fingerprint reader, illuminated IR sensor or other biometric sensors and capable devices.

59 Actual speed of USB can vary depending on user environment.

60 *Samsung Multi Control requires updated phones with One UI 5.1, tablets with One UI 4.1 or higher versions and works on Galaxy Book series devices released in 2021 or later with either Samsung Settings v1.5 (Intel) or Samsung Settings v3.3 (ARM). Some models may have limited feature support. **Second screen requires Galaxy Tab S7, S7+ and S7 FE with One UI 3.1 or higher, and S8, S8+ and S8 Ultra. PCs with Wireless Display and Windows 10 v.2004 or higher are required. ***Expert RAW must be downloaded separately from the Galaxy Store, for free, before use. Expert RAW app is available on Galaxy S23 series (S23 Ultra, S23+, S23), Galaxy S22 Series (S22 Ultra/S22+/S22), S21 Ultra, S20 Ultra, Z Fold4, Z Fold 3, Z Fold 2, Note 20 Ultra. **** Available on Galaxy device with One UI 2.1 or later versions installed. Quick Share uses Bluetooth Low Energy and Wi-Fi Direct. The transferable type, number, capacity and expiry date of files as well as the number of simultaneous file shares in Private Share may be limited. *****Phone Link requires linking a Samsung Galaxy smartphone to a Windows PC through Link to Windows app on phone and 'Phone Link' app on PC and following the set-up prompts, including being signed into the same Microsoft account.****** Samsung Pass requires TPM (Trusted Platform Module) 2.0 and above, Windows 10 version 1903 or higher, Windows Hello. Available devices and browsers may subject to change.

61 CPU specifications vary depending on model, country, or region.

62 400nit (Typ), 500nit (HDR) -VESA HDR 500 authentication, HDR Contents only

63 Availability may vary by devices.

64 Availability may vary by devices.

65 Secured-core PCs require specific configuration by the user to fully enable the highest level of protection against attacks. To use Windows Hello requires specialized hardware, including fingerprint reader, illuminated IR sensor or other biometric sensors and capable devices.

66 Actual speed of USB can vary depending on user environment.

67 Accuracy of numbers may vary depending on measurements used. Height varies depending on manufacturing process.

68 Weights vary depending on manufacturing process.

69 Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Actual battery life may vary depending on network environment, usage patterns and other factors.

70 Bluetooth is not available for S Pen.

71 Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment. 5G availability will vary by market and model. Wi-Fi 6E availability will vary due to OS version, country, location, network conditions, and other factors. Wi-Fi 6E wireless network routers required and sold separately.

Contact info:

Vera Culic

North Strategic

416-836-2037

vera.culic@northstrategic.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1d1c0b87-6fc9-479e-8ae4-0a0ccb690cef

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c476d1d5-7afd-4708-9635-732e59438eaf




Stellantis NV (NYSE: STLA) expects to be equipped with the essential technologies to develop ethanol hybrid vehicles in Brazil.

The car maker's South America head, Antonio Filosa, reportedly said Minas Gerais state in Brazil could be the epicenter of the company's ethanol hybrid cars.

The move is aimed at accelerating the push toward sustainability, Reuters reported.

"We launched the Bio-Electro project last year and now we are going to work internally to have the first technologies developed in-house by the end of this year, and then launch them to the market when it is opportune," the report cited Antonio Filosa.

Also Read : Stellantis, Terrafame Ink Agreement For Low-Carbon Nickel Sulphate Supply

Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has also said that the economy would be based on finding clean energy alternatives under his tenure.

Also See: Stellantis Inks Battery Materials Supply Deal With Element 25; Plans To Make Equity Investment

Price Action : STLA shares are trading higher by 0.38% at $15.78 in premarket on the last check Wednesday.

Photo Via Company

Don't miss real-time alerts on your stocks - join Benzinga Pro for free! Try the tool that will help you invest smarter, faster, and better.

This article Stellantis Plans To Develop Ethanol Hybrid Vehicles In South America: Report originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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 2023 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Charges reduced in city shooting case

A man who had been charged in Fredericksburg with being an accessory after the fact of murder had those charges reduced to misdemeanors Tuesday.

Yarue R. Montgomery, 43, had also been charged with a second felony charge in connection with his role following a June 3, 2021, shootout that resulted in a death. Both charges were reduced to misdemeanors in Fredericksburg Circuit Court, and Montgomery received a suspended sentence.

The charges stemmed from an incident in which Arturo Barnes killed 20-year-old Tyriek Powell during a gunfire exchange in the 3300 block of Fall Hill Avenue. Barnes, who was shot three times himself, claimed self-defense and was cleared by a jury of a second-degree murder charge earlier this month.

Montgomery testified during Barnes trial that he was cooking chicken outside when the gunfire erupted. He said he was driving away when a bleeding Barnes stumbled in front of his car.

He drove Barnes to the emergency room at Mary Washington Hospital, then drove away with Barnes gun. Police identified Montgomery after his car showed up on hospital surveillance video, and he was later extradited from Georgia back to Fredericksburg.

Montgomery said he threw Barnes gun in a trashcan. Neither gun used during the shootout was recovered.

Repeat embezzler sentenced to 3 months in jail

A man who stole nearly $20,000 from a Spotsylvania County business was ordered Monday to serve three months in prison.

Edward Eugene Williams Jr., 54, of Fredericksburg, pleaded guilty to two counts of embezzlement in Spotsylvania Circuit Court. As part of a plea agreement, he was sentenced to a total of 10 years with all but three months suspended. A number of other charges were dropped.

Special prosecutor Jay Chichester said Williams was working at Ashley Furniture when the thefts took place in 2021. Chichester said Williams was changing the amounts on receipts and having items shipped to his house. Police found much of the ill-gotten merchandise during a search of the home.

Williams was ordered to make restitution of more than $19,700.

Williams was convicted in 2014 of embezzling nearly $113,000 while working as an Information Technologies specialist at Strong Tower Ministries on Ferry Road in southern Stafford County. He received a suspended three-year sentence on that conviction.

Chichester, a Stafford prosecutor, said Williams faces the possibility of having to serve some of that suspended sentence in light of his new convictions.

-Keith Epps
Just over two months ago, eight cars belonging to residents of a North Stafford town house community were towed away. A county official believes the vehicles were removed in part because of convenants that were bound to the properties when the neighborhood was first developed in the 1970s.

Our HOA has been defunct for 20 years, said Mike Hammond, who has lived on Austin Run Boulevard for 18 years. We have no governing authority in our part of the neighborhood and now theyre just showing up out of nowhere towing our vehicles?

Commonwealths Attorney Eric Olsen said covenants  usually attached to a parcel as an agreement between two or more parties  always come with a potential that they will be enforced. But Olsen said hes never run across a case quite like this.

Its very unusual, Olsen said. This is the first case that Ive heard of where covenants were not enforced by a homeowners association.

But thats what happened Nov. 28, when residents of the neighborhood tried to keep Shanks Towing from hauling away eight vehicles.

They literally dragged a car down the road, said resident Joanne Fearnow shortly after the incident. The wheels werent even turning, they were just dragging it.

Fellow resident Carlos Arocho said Shanks representatives told him to contact Fredericksburg attorney James Hilldrup if he had any questions. Other neighbors were given similar advice, but nobody was able to reach the lawyer, they said.

Hilldrup also declined to speak about the incident with The Free LanceStar.

As an attorney I cannot discuss a clients business or any matters concerning that client, Hilldrup wrote. This is per the Virginia code of ethics under which I must operate.

Residents believe the basis for the towing is found somewhere in the land covenants for the town house community, which are dated 1973 and 1980. It states the covenants expire in 20 years, but automatically renew every 10 years. The covenants also say: any owner shall have the right to enforce all restrictions, conditions, covenants, reservations, liens and charges. Those same words were found on flyers Shanks employees left on neighborhood vehicles before they were removed.

Austin Court resident Tammy Trogdon said whoever initiated the towing was acting on only select aspects of the covenants. Her review of the 50-year-old documents revealed a clause that requires residents be given proper notification of any action, and 66% of the residents must agree on an issue before any action is taken on private property.

Ive gone to all the owners, even the owners who rent to people, Trogdon said. None of the owners in this section were approached or asked about this, and there was obviously not a vote.

Residents called the Stafford Sheriffs Office to report the Nov. 28 incident, and less than two weeks later, county deputies served two search warrants on Shanks Towing. Deputies seized the vehicles, which were later turned over as evidence to the commonwealths attorney office.

Late last week, Olsen said his investigation showed the towing company did not commit a crime, but acted at the behest of one Austin Run resident who told Shanks they had a legal basis to hook up the cars.

Matt Young, an attorney at EKKO Title of Fredericksburg, said usually if a property owner believes covenants are being violated, and if they have the resources, they could hire an attorney and take the matter to court, where a judge would rule on the case.

Most covenants and restrictions that I see dont give property owners unilateral authority to act on someone elses property, Young said. That would be very surprising to me.

Olsen said although his investigation revealed Shanks Towing did nothing criminal, the towing company acted at the request of a resident who provided the towing company the opinion of an attorney who determined there was a legal and legitimate basis to tow cars from the property that they felt were not complying with 50-year-old covenants.

From the perspective of a criminal case, (Shanks) had a legitimate basis on which to believe that they were authorized to do it, Olsen said. They were told and provided evidence that the residents could enforce the covenants in that way. Thats why (Shanks) couldnt be charged criminally.

Hammond said he was not surprised that the order to tow the vehicles came from a higher authority than the dispatcher at the towing company.

None of us thought Shanks was the instigator of this, Hammond said. We knew that they were being used as a tool or a weapon for the actual bad guys calling the shots. They were obviously being manipulated by someone who was a lot smarter than they were.

Although its unclear what specific clause within the text of the covenants the tow truck drivers were directed by the attorney to enforce, with the exception of one vehicle that had Farm Use tags displayed, Hammond believes the tow truck operators targeted vehicles with expired license plates or expired inspection stickers.

Austin Court resident Tina Foster, who is retired and on a fixed income, had big plans for Christmas on Nov. 28, but said she had to pay $240 to get her car back from Shanks after it was pulled from her parking spot for expired tags.

Some of the plans I had were gifting my granddaughter, and I had to go to the community, Foster said. Thank goodness there were a couple of churches who helped me out.

Residents suspect the events leading up to the Nov. 28 towing incident began at 111 Austin Court, a town home that was recently renovated and sold for $305,000. Listed among the homes amenities was a $70 monthly HOA fee in a neighborhood that doesnt have an HOA.

Sheriffs investigators previously said the contract Shanks Towing used to initiate its towing operation originated with River Potomac of King George County, the owners of the recently renovated town house. The company is managed by real estate agent Joseph Scott Cleveland, who told The Free LanceStar his intentions when he initiated the towing contract were to ensure the covenants were enforced as I read them when I bought my property.

Aquia District Supervisor Monica Gary said old covenants need a closer look to help prevent events like the Austin Run towing incident from happening again.

There are some laws that need to change at the state level, Gary said. Ive already started having those conversations to bring that legislation next year.

In mid-January, Del. Alphonso Lopez, DArlington, introduced House Bill 1218, in which any consumer aggrieved by the actions of a tow truck driver for alleged violations of a variety of state laws may file a complaint with the Division of Consumer Counsel of the Office of the Attorney General for action.

Residents say no cars have been towed from the neighborhood since Nov. 28, but Trogdon said she doesnt plan to wait for the outcome of Lopezs proposed legislation. She said she will soon file a detailed formal complaint on the towing incident with Attorney General Jason Miyares, the State Corporation Commission, the Virginia Bar Association and the National Association of Realtors.

Maybe Ill get some results for my neighborhood, because nobody wants to own up to it and make things right, Trogdon said. This has impacted a lot of people and its a shame this has happened.

In the meantime, Olsen said residents of the town house community are still not out of options if they want to take a closer look at the circumstances surrounding the removal of their vehicles.

If mistakes were made along the way, the people who have been harmed may have a cause of action, Olsen said.
Growing up in King George County, Carolyn West Oglesby didnt really think about what her parents did all day at work. She just knew that Gladys and Ira West were civilian mathematicians at the naval base at Dahlgren, where the family lived and she and her two brothers attended school.

It wasnt until long after Oglesby had earned a bachelors degree in economics, established her own career, and completed her masters and doctoral degrees that she learned the true significance of her mothers work. Gladys Wests efforts with the military, using satellites to map the world, were foundational to the development of the Global Positioning System.

The life and work of Gladys West, and her contributions to what would eventually become an essential everyday navigational tool, are the focus of the William B. Crawley Great Lives lecture at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Dodd Auditorium of George Washington Hall at University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg.

Main speaker Karen Sherry, curator at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, will present biographical information about West, and Oglesby will be part of a panel answering questions about her mother. Additional panelists are Marvin Jackson, who worked with West to write her autobiography, It Began With a Dream; and Alan Dean, a UMW adjunct instructor, Dahlgren retiree and former colleague of Ira West.

William B. Crawley Great Lives lecture series launches its 20th season Great Lives got its start at the University of Mary Washington as a biography-focused course

Oglesby said that while her parents are unable to attend the lecture in person, both are pleased by Gladys Wests inclusion in the Great Lives series. Its just the latest example of public appreciation for a career that, despite its importance and lasting impact, took place mostly out of the spotlight.

Gladys Brown grew up in a farming family in Dinwiddie, and as valedictorian of her segregated high school earned a full scholarship to Virginia State College, now Virginia State University. She earned bachelors and masters degrees in mathematics before starting her career at Dahlgren in 1956.

There, she became one of just two women and four African Americans on staff at the time. One of her co-workers was Ira West, who became her husband.

Even as GPS devices became commonplace, Wests contributions were unheralded until she wrote a short bio for the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, of which both she and Oglesby are members. An AKA sorority sister, Gwen James, made the connection between Wests work for the military and the ubiquitous modern-day civilian technology. James contacted Free LanceStar reporter Cathy Dyson, and the resulting 2018 article opened the floodgates, Oglesby said.

Gladys West has since received worldwide accolades for her career including a resolution by the Virginia State Senate, honors from the military, inclusion in museum exhibits, and now the Great Lives lecture.

But Oglesby said what matters most to her mother is the chance to interact with youngsters in elementary and middle school in hopes of inspiring them to try out science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects.

Her real goal, Oglesby said, is to make sure people know they can do what they want to do. Especially kids  theyre just delightful.

The 20th season of UMWs Great Lives series is free and open to the public. Lectures take place at 7:30 p.m. on select Tuesdays and Thursdays through March 28. For more information on the lecture series, visit umw.edu/greatlives.
The Nebraska Veterans Council is sponsoring a Veterans Legislative Day for veterans to discuss proposed legislation with Gov. Jim Pillen and several state senators. The council is a coalition of recognized veterans service organizations which are banded together to serve as the Voice of the Nebraska Veterans

The free event begins with registration at 8 a.m. followed by the official opening at 8:15 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 3, in the Warner Chamber at the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln. All veterans and family members are encouraged to participate.

Following the governors presentation, there will be a briefing by members of the Nebraska Veterans Council regarding this years legislative priorities and several state senators will speak on veterans legislation.

The organizations that make up the council are representatives from the following organizations: The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Vietnam Veterans of America, Paralyzed Veterans of America, American Veterans, Military Order of the Purple Heart, CVSOAN, and the Marine Corps League. Representatives come from all parts of Nebraska.

Contact the Nebraska Veterans Council Secretary, Dave Salak, at 402-464-6338 for more information.
Prosecutors on Monday upgraded charges from manslaughter to second-degree murder in the case against the man accused of fatally stabbing a 26-year-old Lincoln man in July.

Steven Alexander, 35 of Lincoln, had been nearing a February trial date when the Lancaster County Attorney's Office filed the amended charge.

By Nebraska law, second-degree murder involves the intentional but unplanned death of a person. Whereas manslaughter is a killing without malice upon a sudden quarrel or an unintentional killing during the commission of a crime.

Alexander is expected to plead not guilty at his arraignment in February. If convicted, he would face 20 years to life in prison on the murder charge and up to 50 years more for use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony.

At a press conference in July, police said Alexander and Gress had been in a fight near the As Stop and Shop at 27th and Dudley streets on the night of July 1.

In court records, an officer said surveillance footage showed Alexander running toward Gress with a knife in his hand, followed by a physical fight and Alexander allegedly stabbing Gress two to three times in the upper chest and neck area.

Gress' father, who had been across the street waiting to cross on his bike, told police he lost track of his son, who was riding circles around the building waiting for him.

When he got around the store, he saw his son being stabbed.

He told police he ran after the man, allegedly Alexander, but he got away.

Gress collapsed on the north side of the convenience store, where he died.

Police arrested Alexander three days later.

Gress, who was born in Nebraska City and raised in Union, worked in construction, according to his obituary.

Photos: Nebraska's 49th annual Walk for Life rally
A string of historic bipartisan victories during the last Congress  including an update of the Electoral Count Act and transformational investments in infrastructure, semiconductor manufacturing, veterans protections and energy transitions  demonstrate that Congress really can work in a bipartisan and productive manner for the American people.

With a new Republican majority in the House of Representatives, experts predict Congress will grind to a halt.

We hope the bipartisan successes of the last two years can instead be a road map for additional cooperation and improvement.

The flip in control from Democrats to Republicans in the House will heavily influence the remainder of President Joe Bidens four-year term and presents the new Republican majority in the House with key opportunities to strengthen and reform Congress itself.

We dont rule out more big bipartisan ideas, such as modest immigration reform, fresh investment in our cybersecurity and election protection, and greater unity on policies with China. But we recommend essential and timely action that our representatives should take during the next several weeks that will further modernize the legislative branch, increase the publics faith in ethical standards and bring greater transparency. These are all goals that many Republicans and Democrats articulated in various promises on the campaign trail.

First, we strongly urge the House to create a permanent subcommittee within the House Committee on House Administration to continue the important work of the bipartisan House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. The goal should be to make the legislative branch a more effective, efficient and transparent institution.

Article I of our Constitution calls for a strong, functioning and representative legislative branch. And over the last four years, the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress  under the leadership of Chairman Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Wash., and Vice Chairman William Timmons, R-S.C., and previously Tom Graves, R-Ga.  has advanced a total of 202 bipartisan recommendations. Of those, around 130 have been fully or partially implemented.

The result is an improved Congress thats working better for constituents seeking help in district offices and citizens searching for more information about pending legislation. Thats a huge bipartisan success story.

More specifically, these accomplishments include a new system that allows the public to easily track how amendments change legislation and the impact of proposed legislation to current law, the establishment of bipartisan committee staff briefings and agenda-setting retreats to encourage better policymaking and collaboration among members, improved new member orientation, and more opportunities for constituents to better communicate with their elected representatives.

Second, Congress must reinforce and not hinder the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE). This independent and nonpartisan ethics watchdog was created in 2008 to restore public confidence in the House by holding members of Congress accountable for ethics violations. Yet the new rules package passed by the House on Jan. 9 seriously undercuts OCEs authority and undermines its ability to fulfill its mandate.

The changes will result in key vacancies and require the OCE to hire its staff for the 118th Congress within 30 days of the adoption of the rule, a random requirement and highly restrictive to attract new staff. This unprecedented move will likely result in a hamstrung ethics office that is potentially understaffed and unable to conduct investigations to safeguard against corruption.

These efforts to hobble the OCE will only reduce trust and transparency in the House. Both parties have campaigned on the similar themes of clean the swamp and reform Congress and hold members accountable. Lets see their campaign promises enacted into bipartisan law.

Our country has been watching and wondering what will happen to newly elected Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., who has apparently lied about his work experience, education background and even his mothers presence on 9/11, by fabricating virtually every aspect of his resume. His high-profile case, possibly including campaign finance violations, will certainly be reviewed by OCE. This Santos affair is an embarrassing episode and erodes confidence in our democratic process, and its why we need a strong OCE to rid corruption from the halls of Congress.

Third, the House should adopt a more open system for representatives to offer amendments to legislation that has advanced to the full floor. We both advocated for this change while serving in Congress, with mixed results.

Republican and Democratic leadership has resisted calls for more open rules in recent years to avoid politically difficult votes, but this is one important way that members are able to effectively represent their constituents and have a voice in our legislative process.

Such a move will allow all members  particularly newly elected representatives who may not wield as much power as their longer-serving committee chairs or leadership colleagues  to fully participate in the peoples House and encourage a healthy and lively debate on a host of issues. Power to write legislation has gravitated to the speakers office when the substantive work of Congress is its expertise on committees and its talented membership.

Benjamin Franklin said, Laws without morals are in vain. By passing bipartisan laws and enforcing strong ethics, our elected leaders can once again demonstrate they are working for the people and promoting the common good.
Tarabut Gateway, Menas leading regulated open banking platform, has appointed Oussama Bouhcine as Vice President of Customer Success and Services and Derek Lakin as Vice President of Engineering.

With over a decade of experience in project management for technology companies, Bouhcine is a seasoned expert in B2B customer success management.

He spent five years at software giant Microsoft, where he served as a Delivery Project Manager and successfully managed multi-million-dollar projects with major corporate clients. Prior to joining, Bouhcine held the role of VP of Customer Success at Dutch cyber security SaaS provider Zivver. During his tenure, he revamped the customer success management system, and established customer operations for over 7,500 clients.

Engineering leader

Similarly, Lakin is a highly experienced Engineering Leader with over 20 years of experience in the software industry, having worked at renowned global technology companies such as Meta, Skype, and Skyscanner. At Meta, Lakin held a leadership role in the Ads organisation in the UK and later at the company's headquarters in Menlo Park, California. While at Skype and Skyscanner, he led teams of engineers in the development of new applications and the improvement of existing software services, with a focus on user experience and cloud-native systems at scale.

Abdulla Almoayed, Chief Executive Officer of Tarabut Gateway, said: We are thrilled to welcome Oussama and Derek as Vice Presidents to our growing team. With formidable track records at world-class software companies, they bring valuable experience to meet our high standards for technical excellence and ensure the highest level of customer satisfaction. As Tarabut Gateway looks to strengthen its presence in key markets like Saudi Arabia, and expand to new ones, Oussama and Derek are a fantastic addition to our senior leadership team, and we are proud to have them on board.

Vital role

Tarabut Gateway plays a vital role in building the open banking ecosystems infrastructure in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. Using the companys platform-agnostic solutions, traditional financial institutions and fintechs can connect and build their own apps in tandem with Tarabut Gateways platform, to power payment services, digital wallets, and other use cases, in addition to a unified and easy-to-use developer portal.

Working closely with regulators, Tarabut Gateway enables seamless and secure data flows and connectivity between banks and fintechs, supports the creation of a thriving ecosystem, and ultimately provides a better consumer experience.-- TradeArabia News Service
If youre a Fat Tire amber ale fan who observed Dry January, better stock up while you still can.

Its been a few weeks since Fort Collins-based New Belgium Brewing Co. announced it was majorly tweaking the look and recipe of its iconic flagship ale, keeping the familiar name and vintage bicycle imagery but changing the style and dropping amber from the title.

The new, improved Fat Tire is a "bright and balanced beer with 5% ABV and new statement packaging that touts its carbon-neutral footprint and low impact on the environment. The overhaul is hoped to expand the established brands appeal  and climate-friendly message  to a younger craft audience thats been drifting away from (or just eschewing) the darker, maltier standards that helped launched the movement, toward lighter ales, lagers and fizzy, beer-adjacent adult beverages.

Were excited about the crisper and brighter profile along with putting our climate commitments front and center to inspire a new generation of beer drinkers, said New Belgium Brewmaster Christian Holbrook. We know a big change like this wont please everyone. But we strongly believe in the new recipe and the new brand as vehicles to help Fat Tire gain renewed momentum and create a bigger positive impact for our partners, and for the planet.

Inspired by a beer-y bike trip through Belgium, Fat Tire amber, or red ale, was among the first brews launched 32 years ago by a then-fledgling company that began in a basement and grew into an employee-owned craft darling with nationwide presence and limited global distribution. In 2019, the company was acquired by a subsidiary of Japans Kirin beverage group.

Fat Tire amber isnt the only member of New Belgiums menu to bid a fond farewell in recent years; the company phased out Abbey Belgian-style Ale in 2021. The 2023 revamp also includes a colorful new look and hazy version of the brewerys seasonal Accumulation IPA, previously a white IPA.

Holbrook insists the changes are for the good. He said the brewery hopes the new Fat Tire will resonate with fans of the old, in taste and ethos, even if it doesnt hit all the same notes.

Longtime fans will be able to clearly recognize our original flavor in the new recipe, Holbrook said. Its our sincere hope that beer fans  whether they love the planet, simply love great beer, or both  will embrace the chance to evolve along with us.

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The wholesale reimagining of the beer that helped put craft on the map and make Colorado an early independent brewing mecca isnt sitting well with all fans, many of whom are asking, simply, why?

A sampling of reactions from social media:

It was one of the first beers that taught me what a beer should taste like. A serious travesty.

I dont understand the concept of fixing something that isnt broke??!!

Wow @newbelgium just ruined my whole life changing the flavor of the original fat tire.

Some early critics invoked that most (in)famous of rebranding cautionary tales, New Coke, an '80s overhaul of the classic Coca-Cola recipe discontinued in 2002.

The real fallout  if it comes  remains to be seen, as New Belgium dropped the news and began the rollout during one of the biggest annual doldrums in alcohol sales. Many longtime Fat Tire fans likely aren't even aware their favorite beer is no more.

I know Ive heard theres been mixed feelings on it, said Jeramie Fraser, manager of Downtown Fine Spirits and Wines, "but this is typically our slow time of year (when) typically people are doing Dry January or slowing down or quitting drinking at all, so its tough to tell.

Fraser said Monday that he still had some of the discontinued amber-style Fat Tire in stock.

And when its gone, its gone.
Driving around the city or watching TV commercials, residents might have spotted AutoNations presence in Colorado Springs.

AutoNation, a U.S. automotive retail chain based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., bought four dealerships in December from Colorado-based Moreland Auto Group, two of which are in Colorado Springs. The purchase of Colorado Springs Dodge and Pikes Peak Acura marks the opening of AutoNations first dealerships in Colorado Springs automotive market.

We like Colorado Springs, Lisa Ryans, an AutoNation spokeswoman said via email, and when this acquisition presented itself, it provided a nice entry into the market.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

But the acquisition comes at a time when vehicle inventory is tight and retail sales remain well below historical levels, an AutoNation news release said.

The acquisition, which took almost a year to complete and included Brandon Dodge on Broadway in Littleton and City Auto Plaza in Canon City, will retain 270 of the four dealerships employees.

It is our primary goal to hire current employees as a part of acquisitions, Ryans wrote.

Tim Jackson, CEO and president of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association, noted that the acquisition of some of Moreland Auto Groups dealerships, which were headed by Denver icon Dealin Doug Moreland, was a product of what Moreland does best.

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They call him dealing Doug for a reason, Jackson said. Hes bought and sold a lot of (car) dealerships over the years.

But Jackson pointed out that Moreland wasnt leaving the car scene as he has many dealerships in Fort Collins and other businesses throughout the state.

Hes a great individual and has done a lot for the industry and the community, Jackson said.

It was a good opportunity for him to sell those (dealerships).

As for the dealership properties and buildings, AutoNation plans to make a major image renovation at the former Pikes Peak Acura location at 655 Automotive Drive. The new ownership also intends to make moderate renovations at the three recently acquired Colorado dealerships.

When it comes to a vacant parcel that AutoNation bought in Colorado Springs at 7414 Targa Drive, the company did not provide comment to The Gazettes inquiry about its plan to turn the plot into a used car operation.

But AutoNation could still have more in store for Colorado Springs.

Colorado is one of AutoNations strong markets, Ryans said, and we are always open to adding additional locations that fit.
It figured that Rena Cayous persnickety space heater would pick Tuesday mornings darkest, most frigid hour to spark and sputter until it was a useless lump of metal. She gathered her belongings and walked to the nearest convenience store where she thought she fixed the cranky thing. When she returned to her original spot in the hidden carport of an abandoned Englewood business, she borrowed an outdoor electrical outlet, fired the heater up and again it blew.

It's often the way the world works for Cayou, a three-year veteran of homelessness.

Its like no one cares. It's terrible and it's freezing and the po-po run you off, said the 53 year-old member of the Omaha Nation. It sucks really bad.

Cayou was one of thousands of homeless people from the seven-county Denver metro area who participated in this weeks annual Point in Time (PIT) national survey.

The PIT count, organized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, is an annual rundown of homeless people in both sheltered and unsheltered settings.

HUD requires the count on one evening into morning in the last 10 days of January each year to get an idea of how many people are on the street on a given night. The numbers help HUD make regional funding decisions.

Keep in mind this is just a snapshot. We could come out tomorrow and see twice as many people as we did today, said Cameron Shropshire, Arapahoe Countys Housing and Homeless Program Manager, who was up at 4 a.m. assessing the frozen street situation but saw very few homeless outside.

After the initial count is over, homeless people are asked to take a survey, which include questions about various issues they face and how they live. Their answers give policymakers insight into how to eradicate the problem.

In Arapahoe County, the homeless are surveyed in shelters and in unsheltered areas by volunteers and shelter staff members.

After a horrible night, Cayou, looking tired yet relieved, sat down to relax at Englewoods Giving Heart Day Shelter on South Broadway. She postponed the hamburger and baked bean lunch being served at an open window to take the PIT survey.

To the multiple choice question: Where did you spend Monday night, January 30th?" she checked off the answer, Tent/improvised structure.

"Is this the first time youve been homeless?"

No.

One question asked why she didnt use any type of shelter services.

No availability, she answered.

Arapahoe County has two hotels where the homeless can stay for the price of $65-$70, depending on how many are in the room. The vouchers are often arranged by the Homeless Action Awareness Task Force, which raises money for the rooms through donations and grants.

The homeless stay in churches, in their cars, at bus stops or in tents. In Arapahoe County, the South Platte river and parts of the Highline Canal are common spots to camp, according to Shropshire.

People who work in the unending job of housing the homeless bemoan the fact that there is only one shelter in all of Arapahoe County  the Comitis Crisis Center in Aurora.

Many suburban areas dont have shelters because county commissioners dont want to admit that there a problem in their area, said Shauna Whitworth, Arapahoe Countys Housing Resource Navigator. Its getting worse because landlords are pricing people out, especially seniors.

She said that rents for a one-bedroom apartment in Arapahoe County are around $1,200 per month, which doesnt cut it when people on disability only receive $841 per month on average.

On Tuesday, Giving Heart  Englewoods day shelter  was filled with homeless people who used computers set up there for them to apply for jobs or funding assistance. Some sat in the dining room with a cup of hot coffee brewing in a huge percolator. Veterans, elderly, families, singles and couples.

Shirley and Steven Burns met at a food bank where she said he saved her a whole turkey.

We ate on that for a week, said Shirley.

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Both 63 years old, the Burns share a house now. They also volunteer, driving the streets looking to help people who are stuck, the way they used to be.

Hey newslady! Tell em we need hats and gloves, Shirley said. "And socks."

In Arapahoe County, the homeless are surveyed in shelters and also in unsheltered areas but Denver does the count differently.

Its program sends teams to select geographic areas to outreach in addition to asking its homeless residents the standard survey questions.

At 4 a.m. on Tuesday, 20 teams of two people, plus park rangers, scoured Denvers streets, observing tents and vehicles where people were spending the night.

The survey approach only measures for people who have a service connection and I didnt want to risk anyone falling through the cracks, said Chris Conner, Director of Denvers Homelessness System Strategies.

He said he saw a man walking down the street with a blanket around him before the sun came up.

We saw folks outside but we saw more come inside. We want to cover every alley and every acre in the city, he said.

Denver is in the second year of a five year plan to reduce homelessness by 50%. Conner said the solution is housing, housing, housing stressing different and better approaches.

Colorados biggest cities  metro Denver, in particular  have struggled to address homelessness, even as state and local governments have poured significant resources into tackling the crisis, which has occupied front and center of the debate on the floors of the state Capitol and in halls of city councils.

The city of Aurora, for example, recently decided to overhaul its homelessness reduction system after a divided council approved a proposal that calls for a new campus, incentivizes peoples participation in supportive services and incorporates conditions people must meet to receive transitional housing. City staff have projected building a campus on city-owned land could cost between $50 million and $70 million.

The city of Denver, meanwhile, earmarked $254 million in its 2023 budget toward homelessness.

The Point in Time national count has been criticized because it is never exact.

Last years PIT tally showed 514 people were homeless in Arapahoe County, 320 of whom were in a shelter and the remaining 194 sleeping on the street or another place not meant for human habitation.

In all seven counties  Denver, Aurora, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Douglas, Jefferson and the city of Aurora  there were 6,884 homeless people on the Point in Time count. Of the total, 4,806 were sheltered and 2,078 were unsheltered. About a third of the total were homeless for the first time.

The 2022 number rose compared to 5,530 in 2021. Most of the homeless people were male.

Its not perfect, said Donna Zimmermon, Executive Director of Giving Heart Day Shelter. Its a rough estimate. There are probably people hunkered down out there who dont want to be counted and the last thing they want is to answer survey questions. But this is a great effort.

She is proud of the fact that Giving Heart has an entire room ready to install showers, washers and dryers, once money to buy them comes in.

Those are things the homeless need that the rest of us take for granted, she said.

Zimmerman said frostbite is a huge problem among the homeless and that shes spent nights in the emergency room with people who had the tips of their fingers and toes amputated.

My fingers and my toes are what gets cold. And my face, said Rena Cayou.

Her plan for the week is to toss the hit-and-miss heater, leave her stuff in a locker provided by Giving Hearts and call in a favor with her family.

Im going to swallow my pride, she said. Ask them for help.
Aurora lawmakers voted on two proposals to change some meeting rules on Monday, passing one while rejecting another, and made the city managers selection for Auroras next fire chief official.

As part of its consent calendar, councilmembers approved a resolution that will now require the city manager to provide a way for the public to participate in meetings remotely, either by telephone or videoconference. Councilmember Juan Marcano sponsored the resolution, which nabbed the support of two people who made public comment about the resolution.

Marcano agreed with one of the speakers who said the procedures people must follow to make public comment are convoluted. The councilmember reiterated that he disagreed with the current councils past decision to place time limits on public comment and elimination of public comment at the end of meetings.

If you all feel strongly, lobby the folks around me here, Marcano said to speakers who wanted those changes reversed.

No other councilmembers commented on the resolution or public comment rules.

The City Council rejected a proposal from Mayor Mike Coffman which sought to repeal a rule that allows councilmembers to end debate on agenda items with a call for the question.

Coffman proposed the rule change after minority councilmembers grew frustrated with how members of the majority used the rule, they alleged, to stifle discussion or dissent with the majority. Conservative majority members were using the rule too often and as a tool to shut down dissent on controversial topics, progressives said.

The motion, if seconded and passed by a majority, ends discussion on the agenda item before council. Coffman previously told the Denver Gazette the final straw for him was when Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky once used the motion before any debate on an agenda item up for consideration could take place.

Not all councilmembers thought a full repeal was the correct solution, including one member of the progressive minority Councilmember Alison Coombs. At past meetings, council debated an alternative proposal that would require a super majority of lawmakers to approve Call for the question motions.

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Numerous councilmembers said the rule is useful to end filibusters or stop debates that have veered off topic.

The council voted Coffmans resolution down in a 3-6 vote. Councilmembers Ruben Medina, Marcano and Crystal Murillo voted in support of the mayors resolution. Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky was absent.

And Aurora officially has a new fire chief. Councilmembers unanimously confirmed Alec Oughtons appointment following a nationwide search for a new chief. Jurinsky, who had been absent for the meeting, joined remotely to make sure Oughtons confirmation received a 10-0 vote, she said.

Oughton has been chief of the Henrico County, Virginia, fire department for four years and has spent 27 years in the fire service.

City Manager Jim Twombly selected Oughton from four finalists, including interim Chief Allen Robnett. Twombly noted Oughton helms an agency serving a larger geographic area and employing more firefighters than Auroras department, although it is similar in size.

Oughton is also an assessor for the Commission on Fire Accreditation International and was recently named a board member for the Center for Public Safety Excellence, Twombly said.

Mayor Pro Tem Curtis Gardner thanked Robnett for his decades of service to Aurora Fire Rescue  where he has worked for more than 30 years  for taking on the interim chief position and for seeking the permanent position.

Excited to have Chief Oughton come to Aurora, Gardner said. I think he will be good for our city and good for our fire department.
On Jan. 23, Spice Island Grill posted on Facebook, We are CLOSED Permanently. Both locations.

Claudette and her husband, Glenroy Hutchinson, owners of the eateries at 10 N. Sierra Madre St. and 6829 Space Village Ave., said in their post, Our goal was to provide the best food, with the best service for the best price, and I hope weve done that. However, in todays economic environment, we are finding it more difficult to exceed those goals weve set for ourselves.

The lack of quality and qualified workers, increasing prices and decreasing demands are some of the factors that have contributed to this decision.

From the outpouring of more than 288 comments on Facebook within hours of the posting, its obvious the restaurants will be sadly missed in the community.

Contact the writer: 636-0271.
Prosecutors have dropped all charges against a Black veteran who was beaten by Colorado Springs police during a traffic stop.

On Oct. 9, Dalvin Gadson Ochoa, 29, was pulled over for driving without a license plate. During the traffic stop, officers claimed that they could smell marijuana in the car and attempted to arrest Gadson Ochoa.

When he asked why he was being detained and declined to get out of the car, officers punched Gadson Ochoa in the head over 20 times before removing him from the vehicle, body camera footage of the incident shows.

Following the incident, prosecutors charged Gadson Ochoa with two counts of second-degree assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, obstructing a peace officer, driving under the influence and driving without license plates.

The assault charges were dismissed in November, and the remaining charges were dropped on Monday, according to court records.

By dropping the charges, the District Attorney has made it clear that these officers had no reason to detain Mr. Gadson for a DUI investigation much less beat him mercilessly and then smile for the cameras as he lay on the ground bleeding. In other words, this decision means that their actions werent just excessive. They were unlawful," Gadson Ochoa's attorneys said Tuesday in a statement.

Chief Adrian Vasquez said that Officers Colby J. Hickman, Matthew Anderson and Christopher K. Hummel did nothing wrong. But the reality is that they brutally beat Dalvin Gadson for a $15 fine and they should be investigated, arrested and prosecuted. Failing to do so puts lives at risk. Just ask Tyre Nichols family, the attorneys said, referring to the recent police killing in Memphis, Tenn.

In a statement, Colorado Springs police Lt. Pamela Castro pushed back against the claims of Gadson Ochoa's attorneys.

"Contrary to the statement from Mr. Gadsons lawyer, Chief Vasquez did not say the involved officers 'did nothing wrong,'" Castro wrote. "Chief Vasquez has made no determination on the action of the involved officers. As we previously stated an internal investigation is occurring. This internal investigation is ongoing and it would be inappropriate for the Chief to make a statement prior to its conclusion."

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In a separate statement, 4th Judicial District Attorney spokesman Howard Black said: "This incident remains under investigation by CSPD. Accordingly, further comment by the District Attorneys Office would not be appropriate at this time."

Prosecutors have yet to announce whether they intend to file criminal charges against the three Colorado Springs police officers involved in the traffic stop.

Gadson Ochoa, who was living in his car at the time of the incident, has filed a lawsuit against the officers who pulled him over, claiming they used excessive force without warning during the incident. He is seeking a jury trial for emotional and physical damages, as well as economic losses. No specific amount in damages is listed in the lawsuit.

In the arrest affidavit, the officers claimed that their use of force was justified because Gadson Ochoa had a knife in his car. The officers also claimed Gadson Ochoa was reaching for the knife during the encounter.

One officer can be heard yelling in the body camera footage that Gadson Ochoa was "assaulting" him.

In a previous statement, Colorado Springs police said "an administrative review of the officers use of force was also conducted by the chain of command and was found to be within policy."

On Tuesday, Castro wrote: "Today the criminal judicial process regarding Dalvin Gadson concluded. The Colorado Springs Police Department makes arrests based on the legal standard of probable cause. The 4th Judicial District Attorneys Office makes decisions regarding the prosecution of cases based on a different legal standard.

"The District Attorneys Office makes their charging decisions regarding the prosecution of criminal cases independent of the Colorado Springs Police Department."

Castro added that the Police Department will publicly release Gadson Ochoa's criminal case file in the next 24 hours.
Acting Colorado Springs Utilities Chief Executive Officer Travas Deal and its Chief System Planning and Projects Officer Lisa Barbato are the two finalists in the running to become the utility's next CEO, the Board of Directors announced Tuesday evening.

The Colorado Springs Utilities board, which is also the Colorado Springs City Council, launched a nationwide search in November for someone to permanently fill the position after former CEO Aram Benyamin retired.

Benyamin left Colorado Springs to work for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

Wayne Williams, Springs Utilities board chairman, said in a news release Tuesday they are seeking public input on the selection of the utility's next CEO, who will oversee the operations of its electric, natural gas, water and wastewater services.

"Colorado Springs Utilities is a vital community asset, and all residents have a vested interest in its continued success," he said in part in the release.

Deal has been serving as Colorado Springs Utilities' acting CEO since he was appointed by the board Dec. 1. Before that, he worked as the utility's chief operations officer since April 2020.

Deal got his start with Colorado Springs Utilities when he joined as a field services manager in 2017, the release states. The next year, he began working in the Energy Services division, where he served as a district manager and in two other general manager roles.

Deal served 10 years in the U.S. Marine Corps before working in freight transportation and then at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana, according to the release.

In 2008, he joined Duke Energy and worked at Gibson Generating Station, the largest coal-generating plant in the country, the release states. There, he served in various management roles in operations and maintenance, officials said.

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As Colorado Springs Utilities' chief system planning and projects officer since last March, Barbato "(aligns) a four-utility service engineering division while leveraging best practices around resource and infrastructure planning, design services and execution of projects," the release states.

She began working at Colorado Springs Utilities in 1998 as a water and wastewater infrastructure project engineer. During her 25-year tenure, Barbato has held management positions in the utility's water and energy operations.

In 2010, Barbato became the Wastewater Resources Recovery Facility manager, according to the release, before she was named general manager of the Distribution, Collection and Treatment department in 2017. In that capacity, she was responsible for maintaining and operating the wastewater collection system, the water resource recovery facilities and the maintenance of the water distribution system, according to the release.

In March 2019, she started working as the general manager of Energy Supply, where she oversaw generating facilities, fuel acquisition and led the closing process for the Drake Power Plant.

Residents can provide their feedback on the candidates through an online form at csu.org.

The Colorado Springs Utilities Board of Directors will hear resident feedback about one week before it selects the new CEO.

Residents must submit their feedback by 5 p.m. on Feb. 14.

The Springs Utilities board expects to select the utility's next CEO during its Feb. 22 meeting.
Weighing in on a question the Colorado Supreme Court recently left for "another day," the state's Court of Appeals decided last week that prosecutors need only prove a defendant knowingly arranges for a child's prostitution and not that he specifically intends for the child to be prostituted.

In addressing the subtle, but meaningful, distinction, a three-judge panel of the appellate court parted ways with another panel of the court from four years ago. In that 2019 case, a different group of judges ruled the government needs to prove a specific intent, instead of simply showing the defendant knowingly solicited a child for prostitution.

The controversy revolves around the concept of "mental states" or a defendant's level of knowledge about their wrongdoing. A person who acts "with intent" has the explicit objective of doing something illegal, while someone who acts "knowingly" is merely aware they are acting unlawfully.

Deshawn Lynn Randolph stood trial in Arapahoe County in 2019, where prosecutors alleged he violated the law against child prostitution. Specifically, he committed solicitation "for the purpose of prostitution of a child" and arranged a meeting "for the purpose of prostitution of a child."

In reality, Randolph had been exchanging sexualized messages with a sheriff's employee on a social networking platform, who posed as 17-year-old "Nicole." Randolph defended his actions by saying he was stringing Nicole along until she turned 18, when he wanted to have sex with her. Prosecutors, in turn, showed messages where Randolph suggested he could set up Nicole with a man who would pay for sex while she was still a minor.

The jury believed the prosecution and convicted Randolph. He received nine years in prison.

At the trial court, the parties disputed whether the phrase "for the purpose of prostitution" meant the government had to prove Randolph acted "with intent" or "knowingly" in soliciting Nicole. District Court Judge Ryan J. Stuart believed the lower threshold of "knowingly" was sufficient.

"The prosecution must prove that the defendant knew that the solicitation, or the meeting to be arranged, was not for the purpose of, say, a tea party," Stuart wrote.

In rejecting the intent-based mental state, he raised the example of a man who arranges to have sex with a child and promises her money but plans to not follow through on the payment.

"Because he never intended to pay her, his purpose of the meeting was not prostitution; his purpose was to have sex and not pay for it," Stuart explained, noting the prosecution would not be able to prove a prostitution offense. "This could not be the result the legislature intended."

The day Randolph's trial ended, the Court of Appeals handed down its decision in People v. Ross, which answered the mental state question. Although the position of the appellate court for nearly three decades was that arranging for child prostitution is a "knowing" offense, an appellate panel now concluded that "for the purpose of prostitution" means "with intent."

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The government appealed the Ross decision to the Colorado Supreme Court, which initially agreed to address whether child solicitation required specific intent. However, in its 2021 decision, the justices realized the prosecution had not presented evidence that the defendant wanted to prostitute a child. The court accordingly resolved the appeal on those narrower grounds, without answering the question of intent.

"We leave this dispute for another day," wrote Justice Carlos A. Samour Jr.

Randolph, on appeal, urged the Court of Appeals to adopt the Ross ruling's standard of "with intent." The government argued that "knowingly" was sufficient but it was also confident Randolph's convictions would stand even if the appellate court went with the higher threshold.

"Overwhelming evidence shows that defendant intended to solicit another for the purpose of child prostitution, and that he intended to arrange a meeting for the purpose of child prostitution," wrote Carson D. Schneider of the Colorado Attorney General's Office.

The Court of Appeals concluded the Ross decision was incorrect. Randolph, explained Judge Ted C. Tow III, was convicted of soliciting and arranging a meeting "for the purpose of prostitution" of a child.

Arranging a meeting "is not a result. The meeting itself is the result," Tow wrote in the panel's Jan. 26 opinion. Instead, knowingly arranging the meeting is the crime.

He also downplayed the Ross decision because the appellate court had relied on the Model Criminal Jury Instructions Committee, which drafts template jury instructions and had believed "with intent" was the correct standard.

"While model jury instructions may be used as guidelines, they are not binding," Tow wrote.

The decision results in a continued conflict within the Court of Appeals, setting up the case for possible Supreme Court review and resolution.

The panel rejected Randolph's other arguments on appeal, and found sufficient evidence to sustain the jury's guilty verdict.
Energy customers, many of whom say they are being crushed by gas and electricity bills that have doubled, tripled and even quadrupled in the last few months  accepted the Colorado Public Utility Commissions invitation to comment on skyrocketing energy prices, and it wasnt pretty.

Dawn Fetzko, a customer, said she learned about the public meeting while watching the news.

We're working trying to earn a living and now trying to earn a living to pay our utility bill, she said. I know my utility bill went from $150 to a shocking $365 in one month.

It's no secret that everybody is drowning in Excel bills across Colorado, added Sabrina Padilla. I really hope that these stories today are really taken into consideration because there's thousands and thousands of people that do not have the courage to come up here today to express their struggles.

Commissioners have also been receiving a flood of complaints about soaring bills, commission chair Eric Blank acknowledged.

In response, the commission held a Zoom listening session on Tuesday, where they heard an outpouring of grief and anger  as well as pleas for help  from dozens who signed up for the meeting. Nearly 100 people attended the public comment session.

Padilla, who works with the Chronic Care Collaborative, an organization comprising 50 different voluntary health organizations representing a wide range of chronic diseases that partners with Excel and Black Hills Energy on helping disabled people with their energy bills, described a heartbreaking story of a man who had to choose real discomfort just to get by.

I just spoke with an older gentleman on SSI who sits in his home all day in a winter jacket and has his heat all the way down to 60 degrees to keep his bill down, Padilla said. And he does that so he can wear his oxygen 24/7. He's sacrificing his body temperature to wear his oxygen to keep his bill down.

Lakewood resident Eva Boyd excoriated the commissioners for what she said is their failure to look after the publics interests.

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I've been living here for about 26 years, Boyd said. January 2022s bill was $124. December 2022 was $194. The next one that I'm going to pay in February is $295, which to me is absolutely mind boggling.

Boyd added: You're supposed to be looking out for us. And somebody already said it here  you shouldn't be looking out for corporations.

Nichole Broach accused the commissioners of disrespecting attendees.

I have seen you guys smirk, chuckle, laugh and roll your eyes at people describing their issues here today, Broach said. This is unacceptable. Ms. Gilman had to tell you that it was not funny. I do not believe that you serve your people, you do not serve your community and you do not serve your state.

Andrea Rudowicz told the commissioners that she had a gas leak at her home. Xcel repairmen told her that her neighborhood was known to have old gas regulators that leak when its cold.

The Excel Energy employee informed me that our particular neighborhood had faulty old regulators that the employees were very much aware of and had told the supervisors, but nothing was done, Rudowicz said. If we're paying the high gas prices, I expect that our equipment is operating correctly. And I want to add that my particular meter wasn't the only one in my neighborhood.

Blank vowed to get a handle on this.

I just want to end with a personal comment to those of you who think I'm laughing at people's suffering, said Blank. I would just say I lost my wife to pancreatic cancer several years ago and I know what it means to experience hardship and I can just assure you I am not laughing at anyone suffering and that we're going to do whatever we can to try and to try and get a handle on this.
Letecia Stauch is set to appear in court on Thursday,just over a month before her trial for allegedly killing her 11-year-old stepson Gannon is scheduled to begin.

Stauch is scheduled to appear for a motions hearing, and court records obtained by The Gazette outline the five points of discussion the court hopes to address on Thursday afternoon.

The biggest points of conversation are likely to be two outstanding defense motions that Judge Gregory Werner has yet to rule on, and issues regarding a mental health evaluation being conducted by a defense expert.

The two issues yet to be ruled on by Werner are regarding a motion for a change of venue for Stauch's jury trial, and a motion to waive the jury trial entirely in favor of a court trial. If a court trial took place instead of a jury trial only Werner would listen to evidence and testimony presented and make a verdict of guilty or not guilty  no jury present.

The mental health evaluation being conducted by a defense expert is the second evaluation to be conducted on Stauch. The first evaluation was conducted by the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo in 2022. At a previous hearing in August Werner stated that the first evaluation conducted by CMHIP found her to be sane.

Stauch's defense counsel told the court that a report on her second mental health evaluation would take place in late October or early November and a report would be filed to the court 30 days after the evaluation. Court records, obtained by The Gazette, filed on Jan. 25, show that the second mental health evaluation report has yet to be filed to the court.

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Stauch has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to all charges she currently faces for allegedly killing Gannon in January, 2020.

The three remaining points of discussion for Thursday's motions hearing will be to confirm the mechanics of jury selection, to discuss the potential witnesses at trial and to outline any media restrictions for the trial.

Stauch's trial is scheduled to begin on March 20, more than three years after Gannon's death.

Delays in the case have occurred, in part, because of the need for the mental health evaluation; initially, Stauch pleaded not guilty to the charges, but in February of 2022 Werner granted her permission to change her plea to not guilty by reason of insanity.

Stauch faces 13 charges for allegedly killing Gannon including first-degree murder, child abuse, two counts of tampering with evidence and more.

In addition to the first-degree murder case, Stauch also faces a second case in which she is accused of attempting to escape from the El Paso County jail in May 2020.

Stauch was arrested in South Carolina in March 2020 and has been in jail since then after being extradited to Colorado. If convicted of first-degree murder, she faces life in prison.
SAO PAULO, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- At least seven people were killed and another 22 injured on Tuesday when a tour bus heading for Iguazu Falls overturned in the southern Brazilian state of Parana, police said.

According to Parana's Federal Highway Police, the bus carrying 54 persons had departed from Florianopolis, capital of Santa Catarina state, on its way further south to Foz do Iguacu, a Brazilian town bordering Argentina and Paraguay.

The bus operated by the Viacao Catarinense company veered off the BR-277 Highway and plunged down a hill in the central Parana town of Fernandes Pinheiro, the police report said.

Among the fatal victims were an Argentine mother and her three-year-old daughter, the local fire department told reporters.

Local authorities have opened an investigation to determine the cause of the accident, which involved another vehicle.

A surviving passenger, Alexandro de Oliveira Gamaro, said he spoke with the bus driver after the crash and the driver admitted to having fallen asleep. 
Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company (SRC), a wholly-owned unit of the kingdom's wealth fund PIF (Public Investment Fund) has announced the launch of its new brand identity and logo.

The rebranding comes at a time when SRC celebrates its fifth year of operation, strengthening its role in developing a robust secondary real estate market and supporting its growth and stability.

The rebranding reflects SRC's growing influence and role in the real estate financing market, said the Saudi firm in its statement.

It is currently working with its partners to continue developing a secondary market that supports the housing market in the kingdom, it stated.

The rebranding was announced by Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company CEO Fabrice Susini in the presence of Majid bin Abdullah Al Hogail, Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing and Chairman of the Board of Directors at SRC, and members of the Board of Directors and executives.

"We believe that this rebranding will better reflect who we are and the role we play in the Kingdoms thriving housing sector. We are committed to being a trusted and reliable partner, and we believe that our new visual identity better represents this commitment," stated Susini.

The company has a unique business model and has witnessed since its inception in 2017 a strong growth in its business and partnerships within the real estate financing sector, as part of the various housing sector initiatives in line with the objectives of Vision 2030, he added.
A bill that would prohibit Colorado governments from using nondisclosure agreements with its employees is scheduled for a state Senate committee hearing Thursday.

Senate Bill 23-53 aims to stop the states widespread practice of settling employee disputes, sometimes for hundreds of thousands of dollars, by requiring them to sign deals that ensure the details of the taxpayer-funded arrangements remain secret.

Critics of the practice say its little more than government efforts to prevent the airing of its dirty laundry; a method of silencing whistleblowers who call out misconduct or malfeasance from ever letting anyone know what happened in their cases.

The deals have the potential to bury evidence and prevent investigation of crimes, discrimination, sexual harassment and wage inequality. NDAs, as they are more commonly referred to, were part of the reason why investigations into the states judiciary scandal were hampered.

Proponents of the practice have said its an effective method of trimming the number of potential claims that would be filed if word of the settlements and their dollar amounts were to easily become public.

The Denver Gazette in November revealed how the state signed more than 80 settlement deals with employees since 2019 totaling more than $4 million in taxpayer payouts, each with an NDA, preventing them from discussing it with anyone.

Sponsored by Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, a Weld County Republican, the bill would also prevent the state, its 64 counties, cities and school districts from requiring nondisclosure deals as part of government employment to prevent them from speaking about their jobs.

The only exception would be if the employees work with information that is required by law to be kept secret or private, such as security details or business information that is proprietary.

The public has a fundamental interest in transparency concerning the conduct of government, the bill currently reads. Nondisclosure agreements imposed on government employees  that effectively prohibit (them) from disclosing details about their government service obstruct these fundamental principles of government transparency and public accountability. The details of public business should not be hidden from public view 

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The bill is scheduled to be heard before the Senates State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.

The Gazette uncovered dozens of examples where state employees agreed to the NDAs for payments of as little as $2,000, with little public record available to explain why. Several who spoke with the newspaper said they felt pressured to sign the deals.

At least 16 states already restrict NDAs. Although mostly in the private sector, the prohibitions extend to public employees. And NDAs are strictly prohibited in federal government. The usual exemptions for privacy, secrecy or other restriction thats codified in law apply.

It is Kirkmeyers second try at restricting the practice in Colorado.

She sponsored Senate Bill 21-23 in the 2021 legislative session. During committee hearings, Kirkmeyer said it was the continuing judiciary scandal in which a number of high-ranking Judicial Department employees had signed NDAs that prompted her to propose the legislation.

Although the bill ultimately died in a 3-2 vote that followed party lines, she said The Denver Gazette investigation into NDAs stirred her anew.

Attorney Casey Leier has represented a number of state employees in their grievances, often in cases where they allege misconduct, and said NDAs are problematic, especially in cases of sexual misconduct and harassment.

The public deserves to know when this illegal conduct is occurring, Leier told The Denver Gazette. The state can silence individual employees one by one, but the only way to stop discrimination or misconduct in the long run is to bring the root cause to light.
Voting is underway to determine Colorado's next license plate.

The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) launched the contest in September, seeking designs from residents for a license plate to celebrate the Centennial State's 150th anniversary, Denver Gazette media partner KUSA reported

Six finalists were chosen from more than 300 entries from 216 entrants.

The public can vote for the final two winners in different divisions  13 and older, and younger than 13  through Feb. 15.

Read the full story from KUSA here.
Police arrested a robbery suspect who had barricaded himself in a detached garage south of Colorado Springs on Monday morning.

The suspect was connected with a robbery at the Circle K in the 6400 block of South Highway 85, which was reported around 3:40 a.m., according to the Fountain Police Department. After the robbery, the suspect allegedly left the store on foot and walked toward a neighborhood in the Security-Widefield area.

The suspect, identified as 34-year-old Nathan Rowell, unlawfully entered a detached garage and barricaded himself inside, police said. Later, while attempting to flee, the suspect was arrested by the Police Department and members of the El Paso County Tactical Group, who set up a perimeter around the area.

Rowell was booked into the El Paso County jail on suspicion of aggravated robbery, second-degree burglary, menacing, theft and criminal mischief.

Rowell has since been connected to three burglaries in Fountain's 5000 and 7000 blocks of South Highway 85 in November and December of last year, according to police.

Fountain police said Rowell is a parolee with the Colorado Department of Corrections and has eight prior felony convictions since 2011, for which he was sentenced to the CDOC with a combined total of 41 years. However, most of the sentences ran concurrently.
The Teller County Sheriff's Office is defending its decision not to issue an Amber Alert for 5-year-old Liam Brueche, who was fatally shot by his father in a murder-suicide in Florissant after the father failed to return the boy to his mother during a court-ordered child exchange in the Sheriff's Office parking lot.

Authorities issue an Amber Alert when a child has been abducted and is in danger. With the knowledge deputies had at the time, the situation did not fit that criteria, Sheriff Jason Mikesell said Tuesday in a statement posted on Facebook.

Although we would have liked to have stopped this tragedy, Mikesell said, we had no indication from the information provided the father would have done such a thing.

Shortly before 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 4, Liam's mother reported that the boy's father, 53-year-old William Brueche, had not returned their child to her, according to the Sheriff's Office. The parents had joint custody of their son.

The father was supposed to return the boy by 6 p.m. that night, but William Brueche told the mother he was going to be late because he was having trouble with his vehicle, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Deputies went to William Brueches home several times throughout the night to make sure the boy was OK, but no one was home, Mikesell said.

At around noon the next day, William and Liam Brueche were found dead in the father's pickup truck in Florissant. Investigators said William Brueche shot and killed his son before turning the gun on himself. Deputies obtained surveillance video that showed William Brueche parked his pickup at 6:22 p.m., and they believe the murder-suicide occurred a short time later.

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Some have questioned why authorities didn't use the state's red flag law to confiscate William Brueche's gun. The law allows courts to temporarily seize firearms from people deemed a risk to themselves or others.

William Brueche wasn't allowed to own a gun because he was a convicted felon. Investigators said he used a compressed air rifle to fatally shoot his son.

By statue compressed air rifles are not considered a firearm and may be purchased online or at a local retailer without state or federal background check, Mikesell wrote.

And because an air rifle isn't considered a gun, it cannot be confiscated under the state's red flag law.

As the Teller County Sheriff, I am proud of all these deputies, and our first responders for the job they do on (a) daily basis, Mikesell wrote. Any conjectures, misleading statements, or false information on social media that are publicized and discussed without a factual basis from all those involved are inappropriate and unnecessary.

This is the second murder-suicide in Florissant in recent months following the death of a married couple in November.
The King Abdullah Financial District Development and Management Company (KAFD DMC) has signed a MoU with Sumitomo Corporation Middle East (SCME) to use its innovative eco-friendly coating solutions to reduce the heat island effect on surfaces within KAFD.

KAFD DMC owns and manages the King Abdullah Financial District, the largest mixed-use development in the region and Saudi Arabias prime financial hub.

Strategically located in the heart of Riyadh, KAFD is home to 1.6 million sq m of state-of-the-art office space, world-class venues and iconic luxury residences and is the largest Leed-certified mixed-use financial district in the world. A landmark development, KAFD is a cornerstone initiative of Vision 2030.

The agreement is intended to support KAFD's goals for smart city development and technological advancements to create energy-efficient, intelligent buildings, said a top official.

"Combatting climate change is a priority for KAFD as a modern, sustainable metropolis. Its estimated that by 2030, 1.9 billion people will be exposed to heat stress, and this collaboration with Sumitomo is an excellent opportunity for the district to develop heat resilience and sustainable cooling solutions," remarked Gautam Sashittal, the Chief Executive Officer of KAFD DMC.

"By lowering the temperature, we will contribute to a better living and working environment for our tenants and residents and employees," he stated.

Cities, or metropolises, are typically warmer and have slightly higher temperatures than rural areas. This makes them "islands of heat," a thermal phenomenon that raises the temperature in urban areas, especially at night, exacerbating climate change and harming health, he added.

The products, manufactured in Japan using state-of-the-art technology, will be applied to reflect infrared radiation which in return reduces surface temperature thus extending the lifetime of the surface by minimizing the heat flow into the district while reducing its maintenance cost.

Hajime Mori, Managing Director, Sumitomo Corporation Middle East, said: "We are honoured to have the opportunity to collaborate on this project with KAFD, implementing our advanced solutions. Sustainability is a top priority for both companies."

"With this agreement, we look forward to working with KAFD DMC and sharing our experiences to enhance energy efficiency in its facilities," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Innovate Life Sciences Lab has inaugurated a cutting-edge genomics testing lab in Dubai Science Park, a member of Tecom Group. The facility will offer a wide range of genetic testing services and further advance Dubais vision for healthcare innovation.

The lab has partnered with Wipro Limited, a leading technology services and consulting company, to develop affordable technologies that use artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyse genetic data, a Wam news agency report said.

The labs opening was announced at Arab Health 2023, where Dubai Science Park is exploring the future of health tech and AI until February 2.

Genomics, the study of genes, is a fast-growing biology field with the potential to help personalise each patients medical journey using their genetic profile to detect, prevent or treat conditions, including cancers and rare diseases.

Marwan Abdulaziz Janahi, Senior Vice President  Dubai Science Park, part of Tecom Group, said: Precision medicine is the future of healthcare. To achieve this, vigorous research and development are vital activities, and our leadership has already introduced an R&D programme to lead the way forward. Our community of pharmaceutical and life science brands are enhancing experimentation and innovation to make healthcare more effective and personalised. The services Innovate Life Sciences Lab brings to our business district will help our customers, as well as others in the region, make data-driven, patient-centric healthcare a universal reality.

Syed S Hussaini, Chairman of Innovate Life Sciences Lab, said: Our purpose is to help advance the genetic testing landscape using NextGen Sequencing instruments backed up with technologically advanced computational analysis and expert insights. Our location connects us to an established healthcare community that is advancing the industry with valuable testing, data and insights and we look forward to levelling up those efforts with our ultra-modern laboratory.

The lab has already acquired two genomics testing orders in the Asia Pacific worth more than AED37 million ($10.07 million). The lab will initially create more than 100 jobs with plans to expand the workforce by 200% by 2026.
Despite platitudes against book bans, all libraries censor books. No library contains every book ever written. Shelving decisions include factors of space limitations, budgets and content.

Impassioned left-versus-right sociopolitical division has book-banning conflicts raging throughout the country. Two years ago, school librarians axed six Dr. Seuss books for potentially offensive portrayals of people.

To understand book banning controversies throughout the country, consider a typical battle in Colorado Springs School District 20.

A Schriever Space Force Base intelligence officer, Ph.D and father of a D-20 middle school student read multiple books in the school library. The father contacted Chinook Trail Middle School Principal Tom Andrew to express concerns. The parent wanted at least five books removed for highly inappropriate content. An ethnically diverse group of other parents, organized as Advocates for D-20 Kids, joined his effort.

Principal Andrew appointed committees to review the books and decide whether their removal was warranted. He loaded each committee with reliably left-wing district residents who were certain to approve the books in question. One appointee flaunted his bias on Facebook:

The phone rang today it was the principal Mr. (Tymm) Hoffman, we have a parent who is challenging five books and wants them banned from our library. And just like that, I found myself on a panel designed to advocate for or against the banning of these 5 books which are all about or concerning protests For the record, I am AGAINST the banning of any book

Several other committee members publicly ridiculed the parent who challenged the books.

Advocates for D-20 Kids issued a statement: We're not book banners we're concerned parents and there are some things a 6th grader doesn't need to see or read."

Books in question include:

 Steal this Country. Excerpt: To help the illegal immigrants, Fight to keep ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) out of your school Translation: young children should fight federal law enforcement officers.

 We Are Not Yet Equal. Excerpts: The trigger for white rage, inevitably, is black advancement "Reagan was a master of racism with plausible deniability."

 How I Resist. Excerpts: Maybe it's building a huge Trump puppet sitting on a toilet with the words HOME POOPER eight feet high.

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"When the beast we call Trump was declared president-elect, I felt the call for community anew."

We "have the 'Make America Stop Being Such an A--hole' hats (without letters redacted), 'Keep Your Laws Off My Gender Fluids' hoodies and my personal favorite the Delta Sigma Tau swimsuits with a shark crotch and the tag 'Grab at your own risk' 

The image put Mitch McConnell's dying turtle mouth right over Aunt Zippee's Precious Portal. On the plus side, I'm pretty sure it's the closest Pence has been to some lady parts in a while."

Are you sure Mike Pence is allowed to be alone near your left rib? What if he accidentally makes a woman out of it?

 Protest Movements: Then and Now. Excerpt: Those with power, and the politically conservative, typically feel strong opposition to the fight for change. They criticize those who protest as unpatriotic and ungrateful for what they have They will fight change with legal and sometimes physical means.

The books in question promote Critical Race Theory, telling ethnic minorities and LGBTQ students they are victims of a society controlled by white, heterosexual racists. The victims must fight to revolutionize their country.

To no one's surprise the book-review committees retained all the challenged books, deeming them appropriate.

Having lost that battle, a parent donated 10 books in an attempt to at least balance library content.

The books include: Tucker for President; The Puritans; The Antifa; Little Mission on the Clearwater; Firey; Climate Confusian; Amy Coney Barret; American Familia; Always Erin; and All Lies Matter.

Principal Andrew appointed another committee  composed of him, a teacher and two media personnel  to review the donated books. The committee banned all 10. The books, Andrew wrote, will not be added to the school library. His committee consulted reputable, professionally selected aids and district approved vendors to decide.

The D-20 saga epitomizes the educational establishments opposition to parental involvement in schools, which rose when parents watched online classroom instruction during the pandemic.

Parents, check your childrens libraries. Most will contain books promoting anti-American and racially divisive agendas. Fair enough; its a free society. Or maybe not. As seen in D-20, literature unhelpful to left-wing agenda get banned by committees of experts.
Its no secret that Colorado has an extremely tight labor market. According to the Department of Labor and Employment, our unemployment rate is only 3.3%. Since May 2020, the private sector has added 458,500 jobs with significant growth in a variety of sectors. Whether this level of growth continues is a subject of debate in the macroeconomics community.

However, the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado predicts a 2% job growth in 2023, with 9 of 11 industry categories expected to see growth.

So, the jobs will be created, but will there be workers to fill those jobs? Clearly the state needs to consider all possible incentives to attract workers, including affordable housing and a competitive income tax environment.

Military officers and enlisted who are planning their retirement are proven, disciplined workers, having served our nation for 20 years or more. They each have choices to make on where to live and what jobs to pursue.

These future military retirees have ready access to state income tax information in their transition courses and from online sites such as Turbotax. They know that 27 states provide a full state tax exemption on military retirement pay, and eight others have no state income tax. Thats 35 of the 50 states that financially advantage military retirees.

Of the remaining states, seven provide no state income tax break (includes California and Virginia).

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The other eight states, including Colorado, provide partial tax relief for military retirees. Colorado law currently allows a deduction of $15,000 of military retired pay for those under age 55. This is not as generous as some of the other seven states, and more generous than some. But again, 35 states provide full relief! And the other problem: this bill, passed in 2018, was written to expire this tax year.

The bill language states,  this act is to honor the sacrifice and service of veterans and to create an incentive for more veterans to make their post-military homes in the state. With this bill set to expire at the end of this year, shouldnt we honor retired veterans with a full deduction of military retirement pay? Employers know 20+ years of service is valuable experience, plus these individuals have security clearances, which helps national security-related industrieshard to find such a work-ready group.

Clearly something must be done this legislative session to address the expiring bill.

The Legislature should take the bold step to pass a law that provides a full exemption of military retirement pay. Lets become the 36th state to provide a tangible incentive to join our growing workforce and to address the lack of skilled workers to fill the jobs being created.

But most importantly, lets do this to truly honor the sacrifice and service of our veterans.

Michael Jorgensen is president and partner of Red Noland Cadillac in the Springs.
A problem of choice

This is in response to a Jan. 30 letter by Robin Flowers, We need to talk about it. The people have spoken and we have a policy regarding migrants and refugees.

For example transporting illegals is a federal crime. Illegal entry is a crime under 18 United States Code 1324(a)(1)(A)(i) and 1324(a)(2) to knowingly bring or attempt to bring into the United States an alien. It is also a crime to harbor an illegal immigrant or shield the alien from detection. See 1324(a)(1)(A)(iii). It is a crime under Section 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv) to encourage or induce an illegal to come to, enter, or reside in the United States as well as conspiring or aiding or abetting in any of these crimes. See 18 U.S.C.1324(a)(1)(A)(v). And so forth.

It is the responsibility of the executive to see that the policy or laws are carried out in good faith. An executive executes or discharges laws.

Laws may be changed. However, as there is no will to enforce existing U.S. law, I have little faith that the current executive  the President of the United States  would discharge new laws as written by our representatives in the House and Senate.

I dont blame the American people for confusion over official policy, but this is a problem of choice and not of a lack of existing law.

Janice Taylor

Colorado Springs

Not the proper solution

My name is Charlie Stevens, and I am a 16-year-old high school student who lives in the Old North End and attends Palmer High School downtown. I have grandparents who live in the 2400 Wood townhomes complex, and I have lived here my entire life. I feel very passionate about this issue as it will directly impact my family and many people in the town.

I am in strong disapproval of the proposed East/West throughway. I believe it will bring more noise, pollution, and eventual congestion to the neighborhoods of this city, and is not the proper solution to the problem at hand.

Charles Patrick Stevens

Colorado Springs

Religion is not irrational

I read with interest the letter by Jac Roberson, Irrationality of religion. He believes that in order for something to be true it has to be seen or proven, such as religion.

The Bible was written by man but guided by God. The Old Testament tells of creation, the history of the Israelites, predictions of the coming of Jesus.

The New Testament it tells of Jesus birth, His teachings and life, His death and resurrection.

Thomas Aquinas, in The Summa Theologica states that God set things in motion and gave them their potential: The water cycle, the oxygen/carbon dioxide cycle, fossil fuels under ground and whatever else is needed to live on this earth.

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Humans have made their own gods such as money, fame, beauty, power. All these are transitory. God is forever. They have gone to tarot cards, fortune tellers, read their horoscope in the paper. Only God knows the future.

There are references to Jesus that support the Gospels. Josephus, the Jewish historian, mentions both Jesus and His earthly brother, James, in his writings.

The Roman historian Suetonius mentions a disturbance among the Jews in Rome instigated by preachers of Jesus two decades after His death and resurrection. Tacitus in his Annals reported .that when Nero set fire to Rome, he placed the blame on a group called Christians, whose founder had been put to death by the procurator Pontius Pilate during the reign of Tiberius.

There is proof that religion is not irrational. You just have to look for it

Erna A. Haring

Colorado Springs

Let the market sort it out

Kudos to the Gazette for their Thursday Viewpoint, Rent control denies economic reality. Government tinkering with a market seldom, if ever, works out well. Our economy is market based and revolves around supply and demand. It is the first thing you learn in Economics class. As the Gazette correctly pointed out, the only feasible way to lower rent in any market is to increase supply. If demand stays relatively steady, then an increased supply of apartments will lower overall rent prices. However, by enacting rent controls, government will stifle new growth, supply will not improve, and existing apartments will deteriorate as landlords spend less on upkeep because their costs will start to exceed their income. The Colorado Legislature needs to leave this issue alone and let the market sort it out.

David Geuting

Colorado Springs

We pay for entitlements

It makes my blood boil every time a news commentator or politician throws Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid together. Social Security and Medicare have been paid for by everyone working through mandatory payroll deductions.

We have contributed to these programs and deserve the benefit that we paid into for years.

On the other hand Medicaid is a government supported program. These have no business being put into the same pot of entitlements..Social Security and Medicare are NOT entitlements.

Dont know how to get this thru to all the numb skulls that keep calling all of these entitlements!

Paul Garcia

Colorado Springs
Energy customers, many of whom say they are being crushed by gas and electricity bills that have doubled, tripled and even quadrupled in the last few months  accepted the Colorado Public Utility Commissions invitation to comment on skyrocketing energy prices, and it wasnt pretty.

Dawn Fetzko, a customer, said she learned about the public meeting while watching the news.

We're working trying to earn a living and now trying to earn a living to pay our utility bill, she said. I know my utility bill went from $150 to a shocking $365 in one month.

It's no secret that everybody is drowning in Excel bills across Colorado, added Sabrina Padilla. I really hope that these stories today are really taken into consideration because there's thousands and thousands of people that do not have the courage to come up here today to express their struggles.

Commissioners have also been receiving a flood of complaints about soaring bills, commission chair Eric Blank acknowledged.

In response, the commission held a Zoom listening session on Tuesday, where they heard an outpouring of grief and anger  as well as pleas for help  from dozens who signed up for the meeting. Nearly 100 people attended the public comment session.

Padilla, who works with the Chronic Care Collaborative, an organization comprising 50 different voluntary health organizations representing a wide range of chronic diseases that partners with Excel and Black Hills Energy on helping disabled people with their energy bills, described a heartbreaking story of a man who had to choose real discomfort just to get by.

I just spoke with an older gentleman on SSI who sits in his home all day in a winter jacket and has his heat all the way down to 60 degrees to keep his bill down, Padilla said. And he does that so he can wear his oxygen 24/7. He's sacrificing his body temperature to wear his oxygen to keep his bill down.

Lakewood resident Eva Boyd excoriated the commissioners for what she said is their failure to look after the publics interests.

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I've been living here for about 26 years, Boyd said. January 2022s bill was $124. December 2022 was $194. The next one that I'm going to pay in February is $295, which to me is absolutely mind boggling.

Boyd added: You're supposed to be looking out for us. And somebody already said it here  you shouldn't be looking out for corporations.

Nichole Broach accused the commissioners of disrespecting attendees.

I have seen you guys smirk, chuckle, laugh and roll your eyes at people describing their issues here today, Broach said. This is unacceptable. Ms. Gilman had to tell you that it was not funny. I do not believe that you serve your people, you do not serve your community and you do not serve your state.

Andrea Rudowicz told the commissioners that she had a gas leak at her home. Xcel repairmen told her that her neighborhood was known to have old gas regulators that leak when its cold.

The Excel Energy employee informed me that our particular neighborhood had faulty old regulators that the employees were very much aware of and had told the supervisors, but nothing was done, Rudowicz said. If we're paying the high gas prices, I expect that our equipment is operating correctly. And I want to add that my particular meter wasn't the only one in my neighborhood.

Blank vowed to get a handle on this.

I just want to end with a personal comment to those of you who think I'm laughing at people's suffering, said Blank. I would just say I lost my wife to pancreatic cancer several years ago and I know what it means to experience hardship and I can just assure you I am not laughing at anyone suffering and that we're going to do whatever we can to try and to try and get a handle on this.
Gov. Jared Polis on Tuesday appointed Moses Andre Stancil as executive director of the Department of Corrections.

Stancil has been serving as interim executive director for the department since December 2022.

Andre has been a dedicated member of the federal Bureau of Prisons team and now the Colorado Department of Corrections for many years, and we are thrilled that he will bring his expertise and commitment to this critical role, Polis said in a statement. We look forward to continuing our work to make Colorado one of the ten safest states in the country in the next five years working closely with Andre at the helm of DOC.

Stancil said he is honored to take on the role  and the challenge.

I began my career over 24 years ago working as an entry level corrections officer at DOC, and I am honored to continue the important work serving the people of Colorado and supporting the thousands of dedicated DOC staff members who help protect public safety every day, Stancil said.

Stancil served as deputy executive Director for DOC from February 2022 to November 2022. He previously served as the deputy executive director of Prison Operations in the Colorado Department of Corrections from 2019 to 2022. He also worked in the Federal Bureau of Prisons from 1998 to 2019, holding multiple positions.
In Colorado, suicide is the leading cause of death for teenagers and young adults. Lawmakers want to help address this with one small change.

If passed, House Bill 1007 would require higher education institutions to print the numbers of suicide hotlines on the back of their student identification cards. Bill sponsor Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder, said she hopes this will increase access to essential services, and reduce the stigma of using them.

It normalizes the idea that some people might need to use that number. It helps reduce the stigma of feeling depressed or suicidal, Amabile said, adding that her son has greatly benefited from calling crisis hotlines in the last year after previously attempting suicide twice. Its really been a lifesaver for him.

In 2021, 10% of Colorados suicide deaths were among college-aged adults, age 19 to 24, according to the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Colorado. Thats nearly twice the suicide rate of youth aged 10 to 18. Advocates say the transition period of early adulthood can take a toll on a persons mental health, with the stress of increased financial and social responsibility adding to the loss of lifelong support systems.

Nationally, in the 2020-21 school year, over 60% of college students met the criteria of at least one mental health condition and around 25% of the age group said they had seriously considered suicide.

"In my district, we are having way too many young people deciding to end their lives, said Rep. Marc Catlin, R-Montrose, who also sponsored the bill. This is an easy attempt to reach out to people to say, Its OK. If you need help, we want to help.'

If we save one, its worth it, he added.

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Taleen Sample, a 19-year-old college freshman, said shes been receiving phone calls from her friends before, during and after suicide attempts since she was 14.

I cannot begin to recall all of the times that Ive pleaded with a friend to lower a gun from his head or take a few steps back from the ledge of a roof, Sample said while testifying in support of the bill. I will never know what to say to people who trust me with their lives.  Young people do not know how to convince our friends that things will get better.

Sample, while a member Colorados Youth Advisory Council, helped pass a similar bill last year, which required suicide hotlines to be added to high school student IDs.

This new bill would expand the requirement to colleges, printing the phone and text numbers of statewide and national mental health crisis and suicide hotlines on the back of student IDs beginning in August 2023. Higher education institutions would also be required to distribute this information to students who received their IDs before the change took effect.

The House Education Committee unanimously approved HB 1007 Wednesday morning, sending it to the full House for consideration. Republicans and Democrats alike commended the bill, including Rep. Anthony Hartsook, R-Parker, who called the effort critical while pointing to those hes lost to suicide from his 26 years in the Army.

Ive lost troops, he said through tears. If theyd only called.
AstraZeneca has signed two landmark agreements on innovation and R&D with Saudi Arabian entities that will support healthcare transformation in the kingdom.

AstraZeneca and Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) signed two agreements with King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC).

The robust agreements will enhance the innovation ecosystem, with a focus on cutting edge technology transfer and investing in capability building to support the kingdoms vision promoting a knowledge-based economy.

The official signing ceremonies took place at the Riyadh Global Summit for Biotechnology, which also featured a keynote speech on research & development (R&D) productivity by Mene Pangalos, AstraZeneca Executive Vice President for BioPharmaceuticals R&D.

R&D

The first agreement focuses on research and development, including cutting edge technology for drug discovery, and the second focuses on innovation, which will bring KAIMRC into the A.Catalyst Network, an interconnected global network of more than 20 AstraZeneca health innovation hubs.

Through this network, Saudi will be projected as an innovation hub to attract global start-ups to establish activity in the kingdom. Reciprocally, the network will enable the export of Saudi start-ups.

The R&D collaboration will establish a joint AstraZeneca/KAIMRC lab in Riyadh with the aspiration to discover drugs for rare diseases. AstraZenecas lab in Gothenburg will serve as training for KAIMRC scientists and to familiarise them with AstraZeneca technology. AstraZeneca scientists from the Gothenburg site will also spend time in the joint lab in KAIMRC to ensure proper set-up for a high standard lab for gene editing. Both agreements are underpinned by significant investment in human capital through the generation of opportunities for Saudi scientists.

This strategic partnership will build on a strong research and clinical trials capacities and capabilities in genomics and rare diseases that KAIMRC has built over the last several years as well as fully digitized state of the art healthcare system under the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs.

Cutting-edge technologies

Pangalos said: This landmark partnership will accelerate the ambitious healthcare transformation already under way in Saudi Arabia. In line with our mission to help build sustainable, more resilient healthcare systems, the agreement seeks to boost capabilities in research and development, and drive innovation. Spanning across rare diseases, oncology and cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases, the collaboration will embrace cutting edge technologies to help to improve the health of millions of people in Saudi Arabia and across the region.

Prof Bandar Al Knawy, CEO of National Guard Health Affairs, said: These agreements will help Saudi Arabia continue its path to becoming a global center of excellence in biotechnology. We are excited to begin delivering on this ambitious partnership, which will enable our health system, and most importantly patients, to benefit from AstraZenecas leading technology and know-how in rare diseases, cancer and more.

Pelin Incesu, Area Vice President, Middle East and Africa, said: Focusing on rare diseases, oncology, and cardiovascular, renal and metabolic health, the agreement signed today addresses some of the most pressing health needs in Saudi Arabia and beyond and advances AstraZenecas mission to build sustainable, more resilient healthcare systems across the world. We are excited to deepen our partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by supporting cutting-edge research and innovation that will improve healthcare outcomes and save lives.-- TradeArabia News Service
The Colorado Supreme Court on Monday agreed to decide whether two Boulder County homeowners may pursue their insurance claim for hail damage, even though they reported it to their insurer 10 days beyond their policy's deadline.

The legal question and facts are virtually identical to another case the court accepted in December out of Denver, Gregory v. Safeco Insurance Company of America. In both instances, a hailstorm damaged the plaintiffs' roofs, but they did not learn about the damage until later, when contractors alerted them.

The homeowners then filed claims with their insurance companies, but outside of the one-year deadline written into their policies. The insurers denied the claims on that basis.

Colorado courts have long held that insurance companies are generally relieved of their obligation to cover a claim if the policyholder gives notice beyond the policy's deadline. However, the Supreme Court has carved out limited exceptions, on the grounds that injured parties should receive compensation and insurers should not incur a windfall based on a technicality.

The resulting "notice-prejudice rule" allows certain late-filed claims to move forward if the delay does not compromise the insurer's ability to investigate or defend against the claim. The Supreme Court will now decide whether to extend the notice-prejudice rule to homeowner policies.

The Supreme Court also directed the government to respond to two petitions from criminal defendants who appealed to the highest court directly, bypassing the Court of Appeals.

In Weld County, authorities arrested Jacob Woodside in September 2021 for driving under the influence. Two months later, he accumulated another drunk driving charge in Grand County. He pleaded guilty to both offenses, but the Grand County case resolved itself before the Weld County case.

Woodside then raised a question unaddressed by Colorado's appellate courts: Should his second chronological offense in Grand County actually constitute a prior conviction, such that his original offense in Weld County is now a second conviction with harsher punishment?

"Under the statute for the DUI sentencing it states that it is a second offense if at the time of sentencing there is a prior conviction," prosecutor Erica White argued during a July 2022 hearing in Weld County Court. "If this would be sentenced as a first offense, then the defendant is getting a windfall basically of being able to have two DUIs in a very short span of time and being able to plead to both of them as first offenses."

Judge John Briggs agreed that the chronologically-first offense was now, due to Woodside's prior guilty plea and conviction in Grand County, a second offense. Woodside then appealed directly to the Supreme Court, arguing the judge effectively increased Woodside's punishment based on conduct occurring after his arrest.

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Briggs "enhanced Mr. Woodsides sentence based on something that had not even happened yet on the date of offense  a subsequent offense that the county court then treated as a prior conviction simply because it proceeded more quickly to sentencing," wrote public defender Andrew Sidley-MacKie.

The Supreme Court asked the government to respond to Woodside's petition by Feb. 22.

In Arapahoe County, the criminal case against Cori Ross Speed has been pending for nearly 3.5 years. He stands accused of stabbing his caretaker multiple times.

Speed, who is developmentally disabled, has undergone multiple evaluations to gauge whether he is competent to stand trial. Nearly every evaluation has deemed him incompetent, meaning his disability prevents him from understanding the criminal proceedings or assisting in his defense.

Under Colorado law, if an evaluator gives the opinion that there is no "substantial probability" an incompetent defendant will be able to stand trial within the "reasonably foreseeable future," the court must hold a hearing about whether a defendant will likely have his competency restored. If the answer is no, the criminal case is dismissed and civil commitment proceedings may begin.

In December 2021, Paul Spragg issued a report after evaluating Speed, finding no substantial probability that Speed would become competent in the foreseeable future. District Court Judge Ben L. Leutwyler responded that he did not have enough information on the issue, so he ordered another evaluation.

Psychologist Elizabeth Donegan then evaluated Speed three times in 2022. On each occasion, she agreed he remained incompetent, but would not offer an opinion about whether Speed could regain his competency in the foreseeable future.

Speed's attorney then asked for the hearing outlined in state law. An evaluator has to give an opinion on the likelihood a defendant will be restored to competency, the defense argued. Because Donegan did not, Leutwyler should rely on the Spragg report, which found no likelihood of restoration.

Leutwyler held a hearing in November, where he disagreed with the defense.

"There are conflicting reports," he noted, ordering the continuation of services to restore Speed to competency.

Speed appealed to the Supreme Court, asking it to direct Leutwyler to hold a hearing based on Spragg's finding of no likely restoration to competency. The court has told the government to respond by Feb. 21.
The Emirates Cardiac Society announces the launch of the first of its kind conference in the GCC, Cardiovascular Disease in Women Conference in Dubai from February 3 to 4.

The conference is launched in cooperation with the Saudi Group of Women Heart (Saudi Heart Association), by a group of experts and specialists to discuss the latest developments and research related to womens heart diseases.

With the participation of specialists from the GCC: UAE, Saudi, Bahrain and Oman and Dr Alaide Chieffo from Italy, the event will take place at the same time as International Womens Heart Disease Awareness Day which is held globally on February 3, 2023.

Awareness campaigns

On the sidelines of the Womens Heart Disease Conference, awareness campaigns will be organised by the society throughout the year, in the shape of several virtual workshops to introduce and raise awareness of heart diseases, and several initiatives across UAE commercial centres and malls, where to measure blood pressure, body mass index, sugar and cholesterol as well as providing health tips and guidance about womens fitness and nutrition.

The CVD In Women Conference committee will include Dr Juwairia Alali, the President of the Emirates Cardiac Society, Vice President Dr Abdullah Shehab and Scientific Committee Chairperson Dr Wael Al-Mahmeed and Head of Congenital and Genetic Heart Disease Working Group of Emirates Cardiac Society Dr Ghadeera Al Mansouri.

Dr Alali said: CVDs are the leading cause of death among women worldwide. However, when comparing men to women with cardiovascular diseases, women strokes are often misdiagnosed or mistreated because their symptoms do not match the known heart diseases recognised by doctors as well due to insufficient awareness among women and society of the symptoms specific to women.

Congenital heart defects

Dr Al-Mansoori said: Congenital heart defects are often diagnosed at birth and with the progress of surgical treatment, the category of adults with congenital heart defects increases.

Dr Shehab said: Over the past decade, we were able to make massive progress in spreading awareness of cardiovascular diseases, as they are the main cause of death among women. There has also become greater awareness of the identification, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiovascular disease. We are keen now to focus on identifying the age stages and their risks of developing cardiovascular disease in women and working to prevent and spread.

Dr Al-Mahmeed said: More research is needed to identify the factors responsible for gender differences that have effects and constitute traditional risk factors, to understand them and work to improve the treatments for cardiovascular diseases.

Al-Mahmeed added: It should also communicate with health sector officials and committees responsible for clinical treatments to design specific interventional treatments according to the patients sex.-- TradeArabia News Service
Elmwood-St. Joseph Municipal Cemetery's History Walk is Saturday, Sept. 30.

A late afternoon History Walk is 4:30 to 6 p.m., with a chili supper from 6 to 7, and an Evening Stroll from 7:30 to 9.

The theme, 150 Years of Serving the Community, highlights people who were instrumental in starting and developing the Elmwood and St. Joseph Cemeteries.

Cost for entire event is $20, or $7 each for the Walk, Chili and Stroll (which includes hot chocolate after the portrayals).

Tickets may be purchased at the event. Advance tickets for the entire event are $20 at the Cemetery office. Children under 10 may attend the Walk and Stroll at no charge when accompanied by a paying parent or guardian, but must have a ticket for supper. Attendees are encouraged to wear comfortable walking shoes.
The multidisciplinary collaboration, for which a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed last week, has the ambitious goal to develop a complete hydrogen value chain for Northern Xplorer AS (NX) first zero-emission cruise ship featuring fuel cells and electric propulsion, as well as making pollution-free hydrogen available to the wider maritime market at a time of urgent pressure to reduce emissions.

The partners comprise zero-emission cruise venture Northern Xplorer AS, hydrogen provider and owner of infrastructure Norwegian Hydrogen AS, high-capacity hydrogen transfer system supplier HYON AS, ship designers Multi Maritime AS, and hydrogen storage system provider Hexagon Purus Maritime AS.

Preparing for zero-carbon era

NX CEO Rolf A Sandvik says using hydrogen as the energy carrier will enable cruise ships to continue to access vulnerable regions such as Norways world heritage fjords, which by government regulation will be closed to ships burning fossil fuels from 2026. Other regions both in Norway and elsewhere will likely follow suit in future.

This is a very exciting project and a milestone in the development of the clean maritime economy as the green shift takes root. We are delighted to be working with strong partners with deep competence in all the touch points required to develop the infrastructure for hydrogen-powered ships of the future, not only cruise but also commercial shipping, he added.

Northern Xplorer has a very exciting concept with a spectacular, sustainable and future-oriented ship design that is truly pleasing to the eye. We are very pleased we have been selected to assist in developing the necessary infrastructure for these ships to run on zero-emission hydrogen when they come into operation, said Norwegian Hydrogen CEO Jens Berge.

Holistic approach

We are excited to be part of a consortium consisting of industry leaders within the hydrogen value chain. Together we cover the full value chain, making this an important milestone in establishing hydrogen infrastructure for the maritime sector. Time is of the essence, added HYON CEO Jrn Kristian Lindtvedt.

This MOU strengthens our existing relationship with NX and expert partners, and facilitates the alignment of technologies between us. We look forward to seeing the first zero-emission cruise ship running on compressed hydrogen, said Hexagon Purus Maritime MD Robert Haugen.

We have been working for three years to create an eye-catching design that will incorporate the latest propulsion technology and vessel systems. Its great to be part of this ground-breaking project and as a collaboration partner we are eager to bring this vessel and the associated hydrogen infrastructure to reality, said Multi Maritime CEO Mikael Johansen.

NX signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Portuguese shipbuilder West Sea for the construction of its maiden vessel with delivery slated for the start of the 2025/2026 cruise season.--TradeArabia News Service
JOHN R. CRANE

Engineered BioPharmaceuticals will invest $6.1 million to expand from its current lab space in the Dan River Business Development Center into its first standalone manufacturing facility at 1 Ecomnets Way, the governors release stated.

This is a great company and were very excited about it, said Neal Morris, chair of the Danville Industrial Development Authority.

The IDA owns the property at 1 Ecomnets Way off Cane Creek Boulevard across from Litehouse Foods. The IDA self-funded the buildings purchase on July 15, 2021, for $925,000, with an end-user in mind.

The new facility will allow for manufacturing of the companys oral pharmaceutical dosing platforms, designed to enhance patient compliance and therapeutic efficacy.

Virginia competed with California, New York and Texas for the project.

Thanks to innovators like Engineered Biopharmaceuticals, our commonwealth is advancing as a hub for cutting-edge technology and research in the life sciences industry, Youngkin said in the news release. The companys start in a Virginia business incubator shines a spotlight on the importance of fostering an environment that supports start-ups and small businesses.

Established in 2011 in the Dan River Business Development Center, Engineered BioPharmaceuticals develops enhanced delivery and shelf-life stability technologies for pharmaceuticals, vaccines, nutraceuticals, food and beverage products.

This [announcement] helps showcase the regions investment in developing a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem, said Danville Economic Development and Tourism Director Corrie T. Bobe.

The company will retain office and manufacturing space at the Dan River Business Development Center, Bobe said.

Through the expansion, Engineered BioPharmaceuticals will be able to commercialize their first therapeutic product based on their research  a plant-based, zero-calorie gummy providing targeted therapy for diabetics, Bobe said.

The average pay for the 34 jobs will be $55,900 annually, she said. The positions will include process engineers, quality engineers and technicians providing support.

The new employees will be hired over a three-year period, Bobe said.

Blair Construction Inc. will perform work at the property including improvements to the parking lot, utilities and landscaping, as well as tenant-specific improvements.

Work is expected to begin soon, with Engineered BioPharmaceuticals expected to move in and begin operating at the end of this year.

Engineered Biopharmaceuticals is a truly unique company that has provided Danville with a totally new segment of industrial jobs, Danville Mayor Alonzo Jones said in the release. On behalf of the citizens of the city of Danville, I congratulate [CEO Carl Sahi] and his team on this milestone moment. We appreciate their confidence and investment in our community, and we look forward to seeing the company grow and thrive for many years to come.

Over the years, the company has focused on developing technology that enhances the delivery and improves the shelf-life stability of their products, Bobe said.

They concentrated on pharmaceuticals and vaccines before expanding into nutraceuticals and food and beverage.

Were just very pleased that we have an industry that has been working locally and that has grown in our region, said Danville City Manager Ken Larking.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the city of Danville and the Southern Virginia Regional Alliance to secure the project for Virginia.

Youngkin approved a $150,000 grant from the Commonwealths Opportunity Fund to assist Danville with the project.

Its a wonderful announcement for us, said Linda Green, executive director of the Southern Virginia Regional Alliance. Its a good depiction of a company that goes from research and development to manufacturing and knows that this is the place to do it.

Green pointed out that the Dan River Region is close to pharmaceutical companies in Raleigh-Durham and Greensboro, North Carolina, and has a legacy of manufacturing.

The company chose to expand in Virginia due to the commonwealths overall business-friendly environment and its preeminent biotechnology presence, Engineered BioPharmaceuticals CEO Carl Sahi said in the news release. We also found Pittsylvania County and the city of Danville to be an ideal location because of their people, their economic development efforts and their support and commitment to workforce development.

Engineered BioPharmaceuticals is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. Funding and services to support the companys employee training activities will be provided through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

It is always exciting when a new company comes to the Dan River Region, as in 2011 when Engineered Biopharmaceuticals Inc. came to our Dan River Business Development Center, Delegate Danny Marshall, R-Danville, said in the news release. It is even better when that company chooses to expand because of business success. We are happy to see Engineered Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. move to a standalone facility, invest more than $6 million, and hire an additional 34 employees. Every job helps our families and our community. We look forward to their continued growth.
GREENSBORO  Police Chief John Thompson will host a series of community meetings from Feb. 20 through March 9, according to a news release from Greensboro police.

Thompson was sworn in as chief on Jan. 10 and is paid $195,000 annually, according to city records. He and other police department personnel will meet with residents to get their input and answer questions at the meetings.

Each meeting will be from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. No RSVP is needed and residents should attend whichever location and date works best for them.

The dates and locations are:

Feb. 20: Barber Park Events Center, 1502 Barber Park Drive.

Feb. 23: Lindley Center, 2907 Springwood Drive.

Feb. 27: Glenn McNairy Library, 4860 Lake Jeannette Road.

March 2: Peeler Center, 1300 Sykes Ave.

March 9: Griffin Center, 5301 Hilltop Road.

Photos: Greensboro police chief sworn in
GREENSBORO  Guilford County is launching a unique program aimed at reducing the cost of responding to 911 calls.

Dubbed the Interagency Medical Provider Assessment and Care Team  also known as IMPACT  it uses EMT-basic providers to respond to calls requiring less intensive care. This would include falls where the person isnt injured but cant get back up on their own, or minor injuries that typically dont require a trip to the emergency room.

The program is the first of its kind in North Carolina and is getting attention from EMS systems nationwide, said Scott Muthersbaugh, a spokesman for Guilford County Emergency Services.

I havent heard of any other program nationwide thats tried this yet, so thats pretty exciting to see that taking off from here, he said.

Because EMT basics  as they are called  are not as highly trained as EMT advanced providers or paramedics, they are paid up to $15,000 less annually, Muthersbaugh said. But he added that EMT basics can easily respond to minor emergencies, where little advanced equipment or procedures are needed, and the vehicles they use, such as pickups or SUVs, consume less gas.

Traditional ambulances are usually staffed by an EMT (basic or advanced) and a paramedic and carry lots of equipment.

Everything we have on the big yellow and white ambulances that you see are incredibly important, but theyre also a huge engine and a big rectangle driving down the road, Muthersbaugh said. So having the miles and the fuel savings of a smaller vehicle helps to  save those costs.

Buying and stocking an IMPACT vehicle also costs 25% less than an ambulance, he said.

Two teams comprised of two basic EMTs will be deployed for around-the-clock coverage once permanent vehicles for the teams are secured, Muthersbaugh said. Because the non-emergency calls generally require less time, the teams will run between 30% and 50% more calls than ambulance crews and constantly move from one call to the next, he said.

And we can see those patients more quickly because if we were triaging them normally, they would kind of be a little further towards the back of the line, Muthersbaugh said.

Patients will be billed the same as an ambulance response, he said, but these costs will vary according to the treatment required, the patients insurance, and if transportation to a hospital is needed.

Emergency Services Manager Justin Hargett and Assistant Medical Director Hannah Muthersbaugh (Scott Muthersbaughs wife) spearheaded the project. They looked at almost 300,000 calls, analyzing them for safety ramifications, interventions performed and the outcome, such as transportation to a hospital. Based on this evaluation, they identified a subset of 39 dispatch codes that likely could be handled by basic EMTs.

The county conducted a pilot program from Sept. 10 through December last year where 911 dispatchers sent the IMPACT crew to respond to those lower-level emergency codes.

In 92% of the cases, the patient did not require transportation to a hospital.

We would absolutely still send an ambulance under normal circumstances, but then thats tying up a pretty high-level resource that is finite and we are trying to save for large-scale calls  cardiac arrest, strokes, something like that, Muthersbaugh said.

Area fire departments also are participating in the program by handling minor calls without the aid of an ambulance.

Theyre now pulling more than 100 calls out of the system a week that they are responding to themselves, Muthersbaugh said.

Collectively, the fire departments and Guilford EMS units have run more than 1,000 IMPACT calls to date.

Fire departments and IMPACT crews always can call for an ambulance if they determine a higher level of care or transportation to a hospital is needed.
Former President Trump kicked off his 2024 campaign on Saturday at the New Hampshire Republican Partys annual meeting and said, "Im more angry now, and Im more committed now than I ever was  though its never a good sign when your opening pitch is, "Im blind with rage."

 Seth Meyers

Trump also warned that if Ron DeSantis runs for president, he would consider it a great act of disloyalty. And, you know, loyalty means everything to the guy who cheated on his third wife with a porn star and thought it might be cool to hang his vice president.

 Jimmy Kimmel

This is the (Kansas City) Chiefs third Super Bowl appearance in the last four years. Even Tom Brady is like, "Hey, give someone else a chance."

 Jimmy Fallon

This is interesting: Travis Kelce is going to be playing against his brother in the Super Bowl. His older brother, Jason, plays center for the Eagles. Its the first time two brothers have ever competed in the Super Bowl against each other, which ... the thehas got to be tough for their parents. I mean, no matter who wins, theyve gotta take them both to Disneyland, right?

 Jimmy Kimmel

Its already a history-making game because Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce will become the first brothers to face off against each other in a Super Bowl. But not the first time family members have played each other. Who can forget the dramatic playoffs matchup between Joe and Hannah Montana?

 Stephen Colbert

This is really high stakes because theyre playing for who gets the top bunk.

 James Corden

Maybe this is how Prince William and Prince Harry should sort out their issues.

 James Corden
The attacks of the Turkish occupation state and its mercenaries on northern and eastern Syria showed the extent of their brutality in committing crimes against the people of the region and women in particular, amidst international silence.

During their occupation attack on Afrin on January 20, 2018, the army of the Turkish occupation state and its mercenaries committed a brutal crime against the female fighter in the Women's Protection Units (YPJ), Barin Kobani, who appeared with her comrades among the fighters in the People's and Women's Protection Units (YPG-YPJ) and the people of Afrin; unparalleled heroic resistance.

After her martyrdom, the body of the fighter Barin fell into the hands of the occupation army and its mercenaries in Bulbulah district, on February 1, 2018, when the mercenaries mutilated her body, to fulfill a saying she had always said, namely: "These mercenaries are against humanity."

On the fifth anniversary of the martyrdom of the fighter Barin Kobani, the administrator of the Human Rights Organization in Jazira region, Avin Jumaa, confirmed that the "heinous crime" that was committed against Barin Kobani, is considered a war crime according to international humanitarian law, and she said: "Many human rights organizations have condemned the crime, and it has been monitored and documented in a special file."

Avin stressed that the perpetrators of these crimes must be held accountable before international courts, "as a war crime committed during the occupation attack on Afrin, with the aim of terrorizing civilians. This is also another crime that caused the forced displacement of the indigenous population, so it requires accountability before international courts."

When asked about filing any lawsuit against the Turkish occupation state and its mercenaries regarding the case of the martyr Barin Kobani, Avin explained, "We tried more than once to file a lawsuit before the Turkish courts, because filing it before the Human Rights Court must pass through the local courts first; but it did not. It was not possible to file such lawsuits in Turkey, not even inside Syria," explaining, "Turkey is not bound by the International Criminal Court Convention."

It also indicated that there are obstacles; It hinders filing lawsuits against the Turkish occupation state.

According to Avin, the organization is looking for other mechanisms to file a lawsuit, as "the legal study is being conducted to find different ways."

With regard to the role of women's organizations in such cases and files, Avin indicated that simply denouncing such a crime "is not enough," and said that: "it is necessary to initiate a lawsuit before the Human Rights Court and international courts in order to demand the prosecution of the perpetrators of this crime, noting that the perpetrators filmed themselves directly with the body while mutilating it.

The fighter Barin Kobani, her real name (Amina Omar), opened her eyes to life in 1988 in the village of Qaar Kalbin in Aleppo of a patriotic family of 5 sisters and 3 brothers. In 2014, she joined the Women's Protection Units, to be martyred during the first phase of the Resistance of the Age in Afrin.

It is worth noting that the martyr Barin Kobani is not the first to be represented by the Turkish occupation, as the same crime was committed against the former Secretary-General of the Future Syria Party, the martyr Hevrin Khalaf, in October 2019.

Turkey's mercenaries also mutilated the body of the female fighter in the Women's Protection Units, Amara Renas, who was martyred on October 21, 2019 in the village of Al-Jalabiya in the countryside of Kobani, while carrying out her duty to defend her homeland against the Turkish occupation.

A

ANHA
A bill introduced Tuesday would give the Republican-led Legislature more power in the judicial complaint process, a recommendation that emerged from a special committee formed last session to investigate the judicial branch two years ago.

Republican lawmakers in their interbranch dispute with the judicial branch in 2021 raised several concerns with the Judicial Standards Commission, the body authorized by the constitution to hear and investigate complaints against judges. Nearly all complaints are dismissed, and a majority of the members are appointed by members of the judiciary. That math stokes GOP suspicions that the five-member commission is covering for the judiciary.

Judges have pushed back, contending the vast majority of complaints are from people who disagree with a way a judge ruled, a matter to be addressed in the appeals courts, rather than alleging a violation of the Code of Judicial Conduct. Critics have warned that politicizing the Judicial Standards Commission would kneecap the nonpartisan integrity of the courts.

The commission's current makeup includes two district court judges elected to the body by their peers, an attorney appointed by the Montana Supreme Court, and two non-attorney citizens appointed by the governor.

House Bill 326, sponsored by Rep. Kerri Seekins-Crowe, a Billings Republican, would see the two district court judges appointed by a committee assembled by the speaker of the House and give appointment power of the attorney member to the state attorney general. The Montana Constitution states the Legislature "shall" devise the appointment power of the commission's composition.

Seekins-Crowe told the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday the bill would empower the other branches as a check on the judiciary. Judges have exercised their check on the Legislature, she noted, by striking down several bills passed in the last session.

"I'm providing a way for us to have a place where these complaints can land, a place where they will be heard at least and not just dismissed," Seekins-Crowe told the committee. "... Our job is to hold one another accountable, as we see over and over again the judiciary does when we have bills that they believe are unconstitutional."

Seekins-Crowe also noted the commission would likely not deliver partisan decisions because any substantiated complaint is taken up by the Supreme Court for the final decision on discipline.

Bruce Spencer, representing the Montana Judges Association, reminded the committee that a forthcoming audit report on the Judicial Standards Commission, proposed last session by Rep. Bill Mercer, a Billings Republican and former U.S. district attorney for Montana, would shed more light on the reasons so many complaints are dismissed. He also noted two former Republican lawmakers are awaiting confirmation to the commission, appointments the judicial branch supported as a measure of transparency.

"I don't think you're acting on facts and you haven't had a chance to get the facts," Spencer testified. "If you compare Montana to almost every other jurisdiction in the nation, not just our area, it's about the same; the overwhelming majority of judicial complaints get dismissed because the complaints are about the decision issued by the judge. They aren't about judicial standards which is, the judge was drunk at 9 a.m., the judge has a serious mental impairment, the judge has acted inappropriately and discriminated in the courtroom."

The Montana Bar Association also testified against the bill. No one spoke in support of it and the committee did not vote to approve or stall the bill during Tuesday's hearing.

The Judicial Standards Commission was a focus of the Select Commission on Judicial Accountability and Transparency formed at the height of the confrontation with the judicial branch in 2021. Another legislative recommendation in that committee's final report finalized in December included codifying the Judicial Code of Conduct and giving more "guidance" to the Judicial Standards Commission. As of Tuesday, no such bill had been introduced.
Landowners have until March 15 to submit applications to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks for enrollment in the Unlocking Public Lands Program or the Public Access Land Agreement Program.

These programs are designed to provide recreational public access to state (Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation) or federal (Bureau of Land Management or Forest Service) land where no or limited legal public access currently exists.

For enrollment in UPL, landowners will receive a tax credit in the amount of $750 per agreement and up to a maximum of $3,000 in tax credits in exchange for allowing access across the private lands, roads or trails to reach inaccessible public land. Landowners must hold the public land lease and decide how the public may cross their private property for all recreations.

For enrollment in PALA, landowners will receive monetary compensation, including possible infrastructure reimbursements (e.g., gravel, culverts, cattle guards, etc.) to facilitate public access to inaccessible public lands. Landowners must hold the public land lease. Compensation amounts vary based on a variety of factors, with one landowner possibly holding multiple agreements. The governor-appointed Private Land/Public Wildlife Advisory Committee will review completed applications and make a recommendation to the FWP director on whether to extend an agreement.

Offering a tax credit or payment in exchange for public access to inaccessible public land is a unique and innovative way to respect private property rights and increase public access, said Jason Kool, FWP hunting access program manager.

While Montana contains millions of acres of public land, much of this land is inaccessible to the public and requires landowner permission for access.

More information about these two programs, including enrollment criteria, application forms, and fact sheets describing these FWP public access programs, can be found at: fwp.mt.gov/landowner.
Yokogawa Electric Corporation has made a $10 million Series B investment in Ideation3X Pte Ltd (i3X), a Singapore-based venture company that is targeting the rapidly expanding integrated solid waste management (ISWM) sector in India.

i3X adopts a process that takes a circular economy approach. The two companies have also signed a business collaboration agreement. With this investment in the high-growth ISWM field, Yokogawa aims to develop its business in the Indian market.

Founded in 2017, i3X has been backed since its inception by Unison Capital Group, a Japanese private equity firm. i3X possesses unique know-how in the ISWM field, such as technology for producing high-quality alternative fuels from waste.

Highly evaluated

In addition, due to Unison Capitals support, the companys ESG management has been highly evaluated and is one of the factors for it being entrusted with waste treatment projects in three Indian cities, including New Delhi.

In India, the Modi government is promoting the Clean India Mission to improve the environment in cities throughout the country. One of its goals is to hygienically treat all the waste in the approximately 3,000 landfills that currently exist across the country by 2030, and at the same time establish a waste disposal model based on circular economy principles.

This initiative is attracting a lot of attention due to the immense social impact that it can have and its importance in countering global warming. As it is rolled out, it is expected to generate demand not only for conventional waste disposal facilities, but also plants that produce alternative fuels from waste and small-scale thermal power plants that generate electricity from these alternative fuels.

Subsidiary

Yokogawa established a local subsidiary in the Indian market in 1987 and has since been delivering control systems for plants in the energy industry, monitoring systems for water supply and wastewater networks, and other industrial products and solutions. The company also has significant experience in providing control systems for waste-to-energy plants around the world.

Through this investment in i3X, Yokogawa will be able to contribute to the formation of a circular economy based ISWM framework that is appropriate for the Indian market, and make full use of its measurement and control technologies to support the achievement of the Clean India Mission. While providing technical support for the development of i3X's business, Yokogawa will also look to expand its engagement in this sector by undertaking the formation of a consortium with related organisations and companies.

Tsuyoshi Abe, a Yokogawa senior vice president and head of the Marketing Headquarters, commented, Yokogawa has been investing strategically to develop business opportunities in the growing Indian market. This investment enables us to bring together Ideation3Xs knowhow, the ecosystem that will form around its business, and Yokogawas technology and experience. I feel confident that we will be able to expand our business while helping to address one of Indias most serious social issues.

Responsibilities

According to the United Nations and other sources, the world population continues to increase at a rate of 140 people per minute. In addition, the average life expectancy is getting longer, and we must be prepared for the increased burden on the global environmental as we approach the age of 10 billion people and 100-year lifespans. By utilising our ability to measure and connect, we aim to fulfil our responsibilities for the future of our planet.-- TradeArabia News Service
Submissions are being taken for the 14th annual Picture Wild Montana photo contest, with prizes offered for the best photos taken on public lands across the state.

Participants are encouraged to submit their best photos of wild public lands and waters in Montana, photos that can also include memorable moments in those places, such as hiking in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, fly fishing on the Smith River, elk hunting in the Charles Russell National Wildlife Refuge, and countless other experiences.

Since 2009, amateur and professional photographers from across the state have participated in the contest organized by Wild Montana and the Wild Montana Action Fund. Last year, Wild Montana received hundreds of submissions, each highlighting the beauty and wildness found in Montana.

These photos demonstrate and celebrate our love of wild public lands in Montana and the power those lands have to bring us together," said Ben Gabriel, executive director of Wild Montana and Wild Montana Action Fund.

This year, photographers are invited to submit their photos at wildmontana.org/photocontest any time between 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 1, and 11:59 p.m., on Sunday, March 12. Contestants may submit up to 10 photos but must submit each image individually.

Judges will choose first-, second-, and third-place winners, with prizes awarded for each. Judges include Luke Duran, art director at Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Montana Outdoors magazine, and Chris Sawicki, creative services manager at Wild Montana and Wild Montana Action Fund.

The 14th annual Picture Wild Montana photo contest is sponsored by Mystery Ranch, Patagonia and Oboz Footwear. The first-place winner will receive a $300 Visa gift card and merchandise from sponsors. Prizes also include Mystery Ranch and Patagonia packs, Oboz Footwear gift certificates, and a complimentary yearlong Wild Montana membership. Find a full list of prizes at wildmontana.org/photocontest.

Following the contest period, Benefis Hospital in Great Falls will display photos from finalists throughout their facilities in an effort to help comfort patients and guests.

Wild Montana and Wild Montana Action fund will announce winners in March.

Participants can find complete contest rules at wildmontana.org/photocontest. For more information, email Wild Montanas digital communications manager, Keely Kiewiet, at kkiewiet@wildmontana.org.
Responding to guest column by James C. Nelson (IR Jan. 31) falsely claiming that assisted suicide is peaceful and it is free if abuse.

March 1 is Disability Day of mourning for those that have been killed by care givers and relatives.

Our Montana Supreme Court vacated the lower courts claim that assisted suicide is a constitutional right. Rightly so since no state or the federal court has ever made this claim.

Unfortunately, they could not help themselves from attempting to legislate from the bench by declaring that consent could be a defense if one is charged with assisting a suicide, which remains a homicide in Montana. This is in direct conflict with our public policy discouraging suicide.

This represents a carve out for the medical industrial complex that is unnecessary. It is well known that children, teenagers, adults and the medical industrial complex all need boundaries. My doctor, when asked about assisted suicide, said simply In his entire career it only came up once and that was from a relative of the patient. It is unnecessary.

We must put boundaries on the medical industrial complex to protect our individual rights from easy abuse. Abuse is publicly demonstrated by Colorado killing people with anorexia and by removing so called safeguards after legalizing euthanasia. We know less about private abuse because all of the Oregon type death acts prohibit investigations and require the death certificates to be falsified. The system creates the perfect crime. Dont be fooled: What opponents call aid in dying is aiding someone to kill themselves.

Canada is moving to kill people that are homeless with no terminal condition. Apparently being deemed "not worthy of life" puts us all on the fast track to be eliminated. Sounds harsh? That is the foundation of the eugenic religion. Legalized assisted suicide is just one facet of eugenics.

Please Do Pass SB 210 and stop the spread of eugenic policies in Montana.

Bradley Williams, president of Montanans Against Assisted Suicide,

Hamilton
DECATUR  A 13-year-old is dead and a 16-year-old in custody following a shooting Monday night.

According to a Decatur Police Department news release, officers were called to a residence on 4th Drive at 10:47 p.m. to reports of a juvenile with an apparent gunshot wound.

The 13-year-old juvenile was transported via ambulance to Decatur Memorial Hospital and later died from the injury, the release said.

Detectives processed the scene and interviewed witnesses. A shell casing and firearm were located at the residence, the release said.

As a result of the investigation, probable cause was established to arrest a 16-year-old juvenile for involuntary manslaughter, the release said. The 16-year-old is being detained at the Peoria County Juvenile Detention Center.

The victim, while not identified by officials, was a student at American Dreamer STEM Academy in Decatur.

Decatur School District spokeswoman Denise Swarthout confirmed the district communicated the news of the untimely death of one of our students that occurred late last night to families of students at the school.

The communication noted there would be additional support at the school on Tuesday, and that we will continue to have supports for students available as long as its needed.

Police said the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Decatur Police Departments Criminal Investigations Division at 217-424-2734 or Crimestoppers at 217-423-8477.

Updated mugshots from the Herald & Review Joseph A. Williams William A. Hosea Randolph Hayes Byron D. Theus Jetrevius O. Jarrett Phillip Gehrken Emmanuel White Aaron L. Hand
The Senate Agriculture Committee today officially opens its Farm Bill effort with a hearing on the Trade and Horticulture Titles of the Farm Bill.

There will be other hearings during February, with the process culminating March 1 with hearings on Conservation and Forestry Titles.

For a legislative body such as the Senate, that is a significant effort toward approval of a comprehensive Farm Bill by the end of September, when the current 2018 legislation expires. Chair Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, and ranking minority member John Boozman, R-Arkansas, have worked well together for the past two years and seem to be in lock step over the process and procedure.

The House Agriculture Committee, well, that may be another story.

The House Agriculture Committee is trying to organize and at last report did not yet have subcommittee members named. The new chairman, Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pennsylvania, invited several Republican members to listen to farmers attending a Pennsylvania farm show a couple weeks ago, but there were no reports of significant issues raised. Most of the attendees said it was good to hear from farmers.

The challenge between now and Sept. 30 will likely be in the House of Representatives. Most observers have estimated that the 10-year cost of the Farm Bill will be $1.3 to $1.5 trillion. Since federal budgeting is done in 10-year increments, the cost is much higher than what one year budgets might be. But keep in mind that about 80% of the Farm Bill is consumed by spending for school nutrition programs, WIC, and the SNAP food stamp program. Conservation, farm programs, rural development, crop insurance, and ag research make up the other 20%.

Given the intentions of Chairman Thompson to have a Farm Bill on the floor of the House in July for consideration prior to the August recess, there is little likelihood of any agreement, even within the Republican conference about what the legislation should contain.

Republicans typically target food and nutrition programs to be reduced and with the higher cost of food now compared to 2018, there will likely be a knock-down, drag-out fight. There have already been reports in the news about food pantries planning for cuts in what they will be able to acquire for distribution.

One Washington staffer close to the matter said there are great concerns about approval of a Farm Bill because of opposition of the Freedom Caucus in the Republican majority. He indicated that the 2023 Farm Bill, even if it can be passed this year, will have a slim margin of approval in the House.

The critical element will be the food and nutrition spending. Urban members of Congress will not vote for farm legislation without benefits for their constituents. And if Freedom Caucus members, most from rural areas, oppose spending on nutrition programs, it will be difficult to get approval of a new Farm Bill.

Many farm-oriented folks around Congress are giving it little chance for approval in this calendar year. The politics are not friendly.

Photos: Notable Deaths in 2023 Lisa Marie Presley Jeff Beck Lynette Hardaway ("Diamond") Robbie Knievel Gina Lollobrigida Adam Rich Charles White Sister Andre Tatjana Patitz Russell Banks Cardinal George Pell Ken Block Walter Cunningham Anton Walkes David Crosby Billy Packer Annie Wersching Barrett Strong Lloyd Morrisett Bobby Hull Cindy Williams Charles Kimbrough Burt Bacharach David Jude Jolicoeur Dave Hollis Raquel Welch Stella Stevens Richard Belzer Tim McCarver
DECATUR  A new pilot program will fund a community liaison to address gaps in services to the population who is homeless.

Thanks to an anonymous donation from a couple who has a particular interest in helping that population, the $150,000 will be spread over two years. The project has been in the works for a few months, said Mary Garrison, president and CEO of Heritage Behavioral Health Center.

When I started my role at Heritage, Natalie Beck from the Community Foundation (of Macon County) reached out and said How can we support you? Garrison said. I began to talk with my colleagues at the Continuum of Care, Darsonya Switzer and our consultant, Fred Spannaus, and began thinking about what the continuum might benefit from.

Agencies already operating, such as Dove Inc., Heritage, The Salvation Army and Empowerment Opportunity Center, offer a variety of services and outreach to people in need, but what is missing, Garrison said, is a way to ensure that people who are homeless or have mental illness or substance abuse know where to get the exact services they need.

The liaison will have a home base at the Decatur Public Library, with rotating office hours at the various other agencies, but his or her time will largely be spent in the community, forming relationships, gaining trust, connecting people with needs to the places that can fulfill them. The liaison will also work with businesses and community members who want to do something to help but dont know how, she said.

Theyre looking for someone with a bachelors degree in social work, human services or a related field, experience working with people experiencing homelessness and/or living with mental health and substance abuse disorders and working with diverse populations who can build strong relationships based on on respect and compassion, she said.

Applicants can submit a resume to Darsonya Switzer at dswitzer@doveinc.org.

I believe its something that we have kind of been missing in the Continuum of Care, Switzer said. We have, in the past, had a position kind of similar or a couple of positions that were similar that worked with the agencies to kind of close some gaps and we kind of lost traction with that. Bringing it back will help us to meet people where they are and also the community can be involved at a higher level than they have been.

Close PHOTO BY JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Retired shelter supervisor Patty Plato reacts at the surprise unveiling of a sign revealing the newly renovated Dove, Inc. domestic violence shelter kitchen is named after her during an event celebrating improvements made to the shelter Tuesday afternoon. PHOTO BY JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW A surprise unveiling of a sign reveals that the newly renovated Dove, Inc. domestic violence shelter kitchen is named after retired shelter supervisor Patty Plato during an event celebrating improvements made to the shelter Tuesday November 11, 2016. PHOTO BY JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Retired shelter supervisor Patty Plato reacts at the surprise unveiling of a sign revealing the newly renovated Dove, Inc. domestic violence shelter kitchen is named after her during an event celebrating improvements made to the shelter Tuesday afternoon. PHOTO BY JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Retired shelter supervisor Patty Plato and David Ozier of Lowe's Heroes look over the newly renovated Dove, Inc. domestic violence shelter kitchen during an event celebrating improvements made to the shelter Tuesday afternoon. PHOTO BY JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Members of Lowes Heroes take a group photo near a new cabinet unit they donated to the dining area during an event commemorating improvements at the Dove, Inc. domestic violence shelter Tuesday afternoon. PHOTO BY JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Dove Inc., Homeward bound employees Kim Fickes, left, and Denise Jones look over a newly painted and carpeted bedroom during an event celebrating improvements at the Dove, Inc. domestic violence shelter Tuesday afternoon. PHOTO BY JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW A newly painted and carpeted shelter bedroom is pictured at the Dove, Inc. domestic violence shelter Tuesday November 1, 2016. PHOTO BY JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Members of Lowe's Heros meet in a room with new carpet during an event celebrating improvements at the Dove, Inc. domestic violence shelter Tuesday afternoon. PHOTO BY JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW New ground covering on the playground was among recent improvements made at the Dove, Inc. domestic violence shelter. PHOTO BY JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Attendees visit in the dining area during an event celebrating improvements at the Dove, Inc. domestic violence shelter Tuesday afternoon. PHOTOS: Dove Inc. Celebrates Shelter Improvements PHOTO BY JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Retired shelter supervisor Patty Plato reacts at the surprise unveiling of a sign revealing the newly renovated Dove, Inc. domestic violence shelter kitchen is named after her during an event celebrating improvements made to the shelter Tuesday afternoon. PHOTO BY JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW A surprise unveiling of a sign reveals that the newly renovated Dove, Inc. domestic violence shelter kitchen is named after retired shelter supervisor Patty Plato during an event celebrating improvements made to the shelter Tuesday November 11, 2016. PHOTO BY JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Retired shelter supervisor Patty Plato reacts at the surprise unveiling of a sign revealing the newly renovated Dove, Inc. domestic violence shelter kitchen is named after her during an event celebrating improvements made to the shelter Tuesday afternoon. PHOTO BY JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Retired shelter supervisor Patty Plato and David Ozier of Lowe's Heroes look over the newly renovated Dove, Inc. domestic violence shelter kitchen during an event celebrating improvements made to the shelter Tuesday afternoon. PHOTO BY JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Members of Lowes Heroes take a group photo near a new cabinet unit they donated to the dining area during an event commemorating improvements at the Dove, Inc. domestic violence shelter Tuesday afternoon. PHOTO BY JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Dove Inc., Homeward bound employees Kim Fickes, left, and Denise Jones look over a newly painted and carpeted bedroom during an event celebrating improvements at the Dove, Inc. domestic violence shelter Tuesday afternoon. PHOTO BY JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW A newly painted and carpeted shelter bedroom is pictured at the Dove, Inc. domestic violence shelter Tuesday November 1, 2016. PHOTO BY JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Members of Lowe's Heros meet in a room with new carpet during an event celebrating improvements at the Dove, Inc. domestic violence shelter Tuesday afternoon. PHOTO BY JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW New ground covering on the playground was among recent improvements made at the Dove, Inc. domestic violence shelter. PHOTO BY JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Attendees visit in the dining area during an event celebrating improvements at the Dove, Inc. domestic violence shelter Tuesday afternoon.
DECATUR  Black History Month highlights various facets of African American culture and history, but also provides hope for a future.

Were making sure our children understand you are important, you are valuable, said Greater Decatur Black Chamber of Commerce President Tamarra Fuller. You should want to feel like you are a human.

While there are a host of community events scheduled throughout the February, a handful of related activities started in January, including the free showing of the movie Till. The movie is based on the true story of 14-year-old Emmett Till, who was brutally murdered while visiting family in Mississippi in 1955.

Emmett Tills story is exactly what Martin Luther King fought about, Fuller said. We wanted to basically show the past and how we fought as a community to get some of these equalities within the United States.

The free showing was held at The Inc. Spot, an incubator operated by the Black Chamber that encourages and supports minority-owned businesses.

The Black Chamber will celebrate local trailblazers during its Black History Gala on Feb. 18 at the Decatur Conference Center and Hotel. Tickets are $50. For more information, go to the Chambers Facebook page.

The African American Cultural and Genealogical Society, located at 235 W. Eldorado St., Decatur, will focus its February activities around the central theme To educate the public on Black History.

Several of the free public events provide insights from the past and into the future.

This is why we have the theme, to educate the public, said Executive Director Evelyn Hood. They really shouldnt wait until February, but thats OK.

The struggles and contributions are important in discussing the history of America, Hood said. Our history is so interesting, she said.

The African American Cultural and Genealogical Society will present a free showing of the PBS documentary Eyes on the Prize on Feb. 25. The movie depicts portions of the Civil Rights movement.

Throughout February, the Decatur Area Arts Center will exhibit Storytellers: a Celebration of Black Artists.

Back at the Inc. Spot, the hallway walls are lined with photos featuring African American history. The project was created after a child asked who was in one of the pictures.

A picture of President Barack Obama in our hallway at the Inc. Spot caused us to have over 40 pictures, said the Black Chambers Anthony Corey Walker. It was important with him being the first.

Walker understands the importance of someones role as a trailblazer.

His uncle, Roger Walker Jr., was the first African American sheriff in Illinois.

Being the first gives us the opportunity to dare to be different, to dream bigger, Walker said. I understood the hurdles and the challenges, but I was a believer.

Transferring the stories throughout the generations is important, according to Fuller and Walker.

It shows how far weve come, Fuller said. When we stop telling our stories, we lose who we are as a people. We know where we came from and where we need to be going.

According to the organizers of the Till showing in Decatur, the country is involved in many of the same struggles depicted in the movie. Were not too far removed from 1955, Walker said.

In the movie, Tills mother explains the rules needed to protect himself.

#TogetherDecatur Do you know a person or of a story that exemplifies the best of Decatur? Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983 or dbeckett@herald-review.com.

Im still telling my kids today about the dos-and-donts when encountering law enforcement, Walker said.

The conversations continue to be a difficult step. We want no one to get complacent, Fuller said. Were still working towards equality, that everyones life is of value.

Walkers uncle created his own saying while he had the communitys attention as sheriff. Everybody should have the opportunity to be somebody, his nephew quotes.

Local events during Black History Month focus on honoring those who have forged a path for the next generations. But teachable moments are all around, and not just during February, Walker and Fuller said.

Because Black History Month for us is every day, Walker said. Im Black everyday.

Black history from the year you were born Black history from the year you were born 1919: Oscar Micheaux produces 'The Homesteader' 1920: Zeta Phi Beta is established at Howard University 1921: 'Shuffle Along' becomes the first major African American musical on Broadway 1922: Abolitionist Frederick Douglass' home becomes a national museum 1923: Jean Toomer's 'Cane' is published 1924: National Bar Association founded 1925: A. Philip Randolph and Milton P. Webster create the BSCP 1926: Negro History Week is formed 1927: Floyd Joseph Calvin hosts the first Black radio show 1928: First African American elected to Congress 1929: Negro Experimental Theatre established 1930: Howard University Gallery of Art is established 1931: Scottsboro boys are falsely convicted 1932: 'Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male' begins 1933: Dr. Carter G. Woodson's 'The Mis-Education of the Negro' is published 1934: Maggie Lena Walker dies 1935: National Council of Negro Women is created 1936: Jesse Owens wins four gold medals at the Berlin Games 1937: 'Their Eyes Were Watching God' is published 1938: Artist Jacob Lawrence shows his first exhibition 1939: Marian Anderson sings at Lincoln Memorial 1940: Hattie McDaniel wins an Academy Award 1941: National Negro Opera Company is created 1942: Hugh Mulzac becomes the first African American captain to command an integrated crew 1943: Detroit Race Riots 1944: United Negro College Fund is created 1945: Ebony magazine debuts 1946: Morgan v. Virginia invalidates separate but equal on interstate bus transport 1947: 16 men embark on the 'Journey of Reconciliation' 1948: Desegregation of the U.S. Armed Forces 1949: First Black-owned radio station 1950: Gregory Swanson is admitted to the University of Virginia Law School 1951: 'We Charge Genocide' petition is presented to the United Nations 1952: Cora Brown becomes Michigan's first Black woman elected to state senator 1953: Ralph Ellison wins the National Book Award for 'Invisible Man' 1954: Davis et al. v. the St. Louis Housing Authority ends racial discrimination in St. Louis Housing Authority 1955: Read's Drug Store sit-ins 1956: 'The Nat King Cole Show' challenges racial lines on TV 1957: Civil Rights Act of 1957 1958: Willie O'Ree is the first Black player in the National Hockey League 1959: Motown Records is founded 1960: Ruby Bridges integrates Louisiana schools 1961: Whitney Young Jr. is appointed executive director of the National Urban League 1962: James Meredith integrates Ole Miss campus 1963: 'Letters from a Birmingham Jail' published 1964: Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party established 1965: Malcolm X assassinated 1966: Stokely Carmichael promotes 'Black power' 1967: Loving v. Virginia strikes down interracial marriage ban in Virginia 1968: 'Julia,' starring Diahann Carroll, hits TV screens 1969: UNC food workers go on strike 1970: Gail Fisher wins a Primetime Emmy 1971: Congressional Black Caucus is formed 1972: Shirley Chisholm runs for president 1973: Combahee River Collective is created 1974: Henry Hank Aaron hits his 715th home run 1975: John Hope Franklin is selected as president of the Organization of American Historians 1976: Barbara Jordan delivers keynote address at Democratic National Convention 1977: Andrew Jackson Young Jr. becomes ambassador to the United Nations 1978: Muhammad Ali wins heavyweight boxing title for the third time 1979: Assata Shakur goes on the run 1980: Robert L. Johnson launches BET 1981: Mumia Abu-Jamal is arrested 1982: Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' is released 1983: Vanessa Williams is crowned Miss America 1984: Jesse Jackson runs for president 1985: MOVE Black Liberation House is bombed 1986: Oprah Winfrey launches her talk show 1987: Dr. Ben Carson separates conjoined twins 1988: The film 'Mississippi Burning' is released 1989: Colin Powell becomes chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 1990: Lawrence Douglas Wilder becomes first elected African American governor 1991: Julie Dash's 'Daughters of the Dust' is released 1992: Rodney King beating ignites the L.A. Riots 1993: Toni Morrison wins Nobel Prize for 'Beloved' 1994: Nas' debut album 'Illmatic' is released 1995: Million Man March is held in Washington D.C. 1996: 'Moesha' premieres 1997: Tiger Woods wins his first major 1998: 'The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer' is canceled after the first episode 1999: Serena Williams wins U.S. Open 2000: Venus Williams wins Women's Singles at Wimbledon 2001: The Rev. Wilton D. Gregory becomes president of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops 2002: Halle Berry wins Academy Award for 'Monster's Ball' 2003: Dennis W. Archer becomes the president of the American Bar Association 2004: Phylicia Rashad wins a Tony for Best Lead Actress in a play 2005: Condoleezza Rice becomes U.S. secretary of state 2006: Soulja Boy records 'Crank That'l 2007: Barbara Hillary goes to the North Pole 2008: Barack Obama becomes president of the United States 2009: Disney's first Black princess premieres 2010: Dustin Byfuglien wins Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks 2011: Charles E. Samuels Jr. becomes director of Federal Bureau of Prisons 2012: Fred Luter Jr. is elected the president of the Southern Baptist Convention 2013: Cheryl Boone Isaacs is elected president of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 2014: Ava DuVernay earns a Golden Globe nomination 2015: Bree Newsome brings down the flag 2016: Carla Hayden becomes librarian of Congress 2017: Tiffany Haddish hosts Saturday Night Live 2018: Stacey Abrams runs for governor of Georgia 2019: Black Panther produces two milestones 2020: Black Lives Matter/George Floyd Protests 2021: Kamala Harris sworn in as VP Black history from the year you were born 1919: Oscar Micheaux produces 'The Homesteader' 1920: Zeta Phi Beta is established at Howard University 1921: 'Shuffle Along' becomes the first major African American musical on Broadway 1922: Abolitionist Frederick Douglass' home becomes a national museum 1923: Jean Toomer's 'Cane' is published 1924: National Bar Association founded 1925: A. Philip Randolph and Milton P. Webster create the BSCP 1926: Negro History Week is formed 1927: Floyd Joseph Calvin hosts the first Black radio show 1928: First African American elected to Congress 1929: Negro Experimental Theatre established 1930: Howard University Gallery of Art is established 1931: Scottsboro boys are falsely convicted 1932: 'Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male' begins 1933: Dr. Carter G. Woodson's 'The Mis-Education of the Negro' is published 1934: Maggie Lena Walker dies 1935: National Council of Negro Women is created 1936: Jesse Owens wins four gold medals at the Berlin Games 1937: 'Their Eyes Were Watching God' is published 1938: Artist Jacob Lawrence shows his first exhibition 1939: Marian Anderson sings at Lincoln Memorial 1940: Hattie McDaniel wins an Academy Award 1941: National Negro Opera Company is created 1942: Hugh Mulzac becomes the first African American captain to command an integrated crew 1943: Detroit Race Riots 1944: United Negro College Fund is created 1945: Ebony magazine debuts 1946: Morgan v. Virginia invalidates separate but equal on interstate bus transport 1947: 16 men embark on the 'Journey of Reconciliation' 1948: Desegregation of the US Armed Forces 1949: First Black-owned radio station 1950: Gregory Swanson is admitted to the University of Virginia Law School 1951: 'We Charge Genocide' petition is presented to the United Nations 1952: Cora Brown becomes Michigan's first Black woman elected to state senator 1953: Ralph Ellison wins the National Book Award for 'Invisible Man' 1954: Davis et al. v. the St. Louis Housing Authority ends racial discrimination in St. Louis Housing Authority 1955: Read's Drug Store sit-ins 1956: 'The Nat King Cole Show' challenges racial lines on TV 1957: Civil Rights Act of 1957 1958: Willie O'Ree is the first Black player in the National Hockey League 1959: Motown Records is founded 1960: Ruby Bridges integrates Louisiana schools 1961: Whitney Young Jr. is appointed executive director of the National Urban League 1962: James Meredith integrates Ole Miss campus 1963: 'Letters from a Birmingham Jail' is published 1964: Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party is established 1965: Malcolm X assassinated 1966: Stokely Carmichael promotes 'Black power' 1967: Loving v. Virginia strikes down interracial marriage ban in Virginia 1968: 'Julia,' starring Diahann Carroll, hits TV screens 1969: UNC food workers go on strike 1970: Gail Fisher wins a Primetime Emmy 1971: Congressional Black Caucus is formed 1972: Shirley Chisholm runs for president 1973: Combahee River Collective is created 1974: Henry Hank Aaron hits his 715th home run 1975: John Hope Franklin is selected as president of the Organization of American Historians 1976: Barbara Jordan delivers keynote address at Democratic National Convention 1977: Andrew Jackson Young Jr. becomes ambassador to the United Nations 1978: Muhammad Ali wins heavyweight boxing title for the third time 1979: Assata Shakur goes on the run 1980: Robert L. Johnson launches BET 1981: Mumia Abu-Jamal is arrested 1982: Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' is released 1983: Vanessa Williams is crowned Miss America 1984: Jesse Jackson runs for president 1985: MOVE Black Liberation House is bombed 1986: Oprah Winfrey launches her talk show 1987: Dr. Ben Carson separates conjoined twins 1988: The film 'Mississippi Burning' is released 1989: Colin Powell becomes chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 1990: Lawrence Douglas Wilder becomes first elected African American governor 1991: Julie Dash's 'Daughters of the Dust' is released 1992: Rodney King beating ignites the LA Riots 1993: Toni Morrison wins Nobel Prize for 'Beloved' 1994: Nas' debut album 'Illmatic' is released 1995: Million Man March is held in Washington DC 1996: 'Moesha' premieres 1997: Tiger Woods wins his first major 1998: 'The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer' is canceled after the first episode 1999: Serena Williams wins US Open 2000: Venus Williams wins Women's Singles at Wimbledon 2001: The Rev. Wilton D. Gregory becomes president of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops 2002: Halle Berry wins Academy Award for 'Monster's Ball' 2003: Dennis W. Archer becomes the president of the American Bar Association 2004: Phylicia Rashad wins a Tony for Best Lead Actress in a play 2005: Condoleezza Rice becomes US secretary of state 2006: Soulja Boy records 'Crank That' 2007: Barbara Hillary goes to the North Pole 2008: Barack Obama becomes president of the United States 2009: Disney's first Black princess arrives 2010: Dustin Byfuglien wins Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks 2011: Charles E. Samuels Jr. becomes director of Federal Bureau of Prisons 2012: Fred Luter Jr. is elected the president of the Southern Baptist Convention 2013: Cheryl Boone Isaacs is elected president of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 2014: Ava DuVernay earns a Golden Globe nomination 2015: Bree Newsome brings down the flag 2016: Carla Hayden becomes Librarian of Congress 2017: Tiffany Haddish hosts Saturday Night Live 2018: Stacey Abrams runs for governor of Georgia 2019: Black Panther produces two milestones 2020: Black Lives Matter/George Floyd Protests 2021: Kamala Harris sworn in as VP 2022: Michaela Jae Rodriguez wins Best Actress Golden Globe
DECATUR  Brandon L. Mathis, an offender who helped ply three teenage brothers with drink and drugs before sexually assaulting them on film in a hotel room with the aim of making a porn movie, has been sentenced.

Mathis, 34, took a plea deal negotiated by defense attorney Caleb Brown that saw him sentenced to 30 months probation and 180 days in the Macon County Jail, canceled out with credit for 180 days already served.

He pleaded guilty to a single count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a class one felony. Two charges of involuntary sexual servitude involving minors, two charges of criminal sexual assault involving force and four counts of solicitation to produce child porn were dismissed.

Mathis got off relatively lightly because another condition of his plea deal is that he testify against 28-year-old Tevin C. Ford, regarded by prosecutors as the far more serious offender in the case who orchestrated the crime.

Ford is now being prosecuted in federal court. Mathis was ordered by Macon County Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Geisler at his sentencing hearing Tuesday to testify truthfully against Tevin Ford as required in the federal case.

Speaking after Tuesdays hearing, Macon County States Attorney Scott Rueter said the case against Ford was being prosecuted at the federal level because the penalties he could receive are greater.

These are sex offenses with child pornography involved and they tend to get better sentences in the federal system because of the sentencing guidelines, he added. That is not necessarily guaranteed, but we hope that is the case in this case.

The crimes date to the night of Sept. 30, 2021, when three brothers, then aged 15,16 and 17, were taken to a hotel room after being tempted to sneak out of their home with text messages from Ford who promised them a night of partying and chilling.

A sworn affidavit from Decatur police quotes the brothers as saying they were given cannabis, methamphetamine and alcohol before Ford and Mathis performed sex acts with them.

The assaults went on throughout the night as Ford kept filming, at one point promising one of the brothers they were going to make 40 grand from the video he would upload to an Internet porn site.

Presenting the case against Mathis at Tuesdays hearing, Rueter told the judge the assaults came to an end after the boys mother stormed into the hotel room. She had been alerted by an SOS message sent by her 16-year-old son which gave their location.

The sworn affidavit said the mother knew Ford from NA meetings (Narcotics Anonymous) that he had attended.

In addition to probation and the jail sentence, Mathis was ordered to register as a sex offender and have no unsupervised contact with minors outside of his biological children. He was also ordered to pay a $250 fee to have his DNA added to a crime database maintained by the Illinois State Police.

Updated mugshots from the Herald & Review Joseph A. Williams William A. Hosea Randolph Hayes Byron D. Theus Jetrevius O. Jarrett Phillip Gehrken Emmanuel White Aaron L. Hand
Petersburg won another round Tuesday in its bid for state permission to host a casino resort, while denying the opportunity for a second vote in Richmond on a casino in the citys South Side.

Two Democrats on the House panel voted against the Republican-backed bill, but Del. Schuyler VanValkenburg, D-Henrico, declined to vote after failing in an attempt to block either Petersburg or Richmond from hosting a casino resort. Under legislation adopted three years ago to allow casinos in five cities, Richmond was the only city included from central Virginia, but voters rejected a casino proposed in South Richmond in 2021.

I dont feel comfortable with either of these cities getting a casino. ... It would be a good time to take a pause, said VanValkenburg, a high school government teacher whose motion failed on a voice vote. The Family Foundation, a gambling opponent, also called for a timeout in approval of additional casinos.

But Petersburg supporters said Richmond had its chance and urged legislators to give their city a first opportunity to approve a casino proposed by The Cordish Companies, which promises a $1.4 billion investment in phases over 15 years.

Petersburg deserves a chance, Taylor told the subcommittee.

Richmond tried to hold a second referendum last year but Morrissey persuaded the assembly to block it in the state budget until the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission could complete a study of whether Petersburg could support a casino resort. The study concluded in October that both Petersburg and Richmond could support casinos, although both operations would be smaller than if only one gaming facility were built in the region.

Cordish has said that it would not proceed with the project in Petersburg if a rival casino were approved less than 25 miles away. Richmond would be happy if the General Assembly took no action because the city already is included in the casino statute and is not precluded from holding a second referendum.

Our core business is not gaming, Cordish Chief Operating Officer Zed Smith told the subcommittee. Our core business is developing transformational projects.

Taylor and other Petersburg supporters said their city also needs the investment and new jobs more than Richmond, despite rebounding from such fiscal distress that then-Gov. Terry McAuliffe sent his secretary of finance to help the city pay its bills and balance its books in 2015.

(Last August Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced a sweeping partnership for Petersburg that brings together state and local officials, businesses and nonprofits to boost community development.)

The time is now for the city to secure the financial stability that will enable our city to address the capital and social needs that have challenged Petersburg for decades, City Manager March Altman said.

But Richmond officials said the proposed $600 million ONE Casino + Resort would revitalize a part of South Richmond that they said is underserved and desperate for economic development. They said the JLARC study showed that a casino in Richmond would generate more jobs and gaming revenue for the state than one in Petersburg.

Unlike the Cordish proposal, Richmond Economic Development Director said the ONE casino is ready to go in a single phase.

The House committee did not address a concern raised by Sen. Jeremy McPike, D-Prince William, chair of the Senate gaming subcommittee, about whether Petersburgs process for selecting a casino developer complied with state procurement law. Petersburg hired a consultant, Lisa Speller, who considered five to seven casino developers before the city council voted unanimously on Oct. 18 to partner with Cordish.

Speller no longer works for the city, which said it could not produce records of its solicitation process in response to a Freedom of Information Act request from the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

The process was an interview process, Smith told the House panel, where we had a chance to interview them and they had a chance to interview us.

Close 02-18-1949: Belvidere St. and Main St. 05-23-1947 (cutline): Traffic bottleneck on Belvidere--Belvidere Street between Cary and Broad is one of Richmond's worst bottlenecks. At Cary, the street narrows from 56 to 36 feet in width, as shown in the picture. 12-16-1958 (cutline): General view of Belvidere St. ceremonies as Charles G. McKimmie addresses crowd for a ceremony. 1957: Tied for second, Belvidere St. and Idlewood Ave., with 18 accidents. 04-26-1951 (cutline): Belvidere Bottleneck--Traffic conflicts along Belvidere Street and intersecting East-West arteries would be eliminated by the proposed expressway's central grad separation section from Broad to Idlewood, just west of Madison Street. The Madison and northern sections could be completed by 1956. This January 1953 image shows houses on Belvidere Street in Richmond, as seen near Rowe Street, which were to be taken by the city for a proposed war memorial. The row formed the western boundary of a block that city officials were preparing to acquire. The Virginia War Memorial was dedicated in February 1956. In February 1948, the intersection of Cary and Belvidere streets showed the effects of 20 days with snow on the ground. All around the city, streets had been damaged by the lingering snow and freezing temperatures, and a survey was finding that the cost of road repairs was likely to exceed the cost of snow removal. Intersection of Cary and Belvidere broken up by traffic and snow. From the Archives: Belvidere Street Scenes from Belvidere Street in Richmond. 02-18-1949: Belvidere St. and Main St. 05-23-1947 (cutline): Traffic bottleneck on Belvidere--Belvidere Street between Cary and Broad is one of Richmond's worst bottlenecks. At Cary, the street narrows from 56 to 36 feet in width, as shown in the picture. 12-16-1958 (cutline): General view of Belvidere St. ceremonies as Charles G. McKimmie addresses crowd for a ceremony. 1957: Tied for second, Belvidere St. and Idlewood Ave., with 18 accidents. 04-26-1951 (cutline): Belvidere Bottleneck--Traffic conflicts along Belvidere Street and intersecting East-West arteries would be eliminated by the proposed expressway's central grad separation section from Broad to Idlewood, just west of Madison Street. The Madison and northern sections could be completed by 1956. This January 1953 image shows houses on Belvidere Street in Richmond, as seen near Rowe Street, which were to be taken by the city for a proposed war memorial. The row formed the western boundary of a block that city officials were preparing to acquire. The Virginia War Memorial was dedicated in February 1956. In February 1948, the intersection of Cary and Belvidere streets showed the effects of 20 days with snow on the ground. All around the city, streets had been damaged by the lingering snow and freezing temperatures, and a survey was finding that the cost of road repairs was likely to exceed the cost of snow removal. Intersection of Cary and Belvidere broken up by traffic and snow.

Michael Martz (804) 649-6964 mmartz@timesdispatch.com @mmartzrtd on Twitter
RICHMOND, Va.  The Virginia House of Delegates on Tuesday passed HB 2274, sponsored by Majority Leader Terry Kilgore, R-Gate City, to expand access to health care by allowing pharmacists to initiate treatment for certain infections.

The legislation now heads to the Senate for consideration, according to a written statement from Kilgores office.

It allows pharmacists to treat people age 18 and older for group A streptococcus bacteria infection, influenza virus infection, COVID-19 virus infection and urinary tract infections.

The bill was amended in committee to remove RSV and includes an enactment clause that directs the Board of Pharmacy, the Board of Medicine and the Department of Health to establish statewide protocols and regulations by Nov. 1.

Families in Southwest Virginia are struggling to find quick access to healthcare, Kilgore said in the statement. With this legislation, folks can go to their local pharmacy and get the optimal treatment they need as quickly as possible while saving money by avoiding costly emergency care visits.

According to the Virginia Health Care Foundation, about half of Virginia communities are designated as medically under-served. Yet, 93 percent of the country lives within 5 miles of a pharmacy. The bill unlocks this massive yet untapped network of pharmacies in Virginias local communities to make it easier to access treatment.
HICKORY  February is Black History Month, which is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing the central role of African Americans in U.S. history. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month.

In celebration of this month, there are several events organized by the City of Hickory for all people of all ages to enjoy and pay tribute to African American heritage and culture.

I Rock Black History will be presented Wednesday, Feb. 1, from 4:30-5:30 p.m. at Ridgeview Branch Library. Adults and teens ages 13 and up older are invited to express moments of history with simple silhouettes and powerful words to make decals and buttons that will bring awareness to historically influential individuals.

Hidden History: The Erasure of Womens Role in the Civil Rights Movement will be held Saturday, Feb. 4, from 2-3:30 p.m. at Patrick Beaver Memorial Library. Humanities faculty from Winston-Salem State University will present a program about womens contributions to the Civil Rights Movement and how they have been minimized or forgotten. Registration is not required.

Art and Social Justice: Arts Role in Promoting Social Change will be presented Saturday, Feb. 11, from 2-3:30 p.m. at Patrick Beaver Memorial Library. Humanities faculty from Winston-Salem State University will conduct a panel discussion about the ways that art was used to raise awareness of critical social issues during the Civil Rights Movement and the ways art inspired community members to fight for social change. Registration is not required.

Black History Teen Quiz Bowl will be held Thursday, Feb. 16, from 6-7 p.m. at Ridgeview Branch Library. Teens in grades six through 12 are invited to show off their knowledge of Black history. Brush up on both well-known facts and overlooked figures. Teams must not exceed six members and must have one designated smartphone or tablet. The winning team will leave with a prize. This event is part of the librarys All-Star Weekend series, which runs Feb. 16-18.

Black History Adult Quiz Bowl will be held Saturday, Feb. 18, from 10-11 a.m. at Ridgeview Branch Library. Adults are invited to show off their knowledge of Black history. Brush up on both well-known facts and overlooked figures. Teams must not exceed six members and must have one designated smartphone or tablet. The winning team will leave with a prize. This event is part of the librarys All-Star Weekend series, which runs Feb. 16-18.

Third Annual Living Wax Museum will be held Saturday, Feb. 25, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Ridgeview Recreation Center. Celebrate Black History Month and explore visual displays featuring important historical figures in African American history such as Maya Angelou, Rosa Parks, Langston Hughes, Ruby Bridges, Jessie Owens, Zora Neale Hurston, Chris Washburn, and more. For more information, contact Todder Clark at nclark@hickorync.gov or call 828-324-8007.

All programs are free and open to the public.

For additional details on these and other upcoming events in the City of Hickory, visit www.HickoryNC.gov.
G42 Healthcare, a leading AI health-tech company, has signed a multiyear agreement with SomaLogic, a leading player in data-driven proteomics. As part of the agreement, G42 Healthcare will establish a proteomics laboratory in Masdar City Abu Dhabi, providing proteomic services to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, GCC and selected broader territories, G42 said in a statement.

The new G42 Healthcare proteomics laboratory will deliver testing for over 7,000 protein biomarkers using the SomaScan proteomics assay offering a brand-new service to life science, clinical research, clinical trials, pharma and healthcare providers in the region as a SomaLogic certified site. The lab, capable of delivering tens of thousands of analyses per year, will be set up adjacent to its global genomic sequencing hub  the Omics Centre of Excellence with a capacity to sequence 500,000 whole genomes annually.

The agreement includes the provision of testing for clinical environments via the SomaSignal test portfolio. These are advanced proteomic data-driven algorithms that can deliver meaningful clinical observations and prediction of risk across a multitude of conditions, including cardiovascular disease. The strategic agreement with SomaLogic comes close on the heels of G42 Healthcares recent partnership with AWS that enables quick and efficient omics data storage and transfer to clients across the globe and an opportune time that fuels its ambitions to become a global partner for large-scale genomic sequencing and proteomics services.

The SomaScan platform was designed as a universal platform that can be applied across research and discovery, translational research, biopharmaceutical development, and clinical applications. It can analyze 7,000 proteins in a single run on as little as 55-microlitres of plasma or serum samples. SomaLogic to date has run more than 550,000 samples and has provided proteomics data for 22 biobanks worldwide.

The strategic collaboration agreement between G42 Healthcare and SomaLogic was signed by Ashish Koshy, Chief Executive Officer of G42 Healthcare, and Roy Smythe, MD and Chief Executive Officer of SomaLogic, which helps reinforce the UAE as the center of science and technology innovation.

G42 Healthcare has also recently announced its merger with Mubadala Health, bringing the genomics and AI healthcare leader in immediate proximity to a wealth of real-world clinical care assets.

In his comments on the agreement with SomaLogic, Ashish Koshy, Chief Executive Officer of G42 Healthcare, said: Our partnership with SomaLogic is strategic and part of our long-term vision of strengthening the multi-omics offerings. We are confident that this partnership will yield comprehensive proteomics data and biological insights that support our goals of bringing personalized and preventive healthcare into the Middle East and North Africa.

G42 Healthcare and SomaLogic also plan to collaborate on business development, strategy, and applications for the life sciences and healthcare markets, including marketing of SomaSignal tests in UAE, Saudi Arabia, GCC and selected broader territories.

In his comments, Roy Smythe, MD, Chief Executive Officer of SomaLogic, said: We are excited to partner with G42 Healthcare to bring world-class life sciences and healthcare innovation to the Mena  a dynamic and diverse region. SomaLogic has proven the power of proteomics to deliver actionable biological insights in diverse populations around the globe.

Smythe added: G42 Healthcare is the leading health tech company in the region and is creating a transformative shift in the traditional healthcare paradigm by embracing advanced technologies, such as AI. This collaboration has the potential to accelerate population health programs and research and real-world population healthcare delivery on the SomaScan proteomics platform.--TradeArabia News Service
Hickory Police Chief Reed Baer takes office today.

The former major said he is excited and humbled to become the new chief. Baer is a Hickory native and has served the entirety of his nearly 26-year career at the Hickory Police Department. Baer joined the department when he was 24 years old, he said.

In 2022, the former Chief Thurman Whisnant made a yearly salary of $144,022. Baers yearly salary as major was $102,719. Baers salary as chief will be $137,000.

He also recognizes the challenges ahead.

Baer said homelessness and drug overdoses are community challenges the department must address.

He said he also plans to focus on the mental health of officers and keeping up with an ever-growing city.

Baer said he feels his responsibility as chief is to serve the community and ensure the men and women at the department are prepared for their jobs and mentally healthy.

The whole worlds been through quite a bit. For a large part of that, policing and police departments were a hyper focus in certain areas of those three years, Baer said. Whether it was the pandemic, George Floyd and other things going on, (such as) police reform. So, taking care of the people who are trying to take care of the people is really what weighs heavily on my heart.

Baer said one way the department is helping officers with mental health is by partnering with the Lenoir, Morganton and Long View police departments. Through this partnership, a new group of officers certified in critical incident stress management was formed.

Officer suicide is a problem, Baer said. Officers in this country are more likely to harm themselves than be harmed by someone else.

Four Hickory officers are part of the group. The officers have received specialized training to help other officers dealing with traumatic experiences. Baer said the officers were officially certified on Jan. 18.

That peer support piece is what I think has been missing for a lot of law enforcement agencies, Baer said. Thats cops being able to talk to cops about whats going on, what they need, what theyre feeling about an incident.

Recruitment

Nationwide, law enforcement agencies are seeing an increase in retirements and a decrease in new recruits, Baer said.

Baer said the Hickory Police Department is not only trying to recruit new officers but retain the officers currently employed. Baer said some of the aspects the department is focused on are pay and benefits, as well as showing recruits that Hickory is a great place to live and raise a family.

Baer said the department recently started an apprenticeship program. He said the department is also looking at ways civilian employees can help with jobs traditionally performed by sworn officers. One potential example, Baer said was allowing a civilian employee to patrol a park on a bicycle with a radio, just to have an extra set of eyes for suspicious activity.

Continuing efforts

Baer said two key issues within the community are homelessness and fentanyl overdoses. Baer said the department has been active in providing resources to help the homeless community and people suffering from addiction.

In 2019, the department added a community navigator position to work with the homeless population. Since then, Community Navigator Casey McCall has found housing or housing resources for 60 people experiencing homelessness. McCall also works with the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program, since many people experiencing homelessness suffer from substance abuse, Baer said.

Hickory police, along with other law enforcement agencies in Catawba County, participates in the LEAD program. This program was established in 2018. Baer said the program is aimed at people with low-level drug offenses.

Baer said roughly 56% of the people who have gone through the LEAD program have not returned to crime. He said many of the participants go on to get jobs and become productive community members.

Our LEAD clients have an assigned caseworker that is employed by Catawba Valley Healthcare, Baer said. The caseworker coordinates everything for them from treatment to job opportunities. One resource they use is Charles Mackey, who is the Catawba County Safe Communities Coordinator. He has a program called Success Essentials to assist people with employment even when they have criminal records.

Career with Hickory police

Baer said his mother inspired him to pursue a career in public service. Baer said she was a department of social services caseworker in Mecklenburg and Catawba counties. Baers mother is also partially responsible for his career with the Hickory police, he said. After Baer went to college at East Carolina University, many police departments were trying to recruit him, he said.

My mom said to me, You know, you owe your hometown police department an interview, Baer said. And I thought, OK, thats fair.

Baer said at that point he didnt know much about the department. Baer filled out an application and was contacted by Bill Post, who was a captain with the Hickory police. Baer said the Hickory interview was different from other departments. The other departments recruited potential officers with four-year degrees, similar to the way athletes get recruited to teams, Baer said.

Post explained that Hickory officers are required to do community policing, which is where officers are assigned to neighborhoods and get to know the residents. The officers had monthly face-to-face meetings with the community, Baer said.

(Community policing was) presented as, You may not be the right fit for us, because were looking for a specific kind of person to be able to do this job this way, Baer said.

Baer took that as a challenge to prove he was the right person, which led him to pursue the job with the Hickory police, he said.
Rustin is best remembered as the organizer and orchestrator of arguably the seminal event in American civil rights history  the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

But it almost did not happen.

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Rustin's homosexuality had always been an issue, and not just to his opponents on the American right or to J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI.

Many progressive activists who were open-minded on matters relating to civil and labor rights were much less so when it came to Rustin's sexuality.

Rustin had been fired by the Fellowship of Reconciliation after his 1953 conviction in Pasadena, California, on what was then known as a "public indecency" offense, involving sex with two other men in a parked car.

A few years later, King forced him out of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, fearful of the damage the issue of Rustin's homosexuality could do to his organization.

It took the direct intervention of Randolph, Rustin's lifelong friend and champion, to get King and other major civil rights leaders to agree to his selection as the organizer and orchestrator of the March on Washington in 1963.

" " Bayard Rustin, left, is seen Aug. 7, 1963, talking with Cleveland Robinson during the March on Washington. Orlando Fernandez/Library of Congress/Getty Images

Rustin then had to survive a denunciation by segregationist Sen. Strom Thurmond on the floor of Congress shortly before the march, during which the South Carolina lawmaker read from FBI reports on Rustin's flirtation with communism  he had belonged to the Communist Party briefly as a young man  and his homosexuality and arrest in Pasadena.

But Rustin's ability to organize was now too valuable to lose, and this time King stood by him.

As my research shows, King knew that only Rustin, who had spent the previous two decades leading demonstrations and walking picket lines, had the knowledge and experience to move 250,000 people in and out of Washington, D.C., on a hot summer day.

King also knew that Rustin could manage everything in between, including the order of the speakers.

By insisting that King be placed last on the program, Rustin ensured that King would have the final word and maximum dramatic effect. Though Rustin didn't know it at the time, King's "I Have a Dream" remarks eventually constituted one of the greatest speeches ever delivered in American history.
Ann Street United Methodist Church

335 Ann St., Concord. Pastor: Rev. Randy L. Wall. In person and Facebook Live worship 11 a.m. at Ann Street Church. Sermon: Lessons in Prayer: Simeon and Anna. Scripture: Luke 2:22-39.

Bethpage United Methodist Church

109 Fellowship Ave. at West C St., Kannapolis. Pastor: Rev. Gary McDonald. Christian Education at 9 a.m. Worship at 10 a.m. As an act of caring for yourselves and others, you may choose to wear a mask during indoor worship, however, at this time, mask wearing is not required. Sermon: Why I Am United Methodist: The Threefold Grace of God. Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10.

Bogers Chapel United Methodist Church

1775 Flowes Store Road East, Concord. Pastor Eric Shaver. Sunday School at 9 a.m. Worship in-person or Facebook at 10 a.m. Open Reading: Psalm 112:1-10. Sermon: Continuity. Scripture: I Corinthians 2:1-16.

Calvary Lutheran Church

950 Bradley St., Concord. 704-782-6923. Pastor: Rev. Debbie Frye. In-person worship at 8:30 a.m. (Casual Worship) and 11 a.m. (Traditional Worship with Childrens Church). Childrens Area and Nursery available all times. All services live-streamed and available anytime on the Calvary Lutheran Concord Youtube channel  easy access through our website http://www.clconcord.org. Also on Sundays, 9:45 a.m. Sunday School. All are welcome. Sermon: Rest in Me  Let your light so shine.

Center United Methodist Church

1119 Union St. S, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Tony Allen. Sunday School for In Betweens and young adults at 9 a.m. Worship at 10 a.m. Nursery is provided during the worship service. Website is www.centerumcconcord.org. Look forward to you joining us for our service! Sermon Topic: Salt and Light. Scripture: Matthew 5:13-20.

Crossroads Church

220 George W. Liles Pkwy., Concord. Pastor: Lowell McNaney. Live worship streamed on Facebook, Crossroads Concord Church app or mycrossroads.co website at 9:30 a.m. and 11:11 a.m.

Crown Pointe Baptist Church

703 Tennessee Street, Kannapolis. Pastor: Rev. Doug Crawley. Sunday School at 9 a.m. Worship at 10 a.m. in the sanctuary, or view online at our Facebook page. Series: Love God  Love People. Sermon: The Greatest Commandment. Scripture: Matthew 22:34-40 ESV.

Eastside Missionary Baptist Church

199 Elgin Drive, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Stephen Burrow. In person services: Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship services 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Recorded worship services and other information at EastsideMissionaryBaptist.org. You will be welcomed. Practice social distancing.

Epworth United Methodist Church

1030 Burrage Road NE, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Bill Roberts. Sunday School at 9 a.m., followed by worship at 10 a.m. We welcome all to join us in person, or you may livestream or watch the recorded service at our website at www.epworthnc.com. Sermon: The Spirit That Is From God. Scripture: I Corinthians 1-12. This will be a Communion Sunday, and everyone is welcome to the table.

Forest Hill United Methodist Church

265 Union St. N., Concord. Senior Pastor: Rev. Mandy Jones. Associate Pastor: Rev. Wes Judy. We are open for in-person worship. Contemporary worship, 9 a.m. Sunday School/small groups10 a.m. Traditional worship11 a.m. Both the contemporary and the traditional worship services will also be live-streamed at foresthillumc.org or facebook.com/foresthillumc, in case you dont feel like being here in person.

Harmony United Methodist Church

101 White Street, NW, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Thad Brown. Sunday school is at 10 a.m. followed by our worship service in the sanctuary at 11 a.m. Sermon: Talking About Jesus#5, The Final Sacrifice. Scripture: Hebrews 10:1-2, Hebrews 10:3-7, Leviticus 17:13-14. Hebrews 10:8-10, Hebrews 10:11-14. We welcome you to join us in worship! Service is live on Facebook.com/HarmonyUnitedMethodistChurch. We welcome all who are unable to join us in person to worship with us online. For more information, you can call the Pastors phone 704-791-2883 or the churchs phone 704-782-8237.

Jackson Park United Methodist Church

715 Mable Ave., Kannapolis. Pastor Laurie Knoespel. Adult Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship at 10:30 a.m. Nursery will be provided during worship service.

Kirkwood Presbyterian Church

900 Klondale Ave., Kannapolis. Pastor: Rev. Dennis B. Craft. Worship at 11 a.m. in church sanctuary on Sundays. No mask restrictions. Sermon: Gods Backside.

McGill Baptist Church

5300 Poplar Tent Road, Concord, in-person services. Pastor: Rev. Steve Ayers. If you have not taken the COVID-19 vaccine, please wear a mask. McGill will stream a worship service Sunday at 10 a.m. on www.facebook.com/mcgillbaptistchurch/ and on YouTube. The services will be live and also available on recording afterwards. Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany. Sermon: Let Your Light Shine. Scripture: Isaiah 58:1-12; I Corinthians 2:1-16; Matthew 5:13-20.

Midway United Methodist Church

108 Bethpage Road, Kannapolis. Pastor: Rev. Craig Allen. Come join us on Sunday morning at 9 a.m. for Sunday School and 10:30 a.m. for worship. Our service is also livestreamed on the web at midwayunitedmethodistchurch.org or facebook.com/midwayUMC. (Communion Sunday, white paraments.) Sermon: Ordinary Stuff. First Reading: Psalm 112:1-9. Second Reading: Matthew 5:13-20. Suggested Hymns: UMH 98, To God Be the Glory; UMH 572, Pass It On.

Mt. Mitchell United Methodist Church

6001 Old Salisbury-Concord Road, Kannapolis. Pastor: Joel Locklear. Sunday School at 10 a.m. (Adult and Children classes.) Worship at 11 a.m. in person or Facebook. Masks are optional and social distance. If you have not taken the Covid vaccine, wear a mask.

Multiply Church Concord

150 Warren C. Coleman Blvd. N, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Douglas Witherup. 8:30 a.m. service held at 280 Concord Pkwy S, Suite 15, Concord. Services at 150 Warren C Coleman Blvd N, are Worship and Sermon at 9:30 a.m. and Worship and Sermon at 11:15 a.m.

New Gilead Reformed Church, ECO

2400 Old Salisbury-Concord Road. 9:40 a.m.  Adult Bible Study. 10 a.m.  Sunday School. 11 a.m.Worship in the Sanctuary, also live on Facebook.

Oak Grove Baptist Church

200 Sims Parkway, Harrisburg. Pastor: Rev. Franklin D. Watkins. 10 a.m. In-Person Worship Service and Facebook Live and YouTube Live. Sermon: Too Short To See The Savior. Scripture: Luke 19:1-10.

Second Presbyterian Church

1578 Dale Earnhardt Blvd., Kannapolis. Pastor Sue Black, Minister. Rev. Aaron Price, Assistant Pastor. Worship 11 a.m. in Sanctuary and on Facebook live. Sermon: Jesus Eternal. Scripture: I John 1-4.

St. Johns Reformed Church

901 N. Main St., Kannapolis. Pastor: Rev. Chris King. Sunday school for all ages9:30 a.m. Worship Service10:30 a.m. Website  www.ourstjohns.org. Email/Phone- ourstjohns@gmail.com / 704-932-3656. Sermon: How NOT to Worship God  Part l. Scripture: Various Scripture texts.
include_once "/home/jwreview/public_html/$theme/includes/sidebar.php"; ?> It's mind-numbing to imagine, in the era of universal video, that five police officers could participate in the brutal beating of Trye Nichols, which led to his death three days later. That their body cameras were switched on and filming both their own actions and those of their colleagues seems to have deterred them not at all.

The horror here is on two levels: First, another unjustified killing of an unarmed Black civilian by law enforcement officers, and another Black family forced to mourn a senseless loss; and, second, the realization that the cameras made no difference.

Let's start with the first. Here the scholarship is sobering. We know, for instance, that a Black male has an almost 1 out of 1,000 lifetime chance of being killed by police, by far the highest of any group. Is race the main causal factor? The question has generated heated controversy, but many scholars who've drilled into the data think the answer is yes.

For instance, a 2020 study of some 3,900 police killings found that after correcting for several "objective circumstances" surrounding each episode, Black suspects remained about twice as likely as White suspects to be killed. Yes, the matter remains hotly disputed, but those who see no racial angle in police violence should at least take a look.

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On the other hand, nobody doubts the key findings of the economist Roland Fryer's path-breaking 2016 paper on officers' use of "non-lethal" force. The research covers police interactions with civilians in four major cities, examining violence at different levels of intensity, from shoving a suspect against a wall to drawing and pointing a weapon. The stark and startling result: At every level of intensity, force was 50% more likely to be used against Black and Hispanic civilians than against White civilians.

Why would this be? Perhaps because, as the psychologist Jennifer L. Eberhardt and her colleagues reported in a well-known study, police officers themselves are significantly more likely to perceive Black faces than White faces as criminal. Yes, that study was conducted almost two decades ago. The shattering possibility is that it's still true  and that it could also be true when the officers themselves are Black, as they are in this case.

All of which brings us to body-worn cameras, known in the literature as BWCs. They seem to have been the key evidence in the firing of the five officers present when Nichols was beaten to death, and absent guilty pleas, they'll surely be the most persuasive evidence at trial.

There's the irony. BWCs were supposed to be a deterrent against such inhuman violence. That's why they're being widely adopted, not only in the U.S. but around the world. In fact, episodes of unjustified police violence against members of minority groups tends to increase public support for body cameras, and that outcome holds in roughly the same proportion for White and Black respondents alike.

But even before Nichols was so brutally assaulted, the scholarship was raising serious questions about whether the cameras would truly make a difference. For one thing, views about police are increasingly polarized, and apart from the most outrageous acts of violence, it's not obvious that the existence of BWC footage will change that. Research with mock jurors suggests that prior biases either for or against the police tend to carry over into judgments about police actions captured on body cameras.

For another, people don't always believe their eyes. In one much-discussed experiment, test subjects read a police officer's report in which he stated, among other things, that a suspect attacked him and also was carrying a knife. The subjects also viewed BWC footage of the incident. In the video, no knife is visible and the suspect doesn't attack the officer. Nevertheless, asked afterward what they remembered, most said there was a knife and that the suspect attacked.

Here's another peculiarity: Research published in 2019 found that subjects who viewed body camera footage of a violent interaction between an officer and a suspect tended to be more sympathetic toward the officer than those who viewed dashboard camera footage of the same incident.

Perhaps none of that will matter in the death of Tyre Nichols case, where there seems to be little doubt about what happened. I'm never a fan of the rush to judgment, but by all accounts, the footage is so damaging that it's difficult to know what defense the fired officers will mount.

Yet at minimum the horror from which the nation is still reeling tells us that requiring law enforcement officers to wear cameras is no panacea for what ails us.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not by any stretch anti-police. I don't think the median officer is better or worse than the median civilian. Police have a stressful and often dangerous job for which they don't get enough credit or gratitude. I've argued more than once that those who are concerned about violence committed by officers  if they're serious  should support raising, not cutting, the budgets of police departments, not least to pay for better training.

That won't comfort a grieving family, but unlike all politicians fighting for television time to say how appalled they are, it might actually make a difference.
include_once "/home/jwreview/public_html/$theme/includes/sidebar.php"; ?> The New York Times reported Friday there's growing concern in the Texas oil industry over what seismologists call the significant number of earthquakes rocking West Texas recently. You can't make it up. The cost of doing business is so high in California even the earthquakes are moving to Texas.

 The White House gave a proclamation today designating February as Black History Month. Last year, President Biden raised a lot of eyebrows by announcing a federal handout of thirty million crack pipes in the middle of Black History Month. It solidified Biden's ranking as America's edgiest comedian.

 The United Nations Refugee Agency issued an international plea for flood relief for Central Asia that was devastated by the floods last August. I'm sure they all want to get back to their normal lives. The people of Pakistan say they are in desperate need of fertilizer, nails, batteries, timers and backpacks. Elizabeth Warren hinted Sunday President Biden might find Kamala Harris to be a drag on the ticket in 2024. The numbers say it all. President Biden is polling at twenty-four percent in New Hampshire, ten points behind Pete Buttigieg, while Kamala is polling at two percent, tied with skim milk.

 The White House trumpeted the latest jobs report showing the U.S. employment rate very high and the Federal Reserve says we may avoid recession after all. The polls show the public mood isn't that optimistic. The administration can claim the economy is better, but everything costs and arm and an egg.

 President Biden extended the health emergency which gave health authorities dictatorial powers Monday from March 1st to the middle of May. The virus suddenly fell off the news exactly one year ago and it became an afterthought. You can say what you want about Putin, but he ended the pandemic.

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 Ukraine's President Zelensky traveled to Florida to speak to supporters in Palm Beach last week and expressed gratitude for Allied support. Just last week, Germany set off alarms by announcing they are sending tanks to Ukraine. I wonder if they'll go through Poland just for old times' sake.

 The White House confirmed Monday that President Biden will travel to Poland to mark the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine. They absolutely love Biden in Poland. The people of Poland feel a natural affection for our president because Polish jokes and Joe Biden jokes are interchangeable.

 President Biden thankfully said no Monday when asked by reporters if he's sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to help them fight the Russians. Vladimir Putin is widely rumored in Moscow to be suffering from cancer. It's Joe Biden's job to keep the rest of us from getting the radiation treatments.

(COMMENT, BELOW)
In the course of taping an interview with "60 Minutes" last September, President Biden strolled through the Detroit Auto Show with CBS newsman Scott Pelley. Noting that it was the first show to be organized since before COVID-19 struck, Pelley asked: "Is the pandemic over?" Biden's answer was straightforward. "The pandemic is over," he said firmly. "We still have a problem with COVID; we're still doing a lot of work on it. But the pandemic is over." The president is well known for his verbal blunders  he has even called himself a "gaffe machine"  but this wasn't one of them. For all intents and purposes, the pandemic is over. COVID has certainly not vanished, but like the rhinovirus (common cold) and the flu, it has subsided to endemic status. By now, thanks to vaccinations and previous infections, at least 80 percent of Americans have acquired a measure of immunity to the coronavirus. More importantly, infection now results in far fewer hospitalizations and deaths than it once did, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID took a terrible, terrible toll. (Including in my family  both of my parents died in 2021 after being infected with the virus.) But Americans can see for themselves that the nation is no longer in the grip of a pandemic. Social distancing has ended; shops, theaters, and restaurants have long since reopened; COVID testing sites have shut down; and mask-wearing is no longer expected in most settings. At its peak in early 2021, there were more than 3,300 confirmed US deaths per day from COVID. For the past nine months, the number of daily deaths has hovered at around 400. And there is good reason to think that even that number significantly overstates the chances of dying from COVID.

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As Dr. Leana Wen explained in a Washington Post column earlier this month, all hospital patients are tested for COVID, and some who have been admitted for reasons completely unrelated to the virus may incidentally test positive for it. "A gunshot victim or someone who had a heart attack, for example, could test positive for the virus, but the infection has no bearing on why they sought medical care," wrote Wen. "If these patients die, COVID might get added to their death certificate along with the other diagnoses. But the coronavirus was not the primary contributor to their death and often played no role at all."

The point is reinforced by Dr. Daniel Halperin, an epidemiologist at the University of North Carolina. "It has been apparent that many hospitalizations officially classified as being due to COVID-19 are instead of patients without COVID symptoms who are admitted for other reasons but also happen to test positive," Halperin writes in Time magazine. He cites University of California Los Angeles research showing that "over two-thirds of official COVID-19 hospitalizations since January 2022 were actually with' rather than for' the disease." Other researchers have come to similar conclusions.

All of which reinforces what Biden (and many others) said so plainly: The pandemic is over. And if the pandemic is over then so is the public health emergency that former president Donald Trump first declared on March 13, 2020.

This week, the president finally agreed.

After balking for months at lifting that declaration of emergency, Biden informed Congress on Monday that it would come to an end on May 11. That is nearly eight months after he affirmed on national TV that the pandemic was over and even longer after many states had already ended their own public health emergency declarations.

In the end, it was Congress that forced Biden's hand.

Last November, a bipartisan Senate majority voted 62-36 to cancel the emergency declaration, but the measure went nowhere in the House of Representatives because former speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to let it come to a vote. With the House now under GOP control, that's about to change. The House is expected to vote this week on H.R. 382, a terse directive to bring the public health declaration to an immediate end. Whether it ends at once, on May 11, or at some date in between, the state of emergency is on its way out.

It's a welcome step back to normalcy and to putting COVID, with all its upheaval, in the nation's rear-view mirror for good.

Jeff Jacoby is a columnist for The Boston Globe, from which this is reprinted with permission."
SHELBYVILLE  The Shelby County State's Attorney's Office will be without a permanent leader beginning Wednesday as county GOP leadership seek a nominee they see fit for the position.

The county's criminal proceedings will not be halted however, with a vote from the Shelby County Board to request that the resident circuit judge "take necessary action" to fill the position until a new states attorney can take this post full time.

Board Chairman Robert Orman said this action will involve having state's attorney's offices from other counties helping with Shelby County cases. While the board's consent was not necessary to fill the position, Orman said he wanted it on the record.

The Monday meeting was recessed and will reconvene Thursday, Feb. 2, with the intention that a vote will be taken to permanently fill the position until the next election. The meeting is set for 7 p.m. in Courtroom A of the Shelby County Courthouse.

Though it was initially indicated the board would have a nominee to consider during its Monday meeting, Orman said Shelby County Republican Chairmen Jeremy Williams informed him prior to the meeting that there would be no action to take.

Board members indicated they had anticipated being able to discuss and vote on a specific appointee at the special meeting. Some on the board and in the audience said they wanted to make sure to hear information about the appointee's legal record before a vote was taken.

Williams said the party intends to have a nominee Thursday for the board to consider. He did not have a statement on the matter but said, "...sometimes a little more time is a good idea. You don't want to trust rush and you don't want to rush trust."

The vacancy follows the resignation of State's Attorney Nichole Kroncke, whose last day was Tuesday, as she begins a position as special prosecutor for the Illinois States Attorneys Appellate Prosecutors Office on Wednesday. The office will be without any full time, permanent prosecutors as Tuesday was also the last day for the county's only assistant state's attorney, Jay Scott.

In other matters, the board had been scheduled to vote on rescinding its Jan. 12 vote on an agreement with the AFSCME union representing county employees and approving a new agreement regarding a case before the Illinois Labor Relations Board.

Orman read the text of the new agreement to the board, but members responded that the wording sounded exactly the same. Orman subsequently continued discussion on this matter to the board's Feb. 2 meeting.
FINDLAY  A Findlay man has been charged with 22 counts of the possession and dissemination of child pornography, the office of the Shelby County States Attorney said Tuesday.

Donald Plunkett, 56, is accused of six counts alleging the possession of photographs of children under the age of 13 and eight counts of possessing pictures of children under the age of 18. He is also charged with a further eight counts of the dissemination of pornographic videos of children under the age of 13.

Shelby County States Attorney Nichole Kroncke said Plunkett was arrested Tuesday and jailed. He is due to appear in Shelby County Circuit Court Wednesday for a bond hearing.

The case against him was investigated by the Illinois State Police with the assistance of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Plunkett has yet to enter a formal plea on the charges against him.

Updated mugshots from the Herald & Review Joseph A. Williams William A. Hosea Randolph Hayes Byron D. Theus Jetrevius O. Jarrett Phillip Gehrken Emmanuel White Aaron L. Hand
Q: I am a current member of the YMCA. I would like an update on when the Fulton YMCA will be open. I have contacted employees at the William G. White and the Robinhood YMCAs and was told the Fulton Y would reopen in April 2022, but it didnt reopen. I am a veteran who uses the pool facilities for therapy.  A.R.K.

Q: Is there a reason that the Fulton YMCA remains closed to the public? It is an excellent facility. Many of us are hoping it will reopen.  L.G.

Answer: Kristina Geddings, the communications director for the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina, said the Fulton YMCA, which is on Hanes Mill Road, could reopen sometime this year.

Geddings said that while the Y has been closed, it has been used for other activities.

While the Fulton Y has remained closed to wellness activities since the pandemic, it has continued to serve the community by offering Summer Day Camp and after school academy programs for children. The YMCA of Northwest North Carolina continues to investigate partnerships and other funding opportunities for us to potentially open the doors back to general membership in 2023, Geddings said.

We do have other Ys within a 10-mile radius of the Fulton Family YMCA that may meet various needs, including the Stokes Family YMCA, Robinhood Road Family YMCA, William G. White Jr. Family YMCA and Winston Lake Family YMCA.

Q: Can a homeowners association board vote to allow a homeowner to violate a restrictive covenant that has been enforced by the previous boards?  B.B.

Answer: The board would have to change the covenant, said George Humphrey, a local attorney.

The associations declaration and/or bylaws that contain the restrictive covenant would have to be amended in the manner described in the declaration and/or bylaws to allow the proposed use.

These documents must be recorded in the office of the countys register of deeds where the real property is located. The public has access to these records either in the register of deeds office or online, Humphrey said.

Give a Kid a CoatThere is still time to take part in Give a Kid a Coat, the annual coat drive that A Cleaner World and the Salvation Army have been holding for 36 years.

To donate, take a new or slightly used coat to any A Cleaner World location in the Triad, to be cleaned and repaired. The Salvation Army takes the coats and distributes them to children and adults who need them.

Since the drive began in 1987, 949,079 coats have been collected and cleaned. Last year, 22,021 coats were donated throughout the Triad. In Forsyth County, 8,234 coats were donated, and 10,518 coats were donated in Guilford County.

So far this year, the drive has received 9,347 coats.

If you want to donate money for the purchase of coats, go to https://give.salvationarmycarolinas.org/give/447317/#!/donation/checkout.

The drive ends Feb. 11.
Dozens of current and former residents of the Piney Grove community gathered at a church Tuesday night to thank God for their deliverance from the Winston Weaver fertilizer plant fire, and appeal for answers to the questions they still have about the calamitous blaze.

They met at Piney Grove Baptist Church exactly one year since many of them looked out from their homes to see bright orange flames and dark smoke reaching into the night sky.

The blaze destroyed the plant on the southeast corner of their small neighborhood in northern Winston-Salem. With some 600 tons of ammonium nitrate stored on the site, officials worried about a potentially catastrophic explosion that could have dwarfed a 2013 Texas explosion that killed 15 and damaged or destroyed 150 buildings.

And the little Piney Grove neighborhood would have been near the epicenter.

One thing Piney Grove residents want people to take note of is that their community was there before Winston Weaver built its plant in 1939. It's often said that the plant came before the residents nearby, but in the case of Pine Grove that's just not true, former resident Mary Correll Williams told those attending.

"My concern is the environment and the testing of the soil," she said after the prayer service had ended. Williams said she still owns land in the neighborhood, and wants to know if the fire could affect people who live on that soil in years to come.

Sabrina Webster, one of the organizers of the service, invited the 50 or so in attendance to share their stories.

Over and over, people talked about the tight-knit character of their community, the deep family ties, and how their neighborhood is rich in the experiences and values that shaped their upbringing.

Now, Webster said, the community is ready to go forward in meeting city officials and trying to get answers to their questions.

Jason Torian, a community organizer with the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, or BREDL as it is known, said that when his group first met with residents, it learned that people had concerns ranging from possible health and environmental impacts to concerns over a lack of communication, both during the event and in the months afterward.

People want accountability for what happened both from the city and the Winston Weaver plant owners, he said.

"The fire should have been preventable," Torian said, stressing that the 2013 Texas explosion should have warned local people about the dangers they faced.

While no lives were lost in the Winston-Salem fire, many people in a one-mile radius had to temporarily leave their homes, and businesses in the zone were temporarily closed.

Air quality suffered because of the plume of smoke from the fire and water quality in nearby creeks was compromised because of fire runoff.

Piney Grove residents will get a chance to talk to city officials Wednesday night, when they will be attending a 6 p.m. public meeting at the Hanes Hosiery Community Center on Reynolds Boulevard.

"We must hang in there and not take no for an answer," Minister Karen Blue told the gathering.
The Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia (MISA) has concluded hosting a senior delegation from Oman, which culminated in 13 MoUs being signed covering vital sectors such as biochemicals, energy, mining, financial investment, logistics, maritime transport, information technology among other key sectors.

The Saudi-Omani Investment Forum follows several successful MISA events hosted with investment counterparts from such countries as Turkiye, Azerbaijan and South Korea resulting in enhanced cooperation and multiple MoUs to explore investment opportunities across several sectors.

The forum was opened by Khalid Al Falih, Saudi Minister of Investment, and Qais bin Muhammad Al-Yousef, Minister of Commerce and Industry and Omani Investment Promotion, who led an Omani delegation of diplomats and business leaders.

Attendees saw presentations by both Omani and Saudi representatives. From Oman, Invest in 2040 and Special Economic Zones in the Sultanate of Oman were highlighted as opportunities available to Saudi investors, while Saudi officials presented Invest in Saudi Arabia and Special Economic Cities and Zones which showcased the areas of investment available in the Kingdom.

The agreements signed today (February 1) underscore the long-standing partnership between Saudi Arabia and Oman, which has accelerated in recent years with several high-level engagements taking place in recent years.

In December 2021, Saudi Arabia and Oman announced the opening of the first land crossing between both gulf nations to promote trade exchange, while in April last year, Al Falih met the Chairman of the Oman Investment Authority Abdulsalam bin Mohammad Al Murshidi to explore the enhancement of investment cooperation.

Alongside the Investment Forum, Al Falih and Al Yousef opened the Saudi-Omani Industries Exhibition.

The exhibition, which runs until February 4, highlights the strong economic relationship between both nations across several sectors, showcasing products and services from small and medium enterprise businesses from both sides to stimulate opportunities for investment.-TradeArabia News Service
Forsyth County has had three more COVID-19 related deaths, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday.

Meanwhile, there were 615 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, down from a revised 591 in the previous report that represented a seven-week low. About 19.7% were listed as reinfections by DHHS.

Altogether, Forsyth has had 123,691 confirmed cases and 954 COVID-related deaths since the pandemic began in mid-March 2020.

Forsyth health director Joshua Swift and Novant Health Inc. infectious diseases expert Dr. David Priest have stressed that the DHHS weekly case totals include only laboratory confirmed cases, and dont include most people who determine they are positive with an at-home test.

People are taking fewer precautions against the virus, and theres waning immunity from natural infection and vaccination, Priest said.

Forsyth remains in the medium category for COVID-19 community spread, but with the three key metrics still trending in a positive direction.

Long-term care centers

The number of Forsyth long-term care facilities with current COVID-19 outbreaks decreased by three to 17 in the latest report. There were three outbreaks declared as over by DHHS.

The outbreak at Forsyth County Detention Center involves 25 inmates, up one from the previous report.

The number of infected residents linked to current outbreaks is at 193, down 13 from the previous report, while infected staff members are at 119, up 19.

At least 12 long-term care residents have died since early April from a COVID-related illness.

An outbreak is considered over if there is no evidence of continued transmission within the facility, according to DHHS. If new positive COVID-19 cases occur after an outbreak is considered as ended, it is listed as a separate outbreak.

DHHS spokeswoman Bailey Pennington Allison has said it is important to remember that the number of cases associated with an ongoing outbreak are the cumulative total for that outbreak, not the number of people currently positive for COVID-19.

Current outbreaks of at least 20 COVID-19 cases in Forsyth long-term care centers include:

Kerner Ridge Assisted Living, with 29 residents with one death and 12 staff (both unchanged).

Trinity Glen, with 17 staff and 16 residents (both unchanged).

Mill Creek Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, with 30 residents (up one) and two staff (unchanged)

Oak Forest Health and Rehabilitation, with 24 residents (up two), including two deaths, and three staff (unchanged).

Trinity Elms, with 18 staff and six residents (both unchanged).

The Southwood, newly listed with 20 staff and two residents.

Willow Valley Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, newly listed with 18 residents and four staff.

Arbor Acres United Methodist Retirement Community Inc., newly listed with 15 staff and five residents

The Oaks, with 17 residents and three staff (both unchanged).

Silas Creek Rehabilitation Center, newly listed with 14 residents and six staff.

After being removed from the dashboard, Brookridge Retirement Community has a new outbreak involving 11 residents and nine staff.

Other centers removed from the list are Homestead Hills Assisted Living and Salemtowne.

COVID-19 statewide

DHHS reported the statewide count for last week was 12,225, compared with a revised 13,443 in the previous report. The latest weekly count is the lowest in eight weeks.

Of those North Carolinians with a positive test result, 2,827, or 23.1%, were considered re-infected.

North Carolinas total confirmed case count since the onset of the pandemic is 3.42 million.

There were 30 COVID-related deaths reported statewide last week, along with another 32 confirmed from previous weeks, for a total of 28,102.

Last week, the number of COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals in North Carolina was at 1,001, compared with 1,114 for the week that ended Jan. 21.

COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide averaged 1,090 last week, down from 1,276 for the week that ended Jan. 21.

Hospitals in the 17-county Triad region averaged 236 COVID-19 patients, down from 277 for the week that ended Jan. 21.

The current dominant omicron subvariants have proven to be more contagious, contributing to the surge in hospitalizations. DHHS lists 10 active subvariants.

The BQ 1.1 subvariant made up 43.6% of new cases from Jan. 8 to Jan. 21, along with 24.2% the XBB 1.5 subvariant, 11.8% the BQ.1 subvariant and 7.2% the BA.5 subvariant.
After a spike in January bills tied to a frigid December, Piedmont Natural Gas customers in North Carolina will get a break starting in February.

The N.C. Utilities Commission has approved a reduction in PNG rates that the Charlotte-based company says will save the average customer $14 per month.

PNG said Tuesday that falling natural gas prices  driven higher in 2022 by the war in Ukraine, Europes ban on Russian fuel and increased exports from the U.S.  led to its request for lower rates.

The average North Carolina customer experienced an $11 monthly increase early last year.

Were happy the downward trend in the cost of natural gas allows us to provide some relief during the winter months, when increased usage driven by colder temperatures often results in higher bills, said PNG President Sasha Weintraub.

The company said it requests periodic rate adjustments to reflect fluctuations in the market price of the natural gas it buys for its customers. By law, Piedmont does not mark up the cost of natural gas and must pass through the actual cost on a dollar-for-dollar basis to customers.

Even with these cost reductions, we recognize there are customers who may continue to struggle with paying their bills, and we encourage customers to apply for assistance, enroll in our Equal Payment Plan and implement energy-saving tips to help take control of their natural gas bills, added Weintraub.

The EEP allows customers to pay the same amount every month and avoid bill surprise when usage is especially high.

That was the case in January, when customers opened their bills for what turned out to be the seventh-coldest December of this century in the Triad, according to National Weather Service records.

We did experience some very low temperatures in December, particularly right around the holidays, and that does tend to be the greatest factor when it comes to higher bills, PNG spokesman Jason Wheatley said in an email Tuesday.

Overnight lows in the Triad from Dec. 23-26 ranged from 5 (just 1 degree off the record for Dec. 24) to 13. The normal low for that period is 30 degrees.

The overall average temperature in the Triad for the most recent December was slightly less than 40, which is about 3 degrees below normal for this century.

The fact that the average Triad temperature for November 2022 was 52  about 2 degree above normal  also likely made the charges for December even more of a shock.

PNG offered these tips for limiting natural gas use:

Set your thermostat to the lowest comfortable setting. Installing a "smart" or programmable thermostat will also help reduce energy use while you are asleep or away from home.

Leave drapes or blinds open during sunny winter days to allow the sun to warm the house. Close them at night to help insulate your home.

Change air filters regularly. A dirty air filter makes a heating system work harder and use more energy.

Set your water heater temperature to 120 degrees or consider installing an on-demand or tankless water heater that only heats water when you need it.

Make sure the air ducts from your furnace and central air conditioner are properly sealed. Ducts that leak into the attic or crawl space can substantially increase heating and cooling bills.

Caulk, seal and weatherstrip all seams, cracks and openings to the outside of your home.

Consider whether you should add insulation to your ceilings, floors and walls.
Senate Republicans filed Tuesday their version of the controversial sheriff cooperation with ICE legislation.

Republican-sponsored House Bill 10, filed Jan. 25 by Rep. Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, was titled Require Sheriffs to Cooperate with ICE. ICE stands for the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement division of U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Senate Bill 50 contains the same language as HB10.

Both bills are essentially the same legislation as SB101, which would require all sheriffs to hold suspects in certain crimes for at least 48 hours when their immigration status is unknown or they are in the country illegally.

The legislation has been opposed by several urban Democratic sheriffs, including Bobby Kimbrough of Forsyth County.

Because Senate Republicans hold a 30-20 supermajority, it is likely the bill could clear the Senate with enough votes to override a potential veto from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.

However, SB 50 and HB 10 would require the approval of at least one House Democrat to attain a 72-48 veto proof status at full attendance.
This isnt the first time weve heard a grown man cry for his mother as his life evaporates before our eyes.

Like a horror movie on an endless loop, the nightmare on video keeps playing over and over.

From Rodney King to Sandra Bland to George Floyd, weve seen it all before. And yet each time its hard to watch without cringing.

Following a Jan. 7 traffic stop, a group of police officers punch, kick and club 29-year-old Tyre Nichols so severely that he later dies in a Memphis hospital. Its a brutal, matter-of-fact beatdown, delivered in a rain of profanity and contradictory commands. Im just trying to go home, Nichols says as officers drag him out of his car, press a Taser against his leg and pepper spray him while screaming at him.

He pleads for mercy. They offer none.

He flees. They catch him. And then they punish him.

During the assault some officers order Nichols to show his hands even as other officers restrain his hands.

They punch him in the face. They kick him in the head. They pepper spray him. An officer strikes him with a baton three times.

Unmoved, some officers laugh while recapping what they just did.

Man, I was hitting him with straight haymakers, dog, one of the officers says. All in a nights work.

Police officials and law enforcement experts across the country condemned the officers behavior.

First was the most obvious and nauseating aspect of what we saw on bodycam and surveillance video footage released by the city of Memphis. Good thing, too. The police report of the incident was a work of fiction, claiming, among other falsehoods, that Nichols fought police and attempted to grab an officers gun.

Of course, if this had been Winston-Salem or Greensboro, we might not have seen the video for months, if ever, thanks to a state law that tightly restricts public access to police footage.

There are so many lessons in this awful tragedy that we all should have learned by now. Where to start?

With the fact that, like Nichols, all five of the officers who were fired after the incident and charged with second degree murder were Black? Or that none of the law enforcement or EMT personnel who later arrived on the scene attempted to intervene? Or that the five officers directly involved in the beating were part of a special unit created to get tough on crime in Memphis, where per capita murders far exceed the rate in New York, whose population is 13 times larger?

The unit, called Scorpion (Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods) had been a source of pride for city leaders but not for the neighborhoods they were supposed to make safer, but now its a cautionary tale. This is what happens when the cure becomes worse than the disease. Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis, who formed the 40-officer unit in 2021, has now disbanded it. Residents complain that the unit behaved more like an occupying force than a force for good. That it seemed to act with impunity, a trait that certainly was on display the night Tyre Nichols died.

Make no mistake. Crime-ravaged communities want a police presence, but not one like this. The cure shouldnt be worse than the disease. Then theres the race of the officers, which is a disappointment but not a shock.

As important as it is to hire diverse police forces, its equally important to hire people with the right skills and temperament for the job, no matter their skin color. And to provide them the proper training and leadership. As for the been-there, done-that vibe were feeling now, theres a good reason for it. Wasnt George Floyds death supposed to be the reckoning that finally ended this tragic cycle?

And yet here we are. Same song, different verse.

As of Tuesday, there was talk in Congress of another attempt to pass a police reform bill. Its prospects are dim.

Since the initial firings, Memphis police have confirmed that two additional officers have been taken off duty and two medics and a lieutenant have been fired by the Fire Department. The actions of two sheriffs deputies also are being investigated.

The transparency and urgency in Memphis have been encouraging.

Still, for no good reason a man is dead. And more such tragedies will follow unless something fundamentally changes.
Figure: violence, hospital violence, emergency medicine, triage, assault, pandemic, protocol, policy

The most recent violent attack in the emergency department where Alexander Skog, MD, works happened on Nov. 30. Or at least it was the most recent one when he spoke to EMN; there have probably been more in the time it's taken for this issue to go to press.

A patient checked in, and during triage, he told the nurse that he was homicidal, and he wanted to kill anyone who disrespected him, recalled Dr. Skog, an emergency physician at Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center in Oregon City and the president of the Oregon chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians.

The nurse asked the next in her set of triage questions, and he said that he felt terribly disrespected by her and started throwing chairs around the waiting room and breaking things. Fortunately, the triage room is close to security, and she was able to run out of there and get security and the police, but what's particularly frustrating and emblematic of this problem is the fact that the same person had been at a different ED the day prior, and had a not-quite-as-bad incident of verbally assaulting health care workers.

Such incidents were relatively rare when Dr. Skog began his emergency medicine residency at Oregon Health & Science University in 2015. You'd maybe hear the big story people had about being assaulted by a patient or family member once in that year, he said. Now, assaults in the ED seem to be, unfortunately, a weekly, if not daily, occurrence.

Rising ED Violence

An August survey from ACEP found that two-thirds of doctors working in emergency departments reported being assaulted in the past year alone, with more than a third saying they had been assaulted more than once during that time. (https://bit.ly/3G1xzLZ.) That survey also noted a 45 percent spike in violent incidents in emergency departments over the past five years.

Violence in the emergency department continues to threaten and harm emergency physicians and patients, said Chris Kang, MD, the president-elect of ACEP. Over the past five years, emergency physicians have witnessed and experienced a steady increase in assaults made worse by the pandemic. This report underscores how attacks on emergency physicians, care teams, and staff are rampant and must be addressed.

The emergency department is the one place in society where we are legally bound to provide care regardless of what you did before or what's happening now, said Dr. Skog. There's almost no other place in our society with that requirement. And a small subset of the community has realized that they can walk into the ED and receive excellent care no matter what, with no consequences for their violent or abusive behavior. So, this will happen again and again.

Violence against emergency physicians, nurses, and other emergency department personnel was not uncommon before the pandemic, but it's clear there has been a dramatic spike in violence in recent years. A 2018 ACEP survey found 47 percent of emergency personnel reporting having been assaulted. (https://bit.ly/3CtSx5B.)

I see this increase anecdotally in my emergency medicine practice, and it's confirmed by a survey which found there has been a 200 to 300 percent increase in assaults on hospital staff by patients or their family members since the pandemic began, said Jennifer Casaletto, MD, the president of the North Carolina College of Emergency Physicians.

Breakdown of Trust

That may be because of a breakdown of trust between provider and patient over the past three years, Dr. Skog said. Before the pandemic, in most circles of our society, medical professionals were understood to be doing their best to help people in society live longer and happier lives, and to be motivated by that goal to follow objective evidence, he said. Then several months into the pandemic, there began to be louder and louder voices questioning our intentions. I appreciate when patients have questions about why I make certain recommendations or order certain tests, but before the pandemic, I never felt nearly as frequently that patients were questioning my motives for doing things. No longer is there this understanding that the people who work in a hospital are there for their patients' and the community's good.

Two-thirds (66%) of respondents to the 2022 ACEP poll agreed COVID-19 has heightened violence in the ED, and 69 percent said COVID-19 has decreased the level of trust between patients and physicians or ED staff. (https://bit.ly/3G1xzLZ.)

The rising violence, in combination with the stress of the pandemic, is decimating the emergency department workforce that forms our nation's health care safety net and leading to very long waits to be seen in EDs all over the nation, Dr. Casaletto said.

And it's turning into a vicious cycle: The health care system is stressed, and doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals are leaving the field at unprecedented rates. More than 230,000 health care providers left the profession in 2021, according to a report from Definitive Healthcare, with emergency medicine among the top 10 specialties that lost physicians (internal medicine was first). (https://bit.ly/3I3fRdX.)

This means people have less access to outpatient providers, and they feel even more that the medical establishment is failing them, said Dr. Skog. I can't tell you how often I walk through the halls of my ED and the walls are lined with patients who've been there for days, anxious and sick and in pain. All those things increase the stress on providers and patients alike, and that type of environment leads toward more reactivity, more frustration, more anger and discontent, he said. Almost weekly, I hear nursing colleagues, physician colleagues, and others say, I'm done. I'm not going to do this anymore. Not going to come to work and risk my own safety when it feels like no one else cares. I risked my own safety coming to work through the pandemic; I'm not going to keep doing it when I'm getting threatened every day by my own patients.

No Repercussions

There are no simple solutions to violence against EPs, and many security interventions have unclear benefits. While we know that the presence of metal detectors finds more weapons, there is no study that shows that the presence of metal detectors decreases violent incidents or keeps either patients or ED staff safer, Dr. Casaletto said.

One of the biggest problems is that often no charges are filed against individuals who assault ED staff. The ACEP survey notes that only two percent of respondents who had been physically assaulted said their hospital pressed charges, she said. Despite assault on a health care provider being a felony in North Carolina, we have great difficulty getting charges filed and even more difficulty getting these cases prosecuted. It seems here in Charlotte that pulling a knife on a grocery store or department store worker is prosecuted, while law enforcement sees it as acceptable behavior in the emergency department.

Hospital culture and law enforcement too often see workplace violence in health care as part of the job, she said. We need hospitals to support their staff safety by supporting and encouraging reporting and developing effective relationships with law enforcement to ensure this happens.

Dr. Skog agreed. I do greatly appreciate the work law enforcement does and understand the restrictions that they have, he said. But in previous times when I've been assaulted, the police have come and offered to escort the person off the property or maybe given them a ticket for trespassing, not necessarily arrested them or even given them a ticket for assault. My understanding is that it's unlikely these people will be prosecuted in the end, and that fact contributes to underreporting of violence. People think, What's the point of me putting in the effort to report this when it's not going to change anything?

Taking Meaningful Action

Some hospitals have begun taking a harder line on violent and abusive behavior. Mass General Brigham released a new patient code of conduct in early November outlining a list of behaviors toward staff members that will no longer be tolerated. We recognize the threat of disrespectful, racist or discriminatory words and actions on members of our community, said a hospital statement. Just as we have policies for our employees and clinicians to treat each other and every patient and visitor with courtesy and respect, this policy helps to define appropriate behaviors for patients, family members, visitors and research participants. (https://bit.ly/3hWQxLW.)

No longer tolerated at the hospital are physical and verbal threats, offensive comments about race, accent, religion, and gender or sexual orientation, and refusal to see clinicians or staff members based on these personal traits. (https://bit.ly/3WNt3HX.) If we believe you have violated the Code with unwelcome words or actions, you will be given the chance to explain your point of view, the policy states. Some violations of this Code may lead to patients being asked to make other plans for their care.

ACEP and the Emergency Nurses Association launched the No Silence on ED Violence campaign in 2019 to bring attention to violence in the ED, provide resources to effect safety improvements, and seek state and federal policy solutions. The campaign has called for national standards on workplace violence in health care, and ACEP has been a driving force in supporting the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, introduced by Rep. Joseph Courtney (D-CT). The legislation passed the House in April, and was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) in May.

Meaningful progress is urgent and requires a collaborative effortwe've taken a lot of steps in the right direction and our work continues, said an ACEP spokesperson. Policies that address ED violence were a key part of ACEP's annual Leadership and Advocacy Conference, where hundreds of meetings on this issue were facilitated between emergency physicians and elected officials. More recently, we collaborated with Reps. Madeleine Dean (D-VT) and Larry Bucshon (R-IN) to help draft and introduce the SAVE Act (H.R. 7961), which establishes federal criminal penalties for violence against emergency physicians and other health care workers, just as there are for airline or airport workers and others.

The emergency medicine community is a resilient group, Dr. Skog said, but resilience only goes so far. After three years of worsening conditions, deteriorating appreciation for the work we do, more assaults, and more negative aspects of our jobs without a light at the end of the tunnel, we have to find a way to reinstate the mutual respect, passion, and care between the community and emergency medicine professionals.

Hospitals' Responsibilities to Protect ED Personnel

ACEP's current recommendations on Protection from Violence and the Threat of Violence in the Emergency Department (June 2022; https://bit.ly/3C8ObjM) state that hospitals and administrators have these responsibilities, to name a few:

Provide an ED security system that may include signage, security personnel, personnel training, physical barriers, and surveillance equipment.

Develop written ED protocols with input from staff and the community which are reserved for violent situations occurring in the ED to ensure the safety of patients, visitors, and health care workers.

Develop and enforce a mandatory reporting policy that requires employees to report any verbal assault or physical battery. Such policies should clearly state that reporting will not result in any adverse action by the hospital, such as termination, suspension, or retaliation, that discriminates against an employee who reports.

Adopt a zero-tolerance policy for employees, patients, families, and visitors that states that any violence in the ED is not acceptable.

Provide post-incident support for employees involved in violent events, including prompt medical treatment, debriefing, counseling, and employee assistance.

Pursue maximum criminal prosecution, when deemed appropriate, against those individuals who threaten and commit violent acts against health care workers.

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Ms. Shawis a freelance writer with more than 20 years of experience writing about health and medicine. She is also the author of Having Children After Cancer, the only guide for cancer survivors hoping to build their families after a cancer diagnosis. You can find her work atwww.writergina.com. Follow her on Twitter@writergina.
Federal student loan borrowers may soon see their monthly payments cut by at least half  and potentially have their debt forgiven in as little as a decade  due to big changes the Education Department intends to make to one of its existing repayment plans.

More details on the revised income-driven repayment plan surfaced in mid-January, and the Biden administration aims to finalize changes to the new IDR plan, known as REPAYE, by the end of 2023. Its the latest effort by President Biden to ease the weight of the nations collective $1.76 trillion in student loan debt by removing more roadblocks to debt forgiveness.

There are a lot of steps between here and having [the plan] actually in place, but the potential is there for a really big impact, says Scott Stark, a certified financial planner at Financial Finesse, a workplace financial wellness company.

That impact will be felt more by some borrowers than others. Generally, those who earn the least relative to how much they owe stand to benefit the most. IDR plans cap monthly payments at a certain percentage of a borrowers income and forgive any remaining balance after payments have been made for a set number of years.

Here are five key beneficiaries of the fresh IDR plan, according to experts.

1. Borrowers who attended some college but didnt graduate

People who took out student loans and attended some college  but didnt finish and earn a bachelors degree  can land in a tough spot. Though they tend to have lower loan balances, they also dont enjoy the 66% average income bump that college graduates have compared to high school graduates with some college, per 2017 data from the Economic Policy Institute, a progressive think tank.

The revised IDR plan could help: Borrowers who originally took out $12,000 or less in student debt would have their remaining balance forgiven after 10 years of qualifying monthly payments, down from 20 to 25 years under existing plans.

People who didnt get a bachelors degree account for 51% of households with student debt under $10,000, according to an Urban Institute analysis of 2019 government data. Even $0 monthly payments under the revised IDR plan would count toward the 10-year forgiveness finish line.

The administration is really looking out for people that tried college and it didn't work out for them, says Mike Pierce, executive director and co-founder of the Student Borrower Protection Center.

2. Borrowers in areas with a high cost of living

IDR plans cap monthly student loan payments at a certain percentage of a borrowers discretionary income  currently, its your household income minus 150% of the federal poverty guideline for your family size and location. If your household income is $75,000 for a family of four in Virginia, your non-discretionary income is $45,000 and your discretionary income is $30,000. Payments under current IDR plans are a percentage of that $30,000.

The revised plan subtract 225% of the federal poverty guideline from your income, sheltering more of your earnings. That same $75,000 household would see payments based on just $7,500 of discretionary income. On top of that, undergraduate loan payments would be capped at 5% of discretionary income, instead of at least 10% under current plans, shrinking monthly payments for the example household from $250 to about $31.

This is a meaningful change for borrowers who live in expensive areas where housing, food and other costs cut further into discretionary income, explains Betsy Mayotte, president and founder of The Institute of Student Loan Advisors.

3. Borrowers at risk of delinquent or defaulted student loans

It may seem counterintuitive, but borrowers who have fairly small balances show extraordinary rates of default and delinquency, explains Dominique Baker, an associate professor of education policy at Southern Methodist University. Theres overlap here with borrowers who didnt finish college: The default rate among borrowers who didnt complete their degree is triple the rate for borrowers who earned a diploma, Education Department data shows.

Borrowers in default will be allowed to enroll in the revised IDR plan, giving them access to more affordable monthly payments and eventual loan forgiveness. Currently, student loan borrowers in default are blocked from any IDR plan.

Another perk: Borrowers who are at least 75 days late on their payments would also be automatically enrolled in the revised IDR plan. This could help struggling borrowers avoid student loan default in the first place  if they lose their job or earn less than about $32,800 per year as a single tax filer, or less than $67,500 for a family of four, theyll qualify for $0 monthly payments under the revised plan.

4. Borrowers who cant pay off all their interest each month

Ballooning student loan balances could be a thing of the past.

Under the revised plan, any interest unpaid each month would be covered by the government, so long as the borrower keeps up with their monthly payments. The leftover interest would not accrue.

The effects on individuals of not seeing their balances go up every month will be extremely beneficial in ways that we're only starting to understand, explains Daniel Collier, an assistant professor of higher and adult education at the University of Memphis who researches IDR plans. It will probably have the greatest psychological impact toward the good on borrowers with high debt loads."

5. Borrowers of color

On average, Black, Hispanic, American Indian and Alaska Native borrowers would see their lifetime payments per dollar borrowed be 50% of what they would be on the current REPAYE plan, the Department of Education estimates, while white borrowers projected lifetime payments per dollar borrowed would be 37% less than they would be on the current REPAYE plan.

Racial income gaps are behind these estimates. Compared to the median income of white households, Hispanic households earn 75%, American Indian and Alaska Native households earn 64%, and Black households earn 61%, according to data from the 2015-2019 U.S. Census.

Black borrowers borrow the most, they are more likely to borrow and are more likely to struggle with repayment, so things that improve and make student debt more manageable are likely to help the people that are harmed most, says Victoria Jackson, assistant director of higher education policy at The Education Trust, a nonprofit organization that promotes racial and economic equity in higher education.

Who wont benefit from the new IDR?

Parents who borrowed to help their kids attend college

Parents who took out federal loans  known as Parent PLUS loans  to help their kid pay for college would be excluded from the revised IDR plan. Currently, these borrowers are only eligible for the least-generous of the four existing IDR options, which is called income-contingent repayment.

That's particularly a concern for Black households, says Tisa Silver Canady, who holds a doctorate in education and is founder of the Maryland Center for Collegiate Financial Wellness. In 2018, 42% percent of Black Parent PLUS borrowers were low-income, compared to 8% of white Parent PLUS borrowers, per The Century Foundation, a left-leaning think tank that studies equity in education, health care and work.

Borrowers with graduate school debt

Borrowers who took out federal loans for graduate school would still see payments shrink, but the boost would be less favorable under the IDR revision than for those with only undergraduate loans.

People with only graduate school loans would still pay 10% of their discretionary income per month, which is the current IDR rate, compared to 5% for those with undergraduate loans. Borrowers with both graduate and undergraduate debt would pay somewhere between 5% and 10%.

How can I sign up?

The revamped IDR plan is not yet available. The Education Department aims to launch it by the end of 2023  but facing a budget crunch and a long to-do list, that timeline is uncertain.

Federal student loan payments could resume before the revised plan rolls out. Contact your student loan servicer to discuss payment options that are available in the meantime.

Borrowers who are currently enrolled in REPAYE will be automatically transitioned to the revised plan when its available. Most other borrowers will need to contact their servicer to sign up.

___
Bailey Boswells attorney made his case Wednesday for why she should get a new trial for the killing and dismemberment of Sydney Loofe, pointing to the number of gruesome photos prosecutors showed to the jury and testimony at trial about witchcraft and torture.

Todd Lancaster said the Nebraska Supreme Court has ruled that such photographs may be relevant to show the condition of the body or extent of the wounds or to establish malice and intent.

But in this case, he said, the state put into evidence more than 50 photos of Loofes dismembered remains, including five of a tattoo on her forearm that helped investigators to identify her and 10 of her severed head.

And its horrific, Lancaster said. They are hard to look at.

He said he thought of putting them on the screen for the Supreme Court justices to see, but decided against it since they were part of the court record.

He questioned why the jury, for instance, was shown photos that depicted how animals had gotten to her remains other than to ... horrify them and rile up their emotions.

Its hard for me to see how that is not excessive, Lancaster argued.

Similarly, he said, the state shouldnt have been allowed to call three women who testified at trial about how Boswell and co-defendant Aubrey Trail spoke of witchcraft and torture at the home in Wilber and were sexually deviant.

Theyre not going to be looking at the evidence. Theyre going to be looking at the deviant behavior and their emotions and not judging the evidence for what it is, Lancaster said of jurors.

In November 2021, Boswell got an automatic life sentence, plus 50 years, for conspiracy to commit murder and two years for unlawful disposal of human remains, after a three-judge panel failed to unanimously find she should get a death sentence.

In an earlier hearing, Trail was sentenced to death.

Loofes disappearance the night of Nov. 15, 2017, after a date with Boswell, led to a multistate manhunt for Boswell and Trail, who in Facebook videos claimed to know nothing about it. Their cellphone records, though, ultimately led law enforcement to fields and ditches in Clay County, where they made the grisly discovery of the 24-year-old Lincoln womans remains left scattered in trash bags.

Separate juries found Trail and Boswell guilty of murder for luring Loofe to their Wilber apartment, where they killed and dismembered her.

On Wednesday, Assistant Nebraska Attorney General Stacy Foust asked the Supreme Court to affirm Boswells conviction.

Regarding the photos themselves, I think the state and the court did exercise extreme discretion, she said.

Foust said the state introduced a small portion of the 87 photos taken at the disposal scene and 100 or more autopsy photos. And each for a proper purpose, she said.

(The state) was entitled to present a coherent picture of Boswells crimes, she said. Boswell did not get to sanitize her crimes by picking the states evidence for it.

Foust said the photos from the disposal sites were essentially crime-scene photographs.

The difference here is that because of Trail and Boswells actions there were actually multiple crime scenes with multiple body parts and the state was entitled to present each one to the jury, she said.

Photos from the autopsy were important to show that the case involved not just a premeditated murder, but also a deliberate dismemberment, Foust said.

Justice William Cassel asked Foust if she agreed it was possible to have too many photos go before a jury.

In another case. Not here, she said.

How is an appellate court to review what that threshold is? Cassel asked.

Foust said they would have to consider whether it was an abuse of discretion by the judge, a very high standard.

As for the testimony of the other women, she said: We will never know exactly what happened in those 24 minutes that Loofe was in Trail and Boswells Wilber apartment. But according to Boswell, she was just as much a victim of Trails as the girls were. And the girls testimony showed that is a bold-faced lie.

She participated, if not led, every aspect of the recruitment process in setting up the date with Loofe, Foust said.

Which also evidenced her participation and thus her intent in killing and dismembering Loofe, she said.

The Supreme Court took the case under advisement.

The disappearance of Sydney Loofe: 'Vampires and a verdict' | Late Edition: Crime Beat Chronicles podcast Listen to the fifth and final episode of the current season of Late Edition: Crime Beat Chronicles that reviews the Sydney Loofe murder case.

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Nearly seven months after party officials reported a burglary at the Nebraska Republican Party headquarters, the Lincoln Police Department is seeking a special prosecutor to take a second look at its investigation into the break-in.

Lincoln Police Sgt. Chris Vollmer on Wednesday confirmed that LPD had made the request for a special prosecutor, which was first reported by the Nebraska Examiner.

Vollmer deferred questions on the potential appointment process to County Attorney Pat Condon, who did not return phone calls seeking comment Wednesday.

The police departments request comes months after the Nebraska GOP reported a computer, a camera system, paperwork and files were stolen from the partys downtown Lincoln headquarters in July.

The files and paperwork were later recovered, according to the public incident report stemming from the case.

In an email last week, Lincoln Police Capt. Todd Kocian said LPDs investigation into the incident had concluded.

No arrests were made as the investigation yielded no criminal offense that would support law enforcement action, he said.

The break-in at the 1610 N St. headquarters, reported to police July 11, occurred over the same weekend as the partys state convention in Kearney, where Eric Underwood was elected as the partys new chairman after members ousted Dan Welch of Omaha, the longtime chairman, from the position.

The party hired Tom Nesbitt, the former superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol, to independently investigate the break-in.

At a quarterly party meeting in Omaha last month, Nesbitt raised concerns about what he described as LPDs refusal to release reports stemming from the agencys investigation, according to live tweets of the meeting from the Nebraska Freedom Coalition, a political action committee.

Nebraskas public records statute allows law enforcement agencies to withhold records they deem investigatory in nature. The statute does not require an investigation to be active or ongoing for an agency to withhold records.

Paul Kratz, the Nebraska GOPs attorney, filed a document in October in Lancaster County Court seeking permission to subpoena the police departments case file stemming from the reported break-in.

In a motion to quash the partys request filed in December, Tonya Peters, an assistant city attorney and LPDs legal adviser, said the court clerk issued such a subpoena in response to Kratzs filing despite the fact that no court granted the party permission to seek the documents.

In her motion, Peters argued there is no legal basis for granting (the partys) request, in part because Kratz and the party havent actually filed a lawsuit against the city seeking the records.

A hearing on the citys motion to quash is set for Friday morning.
The reminder on Kristie Trinh's phone is set for March.

That's when the Lincoln High School senior will fly into the nation's capital  and get a chance to fulfill a lifelong dream.

"When I get to Washington, D.C., I really want to get a physical Library of Congress card," Trinh said. "I set a reminder on my phone to register."

A library card is not the only thing the Lincoln High School senior is looking forward to when she's in D.C. Trinh will also get to rub shoulders with the movers and shakers of the U.S. government: senators, a justice of the Supreme Court, Cabinet members and even President Joe Biden.

Trinh is one of 104 students across the nation accepted to the prestigious United States Senate Youth Program.

The competitive merit-based program provides high school students with an intensive, weeklong study of the federal government and the people who lead it.

"I was really surprised to find out about (being accepted) because it was sent through an email and it didn't go through my main inbox," Trinh said, laughing. "But then I saw it and I was kind of in shock."

Trinh learned about the program on her own and figured she would apply. As a member of Lincoln High's debate team, she's drawn to government and politics. Trinh herself participates in congressional debate, where students debate mock legislation.

"I think that's where my interest in that stems from," said Trinh, who's enrolled in Lincoln High's International Baccalaureate program.

She summoned the help of Andrew Bargen, her advanced placement U.S. government and politics teacher who took part in the program himself in 1993. The two sat down and brainstormed questions that she might be asked in an interview as part of the application process.

As an AP teacher, Bargen doesn't interact with IB students often, he said. But Trinh had decided to enroll in his class last semester instead of using one of her built-in off periods.

"That in and of itself kind of speaks to Kristie in that she's a self-starter," Bargen said.

Trinh found out she was accepted in December, but she had to fill out some more paperwork before it was official this month.

The U.S. Senate Youth Program was created in 1962 as a way to give students "more profound knowledge of the American political process and a lifelong commitment to public service."

The Hearst Foundation funds the program, which grants each student a $10,000 scholarship for undergraduate study.

While she's still mulling her postsecondary options, Trinh wants to study architecture and its intersections with government and politics  issues like urban sprawl and zoning laws.

Two students are selected from each state, D.C. and a Department of Defense school. Jayden Speed, a senior at Conestoga, is the other delegate from Nebraska.

From March 4-11, Trinh and other delegates will attend meetings and briefings with a host of prominent leaders, including a Supreme Court justice, which Trinh is looking forward to meeting the most.

In announcing this year's class, the program lauded Trinh for her efforts to make honors courses more accessible to students of color.

Lincoln High is one of the most diverse schools in Nebraska, Trinh said, but the number of students of color remain few in the IB program and AP classes.

When Trinh started as a pre-IB student in her freshman year, there were a lot of diverse students. But when she officially started the IB track her junior year, only a few remained.

"We have two Black women of color in the program left and three male students of color overall," she said. "The shrink in the population at such a diverse school was really disappointing to see."

As president of the school's National Honor Society, Trinh is working on creating a mentorship program for students of color to drive enrollment in honors courses.

Trinh also organized a community service project in the Near South neighborhood with the nonprofit Art Bus LNK as part of her IB pathway where people could create Styrofoam art.

Trinh, the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, discovered a passion for art as a student at West Lincoln Elementary School. But she's worried about decreasing access to the arts in public schools. She wants to make sure that access continues.

"She has had an influence beyond the four walls of the school," Bargen said.
Officials say a social media threat that closed Thayer Central Community Schools for several days came from out of the state and is not credible.

In a Wednesday news release, the Nebraska State Patrol said there is no ongoing threat to the school district in Hebron, which called off classes this week after an online post surfaced Friday threatening a school shooting.

The State Patrol's Tech Crimes Unit tracked the post to a suspect in New Mexico, and investigators are now working with authorities there on the case.

School district administrators had canceled classes since Monday because of the threat, but the school plans to reopen Thursday.

Law enforcement will be present on school grounds in the coming days as the investigation continues. Counselors also will be available for students and staff.

Top Journal Star photos for January 2023
Saudi sovereign wealth fund PIF (Public Investment Fund) today (February 1) signed an agreement with AeroFarms, a US-based commercial market leader in vertical farming, to set up a new company in Riyadh that will build and operate indoor vertical farms in the wider Mena region.

The partnership aligns with PIFs strategy, which focuses on developing and enabling the capabilities of key sectors, including food and agriculture, which will contribute to improving trade balance, localize technologies, develop industries and the overall growth and diversification of the Saudi economy.

PIF said it is investing to localize new agricultural technologies that can benefit the local private sector, expanding its market reach and positioning Saudi Arabia as a leader in vertical farming.

The first farm in Saudi Arabia, which is expected to be the largest indoor vertical farm of its kind in the region, will have an annual production capacity of up to 1.1 million kgs of agricultural crops.

According to PIF, the agreement will optimize the utilization of natural resources, including water and agricultural lands, through the implementation of indoor vertical farming, with no need for arable land, resulting in significantly higher yields and using up to 95% less water versus traditional field farming.

The partnership is expected to enable sustainable, local sourcing of high-quality crops all year round, grown using AeroFarms proprietary smart agriculture technology (AgTech) platform, which helps solve broader supply chain needs in the industry. The joint venture plans to build and operate several farms across the region in the next few years, it stated.

Majed AlAssaf, the Head of Consumer Goods and Retail, Mena Investments Division at PIF, said: "The agreement with AeroFarms will lead to the establishment of indoor vertical farms in Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region, increasing regional reliance on locally produced, high-quality crops grown in a sustainable way using the latest technologies."

"PIF is enabling the growth of the food and agriculture sector and localizing technology that can benefit private sector industry participants," he stated.

David Rosenberg, the Co-Founder and CEO of AeroFarms, said: "Our mission is to grow the best plants possible for the betterment of humanity, and we created AeroFarms to help solve the greatest agriculture challenges and increase food resiliency around the world."

"We are excited to partner with PIF to build our first large-scale commercial farm in Saudi Arabia, where the growing conditions are challenging with limited access to fresh water and arable land, and we envision building together smart indoor vertical farms throughout the broader Mena region," noted Rosenberg.

AeroFarms has a strong track record of creating large-scale commercial farms with a reputation for high quality and consistency of production, along with experienced management, and an advanced technology and R&D team, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
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

Two days after Dean Cole and Mark Brohman testified at a Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commission meeting to oppose a sober living home in their neighborhood, they were at the Legislature telling the same story to state senators.

They told the Judiciary Committee about the the lack of parking for residents, how neighbors calls to the city prompted an inspection of the house that found numerous fire and safety violations. They said scared residents just released from prison were dropped off with no one to meet them, no direction about where to go or what to do.

Eight of (the residents) have complained that theres no supervision in that house, Cole said. We want people that want to try, that want to get ahead, but our system is failing.

Suffice it to say the debate over such sober living homes is not over for the city  or the state.

The states interest is in transitional or re-entry housing  places the state pays to house people recently released from prison or on parole while they transition back into society.

The size, condition and supervision provided by such homes  run by both nonprofit and for-profit groups  varies greatly. State probation, parole or the corrections department pays the owners through a voucher system for each individual placement.

That means theres often little oversight, and no clear, consistent process to resolve issues once they arise, said Zach Pluhacek, assistant inspector general of corrections.

While some facilities offer significant programming and staffing, pass annual inspections and are insured, others are not.

Kasey Parker, executive director of the Mental Health Association of Nebraska, told the legislative committee that once word got out the state was paying $65 a day for residents  others said it can be up to $90 a day  some for-profit groups began buying four- and five-bedroom homes and stacking up to 12 people in one house.

This is not a safe environment, she said. Its not conducive to recovery. Its not trauma-informed and its exploiting people who often are just grateful for a place to stay.

Sen. Mike McDonnells bill (LB334) tries to address that by establishing the Reentry Housing Network Act through the Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, commonly known as the Nebraska Crime Commission.

The act would create baseline health and safety standards for such homes and require inspections, track program use, outcomes and expenses and allow for a single point of contact for both residents, the owners of such homes or neighbors to lodge complaints and get questions answered.

And it would have implications for some of the sober living homes that have begun popping up in Lincoln  and creating a significant amount of controversy.

The Michael House at 27th and Washington streets, near where Cole and Brohman live, accepts placements by the state, which means theyd be subject to rules created by McDonnells bill. Sober living homes that dont receive state money for their residents would not.

In Lincoln, the issue arose last summer, when  despite opposition from neighbors  the planning commission and City Council approved reasonable accommodations for three sober living houses  two of which were owned by MAK Development in Omaha, which operates as Michael House. The other was an Oxford House, which is operated by a national organization for a network of democratically run, self-supporting homes for those in recovery.

The city has an ordinance that prohibits more than three unrelated people from living together in one residence, but the Oxford and Michael houses have sought  and received  an exception for disabled people under the federal Fair Housing Act, which says cities cannot discriminate against people with disabilities. Courts have ruled that includes people in recovery.

After the debates last summer, council members Sandra Washington and Jane Raybould (who is now a state senator) asked the city attorneys office to research the issue.

The city already has ordinances that govern transitional housing and group homes, but the sober living houses dont fall under those rules, in part because they dont provide therapy or counseling services to residents.

Washington said she wanted to learn if there was a way to provide some oversight to sober living or collaborative living homes. Her biggest concerns, she said, are the safety of residents living in the homes as well as parking in the neighborhoods and how close such houses can be to each other.

That could mean creating an ordinance that requires annual inspections or perhaps some parameters about how many people can live in one house, though Washington said theyre not to the point of crafting any legislation yet.

And if McDonnells bill goes anywhere, it could also help in some cases.

But neither LB334 or new legislation by the city will be ready before the City Council must deal with the Michael House at 27th and Washington streets, which concerned the planning commission enough that it recommended denial.

Top Journal Star photos for January 2023
A man accused of kidnapping and torturing a woman in Oregon this month died from a self inflicted-gunshot wound following an hourslong standoff with authorities Tuesday night, a CNN affiliate reported.

Benjamin Obadiah Foster, 36, died in the hospital after law enforcement had surrounded a property in Grants Pass, Oregon, where he was believed to be hiding under a house, CNN affiliate KTVL reported, citing police. Authorities had been trying to get the suspect to surrender, the report said.

Grants Pass police announced late Tuesday that Foster  sought by authorities for a week  was in custody, but did not provide details on how the standoff ended. Police said they would hold a news conference Wednesday.

CNN has reached out to Grants Pass police, the Josephine County Sheriff's Office and the FBI's Portland office and has not heard back.

News that Foster was in custody came after police said Foster was seen walking a dog in the Grants Pass area Tuesday morning.

The search for Foster began January 24 after officers found a woman who had been bound and severely beaten into unconsciousness inside a Grants Pass home, police said. Foster had already fled the crime scene when police arrived, they said.

The victim still was hospitalized in critical condition as of Sunday, according to Grants Pass Police Chief Warren Hensman.

Federal, state and local authorities had been searching "around the clock" for Foster, who is wanted on suspicion of attempted murder, kidnapping and assault, according to the police chief.

Prosecutors have accused Foster of trying to kill the woman while "intentionally torturing" her, according to charging documents obtained by CNN affiliate KDRV. The victim endured the alleged abuses for a "protracted amount of time," the police chief has said.

The victim was initially found by a friend who called police and identified Foster as the suspect, Hensman said.

When officers arrived January 24, they found "an absolutely disgusting scene," the police chief said, adding that images taken by investigators are "horrific."

"I've seen a lot in my career, but some things do stick with you, and this will stay stained in my memory for many years to come," Hensman told CNN Monday.

Foster and his victim had a "prior relationship," Hensman told CNN Monday. He did not provide further details but said, "This was not a random attack."

Investigators are still sifting through a "significant amount" of evidence and following up on the flood of tips that the department has received so far, the police chief said.

Hensman had encouraged people who come into contact with Foster  either in person or online  to call 911 immediately. Police warned that the "extremely dangerous suspect" could have been armed.

Suspect could be threat to those who 'befriend him,' police say

Hensman said Monday that he did not believe Foster is a "random attacker" but warned "nothing is off the table with an individual like him."

"He's definitely a threat to others," the police chief said. "I think he would be a threat to somebody who might befriend him."

Investigators previously said Foster may be using dating apps to find potential new victims or manipulate people into helping him evade arrest. Hensman declined to clarify Monday whether Foster is still active on those apps.

Foster has been accused of attacking women who he had relationships with in two separate cases in Las Vegas, Clark County records show.

In the first case, Foster was charged with felony battery constituting domestic violence, the records show. His ex-girlfriend testified that he tried to strangle her on Christmas Eve in 2017 after he saw that another man had texted her, according to the documents.

He was also charged with felony assault, battery and kidnapping for alleged abuses against his then-girlfriend in 2019, according to charging documents.

The victim in that case told police Foster strangled her several times and kept her tied up for most of the following two weeks, a Las Vegas police report said. When she was finally able to escape to a hospital, she had seven broken ribs, two black eyes and abrasions to her wrists and ankles from being tied up, the report said.

Foster accepted plea deals in both cases. In the first case, he was sentenced to a maximum of 30 months in prison but given credit for 729 days served.

Safest cities in America 2023: Violent crime rate increases drive per capita cost of crime Safest cities in America 2023: Violent crime rate increases drive per capita cost of crime The 15 Safest Cities in America The 15 Most Dangerous Cities Methodology
Editor's note: This story is part of 'Broken Defense,' an investigative series from Lee Enterprises. More details about this project can be found at the bottom of this article.

Lassen County Judge Tony Mallery huddles prosecutors and defense attorneys in a room before court in early California summer 2019.

Mallery announces to the group he will no longer accept their too lenient plea deals and he plans to impose the maximum sentence for all who plead guilty, according to an inquiry into Mallerys conduct that the California Commission on Judicial Performance filed in September.

Im just telling you what were going to do from now on, Mallery allegedly told the attorneys. He wont let them make him look bad in this community by appearing soft on crime, the inquiry states.

Mallerys lawyers did not respond to requests for comment.

Mallery said in a 180-page response to the inquiry that he did not ban plea bargaining. Attorneys were offering miniscule plea deals that didnt meet mandatory sentencing requirements. Mallery told the lawyers, according to the response, that he wouldnt accept unjustifiable pleas.

The exchange was hostile, the inquiry and response agreed.

By fall 2019, Mallery was assigning fewer cases to defense attorneys Jacob Zamora and Stephen King, until he stopped entirely, according to the inquiry.

Zamora and King grew concerned about bias against their clients. They made at least eight motions that year to get Mallery kicked off their cases.

Mallery told court staff that he would stop appointing King and Zamora if they continued to try to remove him from cases, the inquiry alleges.

The judge denied retaliation over the motions. He said he stopped appointing them over performance concerns.

If he wants to make this a (expletive) game, then we just wont appoint him on any more cases, Mallery allegedly told a supervisor about King.

Everyone in the inquiry is forbidden to discuss the allegations because the investigation into Mallerys conduct is ongoing. Calls and messages to Zamora were not returned. King agreed to an interview, but did not discuss the inquiry.

Mallery took away a chunk of Zamoras and Kings incomes because he didnt like that they stood up for their clients, according to the inquiry. If proven, the allegations illustrate how a judges power can undermine public defense. If dismissed, claims on both sides detail a brewing tension that possibly prevented the attorneys from fighting effectively for their clients.

Texas Senior District Judge John Board said its a horrible system to have judges in charge of public defenders case assignments and, by extension, their incomes. He said that injects judges into the defense, which you wouldnt want em doing that on the prosecution side.

And then those poor lawyers, if they dont agree with what the judge paid them, and they complain, then their fear is theyll get retaliated against and not get any more appointments, Board said. Id like to think the local judges did not do that kind of thing. But theres always the appearance of that at least and the fear that that could happen.

Vaavia Rudd, an attorney who worked in the same Panhandle county courts over which Board presided, said fear of retaliation sometimes affected her defense strategies.

When it affects your bottom line you dont want to make the judges angry, Rudd said.

Judges or elected officials in many counties nationwide have full oversight over public defense, a structure that can lead to subtle pressure on public defenders to avoid using many county resources or making motions that agitate a judge. Attorneys rarely are removed or dismissed in retaliation, though fear of that can weaken the defense.

That power structure in California, Texas, Arizona and Idaho prevents attorney access to necessary resources, including investigators and expert witnesses. Investigators help build defenses and experts can challenge a states interpretation of evidence, such as blood spatter or DNA.

There are pressures to do more with a lot less that might not result in effective, adequate representation for the client, Idaho ACLU legal director Aadika Singh said of counties in that state.

Local governments are obligated to fund public defense, but have limited authority because interfering with how public defenders build their cases could potentially violate the Sixth Amendment right to effective counsel, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1984.

Public defenders must remain independent to fulfill their adversarial role of fighting governments on behalf of people whose freedom is at stake, the court has said.

We want public defenders who can zealously represent clients without undue influence by county commissioners or prosecutors, where their masters can really be their clients, Singh said.

Subtle pressure

Rudd felt disincentivized because judges have the power to not assign cases to court-appointed attorneys, though in 20 years Texas Panhandle judges never took away her cases. The structure created subtle pressure to avoid questioning judges or filing motions that would offend judges, she said.

If they chose to black ball you, they could, she said.

Jon Mosher, Sixth Amendment Center deputy director, said most counties have public defense systems where that sort of subtle pressure could happen.

About a third of roughly 3,000 counties in the U.S. have oversight organizations or public defender offices with managers who protect defenders from judges and elected officials, while the rest have none.

The default system puts judges in charge of case assignments. The problem isnt usually that judges act maliciously or unconstitutionally, but that public defenders worry about pleasing judges rather than focusing on clients, according to a Sixth Amendment Center study of two Texas Panhandle counties.

Board said another issue in Potter and Randall counties, where he presided, was that judges were tasked with monitoring public defenders' education, training and competence requirements, but the judges didnt have time so it just wasnt getting done.

Rudd said other problems came when court-appointed attorneys asked judges for investigators or expert witnesses because it sometimes revealed their defense strategies to the same judge who would rule on it. Other times, she and other attorneys wouldnt get fully paid.

Youd do $3,000 worth of work and theyd pay you $1,500, and just say, Well, sorry thats what I think this kind of a case is worth, Rudd said.

Chilled the defense

King, one of the dismissed Lassen County defense attorneys, said he couldnt comment on Judge Mallerys alleged misconduct but had experiences outside of those outlined in the California inquiry that undermined public defense.

He really chilled the indigent defense, King said of Mallery. And it was budgetary Im sure. But it was very difficult doing public defender work in his court.

King said Mallery capped mileage reimbursement at 75 miles for attorneys, though one case could require King to travel 150 miles round trip.

Mallery also rejected some of Kings requests to hire investigators, King said. Never in Kings 25 years as an attorney did those sorts of requests get denied until he arrived in Lassen County. Cases were more difficult to defend with no investigator, he said. King became less likely to request one because he had to weigh the time it would take to fight for funding against the immediate needs of other clients.

Mallerys inquiry response says King was overbilling and "failed to comply with requirements for requesting ancillary services. Mallerys attorneys did not comment on Kings claims.

Defense attorney Savina Haas was a full-time staff attorney in the now-dissolved Lassen County public defenders office from 2017 to 2020. Her resources, including investigators, came from a limited county budget, not judges.

Available county-hired investigators fluctuated from three to zero, Haas said. Haass requests to get one for her cases were denied quite often by county administrative staff, she said.

I would actually go to crime scenes and start investigating myself, Haas said. I mean how disturbing is that?

Haas paid her own way to San Diego for two weeks of bar license required training. Lassen County gave her $450 to offset hotel, food and travel costs, she said.

Lassen County Chief Administrative Officer Richard Egan is accountable for the county budget, its contractors and each departments purchasing needs, but did not directly oversee the public defender department. He said hes not aware that requests for investigators or travel were rejected.

I could be proven wrong, but I don't recall any denials of requests, he said.

Idaho County public defender John Wiltses investigator and expert witness requests are approved as needed, but requesting them from both the judge and county administration is inefficient.

It always appears (prosecutors) have access to a lot of experts and professionals at their convenience where I do have to jump through those hoops, which takes time, Wiltse said.

Idaho Rep. Jon Weber, R-Rexburg, said when judges play any role in public defense the appearance alone suggests that its not a fair and balanced system. Idaho is transitioning to a statewide public defense system in part to keep judges and public defenders separate, he said.

Beholden to counties

For now, each Idaho county maintains its own public defense system. County commissioners, some of whom lack legal expertise, often have the authority to fund, hire and fire public defenders, Singh said. The ACLU said this leaves "defenders beholden to the often-uniformed whims of their supervisors."

Singh said in some areas of Idaho, county commissioners and prosecutors are improperly influencing how public defenders are doing their job. She said some commissioners have dictated how much time public defenders devote to cases, and some prosecutors have influenced who county leaders pick as the top public defender.

Arizona prosecutor offices often wield bigger budgets than county-based public defender offices, creating fiefdoms of power where prosecutors run the court, and judges and staff usually stand aside, said Jared Keenan, Arizonas ACLU legal director.

Rural counties with small budgets have few quality expert witnesses for public defenders, Keenan said.

Theres a truncated list of people willing to work in those counties, Keenan said. If they set their (expert) rates extremely low, sometimes its tough to find anyone.

Keenan said more state funding or a statewide public defense system would help rural counties. The Legislature often reallocates state funds earmarked for public defense to other agencies, including the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

Its not enough money to fix all the problems with rural defense systems, but there is some money there and every year, its swept out of the indigent defense fund and given to police, Keenan said.

Solutions

Those concerns about judges influencing public defense work prompted Potter and Armstrong county leaders in Texas to change the system. They launched in 2022 a county public defender office and the Potter & Armstrong County Managed Assigned Counsel Office, or MAC office.

The MAC office supervises private attorneys who take public defense cases and provides resources and support, such as social workers to help with cases and a database of available experts in the area.

Rudd, hired as MAC director last spring, appoints attorneys and approves public defender funding requests  taking that power from judges and giving it to the independent MAC office. She plans to track attorney performance by collecting client feedback from online surveys.

You cant improve unless you know what the issues are, Rudd said.

A new independent board oversees budgeting and policies for the two offices, further shielding public defenders from judges and elected officials. The Potter and Armstrong County Indigent Defense Oversight Board includes a former public defender, a judge, mental health professionals, a former sheriffs deputy and community leaders.

The two counties and the Texas Indigent Defense Commission fund the new system.

More counties could consider implementing similar systems if the state or federal government helps fund them, said Judge Board, the oversight board chair.

I really do feel like were making great steps, Board said. And frankly, its nice to be part of a solution when I used to be part of the problem.

About Broken Defense: Across the West, public defense systems face crushing caseloads, historic underfunding, structural problems and severe staffing shortages, imperiling criminal defendants lives and in many cases denying them their constitutional right to counsel. Defendants have lost jobs and homes, been pressured to plead guilty and been denied the benefit of exonerating evidence. People accused in more than 100,000 misdemeanors each year go to jail without ever talking to a lawyer. Lee Enterprises West region Public Service Journalism team and local reporters attended more than a dozen court hearings and interviewed more than 25 defendants, 40 attorneys and 25 experts to reveal public defense in many western states is broken. Lee Enterprises Public Service Journalism Reporter Emily Hamer may be reached at emily.hamer@lee.net.
An 18-year-old Colorado man was arrested Tuesday after a high-speed pursuit on Interstate 80, according to the Nebraska State Patrol.

The pursuit began at about 12:40 a.m. when state troopers spotted a Subaru WRX driving more than 100 mph on I-80 at mile marker 435 near Gretna. A trooper attempted a traffic stop, but the driver continued westbound, reaching speeds of 150 mph. After about 10 miles, the Subaru's engine failed and the vehicle came to a stop.

The driver, an 18-year-old Colorado man whose name was not released, was arrested and booked into the Sarpy County jail on suspicion of willful reckless driving and flight to avoid arrest. No injuries were reported.
YORK  A York man charged in the death of his wife called 911 to report the shooting, according to court records.

Bart Beutler, 47, is charged with killing Stacie Beutler, 46, on Monday night at their home.

According to the affidavit filed with the York County Court, Bart Beutler called 911 and stated, 84 South Platte. When asked the nature of the emergency, he said, Gunshot wound, Im doing CPR.

The affidavit says, what is believed to be heavy breathing and gurgling sounds can be heard on the 911 recorded call."

During the call, the dispatcher asks if the person is conscious and breathing and Bart Beutler says "no, she's dead." He identifies himself as the woman's husband and spells his last name.

Court documents indicate dispatch advised the responding officers the gun was in the bedroom on the bed and Bart Beutler said the woman wouldnt stop yelling and talking s***.

While officers were at the home on South Plattte, another call was made to emergency communications from a person in York who said Bart Beutler was at his home. Officers found Beutler there, wearing blood-stained clothing, and arrested him, the affidavit says.

After his arrest, Bart Beutler told investigators he was in bed, in their room and Stacie kept coming into the room, waking him up.

Investigators, according to court documents, came to believe Bart Beutler had lost it, pulled out a .40 caliber handgun and shot until the clip was empty.

Bart Beutler was not legally allowed to own firearms because of his criminal history, which includes a second-degree murder conviction in Arizona in 2007.

Stacie Beutler's mother, Sandy Turner, told KLKN-TV that the couple was visiting from Arizona and had been staying with her since November.

She said the two were married for about six months but have known each other since high school.

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Investigators with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested an employee of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services in connection with a sexual assault of a co-worker.

James Cherry, 33, was arrested Monday at his home in Humboldt on suspicion of first-degree sexual assault and third-degree sexual assault, according to a spokesman for the state patrol.

The investigation began after officials in the corrections department received a report of an assault at the state prison in Tecumseh last October, according to patrol spokesman Cody Thomas.

Top Journal Star photos for January 2023
The granddaughter of Bob and Loveda Proctor of Aurora has not given up hope that they're still alive.

Even though they've been missing for almost three weeks, Laci Fleming believes they're still out there somewhere.

"Of course," she said Tuesday.

The Proctors, who are 89 and 92, have been missing since Jan. 11.

Under a best-case scenario, the Proctors might be holed up in a farmer's outbuilding.

"We're hoping maybe that's the case, or that they're still driving around. We just have no idea," Fleming said.

She hopes people keep looking. "Just keep your eyes open everywhere," she said.

In an update earlier this week, Fleming wrote, "The Aurora Police Department is working tirelessly around the clock. We can feel their hearts aching as they constantly have Bob and Veda on their minds. The Civil Air Patrol continuously offers their support and has strategically searched and assisted. Several friends and family members continue search efforts as well as assisting with helping spread the word far and wide.

"There are undoubtedly others working hard to get us answers as well. We deeply appreciate the help weve received as well as all the prayers and well wishes," Fleming continued. "Please never give up on this search, we WILL find Bob and Loveda Proctor."

Fleming has been in contact with television crime reporter Nancy Grace. The Nebraska woman emailed Grace. "And I sent her an updated statement as well," she said.

Grace devoted a podcast to the subject and has been sharing news on Twitter.

Asked to describe her grandparents, Fleming said: "My grandma is a very strong, kind-hearted person. She has some strong, heavy faith and she's always been there for all of us and always been the voice of reason. My grandpa has always been there for all of us as well, and he's a very proud veteran. He's worked hard his entire life. He came from nothing and has really built up his career and life through everything that he's done. They're both really great people."

Timeline for Bob and Loveda Proctor

At 4:10 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 11, Bob and Loveda Proctor left their home. They proceeded to Aurora Co-op to fill up with gas in their blue 2007 Chrysler Pacifica at 4:19 p.m. and then left for Grand Island. Bob felt like hell so he had Veda take him to the Grand Island VA Medical Center, arriving there at 4:55 p.m. As Bob walked up to the VA hospital with the assistance of his walker, he was approached by a doctor who offered immediate care. Bob complained of pain, dizziness, weakness and that everything felt dry. Doctor reports Bob appears very weak, is pale/grayish in color and is slow to respond to questions. After assessment, determining Bob required emergency attention, they called 911.

The VA Medical Center closes at 5 p.m., so they decided to transfer Bob to the CHI Health St. Francis Emergency Room.

At 5:35 pm, Bob was transferred via ambulance and Veda was instructed to follow in her blue 2007 Chrysler Pacifica. Keep in mind, Veda has glaucoma and has a hard time seeing at night. Unfortunately, Veda wasnt able to follow/keep up with the ambulance for unknown reasons and gets lost. She ends up going the opposite direction and seeking help on Vine Street. Thankfully a good Samaritan gives Veda directions to St. Francis ER.

Upon Vedas arrival at St. Francis ER around 6:15 p.m., Bob complains of a cough and nonproductive dry (as stated by St. Francis ER). St. Francis says Bobs diagnosis is an acute cough and notes no weakness but that Bob is adamant about going home. They then discharged Bob and allow him and Veda to leave at 8:04 p.m.

St. Francis states that they are aware that Veda has problems driving at night and got lost on her way to St. Francis from the VA Medical Center.

Veda attempts to drive the couple home in the dark and heads west on Faidley Avenue from St. Francis. Video footage shows Veda turns south on Webb Road around 8:15 p.m. They aimlessly drive around searching for Aurora. They reportedly arrive at a home in Giltner and ask for directions, specifically to Aurora, between 10 and 10:30 p.m. Please note it should take around 30 minutes to get from Grand Island to Giltner.

Video footage shows Bob and Veda arriving at a stop sign in Giltner at W 6 Road and South H Road. Veda turns south onto South H Road and arrives back at the stop sign around 10 minutes later. Fleming and her husband drove south on that road and discovered that at almost exactly five minutes, driving at Vedas pace around 35-40 mph, the pavement ends and the road turns to gravel in all directions. This tells us that Veda knew not to take gravel at this time, according to Fleming. After Veda and Bob return to the stop sign after 10 minutes, they turn east on W 6 Road at 10:25 p.m.

Its been reported that they stopped at another home outside of Giltner on W 6 Road. There is no video evidence to support this, but Fleming believes this happened.

There have been no sightings since then.

Photos: Nebraska's 49th annual Walk for Life rally
Periodically, some public commentator suggests that in many American cities, someone with a very comfortable income is actually barely getting by. It is a venerable genre, but the first such instance I can personally remember came from law professor Todd Henderson back in 2010. The most recent is Bret Stephens, a columnist at the New York Times.

Recently, in a conversation with colleague Gail Collins, Stephens argued that a couple with a combined income of $400,000 a year still doesnt necessarily have a lifestyle wed describe as rich: Theyre scrimping to send their kids to college, driving a Camry, if they have a car at all, and wondering why eggs have gotten so damned expensive.

Granted, said Collins, which was the most fascinating part of this exchange.

The left side of the internet dragged Henderson mercilessly for days after his remarks 12 years ago. But here was a left-leaning New York Times columnist essentially conceding the point. As for the internet, I saw exactly one right-leaning economist gently joshing Stephens for his remarks. How have liberals gotten so comfortable with the idea that $400,000 a year  more than what 98% of the population makes  is really just a middle-class income?

A recent essay by Ross Douthat, Stephens and Collinss colleague at the New York Times, offers one answer: These people are rich by any measure, and they are spending their money on things only rich people can afford, such as living in the best school districts and in or near amenity-rich megacities. However, they are rich in a peculiarly modern way: in the context of a meritocracy where elites are supposed to re-earn their position anew each day.

Compared with the old establishment that survived on inherited wealth and social position, they are insecure, and many worry that their offspring will be downwardly mobile, which leads them to spend virtually all of their outsize disposable incomes on preparing the children to become star performers in the next round of competition.

One way to cope with this insecurity is to try to lean into it, strive to accumulate so-called generational wealth, so your children never have to wake up at 4 a.m. wondering where the next tuition check will come from. Another is to look for a political solution, which might be one reason the highly educated have migrated toward the Democratic Party.

Unfortunately, generational wealth is an impossible dream for even most highly educated people for the very reason that its so attractive: the competition for scarce slots at a limited number of highly selective colleges (and the schools that feed into them) that function as the gatekeepers to the 2%, or the 3%, or the 10%. This zero-sum bidding war will consume any amount of extra money a normal professional can earn, because there is always something else you could be doing to give your kid a better shot at a good school and a good life  another tutor, another consultant, another enrichment program.

Small wonder that they feel strapped, and not really surprising that people in this group have become increasingly friendly to the party that has historically promised to buffer us from the punishing demands of the market economy. The problem with this particular political solution is that the government cannot give them what they crave: a low-effort way to ensure that their kids never fall out of their world.

Theres no shame in wanting this. What self-respecting mammals dont want their kids to have it at least as good as they did? At the median household income, thats even a semi-plausible demand, because here all the government needs to provide is median-grade public goods. But it cannot give everyone above-average doctors, schools, job satisfaction and earning potential  and in a democracy, it cannot promise to reserve those things for the children of those who already have them.

Thus, the unsolvable dilemma of the broke 2-percenter. If you would be satisfied knowing that your child had a secure but unremarkable life managing a Walmart in some exurb, the government could probably guarantee that. And, with a solid six-figure income, you could probably prepare them for that world without any government assistance. But then, if you could be satisfied with a solid ordinary life, you probably wouldnt have spent decades working overtime and delaying gratification in order to make it into the 2%.
Jury deliberations in the retrial of Mark Jensen, the Pleasant Prairie man accused of poisoning and suffocating his wife to death nearly 25 years ago, entered its second day Wednesday morning.

The jury of six men and six women in Kenosha County Circuit Court is considering the evidence presented by the prosecution and defense teams in the high-profile retrial before by Judge Anthony Milisauskas.

Four alternate jurors remain in the courthouse accompanied by a bailiff and cordoned off from the 12 seated jurors just in case they are needed.

The jury first began deliberating Tuesday afternoon after closing statements and jury instructions. Around 4 p.m. Tuesday the jury asked for tape, markers and poster boards. They also asked to review the notes from Julie Jensen's primary care physician who diagnosed her with mild depression and said she was miserable in the days before her death, and for photos of Julie Jensen's autopsy.

Mark Jensen, now 63, is accused of poisoning his wife with odorless ethylene glycol, more commonly known as antifreeze, in her juice and then suffocating her to death by turning her face down in their bed and sitting on top of her in early December 1998.

Mark Jensen was convicted in February 2008 during a very lengthy trial for the murder of 40-year-old Julie Jensen inside their Carol Beach neighborhood home near the lakefront in Pleasant Prairie. He is standing trial again here after years of appeals and battles in state and federal courts.

The jury in the first trial deliberated for over three days before finding him guilty of first-degree intentional homicide. Judge Bruce Schroeder presided over that trial.

The prosecution, led by the special prosecutor who successfully convicted Mark Jensen during his first trial, alleges Mark Jensen killed the mother of his two young sons in order to make it easier for him to be with a woman he was having an affair with and later married.

They also allege he killed Julie Jensen out of deep anger and an intense obsession over a previous sexual affair she had with a co-worker in their home years before, along with other marital issues.

Mark Jensen, a former stock broker, searched the internet for ways to make Julie Jensens death look like a suicide and terrorized her for years with strategically placed pornography of men, lewd emails and harassing phone calls, according to prosecutors.

They also highlighted Mark Jensens reported fascination with male appendages after his wifes affair, and so he drew thousands of pictures of male genitals in a notebook and catalogued images of such things on a computer.

Mark Jensen, however, has maintained his innocence ever since his wifes death. His attorneys have argued Julie Jensen was deeply depressed and died by suicide after framing her husband for her death. They also said its not illegal for a man to collect pornography or engage in an affair.

Brother speaks out

Larry Griffin, one of Julie Jensen's brothers, spoke to the media Tuesday evening after the jury began deliberating.

Griffin held a photo album of his sister with pictures of Julie Jensen at various moments throughout her life. He was accompanied by Jeannette Perez, a coordinator with Women's and Children's Horizons, a local nonprofit dedicated to helping those facing domestic abuse.

"We are dismayed and bewildered that this trial took place a second time 24 years after you gave up your life Julie for your three Ds," an emotional Griffin told the media gathered before him. The "three Ds" refer to her two sons, David and Douglas Jensen, and daddy, referring to Mark Jensen.

"We're uncomfortable with the status of reliving all the events surrounding your death in full view of the public," Griffin said, adding the Griffin family is in "full support" of the prosecution and testified as needed to "defend your honor."

"Julie, we dearly love and appreciate and thank your friends and neighbors who shared pleasant times with you, who can testify to your vibrance and caring nature," he said. "Our utmost gratitude goes out to those kind people who helped you in your times of distress, including the Pleasant Prairie Police and the first responders."

Griffin said Mark Jensen was aggressive toward Julie Jensen and manipulated her with economic abuse, isolation and threats.

"This is the definition of domestic abuse," Griffin said.

Griffin ended his speech with a performance of "In My Life" by The Beatles.

"Though I know I'll never lose affection. For people and things that went before," he sang. " In my life I love you more."

Reason for new trial

The original prosecutor, Robert Jambois, a former Kenosha County District attorney, is serving as special prosecutor before Judge Anthony Milisauskas, now the third Kenosha County Circuit Court judge to preside over the matter.

Mark Jensen is represented by a team of three defense attorneys led by Bridget Krause.

A Kenosha County judge vacated Mark Jensens his conviction in April 2021 after the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Jensen deserved a new trial.

The court found that a letter his wife wrote incriminating him in the event something should happen to her could not be used by the prosecution as it was in the first trial. In early 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court helped pave the way for the new trial when it declined to hear an appeal of the Wisconsin Supreme Courts ruling.

The so-called letter from the grave in which Julie Jensen wrote that if anything happens to me that her husband would be my first suspect will not be allowed into evidence during this lengthy trial. The high-profile case has sparked headlines across the nation.

Mark Jensen, who is charged with first-degree intentional homicide in his wifes death, remains in custody on a $1.2 million cash bond in Kenosha County. He faces life in prison.

SEE THE LATEST: Week 4: Images of the Kenosha County trial of Mark Jensen on a charge of killing his wife Mark D. Jensen, of Pleasant Prairie, who was convicted in February 2008 of the murder of 40-year-old Julie Jensen inside their Carol Beach home, is standing trial again in Kenosha County Circuit Court after years of appeals and battles in state and federal courts. Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Mark Jensen, center, listens to his attorney, Bridget Krause, right, before the court breaks for lunch during his trial at the Kenosha County  Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Jill Pulera, the late Julie Jensen's sister-in-law at the time of her death, testifies as a rebuttal witness in Mark Jensen's trial at the Ken Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Therese DeFazio returns to the stand as a rebuttal witness during Mark Jensen's trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse on Monday, Jan. 30, 2023. Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Retired Pleasant Prairie Police Department Lieutenant Paul Ratzburg, returns to the stand as a rebuttal witness during Mark Jensen's trial at  Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Mark Jensen, left, stands with one of his attorneys Jeremy Perri, during his trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse on Monday. Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Special Prosecutor Robert Jambois, left, speaks with Public Service Special Prosecutor and wife Beverly Jambois, during Mark Jensen's trial at Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Special Prosecutor references The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition also known as the DSM-5 as he questio Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Dr. Sara West, a forensic psychiatrist, answers questions during her testimony during Mark Jensen's trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse on  Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Mark Jensen, center, listens as Dr. Sara West, a forensic psychiatrist, testifies during his trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse on Monday, Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Mark Jensen's attorneys, Mackenzie Renner, center left, Jeremy Perri, center, and Bridget Krause, right, talk during Jensen's trial at the Ken Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Mackenzie Renner, left, and Bridget Krause, both attorneys for Mark Jensen, look over documents during Mark Jensen's trial at the Kenosha Coun Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Mackenzie Renner, one of Mark Jensen's attorneys, left, questions Dr. Sara West, a forensic psychiatrist, during Jensen's trial at the Kenosha Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Dr. Sara West, a forensic psychiatrist, answers questions during her testimony during Mark Jensens trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse on Monday. Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 David Jensen, Mark Jensen's son, testifies in his father's trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse on Monday. Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 David Jensen, Mark Jensens son, testifies in his fathers retrial at the Kenosha County Courthouse on Monday. David Jensen shared with the co Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Bridget Krause, one of Mark Jensens attorneys, center, questions David Jensen, Mark Jensens son, during the trial at the Kenosha County Cour Mark Jensen Kenosha murder trial; police interview played in court Mark Jensen maintains he's innocent and that his wife killed herself. Prosecutors say Jensen poisoned his wife with antifreeze, drugged her an Defense opening statement in Mark Jensen murder trial The defense presented its opening statement in the Mark Jensen trial. Jensen is accused of killing his wife with antifreeze in 1998. Prosecution opening statement in Mark Jensen trial (part 1) Prosecutors presented their opening statement to the jury in the Mark Jensen trial on Wednesday, Jan. 11. About 20 minutes in, there was an ob
Mark Jensen, the Pleasant Prairie man who was accused of poisoning and suffocating his wife to death nearly 25 years ago in December 1998, was found guilty again Wednesday afternoon by a jury of his peers.

A jury of six men and six women from Kenosha County took less than seven hours to reach the verdict in the high-profile case that has long been a topic of conversation from many in the area.

The jury first began deliberating Tuesday afternoon after closing statements and jury instructions from the judge. On Wednesday afternoon, after the jury dined on a lunch of broasted chicken, the verdict was announced. Mark Jensen was found guilty of felony first-degree intentional homicide.

Mark Jensen, now 63, was found guilty of poisoning his wife with odorless ethylene glycol, more commonly known as antifreeze, in her juice and then suffocating her to death by turning her face down in their bed and sitting on top of her in early December 1998.

Mark Jensen was first convicted in February 2008 during a very lengthy trial for the murder of 40-year-old Julie Jensen inside their Carol Beach neighborhood home near the lakefront in Pleasant Prairie. He was standing trial again here after years of appeals and battles in state and federal courts.

The prosecution, led by the special prosecutor who successfully convicted Mark Jensen during his first trial some 15 years ago, successfully argued Mark Jensen killed the mother of his two young sons in order to make it easier for him to be with a woman he was having an affair with and later married.

They also alleged he killed Julie Jensen out of deep anger and an intense obsession over a previous sexual affair she had with a co-worker in their home years before, along with other marital issues.

Mark Jensen, a former stock broker, searched the internet for ways to make Julie Jensens death look like a suicide and terrorized her for years with strategically placed pornography of men, lewd emails and harassing phone calls, according to prosecutors.

They also highlighted Mark Jensens reported pre-occupation and fascination with male appendages after his wifes affair, and so he drew thousands of pictures of male genitals in a notebook and catalogued images of such things on a computer.

Mark Jensen, however, maintained his innocence ever since his wifes death. His attorneys unsuccessfully argued Julie Jensen was deeply depressed and died by suicide after framing her husband for her death.

After the verdict was announced Judge Anthony Milisauskas revoked Mark Jensens $1.2 million bond.

Sentencing April 14

Mark Jensen, who now faces life in prison, will be sentenced April 14. Mark Jensen was escorted out of the courtroom in handcuffs and nodded to his three defense attorneys on the way out.

Mark Jensen remained expressionless when the verdict was read, although his face became flushed.

The defense team, which included Bridget Krause, Jeremy Perri and Mackenzie Renner, declined to comment.

Special prosecutor Robert Jambois said hes very pleased with the verdict. He addressed the media in the courts basement and read the letter Julie Jensen wrote a week-and-a-half before her murder out loud to dozens of reporters.

She was so terrified, Jambois said. She did write this letter and she gave it to her next door neighbor Ted Wojt. She said, If anything happens to me give this to the police. And he did give it to the police on December 4.

He called Mark Jensen brutally cold-blooded and a sociopath.

He is a true sociopath, Jambois said.

He said the prosecution worked on the case for many months. He was joined with co-counsel deputy district attorney Carli McNeil.

Jambois said of McNeil did an astonishing job in this case.

The prosecution will ask for life in prison.

Reason for new trial

Jambois, a former Kenosha County District attorney, served as special prosecutor before Judge Anthony Milisauskas, now the third Kenosha County Circuit Court judge to preside over the matter.

A Kenosha County judge vacated Mark Jensens his conviction in April 2021 after the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Jensen deserved a new trial.

The court found voicemails and a letter his wife wrote incriminating him in the event something should happen to her could not be used by the prosecution as it was in the first trial. In early 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court helped pave the way for the new trial when it declined to hear an appeal of the Wisconsin Supreme Courts ruling.

The so-called letter from the grave in which Julie Jensen wrote that if anything happens to me that her husband would be my first suspect was not allowed into evidence during this lengthy trial. The high-profile case has sparked headlines across the nation.

The retrial cost the county tens of thousands of dollars.

Mark Jensen opted not to testify

Mark Jensen chose not to testify during his four-week retrial, as is his Constitutional right.

Some of the those called to testify by the defense included a forensic pathologist, a medical toxicologist, a forensic psychiatrist, the Jensens oldest son and Mark Jensens sister.

The prosecution rested last week after calling 38 witnesses to the stand and playing lengthy videos of some of the men and women who testified during the first trial but were unable to testify again or had died.

Among those who testified during the first two weeks of trial for the prosecution included local law enforcement officials, former coworkers of Mark Jensen, former neighbors of the Jensens, a brother of Julie Jensen, medical examiners and inmates who Mark Jensen reportedly told of his alleged actions.

Throughout the trial graphic photos of Julie Jensens autopsy and body from when it was found in bed December 3 were shown to the jury.

On its Facebook page, the Pleasant Prairie Police Department, which was the original agency to investigate the murder, was not subtle in its opinion of the new trials verdict: Mark Jensen has been found GUILTY (again) for the 1998 poisoning death of his wife Julie Jensen in Pleasant Prairie. They got him Julie!!!! #ripjuliejensen

Brother speaks out

Larry Griffin, one of Julie Jensens brothers, spoke to the media Tuesday evening right after the jury began deliberating.

Griffin held a photo album of his sister with pictures of Julie Jensen at various moments throughout her life. He was accompanied by Jeannette Perez, a coordinator with Womens and Childrens Horizons, a local nonprofit dedicated to helping those facing domestic abuse.

We are dismayed and bewildered that this trial took place a second time 24 years after you gave up your life Julie for your three Ds, an emotional Griffin told the media gathered before him. The three Ds refer to her two sons, David and Douglas Jensen, and daddy, referring to Mark Jensen.

Were uncomfortable with the status of reliving all the events surrounding your death in full view of the public, Griffin said, adding the Griffin family is in full support of the prosecution and testified as needed to defend your honor.

Julie, we dearly love and appreciate and thank your friends and neighbors who shared pleasant times with you, who can testify to your vibrance and caring nature, he said. Our utmost gratitude goes out to those kind people who helped you in your times of distress, including the Pleasant Prairie Police and the first responders.

Griffin said Mark Jensen was aggressive toward Julie Jensen and manipulated her with economic abuse, isolation and threats.

This is the definition of domestic abuse, Griffin said.

Griffin ended his speech with a performance of In My Life by The Beatles.

Though I know Ill never lose affection. For people and things that went before, he sang. In my life I love you more.

SEE THE LATEST: Week 4: Images of the Kenosha County trial of Mark Jensen on a charge of killing his wife Mark D. Jensen, of Pleasant Prairie, who was convicted in February 2008 of the murder of 40-year-old Julie Jensen inside their Carol Beach home, is standing trial again in Kenosha County Circuit Court after years of appeals and battles in state and federal courts. Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Mark Jensen, center, listens to his attorney, Bridget Krause, right, before the court breaks for lunch during his trial at the Kenosha County  Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Jill Pulera, the late Julie Jensen's sister-in-law at the time of her death, testifies as a rebuttal witness in Mark Jensen's trial at the Ken Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Therese DeFazio returns to the stand as a rebuttal witness during Mark Jensen's trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse on Monday, Jan. 30, 2023. Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Retired Pleasant Prairie Police Department Lieutenant Paul Ratzburg, returns to the stand as a rebuttal witness during Mark Jensen's trial at  Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Mark Jensen, left, stands with one of his attorneys Jeremy Perri, during his trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse on Monday. Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Special Prosecutor Robert Jambois, left, speaks with Public Service Special Prosecutor and wife Beverly Jambois, during Mark Jensen's trial at Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Special Prosecutor references The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition also known as the DSM-5 as he questio Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Dr. Sara West, a forensic psychiatrist, answers questions during her testimony during Mark Jensen's trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse on  Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Mark Jensen, center, listens as Dr. Sara West, a forensic psychiatrist, testifies during his trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse on Monday, Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Mark Jensen's attorneys, Mackenzie Renner, center left, Jeremy Perri, center, and Bridget Krause, right, talk during Jensen's trial at the Ken Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Mackenzie Renner, left, and Bridget Krause, both attorneys for Mark Jensen, look over documents during Mark Jensen's trial at the Kenosha Coun Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Mackenzie Renner, one of Mark Jensen's attorneys, left, questions Dr. Sara West, a forensic psychiatrist, during Jensen's trial at the Kenosha Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Dr. Sara West, a forensic psychiatrist, answers questions during her testimony during Mark Jensens trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse on Monday. Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 David Jensen, Mark Jensen's son, testifies in his father's trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse on Monday. Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 David Jensen, Mark Jensens son, testifies in his fathers retrial at the Kenosha County Courthouse on Monday. David Jensen shared with the co Uploaded-photos MARK JENSEN DAY 15 Bridget Krause, one of Mark Jensens attorneys, center, questions David Jensen, Mark Jensens son, during the trial at the Kenosha County Cour Mark Jensen Kenosha murder trial; police interview played in court Mark Jensen maintains he's innocent and that his wife killed herself. Prosecutors say Jensen poisoned his wife with antifreeze, drugged her an Defense opening statement in Mark Jensen murder trial The defense presented its opening statement in the Mark Jensen trial. Jensen is accused of killing his wife with antifreeze in 1998. Prosecution opening statement in Mark Jensen trial (part 1) Prosecutors presented their opening statement to the jury in the Mark Jensen trial on Wednesday, Jan. 11. About 20 minutes in, there was an ob
LONDON, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Three years after the United Kingdom's (UK) departure from the European Union (EU), there is now a reasonable consensus that the effects of Brexit on the country's economy have been negative, and public support for it has been decreasing, a scholar has said.

"It's more an incremental, small, bit by bit, drip by drip effect on the British economy. But it's mainly been in one direction of being negative," Professor Iain Begg from the London School of Economics and Political Science has recently told Xinhua.

He said that the idea was "really unrealistic" that the massive new trade deals would compensate for not having the same access to the European market.

Brexit's effects have not been catastrophic, Begg said, adding "they've meant that we're paying a bit more for foreign goods. We are a bit more isolated from export markets because there's all the paperwork associated with trading across the European border now."

The vast majority of the 71 deals agreed since Brexit are rollover agreements with countries that already had trade agreements with the EU, according to an analysis published by the academic network UK in a Changing Europe in January.

Asked about the effects of Brexit over the past years, Begg told Xinhua that although the UK left the EU three years ago, "what we see now is the incomplete nature of the deal, both to leave and then to try to have cooperation for the future between the EU and the UK."

The professor said the still outstanding issues include the Northern Ireland Protocol that has not been resolved, and there is still unfinished business in a whole range of areas, notably a big part of the UK economy, such as financial services or the fishing industry.

The number of Leave voters, who think it was wrong for the UK to vote to leave the EU, has been steadily increasing since 2021, hitting a record 19 percent in November 2022, YouGov data showed.

Another YouGov survey in January asked some Leave voters why they changed their minds. The top reason, it found, is "just a general sense that things have gotten worse since Brexit." One in nine said they felt people were lied to about Brexit, or because it has not turned out how they expected when they voted back in 2016.

"With hindsight, the decision taken by the British people is one which was motivated primarily not by economic but by political considerations," Begg said.

In June 2016, the UK held a national referendum on quitting the EU. Fifty-two percent voted in favor.

"Whether it was a wrong decision or not to let the public decide is one question. There's also a second question about whether the referendum was the appropriate mechanism for taking that decision," the expert said.

Post-Brexit UK-EU ties have also elicited disputes. The one over the Northern Ireland Protocol, the rules governing post-Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland, has strained bilateral relations.

Begg told Xinhua that one reason for the conflicts between London and Brussels is that the deal is incomplete and the incompleteness means there are still things that need to be resolved. Another reason, he added, is the tone adopted by some former prime ministers, triumphalist about Brexit and antagonistic towards the EU.

"It's a mess in the sense that nobody quite thought through the consequences of both the overall decision and the much more detailed choices that had to be made to separate the UK from the EU," he said. 
Pakistans leading IT firm, Systems has recently established Systems Arabia, a subsidiary headquartered in Riyadh.

With the recent acquisition of NdcTech, an award-winning partner of Temenos, by its parent company Systems; Systems Arabia is uniquely equipped to help digital banks, fintech companies, and payment service providers succeed with their digital needs to deliver a truly omni-channel experience.

The company specialises in verticals like Telecommunications, Banking & Finance, and the Government Sector, offering services such as Application Modernisation & Development, Customer Experience & Digital Consultancy, Core & Digital Banking, Data & AI, and Enterprise Business solutions. Moreover, it implements projects from large principal solution providers like SAP, IBM and RedHat, Huawei Cloud, Microsoft and Sprinklr.

Growth potential

Rao Hamid, General Manager for Systems Arabia commented: Over the past couple of years, we have kept a keen eye on and closely monitored several key economic indicators, the governments vision, and the kingdoms growth potential and we have been very encouraged. These are very exciting times to be present in Saudi Arabia as a business, and we are looking forward to Systems Arabia playing an active role for Vision 2030.

Asif Peer, Group CEO, Systems, said: "As we continue to expand and extend our global footprint, we are committed to delivering solutions to our clients at a break-neck speed and leading the companys growth through innovation, creative thinking, resilience, and value addition. The long-term demand environment is paramount across the world, and were excited to play a catalytic role in existing and new markets.

The company is all set to make its debut at Leap 2023 taking place at Riyadh Front Expo Centre from February 6 to 9, 2023.-- TradeArabia News Service
Police arrest suspect in double-slaying

GREEN BAY  A man suspected of killing two women in Green Bay over the weekend has been arrested by police in Arkansas, authorities said Monday.

The 48-year-old Green Bay man was initially being sought as a person of interest in Sundays suspicious deaths of two women on the citys east side, police said.

He was taken into custody during a traffic stop in Arkansas after Green Bay police informed law enforcement in Arkansas that the person of interest may be traveling through the state, WLUK-TV reported.

The names of the suspect and two victims are being withheld.

The bodies of a 58-year-old Green Bay woman and a 53-year-old Bellevue woman were found Sunday by officers inside a Green Bay duplex. Authorities have not disclosed how the women died.

Green Bay police said they believe the slayings were not random, and the suspect is believed to be known to at least one of the victims.

The killings remain under investigation. Green Bay police have asked that anyone who has information about the case to contact them at 920-448-3200. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 920-432-7867.
Responding to skyrocketing opioid overdose rates in Wisconsin, Republican lawmakers on Wednesday proposed increasing the maximum prison time for people who produce or sell drugs that cause another persons death.

The legislation comes after the state Department of Health Services last year reported a record number of 1,427 opioid overdose deaths in 2021, 16.3% more than the previous record in 2020 and over twice the toll from six and seven years earlier. Health officials blame fentanyl for much of the increase.

There is a fentanyl crisis happening in Wisconsin right now, Rep. Scott Allen, R-Waukesha, who wrote the bill with Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, said in a statement. Those who willingly distribute a deadly drug need to be held accountable.

Under the proposal, the maximum penalty for causing another persons death by manufacturing, distributing or delivering many controlled substances, analogs of those substances, ketamine or flunitrazepam would increase from a 25-year prison sentence to a 40-year sentence. The maximum extended supervision period would also shift from 15 to 20 years under the new bill.

Senate Minority Leader Melissa Agard, D-Madison, said addressing substance use disorder is important to her, adding that her brother died from fentanyl poisoning two years ago.

Certainly, people who distribute these dangerous and deadly drugs should be held accountable, but we also must address this problem upstream by investing in prevention, education, and treatment efforts, she said.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, did not respond to a request for comment on the proposal.

The state is expanding efforts to curb opioid overdoses with what is expected to be more than $500 million in opioid lawsuit settlement funds over nearly two decades.

A plan approved by the state Legislature in September, which adjusted a plan by DHS, detailed spending for $31 million in settlement funds the state received last year. Another $8 million is expected to come in 2023, according to the DHS.

Some $10 million is being spent on upgrading or building new addiction treatment facilities, with $6 million going to tribal nations for prevention and treatment and $3 million going to law enforcement grants. Another $3 million is expanding availability of naloxone, or Narcan, the overdose-reversal drug, and $2 million is boosting distribution of fentanyl test strips.

Some 91% of opioid overdose deaths in 2021 involved fentanyl or other synthetic opioids, with fentanyl overdoses nearly doubling from 2019 to 2021, the state Department of Health Services said in a public health advisory in August.

Fentanyl and other potent synthetic opioids are increasingly showing up in other drugs, including cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, counterfeit pills and even marijuana, state officials say.

In most cases, users are unaware that the substance theyre using has been laced with fentanyl, Paul Krupski, director of opioid initiatives for DHS, said in a statement last year.
1. Yes. Having a community member interview panel is an excellent opportunity for input.

2. Yes. Its good that the city will allow residents to meet the finalist at a reception.

3. No. The city should have conducted a public survey early in the process, as KISD is doing.

4. No. Residents should be able to meet candidates before a lone finalist is chosen.

5. Unsure. Its hard to know how to gauge the proper level of public involvement.

Vote

View Results
Marriott International signed an average of two deals a day in 2022, for a total of 726 management and franchise agreements, an increase of 21 percent over 2021 signings, representing nearly 108,000 rooms.



In addition, Marriotts City Express transaction, announced in October 2022, is expected to add around 17,000 rooms.



Conversions helped drive signings activity, contributing a robust 20,500 rooms, or approximately 20 percent of rooms signed during the year. Half of the 2022 rooms signed were in international markets, including key growth markets such as India, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and the Caribbean.



The companys industry-leading global development pipeline totalled over 3,000 properties representing more than 496,000 hotel rooms at the end of the year, excluding the City Express rooms. During the year, the company added 394 properties, representing more than 65,000 rooms on a gross basis, growing the system 4.4 percent. Including deletions of 1.3 percent, net rooms increased 3.1 percent.



Excluding the impact of the companys exit from Russia, the deletion rate was 0.8 percent and net rooms increased 3.6 percent. At the end of 2022, Marriotts worldwide system consisted of nearly 8,300 properties and roughly 1.5 million rooms in 138 countries and territories.



We were pleased with the accelerating pace of development activity in 2022 as the global recovery continued, said Anthony Capuano, CEO, Marriott International. The proven resilience of travel is powerful and energizing. Given the attractiveness of our portfolio of global brands, top-ranked Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, momentum around conversions, and commitment to innovation, we are excited to continue to help lead in the growth of travel.



Extending Marriotts lead in luxury

With an unparalleled portfolio of nearly 500 luxury hotels and resorts in 69 countries and territories, Marriott is poised to extend its lead in luxury with a record 42 luxury hotel agreements signed last year, representing nearly 8,000 rooms.



Conversions continue to contribute meaningfully to growth

Marriott continues to see strong momentum from conversions, including multi-unit conversion opportunities. The company added more than 80 conversion properties in 2022 in locations around the world including Brazil (JW Marriott Hotel Sao Paulo) and India (The St. Regis Goa Resort). In the US and Canada region, the company signed 56 conversion deals, representing nearly 8,000 rooms, including a record 34 select-service deals representing nearly 4,000 rooms. The companys collection brands, including Autograph Collection Hotels, The Luxury Collection, and Tribute Portfolio, represented 30 percent of global conversion rooms signed, with over 6,000 rooms signed in 2022.



We continue to see conversions provide meaningful growth for our system, reinforcing the value of Marriotts brands as owners look to reposition assets and maximize returns, said Noah Silverman, Global Development Officer, U.S. & Canada, Marriott International.



Marriott jumps into affordable midscale

Among the major highlights of 2022, Marriott announced its planned entry into the popular affordable midscale segment. As of October, 2022, the portfolio was comprised of 152 hotels, including around 17,000 rooms across 75 cities in Mexico and three additional countries in Latin America, and five under-construction projects, representing an additional 676 rooms.



Given the high-growth nature of the affordable midscale segment, the company sees opportunities to further expand the City Express by Marriott brand in the Caribbean and Latin America region, as well as in other locations. Marriott expects the transaction, which is subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions, could close in the first half of 2023.



All-In on All-Inclusive in New Segments and Markets

As a top player in the high growth allinclusive space, Marriott continues to focus on expanding its all-inclusive platform to meet rising guest demand. The company anticipates that Southeast Asia and resort markets in Europe and the Middle East could provide additional all-inclusive opportunities in the future.



We have seen a tremendous year of growth in our international regions, said Carlton Ervin, Global Development Officer, International, Marriott International. In the Middle East, we saw a record number of room signings. With rising momentum in our all-inclusive offerings and our planned expansion into the midscale market, we remain focused on providing consumers with more offerings to meet their needs.



Select service development opportunities continue to be a key growth driver for Marriott, representing three-quarters of global deal signings and nearly half of signings across international regions. In 2022, the company signed 523 select service deals. In addition, the company added 216 select service hotels around the world.



Increasing popularity of longer stays

With growing consumer travel preferences for more space driven by the blending of work and leisure trips, the longer stay segment is a highly attractive option for both guests and hotel developers.



The select service and extended stay segments continue to generate significant growth for the company, particularly in the US and Canada, said Silverman. We see exceptional opportunity to propel growth further among our select service and extended stay brands, particularly in underserved secondary and tertiary markets.  TradeArabia News Service
KEARNEY  Registration for the 2023 MarkeTech + Agritourism & Adventure Travel Workshop is now open. This year, Nebraska Tourism is combining its workshop with GROW Nebraskas MarkeTech Conference.

The pre-conference will be March 1 at Macs Creek Winery, and the conference will be held March 2 at the Younes Conference Center South in Kearney. This conference is ideal for Nebraskans looking to start, grow and market successful agritourism, ecotourism and adventure travel destinations and for other small businesses.

Nebraska is filled with opportunities for travelers looking to experience rural destinations, said John Ricks, Nebraska Tourism executive director. Our Agritourism & Adventure Travel Workshop helps Nebraskans develop these opportunities for visitors, and we are excited to partner with GROW Nebraska for this event.

As part of the MarkeTech 2023 conference, keynote speaker Sarah Calhoun of Red Ants Pants will be speaking for the very first time in Nebraska.

According to event organizers:

As an industry leader in both business and functional fashion, Calhoun will bring her passion for rural communities, working family farms and ranches, and advocating for women in leadership.

Raised on a farm in Connecticut, Calhoun relocated to Montana and in 2006 created Red Ants Pants to provide working women with fit, function and flatter. Red Ants Pants is based out of White Sulphur Springs and products are made in the United States.

She has been recognized with the following awards: 2012 National Women in Business Champion for the Small Business Administration, 2011 Entrepreneur of the Year for the State of Montana, and in 2018, Calhouns foundation festival, was named the Event of the Year by the Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development.

She has also been inducted into Montanas Business Hall of Fame. Calhoun will kick off MarkeTech 2023 with her keynote titled, Present Day Pioneering.

Conference attendees will then have the opportunity to follow four different tracks including: agritourism, adventure travel, marketing and social media, and business growth and resources.

Attendees will be able to hear from local and regional experts in their fields and be able to hear how to develop scalable solutions. MarkeTech will also continue with the tradition of hosting panels of successful business leaders, social media and marketing specialists, ecommerce experts and more. Calhoun will close the conference with an open question-and-answer session where conference attendees will be able to ask their most burning business questions.

MarkeTech is a conference that provides all attendees with usable information to take back into their business, implement and customize to fit their needs.

The event will include:

A behind-the-scenes tour of Macs Creek Winery & Brewery to gain insights into the challenges and successes of a flourishing family enterprise.

Intensive networking opportunities to make lasting, beneficial connections with prominent Nebraska businesses and a plethora of vendors providing samples of made-in-Nebraska products.

Educational sessions focused on current tourism and business trends, effective marketing, event planning, business sustainability and more.

Connections to resources and practical tips that Nebraska businesses can walk away with and implement immediately.
OMAHA  Omaha police officers fatally shot a gunman at a west Omaha Target store midday Tuesday.

Multiple 911 calls alerted police at 11:59 a.m. about an active shooting at the superstore, located at 17810 West Center Road.

The gunman, armed with an AR-15 rifle, fired at least six shots, according to early scanner traffic. Shoppers and employees were fleeing the store.

The gunman was white, in his 30s and had plenty of ammunition, said Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer. Officials believe the gunman entered through one of the front entrances.

Schmaderer said the first arriving officers went into the Target, confronted the gunman and killed him.

Police did not believe there was an ongoing threat to the public.

Schmaderer said the shooter had fired rounds, based on casings that were on the ground, but it was unclear if he was firing at anybody.

Police didnt know how many shots were fired either by the gunman or police.

Several law enforcement agencies, including the Omaha Police Department, FBI, U.S. Marshals and Nebraska State Patrol, as well as the Omaha Fire Department, responded to the scene and blocked off the parking lot.

Schmaderer thanked his officers and the other agencies for their swift actions.

This is what you want, he said. When you have an active shooter in your city, you want a massive response like this.

Omaha police officers searched the store twice and found no one injured inside. Schmaderer said about 1:15 p.m. that OPD was about to conduct a third sweep.

One Target employee told a World-Herald reporter that he heard multiple shots.

One woman, who declined to give her name, was shopping in the toy department when she heard gunshots.

I heard three shots, she said. Everyone was in a panic. We all ran out of the store.

She said she and about a dozen people  employees and other customers  ran out the back door.

Authorities deemed the situation secure at 12:52 p.m. but told motorists to avoid the area as the investigation continues.

A number of Target employees went to the Sleep Number store to seek refuge after the shooting.

As of 1:45 p.m., the police presence on scene had dwindled, but there were still several cruisers at Target.

Photos: Shots fired at west Omaha Target midday Tuesday Shots fired at west Omaha Target midday Tuesday 020123-owh-new-targetshooting-pic-cm01.jpg 020123-owh-new-targetshooting-pic-cm02.jpg 020123-owh-new-targetshooting-pic-cm03.jpg 020123-owh-new-targetshooting-pic-cm07.jpg 020123-owh-new-targetshooting-pic-cm04.jpg 020123-owh-new-targetshooting-pic-cm05.jpg 020123-owh-new-targetshooting-pic-cm06.jpg
This Yonhap file photo shows South Korean Ambassador to the United States Cho Tae-yong speaking to reporters in Washington. Yonhap



South Korea and the United States will seek to strengthen their joint deterrence against North Korea while also working to improve human rights conditions in the reclusive North, South Korea's ambassador to the U.S., Cho Tae-yong, said Tuesday.



The allies will also work together to cut off North Korea's funding for its illicit weapons programs, according to the South Korean diplomat.



"North Korea continues to advance its nuclear and missile capabilities," Cho said in a meeting with reporters in Washington. "South Korea and the U.S. are enhancing their joint deterrent and defense capabilities through close cooperation in all areas."



"Most of all, (South Korea) will cooperate closely with the U.S. to enhance the implementation of U.S. extended deterrence," he added.



His remark comes after South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin reaffirmed their commitment to bolstering their countries' capabilities to deter and respond to North Korean nuclear and missile threats in bilateral talks held in Seoul on Tuesday (Korea time).



"The defense ministers' talks, held Jan. 31, and the extended deterrence operation exercise to be held next month are importance opportunities to further enhance the countries' cooperation," said Cho.



The ambassador added the countries will work to bring North Korea back to the dialogue table this year, partly by cutting off funds from being funneled into the North's illegal nuclear and missile development programs.



Cho also expressed hope for the appointment of new special U.S. envoy for North Korean human rights, Julie Turner, in the near future, saying Seoul and Washington will work to "further strengthen their practical cooperation on North Korean human rights."



Turner, director of East Asia and the Pacific at the state department's bureau of democracy, human rights and labor, was nominated by President Joe Biden last week to serve as special U.S. envoy for North Korean human rights, a post that has remained vacant since January 2017.



The top South Korean diplomat in the U.S. said the countries will also work to develop their alliance into a comprehensive global strategic alliance this year, which marks the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Mutual Defense Treaty in 1953.



"(We) are also looking at ways to expand the South Korea-U.S. alliance from traditional areas of defense, security and economic relations to science technology and space," said Cho. (Yonhap)






Four South Korean activists were arrested Wednesday on charges of conducting anti-government activities after taking orders from North Korea.







The Seoul Central District Court approved the prosecution's request to detain the four, saying they are a flight risk and could destroy evidence.







The four allegedly established an anti-government organization based in the southeastern city of Changwon in 2016 after receiving orders from North Korean agents in a number of Southeast Asian countries, such as Cambodia.







The activists have since organized anti-U.S. protests and activities in support of North Korea, prosecutors said. (Yonhap)


Expanded hours! Beginning Feb. 1, the museum will open one hour earlier on weekdays, at 11 a.m. The winter public hours will now be Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., or by appointment. We hope that the extended hours will be beneficial to all our patrons.

The Vernon County Historical Society now has an Instagram page! If you are on Instagram, be sure to follow us at https://www.instagram.com/vernoncountyhistory. And remember that we also have a Facebook page  find us at https://www.facebook.com/VernonCountyHistoricalSociety. These are additional platforms where we post useful information about opening hours and events, plus lots of fun stuff like historic photos, maps, newspaper articles, essays on local history, and much more.

On Tuesday, Feb. 7, at 7 p.m., local historian Veronica Kleiber will present a short program at the museum in honor of Presidents Day. She will tell us about two presidents who hailed from the Midwest  Hoover and Truman. Herbert Hoover was born in Iowa and Harry Truman in Missouri. Hoover served as president from 1929 to 1933, while Truman served from 1945 to 1952. Between their two presidencies was Franklin D. Roosevelt, who served an unprecedented four terms. This program is free and open to the public.

The evening will also include cookies! Herbert Hoovers wife, Lou Henry, was an early leader of the Girl Scouts in the U.S. and helped to create the Girl Scout cookie fundraiser, so in her honor, homemade cookies and coffee will be served. Also at this meeting, the Vernon County Historical Societys 2023 budget will be presented, and VCHS members will have an opportunity to cast their ballots regarding the budget.

The first genealogy class of the new year will be held on Thursday, Feb. 9, at the museum at 10 a.m. Teacher Karen Sherry will present a lecture on Fun Features of Family Search. Family Search is a free family history website, https://www.familysearch.org/en/, funded by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You can use the site to search through historical records in order to learn about your own family.

New students are always welcome to join the class. Classes are free for members of the Vernon County Historical Society, and $5 for non-members. The genealogy class meets on the second Thursday of the month from February through November. Each session lasts about one hour.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Vice President Kamala Harris plans to attend the funeral of Tyre Nichols, who died three days after he was beaten by Memphis police officers just minutes from his home, the White House said Tuesday.

Harris was invited to attend Wednesday's funeral services by Nichols' mother and stepfather, RowVaughn Wells and Rodney Wells, according to Harris's press secretary, Kirsten Allen. Harris spoke by phone with the Wells family on Tuesday, expressing her condolences and offering her support. President Joe Biden spoke by phone to Nichols' family last week.

Harris will be joined by former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a senior adviser to the president for public engagement, and Mitch Landrieu, a White House senior advisor and infrastructure implementation coordinator, who is a former mayor of New Orleans, Allen said.

Five Black officers were fired and charged with second-degree murder and other offenses in Nichols' Jan. 7 beating and subsequent death. Video of the beating, released publicly last week, shows that many more people failed to help Nichols, who was also Black, beyond the five officers charged in his death.

Two more Memphis police officers have been disciplined and three emergency responders fired in connection with Nichols' death, officials said Monday. Officer Preston Hemphill, who is white, and another officer whose name wasn't released, have been suspended, police said.

Late Tuesday, some Memphis media outlets reported that four of the five officers charged with murder in the case had previous infractions on their records, according to personnel files obtained through records requests. Most involved procedural violations, car accidents and equipment. Two of the officers, Demetrius Haley and Desmond Mills Jr., received reprimands for failing to file "response to resistance" forms after incidents involving women they arrested, according to the files.

Nichols' family, the Rev. Al Sharpton and attorney Ben Crump planned to gather Tuesday evening at the historic Mason Temple in Memphis  where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his final speech the night before he was assassinated  to speak about the latest developments in the case. Bad weather caused some confusion about whether the event would be held, but Terence Cullen, a spokesman for Sharpton's organization, said Sharpton and others still planned to go.

Six of the officers involved were part of the so-called Scorpion unit, which targeted violent criminals in high-crime areas. Other Memphis residents who say they were "brutalized" by officers in the unit also were to speak at Mason Temple, according to a statement from Crump.

Police Chief Cerelyn "CJ" Davis said after the video's release that the unit has been disbanded.

"It's a step in the right direction, but due to the severity of the situation it's not enough," Damion Carrick said as he participated in a protest Monday evening at Shelby Farms Park. "You got a man dragged out of his car, beaten senseless, to a pulp and nobody doing nothing about it. It's heartbreaking."

Memphis Police Department officers used a stun gun, a baton and their fists as they pummeled Nichols during the nighttime arrest. Video shows Nichols running away from officers toward his house after he was pulled over on suspicion of reckless driving. The video footage released Friday shows the 29-year-old father calling for his mother and struggling with his injuries as he sits helpless on the pavement.

The five officers chatted and milled about for several minutes as Nichols remained on the ground, but other authorities were on the scene. Two Shelby County sheriff's deputies also have been suspended without pay while their conduct is investigated.

Nichols' older brother, Jamal Dupree, told CNN's Don Lemon on Tuesday that he feels guilty because he wasn't there to protect his younger sibling.

"I'm 99% sure that my brother has never gotten into a fight before. And the one time he got into an altercation with other humans, we wasn't there to protect him. My brother was trying to cooperate with them," Dupree, who lives in California, said of the Memphis officers.

Dupree said he hasn't watched the police video.

"I already knew how they treated him because I've seen it all over the world," Dupree said. "Police brutality is nothing new. I already knew they treated my brother like an animal. They treated him like he was nothing. I don't have to watch the video to know that."

Nichols' sister, Keyana Dixon, was among more than 100 friends, family and supporters who gathered for a candlelight vigil Monday night at a skate park in Sacramento, where Nichols grew up, The Sacramento Bee reported.

"This was his favorite place to skate," she said at the vigil. "I just want to thank all of you for your continued support for our family, and making sure his name is never forgotten."

RowVaughn and Rodney Wells accepted an invitation to attend President Joe Biden's State of the Union address next week at the Capitol, according to Vincent Evans, a spokesperson for the Congressional Black Caucus.

Nichols' funeral is set for Wednesday at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis.
Red-light cameras and automated speeding tickets would be allowed in Milwaukee under a bipartisan bill put forward Tuesday.

The controversial technique of using cameras and computerized radar to crack down on speeding and other traffic violations is unpopular with some drivers, and the measure failed both of the past two sessions of the Wisconsin Legislature.

An Assembly committee voted in 2019 to approve a similar bill, but it failed to gain traction in the Senate. Two years later, another iteration was introduced but never reached a committee vote in either chamber.

State Rep. LaKeshia Myers and Sen. LaTonya Johnson, both Democrats from Milwaukee, along with Republican Rep. Todd Novak, of Dodgeville, sponsored the newest bill. In an email Tuesday seeking cosponsors, they said automated enforcement would help police combat rising deaths from car crashes and reckless driving.

Milwaukee has recently seen dramatic increases in traffic deaths, and some politicians have criticized local officials for being unable to put a stop to incidents of reckless driving that have plagued the city.

The bill would not allow police to issue speeding tickets to drivers caught on camera going less than 20 mph over the posted limit. It would also only allow the automated enforcement in Milwaukee, the state's largest city.
UNWTO has announced the winners of its Awake Tourism Challenge, celebrating the start-ups that are reshaping the sector in every global region.



The Challenge was the second edition of the UNWTO Global Startup Competition focusing on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Entrants were judged on how they are contributing to the development of an inclusive, resilient and sustainable tourism sector, with a focus on six core themes:

 Local Community Involvement

 Green and Blue Economies

 Ecological and Sustainable Capital Creation

 Tourism Tech for Good

 Tourism Education

 Women Empowerment



UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: Tourism startups have the power and agility to transform the sector in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. The winners of the UNWTO Awake Tourism Challenge all have the potential to help build a more inclusive and resilient sector and we look forward to supporting them as they grow in size and influence.



The competition attracted more than 2,000 entrants from 120 countries worldwide. The most submissions were from Europe, the Americas and Africa, followed by Asia and the Pacific and the Middle East. From these, an expert jury selected 30 finalists and then 15 winners.



Reflecting the broad talent of the global tourism sector, the winning start-ups are Coastruction (the Netherlands), Noytrall (Portugal), SmArt Tourism and Hospitality Consulting (Panama), Quantum Temple (USA), Socialbnb (Germany), Instituto de Accesibilidad (Spain), Kamatjona (Namibia), Baahdy & Birdy (Norway), WeavAir (Singapore), r3charge (Germany), Impact Innovations Institute (Armenia), NomadHer (South Korea), Murmuration (France), Evelity by Okeenea Digital (France) and Accessible Qatar (Qatar).



The projects were recognized for offering innovative service with high customer value, most notably with high levels of youth engagement and the involvement of local communities. Start-ups were also recognized for their use of technology to monitor and manage the environmental impact of tourism activity.



A winning network

The winning start-ups will be offered an incubation period of three months at SPARK Crans-Montana, the Innovation Hub of Les Roches from the Sommet Education group, where they will be participating in mentorships, networking activities and have access to a VR lab, Digital Studio, and a dedicated co-working space.



In addition, they will also receive scholarships for the UNWTO Tourism Online Academy, be included in the UNWTO Catalogue of top innovators, be featured in a global communications campaign to showcase each winner and invited for mentorships with project partners.  TradeArabia News Service
After he was elected speaker on the 15th ballot, Kevin McCarthy promised that the U.S. House under Republican leadership would protect the national economy, saying that the party was committed to stop wasteful Washington spending, to lower the price of groceries, gas, cars, housing, and stop the rising national debt.

But there is more to sound economic stewardship than controlling future spending. The government must also pay the bills Congress has run up in the past, even if that means further borrowing. McCarthy and his fellow Republicans need to recognize that reality and stop politicizing the issue.

The Treasury Department recently announced that the U.S. had hit a congressionally mandated limit on how much the federal government could borrow to satisfy its financial obligations  the so-called debt ceiling. Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen is taking extraordinary measures that are likely to forestall a crisis until June. But Congress needs quickly to raise the debt ceiling to make it clear that payments  including to Social Security recipients  will be made.

Unfortunately, House Republicans are essentially threatening to hold an increase in the debt limit hostage to concessions on future spending from the Biden administration and congressional Democrats. Never mind that Republicans dont seem to agree on what sort of cuts they want to make, with some eyeing potentially politically perilous changes in Social Security and Medicare.

President Biden has insisted on a clean increase in the debt ceiling from the current $31.4 trillion, but he muddied his message by agreeing to meet McCarthy to discuss the debt ceiling among other subjects. McCarthy pointedly told Biden: I accept your invitation to sit down and discuss a responsible debt ceiling increase to address irresponsible government spending  seeming to assume that the two issues would be linked. (White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre issued a statement saying that Biden continues to believe that raising the debt ceiling is not a negotiation; it is an obligation of this country and its leaders to avoid economic chaos.)

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, sometimes the Republican adult in the room, seems reluctant to play an active role in resolving the impasse. This week McConnell unhelpfully said that any solution to the debt ceiling crisis will have to come out of the House and that it was entirely reasonable for the new speaker and his team to put spending reduction on the table.

As a matter of raw politics, Republicans may think that they can use action on the debt ceiling to force the administration into a corner. There is some precedent for such a strategy. In 2011, the Obama administration agreed to a deal in which the ceiling was raised in connection with the adoption of legislation that placed some limits on spending.

But that doesnt justify brinkmanship in 2023, when policymakers are striving to head off a recession. Nor is it clear that McCarthy, whose speakership depends on the support of extremists in his conference, is in a position to credibly negotiate with the administration on any arrangement that would link an increase in the debt ceiling to future spending cuts.

Republicans in the House are free to advocate policies designed to address what they consider wasteful spending. But politicizing the raising of the debt ceiling is dangerous. Ideally, the ceiling would be abolished. Raising the federal debt limit should be a routine, obligatory act by Congress to discharge the governments basic duty to pay its bills. But at a minimum Congress must raise the limit periodically to ensure that the government can borrow what it needs to meet its obligations.

If McCarthy and other House leaders arent willing to endorse an increase, Biden must appeal to responsible Republicans in the House  and there are some  to put nation above party.
Brazils President Lula Proposes a Group of Nations Join Together To Foster Russia-Ukraine Peace

Jan. 31, 2023, 2022 (EIRNS)Brazilian President Lula da Silva proposed in a Jan. 30 joint press conference in Brasilia with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, that a group of nations come forward together help Russia and Ukraine find a path towards peace.

Lula insisted, forcefully, in answer to two separate questions, that the world needs peace. His proposal, which he said he had discussed with Scholz and with Frances Emmanuel Macron, and intends to discuss with others, is, that in the same way that the G20 was formed in 2008 to find a way to get out of the financial crisis, now a group of nations could be formed to discuss how to find peace between Russia and Ukraine. East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta, when he met with Lula on Jan. 2, the day after Lulas inauguration, had proposed to the Brazilian President that he convene a group of nations from the Global South, which together could host peace talks for this conflict. Ramos-Horta reported that Lula said he would consider it. He has now acted.

Lula urged, we need

a club of people who want to achieve peace on the planet.... My suggestion is that we create a group of countries, who sit down at the table with Ukraine and Russia to try to find peace. To try to reach an end to the war.... What we have to do is form a group strong enough to be respected at a negotiating tableand sit down with both sides,

Lula told the press on Jan. 30, with the stone-faced German Chancellor listening. A G20 to deal with the question of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.... Because these are the kinds of things that, once started, no one knows how to stop.

He specified that

Brazil is ready to make a contribution. I believe China can make an important contribution. I think India can play an important role. I think Indonesia can play an important role.... What we have to do is form a group strong enough to be respected at a negotiating tableand sit down with both sides.

Lula made clear that he believes China has an extremely important role to play in such talks, which he said he wants to discuss with President Xi Jinping when he goes to China, probably in March.

As for the German Chancellors request that Brazil sell tank ammunition to Germany, to be then sent to Ukraine, President Lula delivered a categorical no:

Brazil has made the decision to not send ammunition. Brazil has no interest in sending munitions for it to be used in the war between Ukraine and Russia.... Brazil does not want to have any participation, even indirect, because at this moment, we should be looking for who can help to find peace between Russia and Ukraine. So far, the word peace is very little used.

Despite lying press stories to the contrary, Lula did not hold Russia solely responsible for that war. He called Russias military operation an invasion and a classic error, but, what he actually said about what caused the war was so pointed that most media have censored it completely.

Lula reported that he had reminded Scholz about the Iraq War, in which the invasion of that country was based on a lie. The Brazilian ambassador, who headed the UN Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons at the time said that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction, Lula pointed out. Bush knew there were no WMD, but preferred war. Saddam was hanged, and no WMD were ever found. He said he believes the reason for the war between Ukraine and Russia must be made clearerwhether its caused by NATO, or territory, or entry into the EU, Lula went on. The world does not have much information.
To Be, or Not To BeThe Dangerous Fallacy of Guilt by Association

Jan. 31, 2023, 2022 (EIRNS)A message from Diane Sare:

On February 19, there will be a demonstration at the Lincoln Memorial (how very appropriate) of Americans who are so alarmed about the potential for a nuclear war, thanks in no small part to the policies of our own government, that we have decided to put aside our differences, many of which are substantive, to unite our voices against the war machine.

I would like to remind everyone that nuclear war is final. It is the endof everything on this planet. If we get to that point, nothing else will matter. We are aware that some people clearly disagree with that notion, and believe that there is something called limited nuclear war, or that Russia (as it has never done in history) will back down if we threaten them with enough gusto.

Is it surprising, therefore, that stringers for the FBI and other alleged intelligence agencies are seeking to spread gossip and lies to prevent this rally from coming off in the most potent way possible?

Speakers are being nagged not to associate with the Libertarians, or the Communists, or the LaRouchies. Many of us are familiar with these tricks, having been targeted by exactly such operations for many years. In the past such tactics have been only too effective, which is why we are now facing thermonuclear war.

Some of us, like myself and Scott Ritter, have been placed on Ukrainian kill lists, because our words are so damaging to the wartime propaganda which has swept into our nation like a tsunami, submerging every voice of reason. Doesnt it appear at least a little totalitarian that the former head of the CIA, John Brennan, is now a news host at MSNBC?

Perhaps the one-time CIA Director Mike Pompeo told the truth when he bragged in a speech at Texas A&M that the job of the CIA was to lie, cheat, and steal.Oh, and wasnt he also plotting to assassinate Julian Assange?

We are committed to preventing a thermonuclear war. We are calling for negotiations to occur between parties who have been killing each other in large numbers. Has anyone involved in this rally been accused of the kind of crimes which occur in war, and which are encouraged by our own intelligence agencies, who fund and deploy neo-Nazis and ISIS terrorists without the slightest pang of conscience?

Are we now going to allow those criminals to weaken this rally, because we must each stick to our own pure ideology, or precious bodily fluids? Where and when are the pure and noble actions which our detractors are organizing? Oh, they dont exist.

See you in D.C.!
Australian officials on Wednesday recovered a powerfully radioactive container that was lost in the desert.

Officials said a team found the small container, or capsule, after days of searching, involving about 100 people along 1,400 kilometers of highway. The capsule is smaller than a coin, a piece of metal money.

The capsule contained Caesium-137, a highly radioactive material. It was lost while being transported more than two weeks ago. A vehicle equipped with special detection equipment picked up the radiation from the capsule, officials from the state of Western Australia said.

The search team then used smaller detection equipment to find the capsule itself. It was about two meters from the side of the road in an area far from any community, officials added.

The mining company Rio Tinto used the radioactive capsule to measure the density of iron ore in the Gudai-Darri mine in the Australian state's remote Kimberley area.

Rio Tinto was sending the capsule to a center near the state capital, Perth. The distance from Kimberly to Perth is greater than length of the Island of Great Britain.

Simon Trott, the head of iron ore for Rio Tinto, said the company would pay for the cost of the search if asked by the state government.

"We're sorry that that has occurred and were sorry for the concern that that has caused within the Western Australian community, he said.

Australians had been told to stay at least five meters away if they saw the capsule. Exposure to radiation could cause radiation burns or sickness. But, driving past was said to be low risk.

Western Australia's Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said the discovery was an "extraordinary result." The search involved the state's emergency response department, defense officials and radiation experts.

People are not permitted to go within 20 meters of the capsule while defense officials confirm it through a serial number. It will then be placed in a lead container and kept in a secure place in Newman. Newman is a town about 1,200 kilometers north-west of Perth. It will be taken to the state capital on Thursday.

The capsule is only six millimeters across and eight millimeters long. But, it contains Caesium-137. The small amount can release radiation equal to 10 X-rays every hour.

Officials said the capsule fell off a truck and landed on the side of the road. Officials added that it was unlikely contamination in the area would be a problem.

Seeking Answers

Rio Tinto said in a statement that it would investigate whether it should have hired specialist contractors. SGS Australia prepared the capsule and Centurion transported it.

Centurion said it is investigating how the capsule fell off the truck. The container provided by SGS arrived in Perth in the same condition in which it was sent. Technical GPS information showed the truck did not suddenly change speed.

Western Australia's Chief Health Officer Andrew Robertson said there would be an investigation. He said officials would consider charges under the states radiation safety laws from 1975.

The highest fine for failing to safely deal with radioactive substances is about $700. The state government said on Wednesday it was considering a change to permit bigger fines.

But officials said they may not use new laws against Rio Tinto for this incident.

I'm Dan Novak.

Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by Reuters.

_________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

radioactive  adj. releasing a powerful and dangerous form of atomic radiation

capsule  n. a (usually very small) container

detection  n. the active of finding something that you are looking for

contamination  n. the addition of something that is not supposed to be in a place or substance which is often harmful

iron ore  n. rocks that contain minerals with the element iron in them

remote  adj. far away from things like houses, people or cities
As part of Kempinski Hotel Muscats partnership with Audi, it recently announced the new addition of an all-new electric vehicle as part of its hospitality transportation services and sustainability initiatives.



The fully electric Audi e-Tron sport back model is equipped with an e-Quattro all-wheel drive system, intelligent technology and advanced charging capabilities that will now be available to all hotel guests. The Audi e-Tron is unmatched in combining comfort, luxury and durability that the German automobile brand is known for.



The hotel is the first hotel in Oman to add an electric car to its fleet of vehicles, combining performance and luxury in order to further aid sustainability initiatives in the hospitality sector.



Kempinski Hotel Muscats General Manager Carsten Wiegandt said: we remain committed to promoting best practices in sustainability, from community engagement to environmental conservation. Leasing an electric vehicle is a step we are proud to take to continue being environmentally friendly for both the community that we operate in and the guests that we welcome every day.  TradeArabia News Service
At least three times a week, Mexico City bus driver Nicolas Cuatencos purchases a kind of tamale known as guajolota, or turkey.

The food is made of corn dough and filled with meat, bean and cheese. Tamales are then wrapped in corn husks, the green leaves outside an ear of corn, or banana leaves for cooking.

Cuatencos has loved the dish since childhood. The flavor, the dough, all of that is really good, a smiling Cuatencos said recently.

But tamales are not only tasty and a good way to fuel the workday. They also carry lovely memories for millions of people like Cuatencos. He remembers his grandmother preparing tamales for family celebrations and religious events like Candlemas Day on February 2.

Connection to tradition

Tamale buying on February 2 has a connection to an earlier holiday. Mexican tradition holds that the tamale buyer on February 2nd is the person who finds the baby Jesus figure in the Rosca de Reyes cake that is eaten on Three Kings Day on January 6.

Tamales date to pre-Hispanic times. Ancient civilizations such as Olmecs, Mexicas and Mayas prepared them for religious offerings and even placed them in special burial areas.

Tamales are eaten in several neighboring countries under other names like humita, pamonhas, hallaca and guanime. But the number of tamales in Mexico is unmatched, said chef and food researcher Ricardo Munoz Zurita. He has identified 25 families of tamales in Mexico, which themselves have many different kinds based on ingredients, wrappings and size.

The tradition comes from a time when farmers would bring their ears of corn to the church for blessings. That would bring good luck for future crop plantings.

The popularity of the tamal is so great that I dont think theyre going to stop making them in this century because it is not an isolated dish, there is a total tamal culture, Munoz Zurita said.

Just like his parents and grandparents did, Cuatencos said he will gather with his wife, children and other relatives on Thursday to celebrate Candlemas.

My kids found the figurine in the cake, but I will bring the tamales, he said, adding that it is his way of passing the tradition on to his children. Tamales are going to survive many generations because they are passed from generation to generation.

Im Ashley Thompson.

Fabiola Sanchez reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

dough  n. a mixture of flour, water, and other ingredients that is baked to make bread, cookies, etc.

wrap  v. to cover (something) by winding or folding a piece of material around it

flavor  n. the quality of something that you can taste

ingredient -- n. one of the things that are used to make a food, product, etc.

isolated -- adj. separate from others; happening in different places and at different times

figurine  n. a small figure or model of a person made of wood, plastic, etc.
Two Omaha police officers were shot and a 39-year-old man was killed during an attempted burglary at a storage facility near 53rd and Center streets Monday night.

Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said the two officers responded to a report of a burglary at Dino's Storage, 5328 Center St., about 10:30 p.m. Monday. The officers were let into the building by employees and, at some point, gunfire was exchanged between the officers and Steven Docken.

During the altercation, the two officers, who have not been identified yet, suffered gunshot wounds to their lower extremities and Docken was killed, Schmaderer said. One officer was taken to Nebraska Medical Center by an ambulance and the other officer was taken to the same hospital by another officer in a police cruiser.

One of the officers, who was shot through his upper leg, was later released, according to statement early Tuesday from an Omaha police spokesman. The other officer suffered a wound near his knee and may need surgery, Schmaderer said.

Schmaderer confirmed to The World-Herald that both officers were awake and alert after the shooting. He spoke to both officers and their spouses.

Both officers wore body cameras, though one was damaged during the incident. Security video from the storage building will be reviewed as well, the spokesman said.

Police recovered a handgun at the scene near Docken's body. The police spokesman said the officers entered the storage facility with the assistance of the property's management, who told them that a man was breaking into a first-floor storage unit that contained a gun case and ammunition.

Officers attempted to make contact with the man who was still inside an open storage unit. When Docken saw them, he ran down a hallway and was pursued by the officers who gave "multiple loud verbal commands to stop running," the spokesman said.

The officers caught up to Docken and a physical altercation began, the spokesman said. Gunfire was exchanged, resulting in the wounding of the officers and the death of Docken, who was shot multiple times.

The Nebraska State Patrol and the Douglas County Sheriff's Office will be involved in the investigation along with an Omaha Police Department team.

The officers will be interviewed in the coming days and have been placed on paid administrative leave.

Getting away with murder: Nebraska cold cases Ann Marie Kelley Carl Bittner K.K. Kody Christi Nichols Donald Bennett Ernestine Ruschy Eugene McGuire Jay Durnil Mary Heese Gregory Moore Irvin Settje Jason Remsen Jason Vesper Brian Walker Jay Blockson Jeanne Kassebaum William, Bernice and Barbara Peak Jeffrey Snoddy Joy Blanchard Demetrius Simpson Julie Derrick Leah Rowlands Letha Harley Mary Cabral Mary Cronin Merlin Mosel Mitchell Simon Patrick Vostades Rebecca Williams Richard Chadek Richard Lessley Robert Beaudoin Robert Heelan Rudolfo Flores Russell McKnight Sandy Green Sarah Neal Tyrone Banister Waddell Robinson Charles Hanks Arthur Morley
Crossip breaks into new markets

Non-alcoholic spirits brand, Crossip, has expanded into new markets across Europe, GCC and North America, alongside key local distribution partners.

The partners include France and Spain with Innovation Spirits, Canada with The Sobr Market, Mauritius with 20 Degrees Distribution and Kuwait and Saudi Arabia with Drink Dry.

Tim Blake, co-founder and commercial director of Crossip, said: While Crossip was founded and saw its initial expansion in the UK, we cannot ignore the growth and popularity of non-alcoholic beverages across the globe.

Over the past twelve months, Crossip has gone from strength-to-strength with our partners at Drink Dry across the GCC and we look forward to continuing this expansion with our latest moves into Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

With export channels becoming an integral part of the brands business strategy, Crossip has grown international sales by 462% over the past twelve months and is expecting further growth in 2023 as new territories gain traction.

Pierre Le Gallic, director of innovation spirits, said: "Across France and Spain we've seen the rapid growth in popularity of non-alcoholic options over the past few years. As we expect this growth to continue locally, we've looked to bolster our non-alcoholic portfolio with uniquely flavoured natural spirits.
A Waunakee man who delivers newspapers was arrested for stealing more than $10,000 worth of checks, the Dane County Sheriffs Office reported.

Hans E. Hanson, 58, a former independent contractor who delivers newspapers, was arrested on Tuesday and booked into the Dane County Jail on multiple counts of theft and forgery, with more charges possible, Sheriffs Office spokesperson Elise Schaffer said in a statement.

Hanson allegedly stole checks, altered them and cashed them.

Deputies have been investigating several fraud complaints across the northeast part of Dane County, where Hanson delivers newspapers, with multiple people reporting checks being stolen from their mailboxes.
Wisconsin is requiring a meningitis vaccine for seventh-graders and saying students should get a whooping cough immunization by seventh grade instead of sixth grade.

Also, parents who want their children to skip the chickenpox vaccine will have to provide documentation of prior chickenpox infection from a medical professional. Previously, parents could get exceptions by saying their kids had chickenpox.

Those are among changes to vaccination requirements for children in schools and child care centers announced Wednesday by the state Department of Health Services.

The updates, which took effect Wednesday for child care centers and will start for school-age children in the fall, should help students, educators and staff stay safer and healthier, officials said.

Parents who choose to keep their children up to date on vaccinations are not only protecting their own childs health but are making a choice that protects the people who live and work in their communities, Deb Standridge, DHS deputy secretary, said in a statement.

There is no change to existing exemption options for medical, religious or philosophical reasons. Flu shots and COVID-19 vaccines are strongly recommended but not required.

The meningitis vaccine, protecting against meningococcal disease types A, C, W and Y, is required at seventh grade, with a booster dose required at 12th grade. The vaccine wasnt required before.

The change with the whooping cough shot  known as tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis vaccine, or Tdap  is meant to better align with the recommended age of 11.

Vaccination against highly contagious chickenpox has made the illness rare, so health officials want verification of infection before granting exemptions, said Dr. Ryan Westergaard, chief medical officer for communicable diseases at DHS.

Because theres less general knowledge of what a chicken pox illness looks like, he said, its important to make sure.

In addition to the required proof of chickenpox disease, chickenpox and meningitis, or meningococcal disease, are now included in the definition of an outbreak, which can trigger actions to stem the spread of disease. Five or more related cases of chickenpox are considered an outbreak, as are three or more related cases of meningococcal disease and three or more cases of mumps.

For details on how many doses of which vaccines are required when, go to dhs.wisconsin.gov/immunization/update.htm.

Wisconsins most recent vaccination rates in child care centers and schools show a decline as parents and providers are catching up on vaccinations put on hold during the pandemic, as is the case in other states.

In the 2021-22 school year, 88.7% of students met the minimum immunization requirements, a 3.2% decrease from the previous year. Some 3.3% of students were behind schedule on their vaccinations, a 0.4% increase from the previous year. Data from this school year wont be available for a month or two, officials said.

Parents and guardians can call 211 with help finding a local provider or clinic. The Vaccines for Children program provides no- or low-cost vaccines for those who are eligible.

[Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify that, previous to the recent change, parents who declared a child had chickenpox constituted an exception to the requirement that schoolchildren get the chickenpox vaccine.]
A Spring Green man recently appeared in Sauk County Circuit Court after being charged with felonies related to child sexual exploitation and bestiality.

Daniel Joseph Ringelstetter, 36, appeared from Sauk County Jail via video with his attorney Jan. 18. Prosecutor Margaret Delain requested a $10,000 bail, which Circuit Court Judge Michael Screnock granted. According to court records, he had not been released on bond as of Friday.

Conditions of the bond include that Ringelstetter have no contact with anyone under 18 unless allowed by the Department of Health Services. Ringelstetter is prohibited from using any device which accesses the internet unless it is for work and from having any contact with domestic animals.

According to the criminal complaint:

The Sauk County Sheriffs Office was contacted by an official with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. The official told police that a Sparta resident had contacted DHS with concerns that Ringelstetter was exposing a child, and in some cases having the child participate in, sexual activity with adults.

Det. Drew Bulin, a sheriffs office sergeant and a DHS official met with Ringelstetter Jan. 11 at his home, where they spoke to him about the allegations and took his phone after getting his consent and the passcode.

Ringelstetter was also interviewed at the Spring Green Police Department, where he denied sexually exploiting children and explained personal sexual fantasies as reason for his behavior. Police were told by the Sparta resident that Ringelstetter had described having a child involved in some of his sexual activity.

When investigators searched Ringelstetters cellphone, they found video calls between him and another adult which showed a child around 5 or 6 years old engaging in sexual activity and being exposed to Ringelstetters genitals in August. There was also a video of him taken in October in which he is walking up to a child whose back was turned with his genitals exposed. At least two separate videos depicted Ringelstetter engaging in masturbatory behavior with a dog.

Ringelstetter denied engaging in the calls when the child was present during a police interview Jan. 13, claiming he disconnected a video call to tell the person he was talking to that he did not agree to it. He said he did not have any contact information for the other adult, who he claimed to have met on a dating app. He could not provide the name of the dating app. He denied exposing any children to sexual activity.

Ringelstetter is scheduled to next appear in court for a preliminary hearing March 9.

GALLERY: Sauk County court, cops Arsonist sentenced Shores enters Spoentgen argues Amber Lundgren hearing 'I'm sorry, that's all I can say' 020221-bara-news-metzger1 Defense attorney Jeremiah Meyer-O'Day Amber Lundgren in shackles Medflight near Baraboo Judge sets $250K bond for Pulvermacher in Baraboo homicide case Amber Lundgren homicide hearing Albart B. Shores trial Sauk County ADA Rick Spoentgen Pulvermacher listens 102519-bara-news-sauk-co-homicide1 William Wenzel Judge Michael Screnock Judge Klicko and attorneys Martinez and Spoentgen Sauk County Assistant District Attorney Rick Spoentgen Drew Bulin testifies Wenzel and Van Wagner in courtroom 073021-bara-news-dogs1 Mike Albrecht sworn in 051121-bara-news-law-zunker
The three candidates for Madison mayor gathered for a second consecutive night Tuesday, heating up the election with a forum aimed at addressing the concerns and needs of Madisons Black community.

Incumbent Satya Rhodes-Conway, Gloria Reyes and Scott Kerr are vying to serve as mayor of Madison for the next four years  a position that many South Madisonians plan to vote for very seriously. The forum was sponsored by the Urban League of Greater Madison.

(Voting) is an extension of my voice, said Bobbie Briggs, 28. People my age at the time (of the civil rights era) were using this political platform to vocalize issues and bring to the forefront things that were important, especially for communities of color, for women, for all marginalized communities.

Im an avid voter, said Candace McDowell, 71, whos most concerned with affordable housing, crime rates and the polices engagement with communities of color.

I know of what our ancestors went through to get us this right to vote, McDowell said. Change only happens at the level where people are representing us, and in order to get things to change we have to have people in place who we know are going to be able to make some changes.

There is a strong movement at the local level, and its really led by community-based agencies, said Greg Jones. Those agencies have diverse missions and functions, but they seem to come together over the concept of voting as a constitutional privilege and as a right.

Among the key issues addressed in the forum: Affordable housing, the South Sides renaissance and body cameras for city police, an issue of particular significance this week in light of the release of the Tyre Nichols video.

In 2021, Black residents accounted for 42% of adult arrests by Madison police.

Reyes and Kerr were unqualified in their support of body cameras for Madison police.

Rhodes-Conway said she wanted to wait to see the results of a pending pilot program.

I want to respect the development of the policies around body cameras, and wait for the data. See what the police department finds as a result of that data, said Rhodes-Conway.

Rhodes-Conway also said shes more interesting in finding the whole answer.

We need to be asking what prevents misconduct, said Rhodes-Conway.

Rhodes-Conway was first elected in 2019, defeating Madisons longest-serving mayor, Paul Soglin. She previously served six years on the City Council.

Madisons South Side is home to some of Madisons largest Black and brown neighborhoods, according to the citys voter turnout information, making up a large portion of whos been left behind in the citys development.

The city recently proposed a $115 million tax increment financing district to invest in a host of development projects in the South Side.

The Center for Black Excellence and Culture is currently being built, and, when completed, the Black Business Hub is expected to support a minimum of 100 Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs.

Its about time, said Reyes before taking a jab at Rhodes-Conways budgeting. Im concerned, though, about the long-term budget deficit. Lets be frank here, if it wasnt for the one-time money, the city would not have done this commitment.

Reyes emphasized the pending impacts the one-time money will have before being cut for time.

Systemic racial disparities, however, are still rampant.

For instance, the 2022 city housing snapshot found only 15% of Black households are homeowners, lowest among all the citys demographic groups.

Black students tested far below their peers in English language arts and math in 2020-21.

All three candidates agreed on needing to cut apart the current budget for any loose change.

Were heading into really rough times. And Im going to put it out into the public to make the decisions with me on what we have to cut. So we can maintain the police department, afford body cameras, so we can add overhead cameras to the city. Without detriment to the city itself, said Kerr, a Traffic Engineering Division technician for the city for 42 years.

Every budget that Ive put together has started with a pretty significant structural deficit, thats the reality of leading the city in the state of Wisconsin right now, said Rhodes-Conway. It does mean that we have to do things like a vehicle registration fee, and look to the municipal services bill.

Were going to have to make some really tough decisions in one to two years. I think we have made some decisions the past couple years that have brought us here, said Reyes.

If elected, Reyes would be the citys first Hispanic mayor. A former CEO of Briarpatch Youth Services, shes held several additional high-profile positions, including deputy mayor and Madison School Board president.

The mayoral candidates are scheduled to gather for several forums in the coming weeks, organized by various constituent groups. The candidates first forum was sponsored by several West Side neighborhood associations, discussing transit and safety.

The spring primary will be held Feb. 21. The two candidates who garner the most votes in that contest move on to the April 4 election.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect a correction. In 2021, Black residents accounted for 42% of adult arrests by the Madison Police, compared to 46% for whites and 8% for Hispanic people, the department's 2021 annual report says. The article initially misstated which demographic accounted for the highest percentage of arrests.
The Bureau of Land Management is accepting comments on the proposed 1,000-megawatt wind energy project, which could put as many as 400 turbines across 114 square miles between Twin Falls and Shoshone.

A group called Stop Lava Ridge is holding a meeting on Thursday to share information about the BLMs draft environmental impact statement and to give people guidance on how they can effectively deliver feedback to the BLM.

The Lava Ridge proposal has been met with widespread opposition in the Magic Valley. The boards of commissioners of Lincoln, Jerome and Minidoka counties have all said they cannot support the proposal.

The Stop Lava Ridge group on Facebook has nearly 3,000 members and that number grows daily.

Dean Dimonds farm is just north of the Minidoka National Historic Site east of Eden. He is just one of the thousands of people who would be directly affected by the proposed wind project. He said the group whose effort to prevent Lava Ridge from progressing is made up of regular folks who like the area as it is and dont want to see it changed.

Were all just normal citizens, Dimond said. Were not politicians, were not group organizers and all that stuff, so its been a real learning curve for all of us to figure out what we needed to do to try and gather more people and get more and more involved.

Lava Ridge would be the first wind farm on public lands in Idaho, but there are other projects in the pre-proposal stage.

Dimond is one of many people who sees Lava Ridge as a test case for whether the local population will have a say in what is done on public lands.

The people of the Magic Valley have stood up and said this is not what we want, Dimond said. So this is going to come down to a decision as to whether the local people have a say in these projects.

The Stop Lava Ridge meeting will feature presentations from speakers addressing just some of the aspects of the proposed project.

Local hunter Jerry Horton will talk about the biology of the public lands and the value to hunters and recreators.

Brian Olmstead, an Idaho Water Resources Board member who used to head the Twin Falls Canal Co., will talk about the projects possible impacts on the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer.

The main portion of the meeting will help people navigate the draft EIS and will provide some guidance on the most effective ways to submit comments on the proposal.

Organizers have said that BLM District Manager Mike Courtney might even be on hand to discuss the BLMs role in the project and answer other questions.

John Arkoosh is a rancher and holds grazing permits on the Star Lake allotment. He said he grazes cattle in the same area as his father and his grandfather did, dating back to the 1930s.

Like many grazers in the area, Lava Ridge would directly affect Arkooshs livelihood.

The current administration is trying to impose their will on the unwilling public in Idaho, Arkoosh said.

The role public comments play in the process is important, Arkoosh said. Thats why a good portion of Thursdays meeting will be focused on how to make effective comments.

Its really very important, now that we have this Draft and have the opportunity to weigh in on it, Arkoosh said. Its very important that people do so.
Based upon a preview of the coming attractions that will play at the Idaho statehouse this legislative session, it appears there will be an excess of needless drama, bombastic performances, senseless ad-libbing and failed plotlines.

Only an audience of far-right political zealots will give this a thumbs-up.

Speaking of failed plotlines, Sen. Doug Okuniewicz wants to resurrect the 2021 legislatures scheme to deprive the people of their constitutional right to make laws through the initiative process.

The Idaho Supreme Court struck the scheme down as unconstitutional, ruling that it violated the peoples fundamental right to legislate directly. Okuniewicz has introduced SJR 101, which would write the scheme into the Constitution, effectively killing the initiative and referendum.

If SJR 101 is approved by the legislature for the 2024 general election ballot, my prediction is that it will be resoundingly defeated by the voters. Idahoans love their initiative rights.

Another extreme-right performance artist in the legislature, Sen. Scott Herndon, made a rather dramatic debut with a passel of right-wing proposals and a bad attitude about not getting his way in a political fight.

In riffing about the Second Amendment, Herndon reportedly implied that when you lose a political fight, then you have the real fight. He was likely spouting off to gain kudos from his extremist base, but this kind of performance is not fitting for a player elected to the Idaho Senate.

Another bit player in the legislative drama, Sen. Brian Lenney, opened his performance with a proposal to repeal Idahos constitutional prohibition against using taxpayer money to fund religious schooling.

Attorney General Raul Labrador and some others claim the prohibition, sometimes called the Blaine Amendment, is a dead letter. The fact is that the Blaine Amendment is alive and well, unless the legislature starts spending taxpayer money on private schooling.

Lenney seems to think Idahos taxpayers want to take on the additional burden of supporting private and religious schooling. He does have an interest in molding young minds, as evidenced by his two kiddie booksWhy Everyone Needs an AR-15: A Guide for Kids and Why is Feminism So Silly: A Guide for Kids.

STAPILUS: Would JFAC change push Idaho Legislature forward, or backward? STAPILUS: Idaho House Speaker Mike Moyle is proposing a chance to the way legislature internally approves state budgets. Here's what that could mean.

Presiding over these performances from his comfy home in the state of Washington is the chief of the Idaho Freedom Foundation, Wayne Hoffman.

In a remarkable display of theatrical prowess, Hoffman has been issuing directorial guidance to his minions in the legislature from that woke state while pretending his instructions emanate from the Gem State.

Hoffmans IFF must get credit for much of the storm and stress that will be produced during the session, although the closing of Idahos GOP primary election in 2012 set the stage for ever-more-extreme and disruptive sessions.

If Idaho voters are dismayed by the legislative spectacle this year, they may have a real chance for a new attraction that would appeal to a wider audience: Traditional Republicans, independents, Democrats and whatever.

Please stay tuned.
On April 1, approximately 55,000 children receiving N.C. Health Choice coverage will move to N.C. Medicaid and begin receiving additional physical and behavioral health services.

This change will help save families money and increase access to care. That includes 217 children in McDowell County.

North Carolina currently has two similar, but different, programs that offer medical coverage for eligible children  N.C. Medicaid, funded through the federal Medicaid program, and N.C. Health Choice, funded through the federal Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

A provision included in the North Carolina state budget, approved in July 2022, directed the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services to move N.C. Health Choice beneficiaries from the N.C. Health Choice program to the Medicaid program. North Carolina joins 17 other states who have combined Medicaid/CHIP programs for children, according to a news release.

This is an exciting change and allows N.C. DHHS to provide additional benefits to children moving from N.C. Health Choice to Medicaid, said Dave Richard, the deputy secretary for N.C. Medicaid. This includes assistance getting to and from medical appointments through non-emergency medical transportation services and early and periodic screening, diagnosis and treatment  a benefit designed to discover and treat health conditions before they become serious.

Families with children moving from N.C. Health Choice to Medicaid will no longer have to pay enrollment fees or copays for medical visits and prescriptions. They will also have access to enhanced behavioral health services not previously covered by N.C. Health Choice. People with N.C. Health Choice do not need to do anything to move to the Medicaid program. The move is automatic and will be effective April 1, 2023.

The website for the N.C. DHHS indicates 219 children in McDowell County will benefit from this change.

People impacted by this change should look for a letter in the mail from their local Department of Social Services in early March. They will get a new Medicaid ID card in the mail; however, their Medicaid ID (Recipient ID) will not change. They can continue to use the card they have now until the new one arrives, according to the news release.

For more information, visit the N.C. Health Choice webpage at medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/nc-health-choice-move-medicaid.
The proposal for the Angolan General State Budget (OGE) for the 2023 financial year will go to a final vote in the National Assembly on 13 February, a parliamentary source said on Tuesday.

The decision was approved during a conference of the presidents of the parliamentary groups, led by the president of the National Assembly, Carolina Cerqueira, as announced by the first secretary of the Bureau of the Angolan parliament.

According to Manuel Dembo, the OGE2023 will be approved in full during the fourth extraordinary plenary meeting of the first legislative session of the 5th Legislature as the only item on the agenda, with the drafting of reports and opinions taking place at this stage.

At this stage the committees reports are being drafted, which will serve as the basis for the joint report on the speciality opinion. Thus, the chairs of parliamentary groups concluded that the conditions are in place for the final and overall vote on the OGE2023, he said.

The OGE2023, which was approved in general terms on 16 January, 2023, estimates revenues and sets expenditure of 20.1 trillion kwanzas (38.3 billion euros), of which 13.4 trillion kwanzas (25.5 billion euros) in tax revenues and 6.6 trillion kwanzas (12.5 billion euros) in financial revenues.

Angolas biggest macroeconomic management tool was drawn up at a weighted average price of a barrel of oil of US$75 (EUR68).

The proposed State Budget for 2023, according to the Minister of State for Economic Coordination, Manuel Nunes Junior, will essentially meet two objectives, namely, continued economic growth of the country and continued prudent budget management.

The document has been discussed over the last few weeks by the specialized committees of the Angolan parliament, meetings that brought together several social partners and non-governmental organizations.
Cape Verdes imports rose 25.5 percent in 2022, whilst exports fell 3 percent from the previous year, the National Statistics Institute (INE) said on Tuesday.

According to provisional foreign trade data, in 2022 Cape Verdes exports totaled PTE 5.016 billion (45 million), a decrease of PTE 153 billion (3.0%) compared to the same period of the previous year.

In the year under study, Europe remained Cape Verdes main customer, absorbing 93.8% of the countrys total exports, a slight increase over the previous year, which was 92.1%.

Compared to the previous year, INE noted a decrease in Cape Verdes exports to all continents, with the exception of Asia/Oceania.

In terms of the countries with which Cape Verde maintains trade relations, the study found that Spain led the ranking of Cape Verdes main customers in the European economic zone, accounting for 54.7% of Cape Verdean exports, a drop of 7.7 percentage points compared to 2021.

It is followed by Portugal, with 19.3%, increasing 3.7 percentage points, Italy is in third position, with 18.8%, the United States of America, in fourth place, recorded a decrease of 2.1 percentage points (7.3 to 5.2%).

Prepared and preserved foods (70%), clothing (10.7%) and footwear in third position (5.9%) were the main products exported by Cape Verde during 2022, still according to INE.

These three products accounted for 86.5 percent of total exports from Cabo Verde, increasing by about 0.9 percentage points compared to that recorded (85.6 percent) in the year 2021, the Cape Verdean institute explained.

In terms of imports, last year they increased by 25.5 percent and the European continent, despite having lost 3.9 percentage points, remained the main supplier of Cabo Verde, accounting for 67.8 percent of the total (compared to 71.7 percent last year).
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) region on Tuesday warned of escalating tensions in the small landlocked kingdom of Eswatini, Africas last absolute monarchy, where a respected lawyer and vocal opponent was recently murdered, sparking international outrage.

Continued and sporadic violence has taken place in the kingdom of Eswatini, indicating an escalation of tensions, said Namibian President Hage Geingob, head of the Southern African Development Communitys (SADC) Defence and Security Organ at an extraordinary meeting in the Namibian capital Windhoek.

Thulani Maseko, 52, was killed on the evening of 21 January at his home in Luhleko, about 50 kilometres from the capital Mbabane. He had spent much of his life fighting repression and defending opponents, and had served time in prison for criticising the regime.

These regrettable incidents came at a time when the region is trying to help this neighbour find and implement peaceful solutions to its problems, Geingob said.

The kingdom of Eswatini has been rocked since 2021 by a pro-democracy protest. In June 2021, at least 37 people were killed in violently suppressed anti-regime demonstrations. Limited protests and strikes have since continued sporadically.

Hours before Thulani Masekos assassination, King Mswati III issued a public message to his opponents: People should not complain if mercenaries kill them. These people started the violence first, but when the state cracks down on them for their actions, they make a lot of noise blaming King Mswati.

The UN and the US have called for an impartial investigation into the killing of the opposition leader. The European Union has expressed its concern.

Eswatini, a small poor country embedded in South African territory and formerly known as Swaziland, has been ruled by Mswati III since 1986. The ruler can dissolve parliament, the government and appoint or dismiss judges. He also commands the police and the army.

Political parties, theoretically allowed, cannot in fact participate in elections. The next general election is due this year. SADC comprises 16 countries. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Zambian Head of State Hakainde Hichilema were among those present at the meeting on Tuesday.
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One third of premature deaths attributable to higher temperatures in European cities during summer 2015 could have been prevented by increasing urban tree cover to 30%, reveals a modeling study published in The Lancet. The study also found that tree cover reduced urban temperatures by an average of 0.4 degrees during the summer.

"We already know that high temperatures in urban environments are associated with negative health outcomes, such as cardiorespiratory failure, hospital admission, and premature death. This study is the largest of its kind, and the first to specifically look at premature mortality caused by higher temperatures in cities and the number of deaths that could be prevented by increasing tree cover," says lead author, Tamar Iungman, Barcelona Institute for Global Health.

"Our ultimate goal is to inform local policy and decision-makers about the benefits of strategically integrating green infrastructure into urban planning in order to promote more sustainable, resilient and healthy urban environments and contribute to climate change adaptation and mitigation. This is becoming increasingly urgent as Europe experiences more extreme temperature fluctuations caused by climate change; despite cold conditions currently causing more deaths in Europe, predictions based on current emissions reveal that heat-related illness and death will present a bigger burden to our health services over the next decade."

Urban environments record higher temperatures than the surrounding countryside generally referred to as "urban heat islands." This temperature difference is caused by human modification of landscapes, such as removal of vegetation, the presence of asphalt and use of building materials that absorb and trap heat. As emissions continue to exacerbate climate change and global heating, increased temperatures in cities are predicted to become more intense, resulting in an increasingly urgent need for cities to adapt to improve health outcomes.

The researchers estimated mortality rates of residents over 20 years old in 93 European cities between June and August 2015, accounting for 57 million inhabitants in total. Mortality data from this period was analyzed with daily average city temperatures in two modeling scenarios: the first comparing the city temperature without urban heat islands to city temperature with urban heat islands, and the second simulating the temperature reduction as a consequence of increasing the tree cover to 30%. Exposure response functions were used to estimate the number of deaths attributable to urban heat as well as the number of deaths that could be prevented through increasing the tree cover.

The population-weighted city average daily temperature difference between cities and countryside from JuneAugust 2015 was 1.5 degrees warmer than the surrounding countryside, with the maximum temperature difference measured at 4.1 degrees hotter in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Across all cities, 75% of the total population lived in areas with an average summer city temperature difference greater than one degree, and 20% with an average summer temperature difference greater than two degrees, compared to the surrounding countryside.

In total, 6,700 premature deaths could be attributed to hotter urban temperatures during the summer months, accounting for 4.3% of summer mortality and 1.8% of year-round mortality. One in three of these deaths (2,644 total) could have been prevented by increasing tree cover up to 30%, and therefore reducing temperatures. This corresponds to 39.5% of all deaths attributable to hotter urban temperatures, 1.8% of all summer deaths, and 0.4% of year-round deaths.

There was a large variability in temperature-related mortality rates between cities, from no premature deaths attributable to hotter urban temperatures in Goteborg, Sweden, to 32 premature deaths per 100,000 people in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Overall, cities with highest temperature mortality rates were in Southern and Eastern Europe where the highest temperatures were reached, with these cities benefitting the most from an increase in tree coverage.

The results of this study support the idea that urban trees provide substantial public health and environmental benefits, however the authors acknowledge that increasing tree coverage should be combined with other interventions to maximize urban temperature reduction (for example, changing ground surface materials to reduce night-time temperatures such as replacing asphalt with trees). Meeting the target of 30% tree coverage can be very challenging for some cities due to urban design, with city average tree cover in Europe currently at 14.9%.

"Our results suggest large impacts on mortality due to hotter temperatures in cities, and that these impacts could be partially reduced by increasing the tree coverage to help cool urban environments. We encourage city planners and decision-makers to incorporate the urban green infrastructure adapted to each local setting while combining with other interventions to maximize the health benefits while promoting more sustainable and resilient cities, especially as we already know that green spaces can have additional health benefits such as reducing cardiovascular disease, dementia and poor mental health, improving cognitive functioning of children and the elderly, and improving the health of babies," says study co-author Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, Director of Urban Planning, Environment and Health at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health.

The authors acknowledge some limitations with this study. The study could not be conducted for a more recent year than 2015, due to unavailability of population data. In addition, a US dataset was used for building the cooling model in the study as opposed to a European dataset. Finally, this study focused on the health impacts of high temperatures but did not look at cold temperature. While cold temperatures currently have greater impacts on health in Europe, health impacts due to heat are projected to exceed those caused by cold under current emission scenarios, highlighting the importance of adapting our cities now.

Writing in a Linked Comment, Kristie Ebi, University of Washington, U.S., who was not involved in the research, said, "Essentially all heatwave-related deaths are preventable; no one needs to die from the heat. With climate change projected to increase the frequency, intensity, and duration of extreme heat events, communities need to understand the most effective interventions, particularly developing and deploying heatwave early warning and response systems. Equally important are Heat Action Plans that explicitly incorporate the consequences of a changing climate into longer-term urban planning.

"Heat Action Plans detail how to modify urban form and infrastructure to increase the resilience and sustainability of our communities as we face an even warmer future Encouraging and enabling decision-makers and local communities to develop and implement Heat Action Plan is an effective way to promote climate resilience as soaring temperatures continue to be felt globally. The tools and guidelines are available; the gaps are in human and financial resources for implementation. The time to start is now."

More information: Cooling cities through urban green infrastructure: a health impact assessment of European cities, The Lancet (2023). www.thelancet.com/journals/lan  (22)02585-5/fulltext Journal information: The Lancet
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Twelve African countries on Wednesday spelt out plans for ending AIDS in children by 2030 through an array of HIV testing, treatment and prevention programs.

The 2030 goal, which was announced by UNAIDS last year, was unanimously backed by representatives from the 12 nations gathered in Tanzania's Dar es Salaam.

"All of us in our capacities must have a role to play to end AIDS in children," Tanzanian Vice President Philip Mpango told the conference.

"We must not remain complacent. 2030 is at our doorstep," he added.

The Dar es Salaam Declaration was announced at the first ministerial meeting of the Global Alliance to end AIDS in Children, which brings together the 12 countries with UNAIDS and other health agencies.

The 12 nations are Angola, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, DR Congo, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

UNAIDS said in a statement that a child dies from AIDS-related causes every five minutes.

Just half of children living with HIV worldwide are receiving antiretroviral treatments which can stave off AIDS, compared to three-quarters of adults with HIV, it added.

The new plan includes early testing for children, increasing treatment for pregnant women with HIV, preventing infections among breastfeeding women and addressing rights and gender barriers that hinder access to services.

UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima told the meeting "it feels me with hope that all of us in this room have committed" to the 2030 goal.

"It's a winnable fight. It's a fight for our children," she added.

World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the ministers "your leadership is crucial".

"We have all the tools needed to make this a reality, but we need your commitment and action," he said.

 2023 AFP
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Many people are unaware that some antidepressants (medications used to treat people living with depression) are also being prescribed to treat certain chronic pain conditions.

One in five people experiences chronic pain in Australia and globally, and treatment of chronic pain is often suboptimal, with commonly used medicines having limited or unknown benefits. The use of antidepressants to help manage a person's pain is on the rise, even when they do not have a mood disorder like depression.

An international team of researchers has found that some classes of antidepressants were effective in treating certain pain conditions in adults, but others were either not effective, or the effectiveness was unknown.

Published in The BMJ, the study reviewed the safety and effectiveness of antidepressants in the treatment of chronic pain.

The researchers say the results show that clinicians need to consider all the evidence before deciding to prescribe antidepressants for chronic pain management.

"This review, for the first time, brings together all the existing evidence about the effectiveness of antidepressants to treat chronic pain in one comprehensive document," said lead author Dr. Giovanni Ferreira from The Institute for Musculoskeletal Health and Sydney Musculoskeletal Health at the University of Sydney.

The review examined 26 systematic reviews from 2012 to 2022 involving over 25,000 participants. This included data from 8 antidepressant classes and 22 pain conditions including back pain, fibromyalgia, headaches, postoperative pain, and irritable bowel syndrome.

Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI) antidepressants such as duloxetine were found to be effective for the largest number of pain conditions, such as back pain, knee osteoarthritis, postoperative pain, fibromyalgia, and neuropathic pain (nerve pain).

By contrast tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline, are the most commonly used antidepressant to treat pain in clinical practice, but the review showed that it is unclear how well they work, or whether they work at all for most pain conditions.

The use of antidepressants as a treatment for pain has recently gained attention globally. A 2021 guideline for chronic primary pain management published by The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends against using pain medicines with the exception of antidepressants. The guideline recommends different types of antidepressants, such as amitriptyline, citalopram, duloxetine, fluoxetine, paroxetine or sertraline for adults living with chronic primary pain.

Dr. Ferreira said a more nuanced approach to prescribing antidepressants for pain is needed.

"Recommending a list of antidepressants without careful consideration of the evidence for each of those antidepressants for different pain conditions may mislead clinicians and patients into thinking that all antidepressants have the same effectiveness for pain conditions. We showed that is not the case."

Co-author Dr. Christina Abdel Shaheed, from The School of Public Health and Sydney Musculoskeletal Health at the University of Sydney, said, "The findings from this review will support both clinicians and patients to weigh up the benefits and harms of antidepressants for various pain conditions so that they can make informed decisions about whether and when to use them."

Dr. Ferreira said that there are multiple treatment options for pain, and people should not rely solely on pain medicines for pain relief.

"Some pain medicines may have a role in pain management, but they need to be considered as only part of the solution. For some pain conditions, exercise, physiotherapy, and lifestyle changes may also help. Speak to your health professional to learn more about what alternatives might be appropriate for you," Dr. Ferreira said.

Professor Christopher Maher, Co-Director of Sydney Musculoskeletal Health at the University of Sydney, said, "This review distilled the evidence from over 150 clinical trials into an accessible summary that clinicians can use to help them make better decisions for their patients with chronic pain."

The current status of antidepressants in Australia and globally

Most antidepressant prescriptions for pain are "off-label," which is when antidepressants have not been approved to be prescribed for pain.

Many antidepressants are thought to help with pain by acting on chemicals in the brain that can assist with pain relief, such as serotonin. However, it is unknown exactly why some antidepressants improve pain. In Australia, the only antidepressant approved for treating pain is duloxetine, which is approved for diabetic neuropathic pain (nerve pain caused by diabetes).

Amitriptyline is approved in the United Kingdom for some pain conditions, such as neuropathic pain (nerve pain), tension-type headaches and migraines, but it is not approved for treating any pain conditions in Australia.

The use of antidepressants has doubled in OECD countries from 2000 to 2015, and the use of "off-label" prescriptions of antidepressants for pain is considered a contributing factor to this increase. Data from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Taiwan, suggest that among older people, chronic pain was the most common condition leading to an antidepressant prescription, even more so than depression.

Currently, no data from Australia shows how many antidepressant prescriptions are for pain.

More information: Giovanni E Ferreira et al, Efficacy, safety, and tolerability of antidepressants for pain in adults: overview of systematic reviews, The BMJ (2023). DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2022-072415 Journal information: British Medical Journal (BMJ)
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Brenna Kearney was seven months pregnant in December 2019 when she experienced what she thought were bad flu symptoms.

Her husband, Casey Trumble, drove her from their Chicago home to her OB-GYN's office at Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women's Hospital downtown. With suddenly elevatled blood pressure and protein in her urine, she was diagnosed with preeclampsia, a potentially fatal but treatable pregnancy complication. Doctors admitted her to the hospital, saying she could expect to stay up to six weeks and have an induced delivery.

Then Kearney developed a bad headache and her blood platelet count plummeted, signs she was experiencing a rare, dangerous type of preeclampsia and requiring an immediate delivery by cesarean section.

Kearney's daughter, Joey, born at 31 weeks, was placed on a ventilator and moved to the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. Small but healthy, she slowly began breathing on her own and eating normally. She was discharged in late January 2020, after 36 days in the NICU.

Then the bill came.

The Patient: Josephine "Joey" Trumble, now 3, was covered by her mother's health plan through her employer, an advertising agency. For 2019, it was an Aetna plan, and for 2020, it was a plan from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. Both policies were fully insured plans governed by Illinois laws.

Medical Service: Neonatology physician services provided in January 2020. Joey needed tube feeding and ventilator care to provide oxygen.

Service Provider: Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, whose staff physicians treated Joey at Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women's Hospital. Ownership-wise, Lurie is independent of Northwestern Medicine, but it is physically connected to Prentice Women's by an enclosed walkway. Lurie has a collaboration agreement with Northwestern Medicine to provide neonatology and pediatric physician services to Prentice Women's patients.

Total Bill: Aetna paid for nearly all of Joey and her mother's hospital and physician charges in December, while Blue Cross picked up nearly all of Joey's hospital charges in January. Physician charges from Lurie in January totaled $14,624.55, of which the family was asked to pay $12,531.58 after payments from Blue Cross.

What Gives: It took Kearney months of calls to Blue Cross and the two hospitals to find out why Lurie billed more than $14,000 for physician services: The physicians treating her daughter at Prentice Women'san in-network hospital under her health planactually worked for a separate, out-of-network hospital.

Illinois law bars insurers from charging patients out-of-network rates for neonatal care at in-network hospitals.

Kearney said no one had told her or her husband that Lurie doctors were treating their daughter. She said the family never signed an agreement consenting to receive care from out-of-network doctors.

Though it did not happen here, many patients unknowingly sign broad financial agreementssaying they'll pay for almost anything their insurance doesn't coverin the piles of paperwork they receive upon admission to a hospital. In many cases, they are simply asked to sign on a screen, without seeing the document.

Blue Cross agreed to pay Lurie the in-network rate for the doctors' services, reducing the bill to about $12,500which Lurie expected the family to pay.

In November 2020, Kearney started receiving letters from ICS Collection Service, a collection agency.

"Talking to Blue Cross was impossible, and Lurie said it's not their problem and just wanted to put us on a payment plan," Kearney said.

Joey's 36-day stay in the NICU happened before the federal government implemented the No Surprises Act barring surprise out-of-network billing. A state law prohibiting it, though, was in effect.

Since 2011, Illinois law has prohibited insurers from charging out-of-network rates for neonatologists, anesthesiologists, and certain other physicians when patients are treated at in-network hospitals.

Kearney said she repeatedly mentioned the law to Lurie and Blue Cross representatives, who denied knowledge of the provision.

"It definitely appears that under the 2011 law, Brenna can only be billed for in-network cost sharing," said Kathy Mikos, a registered nurse and patient advocate with the Navocate Group in Woodridge, Illinois, who is not involved with Kearney's case.

In December 2020, an insurance broker working for Kearney's employer persuaded Blue Cross to pay the full out-of-network charges for the Lurie doctors, leaving the family owing $289.63 for coinsurance, which they promptly paid.

Having spent nearly the first year of her daughter's life fighting medical bills from her birth, Kearney thought the ordeal was over.

Then, last month, she got a call from the collection agency, which again demanded payment at the full out-of-network rate for Lurie physician services provided to her daughter three years agothe bill she believed Blue Cross had paid.

It took five hours on the phone for Kearney to piece together what had happened. Blue Cross had indeed paid the out-of-network charges in December 2020but, two days later, had taken back the money, ultimately paying Lurie's doctors only the in-network rate.

A Lurie representative said Kearney and her husband still owed thousands of dollars. A Blue Cross representative suggested she set up a payment plan.

"I was at wits' end, and I didn't know how to fight this anymore," Kearney said.

Lurie, Blue Cross, and Northwestern Medicine did not respond to numerous requests from KHN for comment. Lurie cited patient privacy, despite receiving a release from Kearney regarding the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, which authorized the hospital to discuss Joey's case with KHN.

The Resolution: After KHN contacted Lurie and Blue Cross, a Lurie representative called Kearney offering to accept payment at the in-network rates after all.

Kearney said Tracy A. Spicer, manager of consolidated services at Lurie, told her Lurie has a "long-standing policy" of accepting in-network rates for Lurie physician services provided at Prentice Women's. Spicer subsequently described it as a "long-standing courtesy," then explained that acceptance of in-network rates was subject to "case-by-case consideration," Kearney said.

Spicer said the family owed about $3,000 for their coinsurance share and offered to set up a payment plan.

A day laterfollowing additional requests by KHN for commentSpicer called Kearney and said she would remove all physician charges for her daughter's care. Spicer did not return KHN's call seeking comment.

"I'm certain I'm not the only person still dealing with this" kind of predicament, Kearney said.

Kearney has filed complaints with the Illinois Department of Insurance and the Illinois Attorney General's Office. The attorney general's office told KHN it had never enforced the 2011 law barring certain out-of-network billing.

Presented with the facts of Kearney's case, state Sen. Ann Gillespie, who sponsored a 2022 state law expanding consumer protections against out-of-network bills, told KHN she plans to contact Lurie, Blue Cross, and Northwestern Medicine to ask about their billing arrangement and whether they are in compliance with state law.

"We'll see if it was a pattern and whether they need to look back and see if refunds are warranted," Gillespie said.

The attorney general's office told KHN it will investigate Kearney's complaint, including whether Lurie violated the state Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act by telling her it was extending a "courtesy" by charging her only in-network rates, when that is what the 2011 law required. The insurance department also said it would investigate the complaint.

The Takeaway: Even resourceful consumers who appear to have the law on their side, like Kearney, may find themselves in a losing, time-consuming battle with medical billing bureaucracies and facing collection actions.

Gillespie, the state senator, said Lurie, Northwestern Medicine, and Blue Cross should have known about the state law. She said patients who believe they have been improperly charged should file complaints with their state's insurance department, which can trigger a broader investigation.

The federal No Surprises Act, which took effect last year, prohibits medical providers or insurers from billing patients for out-of-network physician charges at an in-network hospital, unless the patient formally consents to an out-of-network doctor. To be safe, patients should ask treating doctors whether they are in or out of network, even at an in-network hospital.

While the federal law offers patients new protections from out-of-network bills, many Americans still face problems from before the law took effect, said Loren Adler, associate director at the USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy. Illinois is one of relatively few states that had prior laws to protect consumers.

Also, some out-of-network physicians continue to bill patients, despite the new federal protections. So know your rights. Cite the new law. And don't write the check.

2023 Kaiser Health News.

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Planning school lunches with your child can help ease you both back into the routine of a new year. Credit: Antoni Shkraba/Pexels

Many children come down with a case of the back-to-school blues as summer slips away. Having spent the holidays staying up late and having fun with friends and family, it can be a struggle to get back into a routine.

For some children, going back to school can also be daunting if they are worried about keeping up with schoolwork, friendship problems or how they might go with a new teacher and class. Nerves about returning to school can manifest in a number of ways, from irritability to tears at the school gates.

How can you cope with this routine challenge? And how do you tell if is it something more serious?

How to tackle black-to-school blues

There are a few ways you can support your child and the family as you all head back the daily routine of school.

Plan ahead together

There are lots of ways you can gently work in a new routinefrom encouraging kids to pack their bag the night before, to thinking of lunchbox ideas together.

Giving your child choices and the chance to be part of the decision-making process around routines will give them a sense of ownership and independence. For example, you could negotiate bedtime for the school term.

There are other fun, simple ways you can support them through this time. For example, you could could create a music playlist for the school run, set aside a regular time after school to do something you both enjoy (like a play at the park, seeing friends or buying an ice-cream) or set up a reward system for getting homework done on time.

Chat about school

Check in regularly with your child about how they are feeling, particularly in the early weeks.

Try to do this in a way that shows that you're interested rather than concerned. For example, keep the questions open-ended: "what happened in your day?". And keep a positive focus: "what was the best bit of your day?"

Look after yourself

With a hundred different things to think about, many parents and caregivers often forget about their own needs. But it is crucial to give yourself time to recharge, and reach out for support from friends, family or a health professional if needed.

If you are calm and positive, your kids will find it easier to remain calm and positive, too.

When is it more than the blues?

Nervousness about returning to school is normal. But some children will experience a level of anxiety about going to school that causes them significant problems.

Because everybody feels worried or anxious from time to time, it can be really tough to know how to distinguish between "normal" nervousness and problematic (or clinically significant) anxiety.

There are two key ideas to keep in mind: are the feelings causing high and persistent levels of distress? Are they stopping your child from doing what they want or should be able to do?

What should I look for?

When it comes to school-related anxiety, here are some specific signs to look for:

frequently feeling physically sick (such as a tummy or headache) and unable to go to school. Anxiety causes real physical changes in our bodies, so when kids say they're feeling sick, they're telling the truth. It's just they might be describing "worry sick" as opposed to "doctor sick"

becoming teary, angry or aggressive when thinking or talking about school

being uncharacteristically slow to get moving on school mornings

avoiding activities that relate to school, such as joining a sporting team, putting on their uniform or going on a play date.

School refusal or avoidance (when a child regularly fails to attend class for some or all of the day) has anecdotally been on the increase since COVID. The Senate is currently conducting an inquiry into the issue, with a report due in March.

If you're starting to think your child's anxiety may be falling into the problematic zone, you are not the only one. Anxiety is the second most common mental health problem experienced by all children in Australia (among girls, it takes first place).

Without treatment, children with clinically significant anxiety don't tend to "just grow out of it". Anxiety (often together with ADHD), tends to be the cause of school reluctance or refusal.

Next steps

If you notice your child is struggling to get to school, it's important to act quickly. The more time kids miss in school, the harder it becomes for them to return.

The first thing to do is work with school staff. Your child's classroom teacher will be able to tell you if they or someone else in the school is the best person to be talking to.

If necessary, seek further support from a health professional. You can start with your GP, who may suggest a referral to a psychologist. There are also free, evidence-based programs been developed by clinical psychologists for parents of children who are experiencing anxiety.

Although it can be daunting, it is important to know you are not alone and there are interventions that can help.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood, according to the American Red Cross. Becoming a donor is easy and can make a significant impact on your community.

In this Mayo Clinic Minute, Dr. Justin Juskewitch, associate medical director of the Blood Donor Center at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, breaks down the different types of blood donations and how they help patients in need.

Blood contains several componentsred cells, platelets and plasmathat can offer different benefits to patients in need.

The most common type of donation is a whole blood donation.

"We insert a needle in your arm, and you fill up a bag that potentially could go up to three different recipients, depending on how we manufacture that blood product," says Dr. Juskewitch.

For the red blood cell part of a whole blood donation, Type O is considered the universal donor because those red blood cells can go to anyone, regardless of blood type.

"On the flip side, though, if you're donating plasma, the yellow liquid component, it's actually the ABs who are the universal plasma donors," he says. Credit: Mayo Clinic

During plasma and platelet donations, donors are hooked up to a machine which separates blood components and returns unused components to the donor.

"Our plasma line, we collect three units at a time. So, potentially, that could go to three different patients," says Dr. Juskewitch.

Plasma is commonly given to people in emergency and trauma situations to help stop bleeding.

In a platelet donation, the only cells collected are the those that help with clotting. Platelets are commonly given to people with cancer or someone having major surgery.

"We can collect up to two units at a time per donation, so that could go to two people."

Dr. Juskewitch says donating blood products doesn't just benefit patients in need, it also benefits those who give.

"This is the opportunity in which they can literally save someone's life. This is the one part of medicine in which nearly everyone in the community can be part of someone's medical care."

2023 Mayo Clinic News Network.

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U.S. health officials are investigating whether a specific brand of over-the-counter eyedrops are behind one death and dozens of bacterial infections in several states.

The infections have not been traced to preservative-free EzriCare Artificial Tears, but a majority of people who became ill reported using the drops, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement.

The agency found the bacteria in bottles of the eyedrops, and it's now testing to see if the strain found in the eyedrop bottles matches that found in patients.

CDC officials recommended that "patients immediately discontinue the use of EzriCare Artificial Tears until the epidemiological investigation and laboratory analyses are complete."

At least 50 people in 11 states have been infected with the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is resistant to most antibiotics. One of those infected died after the bacterium entered the patient's bloodstream.

"That's what's so concerning," Dr. Jill Weatherhead, an assistant professor of tropical medicine and infectious diseases at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, told NBC News. "Our standard treatments are no longer available" to treat this infection.

In 11 cases, people developed eye infections. Three were blinded in one eye. Some of those infected had respiratory or urinary tract infections.

P. aeruginosa infections typically happen in hospital settings in people with weakened immune systems, though the bacteria can be found in water and soil. People can also carry it on their hands.

The eyedrops may have been contaminated during manufacturing or as a person with bacteria on their hands opened them. The drops being investigated do not contain preservatives to inhibit the growth of germs, NBC News reported.

Health officials have not said whether those infected had an underlying eye condition that would have made them more vulnerable to infections.

Cases were reported in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Texas, Utah and Washington.

EzriCare Artificial Tears have not been recalled at this time. They were sold on Amazon and at stores such as Walmart, NBC News reported.

Eye infection symptoms include pain and swelling. A person may experience redness, discharge, blurry vision, light sensitivity and the feeling of having a foreign object in the eye.

More information: The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more on eye infections.

Copyright  2023 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
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Based on deep-learning technology, Deepfilter automatically sifts through false positive results generated in next-generation gene sequencing techniques to improve accuracy and efficiency of cancer diagnosis and treatment. Credit: Tsinghua Science and Technology, Tsinghua University Press

Next-generation cancer strategies rely on next-generation gene sequencing (NGS), which paves the way for new techniques and tools to detect mutations and determine patient therapy. A team of Chinese researchers proposed a more effective strategy to filter false positive results, which improves the accuracy and efficiency of cancer diagnosis and treatment.

The research team proposed DeepFilter, a deep-learning based filter for removing false positives in somatic variants in NGS data.

Their study was published on January 6, 2023 in Tsinghua Science and Technology.

Finding somatic mutations, or alterations in normal tissue, is key to understanding lethal genetic diseases of the human genome such as cancer. Next-generation gene sequencing accelerates the search for somatic mutations by employing technologies that separate DNA/RNA into multiple pieces and identify sequences in parallel, producing thousands or millions of sequences concurrently. This technique improves accuracy while reducing the cost and time of sequencing.

Powerful "calling tools" comb through NGS data and track down tumors or other mutations by comparing sequences to a reference genome from related tissue in the same individual.

VarDict is a somatic variant calling tool used commonly in clinical research. Previous studies have shown that VarDict achieves higher accuracy rates and detects more true variants than similar calling tools. However, VarDict also generates a higher number of false positives than other callers, which can skew results.

"An error rate of 1:10,000 in a genome with 3 billion positions would result in many false calls, which may lead to inaccurate clinical diagnoses," said Zekun Yin, a study author from Shandong University. "However, filtering true positives may also lead to missed diagnoses."

Typically, researchers filter out some of the false positives manuallyan onerous, costly process that the Chinese research team set out to alleviate.

"It will save a lot of time and money if we provide an automatic method to effectively filter out most of the false positives," said Hao Zhang, a study author from Shandong University.

Inspired by recent successes integrating machine-learning based methods to call genetic variants from NGS data, the Chinese research team introduced a deep-learning based variant filter. Dubbed DeepFilter, the filter is designed to effectively sift through false positive variants generated by VarDict while also ensuring high calling sensitivity.

DeepFilter treats the task of distinguishing whether a variant is true or false as a binary classification problem. The researchers used three types of datasets to train and test DeepFilter: real-world tumor-normal sample data, a mixture of two golden-standard data, and synthetic data.

The experimental results based on both synthetic and real-world NGS data were promising:

"DeepFilter outperformed other filters in terms of false positive variant filter tasks, which made VarDict more valuable in practical clinical research and greatly facilitated downstream analysis in biological research and patient treatment," said Zhang.

The team plans to wade deeper into the problem of false-positive variant filtering, looking specifically at the positive and negative sample imbalance problem and incorporating other machine learning and deep-learning methods for filtering.

"Our ultimate goal is to solve the problem of running efficiency and accuracy of variation calling and provide a state-of-the-art variation detection tool," said Yin.

More information: Hao Zhang et al, DeepFilter: A Deep Learning Based Variant Filter for VarDict, Tsinghua Science and Technology (2023). DOI: 10.26599/TST.2022.9010032

Provided by Tsinghua University Press
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In situ hybridization in liver section from a heart-lung transplant patient in France. Chromogenic in situ hybridization detected human circovirus type 1 mRNA (red staining) in hepatocytes nuclei and cytoplasm. Nuclei were counterstained with Harris hematoxylin and eosin stain; original magnification 40. Credit: Emerging Infectious Diseases (2023). DOI: 10.3201/eid2902.221468

Scientists from the Institut Pasteur, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital (AP-HP), Inserm in the Imagine Institute, Universite Paris Cite and the Alfort National Veterinary School (EnvA) have identified a previously unknown species of circovirus, provisionally named human circovirus 1 (HCirV-1).

Circoviruses are a family of small, highly resistant DNA viruses that were initially identified in 1974 in various animal species, where they can cause respiratory, renal, dermatological and reproductive problems. HCirV-1 is a novel virus that is distant from known animal circoviruses. It was shown to be implicated in damage to the liver of a patient undergoing immunosuppressive treatment. This discovery of the first circovirus in humans, linked to hepatitis, was published in Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Although the transmission of animal viruses to humans is regularly reported in the scientific literature, it is rare for a novel virus to be identified in a patient in Europe. But as part of a recent study, scientists and physicians have identified the first circovirus involved in human hepatitis.

"The patient had unexplained chronic hepatitis, with few symptoms. She had received a heart-lung transplant 17 years earlier and had been monitored regularly since. We had access to a large number of samples over several years and were therefore able to identify this novel virus, which was completely unexpected," explains Marc Eloit, last author of the study, Head of the Institut Pasteur's Pathogen Discovery laboratory and a Professor of Virology at the Alfort National Veterinary School (EnvA).

His laboratory specializes in the identification of pathogens in patients suspected of severe infection of unknown cause.

In March 2022, in collaboration with the Department of Clinical Microbiology at Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital (AP-HP), the pathological tissue samples of this 61-year-old female patient receiving immunosuppressive treatment, whose hepatitis had no identifiable cause, were sequenced to search for microbial sequences. The RNA (ribonucleic acid) sequences extracted from the tissues were analyzed and compared with those of known microbes.

"The aim is to identify sequences of interest among all the sequences obtained, which is like searching for a needle in a haystack," continues the scientist Marc Eloit. These thousands of RNA sequences were analyzed in parallel using mNGS (metagenomic next-generation sequencing) high-throughput sequencing techniques and sophisticated algorithms. After ruling out common etiologies, the analysis led to the identification of a previously unknown species of circovirus, provisionally named human circovirus 1 (HCirV-1). No other viral or bacterial sequence was found.

The involvement of HCirV-1 in the hepatitis was then demonstrated by analyzing samples taken from the patient in previous years as part of her post-transplant treatment. The results showed that the HCirV-1 viral genome was undetectable in the blood samples from 2017 to 2019, then that its concentration peaked in September 2021. Viral replication in liver cells was demonstrated (2 to 3% of liver cells were infected), pointing to the role of HCirV-1 in liver damage: once the virus has used the resources in the liver cell to replicate, it destroys the cell.

From November 2021 onwards, following antiviral treatment, the patient's liver enzymes returned to normal levels, indicating the end of hepatic cytolysis.

Diagnosing hepatitis of unknown etiology remains a major challenge, as shown by the cases of acute hepatitis reported in children in the United Kingdom and Ireland last April and signaled by WHO.

"We need to know the cause of the hepatitis, and especially whether or not it is viral, to be able to offer suitable treatment and monitor patients effectively. The identification of this novel virus that is pathogenic in humans, and the development of a test that can be performed by any hospital laboratory, offers a new tool for diagnosing and monitoring patients with hepatitis," stresses Anne Jamet from the Department of Clinical Microbiology at Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital (AP-HP), who is also affiliated with Inserm and co-last author of the study.

Although some circoviruses are pathogenic for animals and vaccines can be administered, especially in pigs, this is the first known circovirus to be pathogenic for humans. The patient's symptoms remained mild; the virus was able to be identified because she was being closely monitored following her combined transplant.

The origin of the viruswhether it is circulating in humans or of animal originhas yet to be identified, and the source of infection (contact, food, etc.) remains unknown. Following their discovery, the scientists developed a specific PCR test that is now available for etiological diagnosis of hepatitis of unknown origin. A serological test is also being developed.

"These results show the value of this type of sequencing analysis in identifying novel or unexpected pathogens. It is always important for clinicians to know whether or not an infection is viral so that they can adapt the treatment accordingly. It is also crucial to be able to identify a novel pathogen when an infection remains unexplained and to develop a diagnostic test, because any new case of human infection with an emerging pathogen may potentially signal the start of an outbreak," concludes Marc Eloit. The test is available for the medical community and can now be easily performed for other cases of unexplained hepatitis.

More information: Philippe Perot et al, Circovirus Hepatitis Infection in Heart-Lung Transplant Patient, France, Emerging Infectious Diseases (2023). DOI: 10.3201/eid2902.221468 Journal information: Emerging Infectious Diseases
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British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline on Wednesday announced soaring annual profits thanks to the demerger of its consumer healthcare unit Haleon.

Net profit surged to 14.9 billion ($18.3 billion) last year from 4.4 billion in 2021, GSK said in a statement.

GSK posted a gain of 10.1 billion thanks to the demerger of Haleon, which became London's biggest listing for more than a decade when it was spun off last year.

The company profited last year also from strong sales of its drugs, notably its shingles vaccine Shingrix.

Total annual group revenue jumped 19 percent to 29.3 billion.

"2022 was a landmark year for GSK delivering the step change in performance we committed to, driven by strong growth in speciality medicines and vaccines, including record sales for Shingrix," GSK chief executive Emma Walmsley said in the earnings statement.

"We enter 2023 with good momentum."

Following the update, GSK's share price rose 0.4 percent to 14.28 on London's top tier FTSE 100 index, which was up 0.1 percent overall in early trading.

"Today's full year results would appear to suggest that the business is heading in the right direction with fourth-quarter profits beating expectations," noted Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK.

 2023 AFP
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Antibody pair selection for construction of ALCAM LFA. (A) 57 antibody pairs (eight types of antibodies were tested in all combinations and with each serving as detection Ab-the antibody conjugated onto the nanophosphors and as capture Ab-the antibody immobilized onto the LFA strip) were tested for ALCAM LFA performance, of which two pairs showed relatively high SNR and brightness ratio. (B) Serial curve of nanophosphor-based LFA were constructed for ALCAM detection in buffer. Each concentration point was singularly tested except for negative controls (0 ng/ml) in duplicate. These grayscale images were collected using a FluorChem gel documentation and were analyzed using ImageJ. (C) Integrated brightness ratio (TL/CL) as a function of ALCAM concentration showed that pAb-1A as capture antibody and mAb-1A as detection antibody achieved the highest LFA performance with high linearity (r2) of 1. The positive (17.9 ng/ml) and negative (0 ng/ml) buffer under both candidate antibody pairs were tested twice before constructing the standard curves. SNR, signal-to-noise ratio (In a given antibody pair, the integrated brightness at the TL of that positive LFA strip over the integrated brightness at the TL of that negative strip with no analyte).; BR, Brightness ratio (the integrated brightness intensity of TL over that of CL); TL, test line; C,: control line; pAb-1A, polyclonal anti-ALCAM antibody from R&D; mAb-1A, monoclonal anti-ALCAM antibody from R&D; The other antibody types tested were purchased from Biolegend, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Santa Cruz, and ABclonal. Credit: Frontiers in Immunology (2022). DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1044743

A team of researchers at the University of Houston is reporting the success of their new method for the early diagnosis and monitoring of lupus nephritisat home. If you've taken an at-home COVID-19 or pregnancy test, then you've taken what is scientifically called a lateral flow assay (LFA) test, a diagnostic tool widely used because of its rapid results, low cost and ease of operation. The team applied that same technology to assessing lupus nephritis, or inflammation of the kidneys, one of the most severe complications for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, or lupus).

The home testwith results read on a smartphoneis meant to eventually replace the gold standard for diagnosis of active lupus nephritis, an invasive kidney biopsy, with its attendant morbidity which cannot be serially repeated. The test assesses the levels of a protein-coding gene known as ALCAM.

"Urinary ALCAM (uALCAM) has shown high diagnostic accuracy for renal pathology activity in active lupus nephritis," reports Chandra Mohan, Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Endowed Professor of biomedical engineering, and one of the nation's leading lupus researchers, in Frontiers in Immunology. "The LFA tests for both non-normalized and normalized uALCAM exhibited excellent accuracies in distinguishing active lupus nephritis from healthy controls."

This test had 86% accuracy for distinguishing active lupus nephritis from all other lupus patients.

Utilizing the ALCAM biomarkers discovered by Mohan, Richard Willson, Huffington-Woestemeyer Professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and professor of biochemical and biophysical sciences, created the smartphone-based app and test kit based on the technology underlying home pregnancy tests.

"Periodic monitoring of uALCAM using this easy-to-use LFA test by the patient at home could potentially accelerate early detection of renal involvement or disease flares in lupus patients, and hence reduce morbidity and mortality," said Willson.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 204,295 Americans have systemic lupus erythematosus, an autoimmune disease leading to chronic inflammation in multiple organs, including the kidneys. Nephritis flares are hard to recognize because their symptoms often masquerade as something else. A sufferer might think they have a cold or the flu or are just tired.

"A point-of-care testing platform's importance rests on its potential to empower patients to monitor their health status with convenience, thus allowing for early diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression. The LFA represents the most widely used rapid diagnostic POC testing platform," said Mohan.

In this work, the team used nanophosphor-based lateral flow immunoassays to demonstrate promise in facilitating home-based smartphone-enabled monitoring of disease activity in LN. These studies were carried out by biomedical graduate student Rongwei Lei, with clinical support from Dr. Michelle Petri, John Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Other contributors from the University of Houston include Binh Vu and Katerina Kourentzi Vu, William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Sanam Soomro and Suma Nadimpalli, biomedical engineering; Adheesha N. Danthanarayana and Jakoah Brgoch, Department of Chemistry.

"This may allow the proactive institution of therapeutics and even preventive strategies in LN, while minimizing treatment-related side effects," said Mohan.

More information: Rongwei Lei et al, A novel technology for home monitoring of lupus nephritis that tracks the pathogenic urine biomarker ALCAM, Frontiers in Immunology (2022). DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1044743 Journal information: Frontiers in Immunology
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Modified navigation task. a The task projected participants into a first-person perspective within a virtual reality (VR) environment while they were asked to observe and subsequently re-trace the paths of a demonstrator. The movement area was marked with a red circle on the sandy desert plane and was surrounded by an observation area (solid and dashed circles in birds eye and street views, respectively). During observation (left panel), participants were placed directly behind the demonstrators starting point, were not able to move, and viewed the demonstrator walking through the circular arena (movement trajectory schematically indicated). During navigation (right panel), the demonstrator disappeared and the participant was projected onto the same starting position to re-trace the previously observed path. b Timeline of one example trial during the modified navigation task (s, seconds). A performance threshold of 20 virtual meters (vm) determined the feedback that participants received on each trial (i.e., happy emoji, cumulative distance error  20 vm; sad emoji, cumulative distance error > 20 vm). c Example path of demonstrator and participant obtained from observation and navigation periods, respectively. A trial comprised three random path segments that each started and ended at the edge of the movement area (i.e., participants observed/walked paths from one edge to the other and were not able to stop and turn within the movement area). We then calculated the distance error per path segment, yielding the cumulative distance error per trial. d Average cumulative distance error within the sample (N = 58). Error bars reflect the standard error of the mean, s.e.m. e Permutation distribution obtained from simulating the paths of a random agent 5000 times (Methods). Chance level was calculated as the 5th percentile of the distribution, yielding a value of 39.3 vm (red line). The dashed line indicates the value of the observed group mean (17.57 vm, shown in d). Credit: Nature Communications (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35819-3

Grid cells not only help us navigate our own paths in a complex environment, but also help us analyze the movements of other people, scientists from the University of Vienna have now shown for the first time. Their new study in Nature Communications also suggests an explanation for a mechanism that could lead to disorientation in dementia patients.

Whether you are making your way through a crowded pedestrian zone or striving towards the goal in a team game, in both situations it is important to think not only about your own movements but also those of others. These navigation and orientation processes are carried out by brain cells that register our current position, where we are coming from, where we are moving towards and in which direction we are looking.

Through their joint activity, they create a "map" of our surroundings. A special type of these cells are the so-called grid cells in the entorhinal cortex, a small brain region in the middle temporal lobe. They function like the brain's own GPS, because they not only represent our position in space, but can also put it in relation to other points in the same space.

Whether these grid cells are also involved in mapping the movements of other individuals on this map was the question that the scientists led by Isabella Wagner and Claus Lamm from the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Vienna addressed. For this purpose, the scientists tested participants that either navigated themselves in a virtual environment, or observed the movements of another person while their brain activity was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

They found that the brain activity recorded while watching others was comparable to the activity of grid cells. In addition, the team was able to show that this activity was part of a larger network of brain regions that are associated with navigation processes. Interestingly, however, it turned out that the better a subject was at following the path of others, the less active this network was. "We interpret this as greater efficiency of the grid cells, which might make it less necessary to engage the larger brain network," Wagner explains.

The results of the study thus suggest that grid cells belong to a larger network of brain regions that, among other aspects, coordinates navigation processes. However, this network is particularly affected by aging processes and especially by dementia.

Wagner explains, "The function of grid cells decreases with age and dementia. As a result, people can no longer find their way around and their orientation is impaired." The group's further research is now dedicated to the question of whether grid cells are also involved in recognizing other peoplean aspect that is often impaired in advanced dementia.

More information: Isabella C. Wagner et al, Entorhinal grid-like codes and time-locked network dynamics track others navigating through space, Nature Communications (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35819-3 Journal information: Nature Communications
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Given how quickly MAID eligibility has changed in Canada in the past six years, it is time we take a step back to ask whether current MAID practice is still something we want to support. Credit: Pexels/Karolina Grabowska

As a philosophy professor and researcher of end-of-life ethics, I ask the students in my ethics class who should be eligible to receive Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID). Should it be open only to people actively dying from a terminal illness? To anyone with any medical condition that causes them unendurable suffering? To anyone who asks for it for any reason, as long as their request is truly voluntary?

Student responses generally align with the original 2016 MAID legislation, which required that the patient's death be reasonably foreseeable and that they have a grievous and irremediable illness causing enduring and intolerable suffering.

Since 2016, Canada's practice of offering MAID has followed a trajectory of ever-expanding eligibility. As of March 17, 2021, to receive MAID a person no longer has to be dying anytime soon.

If their death is reasonably foreseeable, they no longer need to undergo the 10-day reflection period to ensure that this is really what they want. Nor do they have to give final consent to the procedure immediately before it is administered, which allows for individuals who lose the ability to consent to have their lives ended despite that.

Although the federal government has put implementation on hold after concerns were raised, the 2021 legislation also opens MAID for persons who do not have a physical illness; a grievous and irremediable mental illness will also make one eligible.

Eligibility and expansion

What eligibility criteria remain? A person must be at least 18 years of age. This condition has been and continues to be challenged, with alternative minimum ages as low as 12 being suggested. Requests for MAID must also be voluntary, though it is often possible to question how voluntary MAID requests are when people don't understand or have access to good palliative care and social supports.

The issue of whether MAID is voluntary can also conflict with requests for MAID by advance directive, when a person's condition has made it impossible for them to give final consent. This was illustrated when a Dutch physician used a sedative to pacify a woman with dementia who had previously requested assisted death.

The ultimate expansion of eligibility would make MAID available to anyone who wanted it, for any reason. This might seem absurd, but it follows the sort of logic articulated by Senator Stan Kutcher before the vote on Bill C-7 to expand MAID to cases of suffering from mental illness:

"Intolerable suffering is a subjective personal experience. It cannot be negated or delegitimized by anyone else's valuation of that suffering."

If a person's claim to intolerable and enduring suffering must always be accepted at face value, why limit MAID eligibility to physical or mental illnesses? Many things besides illness cause suffering: the break-up of a personal relationship, loss of a job, low self-esteem, boredom, loneliness, a sense of meaninglessness.

If it's discriminatory to discount suffering from mental illness, how can we avoid discriminating if we refuse to put suffering from other forms of hardship on an equal par? Indeed, it seemed to make good sense to at least one doctor recently to approve the application of a man whose MAID request was based not on his chronic pain issues but on his risk of becoming homeless.

In the Netherlands, a bill has been in the works for some time to provide access to physician-assisted death for anyone over the age of 75 who feels that their life is "complete," even if they have no physical or mental illness.

Ethical implications and questions

Part of the reason it made sense to allow MAID for people already actively dying was that doing so seemed equivalent to accepted practices such as withdrawing life-sustaining treatment or palliative sedation.

This equivalence fails when we broaden the scope of MAID to those who aren't dying, and all the more when we countenance offering it for non-terminal mental illness, or loneliness, or loss of ability to engage in meaningful activities.

Given how quickly things have changed in Canada over the past six years, and the further expansions in other jurisdictions who've had MAID longer than we have, it is time we took a step back to ask whether current MAID practice is still something we want to support.

Those who raised slippery slope concerns in the past might reasonably claim we've slid halfway down the slope already. How do we put the brakes on to make sure we don't slip any further? What kind of a society are we if we sanction doctors to end the lives of suffering people while not doing our best to ensure they have the support that would make their lives worth living?

Maybe, tragically, death was the best we could offer for those initially eligible for MAID. But the broader the category of MAID-eligible individuals becomes, the more empty this sort of reasoning feels.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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People struggling with opioid addiction will now be able to access an addiction treatment drug from any physician licensed to prescribe controlled substances, rather than having to seek out doctors with specialized credentials.

The federal government last week lifted restrictions on who can prescribe the opioid buprenorphine to treat addiction, thanks to a legal change pushed by the Biden administration to decrease barriers to addiction care.

In Philadelphia, which has one of the nation's worst opioid addiction crises, health officials, advocates and physicians have long pushed for more widespread prescribing of buprenorphine. In 2021, a record 1,276 people died of overdoses here.

But for years, national and local officials have said the need far outstrips the number of doctors licensed to prescribe buprenorphine in Philadelphia. In 2018, the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration designated Philadelphia as a county in "high need" of buprenorphine providers.

As of November 2020, the Pew Charitable Trusts reported, about 6% of Philadelphia physicians had the "X-waiver," a special license to prescribe buprenorphinea relatively high percentage compared with other cities and counties, but a low percentage compared with the need. And just 24% of providers with an X-waiver in September 2020 were actually prescribing the drug to patients.

Here's a primer on buprenorphine, how it works, and what lifting prescription regulations means for patients and their physicians.

What is buprenorphine?

Buprenorphine, sold under such brand names as Sublocade and Suboxone, is an opioid. It can be prescribed to treat pain, but is also effective in treating opioid addiction.

For people who aren't used to taking opioids, buprenorphine can produce a pleasurable high, and, like all opioids, it can slow a person's breathing. But the risk of an overdose is much lower. For people who are already used to taking opioids, buprenorphine blunts the powerful cravings and pain of withdrawal.

What restrictions existed around prescribing buprenorphine?

All physicians who prescribe any controlled substances, like opioid painkillers, must have a license from the Drug Enforcement Agency.

But until this year, physicians who wanted to prescribe buprenorphine also had to obtain an X-waiver, a separate DEA license, which also capped the number of patients they could prescribe to. The X-waiver required doctors to undergo eight hours of training before they could prescribe buprenorphine.

In 2021, the Biden administration lifted the training requirement for providers who wanted to prescribe buprenorphine to fewer than 30 patients.

What are the new requirements for prescribing buprenorphine?

Now, anyone with a DEA license can prescribe buprenorphine without any limits on the number of patients. Any physician applying for a DEA license beginning this summer will have to complete a onetime, eight-hour training session on how to manage pain and treat patients with substance use disorders.

The training on addiction treatment is crucial, said Jeanmarie Perrone, an emergency medicine physician at the University of Pennsylvania, and the school's director of the Division of Medical Toxicology and Addiction Medicine Initiatives.

"Fifteen years ago, if doctors had received honest information about the risk of addiction from prescribing opioids associated with the DEA license that controlled them, maybe we wouldn't be where we are now," she said.

What do the new requirements mean for doctors and patients?

For years, Perrone has spearheaded programs to encourage Penn's emergency physicians to get the x-waiver. Now, she says, the new requirements may help doctors approach addiction treatment as an essential part of primary care.

"We want more generalists to do thiswe want this to be part of primary care," she said.

For patients, the removal of the X-waiver means they have more options to obtain addiction treatment medications, Perrone said.

In hospitals, patients being discharged who need a buprenorphine prescription will no longer have to wait for a doctor who can prescribe it to start a shift, she said. Now, that same patient can get all prescriptions written by the same person at discharge.

Still, in Philadelphia, the X-waiver's removal isn't a panacea. Penn runs a program called CareConnect that's designed to get patients buprenorphine almost immediately; while staff there do help patients who have lost access to their medication because a physician has left a practice, other patients report difficulties getting their medication that have little to do with the X-waiver.

Some pharmacies have refused to stock buprenorphine, and some treatment programs have long waiting lists or will not immediately provide the medication. Some patients can't keep up with prescriptions because they don't have adequate shelter or transportation.

2023 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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New research published in JAMA Cardiology from the University of Minnesota Medical School and University of Vermont's Larner College of Medicine found evidence that speeding up the heart rate with pacemakers may help patients who often experience shortness of breath.

More than 75 million Americans have high blood pressure accompanied by heart muscle thickening and more than three million of these patients suffer from heart failure, a leading cause of hospital admissions and healthcare costs. In heart failure with a stiff heart muscle, the heart is less able to relax and refill with blood. By implementing a tailored acceleration of heart rates, researchers can reduce congestion and improve the circulation of blood.

"We have tried the same medications that work for weak heart failure with limited success. For example, beta-blockers save many lives in weak heart failure, but in patients with stiff hearts, they are likely harmful by slowing the heart rate and increasing the congestion of blood in the heart," said Markus Meyer, MD, Ph.D., an associate professor at the U of M Medical School and the Lillehei Heart Institute. "In this study, we tested if the opposite of beta-blockers, speeding up the heart rate with pacemakers, helps these patients."

Heart failure occurs when the heart cannot adequately meet the body's demands. About half of heart failure patients have a stiff heart with a normal pumping function but poor heart muscle relaxationknown as heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). The other half of heart failure patients have an enlarged and weak heart with a reduced pumping function, called heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction. This condition has many effective therapies.

"This study provides incremental evidence that higher heart rateswithin the normal rangeand not lower heart rates may be beneficial for patients with preclinical or overt HFpEF," said Margaret Infeld, MD, MS, a cardiac electrophysiology fellow at the University of Vermont's Larner College of Medicine and the study's lead investigator. She added that HFpEF is a diverse multisystem disease with few available therapies.

The research team sought to explore if raising the pacemaker rate to a more normal resting rate, based on patient body size, would improve outcomes in patients with stiff hearts. The patients paced at faster heart rates reported feeling markedly better and were less congested. In addition, patients were more active and had less atrial fibrillationa common heart rhythm disorder associated with heart failure.

"These results are provocative," said Daniel Lustgarten, MD, Ph.D., a UVM professor of medicine and co-author of the study. "It is very important to emphasize that the pacemakers in this study were implanted in a way that is very different from traditional pacemakers; traditional pacemakers would likely not show these benefits and, in fact, could even be harmful in some patients."

The research team believes these promising findings warrant further research to confirm the safety and benefits of this new treatment approach. They plan to continue studying the optimal pacing rates and confirm their results in extensive studies that involve many medical centers.

More information: Margaret Infeld et al, Effect of Personalized Accelerated Pacing on Quality of Life, Physical Activity, and Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Preclinical and Overt Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction, JAMA Cardiology (2023). DOI: 10.1001/jamacardio.2022.5320 Journal information: JAMA Cardiology
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Patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in a Southern state that expanded access to Medicaid were more likely to receive treatment and less likely to be diagnosed with advanced-stage disease, according to new research published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS).

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicaid was expanded in 2010 to provide coverage for all adults 18 to 64 for up to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level (about $17,774 for an individual in 2021). However, in 2012, the Supreme Court made it optional for states to adopt the expansion. To date, 40 states have expanded Medicaid, with the majority of these states being located outside of the South.

"A lot of research on the Affordable Care Act has looked at trends at the national level. But if you look at a map of where states actually expanded Medicaid, the South is under-represented," said lead author Amy Laughlin, MD, MSHP, chief quality officer at the Orlando Health Cancer Institute. "We wanted to make sure that the impact of Medicaid expansion on breast cancer was assessed at the Southern state level to understand the impact specifically in that region and perhaps to inform policy for the rest of the region."

Some prior research has shown that expanded access to Medicaid can improve access to cancer screening services, such as mammograms, but little research has specifically compared neighboring populations in the South, where many vulnerable patients live in rural areas and have less access to affordable care, said senior author Quyen Chu, MD, MBA, FACS, a surgical oncologist with the Orlando Health Cancer Institute.

In his former position at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Dr. Chu sometimes encountered patients who traveled, in search of cancer treatment, from Texas, which did not adopt the expansion, to Louisiana, which expanded Medicaid in 2016. Researchers sought to understand the impact of Medicaid expansion on breast cancer treatment in eight Southern states, given the large geographic health disparities that exist in that region and the variation in Medicaid coverage. Credit: American College of Surgeons.

"Those encounters are something you don't really hear about. But, from my personal experience, that's what I saw during my time when I was practicing in Louisiana," he said. "There are vulnerable patients who don't have access to care, and we wanted to look at the facts to know whether the ACA expansion had an impact on those patients. We wanted to be apolitical about it; we didn't know the answer before doing the study."

Using the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR) database, the researchers identified patients on Medicaid or without insurance who were between the ages of 40-64 and diagnosed with invasive breast cancer from 2011 to 2018.

The researchers compared data from patients who lived in Southern states that expanded access to Medicaid (Louisiana, Kentucky, and Arkansas) to patients in states that did not expand access to Medicaid (Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, and Oklahoma). Oklahoma expanded coverage in 2020, but data from that state was included in the non-expanded group because this research only included data up until 2018.

Key findings

Among 21,974 patients, those living in states that expanded Medicaid were less likely to be uninsured than patients living in states that did not expand (18.9% vs. 41.1%).

Compared with breast cancer patients in states that expanded Medicaid, patients in states that did not expand access were younger and more likely to be uninsured, Hispanic, and live in an urban area with less poverty.

Patients living in a state that expanded Medicaid were less likely to be diagnosed with stage IV disease, with odds of being diagnosed with advanced-stage breast cancer decreasing by 7% every year after expansion. The authors hypothesize that this decrease may be attributed to increased access to mammogram screenings among low-income patients.

Unrelated to Medicaid expansion, just by being diagnosed in a state that expanded Medicaid, patients had 2.27 higher odds of receiving treatment for breast cancer. "And this is regardless of expansion, so more likely due to intrinsic factors in the state," Dr. Laughlin noted. These intrinsic factors were not specifically identified in the study but could be related to other infrastructure or services available in states that expanded Medicaid, independent of policy changes.

However, the study also revealed that Medicaid may only be part of the picture when it comes to receiving quality cancer care. Even though patients diagnosed in states that expanded Medicaid were more likely to receive treatment overall, the proportion of patients undergoing treatments for their breast cancer actually decreased in all states regardless of Medicaid expansion.

"This trend raises concern," Dr. Laughlin said. "We know from other studies that cancer diagnoses are increasing. If we're then having less treatment received, are we not meeting that demand? That was a surprising finding to me."

Katharine Yao, MD, FACS, Chair of the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) of the American College of Surgeons and a surgical oncologist with NorthShore University Health System, agreed that the decline in treatment noted by the researchers is concerning. "Future studies may be warranted to understand whether this trend is due to stage migration, access issues, patient preferences, or another reason," said Dr. Yao, who was not involved with the study.

The decrease in uninsured rates in states that expanded Medicaid found in this study is striking, Dr. Yao added. "Since Medicaid expansion resulted in a greater than 50% drop in the rate of uninsured for those states that underwent expansion, it seems like a missed opportunity for those states that did not adopt Medicaid expansion," she said.

"While observational and only focused on a cohort of patients, this research brings awareness to the widespread disparities in healthcare in the Southern states and how much further these states have to go before patients receive the healthcare they need."

Next steps

The study represents an initial step to understand treatment patterns and was limited by the data included in the NAACCR database, the authors noted. In future studies, they hope to understand if earlier detection and increased access to care improved survival rates. Investigating potential racial or socioeconomic disparities in breast cancer treatment between states that expanded Medicaid or did not may also reveal important findings.

"As a society, we have made tremendous gains in terms of finding novel therapies, such as immunotherapy or targeted drug therapy. But the question is, how many of these patients actually benefit from those discoveries?" Dr. Chu said. "Theoretically speaking, everyone should benefit from those discoveries. For the next step, we would like to look at if we see an impact for those who live in rural areas or belong to vulnerable populations."

More information: Amy Laughlin et al, Impact of Medicaid Expansion on Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment in Southern States, Journal of the American College of Surgeons (2023). DOI: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000000550 Journal information: Journal of the American College of Surgeons
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Women are able to recall details of sexual assault and rape with accuracy, even if they have drunkor expected to drinkmoderate amounts of alcohol.

A study conducted at the University of Birmingham demonstrated that women who had drunk alcohol up to the legal limit for driving were able to recall details of an assault in a hypothetical scenario, including details of activities to which they had, and had not, consented.

Even women who expected to drink alcohol but were, in fact, given only tonic water to drink showed an increased awareness of their surroundings and interactions.

The findings, published in Frontiers in PsychologyForensic and Legal Psychology, are an important step towards challenging courtroom perceptions of women being unreliable as witnesses in cases where they were intoxicated at the time an assault took place.

Professor Heather Flowe, in the University's School of Psychology, led the research. "We know that sexual assault frequently coincides with alcohol intoxication," she said. "This means that, during trials, victims' and witnesses accounts will often be contested, which is one of the reasons why so few cases lead to conviction for defendants and this needs to change."

In the study, researchers worked with 90 women and asked them to take part in a hypothetical rape scenario under one of four conditions. Roughly half the group were given an alcoholic drink, while the other half were given tonic water. However, within each group, some of the women were told they would be drinking alcohol, but were in fact given tonic water, and some were told their drink was tonic water, whereas it actually contained vodka.

The women then worked through a written (on screen) and audio presented account of an encounter between themselves and a man and asked to imagine how they would actually think and feel if the incident happened to them. As the scenario unfolded, the women were asked to make decisions about whether or not to continue with the encounter. If they made a decision to end the encounter, they were presented with a screen detailing a hypothetical rape taking place at the end of the evening.

Seven days following the experiment, the women were asked to complete a questionnaire asking them to answer questions about the events of the evening.

The researchers found that women who consumed alcohol during the experiment were just as accurate in remembering consensual and non-consensual sexual activities. In particular, the researchers found no evidence to support the idea that if a woman participated in consensual sex while intoxicated, she might later remember it as non-consensual.

The study also showed that the participants who expected to consume alcoholwhether they did so or notwere more accurate, overall, in remembering specific details about the rape. This suggests that women are likely to become 'hypervigilant' in situations where they believe themselves to be under the influence of alcohol and so more vulnerable.

Co-author on the paper, Laura Stevens, added: "This research challenges a key myth about victim's memories regarding rape and sexual assault, which is often used to dismiss the victim's account. We hope this work will lead to changes in the way courts and expert witnesses manage testimony from alleged victims of rape and sexual assault."

The team plans to continue their research, testing recall at different levels of intoxication and also improving the realism of the scenario presented.

More information: Laura M. Stevens et al, Acute alcohol intoxication and alcohol expectancy effects on women's memory for consensual and non-consensual sexual activity, Frontiers in PsychologyForensic and Legal Psychology (2023). DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1008563
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COVID symptom course comparing baseline to 3-mo follow-up among 722 COVID+ and 278 COVID participants in the INSPIRE study enrolled between December 2020 and September 2021: proportion which never occurred, resolved, persisted, and emerged. Abbreviations: COVID, coronavirus disease; INSPIRE, Innovative Support for Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infections Registry; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Credit: Clinical Infectious Diseases (2022). DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciac966

In a new study from INSPIRE (Innovative Support for Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infections Registry), researchers compared new and ongoing symptoms and outcomes in both COVID-positive and COVID-negative adults who were tested because of acute COVID-19-like symptoms. The study found that half of the patients with COVID-19 and one-quarter of those who tested negative had at least one symptom at three months follow-up.

The CDC defines symptoms of COVID-19 persisting beyond four weeks as "long COVID." Due to its extensive range of symptoms, the post-viral syndrome is challenging to research and is poorly understood. This study, in which Yale New Haven Health was one of eight health care systems that participated, was published in Clinical Infectious Diseases on December 27 and is part of the larger INSPIRE, a CDC-funded registry. The study will be one in a series of INSPIRE research efforts dedicated to better understanding the lasting impacts of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

"These data are important for driving research and policy, but also for bringing light to people's experiences," says Erica Spatz, MD, associate professor of cardiology and of epidemiology (chronic diseases) at Yale, and one of the first authors. "It's validating for patients who are experiencing long COVID, and a message to clinicians that this is common and to be prepared to take care of people with this condition."

Collaborating to study poorly understood long COVID

Studies on the prevalence of long COVID post-infection vary considerablyfrom 10% to as high as 65%. This variability, says Spatz, is due to differences in methodology, including who participated in the studies, the length of follow-up, and the comprehensiveness of symptoms studied. For instance, long COVID can manifest in many waysit can alter a patient's neurocognitive, cardiovascular, pulmonary, musculoskeletal, and psychological health. This makes the condition difficult to characterize.

"Through my own personal experience taking care of patients with long COVID, as well as what is described in the literature, we know that the symptoms span every organ system," she says. "And so we need to be really comprehensive in evaluating people's symptoms to allow us to understand the multitude of different sequelae that could occur."

As a cardiologist and researcher focused on cardiovascular disease prevention, in 2020 Spatz says she found herself "in a world of long COVID" as she took care of hundreds of patients as part of a multidisciplinary care team at Yale. This sparked her interest in the post-viral syndrome, so she and others both within and outside of Yale responded to CDC's broad agency announcement for research to understand the ongoing effects of COVID-19. The contract CDC awarded enabled them to conduct longitudinal cohort studies and observe the experiences of individuals who contracted SARS-CoV-2 over 18 months.

The team enrolled individuals from eight sites around the country, including Yale New Haven Health, RUSH University Medical Center, and University of Washington. To find potential participants, they reached out to nearby hospitals, emergency departments, testing centers, and community health clinics to identify people who had recently taken a COVID-19 test. They enrolled any participant who was experiencing symptoms at the time of taking the test. Those who tested negative were used as the control group.

"What's novel about our study is that we follow people from the time that they get tested." says Spatz. "So we have a control cohort and can compare the experiences of people with and without COVID-19 from a common starting point."

After enrollment, participants took a baseline survey and shared their medical records through Hugo Health, a company started by Harlan Krumholz, MD, Harold H. Hines, Jr. Professor of Medicine (Cardiology). Every three months, for 18 months, the team sent participants surveys that evaluated the range of symptoms they may be experiencing.

"Beyond the unique focus on long COVID, the INSPIRE registry reflects an entirely new way of doing research," says Arjun Venkatesh, MD, incoming chair and associate professor and chief of the section of administration in the Department of Emergency Medicine, who also contributed to the latest publication as one of its senior authors. "While the COVID-19 pandemic upended traditional research, INSPIRE reflects Yale's innovative approach to research on which the majority of participants have been enrolled virtually and most have shared data through an entirely digital mobile platform."

COVID-19 symptoms frequently linger

In their recently published study, the team evaluated long COVID in the first 1,000 enrollees. At the three-month mark, they found that persistent or newly emergent symptoms were common. Nearly half of those in the COVID-19 positive group were experiencing at least one symptom, as well as about a quarter of those in the COVID-19 negative group. Interestingly, fatigue symptomslevel of exhaustion post-physical or mental exertion, quality of sleep, or generalized muscle aches and painswere similar across both groups. One in six people across both groups experienced severe fatigue.

"This is a clue that there are a lot of other people struggling," says Spatz. "Chronic fatigue is common after other infectious diseases, too. We're also all living through this pandemic. There are many different stressors that may be resulting in these systemic symptoms."

The publication, Spatz says, will be one of many on long COVID and its impact. INSPIRE has enrolled 6,000 participants, and the team plans on using the registry to look at long-term health outcomes, including whether they differ based on SARS-CoV-2 variant period or COVID-19 vaccination status, whether essential workers were differentially affected, the number of people returning to work, and more. One such paper was published January 27. "These are really important data that may inform policy, including absenteeism and family medical leave and disability, as well as research into mechanisms and treatment," says Spatz.

More information: Erica S Spatz et al, Three-Month Symptom Profiles Among Symptomatic Adults With Positive and Negative Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Tests: A Prospective Cohort Study From the INSPIRE Group, Clinical Infectious Diseases (2022). DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciac966 Journal information: Clinical Infectious Diseases
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

A. Summary of stimuli triggering ticker-tape synesthesia (TTS) based on the 26 participants' introspection. Each vertical bar represents a participant. Participants are sorted by decreasing number of trigger types. Each horizontal color line represents one trigger type. Triggers are sorted by decreasing number of concerned participants. Speech emitted by a visible speaker was a constant trigger, other varieties of speech triggered TTS in at least 20/26 participants. Covert reading was reported as a trigger in only 13/26 participants. TTS during dreaming was reported by only 3 participants. B. Summary of non-speech sounds triggering TTS based on the participants' introspection. The participants are sorted in the same order as in A. Each horizontal color line represents one trigger type. Triggers are sorted by decreasing number of concerned participants. Almost all participants reported TTS when listening to novel words, while only 5/26 (19%) when listening to music without lyrics. Percent values on the right represent the proportion of participants in whom TTS was elicited by the corresponding trigger. Credit: Cortex (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2022.11.005

The acquisition of reading and writing are complex mechanisms whose subtleties we do not yet understand. Fabien Hauw and Laurent Cohen (Inserm, CNRS, Sorbonne University, AP-HP), neurologists at Paris Brain Institute, hope to uncover how we connect sounds, words, letters, and their meanings.

To do this, they study people who present an astonishing characteristic: they transcribe the speech of others into text, automatically and involuntarily. Catchy tunes on the radio, sensational statements on the news, confidences of a friend, meowing of a cat... These sounds will appear to them as imaginary subtitles floating before their eyes. After studying 26 people concerned by this particular type of synesthesia, researchers opened the door to a new world of language, as described in a recent study published in Cortex.

The anthropologist Francis Galton, Charles Darwin's cousin, was interested in the most notable faculties of the human mind. In 1883, he observed that some people visualized the speech of their interlocutor in their internal mental space: "Some few people see mentally in print every word that is uttered [], and they read them off usually as from a long imaginary strip of paper, such as is unwound from telegraphic instruments." The ticker tape no longer exists today, but this particularitycalled tickertape synesthesia (TTS), remains.

Synesthesia is a neurological phenomenon in which different senses are stimulated simultaneously while processing sensory information. It allows some artists to hear colors, see sounds, or even taste music. In the case of TTS, synesthetes can read someone's voice.

"This phenomenon goes far beyond the anecdote. It opens a window to understand better the mechanisms at work in processing written language and their neural bases," explains Hauw, a doctoral student at Paris Brain Institute. He and Cohen, who co-leads the Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging team, interviewed 26 people with TSS. Their goal? To find out in which conditions the subtitles appeared, in what form, and whether they could present an advantage or a handicap in everyday life.

"We think that TTS occurs when the translation of phonemes into graphemes, i.e., sounds into letters, is too efficient," explains Laurent Cohen. "In these people, the connection between the mental representations of phonology and spelling is exaggerated, and the reading mechanism is somehow 'forced' as soon as they are exposed to vocal sounds."

Indeed, even though this characteristic was described more than a century ago, it is still poorly understood. A previous study estimated that up to 1.4% of the population could experience involuntary subtitles when hearing a human voice, but this figure remains uncertain. It's challenging to detect TTS subjects, who are generally unaware that they are distinguishable from the average person.

"Several participants in the study were shocked to learn that not everyone has built-in subtitles," says Laurent Cohen. "We taught them through our recruitment ad. Like most forms of synesthesia, TTS is a subjective phenomenon. We don't know how to measure it objectively, as we would evaluate visual acuity, for example. Nor is it associated with outstanding abilities or incapacitating cognitive impairments. This makes it an exciting but invisible quality."

A thousand transcripts

To better understand the subjective experience of tickertape synesthesia, Hauw and Cohen asked the 26 participants, whose native language was French, to fill out a questionnaire. Indeed, many questions were left answered: can SST be triggered by a foreign language, new words, or noises (sneezing, meowing, motor humming)? Are the subtitles formatted in a specific way (size, color, capitalization, special characters) for each individual?

The researchers' results indicate that for 73% of the participants, synesthesia appeared during the acquisition of reading in childhood. With almost half of them, this characteristic proved to be both an advantage and a nuisance; it helps them memorize words but disrupts their attention in crowded places where many conversations occur simultaneously. Indeed, for 70% of the participants, TTS is an automatic process that cannot be controlled.

Some synesthetes report that the appearance of the captions can be affected by the context of verbalization, especially when the speaker is emotional; the words may then change color or size, depending on the intensity of the emotion. "Letters may be blurred or shaking when I'm moved," said one participant.

Even more surprising: some subjects report that when they watch a foreign movie, a second level of subtitlesa product of their synesthesiaappears above the subtitles embedded in the video. Others have subtitled dreams and nightmares, which provide their oneiric activity with a cinematic dimension. Finally, since one-third of the participants knew of other cases of TTS in their family, the emergence of this form of synesthesia might have a genetic basis.

Powerful super-readers?

In literate people, specific mental processes make it possible to interpret words, sounds, and letters and give them meaning. To be effective, these processes are fine-tuned under genetic and environmental constraints during development. Thus, we can observe a wide variety in reading performance across individuals, ranging from dyslexia to synesthesia. In that sense, researchers believe that TTS results from a very atypical development of literacy.

"In a previous MRI study, we showed that when a synesthete listens to a monologue, certain areas of the left hemisphere are activated more strongly than in a control subject, notably, regions responsible for speech analysis and a specific area involved in spellingthe VFWA (Visual Word Form Area)," Hauw explains. "These areas are identical to those related to reading. The observations support the idea that tickertape synesthesia is a form of upended reading: Instead of simply translating written words into sounds, these people automatically convert sounds into written words."

The researchers' observations must be reproduced with a more extensive and diverse sample of subjects. "Thanks to this study, we can map the spectrum of perceptions that exist in TTS. Now, we want to ensure that it is related to an overdeveloped access to orthographic representations," says Cohen. We will never know if synesthetic scribes in ancient Egypt subtitled their interlocutors in hieroglyphics. But by illuminating the mechanisms of reading, we may be able to help children for whom this acquisition remains challenging.

More information: Fabien Hauw et al, Subtitled speech: Phenomenology of tickertape synesthesia, Cortex (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2022.11.005 Journal information: Cortex
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is targeting to clear the more than 20,000 suspended passport application backlog by the end of Oc...
TUESDAY, Jan. 31, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- The two COVID-19 emergency measures declared by the White House at the start of the pandemic will end in May.

President Joe Biden informed Congress of the plan on Monday, as part of a statement opposing House Republicans' plan to immediately end the protections.

"An abrupt end to the emergency declarations would create wide-ranging chaos and uncertainty throughout the health care system -- for states, for hospitals and doctors' offices, and, most importantly, for tens of millions of Americans," the Office of Management and Budget explained in the statement.

Instead, the Biden administration plans to extend both protections until May 11. After that, COVID-19 would be treated as an endemic threat managed by more typical public health authorities.

Some of the expected changes have already slowly rolled out, as most designated federal COVID-19 relief money has been spent and emergencies that allowed more Americans to have insurance have ended, the Associated Press reported. And lawmakers have not approved the Biden administration's request for billions to extend COVID-19 testing and vaccine coverage. Meanwhile, a spending package passed last year eliminated a rule that prevented states from discontinuing COVID-19-era Medicaid coverage. That coverage will end April 1.

Last but not least, the federal government will no longer have control over vaccines and treatments, which could ratchet up prices. Vaccine maker Pfizer has already said it will charge up to $130 per dose of its vaccine, which had until now been paid for by the federal government, the AP reported.
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 1, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. health officials are investigating whether a specific brand of over-the-counter eyedrops are behind one death and dozens of bacterial infections in several states.

The infections have not been traced to preservative-free EzriCare Artificial Tears, but a majority of people who became ill reported using the drops, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement.

The agency found the bacteria in bottles of the eyedrops, and it's now testing to see if the strain found in the eyedrop bottles matches that found in patients.

CDC officials recommended that "patients immediately discontinue the use of EzriCare Artificial Tears until the epidemiological investigation and laboratory analyses are complete."

At least 50 people in 11 states have been infected with the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is resistant to most antibiotics. One of those infected died after the bacterium entered the patients bloodstream.

"That's what's so concerning," Dr. Jill Weatherhead, an assistant professor of tropical medicine and infectious diseases at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, told NBC News. "Our standard treatments are no longer available" to treat this infection.

In 11 cases, people developed eye infections. Three were blinded in one eye. Some of those infected had respiratory or urinary tract infections.

P. aeruginosa infections typically happen in hospital settings in people with weakened immune systems, though the bacteria can be found in water and soil. People can also carry it on their hands.

The eyedrops may have been contaminated during manufacturing or as a person with bacteria on their hands opened them. The drops being investigated do not contain preservatives to inhibit the growth of germs, NBC News reported.

Health officials have not said whether those infected had an underlying eye condition that would have made them more vulnerable to infections.

Cases were reported in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Texas, Utah and Washington.

EzriCare Artificial Tears have not been recalled at this time. They were sold on Amazon and at stores such as Walmart, NBC News reported.

Eye infection symptoms include pain and swelling. A person may experience redness, discharge, blurry vision, light sensitivity and the feeling of having a foreign object in the eye.

More information

The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more on eye infections.

SOURCE: NBC News
JERUSALEM  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up a two-day visit to Israel and the occupied West Bank on Tuesday with no visible signs of progress toward halting one of the deadliest outbreaks of Israeli-Palestinian violence in years.

The anemic outcome highlighted what appears to be the limited influence the Biden administration has over Israel's new government, which is dominated by hard-line nationalists who oppose concessions toward the Palestinians.

It also reflected a yearslong process that has turned the U.S. into little more than a conflict manager  drawing Palestinian accusations that Washington is a dishonest broker with a bias toward Israel.

Blinken arrived in the region at a particularly tense time  ending a month in which 35 Palestinians and seven Israelis were killed.

The bloodshed overshadowed what was meant to be a mission to establish working relations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his new far-right government. Instead, Blinken spent much of his time trying to defuse tensions.

Speaking to reporters before returning to the U.S., Blinken said both sides voiced their readiness to restore calm and he instructed two senior officials to remain in the region.

He also reiterated the long-term U.S. goal of working toward a two-state solution that would establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel under a final peace settlement.

"Restoring calm is our immediate task. But over the longer term, we have to do more than just lower tensions," he said.

It was a familiar message expressed by a string of U.S. administrations but, based on the bitter experiences of his predecessors, one that is unlikely to bear fruit. Blinken gave no details on what steps he has in mind to promote his short-term goals or his long-term vision.

In the short run, Blinken must contend with Israel's most right-wing government ever  a collection of religious and ultra-nationalist politicians who oppose concessions to the Palestinians and rule out Palestinian independence.

On the eve of Blinken's arrival, Netanyahu's Cabinet approved a series of punitive steps against the Palestinians in response to a pair of shootings in east Jerusalem last weekend.

These include plans to step up West Bank settlement construction, demolitions of the homes of attackers' families as well as dozens of Palestinian homes put up without building permits. Palestinians say such permits are almost impossible to get.

Blinken said the U.S. would oppose "anything" that undermines hopes of a two-state solution, including settlement construction built on occupied lands sought by the Palestinians. Some 700,000 Israeli settlers now live in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, areas captured by Israel in 1967 and claimed by the Palestinians.

But he gave no indication on how the U.S. might respond if Israel presses ahead with such moves, and reiterated longstanding lines about the U.S. commitment to Israel's security and "shared values" between the countries.

Yara Hawari, a senior analyst at Al-Shabaka, a Palestinian think tank, said Palestinian expectations for Blinken's visit were low to begin with, and that Blinken delivered a worn message coddling Israel.

"It's a textbook visit," she said. "The U.S. is not an honest broker in this situation, so I don't understand how it could bring anything to the table that would actually lead us toward achieving Palestinian fundamental rights."

In a sign of what could lie ahead if the U.S. pushes the new government, Israeli Cabinet Minister Orit Strock, a member of a religious ultra-nationalist party, lashed out at Blinken's call for a commitment to human rights and rule of law.

The comments were widely seen as criticism of the government's plans to overhaul Israel's judicial system and weaken its Supreme Court. Critics in Israel say the plan will severely damage Israel's democratic system of checks and balances.

"Blinken needed to respect Israeli sovereignty. We're not the 51st or 52nd state of the U.S.," Strock said.

Blinken played down the criticism, saying he would focus on Israel's policies, not individual personalities.

Michael Oren, a former Israeli ambassador to Washington, said the blame for failed peacemaking lies with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who at 87 is seen as weak, corrupt and increasingly authoritarian after nearly 20 years in office.

"I think this administration understands there is no one really to work with on the Palestinian side," he said. "They have other issues to deal with."

The mutual lack of trust is just one of the many reasons for repeated U.S. failures in the region since the historic interim Oslo accords 30 years ago. Over the decades, the Clinton, Bush, Obama and Trump administrations all tried their hands at Mideast peace plans with little to show.

Preoccupied with the war in Ukraine and the U.S. rivalry with China, the Biden administration appears to have little desire or bandwidth to wade into a mission doomed to fail.

For the Palestinians, there has been one constant throughout all of the failed peace efforts  a U.S. unwillingness to put meaningful pressure on Israel.
An effort to call a national convention to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution took a step forward Tuesday, with a resolution to do so narrowly clearing an initial vote in the Senate.

The proposal, often referred to the "Convention of States," would require similar resolutions to pass the legislatures of two-thirds of the states, or 34. Montana would be the 20th state to do so if it passes both chambers.

On a 26-24 vote, most Senate Republicans and a pair of Democrats voted to move the proposal forward. Democrats largely opposed it, but the issue has also divided the GOP, as evidence by over an hour of debate it prompted on that side of the aisle.

The resolution calls for a convention limited to three subject areas: term limits for Congress; a balanced federal budget and limiting the federal governments jurisdiction.

The potential for reining in federal spending and overreach found a receptive audience in the GOP-dominated chamber.

We watch the news and we just wonder and say to each other, How long can this insanity last until we become like Venezuela? said Sen. Butch Gillespie, R-Ethridge. ... I guess Id rather be on the side of not just sitting there and criticizing, but trying to do something.

Others, however, have maintained that the framework for how a convention of all 50 states is too untested, and there are too many unknowns, like who would be eligible to be a delegate or how many delegates each state would get.

McGillvrays bill must also pass a final Senate vote before it can move to the House. An identical resolution he sponsored in 2021 narrowly failed in the Senate, 24-26.

Unlike last session, McGillvray picked up two Democratic votes this time around, including Sen. Ryan Lynch, D-Butte. Unlike GOP proponents of the measure, he said he believes the convention could be expanded to deal with other issues like Citizens United, the U.S. Supreme Court decision that led to unlimited corporate spending in elections.

But in an interview after the floor session, he said he didnt think it would actually come to that.

I think well eventually get to the point that we put enough pressure on Congress that theyll self-correct, Lynch said.

He added that he plans to maintain his position on the final vote, likely to be held Wednesday.

The House on Wednesday endorsed bill to ensure that ballot-counting machines are free of external communication devices like modems.

House Bill 173, sponsored by Rep. David Bedey, R-Hamilton, would also criminalize tampering with the machines, known as "tabulators." All but a handful of small counties in Montana use them to count ballots.

"Free and fair elections are a cornerstone of our constitutional republic, thus election security is essential if we are to maintain public confidence in the election process," Bedey said.

Democrats were split on the bill, with some noting that there is no history of compromised tabulator security in Montana. Others supported it as a way to push back against unsubtantiated claims of election fraud.

"If there's a problem, it's that baseless accusations of fraud or abuse have undermined public confidence," Rep. Ed Stafman, D-Bozeman, said.

Only one Republican, Rep. Bob Phalen of Lindsay, voted against the measure. Phalen serves as vice chair of the House State Administration Committee, where the bill was initially heard. He suggested there is no way to know if communication devices are embedded in the machines. But in committee, expert witnesses testified that's the point of the post-election audit, to ensure via hand-counts that the machine totals are correct. Montana also requires that machines used to count ballots be unable to connect to the internet.

The bill passed 75-24 and still faces a final vote in the House before it can move to the Senate.

A bill repealing criminal exemptions for teachers and schools found displaying or disseminating to minors material deemed obscene advanced from committee on Tuesday.

House Bill 234 from Rep. Bob Phalen, R-Lindsay, had sought to include libraries, museums and their employees in the repeal, but saw an amendment to remove them and narrow the focus to schools and employees. Phalen and supporters touted the bill as protecting children from accessing material inappropriate for their age and that a double standard exists between private and public institutions.

But opponents have pushed back on the bill as censorship and an attempt to remove materials that while some might find offensive, do not meet the definition of obscenity in state law.

The House Judiciary Committee split on HB 234 on party lines with Republicans in support.

When I send my kids to school I want them to be safe from things like obscenity and pornography, said Rep. Jennifer Carlson, R-Manhattan.

Democrats challenged the bill as removing local control and processes used by school boards to remove objectionable material, and that obscenity is a slippery slope to banning books.

Rep. Zooey Zephyr, D-Missoula, argued that the bill comes at a time when literature championed by the LGBTQ community has been targeted, and classic literature that may include scenes depicting sex could be caught up.

The amended bill passed committee along party lines 12-7 where it now advances to the full House.

A bill to tighten down regulations of private residential therapeutic boarding homes for children with behavioral issues passed a key vote on the House floor Tuesday.

House Bill 218 by Rep. Laura Smith, D-Helena, would require programs to facilitate confidential communication with parents, a response to former students who said they would have reported abuse and neglect at a program had staff not monitored their calls. The bill would also require programs to report any use of seclusion and restraints, including chemical restraints and dial up the frequency of state inspections of the facilities.

The bill, which passed unanimously out of committee last week, builds on efforts by the 2019 Legislature that overhauled the entire regulatory oversight of the industry. That bill was ultimately watered down in the waning days of the session. Rep. Denley Loge, R-St. Regis, had contributed to that effort and carried a bill of his own that outlawed sexual contact between staff and students.

We took the fox from watching the henhouse, Loge said. But the policies and procedures were not quite written adequately. I think this fills in those gaps and to protect those young folks we need to pass this bill.

The bill passed its second reading Tuesday by a 95-4 margin. It must pass a third reading, typically a formality, before moving on to the Senate.
Several Burke County teachers attended a training session for three new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education classroom kits provided by a partnership between The Duke Energy Foundation, Leviton and STEMWest.

On Tuesday, Jan. 24, STEMWest hosted the educators to provide training on how to use the new kits in the classroom.

The kits will be available through STEMWest to teachers in Burke, Caldwell, Catawba and McDowell counties.

Donations from The Duke Energy Foundation paid for the kits which were built by STEMWest with materials provided by Leviton. Now that they have been assembled, each of the three kits contains a lesson plan, Leviton receptacles, other materials, suggestions for interactive activities and a complete lesson plan to help students learn about closed and open circuits.

The focal piece of the kits is an energy ball, which is a tool allowing students to create a closed circuit with their own bodies.

It has two metal tongs on it, said Carol Moore, president and CEO of STEMWest. I can touch one metal tong and somebody else can touch the opposite tong and were closing the circuit as long as were holding hands  so if somebody drops their hands and you break the circuit, the ball doesnt light up and make a sound anymore.

The kits also contain resources to help connect students with potential STEM-related careers in Burke County and Western North Carolina.

Theres a link there in the lesson plan that I wrote that links them to the Leviton video at Work in Burke that talks about different careers, Moore said. Thats a goal of STEMWest, for students to be exposed to more and more STEM careers in their community.

There is also a literacy component to the lessons provided in the kit.

One of the end goals is a literacy connection where students are encouraged to rewrite the directions in more understandable terms for fourth graders, seventh graders or high school seniors, Moore said.

During the training, educators tested out the kits and were given the opportunity to check them out to use in their classrooms. Moore said the idea is to keep the kits rotating to get as many teachers and students the opportunity to use them as possible.

Its only one lesson, otherwise it would just be sitting in their rooms, Moore said. This way we can use our resources more wisely.

Moore said two of the kits were checked out by teachers and the end of the training and a third teacher signed up to use it in a few weeks.

The kits are available to any teacher in Burke, Caldwell, Catawba and McDowell.
NBCs Dateline will air a two-hour show Friday night that looks at the fatal shooting of Broadwater County Sheriffs Deputy Mason Moore in 2017 and at father and son Lloyd and Marshall Barrus responsible for his death.

The Montana Standard and sister Lee Enterprises newspapers reported extensively on the shooting along U.S. 287 near Three Forks in May 2017, a high-speed chase that ended in a shootout in Missoula County on May 16, 2017, and the legal case that followed.

Marshall Barrus was mortally wounded in the shootout and Lloyd Barrus was ultimately tried and convicted of deliberate homicide by accountability and attempted deliberate homicide. He was sentenced last year to life in prison without parole.

The two-hour "Dateline" episode, titled On a Dark, Deserted Highway, airs Friday at 8 p.m. MST on NBC. It features correspondent Keith Morrisons interviews with insiders close to the case, including Moores widow, Jodi, former Sheriff Wynn Meehan, Alma Barrus and more.

Lee Enterprises asked Morrison about the upcoming show and he said the story is very different from most episodes of 'Dateline.'

It certainly isnt a who-done-it but rather paints side by side portraits of one angry man and the officers he set out to harm, Morrison said.

We dug very deeply into the life history that evolved into the Lloyd Barrus we know. Much of it has never been reported until now.

Shane Bishop, who grew up in Conrad, produced the episode and said it was the eighth Montana story he and Morrison had done together. The first in 2008 was about Barry Beach, who was convicted for the 1979 death of Kimberly Nees of Poplar.

His case was taken on by the Montana Innocence Project and Centurion Ministries, two organizations that work to overturn wrongful convictions. He was released from prison in 2015 after then-Gov. Steve Bullock granted his clemency request. The state Legislature had just passed a law giving the governor the power to grant clemency even if the Board of Pardons and Parole denies it.

In all, Beach had served about 33 years in prison.

In a trailer for Fridays episode, two vehicles are shown driving along a two-lane highway at night and Morrison says, It was just after 2 a.m. as a small-town Montana deputy drives home  end of a quiet shift  and quite suddenly, a car whistled past his patrol vehicle.

The trailer can be viewed at: https://nbcnews.to/3XVHWca.

Prosecutors say the Barruses held anti-law enforcement, antigovernmental views and were on a suicide mission when they provoked Deputy Moore shortly after 2 a.m. by passing him on 287 south of Townsend driving 100 mph. They were in a Chevy Suburban that Lloyd Barrus was driving.

Moore was struck in the face by a bullet through his windshield, his car stopped in the grass just south of Three Forks, and he was alive until the Suburban returned four minutes later and additional gunshots from a semi-automatic rifle ended his life. Prosecutors say Marshall Barrus fired the mortal rounds.

Butte-Silver Bow police spotted the Suburban moving westbound on I-90 about an hour later and started a 90-mile chase, ending in a shootout in Missoula County. Bullets fired from the Suburban knocked two Butte patrol cars from the pursuit, but by then troopers and police from several counties were involved.

The Suburban came to a stop just inside Missoula County, its tires shredded by stop-sticks, and a firefight broke out. Marshall was hit and later died while Barrus escaped injury and was arrested.

In September 2021, a jury in Butte found Barrus guilty of deliberate homicide by accountability in Moores death, and of two counts of attempted deliberate homicide.

The Montana Standard covered the trial and "Dateline" had camera crews in the courtroom. At a hearing last April in Townsend, a judge sentenced Lloyd Barrus to three life sentences without the possibility of parole.

Phil Drake at the Helena Independent Record contributed to this story.
Consumers have the right to know the origin of the beef on their tables, and ranchers have the right to a fair and competitive market. This is a reasonable expectation. After 2015 beef and pork were exempted from country of origin labeling laws. As a result, consumers do not know where their beef comes from, and ranchers do not have fair prices.

Thats why we are bringing forward country of origin placarding legislation (HB 350), which will set the story straight.

Today, the USDA Graded and Product of the USA labels on the last package of beef you purchased are meaningless. Beef or pork imported from any other country can legally have a label stating Product of the USA if it is simply re-packaged for retail within our borders. Many consumers may be fine with buying imported beef, and that is their right. However, what is not right is buying Brazilian beef while being led to believe it was born, raised and processed in the USA.

This is why the Montana Farmers Union, Montana Cattlemens Association, other Montana COOL advocates, and l are asking that the Montana Legislature pass a Montana Country of Origin Labeling law as set out in HB 350. It is true, that to be fully effective, COOL needs re-instatement on the national level, but you have to start somewhere. If Montana, whose largest industry is cattle, cannot stand up for consumers and ranchers, who will?

Why did Congress exempt beef and pork from the labeling law in the first place? The proximate reason was that the World Trade Organization so directed the United States government. The actual reason is that large packing corporations profit from the lack of COOL.

JBS, a big four packer facing scrutiny for the breakdown of the food supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic, imports beef from Brazil, packages it in the U.S. and sells it with a Product of the USA label. This is one example of large companies taking advantage of your trust and making money at the expense of hard-working Montana ranchers by slapping a Product of the USA label on lesser quality imported meats.

You might think that it would be a no-brainer for the Montana Legislature to pass a COOL bill and protect consumers and ranchers alike, but it is not. The 2019 and 2021 legislatures failed to act. Their lack of action means consumers continue to be misled. Clearly, COOL is not in the interests of the multinational corporations that prop up this rigged system, cheating family ranchers and everyday consumers with legally fraudulent labels.

If HB 350 isnt slaughtered by the big meat packing interests, it will ask retailers to make a reasonable effort to display a sign at the meat case with transparent country-of-origin information for beef and pork. A truthful label is fair to ranchers and consumers.

Its time for the Montana Legislature to take the bull by the horns. Consumers have the right to know where their meat comes from, and ranchers have the right to a free and fair market. It is just that simple. Contact your legislators today, and tell them to support HB 350 and country of origin labeling.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  Compared with her other classes, high school senior Kahlila Bandele said a lesson this week spanning topics from Afro-Caribbean migration to jazz offered a welcome shift in perspective.

The discussion in her Advanced Placement course on African American studies touched on figures from Marcus Garvey and Malcolm X to Jimi Hendrix and Rihanna. In her AP European History course, she said, "we're not discussing Black people at all"  even though they were colonized by Europeans.

Baton Rouge Magnet High School in Louisiana is one of 60 schools around the country testing the new course, which has gained national attention since it was banned in Florida. The rejection by Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration has stirred new political debate over how schools teach about race.

On Wednesday the College Board, which oversees AP classes, released curriculum materials for the course's expansion to hundreds of additional high schools in the next academic year. College Board officials said developers consulted with professors from more than 200 colleges, including several historically Black institutions.

The students in Baton Rouge were aware of the political controversy over the course. But the class on Monday was filled with discussion of the Negritude and Negrismo movements that celebrated Black culture and a painting by the Afro-Asian-Latino artist Wifredo Lam.

Afterward, Bandele, 18, said she doesn't understand arguments that the course would indoctrinate children.

"I don't feel particularly indoctrinated," she said.

DeSantis, a possible Republican presidential candidate in 2024, said he was blocking the course in Florida because it pushes a political agenda.

"In the state of Florida, our education standards not only don't prevent, but they require teaching Black history, all the important things. That's part of our core curriculum," DeSantis said at a news conference last week. "We want education and not indoctrination."

In a written statement Wednesday, College Board CEO David Coleman said the course is "an unflinching encounter with the facts and evidence of African American history and culture."

"No one is excluded from this course: the Black artists and inventors whose achievements have come to light; the Black women and men, including gay Americans, who played pivotal roles in the Civil Rights movements; and people of faith from all backgrounds who contributed to the antislavery and Civil Rights causes. Everyone is seen," he said.

So many students were interested in the course at the Baton Rouge high school, Emmitt Glynn is teaching it to two classes, instead of just the one he was originally planning.

Earlier this week, his students read selections of "The Wretched of the Earth" by Frantz Fanon, which deals with the violence inherent in colonial societies. In a lively discussion, students connected the text to what they had learned about the conflict between colonizers and Native Americans, to the war in Ukraine and to police violence in Memphis, Tennessee.

"We've been covering the gamut from the shores of Africa to where we are now in the 1930s, and we will continue on through history," Glynn said. He said he was proud to see the connections his students were making between the past and now.

For Malina Ouyang, 17, taking the class helped fill gaps in what she has been taught. "Taking this class," she said, "I realized how much is not said in other classes."

Matthew Evans, 16, said the class has educated him on a multitude of perspectives on Black history. He said the political controversy is just "a distraction."

"Any time you want to try to silence something, you will only make someone want to learn about it even more," he said.

The College Board offers AP courses across the academic spectrum, including math, science, social studies, foreign languages and fine arts. The courses are optional. Taught at a college level, students who score high enough on the final exam usually earn course credit at their university.

The African American studies course is divided into four units: origins of the African diaspora; freedom, enslavement and resistance; the practice of freedom; and movements and debates.

In Malcolm Reed's classroom at St. Amant High School in Louisiana, where he teaches the AP class, he tries to be mindful of how the material and discussions can affect students.

"I give them the information and I've seen light bulbs go off. I ask them, 'How does it affect you? How do you feel about learning this?' " he said. "It's also new for me, and I'm just taking it in stride. We're not just learning history, but we're making history."

Black history from the year you were born Black history from the year you were born 1919: Oscar Micheaux produces 'The Homesteader' 1920: Zeta Phi Beta is established at Howard University 1921: 'Shuffle Along' becomes the first major African American musical on Broadway 1922: Abolitionist Frederick Douglass' home becomes a national museum 1923: Jean Toomer's 'Cane' is published 1924: National Bar Association founded 1925: A. Philip Randolph and Milton P. Webster create the BSCP 1926: Negro History Week is formed 1927: Floyd Joseph Calvin hosts the first Black radio show 1928: First African American elected to Congress 1929: Negro Experimental Theatre established 1930: Howard University Gallery of Art is established 1931: Scottsboro boys are falsely convicted 1932: 'Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male' begins 1933: Dr. Carter G. Woodson's 'The Mis-Education of the Negro' is published 1934: Maggie Lena Walker dies 1935: National Council of Negro Women is created 1936: Jesse Owens wins four gold medals at the Berlin Games 1937: 'Their Eyes Were Watching God' is published 1938: Artist Jacob Lawrence shows his first exhibition 1939: Marian Anderson sings at Lincoln Memorial 1940: Hattie McDaniel wins an Academy Award 1941: National Negro Opera Company is created 1942: Hugh Mulzac becomes the first African American captain to command an integrated crew 1943: Detroit Race Riots 1944: United Negro College Fund is created 1945: Ebony magazine debuts 1946: Morgan v. Virginia invalidates separate but equal on interstate bus transport 1947: 16 men embark on the 'Journey of Reconciliation' 1948: Desegregation of the U.S. Armed Forces 1949: First Black-owned radio station 1950: Gregory Swanson is admitted to the University of Virginia Law School 1951: 'We Charge Genocide' petition is presented to the United Nations 1952: Cora Brown becomes Michigan's first Black woman elected to state senator 1953: Ralph Ellison wins the National Book Award for 'Invisible Man' 1954: Davis et al. v. the St. Louis Housing Authority ends racial discrimination in St. Louis Housing Authority 1955: Read's Drug Store sit-ins 1956: 'The Nat King Cole Show' challenges racial lines on TV 1957: Civil Rights Act of 1957 1958: Willie O'Ree is the first Black player in the National Hockey League 1959: Motown Records is founded 1960: Ruby Bridges integrates Louisiana schools 1961: Whitney Young Jr. is appointed executive director of the National Urban League 1962: James Meredith integrates Ole Miss campus 1963: 'Letters from a Birmingham Jail' published 1964: Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party established 1965: Malcolm X assassinated 1966: Stokely Carmichael promotes 'Black power' 1967: Loving v. Virginia strikes down interracial marriage ban in Virginia 1968: 'Julia,' starring Diahann Carroll, hits TV screens 1969: UNC food workers go on strike 1970: Gail Fisher wins a Primetime Emmy 1971: Congressional Black Caucus is formed 1972: Shirley Chisholm runs for president 1973: Combahee River Collective is created 1974: Henry Hank Aaron hits his 715th home run 1975: John Hope Franklin is selected as president of the Organization of American Historians 1976: Barbara Jordan delivers keynote address at Democratic National Convention 1977: Andrew Jackson Young Jr. becomes ambassador to the United Nations 1978: Muhammad Ali wins heavyweight boxing title for the third time 1979: Assata Shakur goes on the run 1980: Robert L. Johnson launches BET 1981: Mumia Abu-Jamal is arrested 1982: Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' is released 1983: Vanessa Williams is crowned Miss America 1984: Jesse Jackson runs for president 1985: MOVE Black Liberation House is bombed 1986: Oprah Winfrey launches her talk show 1987: Dr. Ben Carson separates conjoined twins 1988: The film 'Mississippi Burning' is released 1989: Colin Powell becomes chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 1990: Lawrence Douglas Wilder becomes first elected African American governor 1991: Julie Dash's 'Daughters of the Dust' is released 1992: Rodney King beating ignites the L.A. Riots 1993: Toni Morrison wins Nobel Prize for 'Beloved' 1994: Nas' debut album 'Illmatic' is released 1995: Million Man March is held in Washington D.C. 1996: 'Moesha' premieres 1997: Tiger Woods wins his first major 1998: 'The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer' is canceled after the first episode 1999: Serena Williams wins U.S. Open 2000: Venus Williams wins Women's Singles at Wimbledon 2001: The Rev. Wilton D. Gregory becomes president of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops 2002: Halle Berry wins Academy Award for 'Monster's Ball' 2003: Dennis W. Archer becomes the president of the American Bar Association 2004: Phylicia Rashad wins a Tony for Best Lead Actress in a play 2005: Condoleezza Rice becomes U.S. secretary of state 2006: Soulja Boy records 'Crank That'l 2007: Barbara Hillary goes to the North Pole 2008: Barack Obama becomes president of the United States 2009: Disney's first Black princess premieres 2010: Dustin Byfuglien wins Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks 2011: Charles E. Samuels Jr. becomes director of Federal Bureau of Prisons 2012: Fred Luter Jr. is elected the president of the Southern Baptist Convention 2013: Cheryl Boone Isaacs is elected president of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 2014: Ava DuVernay earns a Golden Globe nomination 2015: Bree Newsome brings down the flag 2016: Carla Hayden becomes librarian of Congress 2017: Tiffany Haddish hosts Saturday Night Live 2018: Stacey Abrams runs for governor of Georgia 2019: Black Panther produces two milestones 2020: Black Lives Matter/George Floyd Protests 2021: Kamala Harris sworn in as VP Black history from the year you were born 1919: Oscar Micheaux produces 'The Homesteader' 1920: Zeta Phi Beta is established at Howard University 1921: 'Shuffle Along' becomes the first major African American musical on Broadway 1922: Abolitionist Frederick Douglass' home becomes a national museum 1923: Jean Toomer's 'Cane' is published 1924: National Bar Association founded 1925: A. Philip Randolph and Milton P. Webster create the BSCP 1926: Negro History Week is formed 1927: Floyd Joseph Calvin hosts the first Black radio show 1928: First African American elected to Congress 1929: Negro Experimental Theatre established 1930: Howard University Gallery of Art is established 1931: Scottsboro boys are falsely convicted 1932: 'Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male' begins 1933: Dr. Carter G. Woodson's 'The Mis-Education of the Negro' is published 1934: Maggie Lena Walker dies 1935: National Council of Negro Women is created 1936: Jesse Owens wins four gold medals at the Berlin Games 1937: 'Their Eyes Were Watching God' is published 1938: Artist Jacob Lawrence shows his first exhibition 1939: Marian Anderson sings at Lincoln Memorial 1940: Hattie McDaniel wins an Academy Award 1941: National Negro Opera Company is created 1942: Hugh Mulzac becomes the first African American captain to command an integrated crew 1943: Detroit Race Riots 1944: United Negro College Fund is created 1945: Ebony magazine debuts 1946: Morgan v. Virginia invalidates separate but equal on interstate bus transport 1947: 16 men embark on the 'Journey of Reconciliation' 1948: Desegregation of the US Armed Forces 1949: First Black-owned radio station 1950: Gregory Swanson is admitted to the University of Virginia Law School 1951: 'We Charge Genocide' petition is presented to the United Nations 1952: Cora Brown becomes Michigan's first Black woman elected to state senator 1953: Ralph Ellison wins the National Book Award for 'Invisible Man' 1954: Davis et al. v. the St. Louis Housing Authority ends racial discrimination in St. Louis Housing Authority 1955: Read's Drug Store sit-ins 1956: 'The Nat King Cole Show' challenges racial lines on TV 1957: Civil Rights Act of 1957 1958: Willie O'Ree is the first Black player in the National Hockey League 1959: Motown Records is founded 1960: Ruby Bridges integrates Louisiana schools 1961: Whitney Young Jr. is appointed executive director of the National Urban League 1962: James Meredith integrates Ole Miss campus 1963: 'Letters from a Birmingham Jail' is published 1964: Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party is established 1965: Malcolm X assassinated 1966: Stokely Carmichael promotes 'Black power' 1967: Loving v. Virginia strikes down interracial marriage ban in Virginia 1968: 'Julia,' starring Diahann Carroll, hits TV screens 1969: UNC food workers go on strike 1970: Gail Fisher wins a Primetime Emmy 1971: Congressional Black Caucus is formed 1972: Shirley Chisholm runs for president 1973: Combahee River Collective is created 1974: Henry Hank Aaron hits his 715th home run 1975: John Hope Franklin is selected as president of the Organization of American Historians 1976: Barbara Jordan delivers keynote address at Democratic National Convention 1977: Andrew Jackson Young Jr. becomes ambassador to the United Nations 1978: Muhammad Ali wins heavyweight boxing title for the third time 1979: Assata Shakur goes on the run 1980: Robert L. Johnson launches BET 1981: Mumia Abu-Jamal is arrested 1982: Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' is released 1983: Vanessa Williams is crowned Miss America 1984: Jesse Jackson runs for president 1985: MOVE Black Liberation House is bombed 1986: Oprah Winfrey launches her talk show 1987: Dr. Ben Carson separates conjoined twins 1988: The film 'Mississippi Burning' is released 1989: Colin Powell becomes chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 1990: Lawrence Douglas Wilder becomes first elected African American governor 1991: Julie Dash's 'Daughters of the Dust' is released 1992: Rodney King beating ignites the LA Riots 1993: Toni Morrison wins Nobel Prize for 'Beloved' 1994: Nas' debut album 'Illmatic' is released 1995: Million Man March is held in Washington DC 1996: 'Moesha' premieres 1997: Tiger Woods wins his first major 1998: 'The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer' is canceled after the first episode 1999: Serena Williams wins US Open 2000: Venus Williams wins Women's Singles at Wimbledon 2001: The Rev. Wilton D. Gregory becomes president of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops 2002: Halle Berry wins Academy Award for 'Monster's Ball' 2003: Dennis W. Archer becomes the president of the American Bar Association 2004: Phylicia Rashad wins a Tony for Best Lead Actress in a play 2005: Condoleezza Rice becomes US secretary of state 2006: Soulja Boy records 'Crank That' 2007: Barbara Hillary goes to the North Pole 2008: Barack Obama becomes president of the United States 2009: Disney's first Black princess arrives 2010: Dustin Byfuglien wins Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks 2011: Charles E. Samuels Jr. becomes director of Federal Bureau of Prisons 2012: Fred Luter Jr. is elected the president of the Southern Baptist Convention 2013: Cheryl Boone Isaacs is elected president of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 2014: Ava DuVernay earns a Golden Globe nomination 2015: Bree Newsome brings down the flag 2016: Carla Hayden becomes Librarian of Congress 2017: Tiffany Haddish hosts Saturday Night Live 2018: Stacey Abrams runs for governor of Georgia 2019: Black Panther produces two milestones 2020: Black Lives Matter/George Floyd Protests 2021: Kamala Harris sworn in as VP 2022: Michaela Jae Rodriguez wins Best Actress Golden Globe
The Food and Drug Administration has withdrawn its provisional support for the use of Evusheld, a medication that was once a valuable tool for preventing patients with weakened immune systems from becoming severely ill with COVID-19.

With new viral variants increasingly adept at defeating Evusheld, the FDA said the biological drug should no longer be used.

The FDA decision marks the end  at least for now  of a medication that had helped restore some normalcy to the lives of cancer patients, transplant recipients and others who either could not be vaccinated against COVID-19 or whose immune systems failed to make a good response to the vaccine. As many as 3% of the U.S. population  7.2 million adults  is thought to have immune deficiencies that put them at risk of becoming severely ill or dying if they are infected with the pandemic virus.

"It's a really sad time," said Dr. Camille Kotton, an infectious disease doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital who cares for people with impaired immunity. For her patients, she said, "it was kind of like being told the seat belts in your car won't work anymore, and we're not going to be able to replace them with anything."

In recent months, nine new subvariants of the dominant omicron strain have proven capable of sneaking around Evusheld's defenses. Collectively, those subvariants now constitute more than 90% of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus specimens circulating in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The result: After 15 months in the nation's armamentarium against COVID-19, a medication that U.S. taxpayers spent at least $1.58 billion to develop and produce has become largely ineffective. However, the FDA said its authorization for the drug would resume if at least 10% of coronavirus specimens in circulation are susceptible to it in the future.

Evusheld is the commercial name of an AstraZeneca drug that combines two monoclonal antibodies, tixagevimab and cilgavimab. In a statement, the British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant said it is testing the safety and effectiveness of a new antibody medication to protect people with weakened immune systems, which it hopes to field in the latter half of 2023.

When Evusheld became available to patients just more than a year ago, its protection allowed many immunocompromised patients to emerge from isolation for the first time since the pandemic began.

It was expected to be administered to patients who needed it every six months. But some never got their first jab, and many did not get their second, before changes in the coronavirus rendered it ineffective.

"We're mourning the official death of what had been a really good tool," Kotton said.

Many doctors had already accepted that Evusheld's time had passed.

Physicians at UCLA Medical Center and its satellites stopped giving it to their transplant and chemotherapy patients in December. That is when the omicron subvariant known as BQ.1.1., which had found a way to circumvent Evusheld's protection, became dominant across Southern California.

"It is unfortunate," said University of California, Los Angeles infectious disease physician Dr. Tara Vijayan. But, she added, "we were surprised the FDA waited so long to pull it."

Thanks to the relentless rate at which new coronavirus variants have emerged, a passel of COVID-19 drugs based on bioengineered monoclonal antibodies have become obsolete.

Since November 2020, when the first such treatments for COVID-19 won the FDA's provisional support, six have been rendered useless by genetic changes in the coronavirus. It began with the emergence of the Delta variant in March 2021, and the arrival nine months later of the omicron variant  which itself has splintered into 18 subvariants  has wiped out the rest.

Since April 2021, the FDA has withdrawn its emergency use authorization for all monoclonal antibody treatments used as therapies for COVID-19 except for tocilizumab, which continues to be used in some hospitalized patients.

As UCLA doctors watched one after another of their monoclonal antibody therapies fail, "we always advised a measure of caution," said Vijayan, the health system's medical director of adult antimicrobial stewardship. "We were always waiting for the variants and the resistance that would come with them."

The virus's triumphs over these sophisticated therapies has left all COVID-19 patients with a dwindling store of rescue drugs. But for patients with compromised immunity, the situation is even worse.

The virus' incessant shape-shifting has more completely demolished the store of effective drugs that can save them from severe illness or death with COVID-19. Many cannot take the antiviral Paxlovid because it interacts with their other medications. That leaves them with the less effective antiviral molnupiravir and the drug remdesivir, which must be infused daily  usually in a hospital  over three days.

The dearth of drugs available for patients with compromised immune systems has renewed interest in convalescent plasma, an old-school version of antibody therapy first explored in the opening days of the pandemic. As COVID-19 therapies for these fragile patients have dwindled, several medical societies have recommended a return to the use of blood products drawn from previously infected patients who have recovered.

A recently published systematic review of clinical trials suggested that convalescent plasma could help prevent death in hospitalized COVID-19 patients with impaired immunity. And a British clinical trial is currently testing the use of "Vax-Plasma"  plasma from vaccinated people who had breakthrough infections and then recovered.

Interactive: 12 charts that show COVID-19 variants, vaccinations, hospitalizations, cases and deaths Your browser does not support the iframe HTML tag. Try viewing this in a modern browser like Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Internet Explorer 9 or later.
SIOUX CITY  The family of a Le Mars, Iowa, man has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a Sioux City hospital, alleging staff members gave him a lethal dosage of medication and were not paying attention to a heart monitor showing his heartbeat had been stopped for five minutes.

Mary Kay Dreckman and her three children say in the lawsuit that MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center staff members were negligent in the hours leading up to the Sept. 18, 2021, death of 65-year-old Michael Dreckman, who three days earlier had had successful quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery at the hospital.

"Mr. Dreckman was given a lethal injection," said Nick Rowley, a Decorah, Iowa, lawyer representing the Dreckmans. "When he flat-lined he was in the ICU (intensive care unit), but no healthcare providers were monitoring him. ... Nobody rushed to the rescue when loud monitors and flashing lights were going off. Mr. Dreckman's wife and kids are the ones who discovered that his heart had stopped."

Michaela Feldmann, MercyOne regional communications lead, released the following statement in response to the lawsuit:

"Safety of our patients, colleagues and communities is a top priority at MercyOne. We are saddened by the loss of Mr. Dreckman, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this time. As this is an active legal matter, we are unable to provide further comment."

According to the lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Woodbury County District Court, Dreckman was sitting up and walking in the ICU two days after his heart surgery. Early the next day, Sept. 18, his heart began to beat rapidly. During a period of three hours and 20 minutes, nurses administered three doses of amiodarone, a medication used to treat certain types of serious irregular heartbeat, and also started Dreckman on an IV drip of the same drug.

"Combined, this amounted to a toxic dose of amiodarone," Rowley said.

Dreckman was last seen at 8 a.m., sitting up in a reclining chair, the lawsuit said. Ten minutes later, telemetry readings showed his heart rate slowing, and by 8:18 a.m. his heart rate went into long pauses followed by slow intermittent beats. Monitor readings showed Dreckman's heartbeat flat-lined for five minutes without any response from staff.

Nurses were alerted to his condition at 8:25 a.m., when Dreckman's wife and a daughter entered his room and found him unresponsive, his monitor flashing and beeping. Medical staff members began life-saving measures, but Dreckman remained in cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead approximately 40 minutes later.

The lawsuit alleges MercyOne and its staff were negligent in giving Dreckman a toxic dose of amiodarone, failing to properly monitor his vital signs and his heart monitor and in the administration of medication to control his heart rate.

Dreckman's family is seeking a judgment to compensate them for an unspecified amount of damages.

Rowley said another cardiac patient died at MercyOne in 2018 after not being properly monitored. Rowley filed two lawsuits in that case, and both were settled prior to trial.

Counties with the longest life expectancy in Iowa Counties with the longest life expectancy in Iowa #47. Osceola County #47. Henry County #43. Washington County #43. Howard County #43. Wright County #43. Boone County #41. Floyd County #41. Marion County #37. Sac County #37. Winnebago County #37. Warren County #37. Grundy County #35. Jasper County #35. Hardin County #34. Poweshiek County #32. Clay County #32. Madison County #27. Crawford County #27. Keokuk County #27. Delaware County #27. Shelby County #27. Benton County #26. Plymouth County #24. Greene County #24. Linn County #21. Adams County #21. Carroll County #21. Buchanan County #19. Kossuth County #19. Jefferson County #18. Humboldt County #16. Worth County #16. Dubuque County #13. Clayton County #13. Guthrie County #13. Mitchell County #12. Buena Vista County #11. Dickinson County #10. Bremer County #9. Cedar County #7. Jones County #7. Lyon County #5. Hancock County #5. Dallas County #4. Story County #3. Johnson County #2. Sioux County #1. Winneshiek County
Iowa Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley is back to work this week at the U.S. Capitol after undergoing surgery Jan. 11 to repair a fracture in his hip.

The 89-year-old appeared Wednesday in a wheelchair at a Senate Agriculture Committee. Arkansas Republican U.S. Sen. John Boozman, ranking member of the committee, said Grassley made a great effort to be here.

On a conference call with reporters afterward, Grassley said he did a stupid thing while in the kitchen of his Washington, D.C., town house to injure himself.

It didnt work and I fell and broke my hip, he said. Three weeks ago today I had an operation to fix it, and thats it.

Grassley said he is on the way to a full recovery and never missed a vote in the Senate since the injury. The senators office told The Gazette that he is having his routine post-op physical therapy appointments in the U.S. Capitol so he can continue his work.

Im doing very well, and the outpouring people saying theyre praying for me, I just want to tell everybody that means a lot for me, Grassley told reporters. Ive been in the office every day this week. I continued my practice of not missing votes. Although the way (U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck) Schumer is running the United States Senate, there arent many votes to miss, if I did miss them.

He said he was keeping up with a full schedule Wednesday.

Grassley was elected in November and sworn in to his eighth term in the Senate on Jan. 3, becoming the longest-serving member of the chamber. He appeared Jan. 9 at the opening day of the 2023 session of the Iowa Legislature, where his grandson is speaker of the Iowa House.

Grassley also was asked about President Joe Bidens scheduled meeting Wednesday with Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy over the need to raise the nations borrowing limit to avoid a default that could lead a financial crisis.

Republicans have refused to raise the statutory debt limit unless the White House accepts cuts in federal spending. Biden has said he expects Congress to raise the borrowing cap with no strings attached.

Adopting reasonable fiscal measures as part of a debt-limit increase is the responsible thing to do and I hope President Biden will show more of a cooperative attitude towards working with the House of Representatives on this point and negotiating in good faith, Grassley said. Holding out until the last minute is reckless and irresponsible.
Rebecca Rodriguez awoke in the morning filled with dread. Her eyes were hot and stung with tears.

Her eviction hearing at the Scott County Courthouse was just a few hours away.

A 46-year-old mother with a 10-year-old daughter living at home, Rodriguez had no idea what would happen if she lost the apartment shes lived in for eight years. The anxiety and fear were hard for her to describe.

I knew I had to ask for help, but that is something I have really never done before, Rodriguez said. I didnt know where to go or who to talk to.

I couldnt afford to pay rent, and there was no way, I thought, I could ever pay for a lawyer. I just came to the courthouse, and thank goodness my oldest daughter (Kailee Thorndike) was here.

Rodriguezs eviction hearing was one of 43 scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 24. The list had been 60 cases long, but a number were dismissed. Some were continued. Others had been negotiated prior to going before one of the two magistrates who hear the cases each Tuesday.

Evictions are common in Scott County. While it claims just 5% of Iowas population, the countys evictions accounted for 9% of all such cases in the state for 2022.

When Rodriguez and Thorndike got to the courthouse, they saw the large placard for Iowa Legal Aid that promises help with evictions. The services offered by the five attorneys, paralegal and AmeriCorp volunteer who set up every Tuesday often are the last, best chance for people who cant hire attorneys.

The work of representing Rodriguez and others facing eviction is akin to holding back an avalanche. The number of evictions, in Davenport and across Iowa, are gaining momentum.

Record eviction cases in 2022

A record number of Iowans faced possible eviction from their homes in 2022, according to statistics compiled by Iowa Legal Aid, after a year of rising housing costs and the first full year after a moratorium on evictions expired.

Iowa Legal Aid Director Nick Smithberg visited the Scott County Courthouse on a recent Tuesday to check on the organizations local help desk that assists residents facing eviction. As a pandemic-era pause on evictions was set to expire in 2021, Iowa Legal Aid anticipated a wave of tenants navigating the court system, and decided to go to the place where it happens.

Attorneys and staff for Iowa Legal Aid set up folding tables and chairs every Tuesday afternoon in the courthouse ahead of hearings so they can counsel tenants and landlords.

In 2022, Smithberg said, there were 18,333 eviction cases in Iowa  a record. Not all resulted in evictions. In Scott County, there were 1,462 cases. For the county, only one year recorded more eviction cases  2019.

Smithberg theorizes that pandemic-eviction relief disguised an eviction trend that marches upward.

Theres been a perception that high rates of eviction were associated with COVID, but if anything, what were seeing from the data is that COVID served to suppress the numbers, Smithberg said. This is a decade-long trend, but during COVID, there was an abundant amount of rent assistance available and eviction moratoria that were in place. And now those inhibitors are gone. So were really seeing the numbers skyrocket.

Legal aid attorneys have worked in tandem with a representative from the Salvation Army and Quad-Cities Open Housing Network, part of a web of housing-advocacy groups that can offer landlords a month or two in rent to stave off an eviction, giving a tenant a cushion to get their finances in order or find another place, what Smithberg called a stand-down payment.

Its a deal where we would give the landlord a months worth of rent in exchange for a months worth of time, Smithberg said. Some funds set up two years ago are nearing the end.

Salvation Army also can help with a security deposit on a new place, or pay for late fees or moving costs.

An eviction can be more detrimental than many people realize. A growing body of research shows housing loss can result in childrens poorer academic performance as well as higher rates of depression, substance abuse, suicide and lower life expectancy. Plus, it makes it much more difficult to find housing in the future.

The consequence of an eviction on your record, no matter how the case is disposed of, it can be very bad. It makes it much harder to find habitable affordable housing, Smithberg said.

A helping hand

The first-floor courtroom where Rodriguez and her oldest daughter waited Tuesday afternoon has no clocks on the wall. No cellphones are allowed. The temperature stood at 82 degrees.

Those who entered looked like your neighbors  an elderly woman with a walker, a young couple with three small children, a pair of men with small dogs on leashes and a number of people carrying files of papers.

Some were landlords. A few were attorneys. Most were like Rodriguez, facing eviction and the uncertainty of where they will live.

When I got to the courthouse and I saw the sign for Iowa Legal Aid, I let myself have a little hope, Rodriguez said. Its been hard to have hope for the last couple of months.

An Iowa Legal Aid attorney represented Rodriguez during her hearing and helped her negotiate a settlement with her landlord.

She lives in a $746-a-month apartment and works as a patient service testing specialist; she draws blood for testing and does other lab-related work. She always found a way to pay rent, make her car payment, pay for the vehicles insurance and put food on the table.

But then an old car loan came back to haunt her.

I had a car and I got an oil change and then the engine blew, Rodriguez explained. I gave the car back to the bank and they went after the company that did the oil change.

When all was said and done, I was on the hook for $2,000. I couldnt pay it. I dont have that much leeway. So they got a garnishment against me  $500 per paycheck for four paychecks, starting in late November. I cant take losing $500 per paycheck for two months. I couldnt do it.

Christmas was gone. Rodriguez turned to a number of agencies for help with a holiday gift basket. She has been going to pantries to put together enough to feed her youngest daughter. Thorndike found herself offering her mother money for basics, like gas and groceries.

I felt ashamed, Rodriguez said. And I really had nowhere to go for help, not anywhere that I knew of. Once the bank decided it wanted that money, I had no way to stop it.

Who faces eviction?

Molly McDonnell is the assistant managing attorney for the Davenport office of Iowa Legal Aid. People face evictions for myriad reasons, she said.

A large percentage of the people we see facing eviction are working. They have a job. A number of the people we represent have multiple jobs, McDonnell said. Rent is high in Davenport and across the Quad-Cities. People have smaller margins for sudden expenses. Or if a child gets sick for an extended period of time and they have to miss work. So many of our cases start with things like a broken car.

People cant absorb sudden cost increases. Then they have to make choices. Sometimes the rent has to come after other important choices.

To answer the question of who faced eviction in Scott County in 2022, Smithberg offered some numbers that tell the story:

People with disabilities comprise 8.2% of the countys population but make up 37% of those facing eviction

Women account for 50.6% of the countys population, yet make up 74% of those facing eviction

People of color are 21.4% of the countys population and are 54% of those facing eviction

Smithberg pointed out evictions also tell the story of disparities in our community.

What causes evictions? Start with a lack of affordable housing. Then you have to look at poverty. People simply dont have the income to afford what housing is available. And then you look to issues like income and access, he said.

I say this a lot, but it is true: Evictions are a symptom of something larger going on in the community. We are looking at a set of disparities. When people dont have access to services, dont have access to some of the things many of us take for granted, you see evictions. We are talking about disparities that have existed in our communities for a long time.

A tattered safety net

Rodriguezs agreement with her landlord offered a glimmer of hope. She has two weeks to pay the back rent of $1,400. She then has the entire month of February to come up with that months rent.

She said she planned to first contact the Salvation Army for rental assistance.

Kelle Larned is the program and operations director for the Salvation Army. She helps oversee the eviction prevention program that offers up to three months rent for those looking to avoid losing their rental home.

Since 2020, the Salvation Army has doled out $1.5 million in eviction prevention funds  money solely directed to tenants trying to stave off eviction.

Larned also works to help people without homes establish permanent residences. She pointed to a lack of affordable housing as being one of the crucial elements in both evictions and homelessness.

When a person loses their home in an eviction, it used to be an average of right about 25 to 30 days before we could find them another rental, she said. Now, we are looking at an average of 85 days. That is all about a lack of affordable housing. When people lose their apartments, it is a real struggle to find any place to go.

Larned offered another perspective.

Not long ago, we had 20 to 30 families a month in our shelter program, Larned said. Today, we have between 60 and 70 families a month. We have landlords who work with us, but it is getting harder and harder to find affordable housing for the people who need it the most.

Affordable housing is crucial because the safety nets set up during the pandemic are disappearing.

In 2021 and most of 2022, tenants and landlords had access to emergency rental assistance allocated to the state by Congress in COVID-19 relief passed in 2020 and 2021.

But the nation, including Iowa, did not have the infrastructure set up to distribute the funds effectively, and the states Iowa Finance Authority scrambled to build a system. Tenants and landlords could apply for up to three months in back rent owed. But the agency and its vendor were slow to process applications, and the money slow to distribute.

In late 2022, the state agency said it was no longer running an emergency housing assistance program and would focus a second round of funding on helping homeless people regain housing and on assisting refugees.

As a result, about $89 million allocated for Iowans emergency rental assistance was likely to go back to the U.S. Treasury and be used for other states.

We were able to do a lot of good with the rent assistance, and we continue to see a substantial number of cases, Smithberg said. An overwhelming majority of eviction cases that we see are what they call non-payment cases. Thats about rent.

Smithberg was not hopeful about the rate of evictions slowing in Iowa or Scott County.

I think we are looking at a very tough year, he said. Thats my fear. Homelessness is a lagging indicator. You dont see the number of homeless increase unless there are underlying causes.

I think, with the way evictions are going, we are seeing the front edge of a troubling homeless problem.

For now, Rodriguez has managed to stay in her home. She couldnt thank Iowa Legal Aid enough for the assistance its attorney gave her Tuesday.

I still have to come up with the money, but now I know there is help, she said. Im going to do whatever I can to come up with that money. But I feel like a failure.

You feel like youre in a hole and there is no way out. At least there was someone there to help me.

Photos: Tammy Brewer evicted despite home being condemned by the city 080721-qc-nws-TammyEviction-001 080721-qc-nws-TammyEviction-002 080721-qc-nws-TammyEviction-003 080721-qc-nws-TammyEviction-004 080721-qc-nws-TammyEviction-005 080721-qc-nws-TammyEviction-006 080721-qc-nws-TammyEviction-007 080721-qc-nws-TammyEviction-008 080721-qc-nws-TammyEviction-009 080721-qc-nws-TammyEviction-010 080721-qc-nws-TammyEviction-011 080721-qc-nws-TammyEviction-012 080721-qc-nws-TammyEviction-013 080721-qc-nws-TammyEviction-014 080721-qc-nws-TammyEviction-015 080721-qc-nws-TammyEviction-016 080721-qc-nws-TammyEviction-017 080721-qc-nws-TammyEviction-018 080721-qc-nws-TammyEviction-019 080721-qc-nws-TammyEviction-020 080721-qc-nws-TammyEviction-021 080721-qc-nws-TammyEviction-022
Californias Fair Political Practices Commission has rejected complaints filed by former St. Helena Mayor Geoff Ellsworth alleging conflicts of interest by his council colleagues Eric Hall and Anna Chouteau.

After review of the complaint and evidence provided, the Enforcement Division will not pursue an enforcement action in this matter, an FPPC official told Ellsworth in a pair of brief, nearly identical Jan. 23 letters dismissing his complaints against Hall and Chouteau.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register.

Chouteau released a statement Tuesday saying the FPPC acted quickly to terminate its investigation.

This is the same action they took regarding the prior complaint filed by the same individual, which was equally baseless, Chouteau said. These repetitive complaints waste my time and the time of the staff of the FPPC. I would rather spend that time and energy working to make St. Helena better.

The allegations involve Chouteaus connections to Hall Wines, where her husband, Matt Mumford, is a vice president, and Eric Halls connections to Upper Valley Disposal Service and Clover Flat Landfill, where his wife, Christy Pestoni, is chief operating officer.

Chouteau has always recused herself from council discussions related to Hall Wines and its affiliated company Vineland Vista, which sued the city over a water connection to a former mobile home park. Eric Hall has always recused himself from council discussions of UVDS and Clover Flat.

Nevertheless, Ellsworths complaints suggests a potential  quid pro quo exchange of favors between Hall and Chouteau, with Hall voting for a settlement ending the Vineland Vista lawsuit and Chouteau providing favorable treatment to UVDS and Clover Flat as a member of the Upper Valley Waste Management Agency board.

Implicit deal making undermines the publics confidence in our role as public officials, Ellsworth wrote in the two complaints filed on Dec. 12, his second-to-last day as mayor.

Ellsworth, whos been a vocal critic of UVDS and Clover Flat, also alleged a web of connections among the two companies, Eric Hall, Chouteau, Hall Wines, the Napa County Farm Bureau, Napa County Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza, political consultant Robert Muelrath, state Sen. Bill Dodd and state Treasurer Fiona Ma.

In a written statement to the FPPC, Chouteau said Ellsworths complaint about her conduct came down to policy differences and didnt make any concrete allegations that shed violated Californias Political Reform Act.

Instead, Ellsworth presents the FPPC with a lengthy diatribe rooted in his dismay that no one serving on the (waste management board), myself included, has been persuaded by his arguments about various public policy issues involving the operations of Upper Valley Disposal and the Clover Flat Landfill, Chouteau wrote.

She also rejected what she called Ellsworths conspiracy theory about her and Hall exchanging favors, and about the links among various county and state officials.

Ellsworth believes that everyone who disagrees with him is part of a conspiracy of wealth and influence, but he fails altogether to present any allegation of a violation of the Political Reform Art, let alone a credible one, Chouteau wrote.

Ellsworth said Tuesday that hes written to the FPPC asking about its appeal process and requesting a meeting to review material hes gathered about fire and contamination issues at UVDS and Clover Flat, as well as alleged conflicts of interest by Chouteau and Hall.
There is nothing I enjoy more than a walk in St. Helena. It is beautiful, peaceful and friendly. I get a little exercise and fresh air, check out whats blooming, see the faces of other residents, gaze up at the valley walls, and have some precious time to think and reflect. Having previously lived in big cities and suburbs, I recognize what a treat it is that one can get just about anywhere in town on foot in a very reasonable amount of time. The ability to walk in St. Helena is a real strength of the town  and it could be better.

I currently have the pleasure of serving as chair of the citys Parks and Recreation Committee. For the past few years, I have served on the Walking Routes, Trails, and Publicly Accessible Open Space Subcommittee, which has been in existence since 2019. As a group, we have a vision of our town which is a center for walking and passive recreation. This will provide many benefits: low-cost health benefits for walkers, an enjoyable and safe option for transportation (reducing our time driving around town and reducing air pollution), and making the city even more enticing to visitors.

The subcommittee published a comprehensive report to the City Council recommending the city take formal action to preserve and open walking paths, publish maps of walking routes from downtown, and provide access to existing open space using existing trails in some of the citys most marvelous areas (including areas adjacent to Bell Canyon, Lower Reservoir, and the newly created Redwood Forest). The plan has been approved by the Parks and Recreation Committee by a 5-0 vote (2x), a progress report was given to City Council and received with great enthusiasm, and it has gone through a formal CEQA analysis. Next up is the Planning Commission and then it will come before the City Council for the adoption of the reports recommendations. I would like to invite all residents to join us in supporting the efforts to make St. Helena a walkers delight.

I would like to publicly thank all of the members of the subcommittee current and past, including David Knudsen (who has led the effort from the start), new county Supervisor Anne Cottrell, Pam Smithers, Richard Seiferheld, fellow Parks and Recreation Commissioner Rebekah Weeman, Gail Davies and Bob Frescura. City staff has also spent many hours helping make sure we deliver a great plan. Dave Jahns (St. Helena parks and recreation director) Maya DeRosa (St. Helena community development director), and Chris Hartley (St. Helena police chief) deserve special recognition, as well as Andre Pichly (former recreation director), Erica Ahmann Smithies (former public works director) and Mark Prestwich (former city manager), plus the St. Helena Historical Society (which has helped identify the citys historical landmarks along the mapped walks) and Amy Carabba-Salazar with the chamber who saw immediately how helpful this could be in marketing St. Helena. Finally, a big thank you to all of the walkers in town who have contributed their thoughts and ideas.

Hope to see you out on the streets, paths and trails soon!

Michelle Deasy

St. Helena
You may know me, since I worked as a reporter and then editor at the St. Helena Star for 14 years, from August 2006 to September 2020, when I retired. Last week, I received a letter from the Napa Valley Register about my St. Helena Star subscription, which I began years ago for my Dad and transferred to my brother after my Dad passed away. I took it over after I retired, because I wanted to keep up with the news from St. Helena and the Upvalley area. A mail subscription to the Star was $52 a year.

Notice I said was because as of Monday, the price went from $1 a week to $2.50 per week, or from $52 a year to $130 a year. What a price jump! The justification in the letter is: We continue to invest in the best reporters and photographers in our community to ensure you have an unmatched news product. Our endeavors to continue publishing a premier source of community news requires a change in the subscription price.

I have no doubt that the cost of printing the St. Helena Star and mailing it out is increasing and is expensive, but I wish the corporate bosses who concocted this letter had not lied to me. Note that they said they are investing in the best reporters and photographers in our community. The truth is there is one news employee at the St. Helena Star, and that is Jesse Duarte, who serves as editor, reporter and photographer. And probably janitor.

You may remember the days when the St. Helena Star had six people in the newsroom. It was in 2006, when I was hired by then-editor Doug Ernst. Besides Ernst, in the newsroom were Jesse Duarte, Carolyn Younger, Vince DAdamo, Susan McWilliams, who was part-time, and myself. Additionally, there were Carolyn Wagner, Jodi Kelly and Moye Stephens in the advertising department and receptionist Alice Narlock, who handled subscriptions and classified ads. Slowly, but surely, that number has been reduced to just one person.

The corporate bosses at Lee Enterprises, which owns the Napa Valley Register and the St. Helena Star, may be trying to cover publishing costs with this price hike, but they may also be trying to cut down the number of subscriptions.

In the past two years, they have stopped putting newspapers in the news racks around town  once Borreson News Service in Napa went out of business, it was too expensive to hire someone to fill the news racks and collect the quarters. In the same time frame, they shut down The Weekly Calistogan, a newspaper in Calistoga that began in 1877, because there were too few subscribers, i.e., it didnt make economic sense to put out a print copy of the paper anymore. Although the Calistogan lives on digitally, editor Cynthia Sweeney was laid off and there is no one based in Calistoga covering the community.

I was sad to get the notice that the price of a mail subscription is more than doubling in price  Ill be even sadder if the St. Helena Star goes the way of The Weekly Calistogan.

David Stoneberg

Hidden Valley Lake
Californias Fair Political Practices Commission has rejected complaints filed by former St. Helena Mayor Geoff Ellsworth alleging conflicts of interest by his council colleagues Eric Hall and Anna Chouteau.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register.

After review of the complaint and evidence provided, the Enforcement Division will not pursue an enforcement action in this matter, an FPPC official told Ellsworth in a pair of brief, nearly identical Jan. 23 letters dismissing his complaints against Hall and Chouteau.

Chouteau released a statement Tuesday saying the FPPC "acted quickly to terminate its investigation."

This is the same action they took regarding the prior complaint filed by the same individual, which was equally baseless," Chouteau said. "These repetitive complaints waste my time and the time of the staff of the FPPC. I would rather spend that time and energy working to make St. Helena better.

The allegations involve Chouteaus connections to Hall Wines, where her husband, Matt Mumford, is a vice president, and Eric Halls connections to Upper Valley Disposal Service and Clover Flat Landfill, where his wife, Christy Pestoni, is chief operating officer.

Chouteau has always recused herself from council discussions related to Hall Wines and its affiliated company Vineland Vista, which sued the city over a water connection to a former mobile home park. Eric Hall has always recused himself from council discussions of UVDS and Clover Flat.

Nevertheless, Ellsworths complaints suggests a potential  quid pro quo exchange of favors between Hall and Chouteau, with Hall voting for a settlement ending the Vineland Vista lawsuit and Chouteau providing favorable treatment to UVDS and Clover Flat as a member of the Upper Valley Waste Management Agency board.

Implicit deal making undermines the publics confidence in our role as public officials, Ellsworth wrote in the two complaints filed on Dec. 12, his second-to-last day as mayor.

Ellsworth, who's been a vocal critic of UVDS and Clover Flat, also alleged a web of connections among the two companies, Eric Hall, Chouteau, Hall Wines, the Napa County Farm Bureau, Napa County Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza, political consultant Robert Muelrath, state Sen. Bill Dodd and state Treasurer Fiona Ma.

In a written statement to the FPPC, Chouteau said Ellsworths complaint about her conduct came down to policy differences and didnt make any concrete allegations that shed violated Californias Political Reform Act.

Instead, Ellsworth presents the FPPC with a lengthy diatribe rooted in his dismay that no one serving on the (waste management board), myself included, has been persuaded by his arguments about various public policy issues involving the operations of Upper Valley Disposal and the Clover Flat Landfill, Chouteau wrote.

She also rejected what she called Ellsworths conspiracy theory about her and Hall exchanging favors, and about the links among various county and state officials.

Ellsworth believes that everyone who disagrees with him is part of a conspiracy of wealth and influence, but he fails altogether to present any allegation of a violation of the Political Reform Art, let alone a credible one, Chouteau wrote.

Ellsworth said Tuesday that hes written to the FPPC asking about its appeal process and requesting a meeting to review material hes gathered about fire and contamination issues at UVDS and Clover Flat, as well as alleged conflicts of interest by Chouteau and Hall.
The statewide Sierra Nevada snowpack  the source of nearly one-third of Californias water supply  is at its highest level since 1995, boosting hopes that an end to the drought is near, but also raising concerns that a few warm spring storms could melt it too early and trigger major flooding.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register.

Not since "Toy Story" packed movie theaters, Steve Young led the 49ers to their fifth Super Bowl win, and gasoline cost $1.28 a gallon has there been so much snow in Californias most famous mountain range at the end of January.

Its absolutely massive, said Kevin Coop Cooper, a ski resort consultant who lives near South Lake Tahoe. Ive spent so much time with my snow shovel that I named it. My wife thought I was having an affair.

The snowpack was 208% of its historical average on Tuesday, a day ahead of the high-profile Feb. 1 snow survey that state officials planned to take near Highway 50 by Sierra-at-Tahoe ski resort with TV cameras in tow. The last time there was as much snow, 28 years ago, on Feb. 1, 1995, it was 207% of normal.

The huge bounty is the third largest statewide since 1950, when consistent statewide records began, according to a Bay Area News Group analysis of historical data. Only 1952 (267% of average) and 1969 (230%) had larger amounts on Feb. 1.

In a few places, like Highland Meadow in Alpine County, the snowpack is the largest in recorded history.

Around Lake Tahoe, stop signs and fire hydrants have been buried in snow. Ski resorts that struggled during three years of drought, wildfire and COVID-19 are seeing a banner year. The snow base Tuesday at Palisades was 11 feet deep. At Kirkwood it was 12 feet. And at Mammoth Mountain, south of Yosemite National Park, it was nearly 20 feet deep.

Weve had a lot to dig out, Cooper said. Im looking at a neighbors house right now. He needs to get shoveling on his roof. Gutters can fill up, freeze and fall off the house. Or if you have a flat roof it can collapse from the weight of the snow.

Napa County in the red on proposed Cal Fire fire hazard map Cal Fire's proposed, revamped fire severity zone map has the "very high" danger zone growing in Napa County by nearly a third.

The wintry windfall arrived in series of nine atmospheric river storms that began around Christmas and continued for three weeks. Since then, temperatures have been cool in the mountains, preserving much of it.

Snow is vital to Californias water supply. Many winters, storms blanket the Sierra, a 400-mile-long rocky expanse memorialized by the naturalist John Muir as the Range of Light, that includes the lower 48 states highest peak, Mount Whitney, along with the glorious granite walls of Yosemite Valley and the sublime shores of Lake Tahoe.

It melts in late spring and early summer. Billions of gallons pour down more than a dozen Sierra rivers like the Merced, the Tuolumne, the American, and the Feather. The water is caught in major reservoirs. It also recharges underground aquifers and provides food and habitat for fish and wildlife.

But in dry years, when few storms arrive, much less water is available for cities, farms and the environment.

The January storms caused serious flooding around Sacramento, Santa Cruz, Merced and Santa Barbara, killing at least 22 people and creating power outages, mudslides and other damage.

The water also began filling reservoirs across the state. The largest, 35-mile-long Shasta, near Redding, on Tuesday was 56% full, or 87% of its historic average for that date. The second largest, Oroville, in Butte County, was 65% full, or 112% of its historic average.

Many major reservoirs are certain to rise higher as snow melts in the coming months.

The storms could shut off, said Jay Lund, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at UC Davis. Thats the worst case. But even in the worst case, were still going to have a good snowpack. Most of it is in the bank, and will appear as stream flow.

State water officials are thrilled at the start to the winter. They are also eyeing all that snow cautiously.

The snowpack is great, said David Rizzardo, a supervising engineer with the state Department of Water Resources. But its also providing a very unique challenge.

Simply put, the drought will end if rain and snow continues to fill reservoirs. But if California receives big, warm, soaking storms that park over the Sierra, much of the snowpack could melt suddenly, causing mayhem.

Thats what happened in 1997. Several warm Pineapple Express storms drenched the Sierra around New Years Day. Yosemite Valley experienced its worst floods in a century. Entire campgrounds washed away. Half of Yosemite Lodge was destroyed. Across the Central Valley, big reservoirs filled to the top and released water uncontrollably. Levees broke, causing major flooding in Marysville, Yuba City and other communities. When it was over, 48 of Californias 58 counties were declared disaster areas and damage totaled $1.8 billion.

Hoping to reduce the chances of a similar event, dam operators in recent weeks have been increasing water releases from some reservoirs, like Folsom, northeast of Sacramento, and Millerton, near Fresno, to create more space.

Its a delicate balancing act. Farms, cities and political leaders want as much water stored as possible. The public sometimes forgets the dams were built not just to store water, but also to reduce flooding, experts say.

You want to be able to reduce the flows downstream to allow time for evacuations or levee repairs, Lund said. You really dont want to lose control where you dont have any more room for storage. We dont want to kill anybody downstream. Thats the bottom line.

If the rest of the spring plays out well, moderate storms will come in, with dry spells in between, allowing reservoirs to gradually continue filling just as summer is starting and the risk of floods is ending.

In a perfect year, Lund said, you refill the reservoirs right at the very end of May.

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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak believes it is not practical to send UK fighter jets to Ukraine, despite being keen to boost support to Kyiv to avoid a lengthy stalemate in the countrys war, The Independent reported.

Downing Street said training Ukrainian forces on extremely sophisticated Typhoons and F-35s would take too long.

However, it does not oppose allies sending their own jets.

The UK prime minister told his cabinet a prolonged stalemate in the war in Ukraine would only benefit Russia and its president Vladimir Putin, according to No. 10.

Sunak said he wanted to seize an opportunity to accelerate UK support to give Ukraine the best chance of success and make the most of the window of opportunity where Russian forces were on the back foot.

The British PMs spokesperson said that we, working with allies, should accelerate our support to help maximize the opportunity we think there is this year to ensure Ukraine can make decisive gains in this ongoing conflict.

That does not include sending the advanced fighter jets Kyiv is calling for. Sunaks spokesperson said: The UKs Typhoon and F-35 fighter jets are extremely sophisticated and take months to learn how to fly. Given that, we believe it is not practical to send those jets into Ukraine.
shamshyan.com: Man found dead, car found on train tracks in Yerevan

Smart solution from AraratBank: electric car loans at an interest rate starting at 9%

Ameriabank CEO Artak Hanesyan sums up Triple Best campaign: We believe in potential of our team, Armenia

Armenia MOD: Soldier wounded by own weapon

Karabakh NSS deputy director, head of presidential Central Information Department are dismissed

Armenia official: I would call it search for certain security guarantees

Armenia, Russia FMs meet in Uzbekistan

GeoProMining Gold develops social cooperation with Ararat region

Armenia Security Council chief briefs OSCE Minsk Group US co-chair on Azerbaijan provocation near Tegh village

CIS FMs next meeting slated for October in Kyrgyzstan

Armenia Security Council secretary: International presence needed to resolve many security issues in Karabakh

Armenia ruling force lawmaker: PMs orders are mandatory for execution

Armenia police hand over Azerbaijani found in Kapan city area to National Security Service

Security Council head on CSTO: Not possible that Armenia be offered arms, ammunition help and it refuses

Armenia ruling force MP to Zakharova: If we hadn't fought, given casualties, Russia MFA could call as much as it wants

USD depreciating against several other major currencies

Armenia Security Council chief on Azerbaijan border stability: We expect Brussels to take appropriate steps

Armenia Security Council head: There were arrangements with Azerbaijan but most of them were broken

CIS FMs to hold meeting in Uzbekistan

Armenia Security Council chief: Azerbaijan is preparing for military escalation

Newspaper: Army General Staff chief admits that Tegh village incident was Armenian sides omission as well

Armenia MOD: Sanitary vehicle staff not hospitalized

shamshyan.com: Armenia MOD driver, 2 medical assistants hospitalized after truck, MOD sanitary vehicle collide

Brazil's president in China called for abandoning the dollar

Artsakh's Ombudsman expresses dissatisfaction to OSCE chairman for attitude of international community

Ararat Mirzoyan will go on a working visit to Uzbekistan

Police and demonstrators clash on the 12th day of demonstrations in France

Anahit Manasyan had a phone conversation with the Human Rights Ombudsman of Artsakh

he 12th protest against pension reform takes place in France

Russia MOD: No ceasefire violations recorded in Karabakh during last 24 hours

Lemkin Institute issues statement on Azerbaijan noncompliance with ICJ order to unblock Lachin corridor

MFA: Shushi is Artsakhs integral part in territorial, cultural, economic, historical aspects

An earthquake of magnitude 4.3 occurred in southeastern Turkey

Charles Michel explains his activeness in Armenia-Azerbaijan relations normalization process

Armenia PM to Bujar Osmani: This visit is good opportunity to get familiarized with complicated situation

South Korea bans its citizens from traveling to Armenia-Azerbaijan border region

Karabakh President convenes working consultation, security challenges discussed

OSCE Chairman-in-Office: I am here to find out if there is possibility to build bridges between Yerevan and Baku

Armenia PM chief of staff: Azerbaijanis are already in Yerevan, we have ensured their safety

Chairman-in-Office: OSCE toolkit provides mechanisms to assist peace process between Armenians and Azerbaijanis

Osmani: We are ready for any efforts to achieve positive dynamics between Azerbaijan and Armenia

Armenia FM: Replacing army with guards on Azerbaijan border should be part of final settlement

Armenia MFA: Rumors about OSCE Minsk Group activities termination are greatly exaggerated

168.am: Who is the Azerbaijani already rendered ineffective in Armenia? What does he say in video?

Armenia village youth tell how they caught Azerbaijani

Armenia Investigative Committee issues statement on murder of security guard, 56, in Syunik Province

Azerbaijani who crossed border into Armenia is caught by locals, found in Achanan village territory

2nd Azerbaijan soldier found, detained in Armenia

Armenian health minister: Wounded soldier in critical condition due to Azerbaijan provocation has stabilized

Which Armenia company is put on US sanctions list?

Premier: Armenia ready for reopening of transport links, delimitation of borders

Pashinyan: We are ready to withdraw troops to safe distance along Armenia-Azerbaijan 1991 border

Armenia to have trade attache in Germany

Azerbaijan MFA accuses France foreign ministry of smear campaign and unfair position

Armenia PM: It failed to deploy border guards without escalation of tension

Newly elected Armenia ombudsperson announces her priority objective in this capacity

Armenia deputy PM, US Deputy Secretary of Treasury acknowledge high level of cooperation between both countries

Newspaper: Karabakh soldiers who showed necessary resistance to Azerbaijan military are rewarded

Armenia FM, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office tete-a-tete kicks off (PHOTOS)

Armenia deputy PM, USAID official discuss opportunities for deepening cooperation

Mher Grigoryan, Todd Robinson exchange views on ongoing democratic reforms in Armenia

Armenia FM to Derek Hogan: Provocation near Tegh village was another manifestation of Azerbaijan aggressive policy

shamshyan.com: Murder in Armenias Syunik Province, 6 gunshot wounds found on body of security guard, 57

US State Department on Armenias Tegh village incident: Use of force to resolve disputes is unacceptable

MFA: France deeply concerned about violence that took place near Tegh village of Armenia

Legal entity from Armenia on list of those subject to US export restrictions

Russia MOD: 4 ceasefire violations recorded in Karabakh

EU monitoring mission in Armenia not present in the area when Azerbaijan attacked

Armenia National Security Service Border Guard Troops commander dismissed

Armenia MOD: Tegh village incident that led to undesirable consequences was due to deployment adjustment

Mayor of Frances Lyon expresses unconditional support to people of Karabakh

Pashinyan: Armenian side had recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan

Criminal proceedings launched into Armenia soldiers being killed, wounded by Azerbaijan near Tegh village

Chairman-in-Office: OSCE supports continuation of Armenia-Azerbaijan direct contacts

MFA: Russia asked Armenia to explain information about participating in joint military exercises with NATO

Zakharova does not disclose details of Russian, Turkish FMs talks on Armenia-Turkey relations

Russia MFA spox: CSTO mission deployment details can be talked about when Armenia is ready

Zakharova: Russia favors complete unblocking of Lachin corridor

Russia MFA: Other players engagement will lead to Armenia-Azerbaijan relations destabilization

EU calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to intensify border delimitation talks, until then to respect 1991 line
Employees of the Malatia bazaar in Yerevan have assembled today in the area of the marketplace and are staging a protest against the decision to close down the bazaar.

According to the decision of the head of the urban development, technical and fire safety inspectorate, the Rafayel-Tatev family marketplace, known to everyone as the Malatia bazaar, shall be closed as of today.

Earlier, the owner and director of this marketplace, Samvel Avetisyan, told Armenian News-NEWS.am that inspectors from the aforesaid inspectorate had inspected this bazaar last October, recorded 17 violations, but 12 of them had already been eliminated.

"All violations are related to fire safety," Avetisyan had added.

The employees of the Malatia bazaar were also surprised by this decision.
Vietnam's first female newspaper editor honoured by Google Doodle

Google Doodle today, February 1, celebrated Suong Nguyet Anh, the first female newspaper editor of the first womens newspaper in Vietnam.









In their introduction, Google Doodle wrote that "On this day in 1918, the first publication of Nu Gioi Chung (Women's Bell) was published  the newspaper where Nguyet Anh was editor in chief."



Nguyet Anh was born on March 8, 1864, in An Binh Dong village in Ben Tre Province. Her father, Nguyen Dinh Chieu, was a poet and teacher who taught her how to read and write in both Chinese and Chu Nom, a form of the Vietnamese alphabet that uses Chinese characters. Nguyet Anh started writing her own poetry. In honour of one of her most well-known poems centred around apricot blossoms, the Doodle artwork incorporates apricot blossoms and an apricot colour palette.



The next few decades were a tragic time for Nguyet Anh. Her father died when she was 24, and she and her brother took over his school to teach the locals. She then moved to Rach Mieu in My Tho City, married, and gave birth to a daughter. Two years later, her husband passed away.



She became the first female editor-in-chief in Vietnam when she started writing for the Nu Gioi Chung newspaper in Saigon under the pen name Suong Nguyet Anh, meaning Widowed Nguyet Anh. Many of the newspapers issues spoke about womens roles in Vietnamese culture and society.











A file photo of Suong Nguyet Anh



Suong Nguyet Anh is remembered for her bright mind and personality, as well as her resilience through adversity. She was a pioneer for women writers and editors in Vietnam and paved the way for generations to come. She had connections with people from all walks of life and treated everyone with respect. There are several streets named after Suong Nguyet Anh in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat and Vung Tau.
One of the three servicemen who sustained burns as a result of the fire at the accommodation of a platoon of a military unit has been transferred to the military hospital. Karine Babayan, the deputy director on medical affairs of the National Center of Burns and Dermatology of Armenia, told Armenian News-NEWS.am about this.

She noted that this serviceman's health condition was assessed as satisfactory.

Babayan added that the other two soldiers who sustained burns were in moderate condition.

Earlier, Armenian News-NEWS.am reported that at around 1:30am on January 19, a fire broke out in the accommodation of the engineering-sapper platoon of the military unit located in the territory of Azat village of Armenias Gegharkunik Province. Fifteen servicemen have died as a result of this fire, and seven others were injured. Four of them were discharged from the Vardenis town hospital after receiving medical treatment, whereas three others with severe burns were transported to National Center of Burns and Dermatology in the capital Yerevan.

Immediately after the incident, the commander of the 2nd Army Corps and seven other high-ranking military personnel were relieved of their positions.

A few hours after the incident, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the Cabinet meeting of the government that an officer had poured gasoline in the stove of the aforesaid accommodation. After which, when the fire had gotten to him, he had thrownwith a self-protective instinctthe 5-liter can of gasoline in his hand towards the accommodation, and this had caused the fire.

But later, the platoon commander told reporters that there was no gasoline in the accommodation, essentially refuting the PM. The Military Prosecutor also stated that it is not yet clear whether it was gasoline or diesel fuel.

Criminal proceedings have been launched into this incident along the lines of which there are two defendants: the head of the utility operation service of the aforesaid military unit, as well as the head of the rear of the military unit and the latters the deputy commander in charge of rear and utility operation service. They are in custody.
The Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) produced by the Boeing Corporation will help Ukraine hit important military targets currently beyond the reach of the AFU.

The United States is preparing a $2.2 billion military aid package for Ukraine that is expected to include longer-range missiles and other munitions and weapons for the first time, two sources in the Joe Biden administration told Reuters on Tuesday.

The announcement of the new security aid package is expected as early as this week, officials said. The package is also expected to include support equipment for the Patriot air defense system, high-precision ammunition and Javelin anti-tank missiles, the sources added.

According to one source, the delivery will probably be funded by $1.725 billion from a fund known as the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), which allows the Biden administration to order new weapons from manufacturers rather than taking them out of the Pentagon's existing inventory.

These funds will be used to purchase a new type of weapon - the land-based small diameter bomb (GLSDB), which has a range of 150 km. At the same time, Washington did not satisfy Kiev's request to supply ATACMS missiles with a range of 297 km.

The longer range of the GLSDB could allow Ukraine to hit important military targets that are currently out of range and help the AFU to continue counterattacks while making it difficult for the Russians to operate in their own rear.

GLSDB is jointly produced by Boeing Corporation and the Swedish company SAAB. The system consists of a GBU-39 small-diameter bomb (SDB) with an M26 rocket engine.

A description of the system published on the SAAB website says the GLSDB is controlled by the GPS global navigation system, is capable of eliminating some electronic interference, and can be used in all weather conditions and against armored vehicles.

The GBU-39 warhead is equipped with small folding wings that allow it to glide more than 100 km when dropped from an aircraft and hit targets up to 1 meter in diameter.

The White House declined to comment.
For a month now, the Azerbaijanis have not given an opportunity to repair the power line accident, director of ArtsakhEnergo company Andranik Khachatryan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

It has been more than 20 days since the breakdown of the only high-voltage (110 kV) overhead power line feeding Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) from Armenia.

The accident of the power transmission line entering Artsakh from Armenia took place on January 9, in the second half of the day, according to the data recorded by the relevant equipment of ArtsakhEnergo, in the Berdzor-Aghavno section, on the 30th km of the overhead line. That section is completely under the control of the Azerbaijanis; that is, even if the Lachin corridor is reopened, the Armenian specialists cannot approach the accident site without the permission of the Azerbaijanis.

If the Azerbaijanis allow the Armenian specialists to approach the area, it is possible to repair the damage within hours.

"It is difficult to say unequivocally whether the accident is technical or the result of a side intervention. Taking into account that the Azerbaijanis have not given us the opportunity to carry out accident repair works for almost a month, this gives reason to suspect that there was an artificial intervention. Moreover, the accident did not have serious consequences, and it can be restored within hours," Andranik Khachatryan, director of ArtsakhEnergo company, told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

According to Khachatryan, at the moment electricity is provided to Artsakh from the Sarsang hydropower plant, but its capacity limited, and if this situation persists, serious problems will arise.

"Given that today we do not receive electricity from Armenia and ensure our [electricity] consumption at the expense of local generating stations, and given the limited capacity to use the Sarsang reservoir, we have switched to scheduled plan outages. By calculating water reserves and our [electricity] consumption, we made a schedule of power outages. At first we switched off for two hours a day, then 4 hours, then 6 hours. It is not excluded that in the near future we will have to review the schedule of shutdowns again; it depends on the water reserves and the calculations of experts," said Khachatryan.

He emphasized that scheduled power outages have a negative impact on Artsakhs economy.

"In addition to scheduled power outages, we have disconnected the power supply of large companies, we have taken them out of the [power] grid altogether, due to the lightening of the load. Gradually, that impact will become more tangible," Khachatryan said.

In addition, during this period, Azerbaijan regularly stops the natural gas supply to Artsakh, and therefore the entire burden is placed on the electricity producing resources. Heating problems arise in schools, hospitals, and homes.

"This is having serious humanitarian consequences. When the full load falls on this system, major [power] accidents occur. In cold winter conditions, the workload increases almost 2.5-3 times. It turns out that, in addition to scheduled power outages, people do not have electricity again for some hours due to accidents caused by overloading of overhead lines," said Khachatryan.

Due to the limited resources of electricity, it is also very difficult to ensure the normal operation of Artsakhs hospitals, boarding facilities, elderly care and other such facilities. Alternative measures are taken to ensure minimum living conditions for socially vulnerable groups.
Azerbaijan has indirectly acknowledged the ongoing blockade of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and attempted to accuse the Russian peacekeepers of providing Artsakh with fuel.

Azerbaijan's pro-government newspaper Haqqin.az published the results of a "study," according to which an average of 9-15 vehicles transported fuel from Armenia to Artsakh capital Stepanakert a month before the start of the Azerbaijani "environmentalists" protest, whereas in January, virtually four times more58 vehicles transporting fuel.

"The indicated figures give grounds to assume that the fuel demand of the Karabakh separatists is met on the account of the contingent of the Russian peacekeepers, and to say that there are no fuel-related problems," the newspaper noted.

Thus, Azerbaijan has confirmed that the Lachin corridorwhich links Artsakh to Armeniais blocked, and the fuel can be delivered to Artsakh solely by the forces of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Artsakh.
Iran helped prevent larger attacks by Azerbaijan against Armenia in September 2022. Armenian deputy foreign minister Vahan Kostanyan said this in an interview with Al-Monitor news website.

According to him, Azerbaijan has three objectives: the ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh, to provoke large-scale military tension in the region, and to push the Armenian side to give an extraterritorial corridor

Iran is an important partner. The border with Iran is of utmost importance to us. We have two closed borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan, thus Iran and Georgia are our only gates to the outside world, Kostanyan

We had intelligence that larger attacks were being prepared by Azerbaijan when it attacked Armenia last September. Iranian actions and statements helped to stop a further deterioration of that situation, the Armenian deputy FM added.

Al-Monitor, in turn, notes that Israel uses Azerbaijan against Iran. But in a bid to draw Baku to its side, Iran supported Azerbaijan, at least rhetorically, at the start of the 2020 war, not reckoning just how far Russia would allow it to advance.

Azerbaijan, in turn, seizing on Russian preoccupation in Ukraine and Irans domestic unrest, will go for a bigger prize: a land and rail corridor that would link Azerbaijan via Armenias southernmost province Syunik to its largest exclave Nakhichevan and on to Turkey. It would separate Iran from Armenia, its sole Christian neighbor and a vital stepping stone to Western markets.
The Armenian army suffered quite a major defeat, and this had a great impact on the morale and psychological state. Armen Khachatryan, an MP of the ruling majority Civil Contract Faction of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia, told this to reporters today at the NA.

"Not only on the army, but on all of us. But everything must be done so that this situation, this pressure does not affect our progress and the army. I must also say that after the events of September, the morale and psychological state of the army did not decline, but on the contrary, it increased. I have seen that the morale and psychological state of the military is much better than in the 44-day [war in 2020]. The army is more confident in its strength than after the 44-day war," he said.

Asked whether the Armenian army is now ready to face the escalation of tension, he responded: "We need to make a light analysis: How much territory do we have? How much population do we have? What economic means and resources does Armenia have? What losses have we had? And, most importantly, with whom will the escalation take place? With Azerbaijan? With Turkey? Or other countries?"

He assured that the Armenian army is capable of fulfilling a number of tasks.

"But, of course, our forces will not be enough to engage in large-scale combat operations with the countries I mentioned; this is more than clear. For that, we need to have a unique professional army. We need to take 1-2 steps forward in this matter, so that we can withstand with these non-inexhaustible resources," emphasized Armen Khachatryan.
The measures aimed at mitigating the economic and social consequences of the ongoing Azerbaijani blockade of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) were presented during the consultation held today under the chairmanship of Artsakh Minister of State Ruben Vardanyan.

"We try to assist as much as possible so that jobs [in Artsakh] are maintained. Unfortunately, many have lost their jobs in this situation. Through the developed programs, we will try as much as possible to assist both businesses and the people who are in a more difficult social situation," said the state minister.

Grigori Martirosyan, the head of the working group for the development of the aforesaid measures and advisor to the Minister of State, informed that it is planned to implement four respective programs, two of which are economic and two are social.

Economic programs apply to the sectors most affected by the blockade and envision providing assistance to businesses and individual entrepreneurs of Artsakh. The objective of these programs is primarily to preserve jobs, to assist businesses in ensuring the payment of salaries or unemployment benefits, and to provide monthly assistance to individual entrepreneurs.

The first of the social programs applies to persons laid off from work between December 12, 2022 and February 1, 2023. If due to the crisis, businesses had to make layoffs, those laid off employees will be given financial assistance in the amount of the minimum salary for the month of January, and if the salary was less than that amount, then that amount. The other program applies to unemployed persons who were registered during the same period. They will be provided with a certain amount of financial assistance for each child.

Details of these programs will be publicized soon.

Also, the Minister of State ordered to calculate the amount of total damage suffered by the Artsakh economy as a result of the current blockade.

Urgent matters related to education, health care, and social spheres were also discussed during the consultation.
The fallen Armenian soldiers body, which was returned by Azerbaijan to Armenia on January 27, has been identified; he is Vahe Torosyan, who died during the September battles. The spokesperson of the Investigative Committee of Armenia, Gor Abrahamyan, informed about this to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

We reported earlier that on January 27, Azerbaijan returned to Armenia the body of a fallen Armenian soldier who had died in the direction of Nerkin Hand village of Armenias Syunik Province, on September 13-14, 2022.

After the September 2022 battles, three Armenian servicemen were considered missing, but now two still missing.

As a result of the Azerbaijani attack on September 13-14 of the year past, the number of casualties from the Armenian side is 225.
In 2022, an economic activity index of 14.2 percent was recorded in Armenia, and GDP per capita increased, from approximately $4,620 to $6,700-6,800, which means that Armenia ranks among countries such as Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Minister of economy Vahan Kerobyan told this to reporters today in the National Assembly of Armenia.

"We have to do so that the institutions operating in our country achieve progress and we can make our country a country with better infrastructure," he added.

And to the remark that the poverty level in Armenia continues to be very high amid double-digit economic growth, and asked how is it that the economy is growing, whereas people in the country are living worse, the economy minister said: "They don't live worse. People, on average, live far better than they did a year ago; economic growth shows just that. Considering also the inclusiveness in our economic growth, we can say that most people [in Armenia] are living better.

We can even get out of the double-digit unemployment state. Approximately 37,000 new legal entities were opened [in Armenia], of which 12,000 were CJSC or LLC. Those companies have hired people, created new value, which is expressed in economic activity. The vast majority of companies had unprecedented growth in turnover. For the first time, we have a turnover of one billion [US dollars] with three countries. Usually, it was only Russia and China, now our turnover with the United Arab Emirates has also exceeded one billion. Our trade with four other countriesGermany, Iran, USA, and Georgiahas exceeded $500 million.
Several dozen women protested Wednesday in front of the Office of the EU Delegation to Armenia, in support of the women and girls of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

A few days ago, the women of Artsakh sent an open letter to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and demanded that she contribute to the de-blockage Artsakh with her actions.

Araksya Grigoryan, one of the initiators of the peaceful demonstration, said that they join the mothers of Artsakh, have voiced their respective concerns and words, and will hand them to the head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin.

In the letter, Wiktorin is called upon to take steps to have Artsakh unblocked and to stop Azerbaijan's such terrorist act.

Also outside the EU office, bracelets with braided threads in several colors were distributed to the demonstrators, who voiced the demands of Artsakh mothers.

As the event organizers said, the white color symbolizes the purity of the invincible spirit, redthe victory, and purplethe Armenians recollection.

These bracelets were made by the children of Artsakh, and they are distributed to the Armenian youth as a symbol of unity.
Bulgaria on Wednesday began building a long-delayed gas connection with neighboring Serbia that will channel non-Russian gas to Belgrade and improve supply security in southeastern Europe, Reuters reported.

After Russia cut gas supplies to Europe, European countries are looking for alternative suppliers and are more actively pursuing energy cooperation.

A 170-kilometer pipeline from the Bulgarian city of Novi Iskar to Nis in Serbia is expected to be operational by the end of the year, Bulgarian Energy Minister Rossen Hristov said.

Bulgaria, which has been considering the project since 2012, plans to prepare a 62-kilometer section on its territory by the end of October. Serbia, which began construction last February, will also be ready by the fall, officials told the agency.

Currently, the only gas connection between the two countries transports Russian gas from the TurkStream pipeline to Serbia.

The new pipeline, funded in part by European Union aid, will give Serbia access to non-Russian supplies from the Southern Gas Corridor and liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in Greece and Turkey.

The pipeline, which would allow gas to flow in both directions, would diversify the routes linking Bulgaria to the European gas network.

Bulgaria, which was cut off from Russian gas imports last April, has opened a new gas interconnection with Greece, which currently receives 1 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas per year. Sofia has also concluded a long-term agreement with Turkey to import LNG.




A delegation from the Republic of Armenia (RA) attended a Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO PA) event in Moscow, and presented the situation around the Lachin corridor

Deputy speaker of the RA National Assembly (NA), chairman of the CSTO PA Political Affairs and International Cooperation Committee, head of the aforesaid Armenian delegation Hakob Arshakyan, chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security Andranik Kocharyan, and chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Eduard Aghajanyan attendedin Moscow in the Russian State Dumathe second meeting of the chairs of the committees (commissions) of the parliaments of the CSTO member countries.

Hakob Arshakyan presented his comments on the official wording of the relations of the CSTO PA with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic states.

"That wording is not acceptable for the Armenian side at the current stage, as Armenophobic steps are taken by the working bodies of these organizations, clear assessments are made in favor of Azerbaijan, including the armed attack against Armenia," said the RA NA deputy speaker.

"Azerbaijan, citing false environmental reasons, closed the Lachin corridor, which is the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia and the outside world. As a result of these actions, the 120,000-strong population of Nagorno-Karabakh, of which 30,000 are children, has found itself in a humanitarian crisis. 1,100 citizens, 270 of whom are minors, do not have the opportunity to return home due to the blocked road," Andranik Kocharyan, a member of the RA NA delegation to the CSTO PA, stated this during the consultation.

The NA delegate presented in detail the consequences of the created humanitarian crisis, and stated that by creating unbearable living conditions for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan is trying to force the Nagorno-Karabakh residents to leave their homes and native land.

Kocharyan emphasized that the Azerbaijani authorities intend to carry out another ethnic cleansing of Armenians, and the fact of the blockade of the Lachin corridor should be considered part of a large-scale and systematic policy implemented by Azerbaijan.

The Armenian MP considered the immediate intervention of the international community necessary regarding the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh that is intensifying day by day.

Regarding Armenia's respective expectations from the CSTO, Andranik Kocharyan first of all emphasized the need for a clear political assessment of the fact of Azerbaijan's aggression.
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson went to the United States, increasing pressure on Western leaders to deliver fighter jets to Ukraine, effectively entering into a dispute with current British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.



Earlier, Britain said it was inexpedient to provide Ukraine with British fighters, such as Typhoons and F-35s, while U.S. President Joe Biden ruled out sending F-16 fighters.



Downing Street stressed, however, that Johnson's visit to Washington to bolster support for Ukraine was not on behalf of the British government.



The former British prime minister, who has held talks with senior politicians lobbying for Ukraine, said President Vladimir Zelensky should be given all the equipment he needs.



"All I will say is that every time we have said it will be a mistake to give such and such an item of weaponry, we end up doing it and it ends up being the right thing for Ukraine. I remember being told it was the wrong idea to give them the anti-tank shoulder-launched missiles. Actually, they were indispensable and the United States  under Donald Trump  gave them the Javelins as well. They were indispensable in the battles to repel the Russian tanks. All Im saying is save time, save money, save lives. Give the Ukrainians what they need as fast as possible," Johnson said in an interview with Fox News.



We shall remind you that British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak considered it impractical to provide Ukraine with British fighter jets.
Armenian news - NEWS.am presents the daily digest of Armenian top news as of 01.02.2023.

KARABAKH IS IN BLOCKADE FOR 52 DAYS

Azerbaijani so-called protesters have been holding 120,000 residents of Nagorno-Karabakh under blockade for 52 days now.

120,000 people in Karabakh face a high risk of malnutrition and frostbite. At least 5,103 people have lost their jobs and sources of income because of the difficult economic situation.

Moreover, 550 citizens have no opportunity to undergo surgery because of the suspension of scheduled operations in all hospitals of Artsakh.

There are 7 children and 12 adults in intensive care departments.

Meanwhile, for a month now, the Azerbaijanis gave no opportunity to repair the power line accident that took place on January 9. That section is completely under the control of the Azerbaijanis.

Important explanations by the director of "#Artsakh Energo" company on electricity supply problems in #NagornoKarabakh due to #Azerbaijan-made cut off.

Sarsang reservoir water resources & electricity production decreasing, leading longer rolling blackouts.https://t.co/O9nQceYjIZ  Artak Beglaryan | #StopArtsakhBlockade (@Artak_Beglaryan) February 1, 2023

Besides, Azerbaijan regularly stops the natural gas supply to Artsakh. Heating problems arise in schools, hospitals, and homes.

PROSECUTION LAUNCHED OVER 15 SOLDIERS KILLED IN FIRE

An Armenian prosecutor on Wednesday decided to initiate a public criminal prosecution against the captain of a military unit, where fire had broken out.

A fire at a military base in Armenia killed 15 soldiers after they used gasoline for heating.

The prosecutor presented the facts, according to which, the captain violated the requirement established by the law on handling of automotive gasoline to light stoves.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan also fired Gen. Vagram Grigoryan, who was in charge of a group of forces in the region that includes the unit where the fire occurred.

UN ENDS PUBLIC HEARINGS ON ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN CASE

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) held public hearings between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Armenia pleaded with judges of the United Nations highest court to order Azerbaijan to break up a road blockade to Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh has been almost entirely cut off from the outside world, Lawrence Martin, a lawyer representing Armenia, told judges Monday. They have been  and they continue to be  deprived of access to food, medicine and all the other necessities of life. Without swift action by the court their lives are in danger.

#LawrenceMartin says #Karabakh #Armenians lives are at risk without International Court of Justice immediate actions

They have been deprived of access to food, medicine and all the other necessities of life, a lawyer told judges Monday.

______https://t.co/pkUFDUFVOU  Armenian News-NEWSam (@NEWSam_English) February 1, 2023

Armenias main legal representative to the court, Yeghishe Kirakosyan, told judges that Azerbaijan has effectively tuned the Lachin Corridor into a one-way street.

Ethnic Armenians may not enter Nagorno-Karabakh but they may leave, he said. Judges of the court, such blatant acts of ethnic cleansing have no place in (the) modern era.

The #UN is the last instance for Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians, said Yeghishe Kirakosyan, the representative of #Armenia for international legal affairs, at #UN International Court of Justice (ICJ) hearing on Armenia's claim against Azerbaijan.https://t.co/SrqrIBe42y  Armenian News-NEWSam (@NEWSam_English) February 1, 2023

The Azerbaijan government also has filed a request for the court to order a halt to Armenia laying landmines and to take all necessary steps to enable Azerbaijans demining efforts.

Armenian representative Yeghishe Kirakosyan rejected the allegation, saying his country only laid mines on its own territory as a defensive tactic to combat Azerbaijani aggression. He called Azerbaijans land mine claims yet another transparent attempt to deflect attention from its own wrongdoing.

The court will likely issue a legally binding ruling within weeks on the provisional measure requests by both countries.
Havas, Turkey's largest provider of ground handling services at airports, warned about the risks of servicing imported planes from Russian, Belarusian, Iranian airlines and businessman Roman Abramovich, it was stated in a letter from the head of Havas Mete Erna, sent to the counterparties on January 31. RBC obtained a copy of the letter and its authenticity was confirmed by three sources in the Russian airlines and an interlocutor close to the authorities.



Havas belongs to the leading operator of the Turkish airports - the company TAV Airports (it operates in 90 airports in 29 countries) and serves aircraft at the airports of Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, etc.



The list of planes attached to Erna's letter says service may be denied primarily to U.S.-manufactured Boeing aircraft, but also to several European Airbus jetliners. In all, more than 170 Russian airlines, seven Belarusian and four Iranian planes are on the list. The largest operator of these aircraft is Aeroflot, the list also includes airliners of cargo airlines AirBridgeCargo, Azur Air, I Fly, Pegas Fly, Pobeda, Russia, S7, Utair, Ural Airlines, Red Wings, Nordwind and Yamal, as well as Belarusian Belavia and Iranian Iran Air and Mahan Airlines. The letter also mentions business jets Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Gulfstream G650, which, according to the company, belong to Roman Abramovich. Abramovich has no planes in Turkey, his representative told RBC, without answering further questions.



RBC sent inquiries to the press services of the Ministry of Transport, Rosaviatsia, TAV Airports, Havas and the listed carriers.



The Havas list includes aircraft that are subject to restrictions imposed by the U.S. Department of Commerce back in the spring of 2022 in response to the start of Russia's military special operation in Ukraine. Now the provider is studying the legal aspects of the situation and asks the airlines to provide lists of aircraft whose production used no more than 25% of American parts and technology, follows from the letter.



It explains that the company has received information about warning letters sent to representatives of the Turkish aviation industry by the U.S. Department of Commerce, which say that decisions on a number of airlines to temporarily deny service due to "continuing violations of the EAR."



Havas has launched a due diligence review to assess risks to its business and stakeholders. "As a result, we may not be able to serve some or all of your flights. For these reasons, we ask for a list of aircraft operated by the airline that are built with less than 25 percent U.S.-origin technology... These are the only aircraft that we would be allowed to serve as long as it does not use technology of American origin," the letter says.



Earlier, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing sources, wrote that Washington is trying to put pressure on Ankara to stop flights to and from Turkey of American-made aircraft, which belong to foreign leasing companies, but are operated by Russian carriers and were re-registered in Russia last year. According to the newspaper, in December 2022, senior U.S. officials warned of the consequences if the Turkish structures would provide services to such Russian and Belarusian carriers: for example, refueling of aircraft and replacement of spare parts. Among the possible sanctions are fines, loss of export privileges, imprisonment and other measures. WSJ points out that this information was passed to the Turkish side by Assistant Secretary of Commerce Thea Roseman Kendler, who visited Ankara.



According to the airline analysis company Cirium, from October 1, 2022 to the end of January 2023, airlines from Russia and Belarus carried out more than 2,100 flights to Turkey using American Boeing. Among Russian carriers, Aeroflot, S7 Airlines, Pobeda, Red Wings and others fly there. Turkish Pegasus and Turkish Airlines also fly from Russia.



Within two weeks, Havas will discuss with Russian carriers how to solve the problem, says a source in one of the airlines on the list attached to the letter of Mete Erna



There is no doubt that Russian airlines will retain flights to Turkey and passengers will not be affected, the RBC interlocutor stresses. "There is no ban on flights to Turkey, there are alternative providers of ground handling services in this country, so there should be no problems with the flights," confirms a source in another airline that flies to Turkey.

It's impossible to stop international cooperation because of the decision of a number of states that imposed sanctions against the Russian air transport, as the aviation is "a global system of economic relations," the head of Rosaviatsia Alexander Neradko said in an interview with RBC, published on February 1. According to him, the interaction with the aviation authorities of friendly states, with international organizations working in the field of civil aviation continues. The closest partners the head of the department considers the countries that have not stopped direct flights in Russia, that is, it includes Turkey.
The Italian analytical periodical Osservatoria Balcani e Caucaso published an article entitled "Nagorno Karabakh, life under the blockade," which describes the dire situation in which the Armenians of Artsakh find themselves.



"The people of Nagorno Karabakh spent Christmas and New Year under blockade by Azerbaijan, a situation that has now lasted for almost two months. The only road that connects Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia, the so-called Lachin Corridor, has in fact been blocked since December 12 by demonstrators from Azerbaijani organisations, calling themselves environmentalists.



The humanitarian crisis affecting the 120,000 inhabitants of Nagorno Karabakh is by now apparent and continuously worsening: lack of baby food and essential medicines, empty shops, total lack of vegetables and fruit, periodic cuts in the supply of electricity and gas.



The Azerbaijani demonstrators blocked the road on the basis of environmental demands but in fact they are remote-controlled from Baku and their requests have entirely political connotations, including the request for the establishment of an Azerbaijani checkpoint in the Lachin Corridor, the appointment of representatives of Azerbaijani state bodies in Nagorno Karabakh, and so on.



The Lachin Corridor connects Stepanakert, the capital of Nagorno Karabakh, with the city of Goris in Armenia and, as enshrined in the Armenia-Russia-Azerbaijan trilateral declaration signed on November 9, 2020, is under the control of Russian peacekeepers. This road is the only one that connects Nagorno Karabakh with the outside world, a road through which all kinds of goods necessary for the life of the Armenian population are transported.



"There is no product, nothing. Do you know how many shops I have tried for a piece of cheese? My grandson asked for cheese, he was at home sick. Not to mention fruit and sweets. It's hard to get food, what are we going to do?, says Gayane Poghosyan, a resident of Stepanakert.



Tonya Muradyan, an employee of a grocery store, confirms that since the beginning of January there is almost no food left in the shop, only juices and alcohol. In Stepanakert, the number of closed shops has increased after the Christmas holidays, even though many were already closed at the end of 2022. Even those who enter the pharmacy often leave empty-handed," the Italian edition notes.



41 kindergartens and 56 preschool groups have been fully or partially closed since January 9 due to worsening food shortages under the blockade. 6,828 children can no longer attend kindergartens and creches, being deprived of adequate care, nutrition and education, the article stresses.



"In order to mitigate the alarming humanitarian crisis underway, the Parliament of Nagorno Karabakh has called on the civilised world to take concrete actions in the direction of opening the corridor or promoting an air bridge with Stepanakert.



Since the beginning of the blockade, many countries and international organisations have condemned Azerbaijan's actions and called for the blockade to be lifted. The issue was also discussed by the United Nations Security Council. The European Court of Human Rights has invited Azerbaijan to take all necessary and sufficient measures to lift the blockade. The matter will also soon be discussed at the United Nations International Court of Justice (The Hague) as part of the work of the Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination," writes Osservatoria Balcani e Caucaso.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic stated that the new gas pipeline, which will connect Serbia and Bulgaria, will allow receiving gas from Azerbaijan, TASS reported.



According to Vucic, Serbia will become a gas transit country for other Western Balkan countries thanks to the inter-system gas pipeline between Serbia and Bulgaria.



"As you know, we built our central gas pipeline 402 km long a year and a half ago, but we need additional volumes of gas, so the interconnector with Bulgaria is important to get gas from other sources...



Unlike much of Europe, Serbia is reindustrializing, not deindustrializing, so we will need more gas. This pipeline can bring 1.8 billion cubic meters of gas a year to Serbia, and it is bilateral... Thus, through our part of the gas pipeline, we will be able to supply other countries in the Western Balkans, we will be a transit country for them, just as Bulgaria is for us," Vucic said.



The Serbian President is currently in Bulgaria on an official visit, and he visited the construction site in Kostinbroda, not far from the capital Sofia, where on Wednesday the construction of the gas pipeline between Serbia and Bulgaria began.



The ceremony of launching the construction of the gas pipeline between Bulgaria and Serbia took place today. During the ceremony Ana Brnabic, Prime Minister of Serbia, has said that it will enable the country "to accept LNG from Greece, gas from Azerbaijan and any other sources".



The construction of the gas pipeline between Bulgaria and Serbia is expected to be completed by October 2023. The total cost of the project is 85.5 million euros, of which 25 million euros is a loan from the European Investment Bank, 49.6 million euros is non-refundable support from EU funds, 10.3 million euros is allocated from the Serbian budget and 600,000 euros is provided by Serbian Srbijagas. The capacity of the interconnector will be 1.8 billion cubic meters of gas per year.
Jerome Loughridge

Loughridge named CEO of Oklahoma State University Research Foundation

Media Contact: Mack Burke | Associate Director of Media Relations | 405-744-5540 | mack.burke_iv@okstate.edu

The Oklahoma State University Research Foundation (OSURF) has a new CEO.

Jerome Loughridge, senior vice president of system operations for OSU, will now head the nonprofit, which is focused on collaborative applications of new discovery and partnerships to bring OSU innovation to bear on the states economy.

The foundation connects university innovation with industry needs to help power the states economy. OSU President Kayse Shrum said the position will capitalize on and magnify the impact OSURF can have, particularly with the university strategy in place.

To become the nation's preeminent land-grant institution, we must bolster and enhance our connection to Oklahomas economy  including contributing new knowledge and cutting-edge innovation in close collaboration with firms and organizations in our state and our region, she said. Some of that will take the form of increased sponsored research, for which we have an opportunity to significantly increase our reach through competitive grants, including federal programs.

"Im grateful that Dr. Kenneth Sewell will continue to drive those efforts in his role as vice president for research. And some of that will take other forms  perhaps even new partnerships with industry. By dividing the functions of sponsored research and other forms of innovation, we believe we can multiply OSUs impact across the state of Oklahoma and beyond. Were excited about welcoming Jerome to this new role and how he will continue to elevate OSU research.

OSURF will now provide a home for Cowboy Technologies and other critical industry-facing functions as well as create a structure to house the universitys institutes, such as the Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Innovation, the Hamm Institute for American Energy at Oklahoma State University, and the new Human Performance and Nutrition Research Institute. Besides establishing a framework for the institutes, Loughridge will play a key role in connecting university innovation with industry.

We have an opportunity, given what our new strategy has to say about how we are committed to becoming the nations preeminent land-grant university, to increase our positive impact, Loughridge said. OSURF provides a nimble, creative and powerful organizational mechanism to directly impact Oklahoma.

The new role frees Sewell, OSU vice president for research, to focus on growing sponsored research opportunities, such as those secured through federal sources like the Department of Defense and National Science Foundation.

OSU faculty researchers have increased their expenditure of federal research dollars by 40% since 2015, growth that moved OSU into Carnegies top tier of research universities in 2018, Sewell said. With the increased federal investments contained in the CHIPS+Science Act recently signed into law, we are poised to win yet more federal grants to drive innovation and scientific breakthroughs. And it is critical we ensure this research excellence translates into economic impact via the private partnerships Jerome will lead at OSURF.

As a university with this caliber of research, we must allow the VPR to foster and aggressively find funding sources for projects, Shrum said. With Jerome and Dr. Sewell leading the two vital functions in concert, we can multiply what the university will accomplish.

Loughridge, a business sector veteran with public policy expertise, was responsible for developing the process that led to the creation of the university strategy unveiled last fall. Loughridges career spans more than two decades and includes key positions in higher education and executive positions within the energy sector and Wall Street private equity. He also served as the Oklahoma Secretary of Health and Mental Health. He holds a master's degree in public policy from Harvard University.
Tiny radioactive capsule found in Australia

The radioactive capsule was part of a gauge used to measure the density of iron ore feed from Rio Tinto's Gudai-Darri mine in Australia. File illustration: AFP

Australian authorities on Wednesday found a radioactive capsule that was lost in the vast Outback after nearly a week-long search along a 1,400-km stretch of highway, an emergency services official said.



The military was verifying the capsule and it would be taken to a secure facility in the city of Perth on Thursday, Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said in a news conference.



"Locating this object was a monumental challenge, the search groups have quite literally found the needle in the haystack," Dawson said.



The radioactive capsule was part of a gauge used to measure the density of iron ore feed from Rio Tinto's Gudai-Darri mine in the state's remote Kimberley region. The ore was being taken to a facility in the suburbs of Perth  a distance longer than the length of Great Britain.



Officials from Western Australia's emergency response department, defence authorities, radiation specialists and others have been combing the stretch of highway for the tiny capsule that was lost in transit more than two weeks ago.



Officials said the capsule apparently fell off a truck and landed on the side of the road, adding that it was unlikely there will be contamination in the area.



The silver capsule, 6 mm in diameter and 8 mm long, contains Caesium-137 which emits radiation equal to 10 X-rays per hour.



People had been told to stay at least five metres away from the capsule if they spot it as exposure could cause radiation burns or radiation sickness, though driving past it is believed to be relatively low risk, akin to taking an X-ray. (Reuters)
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Tuesday that the 15th amendment to the Constitution has strengthened the country's democracy and empowered people to choose public representatives without anyone grabbing of power illegally. Claiming that former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia had prepared a voters' list with 1.23 crore fake voters to hold a farcical election, Hasina said that the Election Commission (EC) has been constituted through a search committee following a law enacted by her government that has made it more transparent and accountable. The government has also given complete financial independence to the poll panel, she said. Speaking at the oath-taking ceremony of the newly-elected Mayor of Rangpur City Corporation (RCC) and its councillors, including those elected from the seats reserved for women, at her office in Dhaka, Hasina said: "Stability is prevailing in the country due to the introduction of the 15th amendment to the Constitution and continued democratic process for a long time. Now, no unelected person can capture state power illegally." The premier said that people's empowerment has become a matter of heart burning for a section of so-called intellectuals, as they can never come to power through people's vote, so they repeatedly try to hamper the democratic process. "Those who are never elected by the people and are afraid of facing the masses, have an inner burning due to this reason," she said. The Prime Minister said that the apex court had declared grabbing power by issuing martial law after violating the country's Constitution as illegal. Hasina also urged people to remember that the Awami League (AL) government is the only government in Bangladesh's history which handed over power peacefully after the completion of its 1999-2001 tenure. The Prime Minister said that her government is giving home to the homeless and landless people free of cost, following the footsteps of her father, late Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. "The Father of the Nation gave Independence to the country. None will remain homeless and landless in the Mujib's Bangla," she said. Hasina mentioned that the transparent ballot box system and preparing voters' list with photographs had been introduced in accordance with the proposal of the Awami League-led grand alliance in order to hold free and fair elections. On the occasion, the Prime Minister administered oath to the new RCC Mayor, Mostafizar Rahman Mostafa, while the newly-elected councillors were sworn-in by LGRD and Cooperatives Minister, Md Tazul Islam. Jatiya Party-backed candidate Mostafa won the mayoral race for the second consecutive term in the elections held on December 27, 2022. --IANS sumi/arm ( 437 Words) 2023-01-31-22:54:01 (IANS)
Commenting on Sri Lanka's debt restructuring process, visiting US Under-Secretary for Political Affairs, Victoria Nuland, complained on Wednesday that while India has made strong commitments for the cash-strapped island nation to unlock the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) $2.9 bailout package, what China has offered so far is not enough. The US Under-Secretary made this remark while on an official visit to Sri Lanka to mark the 75th anniversary of US-Sri Lanka relations. "India has made strong commitments that it will provide credible assurances that the IMF is looking for. What China has offered so far is not enough. We need to see credible and specific assurances that they will meet the IMF standards of debt relief," Nuland said, while responding to a question raised by journalists that India has given an assurance to the IMF on Sri Lanka's debt restructuring but China has failed to do so. "We all as major creditors of Sri Lanka had been working with the IMF. As the largest bilateral creditor of Sri Lanka, we are sad that China will provide credible and specific assurance regarding its readiness to join the rest of us in meeting IMF standards regarding debt restructuring. So we are increasingly seeing that all the rest of the Sri Lanka's creditors coming forward with their assurances. Now all eyes are on China to do the same," Nuland stressed. "We want to see the IMF agreement as quickly as possible. That's what Sri Lanka deserves, that's what Sri Lanka needs with the United States prepared to do its part while our Paris Club partners are also prepared to do their part," Nuland stated. Facing a crucial economic crisis, Sri Lanka is awaiting the IMF's four-year bail out of $2.9 billion but it requires assurances from the major creditors, including China, Japan and India. On January 20, India had formally informed the IMF of its assurance for Sri Lanka to get the bailout package. However, China's Export-Import Bank has offered only a two-year moratorium on its debt. Yet China's assurance is not sufficient for the IMF to release the much-needed bailout package for Sri Lanka. --IANS sfl/arm ( 373 Words) 2023-02-01-20:12:03 (IANS)
Just ahead of the Budget 2023 presentation by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, a Union Cabinet meeting was held in Parliament chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sitharaman will start her Budget speech at 11 AM, the last full Budget of the Modi government in its second term. Like the previous two Union Budgets, Union Budget 2023-24 will also be delivered in paperless form. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman along with ministers of state Pankaj Chaudhary and Bhagwat Karad and Finance Secretary TV Somanathan called on President Droupadi Murmu. As per established tradition, the Finance Minister met the President at the Rashtrapati Bhawan before heading to Parliament to present the Union Budget. This is the fifth budget presentation by Sitharaman. This year's Budget holds much significance as the country is scheduled to have the next Lok Sabha election in April-May 2024. The budget session of the Parliament began on Tuesday with the President's address, followed by tabling of the Economic Survey for 2022-23. The formal exercise to prepare the annual Budget for the next financial year (2023-24) commenced on October 10. The Economic Survey said India's GDP is expected to grow in the range of 6 to 6.8 per cent in the coming financial year 2023-24. This is in comparison to the estimated 7 per cent this fiscal and 8.7 per cent in 2021-22. The Economic Survey said that India's economic recovery from the Covid pandemic is complete and the economy is expected to grow in the range of 6 per cent to 6.8 per cent in the coming financial year 2023-24. This is in comparison to 7 per cent this fiscal and 8.7 per cent in 2021-22. (ANI)
New Delhi [India], February 1 (ANI/SRV): The Management Committee of SCMHRD completed the first phase of one of the biggest Management Conclave in the country, "Yashasvi". Yashasvi, as the name suggests, imbibes the spirit that one can triumph, not just despite but often through all odds. The three exhilarating days encompass a series of Leadership Talks and Panel Discussions wherein we see participation from C-Suite Level leaders having these discussions with the students to imbibe their knowledge and experience to the students for their experiential learning. The Theme for Yashasvi 2023 was "Avant Garde: Techceleration in the Business Era", which focussed on the rapid technological advancements businesses need to keep up with to sustain themselves. To meet the needs of a rapidly evolving marketplace, businesses should adopt new tools and technologies that are likely to construct a robust and adaptable organisation. There were various topics of discussion ranging from "Driving Consumer Engagement in the Digital Era", "Fintech: Advancements in Financial Services", "Evolution in Digital Landscape", "Empowering the next billion users of Fintech" to "How is Technology Changing Leadership?" The event was graced by the presence of eminent personalities from different industries, and a few prominent business leaders, including Praveen Iyer, CCO, Akasa Air, Vivek Seshadri, Director, Hitachi Payment Services Pvt. Ltd., Arnendu Bose, Managing Director, Accenture Strategy & Consulting, Coneenika Choudhuri, Chief of Staff, Progcap, Sandeep Dutta, CPO, Fractal Analytics, Rajeev Prakash, VP, Swiss Re, among many others. The event's highlight was the Panel Discussion on the topic "G20 summit and its Impact on India's business and economy" during the closing ceremony of Yashasvi 2023. The stage for the Panel Discussion was shared by Sanjay Khare, Vice President - Sustainability, Volkswagen India, Rakhi Aswal, CFO, Saxo Group India, Sandeep Deshpande, CFO, Jyoti International Foods Pvt. Ltd, and Madhavankutty G, Vice President & Group Chief Economist, Mannapuram Finance Limited. The discussion touched upon different tangents of the G20 initiative, from its resolve to desist from competitive devaluation, which leads to volatility and chaotic exchange rate movements, and how currency depreciation is adverse to the growth of Indian exports to aligning the G20 development plan with the 2030 Agenda and contemplate joint action. The successful completion of Yashasvi was supported by State Bank of India, Union Bank of India, Unibic, Ease My Trip, EdTimes, Prep lounge, Skilled Sapiens, Phoenix Global, Blur, Softspot plant-based cheese, JhaJi Store, Igniters club. Without their support, the event couldn't be a grand success. To conclude, Yashasvi 2023 enlightened the students with recent ongoings in the business technology world while keeping the Indian Economy in perspective. Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development takes immense pride in being a catalyst and being able to contribute to conducting knowledge-enriching sessions for the future of our country. To know more visit https://www.scmhrd.edu/ This story has been provided by SRV. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/SRV)
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 1 (ANI/BusinessWire India): For the first time Rela Hospital, a Multi-Specialty Quaternary Care Hospital, Chennai hosted the three-day Conference on Prediction and Management of Small for Size Syndrome in Living Donor Liver Transplantation (LDLT) and the 13th Edition of Master Class in Liver Disease (MCLD) in Chennai from January 27 to 29th 2023 at ITC Grand Chola, in Chennai. The conference was jointly organized by the International Liver Transplantation Society (ILTS), the International Living Donor Liver Transplantation Study Group (iLDLT), and The Liver Transplant Society of India (LTSI). Conference was graced by the presence of Prof Mohamed Rela, President, International Liver Transplantation Society and Chairman, Rela Hospital, Prof. Hiroto Egawa, President ILDLT Japan, Prof. Jan Lerut, Belgium, Prof. Jean Emond, USA Past President ILTS, Prof. Giuliano Testa, USA, Prof. Nigel Heaton, UK, Prof. Yaman Tokat, Turkey Council member-ILTS and Prof. Pierre Clavien, Switzerland The event focused on the newest research on the prediction and management of Small for Size Syndrome in LDLT and the proceedings will be used to generate practice guidelines manuscript for publication in Transplantation Journal. The session on "Debates in Liver Transplantation" was also organized at the MCLD 2023 conference. The multi-disciplinary sessions had a series of lectures and debates on a wide range of subjects in the current practice of liver transplantation. A workshop on robotic donor hepatectomy was held on 29th January, wherein two robotic living donor operations were demonstrated to the participants. For the Hepatologists. Anesthetists, Critical Care Clinicians, and Pediatric Hepatologists there were parallel break-out sessions and workshops. The faculty for the meeting included a galaxy of world-renowned experts from India and abroad. Professor Mohammed Rela, President, the International Liver Transplant Society and Chairman, Rela hospital, said - "It is an honor to be hosting the ILTS consensus meet in India this year. This is the first time such a gathering is happening in India. This groundbreaking event has brought together the liver transplant society heads from across the world along with more than 150 leading surgeons, hepatologists, Liver Anesthesia team, and researchers in the field of liver transplantation from across Asia and around the world sharing the latest advancements, research, and best practices in the field." He added - "This is a significant milestone for the medical community in Asia, as liver transplantation is a complex and life-saving procedure that requires specialized knowledge and expertise. By bringing together the best minds in the field, we hope to not only improve the care and outcomes for liver transplant patients but also to raise awareness and promote education on the topic." This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India)
New Delhi [India], February 1 (ANI/GPRC): The name Seron denotes a high-value brand in home furnishings and Agro products. Seron, in a way, is the culmination of years of hard work and expertise of the ECON Group with its specialization in infrastructure and projects, waste management solutions, global services, technical services and retail. ECON Retail & E-Commerce LLP, a company of the ECON Group is bringing the group's innovative approach to the spotlight through its new brand "Seron". One may wonder at the logic of the choice of home furnishings and Agro products, two segments that have little to do with each other. However, when one takes a global viewpoint, the choices can be understood. Home furnishings may not take center position in the consumer consciousness but are a very important part of our lives. The demand remains strong throughout the year. Home furnishings are vital to everyday lives. You must use bedsheets, pillow covers, carpets, curtains and upholstery materials. Commenting on the company, Shruti Gupta, the Managing Partner of the company says, "The quality and type of furnishings you choose for your home indicate your taste and aesthetic values. They are always present and surround you with their aura. Seron is always present and inspires you every day. The other segment carrying the Seron brand is Agro products comprised of quality basmati and non-basmati rice, groundnuts, wheat and pulses, to name a few. Again, these are vital for everyone.Agro products give you nourishment from within and do their work proving indispensable for health and life. Seron stands for wellbeing and a healthy life. "There is a world within us and outside us. Achieving harmony and balance is what keeps you contented. Seron achieves that happy balance in the choice of its products, its operations, its level of quality and the trust the name engenders in buyers across the country and the world", opines Arpit Gupta, Founding Partner. Seron makes no extravagant claims. The products speak for themselves. Buyers of home furnishing, for example, will want to touch and feel curtains, bedsheets and carpets before they decide, the color, design, pattern, fabric and quality shine through and convince buyers. In the same way, Agro products like rice, wheat and lentils vary in quality but when you use them and consume them you know the difference and will decide to stick with a particular brand if it proves to be satisfactory. The products do the talking and convincing. This story is provided by GPRC. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/GPRC)
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during her budget speech in Parliament, said that the central government aims to eliminate sickle cell anemia by 2047, and a mission will soon be launched in this regard. The mission will create awareness among the common people with universal screening of seven crore people in the age group of 0 to 40 years in the tribal areas and counselling through collaborative efforts of central ministries and state governments. Speaking on medical research, she said that facilities in select ICMR labs will be made available for research by public and private medical college faculty and private sector research and development teams for encouraging collaborative research and innovation. Dwelling on the subject of pharma innovation, the Finance Minister informed that a new programme to promote research and innovation in pharmaceuticals will be taken up through centres of excellence. She said that the government will also encourage industry to invest in research and development in specific priority areas. She also announced that 157 new nursing colleges will be set up across the country to give a boost to the health sector. The Finance Minister also announced that under PM Kaushal Vikaas Yoajna 4.0, industry partnership, and alignment of courses with the needs of the industry will be emphasised. The scheme will also cover new age courses for industry 4.0 like coding, AI, robotics, mechatronics IoT, 3D printing drones and other soft skills to skill the youth for international opportunities. 30 Skill India International Centres will be set up across different states for the purpose, said the Finance minister. Sitharaman also said that the Centre will recruit 38,000 teachers and support staff for the 740 model Eklavya Model Residential Schools serving 3.4 lakh tribal students. She also focussed on the training of teachers and said that teachers' training will be re-envisioned through innovative pedagogy, curriculum transaction, continuous professional development, dipstick survey and iCT implementation. (ANI)
Assyrian Archaeologist Tells of Her Trip to Northern Iraq

June Jako standing in front of the historic Nineveh Wall Credit. These are the words of Assyrian activist, archaeologist and executive member of the Assyrian Aid Society, June Jako, who recently returned from a visit to Nohadra-Northern Iraq.

Mrs Jako says she didn't go there as her official capacity, but her visit was a family and friends visit.

However, Mrs. Jako says, "I can't be in our homeland and not inspect our artefacts and the ancient city".

Mrs Jako talked about the social and economic situation of Assyrians living in Nohadra.

Mrs Jako, before leaving Australia, made contact with the Antiquities department in KRG and arranged for some visits with officials to discuss the Assyrian artefacts.

Mrs Jako accompanied a Master's degree archaeology candidate to Mosul to see the Wall of Nineveh.

"The European antiquities universities and missions have demanded that Iraqi officials issue a decree stopping the destruction of the wall by developers and put a stop at the building that is taking place in the vicinity of the wall". Mrs Jako said.

Already, many building projects around the area have been stopped.

Mrs Jako is planning to revisit the area to join an excavation mission in Northern Iraq.
At least 50 destinations will be selected and developed as a complete package of tourism, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced while presenting the Union Budget on Wednesday. "At least 50 destinations will be selected and developed as a complete package of tourism. These destinations will be selected through challenge mode using an integrated and innovative approach while the focus of development of tourism would be on domestic as well as foreign tourists," the minister told Parliament. The Finance Minister proposed to launch an app in which all the relevant aspects of the tourist destinations would be made available, in addition to aspects such as physical connectivity, virtual connectivity, tourist guides, high standards for food streets and tourists security, to enhance the tourist experience. To strengthen domestic tourism, the Budget further proposed that sector-specific skilling and entrepreneurship development will be dovetailed to achieve the objectives of the 'Dekho Apna Desh' initiative. "To encourage tourism in the border villages, tourism infrastructure and amenities will be facilitated under the Vibrant Villages Programme," she said. Speaking about the various tourism schemes, Sitharaman said "'Dekho Apna Desh' initiative was launched as an appeal by the Prime Minister to the middle class to prefer domestic tourism over international tourism while 'Swadesh Darshan Scheme' was launched for integrated development of theme-based tourist circuit." The minister also said that Unity Malls will be set up in states to promote and sell the state's own One District, One Product (ODOPs), Geographical Indication (GI) and other handicraft products. "States would be encouraged to set up such Unity Mall in the capital city or most prominent tourism centre or the financial capital and also provide space for ODOPs and GI products of other states as well," she added. In her Budget speech, she also underlined the potential of tourism to boost jobs and opportunities for the youth. "The country offers an immense attraction for domestic as well as foreign tourists. There is a large potential to be tapped into tourism. The sector holds huge opportunities for jobs and entrepreneurship for youth in particular. Promotion of tourism will be taken up on mission mode, with the active participation of states, the convergence of government programmes and public-private partnerships," the Finance Minister said while talking about the potential of tourism in India on the second day of the Budget session. The session which started on Tuesday with the customary speech of the President to both Houses of Parliament will take place in 27 sittings till April 6 with a month-long recess to examine the budget papers. The 259th Session (Budget) of the Rajya Sabha is likely to be concluded on April 6. In order to enable the Standing Committees to consider the Demands for Grants of Ministries and Departments and prepare their Reports, both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha will adjourn on February 13 to meet again on March 13. (ANI)
The government has proposed that 100 critical transport infrastructure projects, for last and first-mile connectivity identified in ports, coal, steel, fertilizer and food grain sectors. Presenting the Union Budget for 2023-24 in Parliament, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said these projects will be taken up on priority with an investment of Rs 75,000 crore, including Rs 15,000 crore from private sources. Sitharaman proposed hiking the capital expenditure outlay by 33 per cent to Rs 10 lakh crore for infrastructure development for 2023-24 and will be at 3.3 per cent of the GDP. Presenting the Budget for 2023-24, she said the newly established infrastructure finance secretariat will assist in attracting more private investment. She said that this will be almost three times the outlay in 2019-20. The 'Effective Capital Expenditure' of the Centre is budgeted at Rs 13.7 lakh crore, which will be 4.5 per cent of GDP. For civil aviation, the finance minister said that 50 additional airports, heliports, water aerodromes and advanced landing grounds will be revived for improving regional air connectivity. Further, as part of its green growth strategy, which is among the seven priorities of the Budget, Sitharaman said the government has been implementing many programmes for green fuel, green energy, green farming, green mobility, green buildings, and green equipment, and policies for efficient use of energy across various economic sectors. "These green growth efforts help in reducing carbon intensity of the economy and provides for largescale green job opportunities," the Finance Minister said. "India is moving forward firmly for the 'panchamrit' and net-zero carbon emission by 2070 to usher in green industrial and economic transition. This Budget builds on our focus on green growth," she said. Union Finance Minister announced that the government proposes to increase capital expenditure outlay by 33 per cent to Rs 10 lakh crore in 2023-24, which would be 3.3 per cent of the GDP. "(This overall outlay) would be 3.3 per cent of GDP, almost three times the outlay made in 2019-20. With the substantial increase, it is central to the government's efforts to enhance growth potential and job creation, the crowd in private investments and provides a cushion against global headwinds," Sitharaman said in her Budget speech. This year's budget is significant being the last full budget of the Narendra Modi government's second tenure as the general elections are scheduled for next year. Presenting the Union Budget in Parliament today, Finance Minister Sitharaman pegged the fiscal deficit target for 2023-24 at 5.9 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP). In 2022-23, the government pegged fiscal deficit at 6.4 per cent. The Finance Minister further said that the government intends to bring the fiscal deficit below 4.5 per cent of GDP by the financial year 2025-26. (ANI)
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced the launch of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 4.0 to skill lakhs of youth within the next three years. The scheme will emphasize on On-job training, industry partnership, and alignment of courses with needs of industry. She further highlighted that the scheme will also cover new age courses for Industry 4.0 like coding, AI, robotics, mechatronics, IOT, 3D printing, drones, and soft skills. Sitharama, in her Budget Speech in Parliament also proposed to set up 30 Skill India International Centres across different States to skill the youth for international opportunities. She said that in order to empower the youth and help the 'Amrit Peedhi' realize their dreams, the National Education Policy was formulated which focussed on skilling and adopted economic policies which facilitate job creation and support business opportunities. She further said that the digital ecosystem for skilling will be further expanded with the launch of a unified Skill India Digital platform. Elaborating on the platform, she said that it would enable demand based formal skilling, link with employers including MSMEs and facilitate access to entrepreneurship schemes. In the budget speech the Union finance Minister also focussed on the education sector and said that the Centre will recruit 38,800 teachers and support staff for the 740 model Eklavya Model Residential Schools serving 3.4 lakh tribal students. Sitharaman also said that the Centre will recruit 38,000 teachers and support staff for the 740 model Eklavya Model Residential Schools serving 3.4 lakh tribal students. She also focussed on the training of teachers and said that teachers' training will be reenvisioned through innovative pedagogy, curriculum transaction, continuous professional development dipstick survey and iCT implementation. (ANI)
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], February 1 (ANI/PNN): Yog Electro Process, a leading manufacturer of temperature measurement and control devices, is celebrating three years at its state-of-the-art facility in Chakan, India. The move, which took place on 01 Feb 2020, was made to support the company's growing business and improve customer service with increased production capacity and advanced product development capabilities. "We are proud to have been at our Chakan facility for three years now," said Annasaheb Kothe, Founder & Managing Director of Yog Electro Process. "The move has allowed us to better serve our customers with faster delivery times, improved product quality, and enhanced production capacity. Our facility, equipped with the latest technology and production systems, has enabled us to maintain our position as a top provider of innovative temperature measurement and control solutions." The Chakan facility, located at G68/8, Phase III, MIDC-Chakan, Pune -410501, houses the company's manufacturing, research and development, and sales and support operations and offers an enlarged NABL-accredited laboratory and a modern work environment for employees. The company has also developed a strong customer base, including reputed clients such as Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, Godrej, Whirlpool, NTPC, Apollo Tyres, Bharat Forge, Nuclear Power, Cummins India, ARAI, NCL, and Minda Group. "This anniversary marks a significant milestone for Yog Electro Process and underscores our commitment to offering the best products and services in the industry," added Annasaheb Kothe. For more information, visit the company's website at www.yogelectroprocess.com Contact: info@yogelectroprocess.com Founded in 1986, Yog Electro Process is a leading manufacturer of temperature measurement and control devices, including temperature thermocouples, RTDs, digital temperature indicators/controllers, recorders, transmitters, scanners, and heaters. The company prioritizes customer satisfaction and is dedicated to providing innovative temperature measurement and control solutions for various industries. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)
Welcoming Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's announcement of a grant of Rs 5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra Project in Karnataka, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said it will irrigate over 1 lakh hectares of land in the drought-hit and dry stretches in the central region of the poll-bound state. The Finance Minister in the Union Budget presented earlier on Wednesday declared the Upper Bhadra Scheme a national project. Bommai said: "The Upper Bhadra Project has been one of the important irrigation projects of the state and it will irrigate over one lakh hectares of land in drought-hit and dry land in central Karnataka." "Besides, it is also a drinking water project that will benefit lakhs of villages. The state had forwarded a proposal to the Union government to declare this project as a national project and I am happy that a grant of Rs 5,300 crore has been announced. This is the first national project among the several irrigation projects of the state," Bommai said. The Centre has also approved the detailed project report of the Kalasa Banduri Project of utilising water from the Mahadayi river. The Kalasa Banduri Project is expected to end drinking water woes in the northern Karnataka region, but successive governments have kept the project on the backburner. According to political analysts, with the announcement on the Upper Bhadra Project, the ruling BJP will manage to impress the voters in both north and central Karnataka. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had assured the implementation of the project during his recent visit to Belagavi. The announcement assumes significance as elections are scheduled to be held in two months in Karnataka. The regions are considered as the bastions of the BJP. --IANS mka/prw/bg ( 298 Words) 2023-02-01-19:32:03 (IANS)
"The record allocation of Rs 13 lakh crore in infrastructure will hugely boost the economy," he said.

According to Sarma, the budget will help create new job opportunities.

Sarma has thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for nearly doubling the allocation of funds under PM-DevINE to revitalise infrastructure growth in the northeast.

He said: "The Amrit Dharohar scheme will ensure optimal use of wetlands in our region. Glad that the budget focused on tribal & indigenous communities with schemes like PM-PVTG for last mile development."

The Chief Minister further said the budget as a whole has been truly inspired by Narendra Modi's clarion call of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' and will have a net positive impact on all sections of society.

He tweeted: "Under PM @narendramodi ji's leadership, Bharat has witnessed transformational socio-economic and spiritual changes. Per Capita Income has more than doubled since 2014 and India is one of the fastest growing economies in 2023."

--IANS tdr/pgh

( 189 Words)

2023-02-01-19:44:03 (IANS)
The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry's (FICCI) northeast chapter on Wednesday suggested a Gujarat's GIFT City-like industrial zone in the region to attract business and investment from the neighbouring countries. FICCI Northeast Advisory Council Chairman Ranjit Barthakur suggested that the government can consider establishing a similar model of GIFT City in the northeast with the goal of attracting business and investment from Southeast Asian countries, including the ASEAN region. "This would give a major boost to India's Act East Policy," he said. He also applauded the government's decision to extend Rs 20 lakh crore in agriculture credit, target sectors like animal husbandry, dairy, and fisheries, and launch initiatives like the Horticulture Clean Plant Programme to increase the production of high-value crops. "This will provide a much-needed boost to the livelihoods of farmers in the region and help ensure food security for the country," Barthakur told the media. Praising the allocation for the Amrit Dharohar scheme, he said: "Preserving our biodiversity is extremely important and wetlands are a major component of our biodiversity particularly in the northeast. These efforts will help in achieving the net zero target and also facilitate more green job creations in the long run." The FICCI Northeast Advisory Council has lauded the Union Budget 2023-24 as a forward-thinking budget that prioritises inclusive growth. "The Budget takes a comprehensive approach to development, and the proposed investments in key areas like infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, education, manufacturing, and digitalisation are a positive step forward," said Barthakur. The budget's focus on improving infrastructure, including roads, railways, ports, airports, and urban transport, is expected to drive job creation and enhance connectivity in the northeast region. According to Barthakur, the 33.4 per cent increase in the capital investment outlay is particularly noteworthy. "This will be a major boost to the economy nationwide, but particularly in the northeast where we see a significant emphasis on infrastructure. We are confident that these investments will lead to a significant improvement in the quality of life for the people in the region." Welcoming the green initiatives outlined in the budget, Barthakur said that the government's commitment to sustainable growth and reducing carbon emissions is commendable. The increased allocation for the National Clean Energy Fund and tax incentives for electric vehicles are important steps in supporting the growth of renewable energy and promoting clean technologies," he said. "Improved access to healthcare services will have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of the people in the northeast region, and this is a key priority for the FICCI Northeast Advisory Council," said Barthakur. --IANS sc/vd ( 446 Words) 2023-02-01-21:06:03 (IANS)
Assam Congress Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi termed the budget presented by the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as a good budget. Speaking to reporters here, he said: "BJP has prepared this budget with an eye on the Lok Sabha election. But I should say this is a good budget as the Central government tried to provide some relief to the middle-class by slashing the income tax slabs. People were overburdened with the high taxes and the Centre has tried to address that issue in this budget." The Congress MP also praised the union budget for giving emphasis on combating climate change and termed it to be a futuristic step. "The Union budget has some good provisions to deal with the environment issue by aiming to achieve zero carbon emission. That is why I called this budget futuristic. This is a good initiative which may benefit not only India but also the whole world," he said. However, Bordoloi criticised the Central government for having a higher fiscal deficit in the budget. He said: "A fiscal deficit of 5.9 per cent is quite high and although the government claimed that it would try to bring it down, they have not shown any proper direction into it." The Congress leader also claimed that the union budget has ignored the development of the northeastern region. "The unemployment has been on the rise in this region, but the union budget has nothing for the youths here," he said. --IANS tdr/pgh ( 255 Words) 2023-02-01-22:18:04 (IANS)
Ezra Miller, the star of 'The Flash,' seemed to be finished with the DC Universe after a turbulent year marked by many arrests and public meltdowns. However, after 'The Flash' stand-alone debuts on June 16, according to recently appointed DC co-head Peter Safran, the door is open for potential collaborations with Miller! According to Variety, a US-based media house, Safran said that "Ezra is completely committed to their recovery." Safran added, "And we are fully supportive of that journey that they're on right now. When the time is right, when they feel like they're ready to have the discussion, we'll all figure out what the best path forward is. But right now, they are completely focused on their recovery. And in our conversations with them over the last couple of months, it feels like they're making enormous progress." Variety reports that Ezra Miller began treatment for a previously undiagnosed mental health condition. Phase 1 of the DC reset, which will begin with a 'Superman' movie in 2025, was outlined by Safran and DC co-head James Gunn. For that project, neither a director nor an actor has yet been selected. "I will say here that 'Flash' is probably one of the greatest superhero movies ever made," James Gunn said. According to Variety, Miller's erratic behaviour during the Covid pandemic started to worry studio officials and fans, but Safran and Gunn's passion for 'The Flash' in particular is encouraging. The movie is set to release on June 16, 2023. It was previously slated for June 23, 2023. Apart from Miller, 'The Flash' also stars Michael Keaton, back as Batman for the first time since 1992, as well as Ben Affleck, also playing a version of Batman. It will also introduce Sasha Calle as Supergirl, reported The Hollywood Reporter. The film is rumoured to see Miller's Barry Allen travel back in time to save his mother's life, resulting in some major unintended consequences. (ANI)
A day after the trailer launch of 'Shiv Shastri Balboa', the movie's lead stars Anupam Kher and Neena Gupta, who had a successful film run in 2022, spoke about the pressure regarding the fate of their films coming out this year. Speaking to ANI on the subject, Anupam said, "I think I can speak for both of us. We're not that type of actors who became an actor by mistake or chance. We have spent our life on this, we have gone to training school. Yes, we want films to work so we get opportunities to work in more films like this." "However, even if it doesn't happen work, life doesn't stop, we will work even harder," he added. In 2022, both Anupam and Neena starrer films received loved from the critics and audiences. While Neena was seen in 'Uunchai', 'Goodbye' and 'Vadh', Anupam gave a solid performance in the massively successful 'The Kashmir Files'. Now, both actors are set to share the screen in the upcoming family entertainer 'Shiv Shastri Balboa'. When asked about their experience of working with each other, Neena said, "Since we have already known each other, so there was no hesitation in working, it was very easy." Adding to this Anupam said, "In theatre, we have a trust exercise for which we put a cloth on an actor's eyes and then they are pushed. The actor trusts his co-actors that they will catch him. So, it's the same here. I have the trust that whatever I will do in response to that I will also get the same talent and sincerity. So, I feel this with Neena and I hope she also feels the same." The plot of the actor's new film revolves around its central character Shiv Shastri, a retiree from India and a big fan of the movie Rocky. He moves to the USA and ends up on an unexpected road trip with Neena's character through the American heartland which teaches that it's never too old to reinvent yourself. In the trailer, Anupam is introduced not as a boxer but as someone who trained boxers, who went on to win gold medals. After meeting his son in the USA and realizing that his grandchild has no clue about Rocky, he feels bad. As events transpire, Anupam meets Neena Gupta's character who wants to travel to India as she hasn't been home in eight years. Talking about his new film Anupam said, "It is a story of two people whose lives are going through major ups and downs and they are unaware of it. But they work together. There's a famous Hollywood crime film named 'Bonnie and Clyde' and though our characters are not that but they still become Bonnie and Clyde." Helmed by Ajayan Venugopalan, 'Shiv Shastri Balboa' also stars Jugal Hansraj, Neena Gupta, Nargis Fakhri and Sharib Hashmi in pivotal roles. It is set to hit the theatres on February 10, 2023. (ANI)
In early January, the first four batches of the vaccine produced in 2022 were tested and met the quality requirements, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported, citing the vaccine producer company AVAC Vietnam.

The pilot injection of 600,544 pigs was conducted at 545 farms, and 5,958 samples were taken for testing. The results showed that 93.34 per cent of the samples met the technical requirements, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the VNA report.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien requested the vaccine producer to continue evaluating the immunity level of the vaccine after injection, and give strict guidelines and recommendations for livestock farmers.

He asked relevant units to have detailed technical reports on the administering process of 600,000 doses of the vaccine, so that the ministry can make accurate assessments before it is to be used on a large scale, VNA reported.

ASF is an infectious swine disease that first appeared in Africa in 1921 with a mortality rate of up to 100 percent.

In 2022, the country reported nearly 1,200 ASF outbreaks in 52 cities and provinces, leading to the culling of nearly 55,000 pigs.

--IANS int/sha

( 226 Words)

2023-02-01-19:58:04 (IANS)
Former Chief of RSS' Goa unit Subhash Velingkar said on Tuesday that the remarks of Union Home Minister Amit Shah about Mhadei dispute "is a fact" and the state government "is fooling people over the issue". "Amit Shah cannot lie. The Goa government is involved in it. The person who is on a responsible chair will not make irresponsible statements. Hence, whatever Amit Shah has said is serious and true," Velingkar said while reacting to Shah's remark after the Central Water Commission's approval to Karnataka's Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the disputed Kalsa-Banduri dam. "Amit Shah has said the truth. The Goa BJP government is a traditional liar. They want to fool the people," he said. Velingkar said that all 40 MLAs and MPs should have resigned and create a constitutional crisis. "But they don't want to do it. Because they (Goa BJP) want to fool the people all the time." Shah, during a rally in Karnataka's Belagavi on Saturday, said: "Sonia Gandhi during a speech in Goa in the year 2007 said that the Congress government will not allow Mhadei water diversion to Karnataka. In 2022, Congress in their manifesto stated that Karnataka will not get a single drop of water from Mhadei. Today, I am here to tell you that the BJP at the Centre has resolved the long dispute between Goa and Karnataka over Mhadei and allowed the diversion of Mhadei to Karnataka to satisfy the thirst of farmers of many districts." --IANS sbk/sha ( 260 Words) 2023-01-31-20:44:07 (IANS)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday indirectly described leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari as a beneficiary of teacher's recruitment scam in West Bengal when the latter was with Trinamool Congress and also a minister in the state Cabinet. Banerjee, however, did not name Adhikari at the administrative review meeting in Malda on Tuesday. "A traitor who was also a dacoit was responsible for it when he was special observer for Purulia district. He used the quota for Purulia in filling up his own pocket. I will request the court to take note of this matter. I am happy that the traitor-cum-dacoit has quit my party," she said. When Adhikari was the state Transport Minister, he was also the special observer of Trinamool Congress for Purulia district. At the same time, Banerjee also said that if anyone in her party is found guilty of involvement in the scam, the party leadership will not take his or her responsibility. Reacting to her comments, BJP's national Vice President and Lok Sabha MP Dilip Ghosh said that whenever anyone quits Trinamool, he becomes a traitor or a dacoit for the Chief Minister. "Those same people were clean when they were with her. What sort of politics is this," Ghosh questioned. Meanwhile, speaking at the administrative review meeting, the Chief Minister again complained against the Union government for unnecessarily 'harassing' the state government by using central field inspection teams to review the implementation of different Centrally-sponsored schemes in the state. "This is nothing but unnecessary harassment. First the Union government should clear the huge Central dues to the tune of over Rs 1,00,000 crore. This is not economics. This is narrow politics," Banerjee said. --IANS src/arm ( 297 Words) 2023-01-31-20:48:03 (IANS)
Officials said that Hurrepal Panchayat Janatana Sarkar President Raju Lekam, a resident of district Bijapur surrendered before police after being fed up with the ideology of the Maoist organization.

He surrendered under "Lon Varratu" (Come back home campaign) which is a rehabilitation plan of the Chhattisgarh government.

"He surrendered in front of the Police after expressing his desire to join the mainstream society and lead a normal life," they said.

Surrendered Maoist Raju Lekam was involved in a total of nine cases of violence, arson, murder, and attacks on police, since 2008, officials said.

Offcials said that in various villages of the Dantewada district "Lon Varratu" (Come Back Home) campaign is being run by Chhattisgarh Police.

Considerably, the "Lon Varratu" (Come Back Home Campaign) was started in the year 2020, after which, a total of 592 Maoists, including 150 prized Maoists, have surrendered and joined the mainstream of society.

Under the Naxalite eradication campaign being run in the district of Chhattisgarh's Dantewada, the names of active Maoists are pasted in police stations, camps and village panchayats for them to surrender and lead a dignified life. (ANI)
Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia has approved a project worth Rs 17.5 crores for the decoration and strengthening of Mathura Road, Bhairon Marg and Ring Road around ITPO Complex. The project is also part of preparations for the G-20 conventions to be held in the state this year. Under this project, the beautification and strengthening of 5.8 km road from W-Point to Delhi Public School on Mathura Road, from IP flyover to Bhairon Marg T-Point on Bhairon Marg and Ring Road will be done. The project includes resurfacing these roads, decorating of footpath and central verge and improvement of the existing drainage system. Along with this, the greenery on either side of the road will also be ensured." The Deputy Chief Minister has instructed the PWD officials to complete all the work related to the project by March. He also instructed them to ensure that the common people should not face any problems during the construction work and that the standards of safety-security and quality should be followed with commitment. "It is a matter of great pride and honour that G20 conventions are being hosted in Delhi. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, we are working in mission mode to improve the roads of Delhi to provide a better commuting experience to the people of Delhi and in view of the preparations for G-20," said Manish Sisodia. The PWD Minister said that the Delhi government is determined to ensure safe and beautiful roads for commuters in Delhi. It is the vision of the government to provide world-class roads and a pleasant commuting experience to the people of Delhi. To ensure this PWD is using advanced technologies to strengthen the roads of the national capital. This will not only reduce congestion on city roads but also help reduce travel time for commuters and save energy. "Strengthening and decoration work on these two stretches includes maintenance and upkeep of pavements, central verges and service lanes of the entire road stretch, including other allied works such as lane marking, white-washing of parapet walls, painting of kerbstones and railings, etc. Along with this to ensure that no inconvenience is caused to the commuters, all the standards of safety and security will be followed during the construction of roads" he added. (ANI)
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has called for an Action Taken Report (ATR) from various authorities of the State of Rajasthan on a plea raising the issue of apprehended damage to the environment by the proposed activities during 'Maru Mahotsav' in the first week of February. The matter has been listed on February 3, 2023, for further consideration. The bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goyal called for an ATR from various authorities and also issued notice to the project proponent - Principal Secretary, Tourism, Rajasthan by email. The present application has been moved by Tapeshwar Singh Bhati, a resident of Kota Rajasthan. The grievance in this application is against apprehended damage to the environment by proposed activities during 'Maru Mahotsav 2023' at Jaisalmer from February 2 to 5, 2023. The bench said, " To further consider the above issues, we call for a factual and action is taken report in the matter from PCCF Wildlife, Rajasthan, Chairman, State PCB, and District Magistrate, Jaisalmer by February 3, 2023, by e-mail. The bench said that the Chairman, of PCB, will be the nodal agency for compliance. The authorities may take such action in the matter as is necessary to comply with the Rule of Law and for the protection of wildlife and environment and the Desert National Park without waiting for further orders also, the bench directed. The District Magistrate, Jaisalmer may remain present in person through video conferencing, the bench said. The applicant has stated that on February 4-5, 2023 after sunset, a cultural program is to be held which will involve fireworks, laser beams, and sound systems at high volume. Ten to fifteen thousand persons are likely to attend. The program is to be held at Sum and Khuhdi Dunes near Jaisalmer, close to the Desert National Park (DNP), Jaisalmer, and 200-400 meters from the bird sanctuary with the endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB), (also known as Godawan). The proposed activities will adversely affect the wildlife, the bird sanctuary, and the environment, the applicant stated. It is also stated that the Deputy Conservator of Forest, Wildlife Forest has also expressed concern about the above issue but the Tourism Department of Rajasthan is going ahead with the same in violation of provisions of the Wildlife Act, 1972. The applicant has also annexed a copy of a letter dated January 12, 2023, addressed to the Collector, Jaisalmer by the Deputy Conservator of Forest, Wildlife Forest, Jaisalmer recommending that fireworks, laser shows,s and sound activities in the area should be avoided. The bench observed, " From the above, we are satisfied that substantial question of environment arises which may call for the intervention of this Tribunal under Section 15 of the NGT Act, 2010." Apart from disturbance to the wildlife and the ecosystem of dunes by fireworks, laser shows, and high-volume sound to which objection has been raised by the wildlife department, adequacy of sanitation and hygiene is to be ascertained when such a large gathering will assemble, the bench further observed. Further issue of the adverse impact of unregulated use of Vehicles and consequent generation of dust and smoke and impact on camels has also to be looked into, the bench said. (ANI)
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) National General Secretary Nara Lokesh on Tuesday accused the ruling YSRCP of not working for the development of the state and indulging in land grab. "The ruling party leaders here are more interested in grabbing land and illegal mining than developing their area," said the national general secretary of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Nara Lokesh. As part of his ongoing pada yatra 'Yuva Galam', Nara Lokesh reached Kasturi Nagaram where he had a chat with the locals. The people from the area said that there are no proper roads and drainage facilities for them. Responding to them, the minister said that the local ruling party leaders are part of the sand mafia and illegal mining rather than focussing on the local issues. Though the youth is migrating to other states in search of employment, the local MLAs and the party leaders are more interested in minting money, he remarked. He promised them once the TDP is back in the government all necessary steps will be taken to resolve their issues. Later, when Nara Lokesh met the local women labour at Devathoti of Byreddy Mandal, they complained that the steep hike in the prices of essential commodities and cooking gas is causing a huge burden on their daily life. "Making both ends meet is becoming burdensome for us with the daily wages and the State Government did not heed our appeal for hose-sites," they said. The minister promised that once the TDP is back, the tax burden on them will be relieved and houses will be built for all the poor families. Later, he also chaired a meeting organised by the Kuruba community at Byreddypalli where the participants said that the real independence for the Backward Classes (BCs) has come only in 1983 after the TDP came to power in the State. It is the TDP that created reservations for BCs in local bodies and a separate welfare corporation was formed for Kurubas, they said. Nara Lokesh said that loans to the extent of Rs 10 lakh each with a 90 per cent subsidy were extended to Kurubas during the TDP regime and Mini-Gokulams was also built during that time. But after Jagan Mohan Reddy has become the Chief Minister, he is doing great injustice to them, he said, adding that by reducing the percentage of reservations Kurubas suffered more than any other community. Observing that loans are not sanctioned for Kurubas after the YSRCP came to power, the TDP general secretary said that the BC Welfare Minister himself has admitted that the reservations for BCs were reduced. "Do we need to take Jagan as an example for imposing taxes on the garbage and for increasing prices of essentials and revising RTC charges," he asked. Making it clear that he will not make any false promises, Nara Lokesh promised that soon after the TDP is back in power, the Kanaka Das Jayanthi will be observed as a state festival with government expenditure. He also promised to sanction funds for the Beerappa temple. (ANI)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday attacked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar saying that he should stop making the people of Bihar "suffer" due to his governance. Talking to ANI, the BJP leader said, "Bihar CM Nitish Kumar used to say that I will die but not form a coalition with Tejashwi Yadav. He must stop making the people of Bihar suffer due to his governance." "The people of Bihar have decided to vote for BJP, and riding on that we will win the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and 2025 Vidhan Sabha elections by big margins," he added. Earlier on Sunday, BJP MP Sushil Modi said that there will be "no coalition" with Janata Dal (United) in the future as Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has become a "liability" now. Talking to reporters here on Sunday, the former Bihar Deputy CM said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji, Home Minister Amit Shah and all senior leaders have made it very clear that there will be no coalition with Nitish Kumar or JDU in the future." "The person not just betrayed BJP, he also betrayed the mandate of the people and PM Modi," he added. Sushil Modi said that Nitish Kumar has become a "liability" and his vote-attracting capability has ended. "Coalition happens with those who have power, but Nitish Kumar has become a "liability" now. His ability to transfer votes has ended. He was able to win 44 seats in the last Assembly elections, just because PM Modi campaigned for him, or else he would not have even won 15 seats," he said while elaborating that Nitish Kumar's charisma to attract votes has ended and the BJP will contest alone on PM Modi's popularity. The BJP leader further said that BJP is happy that it will now be able to contest elections on its own potential. "Nitish Kumar is powerless now. Whether in BJP or in RJD, he will no longer be able to attract votes. We are happy that he has left the coalition, and now we can contest the upcoming Assembly elections in 2025 on our own and will come to power," he added. Back in August last year, Nitish Kumar ended his alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led (BJP) National Democratic Alliance. Nitish Kumar joined hands with Tejashwi Yadav under 'Mahagathbandhan' (Grand Alliance) after quitting his former alliance partner BJP and became the chief minister of Bihar for the eighth time. JD-U and BJP had fought the 2020 assembly polls together and Nitish Kumar was made the chief minister of the alliance though the BJP had won more seats. Nitish Kumar's ties with BJP stretched over two decades and he was a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 1996. (ANI)
According to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, this meet would help meet the energy needs, boosting growth and industrialisation.

"Big step towards power availability and revenue. In Ghatampur Thermal Project, Assam gets 20 per cent equity and 297 MW of power. Will help in meeting energy needs, boosting growth and industrialisation," tweeted the Assam CM. (ANI)
"As per the NCRB report, the law-and-order situation of Rajasthan is much better than the BJP-ruled states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand," Khachariyawas told reporters on Tuesday.

Invoking the Gujarat paper leak case, he questioned why the case has not been transferred to the CBI yet.

"Why is the BJP not demanding a CBI probe into the Gujarat paper leak case?" asked Khachariyawas.

The BJP-ruled Gujarat government had cancelled the competitive exam for recruitment of panchayat junior clerks, hours before it was scheduled to be held, owing to the paper leak, said officials.

Further hitting out at the BJP, he claimed the party did not support its own MP Kirodi Lal Meena demand for raising a paper leak incident in Rajasthan on the floor of the Parliament.

Meena had accused some sitting Rajasthan legislators of being involved in the state Public Service Commission (RPSC) paper leak case.

"Those involved in paper leaks have been arrested. We have taken strict action. We respect Kirodi Lal Meena, unlike the BJP. BJP leaders are scared of him, which is why they are not backing him on raising the paper leak issue in Parliament," said Khachariyawas. (ANI)
Rajasthan unit BJP president Satish Poonia on Tuesday extended support to the party's Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena, who has been protesting since the last eight days against the Ashok Gehlot-led government demanding a CBI probe into the paper leak case. Poonia, who on Tuesday visited the protest site, slammed the Congress-led state government, saying the papers of more than 16 recruitment examinations have been leaked in Rajasthan. "Despite repeated paper leaks, the Chief Minister is engaged in a cover-up instead of taking action against the culprits due to which the future of lakhs of youth of Rajasthan seems to be going towards darkness. That is why there should be a CBI inquiry into the paper leak episode to ensure strict action is taken against the culprits while the youths get justice," he said. Kirodi Lal Meena has said that the ministers and MLAs of Rajasthan are also involved in the paper leak case. "That's why Gehlot gave a clean chit to his government in the assembly in the paper leak case. Eventually, even the police are not taking any action. So, a CBI inquiry into this matter should be ordered," the MP said. Meena further said that after the paper leak episode in Jaipur, "I informed the media about the culprits". "However, the convicts fled abroad while the ministers and officials of the government remained busy with the cover-up. In such a situation, our movement will continue till our demands are not fulfilled, he added. Meena has been sitting on a 'dharna' on Agra Road in Jaipur for the last eight days. Earlier, BJP national secretary Alka Singh Gurjar and youths reached the protest site in support of Kirori Lal Meena. While former chief minister Vasundhara Raje and leaders from her camp showed support to the protest, the BJP maintained "some distance" for the last eight days. However, on Tuesday, Poonia put the "silent whispers" around factionalism to rest, by extending support to the protest. --IANS arc/pgh ( 348 Words) 2023-01-31-22:30:04 (IANS)
The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that about 5,000 under trial prisoners were in jails despite being granted bail and 1,417 of them have been released. A bench of Justices S.K. Kaul and A.S. Oka is hearing a matter, which relates to policy strategy for grant of bail. Advocate Gaurav Agrawal, who is an amicus curiae in the matter, cited the NALSA report before the court. The top court was informed that pursuant to the November 29 order, the NALSA wrote to the state legal services authorities (SLSAs) seeking details of such under trial prisoners (UTPs) within 15 days and they were also directed to provide necessary legal assistance for their release. The SLSAs submitted the data with NALSA by December end last year and then they were asked to furnish a progress report on legal assistance and release of under trials, who were in custody despite being granted bail. According to the report, there were about 5,000 under trial prisoners who were in jail, despite grant of bail and out of which, 2,357 persons were provided legal assistance, and 1,417 persons have since been released. In November last year, the apex court flagged the issue of under trials, who continue to languish in jail despite being granted bail, as they were unable to fulfil the conditions of bail. It had asked the state governments to issue directions to jail authorities to provide details of such UTPs to NALSA. The NALSA, in the report filed in the apex court, said it is in the process of creating a "master data" of all such under trial prisoners, who could not either furnish surety or bail bonds due to poverty. According to the report, the accused continue to languish in jail despite being granted bail because they are accused in multiple cases and are not willing to furnish bail bonds until they are given bail in all the cases, as under trial custody will be counted in all the cases. --IANS ss/vd ( 355 Words) 2023-01-31-22:46:02 (IANS)
The Delhi Police Special Cell nabbed a member of Mewat-based interstate gang of criminals indulged in ATM's breaking and siphoning of cash in Delhi and Madhya Pradesh, an official said on Tuesday. The accused has been identified as Shahrukh Khan, 22, a resident of Nuh district in Haryana. The gang members had committed five ATM breaking and stolen cash worth more than Rs 87 lakh in Delhi and Madhya Pradesh in a span of six months. On January 19, the sleuths of Special Cell had apprehended two members -- Shohrab, 27, and Sameer Khan, 24, of the gang from Delhi's Pul Prahladpur area after a brief exchange of fire. The gang members had stolen cash from ATMs in Delhi's Uttam Nagar and Hari Nagar last year and recently on January 11 they had robbed cash from two ATMs in Gwalior and one in Madhya Pradesh's Morena in a single day. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell), Alok Kumar, on January 27, specific inputs about the arrival of an absconding member of the gang would be coming near Shaheed Jeet Singh Marg, Adhchini, New Delhi. "Acting on the inputs, a police team laid a trap and Shahrukh was nabbed. A semi-automatic pistol of 32 along with two bullets was recovered from his possession. A case under the appropriate section of the law was registered at the Special Cell police station and he was placed under arrest," said the DCP. Explaining the modus operandi of the gang, DCP Kumar added that the members of the gang used to identify unguarded ATM booths in dim-lit and isolated areas. Then they used to conduct a thorough recce of the area around ATM booths. "The gang members used to sprinkle black paint on the CCTV cameras after entering the ATM booths to conceal their identity and they also used to wear face masks or monkey caps. They used to open the ATM with the help of gas cutters and take out the cash from the tray and used to flee from the spot." Upon questioning, Khan disclosed that members of his gang are wanted in five cases of ATM breaking and removing of cash amounting Rs 87 lakh in Delhi and Madhya Pradesh. "He is an active member of the gang. He is a driver by profession and would carry his associates to the spot for committing the ATM breaking in Delhi and other states," said the DCP, adding that remaining absconding members of the gang have been identified and further efforts to apprehend them are in progress. --IANS ssh/prw/khz/ ( 438 Words) 2023-01-31-22:58:01 (IANS)
Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Tuesday criticised President Droupadi Murmu's address to a joint sitting of the Parliament on the opening day of the Budget Session, saying that her speech skipped reference to important issues such as unemployment. Speaking to mediapersons, the Congress leader said there are a lot of issues plaguing the people currently and his party will raise them on the floor of Parliament in the ongoing Budget session. He claimed the people had come to realise that the BJP has failed on multiple governance fronts. "There are plenty of issues facing our country today and we will raise them all in Parliament, one after the other. There was no mention of unemployment in the President's address. However, the failures of the government are plain to see and even the people are aware of it," the Congress MP said. He claimed that the President's address to the joint sitting of the Parliament only highlighted the accomplishments of the government. "The President, in her address, said this government has accomplished whatever it set out to achieve. We respect the chair of the President will present our views on her address in the House (Lok Sabha)," Chowdhury said. On Tuesday, President Murmu touched upon several issues in her address, including defence, space, women empowerment, and the importance of public involvement during the 'Amrit Kaal' to build a developed India. Underlining the role of political stability in the country's development, President Murmu said India is in a better position as compared to other countries due to the decisions taken in national interest by the central government. The President said, "The benefits of a stable and decisive government is being reaped by us, in the backdrop of the biggest public health crisis in 100 years (Covid pandemic) and tackling the challenges it presented. Crisis grips countries that grapples with political instability. But owing to the decisions my government took in national interest, India is in a far better position as compared to other countries." Murmu expressed her gratitude to citizens for electing a stable government for two consecutive terms, saying that the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being seen as a decisive government. "My government always kept the country's interest paramount and demonstrated its willingness to completely alter its policies in line with national interests," she said. "By 2047, we have to build an India that will be 'Aatmanirbhar' and capable of fulfilling its humanitarian duties," President Murmu added. The budget session that began with the President's address will see 27 sittings till April 6, with a month-long recess to examine the Budget papers. The first part of the session will conclude on February 13. Parliament will reconvene on March 12 for the second part of the Budget Session, which will conclude on April 6. (ANI)
The BJP slammed the BRS and the AAP for boycotting the President's Address to Parliament on Tuesday. Senior BJP leader and former minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, addressing a press conference here, said: "Today was a very historic occasion for the country as India's first tribal President Droupadi Murmu read the speech to start the budget session of the Parliament. It is very sad that on such an important occasion, CM K. Chandrasekhar Reddy's BRS and Aam Aadmi Party boycotted it." "Why did you boycott it? This is an insult to the dignity of the President of India as well as the country's parliamentary tradition and dignity," he told the two parties. "There is a limit to political opposition and opposition parties should maintain certain norms... Some people took it to the greatest low of our parliamentary democracy, namely the BRS and the Aam Aadmi Party who chose to boycott it," he added. The BRS, which is in power in Telangana, and the AAP, which rules Delhi and Punjab, said their boycott was to mark their protest against the Centre's policies over a host of issues, including its treatment of states. --IANS dr/vd ( 207 Words) 2023-01-31-23:02:04 (IANS)
The Delhi Police have arrested two fraudsters from West Bengal, who duped people on pretext of getting flight ticket refunds, said an official on Tuesday. The accused have been identified as Mukesh Kumar Shaw, 22, and Sandip Shaw, 26, both residents of Asansol, West Bengal. According to M. Harsha Vardhan, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka), on December 4, 2022, a case was registered at Cyber police station in which the complainant alleged that she received a call from a person who introduced himself as an employee of Trip.com and asked to follow some steps to get refund in respect of flight cancellation of complainant's son. "The caller induced the complainant to download a team viewer app. After that she realised that Rs 17,23,532 were transferred from her different bank accounts to other accounts by accused persons. Later the complainant found herself duped," said the DCP. During the investigation, the details of the beneficiary bank account were obtained. The called details record of the alleged number was obtained and analysed by the police. "On the basis of technical analysis and surveillance it was found that Rs 3,85,093 were transferred to one bank account of Canara Bank which is found registered in the name of one Mukesh. It was also found that many other bank accounts were registered in the name Mukesh," the DCP added. Police conducted raids at Mukesh's house and he was arrested with the help of the local team of South Asansol police station Upon questioning, Mukesh disclosed that he along with Sandip used to provide the debit cards to the other accused Amit alias Agam Barnwal and Ismile Ansari. Sandip was also arrested in this case. "Both used to receive their share from Amit. There were many bank accounts which were registered in the name of accused Mukesh in which he received cheating amounts from all over India," Harsha Vardhan said. The official said that Ismile Ansari, who is a resident of Gopi Bandh, Jharkhand, used to make calls to persons in the name of providing them refunds on cancellation of flight tickets. "Amit used to arrange debit cards and provide cash to Ismile. Mukesh used to provide bank accounts and also used to withdraw cash from ATMs," said the DCP, adding that efforts are being made to trace Ismail and Amit. --IANS ssh/khz/ ( 403 Words) 2023-01-31-23:10:05 (IANS)
A record number of over 43,000 security personnel, comprising Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), Tripura State Rifles (TSR) and state police would be deployed to provide security for the February 16 assembly polls in Tripura, officials said on Tuesday. A senior police officer said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has agreed to provide 400 companies (30,000 security personnel) of CAPF for fair and violence-free assembly elections. Besides the CAPF, comprising Assam Rifles, Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Central Industrial Security Force, around 8,000 TSR jawans and over 5,000 Tripura police personnel would also be deployed, the official told IANS. He said that 200 companies of CAPF had already arrived in Tripura and been deployed in different parts of the state, while 200 more companies of CAPF would arrive by the first week of February. The official said that the CAPFs were deployed for area domination, patrolling, flag march, vehicular patrolling, Naka duty, raids apart from counter insurgency operations. According to the official, after the announcement of the Assembly election schedule by the Election Commission on January 18, a total number of 192 Naka points (check gate) have been established in various strategic locations. "Naka checking is going on regularly in all naka points. Special vehicle checking is also going on. A special drive for vehicle checking was launched and over 11,000 vehicles were checked as part of the preventive action," the official said. In order to maintain a sense of security among the people in the state, so far more than 1,700 flag marches and area domination patrolling have been done with joint participation of state police, TSR and CAPF, he stated. A senior election official said that the Border Security Force (BSF),who are posted along the Bangladesh borders, would not only intensify their vigil but also keep in touch with their counterparts -- Border Guards Bangladesh -- from across the frontiers to prevent any kind of illegal entry into India. "BSF would convene meetings immediately with their counterparts to sensitise them to take a more vigilant approach considering the ensuing assembly elections in Tripura." Three special observers of the Election Commission visited Tripura for five days and reviewed the February 16 poll preparedness and security arrangements The three special observers are Yogendra Tripathy, a retired IAS officer of Karnataka cadre; Vivek Johri, former Director General of Police of Madhya Pradesh; and B. Murali Kumar, an IRS officer, who was special observer in the Assembly elections of Gujarat (2022) and West Bengal (2021). The observers directed that drones should be used for detection of marijuana plantations and other enforcement measures wherever possible, the official said. --IANS sc/pgh ( 454 Words) 2023-01-31-23:28:01 (IANS)
Tripura CPI(M) secretary Jitendra Choudhary on Tuesday hinted that his party may ally with Tipra Motha, a regional front, in the upcoming Assembly election in February. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Choudhary said his party was in talks with the regional front for an alliance. The Assembly elections are scheduled to be held on February 16. Choudhary said he had a conversation with the Tripra Motha chairperson Pradut Kishore Deb Barma on filing of nominations for the upcoming election. The CPI(M) leader said, "I had a conversation with the Tipra Motha chief (about an alliance). He said the front has not named any contestant from Sabroom, from where I am contesting." Choudhary informed that the Tiprta Motha chairperson further said the two parties should sit and discuss the seats that they fancy winning and also decide on the withdrawal of nominations, if necessary. "Pradut Kishore Deb Barma also said that we should sit immediately to sort out the seats where we are at an advantage and accordingly, we will decide on withdrawing nominations by Februray 2, which is the last date for doing so," he said. There has been a lot of speculation pre-poll alliances, with various parties reportedly reaching out to the Tipra Motha chief with an alliance offer. However, the regional front has yet to take a final call in the matter. Earlier on January 27, the Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (Tipra Motha) chief had claimed 'no alliance' with any party for the Assembly polls. Sharing a video for his supporters on Twitter, Barma said, "A lot of people have speculated in the last three days that we are about to form an alliance. I have said it before and I am saying it again that unless we get in writing from the government of India that our demands will be met constitutionally, I will not form any alliance. I don't blame the people who don't believe it. Because in 46 years, after 1977, every regional Tiprasa political party has gone to Delhi and has come back with an agreement before the election. But after the election, Tiprasa doesn't get anything." "I have said this before and am repeating it, we will not compromise on our demands. We went to Delhi to discuss and we heard them. If we didn't go, they would've mentioned it that despite the invitation, we skipped the meeting," he added. While speaking about the meeting, Pradyot said, "They haven't given anything in writing. I want to inform all my Tipra Motha warriors and the entire Tiprasa that there will be no alliance in this election." "Either we'll win or we'll lose, but this time we'll fight for one last time," Pradyot assured his supporters in the video. (ANI)
Himanta Biswa Sarma celebrated his birthday by cutting a cake with his fans, and well-wishers.

The fans seemed very enthusiastic and clicked selfies with the chief minister.

Himanta Biswa Sarma was born on February 1, 1969 in Assam's Jorhat.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister held a meeting with Uttar Pradesh Power Minister AK Sharma on Tuesday.

According to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, this meeting would help meet the energy needs, boosting growth and industrialisation.

"Big step towards power availability and revenue. In Ghatampur Thermal Project, Assam gets 20 per cent equity and 297 MW of power. Will help in meeting energy needs, boosting growth and industrialisation," tweeted the Assam CM. (ANI)
Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is celebrating its 47th Raising Day on Wednesday.

"Greetings to all Coast Guard personnel on their Raising Day. The Indian Coast Guard is known for its professionalism and efforts to keep our coasts safe. I also convey my best wishes to them for their future endeavours. @IndiaCoastGuard," tweeted PM Modi.

Meanwhile, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Tuesday arrived at Coast Guard District Headquarters (Kerala and Mahe) for the Raising Day of the Indian Coast Guard.

The Governor was received by DIG N Ravi, Coast Guard Dist. Commander (Kerala and Mahe). (ANI)
Following the assembly elections in Tripura, Excise Department has seized illegal items worth Rs 17 lakh of illegal items intensifying enforcement activities, the official said. The raids are conducted as per the direction of the Election commission of India. "Following denouncement of upcoming election 2023 as per the direction of Election Commission of India, we have started different enforcement activities into different shops and stalls to identify and sales of illegal storage and selling and on finding of such stocks we apprehend the concerned person and proceed for lawful procedures," the Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, North East Region (NER), Kavita Jha told ANI. She further said that 29 cases have been registered so far and sent for the legal procedure. The Assembly elections are scheduled to be held on February 16. The administration has established 72 Naka checking points throughout the states to check and seize illicit liquor transportation and misuse of the same keeping the election environment ahead in the mind. "The force has been deployed engaging different officers from the sale tax and income tax department as we are having not adequate stop to continue these enforcement activities ahead of the upcoming assembly election 2023. Besides that, transportation of foreign liquor items has been made more restricted imposing different systems with the help of locking and unlocking at specific points," she added. After the date of announcement of the poll ie on January 18, the State Excise Organization seized a total of 6446.175 litres of illicit liquor till Monday, the value of which stands to total Rs 13,98,600. A total of 29 cases have been registered so far and 10 people were arrested. (ANI)
Ahead of the presentation of Union Budget 2023-24 in the Parliament on Wednesday, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said that the budget will incorporate the expectations of every section of society and will stand on everyone's expectations. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will table the Budget 2023 in Lok Sabha today at 11 am. This will be the Narendra Modi government's last full Budget in this term of the Parliament. Speaking to ANI ahead of the Budget, MoS Finance said that the people's expectations would be reflected in the Budget which will be presented later today. "This is the budget incorporating the expectations of every section of society. Indian economy is on track due to the leadership of PM Modi and the supervision of Nirmala Sitharaman. The Economic Survey also suggests the same. The budget has been made keeping in view all sections of society and it will stand on everyone's expectations," Chaudhary said. MoS Finance Dr B Karad told reporters that all making are making progress, and cited the Economic Survey. "Country has made good recovery from COVID. If we look at Economic Survey, all sectors are making progress. Compared to other countries, our economy is good. When PM took oath in 2014, India was 10th (in terms of economy), today it is 5th," he said. "Today, the Budget will be presented before the Parliament by FM at 11 am. Before that, under her leadership, my colleague Pankaj Chaudhary and Secretary will meet the President at 9 am. At 10 am, under PM Modi's leadership, a cabinet meeting will be held," the Minister added. This year's Budget holds much significance as the country is scheduled to have the next Lok Sabha election in April-May 2024. The budget session of the Parliament began on Tuesday with President's address. This year's budget session is going to have 27 sittings till April 6 with a month-long recess to examine the budget papers. The first part of the session will conclude on February 13. Parliament will reconvene on March 12 for the second part of the Budget Session and conclude on April 6. The Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday tabled the Economic Survey for the Financial Year 2022-23. The Economic Survey said that India's economic recovery from the Covid pandemic is complete and the economy is expected to grow in the range of 6 per cent to 6.8 per cent in the coming financial year 2023-24. This is in comparison to 7 per cent this fiscal and 8.7 per cent in 2021-22. Like the previous two Union Budgets, Union Budget 2023-24 will also be delivered in paperless form. Amid growing public expectations around the Union Budget 2023, top business leaders of the country have also put forward their suggestions for Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Arihant Infrastructures, CMD, Ashok Chhajer told ANI that the government should focus on reducing home loan rates. "The government should reduce home loan rates. The affordable housing segment, which is capped at Rs 45 lakh, should be changed to Rs 60-75 lakh which is the average cost of a house in Metro cities and 2-tier cities," said Chhajer. (ANI)
Uttarakhand Police has busted a fake employment centre in Laksar area in the district and arrested four people for allegedly cheating youths of lakhs of rupees on the pretext of providing them government jobs, a senior official said. The police also seized computers from the centre for investigations, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ajay Singh told reporters on Tuesday. "On the basis of a complaint that a fake employment centre was being run in Laksar, a case was registered. During the probe, it was found that the accused were cheating youths of Rs 5-6 lakhs in return for government jobs. Four accused were arrested. Evidence including computers seized," he said. During the investigation, it came to the fore that the accused persons had formed a trust to cheat people, and were using government e-mail IDs to convince the gullible candidates, the SSP said "The accused formed a trust to cheat youths. Advertisements of the trust were published in different newspapers. A hotel was booked in Lucknow to conduct interviews of candidates. Accused used government e-mail IDs to convince youths to invest the money," he added. Further investigations are underway. (ANI)
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday morning arrived at the Ministry of Finance in the North Block in the Central Secretariat building ahead of the Budget presentation today in Parliament. This Budget marks the last Budget of Prime Minister Narendra Modi government in the Parliament of this term. The Finance Minister will table the Union Budget 2023-24 at 11 am in Lok Sabha today, following which she will address the House. The government will present the Union Budget in paperless form like the previous two ones. The government had presented the first paperless budget in 2021. On Tuesday, Sitharaman tabled the Economic Survey for the Financial Year 2022-23 in Lok Sabha, which said that India's economic recovery from the Covid pandemic is complete and the economy is expected to grow in the range of 6 per cent to 6.8 per cent in the coming financial year 2023-24. This is in comparison to 7 per cent this fiscal and 8.7 per cent in 2021-22. In view of the upcoming budget, top business leaders of the country have also put forward their suggestions for Nirmala Sitharaman. Arihant Infrastructures, CMD, Ashok Chhajer told ANI on Monday that the government should focus on reducing home loan rates. "The government should reduce home loan rates. The affordable housing segment, which is capped at Rs 45 lakh, should be changed to Rs 60-75 lakh which is the average cost of a house in Metro cities and 2-tier cities," said Chhajer. Hiranandani Group MD, Niranjan Hiranandani said the Budget should focus on further investments in roads, railways, ports, airports and highways, as well as slum rehabilitation schemes. "There should be more focus on further investments in roads, railways, ports, airports and highways. The focus must also be on the slum rehabilitation schemes to make India a slum-free country," said Hiranandani. The Budget Session of the Parliament began on January 31 with President Droupadi Murmu's Address to the joint session of both houses. The President touched upon various subjects during her inaugural address, which was her first one after being elected to the topmost office of the country last year. She mentioned women empowerment, India's defence exports, and Aatmanirbhar Bharat by 2047 among others. Ahead of the President's Address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the media outside the Parliament. Prime Minister Modi said that India's Budget will attempt to meet the hopes and aspirations of the common citizens amid the unstable global economic situation. "Our Finance Minister will present one more Budget before the country tomorrow. In today's global circumstances, not only India but the entire world is looking at India's budget," PM Modi said. The Prime Minister firmly exuded confidence that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will make efforts to meet the expectations. "Amid the unstable global economic situation, India's budget will attempt to meet the hopes and aspirations of the common citizens. The ray of hope being seen by the world grows brighter-for this, I firmly believe that Nirmala Sitharaman will make all efforts to meet those aspirations," PM Modi said while addressing the media. The Prime Minister cited the "credible voices from the world of economy" and said that they have brought a positive message ahead of the session. "Today, the Budget Session is commencing. Credible voices from the world of economy, have brought in a positive message, a ray of hope and a beginning of enthusiasm," he said. The budget session that began on Tuesday with the President's address will take place in 27 sittings till April 6 with a month-long recess to examine the budget papers. The first part of the session will conclude on February 13. Parliament will reconvene on March 12 for the second part of the Budget Session and will conclude on April 6. (ANI)
In a big jolt to Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, the Uttar Pradesh government has cancelled the lease of Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Training and Research Institute here, according to an official statement. After the decision of the Yogi cabinet on January 28, the government has cancelled the lease of Rs 100 per annum and ordered to take the institute's building and land, with an area of about 13,000 square meters, under government control with immediate effect. "The building and land of Jauhar Shodh Sansthan should be taken under government control with immediate effect, take possession and inform the government," a notification by the Director Minority Welfare J Ribha said on Tuesday after the Cabinet decision. Former cabinet minister Azam Khan had taken land for Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Training and Research Institute on lease for 100 rupees annually for 33 years during the Samajwadi Party government with the proviso that the lease term can be extended twice for 33-33 years. "This decision was taken in the cabinet meeting during the SP government and it was said that research work would also be done in it along with the studies of Arabic and Persian. But Later it was changed and instead of higher education, Rampur Public School was opened for primary and secondary education by getting post from CBSE board," the notification claimed. Azam Khan had become the Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust's president for life. On the complaint of Minister of State Baldev Aulakh, an SIT team was also constituted to investigate the matter. On the basis of the investigation report of the SIT, Divisional Minority Welfare Officer RP Singh was suspended for "negligence" and "indifference". Based on the recommendation of the SIT, the government called for a report from the Rampur DM. Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Anjaneya Kumar Singh, who was then Rampur DM, had also recommended the cancellation of the lease. While the lease was cancelled in the cabinet meeting of the Yogi government held on Saturday, the order was issued by the Minority Welfare Director Lucknow J Ribha on the name of Divisional Minority Welfare Officer/Deputy Director Moradabad Division and District Minority Welfare Officer Rampur on Tuesday asking them to inform the government about action taken. (ANI)
The arrested persons identified as Pratul Kumar Kachhap and Kardeep Oraon, were nabbed from Latehar district on Tuesday.

"We received secret information that some persons have gathered and had gathered near the Bendi railway station to carry out some untoward incident and extort money from the contractors. Immediately, a team was formed under the leadership of station in-charge Chandrashekhar Chaudhary," police said.

The police added that as the constituted team reached the upgraded Middle School, Bendi (Ledhpa), both the extremists of PLFI were extorting from contractors on phone. Meanwhile, both the militants were nabbed from the spot.

Both the arrested extremists have a criminal background.

"Police have recovered a 7.65 mm pistol, six bullets, three mobiles and a pamphlet of militant outfit PLFI from the arrested militants," Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Santosh Kumar Mishra said in a press briefing.

In a response to the development, police have registered a case against the extremists under several sections of the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act.

A police investigation into the matter is underway. Further information is awaited. (ANI)
Talking to reporters, CM Bommai said, "India's economy is expected to grow at 6.8 per cent. It will be a pro-people budget that will support the growth of the economy."

The Chief Minister also stated that it would be a budget without any burden

"It will be a pro-people budget with priority given to different sectors in the country. If the country's economy gets a boost, every citizen will get the benefit," said Bommai.

This will be the last full Budget of the Modi government in its second term, as the country is scheduled to have the next Lok Sabha election in April-May 2024.

As per established tradition, the Finance Minister met the President at the Rashtrapati Bhawan before heading to Parliament to present the Union Budget. This is the fifth budget presentation by Sitharaman.

The budget session of the Parliament began on Tuesday with the President's address, followed by the tabling of the Economic Survey for 2022-23.

The formal exercise to prepare the annual Budget for the next financial year (2023-24) commenced on October 10. (ANI)
The Budget session started on a high note as rival slogans of "Modi, Modi" and "Jodo Jodo Bharat Jodo" echoed in Parliament on Wednesday during Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's Budget speech. As Finance Minister Sitharaman began her Budget speech, slogans were raised from both sides in the Lok Sabha. Bharatiya Janata Party Lok Sabha members, who raised 'Modi-Modi' slogans were countered by Congress MPs who retorted with slogans of the recently concluded Bharat Jodo Yatra. The episode was evidence of Congress' clear intention which is believed to be coming well-prepared to counter the Central government during the Budget session. This Budget session is expected to be stormy with the opposition parties seeking to raise several issues of their concern. The multi-party meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday ahead of the Budget session made it clear that the opposition parties will try to corner the government by raising issues including those related to Adani stocks and the BBC documentary. During the meeting, the opposition parties asked the government to hold a discussion on the issue concerning Adani stocks saying it concerns the economy of the country and the people. The parties that raised the issue included RJD, CPI-M, CPI, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and National Conference. "Why is no inquiry done? Where is CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation), ED (Directorate of Enforcement) or SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India)? Why is it allowed to swindle funds belonging to the public? We have asked for a discussion on the floor of the house and if the government doesn't bring it, we will again raise it in Parliament," AAP leader Sanjay Singh told ANI. The representatives from the Congress party didn't turn up in the all-party meeting as they were busy with Bharat Jodo Yatra's finale. This year's budget session is going to have 27 sittings till April 6 with a month-long recess to examine the budget papers. The first part of the session will conclude on February 13. Parliament will reconvene on March 12 for the second part of the Budget Session and conclude on April 6. (ANI)
Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan here on Wednesday said that aim of India's G20 Presidency is to strive for an "equitable growth for all". "The G20 Education Working Group provides member countries with an opportunity to underline common priorities, reiterate common commitments, and evolve common action for improving the reach, quality and outcomes of education. As envisioned by our Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the aim of India's G20 Presidency is to strive for just and equitable growth for all, in a sustainable, holistic, responsible, and inclusive manner," the minister said while talking to ANI. He also said that the objective has been pronounced by the theme of 'One Earth, One Family, One Future', and the Indian values of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. "The aim of the Education Working Group under India's presidency is therefore to work collectively and evolve solutions that will help all countries and societies to strengthen their education systems and attain the targets under the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4," he added. He also welcomed the G20 delegates at the first G20 Education Working Group Meeting here and said he looks forward to the ideas and proposed initiatives to ensure quality education for all. Notably, the first meeting of the G20 Education Working Group (G20 EWG) 2023 in Chennai will continue till tomorrow. The Union Minister further underlined that Education is the key driver for development and is a critical enabler for the people's empowerment, which needs to keep pace with the changes driving the world in contemporary times. "In recent years, we have seen a rapid transformation in the way people live, work and interact with each other. In such times we need education systems that can equip all our young people, especially the more vulnerable ones, with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes required in the 21st century so that they can live productive and responsible lives," Murugan said. He further said that every country has evolved its own strategies for fulfilling this need and India launched its National Education Policy in 2020, under which many initiatives have been rolled out for making education more inclusive, accessible, affordable, relevant to emerging needs and of high quality. "Some of these [initiatives rolled out under NEP 2020] include addressing issues of early childhood care and education, preventing school drop out, introducing innovative pedagogies, focus on teachers training, making higher education multi-disciplinary and flexible, with focus on quality research, mainstreaming skill education, providing opportunities for lifelong learning, extensive use of technology to improve the teaching-learning process etc," he said. Later, Murugan exuded confidence that all the G20 member countries would share their "rich initiatives" and "enlightening experiences" with each other, which in turn will enrich all the member countries to define future strategies for the betterment of education and strengthen the hands for collective action in this regard. "India attaches great importance to collaboration between G20 members in education and other fields. I take this opportunity to reiterate our commitment in this regard. We have been given an opportunity to outline our priorities and draw the roadmap for a common robust future. Let us all work together to build this common future, keeping education as the focal point for addressing our common challenges," Murugan added. Earlier, the G20 delegates arrived at the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IITM) Research Park in Chennai on Tuesday to participate in the seminar on 'Role of Digital Technology in Education.' India assumed the G20 Presidency from Indonesia on December 1, 2022, and will convene the G20 Leaders' Summit for the first time in the country this year. As India takes over the Presidency, the working group aims to work together with G20 countries to bridge gaps in quality education and skilling. (ANI)
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal launched an attack on the Union Budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday and said the government is not addressing the serious economic conditions in the country including the common man's plight. While talking to ANI, the Congress General Secretary said, "The government is not addressing the serious concerns of the country's economic condition and the common man's plight. This is my first reaction." Stating that people are in a distressed mood in the country, he said, "The actual problem is whether the Budget is addressing the current economic issues including price rise, and unemployment. There is no income for the people. How can they benefit by increasing the tax limit?" Notably, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced an increase in the income tax rebate limit from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh stating that the new tax regime will now be the default tax regime. The Finance Minister also proposed to change the tax structure in this regime by reducing the number of tax slabs to 5 and increasing the tax exemption limit to Rs 3 lakh. On personal income tax, the FM announced that "Tax for income of Rs 0-Rs 3 lakh is nil, for income above Rs 3 lakh and up to Rs 5 lakh will be taxed at 5 per cent, for income of above Rs 6 lakh and up to Rs 9 lakh will be taxed at 10 per cent and for income above Rs 12 lakh and up to Rs 15 lakh to be taxed at 20 per cent and above 15 lakhs at Rs 30 per cent." KC Venugopal also targeted the government for a poor track record of fulfilling promises. "You have to examine the past promises in the budget. How much have they been fulfilled? The government has promised lot many programmes for the farmers but nothing has been fulfilled. This government's track record of fulfilling promises is very low. They may announce anything in the budget like their manifesto," he said. (ANI)
The killings of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were not "martyrdom but accidents", Uttarakhand Minister Ganesh Joshi said on Tuesday, stoking a political controversy. The Minister said that there is a "difference between accident and martyrdom" and what happened with the two former prime ministers is betetr called an "accident". "If you look at History, there is a difference between accident and martyrdom. Freedom fighters like Chandra Shekhar Azad, Ram Prasad Bismil and others, who accepted capital punishment but did not accept the Britishers' demands, were martyrs. If there is some bad incident with someone, that is called an accident," Joshi told ANI. Former prime minister Indira Gandhi was killed by her two Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984 as a revenge for military operation to flush out extremists from the Golden Temple in June that year. Her son Rajiv Gandhi, who was the prime minister, was assassinated by Tamil Tiger rebels on May 21, 1991 in Sriperambudur while on an election campaigning. "Yes, they were tall leaders, the Prime Ministers, but they met with accidents. Indira Gandhi was killed by her bodyguards. That was not martyrdom but an accident. I stand by my statement that there is a difference between martyrdom and accident," Joshi added. The Uttarakhand minister's remarks came after senior Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi, in his speech during the closing ceremony of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and RSS would not be able to understand what the pain is. "Those who do violence like PM Modi, Amit Shah, Ajit Doval, and RSS, cannot understand pain, but we can. We should stand against the ideology which tries to demolish the base of India," he said. Joshi further credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the successful unfurling of national flag by Rahul Gandhi at Lal Chowk in Srinagar during the Bharat Jodo Yatra on January 30. "Had Article 370 not been revoked, would Rahul Gandhi be able to do it? Why didn't he do it during the Congress rule?" he said. (ANI)
Former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand and Congress leader Harish Rawat on Wednesday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party's minister Ganesh Joshi for his remarks on the deaths of former Prime Ministers, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, demanding an apology from the latter. "BJP has gone mad, as no one has the right to insult martyrdom, to criticize the sacrifice. BJP should apologize for this statement made by their minister," Rawat said while talking to ANI here on Wednesday. Uttarakhand Minister Ganesh Joshi on Tuesday courted a political controversy calling the killings of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi "accidents, not martyrdom". The killings of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were not "martyrdom but accidents", Joshi remained firm over his statement while talking to ANI. The Minister said that there is a "difference between accident and martyrdom" and what happened with the two former prime ministers is better called an "accident". "If we look at history, there is a difference between losing a life in the line of duty and an accident. Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were big leaders and former PMs. Indira Gandhi was shot dead by a security guard while Rajiv Gandhi was killed by LTTE, so it's an accident," Joshi said. Former prime minister Indira Gandhi was killed by her two Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984, as revenge for a military operation to flush out extremists from the Golden Temple in June that year.Her son Rajiv Gandhi, who was the prime minister, was assassinated by Tamil Tiger rebels on May 21, 1991, in Sriperambudur while on an election campaign. "Yes, they were tall leaders, the Prime Ministers, but they met with accidents. Indira Gandhi was killed by her bodyguards. That was not martyrdom but an accident. I stand by my statement that there is a difference between martyrdom and accident," Joshi added. The Uttarakhand minister's remarks came after senior Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi, in his speech during the closing ceremony of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and RSS would not be able to understand what the pain is. "Those who do violence like PM Modi, Amit Shah, Ajit Doval, and RSS, cannot understand pain, but we can. We should stand against the ideology which tries to demolish the base of India," he said. (ANI)
Central Election Committee (CEC) of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will meet at 5 pm today for the finalization of the candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Meghalaya and Nagaland, said sources. The meeting will be chaired by party national president JP Nadda in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The meeting will be held at the party headquarters in Delhi. Apart from these, all the members of the Central Election Committee will be present at the meeting. In Meghalaya, BJP will fight at all seats alone and in Nagaland will contest the election in alliance with the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP)l where BJP will be contesting on 20 seats out of 60 seats. Voting for Assembly elections in Nagaland and Meghalaya will be held in a single phase on February 27. The results will be declared on March 2. According to the Election Commission of India, the terms of Nagaland and Meghalaya are coming to an end on March 12 and 15 respectively. Earlier on January 27, BJP held a CEC meeting in the national capital to finalize the names of the candidates for the upcoming Tripura Assembly elections. After the meeting, BJP announced its first list of 48 candidates for the Tripura Assembly polls, fielding Union Minister Pratima Bhoumik from Dhanpur. Six of the party's sitting MLAs have not been given tickets for the upcoming polls. Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha will contest the upcoming state assembly polls from the Town Bordowali constituency. Party leaders Anil Baluni and Sambit Patra on Saturday announced the BJP's candidates for the Tripura assembly polls at a press conference in the party headquarters here. For the first time, 11 women candidates have been given tickets in the state assembly election. Tripura is slated to go to Assembly polls on February 16. Votes will be counted on March 2 along with Nagaland and Meghalaya. (ANI)
A man has been booked for allegedly molesting a 22-year-old woman and for forcing her to get married to him, police here said. The accused has been identified as Sheikh Sahil (around 25 years old), who works as a gym trainer in the city. He befriended the victim by hiding his religion and posing as Ashu. When the victim came to know about his actual name, she broke her friendship with him and then the accused started harassing her, a senior police officer said. Bhopal Mahila Police Station in charge Anjana Dhurve told ANI, "The victim submitted a complaint against the accused to the police station on Tuesday, January 31. She told the police that she works in Bhopal and the accused used to live in the same building in which she lived. The accused befriended her posing as Ashu. Both of them went on outings during which the accused clicked some photographs." After a few days, the woman came to know about his real name, Sheikh Sahil, as a result of which she broke friendship with him. After that, the boy started harassing her in different ways, he started following her, threatened to kill her and used to pressure her to get married to him, SHO Dhurve said. She added that one day during the night, the accused entered into the victim's house and molested her but due to fear of infamy, she did not tell anyone about the incident. The accused took advantage of it and demanded Rs 5 lakhs for not stalking her. He also threatened her that if she did not give him the money then he would make her video viral on social media. "After that the woman narrated the incident to her family members but the accused started threatening her family members as well to get her married otherwise he would kill her. In the meantime, the woman got engaged but again he started threatening her fiance as well," the police official said. SHO Dhurve further said that acting on the complaint of the woman, a case was registered against the accused under IPC sections 354, 354D, 384 and 506 and took the accused into custody. Further investigation into the matter was going on and more sections would be added on the basis of evidence that would come forward in the case, she added. (ANI)
Praising the Union Budget, Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar on Wednesday said that the budget is futuristic, growth-oriented and lays a strong foundation for 2047 when India will be celebrating 100 years of its independence. "The first budget of 'Amrit Kaal' presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is futuristic, growth-oriented and has laid a strong foundation for India @100 in 2047. The Budget has focussed on every sector and will benefit every section of society giving an impetus to the Aatmanibhar Bharat vision," he said. The health minister also stated that the budget addressed the concerns of the hardworking salaried middle class by increasing the income tax exemption limit to 7 lakhs. "In a nutshell, the seven priorities of the Budget - inclusive development, reaching the last mile, infrastructure and investment, unleashing the potential of India, Green growth, banking on youth power and bolstering the finance sector, will take the country further on the growth trajectory," he said. The minister also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for central assistance of Rs 5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra Project. "This will immensely benefit the people of Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga, Tumkur and Davangere districts by providing irrigation facilities to farmers and recharging the groundwater table to provide drinking water in drought-prone taluks of these districts," he said. He also lauded the Economic Survey 2023 tabled in the Parliament which showed that the central and state governments' budgeted expenditure in the health sector reached 2.1 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2022-23. "This is in the direction of the vision of National Health Policy - 2017, which has envisaged increasing the government's health expenditure to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2025. The share of the government's health expenditure in total health outlay has increased from 28.6 per cent in 2014 to 40.6 per cent in 2019. Thanks to Ayushman Bharat, the out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) as a share of total health expenditure came down to 48.2 per cent in 2019 from 64.2 per cent in 2014," the health minister said. K Sudhakar also termed the budget proposal to establish 157 new nursing colleges in co-location with the existing 157 medical colleges established since 2014 as a welcome move to address the increasing human resource needs in the healthcare sector. "The mission to eliminate Sickle Cell Anaemia by 2047 with the universal screening of 7 crore people in the age group of 0-40 years in affected tribal areas, and counselling through collaborative efforts of central ministries and state governments is yet another step towards healthier India," he said. "The decision to make facilities in select ICMR Labs available for research by public and private medical college faculty and private sector R&D teams will encourage collaborative research and innovation in a big way making us battle ready for future healthcare challenges. Launching dedicated multidisciplinary courses for medical devices will go a long way in ensuring the availability of skilled manpower for futuristic medical technologies, high-end manufacturing and research," he added. (ANI)
Bihar Industries Association president Arun Agarwal on Wednesday said that the income tax rebate announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is according to the expectations, however, there was no major announcement for Bihar which came as a disappointment. "We do not see anything for Bihar in the Budget. We are a little disappointed with it. Everyone will get some relief with the income tax rebate. The rebate is according to our expectations. We wanted interest-free funds for Bihar so that we could prosper. The per capita income of Bihar is nearly Rs 50,000. The budget could be rated around 8 points except for Bihar," he told ANI. Earlier today, while presenting the Union Budget 2023 in Lok Sabha, Sitharaman said, "The new tax rates are 0 to Rs 3 lakhs - nil, Rs 3 to 6 lakhs - 5 per cent, Rs 6 to 9 Lakhs - 10 per cent, Rs 9 to 12 Lakhs - 15 per cent, Rs 12 to 15 Lakhs - 20 per cent and above 15 Lakhs - 30 per cent". Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the "first budget of Amrit Kaal" and said that it would lay a strong foundation for building a developed India. The Prime Minister said that the budget gives priority to the deprived and will fulfil the dreams of the aspirational society, the farmers and the middle class. "The first budget of Amrit Kaal will build a strong foundation for building a developed India. It gives priority to the deprived. This budget will fulfil the dreams of an aspirational society including poor people, middle-class people, and farmers. I congratulate Nirmala Sitharaman and his team for this historic budget," PM Modi said in a televised address. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2023 today in Lok Sabha. This was the third time in a row that the government presented the budget in a paperless form. Highlights of the budget presented by the Union Finance Minister included b ig incentives under the new income tax regime. The IT rebate limit in the new regime has been increased from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh and the new tax regime will be the default tax regime, the Finance Minister said. Capital expenditure outlay has been increased by 33 per cent to Rs 10 lakh crore, accounting for 3.3 per cent of the GDP. (ANI)
The Union Budget is "inclusive", a reflection of Nari Shakti and will take us towards becoming one of top 3 economies, said several senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2023-24 in Parliament on Wednesday. Speaking to ANI, Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said, "I would like to extend gratitude to PM Modi. Going by today's announcements, I believe that in the budget, respect for women has increased." Expressing gratitude to Sitharaman, she said that the Finance Minister presented a new option for savings, in honour of women. "Today's budget reflected how 'Nari Shakti' can build an empowered nation. This has been an inclusive budget," she added. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hoped this year's Union Budget will enable the country to figure in the 'Top Three' economies within a few years. Taking to Twitter, Singh said, "The Union Budget 2023-24 is expected to bring about positive changes in the country that will lead us towards achieving our goal of becoming a $5 trillion economy and 'Top Three' economies within a few years." Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took to Twitter and said that the Union Budget presented today has a resolution for the prosperity of 'New India', a vision of Antyodaya, and the aim of serving 130 crore countrymen." Besides Yogi Adityanath, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar also welcomed the Union Budget and termed it as a revolutionary Budget. "It was a revolutionary budget that will give relief to every section of society. New income-tax rates give relief to individuals. The outlay for PM Awaas Yojana has been enhanced by 66 per cent in this budget, I welcome this," he said. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also reacted to this year's Budget. "Progress, and a Budget of new speed (Nayi Gati)! Congratulations to FM @NSitharaman for presenting this #AmritKaal Budget, which is dedicated to every section of society, focussing on the upliftment of health, education, energy security, and giving relief to the common man. This is the Budget for building PM Modi's India of Amrit Kaal," he said in a tweet. While speaking to ANI, Union MoS for Health Bharati Pravin said that in the Union Budget, the focus was on technology, health, sickle cell and its need for treatment. Development of ICMR labs and new tech has also been focused upon. All sectors are taken into consideration in this Budget. South Bengaluru MP and another BJP leader Tejaswi Surya said that the Budget will be a game changer for the poll-bound state Karnataka. "I want to thank PM Modi and FM Sitharaman for the announcement of the over Rs 5,000 cr irrigation project for the Upper Bhadra region of Karnataka. This project will be a game changer for the state," Surya told ANI. Earlier today, during her nearly one-and-a-half-hour-long speech, the Finance Minister announced that the government proposes to increase capital expenditure outlay by 33 per cent to Rs 10 lakh crore in 2023-24, which would be 3.3 per cent of the GDP. "(This overall outlay) would be 3.3 per cent of GDP, almost three times the outlay made in 2019-20. With the substantial increase, it is central to the government's efforts to enhance growth potential and job creation, the crowd in private investments and provides a cushion against global headwinds," Sitharaman said in her Budget speech. (ANI)
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday, announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakhs for the family members of those who died in the Dhanbad fire incident that killed 14 people. "The state government has directed to give a compensation amount of Rs 4 lakh rupees to the family members of the people who died in Dhanbad's Ashirwad apartment and other accidents in the past. Instructions have also been given to the district administration to provide proper treatment and other facilities to the people injured in the accident," Soren tweeted. He also informed that state Disaster Management Minister Banna Gupta would go to Dhanbad to take stock of the situation. "Disaster Management Minister Mr @BannaGupta76 ji will go to Dhanbad to get information about the current situation and relief work," he tweeted. Earlier, Hemant Soren had expressed his condolences over the deaths in the fire incident. "The death of people due to fire in Dhanbad's Ashirwad Tower Apartment is extremely heart-wrenching. The district administration is working on a war footing and providing treatment to those injured in the accident. I am looking into the whole matter myself," tweeted Soren. He further said that the authorities are working to provide quick medical treatment to the injured. "May God grant peace to the departed souls and give strength to the bereaved families to bear the difficult times of grief. Everything possible is being done to provide quick medical treatment to the injured," he tweeted. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also condoled the loss of lives in the devastating fire at a Dhanbad apartment and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next-of-kin of the dead and wished the injured a speedy recovery. "Deeply anguished by the loss of lives due to a fire in Dhanbad. My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon," the PMO tweeted. PM Modi also announced that an amount of Rs 50,000 each has also been sanctioned for the injured in the incident. "An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased in the fire in Dhanbad. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000," tweeted the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). Earlier on Tuesday, as many as 14 people were killed in a massive fire that broke out in an apartment in the Dhanbad district of Jharkhand. The 14 deceased included 10 women, three men and one child. Other than them, as many as 12 people were also left injured after the incident. Regarding the incident, SSP Dhanbad Sanjiv Kumar said that several people had gathered in the apartment for a marriage function. "The cause of the fire is still not known. We're focusing on the rescue. The injured were shifted to the hospital," he said. (ANI)
The meeting was chaired by BJP national president JP Nadda at party headquarters in Delhi. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and all the members of the Central Election Committee were present at the meeting.

In Meghalaya, BJP will fight in all seats alone this time while in Nagaland, the party will contest the polls in alliance with the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP). In Nagaland, BJP will be contesting on 20 seats out of 60 seats.

Voting for Assembly elections in Nagaland and Meghalaya will be held in a single phase on February 27. The results will be declared on March 2.

According to the Election Commission of India, the terms of Nagaland and Meghalaya are coming to an end on March 12 and 15 respectively.

Earlier on January 27, BJP held a CEC meeting in the national capital to finalize the names of the candidates for the upcoming Tripura Assembly elections.

After the meeting, BJP announced its first list of 48 candidates for the Tripura Assembly polls, fielding Union Minister Pratima Bhoumik from Dhanpur.

Six of the party's sitting MLAs have not been given tickets for the upcoming Tripura polls.Chief Minister Manik Saha will contest the upcoming state assembly polls from the Town Bordowali constituency.

Party leaders Anil Baluni and Sambit Patra on Saturday announced the BJP's candidates for the Tripura assembly polls at a press conference in the party headquarters here.

For the first time, 11 women candidates have been given tickets in the state assembly election.

Tripura is slated to go to Assembly polls on February 16. Votes will be counted on March 2 along with Nagaland and Meghalaya. (ANI)
The Uttar Pradesh CM congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for taking care of the interests of the society in the budget, according to a press release on Wednesday.

Through a tweet, the CM said that the Union Budget 2023-24 would pave the way for the prosperity of every section of society and lead the country to become an economic superpower.

The Chief Minister said that the Union Budget will help meet the hopes and expectations for the overall upliftment of the nation, including the villages, poor, farmers, youth, and women, and will undoubtedly prove to be a milestone in the direction of making India an economic superpower.

The General Budget 2023-24 has the resolution of the prosperity of 'New India', the vision of Antyodaya, and the aim of serving 130 crore countrymen, CM Yogi said, adding: "I welcome the all-inclusive and public-welfare oriented Union Budget 2023-24 for fulfilling the resolution of 'Developed India' presented during the Amrit Mahotsava".

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2023 today in Lok Sabha. This was the third time in a row that the government presented the budget in a paperless form.Highlights of the budget presented by the Union Finance Minister included big incentives under the new income tax regime. (ANI)